Current Affairs Quiz 21st November 2025 Quiz

Exp. Michelle Bachelet Honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize by Sonia Gandhi

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet received the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, presented by Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.

Senior leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and jury chairman Shiv Shankar Menon, attended the event.

Bachelet was praised for her lifelong contributions to human rights, gender equality, and inclusive development, along with her global roles as first Executive Director of UN Women and UN Human Rights Chief.

Recent Awards

• Booker Prize 2025 – Hungarian-British author David (for ‘Flesh’ novel)
• SASTRA Ramanujan Prize 2025 – Dr Alexander Smith (for his exceptional contributions to mathematics, particularly in number theory)
• Princess of Asturias Award for Sports 2025– Serena Williams
• 3rd Manohar Parrikar Yuva Scientist Award 2025 – Sai Gautam Gopalakrishnan
• World Leader for Peace and Security Award by Boston Global Forum – Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Exp. Austria and Malta to Join Nagaland as Country Partners for Hornbill Festival 2025

Austria and Malta will join Nagaland as new Country Partners for the Hornbill Festival 2025, alongside existing partners like the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland.

The partnerships were confirmed after Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio met officials from both nations in New Delhi, including Malta’s High Commissioner Reuben Gauci and Austria’s Deputy Head of Mission Dr. Gisela Kristoferitsch.

Malta expressed that the collaboration will enhance people-to-people ties and future partnerships, while Austria plans to send trade delegations to explore multi-sector opportunities.

Exp. India Secures Fresh Term on Codex Executive Committee

India was unanimously re-elected to the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC) for the Asia region until 2027, reinforcing its leadership in shaping global food standards.

Led by Rajit Punhani (CEO, FSSAI), India pushed for modernising Codex processes, improved global databases, and the use of AI for translation and documentation, while emphasising Asia-specific data in global standards.

India contributed to major advancements, including adoption of standards for fresh dates, progress on curry leaves, improved guidelines on pesticide residue reference materials, and updates to reduce aflatoxin contamination.

Exp. HDFC Bank Becomes India’s Most Valuable Brand Again, Overtaking TCS in 2025

HDFC Bank reclaimed the title of India’s most valuable brand in the 2025 Kantar BrandZ Report, with a brand value of $44.9 billion, surpassing TCS.

The bank’s brand value has surged 377% since 2014, driven by strong financial performance and innovative brand assets like “Vigil Aunty” and the 30-minute digital auto loan post its merger with HDFC Ltd.

India’s top 100 brands are together valued at $523.5 billion (13% of GDP), with 34 brands growing and 18 newcomers, including UltraTech Cement debuting at 7th place with $14.5 billion valuation.

Tata Group’s Westside and Zudio also made their first entry, while Zomato emerged as the fastest-rising brand, nearly doubling its value to $6 billion.

Major climbers in the “experience economy” include Taj Hotels, IndiGo, MakeMyTrip, and Mahindra & Mahindra, showing rising consumer demand for travel, experiences, and lifestyle services.

Exp. TVS Motor Chairman Emeritus Venu Srinivasan Honoured with Prestigious CII Quality Ratna Award

Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company, has been honoured with the CII Quality Ratna Award, one of India’s highest industrial recognitions for leadership in quality excellence.

The award was presented at the 33rd CII Excellence Summit in Kolkata, which brought together 1,000+ industry leaders focused on boosting India’s manufacturing share from 3% to 25% globally and generating 100 million jobs.

The CII Quality Ratna Award, jointly presented by CII and EXIM Bank, recognises exceptional contributions to India’s quality movement; in 2024, it was awarded to B. Muthuraman, Padma Bhushan and former Vice Chairman of Tata Steel.

Exp. ISAM to Host 64th Annual Aerospace Medicine Conference at IAM Bengaluru

The Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM) hosted its 64th annual conference at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), Bengaluru, inaugurated by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.

Around 300 delegates, including DRDO and ISRO scientists, will participate, with major orations like the Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee Memorial Oration and Air Vice Marshal M. M. Srinagesh Memorial Oration.

With the theme ‘Innovations in Aerospace Medicine: Infinite Possibilities’, the conference will present 100+ scientific papers, focusing on advancements in aerospace medicine, research, safety, and human factors in aviation and spaceflight.

Exp. PM Modi Releases 21st PM-Kisan Instalment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 21st instalment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, disbursing ₹18,000 crore to over 9 crore farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Under the scheme, eligible farmers receive ₹2,000 every four months (₹6,000 annually) through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT); PM Modi also inaugurated the South India Natural Farming Summit during the event.

