NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Ministry of Education and IIT Kanpur Launch Free
SATHEE App for Competitive Exam Preparation: The Ministry of
Education, in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, launched the SATHEE
(Self-Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams) app, a free digital
learning platform to help students prepare for major competitive exams.The app
provides high-quality study resources, including video lectures, mock tests,
study material, and previous years’ question papers for exams like JEE, NEET,
SSC, IBPS, and CUET.Designed with a simple interface, SATHEE ensures that
students from rural areas and those who cannot afford expensive coaching can
access competitive exam preparation easily.
2. Arpita Patra Becomes Second Indian Woman to Summit
Nevado Ojos del Salado: Arpita
Patra Becomes Second Indian Woman to Summit Nevado Ojos del
Salado, World’s Highest Volcanic PeakArpita Patra, a professor at the
Indian Institute of Science, became the second Indian woman to summit Nevado
Ojos del Salado, the world’s highest volcanic peak (6,893 m).She achieved this
feat on March 6, marking a significant milestone in Indian mountaineering.
Earlier, she had climbed the
highest volcanic peaks of four continents, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount
Elbrus, Mount Giluwe, and Pico de Orizaba.
3. Andhra Pradesh Launches ‘Divyang Shakti’ Scheme for
Free Bus Travel to Differently Abled Persons: The Andhra Pradesh government has launched
a free bus travel scheme for differently abled persons under the
Divyang Shakti scheme.The scheme was inaugurated by Chief Minister N.
Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati.Persons with 40% or more disability will be
eligible for free travel in APSRTC buses, including express services.
4. Chhattisgarh Launches Gaudham Yojana to Protect Stray
Cattle: Chhattisgarh
CM, Vishnu Deo Sai, has launched the Gaudham Yojana in
Bilaspur to manage and protect stray cattle.The scheme aims to establish
1,460 cattle shelters (Gaudhams) across Chhattisgarh.In the first phase, 29
Gaudhams in 11 districts were virtually inaugurated and named “Surabhi
Gaudham.”
5. March 18 Observed as Ordnance Factories Day in India: Ordnance Factories Day is
observed annually on March 18 in India to commemorate the
establishment of the first Ordnance Factory in Cossipore, Kolkata, in 1801.The
day highlights the role of Ordnance Factories in strengthening India’s defence
manufacturing and supplying arms, ammunition, and military equipment to the
armed forces.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Omar Abdullah Inaugurates Asia’s
Largest Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden: Omar Abdullah inaugurated the Indira
Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, marking the start of the spring tourism season in
the Valley.The garden, Asia’s largest tulip garden, features over 1.8 million
tulips across 70–75 varieties, along with other spring flowers like hyacinths
and daffodils.Spread over 74 acres near Dal Lake, the garden attracts thousands
of tourists annually, with improved facilities and a Tulip Festival planned
during peak bloom.
2. 22-Year-Old Indian Americans Become World’s Youngest
Self-Made Billionaires: Three 22-year-old Indian
Americans — Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha
— became the world’s youngest self-made billionaires by
co-founding San Francisco-based AI hiring platform Mercor.Mercor raised $350
million in Series C funding, valuing the startup at $10 billion, surpassing
Mark Zuckerberg’s record of becoming a billionaire at 23.Each founder holds
over $2 billion in net worth and are Thiel Fellowship recipients, with Foody as
CEO, Hiremath as CTO, and Midha as Board Chair.
3. Cabinet
Approves ₹2584 Crore Small Hydro Scheme: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, has approved the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme for the
period FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31. With an outlay of ₹2,584.60 crore, the scheme
aims to develop approximately 1,500 MW of small hydro capacity across the
country. It focuses on decentralised renewable energy generation, particularly in hilly
and remote regions. The scheme supports small hydro projects with capacities
ranging from 1 MW to 25 MW. It is designed to tap the untapped hydro potential
in difficult terrains, especially in Himalayan and North Eastern regions. Out
of the total outlay, ₹2,532 crore has been allocated for project
implementation, while ₹30 crore is earmarked for preparing detailed project
reports (DPRs) to build a future pipeline.
4. Bharat
Electricity Summit 2026 Begins in New Delhi: The Bharat Electricity Summit 2026, a major global
conference-cum-exhibition for the power sector, is being held from 19 to 22
March 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi. The event is expected to attract over
25,000 visitors, with participation from more than 80 countries, making it one
of the largest global platforms focused on electricity and clean energy. The
summit will host over 100 high-level sessions, more than 300 speakers and over
500 exhibitors, including 100 startups. It will see participation from international
energy ministers, Indian Union and state ministers, policymakers, industry
leaders and global investors. The wide international presence reflects India’s
growing importance in the global energy transition.
5. India
Launches RELIEF Scheme to Support Exporters: Amid rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia and
disruptions in maritime logistics, the Government of India has approved a
targeted intervention named RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for
Export Facilitation) under the Export Promotion
Mission (EPM). The move aims
to support exporters affected by escalating freight costs, higher insurance
premiums and operational uncertainties linked to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region. Recent
security concerns in the Gulf have led to vessel diversions, longer shipping
routes, congestion at transshipment hubs and additional war-related surcharges.
These developments have significantly increased logistics costs and created
uncertainty for Indian export consignments moving to or through West Asia, a
key trade corridor.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Jag
Laadki Tanker Reaches Mundra Amid West Asia Tensions: An Indian-flagged crude
oil tanker, Jag Laadki, has successfully docked at Mundra Port in Gujarat, strengthening India’s energy supply
amid rising tensions in West Asia. The vessel carried around 80,886 metric
tonnes of crude oil sourced from the United Arab Emirates, highlighting the resilience of India’s
maritime logistics and energy import network. Jag Laadki is a large crude
carrier measuring 274.19 metres in length with a beam of 50.04 metres. It has a
deadweight tonnage of approximately 164,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about
84,735 tonnes. The crude oil cargo was loaded at Fujairah Port, a major global
oil storage and export hub in the UAE, and transported safely to India.
