27^th January 2026

1. PANCHAM: Recently, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched PANCHAM (Panchayat Assistance and Messaging Chatbot) in collaboration with UNICEF.

• About PANCHAM: A flagship digital governance initiative aimed at empowering Panchayat Elected Representatives and Functionaries.

• It functions as a digital companion for Panchayats, offering contextual guidance, simplified workflows and quick access to official information.

• The platform supports day-to-day governance and service delivery at the grassroots level.

• PANCHAM creates, for the first time, a direct digital interface between the Government of India and over 30 lakh Panchayat representatives and functionaries

• Enables two-way communication, allowing faster decision-making, quicker resolution of field-level issues and stronger feedback mechanisms.

• Strengthens responsive, transparent and accountable governance by connecting grassroots institutions directly with policy and decision-making centres.

• The initiative complements India’s expanding digital Panchayat ecosystem, where over 95% of Gram Panchayats already use digital planning and accounting systems.

2. Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards: Recently, the President of India approved the conferment of the Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards – 2025 in recognition of extraordinary acts of courage and humanitarian service.

• About Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards: A civilian gallantry award series honouring acts of exceptional humanity, where individuals risk their own lives to save others.

• Instituted in 1961 as a complementary extension of the Ashoka Chakra gallantry framework.

• Categories: Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak: Awarded for exceptional bravery while saving a life in situations involving extreme danger to the rescuer.

• Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak: Given for courageous and timely action taken despite serious risk to the rescuer.

• Jeevan Raksha Padak: Conferred for brave efforts involving substantial risk of severe physical injury.

• Eligibility: Open to civilians from all sections of society, irrespective of gender.

• May be awarded posthumously.

• Covers life-saving acts during incidents such as drowning, fires, road or industrial accidents, electrocution, mine disasters, and natural calamities.

• Each award includes a medallion and certificate, along with a one-time cash grant:

• Sarvottam: ₹2,00,000

• Uttam: ₹1,50,000

• Jeevan Raksha: ₹1,00,000

3. Chatergala Pass: Recently, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) successfully carried out a high-altitude rescue operation and restored road connectivity at Chatergala Pass under Project Sampark, ensuring access in this strategically vital region.

• About Chatergala Pass: Located at an altitude of around 10,500 feet in the Bhaderwah–Chatergala corridor of the Jammu region, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

• Serves as a vital mountain pass linking Bani (Kathua district) with Bhaderwah (Doda district).

• Lies within the Chamba–Doda ranges of the Greater Himalayas.

• Characterised by alpine grasslands, snow-laden mountain peaks and dense forest cover.

• Wildlife includes Himalayan monal, ibex, and musk deer.

• About Border Roads Organisation: A specialised infrastructure agency responsible for building and maintaining roads in strategic and border areas, primarily to support the Indian Armed Forces.

• Develops and maintains roads in India’s border areas and in select friendly neighbouring countries.

• Motto: Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam — Everything is achievable through hard work.

4. Bactrian Camels: Recently, two Bactrian camels—Galwan and Nubra—participated in the Indian Army’s Animal Contingent at the Republic Day Parade 2026, symbolising Ladakh’s cold-desert ecology and cultural heritage.

• About Bactrian camels: A hardy, two-humped camel species specially evolved to survive in extremely cold, dry desert environments of Central Asia.

• Distribution: India: Found exclusively in Ladakh’s Nubra Valley, making it a rare and region-specific species nationally.

• Global range: Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian regions.

• Origin and History: Domesticated nearly 5,000–6,000 years ago in Central Asia, around present-day Uzbekistan–West Kazakhstan. Named after Bactria, a historic Central Asian civilisation.

• Conservation Status (IUCN): Critically Endangered.

• Types: Wild Bactrian Camel: Camelus ferus – extremely rare and endangered.

• Domestic Bactrian Camel: Camelus bactrianus – widely domesticated and relatively common.

• Distinctive Features: Two humps: Store fat reserves that provide energy during prolonged food scarcity, not water.

• Cold resilience: Thick, shaggy winter fur insulates against freezing temperatures and is shed in summer.

• Flexible diet: Strong, leathery lips enable feeding on thorny, bitter and salt-rich vegetation.

5. New Norcia 3 (NNO3): Recently, the European Space Agency (ESA) inaugurated New Norcia 3 (NNO3), a new deep-space communication antenna, often described as a permanent space communication line.

• About NNO3: The fourth deep-space antenna in ESA’s Estrack network, strengthening continuous 24×7 global spacecraft coverage.

• The antenna is installed at the New Norcia Ground Station in Western Australia, a key hub for interplanetary communications.

