CURRENT AFFAIRS

March 2025
1. Name the First astronaut with disability approved for
International Space Station mission?

John McFall

• The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that John

McFall, a 43-year-old British surgeon and former Paralympian,
has been approved for a long-duration mission aboard the
International Space Station (ISS).

2. Which zoo setting up the country's first bio-banking facility

and animal museum?

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

• The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, West Bengal

(Darjeeling Zoo) setting up the country's first bio-banking facility
and animal museum is a huge step forward in preserving
endangered species and studying biodiversity.

• The facility will store DNA, genome, and gametes of endangered

species like the Red Panda, Snow Leopard, and Siberian Tiger

3. Which space agency recently Developed World’s Largest

Vertical Propellant Mixer?

Indian Space Research Organization

• In a major boost to India’s self-reliance in space technology,

Indian scientists and engineers have successfully developed the
world’s largest 10-tonne Vertical Planetary Mixer for processing
solid propellants, a critical component in rocket motor production.

• The milestone marks a significant achievement under the

‘Atmanirbhar Bharat in Space’

4. Defence Research and Development Organisation inked a

pact with MIDHANI for?

High-Performance Aerospace-Grade Steel

• The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), a premier lab

under the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO), has signed an MoU with MIDHANI for the indigenous
development of high-strength, high-toughness special-grade steel
"MDN100"

* For aeronautical applications, including its use in the 5th

generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

5. The 13th Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation Committee

(MIDCOM) meeting took place in?

Kuala Lumpur

• The 13th Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation Committee

(MIDCOM) meeting took place on February 2025, in Kuala
Lumpur, discussing regional and global issues, including cyber
security and artificial intelligence.

• India is strengthening defence ties with Malaysia, focusing on

maritime security, the defence industry, and cooperation in
multilateral forums.

6. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of

India Ltd (TRIFED) has made a collaboration with Meesho
for?

Boost Tribal Businesses

• In a strategic move to shift from a B2C to a B2B approach for

tribal communities, the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development
Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED) has entered into key
partnerships with Meesho, the Indian Federation of Culinary
Associations (IFCA), and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural
Industrialization (MGIRI).

7. India and which country Strengthen Lithium Mining

Cooperation with Strategic Memorandum of Understanding?

Argentina

• Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, along
with senior officials from the Ministry of Mines, held a high-level
meeting with E. Raúl Alejandro Jalil, Governor of Catamarca,
Argentina, in New Delhi.

• The discussions centered on expanding cooperation in the

mining sector, with a special focus on lithium exploration and
investment opportunities.

8. Which person recently Honored with Governor of

Massachusetts’ Citation for Philanthropy?

Nita Ambani

• Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation,

has been awarded the Governor of Massachusetts’ Citation for
her outstanding contributions to education, healthcare, sports,
arts, culture, and women’s empowerment.
9. Name the person who took oath as the Chief Minister of
Delhi recently?

Rekha Gupta

• Rekha Gupta took oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi, marking

the BJP’s return to power in the national capital after 27 years.

• The swearing-in ceremony at Ramlila Maidan was attended by

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah

10. Which country Elected as Vice President of the

International Organization of Aids to Marine Navigation
(IALA)?

India

• India was elected to the Vice Presidency of the International

Organization of Aids to Marine Navigation (IALA) during its first
General Assembly in Singapore.

• This election highlights India's leadership in maritime affairs and

its commitment to enhancing global marine navigation safety and
sustainability.

11. Name the player who becomes Second Fastest player to

reach 11,000 ODI Runs?

Rohit Sharma

• Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma achieved a historic

milestone by becoming the second fastest batsman to reach
11,000 runs in One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
12. Which company from india Rises to 2nd Spot in
FutureBrand Index 2024?

Reliance Industries Limited

• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has made history by securing

the 2 position in the FutureBrand Index 2024, surpassing Apple,
Nike, and Microsoft.

• This marks the first time an Indian company has entered the top
three of this global ranking.

13. Which state Forest Management Project (NFMP) Won

SKOCH Award 2024?

Nagaland Forest Management Project

• The Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) has been

recognized with the prestigious SKOCH Award 2024, honoring its
outstanding contributions to national development.

• The award was presented during the 100th SKOCH Summit at

the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

14. Which collaboration jointly launched unified investor app

recently?

Central Depository Services (India) & National Securities

Depository

• Central Depository Services (India) (CDSL) and National

Securities Depository (NSDL) have introduced new features in
their investor apps:
MyEasi (CDSL)
SPEED-e (NSDL)
• The initiative is backed by SEBI to provide a consolidated view
of investor holdings across Market Infrastructure Institutions.

15. Which union ministry inked ₹697 crore contracts with

Action Construction Equipment Limited (ACE), JCB India for
military equipment?

Ministry of Defence

• The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ₹697.35 crore

with ACE Limited and JCB India Limited for procuring 1,868
Rough Terrain Fork Lift Trucks (RTFLT) for the Indian Army,
Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy.

16. Defence ministry inks ₹1,220 crore contract with which

Public Sector Company for Coast Guard radios?

Bharat Electronics Limited

• The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹1,220.12 crore contract with

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for 149 Software Defined Radios
for the Indian Coast Guard.

• The contract falls under the ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)’ category,

supporting domestic defence manufacturing.

17. Current Chief Executive Officer of National Institution for

Transforming India (NITI) Aayog?

BVR Subrahmanyam

• The central government has extended NITI Aayog CEO BVR

Subrahmanyam’s term by a year, beyond February 24, 2025, or
until further orders.
• This announcement was made by the Secretariat of the
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet under the Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

18. The government has extended the tenure of Chief

Economic Adviser (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran until?

March 31, 2027

• This extension virtually rules him out as a contender for the post
of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor, a role for which
he was recently interviewed.

19. Which country Becomes 2nd to Launch Electronic

Personnel License (EPL) for Flight Crew?

India

• India has made a significant advancement in modernizing its

aviation sector by launching the Electronic Personnel License
(EPL) for flight crew.

• With this initiative, India becomes the second country in the

world after China to implement digital licensing for pilots.

20. Bank lending to Non Banking Financial Companies

(NBFCs) grew at ---% in 2024?

6.7 %

• Bank lending to Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)

grew at 6.7% in 2024, compared to 15% in 2023, reaching ₹16.22
lakh crore as of December 2024.
• The slowdown was driven by higher funding costs after the RBI
raised risk weights on such loans.

21. Lancet Study Highlights ------% Decline in India’s Suicide

Death Rate ?

30 %

• A recent Lancet study based on the Global Burden of Diseases,

Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 reveals a 30%
decline in India’s suicide death rate from 1990 to 2021.

• The study also states that, on a global scale, one person dies by
suicide every 43 seconds.

22. Tata Power Partners with which company to Modernize

India’s Energy Sector?

Amazon Web Services

• Tata Power has announced a strategic partnership with Amazon

Web Services (AWS) to modernize its digital infrastructure and
accelerate India’s transition toward a sustainable energy
ecosystem.

• This collaboration will leverage cloud technology, artificial

intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT)

23. Which Indian Named in TIME’s Women of the Year 2025?

Purnima Devi Barman

• Renowned wildlife conservationist Purnima Devi Barman has

been featured in TIME Magazine’s Women of the Year 2025 list,
recognizing extraordinary leaders shaping a more equitable and
sustainable world.

• She is the only Indian woman on this year’s list, alongside global
figures like Nicole Kidman and Gisele Pelicot of France.

24. Who was appointed Principal Secretary-2 to Prime Minister

recently?

Shaktikanta Das

• Former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Shaktikanta Dashas been appointed Principal Secretary II to
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a notification issued
by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

• His expertise will be crucial in managing economic challenges

such as trade wars, rupee volatility, and slowing growth.

25. International Art Exhibition host?

Hyderabad

• Art lovers in Hyderabad are in for a visual and intellectual

experience as Srishti Art Gallery and Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad
collaborate to present "Topographies of Tents, Terracotta, and
Time."

• This international exhibition brings together the works of

renowned national and international artists

26. Which Takes Over Chairmanship of Bay of Bengal

Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO)?

India
• India has officially assumed the Chairmanship of BOBP-IGO
from Bangladesh during the 13th Governing Council Meeting held
in Malé, Maldives.

• The transition, attended by representatives from Sri Lanka,

Maldives, and Bangladesh, was part of the “Policy Guidance for
Mainstreaming Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management
(EAFM) in Small-Scale Fisheries” conference

27. Which indian leader to Visit Mauritius as Guest of Honour

for National Day Celebrations?

Narendra Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mauritius next month to

participate as the Guest of Honour at the country’s National Day
celebrations.

• The announcement was made by Mauritian Prime Minister

Navin Ramgoolam, who emphasized that Modi’s presence
highlights the deep and historic ties between the two nations.

28. India’s First Zoo-Based Biobank Established in?

Darjeeling

• India has made a significant advancement in wildlife

conservation by setting up the country’s first zoo-based biobank
at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP),
Darjeeling, West Bengal.

• Operational since July 2024, this facility aims to preserve

genetic materials of endangered species.

29. First edition of the SOUL Leadership Conclave inaugurated

in?

New Delhi

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the first edition

of the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) Leadership
Conclave 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

• A dedicated SOUL campus will be established near GIFT City,

Gujarat, to provide world-class training for future leaders.

30. Which agency proposes scrapping foreclosure charges

on floating rate loans for individuals and Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises?

Reserve Bank of India

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued draft guidelines

proposing the removal of foreclosure charges on floating-rate
loans for retail and MSME borrowers, including loans granted to
individual borrowers for business purposes.

[Link] ghoshal is related to which sports item?

squash

• Indian squash legend Saurav Ghosal has made a stunning

return to competitive squash, clinching the Octane Sydney
Classic title.

[Link] indian player Breaks Tendulkar’s Record for Fastest

14,000 Runs recently ?

Virat Kohli
• Indian cricketer Virat Kohli has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s
record to become the fastest batsman to reach 14,000 runs in
international cricket.

• He achieved this milestone in just 287 innings, surpassing:

Sachin Tendulkar (350 innings)
Kumar Sangakkara (378 innings)

33. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the which

agency collaborated for advancements in aerospace
technology recently?

Defence Institute of Advanced Technology

• This collaboration aims to foster research, innovation, and the

development of next-generation aviation solutions for India’s
defense and aerospace sector.

34. Which bank inked MoU with ITBP to Offer Exclusive

Banking Benefits to Personnel and their Families recently ?

Punjab National Bank

• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP),
framing a strategic partnership to provide exclusive financial
benefits and insurance coverage for ITBP personnel, pensioners,
and their families.

35. Which association has launched three strategic

initiatives—Chhoti SIP, Tarun Yojana, and MITRA?

The Association of Mutual Funds in India

• Aimed at enhancing financial inclusion, promoting investor

awareness, and facilitating the retrieval of forgotten investments.

• These efforts align with the Securities and Exchange Board of

India's (SEBI) mission to democratize mutual fund investments
and broaden participation across diverse demographics.

36. Government Plans To Extend 'Free Look Period' From 1

month To?

1 Year

• The government has asked private insurers to increase the

free-look period from one month to a year.

• The free-look period allows customers to cancel an insurance

policy without surrender charges.

37. Bima Vahak portal is nearing completion and will be

soft-launched in?

April 2025

• Bima Vahak portal is nearing completion and will be

soft-launched in April 2025 for onboarding

• The initiative is women-centric and aims to increase insurance

penetration in underserved areas.

38. Which fintech company recently launched Solar

Soundbox?

Paytm

• Paytm Solar Soundbox is an eco-friendly solution that harnesses

a low-cost alternative energy source, enabling merchants in rural,
remote, and electricity-deprived areas to seamlessly integrate into
the digital ecosystem.

39. Which agency Proposes Major Reforms for Angel Funds to

Enhance Capital Flow to Startups?

Securities and Exchange Board of India

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposes

allowing Angel Funds to onboard a larger pool of experienced
investors without breaching the private placement cap.

• SEBI suggests recognizing Accredited Investors (AIs) as QIBs

under the ICDR Regulations, 2018.

40. Which international agency launched the "Imagine a

World with More Women in Science" campaign?

