Daily Current Affairs News: 22nd December, 2025

National News

Auroville Foundation May Gain Institution of National Importance Tag: Parliamentary Panel

• The Auroville Foundation in Puducherry has gained national attention after a Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended granting it Institution of National Importance (INI) status.
• The panel, chaired by Digvijaya Singh, cited Auroville’s UNESCO-backed international character and its role in promoting global harmony and peace.
• The recommendation proposes amending the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988, along with ensuring sustained government funding and support.

VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025 Receives Presidential Approval and Becomes Law

• The VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025 has become law after receiving Presidential assent from Droupadi Murmu on December 21, 2025.
• The new legislation replaces MGNREGA and guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household every year.
• It aims to modernise rural employment and strengthen livelihoods (Ajeevika). The law aligns rural development with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

What the Insurance Amendment Bill 2025 Means for You: 7 Major Updates

• India’s Insurance Amendment Bill 2025 modernises insurance laws to protect consumers while boosting industry growth.
• It allows 100% foreign direct investment, promotes competition, and supports the goal of “Insurance for All”.
• The Bill strengthens data accuracy, privacy, digital policies, and transparency in claim rejections.
• It also introduces strict penalties to ensure insurer accountability and better enforcement by IRDAI.

State News

PM Modi Opens Nature Themed Terminal at Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi Airport

• PM Modi inaugurated the new terminal building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati, Assam, and unveiled an 80-foot statue of Assam’s first Chief Minister, Gopinath Bardoloi.
• The terminal, spread over 1.4 lakh sq. metres, can handle 1.3 crore passengers annually and is inspired by Assam’s biodiversity and cultural heritage under the theme Bamboo Orchids.
• PM Modi highlighted Assam’s development under the Act East Policy and BJP’s double-engine government, calling it a boost for the entire North-East, while Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the airport will strengthen connectivity, tourism, and economic growth across the region.

PM Modi Launches ₹10,601 Crore Fertiliser Plant in Assam’s Dibrugarh

• PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of a ₹10,601 crore ammonia urea fertilizer plant at Namrup, Dibrugarh, Assam on December 21, 2025.
• Developed by AVFCCL, a joint venture of central and state entities, the plant will produce 12.7 lakh tonnes of urea annually and is expected to be commissioned by 2030.
• The project aims to boost fertilizer self-reliance, support farmers, reduce imports, and accelerate industrial growth in Northeast India, building on Namrup’s legacy as a key fertilizer production hub.

Tamil Nadu Government Unveils Otter Conservation Initiative in Cauvery Basin

• The Tamil Nadu government has launched a special conservation initiative to protect the smooth-coated otter, a Vulnerable species found in the Cauvery river delta.
• The programme focuses on studying otter populations, habitat improvement, and reducing human–otter conflict with fishing communities.
• Covering parts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Cuddalore, the project is led by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department with support from research institutions.
• The initiative highlights the importance of conserving freshwater ecosystems and protecting indicator species.

International News

India Delivers Three Quick Impact Projects to Strengthen Myanmar Ties

• India has handed over three Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) to Myanmar aimed at benefiting the socio-economic development of the Mandalay Region.
• The projects include a flexible rapier loom at the Saunder Weaving and Vocational Institute to support vocational education in weaving, a new one-storey building for the Girls Training School in Mandalay to provide a safe and comfortable learning environment, and an initiative for tar-free gasification of agricultural waste to promote rural electrification, clean energy, and environmental conservation.
• These projects, under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation framework, highlight India’s commitment to supporting Myanmar’s development.

Elon Musk Becomes First Individual to Reach $700 Billion Fortune

• Elon Musk became the first person in history to surpass a $700 billion net worth, reaching an estimated $749 billion after the Delaware Supreme Court reinstated Tesla stock options worth $139 billion.
• Tesla remains his largest asset, with total holdings—including stock options—valued at around $338 billion, while his 42% stake in SpaceX is worth approximately $336 billion.
• Musk’s fortune now exceeds the world’s second-richest person by nearly $500 billion, highlighting the unprecedented concentration of wealth in founder-led tech and space companies.

Appointments News

IIFL Finance Appoints Former RBI Deputy Governor B P Kanungo as Chairman

• IIFL Finance has appointed B P Kanungo, former RBI Deputy Governor, as its non-executive chairman, leveraging his four decades of experience in central banking, monetary policy, and financial regulation.
• His role will focus on strategic direction, governance, and safeguarding stakeholder interests.
• The company also disclosed it paid ₹1.47 crore in taxes following an Income Tax Act notice for the period April 2018–February 2025, stating no material impact on operations.

