April 2025

 

National

• Warangal Chapatta Chili gets Geographical Indication (GI) tag - The Warangal Chapatta Chili from Telangana  , also known as tomato chili, has been granted a Geographical Indication tag by the Government of India's GI Registry. This chili  is called tomato chili  because it is bright red in color and has a round tomato-like shape. This is the 18th GI tagged product from Telangana  and the third agricultural GI tagged product after Banganapalli mango and Tandoor red gram.      

This chilli is less spicy but  due to the capsicum oleoresin  properties present in it, its colour is bright red and its taste is also very good. The GI tag links the Warangal chapata chili to its origin, which is the Warangal, Hanamkonda, Mulugu, and Bhupalpally districts in Telangana. The GI tag provides protection against unauthorized use, thereby preserving the brand and quality.

• Prime Minister's State Visit to Sri Lanka - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka from 4-6 April 2025. On this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi  was also honoured with the 'Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushanaya' , Sri Lanka's highest award for foreign leaders. Prime Minister Modi is the first foreign leader to pay a state visit to Sri Lanka since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office in September 2024.

• State Visit of the President of Chile to India  - At the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, President of the Republic of Chile,  Gabriel Boric Font,  paid a State Visit to India from April 1-5, 2025. This was Mr. Boric's first visit to India as President. President Boric also visited Agra, Mumbai and Bengaluru before returning to Chile on April 5, 2025. The visit marked the 76th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

• 2nd Startup Mahakumbh, 2025 - The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India organized the 2nd edition of Startup Mahakumbh at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from 3-5 April 2025.   Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 2nd edition of Startup Mahakumbh. The theme of this program is 'Startup India @2047-Unfolding' . It was attended by about 3,000 companies from 50 countries, more than 1,000 investors and incubators.

• Third visit of youth delegation from five Central Asian countries to India –   The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports  hosted the third Central Asian youth delegation to India  under the International Youth Exchange Programme (IYEP)  from 22 to 28 March 2025. This year's  focus state  was  Goa .  A 100-member youth delegation from five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan , and Uzbekistan visited India. The delegation included entrepreneurs, academics, artists, athletes, and distinguished youth achievers in various fields. The delegation also visited IIT Delhi .

This was as part of the India-Central Asia Summit initiative, which took place in January 2022. The initiative aims to promote youth cooperation and cultural exchange and strengthen diplomatic relations between India and the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.     

• 7th India-Japan Maritime Affairs Dialogue, 2025 – The 7th India-Japan Maritime Affairs Dialogue  was held on April 2, 2025  in Tokyo, Japan.  In this dialogue, both the countries discussed issues like maintaining a safe maritime environment, combating illegal maritime activities, capacity development and capability building.

• 'Zero Poverty-P4' Initiative -  Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched the 'Zero Poverty-P4' initiative on the occasion of Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, as part of the Golden 2047 vision.  The 'P4'  initiative stands for Public-Private-People Partnership. Its aim   is to make Andhra Pradesh poverty-free by 2029 . It is a voluntary poverty alleviation initiative in the state of Andhra Pradesh, aimed at reducing the socio-economic divide by encouraging the wealthiest 10% of the state's population to support the poorest 20% of households. Affluent individuals willing to contribute   are designated as  'Margadarshak' (patrons), while underprivileged beneficiaries  are identified as 'Bangaru Kutumbam' (golden families).

• Develop India Youth Parliament, 2025 - The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the leadership of Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Labour and Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya   organized Develop India Youth Parliament from 1st to 3rd April 2025 in New Delhi .  The event is a new form of the traditional Youth Parliament, which serves as a powerful platform to engage youth with politics and public policy and promote their participation in governance and nation building.  

• First Indian airline to use Aviator Revenue Management System -  Star Air India is the first Indian airline to use Aviator Revenue Management System. It is an emerging full service regional airline with a mission to 'Connect the Real India'.  Star Air is a progressive full-service regional carrier 'Connecting the Real India' from its main base at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

• Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Kumbakonam Vetrilai and Thovalai Manikka Mala - The granting of GI tag to Kumbakonam Vetrilai  (betel leaf) and  Thovalai Manikka Mala (flower garland)   has taken the total number of GI products from Tamil Nadu to 62. Kumbakonam Vetrilai is grown in the Cauvery River basin of Thanjavur and is known for its unique taste and aroma. Thovalai Manikka Mala is handmade in Southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala, using white, red and green flowers.

• Chief Minister Sugam Parivahan Seva - On April 1, 2025,  approval was given to start “Chief Minister Sugam Parivahan Seva” to provide organized, convenient and safe passenger transport bus services on ordinary and rural routes of cities and rural areas in the  state of Madhya Pradesh.

• Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 –  The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 was recently introduced in the Lok Sabha. It aims to regulate the immigration, entry and stay of foreigners in India. It repeals the following Acts:

(i) The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920,

(ii) The Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939,

(iii) The Foreigners Act, 1946 and 

(iv) Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000. 

Key features of the Bill include:

The Bill provides that persons entering or departing from India must possess a valid passport or other valid travel document, as well as a valid visa (for foreigners). These documents   may be checked by  immigration officials .

The Bill empowers the central government to notify designated immigration checkpoints for entry into and exit from India, which will be manned by immigration officers or other designated officials. 

 The Bill provides for the establishment of  a Bureau of Immigration to carry out immigration functions and other prescribed functions  .

Immigration functions include the following: (i) issuing visas and regulating entry into India, or (ii) transit into, stay in, and exit from India. 

The Commissioner of the Bureau, appointed by the Central Government, will supervise immigration and other prescribed functions.

The Bill provides that foreigners will have to register with the registration officer upon arrival in India.

Hotel operators providing accommodation to foreigners have been made obligated to provide the prescribed information. 

The Bill requires carriers landing or disembarking in India to provide information on crew/passengers on board to the civil authority or immigration officer.

The Bill also states that educational institutions admitting foreigners must provide prescribed information to the registration officer. 

Medical institutions should provide information to the registration officer about foreign patients availing indoor treatment or their attendants availing accommodation facilities.

The Bill also prohibits aircraft/ships/any other mode of transport from departing from India unless clearance is obtained from the immigration officer. 

 All four Acts provide for penalties for violations of various provisions. The Bill seeks to modify the penalties for certain offenses. For example, under the 1920 Act, entry without a valid passport was punishable by imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to ₹50,000, or both. 

The Bill punishes foreigners entering without valid passport or other travel documents with imprisonment up to five years, fine up to Rs 5 lakh or both.

Overstaying the visa period can result in a jail term of three years and a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh.

The 1920 Act empowers any police officer (not below the rank of sub-inspector) and any officer of the Customs Department to arrest without warrant any person entering India without a passport.

This bill gives police officers below the rank of head constable the power to arrest without warrant.

• Hack the Future Hackathon, 2025 – National Statistical Office (NSO), India   in collaboration with  Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN)  successfully conducted a 36-hour hackathon titled  ‘Hack the Future’ at the IITGN campus.

• Increase in salaries, allowances, and pensions of MPs – On March 24, 2025, the central government officially   announced a 24% increase in the salaries of MPs. This increase will be effective from April 1, 2023. The salary of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members  has been  increased from Rs 1 lakh to  Rs 1.24 lakh per month, while  the daily allowance has been  increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. The pension given to former MPs  has  also been increased from Rs 25,000 to  Rs 31,000 per month. The additional pension for each year of service beyond five years has been increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. The last revision in the salaries and allowances of sitting and former MPs was announced in April 2018.

• Best performing state by achieving 95% of NITI Aayog's TB elimination target in 2024 - Gujarat  has made significant progress in 2024   towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of TB free India by 2025. The state government, led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, achieved 95% of the target set by NITI Aayog in terms of TB registration and treatment success, while the treatment completion rate stood at 91%. Gujarat successfully identified and registered 137,929 TB patients against a target of 145,000 TB patients in 2024. Additionally, 124,581 patients successfully completed treatment, resulting in a treatment completion rate of 90.52%. 

• India Bioeconomy Report, 2025 and BioSarathi Initiative – Union Minister of Government of India has released the “India Bioeconomy Report 2025” (IBER 2025) at the BIRAC Foundation Day function at the National Media Centre. India's bioeconomy is projected  to grow from $ 10 billion in 2014 to $ 165.7 billion in 2024 , with a target of reaching $ 300 billion  by 2030 .             

