APPOINTMENT

Nitin Nabin Becomes National President of BJP

• Nitin Nabin has been elected as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, marking a major organisational change.

• The announcement was made on 20 January during the Sangathan Parv event at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.

• The election was officially declared by National Returning Officer Dr. K. Laxman.

• He received the certificate of election in the presence of senior BJP leaders.

• Nitin Nabin is the youngest National President in the party’s history and the first from Bihar to hold the post.

• He currently represents the Bankipur Assembly constituency and serves as Road Construction Minister in the Bihar government.

• In December 2024, he was appointed BJP’s National Working President after an 18-month leadership search.

• He is the 12th BJP President; notably, the party was founded in 1980, the same year he was born.

AWARDS

Ilaiyaraaja to Receive Padmapani Award at Ajanta–Ellora Film Festival

• Legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja will be conferred the Padmapani Award at the 11th Ajanta–Ellora International Film Festival.

• The honour recognises his extraordinary and lasting contribution to Indian cinema music.

• The award carries a Padmapani memento, citation certificate, and ₹2 lakh cash prize.

• Earlier recipients include eminent personalities such as Javed Akhtar, Sai Paranjpye, Om Puri, among others.

• The festival will be held from 28 January to 1 February at Mahatma Gandhi Mission, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

• It is supported by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra.

• The event is co-presented by NFDC and the Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation.

• Known as “Isaignani” (the musical sage), Ilaiyaraaja has composed iconic music across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi cinema.

RPF Inspector Chandana Sinha Honoured for Child Rescue Efforts

• Chandana Sinha, Inspector in the Railway Protection Force, has received the Ati Vishisht Rail Sewa Puruskar, Indian Railways’ top service award.

• She was honoured for her dedicated work against child trafficking and forced labour on the rail network of Uttar Pradesh.

• Over the last three years, her initiatives have helped rescue more than 1,500 at-risk children.

• She devised a methodical profiling technique by studying behaviour, travel inconsistencies and body language to spot traffickers.

• A strong grassroots intelligence system was created through informers and collaboration with child-rights NGOs.

• Her unit played a leading role in Operation Nanhe Farishte in June 2024, a nationwide child protection drive of Indian Railways.

• Special attention was given to high-risk trafficking corridors, particularly routes linking Bihar with Punjab and Haryana.

• The award acknowledges her consistent, behind-the-scenes humanitarian policing, rather than a one-time achievement.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book on Ram Janmabhoomi Movement Released

• A book titled Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi – Challenge and Response was released in New Delhi on 20 January 2026.

• The book has been written by Surendra Kumar Pachauri, a former Secretary to the Government of India.

• It was formally launched by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan.

• The Vice President appreciated the author for presenting the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in a balanced and dignified manner.

• He highlighted that the narrative avoids sensationalism and factual distortion.

• The Vice President recalled the Dhwaja-rohan ceremony held at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir on 25 November 2025.

• He described the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya as a defining milestone in India’s civilisational journey.

• He also noted that the 2019 Supreme Court judgment reflected a harmonious blend of faith, law, and democratic values.

ECONOMY NEWS

IMF Raises India’s Growth Outlook, Flags Global Trends

• The IMF has revised India’s GDP growth for the current fiscal to 7.3%, marking a notable upward adjustment.

• This represents a 0.7 percentage point increase, reflecting stronger-than-expected economic performance.

• According to the World Economic Outlook update, robust activity in the fourth quarter drove the revision.

• For FY 2026–27, India’s growth is projected at 6.4%, indicating sustained expansion.

• The IMF reaffirmed that India continues to be a major growth engine among emerging and developing economies.

• Global growth is expected to remain stable at 3.3% in 2026, aided by easing trade frictions and supportive financial conditions.

• Rising investment in technology, especially artificial intelligence, is contributing to global economic momentum.

• India’s inflation is likely to move closer to target levels after a sharp fall in 2025, mainly due to cooling food prices, though the IMF cautioned that AI-led productivity gains may pose future investment and spillover risks.