Daily Current Affairs and GK | 23 September 2025

Topic: Indian Economy

1. PhonePe has received final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to act as an online payment aggregator.

• This approval will allow PhonePe to extend its services to more online businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Yuvraj Singh Shekhawat, PhonePe’s chief business officer, said this move would help drive financial inclusion.
• It will also offer accessible payment solutions to businesses that were previously underserved.
• PhonePe has more than 650 million registered users. The company has a merchant network of 45 million outlets.
• PhonePe processes over 360 million transactions every day. Its total annual transaction value exceeds Rs 150 lakh crore.
• In 2023, PhonePe had received in-principle approval from the RBI for the payment aggregator licence.
• The company also provides services like insurance, lending, and wealth management.
• PhonePe has entered the consumer tech space with its ecommerce app, Pincode.
• Other fintech companies like Easebuzz, PayU, BharatPe, and Pine Labs have also received payment aggregator licences from the RBI.
• PhonePe is a Walmart-backed fintech headquartered in Bengaluru.
• Payment Aggregator is a third-party service provider that makes it possible for customers to send and receive payments online.

Topic: Sports

2. Arshdeep Singh became the first Indian bowler to take 100 T20I wickets.

• Arshdeep Singh has become the first Indian men's bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets after dismissing Oman's Vinayak Shukla in India's final group match of the 2025 Asia Cup.
• The milestone was achieved in Arshdeep's 64th T20I, making him the 25th bowler to join the 100-plus wicket club.
• Arshdeep's T20I debut was made in July 2022 against England, and he reached 100 wickets in just three years and 74 days.
• The record is noted as the second-fastest for a fast bowler, after Bahrain's Rizwan Butt, who accomplished it in two years and 240 days.
• Arshdeep's bowling average of 18.37 is the best by a seamer from a Full Member nation and ranks third overall behind Rizwan Butt (16.68) and Oman's Bilal Khan (16.95).
• In addition, Vinoo Mankad was the first Indian bowler to reach 100 Test wickets, while Kapil Dev was the first to reach 100 ODI wickets.

Topic: Sports

3. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran the fastest 400 m in 40 years to win gold.

• Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has claimed the women’s 400-meter gold at the World Championships with a timing of 47.78 seconds.
• The run was recorded as the fastest in 40 years in the women’s 400m event.
• The American sprinter defeated Olympic champion Maryledy Paulino to win her first global gold medal in the 400 meters.
• She previously won two Olympic and one world titles in the hurdles.
• Only East German Marita Koch has run faster, holding the world record of 47.60 seconds since 1985.
• Paulino secured silver for the Dominican Republic with a time of 47.98, becoming the third fastest woman ever in the event.
• Bahrain's Salwa Eid Naser won the bronze medal with a time of 48.19 seconds. She was returning from a two-year doping ban between 2021-23.
• Natalia Bukowiecka of Poland finished fourth in 49.27, while Britain’s Amber Anning placed fifth in 49.36.
• McLaughlin-Levrone had entered the final as the favorite after breaking the American record with 48.29 seconds in the semifinals.

Topic: Miscellaneous

4. Buddha’s Holy Relics will be displayed in Russia’s Kalmykia for the first time.

• The sacred relics of the Buddha from the National Museum in New Delhi will be displayed in Russia’s Kalmykia Republic for the first time.
• The relics will be enshrined during the 3rd International Buddhist Forum in Elista from September 24 to 28, 2025.
• The exposition is being organized by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation, the National Museum, and IGNCA.
• The event will be the first exhibition of Buddha relics in Europe's only Buddhist republic—Kalmykia.
• The relics will be taken aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft under full religious protocol and escorted by senior monks.
• A high-level Indian delegation led by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will accompany the relics.
• The IBC delegation will include eminent Buddhist leaders such as the 43rd Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, the 13th Kundeling Taktsak Rinpoche, the 7th Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, and 17 other senior monks.
• Two MoUs will be signed to enhance spiritual and academic collaboration, one involving Nalanda University and another with Buddhist authorities in Russia.
• Exhibitions showcasing the life of Buddha, Buddhist art, and heritage from Piprahwa will be presented, along with works of artist Vasudev Kamath.
• Leaders and scholars from more than 35 countries will participate, with IBC also introducing an AI-powered chatbot in Russian to explain Buddha Dhamma.
• This journey of relics follows earlier expositions in Mongolia (2022), Thailand (2024), and Vietnam (2025).

Topic: Sports

5. Anandkumar Velkumar won marathon gold at the World Championships.

• Anandkumar Velkumar has scripted history by winning the marathon gold medal at the Speed Skating World Championships in Beidaihe, China.
• The 22-year-old Indian secured first place in the challenging 42 km event, marking a landmark achievement for the country.
• Earlier in the championships, Velkumar had already won gold in the 1000m race and bronze in the 500m sprint.
• With the marathon victory, he has become the first Indian to win a medal in this event on the world stage.
• A breakthrough was achieved in 2021 when he won silver at the Junior World Championships, a first for India in skating.
• Earlier in 2025, he won bronze at the World Games, once again raising India’s profile in international skating.
• In Beidaihe, he started with a bronze in the 500m, improved with gold in the 1000m, and capped his campaign with marathon gold.

