Daily Current Affairs- 28th October 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 28th October 2025

Vajra Chandrasekera Wins 2025 Le Guin Fiction Prize

In the News: Sri Lankan author Vajra Chandrasekera won the prestigious 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction for his speculative novel "Rakesfall ." The $25,000 award honours imaginative fiction that reflects hope, equity, freedom, and humanity’s relationship with power and systemic critique.

Key Points:

• Prize Awarded: Vajra Chandrasekera received the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction, recognizing "Rakesfall" as an extraordinary achievement in science fiction blending grief, hope, and societal critique with literary innovation.
• Author Background:  Chandrasekera, originally from Colombo, Sri Lanka, and currently based in New York on a writing fellowship, is acclaimed for his exploration of colonialism, power, myth, and political realities in speculative fiction.
• Prize Significance: Established in 2022, the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize awards $25,000 annually to a single-author book-length work that embodies Le Guin’s ideals such as non-violence, equity, and a holistic worldview.
• Jury Praise: Judges highlighted the novel’s fluid narrative spanning time and genres with moral clarity akin to Le Guin’s own writing, calling it a masterclass in fiction possibilities and a titanic work of art.

Vessel ‘Sindhu’ Launches Historic Voyage to Barren Island

In the News: The passenger vessel ‘Sindhu’ launched its historic maiden voyage to Barren Island, the only active volcano in India, marking a significant milestone in promoting eco-tourism and adventure tourism in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The round-trip journey was flagged off by Chief Secretary Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar from Haddo Wharf in Port Blair.

Key Points:

• Maiden Voyage: The ‘Sindhu’ set sail at 9 PM on October 24, 2025, carrying 500 passengers including 125 government school students from across the islands. The ship returned safely to Sri Vijaya Puram on October 25 after offering passengers a rare view of the glowing red volcanic crater and a stunning sunrise panorama around the island.
• Barren Island Significance: Located about 140 km from Port Blair, Barren Island is the only confirmed active volcano in the Indian subcontinent, positioned at the convergence of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates. It was previously accessible only to scientists or from the air.
• Tourism Impact: This initiative by the Andaman Administration introduces regular fortnightly cruises, offering residents and tourists a controlled, safe opportunity to experience one of nature’s most breathtaking spectacles, thus boosting eco-tourism in the region.
• Vessel Features: The ‘Sindhu’ is designed for comfort with four accommodation types, meeting facilities for both tourists and students, and includes onboard meals for an additional charge, blending adventure with hospitality.
• Educational Outreach: The voyage included a significant presence of school students, enhancing educational engagement with natural sciences and local geology, fostering responsible citizenship and environmental awareness.

Special Intensive Revision: Step-by-step guide to keeping your name on the electoral roll

In the News: Ahead of the 2025 elections, India has undertaken a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll to ensure accuracy and maintain the integrity of voter lists. This exercise involves updating the electoral rolls by removing ineligible names and including eligible new voters, especially the youth and migrants, thereby strengthening the democratic process.

Key Points:

• Purpose of SIR: The Special Intensive Revision aims to eliminate duplicate, deceased, and migrated voters from the rolls while adding new electors, ensuring a clean and genuine electoral roll for free and fair elections.
• Process Implementation: Door-to-door verification is conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) with extensive public participation and oversight by political parties and judicial authorities to maintain transparency.
• Voter Inclusion: The revision emphasizes the inclusion of young voters reaching voting age, and immigrants qualified to vote, thus expanding democratic participation.
• Documentation and Verification: Citizens must provide valid identity documents such as Aadhaar, EPIC (Elector Photo Identity Card), or ration cards to verify their eligibility and retain their names on the electoral roll.
• Legal and Administrative Framework: The exercise is governed by the Representation of the People Act and supervised by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure compliance, with measures to address grievances and disputes effectively.
• Impact: The revision leads to a more accurate electoral roll, preventing voter fraud and disenfranchisement while fostering confidence in the democratic system.

