Current affairs for KBC

Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia has officially become the world’s tallest church after the installation of a section of its central tower on October 30, 2025, taking its height to 162.91 meters (534 feet). This achievement surpasses the previous record held by Germany’s Ulm Minster, which measures 161.53 meters (530 feet).

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One GK point: Justice Surya Kant has been appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI), with his term starting on November 24, 2025. He will serve as CJI for nearly 15 months until February 9, 2027, becoming the first person from Haryana to hold this top judicial position. He is known for landmark verdicts on the abrogation of Article 370, corruption, gender equality, and free speech.

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On November 1, 2025, Kerala will officially become the first Indian state to be declared free of extreme poverty, lifting 64,006 families identified as extremely poor in 2021 through an intensive micro-planning and implementation program led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

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Australia is the most successful team in the Women's ODI World Cup history, having won the tournament seven times (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, and 2022), followed by England with four titles (1973, 1993, 2009, and 2017), and New Zealand with one title in 2000.

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India women's cricket team's chase of 339 runs in the ICC Women's World Cup semi-final against Australia is indeed historic and arguably the greatest match in ICC knockout history. Before this, no team had successfully chased 339 or more runs in any men's or women's knockout match in ICC tournaments, making this an unprecedented feat. This victory showcased tremendous skill, resilience, and composure under pressure from the Indian women players, marking a significant milestone in women's cricket and elevating the sport's profile in India and globally. Such performances inspire greater appreciation and support for women's cricket worldwide. This match will be remembered as a landmark moment in cricket history.

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Mohammad Azharuddin holds the unique world record of scoring centuries in each of his first three Test matches, making him the only player in the history of Test cricket to achieve this feat. He scored 110 (Kolkata), 105 (Chennai), and 122 (Kanpur) in his debut series against England in 1984-85.

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Pinpoint for Journalism | Module 2

Current affairs for KBC

 According to NITI Aayog’s latest report (2024), India’s services sector contributed over 50% of the country’s GDP in 2023–24, yet employed only 18.8 crore workers—just under one-third of the total workforce—revealing the paradox of high output but limited job creation.

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President Droupadi Murmu became the first President of India to take sorties in two Indian Air Force fighter jets—Sukhoi-30MKI in 2023 and Rafale in 2025—after flying a 30-minute, 200-km mission from Air Force Station Ambala.

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McDonald’s has committed an investment of $100 million (approximately Rs 875 crore) in its new Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad, India, over the next two years. This major capital outlay will support the establishment of McDonald’s largest innovation and technology hub outside the United States, including infrastructure and workforce expansion plans.

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Karnataka's refusal to outbid Andhra Pradesh for Google's $15 billion AI data centre may seem like a loss, but in game theory terms, it reflects smart governance. The concept of a "war of attrition" explains that relentless bidding to outlast competitors can result in a worse outcome than if one walks away early. Andhra Pradesh offered massive incentives worth Rs 22,000 crore, including land and water subsidies and free electricity, but such incentives come at a high long-term cost, especially from an ecological and social perspective. Data centers consume enormous amounts of water and power, stressing resources in host cities. Karnataka’s choice shows restraint, recognizing that not every prize is worth the high price, and that sustainable cooperation between states on investment standards could yield better outcomes than destructive incentive wars. This illustrates the wisdom in game theory applied to governance: knowing when not to play is sometimes the smartest move.

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NotebookLM for journalists | Module 2

Current affairs for KBC

The number of federal (central government) employees per 100,000 people in the USA is 668, while in India, it is just 121 per 100,000—despite India having a population roughly four times larger.

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In India, strokes are increasingly affecting young adults, with recent hospital data showing that 15-20% of stroke cases now occur in people under 45 years of age—almost double the proportion seen five years ago.

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently announced the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, aimed at making voter lists more accurate and inclusive, especially addressing issues of voter duplication, outdated entries, and ineligible voters

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India's household debt has surged to 42% of GDP by the end of 2024, nearly doubling since 2015, with average per capita debt rising by 23% in just two years to ₹4.8 lakh in 2025, driven largely by consumption loans rather than asset-building.

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The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded jointly to three economists—Prof Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt—for their groundbreaking research on innovation-driven economic growth, highlighting how technological progress and creative destruction propel sustained development.

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The Bretton Woods institutions are primarily the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. These institutions were established at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference held in July 1944 in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, where delegates from 44 Allied countries met to create a new system to govern international monetary relations and support post-World War II reconstruction and economic growth.

