CBC launches Sadhana Shrinkhla 2026 under Mission Karmayogi.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The Capacity Building Commission launched Sadhana Shrinkhla 2026 regional workshops on September 29 to transform training institutes into competency-linked capacity-building centres.

Key Highlights:
1.  SADHANA means Strengthening Adaptive Development and Humane Aptitude for National Advancement.
2.  Workshops are scheduled in Vijayawada, Guwahati, Lucknow and Pune from September to November 2026.
3.  The UNNATI portal connects more than 900 training institutions and supports digital implementation.
4.  UNNATI Exchange enables sharing of courses, faculty and infrastructure.
5.  Activities follow the Karmayogi Quality Framework and role-based Capacity Building Plans under the Nagrik Devo Bhava principle.

Additional Information:
1.  Mission Karmayogi began in September 2020 as the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building.
2.  CBC is an independent body under the Personnel Ministry that harmonises training standards.

TakeMe2Space to launch India’s first orbital data-centre mission.

Dated: 01 October 2026

Hyderabad-based TakeMe2Space announced on September 28, 2026, that India’s first networked orbital data-centre mission will launch aboard Falcon 9 in 2028.

Key Highlights:
1.  The mission uses two 100 kg MOI constellation satellites operating as one distributed computer.
2.  Each satellite carries 10 Nvidia GH200 GPUs, 100 TB storage, a one-metre multispectral imager and 1.5 kW power.
3.  Optical inter-satellite links will share workloads and orbital data.
4.  Waymaker-2 will place them in a 500-km sun-synchronous orbit through RIDE! Space and SEOPS.
5.  MOI-1a is scheduled on Transporter-18 on October 1, 2026, while MOI-1b is planned on ISRO SSLV later in 2026.

Additional Information:
1.  TakeMe2Space is a Hyderabad private start-up focused on orbital computing.
2.  IN-SPACe was established in 2020 to authorise private space activity and is headquartered in Ahmedabad.

Delhi launches Udyog Mitra portal for licenses and NOCs.

Dated: 01 October 2026

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the Delhi Udyog Mitra portal on September 28, 2026, as a single-window service for industrial approvals.

Key Highlights:
1.  The platform combines licences, permissions and No Objection Certificates to improve ease of doing business.
2.  It currently includes 15 departments and 50 services.
3.  Expansion to 21 departments and more than 100 services is targeted by October 2026.
4.  Applicants can track applications in real time and use a digital grievance system.
5.  The portal serves as a central information repository and reduces physical office visits.

Additional Information:
1.  Delhi became a National Capital Territory through the 69th Constitutional Amendment Act 1991.
2.  Article 239AA provides Delhi with a Legislative Assembly and Council of Ministers.

Tamil Nadu launches maternal-uncle gold-ring scheme.

Dated: 01 October 2026

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay launched the Thaai Maaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam in Madurai on September 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  Every eligible newborn delivered in a government hospital receives a 1-gram gold ring.
2.  Children born on or after June 22, 2026, qualify if the mother is a permanent Tamil Nadu resident.
3.  PICME registration and a valid Reproductive and Child Health ID are mandatory.
4.  The state procured 1.28 lakh serial-numbered rings in tamper-proof packaging.
5.  Backlog cases are handled through 107 hubs at 100 rings per hub daily; new beneficiaries receive rings at discharge.

Additional Information:
1.  Madurai stands on the Vaigai River and is known as the Sleepless City and Athens of the East.
2.  PICME means Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation.

Book Cashless Nation released at 7th IITMAA Sangam.

Dated: 01 October 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released Cashless Nation: How UPI Changed Everything at the 7th IITMAA Sangam in Bengaluru on September 26, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  Santanu Paul and B. Sambamurthy authored the book on India’s digital-payment transformation.
2.  The IITM Unicorn Frontier Fund-I was launched by Unicorn India Ventures and IIT Madras Research Park.
3.  India’s electricity capacity rose from 249 GW in 2014 to 552 GW in 2026, including 310 GW non-fossil capacity.
4.  IIT Madras has incubated 560 start-ups valued collectively at Rs.80,000 crore, holds 472 patents and received Rs.950 crore alumni contributions.
5.  UPI was developed by NPCI and launched in 2016 for instant inter-bank payments.

