23rd-25th May 2026

1. ANRF Selects 10 Convergence Research CoEs to Boost Multidisciplinary Innovation
2. ITBP’s First All-Women Expedition Successfully Summits Mt Everest
3. BIT Mesra and NESAC Sign MoU to Advance GeoAI and Geospatial Research
4. BDIA Launches Bharat Digital Samvad in New Delhi
5. OpenAI launches free AI image verification tool amid deepfake surge
6. Skydo Secures PSP Approval in GIFT City and RBI Nod for Outward Remittances
7. Fintech Jumpp Receives IRDAI Approval for Insurance Distribution
8. Major Abhilasha Barak honoured with UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2025
9. Karnataka Grameena Bank Receives National Award for Outstanding APY Performance
10. ACC Extends Tenure of NCB Director General Anurag Garg Till July 2027
11. India Test-Fires Agni-1 Short-Range Ballistic Missile at Chandipur, Odisha
12. Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan Releases Book “The Library Man of India” on P.N. Panicker
13. World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2026 – May 21
14. UK and Danish Firms Launch USD 300 Million Renewable Energy Initiative in India
15. MoT Launches Bharat Tex 2026 Event App with AI-Powered Networking Features
16. SEBI-Backed NISM Signs MoU with IICA to Boost ESG, Capital Markets and Governance
17. ZikZuk Technologies Receives RBI Approval to Operate as PPI Issuer
18. ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 Receives 2026 AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award
19. IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal & Dr Soumya Swaminathan Elected as Fellows of Royal Society
20. Two Indian-Origin Scientists Conferred South Africa’s Highest Civilian Honour
21. India Successfully Tests Vayu Astra-1 Loitering Munition with 100-km Strike Capability
22. International Tea Day 2026 – May 21
23. World Thyroid Day 2026 – May 25
24. Maharashtra Signs Rs 6.5 Lakh Crore Nuclear Energy MoUs With NTPC, Reliance, Adani & Lalitpur
25. Rash Behari Bose Birth Anniversary 2026: History, Contributions, and Role in India’s Freedom Struggle
26. Gurindervir Singh Becomes Fastest Indian Sprinter with Historic 10.09-Second 100m Run
27. Former India All-Rounder Vijay Shankar Retires from Domestic Cricket and IPL
28. Government Plans High-Powered Demography Mission to Tackle Illegal Immigration and Strengthen Border Security
29. Sandeep Bakhshi to Continue as ICICI Bank CEO Until 2028 After RBI Approval
30. India and Cyprus Sign Strategic Partnership Deal Covering Defence, Trade, and Cybersecurity
31. India and Ethiopia Sign WTO Accession Protocol to Strengthen Strategic Trade Ties
32. India Delays First Big Cat Alliance Summit, Impacting Wildlife Diplomacy and African Partnerships
33. Why India Became Home to 97 of the World’s 100 Hottest Cities in 2026
34. Global Housing Crisis 2026: 3.4 Billion People Trapped in the Affordability Trap
35. World Turtle Day 2026
36. East Bengal Win Indian Super League Title for First Time, Ending 22-Year Wait
37. NASCAR Legend Kyle Busch Passes Away at 41, Racing World Pays Tribute
38. Cheetahs Roar Back in India After 70 Years, Mission Hits Major Milestone
39. Delhi’s Vaman Van Initiative: Key Details of the New Ecological Education Project
40. India Postpones Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit Amid Ebola Health Emergency in Africa
41. Rajnath Singh Unveils Indian War Memorial in South Korea, Honouring Korean War Heroes
42. Who Was Soma Somasegar? Former Microsoft Executive and Tech Mentor Dies at 59
43. Big Move by India: ₹2,600 Crore Chenab Projects Fast-Tracked Amid Indus Freeze
44. Kantha Artist Tripti Mukherjee to Receive Padma Shri for Preserving Traditional Indian Embroidery
45. Delhi Plans Major Ration Card Reform with Higher Income Limit

National News

Anusandhan National Research Foundation Selects Research Centres

• What: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) selected ten Convergence Research Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to merge scientific knowledge with social sciences and humanities.
• Tell me more:
  • The chosen centers are IIT Gandhinagar, NIAS Bengaluru, IIT Madras, NIT Agartala, IHD Delhi, IIT Dharwad, IIM Jammu, IIT Kanpur, Chanakya University, and PSGR Krishnammal College for Women.
  • These teams use modern technologies like artificial intelligence and big data to solve complex regional problems and achieve global Sustainable Development Goals.

