10th April 2025

1. CARELESS PEOPLE: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn Williams
2. Gabon Elects New President Junta Chief Brice Oligui Nguema Frontrunner
3. India Clears Mega Deal to Buy 26 Rafale Marine Fighter Jets from France for Navy
4. India’s First Agentic AI Hackathon
5. World Homeopathy Day 2025 Date, Significance, Background
6. IOCL’s Rs 61,000 Crore Investment in Odisha for World-Class Petrochemical Complex
7. NASA Welcomes Bangladesh as the Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
8. India-UAE Strengthen To Enhance Strategic Partnership
9. Dadi Ratan Mohini Spiritual Head of Brahma Kumaris Passed Away
10. The India I Saw: A Glimpse into the Life of S. Ambujammal
11. Mohan Rajan Elected Vice-President of All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS)
12. Union Minister Piyush Goyal Inaugurates Startup Mahakumbh 2025 in New Delhi
13. India-Nepal Supreme Courts Signed MoU to Enhance Judicial Cooperation
14. India & Israel Forge Strategic Partnership to Boost Agricultural Productivity
15. Tri-Services All-Women Circumnavigation Sailing Expedition “Samudra Pradakshina” Flagged Off from Mumbai
16. Bandhan Bank Launches ‘Elite Plus’ Savings Account for HNIs
17. Juspay becomes India’s 1st Unicorn of 2025
18. Rajesh Unni Honoured with National Maritime Varuna Award 2025
19. Tata Steel Named Steel Sustainability Champion 2025 by Worldsteel
20. Soyuz MS-27 Carries NASA’s Jonny Kim and Russian Crewmates to ISS
21. India Bags 6 Medals at World Boxing Cup 2025 in Brazil; Hitesh Gulia Wins Gold
22. Renowned Rafi Folk Dancer and Padma Shri Awardee Ram Sahay Panday Passes Away
23. Spiritual Leader of Brahma Kumaris Dadi Ratan Mohini passed away
24. Central Reserve Police Force Valour Day 2025 – April 9
25. MP CM Mohan Yadav launches ANMOL 2.0 app & web portal for Maternal Health
26. ADB lowers GDP growth forecast for FY26 to 6.7%

National News

1. Union Minister Piyush Goyal Inaugurates Startup Mahakumbh 2025

• What:
  • Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the second edition of Startup Mahakumbh in Delhi, emphasizing investments in emerging technologies.
• Why:
  • The event aims to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and domestic investment to achieve the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047.’
• Tell Me More:
  • The event runs from April 3-5, focusing on robotics, automation, machine learning, and next-generation factories.
  • India is the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, attributed to entrepreneurial spirit and technological advancements.
  • Piyush Goyal highlighted the need for indigenous capital investments to reduce dependency on foreign funding.
  • India’s GDP is projected to become the fourth-largest by 2025 and third-largest by 2027.
  • Future editions of Startup Mahakumbh aim for participation from all 770 districts of India.

Source: PIB

State News

1. Madhya Pradesh Launches Maternal and Child Sanjeevan Mission

• What:
  • Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched the Maternal and Child Sanjeevan Mission Strategy Document and ANMOL 2.0 web portal.
• Why:
  • The initiative aims to improve maternal and child health outcomes and make Madhya Pradesh a leading state in healthcare.
• Tell Me More:
  • The program focuses on reducing MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio) to below 100 and IMR (Infant Mortality Rate) to below 20 by 2030.
  • ANMOL 2.0 web portal ensures registration and monitoring of pregnant women and infants’ health, with nearly 20,000 ANMs mapped and trained.
  • Hospitals in major cities like Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, and Jabalpur will be promoted under the PPP model with subsidies up to 40%.
  • Efforts include regular ANC check-ups for early identification of high-risk pregnancies to provide timely healthcare services.

Source: BS

International News

1. Bangladesh Joins Artemis Accords for Space Exploration

• What:
  • Bangladesh signed the Artemis Accords, becoming the 54th nation to commit to safe and responsible space exploration.
• Why:
  • The agreement aims to ensure peaceful, sustainable, and transparent space exploration benefiting humanity.
• Tell Me More:
  • The signing ceremony took place in Dhaka, with Ashraf Uddin representing Bangladesh and NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro congratulating the nation.
  • The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by NASA, the U.S. Department of State, and seven other countries.
  • The accords focus on reducing risks and uncertainties in civil space activities and are grounded in international agreements like the Outer Space Treaty.

