Current Affairs 15 July 2025

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 15 July 2025, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2025 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Inaugurates North-East Conclave 2025 in ShillongOn 11th July 2025, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs(MoCA) inaugurated the ‘North-East (NE) Conclave 2025’ at the campus of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong in Meghalaya.

• The event was attended by the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K. Sangma, Smt. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, Secretary, MoCA; Donald Phillips Wahlang, Chief Secretary(CS), Government of Meghalaya; Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General(DG) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), IICA and other eminent dignitaries.

Key Highlights:
i.The two-day flagship event, organized by the IICA under the MoCA, was held under the theme “From Ideation to Incorporation,” with the objective of strengthening the startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem across the NE region.
ii.During the event Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone for the 1st regional campus of the IICA at Umsawli, Shillong.
iii.To enhance regional cooperation, the IICA signed 7 strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with key institutions.
>>Read Full News

MoHI Launched India’s First Incentive Scheme for Electric Trucks under PM E-DRIVE In July 2025, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MoHI), Government of India (GoI), led by Union Minister Haradanahalli Devegowda (H.D.) Kumaraswamy, MoHI, Ministry of Steel (MoS), launched India’s first-ever demand incentive scheme for electric trucks (e-trucks) under the PM E-DRIVE (Electric Deployment and Renewable Integration for Vehicles & Environment) initiative.

• The initiative aims to reduce emissions from freight transport and fast-track the adoption of e-trucks in high-impact sectors such as ports, logistics, cement, and steel.

Key Details of Incentive Scheme for Electric Trucks:
i.Financial Incentives:Out of the Rs.10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE budget, the Government of India(GoI)has earmarked Rs.500 crore specifically to support electric trucks.

• A maximum incentive of Rs 9.6 lakh per e-truck will be offered, depending on the truck’s Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW).

ii.Vehicle Categories: The scheme provides demand incentives for N2 and N3 category e-trucks, classified as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR):
iii.Deployment Target: Out of the total 5,600 electric trucks to be supported under the scheme, 1,100 have been specially allocated for Delhi, backed by a Rs.100 crore provision to combat the city’s severe air pollution and promote cleaner freight transport.
>>Read Full News

DoT Launches ‘Sanchar Mitra Scheme’ Nationwide to Empower Youth as Digital AmbassadorsIn July 2025, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, launched the nationwide ‘Sanchar Mitra Scheme’ to engage student volunteers as “Digital Ambassadors(Sanchar Mitras)” promoting telecom awareness and digital literacy.

• The first outreach session under the scheme was conducted at BSNL Bhawan, Guwahati (Assam), and was hosted by the Assam Licensed Service Area (LSA), the field unit of the DoT. The session was chaired by Sunita Chandra, Advisor, Office of the Director General (DG) of DoT.
• The event witnessed the participation of representatives from 18 engineering institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), and National Institute of Technology (NIT).

About Sanchar Mitra Scheme:
i.Aim: To bridge the gap between citizens and India’s telecom ecosystem through youth participation.
ii.Sanchar Mitras:Under this initiative, student volunteers, designated as Sanchar Mitras, will spread awareness on digital safety, cyber fraud prevention, Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation, and responsible mobile usage.
iii.3 core pillars: Connect, Educate, and Innovate, promoting secure, responsible, and inclusive telecom usage.
iv.Training & Curriculum:

• Participating academic institutions will nominate students from relevant fields such as telecom, electronics, computer science, and cybersecurity, in consultation with LSAs.
• These students will undergo structured training programs conducted by experts from the National Communications Academy–Technology (NCA-T) and the DoT’s Media Wing.
• Training topics include 5G and 6G technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity.

v.Opportunities:Top-performing Sanchar Mitras will be eligible for internship opportunities, participate in national telecom projects, and gain exposure at platforms like India Mobile Congress and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) forums.
vi.Status: Initially introduced as a pilot in select institutions, the scheme has now been scaled up for nationwide implementation across India.
About Ministry of Communications:
Union Minister – Jyotiraditaya M. Scindia (Constituency- Guna, Madhya Pradesh, MP)
Minister of State (MoS) – Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani (Constituency- Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, AP)

Union MoS Pankaj Chaudhary Inaugurates Trade Facilitation Conference 2025 in New Delhi
In July 2025, Union Minister of State (MoS) Pankaj Chaudhary, Ministry of Finance (MoF) inaugurated the Trade Facilitation Conference 2025 at the C. Subramaniam Auditorium, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), Pusa Campus, New Delhi (Delhi).

