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 AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 23 December 2022 : Headlines

1. iDEX signs its 150th Innovation Contract with Altair Infrasec Pvt Ltd
2. GIXI: IGX launches India’s First Gas Price Index
3. India’s First SCO-IBC Meeting Held with Focus On Climate Finance, Sdgs, Creation of Data Bank
4. IFSCA introduced framework to Boost Distribution of Capital Market Products from Gift City
5. IRDAI to Introduce ‘Bima Vahaks‘ to Expand Insurance Force
6. HDFC signs MoU with Kerala Startup Mission to provide Financial Services to Startups
7. Karnataka Bank goes live on ICEGATE
8. Worldline ePayments India gets RBI’s In-Principle nod to act as Payment Aggregator
9. Tata Projects Signs MoU with CSIR-IIP for Clean Energy Solutions
10. Cognizant signs MoU with Garuda Aerospace for Advanced Digital Tools
11. GAIL Signs Charter with Japan’s Mitsui OSK for LNG Carrier
12. Former Supreme Court Judge Hemant Gupta Appointed as Chief of NDIAC
13. RRVL to acquire Metro Cash & Carry India for Rs 2,850 crore
14. NASA Selects SpaceX to Provide Launch Services for Sentinel-6B Mission
15. NASA retires Mars InSight Lander After 4 year Mission
16. Padma Shri Awardee & Gamaka Exponent H R Keshavamurthy Passes Away
17. National Mathematics Day 2022 – December 22
18. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches ‘Drink from Tap’ facility in 19 Cities & Towns
19. ADNOC L&S Signs Third Charter Agreement of LNG Floating Storage Unit with AG&P
20. Assam CM inaugurates Partial Commissioning of JICA-assisted Guwahati Water Supply project
21. Kerala’s 1st Smart Mobile Composting Unit Inaugurated

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 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
iDEX signs its 150th Innovation Contract with Altair Infrasec Pvt Ltd
On December 21, 2022, Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), an initiative of Department of Defence
Production (DDP), signed an innovation contract with Altair Infrasec Pvt Ltd, Pune (Maharashtra). This was the
150th contract of iDEX.

Signatories:
It was signed by Anurag Bajpai, Joint Secretary (Defence Industries Production) & Additional Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO); Anil Anand, CEO, Altair Infrasec Pvt Ltd in the
presence of Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, among other in New Delhi, Delhi.
Key Points:
i.Altair Infrasec Pvt Ltd, Pune is a winner of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC 7) SPRINT edition on
the theme ‘Expendable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Training Target (EMATT) capable of simulating
the sound and movement of a submarine’.
ii.The challenge envisaged development of a training target capable of being deployed from P8I aircraft,
MH60R helicopters, ships doing speed up to 10 knots and other Remotely Piloted Aircraft without undertaking
any modification on the platform from which the EMATT is required to be launched.
About iDEX:
i.Launched in 2018, iDEX is funded and managed by DIO. It functions as the executive arm of DIO, and
encourages start-ups and other such entities engaged in defence innovation.
• DIO is established under DDP.
ii.iDEX signed its 100th contract on July 26, 2022.
iii.iDEX, in association with Tri-Services, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), Ministry of Micro, Small
& Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) develop products to make India ‘Aatmanirbhar’ and achieve the export target
of USD $5 billion i.e. Rs 40,000 crore with the objective of transforming India into a global defence
manufacturing hub in the next 25 years.

GIXI: IGX launches India’s First Gas Price Index

On December 20, 2022, the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) launched GIXI, the first ever, nationwide price index to
reflect benchmark natural gas prices for India. This launch is on the lines with international benchmarks such
as JKM (Japan Korea Marker), HH (Henry Hub), WIM (West India Marker), TTF (Dutch).
• It was launched by Tarun Kapoor, former petroleum secretary and advisor to Prime Minister of
India during an event in New Delhi, Delhi.
• It will reflect the volume-weighted average price for all gas traded and also represent the gas prices
at the Western and Southern hubs.
Key Points:
i.IGX Price Index is calculated for various hubs and delivery points with IGX prices being discovered based on
actual deliveries making it reflective of the true market situation.

