Daily Current Affairs: 15 March 2026

José Antonio Kast sworn in as President of Chile.

[Chile]

Key Updates:

• José Antonio Kast assumed office as President of Chile on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
• He defeated communist candidate Jeannette Jara in the December 2025 election and secured about 60% of the vote.
• The inauguration ceremony took place at the National Congress in Valparaíso and was attended by heads of state including Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, Spain’s King Felipe VI, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado.
• Kast pledged to implement an “emergency government” focused on combating crime and irregular migration.
• He praised the U.S. operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and signalled closer alignment with the Trump administration.
• Kast abruptly ended the transition process after a clash with outgoing President Gabriel Boric over a submarine cable project to connect Chile and China that had drawn U.S. criticism.

US and South Korea begin Freedom Shield military exercise amid Middle East war

[United States, South Korea]

Key Updates:

• Freedom Shield exercise started on Monday and runs through March 19.
• About 18,000 South Korean troops are participating in Freedom Shield.
• Freedom Shield is one of two annual command-post exercises; the other is Ulchi Freedom Shield held in August.
• Warrior Shield field training accompanies Freedom Shield with 22 field exercises, down from 51 last year.
• North Korea describes allied drills as invasion rehearsals and uses them to justify military demonstrations and weapons tests.

Phil Campbell, Motörhead guitarist, dies aged 64.

Key Updates:

• Phil Campbell passed away peacefully at the age of 64 after a long stay in intensive care following a complex major operation.
• He served as the guitarist for the heavy-metal band Motörhead from 1984 until the group disbanded in 2015 after frontman Lemmy Kilmister’s death.
• Born in Pontypridd, Wales, Campbell recently performed a sell-out show with his own band at the Muni arts centre in his hometown.
• Motörhead described him as a wonderful guitarist and performer who carried a great sense of humour and led with his heart.

Madhu Malhotra passes away at 71.

Key Updates:

• Madhu Malhotra died in Mumbai on Friday at the age of 71.
• She acted in over 100 Hindi films, mostly in minor roles, during the 1970s and 1980s.
• She featured in Subhash Ghai's films 'Vishwanath' (1978), 'Karz' (1980), 'Vidhaata' (1982), and 'Hero' (1983).
• She lip-synced the song 'Lambi judaai' in 'Hero' (1983).
• She was one of the leading ladies in the 1982 multi-starrer 'Satte Pe Satta' and was paired with comic actor Paintal in that film.
• She appeared in horror films 'Khooni Murda' (1989) and 'Roohani Taqat' (1991) directed by Mohan Bhakri.

DRI seizes 237 kg Alprazolam worth ₹47 crore in Andhra Pradesh.

[Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 237 kg of Alprazolam valued at ₹47 crore from a facility in Kondapalli Industrial Development Area, NTR district, Andhra Pradesh.
• The raid, code-named 'Operation White Hammer', was conducted on March 11 and 12.
• Two masterminds behind the illegal operation were arrested.
• Officials found 800 kg of key raw materials, 2,860 litres of chemicals, and industrial equipment such as reactors, dryers, and a centrifuge at the site.
• The clandestine facility operated under the guise of a chemical manufacturing unit.
• A chemist with over 20 years of experience in the chemical and pharmaceutical sector ran the operation with an associate who handled raw materials and distribution in Hyderabad.

Govind Mohan urges stronger response to online crimes against women and children.

Key Updates:

• Govind Mohan, Home Secretary, addressed the inaugural session of the national dialogue on 'online crimes against women and children' (OCWC) organised by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
• The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) launched a master trainers induction programme for states and UTs to create a national pool of trained officers for capacity-building against online crimes targeting women and children.
• The national dialogue brought together senior officials from state and UT law enforcement agencies, representatives from Union ministries, social media intermediaries, internet service providers, academia, civil society organisations, legal experts, and student representatives.
• Discussions covered emerging trends in online crimes against women and children, strengthening investigative frameworks and digital forensics, improving victim support and reporting mechanisms, and enhancing coordination with digital platforms for timely removal of harmful content.

