Month-wise complete list
Important Days 2026: Knowing important national and international days is a must for every competitive exam student. These dates come up regularly in General Awareness sections of UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking exams, and all State PSC exams.
This article gives you a complete month-wise list of all key days — national, international, and especially the birth anniversaries, martyrdom days, and important dates of India’s Freedom Struggle personalities — all compiled in simple, easy-to-remember tables.
National Days vs International Days
| Aspect | National Days | International Days |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Celebrated within one specific country | Observed globally across many countries |
| Purpose | Marks a country’s history, culture, or achievements | Raises awareness of global issues and causes |
| Examples | Republic Day, Independence Day (India) | World Environment Day, International Women’s Day |
| Organised By | National governments | UN or other international organisations |
January
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | New Year’s Day / Global Family Day | Start of the new calendar year worldwide |
| 4 Jan | World Braille Day | Birth anniversary of Louis Braille; celebrates accessibility |
| 5 Jan | National Birds Day | Awareness for bird conservation in India |
| 9 Jan | Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (NRI Day) | Marks return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in 1915 |
| 10 Jan | World Hindi Day | First World Hindi Conference held on this day in 1975 |
| 11 Jan | Death Anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri | 2nd PM of India; died in Tashkent on 11 Jan 1966 |
| 12 Jan | National Youth Day | Birthday of Swami Vivekananda (born 1863) |
| 12 Jan | Swami Vivekananda Birth Anniversary | Born 1863; inspired India’s youth with nationalism & spirituality |
| 15 Jan | Indian Army Day | Gen K.M. Cariappa became first Indian C-in-C in 1949 |
| 23 Jan | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti | Founder of INA; born 1897 in Cuttack, Odisha. Parakram Diwas. |
| 24 Jan | National Girl Child Day | Launched in 2008 to promote rights of the girl child |
| 25 Jan | National Voters’ Day / India Tourism Day | Election Commission founded on 25 Jan 1950 |
| 26 Jan | Republic Day of India | India’s Constitution came into force on 26 Jan 1950 |
| 26 Jan | International Customs Day | Celebrates World Customs Organisation founded in 1953 |
| 27 Jan | International Holocaust Remembrance Day | Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on 27 Jan 1945 |
| 28 Jan | Lala Lajpat Rai Birth Anniversary | “Punjab Kesari”; born 1865; led non-cooperation movement |
| 30 Jan | Martyr’s Day (Mahatma Gandhi Martyrdom) | Gandhi assassinated on 30 Jan 1948 by Nathuram Godse |
| 30 Jan | World Leprosy Eradication Day | Chosen to honour Gandhi’s work with leprosy patients |
February
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Feb | Indian Coast Guard Day | Coast Guard established on 1 Feb 1977 |
| 2 Feb | World Wetlands Day | Ramsar Convention signed on 2 Feb 1971 |
| 4 Feb | World Cancer Day | Run by Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) |
| 11 Feb | International Day of Women and Girls in Science | Promotes gender equality in science fields |
| 13 Feb | World Radio Day | UNESCO declared; highlights radio’s role in development |
| 13 Feb | Sarojini Naidu Birth Anniversary | “Nightingale of India”; born 1879; 1st woman Governor of UP |
| 20 Feb | World Day of Social Justice | UN initiative to address inequality globally |
| 21 Feb | International Mother Language Day | Marks 1952 Dhaka language movement in Bangladesh |
| 24 Feb | Central Excise Day | Central Excise & Salt Act enacted on 24 Feb 1944 |
| 28 Feb | National Science Day | CV Raman announced Raman Effect on 28 Feb 1928 |
| 28 Feb | Rare Disease Day | Raises awareness for rare diseases and those affected |
March
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar | Zero Discrimination Day | UNAIDS initiative to promote equality globally |
| 3 Mar | World Wildlife Day | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) |
| 4 Mar | National Safety Day | National Safety Council established on 4 Mar 1966 |