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ii.The domestic natural gas market is growing at a fast pace, in line with the Central Government’s vision of
achieving 15% share of natural gas in India’s energy mix.
iii.At IGX, over 447 lakh MMBtus (1.1 Billion Cubic Meters) of gas has been traded since inception.
iv.IGX currently offers delivery-based trade in six different contracts such as day-ahead, daily, weekday,
weekly, fortnightly and monthly, under which the trade can be executed for six consecutive months.
About Indian Gas Exchange (IGX):
Promoted by the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), it is India’s first automated national level Gas Exchange.
Managing Director & CEO– Rajesh Kumar Mediratta
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Establishment– 2020

India’s First SCO-IBC Meeting Held with Focus On Climate Finance, Sdgs, Creation of Data Bank
The 19th meeting of the Experts and Coordinators of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Interbank
Consortium (SCO-IBC), the first to be held under India’s presidency, came to an end in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The SCO IBC will be led by India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) from October 26 to
October 25, 2023.
• The SCO-IBC is presided over by Pawan Kumar, Deputy Managing Director of IIFCL.
Key Points:
i.During the summit, it was determined to establish a data bank, work toward the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), and undertake climate financing initiatives.
• The meeting was attended by delegates from the member banks of 8 member countries.
ii.The discussion mainly focused on the SCO IBC member banks’ personnel training, the creation of a database
for the consortium’s 20th aniversary, and other areas of cooperation between member banks to improve their
partnership.
iii.The next meeting will be on capacity building on February 8, 2023, followed by a meeting of the heads of the
council of the SCO member banks in April 2023.
iv.Recently, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi attended the 22nd SCO Summit, which took place on
September 15-16, 2022, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• The SCO Presidency for the upcoming years 2022–2023 was transferred from Uzbekistan
to India during the summit.
• The SCO is an eight-nation group composed of India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan,
Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Interbank Consortium (SCO IBC)
i.The SCO IBC was created on October 26, 2005, as a result of a decision by the Council of Heads of SCO Member
States.

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 • Purpose: To develop a mechanism to financially support and service investment projects in the
economic spheres of SCO member nations (Agreement on Interbank Cooperation with the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization).
ii.In July 2005, India was granted ‘observer status’ in the SCO during the Astana Summit held in Astana,
capital of Kazakhstan.
• India became a full member of the SCO during the SCO summit in Astana in June 2017.
iii.IIFCL has been taking part in the forum since the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance
(MoF), nominated it to represent India at the SCO IBC in 2017.

BANKING & FINANCE

IFSCA introduced framework to Boost Distribution of Capital Market Products from Gift City
The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) introduced a regulatory framework for
Distribution of Capital Market Products and Services under IFSCA (Capital Market Intermediaries) Regulations,
2021 from international financial services centres (IFSCs).

• Currently, there is only one IFSC in India i.e. GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec) City in
Gujarat.
• The Capital market products include securities as covered under Securities Contracts (Regulation)
Act, 1956.
• The Capital market services include portfolio management services and investment advisory
services.
Benefit:
With this, distributors of capital market products can register with the IFSCA, and undertake global distribution
from these IFSCs and offer their services to clients in various jurisdictions.
Key Points:
i.In Gift City, distributors are permitted to enter into arrangements with other distributors (called associated
distributors) from India, IFSC and foreign jurisdictions.
ii.In order to protect the interest of clients, the framework provides for various eligibility requirements, a
detailed code of conduct including an advertisement code, other obligations, various permissible activities,
responsibilities of issuers and service providers in IFSC, etc.
iii.The capital market services can be provided out of the IFSCs include portfolio management services and
investment advisory services.
iv.Distributors such as banking units, finance companies, broker-dealers and those with a net worth more
than $1,50,000 are permitted to invest in select countries where omnibus structure is allowed, subject to
adequate measures.
v.A comprehensive code of conduct has also been prescribed to ensure distributors maintain high standards of
integrity, and fairness in their dealings with clients.
Click Here for Official Notification

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IFSCA and CEEW sign MoU to cooperate on sustainable finance
IFSCA and Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) for mutual assistance and cooperation in the area of sustainable finance.
• This MoU will focus on broad areas of sustainable finance, and is a step towards achieving climate
goals and mobilizing global capital.
Recent Related News:
i.IFSCA and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
collaborate on regulation and supervision of regulated entities in their respective jurisdictions.
ii.The Gujarat International Finance Tec City (Gift City) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Fintech Association of Japan (FAJ) to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the fintech domain.
About International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA):
Chairperson– Injeti Srinivas
Headquarters– Gandhinagar, Gujarat

