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Current Affairs 21 & 22 June 2025
1. Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold at Paris Diamond League 2025
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Gold Medal Win: Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal in the men's javelin throw event at the Paris Diamond League 2025 with a throw of 88.16m.
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First Throw Decided the Fate: Chopra took the lead from his first throw and maintained it throughout the competition, showcasing his exceptional skill and consistency.
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Julian Weber's Consistency: Germany's Julian Weber finished second with a consistent series of throws but couldn't surpass Chopra's lead. Weber had six valid throws, while Chopra had only three.
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Personal Satisfaction: Chopra expressed satisfaction with his win but mentioned that he wasn't completely happy with his technique, particularly his run-up speed and control.
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Season's Progress: This win marks a significant achievement for Chopra in the 2025 season, following his 90m throw in Doha earlier in the year, where he finished second to Weber.
2. K Paul Thomas elected chairman of Sa-Dhan
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Election: K Paul Thomas, MD & CEO of ESAF Small
Finance Bank, has been elected as chairman of Sa-Dhan, a self-regulatory organization (SRO) for microfinance institutions recognized by the RBI. -
Background: Thomas has over 32 years of experience in management, with more than 25 years in the microfinance sector, and previously worked with Indian Farmers Fertilizers Co-operative Ltd (IFFCO) for 18 years.
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Sa-Dhan Role: As chairman, Thomas will lead Sa-Dhan's efforts to promote innovation, financial inclusion, and sustainable development through microfinance, with a focus on addressing current challenges with long-term solutions.
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Board Reconstitution: The Sa-Dhan board has been reconstituted with Thomas as chairperson, along with Sadaf Sayeed (MD & CEO, Muthoot Microfin) and Mukul Jaiswal (MD, Cashphor) as co-chairs, and Vivekananda Salimath (Chair, IDF) as treasurer.
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Objectives: Under Thomas' leadership, Sa-Dhan aims to develop, promote, and support ecosystems of impact financing institutions that enable inclusive growth, equity, gender equality, and sustainable development in society.
3. Sanjeev Kumar Singla accredited as next Ambassador of India to the Principality of Monaco
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Appointment as Ambassador: Sanjeev Kumar Singla
has been appointed as India's Ambassador to France and the Principality of Monaco, showcasing India's diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties with European nations. -
Experience and Expertise: Singla is a seasoned diplomat from the 1997 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), with extensive experience in handling complex diplomatic situations, including his previous role as Ambassador to Israel.
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Previous Roles: He served as Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from 2014 to 2019 and has worked in various capacities at Indian Missions in Paris, Dhaka, Geneva, and Tel Aviv, demonstrating his broad understanding of global affairs.
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Diplomatic Tenure in Israel: Singla played a significant role in maintaining strong and balanced relations between India and Israel during his tenure from 2019 to 2024, earning him recognition as an "expert on Israel".
4. Senthilkumar signs off with bronze medal in Asian Squash C'ships
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Bronze Medal Win: Velavan Senthilkumar from India won
a bronze medal at the Asian Squash Championships held in Kuching, Malaysia. -
Semifinal Loss: Senthilkumar lost to second seed Alex Lau Tsz Kwan of Hong Kong in the semifinals with a score of 1-3 (9-11, 11-13, 11-5, 6-11).
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Consecutive Medal: This bronze medal marks Senthilkumar's second consecutive medal at the Asian Squash Championships, following a silver medal in the 2023 edition.
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Match Duration: The semifinal match lasted 65 minutes, showcasing the intense competition between Senthilkumar and Alex Lau Tsz Kwan.
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India's Campaign End: Senthilkumar's loss marked the end of India's campaign in the individual contest, but Indian players will participate in the doubles contest scheduled for next week.
5. UPSC Launches ‘Pratibha Setu’ to Connect Top Candidates with Private Employers
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Objective: Pratibha Setu aims to connect top candidates
who cleared all stages of UPSC exams but narrowly missed the final merit list with government and private sector employers, enhancing employability and visibility for these talented individuals. -
Database Access: The platform provides verified employers with access to a database of over 10,000 willing candidates who are "almost equally meritorious" as recommended candidates, allowing employers to select top talent.
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Voluntary Participation: Candidates must opt-in to share their profiles, and employers can register through the UPSC portal to access candidate information, ensuring a secure and transparent process.
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Expanded Scope: Pratibha Setu builds upon the earlier Public Disclosure Scheme, now offering a more comprehensive platform for employers to connect with top candidates from various UPSC exams, including Civil Services and Engineering Services.
