Daily Current Affairs

The Hurun Research Institute released the 15th edition of the Hurun Global Rich List 2026 on March 5, 2026. This landmark edition covered 4,020 billionaires from 2,914 companies across 73 countries — the first time the global billionaire count crossed the 4,000 mark.

• India’s Rank: 3rd globally with 308 billionaires (including 57 new entrants); combined wealth ~Rs 112 lakh crore
• Richest Indian & Asian: Mukesh Ambani (Chairman & MD, Reliance Industries Limited) — net worth Rs 9.8 lakh crore
• Richest Woman in India: Roshni Nadar Malhotra — first to enter India’s overall top three
• Richest Woman Globally: Alice Walton (Walmart) — USD 119 billion
• Richest Self-Made Woman (Global): Diane Hendricks — USD 24 billion (4th consecutive year)

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) laid the foundation stones for four riverine lighthouses along the Brahmaputra River in Assam on March 5, 2026. The ceremony was held at Lachit Ghat, Guwahati, marking India’s first-ever lighthouse infrastructure on an inland waterway. The total project outlay is approximately Rs 84 crore.

• Organising Bodies: Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under MoPSW
• Waterway: All four sites are on National Waterway-2 (NW-2)
• Technical Specs: Each lighthouse — 20 metres tall, geographical range 14 nautical miles, luminous range 8–10 nautical miles, fully solar-powered
• Tourism Component: Each site will include a museum, amphitheatre, cafeteria, children’s play area, souvenir shop, and landscaped public spaces

NITI Aayog and UNICEF India formalised a Statement of Intent (SoI) in March 2026 to jointly strengthen nutrition and health outcomes in Aspirational Districts and Blocks across India. The agreement was signed between Rohit Kumar (Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog) and Arjan de Wagt (Deputy Representative, UNICEF India).

• Objectives: Improve maternal and child nutrition in underserved areas, enhance multi-stakeholder coordination, and scale up nutrition interventions at block level
• Focus Areas: Strengthening Anganwadi infrastructure, improving nutrition literacy, enhancing uptake of ICDS services, and capacity-building of frontline workers
• IMPAct4Nutrition (I4N) Platform: UNICEF India will leverage this platform to provide technical support and mobilise CSR investment from businesses and public sector enterprises

IBM launched its first Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Center at the India Systems Development Lab (ISDL) campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka in March 2026. The facility is designed to advance India’s role as a global hub for enterprise-grade Artificial Intelligence (AI) and infrastructure engineering.

• Objective: Accelerate development of secure, scalable, and responsible enterprise AI systems by combining hybrid cloud capabilities with cutting-edge infrastructure technologies
• Collaboration Model: Connects IBM’s systems architects and engineers from ISDL with clients, ISVs, GSIs, GCCs, and ecosystem partners to co-create AI solutions
• About IBM: Headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA; operates in over 175 countries; global provider of hybrid cloud, AI, and consulting services

Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, launched Version 2.0 of the Indian Culture Portal (ICP) at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi in March 2026. The upgraded portal is a national digital platform providing scholars, researchers, and the general public with access to India’s cultural heritage.

• Background: The portal was originally launched in December 2019 to democratise access to India’s traditions, literature, arts, and historical heritage
• Tech Architecture: React-based frontend and Drupal backend; functions as a Progressive Web App (PWA) for seamless cross-device access
• AI Chatbot: Features Bharti, an AI-powered chatbot integrated with the Bhashini platform, supporting responses in 22 Indian languages
• Features: 3D walkthroughs, 360-degree virtual tours of heritage monuments, and 46 curated cultural categories (e.g., Iconic Battles of India, Folktales of India, Classical Dances of India)

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) unveiled the logo of the Cycling League of India (CLI) in March 2026. The CLI will be the world’s first franchise-based road cycling league, aimed at nurturing professional talent and establishing India as a global cycling hub.

• Franchise Structure: Eight city/region-based franchises, each comprising 10 cyclists — including 2 international riders and 2 junior Indian cyclists per team
• Race Formats: Criterium races, team time trials, and mass start events, across 3 structured phases culminating in a grand finale
• Objective: Build a professional cycling ecosystem, attract global sporting attention, and inspire youth — aligned with the national vision of a fit and active India

SBI General Insurance Company Limited launched an integrated brand campaign titled ‘Chuniye Bharosa, Apno Sa’ in March 2026, positioning itself as a trusted family protector with emphasis on health insurance. The company appointed actor Pankaj Tripathi as its Brand Ambassador.