IRDAI to Introduce ‘Bima Vahaks‘ to Expand Insurance Force

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) will soon introduce “Bima Vahaks“ in
each Gram Panchayat in order to strengthen the insurance force in India.
• Rakesh Joshi, an IRDAI member, made the announcement during the Business Standard BFSI Insight
Summit 2022 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Key Points:
i.A “Bima Vahak” will be assigned to each Gram Panchayat, to sell and service the ‘Bima Vistar’ line of basic
parametric bundled insurance policies, which provide protection against health, property, life, and personal
accident.
• This bundled product could be purchased in units of the sum insured, and app-based infrastructure
will be made to ensure a seamless policyholder experience.
ii.Insurance companies are working with state governments to create state-level insurance policies that would
boost penetration in areas that do not receive much attention from the major players.

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iii.This measure will address the vast protection gap, in which 50% of vehicles are uninsured, property
insurance coverage is miniscule, and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are uninsured.
• Additionally, it includes the “missing middle,” or the 30% of the eligible population that lacks access
to health insurance.
About the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI):
Chairperson – Debasish Panda
Headquarters – Hyderabad, Telangana
Established – 2000

HDFC signs MoU with Kerala Startup Mission to provide Financial Services to Startups
Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HDFC Bank Limited
to facilitate an array of banking services to startups in the state through KSUM’s smart solution SmartUp. The
MoU has a time frame of 1 year.
• This MoU is a part of the bank’s ongoing effort to support startup culture in Kerala.
Signatories:
The MoU was signed by Saji Gopinath, CEO, KSUM; and Arun Mediratta; Branch Banking Head (South), HDFC
Bank.
Key Points:
i.Under this MoU, KSUM will refer startups to SmartUp which will provide smart financial tools, advisory
services and technology to aid in achieving their goals.
ii.Bank will provide opportunities for startups to pitch their offerings to capital firms, and also extend its
support incubation and acceleration of all startups enrolled in the SmartUp programme.
About KSUM:
The KSUM program is backed by the Kerala government. It promotes entrepreneurship at different levels viz.
from promoting entrepreneurship in schools to incubating and accelerating startups in the state.
i.At the school level, KSUM promotes entrepreneurship with schemes such as Atal Tinkering Laboratories,
Startup Box etc. targeting young entrepreneurs and school innovations.
ii.It also helps local startups onboard international clients, meet established investors, figure out market needs
and know the competition in the international market.
• It has tied up with international institutes, accelerators and tech conferences to take Indian startups
to international markets.
iii.Till July 2022, 130 startups from Kerala took their products or services to the international level through
KSUM.
About HDFC Bank Limited:
MD & CEO– Sashidhar Jagdishan
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– We Understand Your World

Karnataka Bank goes live on ICEGATE

Karnataka Bank has enabled its clients to pay customs duty online by going live on the Indian Customs
Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE), the national gateway of Indian Customs of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes
and Customs.
• All of Karnataka Bank’s corporate and individual customers will be able to pay customs duty at their
convenience because of the bank’s integration on the ICEGATE platform.
• This digital initiative is dedicated to the clients under the KBL–Nxt Digital Transformation project of
the bank.

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Worldline ePayments India gets RBI’s In-Principle nod to act as Payment Aggregator
Worldline ePayments India, a leader in digital payments, has received in-principle authorisation from the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to act as a Payment Aggregator (PA) under the provisions of Guidelines on
Regulation of Payment Aggregators and Payment Gateways dated March 17, 2020.
• WEIPL received this communication from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on December 20, 2022.
• The RBI has taken the initiative to establish guidelines and frameworks to help the entire digital
ecosystem.
• These initiatives enhance consumer trust and broaden the use of digital payments.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Tata Projects Signs MoU with CSIR-IIP for Clean Energy Solutions
Tata Projects Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, to jointly work
towards clean energy solutions.

