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• 12^th Edition of the biennial multilateral naval exercise MILAN is going to be held in Vishakhapatanam from 19^th to 27^th February 2024. It is likely to witness the largest ever participation thanks to the presence of over 50 Friendly Foreign Countries (FCCs).
  • Theme: “Forging Naval Alliances for a Secure Maritime Future”.
  • It was started from 1995.
• 58^th Jnanpith Awards:
  • Sanskrit Scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and eminent Urdu poet Gulzar has been conferred with the 58^th Jnanpith Awards respectively for their outstanding contributions to Indian literature. This is the second time after 2006 when Sanskrit Poet Satya Vrat Shastri was awarded the Jnanpith Award for Sankrit, that a person is being awarded in  this language.
  • Last year Goan writer Damodar Mauzo was awarded the prestigious award.
  • G. Shankar Kurup was the first litterateur to be given this award in 1965.
  • The Jnanpith Award: It is a prestigious award given annually since 1965 to mark and felicitate exemplary contributions to Indian literature by the Bharatiya Jnanpith Academy. It includes a cash prize of Rs.  11 Lakh, a statue of Vagdevi and a citation.
  • Gulzar: Real name – Samooporan Singh Karla (Born in 1934), considered one of the greatest Urdu poets who developed a new genre of poem writing “Triveni”. Also a revered director and writer of Hindi cinema.
    • Awards: Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu (2002),  The Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2013), the Padma Bhusan (2004).
    • His song “Jai Ho” from the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” had won both the Oscar and Grammy in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
  • Jagadguru Rambhadracharya: Born in 1950 in Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, he is the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh). He is a versatile poet who is fluent over 22 languages and has authored over 100 books.
    • He won the Padma Vibhusan award in 2005.
• ISRO has launched a new weather satellite INSAT-3DS from Sriharikota by GSLV-F14 launch vehicle into its intended geosynchronous orbit from where it will be injected into a geo-stationary orbit.
  •  The special metrological satellite will monitor land and weather surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning  after consisting a synergy constellation with the already operational INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR satellites.
• Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiradiya Scindia has announced that the first Helicopter Emergency Medical Service  (HEMS)  will be launched from Uttarakhand’s AIIMS Rishikesh, marking a significant milestone in the healthcare and civil aviation sector in India.
• The US House of Representatives has passed the Quad Bill that directs the Biden regime to establish a Quad Intra-Parliamentary Working Group to bolster closer cooperation between the four constituent countries – US, Australia, Japan and India – in the key areas like pandemic preparedness, technological innovation and economic integration.
• International Court of Justice (ICJ) gets Lebanese Judge Nawaf Salam as its new elected President.
  • ICJ :        HQ- The Hague, Netherlands.
  • Dalveer Bhandari is one of the judges on the International Court of Justice from India.
• Top seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland has defeated Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan to win the Qatar Open for a straight third year as her 18^th career singles title.
• Former South African all-rounder and coach Mike Pocter has died at the age of 77.
• 20^th February: This day is celebrated as The World Day of Social Justice by the United Nations General Assembly to tackle issues as poverty, exclusion, human rights, inequality, unemployment and other social concerns.
  • Theme 2024: “Global Coalition for Social Justice: Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances”.
• 20^th February is also the statehood day of two North-Eastern states of India – Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, commemorating their accession with the Indian Union as its 23^rd and 24^th state in 1987.
  • Arunachal Pradesh:
    • Capital : Itanagar
    • Governor: Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik.
    • CM: Pema Khandu
    • State Bird: Hornbill
    • state animal: Mithun
    • state flower: Foxtail Orchid
    • highest peak: Kangto (7090 mt.s)
    • Largest state in the NE and home to over 500 species of  Orchids.
  • Mizoram: (Meaning ‘Land of the hill people’)
    • Capital: Aizawl
    • Governor: Hari Babu Kambhampati
    • CM: Lalduhoma
    • highest peak: Phangpui (Blue Mountain)
• 19^th February was celebrated as the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Majharaj by the PM Narendra Modi. It is celebrated as Shiv Jayanti.
  • Born: 19^th February 1630 at the Shivneri Fort.
  • Parents: Shahaji Bhonsle and Jijabai.
  • Achiements:
    • One of India’s all-time greatest warriors and the founder of the Great Maratha Empire.
    • Known for his military acumen, won battles like Pratapgarh, captured strategic forts like Raigad and Sindhudurg.
    • Laid the foundation of the famous Martha Navy.
    • Died in 1680 in the Raigad Fort.
• 18^th February was celebrated as World Whale Day which is usually celebrated on the third Sunday in February. The Antarctic Blue Whale is the largest animal on the Planet.
• 17^th February was celebrates as The World Pangolin Day which is usually celebrated on the third Saturday of February each year.
  • Pangolin are the only mammals with scales made up of Keratin. They feeds on Ants and Termites, and don’t have teeth.
  • There are 8 species of Pangolins worldwide among which The Indian Pangolin is a native of the Indian Subcontinent. It is enlisted as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red list and is protected under Schedule – I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Being the most trafficked mammal in the world due to its rumoured delicious meat, medicinal value of its scales and demand in China, Vietnam and Cambodia t is also listed in the Appendix-I of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna).
• Renowned as one of the Greatest Digambara Jain Seers of recent times, Acharya Shri 108 Vidyasagar ji Maharaj passes away at Chandragiri Teerth in Chattisgarh after undertaking Sallekhana. PM Narendra Modi has paid Tribute to him.
  • Sallekhana is a Jain Religious practice that involves voluntary fasting unto death for spiritual purification.
• The Indian Women’s Badminton Team lead by PV Sindhu and Youngster Anmol Kharb has won a historic Gold medal for the first time in the Badminton Asia Team Championship that was held from February 13 to 178 in Shah Alam, Malaysia The men’s team have suffered defeat in the quarter finals.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for Shri Kalki Dham Temple in Smabhal district of Uttarpradesh dedicated to Lord Kalki, the 10^th and final avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple is being constructed by Shri Kalki Dham Nirman Trust.
• For the first time in India, African-Mediterranean wader bird – spur –winged lapwing was sighted at Ammavaripet Lake near Warangal of Telangana.
• 77^th BAFTAs (British Academy Film Awards) 2024:
  • It is known as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards that was awarded on 18^th February 2024, honouring the best national and foreign films of 2023.
  • Venue: Royal Festival Hall within Lodon’s Southbank centre.
  • Bollywood Actress Deepika Padukone presented the Best Non-English Film Award.
  • Openheimer won a total of seven awards in the ceremony.
  • Best Film – Openheimer
  • Best Director – Christopher Nolan (Openheimer)
  • Best leading Actress – Emma Stone for ‘Poor Things’
  • Best leading Actor – Cilian Murphy (Openheimer)
  • Best Supporting Actor – Robert Downey Jr. (Openheimer)
  • Outstanding British Film – The Zone of Interest.
  • Best Non-English Film – The Zone of Interest.
  • Best Documentary – 20 Days in Mariupol.