Khudiram Bose martyrdom day observed on 11 August.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Tributes were paid to freedom fighter Khudiram Bose on his martyrdom day on 11 August 2026. He was executed by the British in 1908 at the age of 18.

Key Highlights:
•   Khudiram Bose was hanged on 11 August 1908 at the age of 18.
•   He is remembered as the youngest martyr of the Indian freedom movement.
•   He and Prafulla Chaki attempted to assassinate Muzaffarpur Magistrate Douglas Kingsford.
•   The bomb attack took place on 30 April 1908.
•   Khudiram Bose was one of the first Bengali revolutionaries executed by British Raj.

NABL launches India's first accreditation scheme for Mobile Food Testing Laboratories.

Dated: 13 August 2026

NABL launched India's first accreditation scheme for Mobile Food Testing Laboratories in New Delhi on 10 August 2026. The scheme will help mobile laboratories provide quality-assured food testing services closer to communities.

Key Highlights:
•   NABL launched the scheme during the Gunvatta Samanvaya event.
•   The scheme was developed under the Integrated Assessment Programme.
•   It sets standards for quality-assured and internationally benchmarked mobile food testing.
•   It will strengthen food safety checks and improve consumer confidence.
•   It aims to reduce repeated assessment work and improve regulatory efficiency.
•   The scheme will help regulators take faster action in food safety cases.

Additional Information:
•   NABL is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India.
•   QCI was established in 1997 under DPIIT and is headquartered in New Delhi.
•   NABL gives formal recognition to testing and calibration laboratories for their technical competence.

National Scholarship Portal launched for agriculture students.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the National Scholarship Portal for agriculture students on 10 August 2026. Through the NSP-DBT system, ?21.35 crore was transferred to over 6,000 students.

Key Highlights:
•   The portal was launched at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi.
•   ?21.35 crore scholarship amount was transferred to over 6,000 agriculture students.
•   Students received the money through Direct Benefit Transfer.
•   Scholarships will now be transferred monthly through the NSP-DBT system.
•   The portal aims to bring transparency and reduce delays in scholarship payments.
•   It will support innovation, startups and research in agriculture.

Additional Information:
•   ICAR-IARI is also known as the Pusa Institute and was established in 1905.
•   ICAR was established on 16 July 1929 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
•   NSP is a single-window digital platform for scholarship application and payment.

Gujarat launches JICA-supported plastic waste project at Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Gujarat Forest Department launched a ?2.94 crore plastic waste management programme at Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary on 11 August 2026 with support from JICA. The project aims to prevent plastic pollution in the wetland ecosystem.

Key Highlights:
•   The project has been approved under Project for Eco-Restoration in Gujarat.
•   A Plastic Waste Collection Centre has been set up at Kayla village in Viramgam taluka, Ahmedabad.
•   The centre includes a processing unit, collection shed and plastic-processing machines.
•   Wildlife Division, Sanand will manage the project with Eco-Development Committees.
•   Local volunteers called Swachhta Praharis will help in waste collection and segregation.
•   The project covers villages in Ahmedabad and Surendranagar districts.

Additional Information:
•   Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary became a Ramsar Site in 2012.
•   It is Gujarat's largest wetland bird sanctuary and lies on the Central Asian Flyway.
•   JICA was established in 1974, is headquartered in Tokyo and provides Official Development Assistance.

VOC Port becomes India's first Scope-2 emission-free major port.

Dated: 13 August 2026

V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority at Thoothukudi became India's first Scope-2 emission-free major port on 10 August 2026. During FY 2025-26, renewable energy met 93.89 percent of its total electricity requirement.

Key Highlights:
•   VOC Port received ISO 50001:2018 certification for its Energy Management System.
•   Bureau Veritas issued the certification.
•   Renewable sources provided 93.89 percent of the port's electricity use in FY 2025-26.
•   The port has 1.04 MW rooftop solar, 6 MW ground-mounted solar and 2 MW wind power capacity.
•   An 8 MW wind farm with 5-MWh Battery Energy Storage System is under development.
•   The port is also developing green hydrogen and green methanol bunkering facilities.

Additional Information:
•   VOC Port is located in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, on the Gulf of Mannar.
•   The port is named after V.O. Chidambaram Pillai.
•   It was declared a Major Port on 11 July 1974.

India wins one gold and three bronze medals at International Linguistics Olympiad.

Dated: 13 August 2026

India won one gold medal and three bronze medals at the International Linguistics Olympiad 2026 held in Romania. An eight-member Indian team participated in the event.

Key Highlights:
•   Shrilakshmi Venkatraman won the Gold Medal.
•   Aarav Anil Rao, Nishanth Shankar Lakshmanan and Advay Misra won Bronze Medals.
•   Soham Amit Pednekar received an Honourable Mention.
•   Language Technologies Research Centre at IIIT Hyderabad mentored the Indian team.
•   Students were selected through the Panini Linguistics Olympiad.
•   The selection process included a national qualifier and a residential camp at IIIT Hyderabad.

