March 2nd Events: Historic Dandi March commenced.
Delhi Events: Aipada best film award given to "Lapata Ladies"; Pyod program launched at Delhi AIIMS.
Jaffer Express: Related to Pakistan.
Tallest Statue: 72 feet tall, located in Bengaluru.
Current Affairs Quiz:
- The Grand Commander of the Indian Ocean: Mauritius
- Bay of Bengal and Corbett: India and Bangladesh
- India's rank in the World Air Quality Index: 5th
- Launch of the Gyan Bharat Mission: Ministry of Culture
- Pratibimban Module: Cybercrime
- Historic Dandi March restart date: March 12th
- Apida: Delhi
- IIFA Best Film Award: Lapata Ladies
- Payodh program launch location: Delhi AIIMS
- Jaffar Express: Pakistan
- Tallest statue in India (72 feet): Bengaluru
Sea Level Rise: NASA reports a significant increase in global sea levels in 2024 (0.59 cm, compared to an estimated 0.43 cm previously), attributed to increased greenhouse gas emissions and melting glaciers. This rise threatens low-lying countries and cities like the Maldives and Jakarta.
Extreme Heat: The lecture predicts that the heatwave of 2025 will be more severe than that of 2024.
National Games:
- 38th National Games held in Uttarakhand.
- Mascot: Moli.
- Winner: Services team (Raja Bhaler Trophy).
- 38th National Games held in Uttarakhand.
International Day of Hope:
- July 12th declared by UN General Assembly.
Awards:
- PM Modi: Grand Commander of the Indian Ocean (Mauritius).
- Dalai Lama: Gold Mercury Award 2025 (peace, compassion, culture).
- J. Shree Venkatesh: Ramsar Award (wetland conservation).
Missions/Initiatives:
- Knowledge India Mission: Ministry of Culture (digitize records).
- Rise App: Uttar Pradesh (digital monitoring of childhood immunization).
Sports:
- IIFA Awards 2025: To be held in Jaipur; Kiran Rao director.
- Khelo India Winter Games 2025:
- Ladakh (February) & Jammu & Kashmir (March).
- Indian Army: First (18 medals, 7 gold).
- Himachal Pradesh: Second (6 gold).
- Naina Sri Tallo: First gold (500m women's race).
Environment:
- NASA Report on Sea Level Rise:
- 2024: +0.59 cm (vs. 0.43 cm previous year).
- Cause: Greenhouse gas emissions, glacier melting.
- Prediction: Severe heat/dust storms in 2025; risk to low-lying areas (Maldives, Jakarta).
- Inauguration of India's 58th tiger reserve: Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
- NASA Report on Sea Level Rise:
Politics:
- Canadian Prime Minister: Mark Carney replaced Justin Trudeau.
Festivals:
- Vasant Utsav Chapchar Kut Festival: Held in Mizoram. Bamboo dance/Cheraw dance.
- Aatkal Pongal: 10-day festival.
- Pongal: 4-day festival.
- Onam Festival: Kerala (King Bali).
- Vishu Festival: Malayalam New Year.
- Kalpathi Rathotsavam: Kerala.
- Makar Vilakku Festival: Sabarimala Temple (Makar Sankranti).
Summits:
- 24th World Sustainable Development Summit: Held in Delhi.
Other:
- AssamSat: Launch of Assam's own satellite.
- Lathmar Holi: Celebrated in Barsana.
markdown
* **Attukal Pongala Festival:**
* Held in Kerala, India.
* A 10-day festival.
* World's largest religious gathering of women.
* Women build temporary hearths and prepare offerings.
* Dedicated to Attukal Bhagavati. Approximately 2.5 million women participated.
* **Other Kerala Festivals:**
* Onam Festival: Associated with King Mahabali.
* Vishu Festival: Celebrates Malayalam New Year.
* Kalpathi Rathotsavam Festival.
* Makaravilakku Festival: Held at Sabarimala Temple on Makar Sankranti.
