• Indian Railway Expansion: The Indian Railways established its 69th railway division in Jammu.

• Military Exercise: The Indian Army started the "Jal Thal Raksha 2025" military exercise in Dwarka, Gujarat.

• Sports Award: Manu Bhaker won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award.

• Anniversary: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's 395th birth anniversary was celebrated on February 19th.

• Tripartite Terminal: A tripartite terminal was established between India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh in Jogighopa, Assam.

• Defense Cooperation: The 13th Malaysia-India Defense Cooperation Conference took place in Kuala Lumpur.

• Delhi Chief Minister: Rekha Gupta is the Chief Minister of Delhi.

• Pharmaceutical Launch: A new medicine was launched by Future Brands in Kerala.

• Largest Open Air Art Museum: The largest open-air art wall museum in India was inaugurated in New Delhi.

• New Railway Division: The Indian Railways established its 69th railway division in Jammu.

• Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly: The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly became the first in the country to have translation facilities in Braj, Bhojpuri, Bundelkhand, and English. This initiative was reviewed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

• Jharkhand Bans Gutka and Pan Masala: Jharkhand banned gutka and pan masala under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Gutka and pan masala are cited as a major cause of cancer in India.

• International Biosphere Reserve Day: International Biosphere Reserve Day is observed on November 3rd.

• Right to Privacy: The case of the late Justice K. Puttaswamy is linked to the recognition of the right to privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21.

• International Solar Alliance (ISA) Meeting: The seventh session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly was held under India's presidency.

• Youngest Grandmaster: Anish Giri, the world's youngest grandmaster, is from West Bengal.

• LIC Launches One Man Office Online Service: The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) launched a "One Man Office" online service aimed at providing insurance to everyone by 2047.

• Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha: The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly became the first in the country to have translators for Bhojpuri, Braj, Bundelkhand, and English.

• Indian Army Military Exercise: The Indian Army conducted the "Jal Thala Raksha 2025" military exercise in Dwarka, Gujarat.

• Gutka and Pan Masala Ban (Jharkhand):

  • Jharkhand banned gutka and pan masala for one year.
  • The ban is under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
  • The reason is the contribution of these products to rising cancer rates, especially oral cancer.
  • The ban aims to prevent price increases after implementation.

• International Biosphere Reserve Day:

  • Observed on November 3rd.

• Right to Privacy:

  • Justice K.S. Puttaswamy was involved in a case establishing the right to privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21.

• International Solar Alliance (ISA):

  • The seventh session of the ISA Assembly was held under India's presidency.

• India-Argentina Lithium Agreement:

  • Agreement signed for lithium mining and exploration.
  • Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina.
  • Argentina's grasslands are called Pampas; Patagonia is a cold desert.
  • Lithium reserves were recently discovered in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

• India-Spain Cultural Year:

  • India and Spain declared 2026 as a year focused on culture, tourism, and artificial intelligence.

• ISRO Analog Space Mission:

  • ISRO launched India's first analog space mission in Ladakh.

• First Christian-Buddhist Summit:

  • The first Christian-Buddhist summit was held in India.

• International Brain Research Organization:

  • Shubha Tole is the first woman scientist from a developing country to become president.

• Lithium Triangle:

  • Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina form the "Lithium Triangle."
  • This region has the world's highest lithium production.

• Lithium's Significance:

  • Lithium is called "white gold."
  • It is the lightest metal.
  • It is commonly used in lithium-ion batteries.

• Yuvin Mobile App:

  • Related to vaccination.

• Indian Coast Guard:

  • The Adam and Akshar fast patrol vessels were unveiled in Goa on May 30th.

• China's Space Mission:

  • China launched the Shenzhou 19 mission to its space station, Tiangong.
  • The mission is creating artificial photosynthesis to produce oxygen in space.

• Garuda Shakti Exercise:

  • India conducted the Garuda Shakti exercise in collaboration with Indonesia.