The sector  contributes 4.25% to GDP with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of  17.9% over the last four years. The government has recently approved the BIO-E3 policy i.e. Biotechnology for Economy, Employment and Environment . The government has  launched BioSaarathi , a leading global mentorship initiative aimed at fostering biotech startups. Designed as a six-month cohort, BioSaarathi will facilitate structured mentor-mentee engagement, providing personalized guidance to budding entrepreneurs in the biotech sector.   

• Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain, 2025 – Ministry of Jal Shakti , Ministry of Environment, Forest and Change and Government of Haryana  Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain – 2025 was launched on World Water Day on 22 March 2025 in collaboration with. It was held  in Panchkula , Haryana . The theme of this campaign   is "Water Conservation Public Participation: Towards Public Awareness ." It aims to emphasize water conservation and management through community participation and innovative strategies . The initiative will focus on 148 districts across the country .     

• Excavation at the Agroha Ancient Mound -  Excavation work has resumed after 44 years at the ancient mound located in Agroha, Hisar district  ,  Haryana . Agroha was the capital of Maharaja Agrasen. 

• 28th Legislative Assembly to join the National e-Vidhan Application platform - Recently,  Delhi became  the 28th Legislative Assembly to join the National e-Vidhan App (NeVA) . The National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) is an online platform developed to digitize the Legislative Assemblies of all States and Union Territories. Nagaland was the first state in India to implement the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) in 2022.

• WAVEX 2025 - WAVEX 2025 is a flagship initiative for startups in India's media and entertainment (M&E) sector.   Launched under the aegis of the World Audiovisual Entertainment Summit (WAVES), it will foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment in India's M&E sector. 

• Lachit Borphukan Police Academy - Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah,   inaugurated the Lachit Borphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, Assam. Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma was present on  the  occasion .

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation – PM Modi and Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam   jointly inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation in Reduit  ,  Mauritius . 

• Punjab Assembly Launches Searchable Engine - The Punjab Assembly has launched a search engine to make its debates and proceedings searchable. It  is the first assembly in India  to launch such a project. This search engine will help in accessing the Assembly debates and proceedings from 1947 till date.   The main objective of this search engine is to help people get information about the Assembly debates and proceedings by making them available online.

• Nano Electronics Road Show and Conference on Semiconductor Systems –  Nano Electronics Road Show and Conference on Semiconductor Systems in India   was organised at Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru . The initiative aims to bring together key stakeholders from government, industry, academia, critical sectors, startups and the VC system to foster innovation and collaboration in the sector.   

• Singapore Maritime Week 2025 - Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2025, held  from 24 to 28 March 2025 , is an annual flagship event. This year's theme  was " Action meets ambition ". It brings together global maritime leaders, industry leaders and maritime enthusiasts from around the world to discuss the key issues, latest trends and opportunities facing the industry.

• Supreme Court Judges delegation visits Manipur - A five-member delegation of Supreme Court judges led by Justice B.R. Gavai, who is also the acting chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), arrived in Imphal. On reaching Imphal, the three judges of the delegation, Justice Gavai, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice MM Sundresh, visited Churachandpur and participated in the inauguration of Legal Services Camp, Health Camp and Legal Aid Clinic. He also distributed relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking shelter in the relief camp.

• Sagarmatha Dialogue 2025 - Sagarmatha Dialogue 2025 will be held in Kathmandu , Nepal,  from May 16 to 18, 2025.  Its theme is " Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity ." It is a flagship biennial event organized by the Government of Nepal.

• First State to Establish Senior Citizens Commission -  Kerala is the first state in the country  to pass a law establishing a Senior Citizens Commission. The commission's purpose is to focus on the rights, welfare, and rehabilitation of senior citizens. The commission was established under the Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission Act, 2025. 

The Commission will consist of  a Chairperson and three other members, all of whom shall be senior citizens. The terms of office of the Chairperson and Members  will be three years  . The Commission will also include members from Scheduled Castes/Tribes and women.

• Telangana Assembly adopts Human Organ Transplantation Act - The Telangana State Assembly has passed a resolution to adopt the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (Central Act 42), 1994 and Rules, 1995, and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Act 2011 (THOTA). State Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimhaiah introduced the resolution in the Assembly.  The Act regulates the removal, storage and transplantation of human organs and tissues for medical purposes and prohibits commercial transactions. 

According to the 1995 rules, only neurosurgeons and neurophysicians could declare someone brain-dead. Under the new rules, a physician, surgeon, intensivist, and anesthesiologist can also do so. The Act also empowers organs donated in any other state to be transplanted in Telangana. 

• Vibrant Village Programme-II (VVP-II) - The Vibrant Village Programme-II (VVP-II) is a central scheme focused on the comprehensive development of border villages located near international borders  . The scheme is fully funded by the central government. It aims to improve the quality of life in border villages, strengthen infrastructure, such as roads, electricity, telecommunications, and education, boost the local economy, encourage tourism, and promote local products.

Involving local people as the "eyes and ears" of border security forces, which will help control cross-border crime. Encouraging people in border areas to stay in their native places and preventing migration from these villages. The first phase was launched on February 15, 2023, and focused on villages near the Chinese border. The second phase will expand to selected villages in 15 states and two union territories by 2028-29.

• Mudumal Megalithic Menhir Astronomical Site – Mudumal Megalithic Menhir (standing stones)  located in Narayanpet district of Telangana has recently  been included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of India. The site is believed to be 3,500 to 4,000 years old and is one of the largest megalithic astronomical observatories in India. Mudumal Menhir is Telangana's second UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ramappa Temple was the first to be included in the list (2021).

• Proposal to extend the term of the JPC on 'One Nation, One Election' approved - Recently, the Lok Sabha approved a proposal to extend the term of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on 'One Nation, One Election'. This 39-member committee   is headed by P.P. Chaudhary.

This committee will consider two bills related to the One Country, One Election initiative: the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The first is the Constitution Amendment Bill, while the second is the Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill.

• Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 – The Rajya Sabha passed the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on March 26, 2025. The Lok Sabha already passed the bill on December 3, 2024. The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is an important legislation aimed at reforming India's banking system. It amends the following : (i) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934, (ii) Banking Regulation Act, 1949, (iii) State Bank of India Act, 1955, (iv) Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970, and (v) Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980.

 The bill allows account holders  to nominate four people instead of one, which will simplify fund disbursement to families and reduce procedural delays. The Bill   makes amendments to  cooperative banks . It  extends the term of office of  directors (except the chairman and whole-time directors) from eight years to ten years , as envisaged in the Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011. The amendment will allow a director of a central cooperative bank to serve on the board of a state cooperative bank, which could promote leadership stability in such banks.  

Another significant change is the revision of regulatory reporting dates for banks . Banks will now be required to submit regulatory compliance reports on the 15th and last Fridays of each month, instead of the second and fourth Fridays of the month. This revision aims to improve consistency in financial regulation. The bill provides greater autonomy to banks in deciding the remuneration of statutory auditors, which is likely to promote flexibility in financial regulation.

A significant amendment redefines the term "substantial interest" held by a person in a bank  . "Substantial interest" generally refers to a significant financial stake or ownership stake in a business; it is typically defined as ownership of shares worth more than five lakh rupees or 10 percent of the company's paid-up capital, whichever is less.  

It can be held individually or collectively by an individual, their spouse, or a minor child. The bill amends this limit to increase it to ₹2 crore. The central government may change this amount by notification. Currently, the remuneration paid to bank auditors is determined by the RBI in consultation with the central government. The bill empowers banks to determine the remuneration of their auditors.

• Oil Fields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024 – The Oil Fields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024 amends the Oil Fields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948. This Act regulates the exploration and extraction of natural gas and petroleum. The bill expands the definition of mineral oils to include naturally occurring hydrocarbons, coal bed methane, and shale gas. The bill clarifies that coal and lignite or helium will not be included in mineral oils. The Act provides for mining leases, which cover various activities such as exploration, prospecting, production, mercantilism, and disposal of mineral oils. 

The Act empowers the central government to make rules on several matters.  These include: (i) regulating the granting of leases, (ii) the terms and conditions of leases, including the minimum and maximum area and lease period, (iii) the conservation and development of mineral oils, (iv) the methods of oil production, and (v) the manner of collection of royalties, fees, and taxes. The bill retains these provisions. 

