Important Days & Themes 2024 (January - December)

• World Hindi Day: January 10; Theme: Connecting Hindi Traditional Knowledge and Artificial Intelligence.
• National Youth Day: January 12; Theme: For Youth, By Youth.
• Indian Army Day: January 15.
• International Education Day: January 24 (also National Girl Child Day).
• National Voters' Day: January 25; Theme: Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure.
• National Tourism Day: January 25.
• 75th Republic Day: January 26; Theme: India - Mother of Democracy and Developed India.
• Martyr's Day: January 30 (Mahatma Gandhi's death) & March 23 (Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev hanging).
• Pravasi Bhartiya Divas: January 9.
• Parakram Diwas: January 23 (Subhash Chandra Bose's birthday).
• Startup Day: January 16.
• Braille Script Day: January 4.
• Coast Guard Day: February 1.
• World Cancer Day: February 4.
• World Pulses Day: February 10; Theme: Pulses: Nutritious Soil and People.
• World Radio Day: February 13 (also National Women's Day - Sarojini Naidu's birthday).
• De-worming Day: February 10.
• International Mother Language Day: February 21.
• National Science Day: February 28.
• World Wildlife Day: March 3.
• Zero Discrimination Day: March 1.
• International Women's Day: March 8.
• International Mathematics Day: March 14.
• World Consumer Rights Day: March 15 (National is December 24).
• National Vaccination Day: March 16; Theme: Vaccines Work for Everyone.
• World Forestry Day: March 21.
• World Water Day: March 22; Theme: Water for Peace.
• World Meteorological Day: March 23.
• World TB Day: March 24; Theme: Yes! We Can End TB.
• National Maritime Day: April 5.
• World Health Day: April 7; Theme: My Health, My Right (WHO established April 7, 1948).
• World Homeopathy Day: April 10.
• World Hemophilia Day: April 17.
• World Heritage Day: April 18; Theme: Exploring and Experiencing Diversity.
• International Earth Day: April 22; Theme: Planet vs. Plastics.
• World Book and Copyright Day: April 23.
• World Malaria Day: April 25.
• World Intellectual Property Day: April 26.
• Panchayati Raj Day: April 24.
• Civil Service Day: April 21.
• World Labor Day: May 1.
• World Press Freedom Day: May 3.
• World Red Cross Day: May 8.
• World Thalassemia Day: May 8.
• National Technology Day: May 11.
• International Nurses Day: May 12; Theme: Our Nurses, Our Future: The Economic Power of Care.
• International Family Day: May 15.
• International Day of Light: May 16.
• International Museum Day: May 18.
• First World Metrology Day: May 20; Theme: Measuring Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.
• Anti-Terrorism Day: May 21.
• International Biodiversity Day: May 22; Theme: Be Part of the Plan.
• World Football Day: May 25 (first time celebrated).
• First International Potato Day: May 30.
• World No Tobacco Day: May 31.
• World Milk Day: June 1.
• World Environment Day: June 5; Theme: Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience.
• World Food Safety Day: June 7.
• World Oceans Day: June 8; Theme: Awaken New Depths.
• First International Day of Play: June 11; Theme: Play Creates a Better World.
• World Blood Donor Day: June 14.
• World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought: June 17.
• Day for Countering Hate Speech: June 18.
• World Refugee Day: June 20.
• 10th International Yoga Day: June 21; Theme: Yoga for Self and Society.
• United Nations Public Service Day: June 23.
• Olympic Day: June 23.
• Constitution Assassination Day (first time): June 25.
• MSME Day: June 27.
• National Doctor's Day: July 1.
• International Day of Cooperatives: July 5 (first Saturday of July).
• World Population Day: July 11.
• International Hope Day: July 12.
• Nelson Mandela International Day: July 18.
• World Chess Day: July 20.
• Kargil Vijay Diwas: July 26.
• International Tiger Day: July 29.
• World Wide Web Day: August 1.
• Hiroshima Day: August 6.
• National Handloom Day: August 7 (also Javelin Throw Day).
• World Indigenous Peoples Day: August 9.
• World Lion Day: August 10.
• International Youth Day: August 12 (also International Elephant Day).
• National Space Day: August 23 (Chandrayaan-3 lander Vikram landed on moon's South Pole on Aug 23, 2023).
• National Sports Day: August 29.
• World Sanskrit Day: August 31.
• National Teacher's Day: September 5 (also International Charity Day).
• International Police Cooperation Day: September 7.
• International Literacy Day: September 8.
• National Hindi Day: September 14.
• International Day of Democracy: September 15 (also National Engineer's Day).
• World Ozone Layer Protection Day: September 16.
• World Bamboo Day: September 18.
• International Day of Peace: September 21.
• World Alzheimer's Day: September 21.
• World River Day: September 24.
• World Tourism Day: September 27.
• World Heart Day: September 29.
• International Coffee Day: October 1.
• International Day of Non-Violence: October 2.
• World Teacher's Day: October 5.
• Air Force Day: October 8.
• International Girl Child Day: October 11.
• World Sight Day: October 12.
• International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction: October 13.
• World Students' Day: October 15.
• World Food Day: October 16.
• World Statistics Day: October 20 (National Statistics Day is June 29).
• United Nations Day: October 24.
• World Polio Day: October 24.
• National Unity Day: October 31.
• International Biosphere Reserve Day: November 3.
• World Tsunami Awareness Day: November 5.
• National Legal Services Day: November 9.
• Ayurveda Day: November 10.
• National Education Day: November 11.
• National Public Service Broadcasting Day: November 12.
• World Toilet Day: November 19.
• National Milk Day: November 26 (also Constitution Day).
• First World Sustainable Transport Day: November 26, 2023.
• World AIDS Day: December 1.
• World Computer Literacy Day: December 2.
• Indian Navy Day: December 4.
• World Soil Day: December 5.
• Armed Forces Flag Day: December 7.
• International Human Rights Day: December 10.
• International Mountain Day: December 11.
• Vijay Diwas: December 16.
• First World Basketball Day: December 21, 2023.
• National Mathematics Day: December 22.
• National Farmer's Day: December 23.
• National Consumer Day: December 24.
• Good Governance Day: December 25.
• Veer Bal Diwas: December 26.
• International Day of Epidemic Preparedness: December 27.

