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Current Affairs 24th November 2025
1. Italy wins 4th Davis Cup title
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Historic "Threepeat" Achievement: Italy secured its fourth overall Davis Cup title and, more notably, became the first nation to win three consecutive titles (a "threepeat") in the post-Challenge Round era (since 1972).
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Victory Without Star Player: The Italian team achieved the victory without their highest-ranked player, Jannik Sinner, who withdrew to prepare for the next season. This highlighted the impressive depth of the Italian talent pool.
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Clinch by FlavioCobolli: The deciding point was clinched by FlavioCobolli, who won a dramatic three-set comeback match against Spain's JaumeMunar (1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5) to secure the 2-0 tie victory.
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Crucial Contribution by MatteoBerrettini: MatteoBerrettini set the tone for the final by winning the first singles match decisively against Pablo CarreñoBusta (6-3, 6-4), extending his Davis Cup singles winning streak to 11 matches.
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First Win on Home Soil: The final was played in Bologna, Italy, making it the first time Italy has won the Davis Cup title in front of their home fans, creating a massive and passionate atmosphere.
2. Navy commissions new anti-submarine ship INS Mahe
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Lead Ship of the Mahe-Class ASW-SWC: INS Mahe is the first of eight planned Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC), built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). This class is specifically designed to replace the Indian Navy's aging Abhay-class Corvettes.
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Focus on Shallow Water Combat (Littorals): Its primary role is to conduct high-tempo ASW operations, coastal surveillance, and mine-laying in shallow coastal waters (littorals) where larger, deeper-draft warships cannot effectively maneuver. It is designed to detect and neutralize enemy submarines operating close to the coastline.
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Aatmanirbhar Bharat Initiative: The vessel is a symbol of India's push for defense self-reliance, featuring over 80% indigenous content. This highlights India's expanding expertise in warship design, construction, and integration of advanced indigenous systems like the integrated combat management suite and sonar.
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Advanced ASW Capabilities: INS Mahe is equipped as a "Silent Hunter" with a potent blend of firepower and stealth. Its armament package includes lightweight acoustic-homing torpedoes and multi-role anti-submarine rocket launchers for quick engagement of underwater threats.
3. The Constitution 131st Amendment Bill, 2025 proposes bringing Chandigarh under Article 240
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Grant of Direct Presidential Power (Article 240): The Bill aims to include Chandigarh in the list of UTs under Article 240 (currently including Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, etc.). This article empowers the President of India to make regulations "for the peace, progress, and good government" of the UT.
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Paving the Way for an Independent Administrator/LG: The current arrangement has the Governor of Punjab serving as the Administrator of Chandigarh (a system in place since 1984). Bringing Chandigarh under Article 240 is widely seen as setting the stage for the appointment of an independent, full-time Administrator or Lieutenant Governor (L-G), similar to other Article 240 UTs.
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Weakening Punjab's Claim and Control: This is the most politically sensitive implication. Chandigarh serves as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. Punjab, the parent state from which Chandigarh was carved out, has a long-standing and emotional claim to the city as its exclusive capital.
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Political Backlash and Government Clarification: The announcement of the Bill for the Winter Session of Parliament immediately triggered a fierce political uproar across all major parties in Punjab.
4. ChitraTalwar appointed as Part-Time Chairperson of Jana SFB
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Effective Date and Tenure: Mrs.Talwar's appointment as Part-Time Chairperson is effective from February 8, 2026, and her tenure is set to last until January 30, 2028. This transition maintains continuity in the bank's governance.
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Regulatory Compliance and Predecessor: She will succeed Mr. R Ramaseshan, who will retire upon completing the maximum permissible tenure of eight years for a Non-Executive Director (NED)/Part-Time Chairman, as mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations and the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
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RBI Approval and 'Fit & Proper' Criteria: The appointment has received the necessary approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), confirming that Mrs.Talwar meets the "Fit & Proper" criteria required for such a leadership role in a regulated financial institution.
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Extensive Corporate Experience: Mrs.Talwar brings over three decades of corporate experience, having held senior roles in major consumer products companies like Britannia and PepsiCo. Her functional expertise is wide-ranging, covering sales, marketing, strategy, and general management, which is expected to provide valuable strategic direction for the bank's growth.
5. India’s AbhinavDeshwal wins Gold medal in 25m pistol event at Deaflympics
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Event and Competition: AbhinavDeshwal clinched the gold medal in the Men's 25m Pistol event at the Tokyo Deaflympics (2025). He secured the victory with a score of 44 in the final, edging out SeungHwa Lee of South Korea (43 points) to take the top spot.
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Record-Equalling Performance in Qualification: His performance was dominant from the start. In the qualification round, Deshwal showcased exceptional skill by equalling both the World Deaf Qualification Record and the Deaflympics Record with a remarkable score of 575-13x.
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Significant Contribution to India's Tally: This medal was India's 15th shooting medal at the 2025 Deaflympics. The overall success of the shooting contingent played a crucial role in helping Team India surpass its previous best-ever medal tally at the Deaflympics.
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Multi-Medalist at the Games: The 25m Pistol gold was not his only medal at this edition. AbhinavDeshwal had a strong showing across pistol events, having previously won a silver medal in the individual 10m Air Pistol event and a gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event (with partner PranjaliPrashantDhumal).
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A Star on the Rise: Deshwal is a young shooter who also previously won the gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol event at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics (held in 2022 in Caxias do Sul, Brazil). This latest victory confirms his status as one of India's top deaf athletes in the shooting discipline.
