Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 May 2025

Topic: Sports

1. Neeraj Chopra has been granted the honorary title of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army.

• The announcement was published in The Gazette of India.
• It became effective on April 16, 2025.
• Neeraj was promoted to Subedar Major in 2024.
• The promotion was officially disclosed by Major General GS Choudhry.
• Neeraj has received many prestigious honors throughout his career.
• In 2016, he joined the Indian Army as a Junior Commissioned Officer. He was given the rank of Naib Subedar.
• In 2018, he was awarded the Arjuna Award.
• This was after he became the first Indian to win a gold medal in javelin at the Commonwealth Games.
• Neeraj also won a gold at the Asian Games.
• He has been recognized with the Khel Ratna and Vishisht Seva Medal for his exceptional service.
• In 2021, he was promoted to Subedar. In 2022, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
• Neeraj made history by winning an Olympic gold in athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
• In 2024, he won silver at the Paris Olympics.
• This made him the third Indian athlete to win multiple Olympic medals.

Topic: Important Days

2. National Dengue Day 2025: 16 May

• National Dengue Day is celebrated every year on 16 May.
• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to spread awareness about dengue among people.
• The theme of National Dengue Day 2025 is 'Act Early, Prevent Dengue: Clean Surroundings, Healthy Living.'
• In India, this day is celebrated to raise awareness about the increasing threat of dengue fever, especially during the monsoon season.
• The Ministry of Health declared May 16 as 'National Dengue Day' in 2010 to raise awareness about dengue.
• Dengue:
  • It is a viral disease caused by the dengue virus (DENV, 1–4 serotypes DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4).
  • It transmits through the bite of an Aedes aegypti female mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses.
  • High fever, headache, and pain in muscles, bones, and joints are some common symptoms of dengue.
  • The first dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, is developed by Sanofi Pasteur.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. The 58th Jnanpith Award presented to Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya ji.

• Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and renowned Urdu poet and lyricist Gulzar have been selected for this prestigious award for 2023.
• On May 16, President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, celebrating two remarkable contributors to Indian literature.
• Previously, Gulzar had received the Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu in 2002, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013, the Padma Bhushan in 2004, and at least five National Film Awards for his work.
• Some of his best works include the song "Jai Ho" from the movie "Slumdog Millionaire", which received an Oscar Award in 2009 and a Grammy Award in 2010.
• Rambhadracharya, founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot, is a renowned Hindu spiritual leader, teacher and author of over 240 books and scriptures, including four epics.
• A polyglot, who speaks 22 languages, Rambhadracharya is one of the current four Jagadguru Ramanandacharyas of the Ramananda sect and has held the post since 1982.
• In 2015, he received the Padma Vibhushan award.
• Recently, Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla won the 59th Jnanpith Award for 2024.
• Jnanpith Award:
  • Established in 1961, the award is a literary award that is presented every year by the Bhartiya Jnanpith for outstanding contribution to literature.
  • The award is given for literary work in 22 “scheduled languages” recognised in the Indian Constitution.
  • Under this award, a prize of Rs 21 lakh, a statue of Vagdevi, and a citation is given.
  • The first award was presented in 1965 to G. Sankara Kurup.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Sports

4. Neeraj Chopra crossed 90m mark at Doha Diamond League, finished second.

• On 16 May, Neeraj Chopra secured second place at the 2025 Doha Diamond League Men’s Javelin Throw event.

• A personal milestone was achieved by him with a massive throw of 90.23 meters in the third round.
• Neeraj became the first Indian to cross the 90-meter mark in an international competition.
• The event was won by Germany’s Julian Weber, who threw 91.06 meters in his final attempt.
• Anderson Peters remained third with his earlier best of 85.64 meters.
• Apart from this, India's Parul Chaudhary finished sixth in the women's 3000m steeplechase event.
• She broke her own national record with a time of 9:13.39.
• The Diamond League competition was organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

(Source: DD News)

Topic: Indian Economy

5. India to grow at 6.3% in current fiscal year, ahead of global major economies: UN report

• According to the UN’s mid-year update of the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP), India's economy is estimated to grow at a rate of 6.3% during the current financial year.
• India is expected to outperform major global economies including China, the US, and the European Union.
• Growth is being fuelled by strong household consumption, government investment, and services exports.
• While the earlier January estimate was 6.6%, India still leads in growth among large economies.
• For 2026, India’s growth is forecasted at 6.4%, indicating continued momentum.
• China is expected to grow at 4.6%, the US at 1.6%, and the EU at only 1%.
• Japan’s projected growth stands at 0.7%, while Germany may witness a contraction of -0.1%.
• India’s inflation rate is likely to decline from 4.9% in 2024 to 4.3% in 2025.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. On 16 may, a new website of the Ministry of Steel was launched by Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in New Delhi.