• The conference was themed “Scientific Excellence for Seamless Trade” and was organised by the Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL) under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
• The event included the presence of Vivek Ranjan, Member (Tax Policy & Legal), CBIC, and Surjit Bhujabal, Member (Customs), CBIC.

i.The conference aimed to boost India’s trade ecosystem by reducing testing time, modernising laboratory infrastructure, and expanding Research & Development (R&D) and lab networks.
ii.It also focused on improving training, building human resource capacity, and fostering collaboration through a core stakeholder group.
iii.The event featured the release of a documentary titled “Science at the Border: The Story of Indian Customs Laboratories”, showcasing the journey of CRCL since its founding in 1912, along with the launch of the CRCL Coffee Table Book and Brochure.
iv.It also included the screening of a video on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for sampling petroleum liquids.

UAE-India CEPA Council Launches Start-up Series to Accelerate Cross-Border Innovation
In July 2025, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) Council (UICC), in partnership with the Embassy of the UAE in India, hosted an exclusive “Start-up Sundowner” event at the St Regis Mumbai in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• The event marked the launch of the UAE-India CEPA Start-up Series, a platform designed to accelerate cross-border growth, market access, and innovation-led collaboration between Indian start-ups and the UAE ecosystem.

i.During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between UICC and Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), the technology incubator of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) in Mumbai.

• The partnership will identify high-potential start-ups from SINE’s ecosystem for the Start-up Series.

ii.As part of the Start-up Series, a flagship pitch event is scheduled to be held in New Delhi (Delhi), where selected ventures will receive UAE soft-landing support, including incubation, licensing, mentorship, and investor exposure.
Note: In Financial Year 2023–24 (FY24), bilateral trade between India and the UAE reached USD 83.64 billion, recording a 15% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) increase since CEPA came into effect in May 2022.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

WHO Unveils First AI-Traditional Medicine Roadmap; Recognises India’s Global Leadership in AYUSH IntegrationIn July 2025, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a technical brief titled “Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine“, recognising India’s leadership in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) with traditional medicine, especially within the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy)system.

• Building on India’s proposal, the WHO unveiled its first-ever roadmap for integrating AI into traditional medicine, underscoring India’s leadership in this field.

Key Highlights:
i.The document highlighted that, integrating AI with AYUSH systems and through pioneering digital platforms such as the SAHI (Showcase of Ayurvedic Historical Imprints) portal, NAMASTE (National AYUSH Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic Portal) portal, and the Ayush Research Portal(ARP) has two main benefits:

• Safeguarding India’s centuries old medical wisdom.
• Leading the path in shaping an evidence-based and globally accessible healthcare.

ii.The WHO publication acknowledges both India’s growing influence in the global traditional medicine system and India’s innovation in the AI and Ayush space.
iii.India’s initiative to digitise traditional knowledge through the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is globally recognised as a leading example of preserving and responsibly utilising indigenous medical heritage.

• With this achievement, India became the first country to establish a TKDL, setting a global standard in safeguarding and digitising centuries-old traditional wisdom.

>>Read Full News

India leads the world in fast payments with UPI Surge, transactions Cross 18 Billion monthly : IMF ReportIn June 2025, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a Fintech note titled “Growing Retail Digital Payments: The Value of Interoperability”, authored by Alexander Copestake, Divya Kirti, and Maria Soledad Martinez Peria.

• The note highlights India’s digital transformation, noting that Unified Payment Interface (UPI) has become the largest retail fast payment system globally by volume.

