Bhutan dedicates Stupa 76 to Narendra Modi as Project 108 advances
Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck consecrated Stupa No. 76 in Gelephu Mindfulness City on 1 November 2026, dedicating it to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ceremony underscored close India-Bhutan cultural and spiritual ties. India’s Kiren Rijiju represented New Delhi at the event. Project 108 envisions 108 Buddhist stupas along an 11.7‑kilometre spiritual corridor near the Aie (Mau) River, close to the Assam border. Around 40,000 volunteers and craftsmen helped build the structures, each about 15 metres tall and spaced 108 metres apart. The gesture illustrates ongoing collaboration in faith, heritage and regional development.
Stupa No. 76 consecrated on 1 November 2026
dedication to Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Gelephu Mindfulness City; 11.7 km corridor
40,000 volunteers; 15 m tall stupas; 108 m spacing
project reflects India‑Bhutan spiritual and cultural ties
location near Bhutan’s border with Assam, India
Jaishankar highlights India's digital public infrastructure at CHOGM 2026
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar addressed CHOGM 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda, emphasising the value of Digital Public Infrastructure for governance and financial responsibility. He noted how DPI has democratized access to services and expanded opportunities, and he referenced India’s recent Free Trade Agreements and ongoing negotiations as part of a broader strategy for predictable trade and resilient supply chains. Jaishankar's comments, shared on social media, reflect India’s proactive role in digital governance and its push for inclusive development within the Commonwealth and beyond.
Jaishankar at CHOGM 2026 highlights DPI
DPI accelerates governance and inclusion
references India’s FTAs and ongoing talks
emphasis on predictable trade and resilient supply chains
showcases India’s leadership in digital governance
India re‑elected as ISA President for a third term
India has been re‑elected as President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for a third consecutive term during its ninth session on 3 November 2026. France is re‑elected as Co‑President. The ISA, formed in 2015 by India and France and headquartered in Gurugram, has 130 signatories. Its vision is 'One Sun One World One Grid' and it focuses on accelerating solar energy deployment worldwide. The re‑election underlines broad international support for India's leadership in renewable energy cooperation and policy harmonization among member countries.
India re‑elected ISA President for a third term
France remains Co‑President
ISA formed in 2015; headquartered in Gurugram
130 signatories; 'One Sun One World One Grid'
reinforces India’s leadership in solar energy cooperation
Five Singareni mines win national five-star rating for 2024–25
Five Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) mines have won the Ministry of Coal Five‑Star Rating for 2024–25, announced 2 November 2026 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The mines RKNT, RK‑6 Incline (Srirampur), JVR OC‑2 (Sattupalli), Khairigura OC (Bellampalli) and RGOC‑1 (Ramagundam‑3) scored above 91 out of 100 on 84 parameters covering safety, management, infrastructure, environment and worker welfare. SCCL also won first prize in the underground category at the Annual Star Rating Awards 2024–25. Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey presented the awards, with officials receiving praise for strong safety practices.
IIT Delhi leads India in QS Asia University Rankings 2027; all top six slip
QS Asia University Rankings 2027 shows IIT Delhi as India’s top institution in Asia at position 66, down from 59 previously. All six Indian institutions in the top tier have slipped. IISc Bengaluru sits at 79, IIT Bombay at 83, IIT Madras at 85, IIT Kharagpur at 90 and IIT Kanpur at 97. The University of Delhi falls outside Asia’s top 100, ranked 106, while Chandigarh University rises to 104 and Lovely Professional University climbs to 154. Across Asia, 34 new entrants join a total of 325 Indian universities within the 1,722 institutions surveyed from 26 higher education systems.
IIT Delhi: India’s highest in Asia at 66 (down from 59)
other top Indian universities also drop positions
Delhi outside top 100 at 106; Chandigarh 104; LPU 154
Dhinidhi Desinghu wins India's first Youth Olympics swimming medal
At the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, 16-year-old Dhinidhi Desinghu won India’s first medal in swimming at the event by securing bronze in the women’s 100 metre freestyle with a time of 56.27 seconds. Gold went to Croatia’s Ana Bobanovic in 55.89 seconds and New Zealand’s Alyssa Lawson claimed silver in 56.13 seconds. Desinghu had earlier become the first Indian female swimmer to reach a Youth Olympics final after finishing third fastest in the heats with 56.80 seconds. The achievement marks a historic milestone for Indian swimming and signals growing youth talent and competitive depth in India's aquatic sports program.
bronze in women's 100m freestyle at Youth Olympics 2026
Desinghu time 56.27s; Bobanovic 55.89s (gold); Lawson 56.13s (silver)
Desinghu previously reached the Youth Olympics final with 56.80s in heats
first-ever Youth Olympics swimming medal for India
Dakar, Senegal hosts the 2026 Youth Olympics
reflects rising focus on swimming among Indian youth
Indian and Sri Lankan coast guards hold ninth high-level meeting
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) held their ninth High-Level Meeting in Mirissa, Sri Lanka, on 3 November 2026. Led by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani and SLCG Director General Rear Admiral Ruwan Rupasena, discussions covered Marine Pollution Response, Search and Rescue, and Maritime Law Enforcement. The two sides explored capacity-building and technical assistance to strengthen cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. They reaffirmed a shared commitment to maritime safety, security and environmental protection across their waters, highlighting ongoing regional collaboration to manage contingencies and protect sea lanes.
