Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 14th October 2025

Somnath Temple : Three Day Visit Of President Of India

The President, on a three-day visit to Gujarat, offered prayers at the historic Somnath Mahadev temple in Gir Somnath district recently.

• Somnath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• It is located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat.
• It is the first of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines in India that are regarded as the manifestation of the Lord Shiva Himself.
• The site of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site from ancient times on account of being a Triveni Sangam: the confluence of three rivers, namely Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati.
• The ancient temple’s timeline can be traced from 649 BC but is believed to be older than that.
• The temple was reconstructed several times in the past after repeated destruction by multiple Muslim invaders and rulers, notably starting with an attack by Mahmud Ghazni in the 11 th century.
• The present temple was reconstructed in the Chalukya style of Hindu temple architecture and completed in May 1951.
• The reconstruction was completed by Vallabhbhai Patel.

Kiru Hydroelectric Project:

The 624-megawatt Kiru hydroelectric project recently reached a significant milestone with the completion of 10 lakh cubic meters of Dam Concreting, out of a total target of 12 lakh cubic meters.

• It is a 624-megawatt (MW) run-of-river project being developed over the Chenab River near the villages of Patharnakki and Kiru in Kishtwar District, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• It is located between the Kirthai II hydroelectric project to its upstream and the Kwar hydroelectric project to its downstream.
• The project will include the construction of a concrete gravity dam with a height of 135 m and an underground powerhouse located on the left bank of the river that will comprise four vertical Francis turbines with a capacity of 156 MW each.
• The project will provide much-needed power for the grid in northern India.
• It is being developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects (CVPP), a joint venture between
  • National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC, 49%)
  • Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC, 49%)
  • Power Trading Corporation (PTC, 2%).

Chowna Buku Chulu:

Arunachal Pradesh scientists recently identified a new Begonia species in Basar, boasting striking red leaves, named ‘Chowna Buku Chulu’.

• Chowna Buku Chulu is a new species of Begonia discovered in Basar in the Leparada District of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The new species has been named ‘Chowna Buku Chulu (Aryarakta)’, meaning “Noble Red”, in honour of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein.
• It is a vibrant red-leafed begonia found in the region’s natural habitat.
• Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae.
• The genus contains more than 1,800 different plant species.
• They are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates.
• Some species are commonly grown indoors as ornamental houseplants in cooler climates.
• In cooler climates some species are cultivated outside in summertime for their bright colourful flowers, which have sepals but no petals.

Fomoflation:

The recent signing of a proclamation by the U.S. President raising the annual fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 a year led to a sudden panic-driven demand that pushed ticket prices higher, illustrating a textbook case of fomoflation.

• Fomoflation occurs when consumer behaviour (demand psychology) and market or supply pressures combine to create rapid inflation even in essentials, where prices rise faster than underlying economic factors would justify.
• The cycle of panic-driven demand and resultant price surges illustrates how fomoflation operates.
• Therefore, it is the fear of ‘scarcity’ or the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) which triggers buying frenzy, setting off an ‘artificial demand’ loop and eventual price rises.
• Unlike usual inflation, which is an outcome of macroeconomic factors, fomoflation arises from behavioral psychology, often amplified by social media.
• It can also be seen in consumer goods.
• For example, during festive seasons, demand for staples such as pulses and cooking oil spikes after media reports highlight potential shortages or price hikes.
• Influenced by the reports, consumers rush to stock up, pushing prices higher even when supply is sufficient.

Maitri II Station:

The Finance Ministry has granted approval for Maitri II — the country’s newest research station proposed to come up in eastern Antarctica.

• It is India’s newest research station proposed to come up in eastern Antarctica.
• It will be larger than Maitri I, with plans to design it as a green research base.
• The proposal includes using renewable energy sources — solar power for summer expeditions and wind energy to harness the strong Antarctic winds to run the station’s operations.
• It is planned to deploy automated instruments onboard Maitri II which will keep recording data and relay it to mainland India, even if the station remains unmanned for some period.
• The construction of the research station is expected to be completed by January 2029.
• Nodal Agency: National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is the nodal agency responsible for operating and organising missions to Antarctica and the Arctic.
• Maitri Station has been hosting researchers since 1989, and is located along the Schirmacher Oasis, a 20 km-long ice-free landmass in East Antarctica.
• It comprises the main building, a fuel farm, a fuel station, a lake water pump house, a summer camp, and several smaller containerised modules.
• Maitri can accommodate between 25 and 40 scientists, depending on mission requirements and season.
• India’s other research base in Antarctica: Dakshin Gangotri (first base in Antarctica), operated for a few years. Bharati which is operational since 2012.

Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2025:

An Indian Army contingent comprising 120 personnel departed for Irwin Barracks, Perth, Australia, to participate in the fourth edition of Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2025.

• It is an annual joint military exercise held between India and Australia.
• This edition, Indian Army contingent is being led by a Battalion of Gorkha Rifles along with troops from other arms and services.
• It is aimed at enhancing military cooperation, improving interoperability and providing a platform for participating armies to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures in the domains of sub conventional warfare in urban/ semi urban terrain.
• It will focus on joint company level operations in open and semi desert terrain, wherein troops will undertake missions ranging from joint planning, tactical drills and special arms skills.
• It will offer a valuable opportunity to hone operational capabilities, integrate emerging technologies and operate jointly in a combat environment.

