India scripted history by winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title for a record third time, beating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Chasing a massive target of 256 runs set by the Suryakumar Yadav-led Men in Blue, the New Zealand got bundled out for just 159 runs in 19 overs.
To facilitate for better utilization of funds, the scheme guidelines of Museum Grant Scheme were revised in November, 2021 and two new components viz. Virtual Experiential Museums (VEM) and Projects of National importance have been added in the scheme.
Further, the procedural aspects have also been streamlined to ensure that more organisations/entities come forward with projects under this scheme.
To monitor the funds released to the projects, the scheme guidelines provide for quarterly progress report of the projects and physical inspection is carried out before release of the 3rd/final instalment to the projects.
Indian Armed Forces contingent arrived at Seychelles to participate in the Eleventh edition of Joint Military Exercise “LAMITIYE-2026” with Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF). The Joint Exercise will be conducted at Seychelles Defence Academy from 09-20 March 2026.
‘LAMITIYE’ meaning ‘Friendship’ in the Creole language is a biennial training event and has been conducted in Seychelles since 2001.
The contingent comprises of personnel from the ASSAM Regiment and participation from Indian Navy and Indian Air Force including INS Trikand and a C-130 aircraft.
The exercise will strive to enhance synergy in the domains of Sub-conventional Operations in Semi-Urban environment and cooperation and interoperability between both the sides during Peace Keeping Operations. The exercise will also build and promote bilateral military relations in addition to exchanging skills, experiences and good practices between both the armies.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav informed that Jwala, a Namibian cheetah and a successful third-time mother, gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park.
The number of Indian-born thriving cubs had risen to 33, marking the 10th successful cheetah litter on Indian soil.
He added that with the arrival of these cubs, the total Cheetah population in India had reached 53.
Recently, Gamini, a South African Cheetah, became a mother for the second time, giving birth to four cubs. Further, on February 28, 2026,
Shri Yadav, released nine cheetahs – 6 females and 3 males – received from Botswana into quarantine enclosures at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The animals are undergoing an acclimatisation and health monitoring phase before their gradual release into the larger landscape.
The International Malaria Conference (IMC) 2026, organised by the ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR–NIMR) under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), concluded successfully in New Delhi after three days of intensive scientific deliberations and global engagement.
Held from 7th to 9th March 2026, the conference brought together scientists, public health experts, policymakers and researchers from India and across the world to discuss innovative approaches and strategies for malaria elimination.
The conference was organised under the theme “Discovery, Development and Delivery: Driving Malaria Elimination and Beyond.”
It served as an important platform for sharing scientific knowledge, strengthening partnerships and discussing emerging challenges in malaria control and elimination.
The conference also provided an opportunity for students and young researchers to interact with leading scientists, mentors and industry experts.
With the objective to provide a quantitative assessment of the plantations along the National Highways, NHAI has released the first-of-its-kind Annual Report on the National Highways Green Cover Index (NH-GCI) 2025–26. The report has been prepared in coordination with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The initiative aims to provide a scientific and quantitative assessment of green cover within the Right of Way (RoW) along the National Highways network by leveraging advanced space-based technologies.
The assessment is derived from chlorophyll content detected through high-resolution satellite sensors, enabling an objective, technology-driven measure of vegetation presence along the left and right sides of the highways.
Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) - a scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs being implemented since 2024, aims to enhance the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by providing them with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water, improved access to education, health and nutrition,
road and telecom connectivity, electrification of un-electrified households and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The scheme focuses on 11 critical interventions related to 9 key Ministries including Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
The Ministry through its autonomous institutions, namely, National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), is implementing the skilling and entrepreneurship component of PM JANMAN with the support of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) in 15 States,
across the country under which a total of 500 VDVKs are to be operationalized by 31.03.2026 covering 41,913 VDVKs members.
Under this programme, NIESBUD and IIE have signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with TRIFED wherein the responsibility of TRIFED is to coordinate with State Implementing Agencies (SIAs) for mobilization and establishment of VDVKs and,
arrange tool/equipment for the PVTG VDVKs.The roles and responsibilities of NIESBUD and IIE are to undertake skill and entrepreneurship trainings in the identified VDVKs.
As on 28.02.2026, a total of 38,391 VDVKs members have been trained under Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) and a total of 489 VDVKs have been operationalized.
The Directorate General of Training (DGT), under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), implements the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) through a network of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) for skilling the youth.Under CTS, training is imparted in 169 courses through 14,688 ITIs (Government - 3,345 & Private - 11,343) across the country.
During the last three years, a total of 14 CTS courses have been developed and 22 existing courses have been revised to align with industry requirements. The enrolment in ITIs has increased from 12.51 lakh in year 2022-23 to 14.70 lakh in year 2025-26.
In the Keonjhar Lok Sabha Constituency, 17 ITIs are functioning, comprising 04 Government ITIs and 13 Private ITIs.
In the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha Constituency, 08 ITIs are functioning, of which 06 are Government ITIs and 02 are Private ITIs.
Under CTS, the DGT has introduced 31 New Age trades covering emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, drones, cybersecurity, semiconductors and green energy.
State Bank of India (SBI) has been named the strongest Indian bank and the 16th strongest globally, according to the Brand Finance Banking 500 2026 report. SBI also became the only Indian bank to receive the AAA+ brand strength rating, which highlights its exceptional reputation, customer trust, and brand resilience in the global banking sector.
