Current Affairs 19 January 2026

Praveen Vashista appointed Vigilance Commissioner

The President of India appointed Shri Praveen Vashista as Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) under the provisions of the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003. He took oath on 16 January 2026 before the Central Vigilance Commissioner. The Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003, provides for the appointment of a Central Vigilance Commissioner and two Vigilance Commissioners. The tenure of the Vigilance Commissioner is of four years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years.

• Central Vigilance Commissioner – Praveen Kumar Srivastava
• Vigilance Commissioner – A S Rajeev

EU Leaders to be Chief Guests at India’s 77th Republic Day Celebrations

European Union leaders Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will be the chief guests at India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2026, announced Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path will be themed around “150 years of Vande Mataram”, a theme that will also anchor the Beating the Retreat ceremony.

The parade will feature several first-time military showcases, including Bhairav Battalions, Shaktibaan regiments, Drone Shakti, and a universal rocket launcher. For the first time, a European naval contingent will participate in the Republic Day parade.

Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary

An apex expert body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change — the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) — has framed guidelines for permitting religious structures inside wildlife sanctuaries and protected areas.

The guidelines state that any construction or expansion on forest land after 1980 should generally be treated as encroachment, in line with forest conservation principles. However, exceptional cases may be considered if a State government issues a reasoned and documented order justifying regularisation, which will then be examined by the Centre on a case-by-case basis.

The move follows a controversial proposal involving land diversion for a religious trust inside the Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, where clearances were initially granted and later revoked due to unresolved forest rights.

Aaryan Varshney becomes India’s 92nd Chess Grandmaster

Indian chess achieved another milestone as Aaryan Varshney (21) from Delhi became India’s 92nd Grandmaster. He secured his third and final Grandmaster norm by winning the Andranik Margaryan Memorial Tournament in Armenia, clinching the title with a round to spare. Earlier, A.R. Ilamparthi and V.S. Raahul had become India’s 90th and 91st Grandmasters in late 2025

AP FIRST-Tirupati Project Approved

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has approved the establishment of Andhra Pradesh Futuristic Innovation and Research in Science and Technology (AP FIRST) at Tirupati. AP FIRST will be developed as the largest and most prestigious research centre in Andhra Pradesh, leveraging the combined strengths of IIT Tirupati and IISER Tirupati. The centre will focus on futuristic sectors such as aerospace, defence, space technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum technology, biotechnology, green energy, healthcare, and rural technologies.

Kakinada Declared ‘Green Hydrogen Valley of India’

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has declared Kakinada as the “Green Hydrogen Valley of India” following the foundation stone ceremony of a ₹15,600-crore Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia Production Complex being set up by AM Green (Greenko Group).

The project, spread over 495 acres in Kakinada, is touted to be the world’s largest green hydrogen and green ammonia complex. Green ammonia produced in Kakinada will be exported mainly to Europe, with Germany as the major importer.

Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed Bhoomi Pujan of the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project (4-laning of Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715) in Kaliabor, Assam.
• The project is worth ₹6,950 crore and spans 86 km, including a 35 km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The corridor is designed to ensure uninterrupted movement of wildlife such as rhinos, elephants, and tigers, while improving road safety and regional connectivity.
• It will pass through Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, and Golaghat districts, enhancing connectivity to Upper Assam, including Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

India’s first-ever open-sea Marine Fish Farming project

India has launched its first-ever open-sea Marine Fish Farming project in the Andaman Sea, marking a major milestone in advancing the Blue Economy. The project was inaugurated by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, at North Bay, Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Implemented through a collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and the Andaman & Nicobar UT Administration, the pilot focuses on open-sea cultivation of marine finfish and seaweed using NIOT-developed cages.

Disclaimer: This article is prepared for competitive exam preparation using publicly available information.