National News
Which Indian town was officially renamed “Abu Raj” by the state government in March 2026?
Answer: Mount Abu, Rajasthan
What new public security squad was unveiled by the Jammu & Kashmir Police in March 2026 to manage high-altitude terrain and alpine security operations?
Answer: Snow Leopard Squad
Which historical state infrastructure project in Bihar, aimed at facilitating citizen-centric governance and rapid public grievance redressal, was launched in March 2026?
Answer: BiharOne Project
The Supreme Court of India constituted an expert committee to review the regulatory framework of digital asset custody. Who is heading this committee?
Answer: Ajay Sawhney
India’s total power generation capacity achieved a major milestone in March 2026 by crossing how many Gigawatts (GW)?
Answer: 520 GW
Which state government launched India’s first state-run State Innovation Mission (SIM) to fund micro-entrepreneurs in rural blocks?
Answer: Tripura
The Sikkim government announced the renaming of its Pakyong Airport in honor of which legendary freedom fighter?
Answer: Trilochan Pokhrel
The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) discovered 1,200-year-old miniature rock-cut shrines during an excavation drive at which world heritage site?
Answer: Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
Which Indian city hosted the high-profile India Steel 2026 Summit to discuss decarbonization in the manufacturing sector?
Answer: New Delhi
The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways inaugurated the advanced Bogibeel Customs & Immigration Complex on which National Waterway?
Answer: National Waterway 2 (Brahmaputra River)
Which state legislative assembly passed a bill mandating a 33% reservation for women in all local cooperative dairy federations?
Answer: Anand, Gujarat
India’s first fully digital population data center tracking urban migration trends was operationalized in which city?
Answer: Bengaluru, Karnataka
The Ministry of Civil Aviation granted an international airport license to which upcoming greenfield airport in Uttar Pradesh in March 2026?
Answer: Noida International Airport (Jewar)
Which state government launched the ‘Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina’ scheme to provide monthly financial stipends to girls pursuing higher education?
Answer: Assam
The Central government announced that the upcoming National Census will be entirely paperless and conducted under the provisions of which historic Act?
Answer: Census Act, 1948
Which public sector port set a new national record by handling over 100 million metric tonnes of cargo in a record time of 330 days?
Answer: Paradip Port Authority, Odisha
India’s first Vedic-themed cultural park, featuring interactive laser mappings of ancient scriptures, was opened to the public in which city?
Answer: Noida, Uttar Pradesh
The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a new National Institute of Biotic Stress Management in which state?
Answer: Chhattisgarh
Which Indian city became the first in the country to install a public network of AI-powered acoustic sensors to detect illegal honking?
Answer: Mumbai, Maharashtra
The Union Ministry of Culture announced a special financial package to restore the 400-year-old French heritage structures located in which town?
Answer: Chandannagar, West Bengal
Punjab Current Affairs
The Punjab Government approved the establishment of a specialized state-of-the-art “Malwa Canal Project” to irrigate how many lakh acres of land in South Punjab?
Answer: nearly 2 lakh acres
Which historic town in Punjab was selected by the state government to build a world-class sports academy dedicated to traditional archery and athletics?
Answer: Anandpur Sahib
The Punjab Cabinet formally approved the creation of a new administrative sub-division in which district to improve local public services?
Answer: Guru Harsahai, Ferozepur district
What is the primary objective of the newly expanded ‘Mera Kaam Mera Maan’ scheme re-engineered by the Punjab Government in March 2026?
Answer: To provide technical skill-training and a monthly employment stipend to urban unemployed youth
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) successfully developed a new climate-resilient variety of Bt-Cotton named what, which is highly resistant to whitefly attacks?
Answer: PAU-Bt 1
Which district administrative team in Punjab bagged the first position in the state for the highest coverage of solar rooftop installations on government buildings?
Answer: Bathinda
The Punjab Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which global non-profit organization to introduce advanced crop-diversification practices across the Malwa belt?
Answer: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
To honor Punjab’s rich martial history, the state government announced the setting up of a mega War Memorial and Military Museum in which border district?
Answer: Gurdaspur
Which university in Punjab was awarded an ‘A++’ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in its March 2026 review?
Answer: Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar
The Punjab Mandi Board launched a mobile application to allow farmers to trace their wheat procurement payments digitally. What is the name of this app?
Answer: Punjab Anaaj Kharid Mobile App
Which canal network in Punjab underwent a massive ecological revival project using bio-remediation techniques to eliminate industrial effluents?
Answer: Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana
The Punjab Sports Department introduced a specialized health insurance cover of up to ₹5 lakh for all state-level medal-winning veteran athletes. What is this scheme named?
