21st-23rd March 2026

1. CEA Midterm Review of 20th Electric Power Survey: India’s Power Capacity to Reach 1,121 GW by 2035-36
2. BPCL Launches India’s 1st LPG ATM in Gurugram, Haryana
3. IA Conducts Exercise ‘Amogh Jwala’ at Babina Field Firing Ranges, UP
4. Forbes World’s Billionaires List 2026: Elon Musk Tops Globally; Mukesh Ambani Leads in India
5. Professor Kaveh Madani Named 2026 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate (Youngest Winner)
6. World Water Day 2026; Date, Theme, Significance & Message
7. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran Conferred Honorary Knighthood by UK
8. India to Host World Indoor Athletics Championships 2028 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha
9. French Language Day 2026
10. World Oral Health Day 2026
11. World Sparrow Day 2026
12. Chandigarh University UP Launches CoE in Smart Healthcare to Strengthen AI Integration
13. NBA Constitutes Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species to Mitigate Ecological and Economic Threats in India
14. 9th India–Italy Foreign Office Consultations Held in New Delhi to Strengthen Strategic Partnership
15. BoB Launches UPI-linked Credit Line for Women SHGs
16. RBI Imposed Rs 31.80 Lakh Penalty on HSBC for Non-Compliance with Deposit Norms
17. Indian Mountaineer Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma Sets Guinness World Record for Seven Volcanic Summits
18. Indian Actress Rituparna Sengupta Receives Women Empowerment Award at UK’s House of Commons
19. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarathi’s Book ‘Karuna: The Power of Compassion’ Released
20. Telangana Budget 2026-27: Indiramma Family Life Insurance Scheme Announced
21. Shaheed Diwas 2026: The Untold Story of Bhagat Singh That Still Inspires Millions
22. Chapchar Kut Is Mizoram’s Most Important Festival
23. Climate Change Could Reduce Physical Activity Worldwide By 2050, Study Warns
24. International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2026: History, Significance & Global Fight
25. World Day for Glaciers 2026: Protecting Earth’s Frozen Water Towers
26. International Nowruz Day 2026: Ancient Festival of Spring and Global Unity Explained
27. International Day of Forests 2026: Theme, Importance and Global Significance
28. World Puppetry Day 2026 Celebrated on March 21: How It’s Still Relevant
29. World Poetry Day 2026: Celebrating the Power of Words and Creativity
30. International Day of Forests 2026
31. Legendary Actor and Martial Artist Chuck Norris Passes Away at 86
32. Youngest Billionaires Under 30 in 2026: Forbes List Reveals Global Trends
33. Record 150 Self-Made Women Billionaires in 2026: Global Wealth Shift Explained
34. India and Vietnam Are Working Together on Tribal Welfare and Inclusive Growth
35. Tamil Nadu Overtook Gujarat to Lead India’s Textile Export Race
36. Wipro Launches AI Hub at GIFT City: What It Means for Global BFSI Services
37. India to Host World Indoor Athletics Championships 2028: A Historic First
38. Vikram Doraiswami Meet India’s New Ambassador to China
39. Chairman of Tata Group N Chandrasekaran Received the KBE Honor

National News

India’s power capacity projected to reach 1,121 GW by 2035-36

• What: Central Electricity Authority (CEA) projected India’s power capacity to reach 1,121 GW by 2035-36 with around 70% (about 786 GW) from non-fossil sources, showing a strong shift towards clean energy.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s installed capacity stands at 520.5 GW as of January 31, 2026, with about 52% coming from non-fossil fuel sources.
  • India added 52.5 GW capacity in 2025-26 till January 31, including nearly 43 GW from renewable energy.
  • Peak electricity demand will grow at 5.58% annually and total electricity requirement will grow at 6.41% annually till 2035-36, reaching 459 GW and 3,365 billion units respectively.
  • Energy storage capacity of 174 GW is planned including battery and pumped storage systems. It means India plans systems to store electricity for later use, using batteries and pumped water storage, so power stays available even when supply is low.
  • The plan supports the target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.

