National
- On 1 September 2026, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched the 5th edition of Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026 (SSSS 5.0), a nationwide ocean-conservation campaign led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The main campaign will run from 12–19 September 2026 and involve citizens, students, coastal communities, NGOs and volunteers in beach-cleaning and marine-conservation activities. The initiative promotes public participation in protecting India's coastline and reducing marine pollution.
- On 1 September 2026, the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) launched its Adoption Awareness 2026 campaign with the theme Legal Adoption. Safe Childhood. Secure Future. Say No to Illegal Adoption! CARA functions under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The campaign promotes legal, transparent and child-centric adoption while discouraging informal or illegal adoption arrangements. State and UT-level awareness workshops will be organised throughout the year from September 2026.
- On 3 September 2026, the Tamil Nadu government announced plans to develop a world-class Olympic City in Chennai along with a separate Motor Sports City. The proposed Olympic City will provide international-standard arenas, high-performance training facilities, sports medicine infrastructure and other facilities for athletes. The initiative is intended to strengthen Tamil Nadu's ability to host major sporting events and develop the state as an important national and international sports hub.
- On 2 September 2026, Kerala announced plans to establish a Coconut Park with support from the Coconut Development Board. The proposed park will focus on modern coconut processing, value addition, packaging, marketing and production of export-oriented coconut products. Kuttiady in Kozhikode district is being considered as a location. The initiative seeks to increase farmers' incomes, encourage entrepreneurship and strengthen Kerala's coconut-processing and export ecosystem.
- On 2 September 2026, the Tamil Nadu government introduced the Tamil Nadu Business Facilitation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing a high-level Tamil Nadu Investment Promotion Commission. The framework seeks to provide faster and time-bound business approvals, including a 21-day approval mechanism for covered clearances. The proposed commission would be headed by the Chief Secretary and bring approvals under 22 state laws within a coordinated investment-facilitation system.
- On 5 September 2026, President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to confer the National Teachers Awards 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. A total of 48 school teachers, comprising 26 men and 22 women from 27 states, seven Union Territories and six Central Government organisations, were selected. The awards recognise teachers who have made exceptional contributions to improving school education and enriching students' learning experiences.
- On 2 September 2026, Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty in the Hong Kong High Court to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the territory's National Security Law. Prosecutors accused him of supporting efforts to seek foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China. Wong was already serving a prison sentence in a separate subversion case. The latest offence can attract a lengthy prison term, potentially including life imprisonment in grave cases.
- On 1 September 2026, the India-Afghanistan Joint Working Group on Trade, Commerce and Investment held a virtual meeting to review bilateral economic cooperation. Discussions covered trade facilitation, customs cooperation, visas for Afghan traders, banking and financial cooperation, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, investment, tariff concessions, cargo connectivity and port-related issues. Both sides agreed to strengthen institutional coordination and promote greater business-to-business engagement and commercial connectivity.
- The 68th Ramon Magsaysay Awards for 2026 recognised Tommy Koh of Singapore, Runa Khan of Bangladesh and Bo Kyi of Myanmar. Koh was honoured for international diplomacy and contributions to global governance, Runa Khan for humanitarian and development work through Friendship Bangladesh, and Bo Kyi for his advocacy for democracy and political prisoners in Myanmar. The award ceremony is scheduled for 15 November 2026 in Manila, Philippines.
- On 4 September 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government became the longest continuously serving Italian government since World War II, surpassing the previous longevity record associated with Silvio Berlusconi's government. Meloni's coalition has remained in power since October 2022, an unusual degree of political stability for Italy. The record concerns the duration of her government, rather than simply making Meloni Italy's longest-serving postwar prime minister personally.
- The U.S. Mint made rolls and bags of the 2026 Semiquincentennial President Donald J. Trump $1 Coin available from 2 September 2026 as part of commemorations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. The obverse features President Trump, while the reverse carries the Presidential Seal. 250,000 coins were struck on July 4 with a special privy mark. I could verify the release, but not the claim that the coin sold out.