Answer: Khed Ratna Sehat Bima Yojana
Who was appointed as the new Director General of Punjab State Food Commission in March 2026?
Answer: Senior bureaucrat Anurag Verma
The Punjab Government declared a complete ban on the commercial extraction of groundwater for industrial purposes across how many over-exploited blocks?
Answer: 78 blocks
Which village in Punjab was awarded the “Best Rural Tourism Village of India 2026” by the Union Tourism Ministry for preserving its traditional heritage?
Answer: Nawanpind Sardaran, Gurdaspur
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) achieved a record performance by converting what percentage of its rural agricultural feeders to 100% solar power?
Answer: 45% of the total feeders
What is the total financial corpus allocated by the Punjab Finance Ministry for the modernization of primary health centers into smart clinics for this phase?
Answer: ₹280 crore
Which Punjabi author was selected for the state’s highest literary honor, the ‘Dhahan Prize 2026’, for outstanding contributions to Punjabi fiction?
Answer: Balwinder Singh Grewal
The Punjab police department launched a specialized anti-narcotics community task force named what, involving village panchayats directly?
Answer: Punjab Prahari Force
Which town in Punjab saw the inauguration of the state’s largest automated milk processing plant built by Verka in March 2026?
Answer: Jalandhar
International Affairs
The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was targeted in highly volatile, coordinated military strikes that escalated geopolitical tensions across which global region?
Answer: The Middle East
Which neighboring country’s cross-border military escalation saw Pakistan launch a highly sensitive combat operation named “Operation Ghazab lil-Haq”?
Answer: Afghanistan
The Amondawa indigenous tribe, which made international news in March 2026 due to an anthropological study on their unique concept of time, is primarily located in which country?
Answer: Brazil
Which European country officially signed a landmark defense security pact with Qatar in March 2026 to cooperate on Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones)?
Answer: Ukraine
India and Malta held their high-level 4th Foreign Office Consultations to expand bilateral maritime trade routes in which capital city?
Answer: Valletta
According to the Morning Consult Global Leader Approval Survey released in March 2026, who emerged as the world’s most popular leader with an approval rating of 68%?
Answer: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Which international body announced the launch of the “Global Plastic Treaty Framework” to eliminate single-use plastics from international shipping by 2032?
Answer: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Which country became the first in the world to grant absolute legal constitutional rights to artificial intelligence entities regarding data ownership?
Answer: Estonia
The historic maritime border dispute between the Philippines and which nation saw a mutual de-escalation agreement signed under UN mediation in March 2026?
Answer: China
Which African country declared a state of national climate emergency in March 2026 due to a severe multi-year drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon?
Answer: Zambia
The global financial watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) officially removed which South Asian island nation from its high-risk “Grey List”?
Answer: Sri Lanka
Which nation successfully hosted the 6th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) with a focus on multilateralism?
Answer: Nairobi, Kenya
The European Parliament passed the world’s first comprehensive “Artificial Intelligence Act” mandating strict transparency filters. What is the maximum penalty for non-compliance?
Answer: 7% of a company’s global annual turnover
Who was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Ireland in March 2026 following a sudden political realignment?
Answer: Simon Harris
Which country announced the discovery of a massive deep-sea natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, estimated at 5 trillion cubic feet?
Answer: Cyprus
Government Schemes
Which flagship government portal, tracking the distribution of micronutrient-fortified rice across vulnerable populations under public safety nets, completed five years of launch?
Answer: PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) Dashboard
The Union Government launched the “Zero Prize” initiative in March 2026 to incentivize startups that achieve a measurable reduction in which major environmental challenge?
Answer: Urban Air Pollution
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed a landmark pact with KRAFTON India to boost gaming startups under which flagship initiative?
Answer: Startup India
The Union Ministry of Power launched an updated subsidy framework under the PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. What is the maximum financial subsidy provided for a 3 kW solar system?
Answer: ₹78,000
The Central Government announced the extension of the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme for a five-year cycle spanning which period?
Answer: 2026 to 2031
Which central ministry launched the “PRITHVI” scheme to advance long-term deep-ocean observation and polar climate research?
Answer: Ministry of Earth Sciences
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment expanded the “VAYOSHRESHTHA” scheme in March 2026 to set up digital literacy centers for which group of citizens?
Answer: Senior Citizens (Aged 60 and above)
What is the total financial budget cleared by the Union Cabinet for the expansion of the “Lakhpati Didi” scheme to cover 3 crore rural women?
Answer: ₹12,000 crore
The Ministry of Agriculture launched a new credit sub-scheme under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) targeting what specific technology?
Answer: AI-driven automated sorting and grading units
Which state became the first to fully integrate its state medical records with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) infrastructure?
