• Parties to the agreement: Ministry of Tourism and Air India
• Objective: To promote India globally as a preferred tourist destination
• Key Brand/Theme: Under the 'Incredible India' brand
• Presence: The agreement was signed in the presence of the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
• Duration: The agreement will initially be effective for 2 years, with a provision for a one-year extension
• Hub Cities: Delhi and Mumbai will be developed as key international gateways
• Nature: It is a non-financial and non-binding agreement.
• Incredible India Campaign:
• An international marketing campaign launched by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, aimed at promoting Indian tourism globally
• Launch Year: The campaign was launched in 2002.
• Ministry: It falls under the Ministry of Tourism.
• First Brand Ambassador: Actor Aamir Khan was appointed as its first brand ambassador.
• Current/Latest Brand Ambassador: Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself became the face of the campaign.
• Tagline/Slogan: The campaign's main tagline is "Incredible India."
• Theme Song/Creative Agency: The campaign was conceptualized and designed by the renowned advertising agency 'Ogilvy & Mather'.
• Incredible India 2.0 Campaign: Launch: Under the Union Budget of 2017-18

• Formation: January 21, 1972 (previously part of Assam).
• Capital: Shillong — also known as the 'Scotland of the East'.
• Boundaries: The state shares its borders with only one Indian state (Assam) and one country (Bangladesh).
• Major Hills: Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia. These hills are part of the Peninsular Plateau and are named after the major tribes inhabiting the region.
• Place with Highest Rainfall: Mawsynram; located in the Khasi Hills, it is the wettest place on Earth (previously Cherrapunji held this record).

State Symbols:

• State Animal: Clouded Leopard
• State Bird: Hill Myna
• State Tree: Gamhar
• State Flower: Lady Slipper Orchid

Art, Culture, and Festivals:

• Wangala Festival: Known as the 'Festival of 100 Drums'. It is the most prominent post-harvest festival celebrated by the Garo tribe.
• Nongkrem Dance Festival: A five-day religious festival celebrated by the Khasi tribe.
• Behdienkhlam: The most important harvest festival of the Jaintia tribe.
• Shad Suk Mynsiem: A thanksgiving festival of the Khasi community. Major languages: Khasi, Garo, and English (English is the official language here).

• Launch: Launched on June 1, 2020, to assist street vendors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Nodal Ministry: Implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in collaboration with the Department of Financial Services (DFS).
• Type of Scheme: It is a Central Sector Scheme, meaning it is 100% funded by the Central Government.
• Revised Duration: The Union Cabinet has extended the duration of the scheme until March 31, 2030.

Revised Loan Structure:

First Tranche:

• Previous loan amount: ₹10,000
• Revised loan amount: Up to ₹15,000
• Repayment period: 12 months

Second Tranche:

• Previous loan amount: ₹20,000
• Revised loan amount: Up to ₹25,000
• Repayment period: 18 months

Third Tranche:

• Previous loan amount: ₹50,000
• Revised loan amount: ₹50,000 (no change made)
• Repayment period: 36 months
• More than 1.12 crore loans have been disbursed since the inception of the scheme.
• Under the PM SVANidhi scheme, the ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ component was launched on January 4, 2021.
• Its objective was to create a social security net for the families of beneficiaries and improve their living conditions.
• This scheme links eligible beneficiaries and their families to 8 select welfare schemes of the Central Government, aimed at providing protection and social security. As of July 12, 2026, socio-economic profiles of 50.63 lakh PM SVANidhi beneficiaries and their 1.06 crore family members have been prepared, and a total of 1.56 crore sanctions related to the scheme have been granted to them.

