02nd-04th May 2026

1. Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to UP
2. Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Attends NRAI’s 75th Anniversary Celebrations; Launches NRAI Athlete App
3. MEA Secretary Dr. Neena Malhotra Chairs BRICS MENA Meeting 2026 in Delhi
4. THE Asia University Rankings 2026: Tsinghua University Tops the List; IISc Bengaluru Emerges as India’s Top University
5. Union Minister Rajnath Singh Attends SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting 2026 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
6. Tata AIA Life Insurance Launches ‘Shubh Health Criti’: Unit-Linked Health Fund Plan
7. Paras Defence Partners Complus, JV Micronics For Anechoic Chamber Projects
8. Sahajanand Medical Technologies Achieves ISO 50001 Certification in Cardiovascular Device Manufacturing Sector
9. Justice Anupinder Grewal Appointed as President of NCLT
10. MeitY Launches Two Indigenous Silicon Photonics Solutions at IIT Madras, TN
11. Veteran Indian Golfer Vijay Kumar Passed Away
12. Ayushman Bharat Diwas 2026 – April 30
13. C-ART Observatory Established At Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, AP
14. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Launches India’s First Barrier-less Tolling System in Gujarat
15. Sikkim Becomes India’s First Paperless Judiciary State
16. DPIIT Signs MoU with Chamber India to Strengthen India’s startup ecosystem
17. USTR Special 301 Report 2026: Retains India On Priority Watch List; Vietnam Named Priority Foreign Country
18. NBBL, Juspay Launch Switch and SDK for Banking Connect to Upgrade Net Banking
19. Vishvajit Sahay Assumes Charge as Secretary of MoD
20. MDL Delivers Sixth Project-17A Stealth Frigate ‘Mahendragiri’ to Indian Navy
21. Jharkhand’s Swimmer Ishank Singh Sets World Record for Youngest and Fastest Palk Strait Crossing
22. Mizoram Launches ‘Khuarel’ App to Boost Real-time Disaster Response
23. R. Balasubramaniam and Joram Aniya Appointed Full-Time Members of NITI Aayog
24. India Sets Guinness Record with Largest Underwater Tricolour at Radhanagar Beach
25. Prasoon Joshi Named Chairman of Prasar Bharati in Media Leadership Shift
26. International Firefighters Day 2026: Honoring Courage and Sacrifice of Firefighters
27. Centre Appoints Rohit Jain as Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India
28. Reserve Bank of India Says 98.47% of ₹2,000 Notes Returned to Banking System
29. Om Birla Reconstitutes Parliamentary Committees for 2026–27: Full Details
30. India Tests New Cell Broadcast Emergency Warning System through NDMA Alert
31. India Creates History Again, Enters Thomas Cup 2026 Semifinals With 3–0 Win
32. Bharat Khera Appointed Secretary of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
33. Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker Named Festival Director for 57th International Film Festival of India
34. Anugraha Narayana Das Takes Charge as Controller General of Defence Accounts
35. Vishvajit Sahay Takes Charge as Defence Finance Secretary on May 1, 2026

National News

External Affairs Ministry Chairs BRICS MENA Meeting 2026 in Delhi

• What: External Affairs Ministry Secretary (South) Dr. Neena Malhotra chaired a meeting of BRICS Deputy Foreign Ministers and Special Envoys for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Members discussed regional conflicts, emphasizing humanitarian aid for Gaza, a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism, and support for political settlements

Lok Sabha Speaker Reconstitutes Four Parliamentary Committees

• What: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reconstituted four key Parliamentary Committees for the 2026-27 term, appointing new Chairpersons to lead the Committee of Estimates, Public Undertakings, Public Accounts, and the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• Tell me more:
  • The term for these newly formed committees spans from the 1st of May 2026 to the 30th of April 2027.
  • This specific committee comprises 20 members from the Lower House and 10 members from the Upper House.

India Enhances Mobile Based Disaster Communication Systems

• What: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) are enhancing disaster communication by conducting nationwide trials of an indigenous Cell Broadcast technology to ensure the real-time delivery of emergency alerts to citizens.
• Tell me more:
  • The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) successfully operationalized the Integrated Alert System (SACHET) developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the premier R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications.
  • This system follows the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) recommended by the International Telecommunication Union for global standardization.
  • The platform currently operates across all 36 States and Union Territories of India to deliver geo-targeted emergency alerts via SMS.
  • The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) manages the indigenous development and implementation of this public emergency alert system.