6. Indian Women’s blind cricket team won T20 World Cup
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Inaugural Tournament Champions: India won the first-ever Blind Women's T20 World Cup, marking a pioneering moment in the history of women's blind cricket and setting the precedent as the format's first world champion.
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Dominant and Unbeaten Campaign: The Indian team, led by Deepika TC, had a flawless and dominant run, remaining unbeaten throughout the entire tournament, which included victories against teams like Australia, Pakistan, and the USA.
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Final Victory over Nepal: India defeated Nepal by a commanding seven wickets in the final, which was held at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. India restricted Nepal to 114/5 and chased the target down easily in just 12.1 overs.
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Match-Winning Performance: The successful chase was anchored by a spectacular performance from PhulaSaren, who was awarded the Player of the Match for her match-winning, unbeaten knock of 44 runs off just 27 balls.
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Boost for Inclusive Sports: The victory is being hailed as a major step forward for inclusive sports and women's empowerment in India. The success of the team, composed of players from diverse, often humble, backgrounds, sends a powerful message about ability and determination to athletes across the country.
7. KL Rahul Named India’s ODI Captain for South Africa Series
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Stand-in Captaincy (Injury-Forced): Rahul was named the stand-in captain because the regular ODI captain, Shubman Gill, was ruled out of the series due to a neck injury sustained during the ongoing Test series. Vice-captain ShreyasIyer is also unavailable, recovering from a spleen injury.
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Continuity of ODI Leadership Experience: Rahul brings prior experience, having captained India in 12 ODIs between 2022 and 2023. His selection ensures a senior and familiar face is leading the team, with his last captaincy stint being an ODI series win against South Africa in December 2023.
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Role as First-Choice Wicketkeeper-Batter: Rahul remains India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in the ODI format, securing his place in the playing XI. His dual role as a key middle-order batsman and wicketkeeper makes him a natural choice for a temporary leadership position.
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Rishabh Pant Named Vice-Captain: In a significant development, Rishabh Pant, who is currently captaining the Test side, was named the vice-captain for the ODI series. However, BCCI sources indicated that Pant's lack of recent game time in the ODI format was the reason he was not chosen for the top job.
8. Indian Railways Surpasses 1 Billion Tonne Freight Loading
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Record Timeframe for Milestone: Indian Railways crossed the 1 billion tonne mark (1,020 Million Tonnes, MT) as of November 19, 2025. This achievement was accomplished earlier than ever before in any financial year, indicating a significant acceleration in freight movement velocity compared to previous years.
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Key Commodity Drivers: The achievement was driven by strong and sustained demand across core industrial sectors. Coal remained the largest contributor, accounting for over half of the total volume at 505 MT. This was followed by high loading of Iron Ore (115 MT) and Cement (92 MT), which are essential for infrastructure and industrial expansion.
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Improved Operational Efficiency: The daily average loading rate increased to approximately 4.4 MT per day, up from 4.2 MT during the same period last year. This increase is a direct result of improved operational efficiency, better utilization of rolling stock, and reduced wagon turnaround times.
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Strategic Policy Reforms: The Railways introduced strategic reforms to optimize freight logistics, particularly in the cement sector, which is crucial for infrastructure growth. Key initiatives include the Policy for Bulk Cement Terminals and rationalized rates for bulk cement movement in containers. These measures aim to increase handling capacity and lower logistics costs.
9. World Heritage Week 2025 19th to 25th November
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Objective: Awareness and Preservation: The primary goal of the week is to raise public awareness about the importance and vulnerability of monuments, archaeological sites, and cultural traditions that represent India's rich civilizational history. It encourages collective responsibility for their conservation.
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Organizing Body (India): The week is spearheaded in India by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which functions under the Ministry of Culture. The ASI is responsible for the maintenance and protection of thousands of centrally protected monuments, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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Key Activities and Public Engagement: Throughout the week, the ASI and other heritage organizations (like INTACH) organize numerous public events to deepen engagement.
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Focus on Education and Youth: A major emphasis is placed on educating the youth. Schools and colleges participate in quiz competitions, essay contests, and guided heritage tours to connect students directly with their historical and architectural legacy, nurturing future guardians of heritage.
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Alignment with UNESCO Goals: While World Heritage Day is officially celebrated globally on April 18, this week in November serves India's national commitment to the objectives of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention: to protect sites of Outstanding Universal Value and ensure that both tangible (monuments) and intangible (traditions, languages) heritage is safeguarded for posterity.
10. Bollywood’s ‘He-Man’ Dharmendra passed away
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Iconic 'He-Man' and Versatile Star: Dharmendra earned the moniker 'He-Man' due to his rugged charm, action roles, and status as one of Hindi cinema's first action stars (e.g., PhoolAurPatthar, Pratigya). However, he was equally adept in diverse roles, mastering comedy (ChupkeChupke) and intense drama (Satyakam).
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Unmatched Box Office Success: His career, spanning over six decades and over 300 films, saw him star in more commercial hits than many of his contemporaries. His filmography includes blockbusters like Sholay (1975), SeetaAurGeeta, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, and Dharam Veer, cementing his position as a perennial box-office draw.
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National Recognition and Honours: For his unparalleled contribution to Indian cinema, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan (India's third-highest civilian honour) by the Government of India in 2012. He also received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.
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Political Stint as Parliamentarian: Dharmendra ventured into politics, winning the LokSabha election in 2004 from the Bikaner constituency in Rajasthan on a BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) ticket, serving as a Member of Parliament until 2009.
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