• Deaths of Prominent Indians:

  • Brief video highlighting the deaths of seven notable Indian figures.

• Awards:

  • Banu Mustaq: 2025 International Booker Prize.
  • Banu Mustapha: 2023 International Booker Prize.
  • Arundhati Roy: Man Booker Prize ("The God of Small Things").

• International Events:

  • World Hydrogen Summit: Held in the Netherlands.
  • Colombia: Joined China's Belt and Road Initiative.

• National Affairs:

  • Mizoram: First state with full functional literacy.
  • Uttar Pradesh: Launched India's first Vista Dome jungle safari train.
  • Madhav: India's 58th tiger reserve.
  • Tapan Kumar Deka: Head of the Intelligence Bureau.
  • "i-Prakriti Tera Tu jhko Arpan" unfreeze portal: Launched in Gujarat.

• Sports:

  • Pepe Reina: Spanish footballer retired at 42.

• Defense:

  • Golden Dome: Missile defense shield located in the USA.

• Other:

  • International Tea Day: May 21st.

• Meghalaya: Politics & Governance

  • P.A. Sangma: Founder, National People's Party (NPP).
  • Conrad Sangma: Current Chief Minister of Meghalaya, President of NPP.
  • Williamson A. Sangma: First Chief Minister of Meghalaya.

• Meghalaya: Culture & Geography

  • GI Tags: Khasi Handloom, Larnai pottery, Gar and Dak Manda.
  • Lakadong Turmeric: Originates in Meghalaya.
  • Major Dances: Nongkrem Dance, Laho, Bangla, Behdienkhlam.
  • Major Festivals: Behdienkhlam, Nongkrem Dance, Cherry Blossom Festival (Shillong).
  • National Parks: Nokrek National Park, Balpakram National Park.
  • Highest Rainfall: Mawsynram, Cherrapunji.
  • Nongkhnum Island: Second largest river island in India (after Majuli in Assam).
  • Living Root Bridges: Located in Meghalaya.

• Meghalaya: Legislative Details

  • Legislative Assembly: 60 seats (exceptions: Sikkim 32, Goa 40, Puducherry 30, Mizoram 40).
  • Parliament: 2 Lok Sabha seats, 1 Rajya Sabha seat.

• Meghalaya: Geography & Demographics

  • Highest Peak: Shillong Peak.
  • Neighbors: Assam (state), Bangladesh (country).
  • Population Density: 132 persons/sq km.
  • Sex Ratio: 989.
  • Literacy: ~74%.

• Meghalaya: Symbols

  • State Animal: Clouded Leopard.
  • State Bird: Gamhar (Gamlelia arborea).
  • State Flower: Lady Slipper Orchid.

• Related Information:

  • Clouded Leopard National Park: Located in Tripura.

• Meghalaya: Religious Sites

  • Nartiang Durga Temple, Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Medina Masjid (India's only glass mosque).

• Meghalaya: Statehood

  • Formed January 21, 1972 (along with Manipur and Tripura).

• Meghalaya: Key Personnel

  • First Chief Minister: A.H. Williams N. Sangma
  • First Governor: Brij Kumar Nehru
  • Current Governor: Vijay Shankar* Sports:
  • Shooter Kanak won gold in the 10m air pistol category at the Junior World Cup.
  • Bengal won the 33rd Santosh Trophy (football).
  • Haryana won the Pro Kabaddi League 24.

• Space Exploration:

  • ISRO launched the Shōbhā mission using the GSLV F12 rocket and the NVS2 satellite.
  • ISRO launched the Shukrayaan mission using the GSLV F12 rocket. The satellite is named NVS2.

• Awards: The Major Dhyan Chand Award was given to Manu Bhaker, Harmanpreet Singh, D. Mukesh, and Praveen Kumar.

• Aviation: Air India is the first airline in India to provide in-flight Wi-Fi on domestic routes.

• Census: India's first coastal and wetland bird census was conducted in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

• Business: The Hinduja family topped the UK's Sunday Times Rich List for the fourth consecutive year, with a net worth of £35.3 billion.

• United Nations Themes for 2025:

  • International Year of Cooperatives
  • International Year of Quantum Technology
  • International Year of Sustainable Development Goals
  • International Year of Peace and Trust

• Bhopal Gas Tragedy Waste Disposal: The disposal of toxic waste from the 1984 Bhopal tragedy is being handled in Pithampura, Madhya Pradesh, amidst significant local opposition.

