Current Affairs Quiz - January 2026

Notes:
The Aiyanoor Ammanoor festival of the Kota tribe was celebrated at Solur Kokkal village near Udhagamandalam in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The Kota tribe is classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Tamil Nadu. The festival is a traditional annual or periodic event reflecting the living cultural heritage of the community. Aiyanoor Amman is worshipped as the central village and guardian deity. Women play a central role by performing ritual dances in traditional white attire with distinctive borders.

Notes:
The 44th Junior National Kho Kho Championship began at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium, Gunjur, Bengaluru. Around 1,000 young athletes from states and union territories are competing in boys’ and girls’ categories. Nearly 40 matches were played on the opening day. The tournament follows a league-cum-knockout format, with semifinals on 3 January and finals on 4 January 2026. 58th Senior National Kho Kho will be in Kazipet, Telangana (11–15 January), and 35th Sub-Junior Nationals in Kurukshetra, Haryana (31 Jan–4 Feb).

Notes:
Poland has announced a $2.2 billion multi-layered anti-drone defence system along its eastern border due to security concerns linked to Russia–Ukraine conflict. The move follows repeated suspected Russian drone incursions, which triggered North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) air policing responses. The system will combine electronic warfare tools like drone jamming with machine guns, cannons, and missile units. It is not a physical wall but a technology-based layered defence against aerial threats. Some components will activate only during extreme or wartime conditions, addressing hybrid warfare threats like sabotage and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Notes:
The Government of India launched the Export Promotion Mission with a total outlay of ₹25,060 crore for FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31 to strengthen India’s export competitiveness. The Mission focuses on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), first-time exporters, labour-intensive sectors, market diversification, and value-added exports. It is jointly implemented by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of MSME, and Ministry of Finance. The Mission has two sub-schemes: NIRYAT PROTSAHAN (financial support) and NIRYAT DISHA (non-financial support). Under NIRYAT PROTSAHAN, interest subvention is provided on pre- and post-shipment rupee export credit to reduce export credit costs.

Notes:
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) approved 22 proposals under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS). The projects have a projected investment of ₹41,863 crore and expected production of ₹2,58,152 crore. These projects cover 11 target segment products with cross-sectoral applications in mobile manufacturing, telecom, consumer electronics, strategic electronics, automotive, and IT hardware. The Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) was launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to boost domestic production of electronic components, providing incentives and fostering a robust supply chain

Notes:
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics of Bhagwan Buddha in New Delhi. The exhibition titled The Light and the Lotus displays relics repatriated after about 125 years. The Piprahwa relics were discovered in 1898 and are directly linked to Bhagwan Buddha. The Piprahwa site is associated with ancient Kapilavastu, where Buddha spent his early life. The government stopped their international auction, considering them sacred heritage, not artifacts.

Notes:
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced winners of four creative challenges under the Badalta Bharat Mera Anubhav campaign, organized in collaboration with the MyGov platform. The campaign invited citizens to share personal experiences and creative expressions showcasing India’s transformation over the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. It aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. Indrajeet Subodh Mashankar won first prize in the Instagram Reel Contest category. Manthan Rohit won first prize in the YouTube Shorts Challenge category. Sushovan Manna won first prize in the Short Audio-Visual Challenge – Story of New India category. Krishna Gupta won first prize in the Blog Writing Contest category.

Notes:
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting recently established the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC) to boost India’s concert economy, employment, and tourism. Live Events Development Cell (LEDC) aims to support the structured growth of India’s live entertainment industry and strengthen the emerging concert economy. It will act as a single-window facilitation mechanism to streamline processes and position India as a leading global live entertainment destination by 2030. It brings together representatives from Central and State governments, industry bodies, and major event companies for coordinated policy support and sectoral expansion.

Notes:
Recently, scientists captured the first three-dimensional (3D) images from inside Popocatepetl volcano, improving understanding of its internal structure. Popocatepetl means “Smoking Mountain” in the Aztec Nahuatl language, reflecting its frequent activity. It is located in central Mexico, about 72 kilometres southeast of Mexico City, on the border of México and Puebla states. The volcano lies on the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, formed by subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate. It is one of Mexico’s most active volcanoes, erupting since 1519, and rises to 5,452 metres above sea level.

Notes:
Kerala launched the International Spice Routes Heritage Network to promote cultural tourism and research. The initiative leverages Kerala’s historic role in maritime spice trade to drive economic and tourism growth. The platform supports collaborative research, heritage conservation, archaeology, documentation, and museum development. The project aims to reconnect ancient trade routes, revive historical memories, and foster cross-border partnerships. Muziris and Kochi’s historical ports are highlighted as centres of global exchange of spices, ideas, and culture.