Summits & International Relations

• 18th BRICS Summit 2026 Host: India.
  • 17th BRICS Summit (2025): Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Theme: Peace, Security, and Global Governance Reform.
  • India raised terrorism issue (Pahalgam incident) at 17th Summit.
  • BRICS membership: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. Conceptualized by Jim O'Neill.
  • First Summit: 2009, Yekaterinburg, Russia (initially 4 nations).
  • South Africa joined in 2010 (Johannesburg Summit).
  • 2024 Summit: Kazan, Russia.
  • Four new members joined in 2024: UAE, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia.
  • Countries that declined membership: Argentina, Saudi Arabia.
  • 10th country to join: Indonesia.
• BIMSTEC Summit: Thailand.
• G7 Summit: Canada.
• ASEAN Summit: Vientiane, Laos.
• 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Summit: Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
• CorpNet and Bongosagar Exercise: India and Bangladesh in Bay of Bengal.
• NATO's 32nd Member: Sweden.
• SCO's 10th Member: Belarus.
• 3rd BIMSTEC Agriculture Conference: Nepal.
• Research Project for Undersea Surveillance: India and Australia.

Appointments & Leadership

• First Woman President of Suriname: Jennifer Simons (from National Democratic Party).
• ICC Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Sanjog Gupta (formerly CEO of Jio Star).
• ICC Chairman: Jay Shah.
• CEO of RBI Innovation Hub: Sahil Kini.

Environment & Geography

• Mount Shinmoedake Volcanic Eruption: Japan (Kyushu Island), caused by July 5 earthquake. Author Tasuki's book "The Future I Saw" predicted a disaster in Japan in 2025.
• Kariya Chappalli Island: Tamil Nadu (in Gulf of Mannar). 71% land submerged; predicted 100% submersion by 2036 due to climate change. Tamil Nadu launched "TN Soar" project for its conservation. Known for Dugongs (sea cows).
• First Himalayan Climate Center: Jammu & Kashmir (started by Dr. Jitendra Singh).

Science & Technology

• Bharat Initiative: Launched by Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru for age-related studies in Indians, focusing on biomarkers and disease risk.
• Phenome India National Biobank: Inaugurated by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh in Delhi at CSIR's Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. Aims to collect genomic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 individuals to improve medical interventions.
  • CSIR Director General: Nallathamby Kalaiselvi (first woman DG).
• RAICE App: Launched by Uttar Pradesh for regular child vaccination digital monitoring.
• Kalam 100 Engine Test for Vikram-1 Rocket: Skyroot Aerospace successfully tested it. Vikram-1 was India's first private rocket.
• First Private Space-Based Internet Service in India: Ananth Technologies received permission.
• 25th Unicorn Company in India: Jaspe (a startup with over $1 billion valuation).
• Most Satellites (274 moons): Saturn.

