The September ICC Players of the Month award has gone to the Indian team of Abhishek Sharma and Smriti Mandhana. The 25-year-old Abhishek received recognition for his spectacular Asia Cup run, scoring 314 runs at an average of 44.85 and a scorching strike-rate of 200 in seven games.

At the conclusion of the Super Fours stage, he achieved a career-high 931 rating points in the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings, the highest ever recorded in the format, and was named Player of the Tournament for his consistency and flair. To win the monthly award, the left-handed hitter defeated Brian Bennett of Zimbabwe and teammate Kuldeep Yadav.

It’s wonderful to receive this ICC honor, and I’m glad it coincides with several significant games that I was able to assist in winning. Being a member of a team that can win under the most trying circumstances makes me proud.

“Our recent success in T20Is is a testament to our exceptional team culture and upbeat outlook. I appreciate all of my teammates’ support and the team management’s direction. In an ICC statement released on Thursday, Abhishek added, “I am also grateful to the panel that chose me for this award.”

In the meantime, Smriti maintained her impressive run in international cricket by scoring 58, 117, and 125 during the home ODI series against Australia. In four ODIs during that time, the vice captain of India amassed 308 runs at a strike rate of 135.68 and an average of 77.

Smriti, who is now playing for India in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, achieved the three-figure mark off just 50 deliveries in the third ODI against Australia, setting a new record for the fastest century by an Indian batswoman. She won the prize ahead of Sidra Amin of Pakistan and Tazmin Brits of South Africa.

Receiving the September 2025 ICC Women’s Player of the Month award is a true honor for me. This kind of acknowledgment motivates me to keep developing as a player. The honor also acknowledges the cooperation, faith, and hard work we all put forth as a team.

“I’ve always wanted to give it my all and help the squad win games. In the upcoming games, I am eager to take advantage of any chances that lead to India’s historic triumphs,” Smriti remarked.

Google’s announcement of a $15 billion investment to establish a world-class AI hub in India is a declaration of arrival for the nation and a warning to anyone who is wagering against its digital future.​

Through their joint venture AdaniConneX, Adani Enterprises and Google have announced a historic collaboration to build new green energy infrastructure and India’s largest AI data center complex in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh.

A “global-scale playground at home” is likely to be available to Indian AI developers who relocated abroad, report said.

The report pointed out that if the Vizag experiment is successful, India would sell the globe not just software but also the digital roads and AI backbones that will drive the next internet.

It added that Bengaluru and Hyderabad have been central to India’s technological narrative.

However, Google’s interest goes beyond size. The report said that in a single move, Vizag—which was formerly a center for tourism and coastal logistics—becomes the epicenter of Asia’s AI arms race.

With a multifaceted investment of over $15 billion spread over five years (2026–2030), Google’s AI hub in Visakhapatnam includes gigawatt-scale data center operations, backed by a strong subsea cable network and sustainable energy, to power India’s most demanding AI workloads. AdaniConneX, Airtel, and other ecosystem partners will work closely together to make it a reality.

By promoting digital inclusivity and generating tens of thousands of employment in the technology, construction, and renewable energy sectors, the establishment of an AI center and connection gateway would serve as a potent catalyst for economic growth in Visakhapatnam and, eventually, the entire country.

The report claims that “Google is doing more than chasing talent arbitrage” by transforming India’s east coast into a digital gateway for the Indo-Pacific.

Since connectivity routes avoid Asia’s most crowded and geopolitically sensitive data paths, it’s balancing technological innovation with regional security. That’s a unique win-win situation for South Block and Silicon Valley,” it continued.

At the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) annual conference on Wednesday, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that despite extraordinary global uncertainties, India has had remarkable growth, with estimates of over 8% over the previous year.

The RBI Governor emphasized in his speech that “while tariffs have an adverse impact, it is not a matter of huge concern” and that India’s economy is primarily driven domestically.

The US tariff crisis, which has hampered international trade and delayed economic growth in other countries, was the subject of his reference.

“For a number of reasons, including policy uncertainties, we are living in an era of extraordinary uncertainty. This has made it difficult for the developing market economy to grow. All developing marketing economies need to consider this risk,” the governor of the RBI stated.

