6 October 2026
General Dhiraj Seth, Chief of the Army Staff, flagged in the members of the Joint Indo-Argentine Army Mountaineering Expedition in New Delhi.
The team summited Mt Abi Gamin, 7,355 metres, on 17 September 2026 and Mt Kamet, 7,756 metres, on 21 September 2026.
Mt Kamet is in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, and is the third-highest peak in India after Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Nanda Devi.
The 35-member expedition was led by Lieutenant Colonel Chirag Chatterjee and comprised 25 personnel of the Indian Army and 10 personnel of the Argentine Army. It was flagged off from the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on 21 August 2026.
This was the third joint mountaineering venture between the two Armies. The earlier two were to Mt Aconcagua, 6,962 metres, in Mendoza, Argentina, in January 2025, and Mt Kun, 7,077 metres, in the Suru Valley, Ladakh, in August 2025.
The Ministry of Defence said the expeditions have strengthened professional cooperation, interoperability and mutual trust between the two Armies.
Mt Kamet height:
7,756 metres
Mt Abi Gamin height:
7,355 metres
Team composition:
25 Indian Army and 10 Argentine Army personnel
Mt Kamet location:
Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
Why it matters for exams: The ranking of Indian peaks and India's joint military ventures with named countries are both frequent questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
COAS Chief of the Army Staff — The professional head of the Indian Army, who holds the rank of General.
Flag in Flagging in — The formal ceremony at which a returning expedition or convoy is received.
Manekshaw Centre Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi — The Indian Army's convention centre in Delhi Cantonment, named after Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
5 October 2026
Pakistan announced squads for the T20I series against Sri Lanka and for the ODI tri-series.
Sahibzada Farhan captains the T20I side for matches on 9, 11 and 13 October at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Shaheen Shah Afridi captains the ODI side for the tri-series of Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka from 18 to 31 October.
The tri-series matches are at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Babar Azam is in the ODI squad and not in the T20I squad.
Shaun Tait has been appointed bowling coach for both assignments.
Sri Lanka named a 16-member squad led by Kusal Mendis.
T20I captain:
Sahibzada Farhan
ODI captain:
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Tri-series:
18 to 31 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Series line-ups, captains and venues are routine sports questions.
Kerala PSCSSC
5 October 2026
The temporary roof at the Aquatic Complex in Thrissur, the venue of the State School Games swimming events, collapsed in heavy rain on 1 October 2026. Four students and two parents were seriously injured. After visiting the Thrissur Aquatic Complex on 5 October, Sports Minister O J Janeesh said the collapse was a lapse at the level of officials and that action will follow. He said only four events were held in Thrissur, so a separate organising committee was not needed, and that teachers' organisations had taken charge of the committees when the DDE called a meeting. Mayor Niji Justin said she had not been invited to the organising committee meetings.
Venue:
Thrissur Aquatic Complex
Seriously injured:
four students and two parents
Sports Minister:
O J Janeesh
Mayor, Thrissur:
Niji Justin
Why it matters for exams: Event management and accountability in State-level school sports bodies, and the roles of the Sports Minister, the DDE and the Corporation, are recurring governance topics.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
DDE Deputy Director of Education — The district-level officer of the General Education Department.
4 October 2026
The 20th Asian Games closed on 4 October 2026 at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Athletes competed in 469 gold-medal events at the Games.
China topped the table with 341 medals, including 169 gold.
Host Japan took 83 gold medals, smashing its previous record set at Hiroshima in 1994.
South Korea finished third with 39 gold medals, short of its target of 40 to 45 and its fewest since 1982.
Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani declared the Games closed, with the torch handed to the organisers of the next edition at Doha, Qatar, in 2030.
Edition:
20th Asian Games
Host:
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Gold medal events:
469
Top of the table:
China, 169 gold, 341 total
Next host:
Doha, Qatar, 2030
Why it matters for exams: Host cities, medal tallies and the next venue of the Asian Games are asked almost every year.
Kerala PSCUPSC
3 October 2026
The Asian Games men's cricket final was played at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Japan, on 3 October 2026.
India made 211 for 6 and Pakistan made 192 for 6, so India won by 19 runs and took gold.
Hasan Nawaz scored 96 off 51 balls for Pakistan, with five fours and seven sixes.
