Daily Current Affairs - June 2026

• United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a landmark proposal to ban social media access for users under the age of 16. The move aims to protect children from online harms, cyberbullying, addictive features, harmful content, and mental health risks. If approved by Parliament, the legislation is expected to be enacted by the end of 2026 and come into force in early 2027.
• Major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and X will be affected, while private messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal will remain exempt. Additional safeguards on gaming, scrolling limits, and AI chatbots are also under consideration. The UK joins countries like Australia in imposing stricter age-based online regulations.

The Indian Army released the 174-page Army Uniforms-2026 Pamphlet in June 2026, the first major update in eight years. Key changes include introduction of the indigenous Bandi jacket for formal civil attire, a new Battle Jacket for winter working dress (to replace Dress 3A by 2029), and removal of several colonial-era terms. The ceremonial sword carriage is now optional for Reviewing Officers. Strict grooming standards prohibit radical hairstyles, visible tattoos, and gadgets (with Sikh exemptions). Specific dress options are defined for women officers.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded Slovakia’s highest national honour, the Order of the White Double Cross (1st Class), on June 15, 2026, by President Peter Pellegrini during his historic first official visit to Bratislava. This marks the 33rd international honour for PM Modi and the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since its independence.
• The award recognizes his contributions to strengthening bilateral ties. During the visit, India and Slovakia elevated relations to a Comprehensive Partnership and signed 11 MoUs in key areas including labour migration, defence, digital technologies, higher education, research, and innovation. PM Modi dedicated the honour to the people of India, highlighting shared friendship and cooperation.

• India’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project achieved a significant engineering milestone with the deployment of the country’s first railway tunnel hood technology. Installed at mountain tunnel portals, these structures reduce noise, manage pressure waves, and enhance passenger comfort for trains running at speeds over 300 kmph.
• Tunnel hoods act as transition zones with pressure-relief vents that allow gradual air movement, preventing the “tunnel boom” effect. The corridor includes eight mountain tunnels (seven in Maharashtra, one in Gujarat). Using Japanese Shinkansen technology, the project incorporates global best practices for safety, efficiency, and sustainability, aligning with standards used in Japan, France, and China.

• Four traditional Jharkhand products—Bhagaiya Silk, Kuchai Silk, Munda Jewellery, and Jharkhand Bamboo Craft—have received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This recognition protects their unique qualities, traditional craftsmanship, and cultural heritage while boosting branding, exports, and rural livelihoods. NABARD played a key role through artisan support, documentation, and cluster development.
• Bhagaiya and Kuchai silks highlight sericulture heritage; Munda Jewellery celebrates tribal motifs and symbolism; and Bamboo Craft promotes sustainable rural income. The GI tag safeguards authenticity and enhances market value for these indigenous products.

• Uttar Pradesh launched a dedicated portal (cmtcts.upsdc.gov.in) for the Chief Minister’s cashless medical treatment scheme for teachers and dependents. Approved in January 2026, it covers about 11.95 lakh basic education and 2.97 lakh secondary education beneficiaries, later extended to higher education staff.
• Teachers can avail up to ₹5 lakh cashless treatment at government and empanelled private hospitals. Annual outlay is around ₹448 crore for basic and secondary education. Beneficiaries must complete Aadhaar e-KYC. The scheme follows Ayushman Bharat framework and excludes those already covered under other government health schemes.

Telangana launched its flagship Breakfast and Milk Scheme on 15 June 2026 for students from pre-primary to Class XII in government schools and junior colleges. With an annual budget of ₹720 crore (₹540 crore for breakfast and ₹180 crore for milk/ragi malt), it aims to benefit 29 lakh students. The initial phase covers 1,302 institutions and 1.44 lakh students across eight districts. The weekly menu includes dosa, idli, puri, upma, etc., with milk and ragi malt on alternate days. It builds on the earlier BRS government’s initiative.

• Respectable Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary laid the foundation stone for an Integrated Aqua Park at Vanasaur Fish Seed Farm in Bhojpur and inaugurated the NFDB Regional Centre in Patna on 15th June 2026.
• The ₹31.21 crore Aqua Park under PMMSY will feature advanced hatcheries, biofloc and RAS units, fish feed plants, diagnostic labs, and a training hostel. The NFDB centre will strengthen fisheries schemes, technology adoption, and capacity building in eastern India. Bihar, with vast inland water resources, has doubled fish production and become a net fish-exporting state.

• Goa declared fully functionally literate under ULLAS literacy programme.
• Jharkhand to open its first tiger safari in Barwadih forest area.
• Two Rajasthan wetlands added to Ramsar list, taking India’s total to 91 sites.
• Khichan and Menar wetlands in Rajasthan designated as new Ramsar sites.

Two wetlands from Rajasthan—Khichan in Phalodi and Menar in Udaipur—have been added to the list of Ramsar sites, taking India’s total tally to 91. The Ramsar designation, which recognizes wetlands of international importance, will help in conservation efforts and in drawing global attention to these ecologically sensitive areas.

Two wetlands in Rajasthan — Khichan and Menar — have been added to the Ramsar list, bringing India’s total to 91. These areas are globally recognized for their ecological importance and host diverse bird species, including rare vultures and migratory birds.

Goa has achieved full functional literacy, as announced by CM Dr. Pramod Sawant under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, advancing India's goal of full literacy by 2030 per NEP 2020.

• Madhya Pradesh launches Rahveer Scheme to reward those helping accident victims.
• Gujarat's Asiatic lion population rises to 891, marking a 32% growth since 2020.
• Lalu Prasad expels son Tej Pratap Yadav from RJD for six years.
• Kerala government declares Kochi shipwreck a state-level disaster after cargo spill.

• Kerala integrates Artificial Intelligence education into its school curriculum.

• The Kerala government Monday (June 5) officially launched the Kerala Fibre Optical Network (KFON), one of its flagship projects envisaged during the first term of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
• Through KFON, Kerala, which was the first state to declare the right to internet as a basic right, aims to reduce the digital divide by ensuring high speed broadband internet access to all houses and government offices. 
• It is also intended to give a fillip to e-governance and accelerate Kerala’s journey towards being a knowledge-based economy.
• KFON is an optical fibre cable network of 30,000 kms, with 375 Points-of-Presence across Kerala.

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has launched Asia's largest, ambitious and historic cluster development scheme in Thane.
• The scheme was envisaged for mass redevelopment of unauthorized and official dangerous buildings after the Sairaj Building collapse in Thane, which claimed 18 lives.
• The redeveloped township plan includes well equipped health, educational, sports, recreational, parking, mandi and civic amenities. CIDCO will execute this project. Under the project, integrated redevelopment project will be done on the lines of township.
• The occupants will get a self-occupied house of 323 sq.ft. The scheme will be implemented not only in Thane but also in Mumbai and Mira-Bhayander area of Thane district.
• 10,000 houses will be constructed in the first phase of the cluster development in Thane over an area of 1500 acres.

• The 'Elder Line' 14567 service was recently launched by the Uttar Pradesh Social Welfare Department.
• The initiative is the brain child of minister of state (independent charge) for social welfare, Asim Arun, who had earlier headed the emergency helpline 112 as an additional director general.
• The objective of the helpline is to rescue destitute old persons and provide them shelter in old age homes.
• 'Elder Line' 14567 service has been activated, actively responding to distress related to older persons.
• Uttar Pradesh currently has 75 old age homes, one in each district.
• These homes accommodate both male and female residents, providing them with necessary amenities and care.
• The state government has increased the breakfast allowance for elderly individuals in old age homes from Rs 75 to Rs 114 per day.
• They also receive an annual amount of Rs 2,500 for new clothes, Rs 200 per month for additional medicines, and Rs 150 for entertainment purposes.

• The Centre on Sunday set up a Commission of Inquiry, headed by former chief justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, to probe the recent series of violence in Manipur.
• The other members of the commission are retired IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and retired IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.
• According to a notification issued by the Union Home Ministry, the commission will make inquiry with respect of the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities, which took place in Manipur on May 3 and thereafter.
• The commission shall submit its report to the central government as soon as possible but not later than six months from the date of its first sitting.
• The headquarters of the commission will be in Imphal.
• Manipur has been witnessing sporadic violence ever since ethnic clashes broke out on May 3.

1. The world's first 3D printed Hindu temple is being built in Telangana
2. Located within Charvitha Meadows, a gated villa community at Burugupalli in Siddipet, the 3D printed temple is a three-part structure that will be built by city-based Apsuja Infratech in an area of 3,800 sq ft
3. Apsuja Infratech has tied up with Simpliforge Creations, a 3D-printed construction company, for the project

• The Uttarakhand government has recently signed a MoU with the State Government of Goa to strengthen tourism cooperation
• Kheer Bhawani Mela 2023 celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir
• The state of Karnataka has got the GI tag for “Curry Ishad Mango”
• The Maharashtra government has changed the name of Ahmednagar to Ahilya Nagar on May 2023
• The Uttarakhand government has recently signed a MoU with the State Government of Goa to strengthen tourism cooperation
• West Bengal has started a 4-year undergraduate level programme in all government-sponsored higher education institutions from
• Savitribai Phule Pune University has won the first gold medal in the Khelo University Games 2023 women's tennis event
• Telangana Foundation Day celebrated on June 1
• The Maharashtra state government launched the Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana in May 2023
• India has signed a $141.12 million loan with ADB for the development of industrial corridors in Andhra Pradesh 

• The West Bengal government has announced that a 4-year undergraduate level programme will be introduced in all government/government-aided/government-sponsored higher education institutions from the academic session 2023-2024
• This program will be done under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
• The students will be awarded degrees as per UGC's national curriculum and credit framework for UG level programmes.

• Ahilya Nagar will be dedicated to Ahilyabai Holkar who was the queen of maratha empire and was born in Chondi village of Ahmednagar district
• The announcement coincided with the 298th birth anniversary of the 18th century queen, also celebrated as Ahilyabai Holkar Jayanti
• The Maharashtra government had renamed Aurangabad and Osmanabad as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv respectively

• An agreement was signed between the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Government of Sri Lanka in March 2022 for a $1 billion loan facility
• India extended the credit line to Sri Lanka at the height of the country's economic crisis
• The facility was instrumental in quick procurement of vital supplies such as fuel, foodstuffs and industrial raw materials for Sri Lanka.

• Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, during the World Environment Day celebrations, declared Blue Duke as the State Butterfly of Sikkim.
• Blue Duke, a native butterfly species of Sikkim, edged past another contender Krishna Peacock to be announced as the State Butterfly of Sikkim.
• The two butterflies, among the 720-odd butterfly species, had been shortlisted for the State Butterfly nominations.
• Blue Duke is found at an altitude below 1,500 metres in the Himalayas and is commonly found in places like Pakyong, Passingdong and Hee-Gyathang in Dzongu, Lingee in South Sikkim and Yangsum in West Sikkim and closer to the State capital in places like Tadong and Ranka.

• A new book titled “Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure” authored by Ruskin Bond, was published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Ruskin Bond’s 88th birthday (19th May 2022). 
• Ruskin Bond, India’s famous Children’s book author, was born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) and grew up in Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), New Delhi and Shimla (Himachal Pradesh).
• His latest book, Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure was released on his 88th birthday, gives readers a peek into the four years he spent in the Channel Islands and England.

• Shri P Upadhyay, INAS has taken over as Director General of Naval Armament (DGONA) at IHQ MoD (Navy) from Shri KSC lyer, who superannuated on 31 May 23
• Shri P Upadhyay, belongs to 1987 batch of Indian Naval Armament Service.
• He joined Naval Armament Organization of Indian Navy on 12 Jul 1989
• He is a graduate in Electrical Engineering from SGSITS Indore

• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, working at the International Space Station (ISS), has become the first person to spend a cumulative total of 1,000 days in space.
• Kononenko's current mission to the ISS began on September 15, 2023, with NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara and Russian cosmonaut Nikolai Chub, marking another significant milestone in his career.
• Despite his record-setting achievement, Kononenko emphasizes his passion for space exploration, including his motivation to continue flying, driven by his childhood dream of becoming a cosmonaut and his love for living and working in the classroom.

• Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar Anand was an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Air Marshal was commissioned as an Air Traffic Controller in the administrative branch of the Indian Air Force on 13 June 1987.  
• In a career spanning over 36 years, the Air Marshal has held appointments in various fields and staff. 
• Prior to his current appointment, he was Director General (Administration) at Air Headquarters, New Delhi.
• For his distinguished service, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India in January 2022.

• Sunita Williams, alongside Butch Wilmore, became the first to fly on the Boeing Starliner's first-ever crewed mission, making her the first woman to pilot a new human-rated spacecraft.
• The mission, initially scheduled for May 7, faced multiple delays but successfully launched on the third attempt with 90% favorable weather conditions.
• Williams and Wilmore will spend about a week at the International Space Station, demonstrating the Starliner's capability to support future NASA missions to low Earth orbit and beyond.

• Dhanush Srikanth won the gold medal in the Men’s 10m air rifle event in the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.
• Dhanush Srikanth’s triumph marked India’s third gold medal in the ISSF WC so far. 
• Dhanush defeated Pontus Kallin of Sweden. 
• A total of 511 junior shooters from 46 different countries are participating at the ISSF Junior World Cup 2023 in Suhl.
• With these achievements, India currently leads the medal table, having secured three gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.

• Shri Ajay Yadav, a 2005 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, took over as Managing Director of Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI)
• Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) is a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) incorporated in the year 2011
• SECI is the primary implementing agency of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Govt. of India for Renewable Energy schemes/projects towards fulfilment of India's international commitments

• China's Chang'e-6 probe, launched from the Moon's far side, marks the first mission to carry lunar rock samples from this rarely-explored region. This achievement highlights China's advancements in space exploration.
• The Chang'e-6 mission is expected to return to Earth by June 25. After taking off from the Moon's far side, the ascender successfully entered a pre-set orbit around the Moon, as confirmed by the China Space Administration.

• Panjab University (Chandigarh) won the overall championship of the 3rd edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG 2023) held in Uttar Pradesh (UP) from 25th May to 3rd June 2023. 
• Panjab University topped the medal tally of KIUG 2023 with a total of 69 medals (26 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze).
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab – 68 medals (24 gold, 27 silver and 17 bronze) and Jain University, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 32 medals (16 gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze medals) were ranked in 2nd and 3rd place.
• On 25th May 2023, Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2022 was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, in the presence of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYAS) and Nisith Pramanik, Minister of State (Mos), MoYAS, at Babu Banarasi Das University (BBD University), Lucknow, UP.

• Justice Augustine George Masih was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court
• Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath of office to Augustine George Masih
• Justice Augustine George Masih sworn in as 41st Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court

• The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has identified two of the earliest and most distant galaxies, JADES-GS-z14-0 and JADES-GS-z14-1, which date back to just 300 million years after the Big Bang.
• Located in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, JADES-GS-z14-0, the larger of the two galaxies, spans approximately 1,600 light-years.

• India’s Siddharth Choudhary clinched gold in men’s shot put with a personal best throw of 19.52 metres in U-20 Asian Athletics Championships.
• Further three other players Sharuk Khan (3000 metre steeplechase), Shivam Lohakare (Javelin), and Susmita (Long Jump) claimed silver medals in their respective events. 
• Shakeel (800 metre) and the mixed relay team concluded the day by winning the bronze medal. 
• India’s Sunil Kumar scored 7003 points and clinched gold in men’s decathlon at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Yecheon, South Korea
• India is placed third in the overall rankings with 12 medals - Three each of gold, silver and bronze. 
• Japan tops the chart with 10 golds and 17 medals overall while China is placed second with 14 medals.

• The period of their appointment is for a period of 5 years
• He will replace Rajesh Gopinathan, who is stepping down as MD and CEO of the IT firm 
• He has been part of the global technology sector for over 34 years, after joining TCS in 1989.

• Kerala's new ICT curriculum for Class 7 includes a practical chapter on ‘Computer Vision’, where students will learn to create an AI program that recognizes up to seven human facial expressions.
• This experiential learning aims to give students a practical understanding of AI technology.
• Kerala is the first state in India to introduce AI education uniformly for all students in a particular class. 
• This initiative reflects the state’s dedication to equipping its students with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the digital era.
• The new ICT textbooks for Classes 1, 3, 5, and 7 will be published in multiple languages, including Malayalam, English, Tamil, and Kannada.

• Indian shooters Abhinav Shaw and Gautami Bhanot clinched the gold medal in the Mixed Team event at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. 
• This victory marked India's second gold at the prestigious tournament.
• Demonstrating remarkable teamwork, Gautami Bhanot and Abhinav Shaw outperformed their French counterparts Oceanne Muller and Romain Aufrere, securing a resounding 17-7 victory in the final of the 10-meter Air Rifle Mixed Team category.
• Dhanush Srikanth has also won the Men's 10 metre Air Rifle on Day 3 of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Junior.
• India won two more medals on the day, a silver and a bronze, coming in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event through the pairing of Sainyam and Abhinav Chaudhary and Suruchi Inder Singh and Shubham Bisla respectively.
• India now has two golds, one silver and one bronze from the world cup after two days of competition.

• Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar named 'Smile Ambassador' for oral cleanliness campaign in Maharashtra
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tendulkar on 29 May 2023
• Sachin Tendulkar will be the brand ambassador of the campaign for the next five years.
• The Swachh Mukh Abhiyaan is a national campaign undertaken by the Indian Dental Association to improve oral health and hygiene and educate people about its importance

• NASA initiated the PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission, launching the Small Climate Satellite to collect vital data on the heat emitted by the Arctic and Antarctica into space.
• Through this mission, NASA aims to advance our comprehension of global climate dynamics by enhancing our understanding of the heat radiation processes in polar regions.
• With its establishment in 1958 and headquarters situated in Washington, D.C., NASA has garnered worldwide recognition for its remarkable achievements in space exploration, scientific inquiry, and technological innovation.

• India’s Jyothi Yarraji finished fourth in the women’s 100m hurdles event at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial 2023 athletics meet in Chorzow, Poland.
• Jyothi Yarraji clocked 13.03s to finish just outside the top three in a strong eight-woman field at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event.
• Tokyo 2020 Olympics champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico and Alaysha Johnson of the USA clocked the same time of 12.42s to finish as joint winners.
• Natalia Christofi of Cyprus registered a time of 12.84 to bag third place at the Silesian Stadium.
• The 23-year-old Jyothi Yarraji also won the gold medal with a season-best time of 12.84s at the Kurpfalz Gala 2023 athletics meet, in Weinheim, Germany, back in May.
• Earlier this month, Jyothi Yarraji clocked 12.89s at the Federation Cup 2023 in Ranchi to make the cut for the Asian Athletics Championships, scheduled in Thailand this July.

• TCS and IIT Bombay collaborate to develop India’s first semiconductor chip imaging tool.
• SpaceX launches the first satellite for the new U.S. spy constellation.
• India successfully test-fires the air-to-surface Rudram-II missile.
• Agnikul successfully test launches the world's first rocket with a 3D-printed engine.
• A new volcanic eruption near Iceland's town of Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula on May 29, 2024, marked the fifth eruption since December, prompting the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon spa.

• Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed another magical weekend by claiming a dominant victory at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix.
• Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, secured the second spot for Mercedes but trailed a substantial 24.090 seconds behind Verstappen.
• Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, completed the podium, marking a successful outing for the Mercedes team at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.
• Max Verstappen has also Won Monaco Grand Prix 2023.

• Researchers in Japan have collaborated to create LignoSat, the world's first satellite made from magnolia wood.
• Developed jointly by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, LignoSat is aimed at reducing space debris and is scheduled for launch aboard a SpaceX rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in September.
• LignoSat, crafted from magnolia wood, represents a breakthrough in satellite technology, developed through a partnership between Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry.
• Scheduled for launch in September via a SpaceX rocket, LignoSat aims to tackle the issue of space debris by completely burning up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, offering a sustainable solution for space exploration.

• Top Indian sprinter Amlan Borgohain bagged two gold medals, one each in the men's 100 and 200-meter races at the Flanders Cup 2023 athletics meet, known as the International Antwerp Athletics Gala, in Merksem, Belgium.
• Borgohain clocked 10.70 seconds to emerge as the fastest man of the meet. He holds the 100-meter national record of 10.25 seconds.
• In the 200 meter, the 25-year-old Borgohain clocked 20.96 seconds to emerge winner ahead of Hofman 21.42 and Jamaica's Samuel Rowe 21.88.
• Jamaican athlete Aubrey Allen secured the silver medal in the men's 100m event with a timing of 10.80s. Victor Hofmans from Belgium finished third, clinching the bronze with a time of 11.01s.
• The Flanders Cup, also known as the Internationaal Antwerps Athletics Gala, is a significant athletics meet that is categorized as a Category F event in the World Athletics calendar.

• The Indian men's hockey team defeated Belgium 5-1 in the ongoing FIH Pro League 2022-23 in London.
• Captain Harmanpreet Singh showed exceptional performance and won India's spectacular victory by wearing a brace.
• Vivek Sagar Prasad (1st minute), Harmanpreet Singh (20th, 29th minute), Amit Rohidas (28th minute) and Dilpreet Singh (60th minute) scored for India. For Belgium, William Ghislen scored the only goal in the 45th minute. 
• The Indian team is now second in the points table with 22 points. At the same time, Great Britain is in the first place with 25 points.   

• Badminton women’s singles world number two An Se-young smashed home victory at the final of the Thailand Open in Bangkok overcoming China’s He Bingjiao.
• This was Young’s seventh final berth in a row.
• In Men’s singles, the Thai shuttler Kunlavut Vitidsarn secured the Thailand Open title for the first time in his career today, becoming the only men's singles player in the badminton World Tour to have won more than one tournament this year.
• He defeated Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong in straight sets, 21-12, 21-10 in the final.
• India has had four different winners in the competition’s history. 
• Saina Nehwal won the women’s singles title in 2012, Kidambi Srikanth and B Sai Praneeth won the men’s singles titles in 2013 and 2017, respectively, and the men’s doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the title in 2019.

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has won the bid to host the 2025 World Conservation Congress (WCC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 
• The WCC is the world's largest and most important gathering of conservationists, and it is expected to draw more than 10,000 delegates from over 160 countries.
• The 2025 WCC will be held in Abu Dhabi from October 10-21, 2025. 
• The event will be an opportunity for conservationists from around the world to come together and discuss the most pressing environmental challenges facing our planet.
• The IUCN WCC in 2025 in Abu Dhabi is expected to bring an estimated 10,000-15,000 delegates from over 160 countries across the globe and will be an event which could galvanise conservation actions to protect our planet, amid local and global challenges.
• Established in 1948, IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network.

• Manjit won a bronze medal at the 2023 UWW Ranking Series wrestling tournament in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) on 1 June 2023
• India won the Men's Junior Asia Cup hockey tournament held in June 2023
• Uttar Pradesh won the 13th Hockey India Sub-Junior Men's National Championship 2023
• Jyoti Yarraji won the gold medal in the T-Meeting 2023, hurdle race held in Tilburg, Netherlands 
• Max Verstappen won the Monaco Grand Prix 2023 This was his fourth win of the season
• India's ace shuttler HS Prannoy has won the Malaysia Masters 2023 title

• In the final of the Men's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2023, India defeated Pakistan 2-1 to win the title for a record fourth time
• India has become the most successful country in the history of the Men's Junior Asia Cup
• The match was played at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex Stadium in Salalah, Oman
• This was India’s fourth title at Men's Junior Asia Cup, having won it previously in 2004, 2008 and 2015

• Manjit won a bronze medal at the UWW Ranking Series Wrestling in Kyrgyzstan on 1 June 2023
• Manjeet has won the UWW Ranking Series wrestling event by winning a bronze medal in the men's Greco-Roman 55kg category on 1 June 2023
• Manjeet defeated Yersin Abyir of Kazakhstan 14-9 via VPO1 (winner with no technical superiority but the loser scores at least 1 point) to grab a bronze on the opening day of competitions.

• Indian sprinter Jyoti Yarji won the gold medal in the women's 100m hurdles event at the T-Meeting 2023 Athletics Meet held in Tilburg, Netherlands on 29 May 2023
• In the category E World Ranking competition the 23-year-old clocked 13.20s in the final to secure victory in the event.
• Angel Agwazie of Belgium clinched the silver medal as she clocked 13.64s

• Design and technology company Tata Elxsi has partnered with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the upcoming Gaganyaan Mission.
• Under the partnership, Tata Elxsi will be designing and developing the Crew Module Recovery Models (CMRM) for the mission. 
• This also marks Tata Elxsi’s foray into mechanical design for space. 
• Two Recovery-Models (CMRM and GSF) have been delivered to Naval training teams at Kochi and Visakhapatnam to train the recovery teams.
• ISRO’s Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability by launching a three-member crew onto an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bringing them back to Earth safely by landing in Indian sea waters.
• In February, ISRO partnered with Indian Navy to conduct a series of tests to recover a mock crew module from a closed pool. The tests were carried out at the Water Survival Test Facility, a location owned by the Indian Navy in Kochi.

• The 61st edition of the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) was held in Germany
• 'Jugalbandi', an AI-based multilingual chatbot platform for rural India has been launched by Microsoft
• The 61st edition of the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) was held in Germany
• The GSLV-F12 or NVS-01 mission was launched from Sriharikota on 28 May 2023

• India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has appointed Alok Kumar Choudhary as its new Managing Director (MD) with effect from June 7, 2022.
• He has replaced former MD Ashwani Bhatia, who took charge as the whole-time member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Apart from Choudhary, SBI with this appointment will have 4 MDs - CS Setty, MD in charge of retail banking; Swaminathan Janakiraman, MD in charge of stressed assets, risk and compliance; and Ashwini Kumar Tewari, MD in charge of international banking - led by the chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara.
• He also had a stint as the Chief General Manager (CGM) of the SBI’s Delhi Circle for three years.

