Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 and 14 April 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. Dr. B R Ambedkar Jayanti: 14 April

• Dr. B R Ambedkar Jayanti is celebrated on 14 April to pay tribute to Dr. B R Ambedkar, the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution.
• The day is also known as ‘Bhim Jayanti’.
• He was posthumously conferred Bharat Ratna award in 1990.
• 1990–1991 was announced as the ‘Year of Social Justice.’
• Dr. B R Ambedkar:
  • He was born on 14 April 1891 in present day Mhow of Madhya Pradesh.
  • He was an Indian jurist, economist, politician, and social reformer.
  • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution. He is also known as the “Father of the Constitution of India”.
  • He is the first Law Minister of India. He had started the Dalit Buddhist Movement in India.

Topic: Sports

2. Virat Kohli created history by hitting 1000 boundaries in IPL 2025.

• Virat Kohli, India’s batting icon, has made IPL history by becoming the first player to hit 1000 boundaries in the tournament.
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru veteran Virat Kohli achieved the milestone in his 18th consecutive IPL season during the match against Delhi Capitals in Bengaluru on April 10.
• Kohli reached the coveted 1000-boundary milestone with 721 fours and 279 sixes.
• He remains at the top in terms of hitting most fours in IPL history and is behind only Chris Gayle (357) and Rohit Sharma (282) in terms of hitting sixes.
• With 99 half-centuries, Kohli is also just one step away from becoming the second batsman in T20 history after David Warner to score 100 half-centuries.
• The 2025 Indian Premier League (Tata IPL 2025) is the 18th edition of the tournament, featuring 10 teams playing 74 matches from March 22 to May 25.
• The IPL has been held every year since the first edition in 2008.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

3. On 12 April, Kathak legend Kumudini Lakhia passed away at the age of 95 in Ahmedabad.

• She was a pioneer in Kathak dance and one of India's most respected classical choreographers.
• PM Narendra Modi expressed condolences on the demise of Kumudini Lakhia.
• Kumudini Lakhia was born on 17 May 1930 in Ahmedabad and dedicated her life to Indian classical dance.
• With the quiet precision of her feet and the blatant defiance of convention in each performance, Kumudini Lakhia—often referred to as India’s own Martha Graham—rewrote the language of Kathak.
• In 1967, she founded the Kadamba School of Dance and Music, an institute of Indian dance and music.
• She was the choreographer for the Hindi film Umrao Jaan (1981) along with Gopi Krishna.
• Kumudini Lakhia has been honoured with several prestigious awards for her outstanding contribution to Indian classical dance.
• These include the Padma Shri (1987), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1982), Kalidas Samman (2002-03), Padma Bhushan (2010), Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna (2011), and the Padma Vibhushan in 2025.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

4. Tanzania is hosting the inaugural India-Africa maritime engagement exercise.

• The inaugural edition of the large-scale multilateral exercise Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), meaning ‘Unity’ in Sanskrit, has begun.
• The six-day exercise is being held from 13 to 18 April 2025.
• It is being attended by Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa, as well as co-hosts India and Tanzania.
• Indian Naval ships INS Chennai (Destroyer) and INS Kesari [Landing Ship Tank (Vishal)] arrived in Dar-es-Salaam on 10 and 11 April 2025, respectively.
• The activities scheduled during the harbour phase include table top and command post exercises, which will focus on anti-piracy operations and information sharing.
• The maritime phase will run from 16 to 18 April 2025 and will focus on expanding maritime security cooperation among the participating countries.
• AIKEYME aims to develop collaborative solutions to common regional maritime challenges.
• This flagship initiative of the Indian Navy aims to enhance interoperability between maritime forces of partner nations and synergy during joint operations.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: National News

5. The state-of-the-art Central Research Laboratory at AIIMS Bhubaneswar inaugurated by the Union Health Minister.

• On 12 April, the Central Research Laboratory at AIIMS Bhubaneswar was inaugurated by Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda.
• This is marked as another milestone in the institute’s journey of growth and excellence.
• On this occasion, he also laid the foundation stone of the Multiutility (Gastronomy) Block.
• The state-of-the-art Central Research Laboratory facility is a transformational initiative aimed at advancing cutting-edge medical research and fostering innovation.
• The facility is set to enable doctors, researchers and scholars to develop impactful healthcare services and elevate AIIMS Bhubaneswar to the league of leading medical research centres in the country.
• The Multiutility (Gastronomy) Block is a modern infrastructure project designed to meet the growing needs of students, faculty, staff and the general public.
• The block will provide essential facilities under one roof, enhancing both operational efficiency and community engagement within the campus.
• Further, to promote digital transformation in healthcare, the revamped AIIMS Bhubaneswar website was also launched, which now provides user-friendly features and integrated services for both patients and visitors.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Indian Polity

