Daily Current Affairs: 20 March 2026

Keel laying of second and third Next-Generation OPVs held at Ratnagiri Shipyard.

Key Updates:

• The keel laying ceremony of Yard 16402 and 16403, the second and third of six Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), took place at YMPL, Ratnagiri on 17 March 2026.
• The vessels are being constructed under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category of India’s indigenous shipbuilding programme for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
• Each OPV will measure 117 metres in length, have a range of 5,000 nautical miles, and attain a maximum speed of 23 knots.
• The ships will carry 11 officers and 110 men and feature AI-based predictive maintenance systems, Remote Piloted Drones, Integrated Bridge System (IBS), and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
• The contract for six Next Generation OPVs was signed on 20 December 2023 at a total cost of ₹1,614.89 crore.
• Four of the six vessels will replace aging OPVs while the remaining two will augment the ICG fleet to enhance surveillance, law enforcement, search and rescue, maritime pollution response, and humanitarian assistance.

Nita Ambani conferred KISS Humanitarian Award 2025

Key Updates:

• Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, received the KISS Humanitarian Award 2025 at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) campus in Bhubaneswar.
• The award was presented by Nobel Laureate Mohan Munasinghe in the presence of Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT, KISS and KIMS.
• The honour recognises Reliance Foundation’s contributions to social development in education, healthcare, rural transformation, women’s empowerment and sports.
• The KISS Humanitarian Award, instituted in 2008, is the highest honour of KISS and carries a citation and a gold-plated trophy.

Kushal Das, former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary, passes away.

[All India Football Federation]

Key Updates:

• Kushal Das died at the age of 66 at a private hospital in Delhi.
• He served as AIFF general secretary for 12 years before resigning in 2022.
• Das previously held the post of Chief Financial Officer at the International Cricket Council (ICC) and International Management Group (IMG) India.
• He played a key role in organising the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by India.
• Under his tenure, India secured hosting rights for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
• He facilitated the partnership between AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) leading to the launch of the Indian Super League (ISL).

United States (US) President waives Merchant Marine Act of 1920 for 60 days

[United States]

Key Updates:

• United States (US) President Donald Trump has issued a 60-day waiver of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act, to ease domestic shipping costs.
• The waiver allows foreign-flagged vessels to transport essential commodities including oil, natural gas, fertiliser, and coal between US ports.
• The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 requires that ships transporting goods between US ports must be built in the US, owned by US citizens, and crewed primarily by Americans.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) has pledged to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, with the US contributing 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
• The US Treasury Department has eased sanctions on the state oil firm of Venezuela and temporarily allowed Russian oil to re-enter global markets to boost supply.
• Global benchmark Brent crude reached approximately $109 per barrel and US crude climbed to $98 per barrel following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
• The US national average for regular gasoline reached $3.84 per gallon according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), marking a 25 percent increase over pre-war levels.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) wins Central Banking's Initiative of the Year Award for launching .bank.in domain.

[Reserve Bank of India]

Key Updates:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received the Initiative of the Year Award from London-based Central Banking for introducing the .bank.in domain.
• India became the first country globally to mandate a secure and exclusive Internet domain for its banking system through .bank.in.
• Only RBI-regulated entities are permitted to use the .bank.in domain to combat phishing and look-alike website frauds.
• Banks were mandated to migrate their net banking websites to the new domain by 31 October 2025.
• Major banks including SBI, HDFC, and ICICI have migrated their websites to URLs such as www.bankname.bank.in.
• The initiative involved the Indian government, NIXI, IDRBT, and banks as stakeholders.

British Council and SPARK – The 100K Collective sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support women entrepreneurs

[British Council]

Key Updates:

• The British Council and SPARK – The 100K Collective signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on 17 March 2026.
• The partnership aims to strengthen the support ecosystem for women-led enterprises in India by building skills and expanding professional networks.
• The British Council will provide expertise in English language training and skills development to enhance the communication and business capabilities of women entrepreneurs.
• The initiative seeks to enable inclusive economic participation and support women in scaling sustainable enterprises.
• The event was attended by Smriti Irani, Founder of the Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality, and Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council.

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) Expands Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Merchant Acceptance in Sri Lanka

[Sri Lanka, NPCI International Payments Limited]

Key Updates:

• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has partnered with LankaPay to strengthen Unified Payments Interface (UPI) merchant acceptance across Sri Lanka.
• The initiative enables Indian travellers to make real-time digital payments by scanning LankaQR codes using UPI-enabled mobile applications.
• UPI acceptance has been enabled at several establishments including Cinnamon Hotels, Taj Hotels, Barista, Keells Supermarket, and Odel.
• Indian tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka increased from 4,16,000 in 2024 to 5,31,000 in 2025, accounting for the highest share of total international arrivals.
• Ritesh Shukla serves as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NIPL.