• The International Aluminium Institute (IAI), the only body representing the global primary aluminium industry, has announced the appointment of Satish Pai as its new chairman.
• Mr Pai is the Managing Director of Hindalco Industries, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of aluminium. 
• Prior to this he served as Vice Chairman, and succeeded Ben Kahrs, Chief Innovation Officer of Alco Corporation.

• Albanian lawmakers elected Bajram Begaj, who held the post of the Chief of General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF), as the new president of Albania.
• Bajram Begaj, 55, will take oath as the new president on July 25, 2022 to replace Meta, who will be in office until July 22, 2022.

• Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been signed on as brand ambassador and a minority shareholder of Chennai-based aviation and aerospace component manufacturing firm Garuda Aerospace that deals with designing and building of unmanned aerial vehicles.  
• The Chennai-based startup had recently announced its plans to support agriculture.
• Equipped with 300 drones and 500 pilots operating in 26 cities, Garuda Aerospace's drone-manufacturing facilities were recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• The government has appointed A. Manimekhalai as Managing Director of Union Bank of India.
• Canara Bank Executive Director Ms. Manimekhalai replaced Rajkiran Rai G., who retired on May 31 after a five-year stint.
• With her assuming charge, Ms. Manimekhalai becomes the first woman managing director of Union Bank of India.
• Manimekhalai is a seasoned banker with experience of more than three decades.
• She started her career in erstwhile Vijaya Bank as an officer in 1988 and rose successively as Branch Head, regional head and functional head of various departments at the corporate office.

• India’s first women-focused financial platform LXME, has announced the appointment of Dr. Jasmin B Gupta as co-founder and CEO.
• Prior to joining LXME, she was associated with Equitas Small Finance Bank as their national head, neobank, fintech accelerator and alliances and digital business. 
• In the past, she was worked with banks such as Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC Bank.

• Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the National Food Laboratory (NFL) in Raxaul of Bihar's East Champaran district.
• The inauguration took place in the presence of the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Nepal, Mahendra Rai Yadav.
• It will support enhanced bilateral trade between India and Nepal by reducing the time taken for testing samples of food and agricultural exports of Nepal which currently need to be sent to Delhi or Kolkata for testing.

• Senior IPS officer, Zulfiquar Hasan has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
• Zulfiquar Hasan has been appointed “for a tenure up to his superannuation on 31.10.2024”.
• West Bengal-cadre 1988-batch IPS officer, Zulfiquar Hasan has been serving as the Special Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi.
• The post of the Director-General, BCAS has been vacant since January 4 after incumbent Nasir Kamal opted for voluntary retirement.

• Kiya.ai has announced the launch of India’s first-ever Banking Metaverse – Kiyaverse. 
• Kiyaverse pioneers use cases of merging real-world banking with Metaverse banking through an avatar (virtual humanoid) based interactions.
• Kiya.ai is one of the most innovative digital solutions providers serving financial institutions and governments globally.

• Sports Authority of India Director General Sandip Pradhan has been granted a tenure extension of more than two years in his present capacity by the Government of India.
• Pradhan, an Indian Revenue Services officer of 1990 batch, was to end his current tenure on July 6 but has been granted an extension till September 30, 2024 by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
• It's the second extension granted to Pradhan. In May 2020, his tenure was extended by two years.

• The world's largest living plant has been identified in the shallow waters off the coast of Western Australia.
• The sprawling seagrass, a marine flowering plant known as Posidonia australis, stretches for more than 112 miles (180 kilometers) in Shark Bay, a wilderness area protected as a World Heritage site.
• The plant is so large because it clones itself, creating genetically identical offshoots.

• Bhupinder Singh Bhalla appointed as new President of NDMC
• Justice Pradeep Kumar Mohanty got additional charge of Lokpal Speaker in place of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh
• Pankaj Sharma appointed as part-time member of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)
• Natarajan Sundar appointed as MD and CEO of National Assets Reconstruction Company Limited
• Ashwini Bhatia appointed as whole time member of SEBI
• S Krishnan, MD and CEO of Indian nationalized bank Punjab & Sind Bank retires

• Delhi-Mumbai, Hyderabad-Bengaluru Expressway will be the first projects in the country to be enabled with optical fiber cable network
• An indigenous supercomputer 'Param Anant' with computing power capacity of 838 Teraflops joins IIT Gandhinagar
• US-made supercomputer 'Frontier' surpasses Japan's 'Fugaku' as world's fastest supercomputer

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has announced the appointment of Ashwani Bhatia as a Whole Time Member (WTM) at the regulatory body.
• Bhatia was the Managing Director (MD) of State Bank of India, the country's largest public-sector lender, before being appointed to the SEBI. 
• The former SBI MD took charge as a WTM after the post remained vacant for nearly 7 months.
• After Bhatia’s joining, Sebi now has three WTMs.

• India's first liquid mirror telescope has been commissioned atop Devasthal, a hill in Uttarakhand. 
• The liquid mirror telescope, which is the largest in Asia, will observe the overhead sky to identify transient or variable objects such as supernovae, gravitational lenses, space debris, and asteroids.
• The mirror is made up of a thin film of liquid mercury to collect and focus light.
• The telescope has been placed at an altitude of 2,450 metres above sea level, at the Devasthal Observatory campus of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES).
• India's first liquid mirror telescope will use mercury as the primary mirror

• Punjab & Sind Bank Limited, an Indian nationalised bank, announced that its MD & CEO, S Krishnan to retire from the role.
• Prior to joining Punjab & Sind Bank as MD & CEO, Krishnan was Executive Director of Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank.
• He started his carrier in Indian Bank in January, 1983.
• He has a long and varied field of banking and administrative experience of nearly 38 years.

• US-built supercomputer titled 'Frontier' on Monday dethroned Japan's 'Fugaku' (developed by the Riken Institute and Fujitsu), as the world's fastest machine with 1.1 exaflops of performance
• The Frontier supercomputer at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the first to achieve an unprecedented level of computing performance known as exascale, a threshold of a quintillion calculations per second.
• Frontier's speeds surpassed those of any other supercomputer in the world, including ORNL's Summit, which is also housed at ORNL's Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility.

• National Assets Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) has informed that Natarajan Sundar has assumed the charge of MD and CEO of the Rs 6,000-crore bad bank.
• Prior to this, Sundar was Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer of SBI.
• He retired on April 30, 2022.
• NARCL has also appointed Karnam Sekar as the independent director and non-executive chairman of the board.

• The government has deployed an indigenously developed Param Ananta supercomputer with 838 teraflops computing power capacity at IIT Gandhinagar.
• The high power supercomputer can process 838 lakh crore calculations per second.
• The government has deployed 12 supercomputers earlier at various leading academic institutes which include IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune etc.
• The top supercomputer 210 AI PetaFlops Param Siddhi with a processing power of 6.5 petaflops has been deployed at CDAC, Pune.

• Tokyo Paralympics champion Avani Lekhara won gold at the Para Shooting World Cup with a world record score of 250.6 in women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 in Chateauroux, France.
• The 20-year-old shooter broke her own world record of 249.6 to secure her a spot at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
• Poland’s Emilia Babska bagged the silver medal with a total of 247.6, while the bronze went to Anna Normann of Sweden after she shot 225.6.

• The Centre has appointed Pankaj Sharma, Joint Secretary in Department of Financial Services (DFS) as part-time member of the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA).
• In the PFRDA Board, Pankaj Sharma has come in the place of erstwhile DFS Additional Secretary Vandita Kaul.
• PFRDA has a Chairman besides three whole-time members and three part-time members.

• Ashi Chouksey and Swapnil Kusale beat Daria Tykhova and Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine 16-12 for the gold medal in the 50-metre rifle mixed team event of the shooting World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• It was the second gold for rifle-only team India, and the third medal for Swapnil, who had won the individual silver behind Kulish apart from the team silver.
• India finished second behind Korea in the medal tally with two gold and three silver.

• England batter Joe Root became the first English player to complete 17,000 runs in International cricket.
• Root achieved this feat during the Test match against New Zealand.
• Earlier, Joe Root completed 10,000 runs in Test cricket, becoming the second English player and 14th overall player to reach the landmark.
• Now having reached this landmark, Root has joined the elite league of players who have scored 10,000 runs or more in the longest format of the game. This list is led by Sachin Tendulkar (15,921), Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289), Rahul Dravid (13,288) and Alastair Cook (12,472).

• Poland's Iga Swiatek defeated American Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3 in the final to win the French Open women's singles title. World number one Iga Swiatek has won her second Grand Slam title, having won the title at Roland Garros in 2020.
• The cup is named the Susan-Lenglen Cup and has been awarded to the women's singles French Open champion since 1979.
• This win was his 35th consecutive win.
• Iga Swiatek is the fourth youngest player to win her second title.

• Rafael Nadal has won a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title after beating Casper Ruud in the final of French Open men's singles event at the Court Philipp-Chatrier.
• Nadal also became the oldest player to win the French Open.
• He claimed his first French Open as a 19-year-old in 2005.

• Olympian Anjum Moudgil won the rifle 3-position silver behind Rikke Maeng Ibsen of Denmark in the shooting World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• Anjum went down 12-16 in the gold medal match to Denmark's Rikke Maeng Ibsen.
• Anjum, also a world championship silver medallist, had on qualified for the top-eight ranking round with a score of 587 out of 600, which gave her a fourth place in a field of 60 shooters.
• It is Anjum's second individual World Cup silver in the event.
• Indian now have one gold and three silver medals in the tournament and stand in third place behind Korea and Serbia.

• LeBron James, the basketball legend with four NBA championships, three Olympic medals and 18 NBA All-Star appearances under his belt, is the first active NBA player to achieve billionaire status.
• Michael Jordan, often referred to as the greatest player to ever take the court, is the richest athlete of all time, according to an earlier Forbes article.

• Olympics medalist Lovlina Borgohain elected as IBA’s Athletes’ Committee chair
• Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets to win maiden IPL title
• Prachi Yadav became the first Indian to win a bronze medal at the 2022 ICF Paracanoe World Cup held in Poznan, Poland
• Ramesh Budhiyal wins men's open surf category at Indian Open of Surfing
• Indian women's shooting team bags gold medal in 10m air rifle event at ISSF World Cup 2022 in Baku
• Sergio Perez becomes first Mexican driver to win Monaco Grand Prix
• Uttar Pradesh won the title of 12th National Junior Hockey Tournament
• Indian men's hockey team beats Japan 1-0 to clinch Asia Cup bronze

• The Indian men's hockey team beat Japan 1-0 to clinch the bronze medal in the Asia Cup.
• It had missed out on a chance to reach the Asia Cup 2022 final after playing out a thrilling 4-4 draw against South Korea at the GBK Sports Complex Hockey Stadium.

• Indian women's shooting team of Elavenil Valarivan, Shreya Agarwal and Ramita have bagged a gold medal for India in the 10m air rifle women's team event at the ISSF World Cup 2022 in Baku.
• This was India's first medal at the ongoing ISSF World Cup in Baku
• The trio from India defeated Denmark 17-5 in the gold medal match.

• Uttar Pradesh won the National Junior Hockey Tournament at Kovilpatti for the 2nd time.
• The 12th National Junior Hockey Tournament started on the 17th at the Artificial Lawn Ground in Kovilpatti.
• Uttar Pradesh team won the Champions Trophy with a score of 2 – 0 by defeating Haryana.
• Uttar Pradesh team also won the 11th National Junior Hockey Tournament at Kovilpatti last year.

• In a sensational finish Karnataka’s Ramesh Budhial snatched away victory from the laps of Tamil Nadu’s Ajeesh Ali to be crowned as the new national champion in the men’s open surf category on the final day of the third edition of the Indian Open of Surfing held at Panambur beach.
• Sugar Banarse and Sofiya Sharma emerged national champions in the women’s open and groms girls 16 and under categories respectively, while Tamil Nadu’s Kishore Kumar became the national champion in the groms boys 16 and under category.

• Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur inaugurated the Takshashila Sports Complex built by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) at Viman Nagar.
• With the objective to create international level sportsmen, Pune Municipal Corporation has developed Takshashila Sports Complex at Viman Nagar with an investment of around Rs 2.1 crore.
• There is an open-air gymnasium at the complex apart from state-of-the art facilities for the sportspersons. Similarly, a mini football ground has also been developed.

June 7 marked the celebration of World Food Safety Day, an initiative led by WHO and FAO to raise global awareness on preventing and managing foodborne hazards and promoting sustainable health and development.

• World No Tobacco Day observed on 31 May to raise awareness on tobacco harms.
• World Environment Day 2025 to focus on ending plastic pollution; South Korea to host global celebrations.
• MoSPI releases 'EnviStats India 2025' on World Environment Day.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 8th edition of “EnviStats India 2025: Environment Statistics” during a national workshop held in New Delhi on June 5, 2025. The publication highlights India's environmental indicators using alternative data and technologies, helping policymakers track sustainability metrics and environmental progress.

On June 5, 2025, World Environment Day will center on the urgent issue of plastic pollution. Hosted by South Korea, the event is being organized under the United Nations’ guidance to call for global cooperation in reducing plastic usage and transitioning towards sustainable alternatives.

World No Tobacco Day, held annually on 31 May, raises awareness about the harms of tobacco, the tactics of tobacco companies, and WHO’s global tobacco control efforts. It was formalized in 1988 following WHA resolutions passed in 1987 and 1988.

A new category in the National e-Governance Awards 2025 has been introduced to honor exceptional digital governance initiatives by Panchayati Raj Institutions, strengthening digital inclusion at the grassroots level.

UN declares May 24 as International Day of the Markhor to boost awareness and conservation.

• President Murmu conferred Florence Nightingale Awards 2025 to 15 nurses.
• Miss Thailand wins Miss World 2025 crown at Hyderabad event.
• Kumar Mangalam Birla receives USISPF Global Leadership Award 2025.

Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla was presented with the prestigious Global Leadership Award at the 8th Annual Leadership Summit hosted by USISPF in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes his pivotal role in strengthening the U.S.-India economic and business partnership and his leadership in global enterprise.

Opal Suchata Chuangsri from Thailand won the Miss World 2025 crown during the pageant’s 72nd edition held in Hyderabad, succeeding Krystyna Pyszková amidst a global gathering of 108 contestants.

At a formal ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President of India honored 15 distinguished nursing personnel with the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2025 for their outstanding service.

• Jafar Panahi’s film wins Palme d’Or at Cannes 2025.
• 17 MPs including Ravi Kishan and Supriya Sule selected for Sansad Ratna Awards.
• Raja Kumari becomes first Indian-origin artist to win an American Music Award.

• Three defence PSUs granted Miniratna Category-I status by Rajnath Singh.
• Ukraine carries out its longest-range drone strike, damaging 40+ Russian aircraft.

Ukraine carried out a large-scale drone operation, damaging over 40 Russian military aircraft at various bases across the country, including Siberia. This strategic attack, named 'Spiderweb', had been covertly planned for 18 months and marked Kyiv’s most far-reaching strike of the war.

• World Bicycle Day, observed on June 3rd annually, acknowledges the bicycle's vital role in sustainable transportation, health, and environmental conservation.
• World Environment Day was celebrated on 5 June.
• World Oceans Day is celebrated on June 8th.

Munitions India Ltd (MIL), Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL), and India Optel Ltd (IOL) have been accorded Category-I "Miniratna" status by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh.

• World Oceans Day is celebrated annually on 8 June to raise awareness of the vital role of oceans in sustaining life on Earth and to encourage action for their protection and sustainable use.
• Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and are essential for regulating climate, absorbing carbon dioxide and providing livelihoods for millions of people.
• The day provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of oceans in biodiversity, marine life conservation and the global economy.
• It is a reminder of the threats facing our oceans, including plastic pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change.
• This year’s theme: Catalytic action for our ocean and climate.

• Army and NDRF conduct Exercise Raahat in Guwahati to enhance disaster response readiness.
• Indian Navy inducts ancient stitched sail ship INSV Kaundinya, inspired by 5th century Ajanta art.
• Defence Ministry approves AMCA 5th-gen fighter jet project.
• Israel kills senior Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar, brother of Yahya Sinwar.
• Germany pledges €5 billion military aid to Ukraine to support long-range missile development.

• World Environment Day is observed on June 5th. 
• Established by the United Nations in 1972, it aims to raise global awareness and encourage action for the protection of the environment.
• Each year, the day focuses on a specific environmental issue, providing a theme around which activities and events are organized worldwide.
• Theme for World Environment Day 2024: "Reimagining Verdant Landscapes: Resilience amidst Drought and Desertification".

• Every year on June 3rd, World Bicycle Day is celebrated globally to recognize the versatility, longevity, and importance of the bicycle as a simple, sustainable, and affordable mode of transportation.
• Established by the United Nations General Assembly in April 2018, this day highlights the significant role of bicycles in fostering sustainable development, health, and physical well-being.
• The theme "Cycling for Health, Equity, and Sustainability" underscores the role of cycling in enhancing physical and mental well-being, providing equitable transportation access, and promoting environmental sustainability, thereby contributing to a healthier, fairer, and greener world.

• World No Tobacco Day, also known as Anti-Tobacco Day, is observed annually on May 31st. The 2024 theme, "Protecting children from tobacco industry interference," carries immense significance in the fight against tobacco use.
• World Hunger Day is observed every May 28.

• An Indo-Russian joint venture has handed over 27,000 AK-203 assault rifles to the Indian Army.
• DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat gets a one-year extension.
• Armed Forces Medical Services and IIT Hyderabad sign an MoU for collaborative research and training.

• Sanya Malhotra wins Best Actress award for 'Mrs' at the New York Indian Film Festival.
• An Indian-American student from Florida emerges victorious at the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

• Sanya Malhotra starrer film 'Mrs' premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival 2024 (NYIFF). In this, she received the Best Actress Award for the film.
• Directed by Aarti Kadav, 'Mrs' is Hindi remake of the Malayalam film 'The Great Indian Kitchen', which proved to be a super hit at the box office. Nimisha Sajayan played an important role in it.
• In 'Mrs', Sanya Malhotra plays the role of Richa, who finds herself between the responsibilities of the kitchen and the house.
• The film has many brilliant actors including Nishant Dahiya and Kanwaljit Singh.

• In a remarkable achievement, Bruhat Soma, a seventh-grade Indian-American student from Florida, has emerged victorious at the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
• Being of Indian-American descent, Bruhat’s victory holds special significance for many in India who were rooting for him.
• Bruhat’s remarkable memory prowess extends beyond spelling, as he revealed his accomplishment of memorizing 80 per-cent of the Bhagavad Gita.

• Aarti, an 18-year-old female e-rickshaw driver from Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, wins the Amal Clooney Women Empowerment Award.
• Anasuya Sengupta makes history as the first Indian to win Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival, joined by Chidanand Naik.
• Payal Kapadia Makes History, Wins Historic Grand Prix Award at Cannes Film Festival 2024.
• Dipa Karmakar Makes History, Becomes First Indian Gymnast to Win Gold in Asian Gymnastics Championship.
• REC wins the ‘Sustainability Champion – Editor’s Choice Award’ at the Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024.
• PFC receives “CSR Champion Award” at Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024.

• NIMHANS, Bengaluru, was awarded the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion for 2024 by WHO, recognizing its remarkable contributions to mental health and well-being.
• Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the award as a recognition of India's inclusive healthcare efforts, emphasizing NIMHANS' innovative approaches in mental health research, education, and patient care.
• The award coincides with NIMHANS celebrating 50 years of its formation and the 70th anniversary of its precursor, AIIMH. 
• The institute's efforts in integrating mental health into general healthcare and pioneering digital health interventions have been globally recognized.

• World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on 8 June to create awareness among people regarding the significance of oceans, and the importance of preserving and conserving oceanic resources.
• The concept of celebrating ocean day on a global level was first proposed in 1992 by the Canadian government at the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• “World Oceans Day” was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008.
• Every year, the World Oceans Day is celebrated under a specific theme. This year, the theme of World Oceans day 2023 is "Planet Ocean: The Tides are Changing."

• World Food Safety Day is observed annually on June 7th.
• World Food Safety Day is marked annually to raise awareness about the importance of safe food practices and to highlight the global need for safe food. 
• This international day is a collaborative effort between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
• World Food Safety Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 through a resolution. The resolution was proposed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and was co-sponsored by a total of 44 countries. The day was officially designated to be observed annually on June 7th.
• The first observance of World Food Safety Day took place on June 7, 2019, with the theme "Food Safety, Everyone's Business."
• World Food Safety Day 2023 theme is “Food standards save lives”.

• Every year on June 6, the United Nations celebrates UN Russian Language Day, which was established by UNESCO in 2010. 
• This day aligns with the birthday of Alexander Pushkin, a renowned Russian poet known as the founder of modern Russian language. 
• The purpose of this initiative is to promote equal recognition and appreciation for all six official languages of the UN: English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and French.
• The decision to hold language days was made by the Department of Public Information (now the Department of Global Communications) on the eve of International Mother Language Day, celebrated annually on February 21 at the initiative of UNESCO. 
• The purpose of the UN Language Days is to raise awareness of the history, culture and development of each of the six official languages of the UN among the staff of the Organization.

• Indian Navy's MH60R helicopter has made its first landing on INS Vikrant in June 2023
• The medium-range Agni-I ballistic missile was successfully test-fired from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on June 1, 2023

• Maharashtra celebrates the 350th Coronation anniversary of the Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• According to the Gregorian calendar, the Maratha warrior king was crowned on June 6, 1674, at the Raigad fort, which became the foundation of “Hindavi Swaraj” or self-rule of Hindus.
• Meanwhile, according to the Hindu calendar, the anniversary of his coronation falls on June 2 this year.
• The coronation of Shivaji Maharaj was conducted on June 6, 1674 at Raigad fort on the 13th day (trayodashi) of the first fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha. The ceremony was conducted as per the shastras by Vishweshwar or Gaga Bhatta of Varanasi.

• The Strategic Force Command successfully conducted a training test of the medium-range ballistic missile Agni-I from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on 1 June 2023
• The missile is a proven system, capable of striking targets with a very high degree of precision

• Every year on June 5, people, communities, and organisations from all over the world come together to celebrate World Environment Day to raise awareness of and take action on urgent environmental challenges.
• The United Nations General Assembly founded World Environment Day in 1972 to increase public awareness of environmental challenges and encourage action.
• It has since grown to be the largest global venue for environmental advocacy and is observed every year on June 5.
• The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which took place in Stockholm, Sweden, from June 5–16, 1972, is where World Environment Day got its start.
• The Theme of World Environment Day 2023 is “Solutions to plastic pollution”.

• Indian Navy's MH-60 'Romeo' (MH60R) multi-role helicopter made its maiden landing on the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant
• The MH60R helicopter is a versatile platform known for its exceptional ASW, surveillance, anti-shipping and search and rescue capabilities
• The MH-60R helicopter is an all-weather helicopter manufactured by American defense company Lockheed Martin Corporation

1. In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day.
2. The resolution for World Bicycle Day recognizes "the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport
3. The theme for World Bicycle Day 2023 is "Riding Together for a Sustainable Future."

• The Indian Army celebrated the 75th International Day of UN Peacekeepers on May 29
• Nepal celebrated the 16th Republic Day on 29 May 2023
• Goa celebrates its foundation day on May 30 
• World “No Tobacco Day” was observed globally on May 31 
• World Milk Day observed on June 1
• World Milk Day observed on June 1

• World Milk Day is a day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to recognize the importance of milk as a global food 
• It has been observed on June 1 each year since 2001. 
• The day is intended to provide an opportunity to bring attention to activities that are connected with the dairy sector.

• It was on this day in 1987 that Goa became the 25th full-fledged state of the Indian Union
• Goa was declared a separate state from Daman and Diu on May 30.
• The official language of Goa is Konkani and the capital is Panaji

• This year's theme is "We need food, not tobacco," which aims to encourage tobacco farmers to grow sustainable, nutritious crops
• It aims to raise awareness about the health risks associated with tobacco consumption.
• On this day, various global organizations including the United Nations advocate for effective government policies to reduce tobacco use worldwide.

• India on Monday successfully test-fired a long-range ballistic missile on Agni-IV APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. 
• The missile is nuclear-capable and has a strike range of 4,000 km.
• Agni and Prithvi are the country’s two main nuclear missiles.
• It is developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it can carry a 1,000-kg payload and can go as high as 900 km.

• India has decided to participate in the world’s biggest maritime exercise 'Rim of the Pacific' or RIMPAC, hosted by the US.
• As many as 26 countries will showcase their naval might from June 29 to August 4 in Honolulu and San Diego in the 28th edition of the naval wargames.
• The RIMPAC started in 1971 as an annual exercise by the US, Australia, and Canada. But from 1974, the maritime exercise became a biennial event.
• India first participated in RIMPAC in 2014 when indigenously built Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Sahyadri took part in the excercise.

• A multinational peacekeeping exercise "Ex Khaan Quest 2022" featuring participation from military contingents from 16 countries, including India has commenced in Mongolia.
• Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, the President of Mongolia inaugurated the Exercise in an impressive ceremony organised at the exercise location in Mongolia.
• Indian Army is represented by a contingent from the LADAKH SCOUTS.
• The military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and participating countries especially with the Mongolian Armed Forces which will enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.