Fitch Ratings (Fitch) Raises India FY26 GDP Growth Forecast to 7.5%

Key Updates:

• Fitch Ratings (Fitch) upgraded India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) to 7.5% from the previous projection of 7.4%.
• The agency revised the India FY27 growth estimate upward to 6.7% from the earlier projection of 6.4%.
• India’s GDP grew by 7.8% in the third quarter of FY26 and 8.4% in the second quarter, while the FY25 growth was recorded at 7.1%.
• Global GDP growth is projected at 2.6% for 2026, assuming oil prices do not exceed $70 per barrel.
• Inflation in India is projected to reach 4.5% by December 2026.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) maintained the policy rate at 5.25% in February, which Fitch expects to remain unchanged through next year.
• Brian Coulton serves as the Chief Economist of Fitch.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launches pilot ‘Awareness Program on Digital Payments’ for 10 lakh participants in Maharashtra.

[Reserve Bank of India, Maharashtra]

Key Updates:

• The sixth edition of Digital Payments Awareness Week (DPAW) is being observed during March 9-13, 2026.
• RBI Governor Shri Sanjay Malhotra launched the pilot program titled 'Awareness Program on Digital Payments'.
• The pilot will be conducted in Maharashtra in partnership with CSC e-Governance Services India Limited.
• The pilot will include in-person awareness programs for 10 lakh participants in rural and semi-urban areas through Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).
• RBI also launched a multi-media awareness campaign 'Thoda Dhyan Se' to encourage users to be careful while making payments and transacting online.
• Governor Shri Sanjay Malhotra interacted with Managing Directors/Chief Executive Officers of select Payment Systems Operators (PSOs) after the launch.
• Deputy Governors Shri T Rabi Sankar, Dr Poonam Gupta, and Shri S C Murmu attended the launch event.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) reports CPI inflation at 3.2% for February 2026

[Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation]

Key Updates:

• Retail inflation quickened to a 10-month high of 3.2% in February 2026, driven by food and tobacco categories.
• CPI inflation was last higher in April 2025 at 3.3%.
• Food and beverages inflation rose to 3.35% in February from 2.1% in January.
• Inflation in 'paan, tobacco and intoxicants' quickened to 3.5% in February from 2.9% in January.
• Core inflation, excluding food and energy, remained unchanged at 3.4% between January and February 2026.
• Inflation in 'personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods & services' was 19.6% in February, up from 19.02% in January, driven by higher prices of precious metals.
• Economists forecast headline CPI inflation to reach 3.3-3.5% in March 2026 due to LPG price hikes and precious metal costs.

FSSAI reforms grant perpetual validity to licences and raise registration turnover threshold

[Food Safety and Standards Authority of India]

Key Updates:

• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) stated that its registration certificates and licences will now have perpetual validity and will not require renewal.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approved the perpetual validity reform effective from the date of the FSSAI announcement.
• The turnover threshold for registration has been increased from ₹12 lakh to ₹1.5 crore effective 10 March.
• State licensing will apply up to ₹50 crore turnover and Central licensing beyond this limit, effective 1 April 2026.
• Street food vendors registered with Municipal Corporations or Town Vending Committees under the Street Vendors Act 2014 will be deemed registered with FSSAI.
• The deemed registration is expected to benefit more than 10 lakh street food vendors by removing the need for multiple registrations.

Inland Waterways Projects on Brahmaputra (NW-2) with ₹526 crore Investment Launched

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an elevated road corridor connecting Pandu Port in Guwahati to National Highway-27 built with an investment of ₹180 crore.
• He laid the foundation stone for the Cruise Terminal at Biswanath Ghat and performed Bhoomi Pujan for the Cruise Terminal at Neamati with a combined investment of ₹158 crore.
• Bhoomi Pujan was performed for the Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE) at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh, being developed with an investment of ₹188 crore to train over 5,000 students annually in vessel operations, inland navigation and maritime logistics.
• All four projects are being implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) to boost infrastructure on inland waterways on river Brahmaputra (NW-2).

Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 (JJM 2.0) extended till December 2028 with enhanced outlay of ₹8.69 lakh crore

Key Updates:

• Union Cabinet approved extension of Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 (JJM 2.0) up to December 2028 with total outlay enhanced from ₹3.60 lakh crore to ₹8.69 lakh crore.
• Union Minister of Jal Shakti (MoJS) launched Sujal Gaon ID, a unique digital identifier for rural piped water supply schemes, creating 1.64 lakh IDs across 31 States/UTs linked to 67,000 Sujalam Bharat IDs.
• Central fund release under JJM 2.0 is conditional upon States/UTs meeting four mandatory requirements: signing MoU, creation of Sujal Gaon IDs, timely financial reconciliation, and notification of State O&M Policies.
• MoU commitments for States/UTs cover policy reforms, asset management, planning and financing, digital monitoring, skilling, water quality surveillance, and community engagement.

Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Organises AMRUT Mitra Mahotsav to Expand Women-Led Water Governance to 5000 Cities

[Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs]

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) hosted the AMRUT Mitra Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, to celebrate the leadership of women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in urban water services.
• The event was chaired by the Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, with participation from over 1000 women and 300 officials from 30 States and Union Territories (UTs).
• The Government of India announced a vision to expand the AMRUT Mitra model from the current 1900 cities to 5000 cities to ensure deeper penetration of women-led governance.
• Currently, more than 45,000 SHG members are actively engaged as AMRUT Mitras across 1910 cities in 34 States and UTs under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0).
• AMRUT Mitras from Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka shared narratives on water quality testing and community mobilisation.
• The Union Minister launched the AMRUT Mitra Best Practices Compendium to document successful interventions in urban water management.
• Treated wastewater reuse has been identified as a major priority under AMRUT 2.0 as cities shift towards a circular and sustainable water economy.
• SHG women are being integrated into emerging services including digital water management systems, smart metering, data-based monitoring, and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns.
• The AMRUT Mitra model involves women in operational roles such as billing and collection, Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) operations, and the operation and maintenance of water assets.

MoFPI Inaugurates ₹2.35 Crore Food Processing Incubation Centre under PMFME Scheme

Key Updates:

• Union Minister for Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) Chirag Paswan inaugurated a Common Incubation Centre at Tezpur University in the Sonitpur district of Assam on 13 March 2026.
• The facility was established with a total outlay of ₹2.35 crore, funded through 100% financial assistance from the MoFPI.
• The centre is launched under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, which operates under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• The project aims to support micro food processing enterprises, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, and start-ups.
• The incubation hub includes seven specialised processing lines for fruits, grains, spices, bakery products, confectionery, packaging, and quality testing.
• The facility is designed to serve entrepreneurs in the Assam districts of Sonitpur, Darrang, Udalguri, Biswanath, Nagaon, and Golaghat.
• According to the MoFPI, more than 1.87 lakh micro food processing enterprises have received loan approvals nationwide under the PMFME Scheme.

Global Conference on the Role of Women in Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS-2026) inaugurated

Key Updates:

• President Droupadi Murmu addressed the inaugural session of GCWAS-2026 in New Delhi on 12 March 2026.
• United Nations has declared 2026 as ‘The International Year of the Woman Farmer’.
• GCWAS-2026 is jointly organised by Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPV&FRA).
• The three-day conference aims to deliberate on strengthening policy frameworks to mainstream gender participation in agri-food systems.
• President stated that girls comprise over 50 percent of students in state agricultural universities and over 60 percent in many universities.
• President urged greater role for women in agriculture in policy formulation, decision-making and leadership positions.
• President highlighted initiatives promoting women-led Self-Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organisations as effective in women empowerment in agriculture.

PM unveils ₹23,550 crore infrastructure projects in Assam's Silchar

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled projects worth ₹23,550 crore in Silchar, Assam on Saturday ahead of the assembly elections.
• The ₹22,864 crore access-controlled expressway between Silchar (Cachar district) and Shillong (Meghalaya) is the first of its kind in the Northeast.
• The 166-km four-lane greenfield high-speed corridor will cut Guwahati-Silchar distance from 295 km to 252 km and travel time from 8.5 hours to around 5 hours.
• An elevated corridor on NH-306 from Trunk Road near Capital Point to Rangirkhari Point in Silchar will be built at ₹565 crore to ease congestion and improve links with Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur.
• The PM laid the foundation stone for the ₹122 crore College of Agriculture at Patharkandi in Karimganj district.
• These projects are part of ₹47,800 crore worth of projects unveiled by the PM in Assam since Friday.

PM Modi inaugurates Adani Ports’ Haldia Bulk Terminal with 4 MMTPA capacity

[Adani Ports]

Key Updates:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned the Haldia Bulk Terminal (HBT), a fully automated dry bulk handling facility developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) at the Haldia Dock Complex of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.
• The terminal has an annual cargo handling capacity of four million metric tonnes (MMTPA) and is located on the Hooghly River.
• Developed under a 30-year concession through the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model by HDC Bulk Terminal Ltd, construction began on July 14, 2023.
• The facility includes a 2,000-tonne Railway Wagon Loading System (RWLS), a 1.54-km dedicated rail line for direct ship-to-train cargo evacuation, advanced conveyor systems, two stacker-cum-reclaimers for automated stockyard operations, and two mobile harbour cranes.
• The terminal is designed to handle imported coal and other dry bulk commodities and will serve industrial consumers in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Samriddhi Kendra inaugurated under Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Initiative to deliver integrated citizen services in rural Madhya Pradesh.

