Daily Current Affairs: 8 January 2026

Dharmendra Pradhan releases Urdu book on PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day speeches

Key Updates:

• Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education, released the Urdu book 'Khutbat-e-Modi: Lal Qila Ki Faseel Se' in Delhi.
• The book compiles Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day addresses from the Red Fort delivered between 2014 and 2025.
• The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), New Delhi, published the book under the Ministry of Education.

Béla Tarr Passed Away as Hungarian Director and Producer

Key Updates:

• Hungarian director, screenwriter, and producer Béla Tarr passed away at the age of 70 after a long illness.
• He was a prominent figure in contemplative cinema, known for directing films such as 'Sátántangó', 'Werckmeister Harmonies', and 'The Turin Horse'.
• He received the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 61st Berlin Film Festival in 2011 for his psychological drama 'The Turin Horse'.
• He was a member of the European Film Academy (EFA) since 1997 and received the Honorary Award of the EFA President and Board in 2023.
• He established the international film school known as film.factory in Sarajevo following his retirement from filmmaking.
• Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., known for his roles in 'The Wire' and 'Veep', passed away at the age of 71.
• Legendary French actress Brigitte Bardot passed away at the age of 91.
• Singer Chris Rea, famous for the song ‘Driving Home For Christmas’, passed away at the age of 74.

Siddaramaiah became the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka

[Karnataka]

Key Updates:

• Siddaramaiah became the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka, surpassing the record previously held by the late Devaraj Urs.
• He equalled the record of 2,792 days in office on January 6, 2026, during his second term as a leader of the Congress.
• Late Devaraj Urs served two terms totaling 2,792 days, including 2,113 days from March 20, 1972, to December 31, 1977, and 679 days from February 28, 1978, to January 7, 1980.
• Siddaramaiah held office for 1,829 days during his first term from May 13, 2013, to May 15, 2018, and has completed 963 days in his ongoing second term since May 20, 2023.
• He is the only Chief Minister after Devaraj Urs to complete a full five-year term in the history of Karnataka.
• DK Shivakumar currently serves as the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka alongside Siddaramaiah.

Samir V Kamat addressed scientists as Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation

[Reserve Bank of India, HDFC Bank]

Key Updates:

• Samir V Kamat delivered the main address at DRDO Bhawan on the organisation’s 68th Foundation Day.
• He highlighted that 22 Acceptances of Necessity were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council and the Services Procurement Board during 2025.
• He urged DRDO scientists to intensify research in cyber security, space technologies, artificial intelligence, and electronic warfare.

Shri A. K. Balasubrahmanian took over charge as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)

[Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)]

Key Updates:

• Shri A. K. Balasubrahmanian took over charge as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on January 01, 2026.
• He succeeded the outgoing Chairman, Dr. D. K. Shukla.
• Before joining AERB, he served as Chairman of the Project Design Safety Committee for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)–based Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) and as a Member of the Safety Review Committee for Operating Plants of AERB.
• He has earlier served as Director (Technical) on the Board of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
• He is a mechanical engineer with training in nuclear engineering and is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE).
• He has nearly 40 years of experience in the design, development, safety assessment, construction, and commissioning of Nuclear Power Plants.
• The AERB was constituted on November 15, 1983, by the President of India under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

Vibha Chahal Appointed Director of Food and Public Distribution Department

[Food and Public Distribution Department]

Key Updates:

• Vibha Chahal was appointed as the Director of the Food and Public Distribution Department.
• Shubha Sarma took additional charge as the Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department in Odisha.
• Bakki Karthikeyan and Geetika Sharma were promoted to the position of Director in the Ministry of Mines.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) cleared the extension of central deputation for Nirupama J. Dange and Pooja Pandey.
• Ajay Kumar Shukla was elevated to the post of Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department in Uttar Pradesh.
• Karthikeyan Manickam was appointed as the Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) revamps liquidation filings for efficiency.

[Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)]

Key Updates:

• IBBI introduced revised electronic forms for liquidation to lessen compliance burdens and enhance regulatory filing quality.
• The updated forms follow amendments to the IBBI Liquidation Process Regulations, 2016.
• Insolvency practitioners must file these forms electronically within specified times.
• The forms will be phased in from January 2026 with full implementation by February 2026.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) commissions 3.55 million tonnes-per-year residue upgradation facility at Visakhapatnam refinery

[Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd]

Key Updates:

• Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) has commissioned a 3.55 million tonnes-per-year residue upgradation facility (RUF) at its Visakhapatnam refinery.
• The facility includes India's first residue hydrocracking unit and the world's first LC-Max unit.
• The unit is capable of converting approximately 93 per cent of low-value bottom-of-the-barrel oils into high-value petroleum products.
• The project lifts the Visakhapatnam refinery's Nelson Complexity Index to 11.6, making it one of India's most advanced deep-conversion refineries.
• The new unit will increase distillate yields at the refinery by up to 10 per cent from pre-modernisation levels.
• The facility features three LC-Max reactors weighing about 2,200 tonnes each, which are among the heaviest globally.
• Engineers India Ltd (EIL) provided project management consultancy services for the facility, while Larsen & Toubro (L&T) served as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor.

NITI Aayog releases fifth edition of Trade Watch Quarterly covering Q1 FY 2025-26

[NITI Aayog]

Key Updates:

• The fifth edition of Trade Watch Quarterly highlights emerging structural shifts in India’s trade profile.
• It notes the rising contribution of technology-intensive exports and the continued strength of services-led growth.
• The publication focuses on the structure and competitiveness of India’s automotive exports.

HDFC Bank integrates Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) into SmartGateway

[Federal Bank]

Key Updates:

• HDFC Bank has integrated the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) into its online merchant payment platform, SmartGateway.
• The integration enables merchants to accept payments via the Digital Rupee at zero transaction cost.
• The Digital Rupee is offered as a secure and sovereign-backed digital payment option alongside existing modes such as Unified Payments Interface (UPI), cards, and net banking.
• The enhancement allows customers to access an instant and secure digital payment experience within the HDFC Bank checkout ecosystem.

Federal Bank (FB) unveils refreshed brand identity with Fortuna Wave insignia

[Department of Public Enterprises, Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited]

Key Updates:

• Federal Bank introduces The Fortuna Wave as the central insignia representing authenticity, prosperity and togetherness.
• The refreshed identity retains the familiar yellow underline while removing the boxed structure for easier adaptation across digital touchpoints.
• The redesigned FEDERALBANK wordmark shifts from uppercase to a fluid, rounded typeface to reflect approachability.
• The Fortuna Wave’s three waves symbolise authenticity, togetherness and prosperity, functioning as a flexible asset across outreach efforts.
• Brighter and more distinct primary colours improve visibility and legibility while maintaining BFSI sector trust.
• The brand refresh aligns with the bank’s strategy to scale newer business lines and deepen market presence across emerging and established markets.

Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) rates Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited (IRFC) as 'excellent' for FY 2024-25

Key Updates:

• The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has rated the Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited (IRFC) as 'excellent' for the financial year 2024-25.
• This achievement marks the fifth consecutive year that IRFC has received the highest performance rating since its listing in FY 2020-21.
• IRFC has achieved its annual sanction guidance of ₹60,000 crore for FY 2025-26 by the end of the third quarter (Q3).
• Established in 1986, IRFC is a Navratna CPSE under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways.
• The mandate of IRFC includes financing railway projects and related infrastructure such as metro rail, ports, logistics, and power generation.

Uttar Pradesh caps stamp duty on intra-family gift deeds for commercial assets at Rs 5,000

[Uttar Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved transfer of commercial and industrial properties among family members through gift deeds at a concessional stamp duty capped at Rs 5,000.
• Earlier, this concession, introduced in Aug 2023, applied only to agricultural and residential properties.
• The revised rules will take effect from the date of publication in the official gazette.

