1 Navy’s marching contingent was the best among the three services in the Republic Day parade, Maharashtra’s tableau topped among the states.
The results of the Best Marching Contingents from the three Services and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) /Other Auxiliary Forces and the Best Tableaux from States/Union Territories and Ministries/Departments for the Republic Day Parade 2026 have been announced. The three-member panel of judges constituted to assess the performance of these contingents and tableaux have selected the following winners: Best Marching Contingent from the three Services – Indian Navy Best Marching Contingent from CAPFs/Other Auxiliary Forces – Delhi Police Top three tableaux (States/Union Territories):
- Maharashtra (Ganeshotsav: A Symbol of Self-Reliance)
- Jammu and Kashmir (Handicrafts and Folk Dances of Jammu and Kashmir)
- Kerala (Water Metro and 100% Digital Literacy: Self-reliant Kerala for a Self-reliant India)
Best Tableau in Central Ministries/Departments – Ministry of Culture (Vande Mataram – The Call of the Soul of a Nation)
Special Award:
- Central Public Works Department (Vande Mataram – Celebration of 150 Years)
- ‘Vande Mataram: Eternal Echoes of India’ Dance Group
Here are the results of the Popular Choice category based on the online poll conducted on the MyGov portal for citizens to vote for their favourite tableaux and marching contingents :
- Best marching contingent among the three services – Assam Regiment
- Best Marching Contingent in CAPF/Other Auxiliary Forces – CRPF
Top three tableaux (States/Union Territories) :
- Gujarat (Mantra of Swadeshi – Self-reliance – Independence: Vande Mataram)
- Uttar Pradesh (Culture of Bundelkhand)
- Rajasthan (Golden Touch of the Desert: The Gold Art of Bikaner (Usta Art)
Best Tableau among Central Ministries/Departments – Department of School Education and Literacy (National Education Policy 2020: Taking Indian School Education on the Path to Developed India)
2 Beating Retreat marks the grand conclusion of the 77th Republic Day celebrations.
The 77th Republic Day celebrations concluded with the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29, 2026. Vijay Chowk, directly in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan, resounded with Indian melodies and patriotic music. Military bands performed musical performances that showcased the power of Operation Sindoor , while glimpses of Indian Army soldiers on duty were also presented.
3 UIDAI’s new Aadhaar app will make identity verification easier and safer.
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada dedicated the new Aadhaar app to the nation . The app is designed to make the identity verification process simple , secure, and reliable , with citizen convenience and consent paramount. Developed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the new Aadhaar app is a next-generation mobile application that allows Aadhaar number holders to securely display, share, and verify their digital identity. The app focuses on privacy-first, consent-based, and user control . The new Aadhaar app will be useful for many everyday needs. It includes features like QR code-based offline verification for hotel check-in , age verification for cinema tickets, visitor verification at hospitals, and identity verification for gig workers and service partners. Face verification is also available if needed . The app offers several advanced features, including one-click biometric lock/unlock, viewing authentication history, and QR-based contact cards for sharing contact details. Facility to manage five Aadhaar profiles in a single mobile has also been provided, which promotes the concept of “ One Family – One App ”.
4 Sarah Mullally becomes the first female bishop of the Church of England
On January 28 , Sarah Mullally became the first female bishop of the Church of England . This is the first time in the Church of England ‘s 1,400-year history that a woman has been appointed Archbishop of Canterbury . Bishops of the Church of England are considered the highest spiritual leaders of the Anglican Communion worldwide. Justin Welby held the position before Mullally, but he resigned after complaints were made against him. Sarah, 63, served as Chief Nursing Officer for England from 1999 to 2004. In 2005, she was awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to nursing. Before being elected as the 133rd Bishop of London in 2018, she was the Bishop of Crediton, a post she held for three years from 2015. Sarah is married to Eamon Mullally and they have two children.
5 Supreme Court stays UGC’s new discrimination rules, 2012 provisions to remain in force
The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Central Government and the University Grants Commission (UGC ) while hearing petitions challenging the new regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) . The apex court also stayed the implementation of the new UGC regulations and clarified that the next hearing will be held on March 19. The court also ordered that the 2012 UGC regulations will remain in effect until then. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the case. Senior advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the petitioners, argued that Section 3C of the new UGC regulations is challenged. He argued that the definition of discrimination in the regulations is inconsistent with the Constitution. Vishnu Shankar Jain argued that, according to the Constitution, the issue of discrimination concerns all citizens of the country, whereas the new UGC regulations limit discrimination to a specific category. He argued that this definition is not only incomplete but also contrary to the constitutional spirit.
