Modern Indian History (1901-1947)

• August 7, 1905: Swadeshi Movement launched in Kolkata's Town Hall, boycotting foreign goods in protest of Bengal Partition.
• October 16, 1905: Bengal Partition implemented, observed as Raksha Bandhan Day.
• 1907: Surat Session of Congress, led by Rash Behari Ghosh, resulted in the split between Garam Dal and Naram Dal.
• 1909: Morley-Minto Act introduced communal electorate system in India.
• January 9, 1915: Mahatma Gandhi returned to India, observed as Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas.
• 1916:
  • Lucknow Session of Congress, led by Ambica Charan Majumdar, saw agreement between Congress and Muslim League, and reunion of Garam Dal and Naram Dal.
  • Establishment of Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
  • Home Rule League Movement started by Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
• 1917:
  • Calcutta Session of Congress, led by Annie Besant (first woman president of Congress).
  • Champaran Satyagraha in Bihar by Mahatma Gandhi against indigo cultivation (Tinkathia system).
• 1919:
  • Rowlatt Act ("no appeal, no argument, no lawyer" law).
  • Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms introduced diarchy (dual system of governance) in provinces.
  • April 13, 1919: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in Amritsar; Shankaran Nair resigned as a lawyer.
• 1920: Non-Cooperation Movement began; Mahatma Gandhi renounced his Kaiser-e-Hind title.
• February 1922: Chauri Chaura incident in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, led to the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
• 1923: Swaraj Party founded by Chittaranjan Das and Motilal Nehru.
• 1924: Belgaum Session of Congress, presided over by Mahatma Gandhi (his only time as president).
• 1925:
  • Kanpur Session of Congress, presided over by Sarojini Naidu (first Indian woman president).
  • August 9, 1925: Kakori Train Action (formerly Kakori Train Robbery) involving Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, Roshan Singh, and Chandrashekhar Azad.
• 1927: Simon Commission formed (all seven members were foreign).
• 1928:
  • Simon Commission arrived in India, met with "Simon Go Back" protests.
  • Nehru Report presented by Motilal Nehru.
• 1929: Lahore Session of Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, demanded Purna Swaraj (complete independence).
• January 26, 1930: Purna Swaraj Day declared.
• 1930:
  • Civil Disobedience Movement began.
  • March 12, 1930 - April 6, 1930: Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi against salt tax.
  • First Round Table Conference (Congress did not participate).
• March 5, 1931: Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed, agreeing to Congress participation in the Second Round Table Conference.
• March 23, 1931: Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev hanged.
• 1931: Second Round Table Conference (Mahatma Gandhi participated, travelling on the SS Rajputana).
• 1932:
  • Communal Award (Communal Panchant) announced by Ramsay MacDonald.
  • September 1932: Poona Pact signed between Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar.
• 1940:
  • August Offer.
  • Individual Satyagraha Movement began; Vinoba Bhave was the first Satyagrahi.
• August 9, 1942: Quit India Movement launched; Lord Linlithgow was Viceroy; "Do or Die" slogan given; Operation Zero Hour initiated.
• March 1946:
  • Cabinet Mission arrived (Pethick Lawrence, Alexander, Stafford Cripps); Pethick Lawrence was the chairman.
  • Proposed Constitution for India and 1 seat for every 1 million population, totaling 389 seats.
• December 9, 1946: First meeting of the Constituent Assembly; Sachchidananda Sinha appointed interim president.
• December 13, 1946: Objectives Resolution (Preamble) moved by Jawaharlal Nehru, accepted on January 22, 1947.
• June 3, 1947: Mountbatten Plan declared the partition of India and Pakistan.
• July 18, 1947: Indian Independence Act passed.
• July 22, 1947: National Flag adopted.
• November 26, 1949: Constitution of India completed.
• January 24, 1950: Constitution signed; National Anthem and National Song adopted.
• January 26, 1950: Constitution of India came into full effect (16 articles related to citizenship and others were implemented earlier per Article 394).
• January 28, 1950: Supreme Court of India established.