The Bill states that the central government may also make rules on:  (i) merger and combination of petroleum leases, (ii) sharing of production and processing facilities, (iii) obligations of lessees to protect the environment and reduce emissions, (iv) alternative mechanisms for resolving disputes in relation to grant of petroleum leases. The Act provides that violations of the rules are punishable with imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of ₹1,000, or both. Instead, the Bill provides that the above offences will be punishable with a fine of up to ₹2.5 million. 

The bill also includes the following offenses:  (i) carrying out activities related to mineral oils, such as exploration, prospecting, and production, without a valid lease, and (ii) non-payment of royalties. These offenses are also punishable by a fine of up to ₹2.5 million. For all of the above offenses, a fine of up to ₹1 million per day will be imposed for continued violations.

The Central Government will appoint an officer of the rank of Joint Secretary or above to adjudicate penalties. Appeals against the Tribunal's decisions will lie before the Appellate Tribunal specified in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006.  The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas is Hardeep Singh Puri.

• Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 – The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 amends the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The Act establishes:  (i) the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), (ii) the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), and (iii) the District Disaster Management Authority. These authorities are responsible for disaster management at the national, state, and district levels, respectively. 

The Act provides for the establishment of a National Executive Committee and a State Executive Committee to assist  the NDMA and SDMA in the performance of their functions. A key function of these committees is to prepare national and state disaster management plans, respectively. The bill provides that the NDMA and SDMA will prepare disaster management plans. The bill also empowers the NDMA to make regulations under the Act with the prior approval of the central government.

The bill empowers state governments to establish a separate Urban Disaster Management Authority for state capitals and municipal cities. The urban authority will consist of the Municipal Commissioner as chairperson , the District Collector as vice-chairperson , and other members designated by the state government. It will prepare and implement a disaster management plan for the area under its jurisdiction. The Bill empowers the state government to constitute a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

• “ Ripples of Change: Gender-Transformative Rural WASH Programmes in India” – Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil released the book “Ripples of Change: Gender-Transformative Rural WASH Programmes in India” in New Delhi. This book is a joint initiative of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and UNICEF India. It includes 10 inspiring stories from rural India that showcase the social change brought about by the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and Jal Jeevan Mission.

• Launch of Water Resources Census Application and Portal – Union Jal Shakti Minister Shri CR Patil  launched Water Resources Census Application and Portal in  New Delhi . The Water Resources Census application and portal supports the following census schemes: (1) 7th  Minor Irrigation Census, (2) 2nd Census of Water Bodies  , (3) 1st Census of Springs  , (4) 1st Census of Major and Medium Irrigation Projects     

This is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme, the reference year of which will be the agricultural year 2023-24 (July 2023- June 2024) under the Irrigation Census Scheme. The main objective of the Water Resources Census is to build a comprehensive and reliable database in the irrigation sector for effective planning and policy making including water use efficiency, water budgeting etc. 

• Chatbot 'Saarthi ' -  Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini launched the AI ​​chatbot ' Saarthi '  to enhance citizen engagement . The chatbot aims to revolutionize citizen engagement by providing easy access to important government instructions, notifications and circulars.

• 'Digi-Forest-Forest Stack' App - On International Forest Day,  Rajasthan  Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma launched the country's first 'Digi-Forest-Forest Stack' App. 

• 37th Kathak Festival, 2025 - The 37th Kathak Festival  was held in New Delhi from March 25 to 30, 2025.  It was a six-day festival, which  also included the world's first " Kathak Literature Festival" .The festival included seminars, exhibitions and various dance performances, featuring artists from the Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras and Raigarh gharanas.

• First Temple of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj -   The first temple dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has been built in  Maharashtra. This temple is located on a one-acre site in Bhiwandi, Thane district . The temple stands 56 feet tall and has a 26-foot entrance.

The temple has been named the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Temple (Shaktipeeth) . The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was sculpted by Arun Yogiraj , who also created the statue of Shri Ram in Ayodhya. The design for this Shivaji Maharaj temple was prepared by architect Vijaykumar Patil .

• PM Internship Scheme App - Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched a mobile app for the Pradhan Mantri Internship Scheme. The PM Internship Scheme, launched by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman,  aims to provide 12-month internship opportunities to youth aged 21-24 years from low-income families in the country's top 500 companies . 1.25 lakh youth have been included in the pilot phase , while the target is to provide internship facilities to one crore youth in five years . These internships are spread across 24 sectors including oil, gas, energy, travel, hospitality, automotive, banking and financial services .  

 

 

International

• 6th BIMSTEC Summit, 2025 - The 6th Summit of the Heads of State/Government of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Member States  was held in  Bangkok , Thailand on 04 April 2025. The theme of the 6th Summit  was  "Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC" . It focused on promoting cooperation among member countries to address their common security and development challenges. 

• Operation Brahma –  India   launched Operation Brahma to provide essential assistance including search and rescue (SAR), humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and medical aid following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar on 28 March 2025.

• QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 – The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 was released in March 2025. The QS World University Rankings by Subject  covers 5 areas :  

Arts and Humanities

Engineering and technology

Life sciences and medicine

Natural sciences

Social sciences and management

The top 3 institutions in the Arts & Humanities category are –

Harvard University, US

University of Oxford, UK

University of Cambridge, UK

The top 3 institutes in the Engineering and Technology category are –

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US

University of Oxford, UK

Stanford University, US

The top 3 institutes in the Life Sciences & Medicine category are –

Harvard University, US

University of Oxford, UK

Johns Hopkins University, US

The top 3 institutes in the Natural Sciences category are-

Harvard University, US

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US

University of Oxford, UK

The top 3 institutes in the Social Sciences and Management category are -

Harvard University, US 

University of Oxford, UK

Stanford University, US 

• Hurun Global Rich List, 2025 – The Hurun Global Rich List 2025 recently announced a record-breaking 3,442 billionaires worldwide, marking an increase of 163 from last year.   

Elon Musk is the world's richest person with a net worth of $420 billion, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2025.  This is the fourth time in the last five years that Elon Musk has topped the list as the world's richest person. Jeff Bezos  is second with $266 billion. Mark Zuckerberg  is third with $242 billion.

There are no Indian billionaires in the top 10 this year. Mukesh Ambani  is the richest person in India and remains one of the richest in Asia. Mukesh Ambani has a net worth of ₹8.6 lakh crore .   

By city, New York  remains the world's billionaire capital for the second consecutive year, with 129 people, followed by  London  in second place with 97. Shanghai  has overtaken Mumbai for the first time to claim the title of Asia's billionaire capital, with 92 billionaires. Mumbai has 90 billionaires.

Alice Walton  is the richest woman in the world, with a net worth of US$102 billion. HCL Technologies Chairperson  Roshni Nadar has become the fifth-richest woman in the world with a net worth of ₹3.5 lakh crore. She also became the first Indian woman to be included in the global top 10.

The US has the highest number of billionaires in the world at 870, followed by China  with 823 billionaires.

India ranked   third with 284 billionaires, adding 13 new billionaires, followed by the UK, Germany and  Switzerland. The total wealth of Indian billionaires has reached ₹98 lakh crore, a 10% increase from last year.

Top 5 Richest People in India

Mukesh Ambani , Reliance Industries – ₹8.6 trillion  

Gautam Adani , Adani Group – ₹8.4 trillion  

Roshni Nadar , HCL – Rs 3.5 trillion  

Dilip Shanghvi , Sun Pharma – Rs 2.5 trillion  

Azim Premji , Wipro – ₹2.2 trillion  

Hurun is a research organization focused on wealth, entrepreneurship, and economic trends around the world. Officially known as the Hurun Research Institute, it was founded in 1999 by British accountant and researcher  Rupert Hoogewerf . Hurun  is headquartered in Shanghai , China.

• Facebook banned in Papua New Guinea – The government of Papua New Guinea has temporarily banned Facebook to control hate speech, misinformation and pornography . 

• Hungary announces withdrawal from International Criminal Court (ICC) – The Hungarian government has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The announcement comes as Prime Minister Viktor Orban is set to meet with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu. Hungary has decided to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying it has become overly politicized, particularly with regard to its actions against Israel. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called the ICC a "political weapon" and accused it of bias and political interference.

