1) Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2025 – Key Winners
The 10th Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards (DPIFF) 2025 honoured excellence in Indian cinema, TV and digital content (held annually since 2016).
Highlights: Best Film – Stree 2; Film of the Year – Kalki 2898 AD; Best Actor – Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion); Best Actress – Kriti Sanon (Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya); Best Director – Kabir Khan (Chandu Champion); Best Web Series (Critics) – Panchayat S3; Best Actor (Web) – Jitendra Kumar (Panchayat 3); Best Actress (Web) – Huma Qureshi; Best TV Show – Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai; Best Negative Role – Vidya Balan (Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3); Best Director (Web) – Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Heeramandi); Most Versatile Actor – Allu Arjun.
2) 150 Years of “Vande Mataram” (National Song)
India launched year-long commemorations (7 Nov 2025–7 Nov 2026) marking 150 years of “Vande Mataram”. PM Narendra Modi released a commemorative stamp and coin.
Composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on 7 Nov 1875; first published in Bangadarshan, later included in Anandamath.
First sung publicly by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 INC session.
Declared National Song by the Constituent Assembly on 24 Jan 1950.
3) Swachh Survekshan 2025 – Results (Urban)
Madurai (Tamil Nadu) topped the list of dirtiest cities (decline linked to waste management, sewerage, and public participation gaps).
Dirtiest (Top mentions): Madurai, Ludhiana, Chennai, Ranchi, Bengaluru, Dhanbad, Faridabad, …
Cleanest (category-wise):
Population >10 lakh: Indore, Surat, Navi Mumbai
Population 3–10 lakh: Noida, Chandigarh, Mysuru
Cleanest on Ganga: Prayagraj
SafaiMitra Safe Cities: Visakhapatnam, Jabalpur, Gorakhpur
Objective: motivate ULBs to improve urban sanitation and citizen engagement.
4) Appointments & Brand Endorsements
Rahul Dravid is the new brand ambassador for Paradeep Phosphates Ltd (PPL).
Daniel Katz – First Deputy MD, IMF; Gauranglal Das – Ambassador of India to South Korea; Dr. Sima Bahous – Executive Director, UN Women; Carlos Felipe Jaramillo – World Bank VP (EAP); Amit Khare – Secretary to the Vice President; Alia Bhatt – Global Brand Ambassador, Levi’s; Mohammed Siraj – Skechers Brand Ambassador; Ayushmann Khurrana – FICCI Frames Brand Ambassador; PV Sindhu – Puma India Brand Ambassador.
5) Google announces Project Suncatcher
Google unveiled Project Suncatcher to explore AI data centres in Earth orbit, powered by solar energy and equipped with TPU chips. Two prototype AI satellites are targeted by 2027 to address AI’s growing energy needs.
6) IUCN Review – Kanchenjunga National Park rated “Good”
IUCN’s global review of Natural World Heritage Sites rated Kanchenjunga National Park (Sikkim) as “Good”—India’s only site with this rating in the current review.
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016; India’s first “mixed” (natural + cultural) site.
Area: 1,784 sq km (≈25% of Sikkim).
IUCN: Established 1948; HQ Gland, Switzerland.
7) Chhattisgarh exports fortified rice kernels to Papua New Guinea
For the first time, Chhattisgarh exported 20 MT of fortified rice kernels (FRK) to Papua New Guinea. FRK is produced from rice flour and enriched with iron, folic acid, vitamin B12 to improve nutrition.
Papua New Guinea: Capital Port Moresby; PM James Marape; Currency Kina; Monarch Charles III.
8) Maharashtra–Starlink partnership for satellite internet
Maharashtra became the first Indian state to sign a formal partnership with Starlink to extend satellite-based broadband to remote and underserved areas—including tribal schools, PHCs, forest posts, and disaster control rooms.
State facts: Capital Mumbai; established 1 May 1960; Governor Acharya Devvrat; CM Devendra Fadnavis; Vidhan Sabha 288 seats, Vidhan Parishad 78 seats; LS 48, RS 19.
9) 100 Years of Hockey in India – Centenary Celebrations
Centenary celebrations for 100 years of hockey in India began on 7 Nov 2025 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi, organised by Hockey India with SAI. Over 1,000 matches will be held simultaneously in 500 districts, engaging 36,000+ players.
Indian Hockey Federation was founded on 7 Nov 1925.
India’s Olympic hockey tally: 8 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze.
Hockey India (est. 2009): HQ New Delhi; President Dilip Tirkey; Men’s Coach Craig Fulton; Women’s Coach Harendra Singh.
10) Ghazala Hashmi elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (USA)
Indian-origin American leader Ghazala Hashmi won the Lieutenant Governor race in Virginia, becoming the first Muslim and first South Asian-American woman to hold the post in the state. Born in Hyderabad, raised in Georgia, she contested as a Democrat.
11) Edelgive–Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025
Shiv Nadar (HCL) topped as India’s Biggest Philanthropist (2025), with the Nadar family donating ₹2,708 crore in FY 2024–25—his fourth time at No. 1 in five years.
12) National Cancer Awareness Day – 7 November
India observes National Cancer Awareness Day on 7 November (since 2014), coinciding with Madame Curie’s birth anniversary—whose discoveries of radium and polonium led to radiotherapy.
World Cancer Day: 4 February.
Other November Days: 3 Nov – International Day for Biosphere Reserves; 11 Nov – National Education Day; 12 Nov – National Bird Day; 14 Nov – Children’s Day & World Diabetes Day; 15 Nov – Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas; 26 Nov – Constitution Day.
