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Current Affairs 02nd February 2026
IMPORTANT FACTS
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The filament of an electric bulb is made of tungsten.
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Deficiency of Vitamin D causes rickets in children.
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Bihar is the Indian state with the highest population density.
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The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
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Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize in 1913.
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The intensity of earthquakes is measured by a seismograph.
1. India Triumphs Over New Zealand to Win T20I Series
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Clinical Series Victory: India clinched the series 4-1, finishing with a massive 46-run win in the final match at Thiruvananthapuram after posting 271/5—their highest-ever T20I total against New Zealand.
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Suryakumar’s Record-Breaking Run: Captain Suryakumar Yadav was named Player of the Series (242 runs). During the finale, he became the fastest player in history to reach 3,000 T20I runs (by balls faced), surpassing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
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Individual Brilliance: The final match saw Ishan Kishan smash his maiden T20I century (103 off 43 balls) and Arshdeep Singh claim his first career five-wicket haul (5/51), cementing their spots for the upcoming World Cup.
2. Gujarat CM Launches ‘Mukhyamantri Gramotthan Yojana’
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Urban Facilities for Rural Areas: The scheme aims to provide urban-style infrastructure to villages, including high-quality roads, underground drainage, solar street lighting, community halls, and digital e-Gram services to reduce the rural-urban divide.
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Two-Phase Implementation: The first phase focuses on 114 villages that serve as Taluka headquarters but lack municipalities. The government plans to expand this to all villages with a population exceeding 10,000.
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Grassroots Governance Boost: Alongside the launch, the CM laid foundation stones for 2,666 Gram Panchayat Ghar-cum-Talati Awas buildings (worth ₹663 crore), ensuring that local administrators have dedicated spaces to live and work within the villages they serve.
3. Gujarat emerged as India’s top Renewable Energy
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National Leader in Capacity: Gujarat has become the largest contributor to India’s renewable energy (RE), holding a 16.5% share of the national total with an installed capacity of 42.583 GW. It currently ranks #1 in wind power and #1 in total RE capacity nationwide.
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Rooftop Solar Hub: The state leads the country in rooftop solar adoption, with over 11 lakh (1.1 million) installations generating roughly 6,413 MW. This accounts for more than 25% of India’s total rooftop solar output, driven by the success of the Surya Gujarat and PM Surya Ghar schemes.
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World-Class Infrastructure: Gujarat is home to the Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Kutch, which has reached an operational capacity of over 11 GW. Once fully completed, it will be the world's largest renewable energy park at 30 GW, larger than the city of Singapore.
4. IR Launched 1st-ever LNG diesel dual-fuel DEMU Train
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Significant Diesel Substitution: The modified 1,400 HP train uses a dual-fuel system where Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) replaces approximately 40% of traditional diesel consumption, without any loss in engine performance or reliability.
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Operational Range & Future Scaling: Equipped with a 2,200-liter LNG tank, the train can cover up to 222 km daily on a single refill. Following the success of field trials (over 2,000 km), Indian Railways plans to convert eight more DEMU units to this dual-fuel mode.
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Economic & Environmental Impact: The initiative is expected to save nearly ₹24 lakh annually per 8-coach rake. It also significantly reduces carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$), and particulate matter, drastically improving air quality along rail routes.
5. Haryana Wins Championship Title in Wrestling League 2026
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Dramatic Finish: The championship was decided in a nail-biting 5–4 victory over the Delhi Dangal Warriors. With the scores tied at 4–4 after eight bouts, the title was decided in the final 62kg women’s match.
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The Decisive Blow: Paris Olympic silver medalist Iryna Koliadenko (Haryana) delivered a masterclass in the final bout, winning by technical superiority (16–0) to seal the trophy and a ₹1.5 crore prize for her team.
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Standout Performers: While Haryana's Neha Sangwan was named Player of the Match for keeping the final alive, Delhi’s Turan Bayramov earned Player of the Tournament for winning all seven of his individual bouts throughout the season.
6. Air Marshal Inderpal Singh took over as Chief of Eastern Air Command
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Decorated Fighter Pilot: Commissioned in June 1988, he is an alumnus of the NDA and a highly experienced combat pilot with over 3,200 hours of accident-free flying across multiple platforms, including the MiG-21, Su-30 MKI, and Jaguar.
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Diverse Command Experience: Before this role, he served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at EAC. His career includes commanding a frontline air base, the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), and serving as a Defence Attaché to Japan and South Korea.
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Succession: He succeeds Air Marshal Surat Singh, who retired on January 31, 2026, after 39 years of service. For his distinguished contributions, Air Marshal Walia has previously been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and the Vayu Sena Medal (VM).
7. Chhari-Dhand Designated as India’s 98th Ramsar Site
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Unique Desert Ecosystem: Spread over 227 sq. km, Chhari-Dhand (meaning "saline shallow lake") is a unique seasonal wetland situated between the arid Banni grasslands and the marshy Rann of Kutch. It is the first Ramsar site in Kutch and the fifth in Gujarat.
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Global Biodiversity Hub: It serves as a critical stopover on the Central Asian Flyway, hosting nearly 2 lakh birds including migratory species like the Common Crane, Great White Pelican, and Greater Flamingo. It also supports endangered wildlife like the Desert Fox, Caracal, and Wolf.
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India’s Rising Status: With the simultaneous addition of Chhari-Dhand and the Patna Bird Sanctuary (UP), India now holds 98 Ramsar sites—ranking 1st in Asia and 3rd globally for the total number of recognized wetlands of international importance.
8. Former CBSE Chairman Thomas V.Kunnunkal passed away
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Architect of Modern CBSE: Serving as Chairman from 1980 to 1987, he is credited with transforming the CBSE into a national benchmark for excellence. He was personally invited by then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to lead the board, during which he convinced many schools to migrate to the CBSE system due to its increased academic credibility.
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Founding Father of NIOS: He conceptualized and established the National Open School in 1989 (now the National Institute of Open Schooling). As its founding chairman, he turned it into the world’s largest open schooling system, specifically aimed at providing education to dropouts and the marginalized.
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Decorated Legacy: In recognition of his immense contributions to Indian education, he was awarded the Padma Shri (1974), India’s fourth-highest civilian honor. He also served as the Principal of St. Xavier's School, Delhi, where he mentored notable figures, including the late Union Minister Arun Jaitley.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY?
World Wetlands Day: 02nd February
- Theme 2026: "Wetlands & Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage"
- Wetlands act as the "Earth's kidneys" by filtering water and storing twice as much carbon as all forests.
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