 

 

Economic

• India's Coal Sector Production in FY 2024-25 - India's coal production  is projected to reach 1047.57 MT (Provisional) in FY 2024-25 as against 997.83 MT in FY 2023-24 , showing a growth of 4.99%. The country's coal imports declined by 7.9 percent to 243.6 million tonnes in the 2024-25 fiscal year, saving about $7.93 billion in foreign exchange. The Coal Ministry said that  the country's coal imports stood at 264.5 million tonnes in the 2023-24 fiscal year. As the fifth largest coal reserve and second largest consumer, coal remains important, contributing 55% to the national energy mix and over 74% to total electricity generation.      

• 90th Anniversary of Reserve Bank of India – The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)  celebrated 90 years of its existence at its headquarters in Mumbai on  April 1, 2025. President Draupadi Murmu attended the closing ceremony of the 90th Anniversary of the Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai on April 1, 2025. The current Governor of the Reserve Bank of India   is Sanjay Malhotra .

• 3rd SourceX India, 2025 – The third edition of SourceX India 2025 , organised by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, was inaugurated on March 26, 2025   in New Delhi. The event was officially inaugurated by Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Government of India. 

• 10th BRICS Policy Planning Dialogue, 2025 –  The 10th BRICS Policy Planning Dialogue was held on March 24-25, 2025 in Brasilia , the capital of  Brazil, with participation from policy planners from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, as well as senior representatives from the new BRICS member countries. Shri Raghuram S, Joint Secretary (Policy Planning and Research), Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation.

• World's largest milk producer - India is the world's largest milk producer  . The United States  is second  in milk production. India produced 239.2 million tonnes of milk in 2023-24, accounting for about 25% of global milk production. India produces 208,984,430 tonnes of milk every year. 

• World's most valuable steel maker –  JSW Steel , an Indian steel maker, has become the world's most valuable steel company by market capitalisation.

• India becomes the world's second largest tea exporter - India has overtaken Sri Lanka to become the world's second largest tea exporter, exporting 255 million kg of tea in 2024. While Kenya is at the first position. India's tea exports are expected to reach a 10-year high in 2024, registering a 10% growth compared to 2023.

• First-ever export of Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore - The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the first-ever export of Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore. The consignment of 1,024 cut flowers (70 kg) was sent via Kolkata. 

• Export of GI-tagged jaggery to Bangladesh –  30 metric tonnes of GI-tagged jaggery has been exported to Bangladesh from Muzaffarnagar , Uttar Pradesh.

• Hyperloop Project – India took a major step towards high-speed travel by   launching its first Hyperloop test track at IIT Madras . The Hyperloop is a magnetic capsule-shaped train that can travel at speeds of 1,000–1,300 kilometers per hour. It is considered the fifth mode of transportation. In India,   plans are underway to operate this train between Mumbai  and  Pune . An agreement has been reached with Virgin Hyperloop One, a leading company in hyperloop transportation technology. The electronics component technology for the Hyperloop project will be developed at  the Chennai -based Integral Coach Factory (ICF).

 

 

Scientist

• FRAM 2 Mission - Successfully launched  the FRAM 2 mission on March 31, 2025. The FRAM 2 mission was a private human spaceflight mission launched by SpaceX . FRAM2  was launched into polar orbit on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is named in reference to the Norwegian polar exploration ship Fram, which was the first to complete expeditions to both the North Pole and the South Pole between 1893 and 1912. It was the first manned mission to travel in polar orbit, where a spacecraft orbits the Earth over the North and South Poles. It is also the first manned spacecraft to fly directly over Earth's polar regions.

 The mission included four private astronauts  – Chun Wang, Jannike Mikkelsen, Rabia Rogay  and  Eric Phillips. The FRAM2 mission successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the Oceanside coast of California after spending more than four days in space  . Several scientific experiments were conducted during the mission, including human X-rays, mushroom cultivation, and studies of the effects of space flight on the human body. This mission involved private astronauts, who were less experienced than astronauts, but were able to perform scientific experiments.

• Exercise Iniokos, 2025 - Iniokos, 2025  is a biennial multinational air exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force of Greece  in which the Indian Air Force participated. The exercise was  conducted from 31 March 2025 to 11 April 2025 at Andravida Air Base, Greece.

• Exercise Tiger Triumph, 2025 - Tiger Triumph 2025 is a joint military exercise between India  and  the United States  , focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). The exercise  was conducted from 1 to 11 April 2025 in Kakinada , Andhra Pradesh.

• Gaia Space Mission –  Gaia was  a space observatory of the European Space Agency that was launched in December 2013. The spacecraft  was designed for astronomy with the aim of creating the most accurate, three-dimensional map of the Milky Way galaxy ever. The European Space Agency shuts down its space observatory mission, Gaia, on March 27, 2025.

• Blindsight Chip - "The Blindsight Chip is an experimental implant being developed by the company Neuralink. It aims to help people who have lost both their eyes and optic nerves see."  Elon Musk's Neuralink has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its blindsight chip.

• Successful flight test of VLSRSAM – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy   successfully flight tested the indigenously developed Vertical Launched Short-Range  Surface-to-Air  Missile (VLSRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur  off  the coast of Odisha. This flight test was conducted from a land-based vertical launcher against a high-speed aerial target at very close range and low altitude. Designed to enhance the close-in defense capabilities of naval warships, it targets high-speed aerial threats such as aircraft, drones and missiles at short ranges and low altitudes.

• Biometric Challenge – Biometric Challenge is a competition launched jointly by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and IIIT-Hyderabad. The objective of this challenge is to test age invariance in fingerprint algorithms to improve fingerprint authentication for children.

• LSAM 24 (Yard 134) – The Indian Navy inducted its 10th ammunition cum torpedo cum missile (ACTCM) barge, LSAM 24 (Yard 134) during a formal ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on April 22, 2025.

• Naval Exercise Varuna, 2025 – Naval Exercise Varuna 2025 is a bilateral naval exercise between India  and  France  , which was conducted from March 19 to 22, 2025 in the Arabian Sea. The ships and aircraft participating in the exercise are aircraft carriers INS Vikrant (India) and Charles de Gaulle (France). Fighter aircraft MiG-29K (India) and Rafale-M (France).

• Chandrayaan-5 – Chandrayaan-5 is an upcoming lunar mission jointly approved by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The mission, scheduled to launch before 2028, aims to explore the Moon's south pole using a 250-kilogram rover. This approval is in line with India's long-term goal of sending a human mission to the Moon by the year 2040. Apart from this, the government has also approved the plan to establish “Indian Space Station” by the year 2035. The chairman of ISRO  is V Narayanan. 

 

 

Awards/Honors

• 34th Saraswati Samman, 2024 - The 34th Saraswati Samman for the year 2024 has been given to Sanskrit scholar  Sadhu Bhadreshdas  for his book " Swaminarayan Siddhanta Sudha."   The book   is written in Sanskrit and was published in 2022. The award is given by the K.K. Birla Foundation and consists of Rs 15 lakh, a citation and a symbol. 

• Abel Prize, 2025 – The Abel Prize for the year 2025   was awarded to the famous Japanese mathematician Masaki Kashiwabara. He was awarded the prize for his fundamental contributions to algebraic analysis and representation theory, in particular for the development of the theory of D-modules and the discovery of crystal bases. Considered the Nobel Prize of Mathematics, this award is given for extraordinary achievements in the field of mathematics.

• Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, 2025 – Argentinian ecologist  Sandra Díaz  and Brazilian-American anthropologist  Eduardo Brondizio were awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, 2025. He  was selected for the award for his " commitment to understanding and addressing biodiversity loss and its impact on human society".

• Chameli Devi Jain Award, 2025 – In the year 2025, the Chameli Devi Jain Award, given for outstanding women media persons,  has been given to Jatinder Kaur Toor . Jatinder Kaur Toor  is a journalist with The Caravan  , who  received the award for her investigative journalism on human rights violations . This award  has been given to him for his report titled "Screams from the Army Post" . She became the first woman journalist from Punjab to receive this award .

 

 

Scheme/Project

• Chhattisgarh's first supercritical thermal power project - Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited's first supercritical thermal power project, costing over ₹15,800 crore. The project  will be part of the expansion plan of the Hasdeo Thermal Power Station (HTPS) located  in Korba district.    

