Eminent economist Sachin Chaturvedi, who took charge as the Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University in Bihar on Wednesday (May 21, 2025), told The Hindu that the university expects enrolment of about 900 students in the new academic session. The university is in a “take-off mode”, Prof. Chaturvedi said, noting that 99% of the construction work has been completed.

Prof. Chaturvedi said the university, which functions under the External Affairs Ministry, is working to expand international connections by drawing students and faculty from across the globe. “Nalanda will give the message of peace and promote more rigorous research to connect Indian philosophy with the contemporary world,” he said, adding that the institution will bring together researchers, policy-makers and those in the diplomatic community.

In India, Commonwealth Day 2025 will be observed on May 24. This is different from most Commonwealth countries that celebrate it on March 10, 2025. The date in India marks the birth anniversary of Queen Victoria. She was born on May 24, 1819. This shows India’s historical link to the British Empire.

Commonwealth Day 2025 will be celebrated on May 24 in India. The day brings together 56 member countries of the Commonwealth. They come together to celebrate shared values, history, and cooperation. This year, the events will focus on unity, diversity, and sustainable development.

The official theme for Commonwealth Day 2025 is “Together We Thrive.” It highlights unity, resilience, and shared progress. The theme celebrates the collective spirit of the 56 Commonwealth nations. It also shows the power of cooperation among people across the world.

Algeria handed over the accession document to the New Development Bank (NDB), officially finalising the procedure of joining the BRICS financial institution. This was announced by NDB President Dilma Rousseff.

She noted that Algeria is a country rich in natural resources, with a dynamic economy and a strategic geographical location. Rousseff added that the NDB seeks to become a reliable partner of Algeria in the implementation of projects in the field of sustainable development. Her words were quoted on the financial organisation's website.

To mark the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2025, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in collaboration with National Biodiversity Authority (NAB), Rajasthan Forest Department and the Rajasthan State Biodiversity Board, organised a National-Level celebration today at Udaipur, Rajasthan. The theme for IDB 2025 is ‘Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development’.

With this event, Shri Tanmay Kumar, Secretary (MoEFCC), also presided over the start of the fortnight-long campaign in the run-up to World Environment Day 2025, on the theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’. An exhibition on Biodiversity and Bioresources was inaugurated by Shri Tanmay Kumar, in the presence of Shri C. Achalender Reddy, Chairperson (NBA), Shri Sushil Kumar Awasthi, DG (Forest) and Special Secretary (MoEFCC), alongwith Shri Amandeep Garg, Additional Secretary, MoEFCC and other senior officials from the Government of Rajasthan.

Twelve State Biodiversity Boards, Forest Department of Rajasthan and NGOs exhibited indigenous biodiversity products, medicinal plants, different crop varieties, conservation measures on biodiversity and sustainable use of the same. Biodiversity Management Committee members from different States exhibited their products and interacted with the dignitaries. About 350 participants witnessed the event, comprising of State government officials, serving and retired senior forest officers, line departments, institutions, subject experts, Rajasthan state BMC members, college students, NGOs, CBOs etc.

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5th June, serves as the principal platform of the United Nations for encouraging global awareness and action for environmental protection. The Mission LiFE theme: ‘Say No to Single Use Plastic’, reinforces the message of this year’s WED celebrations.

The Key thrust areas of the Campaign:

Awareness and Advocacy regarding Plastic pollution
Reduced Use and Generation of Plastic waste including Single Use Plastic
Manage Plastic Waste including Single Use Plastic through Segregation, Collection, Disposal and Recycling of Plastic waste.
Promoting development of sustainable alternatives to single use plastic.
Campaign Activities and Engagement

This campaign, leading up to World Environment Day 2025, is focused on creating awareness about the hazards of plastic pollution and promoting the adoption of eco-friendly alternatives. The aim is to nudge people towards more eco-friendly lifestyles through community education, behaviour change initiatives, and innovation in sustainable materials.

The government today announced a four percent reservation in the allotment of central government housing to persons with disabilities, marking a substantial move towards equity, dignity, and accessibility in public services. The landmark step was taken by Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal in a move towards inclusive development . The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, in a statement, informed that it issued an office memorandum to ensure fair access to central government residential accommodations for persons with disabilities. It added that the initiative reflects the government’s dedication to the empowerment of every citizen and also strengthens the foundation of an inclusive and accessible India.

A total of 750 pilgrims have been selected through a computerised draw to take part in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Tibet, which is set to resume this year after a five-year suspension. The yatra’s revival comes as India and China make cautious efforts to normalise relations following a prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The pilgrimage, which will run from June to August, is organised annually by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region. It had been suspended since 2020—first due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and later due to rising tensions and a military face-off in eastern Ladakh.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh conducted the computerised draw on Wednesday, selecting 750 participants from a pool of 5,561 applicants—4,024 men and 1,537 women—who had registered online.

Seventeen-year-old Indian shooter Kanak Budhwar won gold in the 10 metre air pistol at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. A junior World Championship silver medallist, Kanak scored 239.0 to top the eight-women final. She got the better of Moldova’s Anna Dulce, the reigning European champion, by 1.7 points.

Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yen-Ching was third. “I did not know Anna Dulce is a two-time Olympian and have never shot with a mindset of competing against anybody. It’s a battle with myself and I am glad I could give my best in the final,” Kanak said.

Kanak had to opt for pistol shooting over rifle because she was underweight for her age but the choice has worked out well. Five years ago, Kanak’s father Sudhir Singh Budhawar wanted to enrol her at Sandeep Nehra’s Abhinandan Shooting Academy in Rohtak. But her weight was just 32 kilograms. “Because of her weight, asking her to take up rifle shooting was not an option. I told her father that once she puts on some weight she can start pistol training. The good thing was her body posture was right. To win the junior World Cup gold today, edging out a two-time Olympian, will boost Kanak’s confidence. She can start her Olympic dream too,” Nehra said.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday chaired a meeting to advance the rollout of electric buses under the PM e-Drive Scheme. The initiative is set to transform urban transit in key cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Surat.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries announced that approximately 4,500 electric buses will be allocated to Bengaluru, 2,000 to Hyderabad, 2,800 to Delhi, 1,000 to Ahmedabad, and 600 to Surat in the current phase of the scheme. This ambitious deployment underscores India’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and modernizing its public transport infrastructure.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Kumaraswamy emphasized the transformative impact of the initiative. “Thanks to the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is taking bold strides toward sustainable urban mobility,” he said. “From Bengaluru to Delhi, cities are actively embracing electric buses to make public transport cleaner, smarter, and more efficient.”

In a major step for India’s scientific advancement, Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Polar Bhavan and Sagar Bhavan at the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Goa. Costing 55 crore rupees, these state-of-the-art centres include world-class ice core labs and are among the first globally. The Minister emphasised their strategic role in climate science and ocean geopolitics, highlighting India’s leadership in the Blue Economy and Deep Ocean Mission. He reaffirmed India’s responsibility as a global guardian of polar regions. Citing the vision for a developed India by 2047, Mr. Singh called the launch a milestone toward global scientific and geopolitical prominence.