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Current Affairs 01st January 2026
What Happened Today?
India
1948 – India adopted the metric system of coinage.
1950 – Planning Commission of India was established.
1962 – Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was formed.
1966 – Indira Gandhi became the first woman Prime Minister of India.
World
1995 – World Trade Organization (WTO) came into existence.
World Day of Peace: 01st Jan.,26
Theme- Peace Be With You All: Towards an Unarmed and Disarming Peace
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Greatest Archipelago on Globe: Indonesia
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Gulf War of 1991 precipitated by Iraqi annexation of: Kuwait
1. Hardeep Singh Ahluwalia named Canara Bank MD & CEO
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Hardeep Singh Ahluwalia, currently Executive Director of Canara Bank, has been given additional charge as Managing Director & CEO, effective 1 January 2026, following the retirement of the previous MD & CEO, K. Satyanarayana Raju.
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The appointment is interim for three months (until 31 March 2026) or until a permanent MD & CEO is appointed, ensuring leadership continuity at the bank.
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Ahluwalia is a veteran banker with over 30 years of experience across various banking roles and geographies, bringing deep expertise to the top leadership role.
Footnotes: Canara Bank's CEO: K. Satyanarayana Raju, HQ: Bengaluru,Established: 1906
2. Nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system deployed
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Russia’s Defence Ministry has announced that its nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile system has been deployed to Belarus and entered active service, with footage showing mobile launchers and troops putting the systems on combat duty.
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The Oreshnik is an intermediate-range ballistic missile system capable of carrying nuclear or conventional warheads and reportedly reaching speeds above Mach 10, making it difficult for current defenses to intercept.
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Placing the system in Belarus positions it closer to NATO territory, enhancing Russia’s strike range over Europe and raising security concerns amid ongoing tensions and Ukraine peace talks.
3. India Develops Open-Source Tool PathGennie
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PathGennie is an open-source computational framework developed by scientists at the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences to simulate rare molecular events like drug-protein unbinding with high fidelity—without artificial distortions that conventional methods introduce.
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The tool helps predict how drug molecules naturally detach from their targets, enhancing understanding of drug efficacy and residence time, and can significantly accelerate computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) by reducing time and computational cost.
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Being open-source, PathGennie is freely available to researchers globally, promoting collaborative innovation, lowering barriers in drug research, and potentially strengthening India’s role in pharmaceutical and biotech development.
4. FITT & IDFC First Bank Launches New Cohort Under IGNITE Program
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Foundation for Innovation & Technology Transfer, IIT Delhi, in collaboration with IDFC FIRST Bank, has launched a new cohort under the IGNITE Program to support high-impact, deep-tech and social innovation startups across sectors like climate tech, healthcare, agri-tech, mobility, education, and AI for social good.
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The program offers non-dilutive funding of up to ₹30 lakhs per startup, along with structured capacity-building workshops, mentorship from IIT faculty and industry experts, and investor-readiness guidance to help founders scale their solutions.
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Fifteen selected startups participated in the launch event held at the FITT, IIT Delhi campus, where they presented their innovations and discussed how the IGNITE support will help enhance impact and accelerate commercialization.
Footnotes: IDFC First Bank's CEO: V. Vaidyanathan, HQ: Mumbai,Established: 2018
Footnotes: FITT's CEO: Caroline Tompkins, HQ: Italy,Established: 1992
5. Deepti Sharma Sets New Wicket Record in Women’s T20 Cricket
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Deepti Sharma became the highest wicket-taker in Women’s T20 Internationals (WT20Is) by claiming her 152nd wicket in the fifth T20I against Sri Lanka, surpassing Australia’s Megan Schutt.
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Her record-breaking wicket helped India complete a 5-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka in the T20I series held in Thiruvananthapuram.
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Sharma also became the first player in international T20 history (men’s or women’s) to combine 1,000+ T20I runs with 150+ wickets, underscoring her elite all-round capabilities.
6. Sonal Mishra IAS appointed as Chief Labour Commissioner
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Sonal Mishra, an IAS officer of the 1997 batch from Gujarat cadre, has been appointed as Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) in the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India.
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She moves from her position as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to this key role responsible for industrial relations and labour law enforcement at the central level.
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Her appointment is part of a major bureaucratic reshuffle approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), involving senior IAS officers in key central government posts.
7. Avinash Shivdas Tarhawadkar appointed as CVO at Rail Vikas Corporation
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Shri Avinash Shivdas Tarhawadkar, IOFS (2001) has been appointed as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (a PSU under the railways) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
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As CVO, he will be responsible for overseeing internal vigilance, integrity, and anti-corruption compliance within the organisation, strengthening transparency and accountability.
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His appointment is part of a broader set of senior PSU and central government appointments recently approved to bolster administrative and vigilance functions across key public sector units.
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Footnotes: Rail Vikas's CEO: Shri Saleem Ahmad, HQ: New Delhi, Established: 2003
8. India’s Ranked 10th in CCPI 2025
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In the CCPI 2025, India secured the 10th position among over 60 countries assessed for their efforts to combat climate change, remaining among the top performers globally despite slipping from a higher rank the previous year.
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The index evaluates countries on greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, renewable energy deployment, and climate policies, with the first three overall ranks left vacant because no country met all the criteria for a top score.
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India’s low per capita emissions and rapid renewable energy growth contributed to its high rank, but it still faces challenges in fully aligning climate policy and energy transition goals.
9. World Peace Day observed on 01st January
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January 1 is observed as World Day of Peace, a day dedicated to reflection on and promotion of peace, harmony, and unity across the world, coinciding with New Year’s Day and often linked to broader peace initiatives.
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The World Day of Peace was established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 and is celebrated on January 1 each year, traditionally commemorated on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, with annual messages from the Pope promoting peace, justice, and human dignity.
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On this day, religious leaders, communities, and peace-focused groups use the occasion to encourage dialogue, solidarity, and hope for a peaceful world, inviting people of all backgrounds to work collectively toward peace.
10. Former England Cricketer Hugh Morris passed away
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Hugh Morris, the former England cricketer and senior cricket administrator, has died at the age of 62 after battling bowel cancer, as confirmed by Glamorgan Cricket Club.
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He was an opening batsman for England (three Test caps in 1991) and a long‑serving player and captain for Glamorgan, scoring nearly 20,000 first‑class runs and leading the county to domestic success.
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After retirement, Morris served in senior roles at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), including as managing director, contributing to a successful era for English cricket, and later as CEO of Glamorgan, helping stabilize the club.
IMPORTANT FACTS
International Solar Alliance (ISA): HQ – Gurugram | Founded – 2015 | Initiators – India & France
RBI: Established – 1935 | HQ – Mumbai | First Governor – Osborne Smith
United Nations (UN): Founded – 1945 | HQ – New York | Members – 193
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