Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 June 2025

Topic: Personality in News

1. Former Indian left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi passed away at the age of 77 in London.

• The cause of death was heart-related complications.
• He played 33 Test matches for India between 1979 and 1983.
• He took 114 wickets in Tests at an average of 30.71. This included six five-wicket hauls.
• Doshi also appeared in 15 One Day Internationals. He picked up 22 wickets in ODIs.
• His economy rate in the format was 3.96.
• He made his Test debut at the age of 32.
• The BCCI described him as a master of spin bowling.
• Doshi played a key role in India’s 1981 Test win in Melbourne.
• He took five wickets in that match.
• He later wrote an autobiography titled 'Spin Punch'. The book reflected on his cricketing journey.
• West Indies legend Garfield Sobers influenced Doshi during his time at Nottinghamshire.
• He represented Saurashtra and Bengal in domestic cricket.
• He played county cricket in England for Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire

Topic: Sports

2. Neeraj Chopra won the Ostrava Golden Spike Javelin title with a throw of 85.29 m.

• Neeraj Chopra secured the javelin title at the Ostrava Golden Spike 2025 event in the Czech Republic during the one-day competition held on 24 June.
• Neeraj won with one throw to spare, as his third attempt was 85.29 m, remaining unbeaten in all six rounds, giving him another top podium finish this season.
• The victory marked Chopra’s second consecutive gold after winning at the Paris Diamond League.
• South Africa's Douwe Smit threw a distance of 84.12 meters, and Grenada's Anderson Peters threw a distance of 83.63 meters to finish second and third, respectively.

Topic: State News/Uttar Pradesh

3. The establishment of the International Potato Center’s South Asia Regional Center in Agra approved by the Cabinet.

• On 25 June, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to set up the South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) of the International Potato Centre (CIP) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
• The proposal was initiated by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to improve food and nutritional security in the region.
• This important step aims to enhance food and nutrition security, increase farmers' income, and create employment opportunities through improved productivity, better post-harvest management, and value addition of potatoes and sweet potatoes.
• The center will be established in Singna, Agra, and will serve as a hub for advanced research in potato and sweet potato cultivation.
• Productivity, post-harvest handling, and value addition in the potato sector will be strengthened through this center.
• Job opportunities will be created across production, packaging, marketing, processing, and other segments of the potato value chain.
• The CSARC is being developed to focus on high-yielding, climate-resilient, and nutrient-rich varieties of potato and sweet potato.
• Research outcomes from this center will be extended to benefit not only India but also neighboring South Asian countries.

Topic: State News/Uttar Pradesh

4. Rs 417-crore electronics manufacturing cluster approved for Gautam Buddh Nagar.

• The establishment of a ₹417 crore Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC 2.0) in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, has been approved by the central government.
• The new cluster aims to boost local manufacturing, encourage innovation, and attract substantial investments in the electronics sector.
• The project was reviewed by Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jitin Prasada, who directed close coordination with state authorities for timely execution.
• The EMC will be developed over 200 acres by the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA).
• An investment inflow of ₹2,500 crore is projected, with expectations of creating 15,000 direct jobs.
• The initiative is part of the broader “Make in India” and “Viksit Bharat” mission.
• Industries such as consumer electronics, computer hardware, communication tools, and medical devices will be supported.
• Startups and MSMEs will benefit from ready-to-use infrastructure and shared amenities like factory sheds and skill centers.
• The cluster will be situated strategically near expressways and the upcoming Jewar International Airport, ensuring strong connectivity.
• So far, about Rs 30,000 crore has been invested in EMCs under the scheme, attracting 520 companies and creating over 86,000 jobs.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. Revised Jharia Master Plan worth Rs 5,940 crore approved for fire and rehabilitation work.

• On 25 June, the Revised Jharia Master Plan (JMP) with a total financial outlay of ₹5,940.47 crore was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
• It aims to address long-standing issues like fire, land subsidence, and rehabilitation of affected families in the Jharia coalfield.
• As part of the rehabilitation strategy, skill development programs will be initiated to enhance the employability of the displaced people.
• Additionally, the rehabilitated families—both legal title holders (LTH) and non-legal title holders (non-LTH)—will receive a livelihood grant of ₹1 lakh and credit support of up to ₹3 lakh through the institutional credit pipeline.
• Livelihood training and upskilling will be carried out through Multi-Skill Development Institutes in the region.
• Infrastructure such as roads, water supply, electricity, schools, and hospitals will be developed at new resettlement sites.
• The plan has been formulated in line with recommendations of the implementation committee to ensure holistic development.
• A Jharia Alternative Livelihoods Rehabilitation Fund will be created to ensure long-term income generation.
• The revised JMP represents a major step towards resolving long-standing safety and livelihood issues in Jharia Coalfield.