9th ICG–SLCG High-Level Meeting held on 3 Nov 2026
topics: pollution response, SAR, law enforcement
focus on capacity-building and technical assistance
Keisha Lance Bottoms elected Georgia’s first Black female governor
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms has been elected governor of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman to hold the office. She defeated Republican businessman Rick Jackson in Tuesday’s election, according to the Associated Press. Bottoms’s victory marks the first time a Democrat has won Georgia’s gubernatorial race since 1998. She succeeds Brian Kemp, who was barred by law from a third term. Jackson spent more than 200 million dollars of his personal fortune on his campaign. A former mayor of Atlanta, Bottoms emphasizes urban development, public safety and inclusive economic growth in a state with strong rural and metro areas.
Keisha Lance Bottoms elected Georgia governor
first Black woman to hold the office in Georgia
Democrat winner; last Democratic win in 1998
successor to Brian Kemp; Kemp term limits
Jackson spent over $200 million on campaign
Sudhakar Dalela appointed India’s Ambassador to Nepal
Sudhakar Dalela arrived in Kathmandu to take up India’s Ambassadorial post to Nepal. A 1993-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, he previously served as Ambassador to Bhutan (2022–2025) and as Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs since September 2025. He has handled India–Nepal and India–Bhutan relations and worked in the Prime Minister’s Office and abroad. Dalela succeeds Naveen Srivastava as India’s Ambassador to Nepal. His appointment signals continuity in New Delhi’s diplomacy with Nepal amid evolving regional ties and shared development interests.
Dalela appointed Ambassador to Nepal
1993 batch IFS officer; former Ambassador to Bhutan
SEBI signs MoU with BHASHINI to expand regional-language services
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) on 3 November 2026 in New Delhi. The agreement aims to make SEBI’s services and financial information accessible in regional Indian languages. SEBI Whole-Time Member Sandip Pradhan and DIBD’s Amitabh Nag signed the MoU, which will leverage BHASHINI’s translation APIs, Automatic Speech Recognition, Text-to-Speech and OCR capabilities. The collaboration will support securities-market terminology in multiple languages and enhance multilingual services. The MoU takes effect immediately, though timelines for public rollout have not yet been announced.
MoU signed on 3 November 2026 in New Delhi
SEBI and BHASHINI to expand regional-language services
uses ASR, TTS, OCR and translation APIs
focuses on securities-market terminology
implementation timeline to be announced
DIBD operates under Digital India Corporation
DIBD functions as an independent division under the Digital India Corporation, a Section 8 not‑for‑profit company established by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The division works to promote digital inclusion and language-based services, supporting access to information and government services across India. DIBD’s activities complement broader digital public infrastructure initiatives and align with national objectives to expand citizen and business access to digital tools and information. Its work helps bridge linguistic and regional gaps in public service delivery.
DIBD is part of Digital India Corporation
operates to expand digital inclusion and language services
supports access to information and government services
aligns with India’s digital public infrastructure goals
Collins Dictionary names mogging as Word of the Year 2026
Collins Dictionary has named mogging as the Word of the Year 2026. The slang term means to shine or outdo someone else and saw a 210 percent rise in usage in 2026, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Collins notes that the selection reflects evolving language influenced by social media and online culture. Mogging captures the emphasis on presence, performance and self‑presentation in contemporary life, illustrating how youth communication continues to shape everyday speech and popular discourse around success and visibility.
mogging named Word of the Year 2026 by Collins
means to outshine or outdo others
210% rise in usage in 2026
popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha
reflects shifts in online language and culture
Manipur hosts first Northeast Waree Leeba Festival to preserve traditional storytelling
Manipur hosted the first Northeast Waree Leeba Festival in Imphal West, a five‑day event that began on 2 November 2026 to preserve Waree Leeba, a traditional storytelling art form. The festival is organised by the Repertory of Waree Leeba (ROWLM) in partnership with Irom Meijrao Women for Cultural Centre, welcoming artists from Manipur, Assam and Tripura. The aim is to promote Waree Leeba and strengthen cultural ties across the Northeast, while providing a platform for practitioners to share narratives, techniques and performance styles with younger generations.
festival began 2 November 2026 in Imphal West
aims to preserve Waree Leeba, a traditional storytelling art
ROWLM and Irom Meijrao Women for Cultural Centre organizers
participants from Manipur, Assam and Tripura
promotes cross‑state cultural exchange and heritage visibility
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