• Morocco's "Water Highway" project - Morocco's "Water Highway" project is transporting excess water from  the Sebou River to the capital, Rabat  , and the industrial hub,  Casablanca  . This project has so far saved approximately 12 million people from water scarcity. 

• Kosi-Mechi Inter-State Link Project - The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Modi, has approved the inclusion of Bihar 's Kosi-Mechi Inter-State Link Project under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana - Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme . This will provide irrigation facilities to farmers in North Bihar. The estimated cost of this is Rs 6,282 crore, 32 lakh, which includes central assistance of Rs 3,652 crore, 56 lakh to Bihar.

The Kosi-Mechi Link Project will divert excess water from the Kosi River during floods to the Mechi River via the link. This will significantly aid in flood management. Due to this, additional irrigation facility will be available throughout the year in 2 lakh 10 thousand 516 hectares area in Araria, Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar, Khagaria, Madhepura and Katihar districts.

• Brownfield Patna-Ara-Sasaram Corridor – The Brownfield Patna-Ara-Sasaram Corridor is a 120 km long 4-lane road project in Bihar that will connect Patna to Ara and Sasaram. The project will be a mix of upgradation of 10.6 km of existing highways and a new greenfield section of 109.5 km. The project connects to national highways like  NH-19, NH-319, NH-922, NH-131G,  and  NH-120 , two airports  (Jayprakash Narayan International Airport, Patna and the proposed airport at Bihta),  four major railway stations  (Sasaram, Ara, Danapur, Patna), and an inland waterway terminal (Patna).

• India's largest solar cell factory inaugurated in Gujarat - Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Shri Prahlad Joshi,  inaugurated Warri Energy's state-of-the-art 5.4 GW solar cell gigafactory/manufacturing facility in Chikhli , Gujarat  . This is our first solar cell project with a capacity of 5.4 GW. The facility has the capacity to produce 20 solar cells per second.

• Rajiv Yuva Vikas Yojana –  Telangana  government has launched  Rajiv Yuva Vikas Yojana 2025 to provide assistance to unemployed youth in the state. Under this scheme, 500,000 eligible youth from SC, ST, BC, and minority communities will receive financial assistance to start their own small businesses.   Launched by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the scheme aims to promote self-employment. 

• Chief Minister's Good Governance Fellowship Scheme -  The Chief Minister's Good Governance Fellowship Scheme has been launched  in Chhattisgarh . Under this scheme, IIM Raipur will offer a two-year course in Public Policy and Governance. The objective of this programme is to enable young professionals to play an important role in good governance and policy making and implementation of the government.

• Pradhan Mantri Yuva Lekhak Mentorship Yojana (YUVA 3.0) Scheme – The Ministry of Education (MoE) and the National Book Trust (NBT) launched the third edition of the Pradhan Mantri Yuva Lekhak Mentorship Yojana, known as YUVA 3.0, on March 11, 2025. The initiative aims to encourage young writers under the age of 30, providing them guidance and opportunities to hone their creative writing skills. The themes of PM-YUVA 3.0 are: Contribution of Overseas Indians in Nation Building; Indian Knowledge Systems; and Makers of Modern India (1950-2025). The aim of this edition is to create a new generation of writers who can write on various aspects of India including its past, present and future. 

 

 

Operation/Campaign

• Chief Minister Women Entrepreneurship Campaign -  Assam  Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma  launched the "Chief Minister Women Entrepreneurship Campaign"  from Behali in  Biswanath district . This scheme will benefit 30 lakh women. Under the scheme  , women will be given an initial capital of ₹10,000 to promote self-employment opportunities. The second year will see an increase of ₹25,000 (a loan of ₹12,500 and an equal amount as government support) and ₹50,000 in the third phase. 

• Mount Everest and Mount Kanchenjunga Expeditions – On April 3, 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh  flagged off the Mount Everest (8,848 m) and Mount Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) expeditions of Indian Army and NCC mountaineers from New Delhi. The Indian Army's Mount Everest expedition , comprising 34 climbers, will follow the traditional South Col route and will be led by Lieutenant Colonel Manoj Joshi.

The joint India-Nepal expedition , which aims to summit Mount Kanchenjunga, will include 12 mountaineers from the Indian Army and six from the Nepali Army. It will be  led by Colonel Sarfaraz Singh of the Indian Army. Additionally, a joint NCC expedition to Mount Everest will be led by Colonel Amit Bisht. These teams aim to reach their respective summits by May 2025.

• Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan - Recently,  Madhya Pradesh  Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav   launched the "Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan" on the banks of the sacred Kshipra River in  Ujjain . This 90-day campaign will focus on cleaning water bodies, planting trees, and preserving water structures.

• Exercise Prachand Prahar, 2025 – Exercise “Prachand Prahar” was conducted in Arunachal Pradesh from 25 to 27 March 2025.    It was an integrated, tri-service exercise involving the Army, Air Force and Navy. Its aim was to coordinate with each other for multi-domain operational planning and countering a variety of threats.

• INDRA 2025 - Maritime Bilateral Exercise "INDRA 2025" is a bilateral naval exercise between the navies of India  and  Russia  which was conducted from 28 March to 2 April 2025. The exercise   was held in Chennai. 

 

 

Conferences/Festivals

• First Naval Commanders' Conference 2025 - The first Naval Commanders' Conference 2025   was held in Karwar, Karnataka on April 5, 2025. The second phase of this conference was held in New Delhi from April 7 to 10, 2025.   Defence  Minister Rajnath Singh  inaugurated the conference.

• Natural and Organic Farmers Summit, 2025 - The Natural and Organic Farmers Summit, 2025  was held in Shankarpalli, Telangana on April 4-5, 2025. Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, participated in it.

• First International Pension Research Conference, 2025 - The first International Research Conference on Pensions (IRCP) was held in New Delhi on April 3 and 4, 2025.   It was inaugurated by Shri Pankaj Chaudhary, Minister of State for Finance, Government of India at Bharat Mandapam. The event was organised by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA). 

The main objective of the conference was to discuss the need for an inclusive and robust pension system to ensure old age financial security in India. Minister of State for Finance, Shri Pankaj Chaudhary, said that "pensions for all" should be a national priority , as India's population is rapidly aging. By 2050, one in five Indians will be over 60 years of age.  

• 3rd India-Japan Space Dialogue, 2025 - The 3rd India-Japan Space Dialogue  was held in Tokyo on April 1, 2025.  The aim of this dialogue was to discuss various topics related to space exploration and cooperation.

• Army Commanders' Conference, 2025 - The Army Commanders' Conference, 2025 was held in New Delhi from April 1 to 4, 2025. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired it. The session also included a presentation on the 'Year of Reforms'  in the Indian Army.

• Techkriti 2025 –  Techkriti 2025, the 31st edition of Asia's largest technology and entrepreneurship festival,   was held at IIT Kanpur . Themed "Panta Ray,"  the festival is a hub where technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation intersect. 

• Ramayana Conclave, 2025 – Recently International Ramayana Conclave   was held in Sri Lanka.

•First International Workshop on Land Management, 2025 – The Ministry of Panchayati Raj  inaugurated  the first of its kind International Workshop on Land Management  at the Haryana Institute of Public Administration, Gurugram.  Organised under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs, the six-day workshop brought together over 40 senior officials from 22 countries in Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia to explore new ways to address global land management challenges.

• E-Sports Conclave, 2025 - Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Defence Minister Nikhil Khadse  inaugurated the E-Sports Conclave 2025 in New Delhi . The conference is dedicated to making India a leader in the digital sports revolution.

With the theme “Paving the Way for Global Leadership”  , the conference will explore ways to integrate eSports into Aatmanirbhar Bharat, thereby establishing India as a major player in the global gaming ecosystem. 

• National Conference on Environment, 2025 –  The President of India, Smt. Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the two-day National Conference on Environment-2025 in New Delhi on March 29, 2025.  It was organised by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

• National Conference of State Minority Commissions, 2025 - The National Conference of State Minority Commissions, 2025  was held in New Delhi  . Shri George Kurien, Minister of State for Minority Affairs inaugurated the conference as the Chief Guest. It was organized by the National Commission for Minorities. The Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities is Iqbal Singh Lalpura. The National Commission for Minorities organised a national conference focusing on education, inclusion and empowerment of minorities in India. 

