1 Justice Harish Tandon sworn in as new Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
Justice Harish Tandon took oath as the new Chief Justice of Orissa High Court . Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati administered the oath of office to Justice Tandon at Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. President Draupadi Murmu appointed Justice Tandon as the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court on 21st of this month. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and some other ministers of his cabinet and many dignitaries were present at the swearing-in ceremony.
NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam launched DX-Edge to empower excellence and growth through digital transformation . DX-Edge is a national initiative to create a ecosystem connecting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) , technology providers and academic institutions . Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Subrahmanyam said that DX-Edge will drive digital transformation by developing a large pool of technical expertise and ensure that MSMEs get structured, cost-effective access to technology and enhance efficiency, revenue and global competitiveness. He said that this model will help solve the problems of six crore MSMEs in the country through technology and mechanical intelligence.
3 Indian origin scientist Jay Bhattacharya becomes the director of NIH
The US Senate has confirmed the appointment of Indian-origin scientist Jay Bhattacharya as the director of the National Institute of Health (NIH) . According to the official website of the Senate, his appointment was confirmed on Tuesday by 53 votes against 47. US President Donald Trump nominated Mr. Bhattacharya as the 18th director of NIH in November last year. Mr. Bhattacharya is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He is also a professor of health policy at Stanford University.
4 Sri Lanka: Ramayana Conference in Colombo
In Sri Lanka , the International Institute of Ramayana and Vedic Research organised a Ramayana Conclave at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Colombo . Eminent experts including Professor Manoj Dixit, Vice Chancellor of Bikaner University and Professor Neerja Gupta of Gujarat University addressed the conclave through video conference. Religious leaders from India and Sri Lanka cited examples from various countries and spoke about the influence of Lord Rama’s personality on the entire world.
5 Papua New Guinea restricts Facebook to control misinformation and pornography
Papua New Guinea has banned Facebook to control hate speech, misinformation and pornography . Papua New Guinea Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr. said that the government is not trying to control freedom of expression but to protect citizens from harmful content. Meanwhile, opposition MPs and political critics are criticizing the move due to the sudden ban on Facebook. They have called it a violation of human rights. Facebook is the most popular social media platform in Papua New Guinea.
6 10th BRICS Policy Planning Dialogue concludes in Brasilia, Brazil
The 10th BRICS Policy Planning Dialogue concluded in Brasilia, Brazil . The two-day dialogue was attended by policy planners from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as well as senior representatives from the expanded membership of BRICS. The dialogue also provided an opportunity to deliberate on the institutional development of BRICS. The dialogue discussed global health cooperation, the evolving international trade and financial landscape, climate action, artificial intelligence governance and reform of multilateral peace and security frameworks, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Global geopolitical issues and regional developments were also discussed at length. The Indian delegation was led by Raghuram S, Joint Secretary, Policy Planning and Research, Ministry of External Affairs.
7 Union Minister CR Patil releases book titled “Ripples of Change: Gender-Transformative Rural WASH Programmes in India”
Union Minister for Jal Shakti CR Patil released the book titled “ Ripples of Change: Gender-Transformative Rural WASH Programmes in India ” in New Delhi . The book contains ten stories on rural WASH , which provide insights on community leadership, women empowerment and local innovation. Shri CR Patil has said that Swachh Bharat and Jal Jeevan Mission are not just about infrastructure but about respect, empowerment and transformation. At the event, Shri Patil also launched the upgraded website portal of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Defence Research and Development Organisation – DRDO and Indian Navy successfully test fired indigenously developed Vertical-Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha . The test was conducted from a land-based vertical launcher engaging a high-speed aerial target at very close range and low altitude. It established the close-range-low altitude capability of the missile system.
9 Supply of engines for LCA Mark-1A started from American companies
After a long wait, American company GE Aerospace has started supplying engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for India’s indigenous fighter jet LCA Mark-1A . The issue of delay in engine supply was raised during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to Washington. After signing a contract with the Indian Air Force in February 2021, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was to supply the new aircraft from March this year, but the wait got longer due to delay in supply of the engine from America. Now GE Aerospace has announced the delivery of the first of 99 F-404 engines to HAL on March 25. GE Aerospace’s F-404 engine was selected for the single-engine Tejas in 2004 after a 40-year relationship with HAL and collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency in the 1980s, enhancing the country’s defense manufacturing capabilities. This engine is specially designed for India’s single-engine fighter aircraft. The GE Aerospace and Tejas teams worked together for several years to adapt it to the needs of the Indian Air Force. In its first test flight in 2008 with the F-404, the aircraft climbed to multiple mission altitudes and achieved a speed of Mach 1.1. By 2016, GE Aerospace fulfilled its commitment to HAL and delivered 65 engines for the LCA Tejas.
10 Chhattisgarh CM Vishnudev Sai released a postage stamp on the 1009th birth anniversary of Bhakta Mata Karma
On the auspicious occasion of the 1009th birth anniversary of Bhakta Mata Karma, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai on Tuesday released a grand postage stamp dedicated to her in the capital Raipur . Mata Karma’s contribution to social harmony, women empowerment and religious devotion will continue to inspire generations. Her life inspires us to fight against various social evils like untouchability and orthodoxy while promoting unity and harmony in the society. A devoted follower of Lord Krishna , Mata Karma set an example of unwavering faith, courage and selfless service. Inspired by her deep devotion, she started a journey to seek the blessings of Lord Krishna. On reaching the holy city of Puri, the temple sevaks requested her to prepare the traditional dish Khichdi. To her delight, Lord Krishna accepted her offering.
11 India won second bronze medal in Senior Asian Wrestling Championship-2025
Indian wrestlers continued their impressive performance on the second day of the Senior Asian Wrestling Championship-2025 . Nitesh won the second bronze medal for the country in Amman, Jordan . Nitesh displayed remarkable skill and determination in the Greco-Roman category to add another bronze medal to the bronze medal won by Sunil Kumar in the men’s 87 kg weight category. In the bronze medal match, Nitesh defeated Amanberdi Agamamedov of Turkmenistan 9-0.
12 Payal Nag is the only quadruple para archer in the world to win a silver medal in Khelo India Para Games
Payal Nag is the only quadruple para archer in the world to have won a silver medal at the recently concluded Khelo India Para Games in the national capital . Up against Odisha ‘s Divyang archer Payal Nag, Sheetal of Jammu and Kashmir won the compound archery open final bout 109-103. Payal is a national champion and had won two gold medals at the Para Archery National Championships earlier this year.