Key Highlights:
i.India has emerged as a global leader in fast digital payments, driven by the rapid adoption of UPI, even as the use of debit and credit cards sees a gradual decline.
ii.UPI launched in 2016 is an instant real-time payment system developed by the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) to facilitate inter-bank transactions through mobile phones.
iii. Developed on the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) framework, UPI now facilitates over 18 billion transactions monthly, emerging as the leading mode of electronic retail payments in India.

• In June 2025, UPI recorded a 32% year-on-year surge in transaction volume, while the total transaction value increased by 20% compared to the same month last year. Daily UPI transactions also saw an uptick, rising to 613 million from 602 million in May 2025. >>Read Full News

India Secures 5-Year DAP Fertilizer Supply Pact with Saudi Arabia to Boost Food SecurityUnion Minister Jagat Prakash (JP) Nadda, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoC&F), Government of India (GoI), visited Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia from 11th to 13th July 2025. His visit focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation within India in the field of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

• He led a high-level delegation that included Rajat Kumar Mishra, Secretary, Department of Fertilizers (DoF), MoC&F, and other senior officials from the DoF and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Agreements Signed:
During the visit, Maaden (Saudi Arabia) signed a Long-Term Agreement with Indian companies, namely Indian Potash Limited (IPL), Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO), and Coromandel International Limited (CIL).

• The agreement ensures the 3.1 million metric tonnes (MMT) of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer will be supplied annually over the five years commencing Financial Year 2025‑26 (FY26), with an option to extend another five years by mutual consent.

Highlights of the Visit:
i.During his visit, Union Minister JP Nadda held discussions with Bandar Bin Ibrahim Al Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Sources (MIMS), Saudi Arabia, to strengthen partnership in fertilizers, petrochemicals, and pharmaceutical sectors.

• A joint working group has been set up, led by India’s Secretary (Fertilizers) and Saudi Vice Minister for Mining Affairs, to explore long-term strategic collaboration.

ii.He met Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy, Saudi Arabia, and co-chair of the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council, to deepen economic ties.
iii.He also held high-level talks with H.E. Abdulaziz Al-Rumaih, Vice Minister of Health, Saudi Arabia, focusing on healthcare, medical education and research, digital health and telemedicine, pharmaceutical cooperation and regulatory alignment, capacity building, and exchange of healthcare professionals.
iv.During the meeting, the Indian and Saudi Arabian delegations mutually agreed to strengthen ties under the existing India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC).

• It will enhance collaboration in the field of Vaccine manufacturing, Generic medicines, and biosimilars, and traditional medicines, including AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) systems.

About the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoC&F):
Union Minister – Jagat Prakash Nadda (Rajya Sabha – Himachal Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – Anupriya Patel (Constituency – Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh)

India Joins Bilateral Military Exercise ‘Talisman Sabre 2025’ in AustraliaIn July 2025, India joined the 11th edition of Exercise Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest bilateral military exercise, for the first time, marking a key step in strengthening India–Australia defence ties in the Indo-Pacific region.

• The joint exercise, held from July 13 to August 4, 2025, is being conducted across multiple locations in Australia, with extended operations also hosted in Papua New Guinea, reflecting growing regional collaboration.

Background:
i.The Exercise Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a biennial joint exercise between the United States of America (USA) and Australia.
ii.The objective of the exercise is to enhance military interoperability between allies and partners, strengthen command and control structures and contingency response, to demonstrate commitment to regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025:
i.In Ex Talisman Sabre 2025, more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including Australia, the USA, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom (UK) will join as partners.

• Malaysia and Vietnam attend as observers.

ii.The 2025 edition of the military exercise would consist of live-fire exercises and field training activities, incorporating force participation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, and air combat and maritime operations.
iii.It also features a range of new Australian Defence Force (ADF) capabilities, including UH-60M Black Hawks and the Precision Strike Missile.
iv.ADF will deploy High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for the first time.
About Australia:
Prime Minister(PM) – Anthony Albanese
Capital – Canberra
Currency – Australian Dollar(AUD)

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Sudanese-Scottish Author Leila Aboulela Won PEN Pinter Prize 2025In July 2025, Sudanese-Scottish author Leila Aboulela has been named the winner of PEN (Poet, Playwright, Editors Essayist, Novelist) Pinter Prize 2025, recognizing her literary contributions that explore themes of faith migration and the lives of Muslim women in displacement.