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO)

• UNESCO has launched the "Imagine a World with More Women

in Science" campaign to commemorate the 10th anniversary of
the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

• This initiative, supported by Canada’s International Development

Centre (IDRC), aims to promote greater representation and
participation of women in STEM fields worldwide.

41. Memory League World Championship 2025 won by?

Vishvaa Rajakumar

• In a remarkable display of cognitive brilliance, 20-year-old

Vishvaa Rajakumar from India has been crowned the winner of
the Memory League World Championship 2025, as reported by
The New York Times.

• Rajakumar's record-breaking performance included recalling 80

digits in just 13.5 seconds

42. Lancet Study Highlights -----% Decline in India’s Suicide

Death Rate?

30 Percentage

• A recent Lancet study based on the Global Burden of Diseases,

Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 reveals a 30%
decline in India’s suicide death rate from 1990 to 2021.

43. Tata Power Partners with which company to Modernize

India’s Energy Sector?

Amazon Web Services

• Tata Power has announced a strategic partnership with Amazon

Web Services (AWS) to modernize its digital infrastructure and
accelerate India’s transition toward a sustainable energy
ecosystem.

• This collaboration will leverage cloud technology, artificial

intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT)

44. New FBI Director?

Kash Patel

• Newly appointed FBI Director Kash Patel is set to also lead the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) as
its acting director.
[Link] security exercise 'Sagar Kavach' concluded in?

West Bengal

• The exercise validated the coastal security SOPs through

various drills along the 158 km coastline, simulating scenarios
such as hijacking of fishing boats, smuggling of contraband, IED
planting, and attacks on vital coastal assets.

46. Name the airport which has become the first Indian airport
to win the ‘Sarvashrestha Suraksha Puraskar (Golden
Trophy)’?

Manohar International Airport

• Manohar International Airport (GOX), operated by GMR Goa

International Airport Ltd. (GGIAL), has become the first Indian
airport to win the ‘Sarvashrestha Suraksha Puraskar (Golden
Trophy)’ at the NSCI Safety Awards 2024 in the ‘Service Sector’
category.

47. Which agency set up a Panel to Drive AIIMS

Modernization?

NITI Aayog

• NITI Aayog, the Indian government's top policy think tank, has
set up a committee to develop a strategic plan for upgrading
AIIMS, New Delhi, into a globally recognized center for medical
research and healthcare excellence.

48. Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyaan

In a groundbreaking achievement, India’s ‘Desh Ka Prakriti

Parikshan Abhiyaan’ has secured five Guinness World Records,
reinforcing the country’s dedication to holistic healthcare and the
global prominence of Ayurveda.

• The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine

(NCISM), supported by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of
India, concluded the first phase of the campaign on February,
2025, in Mumbai.

49. India has emerged as the global leader in Initial Public

Offerings in 2024, accounting for -----% of the world's total
IPO activity?

23 Percentage

• India has emerged as the global leader in Initial Public Offerings

(IPOs) in 2024, accounting for 23% of the world's total IPO
activity, according to the Indus Valley Annual Report 2025.

• The country raised a record $19.5 billion through IPOs this year,
surpassing other major markets like the United States.

50. The Soliga tribal community has emerged as a key force

behind the growing tiger population in which tiger reserve?

Biligirirangana Hills (BRT) Tiger Reserve

• The Soliga tribal community has emerged as a key force behind

the growing tiger population in Karnataka’s Biligirirangana Hills
(BRT) Tiger Reserve.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged their efforts in the

119th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, highlighting how the Soligas and
Tigers coexist with minimal human-animal conflict.
51. Largest-ever Jhumoir dance performance recently held at?

Guwahati's Sarusajai Stadium

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the largest-ever

Jhumoir dance performance at Guwahati’s Sarusajai Stadium,
commemorating the 200th anniversary of Assam’s tea industry.

• The event, titled ‘Jhumoir Binandini 2025,’ featured over 8,000

artists from the tea garden community, showcasing the rich
cultural heritage of Assam.

52. The Khajuraho Dance Festival organised in which state?

Madhya Pradesh

• The Khajuraho Dance Festival, an annual cultural extravaganza,

is set to mesmerize art lovers once again. Organized by the
Department of Culture, Madhya Pradesh.

• With support from Madhya Pradesh Tourism, this festival has

been a beacon of classical dance since its inception in 1975.

53. Which airport has officially emerged as Madhya Pradesh's

eighth airport?

Datia Airport

• Datia has officially emerged as Madhya Pradesh’s eighth airport

after receiving a licence from the Directorate General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA).

• It has been categorized as a public aerodrome under the

3C/VFR category, allowing its use for commercial operations.
54. Who has appointed as new Deputy Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation?

Dan Bongino

• President Donald Trump has appointed Dan Bongino, a former

Secret Service agent and conservative commentator, as the new
Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

55. The second Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary

concluded under the Presidency of?

Elisa de Anda Madrazo

• The second Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary under

the Presidency of Elisa de Anda Madrazo (Mexico) concluded
after three days of technical discussions

• The discussions focused on key issues, including money

laundering, terrorism financing, proliferation financing, financial
inclusion, payment transparency, and online child sexual
exploitation.

[Link] and which country have agreed to establish a new

hotline between their border forces?

Bangladesh

• India and Bangladesh have concluded their biannual director

general-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and
the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)

• resulted in significant agreements, including the establishment of

a new communication link between deputy commanders and
identifying new border patches for fencing.
57. New CEO of Unilever?

Fernando Fernandez

• Unilever, a leading consumer goods giant, announced a

significant change in its leadership, Hein Schumacher, who has
been the CEO since July 2023, will step down in March 2025.

• His replacement will be Fernando Fernandez, the current CFO

of the company. This transition is set to take place by mutual agreement,
with Schumacher leaving the company officially by
May 31, 2025.

58. Haryana Witness Protection Scheme, 2025 recently

launched by?

Nayab Singh Saini

• A series of witness protection measures have been outlined

under the "Haryana Witness Protection Scheme, 2025." These
include ensuring that the witness and the accused do not come
face to face during investigation or trial; monitoring of mails,
emails, telephone calls, etc.

59. Which Bank has unveiled its collaboration with the

Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) as its official Banking
Partner?

IndusInd Bank

• This collaboration aims to enhance the banking experience for

Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNIs) and High Net Worth
Individuals (HNIs) under the PIONEER banking program.
The partnership aligns with IndusInd Bank’s commitment to
integrating lifestyle experiences with premium banking services,
particularly in the field of sports.

60. Financial Literacy Week (FLW) 2025 recently launched

by?

Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated the Financial

Literacy Week (FLW) 2025 from February 24 to 28, focusing on
“Financial Literacy: Women’s Prosperity.”

• This annual event aims to educate women about managing

finances, making informed decisions, and contributing to
economic growth.

61. Which player clinches 14th Asian Snooker Championship

title recently?

Pankaj Advani

• Indian cue sports maestro Pankaj Advani has once again

showcased his brilliance on the international stage, capturing an
unprecedented 14th gold medal at the Asian Snooker
Championship.

62. Which team won their second consecutive ISL Winners

Shield?

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

• Mohun Bagan Super Giant won their second consecutive ISL

Winners Shield with a 1-0 win over Odisha FC on February ,
2025.
* Odisha FC's Mourtada Fall received a red card in the 82nd
minute. First ISL team to defend the Shield successfully, marking
their seventh national league title.

63. China successfully launched the ChinaSat-10R

communication satellite from which Satellite Launch Center?

Xichang Satellite Launch Center

• The satellite, which replaces the aging ChinaSat-10, was carried

by a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch
Center.

• This mission marks China’s continued efforts to enhance its

satellite communication infrastructure, particularly in support of
sectors like transportation, emergency response, energy, forestry,
and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

64. Life on Mars: Collected Stories written by?

Namita Gokhale

• Namita Gokhale’s latest book, Life on Mars: Collected Stories,

brings together 15 short stories that explore themes of love, fate,
and human existence.

65. Which agency Revised Prudential Norms For Urban

Co-operative Banks?

Reserve Bank of India

• Reserve Bank of India has revised prudential norms for Urban

Co-operative Banks (UCBs) to increase operational flexibility.
• UCBs must have at least 50% of their aggregate loans and
advances in small-value loans.

66. According to The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report

corporate profits grew by-----% in FY24?

15.3 Percentage

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported that corporate profits

grew by 15.3% in FY24, despite slower sales growth of 5.5%,
primarily due to cost rationalisation.

• The services sector outperformed manufacturing in both sales

and profit growth, reversing the trend from FY23.

67. Global Investors Summit 2025 inaugurated by?

Narendra Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Investors

Summit 2025 in Bhopal, unveiling 18 new industrial policies to
establish Madhya Pradesh as a premier investment hub.

• The summit attracted top industrialists and global investors, with

a strong emphasis on India’s role in global supply chains,
particularly in aerospace and manufacturing.

68. PRISM (Perspectives on Regulatory Issues in Strategic

Markets) 2.0 Dialogue is between?

India and Australia

• India and Australia continue to enhance cooperation in the

space sector through strategic discussions aimed at addressing
regulatory and market challenges.
• As part of these efforts, SIA-India and SIA-Australia jointly
hosted PRISM (Perspectives on Regulatory Issues in Strategic
Markets) 2.0 on February 20, 2025.

69. Which state gets eastern India’s 1st astronomical

observatory?

West Bengal

• The Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences

has inaugurated Eastern India's first astronomical observatory
atop Panchet Hill in the Garpanchkot area of Purulia district, West
Bengal.

• The observatory, established on a 4.9-acre site, began

construction in 2012 and is situated at an elevation of 600 meters
above sea level.

70. Which state has the Highest Vulture Population in India?

Madhya Pradesh

• Madhya Pradesh has recorded the highest vulture population in

India.
The recent state-level vulture census conducted by the Forest
Department counted 12,981 vultures.

71. Which person Awarded Honorary Knighthood (KBE) for

India-UK Business Contributions?

Sunil Bharti Mittal

• Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises,

has been awarded an Honorary Knighthood (KBE) for his
remarkable contributions to India-UK business relations.

• He received the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order

of the British Empire (KBE) at a special investiture ceremony held
at the British High Commissioner’s residence in New Delhi.

72. The 9th edition of the IIMC Alumni Association Awards

was held in?

New Delhi

• The 9th edition of the IIMC Alumni Association Awards was held
in New Delhi, celebrating excellence in journalism, public service,
and media.

• As part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations, around 80 alumni who

graduated 25 years ago were honored for their lasting
contributions.

73. Which company Partners with Archaeological Survey of

India for Heritage Water Conservation Under ‘Adopt a
Heritage 2.0’?

Bisleri International

• Bisleri International has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with the Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) under the ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0 Programme’ to restore and
conserve historic water bodies at heritage sites across India.

• This initiative is part of Bisleri’s CSR program, ‘Nayi Umeed,’

which focuses on sustainable water conservation and heritage
preservation.

74. Which entities inked agreement for Indigenous 6G THz

Communication Development?

Centre for Development of Telematics with IIT Delhi

• In a major step towards developing indigenous hardware for 6G

telecommunications, the Centre for Development of Telematics
(C-DOT) has signed an agreement with IIT Delhi to develop
“Building Blocks for THz Communication Front Ends”.

75. C-DOT and which institute Collaborate to Develop Optical

Transceiver Chipset for 6G Wireless Links?

IIT Bombay

• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has signed

an agreement with IIT Bombay to develop an “Optical Transceiver
Chipset for High-Bandwidth 6G Wireless Links”.

• This initiative, part of India's Bharat 6G Vision, aims to design,

develop, and deploy next-generation 6G technology by 2030,
focusing on affordability, sustainability, and ubiquity.

76. Cyber Security Grand Challenge 2.0 launched by?

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and Data

Security Council of India

• The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), in

collaboration with the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), has
launched the second edition of the Cyber Security Grand
Challenge (CSGC 2.0).

• This initiative aims to strengthen India’s cybersecurity

ecosystem by promoting innovative solutions in critical areas.
77. Comptroller and Auditor General of India collaborated with
which institute for Sustainable Audit?

