English writer Namita Gokhale won the Sahitya Akademi Award 2021 for her novel ‘Things to Leave Behind’ in the English language category.

Bratya Basu and Khalid Hussain won Sahitya Akademi Award 2021 for a play and collection of stories ‘Sullan Da Salan’, in Hindi and Punjabi language category respectively.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University in Meerut on January 2, 2022. The University will be set up at Salawa and Kaili villages of Sardhana town in Meerut at an estimated cost of around Rs 700 crore.

The Redink Awards for Excellence in Journalism 2021 were presented on December 29, 2021, by Mumbai Press Club with the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana as a Chief Guest at the virtual event. Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, who died during an assignment in Afghanistan in July 2021, was posthumously awarded as the ‘Journalist of the Year’ by the Mumbai Press Club.

Former South African captain Quinton de Kock announced sudden retirement from Test cricket on December 30, 2021. The wicket-keeper batsman announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect, citing his intentions to spend more time with his growing family. 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 46th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council in the national capital on December 31, 2021. The 46th GST Council meeting was called under emergency provisions. The GST Council has decided to retain the status quo on GST rate on textile to 5% and not raise it to 12%, informed the finance minister while addressing the press conference after the conclusion of the meeting.

China has renamed 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, claiming Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, an area that falls under its administrative control. China had said last year as well that it did not recognise Arunachal Pradesh as a part of India.