1 India’s first indigenous coal-to-ammonium nitrate project commissioned in Odisha
Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) have signed an agreement for India’s first indigenous coal-to-ammonium nitrate project in Lakhanpur , Odisha . The MoU was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy (Ministry of Coal and Mines) and Secretary of the Ministry of Coal Vikram Dev Dutt. The project, designed as a 2,000 tonnes per day (TPD) ammonium nitrate production facility , marks a significant milestone for India’s energy and chemicals sectors. This is India’s first coal gasification project that will utilize gasification technology developed indigenously by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). The project involves an estimated investment of approximately ₹25,000 crore, with financial assistance of ₹1,350 crore from the Ministry of Coal. Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) work is being carried out through ‘Lum Sum Turnkey’ (LSTK) packages; LSTK-1 and LSTK-2 have been awarded to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), while LSTK-3 and LSTK-4 have been awarded to Larsen & Toubro (L&T). In this process, coal is converted into ‘syngas’, which is used to make chemicals, fuel, and fertilizers.
2 Vikramaditya Vedic Clock installed at Kashi Vishwanath Dham
The ” Vikramaditya Vedic Clock” has been installed in the temple square of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh . Following Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Kashi will now also be able to view accurate time calculations, auspicious times, and planetary positions according to the Indian calendar . The “Vikramaditya Vedic Clock,” a remarkable 700-kilogram specimen, was presented to Kashi Vishwanath Dham by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav . This unique clock showcases India’s ancient time-calculation system, which divides the day into 30 “muhurtas” and displays local mean time, “tithi,” “nakshatra,” and more. The clock was formally unveiled during a ceremony attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath . Previously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the world’s first Vedic clock on March 1, 2024, in the 85-foot-tall tower at Jantar Mantar in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. This clock will calculate time based on sunrise to sunrise.
3 Anahat and Abhay honoured with ‘ASF Player of the Year 2025’ award
India’s top squash players Anahat Singh in the Under 19 category and Abhay Singh were honoured with the Asian Squash Federation ‘s (ASF) ‘ ASF Player of the Year 2025 ‘ awards. Anahat received the honour in the girls’ category, while Abhay received the honour in the men’s category. Anahat Singh, ranked 20th in the senior women’s singles squash world rankings, won the ‘ASF Girls Player of the Year’ award based on her outstanding performance last year. This award is also known as the ‘Hassan Musa Award’. Winners of the ASF ‘Player of the Year’ Awards 2025:
‘Dato Alex Lee Award’ – Men: Abhay Singh (India)
ASF Women’s Player of the Year: Satomi Watanabe (Japan)
Hasan Musa Award – Women’s U19 (Junior): Anahat Singh (India)
Hasan Musa Award – Men’s U19 (Junior): Wa-Sern Lo (Malaysia)
ASF Award – Men’s Team: India (World Squash Junior Team Championship 2025)
ASF Award – Women’s Team: Hong Kong, China
ASF Development Award: Pakistan Boys’ Team
4 World Health Day
World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7th around the world. The day aims to raise awareness about health and highlight the need for better healthcare . Celebrated to mark the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO), it provides an opportunity to focus attention on global health issues. This year’s theme is ” United for Health, Stand with Science .” Under this theme, the World Health Organization has launched a year-long campaign celebrating scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet.
5 NASA’s Artemis II mission sets new record for longest distance flown by humans from Earth
NASA ‘s Artemis II mission has set a new record for the longest distance traveled by humans from Earth . The Orion spacecraft, carrying four astronauts, flew near the far side of the Moon, reaching a distance of approximately 252,752 miles from Earth , breaking the record of 248,655 miles set by Apollo 13 in 1970. NASA stated in a social media post that the crew is currently on a seven-hour lunar flyby, observing the far side of the Moon. The mission crew includes Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen . The Artemis II mission is a significant step in NASA’s plan to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future deep space exploration . NASA’s Artemis II captured images of the ” Oriental Basin ,” a prominent feature of the lunar surface . This basin was formed by a meteorite impact 3.8 billion years ago. The Artemis II mission’s path is largely similar to the Apollo 13 mission of 1970. The four astronauts will travel approximately 1.102 million kilometers during the entire mission. The spacecraft will splash down in the Pacific Ocean on April 11th.
6 Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated To Lam on being elected President of Vietnam
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated To Lam on being elected as the President of Vietnam . To Lam was sworn in as the President of Vietnam on Tuesday. Vietnamese MPs unanimously elected Communist Party General Secretary To Lam as the President of the country. To Lam was sworn in as the President of Vietnam for the term 2026-2031. With To Lam becoming the President, the decades-old tradition of ‘collective leadership’ of Vietnam has ended, as now both the top posts of power in the country – the party chief and the President have come to the same person.
