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Current Affairs 19 & 20 July 2025
1. Neeraj Gambhir appointed as Executive Director of Axis Bank
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Appointment Term: Neeraj Gambhir has been appointed as Executive Director of Axis Bank for a period of three years, effective August 4, 2025, or from the date of approval by the Reserve Bank of India, whichever is later.
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Background: Gambhir, 52, is a seasoned industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in the financial sector, having held leadership positions at Nomura, Lehman Brothers, and ICICI Bank.
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Current Role: Currently, Gambhir serves as Group Executive – Treasury, Markets, and Wholesale Banking Products at Axis Bank, a role he has held since May 2020.
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Board Memberships: He is also a member of key boards, including Axis Asset Management and Axis Pension Fund Management, where he serves as Chairman of the latter.
2. Maharashtra Unveils Vidarbha’s First Integrated Steel Plant in Gadchiroli
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JSW Group's Investment: JSW Group will invest ₹1 lakh crore over the next 7-8 years to establish a 25-million-tonne steel plant in Gadchiroli, making it the world's largest and most environmentally friendly steel-making facility.
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Production Capacity: The plant aims to produce 25 million tonnes of steel annually, positioning it as a global leader in steel production.
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Environmental Sustainability: The facility will prioritize environmental sustainability, with Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of JSW Group, emphasizing its design as the "most beautiful and environment-friendly" steel plant worldwide.
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Employment Opportunities: The project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth in the Vidarbha region.
3. SBI honoured as World's Best Consumer Bank 2025
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Best Bank Award: State Bank of India (SBI) was recognized as the Best Bank in India for 2024 by Global Finance Magazine at its 31st Annual Best Bank Awards in Washington, DC.
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Award Recognition: The award acknowledges SBI's exceptional customer service and dedication to advancing financial inclusion across India, winning the trust of its customers.
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Extensive Network: SBI boasts an extensive network of over 22,500 branches and 62,000 ATMs, strengthening its growth in the Indian banking sector through its YONO digital platform.
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Digital Banking: SBI's YONO app has garnered close to 10 million downloads, providing customers with user-friendly and convenient platforms for financial transactions.
4. Srihari Nataraj & B. Benediction Rohit Set New Swimming Benchmarks
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New National Record: Srihari Nataraj broke his own national record in the men's 200m freestyle event, clocking 1:48.22 at the 2025 World University Games in Berlin, Germany.
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Semifinals Qualification: This record-breaking performance secured Nataraj a spot in the semifinals, showcasing his potential in international competitions.
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Historic Milestone: B. Benediction Rohit became the first Indian man to swim the 50m butterfly in under 24 seconds, achieving a time of 23.96 seconds in the semifinals.
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Rohit's Achievement: Rohit's remarkable journey included topping the preliminary rounds before competing in the semifinals, where he placed sixth.
5. Bihar Won U18 Boys’ Title at Junior National Rugby 7s Championship 2025
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Championship Victory: Bihar won the U18 Boys' title by defeating defending champions Odisha 17-15 in a thrilling final at the Maharana Pratap Sports College in Dehradun.
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Double Victory: This win completed a remarkable double for Bihar, who had also captured the Girls' U18 crown earlier in the week, mirroring their golden sweep from 2022.
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Undefeated Campaign: Bihar remained undefeated throughout the tournament, winning matches against strong teams like Chandigarh (49-0), Haryana (62-0), Punjab (29-0), West Bengal (39-0), and Maharashtra (10-5).
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Key Players: Goldan Kumar and Sunny Kumar played crucial roles in Bihar's victory, with Goldan scoring the winning try in the dying moments of the final and Sunny pulling one back for Bihar before Goldan's decisive try.
6. Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard retired
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Retirement Age: Eugenie Bouchard has announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 31, effective after the 2025 Canadian Open in Montreal.
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Career Highlights: Bouchard's career was marked by significant achievements, including reaching the Wimbledon final in 2014, winning her first WTA singles title at the Nuremberg Cup, and becoming the first Canadian woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final.
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Career Ranking: She achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 5 in October 2014 and was named the WTA's Most Improved Player that year.
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Final Tournament: Bouchard's final professional tennis tournament will be the National Bank Open in Montreal, where she will receive a main draw wildcard and compete at IGA Stadium starting July 27.
7. BMRCL appoints Dr J Ravishankar as A MD
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Appointment: Dr. J Ravishankar, a 2001-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the new Managing Director of BMRCL, replacing Maheshwar Rao.
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Background: Dr. Ravishankar is a graduate in Dental Surgery and has previously held key positions in various state departments, including Secretary of the Agriculture Department, Secretary of the Housing Department, and Special Commissioner at Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
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Current Role: Before joining BMRCL, Dr. Ravishankar served as Secretary in the state Agriculture Department.
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Key Challenges: Dr. Ravishankar's appointment comes at a crucial time for Namma Metro, with the Yellow Line's opening imminent and ongoing projects like the Pink and Blue Lines requiring timely completion.
8. Adilkhan Yerzhanov wins Master Award in Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival
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Jury Member: Adilkhan Yerzhanov, a leading figure in contemporary Central Asian cinema, was part of the International Competition Jury for the 22nd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival.
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Film Style: Yerzhanov is recognized for his bold genre experimentation and trademark dark irony in filmmaking.
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Festival Dates: The 22nd Golden Apricot festival took place from July 13 to 20, 2025, in Yerevan, Armenia.
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Jury President: Abderrahmane Sissako, an award-winning filmmaker from Mauritania, was the president of the international jury.
9. INCOIS Receives National Geospatial Practitioner Award 2025
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Award Recognition: The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) received the National Geospatial Practitioner Award 2025 for its excellence in applying open-source spatial technologies for ocean services.
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Award Presentation: The award was presented at the Open Source GIS Day – Edition 02 held at IIT Bombay, recognizing INCOIS' innovative use of geospatial technologies.
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INCOIS' Function: INCOIS functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and provides critical ocean information services, including marine forecasts and disaster alerts.
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Impact: INCOIS' work has enhanced ocean governance, disaster management, and sustainable marine resource use through cost-effective GIS tools, benefiting public service and the environment.
10. Veteran actor Dheeraj Kumar passed away
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Date of Passing: Dheeraj Kumar passed away on July 15, 2025, at the age of 79, due to complications from pneumonia.
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Cause of Death: He succumbed to pneumonia after being hospitalized at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, where he was on ventilator support in the ICU.
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Career Highlights: Kumar was a renowned actor, producer, and director who starred in films like "Roti Kapada Aur Makaan" and "Kranti", and produced popular TV shows such as "Om Namah Shivay" and "Adalat".
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Early Life and Career: He began his career in the entertainment industry as a finalist in a 1965 talent contest alongside Rajesh Khanna and Subhash Ghai, later acting in over 20 Punjabi films between 1970 and 1984.
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