Current Affairs Quiz - January 2026

Notes:
The Bhadrakali inscription is a major 12th-century record confirming the history, development, and royal patronage of the Somnath Temple. It is located at Prabhas Patan, Gujarat, on the wall of the Bhadrakali Temple. It was carved in 1169 Common Era (CE), corresponding to Valabhi Samvat 850 and Vikram Samvat 1255, and is protected by the State Department of Archaeology. It records Somnath Temple’s construction across four yugas: gold in Satya Yuga by Chandra (Soma), silver in Treta Yuga by Ravana, wood in Dvapara Yuga by Shri Krishna, and stone in Kali Yuga by King Bhimdev Solanki.

Notes:
The ‘Atmanirbhar Hanol Mahotsav-2026’ has been inaugurated on 13th January at Hanol village in Palitana taluka of Bhavnagar district, Gujarat. Hanol village is recognised nationally as a model of self-reliance and rural transformation, developed under the efforts of Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, a native of the village. The event promotes the ‘Hanol Model’ as an example of Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Adarsh Gram initiative.

Notes:
The National Conference on Strategic Trade Controls (NCSTC) 2026 was organised in New Delhi to strengthen India’s Strategic Trade Control framework for regulating exports of sensitive and dual-use items. The conference focused on the SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies) framework and its role in preventing proliferation risks while supporting legitimate trade. The conference also addressed export control challenges in emerging and frontier technologies such as semiconductors, quantum technology, aerospace, biotechnology and cyber security.

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 held in Bhopal, showcasing practical AI use cases in governance and public service delivery aligned with national AI goals. The conference was part of eight regional events being held nationwide ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 scheduled in New Delhi from 16–20 February 2026. An MoU was signed to expand AI education and skilling, including the establishment of 30 Data and AI Labs in Madhya Pradesh under a national plan for 570 labs in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

Notes:
Recently, Google Research unveiled Project Suncatcher to address rising electricity demand from Artificial Intelligence (AI). Project Suncatcher proposes placing AI datacentres in low-Earth orbit (LEO) powered entirely by solar energy. It aims to reduce AI’s energy footprint and reduce dependence on Earth-based power grids, land, and water. The system uses clusters of satellites in sun-synchronous orbits to receive continuous sunlight. AI workloads run across satellites using ultra-high-bandwidth inter-satellite links. Only data inputs and outputs are sent to Earth. It relies on radiation-tolerant Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) and special thermal designs to work in space.

Notes:
Indian scientists discovered a rare subterranean amphibian species named Gegeneophis valmiki in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra. The species is named after Maharshi Valmiki Mandir located near the discovery site. It belongs to the genus Gegeneophis, commonly known as blind caecilians. Caecilians are limbless, worm-like amphibians that live underground with eyes hidden under skin and bone. They do not croak like frogs, making field identification very difficult. The Western Ghats host 26 endemic caecilians, and this is the first Gegeneophis discovery in over a decade.

Notes:
Southbound ship traffic will resume in Turkey’s Dardanelles Strait after a tanker recently had engine failure. The Dardanelles Strait is a narrow but very important waterway in northwestern Turkey. It links the Aegean Sea (part of the Mediterranean Sea) to the Sea of Marmara. It separates Asia (east) from Europe (west). It is named after the ancient city of Dardanus, it was once called Hellespont, meaning “Helle’s sea”.

Notes:
Recently, the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) with the Ministry of Culture will organise the 2nd Global Buddhist Summit on 24–25 January 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The Summit is held under the theme “Collective Wisdom, United Voice, and Mutual Coexistence”. It highlights the relevance of Buddha Dhamma values like compassion, wisdom, harmony, and coexistence. The event builds on the first Summit held in 2023. About 200 global delegates, including Supreme Patriarchs, monks, scholars, and leaders, will participate.

Notes:
Recently, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Japan Coast Guard (JCG) conducted a joint Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) response drill in Mumbai. Both sides emphasised enhanced maritime cooperation, interoperability, and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The exercise took place onboard ICG’s pollution response vessel ICGS Samudra Prahari. The drill involved ICG Pollution Response Strike Team and JCG National Strike Team, focusing on hazardous chemical spill response. Prior planning, classroom sessions, and rehearsals ensured coordinated operational readiness. The Japanese delegation also visited Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited to learn about India’s shipbuilding capabilities.

Notes:
Recently, the second rangewide survey of riverine and estuarine dolphins in India was launched from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh under Project Dolphin. The initiative is led by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to strengthen river ecosystem conservation. The survey updates population estimates, assesses habitat conditions, and identifies emerging threats to dolphin species. It is coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, with State Forest Departments and partners like WWF India, Aaranyak, and Wildlife Trust of India.