• The award was announced by English PEN, one of the world’s first non-governmental organisation, at the English PEN Summer Party held at the October Gallery in London, the United Kingdom (UK).

Award Ceremony & Selection Process:
i.Leila Aboulela will officially receive the award at a ceremony scheduled to be held at the British Library (BL) on October 10, 2025, where she will also announce her choice of winner for the PEN Pinter Writer of Courage, with whom she will share the award.
ii.She was selected the PEN Pinter Prize winner for year 2025 by this year’s judges namely, Ruth Borthwick, Chair of English PEN, Mona Arshi, renowned poet and author; and Nadifa Mohamed, novelist.
About PEN Pinter Prize:
i.The award was constituted in 2009 by the English PEN. It aims to recognise the ‘Writers of Courage’.
ii.The award was established in the memory of playwright Harold Pinter, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005.
iii.The award is given annually to a writer resident in the UK, Ireland, and the Commonwealth.

• The award is given to writers whose literary work is published only in the English language.

iv.In 2024, renowned Indian Author Arundhati Roy won the PEN Pinter Prize 2024. Some of the other notable winners: Michael Rosen (2023), Margaret Atwood (2016), Salman Rushdie (2014), Tony Harrison (2009), among others.
About Leila Aboulela:
i.Sudan-born Leila Aboulela is the author of 6 novels and two short story collections, including The Translator (1999), Minaret (2005), and her latest novel, River Spirit (2023).
ii.She won the 1st Caine Prize for African Writing in 2000 for her short story ‘The Museum’ included in short stories Coloured Lights.
iii.She won the Scottish Book Award for her book ‘Lyrics Alley’ in the ‘fiction’ category in 2011.
iv.Her short story collection received the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2018.

Indian Women’s Rights Activist Varhsa Deshpande Honoured with 2025 UN Population AwardIn July 2025, Varsha Deshpande, an Indian women’s rights activist from Maharashtra and founder of Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal (DMVM), received the 2025 United Nations (UN) Population Award in the ‘individual category’ for her committed work in advancing gender equality and combating gender-biased sex selection in India.

• With this, she became the third Indian individual to receive the award, following former Prime Minister(PM) Indira Gandhi in 1983 and renowned industrialist-philanthropist Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (JRD) Tata in 1992.

Key Highlights of the 2025 UN Population Award:
i.The International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) won the 2025 United Nations (UN) Population Award in the ‘institutional category’.

• The IUSSP formed in 1927, has played a pivotal role in advancing population science and policy.

ii.The 2025 UN Population Award ceremony was held on World Population Day (July 11) at the United Nations(UN) headquarters in New York, the United States of America(USA), marking the 40th edition of this international honour.
Key Contributions of Varsha Deshpande:

i.Varsha Deshpande founded DMVM in1990 to advance gender justice and empower marginalized women through legal reform, education, and ground-level mobilization.

ii.The UN applauded her leadership in community driven advocacy and reform under India’s Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT Act), 1994, aimed to curb the declining child sex ratio.
iii.She also spearheaded various programmes like: preventing the child marriage , protecting the rights of women in informal sector, and promoting joint property registration to boost women’s access to assets.
About UN Population Award:
i.The award was  established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was 1st presented in 1983.
ii.Each year, the Committee for the UN Population Award honours individuals and institutions for their exceptional contributions to population and reproductive health.
iii.The committee for the UN Population Award comprises a quorum of 8 UN member states, with UN Secretary-General and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director serving as ex-officio members.
iv.Each recipient receives a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

President Droupadi Murmu Appointed Governors for Haryana & Goa; Lt Governor for Ladakh
On July 14, 2025, the President of India Droupadi Murmu, announced the appointment of new Governors for the states of Haryana and Goa, and a new Lieutenant Governor (LG) for the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. These appointments will come into effect upon their assumption of the respective office.

• Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Brigadier Dr. Bhairon Dutt (B. D.) Mishra (Retired) from the post of Lt Gov of theUT of Ladakh.

Key Appointments:
1.Professor Ashim Kumar Ghosh has been appointed as the new Governor of Haryana, succeeding Bandaru Dattatreya, who served in the role since July 2021.

• Prof. Ghosh is an academic and political thinker from West Bengal (WB) and has held senior roles in higher education.

2.Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju has been appointed as the new Governor of Goa, replacing P S Sreedharan Pillai.

• He is a veteran politician and former Union Minister for the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) (2014 – 2018) from Andhra Pradesh (AP).

3.Kavinder Gupta, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), has been appointed as the new LG of the UT of Ladakh.

• Gupta has previously served as Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) of J&K and Speaker of the J&K Legislative Assembly.
• Gupta replaced B.D. Mishra (Retired), an Indian Army veteran and former Commander of the Counter Hijack Force of the National Security Guard (NSG). B.D.Mishra was appointed as the second LG of Ladakh in February 2023.

PresidentDroupadi Murmu Nominates Four Personalities to Rajya Sabha
On 14th July 2025, President Droupadi Murmu nominated four distinguished individuals to the Rajya Sabha under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution of India.
Nominated Members:
i.Ujjwal Deorao Nikam – A renowned Public Prosecutor notable for high-profile criminal trials such as the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and 1993 Bombay blasts.
ii.Harsh Vardhan Shringla – Former Indian Foreign Secretary (January 2020 – April 2022) and ex-Ambassador to the United States of America (USA) and Bangladesh.
iii.C Sadanandan Master – A senior social worker and educationist from Kerala with decades of grassroots-level service.
iv.Dr. Meenakshi Jain – A noted historian and academician recognised for her contributions to Indian civilisation studies.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO, IAF Conducted Successful Flight-test of ‘Astra BVRAAM’ from Su-30 MKI in OdishaIn July 2025, Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) jointly conducted a successful flight-test of indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) ‘Astra’ equipped with indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker from Su-30 Mk-I fighter jet at Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur, Balasore district, off the coast of Odisha.

• The successful testing of the missile with indigenous seeker marks a major milestone in critical defence technology.

About Flight-Test:
i.The test involved two Astra missiles launched under different combat conditions and both missiles destroyed the targets with precision.
ii.During the tests, all subsystems performed as per expectations including in RF seeker which has been designed and developed by DRDO.

• A RF is an important guidance component in modern missiles, enables autonomous target tracking allowing the missile to independently track and follow a target, a feature known as ‘fire-and-forget’ capability.

iii.The flawless performance of the Astra weapon system was validated using flight data captured by range tracking instruments deployed by ITR Chandipur.
About Astra BVRAAM:
i.ASTRA BVRAAM is designed and developed by DRDO’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and other 50 public and private organisations such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It is manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
ii.It has a strike range of more than 100 kilometers (kms) up to an elevation of 20 km. It is equipped with a state-of-the-art guidance and navigation system.
iii.It has length of 3840 millimeter (mm) and diameter 178 mm, with maximum speed of Mach 4.5.
iv.The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft and has all weather and night capability.
v.It has already been integrated with the IAF’s Su-30 MKI and is planned for future integration with the indigenously built Tejas Mk-1, the Indian Navy’s(IN) MiG-29K, and the Rafale fighter jets.
About Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO):
It is the Research and Development (R&D) wing of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India (GoI).
Chairman- Dr. Samir Vankatpati (V.) Kamat
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Established-1958

ENVIRONMENT

ZSI Discovered 4 New Species of Microscopic Parasitic Wasps in West BengalIn July 2025, Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered 4 new species of microscopic parasitic wasps in West Bengal (WB). These newly discovered wasps belong to the genus Idris Forster (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and are primary egg parasitoids of jumping spiders (Salticidae).

