Current Affairs & G.k.13/08/2025
1. Who became the first Indian surfer to win a medal at the Asian Surfing Championships?
Answer : Ramesh Budihal
• Ramesh Budihal earned a bronze medal in the Open Men’s category at the 2025 Asian Surfing Championships held in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. This marked India’s first-ever individual medal at the continental level.
• In the final, he scored 12.60 points, finishing behind South Korea’s Kanoa Heejae (gold, 15.17 points) and Indonesia’s Pajar Ariyana (silver, 14.57 points).
• Budihal was also the first Indian surfer to reach the finals of this event.
2. Which historic artifact of Raghuji Bhonsle-I will return to India on August 18, 2025?
Answer : Sword
The Return of Raghuji Bhonsle’s Sword
1. A Priceless Maratha Relic Reclaimed
• The Maharashtra government acquired the sword at a Sotheby’s auction in London in April 2025. It was bought for approximately ₹47.15 lakh (around £38,100).
• This marks the first time Maharashtra has reclaimed a historic artefact through international auction.
2. A Sword Steeped in History
• An 18th-century firangi-style khanda (straight European blade) featuring a Mulheri hilt richly adorned with gold koftgari and wrapped in green cloth.
• It bears a Devanagari inscription:
“Shrimant Raghoji Bhonsle Senasaheb Subha Firang”, linking it directly to Raghuji Bhonsle I.
3. The Journey Back Home
• Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar took possession of the sword in London. A Marathi diaspora gathering witnessed the moment with great pride.
• The sword is scheduled to land at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on August 18, 2025.
3. Which major geopolitical event will take place on August 15, 2025, in Alaska?
Answer : Trump–Putin Summit
The Trump–Putin Summit will be held on August 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska.
It’s the first face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in this term, aimed mainly at negotiating an end to the Russia–Ukraine war.
Alaska was chosen partly for its symbolic history and because it’s outside the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction, which has an arrest warrant for Putin. The summit is expected to discuss ceasefire terms, territorial disputes, and humanitarian issues like the return of abducted Ukrainian children, though Ukraine strongly opposes any deal involving loss of its territory.
4. Which satellite was launched on July 30, 2025, under India–U.S. collaboration?
Answer : NISAR
NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a joint Earth-observation satellite by NASA and ISRO, launched on July 30, 2025.
It uses advanced radar systems to track changes on Earth’s surface—like glacier movements, land subsidence, deforestation, and natural disasters—with very high precision.
NISAR is the first satellite to use dual-frequency radar (L-band from NASA and S-band from ISRO), allowing it to capture detailed data regardless of weather or daylight.
5. Where was a new plant species named Heptapleurum assamicum discovered recently?
Answer : Assam
Heptapleurum assamicum is a newly discovered flowering plant species found in Assam.
It belongs to the Araliaceae family (same family as schefflera and ginseng) and was identified in the state’s forested areas. The discovery adds to Assam’s reputation as a biodiversity hotspot in Northeast India.
6. Which country was certified by WHO as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) in August 2025?
Answer : KenyaIn August 2025,
In August 2025, the WHO certified Kenya as free from human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, as a public health problem.
HAT is a parasitic disease spread by the tsetse fly, and can be fatal if untreated. Kenya’s achievement came after decades of sustained vector control, early detection, and treatment programs, making it the 51st country to eliminate the disease.