Daily Current Affairs and GK | 8 and 9 February 2026

Topic: Art and Culture

1. Bastar Pandum festival inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.

• On the occasion, Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai were also present. 
• As part of the festival, divisional-level competitions are being organised till 9th February.
• During the festival, over 700 artists from 84 teams will perform in twelve cultural disciplines.
• The performances will include tribal dances, handicrafts, traditional tribal cuisine and indigenous musical instruments.
• Bastar Pandum festival provides a glimpse of the rich tribal culture of the Bastar region.
• It is a three-day tribal cultural festival that showcases indigenous heritage of Bastar.
• It is being held at historic Lalbagh Ground. It is being organised by Department of Culture, Government of Chhattisgarh.
• Jagdalpur is the divisional headquarters of the Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
• The major tribes of Bastar are Gond, Maria (Abujhmaria and Dandami Maria), Muria, Bhatra, Halba, and Dhurwa tribes.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

2. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme recognised as a National Movement.

• The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme has been stated by the government to have evolved from a policy initiative into a nationwide movement.
• The transformation has been achieved through active mobilisation of government agencies, communities, civil society, media and the public.
• In Lok Sabha, Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi stated that the Sex Ratio at Birth at the national level increased from 918 in 2014–15 to 929 in 2024–25.
• She also said that the gross enrolment ratio of girls at the secondary school level rose from 75.51% in 2014–15 to 80.2% in 2024–25.
• He said that according to the 2020-21 HMIS data of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, districts are allocated funds based on the status of the sex ratio at birth (SRB) in those districts.
• The scheme was launched on 22 January 2015 to address declining child sex ratio and gender-based discrimination.
• Empowerment of girls and women across the life cycle continuum has been identified as a core objective.
• The initiative aims to bring about a cultural shift towards valuing the girl child and ensuring equal rights.
• Educational access, health awareness and community participation have been strengthened through the scheme.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. The nationwide Pulse Self-Reliance Mission launched to boost India’s Pulse Production.

• On 7 February, the nationwide Pulse Self-Reliance Mission was launched by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the Food Legumes Research Centre in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh.
• A high-level consultation was organised in which senior leaders including Union Ministers, state Chief Ministers, and agriculture ministers participated.
• The roadmap for achieving self-reliance in pulse production was finalised during the consultation.
• A cluster-based production model has been planned to improve efficiency and scale in pulse cultivation.
• Seed villages will be developed to ensure timely availability of quality seeds to farmers.
• A proposal to establish 1,000 pulse mills across the country has been included to strengthen processing infrastructure.
• Research–farmer linkages are being strengthened to ensure faster transfer of technology and best practices.

Topic: Companies and Corporates

4. Deeptech Startups granted extended recognition Under Startup India Programme.

• According to a gazette notification issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), deep tech startups have been formally recognised under the Startup India programme.

• Their eligibility period has been extended to 20 years from the date of incorporation, which is double that of regular startups.
• The annual turnover threshold for deeptech startups has been fixed at ₹300 crore, compared with ₹200 crore for regular ones.
• Startup benefits will cease after 20 years or on crossing the turnover limit, whichever occurs earlier.
• A deep tech startup is defined as a company that invests a significant portion of its revenue or funding into research and development (R&D).
• Such firms have been defined by the government as those with long development and gestation periods, higher capital and infrastructure investment, and significant technical or scientific uncertainty.
• Sectors like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and climate technology have been classified as deeptech.
• The policy change is expected to improve access to growth capital, grants, and institutional funding.
• Investors have stated that the extended recognition window supports the transition from lab research to commercialisation.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. MCP server launched by NSO to make Government Data AI-Ready.

• The beta version of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) server was launched by the National Statistics Office under MoSPI.
• The MCP server has been integrated with the eSankhyiki portal, India’s national statistics platform.
• The initiative has been introduced to enable direct access to official datasets through AI tools.
• Seven key data products have been included in the initial beta release.
• The datasets cover Periodic Labour Force Survey, Consumer Price Index, Annual Survey of Industries, Index of Industrial Production, National Account Statistics, Wholesale Price Index and Environmental Statistics.
• Users can query datasets without downloading large files, saving time and computing resources.
• The server allows automation of reports and integration with private analytical tools.
• The initiative supports data-driven policymaking and citizen participation in development.
• The launch aligns with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat and democratising access to AI-ready data.
• This launch, ahead of the AI ​​Impact Summit to be held from February 15-20, 2026, demonstrates NSO India's commitment to making a real impact on the data ecosystem by utilizing emerging technologies like AI.