• Estrack is ESA’s worldwide network of ground stations that links mission control with spacecraft operating across the Solar System and currently supports over 20 active missions.

• Technological features: Equipped with a 35-metre reflector dish.

• Uses cryogenic cooling to nearly −263 °C, allowing detection of extremely faint deep-space signals.

• Artificial Intelligence integration: First ESA antenna to deploy AI-based noise reduction. Enables more accurate automatic tracking of distant spacecraft.

• Significance: Boosts Estrack’s data-handling and mission-support capacity. Capable of providing cross-support to agencies such as NASA, JAXA and ISRO, reinforcing global cooperation in space exploration.

6. Gonorrhoea: Recently, the World Health Organization reported that around 82.4 million new cases of gonorrhoea were recorded globally among adults aged 15–49 years in 2020.

• About Gonorrhoea: A sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, affecting urogenital, pharyngeal, rectal and conjunctival sites.

• The infection is often asymptomatic, especially in women and in pharyngeal or rectal infections, increasing the risk of unnoticed transmission.

• Gonorrhoea infects only humans and spreads by colonising mucosal surfaces.

• Since 2013, infection rates have been higher in men than in women

• Causes and Transmission: Primary cause is unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex. Other contributing factors include chemical irritants, spermicides and genital trauma.

• Diagnosis: Through urine tests or swab samples from affected sites.

• Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) is the gold standard.

• Studies show that limiting testing to genital sites can miss up to 60% of infections, especially in MSM populations.

• As per National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO): Ceftriaxone 500 mg IM, single dose, is recommended.

7. Lakkundi: Recently, archaeological excavations at Lakkundi in Karnataka have uncovered Neolithic-period remains, strengthening the State’s efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the region.

• Key Highlights: An excavation conducted under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India, at the Kote Veerabhadreshwar (Veerabhadraswamy) Temple complex, intended to expose buried architectural layers and cultural deposits to strengthen heritage conservation and UNESCO nomination claims.

• Situated in Lakkundi village of Gadag district, Karnataka, around 12 km from Gadag town; historically referred to as Lokkigundi.

• Historical Background: Emerged as a prominent religious, commercial and cultural hub between the 10th and 13th centuries.

• Reached prominence under the Kalyana Chalukyas and later the Hoysalas.

• Hosts Hindu temples, Jain basadis, stepwells and a later Islamic dargah, reflecting long-standing religious coexistence.

• Known for the distinctive “Lakkundi school” of Chalukyan temple architecture.

• Key Archaeological Findings: Neolithic remains: fragments of grey pottery, stone axe, cowrie shells and a cross-shaped pedestal.

• Early historic to medieval artefacts: a stone pedestal bearing a Jina image, inscriptions and concealed temple structures.

• Evidence points to uninterrupted human settlement from prehistoric times through the early medieval era.

8. Pygmy Hog: Recently, India’s pygmy hog is facing a sharp decline in its natural grassland habitats, despite its growing ecological significance for grassland conservation and restoration.

• About Pygmy Hog: Recognised as the smallest and rarest wild pig species globally.

• Among the very few mammals that construct nests, creating a roofed shelter using grass and vegetation.

• Considered an indicator species, as its presence signals the ecological integrity of grassland habitats.

• Habitat Preference: Occupies undisturbed riverine grasslands dominated by early successional vegetation. In India, the species is now restricted to the grasslands of Manas National Park and Orang National Park in Assam.

• Ecological Role of the Pygmy Hog: Uses its snout to forage for roots, tubers, fruits, termites, earthworms and eggs.

• This digging activity loosens and aerates the soil, improving soil structure and fertility.

• Plays a role in seed dispersal, supporting grassland regeneration and biodiversity.

• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered; Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Listed under Schedule I

9. Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole): Recently, a rare sighting of the Asiatic wild dog (dhole) was recorded for the first time in Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, indicating a notable expansion of its presence in central India.

• About Asiatic Wild Dog: A wild carnivorous member of the Canidae family native to Asia. Scientific name: Cuon alpinus

• Known by multiple names such as Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red dog, red wolf and mountain wolf.

• Habitat and Distribution: Distributed across Central, East and Southeast Asia.

• In India, occurs in three major population landscapes: Western and Eastern Ghats, Central Indian forests and Northeast India

• Features: Medium-sized canid with a sleek reddish-brown coat.

• Body length reaches about 20 inches, complemented by a bushy black tail measuring nearly 1.5 feet. Highly social, living in packs ranging from 2 to 25 individuals.

• Exceptional hunters—known for speed, endurance, swimming ability and jumping skills.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Endangered