Current Context: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) has launched the Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS) initiative to encourage innovation and reduce reliance on imported satellite technology, aiming to establish India as a global provider of small satellite-bus and hosted-payload services.

Key Details

• Objective: Promote innovation among Indian Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) and reduce import dependence.
• Phases:
• Phase I: Shortlist up to four NGEs to develop satellite-bus systems.
• Phase II: Support two hosted-payload missions for validation.
• Benefits: Provide cost-effective solutions for payload validation, accelerate technology development, and strengthen collaboration

Current Context: The Government of Odisha has officially notified the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) as a National Park, making it India’s 107th National Park and the second in Odisha after Bhitarkanika.

About

• Location: Mayurbhanj district, Odisha
• Declared: As a National Park in 2025 (proposed since 1980)
• Unique Feature:Only known home to wild melanistic (pseudo-melanistic) tigers, a variant of Bengal tigers with high melanin levels leading to dark coats with narrow yellow stripes.

Biodiversity Highlights:

• Royal Bengal Tigers: ~40 individuals
• Elephants: Home to 25% of Odisha’s elephant population
• Birds: Over 360 species
• Flora: 104 orchid species, several endemic
• Other Fauna: Leopards, sambar, mugger crocodiles
• Forest Type: Predominantly sal forests, with patches of moist deciduous and semi-evergreen types

Current Context: The US military recently deployed an anti-ship missile launcher on Batan Island in the Philippines, escalating military presence near Taiwan and the South China Sea.

• This deployment coincides with China’s Coast Guard seizing control of the Tiexian Reef, further intensifying regional tensions in the South China Sea.

Key Details

• Deployment Context: Part of the annual Balikatan exercises involving 9,000 US and 5,000 Filipino troops aimed at enhancing military readiness and deterring aggression in the South China Sea.
• Tiexian Reef: A 200 sq meter reef in the Spratly Islands, now controlled by China, located near Thitu Island, where the Philippines has a military facility.
• Spratly Islands: A contested area in the South China Sea, with claims from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines, known for its tropical climate and historical significance as a former French and Japanese territory.

• International Labour Day is observed on 1 May every year.
• Significance: Celebrates the contributions and hard work of workers, while advocating for fair employment practices and workers’ rights.
• Organized by: Workers’ unions, governments, and labor rights organizations worldwide.
• Labour Day is referred to as Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas or Kamgar Din. 

Current Context: Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh has become the first in the state where all top administrative and political positions are held by women. This milestone in gender-inclusive governance fulfills Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s commitment to designating a women-led district, announced earlier in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha.

About

• Objective: To promote gender-inclusive governance and empower women in public leadership.
• Leadership: All key district-level roles—both administrative and political—are held by women officials, including Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Anuradha Rana, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kiran Bhadana, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ilma Afroz, Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) Shikha Simtia and Akanksha Sharma, and Zila Parishad Chairperson Bina Devi.
• Significance: Enhances comfort and accessibility for women citizens in addressing local issues.
• Local Support: MLA Anuradha Rana welcomed the move, highlighting its positive impact on community engagement and gender-sensitive administration.

Current Context Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu congratulated the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) for securing first place in national competitions.

Key Highlights

• SDRF Formation: The SDRF was established under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which provides a legal framework for disaster management and the creation of specialized response forces like SDRF across India.
• Achievement: SDRF secured first place in national-level disaster management and rescue competitions, showcasing their efficiency and training.
• Significance: This victory highlights Himachal Pradesh’s commitment to improving disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

Current Context: India has achieved significant progress in reducing poverty, with extreme poverty levels dramatically decreasing over the past decade, according to the latest World Bank report.

Key Highlights

Poverty Reduction:

• 171 million people lifted above the poverty line between 2011 and 2023.
• Extreme poverty fell from 16.2% in 2011-12 to just 2.3% in 2022-23.
• Rural vs. Urban Poverty:
• Rural Areas: Poverty dropped from 4% to 2.8%.
• Urban Areas: Poverty decreased from 7% to 1.1%.
• Rural-Urban Gap: The gap narrowed from 7 to 1.7 percentage points.

