14th February 2025

1. IIFA 2025: Rakesh Roshan to Receive Prestigious Award
2. Ellie: Asia’s First Animatronic Elephant Debuts in Bengaluru
3. Aero Club of France Honors Tom Cruise for Aviation Excellence
4. Tata Elxsi & Garuda Aerospace to Boost India’s UAV Sector
5. RBI Clears Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Digital Onboarding Ban
6. RBI Allows SFBs to Offer Credit via UPI
7. Bangladesh’s Shohely Akhter Becomes First Woman Cricketer Banned by ICC for Corruption
8. Sarojini Naidu Biography National Women’s Day 2025: Date, History And Significance
9. Haryana Launches ‘Har Khet-Swasth Khet’ to Boost Soil Health
10. Canara Bank Names Dr. Madhavankutty G as Chief Economist
11. RBI to Issue ₹50 Banknotes with Governor Sanjay Malhotra’s Signature
12. PM Modi’s Gifts to French President and First Lady Showcase India’s Rich Traditions
13. IIITDM Kancheepuram and ERNET India Collaborate to Establish Joint Research Lab for IoT
14. DPIIT Mandates QCOs for Stainless Steel Seamless Pipes & Tubes from August 2025
15. SIDBI & AFD Sign USD 100 million Agreement to Boost Green Finance for Indian MSMEs
16. Axis Bank Launches New Mobile App Feature for Easy FD Booking
17. AMSL Inks MoU with MIL & TCL for Advanced Defence Solutions
18. Asia’s 20 Richest Families 2025: Mukesh Ambani Tops, 6 Indians in the Ranks

National News

1. PM Modi’s Gifts to French and US Leaders

• What:
  • PM Modi gifted specially curated, handcrafted items to French President Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, and US Vice President JD Vance’s children.
• Why:
  • This continues the tradition of presenting gifts to world leaders during visits.
• Tell me more:

Source: IE

State News

1. Haryana’s ‘Har Khet-Swasth Khet’ Campaign for Soil Health

• What:
  • Haryana is implementing the ‘Har Khet-Swasth Khet’ campaign to collect soil samples from every acre and provide soil health cards to farmers.
• Why:
  • The campaign aims to test the land and provide farmers with the right guidance for farming.
• Tell me more:
  • About 70 lakh soil samples have been collected, and 55 lakh soil health cards have been distributed so far.
  • The department received a gold medal from the Skoch Group for the Soil Health Card Project in 2022.
  • The ‘Har Khet-Swasth Khet’ portal was launched on May 26, 2022, for soil testing.

Source: DW

Banking and Economy

1. RBI Lifts Restrictions on Kotak Mahindra Bank

• What:
  • The Reserve Bank of India has lifted restrictions on Kotak Mahindra Bank regarding onboarding new customers online and issuing new credit cards.
• Why:
  • RBI lifted the restrictions after KMB implemented corrective measures and submitted compliance reports.
• Tell me more:
  • The restrictions were initially placed on KMB on April 24, 2024.
  • Nomura India expects this to aid KMB’s net interest margin and fee income growth.
  • Kotak Mahindra Bank shares advanced 2.25 per cent following the announcement.

Source: BT

2. RBI to Issue ₹50 Notes with New Governor’s Signature

• What:
  • The Reserve Bank of India will issue ₹50 denomination banknotes bearing the signature of Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
• Why:
  • This is a routine change following the appointment of the new governor.
• Tell me more:
  • The design of these notes will be similar to the ₹50 banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series.
  • Sanjay Malhotra assumed office in December 2024, replacing Shaktikanta Das.
  • All ₹50 banknotes issued by the RBI in the past will continue to be legal tender.

Source: ET

3. Quality Control Order for Stainless Steel Pipes and Tubes

• What:
  • The government has imposed mandatory quality orders for stainless steel seamless pipes and tubes.
• Why:
  • This aims to curb the import of sub-standard goods, boost domestic manufacturing, and ensure consumer safety.
• Tell me more:
  • The ‘Stainless Steel Pipes and Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2025’ was issued by the DPIIT on February 10 and will take effect from August 1 this year.
  • The item must bear the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark to be produced, sold, traded, imported, or stocked.
  • The order does not apply to 500 kg of goods imported for R&D purposes by manufacturers annually, provided they are not sold commercially.

Source: ET

4. SIDBI & AFD Partner to Scale Up Green Finance

• What:
  • Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) and AFD, France, have signed a USD 100 million credit facility agreement (CFA).
• Why:
  • The agreement aims to scale up Green Finance solutions for Indian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
• Tell me more:
  • AFD will provide a USD 100 million credit line to Sidbi.
  • The funds will expand access to affordable financing for MSMEs investing in energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy solutions.
  • The initiative aligns with the commitment to fostering sustainable economic development and enhancing climate resilience.

Source: BW

5. Axis Bank Launches UPI, Net Banking for FD Opening

• What:
  • Axis Bank has launched a new feature allowing customers to open fixed deposits (FDs) through its mobile app using funds from non-Axis Bank accounts via UPI and net banking.
• Why:
  • This streamlines the FD opening process, saving customers time and effort by removing the need to pre-fund an Axis Bank savings account.
• Tell me more:
  • Existing Axis Bank customers with valid KYC can book FDs even if their primary funds are in another bank.
  • Funds are directly transferred from an external bank account to Axis Bank via UPI or Net Banking.

