Daily Current Affairs and GK | 21 June 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. International Yoga Day 2025: 21 June

• On December 11, 2014, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.
• This was done by resolution 69/131.  The draft resolution was proposed by India.
• The date of June 21 was chosen as it is the Summer Solstice.
• This is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
• This year marks the 11th International Day of Yoga.
• Theme for this year's International Yoga Day is “Yoga for One Earth, One Health.”
• IDY 2025 will feature ten Signature Events. These are 10 targeted events like Yoga Sangam, Yoga Bandhan, Harit Yoga, Yoga Samavesh, and Yoga Unplugged for amplifying the narrative of yoga.
• 1 lakh+ locations across India will host synchronized Common Yoga Protocol sessions.
• The sessions will be led by PM Narendra Modi from Visakhapatnam on June 21, 2025.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Padma Shri awardee and environmental icon Maruthi Chitampally passed away at the age of 93.

• On 18 June, renowned environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee Maruti Chitampalli, affectionately called ‘Aranya Rishi’, passed away in Solapur, Maharashtra, due to age-related ailments.
• Chitampalli, a revered wildlife expert, had devoted his entire life to the preservation of forests, protection of wildlife, and promotion of ecological literature.
• His exemplary contributions were recently honoured when the Padma Shri was conferred upon him by the President of India on April 30, 2025.
• Over his 36-year-long tenure in the Forest Department, he had been actively engaged in extensive fieldwork across the country.
• More than five lakh kilometres had been covered by him in pursuit of ecological research and documentation.
• With fluency in 13 languages, he effectively communicated with tribal communities and gathered significant data on India’s biodiversity.
• His field diaries later served as the basis for his acclaimed scientific works such as Pakshikosha (Encyclopedia of Birds), Pashukosha (Encyclopedia of Animals), and Matsyakosha (Encyclopedia of Fish).

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. India Post Payments Bank received the prestigious Digital Payments Award.

• The Digital Payments Award 2024–25 has been conferred upon India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) by the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance.
• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been honoured for its outstanding contribution towards expanding digital payments and financial inclusion across the country.
• The award was presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and MoS Pankaj Chaudhary during a ceremony held in New Delhi.
• Shri R. Viswesvaran, MD & CEO of IPPB, and Shri Gursharan Rai Bansal received the award on behalf of the bank.
• IPPB secured the first rank among all Payments Banks in the country in the Performance Index for the Financial Year 2024–25.
• A ‘Special Mention’ was also awarded to IPPB for its commendable performance during the Financial Year 2023–24.
• The bank has been acknowledged for delivering citizen-centric digital banking solutions through a tech-enabled, doorstep banking model.
• With a robust tech-driven architecture and a doorstep banking model powered by over 2 lakh postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks, IPPB has been instrumental in promoting digital payments even in the most remote areas of the country.
• India Post Payments Bank:
  • IPPB was launched on September 1, 2018.
  • It has been established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, with 100% equity owned by the Government of India.
  • IPPB provides easy and affordable banking solutions to 11 crore customers across 5.57 lakh villages and towns in India through an intuitive interface available in 13 languages.

Topic: National Appointments

4. Sivasubramanian Raman took charge as Chairman of PFRDA.

• On June 20, 2025, Shri Sivasubramanian Ramann has assumed the role of Chairperson of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
• His appointment has been notified by the Government of India for a term of five years or until the age of 65, whichever comes earlier.
• Shri Ramann is a 1991 batch officer of the Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA&AS).
• Prior to this, he served as Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General and CTO at the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
• Also, he has held several leadership positions, including chairman and MD of SIDBI, MD and CEO of National e-Governance Services Limited (NESL), and Principal Accountant General of the State of Jharkhand.
• From 2006 to 2013, he also worked as Chief General Manager (CGM) and subsequently as Executive Director in the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) was established in October 2003. Its head office is in New Delhi.