Answer: Andhra Pradesh
The Union Government extended the validity of the “Stand Up India” scheme up to which year to promote entrepreneurship at the grassroots?
Answer: 2030
What is the name of the new centralized digital platform launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs to streamline infrastructure grants for cultural sites?
Answer: Jiyaarat Portal
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched the “Sankalp 2.0” program in March 2026, specifically targeting green-collar jobs in which sector?
Answer: Electric Vehicle (EV) servicing and maintenance
Under the newly modified PM-JANMAN scheme, the government allocated special funds to build high-speed telecom towers in villages belonging to which groups?
Answer: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
Which central ministry launched the “SHREYAS” portal to track and distribute high-value international fellowships for OBC and SC researchers?
Answer: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
The Ministry of Jal Shakti reported that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, what percentage of rural households in India have been provided with functional tap water connections?
Answer: 76%
What is the primary target of the newly introduced “Bhu-Aadhar” card project expanded by the Ministry of Rural Development?
Answer: To assign a unique 14-digit identification number to every land parcel in India
The Union Ministry of Heavy Industries announced the launch of the “EMPS 2026” scheme to sustain electric vehicle sales. What does EMPS stand for?
Answer: Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme
Which regulatory body launched the “Niveshak Didi” program in March 2026 to promote financial literacy among rural women through local postwomen?
Answer: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs announced that how many cities have been successfully declared as “Five-Star Garbage Free Cities” under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban?
Answer: 125 cities
Economy & Banking
Micron Technology Inc. operationalized India’s first commercial semiconductor ATMP (Assembly, Test, Marking, and Packaging) facility in which city?
Answer: Sanand, Gujarat
Under the India Semiconductor Mission, what percentage of capital subsidy was provided by the Union Government to support the Micron semiconductor facility?
Answer: 50% capital subsidy
Which apex authority introduced the high-tech “Government Bank Dashboard” and “Government Bank Manual” in March 2026 to streamline public transaction audits?
Answer: Controller General of Accounts (CGA)
According to the official data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), approximately what percentage of India’s international trade invoices are settled in Indian Rupees?
Answer: around 5%
According to the OECD’s interim Economic Outlook released in March 2026, what GDP growth rate is projected for India for the financial year 2025-26?
Answer: 7.6%
As per the World Economic Forum’s country brief, India’s domestic electronics manufacturing industry achieved an economic valuation base of how much?
Answer: $130 billion
The Hurun Global Rich List 2026 named who as the richest Indian and richest Asian with a net worth of $109 billion?
Answer: Mukesh Ambani (Chairman, Reliance Industries)
Who topped the global Hurun Rich List 2026 as the richest person in the world, driven by a surge in technology and aerospace equities?
Answer: Elon Musk
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued an updated directive mandating that all commercial banks must offer what type of interest rate accounts to senior citizens by default?
Answer: Floating-rate fixed deposits linked directly to the repo rate
Which Indian public sector bank signed a strategic agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to secure a $200 million line of credit for solar power funding?
Answer: State Bank of India (SBI)
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved the launch of a new T+0 (same-day) settlement cycle on an optional basis for how many specific shares?
Answer: 25 select liquid shares
Which private sector bank became the first in India to launch an integrated “Virtual Wealth Management” platform driven entirely by generative AI models?
Answer: ICICI Bank
What is the total asset value of the bad loans resolved under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) during the fiscal cycle, according to the IBBI March 2026 report?
Answer: ₹3.2 lakh crore
The RBI fine-tuned its regulatory sandbox framework by introducing a new, dedicated cohort focusing on what technology?
Answer: Cross-border digital remittances using Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)
Which Indian corporate entity became the first to cross a market capitalization milestone of ₹7 lakh crore in the infrastructure and energy domain?
Answer: Adani Green Energy Limited
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) fixed the official interest rate on provident fund deposits for the financial year at what percentage?
Answer: 8.25%
Which global rating agency upgraded India’s sovereign rating outlook from ‘Stable’ to ‘Positive’, citing strong macroeconomic fundamentals?
Answer: Fitch Ratings
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections in March 2026 hit the second-highest monthly total ever recorded. What was the collection amount?
Answer: ₹1.84 lakh crore
Which foreign central bank signed a pact with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to deploy India’s UPI architecture in their country?
Answer: Central Bank of Peru
The RBI issued a monetary penalty of ₹2.1 crore on which prominent non-banking financial company (NBFC) for violating fair practices codes regarding loans?
Answer: Muthoot Fincorp Limited
Science & Technology
Indian researchers successfully developed next-generation coordination polymers, Zn(DAB) and Cd(DAB), to significantly advance which two clean technology fields?
