1 Supreme Court allows euthanasia for the first time in the country
On March 11 , the Supreme Court granted 31-year-old Harish Rana permission to undergo euthanasia, or passive euthanasia . Harish has been in a coma for over 13 years and is surviving on life support systems. Passive euthanasia means that external life support or treatment being provided to a critically ill patient to keep them alive is stopped or withdrawn so that the patient can die naturally. A Supreme Court bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Vishwanathan heard the petition filed by Harish Rana’s parents. Following the hearing, Delhi AIIMS was directed to admit Rana to palliative care. The SC made this decision under Article 21 of the Constitution , which guarantees the right to die with dignity . This is the first case in India where the Supreme Court has directly permitted passive euthanasia for a patient. The bench made this decision after extensive discussions with Rana’s family, the medical board, family members, and the central government’s lawyer. However, active euthanasia is illegal in India, meaning death through an injection or medication is illegal. In 2011, former Mumbai nurse Aruna Shanbaug had sought euthanasia in the High Court. The court had then refused to grant euthanasia to Shanbaug. Shanbaug was a victim of sexual assault and was bedridden for more than four decades. Four years later, Shanbaug died in May 2015. Euthanasia is legal in Canada under the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program. In case of a serious illness, a patient can opt for active euthanasia.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu was sworn in as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Delhi . He was administered the oath by Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay at a ceremony held at Lok Niwas in New Delhi . Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with her cabinet ministers, were present at the ceremony.
3. US signs $300 billion partnership with Reliance Industries Limited
President Donald Trump has announced a historic US$300 billion partnership with India’s Reliance Industries Limited . This will see the opening of ” America First Refining, ” the first new major oil refinery in the United States in 50 years . Trump announced the project on the social media platform Truth Social, calling it a historic deal for the American energy sector. Located at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, the facility is being described as the largest investment in US history. It is expected to create thousands of jobs. It will also serve as the world’s cleanest refinery.
4 The UK Parliament approved a bill to remove the remaining hereditary MPs from the House of Lords.
The British Parliament has approved a bill to remove the remaining hereditary MPs from the House of Lords . This has ended the centuries-old system in which the nobility secured seats in the Upper House by birth . The government has said that membership in the Upper House should not be guaranteed by birth. The House of Lords passed the Hereditary Peers Bill. With this, the reforms started 25 years ago and the major promise of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government to modernize the Upper House have been fulfilled. The Upper House of the British Parliament has a total of 800 members. Most of these are appointed for life by the Prime Minister on the advice of political parties or an independent commission. These also include bishops of the Church of England.
The Unique Identification Authority of India has launched a bug bounty programme to enhance the security of the Aadhaar system . The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the programme allows cybersecurity experts to identify potential vulnerabilities in the authority’s key digital platforms. The ministry said a panel of 20 experienced security researchers and ethical hackers has been selected to participate in the initiative.
6 NITI Aayog releases second annual edition of Fiscal Health Index 2026
NITI Aayog released the second annual edition of the Fiscal Health Index 2026 in New Delhi . The report outlines several policy priorities to strengthen the fiscal health of states. These include increasing revenue mobilization and strengthening states’ own tax capacity, and improving the composition and quality of capital expenditure. Speaking on the occasion, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery said that strengthening fiscal governance at the state level will be critical to maintaining macroeconomic stability and sustaining India’s growth momentum. She added that systematic benchmarking tools like the Fiscal Health Index will also help states identify structural fiscal challenges and adopt policy reforms.
7 Puducherry University and Zoho Corporation sign MoU to promote research
Pondicherry University and Zoho Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote research in materials science and energy technology . The partnership aims to combine the university’s academic expertise in materials science and nanotechnology with Zoho’s long-term research-focused approach. This initiative is expected to foster innovation, develop skilled talent, and create high-paying employment opportunities in rural and semi-urban areas.
8 T20 World Cup: ICC announces prize money, India to receive $2.63 million
The ICC has announced the final prize money for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. India will receive US$2,639,423 after defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the title match. Runner-up New Zealand will receive US$1,422,692. This year’s prize money represents an increase from the ICC tournament prize money announced in 2024. South Africa, which lost the semi-final, will receive US$1,005,577, while England will receive US$974,423. The four teams: West Indies, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Sri Lanka, who reached the Super 8 but did not advance to the knockouts, will receive US$538,269, US$522,692, US$491,538, and US$475,962, respectively. Meanwhile, teams that reached the Super 8 stage but did not advance, including Afghanistan, Australia and the USA, will each receive $309,808.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a cash prize of ₹131 crore for the Indian team that won the ICC T20 World Cup . BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said in a statement that the prize money will be distributed among the 15 players, coaching staff and other support staff of the winning team led by Suryakumar Yadav.
9 India to host international archery competition after 22 years
India will host a top international archery competition for the first time after 22 years . Delhi has been awarded the hosting rights for the second edition of the Asia Cup in 2027. Delhi last hosted an international archery competition in 2005 during the Asian Archery Championships. World Archery Asia President Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed Chapol made the announcement during his three-day visit to Kolkata. The decision was taken after discussions with Archery Association of India Secretary General Virendra Sachdeva on hosting upcoming international tournaments.
10 Kyle Walker retires from international football
On March 10 , England footballer Kyle Walker announced his retirement from international football . The 36-year-old was part of the teams that reached the European Championship finals in 2021 and 2024. Kyle won 96 caps and was part of five major tournaments . Walker last played for his country in a friendly against Senegal in 2025. Kyle played for the England national football team from 2011-2025.
11 No Smoking Day 2026
No Smoking Day is celebrated every year on the second Wednesday of March. No Smoking Day 2026 was celebrated on 11 March. It aims to inspire people around the world to take a step towards a healthy life by quitting tobacco. The day focuses on spreading awareness about the harmful effects of smoking and supporting people trying to break free from nicotine addiction. Every year, health organizations, communities and governments celebrate this day through awareness campaigns related to quitting tobacco. No Smoking Day was started in 1984 in the United Kingdom as a public health initiative. Its aim was to reduce tobacco use.
12 Renowned Indologist Padma Shri award winner Hermann Kulke passes away
Renowned historian and Indologist Hermann Kulke has passed away at the age of 87. The German -born scholar devoted several decades to the study of Odisha’s history, culture, and religious traditions . His research made significant contributions to the global study of Indian civilization, temple traditions, and regional political systems. Kulke, born in Berlin in 1938, later became one of the leading experts in South Asian history and Indology. In his renowned 1975 thesis, “The Jagannath Cult and Gajapati Kingship,” he described how the Jagannath temple tradition was used by the rulers of Odisha’s Gajapati dynasty to consolidate their political power. His research demonstrated that religious institutions were important instruments of governance and state legitimacy in medieval India.