General Awareness

ART AND CULTURE - January 2026

Jan 2026

Feb 16, 2026

Berlin International Film Festival 2026 Opens with Star-Studded Gala

The 76th Berlin International Film Festival opened on 12 February 2026 with gala events at Berlinale Palast. Festival Director Tricia Tuttle and Jury President Wim Wenders presided over the opening. The International Jury will be introduced, and Michelle Yeoh is awarded the Honorary Golden Bear. Academy Award winner Sean Baker will deliver the laudatory speech. The Berlinale gathers filmmakers, critics and audiences to showcase international cinema and cross-cultural collaboration, highlighting diverse voices and new trends in global film.

Open date: 12 February 2026
Gala at Berlinale Palast; Tricia Tuttle and Wim Wenders preside
Honorary Golden Bear awarded to Michelle Yeoh
Sean Baker to deliver laudatory speech
Festival emphasizes international cinema and cross-cultural collaboration

Feb 13, 2026

Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings reveal ancient links

A field study conducted in 2024–25 documented nearly thirty inscriptions in Tamil‑Brahmi, Prakrit and Sanskrit inside tombs of Egypt’s Theban Necropolis. The discoveries, by researchers Charlotte Schmid and Ingo Strauch, span the 1st to 3rd centuries CE and suggest historical trade and cultural exchanges between Tamilagam and the Roman world. The inscriptions resemble brief graffiti marks made by visitors, echoing prior graffiti practices in the region. Earlier, Jules Baillet had documented over two thousand Greek graffiti in 1926. The find highlights long‑standing cross‑cultural contact between South Asia and the Mediterranean in antiquity.

Inscriptions dated 1st–3rd centuries CE across six tombs.
Tamil‑Brahmi, Prakrit and Sanskrit scripts identified.
Indicates ancient trade and cultural links with the Roman world.
Comparable to earlier Greek graffiti reports from 1926.

Feb 12, 2026

Dastak Youth Festival 2026 Highlights Ecotourism and UP Heritage

Lucknow/Agra, 12 February 2026 — The 18th edition of the Dastak Youth Festival began at the International Buddhist Research Centre with a focus on Nature, Environment, and Uttar Pradesh. The three‑day event is supported by the UP tourism department, Yuva club, and Ecotourism initiatives. Around 500 students from more than 55 colleges are participating, with about 150 on the first day. Organisers say the festival will promote ecotourism, environmental stewardship, and UP’s cultural heritage, while showcasing youth as drivers of change and sustainable development.

Dastak Youth Festival 2026 opens
Theme: Nature, environment and UP heritage
500 students from 55+ colleges participate
Support from UP tourism, Yuva club, Ecotourism
Aims to promote ecotourism and youth leadership

Feb 11, 2026

CM Majhi Launches Harichandan’s New Books

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi unveiled two new books authored by veteran politician and former Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at a ceremony in Bhubaneswar. The event celebrated Odisha’s political and cultural legacy and recognised Harichandan’s long public life. Dignitaries, scholars and political leaders attended, marking a significant literary and political occasion. The Chief Minister described the launch as a proud moment for the state, emphasising that the author’s life and values were as important as the books themselves. Harichandan has played a pivotal role in Odisha politics, including as founding president of the BJP’s Odisha unit and four-time holder of the post.

Mohan Charan Majhi launches Harichandan’s two books
Event held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Harichandan: veteran politician and four-time BJP Odisha president
Ceremony celebrated Odisha’s political and cultural legacy
Highlight of Harichandan’s long public life

Feb 08, 2026

President Murmu to inaugurate Bastar Pandum-2026 in Jagdalpur

President Droupadi Murmu will arrive in Jagdalpur, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, on 7 February 2026 for a one-day visit. She will inaugurate the Bastar Pandum Festival at Lalbagh Ground and address a programme. Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will accompany her at the inauguration. The Bastar Pandum Festival runs from 7 to 9 February, with divisional-level competitions. More than 700 artists from 84 teams will showcase performances across 12 disciplines, including tribal dances, handicrafts, traditional cuisine and indigenous musical instruments. Bastar Pandum celebrates tribal traditions and strengthens cultural ties for younger generations.

Date: 7 February 2026; venue: Lalbagh Ground, Jagdalpur.
Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai present at launch.
Festival runs 7–9 February with divisional competitions.
Over 700 artists from 84 teams across 12 disciplines.
Event highlights tribal culture and youth engagement.

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