Current Context: Indian security forces (Army, CRPF, and J&K Police) launched Operation Mahadev in Harwan–Lidwas region near Dachigam National Park, Srinagar.

ABOUT OPERATION MAHADEV

• Objective: To neutralize terrorists behind the 22 April Pahalgam attack.
• Location: Harwan / Lidwas near Dachigam National Park, Srinagar (J&K).

Current Context: Divya Deshmukh clinched the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup title in Batumi, Georgia, defeating Koneru Humpy in a rapid tiebreak.

• She became India’s fourth female Grandmaster and the 88th overall GM from India.

ABOUT DIVYA DESHMUKH’S ACHIEVEMENT

• Title Earned: First Indian woman to win the FIDE Women’s World Cup.
• Grandmaster Status:
• Became India’s 88th Grandmaster
• Only the fourth Indian woman GM, after Koneru Humpy, Vaishali, and Harika Dronavalli

INDIA’S WOMEN GRANDMASTERS:

• Koneru Humpy
• Vaishali
• Harika Dronavalli
• Divya Deshmukh

Current Context: Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO and Secretary of the Department of Space, was conferred the GP Birla Memorial Award – 2025 for his contributions in advancing India’s space program and innovation in space technologies.

ABOUT GP BIRLA MEMORIAL AWARD

• Named After: Ghanshyamdas (G.P.) Birla – noted industrialist and philanthropist.
• Conferred By: GP Birla Archaeological Astronomical and Scientific Institute, chaired by Nirmala Birla.
• Purpose: To honor outstanding contributions in science, astronomy, education, and public service.
• Significance: One of India’s prestigious scientific honors, given to globally eminent individuals.

 NOTABLE PAST AWARDEES:

• Venkataraman Ramakrishnan – Nobel Laureate (Chemistry)
• Jogesh Pati – Theoretical Physicist
• A.P.J. Abdul Kalam – Former President of India
• K. Kasturirangan – Former ISRO Chairman

Celebrated globally on 29 July to raise awareness about tiger conservation.

 ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY:

• Instituted in 2010at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit to support global efforts for the protection of tigers.
• Highlights major threats such as habitat destruction, poaching, and illegal trade.
• Promotes the need to preserve tiger habitats and strengthen anti-poaching strategies.
• India is home to nearly 70% of the world’s wild tiger population, making it central to global conservation efforts.

Current Context: India signed its first full Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with a Western developed nation — the UK.

 ABOUT CETA AGREEMENT

• Signed On: 24 July 2025; concluded after 3+ years of negotiations.
• Coverage: Trade in goods, services, investment, IP, digital trade, labour mobility, and more.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS & BENEFITS

• Market Access:
  • Zero tariffs on 99% of Indian exports to the UK.
  • UK duties on cars & whisky reduced from 15% to ~3%.
  • Trade expected to reach $100–120 billion by 2030.
• Sectoral Benefits:
  • Indian exports boosted: textiles, footwear, leather, gems, toys, engineering goods.
  • UK gains: automobiles, whisky, medical devices, chocolates, salmon.
• Services & Mobility:
  • Easier movement for Indian IT experts, architects, chefs, musicians, and educators.
  • Double Contribution Convention (DCC): Avoids dual social security payments for up to 3 years.

Current Context: DRDO successfully flight-tested the ULPGM‑V3 at the Kurnool Range, Andhra Pradesh.

 ABOUT ULPGM‑V3 MISSILE

• Developer: DRDO, in partnership with DRCI, DRDL, TBRL, Adani Defence, BDL, and 30+ MSMEs/start-ups.
• Technology:
  • Dual-channel HD seeker for precision.
  • Day-night operations, even in high-altitude terrain.
  • Two-way data link for real-time aim adjustments.
• Warhead Variants:
  • Anti-armour, penetration-cum-blast, and pre-fragmentation
  • Purpose: Boosts India’s UAV-launched precision attack
• Significance: Enhances tactical flexibility, Make in India defence efforts, and strategic autonomy.

Current Context: The Government of Sikkim will open Doklam Plateau and Cho La Pass for civilian battlefield tourism from September 2025, under the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative.

 ABOUT DOKLAM (Doka La)

• Location & Strategic Value: Located at the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China, at ~13,780 ft altitude.
• Historical Significance: Site of the 2017 standoff between India and China over Bhutanese territory.
• Purpose: Serves as a strategic defense point for the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck).
• Tourism Initiative: Included in Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan; permits limited to 30–50 vehicles/day via Army-cleared routes.

ABOUT CHO LA PASS

• Location: Connects Sikkim and Tibet; ~4,593 m altitude.
• Historical Importance: Site of 1967 Sino-Indian clashes near Nathu La.
• Purpose: Included in heritage tourism to highlight India’s border defence history.
• Tourism Preparation: Infrastructure and security upgrades ongoing with Army coordination.

ABOUT BHARAT RANBHOOMI DARSHAN INITIATIVE

• Launch: January 2025 by Ministry of Defence & Tourism.
• Coverage: 77 strategic locations including Galwan, Siachen, Kargil, Doklam, Cho La.
• Purpose: Boost national pride, border tourism, and local economy.
• Features: App-based permits, virtual tours, and contextual history content.

Current Context: Indian Railways successfully tested its first hydrogen-powered Driving Power Car at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.

 ABOUT THE HYDROGEN TRAIN COACH TEST

• Engine & Power:
  • Powered by a 1,200 HP hydrogen fuel engine, twice as powerful as most European hydrogen trains (500–600 HP).
• Technology:
  • Uses hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity.
  • Emits only water vapor, ensuring zero CO₂ emissions.
• Design & Capacity:
  • Includes a passenger car and two hydrogen storage coaches.
  • Can carry up to 2,638 passengers and run at 110 km/h.
• Deployment Plan:
  • Initial deployment on heritage routes like the Kalka–Shimla line.
  • Earlier planned for December 2024, now delayed for terrain optimization.

Current Context: As of 25 July 2025, Atal Pension Yojana has surpassed 8 crore gross enrolments, with around 39 lakh new subscribers added since April 2025 in the Financial Year 2025–26.

 ABOUT ATAL PENSION YOJANA (APY)

• Launched: 9 May 2015, as a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for Indian citizens aged 18–40 years who are non-taxpayers.
• Purpose: To provide social security to the poor, underprivileged, and unorganised sector workers post-retirement.
• Scheme Highlights:
• Offers guaranteed monthly pension of ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 after 60 years.
• Pension continues to the spouse on subscriber’s death.
• After the death of both, the corpus is returned to the nominee.

Current Context: Geetanjali Shree, acclaimed Hindi author and International Booker Prize winner for Tomb of Sand, has received the PEN Translates Award 2025 for her book Once Elephants Lived Here, translated by Daisy Rockwell.

 ABOUT PEN TRANSLATES AWARD

• Administered By: English PEN, it supports the translation of exceptional non-English literary works into English.
• Global Reach: The 2025 round includes 14 books, in 13 languages, from 11 regions.
• South Asian Focus: The PEN Translates × SALT initiative highlights South Asian literature, and Geetanjali Shree’s work is a key part of this programme.
• Selection Criteria: Based on literary quality, publishing vision, and promoting biodiversity — ensuring diversity of voices in global literature.