14 to 17 January 2025 Current Affairs – Important for all competitive exams

This is the current affairs of  14 to 17 January 2025. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.

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1. ISRO conducted the SpaDeX docking experiment in January 2025, making India which th country to achieve this feat?

a. first
b. second
c. third
d. fourth

Answer: d. fourth

– First America, second Russia, third China, and fourth India

(Docking means: to connect with each other)

– The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully completed the SpaDeX docking experiment on January 16, 2025.
– With this achievement, India became the fourth country, after the USA, Russia, and China, to accomplish this feat.

Note: – As part of the test, ISRO brought the satellites to a distance of 15 meters, and then 3 meters apart. After this, the two satellites were docked together.

When were the two satellites launched?
– ISRO launched the two satellites on December 30, 2024, using the PSLV C60 rocket.
– The satellites are named SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target).
– Each satellite weighs 220 kilograms.
– Both satellites were deployed 470 km above Earth.
– The two satellites successfully completed the process of docking with each other.
– The monitoring of this process was done by officials at ISRO’s ISTRAC center.

Why is this mission important?
– This mission is important because this technology will be used in the Chandrayaan-4 mission.
– Docking technology will also be used for the construction of a space station and traveling to and from it.
– This technology is crucial for the Gaganyaan mission as well.

When was the first docking done?
– America first performed the docking of two spacecraft on March 16, 1966.
– This docking was part of the Gemini VIII mission.
– Russia performed the docking of two spacecraft on October 30, 1967.
– China performed the docking of two spacecraft on November 2, 2011.
– Now, India has also achieved this success.

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation)
– Established: August 15, 1969
– First Chairman: Vikram Sarabhai
– Current Chairman: Dr. V Narayanan
– Headquarters: Bengaluru (Karnataka)

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2. Where did PM Modi lay the foundation stone of the first ‘Green Hydrogen Hub’ under the National Green Hydrogen Mission in January 2025?

a. Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh
b. Agra, Uttar Pradesh
c. Anakapalle, Andhra Pradesh
d. Amravati, Maharashtra

Answer: c. Anakapalle, Andhra Pradesh

– PM Modi visited Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on a two-day trip on January 8-9, 2025.
– The Green Hydrogen Hub is located in Pudimadka village, Anakapalli district, near Visakhapatnam.
– On January 8, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Green Hydrogen Hub. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was also present.
– As a major step for sustainable development, industrial growth, and infrastructure development, the Prime Minister inaugurated, laid the foundation, and launched projects worth over ₹2 lakh crore in Visakhapatnam on January 8.

Project Partners including NTPC
– The Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation (NREDCAP) mentioned that NREDCAP is a joint partner with NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) under the central government.
– The goal of the project is to generate over 57,000 jobs by 2032.

Green Hydrogen Hub
– The Green Hydrogen Hub will be located in Pudimadka, Anakapalli district, near Visakhapatnam.
– It is the first Green Hydrogen Hub under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
– The project will receive an investment of around ₹1,85,000 crore.
– Land area of the project: 1,200 acres (approximately ₹1,006 crore worth)
– Total project area: 1,600 acres
– Distance from National Highway 16: 20 km
– Distance from National Highway 154: 20 meters
– Distance from Gangavaram Port: 36 km
– Distance from Visakhapatnam Port Authority: 46 km

What is Green Hydrogen?
– Green hydrogen is an alternative to traditional fuels that can be used in any vehicle.
– It is a zero-emission fuel, meaning it causes no pollution.
– Hydrogen fuels come in several types – gray, blue, brown, and green.
– Green hydrogen is produced using electricity derived from solar or wind energy, which is why it is called “green.”

Uses of Hydrogen Fuel
– Hydrogen fuel cells (cars, buses, trains)
– Space rocket fuel
– Welding
– Petroleum refineries
– Fertilizer production

How is Green Hydrogen Produced?
– Green hydrogen will be produced by electrolyzers powered by renewable energy, i.e., wind or solar energy.
– The process will separate hydrogen (H2) and oxygen from water (H2O).
– The hydrogen (H2) will be stored in tanks.

Why Hydrogen?
– It is abundantly available on Earth.
– It provides 2-3 times more energy than petrol.
– It will replace fossil fuels.
– India’s economy is highly dependent on the import of fossil fuels.
– Using hydrogen will boost the economy.
– It will be used in sectors like transportation, steel manufacturing, and chemicals.