Scapia Launches Scapia Pay for RuPay Credit Card Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Payments

Key Updates:

• Scapia has launched Scapia Pay, an in-app UPI service for rewards with co-branded RuPay credit cards.
• The service allows users to link Scapia Federal RuPay and Scapia BOBCARD RuPay credit cards for instant UPI payments and rewards.
• The platform provides features including a custom UPI ID, first-time payment alerts, high-value transaction notifications, and consolidated spend tracking.
• The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India processed approximately 20 billion transactions in February 2026.
• The 2026 Spring Release includes two-click credit card bill payments via the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
• Scapia partners with Federal Bank and BOBCARD to provide co-branded credit cards for domestic and international use.
• The platform has expanded to include flights, buses, trains, stays, visas, experiences, international airport privileges, and financial services.

Tata Steel signs MoU with University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) to develop low-carbon steelmaking technologies.

[University of Science and Technology Beijing, Tata Steel]

Key Updates:

• Tata Steel signed the MoU with University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) in Beijing on Monday.
• Research teams from Tata Steel, Tata Steel Research and Innovation Limited and USTB will jointly work on scrap-based steelmaking, steel waste valorisation, end-product performance, and carbon capture and utilisation technologies.
• The collaboration will use USTB's academic expertise and its experimental and pilot-scale facilities to test and scale up technologies for industrial application.
• Subodh Pandey, Vice President - Technology, R&D, NMB and Graphene, Tata Steel, stated that the partnership aims to co-create technologies advancing Tata Steel’s sustainability goals.
• Prof Shuqiang Jiao, Vice President of USTB, noted that USTB and Tata Steel share a long-standing partnership and will combine USTB's metallurgy and materials science expertise with Tata Steel's industrial strengths.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) wins Central Banking Initiative of the Year Award for launching .bank.in domain

[Reserve Bank of India]

Key Updates:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received the Initiative of the Year Award from London-based Central Banking for creating the .bank.in domain.
• India became the first country globally to mandate a secure and exclusive Internet domain for its banking system.
• Only RBI-regulated entities are permitted to use the .bank.in domain to combat phishing and look-alike website frauds.
• Banks were mandated to migrate their net banking websites to the .bank.in domain by 31 October 2025.
• Major banks including SBI, HDFC, and ICICI have migrated their websites to the new domain format www.bankname.bank.in.
• The initiative involved the Indian government, NIXI, IDRBT, and banks according to an official statement.

NPCI BHIM Services (NBSL) appoints MS Dhoni as brand ambassador for BHIM Payments App.

[NPCI BHIM Services]

Key Updates:

• NPCI BHIM Services (NBSL) has appointed former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as brand ambassador for BHIM Payments App.
• The partnership aims to strengthen trust and confidence in digital payments as BHIM enters its next growth phase.
• Lalitha Nataraj, MD and CEO of NBSL, stated the objective is to position BHIM as the preferred payments app for every Indian household.

Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation (RELIEF) Scheme Launched with ₹497 Crore Outlay

Key Updates:

• The Government of India introduced the Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation (RELIEF) scheme with a total budget outlay of ₹497 crore.
• The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) will implement the scheme to support exporters affected by disruptions from the West Asia conflict.
• The RELIEF scheme covers export consignments to approximately 17 countries where global reinsurers have reduced coverage, including routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
• The scheme provides enhanced insurance coverage of up to 100% for losses in eligible cases, compared to the standard 70-80% risk cover currently provided by the ECGC.
• The package includes automatic extensions of export obligations and logistical support to assist smaller exporters facing high freight rates and limited working capital.
• The intervention applies to both shipments already dispatched during the disruption window and upcoming exports.

RISA: Timeless Tribal launched to globalise tribal crafts

Key Updates:

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) launched 'RISA: Timeless Tribal' brand at Sunder Nursery to position tribal crafts in premium global markets.
• Brand name 'RISA' is derived from 'Risa', a traditional handwoven textile of Tripura.
• First phase covers 10 clusters featuring Eri and Muga silk of Assam, Santal cotton of Jharkhand, Changpa Pashmina of Ladakh, Kotpad cotton of Odisha, Dongria and Toda embroidery of Odisha and Tamil Nadu, and handicrafts Dokhra metal art, Longpi pottery, and Turtuk brassware.
• Designers Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Manish Tripathi, Anju Modi, Gaurav Jai Gupta, and Sameera Dalvi onboarded to reposition tribal products in luxury markets.
• Initiative includes design intervention, capacity building with skill training, infrastructure development of weaving clusters and finishing units, and eco-friendly premium packaging designed by National Institute of Design (NID) Haryana.

