Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 and 14 July 2025

Topic: Awards and Prizes

1. The ‘Hem Bahadur Malla Award 2080’ was granted to former Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha.

• This award honors Hem Bahadur Malla, who founded Salt Trading Corporation.
• Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut presented the award at an event in Kathmandu.
• Shrestha was recognized for his leadership and efforts to strengthen judicial institutions.
• The prize includes Rs 200,000 and a certificate of recognition.
• Kalyan Shrestha served as Nepal’s 25th Chief Justice.
• He made important contributions to transitional justice, inclusive democracy, and environmental justice.
• The selection panel was led by Umesh Mainali, former chairman of the Public Service Commission.
• Chief Justice Raut described Shrestha as a key figure in Nepal’s judicial history.
• Hem Bahadur Malla Award 2080 is given every year to honour individuals or institutions with remarkable contributions in public administration, management, and public service.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

2. The TALASH initiative launched for the overall development of tribal students.

• The TALASH initiative was launched by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) in collaboration with UNICEF India to support Eklavya Model Residential School students.
• TALASH stands for Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills, and Self-Esteem Hub and is designed to promote the overall development of tribal youth.
• The initiative is expected to benefit over 1.38 lakh students across 28 states and 8 union territories enrolled in EMRSs.
• The initiative offers:

• The program will be gradually implemented nationwide, with over 189 teachers already trained and leading sessions in 75 EMRSs.
• TALASH aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, aiming to ensure inclusive, equitable, and holistic education for tribal children.
• NESTS is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, dedicated to providing quality education to tribal students through Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across the country.
• UNICEF works in more than 190 countries to promote the rights and well-being of every child, with a focus on education, health and protection for the most vulnerable communities.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

3. Long-term fertilizer supply agreements signed between India and Saudi Arabia to boost agricultural security.

• A major breakthrough in fertilizer cooperation was achieved as India signed long-term supply agreements with Saudi Arabia during Union Minister JP Nadda’s visit from July 11–13.
• The visit was led by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers JP Nadda, who headed a high-level delegation including senior officials from the Department of Fertilizers and Ministry of External Affairs.
• In Riyadh, bilateral discussions were held with the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, where agreements between Maaden and Indian firms such as IPL, KRIBHCO, and CIL were signed.
• As part of the agreement, India will receive 3.1 million metric tons of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) annually for five years starting in 2025-26, with a potential extension for another five years.
• This marks a significant increase from the 1.9 million metric tons imported in 2024-25 and 1.6 million metric tons in FY 2023-24.
• Further collaboration in fertilizers like Urea was also discussed to ensure long-term agricultural input security.
• Both sides agreed to explore mutual investments, especially encouraging Indian PSUs to invest in Saudi Arabia’s fertilizer industry and vice versa.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/Meghalaya

4. Finance Minister Sitharaman launched development projects worth Rs 1,087 crore in Meghalaya.

• On the second day of her Meghalaya visit, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated and laid foundation stones for transformative projects worth ₹1,087.81 crore.
• The ceremony was conducted at LARITI—International Centre for Performing Arts and Culture, in the presence of CM Conrad Sangma and other dignitaries.
• Under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), Meghalaya has been allocated ₹5,400 crore, which has been fully utilized by the state.
• She highlighted the construction of over 540 kilometers of roads in Meghalaya, a five-fold increase in optical fiber coverage since 2014.
• Major achievements in road construction, fiber optic network expansion, and flagship schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission and PM Awas Yojana were appreciated by the Union Minister.
• CM Conrad Sangma reiterated Meghalaya’s ambition to be among India’s top 10 states by 2032 and to reach a $10 billion economy.
• He informed that externally aided projects worth nearly ₹12,000 crore have significantly boosted infrastructure and public services.

Topic: National News

5. Over 51,000 appointment letters distributed by PM Modi at the 16th Rozgar Mela.

• The 16th Rozgar Mela witnessed the distribution of over 51,000 appointment letters by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to new government recruits.
• The event, held across 47 locations nationwide, aims to promote employment as a central pillar of social development.
• PM Modi addressed the appointees virtually, emphasizing their critical role in shaping a Viksit Bharat.
• A budget of ₹1 lakh crore has been allocated by the Centre to generate around 3.5 crore jobs under this initiative.
• Appointment letters were issued for various ministries, including Railways, Revenue, Home Affairs, Education, Labour, and more.
• Started in October 2022, 15 of these job fairs have been organized so far and around one million people have been provided appointment letters for various jobs under the central government.

Topic: Personality in News

6. Senior actor Kota Srinivasa Rao passed away at the age of 83.

• Renowned Telugu actor Kota Srinivasa Rao passed away on July 13, 2025, at his Hyderabad residence at the age of 83.
• He had been suffering from age-related health issues in the recent months.
• Over a career spanning more than 40 years, he acted in over 750 films, excelling in villainous, comic, and character roles.
• He served as an MLA from Vijayawada between 1999 and 2004 after winning on a BJP ticket.
• Despite initial success in politics, he later returned to films, citing that politics did not suit his temperament.
• In 2015, Kota Srinivasa Rao was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contributions to cinema.