Topic: State News/Bihar

5. PM Modi launched development projects worth Rs 5,900 crore in Bihar.

• On 28 June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 28 major development projects worth over ₹5,900 crore in Siwan district, Bihar.
• A new Vaishali–Deoria railway line project built for over ₹400 crore was inaugurated, and a new train service was flagged off.
• The Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah was launched to improve connectivity.
• Taking forward the ‘Make in India—Make for the World’ initiative, Modi flagged off state-of-the-art locomotives manufactured at the Marhora plant for export to the Republic of Guinea.
• This locomotive is equipped with a high-horsepower engine, an advanced AC propulsion system, microprocessor-based controls, an ergonomic cab design, and regenerative braking.
• Under Namami Gange, six Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) worth ₹1,800 crore were inaugurated for Ganga conservation efforts.
• Modi also laid foundation stones for water, sanitation, and STP projects valued at ₹3,000 crore across Bihar.
• Giving special emphasis to the power sector, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of a 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at 15 grid substations in the state.
• These grid substations include Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Bettiah, and Siwan.
• Each substation will have batteries of 20-80 MW capacity, and the system is expected to help discoms reduce peak-hour power costs and enhance supply reliability.
• Modi handed over the first installment to over 53,600 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) and marked the griha pravesh ceremony of over 6,600 completed houses by handing over the keys to selected beneficiaries.

Topic: National Appointment

6. G. Sampath Kumar has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Nippon Koei India (NKI).

• He becomes the first Indian to hold the position of managing director at NKI.
• The announcement was made by NKI, a wholly owned subsidiary of ID&E Holdings, Japan.
• Katsuya Fukasaku, the outgoing MD, has been named as the new chairman of the company.
• The company aims to expand its footprint in India, West Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region through this leadership change.
• Sampath Kumar is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) BHU.
• He brings over 35 years of experience in civil engineering and IT consultancy to his new role.
• Nippon Koei India (NKI):
  • NKI was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrated Design & Engineering Holdings Co. Ltd. (ID&E) of Japan.
  • It is an ISO-certified engineering and consultancy company specializing in infrastructure development projects in India and other developing countries.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. The Hindu has won ‘The Champion of Digital Media Awards South Asia 2025’.

• The Hindu got 10 awards across various award categories, at the WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards 2025 South Asia.
• WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards 2025 South Asia are presented by the World Association of News Publishers.
• There were 12 categories in which participating newsrooms from across South Asia competed.
• These categories included audience engagement, native ad campaign, podcasts, use of AI, video and data visualisation.
• The Hindu took four gold trophies as given below.
  • ‘Best Use of Video’ and ‘Best Native Advertising Campaign’, both awarded for The Hindu Made of Chennai initiative
  • ‘Best Use of AI in Revenue Strategy’
  • ‘Best Podcast’ (In Focus: Why does the Election Commission need seven phases to conduct the General Election?)
• The Hindu also received three silver trophies in the categories given below. 
  • ‘Best Data Visualisation’ (How India voted: A retrospective from 1952 - 2024)
  • ‘Best Use of AI in Revenue Strategy’
  • ‘Best Digital Subscription’
• The Hindu won three bronze trophies for the categories ‘Best in Audience Engagement’, ‘Best Data Visualisation’ (on the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy) and ‘Best Digital Subscription’.
• The award was received by Suresh Nambath, Editor of The Hindu, and L.V. Navaneeth, CEO of The Hindu Group on behalf of the organisation.  
• These awards recognise excellence in digital publishing.
• The awards are designed to celebrate the outstanding work done by publishers across South Asia.

Topic: National Appointments

8. Prof M Satish Kumar has been appointed as the first dean of Queen’s University Belfast’s (QUB) new international campus in GIFT City, Gujarat.

