Daily Current Affairs and GK | 27 September 2025

Topic: Awards and Prizes

1. President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Geoscience Awards (NGA) 2024 on 26th September 2025.

• Union Minister for Coal & Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, attended the award ceremony.
• The National Geoscience Awards were established in 1966 by the Ministry of Mines.
• They are among the oldest and most respected honours in the field of geosciences in India.
• The awards were previously known as the National Mineral Awards until they were renamed in 2009.
• Their purpose is to acknowledge exceptional contributions in geoscience fields.
• This includes mineral exploration, mining technology, and both applied and fundamental geoscience research.
• The awards are given each year in three categories.
• These are the Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Geoscience Award, and the Young Geoscientist Award.
• In 2024, the Ministry received 208 nominations across these categories.
• A detailed three-stage selection process was carried out. Twelve awards were finalized after evaluation.
• These include nine individual awards and three team awards.
• In total, 20 geoscientists have been recognized this year.
• Prof. Shyam Sundar Rai received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• He is a Senior Scientist with INSA and a Visiting Professor at IISER Pune.
• Shri Susobhan Neogi received the Young Geoscientist Award. He is a Senior Geologist at the Geological Survey of India.
• His work in geosciences has been recognized as outstanding.

Topic: Science and Technology

2. UAE unveiled first sovereign mobility cloud for autonomous transportation.

• The first Sovereign Mobility Cloud has been unveiled by the UAE at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, marking a major step in the country’s autonomous mobility strategy.
• The platform was enabled by Core42’s Sovereign Public Cloud and powered by Microsoft Azure.
• A secure digital infrastructure for next-generation transportation has been established through this initiative.
• The Sovereign Mobility Cloud was designed to ensure that all data is hosted within the UAE under national regulations.
• High-definition mapping, telematics, fleet operations, traffic management, and digital twins will be supported, and a trusted environment for collaboration between government, industry, and research institutions will be created.
• The initiative will also enable live traffic management, fleet tracking and integration of autonomous vehicles, as well as provide regulatory sandboxes and testbeds to drive innovation.
• Technical expertise and the sovereign-enabled cloud foundation will be supplied by Microsoft and Core42.
• Space42 will lead deployment through pilots and commercial rollouts of the Sovereign Mobility Cloud.
• Nearly 600,000 kilometres of driverless operations and 20,000 passenger trips without incident have already been logged by Space42’s TXAI service.
• By embedding sovereignty into transport data governance, the UAE has positioned itself as a global leader in secure and intelligent mobility infrastructure.

Topic: Sports

3. R Ashwin created history by joining the Big Bash League.

• Ravichandran Ashwin was confirmed by Sydney Thunder as the first male Indian cricketer to join a Big Bash League franchise.
• The veteran spinner has signed for the 15th season of the BBL and is scheduled to join the camp in early January.
• His retirement from the Indian Premier League in 2025 made him available for overseas leagues.
• Ashwin’s international career had ended in December 2024 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after he claimed 537 Test wickets.
• Overall, he was credited with 765 international wickets in 287 matches for India across formats.
• In the IPL, he played 221 games for five franchises including CSK, Pune, Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
• Ashwin was remembered for his two IPL title wins with Chennai Super Kings in 2010 and 2011.
• With 187 wickets in IPL, he was ranked fifth among the all-time leading wicket-takers of the tournament.

Topic: State News/Andhra Pradesh

4. AI powered Pilgrim Command Centre inaugurated at Tirumala.

• India’s first AI-driven Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at Tirumala was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
• The ICCC was established to predict crowds, manage queues faster, enhance safety, and monitor cyber threats.
• The facility was located at Vaikuntam Queue Complex–I and integrated 6,000 AI-enabled cameras.
• A technical team monitored 3D maps and live dashboards for real-time operations.
• The system was reported to process 3,60,000 payloads per minute and generate 2.5 billion inferences daily.
• The command hub was designed to predict sarva darshan wait times from Alipiri and visualize congestion in 3D.
• At that time, about 4,500 devotees per hour were receiving darshan, and the target was raised to 5,500.
• A new complex named Venkatadri Nilayam was also inaugurated to accommodate 4,000 pilgrims free of cost.
• The complex included 16 dormitories, 2,400 lockers, two dining halls, and a tonsuring hall.
• AI-based prasadam-making equipment was launched to ensure large-scale preparation with consistent quality.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

5. World Food India 2025 presented India as a global food hub.

• World Food India 2025 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on September 25.
• The event was described as the largest edition, hosting 90+ countries and over 2,000 exhibitors.
• New Zealand and Saudi Arabia were featured as Partner Countries, while Japan, UAE, Vietnam, and Russia acted as Focus Countries.
• India was highlighted as the largest producer of milk, onions, pulses, and the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, and vegetables.
• India is the largest producer of milk, contributing 25% of the global milk supply, and is also a leading producer of coarse grains.
• Modi emphasised that $7.33 billion of FDI inflow had been received in food processing in the last decade.
• He affirmed that India had played a vital role during global crop crises and supply chain disruptions.
• The Prime Minister underlined that India became the third-largest startup ecosystem, with strong participation in food and agri-tech.
• He mentioned that 25 crore Indians had overcome poverty in the past ten years.
• Farmers, small entrepreneurs, and cooperatives were praised for transforming the dairy sector and rural economy.
• The four-day programme showcased organic food, sustainability, and India’s food processing journey to global investors.