Malhotra emphasized the robust foundations of the Indian economy, saying: “India recovered from the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war and COVID-19. We have done a great job of controlling our inflation, bringing it down from its peak in 2022 to 1.5%, the lowest level in eight years. Despite this, the rate of inflation has remained high. He added that oil prices have also decreased.

“India’s fiscal deficit is now at a manageable level and is projected to be 4.4% of GDP for the Center,” the RBI head added. He noted that the total debt is among the lowest in the world.

He stated that this has been made possible by effective collaboration between the fiscal committee and the government.

Malhotra further pointed out that although the dollar lost 10% of its value this year, the Indian rupee has not lost as much as the majority of other currencies. “Higher tariffs and capital outflows are to blame for this. India prioritizes the rupee’s orderly movement,” he stated.

India’s exports to the US increased to $45.82 billion in the first half of the current fiscal year (April-September), a 13.3% increase over the corresponding figure of $40.42 billion in the same period last year, despite the Donald Trump administration’s 50% tariff hike..

Without changing the refinery architecture, India can import an additional $12–$13 billion worth of natural gas and crude oil from the United States, according to the Commerce Ministry. If the energy is available at the “right price,” the administration is eager to diversify the nation’s energy import portfolio.

As part of the trade deal, India is also anticipated to purchase more renewable energy technologies from the US, which will aid the nation in combating climate change.

Consumers have clearly benefited from the recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reform, as the cost of several necessities and electronics has significantly decreased. The decision has reduced the cost of products for the middle class and is fueling a nationwide spike in holiday shopping.

Thanks to the GST cut, people now have more money, and as purchasing power increases, inflation naturally decreases.

Prior to last week, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), which represents the Indian auto sector, saw a 34% year-over-year rise in sales over the Navratri holiday, which took place from September 22 to 30.

Sales of passenger cars increased by 34.8% during that time, while sales of two-wheelers increased by 36%. In September, total sales increased 5.22 percent to 1,827,337 units, up from 1,736,760 units in the same month last year.

Inquiries and reservations have grown dramatically in the two-wheeler, passenger, and commercial vehicle segments, according to FADA. Because supply chains are in a good position to satisfy rising consumer demand, industry analysts predict that this could be India’s best-ever festive retail season thanks to improved logistics and transportation.

On September 22, 2025, the major modifications to India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) system, referred to as GST 2.0, come into force. The “next-generation GST reforms,” which Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally introduced, aim to streamline the tax law, facilitate compliance, and reduce the tax burden on needs.

Chairman of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Harvansh Chawla said, “The lower and middle classes have been most affected by the decrease in retail prices. People who could previously purchase a single item, say, for Rs 100, can now purchase several goods“.

“Traders will greatly benefit from the unprecedented sales that will occur this Diwali,” he continued.

Economist Dr. Manoranjan Sharma claims that while food and gasoline costs decreased during the month, India’s Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation rate fell to a record low of 1.54 percent in September of this year, down more than eight years from the same month the year before.

In addition, India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based annual inflation rate decreased from 0.52% in August to 0.13% in September. Due to recent rate reduction, September GST collections also reached Rs 1.89 lakh crore, indicating a 9.1% YoY gain.

“Millions of people have benefited from the increased disposable income that the average person has today,” Dr. Sharma said.

In the end, GST reforms have decreased costs for both producers and consumers by lowering prices, improving credit flow, resolving tax inversion difficulties, and reducing conflicts.

Traders are hopeful that this season will be one of the best sales times in recent memory due to the rise in consumer confidence.

India has now won a Test series for the first time under Shubman Gill’s leadership after a 2-2 draw in England earlier this year. Even if the margin indicates an easy win, India had to earn it in New Delhi and defeat the West Indies in Test matches for the ninth consecutive time.

India captain Shubman Gill, who secured his maiden series victory as captain with a 2-0 series victory over the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, said it is a “great honor for him to lead the Test side.” In the first hour of day five, India managed to chase down 121 to win by seven wickets and earn 12 crucial points for the World Test Championship.

India needed exactly an hour on day five to secure a seven-wicket win over the West Indies and seal a 2-0 series sweep. India easily chased down 121 thanks to KL Rahul’s unbeaten 58 from 108 balls, which included six fours and two sixes.

With the help of John Campbell and Shai Hope’s twin hundreds and a valiant 79-run partnership at the end of the fifth day, the West Indies, who were urged to continue, refused to give up easily. Despite an early stutter, India easily won the chase after play began, adding 12 crucial points to their World Test Championship total.