Transition to Lower-Middle-Income Status:

• India’s shift into the lower-middle-income category led to a reduction in poverty rates from 8% to 28.1% using the $3.65/day poverty line.
• Rural Poverty: Decreased from 69% to 32.5%.
• Urban Poverty: Reduced from 43.5% to 17.2%.

Impact of Major States:

• Top States: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh accounted for 65% of India’s extreme poor in 2011-12.
• By 2022-23, these states contributed to two-thirds of the decline in extreme poverty but still represent 54% of the extremely poor population.
• Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI):MPI decreased from 8% in 2005-06 to 16.4% in 2019-21, further dropping to 15.5% in 2022-23, reflecting progress beyond income poverty.
• Income Inequality Trends: Gini Index for Consumption: Improved from 8 in 2011-12 to 25.5 in 2023.

Current Context: The World Social Report 2025 highlights rising economic insecurity and inequality, with over a third of the global population living on $2.15–$6.85 per day.

Key Highlights

• Economic Vulnerability: 2.8 billion people are at risk of falling back into extreme poverty.
• Job Insecurity: 60% of people fear losing their jobs.
• Rising Inequality: Widening income gaps are harming social cohesion and trust.
• Public Distrust: Over half of the global population lacks trust in their governments, worsened by misinformation.
• Impact on SDGs: Economic divides threaten the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

About the Report

• Published by: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).
• Co-produced with: United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER).

Current Context: President Droupadi Murmu conferred Padma Awards 2024 to 71 out of 139 selected recipients at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. The awards — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri — were announced on the eve of India’s 76th Republic Day.

Padma Vibhushan (4 recipients)

• Posthumous:
• Osamu Suzuki (Former Chief, Suzuki Motor Corporation)
• T. Vasudevan Nair (Malayalam writer & film director)
• Living awardees:
• D. Nageshwar Reddy (Chairman, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology)
• Subramaniam (Violinist)

Padma Bhushan (10 recipients)

• Shekhar Kapur (Film director)
• Nandamuri Balakrishna (Telugu actor)
• Pankaj Udhas (Singer)
• Sushil Kumar Modi (Former Bihar Deputy CM)
• R. Sreejesh (Former hockey player)
• Ajith Kumar (Tamil actor)
• Pankaj Patel (Chairperson, Zydus Lifesciences)
• Vinod Dham (Engineer, “Father of the Pentium”)

Padma Shri (57 recipients)

• Lakshmipathy Ramasubbaiyer (Publisher, Tamil daily Dinamalar)
• Arundhati Bhattacharya (Former Chairperson, SBI)
• Pawan Kumar Goenka (Industrialist)
• Maruti Chitampalli (Wildlife researcher, author)
• Bhimavva Shillekyathara (Puppeteer – Togalu Gombeyaata)
• K. Mahapatra (Former AIIMS-SGPGI Director)
• Jaspinder Narula Kaul (Punjabi singer)
• Special Note:30 unsung heroes were among this year’s Padma awardees, including 100-year-old Libia Lobo.

Current Context: AI Kiran, a national movement, has been launched to promote women’s leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India, as the AI market is expected to reach $17 billion by 2027.

Key Highlights

• Led by: Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to Government of India,Verix (Blockchain-powered credentialing platform)&INK Women(Initiative to promote women leadership in innovation)

Background:

• Only 33% women at junior and 19% at senior GenAI roles.
• 65% more men than women at Head/Director levels (BCG and LinkedIn report).
• India’s AI sector could add $1 trillion to the economy by 2035.

Goals:

• Empower women in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) innovation and leadership.
• Provide mentorship, funding support, global exposure, and leadership
• Highlight over 250 women leaders in sectors like education, healthcare, sustainability, and tech.
• Collaborative Approach: Hosted on the Manthan Platform for greater reach.