Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

Notes:
NASA is set to launch SPHEREx, a revolutionary space telescope, to explore the universe’s origins. It will cost 488 million, far less than the 10 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Unlike JWST, which zooms in on deep-space objects, SPHEREx will survey the entire sky in 102 infrared colors. The telescope will take 600 images daily, completing four full sky scans in 27 months. SPHEREx will map 450 million galaxies, revealing how the universe evolved after the Big Bang. It will also study 100 million Milky Way stars, tracing life’s building blocks in space.

Notes:
Fort William in Kolkata, headquarters of the Eastern Army Command, has been renamed Vijay Durg. It was built by the British in 1773. It was named after King William III of England. The fort is located on the Hooghly River’s eastern bank and is now owned by the Indian Army. Originally built in 1696 by the English East India Company, it was known as the “black hole of Calcutta” after prisoners were held there. After being attacked in 1756, it was rebuilt by Robert Clive following the Battle of Plassey. The octagonal fort spans 70.9 acres and features arched windows and meticulous stonework.

Notes:
The Haryana government launched the “Mahri Laado” Radio Programme under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme. BBBP was launched by the Government of India on 22nd January 2015 in Panipat, Haryana. The scheme aims to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and ensure equal opportunities, care, and dignity for girls and women.

Notes:
The 2025 annual bird count at Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary recorded 1,53,719 birds from 97 species, the highest ever. Pong Dam Lake, also called Maharana Pratap Sagar, is a man-made reservoir on the Beas River in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. It spans 307 sq km and was designated a Ramsar site in 2002. The sanctuary hosts over 220 bird species, including Bar-headed Geese, Pintails, and Herons. It is home to animals like Sambar, Leopards, and Clawless Otters. The wetland supports diverse vegetation, including eucalyptus, acacia, and shisham.

Notes:
India’s largest solar cell and module manufacturing unit was inaugurated at Gangaikondan SIPCOT Industrial Growth Centre, Tamil Nadu. The facility is set up by TATA Power’s TP Solar Limited with an investment of ₹3,800 crore. It will produce 30-GW photovoltaic cells and modules annually for solar power generation. Equipped with advanced robotic automation, it features TOPCon and Mono Perc technology for high efficiency. The plant will also manufacture raw materials for solar modules. Vikram Solar is setting up an additional 3-GW solar cell and 6-GW module facility at the same site.

Notes:
World Pulses Day is celebrated every year on February 10. The day highlights the importance and nutritional benefits of pulses. It is recognized by the United Nations to promote awareness. The theme for 2025 is “Pulses: Bringing diversity to agri-food systems.”

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Former Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne retired after his 100th Test against Australia in Galle. He scored 36 and 14 in his farewell match, which Australia won by nine wickets. Karunaratne is the seventh Sri Lankan to play 100 Tests and scored 7,222 runs at an average of nearly 40. He captained Sri Lanka in 30 Tests (2019-2023), winning 12 matches. He led Sri Lanka to a historic 2-0 Test series win over South Africa in 2019. His 16 Test centuries as an opener is a Sri Lankan record, shared with Marvan Atapattu.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Education launched 41 new books under the PM YUVA 2.0 scheme. PM YUVA 2.0 (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) was launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Education as part of the India@75 Project (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav). It is an Author Mentorship Programme to train young writers below 30 years of age. The scheme aims to promote reading, writing, and book culture while projecting India’s literature globally. It helps develop writers focusing on Indian heritage, culture, and knowledge systems.

Notes:
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has warned against the Morand-Ganjal Irrigation Project in Madhya Pradesh. The project involves building two dams on the Morand and Ganjal rivers to improve irrigation in Hoshangabad, Betul, Harda, and Khandwa districts. It may displace 644 families, including 604 tribal families. It could destroy a critical tiger corridor between Satpura and Melghat Tiger Reserves, endangering species like leopards, wolves, wild dogs, and hyenas.

Notes:
NITI Aayog released a policy report titled ‘Expanding Quality Higher Education through States and State Public Universities’. It provides quantitative analysis of quality, funding, governance, and employability over the past decade. 80% of India’s higher education happens in SPUs, making reforms crucial for Viksit Bharat 2047. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to double higher education enrolment to 9 crore students by 2035. The report includes 80 policy recommendations and 125 performance indicators for reforms in research, curriculum, funding, and governance.