Current Affairs January 2020 - Persons in NEWS
1 - India’s Malavath Poorna scaled Antarctica’s Highest Peak
India's Malavath Poorn conquered Mt. Vinson Massif, Antarctica’s highest mountain peak (4,987 mts). Malavath Poorna became the first tribal woman in the world to set foot on the six tallest mountain peaks across six continents. She climbed the world’s highest mountain Mt. Everest, 5 years ago. Other mountain peaks include Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa, 2016), Mt. Elbrus (Europe, 2017), Mt. Aconcagua (South America, 2019) and Mt. Cartsnez (Oceania region, 2019).
Telangana state’s Malavath Poorn aims to next conquer Mt. Denali, North America’s highest mountain peak.
2 - Aayushi Dholakia crowned Miss Teen International 2019
Vadodra’s Aayushi Dholakia was crowned Miss Teen International 2019. She became the first Asian to win the title in the last 27 years. Yessenia Garcia from Paraguay and Anicia Gaothusi from Botswana became the First and second Runners-Up respectively.
Thu Phan from Vietnam was adjudged Miss Teen Asia, Maria Luisa Piras from Italy bagged the title of Miss Teen Europe, Anicia Gaothusi from Botswana won Miss Teen Africa and Alessandra Santos from Brazil became Miss Teen America at the event. Miss Teen International is the world’s oldest running teen pageant.
3 - UN declared Malala Yousafzai ‘Most Famous Teenager of the Decade’
The UN has declared Pakistani education activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai as “the most famous teenager in the world” in its ‘Decade in Review’ report. In 2014, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her efforts for children’s rights.
Malala was also recently chosen by Teen Vogue as its cover person for its last issue of the decade. She was also appointed as the UN Messenger of Peace in 2017 with a special focus on girls’ education.
4 - Iranian Olympic medalist Kimia Alizadeh announces her defection
Iranian Olympic medalist, Kimia Alizadeh announced leaving the country. Alizadeh is the only woman from Iran to have won the Olympic medal. She made history at the Rio Olympics in 2016, when she won the bronze medal for her country in Taekwondo.
Ms. Alizadeh’s announcement came four months after Saeid Mollaei, one of Iran’s biggest judo stars, defected to Germany. It is reported that Ms. Alizadeh has moved to Netherlands.
5 - Captain Tania Shergill became 1st Woman to lead Republic Day contingent
Captain Tania Shergill became the first woman parade adjutant for the Republic Day parade. A parade adjutant is responsible for the parade. She was commissioned in March 2017, from the Officer Training Academy, Chennai and is an officer with Army's Corps of Signals.
In 2019 during Republic Day parade, Captain Bhavna Kasturi was the first woman officer to lead an all-men contingent. Major Nikhil Maurya and Major Tarun Rathee lead the contingent of the Army's Parachute Regiment Special forces.
6 - Brazil President Bolsonaro was Chief Guest at 71st Republic Day
President of Brazil Jair Messias Bolsonaro was the Chief Guest at the 71st Republic Day Parade at Raj Path in New Delhi. He is the third Brazilian to atttend the ceremony after Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 1996 and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2004.
On the eve of the Republic Day, India honoured two Brazilian women Lia Diskin and Gloria Areria with Padma Shri. Diskin has been disseminating Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy in Brazil and Latin America for almost 30 years. Areria is a Sanskrit scholar and Vedanta teacher.