India’s point percentage increased to 61.9 percent after the victory, although they are still in third place in the World Test Championship standings. This was India’s 122nd Test victory overall and their 10th consecutive victory over the West Indies.

“Leading India is a huge honor, and I’m starting to get used to it. It is a huge honor to lead this team and manage all of the players. It’s about making the appropriate decisions under the circumstances. In that game, I strive to choose the most likely choice given the circumstances. Gill commented at the end of the game, “And sometimes you have to make a bold decision, depending on which player can get you certain runs or can get you those wickets.”

“Team India delivered a dominant performance across the entire series. Consistent and clinical with the bat and the ball. Well done. Congratulations to WI for fighting hard in the second test match”, Former India cricketer and coach Anil Kumble shared on X.

Roston Chase, the captain of the West Indies, thinks that his team’s impressive showing against India in the second Test match may signal the start of a more competitive era for the Caribbean squad in red-ball cricket.

“All I want is for the guys to keep going in this direction and to avoid reverting to those methods.” “Even if we lose, we must lose in a positive manner so that we can take a lot of positive things away from the game,” Chase stated during the news conference held after the game.

At a meeting on Monday, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) made the important decision to permit withdrawals of up to 100% of the “eligible balance” in the PF account, including the employer and employee shares, ahead of Diwali.

At the 238th meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), which was held in the nation’s capital, the decision was made. More than seven crore members will benefit from the measure, which permits 100% EPF withdrawals.

The full withdrawal was previously only permitted in the event of retirement or unemployment. After one month of unemployment, a member could take seventy-five percent of their PF balance, and after two months, the remaining twenty-five percent.

However, the entire amount could be taken out at any time upon retirement.

During its meeting, the CBT, led by Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, made a number of groundbreaking decisions.

EPF members were permitted to withdraw up to 90% of their corpus that was in their EPF account in the event of a partial withdrawal for the acquisition of land, the building or purchase of a new home, or the repayment of an EMI.

Notably, the CBT chose to streamline the EPF scheme’s partial withdrawal provisions in order to improve the quality of life for its members. This was accomplished by combining 13 intricate provisions into a single, streamlined rule that was divided into three categories: housing needs, special circumstances, and essential needs (marriage, education, and illness).

Additionally, the EPFO made the decision to relax withdrawal restrictions. Marriage and education withdrawals are permitted up to five times and ten times, respectively, from the current cap of three partial withdrawals for marriage and education combined.

Additionally, the minimum service requirement for all partial withdrawals has been consistently lowered to only 12 months.

According to a statement released by the labor ministry following the board meeting, a provision has been introduced for 25% of the contributions made to the member’s account to be designated as the “Minimum Balance,” which the member must always maintain.

The Rajputana Royals vs. Prithviraaj Yodhas final was an intense race, and the first Archery Premier League (APL) left its best for last. As the first-ever APL champions, the Royals pulled off a spectacular comeback and won the championship in a nail-biting shootout.

Ojas Deotale and Ella Gibson, the two most reliable Royals compound archers, struck the target in the tiebreaking shootoff in front of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, but none of the four Yodhas players succeeded in hitting the yellow dot. It was a hit-and-miss contest.

Not only did the Yodhas put up a strong fight against the Royals, but they also became the first APL team to complete a set with a perfect rotation of eight arrows, scoring a perfect 80 with all ten. Their in-form senior compound archer, Abhishek Verma, who paired up with Matias Grande, Gatha Khadake, and Andrea Becerra, led them to a 4-2 advantage, but it was still insufficient.

With just one loss in 12 games, the Royals won the title because to the efforts of recurvers Mete Gazoz and Ankita Bhakat, who teamed up with Gibson and Deotale.

The drama started in the first set itself, which ended with one of Khadake’s arrow getting upgraded by the judges to give the Yodhas a 78-77 win in the first set. However, the Royals roared back in the next with a 78-75 margin to square the final at 2-2.

The third set saw the Yodhas’ archers scripting history by scoring 10s on all eight arrows to win it with an unprecedented scoreline of 80-77.

At the end of the fourth set, when Grande needed a 9 to give the Yodhas the title, the match went to a close call. However, he hit an 8 and the Royals won the set 78-77, making it 4-4, with a shootout to determine the winner. Deotale and Gibson completed the task by striking the shootoff target twice.

