Daily Current Affairs and GK | 16 September 2025

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. 'Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar' Campaign will be inaugurated by PM Modi on September 17.

• Along with 16-day nationwide health camp Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan, PM Modi will also launch eighth Poshan Maah.

• Under Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan, over one lakh health camps will be organised.
• This will make it the largest ever health outreach for women and children in the country.
• The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• The campaign will conclude on October 2. These camps will provide health check-ups and screenings.
• They will target non-communicable diseases like cancer, anaemia, tuberculosis, and sickle cell disease.
• The campaign will also promote healthy lifestyle habits. It will focus on preventing obesity and improving nutrition.
• Voluntary blood donation will also be encouraged.
• The activities will take place at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Community Health Centres, and district hospitals.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

2. International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer/World Ozone Day 2025: 16 September

• Every year on 16 September, the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, or World Ozone Day, is celebrated.

• The theme of World Ozone Day 2025 is “From science to global action."
• In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly had declared 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
• It is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987.
• In the history of the United Nations, the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol were the first treaties to achieve universal ratification on 16 September 2009.
• At the 28th Meeting of the Parties of the Montreal Protocol, signatories of the protocol agreed to end the use of hydrofluorocarbons phase-wise.
• The ozone layer is the shield of gas that protects the Earth from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
• The depletion of the ozone layer can cause skin cancer in humans and the destruction of the ecosystem.

Topic: State News/Gujarat

3. Financial assistance distributed to students in Gujarat under the Namo Laxmi Yojana and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhna Yojana.

• Over ₹1,000 crore has been disbursed to more than 10.49 lakh girl students under the Namo Lakshmi Yojana in Gujarat.
• Financial assistance of more than ₹161 crore has been provided to over 1.50 lakh students under the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana.   
• The schemes were launched in March 2024 by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to promote quality education during Amrit Kaal.
• Under Namo Lakshmi Yojana, each girl in Classes 9–12 receives ₹50,000 spread across four years.
• The scheme remains open even to those already receiving other government scholarships.
• A dedicated Namo Lakshmi Portal has been launched to ensure transparency and efficient fund management.
• The Namo Saraswati scheme provides ₹25,000 over two years to students pursuing science in Classes 11–12.
• Eligibility requires at least 50% marks in Class 10 and enrollment in recognised higher secondary schools.
• A separate Namo Saraswati Portal has been introduced for smooth implementation.
• The schemes are seen as crucial for motivating students to pursue science and preparing future-ready citizens.

Topic: Personality in News

4. Former Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang passed away at the age of 91 on 12 September.

• Born on April 10, 1934, Lapang held the state’s top office four times between 1992 and 2008.
• His political career began in 1972 as an independent candidate from Nongpoh in the first Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
• Various ministerial roles were served by him before becoming chief minister.
• He was widely respected for his simplicity, humility, and consensus-building ability in coalition-driven politics.
• His tenure focused on governance reforms, developmental works, and communal harmony.
• Recognising his lifelong contributions, a life-size statue of him was unveiled in Ri-Bhoi district in 2024.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

5. World Food India 2025 will be inaugurated by PM Modi.

• On September 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate World Food India 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• The event will run from 25 to 28 September and is being organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• The program is aimed at positioning India as the “Food Hub of the World.”
• Policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers will participate.
• Knowledge sessions, panel discussions, and sectoral exhibitions will be organized to showcase innovation and technology.
• B2B and B2G networking sessions will facilitate strategic collaborations.
• Culinary experiences and chef competitions will highlight India’s food diversity and global food trends.
• In the 2025 event, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia have been named as partner countries, while Japan, the UAE, Vietnam, and Russia will participate as focus countries.
• The event will also feature two important parallel events: the 3rd Global Food Regulatory Summit by FSSAI, which will focus on harmonizing food safety standards and regulatory cooperation.
• 24th India International Seafood Show by the Indian Seafood Exporters Association, which will highlight India’s growing seafood export potential and global market linkages.

