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Wednesday, Nov 26

Daily Current Affairs: 26 November 2025

Your consolidated report for 26 November 2025

Headline: International Emmy Awards 2025: Oriol Pla, Anna Maxwell Martin among winners at 53rd ceremony in New York

Bullet Points:

  • The International Emmy Awards 2025 winners were announced at a star-studded event in New York.
  • India’s Diljit Dosanjh lost to Spanish actor Oriol Pla in the Best Actor category on Monday night at the 53rd International Emmy Awards.
  • Oriol Pla (Spain) won the Best Performance by an Actor award for his role in Yo, adicto [“I, Addict”].
  • Anna Maxwell Martin (United Kingdom) won the Best Performance by an Actress award for Until I Kill You.
  • Ryuichi Sakamoto: Last Days (Japan) was awarded in the Arts Programming category.
  • The Comedy award went to Ludwig (United Kingdom).
  • Dispatches: Kill Zone: Inside Gaza won the Current Affairs category.
  • Hell Jumper (United Kingdom) was awarded in the Documentary category.
  • Rivals (United KIngdom) won the Drama Series award.
  • Bluey (Australia) won the Kids: Animation category.
  • Auf Fritzis Spuren – Wie war das so in der DDR? [“On Fritzi’s Traces – What Was It Like in the GDR?”] (Germany) won the Kids: Factual & Entertainment award.
  • Fallen (United Kingdom) won the Kids: Live-Action category.
  • Gaza, Search for Life (Qatar) (Al Jazeera Arabic Programs Directorate) won the News award.
  • Shaolin Heroes (Denmark) won the Non-Scripted Entertainment award.
  • La médiatrice [“The Mediator”] (Canada) won the Short-Form Series award.
  • It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed the Spanish Football (Spain) won the Sports Documentary award.
  • Deha [“The Good & The Bad”] (Türkiye) won the Telenovela award.
  • Lost Boys & Fairies (United Kingdom) won the TV Movie/Mini-Series award.

Similar Headlines

India's Waves Film Bazaar Attracts International Participation, Aims for Global Content Bridge (End of November)
  • The 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) launched the freshly rebranded Waves Film Bazaar.
  • The event is held in Panaji, Goa.
  • International attendees included South Korean MP Jaewon Kim, South Korean actor Kim Jaewon, Australian filmmaker Garth Davis, and Waves Bazaar adviser Jerome Pilloard of France.
  • Waves Film Bazaar is positioned as one of Asia’s most important film markets and aims to help bridge Indian stories with world producers.
  • Dr L. Murugan declared that India is emerging as a global power in production, digital content, gaming, fashion, and music.
56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 (Mid of November)
  • The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28, 2025.
  • Over 240 films from 81 countries will be screened, including 13 world premieres, 4 international premieres, and 46 Asian premieres.
  • A record 2,314 submissions were received from 127 countries.
  • More than 50 women directors will feature in this year’s edition.
  • OTT awards will continue to honour excellence in streaming and web content.
  • Initiatives include strengthening anti-piracy laws, simplifying film certification, and introducing a new CBFC ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ certificate for multilingual films.
  • IFFIesta, a parallel cultural extravaganza, will offer music, food, art, and interactive experiences to encourage youth and public engagement.
  • Generative AI is viewed as "a creative partner shaping the future of storytelling."
  • The Gala Premieres segment will feature 18 titles, including 13 World Premieres, 2 Asia Premieres, 1 India Premiere, and 2 Special Showcase screenings.
  • The International Programming includes 160 films, 80+ award-winning festival titles, and 21 Oscar-nominated films.
  • Japan is the Country of Focus, Spain is the Partner Country, and Australia is the Spotlight Country.
  • The festival will host 15 competitive and curated segments, including International Competition, Best Debut Feature Film of a Director, ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal, and special showcases like Macabre Dreams, Docu-Montage, Experimental Films, UNICEF Section, and Restored Classics.
Neeraj Ghaywan’s film Homebound selected as India’s official entry for Oscars 2026 (End of September)
  • Neeraj Ghaywan is the director and co-writer of Homebound, India’s official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category.
  • Homebound premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 under the Un Certain Regard section.
  • The film was selected as second runner-up in the International People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
BEE introduces NECA 2025 award category for digital creators promoting energy efficiency (Mid of September)
  • Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under India’s Ministry of Power launched “National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) for Content Creators and Influencers” for 2025
  • Eligible creators must have “at least 10,000 followers or subscribers on any major social media platform”
  • Contest requires “short videos (up to 90 seconds) in Hindi or any Indian language” with English or Hindi transcript on themes like setting AC at 24°, using 5-Star appliances, efficient lighting, green buildings and responsible festivals
  • Entries must be posted with hashtag #NECA2025 and registered through official portal www.neca.beeindia.gov.in
  • Winners will be felicitated at the National Energy Conservation Awards Ceremony on 14th December 2025 in New Delhi

Headline: Punjab Assembly Resolution Declares Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo and Golden Temple Area as Holy Cities

Bullet Points:

  • The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution declaring Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district, Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda and the Galiara area around the Golden Temple in Amritsar as holy cities.
  • There will be a complete ban on sale and consumption of liquor, meat and tobacco items at these places, according to the resolution.
  • The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a special session of the Punjab Assembly convened to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Similar Headlines

Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025 row: Chandigarh’s unique status, and why Punjab opposes proposed change (End of November)
  • The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025 proposed to include Chandigarh under Article 240, which would pave the way for the city to get an independent administrator, altering its current status where the Governor of Punjab holds additional charge as its Administrator.
  • Chandigarh holds a unique status as a Union Territory and the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana, an arrangement established after Haryana was carved out under The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, with properties divided in a 60:40 ratio.
  • Punjab opposes the proposed change and stakes sole claim to Chandigarh because it was built as a replacement for Lahore, the united Punjab’s capital after Partition, and the Centre had announced in 1970 that the capital project area of Chandigarh should, as a whole, go to Punjab, a claim Punjab considers undisputed.
Uttar Pradesh Government Prepares for New District Kalyan Singh Nagar (End of October)
  • The Uttar Pradesh government has started preparations for creating the 76th district.
  • The new district will be named Kalyan Singh Nagar, after its former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh.
  • Kalyan Singh Nagar will be formed by merging Atrauli and Gangiri tehsils of Aligarh and Dibai tehsil of Bulandshahr.
  • Ram Kumar Dwivedi, the officer in charge of the Commissioner and Secretary of the Revenue Council, has sought proposals from the district magistrates of Aligarh and Bulandshahr.
  • The initiative aims to keep the memory of a great leader alive and address the backwardness of the area, fulfilling public sentiment.
Modi Govt’s Tourism Boost Vision 2029: Development of 50 World-Class Destinations (End of October)
  • The Government of India has unveiled an ambitious plan to develop 50 new destinations of global standards by 2029.
  • The vision is to create world-class experiences that reflect India’s rich heritage, diverse landscapes, and modern aspirations.
  • The initiative seeks to showcase India’s unparalleled cultural and natural wealth through destinations that meet international benchmarks, spanning from Kashmir valleys to Kerala backwaters, Gujarat coasts to Assam hills.
  • Each state and union territory has been asked to submit proposals within the next month, identifying potential sites for development.
  • Once approved, states will have three to four years to complete the transformation of these sites.
  • A uniform development framework, designed by the Centre, will guide these projects to ensure global standards of infrastructure, sustainability, and visitor engagement.
  • Every state and union territory is expected to have at least one flagship destination under the project, ensuring equitable representation and regional balance.
  • These sites are expected to draw global attention, drive employment, and give a significant push to local economies once complete.
Andhra Pradesh Space City and Defence Hubs: Key Features and Investments (Start of September)
  • Andhra Pradesh's Aerospace and Defence Policy unveils a 300-acre Space City in Tirupati awarded to Skyroot Aerospace for integrated rocket manufacturing, assembly, testing and storage.
  • Two adjacent defence manufacturing hubs in Madakasira (Anantapur district) approved: Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (Rs 1,430 crore) for Defence Energetics Manufacturing complex and HFCL Ltd (Rs 1,186 crore) for artillery and ammunition complex.
  • Total policy investment target set by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu: Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore over five years to position Andhra Pradesh as a defence and aerospace manufacturing hub.

Headline: Rajasthan set to host 5th Khelo India University Games 2025

Bullet Points:

  • Rajasthan sports minister Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore announced the grand opening at Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
  • The opening ceremony features Siddharth Mahadevan, Arunita Kanjilal, folk artists curated by Rajnigandha Shekhawat, mascots Khamma and Ghani, and an aerial display.
  • Competitions will be held across Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer, Bharatpur, and Bikaner in 24 sports with kho-kho as a demonstration event.
  • Badminton, archery and shooting events begin on Monday at Sawai Mansingh Stadium Indoor Hall, Jagatpura Archery Range and Jagatpura Shooting Range in Jaipur.

Similar Headlines

Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 Launched; Logo, Mascots, Torch, Jerseys and Anthem Unveiled (Mid of November)
  • In a grand event at the historical Amer Fort here on Wednesday, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), in association with the Government of Rajasthan and the Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC), launched the official logo, mascots, torch, jerseys and anthem for the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 (KIUG Rajasthan 2025).
  • The Games' mascots, Khamma and Ghani, were unveiled by the Rajasthan sports minister Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
  • The Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025, scheduled to take place from November 24 to December 5, 2025, will be held across seven cities -- Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer, Bharatpur and Bikaner.
  • This marks the first time Rajasthan will host the Khelo India University Games, a flagship event of the ministry of youth affairs and sports that showcases India's finest university athletes.
  • Over 7,000 athletes from nearly 200 universities will compete in 24 disciplines, including 23 medal sports and one demonstration event.
  • New inclusions this year are canoeing, kayaking, cycling, and beach volleyball -- reflecting the growing diversity and ambition of Indian university sport.
New Delhi to Host 30th Edition of BWF World Championships in August 2026 (Start of September)
  • The BWF World Championships will return to India after 17 years, with the capital city, New Delhi, chosen to host the landmark 30th edition in August 2026.
  • India's selection reflects its transformation into one of badminton's most consistent medal-winning nations at the BWF World Championships, with 15 podium finishes since 1983.
  • The country's breakthrough came with Prakash Padukone's bronze in Copenhagen in 1983.
  • In 2011 Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa became the first Indian doubles medallists.
  • PV Sindhu is one of the most successful women's singles players in the tournament's history, with five medals: a gold, two silvers, and two bronze.
  • India's medal streak has continued unbroken since 2011, most recently extended by Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty's bronze in Paris 2025, their second at the event.
  • India first hosted the BWF World Championships in Hyderabad in 2009.
  • Sindhu swept past Nozomi Okuhara in Basel in 2019 to become India's first-ever gold medallist at the World Championships.
  • Saina Nehwal contributed two medals—a silver in 2015 and a bronze in 2017.
  • Kidambi Srikanth silver, 2021, B. Sai Praneeth bronze, 2019, Lakshya Sen bronze, 2021, and HS Prannoy bronze, 2023 have all stood on the podium in singles.
  • The duo of Rankireddy and Shetty made history as the first Indians to medal in men's doubles, with back-to-back bronzes in 2022 and 2025.
  • The BWF World Championships was first held in 1977 in Malmö, Sweden.
Sports Minister Mandaviya unveils mascot 'Jalveer' and logo for 11th Asian Aquatics Championship (Start of September)
  • The 11th Asian Aquatics Championship will be held in Ahmedabad from September 28 to October 11, 2025.
  • The event will take place at the newly constructed Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, built as per Olympic specifications.
  • Over 30 participating nations and more than 1000 participants are expected to compete across multiple aquatics disciplines.
All India Thal Sainik Camp 2025 Concludes in Delhi (Mid of September)
  • The All India Thal Sainik Camp 2025 ended on September 11 at the DGNCC Camp in Delhi Cantt.
  • The 12-day camp had 1,547 cadets from 17 NCC Directorates across India taking part in many contests.
  • These included firing weapons, reading maps, judging distances, and field signals.
  • Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh, who is in charge of NCC, gave out prizes.
  • For the boys contest, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh team won first place.

Headline: LNF Literary Award 2025 announced for Velamala Simmanna

Bullet Points:

  • Velamala Simmanna has been chosen for this year’s Lok Nayak Foundation’s literary award.
  • The award carries ₹2 lakh in cash and will be presented on January 18, 2026.
  • LNF literary awards are presented to eminent persons who have contributed to the promotion of Telugu language and literature.
  • The awards are presented every year on January 18 to commemorate the death anniversaries of former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao and noted poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

Similar Headlines

Rabih Alameddine and Patricia Smith win 2025 National Book Awards (End of November)
  • Rabih Alameddine won the 2025 National Book Award for Fiction for his novel 'The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)'
  • Patricia Smith won the 2025 National Book Award for Poetry for her collection 'The Intentions of Thunder'
  • Each winner receives $10,000 as part of the award
Union Minister Highlights Women and Youth as Architects of Viksit Bharat (Start of November)
  • The initiative/vision discussed is Viksit Bharat (Developed India).
  • Women and Youth are called the architects of Viksit Bharat.
  • The force that will drive Viksit Bharat lies in the confidence of youth, the compassion of women, and the curiosity of minds, along with youthful innovation, women’s leadership, empathy, resilience, creativity, youthful energy, and intellect.
  • The goal of Viksit Bharat is India’s emergence as a global leader in the 21st century.
Ramoji Excellence Awards 2025 Conclude, Honoring Seven Exemplary Personalities Across Diverse Fields (Mid of November)
  • The inaugural Ramoji Excellence Awards 2025 concluded this evening at Ramoji Film City, celebrating distinguished individuals whose exceptional contributions uplift communities, advance knowledge, and inspire the nation.
  • Instituted in memory of Sri Ramoji Rao garu, the awards honoured seven exemplary personalities across diverse fields.
  • **Shri Jaideep Hardikar** received the Excellence in Journalism Award as 'A distinguished journalist and author, Shri Hardikar has spent over two decades reporting on India’s rural realities with deep empathy and insight.'
  • **Shri Srikanth Bolla** received the Youth Icon Award as 'Founder & Chairman of Bollant Industries and an MIT alumnus, Shri Bolla has become a national symbol of resilience and inclusive leadership.'
  • **Prof. Sathupati Prasanna Sree** received the Excellence in Art & Culture Award as 'A visionary scholar who created scripts for 19 tribal languages' and 'Vice-Chancellor of Adikavi Nannayya University.'
  • **Smt. Amla Ashok Ruia** received the Excellence in Rural Development Award, 'Popularly known as the “Water Mother,” Smt. Ruia has transformed drought-prone villages through innovative water-harvesting initiatives' through 'Aakar Charitable Trust.'
  • **Shri Akash Tandon** received the Excellence in Service to Mankind Award as 'Founder of Pehchaan – The Street School, Shri Tandon has built a movement providing education to thousands of underprivileged children in Delhi-NCR.'
  • **Smt. Pallabi Ghosh** received the Women Achiever Award as 'A fearless crusader against human trafficking, Smt. Ghosh has rescued over 10,000 women and children and impacted more than 75,000 lives' through the 'Impact and Dialogue Foundation.'
  • **Prof. Madhavi Latha Gali** received the Excellence in Science & Technology Award as 'A pioneering geotechnical engineer at IISc Bengaluru, Prof. Latha contributed to major national infrastructure projects, including the Chenab Railway Bridge.'
Anand V. Patil to receive Prof. V.K. Gokak award in Bengaluru (Start of September)
  • Anand V. Patil is the recipient of the Prof. V.K. Gokak award
  • He is also a recipient of the Bal Sahitya award of the Kendra Sahitya Academy
  • The award ceremony is jointly organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and the Vinayaka Gokak Vangmaya Trust
  • The event will be held at K.R.G. Hall, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Race Course Road, Bengaluru at 10.30 a.m.

Headline: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) highlights strengthening economic momentum and record low inflation

Bullet Points:

  • India’s economy gathered further pace in October.
  • Demand conditions exhibited signs of improvement with the revival of urban demand and continued strength in rural demand.
  • Manufacturing and services activity showed further resilience.
  • Digital payments moderated in both value and volume in October 2025.
  • Headline inflation plunged to its lowest level in the current CPI series (2012 base year).
  • Retail inflation fell to 0.3 per cent in October from 1.4 per cent in September.
  • Fuel and light inflation remained steady at 2.0 per cent in October.
  • Core inflation moderated to 4.3 per cent in October from 4.4 per cent in September.
  • The core basket, excluding precious metals, posted a 0.1 per cent month-on-month decline.
  • Macroeconomic policy measures undertaken in 2025 are expected to reinforce a positive investment cycle and strengthen long-term growth.
  • Inflation moderated to a historic low and remained well below the target rate.
  • International uncertainty remains elevated.

Similar Headlines

S&P retains India growth projection at 6.5 per cent for this fiscal (End of November)
  • S&P Global Ratings kept its projection for India’s economic expansion at 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal year.
  • S&P Global Ratings forecast India’s GDP will grow by 6.7 per cent in fiscal 2027.
  • Recent tax cuts and monetary policy easing are set to support consumption-led growth in India.
  • India’s real gross domestic product grew 7.8 per cent in the April to June quarter of the current fiscal year.
  • A poll by ET of 12 economists shows expectations that India’s economic growth likely quickened to 7.3 per cent in the second quarter.
  • The RBI has pegged growth for the September quarter at 7 per cent.
  • The Reserve Bank of India has projected growth of 6.8 per cent in the current fiscal.
  • If India can secure a trade agreement with the United States, it would reduce uncertainty and lift confidence.
  • Lowered goods and service tax (GST) rates will support middle-class consumption and complement income tax cuts and interest rate reductions.
  • The Government in the Budget for 2025-26 raised the income tax rebate threshold to ₹12 lakh from ₹7 lakh.
  • The RBI in June cut its key policy rate by 50 basis points to 5.5 per cent.
  • GST rates on about 375 items were reduced from September 22.
  • The higher effective US tariff on India is weighing on export-oriented manufacturing.
  • The US’s new approach to trade policy is causing governments and firms to spend time and money on negotiating for exemptions.
ICRA Projects India GDP Growth to Moderate to 7% in Q2 FY26 (Mid of November)
  • ICRA forecasts India’s GDP growth to slow to 7% in Q2 FY26 from 7.8% in Q1 FY26.
  • The moderation is attributed primarily to reduced government expenditure.
  • Industrial sectors—especially manufacturing and construction—are expected to stay resilient, supported by favorable base effects and festive-season inventory stocking.
S&P Global: India to Stay Fastest-Growing Major Economy at 6.5% GDP Growth (Mid of September)
  • S&P Global projects India’s GDP to grow 6.5 per cent this fiscal.
  • The report credits economic reforms, infrastructure development and policy reforms for enhancing India’s growth advantage over developed countries.
  • S&P Global expects India to encourage greater participation in global trade to boost growth and generate employment.
India’s 2025 festive-season sales hit Rs 5.40 lakh crore in goods plus Rs 65,000 crore in services: CAIT survey (End of October)
  • Total goods trade during the 2025 festive season reached Rs 5.40 lakh crore, up 25% from Rs 4.25 lakh crore in 2024.
  • Services related to packaging, logistics, hospitality, travel, event management and delivery added another Rs 65,000 crore.
  • The survey was conducted by CAIT Research & Trade Development Society across 60 major distribution centres between Navratri and Diwali, covering Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Headline: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi inaugurates Pellet Plant, lays foundation for Bio-Ethanol plant in Haryana

Bullet Points:

  • Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, inaugurated a pellet plant and laid the foundation stone of the K2 Bio Ethanol plant in the district of Rewari in Haryana.
  • The pellet plant is designed to produce 240 tonnes of pellets per day from stubble.
  • The plant aims to transform crop residue into ethanol, biomass pellets, and rural jobs to support India’s E20 Mission and Net Zero 2070 goals.
  • The new pellet plant will use agricultural residues such as paddy straw, mustard straw, and cotton stalks to manufacture biomass pellets for thermal power co-firing.
  • Under a new policy, the government has made biomass and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) co-firing mandatory for all thermal plants to save the environment.

