The government has invited nominations for the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) 2026. The award is a prestigious national initiative to recognize outstanding contributions in the fields of Science, Technology, and Innovation. It honours scientists, technologists, and innovators whose work has significantly advanced India’s scientific landscape and contributed to national development. The RVP-2026 awards will be presented in four distinct categories, which include the Vigyan Rata, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and Vigyan Team.

Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar reflects the government’s unwavering commitment to fostering excellence in science, technology, and innovation. He added that these awards celebrate the spirit of inquiry and dedication of country’s scientists and innovators who are driving India’s transformation into a global knowledge leader. Dr Singh also highlighted that the awards serve as a testament to nation’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the cricket team of Jammu and Kashmir for bagging the Ranji Trophy title for the first time and expressed hope that this winning streak of sports persons there continues in the future.

Addressing his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi said March has been a month full of excitement and enthusiasm for cricket fans across the country.

He said when India achieved a historic victory in the T20 World Cup, a wave of joy swept across the country and all citizens are very proud of the team's thumping success.

Late last month, a thrilling match was witnessed in Karnataka's Hubli, where the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team secured the Ranji Trophy, he said.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Ian Borg, on Saturday to discuss ways of further enhancing cooperation between India and Malta.

The discussions also covered expanding the scope of bilateral engagement between the two countries.

In a post on X, Ambassador Sibi George shared, "Secretary (West) @AmbSibiGeorge called on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta, Dr. Ian Borg. They discussed ways to strengthen the ongoing cooperation between India and Malta while also broadening the scope of bilateral engagement. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of interest."

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today announced its ‘Payments Vision 2028’, outlining a roadmap to strengthen and expand India’s rapidly growing digital payments ecosystem.

Anchored in the theme, ‘Shaping India’s Payment Frontier’, the Vision document focuses on user empowerment, safeguards against fraud, improving the efficiency of cross-border payment frameworks, and promoting ease of doing business. Through its various initiatives, the Vision Document charts a course of action up to December 2028.

Among key initiatives, the RBI has proposed developing an interoperability framework for Trade Receivables Discounting Systems (TReDS) to create a more integrated and efficient receivables financing ecosystem. It also plans to explore a “switch on/off” facility across all digital payment modes, similar to card controls, to help users manage transactions and reduce fraud risks.

The Indian Navy hosted the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX) TTX 2026 at the Maritime Warfare Centre under the Southern Naval Command in Kochi on March 27, bringing together naval representatives from across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to deliberate on emerging maritime security challenges.

The high-level exercise saw participation from member navies of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), along with international officers of IOS SAGAR and Indian Navy personnel. Delegates from countries including Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Timor-Leste took part in the exercise.

The multinational participation highlighted a shared commitment to enhancing cooperation, mutual trust and maritime security in the strategically significant Indian Ocean Region. The exercise assumes added importance as India prepares to take over the IONS Chairmanship for the 2026–2028 cycle after a gap of 16 years.

The sky above Western Australia recently transformed into a scene from a science fiction movie, leaving residents and social media users questioning if they were looking through a digital filter.

On March 27, 2026, the horizon in regions like Shark Bay and the Pilbara turned a deep, blood-red hue. This was not a camera trick or a cinematic stunt, but a powerful atmospheric event triggered by Tropical Cyclone Narelle.

As the severe storm approached the coast, its intense winds vacuumed up massive quantities of iron-rich dust from the arid Australian outback, suspending it in the atmosphere to create an eerie crimson daylight.

Nisha Mehta, an alumna of the College of Nursing, AIIMS, Delhi, has been appointed as the health minister of Nepal, an official statement said on Sunday.

In a statement, AIIMS Delhi said, "This remarkable achievement is a moment of great pride for the institution and the nursing community at large." "Mehta's journey from bedside nursing to a key policy-making role reflects the expanding scope and leadership potential of the nursing profession," the statement said.

During her time at AIIMS, she consistently displayed exceptional leadership qualities, active participation in academic and co-curricular activities, and a strong sense of responsibility - traits that have clearly shaped her path toward higher leadership and public service, it added.

The Telangana government on Sunday passed the Telangana Employees Accountability and Monitoring of Parental Support Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly. The Bill proposes to bring about salary deductions for private and public sector employees deemed to be neglecting and failing to support their parents.

The law will also be applicable to MLAs and MPs, as well as nominated members and elected representatives of local bodies.

The Bill allows salary deductions of up to 15% or Rs 10,000, whichever is lower.

Speaking during the debate over the Bill, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said, “The rights of parents should be protected by goodwill. But the Bill makes sure that the law is on the parents’ side when they are neglected.”

China’s flag carrier, Air China, has resumed direct flights between Beijing and North Korea’s capital of Pyongyang today after a gap of 6 years. This comes after the restoration of passenger train services between the capitals resumed on 12th March. Flights and passenger trains from China to North Korea had been suspended since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

However, North Korean carrier Air Koryo resumed flights between the capitals in 2023. China is Pyongyang’s biggest trading partner and major ally. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un travelled to Beijing in September last year to attend a massive military parade, marking the first time a North Korean leader had been present at a Chinese military parade in decades.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) on Tuesday announced the launch of the TV Rating Policy 2026, aimed at strengthening transparency, independence, and accountability in television audience measurement across India. The policy establishes comprehensive guidelines for the registration, operation, and audit of agencies that provide TV rating services.

According to the Ministry, the new framework is designed to enhance credibility in viewership data, ensure fair competition among broadcasters, and safeguard public trust in the media ecosystem. The policy replaces the earlier Guidelines for TV Rating Agencies, issued on January 16, 2014, and is now available on the MIB website.