Meanwhile, HDFC Bank remains India’s most valuable banking brand, valued at $12.4 billion, despite a 7% year-on-year decline. The bank improved its global brand strength ranking, reflecting its continued influence and customer confidence.
Brand Strength: Measures reputation, trust, customer loyalty, and business performance.
Brand Value: Represents the financial worth of the brand, calculated based on forecasted revenues and commercial potential.
SBI leads in brand strength, while HDFC Bank tops in brand value, showing that both banks are performing exceptionally in complementary ways.
Shah Rukh Khan, a Bollywood billionaire like no other, is a blockbuster actor, but also a strategic businessman. Becoming the first actor in the industry to enter the club, he set foot in the 1 per cent segment in 2025. However, young Indian entrepreneurs across industries, from fintech to hospitality, have entered the charts to disrupt the balance.
As per a recent release from Hurun India, the Global Rich List revealed that several of these billionaire entrepreneurs have surpassed Shah Rukh Khan’s $1.3 billion net worth. There were 57 new Indian entrants on the list, which tells the bigger picture of the expanding entrepreneur segment.
Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari, the founders of the online learning platform Physics Wallah, each debuted with an estimated net worth of about $1.7 billion.
Hospitality entrepreneur Ritesh Agarwal, the founder of budget hotel network OYO, also joined the list with a net worth of around $1.6 billion, reflecting the company’s expansion across global markets.
Agarwal, in 2013, became the first Indian to win the Thiel Fellowship and received a $100,000. He dropped out of college and built Oravel Stays, which later pivoted to OYO Rooms. Years later, becoming an investor himself, appeared on Shark Tank India and impressed viewers and industry members with his calm demeanour.
India has dispatched a humanitarian consignment of one thousand metric tonnes of rice from the Nhava Sheva Port to the people of Malawi to support Malawi’s efforts towards food security following the drought caused by the El Niño effect.
External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the consignment is a reiteration of India’s continued commitment to supporting partners in the Global South and advancing the spirit of South-South cooperation.
Lance Havildar K.G. George (retd), who was awarded a Vir Chakra for his heroics in the 1965 India-Pakistan War, passed away in Kerala at the age of 95, his family said on March 8, 2026.
George had served in the Indian Army's Corp of Signals, a key unit that was established in 1911.
Since its inception on February 15, 1911, Corps of Signals has transformed the communications of the Indian Army and also kept pace with the digital revolution witnessed in the 21st century.
The citation for his Vir Chakra describes his gallant act during the 1965 War.
Vir Chakra is the country's third highest wartime gallantry award.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two new corridors of the Delhi Metro, completing the national capital’s first fully operational 'ring metro' network that runs across large parts of the city.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for multiple infrastructure and housing projects worth around Rs. 33,500 crore, including the two metro rail projects worth over Rs. 18,300 crore.
The inauguration includes the Majlis Park-Maujpur Babarpur section of the Pink Line and the Deepali Chowk–Majlis Park stretch of the Magenta Line.
With the new addition, the Pink Line now extends to about 71.56 kilometres, completing the country’s first fully operational ring metro that circles major parts of Delhi.
The corridor also features a new bridge across the Yamuna and a double-decker viaduct carrying both a metro line and a road flyover.
PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for three new metro corridors under Phase V-A of the Delhi Metro project, covering around 16.10 kilometres.
The corridors include the underground Central Vista corridor linking RK Ashram Marg and Indraprastha, an underground extension between Aerocity and Indira Gandhi Airport Terminal-1, and
an elevated extension connecting Tughlakabad and Kalindi Kunj.
Apart from the metro projects, PM Modi inaugurated 2,722 newly constructed flats and laid the foundation stone for 6,632 additional flats under the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) redevelopment plan in Delhi.
The redevelopment project covers seven ageing government housing colonies, including Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Sriniwaspuri and Mohammadpur, which are spread across about 537 acres.
Once completed, the project will provide more than 21,000 residential units along with upgraded infrastructure and public facilities.
The government has set up a 17-member committee to suggest larger reforms in the policy for special economic zones (SEZs), an official said.
It will submit a concept paper recommending a roadmap for broad-based and comprehensive reforms to formulate a SEZ 2.0 policy.
It will undertake a background study focused on the harmonisation of various prevalent export promotion schemes, including SEZs, export-oriented units (EoUs), MOOWR (Manufacturing and Other Operations in Warehouse), Advance Authorisation, EPCG (export promotion for capital goods), and Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA).
The committee's composition includes representatives from commerce, customs, Niti Aayog, DPIIT, and CBIC.
The terms of reference include examining the existing Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Act, 2005, with a view to assessing their effectiveness in the current global trade,
investment environment and macro-economic landscape and harmonisation with other export promotion schemes so that policy distortion, if any, may be addressed.
It will evaluate the impact of recent and proposed reforms in SEZ policy, including measures relating to Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) sales, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives,compliance requirements,
including measures relating to Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) sales, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives,compliance requirements, and operational flexibilities, on exports,investment ,employment and ease of doing business.
The International Day for Women Judges is observed on March 10.
The representation of women in the judiciary is significant for many reasons. In addition to ensuring that the legal system is developed with all of society in mind, it also inspires the next generation of female judges and motivates them to achieve their goals.
Women in the criminal justice system can act as agents of change and contribute to greater accountability. Women judges bring different perspectives and experiences, strengthening judicial systems. Women in leadership roles help disrupt networks of collusion, striking a blow against corruption.
