Daily Current Affairs and GK | 3 January 2026

Topic: National Appointments

1. Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor has taken over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force on January 1, 2026.

• He succeeds Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari.
• Air Marshal Kapoor was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1986.
• He played a key role in introducing the PC-7 Mk II aircraft into the Air Force.
• He has served as Defence Attaché to Pakistan on a diplomatic assignment.
• He has served as Air Defence Commander at South Western Air Command.
• He has served as Senior Air Staff Officer at Central Air Command.
• He has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal.
• Air Marshal Seethepalli Shrinivas has assumed charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Training Command of the Indian Air Force on January 1.
• He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 1987.
• He is a Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4,200 hours of flying experience.
• He is qualified as a second pilot on Chetak and Cheetah helicopters.
• He is trained as an Operations Officer on the Pechora missile system.
• He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

Topic: Art and Culture

2. PM Modi inaugurated an international exhibition of the sacred Piprahwa relics of Gautama Buddha on January 3.

• The grand international exposition was held at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi.
• The exposition is titled “The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One.”
• It brought together repatriated Piprahwa relics with authenticated relics and archaeological items from the National Museum, New Delhi, and the Indian Museum, Kolkata.
• The Piprahwa relics were discovered in 1898. They are among the earliest relics linked directly to Gautama Buddha.
• They are considered historically significant. Archaeological evidence connects the Piprahwa site with ancient Kapilavastu.
• Kapilavastu is believed to be where Buddha spent his early life before renunciation.
• The exhibition highlights India’s long-standing connection to Buddhism.
• The repatriation of the relics was achieved through government initiatives, institutional collaboration, and public-private partnerships.
• The exhibition is organized into multiple thematic sections.
• One section features a reconstructed model inspired by the Sanchi stupa.
• Other sections explore Piprahwa’s history, Buddha’s life, Buddhist teachings, expansion of Buddhist art, and the repatriation of cultural artifacts.
• Piprahwa is a village in Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh.