General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - January 2019

Jan 2019

Sep 02, 2025

PM Modi Returns after Japan-China Visit, Attends SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi after a four-day visit to Japan and China from August 29 to September 1.
Addressing the 25^th SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, the Prime Minister called for stronger measures against terror financing and radicalisation. Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, he urged the SCO to hold nations supporting cross-border terrorism accountable. He also congratulated Kyrgyzstan on assuming the SCO presidency.
The Summit discussions covered the SCO Development Strategy, global governance reform, counter-terrorism, peace and security, economic and financial cooperation, and sustainable development. Modi outlined India's vision of enhancing collaboration under three pillars – Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity.

Scindia Launches AI-powered App for India Mobile Congress 2025

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched an AI-powered mobile application for the upcoming India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, terming the platform a gateway to connections, collaborations and outcomes.
The 9th edition of IMC, themed 'Innovate to Transform', will be held from October 8-11 at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in Dwarka, New Delhi.
The app comes with real-time features including live streaming of sessions, AI-driven personalised recommendations, networking tools for startups and participants, and a built-in chatbot for instant event assistance. It also offers short AI-generated video highlights, live polls, contests, and an interactive photo booth.

Rajit Punhani Takes over as FSSAI Chief

Rajit Punhani took charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Punhani, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, has over three decades of administrative experience across the Centre, states and international platforms.
Punhani is an economics (honours) graduate from St Stephen's College, Delhi, and holds an MBA in finance from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

India Launches Adi Vaani: AI Translator for Tribal Languages

The government launched the Beta Version of Adi Vaani which is India's first AI powered translator for tribal languages. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs said that this translation tool is a step toward inclusive tribal empowerment and preservation of India's rich linguistic diversity. Adi Vaani is developed under Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh to bridge communication gaps between tribal and non-tribal communities. The project combines advanced AI technologies to protect and promote the tribal culture across India. This initiative strengthens India's constitutional values of cultural diversity, positioning the nation as a global leader in AI-driven preservation of endangered languages.

Aug 31, 2025

PM Modi Receives Daruma Doll during Japan Visit

During a two-day visit to Japan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with a Daruma doll by the Chief priest of Shorinzan Daruma-Ji Temple, Rev Seishi Hirose, in Tokyo. The traditional Japanese doll, which was gifted to PM Modi as a gesture of goodwill between the two nations, is a symbol of good luck and holds a significant place in the country's culture.

Dept. Posts Partners With MapmyIndia to Implement DIGIPIN

In a move toward digitising India's address infrastructure, the Department of Posts (DoP) under the Ministry of Communications signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MapmyIndia – Mappls. This collaboration aims to advance the development and implementation of DIGIPIN—a Digital Address Code (DAC) system designed to uniquely identify every address in India through precise geo-location.
DIGIPIN stands for Digital PIN, a standardised digital address system that assigns a unique geocode to every property or location in India. Unlike traditional PIN codes, DIGIPIN is geo-referenced, allowing users to find, verify, and navigate to exact addresses with high accuracy.

National Annual Report & Index on Women's Safety (NARI) 2025

Kohima, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar and Mumbai emerged as the safest cities in the country for women, while Patna, Jaipur, Faridabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar and Ranchi were ranked the lowest, according to the National Annual Report & Index on Women's Safety (NARI) 2025.'
The nationwide index released, based on a survey of 12,770 women across 31 cities, placed the national safety score at 65 per cent, categorising cities as "much above", "above", "below" or "much below" this benchmark.

Aug 30, 2025

MoS Margherita Inaugurates 5th Edition of ASEAN-India Youth Summit in Goa

Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, inaugurated the 5th edition of the ASEAN-India Youth Summit in Goa.
Over 100 young leaders from ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste & India deliberated on the theme "Connecting the Youth: Shaping our Future".

