In Current Affairs for 21 January 2025, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.
Current Affairs 21 January 2025
Musi River Heritage Sites
- World Monuments Fund (WMF) announced the inclusion of the Musi River Historic Buildings in Hyderabad on its World Monuments Watch list. This recognition marks the urgent need for preservation efforts amid environmental challenges and urban development.
- The initiative coincides with local government plans to rejuvenate the river and its heritage structures, aiming to enhance tourism and community engagement. The WMF’s biennial programme identifies sites worldwide at risk from climate change, conflict, and neglect.
- Recently, the Musi River Historic Buildings were spotlighted alongside 24 other sites globally. This initiative aims to advocate for heritage preservation. Key structures along the Musi River include Telangana High Court, State Central Library, Osmania General Hospital, and British Residency (now Koti Women’s College).
- These landmarks showcase the city’s civic legacy and architectural history. Hyderabad faces pollution and ecological degradation of the Musi River. The WMF emphasises that restoring these historic sites can contribute to environmental conservation and community resilience.
- The Musi River is a key tributary of the Krishna River in the Deccan Plateau and flows through Telangana, India. river was historically called Muchukunda. Hyderabad is situated on the banks of the Musi River. The river separates the Old City from the newer parts of Hyderabad.
Uttarakhand Clears Uniform Civil Code Rules
- Uttarakhand is set to become the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), as the state government has approved the UCC rules manual.
- The state’s Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cleared the manual and decided on key provisions related to registration services, the facilitation of live-in relationships, and the introduction of Tatkal services. The government is also implementing advanced digital platforms to ensure efficient and widespread access to these services. Training of officials is underway, with a statewide mock drill planned to prepare the stakeholders for smooth implementation.
- Scope of UCC: It aims to unify laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance across all faiths and communities in the state.
- Online Portal and App: A dedicated portal and mobile application have been developed to facilitate online registrations and services, ensuring greater public access and ease of use.
- Marriage Registration: Registration of marriages and acknowledgment of registered marriages.
- Divorce Registration: Processes for the registration of divorces and nullifying marriages.
- Live-in Relationships: Registration of live-in relationships and their termination.
- Inheritance: Registration of intestate succession (legal heirs) and testamentary succession (wills).
- Appeals: Procedure for appealing decisions regarding applications.
- Grievances: A mechanism to file and track complaints.
- Access to Information: Access to data and information related to registered services.
- Women’s Rights: Equal inheritance rights, rights to adoption, divorce, and polygamy bans.
- Registration Requirements: Compulsory registration/self-declaration for live-in relationships and marriages.
- Legal Age for Marriage: A standard marriageable age of 18 for women and 21 for men.
- Digital and Physical Access
- CSC (Common Service Centres): To assist in registration for those who are not digitally literate, especially in remote areas.
- Helpline and Support: A dedicated helpline and district-level officers for legal queries and portal-related issues.
- Training and Implementation
- Officials’ Training: Extensive training is being conducted for officials to familiarize them with the portal and procedures.
- Mock Drill: A state-wide mock drill for system readiness is scheduled for January 21, 2025.
- Implementation Timeline: The government will announce the date for UCC’s implementation soon after the training is completed.
- Training and Development: Uttarakhand is conducting extensive training programs for officials, with 10,000 village development officers (VDOs) expected to be trained by January 24, 2025.
Mahakumbh To Surpass Other Major Global Events
- Senior officials from the External Affairs Ministry and the Government of Uttar Pradesh held an interactive session with foreign journalists yesterday in New Delhi to discuss various aspects of the ongoing Mahakumbh 2025.
- The officials provided insights into the event’s spiritual, cultural, and economic significance. During the interaction, representatives from the Uttar Pradesh Government emphasized that Mahakumbh 2025 is set to surpass other major global events in terms of attendance.