 

 

Treaty/Agreement

• Agreement between Indian Navy and Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited – An agreement  has been signed between  Indian Navy and Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited for design and development of 6 MW medium speed marine diesel engine under Make-I category  in New Delhi. The ₹270 crore project will manufacture prototype diesel engines with over 50% indigenous content. These engines are to be used for both main propulsion and power generation on ships of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.

• MoU between Ministry of Rural Development and UNICEF Yuva – A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Ministry of Rural Development and UNICEF Yuva, aimed at empowering rural women and youth. Under this agreement, initiatives will be taken to create livelihood opportunities, skill development and strengthen digital infrastructure in rural areas.

• Agreement to Cooperate on Maritime Digitalisation and Decarbonisation – Singapore  and  India recently   signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate on maritime digitalisation and decarbonisation.

 

 

 

Celebrity (National)

• Poonam Gupta – Poonam Gupta   was appointed as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with effect from April 1, 2025. Dr. Gupta will replace Michael Debaprata Patra. She is currently serving as the Director General of the National Council for Applied Economics Research (NCAER).

• Salila Pandey – SBI Card has appointed Salila Pandey as its new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from April 1, 2025.

• Sivasubramanian Raman - Sivasubramanian Raman has been appointed as the new chairman of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). He will replace Deepak Mohanty. He was serving as Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General and Chief Technology Officer of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG). 

• Chiranjeevi - Indian Telugu cinema actor Chiranjeevi  has been honored with the British government  's  Lifetime Achievement Award , becoming the first Indian actor to achieve this distinction. Chiranjeevi was awarded the award for his contributions to cinema, public service, and philanthropy. He was presented with the award in the House of Commons of the British Parliament in London. The award was organised by a think tank called Bridge India.

Kamaladevi Aravindan - Renowned Indian-born Singaporean author Kamaladevi Aravindan  has been inducted into the Singapore Women  's  Hall of Fame for her writing. Aravindan is known for her writing in Tamil and Malayalam.

• Jai Bhattacharya - Indian-origin US Senator Jai Bhattacharya has been appointed as the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of America.

• B. Sumeeth Reddy – Indian badminton player B. Sumeeth Reddy has announced his retirement as an active badminton player to focus completely on coaching.

• Sanjay Singh - Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh has been elected as the Bureau Member of United World Wrestling (UWW)-Asia.

• Ajay Seth -  The central government has appointed senior IAS officer Ajay Seth as the country's new  Finance Secretary . He replaces Tuhin Kant Pandey in this position.

• Gopal Vittal - Bharti Airtel Vice Chairman and Managing Director Gopal Vittal has been appointed the new Chairman of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) Board of Directors. Gopal Vittal has become the second Indian after Sunil Bharti Mittal to be elected as the Chairman of the GSMA Board.

• Ayushmann Khurrana - Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced actor Ayushmann Khurrana as the ' Fit India Icon' at a ceremony in New Delhi . The actor has now joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Fit India' campaign, which aims to create awareness about health.

Rajiv Gauba - Former Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba  has been appointed as a full-time member  of  the NITI Aayog . He is a 1982 batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre. Rajiv Gauba  is the fifth  full-time member of NITI Aayog. Other full-time members include Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Prof. Ramesh Chand, Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul  , and Dr. Arvind Virmani .

• Vandana Kataria - Indian women's hockey team player Vandana Kataria officially announced her retirement from international hockey on April 1, 2025. Vandana Kataria is India's most capped female hockey player.

 

 

Celebrity (International)

• Cory Booker – Creating a new history in American politics, Democratic Senator Cory Booker broke a 68-year-old record by giving a speech for more than 25 hours. This record was previously held by former South Carolina Senator Storm Thurmond. In 1957, Storm Thurmond spoke for nearly 24 hours in protest of civil rights legislation. For the next 25 hours, Booker spoke in opposition to President Donald Trump's actions, becoming the longest Senate speech in American history.  He comes from a Black family.

• Steve Waugh – Former Australian cricketer Steve Waugh has been appointed to the Australia-India Relations Advisory Board by the Australian Government.

• Shirley Botchwey –  Ghana 's Shirley Botchwey takes over as the new 7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth  on 1 April 2025.  She becomes the first woman from Africa to hold the position.

• Mohsin Naqvi – Mohsin Naqvi  took over as the new President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on April 3, 2025.  His term will last for 2 years. Naqvi has been serving as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) since February 2024. He is also currently the Interior Minister of Pakistan. He has replaced Shammi Silva, who is the President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

 

 

demise

• Manoj Kumar - Renowned actor and director Manoj Kumar died on April 4, 2025, in Mumbai. He was 87 years old. He was born in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 1937. His real name was Harikishan Goswami. He gave classic films such as Upkaar, Purab Aur Paschim, and Kranti. For his contributions to Indian art, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1992. He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015.

• George Foreman – Recently, one of the world's greatest heavyweight boxers, George Foreman (USA), died at the age of 76. He was known as 'Big George'.

 

 

Year/Day/Week

•1 April - Odisha Day

3 April - Hindi Theatre Day

•5 April – 62nd National Maritime Day (  Theme for 2025  is  'Prosperous Oceans – Developed India and Youth for Blue Earth and Green Growth' )

•April 6 – International Day of Sport for Development and Peace   (2025  theme “Leveling the playing field, taking everyone along” )

•7 April – World Health Day (2025  theme “Healthy Start, Hopeful Future” ) 

•10 April – World Homeopathy Day

•17 April – World Haemophilia Day

•21 April –   Civil Services Day

•22 April – World Earth Day

•23 April – World Book and Copyright Day

•24 April – National Panchayati Raj Day

•25 April – World Malaria Day

•26 April – World Intellectual Property Day

•28 April – World Day for Safety and Health at Work

 

 

Game

Cricket

• TATA Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 - The TATA Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 was held in India. The tournament was played across four venues:  Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mumbai  , and  Vadodara  . This was the third edition of the TATA Women's Premier League (WPL). It is a women's franchise T20 cricket league organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Five franchise teams participated in it: Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and UP Warriors.

The final   was played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai . The Mumbai Indians  defeated the Delhi Capitals by 8 runs to win the title for the second time. The Mumbai Indians had previously won the inaugural edition in 2023. Harmanpreet Kaur of Mumbai Indians  was named  Player of the Match in the 2025 final  . Nat Sciver-Brunt  of Mumbai Indians   was named Player of the Series . 

 

Football

• Host countries for the FIFA Women's Football World Cup, 2031 and 2035 - FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said that  the United States  and  the United Kingdom  will be awarded the hosting rights for the Women's World Cup in 2031  and  2035  respectively. Infantino explained that the joint bid from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was the only "valid bid" for the 2035 tournament, with the United States also submitting the only bid for the 2031 edition. Britain has never hosted the Women's World Cup. Brazil  will host the tournament in 2027 , with 32 teams participating. 

 

 

Hockey

• Hero Asia Cup Hockey, 2025 –  Rajgir  in  Bihar  will host the Hero Asia Cup Hockey 2025. The tournament will be held from August 29 to September 7 at the recently developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium. The 12th edition of the Hero Asia Cup 2025 will feature eight teams, including India, Pakistan, Japan, Korea, China, and Malaysia. The remaining two teams will secure their spots through a qualifying tournament, the AHF Cup.

• National Women's Hockey League, 2024-2025 (Final Stage) - National Women's Hockey League, 2024-2025 (Final Stage) scheduled to be held from 18 - 28 March, 2025 at Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf,  Ranchi (Jharkhand). In the final match of the final stage, Hockey Haryana defeated Hockey Association of Odisha 3-2 to win the title.

• 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship, 2025 – The 15th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship, 2025   was held in Panchkula, Haryana . In the final, Hockey  Jharkhand  won the title by defeating Hockey Haryana 4-3 in a shootout. In the third place match, Hockey Mizoram defeated Hockey Maharashtra 2-1 to win the bronze medal.

 

 

Lawn Tennis

• Miami Open, 2025 – Tennis tournament Miami Open, 2025  was held in Florida , United States.

Men's Singles Winner -  Jakub Mencic (Czech Republic) . Runner-up - Novak Djokovic (Serbia).  