Similar Headlines

India's First Bamboo-Based Biorefinery Achieves Mechanical Completion (Start of September)
  • India’s first Bamboo based Biorefinery achieved a Significant Milestone of Mechanical Completion on Sep 05, 2025
  • The project is aimed at producing 49,000 TPA of Bio Ethanol, 11,000 TPA of Acetic Acid, and 19,000 TPA of Furfural from raw bamboo feedstocks
  • The project is being executed by EIL in EPCM mode directly from demo stage
  • The technology for the project is supplied by Chempolis OY
  • This project will contribute significantly towards achieving the Ethanol Blending Program EBP target of the Government of India and meeting the energy security for the nation
  • The project is fully aligned with our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision to achieve Net Zero by the year 2070
PFC and JBIC sign Rs 3,500 crore loan pact for clean energy projects in India (End of August)
  • Power Finance Corporation and Japan Bank for International Cooperation have signed a loan agreement worth 60 billion Japanese Yen (around Rs 3,500 crore) to finance clean energy projects in India.
  • The financing is under JBIC's Global Action for Reconciling Economic Growth and Environmental Preservation (GREEN) initiative and is supported through co-financing from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and other Japanese banks.
  • A part of the loan will primarily support the establishment of Assam Bio Ethanol Pvt Ltd's second-generation bio-ethanol and chemicals plant in Assam, which utilises bamboo as feedstock.
Government Shifts Biofuel Strategy After Ethanol-Diesel Blend Fails; E20 Rolled Out Nationwide (Mid of September)
  • Experiments to blend 10 per cent ethanol with diesel were unsuccessful.
  • Trials are now underway to blend diesel with isobutanol, a derivative of ethanol.
  • The government has rolled out E20, petrol mixed with 20 per cent ethanol, across India, replacing the earlier E10 fuel.
  • E20 was initially launched at select stations in April 2023 and became the nationwide standard by April 2025.
  • About 85 per cent of India’s fossil fuel needs are met through imports.
  • Corn acreage has increased threefold with the push for biofuels.
PM Modi Inaugurates Bioethanol Plant and Lays Foundation for Polypropylene Unit in Assam, Emphasizing Energy Self-Reliance (Mid of September)
  • The Assam Bioethanol Plant was inaugurated with an aim at "promoting clean energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels".
  • The foundation stone was laid for "a polypropylene plant at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) at Golaghat in Assam".
  • The inaugurated bio-ethanol plant "produces bio-ethanol from bamboo".
  • These projects are expected to "boost industrial growth in Assam, accelerate the state's development, and create new opportunities for farmers and youth".
  • The Prime Minister affirmed that "India has now embarked on the path of becoming self-reliant in meeting its energy requirements".
  • For energy self-reliance, India is "simultaneously working on discovering new reserves of crude oil and gas within the country while also enhancing its green energy capabilities".
  • The 'Samudra Manthan' initiative was recalled, highlighting "expert assessments suggesting that India's seas may hold substantial reserves of oil and gas".
  • The National Deepwater Exploration Mission was launched "To ensure these resources are harnessed for national development".

Headline: India launches contingent for WorldSkills Asia Competition 2025

Bullet Points:

  • Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary flagged off the Indian contingent for the WorldSkills Asia Competition 2025.
  • The team comprises 23 competitors and 21 experts selected through the India Skills Competition 2024.
  • They will compete in 21 skill categories in Chinese Taipei.

Similar Headlines

WFDF 2025 World Beach Ultimate Championships Scheduled for November (Mid of November)
  • The event is named WFDF 2025 World Beach Ultimate Championships (WBUC).
  • The event is scheduled from November 16 to November 22.
  • The organizer of the event is the World Flying Disc Federation WFDF.
India to Select First-Ever Pickleball World Cup Team (Start of September)
  • India will select an 18-member national team to represent the country at the Pickleball World Cup.
  • The Pickleball World Cup is scheduled for October 27-November 2 in Florida, USA.
  • The trials for the team will take place on August 30–31 at the Indian Pickleball Association's (IPA) National Centre for Excellence in Ahmedabad.
  • This event marks pickleball's bold leap from grassroots courts to the global stage in India.
  • Suryaveer Singh Bhullar is the president of the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA).
  • Aditya Khanna is the co-founder of Pickleball World Rankings (PWR).
ICC Women's ODI Cricket World Cup 2025 schedule announced with India vs Pakistan on October 5 (Start of September)
  • The ICC Women's ODI Cricket World Cup 2025 will begin on September 30 with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka facing off in the opening match at Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati.
  • The highly-anticipated India vs Pakistan cricket match is set to take place on October 5.
  • Defending champions Australia will kickstart their title defence with a match against Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand on October 1.
  • The tournament will conclude on November 2 either in Navi Mumbai or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan qualifies for the final.
  • All eight teams will play each other once in a round-robin format with the top four sides after all the group matches qualifying for the semi-finals.
  • The Women's ODI World Cup 2025 will be held in five venues across India and Sri Lanka in a hybrid model: Navi Mumbai, Guwahati, Indore and Visakhapatnam in India, and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
ICC Launches Campaign Film and Opens Ticket Sales for Women's ODI World Cup 2025 (Mid of September)
  • The ICC has unveiled the flagship ‘Will to Win’ campaign film.
  • The release of ‘Will To Win’ ... comes as the general window for ticket sales opened (at 8 PM IST on Tuesday, 8 September) at tickets.cricketworldcup.com.
  • The 13th edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is set to be staged at five venues across India and Sri Lanka.
  • The tournament will commence on 30 September with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka facing off in the opener.
  • The ‘Will To Win’ campaign brings into the spotlight stars from across each participant at the Cricket World Cup, including India’s Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, Australia’s Ellyse Perry, South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp, Pakistan’s Muneeba Ali, Bangladesh’s Nigar Sultana Joty, New Zealand’s Melie Kerr and England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt.
  • The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is returning to India after 12 years.

Headline: Italy Clinches Third Consecutive Davis Cup Crown in Bologna

Bullet Points:

  • Italy clinched its third consecutive Davis Cup title.
  • This victory marked Italy's fourth overall Davis Cup crown.
  • The Davis Cup final, where Italy triumphed over Spain, was held in Bologna.
  • Italy's current achievement marks its third consecutive title since the 1971 Challenge Round abolition.

Similar Headlines

Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws from Davis Cup Finals Due to Injury (Mid of November)
  • World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Davis Cup Finals due to an injury.
  • The Spanish star injured himself in the first set of the final against Jannik Sinner, where he lost 7-6, 7-5.
  • He has edema in his right hamstring and the medical recommendation is not to compete.
  • Earlier, Jannik Sinner also pulled out from the event.
  • Spain were preparing to face Czechia in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
  • With the world No. 1 out, Spain are likely to field Jaume Munar and Pablo Carreno Busta in the singles matches, while Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez will handle the doubles.
Max Verstappen wins Italian Grand Prix at Monza (Start of September)
  • Max Verstappen claimed a dominant victory at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
  • McLaren’s Lando Norris finished second, nearly 20 seconds behind Verstappen.
  • McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was third after being ordered to let Norris past toward the end of the race.
  • Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth at the team’s home race.
  • Lewis Hamilton finished sixth after starting from 10th due to a five-place grid penalty.
  • The race took place at the Monza racetrack in Monza, Italy.
Marco Bezzecchi wins Valencia MotoGP finale and secures third in season standings (Mid of November)
  • Marco Bezzecchi claimed victory in the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix.
  • Bezzecchi started on pole and finished ahead of Raul Fernandez (second) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (third).
  • The result gave Bezzecchi third place in the overall season standings, Aprilla’s first top-three finish.
FIDE Grand Swiss Prize Money for Anish Giri and Vaishali Rameshbabu (Mid of September)
  • Anish Giri, who won the open section with a score of 8/11, pocketed the $90,000.
  • Vaishali Rameshbabu won the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss title.
  • The FIDE Grand Swiss had prize money of $90,000 on offer for the winner of the open section.
  • The prize money on offer for the women’s winner was $40,000.
  • Vaishali’s triumph should have earned her a sum of $40,000.
  • Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno split the prize money in half as per FIDE’s rules for the Grand Swiss tournament, thanks to her finishing on the same number of points as second-place finisher Kateryna Lagno.
  • FIDE notes in its regulations for the tournament that all prize money shall be divided equally between players with the same final score.

Headline: PM-JANMAN Initiative for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

Bullet Points:

  • PM-JANMAN focuses on housing, health, education and livelihood for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
  • Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan improves village-level infrastructure and governance.
  • Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan provides capacity building and leadership development for frontline tribal welfare officials.

Similar Headlines

UNDP Report Recommends Sunset Clause and Reforms for Forest Rights Act Implementation (Start of September)
  • The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest-Dwellers (Recognition of Rights) Act was enacted in 2006 and is meant to recognise and vest rights to use forests and forest resources in the Scheduled Tribes and other communities that have traditionally been dependent on forests for their livelihoods.
  • A United Nations report has suggested that there may be a need to build consensus for a “sunset clause” that provides an “end date” for the recognition and vesting of rights under the law to Scheduled Tribes and other forest-dwellers.
  • The UNDP report has called for prioritising gender equity in FRA implementation, starting from disaggregating data gender-wise to policy measures that necessitate women’s leadership in post-recognition preparation and design of community forest resource management plans.
  • It has also called for the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) to be linked to the FRA with an “emphasis on addressing gender sensitive livelihood avenues”.
  • The UNDP report noted that the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs had “demonstrated leadership” by conceiving programmes like the PM-JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) and DAJGUA (Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan), both of which are targetted scheme-saturation packages for ST communities.
  • The report spoke of Section 3(1)(k) of the FRA, which provides for recognising rights of “access to biodiversity and community right to intellectual property (IP) and traditional knowledge related to biodiversity and cultural diversity”.
  • It has also suggested that “forest rights holders may be recognised as a category across all social protection and livelihood programmes”.
Nayi Chetna 4.0 Launched to Combat Gender-Based Violence Nationwide (End of November)
  • Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi launched Nayi Chetna 4.0.
  • Eleven Union ministries will collaborate under the campaign to eliminate gender-based discrimination and violence.
  • A tripartite inter-ministerial Letter of Intent was signed between the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Law and Justice, and the Ministry of Rural Development.
  • The campaign will run across all Indian States and Union Territories until December 23, 2025.
Government to Enumerate Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) Separately in Upcoming Census (Start of September)
  • Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) requested Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI) to separately count PVTGs in the next Census to capture households, individuals and their demographic, cultural and socio-economic features.
  • PVTGs are a sub-category of Scheduled Tribes identified on criteria such as declining/stagnant population, geographical isolation, pre-agrarian practices, economic backwardness and low literacy; 75 groups across 18 states and A&N Islands are currently listed.
  • Separate enumeration aims to improve implementation of targeted schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) and verify relevance of existing PVTG classification criteria.
MoUs Signed to Boost DAY-NRLM: Strengthening Rural Livelihoods and Digital Innovations in Four States (End of September)
  • MoU Parties: Ministry of Rural Development, NIRD&PR, and State Rural Livelihoods Missions of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Telangana under DAY-NRLM.
  • Objective: "strengthen community institutions, enhance livelihood opportunities, and promote digital innovations across these states."
  • NIRD&PR Role: "focus on training SRLM functionaries and community cadres, creating a pool of multi-thematic resource persons, conducting leadership programmes, and documenting best practices."
  • Digital Platform: LokOS developed by National Resource Organizations to "improve governance and facilitate smoother operations of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations."

Headline: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women observed on November 25 with the theme of cyberviolence

Bullet Points:

  • The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed on November 25.
  • The global theme for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which begins on this day, is cyberviolence.
  • As many as 58% of women have been victims of online violence.
  • 90 – 95% of deepfake videos are sexual images of women.
  • 1 in 4 female journalists and 1 in 3 female parliamentarians have been threatened online, including death threats.
  • Every Woman is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Similar Headlines

National Annual Report & Index on Women's Safety (NARI) 2025: Key Details and Findings (End of August)
  • The initiative is named the "National Annual Report & Index on Women's Safety (NARI) 2025."
  • "The NARI index has been conceived by The NorthCap University and Jindal Global Law School and is published by the Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA)."
  • The index is "based on a survey of 12,770 women across 31 cities."
  • The study calls "for integration of crime data with perception-based surveys like NARI" because "official crime data alone cannot reflect women's lived reality."
  • NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar pointed to "four dimensions of women's security of physical, psychological, financial and digital nature."
  • NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar "lauded initiatives such as women's helplines, CCTV coverage in smart cities, and improved safety networks at railway stations and bus depots."
World Day for Preventing and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse observed on November 18 (End of November)
  • The World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence is marked every year on November 18.
  • This observance was established in 2022 by the UN General Assembly.
  • On November 7, 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/77/8, officially designating November 18 as the World Day.
  • The observance aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse, strengthen global action, and support survivors in their journey toward healing and justice.
  • The theme for the 2025 commemoration is “Strengthening the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Through Evidence-Based Policy Making.”
Mizoram launches GBV Solve Project to curb gender-based violence (Start of November)
  • Project Name: GBV Solve Project; launched by Mizoram Social Welfare Minister Lalrinpuii; implemented in the state by Mission Foundation Movement (MFM) in collaboration with the state women and child development department.
  • Objective: Address violence against women and children, promote gender equality, and empower women through skill training.
  • Key Feature: Apart from focusing on violence against women, the project will also educate children (both boys and girls) about gender equality and provide skill training for women to help them earn livelihoods.
International Men’s Day 2025: Date, Theme, and History (Mid of November)
  • International Men’s Day marked worldwide on Wednesday, 19 November 2025.
  • The theme for 2025 is “Celebrating Men and Boys,” with some regions also focusing on “Supporting Men and Boys” and initiatives highlighting mental health concerns through campaigns linked to “Zero Male Suicide.”
  • International Men’s Day started in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago, founded by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh.
  • Dr. Teelucksingh chose 19 November to honour his father’s birthday and a meaningful moment in the country’s football history.
  • The observance has now spread to more than 80 countries, becoming a global platform to recognise positive male role models and encourage healthier social understanding.
  • The day is built on six key pillars, focusing on men’s physical, emotional, and mental health, addressing discrimination, and encouraging healthier and more balanced gender relations.
  • International Men’s Day brings attention to issues that are frequently overlooked, especially topics like stress, emotional struggles, and suicide, encouraging more open conversations around mental health.

Headline: Britain's Andrea Thompson crowned World's Strongest Woman

Bullet Points:

  • Britain's Andrea Thompson has been crowned World's Strongest Woman.
  • American athlete Jammie Booker was disqualified as the 2025 World's Strongest Woman.
  • Organisers stated Jammie Booker was disqualified after they discovered she is “biologically male”.
  • Australian Allira-Joy Cowley has been given the second place in the Women's Open at the Official Strongman Games World Championship.
  • The event took place in Texas.
  • Official Strongman stated they ensure fairness and athletes are assigned to men or women’s categories based on whether they are recorded as male or female at birth.

Similar Headlines

Tokyo to host 2025 World Athletics Championships at Japan National Stadium (End of September)
  • The 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships will be held at the Japan National Stadium from September 13th to 21st, 2025.
  • Over 2000 athletes from approximately 200 countries are expected to compete in 49 track-and-field events.
  • General ticket sales begin at 18:00 JST on Friday, January 31, 2025, with 700,000 tickets available and most priced at 10,000 JPY or less.
Miss Universe 2025 Winner: Mexico’s Fátima Bosch wins the 74th Miss Universe title (End of November)
  • Mexico’s Fátima Bosch defeated over 100 contestants to win the 74th Miss Universe title.
  • Thailand’s Praveenar Singh was crowned first Runner Up.
  • Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark, the 73rd Miss Universe, crowned the winner.
  • Fátima Bosch Fernández is from Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.
  • She studied Fashion and Apparel Design at Universidad Iberoamericana and NABA in Milan.
  • She creates sustainable fashion from discarded materials.
  • Miss Universe director Nawat Itsaragrisil was restricted from pageant activities after yelling at Miss Mexico.
  • India’s Manika Vishwakarma reached Top 12 before elimination.
  • Puerto Rico will host the 75th Miss Universe pageant.
  • Badminton legend Saina Nehwal served as one of eight judges.
Ajaya Babu wins gold at Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025, qualifies for CWG 2026 (End of August)
  • Ajaya Babu claimed his second consecutive gold medal in the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Naranpura, in Ahmedabad.
  • Ajaya logged 152 kg in his final snatch effort and 183 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 335 kg.
  • Malaysia’s Erry Hidayat finished second with 150 kg in snatch, 183 kg in clean and jerk, and a total of 333 kg.
  • Ajaya’s victory secured him a place in the 2026 Commonwealth Games and set three records.
World Boxing Championships 2025 begin in Liverpool under new World Boxing body (Start of September)
  • The World Boxing Championships 2025 opened on 4 September at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.
  • The event is the first world championship conducted by the newly-formed World Boxing and features over 550 boxers from 65 nations competing in 20 weight divisions (10 men and 10 women).
  • Indian boxers Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg) and Nikhat Zareen (51 kg) headline India’s squad, which also includes Pooja Rani (80 kg), Narender Berwal (90+ kg), Hitesh Gulia (70 kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (65 kg).
  • Algerian Olympic champion Imane Khelif is barred from competing after refusing World Boxing’s mandatory PCR-based genetic sex-verification test and has appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
  • Taiwanese Olympic gold-medallist Lin Yu-ting withdrew from the tournament, citing delays in World Boxing’s response to her gender-test submission.

