IndiaAI and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, are set to host the Uttar Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 in Lucknow on 12–13 January 2026. Showcasing cutting-edge deployments of artificial intelligence in governance and public service delivery,
and to align state-level initiatives with the ambitions of the IndiaAI Mission.
The Uttar Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 marks a precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India from February 16–20, 2026, and is part of the national series of eight Regional AI Impact Conferences being organised across the country.
The Uttar Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 will build on the State’s growing momentum in digital governance, healthcare innovation and technology-led public service delivery to demonstrate real-world AI deployments across health systems, digital public infrastructure and state-led use cases, while fostering collaboration between governments, industry, academia and
startups under the IndiaAI framework. Outcomes from the IndiaAI Working Group Meeting, the Conference deliberations, and associated ecosystem engagements are expected to feed into the national roadmap for the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026, reinforcing the Government of India’s commitment to safe, secure and trustworthy AI for public good.
National Youth Day 2026: Every year on January 12, India celebrates National Youth Day to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, one of the country’s greatest philosophers, thinkers, and youth icons. National Youth Day celebrates the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and inspires the youth to contribute positively to society.
The Government of India declared January 12 as National Youth Day in 1984 to inspire young people by linking them to the ideals and teachings of Swami Vivekananda and encouraging their active role in nation-building. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, born on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata.
The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) has once again demonstrated its strong performance by securing an “Excellent” rating for the 2024-25 financial year, according to the latest Memorandum of Understanding evaluation with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).
The company achieved an impressive score of 96.42 out of 100, reaffirming its leadership in India’s renewable energy financing ecosystem.
This achievement marks the fifth consecutive year that IREDA has received the highest ‘Excellent’ rating under the MoU framework.
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) is a government-owned public sector undertaking (PSU) and a non-banking financial company under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation has begun work on a project on Biohappiness, a concept coined by its founder and late agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan, in the newly formed Keyi Panyor district of Arunachal Pradesh, Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of the Foundation, said.
Bengaluru and Chennai have retained their top positions among top Indian cities for women’s safety and inclusivity, according to the fourth edition of the Top Cities for Women in India (TCWI) report by workplace culture consulting firm Avtar Group.
TCWI is a year-long study that ranks 125 Indian cities based on women’s participation, safety, and career growth, and identifies role-model cities and emerging best practices.
National record-holder and Asian Games gold-winning Indian middle-distance runner Jinson Johnson announced his retirement today. The 34-year-old Kerala athlete’s best moment was winning the 1500 metres gold in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games with a time of 3 minutes 44.72 seconds. He also won a silver medal in the 800 metres in the same Games.
In 2018, Johnson broke legendary Sriram Singh’s 42-year-old men’s 800 metres national record during the National Inter-State Championship in Guwahati by clocking 1 minute 45.65 seconds.
During the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Johnson broke Bahadur Prasad’s 23-year-old 1500 metres national record with a time of 3 minutes 37.86 seconds, though he finished fifth in the final.
He later improved his own national record twice, the latest instance being the 3:35.24 sec mark in 2019 in a Berlin meet.
India’s municipal bond market saw a record number of issuances in the current financial year (FY26), with nine issuances until December, compared with three in the previous year and one in the year before that, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) data showed.
As of December 31, 2025, the total municipal bonds outstanding amounted to ₹3,783.9 crore with ₹1,000 crore worth of bonds issued in the calendar year 2025.
Amazon Pay has entered the fixed deposit space, marking a significant expansion of its financial services offerings. Through this move, Amazon Pay is enabling users to invest in fixed deposits directly on its platform, in partnership with multiple banks and non banking financial companies.
The launch positions Amazon Pay beyond payments and bill settlements, placing it more firmly within India’s fast evolving digital finance ecosystem. By integrating fixed deposits into its app, the company is aiming to simplify access to traditional savings products while leveraging its large user base and trusted consumer interface.