International Spice Routes Heritage Network launched to position heritage as global tourism asset

Key Updates:

• Kerala has launched the International Spice Routes Heritage Network, a global platform to boost cultural tourism and research by leveraging its historic maritime trade.
• The initiative signals a strategic push to reposition heritage as a contemporary economic and tourism resource rather than a static historical narrative.
• The Spice Routes Network would function as a platform for collaborative research, joint projects and shared resources in heritage conservation, archaeology, documentation, and museum development.
• Organised by the Kerala Tourism Department in collaboration with the Muziris Heritage Project, the January 6-8 event brings together historians, policymakers and cultural practitioners from India and abroad.
• Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas announced the initiative while inaugurating the three-day International Spice Routes Conference, themed 'Ancient Trails. New Journeys', at Bolgatty Palace.

Sanskaar Shaala inaugurated by Assam Governor to promote value-based education

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya inaugurated Sanskaar Shaala, a programme for children aged 4 to 14, at Lohia Lions Auditorium in Guwahati.
• The Governor emphasised that value-based education is essential to shape responsible citizens and societal harmony.
• He highlighted that initiatives like Sanskaar Shaala align with India’s cultural values and support the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS) provides 50% of last-drawn salary as pension

[Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS), Tamil Nadu]

Key Updates:

• Fifty per cent of the last drawn salary of government employees would be the assured pension.
• Pensioners receiving 50 per cent assured pension would be granted Dearness Allowance hike every six months on a par with government employees.
• In case of the death of pensioners, 60 per cent of the pension amount would be granted as family pension to the nominee of the deceased.
• If an employee dies in harness, or in case of death at the time of retirement, upto a maximum of Rs 25 lakh Death gratuity would be provided in keeping with the length of service.
• After the implementation of the new Assured Pension Scheme, all who retire without completing the qualifying service period for receiving pension will be provided a minimum pension.
• In case of retirement, ahead of the implementation of the TN Assured Pension Scheme, of those who joined the government service under the Contributory Pension Scheme, they would be provided a Special Compassionate Pension.
• In view of the introduction of the TAPS, the Tamil Nadu government has to provide an additional Rs 13,000 crore to the Pension Fund.
• Annually, the TAPS implementation would entail an expenditure of approximately Rs 11,000 crore as the government's contribution.

Uttar Pradesh Digital Libraries in Gram Panchayats to Provide Rural Youth Access to Competitive-Exam Resources

[Uttar Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The Uttar Pradesh government is setting up state-of-the-art digital libraries in every gram panchayat secretariat.
• Each library will cost approximately ₹4 lakh and include books worth ₹2 lakh and modern furniture worth ₹70,000.
• Facilities will include Wi-Fi, LED screens, CCTV cameras, computer systems, e-books, video/audio lectures, quizzes, and millions of digital educational materials.
• The purchase of IT equipment is expected to be completed by January 30 and furniture by January 26, after which the libraries will be ready for operation.
• The village head and panchayat secretary will manage the libraries, with assistant officers conducting regular monitoring.

YUVA AI for ALL foundational course launched to equip 10 million citizens with essential AI skills

Key Updates:

• Simplilearn has teamed up with the IndiaAI Mission, operating under India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, to launch the national 'YUVA AI for ALL' foundational course.
• This collaborative effort endeavors to foster AI literacy across India, targeting 10 million citizens for vital AI education.
• The educational program is free and widely accessible, seeking to democratize AI knowledge.

WaveX-FITT MoU for Media-Tech Incubation

[Defence Research and Development Organisation]

Key Updates:

• WaveX, the startup accelerator under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), signed an MoU with FITT, IIT Delhi to scale media-tech incubation nationwide.
• FITT will provide strategic guidance for incubator setup, mentorship, IP support, and access to IITs and innovation hubs.
• WaveX will offer financial support, policy backing, and national visibility to startups in media, entertainment, broadcasting, and communication technologies.