* **Latmar Holi:** Celebrated in Barsana.
* **India's 58th Tiger Reserve:** Madhav National Park (Madhya Pradesh).
* **24th World Sustainable Development Summit:** Held in Delhi.
* **Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Note Printing Authority:**
* Derived from Section 22 of the RBI Act of 1934.
* **Demonetization and Currency:**
* 2000 rupee notes are no longer in circulation.
* The previous 2000 rupee note featured Mangalyaan.
* **Military Exercise:**
* Exercise Khanjar: India and Kyrgyzstan.
* Exercise Dustlik: India and Uzbekistan.
* **Architecture Award:**
* Leo Xiaokun received the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize.
* **Champions Trophy:**
* India won the 2025 Champions Trophy, defeating New Zealand in Dubai (UAE).
* **DRDO Missile Test:**
* DRDO successfully tested the BM-04 hypersonic short-range ballistic missile.
* **Tamil Nadu's Use of Alternative Rupee Symbol:**
* Used a variant of the rupee symbol as a protest against the perceived imposition of Hindi by the Indian government.
* The official rupee symbol remains unchanged.
* Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin stated the Indian government is attempting to impose Hindi.
* The Tamil script represents the rupee.
* Related to the 2010 introduction of the ₹ symbol designed by Uday Kumar.
* **Rupee Symbol and Currency Issuance:**
* The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has the authority to print all denominations of the Indian Rupee except for the ₹1 coin, which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Finance.
* **Demonetization and Currency:**
* The 2016 demonetization removed ₹500 and ₹1000 notes, introducing ₹2000 notes (now discontinued).
* The current highest denomination note in circulation is ₹2000.
* **India's Investment in Dubai:**
* India is the top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Dubai, contributing approximately 25% of the total investment.
* **Future Museum in Dubai:**
* The "Future Museum" in Dubai showcases potential future technologies and developments.
* **National Generic Medicines Day:**
* Celebrated annually on March 7th.
* **Barbados Awards Indian Prime Minister:**
* The Prime Minister of India was awarded the Order of Freedom, Barbados' highest national honor.
* **Astra Missile Upgrade:**
* The Astra missile has been upgraded; it is now a "beyond visual range air-to-air missile."
* **Shaurya Veena Utsav:**
* The Shaurya Veena Utsav, a military capabilities demonstration, was held in Bihar.
```* **India's FDI Investment in Dubai:** India is the top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Dubai, accounting for approximately 25% of all greenfield projects.
* **Greenfield FDI Projects:** Greenfield projects refer to entirely new ventures.
* **Award to Indian Prime Minister:** The Prime Minister of India was awarded the Order of Freedom, Barbados' highest award.
* **Astra Missile:** The Astra missile is a "beyond visual range air-to-air missile".
* **Shaurya Veerna Utsav:** The Shaurya Veerna Utsav, a military capabilities demonstration, was held in Bihar.
* **Good Governance Day:** Celebrated on December 25th, the birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
* **Digital Rights Group Access Now Report:** Myanmar ranked first, and India ranked second in global internet shutdown reports.
* **Deceased Cricketer:** Padmakar Shivalkar, a spinner who played in Ranji Trophy but not for India, passed away.
* **Khelo India Para Games:** Held in Delhi.
* **Retirement Announcement:** Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra, and Sreeja Akula, table tennis players, announced their international retirement.
* **India-Mauritius Collaboration:** The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation was inaugurated in Mauritius, jointly by the Indian and Mauritian Prime Ministers.
* **Mauritius:** The current president of Mauritius is Dharm Gokul. Port Louis is the capital city. The Indian Prime Minister gifted the Mauritian President Bihar's Makhana (fox nuts) and Ganga Jal (Ganga water).