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

• The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and the

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance audit skills,
leverage AI & ML for sustainable auditing, and improve data
analysis capabilities.

78. Which person is set to become the country's next

chancellor?

Friedrich Merz

• Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union

(CDU), is set to become the country's next chancellor after his
party won the national election

79. Which person has assigned the additional role of

Secretary for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
recently ?

Nidhi Khare

• This appointment follows the repatriation of the previous

secretary, Prashant Kumar Singh, to his parent cadre in Manipur,
where he has assumed the position of Chief Secretary.

80. Which company launched India’s first cutting-edge

hyperspectral satellites?

Pixxel
• Bengaluru-based startup Pixxel has successfully launched three
high-resolution commercial hyperspectral satellites, part of its
‘Firefly’ constellation, from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in
California.

• The satellites were deployed on SpaceX’s Transporter-12

rideshare mission, integrated via Exolaunch.

[Link] Olympic Association Appoints Ad-Hoc Committee

for?

Boxing Federation of India

• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has set up a five-member

ad-hoc committee to oversee the Boxing Federation of India (BFI)
after it failed to conduct elections within the prescribed timeline.

• The decision, announced by IOA President PT Usha, aims to

restore administrative stability in the federation.

82. 2025 Asian Snooker Championship won by?

Pankaj Advani

• India’s ace cueist, Pankaj Advani, secured the 2025 Asian

Snooker Championship (Men’s Title) by defeating Amir Sarkosh of
Iran in the final.

• This victory marks his 14th Asian title across snooker and
billiards formats.

83. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of

India Ltd (TRIFED) works under which ministry?

Ministry of Tribal Affairs

• In a strategic move to shift from B2C to B2B for tribal marketing,
the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India
Ltd (TRIFED) has partnered with NIFT (National Institute of
Fashion Technology) and HPMC (Himachal Pradesh Horticulture
Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Ltd).

• Objective: Enhancing design & product development for tribal

handloom and handicraft products.

84. National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards 2025 awarded by?

Ministry of Ayush

• The Ministry of Ayush has honoured three distinguished

Ayurveda practitioners with the National Dhanwantari Ayurveda
Awards 2025 for their exceptional contributions to Indian
traditional medicine.

• Each awardee received:

citation,statue of Lord Dhanwantari, cash prize of ₹5 lakh

85. Which warship will be converted into India’s first

underwater museum and artificial reef?

INS Guldar

• The Indian Navy has handed over Ex INS Guldar, a Landing

Ship Tank (Medium), to Maharashtra Tourism Development
Corporation Limited (MTDC).

• The ship will be converted into India’s first underwater museum

and artificial reef using a decommissioned naval vessel.

86. Which bank recently partnered with Professional Golf Tour

of India as its Official Banking Partner?

IndusInd Bank

• IndusInd Bank has partnered with the Professional Golf Tour of

India (PGTI) as its official Banking Partner, reinforcing its
commitment to providing a premium experience to Ultra High Net
Worth Individuals (UHNIs) & High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs)
under its PIONEER banking

87. Small Industries Development Bank of India signs MoU

with which company to strengthen financing avenues for
MSMEs?

Tata Capital Limited

• Apex regulatory body for overall licensing and regulation of

micro, small and medium enterprise finance companies in India,
The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and Tata
Capital Limited (TCL) have signed an MoU for a "Partnership for
financing MSMEs"

* aiming to enhance funding opportunities for the Micro, Small,

and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector.

88. Which bank recently launched QUICKPL’ for Loans &

‘Quick FD’ for Deposits?

South Indian Bank

• South Indian Bank (SIB) has introduced “SIB QUICKPL”, a

digital personal loan platform designed for new customers,
making personal financing faster and more accessible.

89. Which Bank Ranked Highest Among Indian Banks for ESG
and Climate Disclosures by S&P Global and CDP?

YES BANK

• YES BANK has once again demonstrated its leadership in

sustainability, emerging as India's highest-rated bank in the S&P
Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) 2024 and the
Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for the 3rd consecutive year.

90. Who Inaugurated Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment &

Infrastructure Summit 2025?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Advantage

Assam 2.0 Investment & Infrastructure Summit 2025 in Guwahati,
Assam, highlighting the economic transformation of the Northeast
and its role in India's growth story.

91. India's rank in the Global Innovation Index 2024?

39 th

• Secured 6th position in global Intellectual Property (IP) filings

(WIPO Report).

• Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2024: Improved ranking from

79th (2019) to 49th (2024).

92. National Quantum Mission

₹6003.65 crore investment over eight years to drive

quantum computing, communication, and sensing.

• 152 researchers from 43 institutions contributing to

groundbreaking research.

• Startup support framework introduced for funding and

mentorship.

93. Name the European Commission President?

Ursula von der Leyen

• India and the European Union (EU) are set to assess progress
on their ongoing negotiations for a comprehensive free trade
agreement (FTA) while shaping a new strategic agenda.

94. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal

Trade Director?

Dr. Sumeet Kumar Jarangal

• The DPIIT Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with Paytm (One97 Communications
Limited) to drive innovation and accelerate the growth of
manufacturing and fintech startups in India.

95. The 31st Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards took place at?

Los Angeles

• Hosted by Kristen Bell and streamed live on Netflix, the event

honored exceptional performances in film and television over the
past year.

• Jane Fonda received the SAG Life Achievement Award for her
remarkable career and humanitarian contributions.

96. SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the

Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) is a -------
million mission?

USD 500 million

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is set to

launch SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the
Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) aboard a
Falcon 9 rocket into low Earth orbit (LEO).

• aims to map the universe in 3D using near-infrared radiation,

providing unprecedented insights into cosmic history and
structure

97. Which institute is set to launch India’s first Centre for

Advanced Research on Addictive Behaviours?

All India Institute of Medical Sciences

• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi is set to

launch India’s first Centre for Advanced Research on Addictive
Behaviours (CAR-AB) to tackle internet and technology addiction
among children and youth.

98. India’s First Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine launched by?

Zydus Lifesciences

• Zydus Lifesciences has launched VaxiFlu-4, India’s first

quadrivalent influenza vaccine, providing protection against four
virus strains based on WHO recommendations.

• Approved by the Central Drug Laboratory (CDL), the vaccine

was developed at Zydus’s Vaccine Technology Centre (VTC) in
Ahmedabad.
99. Which collaboration successfully conducts flight trials of
the first-of-its-kind Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR)?

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian

Navy

• The DRDO and the Indian Navy successfully conducted flight

trials of the first-of-its-kind Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR)
at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

100. Cali Fund for Fair Benefit-Sharing of Digital Sequence

Information (DSI) is related to?

COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity

• The Cali Fund for the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits
from Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources (DSI)
was launched at the resumed session of COP16 of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the FAO
Headquarters in Rome.

101. Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya Award ceremony organised by?

Animal Welfare Board of India

• The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body

under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying,
organized the Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya Award Ceremony, at
Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

102. The government has introduced a new Aadhaar

Governance Portal for?

To simplify the approval process for Aadhaar

authentication requests.

• Launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information

Technology (MeitY), the portal follows amendments to the
Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare,
Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2025 under the Aadhaar Act,
2016.

103. Indian Army inks deal with which company to procure

critical CBRN defence equipment?

L&T Limitd

• The Indian Army has signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro
(L&T)to procure 223 Automatic Chemical Agent Detection and
Alarm (ACADA) systems at a cost of ₹80.43 crore under the Buy
Indian (Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured -
IDDM)

• CRBN : Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN)

threats.

104. Quantum computing chip Ocelot recently released by?

Amazon

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled Ocelot, the

company’s first-generation quantum computing chip.

• Ocelot was developed by the AWS Center for Quantum

Computing at the California Institute of Technology.
105. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) new
Chairman?

Tuhin Kanta Pandey

• Tuhin Kanta Pandey has been appointed as the new Chairman

of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a three-year term,
following approval from the Appointments
Committee of the Cabinet.

106. British-Era Foy Lake Renamed as?

Varun Sagar

• In a recent update of events and through the source Rajasthan

Patrika, it has been announced that the name of Foy lake which is
a 132 years old constructed by the British government has now
changed and will be named Varun Sagar.

107. UDAN Yatri Café at Chennai Airport Inaugurated by?

Ram Mohan Naidu

• Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu,

inaugurated the UDAN Yatri Café at Chennai Airport, marking the
second such facility under this initiative.

• The first UDAN Yatri Café was launched at Netaji Subhas

Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata

108. One Nation-One Port’ recently unveiled by?

Sarbananda Sonowal

• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda

Sonowal, announced key reforms to modernize India’s maritime
infrastructure and strengthen its role in global trade.

• Objective: Establish a unified operational framework for all major

ports in India.

109. Global Maritime Summit 2025 will be hosted by?

India

• Participation from 100+ countries.

100,000 delegates expected.
4th Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS).
2nd edition of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue.

110. Which financial institution Sanctioned $200 Million to

Strengthen Kolkata’s Climate-Resilient Infrastructure?

Asian Development Bank

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $200

million loan to support the development of climate- and
disaster-resilient sewerage and drainage infrastructure in Kolkata,
West Bengal.

111. India-European Union Meeting on Science & Technology

Cooperation recently held in?

New Delhi

• An India-European Union (EU) —An India-European Union (EU)

Meeting on Science and technology of the Principal Scientific
Adviser to the Government of India, Vigyan Bhawan Annexe.

• Discussions focused on :
Clean energy and climate change research
Artificial Intelligence (AI) & responsible AI
Biotechnology and bio-manufacturing
Water resource management

112. Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation Retained -----%

Interest Rate on Provident Fund Deposits for FY 2024-25?

8.25 %

• The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees’

Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), in its meeting held,
recommended that the current annual interest rate of 8.25% on
provident fund deposits be retained for the financial year 2024-25.

113. India Extends $1 Mn Grant To Lao People's Democratic

Republic (Lao PDR) For?

Rice Fortification Project

• The Indian government has granted approximately USD 1

million to Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) under the
India-UN Development Partnership Fund.

• The grant supports the project ‘Strengthening Large-scale Food

Fortification: The Case of Investing in Rice Fortification’.

114. The Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion

of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) was
launched by?

Indian Prime Minister

• with a budget of ₹6,865 crore till 2027-28.

• The initiative aims to empower small and marginal farmers by
improving market access, financial aid, and collective bargaining
power.

115. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Records Highest-Ever

Monthly Transactions in?

January 2025

• UPI transactions in January 2025 surpassed 16.99 billion, with a

total transaction value exceeding Rs 23.48 lakh crore, marking
the highest number recorded in any month, according to the
Finance Ministry.

116. Which fintech company Launched India’s First Fully

Automated WhatsApp Loan Disbursal?

Rupee112

• Rupee112, a Gurgaon-based fintech startup, has launched

India’s first fully automated loan disbursal service via WhatsApp.

• The service enables salaried professionals to access instant

unsecured loans.

117. Which Fintech firm partnered with Hyperface to enable

instant credit access via UPI for banks?

NPST

• NPST, an Indian fintech firm, has partnered with Hyperface to

offer embedded credit lines through UPI for banks and credit
issuers.

• India has a significant gap in affordable credit access, with only

100 million credit cards compared to over 400 million UPI users.

118. Which bank Leads the Way with Central Bank Digital
Currency (CBDC)-Powered Merchant Cashback Initiative?

Bank of Baroda

• Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched a pilot Loyalty/Cashback

Programme for merchants, leveraging the programmability of the
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

• The initiative is in collaboration with a fintech company and is

available through the ‘bob Merchant App’.

119. Centralized Database for Corporate Bonds launched by?

Securities and Exchange Board of India

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched a

centralized database portal for corporate bonds called Bond
Central to provide a single, authentic source of information on
corporate securities.

• The portal has been developed by the Online Bond Platform

Providers Association (OBPP Association) in collaboration with
Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs), including stock
exchanges and depositories.

120. India and Japan renewed ------ billion bilateral currency

swap agreement recently?

$75 Billion

• The Bank of Japan, acting as agent for the Minister of Finance

of Japan, and the Reserve Bank of India signed the second
Amendment and Restatement Agreement of the Bilateral Swap
Arrangement (BSA).