The Royals defeated the Chero Archers 5-1 earlier in the day in the first semi-final, dropping just six points in three sets (78-78, 79-77, 77-75). Led by their compound archers Deotale and Ella Gibson, who were once again in outstanding 10-hitting form, the league-stage winners maintained their strong run of success.

After a first set that ended in a tie, the Royals stepped up their game to take the following two and won the match outright. Tokyo Olympics gold medallist recurver Mete Gazoz secured the victory with a 10 off the final arrow.

The judges remeasured the match in the fourth set after a thrilling second semifinal matchup between the Yodhas and the Mighty Marathas, allowing the Yodhas to advance to the finals against the Royals with a 5-3 victory.

Compound archer Mike Schloesser had another ideal day for the Marathas, and the match swung like a pendulum. Even though they won the second set and were able to tie the match at 2-2, it wasn’t enough.

The Yodhas won the first set 78-74, but the Marathas came back to take the second set 79-76. Compound man Verma led from the front with flawless 10s as the Yodhas won the third set 78-74 to reclaim their two-point lead at 4-2.

The Marathas looked to have won the fourth set by a point at the conclusion, forcing a shootout in the semi-final. However, the judges’ remeasure improved Yodhas’ arrow, making it 78-78, which was sufficient for the Yodhas to win 5-3.

Also Read: Arjuna and Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards – Get to Know the Full Lists

With the launch of the Archery Premier League (APL), the first professional league in archery in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Telugu actor Ram Charan’s contribution to the sport’s popularity and said it will help “countless youngsters.”

The APL’s brand ambassador, Ram Charan, met with the prime minister on Saturday in New Delhi with his father-in-law, Anil Kamineni, and wife, Upasana Konidela.

“I’m glad to have met Anil Kamineni Garu and Upasana. “Your combined efforts to promote archery are admirable and will help a lot of young people,” PM Modi wrote on X.

Ram Charan used social media to express his emotions following his meeting with the prime minister.

It was an honor to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the triumph of the first Archery Premier League in history, which was headed by Anil Kamineni Garu. This is our little attempt to uphold archery’s heritage and spread its popularity over the globe.

In his social media message on Saturday, he congratulated all of the athletes and expressed the hope that many more would take up this amazing sport.

The AI Skills Passport, a free online program created to give young Indians the skills and information they need to succeed in an AI-driven economy, was introduced by EY and Microsoft on Sunday in a significant move to close the AI skills gap in India.

Targeting those 16 and older, the program provides fair access to high-quality AI education, equipping students and early-career professionals with critical, employable AI skills.

India’s launch comes after a global roll-out earlier this year that saw over 40,000 people sign up and over 13,000 finish the program.

EY and Microsoft want to enable young people to upskill and be future-ready in an increasingly digital world, while NASSCOM reports that only 31% of Indian professionals feel adequately equipped to use AI tools.

“The launch of the AI Skills Passport addresses India’s growing demand for skilled AI talent in an era where AI is revolutionizing work and redefining career paths,” stated Monesh Dange, Partner and Leader, Alliances and Ecosystems, EY India.

“Many professionals are still ill-equipped to fully utilize AI. We’re dedicated to working with Microsoft to make sure this program is not just free but also effective at scale, giving everyone access to develop critical AI skills,” Dange continued.

With roughly 10 hours of information, the AI Skills Passport is a totally online curriculum that is accessible in both Hindi and English.

Learners can participate at their own pace thanks to the program’s combination of asynchronous evaluations, practical exercises, and modular video courses.

It covers the basics of AI, ethical AI practices, and applications of AI in a variety of sectors, including technology, healthcare, and finance. To help learners apply their skills and improve employability, practical exercises, real-world case studies, and career counseling—including networking techniques, interview preparation, and resume building—are incorporated.

In order to improve their job profiles and career chances in the AI-driven economy, participants who successfully complete the course are awarded a verifiable digital badge.

AI is revolutionizing India’s digital economy, with young people at its center, according to Bhaskar Basu, Enterprise Partnerships Leader, Microsoft India & South Asia. Our goal of “AI for all” and our dedication to developing talent prepared for the future are reflected in the AI Skills Passport, which was introduced in collaboration with EY.