Daily Current Affairs- 1st November 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 1st November 2025

Pravaig Launches ‘VEER’, India’s First Electric Vehicle Designed for Defence Operations

In the News: Bengaluru-based EV manufacturer Pravaig Dynamics launched “VEER”, India’s first electric vehicle designed specifically for defence operations. The launch marks a major milestone in India’s push toward indigenous, sustainable, and high-performance defence mobility under the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

Key Points:

• Launch Overview: The VEER electric vehicle was unveiled as a multi-terrain defence mobility platform, engineered for India’s armed forces and paramilitary operations. It combines tactical performance with zero-emission technology, aligning with India’s green defence transition.
• Design and Capabilities: Built on Pravaig’s advanced architecture, VEER features ballistic protection, high torque output for off-road performance, and a range of over 500 km on a single charge. It is designed to operate in extreme terrains and weather conditions, making it suitable for strategic border areas and forward posts.
• Indigenous Development: The vehicle is fully indigenously developed by Pravaig Dynamics Pvt. Ltd., strengthening India’s self-reliance in defence technology. It incorporates locally sourced components and AI-enabled control systems for enhanced situational awareness.
• Integration & Future Use: The vehicle is expected to be deployed for reconnaissance, logistics, and rapid mobility across military bases. Discussions are underway for its adaptation in UN peacekeeping and disaster-relief missions.
• Broader Vision: The launch is part of India’s vision to establish a “Green Defence Corridor”, integrating EV technologies, renewable energy, and advanced logistics within the armed forces. VEER symbolizes the convergence of technology, sustainability, and national security innovation.

First Fully Digitised National Marine Fisheries Census 2025 Launched

In the News: The Government of India launched the First Fully Digitised National Marine Fisheries Census 2025, marking a major leap toward technology-driven governance in the blue economy. The initiative aims to create a comprehensive digital database of India’s marine fishers, fishing crafts, and coastal resources.

Key Points:

• Launch: The census was launched jointly by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, integrating real-time digital tools and geo-tagging for the first time.
• Digital Transformation: Unlike previous paper-based surveys, the 2025 edition is fully digitised using mobile apps, cloud-based dashboards, and GIS-enabled mapping to ensure accuracy and transparency.
• Coverage: The census will cover India’s coastal states and Union Territories, documenting marine fishers, fishing vessels, harbours, landing centres, and aquaculture assets, including women’s cooperatives.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to modernise data collection for policy planning, sustainable resource management, and welfare scheme delivery, supporting India’s goals under the Blue Economy Vision 2047.
• Implementation: The exercise is being carried out in collaboration with the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and Fishery Survey of India (FSI), with data validation through advanced analytics.

PayPal Joins Forces with OpenAI to Become ChatGPT’s First Integrated Digital Payments Wallet

In the News: PayPal announced a landmark partnership with OpenAI, becoming the first integrated digital payments wallet within ChatGPT. This collaboration allows users to make seamless, secure, and AI-assisted financial transactions directly inside the ChatGPT interface a major step toward blending conversational AI with digital commerce.

Key Points:

• Partnership Launch: The integration enables ChatGPT users to send, receive, and manage money through PayPal’s digital wallet, turning AI chat interactions into actionable, real-time payment experiences.
• Technological Innovation: Through OpenAI’s GPT-5 platform, users can now complete transactions such as purchases, subscriptions, or donations simply by conversing with ChatGPT, without leaving the chat window.
• Security & Compliance: The integration employs PayPal’s AI-powered fraud detection and encryption systems, ensuring financial data protection and compliance with global payment regulations.
• User Benefits: Users gain a unified experience they can generate invoices, review spending summaries, or initiate peer-to-peer transfers, all powered by natural-language commands in ChatGPT.
• Strategic Impact: This collaboration marks a major milestone in the AI-commerce ecosystem, setting the foundation for AI-native financial tools and redefining the intersection of fintech and conversational AI.

Shenzhou-21 – China Launches Youngest Astronaut and Lab Mice to Tiangong Space Station

In the News:  China successfully launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, sending a new team of astronauts including the country’s youngest astronaut ever along with lab mice for scientific experiments to the Tiangong Space Station. The mission marks another milestone in China’s expanding human spaceflight and biomedical research program.

