Main Objectives:

• To attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into India's medical device sector.
• To promote research, development (R&D), and domestic manufacturing in medical technology (MedTech).
• To strengthen the domestic MedTech ecosystem under the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) initiatives.

Invest India:

• Established: 2009
• Nature: India's national investment promotion and facilitation agency (a non-profit entity).
• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry (DPIIT).
• APACMed (Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association):
• Nature: The leading trade body representing the medical device and in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) industry in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Headquarters: Singapore.
• PLI Scheme for Medical Devices: Production Linked Incentive scheme for the domestic manufacturing of medical devices.
• Promoting Medical Device Parks: Plan to establish 'Medical Device Parks' in four major states across the country.

• Project: Upgradation and modernization of the electric traction system.
• Approved Amount: ₹220 crore
• Railway Zone: South Central Railway (SCR)
• Affected Section: Wadi-Raichur section

Main Objectives:

• To increase the operational speed of trains and ensure the smooth movement of freight trains.
• To enhance energy efficiency and improve the load capacity of Overhead Equipment (OHE).

South Central Railway (SCR):

• SCR Headquarters: Secunderabad
• Year of Establishment: October 2, 1966
• Administratively, the South Central Railway is divided into 3 divisions (previously there were 6: Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntakal, Guntur, and Nanded).
• Following the formation of the new South Coast Railway (SCoR) effective June 1, 2026, the Vijayawada, Guntakal, and Guntur divisions were separated from it.
• Currently, it comprises only the Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Nanded divisions. Indian Railways is currently divided into 18 administrative zones (it is sometimes counted as 19, including the Kolkata Metro).
• The 18th railway zone, "South Coast Railway" (SCoR), has become fully operational (Headquarters: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh).

Major zones of Indian Railways and their headquarters:

• Northern Railway (NR) (Largest zone): New Delhi
• South Central Railway (SCR): Secunderabad
• South Coast Railway (SCoR) (Newest zone): Visakhapatnam
• Central Railway (CR): Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus)
• Western Railway (WR): Mumbai (Churchgate)
• Eastern Railway (ER): Kolkata
• South Eastern Railway (SER): Kolkata
• Kolkata Metro: Kolkata
• East Central Railway (ECR): Hajipur
• East Coast Railway (ECoR): Bhubaneswar
• North Central Railway (NCR): Prayagraj
• North Eastern Railway (NER): Gorakhpur
• Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR): Guwahati (Maligaon)
• North Western Railway (NWR): Jaipur
• Southern Railway (SR): Chennai
• South East Central Railway (SECR): Bilaspur
• South Western Railway (SWR): Hubli
• West Central Railway (WCR): Jabalpur
• Note: Apart from these, Konkan Railway (KR) also operates as a separate corporation, with its headquarters in Navi Mumbai. Kolkata is the only city that houses the headquarters of three railway zones (Eastern, South Eastern, and Kolkata Metro).
• The Railways has also modified its official logo (emblem), replacing the 17 stars with 18 stars to represent the new South Coast Railway zone.

All 18 zones of Indian Railways and the 69 divisions under them:

• Northern Railway (NR): Delhi, Ambala, Firozpur, Lucknow (NR), Moradabad
• South Central Railway (SCR): Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Nanded
• South Coast Railway (SCoR): Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal, Visakhapatnam
• Central Railway (CR): Mumbai (CR), Bhusawal, Pune, Solapur, Nagpur (CR)
• Western Railway (WR): Mumbai Central, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Rajkot, Bhavnagar
• Eastern Railway (ER): Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, Malda
• South Eastern Railway (SER): Kharagpur, Adra, Chakradharpur, Ranchi
• Kolkata Metro: (No specific divisions; it operates directly at the zonal level)
• East Central Railway (ECR): Danapur, Dhanbad, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (Mughalsarai), Samastipur, Sonpur
• East Coast Railway (ECoR): Khurda Road, Sambalpur, Raigarh (following the reorganization of Waltair division)
• North Central Railway (NCR): Prayagraj, Jhansi, Agra
• North Eastern Railway (NER): Izzatnagar, Lucknow (NER), Varanasi
• Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR): Katihar, Alipurduar, Rangiya, Lumding, Tinsukia
• North Western Railway (NWR): Jaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur
• Southern Railway (SR): Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram, Salem
• South East Central Railway (SECR) : Bilaspur, Raipur, Nagpur (SECR)
• South Western Railway (SWR) : Hubli, Bengaluru, Mysuru
• West Central Railway (WCR) : Jabalpur, Bhopal, Kota