One Nation One Election: JPC tenure extended till Monsoon session

Key Updates:

• Lok Sabha extended the tenure of the Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) examining simultaneous polls Bills till the last week of the Monsoon Session.
• The JPC is chaired by senior BJP MP PP Chaudhary and has 39 members.
• The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were introduced on 17 December 2024 and referred to the JPC.
• The JPC held its first meeting on 8 January 2024 and has met 17 times so far.
• The JPC received its fourth extension during the Winter Session last year.
• EAC-PM working paper estimates ONOE could cut polling personnel deployment by 28 % or 26 lakh personnel.
• Simultaneous polls could save around 1.4 crore personnel-days over a five-year cycle according to the EAC-PM paper.
• Election Commission estimates nine polling personnel are needed for separate polls but only six for simultaneous polls.

Small Hydro Power Scheme Approved with ₹2,584.60 Crore Outlay

Key Updates:

• The Union Cabinet approved a ₹2,584.60 crore scheme to support small hydro power projects for the period between the financial years 2026–27 and 2030–31.
• The scheme targets the addition of approximately 1,500 MW of capacity through projects with individual capacities ranging from 1 MW to 25 MW.
• For North Eastern states and districts along international borders, central financial assistance is set at up to ₹3.6 crore per MW or 30 per cent of the project cost, capped at ₹30 crore per project.
• In other states, the government will provide financial support of up to ₹2.4 crore per MW or 20 per cent of the project cost, with a maximum cap of ₹20 crore.
• An allocation of ₹30 crore has been earmarked for state and central agencies to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for approximately 200 projects.
• The initiative is expected to attract an investment of around ₹15,000 crore and generate 51 lakh person-days of employment during the construction phase.

ALMM framework extended to solar ingots and wafers from 1 June 2028

[Ministry of New and Renewable Energy]

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) extended the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) to cover solar ingots and wafers effective 1 June 2028.
• Only projects using wafers from ALMM-listed manufacturers will be allowed after 1 June 2028, including net-metering and open-access projects.
• ALMM List-III for wafers will be notified once at least three independent domestic manufacturers with a combined capacity of 15 GW are available.
• Bids submitted under Section 63 of the Electricity Act after seven days from publication of List-III must specify use of ALMM-compliant wafers.
• Manufacturers seeking inclusion in the wafer list must have equivalent ingot manufacturing capacity.
• From the effective date, ALMM List-I for modules will include only those modules made using ALMM-listed cells and wafers.
• Domestic module capacity under ALMM has increased from about 8.2 GW in 2021 to around 172 GW currently, while solar cell capacity has reached about 27 GW.

Gyan Bharatam Mission launches nationwide survey to map India’s manuscript heritage

[Ministry of Culture]

Key Updates:

• Ministry of Culture (MoC) will conduct a three-month nationwide survey from Monday to map India’s manuscript heritage.
• Survey teams will identify manuscripts in institutions, private collections and with individual custodians starting at district level.
• Discovered manuscripts will be geotagged and uploaded in real time through the Gyan Bharatam mobile application.
• The mission aims to create a consolidated database and national digital repository on the Gyan Bharatam Mission central portal.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Gyan Bharatam Mission in the Union Budget 2025–26 and described it as the proclamation of India's culture, literature and consciousness.
• State and district-level committees chaired by chief secretaries and district magistrates have been set up to oversee the survey.
• Existing digitised collections exceeding one million manuscripts held by institutions and state governments will be integrated into the central platform.

Tripura NAVCHETNA initiative promotes technology-driven education

[Tripura]

Key Updates:

• Tripura Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy announced NAVCHETNA to set up Innovation and Technology Laboratories in institutions.
• NAVCHETNA will focus on Artificial Intelligence, robotics, Internet of Things, coding and automation.
• Tripura budget FY 2026–27 allocated Rs 914.82 crore to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), a 6.34 per cent increase.
• ‘Mukhyamantri Antarjatik Kormosangstan Prokolpa’ launched to facilitate overseas employment for nursing, ITI, diploma and graduate students.
• State to establish a Drone School offering DGCA-approved licences for drone pilots.
• Foreign Language School to be set up in Agartala in collaboration with Ramakrishna Mission.