Stellerus to Launch First 3D Wind Data Satellite Network

In the News: Hong Kong-based startup Stellerus Technology announced the launch of the world’s first 3D wind data satellite network, named the Feilian Constellation. The constellation aims to provide hourly, kilometer-scale three-dimensional wind maps globally, revolutionizing weather forecasting, renewable energy management, aviation safety, and disaster mitigation.

Key Points:

• Innovative Network: Stellerus plans to deploy six satellites capable of capturing detailed 3D wind data, including wind speed, direction, and vertical changes with altitude, addressing a critical gap in current meteorological data coverage.
• Launch Schedule: The first two satellites are slated for launch within the next 18 months, with the full constellation to follow, enabling continuous, high-resolution global wind monitoring.
• Cost Advantage: Leveraging China’s advanced and cost-effective satellite manufacturing sector, Stellerus aims to produce satellites at a fraction of the cost (~$2.8 million each) compared to $100 million for similar U.S.-built satellites.
• Wide Applications: The data will support various sectors such as wind power generation optimization, improved weather forecasts to anticipate severe climate events, better disaster risk assessment, and enhanced aviation safety and insurance modeling.
• Expert Leadership: The company is led by Professor Hui Su, an acclaimed atmospheric scientist with longtime experience at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and multiple prestigious awards, who highlights the global need for detailed wind data unavailable through traditional observations.
• Technological Breakthrough: This constellation will overcome limitations of existing wind data collection methods like weather balloons and aircraft measurements, providing continuous, comprehensive global coverage even over oceans and clear skies where other methods fail.

India Sweeps Kabaddi Gold at Asian Youth Games

In the News: India achieved a clean sweep in kabaddi at the 2025 Asian Youth Games held in Manama, Bahrain, with both the boys' and girls' Under-18 teams winning gold medals by defeating Iran in the finals. The event was held at Isa Sports City Arena with athletes aged 14-18 competing.

Key Points:

• Double Gold Sweep: India won both the boys' and girls' team kabaddi gold medals. The girls won decisively with a 75-21 scoreline, marking the largest victory margin in an Asian Youth Games kabaddi final since 2013. The boys secured a close 35-32 win in a tightly contested match.
• Girls’ Team Dominance: The girls remained unbeaten in the group stage, defeating Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Iran before their dominant final win. Star raider Neha Patel scored 28 points, with Riya Singh leading the defense.
• Boys’ Team Resilience: The boys also had an undefeated group stage with wins over Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Bahrain, and Thailand. The final match against Iran was very close, requiring composure and tactical finesse to clinch the gold.
• Event and Impact: The kabaddi matches at the Asian Youth Games reinforced India’s dominance in youth kabaddi and contributed to the country's overall medal tally. This performance highlights India’s strong pipeline of kabaddi talent.
• Additional Medals: India also earned medals in other sports like taekwondo and athletics, enhancing the country's medal count at the Games.

D Gukesh, Divya Deshmukh Win Double Gold at European Club Cup

In the News : Indian chess prodigies D Gukesh and Divya Deshmukh won double gold medals at the 40th European Chess Club Cup held in Rhodes, Greece. Gukesh secured the individual gold on the top board while Divya Deshmukh clinched the gold on the second board in the women's section.

Key Points:

• Event Details: The 40th European Chess Club Cup concluded in Rhodes, Greece, with SuperChess from Romania winning the Open tournament with a perfect score. The women's section was won by Cercle d’Echecs de Monte-Carlo from Monaco.
• Gukesh's Achievement: World Champion D Gukesh played for the SuperChess team, which emerged as the champions. He won his individual gold medal on the top board, showcasing his dominance in the tournament.
• Divya Deshmukh's Achievement: Divya Deshmukh won the individual gold medal on the second board in the women's section, contributing to her team's success.
• Significance: This victory marks a historic double gold win for Indian chess players at a prestigious European team event, highlighting India's growing prominence in international chess.
• Other Individual Honors: Alongside Gukesh and Divya, notable Indian players such as Nihal Sarin and Abhimanyu Puranik also won individual gold medals on their respective boards, with Aravindh Chithambaram securing a bronze medal.