Current Affairs One - Liner : 29th & 30th March 2026

National:

• India’s first hydrogen-powered train successfully completed its oscillation trials in March 2026, marking a major milestone in Indian Railways’ push toward clean, green, and zero-emission transport. The train will run between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana, with trials conducted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

International:

• India and the European Union (EU) have formally signed a Working Arrangement on Industrial Aviation Production to deepen their aerospace partnership. The pact was signed on 23 March 2026 in New Delhi and publicly confirmed by the EU on 27 March.

Banking:

• RBI fined Union Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Bank of India, and Pine Labs a total of ₹2.20 crore in March 2026. UBI faced the highest penalty of ₹95.40 lakh for lapses in handling unauthorized transactions and asset classification. CBI and BoI were penalized for KYC and priority sector lending violations.

MoUs:

• On 27 March 2026, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and the Delhi Police signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi. The MoU was signed by Satish Golchha (Commissioner of Police, Delhi) and Dr. Raj Kumar Upadhyay (Chief Executive Officer, C-DOT). The pact focuses on secure communication, AI-driven surveillance, and cybersecurity resilience to enable smart policing.
• On 26 March 2026, Tech Mahindra and IIT Bombay signed an MoU in Mumbai to build a 3D Digital Twin of the IIT Bombay Gymkhana building. Signed by Birendra Sen (Tech Mahindra) and Prof. Raaj Ramsankaran (IIT Bombay), the project serves as a proof of concept to showcase how immersive digital technologies can help manage and optimize smart campus infrastructure.
• In March 2026, the Delhi Government signed an MoU with Prasar Bharati to develop the capital as a national media hub. The initiative focuses on building modern infrastructure, promoting skill development, and creating employment opportunities in the media sector. It also aims to strengthen the public broadcasting ecosystem and expand outreach under Digital India and Skill India missions.
• National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) and UltraTech Cement Ltd. signed an MoU on March 27, 2026 at Ballabgarh, Haryana for a 3–5 year skill development project to professionalize India’s construction workforce through structured training and certification.

Sports:

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that transgender women will be banned from competing in women’s events at the Olympic Games starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Eligibility will now be restricted to “biological females,” determined by a one-time mandatory genetic test (SRY gene screening).
• Virat Kohli has created IPL history by becoming the first batter to score over 4000 runs in run chases, achieving this milestone during the IPL 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Committees:

• On 27–28 March 2026, the BRIC-Research Advisory Board (BRIC-RAB) held its first meeting at the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad. Chaired by Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, with Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale and iBRIC directors present, the meeting focused on streamlining India’s biotechnology ecosystem. BRIC, created by subsuming 14 DBT institutes, aims to build a unified national lab system, drive mission-focused bioeconomy goals, and develop sovereign technologies for Viksit Bharat.

Military Exercises:

• On 27 March 2026, the Indian Navy hosted the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX) Tabletop Exercise (TTX) 2026 at the Maritime Warfare Centre, Kochi. The event precedes India’s takeover of the IONS Chairmanship (2026–2028) after 16 years. Conducted in a discussion-based format, it saw participation from 12 countries including Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Timor-Leste.

Important Days:

• World Piano Day 2026 was celebrated on 29 March 2026, the 88th day of the year. It symbolizes the 88 keys of a piano and honors pianists, composers, and music culture worldwide. Events included concerts, recitals, and workshops across countries. It promotes music education, creativity, and global cultural connection.

Appointments:

• Nokia India announced a major leadership change effective April 1, 2026, appointing Samar Mittal as Country Business Leader and Vibha Mehra as Country Manager under a new dual-head model. The move sharpens focus on AI, cloud, and 5G expansion, especially in rural connectivity and enterprise solutions.
• Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti officially assumed charge as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) on 18 March 2026. Alongside her, Mrs. Kiran Umesh Mahalle joined as a Member of the Commission on 20 March 2026.

Awards & Honours:

• Ramnath Goenka Awards 2026: 20th edition held on 27 March in New Delhi; 24 journalists honoured across 18 categories. India Today’s Sreya Chatterjee & Arvind Ojha among winners; key stories included Wayanad landslides, child trafficking, surrogate market, and Pune bungalow scam.
• India’s 19-year-old para archer Sheetal Devi has been honoured as World Archery’s Para Archer of the Year 2026, after a breakthrough season that included her first world title at the Para Championships and multiple international medals. She is the first female armless archer to achieve this recognition.

Obituaries:

• The legendary industrialist and former chairman of the Raymond Group, Dr. Vijaypat Singhania, passed away at the age of 87 on the evening of March 28, 2026, in Mumbai. His son, Gautam Singhania, confirmed the news, describing him as a visionary leader and a philanthropist whose legacy would inspire generations
• Popular Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee tragically died at age 43 on 29 March 2026 after an accidental drowning at Talsari Beach in Digha, near the Odisha–West Bengal border, while shooting for the television serial Bhole Baba Paar Karega.

Questions:

Q.1 Sheetal Devi received World Archery’s Para Archer of the Year 2026 award in which sport?
a) Shooting
b) Archery
c) Athletics
d) Wrestling

Answer: a) Sheetal Devi is the first female armless archer to win this recognition.

Q.2 Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti became Chairperson of which commission?
a) National Commission for Women (NCW)
b) National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)
c) National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
d) National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)

Answer: d) National Commission for Backward Classes safeguards backward class interests.