NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Delhi Cabinet Approves Rs 2,500 Monthly Cash Scheme For Women: The Delhi government approved the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana in a cabinet meeting. On International Women’s Day, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta has fulfilled the promise to provide ₹2,500 to eligible women.A provision of ₹5,100 crore has been made in the Budget of the national capital to implement the scheme. A committee, led by the Delhi chief minister, has also been formed.
2. Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh becomes India’s 58th Tiger Reserve: The Centre declared the Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh as the country’s 58th tiger reserve. The newly added national park was also the ninth from the State to get the recognition.The newly designated Madhav Tiger Reserve is located in Shivpuri district in the Gwalior-Chambal region. It covers 1,751 square kilometres, with a core area of 375 square kilometres and a buffer zone of 1,276 square kilometres.The newly added Madhav Tiger Reserve follows the recent designation of Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, located between Bhopal and Raisen districts, as the state’s eighth Tiger Reserve.Three tigers, including two females, were introduced to the Madhav National Park in 2023 as part of the tiger reintroduction project in the State.
3. ICMR launches patent filing support initiative to boost biomedical innovations in India: Union Health Minister J P Nadda has launched the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) flagship initiative ‘Medical Innovations Patent Mitra’ to enhance India’s healthcare innovation ecosystem.The initiative aims at providing end-to-end guidance and handholding support to innovators for patent filings and technology transfer of medical innovations to industry.The initiative was launched at the International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment (ISHTA).This program, developed under the guidance of NITI Aayog and in partnership with the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), is supported by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).Medical innovation Patent Mitra is a testament of ICMR’s commitment to advancing medical innovation.
4. Justice Bagchi appointed as SC judge, set to become CJI in 2031: 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.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Union minister Annapurna Devi to lead India’s delegation at Commission on Status of Women at UN: Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annapurna Devi will lead India’s delegation at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations headquarters in New York.The session will focus on global progress in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.She will also participate in discussions on resourcing and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
2. 10 March – International Day Of Women Judges: The International Day of Women Judges is observed annually on March 10 to recognize the significant role of women in the judiciary and promote gender equality in legal systems worldwide.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared March 10 as the International Day of Women Judges in 2021 through Resolution 75/274.
3. World Air Quality Report 2024: A recent report by IQAir revealed that India is among the world’s most polluted nations. Thirteen of the top twenty polluted cities globally are located in India. Byrnihat, Assam, is identified as the most polluted city. Despite a slight improvement in air quality, the overall situation remains dire. The report lists Byrnihat, Delhi, Mullanpur, Faridabad, Loni, New Delhi, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh, and Noida among the world’s top polluted cities. These cities report PM2.5 levels exceeding WHO limits by over ten times.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Russia set to hold joint naval exercises with China, Iran in Indian Ocean: Russia, China, and Iran are going to hold joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean later this month. The exercises, called “Security Belt-2025”, will take place near the Iranian port of Chabahar.This is the seventh time the three countries are holding these exercises together.The exercises aim to strengthen military cooperation and trust among the participating countries.
2. India-Kyrgyzstan joint military exercise Khanjar-XII begins in Tokmok: The 12th edition of the India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR-XII is set to take place in Kyrgyzstan from 10 March to 23 March 2025.The opening ceremony of the Joint Military Exercise Khanjar-XII, between special forces of India and Kyrgyzstan, was held at Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan.Exercise Khanjar-XII 2025 aims to enhance military cooperation and interoperability and share the best practices between the Special Forces of the Indian Army and the Kyrgyzstan Army.
SPORTS
1. Rohit Sharma becomes 2nd-most successful Indian captain with two ICC titles: 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.It was also India’s fourth consecutive ICC final in less than two years – the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2023, the ODI World Cup in 2023, and the T20 World Cup in 2024 before playing their third successive Champions Trophy final in Dubai.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.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).
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Financial Grant Scheme for Young Artists: 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.
2. Canara HSBC Life Insurance Partners with GIC Housing Finance for Home Loan Security: Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited (“Canara HSBC Life Insurance”) has partnered 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.MD and CEO of GIC Housing Finance Limited – Sachindra Salvi
3. Bank of Baroda launches first savings account for women NRIs: 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.The bob Global Women NRE & NRO Savings Account recognises the changing dynamics of today’s global Indian women and is designed to empower them.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Ramsar Award for ‘Wetland Wise Use’: Jayshree Vencatesan, co-founder of Care Earth Trust, recently made history as the first Indian to receive the Ramsar Award for ‘Wetland Wise Use’. This prestigious global accolade recognises exceptional contributions to sustainable wetland management. The announcement coincided with International Women’s Day, denoting the role of women in environmental conservation. Vencatesan was one of twelve women honoured for their impactful work in wetland preservation. Vencatesan has dedicated decades to the conservation of India’s wetlands. Her efforts focus particularly on the Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai. She began her journey with a modest budget of $350 and a vision to protect marshlands often regarded as wastelands. Her work has documented the rich biodiversity of Pallikaranai Marsh, which is home to over 337 species of flora and fauna.
2. POLG Mitochondrial Disease
: On March 1, 2025, Prince Frederik of Luxembourg passed away in Paris at the age of 22 after a long battle with POLG mitochondrial disease. His family announced the news later, denoting his struggle with this rare genetic disorder. Diagnosed at 14, Frederik became an advocate for research and founded The POLG Foundation in 2022. The foundation aims to raise awareness and funds for POLG disease, which causes progressive multi-organ dysfunction and failure. Symptoms of POLG disease can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms include muscle weakness, visual impairment, and neurological decline. Diagnosis is often delayed due to the variability in symptoms. Many patients may not receive a correct diagnosis until the disease has progressed .
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