4.5/5
Current Affairs 19 June 2025
1. India’s Smriti Mandhana regained the No. 1 position in ODI ranking
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Current Ranking: Mandhana has 727 rating points, surpassing England's Natalie Sciver-Brunt (719 points) and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt (719 points), who are ranked second and third, respectively.
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Recent Performance: Mandhana's rise to the top spot is attributed to her impressive performance in the recent tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo, where she scored 264 runs across five matches, including a century in the final.
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Career Statistics: Mandhana has played 102 ODI matches for India, scoring 4473 runs at an average of 46.59 and a strike rate of 87.79.
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Other Indian Batters: Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur are ranked 15th and 16th, respectively, in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings.
2. Jio Financial Becomes Sole Owner of Jio Payments Bank
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Acquisition Details: Jio Financial Services Ltd (JFSL) has acquired State Bank of India's (SBI) 17.8% stake in Jio Payments Bank for ₹104.54 crore, valuing the bank at approximately ₹586 crore.
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Ownership Structure: JFSL now owns 100% of Jio Payments Bank, having increased its stake from 82.17%. The transaction was approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on June 4, 2025.
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Strategic Implications: Full ownership gives JFSL greater autonomy in integrating digital banking with other financial services. This move aligns with Jio's digital-first, data-driven approach and could drive a unified digital finance ecosystem.
Foot notes:
About Jio-
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Founder: Mukesh Ambani
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Founded: 2007
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Headquarters: Maharashtra
3. Maharashtra Makes Hindi ‘General’ Third Language in Schools
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The revised Government Resolution (GR) states that Hindi will "generally" be taught as the third language for students in Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi and English medium schools, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the State Curriculum Framework 2024.
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While Hindi is the default, students have the option to choose another Indian language as their third language.
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This option is conditional at least 20 students in a class must opt for that specific alternative language. If this threshold is met, a teacher will be provided, or the language will be taught online.
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Irrespective of the medium of instruction (Marathi, English, or any other), Marathi remains a compulsory language across all schools in Maharashtra.
Foot notes:
About Maharashtra-
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Capital: Mumbai
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Chief Minister: Devendra Fadnavis
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Governor: C. P. Radhakrishnan
4. India France Joint Exercise ‘Shakti 2025’ Begins in France
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Exercise Details: The 8th edition of Exercise Shakti began on June 18, 2025, in La Cavalerie, France, and will conclude on July 1, 2025. This biennial exercise is alternately hosted by India and France, with the last edition taking place in Meghalaya, India, in May 2024.
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Objective: The primary aim of Exercise Shakti 2025 is to enhance the joint military capability of both nations to undertake multi-domain operations in sub-conventional scenarios, such as counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations.
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Participating Forces: The Indian contingent consists of 90 personnel, primarily from the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, while the French contingent also comprises 90 personnel from the 13th Foreign Legion Half-Brigade (13th DBLE).
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Key Focus Areas: The exercise will focus on developing interoperability, tactical coordination, and mutual understanding between the participating contingents.
Foot notes:
About France-
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Capital: Paris
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Prime Minister: François Bayrou
5. Anuradha Thakur Appointed to SEBI Board, Set to Join RBI Central Board
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Appointment to SEBI Board: Anuradha Thakur, a 1994-batch IAS officer from the Himachal Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as a part-time ex-officio member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Board.
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RBI Central Board Membership: Thakur is also expected to join the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Central Board as a government representative, with a notification likely to be issued soon.
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Economic Affairs Secretary Role: She will be the first woman to hold this position, previously occupied by distinguished individuals like Dr. Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
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Background and Experience: Thakur has extensive experience in key initiatives, including strategic disinvestment of Air India, launching India Bond ETFs, and asset monetization drives under DIPAM.
Foot notes:
About SEBI-
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Chairperson: Tuhin Kanta Pandey
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Headquarters: Mumbai
6. Sanjay Kumar appointed as MD of Jute Corporation of India Ltd.
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Appointment: Sanjay Kumar was selected as CMD of RailTel Corporation of India Ltd in July 2022.
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Background: Kumar has around 30 years of experience in railroad operations, project management, and marketing, and is an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE).
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Previous Role: Before his appointment as CMD, Kumar served as Director (Network Planning & Marketing/NPM) at RailTel.
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Future Goals: Kumar aims to focus on international business, including exporting services and participating in international bids and contracts.
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RailTel's Future Plans: Under Kumar's leadership, RailTel plans to leverage technological advancements like IoT, AI, and ML, and explore opportunities with 5G technology.
Foot notes:
About Jute Corporation-
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Headquarters: West Bengal
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Founded: 1971
7. Reddit names Sachin Tendulkar as its new brand ambassador
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Partnership Details: Sachin Tendulkar has partnered with Reddit as its brand ambassador, aiming to enhance the platform's presence within global sports communities, particularly cricket.
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Exclusive Engagement: Tendulkar will share personal thoughts, match insights, and exclusive content with Redditors, particularly in communities like r/IndiaCricket and r/IndianSports, which have seen significant growth.
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Marketing Campaign: He will feature in Reddit's marketing campaigns in India and other international markets, further solidifying his connection with fans worldwide.
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Community Building: This partnership underscores Reddit's commitment to fostering digital communities centered around shared passions like cricket, allowing fans to connect and share their love for sports.
Foot notes:
About Reddit-
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CEO: Steve Huffman
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Founded: 2005
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Headquarters: United States
8. Desi Oon wins Jury Award for Best Commissioned Film
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Award Details: Desi Oon, an animated film by Suresh Eriyat, won the Jury Award for Best Commissioned Film at the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025 in France, considered the "Cannes of animation".
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Previous Recognition: The film was previously crowned Best Film at the World Audio, Video and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai, India's leading animation and design recognition platform.
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International Accolades: Desi Oon has also been shortlisted at Cannes Lions 2025 in the Film Craft Lions category and archived at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York as part of the AICP Show Winner 2025.
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Global Recognition: Desi Oon's win marks a significant milestone for Indian animation, placing it firmly on the world map and setting a benchmark for upcoming creators in the country.
9. Padma Bhushan Conferred on Veteran Journalist Ram Bahadur Rai at IGNCA
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Ram Bahadur Rai was presented with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, on June 18, 2025, at a special ceremony held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) office in Delhi.
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Rai has made significant contributions to journalism, education, and literature, with over four decades of experience in the field.
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He's a renowned author, educator, and veteran journalist who has worked with prominent publications like Hindustan Samachar, Jansatta, and Navbharat Times.
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Rai has received several awards for his work, including the Padma Shri in 2015, Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Samman, and Madhavrao Sapre Award, solidifying his work as a prominent journalist and intellectual.
10. MRPL wins Greentech Award for environmental work in 2025
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Award Details: MRPL won the prestigious 24th Global Greentech Environment & Sustainability Award 2025 in the Environment Protection Category, recognizing its commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.
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Key Projects: MRPL's award-winning projects include utilizing Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) as a cleaner fuel, installing an in-house de-odour unit at ETP, and implementing a wet gas scrubber to reduce particulate matter.
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Sustainability Efforts: The company has also successfully utilized treated city sewage water in refinery operations and converted ETP oily sludge into useful products, promoting a circular economy.
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Global Recognition: The Greentech Environment Awards are globally recognized, and winning this award elevates MRPL's reputation as a leader in environmental responsibility, potentially opening doors to new business opportunities and collaborations.
Foot notes:
About MRPL –
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Chairman: Arun Kumar Singh
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Headquarters: Mangaluru
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Founded: 1988
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