1) 🇮🇳National

• Vande Mataram Protocol: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has officially provided the protocol for singing the National Song, Vande Mataram. It mandates a specific duration and requires the audience to stand at attention, similar to the National Anthem.
• MJP Recruitment Exam: The Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) is conducting its written examination for Junior Engineer (JE) and various Group A to C posts today, 2 March, across several centres in the state.
• Urban Challenge Fund: The Union Government has operationalised the ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund. It provides 25% of the project cost for implementing proposals for 'Cities as Growth Hubs' and 'Creative Redevelopment'.
• IMACC 2026 Conclusion: The first-ever International Military Adventure Challenge Cup (IMACC), hosted by the Indian Army in the Eastern Himalayas, concluded its final phases featuring teams from seven friendly foreign nations.

2) 🌍International

• Oreshnik Missile Deployment: Russia has announced that its intermediate-range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles (hypersonic, speed up to Mach 10) have entered active service in Belarus.
• US–Iran Geopolitical Tensions: Global markets are on edge following reports of a pre-emptive strike by Israel against Iran. This move has escalated regional tensions and impacted global risk appetite.
• OpenAI–DoW Integration: OpenAI has reportedly sealed a deal with the US Department of War (DoW) to integrate its AI models into the department's classified internal network for strategic operations.

3) 💰Economy

• GDP Growth Revised: Under the new series (base year 2022-23), India’s GDP growth for FY26 is estimated at 7.6%, with manufacturing showing double-digit growth.
• Manufacturing Resilience: Chief Economic Advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran stated that India is on course to cross the $4 trillion mark in 2026-27, driven by a turnaround in the manufacturing sector.
• Market Outlook: Indian markets (Sensex and Nifty) are expected to open cautiously due to energy price volatility and the 10–15% global tariff under the US Trade Act effective from late February.

4) 🗓️Date’s importance

• Holika Dahan: Observed today in several states, including Uttar Pradesh. Banks remain closed in these regions to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
• Texas Independence Day: 2 March marks the anniversary of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico in 1836.

5) 👱‍♂️👩‍🦳Person of the day

• V. Anantha Nageswaran: The Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) is in focus for his projections on India’s transition to the world’s fourth-largest economy by FY 2026-27 under the new GDP series.
• Commodore Milind M Mokashi: An Indian Navy officer who has recently taken command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, a multinational training task force under the Combined Maritime Forces.

6) 🏅Sports

• NCAA March Madness 2026: The official countdown for the US college basketball tournament has begun, with Selection Sunday scheduled for 15 March and the First Four games starting mid-month.
• PlayStation Plus March Lineup: Sony has announced its major sports titles for the month, including PGA Tour 2K25, featuring major championships like the U.S. Open for the first time.

7) 🏆Awards

• ACHE Gold Medal Award: AHA President Rick Pollack and former board member John J. Lynch III will be presented with the American College of Healthcare Executives' Gold Medal today in Houston.
• David Rist Prize: The Military Operations Research Society (MORS) concludes its call for entries for the Rist Prize today, which recognises sound operations research in real-life military decision-making.

8) ⭐️Other important significance

• Sirkeer Malkoha Discovery: The rare bird species Sirkeer Malkoha (Scientific Name: Taccocua leschenaultii) has been recorded for the first time in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district.
• PathGennie Software: Developed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, this new open-source software helps fast-track drug discovery by accurately tracking molecular unbinding pathways.

📚Word of the day

• Exhortation (Noun)
• Meaning: An address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something.
• Usage: "The teacher's exhortation encouraged the students to put in extra effort for the upcoming competitive exams."