Bharath Digital Infrastructure Association (BDIA) Launches Bharat Digital Samvad

• What: The Bharath Digital Infrastructure Association (BDIA) organized a national digital sovereignty forum named Bharat Digital Samvad in New Delhi on May 20.
• Tell me more:
  • The discussion highlighted risks from foreign digital dependence and recommended building India’s domestic AI, cloud, semiconductor, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure ecosystem through new certification frameworks and government policy support.
  • Participants proposed new frameworks like Bharat Cloud Certification (BCC), Trusted Indian Digital Product (TIDP), and Digital Sovereignty Maturity Models (DSMM).

UK and Danish Firms Launch Indian Energy Platform

• What: British International Investment and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners started a $300 million clean energy project called North Star in India to build renewable energy infrastructure and reduce pollution.
• Tell me more:
  • Both organizations will invest $150 million each. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners will invest through its Growth Markets Fund II.
  • North Star is the first investment under British Climate Partners, a 1.1 billion pounds climate finance initiative launched by British International Investment.
    • British Climate Partners aims to attract large investments into climate and clean energy projects in developing Asian countries dependent on coal.
  • The project is expected to generate over 4 million MWh electricity annually and reduce nearly 4 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year.
  • India targets 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. India currently has the world’s third-largest renewable energy capacity after China and the United States.

Textiles Ministry Launches Bharat Tex 2026 Mobile App

• What: Ministry of Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao launched the official Bharat Tex Mobile App in New Delhi to provide a unified digital companion for attendees of the upcoming global textile expo.
• Tell me more:
  • The flagship global textile event, Bharat Tex 2026, will take place in New Delhi. The multi-day industry exhibition will run from 14th to 17th July this year.
  • The digital platform utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled search capabilities. This tool helps international buyers, exhibitors, delegates, and partners easily find relevant products, suppliers, and specific stall locations.

India and Cyprus Elevate Bilateral Ties to Strategic Partnership

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides met in New Delhi to elevate their trusted bilateral relationship to the level of a Strategic Partnership.
• Tell me more:
  • The two countries unveiled a five-year roadmap for defence cooperation spanning from the year 2026 to 2031.
  • The leaders signed six official pacts covering higher education, research, diplomatic training, innovation, technology, and cultural cooperation from 2026 to 2030.
  • The signed documents include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on establishing a joint working group on counter-terrorism.
  • Cyprus holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union until June 2026 and serves as an investment gateway for Indian firms. The Presidency of the Council of the EU rotates among all 27 EU member states every six months.
  • The countries aim to double the mutual investment over the next five years by capitalizing on the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
  • Both countries agreed to work together on major infrastructure initiatives including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
  • The two sides agreed to speed up formal negotiations to conclude a comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership along with a Social Security Agreement.

First International Big Cat Alliance Summit in New Delhi Postponed

• India postponed the first International Big Cat Alliance Summit in New Delhi over Ebola concerns to ensure wider African participation in global big cat conservation, biodiversity protection, and ecological sustainability discussions.
• The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit has also been postponed indefinitely.

Severe Heatwave Crisis Places India at Global Epicentre

• What: As per newspaper article, real-time global weather tracking metrics revealed that an unprecedented 97 of the world’s 100 hottest cities were located within India due to a massive thermal crisis.
• Tell me more:
  • Towns like Balangir in Odisha and Banda in Uttar Pradesh have repeatedly breached a high temperature mark of 48°C.

India and South Korea Inaugurate Indian War Memorial

• What: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and South Korean Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul jointly inaugurated the Indian War Memorial at Imjingak Park in Seoul.
• Tell me more:
  • The two ministers signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on honouring veterans and strengthening bilateral exchanges.
  • The administration constructed the monument during the 75th anniversary commemorations of the Korean War to honor the courage, sacrifice, and humanitarian service of the 60 Para Field Ambulance and Custodian Force of India.