State News

Prime Minister Launches Major Infrastructure Projects in Uttar Pradesh

• What: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for multiple development projects worth around 6,350 crore in Varanasi and to open the 594-kilometre-long Ganga Expressway in Hardoi.
• Tell me more:
  • The Prime Minister dedicated 48 completed projects worth over 1,050 crore to the nation in Varanasi.

India Launches First Barrierless Multi-Lane Free Flow Tolling

• What: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system at Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat to enable seamless vehicle movement without stopping.
• Tell me more:
  • The state-of-the-art system uses integrated technologies like Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) with AI analytics.
  • Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based Electronic Toll Collection, also known as FASTag, works alongside ANPR for toll processing.

Sikkim Declared India First Paperless Judiciary State

• What: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant declared Sikkim as the first paperless judiciary state in India during a conclave held at Gangtok.
• Tell me more:
  • Court processes like filing cases, managing records, and handling documents will now be done online, making the justice system faster, more transparent, and easier for people to access.

Mizoram Launches Khuarel App for Disaster Incident Management

• What: The Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Department of Mizoram, launched ‘Khuarel’, a disaster incident and reporting management system, to enable quick communication and systematic data recording between the public and authorities during disasters.
• Tell me more:
  • Mizoram became the first state among the northeastern states to introduce such an advanced application.

International News

Defence Minister Leads Indian Delegation at SCO Conclave in Bishkek

• What: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Bishkek to lead the Indian delegation at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting to discuss regional security, terrorism, and West Asia instability.
• Tell me more:
  • The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) started in 2001 with China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan as founding members.
  • India and Pakistan became full members of the grouping in 2017 while Iran joined in 2023.
  • Bishkek serves as a key location for the Connect Central Asia policy of New Delhi.
  • India and Kyrgyzstan regularly conduct the “Khanjar” special forces exercise to strengthen bilateral military engagement.

Source: NOA

Banking and Economy

Tata AIA Launches Unique Market Linked Health Insurance Plan

• What: Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited (Tata AIA) introduced Shubh Health Criti, a first-of-its-kind unit-linked plan that allows policyholders to build a dedicated health fund through market-linked returns.
• Tell me more:
  • Tata AIA is a joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and AIA Group Limited (AIA). AIA Group Limited’s group headquarters is located in Hong Kong.

Sahajanand Medical Technologies Earns International Energy Management Certification

• What: Sahajanand Medical Technologies (SMT) successfully obtained the ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management System certification for its manufacturing facilities in Surat and Hyderabad to optimize energy use and strengthen environmental stewardship within its operational framework.
• Tell me more:
  • The ISO 50001:2018 is an international standard providing a systematic framework for establishing and improving an Energy Management System (EnMS).
  • Sahajanand Medical Technologies (SMT) became the first domestic cardiovascular manufacturing unit to implement this structured approach to energy management.
  • SMT previously became the first company globally to receive Conformité Européenne (CE) certification for a Drug-Eluting Stent (DES) with a biodegradable polymer.

India Retained on USTR Special 301 Priority Watch List

• What: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has retained India on its Special 301 priority watch list due to inconsistent progress in the protection and enforcement of Intellectual Property (IP) rights and long-standing trade concerns.
• Tell me more:
  • The United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its annual report identifying India as one of the most challenging major economies for Intellectual Property (IP) enforcement.
  • China, Russia, Indonesia, Chile, and Venezuela also remain on the priority watch list alongside India.
  • The report specifically questions the Indian Patents Act for its impact on applications filed by American pharmaceutical companies.
  • Vietnam was identified as a Priority Foreign Country, which may trigger an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
  • Argentina moved out of the priority watch list while the European Union (EU) was added to the watch list.

NBBL Partners with Juspay for Banking Connect Platform

• What: NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) partnered with Juspay to launch a switch and Software Development Kit (SDK) for its Banking Connect platform to simplify bank integrations and offer an intuitive net banking experience for consumers.
• Tell me more:
  • Juspay and NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) aim to create a consistent, reliable, and app-first experience.
  • MD & CEO, NBBL – Noopur Chaturvedi

Over 98% of Rs 2,000 Notes Returned to Banking System

• What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that 98.47% of ₹2000 denomination banknotes have returned to the banking system since the withdrawal process began on May 19, 2023, leaving only ₹5,451 crore in circulation.
• Tell me more:
  • The total value of ₹2000 notes in the market was ₹3.56 lakh crore when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) started the withdrawal.

