Fitch Ratings has upgraded India’s economic growth forecast for the current fiscal year from 6.5% to 6.9%, citing strong domestic demand, rising consumer spending, and supportive financial conditions, while also highlighting the GST reforms as credit positive for Indian companies and expecting a rate cut by the RBI later this year, despite global risks like higher US tariffs impacting exports.
Books & Authors News
Anupam Kher Announces Fourth Book Different But No Less
- Veteran actor and motivational speaker Anupam Kher announced his fourth book, Different But No Less, on June 2, 2025, offering a deeply personal and hopeful narrative inspired by his life.
- The making of his film Tanvi The Great, focusing on resilience, self-belief, and navigating adversity without letting others feel your inner storms — a message especially vital in today’s age of mental health challenges and performance pressure.
Science & Technology News
India Secures Nine World Records in Space Exploration: ISRO
- India has secured nine major world records in space exploration, with ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan announcing plans to achieve 8–10 more in the coming years, citing milestones like the Mars Orbiter Mission (first nation to reach Mars on its maiden attempt), PSLV-C37 (launched 104 satellites in one mission), and Chandrayaan-3 (first spacecraft to land near lunar South Pole).
- He highlighted ISRO’s cost-effective innovations, rapid cryogenic tech development, and its broader role in driving national security, economic growth, and space entrepreneurship, with a bold vision to land a human on the Moon by 2040.
ISRO Transfers SSLV Technology to HAL for Independent Production
- ISRO has signed a technology transfer agreement with HAL to enable the independent production of Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs), marking India’s 100th tech transfer deal and boosting its presence in the global small-satellite market.
- Facilitated by IN-SPACe and NSIL, the 24-month collaboration will involve training, technical support, and the execution of two missions, with HAL aiming to build a self-reliant, cost-competitive space manufacturing ecosystem, as part of India’s commercial space sector liberalization.
Schemes News
Five Years of Blue Revolution: Growth and Sustainability in Fisheries
- The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), launched in 2020 and extended through 2025–26, has transformed India’s fisheries sector by boosting production (195 lakh tonnes in 2024–25), expanding inland fisheries (142% growth), and making India the second-largest fish producer globally.
- With a total project approval of ₹21,274 crore and a strong focus on infrastructure development, financial support, and digital empowerment—including 26 lakh fishers registered on the National Fisheries Digital Platform—PMMSY drives inclusive growth, ecological sustainability, and global competitiveness in fisheries.
Sports News
ICC Launches ‘Will to Win’ Campaign for Women’s World Cup 2025
- The ICC has launched its flagship ‘Will to Win’ campaign ahead of the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, emphasizing determination and perseverance through a powerful film featuring top players like India’s Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
- The campaign celebrates the inspiring journeys and sacrifices of women cricketers and coincides with the general ticket sales opening.
- The 13th edition of the World Cup starts on September 30 in Guwahati, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with the final scheduled for November 2.
NASA’s Mars Rover Finds Strongest Hints of Ancient Life
- NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered organic carbon and unique mineral deposits in rocks from a dry Martian river channel, providing the strongest hints yet of possible ancient microbial life on Mars.
- Found in the Bright Angel formation within Jezero Crater, these minerals—like iron phosphate and iron sulfide—are byproducts of microbial activity on Earth.
- While promising, scientists caution that non-biological processes could also explain the findings, and definitive proof awaits detailed analysis of samples planned for return to Earth, a mission now delayed until the 2040s due to cost.
- This discovery marks a major step in the search for past life beyond Earth.
Important Days News
World First Aid Day 2025: Theme, History, and Significance
- World First Aid Day 2025 is observed on September 13, focusing on the theme “First Aid and Climate Change.”
- This annual international event, established by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), raises awareness about the crucial role of first aid in saving lives and managing emergencies, especially climate-related disasters like floods, heatwaves, and wildfires.
- Since its inception in 2000, World First Aid Day promotes training in essential skills like CPR, choking relief, bleeding control, burn care, recovery position, and fracture support.
- The day encourages individuals and communities to get trained, spread awareness, and build resilience, especially as climate change increases emergency risks worldwide.
National Forest Martyrs Day 2025: Honoring the Unsung Heroes of India’s Forests
- National Forest Martyrs Day 2025 is observed on September 11 to honor the bravery of those who sacrificed their lives protecting India’s forests.
- With the theme “Remembering Martyrs, Protecting Forests,” the day pays tribute to historical acts of courage like the Khejarli Massacre (1730) led by Amrita Devi Bishnoi and modern struggles faced by forest guards and activists.
- This observance highlights the urgent need to combat deforestation, wildfires, poaching, and biodiversity loss amid climate challenges.
Patriot Day 2025: History & Observance in the USA
- Patriot Day, observed annually on September 11 in the United States, solemnly honors the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks and celebrates the bravery of first responders.
- Established by Congress in 2002 after the tragic events that struck the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Pennsylvania, it began as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance.
- In 2009, it was further designated as a National Day of Service and Remembrance by President Obama, inspiring millions—about 35 million Americans—to engage in community service, turning collective grief into acts of compassion and unity.
Digvijay Diwas: Celebrating Swami Vivekananda’s Historic Chicago Address
- Digvijay Diwas, observed annually on September 11 in India, commemorates Swami Vivekananda’s iconic 1893 speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where his heartfelt greeting, “Sisters and Brothers of America,” captivated the world.
- This day celebrates universal brotherhood, emphasizing religious harmony, tolerance, and India’s rich spiritual heritage.
- Vivekananda’s address not only introduced India as a beacon of spiritual wisdom but also inspired generations—especially the youth—to embrace self-confidence, service, and moral strength, shaping India’s national identity and influencing leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi.