4.5/5
Current Affairs 20th April 2026
IMPORTANT FACTS
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Insulin is produced in the pancreas.
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The British defeated Tipu Sultan at Srirangapatna.
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ONGC is headquartered in Dehradun.
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The laws of heredity were proposed by Gregor Mendel.
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Methyl Isocyanate gas leaked in Bhopal on 3 December 1984.
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Oxygen is the main factor responsible for the rusting of iron.
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The Indian Institute of Sugar Technology is located in Kanpur.
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The edible part of an onion is a modified stem.
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Belur is associated with Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
1. Nishita Yogesh Antarkar awarded Miss Sake India 2026 title
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Historic Title: Nishita Yogesh Antarkar was crowned Miss Sake India 2026, making her the premier cultural ambassador for Japanese sake and culture within India.
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Cultural Bridge: Her role involves promoting the heritage, production, and appreciation of Japanese rice wine while fostering stronger diplomatic and gastronomic ties between India and Japan.
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Global Representation: As the national winner, she will represent India on the international stage at the Miss Sake International pageant held in Japan, competing against representatives from around the world.
2. Former Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi appointed as India's Ambassador to Bangladesh
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Rare Political Appointment: In a departure from the tradition of appointing career diplomats from the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), the government has chosen a seasoned politician. This signals a "strategic reset," using Trivedi's political weight and negotiation skills to handle sensitive bilateral ties directly.
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Strategic Expertise & Regional Connection: As a former Union Minister (Railways) and a veteran politician from West Bengal, Trivedi shares a deep linguistic and cultural connection with Bangladesh. His proficiency in the language and understanding of border-state dynamics are seen as key assets for stabilizing relations with the new government in Dhaka.
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Diplomatic Shift: Trivedi succeeds Pranay Verma, who has been reassigned to Brussels as India’s Ambassador to the European Union. The shift comes at a critical time as India seeks to navigate a complex phase in its relationship with Bangladesh following recent political transitions in the neighboring country.
3. India Charts 100 GW Nuclear Via SHANTI Act
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End of State Monopoly: The SHANTI Act repeals the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, officially opening India’s nuclear sector to private and foreign participation. For the first time, private entities can build, own, and operate nuclear plants, with up to 49% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) allowed in civilian projects.
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Massive Capacity Target: The Act provides the legal framework to scale India's nuclear capacity from its current ~8.8 GW to 100 GW by 2047. To achieve this, the government is focusing on a dual track: the large-scale deployment of indigenous 700 MW PHWRs and the rapid development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), specifically the "Bharat Small Reactor."
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Liability & Regulatory Reform: The Act consolidates nuclear governance under one law and grants statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), ensuring its independence. Crucially, it overhauls the civil liability framework to align with international standards, removing the "legal uncertainty" that previously deterred global technology partners and private investors.
4. Bank of Baroda appoints Manish Nath as New Treasury Head
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Internal Veteran Leadership: Manish Nath Mehrotra is a seasoned insider with over 27 years of experience within Bank of Baroda. His deep institutional knowledge is expected to provide stability and continuity to the bank's "Special Treasury" operations in Mumbai.
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Strategic Scope: As the Head (In-Charge) of Treasury & Global Markets effective April 18, 2026, he oversees critical functions including liquidity management, foreign exchange operations, and the bank’s investment portfolio. This role is vital for maintaining the bank’s financial health in a volatile global interest rate environment.
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Chain of Transitions: The appointment was triggered by the departure of the previous head, Sushanta Kumar Mohanty, who was elevated to the position of Executive Director at Bank of Maharashtra. This move reflects a broader reshuffle of top-tier management across state-run banks directed by the Department of Financial Services (DFS).
Footnotes: BOB's MD & CEO: Debadatta Chand, HQ: Gujarat, Estd: 1908
5. Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Depot Achieves India’s First Water-Neutral Railway Status
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Phytoremediation Technology: The depot achieved water neutrality by implementing a natural, plant-based wastewater treatment system called phytoremediation. This eco-friendly process uses specially selected plants in a multi-stage wetland system to purify wastewater generated from coach washing and maintenance without relying on heavy chemicals.
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Massive Resource Conservation: The facility treats and recycles approximately 1.60 lakh litres of water daily (equivalent to over 300 household tanks). Annually, this translates to a saving of nearly 5.84 crore litres of freshwater, significantly reducing the depot's dependence on groundwater and municipal supplies.
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Sustainability Blueprint: This milestone aligns with Indian Railways' broader goal of becoming a "Net Zero Carbon Emitter" and sets a scalable model for other railway depots across the country.
6. Grappling Federation of India appoints Sikander Kumar Chairman
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Political & Academic Background: Professor Sikander Kumar is a prominent Rajya Sabha MP from Himachal Pradesh and a former Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University. His appointment brings high-level administrative experience and political influence to the federation.
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Strategic Growth for Grappling: The GFI aims to leverage his leadership to professionalize the sport in India. Since grappling is recognized by United World Wrestling (UWW) and viewed as a potential future Olympic discipline, his role is seen as critical for securing better government support and infrastructure.
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Unanimous Mandate: His appointment was made unanimously by the federation's board. General Secretary Subodh Kumar Yadav formally extended the invitation, emphasizing that Kumar's expertise would help Indian grapplers achieve greater success on the international stage.
7. Goa's Sadhvi Satish Sail Crowned Miss India 2026
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The Winner: Sadhvi Satish Sail, representing Goa, was crowned Femina Miss India World 2026. She was crowned by the outgoing titleholder, Nikita Porwal, and will now represent India at the 75th Miss World pageant.
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The Runners-Up: Rajnandini Pawar from Maharashtra was named the first runner-up, while Sree Advaita G from Jammu and Kashmir was adjudged the second runner-up.
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Historic Venue: The grand finale was held at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar. This marked the first time a university campus served as the venue for this prestigious national pageant, themed "Daughters of This Soil."
8. Brazil basketball legend Oscar Schmidt passed away
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Unmatched Olympic Scorer: Schmidt holds the record for the most points in Olympic basketball history with 1,093 points across five Games (1980–1996). His record for the most points in a single Olympic game (55 points against Spain in 1988) remains unbeaten to this day.
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A "Pure" Scorer with Massive Career Numbers: For decades, he was recognized as the all-time leading scorer in the history of professional basketball with 49,737 career points—a feat only recently surpassed by LeBron James in 2024.
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Dedication to Country over NBA: Despite being drafted by the New Jersey Nets in 1984, Schmidt famously declined to play in the NBA because, at the time, doing so would have disqualified him from representing the Brazilian national team.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
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1902 – Marie Curie and Pierre Curie discovered the radioactive element radium, a breakthrough in science.
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1653 – Oliver Cromwell dissolved England’s “Rump Parliament,” consolidating his power.
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