Daily GK 19th August 2025

Daily Current Affairs 19th August 2025: Your guide for daily General Knowledge Preparation

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This post contains the daily current affairs 19th August 2025. It includes all National, International, Business & Sports related to Current Affairs 19th August 2025. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these Current Affairs, we would recommend you to try 19th August, 2025 Current affairs test.

BUSINESS News

Udyam Sakhi Portal – Boosting Women Entrepreneurship

• The Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) has launched the Udyam Sakhi Portal to empower women entrepreneurs.
• The portal helps women establish, expand, and sustain their businesses, aiming to make them self-reliant.
• It provides detailed information on government schemes and financial programs such as PMEGP, CGTMSE, MUDRA, and TReDS, along with policies tailored to support women-led businesses.

SEBI’s Proposal to Define Algorithmic and Proprietary Trading

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has suggested incorporating formal definitions of “algorithmic trading” and “proprietary trading” into stock broker regulations.
• Currently, broker-related rules lack specific definitions for these forms of trading.
• Algorithmic trading would be defined as orders generated or executed using automated logic.
• Notably, in July 2025, SEBI temporarily barred US-based firm Jane Street from the market for alleged manipulation of stock indices.
• SEBI also plans to permit stock brokers access to the Negotiated Dealing System-Order Matching (NDS-OM) platform, currently limited to banks and primary dealers for government securities.
• Additionally, SEBI seeks to define Execution Only Platform (EOP) as digital/online platforms that enable direct mutual fund plan transactions like subscriptions and redemptions.
• Another proposal is to remove the definition of “small investors” based on the limit of ₹50,000 worth of trades in a single day.

HDFC ERGO & PhonePe Launch Low-Cost Health Insurance

• HDFC ERGO General Insurance has partnered with PhonePe to roll out an affordable health insurance policy.
• The scheme primarily targets the ‘missing middle’, individuals generally excluded from health insurance coverage.
• Premiums start from just ₹12 per day (around ₹4,380 annually) for coverage worth ₹3 lakh.
• Customers can instantly buy the policy directly via the PhonePe app.

Indian Overseas Bank & Mumbai Metro One Partnership

• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has collaborated with Mumbai Metro One Private Limited to provide modernized ticketing services.
• The initiative covers smart cards for frequent commuters, paper tickets, and QR-based ticketing solutions.
• This partnership enhances commuter convenience and encourages digital payments in public transportation.
• The Mumbai Metro Line 1 serves the Varsova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor.

NATIONAL NEWS

Uttarakhand Approves Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025

• On 17 August 2025, the Uttarakhand Cabinet cleared the Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, the first such legislation in the state.
• The Bill will be tabled in the Assembly session beginning 19 August 2025.
• Its goal is to extend benefits earlier restricted to Muslim institutions to other minority-run institutions such as Sikh, Jain, Christian, Buddhist, and Parsi schools/colleges.

National Anubhav Awards 2025 – A Decade of Recognition

• The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) started the ‘Anubhav’ portal in 2015 to preserve India’s administrative history through memoirs of retired government employees.
• To boost participation, the National Anubhav Awards were instituted the same year.
• Eligibility: Employees due to retire within 8 months or those retired within the last 3 years can submit their experiences on the portal.
• These write-ups are evaluated by DoPPW, with recognition given through 05 Anubhav Awards or 10 Anubhav Jury Awards.

APPOINTMENTS

Ajay Kumar Bhalla Gets Additional Charge as Nagaland Governor

• Following the demise of L. Ganesan on 15 August 2025, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Governor of Manipur, has been assigned additional responsibility as Governor of Nagaland.
• The appointment was announced by the President of India on 16 August 2025.
• Bhalla, a retired IAS officer and former Union Home Secretary, became Manipur’s Governor in 2024.
• Such additional appointments are a standard constitutional practice to avoid governance gaps.

1. P. Radhakrishnan Nominated as NDA’s Vice Presidential Candidate

• The BJP-led NDA has nominated C. P. Radhakrishnan, the Governor of Maharashtra, as its candidate for the Vice Presidential election on 9 September 2025.
• A former Tamil Nadu BJP chief and long-time RSS member, he is the 24th Governor of Maharashtra since July 31, 2024.
• Earlier, he served as Governor of Jharkhand (Feb 2023 – July 2024) and also held interim charges as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry (March – July 2024).
• The Vice Presidential post became vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on 21 July 2025 due to health reasons.

