PDF Download: Click here
1. Which state’s famous Saudagari block print has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for its unique craft?
a. Gujarat
b. Rajasthan
c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Bihar
Answer: a. Gujarat
– The business block print is created by artisans from Jamalpur, Ahmedabad.
– This art is hand-made on fabric.
– Block print is used in making kurtis, chunaris, kurtas, dhotis, pagris, and shawls.
– The Chhipa community is known for its printing and dyeing work.
– At one time, the Hida community in the Jamalpur area of Ahmedabad was heavily involved in the block printing work.
– The printing technique is 300 years old, and its colors are obtained using ancient methods.
– However, with the arrival of modern technology and mechanization of labor, this unique craft began to fade away.
GI Tag
– A GI tag is a status granted to products linked to a specific region. This tag indicates the product’s quality, reputation, and uniqueness.
– In India, the GI tag was introduced in 1999.
– Darjeeling tea was the first product to receive the GI tag.
Gujarat
– Capital: Gandhinagar
– Chief Minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel
– Governor: Acharya Devvrat
– Population: 60.4 million (2011)
– Language: Gujarati
– State Dance: Garba
Neighboring States: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
—————
2. Kumbakonam betel leaf and thovalai flower garland of which state have been given Geographical Indication (GI)?
a. Andhra Pradesh
b. Bengaluru
c. Kerala
d. Tamil Nadu
Answer: d. Tamil Nadu
– Kumbakonam betel leaf is produced in the Thanjavur and Thovalai flower garland in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.
– The total number of GI products in Tamil Nadu has now reached 62.
– In Thanjavur district, farmers cultivate betel leaves in areas such as Thiruvaiyaru, Papanasam, Thiruvidai Marudur, Kumbakonam, and Rajgiri.
– In Kanyakumari, the Thovlai flower market is famous not only in the southern districts but also in Kerala.
– The garlands made here are called “Thovlai flower garland.” These garlands are prepared like a mat, woven from white, red, and green flowers.
– The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University’s Agricultural and Rural Development Research Center and the Kumbakonam Betel Leaf Producers Welfare Association applied for the GI tag in 2022.
Tamil Nadu
– Capital: Chennai
– Chief Minister: M K Stalin
– Governor: R N Ravi
– Population: 72.1 million (2011)
– Language: Tamil
– State Dance: Bharatanatyam
– Neighboring States: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka
Source: The Hindu
—————
3. Who has been appointed by the Central Government as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India?
a. Aarti Shukla
b. Poonam Gupta
c. Preeti Patel
d. Anandi Sharma
Answer: b. Poonam Gupta
– On April 2, 2025, the Central Government appointed Poonam Gupta as the Deputy Governor of RBI for a three-year term.
– She will replace Michael D. Patra.
– Currently, she is the Director-General of the Economic Policy Think Tank, the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).
– Gupta is a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council and the convener of the Advisory Council of the 16th Finance Commission.
– In addition, she has worked in senior positions at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington, D.C. for nearly two decades.
– She joined NCAER in 2021.
Deputy Governors at RBI
– RBI has four Deputy Governors. Two of them are working officers of the bank, one is an economist who oversees the monetary policy department, and the fourth Deputy Governor comes from the commercial banking sector.
1. M. Rajeshwar Rao
2. T. Rabi Shankar
3. Swaminathan J.
4. Poonam Gupta
– Governor: Sanjay Malhotra
– Establishment of RBI: April 1, 1935
————–
4. When is the Foundation Day of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) celebrated?
a. 3 April
b. 2 April
c. 1 April
d. 4 April
Answer: c. 1 April
– Establishment and Key Information:
– Establishment: April 1, 1935 (in Kolkata)
– Act: Under the RBI Act, 1934
– Headquarters: Mumbai (shifted in 1937)
– Nationalization: January 1, 1949
– Current Governor (2025): Sanjay Malhotra (26th Governor, appointed on December 11, 2024)
– First Governor: Sir Osborne Smith (British)
– First Indian Governor: C.D. Deshmukh
Functions of RBI:
1. Monetary Policy: Controlling policy rates like repo rate, reverse repo rate, CRR, SLR, etc. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) determines the policy rates.