Answer: Energy storage systems and green hydrogen production
In March 2026, astrophysicists conducted a breakthrough study on the deep-space object “ULX M74 X-1”, which releases intense X-ray flares, located in which galaxy?
Answer: Messier 74 (M74)
Which company manufactured India’s first indigenously designed and structurally engineered dedicated combat helicopter, the LCH Prachand?
Answer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
What is the name of India’s first home-grown gene therapy for cancer, which received formal medical commercialization clearance in March 2026?
Answer: CAR-T cell therapy (NexCAR19)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the second landing experiment (LEX-02) of its autonomous reusable launch vehicle named what?
Answer: Pushpak
Which technology institute developed an advanced AI model named ‘Garbhini-GA2’ to precisely determine the gestational age of a fetus during the second and third trimesters?
Answer: IIT Madras (in collaboration with THSTI)
India’s first specialized “National Quantum Computing Tech Hub” was formally inaugurated in March 2026 at which premier research institute?
Answer: IISc Bengaluru
What is the name of the advanced, low-cost astronomical satellite launched by ISRO to study the polarization of intense cosmic X-ray sources?
Answer: XPoSAT
Scientists at the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) discovered a massive underwater chain of seamounts in which oceanic region?
Answer: Arabian Sea
Which global technology giant partnered with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to train 100,000 Indian developers in advanced edge-AI applications?
Answer: NVIDIA
The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested an indigenous long-range glide bomb named what from a Sukhoi-30 MKI platform?
Answer: Gaurav
What is the name of the first generative AI medical assistant bot launched by the Union Health Ministry to answer public queries regarding drug safety?
Answer: Ayushman Samvaad
Which premier Indian institute developed a ultra-high-efficiency thermoelectric material that can directly convert waste industrial heat into electricity?
Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR)
India’s first commercial green hydrogen blending project in the piped natural gas (PNG) network was operationalized in which state?
Answer: Gujarat (by NTPC)
What new state-of-the-art supercomputer, boasting a speed performance of 15 Petaflops, was dedicated to the nation at IIT Bombay under the National Supercomputing Mission?
Answer: Param Rudra
Which biotechnology enterprise received international regulatory approval for India’s first indigenous vaccine against Dengue fever?
Answer: Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL)
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovered high-grade cobalt mineral reserves for the first time in which state or UT?
Answer: Odisha
What is the name of the deep-tech defense startup that delivered India’s first fully autonomous micro-unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to the Indian Army?
Answer: Torus Robotics
Which telescope facility in India captured the most detailed images to date of a rare binary star system undergoing a thermonuclear explosion?
Answer: Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), Hanle, Ladakh
Indian agricultural scientists successfully gene-edited a new variety of mustard crop that is completely free of pungent-tasting, anti-nutritional compounds known as what?
Answer: Glucosinolates
Sports
Which cricket legends were honored with the prestigious Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI’s Naman Awards ceremony?
Answer: Roger Binny and Rahul Dravid
Which military contingent successfully defended its team championship title at the 6th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2026?
Answer: Indian Army Team
Which state has been officially selected to host the inaugural edition of the upcoming Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG)?
Answer: Chhattisgarh
Which country finished at the very top of the final medal standings at the high-profile World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 held in New Delhi?
Answer: India
Who won the prestigious men’s singles title at the world-class Indian Wells Open 2026 tennis tournament?
Answer: Jannik Sinner
Which Indian squash star clinched the men’s singles crown at the international Indian Open Squash Tournament 2026 in Mumbai?
Answer: Abhay Singh
Who made sporting history by becoming India’s 94th Chess Grandmaster, notably being the first ever from the North-East region?
Answer: Mayank Chakraborty (from Assam)
Who won the coveted “Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Men)” at the Hockey India Annual Awards?
Answer: Hardik Singh
Who won the “Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Women)” at the Hockey India Annual Awards?
Answer: Salima Tete
Which country hosted the Asian Track Cycling Championships 2026 where India won a record total of 9 medals?
Answer: New Delhi, India
Who won the Men’s Singles title at the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships 2026?
Answer: Jonatan Christie
Which Indian rifle shooter secured a gold medal in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the ISSF World Cup stage matches?
Answer: Sift Kaur Samra
The multi-billion dollar sports franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made economic news by being acquired by a premier global consortium for how much?
Answer: $1.78 billion
Which city has been officially selected to host the world’s first franchise-based road cycling tournament, the Cycling League of India?
Answer: Ahmedabad
Who became the oldest tennis player in history to win an ATP Masters 1000 doubles title, achieving the milestone at Miami in March 2026?
Answer: Rohan Bopanna
Which state won the overall title at the 5th Khelo India Youth Games concluded in the sports calendar?
