Daily Current Affairs- 4th April 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 4th April 2026

Raja Ravi Varma Painting Breaks Records and Became Most Expensive Ever in India

In the News: Raja Ravi Varma's painting 'Yashoda and Krishna', created in the 1890s, sold for a record-breaking ₹167.20 crore at Saffronart's Spring Live Auction held in Mumbai on April 1, 2026, setting a new world record for the highest value ever achieved by a work of Indian art at an auction. The painting was acquired by Dr Cyrus S. Poonawalla, Managing Director of the Serum Institute of India.

Key Points:

• The Record-Breaking Sale: 'Yashoda and Krishna' sold for ₹167.20 crore at Saffronart's Spring Live Auction in Mumbai, more than doubling its lower pre-sale estimate of ₹80 crore. The intense bidding lasted seven minutes. The painting came from a private collection in Delhi and had a pre-sale estimate of ₹80–120 crore.
• Previous Record: The previous record for the most expensive work of Indian art sold at an auction was held by MF Husain's 1954 Untitled (Gram Yatra), which fetched ₹118 crore at a Christie's auction in March 2025.
• About the Painting: Painted in the 1890s when Raja Ravi Varma was at the height of his prominence, 'Yashoda and Krishna' is an oil on canvas depicting Yashoda milking a cow with an infant Krishna standing behind her. It is painted in Varma's recognised realist style using the chiaroscuro technique, contrasting light and dark. The work captures a scene from the eighth discourse of the tenth book of the Shrimad Bhagavatam.
• The Buyer: The painting was acquired by Dr Cyrus S. Poonawalla, Managing Director of the Serum Institute of India. He described it as a national treasure and expressed his commitment to preserve it carefully and make it available for public viewing periodically.
• About Raja Ravi Varma: Born in 1848 in Travancore, Kerala, Raja Ravi Varma is considered one of India's greatest painters. He introduced European oil painting techniques to Indian art, blending realism with Indian mythology and transforming how Indians visualised gods and mythological figures. In 1894, he set up a lithographic press to mass-produce affordable prints of his paintings, making his iconic depictions of gods like Krishna accessible to common households across India.

Newcastle Disease Spread in Europe 2026

In the News: Newcastle Disease has spread rapidly across several European countries in 2026, pushing poultry authorities into emergency mode and raising serious concerns about poultry supplies and food chains. The virus has spread from Eastern to Central and Southern Europe since early 2026, with Poland emerging as the worst-affected country. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Spain, Poland, Germany, Czechia, Lithuania, and Slovakia have all reported fresh cases.

Key Points:

• About Newcastle Disease: Newcastle Disease (ND) is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects poultry and wild birds worldwide. It is caused by virulent strains of Avian Paramyxovirus Type 1 (APMV-1) and poses significant economic threats to the poultry industry due to high mortality rates and disruption of food supply chains.
• Forms of the Disease: The infection manifests in three forms based on strain virulence — Lentogenic (mild), Mesogenic (moderate), and Velogenic (highly virulent). Velogenic strains cause the most severe outbreaks, attacking the respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems, with mortality rates up to 100% in unvaccinated flocks.
• Current Outbreak in Europe: Poland is the worst-affected country, with dozens of outbreaks on commercial and backyard farms and over half a million birds culled. Germany has also reported outbreaks, including a large farm in Brandenburg where around 3,26,000 laying hens were slaughtered. Many affected farms were vaccinated, highlighting that the virus can still enter through wild birds, contaminated equipment, vehicles, or farm workers' clothing.
• Symptoms in Infected Birds: Infected birds display respiratory signs such as coughing, sneezing, and gasping; nervous signs such as tremors, twisted necks (torticollis), and paralysis; digestive issues such as greenish diarrhoea; a sudden drop in egg production of up to 100%; and in severe cases, sudden death without prior symptoms.
• Transmission: The Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) spreads primarily through direct bird-to-bird contact via faeces, respiratory secretions, saliva, and urine. It also spreads indirectly through contaminated shoes, clothing, equipment, vehicles, feed, and water. The virus can survive for weeks in cool environments and remain active in carcasses for nearly a year, though it is destroyed by direct sunlight and disinfectants.
• Human Risk: Newcastle Disease is not a major human health risk if poultry is properly cooked. In rare cases, it may cause mild conjunctivitis in handlers who are not wearing protective gear.

India Surpasses Kenya and Russia in Track & Field Doping Cases

In the News: India has surpassed Kenya to top the Athletics Integrity Unit's (AIU) list of ineligible persons due to doping violations, with 148 suspended track and field athletes — two more than Kenya. The latest updated list covers the period up to April 1, 2026. Russia took the third spot with 66 suspended athletes.