Additional Information:
1.  IIT Madras was established in 1959 with West German technical support.
2.  The Finance Ministry is headquartered at North Block, New Delhi.

Roxy Koll and Neelima Satyam win AGU 2026 awards.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The American Geophysical Union named Indian scientists Roxy Mathew Koll and Neelima Satyam among its 43 awardees on September 25, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  Roxy Mathew Koll received the Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize.
2.  The IITM Pune scientist was recognised for work on Indian Ocean warming, marine heatwaves and monsoon effects, receiving $25,000 and an engraved award.
3.  Neelima Satyam of IIT Indore received the Devendra Lal Memorial Medal.
4.  Her research covers geotechnical engineering, seismic hazards and geohazard mitigation; the award includes lifetime AGU membership.
5.  Awards will be presented at the AGU annual meeting in San Francisco in December 2026.

Additional Information:
1.  AGU is a non-profit Earth and space-science organisation headquartered in Washington, D.C.
2.  IITM Pune is an autonomous institute under the Earth Sciences Ministry.

India to host 2027 Asian Pencak Silat Championship in Goa.

Dated: 01 October 2026

PERSILAT endorsed India to host the fourth Junior and eleventh Senior Asian Pencak Silat Championship in Goa from April 19-23, 2027.

Key Highlights:
1.  The five-day event will be staged at Manohar Parrikar Stadium in Panaji.
2.  Junior and senior athletes, coaches and technical officials from across Asia will participate.
3.  Competition will follow PERSILAT rules, anti-doping standards and international safety procedures.
4.  The Indian Pencak Silat Federation will host the event with Asian and global authorities.
5.  Pencak Silat is an indigenous martial art of the Indonesian Archipelago.

Additional Information:
1.  It entered the Asian Games for the first time at Jakarta in 2018.
2.  PERSILAT was established in 1980 and is headquartered in Jakarta.

PRAHAAR counter-terrorism conference held in New Delhi.

Dated: 01 October 2026

Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the PRAHAAR - CT Policy and Strategy Conference in New Delhi on September 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The Home Ministry organised it to implement India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism.
2.  PRAHAAR covers prevention, response, internal capacity, human rights, enabling conditions, international alignment, recovery and resilience.
3.  A new Extradition Portal was launched to speed coordination for returning fugitives.
4.  India brought back 288 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2019 and 2026.
5.  The Shahzad Bhatti network was declared a terrorist organisation under UAPA; over 40 modules were broken, 100 FIRs filed and 350 people arrested in 15 states.

Additional Information:
1.  UAPA was enacted in 1967 and its 2019 amendment permits designation of individuals as terrorists.
2.  The Home Ministry manages internal security and is headquartered in North Block, New Delhi.

IIEST Shibpur and TCS launch AI Centre of Excellence.

Dated: 01 October 2026

IIEST Shibpur and Tata Consultancy Services inaugurated a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence on September 29, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The centre is housed in the High-Performance Computing Lab of the Electrical Engineering Department.
2.  It aligns with Digital India and Viksit Bharat 2047 by connecting academia with industry.
3.  Students will receive industry-recognised certifications, internships and joint supervision.
4.  Research will focus on natural-language processing, computer vision and advanced data analytics.
5.  It will support deep-tech start-ups, industrial solutions, updated curricula and technical hackathons in Eastern India.

Additional Information:
1.  IIEST Shibpur began as Civil Engineering College in 1856 and is an Institute of National Importance in Howrah.
2.  TCS was founded in 1968, is headquartered in Mumbai and is India’s largest IT-services exporter.

Bodhana Sivanandan becomes youngest Woman Grandmaster.

Dated: 01 October 2026

British-Indian chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest player to earn the Woman Grandmaster title at age 11 on September 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  Representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad, she scored 8 points in 11 rounds on the top board.
2.  She earned her second International Master norm during the Samarkand event.
3.  She had become Britain’s youngest Women’s Chess Champion at the 2026 British Championships in Coventry.
4.  She also holds the UK Open Women’s Blitz title and shares the British Women’s Rapid title.
5.  At age nine she became the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport.

Additional Information:
1.  FIDE was established in 1924 and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
2.  Woman Grandmaster is a FIDE women’s title ranked below overall Grandmaster and International Master.

