Current Affairs One - Liner : 21st & 22nd October 2025

National:

• On 18–19 October 2025, the IndiaAI Mission (Ministry of Electronics & IT, GoI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) jointly launched a Global Call for Abstracts on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health, inviting submissions from the Global South to showcase scalable and impactful AI use cases in healthcare.

• The Gujarati New Year 2025 (Bestu Varas) was celebrated on 22 Oct 2025, a day after Diwali. It marked the start of Vikram Samvat 2082, with rituals like Chopda Pujan for financial prosperity. Families offered prayers to Lakshmi and Ganesha, decorated homes, and exchanged “Saal Mubarak” greetings.
• Govardhan Puja 2025, also called Annakut Puja, is celebrated on 22 Oct 2025, a day after Diwali. It falls on Kartik Shukla Pratipada Tithi (21 Oct 5:54 PM – 22 Oct 8:16 PM). The festival commemorates Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to protect villagers from Indra’s wrath.

Banking:

• On 16 October 2025, Ageas Federal Life Insurance announced a strategic partnership with CSB Bank to launch India’s first SME-focused Bancassurance model, aimed at providing tailored life insurance solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs.
• On 18 October 2025, UAE’s Emirates NBD Bank announced a landmark deal to acquire up to a 60% stake in India’s RBL Bank through a $3 billion (₹26,850 crore) primary capital infusion — the largest-ever foreign direct investment (FDI) in India’s financial services sector and the biggest equity fundraise in Indian banking history.

MoUs:

• The MoU between France’s Naval Group and India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) was signed on 16 October 2025 in Mumbai. Its aim is to strengthen cooperation for the joint export of India-built Scorpène-class submarines to friendly nations, reinforcing Indo-French defence ties and supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Science & Technology:

• India has achieved a historic milestone by developing its first indigenously discovered antibiotic, named Nafithromycin, announced on 18 October 2025 by Union Science & Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. It is effective against drug-resistant respiratory infections, especially in vulnerable patients such as those with cancer or uncontrolled diabetes.

Sports:

• On 20 October 2025, Morocco stunned Argentina 2-0 in Santiago to win their first-ever FIFA U-20 World Cup. Yassir Zabiri scored both goals in the first half to seal the historic victory. Morocco became the first African nation since Ghana (2009) to lift the U-20 title. Argentina, chasing a record 7th crown, suffered their only defeat of the tournament.

Defence:

• On 18 October 2025, Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) launched the 6th Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), INS Magdala, at Kochi, Kerala. The vessel is indigenously built under Atmanirbhar Bharat to strengthen India’s coastal defence. It is equipped with advanced sonars, torpedoes, rockets, and mine-laying capability for anti-submarine operations.

Committees:

• The 8th Session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH‑8) was held in Guwahati, Assam from 13–17 October 2025. It was constituted under the Codex Alimentarius Commission (a joint FAO–WHO food standards body), hosted by the Government of India through the Spices Board (Ministry of Commerce & Industry), and chaired by India as the host country. Its aim was to finalize Codex standards for spices and culinary herbs to ensure global food safety, quality, and fair trade.

Important Days:

• World Menopause Day 2025 was observed on 18 October with the theme “Lifestyle Medicine”. It is organized annually by the International Menopause Society (IMS) since 2009. The day aims to raise awareness on menopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause. The 2025 theme highlights the role of diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management in managing symptoms.
• National Solidarity Day 2025 was observed on 20 October to honor the sacrifices of soldiers in the 1962 Indo–China war. It has been marked annually since 1963 to express solidarity with the Armed Forces. The theme for 2025 was “United We Stand, Stronger Together”, reinforcing national unity. The day highlights patriotism, defence preparedness, and collective resilience across the country.

Appointments:

• Shantha Rangaswamy was elected on 17 October 2025 as the first woman President of the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA). A former India women’s team captain (1976–1991), she was also the first woman cricketer to win the Arjuna Award (1976). Other office bearers elected include Venkat Sundaram (Secretary) and Deepak Jain (Treasurer).
• Karthik Narain, former Accenture Cloud First leader, was appointed Chief Product & Business Officer at Google Cloud on 21 Oct 2025. He will oversee product strategy, engineering, AI innovation, and go-to-market operations under CEO Thomas Kurian. With 25+ years of cloud expertise, he has driven large-scale digital transformation for global enterprises.

Awards & Honours:

• The SAIME (Sustainable Aquaculture in Mangrove Ecosystems) model from the Sundarbans, developed by NEWS, integrates aquaculture with mangrove conservation. It provides sustainable livelihoods while protecting fragile coastal ecosystems. On 15 October 2025, FAO awarded it Global Technical Recognition during its 80th Anniversary in Rome.
• On 19 October 2025, the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD) was awarded for its outstanding contribution to the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PMJANMAN). The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu at the National Conclave on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The Global Fintech Awards 2025 were held on 8 Oct 2025 at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. Upasana Taku (MobiKwik) and Yashish Dahiya (PB Fintech) were honoured as Fintech Persons of the Year. Yubi won Fintech Startup of the Year, while IDFC FIRST Bank was recognised for Excellence in Banking Tech.

Obituaries:

• Singer-actor Rishabh Tandon, popularly known as Faqeer, passed away at the age of 35 after suffering a sudden heart attack in Delhi on 21 October 2025. He was visiting family for Diwali when the incident occurred, leaving the music and film fraternity in shock.

Questions:

Q.1 Who became the first woman President of the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA) in October 2025?
a) Diana Edulji
b) Shantha Rangaswamy
c) Mithali Raj
d) Anjum Chopra

Answer: b) Former India women’s captain Shantha Rangaswamy was elected ICA’s first woman President on 17 October 2025.

Q.2 Emirates NBD Bank announced plans to acquire up to a 60% stake in which Indian bank?
a) RBL Bank
b) IndusInd Bank
c) CSB Bank
d) IDFC FIRST Bank

Answer: a) On 18 October 2025, Emirates NBD announced a $3 billion investment to acquire up to 60% in RBL Bank — the largest-ever FDI in India’s financial services sector.