Reports and Indices

Times Higher Education Releases Asia University Rankings 2026

• What: The Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2026 evaluated 929 universities across 36 countries, revealing that China dominates the top positions while India emerged as the most-represented nation despite a slight performance dip for its top institution.
• Tell me more:
  • The rankings assess universities using 18 performance indicators covering research, teaching, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.
  • Tsinghua University in China retained the top position for the eighth consecutive year, while Peking University held the second spot and mainland Chinese institutions secured five of the top 10 positions.
  • India features 128 ranked institutions making it the most-represented nation in the 2026 list, followed by Japan with 115 and Turkey with 109.
  • Twelve Indian institutions feature in the top 200, including the University of Delhi and Lovely Professional University.

• Malaysia joined the top 40 for the first time and doubled its presence in the top 100. Macao also makes its debut in the top 30, with the University of Macau climbing six places to 28th.
  

Defence News

Paras Defence Signs Agreement for Special Testing Chambers

• Paras Defence and Space Technologies Limited (Paras Defence) signed a MoU with Complus Systems and JV Micronics to jointly develop and manufacture anechoic and semi-anechoic chambers for Indian and international markets. All of them are Indian companies.

Indian Navy Receives Advanced Stealth Frigate INS Mahendragiri

• What: The Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd delivered the advanced stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri to the Indian Navy under Project 17A.
• Tell me more:
  • MDL manufactured four of the seven Nilgiri-class frigates planned under Project 17A.
  • The Warship Design Bureau designed this state-of-the-art vessel with a primary focus on stealth, firepower, automation, and survivability.
  • INS Mahendragiri is the sixth of seven frigates delivered to the Indian Navy across the entire project.
  • The five previously delivered warships include INS Nilgiri, INS Himgiri, INS Udaygiri, INS Taragiri, and INS Vindhyagiri.
  • Project 17A ships utilize 75% indigenous content and support multi-mission platforms for anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.

Science and Technology

India Launches Indigenous Silicon Photonics Solutions at IIT Madras

• What: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched indigenously developed Silicon Photonics solutions at the IIT-Madras to boost technological self-reliance and sovereignty in advanced electronics and single-chip optical integration.
• Tell me more:
  • The Centre of Excellence for Compound Photonics and Photonic Integrated Circuits Systems (CoE-CPPICS) at IIT-Madras developed these technologies with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) support.

New Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed Established in Visakhapatnam

• What: The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) established the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) at Andhra University to enhance the observational network and model predictions for weather conditions under the Mission Mausam initiative.
• Tell me more:
  • Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), inaugurated the open-field meteorological observatory of Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART).
  • The Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) serves as a national user facility to support process-level diagnostics of monsoon convection.
  • Diagnostics of monsoon convection involves studying the physical processes behind rain-cloud formation. It analyzes moisture movement and raindrop behavior to improve computer models for more accurate monsoon and cyclone predictions.

Awards

India Sets Record for Largest Underwater National Flag

• What: India achieved a Guinness World Record (GWR) by unfurling a massive national flag measuring 60 metres by 40 metres underwater at Radhanagar Beach on Swaraj Dweep in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Tell me more:
  • The feat showcased India’s marine expertise and aimed to boost global adventure tourism.

Important Days

Ayushman Bharat Diwas 2026 – April 30

• Ayushman Bharat Diwas, celebrated every year on April 30, recognises the impact of the PM-JAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana) scheme launched in 2018.
• Efforts include the promotion of the “Ask Ayushman” chatbot on WhatsApp.