• Campaign Objective: Enhance brand recall and strengthen SBI General Insurance’s reputation as a reliable provider of financial protection through impactful storytelling
• Outreach Platforms: Print, Television, OTT platforms, and social media
• About SBI General Insurance: Incorporated in 2009, operational since 2010; a joint venture between State Bank of India (SBI) and Napean Opportunities LLP; regulated by IRDAI; headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra

Yes Bank Limited launched the ‘YES Essence Women’s Salary Account’ in March 2026, ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8). The account is designed to address the financial and lifestyle needs of working women, spanning financial protection, preventive healthcare, and wealth creation.

• Free Locker: Complimentary locker facility for the first year
• Health Cover: Complimentary Rs 5 lakh top-up health cover for one year + annual preventive health check-up
• Debit Card: Elegance Debit Card offering 5% cashback worth up to Rs 60,000/year on select spending categories
• Eligibility: Indian female residents aged 18 and above who are the primary account holders

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bellatrix Aerospace Private Limited in March 2026 to jointly design, develop, and manufacture satellite systems and payloads for Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) operations.

• Signatories: Rashmi Kathuria (GM, BEL) and Rohan M. Ganapathy (CEO & CTO, Bellatrix Aerospace)
• Scope: Integrated satellite solutions for both strategic defence and civilian space missions
• About VLEO: Altitudes between 150 km and 450 km above Earth — offers higher-resolution imaging, lower communication latency, and reduced launch costs; requires advanced propulsion to counteract atmospheric drag
• Significance: Reflects India’s public sector + deep-tech startup collaboration model in the space sector

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 — the world’s largest gathering for the mobile and technology industry — was held from March 2–5, 2026 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain. The event brought together global telecom leaders, technology companies, and policymakers.

• Theme: ‘The IQ Era’ — highlighting convergence of Artificial Intelligence with advanced connectivity for smarter networks and digital innovation
• Organiser: Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA)
• India’s Delegation: Led by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia (Ministry of Communications); Indian telecom companies participated under TEPC with DoT support
• India Launch at MWC: Minister Scindia launched the TJ1600-D3 Hyper-scalable Data Center Interconnect (DCI) Platform by Bengaluru-based Tejas Networks Limited

The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), officially verified in March 2026 that Chile has eliminated leprosy as a public health problem. Chile becomes the first country in the Americas and the second globally — after Jordan — to receive this recognition.

• Global Standing: Chile is the 61st country worldwide and the 6th in the Americas to eliminate at least one Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD)
• PAHO Initiative: Supports PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative targeting 30+ communicable diseases by 2030
• WHO Criteria for Elimination: Prevalence rate below 1 case per 10,000 population
• Transmission Elimination Criteria: Zero locally acquired cases for 3 consecutive years and no cases among children for 5 years

The University of Chicago honoured Dr. Krishnamurthy Venkata (K.V.) Subramanian with the Alumni Award for Professional Achievement in March 2026. He became the first Indian economist to receive this honour since its establishment in 1941.

• Distinguished Company: Joins past recipients including Nobel laureates Paul Samuelson, Gary Becker, Claudia Goldin, and scientist Carl Sagan
• Past Roles: Served as Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) to the Government of India (2018–2021); later represented India as Executive Director at the IMF
• Current Role: Professor of Finance at the Indian School of Business (ISB); author of ‘India@100’

President Droupadi Murmu announced a significant reshuffle of Governors and Lieutenant Governors across nine states and Union Territories on March 6, 2026, involving new appointments, transfers, and additional charge arrangements.

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in March 2026, under Article 217(1) of the Constitution of India. He succeeds Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, who retired on March 5, 2026 upon reaching superannuation.

• Legal Career: Enrolled as an advocate in 1992; served as Standing Counsel for the Union of India, Income Tax Department, and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from 2000 to 2015
• Previous Judicial Roles: Served as Judge of the Kerala High Court and as a Permanent Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court
• Constitutional Provision: Article 217(1) requires HC judges to be appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Governor of the concerned state

The United Nations observes the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness on March 5 each year to raise public awareness — particularly among youth — about disarmament and its vital role in promoting peace, preventing conflicts, and reducing human suffering caused by weapons. March 5, 2026 marked the 4th observance of this day.

• Declaration: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared March 5 through Resolution A/RES/77/51, adopted on December 7, 2022
• First Observance: March 5, 2023
• Historical Significance: Commemorates the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) on March 5, 1970