🇮🇳 National News
Biennial elections for 37 seats of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) were held on 16 March 2026. These elections were conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) using Proportional Representation by means of Single Transferable Vote (STV), with State Legislative Assembly members serving as electors.
- Total Rajya Sabha Strength: 245 seats — 233 elected + 12 nominated by the President of India
- Tenure: Each member serves a six-year term; one-third retire every two years (hence “biennial”)
- Dissolution: Rajya Sabha is a permanent house — it cannot be dissolved (unlike Lok Sabha)
- Chairman: Vice President of India (ex-officio)
- Prime Minister: Must be a member of Lok Sabha (Lower House)
- Significance: These elections determine the Upper House composition and balance of power between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc
Under Article 80 of the Constitution, the Rajya Sabha consists of not more than 250 members — 238 elected by State & UT Legislatures + 12 nominated by the President for expertise in arts, literature, science, and social service. Rajya Sabha elections use Open Ballot STV — members vote in the presence of party agents.
Union Minister C.R. Patil (Ministry of Jal Shakti) inaugurated the new office of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) at West Block II, R.K. Puram, New Delhi. Three major digital platforms were launched simultaneously.
NDSA is a statutory body established under the Dam Safety Act, 2021. It is mandated to regulate, monitor, and improve dam safety practices across India.
Three Digital Platforms Launched:
- NDSA GIS Website: Developed per Digital Brand Identity Manual (DBIM) 3.0; features a GIS-based ‘Specified Dams’ section with map-based interface for dam data across India
- NETRA (NDSA Engine for Tracking and Review using Artificial Intelligence): AI-enabled conversational platform developed in collaboration with WESEE (Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering Establishment) of the Indian Navy; provides access to dam safety regulations and policies via conversational AI
- Rashtriya Bandh Suraksha Darpan (RBSD): Developed by C-DAC; a visualisation platform for Dam Break Analysis (DBA); improves risk assessment, monitoring, and emergency planning
Remember the acronym NETRA = NDSA Engine for Tracking and Review using AI. Key collaborating agencies: WESEE (Indian Navy) for NETRA; C-DAC for RBSD. The Dam Safety Act, 2021 is the first central law specifically addressing dam safety in India.
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy (Steel and Heavy Industries) visited BHEL’s manufacturing facility in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, where he dedicated key infrastructure and flagged off indigenous industrial, defence, and power equipment.
- 5 MW Ground Mounted Solar Power Plant (GMSPP): Dedicated to the facility
- 30-ton Electric Arc Furnace (EAF): Inaugurated to strengthen domestic metallurgical manufacturing
- Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) — Upgraded: Flagged off for the Indian Navy — an advanced indigenous naval gun system
- Turbo Generator (TG): Dispatched from BHEL Haridwar
BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) is a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) is a key indigenously developed naval weapon system — an important example of Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing.
Renowned Tamil poet and lyricist R. Vairamuthu has been selected for the 60th Jnanpith Award for 2025 — India’s highest literary honour. The announcement was made by the Bharatiya Jnanpith Selection Committee, chaired by noted writer Pratibha Ray.
- Born: 13 July 1953, Tamil Nadu; career spans 4+ decades
- Books: Authored 37+ works including poetry collections, novels, and essays
- Film Lyrics: Written 7,500+ Tamil film songs; 7-time National Film Award winner for Best Lyrics
- Notable Works: Kallikattu Ithikasam (Sahitya Akademi Award 2003), Karuvachi Kaviyam, Thanneer Desam, Moondraam Ulagapor
- Civil Honours: Padma Shri (2003), Padma Bhushan (2014), Kalaimamani
Vairamuthu is the third Tamil writer to receive the Jnanpith Award and the first in 20 years. Previous Tamil recipients: P.V. Akilan (1975) and D. Jayakanthan (2002). The 59th Jnanpith Award (2024) went to poet Vinod Kumar Shukla.
India’s highest literary award, given annually to an author for exceptional contribution to any Indian language listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Components: ₹11 lakh cash prize + bronze statuette of Goddess Saraswati (Vagdevi) + citation.
The Government of India implemented Phase VI of Mandatory Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Hallmarking, adding 7 more districts effective 2 March 2026. Total coverage now: 380 districts under BIS mandatory hallmarking.