India Launches Major Infrastructure Projects in Chenab Basin

• What: India started two infrastructure projects worth ₹2,600 crore in the Chenab basin after suspending the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
• Tell me more:
  • The projects include the ₹2,352 crore Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh and a sediment-bypass tunnel at Salal Dam in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The Chenab–Beas tunnel will transfer surplus Chenab river water to the Beas river, while the Salal Dam project aims to improve reservoir efficiency and hydropower generation.
  • National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) will execute both projects to improve India’s use of western rivers and strengthen northern India’s energy security.
  • India suspended the treaty in April 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack and stated that restoration depends on Pakistan taking irreversible action against terrorism.

State News

Maharashtra Signs Mega Nuclear Power Project Deals

• What: The Maharashtra government signed MoUs with four companies to build large nuclear power projects worth Rs 6.5 lakh crore with a combined capacity of 25,400 MW.
• Tell me more:
  • NTPC Limited plans to invest ₹1 lakh crore for a 7,200 MW nuclear plant in Maharashtra. It already works with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited on nuclear projects.
  • Adani Power Limited and Coastal-Maha Atomic Energy Limited proposed a 6,000 MW nuclear project at Barsu in Ratnagiri with ₹1.5 lakh crore investment, expected to create 12,000 jobs.
  • Reliance Industries Limited plans to invest ₹2 lakh crore in Bharat Small Reactors and Small Modular Reactors at Purnagad, generating 7,200 MW electricity and over one lakh jobs.
  • Lalitpur Power Generation Company Limited of the Bajaj Group will invest ₹2 lakh crore for a 5,000 MW project, creating around 3,000 jobs.

NTCA Translocates Three Felines to Banni Grasslands

• What: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) decided to translocate three cheetahs from Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh to the Banni grasslands in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
• Tell me more:
  • The wildlife team brought the first group of three cheetahs containing two females and one male into India from Botswana.
  • The government plans to bring a total of 12 cheetahs to the reserve within one year of the first arrivals.
  • The Banni facility operates as the first cheetah conservation breeding centre in the country.

Delhi Forest Department to Introduce Vaman Van

• The Delhi Forest Department announced plans to introduce a special interactive green space called “Vaman Van: to promote public awareness about nature and ecological biodiversity.
• The Delhi government proposed increasing the annual income limit for ration card eligibility from ₹1.2 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh to allow more low and middle-income families to receive subsidised food benefits under the Public Distribution System.

International News

India and Ethiopia Sign Trade Accession Protocol

• What: India and Ethiopia officially signed a bilateral accession protocol in Geneva to support the entry of Ethiopia into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• Tell me more:
  • Ethiopia must complete two WTO processes: proving its laws follow WTO rules and separately negotiating trade terms with its trading partners like India, which discussed tariffs and market access before approving Ethiopia’s entry.
  • India is the second-largest trading partner of Ethiopia. Indian corporate companies remain among the leading foreign investors in the African nation.
  • Dr. Senthil Pandian C. is the Permanent Representative of India to the WTO.
  • PM Narendra Modi visited Ethiopia in December 2025. This historic visit officially elevated their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership.
  • Ethiopia is currently at an advanced stage of entry. Its official Working Party met for the seventh time on April 22-23, 2026.

Banking and Economy

OpenAI Introduces New Measures to Detect Deepfakes

• What: The artificial intelligence company OpenAI announced two new measures to combat misinformation by introducing a partnership with Google for watermarking and a public verification tool.
• Tell me more:
  • SynthID: SynthID is an invisible watermarking system developed by Google DeepMind that identifies AI-generated images and remains detectable even after resizing, screenshots, or digital manipulation attempts. OpenAI partnered with Google to include an invisible watermark named SynthID on all visuals from its products.
  • OpenAI Verification Tool: OpenAI’s verification tool checks uploaded image files for SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata to determine whether visuals originated from ChatGPT, OpenAI API, Codex, or other artificial intelligence systems.
    • Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) is a non-profit founded in 2021 that adds signals into file metadata to identify AI-generated content and reduce harmful effects of artificial intelligence imagery.