Recent Current Affairs

Nobel Prizes 2025

• Physics Nobel Prize:
  • Awarded to: John Clauser, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis (all from USA).
  • For their discovery related to "macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and the quantization of energy in electrical circuits," advancing quantum technology.
  • The first Physics Nobel Prize (1901) was awarded to Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen for X-rays.
  • Nobel Prizes (except Peace Prize) are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, on December 10, the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel. The Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway.
• Medicine Nobel Prize (Recap): Awarded to Mary Broncov, Fred Remesdel, and Shakagachi (mentioned from prior lectures).

International Politics & Affairs

• France: Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned after only 26 days, the shortest tenure in French history, due to public dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron.
• UNESCO: Khalid Al Anani (Egypt) appointed as the first Arab politician to be nominated for the Director-General post of the UNESCO Executive Board.
• SCO Summit 2027: To be hosted by Pakistan.
• India-Pakistan Dispute: India issued a warning regarding Pakistan's activities at Sir Creek in Gujarat (originally Ban Ganga), a disputed territory between India's Kutch and Pakistan's Sindh province.
• Other:
  • Ukraine test-fired its first indigenous long-range cruise missile, Flamingo.
  • Israel launched Ofeq-19 spy satellite using a solid-fueled rocket.
  • New York Declaration relates to peaceful resolution of the Palestine issue.

National Developments (India)

• Cheetah Safari: India's first cheetah safari started at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh (in Shivpur district).
  • Launched as part of Project Cheetah (2022), bringing cheetahs from Namibia (8) and South Africa (12).
  • This was the first intercontinental cheetah rehabilitation in the world.
  • Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh is India's 58th Tiger Reserve.
• National Camel Mission:
  • Draft prepared by the central government to prevent the declining camel population.
  • The Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is responsible.
  • Camel population: ~11 lakh in 1971, ~2.5 lakh in 2019 (20th Livestock Census); Rajasthan has the highest number.
  • Types: Dromedary (one hump, common in Rajasthan) and Bactrian (two humps, found in Central Asia, Ladakh).
  • Scientific facts: Camel RBCs (red blood cells) contain a nucleus (unlike most mammals); long Henle's loop in nephron aids water reabsorption.
  • Art: Usta Kala (camel painting) from Bikaner, Rajasthan, has a GI tag.
• Global FinTech Fest 2025:
  • Held in Mumbai at the Jio Centre, inaugurated by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on October 7.
  • Theme: "Empowering Finance for a Better World Driven by AI."
  • Possible speech by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
• Developed India Build Thon:
  • Brand Ambassador: Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla (from Lucknow), who travelled to space on the Axiom-4 mission (first Indian to go to the International Space Station via a private mission).
  • Concept: "Build Thon" refers to a hackathon-like initiative to build India, engaging students from Class 6 to 12.
  • Initiated by the Ministry of Education under the Atal Innovation Mission (NITI Aayog).
• National School Games:
  • The 69th National School Games commenced in Jammu and Kashmir, with football as the opening sport.
  • Other venues include Lucknow and Delhi.
  • 30 teams are participating.
  • Manipur was the overall champion of the 68th National School Games (2024-25 session).
• Other:
  • Andhra Pradesh announced plans to establish a space city and two defence centres.
  • Himachal Pradesh became the fourth fully literate state (after Mizoram).
  • Indore topped the "Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2025" in the 10 lakh+ population category.
  • Abhimanyu Mishra became the youngest Grandmaster to defeat D. Gukesh.
  • India's first ceramic waste park established in Khurja, Uttar Pradesh.
  • First overseas Atal Innovation Centre inaugurated in Abu Dhabi.
  • Sambhav system is used by the Indian Army for secure messaging (alternative to WhatsApp).
  • First indigenous vaccine AdFalsi for Malaria received a license.
  • INS Aravali, an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) warship, commissioned in Gurugram (first ASW was INS Arnala).
  • India's fastest train is Namo Bharat (160 km/hr).
  • Women's Hockey Asia Cup winner: India (opponent that beat India not mentioned as part of the fact).
  • Veer Savarkar Sports Complex inaugurated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by Amit Shah.
  • Hornbill Festival is from Nagaland.
  • Joint Commanders Conference 2025 held in Kolkata.
  • First co-operative-run compressed biogas and potash granule plant started in Kopargaon, Maharashtra.
  • Indian contingent won 22 medals at the World Para Athletics Championship 2025.
  • Gomti Nagar Railway Station (Uttar Pradesh) became India's first private railway station.
  • Supreme Court excluded political party offices from the POSH Act.