* **New Tiger Reserves in India:**
* 56th Tiger Reserve: Guru Ghasidas National Park (Chhattisgarh)
* 57th Tiger Reserve: Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh)
* 58th Tiger Reserve: Madhav (Madhya Pradesh)
* **UNESCO Tentative List:** Kanger Valley National Park added to the UNESCO tentative list for World Heritage Sites.
* **Technological Developments:** Amazon launched the first quantum chip prototype, "Ololot".
* **India's First World Peace Center:** Inaugurated in Gurugram, Haryana.
* **Climate Budget Focus:** Ahmedabad is the first urban body to focus on a climate budget.
* **Pranee Mitra National Award:** Awarded to Vanta, an organization from Gujarat.
* **UNESCO World Heritage Sites:**
* India has 43 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 35 cultural, 7 natural, and 1 mixed (Khangchendzonga).
* The 43rd site is Mohiyam in Assam.
* The 42nd site is Hoyaleshwara Temple in Karnataka.
* The 41st site is Shantiniketan in West Bengal.
* The 40th site is Dholavira in Gujarat.
* Kanger Valley National Park is on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
* **UNESCO World Heritage Sites**
* **Kanger Valley National Park:** Added to UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage sites. Located in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, India. Category: Natural. Will be discussed at a UNESCO meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2025 for potential inclusion as a World Heritage Site.
* **Dhud Murs:** Awarded Best Tourism Village by the UN. Located in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
* **UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:** Total of 43 sites: 35 cultural, 7 natural, and 1 mixed (Kanchenjunga).
* **Recent UNESCO World Heritage Site additions (India):**
* 43rd: Mohi Dam (Assam)
* 42nd: Hoyleswar Temple (Karnataka)
* 41st: Shantiniketan (West Bengal)
* 40th: Dholavira (Gujarat)
* **QS World University Rankings**
* The 15th edition of the QS subject-wise university rankings was released. Originates from London, England.
* Indian Institute of Science for Mines (ISM) Dhanbad ranked 20th globally in Mining and Engineering. This is the top-ranked Indian institution in this subject. It is the highest rank achieved by any Indian institution in any subject in this ranking.
* Savita Institute, Chennai, is the only private Indian institution in the top 50 for Dentistry.
* **Wildlife and Environment**
* Uttar Pradesh had the highest dolphin population according to the first dolphin census.
* **Sports**
* Ranji Trophy: Kerala was the runner-up.
* **Awards**
* The 97th Academy Awards: *Everything Everywhere All at Once* won Best Picture.
* **Important Days**
* **World Wildlife Conservation Day:** Celebrated on March 3rd.
* **Zero Discrimination Day:** Celebrated on March 1st.
* **Military Exercises**
* Integrated tri-service special forces exercise "Desert Hunt 25" conducted in Rajasthan, India. This exercise involved the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
* **Space Exploration**
* Blue Ghost is the second private spacecraft to achieve a soft landing on the moon. Odysseus was the first.
* Tushar Mehta is the second Indian-origin astronaut to be part of Blue Origin's NS-3 flight crew. Gopi Thotakua was the first.
* **World Consumer Rights Day**
* Celebrated annually on March 15th.
* Commemorates President John F. Kennedy's 1962 address on consumer rights.
* First celebrated in 1983.
* 2024 Theme: "A Just Transition to Sustainable Living" (स्थाई जीवन शैली के लिए उचित बदलाव).
* National Consumer Rights Day in India is celebrated on December 24th.
* Indian Consumer Protection Act enacted in 1986.
* **Other Recent Developments**
* USA designated English as its official language and the bald eagle as its national bird.
```markdown
- **Military Exercises:**
* **Desert Knight:** India, France, and UAE.
* **Dosty:** India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
* **Marine Security Belt 2025:** Iran, Russia, and China (Gulf of Oman, since 2018).
- **NASA Mission:**
* **PUNCH Mission:** Launched to study the Sun.
- **SEBI Appointment:**
* Tuhin Kanta Pandey appointed as the 11th chairman of SEBI.