Headline: Assam Satra Preservation and Development Commission Bill to Protect Satra Lands

Bullet Points:

  • The Assam government tabled a bill to create the Assam Satra Preservation and Development Commission, a quasi-judicial body to preserve satras and regulate their lands.
  • The commission will have civil-court powers under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and exclusive jurisdiction over matters it is empowered to determine.
  • An Assam Satra Preservation and Development Fund is established, with mandatory annual budgeting, audit by the Accountant General (Audit), Assam, and officials deployed on deputation.

Similar Headlines

Forest officials appear before OHRC in Satkosia compensation case (End of October)
  • Senior forest officials, including the PCCF Wildlife, appeared before the Odisha Human Rights Commission regarding alleged inadequate compensation for families relocated from Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
  • Complainants alleged that 'hundreds of families from five villages were relocated from the tiger reserve to other places without holding gram sabhas and conducting a proper survey.'
  • The commission heard the case and asked officials to follow the rules; the order is yet to be uploaded on the OHRC website.
  • The next hearing is scheduled for October 30.
Assam Cabinet Approves Bill to Ban Polygamy (Mid of November)
  • Assam Cabinet on Sunday approved a bill that proposes to prohibit polygamy and grant seven years of imprisonment for the guilty.
  • The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, is scheduled to be tabled in the winter session of the Assembly from November 25.
  • The bill, after passage by the Assembly, however, seeks to exempt the ethnic communities and the areas under the three autonomous councils set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
  • These autonomous councils are Bodoland Territorial Council, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and Dima Hasao Autonomous Council.
  • Under this bill, polygamy is prohibited in respect of the person who shall not marry if he has a living spouse or is not legally separated from the other spouse by following due procedure of law or is a party to a marriage which is not yet dissolved or annulled by a decree of divorce.
  • The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025 further seeks to provide compensation to the victim women as they have to suffer immense pain and hardship due to polygamous marriage.
  • If the bill is passed by the Assembly, Assam will join Uttarakhand in banning polygamy.
Uttarakhand grants forest clearance to Netala bypass in fragile Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone despite earlier SC panel rejection (Start of September)
  • Project: Netala bypass on NH-34 between Hina and Tekhla in Uttarkashi district, part of the 900-km Chardham highway project.
  • Location & Ecological Context: Falls within the 4,157 sq km Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (BESZ) notified in 2012 to protect River Ganga’s ecology and watershed.
  • Forest diversion: Involves 17.5 hectares of forest land and felling of about 2,750 trees in untouched forests.
  • Approval mechanism: Cleared by Uttarakhand Forest Department under the exemption clause for “strategic linear projects of national importance” in the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980; final approval conditional on compensatory afforestation and settlement of forest rights.
  • Previous rejection: Supreme Court’s high-powered committee (HPC) chaired by ecologist Ravi Chopra in 2020 had recommended dropping the bypass on ecological and social grounds and instead widening the existing NH-34.
Sundarbans Tiger Reserve Expansion: Key Details and Objectives (Start of September)
  • The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared West Bengal’s proposal to expand the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve.
  • With this move, the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve will spread over 3,630 sq km, making it the second-largest tiger reserve in India after Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam.
  • The expansion will include Matla, Raidighi, and Ramganga ranges in the South 24 Parganas district.
  • Bringing these ranges under the reserve’s management will give more room to protect both wildlife and the fragile ecosystem.
  • Benefits of expanding the reserve include wider animal pathways, less human-wildlife conflict, and more room for tigers to roam freely, also improving conservation by giving staff better control over patrolling and protection.
  • The idea of expanding the Sundarbans has been around for more than two decades, first discussed in 2002.

Headline: Prime Minister releases commemorative postal ticket and coin on Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th Martyrdom Anniversary in Kurukshetra

Bullet Points:

  • PM Modi released a commemorative postal ticket and a special coin dedicated to the 350th Martyrdom Anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur.
  • The event was organised by the Haryana Government at Jyotisar village in Kurukshetra.
  • PM Modi also inaugurated the Panchajanya Memorial at the Mahabharata Experience Centre complex in Jyotisar.

Similar Headlines

Guru Tegh Bahadur 350th Shaheedi Purab: Delhi declares public holiday on November 25 (End of November)
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur's 350th Martyrdom Day is observed as a public holiday in Delhi, honouring his sacrifice and teachings on human dignity and religious freedom.
  • He became the ninth Sikh Guru in 1664 and led the community through political upheaval and rising religious intolerance under Mughal rule.
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur is honoured for defending the rights of Kashmiri Pandits who faced forced conversions and stood up to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
  • He willingly embraced martyrdom in 1675 in Delhi, making him the second Sikh Guru to be executed by the Mughal regime.
  • His sacrifice earned him the title 'Hind Di Chadar,' reflecting his role as a guardian of religious freedom and interfaith dignity.
  • He contributed 116 verses to the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib), focusing on humility, detachment, and inner peace.
  • The Delhi Government announced a public holiday on Tuesday (November 25) for the 350th Shaheedi Purab, upgrading it from a restricted holiday.
  • The day offers citizens an opportunity to remember and pay homage to Guru Tegh Bahadur’s supreme sacrifice, divine wisdom, and contribution to safeguarding dharam, human dignity, and freedom of conscience.
IIT Kharagpur Platinum Jubilee Commemorative Postage Stamp Unveiled (End of November)
  • India Post issued a special postage stamp to mark IIT Kharagpur's platinum jubilee celebrations.
  • The stamp release was conducted simultaneously across 1,64,987 post offices nationwide.
  • IIT Kharagpur, established in 1951, is India's first Indian Institute of Technology.
Bhupen Hazarika birth centenary begins; PM Modi to unveil ₹100 commemorative coin in Guwahati (Start of September)
  • Bhupen Hazarika, Bharat Ratna and music legend, is being honoured through year-long birth centenary celebrations launched across Assam.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a commemorative ₹100 coin issued by RBI at a special event in Guwahati on September 13.
  • A museum dedicated to Hazarika’s life will be inaugurated at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra campus in Guwahati.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th Birth Anniversary: Commemorative Initiatives (Start of November)
  • **National Unity Day:** Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary is celebrated as National Unity Day in India every year on 31 Oct.
  • **Commemorative Coin and Stamp:** Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the release of a special commemorative coin and stamp as a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
  • **'Run for Unity':** Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ at New Delhi’s Major Dhyan Chand Stadium on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary.

Headline: Mahantesh Bilagi died in road accident while serving as Managing Director of Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Ltd (KSMCL).

Bullet Points:

  • Mahantesh Bilagi, IAS, was the Managing Director of Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Ltd (KSMCL).
  • He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayats and as District Collector in multiple districts.
  • He died in a car crash near Gounahalli, Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, along with relatives Shankar Bilagi and Eranna Bilagi.

Similar Headlines

SBI-Indian Railways MoU: Railway employees with SBI salary accounts get up to Rs 1.6 crore accident cover (Start of September)
  • SBI will provide a personal accident cover (permanent total disablement) of Rs 1 crore to Railway employees who maintain their salary account with SBI, compared to the earlier limits of Rs 1.20 lakh, Rs 60,000, and Rs 30,000 for Group A, B, and C employees respectively.
  • Under the MoU, SBI is also providing a personal accident cover (permanent partial disability) of up to Rs 80 lakh to railway employees with their salary account with SBI.
  • Railway employees will receive Rs 1.6 crore air accident cover (death) plus an additional cover up to Rs 1 crore on the RuPay Debit Card.
  • Employees with only a salary account at SBI will also get a natural death cover of Rs 10 lakh without needing to pay any premium or undergo medical checks.
  • Close to 7 lakh Railway employees maintain their salary accounts with SBI.
Static GK: Book 'India after Gandhi' and Abbreviation AMS (Mid of September)
  • The book 'India after Gandhi' was written by historian Ramachandra Guha.
  • The book 'India after Gandhi' was published in 2007.
  • The abbreviation AMS refers to the Andhra Jan Sangham, an organization that began as a linguistic struggle for Telugu.
  • By the 1940s, the Andhra Jan Sangham (AMS) had transformed into the Andhra Mahasabha (AMS).
  • The Andhra Mahasabha (AMS) was a space in which the communists began to exert influence.
H.Y. Meti, former Karnataka minister and senior Congress leader, passes away (Start of November)
  • H.Y. Meti, former Karnataka excise minister and senior Congress leader, passed away at 79.
  • He was a five-time MLA and one-time Lok Sabha member.
  • Meti was a prominent figure in North Karnataka politics.
  • He was a sitting MLA from Bagalkot at the time of his passing.
  • He had previously resigned from the cabinet in 2016 following a controversy.
Air Marshal Sanjiv Ghuratia assumes charge as Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance, IAF (Start of September)
  • Air Marshal Sanjiv Ghuratia, AVSM, VSM took over as Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance (AOM) at IAF Headquarters, New Delhi on 1 September 2025.
  • Commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineering (Electrical) stream of the IAF in September 1988, he has 37 years of service.
  • He is an Electrical Engineering graduate from GEC Jabalpur, holds a Doctorate from Bhopal University, and is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and Madras University.
  • He has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2016 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2025.
  • As AOM, he will oversee the entire maintenance infrastructure of the IAF and spearhead indigenization under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Headline: Kumari Kamala, celebrated danseuse, passes away

Bullet Points:

  • Kumari Kamala, also known as Kamala Laxman, a celebrated danseuse, passed away at the age of 91 in the US.
  • She began her career at the age of three and appeared in nearly 100 films across Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada languages.
  • Her tutelage under Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai shaped her into a star performer.
  • Kumari Kamala was born in Mayuram, now Mayiladuthurai, in Tamil Nadu in 1934.
  • She appeared in a dance scene in ‘Kismat’ (1943), remembered as Hindi cinema’s first major hit.
  • In ‘Ram Rajya’ (1943), the only film Mahatma Gandhi ever watched, she performed a Kathak sequence.
  • She was married to cartoonist R K Laxman, and they divorced in 1960.
  • Her dance in ‘Naam Iruvar’ (1947), shown in double exposure, celebrated the spirit of freedom on the verge of India’s Independence.
  • She featured in a one-song role in ‘Parasakthi’ (1952), Sivaji Ganesan’s hugely successful debut film.
  • In M V Raman’s ‘Konjum Salangai’ (1962), the first Tamil film to be shot and released entirely in technicolour, she was paired with Gemini Ganesan.
  • Her ‘Tandava’ dance at the climax of ‘Sivagangai Seemai’ gave a macabre dimension to the hanging of the Marudu brothers and their lieutenant.

Similar Headlines

Dharmendra dies at 89: The ‘macho’ hero who broke boundaries, gave India both Sholay and Satyakam (End of November)
  • Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra passed away in Mumbai from age-related ailments.
  • The actor's last rites took place in the afternoon at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Mumbai’s Vile Parle.
  • Dharmendra had worked in over 300 films over his storied career.
  • He was hospitalised in October for a health check-up after complaining of breathlessness.
  • Earlier this year, he underwent an eye graft surgery (corneal transplantation).
  • Born Dharmendra Deol, he was born to a school teacher in the Sahnewal village of Ludhiana district, Punjab.
  • He made his debut in Hindi films in 1960 with Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere.
  • Phool Aur Patthar marked his first action role and earned him the title of the ‘He-Man of Bollywood’.
  • His role of Veeru in Sholay became his most famous.
  • He balanced Sholay with Satyakam and is also remembered for his comic turn in Chupke Chupke.
  • He was married to Prakash Kaur and later to Hema Malini, with whom he has two daughters, Esha and Ahana.
  • He is survived by sons Sunny, Bobby, daughters Ajeeta, Vijayta, Esha and Ahana, along with his first wife Prakash Kaur and second wife Hema Malini.
  • He set up his production house Vijayta Films in 1983 and launched his son Sunny Deol with Betaab.
  • He won a National Award for the film Ghayal under the category Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
  • In 2012, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan.
  • He contested from Bikaner in Rajasthan during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and served the constituency till 2009.
Noted Bharatanatyam artiste Sarada Teacher, architect of Kalakshetra methodology, passes away (Mid of September)
  • Sarada Hoffman (1929-2025), also known as Alladi Sarada, passed away recently in the U.S.
  • She was admired for her precision as a Bharatanatyam artiste and her distinction as a teacher.
  • She was instrumental in creating and standardising a Kalakshetra methodology for Bharatanatyam.
  • She preferred to be called ‘Sarada Teacher’ and never allowed anyone to use the title ‘Guru’ before her name.
  • Sarada Teacher was Rukminidevi Amma’s ideal model for shaping a keen precision on the physical body and in bodily execution.
  • Her only full-fledged dance drama choreographed in Kalakshetra was ‘Murugan Thiruvarul’.
  • She received accolades including the Sangeet Natak Academy (1996), Venkatakrishan Mama’s Sankarabharanam, Natyarangam of Narada Gana Sabha, and the first Rukmini Devi Medal for Excellence in the Arts.
10th Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2025 inaugurated by Waheeda Rehman in Odisha (Mid of November)
  • The 10th Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2025 was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
  • Legendary actress Waheeda Rehman praised the Film Heritage Foundation's preservation efforts at the opening ceremony.
  • The Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Robin Baker for his 35-year dedication to archival films.
  • The Champion of Film Heritage Award was conferred upon Surya Deo for documenting Odia cinema.
  • Sanjoy Patnaik received the Champion of Film Heritage Award for preserving stories of Odia cinema pioneers.
  • Rashmiranjan Mohapatra was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for interpreting classic Odia films through Pattachitra.
Veteran actor Kamini Kaushal passes away at 98 (Mid of November)
  • Kamini Kaushal dies at 98: Veteran actor’s career spanned from Neecha Nagar to Laal Singh Chaddha
  • Often called the oldest living actor of Hindi cinema, she passed away at home.
  • She made her debut with Chetan Anand’s 1946 film Neecha Nagar, which won the Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
  • Her last appearance was in the Aamir Khan film Laal Singh Chaddha.
  • Born as Uma Sood, Kamini told SCREEN in 2017 that she was “bullied” into the world of cinema after she finished her graduation in English honours from Lahore.
  • Kamini married her brother-in-law since she had promised her dying sister that she would take care of her two daughters.
  • By the mid-60s, she transitioned to author-backed character parts that left a strong impact.

Headline: PM to inaugurate Skyroot’s Infinity Campus and unveil Vikram-I orbital rocket

Bullet Points:

  • Prime Minister will inaugurate Indian space startup Skyroot’s Infinity Campus on 27th November at 11 AM via video conferencing.
  • He will also unveil Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, with capability to launch satellites to orbit.
  • The state-of-the-art facility will have around 200,000 square feet workspace for designing, developing, integrating and testing multiple launch vehicles, with a capacity to build one orbital rocket every month.
  • Skyroot is India’s leading private space company, founded by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, both alumni of Indian Institutes of Technology and former scientists of ISRO turned entrepreneurs.
  • In November 2022, Skyroot launched its sub-orbital rocket, Vikram-S, becoming the first Indian private company to launch a rocket to space.

Similar Headlines

PM Modi, Singapore PM virtually inaugurate 2nd phase of JNPort PSA Terminal (Start of September)
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, virtually inaugurated the second phase of the PSA-operated Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal (BMCT).
  • The inauguration took place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
  • Following this, the terminal’s total container handling capacity would stand at 4.8 million TEUs from 2.4 million TEUs earlier.
  • The terminal has received USD 1.3 billion FDI, the largest, under a PP model.
  • Over almost three decades, PSA has invested a total of USD 2.3 billion in India, of which more than half is in BMCT.
PM Modi launches Rs 1 lakh crore RDI Fund to spur private R&D without direct industry investment (Start of November)
  • Name: Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund with corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore
  • Implementing structure: Two-tier model—special purpose fund under Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) managed by Department of Science and Technology
  • Fund deployment: Capital routed through second-level fund managers (AIFs, DFIs, NBFCs) guided by independent investment committees
Tidco to set up space propellant park near Isro launch centre in Kulasekarapattinam (Mid of November)
  • The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (Tidco) has earmarked around 3,000 acres of land in Kulasekarapattinam and surrounding areas in Tuticorin district for the development of aerospace-related industries.
  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is developing a launchpad in Kulasekarapattinam.
  • Tidco is going to set up a space propellant park at least 25 km away from Isro's launch centre.
  • The new site in Kulasekarapattinam is uniquely strategic for Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) launches, as it allows for a direct southward trajectory over the sea, reducing the fuel-intensive 'dogleg' manoeuvre required for launches from the existing Sriharikota site.
  • Launches from Kulasekarapattinam are expected to be 30% cheaper than those from Sriharikota.
  • Adjacent to the Isro facility, the state is developing two specialised industrial parks -- one for propellant manufacturing and another for general space industries -- including a common facility centre with a sanctioned Rs 100crore budget.
  • 2,000 acres of land have been earmarked for the propellant park and 1,000 acres for the common facility centre at Allikulam in Tuticorin district.
PM Modi inaugurates & lays foundation for Rs 34,200-cr projects in Gujarat & major ports (End of September)
  • Total outlay: Rs 34,200 crore — over Rs 26,000 crore for Gujarat projects and over Rs 7,800 crore for pan-India maritime initiatives.
  • Maritime initiatives include Mumbai International Cruise Terminal at Indira Dock, new container terminal at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Kolkata, multi-cargo facility at Tuna Tekra, coastal protection works at Chennai & Car Nicobar, and ship-repair hubs at Patna & Varanasi.
  • Gujarat projects inaugurated/founded: HPLNG Regasification Terminal at Chhara Port, 600 MW renewable-energy project, complete solarisation of Dhordo village, hospital expansions in Bhavnagar & Jamnagar, new highway works, additional LNG infrastructure and urban-transport projects.