• The BSA is a two-way arrangement where both authorities can

swap their local currencies in exchange for the US Dollar.

121. Which institution has released the“Regulations at a

Glance” handbook recently?

Reserve Bank of India

• The Reserve Bank of India has released the“Regulations at a

Glance” handbook, compiled by the Department of Regulation
(DoR), to provide a broad overview of the regulatory landscape
across various activities and entities.

• Organized into 6 chapters, it presents a tabular summary of

major regulations issued by the DoR.

122. UPI Lite introduced by?

National Payments Corporation of India

• WhatsApp is working on integrating UPI Lite to enhance its

payment system.

• UPI Lite is designed for small, frequent transactions and reduces

failures during peak hours.

123. Which agencies signed an MoU to offer accessible

financing for IGBC-certified green buildings?

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Indian Green

Building Council (IGBC) and Indian Overseas Bank (IOB)
• Under this partnership, developers constructing IGBC-rated
green buildings will receive preferential financing options, while
homebuyers purchasing homes in IGBC-certified projects will get
tailored financial assistance.

124. Which bank and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) co-branded

credit card launched with sports and lifestyle perks?

City Union Bank

• City Union Bank (CUB), ahead of the Indian Premier League

(IPL) season, has partnered with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to
introduce a co-branded credit card designed for cricket
enthusiasts.

• The initiative offers CSK fans a unique financial product that

blends banking benefits with exclusive perks linked to their
favourite IPL franchise.

125. What percentage of 2000 rs notes returned to banking

system?

98.18 Percentage

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept the window open for
the exchange and deposit of ₹2,000 notes, with an impressive
98.18% of the total value already returned to the banking system

• Individuals can either send these notes to RBI offices via India
Post or deposit them directly at RBI offices

126. Bharat Global Ports Consortium launched to?

expand India’s footprint in global maritime trade

• Enhanced Maritime Connectivity: Strengthening ties with leading
global ports.
Increased Trade & Investment: Encouraging Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in port infrastructure.

127. Union Government Releases ₹699 Crore XV Finance

Commission Grants to which state recently?

West Bengal

• The disbursed amount includes:

₹694.44 crore as the 2nd installment of Untied Grants
₹4.93 crore as the withheld portion of the 1st installment of Untied
Grants

128. National Executive Capacity Building Programme hosted

by?

New Delhi

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, in

collaboration with the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), is
conducting a six-day Executive Capacity Building Programme
under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC)
initiative.

• Designed for senior-level functionaries of National Human

Rights Institutions (NHRIs) from 14 countries of the Global South.

129. 97th Academy Awards took place at?

Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles

• Best Picture: Anora

Most Nominated Film: Emilia Pérez (13 nominations – record for a
non-English film)
Big Winner: Anora – Multiple wins including Best Picture, Best
Actress, Best Director, and Best Editing

130. Which person Re-elected as Bar Council of India

Chairman for Record 7th Term?

Manan Kumar Mishra

• Manan Kumar Mishra, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of

India and Rajya Sabha MP, has been re-elected unopposed as
the Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) for a historic 7th
consecutive term.

131. Which Indian received Icon of Excellence Award at Forbes

India Leadership Awards 2025?

Jay Shah

• Jay Shah, Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC),

has been awarded the prestigious Icon of Excellence Award

* At the 14th Edition of the Forbes India Leadership Awards

(FILA) 2025 for his outstanding contributions to cricket
administration and global expansion of the sport.

132. Which indian cricket player reached 300 ODI Matches – A

Historic Milestone recently?

Virat Kohli

• During the ICC Champions Trophy match against New Zealand

in Dubai, Virat Kohli became the seventh Indian and 22nd player
in the world to play 300 One Day Internationals (ODIs).
133. Recently Himmat Shah passed away, he related to which
profession?

Sculptor And Painter

• Renowned artist Himmat Shah died at Jaipur

• Inspired by archaeologists, historians, theatre troupes, and

potters.

134. Princess Astrid of Belgium recently made discussions with

which Indian minister?

Rajnath Singh

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh discussed the possibility of

defence engagements in the Indo-Pacific with Princess Astrid of
Belgium and Defence Minister Theo Francken.

• Welcoming investment in the defence sector, Rajnath Singh

suggested that Belgian companies could expand their footprint in
India and integrate Indian vendors into their supply chains.

135. NASA and which mobile company to launch the first

cellular network in Space?

Nokia

• NASA's IM-2 mission, launched is a 10-day lunar expedition

targeting the south pole’s Mons Mouton to mine water ice and
rare minerals.

• It will deploy Nokia’s 4G/LTE network for real-time

communication, paving the way for sustainable lunar bases and
future Martian missions.
136. Magma General Insurance Limited has partnered with
which insurance company to distribute motor insurance
products?

Hyundai India Insurance Broking Private Ltd

• The agreement enables Magma’s insurance solutions to be

offered at over 600 Hyundai dealerships across India.

137. Firefly Aerospace, which country based private space

company?

United states

• Firefly Aerospace, a US-based private space company,

successfully landed its Blue Ghost spacecraft on the moon for a
two-week research mission.

• The touchdown occurred at 3:35 AM US East Coast time (08:35

GMT) in the Mare Crisium region, a visible lunar basin from Earth.

138. Which person Takes Additional Charge as Revenue

Secretary recently?

Ajay Seth

• Ajay Seth, DEA Secretary, has been given additional charge as

Revenue Secretary following Tuhin Kanta Pandey’s appointment
as Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Chairperson.

• Seth will hold the position until a regular appointment is made or

until further orders, as per the ACC order.

139. From Borrowers to Builders: Women’s Role in India’s

Financial Growth Story launched by?

NITI Aayog

• The report, published by TransUnion CIBIL, Women

Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), and MicroSave Consulting
(MSC), shows a 42% rise in women monitoring their credit as of
December 2024.

140. The Income Tax Bill, 2025 classifies Virtual Digital Assets
(VDAs) as ?

Property and capital assets, bringing them under capital gains

taxation and regulatory scrutiny.

• Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) refer to digitally represented assets

that use blockchain or cryptographic technology for transactions.

• Defined under Section 2(111) of the Income Tax Bill, 2025, VDAs
include cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and similar digital assets.

141. Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 host?

Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir

• heavy snowfall (113 cm) between February 25-28 has now

made the slopes ideal for winter sports.

• The event was delayed due to lack of snow, with former CM

Omar Abdullah suggesting a March reschedule.

142. Defence Secretary of india?

Rajesh Kumar Singh

• Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh presented the
report of the Empowered Committee for Capability Enhancement
of the Indian Air Force (IAF)

• The Committee identified key thrust areas and made

recommendations for short, medium, and long-term
implementation to achieve the IAF's capability enhancement
goals in an optimal manner.

143. RBL Bank appoints whom as president of branch banking,

Pari as Chief Operations Officer?

Narendra Agrawal

• RBL Bank has appointed Narendra Agrawal as President &

Head of Branch Banking and Retail Liabilities and T S Pari as
Chief Operations Officer (COO).

144. Who was Appointed Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

Delhi Chairman For 2025-26?

Rikant Pittie

• Rikant Pittie, CEO & Co-founder of EaseMyTrip, has been

appointed as Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) Delhi State for 2025-26.

• This marks the first time a unicorn co-founder has been given
this position.
He takes over from Jaideep Ahuja, Managing Director of Ahuja
Residences.
145. Uruguay’s new president ?

Yamandu Orsi
• Yamandu Orsi was sworn in as Uruguay’s president for a
five-year term.

• He is from the left-wing coalition Broad Front and won the

election by defeating center-right rival Alvaro Delgado in a closely
contested race.

146. India and which neighbouring country Signed MoU to

Strengthen Cooperation in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
Sector recently?

Nepal

• The Government of India and the Government of Nepal have

signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance
cooperation in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector,
including waste management.

• The signing ceremony took place at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan,

New Delhi

147. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade Signs Memorandum of

Understanding with which agency to Strengthen Trade and
Logistics Education?

APEC Antwerp

• The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) has signed a

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with APEC –
Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center, Belgium.

* marking a significant step toward advancing academic

collaboration in international trade, logistics, and supply chain
management.
148. The Forbes India Leadership Awards (FILA) 2025
concluded with a grand ceremony at?

Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai

• The prestigious event recognized outstanding contributions in

business, innovation, and leadership, highlighting individuals and
organizations that have shaped India’s economic and social
landscape.

149. Which state recently Launched Voluntary Pension Scheme

to Tackle ‘Proxies’ Menace?

Mizoram

• The Mizoram government has introduced the Special Voluntary

Retirement Scheme across the state.

• Under this scheme, any employee unable to perform official

duties due to health, domestic, or other debilitating issues can
apply for voluntary pension.

150. Which country recently Eliminated Human African

Trypanosomiasis as Public Health Problem?

Guinea

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated

Guinea for eliminating the gambiense form of human African
trypanosomiasis (HAT) as a public health problem.

• This marks a significant achievement, especially as it is the first

neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in the country.

151. Which indian grandmaster won Cannes International Open

2025?

Pa Iniyan

• Indian Grandmaster Pa Iniyan clinched the Cannes International

Open title, defeating compatriot V Pranesh in the ninth and final
round in Cannes, France.

152. Which Indian Naval Ship reached Colombo,Sri Lanka

recently?

INS Kuthar

• Towards strengthening maritime ties, INS Kuthar, Eastern Fleet

Ship under the aegis of Eastern Naval Command is on mission
deployment in the Indian Ocean Region and arrived at Colombo,
Sri Lanka.

• The visit underscores the longstanding partnership between the

two nations, furthering cooperation under GoI’s ‘Neighbourhood
First’and ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)’

153. Fintech startup Mintoak Acquires Digiledge in India’s First

E-Rupee Deal Worth?

$3.5 Millions

• Mintoak, a PayPal-backed fintech startup, has acquired

Digiledge in a deal valued at approximately $3.5 million, marking
the first acquisition in India’s central bank digital currency (CBDC)
space.

• Mumbai-based Mintoak, which provides merchant payment

solutions to banks, completed the acquisition to enhance its digital
payment capabilities.
154. Which tyre brand announced Shubman Gill as brand
ambassador?

MRF

• Tyre major MRF has signed cricketer Shubman Gill, Team

India's Vice Captain in the ICC Champions Cup, as its brand
ambassador.

• Shubman Gill, who was recently announced as the No 1 ranked

ODI batter in the ICC Men’s Player rankings, joins a group of elite
cricketers who have been associated with the MRF name.

155. Which states deployed AI in Kanyashree scheme by

International Women’s Day?

West Bengal

• The West Bengal government is planning to leverage AI in its

flagship Kanyashree program aimed at reducing drop outs among
girls in schools.

• Currently each applicant has to upload 30-35 information details

on the portal including name, address, bank account among
others.

156. Which state Assembly passed unanimous resolution

against auction of mineral blocks?

Kerala

• the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a

resolution urging the central government to withdraw the 2023
amendment to the Offshore Areas Mineral Development and
Regulation Act, 2002, which permits private participation in
deep-sea mineral exploration and mining.

157. Which fintech company recently Introduces Unified

Payments Interface (UPI) Trading Blocks to Simplify Stock
Investments?

Paytm

• Paytm, operated by One 97 Communications, has unveiled a

new feature that allows brokerage applications to block funds
directly in users’ bank accounts through its Unified Payments
Interface (UPI) service.

• A feature designed to enhance the convenience and security of

stock trading.

158. Which country Launched Cities Coalition for Circularity

(C-3) for Sustainable Urban Development?

India

• India has launched the Cities Coalition for Circularity (C-3) on

March 2025, marking a major step towards sustainable urban
development.

• The initiative aligns with India’s Pro-Planet People (P-3)

approach, focusing on the 3R principles (Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle) and circular economy practices.

159. Vantara recently inaugurated by?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated Vantara, an

advanced animal rescue, conservation, and rehabilitation center
in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

160. India's First Comprehensive River Dolphin Survey

Records how many Dolphins in Ganga, Brahmaputra, and
Beas ?

