Overview

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Emerging Science & Technology Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on November 3, 2025. During the event, he launched a ₹1 lakh-crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund aimed at boosting India’s private-sector R&D ecosystem. He also announced the creation of the Anusandhan Research Foundation to strengthen academic and industrial research collaboration.

Purpose of the RDI Fund

• The RDI Fund is designed to support high-risk, high-impact research projects that face funding challenges. It will help de-risk early-stage innovation, attract private investment, and promote commercialisation of indigenous technologies. The initiative focuses on bridging the gap between lab research and market deployment, with special attention to deep-tech, hardware, and frontier science sectors.

Overview

• During Uttarakhand’s silver jubilee celebrations, President Droupadi Murmu addressed a special session of the State Legislative Assembly in Dehradun on November 3, 2025. She commended the state’s progress in human development, women’s empowerment, and transparent governance over the past 25 years.

Overview

“Popcorn brain” is a modern term describing the brain’s overstimulation from constant digital engagement—short videos, notifications, and endless scrolling. This leads to a restless mind, reduced attention span, and impatience with slower activities like reading or conversation.

Meaning of ‘Popcorn Brain’

• The term compares the brain to popcorn kernels—constantly “popping” with new digital stimuli instead of engaging in deep, sustained thought.

• Offline, this causes agitation, distraction, and the compulsive urge to check screens.

• Over time, calm moments feel uncomfortable, and the need for stimulation increases.

Overview

Indonesian tennis player Janice Tjen created history by winning the WTA 250 Chennai Open 2025, securing her maiden WTA Tour title. The 23-year-old became the first Indonesian woman in 23 years to win a WTA event, marking a major milestone for Indonesian tennis.

In a significant diplomatic move, the Taliban government of Afghanistan is preparing to appoint its first official representative in India since taking power in August 2021. The decision signals a gradual thaw in India-Afghanistan relations and a cautious step toward renewed engagement, following the visit of Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi in October 2025.