1️⃣ Jyothi Surekha Vennam Becomes First Indian Woman to Win a Medal at Archery World Cup Final
- Event: Archery World Cup Final 2025
- Achievement: Jyothi Surekha Vennam became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the prestigious event.
- Discipline: Compound Archery
- Venue: Mexico City, Mexico
- Significance:
- Marks a historic moment for Indian archery on the global stage.
- Adds to Jyothi’s impressive record, including multiple World Cup golds and Asian Games medals.
- Background:
- Jyothi Surekha Vennam hails from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
- She previously served as the Deputy Collector in the Andhra Pradesh government.
- Static Link: Archery Association of India (AAI) is the national governing body for archery in India.
2️⃣ Kati Bihu Festival Celebrated in Assam
- Festival: Kati Bihu (also known as Kongali Bihu)
- State: Assam
- Significance: Symbolizes the transplantation of rice plants and the hope for a good harvest.
- Celebrated In: The month of October (mid-month).
- Key Traditions:
- Lighting of lamps (saki) in paddy fields, barns, and under the Tulsi plant.
- Farmers pray for the protection and growth of their crops.
- Other Bihu Festivals:
- Rongali (Bohag) Bihu – marks Assamese New Year and sowing season.
- Bhogali (Magh) Bihu – celebrates the harvest season.
- Cultural Importance: Reinforces Assam’s deep agricultural heritage and rural unity.
3️⃣ India’s First UPI for Women – ‘LXME PAY’ Launched
- Initiative: LXME PAY
- Type: India’s first UPI payment platform designed exclusively for women.
- Launched By: LXME, a women-centric financial platform.
- Objective:
- To empower women through financial independence and digital inclusion.
- Offers safe, personalized digital payment services and women-oriented financial tools.
- Features:
- Exclusive financial guidance and budgeting options for women.
- Secure UPI payments and investment insights through the LXME app.
- Significance: Supports RBI’s digital financial inclusion mission and Digital India vision.
4️⃣ India Ranked 9th Globally in Total Forest Area – FAO Report
- Report Released By: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025.
- India’s Rank: 9th globally in total forest area.
- Key Findings:
- India’s forest cover is approximately 7.13 lakh sq km (about 21.7% of total geographical area).
- Notable increase in mangrove and bamboo cover compared to the previous assessment.
- Top Countries: Russia, Brazil, Canada, USA, China, DR Congo, Australia, Indonesia, and India.
- Significance:
- Reflects India’s consistent progress in afforestation and forest management programs such as CAMPA, Green India Mission, and National Afforestation Programme.
- Static Link: FAO Headquarters – Rome, Italy.
5️⃣ Centre Grants Embassy Status to Indian Technical Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan
- Announcement By: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
- Decision: The Indian Technical Mission (ITM) in Kabul has been granted full embassy status.
- Purpose:
- To strengthen diplomatic engagement and humanitarian cooperation with Afghanistan.
- To oversee developmental projects, educational aid, and technical collaborations.
- Background:
- India re-established its technical presence in Afghanistan in 2022 after the Taliban takeover (2021).
- The mission previously functioned under limited diplomatic capacity.
- Significance:
- Reflects India’s commitment to the Afghan people and its regional stability approach.
- May pave the way for reopening consulates in other Afghan cities like Herat and Kandahar.