Art & Culture Current Affairs One-liners — Last 12 months

Wed, 25 Mar 2026

• The I&B Ministry said on 25 March 2026 that all Akashvani stations will broadcast the full six-stanza version of the National Song 'Vande Mataram' (3 minutes 10 seconds) from 26 March 2026, replacing the two-stanza version.

Fri, 20 Mar 2026

• On Pakhala Dibasa, 20 March 2026, Odisha Tourism set a Guinness World Record for the largest serving of fermented rice (Pakhala), with 1,174 kg prepared in a single vessel from 850 kg of rice at Panthanivas, Bhubaneswar.

Wed, 18 Mar 2026

• Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram launched 'RISA: Timeless Tribal', a premium signature brand centred on tribal weaves, embroidery and crafts, on 18 March 2026 at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi.

Thu, 12 Mar 2026

• The first consignment of 25 tonnes of GI-tagged Joha rice from Assam was dispatched to the United Kingdom and Italy on 12 March 2026, facilitated by APEDA.
• The National Highways Authority of India issued the letter of award on 12 March 2026 for a 7-km greenfield bypass around Gangaikonda Cholapuram on NH-81 in Tamil Nadu, whose foundation stone the Prime Minister laid on 11 March.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage on 12 March 2026 to those who took part in the Dandi March, which began on 12 March 1930, and invoked it at the NXT Summit the same evening.

Sat, 07 Mar 2026

• President Droupadi Murmu attended the 9th International Santal Conference at Darjeeling, West Bengal, on 7 March 2026, recalling the Santal Hul of 1855 and the inclusion of Santali in the Eighth Schedule in 2003.

Thu, 05 Mar 2026

• Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal launched Version 2.0 of the Indian Culture Portal (indianculture.gov.in) on 5 March 2026, a major technical upgrade of the national digital heritage platform.

Wed, 04 Mar 2026

• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated the Saraighat Rana Smritisaudh, a war memorial to the 1671 Battle of Saraighat, at Panbazar, Guwahati, on 4 March 2026.
• Holi, the festival of colours, was celebrated across India on 4 March 2026, as the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh reported over 44 lakh devotees during its Holi festivities.

Tue, 03 Mar 2026

• Attukal Pongala, the ritual offering by women devotees to the deity of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, was held across Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on 3 March 2026, with the main hearth lit at 9.45 am.

Mon, 02 Mar 2026

• Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth flagged in INSV Kaundinya, the Navy's traditionally built stitched sailing vessel, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, on 2 March 2026 after her maiden overseas voyage to Muscat, Oman.
• Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram inaugurated Tribes Art Fest 2026 at Travancore Palace, New Delhi, on 2 March 2026, showcasing over 1,000 artworks from more than 30 tribal art forms.

Sun, 01 Mar 2026

• The Maharashtra government held the Shaheedi Samagam for the 350th martyrdom year of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur in Navi Mumbai on 1 March 2026, addressed by Home Minister Amit Shah in person and PM Narendra Modi by video.

Thu, 26 Feb 2026

• President Droupadi Murmu took part in the bhoomi pujan ceremony of the Sri Jagannath Temple at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, on 26 February 2026.

Wed, 25 Feb 2026

• Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi flagged in the 3,400-km Bharat RanBhoomi Darshan SUV expedition at the National War Memorial, New Delhi, on 25 February 2026.

Mon, 23 Feb 2026

• President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a bust of C. Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor-General of independent India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 23 February 2026, replacing the bust of architect Edwin Lutyens.

Sun, 22 Feb 2026

• 'Boong', a Manipuri-language film directed by Lakshmipriya Devi, won the Children's & Family Film award at the 79th BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on 22 February 2026 — the first Indian film to win in this category.
• Uttarakhand Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Gurmit Singh inaugurated the 30th Divya Kala Mela, a fair of products by Divyang artisans and entrepreneurs, at Rangers Ground, Dehradun, on 22 February 2026.

Thu, 19 Feb 2026

• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released Shashi Tharoor's book 'The Sage who Reimagined Hinduism: The Life, Lessons and Legacy of Sree Narayana Guru' at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on 19 February 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti on 19 February 2026, calling him a visionary leader, exceptional administrator, strategic thinker and champion of Swarajya.

Wed, 18 Feb 2026

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the 152nd birth anniversary celebrations of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur as chief guest in Nadia, West Bengal, on 18 February 2026.

Mon, 16 Feb 2026

• President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Centenary Celebration of the Ol Chiki script, organised by the Ministry of Culture, in New Delhi on 16 February 2026.

Sun, 15 Feb 2026

• Sant Sevalal Maharaj, the revered spiritual leader of the Banjara community, was remembered on his 287th birth anniversary on 15 February 2026, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tribute to him as a great social reformer.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah took part in the Maha Aarti of the Shiv Parivar on Mahashivratri in Vadodara, Gujarat, on 15 February 2026, before the idol of Sarveshwar Mahadev in Sursagar Lake.

Fri, 13 Feb 2026

• The Department of Posts released a set of eight commemorative postage stamps on 'Puppets of India' at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on 13 February 2026.

Thu, 12 Feb 2026

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati on his birth anniversary on 12 February 2026, recalling his contributions to education, Indian culture and social reform.

Wed, 11 Feb 2026

• The Devnimori relics of Lord Buddha returned to India from Colombo on 11 February 2026 after their first-ever international exposition, which drew over one million devotees.

Mon, 09 Feb 2026

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the closing ceremony of Bastar Pandum 2026, a festival of Bastar's tribal culture, in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, on 9 February 2026.

Sat, 07 Feb 2026

• President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Bastar Pandum 2026, a festival of Bastar's tribal culture, at Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, on 7 February 2026.