- **Global Sustainability Ranking:**
* YES Bank is the only Indian bank included in the Global Sustainability Ranking 2025.
- **World Consumer Rights Day:**
* Celebrated annually on March 15th, commemorating a 1962 address on consumer rights by US President John F. Kennedy.
* National Consumer Rights Day in India is celebrated on December 24th.
- **Indian School of Mines Ranking:**
* The Indian School of Mines was ranked as a top Indian institution in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.
- **UNESCO World Heritage Site:**
* Kanger Valley National Park in Chhattisgarh was included in UNESCO's tentative world heritage list.
- **Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute Inauguration:**
* Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation in Mauritius.
- **India's FDI Investment:**
* India became the top source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Dubai.
- **Tamil Nadu Government's Rupee Symbol Change:**
* The Tamil Nadu government replaced the rupee symbol with a Tamil letter.
- **Kerala's Pongal Festival:**
* One of the world's largest women's gatherings took place in Kerala for the Attukal Pongal festival.
- **Dalai Lama's Award:**
* The Dalai Lama was awarded the Gold Mercury Award 2025 for peace and stability.
- **Khelo India Winter Games:**
* The Indian Army secured the top position in the medal tally of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025.
- **NASA Sea Level Report:**
* NASA reported a dangerous increase in global sea levels in 2024.
- **Important Days and Observances:**
* **January:**
* Startup India Day (January 16th, 2016)
* National Girl Child Day (January 24th)
* Martyrs' Day (January 30th & March 23rd, 1931)
* Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (January 9th)
* Parakram Divas (January 23rd)
* Braille Day (January 4th)
* **February:**
* World Cancer Day (February 4th)
* Coast Guard Day (February 1st)
* De-worming Day (February 10th)
* **March:**
* World Wildlife Day (March 3rd)
* **April:**
* Panchayati Raj Day (April 24th, 1993)
* Civil Services Day (April 21st)
* **May:**
* World Labour Day (May 1st)
* National Technology Day (May 11th)
* Anti-Terrorism Day (May 21st)
* **June:**
* World Milk Day (June 1st)
* National Statistics Day (June 29th)
* **July:**
* Kargil Vijay Diwas (July 26th)
* **October:**
* World Polio Day (October 24th)
* United Nations Day (October 24th)
* National Unity Day (October 31st)
* Air Force Day (October 8th)
* **November:**
* International Biosphere Reserve Day (November 3rd)
* World Tsunami Awareness Day (November 5th)
* National Legal Services Day (November 9th)
* Ayurveda Day (November 10th)
* National Education Day (November 11th)
* National Public Service Broadcasting Day (November 12th)
* National Milk Day (November 26th) (Also Constitution Day)
* World Sustainable Transport Day (November 26th, 2023)
* Toilet Day (November 19th)
* **December:**
* World AIDS Day (December 1st)
* World Computer Literacy Day (December 2nd)
* Indian Navy Day (December 4th)
* World Soil Day (December 5th)
* Armed Forces Flag Day (December 7th)
* International Human Rights Day (December 10th)
* International Mountain Day (December 11th)
* Vijay Diwas (December 16th)
* First World Basketball Day (December 21st, 2023)
* National Mathematics Day (December 22nd)
* National Farmers' Day (December 23rd)
* National Consumer Day (December 24th)
* Good Governance Day (December 25th)
* Veer Baal Diwas (December 26th)
* International Day of Epidemic Preparedness (December 27th)
```* **August Observances:**
* National Sports Day: August 29th (Major Dhyan Chand's birthday)
* World Sanskrit Day: August 31st
* **September Observances:**