Foot notes:
About UPSC-
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Formed: 1926
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Headquarters: New Delhi
6. Balakrishnan V appointed as Inspector General in BSF
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Appointment: Balakrishnan V, a 2003-batch IPS officer
from Tamil Nadu, has been appointed as Inspector General (IG) in the Border Security Force (BSF) on a central deputation basis. -
Previous Role: Before joining BSF, he was serving as Inspector General (IG) of Administration in the office of the Director General of Police and Head of Police Force (DGP/HOPF) in Chennai.
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Empanelment: Balakrishnan V was empanelled to hold IG-level posts at the Centre in March 2025, paving the way for his current appointment.
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Central Deputation: His appointment to BSF is part of his central deputation, as per an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on June 20, 2025.
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Tenure: While the exact tenure of his appointment isn't specified, it marks a significant role for Balakrishnan V in maintaining national security and overseeing BSF operations.
Foot notes:
About BSF-
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Headquarters: New Delhi
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Director General: Daljit Singh Chaudhary
7. Professor Suman Chakraborty appointed as Director of IIT Kharagpur
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Appointment: Professor Suman Chakraborty was
appointed as the Director of IIT Kharagpur in June 2025, becoming one of the few faculty members to rise to this position from within the institute. -
Background: Chakraborty is a renowned professor at IIT Kharagpur, known for his work in microfluidics, nanofluidics, and microscale/nanoscale transport processes.
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Research Contributions: He has made significant contributions to the field of microfluidics, developing novel low-cost medical devices for sensing, diagnostics, and therapeutics, particularly for resource-limited settings.
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Awards and Recognition: Chakraborty is a recipient of the Infosys Prize in Engineering and Computer Science (2022), Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (2013), and the G.D. Birla Award (2020), and has been elected as a Fellow of several prestigious academies, including the American Physical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Foot notes:
About IIT Kharagpur-
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Chairman: T. V. Narendran
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Established: 1951
8. IPPB Bags Prestigious Digital Payments Award from Finance Ministry
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Award Recognition: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)
received the Digital Payments Award 2024-25 from the Ministry of Finance for its outstanding contribution to advancing digital payments and promoting financial inclusion across India. -
Ranking Achievement: IPPB secured the 1st position among all Payments Banks in India for the Financial Year 2024-25, after earning a ‘Special Mention’ in the previous fiscal, showcasing its consistent growth and performance.
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Inclusive Banking: IPPB's doorstep banking model, powered by over 2 lakh postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks, has made digital financial services accessible even in the remotest villages, bridging the urban-rural divide in financial services.
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Digital Services: IPPB offers paperless, cashless, and presence-less banking services through India Stack, with multilingual digital interfaces in 13 languages, catering to over 11 crore customers in 5.57 lakh villages and towns across the country.
Foot notes:
About IPPB-
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Secretary of Department of Posts: Vineet Pandey
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Headquarters: New Delhi
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Founded: 2017
9. International Yoga Day observed on 21st June
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Date Significance: June 21st marks the summer solstice
in the Northern Hemisphere and holds spiritual significance in many cultures, including India, where Lord Shiva is said to have begun imparting yoga knowledge to humanity. -
UN Declaration: The United Nations declared June 21st as International Yoga Day in 2014, following a proposal by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with 177 nations co-sponsoring the resolution.
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Global Celebrations: International Yoga Day is celebrated worldwide with yoga sessions, gatherings, and events promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, and the practice of yoga.
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Theme: The theme for International Yoga Day 2025 is "Yoga for One Earth, One Health," emphasizing the connection between individual well-being and planetary health, and promoting sustainable living.
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Initiatives: The Ministry of Ayush plans to organize various programs, including "Yoga Samavesh," targeting special groups such as senior citizens.
10. Padma Shri Awardee ‘Aranya Rishi’ Maruti Chitampalli passed away
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Passed Away: Maruti Chitampalli, fondly known as
‘Aranya Rishi’, passed away on June 18, 2025, at the age of 93 in Solapur, Maharashtra, due to age-related ailments. -
Contribution: He was a renowned environmentalist, wildlife expert, and author who dedicated his life to forest conservation and ecological literature, serving in the Forest Department for 36 years and traveling over 5 lakh kilometers across India.
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Awards and Recognition: Chitampalli received the Padma Shri award on April 30, 2025, for his lifetime contribution to environmental conservation and ecological literature, and was also a recipient of the Vinda Karandikar Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar in 2017.
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Literary Works: He authored several notable books, including ‘Pakshikosha’ (Encyclopedia of Birds), ‘Pashukosha’ (Encyclopedia of Animals), and ‘Matsyakosha’ (Encyclopedia of Fish), and wrote over 25 books on wildlife and conservation.
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Legacy: Chitampalli's work had a profound impact on environmental awareness and conservation in India, and he is remembered as a spiritual guardian of forests and a people's naturalist.
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