The Ministry of Culture is implementing a financial grant Scheme by the name of ‘Scholarships to Young Artists in Different Cultural Fields (SYA)’ to support young artists specialising in various cultural fields such as classical dance forms, indigenous artwork and other traditional art-forms for undergoing advanced training in their respective fields.
Under this scheme component, a Scholarship of Rs. 5,000/- per month is provided upto a maximum of 400 Scholars for a period of 02 years in four equal six-monthly instalments. The selected scholars should be in the age group of 18 years to 25 years and have been undergoing training under any Guru or Institution for a minimum of 5 years.
The Scholars are selected on the basis of their performance in a personal interview / interaction before an Expert Committee constituted by the Ministry.
The State-wise details regarding the total number of beneficiaries selected across the country, including the State of West Bengal,
under the ‘Scheme of Scholarship to Young Artists in Different Cultural Fields’ during the last five years are given at Annexure-I.
Ministry of Culture is administering, inter-alia, a Central Sector Scheme by the name of ‘Scheme of Scholarship and Fellowship for Promotion of Art and Culture’ of which,
‘Scholarships to Young Artists in different Cultural Fields’ is one of the component. Funds are allocated for the said ‘Scheme of Scholarship and Fellowship for Promotion of Art and Culture’ having no separate state/component wise allocation of funds.
SBI launched a dedicated collateral-free low-interest rate loan offering for women entrepreneurs. The country's largest lender launched the product christened 'Asmita' on the eve of the International Women's Day, under which it aims to offer low-interest rate funding alternatives to women.
The launch comes within days of Transunion Cibil flagging a low preference for business borrowing by women, who tend to prefer borrowing for consumption purposes.
As per the leading credit information company, only 3 percent of the borrowings by women were for business purposes while a major 42 percent was for personal finance products like personal loans,
consumer durable loans, home ownership and 38 per cent against gold.
The state-run bank also launched the 'Nari Shakti' platinum debit card powered by RuPay, which is designed exclusively for women.
The bank's chairman CS Setty said the newly launched product will provide faster and easier finance to women-led MSME units through a digital and self-initiated process.
Bank of Baroda has launched a specialised savings account for women NRIs, becoming the first Indian public sector bank to offer such a product. The BoB Global Women NRE & NRO Savings Account provides benefits including concessional rates on home and auto loans, reduced processing fees, full waivers on locker rent, and,
a customised debit card with complimentary airport lounge access. The account also comes with free personal and air accident insurance coverage.
In addition to the women-centric offering, the bank has upgraded its bob Premium NRE & NRO Savings Account. The enhanced account features a debit card with higher transaction limits, free airport lounge access,
free safe deposit locker, and concessional loan rates.
Founded in 1908, Bank of Baroda operates in 17 countries and serves around 165 million customers. The new offerings are part of the bank’s strategy to strengthen its position in the global NRI banking segment.
The Union government appointed justice Joymalya Bagchi as a judge of the Supreme Court, following the recommendation made by the Supreme Court collegium.
With this elevation, justice Bagchi is set to become the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in May 2031, albeit for a little over four months, before retiring on October 2, 2031.
His appointment fills one of the two vacancies in the Supreme Court, which has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges.
The Supreme Court collegium, comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and justices Bhushan R Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka and Vikram Nath, had recommended Justice Bagchi’s appointment on March 6.
Justice Bagchi was appointed as a judge of the Calcutta high court in June 2011. In January 2021, he was transferred to the Andhra Pradesh high court, before being repatriated to the Calcutta high court in November 2021. Over his 13-year tenure as a high court judge, he has gained extensive experience across diverse fields of law.
Veteran Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former Minister Ananta Das passed away in Bhubaneshwar. He was 85. Das represented the Bhograi constituency of Balasore district in the Odisha Assembly by winning the seat for four times consecutively between 2004 and 2019 on a BJD ticket.
Das also held several ministerial portfolios, including higher education and industries departments, between 2017 and 2019.
He was also the chief whip in the Odisha Assembly from 2014 to 2017.
The Centre declared the Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh as the country’s 58th tiger reserve on March 9, 2025, with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav making the announcement. The newly added national park was also the ninth from the State to get the recognition.