• Indian State Formation Dates:

State	Formation Date
Arunachal Pradesh	February 20, 1987
Mizoram	February 20, 1987
Nagaland	1963
Manipur	1972
Tripura	1972
Meghalaya	1972
Sikkim	1975
Chhattisgarh	November 1, 2000
Uttarakhand	November 9, 2000
Jharkhand	November 15, 2000
Telangana	June 2, 2014

• State Formation:

  • Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram formed on February 20, 1987. Arunachal Pradesh is called "Land of the Rising Sun."
  • Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand formed in 2000.
    • Chhattisgarh: November 1st
    • Uttarakhand: November 9th
    • Jharkhand: November 15th
  • Telangana formed on June 2, 2014.

• Pilot Licenses: India is the second country to launch electronic pilot licenses. Ram Mohan Naidu, India's Civil Aviation Minister.

• Awards:

  • Tania Bonmati (Spanish footballer): Ballon d'Or.
  • Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Fiji's highest civilian award, Honorary Officer of the Order of Fiji.
  • Bhubaneswar, Odisha: Best public transport system at the 17th Urban Mobility India Conference.
  • Vivek Talukdar: Harry Messel Award.

• Government Schemes:

  • India launched its first free air ambulance service in Uttarakhand.
  • Andhra Pradesh launched the Deepam 2.0 scheme.

• Sports:

  • Kilian Jacquet (French): Chennai Open 2025 and Delhi Open 2025 (5th edition).

• International Relations:

  • PM Modi gifted a Sohrai painting (from Jharkhand) to Russian President Putin at the BRICS summit.
  • India and US joint military exercises: Vajra Prahar, Cope India and Tarakas.

• Global Nature Conservation Index: India's rank is 176.

• Asia Economic Dialogue:

  • 9th Asia Economic Dialogue held in Pune, Maharashtra, February 21-22, 2024.
  • Theme: More flexibility in the age of fragmentation / Greater Resilience in a Fragmenting World.
  • Chief Guest: Piyush Goyal (Minister of Commerce and Industry).

• Green Shipping Conclave: Held in Mumbai to promote clean energy in the shipping industry.

• Book: Ratan Tata biography authored by Thomas Mathew.

• Folk Dance Associations:

  • Konark Raju: Associated with Gusari folk dance.
  • Kanak Rele: Associated with Mohiniyattam dance.

• Sports Retirement: Rani Rampal retired from hockey.

• Global Nature Conservation Index: India ranked 176th.

• Tennis Tournaments:

  • 2025 Delhi Open Tennis ATP Challenger Tournament: Won by Kilian Jacquet (France).
  • Kilian Jacquet also won the Chennai Open 2025.
  • Maria Sharapova inducted into 2023 Tennis Hall of Fame; Russian. Her autobiography is titled "Unstoppable".

• Sakharov Prize:

  • Awarded to Venezuelan opposition leaders by the European Parliament.
  • Awarded to opposition leaders from an unnamed country by the European Parliament.

• C295 Aircraft Assembly Line:

  • First private sector assembly line in India, located in Vadodara, Gujarat.
  • Joint venture between Tata (India) and Airbus (Spain). Aircraft to be assembled is the C295.

• Soil Health Card Scheme:

  • Launched on February 19, 2015, in Suratgarh, Rajasthan.
  • Tagline: "Swastdhara Khet Hara" (Healthy Land, Green Fields / Healthy Earth, Green Fields).
  • Purpose: To assess soil quality, specifically the Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (NPK) ratio. Aimed at testing soil quality (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium levels).
  • Celebrated its 10th anniversary.

• Rule of Law Index: India ranked 79th.

• Operation Hakka Night: Launched by Chad against Boko Haram in Nigeria. Boko Haram is a Nigerian terrorist organization.

• Nigeria: Most populous country in Africa; capital is Abuja; known for palm oil production.

• Operation Indravathi: Launched in Haiti.

• Operation Sadbhavana: Launched in response to a cyclone (name not specified) to provide aid.

• 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI): Australia was the focus country; held in Goa.

