Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 March 2026

Topic: Sports

1. Sumit Antil won the gold medal in the men's javelin throw at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2026 held in New Delhi.

• He recorded a throw of 69.25 meters. Pushpendra Singh won the silver medal with a throw of 56.91 meters.
• Poonam Ram won the bronze medal with a throw of 49.48 meters.
• India won several medals across various track and field events.
• In the men's 400m T13 race, Subodh Bhatt won the gold medal, finishing with a time of 51.88 seconds.
• In the same event, Priyanshu Kaushik won the silver medal, completing the race in 53.19 seconds.
• Avnil Kumar won the bronze medal with a time of 56.91 seconds.
• In the men's 400m T46/T47 race, Bhavikkumar Din Bharwad won the gold medal with a time of 49.89 seconds.
• Jasbir finished right behind him to win the silver medal, clocking a time of 50.09 seconds.
• India achieved a clean sweep of the podium in the men's 400m T53/T54 wheelchair race.
• Manojkumar Sabapathi won the gold medal with a time of 54.33 seconds; Anil Kumar won the silver medal in 57.57 seconds; and Manikandan Jothi won the bronze medal with a time of 1:01.94.
• In the women's 400m T11/T12 race, Tejalben Amaraji Damor won the gold medal with a time of 57.53 seconds.
• Lalita Kilaka won the silver medal in 1:07.92, while Shalini Chaudhary won the bronze medal in 1:16.79.
• In the women's shot put event, Lakshmi won the gold medal with a throw of 7.76 meters. Akutai Sitaram Ulbhagat won silver with a distance of 5.49 meters.
• Bhutan's Chimi Dema won the bronze. Her throw measured 5.27 meters.
• India achieved a clean sweep of the podium in the men's Long Jump T42/T63 event. Shailesh Kumar won the gold medal with a jump of 5.47 meters.
• Ramsingbhai Govindbhai Padhiyar won the silver medal with 4.68 meters, while Solairaj Jagannathan secured the bronze medal with 3.23 meters.
• India also completely dominated the podium in the men's Shot Put F46 event. Rohit Kumar won the gold medal with a throw of 14.35 meters.
• Devendra Singh Gurjar won the silver medal with 13.97 meters, and Lokesh Akula secured the bronze medal with 10.92 meters.

Topic: National News

2. The seven more districts added in sixth phase of mandatory Gold Hallmarking.

• Seven additional districts have been included by the Government of India in the sixth phase of mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and gold artefacts under the Hallmarking Amendment Order 2026.
• The new districts added include Rupnagar in Punjab, Banda in Uttar Pradesh and Beed in Maharashtra along with four other districts.
• The sixth phase of mandatory hallmarking came into force from 2 March 2026, further expanding the regulatory coverage.
• With this expansion, a total of 380 districts across the country are now covered under mandatory gold hallmarking regulations.
• Since the introduction of the system in 2021, more than 60 crore gold items have been hallmarked with a Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number.
• The hallmarking system is implemented by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to ensure purity and authenticity of gold jewellery and artefacts sold in the market.
• Mandatory hallmarking currently covers six categories of gold purity including 14, 18, 20, 22, 23 and 24 karat jewellery and artefacts.
• Under Indian Standards, a provision for 9-karat hallmarking is also available, although it is presently maintained as a voluntary grade.
• Each hallmarked jewellery item carries a unique HUID number which ensures traceability and verification of purity standards.
• Consumers can verify the authenticity and purity of hallmarked gold jewellery by using the “Verify HUID” feature available on the BIS CARE mobile application.

Topic: National Appointments

3. Parthanil Ghosh appointed as MD & CEO of HDFC ERGO General Insurance.

• Parthanil Ghosh has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HDFC ERGO General Insurance, following approval from the company’s board.
• The appointment is scheduled to take effect from 16 April, subject to regulatory approvals.
• The decision regarding the leadership transition was approved by the board of HDFC ERGO General Insurance during its meeting held on 11 March.
• The appointment has been made to succeed Anuj Tyagi, who currently serves as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company.
• Anuj Tyagi had resigned from the position on 16 January 2026 in order to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities after leading the organisation.
• Parthanil Ghosh joined HDFC ERGO in 2016 following the merger of HDFC ERGO with L&T General Insurance, strengthening the leadership team of the company.
• Since 1 May 2025, he has been serving as the Executive Director of the company and contributing to strategic operations and organisational growth.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

4. WHO Foundation and Novo Nordisk collaborated to prevent childhood obesity in India.

• A new collaboration has been announced between the WHO Foundation and Novo Nordisk to support childhood obesity prevention initiatives in India.
• Through the partnership, financial support will be provided for strengthening obesity prevention strategies and improving health-system readiness in the country.
• The initiative has been designed to curb the growing burden of childhood obesity through a scalable school-based health programme.
• The collaboration has been aligned with the Government of India’s Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme and the WHO Health Promoting Schools framework.
• According to the World Health Organization, overweight and obesity now contribute to more deaths globally than underweight conditions.
• Childhood obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes later in life.
• The project will focus on creating healthier early-life environments, promoting physical activity and identifying obesity-related risks among children at an early stage.
• India has been identified as a priority country for the initiative because of the increasing prevalence of obesity among younger populations.
• The programme will also work towards developing healthier school environments through health screening, lifestyle education and mental health support for students.
• Through coordinated efforts, the partnership aims to strengthen preventive healthcare approaches and empower school-aged children to adopt healthier lifestyles for the future.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. The KSRTC’s “Dhwani Spandana” initiative for visually impaired passengers won National Award.

