Important days are specific dates chosen by society to remember an idea, a person, an achievement, or a public-interest issue—and to spread awareness about it. Important Days 2026, Some dates commemorate major historical events (e.g., Independence, Republic, valour), while others highlight public awareness around health, environment, education, science, culture, and human rights. On these days, government bodies, schools–colleges, media, and citizen groups come together for campaigns, events, and discussions.
These dates have different origins. Many international/world days are declared by the United Nations (UN) and its agencies like WHO, UNESCO, UNEP, FAO, etc.; whereas national days arise from Government of India notifications, historic birth/death anniversaries, or institutional foundation days. Some days fall on a fixed date every year (e.g., 14 April, 21 June), while others follow moveable rules—for instance, Rare Disease Day is observed on the last day of February (29th in a leap year, otherwise 28th).
Keeping national and international tables separate helps in two ways: you clearly see India-centric heritage, services, and initiatives (Army/Navy/Air Force Days, Civil Services Day, National Technology/Science/Statistics Days), and you also get a consolidated view of global initiatives (World Health, Water, Environment, Education, Peace, Human Rights, etc.). Across the year, activities on these days strengthen participation, responsibility, and social sensitivity—that’s the real purpose of observing them.
Below, for 2026, the dates are arranged month-wise, first National (India) and then International/World for each month so the context is clean, simple, and useful.
Important Days 2026 — January
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 9 Jan |
Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas |
Contribution of the Indian diaspora |
| 10 Jan |
World Hindi Day* (marked by India’s MEA) |
Promotion of Hindi |
| 12 Jan |
National Youth Day |
Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary |
| 15 Jan |
Indian Army Day |
1949, K. M. Cariappa |
| 23 Jan |
Parakram Diwas |
Netaji Subhas’s birth anniversary |
| 24 Jan |
National Girl Child Day |
Education/Rights of the girl child |
| 25 Jan |
National Voters’ Day; National Tourism Day |
ECI / Tourism |
| 26 Jan |
Republic Day |
Constitution, 1950 |
| 30 Jan |
Martyrs’ Day; Leprosy Eradication Day (India) |
Gandhi’s martyrdom / Health |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 Jan |
Global Family Day |
Peace |
| 4 Jan |
World Braille Day |
Louis Braille |
| 26 Jan |
International Customs Day |
WCO |
Important Days 2026 — February
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 Feb |
Indian Coast Guard Day |
Established 1977 |
| 10 Feb |
National De-worming Day |
Deworming campaign |
| 13 Feb |
National Women’s Day |
Sarojini Naidu’s birth anniversary |
| 24 Feb |
Central Excise Day |
Indirect taxation |
| 28 Feb |
National Science Day |
Raman Effect |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 2 Feb |
World Wetlands Day |
Ramsar |
| 4 Feb |
World Cancer Day |
WHO |
| 6 Feb |
Zero Tolerance for FGM |
Women’s rights |
| 11 Feb |
Women & Girls in Science Day |
STEM |
| 12 Feb |
Darwin Day |
Evolution |
| 13 Feb |
World Radio Day |
UNESCO |
| 20 Feb |
World Day of Social Justice |
ILO/UN |
| 21 Feb |
International Mother Language Day |
Linguistic diversity |
| 28/29 Feb |
Rare Disease Day |
Last day of February |
Important Days 2026 — March
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 4 Mar |
National Safety Day |
Industrial safety |
| 10 Mar |
CISF Raising Day |
CAPF |
| 16 Mar |
National Immunization Day |
Pulse Polio |
| 18 Mar |
Ordnance Factory Day |
OFB legacy |
| 23 Mar |
Shaheed Diwas (Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev) |
1931 |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 Mar |
Zero Discrimination Day; Civil Defence Day |
Equality / Civil defence |
| 3 Mar |
World Wildlife Day; World Hearing Day |
CITES / ENT |
| 8 Mar |
International Women’s Day |
Gender equality |
| 14 Mar |
Pi Day / International Day of Mathematics |
3.14 |
| 15 Mar |
World Consumer Rights Day |
Consumer protection |
| 20 Mar |
International Day of Happiness; World Sparrow Day |
Wellbeing / Birds |
| 21 Mar |
International Day of Forests; World Down Syndrome Day; World Poetry Day |
— |
| 22 Mar |
World Water Day |
SDG-6 |
| 23 Mar |
World Meteorological Day |
WMO |
| 24 Mar |
World TB Day |
Koch |
| 27 Mar |
World Theatre Day |
Performing arts |
Important Days 2026 — April
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 5 Apr |
National Maritime Day |
SS Loyalty, 1919 |
| 11 Apr |
National Safe Motherhood Day |
