IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Persons with Disabilities observed on December 3.

• The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is marked every year on 3 December to honour the strength and achievements of people with disabilities worldwide.

• The 2025 theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” emphasises the need for equal participation in all areas of life.

• The UN General Assembly officially declared 3 December as this observance in 1992 to promote global awareness and support for PwDs.

• The day encourages governments and communities to create environments where persons with disabilities can thrive without barriers.

• The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), adopted in 2006, guides global efforts to protect and uphold the rights of PwDs.

• It highlights that inclusion is essential for sustainable development and social progress.

• Globally, around 1.3 billion people—nearly 16% of the population—live with significant disabilities, underscoring the need for continuous action toward accessibility and equality.

NATIONAL NEWS

Renaming of PMO and Key Government Buildings

• PM Modi has renamed the Prime Minister’s Office as “Seva Tirth”, reflecting a shift toward service-driven governance; similarly, Raj Bhavan and Raj Niwas are now Lok Bhavan and Lok Niwas.

• Home Minister Amit Shah said these changes symbolise India’s move toward a more service-oriented and developed nation, stressing the government’s “service over power” approach for the past 11 years.

• He noted that PM Modi considers himself the country’s “Pradhan Sevak”, working tirelessly round-the-clock for citizens.

• The PMO will soon relocate from South Block to a new modern complex named Sewa Teerth, where Sewa Teerth-1 will house the Prime Minister’s Office.

• This new Executive Enclave-I, located next to Vayu Bhawan, includes three structures—Sewa Teerth-1, Sewa Teerth-2, and Sewa Teerth-3.

• Sewa Teerth-2 and 3 will accommodate the Cabinet Secretariat and the Office of the National Security Advisor, strengthening administrative coordination.

• The renaming follows earlier changes such as Rajpath to Kartavya Path, Central Secretariat to Kartavya Bhavan, and Race Course Road to Lok Kalyan Marg, while recalling that the PMO was known as the Prime Minister’s Secretariat before 1977.

National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2025

• President Droupadi Murmu conferred the 2025 National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in New Delhi on 3 December, marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

• She reaffirmed that Divyangjan must enjoy full equality and be included as active partners in India’s development journey.

• The President stressed that true national progress is possible only when persons with disabilities participate equally in all spheres.

• The year’s theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” was highlighted as a guiding vision for inclusive growth.

• India’s transition from a welfare-oriented system to a rights-based, dignity-centred framework for persons with disabilities was underlined.

• The respectful term “Divyangjan,” adopted in 2015, was recalled as part of recognising the inherent strengths and abilities of persons with disabilities.

• Government initiatives like expanding institutions for sign language, mental health rehabilitation, and sports training—along with issuing millions of UDID cards—were noted, with a call for society to actively protect the dignity and rights of Divyangjan.

SPORTS

World Athletics Awards 2025

• Sweden’s Armand Duplantis and America’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone received the top honours as World Athletes of the Year for their record-breaking performances in 2025.

• Duplantis dominated men’s pole vault by breaking the world record four times and completing a second straight unbeaten season—an unprecedented achievement.

• McLaughlin-Levrone claimed the women’s 400m world title in Tokyo with a stunning 47.78s finish and became the first athlete to win world titles in both 400m and 400m hurdles.

• Duplantis was additionally awarded Men’s Field Athlete of the Year, while McLaughlin-Levrone secured the Women’s Track Athlete of the Year honour.

• Spain’s Maria Perez and Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe were recognised as the best Out-of-Stadium athletes for their exceptional racewalking and long-distance performances.

• Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya earned Men’s Track Athlete of the Year, whereas Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers took home the Women’s Field Athlete of the Year title.

• Rising Star awards went to Kenya’s Edmund Serem and China’s Zhang Jiale, celebrating their early global success in athletics.

India Qualifies for the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup

• India’s U-17 men’s football team booked its spot in the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup after a crucial 2–1 win over Iran at Ahmedabad’s EKA Arena.

• The victory lifted India to seven points in the qualifiers, putting them level with Iran but ahead on head-to-head performance.

• By topping Group D, India confirmed its qualification for the tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia.

• Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya extended congratulations to the young squad for securing their Asian Cup berth.

• With this qualification, India became the fourth national side to reach an Asian Cup event in 2026, alongside the senior women’s, U-20 women’s, and U-17 women’s teams.

• The AFC U-17 Asian Cup, earlier known as the AFC U-16 or AFC U-17 Championship, is organised by the Asian Football Confederation.

• The 2026 edition will mark the 21st tournament and is scheduled in Saudi Arabia from 7–24 May 2026.

Archery Premier League Wins ‘Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year’

• The Archery Premier League (APL) earned the ‘Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year’ title at the India Sports Awards 2025 during FICCI TURF 2025 in New Delhi.

• This honour marked a major achievement in APL’s debut year, praising its fresh format and modern presentation of competitive archery.

• The league gained recognition for delivering fast-paced, professional-level archery that drew strong audience interest.

• Organised by the Archery Association of India, APL is celebrated as the world’s first fully professional archery league.

• Its inaugural edition took place at the Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi from October 2 to 12, 2025, featuring top Indian and global archers.

• The franchise-based model improved competitiveness, visibility, and overall structure, while gender-equal team rules boosted inclusivity.

• APL’s TV-friendly format and presentation have helped position archery as a more appealing and mainstream spectator sport.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

India’s TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

• Union Minister J.P. Nadda announced that India’s TB mortality rate has reduced from 28 per lakh in 2015 to 21 per lakh in 2024, indicating steady progress in TB control.

• He briefed Members of Parliament in New Delhi about the TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and urged them to closely track the programme’s implementation in their constituencies.

• Nadda encouraged MPs to raise awareness, counter stigma surrounding TB, and mobilise community participation in the campaign.

• Around 60 MPs from Uttar Pradesh attended the meeting and committed to supporting TB elimination efforts locally.

• The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, launched virtually by President Droupadi Murmu on 9 September 2022, aims to strengthen patient support systems.

• The initiative focuses on improving treatment outcomes through community engagement and collaborative action.

• It also seeks to leverage Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions to help India achieve its target of ending TB by 2025.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

7th India International Seaweed Expo & Summit 2026

• Kochi will host the 7th India International Seaweed Expo and Summit (IISE&S 2026) on 29–30 January 2026, led by ICAR–CMFRI.

• The event is being organised in collaboration with the Indian Chamber of Commerce and CSIR–Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute.

• International participation is expected from countries such as Brazil, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, and Sweden, along with interest from across Latin America, South Asia, and Europe.

• The summit aims to enable global partnerships, technology transfers, and expanded access to the international seaweed market.

• A major highlight will be the ‘Seaweed 2030’ panel, which will outline a national vision to make India a world leader in sustainable seaweed production.

• Policymakers, scientists, start-ups, industry representatives, and global investors will convene to discuss emerging opportunities in the sector.

• Technical discussions will focus on seaweed potential, policy gaps, financing, supply chains, biotechnology, product innovation, and ways to strengthen India’s Blue Economy and coastal livelihoods.