North Korea holds 2026 Supreme People's Assembly elections

[North Korea]

Key Updates:

• Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) secured 99.93 per cent of votes in the March 15 parliamentary elections.
• Voter turnout was 99.99 per cent.
• 0.07 per cent electors voted against the WPK candidates.
• 0.0037 per cent voters were unable to cast their votes and 0.00003 per cent abstained.
• The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) has 687 deputies elected from different regions.
• For each seat only one candidate selected by the party stands and voters choose 'yes' or 'no'.

Wipro opens GIFT City hub to scale AI-led BFSI transformation

[Wipro, Gujarat International Finance Tec-City]

Key Updates:

• Wipro Ltd opened a new hub at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, to deliver AI solutions for global banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) clients.
• The facility will focus on digital banking, capital markets, regulatory technology, risk and compliance, and core platform modernisation.
• The hub starts with 150 seats and can scale up to 500 seats based on client demand.
• Sanjeev Jain, Chief Operating Officer at Wipro, said the GIFT City presence is a strategic investment to scale Wipro Intelligence for the global BFSI industry.
• Wipro posted 1.2% sequential growth in December-quarter revenue at USD 2,635.4 million on a constant currency basis.
• Q3 margins expanded nearly 100 basis points to 17.6% from 16.7% quarter-on-quarter.
• Wipro shares closed 2.79% lower at ₹188.87, March 19, ahead of the announcement, and have fallen 26% over the last six months.

Ministry of Science and Technology approves quantum teaching facilities at 23 institutions under National Quantum Mission

[National Quantum Mission]

Key Updates:

• The Union government approved establishing quantum teaching facilities or laboratories in 23 academic institutions across India under the National Quantum Mission.
• 100 more institutions are under consideration for similar facilities to support advanced research and training in emerging quantum technologies.
• The decision was disclosed during a joint monthly meeting of secretaries of science ministries and departments led by Minister Jitendra Singh.
• Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood attended the meeting.
• The meeting reviewed preparations for the next PSLV mission expected later this year and upcoming satellite launches.
• Plans for launching the next navigation satellite for the Navy around May were discussed.
• A large technology exhibition is proposed in New Delhi from May 11 to 13 for National Technology Day celebrations.
• The exhibition is expected to bring together over 3,000 stakeholders and showcase more than 500 technologies and innovations.
• The Department of Science and Technology is examining updates to manpower guidelines for project staff to align with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) framework.

WADA delays decision on potential ban of Trump from major sporting events until after World Cup

[World Anti-Doping Agency]

Key Updates:

• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) executive committee postponed a decision on barring government officials from major sporting events if their countries withhold dues, pushing the potential conflict with President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials until after the 2026 World Cup.
• The U.S. has not paid its WADA dues since 2023, withholding a total of $7.3 million over 2024 and 2025 in protest of WADA’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers.
• If adopted later this year, the new rule could place Trump and U.S. lawmakers on a banned list for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
• WADA spokesman James Fitzgerald previously told The Associated Press the proposed rule would not be applied retroactively so the World Cup, LA and SLC Games would not be covered.
• The U.S. lost its seat on the WADA executive committee after Rahul Gupta, the U.S. representative during the Biden administration, led the effort to reject the proposal in 2024.

Odisha selected to host World Athletics Indoor Championships 2028

[World Indoor Athletics Championships]

Key Updates:

• Odisha in India will host the World Athletics Indoor Championships from 3-5 March 2028.
• Astana in Kazakhstan will host the 2030 edition of the championships from 15-17 March 2030.
• The decisions were taken during the 240th World Athletics Council Meeting held in Torun, Poland.
• Hefei in China was awarded the 2028 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships to be held on 9 April 2028.

Hurun Richest Self-Made Women in the World 2026 list released

Key Updates:

• Hurun Research Institute released the Richest Self-Made Women in the World 2026 list featuring 150 self-made women billionaires globally.
• Seven celebrity women billionaires are identified: Oprah Winfrey ($3.8 billion), Kim Kardashian ($2.2 billion), Taylor Swift ($1.6 billion), Rihanna ($1.5 billion), JK Rowling ($1.3 billion), Kylie Jenner ($1.2 billion), and Beyoncé ($1 billion).
• China leads with 78 self-made women billionaires, followed by the USA with 40.

World Oral Health Day 2026 observed on March 20 with theme 'A Happy Mouth is a Happy Life'

Key Updates:

• World Oral Health Day is observed every year on March 20.
• The theme for World Oral Health Day 2026 is 'A Happy Mouth is a Happy Life'.
• World Oral Health Day was first celebrated on September 12, 2007.
• The original date was chosen to mark the birthday of Dr Charles Godon, founder of the FDI World Dental Federation.
• The observance date was changed to March 20 in 2013.

