🇮🇳 National News
Tamil Nadu has become the first Indian state to issue identity cards to Women Self-Help Group (SHG) members.
- Launched by Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin at Karuppur, Salem district
- Loans worth ₹3,500 crore distributed among SHGs
- Expected to benefit over 5 lakh SHGs across the state
- Enhances access to financial and social benefits
The first-ever bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Hellenic Navy of Greece concluded on 18 September 2025 in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Harbour Phase (13–17 Sept): Salamis Naval Base — cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, cultural programs
- Sea Phase (17–18 Sept): Night VBSS operations, replenishment-at-sea, joint ASW exercises, coordinated gun firing, cross-deck helicopter ops
- Indian Navy represented by stealth frigate INS Trikand
Exercise strengthened interoperability and strategic partnership in maritime security.
Mohanlal, one of the most celebrated actors in Malayalam cinema, has been chosen as the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023, the highest honour in Indian cinema.
- Award to be presented on 23 September 2025 at 71st National Film Awards
- Career spanning more than four decades
- Debut in Thiranottam (1978)
- Acted in over 400 films
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the Asian Cadet Cup India 2025 at Manaskhand Hall, Indira Gandhi International Sports Stadium, Haldwani.
- India’s first international fencing competition
- Organised by Fencing Association of India
- 250+ athletes including 150 Indian fencers
- Teams from Tajikistan, Syria, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia
- Inspired by Arjuna Awardee Bhavani Devi
Anandkumar Velkumar, a 22-year-old Indian skater, made history at the 2025 World Speed Skating Championships in China by clinching gold in the men’s 42 km marathon — India’s first-ever world title in speed skating.
- Gold in 42 km marathon
- Gold in 1000m event (record time: 1:24.92)
- Bronze in 500m sprint
Young Indian skater Anish Raj bagged a historic bronze medal in the Junior Men’s One-Lap Road Sprint at the 73rd Inline Speed World Championships 2025 in Beidaihe, China.
With a timing of 39.714 seconds, he became the first Indian to secure a medal in this category, placing India on the global roller sports map.
💼 Business & Economy
NBFC SMFG India Credit (SMICC) has joined hands with PhonePe to extend collateral-free loans to merchants.
- Implemented as Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) loans
- Benefits small businesses in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns
- Empowers entrepreneurs in semi-urban and rural India
- Strengthens SMFG India Credit’s position in MCA lending sector
Indus Appstore, an Android app marketplace launched by PhonePe, has surpassed 100 million device installations.
- Localisation in 12 Indian languages + English
- 40% users prefer browsing in regional languages
- Gen Z (18–27): 33.7% of users
- 70.6% users from Tier-3 cities
- Core audience: Men aged 28–44 years
Top adoption: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana. Popular categories: Social media, communication, entertainment, finance.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved JSW Paints’ proposal to acquire up to 75% of Akzo Nobel India.
- Acquiring 74.76% stake for ₹9,000 crore
- Additional open market offer of 25% shares (~₹4,000 crore)
- JSW Paints to become 4th largest in India’s paint industry
- Part of JSW Group led by Sajjan Jindal
Oil India Limited (OIL) and Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) have signed an MoU to jointly explore and develop critical and strategic minerals, particularly copper and related resources.
Partnership falls under the National Critical Mineral Mission, aiming for self-reliance in mineral supply chains and securing raw materials for energy, technology, and industry needs.
🔬 Science & Technology
IIT Hyderabad is at the forefront of research to position India as a global leader in 6G technology by 2030.
- 6G prototypes demonstrated in 7 GHz band
- Advanced massive MIMO antenna arrays
- Satellite-ready systems for LEO and GEO
- Indigenously developed low-power system-on-chip (SoC)
6G Applications: Instantaneous AR/VR, AI-driven devices, autonomous vehicles, IoT in healthcare, agriculture, and defence. Aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda launched a new mobile app named “AIIMS Disha”, designed to assist patients, visitors, and staff with indoor navigation at AIIMS Delhi.
- Built using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons
- AI-powered routing algorithms
- Turn-by-turn navigation
- 2D digital maps with detailed floor plans
- Highlights: OPDs, diagnostic labs, pharmacies, billing counters
📅 Important Days
World Rose Day is commemorated every year on 22nd September.
- Symbolises hope, encouragement, and positivity for cancer patients
- Honours their bravery
- Reminds society of the importance of support in the fight against life-threatening illnesses
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