2. Issuance of Currency: RBI issues banknotes of ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, ₹200, ₹500, and ₹2000 denominations. Printing of ₹2 and ₹5 notes has been stopped. However, RBI issues all coins. The RBI Governor’s signature appears on the currency notes (except ₹1). The ₹1 note is issued by the Government of India, but it is under RBI supervision. The Finance Secretary’s signature appears on the ₹1 note instead of the RBI Governor’s.
3. Regulation of Banks: Issuing licenses, conducting inspections, and providing policy guidelines. It regulates all commercial banks, cooperative banks, and certain NBFCs.
4. Banker to the Government: Handles banking transactions of both the central and state governments.
5. Foreign Exchange Management: Manages foreign exchange transactions and reserves under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) of 1999.
6. Financial Inclusion: Collaborates in initiatives like UPI, digital payments, and PM Jan Dhan Yojana to promote financial inclusion.
————-
5. Who was the winner of Aditya Birla Memorial Polo Cup 2025?
a. Jindal Panther
b. Rajnigandha Achievers
c. Cavalry Royal Enfield
d. Amateur Riders Club
Answer: b. Rajnigandha Achievers
– The grand finale of the Aditya Birla Memorial Polo Cup 2025 took place on March 30 in New Delhi.
– Rajnigandha Achievers won in a tight contest against the Jindal Panther team.
– The winning team consisted of Dino DhanKhar, Shamshir Ali, Abhimanyu Pathak, and B.K. Shri Daniel Otmendi.
– Three competing teams participated in this tournament:
1. Jindal Panther
2. Rajnigandha Achievers
3. Cavalry Royal Enfield
– The trophy presentation was led by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Aditya Birla Memorial Polo Cup:
– This tournament was launched in 2018 by the Aditya Birla Group in partnership with the Amateur Riders’ Club.
– It features some of the best players from India and around the world.
– The prestigious event honors the late Shri Aditya Vikram Birla’s deep passion for equestrianism and polo.
Source: TOI
————-
6. Who was made the first African woman Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations?
a. Maybelle
b. Patricia Scotland
c. Shirley Botchway
d. Johnson Sirleaf
Answer: c. Shirley Botchway
– Shirley Botchwey assumed office as the 7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations on April 1, 2025.
– She became the first African woman to hold this position.
– She succeeded Patricia Scotland from Dominica, who was the first woman to hold this position.
– Shirley is a renowned politician and diplomat from Ghana, who has made significant contributions in the fields of foreign affairs, national security, trade, and communications.
– She is a member of Ghana’s National Security Council and the founder of a successful marketing and communications company.
Commonwealth of Nations:
– The Commonwealth of Nations is a political organization of 56 independent countries, many of which were once part of the British Empire.
– It promotes economic, cultural, and political cooperation.
– Commonwealth Headquarters: London (United Kingdom) Commonwealth Head: British Monarch Special Members: Four countries – Mozambique, Rwanda, Gabon, and Togo – were never part of the British Empire but are still members of the Commonwealth.
Source: ANI
—————
7. When is ‘Fool’s Day’ i.e. ‘April Fool’s Day’ celebrated?
a. 1 April
b. 2 April
c. 3 April
d. 4 April
Answer: a. 1 April
– इस दिन लोगों अपने दोस्तों, करीबियों या फिर परिवार के सदस्यों को बेवकूफ बनाकर सेलिब्रेट करते हैं।
– पहले यह दिन फ्रांस और कुछ अन्य यूरोपीय देशों में ही मनाया जाता था, लेकिन धीरे-धीरे दुनियाभर के देशों में अप्रैल फूल डे मनाया जाने लगा।
————–
8. Which player has won the title of Miami Open 2025?
a. Novak Djokovic
b. Jakub Mensik
c. Roger Federer
d. Jimmy Connors
Answer: b. Jakub Mensik
– 19-year-old Czech Republic’s Jacob Menšík won the title on March 30, 2025.