• Project: India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ)
• Signatories: Department of Telecommunications (DoT - Ministry of Communications) and the Government of Madhya Pradesh
• Venue (of MoU signing): New Delhi
• Location of establishment: Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh)

Main Objectives:

• To make India a global manufacturing hub for telecom equipment (such as 5G/6G gear, routers, optical fiber, etc.).
• To reduce dependence on imports under the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) initiatives.
• To generate large-scale employment opportunities for the youth in the state.

Madhya Pradesh:

• Highest peak: Dhupgarh
• Longest river: Narmada
• Foundation Day: November 1, 1956
• Soil types: Black soil, red and yellow soil, alluvial soil, laterite soil, mixed soil, etc.
• Capital: Bhopal
• Other names for the state: Hriday Pradesh (Heart State), Soya Pradesh (Soya State), Tiger State, Leopard State
• State Animal: Barasingha (Swamp Deer); State Flower: White Lily
• State Dance: Rai; State Sport: Mallakhamb
• Largest district: Chhindwara
• Smallest district: Niwari
• Geographical/Historical significance of Gwalior: Gwalior is a major industrial and cultural city in Madhya Pradesh.
• City of Tansen: Gwalior is also known as the 'City of Music' (Sangeet Nagari), and the mausoleum of the great musician Tansen is located here.
• Maharaja Bada and Gwalior Fort: Gwalior Fort is known as the 'Gibraltar of India'.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT):

• Ministry: Ministry of Communications
• Current Union Minister of Communications: Jyotiraditya M. Scindia

• Name of the Alliance: Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance
• Lead Nation: Saudi Arabia
• Total Participating Nations: 14 countries (Saudi Arabia + 13 other partner nations): Saudi Arabia (Alliance leader and host), Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Pakistan, Türkiye (Turkey), Bangladesh, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria.
• Gulf Countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar.
• Middle East & North Africa: Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Türkiye, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan.
• Asia & West Africa: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria.
• Note: The alliance's headquarters and joint operations center will be located in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).

Main Objectives:

• To ensure the security of international maritime trade routes.
• To curb piracy, drone and missile attacks, and illicit trafficking.
• To promote the free movement of vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

Other Important Facts:

• Bab-el-Mandeb Strait: This strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. It is considered a major trade "chokepoint" (narrow passage).
• Suez Canal: Located at the northern end of the Red Sea, connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Capital of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh
• Currency of Saudi Arabia: Riyal

• Salman Rushdie is one of the most influential, acclaimed and controversial writers of contemporary English literature.
• Born: 19 June 1947 in a Kashmiri Muslim family in Bombay (now Mumbai), India
• Citizenship: He is currently a British and American citizen. Since the year 2000 he has been living mainly in the United States.
• Magical Realism: Rushdie is primarily known for his 'Magical Realism' style.

Most prominent novels and works:

• Midnight's Children (1981): This is his most famous novel. It is based on the background of India's freedom struggle and partition.
• The Satanic Verses (1988): This is his most controversial novel, which completely changed his life.
• Shame (1983): This novel is a satire on the political situation of Pakistan.
• The Moor's Last Sigh (1995): It depicts India's multi-cultural history and modern society.
• Victory City (2023): A fantasy epic inspired by the historical Vijayanagara Empire of South India
• Rushdie's memoir book: Salman Rushdie has also written a memoir book titled "Knife: Meditations after an Attempted Murder" on this fatal attack, his struggle and the recovery process.

Awards and Honors:

• Booker Prize: He received the prestigious Booker Prize in 1981 for 'Midnight's Children'.
• Booker of Bookers: In 1993 and 2008, on the 25th and 40th anniversaries of the Booker Prize, 'Midnight's Children' was declared the best Booker-winning novel of all time in history.
• Knighthood: He was given the title of 'Sir' by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 for his contribution to literature.
• Penn Centenary Courage Award: In the year 2023, he was awarded this prestigious honor given for freedom of expression.
• After the publication of the novel 'The Satanic Verses' (1988), he was accused of blasphemy. This book was banned in many Muslim countries including India
• 1989 Fatwa: Iran's then-supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a death fatwa against Rushdie. Due to this, Rushdie had to live underground for many years under the tight security of the British government.