Pakistan earned silver; Sri Lanka took bronze by beating Bangladesh by 63 runs.
Pakistan had reached the final by beating Bangladesh by six wickets in the semi-final.
Result:
India won by 19 runs
Scores:
India 211 for 6, Pakistan 192 for 6
Top score:
Hasan Nawaz 96
Why it matters for exams: Medal winners and scores of the Asian Games are standard sports questions.
Kerala PSCSSC
3 October 2026
Pakistan beat South Korea 5-3 in the men's hockey bronze-medal match on 3 October 2026 after trailing 3-1.
Rana Waheed Ashraf scored twice in the fourth quarter and Hannan Shahid added another goal.
Pakistan had lost the semi-final 4-3 to India.
In volleyball, Pakistan beat China 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-18) at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium.
The volleyball medal ended a 64-year wait; Pakistan's previous bronze came at the 1962 Jakarta Games.
Hockey bronze match:
Pakistan 5, South Korea 3
Volleyball bronze match:
Pakistan 3, China 0
Previous volleyball medal:
Bronze, 1962 Jakarta
Why it matters for exams: Medal tallies and host details of the Asian Games are standard sports questions.
Kerala PSCSSC
3 October 2026
The Prime Minister congratulated Pranavi Sharath Urs on 3 October 2026 for winning India's first-ever Asian Games gold in women's individual golf.
He said her superb finish gave the country a sporting moment to remember.
He hoped the win would draw more young Indians to the game and inspire them to aim for the top.
Event:
Women's individual golf
Why it matters for exams: First-ever medals in a sport at the Asian Games are typical sports-section questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
3 October 2026
The Prime Minister congratulated Aman Sehrawat on 3 October 2026 for winning India's first-ever Asian Games gold in the men's 57 kg freestyle wrestling event.
Aman won bronze at the last Asian Games and reached the top of the podium this time.
The Prime Minister said Aman showed great tenacity.
The Prime Minister also congratulated Deepak Punia on bronze in the men's 97 kg freestyle event, India's first podium finish in that weight at the Asian Games in six decades.
Event:
Men's 57 kg freestyle wrestling
Previous Asian Games medal (Aman):
Bronze
Why it matters for exams: Sportspersons and firsts at the Asian Games are regular sports-section questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
3 October 2026
The Prime Minister congratulated the Indian men's hockey team on 3 October 2026 for retaining the Asian Games gold with a commanding victory in the final.
It is India's first back-to-back Asian Games gold in men's hockey and the fifth gold overall.
The Prime Minister said it is more special because both the men's and the women's teams won gold at the same Asian Games for the first time.
He said the 2026 Asian Games have been truly special for Indian hockey.
Men's hockey Asian Games golds:
5 (first back-to-back)
Why it matters for exams: Sporting records at multi-nation events such as the Asian Games are regular sports-section questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
3 October 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Kumkum Anil Mohod on becoming the first Indian woman to win the Recurve Individual Gold at the 2026 Asian Games. He singled out her composure in the decisive shoot-off. In a separate message on 3 October, the Prime Minister congratulated the Indian Men's Cricket Team on retaining their Gold medal at the Asian Games, calling it a joyous occasion for the nation. Both messages were released by the Prime Minister's Office through PIB.
Archery gold:
Kumkum Anil Mohod, Recurve Individual
Cricket:
Men's team retains Gold
Why it matters for exams: Sports results and 'first Indian' records are regular questions in the awards and sports section.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Shoot-off Shoot-off — The tie-breaking round in archery when scores are level.
3 October 2026
On the evening of Thursday, 1 October, sudden rain and strong winds dislodged tin roofing at the Thrissur Aquatic Complex during a swimming relay at the State School Games, injuring five student athletes.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights registered a suo motu case and sought explanations from the Director of General Education, the Thrissur District Police Chief, the Deputy Director of Education, Thrissur, and the District Child Protection Officer.
General Education Minister N Shamsudheen directed the Director of General Education to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report.
The Sports Council says the Education Department did not seek permission for the temporary roofing and did not stop the event after the first lightning strike; the General Education Department says the organisers acted promptly when the weather worsened.
The swimming events have been postponed, with a new date and venue to be fixed.
