CURRENT AFFAIRS
1. Four-member committee headed by Justice D. M. Dharmadhikari submitted report on Air India and Indian Airlines merger to Civil Aviation Minister
2. Union government revised economic growth rate for 2010-2011 to 8.4 percent in comparison to the previous estimate of 8.5 percent
3. Bangalore artist Sheela Gowda, who uses unconventional materials to make sculptures was shortlisted for UK’s contemporary art prize, Artes Mundi
4. Freedom fighter and one of the doyens of Indian diplomacy, Ambassador A K Damodaran passed away in New Delhi on 31 January 2012
5. UN-DESA data showed that India & China are the only two countries in the world where female infant mortality is higher than male infant mortality
6. The deficit between April and December 2011 at Rs 3.81 lakh crore reached 92.3% of the 2011-12 estimate
7. The President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Toure visited India on 11-12 January 2012. India and Mali signed three agreements during this visit
8. Kamla Persad Bissessar visited India from 5 January 2012 to 14 January 2012. Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
9. Net FII buying crossed the $2-billion mark in January 2012 making January the best month in terms of foreign fund flows since November 2010
10. India and Trinidad & Tobago on 6 January 2012 signed five agreements during the visit of Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar
11. Telecom Commission decided to allow mobile phone companies to share spectrum. The Commission has however limited this facility to 2G airwaves alone
12. The President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Toure visited India on 11-12 January 2012. India and Mali signed 3 agreements during this visit
13. Growth of these eight sectors during April-December 2011 was 4.4 per cent against 5.7 per cent during the corresponding period in 2010
14. India's National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC) signed an agreement with Bangladesh Power Development Board( BPDP), for setting up a joint venture 1320 MW thermal power plant
15. A Amalraj won his maiden national title by defeating A Sharath Kamal in the final of the 73rd Senior National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championships
16. SEBI decided to enhance the minimum investment amount per client managed by portfolio managers to Rs.25 lakh from Rs.5 lakh
17. Novak Djokovic emerged victorious in the men’s single category while Victoria Azarenka lifted the trophy in the women category of the 2012 Australian Open
18. India and Pakistan agreed in New Delhi to transit fee formula for Tapi gas pipeline project. On the Transit Fee, both nations agreed that the negotiations would be conducted in a transparent manner

19. President conferred the Ashoka Chakra on Lt. Navdeep Singh (posthumous) on the occasion of the 63rd Republic Day Parade 2012
20. Environmental historian and political commentator Mahesh Rangarajan was selected and appointed as director of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
21. Kerala governor and three-time Puducherry chief minister and MP, M O H Farook died in Chennai on 26 January 2012
22. The Padma awards for the year 2012 were announced on the eve of India’s 63rd Republic Day. Padma Awards 2012 comprise 13 Padma Vibhushan, 31 Padma Bhushan and 84 Padma Shri Awards
23. Ricky Ponting appointed an officer in the general division of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to cricket & the community
24. C R Sundaramurti Committee report to finance minister Pranab Mukherjee suggested a complete overhaul of government accounting norms
25. The Union Cabinet of India on 24 January 2012 approved renaming of the Mana Airport at Raipur in Chattisgarh as the Swami Vivekanand Airport, Raipur
26. Rajasthan won the 78th Ranji Trophy by defeating Tamil Nadu on 23 January 2012 at the MA Chidambaram stadium
27. Singapore-based Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka was awarded the DSC Prize for South Asia Literature 2012, at the Jaipur Literature Festival
28. Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) estimated Corporate India’s sales to grow 21.6% in 2011-12
29. Dutch teeager Laura Dekker on 21 January 2012 became the youngest sailor to complete a solo circumnavigation of the world
30. The Election Commission of India banned exit polls during the entire period when elections to the five state assemblies would be held