Headline: Rohit Sharma named Brand Ambassador for Men's T20 World Cup 2026

Bullet Points:

  • Rohit Sharma was named the brand ambassador of the 2026 T20 Men’s World Cup.
  • The announcement was made in Mumbai.
  • Rohit Sharma stated that no one has been announced as an ambassador while still playing.
  • Rohit Sharma was India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain.
  • The 2026 T20 Men’s World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
  • India will play Pakistan in Colombo on February 15 during the 2026 T20 World Cup.
  • India's opener in the 2026 T20 World Cup will be against the Americans at the Wankhede.
  • Rohit Sharma stated he has been fortunate to win two International Cricket Council (ICC) events recently in his 18 years.
  • India was placed in a group with Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, and Namibia for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Similar Headlines

Apollo Tyres Named New Jersey Sponsor of Team India Until 2027 (Mid of September)
  • Apollo Tyres has been announced as the new jersey sponsor of Team India.
  • The multi-year deal, officially unveiled today, will see the tire giant’s logo emblazoned on the Indian cricket team’s jersey across all formats—Tests, ODIs, and T20Is—until 2027.
  • The agreement officially came into effect today, September 16, 2025.
  • This is not the first time Apollo Tyres has ventured into sports sponsorship; their previous association with football giant Manchester United demonstrated their global ambition and their understanding of the power of sports to connect with a diverse audience.
  • The official announcement event was a grand affair, attended by key figures from both sides. Shri Jay Shah, the Honorary Secretary of the BCCI, and Shri Roger Binny, the President, were present to formalize the agreement.
Rahul Dravid Becomes Brand Ambassador for Paradeep Phosphates' Innovative Campaigns (Start of November)
  • Paradeep Phosphates has unveiled a partnership with cricket superstar Rahul Dravid as their new brand ambassador.
  • The collaboration aims to forge an association between two names that represent trust, discipline, reliability, and performance.
  • The partnership marks the launch of two major nationwide campaigns: 'Kheti ka Game Changer' for Jai Kisaan Navratna Nano Shakti Nano DAP and 'NPK and Organic Fertilizers ki Winning Team' for Paradeep’s NPK and organic fertiliser range.
  • Suresh Krishnan, managing director and CEO of Paradeep Phosphates, said, 'His unwavering integrity, dedication and consistency truly reflect the values we uphold at PPL, making him a perfect representative for the brand.'
  • Dravid noted, 'Farmers and sportspersons share a similar mindset, as both rely on patience, timing, and the right support systems to succeed.'
  • The integrated campaigns will run across television, digital, and print platforms.
Mohammed Siraj becomes brand ambassador for Skechers cricket footwear (Start of September)
  • Skechers has roped in India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj as its latest brand ambassador.
  • Siraj plays for Gujarat Titans in the IPL and was India’s highest wicket-taker in the recent Test series against England.
  • Siraj joins Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan and Yastika Bhatia on Skechers’ athlete roster.
Milind Soman appointed as brand ambassador for BJYM's ‘Namo Yuva Run’ campaign (Start of September)
  • Milind Soman has been "appointed as the campaign’s brand ambassador" for the ‘Namo Yuva Run’.
  • The ‘Namo Yuva Run’ campaign was launched by "The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha BJYM, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party".
  • Milind Soman is described as "Bollywood Actor, model and fitness enthusiast".

Headline: Delhi NEEV programme introduces hands-on entrepreneurship education for Classes 8-12

Bullet Points:

  • The Delhi government’s New Era of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem and Vision (NEEV) programme embeds structured, activity-based entrepreneurial exercises into classrooms.
  • NEEV targets students from Classes 8 to 12 and replaces rote learning with creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving tasks.
  • Activities include Role Model Research, Talk Show, Business in a Box – Rapid Fire Challenge, Startup of the Day, and a two-week My Billion-Rupee Idea assessment.

Similar Headlines

MoU between Ministry of Tribal Affairs and CIL for Upgrading 76 EMRS (Mid of September)
  • MoU signed on 9 September 2025 in New Delhi between Coal India Limited (CIL) and National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) under Ministry of Tribal Affairs
  • Objective: upgrade infrastructure and build capacity in 76 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha
  • Key provisions: 1,200 computers & 1,200 UPS units, 110 tablets, 420 sanitary pad vending machines & 420 incinerators, career counselling for 6,200 Class 10 & 12 students
  • Financial outlay: ₹10 crore sanctioned by CIL through CSR funds; project to be implemented by NSTFDC in a time-bound manner
Samsung–UNGCNI ‘DigiArivu’ Initiative to Strengthen STEM Education in Tamil Nadu (End of November)
  • Initiative Name: ‘DigiArivu–Empowering Students Thru Tech’ launched by Samsung in partnership with United Nations Global Compact Network India.
  • Objective: Strengthen digital science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Tamil Nadu.
  • Coverage: 10 government schools in Kancheepuram and Ranipet districts; expected to benefit over 3,000 students.
  • Key Provisions: Upgrade school infrastructure, enable STEM and digital learning, train teachers, and support holistic student development.
NHAI and Vertis Trust Launch 'Project Aarohan' Scholarship Scheme for Toll Plaza Employees' Children (End of August)
  • Scheme Name: 'Project Aarohan' – a scholarship programme launched by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in partnership with Vertis Infrastructure Trust.
  • Objective: To support the children of toll plaza employees in pursuing higher education.
  • Financial Outlay: ₹1 crore allocated for the first phase.
  • Beneficiaries: 500 students from Class 11 to final-year graduation and 50 postgraduate/higher-studies students.
  • Scholarship Amount: ₹12,000 per annum for school-to-graduation students and ₹50,000 each for postgraduate/higher-studies students in FY 2025–26.
  • Implementing Agency: SMEC Trust’s Bharat Cares.
  • Additional Support: Mentorship, skills workshops and career guidance included in the programme.
  • Application Process: Online portal; requires academic records, income proof, caste certificates and identification documents.
Gujarat Government Disburses ₹1,161+ Crore Under Namo Lakshmi Yojana and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana (End of September)
  • Namo Lakshmi Yojana: launched March 2024; girl students in classes 9-12 receive ₹50,000 over four years; over 10.49 lakh girls assisted, disbursements exceed ₹1,000 crore; managed via 'Namo Lakshmi Portal'.
  • Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana: launched March 2024; science-stream students in classes 11-12 who scored ≥50% in class 10 and study in GSHSEB/CBSE-recognised schools receive ₹25,000 over two years; over 1.5 lakh students benefited, disbursements exceed ₹161 crore; managed via 'Namo Saraswati Portal'.
  • Both schemes aim to support Gujarat’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision by preparing a skilled workforce for sectors like semiconductors, green energy, and digital sciences.

Headline: Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List Ranks Larry Page Second Richest Person Globally

Bullet Points:

  • Larry Page is the world's second-richest person with an estimated net worth of $264.9 billion.
  • Sergey Brin is the world's fourth-richest person with an estimated net worth of $245.6 billion.
  • Elon Musk holds the top rank with a net worth of $476.4 billion.
  • Larry Ellison is ranked third with a net worth of $247.4 billion.
  • Jeff Bezos is ranked fifth with a net worth of $241.5 billion.
  • Alphabet's market capitalization is nearing $4 trillion.
  • Alphabet breached the $3 trillion market capitalization threshold in September.
  • Sergey Brin donated $700 million earlier this year.
  • Sergey Brin gave away $615 million and $600 million in 2023.

Similar Headlines

Larry Page Becomes Third Richest Person Globally Following Google AI Model Launch (End of November)
  • Larry Page is Google’s cofounder.
  • He became the third richest person in the world, overtaking Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
  • His net worth jumped after the launch of Google’s new AI model, Gemini 3.
  • Page owns about 6% of Alphabet, Google’s parent company.
  • After the stock surge settled, Page’s wealth is now $249 billion.
Larry Ellison Briefly Becomes World's Richest Person Amid Oracle's Financial Surge (Mid of September)
  • Ellison's wealth surged to $393bn (£290bn) on Wednesday morning, surpassing Musk's $385bn (£284bn), according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
  • The jump came after shares in Oracle, which make up a significant part of Ellison's fortune, soared more than 40%.
  • The company projected as part of its quarterly earnings report on Tuesday that revenue from its cloud business will jump 77% this year, to $18bn, with further growth expected in the coming years.
  • Oracle signed four multibillion-dollar contracts with customers in the last quarter and anticipates several more deals in the months ahead, chief executive Safra Catz said on Tuesday.
  • Elon Musk could receive a pay package worth over $1tn (£740bn) if he hits a list of ambitious targets over the next decade, the board of the electric car firm has proposed.
  • Ellison funded the bulk of a $8bn bid by his son to acquire Paramount, which owns CBS and MTV.
Apple Reaches $4 Trillion Market Cap; Nvidia Nears $5 Trillion (End of October)
  • Apple briefly surpassed a $4 trillion market value on Tuesday, ending the trading day at $3.99 trillion.
  • Nvidia's market valuation reached $4.88 trillion as of Tuesday's close.
  • Microsoft's market value stood at $4.03 trillion on Tuesday, driven by news that its stake in OpenAI would be worth $135 billion.
  • Apple has gained 7.5% in 2025, compared to Nvidia’s 50%, Alphabet’s 42%, and Meta Platforms’ 28%.
  • The S&P 500 has risen 18% for the year.
  • Wall Street analysts expect Apple to report more than $100 billion in quarterly revenue when it reports earnings on Thursday.
Hurun Research Institute Report: Mumbai Ranks Third, New Delhi Ninth Among Top Billionaire Cities Globally (Mid of November)
  • New York tops the list with 119 billionaires.
  • London is second with 97 billionaires.
  • Mumbai secured third place with 92 billionaires.
  • According to a recent report by the Hurun Research Institute, shared by World of Statistics on social media platform X, the cities with the highest number of billionaires include New York, London, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Moscow, New Delhi, and San Francisco.
  • India’s capital, New Delhi, also made it to the global top ten, ranking ninth with 57 billionaires.

Headline: TB Mukta Panchayat: Aims to Eliminate Tuberculosis by 2027

Bullet Points:

  • The TB Mukta Panchayat (TMP) is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  • The TMP was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, 2023.
  • The initiative aims to involve elected members of the panchayats to eliminate tuberculosis by 2027.
  • The criteria for declaration of the tuberculosis-free panchayat includes collection of at least 30 samples per 1000 population, and the number of TB patients in the panchayat should be zero or less than one per cent per 1,000 population.
  • A panchayat will be qualified to be TB Mukt Panchayat, only if all criteria related to test result, treatment and all notified cases benefited from Nikshay Mitra under Prime Minister TB Mukta Bharat Abhiyan.

Similar Headlines

Global Tuberculosis Cases Decline for First Time Since Pandemic, Funding Gaps Threaten Progress (Mid of November)
  • Tuberculosis, or TB, remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers, claiming over 1.2 million lives and affecting an estimated 10.7 million people last year.
  • Cases are on a downward trajectory for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
  • Global funding for TB has stagnated since 2020, with just $5.9 billion available in 2024 – far below the $22 billion annual target for 2027.
  • Between 2023 and 2024, the global rate of people falling ill with TB declined by nearly two per cent, while deaths fell by three per cent.
  • As of last year, over half of the population worldwide is covered by rapid testing, 54 per cent up from 48 per cent in 2023.
  • Additionally, treatment saw a success rate of 88 per cent, according to the report.
  • Between 2015 and 2024, the WHO African Region managed to reduce the indecent rate by 28 per cent and deaths from the illness went down by 46 per cent.
Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan and 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah: Largest-ever women & children health outreach (End of September)
  • Scheme Name: 'Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar' (SNSP) Abhiyaan jointly led by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Women & Child Development.
  • Objective: Provide women-centric preventive, promotive and curative health services; strengthen screening & treatment linkages for NCDs, anaemia, TB, sickle-cell; promote maternal, child & adolescent health including nutrition, menstrual hygiene, mental health awareness.
  • Scale & Duration: Over 10 lakh health camps organised nationwide from 17 Sep to 2 Oct 2025 at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, CHCs, District Hospitals and other government facilities.
  • Key Provisions: All tests and medicines free; those needing further treatment can use Ayushman cards; daily health camps in every government facility during the campaign period.
Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan: Guinness World Records and Health Outcomes (Start of November)
  • The Union Health Ministry achieved three Guinness World Records titles under the nationwide 'Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan' (SNSPA) campaign.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar campaign from September 27 to October 2, 2025, in conjunction with Poshan Maah (nutrition month).
  • The campaign focuses on improving health and nutrition of women, adolescent girls, and children; aiming to strengthening early detection, ensuring access to essential health services, and empowering families to adopt healthier lifestyles.
  • The three Guinness World Records are: most people (over 3.21 crore) to register for a healthcare platform in one month; most people (over 9.94 lakh) to sign up for breast cancer screening online in one week; and most people (over 1.25 lakh) to sign up for vital signs screening online in one week (at state level).
  • As part of the campaign, 19.7 lakh health camps were organised, with a footfall of more than 11 crore on all healthcare platforms.
  • Over 20 ministries participated in the campaign, which also involved central government institutes, medical colleges and private organisations.
  • Key outcomes of the campaign include over 1.78 crore hypertension screenings, 1.73 crore diabetes screenings, 69.5 lakh oral cancer screenings, 62.6 lakh antenatal care check-ups, 1.43 crore vaccine doses and 1.51 crore anaemia tests.
  • More than 85.9 lakh women were screened for tuberculosis, 10.2 lakh for sickle cell disease, and 2.14 crore individuals participated in counselling and wellness sessions.
  • Over 2.68 lakh Nikshay Mitra (anti-tuberculosis volunteers) were registered during the campaign.
India-WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine 2025: Ambassadors’ Reception Held in New Delhi (Mid of November)
  • Event: 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine (17–19 December 2025, New Delhi) jointly hosted by Ministry of Ayush and WHO.
  • Participants: Over 100 countries expected; reception attended by ambassadors/high commissioners and Indian/WHO dignitaries including Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Ambassador Sibi George, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal, Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla.
  • Key framework: Summit aligned to WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 and anchored by WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC), Jamnagar.
  • Theme: “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Wellbeing” to advance evidence-based, integrative traditional medicine.

Headline: Oxford Word of the Year 2025 shortlist announced

Bullet Points:

  • Oxford University Press announced the shortlist for Oxford Word of the Year 2025.
  • The three shortlisted words are 'Aura Farming', 'Biohack', and 'Rage Bait'.
  • The winning word will be announced on December 1.

Similar Headlines

Dictionary.com's 2025 Word of the Year: '67' (Start of November)
  • Dictionary.com announced it has chosen "67" as its 2025 Word of the Year.
  • The term "67" is pronounced "six seven," not sixty-seven.
  • "67" is the first word of the year in a really long time that's actually more of an interjection.
  • "67" is an example of brainrot slang and is intended to be nonsensical and playfully absurd.
  • The term "67" originated from a song by rapper Skrilla, "Doot Doot (6 7)".
Collins Dictionary's Word of the Year 2025: 'Vibe Coding' (Start of November)
  • Collins Dictionary has chosen “vibe coding” as its Word of the Year 2025.
  • The term “vibe coding” describes a new way of programming where developers create computer programs by simply describing them to an AI chatbot instead of writing code manually.
  • OpenAI co-founder and former Tesla AI director Andrej Karpathy popularised the term “vibe coding.”
  • Other shortlisted words for Collins’ Word of the Year 2025 include “Biohacking,” “Clanker,” and “Aura Farming.”
  • Alex Beecroft, Managing Director of Collins, stated that “vibe coding” captures the evolving relationship between language and technology.
International Literacy Day 2025: History, Importance, and Theme (Start of September)
  • International Literacy Day is observed every year on September 8 to make people aware of the importance of literacy.
  • The day is promoted by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) to show how literacy is vital for personal dignity, human rights, and societal development.
  • The day was declared by UNESCO on October 26, 1966, during the 14th session of UNESCO's General Conference and was first celebrated in 1967.
  • Every year, UNESCO announces a theme for the celebration.
  • This year, International Literacy Day (ILD) will be observed under the theme “Promoting literacy in the digital era.”
  • On 8 September, ILD2025 will celebrate progress in literacy at the global, regional, national and local levels.
  • ILD2025 will be an opportunity for critical reflection on what literacy means today, and how literacy teaching and learning, programmes and policies are designed, managed and monitored in this digital era.

Headline: European Court of Justice (ECJ) rules Poland must recognise same-sex marriages lawfully concluded in other EU member states

Bullet Points:

  • The European Court of Justice (ECJ) stated that EU member states are obliged to recognise a same-sex marriage between two EU citizens that had been 'lawfully concluded in another member state'.
  • The ruling covers the case of a Polish couple who married in Berlin and whose marriage certificate was rejected by Polish authorities.
  • The ECJ clarified that Polish domestic law would not have to be changed to recognise marriages between people of the same sex.
  • The court emphasised that as EU citizens, the couple had the right to freedom of movement and the right to lead a family life.
  • Forcing them to live as an unmarried couple in Poland was contrary to EU law and infringed their rights.

