Current Affairs Quiz 2nd April 2025 Quiz

Exp. Govt to launch ‘Sahkar Taxi’ service across India to compete with Ola, Uber

The Indian government is set to launch a new cooperative-based taxi service called “Sahkar Taxi” across the country to offer an alternative to popular ride-hailing platforms like Ola and Uber in a market with huge growth projection.

Union Minister Amit Shah announced the plan in Parliament stating that the new service will register two-wheeler taxis, rickshaws, and four-wheeler taxis.

Moreover, unlike existing private company services, Sahkar Taxi will ensure that all profits go directly to the drivers, rather than large corporations.

Exp. Nidhi Tewari appointed as private secretary to PM Modi

Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Nidhi Tewari has been appointed as the new Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The appointment, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, was officially announced by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).

Tewari is currently serving as Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The 2014-batch IFS officer is from Varanasi’s Mahmoorganj area, PM Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency since 2014. She secured the 96th rank in the Civil Services Examination in 2013 and initially served as an Assistant Commissioner in Varanasi before joining the Indian Foreign Service.

She has been serving as Deputy Secretary in the PMO since January 6, 2023, after initially joining as an Under Secretary in 2022.

Recent Appointments

• MD of Ambuja Cements Limited – Ajay Kapur
• CEO and Whole-time Director of Ambuja Cements – Vinod Bahety
• Whole-time Director of Maruti Suzuki India – Sunil Kakkar
• Full-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to PM (EAC-PM) – Sanjay Kumar Mishra (Former Chief of ED)

Exp. Indian Consulate General in Jaffna launches Hindi language course at University of Vavuniya

The Consulate General of India in Jaffna has launched a Hindi language course at the University of Vavuniya, catering to growing interest in the language.

The course was inaugurated jointly by Indian Consul General Sai Murali and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Atputharajah. The initiative aims to enhance linguistic and cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka, fostering better communication and deeper cultural exchanges.

The program reflects India’s commitment to strengthening educational and people-to-people connections in Sri Lanka. With Hindi gaining popularity in the region, the course is expected to provide students with new opportunities for academic and professional growth.

Exp. Renault Group to take over Nissan Motor’s 51% stake in Chennai plant

Renault Group will acquire Nissan Motor’s 51% stake in Renault Nissan Automotive India (RNAIPL), taking full control of the Chennai-based joint venture.

Nissan will continue to use RNAIPL as a key sourcing hub for its vehicles, including the Magnite, for both Indian and export markets.

The transaction, subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close by the end of the first half of 2025, with Nissan asserting it has no plans to exit the Indian market.

Exp. Miami Open Champion: Teenager Jakub Mensik defeats Novak Djokovic in finals

In Miami Open tennis, Jakub Mensik has crushed Novak Djokovic’s dream to win 100th tour level title. The 19-year-old Czech beat the six-time Miami open champion in the final of the Men’s Singles in Florida, 7-6, 7-6.

With this win, Mensik also became the second-youngest champion of the tournament behind Carlos Alcaraz, who lifted the trophy in 2022 as an 18-year-old.

Mensik also became the first Czech player to win an ATP Masters 1000 event since Tomas Berdych triumphed in Paris in 2005.

Mensik was born in September 2005 when Djokovic was already in the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings. The 18-year difference between them marked the biggest age gap in an ATP Masters 1000 final.

Exp. India-US tri-service exercise ‘Tiger Triumph’ commences in Visakhapatnam

The fourth edition of “Tiger Triumph,” a bilateral tri-service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise between India and the United States, commenced in Eastern seaboard in Visakhapatnam and will continue until April 13

The opening ceremony of Tiger Triumph-2025 was held onboard the Indian Navy’s INS Jalashwa.

The exercise reflects the deepening convergence of US-India strategic maritime interests and the countries’ defense partnership. This edition aims to further enhance interoperability and combined joint all-domain operations during large-scale.

Exp. Indian hockey icon Vandana Katariya announces retirement after illustrious 15-year career

Indian women’s hockey stalwart, Vandana Katariya, has officially announced her retirement from international hockey, bringing an end to an illustrious career spanning over 15 years.

With 320 international appearances and 158 goals to her name, Vandana departs as the most-capped player in the history of Indian women’s hockey.

The 32-year-old, who made her senior team debut in 2009, was an integral part of several defining moments in the sport, including India’s historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she became the first and only Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Games.

Vandana was honoured with some of India’s most prestigious awards, including the Arjuna Award (2021) and the Padma Shri (2022). She also received the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Women) in 2014, the Hockey India President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2021, and the Hockey India Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year in 2021 and 2022, cementing her status as one of India’s finest forwards.

Exp. Historian MyNaa Swamy to receive Ugadi Award

Historian and archaeologist MyNaa Swamy will receive the prestigious Ugadi Award from the Andhra Pradesh government for his contributions to historical research and social service.

The award, including the ‘Kalaratna’ title, ‘Hamsa’ medal, a certificate of appreciation, and a cash prize, will be presented by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada.