[Madhya Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurated the Samriddhi Kendra at Umri village in Guna district, Madhya Pradesh.
• The Samriddhi Kendra is an Integrated Phygital (Physical + Digital) Service Centre under the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Initiative of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• The initiative leverages BharatNet high-speed broadband infrastructure to transform digital connectivity into an integrated platform for delivery of citizen-centric services in rural areas.
• The centre provides telemedicine consultations, a Health ATM for basic diagnostics, and access to affordable medicines through Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
• Education and skilling facilities include smart classroom infrastructure, digital learning access, digital training programmes supported by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), and skill development programmes for rural youth.
• Agriculture services include soil testing support, agricultural advisory services, access to modern farming technologies, and drone-based agriculture services.
• The centre facilitates assisted access to e-governance services, including information on government schemes, issuance of certificates, digital documentation, and support for online citizen services.
• Financial and digital services include banking and digital payment services, financial literacy support, and assisted access to e-commerce platforms.
• Connectivity services are provided through BharatNet-enabled high-speed FTTH broadband and public Wi-Fi access under the PM-WANI framework.
• The centre operates on a community-driven model involving trained local youth serving as Village Level Entrepreneurs.
• The initiative is implemented by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in partnership with the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF).

Ministry of Women and Child Development Launches Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Campaign

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) launched the national campaign Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat on 27th November 2024 to make India child-marriage-free.
• A 100 Days Special Campaign under the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat initiative was launched on 4th December 2025 to intensify outreach to institutions and community leaders.
• The Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Portal serves as a digital platform for reporting incidents and maintains a repository of over 66,000 Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs) up to the Gram Panchayat level.
• As on 9th March 2026, awareness programmes reached over 11.81 crore citizens and more than 40 lakh pledges against child marriage were registered on the portal.
• The Child Helpline (1098) provides 24x7 emergency outreach and is integrated with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) for round-the-clock response.
• The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) component under Mission Shakti, launched on 22nd January 2015, aims to address gender-based discrimination and promote girl child empowerment.
• The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) provides free legal aid through the dedicated helpline 15100.
• Under The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (PCMA), State Governments are authorised to appoint CMPOs to prevent child marriages and collect evidence for prosecution.
• The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 confers powers on District Magistrates to implement provisions and designate District Nodal Officers (DNOs).

UN Secretary-General António Guterres marks International Day to Combat Islamophobia on 15 March

[United Nations]

Key Updates:

• The International Day to Combat Islamophobia is observed on 15 March.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the world’s 2 billion Muslims reflect vast global diversity.
• Guterres highlighted institutional discrimination, socioeconomic exclusion, biased immigration policies, and unwarranted surveillance against Muslims.
• He warned that anti-Muslim rhetoric and hate can lead to harassment and violence against individuals and places of worship.
• Governments were urged to take concrete steps to address hate speech, protect religious freedom, and ensure compliance with international human rights law.
• Online platforms were asked to eliminate hate speech and harassment based on religion or belief.
• In May 2025, the UN Secretary-General appointed the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tests CE20 cryogenic engine at 22-tonne thrust

[Indian Space Research Organisation]

Key Updates:

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted a sea-level hot test of its CE20 cryogenic engine at 22-tonne thrust at the ISRO Propulsion Complex on March 10.
• The CE20 engine powers the upper cryogenic stage of the LVM-3 launch vehicle.
• The test lasted 165 seconds and used a nozzle protection system and a multi-element igniter.
• ISRO plans to operate future LVM-3 missions with an uprated C32 cryogenic stage delivering 22-tonne thrust to enhance payload capability.
• The cryogenic engine has undergone a record 20 successful hot tests demonstrating technologies including ignition using a multi-element igniter and engine qualification for Gaganyaan at 20-tonne thrust level.

