National Affairs

Sarbananda Sonowal Lays Foundation Stone for India’s First Riverine Lighthouses in Assam

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, laid the foundation stones for four riverine lighthouses along the banks of the Brahmaputra River in Assam on March 5, 2026.

This marks India’s first lighthouse infrastructure on an inland waterway.

Project Outlay:
Approximately ₹84 crore

Venue:
Lachit Ghat, Guwahati, Assam

Organised By:

• Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships
• Inland Waterways Authority of India
• Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways

Sites of River Lighthouses:

Specifications:

• Height of each lighthouse: 20 metres
• Geographical range: 14 nautical miles
• Luminous range: 8–10 nautical miles
• Power source: 100% solar energy

Tourism Facilities:
Each lighthouse site will include:

• Museum
• Amphitheatre
• Cafeteria
• Children’s play area
• Souvenir shop
• Landscaped public spaces

Significance:
The project will improve inland navigation, enhance river tourism, and strengthen Brahmaputra-based economic activity.

NITI Aayog and UNICEF India Sign SoI to Improve Nutrition and Health in Aspirational Districts

NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent with UNICEF India to strengthen nutrition and health outcomes in Aspirational Districts and Blocks.

Signatories:

• Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme, NITI Aayog
• Arjan de Wagt, Deputy Representative, UNICEF India

Objective:
The partnership aims to improve maternal and child nutrition in underserved areas through stronger implementation of health and nutrition interventions at the block level.

Focus Areas:

• Strengthening Anganwadi infrastructure
• Improving nutrition literacy
• Enhancing uptake of ICDS services
• Capacity-building of frontline workers
• Multi-stakeholder collaboration

UNICEF’s Role:
Through the IMPAct4Nutrition platform, UNICEF India will provide technical assistance and support engagement with:

• Businesses
• Public sector enterprises
• Industry partners

CSR Focus:
The partnership will help mobilise Corporate Social Responsibility investment into nutrition-focused initiatives.

IBM Launches Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Center in Bengaluru

International Business Machines Corporation launched its first Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Center at the India Systems Development Lab campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

The centre aims to strengthen India’s position as a global hub for advanced infrastructure engineering and enterprise AI development.

Objective:
The centre will accelerate the development and deployment of enterprise-grade Artificial Intelligence systems.

Key Technologies Integrated:

• Infrastructure technologies
• Hybrid cloud capabilities
• Artificial Intelligence solutions

Collaboration Model:
The Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Center will function as a collaborative engineering hub involving:

• IBM systems architects
• Infrastructure specialists
• Clients
• Independent Software Vendors
• Global System Integrators
• Global Capability Centers
• Ecosystem partners

Significance:
The facility will help build secure, scalable, and responsible enterprise AI systems.

About IBM:
IBM is headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA, and provides hybrid cloud, AI, and consulting services in more than 175 countries.

Ministry of Culture Launches Indian Culture Portal Version 2.0

Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, launched Version 2.0 of the Indian Culture Portal at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi.

The upgraded portal serves as a national digital platform for easy access to India’s cultural heritage.

Background:
The Indian Culture Portal was originally launched in December 2019 to democratise access to information on India’s traditions, literature, arts, and history.

Key Features of Version 2.0:

• Modern React-based frontend
• Drupal backend
• Faster speed and scalability
• Improved portal performance
• AI-powered chatbot Bharti
• Integration with Bhashini platform
• Support for 22 Indian languages

Portal Functionality:
The portal works as a Progressive Web App, enabling seamless access across devices.

Immersive Experiences:

• 3D walkthroughs
• 360-degree virtual tours of heritage monuments
• 46 curated cultural categories

Major Categories Include:

• Iconic Battles of India
• Folktales of India
• Classical Dances of India

International Affairs

Mobile World Congress 2026 Held in Barcelona, Spain

The Mobile World Congress 2026, the world’s largest mobile and technology industry event, was held from March 2 to 5, 2026 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain.

The event brought together global telecom leaders, technology companies, and policymakers.