Answer: Maharashtra
Who won the Men’s Singles title at the French Open Badminton Super 750 tournament?
Answer: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (Men’s Doubles)
Which country won the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup title by defeating Australia in the finals?
Answer: India
Who became the first Indian woman cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame?
Answer: Diana Edulji
Which premier Indian corporate house signed a multi-year deal with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to act as the official principal sponsor for the upcoming Olympic Games?
Answer: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)
Awards & Honours
Which world-renowned historian and author won the prestigious Mark Lynton History Prize 2026 for the book “The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World”?
Answer: William Dalrymple
Which feature film won the coveted Best Picture award at the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026) ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre?
Answer: One Battle After Another
Who won the Academy Award (Oscar 2026) for Best Director for helming the cinematic masterpiece “One Battle After Another”?
Answer: Paul Thomas Anderson
Who took home the Oscar 2026 for Best Actor for his performance in the thriller “Sinners”?
Answer: Michael B. Jordan
Which actress won the Oscar 2026 for Best Actress for her performance in the historical drama “Hamnet”?
Answer: Jessie Buckley
What is the name of the acclaimed film, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, which stood as the only Indian feature film shortlisted for the Best International Feature category at the Oscars 2026?
Answer: Homebound
Who was honored with the prestigious 2026 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the highest international honor in the field of architecture?
Answer: Riken Yamamoto (Japan)
Which eminent Indian scientist was conferred with the structural engineering field’s highest global honor, the “Lehigh Gold Medal,” for bridge architecture?
Answer: Dr. N.V. Ramana Rao
Who was selected for the prestigious Chameli Devi Jain Award 2026 for Outstanding Outstanding Woman Media Person?
Answer: Independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar
Which public sector enterprise was awarded the “Navratna Corporate Excellence Award 2026” for achieving stellar financial parameters?
Answer: National Aluminum Company Limited (NALCO)
Who won the Abel Prize 2026, often referred to as the Nobel Prize for Mathematics, for groundbreaking work in probability theory?
Answer: Michel Talagrand
Which Indian micro-finance NGO won the international “Zayed Sustainability Prize 2026” for its renewable-energy powered cold storage models for small farmers?
Answer: Selco Foundation
The Ministry of Aviation conferred the “National Aviation Excellence Award” on which Indian airport for its zero-carbon green architecture?
Answer: Cochin International Airport
Which veteran Indian classical vocalist was selected for the prestigious “Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship” (Akademi Ratna) in March 2026?
Answer: Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty
Who was awarded the prestigious Erasmus Prize 2026 for exceptional contributions to cultural and social sciences?
Answer: Amitav Ghosh
Which state government won the central “Geographical Indication (GI) Promotion Award” for registering the maximum number of indigenous traditional crafts?
Answer: Assam
Who was named the “EY Entrepreneur of the Year India 2025” at the grand corporate gala held in Mumbai?
Answer: Vellayan Subbiah (Chairman, Cholamandalam Investment)
Which Indian conservation project received the “Award of Distinction” at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation?
Answer: Kunnamangalam Bhagavati Temple Restoration, Kerala
Who was conferred with the “Saraswati Samman 2025” for his outstanding collection of poems titled Rudra?
Answer: Prabha Varma
Which public sector power major bagged the “National National Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance” instituted by ICSI?
Answer: NTPC Limited
Books & Authors
Who is the author of the critically acclaimed non-fiction historical masterwork “The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World”, which won top honors in March 2026?
Answer: William Dalrymple
Who authored the newly released political biography titled “The Architect of Modern Governance: A Life of Reforms”?
Answer: Dr. Bibek Debroy
What is the name of the newly launched science fiction anthology mapping the future of artificial intelligence in India, written by corporate technologist C.P. Gurnani?
Answer: Code-Name: Chetana
Who wrote the highly discussed sociological book “The Changing Fabric of Rural Bharat: Land, Labor, and Caste”?
Answer: Dr. Surinder S. Jodhka
Which prominent Indian diplomat authored the new foreign policy analytical book titled “The New Himalayan Geopolitics: India, China, and the Contest for Tibet”?
Answer: Shyam Saran
Who is the author of the historical fiction novel “The Last Queen of Avadh”, which explores the life of Begum Hazrat Mahal?
Answer: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The book titled “Fanning the Flames: Climate Change and the Future of Global Security”, released in March 2026, is written by which environmentalist?
Answer: Sunita Narain
Who is the author of the biographical account of India’s corporate history titled “The Builders of Empires: India’s Industrial Pioneers”?
Answer: Harish Damodaran
Which Indian space scientist penned an autobiographical memoir titled “Beyond the Blue Horizon: My Journey into India’s Space Age”?