• This MoU is in line with the CSIR-IIP’s mandate to reduce India’s energy imports and enhance
national self-reliance by repurposing waste and under-utilised local renewable carbon resources.
Key highlights:
i.The MoU will help in reducing India’s energy imports and also enhance India’s self-reliance by repurposing
waste and under-utilised local renewable carbon resources.
ii.The Tata Project will use clean energy solutions such as room temperature biodiesel produced from CSIR-
IIP for some of its ongoing sites.
iii.The Partnership will further allows to actively explore the utilisation of by-product green diesel from the
existing Drop-In Liquid Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Automotive fuel (DILSAAF) pilot plant at CSIR-IIP’s
campus in Dehradun and the proposed commercial scale demonstration unit in Tata Projects’ fleet.
Note: The shift from diesel to a cleaner energy source will ensure lower emissions and a more sustainable
future for the sector and the planet.
About Tata Projects Limited:
Managing Director (MD) – Vinayak Pai
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Cognizant signs MoU with Garuda Aerospace for Advanced Digital Tools
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp(Cognizant), United States (US)-based Information Technology (IT)
service provider, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chennai (Tamil Nadu)-based Garuda
Aerospace, a homegrown drone startup, to power its drones with advanced digital tools.
Aim:
i. The company’s goal is to bring innovative solutions at scale for enterprises aiming to increase their overall
outcomes, productivity, and agility.

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 ii. This collaboration will further enhance Garuda Aerospace’s ‘Made in India’ drones with world-class
technologies and catalyze new, innovative solutions to help clients and their customers across the globe.
Key Points:
i. Cognizant and Garuda Aerospace will work together to deliver a wide range of drone-based management and
monitoring services for companies across all sectors.
• Industries or sectors like agriculture, energy and utilities, etc.
ii. Over 500 skilled pilots work with Garuda Aerospace in 26 cities across India, operating a fleet of 400 drones.
iii. The collaboration will provide Cognizant associates across its service lines, including, analytics, and the
Internet of things (IoT), among others.
Note: Former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni represents Garuda Aerospace as its Brand
Ambassador.
About Cognizant:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Brian Humphries
Headquarters- Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In 1998, the headquarters were moved to the United States (US).
Establishment- 1994
Parent Company- Cognizant Corporation
About Garuda Aerospace:
Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Agnishwar Jayaprakash
Headquarters- Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Establishment- 2015

GAIL Signs Charter with Japan’s Mitsui OSK for LNG Carrier
State-owned Gail (India) Limited and Japanese transport firm Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), signed a time
charter contract through its wholly owned subsidiary, for a new-build Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier,
and also for joint ownership of an existing LNG carrier. The vessel will be built by South Korean shipbuilder
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering with a charter period from 2023.
• This is the 2nd agreement for a LNG carrier signed between MOL and GAIL.
• The 1st carrier, under the agreement signed in 2019, ships LNG from the United States of America
Gulf Coast to India.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Former Supreme Court Judge Hemant Gupta Appointed as Chief of NDIAC
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Justice Hemant Gupta, retired Supreme
Court Judge, as the Chairperson of the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) and Ganesh
Chandru and Anant Vijay Palli as part-time members of NDIAC.
About Justice Hemant Gupta:
i.He was born on 17th October 1957, and enrolled as an advocate in July 1980.

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 ii.He worked as additional advocate general of Punjab from 1997 to 1999 and was appointed a judge of the
Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2002.
iii.Justice Gupta has also served as a member of the Computer Committee of the Punjab and Haryana High
Court for more than 10 years, during which complete computerisation of the high court including digitisation
of the entire records of judicial files happened.
• In addition, a mechanism to scan the freshly filed case was developed, a case management system
was introduced along with an e-diary.
iv.In February 2016 he was appointed as the judge of Patna High Court and in October 2016 he became the
acting Chief Justice of the same high court.
• In March 2017, Justice Gupta was appointed as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Key points:
i.On 2nd November 2018, he was elevated as the Judge of the Supreme Court of India and he retired from the
office after a 4-year term on 16th October 2022.
ii.He has delivered several important judgments, including the verdict in the Karnataka Hijab ban case; Just
three days before his retirement, he had dismissed the appeals challenging the March 15 judgement of the
Karnataka High Court which had refused to lift the Hijab ban.
About New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC):
The NDIAC, under the Ministry of Law and Justice, was established for creating an independent and
autonomous regime for institutionalised arbitration.
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Establishment – 1961

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

RRVL to acquire Metro Cash & Carry India for Rs 2,850 crore
On 22nd December 2022, Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries
Ltd(RIL), signed definitive agreements to acquire a 100% equity stake in Metro Cash and Carry India Pvt
Ltd (Metro India), the Indian arm of the German Retailer Metro AG, for a cash consideration of Rs 2,850 crore.
• The transaction is scheduled to close by March 2023, subject to a few regulatory requirements and
other usual closing conditions.
• RRVL will get access to METRO India’s network of stores in prime locations across cities like Delhi,
Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Indore, Meerut, Lucknow,
Nasik, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Vijayawada, Tumakuru, Ghaziabad, and Hubballi.
• METRO AG started operations in India in 2003 as the first company to introduce cash-and-carry
business format in India.

