1 Former England fast bowler James Anderson awarded knighthood
Former England fast bowler James Anderson has been awarded the title of knighthood which is part of the resignation honors list of former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak . Anderson is the only player to make it to the list. 42-year-old Anderson retired from Test cricket last year. He took 704 wickets. Anderson is England’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. Prime Minister’s Resignation Honors are such honors which are given on the orders of the outgoing Prime Minister of Britain after his resignation. In such a list, the Prime Minister can request the current monarch to confer peerage, knighthood, damehood or other awards to eminent people.
2 Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025 concludes with Distinguished Visitor’s Day at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
The 4th edition of the bilateral tri-service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) amphibious exercise Tiger Triumph 2025 between India and the United States was held on 11 Apr 25 at Kakinada The DV Day was attended by Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Naval Area (FOTNA), US Consul General, Commander US Naval Strike Group Five and Deputy General Officer Commanding 54 Infantry Division as well as other senior dignitaries.
3 Release of the first ever Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Baseline Report for FY 2022-23 gives a boost to evidence-based rural development
In April 2025 , the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the first-ever ‘ Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Baseline Report’ for Financial Year 2022-23 (FY23) towards localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This transformational tool evaluates the performance of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) across India using a comprehensive, evidence-based framework aligned with the SDG 2030 agenda . The PAI is a composite index developed to assess the performance of panchayats based on 9 themes of localized SDGs (LSDGs), including good governance, poverty-free and improved livelihoods, etc. The PAI data for 2022-23 shows that out of 2,55,699 Gram Panchayats, 2,16,285 submitted valid data and 699 (0.3%) Panchayats were leading. Out of the 699 Panchayats that have been ranked as leading, Gujarat has emerged as the leader with 346 Gram Panchayats , followed by Telangana with 270 leading Panchayats .
4 Global Justice, Love and Peace Summit begins at Expo City Dubai
The Global Justice, Love and Peace Summit kicked off at Expo City Dubai . The theme of the two-day summit is “ One Planet, One Voice: Global Justice, Love and Peace ”. The event is bringing together 12 Nobel Peace Prize winners, heads of state, policymakers, activists and cultural leaders to address the world’s biggest challenges. The first day of the summit included high-level discussions on topics such as mutual respect, love as a guiding principle for governance and environmental protection.
5 Apricot Flower Festival 2025 started with inauguration at Sanjak village of Kargil
Apricot Flower Festival 2025 started in Ladakh which is also known as Chuli Mendok . The event was organized by the Tourism Department, Kargil . Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of Kargil, Shrikant Suse said that such cultural programs help in promoting the rich heritage, hospitality and traditions of the region. He also assured that the administration is committed to improving the tourism infrastructure. During this, local artists, students and villagers participated in the colorful cultural program. The Apricot Flower Festival will continue till April 21, showcasing the natural beauty and traditional lifestyle of the region.
6 Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh launched India’s first high altitude atmospheric and climate research centre in Jammu and Kashmir
In April 2025, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge, IC), Dr. Jitendra Singh , Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T) inaugurated India’s first and the world’s second Himalayan high altitude atmospheric and climate research station at Nathatop , located at an altitude of 2,250 metres (m) in Mandalote village of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) . The centre will focus on climate forecasting, aerosol studies, cloud microphysics and weather pattern analysis in the northwestern Himalaya. The centre is in line with India’s net-zero commitments and strengthens its role in global climate science.
7 ADB revises India’s GDP growth forecast for FY26 to 6.7% amid USA tariff risks
In April 2025, Manila (Philippines)-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) released its latest ‘ Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025: Trade Uncertainty Challenges Resilience in Asia and the Pacific ‘. The report has revised India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for fiscal year 2025-26 (FY26) to 6.7% from its previous estimate of 7% . This growth forecast for FY26 is mainly driven by higher domestic demand, rising rural incomes, and easing inflation. The report has further projected that supported by favorable monetary and fiscal policies, India’s GDP will grow marginally by 10 basis points (bps) to 6.8% in FY27. According to the report, India’s inflation rate is projected to decline to 4.3% (FY26) and 4.0% (FY27) in the next two fiscal years. According to the report, economies in the developing Asia region are expected to grow at 4.9% in 2025, slightly slower than last year’s growth of 5.0%.
8 Maritime Engagement-AIKEYME-2025 multilateral exercise on maritime cooperation between India and African countries to begin in Tanzania
The Maritime Engagement-AIKEYME-2025 multilateral exercise on maritime cooperation between India and African countries will begin in Tanzania . This six-day exercise will run till April 18. Its aim is to develop solutions to the challenges of maritime security. This exercise will see the participation of Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa . Indian Naval ships INS Chennai, INS Kesari Landing Ship Tank and INS Sunayna will participate in this exercise.
9 Maharashtra government changed the name of Khuldabad to ‘Ratnapur’
In April 2025 , Sanjay Shirsat , Maharashtra ‘s Minister of Social Justice, announced plans to rename the town of Khuldabad, located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, to its historical name Ratnapur . The initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to restore the original names of places changed during the Mughal period. Apart from the renaming, the Maharashtra government plans to develop a memorial in Khuldabad to honor the history and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
10 ‘Tree friend’ Daripalli Ramaiah passes away
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep grief over the demise of Daripalli Ramaiah, who dedicated his life to greenery . It is worth noting that Daripalli Ramaiah was awarded the Padma Shri award in 2017. He was a resident of Khammam district of Telangana and planted more than 1 crore saplings in his life . These trees not only provide shade but also provide fruits to the people. Ramaiah was born on 1 July 1937 in Reddypally village (now Telangana). He worked for environmental protection for more than 50 years. He always kept seeds in his pocket so that whenever he saw empty land, he could plant trees there. He received many honors like – Seva Award (1995), Vanamitra Award (2005) and National Innovation Award for Traditional Knowledge (2015) . The Telangana government also supported him under the ‘ Harita Haram ‘ scheme, which aimed to increase the state’s green cover from 24% to 33%.
11 Choreographer Kumudini Lakhia passes away
Renowned Kathak dancer and choreographer Kumudini Lakhia died on Saturday. She was 95 years old. Lakhia was awarded the Padma Vibhushan this year in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Kathak. Born on May 17, 1930 in Ahmedabad , Lakhia also worked as a choreographer in the Hindi film Umrao Jaan (1981) among other films . For her contribution, Kumudini Lakhia was awarded the Padma Vibhushan , the country’s second highest civilian award, by the Government of India in the year 2024. This is in recognition of her lifetime contribution and innovations given to Indian dance. Earlier, she has been awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and the Padma Shri in 1987. Kumudini Lakhia founded the ‘ Kadamba Center for Dance ‘ in Ahmedabad in 1964 .