Similar Headlines

UK-France 'One In, One Out' Migrant Exchange Deal Sees First Removals (End of September)
  • The UK and France have agreed a year-long scheme of exchanges of migrants to deter small boat crossings, known as the 'one in, one out' deal.
  • Under the scheme, for each migrant the UK returns to France, another migrant with a strong case for asylum in the UK will be allowed to come in return.
  • An Eritrean man, an Iranian male, and an Indian national have been returned to France under the scheme.
  • A judge, Mr Justice Sheldon, ruled that France was a safe country abiding by the same safeguards as the UK under the European Convention of Human Rights, allowing the removal flights.
IOC plans blanket ban on transgender women from female events at LA 2028 Olympics (Mid of November)
  • The International Olympic Committee is preparing a universal rule that would bar all transgender women from competing in women’s events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
  • Current regulations allow each sport to set its own testosterone-based eligibility rules; the proposed change would impose a single across-the-board ban.
  • The new policy, still under discussion, could also affect athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD) such as 2024 Olympic boxing gold medallist Imane Khelif.
Labour codes: What changes for workers and employers (End of November)
  • Effective November 21, the four labour codes replace 29 central labour laws.
  • The codes aim to ease regulations and compliance norms for employers and ensure uniformity in wage structure and social security protection for workers.
  • They are seen as beneficial for domestic manufacturing with easier compliances, decriminalisation of offences, and incentives for economies of scale.
  • Trade unions have flagged changes related to hire and fire, retrenchment, fixed-term employment, and curtailment of the right to strike.
  • The Code on Wages amalgamates four wages and payment related labour laws, defining wage, employee, and minimum wage to cover all employees irrespective of industry, sector, wage or gender.
  • A National Floor Wage will now be the baseline wage, to be followed by all states.
  • Wage includes basic pay, dearness allowance, and retaining allowance, forming the basis for calculation of benefits and social security contributions, with deductions not exceeding 50 per cent of total pay.
  • Overtime wage is fixed at at least twice the normal wage for any work beyond normal working hours.
  • Working hours will be between 8-12 hours/day, not exceeding 48 hours a week, with flexibility for less than six working days where hours shall not exceed 12 hours in a day including rest.
  • Time limits are set for wage payments, including within 7 days of the next month for monthly payments and within 2 days for resignation or termination.
  • Employers must issue electronic or physical wage slips to employees on or before payment of wages.
  • The Code on Social Security merges nine existing social security laws to cover both organised and unorganised sectors, legally defining gig and platform workers for the first time.
  • National registration and a social security fund for unorganised and gig workers is stipulated.
  • Aggregators for gig workers are to contribute 1-2 per cent of annual turnover for social security, capped at 5 per cent of the amount payable by the aggregator to gig workers.
  • Fixed-term employees will be at par with permanent workers and eligible for gratuity after 1 year of continuous service.
  • EPFO coverage extends to all establishments having 20 or more employees, and ESIC coverage is pan-India, mandatory even if a single person is engaged in hazardous occupation.
  • The Industrial Relations Code merges three industrial laws and defines a worker to include sales promotion employees, working journalists, and those employed in supervisory capacity drawing wages less than Rs 18,000.
  • It introduces fixed-term employment to facilitate hiring for shorter tenures, which trade unions have objected to.
  • The threshold for seeking prior government approval for layoff, retrenchment and closure in factories, mines and plantations is hiked to 300 workers from 100.
  • Conditions for a legal strike are extended to all industrial establishments, requiring notice within 60 days before striking or within 14 days of giving such notice.
  • The definition of strike has been amended to include mass casual leave by more than 50 per cent of the workers on a given day.
  • It introduces a ‘negotiating union or council’, where a trade union with 51 per cent membership of workers will be the ‘sole negotiating union’.
  • The OSH Code merges 13 central labour laws, aiming to streamline compliances via single registration, common licences and electronic filings.
  • The threshold for obtaining a factory licence is increased from 10 workers to 20 for manufacturing aided with power; from 20 to 40 for units without power.
  • Contract labour norms apply on contractors employing 50 workers, versus 20 workers earlier, and employers are given flexibility to employ contract labour even in core activities, subject to conditions.
  • It permits women to work in night shifts, before 6 am and beyond 7 pm, subject to their consent and provisions for safety.
  • Mandatory appointment letters are to be issued by employers to every employee.
  • Every employer is required to provide annual health examinations or tests free of cost to employees.
  • Safety committees will need to be constituted in factories employing 500 or more workers, employers employing 250 or more construction workers, and employers employing 100 or more mine workers.
Assam Cabinet Approves Bill to Ban Polygamy (Mid of November)
  • Assam Cabinet on Sunday approved a bill that proposes to prohibit polygamy and grant seven years of imprisonment for the guilty.
  • The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, is scheduled to be tabled in the winter session of the Assembly from November 25.
  • The bill, after passage by the Assembly, however, seeks to exempt the ethnic communities and the areas under the three autonomous councils set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
  • These autonomous councils are Bodoland Territorial Council, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and Dima Hasao Autonomous Council.
  • Under this bill, polygamy is prohibited in respect of the person who shall not marry if he has a living spouse or is not legally separated from the other spouse by following due procedure of law or is a party to a marriage which is not yet dissolved or annulled by a decree of divorce.
  • The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025 further seeks to provide compensation to the victim women as they have to suffer immense pain and hardship due to polygamous marriage.
  • If the bill is passed by the Assembly, Assam will join Uttarakhand in banning polygamy.

Headline: China’s Shenzhou-22 Launches Emergency Mission to Tiangong Space Station

Bullet Points:

  • China has deployed a replacement return capsule to its space station, marking the first emergency launch in its crewed space programme.
  • The Shenzhou-22 spacecraft, loaded with 600 kg of supplies, including food and material needed to repair a damaged return vehicle, lifted off at 12.11 PM (local time) on Tuesday.
  • It linked up with the Tiangong space station in under four hours.
  • The astronauts had been forced to rely on the fresh capsule because their designated Shenzhou-20 return ship was found to have tiny cracks in one of its portholes, damage suspected to be caused by space debris.
  • The flaw made it unsafe for a crewed descent.
  • Shenzhou-20 will be repaired and sent back to Earth at a later stage, but only as a cargo vessel without astronauts.
  • Zheng Wei, a researcher at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), explained the complexity of repairing the affected glass.
  • According to SCMC, Zheng said removing the glass was too risky, meaning repairs could only be done internally, strengthening the structure from within.
  • Shenzhou-22 was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China on a Long March-2F Y22 rocket.
  • According to Xinhua, the spacecraft includes several upgrades — such as enhancements to the instrument system, more room for payload installation and refinements to various components — improvements that will be incorporated into future vessels.

Similar Headlines

China launches Yaogan-45 reconnaissance satellite and 11 Geesatcom IoT craft (Start of September)
  • Yaogan-45 satellite launched aboard Long March 7A from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center; described by CASC as 'mainly used for scientific experiments, land resource surveys, crop yield estimates, and disaster prevention and relief work'
  • Long March 7A first used for 'medium-orbit launch mission'; capacity to medium Earth orbit raised 'from 7,000 kilograms to over 8,000 kgs' via core-stage tank and engine-start upgrades
  • Yaogan-45 developed by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) under CASC; joins Yaogan-41 in 'higher than usual orbit' compared with majority of Yaogan series in low Earth or sun-synchronous orbits
  • Jielong-3 solid rocket launched 11 Geesatcom satellites from Eastern maritime spaceport off Rizhao coast; fifth group for constellation, bringing total to 52 satellites
  • Geesatcom constellation partners include Azyan Telecom (Oman), ATSS (Saudi Arabia), Soremar (Morocco), ALTEL (Malaysia), Orbith (Argentina); services target 'smart cities, intelligent transportation, energy, and marine fisheries'
Shenzhou-21 docks with Tiangong space station 3.5 hours after launch (Start of November)
  • Shenzhou-21 spacecraft docked at the forward port of Tiangong’s Tianhe core module at 3:22 p.m. Eastern (1922 UTC) Oct. 31, according to CMSEO.
  • The mission carries commander Zhang Lu and crewmates Zhang Hongzhang and Wu Fei for a roughly six-month stay aboard Tiangong.
  • Science agenda includes space life sciences, biotechnology, fluid physics, space medicine, materials science, combustion, and reproduction experiments with four black mice.
  • Long March 2F rocket launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 11:44 a.m. Eastern (1544 UTC).
  • China is developing the Long March 10 rocket, Mengzhou crew spacecraft, Lanyue lunar lander, Wangyu lunar suit, and crew lunar rover for a crewed lunar landing before 2030.
All About China’s Hongqi Bridge That Collapsed Just Months After Reopening (Mid of November)
  • The 758-meter-long Hongqi Bridge in Sichuan’s Maerkang city collapsed on Tuesday, just months after reopening.
  • Authorities had closed it a day earlier after cracks and terrain shifts were detected; no casualties were reported.
  • The incident occurred along a national highway linking China’s heartland with Tibet.
  • Police closed the bridge to all traffic on Monday afternoon after cracks appeared on nearby slopes and roads and shifts in the mountain terrain raised safety concerns.
  • Conditions worsened on Tuesday afternoon, triggering a landslide that caused the approach bridge and roadbed to collapse into the river below.
  • The bridge was part of the G317 national highway, an important route connecting central China to Tibet.
  • Built by the state-backed Sichuan Road & Bridge Group, the bridge was designed as a cantilevered two-lane beam bridge, standing about 625 meters above the gorge floor with piers reaching 172 meters in height.
  • The bridge was constructed to improve connectivity and boost economic activity in western China’s rugged terrain.
  • It was part of a broader effort to upgrade infrastructure along the G317 corridor, linking areas around the Shuangjiangkou Dam reservoir to the Tibetan Plateau.
IndiGo plans codeshare partnership with China Southern Airlines (Mid of November)
  • IndiGo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China Southern Airlines to establish a codeshare and cooperation agreement aimed at improving air connectivity between India and China.
  • The partnership, subject to regulatory approvals, will allow passengers to book seamless travel on both airlines’ networks with single-ticket convenience and through check-in services.
  • IndiGo started direct daily flights from Delhi to Guangzhou.
  • IndiGo resumed flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou, marking commencement of direct air connectivity between India and China after more than five years.
  • Direct flights were operational between the two countries till early 2020 before being suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Services remained suspended in view of the eastern Ladakh border row.
  • Following the recent diplomatic initiatives, it was decided to resume the direct flights between the two countries.

Headline: Gramma, Galápagos Tortoise and San Diego Zoo's Oldest Resident, Dies

Bullet Points:

  • Gramma, estimated to be about 141 years old, died on November 20.
  • She arrived at the San Diego Zoo from the Bronx Zoo in either 1928 or 1931 as part of the zoo's first group of Galápagos tortoises.
  • She was euthanized after suffering from bone conditions related to her old age that had progressed recently.

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7-month fishing ban imposed in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary to protect Olive Ridley sea turtles (Start of November)
  • The ban covers the entire 1,435 sq km Gahirmatha marine sanctuary from Hukitola to Dhamra.
  • Fishing trawlers are now required to install turtle excluder devices (escape hatches) in their nets.
  • Forest department has set up 14 turtle protection camps, including four offshore camps at Madali, Sasanipada, Ekakula and Babubali islands.
  • Marine police stations at Jamboo, Talachua, Tantiapala and Coast Guard at Paradip assist forest officials in enforcement.
  • Odisha hosts 50% of the world’s Olive Ridley population and 90% of India’s sea turtles.
Rediscovery of 'Lost' Killifish Moema claudiae in Bolivia's Fragile Wetlands (Mid of November)
  • A rare killifish, Moema claudiae, thought extinct for over two decades, has been rediscovered in a small Bolivian pond.
  • Moema claudiae was last recorded more than 20 years ago at its original collection site in Bolivia, which has since been destroyed and converted into agricultural land.
  • The species held a status of “Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)” according to IUCN criteria.
  • Researchers Heinz Arno Drawert and Thomas Otto Litz made the discovery of a surviving population.
  • The finding was published in the journal Nature Conservation.
  • The rediscovery site is located where the Amazon rainforest transitions into the Llanos de Moxos, a mosaic of wetlands, savannas, and forest patches.
  • The rediscovery site also revealed six additional species of seasonal killifish, making it the most genetically diverse assemblage of seasonal killifish ever recorded worldwide.
  • Moema claudiae was named by renowned ichthyologist Professor Wilson Costa in honour of his wife, Claudia.
  • In the last 25 years, Bolivia has lost nearly 10 million hectares of forest, including vast wetland areas essential for seasonal fish species, largely driven by expanding agriculture.
  • Seasonal killifish like Moema claudiae survive in temporary pools that dry out for months at a time, with their eggs remaining dormant in the soil until rains return, a strategy known as diapause.
Jellyfish: Ancient Ocean Animals with Unique Biology and Ecological Significance (Start of November)
  • Jellyfish have been on Earth for more than 500 million years, predating fish, insects, and trees, and are considered one of the first complex multicellular animals.
  • They possess a simple design, lacking a brain, bones, and blood, with their basic bell-shaped body plan, called the medusa, remaining consistent over hundreds of millions of years.
  • The *Aequorea victoria* jellyfish contains green fluorescent protein (GFP), which has revolutionized cell biology since its discovery in the 1960s and is used in neuroscience and cancer research.
  • Jellyfish are crucial to the marine ecosystem as both predators and prey, and when they die, they form a “jelly-fall” that delivers organic matter and transfers carbon to the deep sea.
  • The “immortal jellyfish” can reverse its life cycle entirely, transforming its adult medusa body back into a polyp stage when stressed, a feature that is a major focus of aging and regeneration research.
  • Jellyfish biology has inspired technological applications, with engineers studying their propulsion for soft robots and medical researchers investigating jellyfish collagen for wound healing and tissue engineering.
New filter-feeding pterosaur species Bakiribu waridza identified inside fossilised dinosaur vomit in Brazil (Mid of November)
  • Discovery: New filter-feeding pterosaur species Bakiribu waridza identified from bones preserved in fossilised regurgitate (regurgitalite).
  • Institution: Specimen stored at Museu Camara Cascudo, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
  • Key features: Long jaws with dense, brush-like rows of teeth; belongs to Ctenochasmatidae family; first filter-feeding pterosaur known from the tropics.
  • Associated fauna: Fossil contained bones of two B. waridza individuals plus four fossil fish.
  • Predator inference: Arrangement suggests predator ate pterosaurs then fish and later regurgitated mixed material; likely candidates are spinosaurid dinosaurs or ornithocheiriform pterosaurs.

Headline: India and France sign JV agreement on November 24, 2025, to locally produce HAMMER precision-guided weapons

Bullet Points:

  • Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics & Defence (SED), France, signed a Joint Venture Cooperation Agreement to locally produce HAMMER precision-guided weapons.
  • The agreement formalises the manufacture of the Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) smart precision-guided air-to-ground weapon in India.
  • The HAMMER weapons are already integrated on the Indian Air Force’s Rafale aircraft and are under evaluation for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
  • The joint venture aims to progressively raise indigenous content to up to 60%, with BEL leading final integration and quality assurance.
  • This partnership reflects a strategic shift in the India-France defence relationship from buyer-seller to co-development and co-production, supporting India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

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India & France ink pact for joint R&D. The aim—to develop solutions for future defence challenges (End of November)
  • Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) Thursday signed a technical agreement to deepen bilateral collaboration in the field of research and development.
  • The agreement, signed by DRDO chief Samir V. Kamat and France’s armaments director Gael Diaz de Tuesta, is an overarching pact enabling joint R&D, not tied to any one project.
  • This strategic partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions for future defence challenges, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement.
  • The agreement provides a formal framework for joint research and training programmes, testing activities, exchange of information, organisation of workshops, seminars etc. to enhance the skill and knowledge in defence R&D.
  • Under the agreement, the transfer of equipment, know-how and technologies will be available to both countries.
  • Key areas of cooperation outlined in this agreement include aeronautical platforms, unmanned vehicles, advanced materials for defence applications, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space, navigation, advanced propulsion, advanced sensors, quantum technologies, underwater technologies and other areas of mutual interest, the statement said.
  • Both countries are looking at declaring 2026 as the ‘India-France year of innovation’ which will not be limited to just pure defence.
  • France was India’s first strategic partner and an agreement to this effect was signed on 26 January 1998.
India hits record Rs 1.54 lakh crore defence production in FY25; defence sector stocks upbeat (End of November)
  • India recorded its highest-ever defence production of Rs 1.54 lakh crore and record exports of Rs 23,622 crore in FY25.
  • Indigenous production stood at Rs 1,27,434 crore in FY24, marking a 174% rise compared to FY15.
  • DPSUs and other PSUs accounted for approximately 77% of total production, while the private sector contributed 23%.
  • The private sector accounted for over Rs 15,233 crore of defence exports, while DPSUs contributed around Rs 8,389 crore.
  • FY25 saw 193 defence contracts worth Rs 2,09,050 crore signed, with 177 contracts worth nearly Rs 1.69 lakh crore going to domestic industries.
  • India now sources at least 65% of its defence needs from local producers.
  • Government targets Rs 3 lakh crore defence production and Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.
  • India exports defence products to over 100 nations, including the United States, France, and Armenia.
  • HAL share price up 13.57%, BDL up 37.24%, BEL up 44.78%, Bharat Forge up 11.02%, and Paras Defence up 48.13% so far in 2025.
US approves sale of Excalibur Projectiles and Javelin Missile Systems to India (End of November)
  • Defence items: M982A1 Excalibur precision-guided artillery projectiles (216 rounds) and FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile systems (100 rounds, 1 fly-to-buy missile, 25 Lightweight Command Launch Units)
  • Total value: USD 93 million — Excalibur package USD 47.1 million, Javelin package USD 45.7 million
  • Principal contractor: RTX Corporation (for Excalibur); no offset agreement known at this stage
  • Objective stated by DSCA: "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship" and "improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats"
  • Additional items: Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems, propellant charges, training aids, simulation rounds, technical manuals, lifecycle support, logistics and programme support
India Nears Rs 2 Lakh Crore Deal for 114 'Made in India' Rafale Jets (Mid of September)
  • The Indian Air Force proposes acquiring 114 'Made in India' Rafale fighter jets.
  • The deal is in collaboration with French manufacturer Dassault Aviation and Indian aerospace firms.
  • The deal is estimated to be worth over Rs 2 lakh crore, with more than 60 percent indigenous content.
  • Dassault plans to establish a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility for Rafale’s M-88 engines in Hyderabad.
  • Indian partners such as Tata are likely to be involved in the production.

Headline: Indian Army honours Operation Pawan heroes on November 25, 2025

Bullet Points:

  • Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi led the first-ever official commemoration of Operation Pawan on November 25, 2025.
  • Hundreds of troops lost their lives, and over 1,000 were injured during Operation Pawan, which occurred between October 7, 1987 and October 27, 1987, against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka.
  • Major R. Parameswaran, who received the Param Vir Chakra, was among those honoured by the Indian Army Chief on November 25, 2025.

