National News

PM Modi to inaugurate Vizhinjam International Seaport on May 2

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on May 2, 2025.
• This port will be India’s first semi-automated deep-water international container transhipment port, marking a historic development in maritime infrastructure.
• Vizhinjam port is the first Greenfield port project in India, initiated by a state government with an investment exceeding ?18,000 crore.
• Developed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, it stands as one of the largest initiatives in the country’s port sector.
• The project was allotted to APSEZ after the Government of Kerala and Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd. (AVPPL) agreed to a concession agreement in 2015.

IAF Surya Kiran team to begin aerobatic airshow in Patna

• In Bihar, the Surya Kiran team of the Indian Air Force begins its aerobatic air show at
• The two-day programme will comprise a splendid show and manoeuvre of IAF Surya Kiran aircraft between 10 am to 11 am over the Ganga River in Patna.
• The programme is being organised on the occasion of Vijayotsav of Babu Kunwar Singh, the freedom fighter of the 1857 revolution in Bhojpur in Bihar.

About Bihar

• Capital – Patna
• Chief Minister – Nitish Kumar (9th time)
• Deputy CM – Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha
• Governor – Arif Mohammed Khan

Arunachal CM inaugurates International Conclave on ‘Buddha Dhamma & Culture of North-East India’

• Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein inaugurated the International Conclave on the theme Buddha Dhamma and the Culture of North-East India” in Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The two-day conference is being organised by the International Buddhist Confederation in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
• Buddhist monks and scholars from India and several other countries, including Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Bhutan, are participating in the two-day conference.

About Arunachal Pradesh

• Capital – Itanagar
• Chief Minister – Pema Khandu
• Governor – LG (Retd) Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik
• Legislative Assembly Seat – 60

Banking and Financial

SBI to Deploy ‘Grahak Mitras’ at 4,500 Branches to Promote Alternate Banking Channels

• State Bank of India will deploy personnel from its subsidiary SBOSS as ‘Grahak Mitras’ to guide customers towards alternate banking channels.
• These Grahak Mitras will offer first-level assistance and promote the use of self-service options like ATMs, kiosks, YONO app, and WhatsApp banking.
• They will be stationed at around 4,500 SBI branches, covering roughly 20% of the bank’s total 22,740 branches across India.
• The move aims to reduce overcrowding in branches that handle government salary accounts, pensions, and direct benefit transfers.

LIC hikes its stake in Bank of Baroda to 7.05%

• Insurance behemoth LIC has increased its stake in state-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) by nearly 2 per cent to 7.05 per cent.
• The life insurance company has acquired additional 10.45 crore shares from open market over a period of one-and-a-half year.
• With the acquisition done between November 20, 2023 and April 16, 2025, LIC’s stake in the Mumbai-based bank has increased from 5.03 per cent to 7.05 per cent.

Mirae Asset launches $200M global investment fund targeting AI & semicon

• Mirae Asset has launched a new fund, Mirae Asset Global Allocation Fund IFSC, to help Indian investors gain exposure to international markets and high-growth sectors like artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors.
• The fund, launched through the company’s IFSC branch at GIFT City, aims to provide long-term capital appreciation by investing in a portfolio of global equity exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
• These ETFs will be based on broad market indices and high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors.
• The fund will allocate 90–100 per cent of its net asset value (NAV) to global ETFs across developed markets like the US and China.

Appointment

Ananya Panday Becomes Chanel’s First-Ever Brand Ambassador from India

• French luxury brand Chanel has appointed Ananya Panday as its first-ever brand ambassador from India, following her appearance at the Chanel Spring/Summer 2025 show in Paris.
• Ananya Panday, known for her roles in Gehraiyaan, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, CTRL, and Call Me Bae, has emerged as a Gen Z fashion icon, with 25.9 million Instagram followers showcasing her Chanel looks.
• Ananya represents a generation with evolving tastes and independent identities, aligning well with the brand’s values and image.