Where did India’s first Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell bus operate?
– Answer: Delhi

Andhra Pradesh
– Capital: Amaravati
– Chief Minister: N. Chandrababu Naidu
– Governor: S. Abdul Nazeer

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3. What was the retail inflation in the country in December 2024?

a. 3.81%
b. 3.91%
c. 5.22%
d. 5.48%

Answer: c. 5.22%

– India’s retail inflation came down to 5.22% in December, compared to 5.48% in November. [5.22% is the lowest in four months.]
– This information was provided by government data on January 14, 2025.

Who releases the retail inflation report?
– NSO (National Statistical Office)
– It operates under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

How is the retail inflation rate determined?
– It is determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
– The CPI calculates inflation in food items, fruits, clothing, footwear, housing, fuel, electricity, and other items.
– As consumers, you and I buy goods from the retail market. The CPI tracks changes in the prices associated with these goods. It measures the average price we pay for goods and services.

How does inflation affect us?
– Inflation is directly related to purchasing power. For example, if the inflation rate is 6%, the value of ₹100 earned will only be ₹94.
– Therefore, one should invest considering inflation, or else the value of your money will decrease.

How does the RBI control inflation?
– To control inflation, the flow of money (liquidity) in the market is reduced.
– The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) adjusts the repo rate for this purpose.
– When inflation increases, the RBI raises the repo rate, and when inflation is very low, the RBI lowers the repo rate.
– Inflation has been under control for some time, which is why the RBI did not make any changes to the repo rate in August for the ninth consecutive time.

RBI’s inflation target
– The inflation target set by the RBI is 4%, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). However, it can fluctuate by 2% either way.
– Therefore, inflation lower than 2% or higher than 6% is not ideal for the country’s economic growth.

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4. What was India’s wholesale inflation rate in december 2024?

a. 0.27%
b. 1.84%
c. 1.89%
d. 2.37%

Answer: d. 2.37%

– Wholesale price inflation increased to 2.37% in December 2024, due to the rise in the cost of manufactured goods, although food prices decreased.
– In November 2024, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation was 1.89%.

Who released the wholesale inflation report?
– Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
– It operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
(Note – Retail inflation is released by the NSO.)

What is wholesale inflation?
– Wholesale inflation is based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
– The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) refers to the prices that a trader charges another trader in the wholesale market.
– These prices are related to business transactions at the wholesale level.
(Note – Retail inflation is determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).)

Minister of Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal

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5. Who has become the player who has played the most Grand Slam matches?

a. Jaime Faria
b. Novak Djokovic
c. Serena Williams
d. Roger Federer

Answer: b. Novak Djokovic (430 matches)

– Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the third round of the 2025 Australian Open by defeating Portugal’s Jaime Faria.
– He became the first player in history to achieve 430 wins.
– He surpassed Switzerland’s Roger Federer (429).
– America’s Serena Williams (423) is in third place.

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6. Which country gave the Honorary Civilian Award (highest honour) to former DG of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Tarun Das?

a. America
b. Singapore
c. Malaysia
d. Vietnam

Answer: b. Singapore

– The President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, awarded the highest honor of Singapore (Honorary Citizen Award) to Tarun Das, former Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), on January 15, 2025.
– Tarun Das is the second Indian to receive this honor. The first was the late Ratan Tata, who had previously received this award.

For what is this honor awarded?
– A press release issued by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Honorary Citizen Award is given “for extraordinary contributions to the progress and development of the country by a non-Singaporean resident.”
– This award was introduced in 2003 to recognize the contributions of non-Singaporeans to the social and economic progress of the Southeast Asian nation.

Singapore
– Capital: Singapore City
– President: Tharman Shanmugaratnam
– Prime Minister: Lawrence Wong
– Population: 6 million
– Currency: Singapore Dollar

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7. Who became the Indian player to score the fastest century in women’s ODI?

a. Smriti Mandhana
b. Harmanpreet Kaur
c. Richa Ghosh
d. Deepti Sharma

Answer: a. Smriti Mandhana

– Smriti Mandhana set the record for the fastest century in the third ODI match against Ireland on January 15, 2025.
– She achieved this feat in just 70 balls. The match was played at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
– With this, Mandhana surpassed Harmanpreet Kaur’s record of scoring a century in 87 balls, which was set in 2024 against South Africa.

Smriti Mandhana
– Smriti Mandhana is an Indian international cricketer who plays for the national team.
– In domestic cricket, she represents Maharashtra.
– Mandhana has won three ICC awards, including the Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year.

