List of Important Days in January 2024
The General Awareness section is one of the important sections in any competitive exam. The static part of General Knowledge weighs more than 50% of the General Awareness section. Therefore, one has to focus on its various sub-topics and Important Days is one such sub-topic. Have a look at the detailed list of Important Days in January 2024.
1. Global Family Day 2024: 1 January
- Global Family Day is celebrated every year on 1 January.
- The day is observed to spread the message of peace and to promote brotherhood across nations and cultures.
- Global Family Day grew out of the United Nations Millennium celebration, "One Day In Peace"
2. World Braille Day 2024: 4 January
- World Braille Day has been observed every year since 2019 to raise awareness regarding the importance of Braille as a means of communication for blind and partially sighted people.
- Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical and scientific symbols.
- Braille was invented by Louis Braille in 19th century. It is used by blind and partially sighted people for reading books.
3. Marathi Journalism Day 2024 was celebrated on 6 January in Maharashtra.
- Marathi Journalism Day is celebrated every year on 6 January across Maharashtra.
- It is celebrated to mark the first issue of Marathi newspaper “Darpan’. The first Marathi newspaper was started by Balshastri Jambhekar on 6 January 1832.
- Balshastri Jambhekar is also known as the Father of Marathi journalism.
- This day is also observed to mark the birth anniversary of Balshastri Jambhekar.
- National Journalism Day is observed on 17 November.
4. World Day of War Orphans 2024: 6 January
- Every year on 6 January, World Day for War Orphans is observed.
- It is celebrated to raise awareness about children who have been orphaned due to wars.
- The main aim of the day is to highlight the emotional, social and physical challenges faced by orphans.
- World War Orphans Day reminds people of their responsibility to help children in troubled areas.
- The Day was founded by the French organization SOS Enfants en Detresses.
- According to UNICEF, the total number of orphans increased between 1990-2001.
5. World Hindi Day 2024: 10 January
- It is celebrated every year on 10 January to mark the anniversary of the first World Hindi Conference organized in Nagpur on 10 January 1975.
- It is being celebrated every year since 2006.
- Its main aim is to promote the Hindi language across the world.
- Hindi is the third most-spoken language in the world.
- In India, Hindi Diwas is observed every year on 14th September.
- 12th World Hindi Conference will be held in Nadi, Fiji in February 2023.
6. National Youth Day 2024: 12 January
- The birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda is celebrated every year as National Youth Day since 1985.
- In 1984, the government announced 12th January as National Youth Day. National Youth Festival is celebrated annually on National Youth Day (12 January).
- Swami Vivekananda founded Ramakrishna Mission in 1897. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was his guru.
- Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Datta in 1863. He is known for his Chicago speech of 1893. He died in 1902.
7. Indian Armed Forces Veterans Day celebrated on 14th January 2024.
- Indian Armed Forces Veterans Day was celebrated on 14th January as recognition of the services given by the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces.
- Indian Armed Forces Veterans Day is celebrated every year on 14th January to honour services given by Army veterans. It was first celebrated in 2017.
- Year 2021 was the 50th Anniversary of 1971 Indo-Pak War.
- First Commander-in-Chief of Indian Armed Forces, Field Marshal KM Cariappa, OBE retired on 14 January 1953.
8. 76th Indian Army Day: 15 January
- Every year on 15 January, Indian Army Day is celebrated to remember the sacrifice of our soldiers to protect the country and citizens.
- On 15 January 1949, Lt Gen KM Cariappa took over the last British Commander in Chief of India, Francis Bucher.
- Indian Army:
- It was founded on 1 April 1895.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- It is the largest standing army in the world.
- Chief of Defence Staff: General Anil Chauhan
- Chief of Army Staff: General Manoj Pande
- Commander in Chief: President Ram Nath Kovind
9. Statehood day of Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya is observed on 21st January.
- Statehood day of Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya is observed on 21st January and they were granted statehood in 1972.
- 21st January 2024 is 52nd statehood day of Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya. They celebrated the 48th statehood day in 2020.
- North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act of 1971 became effective from January 21, 1972.
- Before 1972, Manipur and Tripura were Union Territories. Meghalaya was made a sub-state within Assam through 22nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1969.
