NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. 28 blocks awarded under OALP Round-IX to help India reach untapped energy potential: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has awarded 28 blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy Bid Round Nine with an area of over 1 lakh 36 thousand square kilometres.This will help India reach its untapped energy potential and reduce import dependency.
2. Telangana Government Launches Bhu Bharati Portal for Land Record Management: The Telangana government has launched the Bhu Bharati portal to make land record management simple, transparent, and accessible to the public.The portal was launched by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on the occasion of the 135th birth anniversary of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar.The portal replaces the Dharani portal, which was introduced by the previous BRS government led by K. Chandrashekhar Rao.The previous BRS government had launched the Dharani portal on November 2, 2020, as an integrated platform for agricultural land registration and mutations.
3. Cashfree Payments appoints Piyush Anchliya as CFO: Payments company Cashfree Payments has appointed Piyush Anchliya as its chief financial officer.In his new role, Anchliya will be responsible for driving financial strategy, optimising operations, and supporting the company’s next phase of strategic growth, according to a statement issued by the firm.Founded in 2015 by Akash Sinha and Reeju Datta, Cashfree operates a full-stack digital payments solutions platform that helps businesses collect online payments and make payouts.The startup recently piloted cross-border payments in partnership with platforms like Swiggy, Zepto, Nykaa, BookMyShow, and Vedantu to enable overseas customers to transact in India using UPI.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Shivraj Singh Chouhan to attend 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers Meeting at Brasilia, Brazil: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is leading the Indian delegation to the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), scheduled to be held on 17th April, 2025 in Brasilia, Brazil.The theme of 15th BRICS AMM is “Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Agriculture through Cooperation, Innovation, and Equitable Trade among BRICS Countries”.Agriculture Ministers and senior officials from BRICS member countries, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran are expected.
2. 15 April – World Art Day: World Art Day is celebrated every year on April 15 to promote awareness about creative expression and to highlight the importance of art and artists in society.Theme 2025 – Art for Unity and TransformationThe date April 15 marks the birth anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci (born in 1452), who is widely considered a symbol of creativity, freedom of expression, and innovation.The day was proclaimed by the International Association of Art (IAA) and first celebrated in 2012. Since then, it has grown into a global event involving museums, schools, artists, and art institutions around the world.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Mirabai Chanu named chairperson of IWLF Athletes’ Commission: Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sathish Kumar have been elected chairperson and vice-chairperson, respectively, of the Athletes’ Commission of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). Their term will last four years.Mirabai is one of India’s most decorated weightlifters, holding multiple national records and historic milestones to her name. Her personal best in the total lift is 205kg — 86kg in snatch and 119kg in clean and jerk — which also stands as the national record.Sathish had clinched a gold medal in weightlifting at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Competing in the men’s 77kg category, he lifted a total of 317kg — 144kg in snatch and 173kg in clean and jerk. This marked his second consecutive Commonwealth Games gold, having won the title earlier in Glasgow in 2014.
2. Dubai named host city for 2025 Asian Youth Para Games: Dubai has been named the host city for the 5th Asian Youth Para Games, to be held from December 7–14, 2025, after Tashkent withdrew as the original host.This is Dubai’s second time hosting the event, having first organized it in 2017.An estimated 1350 athletes from 30–40 countries will participate across 10 para-sports, making it the largest edition of the Games in terms of athlete and country participation.The Dubai Club for People of Determination will host 6 out of the 10 sports, continuing the city’s strong record in organizing major para-sport events like the FAZZA Championships.