• As part of the ongoing India Bangladesh bilateral defence cooperation, a joint military training exercise Ex SAMPRITI-X is being conducted at Jashore Military Station in Bangladesh from 05 June to 16 June 2022. 
• Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour conducted alternately by both countries which aims to strengthen and widen the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between both the armies. 
• The aim of the exercise is to strengthen interoperability between the two armies and to understand each other’s tactical drills and operational techniques.

• Every year, June 7 is observed as World Food Safety Day around the world. 
• The intent behind the day is to promote awareness and encourage adequate steps to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks.
• The day was set aside by the United Nations in 2018 to raise awareness of food safety.
• This year, the theme of World Food Safety Day is, “Safer Food, Better Health”.

• Defense Estates Circle will be established in Uttarakhand
• INS Gomti, the oldest naval ship of the Western Fleet, decommissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai
• Defense Ministry signs Rs 2,971 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
• Indian Navy to bid farewell to two ships INS Nishank, INS Akshay in Mumbai

• Oceans Day is celebrated every year on June 8 to conserve the water body through collective efforts and save it from the perils of human activities.
• World Oceans Day 2022 theme is ‘Revitalisation: Collective Action for the Ocean’. 
• It aims at encouraging collective action for the preservation of the water body as the oceans are an essential link that connects us all.
• The idea of World Oceans Day was first proposed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• On December 5, 2008, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution and designated June 8 as World Oceans Day.

• The Indian Navy will bid farewell to its two ships INS Nishank and INS Akshay, at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
• Both the ships will be decommissioned at Naval Dockyard after 32 years of being at the forefront of safeguarding the maritime interests of the nation.
• All the seafarers bear the names of their ships as their own identity. Home to many a sea warriors, these ships will always remain source of honour and pride.
• INS Nishank is the fourth of the Veer Class Missile Corvette and has been an integral part of the Killer Squadron renowned for its heroics in the 1971 War.
• INS Akshay is a part of the 23rd Patrol Vessel Squadron, whose primary role is Anti-Submarine warfare and coastal patrol.

• World No Tobacco Day 2022 celebrated on 31st May
• "Yoga for Humanity" has been chosen as the theme of International Yoga Day 2022

• President Droupadi Murmu has been conferred with Suriname's highest civilian award ‘the Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star’ by President Chandrikapersad Santokhi to honour the deep-rooted bilateral ties.
• President Murmu dedicated the award to the future generations of the Indian-Surinamese community.
• During her state visit to Serbia and Suriname, President Murmu arrived in Paramaribo, Suriname on June 4. Several significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between India and Suriname in the areas of health, agriculture, and capacity building.
• The Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star (Dutch: Grootlint in de Orde van de Gele Ster) is the highest civilian award in Suriname. 
• It was established on 25 November 1975, the day Suriname became independent from the Netherlands. 
• The award is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Suriname, either in Suriname or abroad.

• World No Tobacco Day is observed every year on May 31 to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco usage.
• World No Tobacco Day 2022 highlights the negative impacts of tobacco and its industry on human health and the environment.
• World No Tobacco Day was created by the member states of the World Health Organisation in 1987.
• World No Tobacco day 2022 theme is “Tobacco: Threat to Our Environment”.

• Damodar Mauzo has been awarded the 57th Jnanpith Award
• The Indian women's team has won the CAVA Women's Challenge Cup 2023 title held in Kathmandu
• Chennai Super Kings won the IPL 2023 title for the fifth time
• RINL receives Greentech Safety Award 2023

• The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga will be celebrated with theme “Yoga for Humanity”.
• Ministry of Ayush has chosen this theme for 8th International Day of Yoga 2022 to be organised in India and across the globe on 21st June 2022.
• The main event of IDY 2022 demonstration will be held at Mysuru, Karnataka. 
• The theme of last year’s IDY, organised during COVID-19 pandemic was “Yoga for wellness".

• Goan writer Damodar Mauzo Goa has received the prestigious Jnanpith Award, the country's highest literary honour, from state Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai
• Mauzo's 25 books have been published in Konkani and one in English
• Many of his books have also been translated in different languages
• Mauzo's famous novel 'Karmelin' received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983
• The novel, published in 1981, has been translated in Hindi, Marathi, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Odia and Maithili languages
• Mauzo is the second Goan to receive the Jnanpith Award. 
• Earlier, Ravindra Kelekar from the coastal state got the award in 2008.

• In Khelo India University games 2023, Savitribai Phule Pune University conquered their final quest with a 2-0 victory over defending champions Osmania University to clinch their first Gold medal in the women’s tennis event in Ekana International Tennis Stadium Lucknow
• Meanwhile, women tennis players of Jain University outdid the University of Madras 2-0 to clinch the bronze medal
• Gujarat University won the bronze medal by defeating Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Deemed to be University) (KIIT) 2-1

A former colonial-era detention facility established in 1885 in Sohra, Meghalaya, has been repurposed as 'Sohra 1885', a heritage café offering a distinctive dining experience within its historical confines.

• The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) has been organized in Abu Dhabi. This year IIFA 2022 Awards were hosted by Salman Khan, Maniesh Paul and Riteish Deshmukh.
• Sidharth Malhotra's "Shershaah" dominated the awards this year, with the film winning in five categories.
• Sardar Udham, Mimi and Ludo won in two categories each.
• The best film award has been given to Sher Shah.

• Kalash Gupta, a third-year computer science student at IIT Delhi got the coveted 'World's Best Coder' title along with a prize money of $10,000 by emerging on the top of the list of over 1 lakh coders from 87 countries who participated in the tenth season of Code Vita, a global programming competition held annually by Tata Consultancy Services.
• It is the world's biggest coding competition according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

• The Meghalaya government key initiative of e-proposal system, part of Meghalaya Enterprise Architect has won a coveted UN Award- World Summit on the Information Society Forum (WSIS) prize at Geneva in Switzerland.
• The state received the best project award in the category of the role of governments in the promotion of ICTs for development.
• Meghalaya contested with projects from Australia, China, Argentina and Tanzania. 

• Salman Rushdie, the Mumbai-born author of the Booker Prize-winning novel 'Midnight's Children', leads a list of over 40 professionals and community champions of Indian-origin to be honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.
• The Companion of Honour is a special award granted to those who have made a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time.
• Midnight's Children' was twice (1993 and 2008) voted Best of the Bookers by the public. He was knighted for services to literature in 2007.

• Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui conferred with Excellence Award at French Riviera Film Festival
• Jharkhand received award from WHO for its excellent work in the field of tobacco control
• Documentary film 'All That Breathes' honored with 2022 L'OEil d'Or Award
• 'Joyland' becomes the first Pakistani film to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival
• Harini Logan wins Scripps National Spelling Bee 2022

• Indian-American Harini Logan from San Antonia, Texas was declared the winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee 2022 in a historic tie-breaker.
• The 13-year-old eighth-grader, who took part in the final fully individualized spelling bee three years ago and then correctly spelled 21 words during a 90-second spell off, won the title.
• The winner of the National Spelling Bee 2022, Harini Logan, has been presented with over $50,000 in cash and prizes.
• The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual spelling bee held in the United States.

• Indian Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Satishkumar N Ghormade receives the Param Vishisht Seva Medal at the defense investiture ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• The President also conferred 13 Param Vishisht Seva Medals and 29 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals for distinguished service of exceptional order.

• ‘Joyland,’ Salim Sadiq’s directorial debut, became Pakistan’s first-ever film to bag an award at the Cannes Film Festival. 
• It won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 75th edition of the fete.
• ‘Joyland’ was also awarded the Prix Queer Palm by Jury chaired by filmmaker Catherine Corsini.

• Eureka Forbes appoints Shraddha Kapoor as brand ambassador for vacuum cleaners.
• Air Marshal Manish Khanna takes over command of Southern Air Command.
• Sumit Khandelwal appointed as new CFO of UCO Bank.
• S Mahendra Dev appointed as new Chairman of Economic Advisory Council to PM.
• Sudarshan Venu appointed Chairman and MD of TVS Motor effective August 25, 2025.

Economist and agricultural expert S Mahendra Dev has been appointed chairperson of the EAC-PM for a two-year tenure. He succeeds Suman Bery, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, who had been serving in the interim after the demise of former chair Bibek Debroy in November 2024. Mahendra Dev is known for his work on rural development, public policy, and as editor of the 'Economic and Political Weekly'.

TVS Motor Company announced that Sudarshan Venu has been unanimously elected by the board as the new chairman and managing director, effective August 25, 2025. This transition follows the decision of current chairman Sir Ralf Speth, who informed the board that he would not seek reappointment and would step down on the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting scheduled for August 22. 

UCO Bank has appointed Sumit Khandelwal as its new Chief Financial Officer. With over 15 years of experience in various departments and leadership roles, Khandelwal replaces Sujoy Dutta and takes over the financial reins of the state-run bank.

With over 4,000 hours of flying experience, Air Marshal Manish Khanna took charge of the Southern Air Command on June 1, 2025. His career spans critical roles in air defence, ground attack, and electronic warfare, and includes an international stint as Chief Flying Instructor for Botswana Defence Forces.

Eureka Forbes Ltd has signed actress Shraddha Kapoor as the brand ambassador for its vacuum cleaner segment, reinforcing its four-decade commitment to promoting hygiene and healthier homes across India.

• Google founder Sergey Brin returns from retirement to work on Gemini AI project.
• Anil Kumble to be appointed Forest and Wildlife Ambassador.
• Vikram Singh Mehta appointed new chairman of IndiGo Airlines.
• N Chandrasekaran to step down as Tata Chemicals Chairman on May 29.
• Raman Aggarwal takes over as CEO of Finance Industry Development Council.
• Shubman Gill becomes brand ambassador for Oakley in India.
• N Venu appointed Managing Director of Hitachi India from June 2025.

Veteran scholar and literary figure Daji Panshikar, noted for his in-depth studies of Indian epics and contributions to Marathi literature, died at the age of 92 in Thane, Maharashtra.

• London-based Indian-origin artist Anish Kapoor tops the Hurun India Art List 2024.
• India to host IATA's annual global airlines summit after 42 years.
• Goldman Sachs raised India's GDP growth forecast for 2024 to 6.7%.
• India Makes Grand Impression at INDEX Dubai 2024.
• NIPL collaborates with Central Bank of Peru for UPI-like payment system implementation.
• NCLT greenlights Air India-Vistara merger, cementing Air India's position as India's largest international carrier.
• Over 100,000 farmers voluntarily gave up their PM-Kisan benefits in 2023.

• The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the merger of Air India and Vistara, following prior approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), solidifying Air India's position as the largest international carrier in India with operations across five continents.
• The merger aims to enhance operational efficiency by eliminating resource duplicities. Consultants are harmonizing workforce and route networks to ensure a seamless integration process, which will commence gradually without the need to ground flights.

• The Indian delegation participated in the Ministerial Meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) held in Singapore on 6 June 2024.
• The delegation was led by Shri Sunil Barthwal, Secretary, Department of Commerce.
• The IPEF Ministerial Statement of 14 November 2023 announced the substantial conclusion of negotiations for the Comprehensive Agreement on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Clean Economy, Fair Economy and Prosperity. 
• "IPEF countries have completed legal review of the elements contained in these agreements and domestic approval processes," it said.
• The member countries of IPEF signed these agreements today are the first of its kind approach to address the challenges of the 21st century and strengthen economic engagement in an important region. 
• India actively participated in the signing proceedings and the Ministerial discussions.

• "Mary Poppins" lyricist Richard Sherman, a legendary composer who was part of the Sherman Brothers duo with his late brother Robert, passes away at the age of 95.

• Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old Indian-American from Florida, clinched the Scripps National Spelling Bee title by accurately spelling 29 words in the intense tiebreaker round. 
• His victory highlights his exceptional spelling skills and determination.
• After competing for the third time, Bruhat Soma's dedication paid off as he won the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee. 
• His success in the tiebreaker round underscores his perseverance and commitment to mastering spelling.

• India, South Korea, Japan, the US, and the European Union launched a Biopharmaceutical Alliance to strengthen the supply chain in the biopharmaceutical sector, announced during the Bio International Convention 2024 in San Diego.
• The alliance aims to create a reliable and sustainable supply chain, coordinating bio policies, regulations, and R&D support among the participating countries, addressing vulnerabilities exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Recognizing the concentration of essential raw material production in a few countries, the alliance will work together to develop a detailed pharmaceutical supply chain map to ensure better distribution and production capabilities.

• The India Pavilion at the 31st INDEX Dubai showcases a diverse range of home decor, textiles, and furniture products from 62 Indian exporters, emphasizing Indian craftsmanship and innovation.
• Organized by EPCH, Texprocil, and MATEXIL, the pavilion offers Indian companies a valuable opportunity to connect with international buyers and promote their products on a global stage.
• INDEX Dubai 2024 features over 530 exhibitors from 34 countries, highlighting trends in sustainability, technology integration, and wellness in interior design, making it a key event for industry professionals.

• Indian badminton maestro Ms. PV Sindhu was designated as the brand ambassador for Tobacco Control today. 
• Ms. Sindhu urged everyone to unite in the campaign against tobacco use, encouraging individuals to lead a tobacco-free life and embrace healthier choices today for a better tomorrow.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, organized an event to observe World No Tobacco Day 2024, emphasizing the theme "Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference.

• Zupee, in collaboration with Gurugram Cyber Police, is training 1,100 selected interns through the Cyber Warriors Program. 
• The internship aims to enhance participants' skills in cyber security, promoting responsible digital citizenship and effectively combating cyber threats.
• The Cyber Warriors Program received 15,000 applications, highlighting significant interest in cyber security.
• The selected interns, comprising both working professionals and college students, will receive intensive training under the guidance of cyber security experts over the course of a month.
• The program was inaugurated by the Commissioner of Police, Gurugram, Vikas Kumar Arora, along with other dignitaries. 
• This emphasizes the dedication of both Zupee and the Gurugram Cyber Police to improving cyber crime detection and prevention in an increasingly digital world.

• Air India's collaboration with Delhi Metro and DIAL provides international travelers with a convenient and hassle-free travel experience.
• Travelers can now check in and drop off their luggage at two metro stations, allowing them to explore Delhi without the burden of carrying their baggage, as it will be securely transported to their flights.
• The innovative system deployed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and DIAL utilizes advanced automated infrastructure to ensure smooth handling of baggage.
• This automated infrastructure not only enhances efficiency but also ensures the safety and security of passengers' luggage throughout the check-in and transfer process.

• India and Libya held discussions to revitalize cooperation in the energy sector, focusing on increasing crude oil trade and resuming exploration and production projects in Libya. 
• Key Indian public sector entities involved include Indian Oil, ONGC, and Oil India.
• The meeting took place between Pankaj Jain, Secretary of India's Ministry of Petroleum, and Mohamed Khalil Issa, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs of Libya, highlighting the commitment of both nations to strengthen their energy sector partnership.

• Smartphones are now the fourth-largest export item from India with 42 per- cent growth to $15.6 billion in FY24, up by one notch in the ranking from the preceding year.
• India started collecting data for smartphones separately from April 2022. While India’s top export items are dominated by petroleum products, smartphones replaced motor gasoline to become the fourth-largest exported commodity in FY24.

• Gitanjali Aiyar, one of India's first English female news presenters on national broadcaster Doordarshan, passed away on 07 June 2023. 
• She was in her mid-70s.
• Aiyar joined Doordarshan in 1971 and was awarded the best anchor four times. She also won the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for Outstanding Women in 1989.
• In her decades-long illustrious career, she was also associated with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
• Gitanjali Aiyar quit Doordarshan in 2002 and worked as a consultant at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The late journalist also acted in the serial 'Khandaan'.

• Sweden announced a significant military aid package to Ukraine, committing $1.25 billion to support the country's defense efforts.
• The aid package includes the provision of ASC 890 surveillance aircraft, aimed at enhancing Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
• This military assistance is intended to bolster Ukraine's air defense amidst ongoing conflict, demonstrating Sweden's support for Ukraine.

• Aamir Raza Husain, a noted theatre actor and director known for his large outdoor stage productions such as "The Fifty Day War" based on the Kargil War and "The Legend of Ram," has passed away at 66. 
• He was also the Creative Director of the Stagedoor Theatre Company, established in 1974, which has presented over 91 productions and more than 1,100 performances.  
• The actor was known for his unforgettable stage plays like ‘The Fifty Day War’ (2000) and ‘The Legend of Ram’. 
• Aamir Raj has acted in super hit movies ‘Baahubali’ and ‘RRR’. He will also be seen in the movie ‘Adipurush’ which will be released on 16th June.
• Aamir Raza Hussain was honored with the Padma Shri by the government for his contribution to theatre. 

• The National Archives of India launched "The Oman Collection," its first international project, to digitize and preserve documents of the Indian diaspora in Oman.
• Over 7,000 historical documents, dating back to 1838 and in multiple languages, were digitized, showcasing the rich heritage and contributions of the Indian community in Oman.
• This initiative highlights the collaborative efforts between India and Oman in preserving historical records, strengthening bilateral ties, and making these valuable resources accessible for future generations.

• Tina Turner: legendary rock’n’roll singer dies aged 83

• DC Manjunath inaugurated two Indian pavilions at the 76th NAFSA 2024 Conference & Expo in New Orleans, where over 40 top Indian academic institutions participated from May 28-31.
• The event highlighted India's commitment to strengthening educational exchanges and fostering global collaboration through active participation and showcasing advancements in international education.

• Ruchira Kamboj, India’s first woman Permanent Representative to the United Nations, retired after a distinguished 35-year career in the Indian Foreign Service, during which she served in Bhutan, South Africa, and UNESCO.
• As a 1987-batch IFS officer and the All India women’s topper of the Civil Services batch, Kamboj played a crucial role in navigating discussions at the UN in New York, especially during the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts.
• Kamboj began her diplomatic career in Paris as the Third Secretary in the Indian Embassy to France from 1989-91 and became Permanent Representative/Ambassador of India to New York on August 2, 2022. She is fluent in Hindi, English, and French.

• The Delhi High Court has appointed retired Justice Najmi Waziri as the Chairperson of the Equestrian Federation of India's Ad-Hoc Administrative Committee.
• The government has increased the retirement and death gratuity limits to Rs 25 lakh, providing enhanced benefits to Central government employees.
• Claudia Sheinbaum will become Mexico's first woman president.
• IAS Rakesh Ranjan appointed as Chairman of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
• Businesswoman Halla Tomasdottir elected as Iceland’s next President.
• Kamal Kishore Soan assumes the role of Director General at ESIC.

• AICTE has introduced six-month hybrid programs to train core engineering faculty in emerging areas like AI, data science, robotics, IoT, and more, offered free of cost in collaboration with IIT. Applications are open to faculty with at least five years of experience until June 6.
• Due to rising demand, Tamil Nadu engineering colleges affiliated with Anna University are adding 25,000 seats this academic year for courses in artificial intelligence and data science, the second most sought-after courses in the region.
• Private institutions in Tamil Nadu are conducting numerous certification courses in AI and data science. Engineering colleges are requesting Anna University to recognize certified core engineering faculty as AI faculty and are employing various strategies, including hiring industry experts, to teach these emerging areas.

• Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, a senior IAS officer from Jharkhand Cadre (Batch : 1998) currently serving as an Additional Secretary and Director General, Labour Welfare in the Ministry of Labour & Employment, took over the additional charge of Director General of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under Ministry of Labour & Employment, on 31.05.2024.
• He has got vast experience of governance and management of various departments in the state of Jharkhand viz. 
• Land Revenue Management and District Administration, Agriculture & Cooperation, Health, Building Construction, Transport, Finance, Energy, Water Resources, Social Justice & Empowerment, etc.

• The Nepalese government has announced plans in its national budget to promote religious tourism by developing the Ramayana Circuit, Buddha Circuit, and Shiva Circuit. 
• These initiatives aim to enhance the appeal of Nepal's religious sites and attract more visitors.
• Nepal's Finance Minister, Yubaraj Khatiwada, announced the development of Janakpurdham, the site of Lord Ram and Sita's wedding, as a destination wedding hub. 
• This initiative targets Hindu communities in India and around the world, highlighting Janakpurdham as a more affordable alternative to popular international wedding destinations like Bangkok, Mauritius, and the Maldives.

• Businesswoman and B Team CEO Halla Tomasdottir has been elected the seventh president of Iceland and will take over from Guyana Johansson on August 1.
• Tomsdottir will be the second woman to hold the post after Vigdis Finnbogadóttir, who was the first woman in the world to be democratically elected president in 1980.
• Halla Tomasdottir received 34.3 percent of the votes, while former Icelandic Prime Minister Katerina Jakobsdottir received 25.2 percent of the votes.

• For the sixth consecutive year, London-based Indian-origin artist Anish Kapoor has topped the Hurun India Art List of the most successful Indian artists alive, based on the sales of their works at public auctions as of January 1, 2024.
• The threshold for entering the top 25 of the Hurun India Art List has seen a significant increase, from Rs 35 lakh in 2021 to Rs 1.9 crore in 2024, reflecting a 443% rise.
• The cumulative value of the top 50 works of art has also increased three-fold, reaching Rs 252.61 crore in 2024 from Rs 82.57 crore in 2021.

• The 39-year-old former Indian all-rounder, Kedar Jadhav, has retired from all forms of cricket. His announcement follows the recent retirement of former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik.
• Jadhav last played for India in an ODI against New Zealand in February 2020 and made his international debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2014. 
• He represented India in the 2019 World Cup and was known for his versatility as a middle-order batsman and off-spin bowler.
• During his international career, Jadhav scored 1389 runs and took 27 wickets in 73 ODIs. In T20 cricket, he played nine matches and scored 122 runs, including one half-century. Despite his success in limited-overs cricket, Jadhav never played in Test matches for India.

• Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences launches PRAGATI-2024.
• Indian mountaineer Satyadeep Gupta sets a record with a double dual ascent of Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse.

• IAS Pradip Kumar Tripathi has been appointed as Secretary to Lokpal until the end of next month.
• IAS Rakesh Ranjan has been appointed as Chairman of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
• Rakesh Ranjan, a 1992 batch IAS officer from Manipur Cadre.
• IAS Amit Yadav of the 1991 batch will become the Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and will take over as Secretary after Saurabh Garg's retirement on July 31st.

• Ray Liotta, Actor in ‘GoodFellas,’ Dies at 67
• Bujar Nishani, who was the President of Albania from 2012 to 2017 passed away
• Popular singer Krishnakumar Kunnath aka KK passes away during live performance in Kolkata
• Santoor player and famous composer Pandit Bhajan Sopori passes away 

• A court in the Philippines has revoked the biosafety permits for the commercial cultivation of genetically modified golden rice and Bt eggplant. 
• Golden Rice, engineered to contain beta carotene, aims to combat Vitamin A deficiency, while Bt eggplant is designed for pest resistance.
• This ruling has significant global implications, potentially influencing the adoption of genetically modified crops worldwide. It underscores ongoing debates about the safety, environmental impact, and regulatory frameworks surrounding GMOs, potentially affecting future agricultural policies and public acceptance.

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved the appointment of Sandeep Batra as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ICICI Prudential.
• Batra's appointment will be effective from June 30, 2024.
• Batra has been associated with the ICICI Group since September 2000 and is currently an Executive Director on the board of ICICI Bank since July 2018, in charge of corporate centre.

• Santoor maestro and renowned music composer Pandit Bhajan Sopori has passed away.
• Born in 1948, Pandit Bhajan Sopori hailed from the Sopore valley of Kashmir. He belonged to the Sufiana gharana of Indian classical music.
• He learned western classical music from Washington University and Hindustani from his grandfather, SC Sopori, and father, Shambhoo Nath. In fact, Bhajan Sopori also taught music at Washington University.
• Sopori was honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1992 and the Padma Shri in 2004 for his contribution to Indian classical music.
• Last month, legendary musician and santoor player Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away due to a cardiac arrest.

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) through the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) has proposed revised guidelines to limit sugar content in processed foods and beverages in India.
• For solid foods, the proposed limit is 5% of total energy intake from added sugars, with a maximum of 10% from all sugars. For beverages, the limit is stricter at 10% of energy intake from added sugars and a maximum of 30% from total sugars.
• The shift from calorie thresholds to sugar content aims to address growing concerns about the health impacts of excessive sugar consumption, potentially leading to significant changes in the sugar content of packaged products in India.

• AClaudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico's first woman president, securing a landslide viActory with 58% to 60% of the vote in the 2 May 2024 election, significantly leading over her main rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, by about 30 percentage points.
• Mexico's official electoral authorAity said preliminary results showed the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City winning between 58% and 60% of the vote in 2 May 2024 election.
• That gives her a lead of about 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez.

• Popular singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, known as KK, passed away after a live performance in Vivekananda College Fest - Prayaas 2K22 at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata.
• KK was not only popular in Bollywood but had also recorded hit songs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi among others.
• KK got his Bollywood break with "Tadap Tadap" from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999.

• India successfully hosted the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM-46) and the 26th Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP-26) in Kochi, Kerala, from May 20th to May 30th, 2024. Union Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju announced plans to establish a new Antarctic research station, Maitri-II.
• The ATCM-46 adopted 17 revised and new management plans for Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA) and prioritized work on the environmental impacts of sea ice change, emperor penguin protection, and biosecurity measures to minimize risks like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
• The meeting's theme, "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (One Earth, One Family, One Future), emphasized global cooperation. 
• The Ministry of Earth Sciences, through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), organized the event with support from the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat and other international institutions.

