83nd Golden Globe Awards 2026
- Best Motion Picture (Drama): Hamnet directed Chloe Zhao
- Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): One Battle After Another directed Paul Thomas Anderson
- Best Actor (Drama): Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent
- Best Actress (Drama): Jessie Buckley for Hamnet
- Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another
Republic Day 2026 – Highlights
Chief Guest for Republic Day Parade: President of the European Council Mr Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen
Theme of the parade: 150 years of Vande Mataram
Padma Vibhushan 2026
- Art: Shri Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous)
- Art: Ms. N Rajam
- Literature and Education: Shri P Narayanan
- Public Affairs: Shri K T Thomas
- Public Affairs: Shri V S Achuthanandhan (Posthumous)
- Bulgaria has replaced its national currency, the lev, with the euro, marking its formal entry as the 21st member of the eurozone. This transition reflects decades of economic reforms and alignment with EU standards, despite political instability and public debate over potential price increases and national identity concerns.
- Uttarakhand achieved the top rank in the ICJS 2.0 national rankings with a high score of 93.46, reflecting its strong performance in digital policing and criminal justice system integration. The Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System enables seamless data sharing among police, courts, prisons, and other justice institutions, promoting efficiency and transparency.
- A K Balasubrahmanian has taken charge as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, marking an important leadership transition in India’s nuclear regulatory framework. He brings with him around four decades of experience as a nuclear engineer and is widely recognized for his expertise in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) safety, ageing management, and reactor technologies.
- National Youth Day is observed annually across India to honour the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, one of the country’s most influential spiritual leaders and youth icons. The day is celebrated on January 12 to commemorate his enduring ideals of character building, leadership, discipline, and service to humanity.
- India has officially launched the logo and dedicated website for its BRICS Presidency 2026, marking the beginning of preparations for assuming the chairship. The announcement was made External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who highlighted the presidency’s focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. The initiative reflects a people-centric and inclusive vision aimed at strengthening collaboration among emerging economies. With BRICS completing 20 years in 2026, India’s leadership seeks to promote shared development, enhance digital engagement through a central platform, and position the grouping as a key forum for addressing global challenges faced the Global South.
Banking affairs
- Axis Bank introduced the ‘Safety Centre’ on its mobile banking app to empower customers with real-time control over digital banking functions. The feature allows users to manage internet banking, UPI usage, fund transfer limits, and fraud protection tools directly through the app. Key tools include SMS Shield for verifying genuine messages, options to disable internet banking, and restrictions on fund transfers. By enabling self-managed security, Axis Bank aims to prevent unauthorized transactions, address rising digital fraud cases, and reduce dependency on branches or customer support, there promoting safer and more convenient digital banking experiences.
- Federal Bank launched its new brand identity, ‘The Fortuna Wave’, on January 7, 2026, in Mumbai, with Vidya Balan as the brand ambassador. The refreshed logo features three waves symbolizing authenticity, togetherness, and prosperity, designed to be digital-friendly and visually appealing across platforms. This brand refresh reflects Federal Bank’s commitment to modernization, innovation, and future-ready digital banking solutions. Established in 1931 in Aluva, Kerala, Federal Bank has evolved into a pan-India private sector bank offering retail, corporate, NRI, lending, and digital banking services, and the rebranding reinforces its contemporary identity and customer-centric vision.
- Ida Liu was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HSBC Private Bank effective January 5, 2026, succeeding Gabriel Castello, who had been serving as Interim CEO. With over 25 years of global experience in private banking and wealth management, including leadership roles at Citi Private Bank, Ida Liu brings expertise in wealth management, strategic advisory, and business transformation.
- India is placed at the 75th position in the Henley Passport Index 2026, which evaluates passport strength based on the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa. Indian passport holders currently have visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or e-visa access to 55 destinations, reflecting a modest improvement compared to the previous year.
- Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu emerged as the top performers among large states in NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2024. The index evaluates states’ export readiness based on infrastructure, business ecosystem, policy and governance, and export performance. Maharashtra ranked first, followed Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, reflecting their strong trade infrastructure, supportive business environment, effective policy implementation, and robust export outcomes.
- Indian Army Day is observed annually on January 15 to honour the bravery, discipline, and sacrifice of India’s soldiers. The date marks the historic occasion in 1949 when Gen K. M. Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, symbolizing India’s complete control over its armed forces after Independence.
Business affairs
- National Startup Day 2026 is observed on January 16, marking a decade of the Startup India Initiative launched in 2016. This day celebrates India’s transformation into one of the world’s largest startup ecosystems, highlighting innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic growth.
- Maruti Suzuki is investing ₹35,000 crore to establish a mega car manufacturing plant in Gujarat, specifically in Khoraj near Gandhinagar. The plant will have an annual capacity of 10 lakh vehicles, with production starting in FY29 across four units, each producing 2.5 lakh cars per year.
- Suzlon achieved a significant global milestone being ranked among the top 10 companies in the 2026 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations list. It stood out as the only Indian company to reach this elite group, reflecting its strong performance in sustainability-driven metrics.
- Albinder Singh Dhindsa will assume the role of Group CEO at Eternal Group as part of a major leadership transition, while founder Deepinder Goyal steps down from the position but continues as Vice Chairman. Dhindsa’s appointment is aimed at ensuring operational execution, growth stability, and enhanced shareholder value, balancing managerial discipline with the company’s innovative vision.