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Current Affairs 10th December 2025
1. India’s Digital Hub DHRUVA Launched
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Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) & Core Objective: DHRUVA is positioned as a foundational Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), similar to Aadhaar and UPI. Its core objective is to offer "Address as a Service" (AaaS), converting fragmented physical addresses into secure, standardised, and interoperable digital identifiers.
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Unique Digital Address Identifier (DAI): The system assigns a Digital Address Identifier (DAI)—a unique, verified digital ID—to every physical address. This digital address is often presented as a UPI-like virtual label (e.g., name@entity) for easy sharing.
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Built on DIGIPIN: It builds upon the Digital Postal Index Number (DIGIPIN), which is a 10-digit alphanumeric geo-code that precisely maps a small area (around $16 \text{ square meters}$) across India using latitude and longitude. This ensures pinpoint accuracy, especially in rural or unplanned areas.
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Consent-Based and Privacy-Centric: A key feature is consent-based sharing. Users retain control over their address data, granting time-bound authorisation to entities (like e-commerce, banks, or government departments) to access their geocoded or full address, ensuring strong privacy protection.
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Sectoral Impact: DHRUVA aims to drastically improve efficiency and reduce costs across multiple sectors, including Logistics/E-commerce (faster, more accurate last-mile delivery), Finance/KYC (reliable address verification), and Governance.
2. Indian-Origin Arkin Gupta Named in Forbes Under-30 List
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Forbes Category and Expertise: Arkin Gupta was featured in the Finance category of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list (specifically the 2026 list for the US). He is recognized for his expertise in financial innovation and early-stage investment strategies.
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Pioneering Work in Data-Driven Investment: His key contribution involves developing data-driven investment frameworks. He integrated advanced techniques like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) models to enhance trading, statistical arbitrage, and overall portfolio management.
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Role at Citadel and Morgan Stanley: At the time of his listing, Gupta held the position of Trader at the global investment firm Citadel. Prior to this, he was a Vice President and head of the central risk desk at Morgan Stanley, where he managed a significant long-short equities portfolio (around $2 billion).
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Focus on Scalable Fintech Products: Forbes also highlighted his leadership in creating scalable financial products designed for diverse user groups, with a focus on first-time investors. His work aims to simplify complex financial processes.
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Commitment to Democratization and Transparency: Gupta has voiced his commitment to democratizing access to smarter financial tools.
3. India’s 1st 24×7 Open-Networked Court Opened
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Location and Naming: The first 24x7 Open-Networked (ON) Court was launched in the Kollam district of Kerala. The "ON" stands for Open and Networked, signifying its digital, accessible, and integrated nature.
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Fully Online & 24x7 Accessibility: The court operates entirely online, handling all stages from e-filing to judgment delivery. It specifically allows for 24x7 e-filing, removing the time-bound restrictions of traditional court operations, making justice accessible at any hour, from anywhere.
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Targeted Case Category: It was initially established to deal exclusively with a high-volume category of cases: Cheque Dishonour Cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. These cases typically constitute a significant portion (around 10%) of the total judicial backlog.
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Focus on Asynchronous Justice: It aims to enable asynchronous proceedings where lawyers and judges can work at their convenience and not all parties need to be present simultaneously for procedural steps.
4. IIT Madras & India AI Mission to Host Global AI Conclave
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The primary goal is to advance India's vision for ethical, safe, and inclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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The Conclave focused on translating AI safety and governance principles into practical, enforceable frameworks.
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A major focus was on examining pathways to establish an AI Safety Commons for the Global South.
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This initiative aims to create shared datasets, benchmarks, and governance resources to enable safer and more reliable AI development in developing nations.
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The Conclave brought together high-level stakeholders from government, industry, academia, and civil society, fostering cross-border collaboration.
5. Indian-Origin Neal Mohan Named TIME’s 2025 CEO of the Year
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TIME cited his role in making YouTube the "cultural diet that the globe is beginning to subsist on," calling him the "farmer" of this ecosystem.
