Daily Current Affairs and GK | 16 and 17 November 2025

Topic: Sports

1. First-Ever Tribal Sports Conclave came to an end in Ladakh.

• The first-ever Tribal Sports Conclave in Ladakh was held at the SAI Centre Kargil and KGBV Chiktan.
• It took place under Janjatiya Gaurav Varsha Pakhwada.
• Tribal Research Institute, University of Ladakh organised the event with support from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Over 200 tribal athletes from across Ladakh participated.
• They competed in Taekwondo, Boxing, and Kho-Kho events. Teams from Ladakh Police also participated.
• Anayat Ali Shotopa, General Secretary of Ladakh Taekwondo Association and chief organiser, appreciated role of Ministry and supporting associations in making the conclave successful.
• Medals and trophies were awarded and the conclave concluded.
• Shujat Ali and Kulsoom were declared as Best Boxers. Asiya Banoo and Tajammul Hussain were recognized as Best Taekwondo Players.

Topic: State News/Nagaland

2. Several development and outreach programs launched in Nagaland during Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit.

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was on a three-day visit to Nagaland from November 13, aimed at empowering local communities and promoting development.
• A new Industrial Training Institute in Kiphire was inaugurated by the Nirmala Sitharaman.
• An amount of 9 lakh rupees under SBI’s CSR initiative was handed over to support skill development.
• Later, at a credit outreach program, she virtually inaugurated nine bank branches in the Northeast and handed over sanction letters to beneficiaries of various central government schemes.
• In this program, loans worth Rs 28.02 crore were distributed to 350 beneficiaries.
• Highlighting the progress of financial inclusion programmes, Ms. Sitharaman informed that the number of unbanked villages in Nagaland has reduced from 1,143 in 2019 to just 15 today.
• Earlier, vehicles sanctioned under the Chief Minister’s Micro Finance Initiative and a mobile ATM van of Nagaland Rural Bank were flagged off.
• The minister interacted with Lakhpati Didis and encouraged them to motivate more women.
• In Kohima, the SAMARTH (Students Advancing Mindsets in AI, Robotics Technology and Digital Hardware) portal was launched by the minister.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

3. The 32^nd Northern Zonal Council (NZC) meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Faridabad on November 17.

• The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Central Government, States and Union Territories of the Northern Region – Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh.
• It was organised by the Inter-State Council Secretariat of the Ministry of Home Affairs and hosted by the Government of Haryana.
• The Northern Zonal Council was established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, to strengthen cooperation between states and between the Centre and states.
• Its chairperson is served by Amit Shah, while the position of vice-chairperson is held by the Chief Minister of Haryana.
• The vice-chairpersonship is rotated annually among the member states, and two ministers are nominated to the council by each governor.
• A permanent Committee of Chief Secretaries assists the Council by reviewing issues before they are placed for wider deliberation.
• The meeting aligns with the Prime Minister’s “TEAM BHARAT” vision of stronger inter-state collaboration for nation-building.
• The Zonal Councils have served as platforms for dialogue on cross-border issues and have held 63 meetings in the past eleven years, showing increased engagement.
• The Councils discuss issues such as faster investigation of crimes against women and children, expanding banking access, implementing the 112 Emergency Response Support System and improving social sector governance.
• Matters related to health, nutrition, electricity, education, urban planning, the cooperative sector and other shared interests are also taken up for resolution.

Topic: Defence

4. Mahe, the first of eight ASW-SWCs built by CSL, Kochi, is to be commissioned by the Indian Navy.

• The Indian Navy’s first of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), ‘Mahe’, was reported to be commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on November 24.
• The commissioning was described as a major step in enhancing indigenous shipbuilding capability under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Mahe has been built by Cochin Shipyard Limited as the first vessel in a series of eight ships.
• The ship has been designed for shallow-water operations with advanced technology for anti-submarine warfare, coastal surveillance and maritime security.
• The vessel carries over 80% indigenous content, showcasing India’s progress in warship design, construction and systems integration.
• It is named after the coastal town of Mahe on the Malabar Coast, and its crest features an ‘Urumi’, the flexible sword of Kalaripayattu, symbolising agility, precision, and lethal grace.
• The Mahe class represents a new generation of compact and highly manoeuvrable platforms suited for littoral zones.
• Its induction will enhance the Navy’s capability to secure strategic maritime regions.
• The ship strengthens India’s commitment to domestic naval manufacturing and operational readiness.

Topic: State News/Jammu & Kashmir

5. PMGSY infrastructure works inaugurated and foundation stones laid by Dr. Jitendra Singh across multiple districts of J&K.

