A roundup of the key current affairs for July 21, 2026, covering the items not taken up as separate deep-dive articles.
Angen: First Santhali Film to Win a National Award
🗞️ Why in News Angen became the first Santhali-language film to win a National Film Award.
Key Points
- Angen, a short film directed by Ravi Raj Murmu (a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India, from Jaduguda, Jharkhand), won the Best Debut Film of a Director (Non-Feature) at the 72nd National Film Awards, becoming the first Santhali-language film to win a National Award.
- The roughly 12-minute film draws on an indigenous folktale; Santhali is one of the languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, spoken by the Santhal, a major tribal community of eastern India.
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
- Film: Angen (first Santhali film to win a National Award).
- Director: Ravi Raj Murmu (FTII); award for Best Debut Film of a Director (Non-Feature).
- Language: Santhali (Eighth Schedule).
RBI Trims Its FY27 Growth Forecast
🗞️ Why in News The Reserve Bank of India revised its growth projection for FY27.
Key Points
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) trimmed its real GDP growth forecast for 2026-27 (FY27) to about 6.6 per cent, citing global uncertainty and trade headwinds, while noting domestic resilience.
- The RBI has held the repo rate at 5.25 per cent with a neutral stance; growth and inflation projections are set by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
- RBI FY27 GDP forecast: about 6.6 per cent.
- Repo rate: 5.25 per cent (neutral stance).
- Body: Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
West Bengal Martyrs Day
🗞️ Why in News July 21 is observed as Martyrs Day (Shaheed Diwas) in West Bengal.
Key Points
- July 21 is marked in West Bengal as Martyrs Day (Shaheed Diwas), commemorating the people killed during a 1993 political march to the state secretariat (Writers’ Building) in Kolkata.
- The day has since become a major annual political gathering in the state; it is distinct from the national Martyrs’ Day observed on January 30 (Mahatma Gandhi’s martyrdom) and March 23 (Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru).
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
- July 21: West Bengal Martyrs Day (Shaheed Diwas), from a 1993 march.
- National Martyrs’ Day: January 30 (Gandhi) and March 23 (Bhagat Singh and others).
Anniversaries: The National Flag and a Presidential Election
🗞️ Why in News Late July marks anniversaries tied to the National Flag and a presidential election.
Key Points
- The Constituent Assembly adopted the national flag, the tricolour, on July 22, 1947; the flag’s design is based on the Swaraj flag, with the Ashok Chakra (a 24-spoke wheel) replacing the charkha.
- July 21, 1977 marks the day Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was declared elected as the sixth President of India, notably unopposed.
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
- National Flag: adopted by the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947; Ashok Chakra has 24 spokes.
- Neelam Sanjiva Reddy: 6th President of India; elected unopposed (1977).
UPSC Relevance
These items span GS Paper 1 (art, culture, modern history) and GS Paper 3 (economy). Revise them as quick prelims pointers alongside the day’s deep-dive articles.
Facts Corner
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
- Angen: first Santhali-language film to win a National Award (Best Debut Director, Non-Feature).
- RBI FY27 forecast: trimmed to about 6.6 per cent; repo rate 5.25 per cent.
- West Bengal Martyrs Day: July 21 (1993 march); national Martyrs’ Day is January 30 and March 23.
- National Flag: adopted July 22, 1947; Ashok Chakra with 24 spokes.
- Neelam Sanjiva Reddy: 6th President, elected unopposed (1977).
Sources: Press Information Bureau, Reserve Bank of India, Ministry of Culture
Source: Current Affairs Today, July 21, 2026 — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
