- On 25 January 2025, President Droupadi Murmu approved the Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards for 49 people. The 12 rat-hole miners who helped rescue 41 workers trapped in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in November 2023 received the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak. The team worked continuously during the final phase of the rescue operation. The Jeevan Raksha Padak awards recognise exceptional courage shown while saving human lives.
- On 7 August 2026, the Lok Sabha passed the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after the Rajya Sabha passed it on 3 August 2026. The Bill amends the MSME Development Act, 2006 and aims to address delayed payments to Micro and Small Enterprises through faster dispute resolution and stronger recovery mechanisms. It is expected to improve liquidity, cash flow and ease of doing business for MSMEs.
- On 23 June 1757, the Battle of Plassey marked a major turning point in the establishment of British political control in India. The East India Company defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah and subsequently strengthened its influence in Bengal. Its victory at the Battle of Buxar in 1764 and acquisition of Diwani rights in 1765 consolidated its power. Superior military organisation, diplomacy, exploitation of divisions among Indian rulers and access to financial resources helped British expansion.
- On 31 July 2026, the Delhi government launched the Vidya Vahini Yojana to encourage girls’ education by providing free bicycles to girl students studying in government schools. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta distributed around 3,000 bicycles during the launch at East Vinod Nagar. The scheme aims to reduce transportation difficulties, improve school attendance and make educational institutions more accessible to girl students.
- On 30 June 2026, the Karnataka government issued guidelines for its 2026-27 Digital Crop Survey. Farmers can self-report crop details through the Farmer Crop Survey mobile application, while officials verify information using GPS and satellite imagery. Survey data will support crop insurance, disaster compensation and government schemes. The system also records crop damage and cases where farmers could not sow because of inadequate rainfall.
- In July 2026, the India Meteorological Department confirmed that a dedicated X-band Doppler Weather Radar was being installed at the Pazhassi Raja College campus in Pulpally, Wayanad. Around 85% of the work had been completed. The radar will provide high-resolution monitoring of rainfall and severe weather and improve early warnings in the landslide-prone district. It is expected to become operational after integration, calibration and testing.
- On 8 August 2026, reports said India had standardised the official names of 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, including mountain passes and a high-altitude lake, through updated national mapping. The move strengthens official cartographic identification of locations in the strategically sensitive border state and comes amid repeated Chinese attempts to assign its own names to places in Arunachal Pradesh, which India rejects as an integral part of its territory.
- On 10 February 2026, MeitY amended the IT Rules, 2021 to regulate AI-generated and synthetic content such as deepfakes, with the changes effective from 20 February 2026. Platforms must identify and disclose synthetic content and act faster on unlawful-content notices, including 3-hour removal in specified cases and 2-hour removal for non-consensual intimate content. The objective is to curb deepfakes, misinformation, impersonation and other AI-related online harms.
- On 7 August 2026, Andhra Pradesh became the first Indian state reported to have adopted a dedicated pedestrian safety policy. The framework focuses on safer and better-maintained footpaths, pedestrian crossings, traffic-calming measures, accessibility standards and pedestrian-friendly urban planning. The policy aims to reduce risks faced by people walking on roads while encouraging walking as a safe and sustainable mode of urban mobility.
- By 8 August 2026, India crossed 25 crore digital OPD registrations through the Scan and Register facility under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Patients can scan a QR code using their Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) and register digitally instead of standing in hospital registration queues. Around four lakh registrations were reportedly being completed daily, demonstrating expanding adoption of digital public-health infrastructure.
- On 7 August 2026, the Government e-Marketplace completed nearly a decade of operations after being launched in August 2016. Cumulative procurement through GeM crossed ₹20 lakh crore, while GMV during the first four months of FY2026-27 reached about ₹1.47 lakh crore. GeM provides an online platform through which government departments and public institutions procure goods and services, improving transparency, competition and access for sellers.
- In August 2026, US immigration rules drew attention after USCIS policy changes increased the risk of applications being denied without first giving applicants an opportunity to correct missing evidence through a Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny. Separately, the August 2026 Visa Bulletin showed India's EB-2 category as unavailable, while high demand could also make the Indian EB-1 category unavailable before the fiscal year ends on 30 September 2026.