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Maldives is often cited as the only country where Friday is considered the first day of the week according to the Common Locale Data Repository (CLDR) used in global software and calendar data. This is linked to the cultural and religious significance of Friday in Islam, which is the majority religion and the state religion of the Maldives. Friday is the main day of congregational prayer and holds special importance in Muslim tradition.

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Nvidia has become the first company in history to reach a market valuation of $5 trillion, reflecting a significant milestone driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and substantial investor confidence in Nvidia's AI chips and ecosystem.

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Beyond the Character Limit: Curating a Political Voice, August 2023 – December 2025

 

Want to curate your X (Twitter) posts into an eBook that captures your political commentary between August 2023 and December 2025. That’s a powerful way to preserve your voice, show consistency of thought, and package your digital presence into something lasting. Here’s a structured roadmap you can follow:

🛠 Step 1: Collect & Organize Your Posts

• Export your tweets:

  • Use X’s “Download an archive of your data” feature to get all posts.

  • Filter by date range (Aug 1, 2023 – Dec 3, 2025).

• Sort by theme:

  • Posts supporting Congress.

  • Posts critiquing BRS hypocrisy.

  • Posts with high engagement (likes, retweets, replies).

• Group into chapters: For example:

  • Chapter 1: The Early Signals (Aug–Dec 2023)

  • Chapter 2: Campaign Heat (2024)

  • Chapter 3: Aftermath & Reflections (2025)

✍️ Step 2: Add Narrative Flow

• Don’t just paste tweets — contextualize them.

  • Before each cluster of posts, write a short intro: “In late 2023, I noticed a pattern in BRS’s messaging…”

  • After the tweets, add reflection: “This thread resonated because it captured the frustration many felt…”

• This turns your eBook from a raw archive into a political narrative.

🎨 Step 3: Design the eBook

• Use Canva or Google Docs + Canva for layout.

• Include:

  • A strong cover design (title + your handle).

  • Screenshots of key tweets (visual impact).

  • Pull quotes or highlighted stats.

• Keep fonts clean and consistent.

📚 Step 4: Format & Export

• Export as PDF for universal sharing.

• Convert to EPUB/MOBI if you want to publish on Kindle or other e-readers.

• Tools like Calibre or Kindle Create help with formatting.

🚀 Step 5: Publish & Promote

• Distribution options:

  • Free download on your blog (reddylive).

  • Sell via Amazon KDP, Gumroad, or Payhip.

  • Offer as a subscriber incentive (email list growth).

• Promotion strategy:

  • Share excerpts on X with a CTA: “This tweet is now part of my eBook — download the full collection here.”

  • Use threads to tease chapters.

  • Run a pre-launch campaign to build anticipation.

🎥 Tutorials to Guide You

Here are some excellent step-by-step videos that will help you execute each stage:

1. – Perfect for beginners; shows how to design and export an eBook quickly.

2. – Great if you want a polished look with minimal effort.

3. – Useful if you want to add interactive elements like notes or reflections.

4. – Walks through both creation and monetisation.

5. – Focuses on how to build buzz on platforms like X before release.

6. – A Canva-focused tutorial for clean, professional design.

✨ Pro tip for you, Hanmi: Since your posts are already sharp and narrative-driven, the real value will come from the commentary you add around them. Think of the tweets as “receipts” and your reflections as the connective tissue that makes the eBook timeless.

Would you like me to draft a sample chapter outline (with tweet clusters + commentary flow) so you can see how your posts would translate into a compelling eBook structure?

Current affairs for KBC

India’s economy is showing strong growth in 2025, with GDP expanding by 7.8% in the April–June quarter and inflation staying low thanks to above-normal rainfall, GST cuts, and healthy domestic demand; however, global uncertainties and weak export prospects remain risks, making continued economic vigilance and export growth crucial for sustained prosperity.

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NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) certificates are fully valid and legally recognized for admission to higher and professional education in India, with AICTE warning institutions that denying NIOS students violates national policy; NIOS is considered equivalent to CBSE, CISCE, and state boards, and all colleges must treat NIOS graduates equally in the admissions process.

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The Fariborz Sabba designed the Lotus Temple in Delhi, India. It is a prominent Bahá’í House of Worship shaped like a blooming lotus flower and was completed in 1986. The design symbolizes the lotus flower, an important cultural and spiritual motif in Indian architecture and symbolism. (KBC, October 28, 2025)

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The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 is an Indian law that prohibits advertisements of drugs claiming to treat 54 specified medical conditions, including diabetes, irrespective of their clinical efficacy, aiming to protect public health by preventing misleading and unscientific health claims in drug promotions.