6,327 dolphins

• India’s first-ever comprehensive river dolphin population survey

(2021–2023) has recorded a total of 6,327 river dolphins, covering
the Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins and the Beas river.

• Conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration

with state forest departments and non-profit organizations

161. “From Borrowers to Builders: Women’s Role in India’s

Financial Growth Story” report released by?

NITI Aayog

• Launched by NITI Aayog CEO Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, the

report highlights a sharp increase in women's financial
engagement, with 27 million women actively monitoring their
credit as of December 2024—a 42% rise from the previous year.

• The report, published by TransUnion CIBIL, Women

Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog, and MicroSave
Consulting (MSC), underscores the growing role of women in
India's credit ecosystem.

162. Which neighbouring country recently passed E-Commerce

Bill to regulate online trade?

Nepal
• Nepal’s Parliament passed the Electronic Commerce Bill, giving
confidence to consumers and creating a legal framework for
regulating the country’s online trade.

• The bill proposes fines ranging from three lakh Nepali rupees to
five lakh Nepali rupees, jail terms of three years, or both,
depending on the severity of the cases.

163. Achanta Sharath Kamal has officially announced

retirement related to?

table tennis

• India’s legendary table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal

has officially announced his retirement.

• His final appearance will be at the WTT Star Contender

tournament, scheduled from March 25 to 30, 2025, at the Nehru
Indoor Stadium in Chennai.

164. World’s largest iceberg stuck near Antarctic island after

40-year journey,named?

A23a

• The world's largest iceberg, A23a, calved from the Antarctic ice
shelf in 1986 and remained grounded for over 30 years before
breaking free in 2020.

• Its recent journey north has been tracked via satellite, and as of
March 1st, it is grounded 73km from South Georgia Island.

165. High-altitude trials of the Indigenous On-Board Oxygen

Generating System -based Integrated Life Support System
recently conducted by?

Defence Bio-Engineering & ElectroMedical Lab

• The Defence Bio-Engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory

(DEBEL), a Bengaluru-based lab under the Defence Research
and Development Organisation , successfully conducted
high-altitude trials of the Indigenous On-Board Oxygen
Generating System -based Integrated Life Support System for the
LCA Tejas aircraft.

• The trials took place on the LCA-Prototype Vehicle-3 of

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)/Aeronautical Development
Agency (ADA).

166. Who won EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2024?

Nithin Kamath

• Zerodha Founder & CEO Nithin Kamath has been named the
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) 2024 for his groundbreaking
work in revolutionizing India’s brokerage industry with a
low-margin, high-volume model.

• S Somanath, ISRO Chairman, was awarded the Special Jury

Award for his role in India's landmark space missions, reinforcing
India’s global position in space exploration.

167. Who has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer

(CEO) of Government e Marketplace?

Ajay Bhadoo

• He will continue his role as Additional Secretary in the

Department of Commerce.
• GeM, India’s largest e-marketplace for government
procurement, is transitioning to a next-generation digital
marketplace powered by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

168. Who was recently appointed as new Executive Director by

Reserve Bank of India?

Dr Ajit Ratnakar Joshi

• He will oversee the Department of Statistics and Information

Management and the Financial Stability Department.

• Previously served as Principal Adviser in the Department of

Statistics and Information Management.

169. Which state decided to name Upcoming Electronics Hub

as Ratan Tata Electronic City?

Assam

• The Assam state cabinet has decided to name the upcoming

Electronics City in Jagiroad as Ratan Tata Electronic City,
recognizing Ratan Tata’s contributions to the state’s development.

• This decision highlights the Tata Group’s longstanding role in

Assam’s industrial growth.

170. ‘Vividhta Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ recently inaugurated by?

Droupadi Murmu

• President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the

second edition of Vividhta Ka Amrit Mahotsav at Rashtrapati
Bhavan, New Delhi.
• This festival is dedicated to showcasing India’s diverse cultural
heritage, with each edition highlighting a different region of the
country.

171. Supreme Court Declared Right Against Disability-Based

Discrimination as?

Fundamental Right

• The Supreme Court has ruled that the right against

disability-based discrimination must be considered a fundamental
right, reinforcing the constitutional principles of equality and
non-discrimination.

172. United States President Trump announces reciprocal

tariffs from?

April 2, 2025

• United States (US) President Donald Trump has announced the

implementation of reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on April 2,
reinforcing his administration’s stance on trade policy and
criticizing the European Union, China, Brazil, India, and South
Korea for imposing high tariffs on US goods.

173. 'insuring HEROES' campaign recently launched by?

PhonePe

• PhonePe launched its ‘insuring HEROES’ campaign ahead of

the International Women’s Day.

• As part of the initiative, the company is offering exclusive

discounts of up to 30%, specifically for women, on select term life
and health insurance plans.

174. Which bank launched Project HAKK to support Indian Air

Force (IAF) veterans?

HDFC Bank

• HDFC Bank has introduced Project HAKK (Hawai Anubhavi

Kalyan Kendra) to support Indian Air Force (IAF) pensioners,
veterans, and their families by providing essential services and
financial empowerment.

• HDFC Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding

(MoU) with the Indian Air Force (IAF), represented by the
Assistant Chief of Air Staff – Accounts & Air Veterans, and CSC
Academy.

175. Project NAMAN aims?

to provide support and services to Army veterans, their

families, and next of kin.

• HDFC Bank, India’s leading private sector bank, along with the
Indian Army and CSC e-Governance, has renewed the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand Project NAMAN
– A Tribute to Veterans to 26 Directorate of Indian Army Veterans
(DIAV) locations.

176. Which fintech company enters Singapore,after Malaysia

recently?

Razorpay

• Bengaluru-based fintech firm Razorpay has announced its

expansion into Singapore, marking its second market in
Southeast Asia

• This move aligns with Singapore’s vision for a cashless and

innovation-driven economy and aims to support digital
transformation in the region.

177. World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2025

inaugurated by?

Bhupender Yadav

• Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change,

Bhupender Yadav, inaugurated the World Sustainable
Development Summit (WSDS) 2025 in New Delhi.

• The event, organized by The Energy and Resources Institute

(TERI), focused on global partnerships for accelerating
sustainable development and climate solutions.

178. Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 hosted by?

Barcelona, Spain

• Union Minister for Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia,

represented India at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in
Barcelona, Spain.

• At MWC 2025, Shri Scindia engaged with global telecom

leaders, addressed key sessions, and inaugurated the Bharat
Pavilion, highlighting India's advancements in the telecom sector.

179. Which bank has appointed Bollywood actress Vidya Balan

as its first-ever brand ambassador?

Federal Bank
• The announcement was made during a special ceremony in
Mumbai, where Vidya Balan was presented with a
commemorative memento by K.V.S. Manian, Managing Director &
CEO of Federal Bank.

180. Inland Waterways Authority of India Signs Memorandum

of Understanding with J&K Government to Develop?

River Cruise Tourism

• The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed a

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jammu &
Kashmir (J&K) government to promote river cruise tourism in the
Union Territory.

• The initiative aims to boost tourism, generate employment, and

enhance economic growth by leveraging the national waterways
in Jammu & Kashmir.

181. YouGov India Value Rankings 2025

Amul, India’s largest milk cooperative, has been

ranked as the third most valued brand in the YouGov India Value
Rankings 2025.

• The only FMCG brand in the top three, alongside Amazon and
Flipkart.

182. Glass-Ceiling Index

The Glass-Ceiling Index (GCI) by The Economist ranks

countries based on workplace inclusivity for women.

• Sweden reclaims the top spot, surpassing Iceland.

Japan, Turkey, and South Korea remain at the lower end due to
persistent gender gaps.

183. World’s Second Fastest-Growing Airline in 2024?

IndiGo

• IndiGo Airlines ranked as the world’s second fastest-growing

airline regarding seat capacity, which increased by 1%
year-on-year (YoY) to 134.9 million seats in 2024.

• Qatar Airways secured the top position with a 10.4% growth in

seat capacity.
IndiGo ranked as the fastest-growing airline globally in terms of
flight frequency growth, recording a 7% YoY increase.

184. Australia-India Sports Excellence Forum inaugurated at?

GIFT City, Gujarat

• Minister of State for Sports, Raksha Khadse inaugurated the

Australia-India Sports Excellence Forum at GIFT City, Gujarat.

• The forum aims to enhance sports collaboration by leveraging

Australia’s expertise in sports development and adopting best
practices for India's sports ecosystem.

185. India successfully conducted the Theatre Level

Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX) 2025 to enhance
maritime security at?

Indian Ocean Region

• The biennial exercise involved the Indian Navy, Army, Air Force,
and Coast Guard in a large-scale military drill.
186. MD & CEO of IndusInd Bank?

Sumant Kathpalia

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted a one-year

extension to Sumant Kathpalia, MD & CEO of IndusInd Bank,
despite the Board’s request for a three-year

• This is the second consecutive time that the RBI has approved a
shorter tenure instead of a full three-year term.

187. Project Hifazat’ recently launched by which state

government?
Punjab Government

• Baljit Kaur, Punjab’s Social Security, Women, and Child

Development Minister, launched ‘Project Hifazat’ to provide
immediate assistance to women and children affected by
violence.

• The initiative includes an integrated emergency helpline system

with Women and Child Helpline (181) and Child Helpline (1098)
operating round the clock.

188. Chief guest of Mauritius National Day?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi embark on a State Visit to

Mauritius , at the invitation of Mauritian Prime Minister
Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

• The Ministry of External Affairs stated that PM Modi attend

Mauritius’ National Day celebrations as the Chief Guest, marking
his first visit to the island nation since 2015.
189. Who inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various
projects at Brahmanand Vidyadham?

Junagadh, Gujarat

• Appreciated Shri Muktanand Bapu’s efforts in establishing an

educational system from Anganwadi to a medical college for
4,000 students.

• Major inaugurations: Darshan of Somnath Jyotirling, foundation

stone of a sugar mill, and a military school.

190. SBI Life Insurance expands product line with two new
Child Insurance Plans named ?

SBI Life - Smart Future Star' and 'SBI Life - Smart Platina
Young Achiever'

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a total penalty of

₹76.6 lakh on four non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) for
non-compliance with its Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending platform
regulations.

• The penalties were imposed under the 'Non-Banking Financial

Company - Peer-to-Peer Lending Platform (Reserve Bank)
Directions, 2017.

191. 2025 World Junior Chess Championship recently won by?

Grandmaster PranavVenkatesh

• Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh from Bengaluru secured the

2025 World Junior Chess Championship title in Petrovac,
Montenegro.
192. Exercise KHANJAR-XII host country?

Kyrgyzstan

• The 12th edition of the India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces

Exercise KHANJAR-XII hosted by Kyrgyzstan

• Since its inception in 2011, Ex KHANJAR XII has evolved into an

annual training event.

193. What is AI KOSHA?

It serves as a non-personal data repository with 316

datasets to aid AI model development, focusing on Indian
languages to support the creation of translation tools for linguistic
inclusivity.

• It is part of the broader ₹10,370 crore IndiaAI Mission, which

promotes AI innovation.

194. 24th Prime Minister of Canada?

Mark Carney

• Mark Carney has been announced as the next Liberal Party

leader and the 24th Prime Minister of Canada, succeeding Justin
Trudeau.

• Carney has previously served as Governor of the Bank of

Canada (2008–2013) and Governor of the Bank of England
(2013–2020).
195. Who has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing
Director (CMD) of HPCL?

Vikas Kaushal

• He replaced Rajneesh Narang, who was handling the additional

charge of CMD since September 1, 2024.

• Worked as Managing Director and Country Head for Kearney

India for five years.

196. GRIDCON 2025 inaugurated by?

Manohar Lal

• Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar

Lal, inaugurated GRIDCON 2025 – The International Conference
cum Exhibition at IICC, Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi.

• Organized by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited

(POWERGRID), the event is being held under the patronage of
the Ministry of Power in collaboration with CIGRE India.

197. Which national park declared as the 58th Tiger Reserve of

india?

Madhav National Park

• India has officially designated Madhav National Park in Madhya

Pradesh as its 58th Tiger Reserve.

