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Current Affairs 10th October 2025
1. Sherry Singh Wins India’s First Mrs Universe Crown
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Historic Win: Sherry Singh made history on October 8, 2025, by becoming the first Indian to win the Mrs. Universe crown at the 48th edition of the pageant in Manila, Philippines.
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Background: Sherry is from New Delhi and has a background in business. She won the Mrs. India title through UMB Pageants before representing India at the Mrs. Universe pageant.
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Advocacy: Sherry is not just a beauty queen; she's also an advocate for women's empowerment and mental health awareness. She used her platform to speak about important issues and inspire others.
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Controversies: Before her win, Sherry faced some controversy surrounding her participation in Mrs. Bharat Universe 2024 and discussions about financial contributions related to her pageant entry. However, she didn't let that stop her from achieving her goal.
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Legacy: Sherry's win is a moment of national pride for India, and she has opened doors for future generations of women. She's proven that with hard work, determination, and heart, anyone can achieve their dreams and make history.
2. The National Red List Roadmap & Vision 2025-2030 launched
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Launch and Objective: The National Red List Roadmap was launched at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi to create a nationally coordinated framework for assessing, documenting, and protecting India's vast array of species. The roadmap aims to establish a science-based red-listing and threat evaluation system.
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Scope and Coverage: The initiative will assess approximately 11,000 species, including 7,000 species of flora and 4,000 species of fauna, across India's diverse ecosystems.
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Alignment with Global Frameworks: The initiative aligns with international frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). This alignment ensures that India's conservation practices are globally recognized and effective.
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Importance for India's Biodiversity: India is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, hosting nearly 8% of global flora and 7.5% of fauna, with four biodiversity hotspots.
3. Indian Army Launches Indigenous ‘SAKSHAM’ Anti-Drone Grid
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Indigenous Development: SAKSHAM is an indigenous system developed in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), showcasing India's growing capability in defense technology under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
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Real-Time Detection and Neutralization: SAKSHAM detects, tracks, identifies, and neutralizes hostile drones in real-time, providing a unified "Recognised UAS Picture" across the Tactical Battlefield Space (TBS) up to 3,000 meters above ground level.
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AI-Driven Technology: The system uses AI-driven threat analysis, enhancing accuracy and decision-making speed in neutralizing aerial threats. It employs AI-based fusion technologies for automated threat classification and soft/hard kill decision-making.
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Integration with Existing Systems: SAKSHAM integrates seamlessly with existing air defense and surveillance networks, including the Akashteer System, India's automated air defense network, to intercept and neutralize threats instantly.
4. HDFC Bank Launches “My Business QR”
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Digital Payment Solution: HDFC Bank launched "My Business QR," a digital payment solution for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
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Easy Payments: The solution allows businesses to accept payments digitally through a QR code, making transactions easier and more convenient.
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Simple Setup: Merchants can set up the QR code in minutes, without any additional hardware requirements.
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Real-Time Tracking: The solution provides real-time tracking of transactions, helping businesses manage their finances more effectively.
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Increased Sales: By accepting digital payments, businesses can increase sales and reach a wider customer base, promoting growth and financial inclusion.
5. India rolled out AI-powered UPI payments within ChatGPT
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Pilot Project Launch: India has launched a pilot project enabling AI-powered UPI payments within ChatGPT, allowing users to make transactions directly from the platform.
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Partnership: The project is a collaboration between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Razorpay, and OpenAI, with banking partners Axis Bank and Airtel Payments Bank.
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Key Features: The AI-powered payment system uses natural language processing to interpret user commands, validates transactions, and ensures secure payments through UPI.
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Security Measures: The system employs end-to-end encryption, on-device biometric authentication, and multi-factor authentication to ensure secure transactions.
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Potential Impact: This development could revolutionize digital payments in India, making transactions more convenient and seamless, while also paving the way for wider adoption of AI-powered payment systems.