• They exhibit unique gregarious parasitism, a behavior where multiple wasps develop within a single spider egg sac.

i.The names of newly identified wasp species: Idris bianor, Idris furvus, Idris hyllus and Idris longiscapus, were collected between 2021 and 2023 from agro-ecosystems and semi-natural habitats across WB.
ii.These new species of wasps were discovered by a team of scientists led by senior scientist Dr. K Rajmohana at ZSI, Kolkata (WB) and the finding was recently published in the European Journal of Taxonomy.
iii.Team of lepidopterists have discovered a new butterfly species named ‘Zographetus mathewi’ in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s 8 ‘hotspots’ of biological diversity. This newly identified skipper butterfly belongs to the family Hesperiidae.
About Zoological Survey of India (ZSI):
Director- Dr. Dhriti Banerjee
Headquarters- Kolkata, West Bengal (WB)
Established- 1916
>>Read Full News

SPORTS

138th Wimbledon Championships: Jannik Sinner Wins Men’s Singles, Iga Świątek Wins Women’s SinglesThe 138th edition of the Wimbledon Championships, the world’s oldest tennis Grand Slam, was held from 30th June to 13th July 2025 on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom (UK).

• Jannik Sinner of Italy won his maiden Wimbledon title by defeating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion, becoming the first Italian man to win the Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Singles title.
• Iga Świątek of Poland won her maiden Wimbledon title, defeating Amanda Anisimova of the United States of America (USA), and became the first Polish player to win the Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles title.

i.The 2025 edition introduced automated electronic line-calling, replacing traditional human line judges for the first time in tournament history.
ii.AELTC announced a total prize money of 53.5 million pounds for Wimbledon 2025.
About International Tennis Federation (ITF):
ITF is the world governing body for tennis, wheelchair tennis, and beach tennis.
President – David Haggerty
Headquarters – London, the United Kingdom (UK)
Founded – 1913

OBITUARY

Veteran Actress & Padma Awardee B. Saroja Devi Passed AwayOn 14 July 2025, Saroja Devi, widely known as B. Saroja Devi, Veteran Indian actress, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, passed away at the age of 87 in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, Karnataka. She was born on 7 January 1938 in Bangaluru(Bangalore), the then Mysore State (now Karnataka).

• She was regarded as one of the most successful actresses in the history of Indian cinema, with a career spanning over seven decades.

About Actress B. Saroja Devi
i.She made her debut at 17 with the 1955 Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa, which earned National award for Best Feature Film in Kannada.
ii.She was the only Indian actress to play the lead in 161 consecutive films over 29 years, a record yet to be surpassed.
iii.She had featured approximately in 200 films across Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi film industries, out of which 100 were in Tamil.
iv.She was affectionately called as “Kannadathu Paingili” (means, Kannada’s Parrot) and “Abhinaya Saraswathi” (means, Goddess of Expressions).
Awards and Honours
i.She was awarded the India’s fourth highest civilian honour Padma Shri in 1969, and the third highest civilian honour Padma Bhushan in 1992.
ii.She received Lifetime Achievement Award from Government of India in 2008 during 60th Independence anniversary celebrations.
iii.She was also honoured with Honorary Doctorate from Bangalore University, Kalaimamani Award(Tamil Nadu – 2009), Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award (Karnataka-2009), NTR National Awards (Andhra Pradesh – 2009), and others across the 1960s–2000s.
Veteran Actor and Padma Shri Awardee Kota Srinivasa Rao Passed Away
On July 13, 2025, Renowned Telugu Actor and Padma Shri Awardee Kota Srinivasa Rao has passed away at the age of 83 in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born on 10 July 1942 in Vijayawada, Madras Province, British India(Now Andhra Pradesh, AP).

• He was conferred the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, in 2015 for his exceptional contributions to the field of Arts.

About Kota Srinivasa Rao:
i.He started his acting journey with stage dramas during his student years and continued to nurture his love for theatre while working at the State Bank of India (SBI).
ii.Over a prolific career spanning more than four decades, he featured in over 750 films across Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi cinema.