| 5 Mar | Dandi March Anniversary | Gandhi started historic 241-mile Salt March on 12 Mar 1930 |
| 8 Mar | International Women’s Day | Global celebration of women’s rights and achievements |
| 10 Mar | CISF Raising Day | Central Industrial Security Force established in 1969 |
| 15 Mar | World Consumer Rights Day | JF Kennedy’s speech on consumer rights, 15 Mar 1962 |
| 16 Mar | National Vaccination Day | India’s first polio vaccine given on 16 Mar 1995 |
| 20 Mar | International Day of Happiness | UN resolution to make happiness a global goal |
| 21 Mar | World Forestry Day / World Down Syndrome Day / World Poetry Day | Multiple global observances on this date |
| 22 Mar | World Water Day | UN initiative on sustainable freshwater management |
| 23 Mar | World Meteorological Day | WMO established on 23 Mar 1950 |
| 23 Mar | Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev & Rajguru Martyrdom Day | Three revolutionaries hanged by British on 23 Mar 1931 |
| 24 Mar | World TB Day | Robert Koch announced TB bacteria discovery on 24 Mar 1882 |
| 27 Mar | World Theatre Day | International Theatre Institute initiative since 1961 |
April
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr | World Autism Awareness Day | UN designated day to raise autism awareness |
| 5 Apr | National Maritime Day | First Indian ship “Scindia” sailed to UK on 5 Apr 1919 |
| 7 Apr | World Health Day | WHO established on 7 Apr 1948 |
| 13 Apr | Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Anniversary | British troops fired on unarmed crowd on 13 Apr 1919 (Baisakhi Day) |
| 14 Apr | Dr B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti | Father of Indian Constitution; born 14 Apr 1891 in Mhow, MP |
| 21 Apr | National Civil Services Day | Sardar Patel addressed ICS probationers on 21 Apr 1947 |
| 22 Apr | World Earth Day | First Earth Day held on 22 Apr 1970 in the USA |
| 23 Apr | World Book and Copyright Day | UNESCO initiative to promote reading and publishing |
| 24 Apr | National Panchayati Raj Day | 73rd Amendment (Panchayati Raj) came into force on 24 Apr 1993 |
| 25 Apr | World Malaria Day | WHO initiative to highlight the global burden of malaria |
| 26 Apr | World Intellectual Property Day | WIPO established on 26 Apr 1970 |
May
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May | International Labour Day (May Day) | Commemorates 1886 Haymarket affair; workers’ rights day |
| 1 May | Maharashtra Day & Gujarat Day | Both states formed on 1 May 1960 from Bombay State |
| 3 May | World Press Freedom Day | UN proclaimed; promotes freedom of the press globally |
| 9 May | Rabindranath Tagore Birth Anniversary | Born 7 May 1861; Nobel Prize winner; wrote Jana Gana Mana |
| 11 May | National Technology Day | India’s Pokhran nuclear test conducted on 11 May 1998 |
| 12 May | International Nurses Day | Birthday of Florence Nightingale (born 1820) |
| 15 May | International Day of Families | UN initiative to highlight importance of family units |
| 17 May | World Telecommunication Day | ITU (International Telecom Union) founded on 17 May 1865 |
| 21 May | National Anti-Terrorism Day | Rajiv Gandhi assassination on 21 May 1991 |
| 22 May | International Day for Biological Diversity | Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted 1992 |
| 31 May | World No-Tobacco Day | WHO initiative since 1987; anti-smoking awareness |
June
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun | World Milk Day | FAO initiative; India is world’s largest milk producer |
| 5 Jun | World Environment Day | UN Environment Programme launched; first held 1974 |
| 7 Jun | World Food Safety Day | WHO & FAO joint initiative from 2019 |
| 8 Jun | World Oceans Day | Proposed at 1992 Earth Summit; UN official since 2008 |
| 12 Jun | World Day Against Child Labour | ILO initiative since 2002 to end child labour |
| 14 Jun | World Blood Donor Day | Birthday of Karl Landsteiner who discovered blood groups |
| 17 Jun | World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought | UNCCD adopted on 17 Jun 1994 |
| 20 Jun | World Refugee Day | UNHCR initiative to honour courage of refugees globally |
| 21 Jun | International Yoga Day | Proposed by PM Modi at UN; first celebrated 21 Jun 2015 |