MyNaa Swamy’s research on the Vijayanagara Empire and Lepakshi Veerabhadra temple complex has uncovered over 100 previously unknown inscriptions in Telugu, Kannada, and Sanskrit.

Recent Award

• 59th Jnanpith Award – Vinod Kumar Shukla (for Deewar Mein Ek Khirki Rehti Thi)
• Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2024 – Veteran Sculptor Ram Sutar
• Oeko-Tex certification from Germany for Eri silk – North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation
• Stockholm Water Prize 2025 – Austrian hydrologist Günter Blöschl (for his groundbreaking contributions to flood risk management and water resource engineering)
• Air Service Quality (ASQ) award – Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (for the third consecutive year)

Exp. Government of India to Re-Issue Rs. 36,000 Crore in G-Secs

The Government of India in collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has announced the re-issuance of two Government Securities (G-Secs) through a price-based auction scheduled for April 4, 2025.

This move reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to manage public debt efficiently while promoting transparency in the financial markets.

The auction will include the “6.64% Government Security 2027” for a notified amount of Rs. 6,000 crore and the “6.79% Government Security 2034” for Rs. 30,000 crore. Additionally, the government can accept up to Rs. 2,000 crore in extra subscriptions for each security, underscoring its flexibility in meeting funding requirements.

The auction will be conducted electronically via RBI’s Core Banking Solution platform, E-Kuber.

These securities will also be eligible for “When Issued” trading under RBI guidelines, enabling market participants to trade them before their issuance date. This mechanism enhances liquidity and provides investors with greater flexibility.

Exp. Manappuram Finance Gets Board Approval to Raise Rs. 5,500 Crore

Manappuram Finance has declared a major fundraising program. The board of the company has sanctioned a proposal to raise up to Rs. 5,500 crore by issuing redeemable non-convertible debentures (NCDs).

This was decided in a board meeting conducted on March 29, 2025, which is a strategic initiative to increase its capital base and aid future growth.

The approved NCD issue can be carried out through private placements or public issues in one or more tranches during the financial year 2025-26. This provides Manappuram Finance with the flexibility to tailor its fund-raising approach based on market conditions and investor interest.

Established in 1949, Manappuram Finance has emerged as prominent player in the gold loan industry, providing a variety of financial products and services such as microfinance, vehicle finance, and housing finance.  

Exp. India’s Axis Bank, J.P. Morgan roll out anytime dollar payments for clients

India’s Axis Bank has partnered with J.P. Morgan to offer real-time U.S. dollar payment capabilities to commercial clients in the country, facilitated by Kinexys, the U.S.-based lender’s blockchain and digital assets unit.

This is the first instance where an Indian company will have the flexibility to make or receive dollar payments at any time, J.P. Morgan said.

Axis Bank will deliver the 24/7 dollar clearing capability for clients out of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, or GIFT city, an international financial services center.

The collaboration with Kinexys will offer “significant value” to clients by streamlining payments, unlocking liquidity and adding further optionality on cross-border payments.Currently, companies can make cross-border payments that are settled on the same day.

Naveen Mallela, global co-head at Kinexys, illustrated the anytime payment capability by saying that Indian companies can now make dollar payments to Middle Eastern clients on Sundays, which are standard working days in that region.

Exp. Defence exports surge to a record high of Rs 23,622 crore in Financial Year 2024-25

Defence exports have surged to a record high of Rs 23,622 crore (approx. US$ 2.76 billion) in the Financial Year (FY) 2024-25.

A growth of Rs 2,539 crore or 12.04% has been registered in the just-concluded FY over the defence exports figures of FY 2023-24, which were Rs 21,083 crore.

The Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) have shown a significant increase of 42.85% in their exports in the FY 2024-25, reflecting the growing acceptability of Indian products in the global market and the ability of the Indian defence industry to be a part of the global supply chain.

Exp. CBIC to launch E-processing for gems & jewellery trade next month

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs will introduce the electronic processing of the import and export of gems, jewellery, and machinery samples through personal carriage by air passengers.

This will come into effect from the 1st of next month at specified airports. Nine airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur would allow personal carriage export of gems and jewellery.

Seven airports at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur would allow personal carriage import of gems and jewellery. In the case of samples or prototypes of machinery, the facility would initially be made available at the Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai airports

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, has introduced electronic processing of Bill of Entry/ Shipping Bill pertaining to gems and jewellery/samples/prototypes through personal carriage by air passengers from 01.05.2025 onwards at specified airports.

Exp. SBI Card names Salila Pande as MD & CEO

Salila Pande has taken charge as the Managing Director and CEO of SBI Card.

Prior to this role, Pande served as Chief General Manager of SBI’s Mumbai Metro Circle, leading the retail business, and held international positions such as President and CEO of SBI California and a risk management leader in Singapore.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Whole-time Member (Life) of IRDAI – Swaminathan S. Iyer
• Secretary of Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) – B Ramesh Babu
• Chairman of Indian Banks’ Association (IBA)- CS Setty
• Executive Director of Canara Bank– S K Majumdar (for 3 years)
• Head of Bank of America in India -Vikram Sahu (replace Kaku Nakhate)