Rishikanta Singh Bags India's First Silver Medal At CWG 2026 In Men's 60Kg Weightlifting
Rishikanta Singh Chanambam secured India's first silver medal of the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. He set the Games record with a stunning 121kg lift in his snatch attempt and followed it up with a 143kg clean and jerk attempt to finish with 264kg in total.

🔆 CURRENT AFFAIRS – 25 JULY 2026

🔆 INTERNATIONAL

📍 Rome Declaration for an Unarmed and Disarming Peace
✅ Formally titled “Humanity at the Threshold: A Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Weapons”
✅ Calls for an international treaty banning autonomous AI systems from accessing nuclear launch systems
✅ Adopted at the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly held in Rome, Italy
✅ Inspired by Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas
✅ Guiding principles include Responsible AI, Nuclear Disarmament, Responsible Governance, Responsible Leadership and Preventing an AI Arms Race

📍 BRICS Science Academies Forum Meeting 2026
✅ Held at IIT Hyderabad
✅ Theme: “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development and Strengthening Global South Cooperation”
✅ Focused on Collective, Collaborative and Context-sensitive (3Cs) approaches to AI
✅ Priority areas include Healthcare, Climate Change, Agriculture, Disaster Management and Advanced Manufacturing

📍 President of India Visits Romania
✅ Marks the first Presidential visit to Romania in over three decades
✅ Capital: Bucharest
✅ Bordered by Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria
✅ Lies along the Black Sea
✅ Member of NATO

📍 3rd BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction
✅ Hosted by India in New Delhi
✅ Organised by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs
✅ Theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”
✅ BRICS members adopted the BRICS Joint Statement on Disaster Risk Reduction
✅ Reaffirmed implementation of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction Work Plan (2025–2028)
✅ Focus on climate-smart infrastructure, innovative financing, emerging technologies and cross-border cooperation

📍 WHO Releases Global Road Safety Data
✅ Global road traffic deaths declined by 21% between 2011 and 2025
✅ Around 1.16 million people still die annually in road crashes
✅ Motorcyclists account for nearly one-third of global road deaths
✅ UN adopted a declaration to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030
✅ WHO estimates road crashes cost countries nearly 3% of GDP

🔆 ECONOMY

📍 Index of Core Industries (ICI) Revised
✅ Base Year revised to 2022–23 from 2011–12
✅ Released monthly by the Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce & Industry
✅ Iron Ore added as the 9th core sector
✅ Electricity now has the highest weight (30.932%)
✅ Combined weight of ICI in Index of Industrial Production (IIP) revised to 32.88%

📍 Banks’ Credit-Deposit Ratio Reaches 62-Year High
✅ Credit-Deposit (CD) Ratio reached 82.6% in Q1 FY2027
✅ Reported by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE)
✅ Indicates loan growth is outpacing deposit growth
✅ Higher bank capital has strengthened lending capacity

🔆 AGRICULTURE

📍 India’s Cotton – ‘White Gold’
✅ India is the only country cultivating all four recognised cotton species
✅ Ranks 1st globally in acreage and 2nd in production and consumption
✅ Cotton production estimated at 290.91 lakh bales (2025–26)
✅ Domestic consumption reached 328 lakh bales
✅ Mission for Cotton Productivity targets 498 lakh bales by 2031
✅ Minimum Support Price (MSP) continues to support cotton farmers

🔆 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

📍 Virtual Magnet Technology
✅ Developed by Vimag Labs, Bengaluru
✅ Replaces rare-earth permanent magnets in EV motors with copper coils and software-controlled magnetic fields
✅ Uses Virtual Magnet Synchronous Motor (VMSM) technology
✅ Eliminates dependence on rare-earth elements
✅ Challenges include higher energy losses, copper heating and reduced high-speed performance

📍 Maglev Trains
✅ High-speed trains operating through magnetic levitation
✅ Uses Electromagnetic Suspension (EMS) or Electrodynamic Suspension (EDS)
✅ Eliminates wheel-track contact, reducing friction and wear
✅ Achieves speeds of around 431 km/h
✅ Commercial operations currently limited to China, Japan and South Korea
✅ Major limitation is the high cost of dedicated guideway infrastructure

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25th July UPSC current affairs

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25th July editorial summary

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Q. Mobilizing capital at scale, rather than the mere availability of financial instruments, remains the primary hurdle for India’s climate adaptation and mitigation targets. Evaluate the statement in the context of recent RBI initiatives and the need for a comprehensive Climate Finance Taxonomy.

🔆 Virtual Magnet Technology (VMSM)

📍 Why in News?
✅ Bengaluru-based startup Vimag Labs has developed Virtual Magnet Technology, claiming to eliminate the need for rare-earth elements in Electric Vehicle (EV) motors.