Source: NASA

2. American-Russian Crew Launches Soyuz MS-27 Mission

• What:
  • Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft launched from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 8, 2025, carrying an American-Russian crew.
• Why:
  • The mission aims to support scientific experiments, maintenance tasks, spacewalks, and visiting vehicle operations aboard the ISS.
• Tell Me More:
  • The crew includes NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim, Russian cosmonauts Alexey Zubritsky and Sergey Ryzhikov.
  • The spacecraft will dock with the ISS’s Prichal module after a two-orbit approach.
  • Dr. Jonny Kim is on his maiden spaceflight, while Ryzhikov begins his third mission and Zubritsky embarks on his first.
  • The mission’s call sign is “Favour,” and the crew patch commemorates the 60th anniversary of the first spacewalk and the 50th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

Source: NDTV

Banking and Economy

1. India’s First Large-Scale Agentic AI Hackathon Concludes Successfully

• What:
  • techvantage.ai hosted India’s first large-scale Agentic AI Hackathon during Agentic AI Week in collaboration with CrewAI.
• Why:
  • The event aimed to build a thriving AI community focused on learning, innovation, and inclusion.
• Tell Me More:
  • The hackathon attracted over 1,500 applicants nationwide and concluded with a Grand Finale at Travancore Hall, Technopark, Kerala.
  • Participants solved BFSI challenges using CrewAI to develop intelligent agents for fraud detection, regulatory compliance, and credit scoring.
  • Winners included Venkata Saketh Dakuri (first place), Shreyas Satre (second place), and Bismi Beegum (third place).
  • The event featured campus activations, expert talks, placement sessions, and interaction with industry leaders.

Source: ANI

2. Indian Oil’s Rs 61,000 Crore Petrochemical Project in Odisha

• What:
  • Indian Oil will invest Rs 61,000 crore to set up a petrochemical complex at Paradip, Odisha.
• Why:
  • The project aims to boost industrial growth and generate employment in Odisha.
• Tell Me More:
  • The agreement was signed during the Odisha Investors’ Meet in New Delhi.
  • This will be Indian Oil’s largest-ever investment at a single location.
  • The complex will include a dual-feed cracker and units producing Phenol, Polypropylene (PP), and Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA).
  • Indian Oil already operates a 15 million tonnes-per-year refinery at Paradip.

Source: ET

3. Bandhan Bank Launches Elite Plus Savings Account

• What:
  • Bandhan Bank launched the ‘Elite Plus’ savings account targeting high-net-worth individuals (HNIs).
• Why:
  • The account aims to offer exclusive benefits and cater to the needs of HNIs.
• Tell Me More:
  • Customers can deposit unlimited cash each month with free RTGS, NEFT, and IMPS transactions.
  • The account includes enhanced debit card insurance and personal accident cover up to ₹15 lakh.
  • The introduction of this account reflects the growing focus on premium banking services in India.

Source: ET

4. Juspay Becomes India’s First Unicorn of 2025

• What:
  • Bengaluru-based payments infrastructure company Juspay raised $60 million in a Series D funding round led by Kedaara Capital, achieving a valuation of over $1 billion.
• Why:
  • The funding aims to support Juspay’s plans for AI-led productivity tools and international expansion.
• Tell Me More:
  • Existing investors SoftBank and Accel participated in the funding round, which included both primary and secondary components.
  • Juspay plans to enhance merchant dashboards and reduce manual work using AI tools.
  • The company is targeting expansion across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe, the UK, and North America.
  • Challenges remain as major partners like Razorpay and PhonePe have moved away from Juspay’s stack recently.

Source: MoC

GDP Forecasts

1. ADB Lowers GDP Growth Forecast for FY26 to 6.7%

• What:
  • ADB projected India’s GDP growth at 6.7% for FY25, while RBI revised its forecast to 6.5% due to global trade and policy uncertainties.
• Why:
  • The forecasts reflect the impact of domestic demand, moderating inflation, and external challenges on India’s economic growth.
• Tell Me More:
  • ADB expects GDP growth to rise to 6.8% in FY26, supported by higher rural incomes, strong services sector, and tax incentives for the middle class.
  • Inflation is projected to moderate to 4.3% in FY26, creating policy space for repo rate cuts.
  • RBI reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points, bringing it to 6%, with a total reduction of 50 basis points in two MPC meetings.
  • Agriculture and services sectors are expected to drive growth, while manufacturing is anticipated to rebound after tepid performance in FY24.

Source: ET

Defence News

1. India Signs Rs 63,887 Crore Rafale-M Deal with France

• What:
  • India has approved a Rs 63,887 crore deal with France for 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets to operate from INS Vikrant.
• Why:
  • The deal aims to strengthen India’s naval capabilities amid China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Tell Me More:
  • The contract includes 22 single-seat Rafale-M jets, four twin-seat trainers, weapons, simulators, crew training, and five-year logistics support.
  • The jets will be delivered between 37 to 65 months after the contract signing, with all deliveries completed by 2031.
  • The Rafale-M jets will feature weapons like Scalp cruise missiles (300-km range), Meteor air-to-air missiles (120-150 km range), and Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles (70-km range).
  • France will help integrate Indian missiles like NASMs and BrahMos-NG with Rafale-M fighters in the future.
  • The Rafale-M was chosen over the American F/A-18 Super Hornet after extensive trials in 2022.