• On 15 November, a series of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) projects were inaugurated, and foundation stones were laid by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh through electronic mode in Udhampur.
• The minister emphasised that the PMGSY works are a testimony to the government’s commitment to improving rural connectivity in unconnected habitations.
• The Union Minister laid the foundation stone for 45 road projects in five districts and inaugurated nine completed road projects in three districts.
• The total project cost of the 45 roads in the five districts will be ₹92,423.82 lakh. The total project cost of the nine roads dedicated to the public is ₹8,677.92 lakh.
• Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that most projects were initiated based on requests from local representatives who understand grassroots needs.
• He highlighted that the government now follows a bottom-up development approach and prioritises equitable growth for the Jammu region.
• Security concerns were recognised, and coordination with security agencies was assured for safe execution of road projects, especially after Operation Sindoor.
• The widening of Dhar Road was cleared by defence authorities and will be taken up soon for public and defence convenience.
• The minister laid the foundation stone for the Channi Morh–Lower Sounthan link road, sanctioned at ₹799.69 lakh to benefit around 755 people.

Topic: Important Days

6. National Press Day 2025: 16 November

• National Press Day is observed annually on 16 November to commemorate the setting up of the Press Council of India (PCI) in 1966.
• It is observed as a day to recognize the importance of the free and responsible press in a democratic society.
• The theme for National Press Day 2025 is “Safeguarding press credibility amidst rising misinformation”.
• Press Council of India was formed on 4 July 1966 on the recommendations of the First Press Commission.
• The Press Council of India is a statutory and quasi-judicial body. It was re-established in the year 1979 under the Press Council Act, 1978.
• India's vibrant media landscape is constantly evolving, with registered publications increasing from 60,143 in 2004-05 to 1.54 lakh in 2024-25, reflecting the growing reach and strength of the press.
• The Working Journalists Act, 1955, combined with recent reforms such as the Press and Periodicals Registration Act 2023, protects the rights of journalists and modernises media regulation.
• The Press Seva portal has digitized the registration of magazines, onboarded 40,000 publishers, and registered 3,000 presses within six months, making business easier for publishers.
• Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai is the current chairperson of the Press Council of India.

Topic: State News/ Telangana

7. Telangana will organise a techno-cultural festival to develop deeper cultural, social and developmental connections between the State and the North Eastern states.

• The ‘Telangana-North East Connect’ will be organised in two phases in Hyderabad.
• The first phase of the festival will continue for three days. It will start on the 20th of this month.
• The first phase of the festival will be held at Hyderabad’s Hitex Exhibition Centre.
• This opening phase will have cultural performances and handcrafted goods made by women’s self-help groups from the North East will be displayed.
• The second phase will be run for three days from the 25th November for three days at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad.
• The focus of this phase will be on expert discussions related to healthcare.
• About 500 delegates and officials will attend the events at Raj Bhavan.
• Study visits to leading hospitals, Genome Valley, and T-Hub will also be included in this phase.

Topic: Sports

8. World Boxing Cup Finals will be held in Greater Noida from 16 November to 20 November.

• The finals will held at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex.
• With this event, the 2025 World Boxing Cup Series will conclude.
• This event follows three World Cup Stages held in Brazil, Poland, and Kazakhstan.
• A total of 130 boxers from 18 nations will compete. The event will feature the 8 best bowlers of the year in each of the 20 categories.
• India will take part in all 20 categories. The team will include world champions Minakshi, Nikhat Zareen, Jaismine, and Saweety Boora.
• Saweety will make her first appearance of the year. Lovlina Borgohain has withdrawn from the tournament because of an injury.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy 

9. PM Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stone of development projects worth more than ₹9,700 crore in Dediapada.

• Dediapada is a town in the tribal-dominated Narmada district, Gujarat.
• The projects were launched on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. The day marks the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.
• Modi emphasized the role of tribal heritage in civilizational identity of India.
• He noted that the government has greatly expanded the list of minor forest produce eligible for support.
• The list has increased from about 20 items to nearly 100.
• The Prime Minister highlighted the key contributions of tribal communities to India’s independence struggle.
• Earlier, Modi reviewed the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project.
• He inspected the ongoing construction of the bullet train station in Surat.
• Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project spans approximately 508 kilometres, covering 352 km in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and 156 km in Maharashtra.
• The project will include a features 465 km (about 85% of the route) on viaduct. So far, 326 km of viaduct work has been completed.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry will host a major five-year closing event for the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan on November 18.

• The event will take place at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar. About 7,000 attendees are expected to participate.
• The programme will be presided over by the Punjab Governor, Gulab Chand Kataria. The Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment will also attend.
• The event aims to encourage youth and the wider public to reject drug use. It also promotes healthier and more principled ways of living.
• The programme will highlight the initiative’s progress. It will encourage community engagement. It will reaffirm joint efforts to build a drug-free nation.
• The campaign was launched on August 15, 2020. It addresses substance abuse through coordinated work on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.