Gau-Tech 2026, promoted by the Maharashtra Goseva Commission in collaboration with the Global Confederation of Cow-Based Industries, runs from 20 to 23 March at the Agriculture College Grounds, Pune. The four-day expo showcases cow-based agriculture, rural livelihoods, and value addition in traditional village industries. It features technologies, products, and business models supporting cow-centric ecosystems and aims to strengthen market linkages, rural entrepreneurship, and policy alignment with environmental and economic goals. The event aligns with broader development aims, including sustainable agriculture, livestock-based growth, and rural resilience through innovation and enterprise.
Event: Gau-Tech 2026 in Pune, 20-23 March 2026.
Venue: Agriculture College Grounds, Pune.
Focus: Cow-based agriculture and rural livelihoods.
Participants: Indigenous technologies and cow-based industries.
Links to sustainability and rural economic development.
Tamil Nadu Tops India’s Textile Exports in 2024-25
Tamil Nadu has emerged as India’s leading textile exporter for 2024-25, surpassing Gujarat and Maharashtra with exports valued at 7,997.17 million dollars. The state now accounts for about 21.84 percent of India’s total textile exports, reflecting a four-year growth of over 29 percent. This rise follows sustained policy support, infrastructure development, and an export-oriented production ecosystem. Exports rose from 6,193 million dollars in 2020-21 to nearly 8 billion dollars in 2024-25, signaling robust industry fundamentals, a skilled workforce, and strong supply chains. The state’s performance underscores the resilience of India’s textile sector amid global demand and policy initiatives.
Tamil Nadu led India’s textile exports in 2024-25 with 7,997.17 million USD.
State share of national textile exports: 21.84%.
Four-year growth exceeding 29%.
Drivers include policy support, infrastructure, and export ecosystem.
Exports expanded from 6,193 million USD (2020-21) to ~8,000 million USD (2024-25).
The Ministry of Education will host the Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit in Mumbai as a two-day event starting 22 March 2026. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will address the gathering, with approximately 137 startups selected from over 3,000 applications, presenting innovations across 13 critical technology domains, including Advanced Computing, Space, and Defence. Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood, senior officials, academicians, and entrepreneurs will participate. The summit aims to accelerate collaboration among startups, higher education institutions, and industry, showcasing India’s growing depth in deep-tech and signaling opportunities for domestic and global partnerships.
Event: Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit, 22-23 March 2026.
Location: Mumbai, India.
Selected startups: about 137 from 3,000+ applications.
Technology domains: 13, including Advanced Computing, Space, Defence.
Attendees include Dharmendra Pradhan and Ajay Kumar Sood.
Bharat Innovates 2026 (Web-Added Note)
Web-added context notes Bharat Innovates 2026 as a global deep-tech platform linked to higher education institutes, inviting startups to connect with partners and investors. The program emphasises collaboration with HEIs/CFTIs and governmental offices to scale innovations, with the official site noting participation and networking potential. While the 2025 application cycle closed on 5 November 2025, the initiative continues to position India as a hub for deep-tech entrepreneurship, with office and coordination hosted at IIT Bombay in Mumbai. This addition provides background on the platform’s ongoing role in India’s innovation ecosystem.
Program focus: Deep-tech innovations linked to HEIs/CFTIs.
The Irul tribe, one of India’s oldest indigenous communities, celebrated Masi Magam, a significant festival in the Tamil calendar. The Irular people, recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Tamil Nadu, are also known by names such as Irulas, Erlar, and Shikari. Masi Magam deepens cultural identity and collective practice, reflecting a close bond with the Nilgiri Hills’ landscape. The event highlights traditional rituals, spiritual practices, and community cohesion, illustrating how indigenous celebrations sustain cultural heritage and connect families to land, ancestry, and shared histories.
Festival: Masi Magam observed by the Irul/Irula tribe.
Community: Dravidian ethnic group in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Status: Recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
Names: Irulas, Erlar, Irular, Shikari.
Cultural significance linked to nature and ancestry.
Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate (D.Litt. Honoris Causa) by the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar. The award recognises her contributions to education, healthcare, and social development across India through the Reliance Foundation. KIIT cited her transformative work in improving access to education, rural development, healthcare delivery, and disaster response, noting how her initiatives empower marginalised communities and advance sustainable development. The convocation highlighted collaboration between sectoral leadership and higher education to advance inclusive growth in India.
Nita Ambani is Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation.
Honoris Causa: Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt.).
Awarded by KIIT, Bhubaneswar.
Recognition for education, healthcare, rural development, disaster response.
Emphasises social impact and sustainable development.
India and Bhutan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Postal Cooperation, establishing a structured framework for collaboration between India Post and Bhutan Post. The agreement covers postal operations, technology development, capacity building, logistics connectivity, philately, and knowledge exchange. The pact was signed during the ongoing Bhutan visit of the Secretary of the Department of Posts and aims to deepen collaboration in postal technology and service delivery, sharing best practices in digital transformation and customer service. The MoU strengthens bilateral relations and cross-border connectivity between India and Bhutan.
MoU: Postal Cooperation between India Post and Bhutan Post.
Signatory context: Bhutan visit of Posts Secretary.
Objectives: Deepen postal technology collaboration and service quality.
Impact: Strengthens bilateral connectivity and knowledge exchange.
Har Ghar Jal Under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 Expands Rural Water Access
Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C. R. Patil, highlighted Har Ghar Jal as a transformative instrument in rural India during MoU signings under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 with Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Goa. The MoUs aim to ensure every rural household receives a regular, adequate, quality water supply and to reform operation and maintenance of rural water systems. The minister stressed that tap water access improves daily life, reduces women’s drudgery, and empowers communities. The government’s broader objective is long-term water security and improved living standards through structured, scalable reforms.
Program: Har Ghar Jal under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
States involved in MoUs: Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa.
Goals: Regular, adequate water supply; strengthen rural water systems.
Impact: Improved daily life and women’s time for development.
Strategic aim: Long-term water security and governance reforms.
Kailash Satyarthi Launches Karuna: The Power of Compassion
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi released his new book Karuna: The Power of Compassion. The launch ceremony featured Justice Surya Kant and former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi, marking a notable intellectual and social event. The book argues that compassion can address global crises such as inequality and conflict and calls for a universal, action-oriented shift beyond borders and ideologies. Satyarthi presents compassion as a practical principle guiding policy, education, and community engagement to build a more just and peaceful world, urging readers to translate empathy into concrete action.
Book title: Karuna: The Power of Compassion.
Launch attended by Justice Surya Kant and Kiran Bedi.
Core message: compassion as a universal, transformative force.
Addresses global crises like inequality and conflict.