• He debuted in a Telugu film, Pranam Khareedu in 1978.

iii.He redefined negative roles with his distinctive performances. He is famous for his performance in movies such as Siva (1989), Gaayam (1993), Money (1993), Aha Naa Pellanta (1987), Athadu (2005), Rakta Charitra (2010), Ready (2008).
iv.He entered politics and won from Vijayawada constituency in the combined Andhra Pradesh (AP), representing Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) and served as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from 1999 to 2004.
v.Later, he continued his acting career. He was last seen in the Kannada film Kabzaa.
vi.He received nine Nandi Awards from the AP government and the South Indian International Movie Awards(SIIMA) in 2012 for his role in ‘Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum’.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Malala Day 2025 – July 12International Malala Day, or Malala Day, is observed every year across the globe on 12th July to commemorate the birth anniversary of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani education activist and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

• The day highlights the global fight for girls’ education and raises awareness about the right to education for all.

Background:
i.On 12th July 2013, (her 16th birthday), Malala Yousafzai made her first high-level public appearance by delivering a powerful speech at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, the United States of America (USA).

• Her speech focused on equal access to education for girls across the world and established her as a global symbol for girls’ education.

ii.The UN officially declared her birthday as Malala Day, which was celebrated internationally for the first time on 12 July 2013.

• The celebration supported the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), gathering hundreds of young leaders to promote free and compulsory education for all children.
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International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms 2025 – July 12The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) is annually observed across the globe on July 12 to raise global awareness of the growing health and environmental challenges posed by SDS.

• The day highlights the significance of combating SDS for human health and well-being, promoting sustainable land and water management.
• July 12, 2025, marks the observance of the 3rd International Day of Combating SDS.

Background:
i.On June 8, 2023, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/77/294, proclaiming July 12 of every year as the International day for Combating Sand and Dust Storms.

• The first-ever International day for Combating Sand and Dust Storms was observed on 12 July 2023.

ii.Through the UN Coalition on Combating SDS, 20 UN agencies and non-UN organizations join efforts to foster global action against SDS.
iii.The UNGA has officially declared 2025–2034 as the “United Nations Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms (SDS)”, marking a decade-long global commitment to tackle the rising threat of SDS through coordinated international action.
>>Read Full News

International Day of Hope 2025 – July 12The first-ever United Nations (UN’s) International Day of Hope was observed across the globe on 12 July 2025 to promote hope as a fundamental force for individuals, communities, and nations, particularly during periods of global uncertainty, conflict, and division.

• The day underscores the role of hope as a transformative power capable of bridging divides, inspiring progress, and uplifting the human spirit.

Background:
i.On 4 March 2025, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/79/270, declaring 12 July as the International Day of Hope.
ii.The resolution was introduced by the Permanent Mission of Kiribati to the UN, co-sponsored by 23 member states, and supported by 161 countries, with the aim of promoting hope worldwide to encourage peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.
iii.The United Nations emphasizes hope as a strategic factor in achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

STATE NEWS

Delhi Govt to Unveil ‘Saheli Smart Cards’ to Enable Free Bus Travel for Women & Transgenders
In July 2025, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is set to introduce “Saheli Smart Cards” to replace the current pink ticket system, restricting free bus travel for women and transgender individuals to verified Delhi residents.

• The initiative aims to digitize and streamline the free travel scheme, launched in 2019.

i.The smart card will be issued under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) framework. The card will allow free travel only on DTC and Cluster buses, and support recharge and top-up functionality for use on other transit modes.
ii.The applicants must be Bonafide residents of Delhi and must be 12 years or above.
iii.Issued by banks following complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, the card must be activated through the DTC’s Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS).
iv.The new system will offer two categories, such:

• Non– KYC Saheli Smart Cards can be issued based on valid proof of residence in Delhi. It can be used in both DTC buses and the Delhi Metro.
• KYC-Compliant Saheli Smart Cards will carry a user’s name and photograph and can be used as contactless payment cards. It will allowing for top-ups and multi-modal transport use.

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