7 Amaravati becomes the permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh, Centre issues notification
President Draupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Under this, Amaravati has been officially declared as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh . A notification from the Law Ministry said that the President gave his assent to this bill. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 during the Budget session last week. This amendment amended the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014. According to the Act, ‘Amaravati’ also includes the capital region declared under the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 has also received the President’s assent. This bill amends the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
8 TMC MP Maneka Guruswamy becomes the first LGBTQ MP
On April 6, 19 new and re-elected members of the Rajya Sabha were sworn in . Senior Supreme Court advocate and TMC MP Maneka Guruswamy also took the oath of office. She became India’s first openly LGBTQ MP . The 51-year-old played a key role in the case regarding Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) . In 2018, she spoke out for the rights of the LGBTQ community, and following a Supreme Court decision, homosexuality was decriminalized. Guruswamy worked with former Attorney General of India Ashok Desai in 1997. She also played a key role in the Right to Education case, which mandated the reservation of 25 percent of seats in private schools for children from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds . In 2019 , Maneka and her partner Arundhati Katju were included in Time magazine ‘s list of the 100 most influential people in the world . Maneka’s portrait is displayed in Milner Hall , Rhodes House, Oxford University. She is the first Indian and the second woman in the world to receive this honour.
9 Parliament rejects impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
The impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has been rejected by both Houses of Parliament . The decision was taken after evaluation by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan. The motion was supported by opposition members who alleged bias in the electoral process. The process for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is governed by Article 324(5) of the Constitution . This states that the CEC can be removed only in the same manner and on the same grounds as the removal of a judge of the Supreme Court. This article also provides that Election Commissioners can be removed only on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner. This removal process is subject to laws made by Parliament.
10 ECI launches International Election Visitors Programme, delegates from 23 countries to participate
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) 2026 in view of the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry . The initiative aims to share India’s electoral process globally and enhance cooperation . Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar , along with Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, inaugurated the programme at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management. He stated that elections in India are a celebration of democracy, and the Commission works in mission mode to ensure fair, transparent, and secure elections. Forty-three delegates from 23 countries are participating in the first phase of the programme, including officials from five foreign missions in New Delhi. Participants were given demonstrations of EVMs and participated in mock polls to experience the voting process.
11 External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to meet Bangladeshi counterpart Khalilur Rahman
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will meet Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi . He arrived in New Delhi on a three-day visit to India. Foreign Minister Rahman is also expected to meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval , Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. This is the first visit to India by a Bangladeshi politician since the Bangladesh Nationalist Party -led government came to power in February.
12 Supreme Court: Nine-judge Constitution bench begins hearing on places of worship petitions, including Sabarimala.
A nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court began hearing petitions related to alleged discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple, and the scope of religious freedom in various religions . The bench, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, comprised Justices B.V. Nagarathna, M.M. Sundaresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B. Varale, R. Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi. Before the hearing, the Centre submitted written submissions urging the court to continue the ban on entry of menstruating women into the Sabarimala temple.
13 Yogi Cabinet takes a major decision, approves ‘Metro University’ in Greater Noida
A cabinet meeting chaired by Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday approved a significant proposal related to higher education . This includes the establishment of a private sector ” Metro University ” in Greater Noida . This is being considered a significant step towards expanding higher education in the state. The sponsoring organization, Sunhill Healthcare Private Limited, had proposed establishing “Metro University” on 26.1 acres of land allotted by the Greater Noida Authority. After legal scrutiny, this proposal has been approved. It has also been decided to implement the “Uttar Pradesh Private Universities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026” and issue an operating authorization to the institution.
14 Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’s big decision: Now CA final exam will be held only twice a year
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has approved a significant change in the Chartered Accountant examinations . The Institute has made this major change in the conduct of the Chartered Accountant Final Examination from the current year itself. The Institute has clarified that now the final examinations will be conducted only twice a year . Till now these examinations were conducted thrice a year . However, from May 2026, this has been changed and now these examinations will be conducted only twice a year. Till now the Chartered Accountant Final Examinations were conducted in the months of January, May and September.
15 Air India CEO Campbell Wilson resigns
On April 7 , Air India ‘s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Campbell Wilson, resigned from his position . Reports indicate that Wilson may leave his post in September. Wilson was appointed Air India’s CEO and Managing Director (MD) in 2022. Wilson is Air India’s first foreign CEO and Managing Director. Wilson was scheduled to serve as CEO until July 2027.