Current Affairs - Places

The ‘Run for Sun’ Marathon was organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) as part of the celebrations for International Sun Day, emphasising India’s commitment to renewable energy. The event was held in New Delhi, the capital city of India, which frequently serves as the venue for major national initiatives and awareness programs. Conducted at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, the marathon included 2 km and 5 km races. Hosting the event in New Delhi ensured maximum participation, visibility, and outreach for promoting solar energy and sustainability awareness.

Visakhapatnam has been selected as the site for a massive Artificial Intelligence hub backed by a ₹1.35 lakh crore investment. The project involves collaboration between major technology and infrastructure companies and is spread across multiple locations within the district. Designed as a large-scale data centre ecosystem, it will support advanced AI workloads and digital services. The initiative is expected to create thousands of technical jobs and contribute significantly to the region’s economic growth. It also marks a strategic shift in the city’s identity toward becoming a major technology and data hub in India.

Bhubaneswar served as the venue for the National Deliberative Summit organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The event focused on enhancing data-driven governance by promoting interoperability and standardisation across states. Various states presented innovative approaches to data integration, while Odisha highlighted its Data Policy 2.0, aligned with national data protection laws. The summit also emphasised the importance of administrative data as an economic asset under the System of National Accounts 2025. Such initiatives are crucial for improving policymaking, ensuring transparency, and strengthening digital governance frameworks across India.

Bengaluru is the city where India’s first multilingual AI system for the Namma 112 emergency response network was launched. Developed to enhance emergency services, the system can interpret and relay distress calls in multiple Indian and international languages without requiring manual translation. This innovation significantly improves response efficiency, especially in a linguistically diverse country. Known as the Silicon Valley of India, Bengaluru provides an ideal environment for such technological advancements due to its strong ecosystem of AI and tech development, making it a hub for pioneering digital solutions in public safety.

Chandigarh served as the host city for the 10th National Summit on Good and Replicable Practices and Innovations in Public Health Systems held from April 30 to May 1, 2026. The summit focused on sharing best practices and innovations in healthcare across Indian states, featuring numerous presentations and discussions. Organised by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with NHSRC, the event also included the release of an important review report assessing healthcare performance in multiple states. It continues to function as a vital platform for strengthening public health initiatives nationwide.