IMPORTANT DAYS

World Wildlife Day 2025 celebrated on March 3.

• World Wildlife Day is celebrated annually on March 3 to promote awareness about the protection of wildlife.

• The 2025 theme is “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.”

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated March 3 as World Wildlife Day in 2013.

• On March 3, 1973, the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) was signed to regulate global wildlife trade and prevent species extinction.

• CITES is a global agreement ensuring that wildlife trade does not threaten species survival.

• India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is responsible for tackling wildlife-related crimes.

• It also aids customs authorities in enforcing the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 during inspections.

LEGAL NEWS

Delimitation Concerns in India: Southern States Raise Alarm

• The delimitation issue has resurfaced, sparking concerns among southern states about parliamentary seat distribution.

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that no southern state would lose seats, addressing fears of population growth disparities between North and South.

• Delimitation is the process of redrawing constituency boundaries based on population shifts to ensure fair representation.

• It upholds the democratic principle of "one citizen, one vote, one value."

• The last significant delimitation was carried out in 2001, following a freeze on seat numbers imposed by the 42nd Amendment until that year.

• India has conducted delimitation three times, based on the 1951, 1961, and 1971 censuses. In 1976, seat numbers were frozen to encourage family planning in high-growth states without affecting representation.

• Article 82 of Indian Constitution mandates that Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.

• Article 170 of Indian Constitution states that state legislative assembly constituencies are determined based on this Act.

• Southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu and Kerala, fear reduced representation due to slower population growth, leading to concerns that their political influence may weaken.

NATIONAL NEWS

Swavalambini Initiative Launched to Boost Women Entrepreneurship

• The Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with NITI Aayog, launched the Swavalambini initiative to promote women entrepreneurship.

• Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary unveiled the initiative on March 1, 2025, at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

• The initiative was simultaneously launched virtually at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the University of Hyderabad, and Maulana Azad National Urdu University.

• Initially introduced in higher educational institutions in Eastern India, it was successfully launched at IIT Bhubaneswar, Utkal University, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Kiang Nangbah Government College, and Ri Bhoi College.

• The program is gradually expanding to other parts of the country.

• Swavalambini is implemented by the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) under MSDE, in partnership with NITI Aayog.

SPORTS

Vidarbha Clinches Third Ranji Trophy Title

• Vidarbha secured their third Ranji Trophy title by defeating Kerala in the final held in Nagpur.

• They gained the title by securing a crucial first-innings lead, scoring 379, while Kerala managed 342.

• Vidarbha's first Ranji Trophy win came in the 2017-18 season.

• Dominating the league stage, they won six out of seven matches, earning 40 points to top all four groups.

• In the semifinal, they registered a solid 80-run victory over Mumbai.

• The Ranji Trophy, India’s premier first-class domestic cricket tournament, was established by the BCCI in honour of K.S. Ranjit Singhji in 1934-35 season and was originally known as the Cricket Championship of India.

• Mumbai (Bombay) holds the record for the most Ranji titles (42), followed by Karnataka (8), Delhi (7), and Baroda (6).

• Mumbai was the defending champion, having won the 2023-24 season.

Rithvik Bollipalli Clinches ATP Doubles Title in Chile

• Indian tennis player Rithvik Bollipalli, alongside Colombia’s Nicolas Barrientos, secured the ATP doubles title in Santiago, Chile.

• The duo triumphed over top seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni of Argentina with a 6-3, 6-2 victory.

• Bollipalli, ranked 74th in the world, now holds 14 career doubles titles at just 24 years old.

• In 2024, he claimed four doubles titles.

• The winning pair earned 250 ATP points and a prize of $35,980, while the runner-up team received 150 points and $19,330.

• In the singles category, Serbia’s Laslo Djere captured the Chile Open (ATP 250) title, defeating Argentina’s Sebastian Báez in the final.

• The 2025 Chile Open marked the 27th edition of the tournament, held from February 24 to March 2, 2025.

• It was part of the ATP 250 series on the 2025 ATP Tour.

AWARDS

Historic Breakthrough for Kannada Literature at the International Booker Prize

Historic Breakthrough for Kannada Literature at the International Booker Prize

• The accolade marks a landmark achievement for Kannada literature, as the prize celebrates works translated into English.

• Banu Mushtaq is also recognized for her strong advocacy for the rights of Dalit and Muslim women, earning prestigious awards like the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Dana Chintamani Atimbhe.

• The English version of "Heart Lamp" is translated by Deepa Bhasthi, a writer and literary translator based in Kodagu.

• The collection has already been rendered into Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.

• This year’s longlist, curated by a panel headed by Booker Prize-winning author Max Porter, features 13 titles, including 11 novels and two short story collections.

• In a related milestone, veteran Kannada writer UR Anantha Murthy was nominated for the inaugural Man Booker International Prize in 2013.

The Oscars Awards 2025

• The 97th Academy Awards 2025 “Oscars” were held on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, honouring last year’s cinematic achievements across various disciplines.

• Nominations were unveiled on January 23, 2025, by Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

• The film Anora, which narrates the story of a sex worker marrying a wealthy client, won Best Picture.

• Baker received the Best Director award for Anora, while Mickey Madison clinched Best Actress, marking her first Oscar win.

• Baker’s notable filmography also includes Tangerine, The Florida Project, and Red Rocket.

• Adrien Brody secured his second Academy Award by winning Best Actor for his role as Laszlo Toth in The Brutalist (he previously won for The Pianist).

• Zoe Saldana earned Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Emilia Perez, and Kieran Culkin took home Best Supporting Actor for his role in A Real Pain.

BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCE

India's Economic Growth Path to Viksit Bharat

• A recent World Bank report, The India Country Economic Memorandum: Becoming a High-Income Economy in a Generation (released on 28 February 2025), indicates that India must achieve a 7.8% annual growth rate to reach developed country status by 2047.

• The report classifies India as a low-middle-income nation, while noting that China has attained high-middle-income status.

• In 2023, India's GDP per capita was recorded at $2,480.

• To transition to an upper-middle-income economy—or Viksit Bharat—India's per capita income needs to rise to at least $4,516.

APPOINTMENTS

Ajay Seth Assumes Additional Role as Revenue Secretary

• Ajay Seth, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Secretary, has been given additional charge as Revenue Secretary on March 1, 2025.

• His appointment comes after Tuhin Kanta Pandey was named the new SEBI Chairperson.

• He will continue in this role until a permanent appointment is made or further orders are issued.

• Seth, a 1987 batch IAS officer from the Karnataka cadre, has been serving as DEA Secretary since 2021.

• Tuhin Kanta Pandey officially took over as SEBI Chairman on March 1, 2025, at the regulator’s Mumbai headquarters.

DEFENCE

IAF Conducts ‘Exercise Desert Hunt 2025’ in Jodhpur

• Exercise Desert Hunt 2025 was conducted by the Indian Air Force at Air Force Station Jodhpur from February 24 to 28, 2025.

• It is a Tri-Service Special Forces exercise, involving elite units from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

• Para (Special Forces) of the Army, MARCOS (Marine Commandos) of the Navy, and Garud Commandos of the Air Force participated in the drill.

• The exercise aimed to enhance coordination, interoperability, and synergy among the three forces.

• Key operations included airborne insertion, precision strikes, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism drills, combat free fall, and urban warfare scenarios.