NATIONAL NEWS

Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025: Honouring Excellence in Science

• The Central Government announced the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) on 25 October to recognise outstanding contributions in science and technology.

• The awards, modelled on the Padma-style honours, comprise 24 individual and one team award this year.

• Eminent physicist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar was posthumously awarded the Vigyan Ratna for his lifetime contribution to science.

• Eight scientists were selected for the Vigyan Shri for their remarkable achievements in various scientific fields.

• Fourteen young researchers under 45 received the Vigyan Yuva Award for their innovative and impactful work.

• The CSIR Aroma Mission earned the Vigyan Team Award for its collective advancements in applied science.

• The initiative highlights India’s commitment to promoting scientific excellence and encouraging young innovators.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

Bharat International Rice Conference 2025: Showcasing India’s Global Leadership in Rice Trade

• The Bharat International Rice Conference 2025 will be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, starting October 30.

• Foreign Ministers from the Philippines, Ghana, Namibia, and Gambia will participate in the two-day global event.

• India, a leading producer and exporter of rice, currently supplies to over 172 countries.

• The conference seeks to boost collaboration among rice industry stakeholders worldwide.

• It aims to enhance visibility and partnerships across international food supply chains.

• The gathering will include farmers, exporters, importers, researchers, and policymakers.

• Discussions will focus on improving transparency, efficiency, and resilience in the global rice market.

AWARDS

SBI Wins Top Global Finance Awards 2025

• The State Bank of India (SBI) received the titles of “World’s Best Consumer Bank 2025” and “Best Bank in India 2025” from Global Finance, New York.

• The honours were presented at the Global Finance Award Ceremony, held alongside the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings 2025.

• SBI was recognised for its innovation, customer-centric services, and leadership in financial inclusion.

• Chairman Challa Sreenivasulu Setty highlighted that SBI serves over 520 million customers worldwide.

• The bank’s flagship mobile app has 100 million+ users, with 10 million daily active users.

• This achievement underscores SBI’s commitment to a “Digital First, Consumer First” strategy.

• Global Finance is a renowned financial magazine that annually honours excellence in global banking and finance.

SPORTS

India Shines with Two Bronze Medals at Asian Youth Games 2025

• India bagged two bronze medals at the Asian Youth Games held in Bahrain.

• Veer Bhadu created history as the first Indian to win a medal in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

• He clinched bronze in the men’s 80kg MMA category, defeating Thailand’s Dechachot Barisri by unanimous decision.

• Palash Mandal secured another bronze in the boys’ 5000m race walk event.

• He finished behind China’s Haoze Zhang (gold) and Yujie Lu (silver).

• With these wins, India’s total medal tally at the event rose to 12 medals.

• The overall count includes 2 gold, 3 silver, and 7 bronze medals.