National Affairs

MeitY Notifies Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has officially notified the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025, operationalizing the DPDP Act, 2023.

• Phased Rollout:
  • November 13, 2025: Rules covering the Data Protection Board's (DPB) constitution and procedures took immediate effect.
  • November 13, 2026: Registration and obligations of Consent Managers become mandatory.
  • May 13, 2027: Core operational obligations like consent notices, data breach reporting, and erasure clauses take effect.
• Key Mandates: Data Fiduciaries must provide clear, itemized notices for collection. Data breaches must be reported to the DPB and affected users within 72 hours. Personal data must be erased once its purpose is fulfilled, with a 48-hour prior notice sent to data principals.
• DPB Board Composition: Features a Chairperson and 3 Members appointed via committees led by the Cabinet Secretary and MeitY Secretary.

Vice President Inaugurates 30th CII Partnership Summit

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 30th edition of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The event ran under the theme "Technology, Trust and Trade: Navigating the New Geoeconomic Order".

• Mega Investment Pacts: The Government of Andhra Pradesh signed 613 MoUs worth ₹13.25 lakh crore across 12 sectors, projected to generate approximately 16.31 lakh jobs.
• Drone City and Twin Space Cities: Union Minister Piyush Goyal virtually laid the foundation stones for a 300-acre Drone City at Orvakal in Kurnool to act as a hub for UAV drone innovation, alongside high-tech Twin Space Cities in Tirupathi and Sri Sathya Sai districts to position AP as a space-tech destination.

National Policy, Literacy & Media Briefs

• AI Literacy Campaign: Upskilling platform Intellipaat has partnered with the IndiaAI Mission under MeitY to launch the ‘YUVAi for ALL’ programme. The initiative aims to equip 10 million citizens with free foundational AI and Generative AI training by January 2026.
• Multilingual Certification Portal: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) launched a multilingual module on the e-Cinepramaan portal. Applicants can now submit multiple language versions of a film simultaneously through a single application handled by one regional office, resulting in a single unified certificate.
• School AI Incubation Centre: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated a first-of-its-kind AI Incubation Centre at Delhi Public School (DPS), RK Puram, New Delhi. Developed by VVDN Technologies and Google Cloud, it utilizes Vertex AI and Gemini Enterprise to introduce students (Class 6 and above) to humanoid robotics, AR/VR tools, and IoT kits.

International Affairs

President Droupadi Murmu’s State Visit to Botswana

President Droupadi Murmu concluded a three-day official visit to Botswana, marking the first-ever state visit by an Indian President to the nation.

• Bilateral Engagements: President Murmu held high-level talks with Botswana's President Duma Gideon Boko in Gaborone covering renewable energy, trade, healthcare, and digital technology. She also addressed the National Assembly of Botswana.
• Pharmaceutical Standards Alignment: Both nations signed an MoU recognizing the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) as a reference "book of standards" for medicines in Botswana. Botswana is the 18th country to grant this recognition.
• Project Cheetah Support: Under a symbolic gesture for Project Cheetah, eight cheetahs captured from the Ghanzi region were released into a quarantine facility in the Molokodi Nature Reserve for translocation to India.

Banking, Finance & Economy

SBI to Discontinue mCASH Facility

State Bank of India (SBI) announced the discontinuation of its mCASH sending and claiming facility on OnlineSBI and YONO Lite platforms.

• Timeline: The service ends on November 30, 2025, and becomes completely unavailable starting December 1, 2025.
• Alternative Channels: Customers are advised to utilize secure mainstream digital payment options such as UPI, IMPS, NEFT, or RTGS for third-party fund transfers.

Corporate Updates & Growth Projections

• Axis Bank Hosts EVOLVE: Axis Bank organized the 10th edition of its flagship multi-city knowledge series, "EVOLVE", in Kozhikode, Kerala. Centered on the theme "MSMEs Powering the USD 10 Trillion Economy", the forum addressed scaling strategies and digital adoption for micro and small businesses.
• Ind-Ra Q2 GDP Forecast: India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) projected India’s GDP growth at 7.2% for Q2 FY26 (July–September), up from the 5.6% recorded in Q2 FY25. The expansion is anticipated to be driven by resilient service sectors and steady private consumption expanding at 8% year-on-year.

Awards & Appointments

Thota Tharani Conferred with France’s Chevalier Award

Renowned Indian Art Director and Padma Shri recipient Thota Tharani was decorated with the Chevalier de L’Ordre Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French Government. He received the civilian honor from French Ambassador Thierry Mathieu in Chennai for his legendary production design career spanning over 40 years (Nayakan, Thalapathi, Indian, Ponniyin Selvan).

Mallika Srinivasan’s PESB Tenure Extended

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions announced a one-year extension for Mallika Srinivasan as the Chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB). Sanctioned by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), her extended tenure runs from November 19, 2025, to November 18, 2026. She remains the first private-sector professional chosen to head the public sector recruitment body.

Science & Technology

DRDO Unveils New Man-Portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

The Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), a key research arm of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed a new generation of Man-portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (MP-AUVs) for Mine Countermeasure (MCM) operations.

• System Payloads: Features side-scan sonar arrays and underwater cameras designed for real-time tracking and detection of submerged mine-like hazards.
• AI Target Recognition: Utilizes onboard deep-learning algorithms for the autonomous classification of underwater threats, reducing operator turnaround times.
• Acoustic Networking: Integrated with underwater acoustic communications to allow multiple AUVs to synchronize data and coordinate maneuvers mid-mission.

Godrej Aerospace Delivers Human-Rated Vikas Engine to ISRO

Godrej Enterprises Group’s aerospace wing delivered the first human-rated L110 Stage Vikas Engine to ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Bengaluru. This engine will serve as the core liquid propulsion component for the Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (HLVM3), which is slated to launch India's crewed Gaganyaan orbital spacecraft by 2027.

Sports

India Tops Standing at 24th Asian Archery Championship

The 24th Asian Archery Championship wrapped up in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with India topping the medal table over powerhouse South Korea.

• Historical Recurve Performance: Paris 2024 Olympians B. Dhiraj and Ankita Bhakat scripted history, becoming the first-ever Indian male and female recurve archers to win individual gold medals at the Asian Archery Championships.
• Compound Gold: Jyothi Surekha Vennam clinched individual gold in the women's compound event by defeating her compatriot Prithika 147-145.

Obituaries

Environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka Passes Away at 114

Legendary environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee Saalumarada Thimmakka, affectionately known as the "Tree Woman of India" or "Vriksha Mata", passed away in Bengaluru at the age of 114.

• Environmental Legacy: She pioneered highway afforestation by planting and nurturing 385 banyan trees along a 4.5 km stretch between Hulikal and Kudur, eventually planting more than 8,000 trees across Karnataka alongside her late husband.
• Global Recognition: She received the National Citizen's Award (1995) and the Padma Shri (2019). The US-based environmental group TREE (Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education) was named in her honor.

Important Days

World Usability Day — November 13

Observed annually on the second Thursday of November, World Usability Day (also called Make Things Easier Day) focuses on tech accessibility and user experience.

• 2025 Theme: "Emerging Technologies and Human Experience"
• Focus Area: Explores the integration of AI, augmented reality, and immersive displays into human-centered design structures.

National Children's Day (Bal Divas) — November 14

Celebrated across India on November 14 to mark the 136th birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, honoring his love for children and advocacy for youth welfare.

• 2025 Theme: "For Every Child, Every Right"
• Significance: Prioritizes national commitments toward equitable access to quality education, early healthcare, safety, and childhood development opportunities.