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Zubeen Garg, a cultural icon of Assam known for his music and activism, died by drowning in Singapore in September 2025, triggering massive public outcry and a political storm in Assam, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing his suspicious death and multiple arrests made in connection to the case.

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Five Must-Knows to Get Started with Generative AI

 

Five Must-Knows to Get Started with Generative AI

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is transforming how we live, work, and create. But at Google, AI is not new.
We’ve been using it for more than two decades — starting in 2001 with the launch of spellcheck in Google Search.

Today, AI powers many Google products that billions of people use every day. Traditionally, AI has been utilized to facilitate the understanding and recommendation of information.
Now, with generative AI, it can also help create new content — from text and images to music and code — all from a simple prompt.

Here are five things to know before you get started.

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1. AI is a Machine Learning Model — Not a Human

When you interact with generative AI, the responses might feel surprisingly human. But AI doesn’t think or feel — it recognizes patterns.

This pattern recognition is possible through training. For example, a text-to-image model learns what a sneaker is by analyzing millions of images. Over time, it understands that sneakers usually have soles, laces, and logos.
So, if you ask it to “generate a sneaker with a pizza charm,” it can combine what it knows about sneakers, pizza, and charms to create a new image — even if it has never seen that exact combination before.

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2. Use AI to Empower, Assist, and Inspire

Generative AI is designed to assist your creative process, not replace it. Think of it as a tool to help you explore ideas and discover possibilities.

You can use AI to:

• Ask complex or curious questions

• Identify images or species you’re curious about

• Brainstorm storylines, designs, or concepts

Your creativity and judgment remain essential — AI works best when you guide it.

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3. AI Can Make Mistakes

Generative AI is a rapidly evolving technology, and it isn’t perfect.
It can misunderstand a query or make things up — what researchers call hallucinations.

For instance, if you ask, “Who will be the top gymnast in 2035?” it might predict a name, even though there’s no way to know. Similarly, a request for information about “bats” could return details about baseball bats instead of the flying mammals.

Treat AI responses as helpful starting points, not final answers.

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4. Always Verify Information

Whenever AI presents information as fact, it’s important to verify it.
If you’re unsure, cross-check using Google Search or other trusted sources.

If you come across inaccurate or inappropriate content, use the reporting tools built into many generative AI products. Your feedback helps improve the system for everyone.

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5. Stay Updated as AI Evolves

Generative AI is advancing quickly, and at Google, we’re committed to developing it responsibly — guided by principles that prioritize safety, transparency, and user trust.

To stay informed, visit ai.google for the latest updates, product news, and responsible AI practices.

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Get Started

Now that you know the essentials, try experimenting with generative AI. Use it to explore, create, and learn — all while staying thoughtful and responsible in how you engage with this technology.

Generative AI has the potential to expand what’s possible. How you use it will define what’s next.

Current affairs for KBC

Piyush Pandey (1955–2025) revolutionized Indian advertising by crafting iconic, emotionally resonant campaigns such as Fevicol, Cadbury, and "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara," introducing local language, humour, and relatable storytelling that deeply connected with audiences and made Indian ads globally recognized for their creativity.

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The Supreme Court of India’s NALSA judgement (2014) recognized transgender persons as a “third gender” with fundamental rights, mandated social welfare measures, and directed governments to treat them as a socially and educationally backward class entitled to reservations. Despite this, a Supreme Court order last week criticized both the Centre and states for failing to implement these directives, calling their attitude “grossly apathetic” and forming an advisory committee to recommend equal opportunity policies and ensure real enforcement of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act.

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India has long projected itself as the world’s largest democracy and a champion of the Global South, but recent international reports—like the V-Dem Institute ranking India 100th out of 179 on the Liberal Democracy Index in 2025 and Freedom House categorizing it as “Partly Free”—highlight growing concerns about democratic backsliding, selective solidarity on global issues, and a foreign policy increasingly shaped by pragmatism over principle, raising questions about its current moral and ideological leadership on the world stage.

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Current affairs for KBC

In July 2025, India launched the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) program to train students and educators in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, promoting hands-on AI literacy, ethical technology use, and innovation in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and NEP 2020.

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According to a recent global inequality report, India has emerged as one of the world’s most unequal countries, with the top 1% of the population holding 22% of the national income, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive growth and equitable policy reforms.

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Acclaimed Indian actor Satish Shah, best known for his iconic comic roles in shows like "Sarabhai vs Sarabhai" and films such as "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro," passed away on October 25, 2025, in Mumbai at the age of 74 due to kidney failure, leaving a legacy of effortless comedy and memorable performances across generations.