- While the Rio Carnival in Brazil attracts 70 lakh people, the Haj pilgrimage draws 25 lakh, and Germany’s Oktoberfest hosts 72 lakh, the Mahakumbh 2025 is expected to witness an unprecedented 45 crore attendees. This underscores the unparalleled scale and global significance of the Mahakumbh as one of the largest gatherings in the world.
First-ever CSR Round Table For Sports Development
- With the objective of strengthening the Indian sports ecosystem in order to host the 2036 Olympic Games, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Mansukh Mandaviya urged corporates to adopt one sport during the first-ever corporate round-table conference in New Delhi.
- Mandaviya emphasized a vision to position India among the top five global sports performers by 2047, as the nation marks 100 years of independence.
- More than 40 corporate houses and organisations working in the sports ecosystem shared their knowledge and opinion in a first-ever Open House session with
PM Museum Council
- Prime Ministers’ Museum & Library (PMML) has undergone a significant reconstitution of its society and executive council, introducing several prominent figures to its leadership.
- Former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Nripendra Mishra, has been reappointed as the chairperson for another five-year term. The executive council, previously comprising 29 members, has been expanded to include 34 members.
- This expansion aims to bring diverse expertise and perspectives to the institution. PMML, formerly known as the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML), was renamed in 2023 to encompass the legacies of all Indian Prime Ministers.
- This reconstitution aligns with the government’s vision to make the institution a comprehensive repository of India’s political leadership history.
- Notable New Members
- Smriti Irani: Former Union Minister, bringing political and administrative experience.
- Shekhar Kapur: Renowned filmmaker, adding cultural and artistic insights.
- Rajiv Kumar: Former NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman, contributing economic and policy expertise.
- Syed Ata Hasnain: Retired Army General, offering strategic and defense perspectives.
- Vasudev Kamath: Associated with Sanskar Bharati, enhancing cultural representation.
India & Spain
- India and Spain have signed two MoUs to strengthen and deepen the bilateral relations between the two countries. These agreements focused on cooperation in sports and sustainable urban development.
- The agreement was signed during External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishanakar’s visit to Spain. This was the second visit to Spain by Dr Jaishankar. His previous visit was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017.
- During the visit of Pedro Sanchez, both countries decided to celebrate 2026 as the “Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)”.
1st Astronomical Observatory Of Eastern India
- The first astronomical observatory of Eastern India and the sixth in the country under the Department of Science and Technology, Union Ministry of Science and Technology has been inaugurated atop the Panchet Hill in the Garpanchkot area of Purulia district in West Bengal.
- It is the sixth such observatory in India after Ladakh, Nainital (Uttarakhand), Mount Abu (Rajasthan), Girbani Hills in Pune, and Kavalur in Tamil Nadu.
- The observatory set up in Garpanchkot Hills has been named after famous scientist Satyendra Nath Bose. The observatory has been established by the Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences.
- The Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)with the Sidhu Kanu Birsa University,Purulia for running the observatory and sharing resources.
- The Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences was set up by the Department of Science and Technology,Government of India in 1986 at Kolkata,West Bengal.
GI Tag For Virgin Coconut Oil Of Andaman
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 118th episode of “Mann Ki Baat” on January 19, 2025, highlighted the empowerment of women involved in the production of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- This initiative aims to economically empower tribal communities through self-help groups (SHGs) and specialized training in marketing and branding. The recent Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Virgin Coconut Oil from Nicobar district is a significant milestone in promoting local products on the global stage.
- The Prime Minister expressed his belief that this move would help position Andaman and Nicobar as a leading contributor in the global market
India-Sri Lanka
- India and Sri Lanka have finalised the price per unit for energy from the Sampur solar power plant to further strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries.
- Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake informed in a public meeting yesterday that the price of 5.97 US cents per kilowatt-hour was finalised in the joint venture between National Thermal Power Corporation and Ceylon Electricity Board recently.
- The 135 mega-watt project is part of India’s contribution to bilateral energy cooperation, highlighting its role as a global leader in renewable energy and a key partner in advancing Sri Lanka’s transition to sustainable energy solutions.