Topic: Defence

6. Defence Ministry finalized mega deal for Tejas aircraft.

• The Defence Ministry signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for 97 Tejas Mk1A jets worth ₹62,000 crore.
• The procurement included 68 fighter aircraft and 29 twin-seat variants for the Indian Air Force.
• Deliveries were scheduled to commence in 2027–28 and continue over six years.
• More than 64% indigenous content was ensured in the aircraft under this agreement.
• The Mk1A jets were equipped with systems like UTTAM AESA Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and indigenous actuators.
• This deal followed the earlier LCA contract signed in January 2021 with upgraded features.
• The project was reported to be supported by nearly 105 Indian companies as part of the vendor base.
• Over 67 additional indigenous items were incorporated compared to the previous deal.
• Around 11,000 jobs annually is expected to be created directly and indirectly through the production.
• The agreement was hailed as a major step in strengthening the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defence manufacturing.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

7. A new species of finless snake eel has been discovered and named Apterichtus kanniyakumari.

• The name honours the Kanniyakumari district. The discovery was made by scientists from the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) in Kochi.
• NBFGR operates under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
• The eel was found near the Colachel coast in Kanniyakumari.
• It was collected during deep-sea trawling at a depth of around 100 meters.
• Researchers examined two specimens for the study. They conducted detailed anatomical, vertebral, and genetic analyses.
• These confirmed that the eel is a previously unknown species. The findings were published in the journal "Zootaxa".
• The species belongs to the genus "Apterichtus". It has unique body proportions, such as a head length of 9.6–9.7% of total length.
• The tail length is 1.8–1.9% of total length. It has three preopercular pores and nine supratemporal pores.
• Its teeth are conical and arranged in a single row. The body is golden-yellow in colour.
• The underside of the head is pale white with yellow lines along the lower jaw.
• There are three black blotches: one behind the eye, one at the rictus, and one behind it.
• This is the 16th marine species identified by the NBFGR team along the Indian coast.
• The name reflects the cultural and geographical importance of Kanniyakumari.

Topic: National Appointments

8. Sudhanshu Vats has been appointed as the new chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

• He is the Managing Director of Pidilite Industries Limited.
• The announcement was made at ASCI’s 39th annual general meeting.
• His appointment comes as ASCI prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary in October.
• S. Subramanyeswar from MullenLowe Global has been appointed as vice-chairman.
• Paritosh Joshi, Principal at Provocateur Advisory, has been named honorary treasurer.
• ASCI is India’s independent self-regulatory body for advertising.
• To mark its 40th year, ASCI will launch several new initiatives over the next year.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

9. Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the Third Global Food Regulators Summit 2025 at Bharat Mandapam.

• The summit is being held under the leadership of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• FSSAI functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• This year’s theme is “Evolving Food Systems – Yatha Annam Tatha Manah.”
• The theme emphasizes that the quality of food affects both physical and mental well-being.
• In his address, Nadda pointed out the rising importance of food safety in today’s globalized world.
• Nadda described obesity as a major health concern. Nadda praised FSSAI’s Eat Right India initiative.
• He said it helps create awareness about healthy eating, nutrition, and sustainable food choices.
• The inaugural event also included the launch of the Eat Right Thali book.
• This book features regional Indian thalis prepared with local, seasonal ingredients.
• It promotes traditional cooking and balanced diets to fight lifestyle-related diseases.
• The summit has attracted participants from 59 countries.
• It also includes representatives from major global organizations like the WHO and WTO.
• More than 100 Indian delegates are attending the summit.
• The summit aims to be a platform for international dialogue and regulatory innovation.
• It seeks to strengthen food systems that are safe, inclusive, and resilient.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

10. The Ministry of Ayush has launched a new Integrated Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre named “Prayas.”

• It is located at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in Goa.
• The inauguration took place in celebration of the 10th Ayurveda Day.
• Union Minister of State for Ayush and Health & Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, inaugurated the centre.
• Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, also attended the event.
• “Prayas” is among India’s first centres to combine traditional and modern medical practices.
• It integrates Ayurveda, Physiotherapy, Yoga, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and modern Paediatrics.
• The centre focuses on providing holistic neuro-rehabilitation.
• Special attention is given to children with neurological and developmental disorders.
• Minister Jadhav described “Prayas” as a model for integrative rehabilitation.
• The centre is intended to improve the quality of life for patients and bring hope to families.
• The Ministry stated that the initiative aligns with India’s National Health Policy.
• It also follows global best practices in integrated healthcare systems.