Current Affairs One - Liner : 19th & 20th October 2025

National:

• On 17 Oct 2025, NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and Dubai Ports World (DP World) launched the ‘We Rise’ initiative in New Delhi. It was launched under WEP’s Award to Reward (ATR) programme. The mission will mentor 100 high‑potential women‑led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for global expansion.

• On 17 Oct 2025, the Centre launched the ₹600 crore ‘Kapas Kranti Mission’ in Hyderabad. It aims to promote high‑yield, long‑staple cotton through High‑Density Plantation (HDP) techniques. Farmers will get seed support, training, and exposure visits to model farms like Akola. The mission targets 24 lakh cotton farmers in Telangana, boosting productivity and incomes.

Banking:

• On 16 Oct 2025, IndiGo partnered with Digi Yatra to enable app‑to‑app boarding pass sharing. Passengers can now transfer their boarding pass from the IndiGo app to Digi Yatra with one click. The system uses face biometrics for contactless, paperless airport processing.
• On 16 Oct 2025, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched the Scheme for Innovation and Technology Association with Aadhaar (SITAA). The scheme aims to strengthen Aadhaar authentication security through AI‑driven solutions. It focuses on deepfake detection, face liveness, contactless fingerprint authentication, and PAD.
• On 16 Oct 2025, HSBC partnered with Juspay to launch a Unified Payments Acquiring Platform. The platform consolidates the entire payment value chain into a single stack. It enables merchants to accept UPI, cards, wallets, and net banking seamlessly. The solution promises higher success rates, cost savings, and scalability.

Sports:

• The Archery World Cup Final 2025 was held in Nanjing, China on 18 Oct 2025. Jyothi Surekha Vennam won bronze, becoming the first Indian woman to medal at this event. She beat Ella Gibson (GBR) 150–145 with a flawless 15 perfect arrows. Earlier, she defeated Alexis Ruiz (USA) but lost to Andrea Becerra (MEX) in the semis.
• On 17 October 2025, India’s U‑17 women’s football team qualified for the AFC U‑17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 for the first time on merit, defeating Uzbekistan 2–1 in Bishkek. This historic win secured India’s maiden spot in the continental tournament to be held in China in 2026.
• On 17 Oct 2025, Jharkhand unveiled the logo, mascot, and anthem for the 4th SAAF Senior Championships 2025. The logo reflects “The Land of Sports, Tribes, Culture, and Nature” with tribal art and green hues. The mascot ‘Dalma’, an elephant with tribal motifs, represents strength and heritage.
• The ISSF World Championship Shotgun 2025 was held in Athens, Greece (8–19 Oct 2025). India’s Zoravar Singh Sandhu won bronze in Men’s Trap, India’s third-ever medal at the Shotgun Worlds. Earlier, Dr. Karni Singh (1962, Silver) and Manavjit Singh Sandhu (2006, Gold) had won medals. The USA topped the medal table with 6 medals, followed by Spain and Croatia.
• The BWF World Junior Championships 2025 were held in Guwahati, Assam, India (6–19 October 2025). India made history with a team bronze in the Suhandinata Cup and Tanvi Sharma’s silver medal in women’s singles — the country’s first individual medal at this event in 17 years.

Defence:

• The India–European Union (EU) Joint Counterterrorism Training on Drones 2025 was held from 13–15 October 2025 at the National Security Guard (NSG) Campus, Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana. It was the first‑ever joint exercise between India’s NSG and the EU’s High Risk Security Network (HRSN), supported by the European External Action Service (EEAS).

Important Days:

• World Osteoporosis Day 2025 was observed on 20 Oct with the theme “It’s Unacceptable!”. It was led by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). The campaign highlighted that over 500 million people are affected globally. Up to 80% of fracture patients remain undiagnosed and untreated.
• The World Trauma Day 2025 was observed on 17 October 2025 with the theme “Building a Safer Future Through Awareness and Action.” It was first established in 2011 in New Delhi, India, by the Trauma Society of India. The day highlights the burden of trauma injuries, especially from road accidents, and stresses the Golden Hour in saving lives.

Appointments:

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed Central Observers for the Bihar Assembly elections and bye‑elections in 8 Assembly Constituencies. They are empowered under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the RPA, 1951. Observers will monitor polling, address grievances, and ensure transparency.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) extended Ravi A Robert Jerard’s tenure as interim Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL). The extension is valid for 3 months (15 Oct 2025 – 14 Jan 2026). He also continues to hold charge of Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
• On 17 October 2025, Gujarat witnessed a major Cabinet reshuffle where BJP leader Harsh Sanghvi was sworn in as the state’s new Deputy Chief Minister, while Rivaba Jadeja (MLA and wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja) and 24 others took oath as ministers in Gandhinagar.

Awards & Honours:

• On 17 Oct 2025, UN Tourism named Bled (Slovenia) among the Best Tourism Villages 2025. The award was announced in Huzhou, China, selecting 52 villages from 270+ applicants. Bled was recognized for sustainable tourism, cultural preservation, and community engagement. It is Slovenia’s fourth village to receive this honor after Solčava, Radovljica, and Bohinj.

Obituaries:

• Japan’s former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama passed away on 17 October 2025 in Ōita, Japan, at the age of 101. He is best remembered for the landmark Murayama Statement of 1995, in which he expressed Japan’s “deep remorse” and “heartfelt apology” for its wartime aggression.
• Veteran Bollywood actor Govardhan Asrani, popularly known as Asrani, passed away on 20 October 2025 in Mumbai at the age of 84. With a career spanning over five decades and more than 350 films, he leaves behind an unforgettable legacy of comic brilliance and versatile performances.

Questions:

Q.1 Which Slovenian village was named among the UN Tourism’s Best Tourism Villages 2025?
a) Solčava
b) Radovljica
c) Bled
d) Bohinj

Answer: c) Bled was recognized for sustainable tourism and community participation, joining Solčava, Radovljica, and Bohinj.

Q.2 Who was appointed as the new Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat in October 2025?
a) Harsh Sanghvi
b) Rivaba Jadeja
c) Bhupendra Patel
d) Purshottam Rupala

Answer: a) BJP leader Harsh Sanghvi became Deputy CM during the Gujarat Cabinet reshuffle; Rivaba Jadeja also became a minister.