IMPORTANT DAYS

National Ayurveda Day 2025

• The 10th National Ayurveda Day was marked on 23 September 2025, with the theme “Ayurveda for People & Planet” highlighting balance between humans and nature.

• The main celebration took place at the All India Institute of Ayurveda, Goa, alongside events across all states and UTs.

• Earlier, Ayurveda Day was observed on Dhanteras, honouring Lord Dhanvantari, but from 2025 it is fixed on 23 September as per a Government of India notification.

• New initiatives launched included Desh ka Swasthya Parikshan, a campaign to measure community health through CCRAS tools.

• Two digital platforms were introduced — DRAVYA portal for AYUSH substance data, and APTA portal to highlight notable contributors to Ayurveda.

• DPIIT issued guidelines for integrating AYUSH interventions in healthcare and related sectors.

• Ayurveda’s global promotion is driven by the Ministry of AYUSH (established 2014), the National AYUSH Mission, and the biennial World Ayurveda Congress.

Sign Language Day 2025

• The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) marked Sign Language Day 2025 on 23 September at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

• The day aligns with the UNGA’s declaration of 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages to promote Deaf rights.

• The 2025 theme, “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights,” stresses equality, dignity, and inclusion for the Deaf community.

• Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar attended as the Chief Guest.

• The event witnessed participation from Deaf organizations, educators, and key stakeholders nationwide.

• New initiatives launched included the ISLRTC Bi-Annual Newsletter and Post Graduate Diploma programmes.

• The ceremony also honoured winners of the 8th National Indian Sign Language Competition 2025.

AWARDS

69th Ballon d’Or Awards 2025

• The 69th edition of the Ballon d’Or was hosted on 22 September 2025 at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris.

• Ousmane Dembele clinched the Men’s Ballon d’Or after guiding PSG to their maiden UEFA Champions League title and was also named UCL Player of the Season.

• In women’s football, Aitana Bonmati made history as the first female to win three consecutive Ballon d’Or titles.

• Paris Saint-Germain earned the title of Men’s Club of the Year, while Arsenal secured the Women’s Club of the Year honour.

• Coaching awards went to Luis Enrique (Men’s) and Sarina Wiegman (Women’s) for their exceptional leadership.

• Performance-based awards: Viktor Gyokeres (Men’s Striker), Ewa Pajor (Women’s Striker), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Men’s Goalkeeper), and Hannah Hampton (Women’s Goalkeeper).

• Rising talents Lamine Yamal and Vicky Lopez bagged young player awards, while the Socrates Award was presented to The Xana Foundation.

National e-Governance Awards 2025 – Gram Panchayats Honoured

• Visakhapatnam hosted the 28th National Conference on e-Governance where Gram Panchayats were recognised under a new category for digital service delivery at the grassroots level.

• Dr. Jitendra Singh presented the awards, which included a trophy, certificate, and prize money of ₹10 lakh (Gold) or ₹5 lakh (Silver), earmarked for citizen-centric projects.

• Rohini Gram Panchayat (Maharashtra) won the Gold Award, becoming the state’s first to run a fully paperless e-Office system under the leadership of Dr. Anandrao Pawara.

• West Majlishpur (Tripura) received the Silver Award for digitising key services like birth, death, marriage, and property records, led by Smt. Anita Deb Das.

• Palsana Gram Panchayat (Gujarat) earned a Jury Award for using Digital Gujarat and Gram Suvidha platforms to enable QR/UPI tax payments, grievance redressal, and welfare access for over 10,000 citizens annually.

• Suakati Gram Panchayat (Odisha) also secured a Jury Award for providing round-the-clock digital services with real-time monitoring via OdishaOne and Seva Odisha, spearheaded by Smt. Kautuka Naik.

• These initiatives highlight how technology-driven governance at the village level is enhancing transparency, accessibility, and inclusive service delivery.

APPOINTMENTS

Vandana Gupta Takes Over as CGCA

• Vandana Gupta has taken charge as the Controller General of Communication Accounts (CGCA) in New Delhi.

• She stepped into the role after being promoted to the Apex Grade.

• An officer of the 1990 batch of IP&TAFS, she carries vast administrative and financial experience.

• Her career includes senior postings in the Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat circles.

• At the central level, she has contributed to both the Department of Telecommunications and the Department of Posts.

• She also held the role of Principal Director, GASAB, in the office of the CAG during her central deputation.

• Earlier, she served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 on 23 September in New Delhi.

• The initiative focuses on fostering innovation, problem-solving, and self-reliance among school students.

• It is being organised by the Department of School Education & Literacy in collaboration with NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission.

• The Buildathon is scheduled for 13 October 2025, with registrations open from 22 September to 6 October.

• Participation is expected from nearly 12 crore students across six lakh schools nationwide.

• Mr. Pradhan highlighted that in the last 11 years, the government has placed strong emphasis on innovation and creativity.

• He also mentioned that 10,000+ Atal Tinkering Labs are already functioning to nurture young innovators.

SPORTS

Arshdeep Singh Creates History with 100 T20I Wickets

• Arshdeep Singh became the first Indian men’s bowler to claim 100 T20I wickets, reaching the feat against Oman in the 2025 Asia Cup.

• He achieved the milestone in his 64th T20I, becoming the 25th bowler worldwide to enter the 100-wicket club.

• The left-arm pacer made his T20I debut in July 2022 vs England and touched the mark in just 3 years and 74 days.

• This makes him the second-fastest fast bowler to 100 wickets, only behind Bahrain’s Rizwan Butt.

• Arshdeep holds an impressive bowling average of 18.37, the best among seamers from Full Member nations.

• Overall, he stands third in T20I bowling averages, behind Rizwan Butt (16.68) and Bilal Khan of Oman (16.95).

• Earlier, Vinoo Mankad was the first Indian to bag 100 Test wickets, while Kapil Dev was the first to do so in ODIs.

73rd Inline Speed Skating World Championships 2025

• The 73rd edition of the Inline Speed Skating World Championships was hosted in Beidaihe, China from 13–21 September 2025, organised by World Skate.

• Colombia dominated the medal tally with 44 medals (20 gold, 16 silver, 8 bronze), followed by Italy (18), Chile (6), Ecuador (4), and India (5).

• Anandkumar Velkumar created history by winning the 42 km marathon gold, the first-ever for India at this championship.

• Velkumar also secured gold in the senior men’s 1000m sprint and a bronze in the 500m sprint.

• Krish Sharma clinched gold in the junior 1000m sprint, adding to India’s medal tally.

• Anish Raj bagged a bronze medal in the junior one-lap road sprint event.

• India’s overall performance, with five medals, marked one of its strongest outings on the world stage in speed skating.