Current Affairs - Persons

Union Minister Annpurna Devi inaugurated SheLeads II, a two-day workshop organised by the UN Women India Country Office in New Delhi. SheLeads is the flagship capacity-building programme of UN Women, designed to enhance gender equality in political and public leadership. The initiative focuses on equipping women with essential leadership skills, strong networks, and the confidence to assume leadership positions. By inaugurating this event, Annpurna Devi reinforced the government’s support for women’s empowerment, aiming to strengthen female representation and leadership across various sectors in India’s political and public life.

Kabak Yano, a celebrated mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh, successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 5,895 meters, as part of her Seven Summits mission. This achievement adds to her impressive record, which already includes conquering Mount Everest. Yano’s feat highlights the spirit of adventure and determination prevalent in India’s North East, while also advancing the cause of women’s representation in extreme sports. Governor KT Parnaik, who flagged off her expedition, praised her perseverance and courage. Her journey continues as she aims to climb the remaining peaks in the prestigious Seven Summits challenge across all continents.

Divya Deshmukh made history by winning the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025, defeating veteran Koneru Humpy in the final held in Batumi, Georgia. At just 19 years old, Divya showed exceptional maturity and composure, especially in the rapid tiebreaks, where she capitalised on a key endgame error by Humpy. This victory not only earned her the prestigious World Cup title but also granted her the Grandmaster title, making her the fourth Indian woman to achieve this feat. Her win marks a generational shift in Indian women’s chess and symbolises the rise of young talent on the global stage.

Joe Root has emerged as the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket history with a remarkable tally of 13,409 runs. This puts him ahead of legendary cricketers such as Rahul Dravid (13,288), Jacques Kallis (13,289), and Ricky Ponting (13,378). The only player ahead of Root is India’s Sachin Tendulkar, who leads with an unmatched 15,921 Test runs. Root’s achievement underscores his consistency and excellence in the longest format of the game and cements his place among the greats of cricket.

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet Inc., has reached a net worth of $1.1 billion, marking his entry into the billionaire club. His financial rise is attributed largely to Alphabet’s AI-focused strategy and a surge of over 120% in its stock value since early 2023. Pichai, who joined Google in 2004 and later became CEO of Alphabet, has played a key role in the company’s transformation into an AI powerhouse. With investments of nearly $50 billion in AI infrastructure in 2024 and strategic acquisitions like DeepMind, his leadership reflects both long-term vision and a unique path to wealth through innovation and stewardship.