• This announcement was made during a stakeholder conference titled "United for Toys: Boosting Expansion, Innovation, and Exports," organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Ecosystem Size: Currently, India's toy sector comprises over 21,000 MSMEs, more than 770 DPIIT-recognized startups, approximately 50 toy clusters, and over 1,800 BIS license holders.
• Employment: Organized employment in this sector has risen from 8,685 workers in 2018-19 to over 17,693 in 2023-24.
• Target Year: The year 2032 has been set as the target for increasing market share in the global market.
• Market Share Target: The goal is to raise India's share in the global toy market to 5%.
• Current Share: India's current share in global toy trade is 1.9%.
• Convener/Chairperson: Jalaj Dani is the convener of the newly constituted Toy Sector Task Force.
• Full form of DPIIT: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; the stakeholder meeting was held under the aegis of this department.
• Full form of SCALE Committee: Steering Committee on Advancing Local Value-add and Exports. Its chairperson is Dr. Pawan Goenka.
• Full form of BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards. BIS certification is mandatory for quality testing of toys.

Key Traditional Toys and Associated States:

• Channapatna Toys (Karnataka): Famous wooden toys made from ivory wood and organic/natural colors.
• Kondapalli Toys (Andhra Pradesh): Made from a special lightweight wood known as 'Puniki'; these often feature jesters and mythological characters. Etikoppaka Toys (Andhra Pradesh): These toys are renowned for their unique lac craftsmanship and the use of pure vegetable dyes.
• Thanjavur Dolls (Tamil Nadu): These are traditional 'roly-poly' dolls and special dancing figures made from terracotta (clay).
• Asharikandi Terracotta Toys (Assam): A famous craft from Assam's Dhubri district, involving the creation of clay toys and figurines.
• Indore Leather Toys (Madhya Pradesh): These are realistic-looking animal toys crafted from leather.
• Varanasi Wooden Lac Toys (Uttar Pradesh): These are brightly colored toys created by applying a lac coating to wood, typically Sheesham or Kureya.
• Kathputli (Rajasthan): Although a traditional folk craft made of cloth and wood, it is a central element of Rajasthan's cultural toy-making art.

• Discovering Institute: Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru (an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology - DST).
• Lead Researcher: Ali Hasan Shaikh, a PhD student at Gauhati University and an INSPIRE Fellow.
• Star System Name: TIC 327546480 (a binary star system).
• Missions/Telescopes Used: NASA's TESS space mission and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory in Chile.

What is a Blue Straggler Star (BSS)?:

• Characteristics: These are hotter, brighter, and more massive stars found within star clusters.
• 'Vampire Star': They are formed by accreting matter from a companion star or through a merger; hence, they are known as 'vampire stars'.
• Discovery: First discovered by Allan Sandage in 1953 in the 'M3' cluster.

Scientific Significance of this Discovery:

• This binary system is 'semi-detached'.
• The Blue Straggler has a mass 1.67 times that of the Sun and is accreting matter from a smaller companion star.
• Intense X-ray emission has been detected.
• History of Discovery: They were first discovered in 1953 by Allan Sandage in the globular star cluster named 'M3'.
• Sun: The star closest to Earth.
• Proxima Centauri: The second closest star to Earth after the Sun. Sirius (or Dog Star): The brightest star visible from Earth.
• Pole Star (Dhruv Tara): It always indicates the north direction and remains stationary at a single point.
• Nebula: A cloud of gas and dust where stars are born.
• Red Giant: When a star's hydrogen fuel begins to run out, it expands and turns red.
• White Dwarf: The final remnant of small-sized stars (also known as 'fossil stars').
• Supernova: A massive explosion occurring in giant stars.
• Neutron Star / Black Hole: The remnants of massive stars left after a supernova explosion collapse into black holes due to extreme density.

• Total weight lifted: Gyaneshwari Yadav lifted a total of 199 kg, comprising 88 kg in the snatch and 111 kg in the clean and jerk.
• National Record: Her performance of 111 kg (clean and jerk) and a total of 199 kg sets a new national record.
• Gold Medalist: Nigeria's Onome Omolola Didih won the gold medal in this event by lifting a total of 206 kg, setting a new Commonwealth Games record.
• Bronze Medalist: Canada's Rebecca Graul secured the bronze medal with a lift of 178 kg.
• India's other weightlifting performances at Glasgow 2026:
• Mirabai Chanu (Gold Medal): Won her third consecutive Commonwealth gold medal in the women's 48 kg category with a record lift of 190 kg.
• Valluri Ajay Babu (Silver Medal): Secured silver by lifting a total of 330 kg in the men's 79 kg category.
• Rishikant Singh and Muthupandi Raja (Silver Medal): Won silver medals in the men's 60 kg and 65 kg categories, respectively.
• Bindyarani Devi (Bronze Medal): Secured the bronze medal in the women's 58 kg category.

