• Srinivas Hegde, Chandrayaan-1 mission director, passes away
• Prerna Sthal, an area inside Parliament where key statues, including that of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, have been installed after moving them from their earlier positions, will be inaugurated
• Astronomers have been scouring the outer solar system for signs of a hypothetical ninth planet for almost a decade, without success. However, we may finally be on the cusp of finding it, experts say
• A school in Palakkad district in Kerala has come up with a novel power-saving initiative by observing all Wednesdays as ‘no-ironing day’. Students and teachers don’t iron their clothes on Wednesdays and they come to school wearing wrinkled dress. The Nellipuzha DHSS higher secondary school at Mannarkkad in Palakkad district has launched the initiative
• Malaysian Lee Zii Jia triumphed over Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the men’s singles final to win the Australian Open badminton championship in Sydney. In the women’s singles, Japan’s Aya Ohori secured the title with a resilient
• Japan-India maritime exercise (Jimex 24) commenced at Yokosuka in Japan. According to the Indian Navy, during the exercise, navies of both the countries will jointly hone their war fighting skills at sea and enhance their interoperability. Indian Navy’s indigenous Stealth Frigate INS Shivalik is participating in the bilateral maritime exercise. While, Japan is being represented by the Guided Missile Destroyer JS Yugiri
• Green gram cultivation has surged in Gadag and Dharwad districts due to favorable climate, suitable soil, and conducive weather conditions, maintaining a stable sowing area statewide. The crop’s short duration allows early planting of a second crop, and its stable market price ensures economic viability for farmers. Despite historical challenges like drought and poor pre-monsoon showers, the current season’s favorable moisture levels and expected high market prices boost farmer confidence. The Agricultural Department aims for significant sowing areas and production, with green gram benefiting soil fertility, low fertilizer needs, and resilience to adversities.
• Under the ‘Hasiru Rakshaka’ programme, schoolchildren aim to plant two lakh trees, building on last year’s success of planting 52,000 trees. This initiative, inaugurated on World Environment Day, emphasizes the responsibility of preserving Bengaluru’s greenery amid environmental concerns like drought and water scarcity. Financially supported with ₹410 crore, including contributions from departments and the 15th Finance Commission, the programme receives community and government support. Schoolchildren play a crucial role in caring for these trees, contributing to environmental awareness, while implementation and monitoring are facilitated through a dedicated website, mobile app, and oversight by the BBMP forest department.
• The Karnataka government plans to expand the Krishi Bhagya scheme to address severe drought by storing rainwater in farm ponds across all districts. The scheme, started in 2014, focuses on dry-land farming sustainability and includes components like pond building, polythene lining, fencing, pumps, and irrigation methods. With increased funding and taluk coverage, it aims to build 30,000 to 40,000 farm ponds this year, crucial for rain-fed agriculture supporting a significant portion of food and oil seed production.
• India’s central government has extended the Digital Health Incentive Scheme (DHIS) until June 30, 2025, aiming to digitize patient health records and link them to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Account (ABHA ID). Hospitals and digital solution companies receive financial incentives for digitizing records beyond a set threshold, promoting digital health transactions, reducing costs for hospitals, improving operational efficiency, and benefiting patients by enabling quick access to health records and reducing redundant tests.
• A woman-led startup, Ingenious Research Solutions Pvt Ltd., developed ‘Divya Drishti,’ an advanced AI tool combining face recognition with physiological parameters for personal identification. This tool enhances biometric authentication accuracy, reducing false positives and identity fraud risks. It finds applications in Defence, Law Enforcement, Corporate, and Public Infrastructure sectors. It was developed under the guidance of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR), part of the Technology Development Fund (TDF) by DRDO, supporting niche technology development and fostering self-reliance in defence tech.
• Hyderabad based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has launched New Product called Bayesian Convolutional Neural Network (BCNN) to Forecast El Niño and La Niña Conditions. ENSO phases, such as El Niño’s warmer temperatures and La Niña’s cooler temperatures, impact India’s monsoon patterns. BCNN integrates AI with dynamic modeling, providing more accurate and extended forecasts compared to existing statistical and dynamic models, despite challenges such as data scarcity and limited historical weather data for oceans.
• The Mela Kheerbhawani 2024, held at the Mata Kheerbhawani Temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal, is significant for Kashmiri Hindus due to its historical and spiritual importance, including the predictive water phenomenon where spring water changes color. The temple, with a heptagonal spring and surrounded by old-growth chinar trees, has been renovated by Maharaja Pratap Singh and Maharaja Hari Singh. The annual festival, revived after security concerns in the 1990s, now sees over 10,000 pilgrims with government support and active participation from local Muslims, symbolizing communal harmony.
• Ganga Dussehra 2024 celebrated on June 16 marks the birth of Goddess Ganga. It holds religious significance for Hindus, offering spiritual purification through holy dips in the river Ganga. Rituals include prayers, offerings, and festivities, honoring Goddess Ganga’s descent to earth as per mythological tales.
• The Indian Army is set to introduce its first indigenous loitering munition, Nagastra-1, developed by Solar Industries in Nagpur, marking a significant achievement for India’s self-reliance in defense. The collaboration with EEL and Z-Motion Autonomous Systems led to over 75% localization in drone component sourcing. Nagastra-1 features GPS-guided precision strikes, portability, stealth capabilities, surveillance, armament, and recall-reuse systems, highlighting its operational value and contribution to national security amid rising drone-related challenges.

India ranks poorly on the 2024 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) by Yale University, improving slightly to 176th from 180th in 2022 but showing a consistent decline since 2012. Concerns include poor ecosystem vitality, biodiversity protection, and air quality. Areas of improvement include reducing fine particulate matter pollution and progress in sanitation. Challenges include resource constraints and global emissions context