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 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NASA Selects SpaceX to Provide Launch Services for Sentinel-6B Mission
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States (US) has granted Elon Musk’s
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, US, a contract for launch services for
the ‘Sentinel-6B mission’ worth approximately USD 94 million.

• The mission aims to continue global sea level observations for at least the next 10 years.
It is a collaboration among NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the European
Space Agency (ESA), and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
(EUMETSAT).
Backdrop
i.The US and Europe are collaborating on the Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) mission aboard the
Sentinel-6 spacecraft.
ii.Jason-CS/Sentinel-6 consists of two identical satellites:
• Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, the first one launched on November 21, 2020
• Sentinel-6 B (Satellite B), the second one planned for launch in 2025
iii.In February 2020, ‘Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich’ (previously Satellite A) was renamed to honour Dr. Michael
Freilich, former Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division (2006-19).
Sentinel-6B Mission
i.The Sentinel-6B mission will be launched in November 2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch
Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
• The ocean surveillance satellite Sentinel-6B will join its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which was
launched on a Falcon 9 rocket.
ii.Sentinel-6B will continue Topex/Poseidon’s long-term global sea level data record, which began in 1992, and
will be followed by Jason 1, 2, 3, and Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich.
iii.Sentinel-6B will offer continuous measurements of the ocean topography by bouncing signals off the ocean
surface using a radar altimeter.
iv.As part of its effort to improve weather prediction models, the mission will also collect high-resolution
vertical temperature profiles using the Global Navigation Satellite System Radio-Occultation (GNSS-RO)
sounding technology.
Note: Program management for the SpaceX launch services is handled by NASA’s Launch Services Program at
the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
‘Project dearMoon’: Baalveer Actor Dev Joshi Among Eight-Member Crew for SpaceX Moon Trip
Dev Joshi, an India actor and influencer, is one of the 8 people who will fly to the moon in 2023 on a Starship
spacecraft developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
• This first civilian expedition to the moon is referred to as the “dearMoon Project.”
Dev Joshi is well known for his role as Baalveer in the television series “Baalveer.”

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 • Dev, the youngest crew member, was chosen alongside seven others from among one million
candidates from 249 countries.
‘dearMoon Project’
i.The ‘dearMoon Project’ was announced in 2018, and crew selection began in 2021.
ii.Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese entrepreneur, purchased all eight seats on SpaceX Starship spacecraft in 2018.
iii.The eight-member team consists of: K-pop singer T.O.P. (Choi Seung Hyun), American DJ Steve Aoki,
American YouTuber Tim Dodd, Czech choreographer Yemi A.D., Irish photographer Rhiannon Adam, British
photographer Karim Iliya, and the American filmmaker Brendan Hall headed by the Japanese tycoon Yusaku
Maezawa.
iv.On this mission, the crew will head to the Moon aboard Starship and Super Heavy Rocket (formerly known as
BFR), the next-generation reusable launch vehicle developed by SpaceX.
• It is a supersized rocket and spacecraft designed for transportation of people and cargo to the Moon,
Mars and beyond.
v.They will spend six days travelling around the moon’s orbit on the Starship spacecraft before returning to
Earth. It will not land on the moon.
Note: SpaceX has created a Starship spacecraft prototype for moon and Mars exploration, but has yet to achieve
orbital spaceflight success.
About Yusaku Maezawa
i.Yusaku Maezawa established Zozotown, Japan’s largest online fashion mall, in 2004.
• He was ranked 18th richest in Japan by Forbes in 2021 with a personal wealth of USD 2.9 billion.
ii.Maezawa and his producer, Yozo Hirano, flew to the International Space Station (ISS) for 12 days in 2021 on a
Russian Soyuz rocket.
iii.Maezawa was named the first private passenger to travel around the moon aboard SpaceX’s Starship rocket
in 2018.
Recent Related News:
i.In November 2022, NASA launched its Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world,
and Orion spacecraft to the moon, as a part of the Artemis Program. The mission, dubbed Artemis I, marks the
first flight of NASA’s SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft together.
ii.SLS carrying an uncrewed Orion lifted off its first test debut from the Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy
Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States of America(USA). Orion is planned to travel
approximately 40,000 miles beyond the Moon and return to Earth over the course of 25.5 days.
About the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):
Administrator – Bill Nelson
Headquarters – Washington D.C, United States

NASA retires Mars InSight Lander After 4 year Mission

On 21st December 2022, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formally retired
its Mars InSight lander after more than 4 years of collecting unique science on Mars. The last time InSight
communicated with Earth was on 15th December 2022.
• InSight was the first robotic probe that was specially designed to study the interior of Mars, the red
planet. NASA declared the mission over when InSight missed 2 consecutive communication sessions
with the spacecraft orbiting Mars.
• InSight was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on 5th May 2018 and landed on
Mars on 26th November 2018.

