Geoscience Museum of the Geological Survey of India (GSI)

• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar officially opened the GSI Geoscience Museum at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh on 15 December 2024.
• Museum has 2 galleries i.e. Gallery I, showcasing Earth's uniqueness and Gallery II, showcasing Earth's evolution, featuring exhibits on ancient ecosystems.
• The Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar highlighted the importance of tradition and innovation during a ribbon-cutting and plaque-unveiling ceremony.
• GSI is crucial in promoting sustainable resource management and studying India's geological resources.
• Retired Professar R.V. Karanth was recognized for his significant contribution to the gemstone exhibit, including donating his own collection.
• The museum utilizes interactive exhibitions and multimedia displays to engage visitors and enhance their understanding of geoscience.
• Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey presented the museum's first ticket to honour India's rich geological heritage.

2nd Land Forces Summit

• Indian Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi and senior Generals of Japan, US, Australia and Philippines participate virtually in 2nd Land Forces Summit on  December 15, 2024.
• During the summit, India was emphasized as the leading influential nation in the International Organization of States (IOR).
• Members present in the conference were Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) countries (India, US, Japan, Australia).
• The summit emphasized the importance of multilateral defence approaches as the foundation for addressing emerging security challenges.
• Speakers emphasized the importance of harmonious relations and collective measures for achieving stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.
• Countries participating in the summit adopts proactively severe measures to prevent escalation of tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.

Viraasat Sari Festival 2024

• The Third edition festival of  Viraasat Sari Festival scheduled for December 15-28, 2024 at Handloom Haat Janpath New Delhi.
• The festival aims to promote handloom sarees in India, benefiting artisans and allowing them to interact with end consumers.
• It showcases handloom saris including Paithani, Kota Doria, Pochampally, Kancheepuram, Jamdani, Chanderi, Banarasi Brocade, and Pashmina.
• The event feature 80 stalls, live weaving and art demonstrations, sustainability workshops, folk dances, and a regional food festival.
• India's handloom sector, employing over 3.5 million people, 60% of whom are females, is a key economic sector.
• ‘Viraasat – My Sari, My Pride’ event which was launched on December 5, aims to promote and support eco-friendly hand-woven apparel products.
• It emphasizes on the variety of Indian textiles and support of handloom practicing sustainable textile product.

Mikheil Kavelashvili elected as the President of Georgia

• The former football player and member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Mikheil Kavelashvili, chosen as new president of Georgia on  December 15, 2024.
• A 300-member electoral college made up of delegates from local governments and members of parliament chose Kavelashvili.
• The Constitutional Amendment has changing Georgia's presidential election procedure from a direct popular vote to an indirect electoral college vote.
• The legality of Kavelashvili's victory was called into question when 4 major opposition organisations boycotted the poll.
• Civil society and opposition parties have accused the government of undermining democracy and criticised the new system.
• Opposition supporter and outgoing president Salome Zourabichvili expressed concerns about Georgia's future government.
• Amid the nation's continuous political unrest, Kavelashvili is scheduled to take the oath of office on December 29, 2024.

Indian Navy commissioned a new survey ship, INS Nirdeshak (Defense)

• The Indian Navy is set to commission its new survey ship, INS Nirdeshak, on December 18, 2024, at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam as announced on December 15, 2024.
• The Chief Guest of this event will be Sanjay Seth, the Raksha Rajya Mantri.
• It weights around 3800 tonnes and 110 m long and equipped with advanced hydrographic and oceanographic technology.
• It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, with over 80% of its components sourced from India.
• INS Nirdeshak, the second vessel in the Survey Vessel (Large) Project, plays a crucial role in supporting naval operations.
• It has a range of over 25 days at sea and a top speed of 18 knots, can conduct in-depth surveys and enhance India's maritime presence.