• As of January 1, the number of Japanese citizens was recorded at approximately 119.74 million, a decrease of about 917,000 compared to the previous year. This marks the largest annual decline since 1968.
• The number of foreign nationals residing in Japan has risen to over 4 million, the highest level on record.
• Including foreign nationals, Japan's total population stands at approximately 123.7 million, a decrease of about 563,000 compared to the previous year.
• General Information about Japan:
• Official Name: Nippon or Nihon, meaning "Land of the Rising Sun."
• Capital: Tokyo; it is the world's most populous metropolitan area.
• Currency: Yen; its symbol is ¥. Name of Parliament: The Diet (a bicameral parliament)
• National Sport: Sumo wrestling (although baseball is the most popular sport there)
• Main islands (in order from north to south):
• Hokkaido: Northernmost island
• Honshu: Largest island (the capital, Tokyo, and Mount Fuji are located on this island)
• Shikoku: Smallest main island
• Kyushu: Southernmost main island
• Highest Peak: Mount Fuji (an active volcano located on Honshu Island)
• Ring of Fire: Japan is situated on the Pacific Ocean's 'Ring of Fire'

Hiroshima and Nagasaki (World War II):

• On August 6, 1945, a uranium bomb named "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima
• On August 9, 1945, a plutonium bomb named "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki
• Diplomatic Relations: Diplomatic relations between India and Japan were established on April 28, 1952. The two countries will celebrate the 75th anniversary of their relations in 2027.

• It reflects the significant progress made in structural and pro-competition reforms between 2010 and 2023.
• The report assesses India's performance based on the 'Market Distortions Performance Index,' analyzing the trajectory of the country's reforms from 2010 to 2023.
• It attributes this improvement to sustained efforts aimed at reducing market distortions and strengthening competition.
• The report was released during a discussion titled "India’s Reform Trajectory, Market Distortions, and the Next Frontier for Growth and Competitiveness," organized by the Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL) at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Competere Foundation for Trade and Competition Policy.
• The discussion focused on India's structural reform journey, policy measures to enhance competitiveness, and the next phase of reforms required to sustain growth in the evolving global trade landscape.

Three Key Pillars of the Index:

• Protection of Property Rights: The ability to enforce contracts and secure property rights. Domestic Competition: Minimizing anomalies related to the entry and expansion of new businesses and market operations.
• International Competition: Participating in global trade and removing cross-border trade barriers.

Competition Commission of India (CCI):

• Nature: Statutory body.
• Year of Establishment: 2003 (under the Competition Act, 2002).
• Key Functions: Preventing activities that adversely affect competition in the Indian market and protecting consumer interests.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Lovepreet Singh (Weightlifting):

• Competition Category: Men's 110+ kg category
• Medal: Silver medal
• Performance: He lifted a total of 388 kg, comprising 176 kg in the snatch (Games record) and 212 kg in the clean and jerk.
• Key Fact: Lovepreet missed the gold medal by a margin of just 1 kg (New Zealand's David Liti won gold with 389 kg). Lovepreet had previously won a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham CWG.
• Note: With this medal, India's weightlifting campaign concluded with a total of 8 medals (1 gold, 6 silver, 1 bronze).

Seema Kaliramna (Athletics/Discus Throw):

• Competition Category: Women's Discus Throw
• Medal: Bronze medal
• Performance: She secured the bronze medal with a throw of 58.65 meters.
• Key Fact: This is her first major international medal. In this event, Jamaica's Samantha Hall won gold (61.66m) and Canada's Julia Tunks won silver (60.67m).

Commonwealth Games 2026:

• Venue: Glasgow, Scotland
• Dates: July 23 – August 2, 2026
• Edition: 23rd Commonwealth Games
• Glasgow for the Second Time: Glasgow had previously hosted the CWG in 2014.