International Day of Happiness observed on 20 March 2026 with theme Social Media & Happiness

Key Updates:

• The International Day of Happiness 2026 is observed on Friday, 20 March 2026, with the theme Social Media & Happiness.
• The United Nations (UN) organises the day in partnership with Action for Happiness and the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford.
• The observance was proclaimed through UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 66/281 on 12 July 2012 and was first observed on 20 March 2013.
• The philosophical origin of the day traces to Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) framework, introduced by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1972.
• Jayme Illien, a UN advisor and founder of the happytalism economic philosophy, led the advocacy campaign that resulted in the adoption of the UN resolution.
• Finland retained its position as the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year in 2026 with a Cantril Ladder score of 7.741.
• The top five happiest countries in the 2026 rankings are Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
• The World Happiness Report (WHR) 2026 is published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
• The report uses the Cantril Ladder, a self-anchoring scale from 0 to 10, to rank countries based on a three-year average of Gallup World Poll responses.
• Six variables used to explain happiness scores include GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
• The 2026 report incorporates WELLBYs (Well-Being-Adjusted Life Years), a metric developed at the London School of Economics (LSE), as a policy evaluation unit.
• The 2026 theme framework includes the Choose, Connect, Curate model and the secondary pillars of Keep Calm, Stay Wise, Be Kind.

World Happiness Report 2026 released on March 20

[Finland]

Key Updates:

• The World Happiness Report 2026 was released on March 20, 2026, based on data from the Gallup World Poll covering 147 countries.
• Finland was crowned the happiest country in the world for the ninth consecutive year with an average life evaluation score of 7.764.
• The rankings are determined using the Cantril Ladder, where respondents evaluate their lives on a scale from 0 (worst possible) to 10 (best possible).
• Costa Rica ranked fourth globally, making history as the first South American country to enter the top five after climbing from 23rd place in 2024.
• Iceland and Denmark secured the second and third positions respectively, ensuring Nordic nations occupied the entire top three.
• Israel ranked eighth, becoming the only country from the Middle East to feature in the top 10 list for 2026.
• The top 10 happiest countries in 2026 are Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Costa Rica, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Israel, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.
• Norway, which ranked sixth, was highlighted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for having one of the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita figures in the world.
• Switzerland returned to the top 10 by climbing to the tenth position from 13th place in 2025.
• The report noted that 79 nations reported positive developments in population wellbeing between the 2006–10 baseline and the 2023–25 period.

Ugadi 2026 celebrated on March 19

Key Updates:

• Ugadi 2026 was celebrated on March 19.
• The festival falls on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Chaitra.
• Ugadi marks the traditional New Year for Telugu and Kannada communities and is widely observed in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
• The word 'Ugadi' combines the Sanskrit words 'Yuga' (age or era) and 'Adi' (beginning).
• The main puja is performed in the morning after sunrise.
• Abhyanga Snanam, the ritual oil bath, is taken before sunrise.
• Ugadi Pachadi, a dish mixing six tastes, symbolises life’s varied experiences: neem flowers (bitterness), jaggery (sweetness), raw mango (tanginess), tamarind (sourness), green chilli or pepper (heat), and salt (balance).
• Panchanga Sravanam is the ritual reading of the new year’s almanac predictions covering rainfall, agriculture, economy, and prosperity.

Gudi Padwa 2026 celebrated on March 19

Key Updates:

• Gudi Padwa 2026 is celebrated on March 19, 2026.
• Pratipada Tithi begins at 06:52 AM on March 19, 2026 and ends at 04:52 AM on March 20, 2026.
• Gudi Padwa is mainly celebrated in Maharashtra and Goa by the Marathi and Konkani communities.
• The festival falls on the pratipada tithi of shukla paksha in the month of Chaitra.
• Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of the harvest season and is celebrated as Marathi New Year.
• According to Hindu scriptures, Lord Brahma created the universe on this day.
• Primary rituals include early holy bath, oil bath, rangoli, neem-jaggery dish, worship of Lord Brahma, yajna, hawan, bamboo stick flags, raising a Gudi, and distributing prasadam, cumin seeds, and gram lentils.

World Consumer Rights Day 2026: Safe Products, Confident Consumers

Key Updates:

• World Consumer Rights Day is observed every year on March 15.
• The theme for World Consumer Rights Day 2026 is Safe Products, Confident Consumers.
• World Consumer Rights Day was first observed in 1983.
• On March 15, 1962, US President John F. Kennedy introduced the Consumer Bill of Rights to the US Congress.