Current Affairs Quiz - October 2026

Notes:
India won the women’s hockey gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. India defeated defending champions China 1–0 in the final. Lalremsiami scored the decisive goal for India. This was India’s first Asian Games women’s hockey gold in 44 years. India had last won the women’s hockey gold at the 1982 Asian Games. The victory also secured direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Indian goalkeeper Savita Punia played a crucial role in defence, including saving a penalty stroke.

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Scientists have discovered two new gecko species in Telangana. Hemidactylus cairnicola was discovered in Nalgonda district. Hemidactylus koyaorum was identified in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, Warangal. The discovery was made through joint research involving the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and other institutions. With these discoveries, the number of endemic reptile species in Telangana increased to six. H. cairnicola is associated with traditional stone cairns, while H. koyaorum was named in honour of the Koya tribal community.

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The 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) Convention will be held in Kolkata, West Bengal, from 7–9 January 2027. It will be organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in partnership with the West Bengal Government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the convention. President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards and preside over the valedictory session. Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas is observed on 9 January to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa on 9 January 1915. The convention aims to strengthen ties between the Indian diaspora and India and recognise their contributions.

Notes:
Aman Sehrawat won the gold medal in men’s freestyle 57 kg wrestling at the 2026 Asian Games. He defeated North Korea’s reigning world champion Han Chong-song 11–7 in the final. Aman became the first Indian to win Asian Games gold in the men’s 57 kg freestyle category. He came back from a 6–7 deficit in the final to win 11–7. Before the final, he defeated wrestlers from Japan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Aman had previously won bronze at the Paris Olympics and bronze at the 2023 Asian Games.

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Recently, TAPAS-1 was launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as part of the Transporter-18 rideshare mission, placing it in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). TAPAS-1 is India’s first private commercial thermal-imaging payload, developed by Ahmedabad-based Satleo Labs. TAPAS stands for Thermal Access Platform for Analytics & Solutions. It has been placed at an altitude of about 500 km and will capture thermal images showing heat and temperature variations on Earth. The data can be analysed using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and can support agriculture, defence, urban heat management, water-stress monitoring and forest-fire detection.

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The 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC) was held from 3–5 October 2026 in New Delhi. The theme is “Resilience in an Age of Flux” It is jointly convened by the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) and the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The conclave brings together more than 180 experts, policymakers and global thought leaders from nearly 30 countries.

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Recently, the Indian Men’s Cricket Team won the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the final. India scored 211/6 in 20 overs, while Pakistan managed 192/6. Abhishek Sharma top-scored with 61 off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 51 off 22 balls. Shiv Dube, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel took two wickets each to help India defend the total. With this victory, India successfully defended its Asian Games cricket title, winning back-to-back gold medals.

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Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment distributed 662 aids and assistive devices worth over ₹10 lakh to 114 senior citizens in Delhi-NCR under the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY). The programme was held on 2 October 2026 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and Lal Bahadur Shastri’s birth anniversary. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) was launched on 1 April 2017 to provide physical aids and assisted-living devices to senior citizens in need. The scheme aims to improve mobility, independence, dignity and quality of life among elderly beneficiaries. It is implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

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Recently, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) commenced their joint military exercise MOUNTAIN GUARDIAN 2026 in Uttarakhand. The exercise was conducted from 5 to 18 October 2026 at the Foreign Training Node, Chaubatia. It focuses on mountain warfare and aims to improve interoperability, mutual understanding and military cooperation. A total of 92 personnel, with equal participation from both armies, are taking part.

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Recently, Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. Karl Deisseroth is an American scientist, while Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel are German scientists. Their work on optogenetics has made it possible to switch the activity of individual nerve cells on or off using light in a living brain. The technique is widely used to study the brain and nervous system and understand how nerve cells function. The prize carries 12 million Swedish kronor, shared among the laureates. The Medicine prize traditionally opens the annual Nobel Prize announcements.