Skydo Secures Regulatory Approvals For Cross-Border Payments

• What: The cross-border payments platform Skydo received in-principle approval to operate as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT), alongside key regulatory clearances from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Tell me more:
  • Skydo secured regulatory approval from the RBI under the Payment Aggregator–Cross Border (PA-CB) framework to support outward remittance flows.
  • The company previously obtained final authorization under this same PA-CB framework for export-related payment collections.

Fintech jUMPP Gets IRDAI Nod for Insurance Distribution

• What: The conversational fintech application jUMPP secured Corporate Agency and Insurance Self Network Platform (ISNP) licences from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to distribute various insurance products directly through its AI-powered application.
• Tell me more:
  • The application will partner with insurance companies to offer protection categories like health, life, motor, business, and home insurance.

ZikZuk Technologies Receives Reserve Bank Approvals

• What: The Hyderabad-based fintech company ZikZuk Technologies Private Limited received final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to function as an official Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• Tell me more:
  • A prepaid payment instrument is a digital tool where people put money in advance to pay for things later. The system covers full-know your customer (Full-KYC) wallets and smaller accounts.

Reports and Indices

UN-Habitat World Cities Report 2026

• What: The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) released the “World Cities Report 2026: The Global Housing Crisis: Pathways to Action” report.
• Tell me more:
  • The organization launched the document during the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
  • Around 44% of households globally spend over 30% of their income on rent, while Sub-Saharan Africa faces the highest housing affordability burden with 55% households experiencing excessive housing costs.
  • Urban areas will gain an additional 1.7 billion residents by 2050 to bring the total global urban population to 6.5 billion.
  • The report urges governments to shift away from market-driven policies by strengthening rent regulation and increasing investment in social housing.

Defence News

India Conducts Successful Operational Test of Agni-1 Missile

• What: The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of India successfully test-fired the short-range ballistic missile Agni-1 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha, validating all operational and technical parameters.
• Tell me more:
  • The indigenous weapon system possesses an operational strike range stretching from 700 kilometers to 1200 kilometers.
  • The military can launch the missile using specialized road-mobile transporter erector launchers or rail-based transport networks.
  • The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed the system following the 1999 Kargil war. The design precisely bridges the tactical operational gap between the short-range Prithvi-II and the long-range Agni-II.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • This test occurred a few weeks after India successfully conducted a flight trial of an “Advanced Agni” missile equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
  • MIRV technology allows one long-range missile to carry and release multiple warheads at different targets simultaneously, increasing India’s defense capability and strengthening preparedness against rising external security threats.

Amit Shah Announces Smart Border Security Grid

• What: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah announced the upcoming launch of a technology-driven Smart Border Project during the Border Security Force (BSF) Investiture Ceremony and Rustamji Memorial Lecture in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • The upcoming Smart Border Project will deploy advanced cameras, drones, radars, and tracking systems within the next year to make India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh completely impenetrable against external threats.
  • A High Powered Demography Mission was also announced to prevent unnatural demographic changes caused by illegal foreign infiltrators.
  • The central government is also planning to launch a major welfare program within the next two months to support all CAPF personnel and their families.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • India established the Border Security Force after the 1965 war under the leadership of Padma Vibhushan K.F. Rustamji with 25 battalions, and the force has now expanded to 2.70 lakh personnel.
  • An investiture ceremony is a formal event where a person officially receives a position, honor, rank, medal, or award.

Science and Technology

Educational Institutions Partner for Advanced Space Technology Research

• What: The Birla Institute of Technology Mesra (BIT Mesra, Ranchi) and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) signed an agreement to cooperate in geospatial technologies, remote sensing, and higher education.
• Tell me more:
  • The five-year partnership will advance GeoAI, GIS, and space technology through joint research, higher education, internships, scientist training, Earth observation studies, and academic accessibility for students from India’s North Eastern region.
  • Vice Chancellor of BIT Mesra – Prof. Indranil Manna

Nibe Limited Completes Vayu Astra-1 Weapon Trials

• What: Pune-based private manufacturing firm Nibe Limited successfully completed the first technical trials and a No-Cost, No-Commitment (NCNC) demonstration of its home-built loitering munition system called Vayu Astra-1 at the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan.
• Tell me more:
  • The weapon is a long-range loitering munition drone with 100-kilometer strike capability, high precision targeting, autonomous attack features, infrared night operations, and advanced control transfer systems adapted for Indian military conditions.
  • A loitering munition drone is a drone that waits above targets before attacking them precisely.