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In 2025, India’s cybersecurity landscape faces unprecedented challenges with a surge in AI-powered attacks, including ransomware, deepfake scams, and sophisticated phishing, forcing enterprises to adopt AI-driven defenses and prioritize data protection as a critical component of business strategy.

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Studies in 2025 reveal that over-reliance on AI tools can weaken human critical thinking and memory, as research from MIT and others shows frequent AI users exhibit reduced brain connectivity and motivation, but deliberate "AI detox" and combining active thinking with AI assistance can preserve and enhance cognitive abilities.

Parag Shah Tops List of India’s Wealthiest Politicians

 Parag Shah Tops List of India’s Wealthiest Politicians

A recently published report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has named Parag Shah, a BJP leader from Maharashtra, as the richest politician in India, with declared assets worth an astonishing ₹3,383 crore. The ADR’s March 2025 review, based on candidate affidavits, highlights an elite club of the country’s wealthiest lawmakers, all with assets crossing Rs 900 crore.

According to the report, D.K. Shivakumar of Karnataka (Congress) takes the second spot with assets of ₹1,413 crore, followed closely by Independent MLA K.H.P. Gowda of Karnataka with ₹1,267 crore. Two other Karnataka politicians, Congress leader Priya Krishna (₹1,156 crore) and D. K. Shivakumar’s party colleague, make up the rest of the list, reflecting the dominance of southern leaders in the upper echelons of wealth.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu (TDP) rounds out the top five, having disclosed assets valued at ₹931 crore, underlining the substantial private fortunes that remain part of India’s political landscape.

The ADR report draws renewed attention to the financial clout wielded by these politicians and raises ongoing questions about the complex relationship between personal wealth and public service in India’s democracy. While the presence of such prosperity is not new, the concentration among a handful of leaders continues to spark debate about electoral transparency and the need for robust checks on the sources of political wealth.

Current affairs for KBC

On October 24, 2025, a Hyderabad–Bengaluru V Kaveri Travels sleeper bus caught fire after colliding with a motorcycle near Chinna Tekur village on the outskirts of Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, resulting in the tragic deaths of 19 passengers, including two children, who were charred beyond recognition; the accident highlighted major lapses in vehicle safety and regulatory compliance on Indian highways.

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In October 2025, at least 25 children in Madhya Pradesh died after consuming locally manufactured cough syrup contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG); the incident exposed major gaps in India’s paediatric drug regulation, despite a recent central ban on such syrups for children below age four, and led to nationwide bans, criminal charges, and renewed calls for stronger pharmacovigilance and child medicine safety protocols.

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The Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) has launched ambitious reforms in 2025 to align with the state’s Vision 2047, including setting up futuristic MoUs with industry leaders like NASSCOM and BDMAI, introducing global certification tie-ups (University of San Diego), raising the faculty retirement age from 60 to 65, and making AI, FinTech, and cybersecurity core subjects—all aimed at producing industry-ready graduates and transforming Telangana into a hub for academia-industry innovation.

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The Journey: A Testament to Perseverance

 

The Journey: A Testament to Perseverance

For six years—beginning in September 2011—I rode the same path through Hyderabad/Secunderabad. Thirteen kilometers each way, every day. Not a weekend hobby, not a fitness challenge, but my daily commute. Twenty-six kilometers that became stitched into my identity as firmly as my own name.

Evenings were easier. The air still carried the warmth of the day, the streets alive with chatter, headlights, and purpose. Riding then felt like moving with the city’s pulse. But the return was different. Past midnight, when the world had gone quiet, I would climb back onto that bicycle after my 4 pm to 12 am shift. The same roads that had felt vibrant hours earlier now stretched out like endless corridors of silence—testing me, mile after mile.

One day in October 2017, my colleague, photojournalist S. Surender Reddy, captured a frame of that life. Behind me: yellow auto-rickshaws, blurred traffic, the ordinariness of an Indian street. But within the photograph lies something invisible—the discipline of showing up, the stubbornness to keep moving, the quiet fire of those years.

That bicycle was never just a ride. It was a teacher. It taught me that consistency outlasts speed, that the journey shapes you as much as the destination, and that hunger, poverty, and restlessness aren’t weaknesses—they’re fuel.

Eventually, the mode of transport changed. But those six years carved something permanent into me. They remind me that we all have our own 13 kilometers to cover, our own midnight rides to endure. The question is never how long the road is—it’s whether we’ll keep pedaling.

Poor. Hungry. Restless. And always moving forward.