Women's Singles Winner : Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) . Runner-up: Jessica Pegula (United States). 

Men's Doubles Winners- Marcelo Arévalo (El Salvador) and Mate Pavic (Croatia)

Women's doubles winners – Mira Andreeva and Diana Shnyder (both Russia). 

Jakub Mensik is the youngest player to win this title.

• BNP Paribas Open 2025 -  The 2025 BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament was held in Indian Wells, California ,  United States  . It is also known as the 2025 Indian Wells Open.

Men's Singles winner -  Jack Draper (Great Britain) 

Women's Singles winner –  Mira Andreeva (Russia) 

Men's Doubles Winners- Marcelo Arevalo (El Salvador) and Mate Pavic (Croatia)

Women's Doubles Winners – Asia Muhammad (United States) and Demi Schuurs (Netherlands). 

 

 

Badminton

• Yonex Swiss Open, 2025 – The Yonex Swiss Open, 2025 is a badminton tournament of the BWF World Tour, 2025   held in Basel, Switzerland.

Men's Singles Winner - Weng Hong Yang (China) . Runner-up- Christo Popov (France). 

Women's Singles Winner – Chen Yu Fei (China) . Runner-up – Line Højmark Kjaersfeld (Denmark). 

Men's Doubles Winners- Kittinupong Kedren and Dechapol Puavaranukroh (both Thailand). 

Women's Doubles winners – Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shuxian (both China).

Mixed Doubles Winners – Feng Yan Zhe and Wei Ya Xin (both China).

• Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships, 2025 – Badminton event Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships, 2025  held in Birmingham , England.

Men's Singles Winner -  Shi Yu Qi (China) . Runner-up - Lee Chia-Hao (Taiwan).

Women's Singles Winner -  Ahn Se Young (South Korea) . Runner-up-Wang Xie Yi (China)

Men's Doubles Winners – Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae (both South Korea)

Women's Doubles Winners – Namie Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida (both Japan)

Mixed Doubles Winner – Guo Xin Wa and Chen Feng Hui (both China)

 

Golf

• Adani Invitational Golf Championship, 2025 - The Adani Invitational Golf Championship, 2025 was held in Greater Noida from April 1-4, 2025.  Indian golfer Saptak Talwar  won  the title  .

• Hero Indian Open 2025 - The 2025 Hero Indian Open, a golf tournament of the DP World Tour,  was held in New Delhi , India. Spanish golfer Eugenio Chacarra  won the title.

• The Players Championship 2025 - The 2025 PGA Tour season golf tournament, The Players Championship,  was held in Florida , United States. Rory McIlroy, a leading professional golfer from Northern Ireland  , won the title  .

 

Athletics

• 20th World Athletics Indoor Championships, 2025 – 20th World Athletics Indoor Championships, 2025  held in Nanjing, China. No athlete from India participated in the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships. The United States topped  the medal table with a total of 6 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze medals .   Norway finished  second with 3 gold, and  Ethiopia  third with 2 gold and 3 silver.

 

chess

• National Rapid and Blitz Championship, 2024-25 – National Rapid and Blitz Championship, 2024-25  to be held in Ranchi , Jharkhand. Iniyan Panneerselvam  won  the title in  the Rapid category . Mitrabh Guha  won  the title in  the Blitz category.

• FIDE World School Chess Championship, 2025 –   FIDE World School Chess Championship, 2025 held in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia. 7-year-old Pragnika Vaka Lakshmi  of  India  won the gold medal in the girls' under-7 category of the FIDE World School Chess Championship, 2025. 

India's  Om Ash Gottumukula won  the silver  medal in the boys' under-7 category. India's  Divi, Bijesh  won  the silver  medal in the girls' under-11 category. Kazakhstan was the most successful nation, winning four gold, three silver and one bronze medals in twelve tournaments across six age categories.

• 18th Tashkent Open “Agzamov Memorial”, 2025 – Chess tournament 18th Tashkent Open “Agzamov Memorial”, 2025  held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin won the tournament   , with Uzbek chess player  Shamsiddin Vokhidov  finishing second.

 

 

Kabaddi

• Kabaddi World Cup 2025 - The 2025 Kabaddi World Cup was held in the West Midlands,  England  . The tournament featured both men's and women's competitions. India  won both the men's and women's Kabaddi World Cup titles. The Indian men's team won the title, defeating England 44–41 in the final. The Indian women's team also won the title, defeating England 57–34 in the final.

 

 

Wrestling

•Senior Asian Wrestling Championships, 2025 - The Senior Asian Wrestling Championships, 2025  was held in Amman, Jordan  . It was the 21st edition of the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships. Iran topped the medal  standings  with a total of 17 medals (9 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze). Japan finished second  with a total of 21 medals (8 gold, 2 silver, and 11 bronze). North Korea finished third with  13 medals, including four gold .

India  finished eighth  with a total of 10 medals (1 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze). In the women's freestyle event,  India's  Manisha Bhanwala  won the only gold medal in  the women's  62 kg  weight category. Deepak Punia  and  Udit Kumar  won silver medals in the 92 kg and  61 kg  weight categories  of  the men's freestyle event  respectively. Ritika Hooda  won  the silver  medal in the 76 kg  category  of the women's freestyle  event. Dinesh Goliya  won  the bronze  medal  in  the 125 kg weight category  of  the men's freestyle event . In  the women's freestyle event, Ananthi Panghal (  53 kg ),  Muskan  ( women's 59 kg) and  Mansi Lather ( women's 68 kg)  won  bronze  medals.Nitesh  ( 97kg ) and  Sunil Kumar  ( 87kg ) also  won bronze  medals  in  the Greco-Roman event .

 

 

Formula One

• Chinese Grand Prix 2025 - The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, the second race of the Formula One World Championship, took place at the Shanghai International Circuit in China. The Formula One race was won by McLaren-Mercedes driver  Oscar Piastri (Australia) .

• Australian Grand Prix 2025 - The 2025 Australian Grand Prix, the first car race of the Formula One World Championship,  was held in Melbourne . It was officially known as the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix 2025. McLaren-Mercedes driver Lando Norris (UK) won  the race. 

 

 

squash

• JSW Indian Open, 2025 – Squash tournament JSW Indian Open, 2025  held in Mumbai , India. Karim El Torky  of  Egypt  won the title by defeating Abhay Singh of Indiain the  men's singles final. In the  women's singles final, India  's  Anahat Singh  defeated Helen Tang of Hong Kong to win the title.

• SRFI Indian Tour, 2025 – The squash competition of PSA Challenger Tour, 2025 SRFI Indian Tour, 2025  was held in Chennai , Tamil Nadu. The men's title  of this event was won by Veer Chotrani  of India  , who defeated Melvil Sciamnemanico of France. The women  's title  was won by Anahat Singh  of  India  , who defeated Akanksha Salunkhe of India in the final.

 

 

Sports Miscellaneous

• 57th Senior National Kho-Kho Championship (Men & Women), 2025 – 31 March to 4 April 2025 57th Senior National Kho-Kho Championship (Men & Women), 2025  held in Puri, Odisha. Railways won the title in the men's category  of the 57th Senior National Kho-Kho Championship   by defeating defending champions Maharashtra in the final. In  the women's category, Maharashtra  won the title by defeating Odisha in the final.

• Ezelhof CSI Lear Equestrian Competition, 2025 –  Young Indian equestrian  Niharika Singhania  won first place at the Ezelhof CSI Lear Equestrian Competition held in Belgium on April 1, 2025. Niharika is the daughter of industrialist and Raymond CMD Gautam Singhania.

• Khelo India Para Games, 2025 - The Khelo India Para Games 2025  were held in New Delhi from March 20 to 27.  This was the second edition of the Khelo India Para Games. These games included six sports namely Para Archery, Para Athletics, Para Badminton, Para Table Tennis, Para Powerlifting and Para Shooting. Khelo India Para Games aims to provide a platform to differently-abled athletes to showcase their talent.

The official mascot for the second edition of the Khelo India Para Games  was  named  "Ujjwala" (inspired by the house sparrow, symbolizing the determination and fighting spirit of para-athletes).  The lyrics of the anthem are - "Khelega Khelega Mera India, Jeetega Jeetega Mera India".

