1. Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary

Around 100 wild boars were found dead in the Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary in March, with postmortem reports suggesting toxic waste in Nangal Lake as the cause.

Located in the Rupnagar district of Punjab, the sanctuary lies at the foothills of the Shivalik Hills. Declared a sanctuary in 2009 and a Ramsar site in 2019, it spans 116 hectares within the Nangal Wetland along the Sutlej River.
It occupies a reservoir built under the Bhakra-Nangal Project (1961) and holds historical importance as the site where India and China signed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (1954).
Home to over 150 bird species and threatened animals like the Indian pangolin, Egyptian vulture, and leopard, it serves as a key migratory stopover for waterfowl.

2. Unicorn Company

A unicorn company refers to a privately owned startup valued at over $1 billion, a term coined by Aileen Lee in 2013.

Key Traits:

• Valuation: $1 billion or more.

• Ownership: Privately held.

• Growth: Rapid and innovative.

• Technology: Often disrupts existing industries.

• Funding: Backed by major venture capital investments.

Valuation depends more on growth potential than current profits. Some unicorns go public through IPOs, others remain private or are acquired.
As of July 2025, over 1,200 unicorns exist globally.
In the startup ecosystem, Gazelles may reach unicorn status in 2 years (valued $500M–$1B) and Cheetahs within 4 years ($200M–$500M).

3. Easter Island

New research confirms that the famous moai statues of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) were “walked” upright using advanced engineering rather than dragged.

Located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, this Chilean territory covers 163.6 sq.km and hosts three extinct volcanoes — Terevaka, Poike, and Rano Kau.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, it forms part of Rapa Nui National Park.

Moai Statues:
These monumental stone carvings represent revered ancestors, often standing up to 40 feet tall and weighing 75 tonnes.
Over 900 moai have been discovered, built between the 13th and 16th centuries to honor chiefs and important figures.

4. Online National Drugs Licensing System (ONDLS) Portal

The ONDLS Portal is a digital, single-window system for drug licensing in India, adopted by 18 states but yet to fully meet CAPA guidelines.

Developed by CDAC with CDSCO, DGHS, and State/UT authorities, it ensures a transparent and uniform drug licensing process.
It handles applications for manufacturing, sales, COPP, GMP, WHO-GMP certificates, and post-approval changes, ensuring nationwide document standardization and efficiency.

5. Nesolynx banabitanae

A new wasp species, Nesolynx banabitanae, was discovered in Central Park, Salt Lake, West Bengal, and named after Banabitan, the park’s local name.

Belonging to the Eulophidae family, this is the seventh such species identified in India. It is a hyperparasitoid, parasitizing other parasitoid wasps — notably Charops aditya, which infects butterfly caterpillars.

6. Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification

Ten Indian marine species, including fish and shrimp, are on track to receive MSC certification, a global standard for sustainable fishing.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a non-profit organization, certifies fisheries based on stock health, environmental impact, and effective management.
Certification lasts 5 years, with annual audits, following FAO’s eco-labelling guidelines.
India’s first MSC-certified fishery was the Astamudi clam (Paphia malabarica).

7. Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard

The DRDO, along with the Integrated Defence Staff, launched IRSA Standard 1.0, defining India’s first unified software architecture for Software Defined Radios (SDR).

It ensures secure, interoperable communication among defence systems through standardized interfaces, APIs, and waveform portability.
IRSA positions India among global SDR leaders like the US SCA, Europe’s ESSOR, and NATO’s STANAG frameworks.

8. UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), founded in 1945, promotes education, science, culture, and communication to strengthen global cooperation.

Headquartered in Paris, it has 194 member states and maintains the World Heritage Sites list.
UNESCO works to eradicate illiteracy, promote free education, and foster cultural preservation through global collaboration.
Recently, Egypt’s former tourism minister Khaled el-Anani was nominated as its next Director-General.

9. Supermoon

A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the perigee — the moon’s closest approach to Earth — making it appear 14% larger and 30% brighter.

Coined by Richard Nolle in 1979, the phenomenon enhances tides due to stronger lunar gravity, occasionally intensifying coastal flooding when combined with storms.

10. PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

Launched on February 15, 2024, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana provides free electricity by subsidizing rooftop solar installations.

Subsidy:

• 60% for systems up to 2 kW.

• 40% for systems between 2–3 kW (capped at 3 kW).

It also promotes Model Solar Villages and offers incentives to local bodies for each installation.
Implemented by DISCOMs under the National Programme Implementation Agency, the scheme has sanctioned ₹10,907 crore for 5.79 lakh loan applications as of September 2025.