• The Delhi High Court has appointed an ad-hoc administrative committee to oversee the affairs of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) following allegations of impropriety. 
• This committee includes retired Justice Najmi Waziri as chairperson, former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi as observer/member, and advocate Rohini Musa as member.
• The ad-hoc administrative committee (AAC) shall have former high court judge Justice Najmi Waziri as its chairperson, former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi as observer/member and advocate Rohini Musa as member.

• Former Albanian President Bujar Nishani died due to serious health problem.
• Bujar Nishani served as the President of Albania from 2012 to 2017.
• At 45, he was elected as the youngest and sixth president in post-communist Albania.

• Vice Admiral Gurcharan Singh takes over as Commandant, National Defence Academy.
• Lithuania re-elects President Gitanas Nausėda for a second term.
• Apurva Chandra was appointed as the Chairman of Committee A of the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) Programme.
• P Santhosh has been appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of the National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL).
• The World Organisation for Animal Health appoints Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran as its new Director General.

• Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran has been elected as the new Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) during its 91st General Session for a 5-year term spanning from 2024 to 2029.
• Dr. Monique Eloit leaves behind a lasting legacy of enhanced global cooperation and innovation during her successful 8-year tenure as WOAH's Director General.
• WOAH's commitment to advancing animal health remains steadfast as it approaches its 100th anniversary, poised to tackle complex challenges through collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity.

• Noted Author, Shantanu Gupta, who has written two bestseller titles on Yogi Adityanath, launched his new graphic novel- Ajay to Yogi Adityanath, on the Uttar Pradesh CM’s 51st birthday (05 June).
• More than 5000 children launched the book in more than 51 schools across various districts of Uttar Pradesh. 
• This was the first time that a book was launched in multiple locations simultaneously with so many participants. The launch created an Asia Book of Records.
• The author added that ‘Ajay to Yogi Adityanath’ is a story of sheer grit, determination and hard work for every student to follow and take inspiration from.
• Notably, author Shantanu Gupta, prior to this, has written two bestseller titles on Yogi Adityanath- The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh and The Monk Who Became Chief Minister.

• India’s first deluxe train, the iconic Deccan Queen, recently celebrated its 93rd anniversary of operations between Pune and Mumbai. 
• Its inaugural journey on June 1, 1930 marked a significant moment in the history of the Great Indian Peninsula (GIP) Railway, the predecessor of Central Railways. 
• Deccan Queen was introduced to serve the two important cities of Mumbai and Pune, taking its name from the latter, which was also known as the Queen of Deccan.
• The train has been fitted with a new Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rake since last year, which is believed to be more secure, comfortable, and have a higher carrying capacity, speed potential and better safety features.
• Deccan Queen is the only train in the country with a dining car, which caters to 32 passengers and offers table service. It also boasts modern pantry facilities such as a microwave, deep freezer, and toaster, along with cushioned chairs and a furnished dining car.

• Shashi Tharoor released Dr. Vijay Darda's new book 'Ringside' authored by Dr. Vijay Darda
• PM Modi flags off first 'Vande Bharat Express' for Assam

• This book serves as a follow-up to Dr. Darda's earlier work, "Straight Thoughts"
• Readers highlight topics covering various topics such as science, environment, economy, security, social development, sports, art, culture, foreign policy
• The main objective of the book is to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the political and social scenario at present.

• Instagram will now help people to find missing children. 
• The social media platform has launched AMBER alerts on its platform, whereby people will be able to view and share missing child notices in their area.
• This feature was developed in partnership with organizations such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the US, the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the National Crime Agency in the UK, the Office of the Attorney General in Mexico, Federal Police and more.
• The alert will include essential details about the child, like a photo, a description, the location of the abduction, and any other information available that can be provided. People will be able to share the alert with friends to spread the word.

• SBI Foundation has introduced UpSchool, a digital learning program for students from class 1-10 in partnership with Khan Academy, an educational non-profit.
• The program will be available in English, Hindi and Kannada languages aiming to reduce learning gaps and build a solid foundation in maths and reading for their current academic year.
• Students or their parents can register for the program for free by visiting learn.khanacademy.org/upschool and will receive learning links on WhatsApp for 4-6 weeks. Every student will receive a digital certificate at completing the program.

• Book 'Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure' published on Ruskin Bond's 88th birthday

• India to build its first Polar Research Vessel with Norway's Kongsberg.
• Mount Etna erupts in Italy, spews ash and lava.
• Strawberry Moon in June to appear lowest on the horizon in decades.
• IIT Delhi and AIIMS sign MoU to set up AI research centre in healthcare.

IIT Delhi and AIIMS have signed an MoU to jointly develop a Center of Excellence focusing on artificial intelligence applications in the healthcare sector. The collaboration aims to drive innovation in diagnosis and treatment using AI.

Italy’s Mount Etna erupted on June 2, 2025, with significant ash plumes and lava flows seen from its Southeast Crater. Located in Sicily, the volcano is Europe’s most active and continues to shape itself through regular eruptions.

The full moon in June 2025, known as the Strawberry Moon, will appear unusually low on the horizon—the lowest in decades. Traditionally linked to strawberry harvesting, it will be best visible on June 10 in the Northern Hemisphere.

In a key development, India will construct its first-ever Polar Research Vessel as GRSE signed a memorandum of understanding with Norway’s Kongsberg. The agreement was formalized in the presence of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

• IISER study shows blue light increases DNA mutations in yeast.
• India and WHO sign historic pact to globalize Ayush traditional medicine.
• India’s first gene-edited sheep created using CRISPR-Cas9.
• Bharat Forecast System launched for more accurate rain predictions.
• Google says quantum computers can now break RSA encryption within a week.

• K. Prathapa Reddy, Deputy General Manager of State Bank of India (SBI), has been appointed as Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank (APGVB).
• Prathapa Reddy took over from Praveen Kumar, who was till now the chairman.
• Reddy previously headed the Real Estate Housing Business Unit at SBI Bhopal Circle. 
• He has held a number of positions at SBI, including Regional Manager and head of the Agriculture Development Branch and Retail Assets Centralised Processing Centre in Hyderabad.
• APGVB, supported by SBI, is a beneficial Local Rustic Bank serving clients across 28 regions in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• He will remain in this post for five years. Prathapa Reddy has worked with SBI for over two decades and has vast experience in domestic and overseas assignments.
• Having worked with SBI for over two decades, Prathapa Reddy has wide expertise in both domestic and foreign assignments.

• Ms. Nirmala Lakshman has been unanimously appointed Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited (THGPPL) for a term of three years. 
• She succeeds Ms. Malini Parthasarathy, who stepped down as Chairperson at the Board’s meeting on June 5, 2023 upon nearing the completion of her three-year term.
• Prior to her current appointment, Lakshman served as the Chairperson of Kasturi Media Limited (KML), the publishers of The Hindu Tamil Thisai. 
• She has also held senior editorial positions at The Hindu for more than three decades, shaping the newspaper's editorial direction and maintaining its journalistic integrity.

• Ace Turtle Omni Pvt Ltd., a retail company, has selected Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana as the brand ambassador for its Wrangler brand. Ace Turtle is the licensee of Wrangler in India.
• The company aims for significant expansion in the fiscal year 2024.
• Mandhana embodies the company's values and is expected to inspire customers to embrace their uniqueness and pursue their dreams.
• Mandhana has established herself in international women's cricket and gained a global fan base through her exceptional talent and fearless approach.
• She has received the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year award twice for her outstanding performances on the cricket field.
• Smriti Mandhana was the highest bid player, receiving ₹3.4 crore, in the Women's Premier League auctions.

• Swedish legend and AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces his retirement from football after they played season’s final game against Hellas Verona on June 4.
• After previously playing for Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimovic made only four appearances for AC Milan this season. He last featured in the match against Udinese on March 18.
• He retires as Sweden’s all-time leading goal scorer with 62 goals in 121 international matches. 
• He retired from international football after Euro 2016 but returned for Sweden’s failed World Cup qualifying campaign in 2021.
• Ibrahimovic played for nine clubs during his 24-year career, scoring 561 goals for club and country, according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

• Dennis Francis, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago (TT), created history by becoming the first TT citizen to be elected as the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
• Francis, who has served in the diplomatic service for over 40 years, was nominated on April 1 and faced no opposition in the election. 
• He will serve as the 78th President of the UNGA.
• United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is the United Nation’s chief policy-making and representative organ and was created in 1945.
• It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN).
• It serves as the main deliberative, policy making and representative organ of the United Nations.
• Its powers, structure, functions and procedures are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter.
• Its main functions are to prepare the budget of the United Nations, appoint non-permanent members to the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General of the United Nations, receive reports from other parts of the United Nations system, and make recommendations through resolutions.

• A meteorologist of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dr Abdulla Al Mandous has been elected as the new President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for a four-year term from 2023 to 2027. 
• The WMO is an authoritative body within the UN system that focuses on weather, climate, hydrological, and related environmental fields.
• Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous emerged as the official candidate of the UAE and secured 95 votes out of the representatives from WMO’s 193 member states and territories.
• This is the first time that a GCC meteorologist and an Arab meteorologist from Asia has been named as the president of WMO. 
• Dr. Al Mandous is a highly respected meteorologist with over 30 years of experience in the field. 
• He has served as Director-General of NCM since 2014 and has played a leading role in the development of meteorology and climate science in the UAE.
• He will succeed Prof Gerhard Adrian from the German Meteorological Service, who served as WMO President since June 2019.

• The Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was elected as one of the three vice-presidents of the World Meteorological Organisation.
• Along with Mohapatra, the UN agency for climate change, weather and water elected two other vice-presidents as well.
• The WMO appoints one President and three vice-presidents, who preside over the Executive Council and the World Meteorological Congress.
• Director of meteorology of Cote d'Ivoire, Daouda Konate was elected as the first vice-president and Eoin Moran, director of Met Éireann, was elected the second vice-president.
• Abdulla Al Mandous, the director of United Arab Emirates National Center of Meteorology, was elected President of WMO for a four-year term at the WMO elections held in Geneva.
• Mohapatra hails from Odisha and is often referred to as the ‘cyclone man of India’. He has been heading the IMD since 2019.
• Earlier, India’s Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran was also elected as the vice-chair of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Mechanism (ATCM), an annual decision making mechanism that establishes limitations on commercial sealing and provides a mechanism to deal with it in Antarctica.

• Amarendu Prakash has taken charge as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) from May 31.
• He was previously the Director (In-charge) of SAIL’s Bokaro steel plant
• He has been leading the Bokaro Steel Plant as Director In-charge since September 2020 and briefly took on additional charge as Director In-Charge of the Rourkela Steel Plant, IISCO and Durgapur Steel Plant

• Prof. Saulo, has been Director of the National Meteorological Service of Argentina since 2014 and is currently the First Vice-President of WMO.
•  She will take office on 1 January 2024 and succeeds Prof Petteri Taalas, who has completed his two-term mandate
• Saulo won a landslide vote at the UN Climate and weather agency's Congress in Geneva

• Latvia's parliament has elected popular foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics as the new president
• Latvian lawmakers elected the country's long-serving and popular foreign minister as their new head of state in a tight vote on 31 May 2023
• The 100-seat Seima legislature elected Edgars Rinkevics, the country's top diplomat since 2011, as president for a four-year term
• He received 52 votes, one vote more than needed to win the race

• Ashwani Kumar will replace Soma Sankara Prasad as the MD & CEO of UCO Bank.
• Ashwani Kumar will lead the public sector bank for period of three years from 1 June 2023
• Ashwani Kumar brings with him a wealth of experience, having served in various capacities across five public sector banks (PSBs) throughout his career
• He has worked at Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Punjab National Bank (PNB), and most recently, Indian Bank.
• Kumar's expertise spans multiple domains, including wholesale banking and branch management, including Industrial Finance Branches and Licensed Commercial Banks (LCBs).

• Mr. Prasad, who took charge of the 174-year-old institution on June 1, succeeds Dr. S. Raju
• Prasad is an MSc in Geology from Patna University and joined GSI, Gandhinagar, as a geologist in 1988.
• He was also posted in Shillong, Patna, Faridabad, Ranchi and Hyderabad in various capacities
• Shri Prasad has good experience in metallurgy and mineral exploration studies

• Ajay Yadav has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI)
• Who has been appointed as the 41st Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court by Justice Augustine George Masih
• K. Krithivasan has been appointed as managing director and chief executive officer of Tata Consultancy Services
• Rajesh Kumar Anand has been appointed as Air Officer-in-Charge Administration (AOA)
• P Upadhyay has taken over as the Director General of Naval Ordnance on June 1, 2023
• Angshumali Rastogi has been appointed as India's representative to ICAO
• In June 2023, Bidyut Bihari Swain has been appointed as a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
• Karnataka Bank has appointed Srikrishna Hari Har Sarma as managing director and CEO
• Justice Ramesh D Dhanuka was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on May 28, 2023
• Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) Girish Chandra Murmu was re-elected as the External Auditor of the World Health Organization (WHO)

• Senior bureaucrat Angshumali Rastogi was on 30 may 2023 appointed India's representative to the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, according to a Personnel Ministry order
• Rastogi, a 1995 batch officer of the Indian Railway Mechanical Engineer Service (IRSME), has been appointed in place of Shefali Juneja for a three-year term
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved 12 appointments to fill various foreign posts.

• Union Public Service Commission Chairman Dr Manoj Soni administered him the oath of office and secrecy
• Shri Bidyut B. Swain joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1988 in the Gujarat cadre. Between 1989 and 2018, Shri Swain served the Government of Gujarat in various capacities, in districts and at the state level. CEO of Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board, Primary Education Secretary, Industries Commissioner, VC and MD, Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation and Chief Electoral Officer, State of Gujarat were among his important postings.
• He joined the Government of India in 2018 as Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce as Additional Secretary in charge of Special Economic Zones, India's trade negotiations with CIS countries, export insurance and also served in various capacities such as Chairman of Kimberley Protocol and Commissioner General of India, World Expo-Dubai.
• In 2020, he worked with the Trade Policy Division, CIS and Oceania Divisions with the additional charge of Director General of Trade Treatments.

• NASA launches Small Climate Satellite to study Earth’s poles.
• James Webb Telescope discovers the two earliest galaxies in the universe.
• China's Chang'e 6 probe successfully launches lunar samples from the far side of the moon into lunar orbit.
• Russian astronaut achieves the milestone of being the first person to spend 1,000 days in space. 

• “Olive Green - Going Green” INDIAN ARMY Receives First Hydrogen Bus.
• AICTE introduces AI certificate courses to train engineering faculty members, enhancing their skills in emerging technologies.
• The School Education Department signs an MoU with the National Book Trust to create an institutional framework for the Rashtriya E-Pustakalaya.
• Ruchira Kamboj becomes India's first woman Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
• The National Archives of India launched its first overseas project, "The Oman Collection," in Oman.
• The Supreme Court reconstitutes the committee on gender sensitisation.
• Centre launches new mobile number series for service and transactional calls.
• Air India collaborates with Delhi Airport and Metro for international check-ins.
• The plastic waste management and recycling plant was inaugurated by the Indian Army in Changgu, East Sikkim.
• Indore Lok Sabha seat sets a record for the highest votes secured by NOTA in the 2024 elections.
• Haryana government initiates a Rs 10,000-crore project to combat air pollution.
• Indore sets NOTA record with over 2 lakh opting for 'None of the Above'.

• In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the 'NOTA' (None of the Above) option received a significant 2,18,674 votes in the Indore constituency, following the Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bam's switch to the BJP and the Congress urging voters to choose NOTA.
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Shankar Lalwani won the Indore seat by a substantial margin of 10,08,077 votes, setting a new record for the highest number of NOTA votes in a constituency.
• Nationally, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossed the majority mark early, leading in around 300 seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc is ahead in over 230 seats, defying many exit poll predictions.

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched a comprehensive survey to identify and address the challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in adapting to new technologies.
• The survey aims to lay the groundwork for a robust ecosystem that leverage the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and the integration of 5G and 6G networks.
• The 60-day survey will cover five sectors each in North and South India. It is designed to reveal sector-specific needs across at least ten industries, acknowledging the diverse nature of India’s MSME landscape.

• The Haryana government has announced a Rs 10,000-crore project funded by the World Bank to address air pollution, aiming to improve air quality starting with NCR districts and expanding state-wide.
• The project includes the establishment of a cutting-edge laboratory and the modernization of four existing laboratories to enhance air quality monitoring and analysis.
• The World Bank, headquartered in Washington, D.C., was founded in July 1944 and is funding this significant environmental initiative in Haryana.

• Following the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet, President Droupadi Murmu dissolved the 17th Lok Sabha. Prime Minister Modi subsequently tendered his resignation, which was accepted by President Murmu.
• In the 543-member Lok Sabha, the NDA holds a comfortable majority with the BJP securing 240 seats. Other parties include the Congress with 99 seats, the Samajwadi Party with 37 seats, and the Trinamool Congress with 29 seats.

• The Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army celebrated World Environment Day by inaugurating a plastic waste management and recycling plant in Changgu, East Sikkim. 
• This initiative, part of the Army's Sadbhavana initiative, aims to address waste management issues, promote sustainability, and benefit the local economy.
• The plant will convert plastic waste into materials suitable for road construction and bricks, thereby reducing pollution and the burden on landfills. 
• Additionally, the project provides employment opportunities for local villagers, contributing to economic resilience and community welfare.

• The Centre has introduced a new numbering series, 160xxxxxxx, specifically for service and transactional calls to help citizens identify legitimate calls and reduce unsolicited telemarketing calls.
• The new 160xxxxxxx series will be exclusively used by Principal Entities for service and transactional calls, differentiating them from promotional calls, which often use the 140xxxxxxx series.
• This move by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) aims to help citizens manage their communication more effectively by clearly distinguishing legitimate service and transactional calls from promotional telemarketing calls.

Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems have formalized an agreement to locally produce Rafale fighter aircraft fuselages, establishing a major aerospace manufacturing hub in Hyderabad.

• The Supreme Court has reconstituted its Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee.
• The Supreme Court of India has reconstituted its Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee, appointing Justice Hima Kohli as Chairperson and Justice BV Nagarathna as a Member.
• The reconstitution, initiated by the Chief Justice of India, aligns with the Gender Sensitisation and Sexual Harassment regulations of 2013, ensuring proper representation and compliance.
• The committee includes members from various legal bodies and professionals nominated by the Chief Justice, such as Shruti Pandey, Jaideep Gupta, Dr. Leni Chaudhuri, and Dr. Menaka Guruswamy, reflecting a comprehensive approach to addressing gender sensitisation and harassment issues.

SpaceX’s Starlink has received a licence to offer satellite broadband in India, more than two years after applying, with trial spectrum expected soon following regulatory clearances.

• India will host the 81st annual general meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Delhi from June 8-10, 2025, after a gap of 42 years, with IndiGo as the host airline.
• The event is one of the most important in the aviation industry's calendar, bringing together chiefs and top executives from global airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and other aviation stakeholders to discuss global aviation issues.
• India, poised to become the world’s third largest aviation market, will showcase its impressive growth, record aircraft orders, and world-class infrastructure developments, highlighting its remarkable rise in the global aviation landscape.

• Bank of Baroda launches first 'Phygital' branch in Kolkata Zone.
• SEBI approves ₹3,668 crore IPO of Hero FinCorp.
• Grammarly raises $1 billion to expand into an AI-based productivity platform.
• Japan to provide $1.063 billion to Bangladesh for budget, railways, and education.
• IBA and IOCL sign MoU to promote bioenergy and bio-hydrogen.
• ADB announces $10 billion plan to improve India’s urban infrastructure.
• Drools becomes India's first pet food unicorn after Nestlé’s minority investment.
• Aditya Birla Capital invests ₹249 crore in ABHFL via rights issue.
• Government issues guidelines to boost electric car manufacturing in India.
• Paytm Cloud incorporates Paytm Singapore as a wholly owned subsidiary.
• HDB Financial Services gets SEBI nod for ₹12,500 crore IPO.
• China may order up to 500 Airbus aircraft during EU leaders’ visit to Beijing.
• India to need 1 million AI professionals by 2026; AI education and tech sector on the rise.
• Government launches ‘Ayush Nivesh Saarthi’ portal to boost investment in traditional medicine.
• Central Bank of India buys stake in Future Generali worth ₹451 crore.
• Flipkart gets RBI nod to lend directly to customers and sellers via NBFC licence.

• The Department of School Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Book Trust in New Delhi to establish the Digital Library Platform, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya.
• Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, K. Sanjay Murthy, highlighted that this platform will be accessible 24/7 from any geographic location, thereby enhancing book accessibility for readers across the country.
• K. Sanjay Murthy also emphasized that Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will address the issue of limited library presence in many states, ensuring broader access to literature. 
• He expressed optimism that within the next 2-3 years, the platform will host over 10,000 books in more than 100 languages.

Public sector lender Central Bank of India has purchased a 24.91% stake in Future Generali India for ₹451 crore and an additional 25.18% stake in Future Generali India Life Insurance for ₹57 crore. The deal was finalized and completed on June 4, 2025, according to the company’s filings to stock exchanges, reinforcing the bank's presence in the insurance sector.

• 64 Great Indian Bustards discovered in Jaisalmer's National Desert Park.
• DD Kisan Channel to Launch AI Anchor "Agriculture and Land" on May 26th, 2024.
• Delhi Ranks 350th in 2024 Oxford Global Cities Index Report.
• Kolkata Knight Riders clinched their third IPL championship title in a decade by winning the IPL 2024 final, while Punjab Kings' Harshal Patel took the IPL 2024 Purple Cap with 24 wickets.
• Ministry of Education launches the Implementation Manual of Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) on World No Tobacco Day, 2024.
• India successfully concludes hosting of the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM-46) and the 26th Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP-26).
• NIMHANS bags the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion for 2024 by the World Health Organization.
• ICMR proposes new guidelines to limit sugar in processed foods.
• Varanasi Ropeway: India's first urban ropeway, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, 2022, is scheduled to be completed by August 2024.

Flipkart, owned by Walmart, has secured a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), making it the first large e-commerce platform in India to receive such a license. This move enables Flipkart to directly lend to customers and sellers on its platform, although it cannot accept deposits under this licence. The move marks a significant shift in e-commerce-led financial services in India.

• India's first urban ropeway in Varanasi, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, 2022, is set to be ready by August 2024, with phase 1 projected to be completed by 2025 at a cost of Rs 645 crore.
• The 3.7-kilometer ropeway will connect five significant locations in Varanasi: Girja Ghar Godowlia Chowk, Rath Yatra, Kashi Vidyapith (Bharatmala Mandir), Varanasi Railway Station, and Varanasi Cantonment.
• This ropeway project will reduce travel time significantly, cutting the journey from Varanasi Junction to Godowlia to just 16 minutes while providing an aerial view of the city, enhancing both transportation efficiency and tourist experience.

On May 29, 2025, the Government of India launched the ‘Ayush Nivesh Saarthi’ portal during the Ayush Stakeholder and Industry Meet at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. The portal aims to streamline and promote investments in India’s traditional medicine and wellness sector, positioning India as a global hub for Ayurveda, Yoga, and other indigenous health practices. 

• The Sikkim High Court has implemented a first-of-its-kind menstrual leave policy, allowing women employees in its registry to take 2-3 days of menstrual leave each month.
• The menstrual leave will be granted based on the prior recommendation of the Medical Officer of the High Court and will not be deducted from the employee’s overall leave account.
• The Sikkim High Court, which is the smallest in the country, has three judges and nine officers in the registry, including one woman officer.

India is set to witness a boom in the demand for AI professionals, with estimates predicting the need for over 1 million experts by 2026. A government-backed report ties this trend to increased investment in engineering education and technological infrastructure.

• On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2024, the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, launched an Implementation Manual of Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) at New Delhi.
• In collaboration with Socio Economic and Educational Development Society (SEEDS). This year's WNTD theme is "Protecting children from tobacco industry interference”. 
• The newly launched manual has been designed in line with the theme.
• The manual aims to assist schools in adhering to the ToFEI guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, thereby creating a healthier, tobacco-free environment for students. 
• This initiative will empower all the stakeholders to adopt and enforce guidelines that protect students from the dangers of tobacco.

China is in talks to purchase up to 500 aircraft from Airbus SE, possibly aligning the announcement with the upcoming visit of EU leaders to Beijing. The potential order, being discussed with Chinese airlines, may include both narrow and widebody planes.

HDB Financial Services, a subsidiary of HDFC Bank, has received Sebi approval for launching an IPO worth ₹12,500 crore, making it the largest ever by a non-banking financial company and among the top five in India’s market history.

Paytm Cloud Technologies has established a new subsidiary, Paytm Singapore, by investing SGD 250,000 for 25,000 equity shares. The move, approved by its board, strengthens Paytm's international presence under its parent company, One97 Communications.

The Indian government has introduced a new policy framework aimed at strengthening domestic production of electric passenger vehicles. The initiative aligns with the country’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and enhancing India's role as a global automotive innovation hub.

The Indian Biogas Association and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd have signed an MoU to jointly promote development in the bioenergy and bio-hydrogen sectors by leveraging their combined strengths.

Asian Development Bank President Masato Kanda has introduced a five-year plan to mobilize up to $10 billion to enhance urban infrastructure in India, with a focus on metro expansion and sustainable urban transit.

Drools Pet Food Pvt Ltd has achieved unicorn status following a minority stake acquisition by Nestlé S.A., making it the country’s first pet food brand to surpass a $1 billion valuation.

Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL) has infused ₹249 crore into its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aditya Birla Housing Finance Ltd (ABHFL), through a rights issue to support its expansion plans and maintain a 100% stake.