Theme:
“The IQ Era”

Theme Focus:
The theme highlighted the integration of Artificial Intelligence with advanced connectivity to support:

• Smarter networks
• Digital innovation
• Societal transformation

Organiser:
Global System for Mobile Communications Association

Indian Participation:
India’s participation was led by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Ministry of Communications.

He represented India at:

• GSMA Ministerial Programme
• MWC Main Stage discussions

Indian Telecom Innovators:
India’s telecom innovators participated under the coordination of the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council, with support from the Department of Telecommunications.

Key Launch:
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the TJ1600-D3 Hyper-scalable Data Center Interconnect Platform by Tejas Networks Limited, Bengaluru.

Hurun Global Rich List 2026: India Ranks Third with 308 Billionaires

The Hurun Research Institute released the 15th edition of Hurun Global Rich List 2026 on March 5, 2026.

India’s Richest Person:
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited, remained the richest person in India and Asia.

Mukesh Ambani’s Net Worth:
₹9.8 lakh crore

World’s Richest Person:
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX, retained the top position globally.

Top 3 Global Billionaires:

Key Highlight:
Elon Musk became the first person to surpass USD 700 billion in wealth.

Global Billionaire Count:
The list covered 4,020 billionaires from 2,914 companies across 73 countries.

India’s Position:
India ranked third globally with 308 billionaires, including 57 new entrants.

India’s Combined Billionaire Wealth:
Around ₹112 lakh crore

Women Billionaires:

• Alice Walton of Walmart was the richest woman globally with USD 119 billion
• Diane Hendricks of ABC Supply remained the world’s richest self-made woman with USD 24 billion
• Roshni Nadar Malhotra became the richest woman in India and the first Indian woman to enter the overall top three in India

Chile Becomes First Country in the Americas to Eliminate Leprosy

The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization, officially verified that Chile has eliminated leprosy as a public health problem.

Key Milestone:
Chile became the first country in the Americas and the second country globally after Jordan to achieve this recognition.

Global NTD Achievement:
Chile is now the 61st country globally and the 6th in the Americas to eliminate at least one Neglected Tropical Disease.

WHO Criteria:
WHO defines leprosy elimination as a prevalence rate below 1 case per 10,000 population.

WHO Global Leprosy Strategy 2021–2030:
Transmission elimination is indicated by:

• Zero locally acquired cases for three consecutive years
• No cases among children for five years

Significance:
The achievement supports PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative, which targets more than 30 communicable diseases by 2030.

Banking & Finance

SBI General Insurance Launches ‘Chuniye Bharosa, Apno Sa’ Campaign

SBI General Insurance Company Limited launched an integrated brand campaign titled ‘Chuniye Bharosa, Apno Sa’ in March 2026.

The campaign positions the insurer as a trusted family protector, with a strong focus on health insurance.

Brand Ambassador:
Actor Pankaj Tripathi was appointed as the brand ambassador of SBI General Insurance.

Objective:
The campaign aims to improve brand recall and reinforce SBI General Insurance’s image as a dependable financial protection provider.

Promotional Film:
The company released a health insurance promotional film featuring Pankaj Tripathi as a caring and dependable family member.

Campaign Outreach:

• Print
• Television
• OTT platforms
• Social media

About SBI General Insurance:

Yes Bank Launches Exclusive Salary Account for Women

Yes Bank Limited launched ‘YES Essence Women’s Salary Account’ ahead of International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8.

The account is designed to support the financial and lifestyle needs of working women.

Key Benefits:

• Free locker facility for the first year
• ₹5 lakh top-up health cover complimentary for one year
• Annual preventive health check-up
• Complimentary Elegance Debit Card
• 5% cashback worth up to ₹60,000 per year on select categories

Service Focus:

• Financial protection
• Preventive healthcare
• Lifestyle privileges
• Wealth creation

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must be an Indian female resident
• Minimum age: 18 years
• Must be the primary account holder

Economy & Business

BEL Signs MoU with Bellatrix Aerospace to Develop VLEO Satellite Systems

Bharat Electronics Limited, a state-run defence electronics company, signed an MoU with Bellatrix Aerospace Private Limited, a space technology startup.