Answer: Dr. K. Sivan
Who wrote the modern poetry compilation titled “Syllables of Silence”, which was awarded a special mention by the Sahitya Akademi?
Answer: Keki N. Daruwalla
What is the title of the new book on public healthcare systems authored by former Union Health Secretary K. Sujatha Rao?
Answer: The Healing Touch: Revamping India’s Public Health Architecture
Who is the author of the financial economics book “The Digital Rupee: How Tokenization is Redefining Global Banking”?
Answer: Dr. Duvvuri Subbarao
Who authored the investigative journalism book “The Shadow Network: Inside India’s Cyber Warfare Capabilities”?
Answer: Sandeep Unnithan
Which prominent legal luminary released his memoir titled “Courts and Contentions: A Life at the Bar and Bench” in March 2026?
Answer: Justice Rohinton F. Nariman
Who is the author of the environmental conservation book “The Western Ghats: A Battleground for Biodiversity”?
Answer: Dr. Madhav Gadgil
Important Days
What was the official global theme for World Wildlife Day observed by the United Nations on March 3, 2026?
Answer: “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation”
National Safety Day is observed across India every year on which specific date to promote safe industrial and public environments?
Answer: March 4
What was the official campaign theme for International Women’s Day celebrated globally on March 8, 2026?
Answer: “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”
Which date is celebrated annually across India as National Vaccination Day to acknowledge the work of healthcare professionals?
Answer: March 16
What was the global theme for World Water Day observed on March 22, 2026, to highlight the critical value of freshwater resources?
Answer: “Water for Peace”
World Meteorological Day was celebrated on March 23, 2026, under which international focus theme?
Answer: “At the Frontline of Climate Action”
What was the official theme for World Tuberculosis (TB) Day observed globally on March 24, 2026?
Answer: “Yes! We Can End TB: Led by countries, powered by people.”
Which day is marked annually on March 15 to safeguard the rights and fair market access of global buyers?
Answer: World Consumer Rights Day
International Day of Forests was celebrated on March 21, 2026, under which ecological theme?
Answer: “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World”
Which date is celebrated as the International Day of Happiness, established by a UN General Assembly resolution?
Answer: March 20
What is the significance of celebrating National Science Day in India every year on February 28, the highlights of which extended into early March?
Answer: To commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ by Sir C.V. Raman
Which date is observed as World Consumer Rights Day to promote awareness about buyer safety and choice?
Answer: March 15
What was the focus theme for World Oral Health Day observed on March 20, 2026?
Answer: “A Happy Mouth is a Happy Body”
Which date is marked as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination?
Answer: March 21
World Down Syndrome Day was observed on March 21, 2026, under which global slogan?
Answer: “End the Stereotypes”
Defence
What is the official operational nickname given to the Indian Navy’s advanced anti-submarine warfare vessel INS Anjadip?
Answer: Silent Killer of the Shallows
Which Iranian naval asset, while returning from the multinational Exercise Milan 2026, was reportedly involved in a critical strategic sinking incident in the Indian Ocean?
Answer: IRIS Makran
What is the name of the high-profile, US-led multinational naval anti-submarine warfare exercise conducted near the Guam region in which the Indian Navy participated?
Answer: Exercise Sea Dragon 2026
The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully operationalized its first dedicated squadron of indigenously upgraded Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft at which airforce station?
Answer: Gwalior Air Force Station
The Indian Army raised a specialized technology unit named ‘AGNIASST’ to handle which advanced tactical field operations?
Answer: AI-based battlefield drone analytics and counter-drone systems
What is the name of the joint military training exercise conducted between the special forces of India and Indonesia in March 2026?
Answer: Exercise Garuda Shakti 2026
The Indian Navy formally commissioned its newest base, INS Jatayu, on which strategic island to expand its maritime domain awareness?
Answer: Minicoy Island (Lakshadweep)
Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the advanced Agni-5 missile equipped with MIRV technology. What does MIRV stand for?
Answer: Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle
What is the name of the first indigenously developed underwater harbor defense drone system handed over to the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam?
Answer: Jala Prahari
The Indian Army successfully inducted its first batch of indigenous loitering munitions, commonly called kamikaze drones, developed under which defense startup program?
Answer: ALS-50 Loitering Munition
Which shipyard delivered the third stealth guided-missile destroyer under Project 15B, named INS Imphal, to the Indian Navy ahead of schedule?
Answer: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)
The Indian Air Force conducted a mega joint aerospace exercise named ‘Tarang Shakti 2026’ featuring the air forces of how many partner nations?
Answer: 12 nations
What is the name of the new high-altitude mountain warfare training facility inaugurated by the Indian Army in the eastern sector?
