The month of October is set to bring a wide range of national and international observances. In India, a number of occasions will be marked with established customs and celebrations, alongside global events focused on health, human rights and wider social concerns.
Gandhi Jayanti falls on Oct. 2 and marks the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth. Recognised by the United Nations as the International Day of Non-Violence, the day draws attention to Gandhi's enduring advocacy of peaceful action and truth.
Indian Air Force Day will be observed on Oct. 8, marking the service's contribution to the country's defence. Founded in 1932, the Indian Air Force has played a central role in national security, with the annual occasion featuring air displays, ceremonial events and public showcases of its capabilities.
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Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, will be observed on Oct. 20, marking the culmination of the Navratri festivities. Across India, communities mark the occasion with the burning of Ravana effigies, a long-standing tradition representing the victory of good over evil and righteousness over wrongdoing.
National Unity Day will be observed on Oct. 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The day honours Patel's contribution to the political unification of India following independence.
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Important Days And Dates In October 2026
- Oct. 1: International Day of Older Persons; International Coffee Day; World Vegetarian Day
- Oct. 2: Gandhi Jayanti; International Day of Non-Violence; Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti
- Oct. 3: World Temperance Day
- Oct. 4: World Animal Day
- Oct. 5: World Teachers' Day; World Habitat Day
- Oct. 6: World Cerebral Palsy Day; Indira Ekadashi
- Oct. 7: World Cotton Day
- Oct. 8: Indian Air Force Day
- Oct. 9: World Post Day
- Oct. 10: World Mental Health Day; National Post Day; Sarva Pitru Amavasya
- Oct. 11: International Day of the Girl Child; Sharad Navratri Begins; Ghatasthapana
- Oct. 13: International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Oct. 14: World Standards Day
- Oct. 15: World Students' Day; International Day of Rural Women; Global Handwashing Day
- Oct. 16: World Food Day; World Anaesthesia Day
- Oct. 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- Oct. 19: Durga Ashtami; Maha Navami
- Oct. 20: Vijayadashami / Dussehra
- Oct. 21: Police Commemoration Day
- Oct. 22: Papankusha Ekadashi
- Oct. 24: United Nations Day; World Development Information Day; World Polio Day
- Oct. 25: Sharad Purnima; Kojagara Puja
- Oct. 26: Valmiki Jayanti
- Oct. 27: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
- Oct. 29: Karwa Chauth; International Day of Care and Support
- Oct. 31: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day); World Cities Day
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