Category: National and International Current Affairs

Alo Prabhat: Dance of the Dawn

Culture

Context

• Dong, India’s easternmost village in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, celebrated India’s first sunrise of 2026 with “Alo Prabhat: Dance of the Dawn”.

‘Alo Prabhat: Dance of the Dawn’

• The sunrise was welcomed with a cultural performance titled “Alo Prabhat: Dance of the Dawn.”
• Celebrated by – indigenous Meyor and Mishmi communities, with traditional chants, songs and indigenous rhythms using traditional musical instruments.

Ganges Treaty Nears Expiry

International Relations

Context

• India and Bangladesh have initiated a joint water measurement initiative on the Ganga and Padma rivers as the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty enters its final year before expiry in December 2026.

Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, 1996

• It was signed on 12 December 1996 between India and Bangladesh.
• It governs the sharing of Ganges waters at the Farakka Barrage, located in West Bengal, about 18 km upstream of the Bangladesh border.

Origins of the Ganges Water Dispute

• Construction of Farakka Barrage (1975): India completed the Farakka Barrage in 1975 to divert water into the Hooghly River.
• Purpose was to flush out silt & improve navigability of the Kolkata Port.

Bangladesh’s Concerns- As a lower riparian state, Bangladesh argued that reduced downstream flows:

• Harmed agriculture and fisheries
• Disrupted river navigation
• Increased salinity intrusion in coastal areas
• Threatened the Sundarbans ecosystem
• This disagreement became one of South Asia’s most persistent transboundary water disputes.

Steps Taken

• Five-year Ganges Agreement (Interim), 1977
• Memoranda of Understanding on Flow Sharing in 1982 & 1985
• Teesta Water Sharing Agreement: 2011; Proposed but unsigned.

Additional Information – Ganga River

• Origin: Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand
• Length: Approximately 2,525 km.
• Basin Area: Covers about 8,61,452 sq. km in India, nearly 27% of India’s landmass over 11 Indian states.
• Significance – It supports over 45% of India’s population.
• States Covered: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and parts of several others.

Major Tributaries of the Ganga River,

• Left Bank Tributaries: Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Koshi, Mahananda.
• Right Bank Tributaries: Yamuna, Tons, Karamnasa, Sone, Punpun, Falgu, Kiul, Chandan, Ajoy, Damodar, Rupnarayan.
• The Ganga enters as the Padma River into Bangladesh below the Farakka Barrage, eventually merging with the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
• Delta: Forms the world’s largest delta, the Sundarbans, shared by India and Bangladesh.

Sangita Kalanidhi Award

Culture

Context

• Sangita Kalanidhi award was conferred on violinist R.K. Shriramkumar.

Sangita Kalanidhi award

• It was instituted in 1942 by the Madras Music Academy.
• The award is considered the highest recognition for excellence in Carnatic music and is often regarded as the “Nobel Prize” of Carnatic music.
• The award comprises a gold medal and a birudu patra (citation).
• Since 2005, the Sangita Kalanidhi awardees have also received the MS Subbulakshmi Award instituted by The Hindu.

Additional Information – M.S. Subbulakshmi’s Legacy

• S. Subbulakshmi was an iconic Carnatic singer, She was the

1. first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award in 1974
2. first Indian to perform at the United Nations General Assembly in 1966.
3. first musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1998.

Bulgaria switch to euro currency

International

In News

• Recently, Bulgaria became the 21st country to switch to the euro, nearly 20 years after the Balkan nation joined the European Union (EU).

European Union

• The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 established the European Union.
• It paved the way for the formation of a common economic and monetary union, which is the European Economic and Monetary Union.
• Now, 27 member states:- The last country to join the European Union was Croatia, which became the 28th member on July 1, 2013, though the EU currently has 27 members after the UK left in 2020.
• It allowed the adoption of a common currency, which would be accepted as the sole legal tender, the euro.
• The euro was first rolled out in 12 countries on January 1, 2002.
• It also has a unified central banking system, which established the European Central Bank (ECB).
• And a common economic region.

Eurozone

• The eurozone, or officially the euro area, refers to the geographic and economic region comprising those members of the EU that have fully adopted the euro as their official currency.
• Composition : Bulgaria’s admission to the eurozone makes it the 21st nation out of 27 EU members to do so.

The remaining six use their own currencies instead.

• Four microstates, Andorra, Monaco, the Vatican City and San Marino, also use the euro through agreements with the EU, while Kosovo and Montenegro use the euro as their sole currency without an agreement. However, none of these countries are not regarded as members of the eurozone.
• Croatia was the 20th and last country to join the eurozone in 2023.

Additional Information – Bulgaria

• Location – It is a country occupying the eastern portion of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe.
• Neighbourhood– It is bounded by Romania to the north, with most of the border marked by the lower Danube River.
• The Black Sea lies to the east, Turkey and Greece to the south, North Macedonia to the southwest, and Serbia to the west.
• Capital city- Sofia.

