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Current Affairs 16th December 2025
1. Ravi Ranjan appointed as the MD of SBI
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Tenure: His appointment is effective immediately and will run until his superannuation on September 30, 2028, or until further orders from the government.
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Succession: He succeeds Vinay M. Tonse, who completed his tenure as Managing Director on November 30, 2025.
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Key Responsibilities: As one of the four Managing Directors at SBI, Ranjan will oversee critical verticals including Risk Management, Compliance, and the Stressed Assets Resolution Group (SARG).
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Extensive Career: A veteran "career banker," he joined SBI as a Probationary Officer in 1991. Before this elevation, he served as the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) for Global Markets and previously headed the Corporate Accounts Group (CAG).
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Global & Diverse Experience: His background includes over 33 years of experience across retail banking, corporate banking, and international operations, including significant overseas assignments in Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
2. Indian Navy to Commission INAS 335 (Ospreys)
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Venue and Leadership: The commissioning ceremony will take place at INS Hansa in Goa. The event will be presided over by Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).
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The Aircraft (MH-60R Seahawk): Manufactured by the U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, the MH-60R is a highly versatile, multi-role helicopter. It is often referred to as a "submarine hunter" due to its advanced sonar and sensor suites.
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Strategic Role: The "Ospreys" are designed for a wide array of missions, including Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), Search and Rescue (SAR), and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC). They are equipped with advanced torpedoes and missiles.
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Fleet Integration: These helicopters have already been fully integrated with the Indian Navy's fleet operations. They are intended to operate from frontline warships and aircraft carriers, significantly extending the Navy's "blue-water" reach and surveillance across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
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Expansion of Capability: This is the Navy's second MH-60R squadron. The first, INAS 334 (Seahawks), was commissioned in March 2024 at INS Garuda, Kochi. The addition of INAS 335 at Goa strengthens the Navy's presence on the western seaboard.
3. M S Patiyal appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste
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Official Appointment: The appointment was formally announced by the MEA on December 15, 2025. He is expected to take up the assignment in the capital, Dili, shortly.
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Professional Background: M.S. Patiyal is a seasoned diplomat belonging to the 2007 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
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Previous Posting: Before this elevation, he was serving at the Embassy of India in Tunis, Tunisia.
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Strengthening Ties: His appointment comes at a crucial time as India seeks to deepen its footprint in Southeast Asia. Notably, India established its Resident Mission in Dili very recently (September 2024), following an announcement by PM Modi at the 2023 ASEAN-India Summit.
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Strategic Cooperation: As Ambassador, Patiyal will oversee growing cooperation in areas such as health, capacity building, and digital infrastructure. Timor-Leste is also a consistent supporter of India’s permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
4. Manu Bhaker&SimranpreetKaurBrar Win Gold at 68th National Shooting Championships
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Dual Gold in 25m Pistol: Manu Bhaker clinched the gold medal in the Senior Women’s 25m Sports Pistol event, while SimranpreetKaurBrar secured the gold in the Junior Women’s 25m Sports Pistol category. -
Commanding Scores: Manu shot a score of 36 in the final to finish four hits ahead of Karnataka’s Divya T.S. (32). Simranpreet displayed exceptional form in the junior final, shooting a high score of 39 to take the top spot.
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Venue: The events were held at the Dr.Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. This championship is a key event for national rankings and future selection trials.
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Podium Finishers: In the senior category, Divya T.S. won silver and Anjali Choudhary took bronze. In the junior category, DwaramPranavi of Andhra Pradesh won silver, while Palak of Haryana claimed the bronze.
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Continued Momentum: For Simranpreet, this win follows her recent gold at the ISSF World Cup Final 2025 in Cairo. For Manu Bhaker, the victory reaffirms her status as India's premier pistol shooter following her historic double bronze at the Paris Olympics.
5. WWE Icon John Cena Retires After 20-Year Career
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The Final Match: Cena’s last match took place at Saturday Night's Main Event in Washington, D.C. He faced Gunther in the main event, losing via submission to a sleeper hold. This was a historic moment, as Cena—famous for his "Never Give Up" mantra—had rarely tapped out in his career.
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Record-Breaking Legacy: He retires as a 17-time World Champion (14 WWE Championships and 3 World Heavyweight Championships), a record that stands as the highest in WWE history.
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Grand Slam Achievement: During his 2025 retirement tour, Cena checked off the final box of his career by winning the Intercontinental Championship for the first time, making him a WWE Grand Slam Champion.
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Farewell Gesture: Following the match, in a traditional wrestling sign of respect, Cena left his signature sneakers and wristbands in the center of the ring. The entire WWE locker room, led by stars like Cody Rhodes and CM Punk, emerged to pay tribute to him.
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Future Role: While his days as an active wrestler are over, Cena has signed a five-year contract as a WWE Brand Ambassador. He will continue to mentor younger talent while focusing on his expanding Hollywood career.