Recent Brand Ambassador

• Kartik Aaryan – Thomas Cook India Limited for its foreign exchange business
• Salman Khan – 10X Zarda King rices
• Vidya Balan – Federal Bank
• Shubman Gill – Tyre brand MRFs
• Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh – American clothing brand, Levi’s
• PV Sindhu – PUMA India

Former SC judge Dinesh Maheshwari appointed law commission chairperson

• Dinesh Maheshwari has been appointed as the chairperson of the 23rd Law Commission of India, with approval from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The 23rd Law Commission was established on September 3, 2023, for a three-year term, with Hitesh Jain and Prof. D P Verma appointed as full-time members.
• The commission will examine important issues, including the potential introduction of a uniform civil code in India.
• Justice Dinesh Maheshwari retired from the Supreme Court in May 2023, and has previously served in various high court positions, including Chief Justice of Meghalaya and Karnataka High Courts.

Recent Appointments

• DG of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Dr Mangi Lal Jat (replace Dr Himanshu Jain); for 3 years
• Members of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) – Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Sanjay Bahadur, L. Rajasekhar Reddy, and G. Aparna Rao
• 52nd Chief Justice of India– Justice B.R. Gavai (replace Justice Sanjiv Khanna)
• Chairperson of Athletes’ Commission of the Indian Weightlifting Federation – Mirabai Chanu
• Vice-chairperson of Athletes’ Commission of the Indian Weightlifting Federation – S Sathish Kumar
• Chairperson of the ICC men’s cricket committee – Sourav Ganguly

Awards

Laureus Awards 2025: Andrade beats Rishabh Pant to win Comeback of the Year

• The 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards celebrated its 25th anniversary with a grand ceremony in Madrid, honoring outstanding athletes and teams for their exceptional performances over the past year.
• The Laureus World Sports Awards, often dubbed the “Oscars of Sports”, celebrated the most remarkable athletes and sporting achievements of the past year.
• Held in the vibrant city of Madrid, the 2025 edition of the event brought together legends, rising stars, and game-changers across various disciplines.

Full List Of Winners at Laureus Sports Awards 2025-

• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award- Armand Duplantis
• Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award- Simone Biles
• Laureus World Team of the Year Award- Real Madrid
• Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award- Lamine Yamal
• Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award- Rebeca Andrade
• Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award- Jiang Yuyan
• Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award- Tom Pidcock
• Laureus Sport for Good Award- Kick4Life
• Laureus Sporting Icon Award- Rafael Nadal
• Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award- Kelly Slater

Sports

Simranpreet Kaur wins maiden senior international medal with silver in 25m pistol

• In Shooting, India’s Simranpreet Kaur Brar has clinched her maiden senior international medal with a silver in the women’s 25m pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation, ISSF World Cup in Lima, Peru.
• The Indian shooter shot a total of 33 hits in the 10-series of five rapid-fire shots final, finishing one hit behind China’s Sun Yujie, who won back-to-back World Cup golds in the event.
• A second Chinese, Yao Qianxun, won bronze with 29 hits to her name. Meanwhile, Paris Olympics double medallist Manu Bhaker finished fourth.

Important day

21 April – World Creativity and Innovation Day

• World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID) is celebrated every year on April 21 to raise awareness about the importance of creativity and innovation in problem-solving and driving sustainable development across the globe.
• Theme 2025 – Step out and innovate

22 April – Earth Day

• Earth Day is observed every year on 22 April to raise awareness about environmental issues such as climate change, pollution, and conservation, inspiring individuals and communities to take action.
• Theme 2025 – Our Power, Our Plane
• The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, when industries were releasing smoke and sludge without much concern about the legal or public repercussions.

Obituary

Pope Francis Head of Roman Catholic Church Passed Away

• Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88, following a serious illness caused by pneumonia. He died at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, near St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
• Pope Francis was the first Latin American Cardinal to be elected as the leader of the Roman Catholics.
• Pope Francis, born Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, became the first Latin American and southern hemisphere Cardinal to be elected as the Pope in 2013, following the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI — the first pope in 600 years to voluntarily step down.
• Before Pope Francis, the last non-European to hold the papacy was Gregory III, a Syrian-born Pope who died in 741 AD, making Pope Francis a significant figure in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

Who is the Pope?

• Pope, which in Greek means Father, is a title given to the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
• The Pope is the sovereign leader of the Vatican City, an enclave within Rome, Italy.
• Saint Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s 12 disciples, is considered the first Pope by the Roman Catholic Church