Venue:
Thrissur Aquatic Complex
Student athletes injured:
five
Case registered by:
Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights
Inquiry directed by:
General Education Minister N Shamsudheen
Why it matters for exams: Statutory child-protection bodies and their suo motu powers are a regular Kerala PSC and polity topic.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Suo motu — Action taken by a court or commission on its own, without a complaint being filed.
2 October 2026
Sujeet won gold in the men's 65 kg freestyle wrestling event at the Asian Games.
It was India's first wrestling gold of this edition of the Games, and it came on his Asian Games debut.
The Prime Minister called it a memorable triumph after a thrilling victory in the final.
Ankush won gold in the men's 80 kg boxing final.
The Prime Minister said his passion and dedication were noteworthy and that the win ended India's boxing campaign at the Games on a great note.
Wrestling gold:
Sujeet, men's 65 kg freestyle
Boxing gold:
Ankush, men's 80 kg
Why it matters for exams: Individual medal winners and their events are frequently asked in sports current affairs.
Kerala PSCSSC
2 October 2026
The Indian women's hockey team has won the gold medal at the Asian Games.
It is the team's first gold in the event in more than forty years.
The Prime Minister congratulated the team, saying the win came from outstanding skills and teamwork.
He described the players' determination as very inspiring.
He said he hoped the success would add to the popularity of hockey across the country.
Medal:
Gold, women's hockey
Gap:
First gold in the event in over 40 years
Why it matters for exams: Asian Games medals, especially firsts and long gaps, are standard sports general knowledge questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
2 October 2026
Harshita Tomar and Shital Verma won the bronze medal in the women's skiff event in sailing at the Asian Games.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the pair on the result.
He said that with determination and consistency they had taken India onto the podium and had also bettered the previous performance.
He extended his best wishes to both for their future pursuits.
Athletes:
Harshita Tomar and Shital Verma
Event:
Women's skiff, sailing
Medal:
Bronze
Why it matters for exams: Sailing medals are asked less often than athletics, which is exactly why the names and the event are worth fixing.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
Skiff Skiff class — A light, fast two-person sailing dinghy raced as a separate Asian Games and Olympic class.
2 October 2026
Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod won silver in the recurve mixed team event in archery at the Asian Games.
The Prime Minister's Office said the pair gave India its first-ever silver in this event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the two archers had displayed remarkable skill and zeal.
He extended his best wishes to both for their upcoming endeavours.
The same day the Prime Minister also congratulated the Indian women's recurve team on its gold in the team event.
Athletes:
Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod
Event:
Recurve mixed team, archery
Medal:
Silver, India's first in the event
Why it matters for exams: First-ever medals in a named Asian Games event, with the athletes' names, are among the most frequently asked sports facts.
Kerala PSCSSCBank
In plain words
Recurve Recurve archery — The Olympic form of archery, using a bow whose limbs curve away from the archer at the tips.
Mixed team Mixed team event — An event in which one man and one woman compete together for the same country.
2 October 2026
Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Anil Mohod and Kirti won India's first ever gold medal in the women's recurve team event at the Asian Games.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team and said their composure and precision in a closely fought final were remarkable.
He described it as a historic gold that had delighted the entire nation and said it would inspire countless young archers across India.
On the same day Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod won silver in the recurve mixed team event at the Games.
Kumkum Anil Mohod therefore featured in both the gold-winning and the silver-winning recurve line-ups.
Event:
Women's recurve team archery
Gold-winning team:
Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Anil Mohod, Kirti
Mixed team silver:
Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Anil Mohod
Why it matters for exams: A first-ever medal in a named event, with the exact line-up, is the kind of sports fact examiners pick.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Recurve Recurve archery — The Olympic archery discipline, using a bow whose limbs curve away from the archer at the tips.
1 October 2026
The International Chess Federation published on 1 October 2026 the main decisions of its 2026 General Assembly, held on 26 and 27 September 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during the 46th Chess Olympiad.
Timur Turlov was elected President of FIDE and Viswanathan Anand was elected Deputy President; four Vice-Presidents were also elected.
The Assembly approved the creation of a FIDE rating system for Fischer Random Chess, also called Chess960, to be elaborated and implemented no later than 1 June 2027.
It cleared the appointment of up to five Honorary Vice-Presidents who may take part in the work of the Council with all rights except voting.