6. MRF Tyres Bags 2025 FIA European Rally Championship Title
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Historic Third Title: This win marks MRF Tyres' third ERC Teams Championship in the last four years. The company previously secured consecutive titles in 2022 and 2023, and this 2025 victory cements its position as a dominant force in European rallying.
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Dramatic Finale in Croatia: The title was decided during the final round of the season at the Croatia Rally (October 2025). Team MRF Tyres finished with 208 points, narrowly defeating the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team by just two points in a tense season-ending battle.
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Diverse Driver Lineup: The championship was a collective effort featuring a roster of international talent. Key contributors in the final round included LauriJoona (Finland), who finished 6th, Erik Cais (Czech Republic) in 7th, and Simone Tempestini (Romania) in 10th.
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FIA Gala Recognition: The official championship trophy was presented to ArunMammen, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of MRF Ltd., during the FIA Awards Gala held on December 12, 2025, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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Technological Milestone: The victory is highlighted as a major boost for Indian manufacturing, as MRF is one of the few non-European/Japanese firms to succeed in this elite category. The team's performance across diverse surfaces—including tarmac in Hungary and gravel in Poland—demonstrated the high-performance capabilities of Indian-made racing tyres.
7. GS Delhi Aces Clinches Maiden TPL Title
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Dominant Victory in the Grand Finale: GS Delhi Aces clinched the Season 7 title by defeating Yash Mumbai Eagles with a decisive aggregate score of 51–36. This margin is recorded as one of the largest in TPL final history since the introduction of the current 100-point format.
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Sofia Costoulas’ Unbeaten Streak: Belgian sensation Sofia Costoulas was the standout performer. She set the tone in the final by defeating Riya Bhatia 18–7 in the women’s singles, maintaining her incredible unbeaten record in singles throughout the entire season.
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Debut Season Success:The victory was particularly significant as it was the GS Delhi Aces' maiden TPL title in their very first season of the league. With this win, Delhi became the fourth city—after Pune, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru—to lift the prestigious trophy.
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Legendary Support & Prize Money: The team benefited from the mentorship of Indian tennis icon Leander Paes, who served as the franchise’s brand ambassador. For their triumph, the GS Delhi Aces were awarded a winner's cheque of ₹25 lakh, while the runners-up, Yash Mumbai Eagles, received ₹10 lakh.
8. NTPC, NETRA & CSIR Scientist Receive Awards for Technological Innovations
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Inaugural Award Ceremony: These marks the first-ever edition of the awards instituted by the D.V. Kapur Foundation, named after the founder-chairman of NTPC. The ceremony was presided over by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India.
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Winner in Category 1 (Young Innovators): Dr.AchuChandran, a Principal Scientist at CSIR-NIIST (National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology), won the award for young innovators (under 38 years). He was recognized for his pioneering research on "Nano Electricity Generators."
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Winner in Category 2 (Organizations): NETRA (NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance), the R&D wing of NTPC Ltd., secured the top honors for organizational technological innovation. The award recognized their advancement in "Green Use of Coal Technologies."
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Leadership and Recognition: The award for NETRA was received by ShriShaswattam, Executive Director (NETRA), along with his team. The ceremony also featured notable dignitaries like former Union Minister Dr. Suresh Prabhu and Dr. Anil Kakodkar, former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
9. Suresh Goyal appointed as NCAER Director General
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Official Appointment & Tenure: Suresh Goyal is scheduled to assume his new role on January 5, 2026. He succeeds Poonam Gupta, who led the institution from July 2021 to April 2025 and was subsequently appointed as a Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
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Extensive Career Background: Goyal brings over 30 years of experience across both public and private sectors. He joins NCAER from the National Highway Infra Trust (NHIT), where he served as the Managing Director and CEO, overseeing the government’s National Monetisation Pipeline.
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Private Sector Expertise: Before his public sector roles, he spent much of his career at Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, serving as Senior Managing Director and Head of India and Southeast Asia while based in Singapore.
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Expansion Mandate: Under his leadership, the NCAER Governing Board—chaired by NandanNilekani—aims to establish new research centers in emerging areas such as Health Economics, Finance, Advanced Data Insights, and States' Growth.
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Strategic Vision: Goyal’s appointment is aligned with the national vision of "Viksit Bharat@2047." His mandate includes strengthening the institution’s endowment base and deepening research engagement with both central and state governments to influence economic policy.
10. Miyana Railway Station Receives National Energy Conservation Award 2025
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Prestigious Ceremony: The award was presented by the President of India, Smt. DroupadiMurmu, at VigyanBhawan, New Delhi. It was received on behalf of the station by Smt. ShobhanaBandopadhyaya, the General Manager of West Central Railway.
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Quantifiable Impact: The station was selected for its impressive achievement in saving 9,687 units of electrical energy. This reduction in power consumption was a key factor evaluated by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power.
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Strategic Model: The recognition highlights how even smaller railway stations can serve as demonstration sites for scalable green practices. This aligns with Indian Railways' broader mission to achieve Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030.
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Smart Lighting Systems: Implementation of a 30–70% circuit operation mode, where lights dim automatically during off-peak hours to prevent unnecessary power usage.
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