🗞️ Why in News Beyond the deep dives on the India-MERCOSUR First Additional Protocol, the Mazagon Dock-NSHIPML Dighi shipbuilding cluster, the SiCSem silicon-carbide fab in Odisha, the new Mizoram frog species, the Gujarat Great Indian Bustard Action Plan and Project Cheetah review, World Ozone Day and the Kumik Heritage Village designation, the 16 September 2026 roundup carries an appointment, a defence-industry collaboration and Karnataka’s official recognition of Engineers Day.
First Woman IG of CRPF’s CoBRA Force
Sanjukta Parashar, a 2006-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, has taken charge as Inspector-General of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). She is the first woman to head the unit. The posting order was issued by CRPF Headquarters in the second week of September 2026, and she succeeds Danesh Rana, a 1996-batch IPS officer.
CoBRA was raised in 2008-09 as a specialised jungle-warfare and counter-insurgency unit of the CRPF, principally to support the Union government’s response to Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in central and eastern India. It comprises ten battalions. The CRPF is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force and reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Officer | Sanjukta Parashar, IPS 2006, Assam-Meghalaya cadre |
| Position | Inspector-General, CoBRA |
| Distinction | First woman IG of the unit |
| Force | CoBRA, a specialised unit of the CRPF |
| Raised | 2008-09 |
| Battalions | 10 |
| Nodal ministry | Ministry of Home Affairs |
Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada on HALE UAV Engine
On 15 September 2026, Bharat Forge Limited and Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) announced a collaboration to evaluate the integration of P&WC turboprop engines on the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s High-Altitude, Long-Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Under the agreement, P&WC will assess engine compatibility, performance and installation parameters, and Bharat Forge will lead the engine-airframe integration. The evaluation phase does not carry a production commitment; it is a design-integration study ahead of any future production decision.
In operational usage, UAVs are often described by altitude and endurance as Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) or High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE). Pratt & Whitney Canada is a subsidiary of RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies).
Karnataka Recognises Engineers Day, Permits the “Er.” Prefix
The Government of Karnataka issued an order on 15 September 2026 recognising 15 September as Engineers Day, to be observed officially in the state from 2027, and permitting the use of the honorific “Er.” prefix by qualified engineers. The date is the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, born 15 September 1861 in Muddenahalli. Visvesvaraya was Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918, was knighted (KCIE) in 1915, and awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955. He is remembered for designing the Krishna Raja Sagara dam on the Cauvery near Mysuru and for developing the automatic weir floodgates at Khadakwasla.
Also in the News
Wadda Gurdwara Sahib, Penang. The Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in George Town, Penang (Malaysia), the oldest and largest Sikh gurdwara in Southeast Asia, reopened after a restoration of about 15 months costing about RM 6 million (Malaysian Ringgit), with the Prakash of the Guru Granth Sahib performed on 12 September 2026 by the Jathedar of the Akal Takht. The gurdwara was founded in 1901, and the reopening marks its 125th anniversary. Sunway Group founder Jeffrey Cheah contributed about RM 1 million, and the refurbished dome was made in Amritsar.
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
Prelims-grade facts:
- Sanjukta Parashar, a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, is the first woman Inspector-General of CoBRA.
- CoBRA is a specialised jungle-warfare unit of the CRPF, raised in 2008-09 with 10 battalions.
- Bharat Forge Limited and Pratt & Whitney Canada announced on 15 September 2026 a collaboration on turboprop engines for the DRDO’s HALE UAV.
- P&WC is a subsidiary of RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies).
- Karnataka issued an order on 15 September 2026 recognising Engineers Day (official observance from 2027) and permitting the honorific “Er.” prefix.
- Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was born on 15 September 1861 in Muddenahalli; he was Bharat Ratna, 1955; Diwan of Mysore, 1912-18; KCIE, 1915.
- Visvesvaraya designed the Krishna Raja Sagara dam on the Cauvery and developed the automatic weir floodgates at Khadakwasla.
- The Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in George Town, Penang, founded in 1901, is the oldest and largest Sikh gurdwara in Southeast Asia.
Prelims-grade traps:
- CoBRA is a CRPF unit, not a separate central police force.
- India’s Drone Rules, 2021 classify drones by weight (nano, micro, small, medium, large); MALE and HALE are operational descriptions, not the regulatory categories.
- KCIE is Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire, a British-era honour; not the same as a knighthood in the Order of the Bath.
Mains, arguments and keywords:
- Women in specialised paramilitary units; representation and role expansion.
- Aero-engine capability as India’s persistent gap; industrial collaboration route.
- Sikh diaspora and cultural heritage diplomacy.
- Engineering profession and public recognition; Visvesvaraya as institutional memory.
- Keywords: CoBRA, CRPF, LWE, HALE UAV, Bharat Forge, P&WC, Wadda Gurdwara, Er. prefix, Visvesvaraya.
Interview, be ready for:
- “What is CoBRA?” A specialised jungle-warfare and counter-insurgency unit of the CRPF, raised in 2008-09 primarily for Left-Wing Extremism operations.
- “Why does India collaborate on aero-engines rather than build them at home?” Because domestic aero-engine capability is capital-, IP- and materials-intensive; collaboration accelerates learning and de-risks the first application.
- “What is the significance of the Krishna Raja Sagara dam?” It is one of the earliest large-scale reservoirs in southern India, designed by Visvesvaraya and central to Cauvery-basin irrigation and water storage.
Source: Current Affairs Today, September 16, 2026, Complete News Roundup — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