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 OBITUARY
Padma Shri Awardee & Gamaka Exponent H R Keshavamurthy Passes Away
On 21st December 2022 H.R. Keshavamurthy, a senior gamaka exponent and a Padma Shri awardee passed
away in Hosahalli in Shivamogga taluk, Karnataka. He was born on 22nd February 1934 in Hosahalli,
Shivamogga District of Karnataka.

Note: Gamaka, also known as kaavya vaachana, is an art form of meaningful and melodious rendering of verses
from classical epics that originated in Karnataka.
About H.R. Keshavamurthy:
i.Keshava Murthy was born in a family of gamaka artists and had initial training in gamaka from his father
Ramaswamy Shastry.
• Hosahalli, his native place, is known for many music talents.
ii.Under the guidance of Venkateshaiah he continued his studies and presented a number of programmes and
had trained many students. Through his performances, he publicised noted Kannada epics.
iii.Awards – He has been honoured with many awards including Shantala Natya Shri award in 1998 for his
contribution to classical dance, by the government of Karnataka and different cultural organisations.
• In 2002, he was awarded Rajyatsava Prashasti and the Karnataka Ratna award by the Government
of Karnataka.
• He was honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s 4th highest civilian award, in 2022 in the field
of arts.

IMPORTANT DAYS
National Mathematics Day 2022 – December 22
National Mathematics Day is annually celebrated across India on December 22 to mark the birth anniversary
of renowned Indian Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, who was born on 22nd December 1887 in Erode,
Madras Presidency, British India (now Tamil Nadu, India).

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 • The day is marked to recognise and celebrate the works of Srinivasa Ramanujan and highlight the
importance of Mathematics.
22nd December 2022 marks the 135th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
Aim:
The main objective of the celebration is to raise public awareness about the importance of mathematics for the
growth of humanity.
Background:
i. On 26th February 2012, during the ceremony in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, then Prime Minister (PM) Manmohan
Singh declared December 22 as the National Mathematics Day to mark the birth anniversary of the legendary
Indian Mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, to honour his life and achievements.
• He also declared the year 2012 as the National Mathematics Year.
ii. The first-ever National Mathematics Day was observed on 22nd December 2012.
About Srinivasa Ramanujan:
i. Srinivasa Ramanujan, who studied mathematics at Cambridge University, was chosen as a fellow at the
prestigious Royal Society of London, United Kingdom (UK) in 1918.
• He is the 2nd Indian to receive Royal Societ after Ardaseer Cursetjee in 1841.
ii. He is the 1st Indian to be elected as a Fellow of Trinity College.
iii. His contributions to mathematics are fractions, infinite series, number theory, mathematical analysis, etc.
which remain indispensable.
iv. An American biographer and science writer, Robert Kanigel authored Srinivasa Ramanujan’s biography
“The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan” published in 1991.
• Later, it became a feature film, “The Man Who Knew Infinity” (2015) starring Dev Patel.
v. He passed away on 26th April 1920 in Madras (now Chennai, Tamil Nadu) at the age of 32.
Note: The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and is the oldest
scientific academy in continuous existence.
Works of Srinivasa Ramanujan:
i. With more than 3,900 theorems and results to his credit, he had astounded the West with his intuitive
theorems in mathematics.
ii. His infinite pi series is one of his most well-known discoveries.
iii. He produced almost 4000 proofs, identities, conjectures, and equations.
iv. Ramanujan’s work has a significant impact on physics due to the fact that modular forms play a central role
in string theory and Two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs).
The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize 2022:
i. The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for 2022 was awarded to Yunqing Tang, Assistant Professor at the University
of California, Berkeley, United States of America (USA) for her works in arithmetic and geometry of modular
curves and Shimura varieties.
ii. The award was instituted by the Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA)
in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, in 2005 with a cash prize of USD 10,000.
iii. It is awarded annually to individuals under the age of 32 who have made excellent contributions to
mathematics and have been broadly influenced by Srinivasa Ramanujan.

