CLATGYANS GK COMPENDIUM FROM JANUARY 24 TO JANUARY 31, 2014.

January 24
th

National Girl Child Day was observed. This day is observed every year to raise
awareness and consciousness of the society towards girl children. This years theme
of Girl Child Day is Safety and Development of girl child. This day is being observed
every year on 24 January, since 2008.
The Egyptian constitution approved in a referendum. The newly-approved
constitution replaces the Egyptian Constitution of 2012 which came into effect under
former President, Mohammed Morsi.
The referendum is a key step in the political transition plan by the military-
backed interim government on the road to democracy. It stated that the constitution
would be followed by parliamentary elections and presidential polls.The referendum
shows that citizens of Egypt indirectly support military chief General Abdel-Fattah el-
Sissi as Presidential candidate.
USA allowed the Sikh military men to wear turbans, head scarfs and other religious
clothing with their uniform. This move is likely to improve military job prospects for
members of the Sikhs community in USA.

January 25
th

Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni became the first captain to be involved in four
One-Day Internationals (ODIs) ties. This feat was achieved by him as India tied the
third ODI against New Zealand in Auckland.
Indian-origin academician, Mr. Rakesh Khurana has been appointed dean of the
prestigious Harvard College. He succeeds Evelynn Hammonds, Professor of History
of Science and of African and African American Studies.
The Indian-born scientist and Professor (Emeritus) at Stanford University, Mr.
Arogyaswami Joseph Paulraj, won the prestigious Marconi Society Prize 2014 for
developing the theory and applications of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)
antennas. Every wifi router and 4G phone uses MIMO technology.
Mr. Paulraj is the only India-born scientist to receive both the Marconi Prize
and the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal the two top global IT technology
awards.


About Marconi Society Prize: The award is known as Tech Nobel and was
founded in 1974 by Guglielmo Marconis daughter Gioia Marconi Braga to mark the
centennial of her fathers birth and memorialize his spirit of ingenuity in service to
humanity. (He was the radio inventor).
The Election Commission of India celebrated the 4th National Voters Day across the
country on 25 January 2014. The theme for the 4th NVD is Ethical Voting. The
National Voters Day is also utilized to spread awareness among voters regarding
effective participation in the electoral process.

January 26
th

Indias dairy major Amul has launched Indias first milk ATM which will sell milk
through Any Time Milk vending machines. The 247 ATM has been installed at
the Amul Dairy gate at Anand in Gujarat.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to withdraw all currency notes issued
prior to 2005, including Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations. As per the RBI, pre-
2005 notes can be identified easily as these notes do not have the year of printing
mentioned on them. The year of printing in a small font is visible at the middle of the
bottom row in notes issued after 2005.

January 27
th

First cantilever bridge of India, Pamban Railway Bridge, completed its 100 years. On
this occasion former President of India A. P. J Abdul Kalam inaugurated the
centenary celebrations of the Pamban Bridge. (A cantilever bridge is built using
cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end.
Heinrich Gerber was one of the engineers to obtain a patent for a hinged girder in
1866 and is recognized as the first to build one. Hassfurt Bridge is recognised as the
first cantilever bridge)
Karl Slym, MD of Tata Motors died after falling from hotel building in Bangkok,
where he was to attend board meet of Tata Motors Thailand Limited.
Stanislas Wawrinka won the Australian Open mens singles title(his first grand slam)
by defeating Rafael Nadal in Melbourne.
Womens Singles: Li Na (China) won her first Australian Open title against first-time
major finalist Dominika Cibulkov (Slovakia)
Mixed doubles: Kristina Mladenovic (Fra) & Daniel Nestor (Can) beat Sania Mirza
(Ind) & Horia Tecau (Rou).