• An innovation award has been received by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation for its initiative named “Dhwani Spandana” designed to assist visually impaired passengers.
• The recognition has been conferred at the Governance Now 12th PSU National Awards in the category of “Excellence in Innovation.”
• The award was presented during the Governance Now Awards ceremony held in New Delhi.
• The initiative known as “Dhwani Spandana – Onboard Bus Identification and Navigation System” has been introduced to support visually impaired commuters.
• The system has been implemented in about 200 Mysuru City Transport buses to enhance accessibility in public transportation.
• Technical support for the project has been provided with the assistance of GIZ Germany.
• Through this technology, visually impaired passengers are able to identify buses and navigate their journey more independently.
• The initiative significantly reduces the dependence of visually impaired passengers on others while using public transport services.
• Officials have stated that the system has enhanced the confidence and safety of visually impaired commuters travelling in city buses.
• The project represents an important step toward inclusive mobility and improved accessibility within the public transport system.

Topic: Indian Polity

6. Lok Sabha approved supplementary demands for grants – Second Batch 2025–26.

• The Supplementary Demands for Grants – Second Batch for the financial year 2025–26 have been approved by the Lok Sabha.
• Under these demands, gross additional expenditure of more than ₹2.81 lakh crore has been sought by the government.
• The additional expenditure proposals were primarily aimed at meeting higher financial requirements for fertiliser subsidies, food subsidies and Defence Services.
• The details of the supplementary grants were presented in the Lok Sabha by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while replying to the discussion in the House.
• The Finance Minister informed that a total of 61 grants have been included in the Supplementary Demands for Grants.
• An amount of ₹41,430 crore has been allocated for Defence Services to strengthen national security and defence preparedness.
• Additionally, ₹6,140 crore has been earmarked for the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme to ensure healthcare services for retired armed forces personnel.
• A grant of ₹37,886 crore has been provided to the local bodies of states to support development and administrative functions.
• For fertiliser subsidies, ₹19,230 crore has been allocated to ensure adequate availability of fertilisers for farmers.
• Following approval of the demands, the Lok Sabha also passed the Appropriation Bill 2026 to authorise the withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Fund of India for the financial year 2025–26.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

7. 'Project Great Indian Bustard' has entered the fourth year of its captive breeding program.

• Earlier this week, two new Great Indian Bustard chicks were born.
• This information was shared by Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• With the newly born chicks, the total number of birds at the captive breeding center has risen to 70.
• These chicks were born at the conservation breeding center located in Rajasthan.
• The Minister described this achievement as a significant step towards the conservation of this species.
• He stated that this progress reflects the success of the conservation efforts being undertaken under this project.
• This year, some of the chicks raised at the captive breeding center will be gradually released into their natural habitats.
• It is expected that this step will mark the beginning of a new phase in the conservation program.
• 'Project Great Indian Bustard' was launched in 2013.
• It was initiated to conserve the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.
• It is India's heaviest flying bird, found primarily in Rajasthan.
• This project is being jointly led by the Rajasthan Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India.

Topic: Miscellaneous

8. V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority has introduced a 'Digital Twin' platform for port management.

• It is the first port in India to implement this technology.
• This initiative marks a major technological advancement in the maritime sector.
• The platform was formally inaugurated on February 23, 2026.
• It was inaugurated by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
• This initiative facilitates the transition toward smart and technology-driven port operations.
• The Digital Twin platform creates a virtual replica of the port. This replica depicts the port's infrastructure and operational assets.
• It also visualizes the surrounding marine ecosystem. The system operates in real-time.
• It enhances operational visibility across the entire port and aids in making data-driven decisions.
• The system displays live information regarding berth occupancy and tracks vessel movements.
• The objective of this technology is to reduce vessel turnaround times. The platform is also expected to improve equipment availability.
• The Digital Twin project is being implemented in a phased manner.

Topic: Science and Technology

9. India is planning to establish a new semiconductor support fund worth over ₹1 lakh crore.

• The objective of this initiative is to strengthen domestic chip manufacturing.
• It also supports India's ambition to become a global manufacturing hub.
• This fund will provide subsidies for semiconductor design projects. It will also assist in financing manufacturing equipment for chip production.
• This initiative will aid in the development of the semiconductor supply chain.
• Discussions regarding this proposal are currently ongoing.
• This strategy is similar to the policies adopted by the United States.
• The U.S. supports semiconductor manufacturing through the CHIPS and Science Act.
• Under that program, approximately $52 billion was allocated for domestic chip production.
• In China, semiconductor companies receive financial assistance from large government funds.
• India aims to attract the world's major semiconductor manufacturing companies.
• The country plans to offer incentives and subsidies to these companies.
• This new fund will build upon the previous semiconductor incentive program launched in 2021.
• That program offered to cover up to 50 percent of a project's cost.
• It was designed to support companies establishing semiconductor facilities.
• An allocation of approximately $10 billion was made for the previous scheme.
• India aims to develop semiconductor capabilities on par with the world's leading producers.
• The country has set a target of 2032 to achieve this goal.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. Amol Palekar will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 edition of the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards.

• This honor celebrates his long-standing contributions to Indian theater and cinema.
• He is widely recognized for his work both as an actor and as a filmmaker.
• The award acknowledges his decades-long influence on the art of contemporary storytelling.
• This honor is part of the 21st edition of the Theatre Awards, established by the Mahindra Group.
• The event is produced by the cultural organization 'Teamwork Arts'.
• The 2026 festival will be held in New Delhi from March 19 to March 25, 2026.
• This week-long festival will showcase numerous notable theater productions from across India.
• The festivities will culminate with the annual awards ceremony.
• Throughout his career, Palekar has remained active across the fields of theater, film, and television.
• For the 2026 edition, the awards received a record number of entries.
• A total of 422 entries were submitted by theater groups from across the country.