• Mount Everest Ascent: Geeta Samota, a CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) sub-inspector, became the first female CISF officer to conquer Mount Everest.

• Medical Technology: A new AI-powered blood testing technology allows for blood tests to be completed in one minute in Hyderabad, India at the Nilofer Hospital.* AI-Based Non-Invasive Blood Test Device:

  • Launched at Niloufer Hospital, Hyderabad.
  • Uses AI and camera technology for blood testing.
  • Eliminates the need for needles.
  • Provides test results within 1 minute.
  • Tests include blood count, BP, and SO2 levels.
  • Device name: Amrit Swasth Bharat.

• Kerala Makes Robotics Mandatory:

  • Kerala is the first state in India to make robotics lessons mandatory for all 10th-grade students.
  • The chapter is titled "The World of Robots," focusing on teaching AI.
  • Aims to familiarize students with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

• Mizoram Achieves Full Functional Literacy:

  • Mizoram has become the first state in India to achieve full functional literacy.

• First Global Hyper Championship in Asia:

  • The first global hyper championship in Asia was held in Chennai.

• ISRO's Space Docking Mission:

  • ISRO launched its first space docking mission, SpadEx, using PSLV C60.

• India's First Glass Bridge:

  • India's first glass bridge (boasting arc bridge) was inaugurated in Tamil Nadu.

• Lakshya Sen Wins Bronze Medal:

  • Lakshya Sen won a bronze medal at the King's Cup International Badminton Open 2024.

• Newly Classified Major Minerals:

  • The Ministry of Mines has classified Barytes, Felspar, Mica, and Quartz as major minerals.

• Odissi Dance Artists:

  • Notable Odissi dancers: Mayadhar Raut, Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh, Kelucharan Mohapatra (considered the father of Odissi dance).

• DRDO and Indian Navy Missile Testing:

  • The DRDO and the Indian Navy tested the NASM (National Anti-Ship Missile), a short-range missile.```markdown

Madhya Pradesh Current Affairs

• Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Meeting and Rahvir Yojana: The Madhya Pradesh cabinet meeting was held at Rajwada Palace in Indore to commemorate the 300th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar. The Rahvir Yojana was approved to provide ₹25,000 to individuals who transport road accident victims to the hospital or call 108. The aim is to reduce road accident fatalities. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh is Mohan Yadav.

Minerals

• The Ministry of Mines has classified Barytes, Felspar, Mica, and Quartz as major minerals.

Arts and Culture

• Odissi Dance Artists: Notable Odissi dancers include Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh, and Kelucharan Mahapatra (considered the father of Odissi dance and the first recipient of the Padma Vibhushan for Odissi). Mayadhar Raut (deceased Odissi dancer).

Defense and Technology

• The DRDO and the Indian Navy tested the NASM (National Anti-Ship Missile), a short-range missile.

International Affairs

• Mauritius National Day: Narendra Modi was invited as the chief guest for Mauritius's National Day celebrations.
• FBI Director: Christopher Wray was sworn in as the new FBI director.

Sports

• Asian Snooker Championship: Pankaj Advani won his 14th Asian snooker gold medal in Doha, Qatar.

Infrastructure

• First Offshore Airport: India's first offshore airport is being built on a man-made island in Mumbai.

Environment and Biodiversity

• International Day of Biodiversity: The theme is "Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development".
• Kunming-Montreal Protocol: A recently adopted protocol related to biodiversity, emerged from COP15.
• Biodiversity Act: The Biodiversity Act was enacted in 2002.
• Global Biodiversity Hotspot: The Amazon rainforest has the highest biodiversity globally.
• India's Biodiversity Hotspot: India possesses 8% of the world's biodiversity, with the Western Ghats being a significant hotspot.
• Western Ghats Conservation:
  • The Madhav Gadgil Committee and the Kasturirangan Committee were formed for the conservation of the Western Ghats biodiversity and the declaration of eco-sensitive zones.
• Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, part of COP15, is a recent protocol related to biodiversity.
• International Biodiversity Day:
  • Celebrated annually on May 22nd, starting in 2000.
  • 2025 theme: Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.
  • Walter G. Rosen is credited with conceptualizing biodiversity.

History/Social Reform

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy:
  • His birthday was celebrated on May 22nd.
  • Founder of Brahmo Samaj.
  • Pioneer of Indian Renaissance.
  • Considered the father of Indian journalism.
  • Opposed Sati Pratha (widow immolation).
  • Received the title of Raja from Akbar II.
  • Died in Bristol, England.