Level Up Your AI Game: The Essential Guide to Masterful Prompting

 

Effective prompting is the secret sauce behind getting powerful, precise, and creative results from AI tools. Whether you're crafting threads, optimizing workflows, or rewriting blog content, here’s how to level up your prompting game:

🧠 Core Principles of Effective Prompting

• Be specific, not vague. Instead of “Write a tweet,” try “Write a tweet about browser privacy for tech-savvy users, with a witty tone.”

• Include context and intent. Tell me what you're trying to achieve. For example: “I want to increase engagement on X. Rewrite this post to spark curiosity and clicks.”

• Use role-based framing. Start with “Act as a…” to guide tone and expertise. Example: “Act as a social media strategist. Suggest a thread hook for this post.”

• Set constraints or formats. Want bullet points, a table, or a 280-character limit? Say so. Example: “Summarize this blog post in 3 tweet-sized takeaways.”

✍️ Prompt Templates You Can Steal

Goal	Prompt
Boost X engagement	“Act as a viral thread writer. Create a 5-tweet thread on [topic], with a hook and cliffhanger.”
Rewrite for clarity	“Rewrite this paragraph to be punchy, clear, and emotionally resonant.”
Blog SEO	“Act as an SEO expert. Suggest a meta description and H1 for this blog post.”
Device troubleshooting	“Give me a step-by-step fix for [issue], assuming I’ve already tried [solution].”
Book writing	“Help me turn this anecdote into a compelling chapter intro with emotional depth.”

🧪 Advanced Prompting Tricks

• Chain prompts: Start with a broad idea, then refine. “Give me 3 blog titles → Pick the most engaging → Rewrite for SEO.”

• Use examples: Show what you like. “Here’s a tweet I loved. Can you write something similar about [topic]?”

• Ask for variations: “Give me 3 tone options: witty, poetic, and bold.”

Karri Sriram: The Editor Who Saw Through Me

 

With Sriram Karri (blue shirt)

Karri Sriram: The Editor Who Saw Through Me

Some people walk into your life quietly, without fanfare, and yet shift its course forever. Karri Sriram was that kind of person for me.

As Resident Editor at Deccan Chronicle’s Hyderabad bureau, Sriram possessed a rare editorial gift—he could see beyond the surface. Where others saw my restlessness as a distraction, he saw it as a drive. Where they flinched at my sharp tongue—especially my unapologetic trolling of KCR, KTR, and the BRS machinery—he saw a journalist who grasped the pulse of Telangana politics.

He didn’t just tolerate my fire; he wanted to redirect it. He urged me to leave the desk behind and step into the field, to channel my instincts and experience into stories that mattered. But more than urging—he believed. And that belief had a profound effect: it made me think, too. For the first time, I saw myself not just as a commentator but as a reporter. Not just someone who watched the news unfold, but someone who could shape it.

And yet, here’s the ache that lingers: I never made that leap.

Despite clocking in at Deccan Chronicle since September 7, 2011, I never filed the stories he was waiting to read. I stayed behind the desk, in the comfort zone of commentary and critique, while he moved on to shape narratives for the Telangana government as Director of Media.

This photo was taken on his last day at DC. He was stepping into a new chapter. I remained in mine, pages unturned.

Some debts can’t be repaid. Some expectations go unmet. But some influences never fade. Karri Sriram taught me that good editors don’t just edit copy—they edit lives. Even if we’re too stubborn, too scared, or too slow to let them finish the job.

I write this book as someone who was always “poor, hungry, restless”—but maybe never hungry enough to take the leap he offered. That’s on me, not him.

Thank you, Sriram sir, for seeing something in me that I couldn’t yet see in myself.

Excerpted from my forthcoming book, PHR (Poor, Hungry, Restless)

Current affairs for KBC

The Indian government has limited social media content takedown powers to senior bureaucrats after a long legal tussle with Elon Musk’s platform X, aiming for more transparency in digital regulation.

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Tejashwi Yadav was officially declared the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial face for the Bihar elections, uniting the opposition against the NDA.

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Kerala will be declared a poverty-free state on November 1, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the Hyderabad–Bengaluru bus fire tragedy that killed at least 20 and announced ₹2 lakh compensation for the victims’ families.

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President Donald Trump announced the U.S. will halt trade talks with Canada over political ad disputes and stated that India will “almost stop” buying Russian oil by year-end.