Answer: Tawang Altitude Warfare Centre, Arunachal Pradesh
DRDO successfully conducted the maiden flight test of its indigenous New Generation Anti-Radiation Missile named what, designed to destroy enemy radar systems?
Answer: NGARM (RudraM-II)
The Indian Coast Guard inducted a new state-of-the-art Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) to handle chemical spills in the exclusive economic zone. What is the name of this vessel?
Answer: Samudra Pratap
Environment & Ecology
Tamil Nadu’s first dedicated Dark Sky Park, aimed at preserving the night sky ecosystem from artificial light pollution, was established at which eco-tourism site?
Answer: Kolli Hills
How many cheetahs were formally released into the wild acclimatization zones at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh under the ongoing Project Cheetah?
Answer: Nine cheetahs
The Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, which made ecological news in March 2026 due to an updated habitat fragmentation report, is endemic to which Indian geographical region?
Answer: Western Ghats
According to the official Wildlife Institute of India (WII) survey report, what is the estimated population of the Indian Gaur within the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary?
Answer: 848 gaurs
Which wetland site in Jammu & Kashmir, known as the largest freshwater lake in India, was chosen for an eco-restoration project to safeguard migratory birds?
Answer: Wular Lake (Ramsar Site)
A new species of high-altitude jumping spider, named Phintella kashmirensis, was discovered by arachnologists in which Indian state/UT?
Answer: Jammu & Kashmir
Which national park in India recorded the highest density of the endangered single-horned rhinoceros population in the census released in March 2026?
Answer: Kaziranga National Park, Assam
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced the notification of India’s 55th Tiger Reserve in which state?
Answer: Karauli-Dholpur Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan
Scientists at the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) discovered a new species of wild ginger, named Zingiber vishnumurthyanum, in which biodiversity hotspot?
Answer: Silent Valley National Park, Kerala
Which Indian city became the first to implement an eco-sensitive “Green Budgeting” system to account for urban canopy loss during infrastructure development?
Answer: Indore, Madhya Pradesh
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that which major river system in India showed the highest improvement in dissolved oxygen levels following strict effluent norms?
Answer: Yamuna River (Stretch between Delhi and Agra)
What rare and endangered marine mammal species saw its population stabilize at a record high of 145 individuals in the Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve?
Answer: Dugong (Sea Cow)
Which state government launched ‘Project Elephant Protection-Phase II’, installing AI-backed seismic sensors along railway tracks to prevent elephant collisions?
Answer: Odisha
The United Nations declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. Which Indian state hosted the inaugural national conference on nomadic pastoralism?
Answer: Gujarat
What is the name of the invasive alien weed species that the Forest Department launched a massive community-driven drive to clear from the Western Ghats?
Answer: Lantana camara
Appointments & Resignations
Who took formal charge as the new Governor of West Bengal in March 2026 following a presidential appointment order?
Answer: R.N. Ravi
Who was appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor of the strategic Union Territory of Ladakh?
Answer: Vinay Kumar Saxena
Senior corporate executive Matt Brittin was appointed to which global public broadcasting role in March 2026?
Answer: Director General of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
Who took formal administrative charge as the new Director (Personnel) at the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC)?
Answer: Krishna Kumar Thakur
Who was appointed as the new Chairperson of the high-level Manipur Violence Inquiry Commission?
Answer: Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan
Who made history by becoming the first woman officer to be appointed as the Superintendent of the high-security Central Jail in Srinagar?
Answer: Saba Shawl
Who was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in March 2026?
Answer: Raghuram Iyer
Who took over as the new Chairperson of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) under the Ministry of Personnel?
Answer: Rakesh Ranjan
Senior diplomat P. Kumaran was officially appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to which prominent European nation?
Answer: United Kingdom
Who was selected as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in March 2026?
Answer: Ravi Agrawal
Who took charge as the new Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)?
Answer: Zulfiquar Hasan
Which prominent business leader was elected as the National President of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) for 2026-27?
Answer: Sanjay Nayar
Who was appointed as India’s next Ambassador to the Russian Federation, a key diplomatic outpost?
Answer: Vinay Kumar
Who resigned from the post of Election Commissioner of India in mid-March 2026, creating a temporary vacancy in the three-member panel?
Answer: Arun Goel
Who was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court in March 2026?
Answer: Justice N.V. Anjaria
Who took over as the Director General of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), India’s premier youth development organization?
Answer: Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh
Who was appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of GAIL (India) Limited?
Answer: Deepak Gupta
Who was selected to head the newly constituted National Medical Commission (NMC) as its regulatory Chairperson?
