 "FirstUp: German chancellor to visit India, Isro to launch Anvesha satellite... News of the day")
A full slate of events is on the agenda for Monday as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will begin his first official visit to India. Meanwhile, Isro is set to launch its PSLV-C62 mission, also known as the Anvesha satellite.
US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi today. January 12 marks the 50th death anniversary of Agatha Christie. In Maharashtra, MNS president Raj Thackeray will hold a joint rally with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Here is all that is taking place throughout the day.
German chancellor to visit India
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to pay his first official visit to India on January 12. He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad to hold a high-level meeting.
The two leaders will visit the historic Sabarmati Ashram and participate in the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront. Following this, Bilateral engagements will be held at Mahatma Mandir, focusing on reviewing the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, which completed 25 years in 2025.
This visit precedes the India-EU Summit scheduled for January 27, signalling a period of intense diplomatic outreach between India and European powers in 2026.
Isro to launch Anvesha satellite
Isro is set to launch its first mission of 2026, the PSLV-C62 mission, today. The liftoff will take place from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10:17 am IST.
The PSLV-DL variant will deploy the primary payload, EOS-N1, also called Anvesha, a hyperspectral Earth observation satellite for strategic monitoring in agriculture, urban mapping, and environmental assessment.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it utilises advanced hyperspectral imaging, allowing it to see across hundreds of wavelengths of light. This super-vision can differentiate between actual vegetation and camouflage used to hide military assets.
US Ambassador to reach India
US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi today to officially assume his duties as the 26th United States Ambassador to India. His arrival fills a post that has been vacant for nearly a year following the departure of Eric Garcetti in early 2025.
Upon his arrival this weekend, Gor is expected to formally present his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This follows his earlier introductory visit in October 2025, where he held preliminary meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
50th death anniversary of Agatha Christie
January 12 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most renowned authors in the world, Agatha Christie. Several major events have been planned to commemorate her enduring legacy.
The British Library in London will hold an exhibition where fans can view her 1937 Remington typewriter, early manuscript drafts, and personal objects like her 1917 pharmaceutical exam notes. This year marks a milestone for the acclaimed author as it is the 100th anniversary of the publication of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
Christie died peacefully of natural causes at her home, Winterbrook House, on January 12, 1976, at the age of 85. She is buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard in Cholsey, Oxfordshire.
Raj, Uddhav Thackeray to hold joint rally in Thane
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray will address an election rally with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in Thane.
“Uddhav Thackeray and I will address a joint rally in Thane on January 12,” Raj Thackeray said.
Polls to 29 municipal corporations, including Thane, will be held on January 15, while votes will be counted the next day.
With inputs from agencies
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