🇮🇳 National News
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has officially included Lucknow in its Creative Cities Network (UCCN) under the category of City of Gastronomy.
This global recognition celebrates Lucknow’s rich culinary legacy, deeply influenced by Awadhi cuisine and the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, which represents the harmonious coexistence of Hindu and Muslim traditions. The announcement was made during the 43rd UNESCO General Conference held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- The Directorate of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh prepared the nomination dossier, submitted to the Ministry of Culture on 31st January 2025.
- India officially nominated Lucknow on 3rd March 2025.
- Traditional dishes showcased include Galouti Kebab, Tunday Kebab, Nihari-Kulcha, Puri-Kachori, Tokri Chaat, Malai Gilori, and Makhan Malai.
- Lucknow becomes India’s second City of Gastronomy after Hyderabad (2019).
| City | Category | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | Crafts and Folk Art | 2015 |
| Varanasi | Music | 2015 |
| Chennai | Music | 2017 |
| Mumbai | Film | 2019 |
| Hyderabad | Gastronomy | 2019 |
| Srinagar | Crafts and Folk Art | 2021 |
| Gwalior | Music | 2023 |
| Kozhikode | Literature | 2023 |
| Lucknow | Gastronomy | 2025 |
Every year on November 1, five Indian states — Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh — celebrate their Foundation Day. The occasion honors their formation, cultural identity, development journey, and unity.
- Formed in 1956 when Kannada-speaking regions united to form the State of Mysore, later renamed Karnataka in 1973.
- Celebrations include flag hoisting, parades, and presentation of Rajyotsava Awards.
- Marks the 1956 merger of Malabar, Cochin, and Travancore to form the state.
- Known for backwaters, greenery, and Ayurveda.
- Formed on November 1, 2000, after separation from Madhya Pradesh.
- Known for tribal heritage, mineral wealth, temples, and forests.
- Has 27 districts and five divisions — Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bastar, and Surguja.
- Established on November 1, 1966, after separation from Punjab.
- Historically important for Kurukshetra and the battles of Panipat.
- One of India’s most industrialized states, houses major hubs like Gurugram.
- Formed on November 1, 1956.
- Second-largest state by area and sixth-largest by population.
- Has 51 districts and 10 divisions.
- Famous for Khajuraho Temples (UNESCO site) and national parks like Kanha and Bandhavgarh.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian, launched the National Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025 at ICAR–CMFRI, Kochi.
This marks India’s first-ever fully digitised fisheries census, integrating modern technology for real-time and accurate data collection from marine fishing communities.
- Duration: 45-day enumeration from 3rd November to 18th December 2025
- Coverage: Over 1.2 million fisher households
- Scope: Around 4,000 marine fishing villages
- Area: Nine coastal states and four Union Territories
India will simultaneously host three major global maritime events — the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026, Exercise MILAN 2026, and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Chiefs’ Conclave — in Visakhapatnam from 15–25 February 2026.
This event aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s MAHASAGAR vision — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, expanding the earlier SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) framework.
The review will showcase India’s indigenous naval capabilities, featuring:
- INS Vikrant (indigenous aircraft carrier)
- Visakhapatnam-class destroyers
- Nilgiri-class frigates
- Arnala-class ASW corvettes
Affirming India’s emergence as a “Builder’s Navy”.
The Sahitya Akademi, under the Ministry of Culture, has released the Hindi translation of the acclaimed Lithuanian novel “The Last Day”, titled “Antim Din”, at Rabindra Bhawan, New Delhi in association with the Embassy of Lithuania.
- Author: Jaroslavas Melnikas, a Lithuanian-Ukrainian writer known for philosophical and existential themes
- Translator: Dr. Poonam Tiwari
- Pages: 250 pages
- This is the first-ever translation of a Lithuanian fiction work into Hindi, marking a milestone in Indo-Lithuanian literary relations.
Ilamparthi AR, a 16-year-old from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, has become India’s 90th Grandmaster (GM) after securing his final norm at the Bijeljina Open in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Born: 2009
- School: Velammal School, Chennai — known for producing top chess talents like D. Gukesh and R. Praggnanandhaa
- Mentor: Grandmaster Shyam Sundar M
The FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 trophy will now be called the “Viswanathan Anand Cup”, honoring India’s first Grandmaster and five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand.
The announcement took place in Panjim, Goa, attended by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Goa CM Pramod Sawant, and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.
- Top Indian players like D. Gukesh and R. Praggnanandhaa will represent India.
- Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura will skip the event.
- Divya Deshmukh, reigning World Women’s Chess Cup Champion, conducted the official draw ceremony.
💼 Business & Economy
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has partnered with IBM to set up a National Artificial Intelligence Lab at its headquarters in New Delhi.
- Train students and faculty in AI, data science, and emerging technologies.
- Serve as a central innovation hub promoting hands-on learning, certification programs, and research collaborations.
- Empower thousands with AI skills, strengthening India’s future-ready workforce.
Sandip Patel, Managing Director of IBM India & South Asia, oversees the collaboration.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and Google have formed a strategic partnership to advance India’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) landscape. The collaboration aligns with the national goal of “AI for All”, ensuring inclusive access to AI technologies.
- Jio users (18–25 years) will get 18 months of free access to Google Gemini Pro, valued at ₹35,100 per user.
- Develop AI models for Indian languages and dialects to break language barriers.
- Launch the Gemini Enterprise Suite for retail, finance, and manufacturing sectors.
- Enable SMEs to leverage AI tools without large infrastructure costs.
👔 Appointments
Vivek Menon, founder of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), has been elected as the Chair of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
He becomes the first Asian to hold this prestigious position. The announcement took place during the IUCN World Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
- The SSC is one of IUCN’s six expert commissions, responsible for advising on global species conservation.
- It manages the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, recognized as the world’s most authoritative record on species’ extinction risk.
🔬 Science & Technology
China successfully launched the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert, achieving a key milestone in its space exploration program.
The spacecraft, carried by a Long March-2F rocket, will dock with the Tiangong Space Station within hours.
- Commander: Zhang Lu
- Engineer: Wu Fei
- Specialist: Zhang Hongzhang
- Mission Duration: Six months for scientific research and maintenance
Vemagal, in Kolar district, Karnataka, has been selected for the Final Assembly Line (FAL) of the Airbus H125 helicopter, established by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) — India’s first private-sector helicopter assembly facility.
Announced during French President Emmanuel Macron’s 2024 visit, the project reinforces India–France defence ties.
- The H125, mainly a civil helicopter, will have a military variant (H125M) to replace the aging Cheetah and Chetak fleets.
- The first India-made H125 is expected by early 2027.
- Supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, expanding helicopter applications in medical rescue, disaster management, policing, and tourism.
Bengaluru-based Pravaig Dynamics has developed VEER, India’s first all-electric military vehicle, for defence applications.
- Combines stealth, high mobility, and rapid repairability.
- Ideal for modern battlefield operations across terrains like deserts, mountains, and forests.
- Received the iDEX (Innovation for Defence Excellence) Award, recognizing indigenous defence innovation.
- Successful military trials have confirmed its operational readiness.
Marks progress in India’s self-reliant defence manufacturing under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
🕊️ Obituaries
T. T. Jagannathan, Chairman Emeritus of TTK Prestige, passed away on October 9, 2025.
- He owned 42,41,868 equity shares (3.10%) in the company.
- Had a 3% partnership share in T. T. Krishnamachari & Co., which holds 60.44% of the company.
- A visionary industrialist, he was instrumental in transforming TTK Prestige into one of India’s leading home appliance brands.
His passing marks a significant loss to the Indian business community.
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