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Current Affairs 28th April 2026
IMPORTANT FACTS
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Junko Tabei was the first woman to climb the Himalayas.
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Chikmagalur is the most literate district of Karnataka.
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Current flows in one direction through a diode.
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The hardest substance is diamond.
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Gold is extracted in the state of Karnataka.
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Light year is a unit of distance.
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A carburetor is in a petrol engine.
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Maximum carbohydrates are found in rice.
1. B Ramesh Babu appointed as MD & CEO of KVB
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Third Term Approval: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of B Ramesh Babu for a third term of two years, effective from July 29, 2026.
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Leadership Continuity: This extension follows his initial appointment in 2020 and a second term in 2023, signaling regulatory confidence in his leadership and the bank’s consistent growth in profitability and asset quality.
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Professional Background: Before joining KVB, he served as the Deputy Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer at the State Bank of India (SBI), bringing extensive experience in retail banking and operations.
Footnotes: KVB's MD & CEO: Ramesh Babu B, HQ: Karur, Founded: 1916
2. Himadri Speciality Chemical Commissions India’s First Anode Material Plant
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Strategic Location: The plant is located at Sreerampur, Hooghly district, West Bengal. It is part of the company's existing integrated speciality carbon complex.
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Production Capacity: The facility has an initial capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) of synthetic anode material. Himadri aims to scale this up to 200,000 MTPA over the next few years to meet global demand.
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Self-Reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat): This is India’s first commercial-scale plant of its kind, aimed at reducing the country's heavy reliance on imports for critical EV battery components, specifically from China.
3. Dinesh Trivedi appointed as High Commissioner to People's Republic of Bangladesh
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Rare Political Appointment: Trivedi is a veteran politician and former Union Minister, making this a rare instance where a non-IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officer is chosen for a critical diplomatic role. This reflects New Delhi’s intent to use senior political weight to stabilize ties with the new government in Dhaka.
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Succession: He will succeed Pranay Verma, who is moving to Brussels to serve as India’s Ambassador to the European Union and Belgium.
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Political Profile: Trivedi has served as the Union Railway Minister (2011–2012) and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. He was a long-time MP from West Bengal (representing Barrackpore) and joined the BJP in 2021 after leaving the Trinamool Congress.
4. FM Nirmal Sitharaman delivers Keynote & Launched Mission Jagrook
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Vigilance: She urged SEBI and all regulated entities to remain "exceptionally vigilant," stating that tools of defense must evolve faster than the tools of attack.
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Investor Verification: The FM commended the rollout of “SEBI Check,” a tool that allows investors to verify the payment details of registered intermediaries before transferring any money, reducing the risk of payment to fraudulent accounts.
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Soft-Touch Regulation: She advocated for a "principles-based" regulatory approach rather than an overly detailed rulebook, emphasizing the importance of public consultation to improve the quality of compliance.
5. Sabastian Sawe Creates History with Sub-2 Hour Marathon at London Marathon 2026
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Historic World Record: Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe became the first person to officially run a sub-two-hour marathon in a sanctioned race, clocking a time of 1:59:30. He shattered the previous world record of 2:00:35 (set by Kelvin Kiptum) by 65 seconds.
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Official "Legal" Barrier: Unlike previous sub-two-hour attempts performed in controlled exhibition settings, Sawe’s record was achieved under standard competitive conditions, making it the first "legal" sub-two-hour marathon eligible for official World Athletics ratification.
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Incredible Negative Split: Sawe reached the halfway mark in 60:29 but accelerated significantly in the second half, running the final 21.1 km in an astonishing 59:01 to pull away from Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha (who also finished sub-two at 1:59:41).
6. India emerged as top-performing nation at ISSF Junior World Cup 2026
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Medal Tally Leader: India finished at the top of the standings with a total of 16 medals, comprising 5 gold, 6 silver, and 5 bronze. This placed the Indian contingent ahead of all other participating federations, including major shooting powerhouses.
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World Record Performance: A standout moment of the tournament was the gold medal victory by Divyanshu Dewangan and Shambhavi Kshirsagar in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event, where they set a new Junior World Record with a score of 499.9.
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Final Day Success: India secured its top position on the final day with two podium finishes: Hemant Burman clinched silver in the Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions, and the duo of Zuhair Khan and Addya Katyal won bronze in the Trap Mixed Team event—India's first shotgun medal of the meet.
7. India & New Zealand Sign Landmark Trade Deal
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100% Duty-Free Access: The agreement provides immediate duty-free access for 100% of Indian exports to New Zealand. This is a massive boost for labor-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, and engineering goods, which previously faced tariffs of up to 10%.
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Massive Investment Commitment: In a landmark provision (similar to the deal with EFTA), New Zealand has made a binding commitment to invest $20 billion (₹1.66 lakh crore) in India over the next 15 years, signaling long-term trust in the Indian economy.
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Visa & Mobility Quotas: For the first time, New Zealand has signed a special annex on student mobility and professional pathways for India. This includes a quota of 5,000 annual visas for skilled Indian professionals (including AYUSH practitioners, chefs, and IT experts) and extended post-study work visas for STEM graduates.
8. Raghu Rai, veteran Padma-Shri winning photographer, dies at 83
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Chronicler of Modern India: A protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Rai was renowned for his "visual record" of India’s history. His most iconic works include the haunting documentation of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy and his extensive coverage of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
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Global Recognition: In 1977, he was nominated by Cartier-Bresson to join Magnum Photos, becoming one of the first Indian photographers to join the prestigious international cooperative.
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Prolific Legacy: Beyond his career as the Chief Photographer for The Statesman and Picture Editor for India Today, Rai published nearly 60 photo-books. His subjects ranged from intimate portraits of Mother Teresa, Indira Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama to the spiritual landscapes of Varanasi and the Himalayas.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
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28th April: World Day for Safety & Health at Work
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Theme 2026: “Let's ensure a healthy psychosocial working environment.”
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A 2026 ILO report highlights that psychosocial risks contribute to over 840,000 deaths annually and cause a 1.37% dent in global GDP.
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