1 Utkala Divas: 91st Foundation Day of Odisha
Utkal Diwas (Odisha Day) is celebrated every year on April 1, as Odisha became an independent state on the basis of language, separating from the province of Bihar and Orissa on April 1, 1936. Odisha is celebrating its 91st foundation day. This day is also known as Utkal Diwas. Odisha holds a special place in Indian history. Odisha was the first state to be formed on the basis of language. Notable leaders of the state formation movement include Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das, Utkal Mani Gopabandhu Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Pandit Nilakantha Das, and many others.
2 World Autism Awareness Day 2026
World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated every year on April 2nd . This day is not just a formality, but an opportunity to remind society that there are people among us who see and understand the world differently. They need understanding, acceptance, and respect, not sympathy. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is not a disease that can be cured; it is a unique way of how the brain functions. People with autism perceive the world, people, and situations differently. There are many misconceptions about autism in society. It is often considered a weakness or a deficiency, whereas it is a type of neurodiversity. Just as every individual has a unique personality, people with autism also have different ways of thinking and understanding. Some common signs of autism begin to appear in childhood, such as reduced eye gaze, delayed speech, repetitive movements, or discomfort with changes in routine. Some children may also be bothered by loud noises or lights. However, symptoms vary from person to person.
3 International Bird Day
International Bird Day is celebrated on April 1st , when migratory birds return after winter and nature awakens and blooms.
4 The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed by Lok Sabha
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was passed by the Lok Sabha today. The bill amends the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014 , and provides for the statutory status of Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh. The bill will now be introduced in the state assembly. After the President’s assent, it will become law. BJP’s D. Purandeswari said that when the state was divided in 2014, Telangana began its journey from Hyderabad, but Andhra Pradesh had neither a capital, nor an assembly, nor a secretariat, nor any administrative structure. She said that when the three states were formed during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister, capitals were allocated to the states, but Andhra Pradesh faced a grave humiliation in 2014.
The Lok Sabha passed the Public Trust (Amendment) Provisions Bill, 2026. This bill seeks to remove and rationalize offenses from specified categories by amending certain Acts . It aims to further strengthen trust-based governance to improve ease of living and doing business. The bill includes measures to decriminalize minor offenses and modify fines and penalties commensurate with the offense . It proposes to amend 79 Central Acts administered by 23 ministries . A total of 784 provisions are proposed to be amended . Of these, 717 provisions are proposed to improve ease of doing business and 67 provisions are proposed to improve ease of living.
6 Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth assumed charge as Vice Chief of Army Staff
Lieutenant General Dheeraj Seth assumed the post of Vice Chief of the Army Staff . He is an alumnus of the Khadakwasla National Defence Academy in Pune. He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. He has commanded an armoured regiment in a desert area, an armoured brigade in a developed area, and a counter-terrorism force in Jammu and Kashmir.
7 Indian-origin Padma Viswanathan shortlisted for International Booker Prize 2026
Indian-born Canadian-American author and translator Padma Viswanathan has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2026. She has been awarded this position for her English translation of Brazilian author Ana Paula Maya ‘s novel ” On Earth as It Is Beneath .” Formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize , this award is given annually to a work of fiction originally written in a language other than English and subsequently translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland. The winner will receive a prize money of £50,000, which will be divided equally between the winning author and translator. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern on May 19.
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday released the book ” Tides of Time: A History of India through Murals in Parliament, ” written by Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murthy, at the Constitution House . On the occasion, he described the murals in Parliament as a living reflection of India’s rich civilizational heritage and called India the “mother of democracy.”
9 Nyay Setu will provide easy legal guidance to the common people.
To facilitate access to justice in the country, the ” Nyay Setu AI Chatbot ” and its mascot, ” Dishika, ” were launched. The initiative was inaugurated by Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan and Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal at the Disha event held at Vigyan Bhawan. “Nyay Setu” is an AI-based digital assistant that helps people understand legal information in simple language . The platform works both via voice and text and is available in multiple Indian languages. Its objective is to provide common people with information about their rights, legal procedures, and further steps in a simple manner, thereby facilitating access to justice. This platform was developed under the Digital India Bhashini (BHASHINI) . Bhashini CEO Amitabh Nag said that this initiative will make the justice system more inclusive and eliminate language barriers. During the event, Bhashini’s ” Shrutlekh ” system performed real-time translation and transcription of the Vice President’s speech, making it easily understandable to people in different languages. The mascot, named “Dishika,” will serve as a digital guide, helping people answer legal questions and use the platform.
On March 31st , William Matthew Walsh was appointed CEO of IndiGo . Matthew began his career as a pilot in 1979. He worked at British Airways from 2005 to 2011 and later became CEO of British Airways. Currently, he heads the International Air Transport Association (IATA). His term ends on July 31st. He will assume the role of CEO of IndiGo on August 3rd, 2026. Walsh is a prominent figure in the global aviation industry. He has served as CEO of British Airways and International Airlines Group (IAG). IAG includes major airlines such as Ireland’s Aer Lingus, Spain’s Iberia, and Britain’s Vueling. On March 10th, IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers resigned from his position. Following his resignation, William will take over. Walsh is also known as Willie.
11 Veer Vikram Yadav appointed as Director General of DGCA
On March 31 , Veer Vikram Yadav was appointed Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) . Veer Vikram is a 1996 batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre. Veer Vikram will replace Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. Kidwai has been transferred to the post of Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). Kidwai became Director General of the DGCA in January 2025. The DGCA is the highest statutory body regulating civil aviation in India.
12 NASA launches Artemis II
On April 1 , NASA launched the Artemis II mission. The launch took place at 6:24 p.m. from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission will last 10 days . The Artemis II mission will include four astronauts: Reid Wiseman (Mission Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), Christina Koch (Mission Specialist), and Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist) – traveling to the lunar outer orbit. For the first time in 50 years, humans will leave Earth orbit and travel several kilometers beyond the far side of the Moon. The Artemis II mission will cover a distance of 1,102,400 kilometers. The Artemis II mission will use the Space Launch System rocket, which will carry the Orion shuttle spacecraft. Orion is designed to travel to the Moon, orbit around the Moon, and return. This mission is designed to explore the possibility of human life on the Moon and conduct scientific research.
13 Indian-origin Mangala Kuppa appointed CIO of US Labor Department
On March 31st , Indian-origin technology expert Mangala Kuppa was appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the US Department of Labor . Mangala had been serving as Acting CIO since October, after which the US government officially appointed her. Mangala was also appointed Artificial Intelligence Officer of the same department in March. Mangala is also working on the US Department’s information technology strategy, digital transformation, and AI adoption. Mangala Kuppa is an Indian-origin technology expert with 25 years of experience in this field. Mangala has held several senior positions within the US Department of Labor since 2010, including Chief Technology Officer and Director of Business Application Services. Prior to this, Mangala worked for the Bureau of Labor Statistics for nearly a decade. Before Mangala, Ghulam Shakir was the Acting CIO of the US Department of Labor.
14 ‘Jirga’ calls for immediate ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan
A joint jirga (organized group of elders and social leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan) has called for an immediate ceasefire to defuse escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries. The declaration was issued at the conclusion of the jirga in Peshawar yesterday. Former governors, politicians, former diplomats, tribal elders, intellectuals, and religious scholars attended the meeting.