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8. Who became the first Indian player to score a triple century in Under-19 women’s ODI?

a. Shivani Kumari
b. Ira Jadhav
c. Priyanka Chalke
d. Sonam Yadav

Answer: b. Ira Jadhav

– Ira Jadhav is from Mumbai. She is 14 years old.
– She played a record-breaking innings of 346 runs off 157 balls.
– Ira hit 42 fours and 16 sixes in her innings.
– She scored these runs on January 12, 2025, at Alur Cricket Ground during the Under-19 Women’s ODI Trophy against Meghalaya.
– Mumbai scored 563 runs for 3 wickets against Meghalaya.

Highest Score in Under-19 ODIs
– The highest score in Under-19 ODIs is 427 runs, held by South Africa’s Lizelle Lee. She set this record in 2010.

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9. In which country, Nicolas Maduro took oath as President for the third time?

a. Venezuela
b. Costa Rica
c. Canada
d. Mexico

Answer: a. Venezuela

– On January 10, 2025, the President of Venezuela took the oath for a new term.
– A few months earlier, the opposition in Venezuela accused him of rigging the votes. Protests have been ongoing since the elections.
– President Nicolás Maduro received 51.2% of the votes, while opposition leader González received 44.2%.
– Nicolás Maduro has become president for the third time.
– Maduro has been in power for 11 years, and after winning the recent election, he will remain in power from 2025 to 2030.

Economic Crisis in Venezuela
– According to a CNN report, Venezuela has been facing an economic crisis for many years.
– Due to sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Western countries, this oil-rich country has become isolated in the world.
– The United Nations, the European Union, and several other countries have called for transparent results in Venezuela’s election.
– Nicolás Maduro has the support of allied countries such as China, Russia, and Cuba.

Venezuela
– Capital: Caracas
– Currency: Venezuelan Bolívar
– Language: Spanish
– Population: 28.3 million (2022)
– Neighboring Countries: Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana

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10. Who has been appointed as the Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)?

a. Gyanendra Pratap Singh
b. Vitul Kumar
c. Anish Dayal Singh
d. Soham Awasthi

Answer: a. Gyanendra Pratap Singh

– The Cabinet Appointments Committee appointed Gyanendra Pratap Singh as the Director General (DG) of the CRPF on January 18, 2025.
– He will hold this position until his retirement on November 30, 2027.
– The then-DG, Anish Dayal Singh, retired on December 31, 2024, after which senior IPS officer Vitul Kumar was appointed as the acting DG.
– Now, Gyanendra Pratap Singh has been given the permanent responsibility.
– He is a 1991 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
– Gyanendra Pratap was posted with the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
– In 2019, due to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests, he was sent to Assam as the Additional DGP.
– Later, he took over as the DGP of Assam.

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11. When is National Startup Day celebrated?

a. 18 January
b. 17 January
c. 16 January
d. 15 January

Answer: c. 16 January

– The celebration of this day began on January 16, 2016.
– The number of startups has reached 1.18 lakh.
– India ranks third in the world in the number of unicorn startups, after the USA and China.
– There are currently more than 100 unicorn startups in India.
– A startup is called a unicorn when its valuation exceeds one billion dollars.
– In 2023, more than 36,000 startups were recognized.
– It is estimated that by 2030, the total capital of Indian startups will exceed 300 billion dollars.

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12. Which neighbouring country began its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in January 2025?

a. Sri Lanka
b. China
c. Bangladesh
b. Pakistan

Answer: d. Pakistan

– On January 1, 2025, Pakistan began its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC).
– This marks Pakistan’s eighth term in the 15-member council.
– The term began on January 1, 2025, and will last until December 31, 2026.
– Along with Pakistan, Somalia, Panama, Denmark, and Greece also secured two-year non-permanent memberships.
– The 193-member United Nations General Assembly held a secret ballot in June 2024 to elect members for the five vacant seats.

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13. Who has become the new ombudsman of BCCI?

a. Justice Arun Mishra
b. Justice DY Chandrachud
c. Justice Rohit Verma
d. Justice Asad Gosai

Answer: a. Justice Arun Mishra

– Former Supreme Court judge, Justice Arun Mishra, has been appointed as the Ombudsman and Ethics Officer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
– In this role, he will address ethical issues and controversies within Indian cricket.

BCCI
– Chairman: Roger Binny
– Secretary: Devjeet Saikia
– Treasurer: Prabhtej Singh Bhatia

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14. Scientist of which field and Padma Shri awardee K. S. Manilal passed away on 1 January 2025?

a. Botany
b. Space
c. Computer
d. Sociology

Answer: a. Botany

– Full name: Kattungal Subrahmanyam Manilal
– He was from Kerala and was 86 years old.
– He was famous for translating the 17th-century Latin botanical work Hortus Malabaricus into English and Malayalam.
– He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020.
– He documented the flora of Kerala and introduced new plant species.

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