• T20 International Cricket: Zimbabwe scored a record 344 runs against Nepal.

• Cyclone Dana: Named by Qatar; affected Odisha and West Bengal.

• Simbex Naval Exercise: A bilateral maritime exercise between India and Singapore, held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

• Sinmex Naval Exercise: A bilateral maritime exercise between India and Cambodia, held in Pune, Maharashtra.

• Operation Hakka Night:

  • Launched by Chad.
  • Targeted against Boko Haram in Nigeria.
  • Boko Haram is known for kidnapping women.

• Nigeria:

  • Borders Chad.
  • Most populous country in Africa.
  • Capital: Abuja.
  • Major palm oil producer.

• 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: Held in Odisha. Chief guest: President of Trinidad and Tobago.

• Book "Mountain Mammals of the World": Associated with M.K. Ranjit Singh.

• Asian Development Bank: Israel became the 69th member. Headquartered in Manila.

• 24th National Para Swimming Championship: Karnataka emerged as the overall champion.

• International Maritime Organization (IMO):

  • India appointed as Vice-President.
  • Established in 1957.
  • Headquarters in Paris, France.

• International Summits and Conferences:

  • 24th BRICS summit: Kazan, Russia.
  • COP 16: Colombia.
  • COP 29: Baku, Azerbaijan.

• Sports:

  • 27th All India Forest Games Championship: Hosted and won by Chhattisgarh.

• Technology and Governance:

  • Kerala: Launched Citizen Sentinel app for traffic violation monitoring.

• Military Exercises:

  • Desert Night: India, France, UAE.
  • Al Nagah & Eastern Bridge: India and Oman.
  • Dosti: India, Sri Lanka, Maldives.
  • Cyclone: India and Egypt.
  • NEDEX & ITEX (Abu Dhabi): INS Shura participated. Focus on anti-terrorism.

• UAE Information:

  • Capital: Abu Dhabi.
  • Currency: Dirham.

• International Agreements & Organizations

  • India-Argentina Lithium Agreement: India and Argentina signed an agreement for lithium mining and exploration.
  • India in IORA: India became the vice-president of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) at a Singapore meeting.

• National News

  • Jharkhand's Gutka Ban: The Jharkhand government imposed a one-year ban on gutka and pan masala.
  • LIC's Online Service: The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) launched a new online "One Man Office" service.
  • UP Assembly Translator: The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly became the first in India to use translators.
  • Rajasthan Soil Health Card Scheme: The Soil Health Card scheme, launched in Rajasthan in 2015, celebrated its 10th anniversary.
  • India's Electronic Component Licensing: India became the second country in the world to launch electronic component licensing.
  • Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram Foundation Day: February 20th marked the foundation day of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.

• Defense & Military Exercises

  • Indian Coast Guard Participation in UAE Exercises: The Indian Coast Guard ship INS Suroj participated in the NAVDEX and IDEX 2025 exercises in Abu Dhabi, UAE. NAVDEX stands for Advanced Naval Technology and Systems Exhibition, and IDEX stands for International Defence Exhibition. Both exercises were counter-terrorism focused.

• International Affairs

  • Chad's Operation Against Boko Haram: Chad's army launched Operation "Haska Knight" against Boko Haram.

• Sports

  • Delhi Open Tennis Tournament: Kirill Kivaty won the 2025 Delhi Tennis Open ATP Challenger tournament.

• Indian Demographics (2011 Census Data)