* National Teacher's Day: September 5th (Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's birthday)
* International Charity Day: September 5th
* International Police Cooperation Day: September 7th (Interpol's founding date in 1923)
* International Literacy Day: September 8th
* National Hindi Day: September 14th (Hindi adopted as official language in 1949)
* National Engineers Day: September 15th (M Visvesvaraya's birthday)
* World Ozone Layer Protection Day: September 16th (Montreal Protocol signed in 1987)
* World Bamboo Day: September 18th
* International Peace Day: September 21st
* World Alzheimer's Day: September 21st
* World Rivers Day: September 24th
* World Tourism Day: September 27th
* World Heart Day: September 29th
* **October Observances:**
* International Coffee Day: October 1st
* International Day of Non-Violence: October 2nd (Gandhi's birthday)
* World Teachers' Day: October 5th
* International Day of the Girl Child: October 11th
* World Sight Day: October 12th
* International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction: October 13th
* World Students' Day: October 15th (Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's birthday)
* World Food Day: October 16th (FAO's founding date in 1945)
* World Statistics Day: October 20th
* United Nations Day: October 24th
* World Polio Day: October 24th
* National Unity Day: October 31st (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birthday)
* **November Observances:**
* International Day for Biological Diversity: November 3rd
* World Tsunami Awareness Day: November 5th
* National Legal Services Day: November 9th (NALSA's founding date)
* Ayurveda Day: November 10th
* National Education Day: November 11th
* National Public Service Broadcasting Day: November 12th
* National Milk Day: November 26th (Constitution Day)
* World Sustainable Transport Day: November 26th (2023)
* **December Observances:**
* World AIDS Day: December 1st
* **June Observances:**
* World Ocean Day: June 8th ("Awake New Depths" theme)
* First International Sports Day: June 11th ("Sport Creates a Better World" theme)
* World Blood Donor Day: June 14th
* World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought: June 17th
* Day of Fight Against Hate Speech: June 18th
* World Refugee Day: June 20th
* 10th International Yoga Day: June 21st ("Yoga for Self and Society" theme)
* United Nations Public Service Day: June 23rd
* Olympic Day: June 23rd (commemorating the founding of the IOC in 1894)
* Constitution Day (India): June 25th (marked by the imposition of the third emergency in 1975)
* **July Observances:**
* National Doctor's Day (India): July 1st (Birth anniversary of Bidhan Chandra Roy)
* World Population Day: July 11th (commemorating the world population reaching 5 billion in 1983)
* Nelson Mandela International Day: July 18th
* World Chess Day: July 20th
* International Tiger Day: July 29th
* **August Observances:**
* World Wide Web Day: August 1st (Tim Berners-Lee's birthday)
* Hiroshima Day: August 6th (commemorating the atomic bombing in 1945)
* National Handcraft Day (India): August 7th (also Javelin Throw Day)
* International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples: August 9th
* World Lion Day: August 10th
* International Elephant Day: August 12th
* National Space Day (India): August 23rd (commemorating Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander landing on the Moon's south pole in 2023)
* National Sports Day (India): August 29th (Birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand)
* World Sanskrit Day: August 31st
* **September Observances:**
* National Teachers' Day (India): September 5th (Birth anniversary of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan) Also International Charity Day.