National Sports Governance Act Comes Into Effect Partially

Polity and Governance

In News

• The Central Government has notified that select provisions of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025..

National Sports Governance Act, 2025:

• It was originally notified in August 2025, allowing different provisions to be implemented on different dates.
• It is a landmark legislation aimed at restructuring the governance of sports bodies in India.
• It seeks to align Indian sports administration with global standards while prioritizing athlete welfare and transparency.

Features

• National Sports Governing Bodies: The Act provides for establishing: National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee.
• The national bodies will have affiliation with respective international bodies.
• National Sports Board: The Act empowers the central government to establish a National Sports Board (NSB). It will grant recognition to the national sports bodies.
• National Sports Tribunal: The Act provides for constituting a National Sports Tribunal to adjudicate sports related disputes.

Objectives

• It aims to promote transparency, accountability, ethical practices and good governance in sports administration.
• It will also ensure welfare of sportspersons, and provide effective and timely resolution of sports-related disputes, in consonance with the Olympic Charter, the Paralympic Charter and international best practices.
• It will ensure representation of sportspersons in decision-making.

Russia’s S-500 Air Defence System

Defence

In News

• The Prime Minister of India and the President of Russia are expected to discuss India’s interest in the next-generation S-500 air defence system.

S-500 Air Defence System

• It is Russia’s most advanced long-range, surface-to-air and anti-space defence system, designed to intercept a wide spectrum of modern and future airborne threats.
• It can intercept aircraft, missiles, and hypersonic threats at distances up to 600 km.
• It is operational at altitudes up to 200 km. It has a reaction time 3–4 seconds, nearly twice as fast as the S-400.

Operation Sagar Bandhu

International

Context

• In the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which caused widespread devastation across Sri Lanka, India swiftly launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to support relief and rescue efforts.

Operation Sagar Bandhu

• It is a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation launched by India to provide emergency aid to Sri Lanka.

Under the operation, India dispatched:

• Relief material
• Medical supplies
• Emergency equipment
• Significance – The operation reflects India’s commitment to its Neighbourhood First Policy and the broader maritime vision of MAHASAGAR.

Additional Information – Cyclone Ditwah

• It is a tropical storm that rapidly formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal.
• The name Ditwah was contributed by Yemen.

Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I

Science & Technology

In News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Indian space startup Skyroot’s Infinity Campus and Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, with the capability to launch satellites to orbit.

Skyroot

• It is India’s leading private space company, founded by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka,
• In November 2022, Skyroot launched its sub-orbital rocket, Vikram-S, becoming the first Indian private company to launch a rocket to space.

Vikram-I

• It is built by Skyroot Aerospace and is named after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme.
• It is India’s first private orbital-class launch vehicle designed to serve the small satellite market with rapid, cost-effective launches.

India Re-elected to International Maritime Organisation Council

Environment

In News

• India has been re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for 2026-27 with the highest vote tally.

International Maritime Organization

• It is the United Nations specialized agency
• Mandate – It is responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. ​
• Genesis: IMO was established in 1948 following a UN conference in Geneva and came into existence in 1958.
• Members: IMO has 175 Member States
• Headquarters – London, United Kingdom.
• India joined the IMO in 1959.
• Structure: The IMO is administered by a biennially convened Assembly of all member states and a 40-member Council elected for two-year terms.

Operation Pawan

Defence

Context

• The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi, has paid homage to soldiers who laid down their lives during Operation Pawan (1987 – 1990) in Sri Lanka.

Operation Pawan

• It was launched by the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1987 after the signing of the Indo–Sri Lanka Accord.
• India deployed the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka during the country’s civil war between the minority Tamil population, and the Sinhalese-majority governmen

India was deeply concerned due to:

• Ethnic and cultural ties with Tamil Nadu
• Escalating violence
• Rising refugee inflow into India

Nayi Chetna 4.0

Health & Society

In News

• Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched ‘Nayi Chetna 4.0’ national campaign for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Nayi Chetna 4.0

• It is a month-long campaign, organised by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development.
• Objective – It aims to strengthen community action against gender-based violence and promote women’s safety, dignity and economic empowerment across rural India.
• Significance – The campaign focuses on enabling safe mobility, recognising women as key economic contributors, and addressing unpaid care work through shared community responsibility.

RISE Initiative

Environment

Context

• IIT Kharagpur launched Impact RISE (Research, Innovation, Skilling, and Entrepreneurship)

RISE Initiative

• Mandate – It focuses on sustainable tech and management practices for societal transformation.
• Four pillars – research, innovation, skilling, and entrepreneurship.
• Significance- It will involve research aligned with sustainable development goals and India’s climate and development priorities.

Constitution Day

Polity & Governance

In News

• 26th November is being celebrated as Constitution Day to mark the adoption of the Constitution of India by the Constituent Assembly (CA).

Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas, National Law Day)

• In 2015, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment notified the GOI’s decision to celebrate the 26th November as Constitution Day.
• The day was celebrated as a tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar as Chairman of the Drafting Committee.

