STATE NEWS
Ahmednagar Railway Station Renamed as Ahilyanagar
• Ahmednagar railway station has been officially renamed Ahilyanagar to honour Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar.
• The renaming received approval from the Union Home Ministry following a proposal by the Maharashtra Government.
• The change aligns the station’s name with the district, which was renamed Ahilyanagar earlier in 2025.
• Central Railway confirmed the update on 16 September 2025.
• The station code ANG will remain unchanged despite the new name.
• The renaming reflects longstanding demands from local residents and community groups.
• The move celebrates the legacy and contributions of Ahilya Bai Holkar in the region’s history.
AWARDS
71st National Film Awards
• President Droupadi Murmu presented the 71st National Film Awards, celebrating excellence in Indian cinema.
• 12th Fail won the Best Feature Film, while Flowering Man was honoured as Best Non-Feature Film.
• God Vulture and Human received the Best Documentary Film award.
• Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan) and Vikrant Massey (12th Fail) were named Best Actors, with Rani Mukerji (Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway) taking Best Actress.
• Vijayaraghavan and Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar shared the Best Supporting Actor award; Urvashi and Janki Bodiwala won Best Supporting Actress.
• Hanu-Man was recognised as the Best Film in the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comic) category.
• The Best Short Film award went to Giddh: The Scavenger, rounding off the key winners.
UK PM Keir Starmer Honoured with ‘Living Bridge’ Award
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer received the Living Bridge Award for enhancing India-UK relations and advancing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• Seema Malhotra, Minister for the Indo-Pacific, accepted the award on his behalf.
• The award ceremony was held at the House of Lords, London.
• The Living Bridge Awards, organised annually by the India Business Group (IBG), recognise individuals and organisations strengthening India-UK ties.
• Other 2025 winners included GMR Group, businessman G P Hinduja, Bina Mehta (KPMG UK Chair), and the University of Southampton.
• The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) aims to double bilateral trade to USD 120 billion by 2030.
• The agreement is currently awaiting ratification by the UK Parliament.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Buddha’s Relics to be Displayed in Russia’s Kalmykia
• Buddha’s sacred relics from the National Museum, New Delhi will be exhibited in Kalmykia, Russia, for the first time during the 3rd International Buddhist Forum (24–28 September 2025).
• The exposition is organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture, International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), National Museum, and IGNCA.
• The relics will be transported on a special Indian Air Force aircraft, following full religious protocol and escorted by senior monks.
• A high-level Indian delegation, led by Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, will accompany the relics, alongside eminent Buddhist leaders like Sakya Trizin Rinpoche and Kundeling Taktsak Rinpoche.
• Two MoUs will be signed to strengthen spiritual and academic collaboration, including one with Nalanda University and another with Russian Buddhist authorities.
• Exhibitions will feature the life of Buddha, Buddhist art and heritage from Piprahwa, and artworks by Vasudev Kamath, with participation from scholars of 35+ countries.
• IBC will also launch a Russian-language AI chatbot to explain Buddha Dhamma, continuing the relics’ journey from Mongolia (2022), Thailand (2024), and Vietnam (2025).