7 New Districts Added (Phase VI):
- Rupnagar (Punjab), Banda (UP), Beed (Maharashtra), Gomati (Tripura), Katihar (Bihar), Beawar (Rajasthan), Neemuch (MP)
| Phase | Date | Districts Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Phase I | June 2021 | 256 |
| Phase II | April 2022 | 288 |
| Phase III | September 2023 | 343 |
| Phase IV | November 2024 | 361 |
| Phase V | July 2025 | 373 |
| Phase VI | March 2026 | 380 |
Implementing body: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Purpose: Ensures purity and authenticity of gold jewellery; protects consumers from adulteration. Launched nationally from June 2021.
India Post (Ministry of Communication), in collaboration with the Annapurna Devi Foundation, released a Special Cover to mark the birth centenary of legendary Hindustani classical musician Annapurna Devi at the Kolkata GPO, West Bengal.
- Annapurna Devi: Renowned Hindustani classical musician; master of the surbahar (bass sitar); known for her reclusive nature and devoted teaching
- Awards: Padma Bhushan (1977), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1991), Desikottama — honorary doctorate from Visva-Bharati (1999), Fellowship of Sangeet Natak Akademi (2004)
A Special Cover (or Special Envelope) is a philatelic product released by India Post to commemorate significant events or personalities — distinct from a commemorative postage stamp. Annapurna Devi was a disciple of the legendary sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar and daughter of the great musician Baba Allauddin Khan.
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, signed an MoU with ‘Coalition of the Willing’ — a consortium of organisations including Yunikee, Blee Tech Innovations, TEACH, WinVinaya Foundation, Buddy4Study India, VCrop Technologies, and ISLRTC — to launch India’s first integrated life-cycle support model for persons with hearing impairment.
- Focus Areas: Awareness, assistive technologies, early identification, education, skill development, employment, Indian Sign Language (ISL) learning, and sustainable livelihoods
- Significance: First public-private-civil society partnership of this nature for hearing-impaired persons in India
ISLRTC = Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre, under DEPwD. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016 recognises 21 types of disabilities, including hearing impairment. DEPwD functions under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
22 institutions from North-East India — led by IIT-Guwahati — and Japan’s Gifu University signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to establish the ‘North East Region–Japan International Academic and Research Consortium’ during the Japan-North East Academic Industry Cooperation Symposium (JNTCS 2026) at IIT-Guwahati.
- NE Institutions Included: 8 NITs, 2 IITs, AIIMS-Guwahati, Tezpur University, Gauhati University, Cotton University, NERIWALM
- Nodal Institutions: IIT-Guwahati (India) & Gifu University (Japan)
- Key Collaboration Areas: Science, technology, medicine, education, and technology transfer
This initiative aligns with India’s Act East Policy — a priority foreign policy framework that strengthens India’s connectivity and cooperation with Southeast and East Asian nations, with special emphasis on the North-East region. NERIWALM = National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology.
ISRO successfully conducted a 165-second sea-level hot test of the Cryogenic Engine CE20 at 22-tonne thrust using a Nozzle Protection System (NPS) and multi-element igniter at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
- Purpose: Supports development of the uprated Cryogenic Stage C32 for future LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) missions
- Upgrade significance: Previous sea-level tests were at 19-tonne thrust; new 22-tonne thrust enhances LVM3’s payload capability for higher orbits
- LVM3: India’s heaviest operational rocket; used for Chandrayaan-3 and OneWeb satellite launches
- Challenge: Sea-level testing of high area-ratio nozzles risks flow separation, causing vibrations and thermal stress — mitigated by the NPS
IPRC, Mahendragiri (Tamil Nadu) is ISRO’s primary propulsion testing facility. CE20 is a cryogenic engine using Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) — the most efficient propellant combination. The C32 stage upgrade will increase LVM3’s payload capability, critical for India’s future Gaganyaan crewed mission and commercial satellite launches.
The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), under DPIIT (Ministry of Commerce and Industry), collaborated with TraceXero Technologies to develop Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) technologies for India’s cement sector. The agreement was signed at NCB Ballabgarh, Haryana.
- Problem: Cement production contributes approximately 7% of global CO₂ emissions
- Solution: TraceXero’s proprietary process captures CO₂ and converts it into graphitic carbon and graphene — transforming waste emissions into a high-value material resource
CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilisation) differs from CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage): CCU converts captured CO₂ into useful products (like graphene), while CCS stores it underground. NCB (National Council for Cement and Building Materials) is under DPIIT. This initiative supports India’s Net Zero by 2070 commitment made at COP26.