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Ashi Hill battlefield trek culminates 63rd Walong Day series, honouring 1962 heroes' sacrifice (Mid of November)
  • The final Battlefield Trek of the 63rd Walong Day Commemoration was conducted from Ashi Hill to Tri Jn Post, Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The event witnessed the participation of 20 civilians, along with Indian Army personnel.
  • Ashi Hill holds special significance in the annals of the Battle of Walong, where Indian troops fought gallantly against numerically superior Chinese forces.
  • Tri Jn Post stands as a symbolic site of the first counterattack launched by the Indian Army during the 1962 War.
  • The trek served as a heartfelt tribute to the heroes who defended the nation's honour and inspired generations with their unmatched valour.
  • The Battlefield Trek Series underscores the Indian Army's ongoing effort to honour its heroes, promote historical awareness, and instil patriotism among the youth.
Tributes paid to 1962 war heroes at Arunachal's Gelling on Kepang La Day: November 17 (Mid of November)
  • Kepang La Day was commemorated at Gelling in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district to honour soldiers who died in the 1962 Battle of Kepang La.
  • Tuting-Yingkiong MLA Alo Libang paid tribute to the soldiers, saying "their sacrifice continues to inspire generations."
  • Libang recalled that "during the Sino-India War, Chinese troops had entered India through the Kepang La Pass, where at least 11 Indian soldiers were martyred."
  • He noted the pass "once served as a path for barter trade" and that "the Adis, Galos, Misings, and other tribes of the state are believed to have migrated through this pass into India."
  • Libang stated that "despite its importance, Kepang La still lacks road connectivity and basic infrastructure" and urged the state government to develop tourism facilities there.
Guru Tegh Bahadur 350th Shaheedi Purab: Delhi declares public holiday on November 25 (End of November)
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur's 350th Martyrdom Day is observed as a public holiday in Delhi, honouring his sacrifice and teachings on human dignity and religious freedom.
  • He became the ninth Sikh Guru in 1664 and led the community through political upheaval and rising religious intolerance under Mughal rule.
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur is honoured for defending the rights of Kashmiri Pandits who faced forced conversions and stood up to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
  • He willingly embraced martyrdom in 1675 in Delhi, making him the second Sikh Guru to be executed by the Mughal regime.
  • His sacrifice earned him the title 'Hind Di Chadar,' reflecting his role as a guardian of religious freedom and interfaith dignity.
  • He contributed 116 verses to the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib), focusing on humility, detachment, and inner peace.
  • The Delhi Government announced a public holiday on Tuesday (November 25) for the 350th Shaheedi Purab, upgrading it from a restricted holiday.
  • The day offers citizens an opportunity to remember and pay homage to Guru Tegh Bahadur’s supreme sacrifice, divine wisdom, and contribution to safeguarding dharam, human dignity, and freedom of conscience.
India-Pakistan War of 1965: Major Dhirendra Singh Awarded Vir Chakra for Gallantry (End of September)
  • The article commemorates the India-Pakistan war of 1965.
  • Major Dhirendra Singh of the Kumaon Regiment was awarded the Vir Chakra.
  • The Vir Chakra is the country's third highest wartime gallantry award.
  • On September 18, 1965, Major Dhirendra Nath Singh was commanding a company of a Battalion of Kumaon Regiment which was ordered to capture Keri.
  • Despite losing a leg from a mine blast, Major Singh silenced an enemy MMG (medium machine gun) and led his men to capture the post.

Headline: NOAA and NASA Report 2025 Antarctic Ozone Hole as Fifth-Smallest Since 1992

Bullet Points:

  • The ozone hole reached its greatest one-day extent for 2025 in early September, measuring 8.83 million square miles.
  • This extent is about 30% smaller than the largest hole on record in 2006.
  • Efforts to limit ozone-depleting chemical compounds had a significant impact, according to NOAA and NASA scientists.
  • The regulations are established by the Montreal Protocol, which went into effect in 1992.
  • This year’s hole would have been more than one million square miles larger if there was still as much chlorine in the stratosphere as there was 25 years ago, said Paul Newman, a senior scientist at the University of Maryland system and longtime leader of NASA’s ozone research team.

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Southern Ocean's stored heat may 'burp' back, delaying post-emissions cooling (End of October)
  • Discovery: Southern Ocean could release centuries of stored heat in a delayed 'burp' after global emissions reach net-zero, causing renewed warming for over a century.
  • Researchers: Study led by Dr Ivy Frenger of GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Germany.
  • Mechanism: During emissions rise, disrupted upwelling traps heat in deep layers; when surface cools post-emissions, this heat gradually returns to the atmosphere.
  • Model finding: Secondary warming phase could match industrial-era rates and persist for more than a century, mainly affecting the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Policy implication: Challenges assumption that falling CO₂ will immediately cool the planet, showing oceanic heat release can delay climate recovery.
Nagaland fossil leaves reveal Antarctic glaciation triggered intensified Indian monsoon 34 million years ago (Mid of September)
  • Discovery: Well-preserved fossil leaves from the Laisong Formation, Nagaland, dated ~34 million years, indicating a warm, wet palaeoclimate.
  • Institutions: Study led by Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (Lucknow) and Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (Dehradun), DST autonomous institutes.
  • Key finding: Growth of Antarctic ice sheets shifted the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) toward the tropics, boosting rainfall and temperatures in India and spurring monsoon evolution.
  • Method: CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) applied to fossil-leaf size, shape, and structure for quantitative palaeoclimate reconstruction.
  • Implication: Modern Antarctic ice melt could again shift the ITCZ, potentially disrupting present-day Indian monsoon rainfall patterns.
Montreal Protocol drives ozone-layer healing, UN urges Kigali Amendment ratification (Mid of September)
  • The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, adopted 22 March 1985, is the first treaty signed by every country in the world.
  • The Montreal Protocol monitors and aims to eliminate global production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs.
  • UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen: "ozone depleting substances have now been virtually eradicated and the hole in the ozone layer is closing."
  • UN Secretary-General António Guterres urges governments to ratify and implement the Kigali Amendment to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
  • Implementing the Kigali Amendment could avoid up to 0.5 °C of warming by the end of the century, with energy-efficient cooling doubling these gains.

Headline: Kyivstar and Starlink Bring Europe’s First Direct-to-Cell Service Live in Ukraine

Bullet Points:

  • Kyivstar is now offering direct-to-cell services for its customers by working with SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.
  • Around 200,000 Kyivstar customers have already registered on the Direct to Cell network.
  • More than 16,000 SMS messages were sent and received just on Monday when the service went live.
  • The service will support customers during prolonged blackouts and Ukrainians in areas near the front line and in de-occupied territories where the terrestrial network is damaged or under restoration.
  • The coverage extends across Ukraine’s territory but does not include occupied areas, border regions, and active combat zones.
  • The Starlink Direct to Cell technology is compatible only with Android smartphones with 4G support, and integration with iOS is expected soon.

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Maharashtra signs LOI with Starlink to deploy satellite-based internet across remote districts (Start of November)
  • Maharashtra government signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt Ltd to provide satellite-based internet services.
  • Target regions include remote and underserved areas such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Washim and Dharashiv.
  • Services will cover government institutions, rural communities and critical public infrastructure.
  • The collaboration supports Maharashtra’s Digital Maharashtra mission and integrates with EV, coastal development and disaster resilience programmes.
  • Maharashtra becomes the first Indian state to formally partner with Starlink for satellite-enabled digital infrastructure.
Toshiba India delivers first indigenous 220 kV Mobile GIS to POWERGRID (Start of November)
  • Technology: India’s first indigenously manufactured 220 kV Mobile Gas-Insulated Switchgear (m-GIS) system
  • Developer/Supplier: Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems (India) Pvt Ltd (TTDI)
  • Recipient: Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID)
  • Manufacturing & Flag-off Location: TTDI facility in Telangana
  • Intended Applications: Utilities, renewable energy projects, disaster recovery operations requiring mobile, fast, and reliable power evacuation solutions
  • Upcoming Delivery: Indigenous 132 kV m-GIS solution scheduled for delivery to POWERGRID in November
C-DOT and NAM InfoCom Partner for Indigenous Mission Critical Communication System (MCX) Solution Development (Mid of November)
  • The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) signed an Agreement with M/s NAM InfoCom Private Limited for Joint Development of Mission Critical Communication System (MCX) Solution.
  • The partnership aims to strengthen India’s indigenous communication infrastructure for public safety and emergency response and enhance India’s self-reliance in mission-critical communications.
  • The MCX system has been developed in line with 3GPP standards to support Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT), Mission Critical Data (MCData), and Mission Critical Video (MCVideo) services.
  • This solution will provide secure, reliable, high-quality, low latency, real-time audio/video communication tailored to work around existing 4G and 5G mobile networks.
  • The MCX solution will be useful for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) communications and help disaster management agencies, Law and Order enforcement agencies for efficient operations.
  • M/s NAM InfoCom is developing the MC Video solution and will bring experience in system integration, deployment, and customization, while C-DOT will provide its expertise in telecom R&D and system design.
  • The project is fully funded under C-DOT Collaborative Research Programme (CCRP).
  • The proposed MC Video solution offers multi-stream capabilities, a recording feature, and scalability to support multiple simultaneous group/one-to-one video calls, designed for low latency, low bandwidth, and minimal storage requirements.
DoP-BSNL MoU for SIM Sales & Recharge via Post Offices (Mid of September)
  • MoU signed between Department of Posts (DoP) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on 17 September 2025.
  • Objective: Expand BSNL mobile connectivity reach across India by leveraging India Post’s 1.65 lakh post offices as Points of Sale for SIM sale and mobile recharge services.
  • Key Feature: Post offices will act as PoS; BSNL provides SIM stock and training, DoP onboards customers and facilitates secure transactions.
  • Implementing Agencies: DoP (Citizen Centric Services & RB) and BSNL (Sales and Marketing-Consumer Mobility).
  • Duration: Agreement effective for one year from 17.09.2025, renewable thereafter.

Headline: Lee Soon-jae, South Korea's 'TV dad', passed away at age 91.

Bullet Points:

  • Lee Soon-jae died on Tuesday at the age of 91, according to his agency.
  • He was known as the 'national TV dad' for roles in 'What on Earth is Love' and 'High Kick!'.
  • He won the grand prize at the KBS Drama Awards for 'Dog Knows Everything'.
  • He was the oldest South Korean actor to win the KBS Drama grand prize.
  • Lee appeared in about 140 TV shows and acted on stage until October 2024.
  • He served as a member of parliament for the Democratic Liberal Party from 1992 to 1996.

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Nobel laureate Chen Ning Yang dies aged 103 (End of October)
  • Chen Ning Yang, Nobel laureate and one of the world's most influential physicists, has died at the age of 103
  • Yang and fellow theoretical physicist Lee Tsung-Dao were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957 for their work in parity laws
  • Yang was a professor at Beijing's Tsinghua University and an honorary dean of the Institute for Advanced Study at the institution
Kim Yong Nam, former North Korean nominal head of state, dies at 97 (Start of November)
  • Kim Yong Nam, the former nominal head of state of North Korea and a lifelong loyalist of the country’s ruling family, has died, according to state media.
  • The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday that the 97-year-old politician died on Monday of multiple organ failure related to cancer.
  • He served as head of the Supreme People’s Assembly from 1998 to April 2019, a post which made him North Korea’s nominal head of state.
  • Kim Yong Nam led the country’s parliament for more than two decades and served as a senior diplomat.
  • He was known for propaganda-filled speeches with a deep, booming voice at key state events and often appeared in state media greeting visiting foreign dignitaries.
  • Kim Yong Nam is not related to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
  • He studied at Kim Il Sung University and Moscow State University.
  • In April 2019, he was replaced as head of the parliament by Choe Ryong Hae.
Acting legend Robert Redford dies aged 89 (Mid of September)
  • US acting legend Redford, best known for roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, has died at the age of 89.
  • Robert Redford passed away on September 16 at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah - the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved.
  • Redford, also famous for founding Utah's Sundance Film Festival, won a best director Oscar in 1980 for Ordinary People.
  • He announced his retirement from performing in 2018, having said in 2016 that he was 'tired of acting'.
  • Redford was also a keen environmental campaigner.
  • He leaves behind his wife Sibylle Szaggars who he married in 2009, according to CBS News.
  • He is survived by two daughters - Shauna, an artist, and Amy, a director.

Headline: Greenex Environmental and Norway’s EPD Global Partner for Environmental Product Declarations

Bullet Points:

  • Pune-based Greenex Environmental has partnered with Norway's EPD Global to offer Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) services to Indian manufacturers.
  • This collaboration aims to enhance sustainability, transparency, and international market access for businesses, particularly MSMEs, by providing high-quality, cost-effective EPD certification.
  • The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) provides for assessment by Greenex Environmental of the environmental impact on products manufactured by Indian businesses and the issuance of an EPD for each product by the Norwegian collaborator.
  • EPD certification is required for all manufacturers.
  • Governments all over the world are insisting on a reduction in the environmental impact of products and services.
  • Though not mandatory at the moment, EPDs will become the norm in the days to come.
  • The collaboration with EPD Global, Norway, will help raise the quality of EPDs to international standards and reduce the cost of obtaining the certification by about 70 per cent.
  • The collaboration is a major step forward in helping organisations transition towards low-carbon, globally compliant operations.
  • The partnership will play a significant role in sustainability and also contribute to India's efforts to achieve a Net-Zero environmental impact by 2070.

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Adani Ports becomes first Indian integrated transport utility to adopt TNFD nature-reporting framework (Mid of November)
  • Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) has joined the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) as an Adopter
  • APSEZ pledges to begin nature-related reporting from the financial year 2026
  • TNFD is a science-based global initiative founded by UNEP FI, UNDP, WWF and Global Canopy that guides companies to integrate nature-related considerations into financial and business decision-making
  • APSEZ has already afforested more than 4,200 hectares of mangroves and actively conserves another 3,000 hectares, making it the largest private sector contributor to mangrove ecosystem restoration in India
  • The company states this adoption strengthens its commitment to transparent and science-based environmental disclosures and builds on its ongoing ESG strategy
Environment Ministry finalises National Designated Authority to kickstart carbon markets (End of August)
  • The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has announced a ‘National Designated Authority (NDA)’.
  • The NDA is a mandatory requirement under the provisions of the 2015 Paris Agreement to enable a carbon emissions trading regime.
  • Within the Paris Agreement, a section called Article 6 defines the contours under which such an emissions trading regime, or a market, can take shape.
  • Article 6 was finally passed by countries at the 29th edition of the climate COP in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024.
  • The NDA is a 21-member committee headed by the Secretary of the Environment Ministry.
  • The NDA’s responsibilities include recommending to the Union government the list of activities that can be considered for the trading of emission reduction units from projects under Article 6.
  • The NDA will also authorise the use of emission reduction units from projects for use towards achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
  • India’s NDC commits to reducing its GDP’s emission intensity by 45% by 2030 from 2005 levels, achieving 50% cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 through afforestation.
Environment Audit Rules, 2025: Key Features and Objectives (Start of September)
  • Scheme Name: Environment Audit Rules, 2025; Notified by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
  • Objective: "to prevent Environment Degradation while promoting Sustainable Development and Ease of Doing Business"
  • Key Feature 1: Auditors must be "Certified and Registered by MoEFCC notified Environment Audit Designate Agency (EADA)"
  • Key Feature 2: Assignment of Registered Environment Auditors (REAs) to projects "shall be done by a random assignment method"
  • Key Feature 3: REAs will undertake "compliance evaluation and related activities of sampling, analysis, compensation calculation, verification under Green Credit Rules, audit under waste management rules, and under various other environment and forest related legislations"
  • Oversight: A Steering Committee "led by an Additional Secretary from MoEFCC" monitors implementation
UPL launches global campaign celebrating farmers as climate heroes ahead of COP30 (Start of November)
  • UPL, a provider of sustainable agricultural products and solutions, has launched a global campaign ‘#AFarmerCan - The hero you don’t know you need’.
  • The campaign celebrates farmers as climate heroes and calls on world leaders to recognise their role in building climate resilience.
  • It was launched ahead of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Belém, Brazil.
  • UPL's engagement at COP30 is guided by five pillars: greenhouse gas mitigation, energy security, water conservation, soil health regeneration, and biodiversity protection.
  • UPL is proposing a four-pillar incentive framework to strengthen farmer resilience, focusing on ‘Pay’, ‘Protect’, ‘Procure’, and ‘Promote’.
  • Jai Shroff, Chairman and Group CEO, UPL, stated that the campaign aims to amplify the message that the future of climate resilience begins in the fields.
  • In Belém, the campaign spans airport signage, more than 1000 branded taxis and 200 buses featuring QR codes, targeted digital campaigns, social media activations, an evocative film, and eco-friendly merchandise.

Headline: Ahmedabad confirmed as host city for 2030 Commonwealth Games

Bullet Points:

  • Ahmedabad has been officially confirmed as the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games as the delegates of 74 Commonwealth member nations ratified India’s bid at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow.
  • India edged out Abuja, Nigeria, as the other bidder for the hosting.
  • The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and the Narendra Modi Stadium are going to be the prime venues for the Games.
  • The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, currently under construction, will stage multiple sporting events and serve as the athletes’ village, accommodating up to 3,000 people.

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India's Union Cabinet approves bid to host 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad (End of August)
  • The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports' proposal to submit a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
  • Ahmedabad has been named the 'ideal' host city, citing 'world-class stadiums, cutting-edge training facilities, and a passionate sporting culture'.
  • The Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest stadium in the world, is highlighted as having successfully hosted the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Final.
  • The last date to submit the bid is 31 August, and the Indian Olympic Association is expected to complete the formalities within 48 hours.
  • The General Assembly of Commonwealth Sport will decide the host country in the last week of November in Glasgow.
  • India last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
  • The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have been scaled down and excluded wrestling, shooting, badminton and hockey, but the IOA stated that the 2030 Games in India will include all dropped disciplines plus traditional sports like kabaddi and kho kho.
Ahmedabad gets new ₹825-crore Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, among India’s largest (Mid of September)
  • Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Narangpura, Ahmedabad.
  • The complex cost ₹825 crore and is one of the largest in the country.
  • It includes an aquatics stadium, indoor multi-sports arena, outdoor courts, Fit India Zone, and a Sports Centre of Excellence.
  • Before inauguration, it hosted the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship and is scheduled to stage the Asian Aquatics Competition.
  • Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel called the inauguration a landmark moment for Gujarat’s sporting growth.
  • Gujarat’s sports budget has risen to ₹486 crore over the past two decades, enabling 23 sports complexes across 21 districts.
PM Modi to Inaugurate Projects Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission in Gujarat (End of August)
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
  • 1,449 houses and 130 shops built at a cost of Rs 133.42 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) at a slum popularly known as Ramapir Tekra in Ahmedabad city under the in-situ slum redevelopment component of the scheme will be inaugurated.
  • Under the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority, clean drinking water is being provided through the Jal Jeevan Mission.
  • A water pumping station has been constructed at a cost of Rs 27 crore, along with a 23 km trunk main pipeline in Daskroi taluka under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
  • The Jal Jeevan Mission project will provide clean drinking water to 10 villages in the AUDA area.
FIDE World Cup 2025 to be held in Goa, India (End of August)
  • The FIDE World Cup 2025 will be hosted in Goa, India, from October 30 to November 27.
  • The knockout tournament will feature 206 players competing for a prize pool of $2 million.
  • Three qualifying spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament will be awarded.
  • The event will be played in an eight-round knockout format with the top 50 seeds beginning their campaigns from the second round.
  • Each match will have two classical games, with rapid and blitz tie-breaks if needed.
  • Representatives of 90+ countries are expected to take part.

Headline: National Quantum Mission: Four Quantum Fabrication Facilities Worth Rs 720 Crore Approved

Bullet Points:

  • Ministry of Science and Technology announced four Quantum Fabrication and Central Facilities under the National Quantum Mission (NQM).
  • Total outlay for the facilities is Rs 720 crore.
  • Facilities to be set up at IIT-Bombay, IISc-Bengaluru, IIT-Kanpur, and IIT-Delhi.
  • Facilities will support quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum materials development.
  • Access open to NQM investigators, academia, industry, start-ups, and strategic sectors.