• Announced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav,

this development reinforces Madhya Pradesh’s status as the
‘Tiger State’ of India, bringing its total number of tiger reserves to
nine.
198. Which bank became the first Indian bank to execute an
aircraft financing transaction through its IBU at GIFT City?

Axis Bank

• Axis Bank became the first Indian bank to execute an aircraft

financing transaction through its IBU at GIFT City IFSC.
Client – The deal was completed for AI Fleet Services Ltd (AIFS),
Air India’s leasing arm.

199. SheTARA’ Campaign launched by which insurance

company?

Star Health Insurance

• Star Health Insurance launches the “SheTARA” health campaign

in Tamil Nadu

• This initiative aims to raise people’s awareness of preventative

healthcare solutions and recruit more women as insurance
agents.

200. Which bank recently unveiled ‘Asmita’ Loan?

State Bank of India

• In a significant move to support women entrepreneurs across

India, the State Bank of India (SBI) has launched 'Asmita', a
collateral-free digital loan designed exclusively for women-led
micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

• The launch of Asmita comes after a TransUnion CIBIL report

highlighted the low participation of women in business borrowing.
201. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has been
rebranded as ?

Commonwealth Sport

• The organisation aims to transform from a governing body to a

broader sports movement through this rebranding initiative. The
legal entity will continue to retain the name 'Commonwealth
Games Federation'.

202. Which union ministry launched The PM Internship Scheme

2025 recently?

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

• Scheme offers 1.25 lakh internships in 500 top companies

across sectors like Banking, Oil & Gas, Hospitality, Automotive,
Manufacturing, and FMCG. Eligible Indian citizens aged 21 to 24
with specified educational qualifications can apply.

203. Who was appointed as president & CEO of Honda Cars

India?

Takashi Nakajima

• The announcement followed the annual management changes

made by Honda Motor Company. Nakajima, who joined Honda in
1994, will succeed Takuya Tsumura. Tsumura will return to Japan
to join Honda’s headquarters after completing his three-year
tenure in India.

204. Indian Navy Successfully Concludes Theatre-Level

Exercise TROPEX 2025 at?

Indian Ocean Region (IOR), including the Arabian Sea and

Bay of Bengal

• The exercise aimed to validate operational concepts, test

combat readiness, and enhance joint-force coordination.

• The exercise involved extensive participation from Indian Army,

Indian Air Force (IAF), and Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

205. Indian Navy's First Training Squadron recently visited

which county?

Thailand

• The Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1TS), comprising

INS Sujata, INS Shardul, and ICGS Veera, successfully
concluded its visit to Phuket Deep Sea Port, Thailand, further
reinforcing naval cooperation and strategic engagement between
India and Thailand.

206. Part of producing more electricity in Summer season the

Government has issued directions to all Gas-Based
Generating Stations under Section 11 of which act?

Electricity Act, 2003

• the Government of India has taken several measures to

enhance the availability and affordability of natural gas for power
generation

• Key steps include placing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) under

the Open General License (OGL) category, facilitating
infrastructure expansion, and implementing policy reforms to
encourage gas-based energy production.
207. Over -------crore unorganised workers have registered for
social welfare benefits on the government's e-Shram portal?

30.68 Crore

• With more than half of them (53.68 per cent) being women (as of
March 2025), Minister of State for Labour and Employment,
Shobha Karandlaje, informed the Lok Sabha recently

• The e-Shram portal was launched by the Ministry of Labour and

Employment to create a comprehensive National Database of
Unorganised Workers (NDUW).

208. Assam government announced the launch of its own

satellite named?

ASSAMSAT

• The Assam government announced plans to launch its own

satellite to assist in collecting data for essential socio-economic
projects and to enhance border surveillance.

• The satellite is envisioned to provide dedicated services for

agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure development,
and security operations.

209. India signs $248 million deal with Which county to upgrade
T-72 tank engines?

Russia

* The USD 248 million deal to procure engines for T-72 tanks
significantly boosts the Indian Army's combat readiness and
enhances the operational lifespan of its armoured fleet.

* India signed a $248 million contract with Russia’s

Rosoboronexport.
The deal is aimed at modernizing the Indian Army’s T-72 battle
tank fleet.

210. In a sign of stress in the agriculture sector, scheduled

commercial banks, excluding regional rural banks (RRBs),
have seen a sharp increase of 42 percent in bad loans in
which accounts?

Kisan Credit Card (KCC) accounts

• The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme was introduced in 1998

for issue of Kisan Credit Cards to farmers on the basis of their
holdings for uniform adoption by the banks so that farmers may
use them to readily purchase agriculture inputs such as seeds,
fertilizers, pesticides etc. and draw cash for their production
needs.

[Link] 54th National Safety week theme ?

Safety and Well-being Crucial for Viksit Bharat

• The 54th National Safety Week is being observed across the country. The
week is celebrated in March annually in the country.

• To raise awareness about safety precautions across various sectors. This

year’s theme is ‘Safety and Well-being Crucial for Viksit Bharat’ which
focuses on the importance of safety for a developed India.
212. Which Indian warship made its maiden port call to Mauritius
recently?

INS Imphal

• It participated in Mauritius' National Day celebrations on March 2025 , with

PM Modi as the chief guest.

• INS Imphal engaged in joint surveillance and exercises with the Mauritius
Coast Guard (MCGS) ships.

213. The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 was introduced in

Parliament by?

Nityanand Rai ( MoS for Home Affairs )

• Aimed at strengthening India’s borders and streamlining the law

governing immigration and foreigners.

• The Bill repeals and replaces the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act,
2000, and three pre-independence laws, the Passport (Entry into India) Act,
1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, and the Foreigners Act,
1936.

214. DesignShaala recently launched by?

Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH)

• RBIH has launched DesignShaala, an initiative promoting financial

innovation through Human-Centered Design (HCD).

• The program was launched by Nandan Nilekani, Chairman & Co-Founder

of Infosys, at the ‘Building for Billions’ event in Bengaluru.
• DesignShaala focuses on developing financial solutions centered around
real user needs, behaviors, and experiences.

215. Which bank launched first savings account for women NRIs
recently?

Bank of Baroda

• Bank of Baroda has launched a specialised savings account for women

NRIs, becoming the first Indian public sector bank to offer such a product.

• The BoB Global Women NRE & NRO Savings Account provides benefits
including concessional rates on home and auto loans, reduced processing
fees, full waivers on locker rent, and a customised debit card with
complimentary airport lounge access.

216. RBI and which agency have launched nationwide campaigns to

boost Financial Literacy programmes in the country recently?

National Centre for Financial Education (NCFE)

• NCFE is formulating and implementing the National Strategy for Financial

Education (NSFE) in consultation with the Financial Sector Regulators.

• Aim is to empower diverse segments of the population with the

knowledge, skills, attitude and behavior necessary to manage their
finances effectively and plan for a secure future

217. India's pharmaceutical exports ranked ---- globally?

11 th Rank

• As per a secondary market research analysis by Bain & Company in

2025, India's pharmaceutical exports ranked 11th globally in value terms in
2023, accounting for 3% of total pharmaceutical exports.
• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have implemented several measures
to enhance medicines' quality, safety, and efficacy.

218. Total digital payment transactions grow by ---- % 2021-22 to FY

2023-24?

46 %

• The "Incentive Scheme for the promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and low
value BHIM-UPI transactions Person to merchant (P2M)" has significantly
contributed to the growth of digital payments in the country.

•
The total digital payment transactions have grown from 8,839 crore in FY
2021-22 to 18,737 crore in FY 2023-24, with a CAGR of 46%.

219. Who has assumed charge as Chief Executive (CE) of the Indian
Banks' Association (IBA)?

Atul Kumar Goel

• Goel was MD and CEO of Punjab National Bank (PNB) from February
2022 to December 2024. He was Chairman of IBA for two terms – 2021-22
and 2022-23

220. Which agency has released the claim settlement ratios of all
Indian life insurers for FY 2023-24?

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India

• Revealing that 96.82% of life insurance policy claims are settled within 30
days. Notably, private insurers like Aditya Birla and Tata AIA achieved a
higher claim settlement around 99% than LIC, which stood at 96.42%.
• Claim settlement ratio refers to the percentage of claims that an insurance
company honors, or pays, out of the total claims that it receives during a
particular period.

221. PM-YUVA 3.0 launched by?

Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education

• An Author Mentorship programme to train young and budding authors

(below 30 years of age) in order to promote reading, writing and book
culture in the country.

222. SPHEREx and PUNCH recently launched by?

NASA

• NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe,

Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) observatory and PUNCH
(Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites lift off on a
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California

223. Khelo India Winter Games 2025 medal table topped by?

Army

• Army topped the KIWG 2025 medal table with seven golds, five silvers
and six bronze. Himachal Pradesh finished second with six golds, five
silvers and seven bronze.

• The Khelo India Winter Games 2025 (KIWG 2025), the fifth edition of
India’s premier winter sports event under the Khelo India initiative, was
successfully conducted in two phases.
224. The International Cricket Council Men’s player of the Month
Award won by?

Shubman Gill

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of

the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month Awards for February
2025. India’s Shubman Gill won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month,
while Australia’s Alana King claimed the ICC Women’s Player of the
Month title.

225. The recent Rashtriya Poshan Maah launched by?

Annapurna Devi

• It will focus on the themes of Anaemia, Growth Monitoring,

Complementary Feeding, Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, Technology for better
Governance, and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.

226. 4th No Money for Terror (NMFT) Conference host?

Munich, Germany

• During the 4th NMFT Conference India advocated that unity amongst
nations is essential in the fight against Terrorism and India stands steadfast
with the global community in this fight.

• India raised concerns that Terror financing increasingly has cross border
linkages in terms of flow of funds and due to the development of new digital
technologies

227. Which state government recently replaced the rupee symbol?

Tamil Nadu
• The logo, released by the office of Chief Minister M K Stalin, which read
‘Ellorkkum Ellaam’ (Everything for Everyone), carried ‘ru’, the first letter of
the Tamil word ‘rubaai’ which denotes the Indian currency in the vernacular
language.

228. India is set to enhance its maritime security cooperation with

which country through a white shipping agreement recently?

Mauritius

• India and Mauritius are working on a white shipping agreement to share

commercial shipping data.

• The deal will enhance monitoring capabilities in the Western Indian

Ocean.
It aims to improve maritime security and cooperation between both nations.

229. Which Union ministry has notified Zero Coupon Bond (ZCB) for
Power Finance Corporation?

Ministry of Finance

• Finance Ministry has notified Zero Coupon Bond (ZCB) for Power Finance
Corporation. The company can raise up to ₹10,000 crore.

• According to the notification, the bond will be issued with a discount of

₹49,546 for a face value of ₹1 lakh. In other words, the investor will pay
₹50,454 at the time of issuance, while get ₹1 lakh at maturity.

230. In 2024 which country become the top source countries for FDI
into Dubai?

India

• fDi Markets' data Dubai has been ranked the world's No.1 destination for
Greenfield Foreign Direct investment (FDI) projects for the fourth
successive year.

• For the year 2024, India has surpassed USA, France and UK to become
the top source countries for FDI into Dubai.

231. India recently added how many properties to its tentative list for
Unesco heritage status?

Six Properties

• The six properties added to the tentative list include Kanger Valley
National Park in Chhattisgarh; Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs in Telangana;
serial nomination of Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes
(multiple states); serial nomination of Chausath Yogini Temples (multiple
states); serial nomination of Gupta Temples in north India (multiple states),
and the palace-fortresses of the Bundelas in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh

232. Which tech giant has introduced Gemma 3?

Google

• Google has released Gemma 3, the latest addition to its family of

lightweight open models that are designed to run directly on phones,
laptops, and other devices.

• The Gemma 3 series of models are powered by the same research and
technology that powers Google’s Gemini 2.0

233. World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025 recently held in?

New Delhi

• India finished on top of the medal tally at the World Para Athletics Grand
Prix 2025 held in New Delhi, winning a total of 134 medals, including 45
gold, 40 silver, and 49 bronze.

• This event marked India's first time hosting an international para-athletics

event, which will now be an annual event till 2028.

234. Which union ministry has introduced the Sashakt

Panchayat-Netri
Abhiyan?

