- On May 13, 2025, India’s first geothermal production well in the Northeast region was drilled in Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh. Led by the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS), the project aims to develop sustainable geothermal energy solutions. The initiative, backed by the Arunachal Pradesh government and international experts, uses advanced geothermal technology.
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- The Himachal Pradesh government declared Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve as India’s largest conservation reserve on May 7, 2025, covering 1,585 sq km in Lahaul-Spiti. It serves as a high-density habitat for snow leopards, Tibetan wolves, and rare bird species.
- On May 14, 2025, Forbes released the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 list, featuring 94 Indians, the highest from any country. The list recognizes young entrepreneurs, leaders, and innovators across 10 categories, including AI, Finance, Retail & E-commerce, and Entertainment. Notable Indian honourees include Gukesh Dommaraju (Chess Grandmaster), Ananya Panday (Bollywood actress), and Ishaan Khatter (Actor).
- Haryana launched the AI-powered Water Resource Atlas 2025 on May 5, 2025, in Gurugram to tackle groundwater depletion. Developed by HWRA and HARSAC, it provides real-time insights into groundwater levels, surface water bodies, aquifers, and cropping patterns. The atlas uses satellite data, GPS surveys, and meteorological inputs to support water conservation and sustainable farming.
- Under Operation Olivia, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) protected over 6.98 lakh Olive Ridley turtles off the Odisha coast between November and May 2025. Mass nesting occurred at the Rushikulya river mouth, with rigorous patrolling, aerial surveillance, and community engagement ensuring safe hatchling migration.
- On May 14, 2025, TCS partnered with Mongolia’s Khan Bank to modernize its digital banking infrastructure using TCS BaNCS Global Banking Platform. This AI-powered solution will enhance trade finance, treasury, payments, loans, and risk analysis. Khan Bank, Mongolia’s largest commercial bank, serves 2.9 million customers across 548 branches.
- On May 19, 2025, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, amended Rule 8 of the SCRR, 1957, to promote ease of doing business for brokers. The revision allows brokers to invest in group companies using their own net worth or borrowed funds, ensuring liability remains limited to the investment.
- On May 13, 2025, IDBI Bank sold its entire 21.14% stake in PIPDIC to the Government of Puducherry for ₹18.83 crore. The transaction involved 8,54,000 equity shares with a face value of ₹100 each, making the government the sole owner of PIPDIC.
- On May 13, 2025, IndianOil UTT partnered with JioStar in a three-year broadcast deal to enhance table tennis viewership in India. Matches will be aired on Star Sports channels and streamed on JioHotstar in English, Hindi, and Tamil. The league features 48 players across eight franchises, including stars like Manika Batra and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.
- The Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) and Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE) signed an MoU on May 13, 2025, in Dehradun to enhance ground-based Space Situational Awareness (SSA). The collaboration integrates ARIES’ 3.6m Devasthal Optical Telescope with electro-optical surveillance systems for space object monitoring.
- On May 14, 2025, China launched 12 AI-powered satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre to build the world’s first space-based supercomputer. This marks the first phase of a 2,800-satellite constellation, enabling real-time orbital data processing. Each satellite performs 744 trillion operations per second, linked via ultra-fast laser communication at 100 gigabits per second. The constellation will achieve 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS), surpassing Earth’s most powerful supercomputers.
- On May 18, 2025, Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) won the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, Italy. He secured his second win of the season and fourth consecutive victory at Imola. The race featured a Virtual Safety Car (Lap 29) and a full Safety Car (Lap 46) before Verstappen’s flawless restart.
- The ICAR Annual Conference was held on May 20, 2025, at PUSA Campus, New Delhi, organized by ICAR. Its theme, “Convergence for Action: Shaping Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension for Viksit Bharat@2047”, focused on modernization. The aim was to strengthen research, education, and extension efforts to make Indian agriculture self-reliant and globally competitive.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the revamped OCI portal on May 19, 2025, in New Delhi. Developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), it enhances user experience, security, and accessibility. The portal streamlines application submission, document uploads, and status tracking for OCI cardholders.
- On May 19, 2025, Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy launched the Indira Soura Giri Jala Vikasam scheme in Macharam, Nagarkurnool district. The ₹12,600 crore initiative aims to empower 2.3 lakh tribal farmers by making 6.69 lakh acres cultivable with solar-powered irrigation. It provides 100% subsidy for irrigation facilities, including drip irrigation and horticulture plantation.
- International HR Day is celebrated annually on May 20 to honor HR professionals for their role in shaping workplaces. The 2025 theme, #HumanifyAI: Leading Change Together, focuses on AI-driven HR innovations while maintaining human values. Started by Lithuania and EAPM in 2016, it officially began global observance on May 20, 2019, with 80+ countries participating.
- International Museum Day is observed annually on May 18 to promote cultural exchange, education, and heritage conservation. The 2025 theme, “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities”, highlights adaptability amid social and technological shifts. Established by ICOM in 1977, it now involves 37,000 museums from 158 countries through exhibitions, tours, and workshops.
- World Fair Play Day is observed on May 19, 2025, promoting sportsmanship, integrity, and inclusion globally. The theme, “Fair Play for All: Building a Culture of Respect and Inclusion”, emphasizes honesty and fairness in sports. Declared by the UN General Assembly in 2024, it supports SDGs related to equality, peace, and community cohesion.
- World Bee Day is observed annually on May 20 to highlight the importance of bees and pollinators in biodiversity and food security. The 2025 theme, “Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all”, emphasizes sustainable agricultural practices and ecosystem health. Established by the UN in 2017, it supports over 75% of global food crops through pollination.
- The 8th Incorporation Day of Government e-Marketplace (GeM) was celebrated on May 19, 2025. GeM onboarded 10 lakh MSEs, 1.84 lakh women entrepreneurs, and 1.3 lakh artisans, promoting inclusive growth. It introduced India’s first Generative AI chatbot (GeMAI) and facilitated transactions worth ₹13.4 lakh crore since 2016. The theme for this day is “Innovating to Simplify, Empowering to Transform”.
- Renowned astrophysicist Dr. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar passed away on May 20, 2025, at 87, in Pune. He co-developed the Hoyle-Narlikar theory of gravity, offering an alternative to the Big Bang theory.
- Renowned nuclear scientist Dr. M.R. Srinivasan passed away on May 20, 2025, at 95, in Ooty, Tamil Nadu. He played a key role in developing India’s first nuclear research reactor, Apsara (1956), and the Madras Atomic Power Station (1967).
- Dr. Saroj Ghose, a Padma Bhushan (2007) and Padma Shri (1989) awardee, passed away on May 17, 2025, in Seattle, USA, at the age of 89. He was regarded as the “Father of India’s Science Museums” for pioneering the science museum movement in India.
Questions:
Q.1 Which state launched the AI-powered Water Resource Atlas 2025?a) Maharashtra
b) Karnataka
c) Punjab
d) Haryana
Answer: d) Haryana launched the AI-powered Water Resource Atlas 2025 on May 5, 2025, in Gurugram to address groundwater depletion.
Q.2 Where was India’s first geothermal production well in the Northeast region drilled?
a) Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
b) Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh
c) Aizawl, Mizoram
d) Kohima, Nagaland
a) Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
b) Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh
c) Aizawl, Mizoram
d) Kohima, Nagaland
Answer: b) On May 13, 2025, India’s first geothermal production well in the Northeast was drilled in Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh.