– He defeated his childhood idol Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 7-6(4) to claim his first ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) title at the Miami Open.
– Jacob prevented the 37-year-old Novak, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, from achieving his 100th ATP title.
Source: Sport Star (The Hindu)
—————
9. Which of these women officers was appointed as the personal secretary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi?
a. Rakhi Goswami
b. Sujata Saunik
c. Nidhi Tiwari
d. Archana Gaharwar
Answer: c. Nidhi Tiwari
– On March 29, the Cabinet Appointment Committee approved the appointment of Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Nidhi Tiwari.
– Nidhi hails from Mahmoorganj in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh.
– Varanasi has been the parliamentary constituency of the Prime Minister since 2014.
– Nidhi joined the Civil Services in 2014 and secured the 96th rank.
– After joining as Under Secretary in 2022, she has been working as Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) since January 6, 2023.
– Before clearing the UPSC, Nidhi Tiwari worked as Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Tax) in Varanasi.
– Prior to joining the PMO, Tiwari worked in the Ministry of External Affairs, where she was involved in the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division.
Source: Financial Express
—————-
10. When is World Autism Awareness Day observed?
a. 1 April
b. 2 April
c. 3 April
d. 4 April
Answer: b. 2 April
Theme 2025
– Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
What is Autism?
– Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder, meaning it affects all areas of childhood development, including speech, social interactions, play, and skill development.
– This day is observed worldwide to raise awareness about people affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) among citizens.
– In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly designated April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day.
————–
11. Which state government has changed the names of many districts and issued new names?
a. Uttarakhand
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Rajasthan
Answer: a. Uttarakhand
– Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Announces Name Changes in 15 Locations
– On 31st March 2025, Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the renaming of 15 locations in the districts of Haridwar, Dehradun, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar.
– The Chief Minister stated that this step is being taken to respect public sentiment and preserve Indian culture and heritage.
Renamed Places in These Districts:
– In Haridwar District:
– Aurangzebpur renamed to Shivaji Nagar
– Ghaziwali renamed to Arya Nagar
– Chandpur renamed to Jyotiba Phule Nagar
– Mohammadpur Jat renamed to Mohanpur Jat
– Khanpur Kursali renamed to Ambedkar Nagar
– Indrishpur renamed to Nandpur
– Khanpur renamed to Shri Krishnapur
– Akbarpur Fazalpur renamed to Vijaynagar
In Dehradun District:
– Mianwala renamed to Ramji Wala
– Peerwala renamed to Kesari Nagar
– Chandpur Khurd renamed to Prithviraj Nagar
– Abdullah Nagar renamed to Daksh Nagar
In Nainital District:
– Nawabi Road renamed to Atal Marg
– Panchakki to ITI Marg renamed to Guru Govalkar Marg
In Udham Singh Nagar District:
– Sultanpur Patti Municipal Council renamed to Kaushalya Puri
– Additional Information:
– Capital: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer)
– Governor: Gurmeet Singh
– Population: 10,116,752 (2011)
– State Dance: Pandav Dance, Chholia Dance, Jhora Dance, Chanchari Dance, and Choufula Dance
– National Bird: Himalayan Monal
– Neighboring States: Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
—————
12. Which city of Bihar got the hosting of Men’s Hero Asia Cup 2025 (Hockey)?
a. Rajgir
b. Patna
c. Gaya
d. Muzaffarpur
Answer: a. Rajgir
– This tournament will take place from 29th August to 7th September at the recently developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium.
– After the successful Women’s Asian Champions Trophy held in November 2024, this will be the second international sports event hosted by Rajgir.
– The significance of the Hero Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025 is further enhanced as it will serve as a qualifying event for the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup.
https://www.hockeyindia.org/news/rajgir-to-host-hero-asia-cup-rajgir-bihar-2025-as-hockey-india-signs-mou-with-bihar-state-sports-authority
PDF Download: Click here
