1 Sebastian Sawe of Kenya completed the marathon in under 2 hours.
Kenya ‘s Sebastian Sawe made history at the London Marathon . Sawe became the first runner in the world to break the two-hour barrier under official race conditions . He set a world record by finishing the marathon in 1:59:30 . Sawe’s previous record was held by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum , who clocked 2:30:35 in Chicago in 2023. Sawe became the first runner to legally run a marathon under two hours. He surpassed Eliud Kipchoge’s exhibition mark of 1:59:41 in 2019.
2 ISSF Junior World Cup 2026: Indian shooters top the points table
Indian shooters topped the ISSF Junior World Cup 2026 in Cairo by winning 16 medals . These medals include five gold, six silver and five bronze medals. Hemant Barman won the silver medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event, while Oleg Noskov of Kazakhstan won the gold medal by setting a junior world record. Nikita Sokolov of Uzbekistan won the bronze medal. In the mixed trap team event, Zuhair Khan and Adya Katyal won the bronze medal. Hungary won the gold medal with a junior world record score.
3 International Design Day
International Design Day is celebrated every year on April 27th . The International Council of Design was founded on April 27th in 1963. Until 2020, the occasion was celebrated as World Design Day. The day is an opportunity to recognize the importance of design and its ability to bring about change. This year’s theme is “The Spaces in Between.”
4 World Tapir Day
World Tapir Day is celebrated every year on April 27th . This day is important for raising awareness about the tapir species and protecting it from human encroachment. Tapirs are large herbivorous mammals found in the jungle and forest areas of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia . As large herbivores, tapirs are often the first species affected by human encroachment and among the last to return to regenerated forests. They require a substantial amount of undisturbed land to maintain a genetically diverse population. They are a vital part of the ecosystem as seed dispersers and are one of the oldest surviving lineages in the animal kingdom.
5 Ladakh Lieutenant Governor approves creation of five new districts
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena has approved a notification creating five new districts in the Union Territory . The creation of these new districts increases the total number of districts in Ladakh from two to seven . The five newly formed districts include Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar, and Dras . The notification also defines the territorial boundaries of all seven districts.
6 Dr. M Srinivas appointed as Member, NITI Aayog
On April 26, Dr. M. Srinivas, Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, became a member of the NITI Aayog . Dr. Srinivas will replace Dr. V.K. Paul . Dr. M. Srinivas will work on health development reforms under the National Policy. Dr. Srinivas is currently the Director of AIIMS Delhi and will become the Director on September 22, 2022. Dr. Srinivas joined the faculty at AIIMS Delhi in 1994. In 2011, Dr. Srinivas became a Professor of Pediatric Surgery at AIIMS Delhi. From 2016 to 2022, Dr. Srinivas served as Dean of the Employees’ State Insurance Company (ESIC) Hospital and Medical College, Hyderabad. Along with Dr. Srinivas, Professor Gobardhan Das, Professor Abhay Karandikar, K.V. Raju, and Rajiv Gauba have also been appointed as members of the NITI Aayog. Earlier, on April 25, senior economist Dr. Ashok Lahiri was appointed Vice Chairman of the NITI Aayog.
7 Ministry of External Affairs appoints Dinesh Trivedi as the next High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh
The Ministry of External Affairs has appointed Dinesh Trivedi as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh . A seasoned politician, Mr. Trivedi has served as the Minister of Railways and Minister of State for Health in the Manmohan Singh -led government . He has represented West Bengal in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. Mr. Trivedi was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Barrackpore constituency from 2009 to 2019 and has previously served several terms in the Rajya Sabha. Mr. Trivedi was awarded the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for 2016-17 and has also chaired several parliamentary forums, including the India-EU Parliamentary Forum. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2021 after resigning from the Trinamool Congress .
8 Free Trade Agreement signed between India and New Zealand in New Delhi
India and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement in New Delhi . The signing ceremony was presided over by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Trade and Investment Minister Todd McLay . The agreement, finalized in December last year, makes Indian exports 100% duty-free across all tariff lines. The agreement also creates new opportunities in services, transport, education, healthcare, traditional medicine, and investment. New Zealand’s long-term commitment of $20 billion will boost industrial development, innovation, infrastructure, and job creation across the country. Under the agreement, India has also strongly protected its core interests in sectors such as dairy, agriculture, and gems and jewellery.
