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1. India celebrated Hindi Diwas on September 14, 2024, marking 75 years since Hindi was adopted as the official language of the country. On this day in 1949, the Constituent Assembly designated Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language, while allowing English for official purposes for 15 years. Following protests over Hindi imposition, the Official Languages Act 1963 maintained English alongside Hindi. Articles 210 and 351 of the Constitution outline the use of languages in legislatures and the Union's duty to promote Hindi. Hindi, a descendant of Sanskrit and named after the Persian 'Hind' (land of the Indus River), is one of the 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule.
2. India has renamed Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to Sri Vijaya Puram. This name change signifies a departure from colonial history and honors India's freedom struggle. Port Blair, named after British naval officer Archibald Blair, was a penal colony and site of oppression, especially during British rule. Historically, the Andaman Islands were strategically significant, serving as a naval base for the Chola Empire under Rajendra Chola I in the 11th century, who attacked the Srivijaya Empire. The islands played a crucial role in India's independence movement, with the cellular jail Kaala Paani established in 1906 and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose hoisting the national flag there on December 30, 1943. Strategically located in the Bay of Bengal, the islands are vital for India’s maritime defense.
3. The Central government plans to train 5,000 'Cyber Commandos' over five years to combat rising cybercrime, announced during the first Foundation Day of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). These commandos will be skilled in IT security, digital forensics, and incident response. New initiatives include the Centralised Suspect Registry, a secure database for suspicious accounts; the Samanvaya Platform, a data repository for cybercrime coordination; and the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC), a control center for high-priority cases. In 2023, 1,128,256 cybercrime incidents were reported in India. Uttar Pradesh had the most complaints (197,547), while Maharashtra faced the highest fraud amounting to Rs 9.9 billion.
4. On September 12, 2024, the 127th anniversary of the Battle of Saragarhi was observed, commemorating one of the greatest last-stands in military history. On this day in 1897, 21 soldiers and a non-combatant from the 36th Sikh Regiment (now 4th Sikh) defended a communication post at Saragarhi against over 8,000 Afridi and Orakzai tribal militants in what is now Pakistan. Led by Havildar Ishar Singh, the defenders held out for seven hours, killing 200 militants and wounding 600. Saragarhi was crucial for connecting two British forts and its loss would have isolated them. The soldiers were posthumously awarded the Indian Order of Merit, and a memorial was erected with bricks from the site. In 2017, Punjab declared September 12 as Saragarhi Day, and the Khyber Scouts regiment of Pakistan continues to honor the martyrs.
5. The Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA) aims to boost global exports of Indian alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, targeting USD 1 billion in revenue as part of the 'Make in India' initiative. Godawan Single Malt Whisky, produced in Rajasthan, is set to debut in the UK. Currently, India ranks 40th in global alcoholic beverage exports but is the 3rd largest market for such products. In 2023-24, India exported alcoholic beverages worth Rs 3,107.50 crores (USD 375.09 million) and imported beverages worth USD 1 billion. Major export markets include the UAE, Singapore, Tanzania, Angola, and Ghana. Maharashtra is a key wine-producing state with 43 of India's 46 wineries.