Topic: International News

6. A historic election victory secured by Japan’s First Female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

• On 8 February, a historic election victory was secured by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s coalition in Japan.
• The Liberal Democratic Party won 316 seats of the 465 in the lower house, marking its best-ever performance.
• A two-thirds supermajority was achieved with coalition partner Ishin, easing legislative approval.
• The winter snap election was called to capitalise on strong public approval ratings.
• The victory has paved the way for proposed tax cuts and increased defence spending.
• Financial markets were unsettled by concerns over funding the proposed sales tax relief.
• Youth voters played a key role, with Takaichi gaining popularity for her direct leadership style.

Topic: Sports

7. Jharkhand’s women’s para throwball team won the gold medal at the 2026 National Federation Cup.

• They defeated host team Rajasthan by a score of 21–17.
• The final match was played in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.
• The Para Throwball National Federation Cup was held from February 3 to February 5.
• Jharkhand’s women's team maintained composure and consistency across all matches.
• In the men’s category, Andhra Pradesh claimed the gold medal.
• Telangana finished the tournament as runners-up. Haryana secured the bronze medal position. Jharkhand’s men’s team finished fourth overall.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. Bhutan’s Queen Mother, Gyalyum Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, received the Upendra Nath Brahma ‘Soldier of Humanity’ Award.

• It was the 22nd edition of the award for the year 2025.
• The award ceremony was held at Bodoland University in Kokrajhar, western Assam.
• The award was presented by the Upendra Nath Brahma Trust and recognised her lifelong dedication to humanitarian service.
• Her work has also focused on social development and inclusive growth.
• The Queen Mother is the founder and president of the Tarayana Foundation, which works extensively in remote rural areas of Bhutan.
• Its initiatives address poverty alleviation and women’s empowerment and support education and healthcare services.
• The award included a citation and a statuette of Upendra Nath Brahma.
• Upendra Nath Brahma is revered as Bodofa by the Bodo community.
• Traditional Bodo items were also presented as part of the honour, which included the sereja musical instrument and aronai decorative scarf.
• A cash prize of ₹2 lakh accompanied the award.

Topic: Banking/Finance

9. India's first fully digital FPI licence has been issued by Kotak Mahindra Bank.

• Kotak Mahindra Bank achieved a first in India’s financial sector.
• It issued a foreign portfolio investor licence through a fully digital process.
• The bank is the first custodian in the country to do so.
• The entire FPI account-opening process was completed online.
• Electronic signatures were used at every stage and no physical documents were required from investors.
• Kotak Mahindra Bank has already issued two FPI licences.
• Both licences were granted using only digitally signed documents.
• The move makes onboarding easier for overseas investors.
• It marks a significant step toward paperless investing in India.
• The initiative follows recent regulatory reforms.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India enabled a unified digital workflow.
• SEBI operationalised this system in January 2026. 

Topic: National News

10. Airbus has inaugurated a Centre of Excellence for aerospace studies.

• The Centre is located at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Vadodara, Gujarat.
• The Centre represents a new phase of collaboration between Airbus and the university.
• It aims to strengthen India’s aerospace ecosystem with the focus on research and innovation.
• One major research area is Sustainable Aviation Fuel. The Centre will support studies on future aerospace technologies.
• The Centre of Excellence was announced in 2024. It was formally inaugurated in 2026.
• Airbus described the Centre as a milestone in its India strategy.
• The Centre will explore converting municipal solid waste into aviation fuel.
• Airbus and the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya have partnered since 2024 to build an integrated aerospace framework in India.
• Airbus has also created a Chair Professor for Aerospace Studies at the university.
• Airbus is a European aerospace corporation. It is headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands.