NATIONAL NEWS

NHA and C-DAC Signed MoU

National Health Authority (NHA) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) signed an MoU to roll out e-Sushrut@Clinic in the presence of Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava.

e-Sushrut@Clinic is a lightweight, cloud-based Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) designed for outpatient clinics, especially small and medium healthcare providers.

Part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem, launched in September 2021 to create an integrated digital health infrastructure and bridge gaps among healthcare stakeholders through digital highways.

Many AIIMS hospitals already use C-DAC’s systems; e-Sushrut@Clinic is a lighter version of flagship e-Sushrut HMIS, currently in use at 17 AIIMS and over 4000 health facilities nationwide.

Healthcare providers can onboard via laptop/mobile using Health Facility Registry (HFR) and Health Professionals Registry (HPR); unregistered providers can register directly on the platform.

BANKING

BSE Launches India Defence Index Through Its Index Services

BSE Index Services, a part of the BSE stock exchange, has launched the BSE India Defence Index.

The index is designed to track the performance of stocks within the Indian defence sector.

The constituents of the new index are selected from the BSE 1000 Index.

It will be reconstituted semi-annually, in June and December.

This index can be used for passive investment strategies like ETFs and Index Funds to gauge the overall performance of the defence sector.

SBI Introduces ₹4 Lakh Collateral-Free Loan Scheme For Agniveers

State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a special personal loan scheme specifically for Agniveers.

The scheme was introduced to mark India's 79th Independence Day.

Under the scheme, Agniveers who have a salary account with SBI can get loans of up to ₹4 lakh.

These loans are offered without any collateral and with a complete waiver of processing fees.

The repayment tenure for the loan is aligned with the duration of the Agnipath scheme.

SBI is also offering a flat interest rate of 10.50% on personal loans to all Defence personnel until September 30, 2025.

ICICI Bank To Enable India’s First Barrier-Free Toll Payment System

ICICI Bank will manage the online payment services for India’s first barrier-less toll collection system.

This system is being implemented at the Choryasi Toll Plaza on the NH-48 in Gujarat.

The project is an initiative by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to modernize road infrastructure.

The system uses multi-lane free flow (MLFF) technology, which includes RFID scanners and AI-based automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to collect tolls.

The goal is to eliminate traditional toll booths and enable seamless, contactless payments without requiring vehicles to slow down.

ICICI Bank will process all digital transactions as per the mandate from NHAI, and only banks are eligible to bid for such projects.

NPCI Directs Banks And Payment Apps To Disable Unified Payments Interface

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has directed banks and payment apps to halt all peer-to-peer (P2P) Unified Payments Interface (UPI) "collect requests" from October 1 to curb frauds.

The “UPI collect” feature allows users to request money from another UPI user by sending a payment request through their UPI app.

At present, the maximum amount a UPI user can collect per transaction is ₹2,000.

The number of successful P2P credit transactions is capped at 50 a day.

While “collect request” frauds were common in the early days of UPI, these frauds have reportedly reduced dramatically after NPCI limited the value to around ₹2,000.

The move ensures that users have full control over transactions, addressing loopholes previously exploited in digital payment scams.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Telangana Awarded With Maximum Number Of Organ Donations In The Country

Telangana recorded the highest number of organ donations in India and was recognised during National Organ Donation Day in Delhi.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda presented the award to representatives of Telangana’s Jeevandan programme.

As per the Union Health Ministry, Telangana’s organ donation rate in 2024 was 4.88 per 10 lakh population, compared to the national average of 0.8 per 10 lakh population.

National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) honoured Telangana for this achievement.

Telangana adopted the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA) to ensure equitable access to organs irrespective of financial status.

Organ transplant surgeries are provided free of cost under the Aarogyasri scheme.

In 2024, 188 donors helped save the lives of 725 recipients through organ harvesting.

SPORTS

Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025

Vincent Keymer clinched the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025 title with one round to spare, becoming the first sole champion in the event’s history.

The 20-year-old secured the title after drawing with Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest, with other results confirming his victory.

This win pushed Keymer into the world’s Top 10 in live ratings for the first time.

In the Masters section, all Round 8 games ended in draws, keeping the battle for 2nd and 3rd place open.

Arjun Erigaisi and Karthikeyan Murali, who face each other in the final round, are among the contenders for the remaining podium spots.

In the Challengers section, GM Pranesh M leads with 6.5 points after defeating GM Harika Dronavalli.

GM Abhimanyu Puranik and GM Leon Luke Mendonca trail by 0.5 points, following a win and a draw respectively.

Other results included wins for GM Adhiban Baskaran and GM Aryan Chopra.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

The Rise of the Hitman – Biography of Rohit Sharma by R. Kaushik

"The Rise of the Hitman: The Rohit Sharma Story" is a book that chronicles the journey of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma from his early days to his current status as a legendary player, particularly in white-ball cricket.

This was published by Rupa Publications

Written by R.Kaushik, the book offers a warm, personal narrative covering Rohit’s triumphs and challenges, enriched with stories from teammates, coaches, and friends.

M.S. Swaminathan: The Man Who Fed India – Biography written by Priyambada Jayakumar

The book "M.S. Swaminathan: The Man Who Fed India" is written by Priyambada Jayakumar and published by HarperCollins.

Launched in New Delhi, the biography is a tribute to one of India’s greatest agricultural scientists.

The book presents a deeply human and inspiring portrait of M.S. Swaminathan, the visionary who played a pivotal role in making India self-sufficient in food during the Green Revolution.

Priyambada Jayakumar, known for her engaging storytelling style, blends meticulous research with vivid narration to bring alive Swaminathan’s life and times.

The book captures not only Swaminathan’s scientific achievements but also his humanity, values, and vision for India.