🌐 International News
The 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) ceremony was held on 15 March 2026 at the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, Los Angeles. Host: Conan O’Brien (2nd consecutive year). Aired on ABC; streamed on Hulu.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Picture | One Battle After Another (Dir: Paul Thomas Anderson) — 6 wins |
| Best Director | Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) |
| Best Actor | Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) |
| Best Actress | Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) |
| Best Supporting Actor | Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) |
| Best Supporting Actress | Amy Madigan (Weapons) |
| Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix) |
| Best International Film | Mr. Nobody Against Putin |
| Best Original Screenplay | Ryan Coogler (Sinners) |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) |
| Best Cinematography | Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Sinners) |
| Best Original Score | Ludwig Göransson (Sinners) |
| Best Achievement in Casting | Cassandra Kulukundis (One Battle After Another) — NEW CATEGORY |
‘Sinners’ received 16 nominations — the most in Oscar history, surpassing the previous record of 14 held jointly by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). ‘One Battle After Another’ led with 6 wins. Best Achievement in Casting was introduced as a new Oscar category for the first time in Academy history.
Jose Antonio Kast Rist, founder of the Republican Party of Chile, was sworn in as the 38th President of Chile for a four-year term at the National Congress in Valparaíso, Chile. He succeeded outgoing President Gabriel Boric Font.
- India’s Representation: Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh (Ministry of External Affairs) attended the inauguration on behalf of India
- Venue: National Congress, Valparaíso — Chile’s legislative capital
Chile — Capital: Santiago; Currency: Chilean Peso. Chile is a leading copper producer globally and is a member of the Pacific Alliance. The Presidential inauguration venue, Valparaíso, is Chile’s legislative capital (Parliament meets there), while Santiago is the executive capital — a useful distinction for geography questions.
👔 Appointments
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by PM Narendra Modi, approved the appointment of Kompella Venkata (K.V.) Ramana Murty as a Whole-Time Member (WTM) of SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) for a term of three years.
- Background: A 1991-batch Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) officer; previously served as Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) in the Ministry of Defence
- SEBI WTMs after appointment (4 total): K.V. Ramana Murty, Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, Sandip Pradhan, and Amarjeet Singh
SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) is the statutory regulator for securities markets in India, established under the SEBI Act, 1992. Its structure: 1 Chairman + up to 9 Members (including Whole-Time Members, part-time members, and nominees from RBI & Government). Headquartered in Mumbai.
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen announced his decision to step down from the role he had held for 18 years. He joined Adobe in 1998 and became CEO in 2007, transforming the company from a desktop software firm into a leading SaaS (Software as a Service) and digital experience platform. He will continue in an advisory role.
- Adobe HQ: San Jose, California, USA
- CEO since: 2007 (18 years)
- Key achievement: Led Adobe’s pivot from perpetual licensing to cloud subscription (Adobe Creative Cloud) — a landmark in enterprise SaaS transformation
Shantanu Narayen is one of India’s most prominent global CEOs (born in Hyderabad). He received the Padma Shri (2019) from the Government of India. Adobe is known for products like Photoshop, Acrobat, Premiere Pro, and the PDF format — originally developed by Adobe.
🔬 Science & Technology
T-Hub — India’s largest startup incubator, based in Hyderabad — partnered with JETRO (Japan External Trade Organisation) to strengthen India-Japan deep-tech startup collaboration.
- Focus Sectors: Pharma, space, defence, AI, emerging technologies, Industry 4.0
- Key Activities: Startup exchanges, open innovation programmes, market access support
- Strategic alignment: Supports the India-Japan bilateral technology cooperation agenda
T-Hub is located in Hyderabad, Telangana — India’s largest startup incubator and innovation hub. JETRO = Japan External Trade Organization, a Japanese government agency promoting mutual trade and investment between Japan and other nations. This partnership aligns with the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership established in 2014.
📅 Important Days
National Vaccination Day (also called National Immunisation Day) is observed in India every year on 16 March. The day was first observed on 16 March 1995, when India administered the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for the first time under the Pulse Polio Programme — marking the launch of India’s polio eradication campaign.
- India declared polio-free: By the WHO in 2014
- Significance: Raises awareness about vaccination in preventing life-threatening diseases; promotes immunisation coverage under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)
- UIP Coverage: One of the world’s largest vaccination programmes; covers TB, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, hepatitis B, and more
Do not confuse with World Immunization Week (last week of April, WHO). The Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) was launched in India in 1985, expanded from the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI, 1978). India’s Mission Indradhanush (launched 2014) is a special drive under UIP targeting unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children.
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