6. Justice Arun Palli appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

• The appointment of Justice Arun Palli as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh was notified by the Central Government.
• In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President of India, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, has appointed Justice Arun Palli as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Justice Palli is currently serving as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• His appointment will take effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.
• Justice Palli was designated as Senior Advocate on April 26, 2007.
• On December 28, 2013, Justice Palli was elevated to the bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• Additionally, he is serving as the Executive Chairman of Haryana State Legal Services Authority from May 31, 2023.
• On October 31, 2023, he was also nominated as a member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for a term of two years.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

7. STELLAR, a cutting-edge resource adequacy planning tool, was launched on April 11, 2025. 

• It was developed entirely in India by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). 
• It combines generation, transmission, storage planning, and demand-side management in one platform. 
• The model supports the implementation of the Resource Adequacy Guidelines released in June 2023. 
• It will be provided free of cost to all state utilities, Discoms, and load dispatch centres. 
• CEA has completed resource adequacy plans for all Discoms up to the year 2034–35. 
• A national-level resource adequacy analysis has also been done. 
• Since these plans need yearly updates, a standard tool like STELLAR is useful for all stakeholders. 
• The software models the chronological operation of the power system. 
• The tool also includes demand response features and planning for ancillary services. 
• STELLAR helps avoid power shortages and under-utilised capacity. 
• It ensures reliable supply while keeping overall system costs low. 
• The model supports cost-effective decisions for generation expansion and real-time grid operation. 
• It also helps determine the best size and location for energy storage systems. 

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

8. India participated in the Mission Innovation Annual Gathering 2025. 

• The event took place in Seoul, South Korea from April 9 to 11. 
• The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, was a key part of the Indian delegation. 
• India co-leads the Mission Integrated Biorefinery along with the Netherlands. 
• This mission operates under the global Mission Innovation 2.0 initiative. 
• Mission Innovation was first launched at COP21. 
• It was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former French President François Hollande. 
• The aim of Mission Innovation is to accelerate clean energy innovation worldwide. 
• At the gathering, DBT engaged in discussions on joint efforts across different Mission Innovation platforms. 
• India presented its BioE3 Policy at the event. 
• The BioE3 Policy focuses on biotechnology for environmental protection, clean energy, and economic development. 
• It promotes low-carbon production of fuels, chemicals, and materials. 
• India also shared its progress in using Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Bioenergy (CCUB) for biomanufacturing. 
• Meetings took place at Hanyang University and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. 
• The Indian Embassy in Seoul helped coordinate visits and sessions. 
• Participants agreed that bio-based innovations are key to achieving global decarbonization goals.

Topic: Defence

9. India has successfully demonstrated the ability to shoot down fixed-wing drones using a high-powered laser weapon. 

• This achievement places India among an elite group of nations with similar capabilities. 
• Only the United States, China, and Russia have previously shown such technology. 
• The demonstration used a 30-kilowatt Laser Directed Energy Weapon developed by DRDO. 
• The system was tested by a specialized DRDO laboratory in Hyderabad. 
• The trial was conducted in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. 
• It involved the land-based, vehicle-mounted version of the DEW MK-II(A) system. 
• The laser weapon successfully destroyed a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle. 
• It also neutralized swarm drones during the test. 
• The system caused major structural damage to the drones. 
• It also disabled their surveillance sensors. 
• DRDO is also working on other high-energy technologies. 
• These include high-energy microwave weapons and electromagnetic pulse systems. 
• These advanced projects aim to build futuristic “Star Wars”-level defense capabilities.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National Appointments

10. Sourav Ganguly has been re-elected as the chairperson of the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. 

• VVS Laxman has also been re-selected as a member of the committee. 
• Ganguly first took on the role in 2021. 
• He was the captain of the Indian cricket team from 2000 to 2005. 
• Ganguly replaces Anil Kumble as chairperson. 
• Kumble stepped down after completing his maximum term limit of three consecutive three-year terms.
• International Cricket Council:
  • The International Cricket Council is the global governing body of cricket.
  • It was established in 1909 by the representatives of Australia, England, and South Africa as the Imperial Cricket Conference.
  • It is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

(Source: News on AIR)