China Unveils New Export Controls on Japan Amid Taiwan Tensions on 7 January 2026

[China, Japan, Taiwan]

Key Updates:

• China’s Ministry of Commerce banned the export of dual-use items with military applications to Japan.
• The export ban is intended to safeguard national security and applies to all goods that could enhance Japan’s military capabilities.
• Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Sanae Takaichi stated in November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, meeting the threshold for collective self-defence.
• The Chinese military recently conducted live-fire drills that simulated a blockade of the island of Taiwan following President Xi Jinping's New Year’s address.
• Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a protest against the measures, with officials stating the ban was absolutely unacceptable and did not comply with international practice.
• Taiwan’s governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) considers the island a de facto independent country, although it is not officially recognised by most nations, including Japan.

China reveals details of Hurricane 3000 high-power microwave weapon on January 7, 2026

[China]

Key Updates:

• Norinco developed the Hurricane 3000, a truck-mounted high-power microwave (HPM) weapon designed to neutralize drone swarms.
• The Hurricane 3000 system has an effective interception range exceeding 3 km against light and small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• The HPM weapon is categorized as a "hard kill" solution because it uses electromagnetic energy to physically incapacitate electronic components.
• The system utilizes radar for identification and electro-optical sensors for visual acquisition and precise tracking of aerial targets.
• The Hurricane 3000 can be integrated with laser weapons and traditional artillery to form an "iron triangle" against drones.
• High-power microwave systems offer an unlimited "magazine" and low cost per engagement compared to traditional missile or gun-based interceptors.
• The United States (US) Army's HPM weapon, Leonidas, developed by Epirus, has a reported effective range of up to 2 km.
• A prototype of the Leonidas system was deployed during the Balikatan joint military exercise in the Philippines in April 2025.
• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has developed another HPM platform known as the FK-4000.
• The Hurricane 3000 was first unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2024 alongside a smaller system known as the Hurricane 2000.

Tata Advanced Systems receives Indian Army supply order for overhaul and upgradation of Pinaka MLRS

[Tata Advanced Systems]

Key Updates:

• Tata Advanced Systems has been awarded a supply order to support the Indian Army's 510 Advance Base Workshop (ABW) in the overhaul cum upgradation of in-service first-generation Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and Battery Command Posts (BCPs).
• In the initial phase, Tata Advanced Systems and 510 ABW will jointly undertake a pilot overhaul of select Pinaka MLRS and BCPs.
• Following the pilot phase, the remaining systems will be overhauled by 510 ABW with Tata Advanced Systems providing critical spares, quality assurance and technical support.
• Tata Advanced Systems partnered with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to design and develop the Pinaka MLRS.
• The company has achieved nearly 80 per cent indigenous content in the Pinaka MLRS.
• Pinaka MLRS is mounted on an 8x8 High Mobility Vehicle and features automated 'shoot-and-scoot' operations.

MoEF&CC waives NPV and compensatory afforestation for private plantations in forest areas

[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)]

Key Updates:

• The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has amended forest conservation rules to allow private plantations in forest areas without payment of Net Present Value or creation of compensatory afforestation plots.
• Plantations undertaken with state-government agreement, aligned to approved working or management plans and under state forest department supervision, will be deemed 'forestry activities' and hence exempt from NPV and compensatory afforestation requirements.
• State governments have been given discretion to design utilisation frameworks and decide revenue-sharing arrangements for such plantations on a case-by-case basis.
• Environmentalists warn the move could weaken safeguards, reduce conservation funding and affect forest-dependent communities if Gram Sabha consent and Forest Rights Act provisions are overlooked.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) observes white dwarf system EX Hydrae using IXPE

[National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)]

Key Updates:

