Awards
Vice Admiral K. Srinivas Conferred Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Why in News: The President of India conferred the prestigious Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) upon Vice Admiral K. Srinivas in recognition of his distinguished military service.
Key Highlights
- About the Award: It is one of India’s highest peacetime military decorations, awarded to members of the armed forces for “distinguished service of an exceptional order.”
- Institution Date: Officially instituted by the Government of India on January 26, 1960.
- Wartime Equivalent: The AVSM serves as the peacetime equivalent of the Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal (UYSM), which is a wartime decoration for distinguished service during operational deployments.
Sports
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Why in News: Australia captured a record-extending seventh tournament championship by decisively defeating hosts England by seven wickets in the final.
Key Highlights
- Historic Final at Lord’s: The championship clash was held at the iconic London venue before a record women’s match attendance of over 28,000 spectators.
- Record-Breaking Run Chase: Successfully chased down England’s target of 150/4 with 17 balls to spare, registering the highest successful run chase in the history of a Women’s T20 World Cup final.
- Unbeaten Dominance: Under captain Sophie Molineux, the team completed an undefeated campaign and maintained a flawless 7-0 winning record against arch-rivals England across all ICC World Cup finals.
- India’s Tournament Performance: The Indian team was knocked out in the group stage after losing their must-win final league match to Australia by six wickets, despite winning three of their five group games and captain Harmanpreet Kaur scoring a fighting 27-ball 56.
Miscellaneous
1. INS Ikshak and INS Tarkash: Port Call at Seychelles
Why in News: The Indian Navy’s indigenous survey vessel INS Ikshak and stealth frigate INS Tarkash concluded a port call at Port Victoria, coinciding with the island nation’s National Day and Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Key Highlights
- The Visiting Fleet: Featured the deployment of INS Ikshak, a state-of-the-art indigenous survey vessel, alongside INS Tarkash, a frontline stealth frigate.
- Diplomatic Significance: The visit underscored India’s sustained maritime defense cooperation and strategic solidarity with Seychelles during its landmark 50th independence anniversary.
- About Port Victoria: Located along the Somali Sea on the northeastern coast of Mahé Island, it serves as the capital city and primary seaport of the Seychelles.
2. High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes
Why in News: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted a High-Level Committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice P.P. Navlekar to scientifically assess demographic shifts across the country.
Key Highlights
- Background & Genesis: The panel’s formation follows the announcement of a ‘High-powered Demography Mission’ made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address in 2025.
- Core Mandate: Tasked with conducting a scientific evaluation of demographic changes resulting from “illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons.”
- Proposed Action Plan: Mandated to recommend a permanent, institutionalized mechanism to ensure the legal, fair, and time-bound identification, detention, and deportation of illegal immigrants.
3. MANAS (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asoochna Kendra)
Why in News: The national digital platform MANAS has emerged as a key citizen-centric tool for anonymous drug-crime reporting and de-addiction counselling across India.
Key Highlights
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- About the Platform: A 24×7 digital platform launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs to facilitate anonymous reporting of illicit drug trafficking and provide rehabilitation support.
- Collaborative Framework: Operates under the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in partnership with the Digital India Corporation (DIC).
- Integrated Helplines:
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- Crime Reporting (1933): A toll-free helpline connecting anonymous citizen intelligence directly to the NCB and State Anti-Narcotics Task Forces.
- De-addiction Support (14446): Calls seeking rehabilitation and counselling are seamlessly routed to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) helpline.
4. Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet at Changi Naval Base
Why in News: Frontline warships of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet arrived at Changi Naval Base in Singapore as part of an ongoing operational deployment to enhance regional maritime cooperation.
Key Highlights
- The Visiting Fleet: The deployment comprises INS Udaygiri (an indigenous stealth frigate), INS Kavaratti (an anti-submarine warfare corvette), and INS Shakti (a fleet tanker).
- Prior Maritime Engagement: The port call in Singapore directly followed the successful completion of a PASSEX (Passing Exercise) conducted with the Royal Thai Navy.
- Strategic Location: Situated at the eastern tip of Singapore, Changi Naval Base occupies a critical geopolitical chokepoint connecting the Strait of Malacca with the South China Sea.
5. Maharashtra: Women Farmers’ Empowerment Bill
Why in News: The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Maharashtra Women Farmers’ Empowerment Bill, aiming to formally recognize women cultivators and grant them direct access to agricultural welfare schemes.
Key Highlights
- First-of-its-Kind Legislation: First bill in India to formally grant agricultural recognition and issue Woman Farmer Certificates without requiring formal land ownership titles (such as the 7/12 land extract) in their names.
- Broad Scope: Expands the statutory definition of farming beyond crop cultivation to include allied activities like animal husbandry, dairy, poultry, fisheries, and minor forest produce collection.
- Institutional Framework: Establishes a three-tier administrative structure led by a Women Farmers’ Empowerment Council (headed by the Chief Minister) for policy evaluation and statewide monitoring.
- Financial Inclusion: Proposes a dedicated State Women Farmers Fund and an official database to ensure direct access to institutional credit, crop insurance, subsidies, and market linkages.
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