Naked mole rat:

A new study of the naked mole rat shows that these animals have evolved a DNA repair mechanism that could explain their longevity.

Key findings of researchers:

• The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) functions differently in naked mole rats compared to humans and mice. (GMP –AMP synthesis which modulates various cellular processes)
• Key differences in cGAS function:
  • Humans and Mice: cGAS interferes with DNA repair, increasing the risk of aging and cancer
  • Naked Mole Rats: cGAS enhances DNA repair, promoting genome stability and potentially contributing to their longevity.
  • This is due to four amino acid substitutions in the cGAS structure that allow it to bind to DNA longer and facilitate repair by bringing together repair proteins FANCI and RAD50.

Naked mole rat:

• It is a small, hairless burrowing rodent native to parts of East Africa.
• It is famous for living an astonishingly long time, up to around 37 years, nearly 10x longer than mammals of similar size.
• It lacks pain sensitivity in its skin and has very low metabolic and respiratory rates.
• It is also remarkable for its longevity and its resistance to cancer and oxygen deprivation.
• Their lifestyle is more akin to that of bees and wasps and other eusocial insects.
• They live in underground burrows that may stretch to 5 km, in colonies of around 70 animals.
• It is cold-blooded, unable to control their body temperature and dependent on the prevailing outside temperature.
• They are predominantly found in southern Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Djibouti.
• They inhabit drier parts of the tropical grasslands and savanna
• They are herbivores and feed primarily on very large tubers.
• It is eusocial, meaning they live in large colonies in which only one female breeds and the majority of workers (both males and females) spend their entire lives working for the colony.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Least Concern

IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas:

The Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve” Dr. Sonali Ghosh” has received the Kenton R. Miller Award, constituted by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).

• IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas is one of six technical commissions of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• It was established in 1948 as a global network dedicated to the conservation of nature and the sustainable use of natural resources.
• It specialises in protected area governance, management, and policy, supporting the creation and effective management of protected areas globally, including national parks, reserves, and marine protected areas.

Kenton R. Miller Award:

• It was established in 2006.
• It is presented every two years by the IUCN-WCPA for Innovation in National Parks and Protected Area
• It was named after a former Director General of the IUCN.
• The award recognises individuals or teams whose innovations in planning, management, finance, governance, monitoring, capacity building, and communication have a significant impact and peer recognition without prior international awards.
• The Kenton Miller Award comes with a US $5,000 cash prize.

Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage:

A Climate Analytics report warns that Asia’s vast Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) plans could result in nearly 25 billion tonnes of extra greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

• This is because most CCS projects across China, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia are designed less to cut emissions and more to extend the life of coal, oil, and gas.
• Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage is a suite of technologies that capture CO₂ emissions from major sources like power plants, refineries, and industries, or remove CO₂ from the atmosphere.
• Working of CCUS: CCUS involves three main stages — capture, transport, and storage (or use) of CO₂.
• Capture methods include:
  • Post-combustion: Separates CO₂ from flue gas using solvents after fuel combustion.
  • Pre-combustion: Converts fuel into a hydrogen–CO₂ mix before burning, then separates CO₂.
  • Oxy-fuel combustion: Burns fuel in pure oxygen, producing CO₂ and steam for easy capture.
  • Captured CO₂ is compressed and transported via pipeline, ship, rail, or road and injected into deep geological formations like depleted oil and gas fields or saline aquifers for long-term storage. Alternatively, it may be used in commercial applications.
• Role in Tackling Climate Change: CCUS plays a key role in global decarbonisation by:
  • Reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement (7% of global emissions), and chemicals.
  • Producing low-carbon electricity and hydrogen to replace fossil fuels across industries and transport.
  • Removing existing CO₂ from the atmosphere through Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS) and Direct Air Capture (DACCS).
  • It can be installed on coal, gas, or biomass plants, enhancing energy security by diversifying low-carbon energy sources.

Zoho Platform:

The Government of India has migrated over 12 lakh official email accounts, including those of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), from National Informatics Centre to a Zoho-developed platform, reinforcing data sovereignty and Swadeshi tech adoption.

• Zoho Corporation is a global Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) leader founded in 1996 in India. Headquartered in Chennai, it serves over 100 million users across more than 150 countries.
• It offers a vast portfolio of over 55 cloud-based business applications, including Zoho Workplace and Zoho Office Suite, which directly compete with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
• Zoho platform is audited regularly by Software Quality Systems (SQS).
• Security clearance and inputs were obtained from NIC, CERT-In, and other government agencies.

Operation Golden Sweep:

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has launched “Operation Golden Sweep”, cracking down on a transnational gold smuggling syndicate at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. It is a strategic intelligence-led operation by DRI aimed at dismantling a global gold smuggling network using transit passengers and airport insiders to transport contraband gold into India.Conducted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) under the Ministry of Finance.Aim is to disrupt organized smuggling cartels, safeguard India’s economic security, and curb illicit gold inflows that undermine legitimate trade and drain foreign exchange reserves.