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) used the Imaging X-ray Polarisation Explorer (IXPE) to study the white dwarf system EX Hydrae as a structured system with shape and depth.
• EX Hydrae is a binary system located approximately 200 light years away in the constellation Hydra, consisting of a compact white dwarf and a companion star.
• The system is classified as an intermediate polar, where the magnetic field is strong enough to redirect gas along magnetic field lines toward the star’s surface but not strong enough to fully dominate the accretion disc.
• IXPE measures the polarisation of X-ray light, which provides data on the direction and structure of light movement and scattering.
• Observations revealed a column of hot gas rising almost 2,000 miles above the surface of the white dwarf.
• The data suggested that X-rays bounce off the white dwarf’s surface before reaching Earth, a detail made visible through polarisation.
• The study was led by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and published in the Astrophysical Journal.
• IXPE is a joint mission between NASA and the Italian Space Agency, designed to collect data on objects ranging from neutron stars to black holes.

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) releases 15 Indian vultures at Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR)

[Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)]

Key Updates:

• The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) released 15 critically endangered Indian vultures at Somthana Range of Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) as part of its ongoing vulture conservation programme.
• The birds were translocated from the Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre (VCBC), Pinjore (Haryana), to Melghat on April 23.
• All 15 birds were fitted with GSM/satellite tags to enable scientists to monitor their movement & survival in the wild.
• The soft release process began on Jan 2 when the aviary gates were opened from a distance & food was placed outside to encourage the birds to come out naturally.
• Conservation challenges were addressed by establishing feeding stations and sourcing safe cattle carcasses through active partnerships with gaushalas.

Indian Railways (IR) Prepares India’s First Hydrogen Train for Pilot Run on Jind–Sonipat Route

Key Updates:

• The Northern Railway (NR) is entering the final stages of a pilot project to launch India’s first hydrogen-powered train on the Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana.
• The train features 10 coaches, including two driving power cars and eight passenger coaches, designed and manufactured indigenously at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai.
• A state-of-the-art hydrogen production plant with a 3,000-kg storage capacity has been established at Jind to generate green hydrogen using the electrolysis process.
• The project involves retrofitting a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) with hydrogen fuel technology, delivering a total output of 2,400 kW across two power cars.
• The Research, Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO) laid down the technical specifications for the hydrogen train-set as part of a green mobility initiative.
• The train is designed to reach an operational speed of 110 km per hour and is capable of covering 180 km using 360 kg of hydrogen.
• The coaches are equipped with metro-style features, including two doors on each side and safety mechanisms that ensure doors are fully closed before departure.
• The hydrogen plant at Jind is supported by a stable 11 kV power supply to ensure uninterrupted electrolysis for fuel generation.
• Target dates for trial runs have been reported as January 26, 2026, according to project officials and state government statements.

Punjab Department of Archaeology recovers 2nd-century AD Kushan bronze coins bearing Emperor Vasudeva at Bhir Mound, Taxila

Key Updates:

• Specialists from the University of Peshawar confirmed that the coins bear the image of Emperor Vasudeva.
• The obverse of the recovered coins depicts Vasudeva, while the reverse features a female religious deity.
• Fragments of metamorphic decorative stone identified as lapis lazuli were also uncovered.

Indian Institute of Technology, Indore (IIT-I) promotes Hindi as functional language for science and technology

[Indian Institute of Technology]

Key Updates:

• The Indian Institute of Technology, Indore (IIT-I) is positioning Hindi as a functional language for scientific and technological learning to improve comprehension and widen access to knowledge.
• The initiative is being driven through Abhyuday-3, a two-day National Technical Hindi Seminar organized by IIT-I in collaboration with IIT Jodhpur and the CSIR–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research.
• At the institute, select first-year lectures are being delivered in Hindi and research abstracts are being compiled in accordance with prescribed official language standards.
• The seminar resulted in the release of Smarika, a compilation of 26 peer-reviewed research papers written in Hindi covering science, engineering, digital technology, and innovation.
• The program aims to strengthen technical Hindi to ensure wider dissemination of knowledge and reinforce the linguistic diversity of India.

