Daily Current Affairs 1st August 2025, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

State News

This State Govt Lifts Ban on Heritage Sports

• The Punjab government, under CM Bhagwant Mann, has lifted the 28-year-old ban on heritage sports like bullock cart races, dog races, horse races, and pigeon racing.
• The move aims to revive Punjab’s cultural heritage while ensuring animal welfare through strict monitoring.
• With this decision, traditional games once banned in 1997 are set to return, giving the youth a cultural connection and celebrating the true spirit of Punjab’s traditions.

Banking News

Personal Loans, Agriculture, and Industry Hit Hard — What RBI’s Data Reveals

• India’s bank credit growth slowed to 10.2% in June 2025, falling from 13.8% in June 2024, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The decline was seen across all major sectors — agriculture, industry, services, and personal loans.
• Agriculture credit fell sharply to 6.8%, industry slowed to 5.5%, services dropped to 9.6%, and personal loan growth moderated to 14.7%.
• The slowdown reflects weaker credit demand amid cautious borrowing and sectoral challenges.

Appointments News

Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh to Take Charge as the Next Vice Chief of Army Staff

• Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh, a decorated officer with more than 35 years of service, will assume the post of Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) on August 1, 2025, succeeding Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani.
• An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned into the 4 Para (Special Forces) in 1987 and has participated in key operations such as Operation Pawan, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Rakshak, and Operation Orchid.
• He also has rich international combat experience, having served in United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in Lebanon and Sri Lanka.

Commodore Varghese Mathew Takes Charge as Naval Officer-in-Charge, Kerala

• In a ceremonial handover at Kochi, Commodore Varghese Mathew assumed charge as the new Naval Officer-in-Charge (Kerala), succeeding Commodore Jose Vikas.
• With nearly 30 years of naval service and expertise in Gunnery and Missile Warfare, Commodore Mathew brings rich experience and strategic vision.
• His appointment is expected to strengthen the Southern Naval Command, headquartered at INS Venduruthy, enhancing training, operational readiness, and maritime security in the strategically vital coastal state of Kerala.

Telangana High Court Strengthens Bench with Four New Appointments

• The Telangana High Court, on July 31, 2025, welcomed four new Additional Judges — Gouse Meera Mohiuddin, Chalapathi Rao Suddala, Gadi Praveen Kumar, and Vakiti Ramakrishna Reddy — sworn in by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, raising the working strength to 30 judges.
• The appointments, recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium and approved by the Centre, aim to address the issue of judicial vacancies and improve the pace of justice in the state.
• However, with 12 vacancies still unfilled, experts call for more appointments to ease the growing case burden.

Meet the Spiritual Policeman Who Takes Charge as Delhi Police Chief

• SBK Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer from the AGMUT cadre, has taken charge as the new Commissioner of Delhi Police.
• An alumnus of St Stephen’s College with over 36 years of service, Singh has handled several high-profile cases including the Uphaar fire tragedy and the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal, and spearheaded projects like the Safe City initiative and ‘Lost Report’ app.
• His appointment marks a return to cadre-based leadership, ending the trend of outsiders heading Delhi Police since 2022.
• With his retirement due in January 2026, Singh’s leadership is expected to focus on technology-driven policing, citizen engagement, and law and order stability.

Meet The New Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

• Dr. A Rajarajan, a veteran scientist and composites expert, has been appointed as the new Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, starting August 1, 2025.
• He succeeds Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair and brings with him nearly 40 years of experience, having earlier led the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR.
• Known as a key force behind Vikram-S, India’s first private rocket, Dr. Rajarajan has played a pivotal role in Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1, and Gaganyaan missions while also promoting private participation in India’s space sector.
• His leadership at VSSC is expected to strengthen ISRO’s future missions and India’s space ambitions.

Defense News

“Colachel 1741: How Travancore Became the Only Asian Power to Defeat the Dutch”

• The Indian Army’s Madras Regiment commemorated the 284th anniversary of the 1741 Battle of Colachel, where King Marthanda Varma of Travancore achieved a landmark victory against the Dutch East India Company.
• The ceremony, held at the Colachel War Memorial in Kanyakumari, paid homage to one of the earliest Indian victories over European colonial forces.
• The event highlighted the battle’s unique blend of land and naval warfare, making Travancore the only Asian power to defeat a major European sea power in both domains.