Topic: Sports

6. Minakshi and Jaismine won gold medals in the 2025 World Boxing Championship.

• Indian boxers Minakshi Hooda and Jaismine Lamboria clinched gold medals at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool.
• Minakshi defeated Kazakh Olympic bronze medalist Nazym Kyzaibay 4-1 in the women’s 48 kg final.
• Jaismine overcame Polish Olympic silver medalist Julia Szeremeta 4-1 in the 57 kg final.
• India’s women’s team ended the event with two golds, one silver, and one bronze, while the men failed to win medals.
• Nupur secured silver after losing 3-2 to Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska in the +80 kg final.
• Pooja Rani settled for bronze in the 80 kg category after a semifinal loss to England’s Emily Asquith.
• Minakshi had earlier won an Asian silver medal in 2022 in the 52 kg category.
• The World Boxing Championships is an amateur boxing tournament organized by World Boxing.
• It was held from 4 to 14 September 2025 at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool, England.

Topic: Important Days

7. Goa will host the 10th Ayurveda Day on September 23, 2025.

• The event will take place at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA).
• Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav made the announcement in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.
• The theme for this year is ‘Ayurveda for People & Planet’.
• It highlights both human health and environmental sustainability.
• For the first time, Ayurveda Day will be observed on a fixed date. It will no longer follow Dhanvantari Jayanti.
• The celebration aims to promote Ayurveda as a modern, evidence-based healthcare system.
• It also focuses on its eco-friendly and integrative nature.
• Goa was chosen for its international appeal and wellness-focused culture. It provides a strong platform for global engagement.
• The Ministry of Ayush will hold events in every state and union territory.
• These activities aim to raise awareness and participation across India.
• Last year’s celebration included participants from over 150 countries. The 2025 edition plans to expand this global reach.
• Choosing AIIA Goa as the venue shows India’s commitment to traditional medicine.

Topic: Important Days

8. National Engineers’ Day: 15 September

• India marks Engineers’ Day every year on September 15.
• The day honours the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.
• Sir Visvesvaraya was born on September 15, 1861. He is widely regarded as a pioneer in Indian engineering.
• His work greatly shaped India’s infrastructure and technological growth.
• He also served as the Diwan of Mysore. Additionally, he led the All-India Manufacturers’ Organisation.
• In 1955, he received the Bharat Ratna for his remarkable contributions to engineering and national progress.
• India now produces almost 20% of the world’s chip design engineers.
• According to the Stanford AI Index 2024, India ranks first in AI skill penetration.
• The theme of World Engineering Day 2025 was 'Engineering solutions for a sustainable world'.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Indian filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s movie, Homebound, won second runner-up at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

• The film was honored in the International People’s Choice Award category.
• It received a standing ovation from the TIFF audience.
• Homebound stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor in lead roles.
• The story follows two childhood friends from a North Indian village.
• They both aspire to become police officers in hopes of gaining long-denied dignity.
• As they move closer to their goal, rising tensions test their friendship.
• The film explores themes of hope, struggle, and emotional survival.
• Earlier in 2025, Homebound was screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
• At Cannes, the film received a nine-minute standing ovation.
• South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice won the top International People’s Choice Award at TIFF.
• Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value was named first runner-up in the same category.
• Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, won TIFF’s overall People’s Choice Award.
• Legendary director Martin Scorsese is the executive producer of Homebound.
• Scorsese previously admired Ghaywan’s first film, Masaan, in 2015.
• Scorsese welcomed its selection in the “Un Certain Regard” section at Cannes 2025.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated a two-day National Conference of Parliamentary and Legislative Committees on women’s empowerment in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, on September 14.

• The conference ended with the unanimous adoption of the ‘Tirupati Resolution.’
• Tirupati resolution outlines a detailed plan to promote women’s empowerment.
• The Governor of Andhra Pradesh, S. Abdul Nazeer, gave the closing speech at the conference.
• Birla linked the event to the International Day of Democracy (15 September 2025).
• He described democracy as a deep-rooted cultural and civilizational value in India.
• Birla paid tribute to social reformers like Savitribai Phule, who fought for women’s education and empowerment.
• Birla explained that Gender Responsive Budgeting is more than a financial tool.
• It is a framework that integrates women’s priorities into national development plans.
• Birla recommended setting up Gender Budget Cells in ministries and state departments.
• The Tirupati Resolution requires applying a gender perspective across all government ministries and agencies.
• It calls for increased investment in women’s health, education, skills, and entrepreneurship.
• The resolution promotes institutionalizing gender-responsive budgeting.
• It also encourages building technical expertise at national and state levels.
• The resolution aims to ensure cyber security and expand digital literacy programs for women.
• It seeks to empower women as creators and innovators in technology.
• Finally, the resolution reaffirms that women-led development is vital for inclusive national progress.