6. Raj Kumar Singh accredited as Ambassador of India to the Republic of Honduras
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Concurrent Accreditation: Raj Kumar Singh, currently the Ambassador of India to Guatemala, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to Honduras, expanding India's diplomatic presence in Central America.
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Residence: He will reside in Guatemala City, serving both Guatemala and Honduras.
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Diplomatic Experience: Singh is a seasoned diplomat from the 1996 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), with extensive experience in international relations and diplomacy.
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Previous Roles: Before his current assignment, he served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs from May 2023 to August 2025, and as Director from June 2017 to April 2023.
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Academic Background: He holds a Master's degree in History and an M.Phil. in Chinese Studies, reflecting his strong academic foundation in international relations and Asian affairs
7. Blackstone Appoints Apurva Shah to Lead India Credit Division
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Appointment: Apurva Shah has been appointed as Managing Director to lead Blackstone Credit & Insurance's (BXCI) private credit origination business in India, marking the company's first hire in the country for its credit and insurance business.
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Experience: Shah brings over 26 years of experience in leveraged finance, securitization, structuring, M&A advisory, and capital markets, having previously held senior roles at Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, DSP Merrill Lynch, and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson.
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Reporting Structure: Shah will report to Mark Glengarry, Head of APAC for Private Credit Strategies at BXCI, and will be responsible for establishing and leading BXCI's private credit origination business in India.
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Business Expansion: This appointment signifies Blackstone's commitment to building a market-leading private credit platform in India, a key priority market for the firm, and reflects its long-term growth strategy in the country.
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Growth Potential: The move is expected to help Blackstone capitalize on India's growing credit demand, with the private credit market in India having seen $9 billion in deals through June, and global funds holding a 68% market share.
8. Maria Corina Machado Win Nobel Peace Prize 2025 Laureate
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Nobel Peace Prize Winner: Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
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Venezuelan Opposition Leader: Machado leads the Vente Venezuela opposition party against President Nicolás Maduro and has been a key figure in the country's democratic movement, advocating for free and fair elections.
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Background: Born in 1967 in Caracas, Venezuela, Machado studied industrial engineering and finance, and briefly worked for the family business before establishing a nonprofit to care for impoverished and orphaned street children.
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Activism: Machado co-founded Súmate, an organization promoting free and fair elections, and was elected to the National Assembly in 2010, but was expelled in 2014. She has faced significant challenges and risks for her activism, including spending much of the past year in hiding.
9. World Mental Health Day: 10th October 2025
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Theme: The theme for World Mental Health Day 2025 is "Access to Services - Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies," highlighting the need for readily available mental health support during crises. However, some sources mention the theme as "It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace," which might be an alternate focus area.
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Importance: The day aims to promote mental health education, raise awareness about mental illnesses, and advocate against social stigma surrounding conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
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Global Impact: Approximately 1 billion people worldwide live with mental health disorders, including conditions like anxiety and depression. In conflict-affected areas, one in five individuals experiences a mental health condition.
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Awareness and Action: The day encourages people to take action, share their stories, and support others in promoting mental well-being. Activities include campaigns, seminars, charity walks, and art exhibitions.
10. IUCN and IRENA Sign MoU to Ensure Renewable Energy Transition
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Partnership Goal: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) have partnered to accelerate a renewable energy transition that is both sustainable and nature-positive, ensuring solutions for the climate crisis also build a healthier planet.
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Key Objectives: The partnership aims to support the rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing environmental challenges while safeguarding biodiversity and strengthening community resilience.
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Joint Initiatives: Under the MoU, IUCN and IRENA will develop projects to mitigate negative impacts on biodiversity and local communities, create tools to assess biodiversity impacts, and promote co-benefits between renewable energy deployment and conservation.
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Global Targets: The partnership aligns with the UAE Consensus goal of achieving 11.2 terawatts of renewables capacity by 2030 while preserving ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity.
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