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Current Affairs 01st May 2026
IMPORTANT FACTS
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The village head of the Bhils is called Patel
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Luna-9 was the first spacecraft to land on the Moon
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The Inter-State Council is formed by the President
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The postal system in India was started by Lord Dalhousie
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The term “Vasudeva” is used for Krishna
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Blood is stored at 40°F in blood banks
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The President of India receives ₹1.5 lakh per month as salary
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The power of a convex lens decreases when immersed in water
1. Indian Scientist Parveen Shaikh Wins 2026 Whitley Award
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Focus on the Indian Skimmer: Shaikh was recognized for her "Guardians of the Skimmer" initiative. This project protects the Indian Skimmer, an endangered riverine bird known for its distinctive orange bill and its habit of "skimming" the water for fish. India currently holds over 90% of the global population of this species.
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Community-Led Conservation Model: Her work on the Chambal River involves training local community members to act as "nest guardians." These guardians protect seasonal sandbar nests from predators like stray dogs and jackals, and from human disturbance. Under her leadership, the local skimmer population grew from 400 in 2017 to roughly 1,000 by 2025.
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Expansion to the Ganga Basin: With the funding from the Whitley Award, Shaikh plans to expand this successful model to Prayagraj, where the Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet.
2. City Union Bank appoints R Vijay Anandh as MD & CEO
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Tenure and Succession: R. Vijay Anandh succeeds Dr. N. Kamakodi, who completed a distinguished 15-year tenure at the helm on April 30, 2026. Anandh’s appointment is for a term of three years.
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Professional Background: A veteran in the banking sector with over 28 years of experience, Anandh specializes in retail assets, risk management, and credit underwriting. Before being elevated to MD & CEO, he served as the bank's Executive Director. His prior career includes senior leadership roles at RBL Bank, Barclays, and ICICI Bank.
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Strategic Focus: Under his leadership, the bank intends to maintain its strong focus on the MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) segment, which currently accounts for over 50% of its business.
Footnotes: CUB's MD & CEO: Dr. N. Kamakodi, HQ: Tamil Nadu, Estd: 1904
3. Tripura, Kerala & Odisha emerged as top performers in PAI 2.0
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Exceptional State-Level Performance: Tripura emerged as a standout, with nearly 80% (943 out of 1,176) of its Gram Panchayats reaching the Front Runner (Grade A) category. Odisha and Telangana also dominated the charts, contributing 555 and 624 Front Runners respectively, showcasing strong development in rural governance.
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Thematic Excellence in Kerala: While Tripura led in overall volume of top-tier panchayats, Kerala maintained its reputation for high-quality outcomes. Over 10% of Kerala's participating panchayats achieved Grade A, with particularly strong scores in the "Healthy Panchayat" and "Socially Just" thematic areas.
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Massive Participation and Data Scale: PAI 2.0 recorded a record-breaking participation rate of 97.30%, with over 2.59 lakh Gram Panchayats submitting validated data.
Footnotes: Tripura's CM: Manik Saha, Governor: Indrasena Reddy, Capital: Agartala
Footnotes: Kerala's CM:Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor: Rajendra Arlekar, Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Footnotes: Odisha's CM: Mohan Charan Majhi, Governor: Kambhampati Hari Babu, Capital: Bhubaneswar
4. Mizoram declared ‘insurgency-free’ as last militant group laid down arms
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Surrender of the Last Militant Group: The LalhmingthangaSanate faction of the Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) or HPC(D), the final active insurgent group in the state, formally laid down arms. During a "homecoming and arms-laying ceremony" at Sesawng, 43 cadres, including their leader Sanate, surrendered their weapons and pledged to join mainstream society.
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The Peace Accord: This event follows a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between the Mizoram government and the HPC(D) on April 14, 2026. The agreement focuses on the comprehensive development of Hmar-dominated areas within the Sinlung Hills Council (SHC), including infrastructure upgrades, enhanced budgetary allocations starting from 2027-28, and the recognition of the SikpuiRuoi festival.
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Significance of Chief Minister Lalduhoma: The declaration is deeply symbolic as CM Lalduhoma, a former IPS officer, played a pivotal role in mediating the original 1986 Mizoram Peace Accord.
Footnotes: Mizoram's CM: Lalduhoma, Governor: V. K. Singh, Capital: Aizawl
5. Bellana won gold medal in 69 kg category at Commonwealth Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships
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Gold Medal Performance: Harika won the gold in the women’s 69 kg weight category on the third day of the competition (April 29, 2026). Her victory contributed to India's dominant run at the championships, where the Indian squad consistently secured top podium finishes.
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Total Lift Stats: She achieved a combined total lift of 197 kg. This performance was composed of a successful lift of 86 kg in the Snatch and 111 kg in the Clean and Jerk segments.
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Indian Medal Tally: Her gold was the standout achievement for India on day three, alongside silver medals won by teammates Karangi Tharangini (179 kg) and Bhumika Mohite (195 kg) in the 63 kg category, as well as Abhishek Nipane in the Universal Cup.
6. Former Punjab & Haryana HC Judge Anupinder Singh appointed as NCLT President
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Breaking Convention: Justice Grewal’s appointment is historic as he is the first senior puisne judge (a judge who is not a Chief Justice) of a High Court to be appointed to this role. Historically, the NCLT Presidency has been reserved for retired Chief Justices of High Courts.
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Tenure and Succession: He succeeds Justice (Retd.) Ramalingam Sudhakar, who completed his term earlier this year. Justice Grewal will hold the office for a period of five years or until he attains the age of 67 years, whichever is earlier.
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Vast Legal Expertise: Born in Ludhiana and an alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Justice Grewal has over 30 years of legal experience. He served as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for over 11 years.
7. Pravesh Wahi elected as Mayor of MCD
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Landslide Victory with Strategic Support: Wahi, the councillor from Rohini East, secured 156 out of 165 votes cast. His win was bolstered by the support of 14 councillors from the Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP).
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Policy Focus: No Sealing Drive: Immediately after assuming office, Wahi announced a "zero-tolerance" policy toward sealing commercial activities in residential areas. He clarified that while a Supreme Court-mandated survey would be conducted to identify the misuse of premises, it would not lead to sealing, especially for small shops under 20 square meters.
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Sanitation and Landfill Goals: His primary administrative priority is to take Delhi into the top 10 of the Swachh Survekshan. He announced a budget of ₹50 crore for new cleaning machinery and set a firm goal to flatten Delhi's three major landfill sites—Bhalswa, Okhla, and Ghazipur—within specified timelines.
Footnotes: MCD's Commissioner: Sanjeev Khirwar, Mayor: Raja Iqbal Singh, Deputy Mayor: Jai Bhagwan Yadav
8. Vijay Kumar, associated with golf, passed away
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2002 Indian Open Champion: His career-defining achievement was winning the 2002 Indian Open at the Delhi Golf Club. He remains one of only nine Indians to have ever won this prestigious national open title, which was his lone victory on the Asian Tour.
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Domestic Dominance: He was a powerhouse on the Indian domestic circuit, winning the Order of Merit four times (1995-96, 1997-98, 1998-99, and 1999-2000). Over his career, which began in 1988, he secured nearly 100 titles on the domestic tour and represented India internationally at the 1999 Alfred Dunhill Cup in Scotland.
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Grassroots Inspiration: A self-taught player who started as a forecaddie at the Lucknow Golf Club, Vijay Kumar became a role model for many.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
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International Labour Day: May 1
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Theme 2026: "Ensuring a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment"
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Safety: Protecting workers from "invisible hazards" like harassment and excessive digital connectivity.
Download Daily GK PDF of 01st May 2026
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