2. Indian
Navy Launches IOS SAGAR Initiative 2026: The Indian Navy has commenced the second edition of
the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR initiative from 16 March 2026, reinforcing
India’s commitment to maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. The
initiative follows India’s recent assumption of chairmanship of the Indian
Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and involves
participation from 16 member nations, highlighting growing regional engagement.
The IOS SAGAR initiative is aligned with India’s broader vision of Security and
Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR). It also supports the expanded MAHASAGAR
framework, which focuses on mutual and holistic advancement in maritime
security. The programme is designed as an operational engagement platform to
strengthen naval cooperation and regional stability.
SPORTS
1. India Tops Medal Table with 208 Medals at World Para
Athletics Grand Prix 2026, New Delhi: India topped
the medal table at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 in New
Delhi, winning a total of 208 medals — 75 gold, 69 silver, and 64
bronze.Russia finished second with 35 medals, while Bosnia and Herzegovina
placed third with three medals. The event featured 257 athletes from eight
countries and served as the second stop of the 13th Grand Prix season, offering
key classification opportunities ahead of the 2026 World Para Athletics
Championships and 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Gujarat Achieves Space Milestone with First Sounding
Rocket Launch at Dholera: Gujarat achieved a historic milestone
in space research with the successful launch of its first
sounding rocket at Dholera, reaching an altitude of approximately three
kilometres.The single-stage sub-orbital rocket, developed by an Ahmedabad-based
startup, carried a mini-satellite to collect essential weather data.The
rocket’s carbon fiber airframe was developed under the ‘Make in India’
initiative, with the launch authorised by IN-SPACe and supported by the Gujarat
Spacetech Policy 2025-2030.
2. India
Tests Indigenous Floating LiDAR Buoy System: India has achieved a technological milestone with the
successful testing of an indigenously developed Floating LiDAR Buoy System by the National
Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). Conducted off the coast of Muttom
in Tamil
Nadu, the innovation marks a
major step forward in ocean observation and atmospheric data collection,
especially for offshore environments. The Floating LiDAR Buoy System is an
advanced ocean-based instrument designed to measure wind conditions over the
sea. It combines a floating buoy platform with LiDAR (Light Detection and
Ranging) technology. This system uses laser pulses to capture precise
atmospheric data, including wind speed, direction, and variations at different
altitudes above the ocean surface.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBI Imposes ₹2.7 Lakh Penalty on Manappuram Finance
for KMP Pay Rule Violation: Reserve Bank of India imposed a penalty
of ₹2.7 lakh on Manappuram Finance for violating guidelines related
to compensation of Key Managerial Personnel (KMP).The violation involved paying
full variable pay upfront without deferral, identified during RBI’s inspection
based on the company’s financial position as of March 31, 2025.
2. NPCI International Payments Limited Expands UPI
Acceptance in Sri Lanka via LankaQR Codes: NPCI International Payments Limited plans to
expand UPI merchant acceptance in Sri Lanka, allowing payments via LankaQR
codes.The initiative aims to enhance cross-border payment convenience for
Indian tourists and support Sri Lanka’s growing digital economy.UPI, developed
by the National Payments Corporation of India, enables real-time, secure,
account-to-account transactions through mobile apps.
3. Jio Payments Bank Launches UPI-Based Cardless Cash
Withdrawal Facility to Boost Financial Inclusion: Jio Payments Bank has
introduced UPI-based cash withdrawal at business correspondent (BC)
touchpoints to strengthen the digital payments ecosystem.The feature
allows customers, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, to withdraw cash by
scanning a UPI QR code without using debit cards or ATMs.This initiative
promotes financial inclusion by bridging the gap between digital payments and
cash access, offering a secure and assisted experience for first-time UPI
users.
4. RBI Wins ‘Initiative of the Year’ Award for Launching
“.bank.in” Domain to Boost Digital Banking Security: Reserve Bank of
India received the “Initiative of the Year” award from Central
Banking for launching the “.bank.in” domain to enhance digital
banking security in India.The initiative was implemented in coordination with
multiple stakeholders, including the Government of India, National Internet
Exchange of India, Institute for Development and Research in Banking
Technology, and various banks.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. “One Battle After Another” Dominates Oscars 2026 with
Six Awards; Michael B. Jordan Wins Best Actor: The 98th
Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) were held at the Dolby Theatre in
Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA, celebrating the best films of 2025.The ceremony
was hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien.One Battle After Another emerged as the
biggest winner, securing six awards, while Michael B. Jordan won his first Best
Actor Oscar for Sinners.Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences (AMPAS), the Oscars remain the most prestigious film awards globally,
first held in 1929.
2. William Dalrymple Wins Mark Lynton History Prize 2026: Historian William Dalrymple has been awarded the prestigious Mark Lynton History Prize 2026 for his book “The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World”. The award recognises outstanding historical writing that combines scholarly depth with literary excellence. Dalrymple’s work was praised for its blend of rigorous research, engaging narrative and strong social relevance. The Mark Lynton History Prize is an annual award carrying a cash prize of $10,000. It honours a history book that demonstrates both intellectual distinction and clarity of expression. The prize is part of the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize Project, jointly administered by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Columbia University School of Journalism. It is named after Mark Lynton, a noted author and advocate of historical writing.
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