Current Context : On 13 July 2025, 23‑year‑old Harikrishnan A. Ra achieved his final Grandmaster (GM) norm at the La Plagne Chess Festival in France, earning him the title of India’s 87th Grandmaster, and the 32^nd from Tamil Nadu.

 ABOUT HIS JOURNEY:

• Seven years as an International Master, training under Grandmaster Shyam
• Achieved first GM norm at Biel (Switzerland, 2023), second at Lince Andújar (Spain, June 2025), and final at La Plagne.
• In final round at La Plagne, drew against compatriot P. Iniyan; earlier beat Jules Moussard to secure norm.

Current Context : Centre appointed Dr. Abhijat Sheth as the new Chairperson of the National Medical Commission (NMC), following the resignation of Dr. B. N. Gangadhar amid a corruption investigation into regulatory oversight.

ABOUT DR. ABHIJAT SHETH:

• A renowned cardiothoracic surgeon.
• Currently President of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), which conducts NEET-PG and super-specialty exams.

ABOUT NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION (NMC):

• Apex body regulating medical education and medical profession in India.
• Replaced the Medical Council of India in 2020.
• Responsible for accreditation, medical curriculum, and licensing of doctors.

Current Context : Sonali Mishra, a 1993‑batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, was appointed as the first-ever woman Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Her tenure runs until 31 October 2026.

 ABOUT SONALI MISHRA:

• 1993‑batch Indian Police Service (Madhya Pradesh cadre).
• Served as Additional DG (Selection) in MP, first woman commander of BSF in Punjab (2021), IG in Kashmir, and head of BSF intelligence.
• Honoured with President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

ABOUT RPF:

• Established in 1957 by Parliamentary act; armed force since 1985.
• Responsible for security of railway property, passengers, arrests under the Railway Protection Force Act (1966) and Railways Act (1989).
• Headquarters: New Delhi; overseen by Ministry of Railways.

Current Context : President Droupadi Murmu, acting on the advice of the Council of Ministers, nominated four eminent personalities to the Rajya Sabha under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution.

 ABOUT THE NOMINATION:

• Article 80(1)(a): Enables the President to nominate up to 12 members with expertise in art, literature, science, and social service.
• These appointments fill vacancies left vacant for almost a year.

 NEW NOMINEES:

1. Ujjwal Nikam – Renowned special public prosecutor in cases like 26/11, Mumbai blasts, Pramod Mahajan murder; awarded Padma Shri (2016).
2. Harsh Vardhan Shringla – Former Foreign Secretary, key architect of India’s G20 Presidency, and veteran diplomat.
3. Sadanandan Master – Kerala-based teacher turned social worker who overcame political violence to champion youth empowerment.
4. Dr Meenakshi Jain – Esteemed historian and academic in education, literature, and political science.

Current Context  : The Wimbledon Championships (30 Jun – 13 Jul 2025) ended with record prize money of £53.5 million, giving equal £3 million cheques to the singles champions.

 CHAMPIONS & SCORES

PRIZE‑MONEY QUICK FACTS

• Singles champions: £3 million each (≈ $4 million).
• Doubles champions (per pair): £680 k; Mixed doubles: £135 k.
• First‑round singles losers still pocket £66 k, reflecting a 10 % rise.

What Is Wimbledon?

The Wimbledon Championships, officially “The Championships, Wimbledon,” is the oldest and most prestigious tennis Grand Slam.

• First held in 1877 by the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) in southwest London.
• Played solely on grass courts, it remains the only major still using grass

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Current Context  :  India launched the world’s first AI‑powered Traditional  knowledge  digital  library (TKDL), drawing praise in a new WHO‑ITU‑WIPO report on AI in traditional medicine.

ABOUT TKDL

• Joint project of CSIR & Ministry of Ayush; digitises ~34 million pages covering Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa & Homoeopathy.
• Integrated with global patent offices (USPTO, EPO, UKIPO) to stop biopiracy of Indian remedies.

AI‑ENABLED ADVANCES

• Ayurgenomics: blends genome data with Ayurveda’s Prakriti types for personalised health.
• Machine‑learning tools for pulse reading, tongue analysis and drug‑repurposing of herbal formulas.
• WHY IT MATTERS : Protects India’s traditional knowledge and promotes research into new evidence‑based medicines.

Current Context  : World Youth Skills Day 2025 marks the 10‑year anniversary of the UN observance and the 5‑year anniversary of UNESCO’s Global Skills Academy.

• Theme : “Youth empowerment through AI & digital skills.”
• Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2014; first observed in
• Focuses on technical & vocational education and training (TVET) so that young people gain employable skills.

CURRENT CONTEXT: Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, sentenced to death in Yemen, might be spared through diya (blood money) payments to the victim’s family.

 ABOUT BLOOD MONEY (Diya):

• Defined in Islamic Sharia law as financial compensation payable to the victim’s heirs in cases of unintentional homicide or where families opt out of retribution (qisas).
• Intent is compensation, not to commodify life. Even if diya is paid, the state may still impose penalties.
• Practices and amounts can vary significantly across countries (e.g. Saudi Arabia, Iran), influenced by gender, religion, and nationality.

INDIA’S POSITION:

• No formal provision for diya in Indian law.
• However, plea bargaining (Criminal Law Amendment 2005) allows defendants to plead guilty for lesser charges or reduced sentences in exchange for compensation—but only for non-severe offences and with victim consent.

CURRENT CONTEXT : The central government has extended the deadline for the Ravi & Beas Waters Tribunal, constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, by one year—now due by 5 August 2026—after nearly 39 years without resolution over water-sharing disputes among Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

 ABOUT ISRWD ACT, 1956:

• Enacted under Article 262 of the Constitution to resolve water disputes between states.
• Once a tribunal is appointed, the Supreme Court and other courts cannot intervene in the matter.
• Aims to provide a binding, time-bound mechanism for resolving conflicts over shared river waters.

 Ravi–Beas Tribunal Details:

• Constituted in April 1986 under the Punjab Settlement (Rajiv–Longowal Accord).
• Submitted its initial report in January 1987, recommending 5 MAF (Punjab) and 3.83 MAF (Haryana); revisions are still pending due to state feedback.
• Future outcomes will impact the stalled SYL canal issue.

Current Context: Uttarakhand’s state cabinet has approved the Geo-Thermal Energy Policy 2025, encouraging research and development of geothermal sources for power, heating/cooling, and community projects.

 FEATURES OF THE POLICY:

• Objectives: Promote scientific and technological R&D to tap geothermal energy for power, heating, cooling, and water treatment; strengthen energy security and reduce carbon emissions. It targets hot springs near tectonic faults (e.g., Gaurikund on Main Central Thrust).
• Implementation Mechanism: Managed by Energy Dept in collaboration with UREDA and UJVNL, with 30-year project leases via competitive bidding.
• Incentives: Grants up to 50% (max ₹3 crore) for project feasibility studies and DPRs; land transfers/leases streamlined with forest-clearance provisions.
• National & Global Alignment: Taps into India’s 10,600 MW geothermal potential; connects with RE-RTD programme and global expertise from Iceland, Saudi Arabia, and RETAP-USA.