Zydus Lifesciences’ oral anaemia drug Desidustat wins China marketing nod

[Zydus Lifesciences, China]

Key Updates:

• China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved Desidustat for renal anaemia in adult chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients not on dialysis.
• Zydus licensed the drug to CMS International Development and Management Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Medical System Holdings, in 2020.
• Desidustat is an oral Hypoxia-Inducible Factor–Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitor (HIF-PHI) that boosts endogenous erythropoietin and improves iron availability.
• China has over 120 million CKD patients; anaemia prevalence rises from 22% in CKD stage 1 to 98.2% in stage 5.
• Phase III trials in China met the primary efficacy endpoint and showed long-term haemoglobin maintenance with acceptable safety.
• Desidustat is marketed in India under the brand Oxemia; more than 100,000 Indian CKD patients have used it since 2022.

Silverpit Crater confirmed as 160-m asteroid strike beneath North Sea

[North Sea]

Key Updates:

• On 11 March 2026 scientists confirmed the Silverpit Crater, 130 km off Yorkshire, is an asteroid impact site formed 43–46 million years ago.
• Heriot-Watt University (HWU) led the study using high-resolution seismic scans and core samples that revealed shocked quartz and deformed feldspars.
• Imperial College London (ICL) simulations matched the 3.2-km-wide crater to a 160-m asteroid hitting at >15 km/s and generating a >100-m tsunami.
• The crater lies 700 m below the modern seafloor within a 20-km ring-fault system and is exceptionally preserved under marine sediments.

Thread-legged assassin bug Myiophanes kempi rediscovered in Andaman limestone caves after 100 years

[Andaman]

Key Updates:

• The thread-legged assassin bug Myiophanes kempi was rediscovered in limestone caves in the Andaman Islands by scientists in 2019.
• The species was first described by British entomologist William Edward China in 1924 from Siju Cave in Meghalaya.
• The rediscovery was published in the journal Subterranean Biology.
• The specimens were matched with a syntype female preserved in the Natural History Museum, London.
• The bug belongs to the subfamily Reduviidae and is a specialised predator of the subterranean ecosystem.
• The study was led by Manchi Shirish S., Principal Scientist at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON).
• Co-authors included Dhanusha Kawalkar and Pooja Patil from SACON, and Hemant V. Ghate from Modern College, Pune.
• The research was funded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and The Habitats Trust.

Scientists reveal 17,000 topological patterns in entangled light using 48 dimensions

Key Updates:

• Researchers from University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and Huzhou University mapped over 17,000 topological signatures across 48 dimensions in entangled light.
• The study published in Nature Communications used spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) to generate entangled photons with orbital angular momentum (OAM).
• Professor Andrew Forbes noted that only OAM, not OAM plus polarisation, was needed to create the topology.
• The topological patterns act as a robust alphabet for quantum information, enhancing error resistance in quantum networks.

Indian Army joins National Additive Manufacturing Symposium 2026 to advance defence indigenisation

Key Updates:

• The Indian Army participated in the National Additive Manufacturing Symposium (NAMS) 2026 organised by the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) at SCOPE Convention Centre, New Delhi.
• Lt Gen Rajiv Kumar Sahni, Director General of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DG EME), led the Indian Army delegation comprising Maj Gen Shivendra Kumar Bhattacharya and Maj Gen P S Bindra.
• DG EME underlined additive manufacturing’s role in Combat Force Regeneration at the battlefield edge, rapid prototyping, and sustaining unmanned systems against emerging "Drone Tsunami".
• Panel discussion titled "AM for Strategic Autonomy and Enhanced Combat Force Regeneration: Smart Manufacturing for Defence Applications" examined integration of additive manufacturing with digital twin frameworks, predictive maintenance, and data-enabled decision tools.
• Discussions addressed decentralised production, forward-area manufacturing, supply-chain compression, lifecycle sustainment, and challenges of material qualification, certification protocols, interoperability, and cyber-physical security.
• Industry experts presented metal additive manufacturing advances such as topology optimisation, lattice structures, and light-weighting for high-performance defence platforms.
• Academia, represented by IIT Delhi and 3D Graphy, focused on quality assurance, standardisation, non-destructive evaluation, in-situ monitoring, and simulation-driven digital twins for certified outputs.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) hosts Demo Day for Cohort-II of Samarth Incubation Program

[Centre for Development of Telematics]

Key Updates:

• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an autonomous R&D institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), hosted the Demo Day for Cohort-II of the Samarth Incubation Program in New Delhi.
• Launched in March 2025, the Samarth program supports up to 36 startups across two cohorts in areas such as 5G/6G technologies, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and quantum technologies.
• Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) serve as the implementation partners for this telecom and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector incubation initiative.
• Selected startups are provided with a financial grant of ₹5 lakh, fully furnished office space, and access to C-DOT lab facilities at its Delhi and Bengaluru campuses.
• The five startups selected for the Stage-II grant under Cohort-II are Huebits Tech Private Limited, Khageshvara Aviation Technology Private Limited, Xpectro Solutions (OPC) Private Limited, Zepto Logic Technologies Private Limited, and Vocbot.Ai Technology Private Limited.
• Startups progressing through the program qualify for additional financial support and potential partnerships through the C-DOT Collaborative Research Program (CCRP).

New ‘Farmer-Friendly’ Wasp Chelonus mahadevi Discovered in Assam

[Assam]

Key Updates:

• Scientists have discovered a new species of tiny wasp named Chelonus mahadevi in Assam.
• The wasp is an egg-larval parasitoid that lays its eggs inside the eggs of harmful crop-eating insects, killing the pest from within.
• It acts as a natural bio-pesticide, helping tea farmers control pests without using chemical pesticides.
• The discovery supports sustainable agriculture and aligns with SDG 2 (Sustainable Agriculture) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
• Chelonus mahadevi is currently listed under the Not Evaluated (NE) category of the IUCN Red List.

Purple Fest held at Rashtrapati Bhavan to celebrate Divyangjan

Key Updates:

• Purple Fest was organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), Government of India.
• Over 8,000 Divyangjan visited Amrit Udyan which was opened exclusively for them during the day-long celebration.
• President of India Smt Droupadi Murmu witnessed cultural performances by Divyangjan at the Open Air Theatre in the President’s Estate.
• The President stated that the Constitution of India’s Preamble establishes ideals of social justice, equality of status and dignity of the individual, and Directive Principles grant Divyangjan the right to education, work and public assistance.

98th Academy Awards (Oscars) ceremony on March 15, 2026

Key Updates:

• The 98th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
• Conan O'Brien will host the Oscars ceremony for the second consecutive year.
• Nominations for the 2026 Oscars were announced live in Los Angeles by actress Danielle Brooks and actor Lewis Pullman.
• Ten films are nominated for Best Picture: Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams.

Tamil poet Vairamuthu named 2025 Jnanpith Award winner

Key Updates:

• Vairamuthu has been conferred the 60th Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honour, announced by Bharatiya Jnanpith on Saturday.
• He becomes the third Tamil writer to receive the Jnanpith Award after Akilan and Jayakanthan.
• The Jnanpith Selection Committee chaired by Pratibha Ray selected Vairamuthu for his originality, creative depth and distinct poetic voice.
• Vairamuthu has authored over 37 books including poetry collections, novels and travel writings such as Kallikattu Ithikasam, Karuvachi Kaviyam, Thanni Desam and Moondraam Ulaga Por.
• He has won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics seven times.
• Vairamuthu received the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.
• He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Kallikattu Ithikasam.
• The Jnanpith Award carries a cash prize of ₹11 lakh, a bronze statuette of Goddess Saraswati and a citation.

Pi Day observed globally on March 14

Key Updates:

• Pi Day is celebrated annually on March 14 to honour the mathematical constant Pi (π) and the birth of physicist Albert Einstein.
• Pi represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, which is approximately 3.14 regardless of the circle's size.
• The first Pi Day was celebrated in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
• The United States House of Representatives officially recognized March 14 as Pi Day in 2009.
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared March 14 as the International Day of Mathematics in 2019.
• The symbol π was popularized by mathematician Leonhard Euler in 1737, while the first known calculations were made by the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes.
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) traditionally releases undergraduate admission decisions on Pi Day at 6:28 p.m. Eastern Time, a reference to Tau Time.
• Buffon’s Needle is a probability experiment devised by French mathematician Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, to estimate the value of Pi.

International Mathematics Day 2026: Theme ‘Mathematics and Hope’

Key Updates:

• International Mathematics Day is celebrated every year on March 14.
• The day was officially proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) during its 40th General Conference in November 2019.
• The first official celebration took place in March 2020 under the theme 'Mathematics is Everywhere'.
• The theme for International Mathematics Day 2026 is 'Mathematics and Hope'.
• March 14 coincides with Pi Day, reflecting the approximate value of pi as 3.14.