It amended the FIDE Charter so that the English and French institutional names, International Chess Federation and Federation Internationale des Echecs, are presented jointly.
It noted the readiness of both the Qatar Chess Association and the Georgia Chess Federation to host the 2030 Chess Olympiad and instructed the FIDE Management Board to negotiate with Qatar first, the right to sign passing to Georgia if the required official guarantees are not provided; an Extraordinary General Assembly was set to meet online in late 2026 to review the 2027 and provisional 2028 budgets.
General Assembly dates and place:
26-27 September 2026, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
President elected:
Timur Turlov
Deputy President elected:
Viswanathan Anand
Chess960 rating system by:
1 June 2027
Why it matters for exams: Office-bearers of world sporting bodies and the venues of their events are routinely asked, and the Chess960 decision is a fresh, checkable fact.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Chess960 Fischer Random Chess — A chess variant in which the back-row pieces are shuffled into one of 960 legal starting positions.
1 October 2026
The International Chess Federation published its October 2026 rating list on 1 October 2026.
Bodhana Sivanandan of England became the youngest Woman Grandmaster in history at the age of 11, after gaining 28 rating points at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov returned to the top five of the open list with a rating of 2780.
Zhu Jiner reclaimed second place on the women's list after scoring 9 points at the Olympiad.
The biggest gains on the list were by Mariam Mkrtchyan of Armenia, up 47 points to 2421, and Mobina Alinasab of Iran, also up 47 points to 2364, followed by Elnaz Kaliakhmet of Kazakhstan, up 36 points to 2383.
Savitha Shri B of India gained 23 points at the Olympiad to cross 2400, and is now rated 2405.
Youngest Woman Grandmaster:
Bodhana Sivanandan (England), aged 11
Rating points gained at Samarkand:
28
Abdusattorov's rating:
2780
Savitha Shri B's rating:
2405
Why it matters for exams: A world record in a recognised international federation's own rating list is the kind of dated fact set in sports and awards questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
WGM Woman Grandmaster — A lifetime chess title awarded by FIDE, below Grandmaster, earned through norms and a rating threshold.
Elo rating Elo rating — The numerical strength rating used in chess, updated from results against other rated players.
1 October 2026
World Athletics reported on 29 September 2026 that the athletics programme at the 20th Asian Games came to a close at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya. In the women's hammer, Zhang Jiale of China threw 78.27m in the fourth round, breaking the Games record. Winfred Yavi of Bahrain won the 5000m in 15:10.18, having already won the 10,000m and the 3000m steeplechase at the same Games. In the men's javelin, Rumesh Pathirage of Sri Lanka improved to 88.55m with his final attempt. The report says the women's 4x400m relay brought the athletics programme at the 20th Asian Games to a close.
Women's hammer, Games record:
78.27m
Women's 5000m winning time:
15:10.18
Men's javelin winning throw:
88.55m
Why it matters for exams: Asian Games records, winners and venues are routinely asked in sports current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Games record Asian Games record — The best mark ever achieved in that event at the Asian Games.
Steeplechase 3000m steeplechase — A distance track race in which runners clear fixed barriers and a water jump.
1 October 2026
India won four gold medals on 30 September 2026, Day 11 of the Asian Games. The women's compound archery team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep beat China 238-234 in the final, equalling the world record set by South Korea at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav won the compound mixed team final against South Korea in a shoot-off, and the win made India the first country to qualify for the compound mixed team event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The men's compound team of Kushal Dalal, Sahil Jadhav and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru beat China 238-237. In shooting, Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai took the trap mixed team gold with a score of 34, surpassing the Asian record of 30 set by Qatar earlier in the year. Sahil Jadhav won two golds on the day and Neeru Dhanda took her second gold after the individual trap title on 29 September.
Golds on the day:
Four
Women's compound team final:
India beat China 238-234
Men's compound team final:
India beat China 238-237
Trap mixed team score:
34
Why it matters for exams: Medal winners, events and record marks at a continental Games are standard sports current-affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Compound Compound bow archery — An archery discipline using a pulley-assisted bow; its mixed team event makes its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
Shoot-off Tie-breaking shot — A single extra arrow or round used to decide a tied archery or shooting match.