Maternal health |
| 14 Apr |
Dr B. R. Ambedkar Jayanti |
Equality |
| 21 Apr |
Civil Services Day |
1947 address |
| 24 Apr |
National Panchayati Raj Day |
73rd Amendment |
| 30 Apr |
Ayushman Bharat Diwas |
HWCs |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 2 Apr |
World Autism Awareness Day |
Neurodiversity |
| 4 Apr |
International Day for Mine Awareness |
Conflict areas |
| 7 Apr |
World Health Day |
WHO founding |
| 10 Apr |
World Homoeopathy Day |
Hahnemann |
| 18 Apr |
World Heritage Day |
UNESCO |
| 22 Apr |
Earth Day |
Environment |
| 23 Apr |
World Book & Copyright Day |
Reading |
| 25 Apr |
World Malaria Day |
Elimination |
| 26 Apr |
World Intellectual Property Day |
WIPO |
| 28 Apr |
World Day for Safety & Health at Work |
ILO |
Important Days 2026 — May
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 4 May |
Coal Miners’ Day |
India |
| 11 May |
National Technology Day |
Pokhran-II |
| 21 May |
Anti-Terrorism Day |
Rajiv Gandhi memorial |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 May |
International Labour Day |
Workers’ rights |
| 3 May |
World Press Freedom Day |
Media |
| 4 May |
International Firefighters’ Day |
Service |
| 8 May |
Red Cross/Red Crescent Day |
Dunant |
| 12 May |
International Nurses Day |
Nightingale |
| 15 May |
International Day of Families |
Policy |
| 17 May |
World Telecommunication & Information Society Day; World Hypertension Day |
ITU / Health |
| 18 May |
International Museum Day |
ICOM |
| 22 May |
International Day for Biological Diversity |
CBD |
| 31 May |
World No Tobacco Day |
WHO |
Important Days 2026 — June
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 29 Jun |
National Statistics Day |
P. C. Mahalanobis |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 Jun |
World Milk Day |
FAO |
| 3 Jun |
World Bicycle Day |
Sustainable transport |
| 5 Jun |
World Environment Day |
UNEP |
| 7 Jun |
World Food Safety Day |
Safe food |
| 8 Jun |
World Oceans Day |
Marine ecology |
| 12 Jun |
World Day Against Child Labour |
ILO |
| 14 Jun |
World Blood Donor Day |
Health |
| 17 Jun |
Desertification & Drought Day |
UNCCD |
| 20 Jun |
World Refugee Day |
UNHCR |
| 21 Jun |
International Day of Yoga; World Music Day |
India’s initiative / Music |
| 23 Jun |
UN Public Service Day; Olympic Day |
Governance / Sport |
| 26 Jun |
International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking; UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture |
UNODC / Human rights |
| 30 Jun |
International Asteroid Day |
Space |
Important Days 2026 — July
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 Jul |
National Doctors’ Day; GST Day |
Health / Tax |
| 26 Jul |
Kargil Vijay Diwas |
1999 |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 6 Jul |
World Zoonoses Day |
Public health |
| 11 Jul |
World Population Day |
UNFPA |
| 17 Jul |
International Criminal Justice Day |
ICC |
| 18 Jul |
Nelson Mandela International Day |
Human rights |
| 28 Jul |
World Hepatitis Day |
WHO |
| 29 Jul |
International Tiger Day |
Conservation |
| 30 Jul |
International Day of Friendship |
Harmony |
| 31 Jul |
World Ranger Day |
Protected areas |
Important Days 2026 — August
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 7 Aug |
National Handloom Day |
Self-reliance |
| 8 Aug |
Quit India Movement Day |
1942 |
| 15 Aug |
Independence Day |
1947 |
| 20 Aug |
Sadbhavana Diwas |
Harmony |
| 29 Aug |
National Sports Day |
Major Dhyan Chand |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 6 Aug |
Hiroshima Day |
Peace |
| 9 Aug |
Nagasaki Day; International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples |
— |
| 12 Aug |
International Youth Day |
Youth policy |
| 13 Aug |
International Left-Handers Day |
Awareness |
| 19 Aug |
World Photography Day; World Humanitarian Day |
Art / UN |
| 23 Aug |
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition |
History |
| 30 Aug |
International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances |
Human rights |
Important Days 2026 — September
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 5 Sep |
Teachers’ Day (India) |
Dr S. Radhakrishnan |
| 14 Sep |
Hindi Diwas |
Official language |
| 15 Sep |
Engineers’ Day (India) |
M. Visvesvaraya |
| 25 Sep |
Antyodaya Diwas |
Deendayal Upadhyaya |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 8 Sep |
International Literacy Day |
Education |
| 15 Sep |
International Day of Democracy |
Democratic values |
| 16 Sep |
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer |
Montreal Protocol |
| 21 Sep |
International Day of Peace; World Alzheimer’s Day |
Peace / Health |
| 22 Sep |
World Rhino Day |
Wildlife |
| 23 Sep |
International Day of Sign Languages |