Source: TOI

2. India-UAE Strengthen Defence and Trade Ties

• What:
  • India and UAE agreed to enhance defence and Coast Guard cooperation during UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan’s visit to India.
• Why:
  • The collaboration aims to deepen bilateral ties across defence, trade, technology, and connectivity.
• Tell Me More:
  • Sheikh Hamdan held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.
  • A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed to formalize Coast Guard cooperation.
  • The Dubai Chambers hosted the Dubai-India Business Forum in Mumbai with 200 business leaders exploring trade opportunities.
  • Non-oil trade between India and UAE was $54.2 billion in 2023, with Dubai-India trade at $45.4 billion.

Source: HT

3. All-Women Sailing Expedition “Samudra Pradakshina” Flagged Off

• What:
  • A tri-services all-women sailing expedition, “Samudra Pradakshina,” was flagged off from Mumbai to Seychelles and back on April 7, 2025.
• Why:
  • The expedition aims to promote Nari Shakti and gender parity in maritime endeavors.
• Tell Me More:
  • The expedition features a 12-member crew from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force aboard IASV Triveni.
  • Crew members underwent rigorous two-year training and successfully completed several complex training expeditions.
  • The expedition pays tribute to India’s warrior queens like Rani Velu Nachiyar, Rani Durgavati, and Rani Lakshmi Bai.

Source: PIB

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. India-Israel Sign Comprehensive Agriculture Agreement

• What:
  • India and Israel signed a comprehensive agriculture agreement to boost bilateral collaboration and modernize farming practices.
• Why:
  • The agreement aims to enhance agricultural productivity, ensure food security, and address challenges like climate change and population growth.
• Tell Me More:
  • The agreement focuses on soil and water management, horticulture, post-harvest technology, mechanization, animal husbandry, and R&D.
  • A five-year seed improvement plan was discussed to develop high-quality seed varieties.
  • Both nations agreed to expand cooperation in pest management, capacity building, and digital agriculture technologies.
  • A joint working group will be established to create a roadmap for collaboration in agriculture.

Source: IT

Awards

1. Rajesh Unni Receives National Maritime Varuna Award

• What:
  • Rajesh Unni, founder of Synergy Marine Group, was awarded the National Maritime Varuna Award during the 62nd National Maritime Day celebrations in Mumbai.
• Why:
  • The award recognizes his sustained and extraordinary contributions to shaping India’s maritime landscape.
• Tell Me More:
  • The award was presented by Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping.
  • Synergy Marine Group is a leading third-party ship manager of Indian-flagged vessels, providing end-to-end maritime solutions.

Source: BS

2. Tata Steel Recognized as Steel Sustainability Champion 2025

• What:
  • Tata Steel was named a Steel Sustainability Champion 2025 by the World Steel Association during a meeting in Sydney, Australia.
• Why:
  • The recognition highlights Tata Steel’s commitment to sustainable steelmaking and reducing environmental impact.
• Tell Me More:
  • CEO and MD TV Narendran emphasized Tata Steel’s focus on innovation, resource efficiency, and responsible business practices.
  • Companies must meet stringent criteria, including signing the Worldsteel Sustainability Charter and demonstrating excellence in environmental, social, and governance practices.
  • Key indicators for evaluation include material efficiency, environmental management systems, lost time injury frequency rate, employee training, and innovative investments.

Source: BS

Important Days

1. CRPF Valour Day – April 9

Source: ETV

Memorandum of Understanding

1. India-Nepal Sign MoU for Judicial Cooperation

• What:
  • The Supreme Court of India and Nepal signed an MoU to strengthen judicial cooperation.
• Why:
  • The agreement aims to promote mutual exchange of information and strengthen ties between the judiciaries of both countries.
• Tell Me More:
  • The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Justices Sanjiv Khanna (India) and Prakash Man Singh Raut (Nepal).
  • It encourages interaction among judges and officials at various levels and sharing information on technology used in courts.
  • A joint working group will be formed to plan and implement judicial cooperation.

Source: TP

Appointments

1. Dr. Mohan Rajan Elected Vice-President of AIOS

• What:
  • Dr. Mohan Rajan, Chairman of Rajan Eye Care Hospital, was elected as the vice-president of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS).
• Tell Me More:
  • The announcement was made during the Asia Pacific Academy Congress in New Delhi on April 5, 2025.
  • He is the fifth president from Tamil Nadu in the organization’s 84-year history.
  • AIOS is one of the largest professional societies for ophthalmologists in India.

Source: TH

Miscellaneous

1. CARELESS PEOPLE Book by Sarah Wynn Williams

• “CARELESS PEOPLE: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism” has been authored by Sarah Wynn Williams.

Source: TH

2. Brahma Kumaris Chief Dadi Ratan Mohini Passes Away

• What:
  • Dadi Ratan Mohini, chief administrator of Brahma Kumaris, passed away on April 8, 2025, in Ahmedabad.
• Tell me more:
  • Dadi Ratan Mohini was the second chief of Brahma Kumaris to reach an advanced age; her predecessor Dadi Janki passed away at 104.
  • Brahma Kumaris is considered the world’s largest spiritual organization.

Source: TH

3. The India I Saw Book

• Historian Sriram V translates freedom fighter S Ambujammal’s autobiography Nan Kanda Bharatham as The India I Saw.

Source: IE

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