26 September 2026
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Cinema announced new office-bearers for seven State cultural institutions.
Poet and writer Kalpetta Narayanan is the Chairman of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, with writer and journalist M P Surendran as Secretary.
Singer and composer G Venugopal is the Chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, with Hemanthkumar as Vice-Chairman and N V Pradeepkumar as Secretary.
Actor and film festival curator Ravindran heads the Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi, with actor Priyanka Nair as Vice-Chairperson.
Premkumar is the Chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, with Alleppey Ashraf as Vice-Chairman, and film producer M Ranjith chairs the Kerala Cultural Workers Welfare Fund Board.
Prakash Moorthy is the Chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, with T R Udaya Kumar as Vice-Chairman, and Suresh Babu Elayavoor chairs the Kerala Folklore Akademi with Sreeraman Koyyon as Vice-Chairman.
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Chairman:
Kalpetta Narayanan
Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Chairman:
G Venugopal
Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Chairman:
Prakash Moorthy
Why it matters for exams: Heads of the State akademis are a recurring who-holds-what question in Kerala PSC general knowledge papers.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
KSFDC Kerala State Film Development Corporation — The State body that runs theatres and studios and supports film production in Kerala.
25 September 2026
Culture Minister P.C. Vishnunath inaugurated the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) at Kairali Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram, on Friday, 25 September 2026.
He said the government is considering a special scheme to encourage young documentary filmmakers.
The scheme would bring together the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, film societies, universities and media institutions.
The minister said Kerala was the first state in the country to grant industry status to cinema.
Filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan was the chief guest at the inauguration.
The minister said 31 films selected for the festival had not received screening permission and that the government was pursuing legal steps to screen them.
Edition:
18th IDSFFK
Venue:
Kairali Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram
Inaugurated by:
P.C. Vishnunath, Culture Minister
Films without screening permission:
31
Why it matters for exams: State festivals, the bodies behind them and Kerala's cultural-policy firsts are regular Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IDSFFK International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala — Kerala's annual festival devoted to documentaries and short films, held in Thiruvananthapuram.
Industry status — Recognition that lets a sector be treated as an industry for government support and finance.
25 September 2026
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated the Pitru Paksha Mela Mahasangam 2026 in Gaya on 25 September 2026.
He prayed at the Vishnupad Temple, inspected arrangements at Dev Ghat on the Falgu and inaugurated a tent city for devotees.
The mela runs from 25 September to 10 October 2026.
He said the Vishnupad Corridor project is among the biggest initiatives undertaken for the development of a temple in the state.
He said about Rs 20,000 crore of industrial investment in the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster at Bodh Gaya is expected to begin taking shape from October, and that work is under way on a project worth around Rs 1,000 crore to bring Son river water to the Falgu river.
A special postal cover issued by the Department of Posts for Pitru Paksha was released at the event.
Mela period:
25 September to 10 October 2026
Venue of inauguration:
Gandhi Maidan, Gaya
Expected investment, Bodh Gaya IMC:
around Rs 20,000 crore
Son-Falgu water project:
around Rs 1,000 crore
Why it matters for exams: Gaya's Vishnupad Temple, the Falgu river and the Pitru Paksha rituals are standard Bihar culture and geography questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Pitru Paksha Pitru Paksha — A fortnight of rituals in memory of ancestors; pind daan at Gaya is central to it.
IMC Integrated Manufacturing Cluster — An industrial cluster planned at Bodh Gaya.
25 September 2026
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine called on the United Nations on Friday, 25 September 2026, to apologise for the harm caused by 67 nuclear weapons tests in her country. The tests were conducted between 1946 and 1958, when the Marshall Islands was a UN Strategic Trust Territory. "The lack of acknowledgment remains a moral failure," she said. Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, speaking the same day, reaffirmed support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and an international trust fund for victims. Pacific leaders said communities continue to experience displacement, illness and contamination decades after nuclear testing ended.
Nuclear tests:
67
Period:
1946 and 1958
Status at the time:
UN Strategic Trust Territory
Why it matters for exams: Pacific nuclear testing, the UN Trusteeship system and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons are disarmament topics in UPSC.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
TPNW Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons — The UN treaty that bans the development, testing and use of nuclear weapons for its parties.
25 September 2026
Culture Minister P.C. Vishnunath inaugurated the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival at Kairali Theatre.
He said the government is planning a special scheme for young documentary filmmakers, to be implemented with the Film Academy, film societies, universities and media organisations.
