4.5/5
Current Affairs 14 & 15 August 2025
1. Haryana boxers clinch team titles at Sub Junior Boxing Nationals 
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Team Titles: Haryana's young boxing brigade won the overall team titles in both boys' and girls' categories at the 4th Sub Junior National Boxing Championships.
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Boys' Category: Haryana secured 4 gold, 2 silver, and 6 bronze medals, led by clean-sweep wins from Ravi Sihag (49-52kg) and Sanchit Jayani (55-58kg).
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Girls' Category: Haryana's girls team dominated, producing champions like Garima (35-37kg), Princi (49-52kg), Sunaina (58-61kg), Jivika (61-64kg), and Radhika Sharma (67-70kg), with 5 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze medals.
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Final Standings: In the boys' division, Haryana topped with 47 points, followed by Services (38 points) and Uttar Pradesh (34 points). In the girls' category, Haryana led with 57 points, ahead of Services (42 points) and Punjab (33 points).
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Special Awards: Notable boxers received awards, including S. Obrait Meccades of Tamil Nadu (Best Boxer - Boys), Abhijeet Tehlan of Services (Best Challenger - Boys), Trushana Vinayak Mohite of Services (Best Boxer - Girls), and Nayana Yahvi S. of Karnataka (Best Challenger - Girls).
2. 16 BSF personnel get gallantry medals for Operation Sindoor
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Operation Sindoor: The medals were awarded for bravery and valour displayed during Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike against terrorist and military facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from May 7 to 10, 2025.
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Bravery Acts: The awardees demonstrated exceptional courage in various acts, including destroying enemy surveillance cameras, neutralizing drone attacks, and replenishing ammunition under intense enemy fire.
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Awardees: The 16 personnel include Assistant Commandants Abhishek Srivastav and Alok Negi, Deputy Commandant Ravindra Rathore, Inspector Devi Lal, and others who risked their lives to protect their fellow soldiers and defend the border.
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Notable Acts: Sub-Inspector Vyas Dev continued a critical mission despite suffering life-threatening injuries, including the loss of his left leg, while Constable Suddi Rabha stood by him, refusing to yield despite severe injuries.
3. Indian Naval Ships in Sri Lanka For Slinex-25
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Participating Ships: Indian Naval Ships INS Rana, a Guided Missile Destroyer, and INS Jyoti, a Fleet Tanker, have arrived in Colombo to participate in the 12th edition of the Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise (SLINEX-25).
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Exercise Dates: The exercise is scheduled from August 14 to 18, 2025, and aims to enhance interoperability, maritime cooperation, and exchange best practices between the two navies.
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Phases of Exercise: SLINEX-25 will be conducted in two phases - the Harbour phase in Colombo from August 14 to 16, followed by the Sea phase from August 17 to 18.
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Participating Sri Lankan Ships: SLNS Gajabahu and Vijayabahu, both Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessels, will represent the Sri Lankan Navy, and Special Forces of both navies will also feature in the exercise.
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Objectives: The exercise aims to bolster maritime cooperation, enhance interoperability, and strengthen bonds of friendship and camaraderie between the Indian and Sri Lankan navies, aligning with India's policy of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
4. Gulveer Singh betters own national record in men’s 3000m race
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New National Record: Gulveer Singh shattered his own national record in the men's 3000m event, clocking a time of 7:34.49 seconds at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Budapest, Hungary.
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Previous Record: He surpassed his previous record of 7:38.26 seconds, set at the Boston University meet in February, by over three seconds.
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International Performance: Singh finished fifth in the event, behind Kenya's Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (7:33.23), Mexico's Eduardo Herrera (7:33.58), Uganda's Oscar Chelimo (7:33.93), and Uruguay's Valentin Soca (7:34.28).
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Multiple National Records: Gulveer Singh now holds national records in three events: 3000m (7:34.49), 5000m (12:59.77), and 10000m (27:00.22).
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Asian Championship Wins: He is also the reigning Asian champion in the 5000m and 10000m events, winning gold medals at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, and has qualified for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
5. Rohith Krishna is India's 89th GM
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New Grandmaster Title: Rohith Krishna S, a 20-year-old chess player from Tamil Nadu, has officially become India's 89th Grandmaster after achieving his final GM norm at the Almaty Masters Qonaev Cup in Kazakhstan.
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Tournament Performance: Rohith scored 6 out of 9 points in the tournament, surpassing the required 2500 Elo rating mark and securing his final GM norm by defeating Armenia's Artur Davtyan in the final round.
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Early Life and Career: Rohith began learning chess at the age of eight, encouraged by his family, particularly his maternal grandmother, who was a university champion. He earned his first FIDE title, Candidate Master, in 2017, followed by the FIDE Master title in 2019 and International Master status in 2022.
