Who won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for February 2025?

India’s Shubman Gill won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for February 2025 for his outstanding performances throughout the month.

13th March 2025 Current Affairs | Daily GK Update & Top News for Exams

Table of Contents

State News

Tamil Nadu Govt Replaces Rupee Symbol with Tamil Letter: A Language Debate Intensifies

The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the Indian Rupee symbol (₹) with the Tamil letter ‘ரூ’ in the state budget logo for FY 2025-26, led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, reflects the state’s cultural assertion and resistance to Hindi imposition. This move aligns with Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP), which is seen as “saffronized.” Notably, the original Rupee symbol ‘₹’ was designed by Udaya Kumar, a Tamilian and son of a former DMK MLA.

Banking News

IIFL Finance Launches ‘Shakti’ All-Women Branches on Women’s Day

To celebrate Women’s Day, IIFL Finance, a leading NBFC in India, has rebranded seven existing branches as all-women staffed ‘Shakti’ branches in Delhi NCR and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). This initiative aims to empower women in the financial services sector, promote gender diversity, and support women entrepreneurs while enhancing financial literacy in underserved communities.

ICICI Bank Appoints Kamal Wali as Head of Security Operations

ICICI Bank has appointed Kamal Wali as the Head of its Security Operations Center, showcasing its focus on cybersecurity and risk mitigation. With over 18 years of experience in cybersecurity and IT operations, Wali will lead security strategies to enhance the bank’s digital infrastructure and protect customer data against evolving cyber threats. This move reflects ICICI Bank’s proactive approach to secure banking operations.

Defense News

INS Imphal Strengthens India-Mauritius Ties

India is set to bolster its maritime security cooperation with Mauritius through a white shipping agreement, expected to be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. This agreement will enable the exchange of commercial shipping data between the Indian and Mauritian navies and coast guards, enhancing monitoring capabilities in the Western Indian Ocean. The move is seen as a strategic step to strengthen bilateral ties and counter China’s growing presence in the region.

Business News

Finance Ministry Notifies Zero Coupon Bond (ZCB) for Power Finance Corporation

The Finance Ministry has authorized Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to issue Zero Coupon Bonds (ZCBs) to raise up to ₹10,000 crore. These bonds are issued at a discount and redeemed at full face value upon maturity. A Zero Coupon Bond (ZCB) is a financial instrument that does not pay periodic interest (coupon) but offers returns through the difference between the issue price and the face value at maturity.

Economy News

India Becomes the Top Source of FDI into Dubai

In 2024, India emerged as the leading source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Dubai, surpassing the U.S. (13.7%), France (11%), U.K. (10%), and Switzerland (6.9%), with a 21.5% share of total FDI. Dubai retained its position as the world’s top destination for Greenfield FDI projects for the fourth consecutive year, according to Financial Times Ltd.’s ‘fDi Markets’ data. The city’s business-friendly environment, tax policies, and robust infrastructure played a key role in attracting global investments and talent, solidifying its status as a global investment hub.

India’s Retail Inflation Drops to Seven-Month Low in February

India’s retail inflation dropped to a seven-month low of 3.61% in February 2025, driven by a decline in food inflation, which fell below 4% for the first time in two years. This decline raises expectations of a rate cut in the upcoming April RBI meeting. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data, released on March 12, highlights broad-based moderation, especially in perishable goods and protein-based food items.

India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) Records 5.0% Growth in January 2025

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for January 2025, showing a 5.0% growth, up from 3.2% in December 2024. The manufacturing sector led the expansion, followed by mining and electricity, reflecting a significant improvement in industrial growth.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) Numbers for February 2025

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) reported a decline in Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation for February 2025, marking the lowest year-on-year inflation rate (3.61%) since July 2024, with a 65 basis points drop from January 2025. The report also highlights a significant reduction in food inflation, especially in rural areas, contributing to the overall decline.

Awards News

ACM A.M. Turing Award 2024: Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton Honored for Reinforcement Learning

The 2024 ACM A.M. Turing Award, known as the “Nobel Prize in Computing”, has been awarded to Andrew G. Barto (University of Massachusetts, Amherst) and Richard S. Sutton (University of Alberta) for their pioneering work in Reinforcement Learning (RL). Their contributions, including temporal difference learning, policy-gradient methods, and neural network-based function representations, have significantly impacted artificial intelligence (AI). Their influential book, “Reinforcement Learning: An Introduction” (1998), has been cited over 75,000 times. The award carries a $1 million prize, sponsored by Google.

