Current Affairs Quiz – August 2025

Notes:
Infrastructure work on Bhutan’s 1125 MW Dorjilung Hydropower Project began recently. This marks deeper India-Bhutan economic diplomacy with private sector involvement. Tata Power Company Limited from India is partnering with Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in a joint venture. Dorjilung is a run-of-river project located in Lhuentse and Mongar districts of Bhutan on the Kurichhu River. It houses six Francis turbines to produce 4.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually.

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Recently, Manipur won the Junior Boys’ National Football Championship for the Dr. B.C. Roy Trophy (Tier 1) after 25 years. They defeated defending champions West Bengal 3-0 in the final on July 30, 2025, at Guru Nanak Dev University Sports Complex. The Junior Boys’ National Football Championship for the Dr. B.C. Roy Trophy 2025–26 was held in Amritsar, Punjab. This tournament is also known as the B.C. Roy Trophy. It is an Indian football competition for under-15 boys representing different states. It aims to promote young football talent across India at the grassroots level.

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Recently, the Klyuchevskoy volcano erupted following a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast on July 30, 2025. Klyuchevskoy is a stratovolcano located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia. It is considered the tallest active volcano in Eurasia and a key part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Kamchatka Peninsula is home to nearly 300 volcanoes, with 29 classified as active. It is one of the most seismically active volcanic zones, known as the “land of fire and ice.”

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Recently, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) launched AI-powered climate advisory services for farmers on July 30, 2025, in Hyderabad. The initiative is named “AI-powered Context-Specific Agromet Advisory Services for Climate-Resilient Agriculture at Scale.” It is a joint project by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to deliver real-time, personalised climate and weather advisories.

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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.

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Recently, Uttar Pradesh became the first Indian state to launch an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data Analytics-based Road Safety Pilot Project. The project is approved by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Uttar Pradesh has allocated ₹10 crore in the 2025–26 Budget to develop a data-driven model for the Transport Department. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will have no financial liability in the project. The AI system will analyse accident reports, weather, vehicles, drivers, and road data to identify accident causes and black spots

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Recently, the Odisha government announced plans to introduce tigers in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Bargarh district. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located near the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River in Odisha. Hirakud Dam is the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.

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Recently, at Ramsar COP15 held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, India introduced a resolution on ‘Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles for the Wise Use of Wetlands’. The resolution was adopted with support from 172 Ramsar Contracting Parties, 6 International Organisation Partners, and other observers. It highlights the importance of individual and societal choices in wetland conservation and promotes a pro-planet lifestyle. It urges countries to integrate lifestyle-based interventions into wetland policies, plans, and investments. The resolution calls for public-private collaboration, education at all levels, and awareness to promote wise use of wetlands.

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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.

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Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that its Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) rose to 493.22 in March 2025. This is a sharp increase from 465.33 recorded in September 2024, showing rapid growth in digital transactions. The Digital Payments Index is a tool created by RBI to measure the extent of digitisation of payments across India. It was first launched in January 2021 to track and encourage the adoption of digital payment systems. It is the first-of-its-kind index to map the nationwide spread of digital transactions. The base year for the index is March 2018, with the score for that year set at 100.