STATE NEWS
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches ‘Drink from Tap’ facility in 19 Cities & Towns
On 21st December 2022, Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, launched the 24-Hour Drink from
Tap project in 19 cities and towns of Odisha, which would benefit over 5.5 lakh people.

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 • The project was officially launched in Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sundargarh, Biramitrapur,
Rajgangpur, Keonjhar, Bhubaneswar, Nimapada, Joda, Badbil, Champua, Anandpur, Baripada,
Rairangpur, Udala, Karanjia, and Vyasanagar.
• It was launched virtually under the 5T initiative (Teamwork, technology, transparency,
transformation and time limit).
Key Highlights:
i. In 2021, Odisha’s Puri was the 1st city in the state to have a drink-from-tap facility. Gopalpur is the 2nd city in
Odisha to facilitate the project.
ii. Drinking water will be supplied around through taps installed in households under the project.
iii. According to CM Naveen Patnaik, the initiative would help at least 5.55 lakh people in 19 cities and towns.
About Odisha:
Chief Minister- Naveen Patnaik
Governor- Ganeshi Lal
Wildlife Sanctuary- Bhitarkanika sanctuary
Airports- Rourkela Airport; Gopalpur port

ADNOC L&S Signs Third Charter Agreement of LNG Floating Storage Unit with AG&P
ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S), the maritime logistics arm of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
(ADNOC), and Atlantic Gulf & Pacific International Holdings (AG&P), Singapore-based downstream Liquified
Natural Gas (LNG) platform and infrastructure development company, have signed the long-term charter
agreement to utilise Ghasha, an ADNOC L&S liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, as a Floating Storage Unit
(FSU) in India.
• This agreement is valid for 11 years with the option of a 4 year extension.

• This is the 3rd charter agreement signed between ADNOC L&S and AG&P for a floating storage
unit lease in India and the Philippines.
Key highlights:
i.Under the agreement, the carrier will be used at AG&P’s LNG Import Terminal in India, which will be
commissioned in the 2nd half of 2024.
ii.The operations and maintenance of the FSU will be undertaken by ADNOC L&S, while the conversion of the
LNG Carrier (LNGC) will be taken care of by GAS Entec, an AG&P subsidiary.

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About Ghasha:
The LNG carrier Ghasha, built in Japan, is a moss-type containment vessel with a capacity of around 138,000
cubic metres.
• Ghash is a part of ADNOC L&S’ diverse operational fleet of more than 300 vessels.
About ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S):
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi
Headquarters – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Assam CM inaugurates Partial Commissioning of JICA-assisted Guwahati Water Supply project

On 21st December 2022, Chief Minister (CM) of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated the partial
commissioning of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-Assisted Guwahati Water Supply
Project at an event held on the premises of its water treatment plant at Kharghuli, Guwahati, Assam.

• The project which was launched in 2009 is scheduled to be ready for full commissioning by March
2024.
Key Highlights:
i. The ‘Guwahati Water Supply Project’ aims to provide clean potable water to the residents of Guwahati,
Assam.
ii. The project has the capacity to provide 1.25 lakh families in parts of Guwahati with a 24-hours water
supply.
iii. Currently, the partial commissioning will allow Guwahati Jal Board to supply water to about 13,000
households in Guwahati’s multiple localities.
Note:
• The project symbolises the relationship of deep trust and mutual respect between India and Japan.
• The year 2022 marks the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between
Japan and India.
About Assam:
Chief Minister- Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor- Jagdish Mukhi
Wildlife Sanctuary- Nambor – Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary; Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary
Airports- Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport; Dibrugarh Airport

Kerala’s 1st Smart Mobile Composting Unit Inaugurated

M.B. Rajesh, Minister of Self-Government Excise Department of the State of Kerala inaugurated Kerala’s 1st
smart mobile composting unit in Pallithottam, Kerala. The unit was jointly launched by Suchitwa Mission and
the Kerala Mission. He also noted that waste management issues in Kerala will be eliminated by 2026.
• The innovative idea of smart mobile composting that scientifically treats waste from auditoriums
and large catering centres and turns it into manure.

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 • Up to 500 kilogrammes (Kg) of garbage can be processed and turned into manure each hour using
the device.

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