Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

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Three Kannada inscriptions from the Kalyana Chalukya era were discovered for the first time in Kankal village, Vikarabad district, Telangana. The Chalukyas ruled the Deccan plateau from the 6th to 12th centuries as three related dynasties. The Kalyana Chalukyas, also called Western Chalukyas, ruled from Kalyani (now in Bidar, Karnataka). Tailapa II founded the dynasty after overthrowing the Rashtrakutas. Their rule peaked under Vikramaditya VI (1076-1126 CE), known for military success and governance. He defeated northern feudatories and won battles against the Cholas, marking the ‘Chalukya Vikrama era.’

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The Centre has extended the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) scheme until 2025-26 under the 15th Finance Commission cycle. The scheme ensures fair prices for farmers and stabilizes essential commodity prices. Under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), the government procures pulses, oilseeds, and copra at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through Central Nodal Agencies. 100% procurement of Tur (Arhar), Urad, and Masur has been approved for 2024-25 to boost domestic production.

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Karnataka’s property registration portal, Kaveri 2.0, faced severe disruptions due to a DDoS attack. A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack floods a server or network with excessive traffic, causing service failures. The attack uses a botnet—a network of compromised devices—to overload the target system.

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The statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar was unveiled in Cebu, Philippines on February 16, 2025. The statue was unveiled to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and the Philippines. Thiruvalluvar was a poet and philosopher, revered as a cultural icon by Tamils. He is fondly called Valluvar by the Tamil people. His most famous work is Thirukkural, a collection of couplets on ethics, politics, economy, and love. Thirukkural contains 1,330 couplets (kurals) divided into 133 sections, each with 10 couplets. The text is structured into three parts focusing on dharma (virtue), artha (wealth), and kama (love).

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The Arunachal Pradesh government approved the revamp of the Dulari Kanya Scheme. The fixed deposit for institutional births of girl children increased from ₹20,000 to ₹30,000. The scheme is run by the Directorate of Family Welfare, Department of Health & Family Welfare. It aims to end gender preference, promote institutional delivery, ensure child immunization, prevent child marriage, and empower girls.

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The Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) was inaugurated on the Brahmaputra River in Jogighopa, Assam. It aims to improve connectivity and boost trilateral trade with Bhutan and Bangladesh. The foundation stone was laid in February 2021. The terminal was built at a cost of ₹82 crore. It will reduce transportation costs and provide an eco-friendly alternative for cargo transport. By 2027, the terminal is expected to handle 1 million tonnes of cargo annually.

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World Day of Social Justice is observed annually on February 20 by the United Nations (UN) to promote equality, solidarity, and opportunity. It addresses poverty, exclusion, unemployment, and social harmony within and among societies. India’s Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) works towards bridging socio-economic gaps through reforms and global partnerships. It was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2007. It has been observed since 2009.

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The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has set up a high-powered Dinesh Khara Committee, led by former SBI chairman Dinesh Khara, to review and update the Insurance Act, 1938. The committee will assess the feasibility of 100% FDI in the insurance sector and propose the introduction of composite insurance companies offering life, non-life, and health insurance under one entity. It also aims to enhance policyholder protections and ensure revenue retention within India. The committee’s recommendations will be submitted to the Union Finance Ministry for legislative amendments to align the sector with modern needs.

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Vishvaa Rajakumar, a 20-year-old Indian student, won the Memory League World Championship 2025. He memorized 80 random numbers in 13.50 seconds and 30 images in 8.40 seconds. The Memory League World Championship is a top-level online memory competition. Rajakumar, ranked No. 1 with a score of 5,000, studies at Manakula Vinayagar Institute of Technology, Puducherry. He credits hydration for improving memory speed and clarity. His goal is to become a memory trainer and establish a memory institute in India.

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Scientists discovered deadly brine pools beneath the Red Sea that kill or stun marine life. Brine pools are hypersaline, oxygen-lacking lakes on the seafloor, denser than surrounding ocean water. They are also called “underwater lakes” because their high salt content prevents mixing with seawater. The Orca Basin in the Gulf of Mexico has the deepest known brine pool, 2,200 meters below sea level. This pool is 8 times saltier than the Gulf, with a salt content of 300 g/liter. Most sea life cannot survive in these pools, but some specialized organisms thrive.