Daily GK Update- 19th Sept, 2025

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. DoP and BSNL Sign MoU to Expand SIM Sales & Mobile Recharge Services via 1.65 Lakh Post Offices: Department of Posts (DoP) and BSNL signed an MoU in New Delhi to expand BSNL’s mobile connectivity reach across India.Over 1.65 lakh Post Offices will act as Points of Sale (PoS) for BSNL SIM cards and mobile recharge services, enhancing access in urban and rural areas.BSNL will provide SIM stock and training, while DoP will onboard customers and handle transactions, with the agreement effective for one year and renewable later.

 

2. ECI Revises Guidelines to Enhance Readability of EVM Ballot Papers with Colour Photos and Uniform Fonts: The Election Commission revised guidelines under Rule 49B of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, to improve the design and readability of EVM Ballot Papers.Candidate photographs will now be printed in colour, with the face occupying three-fourths of the photo space for better visibility.Serial numbers of candidates/NOTA will be in international Indian numerals, printed in bold with font size 30 for clarity.Names of candidates/NOTA will appear in uniform font type and size, ensuring easy readability across all ballot papers.

 

3. Sudhanshu Vats Appointed Chairman of Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI): Sudhanshu Vats, Managing Director of Pidilite Industries Ltd, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).S Subramanyeswar of MullenLowe Global was named vice chairman, and Paritosh Joshi, Principal at Provocateur Advisory, was appointed honorary treasurer.ASCI’s role is to ensure advertising is executed with integrity, respects the community, and keeps consumer interests front and centre, while promoting responsible creativity in the industry.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Seven natural sites from India added to UNESCO’s tentative World Heritage list: Seven natural heritage sites in India — including the Deccan Traps (Maharashtra), Meghalaya’s cave systems, Varkala Cliffs (Kerala), St Mary’s Island (Karnataka), Naga Hill Ophiolite (Nagaland), Erra Matti Dibbalu & Tirumala Hills (Andhra Pradesh) — have been added to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.With these additions, India now has a total of 69 sites on the Tentative List, comprising 49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3 mixed heritage properties.Being on the tentative list is a prerequisite for nomination to the final UNESCO World Heritage List.The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), as the nodal agency for the World Heritage Convention, prepared and submitted the nominations.

 

2. 18 September – International Equal Pay Day: International Equal Pay Day is observed every year on 18 September, highlighting the ongoing issue of gender pay gaps and advocating for equal pay for equal work globally.The day raises awareness about wage disparities between men and women, aiming to encourage governments, organisations, and society to take corrective measures.Equal Pay initiatives have been promoted since the 1960s, but pay inequality persists across countries, industries, and job levels, making this day a reminder of unfinished work.

 

3. 19 September – International Talk Like a Pirate Day: Observed annually on 19 September, International Talk Like a Pirate Day encourages people to have fun by speaking in pirate-style language and embracing playful pirate culture.The day was created in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers in the United States as a humorous holiday and has since gained global popularity.Participants often dress like pirates, use pirate slang, and engage in themed games or events, both online and offline, to celebrate the quirky holiday.The day promotes lighthearted engagement and social interaction, making it a fun way to connect with friends, colleagues, and communities worldwide.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Defence Service of Engineers celebrates its 76th Raising Day at Delhi Cantt: The Indian Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE) celebrated its 76th Raising Day on September 17, 2025, at Manekshaw Centre, Delhi Cantt, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh as the Chief Guest.

IDSE was formally established on September 17, 1949, marking a significant milestone in India’s defence engineering landscape.IDSE officers are responsible for constructing and maintaining defence infrastructure, including married accommodations, technical and administrative buildings, airfields, hangars, naval jetties, hospitals, and specialised facilities for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and DRDO.

 

SPORTS

 

1. Rajat Patidar leads Central Zone to Duleep Trophy title after 11 years: Central Zone won the Duleep Trophy 2025 after 11 years by defeating South Zone by six wickets in Bengaluru. They chased a modest target of 65 runs on a tricky fifth-day pitch.South Zone fought hard with a strong 426-run second innings, but could not stop Central. This was Central Zone’s seventh Duleep Trophy title.The 2025–26 Duleep Trophy was the 62nd edition of India’s domestic first-class cricket tournament. The tournament was held from 28 August to 15 September 2025.

 

2. Marium Fatima becomes Bihar’s first Woman FIDE Master: Marium Fatima of Muzaffarpur has made history by becoming Bihar’s first-ever female FIDE Master in chess.She achieved this milestone at the recently concluded Commonwealth Chess Championship, where she surpassed the 2000 FIDE rating mark required for the prestigious title.This achievement is a significant moment in the 40-year sporting history of her district, as she is the first player to secure such a major international distinction. Mariumm has a consistent record of excellence, having previously won several key tournaments.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. MeitY Unveils India-AI Impact Summit 2026 with Key Initiatives to Position India as Global AI Hub: MeitY unveiled the logo and key initiatives for the summit, set to position India as a global hub for responsible and inclusive AI, to be held on February 19-20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.The logo, inspired by the Ashoka Chakra, symbolises ethical governance, justice, and India’s constitutional values, with neural network flares representing AI’s potential to bridge linguistic, industrial, and geographical divides.570 AI Data Labs are planned nationwide to train students and professionals, with 30 labs launched in phase one, including partnerships with NIELIT and Intel. The IndiaAI Fellowship Program now supports 13,500 scholars across undergraduates, postgraduates, and PhD researchers in multiple disciplines.Eight projects under IndiaAI Foundation Models aim to develop multilingual and domain-specific AI models for sectors like agriculture, healthcare, governance, science, and industry, including India’s first large reasoning model and specialized AI Avatars for Indian languages.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Karnataka Grameena Bank Partners with Fyno to Centralize Customer Communication and Boost Efficiency: Karnataka Grameena Bank (KGB) partnered with Fyno’s intelligent communications hub to centralize its customer communication system, ensuring full compliance with RBI, TRAI, and DPDP norms.The collaboration enables near 100% message deliverability by streamlining telecom integration within 24 hours and using smart channel routing with dynamic failover.Fyno’s centralized dashboard provides real-time insights on vendor performance, message analytics, and compliance, while also enabling future expansion to WhatsApp, RCS, push, email, and in-app messaging.

 

2. DBS Bank India becomes the first wholly-owned subsidiary authorised by RBI to collect GST payments: DBS Bank India has become the first and only wholly-owned subsidiary in India to be authorised as an Agency Bank for collecting Goods and Services Tax (GST) payments.Through its digital banking platform DBS IDEAL, customers can make instant GST payments with real-time updates, acknowledgements, and downloadable records, along with options for NEFT/RTGS and branch payments.The platform helps enterprises overcome challenges like manual uploads, fragmented approvals, and time-consuming reconciliations, ensuring a more secure, efficient, and transparent GST payment process.

 

3. Godrej Finance and Muthoot FinCorp partner to boost MSME secured lending in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities: Godrej Finance Limited (GFL) and Muthoot FinCorp have partnered to expand MSME secured lending in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, focusing on providing timely credit access.The collaboration will primarily offer Loan Against Property (LAP) ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹75 lakh, with an average ticket size of ₹15 lakh, catering to MSMEs across India.The partnership plans to extend into gold loans and housing loans, further strengthening financial support for businesses and households.Under RBI’s co-lending framework, Godrej Finance assumes 80% credit risk, while Muthoot FinCorp handles 20%, including underwriting, collections, and customer management, supported by seamless digital integration for faster approvals and compliance.