Anuja, a short film set in New Delhi by Guneet Monga bagged a nomination in the Live Action Short category at Oscars 2025.

• The nominations for the 97th Oscars were announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• Anuja is directed by Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai. Actor Priyanka Chopra recently boarded the project as an executive producer. 
• Anuja is a tale of a gifted nine-year-old Anuja, who struggles to make a choice between education and factory work alongside her sister, a decision that will shape their futures. 
• It stars Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbhag.

Along with 'Anuja', another movie with an India connection, 'I am Ready, Warden' got nominated in the Documentary Short Film category.

The film is directed by Indian-origin American filmmaker Smriti Mundhra. 

Professor Urbasi Sinha, a distinguished faculty member at the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in the Light and Matter Physics theme, has been awarded the prestigious Gates-Cambridge Impact Prize 2025 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Cambridge, UK.

• She won this award for her remarkable contribution in the field of quantum computing.
• He is one of the eight winners to be honored on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of this award.
• Professor Sinha's key role is in the National Quantum Mission, which aims to make India globally competitive in quantum technologies and encourage research and development in this field.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant for his book on the country’s G-20 presidency titled How India Scaled Mt. G-20. 

• The Prime Minister’s Office acknowledged this remarkable contribution in a recent press release.
• Kant’s book provides a captivating insider’s account of the meticulous planning and strategic negotiations that culminated in the unanimous adoption of the Delhi Declaration during the summit. 
• Kant reveals how, just an hour before the summit commenced, Prime Minister Modi inquired about the chances of achieving consensus—underscoring the high-pressure diplomacy that defined India’s presidency.
• The narrative shines a light on India’s pivotal role in addressing global challenges, from climate change to sustainable development, and showcases the country’s ability to lead on the world stage.

National Voters' Day is celebrated annually in India on 25 January to mark the foundation day of Election Commission of India (ECI) in 1950.

• This special day, observed since 2011, aims to encourage voter participation and raise awareness about the importance of voting.
• It highlights the role of citizens in shaping the future of the nation through their votes.
• The theme for National Voters’ Day 2025 is ‘Nothing like voting, I vote for sure’. This theme continues from last year.
• It highlights the importance of voting as a crucial tool for shaping the country’s leadership.

National Girl Child Day, observed annually on January 24, is a pivotal occasion dedicated to raising awareness about the rights and potential of girls across the nation.

• It emphasizes the importance of ensuring that girls lead safe, healthy, and educated lives not only in their early years but throughout their journey into adulthood.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed “accomplishments by Indian daughters” and stressed the Indian government's commitment to ensure wide range of opportunities for them.
• The theme for National Girl Child day 2025 is “Empowering Girls for a Bright Future” reinforces the commitment to providing girls with equal opportunities to shape their futures and contribute to society.

India has achieved the 4th rank in the Global Firepower Index 2025, reinforcing its position as one of the world's leading military powers.

This ranking highlights India's growing defense capabilities, strategic significance, and global influence.

Positioned after the United States, Russia, and China, India’s military strength is supported by vast manpower, resources, and advantageous geography. The achievement reflects India's dedication to enhancing its military prowess amidst global challenges.

Key takeaways 

According to the Global Firepower Index 2025 India maintains its position as the world's fourth most powerful force after the United States, Russia, and China.

USA Ranked First in the Global Firepower Index 2025.

About the Global Firepower Index:

Purpose: Military strength assessment through the index functions by reviewing operations in land, sea, and air domains. The index measures over 60 different elements including manpower together with natural resources as well as finance and geographical variables. The assessment excludes nuclear military potential in its overall evaluation.

Global business leaders and entrepreneurs have experienced an extraordinary rise in their wealth, significantly increasing their net worth through innovation and strategic foresight.

Highlights of Forbes Billionaires List 2025

1. The evolving wealth landscape has seen the collective fortunes of the world’s 500 richest individuals soar, with a remarkable milestone reached.

2. Notable figures such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang have contributed to a staggering combined net worth of $10 trillion.

3. Elon Musk topped the list with a net worth of $433.9 billion. 

4. Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List for 2025, the United States leads with a record 813 billionaires, followed by China with 473 and India, remarkably claiming the third spot with 200 billionaires.

FICCI Frames, a prominent event in the Media and Entertainment industry, is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

• The event will feature Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana as its brand ambassador.
• This year’s theme, “RISE: Redefining Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence,” highlights the significant role FICCI Frames has played in shaping narratives and fostering creativity in the industry.
• The event aims to bring together industry leaders and creative talents to discuss the future of entertainment.

Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Power Ltd on Monday (January 20) announced the appointment of Neeraj Parakh as the company’s new Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective from January 20, 2025.