Madhuri Dixit Appointed Odisha Handloom Brand Ambassador

• The Odisha government has chosen Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit as brand ambassador for its handloom sector.
• The announcement was made by CM Mohan Charan Majhi during the inauguration of EKTA (Exhibition-cum-Knowledge Sharing for Textile Advantage), aimed at promoting handloom products.
• The program coincided with the 11th National Handloom Day celebration in Odisha.
• EKTA supports artisans by improving market access, financial support, and training.
• During the Odisha Textile Conclave, 33 MoUs worth ₹7,808 crore were signed, creating potential for 53,300 new jobs in textiles.

DEFENCE NEWS

China Delivers Third Hangor-Class Submarine to Pakistan

• China has handed over the third of eight advanced Hangor-class submarines to Pakistan, enhancing Pakistan’s naval capability in the Indian Ocean.
• The delivery ceremony was held in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.
• Earlier, the second submarine was delivered in March 2025.
• These submarines are modeled on China’s Type 039B Yuan-class diesel-electric attack submarines.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India’s Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)

• Launched on 7 September 2021 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the mission focuses on exploring and sustainably utilizing oceanic resources.
• It involves a ₹4,077 crore investment over five years.
• The DOM is aligned with India’s Blue Economy vision, which covers fishing, shipping, tourism, and marine industries.
• This initiative also coincides with the UN’s 2021–2030 Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
• With a 7,517 km coastline and vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), India holds a strong advantage in marine exploration.

Russia’s Upcoming Venera-D Venus Mission

• Russia is preparing to launch the Venera-D interplanetary mission for in-depth study of Venus.
• The mission is scheduled for launch before 2036, as part of Russia’s updated national space program.
• Preliminary design work will commence in January 2026.

RANKINGS & INDEXES

Hurun India Most Valuable Family Businesses 2025

• The Ambani family has retained the top position in the 2025 Barclays Private Clients Hurun India Family Businesses list.
• Their flagship, Reliance Industries, led by Mukesh Ambani, has a valuation of ₹28.2 lakh crore, nearly one-twelfth of India’s GDP.
• The Birla family, with Aditya Birla Group valued at ₹6.47 lakh crore, ranked second, marking an increase of ₹1.1 lakh crore in 2025.
• At third place, the Jindal family led by Sajjan Jindal recorded ₹5.70 lakh crore in valuation, fueled by mining and metals growth.

Top 10 Family Businesses (2025):

1. Ambani – Reliance Industries – ₹28,23,100 crore – Mukesh Ambani – Energy
2. Birla – Aditya Birla Group – ₹6,47,700 crore – Kumar Mangalam Birla – Cement
3. Jindal – JSW Steel – ₹5,70,900 crore – Sajjan Jindal – Metals
4. Bajaj – Bajaj Group – ₹5,64,200 crore – Sanjiv Bajaj – Financial Services
5. Mahindra – M&M – ₹5,43,800 crore – Anand Mahindra – Automobiles
6. Nadar – HCL Technologies – ₹4,68,900 crore – Roshni Nadar Malhotra – IT Services
7. Murugappa – Cholamandalam Finance – ₹2,92,400 crore – Vellayan Subbiah – Finance
8. Premji – Wipro – ₹2,78,600 crore – Rishad Premji – IT Services
9. Anil Agarwal – Hindustan Zinc – ₹2,55,000 crore – Anil Agarwal – Metals
10. Dani-Choksi-Vakil – Asian Paints – ₹2,20,900 crore – R. Seshasayee – Chemicals

SPORTS NEWS

India to Host Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy 2025

• India will host the Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy 2025 for the first time.
• The event, the nation’s largest-ever international winter sports competition, will run from 20 to 23 August 2025.
• Venue: Maharana Pratap Sports College, Raipur, Dehradun.

OBITUARIES

Passing of Australian Cricket Great Bob Simpson

• Bob Simpson, renowned Australian cricketer, captain, and coach, passed away at the age of 89.
• His playing career included 62 Tests and 2 ODIs (1957–1978).
• As coach (1986–1996), he guided Australia to major victories:
  • 1987 World Cup win
  • Four Ashes triumphs
  • 1995 Frank Worrell Trophy win against West Indies (ending a 17-year drought)
• He is one of only seven Australians to score a triple-century in Test cricket.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Photography Day 2025 – August 19

• Celebrated annually on 19 August, the day honors the art, craft, science, and history of photography.
• The 2025 theme is “MY FAVORITE PHOTO”.
• First celebrated in 2010, the day encourages global participation.
• On World Photography Day, nearly 270 photographers shared their works in a global gallery.