Answer: Dr. B.N. Gangadhar
Who made corporate news by resigning from the position of Managing Director and CEO of National Stock Exchange (NSE) Clearing Limited?
Answer: Vikram Limaye
Who was appointed as the new Director of the premier space research hub, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)?
Answer: Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair
Reports & Indices
Which global education rating agency released the QS World University Rankings 2026, showing that India doubled its top-50 academic entries to 27?
Answer: QS Quacquarelli Symonds
According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, which global institution emerged as the absolute number-one university in the Engineering & Technology category?
Answer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States
Which university was ranked as the top institution globally in the Arts and Humanities category in the QS World Rankings 2026?
Answer: University of Oxford, United Kingdom
According to the “Energy Statistics India 2026” report, which clean energy variant accounts for about 71% of India’s total estimated renewable power potential?
Answer: Solar Energy
According to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026, which neighboring country was ranked first as the nation most impacted by terrorism globally?
Answer: Pakistan
Where did India rank globally in terms of the security impact of terrorism in the Global Terrorism Index 2026?
Answer: 13th position (with an impact score of 6.428)
According to the World Bank’s global report on agricultural subsidies, what percentage of global state-level farming subsidies are directly linked to environmental deforestation?
Answer: 14% of global subsidies
What is India’s rank in the global QS World Future Skills Index 2026, which measures the digital literacy and future-readiness of the student workforce?
Answer: 13th position globally (and 1st among lower-middle-income economies)
According to the UN-sponsored World Happiness Report 2026, which country was crowned the happiest nation in the world for the ninth consecutive year?
Answer: Finland
Where did India rank out of 143 nations surveyed in the World Happiness Report 2026?
Answer: 126th position
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Report 2026, which country remains the world’s single largest importer of major arms between 2021 and 2025?
Answer: India
Which global nation was ranked as the world’s absolute largest exporter of major arms according to the SIPRI 2026 global defense database?
Answer: United States
According to the International Intellectual Property (IP) Index 2026 released by the US Chamber of Commerce, what is India’s global rank among 55 major economies?
Answer: 42nd position
Which country topped the International Intellectual Property (IP) Index 2026 for having the most robust framework for patent and trademark safety?
Answer: United States
According to the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2026, India retained its position as the country with the third-highest number of unicorn startups in the world. How many active unicorns does India possess?
Answer: 67 unicorns
Miscellaneous Master Questions
What is the name of the advanced, low-cost LPG ATM model launched by Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) in Gurugram to dispense lightweight 10 kg composite cylinders?
Answer: BPCL Suvidha LPG ATM
The historical folk dancer Utsav Charan Das, who passed away in March 2026, was a legendary exponent of which traditional Indian dance form?
Answer: Gotipua (Traditional folk dance of Odisha)
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) celebrated its grand 25th Foundation Day in March 2026 at which institutional venue?
Answer: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill passed by the Parliament replaces the older fast-track framework for small firms with which corporate model?
Answer: Creditor-led framework
Which Indian public sector financial institution launched the “Udyam Prajwal” portal to provide direct equity mentoring to nano-enterprises in rural blocks?
Answer: SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India)
What is the name of the new digital web portal launched by the Union Ministry of Mines to allow real-time tracking of mineral exploration licenses across India?
Answer: Khanan Patra Portal
The traditional handicraft item ‘Majuli Mask Making’, which received a prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag in March 2026, belongs to which state?
Answer: Assam
Which Indian technology startup built India’s first fully indigenous commercial diving support vessel, named DSV Samudra, launched at Visakhapatnam?
Answer: Shoft Shipyard
What unique socio-cultural museum, tracking 5,000 years of tribal governance models in India, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister?
Answer: National Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum, Garudeshwar, Gujarat
Which public sector insurance giant launched a specialized digital insurance product named ‘Amritbaal’ designed to fund the higher education needs of children?
Answer: Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)
The historic 400-year-old ‘St. John the Baptist Church’, which underwent a massive heritage restoration project under UNESCO guidance, is located in which city?
Answer: Mumbai
What is the name of the massive pan-India cyclothon event organized by the Ministry of Health to promote public physical fitness and heart health awareness?
Answer: Fit India Mega Cyclothon 2026
Which state government became the first in India to introduce a universal insurance scheme covering financial damages caused to crop yields by wild animal attacks?
Answer: Karnataka
The first-ever “National Speed Breeding Crop Facility” in India, which can grow up to four generations of crops in a single year for rapid research, was operationalized where?
Answer: NABI (National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute), Mohali
What is the name of the centralized cyber-fraud redressal helpline launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs that achieved a record processing turnaround time of under 10 minutes?
Answer: Chakshu Portal (integrated within Sanchar Saathi)