12th August 2026

Explanation - Dirac Medal was first awarded in 1985. It is given in honour of P.A.M. Dirac, one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century. It is awarded annually on Dirac's birthday, August 8, to scientists who have made significant contributions to theoretical physics. It is awarded by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). Selection Process: An international committee of distinguished scientists selects the winners from a list of nominated candidates. The Dirac Medal is not awarded to Nobel Laureates, Fields Medallists, or Wolf Foundation Prize winners, although several past Dirac medallists later went on to receive those honours. Cash Prize: The Medalist also receives a prize of US $5,000. Deepak Dhar is also the second Indian winner of the Dirac Medal; the first was string theorist Ashoke Sen. Dhar is known for his work on a concept called Abelian sandpiles.

Explanation - It is an international research institute for physical and mathematical sciences. The centre was founded in 1964. It operates under a tripartite agreement between the Italian Government, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). ICTP is a UNESCO Category 1 Institute. It is located in Trieste, Italy.

Explanation - It is a trade promotion scheme implemented by the government of India. It allows the duty-free import of capital goods for the purpose of export production in India. Objective: To facilitate import of capital goods for producing quality goods and services and enhance India's manufacturing competitiveness. The EPCG scheme is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and is governed by the Foreign Trade Policy of India. Features — EPCG Scheme allows import of capital goods for pre-production, production and post-production at zero customs duty. It covers manufacturer exporters with or without supporting manufacturer(s), merchant exporters tied to supporting manufacturer(s) and service providers. Second-hand goods of any nature will not be permitted under the EPCG scheme.

Explanation - Kalaburagi Fort, also known as Gulbarga Fort, is a historic fort located in Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Karnataka. It was initially constructed by Raja Gulchand, a feudatory of the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal, in the 12th century. It was later strengthened by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah, the ruler of the Bahmani dynasty. Bahmani Sultans had the longest rule in Kalaburagi between the 14th and 16th century. It served as the capital of the Bahmani Sultanate, one of the most powerful Muslim kingdoms in the Deccan region during the mediaeval period. Architecture — The architecture showcases a blend of Hindu and Islamic styles, reflecting the diverse cultural influences of its builders and occupants over the centuries. Being positioned atop a hill, the fort provided a strategic advantage for defence. The fort's structures include mosques, palaces, tombs, and other buildings, built using materials like granite and limestone. Notable features include massive walls, bastions, ornate gateways, and intricate carvings, showcasing the craftsmanship of the artisans of that era. The fort's layout reflects its strategic importance, with a series of concentric walls and defensive structures designed to withstand sieges. The fort is a monumental structure highly fortified with 15 towers mounted with 26 guns; each gun located inside the fort is 8 metres (26 ft) long and is still well preserved.

Explanation - The Padmanabhaswamy temple is heavily influenced by the Dravidian style of architecture, which is why it resembles a lot of the temples in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu with its tall gopuram and high walls and intricate carvings. Vishnu is the presiding deity of the Padmanabhaswamy temple and is also the ‘ruler’ of Travancore. He was ‘crowned’ as the Emperor of Travancore in the 18th century and members of the royal family rule as regents on his behalf. Which is also why the royal crown of Travancore has been preserved inside the temple. Celebrated once every six years in January, the Laksha Deepam festival is the biggest festival of the Padmanabhaswamy temple. The festival gets its name from the lighting of a hundred thousand (one lakh or Laksha) lamps inside the temple and its premises. Held on the day of Makar Sankranti, the festival marks the end of 12 Bhadradeepams, a seven-day ritual that is held twice every year. On the day images of Padmanabha, Narasimha and Krishna are taken out on Garudavahana (Vishnu’s mythical eagle) in a grand procession. An image of Padmanabha or Vishnu reclining on the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha is the centre of the Padmanabhaswamy temple. With his right hand placed over a Shiva lingam, Vishnu is flanked by Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and Bhudevi, the goddess of Earth. Bramha is shown to emanate from Vishnu’s navel. Interestingly, the image of Vishnu is made out of 12,000 shaligrams or fossilized shells that can be traced back to the banks of Nepal’s Gandaki River. In 2011 a treasure was revealed from its cellars. The treasure was valued $1 trillion at the time of its discovery making the Padmanabhaswamy Temple the richest in the world. To put this into perspective, the entire Mughal treasury at the zenith of its power could be valued at $90 billion.