AU Small Finance Bank Strengthens Board with 2 New Independent Directors
AU Small Finance Bank strengthened its board with the appointment of two new independent directors and the reappointment of an existing one.
The bank appointed N. S. Venkatesh and Satyajit Dwivedi as non-executive independent directors for a three-year term, and reappointed Malini Thadani for a second three-year term, subject to shareholder approval.
Venkatesh, a chartered accountant with over four decades of experience, has held leadership roles at IDBI, the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) and Lakshmi Vilas Bank. Dwivedi brings more than 35 years of experience in development finance, agriculture, microfinance and rural banking. He has held senior roles at NABARD, Nabkisan Finance and the National Centre for Financial Education.
Government Appoints New Executive Directors in Multiple Banks
In a significant move, the Government of India appointed five new Executive Directors (EDs) across leading Public Sector Banks (PSBs) to strengthen the management and operational leadership. The appointments took effect on November 24, 2025, and each is set for a three-year tenure.
Sunil Kumar Chugh previously Chief General Manager (CGM) at Punjab National Bank, Chugh was appointed as ED at Canara Bank. He brings a wealth of experience in banking operations, compliance, and financial management.
Amresh Prasad also a CGM at Punjab National Bank, Prasad will now serve as ED at Union Bank of India, enhancing the leadership bench at one of India's key state-run banks.
Prabhat Kiran who was serving as CGM in Canara Bank, has been elevated to Executive Director at Bank of Maharashtra, bringing deep insight from his previous roles in credit and corporate banking.
Mini TM, CGM at Bank of Baroda, has been appointed as ED at Indian Bank. With decades of experience in branch operations and retail banking, she is expected to add value to Indian Bank's transformation strategy.
Amit Kumar Srivastava, who was the Group Chief Risk Officer at PNB, has now been promoted as Executive Director in the same bank. His background in risk and compliance aligns well with the growing importance of prudent risk governance in banking.
In a historic moment, Italy registered an iconic victory against Spain in the Davis Cup 2025 final, lifting the title for the third straight time. The title win was secured after Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli won their singles tie 2-0 over Spain in the best-of-three tie in Bologna.
The 2025 Davis Cup was the 113th edition of the Davis Cup, a tournament between national teams in men's tennis.
Max Verstappen Wins the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance and won the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, closing the gap in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship standings with just two races remaining in the season. The Red Bull driver, who started second on the grid, quickly took control of the race and never looked back, claiming his second win in the last four races.
With this victory, Verstappen has reignited his title bid, narrowing the gap to championship leader Lando Norris, who finished second. George Russell completed the podium in third for Mercedes, adding to the excitement as the season nears its dramatic conclusion.
Army Sports Institute Shines at World Boxing Cup 2025
Army Sports Institute (ASI) delivered a stellar performance at the World Boxing Cup held in New Delhi in November 2025, reaffirming its reputation as one of the nation's premier hubs for elite sporting excellence.
All nine ASI boxers who participated finished on the podium, an extraordinary 100% medal-conversion rate, bringing immense pride to the Indian Army and the nation. The contingent secured a remarkable 3 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals, showcasing skill, grit and world-class preparation.
The gold medal winners are: Hav Arundhati (70kg), Nb Sub Jaismine (57kg) and Hav Sachin (60kg).
Punjab Govt Declares Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo & Galiara around Golden Temple as Holy Cities
In a historic move, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution declaring three key Sikh religious sites—Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, and the Galiara surrounding the Golden Temple—as holy cities. Convened at Anandpur Sahib for the first time ever, the special session commemorated the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, highlighting his legacy of religious freedom, sacrifice, and human dignity.
Vice�'President Reviews Major Initiatives of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
The Vice-President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, was briefed by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and senior officials about the Ministry's initiatives aimed at empowering tribal communities. The meeting at Parliament House showcased a wide range of programmes focusing on education, health, livelihoods, and rights of tribal populations across India. The Vice-President applauded the Ministry for significantly increasing its budget and called for greater academic support, stronger links between schools and universities, and urgent health interventions—especially in tribal-dominated areas.
PM Modi Unveils Stamp and Coin Honouring Guru Tegh Bahadur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led national commemorations in Kurukshetra and marked the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, releasing a commemorative postage stamp, special coin and a coffee-table book dedicated to the ninth Sikh Guru.
The state-level event, organised by the Haryana government under chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, drew thousands of devotees from across Haryana and neighbouring states. A grand venue at Jyotisar village was created to host the gathering, supported by extensive security, traffic and logistical arrangements to manage the large crowds.
Army to Officially Honour Operation Pawan Martyrs after 38 Years
For the first time in 38 years, the Indian Army will officially commemorate the soldiers who laid down their lives during Operation Pawan, one of India's most challenging external military missions. Conducted in Sri Lanka from 1987 to 1990, the operation marked a major chapter in India's strategic engagement abroad and resulted in heavy casualties. The long-awaited tribute brings national recognition to thousands of personnel who served under extreme conditions during the Tamil–Sinhala conflict.