📍 What is Virtual Magnet Technology?
✅ Uses a Virtual Magnet Synchronous Motor (VMSM) instead of the conventional Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM).
✅ Replaces physical rare-earth permanent magnets (e.g., Neodymium) with copper coils.
✅ Creates a software-controlled magnetic field using power electronics and advanced algorithms.
✅ Features a brushless, slip-ring-free design built using steel and copper.

📍 How It Works
✅ Copper coils are continuously energized and regulated to dynamically generate a magnetic field.
✅ Real-time software control simulates the function of permanent magnets, eliminating dependence on rare-earth materials.

📍 Advantages
✅ Reduces dependence on rare-earth elements, improving supply-chain resilience.
✅ Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat by reducing import dependence.
✅ Uses widely available materials such as steel and copper.
✅ Potentially lowers geopolitical risks linked to rare-earth supply.

📍 Challenges
✅ Continuous current supply to copper coils causes core resistance losses and copper heating.
✅ Switching losses in power electronics reduce overall efficiency.
✅ Lower starting torque compared to permanent magnet motors.
✅ Constraints on achieving high speeds and peak EV performance due to electromagnet-based design.

📍 Prelims Pointer
✅ PMSM (Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor): Uses rare-earth permanent magnets embedded in the rotor.
✅ VMSM (Virtual Magnet Synchronous Motor): Uses software-controlled electromagnets (copper coils) to generate the magnetic field without rare-earth magnets.

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𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐮 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬:

🥇 Gold 2026
🥇 Gold 2022
🥇 Gold 2018
🥈 Silver 2014

The Queen of the CWG 👑

Task Force Leadership and Members

Chairman: Nandan Nilekani (Infosys Co-founder and former UIDAI Chairman)

S Somanath (Former Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation - ISRO)

Tapan Deka (Former Director, Intelligence Bureau)

V Kamakoti (Director, IIT Madras)

Anita Karwal (Former Higher Education Secretary)

Amrit Lal Meena (Logistics expert and senior bureaucrat)

🔆 Journey of the Tiranga (India’s National Flag)

📍 Why in News?
✅ 22 July 1947 marks the day when the Constituent Assembly adopted the design of India’s National Flag, which came into effect on 15 August 1947.

📍 Evolution of the National Flag
✅ 1904: Sister Nivedita designed an early flag featuring yellow & red colours, a Vajra, and a white lotus.

✅ 1906: Sachindra Prasad Bose & Hemchandra Kanungo hoisted the first tricolour at Parsee Bagan Square, Calcutta, bearing eight lotuses, “Vande Mataram”, the Sun and Crescent Moon.

✅ 1907: Madam Bhikaji Cama unfurled the Saptarishi Flag at the International Socialist Congress, Stuttgart (Germany)—the first Indian flag hoisted on foreign soil.

✅ 1917: Annie Besant & Bal Gangadhar Tilak introduced the Home Rule Flag with red & green stripes, Union Jack, seven stars, and a crescent with a star.

✅ 1921: Pingali Venkayya presented a flag to Mahatma Gandhi at Bezwada (Vijayawada). Gandhi suggested adding the white band and the Charkha.

✅ 1931: The Indian National Congress adopted the saffron-white-green tricolour with the Charkha, considered the precursor to the present National Flag.

📍 Adoption of the Present Tiranga
✅ June 1947: An Ad Hoc Committee recommended retaining the 1931 tricolour while replacing the Charkha with the Ashoka Chakra.
✅ 22 July 1947: Constituent Assembly formally adopted the National Flag.
✅ 15 August 1947: The Tiranga became the National Flag of Independent India.
✅ Ashoka Chakra was adopted from the Dharma Chakra on the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath.

📍 Symbolism
✅ Saffron: Courage, sacrifice & selflessness.
✅ White: Peace, truth & integrity.
✅ Green: Prosperity, growth & harmony with nature.
✅ Ashoka Chakra (24 spokes): Dharma, justice, ethical governance, rule of law, and continuous progress.

📍 Constitutional & Legal Framework
✅ Article 51A(a): Makes it a Fundamental Duty to respect the National Flag.
✅ Governed by:
• Flag Code of India, 2002
• Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950
• Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971

📍 Specifications
✅ Length : Height = 3 : 2
✅ Three equal horizontal bands.
✅ Ashoka Chakra with 24 equally spaced navy-blue spokes.
✅ Originally only hand-spun & handwoven khadi.
✅ 2022 Amendment: Permitted machine-made flags and flags made of polyester, cotton, wool, silk, bunting, besides khadi.

📍 Display of the National Flag
✅ Governed by the Flag Code of India, 2002.
✅ 2022 Amendment: National Flag may be flown day and night.
✅ Must always be displayed with dignity and honour.