Historical Background:

• 1934: Demand for the Constituent Assembly was made by M.N. Roy.
• 1940: Demand was accepted by the British government.
• 1946: 9th December, CA conducted the first session on Draft Constitution.
• 1949: 26th November, CA finally adopted the Constitution of India.
• 1950: 26th January, the Constitution of India came into force.

Key Facts about Constituent Assembly

• Took 2 years, 11 months & 18 days for drafting the Constitution of India.
• Dr Sachchidananda Sinha was appointed as 1st President of CA.
• Dr Rajendra Prasad was the chairman of the Constituent Assembly.
• Jawaharlal Nehru (PM) made the ‘Objectives Resolution’ on 13th December 1946, later adopted as Preamble on 22nd Jan 1947.
• The constituent assembly acted as the temporary legislature until a new one was to be constituted.

Brief About Constitution Of India

• The longest written constitution of the World (25 Parts & 12 Schedules)
• The Constitution of India wasn’t typed or printed and is handwritten & stored in a Helium filled case.
• It was handcrafted by the artists of Shantiniketan under the guidance of Acharya Nandalal Bose.

Dr. Verghese Kurien

Economy

In News

• 26th November commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien.

Dr. Verghese Kurien (1921-2012)

• He was the architect of India’s White Revolution and is celebrated as the “Father of the White Revolution.”
• Born in Kozhikode, Kerala, he spearheaded Operation Flood in 1970, which transformed India from a milk-deficient country into the world’s largest milk producer.
• He was instrumental in establishing the Anand cooperative model, exemplified by Amul, which became a blueprint for dairy development across Indi
• His efforts also led to the creation of institutions such as the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA).
• Kurien revolutionized the edible oil industry by launching the brand ‘Dhara’ in 1979.
• Awards received –  Padma Vibhushan, Ramon Magsaysay Award, and the World Food Prize.

Private Member Bill on Right to Disconnect

Polity & Governance

Context

• A private member bill “Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025”, reintroduced in the Lok Sabha.

Right to Disconnect

• The Right to Disconnect refers to an employee’s right to not engage in work-related communications—such as calls, emails, or messages—outside official working hours.
• It aims to protect workers from excessive digital connectivity and ensure a healthy work–life balance.

Key Features of the Bill

• The draft legislation proposes giving workers the legal right to ignore official communication outside designated working hours without facing disciplinary action.
• Right to refuse after-hours calls, messages and emails without repercussions.
• Setting up an Employees’ Welfare Authority to implement and monitor the right to disconnect.
• A national baseline study to assess digital communication burdens on employees outside work hours.

Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill

Polity & Governance

Context

• The Union Cabinet has approved the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill.

Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill

• The bill proposes a unified regulator for higher education, replacing existing statutory bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
• UGC oversees non-technical higher education, the AICTE oversees technical education and the NCTE is the regulatory body for teachers’ education.
• It follows recommendations in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for a single regulatory authority to streamline governance and oversight in India’s higher education sector.

Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address (DHRUVA)

Polity & Governance

Context

• The Department of Posts (DoP) under the Ministry of Communications has proposed Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address (DHRUVA).

DHRUVA

• A national framework to create virtual, UPI-like address labels such as “name@entity” that serve as proxies for physical locations.
• The system is built as a part of its Digital Public Infrastructure initiatives and will allow private firms to participate.

Turkiye’s “Stone Hills” Project

History

Context

• Recent archaeological discoveries on Turkiye’s southeastern hills reveal life 11,000 years ago, during the emergence of early settled communities.

“Stone Hills” project

• It was launched in 2020 covering 12 sites in Sanliurfa province—described as the world’s Neolithic capital.
• It includes Göbekli Tepe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and oldest known megalithic structures in Upper Mesopotamia.
• In India the Neolithic settlements have been found in the North-Western part (Such as Kashmir), Southern part (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh), North East(Meghalaya), and Eastern part (Bihar and Odisha) of India.
• Some of the important Neolithic settlements are Burzahom (Kashmir), Gufkral (Kashmir), Chirand (Bihar), and Utnur (Andhra Pradesh).

Stone Age

• It is a prehistoric period marked by the use of stone tools, divided into three major periods: Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic.
• Paleolithic Age: Also known as the Old Stone Age.
• Began around 2.6 million years ago and lasted until around 10,000 BCE.
• Humans were hunter-gatherers, using stone tools for hunting, butchering, and food processing.
• Mesolithic Age: Occurred between 10,000 BCE and 5,000 BCE (varies by region).
• Characterized by specialized tools, environmental adaptations, and the early domestication of plants and animals.
• Neolithic Age: Began around 12,000 years ago and ended between 4500 BCE and 2000 BCE.
• Marked by the adoption of agriculture, animal domestication, and settled communities.
• Led to the development of pottery, weaving, and complex social structures.
• Agriculture revolutionized human societies and led to the rise of civilizations.