Located in the Shivpuri district in Chambal region, the reserve has five tigers at present, including the two cubs born recently. Two more tigers could be released into the reserve by Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav soon.
Three tigers, including two females, were introduced to the Madhav National Park in 2023 as part of the tiger reintroduction project in the State.
India clinched a thrilling four-wicket win over New Zealand in the final of Champions Trophy 2025 to clinch the marquee ICC event for a record-breaking third time. Chasing 252 against the Blackcaps, India reached home in 49 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India were the joint-winners of Champions Trophy in 2002 before clinching the title again in 2013.
All of India’s matches were played in Dubai after the Indian government refused permission for its team to visit official host Pakistan on security grounds.
India went through the entire tournament unbeaten after wins against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in the group phase, and then Australia in the semifinal.
Captain Rohit Sharma was Player of the Match in the Final, thanks to his 76 off 83 balls that drove India towards triumph. New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has been named player of the tournament of ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited (“Canara HSBC Life Insurance”) has announced a strategic partnership with GIC Housing Finance Limited (“GICHF”) to provide credit life insurance solutions to home loan borrowers. This collaboration aims to ensure financial security for borrowers and their families by offering protection against loan liabilities,
in case of unforeseen circumstances.
As part of this partnership, Canara HSBC Life Insurance will introduce its ‘Group Asset Secure’ plan—a specialised credit life insurance product—through GIC Housing Finance’s extensive customer network. This initiative aligns with the broader vision of promoting homeownership while mitigating financial risks for borrowers.
Mr. Sachindra Salvi, Managing Director & CEO- GIC Housing Finance Limited
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the reappointment of Sumant Kathpalia as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of IndusInd Bank for another year. The extension will be effective from March 24, 2025, to March 23, 2026.
This decision marks the second consecutive instance where the RBI granted shorter tenure than the three-year term sought by the bank’s Board.
IndusInd Bank had initially proposed a three-year extension for Kathpalia; however, the RBI has once again opted for a limited tenure, similar to his previous reappointment in 2023, which was also curtailed to two years instead three.
The regulatory approval remains subject to shareholder consent.
Kathpalia, a seasoned banker with over 37 years of experience, has been a key figure in IndusInd Bank’s transformation. Before joining the bank 17 years ago, he held leadership positions at major multinational financial institutions, including Citibank, Bank of America, and ABN AMRO.
His tenure as MD & CEO since March 24, 2020.
The representation of women in the judiciary is significant for many reasons. In addition to ensuring that the legal system is developed with all of society in mind, it also inspires the next generation of female judges and motivates them to achieve their goals.
While equality in the judiciary has been historically uneven, steps are being taken to remedy this as evidenced by the declaration by the United Nations General Assembly of 10 March as the International Day of Women Judges. The General Assembly resolution, drafted by the State of Qatar, is tangible proof of an positive shift.
Rohit Sharma, became the second-most successful Indian captain by clinching his second ICC title. Under Rohit’s captaincy, India lifted their second ICC silverware in less than nine months after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup against South Africa in Bridgetown.
Rohit has joined the list with two ICC titles in less than a year’s gap to finish ahead of legendary cricketers Sourav Ganguly (2002 Champions Trophy) and Kapil Dev (1983 ODI World Cup). India also became the first country to win the Champions Trophy for a record third time in the eight-team tournament’s history.
Rohit became the first captain in international cricket to lead his team in the final of all four major ICC events. The Rohit Sharma-led India won the 2024 T20 World Cup last year to end a more-than-decade-long ICC title drought stretching to the Champions Trophy win under MS Dhoni’s leadership in 2013.
India will field 145 athletes in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025, set to take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi from March 11. The event, which will continue till the 13th of March, will witness the participation of another 105 para-athletes from 19 countries. Several international teams, including those from Saudi Arabia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, have already arrived in the National Capital and begun training, with more nations expected to join soon.
The UAE enters the competition with strong momentum, having secured 21 medals at the recently concluded Fazza Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025 in Dubai.
Kazakhstan, a powerhouse in the 2022 Asian Para Games with 41 medals, including eight golds, will also aim for a dominant performance. The three-day event will feature over 90 competitions, bringing together top para-athletes from across the globe. The Grand Prix is expected to be a crucial preparatory event ahead of major international championships to be held later this
including the World Para Athletics Championships.
