Art & Culture Current Affairs — Last 12 months | Daily News + MCQs

India and Italy hold 2nd Joint Working Group on Tourism; agree on cine-tourism, destination twinning and skilling

The 2nd India–Italy Joint Working Group on Tourism met on 29 September 2026, co-chaired by Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar and Emanuela Tripi, Secretary-General of Italy's Ministry of Tourism.

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🏆 National Awards 📍 India Important

Lalit Kala Akademi announces 20 awards at the 65th National Exhibition of Art

On 27 September 2026 the Lalit Kala Akademi announced 20 Lalit Kala Akademi Awards at its 65th National Exhibition of Art (NEA).

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🎭 GI Tags 📍 Karnataka Important

APEDA facilitates export of GI-tagged Gulbarga Tur Dal from Karnataka to the Maldives

On 24 September 2026 APEDA facilitated the flag-off of a 1 metric tonne consignment of GI-tagged Gulbarga Tur Dal from Karnataka to the Maldives.

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🎭 Festivals & Events 📍 India Important

Ministry of Culture to host BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 in New Delhi from 12 to 14 October

The Ministry of Culture announced on 24 September 2026 that it will organise the BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 in New Delhi from 12 to 14 October under India's BRICS Presidency.

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🎭 Festivals & Events 📍 Tamil Nadu Important

17th Kathakali Festival opens at Kalakshetra, Chennai, on the theme 'Kadha Rasa Sangama'

On 18 September 2026, the 17th Kathakali Festival, organised by the Kalakshetra Foundation under the Ministry of Culture, opened at the Bharata Kalakshetra Auditorium in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 India

8th edition of PM Mementos e-Auction launched; proceeds to Namami Gange

On 16 September 2026, Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the 8th edition of the PM Mementos e-Auction, offering 1,498 mementos from 17 September 2026 on www.pmmementos.gov.in.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 West Bengal Important

PM Modi pays tribute to Saratchandra Chattopadhyay on his 150th birth anniversary

On 15 September 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Bengali writer Saratchandra Chattopadhyay on his 150th birth anniversary.

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🎭 Heritage & UNESCO 📍 Gujarat Important

Sarbananda Sonowal chairs the 2nd Governing Council meeting of the National Maritime Heritage Complex Society, Lothal

On 11 September 2026, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired the 2nd Governing Council meeting of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) Society and reviewed progress at Lothal, Gujarat, where Phase 1A is about 82% complete.

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🌟 Persons in News 📍 Assam Important

PM Modi pays tribute to Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika on his 100th birth anniversary

On 8 September 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Dr Bhupen Hazarika on his 100th birth anniversary and recalled attending the start of the birth centenary celebrations in Guwahati a year earlier.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 France Important

PM Modi addresses inauguration of BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Paris

On 6 September 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the inauguration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Paris by video conference, calling it a new milestone in India–France cultural relations.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 Tamil Nadu

Vice President releases postage stamp on 75 years of Dinamalar

On 5 September 2026, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released a commemorative postage stamp in Chennai marking 75 years of the Tamil daily Dinamalar.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 West Bengal

PM Modi pays tribute to Mahanayak Uttam Kumar on birth centenary

On 3 September 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to legendary Bengali actor 'Mahanayak' Uttam Kumar on his birth centenary.

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🎭 Festivals & Events 📍 Kerala Important

Vice President inaugurates Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali on the Pamba

On 30 August 2026, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali, the Onam-linked boat festival, on the River Pamba in Keralam.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 Andhra Pradesh Important

Telugu Language Day 2026 marks Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy's 163rd birth anniversary

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana observed Telugu Language Day on 29 August 2026, the 163rd birth anniversary of Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy, pioneer of spoken (Vyavaharika) Telugu.

