Daily Current Affairs and GK | 8 and 9 March 2026

Topic: Awards and Prizes

1. Mangaluru International Airport has been selected as the 2025 Airport Service Quality Award winner.

• This award recognizes it as the best airport at the time of arrivals.
• This recognition is based on passenger feedback collected through Airports Council International's independent survey program.
• The Arrivals category assesses the arriving passenger experience.
• Factors such as immigration efficiency, baggage delivery, cleanliness, ambiance, wayfinding, and comfort are considered.
• This is the second consecutive year that Mangaluru Airport has received the Global Arrivals Award.
• In 2025, six airports from around the world were shortlisted in the Arrivals category.
• Adani Airport Holdings Limited manages Mangaluru International Airport.
• The Airport Service Quality Awards ceremony will be held in Istanbul on September 2.
• The awards are part of the Airports Council International World Airport Experience Summit.

Topic: National Appointments

2. Deepak Gupta assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director of GAIL.

• Deepak Gupta has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of GAIL (India) Limited, the country’s largest natural gas transmission and marketing company.
• The appointment was made following the retirement of former CMD Sandeep Kumar Gupta on February 28.
• Deepak Gupta is a mechanical engineer from Delhi College of Engineering and possesses extensive experience in natural gas transmission, marketing and infrastructure development.
• Before assuming the top position, he had been serving as Director (Projects) at GAIL since February 2022.
• His tenure as Chairman and Managing Director is scheduled to continue until February 28, 2029.
• Under his leadership, the Dabhol breakwater project of Konkan LNG, a subsidiary of GAIL, was successfully completed, enabling all-weather operations at the facility.

Topic: Sports

3. India won their second consecutive ICC Men's T20 World Cup title.

• On 8 March, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title has been won by India after a commanding victory over New Zealand in the final match.
• The final match of the tournament was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where New Zealand was defeated by a massive 96-run margin.
• With this triumph, India has become the first host nation to win a T20 World Cup on its own soil.
• A historic milestone has also been achieved, as India has become the first team to secure back-to-back T20 World Cup titles, following its earlier victory in the 2024 edition held in the West Indies.
• Through this victory, India has created another record by becoming the first team in World Cup history to win the title three times.
• The Indian team in this edition of the tournament was led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, who guided the side to a dominant championship win.
• Sanju Samson was honoured with the Player of the Tournament award for his outstanding performances throughout the competition.
• In the final match, Jasprit Bumrah was declared the Player of the Match for his exceptional contribution.
• In the history of the tournament, England and West Indies have previously won the T20 World Cup twice each, while Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Australia have each secured the title once.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. The second phase of Viksit Bharat Yuva Connect Program launched in Delhi.

• On 9 March, the second phase of the Viksit Bharat Yuva Connect Program launched in New Delhi by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• The initiative is being organised through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) to strengthen youth engagement with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
• It has been announced that more than 10,000 students from over 35 colleges across the national capital are expected to participate in the programme.
• The programme has been designed to connect young citizens with India’s development journey and encourage them to contribute as responsible nation builders.
• Various interactive sessions, dialogues and engagement activities will be organised during the programme to facilitate active youth participation.
• Youth icons, including presenters from the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, will interact with students and share their experiences.
• Winners of the Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament will also participate in the event to inspire greater youth involvement in national development initiatives.
• The programme has already been conducted in 274 universities and colleges across 22 States and Union Territories.
• Through these initiatives, nearly 20,000 young people have been mobilised so far to participate in discussions on nation-building and development goals.
• Registration and participation in the programme are being facilitated through the MY Bharat digital platform, mybharat.gov.in, enabling wider access for young citizens.

Topic: State News/Kerala

5. ‘Nirbhaya Nisha’ initiative launched by Kerala Police to ensure safe night travel for women.

• On 8 March, the ‘Nirbhaya Nisha’ project has been operationalised by the Kerala Police to ensure safe and independent travel for women during night hours across the state.
• The program was formally launched by State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar at Manaveeyam Veedhi, where the initiative was flagged off.
• As part of the launch, 28 police jeeps driven by women police personnel were flagged off, marking the beginning of the project’s implementation statewide.
• The initiative has been introduced to address safety concerns faced by women travelling at night for work, education, medical emergencies and personal needs.
• The Nirbhaya Nisha service will operate between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am, ensuring security during late-night travel hours.
• The pilot phase of the project had earlier been launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, paving the way for statewide implementation.
• The initiative will function through coordination among several emergency response mechanisms such as the Emergency Response and Support System (ERSS) and the 112 emergency helpline.
• Additional support will be provided through district control rooms, control room vehicles, highway patrol units and pink patrol vehicles.
• Kerala Police also plan to install ‘safety poles’ equipped with AI-enabled cameras and panic alarm buttons in busy urban areas where women frequently travel.
• These poles will also include facial recognition systems to identify offenders in crowded places, thereby strengthening public safety infrastructure.

