CURRENT AFFAIRS
28 June, 2025
1. RATH YATRA OF LORD JAGANNATH –
• Police personnel have been deployed in Puri to manage security and traffic for the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, starting June 27, which is expected to draw over 30 lakh devotees.
• Puri is revered as one of the char dham (four abodes) where Lord Jagannath is worshipped.
About the Ratha Yatra
• According to Hindu mythology, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra go on a nine-day sojourn to their birthplace Gundicha Temple, staying there until the Bahuda Yatra, which falls on July 5 this year.
• The Yatra commemorates their journey from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, believed to be their aunt’s home.
• Goddess Ardhasini, also known as Mausima, is considered their aunt.
• The Rath Yatra takes place on the second day of the Odia month of Ashadha Shukla Tithi (bright fortnight) every year.
Religious Beliefs
• It is believed that witnessing the deities on their chariots cleanses people of their sins and grants salvation.
• The Bamadeva Samhita states that those who see the deities at Gundicha Temple for a week attain Baikuntha (heaven)along with their ancestors.
• As non-Hindus are not allowed inside the Jagannath Temple, Rath Yatra allows foreign devotees to see the deities.
• The Lord is believed to step out of his sanctum to meet all his devotees during Rath Yatra, symbolising inclusiveness.
2. CLOUDBURST AND FLASH FLOODS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH –
• Heavy monsoon rains due to multiple cloudbursts triggered the flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, causing widespread damage to properties and loss of life.
• The Indira Priyadarshini Hydroelectric Project has been impacted.
About Cloudburst
• A cloudburst is defined as “Rainfall of 10 cm or more in one hour over a roughly 10 km x 10 km area.”
• Mechanism: Common in hilly areas due to a process called orographic lift:
• Warm air rises along mountain slopes.
• It expands due to low pressure at altitude and cools.
• Cooling causes condensation and release of moisture.
• If warm moist air keeps rising, it may delay rainfall until a large volume suddenly condenses and falls as torrential rain.
• Occurrence in India: In India, cloudbursts are frequently observed during the monsoon season, particularly over regions like the Himalayas, the Western Ghats, and the northeastern hill states.
• Linkage with Flash floods: Cloudbursts often result in flash floods and have become increasingly common from May-September when the southwest monsoon season prevails in much of the country.
Impacts:
• Sudden, localized heavy rain.
• Often leads to flash floods and landslides due to drainage overload and rapid water accumulation.
• Prediction: Difficult to detect due to the small area and short time frame.
3. BIHAR’S FIRST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT –
• Bihar is set to become one of the first states in India to establish a nuclear power plant. This initiative is part of the country’s new Nuclear Energy Mission. This decision is as it comes ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar.
Nuclear Energy Mission
• The Nuclear Energy Mission aims to expand clean and reliable nuclear power across India. The government has allocated Rs 20,000 crore for this mission in the Union Budget for 2025-26. The objective is to establish at least one nuclear power plant in every state. This is crucial for ensuring energy security as the demand for electricity continues to rise.
• Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)
• The nuclear plant in Bihar will utilise Small Modular Reactor technology. SMRs are designed to be more flexible and cost-effective compared to traditional reactors. They can be deployed in smaller grids and are considered safer due to their advanced design. This technology represents the future of nuclear energy, focusing on sustainability and reliability.
4. SHUBHANSHU SHUKLA BECOMES 634TH ASTRONAUT TO REACH SPACE –
• Shubhanshu Shukla, a pilot from the Indian Air Force, has become the latest Indian to enter space, joining an elite group of global astronauts. His successful docking at the ISS marks a significant event in India’s expanding participation in international human space missions, especially as it anticipates future missions like Gaganyaan.
Key Details of the Axiom-4 Mission
• Mission Name: Axiom-4 (Ax-4)
• Launch Date: June 25, 2025
• Docking at ISS: June 26, 2025
• Duration: 14 days
• Launch Vehicle: SpaceX Crew Dragon
• Partner Organization: Axiom Space (U.S.)
• Destination: International Space Station (ISS)
Crew Members
• Peggy Whitson (U.S.) – Commander and veteran astronaut
• Shubhanshu Shukla (India) – Indian Air Force Group Captain
• Sławosz Uznański (Poland) – Engineer and ESA reserve astronaut
• Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – Space researcher
5. INDIA HOSTS ICCON 2025 TO TACKLE URGENT BIODIVERSITY CHALLENGES –
• The Indian Conservation Conference (ICCON) 2025 will be held from June 25–27, 2025 at WII, Dehradun. The conference is inaugurated by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. This year’s edition features innovative additions like TechBridge, 17 thematic areas, and 10 capacity-building workshops. It signifies India’s continued leadership in conservation science and inclusive environmental dialogue.
Key Highlights
• Event Name: Indian Conservation Conference (ICCON) 2025
• Date & Venue: 25–27 June 2025 | Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun
• Organised by: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
• Participants: Over 500 delegates including scientists, students, policymakers, NGOs, and international organisations
• Inaugurated by: Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• Special Focus: TechBridge – a new wildlife technology innovation forum
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Who is the legendary coach currently mentoring Neeraj Chopra ?
a) Uwe Hohn
b) Klaus Bartonietz
c) Jan Železný
d) Tero Pitkämäki
Q2. Which of the following statements is true about Google’s newly launched AI Mode in India ?
a) It replaces traditional search with voice-only results powered by Google Assistant.
b) AI Mode is limited to Google Maps and only supports location-based queries.
c) It allows users to ask complex and exploratory questions using a custom version of Gemini 2.5.
d) AI Mode can only be accessed through Google Translate for multilingual support.
Q3. As per the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, launched “The Emergency Diaries”, a book documenting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s underground activism as a young RSS Pracharak. What was the duration of the Emergency in India covered in the book ?
a) January 1974 – March 1975
b) June 1975 – March 1977
c) August 1976 – July 1978
d) January 1977 – January 1978
Q4. How many of the above statements are correct ?
1. NATO’s new spending target will be 5% of GDP by 2035.
2. Russia’s military spending as a share of GDP was 7.1% in 2024.
3. China spent 3.6% of its GDP on defence in 2024.
a) Only 1
b) Only 2
c) All three
d) None
Explanation-
• Statements 1 and 2 are correct. NATO aims for 5% of GDP by 2035, and Russia spent 7.1% of GDP. However, statement 3 is incorrect—China spent 1.7% of GDP, not 3.6%.
Q5. With reference to Bharat Forecast System (BFS), consider the following statements:
1. It uses 6 km x 6 km grids for more detailed weather forecasts.
2. Its forecast accuracy is expected to improve by 64%.
3. It was developed by the World Meteorological Organization.
Which of the above statements are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) Only 1 and 3
d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation-
• Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The Bharat Forecast System uses 6 km grids (finer than previous 12 km grids) and is expected to improve forecast accuracy by 64%. However, statement 3 is incorrect—BFS was developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), not the WMO.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
C | C | B | B | A |