Ninth India-Kazakhstan military exercise KAZIND-2026 begins.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The ninth India-Kazakhstan joint military exercise KAZIND-2026 began at Oskemen, Kazakhstan, on September 28 and runs until October 11.

Key Highlights:
1.  A 60-member Indian Armed Forces contingent is participating.
2.  A GARHWAL RIFLES battalion leads the Indian contingent with Air Force and other combat-service personnel.
3.  Kazakhstan’s Land Forces field a contingent of matching strength.
4.  Training improves interoperability for joint counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional setting under a United Nations mandate.
5.  The bilateral annual exercise alternates between India and Kazakhstan.

Additional Information:
1.  It began as PRABAL DOSTYK in 2016.
2.  The exercise was expanded to company level and renamed KAZIND in 2018.

Neeru Dhanda leads India to Asian Games women’s trap silver.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The Indian women’s trap team led by Neeru Dhanda won silver at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on September 29.

Key Highlights:
1.  Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer scored a combined 328 points.
2.  China won gold with 346 and Kuwait took bronze with 325.
3.  Neeru qualified joint-first for the individual final with 118 out of 125.
4.  Her five qualification rounds were 24, 24, 24, 23 and 23; Aashima scored 106 and Manisha 104.
5.  It was India’s 13th shooting medal and raised the national total to 46 medals.

Additional Information:
1.  The first Asian Games took place in New Delhi in 1951 and are governed by the Olympic Council of Asia.
2.  ISSF was established in 1907 and is headquartered in Munich.

Second India-Fiji defence Joint Working Group meets in New Delhi.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The second India-Fiji Bilateral Joint Working Group meeting was held in New Delhi on September 28, 2026, to deepen defence and maritime cooperation.

Key Highlights:
1.  Amitabh Prasad of India’s Defence Ministry and Fiji Defence Permanent Secretary Mason Smith co-chaired the meeting.
2.  Discussions covered military training, maritime security, cyber training, defence industry and institutional ties.
3.  India reaffirmed support for a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
4.  The Fijian delegation planned a September 29-30 visit to Southern Naval Command facilities in Kochi.
5.  Talks sought advanced naval and professional aviation training arrangements.

Additional Information:
1.  Fiji lies in Melanesia in the South Pacific; its capital is Suva and currency is the Fijian Dollar.
2.  Southern Naval Command is the Indian Navy’s Training Command and is headquartered in Kochi.

Indian Navy holds second Commanders’ Conference 2026.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The Indian Navy held the second edition of its biannual Commanders’ Conference 2026 at Nausena Bhawan from September 29 to October 1.

Key Highlights:
1.  The apex forum reviewed Operation Urja Suraksha amid West Asian conflict and Indian Ocean maritime interests.
2.  The Chief of Defence Staff, Army Chief and Naval Commanders discussed tri-services integration.
3.  Technology focus included Artificial Intelligence, big-data analysis, autonomous systems and cyber operations.
4.  The JAI pillars are Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation.
5.  The forum reviewed military-strategic preparedness, force levels and combat readiness.

Additional Information:
1.  Navy Day is observed on December 4 to commemorate Operation Trident of 1971.
2.  Nausena Bhawan is the Indian Navy’s first consolidated headquarters building in New Delhi.

Kolkata to host India Energy Week 2027.

Dated: 01 October 2026

Hardeep Singh Puri and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced Kolkata as host of the fifth India Energy Week from January 28-31, 2027.

Key Highlights:
1.  The New Town Convention Centre will host the event, its first edition in Eastern India.
2.  The theme is Unlocking Innovation, Securing Energy, Shaping Tomorrow.
3.  More than 75,000 energy professionals, 700 international exhibitors and 6,500 delegates from over 120 countries are expected.
4.  The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry is patron, FIPI organises it and Informa Markets manages the conference.
5.  Focus areas include oil, gas, LNG, hydrogen, biofuels and digitalisation across the energy chain.

Additional Information:
1.  The first India Energy Week was held in Bengaluru in 2023 and the fourth in Goa in 2026.
2.  FIPI is India’s apex hydrocarbon-sector advisory body and is headquartered in New Delhi.

Supreme Court proposes Class 6 exemption from three-language policy.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The Supreme Court directed the Centre and CBSE on September 28, 2026, to consider a one-time three-language-policy exemption for Class 6 students.