• The new website is designed to enhance transparency, accessibility and efficiency in its operations.
• The new website has a modern and user-friendly interface, making it easy to navigate the website and access relevant information from it.
• The salient features of the new website are as follows:
  • User-friendly interface: The website provides a clear and intuitive experience, ensuring that stakeholders can quickly access policy documents, industry data, and information on various initiatives.
  • Advanced cybersecurity: The website incorporates the latest cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and ensure the integrity of the ministry’s online presence.
  • GIGW compliance: The website is also compliant with the latest Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW), ensuring accessibility for all citizens, including persons with disabilities.
  • The website is available in various Indian languages, providing better accessibility to the general public.
• This new website provides information related to steel production, policy updates and schemes to improve the administration.
• A responsive design enables smooth navigation across various devices.
• The initiative represents a step forward in promoting digital governance.

Topic: Indian Economy

7. India’s forex reserves rose by $4.5 billion.

• They reached a total of $690.62 billion for the week ending May 9, according to RBI data.
• Foreign currency assets increased by $196 million. Their total value stood at $581.37 billion.
• This reflects the impact of movements in global currencies like the euro, pound, and yen.
• Gold reserves grew slightly by $4.5 million. They now stand at $86.33 billion.
• Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) declined by $26 million. Their total value dropped to $18.53 billion.
• India’s reserve position with the IMF fell by $134 million. It now stands at $4.37 billion.
• Stronger forex reserves support the rupee. They give the RBI more flexibility to manage exchange rate volatility.
• A larger reserve base allows the RBI to release dollars during times of market stress. This helps limit sharp declines in the rupee.
• India’s external trade is showing strong growth.
• Total exports of goods and services rose 12.7% in April. They reached $73.80 billion, up from $65.48 billion a year earlier.
• Merchandise exports increased by 9.03%. They totaled $38.49 billion in April.
• Electronics and engineering goods led the growth in exports.
• Electronic goods exports jumped 39.51%. They rose from $2.65 billion last April to $3.69 billion this year.
• Engineering goods exports went up by 11.28%. They reached $9.51 billion, compared to $8.55 billion a year ago.
• Gems and jewellery exports rose by 10.74%. They increased from $2.26 billion to $2.5 billion.

Topic: National News

8. The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) will open its first international campus in Dubai, UAE.

• This was announced by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• The move supports the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• NEP 2020 emphasizes the global expansion of Indian higher education.
• The Dubai campus will be IIFT’s first overseas venture since its founding in 1963.
• IIFT currently has two main campuses in India.
• These are located in Delhi and Kolkata.
• The institute offers advanced postgraduate and doctoral programmes.
• Its focus areas include international business, trade policy, and economics.
• The Dubai campus has received official approval from key government bodies.
• These include the Ministries of Education, External Affairs, and Home Affairs.
• It also received clearance from the University Grants Commission (UGC).
• The Dubai centre is expected to start functioning soon.
• It will offer both full-time and executive education programmes.
• These courses will be designed for the regional market.
• They will also reflect global business trends and needs.

Topic: Banking/Finance

9. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed fines on Deutsche Bank AG and Yes Bank Limited.

• These penalties were issued due to violations of regulatory norms.
• Deutsche Bank was fined ₹50 lakh.
• The penalty was for not complying with RBI rules on reporting large credit exposures.
• Specifically, it failed to report credit data of certain borrowers to the CRILC system.
• CRILC stands for Central Repository of Information on Large Credits.
• Yes Bank was fined ₹29.6 lakh.
• This was for not following RBI guidelines on financial disclosures.
• The bank did not correctly report information on customer complaints.
• These errors appeared in its Annual Financial Statements for 2023–24.
• The penalties were issued under the Banking Regulation Act.
• RBI clarified that these actions are strictly for regulatory lapses.
• They do not question the validity of any customer transactions or agreements.

Topic: State News/Gujarat

10. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched several development projects worth ₹708 crore in Gandhinagar.

• These projects are being carried out by the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation, Gandhinagar Urban Development Authority (GUDA), and the district administration.
• Amit Shah inaugurated key infrastructure and public service projects in his Lok Sabha constituency.
• He opened the newly constructed Primary Health Centre at Vavol.
• He inaugurated an underbridge connecting Sectors 21 and 22 in Gandhinagar.
• Additionally, he launched a Primary Health Centre in Pethapur.
• He also inaugurated the newly developed Kolvada Lake near the ONGC Well in Kolwada.
• He laid the foundation stone for more projects by the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation and the Department of Posts.
• He distributed benefits of various postal schemes to eligible beneficiaries.