* International Day of Police Cooperation: September 7th (commemorating the founding of Interpol in 1923)
* International Literacy Day: September 8th
* National Hindi Day (India): September 14th (commemorating Hindi's adoption as an official language in 1949)
* International Democracy Day & National Engineers Day (India): September 15th (Birth anniversary of M Visvesvaraya)
* World Ozone Day: September 16th (commemorating the Montreal Protocol in 1987)
* World Bamboo Day: September 18th
* International Day of Peace: September 21st
* World Alzheimer's Day: September 21st
* World Rivers Day: September 24th
* World Tourism Day: September 27th
* World Heart Day: September 29th
* **March Observances:**
- World Meteorological Day: March 23rd
- World Tuberculosis Day: March 24th
- World Water Day: March 22nd
* **April Observances:**
- National Maritime Day: April 5th
- World Health Day: April 7th (Theme: My Health, My Right)
- World Homeopathy Day: April 10th
- World Hemophilia Day: April 18th
- World Heritage Day: April 18th (Theme: Discovering and Experiencing Diversity)
- International Earth Day: April 22nd (Theme: Invest in our Planet)
- World Book and Copyright Day: April 23rd
- World Malaria Day: April 25th
- World Intellectual Property Day: April 26th
* **May Observances:**
- World Press Freedom Day: May 3rd
- World Red Cross Day: May 8th
- World Thalassemia Day: May 8th
- International Nurses Day: May 12th
- International Day of Families: May 15th
- International Day of Light: May 16th
- International Museum Day: May 18th
- World Metrology Day: May 20th (Theme: Measuring our world for a sustainable future)
- International Day for Biological Diversity: May 22nd (Theme: Build a shared future for all life)
- World Football Day: May 25th
- First International Potato Day: May 30th
- World No Tobacco Day: May 31st
* **June Observances:**
- World Environment Day: June 5th (Theme: Solutions to Plastic Pollution)
- World Food Safety Day: June 7th
- World Oceans Day: June 8th (Theme: Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing)
- First International Day of Sport for Development and Peace: June 11th (Theme: Sport creates a better world)
- World Blood Donor Day: June 14th
- World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought: June 17th
- International Day of Solidarity with Victims of Torture: June 26th
- World Refugee Day: June 20th
- International Day of Yoga: June 21st (Theme: Yoga for Humanity)
- United Nations Public Service Day: June 23rd
- Olympic Day: June 23rd
- Constitution Day: June 25th
- National Doctor's Day: July 1st
* **July Observances:**
- World Population Day: July 11th
- Nelson Mandela International Day: July 18th
- World Chess Day: July 20th
- International Tiger Day: July 29th
* **January Observances:**
- World Hindi Day (January 10, 2024): Theme - Connecting Hindi, Traditional Knowledge, and Artificial Intelligence.
- National Youth Day (January 12): Celebrates Swami Vivekananda's birthday.
- Indian Army Day (January 15).
- International Education Day (January 24).
- National Girl Child Day (January 24).
- National Voters' Day (January 25).
- National Tourism Day (January 25).
- Republic Day (January 26): Theme - Mother of Democracy and Developed India.
* **February Observances:**
- World Pulses Day (February 10): Theme - Pulses: Nutritious, Sustainable, and Resilient.
- World Radio Day (February 13): Also National Women's Day.
- International Mother Language Day (February 21).
- National Science Day (February 28).
* **March Observances:**
- Zero Discrimination Day (March 1).
- International Women's Day (March 8).
- International Day of Mathematics (March 14).
- World Consumer Rights Day (March 15).
- National Vaccination Day (March 16): Theme - Vaccines Work for Everyone.
- World Forestry Day (March 21).
- World Water Day (March 22): Theme - Water for Peace.
- World Meteorological Day (March 23).
- World Tuberculosis Day (March 24).
* **April Observances:**
- National Maritime Day (April 5).
- World Health Day (April 7): Theme - My Health, My Right.
- World Homeopathy Day (April 10).
- World Hemophilia Day (April 18).
- World Heritage Day (April 18): Theme - Discovering and Experiencing Diversity.
- International Earth Day (April 22): Theme - Invest in Our Planet.
- World Book and Copyright Day (April 23).
- World Malaria Day (April 25).
- World Intellectual Property Day (April 26).
* **May Observances:**
- World Press Freedom Day (May 3).
- World Red Cross Day (May 8).
- World Thalassemia Day (May 8).
- International Nurses Day (May 12).
- International Day of Families (May 15).
- International Day of Light (May 16).
- International Museum Day (May 18).
- World Metrology Day (May 20): Theme - Measuring our world for a sustainable tomorrow.
- International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22): Theme - Building a shared future for all life.
- World Football Day (May 25).
- First International Potato Day (May 30).
- World No Tobacco Day (May 31).
* **June Observances:**
- World Environment Day (June 5): Theme - Land Restoration.