Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
Citizens and environmentalists launched the ‘Save Bandipur’ protest in Karnataka after reports that the government may lift the night traffic ban on National Highway 766 (NH-766), which passes through Bandipur National Park. Bandipur National Park is a protected forest and tiger reserve located in Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka. It was first set up in 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park by the Maharaja of Mysore, covering 90 square kilometers. It became a Tiger Reserve in 1973 under Project Tiger and joined the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986 due to its rich biodiversity and ecological importance.

Notes:
India has been appointed to the United Nations Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR) for 2025–2027. This reflects global trust in India’s growing role in shaping international financial reporting systems. ISAR functions under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It works to improve global accounting standards and promote transparent corporate disclosures. India’s selection highlights its efforts in strengthening corporate governance and financial accountability. ISAR also provides policy advice and technical support to improve the quality and comparability of financial reporting worldwide.

Notes:
India has recently offered the indigenous Akash Air Defence Missile System to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Akash is a Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM) system designed to protect important locations from enemy air attacks. It was fully developed in India by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), based in Hyderabad. The missile system was first inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2014 and later into the Indian Army in 2015. In 2022, Armenia became the first foreign nation to purchase the Akash missile system.

Notes:
Kerala and Tamil Nadu jointly conducts a Nilgiri Tahr census to mark 50 years of Eravikulam National Park. Eravikulam National Park, Kerala’s first national park, was a sanctuary in 1975 and became a national park in 1978. It was mainly established to protect the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, a mountain goat species found only in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The park also shelters species like Lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri Langurs. Nilgiri Tahr is also the state animal of Tamil Nadu.

Notes:
A fire broke out at Daulatabad Fort in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra, prompting the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to assess the damage and plan disaster management. It is located in Maharashtra. Specifically, it is situated near the city of Aurangabad, also known as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Daulatabad Fort was originally called Devgiri, meaning “Hill of Gods”, and was renamed by Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the 14th century when he shifted his capital there. It served as the capital for many dynasties like the Yadavas, Tughlaqs, Bahmanis, Nizam Shahis, Mughals, Marathas, and the Nizams of Hyderabad. It is a UNESCO-nominated heritage site known for its rich history, architecture, and ecology. The fort has three-layered defense walls called Ambarkot, Mahakot, and Kalakot, with moats, bastions, and iron-spiked gates.

Notes:
The Telangana government launched the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Rising Grand Challenge to solve public sector problems using AI technologies. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inaugurated the initiative, which will act as a unified data exchange platform with high-quality datasets from government and partner agencies. The platform enables real-world development, testing, and scaling of AI solutions with secure access to structured data. It encourages collaboration between the government, startups, industries, and academic institutions. The initiative is led by the IT Electronics and Communication Department with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It focuses on sectors like education, healthcare, and transport to enhance governance and services. Each winning team for a use case will receive ₹15 lakh to run pilot projects in Telangana.

Notes:
NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) released a report titled “Automotive Industry: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains”, highlighting India’s automotive strengths and roadmap to global leadership. India is the fourth-largest vehicle producer globally with 6 million vehicles produced annually, but holds only 3% share in global auto components trade worth USD 2 trillion. Challenges include high operational costs, low R&D investment, infrastructure gaps, and limited integration in Global Value Chains (GVCs). The report suggests fiscal support like Operational Expenditure (Opex) aid, Capital Expenditure (Capex) focus, skill development, and cluster-based R&D hubs.

Notes:
April 13 is observed as Siachen Day to honour the Indian Army’s Operation Meghdoot, launched in 1984 to secure the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield. Indian troops captured Bilafond La Pass, gaining a major strategic edge in Kashmir. The operation was led by Lieutenant General Manohar Lal Chibber, Lieutenant General P.N. Hoon, and Major General Shiv Sharma. It was supported by the Indian Air Force (IAF) using aircraft like An-12, An-32, IL-76, and helicopters Mi-17, Chetak, and Cheetah. Siachen guards routes to Gilgit Baltistan, Shaksgam Valley, and the Karakoram Pass, making it vital for national security.

Notes:
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara discovered that fruit fly larvae can sense electric fields, a rare ability called electroreception. Electroreception is the biological sense that allows animals to detect weak electric fields in their surroundings. It is mostly seen in aquatic vertebrates like sharks and electric fish, but now found in invertebrates like fruit fly larvae too. A single neuron in the larva’s head was found to detect the electric field and trigger movement. The larvae changed direction based on the electric field, proving they sensed it and not other stimuli. This finding shows electroreception may be more common and ancient than previously thought.

Notes:
India and Italy recently agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation in trade, defence, clean energy, and high technology. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) is a transport and trade infrastructure project connecting India, the Middle East, and Europe. It was launched through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by India, the European Union (EU), France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States (US) during the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi. IMEEC is part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), introduced at the G7 Summit 2021 in the United Kingdom.