Awards News

Jay Shah Receives ‘Transformational Leader of the Year’ Award

• Jay Shah was honoured with the ‘Transformational Leader of the Year’ award at NDTV Indian of the Year 2025 for his impactful contributions to Indian and global cricket.
• Serving as BCCI Secretary from 2019 to 2024, he led reforms including pay parity for women cricketers, the launch of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), and record-breaking IPL media rights deals that strengthened the board’s finances and global reach.
• His policies reshaped player welfare, domestic cricket infrastructure, and promoted gender equality in Indian cricket.

Books & Authors News

HarperCollins India to Publish Mohar Basu’s Book on Salman Khan

• HarperCollins India will publish Salman Khan: The Sultan of Bollywood by journalist Mohar Basu on 20 December 2025, marking the actor’s birthday.
• The book presents Salman Khan not just as a film star but as a cultural phenomenon who has shaped mass stardom in Hindi cinema for over three decades. Blending fan stories, industry insights, rare photographs, and iconic roles, it traces his journey through successes, controversies, and comebacks.
• Positioned as a celebration rather than a conventional biography, the book highlights why Salman Khan remains one of Bollywood’s most enduring and influential superstars.

Sports News

East Bengal FC Clinches Inaugural SAFF Women’s Club Title

• East Bengal FC made history by winning the inaugural SAFF Women’s Club Championship 2025, defeating Nepal’s APF 3-0 in the final at Dasrath Stadium, Kathmandu.
• This victory makes East Bengal the first Indian women’s club to clinch an international football title, showcasing tactical discipline, teamwork, and confidence.
• The win highlights the growing strength of Indian women’s football, boosts the country’s regional reputation, and is expected to inspire greater participation, support for domestic leagues, and opportunities for Indian clubs in international tournaments.

Smriti Mandhana Achieves Record as First Asian to Reach 4,000 T20I Runs

• Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana made a historic comeback in the first Women’s T20I against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam on December 21, 2025.
• She became the first Asian batter to cross 4,000 T20I runs, reaching 4,007 runs in 154 matches and now ranks second all-time behind Suzie Bates.
• Mandhana scored a run-a-ball 25, stabilising India’s chase, which was completed with an eight-wicket win, thanks to Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 69.

Sukhman Singh Triumphs at IGU 124th Amateur Championship

• Indian amateur golfer Sukhman Singh won the IGU 124th Amateur Golf Championship of India at Tollygunge Club, Kolkata, defeating Harman Sachdeva in the 36-hole matchplay final.
• Singh dominated the match, building a 7UP lead, and the contest ended after 29 holes. Coming from a strong golfing lineage, Singh also had an outstanding season, including wins at the IGU Rajasthan Amateur and top finishes internationally.
• The championship, organised by the Indian Golf Union (IGU) since 1892, is the world’s longest-running amateur matchplay tournament.

Science & Technology News

ISRO Successfully Completes Drogue Parachute Tests for Gaganyaan Crew Module

• ISRO achieved a major milestone for India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, by successfully completing drogue parachute qualification tests for the Crew Module on December 18–19, 2025 at the RTRS facility, TBRL, Chandigarh under DRDO.
• The tests confirmed the structural strength, reliable deployment, and stable performance of the parachutes under extreme conditions, crucial for the safe re-entry and landing of astronauts.
• The Gaganyaan deceleration system uses 10 parachutes of four types, with drogue parachutes stabilising and slowing the module before the main parachutes deploy.

James Webb Discovers Lemon-Shaped Exoplanet, Shaking Up Planetary Science

• Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered an unusual lemon-shaped exoplanet named PSR J2322-2650b orbiting a pulsar.
• Extreme gravitational tidal forces stretch the planet due to its ultra-close orbit of just one million miles.
• It completes one orbit in only 7.8 hours and has surface temperatures around 3,700°F.
• The planet’s atmosphere is rich in helium and carbon, challenging existing theories of planet formation.
• This finding highlights Webb’s power to study extreme cosmic environments.

Obituaries News

Navy Veteran Ira ‘Ike’ Schab, Survivor of Pearl Harbor, Dies at Age 105

• Ira “Ike” Schab, a World War II Navy veteran and one of the last surviving witnesses of the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, passed away at 105, leaving only about a dozen living survivors of the historic event.
• Born on July 4, 1920, Schab served aboard the USS Dobbin during the attack, helping supply anti-aircraft guns despite the chaos and danger, and later fought across the Pacific, including the Mariana Islands and Okinawa.
• After the war, he became an aerospace and electrical engineer, contributing to the Apollo space program.

Important Days News

National Mathematics Day 2025: Honoring Ramanujan’s Contributions to Mathematics

• National Mathematics Day is celebrated on December 22 to mark the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
• The day, declared by the Government of India in 2011, aims to promote mathematics education, scientific thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ramanujan made major contributions to number theory, infinite series, and mathematical analysis.
• India’s rich mathematical heritage includes the decimal system and concept of zero. The day highlights the role of mathematics in AI, space research, economics, and medical research.