Daily Current Affairs and GK | 15 and 16 March 2026

Topic: Sports

1. Mayank Chakraborty has become India's 94th chess Grandmaster.

• He is the first Grandmaster to emerge from India's northeastern region.
• He is also the first player from Assam to achieve the Grandmaster title.
• Prior to this achievement, he held the title of International Master.
• The 16-year-old player secured his final Grandmaster norm at the 8th GM Tournament, held at the Hotel Stockholm North in Stockholm, Sweden.
• Mayank secured first place in this competition. He scored 7 points out of the 9 rounds played in the event.
• He remained undefeated in the final round of the tournament.
• During this event, he crossed the requisite FIDE rating threshold of 2500.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Former AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das passed away at 66.

• On 13 March, former General Secretary of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Kushal Das, passed away at the age of 66.
• The demise of Kushal Das has been condoled by the All India Football Federation and members of the Indian football community.
• He had served as the General Secretary of the AIFF for more than a decade, from 2010 to 2022.
• During his tenure, several important administrative reforms and structural developments in Indian football were overseen under his leadership.
• Kushal Das was a chartered accountant by profession and possessed significant expertise in sports administration and financial management.
• His contribution to the development and governance of Indian football has been widely acknowledged within the national sporting community.

Topic: National News

3. 58-Foot Bronze Statue of Potti Sriramulu unveiled in Amaravati.

• A 58-foot bronze statue of freedom fighter Potti Sriramulu unveiled by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at Shakhamuru Park in Amaravati, marking the 125th birth anniversary of the leader.
• The statue has been installed as part of a memorial project developed by the Potti Sriramulu Memorial Trust to honour his sacrifice for a separate state for Telugu-speaking people.
• The first phase of the memorial project has been completed on 6.80 acres of land at an estimated cost of ₹150 crore.
• The construction of the 58-foot statue has been completed by the trust in approximately six months using 26 tonnes of bronze and 42 tonnes of iron.
• The memorial complex has been developed to commemorate Sriramulu’s 58-day fast demanding the creation of a separate Andhra State.
• His sacrifice played a critical role in the eventual formation of Andhra State and the recognition of Telugu people’s aspirations.
• In the second phase, additional facilities such as a museum, photo gallery, auditorium and skill development centre will be constructed at the memorial site.
• The memorial is intended to preserve the legacy of Potti Sriramulu and educate visitors about his historic contribution.
• The project highlights the importance of remembering freedom fighters who fought for regional identity and social justice.

Topic: Indian Polity

4. Assembly Election Schedule announced for Assam, Keralam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

• The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for Assembly elections in Assam, Keralam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
• Voting in Assam, Keralam, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase, while West Bengal will go to polls in two phases.
• Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar made the announcement during a press briefing in New Delhi.
• Polling in Assam, Keralam and Puducherry is scheduled for 9 April, while Tamil Nadu will vote on 23 April.
• In West Bengal, the first phase of voting will cover 152 constituencies on 23 April, and the second phase will cover 142 constituencies on 29 April.
• Counting of votes for all states and the Union Territory will take place on 4 May.
• With the announcement, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force immediately in all the concerned regions.
• Over 17 crore voters are eligible to participate across 824 assembly constituencies, with more than two lakh polling stations being set up and 25 lakh election officials deployed.
• The Commission has issued directions to ensure minimum facilities such as drinking water, toilets and signage at every polling station, along with 100 percent webcasting for monitoring.
• The election preparations included visits by the Commission to meet political parties, Chief Electoral Officers, Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police to ensure a smooth and transparent electoral process.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. Sikkimese film "Shape of Momo" received recognition at European film festivals.

• The Sikkimese film “Shape of Momo” directed by Tribeny Rai has continued its successful international festival circuit, adding new European selections.
• The film received recognition following its earlier screening at the Glasgow Film Festival.
• It recently opened the C-Movie Festival in Italy, dedicated to auteur cinema, literature and contemporary thought.
• Later this month, the film will compete at the 35th African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival in Italy in the “Windows on the World” Feature Film Competition.
• Director Tribeny Rai and producer Geeta Rai are currently attending the Spirit of Fire International Debut Film Festival in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, which showcases debut films from emerging directors worldwide.
• The film is scheduled to travel to the Cinema Asia Film Festival in Amsterdam for its Dutch premiere in April.
• Preparations are underway for the all-India release, with a grand Gangtok premiere being planned.
• The production team is in advanced discussions with prominent distributors to ensure a nationwide release.
• “Shape of Momo” has been celebrated for its storytelling, direction and cinematic quality, making it a standout among debut films from India.
• The film serves as an example of Sikkimese cinema gaining international recognition and contributing to global film discourse.