Schemes News

Cabinet Enhances Budgetary Allocation for PMKSY to ₹6,520 Crore

• The Union Cabinet has enhanced the budget for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) to ₹6,520 crore, up by ₹1,920 crore, to strengthen India’s food processing sector.
• The funds will be used to set up 50 multi-product food irradiation units and 100 NABL-accredited food testing labs, aiming to reduce post-harvest losses, ensure food safety, and boost processed food exports.
• With exports already doubling to USD 11 billion, the move marks a key step towards making India a global leader in processed foods.

Important Days News

World Breastfeeding Week 2025: Supporting Healthy Beginnings for All

• World Breastfeeding Week 2025, celebrated from August 1 to 7, emphasizes the theme “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.”
• It highlights the need for long‑term policies, workplace support, healthcare guidance, and public acceptance to make breastfeeding easier and more accessible.
• With proven benefits for both mothers and infants, the campaign urges governments, communities, and families to work together so that breastfeeding becomes a normal and supported practice worldwide.

National Mountain Climbing Day 2025: Why This Day Inspires Adventure and Health

• National Mountain Climbing Day, observed on August 1, celebrates the adventurous feat of Bobby Mathews and Josh Madigan, who conquered the 46th peak of the Adirondacks in 2015.
• The day emphasizes the physical, mental, and environmental benefits of mountain climbing, while also recalling the inspiring journeys of Indian climbers like Avatar Singh Cheema and Bachendri Pal.
• It reminds us that mountains are not just natural wonders but vital providers of freshwater, climate balance, and biodiversity.

World Lung Cancer Day 2025: United for Awareness, Prevention, and Early Detection

• World Lung Cancer Day 2025, observed on August 1, reminds the world of the urgent need for awareness, prevention, and early detection of one of the deadliest cancers.
• With causes ranging from smoking and pollution to genetic risks and occupational hazards, lung cancer affects both smokers and non-smokers alike.
• Through advances in diagnosis, targeted treatments, and immunotherapy, more lives can be saved—but only if awareness is spread and early action is taken.

World Wide Web Day 2025 (August 1): Theme, Celebration, Activities & More

• World Wide Web Day 2025, observed on August 1, celebrates the transformative power of the World Wide Web while addressing challenges like the digital divide, cyber threats, and privacy concerns.
• With the theme “Empowering the Future: Building an Inclusive, Safe, and Open Web,” the day focuses on digital inclusion, ethical AI use, and universal access.
• Workshops, hackathons, and awareness campaigns mark the occasion, making it not just a celebration but a call for action towards a secure and equitable digital future.

Obituaries News

Veteran Actor KPAC Rajendran Passes Away at 74

• KPAC Rajendran, veteran theatre artist and television actor, passed away at the age of 74 in Alappuzha on July 31, 2025.
• Best known for his role in “Ningalenne Communistakki” and his portrayal of Padavalam Kuttanpillai in the serial Uppum Mulakum, he was a towering figure of Malayalam theatre and KPAC.
• Leaders and admirers, including Binoy Viswam, paid tribute to his unwavering passion for art, theatre, and social commitment, marking the end of an era in Kerala’s cultural history.

Renowned Economist and Author Meghnad Desai Passes Away at 85

• Lord Meghnad Desai (1940–2025), a renowned Indian-born British economist, author, and House of Lords peer, has passed away at 85.
• A professor emeritus at LSE, recipient of the Padma Bhushan (2008), and founder of the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust, Desai made invaluable contributions to academia, politics, and India-UK relations.
• His works, including The Poverty of Political Economy (2022), continue to influence global discourse.

Double Olympic Champion Laura Dahlmeier Dies in Mountaineering Accident in Pakistan

• Laura Dahlmeier, Germany’s two-time Olympic champion and seven-time world champion in biathlon, died at the age of 31 in a mountaineering accident on Laila Peak in Pakistan.
• Despite an urgent rescue attempt, her life could not be saved due to the remote location. Dahlmeier, who made history at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, had retired from biathlon in 2019 to pursue mountaineering.
• Her death is a huge loss for the Olympic movement and the global sporting community.

Current Affairs Today | 1 August Current Affairs 2025 | Daily Current Affairs By Ashish Gautam