4.5/5
Current Affairs 30th January 2026
Major Plants of World
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Waterlogged areas: Hydrophyte
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Tropical desert regions: Xerophyte
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Tropical grasslands: Tropophyte
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Saline soil: Halophyte
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Marshy, hot & humid equatorial: Hygrophyte
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Hard rocky surfaces: Lithophyte
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Temperate climatic: Mesophyte
1. Khelo India Winter Games 2026: Haryana Overall Champion
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Overall Championship Victory: Haryana emerged as the overall champion of the Ladakh phase by clinching 4 gold medals, primarily dominated by their stellar performances in figure skating and short-track ice skating.
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Star Performer (Sachin Singh): Skater Sachin Singh was a key contributor to Haryana’s top spot, becoming the first athlete of the 2026 edition to win two gold medals, securing victories in both the men's 500m short-track sprint and the 3000m short-track relay.
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Phase Standings: While Haryana led in gold count, hosts Ladakh finished second with 11 total medals (2 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze), followed by Maharashtra and Telangana, who also secured 2 gold medals each but were separated by their silver medal counts.
2. India climbs to 38th in Global Innovation Index 2025
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Regional and Income-Group Leadership: India has solidified its position as a global over-performer. It now ranks 1st among the 37 lower-middle-income economies and 1st in the Central and Southern Asia region. This demonstrates that India is effectively converting its investments in education and infrastructure into high-value innovation outputs.
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Strength in Digital and Knowledge Outputs: A major driver for this rank is India's performance in specific sub-categories. The country ranks 1st globally in ICT services exports and 22nd in Knowledge & Technology Outputs. This is fueled by a massive unicorn ecosystem (the 3rd largest globally) and a significant rise in intellectual property activity—ranking 4th in trademark filings and 6th in patents worldwide in 2024.
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Impact of Strategic Government Schemes: The improvement is largely attributed to targeted initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and the India Semiconductor Mission. As of 2025, the PLI scheme alone has attracted over ₹2 lakh crore in investments and created over 12.6 lakh jobs, turning India into a critical hub for smartphone and electronics manufacturing.
3. NITI Aayog Launches Sampoornata Abhiyan 2.0
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Objective of 100% Saturation: The campaign aims to achieve full coverage (saturation) of critical indicators in health, nutrition, and infrastructure across 112 Aspirational Districts and 513 Aspirational Blocks.
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Time-Bound Mission Mode: It is a high-intensity, 3-month initiative running from January 2026 to April 2026, designed to accelerate development through focused action plans and monthly progress tracking.
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Grassroots Community Engagement: The program prioritizes "Jan Bhagidari" (People's Participation), mobilizing local communities and district officials to bridge the gap between policy intent and ground-level implementation.
4. Munish Jain re-appointed as Director at CSF Bank
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New Three-Year Tenure: Munish Jain has been re-appointed as a Whole-Time Director, designated as Executive Director, for a period of three years. This new term is set to take effect from August 28, 2026, ensuring a seamless transition and stability in the bank’s top-tier management.
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Core Founding Member & Veteran: Jain is a foundational figure at CSFB, having been with the institution since its inception in 2000 (then Capital Local Area Bank). Over his 24+ year career, he has served in pivotal roles including Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), making him one of the most experienced executives in India's small finance banking sector.
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Regulatory and Governance Process: While the Board has greenlit the extension, the appointment remains subject to final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the bank's shareholders. This follows standard regulatory procedures for high-level banking appointments to ensure compliance with the Banking Regulation Act.
Footnotes: CSFB's Chairman: Madan Gopal Sharma, HQ: Jalandhar,Estd: 2000
5. Indian researchers developed a new high-voltage supercapacitor
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Unprecedented Voltage Capacity: The new supercapacitor achieves an operating voltage of 3.4 V, overcoming the traditional 3.0 V limit of commercial devices where electrolytes typically begin to decompose or face safety risks like flammability.
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Advanced Material Innovation: It utilizes a dual-functional Porous Graphene Carbon Nanocomposite (PGCN) electrode that is both water-repellent and highly compatible with organic electrolytes, doubling the energy density and providing 33% higher energy storage than conventional models.
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Industrial Scalability and Durability: The electrodes are produced through an eco-friendly hydrothermal process that is easily scalable for mass production, with the resulting device retaining 96% of its performance even after 15,000 charge-discharge cycles.
6. Hitendra Malhotra appointed as DG Safety, Railway Board
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Transition from Operations to Safety: Hitendra Malhotra, who was previously serving as Member (Operations & Business Development) on the Railway Board, was laterally shifted to the post of Director General (Safety) in an exchange of roles with Hari Shankar Verma.
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Veteran IRMS/IRSEE Officer: A member of the 1987 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Malhotra brings over 35 years of extensive experience in rolling stock management, locomotive production, and project execution.
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Proven Leadership Record: Before his tenure at the Railway Board, he served in high-profile leadership roles, including General Manager of Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) and Chief General Manager (Rolling Stock) at the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
7. New Aadhaar App Launched, Bringing Secure & Versatile Digital ID
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Selective Data Sharing and Privacy Control: The app introduces "Consent-based Selective Sharing," allowing users to share only specific details (like name and age) via a secure QR code for everyday needs like hotel check-ins, eliminating the need to provide physical photocopies and protecting the full Aadhaar number.
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Face Authentication and Offline Verification: It features AI-driven Face ID for instant identity verification and allows for "Offline Verification," which enables users to prove their identity securely even in areas with no internet connectivity by using encrypted stored credentials.
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One Family – One App Management: The app supports the "Multi-profile" feature, allowing a single user to manage up to five Aadhaar profiles on one device, while also enabling residents to update critical details like mobile numbers and addresses directly through the interface.
8. Michael Nobbs Former Coach of Indian Hockey Team passed away
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Olympic Tenure and Revival: Nobbs took charge of the Indian men's hockey team in 2011 during a critical transition period, successfully guiding the team to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics after they had famously failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008.
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Transformation of Physical Fitness: He is widely credited with revolutionizing the physical conditioning and dietary standards of Indian hockey players, shifting the team's culture toward high-intensity fitness and the aggressive "Australian style" of play.
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Distinguished Playing Career: Before his coaching career, Nobbs was an elite defender for the Australian national team (Kookaburras), earning 76 international caps and representing his country at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1981 World Cup.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY?
World Leprosy Day: 30th January
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Theme 2026: "Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma"
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A key pillar of this year's observance is the push to promote "Jan Bhagidari".
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