Topic: Reports and Indices

7. India expanded its global anti-terrorism outreach.

• It collaborated with 26 nations through dedicated Joint Working Groups.
• The Ministry of External Affairs’ 2024 report highlights India’s leadership role in counter-terrorism cooperation.
• It shows India’s commitment to building international partnerships against terrorism.
• India worked with several regional and global bodies.
• These include BIMSTEC, G20, ASEAN Regional Forum, SCO, BRICS, EU, FATF, and the QUAD Forum on Counter Terrorism.
• India held bilateral counter-terrorism meetings with major countries.
• These included the US, UK, France, EU, Japan, Australia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.
• India took part in a legal experts’ meeting of the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.
• This meeting was held in Beijing, China.
• India hosted the 8th BIMSTEC Sub-Group meeting in New Delhi.
• This meeting focused on preventing the trafficking of narcotic drugs and chemicals.
• India’s Mutual Evaluation Report was adopted at the FATF Plenary in Singapore.
• As a result, India was placed under regular follow-up status.
• India participated in the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) meetings.
• These were held in Nairobi and New York.
• India attended the 40th Plenary of the Eurasian Group on Money Laundering and Terror Financing.
• The event took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
• At the United Nations, India continued to advocate for a unified and multilateral approach to combat terrorism.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Miscellaneous

8. World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged India’s leadership in merging Artificial Intelligence (AI) with traditional medicine.

• This recognition especially applies to practices under the Ayush system.
• WHO’s first technical report on AI in traditional medicine highlighted India’s achievements.
• These include innovations in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa Rigpa, and Homoeopathy.
• The report is titled “Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine”.
• India is improving diagnostic accuracy by combining traditional assessments with modern AI tools.
• These include pulse reading, Prakriti analysis, machine learning, and deep neural networks.
• The Ayurgenomics initiative combines Ayurvedic knowledge with genomics.
• AI is used to detect disease markers and provide personalized health advice.
• AI is also helping decode the molecular and genomic structure of herbal remedies.
• This connects traditional healing with modern biomedical science.
• The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) was praised by WHO.
• It was recognized as a global model for protecting traditional medical knowledge.
• AI technologies are being used to digitally organize and analyze ancient medical texts.
• India is using AI to understand drug action pathways and compare traditional medical systems.
• It is also developing chemical sensors to measure Ayurvedic traits like Rasa, Guna, and Virya.
• WHO appreciated India’s broader digital efforts in traditional medicine.
• These include teleconsultation platforms, digital training for Ayush practitioners, and integration with modern healthcare systems.
• Minister of State for Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, welcomed the WHO recognition and pointed to platforms like SAHI, NAMASTE, and the Ayush Research Portal.
• These platforms help preserve ancient knowledge while supporting evidence-based medicine.
• He praised the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) in Jamnagar, Gujarat for promoting India’s medical heritage internationally.

Topic: Indian Polity

9. President Droupadi Murmu has nominated four notable individuals to the Rajya Sabha.

• The nominees are Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, C Sadanandan Master, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and Dr. Meenakshi Jain.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the appointments through an official notification.
• Ujjwal Nikam is a well-known lawyer from Maharashtra.
• He gained national recognition for representing the government in the Mumbai terror attacks case.
• C Sadanandan Master is a respected educator and social worker from Kerala.
• He has been a victim of political violence and lost both his legs in an attack.
• Harsh Vardhan Shringla has held several key diplomatic positions.
• He served as India’s Ambassador to the United States, Bangladesh, and Thailand.
• He also acted as the Chief Coordinator for India’s G20 Presidency in 2023.
• Dr. Meenakshi Jain is a historian and academic.
• She served as an Associate Professor at Gargi College, University of Delhi.
• The President of India can nominate up to 12 members to the Rajya Sabha.
• These nominations are reserved for individuals who have made notable contributions to art, literature, science, or social service.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

10. A Ra Harikrishnan has earned the Grandmaster title.

• He is now the 87th Indian chess player to achieve this distinction.
• Harikrishnan secured his third GM norm in France.
• The norm was achieved at the La Plagne International Chess Festival.
• He is 24 years old and comes from Chennai.
• His first GM norm was obtained in July 2023.
• It was earned at the Biel International Chess Festival in Switzerland.
• He claimed his second GM norm in June 2025.
• This was during the Andujar Open tournament in Spain.
• A Grandmaster norm reflects a high-level tournament performance.
• It must meet the strict standards set by FIDE (World Chess Federation).
• To become a Grandmaster, a player needs three GM norms.
• They must also achieve a FIDE rating of at least 2500.