Awards

All-Women Military Teams Successfully Summit Mount Everest

• The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) and the Border Security Force (BSF) successfully completed their first-ever all-women mountaineering expeditions to the summit of Mount Everest, marking a historic achievement for national women empowerment.

Major Abhilasha Barak Wins United Nations Gender Award

• What: United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission officer Major Abhilasha Barak won the prestigious 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her exceptional community outreach work with women and adolescent girls in Lebanon.
• Tell me more:
  • Major Barak serves with the Indian Battalion as Commander of the Female Engagement Team (FET) within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). She holds the historical distinction of being the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army.
  • Major Barak became the third Indian peacekeeper to receive this honor after Major Suman Gawani, who won the 2019 award in UN Mission in South Sudan, and Major Radhika Sen, who received the 2023 award in UN Organization Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • The UN Department of Peace Operations created this annual award in 2016 to recognize military peacekeepers; promoting gender equality and supporting United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
  • India remains one of the largest contributors of troops and police personnel to global UN peacekeeping operations. The nation supplies 642 personnel to UNIFIL, which represents the fourth highest country contribution behind Italy, Indonesia, and Spain.

Karnataka Grameena Bank Wins National APY Award

• What: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) honored Karnataka Grameena Bank with a National Award for its outstanding performance in enrolling accounts under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) scheme.
• Tell me more:
  • The bank enrolled 2,49,185 APY accounts during the tracking period. This performance exceeded the official Department of Financial Services (DFS) and PFRDA target of 1,75,500 accounts.
  • Karnataka Bank Chairman – Shreekant M. Bhandiwad
  • PFRDA Chairperson – S. Raman
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Authorities formed Karnataka Grameena Bank by amalgamating two existing Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). The institution functions as the only RRB operating in the State.
  • The banking entity manages a massive network of 1,750 branches spread across the territory.

Chandrayaan-3 Receives 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award

• What: The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) presented the prestigious 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award to India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission in Washington DC.
• Tell me more:
  • The spacecraft made history on August 23, 2023, by executing the first-ever safe landing near the south pole of the Moon. No country had explored this surface area before.
  • India’s Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra accepted the physical trophy for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at the specialized AIAA ASCEND 2026 Conference.
  • The ambassador highlighted the official Space Vision 2047 plan created by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This long-term project guides deep space travel, commercial business growth, and manned flights.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • The institute renamed and reshaped this high honor in 1975 to celebrate a broader range of engineering work. Mrs. Goddard created the prize to honor her husband Robert H. Goddard.

Two Indians Selected for Royal Society Fellowship

• What: Doctor Soumya Swaminathan and Professor Manindra Agrawal earned election as Fellows of the Royal Society (FRS) of the United Kingdom inside the prestigious 2026 cohort of the scientific academy.
• Tell me more:
  • The Royal Society started in London in the year 1660. Existing members choose new scientists through a careful peer-review voting system.
  • The historic group has chosen over 8,000 members since its creation. Selected individuals hold the official FRS title for the rest of their lives.
  • Doctor Swaminathan is the second Indian woman to join this academy. Her father M.S. Swaminathan entered the group in 1973 for his agricultural research.
    • The first Indian woman member of this academy was Gagandeep Kang in 2019.
    • Soumya Swaminathan (pediatrician) previously served as WHO chief scientist and ICMR Director, and currently advises India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme by designing national strategies to combat tuberculosis.
  • Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT Kanpur, previously won the Padma Shri in 2013. This new fellowship marks the 12th major career award for him.
    • The professor became internationally famous in 2002 by creating the AKS primality test. He built this prime number system with his students.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Shipbuilder Ardaseer Cursetjee Wadia became the first Indian member in 1841. Genius mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan also joined the high-level group in 1918.
  • Scientist C.V. Raman entered the historic academy in 1924. He remains the only Indian member to resign from the group in 1968.

