1. Qudenga vaccine for dengue has been approved.
India has approved Takeda ‘s TAK-003 (Qdenga) , its first dengue vaccine , for individuals aged 4 to 60 years by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) under the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) , marking a historic shift from reactive vector control to a preventive public health strategy . Qdenga, a tetravalent dengue vaccine tested in over 28,000 participants , has been approved in over 40 countries . TAK-003 is a disease-modifying vaccine , not a transmission-blocking one . It reduces clinical severity but does not prevent infection or eliminate outbreaks . Unlike previous vaccines, it does not require prior dengue infection testing, facilitating rollout. The SEC has mandated post-marketing studies across regions and serotype patterns to assess real-world effectiveness in India. Dengue is caused by four serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4). While TAK-003 is highly effective against DENV-2 (its genetic basis), its efficacy against DENV-3 and DENV-4 is significantly lower, especially in “seronegative” individuals (those who have never been infected before). India’s dengue epidemiology is changing, with DENV-3 increasing in many areas (contributing to 20-30% of cases), which could potentially reduce the vaccine’s impact on the population.
2 India Tribal Festival 2026 concludes with grand ceremony in New Delhi
The India Tribal Festival 2026 concluded with a grand ceremony in New Delhi . The 19-day festival showcased tribal culture, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship. The closing ceremony honored top-performing tribal artisans and vendors across ten categories: pottery, cane and bamboo, jewelry, cuisine, gifts and accessories, metals, natural objects, paintings, textiles, and Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.
3 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin: 2.99 crore houses completed
As of March 2026, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) has successfully completed the construction of nearly 30 million houses , marking a major milestone in rural transformation. With an ambitious target of 49.5 million houses by 2029 , the scheme continues to promote inclusive growth, strengthen social welfare, and advance the vision of ” Housing for All ” in rural India. PMAY-G aims to provide a permanent (pucca) house with basic amenities to all homeless rural families and those living in kutcha or dilapidated houses, thereby improving the quality of life and ensuring dignity and security for the rural poor. It is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and was launched in 2016 , restructuring the earlier Indira Awas Yojana to achieve the goal of “Housing for All . ” The center and states share costs in a 60:40 ratio for the plains and 90:10 for the northeastern states , the two Himalayan states (Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir . The center bears 100% of the cost for other union territories, including Ladakh .
4 Bodleian Library series begins UK exhibition tour to mark 200th anniversary of Shikshapatri
The Bodleian Libraries series at Oxford University has launched an exhibition tour across the UK to mark the 200th anniversary of the Shikshapatri . The Shikshapatri is a highly significant and rare manuscript of Hinduism . The Shikshapatri, which refers to teachings , was compiled by Sahajanand Swami in Vadtal, Gujarat, in 1826. The exhibition tour is organized by the university in collaboration with the leaders of the Swaminarayan sect, and the manuscript will be displayed in major temples. The Shikshapatri emphasizes ethical living and spiritual guidelines. It is said to have been written on the fifth day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha). It contains 212 Sanskrit verses, which incorporate key teachings from Hindu scriptures.
5 Dol Prasad Aryal of RSP elected Speaker of Parliament in Nepal
Dol Prasad Aryal of Nepal ‘s ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was elected Speaker of the country’s Parliament . President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at a special ceremony at the President’s Office this afternoon.
6 Microsoft MAI-Transcribe-1
In a major breakthrough in the field of AI , Microsoft has introduced a new transcription model called ‘ MAI-Transcribe-1 ‘. This model is being described as one of the most accurate and cost-effective speech-to-text solutions available today. Microsoft’s MAI-Transcribe-1 achieved an impressive Word Error Rate (WER) of just 3.9% , making it one of the most accurate transcription models in the AI industry right now. It supports 25 global languages , including Hindi, English, French, and Chinese . It also ranked first on the FLUERS benchmark in several languages, outperforming Google Gemini 3.1 Flash in 11 out of 14 languages tested.
7 Tata Group trustee Venu Srinivasan resigns
On April 4 , Venu Srinivasan resigned as a trustee of the Tata Group ‘s Hirabai Charitable Trust . Venu Srinivasan is the vice chairman of seven Tata Group trusts and chairman of TVS Motors . Srinivasan cited personal reasons for his resignation and said he took the decision due to time constraints. Srinivasan joined TVS in 1975. He is the grandson of TVS founder T.V. Sundaram . Srinivasan received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award , in 2010. In 2020, Srinivasan was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award .
8 Payal Nag beats Sheetal Devi to win gold at Archery Para Series in Bangkok
At the World Para Archery Series , 18-year – old teen archer Payal Nag defeated world No. 1 Sheetal Devi in the final of the women’s compound event in Bangkok to win the gold medal . With this, India won a total of 16 medals, including seven gold, five silver, and four bronze . Payal also won the gold medal with Sheetal in the women’s compound doubles . Toman Kumar won the gold medal in the men’s compound event, while Bhavna won the women’s recurve event. Toman defeated Jonathan Milne of Australia, while Bhavna defeated Pattharaphon Pattawayo of Thailand. Two-time Paralympic medalist Harvinder Singh settled for the silver medal after losing to Indonesia’s Kholidin in the recurve final. Swati Chaudhary also won the silver medal after losing to Ok Geum Kim of South Korea in the women’s individual gold medal match. Earlier, Shyam Sundar Swami won the bronze medal in the men’s compound individual event after defeating his compatriot, Paris Paralympic bronze medalist Rakesh Kumar, in a close contest. After this defeat, Rakesh had to be content with fourth place.
National Maritime Day is celebrated every year on April 5. It commemorates the maiden voyage of the first Indian flag merchant ship (owned by M/S Scindia Steam Navigation Company) ‘ SS LOYALTY ‘ , which sailed from Mumbai to London on April 5, 1919. National Maritime Day was first celebrated on April 5, 1964.