-
Statehood to other northeastern states:
- Nagaland was given the status of a state on 1 December 1963. It was made from Naga Hills and Tuensang region of Assam.
- Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh were given the status of states in 1987. Mizoram was made after Mizoram Peace Accord of 1986.
- Sikkim was made a state through 36th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1975. It celebrates its foundation day every year on 16 May. Assam was granted statehood on 26 January 1950.
- Sixth schedule has provisions for administering tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
Northeastern State | Assam | Nagaland | Manipur | Tripura | Meghalaya | Sikkim | Mizoram | Arunachal Pradesh |
Statehood | 1950 | 1963 | 1972 | 1972 | 1972 | 1975 | 1987 | 1987 |
10. National Girl Child Day Week: 21- 26 January
- The National Girl Child Day Week is being celebrated from 21 to 26 January 2023. It is being celebrated on the occasion of National Girl Child Day.
- National Girl Child Day is celebrated every year on 24 January to highlight the issues related to girl children in India.
- Its main objective is to raise awareness about the rights of a girl child and their education, health and nutrition.
- National Girl Child Day was started by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2008.
Government Schemes related to Girl Child |
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11. 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: 23rd January 2024.
- 23rd January 2023 is the 128th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a great freedom fighter born in 1897 in Cuttack (Odisha).
- Howrah-Kalka Mail has been renamed as Netaji Express by Railway Ministry. The film ‘Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero’ was screened at 51st IFFI. Shyam Benegal wrote and directed this film.
- Government has declared his birthday 23rd January to be celebrated as Parakram Diwas every year. The day will be celebrated to mark his remarkable contribution to the independence movement of India. He is remembered for his selfless service to the nation.
- Unfinished autobiography of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has been published with the title of an Indian Pilgrim.
- Subhas Chandra Bose:
- Born on 23 January 1897, Subhas Chandra Bose became the President of the Haripura Congress session in 1938 and established Forward Block in 1939.
- He defeated Pattabhi Sitaramayya in the 1939 elections for Congress President. He had given the slogan “Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe aazdi dunga”.
- He was the leader of Azad Hind Fauj. Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das was his political guru.
12. National Girl Child Day 2024: 24 January
- National Girl Child Day is celebrated every year on 24 January to highlight the issues related to girl children in India.
- Its main objective is to raise awareness about the rights of a girl child and their education, health and nutrition.
- It is also celebrated to mark the anniversary of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme.
- It was started by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2008.
- Government Initiatives for the empowerment of girls:
- Government has started a Gender Inclusion Fund for the development of girls. It is set up to provide education to girls.
- Under the National Education Policy 2020, schools must create a friendly environment for the education of Girls. It will increase the enrollment of girl children in the class.
- Ministry of Education is running the Samagra Shiksha scheme for Girls’ Education.
- Under the Khelo India Scheme, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has promoted girls and women to take part in sports activities under Khelo India Scheme.
- Government has also launched the Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) Scheme. It aims to empower women in the science and technology field.
- The Government started Program for Gender Advancement in science and technology Institutions in 2020. It will promote women students in STEM.
- Government has also launched many Skill Development programs for skilling women.
13. 14th National Voters Day 2024: 25 January
- National Voters Day was celebrated on 25th January 2024 in New Delhi.
- National Voters Day is celebrated annually since 25 January 2011. It marks the day on which the Election Commission of India was formed. Election Commission of India was formed on 25 January 1950.
- Theme for National Voters' Day 2024: 'Nothing Like Voting, I Vote For sure'
14. National Tourism Day 2024: 25 January
- National Tourism Day is observed on 25 January to make people aware about the importance of tourism for the economy.
- Tourism contributes nearly 5% to the GDP of India as per the 3rd Tourism Satellite Account, a tool that helps in measuring impact of tourism on GDP and jobs.
- Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSAs) are prepared from time to time at the request of Ministry of Tourism.
- India’s rank in World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) improved from 65th in 2013 to 34th in 2019.
- Swadesh Darshan and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) are schemes for the development of tourism in India.
15. Himachal Pradesh celebrated its Statehood Day on 25 January.
- Himachal Pradesh was formed on 25 January 1971. It was the 18th state of India.