Operation Pawan began in 1987 after India deployed the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka under the Indo–Sri Lanka Accord. The objective was to stabilise the conflict-hit northern and eastern provinces and disarm militant groups, including the LTTE.
Rohit Sharma Named the Brand Ambassador of the 2026 T20 Men's World Cup
India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma was named the brand ambassador of the 2026 T20 Men's World Cup when the schedule for the ICC event was announced in Mumbai.
Sharma, who has retired from Tests and T20Is but continues to be a part of the ODI setup, said that he was honoured that the ICC chose him as the ambassador, even though he still is a part of the Indian ODI team.
National Constitution Day, or Samvidhan Divas, is celebrated every year on November 26 to commemorate the historic day when the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India in 1949. The observance reminds citizens of the monumental work undertaken by the framers of the Constitution and reinforces the importance of constitutional values that guide India's democratic and governance framework.
Although the Constitution was adopted in 1949, Constitution Day as a formal observance was declared much later—in 2015.
The 2025 theme is 'Hamara Samvidhan – Hamara Swabhiman' (Our Constitution – Our Pride).
National Milk Day
National Milk Day, celebrated annually on November 26, commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien, hailed as the Father of the White Revolution in India. The 2025 celebration not only honours his vision and legacy but also reflects the nation's immense strides in transforming from a milk-deficient country to the world's largest milk producer, contributing nearly 25% of global milk output.
Velamala Simmanna Selected for LNF Literary Award 2025
Telugu literature found a new luminary in Velamala Simmanna, who was selected for the prestigious Lok Nayak Foundation (LNF) Literary Award 2025. Mr. Simmanna, an accomplished writer with over 100 published works and former Head of the Department of Telugu at Andhra University, will be honoured with a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh at an awards ceremony scheduled in Visakhapatnam on January 18, 2026.
The award announcement was made in Visakhapatnam by LNF Chairman Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad.
The LNF awards recognise individuals who have significantly contributed to the promotion of Telugu language and culture.
The LNF also named four individuals for its Life�'Time Achievement Awards (each carrying a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh). The awardees are:
Nori Dattatreyudu — noted oncologist and health advisor to the Government of Andhra Pradesh
Thotakura Prasad — promoter of Telugu language and culture based in Dallas
Vemulapalli Raghavendra Choudhary — a renowned doctor serving in Detroit for over four decades
Aarien Uday Areti — Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, originally from Bhimavaram
International Emmy Awards 2025
At the International Emmy Awards 2025 held in New York City, Diljit Dosanjh's film Amar Singh Chamkila, directed by Imtiaz Ali, earned two major nominations—for Best TV Movie/Mini-Series and Best Performance by an Actor. Despite high hopes, the Netflix India project didn't win, but its recognition marked a significant moment for Indian storytelling on the global stage. In the Best TV Movie/Mini-Series category, Chamkila competed against Germany's Herrhausen, Chile's Vencer o Morir, and the UK's Lost Boys and Fairies, which took home the award. Meanwhile, Diljit Dosanjh's powerful portrayal of Punjabi legend Chamkila lost out to Spain's Oriol Pla for his performance in Yo, adicto.
The ceremony showcased outstanding global talent, with entries across categories like Drama, Documentary, Comedy, News, and Children's Programming. Here's a summary of the winners in each category.
Best TV Movie/Mini-Series: Lost Boys and Fairies (UK)
Best Actor: Oriol Pla for Yo, adicto (Spain)
Best Actress: Anna Maxwell Martin for Until I Kill You (UK)
Best Drama Series: Rivals (UK)
Best Comedy: Ludwig (UK)
Best Art Programming: Ryuichi Sakamoto: Last Days (Japan)
Best Documentary: Hell Jumper (UK)
Best Current Affairs: Dispatches Kill Zone: Inside Gaza (UK)
Best News Program: Gaza, Search for Life (Qatar)
Best Telenovela: Deha (Türkiye)
Best Sports Documentary: It's All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football (Spain)
Best Non-Scripted Entertainment: Shaolin Heroes: Denmark (Denmark)
IIT Kharagpur Unveils Special Postage Stamp as Part of Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
As part of its platinum jubilee celebrations, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur unveiled a special postage stamp issued by India Post and launched discussions on a proposed strategic outreach initiative in Houston, USA.
The event, held at Sriniketan in Bolpur — associated with Rabindranath Tagore and close to Visva Bharati University — highlighted IIT Kharagpur's 75 years of academic excellence, innovation, and service to the nation.
165 Gram Panchayats in Ganjam Declared TB-free
Ganjam administration in Odisha felicitated representatives of 165 out of 503 gram panchayats in the district that were declared free from tuberculosis (TB). These panchayats were awarded with the national certification of TB Mukta Panchayat in a meeting.
MP (Berhampur) Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy lauded the role of elected panchayat members to make their panchayat free from TB and asked them to work towards making Ganjam free from TB.
The TB Mukta Panchayat is an initiative of the ministry of health and family welfare launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2023, to involve elected members of the panchayats to eliminate tuberculosis by 2027.
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