Punganur Cow: The Punganur Cow, native to Andhra Pradesh’s Punganur village, recently gained attention as Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally fed them at his residence. Known for their small stature and resilience to drought, these cows play a significant cultural role, particularly in Andhra Pradesh’s temples.

ASTRA Missile: The ASTRA Missile, an indigenously developed Air-to-Air missile, made headlines as the Minister of State for Defence initiated the delivery of these cutting-edge missiles to the Indian Air Force. Crafted by DRDO and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd., ASTRA boasts advanced features, including a beyond-visual-range capability.

Indian Army Day: Celebrated annually on January 15, Indian Army Day marks the historic transition from British leadership to Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa becoming the first Indian Commander-in-Chief in 1949. The theme for the 76th Army Day in 2024 is “In Service of the Nation.”

Kachchhi Kharek (Dates): Kachchhi Kharek, an indigenous date variety from Kutch, Gujarat, recently secured a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. These dates, grown in Kutch for 400-500 years, contribute significantly to India’s date palm cultivation and are known for their salinity tolerance.

Sinomicrurus gorei: Sinomicrurus gorei, a newly identified coral snake species, was discovered by researchers at Mizoram University. Named after Dr. Gore, it is locally known as ‘Rulṭhihna’ and bears resemblance to the traditional Mizo amber necklace ‘Ṭhihna.’ The discovery revealed distinctions from the previously considered species Sinomicrurus macclellandi.