Khelo India Water Sports Festival
News- Khelo India Water Sports Festival: a springboard for global success.
- Event – Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) 2025.
- Date – 21–23 August 2025.
- Venue – Dal Lake, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
- Organisers – Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council & Sports Authority of India (SAI).
- Age Group – Open age category.
- 6 Sports Features – Rowing, kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, shikara race, and dragon boat race.
- Participants – Athletes from 28 States and Union Territories
- Medal Tally –
- Madhya Pradesh – 18 medals (10 Gold, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze) – 1st place.
- Odisha – 10 medals (4 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze) – 2nd place.
- Kerala – 7 medals (3 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze) – 3rd place.
- Star Performers –
- Rasmita Sahoo, Bidya Devi Oinam, Shruti Tanaji Chougule (Odisha, Jagatpur SAI).
- Dally Bishnoi, Shikha Chauhan, Pallavi Jagtab (Madhya Pradesh).
- Vishal Dangi (Uttarakhand).
- Olympic Link – All 24 gold medals (including 10 in rowing) were Olympic events; focus on Los Angeles Olympics 2028 qualification.
- The Khelo India Water Sports Festival – is an addition to the Khelo India calendar.
Exercise Samanvay Shakti
News- Army initiates Military-Civil Integration Exercise with Assam & Manipur.
- Event – Military-Civil Integration Exercise Samanvay Shakti 2025.
- Organiser – Indian Army with Assam & Manipur state officials.
- Inauguration – Held at Laipuli, Tinsukia district, Assam.
- Dates – 20–30 August 2025 (Assam & Manipur).
- Objective – Foster synergy between security forces, govt departments & civil institutions to tackle complex regional challenges.
- Trust Building – Strengthen bond between people of Upper Assam & Manipur and institutions.
- Participants – Indian Army, IAF, District Administration, Police, Intelligence Agencies, NDRF, SDRF, BRO & GREF, Railways, Medical officials, OIL India, IOCL, Coal India, educational institutions & local media.
120 KN engine
News- India Partners with France’s Safran to Build Jet Engines for Next-Gen Fighter Aircraft.
- Collaboration – India partners with France’s Safran to build fighter jet engines domestically.
- Project – Jointly design & manufacture a new 120 KN engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
- Target – AMCA project aimed for completion by 2035.
- French partner – Safran, a globally recognized aerospace engine manufacturer.
- Indian partners – DRDO and HAL, under the Ministry of Defence.
- Manufacturing – Engine production to begin in India with Safran.
- Additional Development – Safran setting up a new Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facility in Hyderabad for Rafale’s M88 engine.
INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri
News- stealth frigates INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri to join Indian Navy.
- Event – Indian Navy commissions two Project 17A stealth frigates.
- Ships – INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri.
- Commissioning – Simultaneous at Visakhapatnam.
- Builders –
- INS Udaygiri – Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL).
- INS Himgiri – Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
- Features –
- Enhanced stealth technology.
- Advanced weaponry.
- CODOG propulsion (Combined Diesel or Gas).
- Modern sensor systems for blue-water operations.
- Indigenous Content – Nearly 75%, designed by Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
- Deployment – Eastern Fleet, boosting India’s reach in the Indian Ocean.
Women’s Employment Rate
News- Women’s Employment Rate in India Nearly Doubles Since 2017-18.
- According to Ministry of Labour and Employment, Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24.
- Women Workforce Participation Rate (WPR) – Increased from 22% (2017–18) to 40.3% (2023–24).
- Unemployment Rate – Declined from 5.6% to 3.2% (2017–18 to 2023–24).
- Rural Female Employment – Increased by 96%.
- Urban Female Employment – Increased by 43%.
- Women’s Employability – 47.53% (2024) vs 42% (2013).
- Postgraduates & Above – Employment rate rose from 34.5% to 40% (2017–18 to 2023–24).
- India Skills Report 2025 – 55% graduates employable globally (vs 51.2% last year).
- EPFO Payroll – 1.56 crore women joined formal workforce in 7 years.
- e-Shram Portal – 16.69 crore women workers registered.
- Female Self-Employment – Share rose from 51.9% to 67.4% (2017–18 to 2023–24).
- Gender Budgeting – ₹0.85 lakh cr (2013–14) to ₹4.49 lakh cr (2025–26).
- Women-led MSMEs – Doubled to 1.92 cr, created 89 lakh new jobs (FY21–FY23).
MCQs
Q1. Where was the Khelo India Water Sports Festival (2025) held?
a) Dal Lake, Srinagar
b) Chilika Lake, Odisha
c) Vembanad Lake, Kerala
d) Tehri Lake, Uttarakhand
Q2. Exercise Samanvay Shakti 2025 was inaugurated in which district?
a) Dibrugarh
b) Laipuli, Tinsukia
c) Imphal East
d) Guwahati
Q3. India partnered with which company to build a 120 KN jet engine for AMCA?
a) Dassault Aviation
b) Safran
c) Rolls Royce
d) Boeing
Q4. INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri belong to which project?
a) Project 15A
b) Project 17A
c) Project 75I
d) Project 28
Q5. Women Workforce Participation Rate (WPR) increased from 22% (2017–18) to what in 2023–24?
a) 30%
b) 35.8%
c) 40.3%
d) 45%