He said 31 of the films selected for the festival had not received screening permission and the government is pursuing legal options.
Filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan was the chief guest.
Culture Department Director Imbashekhar K presided; non-fiction jury chairperson Ruchir Joshi spoke.
Edition:
18th
Venue:
Kairali Theatre
Selected films without screening permission:
31
Why it matters for exams: Kerala's film festivals, their venues and the State's film policy are asked in Kerala PSC culture sections.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Screening permission Censor exemption certificate — Permission from the Union government needed to screen uncertified films at a festival.
24 September 2026
The Goa Department of Home announced a solemn function to mark the death anniversary of Dr. T. B. Cunha.
It will be held at Dr. T. B. Cunha's Memorial at Azad Maidan, Panaji, on September 26, 2026, at 10.00 a.m.
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant will lay a wreath on the memorial.
The announcement was issued by the Department of Information and Publicity from Panaji.
Venue:
Azad Maidan, Panaji
Date of function:
September 26, 2026
Organiser:
Department of Home
Why it matters for exams: T. B. Cunha is a central figure of the Goa freedom movement; his memorial and the Azad Maidan link are State Focus staples.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Azad Maidan — A public square in Panaji that holds memorials to Goa's freedom fighters.
24 September 2026
Tanzania's Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Paul Makonda, said on 24 September 2026 in Dar es Salaam that about two billion shillings in royalties are due to be paid to the country's artists.
The money has been collected from the use of artists' works.
He said the law sets out, through COSOTA, how copyright is protected and how royalties are shared.
The government aims to make the arts a lasting source of jobs and income for creators.
The minister also said preparations for AFCON 2027 are under way, covering transport, accommodation, broadcasting and medical services.
Royalties due to artists:
About TSh 2 billion
Administering body:
COSOTA
Minister:
Paul Makonda
Why it matters for exams: Copyright collecting societies and the creative economy are tested under intellectual property; AFCON 2027 co-hosting is a sports current-affairs staple.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
COSOTA Copyright Society of Tanzania — Tanzania's body that registers copyright and collects and distributes royalties.
Royalty Royalty — A payment made to a creator each time their work is used.
AFCON Africa Cup of Nations — Africa's main international football championship, run by CAF.
24 September 2026
Chief Minister V D Satheesan inaugurated the 13th edition of the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM 2026) in Kochi on 24 September 2026.
He said the state has set a target of five million foreign tourist footfall and 100 million domestic tourist arrivals in five years.
In 2025 Kerala recorded 8,21,999 foreign tourist visits, up 11.33 per cent over 2024, and 2,50,58,366 domestic tourist visits, up 12.64 per cent.
The government has approved a cruise terminal at Cochin Port, and another is planned at Kozhikode.
The CM said the government is considering acquiring permanent venues for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale and the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).
Tourism Minister P C Vishnunadh said KTM 2026 had more than 3,000 buyer registrations and more than 400 seller stalls.
KTM edition:
13th
Foreign tourist visits 2025:
8,21,999
Growth in foreign visits:
11.33 per cent
Domestic tourist visits 2025:
2,50,58,366
Why it matters for exams: Tourism arrival figures, growth rates and flagship events such as KTM and the Biennale are standard Kerala PSC data points.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
KTM Kerala Travel Mart — A trade fair where Kerala's tourism sellers meet buyers from India and abroad.
IFFK International Film Festival of Kerala — The state's annual international film festival held in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kochi-Muziris Biennale — A contemporary art exhibition held in Kochi every two years.
23 September 2026
Soorya Krishnamoorthy, cultural organiser and former chairman of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on the evening of 23 September 2026.
Born Nataraja Krishnamoorthy, he studied engineering at TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, and worked as a scientist with ISRO.
He founded the Soorya Festival in 1977; it grew into one of the longest-running cultural festivals in Asia.
He also served as director of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC).
He received the Kerala Prabha award, among the state's highest civilian honours, and the National Award for Stage Craft and Direction in 1996.
He wrote the screenplay of the 2011 Malayalam film Melvilasom, based on his own play.
Soorya Festival founded:
1977
Former post:
Chairman, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi
State honour:
Kerala Prabha
Why it matters for exams: Founders of major cultural institutions, their awards and works are routine Kerala PSC 'persons in news' questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kerala Prabha — The second tier of the Kerala Puraskaram, the state's civilian honours.
KSFDC Kerala State Film Development Corporation — State body that promotes film production and runs theatres in Kerala.