*   **Awards:**

    *   Manu Bhaker: BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award.
    *   Purnima Devi Burman: Time Magazine Woman of the Year.

*   **Technology:**

    *   Microsoft: Launched the Majorana first quantum processor.
    *   Matsya 6000: Newly developed submersible; part of Samudrayan project (underwater equivalent of Gaganyaan).

*   **International Days:**

    *   International Biodiversity Day: Celebrated annually on May 22nd. 2025 theme: Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development. Introduced by Walter G. Rosen.

*   **Indian Constitution:**

    *   Nepali language: Included in the 8th schedule via the 71st Constitutional Amendment in 1992, along with Manipuri and Konkani.

*   **Film Festivals:**

    *   Cannes Film Festival: Showcasing five Asian films in the "HAFF Goes to Cannes" program, including "Saaf of Momo" (Nepali-language film from Sikkim directed by Triveni Rai).

*   **Appointments:**

    *   Gyanesh Kumar: 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India.

*   **Policy:**

    *   Madhya Pradesh: Unveiled India's first Global Capability Centre (GCC) policy.

*   **Military Exercises:**

    *   "Jal Thal Raksha Abhyas 25": Coastal military exercise conducted by the Indian Army in Gujarat.

*   **Terrorism Response (Operation Sindhu):**

    *   Prime Minister Modi stated that the response to the April 22 Pulwama-like incident (referred to as Operation Sindhu) took only 22 minutes.
    *   New policies announced:
        *   Terrorist attacks will be considered acts of war.
        *   India will not be intimidated by nuclear threats.
        *   Any country supporting terrorism will be labeled a terrorist state.
    *   Significance: Described not as revenge, but as a new form of justice ("tit-for-tat").

