1 Sikkim becomes a ‘fully literate state’, President Draupadi Murmu announced.
Sikkim has now become the fifth fully literate state in the country. This historic announcement, under the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative, was made on Wednesday in the presence of President Draupadi Murmu during the convocation ceremony of Sikkim University at Manan Kendra in Gangtok. Mizoram was the first state in the country to achieve this feat. This is another significant achievement for Sikkim and reflects the state’s unwavering commitment to educational empowerment and inclusive development under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang . Launched by the Ministry of Education in line with the National Education Policy 2020, the initiative aims to promote adult education, functional literacy, and lifelong learning for individuals aged 15 years and above , as well as encourage continuous learning and skill development.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar participated in the working session of the Informal Meeting (Gymnich) of EU Foreign Ministers in Cyprus . The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the main focus of the discussions was on important policy issues of common interest, particularly the geopolitical implications of developments in West Asia and the wider region. During the Gymnich meeting, Dr. Jaishankar held formal bilateral meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Tsibiha, and Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares Bueno. Dr. Jaishankar also met with Cyprus President Nicos Christodoulides in Nicosia . The discussions reviewed the strengthening of India-Cyprus relations following President Christodoulides’ historic state visit to India last week, during which the two countries elevated their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday released ‘original approval’ of ₹10,021.42 crore to 12 states under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) , a historic step towards achieving the goal of ‘ Housing for All ‘ by March 2029. The approval was issued via video conferencing to the states of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. Addressing the event, Chouhan said that against the target of 4.95 crore houses under the scheme, approval has already been given for 3.91 crore houses, and construction of more than 3.05 crore houses has been completed. Rohit Kansal, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, informed that approval of ₹11,121 crore has already been issued for the financial year 2026-27, and now additional approval of more than ₹10,021 crore has also been issued.
4 New species of evergreen tree discovered in Kerala
Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute recently discovered a new evergreen tree species, Humboldtia nairiana , in the riparian forests of the Shendurne Wildlife Sanctuary in the southern Western Ghats of Kerala . The sanctuary, part of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve , is renowned for its rich tropical evergreen biodiversity. It is a newly discovered medium-sized evergreen tree species belonging to the genus Humboldtia and the family Fabaceae . It grows to a height of approximately 5 to 8 meters and possesses distinctive vegetative and reproductive characteristics. The bark of this species is warty, light brown, with a creamy-white underside. Its branches are angular and smooth, with short stipules. Its flowers are relatively large and have long peduncles. Its fruits are ovate-oblong and have a relatively short beak. Humboldtia nairiana is endemic to Kerala and is currently known only from the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve at an altitude of about 300 m.
5 PM-WANI gets citizen-friendly upgrade
Recently, the Department of Telecommunications introduced user-friendly improvements under the PM-WANI (Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) framework to make public Wi-Fi more simple, accessible, and citizen-friendly . These improvements aim to strengthen India’s digital public infrastructure and support accessible and affordable digital connectivity for citizens. Key features include QR-based authentication for laptops and secondary devices, short-term Wi-Fi plans of 15, 30, and 60 minutes, and standardized PM-WANI hotspot names. These short-term “sachet-style” Wi-Fi plans will help users who require short-term internet access in public locations such as transit hubs and malls, especially students, daily commuters, travelers, professionals, and small businesses. Launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in 2020 , the PM-WANI framework aims to expand public Wi-Fi hotspots across India, especially in rural areas. It allows local businesses such as shopkeepers to set up Wi-Fi hotspots, providing affordable internet access and supporting the goals of the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 .
In a significant step toward wildlife conservation in Gujarat and Kutch , four cheetahs from Madhya Pradesh will be relocated to the Banni grasslands of Kutch . The National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Cheetah Project Steering Committee have approved the relocation of two male and two female African cheetahs rehabilitated in Madhya Pradesh to the Banni grassland ecosystem. With this, Gujarat will become the second home for cheetahs in India, after Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh . The Gujarat Forest Department has begun extensive preparations at the Banni facility, which is being developed as India’s first cheetah conservation breeding center. Special fencing for cheetahs is being installed across approximately 600 hectares in the Banni region. A total of 12 cheetahs are planned to be brought to Banni over the next year, boosting India’s ambitious cheetah relocation program.
Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia , along with the Chief Minister of Tripura , launched “ Mission Queen Pineapple .” This is a ₹236 crore coordinated initiative aimed at developing pineapple cultivation and its associated value chain in Tripura . The Mission has been designed as a three-year implementation framework from the second quarter of FY 2026 to the fourth quarter of FY 2028 to promote Tripura’s unique identity – the GI-tagged Queen Pineapple . Led by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region , the Mission is based on the coordination of various schemes and initiatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , Ministry of Food Processing Industries , Ministry of Commerce , MSME , APEDA , DPIIT , ICAR , CSIR, TRIFED , NERAMAC , and the Government of Tripura . It aims to establish an integrated value chain ecosystem for pineapple in the state.