Under the new offering, users can browse, compare, and open fixed deposits digitally with partner financial institutions. The product is designed to cater to customers seeking stable returns, capital protection, and predictable income, particularly at a time when many retail investors are reassessing risk amid market volatility.
For partner banks and NBFCs, the collaboration offers a powerful distribution channel to reach digitally active customers at scale. Embedded finance models such as this allow financial institutions to acquire customers more efficiently, while platforms like Amazon Pay deepen engagement and diversify revenue streams.
The Kerala government has officially renamed the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary, making it the first butterfly sanctuary in the State.
The decision was notified through SRO No. 1407/2025, issued under section 18(1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The renaming amends the original 1984 notification that declared the Aralam Farm area as a wildlife sanctuary. The change follows a recommendation made by the State Board for Wildlife, citing the area’s exceptional butterfly diversity and abundance.
The Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) has announced the recipients of the Science Literature Awards for 2024.
The awards recognise outstanding contributions to science writing in Malayalam, and honour works published during 2024 across four categories — popular science, in-depth science, children’s literature and science journalism.
Each award carries a cash prize of ₹50,000, a plaque and certificate.
In the Popular Science Book category, the award has been conferred on Biju Dharmapalan for his book “Manushyaparinaamapatham: Homo Sapiensilninnu Homo Deusilekku”. Dr. Dharmapalan is presently Dean (Academic Affairs) at Garden City University, Bengaluru, and hails from Vellayani in Thiruvananthapuram.
The In-depth Science Book award has gone to Gopakumar Cholayil for his work “Urukum Kaalam: Athithapanavum Athijeevanavum”. A former scientific officer with the Kerala Agricultural University, Dr. Cholayil is a native of Mullakkara in Thrissur.
In the Children’s Science Literature category, the award has been presented to Pradeep Orkkatteri for his book “Pullarimadhuram Muthaarimuthal Malanchamavare”. He is employed in the State Institute of Encyclopaedia Publications, and is a native of Orkkatteri in Kozhikode.
The Science Journalism award has been awarded to Ashwin S. for his series on artificial intelligence published in Malayala Manorama. He is presently working as a Senior Sub Editor at Malayala Manorama, Kottayam, and is a native of Oachira in Kollam.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) opened India’s space calendar for 2026 with the liftoff of its PSLV-C62 mission, carrying the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite along with 15 co-passenger satellites.
The mission lifted off from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
However, less than 30 minutes after the launch, ISRO encountered deviation in the launch vehicle, with Chairman V. Narayanan acknowledging disturbance in the flight's path.
The 44.4-metre-tall, four-stage PSLV-C62 rose from the First Launch Pad precisely at 10:18 hours, beginning a carefully sequenced flight profile over the Bay of Bengal.
The launch marked the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the ninth dedicated commercial mission undertaken by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
The PSLV-C62 mission has been undertaken by NSIL to build and launch the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite for a user,
while also providing end-to-end launch services for 15 co-passenger satellites belonging to domestic and international customers. NSIL is responsible for the entire launch campaign, from satellite integration to mission execution.
This mission is being flown using the PSLV-DL configuration, which features two solid strap-on motors to enhance lift capability.
A joint Military Civil Fusion (MCF) exercise, “Sanjha Shakti”, was successfully conducted from 08 to 09 January 2026 at the Diggi Range, Khadki Military Station, under aegis of MG & G Area, Southern Command. The exercise highlighted seamless coordination and joint preparedness among civil and military agencies to address complex security challenges and emergency situation.
The exercise witnessed active participation from the Indian Army and 16 key civilian agencies including Maharashtra Police, Force One and Fire Fighting Departments, wherein more than 350 personnel, excluding Army personnel, participated in the exercise.
State-owned NHAI said it has set four Guinness World records on the under-implementation Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada Economic Corridor of NH-544G.
On January 6, NHAI said it made two Guinness World Records near Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh.