State-run Bank of Baroda has opened its first 'Phygital' branch in Kolkata, combining digital services with in-person customer support. This is the bank’s seventh such branch in India.

Hero FinCorp has secured regulatory approval from SEBI to proceed with its ₹3,668 crore IPO, marking a pivotal step in its public market entry plans.

San Francisco-based Grammarly has raised $1 billion in non-dilutive financing from General Catalyst to transition from an AI writing tool into a broader productivity platform, without giving up equity.

Bangladesh will receive $1.063 billion from Japan for budgetary assistance, railway modernization, and education, as interim leader Muhammad Yunus visits Tokyo to enhance bilateral ties. The aid includes a $418 million policy loan aimed at economic reform and climate adaptation.

• Adani Group records highest-ever ₹90,000 crore EBITDA in FY25 with strong liquidity.
• Net FDI in India drops 96% to $353 million in FY25 due to high repatriation.
• World Bank warns 80% of Indian districts at risk due to climate change.
• RBI board approves record ₹2.69 trillion surplus transfer to government.
• US becomes India’s 4th largest crude oil supplier, surpasses UAE.
• First cherry cargo train to run from J&K to Mumbai from June 3.
• Getepay becomes Rajasthan's first fintech to get final RBI nod as online payment aggregator.
• Market cap of six top firms drops ₹78,166 crore; Reliance, TCS among major losers.
• India's industrial production grows 2.7% in April 2025.
• NIRL and MAHAPREIT team up to develop 2000 MW green energy projects in Maharashtra.

• The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur has become the country's first AIIMS to receive the National Accreditation Board of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation.
• NABH's recognition for the hospital makes it at par with the world’s leading hospital standards and is proof of the hospital’s commitment to providing high-quality patient care and safety. 
• NABH is globally recognized for healthcare grade and service.
• Hospitals are assessed on over 600 parameters with the standards divided between patient-centered facilities and organization-centered standards, and to comply with these elements, the hospital needs to have a process-driven approach.

• Union Government launched Nyaya Vikas Portal to Monitor Implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
• The Nyaya Vikas Portal has been established to monitor the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Nyay Vikas.
• The portal offers stakeholders seamless access to information related to funding, documentation, project monitoring, and approval.
• The Department of Justice (under the Ministry of Law & Justice) has been implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Districts and Subordinate Judiciary since 1993-94. 
• Under the Scheme, central assistance is provided to the State Government / UT Administrations for the construction of court halls and residential units for Judicial Officers / Judges of District and Subordinate Courts.

• Kerala has topped the Food Safety Index 2022-23, replacing Tamil Nadu at the number one slot.
• Tamil Nadu slipped to third position in the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’s 5th State Food Safety Index (SFSI), which was released by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on the occasion of World Food Day.
• This time, Punjab stood in the second position.
• Among smaller states, Goa stood first for the fourth time in a row. It was followed by Manipur and Sikkim.
• Among Union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Chandigarh secured first, second and third ranks.
• Last year, Tamil Nadu was in the top position among 20 larger states, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra. In 2020-21, Gujarat was in top position, followed by Kerala and then Tamil Nadu in the third position.
• The Food Safety Index evaluates the performance of states and union territories across different aspects of food safety. 
• These parameters include food safety: human resources and institutional data, compliance, food testing facility, training and capacity building, and consumer empowerment.
• The index started in 2018-19 and was meant to create a competitive and positive change in the food safety ecosystem in the country.

• Union Minister Smriti Irani has launched the Amrit Generation Movement - Naye Bharat Ke Sapne to fulfill the dreams of the youth of the country.
• Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare Smriti Subin Irani launched the Amrita Generation Movement in association with META to empower and engage the youth of India to express their future aspirations and dreams.
• The Amrit Generation campaign invites young people from across the country to showcase their creativity and share their aspirations by creating Reels on Instagram and Facebook.

• Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala has started the seventh phase of the “Sagar Parikrama" initiative on 8 June.
• The journey of first phase of “Sagar Parikrama” has started from Mandvi, Gujarat on 5th March 2022 and so far in the Six Phases of Sagar Parikrama, coastal areas of Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Andaman & Nicobar have been visited.
• Sagar Parikrama Phase-VII shall cover the coastal areas of Keralaand UT Administration of Lakshadweep including visits of locations like Mangalore, Kasargode, Madakkara, Pallikkara, Chalium, Kanhangadu, Kozhikode, Mahe (Puducherry), Beypore, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kochi and Islands of Lakshadweep namely, Kavaratti, Bangaramand Agatti etc.
• Kerala fisheries sector contributes around 1.58% to the total GDP and the export of marine products has set ever time record of Rs 5919.02 Crores during the year 2017-18.
• During the Sagar Parikrama events, certificates and sanctions related to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) will be awarded to progressive fishermen, fish farmers, and young fishery entrepreneurs.

• On World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched two schemes, namely Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes). 
• These schemes are aimed at reviving and conserving India’s wetlands and mangroves, contributing to the campaign for a green future and green economy.
• Conserving Ramsar Sites The Amrit Dharohar Yojana focuses on the conservation of existing Ramsar sites in India through active public participation. 
• Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• The scheme aims to achieve sustainable ecosystem development and will be implemented over the next three years.
• The scheme targets the restoration of mangrove cover across nine states in the country. Over the next five years, nearly 540 square kilometers of mangrove area will be comprehensively developed across 11 states and two union territories, starting from the fiscal year 2024.

• Union Minister Jitendra Singh on June 4 inaugurated the two-day "Lavender Festival" in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhaderwah Valley and said the Union Territory has emerged as the lavender capital of India and a prominent agri-startup destination.
• Dr. Jitendra Singh described Bhaderwah as the birthplace of India’s Purple Revolution and the destination of Agri-StartUps.
• The CSIR-Aroma Mission is a flagship project of CSIR under which Lavender cultivation is being promoted in the temperate regions of J&K.
• The aim of the project is to increase the income of small and marginal farmers and develop agriculture-based Startups.
• Under CSIR-Aroma Mission, CSIR-IIIM introduced Lavender and provided more than 30 Lakh free Lavender plants to the farmers of different districts of J&K.
• Farmers of the Bhaderwah, Doda district, produced 300, 500, 800, and 1500 Litres of Lavender oil in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively.

• The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), under the Union Ministry of Education, announced the India Rankings 2023 of higher education institutions in New Delhi.
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras in Chennai remained the best educational institution in overall rankings for the fifth consecutive term. 
• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru ranked as the best university in the country for eight years in a row.
• Miranda House, Delhi is ranked the best college. Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad is the top management institute. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad is ranked number one for pharmaceutical studies.
• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi is ranked the best medical college, and Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai is the top dental college. National Law School of India University, Bengaluru is ranked the best law college in the country.
• IIT-M has also been ranked the best engineering college for the eighth consecutive year (from 2016 to 2023).
• This is the eighth consecutive edition of India Rankings of HEIs in India.

• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off India's first international cruise vessel - MV Empress, from Chennai to Sri Lanka on June 5.
• The MV Empress cruise has a capacity to accommodate 3,000 passengers, was flagged off from Chennai port that will connect three ports--- Triconmalle, Hambantota and Jaffna---in Sri Lanka.
• The launch of the first cruise service between Chennai and Sri Lanka has opened a new chapter in the cruise tourism sector in the country.
• It is a renowned and luxurious cruise ship that operates globally.
• It offers passengers a unique and unforgettable experience on the open seas, combining comfort, entertainment, and leisure.
• The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation systems and safety features, ensuring a secure and smooth journey for all on board.
• Its elegant design and modern amenities make it a preferred choice for travelers seeking a premium cruising experience.

• Reliance Industries is set to commence construction on India’s inaugural multimodal logistics park near Chennai, aiming to revolutionize the region's logistics landscape.
• IRDAI approves Sandeep Batra's post as Chairman of ICICI Prudential Board.
• Smartphones become India's fourth largest export item with 42% growth.
• Zupee partners with Gurugram Cyber Police to enhance cyber security awareness.
• State Bank of India (SBI) achieves Rs 8 lakh crore market capitalisation, becoming the seventh Indian listed company to do so.
• DoT launches initiative to assist MSMEs and startups in embracing new technologies.
• SEBI launches 'Saarthi 2.0' mobile app to assist investors.
• RBI greenlights Zurich's acquisition of 70% stake in Kotak Bank’s insurance arm.
• Muthoot Microfin forms co-lending pact with State Bank of India (SBI).

• Tamil Nadu Minister for Sports Development and Youth Welfare Udhayanidhi Stalin felicitated N Muthamizh Selvi, the first woman from Tamil Nadu to scale Mount Everest.
• The 34-year-old woman from Johilpatti, Virudhunagar, reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 23, after 56 days of strenuous journey.
• Muthamizh Selvi hails from Johilpatti near Kariapatti in the Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu.
• In 2021 she set a new world record by rappelling down blindfolded from a 155-foot mountain in less than a minute. The record was registered in the UNICO Book of World Records.
• Tamil Nadu sports department and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin arranged Rs 25 lakh for her, out of which Rs 10 lakh was from a government fund and Rs 15 lakh was from sponsors.

• From June 2023 to May 2024, 1.16 lakh farmers, mainly from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, voluntarily gave up their Rs 6,000 annual benefits from the PM-Kisan scheme, facilitated by a new module on the PM-Kisan app and website.
• The PM-Kisan scheme, launched in 2019, initially supported small and marginal farmers with up to 2 hectares of land, but now includes all farmer families across India, irrespective of landholding size, with 100% funding from the Government of India.
• Under the PM-Kisan scheme, Rs 6,000 per year is transferred in three installments of Rs 2,000 directly into farmers' bank accounts, aiming to augment their income, with certain exclusions for higher income groups.

• According to the recently published ‘Global Slavery Index 2023’ by the Walk Free Foundation, there has been a significant rise in the global prevalence of modern slavery. 
• Walk Free’s flagship report, the Global Slavery Index (GSI) provides national estimates of modern slavery for 160 countries.
• The report reveals that the number of individuals living in these exploitative conditions has reached 50 million, marking a concerning increase of 25% over the past five years.
• The report highlights the notable contribution of G20 nations in intensifying the crisis of modern slavery, primarily through their trade activities and global supply chains.
• Among the G20 countries, India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Turkey, and the U.S. stand out as having the highest number of individuals subjected to forced labor.
• It ranks 160 countries based on their estimated prevalence of modern slavery per 1,000 people.
• The countries with the highest prevalence are North Korea (104.6), Eritrea (90.3), and Mauritania (32.0), where modern slavery is widespread and often state-sponsored.
• The countries with the lowest prevalence are Switzerland (0.5), Norway (0.5), and Germany (0.6), where strong governance and effective responses to modern slavery are evident.
• India has the prevalence of 8. (Estimated proportion of population living in modern slavery per thousand people).

• Muthoot Microfin has announced a strategic co-lending partnership with the State Bank of India (SBI) to provide financial services to women entrepreneurs in rural and semi-urban regions across India.
• Under this partnership, Muthoot Microfin and SBI will co-lend to members of Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) engaged in agricultural, allied activities, and other income-generating enterprises, with loan amounts ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 3,00,000.

• The 3rd meeting of the Employment Working Group (EWG) was held at the Headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland
• The meeting was attended by 78 delegates from 20 G-20 member countries, nine guest countries and four international organizations
• The proposed significant outcomes of the key priority areas under Indian Presidency  include development of an international reference classification of occupations by skill and qualification requirements to facilitate cross-country comparability and mutual recognition of skills and qualifications, and extension of coverage of ILO and OECD's Skills for Jobs Database to G20 countries through comparable indicators to map skill gaps globally
• They also include commitments by the G20 countries to work towards providing adequate social protection for all including gig and platform workers and ensure sustainable financing of social protection.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved Zurich Insurance Company's acquisition of a 70% stake in Kotak Mahindra General Insurance for ₹5,560 crore, marking a key milestone in the transaction process.
• Kotak Mahindra Bank confirmed in an exchange filing on June 5, 2024, that with the RBI's approval received on June 4, all necessary regulatory approvals for the acquisition have been obtained, and the deal will proceed upon meeting other required conditions.

• The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has decided to omit the chapter on the periodic table from Class 10 Science textbooks as part of the “rationalisation” exercise
• The chapter however has been retained in Class 11 textbook
• This comes after NCERT also removed Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution as part of dropping the theory of biological evolution from the science syllabus in Class X curriculum of the CBSE

• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and the Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP) have partnered to deploy a UPI-like real-time payments system in Peru, marking the first adoption of this technology in South America.
• The partnership aims to establish a reliable and efficient real-time payments platform in Peru, enabling instant payments between individuals and businesses, and reducing reliance on cash transactions.

• The Vande Bharat Express will cover the journey between Mumbai and Goa in about seven and a half hours
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today flagged off Goa's first Vande Bharat Express from Margao Railway Station, via video conferencing
• This will be the 19th Vande Bharat train in the country

• The market regulator SEBI launched 'Saa ₹thi 2.0', a mobile app designed to help investors manage their personal finances with features like financial calculators, educational modules, and investor support tools.
• Amid a surge in trading scams, India registered approximately 7,000 cyber-related complaints daily, with over 100,000 investment scam cases reported in 2023 and significant financial losses in 2024.
• In the first four months of 2024, Indians lost Rs 1,760 crore to cybercriminals, including Rs 1,420 crore from trading scams, Rs 222 crore from investment scams, and Rs 13.23 crore from dating app frauds.

• The Ministry of Minority Affairs has approved a grant of Rs 45.34 crore to develop Unani system of medicine under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram (PMJVK)
• India has signed a $141.12 million loan with ADB for the development of industrial corridors in Andhra Pradesh 
• The Ministry of Minority Affairs has approved a grant of Rs 45.34 crore to develop Unani system of medicine under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram (PMJVK)
• SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has recently approved the merger of HDFC Asset Management Company Limited entity with HDFC Bank
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building in Delhi
• Union Minister Parshottam Rupala launched the 6th phase of 'Sagar Parikrama' in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 29 May 2023
• In the fourth quarter of FY 2022-23, MOIL has produced 4.02 lakh tonnes of manganese ore
• Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the second meeting of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) in May 2023
• The Maharashtra state government launched the Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana in May 2023
• Narendra Modi chairs 22nd Summit of SCO Council 
• RINL receives Greentech Safety Award 2023
• The Government of India has exempted offshore wind projects from inter-state transmission charges (ISTS) charges till 2025
• Union Cabinet approves setting up of Regional Office of Universal Postal Union in New Delhi
• The India-EU Connectivity Summit Meghalaya was held on 1 June 2023 
• Hardeep Singh Puri has launched a mobile app named “PM SVANidhi” for street vendors in June 2023

• State Bank of India (SBI), the largest commercial bank in India, has reached Rs 8 lakh crore in market capitalisation, becoming the seventh listed company in India to do so. 
• On June 3, 2024, SBI shares hit a record high of Rs 899.55 on the BSE.
• With this achievement, SBI joins an exclusive group of companies, including Reliance Industries, Tata Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, Infosys, and ICICI Bank. 
• As the most profitable and largest bank in India, SBI boasts the most extensive network of branches and ATMs, as well as the highest number of foreign branches among Indian banks.

• The state of Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014. 
• The day marks the significance in the history of the state for the continuous Telangana movement over the years.
• The day marks the contribution of the people to create a separate state outside Andhra Pradesh.

• Goldman Sachs has revised India's GDP forecast for 2024 by 10 basis points (bps) to 6.7%.
• Goldman Sachs has raised its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast due to a bumper dividend by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and also pushed back its expectations of an interest rate cut by the central bank.
• Analysts at Goldman Sachs have revised India's GDP forecast for 2024 by 10 basis points (bps) to 6.7%.

• Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launches PM SVANidhi mobile app to ease loan process and provide information for street vendors
• The Svanidhi mobile app will simplify the loan application process and provide them with various information about the scheme
• The Svanidhi scheme is one of the fastest roll-outs of government schemes. 
• This has brought a unique wave of financial inclusion and digital literacy in cities and towns

• The Indian government has raised the maximum limit of retirement and death gratuity from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for Central government employees, effective January 1, 2024. 
• This enhancement aims to improve the benefits for these employees.
• EPFO Suspends Gratuity Hike: Despite expectations, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has put on hold a previously announced 25% increase in retirement and death gratuity. This decision was influenced by considerations related to the recent hike in Dearness Allowance (DA).
• Following the 7th Pay Commission rules, the recent increase in DA to 50% for Central government employees automatically triggers revisions in gratuity limits and other allowances. However, the EPFO’s suspension of the gratuity hike indicates that there are no immediate government plans to implement these revisions.

• The government has exempted offshore wind projects from inter-state transmission charges (ISTS) charges and exempted green hydrogen and green ammonia
• The Ministry of Power, a complete waiver of ISTS charges has been given for off-shore wind power projects commissioned on or before 31st December, 2032 for a period of 25 years from the date of commissioning of the Project.
• It objective to promote offshore wind power, expand green hydrogen and green ammonia projects, and encourage renewable energy from energy storage system projects
• THE ISTS exemption for green hydrogen and green ammonia projects has been extended from June 30, 2025 to December 31, 2030

• Reliance Industries will commence construction in June on India’s first Multimodal Logistics Park at Mappedu near Chennai, valued at Rs 1,424 crore. 
• Spanning 184.27 acres in Tiruvallur district, this project, initially conceptualized 12 years ago, aims to deliver efficient logistics services. Strategically located 52 km from Chennai Port, 80 km from Ennore Port, and 87 km from Kattupalli Port, it is set to become a central logistics hub in southern India, handling an estimated 7.17 million tonnes of cargo over 45 years.
• Connectivity and Industrial Impact: The park’s success hinges on ensuring rail connectivity from Mappedu to nearby ports. 
• Positioned near the Sriperumbudur-Oragadam industrial belt and the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road, it is also close to major automobile and electronics manufacturing clusters. 
• This multimodal logistics park aims to enhance cargo aggregation, distribution, intermodal transfer, sorting, and repacking, thereby revolutionizing the logistics landscape of the southern region.

• The Ministry of External Affairs, EU Delegation to India and the Asian Confluence are jointly organizing the India-EU Connectivity Conference in Meghalaya from1 June
• The objective of the two-day conference is to explore possibilities of boosting connectivity investments in India’s North Eastern States and with India’s neighbours -- Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh
• It will be inaugurated by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, and Minister of State fir External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh

• L&T Technologies has inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Airbus.
• Swiggy partners with SHIELD to enhance fraud prevention.
• GAIL commissions its first green hydrogen plant under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das launches PRAVAAH, Retail Direct mobile app, and FinTech Repository.
• RBI imposes a ₹1-crore penalty on ICICI Bank and fines YES Bank ₹91 lakh.
• ADB commits USD 2.6 billion in sovereign lending to India.

• The government has acknowledged Kari Ishad mango as one of the finest quality mangoes due to its unique aroma, delicious taste, high volume of pulp, and size
• These fruits are large and oblique in oval shape
• The production of this fruit is about 600 tons in a season.

• The Union Cabinet approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) for facilitation of the “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector”
• It would be possible by converging various schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Ministry of Food Processing Industries
• Ministry of Cooperation will implement a pilot project in at least 10 selected districts of different states in the country in order to ensure time bound and uniform implementation of the Plan in a professional manner.

• The meeting, which saw participation from 16 states, was also attended by Union minister Piyush Goyal and Sarbananda Sonowal besides senior officials from various ministries
• NICDIT is within the overall framework of the PMGatiShakti National Master Plan
• National Master Plan is an approach that enables integrated and synchronised implementation of projects
• The National Industrial Corridor Development Program aims to establish a network of industrial corridors that will serve as engines of economic growth, promote industrialization, and create employment opportunities across India
• The program focuses on developing world-class infrastructure, attracting investments, and fostering sustainable industrial development

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that it has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 2.20 crore on Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) for various rule violations. 
• The penalty was imposed because the bank failed to transfer the mandatory minimum amount of 25 percent of its disclosed profit for the year 2020-21 to its reserve fund.
• This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of section 47 A (1) (c) read with sections 46 (4) (i) and 51 (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• The RBI also found that the bank offered interest rates on deposits of non-individual customers that were applicable to senior/super senior citizens in certain cases. 
• Furthermore, the bank did not implement control measures for ATMs regarding the encryption of communication between the ATM terminal/PC and the ATM Switch within the prescribed timelines.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come up with a Financial Inclusion Dashboard named ‘Antardrishti’, a platform that will provide insights to assess and monitor the progress of financial inclusion.
• This facility will also enable to gauge the extent of financial exclusion at granular levels across the country so that such areas can be addressed.
• The dashboard, presently intended for internal use in the RBI, will further facilitate greater financial inclusion through a multi-stakeholder approach.
• The Reserve Bank has been supporting financial inclusion by implementing a number of policy initiatives and the launch of Antardrishti' is another step in this direction.
• The Financial Inclusion Index was launched in 2021 to measure financial inclusion.

• The State Bank of India has launched ‘Project Kuber’ having four transaction banking hubs and one corporate salary package hub in Bengaluru.
• The hubs were inaugurated by the Chief General Manager of State Bank of India Bengaluru Circle, Nand Kishore, and are located at the SBI Administrative Building, Mysore Bank Circle, KG Road, Bengaluru, and Sampige Road, Malleshwaram.
• The project includes the establishment of four Transaction Banking Hubs and one Corporate Salary Package Hub. 
• These hubs will focus on increasing SBI's market share in liability products.
• The hubs will serve as a one-stop destination for digital banking services such as Yono Business, e-Payments, Cash Management Products, and more.

• According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India's economic growth is projected to be over 7% in FY23
• SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has recently approved the merger of HDFC Asset Management Company Limited entity with HDFC Bank
• GSP to enable payments for people using feature phones through the Gupshup app
• According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India's economic growth is projected to be over 7% in FY23.

• The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated Sant Kabir Academy and Research Centre and Swadesh Darshan Yojana at Kabir Chaura Dham, Maghar, (Uttar Pradesh).
• Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Sant Kabir Academy and Research Centre four years ago.
• Sant Kabir was born in a poor and deprived family and was deprived of bookish knowledge, yet he gained empirical knowledge through the association of saints.

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the National Tribal Research Institute in the national capital as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• The NTRI will be a premier national level institute and become the nerve centre of tribal concerns, issues and matters in academic, executive and legislative fields.
• It will collaborate and network with reputed research institutes, universities, and organizations as well as academic bodies and resource Centres.

• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Chairman Dr GR Chintala has launched “My Pad My Right programme”, in Leh. 
• The programme launched by Nabard’s NabFoundation with machinery and materials of a cost of seven and half Lakh rupees. 
• Dr GR Chintala announced to sanction one more lakh to upgrade the machinery to make sanitary pads suitable to the demands of women of different age groups.

• Union Minister Shri Bhagwant Khuba has launched NSEFI’s Pan-India Rooftop Solar Awareness Campaign
• The campaign was launched in an event at Bidar, Karnataka. 
• The campaign is titled “GHAR KE UPAR SOLAR IS SUPER” and aims at mobilizing local government, citizens, Residential Welfare Associations (RWAs), and Municipalities to spread awareness of Solar Rooftop.

• Inverted Rifle, Helmet transferred to War Memorial at Delhi's India Gate
• North India's first Industrial Biotech Park inaugurated at Kathua in J&K
• Indian Railways announces launch of India's first semi-high speed freight train 'Gati Shakti'
• PM Modi announces 'PM CARES for Children' to support kids who lost their parents to the pandemic
• IIM Ahmedabad presents country's first agricultural land price index
• India's first Liquid Mirror Telescope made of a thin film of mercury installed in Uttarakhand

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi released benefits of the PM CARES for Children scheme, for those who lost both their parents due to Covid pandemic.
• The scheme promises ₹4,000 a month for basic needs, financial support for schooling, and scholarship for higher education and free treatment up to ₹5 lakh.
• PM CARES for Children Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on 29 May 2021.
• The aim was to support children who have lost both their parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents or surviving parents to the Covid-19 pandemic, during the period from 11 March 2020 to 28 February 2022.

• Reliance Jio launched its 4G voice and data services at Spangmik village near Pangong Lake in Ladakh.
• The telecom operator became the first network to provide 4G mobile connectivity in and around the Pangong area.
• In Ladakh, the Jio network has been connected via 3 fiber routes, Leh-Srinagar, Leh-Manali (Himachal Pradesh), and Leh-Gurez, to build redundancy.
• Jio is the only private network operator to provide services in the Zanskar region and Siachen base camps and has provided fiber media connectivity via Gurez and Manali along with the existing Kashmir-Leh route.

• The World Bank on Tuesday cut India's economic growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7.5 per cent as rising inflation, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions taper recovery.
• This is the second time that the World Bank has revised its GDP growth forecast for India in the current fiscal 2022-23 (April 2022 to March 2023). 
• In April, it had trimmed the forecast from 8.7 per cent to 8 per cent and now it is projected at 7.5 per cent.

• Tata Projects has won the bid to construct Noida International Airport.
• As part of the agreement, Tata Projects will construct the terminal, runway, airside infrastructure, roads, utilities, landside facilities and other ancillary buildings at Noida International Airport.
• The new airport is expected to be functional by 2024.

