The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards for the year 2024 were announced. The awards recognise the best achievements in Indian cinema across feature films, non-feature films and writings on cinema.
Article 370 won the Best Feature Film award, while Bhangaar was named Best Non-Feature Film and Ram-Nami received the Best Documentary award.
Yami Gautam won the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for Article 370, while Mammootty (Bramayugam) and Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) shared the Best Actor in a Leading Role award.
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, along with President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova of North Macedonia, unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Museum of the City of Skopje on July 22, 2026.
The President said that this bust of Mahatma Gandhi will stand as a lasting symbol of the friendship between India and North Macedonia and of our common commitment to peace, tolerance and humanity.
Earlier, the President along with President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova of North Macedonia visited Memorial of Mother Teresa in Skopje. Mother Teresa was born in Skopje where she lived until 1928. Later, she joined the Sisters of Loretto in Ireland, before moving to India. She was honoured with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award in 1980.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh flagged-in ‘Samudra Pradakshina’, the first ever Tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition through video conferencing on July 22, 2026.
Aboard the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni, nine women officers of the three Services returned to Mumbai after successfully completing a 314-day voyage covering nearly 25,500 nautical miles across four oceans. The expedition was virtually flagged-off by Shri Rajnath Singh on September 11, 2025 from Mumbai.
The success of the mission was made possible through meticulous planning, nearly two years of intensive training, a dedicated 24X7 shore-based support network and the unwavering commitment of numerous organisations and support agencies.
The expedition successfully fulfilled all internationally recognised criteria for a circumnavigation by crossing all meridians of longitude, crossing the Equator twice, crossing the International Date Line and rounding the Three Great Capes - Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope.
The successful passage through the formidable Drake Passage and rounding of Cape Horn earned the crew membership of the prestigious fraternity of Cape Horners, an honour reserved for sailors who conquer one of the world’s most demanding maritime passages.
As part of India's BRICS Presidency 2026, the Union Ministry of Education successfully convened the International Governing Board (IGB) meeting of the BRICS Network University (BRICS NU) on July 21, 2026 in virtual mode, following the BRICS Network University Conference on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems held on July 20, 2026.
Representatives from the BRICS member countries, including Brazil, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, along with university leaders, academics and experts, delivered country interventions showcasing national initiatives and best practices.
A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the outcomes of the BRICS Network University Conference on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, the first conference of its kind under the BRICS NU framework.
Recognising the significance of this emerging area of cooperation, the International Governing Board deliberated on the proposal to include Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems as a new International Thematic Group (ITG) under the BRICS Network University.
The Governing Board also reviewed the BRICS Network University Action Plan (2025–2028), discussed the development of the new BRICS NU website, considered measures to enhance institutional cooperation, academic mobility and collaborative research, and adopted the BRICS Network University International Governing Board Declaration after detailed deliberations.
The government has taken cognizance of reports regarding the misuse of certain Battery Management System (BMS) mobile applications that enabled unauthorised remote control of e-rickshaw batteries. On 3rd July 2026, the Government issued orders for removal of such applications on app stores.
The Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN)-led 'Let's Fix Our Food' (LFOF) Consortium today released a policy document titled 'Priority Policy Actions to Promote Healthier Diets and Food Environments for Children and Adolescents in India',
outlining evidence-based recommendations to support healthier food environments and improve dietary behaviours among children and adolescents across the country.
The Let's Fix Our Food (LFOF) Consortium is a multi-institutional national platform led by ICMR-NIN, with participation from Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) India, UNICEF India,
Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), PHFI, WHO, FSSAI, IEG, WFP, Lady Irwin College, IFPRI, Deakin University and other national and international partners.
Through research, policy analysis, advocacy and stakeholder engagement, the Consortium seeks to support India's efforts to prevent diet-related non-communicable diseases by transforming food environments, particularly for children and adolescents.
The publication brings together nearly three years of multidisciplinary research, stakeholder consultations and policy dialogues. It sets out policy recommendations across key areas, including healthy school food environments, nutrition literacy, front-of-pack nutrition labelling, regulation of marketing of unhealthy food to children, taxation of foods high in fat,
salt and sugar (HFSS), healthier dietary fats, salt reduction, low-sodium salt substitutes, social and behaviour change communication, youth engagement and fiscal measures to promote healthier diets.
Under the Development, Communication and Dissemination of Filmic Content (DCDFC) Scheme, the Government provides financial assistance for the production of regional films. These initiatives benefit filmmakers across the country, including those from Maharashtra, and contribute to strengthening India's film ecosystem and enhancing its global competitiveness.
The Government has also undertaken several initiatives to strengthen the Indian film ecosystem and enhance the global outreach of Indian cinema. Through the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), financial assistance is provided to such filmmakers.
To facilitate international promotion and market access, the Government supports the participation of Indian filmmakers at major international film festivals and film markets. The Ministry also collaborates with industry bodies such as The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to promote Indian cinema.
In addition, financial assistance is provided to Indian Missions abroad for organising activities aimed at promoting Indian cinema and facilitating engagement between Indian and international film industries. Such initiatives include the WAVES Bazaar, Work-in-Progress Labs, Viewing Rooms, film markets, and programmes for facilitating international coproductions.