Key Points:

• About the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU): The AIU is an independent anti-doping watchdog established by World Athletics. It has jurisdiction over international-level athletes and their support persons. The AIU list includes persons serving a period of ineligibility as a result of national-level cases and decisions, as well as those who have committed non-doping violations such as tampering, evading testing, trafficking, or missing whereabouts — all of which carry the same penalties as a doping offence.
• India's Doping Crisis: India now leads the AIU list with 148 suspended track and field athletes, surpassing Kenya (146) and Russia (66). This follows a December 2024 WADA annual report in which India topped the global list with 260 athletes testing positive for prohibited performance-enhancing drugs — the only country in triple digits. India's positivity ratio stood at 3.6%, among the highest in the world, with NADA collecting 7,113 urine and blood samples of which 260 returned positive.
• Prominent Indian Athletes on the List: Dutee Chand, women's 100m national record holder, has been serving a four-year suspension since December 2022. Middle distance runner Parvej Khan is serving a six-year ban running until July 2030. Tamil Nadu sprinter Dhanalakshmi Sekar received an eight-year suspension in 2025 after being caught for the second time during the Inter-State National Championships.
• AFI's Measures to Tackle Doping: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has taken strict measures to combat doping, including tracking centres linked to the menace. Recognising the role of trainers in doping, the AFI has made it mandatory for all coaches to register with it. Unregistered coaches will be blacklisted and their trainees will be deemed ineligible for national awards.
• Decentralisation of National Camps: Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, the AFI decentralised its national camps and currently conducts camps only for relay teams. All other elite athletes have moved to private organisations such as Reliance, JSW, and Tata, or government departments like the Army and Navy for training.

Indian Navy INS Aridaman: Features, Role, and Strategic Importance Explained

In the News: India inducted its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Aridhaman, marking a significant milestone as the nation will, for the first time, maintain three operational SSBNs at sea. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formally inducted the submarine. India also recently commissioned the stealth frigate INS Taragiri, further boosting the Indian Navy's ability to secure the country's interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Key Points:

• About INS Aridhaman: INS Aridhaman is India's third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) of the Arihant-class, developed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project in Visakhapatnam. It follows INS Arihant (commissioned 2016) and INS Arighat (commissioned 2024). The 6,000-tonne INS Arihant established the sea leg of India's nuclear triad and completed its first deterrence patrol in 2018, while INS Arighaat further stabilised India's continuous presence in deep waters.
• Enhanced Missile Capacity: The 7,000-tonne INS Aridhaman features 8 vertical launching system (VLS) tubes, allowing it to carry a larger payload of K-15 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) with a range of 700 km and K-4 SLBMs with a range of 3,500 km.
• Nuclear Triad and Second-Strike Capability: The commissioning of INS Aridhaman solidifies India's nuclear triad — the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land (Agni missiles), air (Rafale, Su-30MKI), and sea — ensuring a credible second-strike capability in alignment with India's No First Use nuclear doctrine.
• Operational Milestone: With this induction, India joins a select group of nations — including the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China — capable of operating an undersea nuclear deterrent. India will now, for the first time, maintain three operational SSBNs at sea simultaneously.
• About INS Taragiri: INS Taragiri is a Project 17A stealth frigate, the fourth vessel in its class, constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. The 6,670-tonne warship features a reduced radar cross-section and is equipped with supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, and an advanced anti-submarine warfare suite integrated with a cutting-edge combat management system.
• Aatmanirbharta in Defence: Taragiri embodies India's push for indigenous defence manufacturing, with over 75% indigenous content and contributions from more than 200 MSMEs. Both INS Aridhaman and INS Taragiri reflect India's vision of platforms designed, built, and operated by Indians.

Inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 Concludes: Karnataka Emerges Victorious

In the News: The inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 concluded in Chhattisgarh with a vibrant closing ceremony. Karnataka emerged as the overall champion of the Games. The closing ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai as Chief Guest, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, and celebrated sportspersons Mary Kom and Bhaichung Bhutia as special guests.

Key Points:

• About Khelo India Tribal Games: The Khelo India Tribal Games are aimed at promoting sports among tribal communities across India, providing a national platform for tribal athletes to showcase their talent and fostering inclusivity in national sports development.
• Host State: The Games were hosted by Chhattisgarh. The closing ceremony was presided over by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, with Deputy CM Arun Sao also in attendance. International boxer Mary Kom and footballer Bhaichung Bhutia graced the event as special guests.
• Participation: A total of 3,800 athletes from 30 states and Union Territories participated in the inaugural edition of the Games.
• Sports Disciplines: Competitions were held across 7 main disciplines — Archery, Athletics, Football, Hockey, Swimming, Weightlifting, and Wrestling. Mallakhamb and Kabaddi were included as demonstration sports, highlighting India's indigenous sporting heritage.
• Overall Champion — Karnataka: Karnataka topped the overall medal tally with 23 Gold, 8 Silver, and 7 Bronze medals, emerging as the overall champion of the Games.
• Other Top Performers: Odisha finished second with 21 Gold, 15 Silver, and 21 Bronze medals, while Jharkhand secured third position with 16 Gold, 8 Silver, and 11 Bronze medals. Host state Chhattisgarh finished ninth with 3 Gold, 10 Silver, and 6 Bronze medals.
• Football Final: In the Men's Football final held at Raipur, West Bengal defeated host state Chhattisgarh 1–0 to clinch the Gold medal, while Chhattisgarh settled for Silver.