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has introduced the Sashakt

Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan and Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats
(MWFGP) to empower Women Elected Representatives (WERs) in
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and promote gender-sensitive
governance at the grassroots level.

235. which country deployed its large phased-array radar (LPAR) near
indian boarders?

China

• India is taking a crucial step to enhance its air defence capabilities in

response to China's expanding surveillance network.

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a Rs 2,906 crore contract for
the procurement of 18 ‘Ashwini’ Low-Level Transportable Radars (LLTRs)
for the Indian Air Force (IAF). This deal, finalised with Bharat Electronics
Ltd (BEL)

236. What is The 'UN80 Initiative' ?

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced a

new initiative aimed at improving efficiencies at the 80-year-old world
organisation and making it more cost-effective.

• The 'UN80 Initiative' will come up with proposals in areas of rapidly

identifying efficiencies and improvements in the way the UN works.

237. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received the Digital
Transformation Award from?

Central Banking in London

• The award specifically acknowledges RBI’s initiatives, Sarthi and

Pravaah, which have modernised its operations.

238. which agency successfully conducted the test launch of the

Astra
Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile recently?

India's Aeronautical Development Agency

• India's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) successfully conducted

the test launch of the Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile
(BVRAAM) from the LCA Tejas AF MK1 prototype off the Chandipur coast
in Odisha.

239. Framework for SRO for account aggregators issued by?

Reserve Bank of India

• RBI issued the Framework for recognising Self-Regulatory Organisations

(SROs) for the Account Aggregator Ecosystem.

• To streamline data exchange and resolve operational issues within the

financial sector, the Reserve Bank has called applications for a
self-regulatory organisation (SRO) for the account aggregator (AA)
ecosystem.
240. Indian Railways Joins Mission Amrit Sarovar to Enhance?

Water Conservation

• The Indian Railways has been integrated into the Union Government’s
Mission Amrit Sarovar, launched to combat water scarcity and enhance
groundwater recharge across India.

• The initiative focuses on the construction and rejuvenation of 75 ponds

per district, emphasizing community participation (Jan Bhagidari) and
climate resilience.

[Link] Generated ------ million Launching Foreign Satellites Since

2015?

$143 Million

• India generated foreign exchange revenue worth USD 143 million through
launching foreign satellites during the period from 2015 to 2024.

• Currently, space cooperative documents have been signed with 61

countries and five multilateral bodies.

242. Chandrayaan-5 mission, aimed at?

conducting an advanced lunar surface study

• Announced by ISRO Chairman V Narayanan on March 2025, this mission

will be executed in collaboration with Japan's space agency, JAXA.

• Unlike Chandrayaan-3, which carried the 25 kg rover ‘Pragyan’,

Chandrayaan-5 will deploy a heavier 250 kg rover, enhancing India’s lunar
exploration capabilities.
243. 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2025
won by?

Hockey Jharkhand

• Hockey Jharkhand dethroned defending champions Hockey Haryana with

a 4-3 shootout win in the final of the 15th Hockey India Senior Women
National Championship 2025 in Panchkula, Haryana.

244. Special Olympics World Winter Games host country?

Italy

• India clinched 12 medals in four events on the final day, concluding their
campaign at the Special Olympics World Winter Games with a total of 33
medals in Turin, Italy.

• The Indian contingent showcased exceptional skill and determination

across various winter sports, bringing home 8 gold, 18 silver, and 7 bronze
medals.

245. 353rd Governing Body Meeting of the International Labour

Organisation (ILO) held in?

Geneva,Switzerland

• India’s inspiring progress in promoting social justice and development was

highlighted, as India has doubled its social protection coverage to 48.8
percent, increasing the average global social protection coverage by over
five percent.
246. Which person laid the foundation stone for the North East Centre
for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) permanent campus?

Dr. Jitendra Singh

• Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh laid the
foundation stone for the North East Centre for Technology Application and
Reach (NECTAR) permanent campus at Mawdiangdiang, Shillong

• NECTAR, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and

Technology (DST), Government of India, focuses on leveraging technology
for the socio-economic development of the Northeast region.

247. The Fit India Carnival inaugurated by?

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya

• The Fit India Carnival, a first-of-its-kind three-day fitness and wellness

event, was inaugurated by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr.
Mansukh Mandaviya, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN), New Delhi.

• The event aims to promote physical fitness, mental well-being, and

healthy lifestyle choices among citizens.

248. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently visited the Hyperloop

testing facility at?

IIT Madras

• Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and

Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, informed that the
electronics component technology for the Hyperloop project will be
developed at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.

249. Armenia and which country agree treaty terms to end almost 40
years of conflict?

Azerbaijan

• The two post-Soviet countries have fought a series of wars since the late
1980s when Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan that had a mostly
ethnic-Armenian population at the time, broke away from Azerbaijan with
support from Armenia.

250. India's foreign exchange reserves witnessed a massive jump of

$15.267 billion, reaching?

$653.966 billion( march 2025)

• marking the sharpest rise in over two years. The $10 billion forex swap
conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) aimed at injecting liquidity.

• impact
Improved liquidity in the system
Strengthened rupee stability
Boost in investor confidence
Enhanced import cover and external stability

251. World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025 held in?

India

• India finished on top of the medal tally at the World Para Athletics Grand
Prix 2025 held in New Delhi, winning a total of 134 medals, including 45
gold, 40 silver, and 49 bronze.

• This event marked India's first time hosting an international para-athletics

event, which will now be an annual event till 2028.

252. Name the Astronauts who returned to Earth after nine months in
space?

Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams

• Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico , just hours after
departing the International Space Station.

• Splashdown occurred off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida

Panhandle, bringing their unplanned odyssey to an end.

253. UPI transaction volume in February declined by 5%, reaching to?

16.11 billion

• The transaction value for February declined by 6.5 per cent to ₹21.48
trillion, compared to ₹23.48 trillion in January.

• In 2024, UPI transactions surged by almost 46 per cent to a record 17,220

crore from 11,768 crore in 2023.

254. The 14th meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus held

in?
New Delhi

• The 14th meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus

(ADMM-Plus) Experts Working Group (EWG) on Counter-Terrorism held in
New Delhi.

• Experts Working Group co-chaired by India and Malaysia.

255. State Bank of India is establishing a unit for project financing

focused on new age industries like?

AI, e-commerce, and fintech

• The initiative aims to diversify the bank's project finance efforts, targeting
sectors benefitting from increased infrastructure spending

• The public sector bank plans to complete the project within a year and will
hire “specialized professionals”

256. Which are the top three UPI apps continued to dominate the
market?

PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm

• The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded a 5.2% decline in

transaction volume, totaling 16.11 billion in February 2025. While the top
three UPI apps—PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm—continued to
dominate the market, Flipkart’s [Link] entered the top five for the
first time.

257. According to a recent Morgan Stanley report India to dethrone

Germany as world’s third-biggest economy by which year?

2028

• India is poised to surpass Germany and become the world’s third-largest

economy by 2028, driven by robust economic growth, strong policy
frameworks, and improving infrastructure, according to a recent Morgan
Stanley report.

• Currently valued at $3.5 trillion in 2023, India’s economy is projected to

expand to $4.7 trillion by 2026, making it the fourth-largest economy
globally, behind the United States, China, and Germany.
258. Which company becomes the first private reinsurer to gain
regulatory approval in India?

Valueattics Reinsurance Ltd

• Valueattics Reinsurance Ltd, backed by Kamesh Goyal and Fairfax,

becomes the first private reinsurer to gain regulatory approval in India. This
move is expected to enhance competition, improve pricing, and provide
more flexible risk solutions in the reinsurance sector.

259. Amit Shah inaugurated the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in?

Dergaon, Assam

• This significant step aims to strengthen policing in the entire Northeast

region and establish the academy as a premier institution. Named after the
legendary Ahom general Lachit Barphukan

260. Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan and Model Women-Friendly

Gram Panchayats (MWFGP) launched by?

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched two key initiatives —

Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan and Model Women-Friendly Gram
Panchayats (MWFGP) — to promote gender-sensitive governance and
empower Women Elected Representatives (WERs) in Panchayati Raj
Institutions (PRIs).

261. Which indian state recently reported with with the human
coronavirus HKU1 ?

West Bengal (Kolkata)

• A Kolkata woman has been infected with the human coronavirus HKU1. It
is not a new virus. It has been circulating across the globe for over two
decades.

• Human coronavirus HKU1, commonly known as Betacoronavirus

hongkonense, is a type of virus that mainly affects the lungs and respiratory
system.

262. ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan launched Research Centre at?

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

• The ‘Shri S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal

Science Research’ will Support ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Initiatives, promoting
self-reliance in advanced space technologies and attract Global Talent and
Research Funding. This will position India as a leader in thermal sciences
research for space applications.

263. Rajiv Yuva Vikasam Scheme launched by?

Telangana

• In Telangana, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy launched the ‘Rajiv Yuva

Vikasam’ scheme

• The scheme provides self-employment loans to youths from Scheduled

Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), and Minority
communities

264. Intel Appoints which person as CEO ?

Lip-Bu Tan

• Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC) has announced the appointment of

Lip-Bu Tan as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• This decision marks a significant leadership transition as Tan takes over
from Interim Co-CEOs David Zinsner and Michelle (MJ) Johnston Holthaus.

265. which person sworn in as new Prime Minister of Trinidad and

Tobago?

Stuart Young

• Mr Young is currently serving as the Minister of Energy and Energy

Industries. He will succeed the outgoing Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley

266. The proposed Trump travel ban 2.0 to affect?

43 countries

• The Trump administration is gearing up to issue a sweeping series of

travel restrictions on the citizens of 43 countries, including Afghanistan,
Bhutan and Pakistan

• These restrictions are set to be more far-reaching compared to those

imposed in Trump’s previous term

267. Name the Prime Minister of New Zealand, who visited India
recently?

Rt Hon Christopher Luxon

• This was his first official visit to India in his current capacity. During his
visit, he engaged in bilateral talks with PM Modi, participated in the 10th
edition of the Raisina Dialogue as the Chief Guest, and met with President
Droupadi Murmu.

• The visit aimed to strengthen bilateral ties across multiple sectors,

including trade, investment, defence, education, and multilateral
cooperation

268. PM Internship scheme recently launched by?

Nirmala Sitaraman

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a new mobile

application for candidates to access the Pradhan Mantri Internship Scheme
(PMIS) and urged the industry to participate in the programme.

• The second pilot round of the PMIS is underway and the FM said 325
companies have put up nearly 118,000 internship opportunities. The
scheme has covered all 735 districts of the country.

269. Frontier Seed (Pacific) program launched by?

Asian Development Bank

• The ADB Frontier Seed (Pacific) program aims to develop local capital
markets and support businesses that are building local industries
contributing to inclusive and sustainable growth in frontier markets

• ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable,

inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific.

270. what is Shistachar squads?

Delhi Police has formed district-wise dedicated

anti-eve-teasing squads (Shistachar squads) across the national capital to
check incidents of harassment and ensure the safety of women in public
spaces

• The Shishtachar Squad is an anti-eve-teasing initiative by Delhi Police

aimed at improving women’s safety in public spaces.
[Link] World Cup 2025 host?

England

• Hosted by The England Kabaddi Association and the British Kabaddi

League

• The OCA, the IKF, and the Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF) oversee and
supervise the conduct of the medal competition of kabaddi for men and
women at the Asian Games since 1990

272. Australian Grand Prix won by?

Lando Norris

• Lando Norris mastered treacherous, changing conditions in a dramatic,

incident-packed race to beat Max Verstappen and win the Australian Grand
Prix.

273. Global Free Speech Index 2024 India's rank is?

24

• A recent global survey by the U.S.-based think tank The Future of Free
Speech ranked India 24th out of 33 countries in its Free Speech Index.

• Scandinavian countries dominate the index, with Norway (87.9) and

Denmark (87.0) securing the top positions.

274. Which union ministry has introduced WAVEX 2025 ?

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

• an initiative aimed at empowering startups in the media and entertainment

(M&E) sector by providing funding, national exposure, and networking
opportunities.

