IMPORTANT DAYS

Australia Declares December 21 as Day of Reflection

• Australia has designated 21 December as a Day of Reflection to remember those affected by the Bondi Beach terror attack.

• The observance honours the 15 people who lost their lives and the 41 others who were injured in the 14 December incident.

• The declaration also conveys national solidarity with the Jewish community.

• The Day of Reflection coincides with the final day of Chanukah, symbolising hope, faith, and resilience.

• As a mark of respect, government buildings will fly flags at half-mast across the country.

• Citizens have been encouraged to light a candle at 6:47 p.m. and maintain a minute of silence.

• Yellow illumination on prominent buildings and a special light projection at Bondi Pavilion form part of the tribute.

• Chanukah, known as the Festival of Lights, is a significant Jewish celebration representing endurance and renewal.

World Meditation Day 2025 – Global Observance

• World Meditation Day was marked for the second time on 21 December worldwide.

• The UN General Assembly formally designated this day in 2024.

• The date aligns with the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, a time linked with reflection.

• The occasion highlights themes of mental stillness, self-awareness, and inner balance.

• Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led a guided meditation at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

• The session was held as part of the “Meditation for Global Peace and Harmony” programme.

• He drew inspiration from Lord Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna on meditation yoga.

• The observance was supported by India, Andorra, Mexico, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, with participation from diplomats, UN officials, and yoga practitioners.

National Mathematics Day 2025 – Celebrating Srinivasa Ramanujan

• National Mathematics Day is observed across India on 22 December every year.

• The day marks the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, one of the greatest mathematicians in history.

• Ramanujan enriched mathematics with around 3,500 original formulas and results.

• The observance aims to promote awareness of mathematics and its role in scientific and human progress.

• 22 December was officially declared National Mathematics Day in 2012 by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

• Born in 1887 in Tamil Nadu, Ramanujan made path-breaking contributions to number theory, infinite series, and analysis.

• He earned global recognition as the first Indian Fellow of Trinity College and was nicknamed the “Man Who Knew Infinity.”

• In 1918, he became the second Indian and one of the youngest scientists to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

NATIONAL NEWS

Centenary Celebrations of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Madhya Pradesh

• “Shunya Se Shatak: Ek Shatabdi Atal Bharat Ki” was organised in Indore on 21 December.

• The event commemorated the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan attended the programme as the chief dignitary.

• Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and Governor Mangubhai Patel were present on the occasion.

• A statue of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai was unveiled at the Daily College campus by the dignitaries.

• On 25 December, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch industrial projects worth over ₹2 lakh crore in Gwalior.

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior and served as Prime Minister three times.

• He was conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2015, recognising his exceptional contribution to the nation.

AWARDS

Saudi Arabia Honours Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces

• Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, received Saudi Arabia’s top civilian award during an official visit.

• The honour highlights the strong strategic and defence partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

• Munir was conferred the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellence, the Kingdom’s highest civilian decoration.

• The award was granted through a royal decree issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

• Saudi leadership commended Munir’s professional conduct, strategic vision, and leadership role.

• The recognition reflects Saudi Arabia’s appreciation of Pakistan’s support in regional security matters.

• Munir described the award as a symbol of deep-rooted brotherly ties between the two nations.

• He reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security, stability, and prosperity.

STATE NEWS

Uttar Pradesh Road Safety Month 2025

• Uttar Pradesh will observe Road Safety Month from 1 to 31 January to promote safer road behaviour.

• The initiative has been launched under the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

• The campaign will follow the 4E framework – Education, Enforcement, Engineering and Emergency Care.

• A high-level review meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister to assess preparedness.

• The Chief Minister clarified that the drive must go beyond a symbolic exercise.

• He emphasized transforming road safety into a citizen-driven and people-focused movement.

• Official figures show over 46,000 road accidents reported till November 2025 in the state.

• With nearly 25,000 fatalities, the Chief Minister termed the situation alarming, stressing that every road death leaves lasting trauma for families.

Uttar Pradesh to Establish Its First Forest University

• The state government has cleared the proposal for setting up Uttar Pradesh’s first Forest University.

• The institution will come up in Gorakhpur district, spread over about 125 acres of land.

• A Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared, with the project cost estimated at ₹500 crore.

• The draft University Act is in the final stage of scrutiny before cabinet approval and tendering.

• The initiative was announced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to promote environment-focused education.

• Courses will cover forestry, wildlife, agroforestry, horticulture and environmental sciences.

• Both degree and diploma programmes will train skilled professionals in conservation and forest management.

• The university will boost research in biotechnology, wildlife protection and climate change, supported by a fully equipped campus.

SPORTS

Smriti Mandhana Creates History in Women’s T20 Internationals

• Smriti Mandhana achieved a landmark feat during the first Women’s T20I against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam.

• She became the first Indian woman to cross 4,000 runs in T20 internationals.

• At the global level, she is only the second female cricketer, after Suzie Bates (New Zealand), to reach this mark.

• Mandhana reached the milestone in just 3,227 balls, making it the fastest 4,000 runs in women’s T20Is.

• Her record highlights a blend of aggressive stroke play and long-term consistency.

• In the match, she contributed 25 runs off 25 balls while chasing a target of 122.

• This game was her first international outing after India’s recent ODI World Cup victory.

• The achievement firmly places Mandhana among the elite batters in women’s T20 cricket history.

East Bengal FC Clinches SAFF Women’s Club Championship 2025

• East Bengal FC lifted the maiden SAFF Women’s Club Championship 2025, creating history for Indian women’s football.

• The Kolkata-based side secured a convincing 3–0 win over Nepal’s APF FC in the title clash.

• The final was hosted at Dashrath Stadium, Kathmandu, which served as the venue for the entire tournament.

• This triumph marked India’s first international club title in women’s football.

• Fazila Ikwaput starred in the final with a brace, while Shilky Devi Hemam added the third goal.

• East Bengal completed the tournament undefeated, registering four victories and one draw.

• The team displayed defensive dominance by scoring 14 goals without conceding any across five matches.

• After beating teams from Bhutan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the league stage, East Bengal held APF FC to a draw earlier, with Ikwaput finishing as the top scorer of the tournament.

MISCELLANEOUS

Michaela Benthaus Creates History in Spaceflight

• Michaela “Michi” Benthaus became the first wheelchair user to travel to space, marking a major milestone in inclusive space exploration.

• The historic feat was achieved through Blue Origin’s NS-37 mission, flown aboard the New Shepard suborbital rocket.

• Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, launched the mission from its Texas spaceport using its reusable launch system.

• On 20 December, Benthaus and five other crew members crossed the Kármán line, the internationally recognised edge of space.

• Benthaus has used a wheelchair since a spinal injury sustained in a mountain biking accident in 2018.

• She is a trained aerospace and mechatronics engineer and is professionally linked with the European Space Agency.

• Her prior experience includes zero-gravity parabolic flights, work as an AstroAccess ambassador, and leading a 2024 analog astronaut mission in Poland.

• The NS-37 flight, Blue Origin’s 16th human space mission, provided the crew with several minutes of microgravity.