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Current Affairs 25th February 2026
G.K. One-Liners
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Kanchipuram is famous for silk sarees.
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Kunchikal Falls is the highest waterfall in India.
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Meenakshi Amman Temple is located in Madurai.
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Girish Karnad was associated with theatre and film.
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Arunachal Pradesh is home to the Chakma tribe.
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RedFort was built by Shah Jahan.
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The Damodar is called the “Sorrow of Bengal.”
1. Indian state Kerala Officially Renamed Keralam
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Constitutional Amendment: Since "Kerala" is enshrined in the First Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the state government passed a resolution urging the Central Government to officially change the name under Article 3 of the Constitution.
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Linguistic Identity: The name "Keralam" is the traditional term used in the Malayalam language. The change aims to shed the colonial-era anglicized version and embrace the state's cultural and linguistic roots.
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AdministrativeScope: The rebranding is intended to apply across all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, ensuring uniformity in how the state is addressed nationally and internationally.
Footnotes: Keralam's Governor: Rajendra Arlekar, CM: Pinarayi Vijayan, Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
2. Peru Elects Jose Maria Balcazar as President
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Eighth President in a Decade: Balcázar, an 83-year-old former judge and member of the leftist Perú Libre party, was elected by Congress following the impeachment of his predecessor, José Jerí, who was removed after only four months due to corruption allegations.
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Transition to Elections: His primary mandate is to lead a "peaceful and transparent" transition. He will serve for approximately five months until July 28, 2026, overseeing the general elections scheduled for April 12 (with a potential runoff in June).
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Political Controversy: His appointment has drawn criticism from human rights groups due to past controversial comments regarding child marriage and ongoing scrutiny of his own judicial record, highlighting the deep "crisis of legitimacy" currently facing the Peruvian political system.
Footnotes: Peru's Previous President: Dina Boluarte, Capital: Lima, Currency: Sol
3. IndusInd Bank appoints Saurav Saha as CRO
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Extensive Industry Experience: Saha joins IndusInd Bank from HDFC Bank, where he served as the Head of Financial Risk Management. He brings a wealth of experience from senior leadership roles at global institutions, including HSBC (where he was CRO for Bangladesh and Head of Wholesale Credit in India), Saudi Awwal Bank, and ABN AMRO.
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Three-Year Strategic Term: Appointed for a fixed tenure of three years, Saha succeeds Vivek Bajpeyi. To ensure a seamless transition, Bajpeyi will remain with the bank until his official retirement on March 31, 2026.
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Strengthening Governance: The appointment comes alongside the elevation of Judy Heredia as Chief Credit Officer (CCO). These changes are strategic efforts to bolster internal controls and regulatory compliance following a period of intense scrutiny over the bank's accounting and derivative disclosures in 2025.
Footnotes: IndusInd Bank's MD & CEO: Rajiv Anand, HQ: Mumbai, Estd: 1994
4. The National Counter-Terrorism Strategy ‘PRAHAR’ Unveiled
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Intelligence-Led Prevention: The strategy shifts focus from being purely reactive to "prevention-first." It centralizes real-time intelligence sharing through the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) and the Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI) to neutralize threats—like drone attacks, cyber-terrorism, and "over-ground worker" networks—before they occur.
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The Seven Pillars of 'PRAHAAR': The name serves as an acronym for the strategy's core pillars: Prevention, Response, Aggregating internal capacities, Human rights/Rule of law, Attenuating radicalization, Aligning international efforts, and Recovery/Resilience. It formally adopts a "whole-of-government" and "whole-of-society" approach.
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Technological & Legal Modernization: The policy explicitly addresses 21st-century threats, including the misuse of cryptocurrencies, the dark web, and CBRNED materials (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive, Digital). It calls for a standardized anti-terror structure across all Indian states to ensure a uniform national response.
5. India–US Joint Special Forces Exercise ‘Vajra Prahar’ Begins
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Mountain Warfare Focus: This three-week exercise (running until March 16) specifically targets enhancing combined capabilities in mountainous terrain. Training modules include high-altitude mission planning, reconnaissance using unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and joint tactical drills to refine "Special Operations Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures" (TTPs).
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Elite Participation: The Indian Army is represented by 45 personnel from its elite Special Forces (Para SF) units, while the United States has deployed 12 personnel from the Green Berets (US Army Special Forces). This small-team format allows for intensive, high-stakes peer learning and the exchange of best practices in counter-terrorism.
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Strategic Interoperability: Conducted alternately in India and the US (the 2024 edition was in Idaho), the exercise aims to deepen professional camaraderie and mutual trust. It is a key pillar of the growing India–US defense partnership, ensuring that both nations can operate seamlessly during complex global security contingencies.
6. Maharashtra’s Soundala Becomes First Caste-Free Village
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"My Caste is Humanity": The Gram Sabha passed a resolution adopting the motto "AamchiJaat... Manav" (Our caste is humanity). The move explicitly rejects caste-based distinctions and commits to a social system where no resident is identified by their birth status.
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Universal Access & Digital Governance: The resolution guarantees that all public facilities—including temples, schools, water sources, community halls, and crematoriums—are open to everyone regardless of caste or religion. Notably, the village also pledged to monitor and penalize derogatory or divisive caste-based social media posts.
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A Legacy of Reform: This wasn't an isolated event; Soundala has a track record of progressive governance. In 2024, the village gained attention for promoting widow remarriage (providing ₹11,000 in assistance) and banning the use of abusive language and curse words targeting women.
Footnotes: Maharashtra's Governor: Acharya Devvrat, Capital: Mumbai, CM: Devendra Fadnavis
7. MoEFCC to Organise ‘Him-CONNECT’ at WSDS 2026
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Bridging the "Lab-to-Market" Gap: Him-CONNECT is designed as an "Innovation Mela" to connect Himalayan researchers with over 100 startups, investors, and policymakers. The goal is to move scientific research out of the lab and into real-world commercial applications to support the fragile Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
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Showcase of 24 Key Technologies: The event features 24 field-validated innovations developed under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS). These include climate-resilient vernacular housing, landslide prediction systems, pine needle-based wastewater treatment, and solar-powered water purification units.
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Focus on Green Growth & Resilience: By linking science with finance, the platform aims to accelerate sustainable livelihoods and circular economy solutions. Highlights include upcycling plastic waste into carbon nanomaterials and converting sericulture (silk) waste into medicinal burn ointments.
8. MBRA Groups Chairman Dr. Bhargav Mallappa Conferred Royal Honour
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Rare International Recognition: Dr. Mallappa is only the third Indian national to receive this distinguished title from one of Indonesia's oldest traditional royal institutions. The honor was formally bestowed via a Royal Decree by His Majesty Maharaja Kutai Mulawarman.
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Acknowledgment of Humanitarian Work: The title recognizes his extensive contributions to social development, humanitarian initiatives, and international cooperation, particularly in the fields of agriculture and economic empowerment for the grassroots.
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Strategic Indo-Indonesian Ties: Alongside the conferment, Dr. Mallappa (as CEO of MBRA Agro Impex) signed a Consortium Cooperation Agreement with the royal institution. This pact aims to boost bilateral trade, food processing, and rural economic development between India and Indonesia.
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