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🌟 Persons in News 📍 India

Prime Minister and Home Minister pay tributes to Sree Narayana Guru on his Jayanti

On 28 August 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah paid tributes to social reformer Sree Narayana Guru on his birth anniversary.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 Goa Important

Rajnath Singh inaugurates redeveloped Hutatma Smruti Smarak at Patradevi, Goa

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the redeveloped Hutatma Smruti Smarak at Patradevi on 26 August 2026, honouring satyagrahis killed in the Goa liberation struggle against Portuguese rule.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 Karnataka Important

National Conclave on Tribal Languages and Museums opens in Mysuru; Adi Vaani upgraded

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs began a three-day National Conclave on Tribal Languages and Museums in Mysuru on 24 August 2026, launching an upgraded Adi Vaani platform and an AI assistant, Jago.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 Bihar Important

Bihar to set up Mati Kala Board for clay artisans within three months

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced in Patna on 23 August 2026 that a Mati Kala (clay art) Board will be set up within three months to support the Kumhar (Prajapati) community.

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🔬 Research & Discoveries 📍 India

CSIR-NIScPR marks 75 years of Hindi science magazine 'Vigyan Pragati'

CSIR-NIScPR held a Platinum Jubilee ceremony on 22 August 2026 to mark 75 years of its popular Hindi science magazine 'Vigyan Pragati', launched in 1952.

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🎭 Festivals & Events 📍 Goa

First steering committee meeting held for 57th IFFI in Goa

The first Steering Committee meeting for the 57th International Film Festival of India, to be held in Goa from 20 to 28 November 2026, met in New Delhi on 21 August 2026.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 Delhi

Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 ends with concert marking 150 years of Vande Mataram

The Culture Ministry closed Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 with a Tiranga Concert by singer B Praak at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 18 August 2026, dedicated to 150 years of Vande Mataram.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 India Important

Har Ghar Tiranga 2026: Suryapath Tiranga relay crosses 54 missions; 8.24 crore selfies

On 15 August 2026 the Suryapath Tiranga global relay, part of the fifth Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, carried the Tricolour across 54 Indian missions and posts from Fiji to San Francisco.

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📅 Important Days & Themes 📍 India Important

Partition Horrors Remembrance Day 2026 observed in Delhi, Amritsar and Kolkata

Partition Horrors Remembrance Day (Vibhajan Vibheeshika Smriti Divas) was observed on 14 August 2026, with the Ministry of Culture holding programmes in Delhi, Amritsar and Kolkata and PM Modi recalling the courage of those impacted by Partition.

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📅 Important Days & Themes 📍 India

PM pays tribute to revolutionary Shaheed Udham Singh on his Balidan Diwas (31 July)

On 31 July 2026 PM Narendra Modi paid tribute to revolutionary martyr Udham Singh on his Balidan Diwas, sharing a Sanskrit subhashitam on valour.

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🔬 Research & Discoveries 📍 India Important

BSIP pollen study from Deoria Tal links weak monsoon to the shrinking of the Harappan Civilisation

A Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences study of pollen in a Deoria Tal sediment core (Garhwal Himalaya) links a weak Indian Summer Monsoon between ~5100 and 4000 years BP to the shrinking of the Harappan Civilisation, DST said on 29 July 2026.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 India Must know

Mann Ki Baat 136th episode: Vagu mats, Chongpreng, Khadi sales and more

In the 136th episode of Mann Ki Baat on 26 July 2026, PM Narendra Modi highlighted Kashmir's Vagu mat, Tripura's Chongpreng instrument, record Khadi sales of nearly ₹8,000 crore and Kerala's 'Aksharakanduk' Sanskrit-football project.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 Uttar Pradesh Must know

Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

The 'Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath' in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 25 July 2026 at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, becoming India's 45th World Heritage property.

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🌐 Bilateral Relations 📍 Europe Important

President Murmu unveils Mahatma Gandhi bust in Skopje, North Macedonia

President Droupadi Murmu and North Macedonia's President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Museum of the City of Skopje on 22 July 2026.

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🌾 Agriculture & Rural 📍 Meghalaya Must know

Mission Golden Spice launched for Meghalaya's GI-tagged Lakadong turmeric

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma launched 'Mission Golden Spice', a ₹175.45-crore project for the Lakadong turmeric value chain in Meghalaya, on 21 July 2026.

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🎭 Art & Culture 📍 West Bengal Important

Amit Shah inaugurates first phase of 'Museum of Word' in Kolkata

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the first phase of the 'Museum of Word' in Kolkata on 19 July 2026.

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