• Athlete's Name: Sharmila Dhankhar (Age: 40 years; from Mahendragarh district, Haryana)
• Sporting Event: Para Shot Put
• Category/Class: F57 (This category is for athletes who throw from a seated position and have impairments in their lower limbs or reduced muscle strength)
• Venue: Glasgow, Scotland (Scotstoun Stadium)
• Best Throw (Distance): 9.81 meters (Season-best performance)

• Athlete's Name: Aditya Patnaik
• Sport: Car Racing
• Home State/City: Mumbai, India
• Title: Gold Vios Championship Malaysia (Sporting Class category)
• Venue: Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
• Team Name: Rayo Racing / Team Excel Sports
• He also received a prize of 15,000 Malaysian Ringgit.
• Prior to this, he had been the national runner-up in the Polo Cup India for two consecutive years.

• Vacancy: The post had remained vacant for over two and a half years following the resignation of Swati Maliwal in January 2024, after she became a Rajya Sabha member.
• Interim Charge: During this period, the administrative functioning of the Commission was overseen by Rashmi Singh, Secretary of the Department of Women and Child Development.
• Profile of Lata Gupta: She is a Vice President of the Delhi BJP and has served two terms as a Councillor from Laxmi Nagar in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).
• Other Appointments: As part of the Commission's reconstitution, five new members—Shyam Bala, Malti Verma, Lata Sodhi, Sanrika Sharma Jha, and Renu Bhalla—have also been appointed. Additionally, Nirmal Jain has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Delhi Minorities Commission.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW):

• Nature of the Body: The Delhi Commission for Women is a statutory body, not a constitutional one. It was constituted under an Act passed by the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
• Establishment and Act: It was established under the Delhi Commission for Women Act, 1994.
• Powers: While conducting inquiries, the Commission possesses the powers of a civil court. It can summon witnesses and demand the production of public documents.

• Identification: This camel is known for its distinctive bright white color.
• Size: It is considered the smallest among India's nine recognized camel breeds.
• Utility: This breed is excellent for milk production; a female camel yields 4 to 5 kilograms of milk per lactation cycle.
• Traditional Use: Historically, they were widely used for transportation and for carrying loads across difficult terrains.

Geographical Distribution:

• Madhya Pradesh (Malwa region): Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, and Gwalior
• Rajasthan: Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, and Baran

• Date: July 28 (Annually)
• Declaration: Officially initiated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1997.
• Main Objectives: To prevent the loss of biodiversity, combat the effects of climate change, and safeguard ecosystems for future generations.
• Focus for 2025/2026: In recent years, the day has focused globally on 'ecosystem restoration,' plastic recycling, and eco-friendly lifestyles.
• Article 48A (DPSP): The State shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.
• Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty): It is the duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN):
• Establishment: October 5, 1948, in Fontainebleau, France.
• Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland.
• Type: Non-governmental, international organization.
• Objective: To ensure nature conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.
• Note: In September 2025, the IUCN officially recognized India's first Dugong Conservation Reserve.

Key Environmental Days of the Year:

• February 2: World Wetlands Day (The Ramsar Convention was signed on this day in 1971).
• March 3: World Wildlife Day
• March 21: International Day of Forests
• March 22: World Water Day
• March 23: World Meteorological Day
• April 22: Earth Day
• May 22: International Day for Biological Diversity
• June 5: World Environment Day
• June 8: World Oceans Day
• September 16: World Ozone Day
• November 26: National Environment Conservation Day