General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2026

Oct 2026

Oct 19, 2026

Braj Mohan Ram Becomes Odisha Governor

Braj Mohan Ram was sworn in as the Governor of Odisha on 18 October 2026 at Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. Odisha High Court Chief Justice Harish Tandon administered the oath. He succeeds Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati and had previously served three terms as a Member of Parliament from Palamu, Jharkhand. Under Article 155 of the Constitution, Governors are appointed by the President of India. Ram's background in public service and his experience in Parliament are expected to influence state governance, development schemes, and coordination with the central government. He has expressed a focus on welfare and administrative reform.

Date and place: 18 October 2026, Lok Bhavan, Bhubaneswar.
Oath administered by: Chief Justice Harish Tandon.
Predecessor: Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati.
Background: three-term MP from Palamu, Jharkhand.
Constitutional basis: Article 155; Governors appointed by the President.

Oct 18, 2026

Dr. Sudha Yadav sworn in as Karnataka Governor

Dr. Sudha Yadav was sworn in as the Governor of Karnataka on 16 October 2026 at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru. The oath was administered by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru. She succeeds Thaawarchand Gehlot and becomes the second woman Governor of Karnataka after V. S. Ramadevi. A former Lok Sabha member from Haryana, Sudha Yadav is also the widow of BSF officer Sukhbir Singh Yadav, who was martyred during the 1999 Kargil War. Her appointment expands the representation of women in the Raj Bhavan and reflects ongoing central government‑nominated appointments to state offices.

Oath date and venue: 16 October 2026, Lok Bhavan, Bengaluru.
Oath administered by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru.
Succeeds Thaawarchand Gehlot; second woman Governor after V. S. Ramadevi.
Former Lok Sabha member from Haryana; widow of BSF officer Sukhbir Singh Yadav (Kargil War 1999).
Significance: increased female representation at Karnataka Raj Bhavan.

Oct 17, 2026

Vice-President inaugurates KAUMARACON-2026 in New Delhi

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated KAUMARACON-2026, the third International Conference on Kaumarabhritya (Ayurvedic Paediatrics), at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, on 15 October 2026. The three-day conference carried the theme Shaping the Future of Child Health: Global Perspectives, Research Innovations, and Clinical Frontiers in Kaumarabhritya. The event also marked AIIA’s 10th Foundation Day. The Vice-President emphasised scientific research in Ayurveda and launched digital initiatives to promote healthcare innovation and collaboration between traditional and modern medical disciplines.

Date: 15 October 2026; venue: AIIA, New Delhi.
Event: KAUMARACON-2026; International conference on Kaumarabhritya.
Theme: Global perspectives and research innovations in child health.
AIIA celebrated its 10th Foundation Day; digital health initiatives launched.

Sankoo declared Ladakh’s eighth district

On 16 October 2026, Sankoo was declared the eighth district of the union territory of Ladakh by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. Created out of Kargil district, Sankoo lies in the Suru Valley and includes the tehsils of GM Pore, TSG and Taisuru. The decision aims to decentralise administration, improve public service delivery and accelerate development in remote areas. The government also announced the creation of five additional tehsils to strengthen local governance and bring services closer to residents.

Date of announcement: 16 October 2026; eighth district of Ladakh.
Carved from Kargil district; located in Suru Valley with tehsils GM Pore, TSG, Taisuru.
Aims: decentralisation, better public services, faster development.
Five new tehsils announced to strengthen local governance.

Oct 15, 2026

Spiti Valley inaugurates first battery-backed solar plant; Rongtong 2 MW plant with 1 MWh storage

On 14 October 2026, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the state's first battery-backed solar power plant at Rongtong, in the Kaza area of Spiti Valley. The 2 MW solar plant includes a 1 MWh Battery Energy Storage System and cost Rs 4.42 crore. Located about 3,600 metres above sea level, the facility is expected to generate around 36 lakh units of electricity annually. Construction began on 30 May 2023, and the plant was commissioned in December 2024. Sukhu announced Rs 6 crore to complete the Rongtong Hydel Power Project. Foundation stones were laid for 66/22 kV substations at Sumdo and Kaza, costing Rs 47.95 crore, to strengthen border-area power supply.

Date of inauguration: 14 October 2026.
Plant specs: 2 MW capacity with 1 MWh BESS; cost Rs 4.42 crore; altitude ~3,600 m.
Annual generation expected: ~36 lakh units.
Construction timeline: started 30 May 2023; commissioned December 2024; total generation 22,58,752 units up to 30 Sept 2026.
Funding for expansion: Rs 6 crore to complete Rongtong Hydel Project; Rs 47.95 crore for Sumdo and Kaza 66/22 kV substations.
Must-know (last 48 hours): National energy storage push advancing with grid-scale storage plans.

Oct 14, 2026

Om Prakash Mathur Appointed New Governor of Kerala

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Om Prakash Mathur as the new Governor of Kerala on 12 October 2026. Mathur previously served as Governor of Sikkim and will replace Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who has been appointed Governor of Tamil Nadu. The appointments are part of gubernatorial changes announced for six Indian states and will take effect when appointees assume office. Analysts expect symmetry with other states, with Kerala gaining experienced leadership as the state navigates development and governance challenges. The move is part of broader central-government staffing changes intended to strengthen administrative coordination across constituencies. Local politicians welcomed the change as a step toward stability.

Appointment date: 12 October 2026; new governor: Om Prakash Mathur.
Previous post: Governor of Sikkim; successor of Rajendra Arlekar.
Context: part of six-state gubernatorial changes.
Implication: experienced leadership for Kerala.
Reception: cautious optimism from local politicians.

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