22 September 2026
The President of India presented the 72nd National Film Awards at a ceremony held in Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat. Veteran actor Shri Anant Nag was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2024, recognising his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. Among the films recognised at the ceremony were 'Article 370', 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar' and 'Bhakshak'. The Santhali-language film 'Angen' and the non-feature film 'Bhangaar' were also honoured. The National Film Awards, presented annually, are among India's highest recognitions for achievement in cinema.
Award:
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Recipient:
Anant Nag
Venue:
Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat
Why it matters for exams: Tests awareness of national awards and honours in cinema, a recurring culture-section topic for competitive exams.
Kerala PSCUPSC
21 September 2026
On 21 September 2026, Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan criticised the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) over a shortage of aravana payasam at the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine.
Aravana, made from red rice, jaggery and ghee, is offered as prasadam at Sabarimala.
The minister said the shortage occurred because the manufacturing plant was being renovated and that the work should have been done while the temple was closed; the TDB has said the renovation was being done now to prevent problems during the pilgrimage season.
He said 'The government cannot sit idle' and action would follow after discussions with the Chief Minister.
The government is considering informing the Kerala High Court and, with the court's permission, appointing a special team for the Mandalakala-Makaravillakku pilgrimage.
Shrine:
Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine
Board:
Travancore Devaswom Board
Cause of shortage:
Plant renovation
Why it matters for exams: The Travancore Devaswom Board, Sabarimala administration and the High Court's oversight role are recurring Kerala governance topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
TDB Travancore Devaswom Board — The statutory board that manages Sabarimala and other temples of the former Travancore State.
Aravana — A sweet offering of red rice, jaggery and ghee given as prasadam at Sabarimala.
21 September 2026
On 21 September 2026 the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said permission had not been denied to any film for screening at the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK).
The festival is organised in Thiruvananthapuram by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
The Academy had sought exemption from certification for 347 films, and most have been cleared.
The ministry said six films were asked for more detailed synopses and some were referred to sectoral authorities.
Exemptions for non-commercial festival screenings are given under Section 9 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952; films already certified by the CBFC need none.
Festival:
18th IDSFFK
Organiser:
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy
Films sought for exemption:
347
Legal provision:
Section 9, Cinematograph Act, 1952
Why it matters for exams: Film certification under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and Kerala's state film festivals are frequent polity and culture questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IDSFFK International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala — Kerala's annual festival of documentaries and short films.
CBFC Central Board of Film Certification — The statutory body that certifies films for public exhibition in India.
21 September 2026
Kerala observed the 99th Mahasamadhi Day of Sree Narayana Guru on 21 September 2026.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan inaugurated the Maha Parinirvana conference at Sivagiri, organised by the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust.
The conference marked the start of the centenary observance of the Maha Parinirvana.
Trust president Swami Sachidananda was scheduled to preside over the function.
The Chief Minister paid floral tributes at the Guru's Samadhi and said the Guru planted the seeds of secularism and democratic values.
A separate Mahasamadhi Day conference was also scheduled at Sree Narayana Gurukulam, Chempazhanthy, the Guru's birthplace.
Observance:
99th Mahasamadhi Day
Venue:
Sivagiri
Organiser:
Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust
Why it matters for exams: Sree Narayana Guru, Sivagiri and Chempazhanthy are core Kerala renaissance topics in PSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Mahasamadhi — The day a spiritual teacher's life ended, observed as a day of remembrance.
20 September 2026
The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) signed an MoU on Sunday, 20 September 2026, at the Delhi Secretariat.
The MoU covers the redevelopment of the historic Town Hall complex in Chandni Chowk as a 'Global Heritage Centre'.
It was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
The Grade-I heritage complex was built between 1860 and 1866 and covers about 12,180 square metres, including the Town Hall, the Press Building and the park.
The MCD keeps ownership of the complex. It moved its headquarters to the Dr SP Mukherjee Civic Centre in 2010.
The MoU has an initial term of 30 years, which can be extended by another 30 years by mutual consent.
Area of the complex:
about 12,180 sq m
Built:
1860–1866
Initial MoU term:
30 years (+30 extendable)
Why it matters for exams: Heritage conservation in Delhi, the bodies involved and the dates of a colonial-era civic building are typical static-plus-current questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
DTTDC Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation — The Delhi government's tourism development agency.
MCD Municipal Corporation of Delhi — The civic body that governs most of Delhi's urban area.
Grade-I heritage — The highest category of protected heritage building in a city's heritage list.