Indian Railways (IR) nears 100% electrification of broad-gauge network

[Indian Railways]

Key Updates:

• As of November 2025, Indian Railways (IR) electrified 69,427 route km, which is approximately 99.2% of the 70,001 km broad-gauge network.
• The electrification rate for IR increased from an average of 1.42 km per day between 2004 and 2014 to more than 15 km per day between 2019 and 2025.
• Railway electrification in India began in 1925 using a 1500V DC system for the first electric train between Bombay Victoria Terminus and Kurla.
• IR utilized new construction technologies, including mechanised cylindrical foundations and automatic wiring trains, to replace slower, labour-intensive methods.
• The transition from diesel-powered engines to electric trains marks a major leap towards a modern and sustainable future for the network.

NASA Confirms First Starless Dark-Matter Hydrogen Cloud 'Cloud-9' Near Messier 94

[National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)]

Key Updates:

• NASA dubbed the object 'Cloud-9' and described it as a 'starless, gas-rich dark-matter' hydrogen cloud.
• Cloud-9's core is made up of neutral hydrogen and is about 4,900 light-years in diameter.
• The hydrogen mass is estimated at one million times the mass of the sun, with dark matter totaling about five billion solar masses.
• Cloud-9 is the ninth gas cloud identified on the outskirts of the nearby spiral galaxy Messier 94 and appears to have a 'physical association' with it.
• Hubble Space Telescope observations confirmed there are no stars inside Cloud-9, supporting theories of failed galaxy formation.

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) develops first supercomputer-powered simulation to capture Mpemba effect

[Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR)]

Key Updates:

• Indian scientists have developed the first supercomputer-powered simulation to capture the long-existing paradox of hot water freezing faster than cold water.
• Researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research have used supercomputers to develop the first simulation of ice formation, proving the Mpemba effect of water.
• The simulation also demonstrates that the effect can appear during fluid-to-solid transitions in systems other than water.
• This research has been published in the Journal of Communication Physics.

Australia shatter 134-year-old Ashes record with seven 50-plus partnerships

[Australia]

Key Updates:

• Australia posted seven partnerships of 50 or more runs in their first innings at the SCG, a feat never before achieved in the 134-year history of the Ashes.
• The hosts closed Day 3 on 529 for 7, securing a 134-run first-innings lead after England were bowled out for 384.
• Steve Smith finished unbeaten on 129, while Travis Head had earlier struck a blistering 163.

SARAS–2026 Exhibition Inauguration on January 8

Key Updates:

• SARAS–2026, a 13-day national-level exhibition for women’s economic empowerment, will be inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on January 8 at 4 p.m. in Guntur.
• The Ministry of Rural Development is organising the festival as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• The exhibition will run till January 18 and will feature around 300 women artisans and entrepreneurs from 21 states and union territories.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan releases 55 literary works on January 6, 2026

Key Updates:

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan officially released 55 volumes of literary works in classical Indian languages on January 6, 2026.
• The literary works include volumes in Kannada, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil, along with a sign-language series of the Tirukkural by poet Thiruvalluvar.
• A total of 41 books were developed by the Centres of Excellence for Classical Languages under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL).
• The Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) brought out 13 books and the sign language series of the Tirukkural.
• The released works include Malayalam translations of Sangam-period books such as Purananooru, Pathitrupathu, and Pathuppattu.
• A Telugu translation of Silappathikaram, recognized as one of the five great epics, was included in the collection.
• Odia literary works such as Charyapada and Madalapanji were released to introduce the rich vocabulary of the Odia language to non-Odia readers.
• The collection includes research books such as the Sangam Literature Dictionary and Akananuru Akaramuthali (Verb and Noun words).
• The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 advances the vision of education in Indian languages to preserve the nation's historical and cultural wealth.

Earth’s Rotation Day observed on January 8

Key Updates:

• Earth’s Rotation Day is annually observed on January 8.
• The day marks Léon Foucault’s 1851 pendulum experiment proving Earth’s rotation.
• Foucault first conducted his pendulum experiment in the Paris Observatory, then the Panthéon.