Similar Headlines

India's First Quantum City Unveiled in Bengaluru, ISRO Announces New Launchpads and Missions (End of November)
  • The plan for India’s first Quantum City or Q-city was unveiled at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 by Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology NS Boseraju.
  • The Q-city is proposed to be established over 6 acres in Hesarghatta.
  • Under the Karnataka Quantum Mission, the government has allocated an investment of Rs 1,000 crore for the Q-city.
  • The Q-city will house advanced research laboratories, a quantum hardware park, cryogenic testing facilities, quantum cloud clusters, and a deep tech startup zone, hosting end-to-end services from research to commercialisation.
  • The government approved Rs 1,136 crore to establish the Quantum Supremacy Centre in Bengaluru.
  • Work is underway to establish the Swiss and Karnataka Quantum Collaboration Centre.
  • ISRO Chairman, Dr V Narayanan, stated that two new ISRO launchpads are on the cards — in Sriharikota and Kulasekarapattinam.
  • LVM3-M6 and Bluebird Block-2 Mission are the upcoming commercial mission projects of ISRO.
  • Fiber optic pressure, temperature, and level sensors and HMC and Nano technology-based sensors are major new developments in progress at ISRO.
CG Power inaugurates India’s first OSAT semiconductor plant in Sanand, Gujarat (End of August)
  • CG Semi Private Limited, a subsidiary of CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited, has inaugurated the G1 Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Sanand, Gujarat.
  • The G1 facility is India’s first OSAT plant to offer comprehensive services across traditional and advanced packaging technologies.
  • The G1 facility operates at a peak capacity of 0.5 million units per day.
  • The upcoming G2 facility, under construction on 28–32 acres, will scale production to 14.5 million units per day and is expected to begin commercial production by 2026.
  • The Sanand project is a joint venture between CG Power, Japan’s Renesas Electronics Corporation, and Thailand’s Stars Microelectronics, with a total investment of Rs 7,600 crore.
PM Modi inaugurates Semicon India 2025, positions India as future semiconductor hub (Start of September)
  • India’s semiconductor market valued at $45–50 billion in 2024–25 and projected to reach $100–110 billion by 2030
  • Global semiconductor market currently $600 billion expected to cross $1 trillion in coming years
  • Taiwan produces >60% of world’s semiconductors and ~90% of most advanced chips
  • Semicon India 2025 conference hosted 20,750+ participants including 2,500 international delegates from 48 countries
  • India-Japan semiconductor cooperation highlighted after PM Modi’s visit to Tokyo Electron Miyagi Ltd
C-DOT to establish Centre of Excellence for quantum communication inside Amaravati Quantum Valley (Mid of November)
  • The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to join the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) initiative.
  • C-DOT will set up a Centre of Excellence focused on quantum communication and security solutions plus privacy enhancement technologies (PETs).
  • The AQV project, located in Amaravati, is designed to create an integrated quantum ecosystem combining hardware manufacturing, software development, talent pool and research excellence.
  • The CoE will support research and testing aligned to India’s National Quantum Mission in quantum security solutions and develop PETs to comply with MeitY’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) framework.
  • It will also work on cost-effective sub-component development for quantum communication systems and establish an integrated testbed for quantum security to build a quantum-safe ecosystem nationwide.

Headline: Cyber Security Innovation Challenge (CSIC) 1.0 launched to build India’s homegrown cyber resilience

Bullet Points:

  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched CSIC 1.0 under the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project.
  • CSIC 1.0 invites students and researchers to solve real-world cyber challenges and develop product-oriented solutions.
  • The initiative adopts a 'whole-of-nation' approach, uniting MeitY, CERT-In, NSCS, AICTE, C-DAC, DSCI, academia and industry.

Similar Headlines

CBSE Hosts First International Sahodaya Conference in Dubai (Start of November)
  • "The first International and 31st Annual Conference of Sahodaya School Complexes opened today at the Grand Hyatt Dubai."
  • "Organised by the Central Board of Secondary Education and guided by the National Education Policy 2020, the conference serves as a platform for exploring future-ready learning while blending India’s educational ethos with global aspirations."
  • "The two-day landmark event brought together over 1,000 school leaders, educators, and stakeholders from CBSE-affiliated institutions worldwide to foster collaboration, share innovative practices, and reimagine holistic learning under the theme “Rooted in Wisdom, Rising with Vision: Reimagining Education through NEP 2020.”"
  • "CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh announced that starting from the 2026-27 academic year, CBSE will introduce subjects at two levels-standard and advanced-from Class 9 onwards, beginning with ten subjects, and unveiled the CBSE Global Curriculum 26."
CSIR and NICDC sign MoU to embed R&D hubs and innovation centres in India’s industrial corridors (Mid of November)
  • CSIR–NICDC MoU signed by Dr. Vibha Malhotra Sawhney, Head, Technology Management Directorate, CSIR, and Mr. Vikas Goel, General Manager (CS & Marketing), NICDC, in New Delhi.
  • Joint plan to develop R&D hubs, industrial incubators, and innovation centres across NICDC’s smart industrial cities and corridors.
  • Priority technology domains: industrial automation and robotics, renewable energy and clean technologies, advanced materials, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, digital manufacturing, agro-processing and green chemicals.
  • Framework aligns with national initiatives Make in India, Startup India, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat to commercialise indigenous technologies and foster tech-driven startups.
UPSC to Establish Centre of Excellence (CoE) (Start of September)
  • The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will establish a centre of excellence (CoE).
  • The CoE is expected "to serve as a repository of best practices from the Commission and state public service commissions (PSCs)".
  • It "will function as a knowledge hub, documenting standard operating procedures, innovations, and lessons from both UPSC and state PSCs".
  • The CoE "is expected to not only benefit UPSC and state PSCs but also provide guidance to other recruitment bodies in refining their examination and selection mechanisms".
  • While "UPSC will lead the project, Kumar emphasised the importance of active participation from state PSCs to make knowledge-sharing effective".
  • The initiative "forms part of the Commission’s centenary year celebrations, beginning October 1, 2025".
iDEX-DIO and EdCIL Join Hands to Drive Dual-Use Tech Under ASPIRE Program (Mid of September)
  • Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EdCIL (India) Limited.
  • The agreement marks a strategic partnership to develop dual-use cutting-edge technologies through the newly launched ASPIRE (Accelerating Strategic Progress in Research and Education) program.
  • iDEX-DIO is the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence, launched in 2018 to promote start-ups and MSMEs in defence innovation.
  • EdCIL (India) Limited is a Mini Ratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Education, bringing expertise in project management, consultancy, and ed-tech solutions.
  • The ASPIRE program is envisioned as a strategic accelerator to link defence innovations with the civilian sector, fostering start-up-led solutions.
  • ASPIRE will foster solutions in areas such as Advanced Ed-Tech Tools, Cybersecurity and Data Security, Simulation and Training Modules, and Digital Infrastructure Development.
  • The initiative reflects the government’s larger vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) by fostering indigenous capabilities and reducing reliance on imported technologies.

Headline: MoSJE–DWBDNC and MoRD–DAY NRLM Sign Landmark MoU to Empower De‑Notified, Nomadic and Semi‑Nomadic Tribes (DNTs)

Bullet Points:

  • The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE), through the Development and Welfare Board for De‑Notified, Nomadic and Semi‑Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC), and the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY‑NRLM), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
  • The MoU aims to advance inclusive development and social justice for historically marginalized communities, specifically De‑Notified, Nomadic and Semi‑Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).
  • Over the next three years, more than 5,000 DNT Self‑Help Groups (SHGs) formed under DWBDNC will be assimilated into the DAY‑NRLM framework.
  • A dedicated cadre, DNT Sakhi, drawn from within the community, will support about 30 families organized into three Self‑Help Groups (SHGs).
  • The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on November 25, 2025.

Similar Headlines

Ministry of Labour & Employment Signs MoUs to Enhance Job Access and Career Guidance via NCS Portal (Start of September)
  • The Ministry of Labour & Employment has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Mentor Together and Quikr to strengthen job access and personalised career mentoring.
  • These initiatives are implemented through the National Career Service (NCS) portal, which is described as the country’s flagship digital employment platform.
  • The NCS platform has 52 lakh registered employers, 5.79 crore job seekers, 7.22 crore vacancies mobilised, and over 44 lakh active vacancies currently available.
  • The partnership with Mentor Together is expected to reach two lakh youth in its first year, including one lakh NCS-registered job seekers and one lakh entrants from the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY).
  • The Mentor Together initiative will offer personalised career mentoring, supported by over 24,000 trained professionals, with a city- and district-level outreach.
  • The renewed MoU with Quikr integrates over 1,200 daily job listings across 1,200+ cities from Quikr Jobs directly into the NCS portal.
  • This collaboration with Quikr aims to enhance real-time access to job opportunities, especially for youth in rural and underserved areas.
  • Over the past year, the Ministry signed MoUs with 10 key organisations, including Amazon and Swiggy, resulting in nearly five lakh new vacancies on the portal.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), a recently launched scheme, came into effect in August this year.
EIL and NMDC Energy sign MoU for onshore oil & gas projects in Saudi Arabia (Mid of November)
  • MoU signed between Engineers India (EIL) and NMDC Energy to cooperate on onshore projects in Saudi Arabia covering Oil and Gas Processing, Refineries, Petrochemicals, Pipelines, Storage Terminals, and Energy Transition
  • MoU signed on the sidelines of ADIPEC 2025 in Abu Dhabi
  • Collaboration aims at joint tendering and executing EPC projects leveraging NMDC’s Ras Al Khair fabrication facilities and EIL’s Al Khobar design center
Defence Ministry signs MoU with QCI to enhance Veteran Welfare Services (End of August)
  • MoU signed between Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW), Ministry of Defence, and Quality Council of India (QCI) on August 26.
  • Aims to strengthen delivery of pension, healthcare, resettlement, and welfare services for over 63 lakh veterans and their dependents.
  • QCI will support DESW in digital evaluations, impact assessments, and evidence-based policy recommendations.
  • DESW will facilitate data access and stakeholder coordination with State Governments, zila sainik boards, Armed Forces Headquarters, and empanelled hospitals.
MoUs Signed to Boost DAY-NRLM: Strengthening Rural Livelihoods and Digital Innovations in Four States (End of September)
  • MoU Parties: Ministry of Rural Development, NIRD&PR, and State Rural Livelihoods Missions of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Telangana under DAY-NRLM.
  • Objective: "strengthen community institutions, enhance livelihood opportunities, and promote digital innovations across these states."
  • NIRD&PR Role: "focus on training SRLM functionaries and community cadres, creating a pool of multi-thematic resource persons, conducting leadership programmes, and documenting best practices."
  • Digital Platform: LokOS developed by National Resource Organizations to "improve governance and facilitate smoother operations of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations."

Headline: NCW's 24X7 short-code helpline 14490 for women in distress

Bullet Points:

  • The National Commission for Women (NCW) announced the launch of a new 24X7 short-code helpline, 14490.
  • The launch was announced on Monday, November 24, 2025.
  • The helpline provides quicker and more accessible support to women facing violence, harassment or any form of distress across the country.
  • The NCW helpline will guide callers, coordinate with authorities, and facilitate timely intervention in emergencies.
  • The toll-free number is linked to the commission’s existing helpline 7827170170 to ensure seamless assistance without any cost or delay.

Similar Headlines

National Annual Report & Index on Women's Safety (NARI) 2025: Key Details and Findings (End of August)
  • The initiative is named the "National Annual Report & Index on Women's Safety (NARI) 2025."
  • "The NARI index has been conceived by The NorthCap University and Jindal Global Law School and is published by the Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA)."
  • The index is "based on a survey of 12,770 women across 31 cities."
  • The study calls "for integration of crime data with perception-based surveys like NARI" because "official crime data alone cannot reflect women's lived reality."
  • NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar pointed to "four dimensions of women's security of physical, psychological, financial and digital nature."
  • NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar "lauded initiatives such as women's helplines, CCTV coverage in smart cities, and improved safety networks at railway stations and bus depots."
WHO Reports Over One Billion People Worldwide Living with Mental Health Conditions (Start of September)
  • More than a billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • Mental health problems are widespread across every society and age group and remain the second leading cause of long-term disability.
  • They drive up healthcare costs for families and governments while costing the global economy an estimated $1 trillion each year in lost productivity, UN health experts said.
  • Suicide claimed an estimated 727,000 lives in 2021 and is a leading cause of death among young people.
  • Median government spending on mental health remains at just two per cent of health budgets, unchanged since 2017.
  • There are just 13 mental health workers for every 100,000 people worldwide.
Integrative Rehabilitation Initiative for Persons with Disabilities: Key Features (End of September)
  • Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) partners with Ministry of Ayush to integrate traditional Indian healing systems with modern rehabilitation techniques.
  • Rs 5.26 crore sanctioned for implementation of integrative rehabilitation initiatives.
  • Focus areas include neurodiversity, blood disorders, sensory impairments, and age-related disabilities.
Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan (SNSPA): 3 Guinness Records & Key Features (Start of November)
  • Campaign Name: Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan (SNSPA); launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 and held till October 2 as part of 'Poshan Month'.
  • Objective: Focus on preventive and women-centric healthcare, improving health and nutrition of women, adolescent girls and children.
  • Scale: Reached every district; 19.7 lakh health camps held and over 11 crore people participated across health platforms.
  • Key screenings/services: 1.78 crore screened for hypertension, 1.73 crore for diabetes, 69.5 lakh for oral cancer, 85.9 lakh women for tuberculosis, 10.2 lakh for sickle-cell disease, 1.51 crore anaemia tests, 62.6 lakh antenatal check-ups, 1.43 crore vaccine doses administered.
  • Digital milestones (Guinness records): Over 3.21 crore people registered on a healthcare platform in one month; over 9.94 lakh signed up for online breast-cancer screening in one week; over 1.25 lakh registered for online vital-signs screening at state level in one week.
  • Participation: More than 20 ministries/departments, central institutes, medical colleges, private organisations; 5 lakh+ Panchayati Raj reps, 1.14 crore students, 94 lakh SHG members, 5 lakh+ community-platform participants.

Headline: G20 Summit Concludes in South Africa on November 23, 2025; India Proposes Key Global Initiatives

Bullet Points:

  • The G20 Summit, hosted for the first time on African soil, took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 21 to 23.
  • The 2025 summit opened under the theme 'Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability'.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a new G20 initiative to tackle the drug-terror nexus and create a global healthcare response team.
  • India also proposed a G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership whereby data can be made more accessible for countries of the Global South.
  • India put forward a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to promote recycling, urban mining, and second-life batteries.
  • Prime Minister Modi announced an Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership to deepen collaboration in emerging technologies, support diversification of supply chains, clean energy, and mass adoption of AI.
  • The G20 comprises 19 countries plus the European Union and the African Union, and accounts for 85 percent of the world's GDP and two-thirds of its population.
  • The United States boycotted the event due to a diplomatic rift with the host country.

Similar Headlines

PM Modi unveils six G20 initiatives blending ancient wisdom with AI for a resilient, inclusive world (End of November)
  • PM Modi proposed six initiatives: G20 Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative, G20 Global Healthcare Response Team, G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug-Terror Nexus, G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership, and G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative.
  • "First among them is the creation of a G20 Global Traditional Knowledge Repository. India has a rich history in this regard. This will help us pass on our collective wisdom to further good health and well-being."
  • "The proposed Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative aims to train one million certified trainers across Africa in the next decade."
  • "We are stronger when we work together in the face of health emergencies and natural disasters. Our effort should be to create teams of trained medical experts from fellow G20 nations who are ready for rapid deployment in case of any emergencies."
  • "Let us weaken the wretched drug-terror economy!"
  • "Proposed the setting up of a G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership whereby satellite data and analysis from G20 space agencies can be made more accessible for countries of the Global South."
  • "India is fully committed to sustainability and clean energy, which is why we propose a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to promote recycling, urban mining, second-life batteries and related innovations."
  • "India's approach to AI is based on the three pillars of: Equitable access, Population-scale skilling, Responsible deployment."
  • "India will host the AI Impact Summit in February 2026, guided by the theme Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya."
First-ever state visit by an Indian President to Botswana (Mid of November)
  • President Droupadi Murmu's ongoing visit is the first-ever state visit by an Indian head of state to Botswana.
  • India and Botswana will mark 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
  • Botswana has symbolically donated eight cheetahs to India under Project Cheetah.
G20 summit in South Africa adopts early leaders' declaration despite U.S. boycott and dissent (End of November)
  • World leaders from the Group of 20 broke with tradition and adopted a declaration at the start of their summit in South Africa on Saturday.
  • Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, said the declaration was adopted unanimously by the other members.
  • Argentina stated it did not endorse the declaration; President Javier Milei did not attend in solidarity with U.S. President Trump.
  • The 122-point declaration urged more global action on climate-related disasters and sovereign debt levels affecting poor countries.
  • The U.S. boycotted the summit over claims that South Africa pursues racist anti-white policies and opposes the summit’s focus on climate change and inequality.
  • South Africa accused the U.S. of pressuring it not to adopt a leaders’ declaration in the absence of an American delegation.
  • South Africa will not hand over the rotating G20 presidency to a junior U.S. embassy official, calling such a handover an insult.
G20 Johannesburg Summit: India to push terrorism concerns (End of November)
  • Event: G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa
  • India’s participation: PM Modi to speak in all three sessions and attend IBSA Leaders’ Meeting hosted by South Africa
  • India’s stated objective: “Terrorism is a very important subject for India… Every issue of importance to us will be highlighted. We are discussing the Declaration for the Summit.” – MEA Secretary (Economic Relations) Sudhakar Dalela

Headline: WHO Declares End of Poliovirus Outbreak in Indonesia

Bullet Points:

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared Indonesia's polio outbreak over.
  • Indonesia was previously declared polio-free in 2014.
  • The last confirmed polio case in Indonesia was in South Papua province in June 2024.
  • WHO is the abbreviation for World Health Organization.