*   **Infrastructure:**

    *   Amrit Bharat Stations: Inauguration of 103 stations, including Desnok in Rajasthan (Desnok railway station launched). Uttar Pradesh received the highest number of upgrades (19).
```*   **India-Philippines Relations**
    *   A statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar was unveiled in the Philippines to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic ties between India and the Philippines.

*   **Joint Military Exercise**
    *   India and Japan conducted a joint military exercise named "Dharma Guardian."

*   **Amrit Stations Scheme**
    *   Prime Minister Modi inaugurated 103 Amrit stations across India, starting the launch in Desnok, Rajasthan on May 22nd.
    *   Desnok railway station was included in the inauguration.
    *   Uttar Pradesh received the highest number of new stations (19).

*   **Asian Lion Population**
    *   The Asian lion population in Gujarat increased from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025, a 32% growth.
    *   The Gir National Park in Gujarat has the largest concentration of Asian lions.
    *   Project Lion, launched in 2020, aimed to increase lion numbers.

*   **Conservation Projects**
    *   Project Tiger: Started in 1973.
    *   Project Dolphin: Started in 2009 (October 5th), with the Ganges river dolphin declared the national aquatic animal.
    *   Project Elephant: Started in 1992.

*   **Renamed Lake**
    *   Varun Sagar Lake (formerly known as Fay Sagar Lake) is located in Ajmer, Rajasthan.

*   **India's First Bio-Bank**
    *   Established at the Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park in Darjeeling, West Bengal.

*   **Deepfakes and Online Sexual Harassment**
    *   A new bill aims to curb the spread of deepfakes, requiring their removal within 48 hours under penalty of jail time.
    *   Donald Trump has cited deepfakes as a new form of online sexual harassment.

*   **Corruption Perception Index**
    *   India ranked 96th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index.

*   **Mitra Platform**
    *   The Securities Exchange Board of India launched the Mitra platform to track inactive mutual fund folios.

*   **MAGA + MIGA**
    *   Prime Minister Modi presented the concept of MAGA + MIGA (Make America Great Again + Make India Great Again) in the USA.

*   **Raja Bhalendra Singh Trophy**
    *   The Services team won the Raja Bhalendra Singh Trophy at the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand, with the mascot being "Moli."

* **The "Take It Down" Act (US)**
    *   Passed in the US, under Donald Trump to curb the spread of harmful content.
    *   Melania Trump was the first to publicly support the act.

* **Deepfakes and the "Take It Down" Act:**
    * Targets AI-generated videos or photos (deepfakes) depicting individuals without consent.
    * Mandates removal of deepfakes within 48 hours of creation; failure to comply results in imprisonment.
    * Donald Trump described deepfakes as a new form of online sexual harassment.*   **Aero India Show:** The Asia's largest Aero India show was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Bengaluru.

*   **One Day International Cricket:** Rohit Sharma achieved the second-highest score in ODI history.

*   **Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence:** The third global summit on Artificial Intelligence was held in Paris; previous summits were held in Bletchley (England) and Seoul. Prime Minister Modi was a co-host.

*   **Thaipusam Festival:** The Thaipusam festival, dedicated to Lord Murugan, is celebrated in Tamil Nadu.

*   **"Take It Down" Act:** The United States passed the "Take It Down" Act, aimed at combating deepfakes. Donald Trump introduced the bill. The act aims to stop the spread of manipulated media.

*   **Asia-Pacific Productivity Organization (APO):**
    *   Established in 1961.
    *   Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.
    *   21 member countries.
    *   May 20-22, 2025 meeting held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
    *   India elected as President for 2025-26; the Ministry of Commerce and Industry will manage this. Current Minister: Piyush Goyal.
    *   Aim: To increase productivity.

*   **India Appointed as Chair of Asian Productivity Organization (APO):** India has been appointed as the chair of the APO for 2025-26. The APO's headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in 1961 and has 21 member countries. The recent APO meeting (May 20-22, 2025) was held in Jakarta, Indonesia. India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry will handle the chairmanship. The current minister is Piyush Goyal. The APO aims to increase productivity.

*   **Other Current Events:**
    *   Donald Trump passed the "Take It Down" Act to address AI-related issues.
    *   Gujarat's lion population increased by 32% to 891 in 2025.
    *   PM Narendra Modi inaugurated 103 Amrit Stations in Rajasthan.
    *   Sikkim's director's film "Safe of Momo" was selected for the Cannes Film Festival's "HF Goes to Cannes" program.
    *   International Biodiversity Day was celebrated on May 22, 2025.
    *   Madhya Pradesh government approved the "Rahaviir Yojana" scheme.
    *   Kerala became the first state to make robotics education mandatory for all 10th-grade students.
    *   Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad launched an AI-based non-invasive blood test device, "Amrit Swasth Bharat."
    *   Shooter Knak won India's first gold medal at the Junior World Cup in Germany.
    *   The Hinduja family topped the UK's Sunday Times Rich List for the fourth consecutive year.

*   **India's Rank in Various Census Data:**
    *   Uttar Pradesh: Top rank in Scheduled Caste (SC) population (headcount).
    *   Punjab: Top rank in SC population (percentage).
    *   Madhya Pradesh: Top rank in Scheduled Tribe (ST) population (headcount).
    *   Mizoram: Top rank in ST population (percentage).
    *   Uttar Pradesh: Top rank in overall population.
    *   Sikkim: Lowest rank in overall population.
    *   Bihar: Top rank in population density (Delhi if no other data provided).
    *   Arunachal Pradesh: Lowest rank in population density.
    *   Meghalaya: Top rank in population growth rate.
    *   Nagaland: Lowest rank (negative growth rate) in population growth rate.
    *   Kerala: Top rank in literacy rate.
    *   Bihar: Lowest rank in literacy rate.
    *   Kerala: Top rank in sex ratio.
    *   Haryana: Lowest rank in sex ratio.

*   **Current Affairs Highlights (May 23, 2025):**
    *   India appointed as the chair of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) for 2025-26.
    *   Donald Trump passed the "Take It Down" act to combat AI deepfakes.
    *   Gujarat's lion population increased by 32% to 891 in 2025.
    *   PM Modi inaugurated 103 Amrit stations in Rajasthan.
    *   Sikkim's film "Safe of Momo" selected for the Cannes Film Festival's HF Goes to Cannes program.
    *   International Day for Biological Diversity observed on May 22, 2025.
    *   Madhya Pradesh government approved the "Rahavir Yojana" scheme.
    *   Kerala became the first state to make robotics education compulsory for all 10th-grade students.
    *   Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad launched an AI-based non-invasive blood test device, "Amrit Swasth Bharat".
    *   Shooter Kanyakumari won India's first gold medal at the Junior World Cup in Germany.
    *   The Hinduja family topped the UK's Sunday Times Rich List for the fourth consecutive year.

*   **State-wise Population Data:**
    *   **Urban Population:** Goa has the highest percentage of urban population, while Maharashtra has the largest number of urban residents. Uttar Pradesh is second in terms of urban population numbers.
    *   **Scheduled Caste (SC) Population:** Uttar Pradesh has the largest SC population by number, while Punjab has the highest percentage of SC population.
    *   **Scheduled Tribe (ST) Population:** Madhya Pradesh has the largest ST population by number, while Mizoram has the highest percentage of ST population.

*   **Other Key Population Indicators:**
    *   Uttar Pradesh has the highest overall population, while Sikkim has the lowest.
    *   Bihar has the highest population density, followed by Delhi. Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest.
    *   Meghalaya has the highest population growth rate, while Nagaland has a negative growth rate.
    *   Kerala has the highest literacy rate, while Bihar has the lowest.
    *   Kerala has the highest sex ratio, while Haryana has the lowest.```markdown
- **Literacy Rate:**
    - Kerala: Highest literacy rate (94%).
    - Bihar: Lowest literacy rate (61.80%).
    - India (2011): 73% (Male: 80.09%, Female: 64.60%).

- **Rural Population:**
    - Himachal Pradesh: Highest percentage of rural population (90%).
    - Bihar: Second highest percentage of rural population (88.7%).

- **Urban Population:**
    - Goa: Highest percentage of urban population (62.2%).
    - Maharashtra: Largest number of urban population (5.08 crore).

- **Scheduled Caste (SC) Population:**
    - Uttar Pradesh: Highest number of SC population.
    - Punjab: Highest percentage of SC population (approximately 32%).

- **Scheduled Tribe (ST) Population:**
    - Madhya Pradesh: Highest number of ST population (approximately 1.5 crore).
    - Mizoram: Highest percentage of ST population (approximately 94%).

- **Sex Ratio:**
    - Kerala: Highest sex ratio (1084 women per 1000 men).
    - Haryana: Lowest sex ratio (879 women per 1000 men). "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" campaign launched in Haryana's Panipat.

- **Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years):**
    - Arunachal Pradesh: Highest child sex ratio (972).
    - Haryana: Lowest child sex ratio (834).

- **Population Density:**
    - Bihar: Highest population density (1106 people per sq km).
    - Arunachal Pradesh: Lowest population density (17 people per sq km).
    - Delhi: Highest population density among Union Territories.

- **Population Growth:**
    - Nagaland: Negative population growth rate (-0.6%) in 2011.
    - Meghalaya: Highest decadal growth rate (27.9%).

- **Population Totals:**
    - Uttar Pradesh: Highest total population (16.51% of India's population).
    - Sikkim: Lowest total population (0.05%).
    - Maharashtra: Second highest population (9.28%).
    - Bihar: Third highest population (8.6%).
    - West Bengal: Fourth highest population (7.54%).
    - Mizoram: Second lowest population (0.09%).
    - Arunachal Pradesh: Third lowest population (0.11%).
    - Goa: Fourth lowest population (0.12%).

- **Union Territories (UTs):**
    - Delhi: Highest population among UTs.
    - Delhi: Highest population density among UTs (ten times higher than Bihar's).
    - Lakshadweep: Lowest population among UTs.
```*   **2011 Census:**