| 21 Jun | World Music Day | Fête de la Musique; originated in France in 1982 |
| 23 Jun | International Olympic Day | IOC founded on 23 Jun 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin |
| 26 Jun | International Day Against Drug Abuse | UN General Assembly designated this day in 1987 |
| 29 Jun | National Statistics Day | Birth anniversary of statistician P.C. Mahalanobis |
July
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul | National Doctor’s Day | Birth & death anniversary of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, 2nd CM of WB |
| 11 Jul | World Population Day | World population reached 5 billion on 11 Jul 1987 |
| 12 Jul | Malala Day | Birthday of Malala Yousafzai; youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner |
| 15 Jul | World Youth Skills Day | UN initiative to equip youth with skills for employment |
| 17 Jul | World Day for International Justice | Rome Statute of the ICC adopted on 17 Jul 1998 |
| 18 Jul | Nelson Mandela International Day | Birthday of Nelson Mandela; anti-apartheid icon |
| 22 Jul | Chandrayaan-2 Launch Anniversary | India’s second moon mission launched on 22 Jul 2019 |
| 26 Jul | Kargil Vijay Diwas | India’s victory over Pakistan in Kargil War on 26 Jul 1999 |
| 28 Jul | World Hepatitis Day | Birthday of Nobel laureate Baruch Samuel Blumberg |
| 29 Jul | International Tiger Day | India holds more than 70% of world’s wild tiger population |
| 30 Jul | International Friendship Day | UN designated first Sunday of August; popular as 30 Jul too |
August
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug | Hiroshima Day | First atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on 6 Aug 1945 |
| 7 Aug | National Handloom Day | Swadeshi Movement launched on 7 Aug 1905 in Bengal |
| 9 Aug | Quit India Movement Day | Gandhi launched “Do or Die” movement on 9 Aug 1942 in Bombay |
| 9 Aug | Nagasaki Day | Second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan on 9 Aug 1945 |
| 9 Aug | International Day of Indigenous Peoples | UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations first met 9 Aug 1982 |
| 12 Aug | International Youth Day | UN initiative to highlight youth issues globally |
| 15 Aug | Independence Day of India | India became independent from British rule on 15 Aug 1947 |
| 19 Aug | World Humanitarian Day | UN bomb attack in Baghdad killed aid workers on 19 Aug 2003 |
| 20 Aug | Sadbhavna Diwas | Birth anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi |
| 26 Aug | Women’s Equality Day | US 19th Amendment granting women’s suffrage, 26 Aug 1920 |
| 29 Aug | National Sports Day | Birthday of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand |
September
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep | National Nutrition Week | Raises awareness on nutrition health across India |
| 5 Sep | Teachers’ Day (India) | Birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan; 2nd President of India |
| 8 Sep | International Literacy Day | UNESCO declared; highlights importance of literacy worldwide |
| 14 Sep | Hindi Diwas | Hindi adopted as official language on 14 Sep 1949 |
| 15 Sep | Engineer’s Day | Birthday of M. Visvesvaraya, great Indian civil engineer |
| 15 Sep | International Day of Democracy | UN initiative to promote democratic principles worldwide |
| 16 Sep | World Ozone Day | Montreal Protocol signed on 16 Sep 1987 |
| 21 Sep | International Day of Peace | UN ceasefire and non-violence day since 1981 |
| 21 Sep | World Alzheimer’s Day | Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) awareness day |
| 27 Sep | World Tourism Day | UNWTO Statutes adopted on 27 Sep 1970 |
| 29 Sep | World Heart Day | World Heart Federation initiative for cardiovascular health |
October
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Gandhi Jayanti | Birth of Mahatma Gandhi; Father of Nation; born 2 Oct 1869 |
| 2 Oct | International Day of Non-Violence | UN declared on Gandhi’s birthday to spread his principles |
| 4 Oct | World Animal Welfare Day | Feast day of Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals |
| 5 Oct | World Teachers’ Day | UNESCO/ILO recommendation on teachers adopted 5 Oct 1966 |
| 8 Oct | Indian Air Force Day | IAF officially established on 8 Oct 1932 |
