1 Election dates announced for four states, including Assam and West Bengal, and one Union Territory.
The Election Commission announced that assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase , while West Bengal will have two phases. Announcing the election schedule for the four states and one union territory, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi stated that voting in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will take place on April 9. Voting in Tamil Nadu will take place on April 23. Voting in West Bengal will take place on April 23 and 29. In West Bengal, voting will take place in 152 assembly constituencies in the first phase, while voting will take place in 142 assembly constituencies in the second phase. Counting of votes will take place on May 4 in all four states and one union territory . Kumar stated that the model code of conduct has come into effect immediately in these states and the union territory with the announcement of the election schedule. He added that approximately 174 million people are eligible to vote in the elections for 824 constituencies across the five assemblies. These include approximately 64.4 million voters in West Bengal, 56.7 million in Tamil Nadu, 27 million in Kerala, 25 million in Assam, and 94.4 million in Puducherry. The Chief Election Commissioner said that there will be a total of 219,000 polling stations in four states and one union territory, and a total of 2.5 million election personnel will be deployed.
2 ‘Purple Fest’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan: Celebrating the talents and achievements of persons with disabilities
A special Purple Fest was held on March 13, 2026 , at Rashtrapati Bhavan to honor the talents, achievements, and dreams of Persons with Disabilities . The event aimed to promote inclusion, respect, and awareness in society. Thousands of participants participated in the festival and enjoyed various activities organized specifically for them. During the event, more than 8,000 persons with disabilities visited the Amrit Udyan, a beautiful garden opened exclusively for them on this special day. Organized by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, Purple Fest aims to raise awareness about various types of physical disabilities and their impact on people’s lives, and to promote understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in society.
3 Chirag Paswan launches PMFME incubation centre in Assam
Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan, inaugurated a state-of-the-art Common Incubation Centre at Tezpur University in Sonitpur district on March 13, 2026. The centre was established under the Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME) with full financial support from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries . The initiative aims to strengthen food processing innovation, entrepreneurship, and skill development in India’s northeastern region. in India’s northeastern region . The new Common Incubation Centre has been developed as a state-of-the-art facility designed to support micro food processing enterprises and foster innovation in the sector. The centre will provide entrepreneurs with technical support, training, and the necessary infrastructure to develop and test new food products. The facility will particularly benefit Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), cooperatives, start-ups, and new entrepreneurs.
4 INS Sudarshini arrives at Valletta, Malta
On March 14th , the Indian Navy ‘s training sailing ship, INS Sudarshini, arrived in Valletta, Malta . Valletta is the capital of the European country of Malta. INS Sudarshini embarked on the Lokayan-26 voyage, covering a distance of 22,000 nautical miles . Upon arrival, the Commanding Officer met with Indian High Commissioner to Malta, Rachita Bhandari, and discussed strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Following this, Sudarshini will sail to the French coast to participate in the “Escale à Cet” maritime festival. INS Sudarshini is currently in the second month of its voyage, which began on January 20th this year from Kochi. “Lokayan 26” is an interoceanic voyage, operating from the Kochi coast. INS Sudarshini will conduct most of the voyage by sailing, aided by sea breezes, to provide passengers with a traditional sailing experience. The 10-month ‘Lokayan 26’ voyage will cover more than 22,000 nautical miles, visiting 18 ports in 13 countries. More than 200 Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard trainees will receive ocean sailing training. INS Sudarshini was designed by UK naval architect Colin Moody and built by Goa Shipyard.
5 The government revoked the NSA against Sonam Wangchuk.
On March 14 , the central government lifted the National Security Act (NSA) against environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk . He had been in Jodhpur jail for 170 days and has now been released. Last year, Sonam Wangchuk was leading a protest demanding full statehood for Ladakh. During Sonam’s hunger strike, violence broke out in Leh on September 24, 2025, resulting in the deaths of four people. Two days later, on September 26, Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA). The NSA empowers the government to detain individuals who pose a threat to national security or public order. Under this law, a person can be detained for a maximum of 12 months.
6 Surya Midha breaks Mark Zuckerberg’s record, becomes the youngest self-made billionaire
22-year-old Indian-origin Surya Midha has become the youngest self-made billionaire to be included in Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list . Midha, co-founder of AI recruiting startup “mercor,” has a net worth of $22 billion . Artificial Intelligence (AI) has created a record 35 billionaires under the age of 30. Among them is Surya Midha, who has been included in Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list (the world’s richest people). 22-year-old Surya is the co-founder of Mercor, an artificial intelligence-based recruiting startup. Private investors last year valued the company at $10 billion. Surya Midha and his co-founder are the youngest self-made billionaires to be included on this exclusive list of the world’s billionaires, surpassing Mark Zuckerberg . Zuckerberg, the owner of Meta, debuted on the list almost two decades ago at the age of 23 .
In a significant leadership change in India’s insurance sector, HDFC ERGO General Insurance has appointed Parthanil Ghosh as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO). . The company’s Board of Directors recently approved the decision. Ghosh will officially assume office on April 16, 2026. His appointment will be effective upon receipt of necessary approvals from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and other relevant authorities.
8 New Delhi: Prestigious Naman Awards 2026 organized
On March 15 , the BCCI hosted the NAMAN Awards 2026 in New Delhi . Legendary cricketers Roger Binny and Rahul Dravid were honored with the Colonel C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award . The Colonel C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor given by the BCCI for exceptional service to Indian cricket. Former women’s team captain Mithali Raj was honored with the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to women’s cricket . Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill was awarded the Cricketer of the Year Award for the second time . In the women’s category , Smriti Mandhana was named Best International Cricketer for the fifth time . Ayush Mhatre was awarded the Lala Amarnath Award . Mhatre is the captain of the Under-19 ODI World Cup team. The Mumbai Association was awarded the Best Cricket Association Award for its outstanding performance in domestic cricket. In domestic cricket, Mumbai’s Ira Jadhav was named Best Women Cricketer , and Shefali Verma was named Best Women Cricketer Senior. .
9 Formula One cancels April Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the Middle East conflict.
Formula One has announced that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix races will not be held in April due to the ongoing war in West Asia . The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-FIA said that the F-1 races were scheduled for April 12 in Bahrain and April 19 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. F-1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said that this difficult decision has been taken in view of the current situation in the Middle East. FIA President Mohamed Ben Sulayem said that the FIA will always put the safety and well-being of its community and associates first. Formula One is one of the most prestigious motor racing competitions in the world.