    *   15th census in India.
    *   Census Commissioner: Chandramouli.
    *   Slogan: "Our Census, Our Future".
    *   India's population: 1.21 billion (second after China in 2011, now first).
    *   Commenced in 1872 under Viceroy Mayo; scientifically based decennial census began in 1881 under Viceroy Ripon.
    *   The 2011 census was the 15th overall and the 7th since Indian independence (1951).
    *   Census Commissioner: W. C. Plowden (first); Chandramouli (2011).

*   **Population Growth:**

    *   1911-2001: 21.54% increase.
    *   2001-2011: 17.7% increase.
    *   Female population: 48.53%.
    *   Male population: 51.47%.
    *   The 1911-1921 decade is called the "Great Divide" due to a population decrease caused by famine and epidemics, resulting in a minimal growth rate. 1921 is referred to as the "Great Divide Year".

*   **Largest and Smallest States/Union Territories (by area):**

    *   Largest State: Rajasthan (previously Madhya Pradesh).
    *   Smallest State: Goa.
    *   Largest Union Territory: Ladakh.
    *   Smallest Union Territory: Lakshadweep.

*   **States with Highest and Lowest Population:**

    *   Highest Population:
        *   Uttar Pradesh (16.51% of India's population).
        *   Maharashtra (9.28%).
        *   Bihar (8.6%).
        *   West Bengal (7.54%).
    *   Lowest Population:
        *   Sikkim (0.05%).
        *   Mizoram (0.09%).
        *   Arunachal Pradesh (0.11%).
        *   Goa (0.12%).

*   **State with Highest Decadal Growth (2001-2011):**

    *   Meghalaya (27.9%).