• Taxila Sports Complex inaugurated at Pune's Viman Nagar with an investment of about Rs 2.1 crore
• America overtakes China as India's largest trading partner
• Bank of Maharashtra tops PSU lenders in chart of loan growth
• Industry Transition Dialogue Held in Stockholm

• IIM Ahmedabad presents country's first agricultural land price indexThe Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) in collaboration with Indian agri-land marketplace SFarmsIndia has announced the launch of IIMA-SFarmsIndia Agri Land Price Index (ISALPI), a first-of-its-kind land price index that will record and present ‘quality controlled’ data of prices of agricultural land across the country.
• Agriculture land in Karnataka is the most expensive followed by Telangana, according to a new Agri Land Price Index (ALPI) launched for six states.
• As per the index, 34 districts in the six states are considered ‘most expensive’ while land prices in 32 districts are referred to as ‘median’ and prices in the rest of the 41 districts are ‘least expensive’.

• State-owned Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the top performer among public sector lenders in terms of loan and deposit growth in percentage terms during 2021-22.
• It was followed by State Bank of India and Union Bank of India with 10.27 per cent and 9.66 per cent growth, respectively.
• It recorded a 26 per cent increase in gross advances at Rs 1, 35,240 crore at the end of March 2022.

• The US overtook China to become India’s top trading partner in 2021-22, reflecting strong economic ties between the two countries. 
• According to commerce ministry data, in 2021-22, bilateral trade between the US and India stood at US$ 119.42 billion as against US$ 80.51 billion in 2020-21.
• In 2021-22, India had a trade surplus of $32.8 billion with the US.
• The US is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus.
• China was India’s top trading partner from 2013-14 to 2017-18 and also in 2020-21. 
• Before China, the UAE was the India’s largest trading partner.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, during which he congratulated Mr. Carney on his election victory and expressed gratitude for the G7 Summit invitation in Kananaskis.

• India is the 4th largest contributor to UN Peacekeeping forces with over 5,300 personnel.
• Bangladesh tribunal indicts Sheikh Hasina, calls her to court on June 16.
• Lee Jae-myung elected as 21st President of South Korea.
• India wins presidency of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences for 2025–2028.
• Vietnam ends two-child policy to combat aging population and low birth rates.
• India elected to UN Economic and Social Council for 2026–2028 term.
• Karol Nawrocki wins Polish presidential election with 50.9% votes, defeating pro-EU candidate.
• June observed as Men's Health Month to raise awareness about men's well-being.
• Geneva to host second session of global plastic pollution treaty talks from August 5 to 14, 2025.

Nations are moving ahead in forming a legally binding global agreement to combat plastic pollution. The next round of talks will be held in Geneva from August 5 to 14, 2025, under the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. Regional consultations will occur on August 4.

India has been elected to the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for a two-year term starting in 2026. The council is central to promoting sustainable development through economic, social, and environmental strategies.

Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist historian and admirer of Donald Trump, won Poland's presidential runoff with 50.9% of the vote. His win is considered a setback for the pro-European Union leadership in the politically divided country.

June is designated as Men’s Health Month to raise awareness about physical and mental health challenges specific to men. It aims to encourage regular health checkups and open conversations around health concerns often overlooked by men themselves.

India has been chosen to head the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) for the 2025–2028 term. This marks the first time India will hold the presidency in the 100-year history of the organization. V. Srinivas secured the role with over 61% of the vote, defeating Austria's candidate.

Lee Jae-myung of the Liberal Democratic Party has officially become South Korea’s President following his electoral win on June 3, 2025. The country’s election commission confirmed his victory over People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo.

Vietnam has lifted its decades-old two-child rule to address its falling birth rate and challenges posed by an aging population. Amendments passed by the National Assembly officially nullify the population control policy, according to Vietnam News Agency.

The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh has indicted former PM Sheikh Hasina for allegedly directing police action against demonstrators last year and ordered her to appear before the court on June 16.

India ranks as the 4th highest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping operations, currently deploying over 5,300 military and police personnel across missions in Abyei, CAR, DRC, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.

• Georgia imprisons opposition leader Japaridze amid crackdown on dissent.
• BRICS bank NDB adds Algeria as a new member country.
• Mass shooting in South Carolina injures 11, police call it isolated incident.
• 46th ASEAN Summit begins in Kuala Lumpur to discuss Myanmar crisis and US tariffs.
• Pakistan and Turkey reaffirm commitment to strengthen strategic ties during PM Sharif's visit.
• Saudi Arabia launches ‘TOURISE’ platform for global tourism roadmap.
• US court restricts Trump’s power to impose tariffs, affirms Congress' authority.
• US cancels visas of Chinese students in critical fields, citing security concerns.

Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram clinched the title at the 6th Stepan Avagyan Memorial in Jermuk, Armenia, edging out R. Praggnanandhaa on tiebreak after both scored 6.5 points.

• Nepal government's big initiative, Ram-Sita Vivah Mandap to be developed as a destination wedding hub.
• India shines at the NAFSA global education conference in New Orleans.
• Sweden pledges $1.25 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
• India and Libya aim to boost energy sector cooperation, with a focus on enhancing crude oil trade and restarting exploration and production projects.
• Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams becomes the first woman to pilot a new spacecraft on its maiden crewed test flight.
• India, the US, Japan, South Korea, and the EU jointly launch the Biopharmaceutical Alliance.
• India attends Ministerial Meeting on Indo-Pacific Prosperity Economic Framework in Singapore.

Magnus Carlsen secured his seventh Norway Chess championship after Fabiano Caruana’s win over Indian prodigy D Gukesh, finishing the tournament with 16 points.

• University of Tokyo Inaugurates World’s Highest Observatory in Chile
• The world's first 100% biodegradable pen launches in India.
• A 90-year-old makes history as the oldest and first Black American to go to space.
• WHO launches new 'Investment Round' aiming to raise USD 7 billion to tackle global challenges. 
• UAE President confers the First-Class Medal of Independence on the Ambassador of Paraguay.
• Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially opened the 10th World Water Forum.
• Nepal's Purnima Shrestha became the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest three times in 13 days.
• Philippine Court Revokes Biosafety Permits for GM Golden Rice and Bt Eggplant.
• Japan Develops World's First Satellite Made from Wood.

• Mona Agarwal wins silver in 10m Air Pistol SH1 at Para Shooting World Cup.
• India wins 6 medals, including 4 gold, at Ulaanbaatar Open 2025.
• Mohammadreza Shadloui fetches ₹2.23 crore in PKL 12, sets auction record.
• Srihari Nataraj clocks fastest-ever Indian time in 200m freestyle at Singapore Nationals.
• India finishes second with 24 medals at 2025 Asian Athletics Championships.
• Glenn Maxwell retires from ODIs to focus on 2026 T20 World Cup.
• Kabaddi star Pardeep Narwal retires at 28 after going unsold in PKL auction.
• D Gukesh scores first classical win over Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess 2025.
• PSG wins Champions League for the first time with record 5–0 win over Inter Milan.
• RCB wins IPL title for the first time, ending Virat Kohli's 18-year-long wait.
• Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori win French Open 2025 mixed doubles title.

The third-seeded duo from Italy, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, defeated the American pair Taylor Townsend and Evan King in straight sets (6-4, 6-2) to win the mixed doubles final at Roland Garros. This marks their second Grand Slam victory together, their first being the US Open title. Errani also secured a gold medal in women’s doubles at the Paris 2024 Olympics alongside Jasmine Paolini.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won its first UEFA Champions League title in grand fashion, defeating Inter Milan 5–0. Teen sensation Desire Doue scored twice, making the final one of the most one-sided in the tournament’s history.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their maiden IPL title after a dramatic win against Punjab Kings by 6 runs. This emotional victory ended an 18-year drought for Virat Kohli, who had been part of the team since the tournament began in 2008.

Mohammadreza Shadloui became the first PKL player to surpass ₹2 crore in auction value for three seasons, as Gujarat Giants signed him for ₹2.23 crore during the Season 12 auction opener.

Olympian swimmer Srihari Nataraj clinched gold in the 200m freestyle at the 20th Singapore Nationals, clocking 1:48.66 to set a new Best Indian Time, surpassing Sajan Prakash’s previous mark from 2021.

India finished second overall at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi, South Korea, claiming 24 medals — 8 gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze. Notably, Animesh Kujur and Parul Chaudhary set new national records during the event.

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from One-Day Internationals after a 13-year career, choosing to focus on preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Record-holding kabaddi star Pardeep Narwal has retired from the sport after remaining unsold in the PKL Season 12 auction. The 28-year-old, who scored a record 1801 raid points across his career, made the announcement during a live broadcast.

World Champion D Gukesh achieved his first classical chess win over Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 of Norway Chess 2025. This marks a historic milestone in Gukesh’s career against the former World No. 1, known for his dominance in the sport.

Indian wrestlers earned six medals—four of them gold—at the Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 in Mongolia, with Olympian Antim Panghal dominating the women’s 53 kg category with a 10-0 victory.

India’s Mona Agarwal earned a silver medal in the Women’s P2 – 10m Air Pistol SH1 event at the Para Shooting World Cup 2025 in Changwon with a score of 246.6, while Avani Lekhara placed fourth and R.S. Unhalkar came in seventh.

• Mohamed Salah bags third FWA Footballer of the Year award, equals Thierry Henry’s record.
• Novak Djokovic wins 100th ATP title at Geneva Open.
• French mountaineer Vedrines sets record for fastest Mont Blanc ascent and descent.
• Indian Olympic javelin thrower fails dope test, faces possible 8-year ban.
• Hockey India Masters Cup 2025 to be held in Chennai from June 18 to 27.
• Veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina retires from football at age 42.
• Gulveer Singh wins gold in 10,000m at Asian Athletics Championships.
• Kush Maini becomes first Indian to win Formula 2 race.
• Aryna Sabalenka dominates French Open opener with 6-1, 6-0 win.
• India wins second gold in 4x400m mixed relay at Asian Athletics Championship.
• Cristiano Ronaldo creates history with 800 club goals at age 40.
• Mahendra Gurjar breaks javelin world record at Para Athletics Grand Prix in Switzerland.
• India wins 3 golds at Asian Athletics as Jyothi Yarraji shines with record 100m hurdles win.

• Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia were elected non-permanent members of the UN Security Council on 6 June for a two-year term.
• The five newly elected countries will join Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland as non-permanent members of the Council.
• The newly elected members will take up their new responsibilities on January 1, 2024 and serve till December 31, 2025.
• The Security Council is composed of 15 countries, five of which - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members, granting them the right to veto any resolution or decision.
• The 10 non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly, which comprises all 193 UN Member States, and in line with geographical distribution by region.  
• Voting is conducted by secret ballot and candidates must receive a two-thirds majority, or 128 votes, even if they run uncontested.
• United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was established in 1945 by the United Nations Charter.
• It is one of the six major organs of the United Nations.

• The Tata Group has retained its title of India’s most valuable brand at $26.4 billion in 2023, growing at 10.3% over last year as per brand valuation firm Brand Finance in its latest ranking of the country’s leading brands.
• This is the first time that an Indian brand has breached the brand value mark of $25 billion to feature in the top 100 of the Brand Finance Global 500 2023 list.
• Infosys and LIC also retained their positions as the second and third most-valuable brands at $13 billion and $9.8 billion each.
• While Infosys’ brand value grew 2% versus over year, LIC’s brand value declined 12% in comparison to last year.
• Airtel swapped positions with Reliance Industries (RIL) to emerge as the fourth most-valued brand at $7.5 billion in 2023 (it was fifth last year).

• Israel has begun conducting initial tests of autonomous drones capable of carrying passengers and cargo.
• The government-led pilot project, also known as the Israel National Drone Initiative (INDI), aims to create a national drone network and prepare the sky for drone deliveries. 
• The project, a joint collaboration between the Transportation Ministry, the Israel Innovation Authority, Ayalon Highways Limited, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), marks the first use of such technology in the Jewish state.
• 11 drone operating and delivery companies were involved in tests and experimental flights throughout Israel last week.
• This is the second phase of the experiment, which began in January and involved an investment of around $60 million to develop drone infrastructure over the next two years.
• Among the drones tested over the past week was AIR ZERO, manufactured in Israel, which can accommodate up to two passengers and a total payload of up to 220 kilograms for a distance of up to 160 kilometers. 

• Sri Lanka is set to achieve regional energy integration with grid connectivity with India by 2030.
• The World Bank has been assisting the Ceylon Electricity Board to understand the technical requirements & business models to implement the project.
• World Bank's Director of Regional Integration and Engagement in the South Asia Region Cecile Fruman and World Bank's Country Manager for Maldives and Sri Lanka Chiyo Kanda discussed the matter with Sri Lankan authorities.
• The plan aligns with the vision articulated by the External Affairs Minister earlier this year, highlighting Sri Lanka's vast renewable energy potential and the capability of Trincomalee to become an energy hub. 
• Both countries had also agreed in principle on a renewable energy framework to foster further cooperation. 
• This integration is expected to pave the way for enhanced energy security, sustainability, and economic development in the region.

• Indian-origin Ajay Banga started his five-year term as the 14th President of the World Bank today, replacing David Malpass On June 2.
• Banga has become the first-ever Indian-American to head the World Bank.
• The 63-year-old is the first-ever Indian-American to head the global financial institution. 
• He was nominated for the role by US President Joe Biden.
• An alumnus of St Stephen's College and IIM Ahmedabad, Banga was previously the CEO of Mastercard.
• Banga most recently served as Vice Chairman at General Atlantic.
• While Banga is a US citizen and was President Joe Biden’s pick for the job, he was until 2007 an Indian national, and was in 2016 conferred the Padma Shri.
• He was the Honorary Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chairman from 2020-2022.

• India signed seven MoUs with Nepal in June 2023 on various sectors including trade and commerce, cross-border petroleum pipeline, development of integrated check posts and hydropower project
• Turkey's current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been re-elected as president once again.
• Nepal on 28 May 2023 decided to allow India's Sutlej Hydro Power Corporation (SJVN) Limited to develop a second hydropower project in the country
• The Indian Army celebrated the 75th International Day of UN Peacekeepers on May 29
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also attend the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected Nigerian President Bolo Ahmed Tinubu
• India extended a $1 billion line of credit to Sri Lanka in May 2023
• 7th round of Foreign Office Consultations between India, Austria held in Delhi
• The India-EU Connectivity Summit Meghalaya was held on 1 June 2023

• India and Nepal sign seven agreements in various fields including trade and commerce, cross - border petroleum pipeline, development of Integrated Check Posts and hydroelectric project
• One of these agreements is the revised Indo-Nepal Treaty of Transit
• Through this, a provision has been made for the people of Nepal to use the inland waterway facility of India along with new rail routes. 
•  Both countries have decided to increase physical connectivity by establishing new rail links.
• Apart from this, it has also been agreed to provide training to Nepalese railway personnel in Indian Railway Institutes. 
• Two more bridges will be built at Shirsha and Julaghat to boost connectivity to Nepal's far western region.

• It was co-chaired by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs and Gregor Kosler, Political Director in the Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs of Austria. 
• The Foreign Office Consultations have provided an opportunity to review and exchange views on bilateral relations on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
• The two countries have signed a Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Agreement 
• Which aims to facilitate the legal movement of people between India and Austria

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the 22nd Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State on 4th July
• It will be held in the virtual format
• India assumed the rotating Chairmanship of SCO at the Samarkand Summit on 16 September last year. 
• All the SCO Member States, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been invited to attend the Summit

• Nishant Dev, the world championships bronze medalist, makes history as the first Indian male boxer to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games by securing a victory over Moldova’s Vasile Cebotari in the men’s 71 kg category quarterfinal at the World Boxing Qualifiers.
• Pugilist Amit Panghal secures a Paris Olympic quota in the men's 51 kg category.
• DP Manu wins gold medal at Taiwan Athletics Open.
• India clinches 7 medals at Taiwan Athletics Open, including 3 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze.
• Kedar Jadhav retires from all forms of cricket during the Maharashtra Premier League.
• Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu announced as brand ambassador for Tobacco Control.
• Rohit Sharma makes cricket records at the 9th ICC T20 World Cup.
• Sarabjot Singh clinches gold at the Munich World Cup.

• The Indian cricket team, under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, began their campaign at the 9th ICC T20 World Cup with a decisive 8-wicket win against Ireland. 
• Jasprit Bumrah's outstanding bowling figures of 2 for 6 earned him the 'Man of the Match' award.
• Rohit Sharma, known as the "Hitman," made history by becoming the first cricketer to hit 600 sixes in international cricket. 
• Additionally, he is the first Indian and the second player globally, after Chris Gayle, to hit 100 sixes in ICC white-ball tournaments (T20 and ODI).
• Rohit Sharma joined an elite group by scoring over 4000 runs in T20I cricket, alongside Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. 
• He also amassed 1015 runs in T20 World Cups, joining Virat Kohli and Mahela Jayawardene in the 1000-run club for the tournament.

• On June 6, 2024, Indian shooter Sarabjot Singh won the gold medal in the men's 10m air pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, with a score of 242.7 points.
• In the same event, Shuaihang Bu of the People's Republic of China won the silver medal, and Germany's Robin Walter secured the bronze medal.
• This victory marks Sarabjot Singh's second individual gold medal in the ISSF World Cup, following his previous gold in the men's 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, last year.

• The Indian contingent showcased an outstanding performance in the Taiwan Athletics Open 2024, securing a total of seven medals, including three golds, three silvers, and one bronze.
• Notable achievements include Nayana James clinching the gold medal in the women's Long Jump with a jump of 6.43 meters and Ankesh Choudhary winning the gold in the Men's 800 meters with a time of 1 minute 50.63 seconds.
• DP Manu secured the gold medal in the men's Javelin throw with a remarkable effort of 81.58 meters.
• Other significant wins include Nithya Ramraj bagging the silver medal in the women's 100-meter hurdles with a timing of 13.23 seconds and Vismaya V K winning the bronze in the women's 400m race.

• DP Manu from India won the gold medal in javelin throw with a final throw of 81.58 meters.
• Manu improved his throws from 78.32 meters initially to 80.59 meters on his third attempt, clinching the top spot with his sixth and final attempt.
• Silver medal: Chao Tsun Cheng (Chinese Taipei) with 76.21 meters.
• Bronze medal: Chao-Hong Huang (Chinese Taipei) with 71.24 meters.

• Indian pugilist Amit Pangal has secured the prestigious Paris Olympic quota in the men’s 51 kg category on 2 May 2024. 
• He triumphed over Liu Chuang of China at the World Boxing Qualifiers in Bangkok, with a commanding 5-nil quarter-final victory. Amit is the fifth Indian boxer to qualify for the Paris Olympics, following Nishant Dev, Nikhat Zareen, Preeti Pawar and the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain.

• The world championships bronze medalist Nishant Dev became the first Indian male to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after defeating Moldova’s Vasile Cebotari in a unanimous 5-0 decision in the men’s 71 kg category quarterfinal at the World Boxing Qualifiers. 
• He will now become the fourth Indian pugilist to qualify for the Paris Olympics after Nikhat Zareen (women’s 50kg), Preeti (54kg), and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) confirmed their berths by winning bronze medals at the 2022 Asian Games. 
• He is currently the only Indian male boxer to make it through to the Summer Games.

• Simran Sharma wins the gold medal at the Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan.
• Charles Leclerc made history by winning the Monaco Grand Prix.
• Divya Deshmukh wins the Sharjah Challengers Chess title 2024.
• Indian arm wrestlers' contingent wins seven medals at the Asian Championship 2024 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
• Indian Army Major Radhika Sen selected to receive the 2023 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

• India has been placed at the bottom on a list of 180 countries judged for their environmental performances by US-based institutions.
• Denmark topped the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
• The EPI provides a data-driven summary of the state of sustainability around the world.
• India, with increasingly dangerous air quality and rapidly rising greenhouse gas emissions, falls to the bottom of rankings for the first time
• China is placed 161st, with an overall EPI score of 28.4.

• The launch of the third train between India and Bangladesh announced
• Russia successfully test-fired Sircon hypersonic cruise missile with a range of 1000 km

• India and Sweden hosted the Industry Transition Dialogue today in Stockholm, as a part of their joint initiative i.e. Leadership for Industry Transition (LeadIT).
• The LeadIT initiative lays specific focus on hard to abate sectors that are key stakeholders in the global climate action and require specific interventions.
• The event was opened by address from Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India, Shri Bhupender Yadav and Minister for Climate and the Environment, Sweden, Ms. Annika Strandhäll.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju launched the UMEED Central Portal, a step aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in the administration of Waqf properties, especially benefitting Muslim women and children.

• Second phase of NAKSHA training to start from June 2 at 5 centres.
• Gujarat achieves 100% rail electrification with launch of 9,000 HP locomotive.
• Census 2027 to include caste data, will be held in two phases across India.

The Indian government has decided to conduct the Population Census 2027 in two phases, along with a caste enumeration exercise. The official reference date for most regions will be 00:00 hours on March 1, 2027. However, in snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the Union Territory of Ladakh, the reference date will be October 1, 2026. This census will be carried out under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948, and Census Rules, 1990.

With the launch of a 9,000-horsepower electric engine in Dahod, Gujarat has achieved full electrification of its railway network. The initiative, inaugurated by PM Modi on June 4, marks a significant milestone under the "Mission 100% Electrification" goal.

Starting June 2, the Ministry of Rural Development will initiate Phase 2 of the NAKSHA capacity-building programme at five Centres of Excellence, following the completion of the first training phase for 160 master trainers.

• India Mobile Congress 2025 to focus on ‘Innovate to Transform’.
• PM Modi launches ₹5,500 crore development projects in Gujarat.
• Lokpal gives clean chit to Madhabi Buch in Hindenburg case.
• PM Modi launches ₹1010 crore City Gas project in Alipurduar for clean energy supply.

• Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing will undertake his first official visit to India from 30 May to 3 June 2026 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is expected to strengthen bilateral ties in trade, connectivity, regional security, and cultural cooperation.
• The President will be accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, officials, and business leaders. A key highlight will be his bilateral meeting with PM Modi on 1 June in New Delhi, where they will discuss diplomatic relations, trade and investment, connectivity projects, cultural exchanges, and security cooperation.
• President Hlaing will visit Bodh Gaya on 30 May, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site, and Mumbai on 2 June for business engagements and investment-related site visits. A business forum will also be held to promote commercial ties in infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and digital connectivity.
• Myanmar holds strategic importance for India as a gateway to Southeast Asia under the Neighbourhood First, Act East, and MAHASAGAR initiatives.

• India and Canada have agreed to accelerate negotiations and conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of 2026. The announcement was made during the 2026 Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu.
• Both leaders described the agreement as ambitious and mutually beneficial. To strengthen long-term economic ties, the two countries officially launched the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum, which aims to promote business-to-business partnerships, investment opportunities, innovation, entrepreneurship, and enhanced trade linkages.
• The proposed CEPA is expected to improve market access, reduce trade barriers, and boost investment flows. Key sectors likely to benefit include energy, agri-food, technology, education, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and services.
• Current bilateral trade is significant. India exports pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, chemicals, and electronic goods to Canada. Canada exports pulses, coal, fertilisers, petroleum crude, pearls, semi-precious stones, and paper products to India. The agreement offers strategic diversification for both economies amid evolving global trade dynamics.

• 21-year-old Indian shooter Esha Singh created history by winning the gold medal and breaking the world record in the women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich. She scored a remarkable 43 points, surpassing the previous record of 42 set by South Korea’s Kim Yeji in 2024.
• Esha dominated the final from the start, registering perfect scores in the first three series. Despite minor misses later, she recovered strongly with a flawless eighth series. She outperformed elite competitors including Paris Olympic champion Yang Jinn (who finished fifth) and Germany’s Doreen Vennekamp (silver medalist with 38 points).
• Her victory margin of five points highlighted her exceptional consistency and pressure-handling ability. This achievement marks one of the biggest recent successes in Indian shooting sports. Esha’s performance has brought immense pride to the nation and established her as a rising star on the global stage.

• Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has been given additional charge as Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development, and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) effective 31 May 2026. He will hold the post till a regular incumbent is appointed.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet issued the order on 29 May 2026 following the completion of Dr. Samir V. Kamat’s tenure.
• A 1989-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, Rajesh Kumar Singh has been serving as Defence Secretary since 1 November 2024. DRDO is India’s premier defence research body under the Ministry of Defence, responsible for developing military technologies and weapons systems for the armed forces.
• This additional charge arrangement is common in government service until a full-time appointment is made.

• Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar took charge as the 48th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) on 29 May 2026. With over 37 years of distinguished service, he brings rich operational, command, and strategic experience to the role. Prior to this appointment, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
• Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1988 after graduating from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, Vice Admiral Kochhar is a Gunnery and Missile Systems specialist. He has commanded several key warships including INS Nashak, INS Vibhuti, INS Kirpan, INS Trikand (as Commissioning Commanding Officer), INS Vikramaditya, and the Western Fleet.
• He has held important staff appointments at Naval Headquarters such as Joint Director of Naval Plans and Director of Staff Requirements. After promotion to Flag Rank in 2018, he served as Assistant Controller of Carrier Projects, Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, and Commandant of the National Defence Academy.
• He played a crucial role during Operation Sindoor as Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command. Vice Admiral Kochhar has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2026), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2022), and Nau Sena Medal.

• On the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, the UN will posthumously award the Dag Hammarskjold Medal to two Indian peacekeepers — Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh (MONUSCO, DRC) and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan (UNMISS, South Sudan) — for their supreme sacrifice.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will present the medals during the ceremony.
• Additionally, Major Abhilasha Barak, currently serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon as commander of the Female Engagement Team, will receive the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. She is the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army and the third Indian officer to win this honour after Major Suman Gawani and Major Radhika Sen.
• India remains the second-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping with over 4,200 personnel, including 155 women, deployed across missions in Abyei, Cyprus, DRC, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.