The MoU focuses on designing, developing, and manufacturing satellite systems and payloads for Very Low Earth Orbit operations.

MoU Exchanged Between:

• Rashmi Kathuria, General Manager, BEL
• Rohan M. Ganapathy, CEO and CTO, Bellatrix Aerospace

Scope:
The partnership will develop integrated satellite solutions for:

• Strategic defence missions
• Civilian space missions

Significance:
The collaboration combines BEL’s public sector manufacturing strength with Bellatrix’s deep-tech startup innovation.

About VLEO:
Very Low Earth Orbit refers to orbital altitudes between 150 km and 450 km above Earth.

Advantages of VLEO:

• Higher-resolution imaging
• Lower communication latency
• Reduced launch costs

Challenge:
VLEO satellites require advanced propulsion systems to counter atmospheric drag.

Awards & Recognitions

K.V. Subramanian Becomes First Indian Economist to Win Chicago Alumni Award

The University of Chicago honoured Indian economist Dr. K.V. Subramanian with the Alumni Award for Professional Achievement in March 2026.

He became the first Indian economist to receive this honour since the award was established in 1941.

Distinguished Recipient Group Includes:

• Paul Samuelson
• Gary Becker
• Claudia Goldin
• Carl Sagan

About K.V. Subramanian:

Former Role:
He served as Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India from 2018 to 2021.

IMF Role:
He later represented India as Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund.

Current Role:
Professor of Finance at the Indian School of Business.

Author:
He authored the book ‘India@100’.

Appointments & Resignations

President Murmu Appoints New Governors and Lieutenant Governors for 9 States and UTs

President Droupadi Murmu announced new appointments and transfers of Governors and Lieutenant Governors across 9 States and Union Territories on March 6, 2026.

Key Appointments and Transfers

West Bengal Change:
R.N. Ravi was appointed Governor of West Bengal following the resignation of Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose.

Sports

Mansukh Mandaviya Unveils Logo of World’s First Franchise-Based Cycling League

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, unveiled the logo of the Cycling League of India in March 2026.

The CLI is described as the world’s first franchise-based road cycling league.

Objective:
The league aims to create a professional cycling ecosystem in India.

Key Goals:

• Nurture cycling talent
• Promote professional road cycling
• Attract global attention
• Encourage youth participation
• Support the vision of a fit India

Franchise Structure:
The league will feature 8 city or region-based franchises.

Team Composition:
Each franchise will include 10 cyclists.

Rider Mix:

• 2 international riders
• 2 junior cyclists
• Indian professional cyclists

Competition Format:
The league will be held in three structured phases leading to a grand finale.

Race Formats:

• Criterium races
• Team time trials
• Mass start events

Significance:
The league will provide a professional platform for Indian cyclists and help build a sustainable cycling ecosystem.

Important Days

International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness 2026 – March 5

The United Nations International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness is observed annually on March 5.

The day raises public awareness, especially among youth, about the importance of disarmament in promoting peace and preventing conflicts.

2026 Observance:
March 5, 2026 marked the 4th observance of the day.

Background:

Declaration:
The United Nations General Assembly declared March 5 as the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness through Resolution A/RES/77/51, adopted on December 7, 2022.

First Observance:
The first observance was held on March 5, 2023.

Significance of Date:
March 5 coincides with the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on March 5, 1970.

Important Days at a Glance

State News

Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari Appointed Chief Justice of Madras High Court

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in March 2026.

The appointment was made under Article 217(1) of the Constitution of India.

Succeeded:
He succeeded Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, who retired on March 5, 2026 after attaining the age of superannuation.

About Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari:

Legal Practice:
He enrolled as an advocate in 1992.

Standing Counsel Roles:
Between 2000 and 2015, he served as Standing Counsel for:

• Union of India
• Income Tax Department
• Reserve Bank of India

Previous Judicial Roles:

• Judge of Kerala High Court
• Permanent Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court

Article 217(1):
This Article provides that High Court judges are appointed by the President of India after consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the concerned State.