National Biodiversity Authority forms expert committee to tackle invasive alien species

• What: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) formed an Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species following National Green Tribunal directions to address threats to biodiversity, agriculture, and health.
• Tell me more:
  • The committee will prepare a national list of invasive alien species, identify high-risk species, and recommend strategies for their prevention, control, and eradication.
  • The committee is chaired by Shri Dhananjai Mohan, IFS (Retd.), with Prof. (Dr.) A. Biju Kumar as Co-Chair.
  • The committee will function for two years.
  • About National Biodiversity Authority:
    • The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
    • NBA is a statutory autonomous body established in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to implement the provisions of the Act, particularly on conservation, sustainable use of biological resources, and equitable sharing of benefits.

India and Italy hold 9th Foreign Office Consultations to strengthen bilateral ties

• What: India and Italy held the 9th Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi to review bilateral cooperation and global issues, strengthening strategic partnership and collaboration across multiple sectors between both countries.
• Tell me more:

India and Vietnam hold ministerial meeting to strengthen tribal development cooperation

• What: India and Vietnam held a high-level ministerial meeting in New Delhi to enhance cooperation in tribal and ethnic development, strengthening bilateral relations and supporting inclusive development under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• Tell me more:
  • Shri Jual Oram and Dao Ngoc Dung co-chaired the meeting.
  • India highlighted Vietnam as a key partner under Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision.
  • The year marks 10 years of India–Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

State News

Gurgaon introduces first LPG ATM for fast and automated gas refill

• What: Gurgaon became the first city in the National Capital Region to install a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) ATM, enabling quick, automated, and contactless cylinder refill, improving convenience and access to cooking gas for residents.
• Tell me more:
  • The machine is installed at Central Park Flower Valley in Sector 33, Sohna.
  • Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) launched the Bharatgas Insta LPG machine under a pilot project.

Chandigarh University UP Launches CoE in Smart Healthcare to Strengthen AI Integration

• What: Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh launched a Centre of Excellence in Smart Healthcare and started an AI Ethics Training Program to promote AI use in healthcare and governance.
• Tell me more:
  • This will help use AI to improve healthcare services, train many students in responsible AI use, support startups, and make Uttar Pradesh a hub for AI and innovation.
  • The AI Ethics Training Program will train 1.50 lakh youth in five years in collaboration with upGrad. The centre will support five AI startups in the next two years.
  • The university hosted a national symposium on AI in governance with expert discussions on implementation and roadmap.

Telangana launches Indiramma Family Life Insurance scheme for ₹5 lakh coverage

• What: Telangana Government announced Indiramma Family Life Insurance Scheme in Budget 2026-27 to provide ₹5 lakh insurance to 1.15 crore families.
• Tell me more:
  • Each family will receive life insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh. The scheme will cover poor, middle-class, and rich families without discrimination.
  • Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka presented the budget.
  • Chief Minister of Telangana – Revanth Reddy

Chapchar Kut festival celebrates Mizo culture and spring season in Mizoram

• What: Mizoram celebrated Chapchar Kut, a major spring festival, showcasing traditional dances, music, and culture.
• Tell me more:
  • The festival is held in March after completion of Jhum cultivation clearing.
    • Jhum cultivation is a farming method where people cut and burn forest land, grow crops for some time, and then move to a new place; mainly used by tribal communities in northeast India (such as Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh).
  • The theme of the festival was “Zo nun ze mawi – Inremna”.
  • Chief Minister of Mizoram – Lalduhoma; Governor – VK Singh

Tamil Nadu becomes top textile exporter in India with rising export share

• What: Tamil Nadu became India’s top textile exporting state in 2024-25, followed by Gujarat in second place and Maharashtra in third place.
• Tell me more:
  • This data is sourced from National Import-Export Record for Yearly Analysis of Trade. It provides real-time foreign trade data.
  • India’s total textile exports stood at USD 36,610 million. Textile exports increased by 29.12% over the last four years.