Centre Names Former RBI Governor Urjit Patel as IMF Executive Director

The government approved the appointment of former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Dr. Urjit Patel as Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a three-year term.
Patel's appointment follows the abrupt termination of Krishnamurthy V. Subramanian's services, which ended his term about six months early. He is widely regarded as a key architect of India's inflation-targeting framework for monetary policy.
A Kenyan-born Indian economist, Patel began his career at the IMF over 30 years ago. He initially worked in Washington, D.C., before moving to India in 1992 as the IMF's deputy resident representative in New Delhi.
He became the 24th governor of the RBI in 2016, succeeding Raghuram Rajan. In 2018, he became the first RBI governor to resign for personal reasons, serving the shortest term since 1992.

India, Canada Hit Reset, Name New Envoys

Almost ten months after India and Canada expelled each other's High Commissioners in a tit-for-tat move, both countries announced their new envoys. The development came two months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney agreed on the early return of High Commissioners as part of the constructive steps to restore stability.
New Delhi named Dinesh Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer who is currently serving as India's ambassador to Spain, as its High Commissioner to Canada, and Ottawa named Christopher Cooter as its High Commissioner to India.

Aug 29, 2025

India, Qatar Hold Talks to Expand Investment Cooperation

India and Qatar held a high-level meeting to explore opportunities for boosting Qatari investments in India, particularly in sectors such as infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, transport, logistics, food processing, healthcare, semiconductors, and finance.
The discussions followed up on Qatar's commitment to invest $10 billion and open an office of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) in India, a pledge made during the state visit of Qatar's Amir to India in February 2025.
Both sides agreed to promote further discussions for investments by QIA and other Qatari entities, focusing on key sectors, projects, and companies. The Qatari delegation conveyed confidence in India's economic growth and technological advancements.

Bhubaneswar Hosts National Conference on Welfare of SCs and STs

Bhubaneswar is hosting a two-day National Conference of Chairpersons of Committees on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on August 29–30. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the conference.
Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Surama Padhy, delivered the welcome address, while Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi proposed the vote of thanks.
More than 120 delegates, including Chairpersons and Members of Committees on the Welfare of SCs and STs from Parliament and State/UT legislatures, are taking part in the conference. The theme is 'Role of Parliamentary and Legislative Committees in Welfare, Development and Empowerment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes'.

Regional Conference of Skill Ministers - Kaushal Manthan Held in Chandigarh

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) convened the Regional Conference of Skill Ministers 'Kaushal Manthan' in Chandigarh, a landmark dialogue aimed at deepening collaboration between the Centre, States and Union Territories on the future of skills and entrepreneurship. Guided by the vision of the Prime Minister's mantra of skilling, re-skilling and up skilling, the conference, chaired by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, brought together Skill Ministers, Members of Parliament, senior officers and policy leaders from across North India.
The conference witnessed the participation from State/UT Governments of Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Aug 28, 2025

Goa Cabinet Reshuffle

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant allocated portfolios to Digambar Kamat and Ramesh Tawadkar, days after they were inducted into the Cabinet.
While Kamat, who served as the Chief Minister of Goa from 2007 to 2012 during the last Congress government in the state, was allocated the portfolios of Public Works Department (PWD), captain of ports, and legal metrology, former speaker Tawadkar was allocated tribal welfare, art and culture, and Sports and Youth Affairs.

India and Bhutan Sign MoU on Technical Cooperation in Agriculture and Allied Sectors

Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Government of India and Thinley Namgyel, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL), Royal Government of Bhutan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Thimpu to further strengthen cooperation in the fields of agriculture and allied sectors.
The signing of MoU represents a significant milestone in the enduring partnership between India and Bhutan, reflecting the two countries' shared commitment to food security, sustainable farming, and rural prosperity. It will serve as a framework for collaboration in various areas outlined in the MoU including agricultural research and innovation, livestock health and production, post-harvest management, value chain development, and the exchange of knowledge, skills, and expertise.

Assam Government Approves SOP For Inter Religious Land Transfer

The Assam government approved a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for inter-religious land transfer in the state.
Briefing over the decision Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that all such transfers will come to the government.

Cabinet Approves ₹12,328 crore Railway Projects across Five States

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved four major railway projects worth around ₹12,328 crore aimed at boosting connectivity, freight movement, and regional development. The projects include one new rail line in Gujarat's Kutch region and multi-tracking works in Karnataka, Telangana, Bihar, and Assam.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

July GK, June GK, May GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26