India’s first AI-powered bird sanctuary to come up in Maharashtra

1 India’s first AI-powered bird sanctuary to come up in Maharashtra

 On  July 21st , the Maharashtra government  announced  the development of  India’s first AI-powered bird sanctuary  . Approximately ₹45 crore  has been approved for this project. This AI-powered bird sanctuary  will be established at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary in Mumbai  . For the first time in India, artificial intelligence will be used  extensively in the management and conservation of a bird sanctuary  . This decision was taken at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the State Wildlife Board. This AI-powered bird sanctuary aims to strengthen bird conservation with modern technology and promote eco-tourism. The project will develop mangrove nature trails, bird watching centers and watchtowers, nature interpretation centers, eco-friendly tourist facilities, and eco-nature parks equipped with AI-based monitoring systems. India’s first AI-based bird identification and monitoring center, spanning approximately 20.09 hectares, will be established within the sanctuary, enabling real-time bird tracking and species identification. This will provide automatic bird identification system, real time bird monitoring, automatic bird tracking, recording interactive digital system.

The Indian Navy  commissioned  the second Mahe-class  anti-submarine warfare corvette, INS Malvan ,  at  the INS Kadamba Naval Base in Karwar, Karnataka . Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh,  Chief of the Air Staff, was the chief guest at the ceremony  . INS Malvan is the second of eight anti-submarine warfare corvettes. It utilizes over 80 percent indigenous equipment and technology. The Indian Navy has commissioned seven warships this year, with approximately 12 more planned by the end of the year. INS Malvan, a Mahe-class warship, is a testament to India’s growing capabilities in warship construction. It also represents our growing strength in maritime security and  anti-submarine warfare capabilities  . It is equipped with advanced anti-submarine weapons, including a forward-mounted  RBU 6000 rocket launcher and  three 324 mm lightweight torpedo tubes on both sides of the ship’s left and right sides   , equipped with advanced lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine minelaying technology. It also features a torpedo decoy launching system as part of its integrated anti-submarine warfare defense system. Its surface warfare capabilities include a 30 mm naval gun and two 12.7 mm stabilized remote-controlled cannons. The Mahe-class ships are powered by three 6 MW marine diesel engines, coupled with water jets, making them the Indian Navy’s largest warships using pump-jet propulsion. They have a maximum speed of 25 knots and an operational range of 1,800 nautical miles at 14 knots. The warship can remain underwater for 14 days without stopping or refueling. The warship’s insignia depicts the “tiger claw,” symbolizing courage, combat prowess, agility, and the ability to strike with precision. The surrounding waves reflect the Navy’s vigilance and commitment to the security of India’s maritime borders. The ship’s motto, “Silent Clause,” reflects its stealthy, lethal, and rapid strike capability. INS ‘Malvan’ is named after the former Indian Navy inshore minesweeper vessel ‘Malvan’, which was decommissioned in 2003 after 19 years of service.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formally welcomed the team on  the successful return  of  the first-ever  tri-service all-women circumnavigation expedition, “Samudra Pradakshina.”  Nine women officers  from the three services, aboard  the Indian Navy Sailing Vessel (IASV) ” Triveni, ”  made history by returning  to Mumbai after completing a voyage of  approximately  25,500 nautical miles  across four oceans in  314 days  . The expedition , which began from Mumbai on September 11, 2025, successfully met all international standards for circumnavigating the globe. The team crossed all meridians of longitude, crossed the equator twice, crossed the International Date Line, and circumnavigated three major capes  : Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and the Cape of Good Hope  . The team successfully transited the Drake Strait, one of the world’s most challenging sea routes, and rounded Cape Horn. This achievement also earned the team membership in the prestigious “Cape Horners” community, a distinction granted only to sailors who successfully complete this difficult sea route.

Delectric Systems has announced  India’s  first grid-scale vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB)  project, with  a storage capacity  of 100 MWh. The project  is being delivered by  NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL), a subsidiary of NTPC Limited,  in collaboration with Bondada Engineering Limited  . It will be installed at   the Khavda Solar Park in Gujarat  , one of the world’s largest renewable energy parks  , which aims  to achieve 30 GW capacity by 2029.  It is planned to be commissioned in 2027. This will be India’s first and largest grid-scale vanadium redox flow battery energy storage system. Bondada Engineering Limited has been assigned the engineering, procurement, and construction responsibility for the project, while Delectrik Systems Pvt Ltd has been appointed as the technical partner for the battery technology. Significantly, this will be the country’s first non-lithium, utility-scale battery storage system designed, engineered, and manufactured 100% in India. The system is scheduled to be installed in 2027 and will include a 10-year operation and maintenance service. Vanadium redox flow batteries are a rechargeable battery technology in which energy is stored in a liquid electrolyte solution containing vanadium ions. Its unique feature is that the energy storage capacity and power output can be individually designed, allowing for larger capacity systems by increasing the tank size. This technology utilizes multiple oxidation states of vanadium, reducing cross-contamination between the positive and negative electrolytes. This makes it suitable for stationary grid storage.