• The appointment, which is for a three-year term, was made by the company’s Board of Directors.
• Parakh joined the Reliance Group 21 years ago, in June 2004, as an Additional Manager in the Central Technical Services team at Reliance Infrastructure (Reliance Infra).
• Over the years, he has steadily taken on increasingly challenging roles and responsibilities.

The New York-based World Monuments Fund (WMF) has announced that several historic buildings along the Musi river, such as the Telangana high court, State Central Library, British Library, and Osman General Hospital, have been included in the World Monuments Watch 2025.

• The Musi river corridor in Hyderabad, which is rich in history, is currently facing significant challenges due to pollution. 
• However, the WMF has highlighted that as the city embarks on its revitalisation efforts, heritage conservation can provide a sense of continuity and deliver multiple community benefits. 
• Among the 25 sites listed on the Watch from 29 countries, two are located in India, including these Musi river-adjacent buildings. 
• The WMF received over 200 nominations worldwide for consideration.

The Indian sporting landscape has witnessed a significant milestone with the launch of the World Pickleball League (WPBL) at the prestigious Cricket Club of India (CCI).

• This marks India’s first-ever official global franchise-based pickleball league, igniting excitement and anticipation across the nation.
• The inaugural World Pickleball League is set to be played in Mumbai from January 24 to February 2.
• The WPBL features six city-based franchises, each owned by a unique blend of celebrities and corporate leaders, fostering local ownership and fan engagement. 
• The inaugural edition of the league has six teams in the fray – Mumbai Pickle Power, Chennai Super Champs, Dilli Dilwale, Pune United, Bengaluru Jawans, and Hyderabad Super Stars – battle it out for ultimate glory at the CCI in Mumbai.
• Much like the sport in general, the World Pickleball League will see a mixture of youth and experience in the six teams with players from 14 countries across the globe.
• Each team consists of a total of eight players, taking the total tally of players picked up in the draft to 48. All the teams have at least one Indian player in their set-up. A total of 75 players from 20 countries were up for grabs in the draft.

The much-awaited Khelo India Winter Games 2025 commenced with great enthusiasm at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Sports Complex, Leh.

• This is the second time Khelo India has been organised in Ladakh.
• Nineteen teams, comprising states, Union Territories and institutional outfits, will compete over five days in two events – ice hockey and ice skating.
• This will be the first part of KIWG 2025.
• The second part, featuring snow games like skiing, will be hosted by Jammu & Kashmir from February 22-25.

India is set to host the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025, marking the country’s first major international chess tournament since the 2022 Chennai Chess Olympiad.

• FIDE, the international chess governing body listed India as the host in its 2025 calendar for the tournament scheduled from October 31 to November 27. 
• The event marks a long-awaited return to this land, with India last hosting the FIDE World Cup in 2002 in Hyderabad, where chess legend Viswanathan Anand bagged the title.
• The announcement caps off an extraordinary period for Indian chess. Gukesh Dommaraju’s stunning victory in the Candidates Tournament, followed by his triumph over China’s Ding Liren to become the youngest-ever World Chess Champion in Singapore, has taken the chess world by strom.

Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and Republic of Korea’s An Se-young registered thumping victories to clinch the men’s and women’s singles titles, respectively, at the India Open 2025 badminton tournament in New Delhi on Sunday( 19 January 2025).

Axelsen, playing in his sixth India Open final in 10 years, defeated Hong Kong China’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 21-16, 21-8 to clinch his third India Open men’s singles crown at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall.

An Se-young, meanwhile, had little trouble in packing off Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-9 in the women’s singles badminton final.

GM Gukesh Dommaraju has won his first game as world champion despite staring defeat in the face against GM Anish Giri in round one of the 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters.

Giri blundered last, while Gukesh's world championship helpers GMs Vincent Keymer and Pentala Harikrishna also won.

Keymer escaped a lost position and then exploited a blunder by GM Leon Luke Mendonca, while Harikrishna played a perfect game to grind down GM Arjun Erigaisi in a position with two rooks for a queen.

There were just two draws in the Tata Steel Chess Challengers, with 14-year-old IM Lu Miaoyi joining GMs Nodirbek Yakubboev, Thai Dai Van Nguyen, Ediz Gurel, and Vaishali Rameshbabu in getting off to a winning start.    

Jammu and Kashmir's government began the process of geo-tagging in its bid to preserve heritage Chinar trees in Kashmir .

Haryana Women and Child Development Minister,Shruti Choudhry, launched the 'Samman Sanjeevani' app of ‘Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana' on the occasion of National Girl Child Day 2025.