Key Points:

• Mission Launch: Shenzhou-21 lifted off aboard a Long March-2F rocket, carrying three astronauts for a six-month stay aboard the Tiangong station to conduct scientific research and technology verification.
• Youngest Astronaut: The mission features 26-year-old Tang Shengjie, now China’s youngest astronaut in space, symbolising a generational shift in the country’s taikonaut corps and its focus on youth-driven space exploration.
• Scientific Objectives: The crew carried laboratory mice to study long-duration microgravity effects on mammalian physiology, muscle development, and reproduction — key research for future lunar and Mars missions.
• Station Operations: During their mission, astronauts will install upgraded life-support modules, perform spacewalks for external equipment testing, and continue assembling the Tiangong laboratory complex.
• Technological Highlights: Shenzhou-21 integrates improved spacecraft automation, enhanced docking precision, and expanded biological experiment modules developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).

Sahitya Akademi Launches Hindi Edition of Lithuanian Novel “The Last Day” as “Antim Din”

In the News: The Sahitya Akademi launched the Hindi translation of the acclaimed Lithuanian novel “The Last Day”, titled “Antim Din”, marking a major step in promoting global literary exchange under India’s International Literary Translation Initiative. The launch event was held at the Sahitya Akademi Auditorium in New Delhi.

Key Points:

• Launch Event: The Hindi edition “Antim Din” was formally released by Dr. K. Sreenivasarao, Secretary of the Sahitya Akademi, in the presence of eminent translators, writers, and diplomats from Lithuania and India.
• Original Author: The Lithuanian novel “The Last Day” was written by celebrated author Antanas Škėma, whose modernist narrative explores existentialism, exile, and post-war identity — themes now made accessible to Hindi readers.
• Translation & Publication: The Hindi version was translated by Dr. Meena Tandon, a noted literary translator, as part of Sahitya Akademi’s programme to expand access to world literature through high-quality Indian-language translations.
• Cultural Diplomacy: The launch marks a milestone in India–Lithuania cultural ties, reflecting a shared commitment to intercultural understanding, translation collaborations, and global literary outreach.
• Institutional Support: The initiative forms part of Sahitya Akademi’s World Literature Project, which aims to translate major works from over 30 global languages into Indian languages by 2030.
• Broader Impact: “Antim Din” adds to Sahitya Akademi’s growing collection of international classics in Hindi, fostering cross-border dialogue, youth readership, and literary diversity in India’s multilingual landscape.

Chennai’s 16-Year-Old Ilamparthi AR Becomes India’s 90th Chess Grandmaster

In the News: Ilamparthi AR, a 16-year-old chess prodigy from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, achieved the title of India’s 90th Chess Grandmaster, marking a proud milestone for Indian chess. His achievement was confirmed after securing his final Grandmaster norm and crossing the 2500 Elo rating threshold in an international tournament held in Europe.

Key Points:

• Historic Achievement: Ilamparthi AR becomes the 90th Indian Grandmaster, continuing India’s remarkable rise as a global chess powerhouse and reflecting the growing youth talent in the sport.
• Tournament Success: He clinched his final Grandmaster norm at the Riga International Chess Festival in Latvia, where consistent performances against higher-rated opponents pushed his live rating above 2500 Elo points.
• Early Career: A former World Under-14 Chess Champion (2022), Ilamparthi has been mentored under the All India Chess Federation (AICF)’s youth excellence programme and trained at the Velammal Chess Academy in Chennai.
• Recognition: Prominent Indian Grandmasters, including Viswanathan Anand, congratulated him on social media, praising his composure, maturity, and deep positional understanding at a young age.
• India’s Chess Legacy: India now has 90 Grandmasters, showcasing its growing dominance in world chess through consistent grassroots investment and coaching initiatives.

FIDE Chess World Cup Trophy Renamed After Viswanathan Anand

In the News: The International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced that the FIDE Chess World Cup Trophy will henceforth be named the “Viswanathan Anand Trophy” in honour of India’s first World Chess Champion and five-time titleholder. The announcement was made at the FIDE General Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, to celebrate Anand’s four-decade-long contribution to global chess.

Key Points:

• Historic Recognition: The FIDE Chess World Cup Trophy has been officially renamed the Viswanathan Anand Trophy, making Anand the first Asian player to have a major global chess title named after him.
• Global Announcement: The declaration was made by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, who highlighted Anand’s unparalleled impact as both a player and mentor, calling him “the bridge between classical and modern chess eras.”
• Anand’s Legacy: Anand, a five-time World Chess Champion (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012), is credited with popularising chess in India and inspiring a new generation of players, many of whom have since become Grandmasters.
• Indian Chess Renaissance: This recognition reflects India’s growing prominence in world chess, with the country now boasting 90 Grandmasters and producing consistent global performers in youth and elite categories.
•  Ceremonial Launch: The newly named Viswanathan Anand Trophy will make its debut presentation at the FIDE World Cup 2026, with Anand invited as the chief guest and honorary presenter.