1) Manika Vishwakarma Crowned Miss Universe India 2025
- Manika Vishwakarma has won the Miss Universe India 2025 title, gaining the opportunity to represent India at the prestigious Miss Universe pageant.
- India has a rich history in global beauty competitions, with winners like Sushmita Sen (1994) and Lara Dutta (2000) bringing international recognition.
- This win strengthens India’s presence in the global fashion and cultural arena.
2) Banaras Locomotive Works Installs India’s First Removable Solar Panel Rail Tracks
- The Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi) has introduced removable solar panel rail tracks for the first time in India.
- This innovation supports Indian Railways’ vision of becoming a Net Zero Carbon Emission network by 2030.
- The removable design allows flexibility and easier maintenance compared to conventional solar panels.
3) AI Start-up ‘Parallel’ Funded by Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal
- Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has invested in Parallel, an emerging AI start-up.
- The company is working on advanced AI-driven solutions to challenge existing big players like OpenAI and Anthropic.
- This marks Agrawal’s major return to the global tech innovation space.
4) Press Registrar General Launches Passport Sewa Portal for Media Houses
- The Press Registrar General of India has launched a new Passport Sewa Portal designed to simplify the registration process for newspapers and magazines.
- The initiative promotes digital governance and aims to ensure greater ease of doing business in the media sector.
- This is expected to streamline transparency and reduce bureaucratic hurdles in media registrations.
5) Carlos Alcaraz Wins First Cincinnati Open Title (2025)
- Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz clinched his first Cincinnati Open title in 2025, marking a key achievement in his career.
- Alcaraz, who earlier won the US Open (2022) and Wimbledon (2023), continues to strengthen his position as one of the top players in global tennis.
- The Cincinnati Masters is part of the ATP Masters 1000 series, making this a prestigious win ahead of the US Open.