Source: ET

Defence News

1. Tata Elxsi & Garuda Aerospace Partner for Drone Tech

• What:
  • Tata Elxsi and Garuda Aerospace have partnered to establish a design, engineering, and certification center for indigenous drone technologies.
• Why:
  • The collaboration aims to develop drone technologies with Indian defence applications, supporting the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
• Tell me more:
  • The partnership was formalized through a memorandum of understanding at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru.
  • Tata Elxsi will lead the design, development, testing, and certification of UAV subsystems.
  • Garuda Aerospace will lead business acquisition and delivery as an original equipment maker.

Source: ET

2. Apollo Micro Systems Ltd Inks Defence System Agreements with Munitions India

• What:
  • Apollo Micro Systems Ltd (AMSL) has signed an agreement with Munitions India to jointly develop defence systems.
• Why:
  • The collaboration aims to design, develop, and deploy advanced defence technologies in domestic and international markets.
• Tell me more:
  • AMSL has also signed a pact with Troop Comforts for joint manufacturing, marketing, and development of advanced air-defence systems.
  • These collaborations will help meet the demands of Indian defence forces, paramilitary forces, and other sectors.

Source: MR

Science and Technology

1. Asia’s First Animatronic Elephant, Ellie, Promotes Animal Welfare

• What:
  • Asia’s first hyper-realistic, life-sized animatronic elephant named Ellie was unveiled at St. Joseph’s School to educate students on animal welfare.
• Why:
  • Ellie aims to teach children about the suffering of elephants in captivity and encourage them to avoid activities exploiting animals.
• Tell me more:
  • Ellie, voiced by Dia Mirza and launched by PETA India, will visit schools in Bengaluru.
  • Ellie introduces herself as a 12-year-old elephant and shares insights on the emotional and physical toll on animals used in circuses and rides.
  • Students pledged to be compassionate towards humans and animals.

Source: TH

Awards

1. Rakesh Roshan Honored with Outstanding Achievement Award at IIFA 2025

• What:
  • Veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan will be felicitated with the Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema Award at IIFA 2025.
• Why:
  • IIFA recognizes Roshan’s contribution to Indian cinema as it marks 25 years of celebrating Indian cinema globally.
• Tell me more:
  • The IIFA Awards will be held on March 8th and 9th, 2025, in Jaipur.
  • Kartik Aaryan and Karan Johar will host the main awards night.
  • Vijay Varma, Abhishek Banerjee, and Aparshakti Khurana will host the IIFA Digital Awards 2025.

Source: ANI

2. Tom Cruise Honored with Aero-Club de France Award

• What:
  • Tom Cruise received the Grande Medaille from the Aero-Club de France for his contribution to aviation and inspiring future pilots.
• Why:
  • The award recognizes Cruise’s significant impact on the history of aviation.
• Tell me more:
  • Catherine Maunoury, the organization’s president, presented the award to Tom Cruise.
  • Cruise revealed he passed out filming an action sequence for ‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’.
  • One stunt involved Cruise hanging from a 1930s Boeing Stearman biplane at 10,000 feet over South Africa.

Source: ANI

3. Asia’s Richest Families: Indian Families Dominate Bloomberg List

• What:
  • Bloomberg’s list of Asia’s richest families highlights the growing prominence of Indian families, with several securing spots in the top 20.
• Why:
  • The list showcases the impressive fortunes amassed across generations through diverse business strategies.
• Tell me more:
  • Mukesh Ambani’s family tops the list with $90.5 billion in wealth, overseeing Reliance Industries.
  • Other Indian families in the top 10 include the Mistry family (4th), the Jindal family (7th), and the Birla family (9th).

Source: BS

Important Dates

1. National Women’s Day Celebrated on February 13

• What:
  • India celebrates National Women’s Day on February 13 to commemorate Sarojini Naidu’s birthday.
• Why:
  • The day honors Naidu’s contributions as an independence fighter, poet, and women’s rights activist.
• Tell me more:
  • Sarojini Naidu was born in Hyderabad in 1879.
  • She united women and involved them in the freedom battle, collaborating with leaders like Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Naidu supported equal employment and educational opportunities for women.
  • Sarojini Naidu was awarded the title ‘Nightingale of India’ for her poetry based on love, Indian culture, and patriotism.

Source: IN

Sports

1. Shohely Akhter Banned by ICC for Corruption

• Shohely Akhter, a cricketer from Bangladesh, has been banned by the ICC for five years on corruption charges related to match-fixing.
• The five-year ban took effect from February 10, 2025.

Source: ET

Memorandum of Understanding

1. IIITDM Kancheepuram Signed MOU with ERNET for Research

• What:
  • The Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM) Kancheepuram has partnered with ERNET India to establish a joint research laboratory.
• Why:
  • The collaboration aims to create a research lab for Internet of Things (IoT) functionality validation.
• Tell me more:
  • The memorandum of understanding was signed on Tuesday by M.V. Kartikeyan, director of IIITDM, and Sanjeev Banzal, director general of ERNET India.
  • The partnership is expected to enhance collaborative research and provide a state-of-the-art research park for innovation.
  • Internship opportunities were offered to six students from IIITDM as part of the agreement.

Source: TH

Appointments

1. Canara Bank Appoints Dr. Madhavankutty G as Chief Economist

• Canara Bank has appointed Dr. Madhavankutty G as its chief economist, effective January 2025.
• Dr. Madhavankutty previously served as a senior economist at Bank of India, Aditya Birla Group, and the Times Group.

Source: HBL

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