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As of October 2025, Abhishek Sharma is the Indian batter at the top of the ICC T20I batting rankings. He achieved a historic rating of 931 points after a stellar performance in the Asia Cup, becoming the first Indian to hold the top spot and surpassing the record previously held by England's Dawid Malan (KBC Oct. 24, 2025)

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Prativindhya is a character in the Mahabharata, known as the eldest son of Yudhishthira and Draupadi. He is the first of the Upapandavas (sons of Draupadi), who were born to each of the five Pandava brothers through their shared wife, Draupadi

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George Anthony Devolder Santos (born July 22, 1988) is an American former politician and convicted felon who served as a U.S. Representative for New York’s 3rd congressional district from January to December 2023. He was elected as a Republican and became the first openly LGBTQ Republican to enter Congress as a freshman, but his career collapsed amid one of the largest scandals in recent U.S. political history.

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An Era Ends: Legendary Adman Piyush Pandey Passes Away at 70

Piyush Pandey, the creative genius widely hailed as one of the architects of modern Indian advertising, passed away on Friday at the age of 70. Pandey, whose iconic campaigns for brands like Fevicol, Cadbury, and Hutch profoundly shaped India's cultural landscape, spent over four decades at Ogilvy India, where he served as its creative chief.

His death marks the end of an era in which Indian advertising transitioned from merely selling products to deeply connecting with the nation's heart.

The Master of the Indian Narrative

Pandey's distinctive style was defined by his ability to infuse advertising with colloquial humor, genuine emotion, and authentic Indian stories. His work not only broke new ground in creativity but also delivered some of the most memorable slogans in Indian history, turning brands into household names:

Cadbury: The nostalgic and enduring "Kuch Khaas Hai" campaign.

Fevicol: The classic, witty, and culturally resonant "Fevicol ka majboot jod."

Hutch (now Vodafone): The simple yet powerful campaign featuring the little boy and the pug.

A true visionary, Pandey joined Ogilvy in 1982 and rose to prominence by setting a new benchmark for blending simple ideas with powerful, relatable narratives. His influence even extended beyond commercial work, notably with the famous political slogan "Abki Baar, Modi Sarkar" for the BJP.

Tributes Pour In for a Creative Titan

The news of Pandey's passing has prompted a massive outpouring of tributes across the corporate, media, and creative worlds. Colleagues and industry leaders are remembering his immense contribution, his trademark warmth and wit, and his commitment to mentoring young talent.

Pandey’s lasting legacy is his unmatched ability to tap into the pulse of Indian society and redefine brand communication. His last rites are scheduled to be performed in Mumbai. The advertising world deeply mourns the loss of a pioneer whose creative storytelling remains unparalleled.

Telangana Cabinet Approves SLBC Tunnel Restart, Scraps Two-Child Norm for Local Elections, & Sanctions 1,500 MW Energy Storage

The Telangana Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, passed several crucial resolutions today concerning infrastructure, electoral law, and energy planning.

SLBC Tunnel Resumes with Advanced Drilling

Work on the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel is set to resume following its halt after an accident in February. The Cabinet confirmed that the remaining 9 km of the 44 km tunnel will be completed using advanced drilling methods, replacing the original tunnel-boring machines. This change ensures the project continues without posing any environmental threat to surrounding forests or wildlife. With 35 km already completed, the government has set a new target to finish the critical project by June 2028. The existing contract and estimated cost remain unchanged.

Two-Child Norm for Local Polls Removed

In a major electoral reform, the Cabinet approved the removal of the two-child restriction for candidates contesting local body elections. This decision repeals Section 21(3) of the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018. Since the Assembly is currently prorogued, the change will be immediately implemented via an Ordinance, which will be sent to the Governor for approval. This allows individuals with more than two children to participate in local polls.

Major Overhaul and Expansion for Energy Sector

The Cabinet initiated a significant revamp of the state's power infrastructure by directing the Energy Department to:

Develop a 10-year forecast of power demand and propose strategies for capacity expansion.

Receive in-principle approval to establish 1,500 MW of Battery Energy Storage Units (BESU) across the state, with the department tasked to finalize locations and detailed plans.

Approve the decommissioning of the old 62.5 MW RTS-B unit at the Ramagundam Thermal Power Station, which has completed its 52-year operational life.

Expediting Hospital Infrastructure

In a push for public health infrastructure, officials were instructed to expedite the completion of four major hospitals:

Warangal Super Specialty Hospital

LB Nagar TIMS

Sanathnagar TIMS

Alwal TIMS

BC Reservations and Poll Quotas Deferred

The Cabinet addressed the issue of Backward Classes (BC) reservation in light of recent High Court and Supreme Court judgments. It decided to proceed as per legal advice but deferred a final decision on quota and local body election-related matters until its next meeting on November 7, pending further clarity from the courts.