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Under his leadership (since February 2023), the platform has cemented its place as a dominant force against intense competition in the attention economy.
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Mohan's defining bet for YouTube's future is Artificial Intelligence (AI). In 2025, the company launched over 30 AI-powered tools designed to lower the barrier to entry for creators.
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These tools include automatic dubbing, text-to-music generation, and video summarization, reflecting a strategic move to democratize content creation and enhance platform safety.
6. Microsoft’s US$17.5 Billion Investment in India
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The US$17.5 billion commitment over four years (2026-2029) is Microsoft's largest investment ever in the Asian region.
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The entire investment strategy is anchored on three pillars aligned with India's national vision: Scale, Skills, and Sovereignty.
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The goal is to build a comprehensive ecosystem that drives AI innovation and accessibility at a national scale.
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Microsoft is doubling its skilling commitment to empower 20 million people in India with essential AI skills by 2030.
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The investment also includes embedding advanced AI capabilities (powered by Azure OpenAI Service) into key government platforms like e-Shram and the National Career Service (NCS) to benefit over 310 million informal workers.
7. President Presents National Handicrafts Awards for 2023 and 2024
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The awards included the Shilp Guru Awards (the highest honour for unparalleled mastery) and the National Handicrafts Awards (recognizing outstanding contributions to the craft heritage).
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The President highlighted that women constitute a significant 68% of the workforce in the handicrafts sector, making its promotion crucial for women's social and economic empowerment.
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The President emphasized that the sector provides livelihood to over 3.2 million people, mostly in rural and remote areas, contributing to inclusive development.
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The event underscored the importance of government initiatives like the Geographical Indication (GI) tag and the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme.
8. Deepavali Enters UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List
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Global Recognition: Deepavali has been officially recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, joining the ranks of other Indian traditions like Yoga and Durga Puja.
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Cultural Significance: This recognition highlights the festival's importance as a symbol of light, compassion, and collective harmony, celebrated not just in India but worldwide.
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India's Cultural Footprint: Deepavali's inclusion reinforces India's rich cultural heritage, with the country hosting the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee session in Delhi.
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UNESCO's Acknowledgement: The festival is described by UNESCO as a community celebration tied to the lunar calendar, marking the last harvest of the year and the start of a new year and season.
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Boost to Cultural Preservation: This recognition will encourage the preservation and promotion of Deepavali's traditions, rituals, and cultural practices, ensuring their continuation for future generations.
9. Human Rights Day observed on 10th December
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Celebrating Equality and Freedom: Human Rights Day emphasizes the importance of equality, justice, and dignity for all individuals, regardless of nationality, religion, or background.
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Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The UDHR outlines fundamental human rights, including the right to life, liberty, and security, freedom from torture, and equal protection under the law.
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Promoting Awareness and Action: The day encourages governments, organizations, and individuals to promote awareness about human rights, address violations, and work towards creating a more just and equitable society.
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Theme for 2025: This year's theme is "Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials," highlighting the significance of human rights in daily life, including access to education, healthcare, and a safe environment.
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Global Observance: Human Rights Day is celebrated worldwide with conferences, cultural events, and campaigns to promote human rights, with the United Nations and various organizations leading initiatives to advance human dignity and equality.
10. Veteran Socialist Leader Baba Adhav passed away
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Fighting for the Marginalized: Baba Adhav dedicated his life to securing rights and dignity for hamals, rickshaw drivers, construction workers, laborers, and other informal-sector groups.
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Founder of HamalPanchayat: He founded the HamalPanchayat, a trade union for porters, ensuring fair wages, health benefits, and job security for workers.
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Social Justice Champion: Adhav was a key advocate for housing rights, leading the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) to secure legal recognition and rights for street vendors.
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Inspiring Leader: He inspired generations with his commitment to social justice, participating in protests and hunger strikes, even in his 90s.
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Legacy Lives On: Baba Adhav's work continues to influence labor policy, community organizing, and social reform efforts, leaving a lasting impact on Maharashtra's social justice movement.
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