Topic: State News/Bihar

6. Bihar will get its first nuclear power plant under the government’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) rollout plan.

• Bihar will be among the first six states in India to get its first nuclear plant under the country's new atomic energy mission.
• On 24 June, the announcement was made by Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar after a meeting of eastern region power ministers.
• The central government has accepted Bihar’s request and pledged full support for setting up the plant.
• The Nuclear Energy Mission, with a ₹20,000 crore budget, was introduced in Union Budget 2025–26 to promote clean energy.
• The objective of the Nuclear Energy Mission is to expand clean and reliable nuclear energy across the country and strengthen regional energy security.
• The SMR technology is considered cost-effective, flexible, and safer compared to conventional large reactors.
• A 1,000 MW battery storage project has also been approved for Bihar.
• It aims to enhance grid stability and support renewable energy integration.
• The government will provide viability gap funding of Rs 18 lakh per megawatt for this initiative.
• The government has prepared a comprehensive energy vision for 2035, which includes thermal, solar, wind, storage, and nuclear power projects.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 48th meeting of the PRAGATI platform.

• The meeting focused on accelerating major infrastructure projects and improving their execution.
• Discussions centered on the mining, railway, and water resource sectors.
• The Prime Minister emphasized the need for better coordination among agencies and strict adherence to timelines.
• He warned that project delays increase costs and prevent people from accessing vital infrastructure and services on time.
• The Prime Minister also reviewed progress in building self-reliance in the defence sector.
• He praised the push for indigenous manufacturing and innovation.
• He cited Operation Sindoor as a clear example of India’s growing capabilities in homegrown defence technology.
• PRAGATI:
  • Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI), launched in 2015, is a digital platform.
  • It enables the Prime Minister to directly engage with central and state officials to monitor and resolve challenges in key projects.

Topic: Space and IT

8. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla created history on June 25, 2025.

• He travelled to the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space.

• He became the first Indian to visit the ISS.
• He is also only the second Indian to enter space since Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984.
• The 14-day mission marks a return to human spaceflight for India, Hungary, and Poland.
• Shukla is 39 years old. He is an experienced Indian Air Force pilot with over 2,000 flight hours on various fighter jets.
• He was born in Lucknow. His call sign is ‘Shux’.
• The Axiom-4 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is backed by both ISRO and NASA.
• Shukla was selected in 2019 to be part of India’s astronaut team.
• He is one of the crew chosen for the Gaganyaan mission, which is expected to launch in 2027.
• His fellow astronauts on the Axiom-4 mission include commander Peggy Whitson.
• The other crew members are Tibor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland.

Topic: Sports

9. Kirsty Coventry made history by becoming the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee.

• She is also the first African to hold this position.

• Her inauguration was held on 23 June 2025 on the IOC’s 131st anniversary.
• Coventry is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming for Zimbabwe.
• She was elected in March 2025. She won against six other candidates in a competitive race.
• Her term will last for eight years. It includes overseeing the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
• She emphasized the need for the Olympic movement to remain relevant and adapt to change.
• Outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach handed over a symbolic key during the ceremony.
• Bach, a 1976 Olympic gold medalist in fencing, served as president for 12 years.
• He now becomes honorary president.
• The ceremony took place at the IOC’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• International Olympic Committee is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Topic: Sports

10. Rajasthan will host the fifth edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) in November 2025.

• The event will take place in Jaipur. It will be jointly organised by Poornima University and Rajasthan University.
• Over 4,000 university athletes are expected to participate.
• These athletes will represent more than 200 institutions from across India.
• The Khelo India University Games were launched in 2020.
• They are now a key national platform for under-25 student-athletes.
• The 2025 edition will feature events in at least 20 different sports.
• The announcement comes shortly after Bihar hosted the Khelo India Youth Games in May 2025.
• The 2024 edition of KIUG was held across seven northeastern states.
• These included Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, and Tripura.
• Around 4,500 athletes competed in the 2024 Games.
• A total of 770 medals were awarded. This included 240 gold, 240 silver, and 290 bronze medals.
• Chandigarh University won the overall team title at KIUG 2024.
• Lovely Professional University came in second. Guru Nanak Dev University placed third.
• Swimmer Pratyasa Ray from Utkal University was the top female athlete.
• Xavier Michael Dsouza of Jain University was the most successful male athlete.
• Eight new athletic records were set during KIUG 2024. Five of them were set by male athletes.