9 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to attend SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Bishkek
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan . In a social media post, Mr Singh said that during the meeting he will underline India’s commitment to global peace amid the security challenges facing the world. The Defence Minister also stressed India’s firm stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism and extremism. Mr Singh said that he looks forward to bilateral talks with his counterparts from other SCO member countries and the Indian community in Bishkek.
10 Department of Posts and DTDC sign MoU to promote logistics and e-commerce across the country
The Department of Posts, under the Ministry of Communications , and DTDC Express Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the logistics and e-commerce ecosystem across the country . Mr. Neeraj Kumar Jha, General Manager, Parcel Directorate, Department of Posts, and Mr. Jatinder Sethi, National Channel Head, DTDC Express Limited, signed the MoU in New Delhi in the presence of senior officials from both organizations. The partnership aims to leverage the vast infrastructure and network of the Department of Posts, as well as the logistics experience of DTDC, to improve parcel delivery services across the country. The MoU reflects the continued collaboration between the two parties, which began in the year 2025.
11 Botanist N. Aleem Yusuf honored by WWF for AI-based conservation app
Botanist N. Aleem Yusuf has received a prestigious award from the World Wide Fund for Nature . This recognition highlights the AI-based mobile application he developed, designed to identify invasive plant species in Kerala . It marks a significant step towards merging technology with biodiversity conservation. This award-winning application was developed by Mr. N. Aleem Yusuf, a researcher at the Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences . The app is capable of identifying nearly 100 invasive plant species found across Kerala. This mobile-based tool utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and helps users quickly identify harmful plant species that pose a threat to local ecosystems.
12 For the first time, a specific malaria drug has been approved for 12 newborns.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a significant step toward reducing the risk of malaria cases and deaths in children . On April 24, 2026 , the first malaria drug specifically designed for infants was approved . Until now, infants were treated with drugs available for adults, increasing the risk of dosage errors and the resulting risk to newborns. Mosquito-borne diseases kill millions of people each year. With the arrival of the rainy season, mosquito breeding and the risk of mosquito-borne diseases increase. In 2024, approximately 282 million cases of malaria were reported in 80 countries worldwide, with 610,000 deaths. This represents an increase of approximately 9 million cases compared to 2023. The African region bears the heaviest burden, with children under 5 accounting for 75% of deaths.
13 Andhra Pradesh launches massive ₹13,000 crore mushroom mission
The Andhra Pradesh state government has announced the first ” Mushroom Mission ,” with an investment of approximately ₹13,000 crore . Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu led the announcement , and the initiative aims to make the state India’s largest mushroom producer . With a special focus on small farmers, self-help groups, and export opportunities, the mission is expected to generate employment opportunities across the state and build a new agriculture-based value chain. This proposed mission is a large-scale agricultural initiative designed to significantly increase mushroom production and rural incomes. Its key features include: A total investment of ₹13,000 crore. The target is to produce 67,500 tons of mushrooms per year . The aim is to surpass Bihar , which currently holds the top spot with approximately 45,000 tons of production. Under this initiative, a total of 1.62 lakh mushroom units will be established across the state.
14 Skyroot Aerospace’s ‘Vikram-1’ signals a new era for India’s private space sector
India achieved a major milestone in its space journey when Skyroot Aerospace ‘s Vikram-1 (the country’s first privately built orbital rocket) was launched from its Hyderabad campus to Sriharikota . This event marks a new era in which private companies are actively participating in India’s space sector . It also aims to provide affordable and on-demand satellite launch services to the rapidly growing global market. The rocket was formally flagged off by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy from Skyroot’s Max-Q campus in Hyderabad. Its payload fairing – a vital structure that will protect the satellites during flight – has now been delivered to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India’s main spaceport. With this, the necessary pre-flight checks have been completed. Meanwhile, the rocket’s propulsion stages are already in place at the launch site, paving the way for final integration and launch preparations. The launch of Vikram-1 is expected to make Skyroot Aerospace the first private Indian company to attempt an orbital launch.