News in Shorts: 09 March 2026

“Moonshot” Project

Context: Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Pratiksha Trust launched a “Moonshot” project, to develop AI-based brain co-processors for stroke rehabilitation.

About Moonshot Project

• The Moonshot project aims to develop advanced brain-computer technologies that can assist or restore brain functions lost due to neurological disorders.
• Objective: To restore movement and coordination in stroke survivors, especially functions such as reaching and grasping.
• Goal: To build AI-driven, closed-loop neural devices capable of decoding and stimulating brain activity.
• Mechanism: It integrates neuroscience, artificial intelligence, neuromorphic hardware, and bioelectronics to create next-generation neuro-rehabilitation devices.
• Technology: The project uses neuromorphic hardware and AI algorithms to decode neural signals and send feedback to the brain.
• Phased approach:
  • Phase I: Development of non-invasive neural co-processors.
  • Phase II: Development of minimally invasive implantable devices.
• Funding and Collaboration: The initiative is funded by the Pratiksha Trust, founded by Kris Gopalakrishnan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan.
  • The project involves collaboration between scientists, engineers, neurologists, and rehabilitation experts across institutions.

About Brain Co-processors

• Brain co-processors are AI-powered bidirectional neural interfaces designed to decode, analyze, and re-encode brain signals to assist damaged neural circuits.
  
• Key Features
  • They operate as closed-loop systems that read neural activity and send corrective stimulation.
  • Unlike conventional Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), they target the entire cognitive loop, including perception, attention, decision-making, and motor control.
  • They combine AI algorithms with neuromorphic computing hardware for real-time neural processing.
• Applications
  • Stroke Rehabilitation: Restore limb movement and motor coordination in stroke survivors.
  • Neurological Treatment: Assist recovery from brain injuries and neurodegenerative disorders.
  • Cognitive Augmentation: Potential future use in enhancing brain functions and neuro-prosthetics.

ASMITA Initiative

Context: Recently, the Prime Minister of India shared an article highlighting the ASMITA initiative, a Khelo India vertical dedicated to promoting women’s sports.

ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action):

• Introduction: It is a gender-neutral mission within the Khelo India framework to promote sports among women through leagues and competitions.
• Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS); 
• Origin: Started in 2021 (formerly Khelo India Women’s League).
• Implementing Agency: A joint endeavor between the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat).
• Core Objectives:
  • Grassroots Empowerment: Encouraging girls in villages and small towns to adopt sports as a career.
  • Talent Identification: Utilizing local leagues as a feeder system for national-level excellence.
  • Training women to prepare for India’s 2036 Olympic bid.
• Operational Focus:
  • Athletics: Targets track events (100m, 200m, 400m) for age groups Under-13, 13-18, and 18+.
  • Technical Excellence: Includes workshops on digital data upload and competition documentation to ensure administrative excellence at the district level.
• Impact 
  • Since 2021, over 2,600 leagues have spanned 34 disciplines across 550+ districts, including remote North-East regions and formerly Naxal-affected areas.
  • A massive nationwide league was held at 250 locations on International Women’s Day (March 8, 2026), involving a record 2.5 lakh women in a single day.

Three Seas Initiative (3SI)

Context: Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs met with Croatia’s Special Envoy for the Three Seas Initiative during Raisina Dialogue 2026.

• Alongside 3SI talks, India reinforced its 2024-2028 Action Plan with Poland, focusing on defense, security, and trade ties.

About the Three Seas Initiative

• It is a political and economic forum of 13 EU nations located between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas. 
• Origin: Launched in 2015
• Countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia.
• Objective: To promote North-South connectivity in Central and Eastern Europe through large-scale infrastructure projects in energy, transport, and digital sectors.

Solomon Islands

Context: Recently, a powerful 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Kirakira, Solomon Islands on March 6, 2026, jolting the seismically active Pacific region.

• Kirakira, on the north coast, is the largest settlement. The island’s alternate name, Makira, comes from a mission post and harbour on the northwest coast.