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Balancing Studies and Chess: Rohith is currently pursuing computer science while balancing his chess career. He aims to reach a 2600 rating and become the world champion in the future.
6. Abhijit Kishore appointed as Vodafone Idea CEO
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New Appointment: Abhijit Kishore, currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO), has been appointed as the CEO of Vodafone Idea, effective August 19, 2025, for a period of three years.
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Replacing Akshaya Moondra: Kishore will succeed Akshaya Moondra, whose three-year term as CEO concludes on August 18, 2025. Moondra was appointed CEO on August 19, 2022.
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Experience: Abhijit Kishore has been associated with Vodafone Idea since March 2015 and has held multiple senior leadership roles within the organization, including Circle Business Head for Gujarat and Kerala circles.
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Key Achievements: Kishore successfully launched the first 4G network in India during his tenure as Circle Business Head. He also headed the Enterprise Business of Vodafone Idea Limited as the Chief Enterprise Business Officer before becoming COO.
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Industry Experience: With over 27 years of experience in the Indian telecom industry, Kishore is well-equipped to lead Vodafone Idea, which is currently battling debt troubles and navigating substantial adjusted gross revenue (AGR) bills.
7. Shailesh appointed as Deputy Secretary in the National Health Authority
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Appointment Details: Dr. Shailesh, a 2013-batch IAS officer from the Tripura cadre, has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the NHA under the Department of Health & Family Welfare for a period of four years.
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Background: Dr. Shailesh is a medical doctor by training, having graduated with an MBBS from the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune. He brings both clinical expertise and governance experience to his new role.
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Administrative Experience: Before joining NHA, Dr. Shailesh held various key positions in Tripura, including Sub-Divisional Officer & Magistrate, Deputy Secretary in the Finance Department, Mission Director & Joint Secretary in the Health & Family Welfare Department, and Municipal Commissioner.
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Key Responsibilities: As Deputy Secretary in NHA, Dr. Shailesh is expected to play a vital role in expanding healthcare coverage, ensuring financial protection for vulnerable populations, and enhancing the quality of health services across India, particularly under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
8. Ravi Narayanan appointed as CEO of SMFG India Credit
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Appointment Details: Ravi Narayanan, a veteran banker with over 30 years of experience in retail banking and branch distribution, has been appointed CEO of SMFG India Credit, effective August 28, 2025.
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Background: Narayanan previously held senior leadership roles at Axis Bank and HDFC Bank, serving on the boards of Axis Securities and Axis Mutual Fund. His expertise in retail and branch network management is expected for a leadership role.
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Leadership Change: This appointment marks a significant shift in SMFG India Credit's leadership since its acquisition by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) in 2021, with Narayanan being the first non-Fullerton insider to lead the company.
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Key Focus Areas: Narayanan plans to focus on accelerating retail business growth, enhancing customer engagement through the branch network, forging strategic partnerships, and strengthening risk and compliance frameworks.
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Company Performance: SMFG India Credit reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 442 crore in FY25, with assets under management growing 25.4% year-over-year to nearly Rs 57,000 crore.
9. IGNCA Signs MoU with BSIP to Integrate Science and Culture
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Integration of Science and Culture: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a unified platform for showcasing India's scientific and cultural achievements.
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Objectives: The partnership aims to preserve, interpret, and present India's heritage through innovative programs, fostering awareness nationally and globally, and promoting interdisciplinary research and joint events.
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Key Focus Areas: The collaboration will focus on digitization, education, research, documentation, conservation, museum development, fieldwork, audio-visual records, joint publications, and training in conservation and heritage management.
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Project Mausam: The partnership will actively support Project Mausam, examining the effects of climate change on India's maritime history, and create documentaries and awareness campaigns to protect endangered cultural traditions.
10. Vece Paes, Olympic Hockey Medallist & Sports Administrator passed away
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Death: Dr. Vece Paes passed away on August 14, 2025, at the age of 80, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease and other age-related ailments.
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Olympic Achievement: Paes was part of the Indian hockey team that won a bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and his son Leander Paes won a bronze medal in tennis at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, making them the only father-son duo in India to achieve this feat.
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Sports Medicine Expertise: Dr. Paes was a renowned sports medicine expert who worked with various sports bodies, including the Asian Cricket Council, BCCI, and Indian Davis Cup team, and served as the president of the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club.
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Multi-Sport Athlete: Paes was a versatile athlete who played divisional-level football, cricket, and rugby, and served as the president of the Indian Rugby Football Union from 1996 to 2002.
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Legacy: Dr. Paes is remembered as a devoted athlete, insightful sports professional, and caring father who contributed significantly to shaping his son Leander's illustrious tennis career.
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