1. Punjab Kings Create World Record for Highest T20 Run Chase
In a historic feat, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) achieved the highest successful run chase in the history of all professional T20 cricket during an IPL 2026 match against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 25, 2026.
- The Feat: Chasing a mammoth target of 265, Punjab Kings reached 265/4 in just 18.5 overs.
- The Record: This surpassed the previous world record (262), making it the greatest successful chase in T20 history.
- Key Performances:
- KL Rahul (DC) scored a brilliant 152 off 67 balls*, the highest score by an Indian in IPL history.
- Prabhsimran Singh (PBKS) struck 76 off 26 balls, helping Punjab score 116 runs in the Powerplay—the highest of the season.
- Captain Shreyas Iyer finished the game with an unbeaten 71.
2. Renowned Photographer Raghu Rai Passes Away
Legendary Indian photojournalist and Padma Shri awardee Raghu Rai passed away on April 26, 2026, in Delhi at the age of 83.
- Legacy: Rai was a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson and became the first Indian photographer to join the prestigious Magnum Photos agency in 1977.
- Iconic Work: He is best known for his haunting documentation of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy and his extensive portraits of Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and various Indian Prime Ministers.
- Awards: He was honored with the Padma Shri in 1972 and the first-ever Académie des Beaux-Arts Photography Award in 2019.
3. India's First Anode Material Plant: Himadri Speciality Chemical
Himadri Speciality Chemical Ltd. has commissioned India’s first indigenous anode material production facility at Mahistikry, Hooghly district, West Bengal.
- Strategic Significance: This marks India's entry into the lithium-ion battery value chain, specifically for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Energy Storage Systems (ESS).
- Technology: Developed through 14 years of in-house R&D, the plant produces high-purity graphite anode materials from coal tar pitch.
- Capacity: The initial installed capacity is 200 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA), with plans to scale up to 200,000 MTPA in phases.
- Global Hub: The Mahistikry unit is now the world’s largest single-location speciality carbon black facility.
4. Guntur Wins UNIDO GEM Award 2026 in Vienna
The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) of Andhra Pradesh has been honored with the 4th Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna, Austria.
- Recognition: The award was presented on April 22, 2026, for the corporation's innovative "Sustainable Cities" project.
- The Initiative: GMC deployed over 200 women (who were previously informal waste collectors) as electric auto drivers for door-to-door garbage collection.
- Impact: The project was lauded for combining gender empowerment with environmental sustainability and zero-emission urban waste management.
