IMPORTANT DAYS
Bodhi Day 2025
• Bodhi Day will be marked worldwide on 8 December 2025, honoring the moment Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya over two millennia ago.
• The day reflects Buddhism’s central theme of inner awakening, symbolizing the shift from ignorance to wisdom through deep self-realization.
• It commemorates the period when Siddhartha meditated beneath the sacred peepal (Bodhi) tree, ultimately discovering the truth that led to his transformation into the Buddha.
• This enlightenment is viewed as the starting point of Buddhist teachings, shaping concepts like liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.
• Observances typically include quiet meditation, devotional chanting, lighting lamps, and acts of kindness such as giving alms.
• Many followers adorn Bodhi trees and light candles, representing the illumination of the mind and the Buddha’s wisdom.
• The occasion reinforces foundational principles of Buddhism, including the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which guide ethical and mindful living.
• For Buddhist communities worldwide, the day serves as a reminder of compassion, clarity, and the pursuit of spiritual truth inspired by the Buddha’s awakening.
STATE NEWS
Rajasthan Achieves Full Digitisation of Electoral Rolls
• Rajasthan has set a national precedent by becoming India’s first state to fully digitise its electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision programme.
• The initiative was announced on 6 December 2025 by CEO Navin Mahajan, highlighting a major advancement in digital governance and electoral transparency.
• The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) aims to clean, verify, and modernise voter records, including identity checks, address validation, and removal of duplicate entries.
• Through complete digital integration, all voter records are now electronically verified and mapped, reducing manual errors and ensuring accurate booth-wise allocation.
• Rajasthan achieved 97% voter mapping, the highest in the country, leaving only a small fraction of voters requiring document submissions during the claims stage.
• On average, only 30 electors per booth still need verification, indicating exceptional data accuracy compared to national standards.
• This performance positions Rajasthan as a model for electoral management, improving citizen convenience and streamlining the upcoming elections.
• As per the schedule, the draft electoral roll will be released on 16 December 2025, and the final list will be published on 14 February 2026.
RANKING AND REPORTS
Winter Smog & CREA Report
• Ghaziabad emerged as the worst-affected NCR city, recording a PM2.5 concentration of 224 µg/m³, the highest in India for November 2025.
• The CREA assessment showed severe pollution across NCR, with 20 out of 29 cities reporting higher PM2.5 levels compared to November 2024.
• Delhi, Noida, Bahadurgarh, Hapur, and Greater Noida were among the top polluted cities that consistently stayed above NAAQS limits throughout the month.
• Despite a decline in stubble-burning incidents, pollution remained extreme, pointing toward urban traffic, industrial activity, and construction dust as major drivers.
• Almost all top 10 polluted cities—including Sonipat, Baghpat, Meerut, and Rohtak—recorded hazardous air quality for all 30 days of November.
• The report noted that several NCR regions showed PM2.5 levels nearly nine times higher than WHO’s 24-hour guideline, raising serious public health concerns.
• Cities such as Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Noida also featured severely deteriorated air quality, reflecting the region-wide impact of winter smog.
• Experts emphasize stronger pollution-control measures, tighter enforcement on emissions, and rapid adoption of clean technologies to mitigate recurring winter air crises.
SUMMIT AND CONFERENCES
20th Session of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee
• The 20th meeting of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage is being held in New Delhi from 8–13 December 2025.
• Red Fort has been selected as the venue, symbolising the union of India’s tangible monuments and living cultural traditions.
• India is hosting this ICH Committee session for the first time, with Vishal V. Sharma, India’s Ambassador to UNESCO, serving as the Chair.
• India has proposed Chhath Mahaparva and Diwali for inclusion in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List, both assessed earlier by expert bodies.
• The six-day gathering will assess new nominations, review the status of existing heritage elements, and consider requests for international support from member nations.
• The session marks 20 years of India’s ratification of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention, which was originally adopted in Paris on 17 October 2003.
• India has already completed three terms on the ICH Committee and currently has 15 cultural elements recognised on UNESCO’s global intangible heritage list.
Rising Global Summit 2025
• Hyderabad is hosting the Rising Global Summit 2025, a two-day event beginning on 8 December at Bharat Future City.
• The summit was inaugurated by Governor Jishnu Dev Verma, marking Telangana’s major global outreach initiative.
• Over 27 expert-led sessions are planned, covering energy, IT, healthcare, startups, and other emerging sectors.
• Major global bodies such as the WHO, World Bank, ADB, and UNICEF are actively participating.
• Telangana will unveil its Rising 2047 vision document, targeting a $3 trillion state economy by 2047.
• Sports figures like P.V. Sindhu and Anil Kumble, along with well-known film personalities, have been invited for the event.
• The government anticipates investment MoUs worth nearly ₹3 lakh crore, showcasing Telangana’s industrial and innovation capacity.
• Around 150 foreign delegates from 44 nations, including a strong U.S. representation, will also explore curated tourism sites such as Buddhavanam, the world’s largest Buddhist heritage theme park.
AWARDS
FIFA Peace Prize at 2026 World Cup Draw
• At the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, US President Donald Trump was honoured with the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize.
• The award was handed over by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who acknowledged Trump’s role in promoting peace.
• FIFA introduced this new prize to recognise individuals making exceptional contributions to global harmony.
• Trump described the recognition as one of the most significant honours of his life.
• He asserted that he had helped settle several international disputes, including the India–Pakistan ceasefire, a claim India has refuted.
• Infantino commended Trump’s initiatives and presented him with a medal and certificate as part of the award.
• The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.
• The tournament is scheduled to kick off on June 11 with an opening match between Mexico and Canada.
SPORTS
Rohit Sharma Crosses 20,000 International Runs
• Rohit Sharma entered the 20,000-run club during the third ODI against South Africa on 6 December.
• The achievement covers all formats—Tests, ODIs, and T20Is—marking his all-round consistency.
• Over the past decade, Rohit has been one of India’s most reliable opening batsmen.
• His steady run-scoring has played a major role in India’s dominance in white-ball cricket.
• Earlier in the same series, he also set a new benchmark for most ODI sixes.
• With this milestone, he now stands alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid.
• Among this elite list, Virat Kohli remains the fastest to complete 20,000 international runs.
• Rohit’s latest feat further strengthens his position among India’s modern cricketing greats.