Topic: State News/Gujarat

6. The Gujarat Government to Develop 500 Villages as Natural Farming Clusters.

• The Gujarat Government has announced plans to develop 500 villages as dedicated Natural Farming Villages.
• Under this initiative, large agricultural areas in these villages will gradually transition to chemical-free farming practices in a phased manner.
• The programme has been designed to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.
• Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani stated that farmers will be provided with foundational training, technical guidance and direct field support.
• The farming clusters will also be linked to market systems to enable farmers to obtain better prices for their chemical-free crops.
• This initiative aims to strengthen sustainable farming while improving soil health and reducing chemical inputs.
• Through the plan, the government intends to enhance the availability of safe, nutritious and chemical-free food for the public.
• Farmers will be equipped with modern knowledge and practices to ensure effective adoption of natural farming techniques.

Topic: Indian Polity

7. The Election Commission of India has announced by-elections for eight assembly seats across six states.

• These seats are spread across different parts of the country.
• A by-election will be held for the Ponda seat in Goa.
• The Umreth assembly seat in Gujarat is also included in the by-election schedule.
• By-elections will take place for two seats in Karnataka—Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
• Preparations for voting have also been completed for the Rahuri and Baramati assembly seats in Maharashtra.
• The Koridang seat in Nagaland is also among the seats where by-elections are to be held.
• The Dharmanagar assembly seat in Tripura has also been included in the election schedule.
• Election notifications for Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, and Tripura were issued on March 16. Voting in these four states will take place on April 9.
• Notifications for the by-elections in Gujarat and Maharashtra will be issued on March 30. Voting in these two states will be held on April 23.
• The counting of votes for all eight seats will take place on May 4.

Topic: Indian Economy

8. The Government of India has reported that the country's service exports exceeded US$ 348 billion during the April-to-January period of the current financial year.

• In the first half of the financial year 2026, the services sector contributed approximately 10 percent to India's GDP.
• This underscores the growing significance of the services industry within the national economy.
• The government has emphasized several initiatives in the proposed Union Budget for 2026-27.
• These measures are aimed at further strengthening the services sector.
• Foreign companies providing cloud services utilizing existing infrastructure in India will be eligible for tax exemptions.
• These tax benefits will remain in effect until the year 2047.
• The government has also introduced reforms to the Safe Harbour rules applicable to IT services.
• The objective of these reforms is to simplify tax compliance for companies.
• Improvements have also been made to the Advance Pricing Agreement framework.
• These changes are designed to streamline tax procedures.
• Software services continue to constitute the largest segment of India's service exports, accounting for a share of over 40 percent of total service exports.
• Business and consulting services have also emerged as significant drivers of growth in exports.
• The government aims to secure a 10 percent share of the global services trade by 2047.

Topic: Banking/Finance

9. SEBI has issued a new circular for the mutual fund industry, permitting mutual funds to engage in intra-day borrowing.

• This facility is intended to address temporary mismatches in cash flow.
• Such mismatches may arise while processing investor redemption requests.
• Mutual funds are generally permitted to borrow up to 20 percent of a scheme's Net Assets.
• Such borrowing may be utilized solely for specific operational requirements. The maximum tenure for such borrowing is six months.
• These borrowings are typically utilized to fulfill redemption obligations.
• They may also be used to distribute income to investors. Furthermore, they can assist in settling certain financial transactions.
• The 20 percent borrowing limit applicable to general borrowings will not apply to intra-day borrowings.
• However, such borrowings must adhere to the conditions stipulated by SEBI.
• The regulator has clarified the permissible uses for these borrowings.
• They may be utilized to buy back mutual fund units. They may also be used to redeem units held by investors.
• They can also provide funding for interest payments to investors. Additionally, they can support payouts related to income distribution cum capital withdrawal.
• SEBI has also imposed a limit on the size of intra-day borrowings.
• The borrowed amount cannot exceed the guaranteed receivables expected to be received on the same day.
• These receivables may originate from the Government of India, the Reserve Bank of India, or the Clearing Corporation of India Ltd.
• The new regulatory framework will come into effect on April 1st.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is hosting the 'Naman Awards 2026' in New Delhi to honor achievements in Indian cricket.

• This annual ceremony recognizes the contributions of prominent cricketers and key figures associated with Indian cricket.
• Roger Binny will be honored with the 'Colonel C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award'.
• Rahul Dravid will also receive the 'Colonel C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award' for his long-standing contributions to the sport.
• This award is the highest honor bestowed by the BCCI for outstanding service to Indian cricket.
• Former captain of the Indian women's team, Mithali Raj, will be honored with the 'BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award (Women)'.
• India's Test and ODI captain, Shubman Gill, will receive the 'Polly Umrigar Award' for the second time.
• Smriti Mandhana will be honored with the 'Best International Cricketer (Women)' award for the fifth time in her career.
• Mumbai's Ira Jadhav will receive the 'Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy'.
• Shafali Verma will be honored as the 'Best Woman Cricketer' in senior domestic one-day competitions.
• Ayush Mhatre will be presented with the 'Lala Amarnath Award'.
• Vidarbha's Harsh Dubey will receive the 'Best All-rounder' award in the Ranji Trophy.
• The Mumbai Cricket Association will be honored for its outstanding domestic performance during the 2024-25 cricket season.
• The senior men's team will be honored for winning the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
• The men's team will also be honored for winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
• The senior women's team will be honored for winning the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025.