Inclusion |
| 26 Sep |
World Contraception Day; World Environmental Health Day |
Public health |
| 27 Sep |
World Tourism Day |
UNWTO |
| 29 Sep |
World Heart Day |
CVD |
| 30 Sep |
International Translation Day |
Languages |
Important Days 2026 — October
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 2 Oct |
Gandhi Jayanti |
Father of the Nation |
| 8 Oct |
Indian Air Force Day |
1932 |
| 20 Oct |
National Solidarity Day |
1962 remembrance |
| 31 Oct |
National Unity Day |
Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 Oct |
International Day of Older Persons |
Senior citizens |
| 2 Oct |
International Day of Non-Violence |
UN |
| 4 Oct |
World Animal Day |
Animal welfare |
| 5 Oct |
World Teachers’ Day (Global) |
Education |
| 9 Oct |
World Post Day |
UPU |
| 10 Oct |
World Mental Health Day |
WHO |
| 11 Oct |
International Day of the Girl Child |
Rights |
| 13 Oct |
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction |
Sendai |
| 14 Oct |
World Standards Day |
ISO/IEC |
| 15 Oct |
Global Handwashing Day; International Day of Rural Women |
WASH / Women |
| 16 Oct |
World Food Day |
FAO |
| 17 Oct |
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty |
SDGs |
| 24 Oct |
United Nations Day; World Development Information Day |
UN |
| 27 Oct |
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage |
Archives |
| 31 Oct |
World Cities Day |
Urban development |
Important Days 2026 — November
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 7 Nov |
National Cancer Awareness Day |
Health |
| 9 Nov |
Legal Services Day |
Free legal aid |
| 11 Nov |
National Education Day |
Maulana Azad’s birth anniversary |
| 12 Nov |
Public Service Broadcasting Day |
All India Radio |
| 14 Nov |
Children’s Day (India) |
Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 16 Nov |
National Press Day |
Press Council of India |
| 26 Nov |
Constitution Day |
Adoption in 1949 |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 10 Nov |
World Science Day for Peace & Development |
UNESCO |
| 14 Nov |
World Diabetes Day |
Health |
| 19 Nov |
International Men’s Day; World Toilet Day |
— |
| 20 Nov |
World Children’s Day |
UNCRC |
| 21 Nov |
World Television Day |
UN |
| 25 Nov |
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women |
16-day campaign |
Important Days 2026 — December
National (India)
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 2 Dec |
National Pollution Control Day |
Bhopal gas tragedy remembrance |
| 4 Dec |
Indian Navy Day |
Operation Trident |
| 7 Dec |
Armed Forces Flag Day |
Veterans’ welfare |
| 14 Dec |
National Energy Conservation Day |
BEE |
| 16 Dec |
Vijay Diwas |
1971 |
| 22 Dec |
National Mathematics Day |
Srinivasa Ramanujan |
| 23 Dec |
Kisan Diwas (Farmers’ Day) |
Chaudhary Charan Singh |
| 24 Dec |
National Consumer Day |
CPA-1986 |
| 25 Dec |
Good Governance Day |
Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary |
International / World
| Date |
Day |
Note |
| 1 Dec |
World AIDS Day |
HIV |
| 3 Dec |
International Day of Persons with Disabilities |
Inclusion |
| 5 Dec |
International Volunteer Day; World Soil Day |
Service / Agriculture |
| 9 Dec |
International Anti-Corruption Day |
UNCAC |
| 10 Dec |
Human Rights Day |
UDHR |
| 11 Dec |
International Mountain Day |
Mountain ecology |
| 18 Dec |
International Migrants Day |
IOM/UN |
| 20 Dec |
International Human Solidarity Day |
SDG partnerships |
| 25 Dec |
Christmas |
— |
This list has been prepared by the academic team at Doon Defence Dreamers (Best NDA Coaching in Dehradun). Our aim is not only to state “which date” but to explain “why it is observed.” Above, you’ll find month-wise tables—first National, then International—so reading and sharing stays easy.
FAQs
1) What’s the difference between National and International (World) days?
National days are tied to Indian authorities or institutions (e.g., Army Day, Civil Services Day), while International days are set by global bodies like the UN/WHO/UNESCO (e.g., World Water Day).
2) Do these days have yearly themes?
Yes. Most UN/International days announce a new theme each year. After publishing, update themes from official releases or press notes.
3) When is Rare Disease Day—28 or 29 February?
Always on the last day of February—29 in a leap year, otherwise 28.
4) Why keep separate month-wise tables (National/World)?
So India-specific dates are quick to scan, and global dates are clearly visible for the same month—making it easier to review, save, and update.
5) Can I use these tables for school/coaching activities?
Yes, with attribution. If any date/theme changes, recheck against the latest official sources before printing.
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