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Current Affairs 21 August 2025 (English)
1. Tapasya Wins India’s First Gold at U20 World Wrestling Championships 2025
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Weight Category: Tapasya won the gold medal in the women's 57kg weight category, defeating Norway's Felicitas Domajeva 5-2 in the final.
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Road to Victory: She started her campaign with a victory by fall against Dolzhon Tsyngueva in the first round, followed by wins over Romaissa El Kharroubi of France and Sowaka Uchida of Japan in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
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Impressive Performance: Tapasya's win over Uchida was particularly notable, as she came from behind to win 4-3 in a closely contested semifinal match.
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Family Inspiration: Tapasya's father, Parmesh Gehlawat, was a national champion and inspired her to take up wrestling. Despite initial resistance from relatives, he supported her training at the Yudhvir Akhara in Sonepat.
2. PNB becomes 1st PSB in India to Migrate to ‘.bank.in’ Domain
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Secure Domain: The ‘.bank.in’ domain is reserved exclusively for verified banking institutions in India, providing a higher standard of digital security and robust protection against phishing and fraud attempts.
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RBI Directive: This migration is in line with the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) directive issued on April 22, 2025, which calls for the migration of bank websites to the dedicated ‘.bank.in’ domain to strengthen cybersecurity frameworks and enhance public confidence in digital banking.
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Guidance from IDRBT: The migration was executed under the expert guidance of the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), the exclusive registrar for the ‘.bank.in’ domain in India.
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Enhanced Security Features: With this transition, PNB aims to provide stronger safeguards against fraud and enhance customer trust in online transactions. The ‘.bank.in’ domain offers advanced security protocols designed to prevent phishing attacks and reinforce cybersecurity frameworks.
3. EXIM Bank signs USD 40 million credit line deal with Africa’s ECOWAS Bank
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Partnership Details: The Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) signed a USD 40 million commercial credit line agreement with the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), the financial arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
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Purpose: The credit line aims to support developmental projects across Africa, particularly in infrastructure, and promote regional economic integration. It will also facilitate the export of goods and services from India to Africa.
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Signatories: The agreement was signed by Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of EBID, and Ashok Kumar Vartia, Chief Executive of India Exim Bank, London Branch.
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Long-standing Relationship: This deal marks a continuation of the partnership between EXIM Bank and EBID, which began in 2006. So far, EXIM Bank has extended six facilities aggregating USD 1.14 billion to EBID.
4. India, Saudi Arabia Form Joint Working Group For Maritime Cooperation
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Joint Working Group: India and Saudi Arabia have established a Joint Working Group (JWG) on shipping and logistics to strengthen bilateral maritime ties and cooperation. The JWG will facilitate policy dialogue, investment planning, and project alignment between the two countries.
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Strategic Partnership: The JWG is part of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council, which aims to enhance economic, defense, and security cooperation between the two nations. This partnership is expected to unlock new opportunities for growth and investment.
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Maritime Cooperation: The JWG will focus on areas such as port infrastructure, logistics, and sustainable shipping initiatives. India has invited Saudi Arabia to explore investment prospects in its port and shipping ecosystem, including mega projects like Vadhavan Port and the Outer Harbour Project at VO Chidambaranar Port.
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Digital Collaboration: India has proposed collaboration on its MAITRI digital platform to harmonize maritime trade, support paperless trade, cargo tracking, and logistics transparency.
5. India’s Anant Jeet Singh Naruka clinched gold in Men’s Skeet event
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Gold Medal Win: Anant Jeet Singh Naruka won the gold medal in the Men's Skeet event, defeating Kuwait's Mansour Al Rashidi 57-56 in the final.
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First Individual Gold: This is Naruka's first individual gold medal at the Asian Championships, although he had previously won team gold and mixed team gold in the 2023 edition.
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Consistent Performance: Naruka has been consistent in his performance at the top level, having finished fourth in the mixed skeet event at the Paris Olympics and winning a silver medal in the World Cup Final in Delhi last year.
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Qualification and Final: Naruka qualified for the final in second position with a score of 119 and went on to win the gold medal with a score of 57 out of 60 targets in the final.
6. Commodore Sujay Kapoor appointed as Director Production at Bharat Dynamics Ltd
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Recent Appointments: Commodore A Madhavarao was appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Dynamics Ltd in April 2023.
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Role and Experience: Madhavarao has extensive experience in the Indian Navy and played a significant role in monitoring progress of in-house R&D activities and headed production and lifecycle support of flagship products at BDL.
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Other Appointments: Jaswant Lal Sonkar was appointed as Non-Official Independent Director on the Board of Bharat Dynamics Limited, highlighting the company's ongoing efforts to strengthen its leadership.
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Industry Context: Bharat Dynamics Ltd is a Miniratna Category-I PSU under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, involved in the production and development of missiles and other defense equipment.
7. IAS Amit Agrawal appointed as Secretary of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
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Additional Charge: Amit Agrawal has been entrusted with the additional charge of Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, from August 21 to August 27, 2025.
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Current Role: Agrawal currently serves as the Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
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Reason for Appointment: He has taken over the additional responsibility during the leave period of Nivedita Shukla Verma, the incumbent Secretary of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.
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Background: Amit Agrawal is a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre and has held various key positions in the central government and his cadre state.
8. IndusInd Bank signs MoU with PSU, Strengthen Credit Access for MSMEs
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Partnership Details: IndusInd Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of MSME, to boost MSME credit access through tailored banking solutions.
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Financial Support: The MoU includes providing financial solutions such as working capital support, term loans, and structured credit facilities to help MSMEs associated with NSIC access faster and more efficient banking support.
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Target Beneficiaries: The partnership aims to support over 6.7 crore Udyam-registered Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) nationwide, accelerating credit delivery and extending customized banking solutions.
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Flagship Initiatives: The collaboration will complement NSIC's flagship initiatives, including the Credit Facilitation Scheme and the Single Point Registration Scheme, enabling MSMEs to secure bank finance with ease and gain preferred treatment in government procurement.
9. Pt Suhas Vyas to receive Basavaraj Rajguru National Award
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Award Details: The Basavaraj Rajguru National Award carries a cash prize of ₹100,000 and a citation, recognizing outstanding contributions to Indian classical music.
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Recipient: Pt Suhas Vyas is one of the recipients of this prestigious award, highlighting his exceptional talent and dedication to music.
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Youth Awards: Alongside the national award, Youth Awards are also presented, which include a cash prize of ₹25,000 each and a citation. This year, violinist Veena Math Dandavatimath and harmonium player Chidambar Joshi will receive the Youth Awards.
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Basavaraj Rajguru's Legacy: The award honors the legacy of Pt Basavaraj Rajguru, a renowned Indian classical vocalist of the Kirana gharana, known for his mastery over various styles of Indian music, including Khyal, Vachanas, Natyageet, Thumri, and Ghazal.
10. Terence Stamp, the English actor, passed away
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Stamp gained recognition for his roles in films like "Far From the Madding Crowd" and "Superman" (1978), where he played the iconic villain General Zod. He reprised this role in "Superman II" (1980).
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Throughout his career, Stamp appeared in a wide range of films, including "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," "Wall Street," "Yes Man," "Valkyrie," and "Big Eyes." His versatility as an actor earned him critical acclaim.
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Stamp spent time in India, living as a swami and exploring his spiritual side. He leaves behind a legacy of memorable performances, inspiring future generations of actors.
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