International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) – May 4

Sports

National Rifle Association Celebrates Seventy-Five Years of Excellence

• What: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) launched celebrations for its 75th anniversary by unveiling a commemorative logo and a massive nationwide grassroots initiative to introduce 7,50,000 students to shooting sports before the 2028 Olympics.
• Tell me more:
  • The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) established in 1951 serves as the national governing body for shooting in the country.
  • NRAI launched the Athlete App to become the first fully digitised sports federation in India.
  • NRAI remains affiliated with international bodies like the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Jharkhand Boy Becomes Youngest to Cross Palk Strait

• What: Ishank Singh, a seven-year-old student from Jharkhand, became the youngest swimmer to cross the 29-km Palk Strait between Sri Lanka and India, completing the journey in 9 hours and 50 minutes.
• Tell me more:
  • This swimming crossing formed a part of a specific initiative called “Mission Samandar”.

France and India Advance to Thomas Cup Semifinals

• What: France defeated Japan 3-0 to secure a historic spot in the Thomas Cup semifinals where they will face India.
• Tell me more:
  • India had earlier assured at least a bronze medal through wins by Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty, while the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also secured victory in a high-octane match against Chinese Taipei.
  • The Thomas Cup is the premier international team championship in badminton for men.
  • 2026 Thomas & Uber Cup Venue: Horsens, Denmark

Memorandum of Understanding

DPIIT and Chamber India Sign MoU to Boost Startups

• What: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed a MoU with Chamber India to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem by facilitating global linkages and establishing incubation centres in emerging regions to promote innovation-led growth across key national sectors.
• Tell me more:
  • Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recognised startups will receive a 50% rebate on membership fees for the Chamber.
  • Concessional membership provides startups with access to export facilitation and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) advisory services.

Appointments

Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal Appointed President of NCLT

• The Central Government has cleared the appointment of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as the regular President of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
• The Central Government has constituted National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under section 408 of the Companies Act, 2013 w.e.f. 01st June 2016. In the first phase, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has set up eleven benches.

Vishvajit Sahay Takes Charge as Secretary Defence Finance

• Vishvajit Sahay, a 1990-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), has officially taken charge as the Secretary (Defence Finance) in the Ministry of Defence.
• Vishvajit Sahay previously served as the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) before stepping into this new role.

Centre Appoints New Full-Time Members to NITI Aayog

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the appointment of academician Joram Aniya and scholar-author R. Balasubramaniam as full-time members of the NITI Aayog, increasing the total number of full-time members in the government think tank to seven.
• Tell me more:
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi serves as the ex-officio chairperson of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog).
  • Dr. Joram Aniya is an associate professor with over 18 years of experience in teaching, research, and public policy work.
  • She is the first woman from the Nyishi community to receive a PhD and serves on the Arunachal Pradesh Private Educational Regulatory Commission.

Prasoon Joshi Appointed as Chairman of Prasar Bharati

• The Central Government appointed noted lyricist and communications expert Prasoon Joshi as the chairman of Prasar Bharati; he currently serves as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Rohit Jain Appointed Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank

• What: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Executive Director Rohit Jain as Deputy Governor for a three-year term effective from May 3, 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The new appointee replaces T Rabi Sankar, whose tenure as a career central banker ended on Saturday.
  • T Rabi Sankar previously oversaw 12 departments including financial markets regulation, foreign exchange, risk monitoring, fintech, and payment and settlement.

Bharat Khera Becomes Secretary in MSME Ministry

• Bharat Khera, a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has assumed charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) after serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Ashutosh Gowariker Appointed Director for 57th IFFI

• What: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting appointed filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker as the Festival Director for the 57th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) scheduled to be held in Goa.
• Tell me more:
  • The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting selected Gowariker for his contribution to cinematic storytelling and global film culture.
  • IFFI, first held in 1952, is held in Goa.

Anugraha Narayana Das Assumes Charge as CGDA

• Anugraha Narayana Das, a 1991-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), assumed charge as the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) to lead financial management, budgeting, and audit oversight for the Indian Armed Forces.

Vishvajit Sahay Becomes Secretary of Defence Finance

• What: Vishvajit Sahay, a 1990 batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), assumed the charge as Secretary (Defence Finance) in the Ministry of Defence.
• Tell me more:
  • Vishvajit Sahay previously served as the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) before this new appointment.

Miscellaneous

Veteran Indian Golfer Vijay Kumar Passes Away in Lucknow

• Veteran golfer Vijay Kumar passed away. He turned professional in 1988 and dominated the Indian domestic circuit from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s.
• The veteran athlete won the Order of Merit championship title four times during his professional career and represented India at the Alfred Dunhill Cup 1999 held at St. Andrews in Scotland.

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