Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari Receives ‘Nritya Kalanidhi’ Award

• Classical dancer and choreographer Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari received the 'Nritya Kalanidhi' award.
• The award was given during the 17^th Dance Festival at The Music Academy in Chennai.
• The award was presented by Edgar Pang Tze Chiang, Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore.
• She was a dance tutor in the Singapore Fine Arts Society during the 1970s.

World Braille Day 2024

• World Braille Day is annually observed on 4^th January to honour Louis Braille.
• He invented braille, a tactile writing system used by people who are blind or have low vision.
• It allows them to read and write using their fingertips, opening the world of literacy and communication in a way that transcends visual limitations.
• The day was first recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018.

Randhir Jaiswal Becomes the New Spokesperson of MEA

• Randhir Jaiswal Becomes the New Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
• He previously served as Consul General in New York.
• He actively participates in the repatriation efforts of Indian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SpaceX Launched First Set of Satellites with Direct-to-Cell Capabilities

• T-Mobile US stated that SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket with the first set of Starlink satellites.
• The US wireless carrier used Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's Starlink satellites that can beam phone signals from space directly to smartphones.
• Other international wireless providers, such as Japan's KDDI, Australia's Optus, New Zealand's One NZ, and Canada's Rogers, are also partnering with SpaceX to implement direct-to-cell technology.

Karan Adani elevated as MD and Appoints Ashwani Gupta as CEO of Adani Port

• Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has promoted CEO Karan Adani to Managing Director.
• He took over the place of Gautam Adani, who now takes on the title of 'Executive Chairman' at APSEZ.
• He started his career with the Adani Group in 2009 at Mundra Port and then became CEO in 2016.
• Ashwani Gupta was appointed as the new CEO of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ).
• Previously he was a former global Chief Operating Officer at Nissan Motors.
• He is acknowledged for his leadership in sustainability, innovation, and customer-focused solutions.

PM Modi Inaugurates Kochi–Lakshadweep Undersea Internet Cable

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Connection (KLI-SOFC) project in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep.
• This is the first time since independence that Lakshadweep is connected through a Submarine Optic Fiber Cable.
• The submarine OFC is expected to bring a transformative change in communication infrastructure in the islands, facilitating faster and more reliable internet services.
• This development will also benefit areas such as telemedicine, e-governance, educational initiatives, digital banking, digital currency usage, and digital literacy.

CCRAS and NCISM Launch ‘SMART 2.0’ to Mainstream Ayurveda Research

• Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) launched 'SMART 2.0' program.
• ‘SMART’ stands for Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research among Teaching professionals.
• It aims to promote evidence-based clinical research on priority Ayurveda interventions by fostering collaboration between research bodies and academic institutions.