Current affairs for KBC

In October 2025, the Lokpal of India, the country's anti-corruption ombudsman, sparked widespread controversy by floating a public tender to purchase seven luxury BMW 330Li M Sport cars for its members, including former Supreme Court judges. Each car is valued at around ₹70 lakh, and the tender included a requirement for the vendor to provide comprehensive training to drivers and staff. This move drew sharp criticism and mockery from politicians and activists who pointed out the irony of an anti-corruption body seeking luxury vehicles while questioning the institution's effectiveness and frugality. Despite the backlash, the Lokpal justified the procurement by citing the need for parity of status with Supreme Court judges and operational requirements.

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The witty quote “Everything I like is either fattening or immoral” is attributed to Alexander Woollcott (1887–1943), a celebrated American drama critic for The New York Times and The New Yorker. Known for his sharp humor and literary charm, Woollcott’s remark humorously reflects human tendencies to find pleasure in things considered unhealthy or morally questionable.

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The Sultan of Oman who ruled from 1932 to 1970 and studied at Mayo College in Ajmer, India, in the 1920s was Sultan Said bin Taimur. He attended Mayo College from 1922 to 1927 before returning to Muscat and eventually ascending to the throne in 1932. (KBC, October 23, 2025)

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Unlocking Your Inner AI Sorcerer: A Guide to Mastering Generative AI

 

I. Hook: The Magic is Real – and You Can Wield It!

Imagine conjuring breathtaking digital art from mere textual whispers, or perhaps drafting the initial chapters of a novel over a reflective weekend. This isn't some fantastical notion plucked from a science fiction narrative; it's the burgeoning reality sculpted by Generative AI. We stand at the cusp of a transformative era where AI doesn't merely analyze and categorize; it creates.

II. What Even IS This Generative AI Wizardry? (Basic Overview)

Beyond Just Brains: AI That Creates!

Generative AI, in its essence, is a paradigm shift. It's not just about algorithms crunching numbers, but about algorithms dreaming up entirely new stuff. Think of it as an artificial muse capable of birthing text, images, video, code, and even music, all derived from the intricate patterns gleaned from vast datasets.

• The Big Picture: The process is threefold. First, the AI acts as a meticulous detective, unraveling the latent structures and relationships embedded within the data it consumes. Second, it transforms into an artist, leveraging those discovered patterns to generate outputs that are both diverse and internally consistent. Finally, it responds to human direction through "prompts" – carefully crafted instructions akin to incantations.
• Where's the Magic Happening? The manifestations of this technology are already rippling across diverse domains. In the realm of art and design, platforms like Midjourney and DALL-E are democratizing creative expression. Within content and communication, tools like ChatGPT are redefining how we write, interact, and disseminate information. Even in the traditionally technical spaces of coding and drug discovery, Generative AI is proving to be a potent force.

III. A Trip Down Memory Lane: How Did We Get Here? (Historical Perspective)

From Simple Chatbots to Deep Thinkers:

The ascent of Generative AI is not a sudden phenomenon, but rather the culmination of decades of research, punctuated by periods of both intense innovation and frustrating stagnation.

• Early Whispers (Mid-20th Century): The seeds were sown in the mid-20th century with the conceptualization of neural networks by McCulloch and Pitts in 1944. Later, the creation of early chatbots like ELIZA in 1961 offered a glimpse of interactive AI, though these early systems were limited in their generative capabilities.
• The "AI Winters" & Backpropagation's Spark (1980s): The initial promise of AI was soon tempered by practical limitations, leading to a period known as the "AI Winter." However, the introduction of backpropagation in the 1980s breathed new life into neural network research, providing a mechanism for training more complex models.
• The Renaissance (2010s): The 2010s marked a true renaissance for Generative AI, fueled by several key breakthroughs.
  • VAEs (2013): Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) emerged as a pivotal innovation, enabling AI to learn the underlying probability distributions of data, thus paving the way for more sophisticated generative models.
  • GANs (2014): Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) introduced a novel "adversarial" training paradigm, pitting two neural networks against each other – a generator attempting to create realistic outputs and a discriminator attempting to distinguish between real and generated data.
  • Transformers (2017): The introduction of the Transformer architecture in 2017, with its revolutionary "Attention Is All You Need" paper, marked a watershed moment. Transformers enabled AI models to process and understand context in a way that was previously unattainable, leading to significant advancements in natural language processing and beyond.
• The Boom! (2020s - Present):
  • GPT Series (2018-2023): OpenAI's GPT series of language models demonstrated the power of Transformers, ushering in a new era of conversational AI.
  • Diffusion Models (DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, 2021-2022): Diffusion models like DALL-E and Stable Diffusion revolutionized image generation, enabling the creation of stunningly realistic and imaginative visuals.
  • ChatGPT (2022): The release of ChatGPT in 2022 marked the moment when Generative AI truly entered the mainstream consciousness, captivating the world with its ability to generate human-quality text on a wide range of topics.