5 India’s historic performance in the  International Olympiad 2026, winning 12 gold and 7 silver medals

 Indian students made a historic performance  at the International Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics Olympiad 2026, winning  12 gold and 7 silver  medals. This achievement by students trained under the Department of Atomic Energy  ‘s  (DAE) National Olympiad Program  has elevated India’s growing reputation in science and mathematics globally. India achieved the distinction of becoming the joint world champion by winning all five gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad. The Indian team also won all four gold medals at the International Chemistry Olympiad, achieving joint world champion status. Indian students won one gold and three silver medals at the International Biology Olympiad. India also won two gold and four silver medals at the International Mathematical Olympiad. India won a total of 12 gold and 7 silver medals across all four Olympiads.

The French Parliament  has passed a historic bill banning the use of social media platforms  by   children under the age of 15.  Lawmakers in both houses of Parliament voted in favor of the bill. It also bans students from using mobile phones in school. This decision will make France  the first country in the European Union to ban social media  . French President  Emmanuel Macron  described the parliament’s approval as an important step, marking a major initiative in his second term. He wants to implement it before the new school year begins in September. However, its implementation may be delayed due to a review of its compliance with the French Constitution.

 On  July 22 ,  the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting  was held   in Manila, the capital of the Philippines .  The meeting was hosted  by  the Philippines  , attended by the foreign ministers of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia . India was represented by S. Jaishankar,  who also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This Quad meeting comes amid regional security and tensions in the South China Sea. The meeting emphasized promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and the region. Members discussed issues such as maritime security, supply chain strengthening, cybersecurity, technology, critical minerals, counter-terrorism cooperation, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) is an informal forum. The foreign ministers of Quad members India, the United States, Japan, and Australia are also expected to meet in India in May.

9 India has the largest electrified railway network in the world, with 99.6% of the broad gauge rail network electrified: Ashwini Vaishnav

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav informed the Lok Sabha  on Wednesday   that India has become   the country with the largest electrified railway network in the world  . He said that 99.6 percent of the Indian Railways’ broad gauge rail network  has been electrified. In this regard,  India is only slightly behind Switzerland (100 percent)  , although  Switzerland’s railway network  is much smaller than India’s. In a written reply, the Railway Minister stated that India has  surpassed countries like China (82 percent), Spain (67 percent), Japan (64 percent), France (60 percent),  and  the United Kingdom (39 percent)  in terms of railway electrification. He said that Indian Railways has successfully implemented one of the fastest railway electrification programs in the world. While most countries electrify only busy passenger and freight rail routes, India has adopted the goal of electrifying its entire broad gauge network. Ashwini Vaishnav stated that 48,072 kilometers of railway lines have been electrified in mission mode between 2014 and 2026. In contrast, in the previous 60 years, only 21,801 km of railway track could be electrified.

10 PM-YASASVI scheme will provide financial assistance to students from school to college.

The Central Government has  reiterated its commitment to further strengthen educational opportunities  for students from Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), and Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT)   through the Pradhan Mantri YASASVI (PM-YASASVI – Prime Minister’s Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for  Vibrant India), an umbrella scholarship scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment  . The scheme aims to provide inclusive, equitable, and quality education to eligible students by reducing economic barriers.  The four key components of the PM-YASASVI scheme:

• • Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme
  • Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme
  • Top Class Education in Schools Scheme
  • Top Class Education in Colleges Scheme

11 Uttar Pradesh government approved ‘Rani Laxmibai Scooty Scheme’

The Uttar Pradesh government  has  decided to provide free scooters to meritorious girl students to increase women’s participation in higher education  and reduce dropout rates. Guidelines for implementing the ” Rani Lakshmibai Scooty Scheme ” were approved at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

12 Commonwealth Games 2026: Olympic medallists Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain to represent India

The 23rd Commonwealth Games  are   opening  in Glasgow, Scotland ,  on  July 23rd . Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and boxer Lovlina Borgohain  will be  the flag bearers  at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games opening ceremony  . Teams from 74 countries will participate in the 10-day  event. Olympic medalists Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu, and Lovlina Borgohain will represent India at the Commonwealth Games 2026.  This year, only 10 sports will be included ,  nine fewer than at Birmingham 2022.  Competitions will be held at four venues along an eight-mile corridor. Athletics, swimming, 3×3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, bowling, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing, and judo are included in the Commonwealth Games. The Indian contingent includes 125 members, including para-athletics. India won 61 medals at the last Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games began in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada. Initially, these sporting events were known as the British Empire Games. India first participated in the Commonwealth Games in London in 1934. India’s first medal (bronze) was won by wrestler Rashid Anwar in 1934. India hosted the Commonwealth Games for the first and only time in 2010 in New Delhi.

13 National Broadcasting Day

July 23rd  is  National Broadcasting Day  . On this day  in 1927,  the country’s first radio broadcast began from Mumbai  . Later, in 1936,  All India Radio  was established and in 1956, it was renamed  Akashvani  . Subsequently, in 1957,  Vividh Bharati service  was launched with popular film music. Radio has played a vital role from the freedom struggle to the country’s development. Akashvani has provided accurate and reliable information to the people in the fields of education, health, agriculture, and public awareness. Even today, Akashvani’s services continue in the fields of information, education, and entertainment with the motto ” Bahujan Hitaya, Bahujan Sukhaya .”

14 Hollywood actress Kelly Hottle passes away

Hollywood actress Kelly Hottle  died   on  July 22nd at the age of 18. Kelly was known for her roles in films like Godzilla vs. Kong  ,  Godzilla x Kong , and  The New Empire  . Kelly was born deaf and mute, and her mother tongue was American Sign Language. Kelly’s family includes four generations of deaf and mute members.