- On 7 August 2026, South Korean semiconductor maker SK Hynix approved investments of about 54.3 trillion won, or $38.3 billion, to expand semiconductor manufacturing in Yongin and Cheongju through 2031. The expansion includes facilities producing advanced DRAM, high-bandwidth memory and NAND flash. The investment is aimed largely at meeting rapidly growing memory demand from artificial intelligence servers and other computing infrastructure.
- On 7 August 2026, the Solar Energy Corporation of India reported discovery of a ₹5.25 per unit tariff in a round-the-clock renewable-energy tender. The competitive tariff represents an important development for projects designed to provide renewable electricity beyond periods when solar or wind generation is naturally available. Such RTC projects generally combine renewable sources with storage or complementary generation to provide more dependable power supply.
- The 2026 Asian Rafting Championships will be held from 5 to 9 October 2026 at Boleng in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang Valley. The continental event will bring leading Asian rafting teams to the Siang River and place Arunachal Pradesh on the international competitive-rafting calendar. The Indian Rafting Foundation represents India within the World Rafting Federation framework. Winners and medals cannot be mentioned yet because the championship is scheduled for October 2026.
- On 2 August 2026, Indian badminton player Tanvi Sharma won the women’s singles title at the Taipei Open Super 300, defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh in the final. It was Sharma’s first BWF World Tour title. The 17-year-old also became the youngest champion in the tournament’s history and brought the Taipei Open women’s singles title back to India after an 18-year gap since Saina Nehwal’s victory.
- On 6 August 2026, researchers at IIT Guwahati were reported to have developed a portable, low-cost optical sensing system for rapid detection of toxic substances in water. The technology can help identify harmful metals, fluoride and bacteria and is designed for on-site water-quality testing, particularly in rural and remote areas where laboratory facilities are limited. The innovation could support faster identification of contaminated drinking-water sources.
- In 2026, India achieved an important milestone in its contribution to the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) at Darmstadt, Germany, by developing and dispatching an indigenously manufactured Beam Catcher unit. Bose Institute, Kolkata, coordinates India's participation in FAIR. The international accelerator project supports research in nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, atomic and plasma physics and related applications. India is a founding participant in the FAIR programme.
- On 8 August 2026, reports said the Ministry of Defence had begun examining India's participation in a French-led sixth-generation combat-aircraft programme. India has been exploring international cooperation on next-generation fighters alongside development of its indigenous AMCA. Sixth-generation systems are expected to combine advanced stealth, artificial intelligence, manned-unmanned teaming, networked warfare and next-generation sensors. The initiative could deepen India-France cooperation in advanced aerospace technology.
- On 7 August 2026, the 16th BRICS Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Jaipur concluded with measures aimed at strengthening economic cooperation among BRICS members. Ministers finalised elements of the Economic Partnership Strategy 2030, adopted a joint declaration and advanced a framework designed to improve access to credit for MSMEs. The meeting formed part of India's BRICS Presidency activities ahead of further high-level BRICS engagements.
- On 7 August 2026, Basavaraj Horatti resigned as Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. Horatti, one of the longest-serving members of the Council, stepped down amid political developments surrounding the leadership of the Upper House. His resignation opened the way for a change in the chairmanship, with senior Congress MLC Saleem Ahmed being considered for the position.
- Quit India Movement Day was observed on 8 August 2026 to commemorate the adoption of the Quit India Resolution in Bombay on 8 August 1942. Mahatma Gandhi delivered his historic Do or Die call at Gowalia Tank Maidan, now August Kranti Maidan, demanding an end to British colonial rule. The observance honours freedom fighters and recalls one of the decisive mass movements of India's independence struggle. No officially confirmed theme for 2026 was found.
Questions:
Q1. Quit India Movement Day is observed every year on:a) 7 August
b) 8 August
c) 9 August
d) 15 August
Answer: b) Quit India Movement Day is observed on 8 August to commemorate the Quit India Resolution adopted in 1942. Mahatma Gandhi gave his famous Do or Die call during the movement demanding an end to British rule.
Q2. The portable system developed by IIT Guwahati is mainly designed to detect:
a) Cybersecurity threats
b) Toxic substances in water
c) Air pollution from vehicles
d) Radiation leakage
Answer: b) IIT Guwahati developed a portable and low-cost sensing system to detect toxic metals, fluoride, bacteria and other harmful substances in water. It is especially useful for rapid water-quality testing in rural and remote areas.