• Invincible Captain: Rahane captained India in 6 Test matches, out of which India won 4 and drew 2 (did not lose a single match).
• Historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2020-21): After being all out for 36 runs in Adelaide, under the captaincy of Rahane, India made a historic comeback in Australia and won the Test series 2-1 (Rahane's 112-run century in the Melbourne Test was decisive)
• Most catches in a Test match (world record): Rahane holds the world record for taking most catches in a Test match (non-wicketkeeper), 8 (against Sri Lanka, 2015 - Galle).
• Historic century at Lord's: Played a major role in helping India win there after 28 years by scoring a century at Lord's in 2014.
• Domestic Cricket Success: Under his captaincy, he led Mumbai to win the Ranji Trophy title for a record 42nd time in the 2023-24 season.
• Rahane made his debut in international cricket in the year 2011 and made his mark as 'cap number 278'.

• Competition: Under-17 World Wrestling Championships 2026
• Venue: Baku, Azerbaijan
• Category: Women's Freestyle Wrestling
• India's Total Medal Tally: 3 medals (1 Silver + 2 Bronze)

Key Medalists and Their Performances:

• Nikita Sehrawat (Silver Medal): Nikita represented India in the 57 kg weight category. In the final bout, she suffered a 0-6 defeat against American wrestler Apenesa Allison, forcing her to settle for the silver medal.
• Kamna Babal (Bronze Medal): Kamna competed in the 49 kg weight category. She secured the bronze medal by defeating Russia's Irina Tsidiva by a narrow margin of 3-2 in a hard-fought play-off match.
• Garima (Bronze Medal): Garima displayed excellent form in the 73 kg weight category. In the bronze medal match, she defeated Spain's Paula Benaxa Perez with a one-sided score of 10-0 via technical superiority.

Other Important Facts:

• Capital of Azerbaijan: Baku
• Currency of Azerbaijan: Manat
• Significance of Baku: It is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea and holds the distinction of being the lowest-lying national capital in the world (situated below sea level).
• Governing Body: The global wrestling body is 'United World Wrestling' (UWW), headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.

• Date of Birth: December 26, 1899
• Place of Birth: Sunam, Sangrur District, Punjab
• Birth Anniversary: ​​December 26 (annually)
• Date of Death (Martyrdom): July 31, 1940
• Place of Death: Pentonville Prison, London (execution by hanging)
• Eyewitness to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919)
• Resolved to avenge this massacre
• Shot and killed Michael O’Dwyer (former Governor of Punjab)
• at Caxton Hall, London, on March 13, 1940
• A staunch opponent of British imperialism
• Associated with the revolutionary organization Ghadar Party
• Gave his name as "Ram Mohammad Singh Azad" after his arrest
• Revolutionary Organizations: He was associated with the Ghadar Party and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)

• Original Name: His real name was Dhanpat Rai Srivastava.
• Pen Name: He initially wrote in Urdu under the pen name "Nawab Rai" and later adopted the name "Premchand."
• Birth: He was born on 31 July 1880 in Lamhi village, near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• Title: He was honored with the title "Upanyas Samrat" (Emperor of Novels) by the Bengali novelist Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
• Ban on Soz-e-Watan: In 1908, his first Urdu short story collection, Soz-e-Watan, was published. The British Government declared it seditious, confiscated the copies, and had them burned.
• Non-Cooperation Movement: Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's call, he resigned from his government job (School Inspector) in 1921 and devoted himself entirely to the national movement and writing.
• Magazine Editing: He edited journals such as Hans, Jagaran, and Madhuri, which became strong voices for Indian nationalism and social reform.
• Major Themes: His writings focused on pressing social issues such as the exploitation of peasants, the Zamindari system, untouchability and caste discrimination, the dowry system, the condition of child widows, and colonial exploitation.
• Progressive Writers' Association (PWA): He was elected President of the first conference of the All India Progressive Writers' Association held in Lucknow in 1936. In his presidential address, he said, "Literature is not merely a means of entertainment; it is the torch that leads politics."
• Major Novels: Godaan (the epic of peasant life), Gaban, Sevasadan, Nirmala (based on unequal marriage and the dowry system), Rangbhoomi, Karmabhoomi, and Kayakalp.
• Famous Short Stories: Kafan, Poos Ki Raat, Namak Ka Daroga, Panch Parmeshwar, Eidgah, Budhi Kaki, and Do Bailon Ki Katha.
• Biography: Kalam Ka Sipahi, written by Amrit Rai, the son of Premchand.