Daily Current Affairs and GK | 11 December 2025

Topic: Personality in News

1. Birth anniversary of C. Rajagopalachari: 10 December

• 10 December is the birth anniversary of C. Rajagopalachari, who is popularly known as Rajaji.
• On this day, PM Modi shared archival material related to Rajaji.
• This included a photograph of a young Rajaji, his appointment notice as a Cabinet Minister, and a 1922 edition of "Young India" edited by Rajaji.
• Rajagopalachari was born on December 10, 1878. He became India’s last Governor-General. He was the only Indian to hold that post.
• He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Rajaji left his legal career in 1919 after meeting Gandhi to join the freedom struggle.
• He played a leading role in Rowlatt Act protests, the Non-Cooperation Movement, the Vaikom Satyagraha, and the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• He was imprisoned five times between 1912 and 1941.
• Rajaji also served as the Premier of the Madras Presidency. He founded the Swatantra Party.
• He received the Bharat Ratna in 1954. This was for his contributions to politics, literature, and public service.
• He passed away on December 25, 1972.

Topic: Corporates/Companies

2. Microsoft announced a investment of more than $17.5 billion (around ₹1.5 lakh crore) in India’s cloud and AI infrastructure.

• This marks its largest investment in Asia. The funds will be used over four years.
• The aim of investment is to expand hyperscale infrastructure, and integrate AI into national platforms.
• It also aims to enhance workforce readiness. This investment  builds on a $3 billion commitment made in January.
• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and PM Modi met and then Microsoft made announcement of this investment.
• Modi also met with other tech leaders. These included Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan.
• India has attracted major data center investment commitments.
• These include $15 billion from Google and $8 billion from Amazon Web Services.
• Microsoft doubled its AI training initiative. It now aims to train 20 million Indians by 2030 and plans to upskill its 22,000+ employees in India.
• Microsoft will integrate Azure AI into two key digital public platforms.
• These include India’s Ministry of Labour and Employment and the National Career Service.

Topic: National News

3. Deepavali added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

• Deepavali, the festival of lights, inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List during the 20th Intergovernmental Committee session held at New Delhi’s Red Fort from December 8 to 13, 2025.
• It was recognised as the 16th Indian element added to this global heritage list.
• ICAN President Manoj Kandoi said that global recognition will help safeguard community-based traditions for future generations.
• UNESCO’s list already includes several Indian traditions, such as Garba, Durga Puja, Kumbh Mela, yoga, and Vedic chanting.
• The inscription was adopted in the presence of delegates from 194 Member States and UNESCO experts.
• Diwali is celebrated on the new moon day of the Kartik month in the Hindu lunar calendar, which usually falls in October or November.
• UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage from India (16th Indian element):

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

4. An MoU between Labour Ministry and Microsoft signed to boost jobs, AI training, and Global Workforce Mobility.

• On 10 December, an MoU was signed between the Ministry of Labour & Employment and Microsoft to expand job access, AI-based skilling, and global mobility for Indian workers.
• The agreement was formalised in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
• Under the MoU, Microsoft will encourage over 15,000 employers and global partners to join the Ministry’s National Career Service (NCS) platform.
• This step is expected to strengthen high-growth sectors and open more overseas opportunities for Indian youth and professionals.
• The DigiSaksham programme will be scaled up to train millions in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and productivity tools.
• Mandaviya said the partnership supports India’s goal of building a globally competitive and digitally skilled workforce.
• Microsoft expressed interest in supporting India’s Employment Digital Public Infrastructure to develop interoperable labour solutions.
• Microsoft’s Azure and AI capabilities will help modernise employment services, strengthen analytics, and improve job-matching systems.
• Nadella also announced Microsoft’s largest-ever Asian investment of $17.5 billion in India to advance AI infrastructure and skills.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. TIME’s Athlete of the Year 2025 awarded to A’ja Wilson.

• A’ja Wilson was named TIME’s Athlete of the Year for 2025 for setting historic milestones in women’s basketball.
• She became the first athlete in either the WNBA or NBA to win a championship, Finals MVP, League MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year in one season.
• She also won the scoring title and became the fastest player in the history of the North American Women's Elite League to reach 5,000 career points.
• She joined Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James as one of only four players to win four MVP titles before turning 30.
• Her season included leading the Las Vegas Aces through a turnaround that ended in a 16-game winning streak and a 4-0 Finals sweep.
• She captured her third WNBA championship title with this victory.
• Wilson was also named MVP of the women’s basketball tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
• TIME recognised her influence off the court, where she shaped conversations on league growth and player equity.
• She was honoured by The Associated Press as Female Athlete of the Year, marking the second consecutive win for a basketball player.