Awards & Recognitions

• Shastra Ramanujan Prize 2025:
  • Awarded to: Dr. Alexander Smith (USA) from Northwestern University.
  • Eligibility: Mathematicians under 32 years of age for outstanding contributions in areas influenced by Srinivasa Ramanujan.
  • Established in 2005.
  • Prize money: $10,000.
  • National Mathematics Day is celebrated on December 22 (Ramanujan's birthday).
• G. Prabhakaran Smriti Award:
  • Awarded for environmental protection, presented from Silent Valley, Kerala.
  • Recipient: Environmental activist Mari.
• Netflix Emmy Award: Former US President Barack Obama won his third Emmy for the documentary "Our Oceans."
• P.V. Narasimha Rao Award for Economics: Awarded to Manmohan Singh.
• International Booker Prize (Recap): This year to Banu Mustaq for "Heart Lamp" (translated by Deepa Bisht); previously to Geetanjali Shree for "The Tomb of Sand."
• D. Gukesh: Lost to Abhimanyu Mishra (youngest Grandmaster to beat him).
• FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025 (Women's): Won by Vaishali Ramesh Babu.
• Women's World Boxing Championship (57 kg category): Gold won by Jasmin Lamboria.

Festivals & Events

• Mera Haouchongba Festival:
  • Celebrated in Manipur, held at the King's Palace (Sheesh Mahal).
  • Symbolizes unity between hill and valley communities amidst the Kuki-Meitei conflict.
  • Other festivals in Manipur: Shirui Lily Festival (Shirui Lily is the state flower).
  • Manipur has seen the highest number of President's Rule implementations in India.
  • Current Governor of Manipur: Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
• Devaragattu Banni Festival: Held in Andhra Pradesh on Vijayadashami (Dussehra).
• Global FinTech Fest 2025: Mumbai.
• Indian Mobile Congress: Held at Yashobhoomi Centre, Delhi.
  • Theme: "Innovation for Change."

Important Dates

• October 7: World Cotton Day (started 2019).
• First Monday of October (October 6): World Habitat Day.
• October 6: World Cerebral Palsy Day (brain-related neurological disorder).
• September 14: National Hindi Day.
• September 15: International Democracy Day.
• December 22: National Mathematics Day.

Books

• "Different But No Less": Authored by Anupam Kher.
• "Believers Dilemma": A biography of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Miscellaneous

• Literacy: Himachal Pradesh is the fourth fully literate state (99.3% literacy rate).
• Geothermal Energy: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy unveiled the first national policy on geothermal energy.
• Railway Link: Bairabi Sairang Rail Link is the first railway connection to Aizawl, Mizoram.
• RBI: Released a ₹100 commemorative coin on the birth centenary of Bhupen Hazarika.
• Chess: D. Gukesh was defeated by Abhimanyu Mishra (youngest Grandmaster to do so).
• Sports:
  • 38th National Games: Uttarakhand.
  • 39th National Games: Meghalaya.
  • 7th Khelo India Youth Games: Bihar.
  • 5th Khelo India University Games: Jaipur, Rajasthan.
  • 3rd Khelo India Para Games: Delhi.
  • 1st Beach Games: Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
  • Sepak Takraw World Cup: Bihar.
  • Kabaddi World Cup (outside India): England.
  • Champions Trophy: Pakistan and UAE.
• Governance: Albania appointed an AI minister, Diala, to combat corruption.
• Education: Central Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated IIM Ahmedabad's first international campus in Dubai.