Banking and Economy

Bank of Baroda launches UPI-based overdraft facility for women SHG members

• What: Bank of Baroda allows women Self-Help Group members to use up to ₹5,000 as extra money (overdraft facilty) through UPI apps, which they can spend digitally and repay later without visiting a bank.
• Tell me more:
  • Users can link their overdraft accounts with their UPI apps to make quick response code payments and track transactions digitally.
  • The facility was launched at the 25th Central Level Coordination Committee meeting in Hyderabad.
  • The initiative is implemented with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

Reserve Bank of India penalises HSBC for non-compliance with deposit rules

• What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a penalty of ₹31.80 lakh on HSBC for not following rules related to unclaimed deposits.
• Tell me more:
  • RBI inspection found that HSBC did not follow rules for unclaimed deposits, as it failed to maintain a searchable database and did not assign Unclaimed Deposits Reference Number (UDRN) to some deposits transferred to the Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund.
  • About DEA Fund
    • The Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund is a scheme established by the RBI under Section 26A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. It came into effect in 2014.
    • The DEA Fund contains unclaimed bank deposits inactive for 10 years or more, transferred by banks to RBI with interest. It is used for depositor awareness and education, while depositors can claim their money anytime with interest.

Wipro launches AI-powered technology hub at GIFT City for BFSI sector

• Wipro Limited launched a new hub at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar to deliver artificial intelligence-powered services for global Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance clients, strengthening digital transformation in the sector.

Reports and Indices

Forbes World’s Billionaires List (March 2026)

• Top – Elon Musk ($839 Billion net worth)
• India’s –
  • 1st – Mukesh Ambani (21st rank globally; $99.7 Billion net worth)
  • 2nd – Gautam Adani (31st rank globally; $63.8 Billion net worth)
• The United States has the highest number of billionaires at 989, including 15 among the top 20, followed by China (610 billionaires, including Hong Kong region), while India ranks third with 229 billionaires.

Forbes 30 Under 30 Billionaires List 2026

• Two Indian origin people are mentioned in this list.
• Surya Midha is a 22-year-old United States citizen with a net worth of $2.2 billion from AI software. He is the youngest self-made billionaire and owns about 22% stake in his company. He was born in California to Indian immigrant parents.
• Adarsh Hiremath is a 22-year-old United States citizen with a net worth of $2.2 billion from AI software. He co-founded Mercor, a recruiting startup, in 2023 with two Bay Area high school friends.

Hurun Report: Global self-made women billionaires reach record 150

• What: The Hurun Report shows global self-made women billionaires reached 150 in 2026 with combined wealth of $470 billion, highlighting rapid wealth creation driven by artificial intelligence, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.
• Tell me more:
  • The number doubled from a decade ago and increased from 28 in 2011.
  • Combined wealth rose by 52% in three years to $470 billion.
  • China has 78 billionaires, followed by the United States with 40 and the United Kingdom with five.

• India has three billionaires: Radha Vembu, Falguni Nayar, and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.

Climate change may increase physical inactivity and health risks in India by 2050

• What: A study published in The Lancet Global Health states that rising temperatures may increase physical inactivity by 2050, especially in India, raising risks of diseases and affecting health systems and economic productivity.
• Tell me more:
  • The study states rising temperatures reduce physical activity, especially in low-income regions, increasing disease risk, deaths, and economic losses, with India expected to face higher inactivity and related health impacts.

Defence News

Indian Army conducts Exercise Amogh Jwala at Babina Field Firing Ranges, Uttar Pradesh

• What: The Pune-based Southern Command of the Indian Army carried out Exercise Amogh Jwala at Babina Field Firing Ranges using modern machines and technologies to practise how battles are fought today.
• Tell me more:
  • The exercise showed better coordination of land, air, cyber, and space forces, improving India’s battle readiness and use of modern warfare technologies.

Awards

N Chandrasekaran receives honorary knighthood for strengthening India–UK business ties

• What: N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Group, received an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE).
• Tell me more:
  • The British government conferred the honour at the residence of British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron, who presented the award on behalf of King Charles III, while recognising Tata Group as a major investor supporting jobs and clean technology transition.
  • Tata Group operates 19 subsidiaries in the United Kingdom across automotive, steel, technology, and consumer sectors.

Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma sets world record for fastest seven volcanic summits ascent

• What: Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma from Visakhapatnam achieved a Guinness World Record for fastest ascent of seven volcanic summits in 92 days.
• Tell me more:

• What: Rituparna Sengupta received the Women Empowerment Award for Art and Culture at the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, recognising her contribution to art and culture at an international platform.
• Tell me more:
  • GloWomen CiC organised the event to mark International Women’s Day.

Important Days

World Water Day – March 22

• What:
  • Theme: “Water and Gender: Where water flows, equality grows”
• Tell me more:
  • On this day, Stockholm Water Prize is announced and UN World Water Development Report (prepared by UNESCO) is released.
    • Stockholm Water Prize is given by Stockholm Water Foundation and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
    • The prize includes 1 million Swedish Krona and a crystal sculpture.
    • The award started in 1991 and recognises contributions to sustainable water use and protection.
  • Stockholm Water Prize 2026: Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)
    • He worked at Imperial College London, Yale University, and City College of New York. The award will be presented to him during World Water Week in Stockholm in August 2026.
    • At 44, he is the youngest laureate in the prize’s history, as well as the first UN official and the first former politician to receive the honour.
    • He developed the concept of “Water Bankruptcy” and authored the world’s first “Global Water Bankruptcy” report in 2026.
      • ‘Water Bankruptcy’ means water systems are permanently damaged and cannot fully recover, unlike temporary crises, so focus must shift from short-term fixes to long-term management, fair use, and future planning.
• United Nations World Water Development Report 2026 (useful only for answer writing):

UN French Language Day 2026 – March 20

World Oral Health Day 2026 – March 20

• Theme: A Happy Mouth is a Happy Life

World Sparrow Day 2026 – March 20

Shaheed Diwas 2026 – March 23

• On this day, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar were executed because they were convicted in the Lahore Conspiracy Case and Parliamentary Bombing.
• Lahore Conspiracy Case included the assassination of Assistant Superintendent of Police John P. Saunders in 1928 (in retaliation for the lathi‑charge on Lala Lajpat Rai which resulted in Rai’s death).
• All three were associated with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), a group committed to armed resistance against British colonial rule.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2026 – March 21

• The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action is a global plan made in 2001 to fight racism, promote equality, and guide countries on how to treat all people fairly and with respect.
• International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2024) and the Second Decade (2025 to 2034)

World Puppetry Day 2026 – March 21

World Poetry Day 2026 – March 21

International Day of Forests 2026 – March 21

• Theme: Forests and economies

Sports

India to host 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar

• What: World Athletics President Sebastian Coe announced Bhubaneswar (Odisha) as the 2028 host of the World Indoor Athletics Championships and Astana (Kazakhstan) as the 2030 host at the World Athletics Council’s meeting in Torun, Poland
• Tell me more:
  • Venue – Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar
  • Highlight – It is the first major World Athletics event hosted by India
  • Athletics Federation of India President – Bahadur Singh Sagoo
  • The championship includes 26 events with equal participation of men and women.
  • The 4×400 metre mixed relay will debut in the 2026 edition in Torun.
  • India plans to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.

Appointments

India appoints Vikram Doraiswami as Ambassador to China

• What: India appointed Vikram Doraiswami as Ambassador to China. He is currently serving as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
• Tell me more:
  • He will assume this role shortly.
  • Chinese Ambassador to India – H.E. Xu Feihong

Miscellaneous

Kailash Satyarthi launches book ‘Karuna: The Power of Compassion’

• What: Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi authored the book “Karuna: The Power of Compassion”.
• Tell me more:
  • HarperCollins is the publisher of the book.
  • The Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion (SMGC) is a global civil‑society initiative founded by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi.

Chuck Norris passes away at 86

• Chuck Norris passed away at age 86 in Hawaii. He was a martial artist, actor, and television icon known for action films and Walker, Texas Ranger.

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