• WAVEX 2025 will be hosted at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai,
from May 1-4, 2025, as part of the World Audio-Visual Entertainment
Summit (WAVES).

275. The 23rd edition of VARUNA, a bilateral naval exercise between?

India and France

• VARUNA symbolizes the lasting military cooperation between France and

India, which have been linked by a strategic partnership for nearly 30
years. It is part of a series of bilateral training exercises on land (SHAKTI),
in the air (GARUDA), and at sea (VARUNA).

276. Which city launched India's first PPP-based green waste

processing plant?

Indore

• Indore is set to launch India’s first PPP-based green waste processing

plant under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.

• The initiative aims to convert green waste into eco-friendly products and
promote sustainable waste management.

277. 'Shishtachar' squads recently introduced by?

Delhi Police

• Delhi Police has formed district-wise dedicated anti-eve-teasing squads

(Shistachar squads) across the national capital to check incidents of
harassment and ensure the safety of women in public spaces.
278. Which state govt inks MoU with Gates Foundation for tech
support in state programmes?

Andhra Pradesh

• To leverage technology for public welfare by integrating cost-effective and

scalable solutions across key sectors of healthcare, medical technology,
education and agriculture.

• chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Bill Gates, chairman of the

Gates Foundation, in New Delhi.

279. UIDAI partners with which AI Company to enhance user

experience
of Aadhaar services?

Sarvam AI

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has partnered with

Bengaluru based Sarvam AI, an indigenous full-stack Generative AI
(GenAI) company to enhance user experience, while availing Aadhaar
services.

• With the agreement coming into effect from March 2025 , Sarvam will
deploy the AI solution to perform voice-based interactions for
resident-centric use cases.

280. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and which bank signed MoU for
establishing a framework to promote the use of local currencies?

Bank of Mauritius
• The Reserve Bank of India and the Bank of Mauritius have signed an
MoU to promote the use of Indian Rupee and Mauritian Rupee for
cross-border transactions. The agreement aims to benefit exporters and
importers by allowing invoicing and payments in their domestic currencies,
facilitating bilateral trade and enhancing economic ties between India and
Mauritius.

281. Where is the Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary located?

Maharashtra

• The Sagreshwar wildlife sanctuary, located in the Sangli district, has 536
sambars and 295 cheetals (spotted deer), making the sanctuary one of the
highest in deer population, especially among manmade wildlife sanctuaries.

282. What is VIKRAM3201 & KALPANA3201 ?

microprocessors

• The first production lots of the 32-bit microprocessors developed for

space applications, VIKRAM3201 & KALPANA3201, were handed over to
Dr. V. Narayanan, Secretary, DOS /Chairman, ISRO by Shri S. Krishnan,
Secretary, MeitY, in a function organised at New Delhi by the
Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL)

• Vikram 3201 is the first fully Indian-made 32-bit microprocessor qualified

for use in launch vehicles. These processors enhance onboard navigation
and control, demonstrating India's self-reliance in high-reliability space
technology.
283. What is the maximum transaction amount included under the
BHIM-UPI Incentive Scheme?

2,000

• Only the UPI (P2M) transactions upto 2,000/- for Small Merchants are
covered under the scheme. Incentive at the rate of 0.15% per transaction
value will be provided for transactions upto Rs. 2,000 pertaining to category
of small merchants.

284. India's first industry-led digital detox initiative 'Beyond Screens'

was launched in?

Karnataka

• The initiative aims to combat digital dependency by encouraging balanced

technology use and addressing the challenge of digital addiction.

• The initiative was developed with Kahamind Healthcare Private Limited.

The centre will serve as a dedicated hub for resources, counselling and
intervention programmes for healthier digital habits.

285. Country's first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) based green

waste processing plant has been set up in?

Indore, Madhya Pradesh

• Unique initiative to convert green waste into resources.

Objective: To convert green waste into valuable resources and improve
urban waste management.

• This initiative is being launched in collaboration with Indore Municipal

Corporation (IMC) and Astronomical Industries Private Limited.

286. The Hmar and Zomi tribes recently seen in news related to which
state ?

Manipur

• The Hmar and Zomi tribal leaders in Manipur have agreed to cooperate
for restoring peace in Churachandpur after recent clashes.

• Hmar tribe belongs to the larger Chin-Kuki-Mizo ethnic [Link] are

one of the Scheduled Tribes under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian
Constitution.

287. The Government of India is drafting a National Wildlife Health

Policy (NWHP) to?

strengthen wildlife disease surveillance, research, and diagnostics.

• The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) initiated this program to enhance wildlife
health and manage zoonotic diseases.

• This initiative is a key component of the National Wildlife Action Plan

(2017-31) and follows the One Health approach, which integrates human,
animal, and environmental health.

288. The Lok Sabha Secretariat and which Ministry signed MoU to
develop the Sansad Bhashini initiative recently?

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

• It is designed to integrate AI-powered tools that will facilitate multilingual

support, optimize documentation, and improve overall parliamentary
operations.

• The initiative will deploy cutting-edge AI applications such as real-time

speech-to-text transcription, speech-to-speech translation, and interactive
AI chatbots.
289. What is Exercise Bongosagar?

A bilateral naval exercise between India and Bangladesh.

• INS Ranvir, a Rajput-Class guided missile destroyer, participated in

Exercise Bongosagar 2025.

• The India-Bangladesh naval exercise 'Bongosagar 2025' and a

'Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT)' took place in the Bay of Bengal recently.

290. What are Sonic Weapons?

Serbia’s government has been accused of using a banned

‘sonic weapon’ to disperse protesters in Belgrade.

• Sonic weapons (Acoustic Weapons) are devices that deliver loud, painful
sounds over long distances.

291. Vayu cloud recently launched by?

Tata Communications

• Tata Communications has launched Vayu, a bundled cloud portfolio for

enterprise IT that can reduce cloud costs by up to 30 per cent.

• Vayu cloud is a full cloud offering of cloud services with infrastructure,

platform, Edge and AI.

292. The Khelo India Para Games 2025 host city?

New Delhi
• Ahead of the event, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Youth Affairs and
Sports, launched the official anthem at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

• The mascot, ‘Ujjwala,’ was introduced by Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Minister

of State for Sports. Inspired by the house sparrow, it represents resilience
and determination, reflecting the spirit of para-athletes and the vibrant city
of Delhi.

293. Which country became the first nation to qualify for the 2026
World Cup?

Japan

• Japan became the first nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after
defeating Bahrain 2-0

• The 2026 tournament will mark Japan's eighth successive World Cup.
Canada, Mexico and the United States have already secured a spot in the
event as the hosts.

294. Which indian was honoured with the prestigious 'Knight's Cross
recently?

Vijay Sankar

• Vijay Sankar, Honorary Consul General of Denmark for Southern India at

Chennai and Chairman, The Sanmar Group, was honoured with the
prestigious 'Knight's Cross of the Order of Dannebrog' by the King of
Denmark in recognition of his consular services.

295. Name the sculptor who has been honored with the Maharashtra
Bhushan award?

Ram Sutar
• Celebrated sculptor Ram Sutar, known for designing the Statue of Unity,
has been honored with the Maharashtra Bhushan award.

• The announcement was made by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in

the Legislative Assembly following a unanimous selection

296. Who was elected as president of the International Olympic

Committee recently?

Kirsty Coventry

• Kirsty Coventry was elected president of the International Olympic

Committee and became the first woman and first African to get this post in
world sports.

• The 41-year-old Coventry gets an eight-year mandate into 2033 with a

likely early test in meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump about the
2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

297. Which region in india launched six mobile dental clinics with
Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences to offer free oral
healthcare to residents ?

Delhi

• Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh launched six mobile dental
clinics to offer free oral healthcare to residents. These clinics, operated
jointly by the Delhi government and Maulana Azad Institute of Dental
Sciences (MAIDS), aim to enhance access to dental care, particularly in
underserved areas like slums.

298. Name the book which Released to Celebrate India's 1975 Hockey
World Cup Victory?

March of Glory

• To mark 50 years since India's historic Hockey World Cup victory in 1975,
a book titled 'March of Glory' was unveiled at Shivaji Stadium, New Delhi.
Written by hockey historian K. Arumugam and journalist Errol D'Cruz.

299. Which person won the Stockholm Water Prize 2025 recently?

Günter Blöschl

• Hydrologist Günter Blöschl, a pioneer of water engineering, has been

awarded the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize, according to a statement
by the Prize Committee

• Blöschl’s comprehensive database and analysis have revolutionised and

deepened the global understanding of flood risk reduction and water
resource management.

300. Which film star honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for
his contribution?

Chiranjeevi

• Veteran Telugu cinema superstar Chiranjeevi was honoured with the

Lifetime Achievement Award for his immense contribution to Indian cinema,
cultural influence, and public service. The award was presented by
London-based think tank Bridge India at the prestigious.

301. Which railways become first railway zone in India to load 250 MT
originating freight in FY 2024-25?

East Coast Railway

• East Coast Railway (ECoR) has once again set a historic milestone in
freight loading by becoming the first railway zone in India to achieve 250
million tons (MT) of originating freight in the financial year 2024-25.

• This is the second consecutive year that ECoR has crossed the 250 MT
mark. Notably, ECoR has also achieved the distinction of surpassing 200
MT of freight loading for the sixth consecutive year

302. World's First 'Supersolid' Created From which source ?

Light

• In a groundbreaking breakthrough, Italian scientists have discovered a

way to make light behave like a "supersolid"—a state of matter that flows
like a liquid but holds shape like a solid.

• Until now, it had only been seen in extremely cold gases. This study
proves that even light can enter this strange state

303. World Happiness Report 2025 ; India's position?

118th

• India ranks 118th out of 147 countries, with a happiness score of 4.389.
This places it below its neighbors Nepal, Bangladesh, and China.

• Published by the Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford.

304. Who has been appointed as Joint Secretary in UPSC recently?

Anuj Kumar Singh

• Anuj Kumar Singh, a 2009-batch IRSEE officer, has been appointed as

Joint Secretary (Director level) in UPSC, Delhi, under the Central Staffing
Scheme.
305. Which public sector company Inaugurated Floating Solar Power
Plant at Kochi Refinery?

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited

• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has taken a significant step

toward sustainable energy with the inauguration of its floating solar power
plant at the Kochi Refinery.

• The plant has an installed capacity of 3.2 MW AC.

It has been constructed on the rainwater harvesting pond within the Kochi
Refinery [Link] plant occupies 8 acres of the 19-acre waterbody.

306. Purple Fest 2025 was hosted at?

Rashtrapaati Bhavan

• By the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

(DePwD), Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The event
commenced with remarkable enthusiasm at the Amrit Udyan, drawing an
impressive gathering of 23,500 participants.

307. Incubation Program named as “Samarth” recently launched by?

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT)

• Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), an autonomous Telecom

R&D centre of Department of Telecommunication (DoT), Govt. of India
launches first cohort of Incubation Program named as “Samarth”

• with a focus on fostering innovation and promoting technological

advancements in India's telecommunications and IT sector
308. Position of India in funding for women-led tech startups?

2nd position

• India 2nd after US in all-time funding for women-led tech startups, as per
Tracxn. The global tech sector has over 69,000 women-founded tech
companies, which have collectively raised $309 billion in funding to date.

• In 2024, women-led startups accounted for only 11.7% of total funding,

hurt by macroeconomic headwinds.

309. Which state recently launched the first scientific coal mining
block recently?

Meghalaya

• Meghalaya CM Conrad K. Sangma inaugurated the first scientific coal

mining block “Saryngkham-A” at Byndihati, East Jaintia Hills.

• The NGT banned coal mining in 2014 due to unsafe rat-hole mining
practices. The ban was lifted in 2019 by the Supreme Court.

310. Who was recently appointed as chairperson of NIIT University?

Amitabh Kant

• NIIT University (NU) appointed Amitabh Kant, the former chief executive
of government policy think tank NITI Aayog, as its chairperson (chancellor),
effective March, 2025. Kant takes charge from scientist K Kasturirangan.

• NIIT University has partnerships with more than 700 industry entities,
including IBM, Tata Consultancy Services, Morgan Stanley and Deloitte.