Banking:
- On 1 September 2026, the Reserve Bank of India approved Carol Kripanayana Furtado as Interim CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank for three months following the departure of MD and CEO Sanjeev Nautiyal, who sought early retirement on health grounds. Furtado was already a Whole-Time Executive Director and has nearly three decades of banking experience across retail banking, credit, operations and NBFC businesses.
- On 2 September 2026, Hyundai Motor India MD and CEO Tarun Garg, speaking at the 66th Automotive Component Manufacturers Association Annual Session, highlighted India's $1.4-billion auto-component trade deficit in FY2025-26. India exported about $24 billion of auto components but imported approximately $25.4 billion. He stressed India's dependence on advanced technologies such as semiconductors, battery cells, rare-earth magnets and power electronics and called for stronger domestic R&D and manufacturing capabilities.
- On 2 September 2026, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that India will host the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy 2027 from 14–28 February 2027. Matches will be played at the Cricket Club of India, Mumbai, and Vadodara International Cricket Stadium. Six teams will participate: India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. They will play a round-robin league, with the top two teams qualifying for the final.
- On 3 September 2026, Indian opener Smriti Mandhana became the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket, surpassing former India captain Mithali Raj. Mandhana scored 124 from 64 balls against Hong Kong, China in the Women's Asia Cup in Dubai, taking her international aggregate to 10,880 runs, ahead of Raj's 10,868. Her 18th international century also made her the leading century-maker across women's international cricket at the time.
- A patent jointly held by DRDO and the University of Hyderabad's Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials for a next-generation solid rocket propellant fuel was officially granted on 20 August 2026 and announced on 2 September 2026. Patent No. 599900 relates to an energetic boron, hydrogen and nitrogen-rich compound known as BAM-H24, developed for potential use as an advanced solid rocket propellant fuel.
- On 4 September 2026 at 2:55 AM IST, ISRO successfully launched EOS-05 aboard GSLV-F17 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. GSLV-F17 was the 19th flight of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. It placed EOS-05 into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. EOS-05 is a state-of-the-art Earth-observation spacecraft and India's first imaging satellite designed to operate from geosynchronous orbit.
- On 3 September 2026, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that the ongoing El Niño is expected to strengthen into a very strong event, increasing risks of floods, droughts and extreme heat worldwide. WMO forecasts indicate a nearly 100% probability that El Niño will persist through February 2027. Exceptionally warm tropical Pacific waters are driving the intensification and are expected to significantly alter global rainfall and temperature patterns.
- On 2 September 2026, the Ministry of Defence announced that the 16th Aero India will be held from 8–12 February 2027 at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru. Aero India is India's flagship aerospace and defence exhibition and air show. It brings together global aerospace companies, defence manufacturers, military delegations and government representatives and provides a major platform for indigenous defence production, technology partnerships and aerospace exports.
- In early September 2026, the Indian Air Force successfully tested the indigenous long-range glide bomb Khagantak-243, reportedly launched from a Su-30MKI fighter aircraft. The weapon has a reported stand-off range of over 140 km, allowing aircraft to attack targets without entering heavily defended airspace. Nagpur-based JSR Dynamics has been associated with its development, reflecting greater private-sector participation in indigenous precision-guided weapons. On 3 September 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released the RAKSHA defence diplomacy document in New Delhi. It sets out India's strategic roadmap for global defence partnerships over the next 10 years. Its major pillars include strategic partnerships, joint exercises and training, capacity building, promotion of indigenous defence exports and stronger maritime-security cooperation, including India's role as a Net Security Provider and First Responder in the Indian Ocean Region.
MoUs:
- On 1 September 2026, India and Germany signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on the Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands of International Importance during the 4th Indo-German Environment Forum. The forum's theme was Together For More Resilience. The agreement seeks to deepen cooperation in wetland conservation, climate resilience, biodiversity protection and sustainable use of natural resources while improving institutional capacity and exchange of technical knowledge between the two countries.