IV. The Double-Edged Wand: Current State, Hopes, and Headaches (Current Opinions & Controversies)

• The Hype is Real (and for Good Reason!): The current excitement surrounding Generative AI is far from baseless. Businesses are reporting significant productivity gains, with some estimates suggesting a potential addition of trillions of dollars to the global economy. The technology is also driving innovation across diverse sectors, from healthcare to marketing, design to education. Furthermore, the rise of multimodal AI – systems that can seamlessly process and generate text, images, video, and audio – is opening up entirely new possibilities.
• But Wait, There's a Dark Side... (The Controversies): However, the rapid advancement of Generative AI has also raised a number of serious concerns.
  • "Is This Even Legal?" (Copyright & IP): The legal landscape surrounding AI-generated content remains murky, with ongoing debates about copyright ownership and intellectual property rights.
  • "Can You Trust What You See?" (Deepfakes & Misinformation): The ability to create highly realistic deepfakes poses a significant threat to the integrity of information and the trustworthiness of public discourse.
  • "Is My Job Safe?" (Job Displacement): There are legitimate concerns about the potential for AI to automate certain tasks, leading to job displacement in creative and routine-based roles.
  • "The Black Box Problem": The "black box" nature of many AI models makes it difficult to understand how they arrive at their decisions, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
  • "AI's Carbon Footprint": Training large AI models requires vast amounts of computing power, contributing to a significant carbon footprint.
• The Ethical Compass: Addressing these concerns requires a concerted effort to develop ethical guidelines and regulations that promote responsible AI development and deployment, mitigating bias, protecting privacy, and ensuring accountability.

V. Gaze into the Crystal Ball: What's Next for Generative AI? (Future Developments)

• Smarter, Faster, More Personal: The future of Generative AI points toward systems that are more intelligent, efficient, and personalized.
  • Hyper-Personalization: We can anticipate AI that can tailor content, products, and services to individual users with unprecedented accuracy.
  • Autonomous Agents: The development of autonomous AI agents capable of planning, executing, and optimizing complex tasks without constant human intervention is on the horizon.
  • Smaller, Specialized Models: We can also expect to see the emergence of smaller, more specialized AI models designed for specific industry applications.
  • Real-time Everything: Real-time AI responses, dynamic content generation in live conversations, and interactive virtual worlds are poised to become commonplace.
• AI as a Service (AIaaS): The democratization of AI through AI-as-a-Service platforms will make powerful AI tools accessible to a wider audience.
• Ethical Frameworks & Regulation: The development of robust ethical frameworks and regulations will be crucial for guiding responsible AI development and mitigating potential risks.
• Workforce Evolution: The rise of AI will likely lead to a transformation of the workforce, with new roles emerging and a growing need for upskilling and reskilling.

VI. Your Journey to Generative AI Mastery: A Practical Toolkit (How to Master)

• The "Secret Sauce" to Becoming an AI Sorcerer:
  • Fundamentals First: A solid understanding of Machine Learning and Deep Learning principles is essential.
  • Prompt Engineering is Your Spellbook: Mastering the art of crafting effective prompts is critical for guiding AI models to produce desired outputs.
  • Hands-on, Hands-on, Hands-on: Practical experience is invaluable.
  • Stay Forever Curious: The field of AI is constantly evolving.
  • Embrace the Ethics: A responsible approach to AI development and deployment is paramount.
• Your Essential Gear (Skills & Tools):
  • Coding: Proficiency in Python is essential.
  • Model Know-How: A deep understanding of GANs, VAEs, Transformers, and Diffusion Models is crucial.
  • LLMs & APIs: Familiarity with large language models (LLMs) and APIs is essential for working with state-of-the-art AI systems.
  • Cloud Power: Experience with cloud computing platforms is highly beneficial.
  • Creative Tools to Play With: Experimenting with tools like DALL-E, Midjourney, Runway ML, and ChatGPT can provide valuable insights into the capabilities of Generative AI.
• Your Training Ground (Learning Paths):
  • Start with beginner courses.
  • Follow structured roadmaps.
  • Dive into projects.

VII. Conclusion: Ready to Create?

Generative AI is poised to revolutionize the way we create, innovate, and interact with the world around us. Mastering this technology is a continuous and rewarding journey, and the potential for impact is immense. The future of creativity is here, and you have the power to shape it. What will you create?