1 President Draupadi Murmu presented the National Handicrafts and Shilp Guru Awards for 2023 and 2024
President Draupadi Murmu presented the National Handicrafts Awards and Shilp Guru Awards in New Delhi . A total of 48 awards were presented, including: 12 Shilp Guru Awards 36 National Awards , including 2 Design and Innovation Awards (Artisan-Designer Collaboration) Established in 1965, the National Handicrafts Awards honour exceptional craftspeople who have enriched India’s cultural heritage through outstanding artistic excellence. Shilp Guru Awards : Initiated in 2002, the Shilp Guru Awards are the highest national honours in the handicraft sector, recognizing exceptional skill and innovation. National Handicrafts Week : Celebrated every year from December 8 to 14, the week hosts exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, talks, outreach, and cultural events to celebrate India’s craftspeople and their craft traditions.
2 Satya Nadella bets big on AI future, Microsoft to invest ₹1.5 lakh crore in India
Microsoft Corporation is set to make a major investment of $17.5 billion (approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore) to support the development of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, skills development, and sovereign capabilities in India . The company’s Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella , met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. After the meeting, he wrote on the social media platform ‘X’ that Microsoft is investing $17.5 billion to support India’s AI ambitions. This will be the company’s largest investment in Asia to date. According to Nadella, this investment will strengthen the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for an AI-driven future. Previously, US tech giant Microsoft announced in January that it would invest $3 billion in cloud and AI infrastructure in India over the next two years.
3 India begins countdown to WHO’s 2nd Global Summit on Traditional Medicine
India has officially begun the countdown to the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine . The conference will be held on 17–19 December 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi . It will be jointly organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of AYUSH. This event reaffirms India’s global leadership role in traditional health systems, following the successful first conference held in Gujarat in 2023. The theme of the 2025 conference is: “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practices of Health and Well-Being.”
4 Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil launched ‘Jal Shakti Hackathon-2025’ and Bharat-Win portal
Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil launched the ‘ Jal Shakti Hackathon-2025 ‘ and Bharat-Win portal in New Delhi . During the launch, he described the hackathon as a national movement that will harness the country’s collective talent to build a secure, inclusive and technology-driven water future. The Jal Shakti Ministry said in a statement that the hackathon aims to promote innovation in the water sector. The Bharat-Win portal seeks to promote practical, scalable and field-ready solutions to grassroots water challenges.
5 Anant Ambani receives Global Humanitarian Award, becoming the youngest and first Asian winner
The Global Humane Society has honored Anant Ambani, founder of the Vantara Conservation Center , with the prestigious Global Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare for his exceptional contributions to wildlife conservation . With this honor, Anant Ambani became the youngest and first Asian to receive this global recognition. The award was presented during an international event attended by wildlife conservation experts and animal welfare leaders from around the world. The award recognizes individuals whose lifelong commitment has made a positive impact on animals and nature globally. Anant Ambani was honored for his scientific approach and evidence-based conservation work, including large-scale animal rescue and rehabilitation, conservation of endangered species, science-based conservation programs, and efforts to protect global biodiversity. His initiative, Vantara, is considered one of the most comprehensive and impactful conservation projects in the world.
On the second day of the Rising Global Summit in Telangana , three thousand drones formed the world’s longest aerial sentence . This sentence was – Telangana is rising , come join it . After Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy released the relevant document at the event, lights flashed in the sky, displaying the state’s development roadmap until 2047. Officials from the Guinness Book of World Records handed over the certificate of the new record to the Chief Minister. Speaking at the event, NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Suman Bery said that according to the World Bank, Telangana has already achieved the status of an upper-middle income economy. She said that NITI Aayog has played a key role in this.
7 Tata Group signs agreement with Intel to manufacture semiconductors
In a landmark achievement for India’s semiconductor sector, Tata Electronics and Intel Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly explore chip manufacturing and packaging collaborations in India . The MoU focuses on manufacturing and packaging Intel’s semiconductor products for India using Tata’s new facilities being built in Dholera, Gujarat, and Guwahati, Assam . This partnership will be crucial in accelerating India’s semiconductor value chain and strengthening India’s role in the global chip supply network—especially at a time when the chip market is rapidly changing due to geopolitical shifts and the growing demand for AI-based computing.
8 Indian and Nepal Armies conduct two-day battalion-level validation exercise as part of Exercise Suryakiran
The Indian and Nepali armies conducted a two-day battalion-level validation exercise as part of the 19th edition of Exercise Suryakiran in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand . The exercise highlighted seamless interoperability, coordinated action planning, and execution of joint tactical operations in a counter-terrorism environment. During the exercise, several critical technologies were integrated, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and precision targeting drones, advanced day-night weapons, and AI-enabled surveillance feeds.
9 India-Indonesia joint special forces exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ underway in Himachal Pradesh
The 10th edition of the India-Indonesia joint special forces exercise ‘ Garuda Shakti ‘ is underway at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The exercise will run from 3 to 12 December 2025. Giving information on the social media platform X on Monday, the Indian Army said that the 10th edition of the India-Indonesia joint special forces exercise Garuda Shakti is underway at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh. The aim of this exercise is to enhance inter-operability and facilitate exchange of best practices in planning and executing counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous terrain.
Deloitte India on Tuesday (December 9) launched Tax Pragya , an artificial intelligence (AI) powered platform . Its goal is to significantly reduce the time tax experts spend analyzing legal decisions and judgments and provide them with fast, contextualized, and reliable insights. Amid increasingly complex tax policies and litigation, the platform is expected to transform the way tax research is conducted. Currently, tax analysts spend many hours understanding court decisions and legal interpretations. Tax Pragya will significantly reduce this time and help professionals:
11 3-year-old boy becomes world’s youngest FIDE-ranked player
India recorded another historic achievement in the global chess arena in December 2025 when 3-year-old Sarvagya Singh Kushwaha from Madhya Pradesh became the world’s youngest officially rated chess player . At just 3 years, 7 months, and 20 days old, Sarvagya achieved a FIDE Rapid Rating of 1572 —well above the 1400 points required for official recognition. This achievement is not only a testament to his talent but also a sign of India’s growing chess prowess. FIDE (International Chess Federation) is the global governing body of chess, overseeing official tournaments, rankings, and rules. This rating further forms the basis for prestigious titles such as FIDE Master (FM), International Master (IM), and Grandmaster (GM).
12 The 33rd Southeast Asian Games begin in Thailand
The 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) kicks off with the opening ceremony at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok and Chonburi Province , Thailand , in 2025. Thailand is hosting more than 13,000 athletes from 11 Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Brunei Darussalam, and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste . Athletes will compete in 50 medal sports, ranging from Olympic sports to traditional regional games.
The International Day for the Remembrance and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide is observed every year on December 9. It is a solemn occasion to remember the horrors of genocide, honor the victims, and reaffirm global resolve to prevent such crimes. The year 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of this day, providing an opportunity to review progress over the past decade and discuss new challenges.