- On 1 September 2026, NABARD and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) signed an MoU to integrate IMD's agrometeorological information into DiCRA, Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture. DiCRA is an open-source digital platform supported by NABARD and UNDP. The partnership will provide weather forecasts, alerts and agricultural advisories to farmers, financial institutions, policymakers and researchers, supporting climate-resilient agriculture and better assessment of climate risks in rural finance.
- In September 2026, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) signed an MoU covering biofuels, biomass utilisation, waste-to-resource solutions and the circular economy. Cooperation will include Compressed Biogas, feedstock assessment, supply-chain development, technology evaluation, pilot projects and productive use of biofuel by-products such as digestate, Bio-CO₂ and fermented organic manure. The partnership also plans to explore carbon-credit opportunities.
- On 2 September 2026, the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an MoU in New Delhi covering landscape conservation, sustainable development, capacity building, knowledge exchange and nature-positive financing. The MoU was signed alongside an International Workshop on Tiger Landscapes and seeks to mobilise financing and expertise for conservation while linking ecological protection with sustainable livelihoods, bioeconomy and ecotourism.
Appointments and Resignations:
- Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, a Vir Chakra recipient and former Indian Air Force fighter pilot, had joined Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a commercial pilot following his retirement from the IAF on 31 March 2026. He is undergoing training for the ATR 72-600 aircraft. Varthaman gained national prominence during the India-Pakistan aerial confrontation in February 2019.
- On 3 September 2026, Adobe's Board of Directors announced that Indian-origin technology executive Anil Chakravarthy will become the company's President and CEO from 1 December 2026. He will succeed Shantanu Narayen, who will become Executive Chair. Chakravarthy joined Adobe in 2020 after previously serving as CEO of Informatica and currently leads Adobe's Customer Experience Orchestration business and worldwide field operations.
- Around the end of August 2026, Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal, formerly Aide-de-Camp to President Droupadi Murmu, took premature retirement from the Indian Army after around 12 years of service. He had served with 4 Para Special Forces and was selected as one of the President's ADCs in 2023. The ADC assists the President during official, ceremonial and administrative engagements.
- World Skyscraper Day was observed on 3 September 2026. The observance commemorates the birthday of American architect Louis Sullivan, born on 3 September 1856, who became one of the pioneers of modern high-rise architecture and is associated with the principle form follows function. The day celebrates skyscraper architecture, engineering and urban development. It is primarily a popular observance rather than an official United Nations international day.
- National Wildlife Day was observed on 4 September 2026 to promote awareness about wildlife, endangered species, habitat conservation and the role of sanctuaries, zoos and conservation organisations. Important exam caution: this is primarily a U.S.-origin observance, not India's official National Wildlife Week or a UN-designated international day. Therefore, it is relatively low priority for Indian competitive examinations.
- India observes Teachers' Day every year on 5 September, the birth anniversary of philosopher, educationist and India's second President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, born in 1888. Teachers' Day has been observed nationally since 1962 to recognise teachers' contribution to education and nation-building. In 2026, the occasion also includes the National Teachers Awards ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan. I could not verify a single authoritative Government of India theme for Teachers' Day 2026.
- Krishna Janmashtami 2026 was primarily observed on 4 September 2026, marking the birth of Lord Krishna. The Ashtami Tithi began early on September 4 and ended shortly after midnight on September 5, which led to some regional variation in observance. Janmashtami is celebrated with fasting, midnight worship, devotional singing and temple ceremonies, particularly in places associated with Krishna such as Mathura and Vrindavan.
Questions:
Q1. Who was approved by the Reserve Bank of India as Interim CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank in September 2026?a) Sanjeev Nautiyal
b) Suman Ray
c) Carol Kripanayana Furtado
d) Shanti Ekambaram
Answer: c) On 1 September 2026, the RBI approved Carol Kripanayana Furtado as Interim CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank for three months.
Q2. NABARD signed an MoU with which organisation to integrate agrometeorological information into the DiCRA platform?
a) Indian Council of Agricultural Research
b) India Meteorological Department
c) Indian Space Research Organisation
d) National Disaster Management Authority
Answer: b) On 1 September 2026, NABARD and IMD signed an MoU to integrate IMD’s weather and agrometeorological information with DiCRA (Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture).