• 14-year-old Shrey Parikh from California emerged as the champion of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee. He defeated Ishaan Gupta from New Jersey in a dramatic 90-second spell-off round by correctly spelling 32 words compared to Ishaan’s 25.
• Shrey, who had also reached the finals in 2024, displayed remarkable consistency and composure under pressure. 12-year-old Sarv Dharavane from Georgia secured third place. The competition featured 247 contestants from all 50 US states, various US territories, and several countries including Canada, Bahamas, Ghana, Nigeria, and UAE.
• The spell-off format tested not only spelling accuracy but also speed and mental strength. As champion, Shrey received a $50,000 cash prize, the Scripps Cup, a commemorative medal, $2,500 from Merriam-Webster, Delta Air Lines flight credits, and Encyclopaedia Britannica materials.
• Started in 1925, the Scripps National Spelling Bee promotes literacy, vocabulary, and academic excellence among school students. Shrey’s victory highlights the strong performance of Indian-origin students in the prestigious contest.

• Senior Congress leader and former Member of Parliament K.P. Dhanapalan passed away on 30 May 2026 at a private hospital in Paravur, Kochi, Kerala. He was 76 and was being treated for age-related ailments.
• Dhanapalan represented the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009–2014). He served as President of the Ernakulam District Congress Committee and was a prominent Congress face in central Kerala, closely associated with senior leader A.K. Antony.
• His political journey began in 1979 when he was elected as a councillor of the Paravur municipality. He remained active in local politics till his last days. His final public appearance was at a reception for Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan in Paravur.
• Dhanapalan’s long service to the Indian National Congress and his contributions to Kerala politics will be remembered.

• Dhanendra Kumar, the first Chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and a distinguished retired IAS officer of the 1968 batch (Haryana cadre), passed away following a fire at his Hauz Khas residence in Delhi. He was 80 years old.
• The fire is suspected to have been caused by an explosion in the indoor unit of an air conditioner in his son’s room. Firefighting teams and police responded promptly to control the blaze.
• Kumar had an illustrious career spanning governance, infrastructure, and economic regulation. He served as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Haryana, held senior positions in the Ministries of Defence, Road Transport and Highways, and Culture, and was Executive Director at the World Bank.
• As the first Chairman of CCI (from 2009), he played a pivotal role in establishing India’s modern competition law framework under the Competition Act, 2002. His leadership helped prevent anti-competitive practices, regulate mergers, and promote fair market competition. His demise is a significant loss to India’s administrative fraternity.

• Kerala-based fabless semiconductor startup Netrasemi launched its flagship AI system-on-chip, the A2000, in May 2026 after successful silicon bring-up. Designed in India, the chip is fabricated on TSMC’s 12nm process node and targets edge AI devices such as smart cameras, edge AI boxes, and intelligent video gateways.
• Founded in 2020 by CEO Jyothis Indirabhai, Netrasemi has raised ₹125 crore from investors including Zoho and Unicorn India Ventures. The A2000 integrates neural processing, vision processing, image signal processing, and crypto engines for compact, power-efficient edge computing.
• The company was among the first four startups to receive ₹15 crore under MeitY’s Design Linked Incentive scheme. It is also developing the R1000 AI/ML MCU for IoT sensors in collaboration with the College of Engineering Trivandrum.
• Netrasemi plans commercial production of the A2000 by mid-2027 at TSMC’s Taiwan facility and is developing the A4000 edge AI server chip for 2027.

The Department of Financial Services launched the Common Landing Portal for Unclaimed Financial Assets in collaboration with the PSB Alliance. The portal serves as a single gateway to search unclaimed bank deposits, insurance claims, shares, dividends, mutual funds, and other assets. It supports the “आपकी पूँजी, आपका अधिकार” campaign, aiming to simplify the process of tracing and recovering forgotten funds. The initiative enhances transparency, reduces effort, and improves financial awareness among citizens.

The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Logistics Port Performance Index (LPPI) during the 37th Foundation Day of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority in Mumbai. Developed under the Sagar Aankalan Framework, LPPI evaluates Indian ports on parameters like vessel turnaround time, cargo handling, berth idle time, and container dwell time across dry bulk, liquid bulk, and container cargo. It aligns with PM Gati Shakti, Maritime India Vision 2030, and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 to boost port efficiency.

From 1 June 2026, Malaysia enforced a new rule barring children under 16 from owning social media accounts on platforms with over 8 million users, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission mandates age verification using official documents. Non-compliant platforms face fines of up to 10 million Malaysian ringgit. The measure is part of the Online Safety Act 2025 to protect children from cyber risks.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation in digital payments, financial innovation, and cross-border transactions. The agreement focuses on QR code-based payments, regulatory collaboration, and fintech development. It aims to facilitate seamless payments for travelers and businesses, reduce costs, and enhance payment system connectivity between the two countries. The MoU was approved by the Union Cabinet.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defended their IPL 2026 title by defeating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. RCB restricted GT to 155/8, with Washington Sundar scoring an unbeaten 50. Rasikh Salam Dar took 3/27 for RCB, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood claimed two wickets each. Chasing 156, RCB reached the target comfortably. Rajat Patidar led RCB to back-to-back championships.

India signed a deal worth approximately Rs 60 billion (USD 629 million) to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam. The agreement, confirmed at the Shangri-La Dialogue on 30 May 2026, includes missiles, training, and logistical support. Negotiations with Indonesia for the naval version are in final stages. The Philippines was the first buyer of BrahMos in 2022. The deal strengthens India’s defence exports in Southeast Asia.

Y. Balaji Kiran, an Indian Railway Traffic Service (2013 batch) officer, assumed additional charge as Chief Public Relations Officer of South Coast Railway on 30 May 2026. He also serves as Deputy General Manager-cum-Secretary to the General Manager. The South Coast Railway, India’s 18th zone headquartered in Visakhapatnam, becomes fully operational from 1 June 2026. Kiran has extensive experience in traffic and commercial operations.

The 25th Laureus World Sports Awards were held in Madrid, honoring top athletes of 2024. Swedish-American pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for his Olympic gold, second World Indoor title, and ninth world record. Simone Biles won the Sportswoman of the Year award for her stellar Olympic comeback, securing three golds and one silver. This marked Biles’ fourth win, equaling Serena Williams’ record. The ceremony celebrated excellence, resilience, and remarkable sporting achievements across disciplines.

Goa celebrated its 39th Statehood Day on 30th May 2026, marking the day it became India’s 25th state in 1987. Formerly a Portuguese colony until its liberation in 1961, Goa was granted full statehood after years as a Union Territory. The day commemorates Goa’s unique cultural identity, democratic aspirations, and development journey. Cultural programs, folk performances, and tributes to freedom fighters were held across the state. Goa remains India’s smallest state by area (3,702 sq km).

World No Tobacco Day was observed on 31st May 2026 with the theme ‘Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction’. Led by WHO, the campaign exposes tobacco industry tactics like flavoured products, attractive packaging, and misleading “smoke-free” claims targeting youth. It highlights rising nicotine use among adolescents, especially e-cigarettes. The day raises awareness about health risks and urges stronger tobacco control measures to protect young people from addiction.

The Central Government has approved the Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel project in Himachal Pradesh in May 2026 at an estimated cost of ₹2,352 crore. The 8.7-km tunnel will divert surplus water from the Chandra river (Chenab basin) to the Beas river system. To be implemented by NHPC, the project is expected to generate nearly 4,000 MW of additional hydropower. It is part of India’s river-linking initiative.

• The Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 1 June 2026 in New Delhi to leverage satellite technology and space-based applications for water resource management.
• The agreement, signed during a national workshop at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, will focus on 24 research areas, including reservoir monitoring, river flow analysis, satellite-based water quality assessment, and macroplastic detection in water bodies.
• It also launched the MAHA on Water programme and the Bharat Water Innovation Network for startups and MSMEs.

Scientists have described a new lizard species, Mesalina bishnoi, from Rajasthan — the first confirmed record of the genus Mesalina in India. The specimen was collected in August 2025 from an open semi-desert habitat near Gajner in Bikaner district. Named after the Bishnoi community known for wildlife conservation, this small lizard (SVL 39.2 mm) was confirmed through morphology and genetic analysis. It belongs to the Mesalina watsonana species complex.

Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the Singapore Open 2026 men’s doubles title on 1 June 2026. They defeated the Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri 18-21, 21-17, 21-16 in a thrilling 73-minute final. This was their first Singapore Open title and ninth BWF World Tour title overall. It ended their two-year wait for a BWF title since the 2024 Thailand Open and marked India’s first-ever victory in this event.

The Indian Army successfully demonstrated the indigenous Divyastra Mk-1 tactical loitering munition in Jodhpur on 1 June 2026. Developed by Lucknow-based startup Hoverit with 95% indigenous content, the AI-powered drone has a 500 km range, 5-hour endurance, and 15 kg payload. It was tested in extreme desert conditions above 50°C for ISR and precision strike roles. It is significantly cheaper than foreign equivalents.

Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty, AVSM, assumed charge as the 20th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) on 1 June 2026 at Sri Vijaya Puram. He succeeded Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar. Commissioned in 1989, he is a gunnery and missile specialist with over 36 years of experience. He has served as Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Commandant of Indian Naval Academy, and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff.

Air Marshal Tarun Chaudhry assumed charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force’s Central Air Command on 1 June 2026. He succeeded Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan. Commissioned in 1989 in the fighter stream, he previously served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Southern Air Command. An alumnus of NDA, DSSC, and NDC, he also served as Defence Attaché in Sweden with accreditation to Norway, Finland, and Denmark.

Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan took charge as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command on 30 May 2026 in Mumbai. Commissioned in 1988, he is a gunnery and missile specialist with over three decades of service. He previously served as Vice Chief of Naval Staff. He has commanded key ships including INS Sahyadri, INS Vibhuti, and INS Nashak, and held important staff roles in policy and operations.

General NS Raja Subramani assumed charge as India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on 31 May 2026, succeeding General Anil Chauhan. As the senior-most military officer, he will serve as the principal military advisor to the government and focus on tri-service coordination and strategic reforms. Prior to this, he served as Military Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat, Vice Chief of Army Staff, and GOC-in-C Central Command.

Veteran playback singer Suman Kalyanpur passed away on 31 May 2026 at her Lokhandwala residence in Mumbai at the age of 89 due to age-related health issues. Known for her melodious voice, she was a leading singer of the 1960s and 1970s. She sang iconic songs like Aajkal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche and Na Na Karte Pyar Tumhin Se in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, and Assamese films. Her final rites were held at Pawan Hans Crematorium. She received the Padma Bhushan in 2023.

India will introduce a new Producer Price Index (PPI) series and a revised Wholesale Price Index (WPI) with base year 2022-23 on June 15, 2026. The PPI will have three indices — Output, Input, and Service. Both indices will run parallel for five years before WPI is phased out. The revised WPI basket will expand to 957 items, including renewable energy sources.

58-year-old Valluvan from Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, transformed his loss-making coconut farm into a profitable multi-crop enterprise. Adopting agroforestry under the Cauvery Calling initiative, he now grows over 14 crops, including nutmeg, pepper, turmeric, and bananas. His income rose from ₹30,000 to ₹2.5–3 lakh per acre annually. Soil organic carbon increased from 0.5% to 1.56% in seven years. He was honoured as a UN FAO Soil Farmer Hero.

Meesho has partnered with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to launch Project Shikhar, aimed at helping high-performing e-commerce sellers and MSMEs access capital markets. Through an MoU, the initiative will guide selected businesses in entity restructuring, compliance, governance, and listing procedures on the BSE SME Platform. The program seeks to transform successful private enterprises into publicly listed companies, addressing funding challenges faced by growing digital-first businesses.

Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi climbed to World No. 8 in the June 2026 FIDE ratings with 2761 Elo points. He is currently the only Indian in the Top 10. He gained 10 rating points recently, with strong performances in Romania, TePe Sigeman 2026 (runner-up to Magnus Carlsen), and Sardinia. D Gukesh is ranked 19th and Viswanathan Anand 13th.

On June 2, 2026, DRDO and the Indian Air Force successfully tested the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from a Su-30MKI fighter jet at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur. The solid-propelled missile demonstrated precision strike capability under extreme conditions. Developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, it strengthens India’s air-to-surface strike capabilities against enemy assets.

Justice V. Mohana was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge on June 2, 2026. She became the 12th woman judge in the apex court’s history and the second woman lawyer directly elevated from the Bar after Justice Indu Malhotra (2018). Her elevation, recommended by the Collegium, increases the working strength of the Supreme Court to 37. She is expected to retire in June 2031.

On June 2, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado as Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See. She will be the first laywoman to head a Vatican dicastery and will assume office on November 1, 2026. The Mexican-American media executive currently serves as President and COO of EWTN News.

Indian teenagers Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, and Avyana Mehta won the Global Winners title at The Earth Prize 2026 for their innovation, Plas-Stick — a biodegradable powder made from tamarind seed waste that removes microplastics from water using magnets. The electricity-free, low-cost solution targets rural communities. The team received a US$12,500 grant and worked with IIT Guwahati.

Yogesh Patel, an eight-time BJP MLA from Gujarat, died on June 2, 2026, at age 79 in Vadodara after a prolonged illness. He represented Raopura and Manjalpur constituencies for 36 years. He served as Minister of State for Narmada and Urban Housing under CM Vijay Rupani. Popularly known as “Kaka”, his death has left the Manjalpur Assembly seat vacant.

Telangana celebrates its 12th Formation Day on June 2, 2026. Formed on June 2, 2014, as India’s 29th state after a long statehood movement, it marks the realization of regional identity and self-governance. The day honours the sacrifices of activists and commemorates the democratic struggle. Celebrations include flag hoisting, tributes to martyrs, cultural programmes, folk performances, and state awards across the state.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties on PhysicsWallah (₹5 lakh) and McAfee (₹1 lakh) for using dark patterns on their platforms. Violations included automatic donation selection (basket sneaking), emotional confirmation shaming, and forcing users to share personal data for “free” courses. Both companies have been directed to discontinue these practices and ensure transparent consumer consent as per the 2023 Dark Patterns Guidelines.

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) and SEBI will organise a ‘Niveshak Shivir’ in Bhopal on June 5, 2026. The one-day camp aims to help investors recover unclaimed dividends and shares, update KYC, and resolve grievances. The event will feature direct interaction with companies and RTAs through dedicated kiosks. Investors can register at www.iepf.gov.in. This initiative is part of IEPFA’s nationwide investor awareness and protection programme.

MY Bharat has launched the Viksit Vibrant Village Program (VVVP) 2026 to engage youth in border villages of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh. 500 selected volunteers will participate in a week-long immersion across 93 border villages in two phases. The programme focuses on border awareness, community development, and the Nation First Challenge covering Swadeshi, natural farming, and local tourism. It aims to strengthen national integration and youth participation in border area development.

The Department of Higher Education has launched applications for the Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC) Scheme 2026. The scheme aims to attract accomplished Indian-origin researchers, scientists, and industry experts from global institutions to work in India’s premier institutions. It focuses on 13 priority areas including AI, Quantum Computing, Semiconductors, Energy, Biotechnology, Space & Defence, and Atomic Energy. The initiative is built on three pillars — Lead Institutions, Host Institutions, and PMRC Fellows — to boost India’s research ecosystem and support Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram (2001-batch) has been appointed Chairperson of CBSE, while Varun Bhardwaj (2008-batch IIS) has been named Secretary. The appointments come amid scrutiny over the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system due to complaints regarding technical glitches and evaluation discrepancies. Lokhande succeeds Rahul Singh, while Bhardwaj replaces Himanshu Gupta. The leadership change is expected to bring improvements in CBSE’s examination and evaluation processes.

In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President has appointed Smt. Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai, currently a Judge of the Sikkim High Court, as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. The appointment will take effect from June 5, 2026, following the retirement of Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo on June 4, 2026. The decision was taken in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.

The National Panchayat Awards 2025 will be given to 42 outstanding Panchayats on June 3, 2026, in New Delhi. Organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the awards recognize excellence in governance, sustainable development, and citizen participation. 34 Gram Panchayats will receive Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar across nine LSDG themes, while 8 will get Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar. The awards promote grassroots democracy and SDG implementation.

World Bicycle Day will be observed on June 3, 2026, with the theme ‘Cycling for a Greener Future’. Recognized by the United Nations, the day promotes bicycles as a sustainable, affordable, and healthy mode of transport. It highlights benefits like reduced carbon emissions, improved public health, and lower traffic congestion. The observance encourages governments and individuals to support cycling infrastructure and eco-friendly urban mobility for a cleaner environment.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched Mission Senehjori to transform Assam’s Muga silk into a global luxury brand. The ₹396–411 crore project focuses on strengthening the entire value chain — from host plant cultivation and reeling to weaving, branding, and exports. Key districts covered include Jorhat, Sivasagar, and Sualkuchi. The mission aims to create FPOs, modern reeling units, digital traceability, and silk tourism, aligning with the vision of Atmanirbhar North East.

• Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the First World Yogasana Championship 2026 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on 4th June 2026 via video message. This historic event brings together athletes from various countries and marks a major step towards recognizing Yogasana as a competitive international sport.
• Held just ahead of International Yoga Day, the championship highlights India’s efforts to promote yoga globally. PM Modi called it a historic addition to the world’s sporting legacy and praised Ahmedabad as the ideal host city due to its UNESCO World Heritage status.

Global football icon Sir David Beckham will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 12th June 2026 in Los Angeles. The honor, in the Sports Entertainment category, recognizes his exceptional football career and contributions to global sports culture. The ceremony coincides with the opening phase of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Beckham, former England captain and multiple club title winner, was knighted in 2025. This adds to his legacy as a cultural ambassador.

Economist Neelkanth Mishra was appointed as India’s Executive Director at the World Bank headquarters in Washington D.C. on 4 June 2026 for a three-year term. He succeeds Parameswaran Iyer. Before this, Mishra served as Chief Economist at Axis Bank and is a part-time member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, Chairperson of UIDAI, and member of TRAI. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment. Executive Directors oversee the World Bank’s operations and policies.

The Government of India has appointed senior IFS officer Vipul as the next Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Currently serving as Ambassador to Qatar, he is a 1998-batch officer with nearly three decades of experience in Gulf affairs. A Mechanical Engineering graduate from IIT Delhi and MBA holder from ISB, Vipul’s appointment strengthens India-Saudi cooperation in energy, trade, investment, defence, and regional security. He is expected to assume charge soon.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman was elected President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. He defeated Cyprus’s Andreas Kakouris with 99 votes to 91. A veteran diplomat with over four decades of experience, Rahman will assume office on 8 September 2026. His priorities include peace and security, accelerating SDGs, climate action, human rights, governance of emerging technologies, and UN reforms. The session will also oversee the selection of the next UN Secretary-General.

• Lionel Messi became the first individual footballer to receive the prestigious 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports. The jury, led by Teresa Perales, recognized his extraordinary football achievements, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup and multiple Ballon d’Or wins, along with his humanitarian efforts in education and healthcare.
• Lionel Messi received the news while training with Argentina ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The award honors excellence and positive societal contributions across fields like sports, arts, and science.

• Iranian-French artist, director, and author Marjane Satrapi, best known for her graphic novel Persepolis, died at the age of 56 on 4 June 2026 in Paris. Born in Rasht, Iran, in 1969, she became a French citizen in 2006. Persepolis, which depicts her childhood in Iran, was adapted into an acclaimed animated film.
• French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute, calling her “a great artist who transformed an Iranian childhood into a universal fable.” Her husband Mattias Ripa had passed away in April 2025.

• Renowned Odia poet, playwright, and art historian Jagannath Prasad Das (J.P. Das) passed away on 3 June 2026 at his residence in Bhubaneswar at the age of 90. Born on 26 April 1936 in Puri, he joined the IAS in 1958 and served as Collector of Kalahandi during the 1965-66 famine.
• He authored notable works like Prathama Purusha, Ahnika, and Desha Kala Patra. He received the Saraswati Samman in 2006 and declined the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990. His body will be donated to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for medical research.

Chandigarh University has become the first private university in India to establish the IndiaAI Data Lab in collaboration with Intel India. Inaugurated at the University Institute of Computing, the state-of-the-art facility aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Students will gain practical exposure to Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, and emerging technologies through real-world projects, hackathons, and research. The lab will enhance industry readiness and foster innovation among students and faculty.

• World Environment Day will be celebrated on 5th June 2026 under the theme “Inspired by Nature: For Climate. For Our Future.” Hosted by Azerbaijan in Baku, the event organized by UNEP focuses on climate action, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable lifestyles.
• It promotes nature-based solutions like forest restoration and mangrove protection to combat climate change. The day, established in 1972 after the Stockholm Conference, serves as a global platform for environmental awareness and urges immediate action through the campaign #NowForClimate.

• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the LPPI under the Sagar Aankalan Framework to evaluate and improve efficiency across Indian ports.
• The Department of Financial Services launched a single portal to help citizens trace and recover unclaimed bank deposits, insurance claims, shares, and other financial assets.
• Scientists discovered a new lizard species, Mesalina bishnoi, in Rajasthan, marking the first confirmed Mesalina record in India.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti and ISRO signed an MoU to use satellite technology for better water resource management.
• The Centre approved the ₹2,352 crore Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel Project in Himachal Pradesh to boost hydropower generation.
• India will introduce a new Producer Price Index (PPI) series and a revised Wholesale Price Index (WPI) with the base year 2022-23 on June 15, 2026.
• The Government launched the PMRC Scheme 2026 to attract global Indian-origin experts for research in 13 priority sectors.
• CCPA fined PhysicsWallah ₹5 lakh and McAfee ₹1 lakh for using dark patterns on their platforms.
• IEPFA and SEBI will organise a Niveshak Shivir in Bhopal on June 5, 2026, to assist investors with unclaimed assets and grievances.
• MY Bharat launched VVVP 2026 to engage youth in the development of border villages across Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh.
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the First World Yogasana Championship 2026 in Ahmedabad via video message to promote yoga as a competitive global sport.

• India and Canada have agreed to accelerate trade talks and conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of 2026.
• Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing is undertaking an official visit to India from May 30 to June 3, 2026, to strengthen bilateral ties.
• Malaysia from June 1 banned children under 16 from owning social media accounts on major platforms, with non-compliant companies facing fines up to 10 million ringgit under the Online Safety Act 2025.
• Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez will visit India from June 3–7, 2026, to strengthen cooperation in energy, trade, technology, and investment.

• The Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of Vietnam signed an MoU to boost cooperation in digital payments, fintech, and cross-border transactions including QR code-based payments.
• Meesho has partnered with the BSE to launch Project Shikhar to help high-performing e-commerce sellers and MSMEs list on the BSE SME Platform.
• 58-year-old coconut farmer Valluvan from Tamil Nadu was honored as a UN FAO Soil Farmer Hero for successfully transitioning to a highly profitable multi-crop enterprise.

• 21-year-old Indian shooter Esha Singh won gold and broke the world record in the women's 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich.
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru defended their IPL title by defeating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the final at Ahmedabad, clinching back-to-back championships under Rajat Patidar.
• Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the Singapore Open 2026 men's doubles title, creating history for India.
• Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has climbed to World No. 8 in the June 2026 FIDE ratings, becoming the only Indian currently in the Top 10.
• Football legend Sir David Beckham will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 12th June 2026 in Los Angeles.

• India signed a Rs 60 billion deal to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam, further strengthening its defence export footprint in Southeast Asia.
• The Indian Army successfully demonstrated the indigenous AI-powered Divyastra Mk-1 loitering munition in Jodhpur.
• DRDO and the Indian Air Force successfully test-fired the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from a Su-30MKI fighter jet at Chandipur.

• Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar took charge as the 48th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff on May 29, 2026.
• Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has been given additional charge as the Secretary of DDR&D and Chairman of DRDO effective May 31, 2026.
• Y. Balaji Kiran took charge as Chief PRO of South Coast Railway, India's 18th railway zone headquartered in Visakhapatnam, which became fully operational from June 1, 2026.
• General NS Raja Subramani assumed charge as India’s new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on 31 May 2026.
• Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan took charge as the Chief of the Western Naval Command on 30 May 2026.
• Air Marshal Tarun Chaudhry became the new Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command on 1 June 2026.
• Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty assumed charge as the 20th Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman & Nicobar Command.
• Pope Leo XIV has appointed media executive Maria Montserrat Alvarado as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, making her the first lay woman to head a Vatican dicastery.
• Justice V. Mohana was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge, becoming the 12th woman judge in the apex court's history and the second woman lawyer to be directly elevated from the Bar.
• Lokhande Prashant Sitaram was appointed CBSE Chairperson and Varun Bhardwaj as Secretary.
• Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court with effect from June 5, 2026.
• Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman was elected President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
• Senior IFS officer Vipul has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, moving from his current role in Qatar.
• Economist Neelkanth Mishra has been appointed as India’s Executive Director at the World Bank headquarters in Washington D.C. for a three-year term.

• 14-year-old Shrey Parikh from California won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee by defeating Ishaan Gupta in a dramatic spell-off round.
• The UN will posthumously award the Dag Hammarskjold Medal to two Indian peacekeepers and honour Major Abhilasha Barak with the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
• Mondo Duplantis and Simone Biles won Laureus Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year at the 25th ceremony in Madrid, with Biles equaling Serena Williams' record of four wins.
• Indian teenagers Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, and Avyana Mehta won The Earth Prize 2026 for their microplastic-removing innovation, "Plas-Stick."
• National Panchayat Awards 2025 will honour 42 Panchayats for excellence in governance and sustainable development.
• Lionel Messi became the first individual footballer to win the prestigious 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports for his historic achievements and humanitarian work.