Haryana topped   the table by winning a total of 104 medals (34 gold, 39 silver and 31 bronze). Tamil Nadu   finished second in  the medal tally by winning a total of 74 medals (28 gold, 19 silver and 27 bronze). Uttar Pradesh   won a total of 64 medals (23 gold, 21 silver and 20 bronze) and   secured third place in the medal tally. Rajasthan won a total of 64 medals (22 gold, 18 silver and 24 bronze) and   secured fourth place in the medal tally.  

• Khelo India Winter Games, 2025 – The fifth edition of Khelo India Winter Games 2025  was held in Leh (Ladakh) and  Gulmarg (Jammu Kashmir). It was conducted in two phases: the first phase was from January 23-27 in Ladakh, while the second phase began in Jammu and Kashmir on March 9 and concluded on March 12.

The first stage  featured  ice hockey  and  ice skating competitions.  The  second stage featured four major winter sports:  alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, and snowboarding . Indian Army  was declared the winner of Khelo India Winter Games, 2025.

top performance:

Indian Army – 18 medals (7 gold, 5 silver, 6 bronze)

Himachal Pradesh - 18 medals (6 gold, 5 silver, 7 bronze)

Ladakh (UT) – 7 medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)

Maharashtra - 13 medals (3 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze)

• ISTAF Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 -  The ISTAF Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 was held at the Patliputra Indoor Stadium  in Patna, Bihar. This was the fifth edition of the ISTAF World Cup. Teams from 20 countries participated. It was held in Bihar for the first time. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had unveiled the logo and mascot of this World Cup.

The mascot for this World Cup  was  " Bheem ," a symbol of Bihar's strength and pride.  The logo  reflects Bihar's culture, sporting spirit, and future energy.

India  won  a total of 7 medals in this.

India  defeated Japan   in the final of  the men's regu event to win the gold  medal.

India  has   won the bronze medal  in  the women's regu event .

Thailand  defeated Vietnam to  win the gold  medal in  the women's category of regu .

India  and  Myanmar  won  the bronze  medal in  the men's quad event .

Thailand won the gold  medal   in  the men's quad event  while  Vietnam  won the silver  medal  .

India  and  Malaysia also won bronze medals in   the  men  's quad doubles event .

Thailand won the gold medal in the men's quad doubles event  while Myanmar won the silver medal.

India  and  Malaysia  have   won bronze medals  in  the women's quad event .

Vietnam won the gold  medal  in  the women's quad event  while Thailand won the silver medal.

 Japan and Iran have won the bronze medal in the women's quad doubles event .

Myanmar won the gold  medal   in  the women's quad doubles event  while  India  won the silver medal.

 India and Vietnam have won bronze medals in the mixed event .

Thailand won the gold medal in the mixed event while Myanmar won the silver medal.

• FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup, 2025 – FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup, 2025   held in Antalya, Türkiye . In this, Indian gymnast  Pranati Nayak won   the bronze medal  in  the women  's  vault event . The gold medal  in  the women  's  vault event was won by Jayla Hang  of the United States,   while the silver medal was won by Claire Pease of the United States.

 

 

                                                                                                           Important facts for upcoming exams

• Warangal Chapatti chilli was granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag. 

•  Kumbakonam Vetrilai (betel leaf) and  Thovalai Manikka Mala  (flower garland) from Tamil Nadu were given GI tag.

• Delhi has become the 28th Assembly to be connected to the National e-Vidhan App (NeVA) .      

• The Punjab Assembly has launched a search engine to make its debates and proceedings searchable. It is the first assembly in India to launch such a project. 

• Kerala is the first state in the country to pass a law to establish a Senior Citizens Commission. 

•37th Kathak Festival, 2025  held in New Delhi .

•The first temple dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has been built in Maharashtra. This temple   is located in  Bhiwandi , Thane district  . 

•The 6th BIMSTEC Summit   was held in Bangkok , Thailand in 2025. Theme: "Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC" .

•India   launched Operation Brahma  to provide search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief following the devastating earthquake in  Myanmar .

According to the Hurun Global Rich List 2025,  Elon Musk  (USA) is the world's richest person. Walmart heiress Alice Walton (USA) is the world's richest woman.  Mukesh Ambani is India's richest person and remains Asia's richest person. The United States has the highest number of billionaires in the world, with 870.   

• The government of Papua New Guinea has temporarily banned  Facebook . 

• Hungary  announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

• India  is the country producing the most milk in the world  . 

• India  has overtaken Sri Lanka to become the world's second largest tea exporter.  Kenya  is in first place.

• Anthurium flowers were exported from Mizoram to Singapore  for the first time.

• Exercise Tiger Triumph, 2025  is a joint military exercise between India and the United States,   held in Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh).

• Varuna 2025 is a bilateral naval exercise between India and France, conducted in the Arabian Sea. 

• Chandrayaan-5  is an upcoming lunar mission by India and Japan. It will study lunar volatiles, including lunar water, in the vicinity of the permanently shadowed region at the Moon's south pole.

•Indian Telugu cinema actor  Chiranjeevi  has been honoured with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the British government. 

•Indian-origin Singapore-based writer  Kamaladevi Aravindan  has been inducted into  the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame  for her writing  .

• Ajay Seth  has been appointed the new Finance Secretary of the country.

• Shirley Botchwey of Ghana  took office as the new 7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations. She became the first woman from Africa to hold the position.

• Mohsin Naqvi became the new President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

•The 34th Saraswati Samman for the year 2024  has been given to Sadhu Bhadreshdas  for his book "Swaminarayan Siddhanta Sudha"  written in Sanskrit  . 

•The Abel Prize for the year 2025   was awarded to the famous Japanese mathematician Masaki Kashiwabara .

•Waari Energies  inaugurated India's largest solar cell manufacturing unit with a capacity of 5.4 GW at Chikhli in  South Gujarat , which can produce 20 solar cells per second.   

•Exercise Prachanda Prahar, 2025   was conducted in Arunachal Pradesh . 

• "Indra 2025" is a bilateral naval exercise between the navies of India and Russia   held in Chennai . 

•Natural and Organic Farmers Summit, 2025  held at Shankarpally , Telangana.

•First International Research Conference on Pensions, 2025  held in New Delhi .

•Army Commanders' Conference, 2025   held in New Delhi .

•International Ramayana Conclave, 2025   held in Sri Lanka .

•The Ministry of Panchayati Raj  inaugurated  the first International Workshop on Land Management in Gurugram  (Haryana) .  

•National Conference of State Minority Commissions, 2025   held in New Delhi .

•The United States and the United Kingdom   will be awarded the hosting rights of the FIFA Women's Football World Cup in 2031  and  2035 respectively.

•Hero Asia Cup Hockey, 2025   will be held in Rajgir , Bihar.

• Tennis tournament BNP Paribas Open, 2025 – Men's singles winner  Jack Draper  (Great Britain). Women's singles winner  Mira Andreeva  (Russia).

•Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships, 2025- Men's Singles Winner-  Shi Yu Qi  (China). Women's Singles Winner-  An Se Young (South Korea). 

•20th World Athletics Indoor Championships, 2025  held in Nanjing  , China.  The United States  topped the medal table. 

•The 2025 Kabaddi World Cup was held  in the West Midlands  , England. India won both the men's and women's Kabaddi World Cup titles.

•Senior Asian Wrestling Championships, 2025  held in Amman  (Jordan). Iran topped the medal tally.

•57th Senior National Kho-Kho Championship (Men and Women), 2025 –   Held in  Puri , Odisha. Railways  won the men's title.  Maharashtra  won the women's title.

•India's Niharika Singhania , daughter of Raymond CMD Gautam Singhania,   won the first place in the Ezelhof CSI Lier Equestrian Competition, 2025 held in Belgium.

•The Khelo India Para Games 2025  were held in  New Delhi . The mascot was "Ujjwala" (inspired by the house sparrow, symbolizing the determination and fighting spirit of para-athletes).  Haryana  topped the medal tally.

•Khelo India Winter Games, 2025   held in  Leh (Ladakh) and Gulmarg (Jammu Kashmir). Indian Army declared winner of Khelo India Winter Games, 2025.

•ISTAF Sepak Takraw World Cup, 2025   held in  Patna (Bihar). Mascot- 'Bheem'  .