The Union Government has approved four startups in the field of technical textiles under the Grant for Research & Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) Scheme.

• The GREAT Scheme was launched in August 2023 under the Research, Development, and Innovation component of the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).
• It aims to develop the startup ecosystem in technical textiles in India by providing financial support to individual entrepreneurs or startups for functional prototypes or commercialization of their technologies.
• The scheme focuses on key strategic areas such as medical textiles, industrial textiles, and protective textiles, fostering innovation, research, and entrepreneurship.
• The Union Ministry of Textiles provides grant-in-aid of up to ₹50 lakhs for a period of 18 months to support these initiatives.

13th February is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the Nightingale of India i.e. Sarojini Naidu.

• She was born on February 13, 1879, in Hyderabad to Aghornath Chattopadhyaya, a scientist, and Barada Sundari Devi, a poetess.
• She became the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress in 1925.
• She was the first woman Governor of an Indian state, serving as the Governor of United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) from 1947 until her death in 1949.
• She was a renowned poet and earned the title “Nightingale of India” for her lyrical poetry, including works like The Golden Threshold and In the Bazaars of Hyderabad.

World Radio Day is observed annually on February 13 to raise awareness about the importance of radio and its role in information dissemination.

• The day was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2011 and later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as an International Day.
• Radio remains a crucial medium for reaching remote communities and providing emergency communication during disasters.

India has become the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, following China, with Vietnam in third place.

• As of 2024, 99.2% of all mobile phones sold in India are domestically produced.
• Mobile phones account for 43% of India’s total electronics production.
• In the fiscal year 2023, India’s electronics sector reached a valuation of USD 155 billion, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% over the past five years.
• Electronics production nearly doubled from USD 48 billion in FY17 to USD 101 billion in FY23.
• Electronics have become India’s fifth-largest export commodity, though the country holds less than a 1% share of the global market.
• The Indian government aims to expand electronics manufacturing output to USD 500 billion by 2030, which would require a fivefold increase and is projected to generate 12 million jobs by 2027.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with NITI Aayog launched Swavalambini.

• The program targets female students in higher education institutions across Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
• It aims to empower these students by providing them with an entrepreneurial mindset, essential resources, and mentorship to succeed in their ventures.
• The initiative introduces a structured, stage-wise entrepreneurial process, encompassing awareness, development, mentorship, and funding support.
• The program is implemented in nine colleges and universities, including Gauhati University, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), and Mizoram University.
• The Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) offers an intensive 40-hour training for 300 selected participants, covering topics like financial planning, market access, legal compliance, and business networking.
• Participants receive six months of dedicated mentorship to help transform their business ideas into viable enterprises.

Recently, Dashavatar performances in Maharashtra started.

• Dashavatar is a traditional folk theatre form from the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra’s South Konkan region and the North Goa district of Goa.
• The term “Dashavatar” refers to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu: Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (lion-man), Vamana (dwarf), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.
• It has a history of over 800 years and is deeply rooted in Maharashtra and Goa’s cultural traditions.
• Performances are traditionally held in temple courtyards and are enacted by male performers, who also play female characters.
• The performance consists of two parts:
• Poorva-Ranga (Initial Session):Depicts the story of the demon Shankhasur’s defeat.
• Uttar-Ranga (Main Performance):Also called ‘akhyan’, it narrates stories from Hindu mythology, focusing on one of Vishnu’s incarnations.
• Musical instruments used include:
• Paddle harmonium (hand-pumped keyboard instrument).
• Tabla (pair of hand drums).
• Zanj (small metallic cymbals).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-day France visit from Monday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. He will co-chair Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit with Macron on February 11.

• France is hosting the AI Action Summit, to be held on 10 and 11 February 2025 at the Grand Palais in Paris.

• It is in continuation of AI Safety Summit held in Britain in Bletchley Park in 2023 and a smaller meeting in Seoul in 2024.
• It holds great relevance for Europe as AI is being seen as a race between America and China.
• The entry of China’s Deep Seek model, which is cheaper and shows great efficiency in reasoning, has further complicated the AI debate.
• It aims to deliberate on the issue of monopoly of AI market as the foundational models are being owned by few corporations like Microsoft, Amazon, Meta
• The initiative focuses on the broader agenda of global AI governance, innovation, and on means of serving the larger public interest. 

• Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States of America, has signed an executive order on 4th February 2025, to withdraw the country from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)and permanently stop the funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
• He has also ordered the review of the American contribution to UNESCO and the funding of the United Nations.
• It is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world
• It was created by the General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by replacing the Commission on Human Rights.
• The headquartersof the Council is in Geneva, Switzerland
• It has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis.
• The members of the United Nations General Assemblyelect the members who occupy 47 seats of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
• In 2021, India was re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2022-24 term and vowed to continue to work for the promotion and protection of human rights through “Samman, Samvad and Sahyog”

National Productivity Day is observed in India on February 12 each year to promote productivity culture.

• The day is organized by the National Productivity Council (NPC), established in 1958 under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• National Productivity Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of productivity, innovation, and efficiency in driving economic growth and improving the quality of life.

12 February is celebrated as the birthday of the most popular president in United States history namely Abraham Lincoln.

• This day is also known as Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, Abraham Lincoln Day, or Lincoln Day.
• Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born on February 12, 1809.