Prelims Current Affairs includes Earth Day 2026, India’s First Petroglyph Conservation Park In Ladakh, Blue Origin Achieves First Successful Landing Of Reused New Glenn Booster, India’s New Ai Tool ‘Abhay’ To Protect From Online Scams, Odisha To Host India’s First 3d Semiconductor Unit, World’s Largest Solar Tree Developed By Csir-Cmeri, All-Women Cohort Wins 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize, Dr. Ch. Srinivasa Rao Receives Prof. M.S. Swaminathan Award 2026 & Col. Sher Jung National Park (Simbalbara National Park)

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. EARTH DAY 2026

Current Context: Earth Day 2026 will be celebrated on 22 April 2026, bringing together millions of people worldwide to promote environmental protection and sustainable living.

ABOUT EARTH DAY

• First Celebrated:1970
• Founder:Gaylord Nelson
• Observed in:More than 190 countries
• Theme for 2026:“Our Power, Our Planet”
  • Focuses on empowering individuals and communities to take real action for environmental protection
  • Shift from awareness to action

CULTURE

2. INDIA’S FIRST PETROGLYPH CONSERVATION PARK IN LADAKH

Current Context: The foundation stone of India’s first Petroglyph Conservation Park was laid in Ladakh, coinciding with World Heritage Day.

ABOUT THE PARK

• What are Petroglyphs?Prehistoric images, symbols, and carvings etched or engraved directly onto rock surfaces (different from pictographs which are painted)
• Ladakh’s Petroglyph Sites:Nearly 400 sites across Ladakh
• Major Locations:Domkhar, Alchi, Chilling, Dah Hanu, Tangtse
• Carvings Depict:Hunting scenes, wild animals (ibex, snow leopards), Buddhist symbols (stupas, inscriptions)
• Languages in Inscriptions:Chinese, Arabic, Sanskrit, and other ancient languages
• MoU Signed Between:Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums & Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
• Significance:Ladakh hosts one of the largest collections of prehistoric rock art in South and Central Asia

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

3. BLUE ORIGIN ACHIEVES FIRST SUCCESSFUL LANDING OF REUSED NEW GLENN BOOSTER

Current Context: Blue Origin successfully landed the reused booster of its New Glenn rocket for the first time after launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

ABOUT THE MISSION

• Booster Name:‘Never Tell Me the Odds’
• Achievement:First successful landing of reused New Glenn booster (approximately 10 minutes after liftoff)
• Mission Outcome (Mixed Results):
• Success:First-stage booster landing
• Failure:BlueBird 7 satellite failed to reach intended orbit (deployed into lower-than-required orbit, expected to de-orbit)
• BlueBird 7 Satellite:Developed by AST SpaceMobile, part of plan to build space-based cellular broadband network (similar to Starlink and Kuiper)
• New Glenn Rocket:Heavy-lift launch vehicle with 7-meter-wide payload fairing

POLITY

4. INDIA’S NEW AI TOOL ‘ABHAY’ TO PROTECT FROM ONLINE SCAMS

Current Context: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has introduced an AI-powered chatbot named ‘Abhay’ to help citizens verify official notices and avoid digital scams. 

ABOUT ‘ABHAY’ CHATBOT

• Purpose:Allow individuals to verify authenticity of notices allegedly issued by CBI, prevent panic from fraudulent communications
• Context:Digital arrest scams – fraudsters impersonate CBI/police officials, show fake legal notices, threaten victims with arrest, coerce money transfers
• Supreme Court Observation:Cybercriminals have siphoned off nearly ₹54,000 crore through such scams

ECONOMY

5. ODISHA TO HOST INDIA’S FIRST 3D SEMICONDUCTOR UNIT

Current Context: The foundation stone for India’s first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging unit was laid in Odisha’s Info Valley.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

• Investment:Approximately ₹1,943 crore
• Developed by:3D Glass Solutions (through Indian arm HIPSPL)
• Technology:3D heterogeneous integration (3DHI) packaging technology
• Production Targets:
  • 70,000 glass panels annually
  • 50 million assembled units
  • 13,000 advanced 3DHI modules
  • Commercial production: August 2028; full-scale by 2030
• Significance:Odisha is the only state in India to host both a compound semiconductor fabrication unit and a 3D glass substrate packaging facility

ENVIRONMENT

6. WORLD’S LARGEST SOLAR TREE DEVELOPED BY CSIR-CMERI

Current Context: The world’s largest Solar Tree has been developed by CSIR-CMERI, installed at its residential colony in Durgapur.

ABOUT THE SOLAR TREE

• Developed by:CSIR-CMERI (Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute)
• Specifications:
  • Installed capacity: More than 11.5 kWp
  • Annual electricity generation: 12,000-14,000 units
  • Number of solar panels: 35 (each 330 watts)
• Smart Features:IoT-enabled, provides CCTV surveillance, weather updates, soil and humidity data
• Environmental Benefit:Each tree reduces about 10-12 tons of CO₂ emissions annually
• Cost:Approximately ₹7.5 lakh
• Government Support:PM KUSUM Scheme

AWARDS

7. ALL-WOMEN COHORT WINS 2026 GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Current Context: For the first time in its history, the Goldman Environmental Prize has recognised an all-women group of winners from different continents.

ABOUT GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

• Established:1989
• Founded by:Goldman Environmental Foundation
• Nickname:“Green Nobel Prize”
• Honours:Grassroots environmental activists from six continental regions annually
• Total Winners (so far):239 winners from 98 countries (including 112 women)
• 2026 Edition:First all-women cohort in prize’s history

AWARDS

8. DR. CH. SRINIVASA RAO RECEIVES PROF. M.S. SWAMINATHAN AWARD 2026

Current Context: Dr. Ch. Srinivasa Rao was awarded the 9th Prof. M.S. Swaminathan Award in Hyderabad.

ABOUT THE AWARD

• Award:9th Prof. M.S. Swaminathan Award
• Recipient: Ch. Srinivasa Rao (Director and Vice-Chancellor of IARI)
• Recognition:Pioneering work in climate-resilient agriculture and natural resource management
• Significance of 2026:Coincides with birth centenary of M.S. Swaminathan (architect of India’s Green Revolution)
• Instituted by:Retired ICAR Employees Association in collaboration with Nuziveedu Seeds Limited

HIMACHAL NEWS

9. COL. SHER JUNG NATIONAL PARK (SIMBALBARA NATIONAL PARK)

Current Context: The Himachal Pradesh High Court quashed a recent notification declaring areas of at least three gram panchayats around the Col. Sher Jung National Park at Simbalbara in Sirmaur district as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

ABOUT COL. SHER JUNG NATIONAL PARK

• Location:Paonta Valley, Sirmaur (Sirmour) district, Himachal Pradesh (along border with Haryana)
• Named After:Colonel Sher Jung (freedom fighter and environmentalist)
• Elevation:350 to 700 meters above sea level
• Biogeographic Location:Confluence of three regions – Himalayas, Gangetic plain, and semi-arid region
• Adjacent Park:Kalesar National Park, Haryana (to south and west)
• River:Simbalbara River flows through the park
• Vegetation:Dense Sal forests with grassy glades
• Flora:
• Top canopy:Sal (Shorea robusta), Terminalia tomentosa
• Riverine side:Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Cassia siamea, Eucalyptus
• Fauna:
• Animals:Nilgai, Sambar deer, spotted deer, wild boar, goral, barking deer, Rhesus macaque
• Birds:Indian roller, dollar bird, kingfishers, three types of hornbills
• Predatory birds:Crested serpent eagle, Brahminy kite

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