• Dhanendra Kumar, a retired IAS officer and the first Chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), passed away at the age of 80.
• Senior Congress leader and former Member of Parliament K.P. Dhanapalan passed away at the age of 76 in Kochi, Kerala.
• Veteran playback singer Suman Kalyanpur passed away at the age of 89 in Mumbai on 31 May 2026.
• Eight-time BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Yogesh Patel, popularly known as "Kaka", passed away at the age of 79 in Vadodara.
• Renowned Odia poet, playwright, and former IAS officer Jagannath Prasad Das (J.P. Das) passed away in Bhubaneswar at the age of 90.
• Acclaimed Iranian-French graphic novelist and director Marjane Satrapi, famous for Persepolis, passed away in Paris at 56.

• Kerala-based startup Netrasemi has launched its flagship edge AI system-on-chip, the A2000, fabricated on TSMC’s 12nm process.
• Chandigarh University partnered with Intel India to establish India’s first private university-led IndiaAI Data Lab to boost practical AI education.

• World No Tobacco Day was observed on May 31 with the theme of countering nicotine and tobacco addiction, with WHO highlighting the industry's tactics targeting youth through flavoured products and e-cigarettes.
• Goa celebrated its 39th Statehood Day on May 30, marking 39 years since it became India's 25th and smallest state by area in 1987.
• Telangana celebrated its 12th Formation Day on June 2, 2026, commemorating its creation as India’s 29th state in 2014 and honoring the sacrifices of statehood activists.
• World Bicycle Day 2026 will be observed on June 3 with the theme “Cycling for a Greener Future.”
• World Environment Day is celebrated on 5th June 2026 under the theme "Inspired by Nature: For Climate. For Our Future." hosted by Azerbaijan.

Mission Senehjori was launched to develop Assam’s Muga silk into a global luxury brand.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced a standardised vegan logo for certified vegan food products. The green square-framed logo featuring a stylized “V” and sprouting leaf will become mandatory from 1 July 2027. It aims to enhance transparency, prevent misleading claims, and help consumers easily identify vegan products free from animal-derived ingredients. The move supports growing vegan demand, promotes sustainable choices, and aligns with international labelling practices. Food businesses must update packaging accordingly.

The 14th meeting of the India-Philippines Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment (JWGTI) was held in Manila on 5 June 2026. Co-chaired by Amit Verma and Allan B. Gepty, both sides noted bilateral trade reaching USD 3.9 billion in FY 2025-26. Discussions focused on infrastructure, digital technologies, pharmaceuticals, film, energy, and customs cooperation. They agreed to expedite the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement review and pursue a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement. An interaction with Indian businesses in the Philippines was also held.

India’s Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform set a Guinness World Record for the “Most Users to Take an Online Quiz in One Week” with 390,812 participants completing the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) Quiz. Over 50.42 lakh youth from all states and UTs participated. The record was verified for the period 25-31 October 2025. The initiative aims to engage youth in nation-building, promote Viksit Bharat@2047, and foster leadership. The certificate was presented in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.

India and the United Kingdom launched the Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO) in New Delhi. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper formally inaugurated the initiative. The observatory will monitor global critical mineral supply chains, identify risks, and support data-driven decisions for clean energy, EVs, and advanced manufacturing. It is a collaboration between TEXMiN, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, and University of Cambridge. The move strengthens India-UK ties and aligns with India’s National Critical Mineral Mission.

The UN General Assembly elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term, starting 1 January 2027. Germany, despite strong lobbying, failed to secure a seat in the Western European and Others Group. Kyrgyzstan won its first-ever seat after a competitive contest against the Philippines. The new members will join discussions on global peace, sanctions, and peacekeeping. The Security Council has five permanent members with veto power and ten elected non-permanent members.

India’s GDP grew 7.8% in Q4 FY26, surpassing RBI (7.0%) and other forecasts. Full-year FY26 growth was revised upward to 7.7%. Strong services (12.5% in trade/hotels/transport), financial services (10.4%), construction (8.4%), and investment (GFCF 10.8%) drove the performance. Agriculture grew 3.6% and manufacturing 7.3%. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman credited structural reforms and resilience. The robust numbers reflect strong domestic demand and limited impact from global uncertainties.

India’s Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess tournament 2026. The 20-year-old Chennai player defeated Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round, securing 18 points and the title. Starting from third place with 15 points, he delivered a brilliant comeback with four consecutive wins in the later stages. He also defeated Magnus Carlsen twice in classical games. Wesley So finished second with 17 points. This landmark victory highlights Praggnanandhaa’s rising stature and India’s growing chess dominance.

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force, effective 1 July 2026. Currently serving as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC), the experienced fighter pilot, test pilot, and strategist will assist the Chief of Air Staff in operational readiness and modernization. Commissioned in 1986, he has over 3,300 flying hours on 20+ aircraft types and has commanded a Mirage-2000 squadron. He has significantly contributed to indigenous defence projects and theatre command initiatives.

Jammu & Kashmir Bank won the Gold Award at the Finacle Innovation Awards 2026 for its advanced Data Insights and Analytics Platform in the “Modern Technologies-led Innovation” category. The award was received by MD & CEO Amitava Chatterjee and GM Mohammad Muzaffar Wani. The platform integrates Business Intelligence, AI, Machine Learning, and analytics to improve customer analytics, risk management, forecasting, and operational efficiency. The recognition underscores the bank’s successful adoption of technology for better decision-making and customer experience.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s seventh Regional Meteorological Centre in Jammu on 5 June 2026. It will serve Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh with district-level forecasts, mountain weather warnings, and disaster alerts for flash floods, cloudbursts, and avalanches. The centre will benefit pilgrims, farmers, and security forces. The Minister highlighted expanded radar and observatory networks under Mission Mausam. A similar centre is planned for Lucknow. This restructuring improves specialised weather services for the Himalayan region.

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched a ₹1 crore Grand Challenge on 13 June 2026 in New Delhi to develop iron-rich food products for combating anemia. Targeting adolescent girls and women of reproductive age (where nearly 50% suffer from anaemia), the initiative seeks affordable, scalable prototypes delivering 4-5 mg iron per serving using regional ingredients.
• Formats include snacks, bars, beverages, and gummies. Open to researchers, startups, and NGOs, applications close on 3 July 2026. The challenge builds on a 2024 research agreement.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated "Bharat Innovates 2026" in Nice, France, on June 14. Part of the India-France Year of Innovation, the three-day event showcases India’s deep-tech capabilities, featuring 120 startups and over 20 Institutes of Excellence across 13 critical technology pillars, including AI, quantum computing, and semiconductors.
• Attended by over 350 global investors, PM Modi emphasized that technological revolution must remain trusted, inclusive, and human-centric, urging innovators to prioritize solving real-world societal challenges over market valuations.

Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire following SpaceX’s historic IPO in June 2026. The stock debuted at $135 per share, opened at $150, and closed at around $161.11 on the first day, pushing the company’s valuation above $2 trillion. The IPO raised nearly $75 billion, the largest public offering in history, surpassing Saudi Aramco’s 2019 record. As the largest shareholder, Musk’s fortune crossed $1 trillion. Founded in 2002, SpaceX revolutionized space travel with reusable rockets. Musk also leads Tesla, xAI, X, and Starlink.

Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth was appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff on 13 June 2026. He assumed office on 30 June 2026 after General Upendra Dwivedi’s retirement and served until 31 August 2028. Commissioned into the Armoured Corps in 1986 from the National Defence Academy, Lt Gen Seth previously served as Vice Chief of the Army Staff. He has commanded the South Western and Southern Commands, an armoured regiment, and a counter-insurgency force in Jammu and Kashmir. He has been decorated with several prestigious military honours.

• Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik won the Russia Grand Sand Master Cup 2026 at the II International Festival of Sand Sculpture in Kaliningrad Region on 12-13 June. He became the first Indian to receive the prestigious award. His winning three-metre-tall sculpture highlighted climate change and global warming, depicting two faces of the Earth—one showing environmental degradation and the other afforestation and sustainable living.
• The festival featured 12 international sand sculptors. Pattnaik, a Padma Shri recipient, was unanimously selected by an international jury for his work on social and environmental themes.

• British artist David Hockney, born on 9 July 1937 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, died at the age of 88 on 11 June 2026 at his home in London. A towering figure in contemporary art for seven decades, Hockney was renowned for his vibrant swimming pool paintings, colourful landscapes, collages, photography, and innovative iPad drawings.
• At the time of his death, he had an ongoing exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London, with future shows planned at Tate London and the Munch Museum in Oslo. He is survived by his partner Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, brothers, and nieces/nephews.

India celebrated Global Wind Day 2026 on June 15 with the theme "Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration." Hosting the central conference in Goa, the nation highlighted its massive potential of 1,163.9 GW at a 150-meter hub height. Ranking fourth globally, India's capacity reached 56.09 GW in March 2026, driven by a record 6.05 GW annual addition. With 24 GW domestic manufacturing capacity and 70-80% component indigenization, India is expanding into offshore wind via alliances with the UK, Belgium, and Denmark to achieve its 100 GW milestone.

The Gujarat government will launch the Industrial Policy-2026 on 15 June 2026 at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi will unveil the policy, which focuses on investment, employment, innovation, and sector-specific incentives. It introduces an ultra-mega industrial unit category (minimum ₹10,000 crore investment and 3,000 jobs) offering up to 40% capital incentives. Thrust sectors will expand from 9 to 16, including semiconductors, textile recycling, nuclear equipment, and drones. Project THRIVE will support relocation of industries from urban areas.

• The Maharashtra Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, will be introduced in the Monsoon Session of the Legislative Assembly starting 22 June. It aims to grant independent legal recognition to women farmers and improve access to welfare schemes. Over 81% of Maharashtra’s agricultural workforce comprises women, yet many lack benefits due to land ownership norms.
• The Bill proposes a broader definition of ‘farmer’ covering landless farmers, tenant cultivators, labourers, and those in animal husbandry, fisheries, and horticulture. It includes a digital access system, a dedicated Women Farmers Fund, and a monitoring committee.

• On 12 June 2026, the Odisha government announced free education from Kindergarten to Postgraduate level in all government institutions. Building on existing free education up to Class 10, the new policy will extend to higher secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels, benefiting over 10 lakh students.
• The higher education component is estimated to cost ₹30 crore annually. The scheme applies only to government institutions. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made the announcement during a press conference marking two years of the BJP government. Modalities are being prepared for cabinet approval.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) will hold the first meeting of SARTHI (Strategic Advisory and Reforms Taskforce for Holistic ITI Transformation) on June 12, 2026, at Vigyan Bhavan, chaired by Minister Shri Jayant Chaudhary. It aims to reform the network of 13,888 ITIs under the Craftsmen Training Scheme. Discussions will cover curriculum, assessment, industry linkages, women’s participation, instructor development, and quality frameworks. SARTHI seeks better Centre-State coordination and alignment with evolving industry needs.

Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated DST-funded Central Instrumentation Facility and three research clusters (Advanced Materials, Energy, and Healthcare & MedTech) at IIT Gandhinagar. Nearly 70 industries joined as founding partners. The Minister stressed translational research, industry-academia collaboration, and moving beyond publications to societal solutions. He highlighted ANRF, National Quantum Mission, and ₹1 lakh crore RDI initiative. The facilities will support national priorities like semiconductors. He also released a booklet on top research achievements.

• The Income Tax Department and PwC India hosted a webinar on June 9, 2026, titled “Decoding the new Income-tax Act, 2025: International Tax and Transfer Pricing Aspects.” Over 1,100 participants from 16 countries attended.
• Officials including Ms. Monica Bhatia, discussed transition to the new Act and Rules 2026, Advance Pricing Agreements, Safe Harbour provisions, and cross-border cooperation. Presentations covered key reforms compared to the 1961 Act. The interactive session received positive feedback, with participants seeking more such engagements for clarity on international taxation.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Ancat Holding GmbH’s acquisition of 29.06% shareholding in PUMA SE through a secondary purchase. Ancat is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of ANTA Sports. ANTA engages in sports footwear, apparel, and accessories. PUMA is a global sportswear company involved in design, marketing, and sales of athletic products. The approval clears the combination with no significant competition concerns in India.

Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually inaugurated a 20 kW Akashvani FM Transmitter at Ramgarh, Jaisalmer, increasing Rajasthan’s FM transmitters to 39. It will provide coverage to border areas spanning 20,000 sq km. The Minister called for a “Digital First” and “Hyper-Local” approach in broadcasting, integrating local talent. He also mentioned the upcoming AI Data Centre in Jaipur. Prasar Bharati Chairman Prasoon Joshi emphasised Akashvani’s societal role in information dissemination.

• The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) organised a Scientific Conclave in Haridwar on IP 2026 to strengthen pharmaceutical quality and compliance. In collaboration with Uttarakhand industry associations, the event promoted awareness of updated standards, reference substances, and quality systems.
• Dr. V. Kalaiselvan highlighted IP’s role in global leadership. Discussions covered microbiological requirements, analytical methods, and regulatory aspects. The conclave provided handholding support to manufacturers, fostering collaboration between regulators, industry, and scientists for quality-assured medicines.

A detailed study of Type IIP supernova SN 2023zcu, discovered in 2023 in galaxy NGC 2139 (90.7 million light-years away), enhances understanding of cosmic distance scales. Using the Expanding Photospheric Method, researchers from ARIES estimated its distance at 27 Mpc. The progenitor star was about 12 solar masses with typical explosion energy. Observations across rise, plateau, and nebular phases reveal minimal pre-explosion mass loss and element formation. The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal, improves knowledge of core-collapse supernovae dynamics.

• Avtaar.ai, supported by the IndiaAI Mission, launched Varya, a distilled video generation model that reduces creation steps from 50 to 4, making it up to 10x more cost-efficient. Priced at ₹0.48 per second, it generates culturally relevant videos for education, e-commerce, and storytelling across India’s diverse contexts.
• The model enables simple text-to-video conversion and supports population-scale accessibility. Union Secretary S. Krishnan and Avtaar CEO Sravanth Aluru highlighted its role in building indigenous, affordable AI capabilities for inclusive innovation in India.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will host the Global Wind Day 2026 Conference on June 15 in Goa, themed “Wind Energy: From Ambition to Acceleration.” Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi will lead discussions on achieving 100 GW by 2030 and 155 GW by 2035. Focus areas include grid readiness, domestic manufacturing, exports, and capacity addition. India, the fourth-largest wind market, added a record 6.1 GW in 2025-26. Industry reports on turbine exports will be released during plenary sessions with government and industry stakeholders.

• The World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12 to raise awareness and accelerate global efforts against child exploitation. The 2026 theme, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” draws from sports symbolism to reject child labour.
• It emphasises quality education, universal social protection, decent adult employment, strong labour laws, and tackling poverty. Despite progress, 138 million children remain in child labour globally, including 54 million in hazardous work. The observance builds on the Marrakech Global Framework following the Sixth Global Conference.

• The UNGA elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe as non-permanent UNSC members for the 2027-2028 term, while Germany failed to secure a seat.
• India and the United Kingdom launched the Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory in New Delhi to monitor clean energy supply chains.
• India’s MY Bharat platform set a Guinness World Record for the “Most Users to Take an Online Quiz in One Week” with 390,812 participants.
• The 14th India-Philippines Joint Working Group meeting on Trade and Investment was held in Manila to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
• Scientists identified 14,000-year-old footprints and handprints of five hunter-gatherers in an Italian cave, providing the first fossil evidence of human crawling.
• A new 120-million-year-old four-winged feathered gliding dinosaur species, named Jian changmaensis, was discovered in northwestern China's Changma Basin.
• APEDA facilitates the first export of GI-tagged Tezpur Litchi from Assam to Dubai.
• Indore to host BRICS Agriculture Meeting under India’s presidency from June 9, 2026.
• Saudi Arabia lifted its five-year ban on all imports from Lebanon on 10 June 2026.
• India participated in the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, reaffirming commitment to inclusive growth, gender equality, and skill development.

• India’s GDP grew by 7.8% in Q4 FY26, driving the full-year FY26 economic growth revision upward to 7.7% due to strong performance in services and construction.
• West Bengal signed an MoU to join Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme, becoming the 36th State/UT, with rollout beginning in July 2026 benefiting around 6 crore families.
• Union Minister Piyush Goyal launched the BHAVYA Portal to implement a flagship scheme for developing 100 world-class industrial parks across India with an outlay of ₹33,660 crore.
• India ranked fifth globally in military spending for 2025 with an expenditure of $92.1 billion and remained the world's second-largest arms importer during 2021–25.
• Assam, Nagaland, and Centre signed a tripartite MoU for oil and gas exploration in disputed border fields with 50:50 revenue sharing.
• India announced a $2.5 million contribution to UNRWA for Palestine refugees.

• India’s R Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian to win the Norway Chess tournament 2026, defeating Vincent Keymer and beating Magnus Carlsen twice.
• The Indian women's football team defeated defending champions Bangladesh 3-1 in Goa to lift their record sixth SAFF Women's Championship title.
• Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli won the Monaco Grand Prix 2026, securing his fifth consecutive victory of the Formula One season.
• India wins inaugural World Yogasana Championship 2026 with 114 medals.

• Defence Ministry approves 250 MW Solar Power Project with BESS in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh.
• The Ministry of Defence signs ₹449 crore contract for 20 ECGNSS Jammers for the Indian Navy.

• Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, effective 1 July 2026.
• Saurabh Vijay, CEO of UIDAI and 1998-batch IAS officer, assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer of the IndiaAI Mission, with Sudeep Shrivastava as Chief Operating Officer.
• Swaminathan Janakiraman was reappointed as RBI Deputy Governor for another two years effective from 26 June 2026.
• Kumar Shanker assumes charge as Managing Director of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL).
• Banwarilal Purohit elected as President of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
• Rudra Gaurav Shresth appointed as India’s next Ambassador to Türkiye.
• Sanjay Lohiya nominated as a director on the RBI Central Board.

• Jammu & Kashmir Bank won the Gold Award at the Finacle Innovation Awards 2026 for its advanced Data Insights and Analytics Platform.
• Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi honoured 51 distinguished artistes at the SNA Samman Ceremony 2026 in Lucknow for their contributions to music, dance, theatre, and folk arts.
• The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) developed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj won the Gold Award at the National e-Governance Awards 2026.
• The Department of Consumer Affairs’ e-Jagriti platform won the Silver Award at National e-Governance Awards 2026 for improving consumer dispute resolution.
• Lt Commander Suraj Prashar awarded Shaurya Chakra for bravery in Jammu & Kashmir.
• JSW Infrastructure has secured a ₹832.25 crore project for integrated development of Outer Container Terminal and Berths 1-5 at Kolkata Port under DBFOT model.

• Acclaimed Australian cancer researcher and '2024 Australian of the Year' co-recipient, Professor Richard Scolyer, passed away at the age of 59.
• Veteran Tamil filmmaker Bharathiraja passes away at 84 in Chennai.
• Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol passed away at the age of 47 on June 12, 2026.

• World Oceans Day 2026 was observed on June 8 under the theme “Reimagine: Beyond the World We Know, a New Relationship with Our Ocean” to promote marine conservation.

• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s seventh Regional Meteorological Centre in Jammu to provide specialized weather forecasts for the Himalayan region.
• Kerala Agricultural University released a new green chilli variety ‘KAU Thejaswini’ suitable for year-round cultivation with high yield and disease tolerance.
• Kerala Forest Department launched HAWK, India’s first digital judiciary-integrated system for faster wildlife crime prosecution and tracking.
• Kerala launched the Priyadarshini scheme offering free bus travel for women and transgender persons on KSRTC ordinary services from 15 June 2026.
• Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation launches QR-code feedback system for over 3,500 street food vendors.
• Madhya Pradesh government withdraws two-child norm for government jobs and employees.
• Gujarat Police traced 1,470 missing persons under ‘Operation Milap’, with 852 women and 234 minor girls among those recovered.

• The FSSAI has introduced a standardised vegan logo featuring a stylized “V” and leaf, which will become mandatory from 1 July 2027.
• India is set to launch E85 fuel (85% ethanol blend) to boost energy security, reduce imports, and promote sustainable mobility, starting from select stations in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.
• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s seventh Regional Meteorological Centre in Jammu on 5 June 2026 to provide specialized weather services for Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh.
• The National Zoological Park in New Delhi launched the "NZP Saathi App" and self-ticketing kiosks to provide interactive digital navigation and hassle-free cashless transactions for visitors.
• PM Narendra Modi becomes India’s longest-serving continuously elected Prime Minister on June 10, 2026.
• Amit Shah launches VINIMAY – Land Port Management System in New Delhi.
• Major breakthrough achieved in Zojila Tunnel Project in Ladakh on 9 June 2026.
• India’s indigenous Truenat HR-HPV-Plus test validated for cervical cancer screening, set to boost affordable early detection.
• India and Nepal launched UPI-NPI cross-border remittance service for instant, low-cost transfers.

• Researchers from AIIMS New Delhi, ICMR, and WHO’s IARC have validated India’s indigenous Truenat HR-HPV-Plus test, meeting international standards for cervical cancer screening. Developed by Molbio Diagnostics, it detects eight high-risk HPV types responsible for nearly 95% of cervical cancers.
• The test is affordable, point-of-care, and suitable for district-level facilities. While vaccination prevents future infections, screening remains crucial for women above 30. This breakthrough reduces dependence on expensive imports and supports India’s cervical cancer elimination goals through accessible early detection.

• Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment and MSME, Shobha Karandlaje, led the Indian delegation at the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva on June 9, 2026. The ILC, the highest decision-making body of the ILO, is known as the “World Parliament of Labour.”
• India reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive growth, gender equality, social dialogue, and workforce welfare. Key focus areas included skill development, digital transformation in employment services, and international cooperation. India also held bilateral meetings with Nepal, Angola, Mauritius, France, UK, South Korea, US, and Canada to enhance labour mobility and skill recognition.

India announced a $2.5 million contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on June 11, 2026 — the first tranche of its annual $5 million assistance. UNRWA, established in 1949, provides education, healthcare, and relief to Palestine refugees. India supports a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and has also provided humanitarian aid, including medicines and 135 metric tonnes of supplies since October 2023.

On June 11, 2026, India, Assam, and Nagaland signed a tripartite MoU for joint exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in six disputed fields along their border, covering over 1,000 sq km. Signed in the presence of Amit Shah, Hardeep Singh Puri, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Neiphiu Rio, the agreement includes 50:50 revenue sharing. It aims to resolve long-pending territorial issues and boost production significantly, potentially generating over Rs 15,000 crore from one field alone.

On June 11, 2026, the Central Government nominated Sanjay Lohiya, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (Ministry of Finance), as a director on the RBI Central Board. He replaced Nagaraju Maddirala. The RBI Central Board is the apex governing body under the RBI Act, 1934. The Department of Financial Services oversees banking, insurance, and pension sectors. This nomination strengthens government representation in the central bank’s decision-making process.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, eldest daughter of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, passed away on June 12, 2026, at age 47. She had been in a coma since collapsing in December 2022 while training dogs and was treated at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok. A member of the Chakri dynasty, she previously served as Thailand’s Ambassador to Austria and UNODC goodwill ambassador, actively working on women’s rights in prisons. Her death has saddened the Thai royal family and public.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the establishment of an Advanced Quantum Computing and Quantum Communications Lab at MNIT Jaipur under MeitY’s Electronics and ICT programme. The lab will focus on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), quantum computing simulation, and sensing for national security and post-quantum cryptography. Students will also access Lam Research’s Semiverse platform for semiconductor training. The Minister highlighted India’s growing semiconductor design ecosystem and encouraged use of EDA tools under the Chips to Startup programme.

Gujarat State Police traced 1,470 missing persons during ‘Operation Milap’, a month-long statewide campaign launched on May 7, 2026. The drive combined technical intelligence, digital data analysis, field investigations, and interstate coordination to resolve old and new cases. Of those traced, 852 were women, 342 men, 234 minor girls, and 42 minor boys. Surat City Police led with 341 recoveries. The operation focused on family reunification, women and child safety, and strengthening public trust in policing. Many missing persons were traced from neighbouring states.

India and Nepal launched a cross-border peer-to-peer remittance service on June 6, 2026, by integrating India’s UPI with Nepal’s NPI. The system, implemented by NPCI International and Nepal Clearing House, enables instant transfers using mobile numbers or VPAs. Nepal is the second country after Singapore to achieve such connectivity. The corridor supports faster, cheaper remittances between the two nations. Select Nepali banks are live on the platform. This expands UPI’s international footprint to nine countries.

• India achieved a major breakthrough in the main tunnel of the Zojila Tunnel Project on 9 June 2026 at Minamarg, Kargil district, Ladakh. The 14-km tunnel on NH-1 between Baltal and Minamarg, built at 2,900-3,310 metres elevation at ₹6,800 crore, will provide year-round connectivity between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh.
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, LG Manoj Sinha, and CM Omar Abdullah attended the event. Features include advanced ventilation, fire detection, CCTV, avalanche protection, and snow galleries. Travel time from Sonamarg to Minamarg will drop from two hours to 30 minutes, boosting tourism, trade, and strategic mobility.

• Saudi Arabia lifted its five-year ban on imports from Lebanon on 10 June 2026. The ban, initially imposed on fruits and vegetables in April 2021 and later extended to all products due to drug smuggling concerns (especially Captagon), has now been removed.
• The decision by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman followed requests from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam. It reflects improved diplomatic ties and Lebanon’s efforts to strengthen state institutions and curb smuggling. The move is expected to boost Lebanese agricultural exports to Gulf markets.