Governance & Policy

• Highest Real Economic Growth Rate (FY 2024-25): Tamil Nadu (9.69%).
• First State for Face Authentication for Ration Distribution: Himachal Pradesh.
• Uttar Pradesh Government Schemes:
  • Bodh Teerth Darshan Yojana: ₹10,000 per person for Buddhist pilgrims to visit holy sites (e.g., Lumbini, Sarnath).
  • Panchtakht Sikh Darshan Yojana: ₹10,000 per person for Sikh pilgrims.
• Pension International Conference: Delhi (in collaboration with World Bank).
• First Water Board with BIS Certificate for Drinking Water Supply Management: Bengaluru Water Board.
• DSII (Domestic Systemically Important Insurers) for 2024-25: New India Assurance, LIC, GIC.
• Monetary Policy: Repo Rate (also Policy Rate) is determined by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to keep inflation between 2% and 6%. It changes every two months (six times a year).

Sports

• 134th Durand Cup: Asia's oldest football tournament inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu. To be hosted in five states (West Bengal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Jharkhand, Assam). Indonesia's team is participating for the first time. First edition was in 1888 in Shimla. Most wins by Mohun Bagan (17 times).
• Smriti Mandhana: First Indian woman cricketer to score centuries in all three formats (Test, ODI, T20). Recently scored 112 runs in T20, highest individual score by an Indian woman in T20s.
• India's Test Match Victory: India won a Test match against England at Edgbaston, England, captained by Shubman Gill.
• Wimbledon (Tennis): Oldest tennis tournament (1877), played on grass. Novak Djokovic (Serbia) recorded his 100th win at Wimbledon.
• World Boxing Cup 2025: Held in Astana, Kazakhstan (second location; first was Brazil). India won 11 medals including 3 golds.
• Khelo India Winter Games 2025 Top Position: Indian Army.
• First Indian Cricketer to Score 13,000 T20 Runs: Virat Kohli.
• First Kabaddi World Cup Outside Asia: England (India won male and female categories).
• Oldest Player to Debut in International Cricket (62 years): Matthew Brownley.
• R. Praggnanandhaa Chess Victory: Won Grand Chess Tour in Zagreb, Croatia.

Arts & Culture

• IIFA Awards 2025 Best Film: "Laapataa Ladies" (Kiran Rao's film), held in Jaipur.
• Mithathal and Tighrana (Harappan Sites): Declared Archaeological Sites in Haryana.
• International Booker Prize 2025 Shortlisted Kannada Book: "Hartalam" by Banu Mustaq (translated by Deepa Bisht) - won the award.
• Asian Film Festival Award 2025 Best Film: "All We Imagine as Light" by Payal Kapadia.
• Madhopur Khed Mela (Krishna-Rukmini wedding): Gujarat.
• Attukal Pongala Festival: Kerala (largest women's religious festival).

Miscellaneous

• PM Modi's International Awards: Received "The Grand Commander of the Indian Ocean" from Mauritius, also from Cyprus and Trinidad and Tobago.
• "City Key of Honor" to President Droupadi Murmu: Lisbon (Portugal).
• State using State Language instead of Rupee Symbol: Tamil Nadu.
• Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore Return: Returned to Earth after 9 months in space via SpaceX's Crew-9 capsule.
• Tahawwur Rana Extradition: US extradited Tahawwur Rana (accused in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks) to India.
• Microsoft Ceased Operations: Closed operations in Pakistan after 25 years.
• Neeraj Chopra Classical 2025 (first edition): Bengaluru.
• Mukhymantri Vrindavan Gram Yojana: Madhya Pradesh.
• India's First Transgender Clinic (Sabrang): Hyderabad (with Tata Trust's help).
• Indian Oil Corporation: To start a petrochemical complex in Odisha with ₹61,000 crore investment.
• Dyer Wolf Revival: USA revived the extinct Ice Age Dire Wolf.
• Urban Cargo Service by Metro: Delhi Metro is the first to start it.
• First Woman Fighter Pilot in Indian Navy: Astha Poonia.