Key Highlights:
1.  The proposed relief applies to the 2026-27 Class 6 cohort facing academic pressure and implementation difficulty.
2.  Students otherwise must study three languages, including at least two native Indian languages.
3.  The rule aligns with National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.
4.  Petitions cited teacher shortages, unavailable textbooks and inadequate resources for another language.
5.  CBSE was established in 1929, is headquartered in New Delhi and works under the Education Ministry.

Additional Information:
1.  NEP 2020 replaced the National Policy on Education 1986.
2.  NCERT was established in 1961 as an autonomous body supporting school-education improvement.

Minority Affairs Ministry signs MoUs with IISc, IIT Madras and IIMB.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The Minority Affairs Ministry signed MoUs with IISc Bengaluru, IIT Madras and IIM Bangalore on September 25, 2026, for infrastructure monitoring and entrepreneurship.

Key Highlights:
1.  IIT Madras CUBE will independently assess PMJVK infrastructure quality, access, use and sustainability in education, health, skills and women-child development.
2.  IIM Bangalore will monitor PM VIKAS training in the South Zone through inspections, certification and placement outcomes.
3.  NMDFC signed tripartite agreements with IISc-FSID and IIMB-NSRCEL under the Prime Minister Minority Venture Fund.
4.  The Employment through Entrepreneurship mission covers start-up discovery, incubation, mentoring and investor links.
5.  IISc-FSID focuses on deep-science commercialisation, while NSRCEL handles fintech and market-led ventures.

Additional Information:
1.  The Minority Affairs Ministry became a separate ministry in January 2006.
2.  NMDFC was established in September 1994 and is headquartered in New Delhi.

Essar Group to build $15 billion steel plant in Iowa.

Dated: 01 October 2026

The Essar Group will invest $15 billion through Mesabi Metallics to build what was announced as the largest steel plant in US history in Iowa.

Key Highlights:
1.  The project was announced on September 28, 2026, and Mesabi Metallics is Essar’s US subsidiary chaired by Rewant Ruia.
2.  The Iowa plant is planned to produce 10 million tonnes of steel annually and begin commercial output in 2030.
3.  It is expected to create about 1,750 permanent Iowa jobs and 350 mining jobs in Minnesota.
4.  A $2.5 billion iron-ore mine in Minnesota’s Mesabi Range will support the plant.
5.  The mine is the first new US iron mine in 50 years and targets 7.5 million tonnes annual output.

Additional Information:
1.  Essar Group was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
2.  Mesabi Metallics is a wholly owned Essar subsidiary based in Nashwauk, Minnesota.

NTPC Green Energy commissions 81.34 MW Kalasar solar capacity.

Dated: 01 October 2026

NTPC Green Energy declared 81.34 MW of the Kalasar Solar Energy Project in Bikaner commercially operational from September 26, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The capacity forms part of the 650 MW solar component of the 500 MW REMCL round-the-clock project.
2.  NTPC Renewable Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Green Energy, is developing it.
3.  The 81.34 MW block became commercially operational from midnight on September 26.
4.  NTPC Green Energy group commercial capacity reached 10,977.23 MW.
5.  Its total installed capacity increased to 11,058.57 MW.

Additional Information:
1.  NTPC Green Energy is a wholly owned renewable-energy subsidiary of NTPC headquartered in New Delhi.
2.  NTPC was established in 1975, is India’s largest power utility and holds Maharatna status.

Esha Singh wins Asian Games women’s 25m pistol silver.

Dated: 01 October 2026

Indian shooter Esha Singh won silver in the women’s 25-metre pistol individual event at the 2026 Asian Games on September 28.

Key Highlights:
1.  She recorded 38 hits, matching the gold medallist before finishing second in the shoot-off.
2.  Esha scored 4+2 in the tie-break, while China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan won gold with 4+3.
3.  South Korea’s Kim Hyon Suk earned bronze with 34 hits.
4.  The Indian women’s team finished fifth in the 25-metre pistol team event.
5.  The medal raised India’s Nagoya total to 38: 4 gold, 17 silver and 17 bronze.

Additional Information:
1.  Esha Singh is ranked World No. 1 and holds the world record in her category.
2.  She previously won individual silver and team gold at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.