6 US museum to return three ancient Tamil Nadu sculptures
The prestigious National Museum of Asian Art – Smithsonian Institution in the United States will return three historic South Indian bronze sculptures to India that were illegally removed from temples decades ago . The three sculptures being returned include ” Shiva Nataraja ” (Chola period, c. 990), ” Somaskanda ” (Chola period, 12th century), and ” Saint Sundarar with Paravai ” (Vijayanagara period, 16th century). All are considered fine examples of the South Indian bronze art tradition . These sculptures were previously carried during religious processions in Tamil Nadu temples. However, on Wednesday, the museum announced that one of the Chola-era “Shiva Nataraja” sculptures will remain in the United States on long-term loan under an agreement with the Indian government . Under this agreement, the museum will continue to display the sculpture and publicly share details about its history, its illegal removal, and its return. The museum said the statue will be part of the exhibition ‘The Art of Knowing in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Himalayas’ to publicly showcase its history, including its removal and return.
The Reserve Bank of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) . The agreement was signed during the recent visit of the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council to India. The Finance Ministry stated that the main objective of this agreement is to provide formal recognition by ESMA to the Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL) and other central counterparties regulated by the RBI . This MoU is not legally binding, does not confer any rights, or repeals any domestic law. This MoU is effective from the date of signing by the officials and will remain in force indefinitely.
8 BISAG-N and QNU Labs sign MoU for collaboration and technology transfer to strengthen India’s quantum-resistant cybersecurity capabilities
Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with QNU Labs Pvt. Ltd. to collaborate in the area of quantum-resistant cybersecurity solutions . Under this partnership, BISAG-N’s indigenous cryptographic software capabilities , including ” Vedic Kavach ,” will be integrated with quantum hardware and secure infrastructure platforms provided by QNU Labs . BISAG-N developed Vedic Kavach and has undertaken one of the earliest government-run implementations in India, incorporating quantum-resistant web servers and an indigenous secure web browser integrated with quantum random number generation (QRNG).
9 AyushAccel and Zepto sign MoU to strengthen digital reach and ensure quality of Ayush products
The Ministry of AYUSH signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the AYUSH Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL) and Zepto Limited to streamline and facilitate online access to AYUSH medicines and other healthcare products across the country . The MoU aims to strengthen digital discovery while ensuring quality compliance and consumer trust in traditional healthcare products. Under the MoU, AYUSHEXCIL will recommend qualified AYUSH manufacturers and review educational content for regulatory compliance, while Zepto will support product discovery through a dedicated AYUSH storefront on its platform. The collaboration also includes joint consumer awareness and encouraging the adoption of recognized quality standards, including the AYUSH Quality Mark. The AYUSH Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL), abbreviated as AYUSHEXCIL, is a newly formed export promotion council established by the Ministry of AYUSH and supported by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India.
10 SAIL receives ‘Great Place to Work’ certification for the third consecutive time
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), India’s largest Maharatna and public sector steel producer, has achieved the prestigious ‘ Great Place to Work ‘ certification for the period February 2026 to February 2027. This is the third consecutive time SAIL has achieved this distinction following a company-wide assessment conducted by the Great Place to Work Institute (India) . This recognition reflects SAIL’s continued commitment to fostering a workplace culture that is modern, agile and conducive to the professional and personal growth of its employees.
11 Pilot model of India’s first AI-enabled state university announced at CCSU Meerut
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education , Government of India , Shri Jayant Chaudhary, outlined the government’s vision for integrating artificial intelligence into the education and skill development ecosystem at Google ‘s ‘ AI for Learning Forum ‘ held in New Delhi. The Honorable Minister announced a historic collaboration between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship , Google Cloud , and Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCSU), Meerut, establishing CCSU as India’s first AI-enabled state university pilot model . This initiative is a strategic step towards realizing the Prime Minister’s vision of a technology-empowered developed India 2047. Under this pilot model, CCSU Meerut will serve as a ‘living laboratory’ for AI-based institutional reform. The university will implement personalized AI tutors for students, AI-based skill-gap analysis, and intelligent document processing to streamline administrative workflows. This initiative is designed to develop a scalable framework that can be widely adopted across India’s higher education ecosystem.
12 Former CBSE Chairman Father Thomas V. Kunnunkal passes away
On January 28, former CBSE Chairman and educationist Father Thomas V. Kunnunkal passed away at the age of 99. Father Kunnunkal was the Principal of St. Xavier’s School, Delhi from 1962 to 1974 and from 1977 to 1979. At the request of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Kunnunkal served as Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) from 1980 to 1987. In 1974, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri . In 1989, Kunnunkal founded the National Open School , now called the National Institute of Open Schools . Father Kunnunkal was born on July 3, 1926, in Alappuzha, Kerala. He joined the Society of Jesus on June 20, 1945 .