People, Positions and Obituaries · 2 January 2026

Narendra Modi inaugurates Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics

Exam-focused facts from the 2 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

  • Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics titled 'The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One' at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex.
  • The exposition marked the reunification of the Piprahwa gem relics of Lord Buddha after 127 years.
  • The exhibition displays relics, gem relics and ancient reliquaries excavated from the Piprahwa site in 1898 and during subsequent excavations between 1971 and 1975.
  • The repatriated relics are exhibited alongside artefacts preserved in the collections of the National Museum in New Delhi and the Indian Museum in Kolkata.
  • Modi paid tributes to social reformer Savitribai Phule and freedom fighter Rani Velu Nachiyar on their birth anniversaries.

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Earlier coverage selected by topic similarity to help connect developments over time.

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