Topic: State News/Tripura

6. The redeveloped 524-year-old Tripura Sundari Temple inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi.

• On 22 September, the redeveloped 524-year-old Tripura Sundari Temple Complex at Udaipur in Tripura’s Gomati district was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The Temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, has been completed under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme.
• The Prime Minister was welcomed at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala by Chief Minister Manik Saha and Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu.
• The redeveloped temple site consists of a three-storey building with an area of 6,784 square meters, which houses a lobby, 86 stalls, a multi-purpose hall, an offering hall, a 2,317 square meter dormitory on the first floor, and residential quarters for volunteers and monks.
• The top floor, with an area of 7,355 square metres, houses the main temple—the 'Natmandir'—where devotees gather to witness rituals, and there are five water sources around the temple.
• Modern facilities such as ramps and lifts have been added to ensure accessibility for differently-abled devotees.
• The temple, established in 1501 by Dhanya Manikya of the Manikya dynasty, was built in the shape of a tortoise hump after he received a divine command in a dream.
• Two idols are worshipped in the temple—the five-foot idol of Goddess Tripurasundari and another of Goddess ChhotiMa, or Goddess Chandi, traditionally carried by Tripura kings during battles and hunting expeditions.
• A new trust for the temple’s development was set up in 2018 by the BJP-led state government, and in July this year, the foundation stone of the 51-Shakti Peethas Park near the temple was laid by CM Saha.

Topic: Important Days

7. The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) organized the “Sign Language Day – 2025” on 23rd September 2025.

• The event took place at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• The United Nations General Assembly designated 23rd September as International Day of Sign Languages to raise awareness about the rights of the Deaf community.
• This year’s theme is “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights.”
• It highlights the importance of sign language in ensuring equality, inclusion, and dignity for Deaf individuals.
• Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, was the Chief Guest at the event.
• Representatives from national Deaf organizations, educators, and other stakeholders participated in the event.
• Key initiatives were launched during the programme. These include ISLRTC’s Bi-Annual Newsletter and Post Graduate Diploma courses.
• Winners of the 8th National Indian Sign Language Competition 2025 were honored during the event.

Topic: Sports

8. Anish Raj, an Indian junior speed skater, made history at the 73rd Inline Speed World Championships in Beidaihe, China.

• He won the bronze medal in the Junior Men’s One-Lap Road Sprint. He completed the race in 39.714 seconds.
• He became the first Indian to win a medal at the 73rd Inline Speed World Championships in Beidaihe, China.
• The championship took place from September 13–21, 2025. It saw participation from 42 countries.
• The event is one of the most prestigious in roller sports. It featured elite junior and senior athletes from around the world.
• India sent a team of 19 athletes across different categories.
• This reflects India’s growing presence in international roller sports.
• Earlier, Anish won a Gold medal at the 20th Asian Roller-Skating Championships in South Korea.
• He competed against skaters from 14 countries at the Asian Championships.

Topic: State News/Arunachal Pradesh

9. PM Modi inaugurated development projects totaling over Rs 5,100 crore in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

• In Arunachal Pradesh, he began his address by offering prayers to the deity Donyi Polo.
• Modi referred to Arunachal as the pride of Mother India.
• Modi stated that the eight states of the Northeast are vital to India’s overall development.
• He called these states Ashtalakshmi, and said they must not be left behind.
• The Prime Minister highlighted that Arunachal has received over ₹1 lakh crore in central tax share over the past decade.
• This is a stark contrast to the ₹6,000 crore under the previous government.
• The Union Government is working to establish heliports in remote areas and integrate the Northeast into the UDAN scheme.
• Hollongi Airport has expanded with a new terminal.
• It now offers direct flights to Delhi, benefiting local farmers and industries.
• The Prime Minister announced two new power projects to strengthen Arunachal’s energy sector.
• The government has redefined “backward” districts as “aspirational districts” and prioritized their growth.
• Border villages, once labeled as “last villages,” are now recognized as “first villages.”
• This shift has accelerated the pace of development in border areas.
• In Arunachal, over 450 border villages have seen rapid development.
• The Prime Minister announced plans for a new convention center in Tawang.
• PM Modi laid the foundation for two major hydropower projects in Arunachal worth Rs 3,700 crore.
• These projects will enhance the state’s energy production.
• The Heo Hydro Electric Project (240 MW) and Tato-I Hydro Electric Project (186 MW) will be developed in the Siyom sub-basin.
• Key infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,290 crore were launched.
• These projects will cater to sectors such as connectivity, healthcare, fire safety, and support for working women.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

10. The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $125 million loan agreement.

• This loan will help improve urban living conditions and enhance climate resilience in Assam.
• The project will benefit 360,000 residents in six district centers and Guwahati.
• It aims to provide a continuous metered water supply. It will also upgrade stormwater management systems.
• Additionally, the project will focus on urban governance improvements through reforms and capacity-building.
• Infrastructure plans include six new water treatment plants. These plants will have a combined capacity of 72 million liters per day.
• The project will install 800 kilometers of water distribution pipelines.
• These pipelines will be laid across Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara, Golaghat, and Nalbari.
• In Guwahati, the project will enhance stormwater management in the Bahini Basin.
• It will include flood diversion channels and upgraded drainage systems.
• A nature-based retention pond will also be built. This pond will help reduce flood discharge and improve groundwater recharge.
• The project will establish the Assam State Institute for Urban Development. This will be set up in collaboration with IIT Guwahati.