Current Affairs Quiz – August 2025

Notes:
Recently Indian Railways commissioned Kavach 4.0 on the Mathura Kota section of the Delhi Mumbai route. Kavach 4.0 is an advanced automatic train protection system developed by Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) of Indian Railways to enhance safety and efficiency in train operations. It aims to reduce accidents by controlling train speeds and minimizing human errors using advanced technology. Kavach is designed at Safety Integrity Level 4 SIL 4 which is the highest safety standard. Kavach was first tested in South Central Railway from 2015 and got operational certification in 2018.

Notes:
Recently, the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) launched the “Saksham Niveshak” campaign. It is a 100-day national drive running from 28th July to 6th November 2025. IEPFA works under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The campaign aims to help shareholders reclaim unclaimed dividends held by companies. It guides investors to update their Know Your Customer (KYC) and nomination details. Companies are encouraged to proactively contact shareholders to recover pending dividends.

Notes:
Recently, sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha were returned to India on July 30, 2025, after 127 years. These relics were about to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on May 7, 2025. Government of India intervened and halted the auction by issuing a legal notice on May 5, 2025. The relics were originally discovered in 1898 by British engineer William Claxton Peppé in Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh. They include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, sandstone coffer, gold ornaments, and gemstones. An inscription in Brahmi script confirmed these as relics of Bhagwan Buddha deposited by the Sakya clan.

Notes:
Recently, Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) commissioned India’s first Make-in-India 1 megawatt (MW) green hydrogen plant at Kandla Port, Gujarat. This is the first green hydrogen project at any Indian port and part of a planned 10MW facility. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the plant, calling it a “new benchmark” in green hydrogen execution. The plant was completed in just 4 months using fully indigenous technology and Indian engineers. The electrolyzer used is made in India, producing 140 metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually.

Notes:
Chile launched a major conservation drive to save the endangered Darwin’s frog. Darwin’s frog is also known as the Southern Darwin’s frog. It was discovered by Charles Darwin in 1834 in Chile’s southern Chiloé Islands. The frog is tiny, measuring only 3 cm (1.18 inches), and has leaf-like skin. It is a diurnal species, active during the day and sleeping at night. When threatened, it plays dead by lying still on the forest floor or floating in streams. It is found in Chile and Argentina in humid forests and forest streams. The species includes two types: Rhinoderma darwinii (endangered) and Rhinoderma rufum (critically endangered and nearly extinct).

Notes:
On 1 August 2025, the Union Government informed Lok Sabha that 13 river stretches in Gujarat are officially classified as polluted. Sabarmati River, especially the stretch between Raysan to Vautha, is the worst affected with a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level of 292 mg/litre. Sabarmati River is a monsoon-fed, west-flowing river. It originates from the Aravalli Mountain Range in Udaipur district, Rajasthan. The river is called Wakal in its early course and flows southwest through Rajasthan and Gujarat. It empties into the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea.

Notes:
Recently, the Union Government highlighted the progress of Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) in Parliament. It was launched on 7th April 2016 under the National Health Mission (NHM) to provide free dialysis services to poor patients. It has two components: Hemodialysis (HD) services and Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) services. As of 30th June 2025, the programme is running in all 36 States and Union Territories (UTs) across 751 districts. A total of 1,704 dialysis centres are operational under this programme. The Government of India has advised setting up HD centres in all district hospitals and later expanding to Community Health Centres (CHCs) at taluka level.

Notes:
Recently, Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh of the Parachute Regiment has been appointed as the Vice-Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS). He succeeded Lt. Gen. NS Raja Subramani, who became Vice-Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) on 1st July 2024. Lt. Gen. Pushpendra Singh has over 35 years of service in the Indian Army. He is an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy and was commissioned into 4 Para (Special Forces) in December 1987. He participated in several operations like Pawan, Meghdoot, Rakshak, and Orchid. He served in UN Peacekeeping Missions in Lebanon and Sri Lanka. He was the General Officer Commanding of the Rising Star Corps since April 2022.

Notes:
In a historic move, National Waterway-57 (River Kopili) was recently made operational to boost Assam’s river trade and sustainable logistics. River Kopili is a major south bank tributary of the Brahmaputra River in Assam. It originates from Saipong Reserve Forest in North Cachar Hills, Meghalaya, at 1525 meters altitude in the Borail Range. It is an interstate river flowing through Meghalaya and Assam. It passes through North Cachar Hills, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon, and Morigaon districts of Assam.

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The Punjab government has lifted the ban on traditional heritage sports in August 2025. These include bullock cart races, dog races, horse races, and pigeon racing. The ban was in place since 1997 due to concerns over animal cruelty. Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann announced the decision during a public event in Ludhiana. New legislation ensures these events will be conducted without cruelty to animals. The move aims to reconnect people with Punjab’s cultural identity and rural heritage.