South African Government Honors Two Indian-Origin Scientists

• What: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa presented the Order of Mapungubwe, the highest civilian award of the nation, to internationally recognized public health scientists Professor Salim Abdool Karim and Professor Keertan Dheda in Pretoria.
• Tell me more:
  • The high-level state prize acknowledges citizens who achieve exceptional excellence.
  • Professor Salim Abdool Karim received the high honor in the gold category. His research studies tracked the medical spread of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/Aids) and tuberculosis.
  • Professor Keertan Dheda won the state prize in the silver category for his advanced research in pulmonology.

President Droupadi Murmu Confers Padma Shri on Tripti Mukherjee

• What: President Droupadi Murmu will confer the prestigious Padma Shri award on Kantha stitch artist Tripti Mukherjee for preserving the traditional embroidery craft of West Bengal.
• Tell me more:
  • He received the National Award Certificate in 2010, the Shilp Guru Award in 2016, and the Bangashree Award from the West Bengal government in 2017.

Important Days

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2026 – May 21

• The United Nations General Assembly declared this day in 2002 after UNESCO adopted the 2001 Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity to promote intercultural dialogue, peace, sustainable development, and global cultural understanding.

International Tea Day 2026 – May 21

• UN Theme 2026: “Tea for Wellness”
• FAO Focus: Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities
• Edition: 7th annual celebration
• History: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established this global event in 2019. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Intergovernmental Group on Tea organized the first global celebration in 2020.

World Thyroid Day 2026 – May 25

World Turtle Day 2026 – May 23

Sports

Gurindervir Singh Breaks National Men 100m Record

• What: Indian sprinter Gurindervir Singh became the fastest man in the country by clocking 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100-meter final to win the event and secure his qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG).
• Tell me more:
  • This record-breaking performance happened during the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition 2026 held at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
  • Animesh Kujur had previously held this record at 10.18 seconds.

Vijay Shankar Retires from Domestic Cricket and IPL

• What: Former India national player Vijay Shankar announced his retirement from all formats of Indian domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to pursue international franchise leagues.
• Tell me more:
  • The 35 year old all-rounder remains active in the sport. His retirement from national paths makes him immediately eligible to play in global Twenty20 (T20) leagues.

East Bengal Clinch Historic Indian Super League (Football) Title

• Football club East Bengal won the Indian Super League (ISL) title after defeating debutants Inter Kashi to secure their first national league trophy since the 2003-04 season. It was this club’s first win.

Memorandum of Understanding

NISM and IICA Sign Governance Pact

• What: National Institute of Securities Markets and Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs signed an MoU to work together on finance, corporate governance, sustainability, and business education.
• Tell me more:
  • Securities and Exchange Board of India manages NISM, while India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs oversees IICA.
  • Both institutions will create professional certification courses for SEBI employees and financial sector professionals, while also conducting research and preparing policy reports on sustainability reporting and business insolvency rules.

Appointments

Government Extends Tenure For Narcotics Bureau Chief

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved a tenure extension for Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director General Anurag Garg until his retirement date next year.

RBI Approves Reappointment of ICICI Bank CEO

• RBI approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Indian private lender ICICI Bank for an additional period of two years.

Miscellaneous

Vice President Releases Book on P.N. Panicker

• What: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the biography titled ‘The Library Man of India: The Story of P.N. Panicker’, written by author P.P. Sathyan, during an official ceremony hosted at Uprashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Known as the ‘Father of Kerala’s Cultural Renaissance’, he launched Kerala’s library and literacy movement by establishing the modest Sanatana Dharma Library to promote education and reading habits.

Union Home Minister Honors Revolutionary Rash Behari Bose

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to Rash Behari Bose (1886-1945) on his birth anniversary on May 25.
• Rash Behari Bose played a major role in India’s freedom struggle, founded the Azad Hind Fauj and Indian Independence League, and mobilized overseas Indians through the Ghadar Movement against British rule.

NASCAR Champion Kyle Busch Passes Away at 41

• Two-time National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Cup Series champion Kyle Busch died suddenly at the age of 41 after being hospitalized with a severe illness.
• The NASCAR is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing.

Tech Veteran Soma Somasegar Passes Away at 59

• Indian-American technology veteran and venture capitalist S ‘Soma’ Somasegar passed away unexpectedly at the age of 59.

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