Maharashtra continues to be one of the country's leading film production hubs, with worldclass infrastructure and facilities. Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari (Film City), Goregaon is located in Mumbai. Institutes like the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, and Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), Mumbai support capacity building of the sector.
As of now, National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) Sewa Kendras (e-Facilitation Centres) have been established in 22 Legislative Houses.
Under the Capacity Building component of the NeVA project, comprehensive orientation workshops and handholding support are provided to stakeholders of all on boarded Legislatures to familiarize them with the functionalities of NeVA.
Recently, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs delivered a session on NeVA to the newly elected Members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly at Kolkata on 04.07.2026.
The NeVA Public Portal, available in 23 languages, provides citizens with online access to legislative business, including Bills, Questions, Proceedings and other legislative documents of Legislatures.
India & Panama identify Maritime Security, Logistics, Skilling and Digital Transformation as key pillars of bilateral cooperation.
Panama as a strategic gateway to Latin America, India seeks deeper collaboration in shipping, ports and maritime infrastructure.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal held bilateral talks with Panama's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez, to deepen maritime cooperation between the two countries with both sides identifying logistics, shipping, maritime security,skill development and digital transformation as the key pillars of an expanded partnership.
The Central Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promote active ageing and enhancing employment opportunities for senior citizens through the National Career Service (NCS) Portal.
The dedicated Senior Citizen Re-employment Initiative has witnessed significant growth in registrations, employer participation and job opportunities, enabling experienced professionals to continue contributing to the nation's workforce.
The Minister informed the House that the Government has taken note of the findings of the UNFPA-India's India Ageing Report 2023, which projects a significant rise in the country's elderly population.
He said the report suggests that the population of persons aged 60 years and above is expected to increase from 10.4 percent in 2022 to 20.8 percent by 2050, and further reach 36 percent by the end of the century.
The Minister further informed that under the NCS project,the Government has approved 407 Model Career Centres (MCCs) in collaboration with States and institution.
The Minister said that since the inception of the NCS Portal in 2015, more than 6.46 crore job seekers and 58.76 lakh employers have registered on the portal, including 1.89 lakh job seekers above the age of 60 years.
Pertinently, the portal currently hosts 1.68 lakh vacancies identified as suitable for candidates above the age of 60 years.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme helps to address Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of girls and women. It tries to create mindset and behavioural changes towards the girl child by informing, influencing, motivating, engaging, and empowering various stakeholders.
Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of 100% of the equity share capital of NCR Atleos Corporation (Target) by The Brink's Company (Acquirer).
The Proposed Combination entails the acquisition of 100% of the equity share capital of the Target by the Acquirer. Post completion, the Target shall be wholly owned and controlled by the Acquirer.
Eight-year-old Iya Krish has added one of North Africa’s toughest mountain climbs to her list of achievements.
The young mountaineer from Iravimangalam in Thrissur district reached the 4,167-metre summit of Mount Toubkal in Morocco on July 7, 2026, becoming one of the youngest children to scale North Africa’s highest peak.
Iya, aged eight years and three months at the time of the ascent, completed the expedition alongside her father, Krishnaraj, after a demanding three-day trek through the rugged Atlas Mountains. The climb covered about 42 km with an elevation gain of more than 2,900 m.
The expedition was organised by Greenway Adventures Travel & Tourism LLC and led by experienced mountaineer Nasar Husain, who guided the team through the high-altitude terrain and unpredictable mountain weather.
Mount Toubkal, rising 4,167 m above sea level, is regarded as one of the most-challenging trekking peaks in North Africa.
The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) launched the E-Commerce Council of India (ECCI), a nationwide platform dedicated to advancing the country's digital commerce ecosystem through collaborative engagement among industry, government and other key stakeholders.
The ECCI initiative has so far onboarded 70-80 members, including companies such as Amazon, Flipkart, Indiamart, ixigo, Uber, Rapido, Shiprocket, eBay, Urban Company and Meesho.
ECCI said it will work across key pillars that are central to the future of digital commerce, including service e-commerce, product e-commerce, digital trade, logistics and supply chain, mobility,
MSME enablement and market access, and travel tech.
As part of its long-term roadmap, ECCI said it aims to organise an annual Indian E-Commerce Summit (IECS) that will bring together leaders from government, industry, academia and the global digital commerce community to deliberate on the future of digital commerce and digital trade.
July 22 is Pi Approximation Day. Also known as Casual Pi Day, the day is dedicated to the mathematical constant pi (π).
Pi denotes the relationship between a circle’s circumference and its diameter and is denoted by the fraction 22/7 which calculates approximately to 3.14.
One of the most widely recognized mathematical constant, π, is an irrational number, the digits of which repeat in a random fashion and are never ending.
People in countries that write their dates in the date/ month format celebrate Pi Approximation or Casual Pi Day on 22 July or 22/7.
Centre for Neuroscience, Department of Biotechnology at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), observed World Brain Day on July 22, 2026 with a series of public awareness programmes on the theme ‘Healthy Brain for a Healthy Society'.
The event also marked the launch of the public outreach initiatives for the international conference on Translational Neuroscience to be held at the university from September 14 to 16, according to a release.