- Himachal Pradesh:
- It is a North Indian state situated in the western Himalayas.
- It shares a boundary with Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
- State capitals are Shimla (summer) and Dharamshala (winter).
- Great Himalayan National Park, Pin Valley National Park, Khirganga National Park are located in Himachal Pradesh.
- Nati is the most famous dance of Himachal Pradesh.
- Governor: Shiv Pratap Shukla
- Chief Minister: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
- Lok Sabha seats: 4, Rajya Sabha seats: 3
16. Uttar Pradesh celebrated its 74th foundation day.
- Uttar Pradesh has celebrated its 74th foundation day on 24 January 2024. It was formed on 24 January 1950.
- Uttar Pradesh:
- It is the most populous state in India and ranks fourth in terms of area.
- The Chief Minister of the state is Yogi Adityanath and Governor is Anandiben Patel.
- Deputy CMs: Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya
- The capital of the state is Lucknow.
- The state animal of Uttar Pradesh is Swamp Deer, State Bird is Saras Crane, State Tree is Ashoka and State Flower is Palash.
17. International Customs Day 2024: 26 January
- International Customs Day is observed every year on 26 January to highlight the contribution of customs officials and agencies.
- 2024 theme: "Customs engaging traditional and new partners with purpose"
- The theme of the International Customs Day 2021 is “Customs bolstering Recovery, Renewal and Resilience for a sustainable supply chain”.
- In India, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has celebrated this day by giving World Customs Organisation Certificate of Merit Award.
- CBIC has taken many steps for the Faceless, Contactless and Paperless Customs clearance processes.
- Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC):
- It was established on 1 January 1964. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
- It is a part of the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.
- After GST, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has been renamed as Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
- It formulates and implements policies for Central GST, Central Excise Duty and Custom/Import Duty.
18. Republic Day 2024: 26 January
- On 26 January 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect. Therefore, 26 January is celebrated as Republic Day in India.
- In 2024, France President Emmanuel Macron was the chief guest.
- In 2023, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
- Republic Day parades in 1952, 1953, 1966 and 2021 were held without the presence of any foreign dignitary.
- Winners list of Republic Day 2024 celebrations:
- First: Gujarat's “Dhordo: A Global Icon of Gujarat's Border Tourism” tableau.
- Second: Uttar Pradesh's “Viksit Bharat Samradh Virasat” tableau, showcases the state's rich heritage.
- Third: Andhra Pradesh's “Transforming School Education in Andhra Pradesh – Making Students Globally Competitive” tableau.
19. Data Privacy Day 2024: 28 January
- Data Privacy Day is celebrated every year on 28 January to raise awareness about the protection of personal data and privacy.
- It is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the “Convention 108”, which was signed on 28 January 1981. It is the first legally binding treaty for data privacy and protection.
- The Council of Europe had started celebrating the Data Protection Day from 2006. Now, it is celebrated globally as Data Privacy Day.
- The main objective of this day is to spread awareness among businesses and users about the ways to protect personal information.
- The theme for Data Privacy Week 2024 was “Take Control of Your Data”.
- The theme for Data Privacy Day 2021 was “Own Your Privacy”.
20. World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day 2024: 30 January
- World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day is celebrated every year on 30 January.
- Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) threaten more than 1.7 billion people living in the poorest and most marginalized communities worldwide.
- NTDs affect one in five people around the world. India has world’s largest absolute burden of at least 11 of major NTDs.
Thirteen Major Neglected Tropical Diseases and their Causal Agents | |
Buruli ulcer | Bacteria |
Chagas disease | Protozoa |
Cholera | Bacteria |
Dengue fever | Arbovirus (transmitted by Aedes Aegypti) |
Dracunculiasis | Worm |
Lymphatic filariasis | Worms |
Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) | Protozoa |
Leishmaniasis | Protozoa |
Leprosy | Bacteria |
Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) | Worm |
Schistosomiasis | Worms |
Soil-transmitted helminths | Worms |
Trachoma | Bacterium-like organism |
- The Kigali Declaration, a high-level political declaration, provides the opportunity to mobilise the political will, community commitment, resources and action needed to end unnecessary suffering from NTDs.
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