Topic: State News/Delhi

6. The development projects worth ₹33,500 crore inaugurated and laid by Prime Minister in New Delhi.

• On 8 March, the development projects worth around ₹33,500 crore inaugurated and their foundation stones laid in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Among the major initiatives, Delhi Metro projects valued at about ₹18,300 crore inaugurated, significantly expanding the capital’s metro connectivity.
• Two new Delhi Metro corridors inaugurated, including the Majlis Park–Maujpur Babarpur corridor of the Pink Line spanning about 12.3 kilometres.
• Another corridor of the Magenta Line between Deepali Chowk and Majlis Park covering around 9.9 kilometres also opened for public use.
• These new metro routes are expected to benefit several areas of Delhi such as Burari, Jagatpur-Wazirabad, Khajuri Khas, Bhajanpura, Yamuna Vihar and Madhuban Chowk.
• Additional regions including Haiderpur Badli Mor, Bhalaswa and Majlis Park will also gain improved public transport connectivity through these corridors.
• On the same occasion, the foundation stone for three new metro corridors under Phase V-A of the Delhi Metro project also laid.
• The new corridors will include R.K. Ashram Marg to Indraprastha, Aerocity to Indira Gandhi Airport Terminal-1, and Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj, covering more than 16 kilometres.
• The Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth ₹15,200 crore under the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) Redevelopment Plan.
• The redevelopment plan aims to modernise government residential colonies and create over 9,350 modern flats along with nearly 48 lakh square feet of office space, thereby improving administrative infrastructure.

Topic: Sports

7. Lakshya Sen finished runner-up in the men's singles event at the All England Open Badminton Championships 2026.

• The final match was played at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham.
• In the championship match, Sen faced Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei.
• Lin Chun-Yi defeated Lakshya Sen in straight games. He won the first game by a score of 21-15.
• Lakshya Sen lost the first game 15-21. Sen tried to make a strong comeback in the second game.
• The second game was a very close contest. Lin Chun-Yi eventually won the second game 22-20.
• With this win, Lin Chun-Yi secured the men's singles title.
• After the defeat, Lakshya Sen finished the tournament in second place.

Topic: Important Days

8. International Women's Day: March 8

• International Women's Day is celebrated every year on March 8 to recognize the achievements of women, regardless of national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political boundaries.
• This day was recognized by the United Nations in 1977.
• This year, the theme for International Women's Day is "Rights. Justice. Action. For all women and girls."
• This theme emphasizes the need to strengthen women's rights, ensure access to justice, and accelerate progress towards gender equality worldwide.
• To mark the occasion, the Ministry of Women and Child Development organised a women-led walk titled Shakti Walk along Kartavya Path.
• This year, the day is being celebrated with a global campaign theme, "Give to Gain."
• It emphasizes the power of collective support in advancing gender equality.

Topic: International News

9. Mojtaba Khamenei has been declared the new Supreme Leader of Iran following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei.

• Iranian state media reported that Ali Khamenei died during the initial stages of a joint US and Israeli attack on his home in Tehran.
• The leadership change comes as Operation Epic Fury, a military operation carried out by US and Israeli forces, enters its tenth day.
• The operation is being carried out by US and Israeli forces.
• Iran has retaliated with numerous missile and drone strikes.
• The military confrontation escalated after the large-scale air campaign began on February 28.
• The tensions have also severely impacted maritime activity around the Strait of Hormuz.
• Although the Strait has not been officially closed, commercial shipping through this route has declined significantly.
• Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly decreased by approximately 80 percent due to security risks.
• The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Topic: National News

10. The Narcotics Control Bureau dismantled a nationwide drug trafficking network operating under the name "Team Kalki."

• The group distributed drugs across India. The operation relied on darknet marketplaces. The traffickers also used encrypted communication platforms.
• The network had been active since January 2025. The accused coordinated activities through encrypted messaging app Session.
• The main operation was conducted in New Delhi. Authorities intercepted 13 parcels containing narcotics within India.
• Investigators also seized two international parcels linked to the network. These packages were traced to the Netherlands.
• The NCB stated that this case highlights the increasing misuse of darknet platforms for drug trafficking.
• The agency also emphasized the role of encrypted apps in coordinating illegal trade.
• Authorities also recovered a cryptocurrency wallet linked to the operation.
• Narcotics Control Bureau comes under Ministry of Home Affairs. It is headquartered in New Delhi. It enforces the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.