India clinched the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-19 Championship 2025, beating Bangladesh 4-3 in a penalty shootout in the final at the Yupia Outdoor Stadium in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, this evening. The home team defeated the reigning champions after a 1-1 equaliser, which led to the penalty shootout. India’s Shami Singamayum successfully netted the decisive penalty, helping the home side to lift the title. The nail-biting final saw electrifying support from the home crowd.

India emerged as the favourites in the tournament with dominant wins over Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives in the semifinals before making it to the finals.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the first-ever Khelo India Beach Games at Ghoghla Beach in the Union territory of Diu. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mandaviya said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several steps have been taken to promote sports in the country.

More than 1000 athletes from across the country will compete in six medal events and two demonstration sports over the next six days. This is the first time the Beach Games are being held under the ever-expanding Khelo India umbrella. The medal events include beach soccer, beach volleyball, beach kabaddi, beach sepak takraw, pencak silat, and open water swimming. Two traditional demonstration sports – mallakhamb and tug-of-war will also be staged during the games. Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse, administrator of the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Praful Patel, along with several top sportspersons, graced the opening ceremony, which showcased rich culture of the region, including Gujarat’s folk dance Garba. The games will culminate on Saturday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will begin his six-day visit of the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany beginning today, 19 May. Jaishankar is expected to highlight Pakistan's relentless support to cross-border terrorism during his visit to the European nations.

This is Jaishankar's first foreign visit after the four-day-long military confrontation between Indian and Pakistani armed forces in the aftermath of 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

"External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay an official visit to the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany from May 19 to 24," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on 18 April.

The National Cadet Corps (NCC) has reached a significant milestone as its expedition team successfully scaled Mount Everest (8,848m) on Sunday.

According to a release from the Ministry of Defence, the team comprised 10 NCC cadets (five boys and five girls), four Officers, two Junior Commissioned Officers, one Girl Cadet Instructor, and 10 Non-Commissioned Officers.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the expedition from New Delhi on April 3, 2025.

The cadets selected were novices from across the country. They underwent a strict selection and training process. As part of their preparation, they conducted a pre-Everest Expedition at Mt Abi Gamin. The final team of 15 cadets was then selected to undergo winter and technical training at the Army Mountaineering Institute, Siachen Base Camp. After months of training, ten cadets were selected for the Mount Everest Expedition.

Union Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh today launched an e-book of the electronic Civil List, 2025- a digital compendium of serving Indian Administrative Service officers across the country. Unveiling the e-book, Dr. Singh said that the Indian Administrative Service continues to attract some of the finest minds in the country and plays a vital role in strengthening India’s federal governance. He highlighted the Civil List as an important tool for transparency, offering a structured view of the country’s administrative leadership.

The Minister proposed artificial intelligence (AI) based search options into the e-Civil List. He also stressed the importance of regularly updating the digital list to maintain its relevance and utility.The launch marks the 70th edition of the Civil List and the fifth to be presented in a fully digital format.

The e-book contains comprehensive details of IAS officers-including their name, batch, cadre, present posting, pay level, educational qualifications, and retirement dates as updated on January 1 this year. It also provides cadre-wise strength, the number of officers retiring over the next five years, and appointment data from 1969 onwards.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various people-centric projects worth 708 crore rupees in Gandhinagar today. These include the projects of Gandhianagar Municipal Corporation, Gandhinagar Urban Development Authority (GUDA) and Gandhinagar district administration. Tomorrow, Mr Shah will attend several programmes in Ahmedabad and Mahesana.

Akashvani’s Correspondent reports that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate a series of key infrastructure and public service projects in his Loksabha Constituency today. These include the inauguration of the newly constructed Primary Health Centre at Vavol, the underbridge connecting the newly developed Sectors 21 and 22 of the capital city, the inauguration of a Primary Health Centre in Pethapur and the newly developed Kolvada Lake, near the ONGC Well in Kolwada.

In the evening, Mr Shah will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several developmental projects of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation and the Department of Posts. During the programme, the Home Minister will distribute the benefits of various postal schemes to the beneficiaries and address the public rally.

Union Minister of Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh will lay the foundation stone for the Integrated Aquapark situated in Kailashahar, Tripura tomorrow. The Minister will also inaugurate a one-day Fish Festival in Agartala.

This Integrated Aquapark is being set up with an investment worth 42.4 crore rupees under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). These aquaparks are conceptualized as integrated hubs that offer services ranging from hatcheries and feed mills to cold storage, processing, training, and marketing, all under one roof. The event will also be attended by Minister of State Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying George Kurian.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, in a statement, informed that on this occasion, certificates and sanction orders will be distributed to various beneficiaries in the fisheries sector, which entails the disbursement of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to eligible fishers and fish farmers. The Ministry added that the best-performing cooperatives, Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs), and fisheries start-ups will also be recognized for their contributions to the sector.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade on Saturday (May 17, 2025) said it has inked a pact with Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) to support early-stage climate-tech startups through funding access, and mentorship.

As part of the MoU, GEAPP will launch the Energy Transitions Innovation Challenge (ENTICE), a competitive platform offering up to $500,000 in rewards for high-impact solutions, it said.

Investment support will also be facilitated through partners like Spectrum Impact and Avana Capital, it added.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Shri Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled the ‘Sagar Mein Samman’ (SMS), a policy initiative of the Government of India to create a future ready gender equitable maritime workforce with the ultimate aim to increase participation of women in the maritime sector. The initiative was launched at the inaugural International Day for Women in Maritime celebrations in Mumbai today, with a clear message of inclusivity, transformation and sustainability of the maritime sector.

The SMS policy aims to build a future where women’s participation is integral to all maritime operations; i.e., from the docks to decision making boards. In order to bridge the gender gap in both seafaring and shore based roles, this policy provides a structured road map for enhanced participation by women while addressing safety, leadership and retention of women in the Indian maritime sector. This programme is also aligned with Government’s DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) objective. Major scope of the policy would entail planning & strategy, training & development, research & development, governance & compliance, communications, and community outreach. It aims to secure objectives like empowerment & leadership, inclusivity & equal opportunity, safety & well-being, and skill development & training for women in maritime sector.

As the Chief Guest at the event, Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal underscored the importance of empowering women to drive growth and resilience across the maritime ecosystem. Sonowal also interacted with a group of almost 100 women seafarers at the event.