The previous 20th instalment (released in August) benefited 9.8 crore farmers, including 2.4 crore women, and so far over ₹3.9 lakh crore has been disbursed across the first 20 instalments.

Exp. Government Expands PMFBY to Cover Wild Animal Attacks and Paddy Inundation from Kharif 2026

The Agriculture Ministry has expanded the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) coverage by officially recognising Wild Animal Attacks and Paddy Inundation as eligible causes of crop loss, addressing long-standing demands of several states.

Wild Animal Attack is now included as the 5th Add-on Cover under Localised Risk, with states required to list damaging species and identify vulnerable districts based on past data; farmers must report losses within 72 hours using the Crop Insurance App with geotagged photos.

The updated framework, aligned with PMFBY Operational Guidelines, will be implemented nationwide from Kharif 2026, ensuring scientific, transparent and tech-enabled claim settlements for sudden, severe, localised crop damage.

The move will significantly benefit farmers in wildlife-conflict-prone regions and flood/coastal states, including Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand, making PMFBY more inclusive, farmer-friendly, and resilient.

Exp. 20 November 2025 – World Philosophy Day

World Philosophy Day is observed every year on the third Thursday of November, and in 2025, it falls on 20 November, highlighting the importance of philosophical thinking in promoting peace and global understanding.

The day was established by UNESCO in 2002 to encourage critical thinking, reason-based dialogue, and reflection on universal values such as justice, ethics, and human dignity.

The observance promotes the use of philosophy to address modern challenges, including AI ethics, environmental responsibility, human rights, and fostering tolerance in diverse societies.

Exp. 20 November – Africa Industrialization Day

Africa Industrialization Day is observed annually on 20 November to promote industrial development and economic diversification across African nations.

The day was established by the United Nations in 1989 to highlight the importance of industrialization in Africa for poverty reduction, job creation, and sustainable development.

It encourages governments, private sectors, and international partners to invest in manufacturing, technology, and innovation to strengthen Africa’s industrial base.

Exp. 20 November – World Children’s Day

World Children’s Day is celebrated annually on 20 November to promote international togetherness, awareness of children’s rights, and improving the welfare of children worldwide.

Theme 2025 – My day, my rights and For every child, every right.

The day commemorates the adoption of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.

It encourages governments, organizations, and communities to focus on issues such as education, health, protection, and overall well-being of children.

Exp. JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar will take oath as CM of Bihar for the 10th time

Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record 10th time on 20 November 2025, following the National Democratic Alliance’s landslide victory in the state assembly elections.

The swearing‑in ceremony was held at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna, attended by key national leaders, including Narendra Modi and other senior Cabinet ministers of the NDA.

The NDA’s ally parties, BJP, JD(U), LJP(RV), HAM and RLM collectively achieved a massive victory by securing 202 seats in the 243-member assembly, crossing the majority mark.

Nitish’s party won 85 seats, while the saffron party emerged as the largest party with 89 seats. Among the other parties, LJP(RV) won 19 seats, HAM won 5, and RLM won 4 seats.

Since 1946, 23 individuals have served as Chief Minister of Bihar. Nitish Kumar first served from 24 November 2005 – 20 May 2014, a total of 8 years, 177 days.

After that, Nitish Kumar has served from 22 February 2015 to the present time, a total of 10 years, 265 days.

Exp. India Post Unveils First Gen Z-Themed Revamped Post Office at IIT Delhi

India Post inaugurated the first Gen Z-themed revamped Post Office at IIT Delhi, marking a major step in its modernisation and youth-centric transformation vision led by Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The Campus Post Office has been redesigned with student collaboration, featuring modern aesthetics, Wi-Fi zones, creative graffiti, and artwork by the IIT Fine Arts Society, along with smart services like QR-based parcel booking and Speed Post student discounts.

This initiative is part of a nationwide project to revamp 46 Post Offices in educational campuses by 15 December, aiming to enhance postal engagement for students and young citizens.

Exp. 21st November – World Television Day:

World Television Day is observed annually on 21st November, as proclaimed by the United Nations to highlight the impact of television on communication and global awareness.

The day recognizes television as a powerful tool for informing, educating, and shaping public opinion, especially during global events and crises.

It celebrates the medium’s role in promoting cultural exchange, fostering dialogue, and supporting democratic participation across societies.