| 9 Oct | World Postal Day | Universal Postal Union established on 9 Oct 1874 |
| 10 Oct | World Mental Health Day | World Federation for Mental Health initiative since 1992 |
| 11 Oct | International Day of the Girl Child | UN initiative since 2012; first observed 11 Oct 2012 |
| 16 Oct | World Food Day | FAO founded on 16 Oct 1945 |
| 24 Oct | United Nations Day | UN Charter came into force on 24 Oct 1945 |
| 31 Oct | Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) | Birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, “Iron Man of India” |
November
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov | World Tsunami Awareness Day | UN designated; 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami awareness |
| 7 Nov | National Cancer Awareness Day | Birthday of Marie Curie; India declared in 2014 |
| 10 Nov | World Science Day for Peace and Development | UNESCO initiative to bridge science and society |
| 11 Nov | National Education Day | Birthday of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, 1st Education Minister |
| 11 Nov | Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Birth Anniversary | Prominent freedom fighter; born 11 Nov 1888 |
| 14 Nov | Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Anniversary | First PM of India; born 14 Nov 1889; celebrated as Children’s Day |
| 14 Nov | Children’s Day | Celebrated on Nehru’s birthday as he loved children (“Chacha Nehru”) |
| 14 Nov | World Diabetes Day | Birthday of Frederick Banting who co-discovered insulin |
| 19 Nov | International Men’s Day / World Toilet Day | Both observed globally on 19 November |
| 20 Nov | Universal Children’s Day | UN Declaration on Rights of the Child adopted 20 Nov 1959 |
| 24 Nov | Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jayanti | Founder of Sikhism; born on Kartik Purnima (date varies) |
| 25 Nov | Int’l Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women | UN initiative; starts 16 Days of Activism against gender violence |
| 26 Nov | Constitution Day of India | Constitution adopted on 26 Nov 1949; also National Law Day |
December
| Date | Day / Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec | World AIDS Day | First global health day; declared by WHO in 1988 |
| 2 Dec | National Pollution Control Day | Marks 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy; worst industrial disaster |
| 3 Dec | International Day of Persons with Disabilities | UN initiative since 1992 for rights of disabled persons |
| 4 Dec | Indian Navy Day | Operation Trident against Pakistan during 1971 war on 4 Dec 1971 |
| 5 Dec | World Soil Day | FAO initiative; birthday of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| 7 Dec | Armed Forces Flag Day | Collection for welfare of armed forces personnel since 1949 |
| 9 Dec | International Anti-Corruption Day | UN Convention Against Corruption opened for signature 9 Dec 2003 |
| 10 Dec | Human Rights Day | UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted 10 Dec 1948 |
| 11 Dec | Dr B.R. Ambedkar Mahaparinirvan Diwas | Ambedkar passed away on 6 Dec 1956 (observed as key memorial day) |
| 14 Dec | National Energy Conservation Day | Energy Conservation Act passed on 14 Dec 2001 |
| 16 Dec | Vijay Diwas | India’s victory in 1971 war; Bangladesh liberation on 16 Dec 1971 |
| 19 Dec | Goa Liberation Day | Goa liberated from Portuguese rule on 19 Dec 1961 |
| 22 Dec | National Mathematics Day | Birthday of mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887) |
| 23 Dec | Kisan Diwas (National Farmers’ Day) | Birthday of former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day / Good Governance Day | Good Governance Day marks birthday of PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Why Learn Important Days for Exams?
- Exam Relevance Questions on important days appear every year in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL/CHSL, IBPS PO, and all State PSC exams — often 2–4 questions per paper.
- International Awareness: International days connect current affairs to static GK. WHO, UN, UNESCO-related days often link to government schemes and policies asked in exams.
- Freedom Struggle Dates: Birth & death anniversaries of freedom fighters are high-yield exam topics.