Current Affairs 21 January 2025 Question
- Virgin Coconut Oil GOT GI Tag From
A. Andaman & Nicobar
B. West Bengal
C. Gujarat
D. Telangana
ANSWER: A - 1st Astronomical Observatory Of Eastern India Is Located In
A. Odisha
B. West Bengal
C. Chattisgarh
D. Jharkhand
ANSWER: B - First State To Pass Uniform Civil Code
A. Kerala
B. Himachal Pradesh
C. Uttarakhand
D. Tripura
ANSWER: C - What Is India’s Ranking In Terms Of The Largest Start-up Ecosystem
A. 1st
B. 2nd
C. 4th
D. 3rd
ANSWER: B - Which State In India Signed An Mou With Singapore To Establish A Fintech Hub
A. Punjab
B. Odisha
C. Andhra Pradesh
D. Uttar Pradesh
ANSWER: B - Abd al- Kuri Island, is located in which ocean
A. Indian Ocean
B. Pacific Ocean
C. Atlantic Ocean
D. Arctic Ocean
ANSWER: B - Which Organisation Released The ‘Global Risks Report 2025’
A. International Monetary Fund
B. World Economic Forum
C. United Nations Development Programme
D. United Nations Environment Programme
ANSWER: B - Nord Stream Pipeline Is Constructed Under Which Sea
A. Red Sea
B. Baltic Sea
C. Arabian Sea
D. Black Sea
ANSWER: B - Which Company Launched Satellites For Advanced Earth Observation And
Hyperspectral Imaging
A. Dhruva Space
B. Skyroot Aerospace
C. Pixxel
D. SatSure
ANSWER: C - Who Set The Record For Most Grand Slam Matches Played In Tennis History
A. Roger Federer
B. Novak Djokovic
C. Rafael Nadal
D. Andy Murray
ANSWER: B - Which Rank Did ISRO Achieve In Successfully Docking Satellites Using The
Indigenously Developed Bhartiya Docking System
A. 1st
B. 2nd
C. 3rd
D. 4th
ANSWER: D - Which Country, Along With India, Declared 2026 As A ‘Dual Year’ To Celebrate
Cultural, Tourism, And AI Collaborations
A. Italy
B. Spain
C. France
D. Germany
ANSWER: B - Which Country Is India Nearing A $450 Million Brahmos Missile Deal With
A. Indonesia
B. Malaysia
C. Singapore
D. Thailand
ANSWER: A - Which Country Is Set To Become The ‘GCC Capital Of The World’
A. United States
B. China
C. Germany
D. India
ANSWER: D - Who Received The Honorary Citizen Award From Singapore For Strengthening
India- Singapore Bilateral Relations
A. Tarun Das
B. Tharman Shanmugaratnam
C. Ratan Tata
D. Mukesh Ambani
ANSWER: A - What is India’s global rank in the QS Future Skills Index 2025
A. 1st
B. 2nd
C. 3rd
D. 4th
ANSWER: B - Which State Has Formed A 16-member Task Force To Develop An Artificial
Intelligence Policy 2025
A. Karnataka
B. Tamil Nadu
C. Maharashtra
D. Gujarat
ANSWER: C - Which Country Is Hosting The 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydro-electric Project
A. Nepal
B. Bhutan
C. India
D. Bangladesh
ANSWER: A - Which Crop Did ISRO Successfully Germinate In Space Using Its Compact
Research Module For Orbital Plant Studies
A. Wheat
B. Lobia
C. Rice
D. Maize
ANSWER: B - Which Two Sites From India Have Been Included In The 2025 World
Monuments Watch List
A. Musi River Historic Buildings and Bhuj Historic Water Systems
B. Gateway of India and Mysore Palace
C. Red Fort and Jaipur City
D. Lotus Temple and Gateway of India
ANSWER: A