January 28
th



National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) launched the 2648 village legal service
clinics across the country. The Chief Justice of India, P.Sathasivam inaugurated the
free legal clinics in New Delhi.
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted under the Legal Services
Authorities Act, 1987.
Functions: To provide free legal services to the eligible persons and to organize Lok
Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.
Worlds first 3D-printer Objet500 Connex3 was launched. The printer was
manufactured by the USA based company Stratasys, the owner of the MarkBot range
of printers.
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) issued an order that exempts Indian
sportsperson, who won medals at Olympics, Commonwealth Games (CWG) and
Asian Games from payment of Income Tax on cash or other rewards given by the
government.
Anand Kumar (mathematician and founder of Super 30 classes) was given the
prestigious Ramanujan Mathematics Award.
Professor Dr. Tej Vir Singh won the 2013 UNWTO Ulysses Prize for Excellence in
the Creation and Dissemination of Knowledge in Madrid, Spain.
The UNWTO Ulysses Prize is given to a distinguished scholar, whether in
academia, government or private industry, for outstanding contributions to innovation
and knowledge in tourism.
US Chamber of Commerce released the International Intellectual Property (IP) Index..
In the IP Index, India has scored a low seven point out of maximum 30 points. India
continues to have the weakest IP environment of all countries.

January 29
th

In a bid to start a commercial banking, India Post has drawn a plan to install approx
3,000 ATMs and 1.35 lakh micro-ATMs at the post offices across the country for
savings account holders by September 2015. On this plan, India Post worked with
software giant Infosys.
President Pranab Mukherjee announced the names of Recipients of this years Padma
awards. He approved conferment of 127 Padma Awards including one duo case
(counted as one). Padma Awards, the countrys highest civilian awards, are conferred
in three Categories viz. Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
The Padma Vibhushan Awards are awarded for exceptional and distinguished
service. This year both the awardees were from Maharashtra: Dr. Raghunath A.
Mashelkar for Science and Engineering and Shri B.K.S. Iyengar for Yoga


The Padma Bhushan Awards are awarded for distinguished service of high order.
The Padma Shri Awards are awarded for distinguished service in any field:
The University of Cumbria in northwest England became the first public university in
the world to accept the online currency Bitcoin as payment for fees. The acceptance
of Bitcoin will initially be limited to the two programmes that address complementary
currencies.
Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India on inaugurated National Waqf
Development Corporation Limited (NAWADCO) that is a new Central Public Sector
Enterprise in New Delhi.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) announced that it would accept the Indian
rupee as a legal tender. RBZ was adding Indian Rupee and three other Asian
currencies to the basket of currencies to be circulated in the country. These include
China, Japan and Australia.
Zimbabwe abandoned the use of its own currency in 2009 after world record
inflation levels precipitated an economic collapse under the Zanu PF government. It
was a coalition government in 2009 that introduced the multi-currency system that
brought stability in Zimbabwe.

January 30
th

India ranked 155th out of 178 countries with an index score of 31.23 points, in its
efforts to address environmental challenges, in the 2014 Environmental Performance
Index (EPI) issued by Yale University. It is prepared by Americas Yale and
Columbia universities in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) as
well as with support from the Samuel Family Foundation and the McCall MacBain
Foundation. It is released at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
New technocratic government of Tunisia headed by Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa was
sworn in and replaced the Islamist-led administration of the country.

January 31
st

Mahatma Gandhis grand daughter, Ms. Ela Gandhi honored with the Prestigious
South African Award, Amadelakupha by the South African Government. She
formed the trio of Indian-origin South Africans along with Sunny Singh and Mac
Maharaj. These three played an active role in the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the
Nation). The Umkhonto we Sizwe was the armed struggle wing of the African
National Congress (ANC).
India launched a Gandhi Portal named Search for Gandhi in London. With this India
aims to popularize Mahatma Gandhi among children of British Indians settled in UK.


(High commissioner of India to UK Ranjan Mathai and Sam Pitroda launched this
portal.)
China marked the arrival of its Year of the Horse, which is celebrated across the
world by Chinese people. This is the Chinese Lunar New Year is the only traditional
day of holiday for the people of China.
India overtook Japan to become the third largest crude oil importer in the World.
Mr. Raymond Weil (87), watch marketing pioneer and founder of the famed
eponymous Swiss timepiece brand passed away. Mr Raymond Weil founded the
Raymond Weil Watch Company in 1976 in Geneva, Switzerland and was one of the
great innovators of the Swiss watch industry.
Kathy Cross became the first woman to be appointed in an ICC umpires panel as an
Associate and Affiliate panel of International umpires.
Russia and China conduct their first ever naval war games in the Mediterranean Sea.
The joint naval drill, involves Russias heavy nuclear missile cruiser Peter the Great
and Chinese frigate Yancheng. The main purpose of the drill is to enhance the
interoperability of Russian and Chinese combat ships for joint operation in the Eastern
Mediterranean.