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India licenses five firms to produce first indigenous multi-stage malaria vaccine AdFalciVax (Mid of September)
  • Vaccine name: recombinant chimeric multi-stage malaria vaccine (AdFalciVax) against Plasmodium falciparum developed by ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar with ICMR-NIMR and National Institute of Immunology.
  • Licensed manufacturers: Indian Immunologicals Limited, Techinvention Lifecare Private Limited, Panacea Biotec Limited, Biological E Limited, and Zydus Lifesciences.
  • Key feature: targets the parasite before it enters the bloodstream, preventing transmission; remains effective for 9+ months at room temperature.
  • Production platform: recombinant chimeric multi-stage malaria vaccine produced in Lactococcus lactis.
  • Public-health relevance: India carries 1.4% of global malaria cases and 66% of Southeast Asia region cases; 95% of population lives in malaria-endemic areas.
University of the Sunshine Coast's single-dose chlamydia vaccine approved to protect wild koalas (Mid of September)
  • Discovery/Technology: UniSC's single-dose chlamydia vaccine approved for rollout after a decade of wild koala trials
  • Institution: Developed by University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) scientists led by microbiologist Peter Timms
  • Key Finding: Vaccine decreased chlamydia mortality in wild koalas by at least 65% and reduced likelihood of symptoms during breeding age
  • Target Species & Threat: Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) facing chlamydia epidemic causing up to 50% of deaths in eastern Australia
  • Roll-out Plan: Intended free distribution starting January next year to wildlife hospitals, vet clinics, and most at-risk wild populations pending funding

Headline: IDFC FIRST Bank partners with FPSB India to upskill Wealth Management Regional Managers

Bullet Points:

  • IDFC FIRST Bank signed an MoU with FPSB India under the Approved Corporate Partner initiative.
  • FPSB India will upskill IDFC FIRST Bank's Wealth Management Regional Managers through specialised training and certification programs.
  • The collaboration supports hiring initiatives and creates enhanced career pathways for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals.
  • FPSB India is the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. and offers the globally recognised CFP® certification.
  • FPSB India is home to over 3,215 CFP® professionals in India and part of a global network representing more than 230,648 CFP® professionals worldwide.

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Infibeam Avenues Subsidiary Gets IFSCA Nod for Payment Services at GIFT-IFSC (End of October)
  • Infibeam Avenues' subsidiary, IA Fintech IFSC, has secured in-principle approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to operate as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) within Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT-IFSC).
  • The approval will allow IA Fintech to offer regulated payment and settlement services, including escrow operations, cross-border remittances, and merchant payment processing.
  • Trade finance transaction volumes at GIFT-IFSC rose from $20 billion in FY22 to $46 billion in FY25.
  • The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) serves as the unified regulator for financial products, institutions, and services within the IFSC ecosystem.
  • GIFT-IFSC is India’s designated international financial centre located in Gandhinagar.
City Union Bank Secures $50 Million from IFC for Green Financing (Start of November)
  • City Union Bank Ltd. secured a $50 million commitment from International Finance Corporation (IFC).
  • International Finance Corporation (IFC) is a member of the World Bank Group.
  • The financing is aimed at supporting MSMEs in transitioning to energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions.
  • City Union Bank Ltd. is a private bank established in 1904.
  • This partnership will support India’s efforts to accelerate its transition to net-zero by 2070.
  • Kamakodi N is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CUB.
  • Imad N. Fakhoury is the IFC Regional Division Director for South Asia.
Goldman Sachs appointed sole banker for up to 5% stake dilution in four PSBs (End of August)
  • The Government of India has appointed Goldman Sachs as the sole transaction advisor for the stake sale in four public sector banks—UCO Bank, Central Bank of India, Punjab & Sind Bank, and Indian Overseas Bank.
  • The government is likely to dilute its equity stake in each of the four banks by up to 5%.
  • The disinvestment will be executed in tranches, starting in the current fiscal year (FY26) and spread over the next two to three years.
  • The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has already approved Offer for Sale (OFS) transactions for five PSBs, including the four mentioned above.
  • Bank of Maharashtra is expected to meet the 25% minimum public shareholding (MPS) requirement through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) route.
  • Currently, government holdings in all four PSBs stand at 89% or higher.
  • The government is preparing to invite financial bids for the strategic sale of IDBI Bank between October and December 2025, to select a successful bidder by the end of FY26.
PNB Signs Rs 21,000 Cr MoU with Rajasthan Govt under 'Rising Rajasthan' Initiative (Start of September)
  • Punjab National Bank has signed an MoU with the Rajasthan government committing to an investment of Rs 21,000 crore under the 'Rising Rajasthan' initiative.
  • The agreement serves as a framework for financing eligible projects in Rajasthan.
  • PNB's Managing Director and CEO, Ashok Chandra, highlighted the bank's role in contributing to the socio-economic development of the state.

Headline: Air India (AI) reinstates codeshare with Air Canada (AC) to open six Canadian cities via Vancouver and London Heathrow.

Bullet Points:

  • Air India and Air Canada reinstated their codeshare agreement effective December 2.
  • Air India places its ‘AI’ designator on Air Canada flights from Vancouver to Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montréal and Halifax.
  • Air India also places its code on Air Canada flights from London Heathrow to Vancouver and Calgary.
  • Air Canada customers gain domestic India connectivity to Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kochi via Delhi, and to Delhi and Mumbai via London Heathrow.
  • Travellers on connecting flights operated by both carriers can use a single ticket and unified baggage allowance.
  • Frequent flyers continue to earn and redeem points/miles on both airlines, with Maharaja Club elites enjoying Star Alliance Gold benefits on Air Canada flights.

Similar Headlines

India, Canada to resume trade pact talks (End of November)
  • India and Canada have agreed to formally resume talks on an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
  • India aims to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030, while Canada sets a target of $70 billion by the same year.
  • In 2024, the India-Canada bilateral trade in goods and services was around $22.6 billion.
  • The difference in trade targets reflects a bullish estimate of the Indian market’s potential by Canadian businesses.
  • Canada and India launched talks 15 years ago for such a trade deal, but it was downgraded to a sectoral deal.
  • India and Canada have been taking steady steps to mend a relationship that was in tatters for around two years.
  • In late 2023, Ottawa suspended trade talks after allegations regarding the killing of a Canada-based Khalistan separatist, a charge India rejected.
  • Both countries began rebuilding their relationship after the change of guard in Ottawa in March.
  • Canadian Prime Minister Carney accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to visit India in early 2026.
  • Indian envoy Dinesh Patnaik stated that both countries need a relationship where they discuss how people can be safe on the streets.
  • Patnaik also said India would take actions if evidence is presented in court that substantiates Canada’s allegations, adding India does not have evidence at this time.
  • The leaders agreed to enhance diplomatic staffing levels following the return of high commissioners in August 2025.
  • Prime Minister Carney welcomed the progress being made in the law enforcement dialogue between the two countries.
  • Both sides reaffirmed their longstanding civil nuclear cooperation and noted ongoing discussions on expanding collaboration, including through long-term uranium supply arrangements.
  • The two-way engagement assumes significance at a time when India-US ties have dipped over tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration, and Canada has also faced US tariffs.
India-Afghanistan Air Cargo Link Reactivated (End of November)
  • Kabul–Delhi and Kabul–Amritsar air freight corridors have been 'activated' and are ready for use
  • India completed its formalities; flights begin once Afghanistan submits remaining documents
  • Afghan carriers continue regular passenger flights to Delhi while Indian airlines cannot fly to Afghanistan due to Pakistan's closed airspace
Air India Express joins IATA as fourth Indian member airline (End of August)
  • Air India Express has joined the International Air Transport Association IATA as a member.
  • It is the fourth Indian carrier currently part of the global airline association.
  • IATA represents around 350 airlines that account for about 80 per cent of the global air traffic.
  • The other Indian IATA member airlines are Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet.
Air India and Air Astana sign new codeshare agreement to expand travel connectivity (Mid of September)
  • Air India and Air Astana have launched a codeshare partnership, enhancing connectivity between India and Kazakhstan.
  • Air India will place its 'AI' code on Air Astana flights to and from India, offering customers easier access to Almaty via Delhi and Mumbai.
  • The agreement builds upon their existing interline partnership, providing a seamless single-ticket experience with baggage check-through.
  • Air India passengers travelling to Almaty from points beyond Delhi and Mumbai will now be able to book a single ticket and check in their baggage through to Almaty.
  • Currently, Air India has 21 codeshare partnerships and 88 interline agreements, including the new agreement with Air Astana.

Headline: Seven Executive Directors Appointed in Public Sector Banks

Bullet Points:

  • Seven Executive Directors have been appointed to the Boards of various Public Sector Banks.
  • The Department of Financial Services (DFS) formally notified these appointments.
  • The appointed Executive Directors include Amit Kumar Srivastava for Punjab National Bank, E. Ratan Kumar for Central Bank of India, Amresh Prasad for Union Bank of India, Pramod Kumar Dwibedi for Bank of India, Sunil Kumar Chugh for Canara Bank, Mini T M for Indian Bank, and Prabhat Kiran for Bank of Maharashtra.
  • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal for these appointments.
  • The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) conducted the selection process, recommending 11 candidates, from which seven officers received postings.

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Rajiv Ranjan appointed as Vice-President and CRO of New Development Bank (End of August)
  • Rajiv Ranjan, former RBI MPC member, named VP of NDB and the New Development Bank (NDB) has announced Rajiv Ranjan as Vice-President, introducing him as its VP & CRO.
  • The bank stated that its Board of Governors have made the appointment for a tenure of five years.
  • In this role, he is responsible for the NDB’s risk management, general strategy, policies, partnerships and ESG functions.
  • He last served as an Executive Director and a Member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) from May 2022 for nearly three years at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  • Ranjan is a central banker with a career spanning over three decades, including his stint with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from 1989.
  • The VP holds a master’s degree in economics from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, and a PhD in Economics from the University of Mumbai.
  • He is set to retire from the central bank in September.
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Indranil Bhattacharyya as an ex-officio member of the Monetary Policy Committee, replacing Rajiv Ranjan.
R Gandhi re-appointed as part-time Chairman of Yes Bank till May 2027 (Start of September)
  • Person's Full Name and Position: "Rama Subramaniam Gandhi as part-time Chairman of the bank"
  • Organization: "Yes Bank"
  • Tenure Details: "for a further period from September 20, 2025, to May 13, 2027"
  • Previous Role: "served as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India for three years from 2014 to 2017"
  • Additional Experience: "had a three-year secondment to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)"
  • Approval Authority: "The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), through its letter dated September 1, 2025, has approved the re-appointment"
TCA Kalyani assumes charge as new Controller General of Accounts (Start of September)
  • TCA Kalyani, a 1991-batch officer of the Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS), on Sunday assumed charge as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
  • She is the 29th officer to hold this position.
  • Before taking over as CGA, Kalyani served as the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts (Pr. CCA) in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • Kalyani brings more than three decades of experience in public financial management and governance.
  • One of her more notable contributions came during her role in implementing the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, which enabled farmers to receive assistance directly from the Government of India for purchasing fertilisers.
  • Kalyani graduated as a Gold Medalist from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, with a degree in Political Science.
  • She later pursued an M.A. in International Politics and an M.Phil. in West European Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Bhupender Gupta takes charge as CMD of NHPC Limited (Start of September)
  • Bhupender Gupta has taken charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NHPC Limited, India’s largest hydropower company and a Navratna central public sector enterprise.
  • Gupta assumed charge on September 4 at NHPC’s corporate office in Faridabad.
  • Prior to this, he was serving as Director (Technical) at THDC India Ltd and also holds the additional charge of CMD, SJVN Ltd.

Headline: Africa Industrialization Day observed on November 20

Bullet Points:

  • Africa Industrialization Day is observed on November 20.
  • The day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly to promote industrial development in Africa.
  • The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) launched several projects to support industrial development in Africa.
  • The African Union (AU) developed a comprehensive industrialization strategy outlining a vision for Africa's industrial development by 2063.
  • Africa Industrialization Day aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG9), focusing on industry, innovation, and infrastructure development.

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United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation 2025: Theme 'New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation' (Mid of September)
  • The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation is observed on 12 September.
  • The theme for this year's United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation is “New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation”.
  • The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 58/220, endorsed the observation of the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation.
  • 12 September marks the adoption of the 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA).
  • The 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) is a pivotal framework for technical cooperation among developing countries.
International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South observed on September 16th (Mid of September)
  • The International Day of Science, Technology, and Innovation for the South is observed on September 16th.
  • The United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed September 16th as this day on 9 January 2024, adopting resolution A/RES/78/259.
  • The leaders of the G77 and China agreed to designate September 16 as this day during the Summit on Science, Technology, and Innovation, held in Havana on 15 and 16 September 2023.
  • The day underscores that advancing science, technology, and innovation is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • The summit’s Havana Declaration on Current Development Challenges: The Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation highlights the essential role of STI in tackling development challenges.
WTO World Trade Report 2025: AI Could Lift Global Trade 40% by 2040 (End of September)
  • AI could boost the value of cross-border flows of goods and services by nearly 40 per cent by 2040.
  • Global trade is projected to rise by 34-37 per cent across different scenarios by 2040.
  • Global GDP could see a 12-13 per cent increase across different scenarios by 2040.
  • Global trade in AI-enabling goods totalled USD 2.3 trillion in 2023.
  • Low-income economies would see a modest 8 per cent real-income growth from AI without digital improvements, rising to 15 per cent if the digital divide is narrowed.
  • The number of quantitative restrictions on AI-related goods climbed from 130 in 2012 to nearly 500 in 2024.
WTO projects 40% AI-driven boost to global trade flows by 2040 (End of September)
  • World Trade Organisation forecasts AI could raise cross-border goods and services flows by nearly 40% by 2040 through productivity gains
  • Global trade projected to rise 34-37% across scenarios based on policy and technological catch-up between income groups
  • Digitally deliverable services trade, including AI services, expected to record largest growth at 42%
  • Global trade in AI-enabling goods (raw materials, semiconductors, intermediate inputs) totalled $2.3 trillion in 2023
  • Number of quantitative restrictions on AI-related goods jumped from 130 in 2012 to almost 500 in 2024

Headline: World Philosophy Day 2025 observed on November 20

Bullet Points:

  • World Philosophy Day is observed every year on the third Thursday of November.
  • The day was first celebrated by the United Nations (UN) in 2002.
  • In 2005, the UNESCO General Conference dedicated the day to promote critical thinking, dialogues and discussion around the world.

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World Philosophy Day observed on third Thursday of November: promotes dialogue, critical thinking and global reflection (End of November)
  • World Philosophy Day is observed every year on the third Thursday of November, and in 2025 it falls on November 20.
  • The day was first celebrated by the UN in 2002 and officially designated by the UNESCO General Conference in 2005.
  • The significance of the day is to encourage individual dialogues, public debates, discussing new ideas and intellectual curiosity, addressing social and global challenges.
World Heritage Week observed from November 19-25, 2025 (End of November)
  • World Heritage Week will be observed from November 19 to 25.
  • The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) will observe World Heritage Week in association with Art Kanara Trust.
  • Ganesh Amin Sankamar, an author and Tulu scholar, will deliver a talk titled ‘Tulu Bhashe Bokka Baduku’.
  • Numismatic collector M. Prashanth Shet will present on ‘Marked by History: The Western Ganga Dynasty Coins’.
  • Yakshagana artist and PhD scholar Shruti Bangera will speak on ‘Streevesha in Yakshagana: Female Impersonation Tradition in Indian Performing Arts’.
  • The art exhibition ‘Namma Ooru Namma Nela’ will be inaugurated in the presence of Tharanath Gatti Kapikad, Chairman of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy.
  • A 2023 documentary titled ‘The Word and The Teacher: Journey of Ferdinand Kittel as a Lexicographer’ will be screened, presented by filmmaker Prashant Pandit.
International Day of Peace observed on September 21: Theme 2025 - "Act Now for a Peaceful World" (End of September)
  • The International Day of Peace is observed yearly on the 21st of September.
  • The day was originally established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981.
  • The theme for 2025’s International Day of Peace is “Act Now for a Peaceful World”.
World Vegan Day observed on November 1 (Start of November)
  • World Vegan Day is a global observance celebrated annually on November 1.
  • It was first established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, the then Chair of the Vegan Society in the United Kingdom.
  • The day commemorates the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Vegan Society and the coining of the term “vegan” in 1944 by Donald Watson.
  • Donald Watson created the term vegan by taking the first and last letters of the word vegetarian.
  • World Vegan Day marks the beginning of World Vegan Month (November).
  • World Vegan Day is now celebrated in over 100 countries.

Headline: National Cadet Corps (NCC) 78th Raising Day observed on November 23

Bullet Points:

  • National Cadet Corps (NCC) celebrates its 78th raising day on November 23, 2025.
  • NCC was officially formed after the National Cadet Corps Act was passed on April 16, 1948, and operations began on July 15, 1948.
  • Started with 20,000 cadets, NCC is now the world's largest uniformed youth organization with 20 lakh cadets.
  • NCC has a presence in 713 of India's 780 districts.
  • Brigadier M.L. Rawat is known as the father of the NCC.

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World Children's Day 2025 observed on 20 November: Theme 'Listen to children, amplify their voices' (End of November)
  • World Children's Day is commemorated every 20 November, the date on which the Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed.
  • The Convention on the Rights of the Child is described as 'the most widely ratified treaty in history.'
  • The 2025 observance highlights the call to 'listen to children' and 'amplify their voices as they stand up for their rights.'
Eastern Naval Command Hosts Annual Navy Education Society (NES) Conference 2025 (Mid of November)
  • Event Name: "annual Navy Education Society (NES) Conference 2025"
  • Host and Location: "The Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam"
  • Dates: "from November 10 to 13"
  • Key Focus: "policy framework and operational aspects of Naval Schools amidst the transformative implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020."
  • New Participation: "Sankalp Schools - institutions dedicated to fostering education, pre-vocational training, and life-skills development for children with special needs within the Naval community"
  • Chairperson: "VAdm CR Praveen Nair, Controller Personnel Services and Chairperson of NES"
India to participate in 'Exercise Bright Star 2025' in Egypt (End of August)
  • India will send over 700 soldiers to participate in 'Exercise Bright Star 2025'.
  • Egypt is holding its biennial multilateral exercise 'Exercise Bright Star'.
  • The exercise will be held August 28 to September 10, 2025.
  • The exercise has been held with the United States since 1980 and is one of the largest Tri-Service multilateral exercises in the region.
  • The 2025 edition will feature Live Firing by the three Services, Command Post Exercise, Short Training Exercises, and Subject Matter Expert Interactions.
  • The Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force will participate.
All India Thal Sainik Camp 2025 Concludes in Delhi (Mid of September)
  • The All India Thal Sainik Camp 2025 ended on September 11 at the DGNCC Camp in Delhi Cantt.
  • The 12-day camp had 1,547 cadets from 17 NCC Directorates across India taking part in many contests.
  • These included firing weapons, reading maps, judging distances, and field signals.
  • Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh, who is in charge of NCC, gave out prizes.
  • For the boys contest, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh team won first place.