UNESCO launches the World’s First Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects:

UNESCO has recently launched the world’s first Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects at the MONDIACULT 2025 Conference in Barcelona, Spain.It is a first-of-its-kind global digital museum created by UNESCO to display, document, and trace stolen or trafficked cultural objects from around the world.
The museum acts as a virtual platform for education, restitution, and heritage protection, symbolically reuniting nations with their displaced artifacts.
Launched at World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2025). Organized by: UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit:

Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh represented India at the Sharm El-Sheikh Gaza Peace Summit held in Egypt, as the special envoy of Prime Minister of India.It is an international diplomatic conference convened to consolidate the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and outline a framework for lasting peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East region. Host Nations: Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America. Joint Chairs: President Donald Trump (USA) and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egypt). Aim is to Ensure the smooth execution of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas announced in early October 2025. It Facilitate safe passage of aid, food, and medical relief to Gaza civilians.It Oversee the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees under U.S.-mediated terms.It Promote regional dialogue and prevent further escalation in the Middle East conflict.

HSBC launches its Innovation Banking in India with a $1 billion non‑dilutive debt fund:

HSBC has pledged $1 billion to support early and growth-stage startups through its newly launched Innovation Banking platform. This initiative offers non-dilutive debt capital—including working capital and term loans—allowing startups to access funds without giving up equity. With this, India becomes the 13th global market to benefit from HSBC’s dedicated innovation banking services. HSBC’s fund will provide startups with access to loans that don’t require equity dilution. This is especially beneficial for founders who wish to retain ownership and control while scaling operations.Previously, HSBC had extended around $50 million in 2020 and scaled it to $600 million by 2024. The $1 billion commitment in 2025 marks a sharp upscaling of its engagement with India’s innovation economy.

Siddi Tribal Community Achieves 72% Literacy Rate:

The President of India recently lauded the Siddi tribal community for achieving a literacy rate exceeding 72%. This is a significant milestone for a group listed under Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and reflects ongoing efforts to uplift marginalized communities through education and inclusion.The Siddis are an Indo-African tribal community in India, descended from the Bantu people of East Africa. Their unique ethnic and cultural roots distinguish them from other Scheduled Tribes in India.

Palau Hosts World’s First Live Underwater Interview:

Palau’s President, Surangel Whipps Jr., conducted a live underwater interview beneath the Pacific Ocean. This novel broadcast employed Li‑Fi technology which transmits data via light rather than traditional radio waves to spotlight ocean conservation, climate threats, and the existential risks that small island nations like Palau face.The interview was conducted underwater, with the President and marine activist Merle Liivand exchanging remarks in real time.The technology used, Li‑Fi, allows data transmission via light, which is better suited for underwater communication where radio waves struggle.

HDFC Bank Launches My Business QR:

HDFC Bank has introduced “My Business QR”, a first-of-‑its-kind commerce identity QR tailored for small businesses. Unveiled at Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2025, this innovation aims to help retailers make an easy shift from offline to online commerce while enhancing their discoverability, customer engagement, and payment capabilities.My Business QR is integrated into HDFC Bank’s SmartHub Vyapar app, which is already in use by over 2 million merchants across India.The app helps retailers manage payments, track business activity, and now—via this new feature—showcase a searchable digital profile that can be saved by customers directly to their phone contacts.The tool was built in collaboration with Vyaparify, a startup focused on creating simple, scalable digital identities for India’s small merchants.

Sonali Sen Gupta Appointed RBI Executive Director:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Sonali Sen Gupta as its new Executive Director (ED) with effect from October 9, 2025. With over 30 years of experience at the central bank, Sen Gupta brings deep expertise in multiple policy and regulatory areas crucial to India’s financial system.

As Executive Director, Sen Gupta will now be responsible for three vital departments at the RBI,

Consumer Education and Protection Department
Financial Inclusion and Development Department
Inspection Department

Forest Rangers Honored with 2025 International Ranger Awards:

Forest rangers often the first and last line of defense for global biodiversity—were honored at the 2025 International Ranger Awards, recognizing their unmatched courage and unwavering service to wildlife protection and forest conservation. The awards, presented by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), highlighted the often-overlooked sacrifices rangers make in safeguarding the world’s most fragile ecosystems. The ceremony celebrated rangers from 13 countries, including Ukraine, Burkina Faso, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and brought global attention to the dangers and duties rangers shoulder daily.The International Ranger Awards were created to recognize outstanding work in protected and conserved areas around the world.

Nobel Prize in Economics 2025:

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2025 has been awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for their groundbreaking contributions to understanding innovation-driven economic growth. Their work explains how technological progress and creative destruction have transformed economies from stagnation to sustained prosperity over the past two centuries.

• Joel Mokyr :  Northwestern University, USA  : Research – Prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress
• Philippe Aghion :  Collège de France, INSEAD (France), London School of Economics (UK) : Research – Theory of sustained growth through creative destruction
• Peter Howitt Brown University, USA :  Research- Theory of sustained growth through creative destruction (jointly with Aghio