  • Urban Population:
    • Goa has the highest percentage of urban population (62.2%).
    • Maharashtra has the highest number of urban population (5.08 crore).
    • Uttar Pradesh is second in terms of the number of urban populations.
  • Rural Population:
    • Himachal Pradesh has the highest percentage of the rural population (90%).
    • Bihar has the second-highest percentage of the rural population (88.7%).
  • Scheduled Caste (SC) Population:
    • Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of SC population.
    • Punjab has the highest percentage of SC population (approximately 32%).
    • West Bengal has the second-highest SC population.
  • Scheduled Tribe (ST) Population:
    • Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of ST population (approximately 1.5 crore).
    • Mizoram has the highest percentage of ST population (approximately 94%).
  • Population Density:
    • Bihar has the highest population density. (The lecture states that Delhi is highest if nothing else is specified).
    • Arunachal Pradesh has the lowest population density.
  • Population Growth Rate:
    • Meghalaya has the highest population growth rate.
    • Nagaland has a negative population growth rate.
  • Sex Ratio:
    • Kerala has the highest sex ratio (1084 women per 1000 men).
    • Haryana has the lowest sex ratio.
    • Arunachal Pradesh has the highest child sex ratio (0-6 years).
    • Haryana has the lowest child sex ratio.
  • Literacy Rate:
    • India's literacy rate in 2011 was 73% (Male 80.9%, Female 64.6%).
    • Kerala has the highest literacy rate (94%).
    • Bihar has the lowest literacy rate (61.8%).

• Population Density:

  • Highest in Delhi (for all areas).
  • Highest in Bihar (for states).
  • Lowest in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • India's population density (2011): 382 people per square kilometer.
  • Bihar's population density (2011): 1106 people per square kilometer.
  • Arunachal Pradesh's population density (2011): 17 people per square kilometer.

• Sex Ratio:

  • Overall sex ratio in India (2011): 943 women per 1000 men.
  • Highest sex ratio: Kerala (1084 women per 1000 men).
  • Lowest sex ratio: Haryana (879 women per 1000 men).

• Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years):

  • Highest: Arunachal Pradesh (972 girls per 1000 boys).
  • Lowest: Haryana (834 girls per 1000 boys).

• Literacy Rate:

  • Overall literacy rate in India (2011): 73%.
  • Highest literacy rate: Kerala (94%).
  • Lowest literacy rate: Bihar (61.8%).

• Population Growth:

  • Meghalaya had the highest population growth rate (27.9%) in India in 2011.
  • Nagaland had a negative population growth rate (-0.6%).

• Population:

  • Uttar Pradesh had the highest total population (16.51%).
  • Sikkim had the lowest total population (0.05%).

• Union Territories (UTs):

  • Delhi had the highest population density among UTs.
  • Lakshadweep had the lowest population density among UTs.

• State-wise Population Data (India):

  • Highest Population: Uttar Pradesh (16.51%)
  • Second Highest Population: Maharashtra (9.28%)
  • Third Highest Population: Bihar (8.6%)
  • Fourth Highest Population: West Bengal (7.54%)
  • Lowest Population: Sikkim (0.05%)
  • Second Lowest Population: Mizoram (0.09%)
  • Third Lowest Population: Arunachal Pradesh (0.11%)
  • Fourth Lowest Population: Goa (0.12%)

• State-wise Population Growth (2001-2011):

  • Highest Growth Rate: Meghalaya (27.9%)
  • Lowest Growth Rate (Negative): Nagaland (-0.6%)

• 2011 Census Data:

  • India's population in 2011 was 121.9 crore.
  • The census commissioner in 2011 was Chandramouli.
  • The motto of the 2011 census was "Our Census, Our Future."
  • Population growth from 1911 to 2001: 21.5%
  • Population growth from 2001 to 2011: 17.7%
  • Female population: 48.5%
  • Male population: 51.4%

• Indian States (2011 Census):

  • Largest state by area: Rajasthan.
  • Smallest state by area: Goa.
  • Largest Union Territory by area: Ladakh.
  • Smallest Union Territory by area: Lakshadweep.

• Census 2011:

  • 15th census overall.
  • 7th census since Indian independence (1951).
  • 14th decennial census.
  • Census Commissioner: Chandramouli.
  • Slogan: "Our Census, Our Future".
  • India's population: 121.9 crore.
  • Population growth from 1911-2001: 21.5%.
  • Population growth from 2001-2011: 17.7%.
  • Female population: 48.5%.
  • Male population: 51.47%.
  • The 1911-1921 decade is referred to as the "Great Dividing Decade".