• The Minister said that under the  'Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojna', sanitary napkins are distributed to BPL women and girls aged 10 to 45 years.
• These benefits are delivered through Anganwadi centers and schools.
• Facilities being provided under the scheme will be tracked via the app so that the beneficiaries continue to get the benefits of the scheme timely.
• The app has been developed to ensure timely delivery of these services. It will collect data on all beneficiaries and update monthly benefits.

The Uttar Pradesh government approved a new Aerospace and Defence Unit policy to attract Rs 50,000 crore of investments and generate jobs for 1 lakh people.

• The state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Prayagraj also approved an FDI policy among 10 key proposals aimed at accelerating the state's development, an official release said.
• Among these, the groundbreaking Aerospace and Defence Unit and Employment Promotion Policy 2024 was introduced to position UP as a leader in the sector.
• The policy sets an ambitious target of attracting Rs 50,000 crore in investments, with the potential to generate direct employment for 1 lakh youth across the state. 
• The Cabinet meeting was held at the Triveni Complex in Prayagraj amid ongoing Maha Kumbh.

The Madhya Pradesh government will close liquor vends in 17 ‘holy towns’ of the state, chief minister Mohan Yadav announced on Friday ( 24 January 2025).

The 17 towns listed by Mohan Yadav include Ujjain, his hometown.

As per statement by the CM Mohan Yadav liquor vends will be shut down are Datia, Panna, Mandla, Multai, Mandsaur, Maihar, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandleshwar, Orchha, Chitrakoot, Amarkantak, Salkanpur, Barman Kala, Linga, Kundalpur, Bandakpur and Barmankhurd.

"The Madhya Pradesh government will ban the sale of liquor at 17 religious places. Liquor will be banned wherever Lord Krishna and Lord Ram have set their foot in Madhya Pradesh" Said the minister.

The Maharashtra government, in an attempt to shape the usage of Artificial Intelligence in the state has announced the formation of a 16-member committee tasked with submitting recommendations for the Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025.

• Minister for Information Technology, Ashish Shelar, declared that the committee, chaired by the director of the Directorate of Information Technology, Mumbai, will draft the state’s first-ever AI policy.
• Shelar emphasised that Maharashtra would become the first state to have a dedicated AI policy.
• Shelar announced the formation of a Cyber Security Policy Task Force 2025, aimed at safeguarding Maharashtra’s IT and digital infrastructure.

Addressing countrymen through his Mann Ki Baat radio programme, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on Sunday ( 19 January) talked about the Virgin Coconut Oil of Nicobar district that recently got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag and the steps being taken thereafter.

• After the GI Tag, another new initiative has been undertaken for virgin coconut oil.
• Self-help groups are being formed by organizing the women associated with the production of this oil.
• They are also being imparted special training in marketing and branding. This is a big step towards economically empowering our triba
• Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is made from coconuts using traditional methods. It is unrefined, unbleached, and has no added chemicals or preservatives.

Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh will inaugurate the “Handloom Conclave-Manthan” at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on 28 January.

• The interactive workshop will bring together stakeholders from across the handloom sector to formulate a roadmap for its future growth.
• The conclave, organized by the Ministry of Textiles, aims to foster collaboration between handloom weavers, manufacturers, retailers, buyers, designers, and other key figures.
•  The event will explore strategies to enhance the livelihoods of weavers and strengthen the handloom industry as a key driver of economic growth for Viksit Bharat 2047.
• The event will also see the launch of the Handloom Weavers E-Pehchan Portal and the Handloom Awards Online module.

The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs is hosting a National Conference of District Magistrates on 21st January 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, focusing on six core areas under the PM JANMAN initiative.

• Discussions will cover rural development priorities, including housing, road connectivity, and the operationalization of schools, hostels, Anganwadis, and Multi-Purpose Centers.
• A total of 88 districts from 18 states are participating to share best practices and strategize actionable plans for effective implementation.
• The conference aims to bridge the gap between policies and on-ground implementation, ensuring the Mission's benefits reach underserved tribal areas.
• This initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of inclusive development, targeting grassroots progress for marginalized communities.

PM JANMAN initative was launched on November 15, 2023, to mark Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, is a landmark initiative by the Government of India aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

• The scheme aims at improving the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• The scheme delivers essential amenities, including safe housing, clean drinking water, sanitation, healthcare, education, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihoods.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 will be held in Davos, Switzerland from January 20 to 24. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav will lead the Indian delegation, where global economic and social issues will be discussed.

• The meeting will be attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Ding Xuexiang, and other leaders from business and politics.
• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav will lead the Indian delegation.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will also attend the meeting.
• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that the meeting will have detailed discussions on inclusive growth, investment in social, physical and digital infrastructure, and democratization of technology.