Topic: Companies and Corporates

6. Amazon announced investments of more than $35 billion in India by 2030.

• On 10 December, Amazon announced that more than $35 billion across all its businesses in India through 2030.
• The company said the investment will be spread across AI-driven digitisation, export expansion, and job creation.
• Amazon stated that these investments are aligned with national priorities and will support small businesses and logistics infrastructure.
• Senior VP Amit Agarwal said Amazon’s 15-year journey in India matches the country’s vision of an Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat.
• Amazon had already invested heavily in building digital and physical infrastructure for MSMEs and job creation.
• The company aims to democratise AI access for millions and create one million new job opportunities in India.
• Amazon plans to quadruple cumulative e-commerce exports to $80 billion by 2030.
• The company also intends to provide AI education and career exploration for 4 million government school students.
• Amazon launched the “Accelerate Exports” programme to connect digital entrepreneurs with manufacturers.
• Last year, Amazon had similarly announced its export target of $80 billion by 2030 during the Smbhav summit.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. Leonardo DiCaprio has been named TIME’s 2025 Entertainer of the Year on December 8.

• The title of TIME’s 2025 Entertainer of the Year recognizes his enduring legacy in the film industry.
• TIME praised him for building a career designed to last.
• His new movie "One Battle After Another" is the catalyst for this honor.
• Paul Thomas Anderson directed the movie. It premiered in September 2025.
• The movie is an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel "Vineland".
• The recognition further confirms his status as one of Hollywood’s most influential actors.
• He has received seven Oscar nominations and won once.
• His career includes roles in films like "Titanic", "The Wolf of Wall Street", and "Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood".
• DiCaprio is now 51 years old. In his first film, 1993’s This Boy’s Life, he played young Toby. Th film adapted from Tobias Wolff’s memoir.

Topic: Art and Culture

8. Italy’s national cuisine has been officially recognised as an “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO.

• The designation recognises a culinary tradition passed down through generations.
• Italy launched the nomination process in 2023, with government describing its food culture as a social practice that connects families and communities.
• UNESCO announced the decision during the 20th Intangible Cultural Heritage session.
• The 20th Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) session meeting took place at Delhi’s historic Red Fort.
• The meeting also approved the inclusion of Diwali and Iceland’s swimming-pool social culture to its list.
• Italy showcased the variety of its regional dishes to support its case.
• These included Lombardy’s ossobuco and Puglia’s orecchiette con cime di rapa (ear-shaped pasta with turnip greens).
• Italian cuisine joins other food traditions already on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.
• These include France’s festive haute cuisine, Mexico’s ritual-linked culinary practices, Korea’s kimchi fermentation method and Japan’s Washoku cuisine.
• Intangible cultural heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated with them that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as a part of their cultural heritage.
• There are three lists under the Intangible Cultural Heritage:

1. List of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding
2. Representative List of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity
3. Register of good safeguarding practices

Topic: Banking/Finance

9. India’s banking sector has reached most stable phase in two decades, with sharp fall in NPAs and record levels reached in profitability.

• Gross non-performing assets (NPAs) declined to 2.31% by March 2025. This is the lowest level in 20 years.
• Net NPAs decreased to 0.52%. GNPA of public sector banks declined from 9.11% in 2021 to 2.58% in 2025.
• Domestic deposits nearly tripled between 2015 and 2025. They grew from ₹88.35 lakh crore to ₹231.90 lakh crore.
• Credit also almost tripled during same period. It increased from ₹66.91 lakh crore to ₹181.34 lakh crore.
• Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) increased from 12.94% in 2015 to 17.36% in 2025.
• The CET-1 ratio reached 14.81%. Profitability grew for a sixth straight year.
• Public sector banks raised profits from ₹1.05 lakh crore in FY23 to ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY25.
• Bank returns improved as Return on Assets (RoA) reached 1.37%. Return on Equity (RoE) rose to 14.1%.

Topic: Sports

10. Indian hockey team won their first bronze medal at the 2025 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup.

• The tournament was held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai.
• India defeated Argentina 4–2 in the third-place match. The win came after a strong comeback.
• India scored four goals in eleven minutes. Argentina scored first in the match.
• Nicolas Rodriguez and Santiago Fernandez gave Argentina the lead.
• Ankit Pal started India’s comeback. Manmeet Singh scored India’s second goal. Shardanand Tiwari added another for India.
• Anmol Ekka scored the final goal in the comeback win.
• This is the first time that India has won the bronze medal.
• Previously, India won two gold medals (2001, 2016) and a silver (1997). India missed the bronze medal in 2005, losing to Spain.
• 2025 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup:

• It is the 14th edition of the Men's FIH Hockey Junior World Cup.
• It was  held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai and Madurai International Hockey Stadium in Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India.
• It was held from 28 November to 10 December and featured 24 teams for the first time.
• Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup is biennial championship organized by the International Hockey Federation.