Successful Sea-Level testing of CE20 engine

• ISRO successfully finished a sea-level test of its CE20 cryogenic engine on  December 15, 2024.
• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu done this test.
• The Launch Vehicle Mark-3's upper stage, crucial for upcoming space missions like Gaganyaan, is powered by the CE20 engine.
• Sea-level testing of cryogenic engines presents challenges due to high nozzle area ratio, low exit pressure, and potential flow separation.
• ISRO developed a Nozzle Protection System to streamline sea-level testing procedures, reduce complexity, and prevent nozzle damage.
• A multi-element igniter is necessary to restart a cryogenic engine in a vacuum without shutting off the nozzle ISRO successfully done it using this engine.
• The CE20 engine has demonstrated impressive performance with a projected capacity of 20 tonnes for future large payload missions.

The launch of the NISAR satellite is scheduled for March, 2025

• The NISAR satellite, to be jointly developed by India's ISRO and NASA, is set to be launched in March 2025 using the GSLV Mk-II rocket declared on  December 15, 2024.
• It is the first large scale cooperation program between India and US in space sector initiated in the year 2009 with an outlay of ₹5000 crore.
• NISAR incorporates Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology and transmits radio waves to produce pictures.
• The satellite has L-band radar from NASA to pass through vegetation and ice and S-band radar from ISRO for better resolution.
• NISAR has a repeat cycle of 12 Days, swath width of 240 km and resolution of 10 meter.
• NISAR will generate 26 terabits of data to support earth observation, disaster response, and climate change studies.
• The satellite uses Digital Beam Forming (DBF) technology enabling the scanning of the platform without the need to physically adjust the antenna.

Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024

• India's women's hockey team defeated China in a penalty shootout to win the Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024 on  December 15, 2024 in Muscat, Oman.
• China took the lead in 30th minute with a goal by Jinzhuang Tan, but India equalized in 41st minute, leading to a 1-1 tie.
• India won 3-2 in the Penalty Shootout, thanks to three crucial Nidhi stops and successful shots from Sakshi Rana, Ishika, and Sunelita Toppo.
• India qualified for Women's Hockey Junior World Cup 2025 in Chile through their triumph in Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024.
• Deepika Sehrawat, with 12 goals, was the tournament's top scorer, showcasing her exceptional performance.
• India won the Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup for the second consecutive year in 2024 after defeating South Korea in the 2023 final.

Ustad Zakir Hussain

• Legendary tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain died on December 15 , 2024.
• Tabla assumed the present form by beginning of nineteenth century and initially, was used only to provide background support to the Indian classical music.
• Ustad Zakir Hussain experimented with Indian classical music with jazz and world music in associated bands like Shakti with John McLaughlin.
• Hussain was trained in Punjab gharana but successfully incorporated and mastered all types of tabla techniques.
• Ustad Zakir Hussain named his innovative route as a percussionist rooted in the traditions of gharanas, with Pandit Samta Prasad.
• Zakir Hussain collaborated with global musicians, enhancing the relationships between music genres and the worldwide coverage of Indian music through his work with Shakti.

Ayodhya Ram Temple has been awarded UK's 'Sword of Honour'

• Ram Temple constructor won ‘Sword of Honor’ and a global prize for safety management from the British Safety Council on  December 15, 2024.
• The award eligibility criteria involve obtaining a safety rating of five stars and passing a thorough safety check.
• The construction of Ram Temple is done by Larsen & Toubro (L&T), which was honored for safety measures through ‘Golden Trophy’ by National Safety Council.
• The temple's dome and base are expected to be completed by June 2025, and the marble statues by January 2025.
• Vasudev Kamath designed the 25 temples, while architects Shri Sompura and Jay Kaktikar built them to maintain their architectural beauty and sustainability.
• The temple uses Bansi Paharpur stone from Rajasthan, with a total volume of 15 lakh cubic feet, and features a marble frontage for aesthetic appeal.
• Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) and M/s TCE have played a crucial role in assessing temple's structural stability and durability.