3. Dhoni becomes first keeper to complete 200 dismissals in IPL history: Chennai Super Kings captain M.S. Dhoni added another feather to his cap in his illustrious career by becoming the first player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to complete 200 fielding dismissals. Dhoni achieved the feat during the Chennai Super Kings encounter against Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.Former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik occupies the second spot with 182 dismissals under his belt. Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon AB de Villiers sits in the third spot with 126 dismissals to his name.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Safety Protocols in Human Spaceflight Missions: Safety begins on the launchpad. Historical tragedies, like the Apollo-1 fire in 1967, have prompted the implementation of emergency measures. ISRO has equipped its launch pad with ziplines and fireproof lifts. During the launch, an emergency exit device is crucial. The human-rated launch vehicle includes a tower-like structure that allows the crew module to detach quickly in emergencies. The Crew Escape System is vital. It has two motors – the Low-altitude Escape Motor (LEM) and the High-altitude Escape Motor (HEM). These motors activate based on altitude during emergencies. In a pad abort, both motors work together to ensure rapid evacuation. Historical examples, such as the Soyuz T-10 incident and Blue Origin’s NS-23 mission, demonstrate the effectiveness of these systems.
2. WHO Guidelines on Meningitis Diagnosis and Treatment: Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by various pathogens, including bacteria and viruses. Bacterial meningitis is the most severe form. It can lead to death within 24 hours if untreated. The WHO reported approximately 2.5 million cases globally in 2019, with 1.6 million being bacterial cases. This resulted in around 240,000 deaths.Meningitis has deep health, social, and economic implications. About 20% of bacterial meningitis survivors experience long-term complications. These can affect their quality of life. The disease disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries. The ‘meningitis belt’ in sub-Saharan Africa is particularly vulnerable to epidemics.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. PNB launches 34 new products on its 131st foundation day: State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched 34 new products, including 12 customer-centric deposit schemes and 10 digital transformation products.These innovative products were launched on the occasion of its 131st foundation day in the presence of Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju.Among the deposit products rolled out are schemes for salaried professionals, women, defence personnel, farmers, NRIs, senior citizens, pensioners, students and youth.PNB came into existence on April 12, 1895, as part of the Swedesi movement with its first branch in Lahore, now in Pakistan. A maiden dividend of 4 percent was declared after only 7 months of operation.Great freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai was the first to open an account with the bank.
2. India’s retail inflation eases to 3.34% in March: India’s retail inflation further eased to 34 per cent in March from a seven-month low of 3.61 per cent in February.This is the lowest year-on-year inflation reading since August 2019, according to the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation said.Food inflation, measured by the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI), fell to 2.69 per cent in March from 3.75 per cent in February– the lowest level since November 2021. Prices of vegetables, eggs, pulses, meat and fish, cereals, and milk products contributed most to the decline.The Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation remains comfortably within the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) medium-term target of 4 per cent and well inside the 2-6 per cent tolerance band.
3. India’s wholesale inflation eases to 2.05% in March on food, fuel prices: India’s wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation in March eased to 2.05 per cent from 2.38 per cent in February, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.The marginal decline in inflation was driven by falling prices in food and fuel & power segments, even as prices of manufactured products continued to edge up.WPI is used to measure the average changes in the prices of goods sold in bulk at the wholesale level, reflecting the supply and demand in industries like manufacturing and construction.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Shreyas Iyer bags the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for March 2025: The International Cricket Council (ICC) declared India batter Shreyas Iyer and young Australian batter Georgia Voll as ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for March 2025, respectively.Both wins extend Player of the Month winning streaks for their respective countries. Iyer makes it successive honours for India following Shubman Gill’s win in February, and Voll becomes the fourth consecutive Australian female to be named the Women’s Player of the Month.This is Iyer’s second ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after leading India’s run charts and playing a key role in their historic ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 triumph.Voll meanwhile celebrates her first ever ICC Women’s Player of the Month award, securing the accolade after explosive batting exploits in Australia’s victorious T20I sweep of New Zealand
2. Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair: Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair was born in 1857 in Mankara village, Kerala. He graduated with a law degree from Presidency College, Madras. Nair began his legal career under Sir Horatio Shepherd, who later became the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. His early experiences shaped his dedication to justice.Nair’s legal career flourished as he became a public prosecutor in 1899 and later a judge of the Madras High Court in 1908. In 1912, he was knighted by the British Crown. Nair served on the Viceroy’s Executive Council, focusing on education reforms. However, he resigned in 1919 in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
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