GK Update
 
  • Mobile Menu
HOME
LOG IN SIGN UP

Sign-Up IcanDon't Have an Account?


SIGN UP

 

Login Icon

Have an Account?


LOG IN
 

or
By clicking on Register, you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions.
 
 
 

or
 
 




GK Update

Mon 17 Mar, 2025

National News

'Raisina Dialogue', 10th Edition

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 10th edition of the three-day conference 'Raisina Dialogue' focused on geopolitics and geoeconomics in New Delhi.

Related Facts:

  • Vaastu: 17 to 19 March 2025
  • Chief Guest at the opening session: Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand
  • Theme 'Kalachakra - People, Peace and Planet'
  • Delegates from around 125 countries participating
  • Conference organised by: Observer Research Foundation, a think tank, in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs
  • Raisina Dialogue launched: 2016

'Fit India Carnival' Inauguration

  • The three-day 'Fit India Carnival' was inaugurated at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
  • The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.

Related Facts:

 

  • Objective of the event: To promote healthy and active lifestyle among the citizens, which will contribute towards building a fit and obesity free nation under the Fit India Movement.
  • Famous actor Ayushmann Khurrana was honoured as the 'Fit India Icon' at the inaugural ceremony.

Inauguration of Lachit Borphukan Police Academy

  • Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the first phase of the reconstructed Lachit Borphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, Golaghat district, Assam.
  • This academy has been established in honor of the great Ahom General Lachit Borphukan, who defended Assam against the Mughal army in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.

Lachit Borphukan: Brave Warrior of Assam:

 

 

  • Lachit Borphukan (1622–1672) was a great general of the Ahom kingdom of Assam, who defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.
  • He is considered the national hero of Assam
  • Birth: 24 November 1622, Charaideo, Assam, Death: 25 April 1672, Title: Borphukan (Commander)
  • His father Momai Tamuli Borbarua was a senior officer of the Ahom kingdom.
  • He was the chief general of the Ahom king Chakradhwaj Singha

Sports News

WPL 2025

  • Mumbai Indians Women's team won the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 title for the second time by defeating Delhi Capitals Women's team by 8 runs in the final.
  • The match was held on March 15, 2025, at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

Related facts:

 

 

  • Mumbai Indians scored 149 runs at the loss of 7 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs
  • Delhi Capitals team could score only 141 runs at the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs
  • 'Player of the Match': Mumbai captain Harmanpreet Kaur
  • 'Player of the Series': Nat Sciver-Brunt

International News

Two Indians in Canada's Cabinet

  • Two Indian-origin women have been assigned key ministerial positions in the cabinet of Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney.
  • 58-year-old Anita Anand has been appointed as the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, while 36-year-old Kamal Khera has been named the Minister of Health.

Canada :

  • Capital: Ottawa
  • Largest city: Toronto
  • Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD)
  • Parliament: Bicameral (House of Commons and Senate)
  • National sport: Ice hockey
  • Canada has the longest coastline in the world.
  • It is surrounded by three oceans (Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic)

Honours and Awards

Digital Transformation Award 2025

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been honored with the Digital Transformation Award 2025 by 'Central Banking', a UK-based institution in London.
  • This award has been conferred for the successful implementation of two major digital initiatives—'SARATHI' and 'PRAWAH', which were developed by RBI’s in-house developer team.

Related Facts:

Sarathi:
  • Launched in January 2023
  • Digitizes RBI's internal workflow
Pravada:
  • Launched in May 2024
  • A digital medium for external users to submit regulatory applications to RBI

Hockey India Awards 2024

  • Hockey India organized its 7th Annual Awards Ceremony in New Delhi, honoring outstanding players of the 2024 season.
  • This year, the total prize money was a record ₹12 crore, making it the highest-ever prize pool in the history of the awards.

Major Awards and Winners:

  • Player of the Year): Men: Harmanpreet Singh, Women: Savita Punia
  • Jugraj Singh Award (Emerging Player of the Year for Male under 21): Arshdeep Singh
  • Asunta Lakra Award (Emerging Player of the Year for Female under 21): Deepika
  • Baljit Singh Award (Goalkeeper of the Year): Savita Punia
  • Pargat Singh Award (Defender of the Year): Harmanpreet Singh
  • Ajit Pal Singh Award (Midfielder of the Year): Hardik Singh
  • Dhanraj Pillai Award (Forward of the Year): Lalremsiami

Science and Technology

Rise in Measles Cases in the U.S.

  • The United States is witnessing a concerning surge in measles (rubeola) cases.
  • So far this year, 301 cases have been confirmed, with the majority reported from 15 U.S. regions. Among these, 50 patients required hospitalization, and two deaths have been reported.

Measles:

 

 

  • A highly contagious viral infection caused by the Measles Virus (MV).
  • Initial symptoms: Fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes (conjunctivitis), sore throat
  • Vaccine: MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
  • Main symptoms (after 5-7 days): Red rashes on the body
  • India had reported 1,419 measles cases till February 2025 out of 1,558 cases in South-East Asia.

32-bit Microprocessors – Vikram 3201 and Kalpana 3201

  • The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of ISRO and the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Chandigarh have jointly developed two advanced 32-bit microprocessors, Vikram 3201 and Kalpana 3201, for space applications.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):

  • Founded: 15 August 1969
  • Founder: Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
  • Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
  • First satellite Aryabhatta launched: 1975
  • Indigenous satellite Rohini (RS-1) launched from India's SLV-3 rocket: 1980
  • First lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 launched: 2008
  • Mangalyaan (MOM) successfully launched: 2013
  • Chandrayaan-2 mission launched: 2019
  • 2023: Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the south pole of the Moon
  • Sun mission: Aditya-L1 (2023), sent to Lagrange Point-1 (L1) of the Sun

Miscellaneous

India's UNESCO Properties Now Total 62

  • Six new Indian sites have been added to UNESCO's Tentative World Heritage List, bringing the total number of India's properties in this list to 62.

Six new properties included:

  • Kanger Ghati National Park (Chhattisgarh)
  • Mudumal Megalithic Menhir (Telangana)
  • Serial Nomination of Ashokan Inscription Sites (Multiple States): These sites display inscriptions of Mauryan emperor Ashoka, spread across various states of India.
  • Serial Nomination of Sixty-four Yogini Temples (Multiple States): These temples are dedicated to 64 Yoginis and are located in various parts of India.
  • Serial Nomination of Gupta Temples (Multiple States of North India): These temples display the architecture and cultural heritage of the Gupta period.
  • Bundela Palaces-Forts (Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh)

Person In News

Ramakanta Rath

  • Renowned Odia poet and scholar, Ramakanta Rath, passed away at the age of 90 at his Kharavela Nagar residence in Bhubaneswar.
  • He was born on December 13, 1934, in Cuttack.

Related Facts:

  • Rath's major poetry collections include 'Kete Dinara' (1962), 'Saptam Ritu' (1977), 'Sachitra Andhara' (1982), 'Shri Radha' (1985) and 'Shreshtha Kavita' (1992).
Awards and Honors:
  • Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977
  • Saraala Award in 1984
  • Vinshuva Samman in 1990
  • Padma Bhushan in 2006
  • Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2009

Vikas Kaushal

  • Vikas Kaushal assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on March 17, 2025.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL):

  • A leading government oil and natural gas company of India.
  • It operates under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India and is one of the largest oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the country.
  • Founded: July 1974, Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Latest Courses