• He will begin his role in July 2025. He will be based at the GIFT City campus.
• The campus will start admitting its first group of students in early 2026.
• Prof Kumar has been part of QUB’s School of Natural and Built Environment for over 25 years.
• He also served as Director of Queen’s Academy India.
• Additionally, he led internationalisation efforts, strengthening QUB’s presence in South Asia.
• QUB President and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sir Ian Greer noted that QUB will be the first UK Russell Group university to establish a base in GIFT City.
• Prof Kumar has held visiting professor roles at Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and the University of Calcutta.
• He said the new campus is a key step in QUB’s global strategy.
• It aims to provide world-class education and build strong partnerships with Indian industry and academic institutions.
• Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Topic: State News/Odisha

9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched and laid the foundation for multiple development projects in Odisha.

• These projects are valued at over ₹18,600 crore.
• The occasion marked one year of the BJP-led government in the state.
• The initiatives span sectors like water supply, agriculture, health, irrigation, roads, highways, and railways.
• PM Modi described Odisha as a key guardian of India’s culture and heritage.
• The Prime Minister highlighted the state government’s move to open all four gates of Shree Jagannath Temple.
• Modi said he turned down a U.S. President’s invitation after the G7 Summit.
• He did this to keep his commitment to visit Lord Jagannath’s holy land during the Rath Yatra.
• PM Modi emphasized the visible progress under the joint efforts of the state and central governments.
• Schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana are now active in the state.
• These programs provide free medical care to nearly 3 crore people in Odisha.
• About 2 lakh residents have already used these services, even outside Odisha.
• More than 23 lakh senior citizens above 70 now qualify for up to ₹5 lakh in free healthcare.
• This has reduced the financial burden on many families.
• Two major tribal welfare schemes are now being implemented.
• Together, these schemes have a budget exceeding ₹1 lakh crore.
• The Dharati Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan is being run in over 60,000 tribal villages.
• Under the PM Janman Yojana, special focus is being given to particularly vulnerable tribal groups.
• Modi said Eastern India will power India’s growth in the 21st century.
• He called this the era of “Purvoday” or eastern resurgence.
• The government is focusing heavily on developing Odisha and other eastern states.
• Projects include a dual-feed cracker unit in Paradip and an LNG terminal in Gopalpur.
• A crude oil storage facility is also being built in Chandikhole.
• These projects will support industries in petrochemicals, textiles, and plastics.
• Odisha is on track to become a major petrochemical hub.
• PM Modi said government is preparing for 2036 and 2047 visions.
• Vision 2036 will mark Odisha’s 100 years as a linguistic state.
• Vision 2047 will mark India’s 100 years of independence.
• PM flagged off a train connecting Boudh district to the national rail network for the first time.
• He released the Odisha Vision Document for inclusive, future-focused growth.
• He launched the Baraputra Aitihya Gram Yojana to honor famous Odia personalities.
• The scheme will transform their birthplaces into heritage and cultural tourism centers.

Topic: National News

10. Operation Sindhu has facilitated the safe return of 517 Indian nationals from Iran.

• The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the figure on 21 June 2025.
• A special evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, arrived in Delhi in the early hours of 21 June.
• The evacuees included Indian students and religious travelers.
• The Indian Embassy in Tehran coordinated the evacuation efforts.
• The evacuation was initiated due to heightened security concerns amid the Iran-Israel conflict.
• The Indian government launched Operation Sindhu to ensure the safety of its citizens in the region.
• Efforts are ongoing to monitor the situation and assist more nationals if needed.
• On June 13, Israel launched airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear installations. This was called “Operation Rising Lion.
• In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched “Operation True Promise 3,”.
• Operation True Promise 3 was launched targeting Israeli energy infrastructure with missiles and drones.
• Iran–Israel war:
  • The Iran–Israel war is an ongoing armed conflict between Iran and Israel.
  • It began on 13 June 2025. On that day, Israel launched a surprise attack.
  • The strikes targeted key military and nuclear facilities in Iran.
  • These attacks abruptly ended negotiations between Iran and the United States.
  • The talks were focused on Iran's nuclear program and the possible easing of economic sanctions.