Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
Lok Sabha passed a bill to establish Tribhuvan Sahkari University in Anand, Gujarat. The university is named after Tribhuvandas Patel, a pioneer of India’s cooperative movement. Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel was an Indian independence activist, lawyer, and politician. He was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and involved in movements like civil disobedience and rural development. He founded Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. (KDCMPUL) in 1946. Inspired by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he fought against farmers’ exploitation by Polson Dairy. He served as President of Harijan Sevak Samiti from 1948 to 1983.

Notes:
The Fiscal Health Index (FHI) by NITI Aayog assesses the fiscal health of Indian states. It covers 18 major states that contribute significantly to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), public expenditure, revenue, and fiscal stability. Odisha ranks first in the index, followed by Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. As states handle two-thirds of public spending and one-third of total revenue, their fiscal health is crucial for national economic stability. The index uses data from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for the financial year 2022-23 to compare and benchmark fiscal performance. It helps policymakers make informed decisions to improve fiscal sustainability and resilience. The index evaluates tax buoyancy, which measures how responsive a state’s tax revenue is to its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth. It assesses revenue generation, including own tax and non-tax receipts.

Notes:
A rare Binturong was captured on a camera trap by the Wildlife Trust of India’s Garo Green Spine project team in Narang Wari Village Reserve Forest, Meghalaya. The forest is in the buffer zone of Balpakram National Park. The Binturong, also known as the bearcat, is the largest civet in India. It is an omnivorous mammal found in dense forests of Southeast Asia. Its range extends from Nepal, India, and Bhutan to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. Balpakram National Park, located in Meghalaya, is known for its rich biodiversity and scenic landscapes. It is situated in the West Garo Hills district, about 134 km from Shillong. The park is called the “Land of Perpetual Winds” due to strong winds across the plateau.

Notes:
Warangal Chapata chilli, also called Tomato chilli, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the GI Registry, Government of India, on March 28, 2025. It is named Tomato chilli because of its bright red color and round shape, resembling a tomato. This is the 18th product from Telangana to receive a GI tag. The chilli is less spicy but has a bright red color and strong flavor due to its capsicum oleoresin properties. It has been cultivated for over 100 years, with farmers expecting its price to nearly double from ₹300 per kg to ₹550.

Notes:
The recent Myanmar earthquake occurred due to strike-slip faulting along the Sagaing Fault, which separates the Indian Plate from the Eurasian Plate. The Sagaing Fault is a major active tectonic boundary running north to south through Myanmar, separating the Indian and Eurasian Plates. It is one of the longest and most active strike-slip faults globally, extending 1,500 km from the Andaman Sea in the south to the Eastern Himalayas in the north. The Indian Plate is moving northward, causing stress buildup along the fault, leading to large earthquakes over time.

Notes:
A United States (U.S.) national was arrested in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for allegedly entering the prohibited tribal reserve area of North Sentinel Island. North Sentinel Island is part of the Andaman Islands, an Indian Union Territory in the Bay of Bengal. It is located west of the central Andaman Islands and covers about 60 square kilometers. The island is densely forested, surrounded by a shallow reef, and home to the Sentinelese tribe. The Sentinelese are believed to be direct descendants of the first humans who migrated from Africa around 60,000 years ago. They have lived in isolation for thousands of years, resisting contact with the outside world. The island is protected under the Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act, 1956, prohibiting anyone from approaching within 5 nautical miles.

Notes:
A major fire recently broke out in Mukundra Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan due to sparks from stone crushing. Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve is located near Kota in southeastern Rajasthan. It is named after two long, flat-topped hills from the Vindhyan range, stretching 80 km in length and 2 to 5 km in width. The reserve was declared in 2013 and includes Mukundra National Park, Dara Sanctuary, Jawahar Sagar Sanctuary, and part of Chambal Sanctuary. Earlier, it was the royal hunting ground of the Maharaja of Kota.

Notes:
The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is observed every year on April 6 to highlight the role of sports in promoting peace and development. It shows how sports improve physical and mental health, build cooperation, leadership, and social skills, and support personal growth. The United Nations (UN) uses sports to unite people, support development programs, and raise awareness through campaigns. The 2025 theme by the International Olympic Committee is “Levelling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion.” The UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared April 6 as International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) in August 2013, linking it to the first Modern Olympics in 1896.

Notes:
Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik became the first Indian to receive the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award for excellence in sand art. The award was presented at the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival in Dorset, England, marking the 100th birth anniversary of British sculptor Fred Darrington. To celebrate, Pattnaik made a 10-foot-high sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha with the message of “World Peace”. A Padma Shri awardee from Odisha, he has taken part in over 65 international sand art events, gaining global fame for his spiritual and social themes. The Sandworld exhibition at Lodmoor Park features global artists using only sand and water to craft giant sculptures.

Notes:
India had the second highest maternal deaths in 2023, tied with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at 19,000, behind Nigeria with 75,000 deaths. The data comes from the Trends in Maternal Mortality 2000–2023 report by the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), which includes World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Bank Group, and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). In 2023, 260,000 maternal deaths occurred worldwide, or 712 each day. India’s Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) dropped from 362 in 2000 to 80 in 2023—a 78% decline.