About Solomon Islands

• The Solomon Islands is an archipelagic nation in the Southwest Pacific, northeast of Australia, comprising nearly 1,000 islands across Melanesia.
  • It is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Australia Plate converges with the Pacific Plate.
• Structure: Two parallel chains of volcanic islands and small coral atolls.
• Terrain: Predominantly mountainous and forested, with occasional extensive plains.
• Surrounding Water Bodies: Coral Seas (south), Pacific Ocean (north and east).
• Climate: Tropical oceanic—that is, hot and humid but relieved by cool winds and abundant, year-round rainfall.
• Fauna and Flora:  characterized by high endemism and diverse ecosystems.
  • Plants: Over 4,500 species; Rennell Island alone hosts 10 endemic types.
  • Birds: 173 species, including the Common Cardinal Lory and the Megapode, which nests in thermal volcanic sands.
  • Reptiles: Home to the endemic Saltwater Krait (sea snake).

Nepal Elections

Context: Nepal held elections to the House of Representatives on 5 March 2026. 

• The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won a landslide victory, securing around 122 of the 165 directly elected seats.
• Balendra “Balen” Shah, former Kathmandu mayor and leader of RSP, is set to become Nepal’s Prime Minister. 
• The polls were conducted after 2025 youth-led protests forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign, triggering early elections.
• Traditional parties like Nepali Congress and CPN-UML suffered major losses. 

Parliament Structure and Electoral System

• Nepal’s federal parliament has 275 seats in the House of Representatives. 
  • 165 members are elected through First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) and 110 through Proportional Representation (PR). 
• Major Political Parties:
  • Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP): Emerging reformist party.
  • Nepali Congress (NC): Traditional democratic party.
  • Communist Party of Nepal (UML): Major left party.

India’s Win in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

Context: India scripted history by winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title for a record third time, beating New Zealand in the final match.

About T20 World Cup 2026

• Edition: It was the 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
• Host: The tournament was co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
• First Edition: The first Men’s T20 World Cup was held in 2007 in South Africa, and India won the inaugural title.
• Frequency: The tournament is generally held every two years, featuring teams that qualify through ICC rankings and regional qualifiers.

Final of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

• Venue: The final was played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
• Historic firsts:
  • India won its third T20 World Cup title, becoming the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
  • First team to win back-to-back titles (defending the 2024 crown successfully, no team had done this before).
  • First host nation to win the T20 World Cup on home soil.
• Player of the Match (Final): Jasprit Bumrah (India)
• Player of the Tournament (POTP): Sanju Samson (India)

Jal Mahotsav 2026

Context: The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched Jal Mahotsav 2026 on 8 March, observing Jal Arpan Diwas, coinciding with International Women’s Day, observed as “Sujalam Shakti Diwas” across the country.

About Jal Mahotsav

• Jal Mahotsav is a nationwide campaign observed across the country from March 8 to 22 (World Water Day – 22nd March)
• Objective: To strengthen  community participation in rural drinking water management and promote water conservation under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti
  • Implementing Department: Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation
  • Local Partners: Gram Panchayats, Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
• Origin: Celebrated annually with the first edition held in 2016.
• 2026 Tagline:  “Gaon ka Utsav, Desh ka Mahotsav”
• 2026 Events: Jal Arpan ceremonies were conducted nationwide with programmes launched from Navsari, Gujrat.
  • Jal Arpan Diwas symbolises the formal handover of rural drinking water infrastructure to local communities under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
    • It promotes community ownership and sustainable management of village water supply systems.
  • Activities included Jal Sankalp pledges, Jal Bandhan at water infrastructure sites, water quality demonstrations using Field Test Kits, and community awareness campaigns.

Sujalam Shakti Diwas

• Sujalam Shakti Diwas is observed on International Women’s Day (8 March) to recognise the leadership of rural women in water governance and management.
• Led by:  Ministry of Jal Shakti through the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, in collaboration with Gram Panchayats, VWSCs, and SHGs.
• Significance
  • Recognises women as key stakeholders in household water management and quality testing.
  • Encourages community-led water conservation and maintenance of drinking water assets.
  • Strengthens the goals of the Jal Jeevan Mission by empowering women as pump operators, water testers, and community leaders in rural water governance.

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