8 150 years of Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) celebrated 150 years of its scientific legacy . Sarkar also inaugurated the indigenously developed Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) system at IACS, aimed at producing India’s first amorphous silicon solar cells , and RETINA (Research Entrepreneurship for Translation, Innovation and Navigation) , a center aimed at linking fundamental research with entrepreneurship, startups, and societal applications . IACS was founded in 1876 by Dr. Mahendralal Sarkar . It is considered Asia’s first research institute established by Indians to advance modern science through fundamental research. Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Keshab Chandra Sen were among the members of IACS’s first Board of Trustees, with Dr. Sarkar himself serving as its first Honorary Secretary. IACS was associated with many prominent Indian scientists, including Jagadish Chandra Bose , Meghnad Saha , S.N. Bose , and Sir C.V. Raman . Sir C.V. Raman conducted his work on the Raman effect at IACS . This discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 , becoming India’s first Nobel Prize in science .
9 The President of India presented the ‘President’s Emblem’ to the Sikkim Police
The President of India, Smt. Draupadi Murmu, presented the ” President’s Insignia ” to the Sikkim Police in Gangtok on May 28, 2026. Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated all officers and personnel, past and present, associated with the Sikkim Police for this honor. He was pleased to note that since its inception in 1897 , the police force has worked to ensure peace, security, and justice in Sikkim.
10 Prime Minister congratulates Mr. Janez Janša on being elected as the Prime Minister of Slovenia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Janez Janša on his election as Prime Minister of Slovenia and expressed confidence in further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. Slovenia’s Parliament elected Janša as Prime Minister in a secret ballot on May 22. He received 51 votes from MPs in the 90-seat parliament.
11 ISSF WC: Esha Singh breaks world record, wins gold in women’s 25m pistol event
Indian shooter Esha Singh broke the world record in the women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Munich . The 21-year-old shot 43 out of 50 in the final to beat South Korea’s Kim Yeji’s previous record of 42 points and win the gold medal . German shooter Doreen Venekamp finished second with 38 points, while former world champion Miroslava Mincheva of Bulgaria finished third with 31 points.
12 India will host the 2027 Asian Relays and the 2028 Asian Indoor Championships
During its Executive Council meeting in Hong Kong , Asia’s athletics governing body awarded the hosting rights for next year’s Asian Relays and the 2028 Asian Indoor Championships to the Indian cities of Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar . The Asian Athletics Association (AAA) council meeting was held ahead of the Asian U20 Championships, scheduled to be held from May 28 to 31. World Athletics Vice-President Adille Sumariwala , who attended the AAA council meeting in Hong Kong, said India will host the 2027 Asian Relays in Chandigarh and the 2028 Asian Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar . The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had submitted its bids to host both events last year.
13 Two-time Paralympic champion Sumit Antil broke the world record in the men’s javelin throw (F64) event in Bengaluru
Two-time Paralympic champion Sumit Antil broke his own world record in the men’s javelin throw F64 category at the 8th Indian Open International Para Athletics Championships 2026 in Bengaluru . He threw a tremendous 74.82m . Representing Haryana, Antil put on a brilliant performance to win the gold medal, surpassing his previous world record of 73.29m, set at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Antil easily took first place, ahead of Maharashtra’s Sandeep Sargar. Sandeep won the silver medal with a throw of 62.88m. Rajasthan’s Sandeep finished on the podium with a bronze medal throw of 61.83m.
14 Under-23 Asian Championship
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Indian wrestlers on their outstanding performance at the 2026 Under-23 Asian Championships held in Da Nang, Vietnam . In a social media post, Mr. Modi noted that the men’s freestyle and women’s wrestling teams won team titles at the championships. He noted that the men’s freestyle wrestling team set a record by winning nine medals (three silver and two bronze), including four gold medals , the country’s highest ever medal tally in the championships. The Prime Minister further noted that the women’s wrestling team also performed remarkably, winning ten medals (two silver and two bronze) , including six gold medals . He also noted that the Greco-Roman team achieved its best-ever performance at the championships , winning eight medals (one gold, two silver, and five bronze) . India secured first place in freestyle wrestling , surpassing countries like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan , with Kyrgyzstan finishing second and Kazakhstan third. The Indian team won a total of 27 medals including eleven gold, seven silver and nine bronze in the freestyle, women’s wrestling and Greco-Roman categories.
15 India’s Nipam wins bronze on opening day of 22nd Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships
India’s young female runner Nipam won a bronze medal on the first day of the 22nd Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong . Nipam finished third in the women’s 100m race with a time of 11.62 seconds . Nipam also holds the national record for the under-20 women’s 100m. The four-day championship will conclude on May 31st.
16 World Digestive Health Day
World Digestive Health Day is celebrated every year on May 29th . Its purpose is not only to raise awareness about digestive diseases but also to emphasize that a healthy digestive system is the foundation of a healthy society and a prosperous nation . The digestive system in the human body is a highly complex biological system that transforms food into useful nutrients. Just as industries process raw materials to create useful products, the body converts food into energy and nutrition. The process of digestion begins in the mouth. During chewing, enzymes in saliva begin to break down carbohydrates. Food then travels through the esophagus to the stomach, where acids and enzymes further simplify it. The small intestine absorbs nutrients from food, while the large intestine reabsorbs water and essential elements. Organs like the liver and pancreas play a crucial role in this entire process. This coordinated system provides energy to the body and also helps maintain immunity.