National Technology Day
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- National Technology Day is celebrated annually on May 11 to commemorate India’s successful nuclear tests carried out at Pokhran in 1998.
- 2026 Theme: “Responsible Innovation for Inclusive Growth”
- National Technology Day is celebrated in India to commemorate the historic Pokhran-II nuclear tests, conducted on May 11, 1998, under ‘Operation Shakti’.
- This day was officially declared in 1999.
Key Milestones
- On May 11, 1998, India successfully conducted three nuclear tests.
Subsequently, two additional tests were conducted.
- India officially became a nuclear-capable nation.
- The indigenously developed ‘Hansa-3’ aircraft also undertook a successful test flight.
- The Union government announced two major appointments, naming Lieutenant-General N.S. Raja Subramani (retd) as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Vice-Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of the Naval Staff.
- Pixxel, a Bengaluru-based imaging satellite company, said that it would partner with the AI firm Sarvam to launch what is being described as India’s first ‘orbital data centre’ satellite, named Pathfinder.
- The North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC), a CPSE under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), today formally unveiled Padma Doree, a unique cross-cultural textile initiative that brings together the Eri (Ahimsa) silk traditions of Northeast India with the rich Chanderi weaving heritage of Madhya Pradesh.
Tamil Nadu Warehousing Corporation
- The Tamil Nadu Warehousing Corporation (TNWC) was established under the ‘Agricultural Produce (Development and Warehousing) Corporations Act, 1956’ and commenced its operations on May 2, 1958.
- Subsequently, the operations of this Corporation were brought under the purview of the ‘Warehousing Corporations Act, 1962’. Currently, the Tamil Nadu Warehousing Corporation operates 60 warehouses spread across 7 zones throughout the State.
- The total storage capacity of this Corporation stands at 7.60 lakh metric tonnes.
Coal Gasification in India
- The National Coal Gasification Mission has set a target of converting 100 million tonnes of coal into gas by 2030.
- India’s first fertiliser plant based on coal gasification technology is being developed at Talcher and is expected to become operational by December 2027.
- Jindal Steel & Power operates the country’s only commercial-scale coal gasification facility at Angul.
- Under commercial coal block auctions, companies are provided a 50% concession in revenue sharing if a minimum of 10% of coal production is utilised for gasification purposes.
- India’s first Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) initiative was introduced in Kasta.
Baiga Tribe
- The Baiga Tribe is recognised as one of India’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
- The tribe is mainly concentrated in central India, especially in Madhya Pradesh, with smaller populations residing in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
- Their primary language is Baigani, a regional dialect of Chhattisgarhi that carries strong influences from Gondi and Hindi.
- Tattooing holds great cultural significance in Baiga society, with distinct tattoo patterns assigned according to age groups and different parts of the body.
- The Baiga community became the first tribal group in India to receive habitat rights, highlighting their traditional bond and close dependence on forest ecosystems.