📍 Do’s & Don’ts
✅ Must not touch the ground or water.
✅ Must not be used as drapery, decoration, or for commercial purposes.
✅ When displayed with other flags, it must occupy the position of honour.
✅ Damaged or soiled flags must be disposed of respectfully.
✅ Disrespect to the National Flag is punishable under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

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India's Raja Muthupandi won the silver medal in men's 65kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Monday. He lifted 126kg in snatch and then followed it up with 160kg in clean and jerk to take his total to 286kg.

26th July editorial summary

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Reclaiming footpaths

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Chandipura Virus

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UPPSC 2026 last Date Extend.. New last date is 3/Aug/2026

Khelo India athlete Gyaneshwari Yadav clinched the Silver Medal 🥈in Weightlifting women's 53 kg with a personal best total lift of 199 kg (88 kg Snatch + 111 kg Clean & Jerk).

Her 199 kg total and 111 kg Clean & Jerk are both personal best performances.

🔆 Lingaraja Temple Architecture

📍 About
✅ Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar (Odisha), is one of the finest examples of Kalinga Architecture, a sub-school of the Nagara style.
✅ Built in the Deula style, it reflects exceptional craftsmanship, engineering, and religious significance.

📍 Deula Style (Kalinga Architecture)
✅ Vimana (Garbhagriha): Sanctum housing Lord Shiva, rising to 55 m (180 ft).

✅ Jagamohana: Assembly hall for devotees, located in front of the sanctum.

✅ Nata Mandira: Festival hall used for dance, music, and cultural rituals.

✅ Bhoga Mandapa: Hall where offerings (Bhoga) are prepared and presented.

📍 Architectural Features
✅ Constructed mainly using sandstone and laterite.

✅ Surrounded by a massive boundary wall measuring 520 ft × 465 ft, with a thickness of 7.5 ft.

✅ Features a grand sandalwood entrance gate.

✅ The Shikhara and temple walls are richly decorated with mythological carvings, divine iconography, and floral motifs.

✅ Sculptures include graceful female figures in various postures, reflecting the artistic excellence of Kalinga sculptors.

📍 Engineering Significance
✅ Demonstrates advanced stone construction techniques, with massive stone blocks placed without modern machinery.

✅ The temple has withstood centuries of earthquakes, weathering, and climatic conditions, highlighting its exceptional structural stability.

📍 Prelims Pointer
✅ Architectural Style: Kalinga (Odisha) Architecture – a sub-school of the Nagara style.
✅ Main Components: Vimana, Jagamohana, Nata Mandira, Bhoga Mandapa.
✅ Presiding Deity: Lord Shiva.
✅ Location: Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

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Khelo India athlete Gyaneshwari Yadav clinched the Silver Medal 🥈in Weightlifting women's 53 kg with a personal best total lift of 199 kg (88 kg Snatch + 111 kg Clean & Jerk).

Her 199 kg total and 111 kg Clean & Jerk are both personal best performances.

🔆 India’s Semiconductor Push

📍 Why in News?
✅ Prime Minister inaugurated the commercial production phase of the CG Semi Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility at Sanand, Gujarat.

📍 What is India’s Semiconductor Push?
✅ A comprehensive national strategy under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) to build a complete semiconductor ecosystem covering chip design, fabrication, assembly, testing, and packaging.
✅ Aims to transform India into a global semiconductor manufacturing hub and reduce import dependence.

📍 Key Developments
✅ Sanand, Gujarat: Emerging as India’s semiconductor hub with Micron ATMP, Kaynes Semicon OSAT, and CG Semi OSAT facilities.
✅ Dholera, Gujarat: India’s first commercial wafer fabrication (Fab) facility by Tata Electronics in partnership with PSMC (Taiwan).
✅ Bhubaneswar, Odisha: India’s first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging facility.
✅ Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme: Supports 24 fabless startups and semiconductor design talent.

📍 Significance
✅ Strengthens strategic and national security through indigenous chip production.
✅ Supports AI, defence, supercomputing, 5G/6G, EVs, and electronics manufacturing.
✅ Reduces dependence on imported semiconductors and strengthens supply-chain resilience.
✅ Creates high-skilled employment and promotes technological self-reliance.

📍 Key Challenges
✅ Extremely high capital investment requirements.
✅ Dependence on imported raw materials, photomasks, and electronic-grade gases.
✅ Need for uninterrupted power and ultra-pure water.
✅ Strong competition from established semiconductor hubs such as Taiwan, South Korea, and China.
✅ Technological complexity in advanced wafer fabrication.

📍 Way Forward
✅ Expand funding under India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0.
✅ Develop domestic supply chains for semiconductor materials and equipment.
✅ Strengthen Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) support for indigenous chip design.
✅ Promote international skill partnerships with countries like Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia.
✅ Encourage Made in India semiconductor procurement through public procurement and strategic sectors.

📍 UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q. Evaluate the strategic and economic significance of semiconductors for India. Examine the key challenges in building a domestic ecosystem. Propose policy measures to achieve long-term self-reliance. (15 Marks)

#mains