Jayshree Vencatesan: First Indian to Receive Ramsar Award for Wetland Wise Use

Jayshree Vencatesan, co-founder of Chennai-based Care Earth Trust, became the first Indian to receive the Ramsar Award for ‘Wetland Wise Use’, a prestigious global recognition for sustainable wetland management. The Ramsar Secretariat in Geneva announced the award on the eve of International Women’s Day 2024. This honor, under the ‘Wise Use of Wetlands’ category, highlights her remarkable contribution to wetland conservation. The award is part of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty for wetland preservation.

Delhi International Airport Wins Prestigious ASQ Award for Best Airport in Asia-Pacific

GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited’s subsidiary, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), has received the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Airport Experience Award, 2024, for the Best Airport Over 40 Million Passengers in the Asia-Pacific region. This achievement marks the seventh consecutive year that Delhi Airport has been recognized for its excellence in customer service.

Muthoot Microfin Wins Double Gold at SKOCH Awards 2025

Muthoot Microfin, a leading microfinance institution, has secured two Gold Awards at the SKOCH Awards 2025 for its contributions to digital financial inclusion and innovative insurance solutions. The awards were presented to Sadaf Sayeed, CEO of Muthoot Microfin, by Sameer Kochhar, Chairman of SKOCH Group, and Gursharan Dhanjal, Vice-Chairman of SKOCH Group, at a ceremony in New Delhi. This achievement highlights Muthoot Microfin’s pivotal role in empowering women entrepreneurs and advancing India’s microfinance sector.

Summits & Conferences News

Water Sustainability Conference 2025: Promoting Industrial Water Use Efficiency

The Water Sustainability Conference 2025, organized by the Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) under the National Water Mission (NWM), Ministry of Jal Shakti, in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), took place on March 12, 2025, at the NDMC Convention Centre, New Delhi. Inaugurated by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Patil, the conference focused on enhancing Industrial Water Use Efficiency. Key discussions revolved around innovative strategies and policies for water optimization in industries. Shri C. R. Patil emphasized the 4R approach (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Recharge) and introduced Respect as the 5th principle, urging industries to adopt sustainable water management practices.

India’s Role in the 4th ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Conference

At the 4th ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Conference in Munich, India reaffirmed its commitment to combating terror financing and stressed the need for international cooperation. India highlighted the growing threats from digital financial networks and cross-border fund flows, emphasizing how terrorists exploit complex financial methods to transfer assets. The country called for unified global action to track and counter terror financing effectively.

Union Minister Smt Annpurna Devi Launches 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024

India’s Participation in the 69th Session of UNCSW

India, led by Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annpurna Devi, actively participated in the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) at the UN Headquarters in New York from March 10-21, 2025. The session focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment, where India reaffirmed its commitment to holistic development, inclusive policies, and global cooperation to advance women’s rights.

Sports News

ICC Player of the Month Awards for February 2025: Shubman Gill and Alana King Shine

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the Player of the Month Awards for February 2025, with India’s Shubman Gill winning the Men’s Player of the Month and Australia’s Alana King securing the Women’s Player of the Month title. Their outstanding performances throughout February earned them this prestigious recognition.

Khelo India Winter Games 2025: Check Full Medal Tally

The Khelo India Winter Games 2025 (KIWG 2025), the fifth edition of India’s premier winter sports event, was held in two phases, starting in Leh, Ladakh (January 23, 2025) and concluding in Jammu & Kashmir (March 12, 2025). With participation from over 400 athletes representing 19 teams, the Indian Army emerged as the overall champion by securing the most gold medals. Organized under the Khelo India initiative by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the event aims to promote winter sports and nurture talent in various winter disciplines across India.

Science & Technology News

NASA’s Revolutionary Missions: SPHEREx and PUNCH Set to Redefine Space Exploration

NASA is set to launch two groundbreaking missions, SPHEREx and PUNCH, aboard a SpaceX Falcon rocket to explore cosmic history and solar activity. SPHEREx will use infrared detectors to map light from the earliest galaxies, providing insights into the Big Bang and galaxy formation, while PUNCH will employ polarimetric imaging to study the Sun’s outer corona and solar wind, helping understand solar storms and space weather.

Schemes News

PM-YUVA 3.0 – Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors

The Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education, launched PM-YUVA 3.0 (Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors) on March 11, 2025. This initiative aims to train young authors (below 30 years) to promote reading, writing, and book culture in India while showcasing Indian literature globally. The third edition, following the success of previous editions in 22 Indian languages and English, supports the Prime Minister’s vision of fostering.