GK One-Liners

What: The Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 (8th edition) evaluated 1,646 universities from 116 countries against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The University of Manchester, UK topped the overall rankings. India’s Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka ranked 1st globally in SDG-5 (Gender Equality), placing in the 101–200 global band overall. The rankings were announced at the Global SDG Congress in Jakarta, Indonesia.

How: THE’s Impact Rankings assess universities on their research, outreach, and stewardship against each of the 17 SDGs. SDG-5 specifically measures Gender Equality — covering gender pay parity, proportion of women in leadership, and policies promoting equitable campus environments. MAHE’s top position in SDG-5 reflects institutional commitments to gender-inclusive education and research.

Why: THE rankings and SDG-related achievements of Indian universities are tested in UPSC GS-II (education, governance) and current affairs sections of banking and state PSC exams. Key facts: University of Manchester (overall topper), MAHE (SDG-5 topper), 8th edition, 1,646 universities, 116 countries, Jakarta announcement. SDG-5 = Gender Equality is a must-remember mapping.

What: Jaime de la Espriella won the 2026 Colombian presidential runoff election, backed by the Defensores de la Patria (Defenders of the Homeland) alliance with 49.66% of the vote, narrowly defeating Iván Cepeda who received 48.70%. He is set to assume office on 7 August 2026, succeeding the incumbent President Gustavo Petro. His Vice President-elect is José Manuel Restrepo Abondano, and his term will run from 2026 to 2030.

How: Colombia holds a two-round presidential election system — if no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the top two candidates contest a runoff. De la Espriella’s win represents a shift in Colombia’s political direction after the Petro administration. His alliance’s name, Defensores de la Patria, signals a conservative-nationalist orientation.

Why: Latin American elections, particularly in major countries like Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico, appear in UPSC current affairs and international relations papers. Candidates should note the winner’s name, the alliance, inauguration date (7 August 2026), predecessor (Gustavo Petro), and VP-elect. Colombia is also relevant for UPSC context on FARC peace process and regional geopolitics.

What: Dr. U.P. Rajeev has been appointed as the new Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He succeeds Dr. A. Rajarajan, who retired on superannuation, and previously served as Associate Director (Research & Development) at VSSC. VSSC was established in 1963 as the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) and is the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) lead centre for launch vehicle development.

How: VSSC is responsible for designing and developing launch vehicles — including the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), and the next-generation Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3). As Director, Dr. Rajeev will oversee propulsion systems, avionics, and structural engineering for ISRO’s mission portfolio, including Gaganyaan human spaceflight preparations.

Why: ISRO appointments and centre-specific roles are a consistent feature in UPSC, SSC, and state PSC current affairs. Key facts: VSSC location (Thiruvananthapuram), establishment year (1963, as TERLS), predecessor director (Dr. A. Rajarajan), and VSSC’s core function (launch vehicle development). This also connects to Gaganyaan and India’s space programme for broader S&T questions.

What: India topped the overall medal standings at the 5th edition of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Championship 2026, held in Suhl, Germany from 16 to 26 June 2026. India won 25 medals in total — 7 Gold, 8 Silver, and 10 Bronze — finishing ahead of the Athletes of International Neutrality (AIN) in second place with 14 medals, and Italy in third with 10 medals. Over 800 shooters from 70 countries participated, with India fielding an 84-member contingent.

How: The ISSF Junior World Championship is open to athletes under the age of 21 as of 31 December of the competition year. It covers rifle, pistol, and shotgun events across men’s, women’s, and mixed team categories. India’s shooting programme has seen sustained investment through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), which have helped develop a strong junior pipeline.

Why: Shooting sports achievements — especially India topping a world championship — are high-probability questions in SSC CGL, UPSC current affairs, and state PSC exams. Key facts to retain: 5th edition, Suhl (Germany), dates (16–26 June 2026), India’s tally (25 medals: 7G-8S-10B), team size (84 members), and the age eligibility rule (under 21). AIN as runner-up is also a unique static fact.

What: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force (IAF) authored the memoir The Second Orbit: Belief of a Man… Dreams of 1.4 Billion Hearts, released in June 2026 by Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Amar Preet Singh, Chief of Air Staff (CAS). The book is published by Vintage Books / Penguin Random House India. Shukla is the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom Space Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, and was conferred the Ashoka Chakra — India’s highest peacetime gallantry award — on Republic Day 2026.

How: The Axiom-4 mission was a private crewed spaceflight to the ISS, operated by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX. Shukla’s participation was part of India’s human spaceflight capacity building under ISRO’s Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts — called Vyomanauts — to low Earth orbit. His ISS experience provides critical training data for Gaganyaan mission planning.

Why: This item spans multiple exam domains: human spaceflight (S&T), gallantry awards (polity/defence), and book releases (current affairs). Key facts: title of memoir, publisher (Penguin Random House India / Vintage Books), Ax-4 mission, first Indian on ISS, Ashoka Chakra (Republic Day 2026), and the releasing authority (ACM Amar Preet Singh). The Gaganyaan connection is critical for UPSC S&T prelims and mains.

What: Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan released the book Sanskritir Ratna Bhandar: Bhaowaiyar Itibritto (meaning ‘Treasury of Culture: A History of Bhawaiya’) at Uprashtrapati Bhavan (Vice President’s official residence), New Delhi. The book is authored by Jayanta Kumar Roy, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), and Sangita Roy, and published by Katha-O-Kahini. Bhawaiya is a traditional folk music form rooted in North Bengal and Assam, deeply associated with the Koch Rajbanshi community.

How: Bhawaiya songs typically depict the lives, emotions, and landscapes of rural North Bengal — themes of separation, nature, and community life. The music uses instruments like the dotara (a plucked string instrument) and is performed at festivals and cultural gatherings of the Koch Rajbanshi people. The book documents its history, lyrical traditions, and cultural context, serving as an archival and academic resource.

Why: UPSC culture questions frequently test folk music traditions and their geographic associations. Key mappings to remember: Bhawaiya → North Bengal and Assam → Koch Rajbanshi community. The Vice President’s involvement elevates its current affairs importance. Also note the authors’ identity (an MP and co-author) and publisher (Katha-O-Kahini). This connects to broader UPSC themes of intangible cultural heritage and documentation of folk traditions.