Additional Information:
•   India first took part in the International Linguistics Olympiad in 2009.
•   India has won 37 individual medals at the Olympiad, including 6 gold, 9 silver and 22 bronze medals.
•   Panini Linguistics Olympiad is India's official selection and mentoring channel for the event.

ICMR launches S.H.I.N.E. 2026 science outreach programme.

Dated: 13 August 2026

ICMR launched S.H.I.N.E. 2026, a nationwide science outreach programme, on 11-12 August 2026. The programme aims to connect school students with scientists and research activities.

Key Highlights:
•   S.H.I.N.E. stands for Science, Health and Innovation for NextGen Explorers.
•   The programme is being organised by Department of Health Research under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
•   It is being conducted at 83 locations across India.
•   Around 30,000 students of Classes 9 to 12 will take part.
•   Students will interact with scientists, see live demonstrations and visit laboratories.
•   The programme includes research exhibitions and poster walks on public health issues.
•   It supports the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision by promoting scientific temper among students.

Additional Information:
•   ICMR is India's apex body for biomedical research.
•   ICMR was established in 1911 as Indian Research Fund Association and renamed in 1949.
•   ICMR is headquartered in New Delhi and its Director General is Dr. Rajiv Bahl.
•   Department of Health Research was created in 2007.

IIT Delhi tops Indian institutions in QS World University Rankings 2027.

Dated: 13 August 2026

India has 52 institutions in the QS World University Rankings 2027, compared with 11 institutions in 2015. IIT Delhi is the highest-ranked Indian institution at 118th position globally.

Key Highlights:
•   IIT Delhi is ranked 118th globally and improved by five places.
•   IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur and IISc Bengaluru follow IIT Delhi.
•   IIT Bombay is ranked 134th, IIT Madras 170th, IIT Kharagpur 205th and IISc Bengaluru 221st.
•   Out of 52 Indian institutions, 26 improved their position and two entered the rankings for the first time.
•   BITS Pilani rose 93 places to 575th rank and VIT rose 94 places to 597th rank.
•   Since 2014, India has established 43 new premier institutions, including seven IITs and eight Central Universities.

Additional Information:
•   NIRF was launched by the Ministry of Education in 2015.
•   NEP 2020 was approved on 29 July 2020 and replaced National Policy on Education, 1986.

SatSure Analytics wins NABARD National Climate Stack Innovation Challenge.

Dated: 13 August 2026

NABARD announced SatSure Analytics India Pvt Ltd as the winner of the National Climate Stack Innovation Challenge on 11 August 2026. The challenge supports DiCRA as a Digital Public Infrastructure for climate-resilient agriculture.

Key Highlights:
•   SatSure Analytics India Pvt Ltd won the first prize.
•   EXPERIQS Pvt Ltd won second prize and VARSAPRADAYA Pvt Ltd won third prize.
•   The challenge was supported by The Gates Foundation and Dalberg Advisors.
•   SatSure Analytics developed a climate vulnerability index using satellite data to assess village-level climate risk.
•   EXPERIQS created a block-level drought intelligence platform.
•   VARSAPRADAYA developed a 3-km, 20-year hazard scoring and advisory engine for rural credit and irrigation.
•   The solutions will support climate forecasting for agriculture, rural finance, insurance and public planning.

Additional Information:
•   DiCRA stands for Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture.
•   NABARD was established on 12 July 1982 under NABARD Act, 1981.
•   NABARD is headquartered in Mumbai.

India adds 11 new entry points for e-Visa holders.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Ministry of Home Affairs notified 11 more international entry points for e-Visa holder foreigners on 10 August 2026. With this, the total number of designated e-Visa entry points has increased to 88.

Key Highlights:
•   India now has 88 designated entry points for e-Visa holders.
•   These include 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports.
•   The new airports are Bhopal and Tirupati.
•   The new land ports include Agartala, Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki, Moreh and Attari Road.
•   Around 95 percent of e-Visa applications are processed in less than 72 hours.
•   Electronic visas account for around 78 percent of total visas issued by India.

Additional Information:
•   India introduced the e-Visa facility in 2014 for 43 countries.
•   It is now available to nationals of 172 countries.
•   e-Visa has 17 sub-categories, including Tourist, Business, Medical and Transit X-1.

Srinivasa Kumar Tummala takes charge as Earth Sciences Secretary.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Scientist Dr. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala assumed charge as Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences on 10 August 2026. He earlier served as Director of ESSO-INCOIS in Hyderabad.

Key Highlights:
•   Dr. Tummala succeeded Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, who was holding additional charge.
•   He succeeds former full-time Secretary Dr. M. Ravichandran.
•   His priorities include Deep Ocean Mission, Blue Economy, polar research and climate modelling.
•   He served as Director of ESSO-INCOIS since August 2020.
•   He was Project Manager for India's Tsunami Early Warning System.
•   He served as Head of UNESCO-IOC ICG/IOTWMS Secretariat in Perth, Australia.
•   He received National Geoscience Award in 2010 and Indian National Geospatial Award in 2008.

Additional Information:
•   MoES was formed in 2006 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
•   ESSO-INCOIS was established in 1999 and is located in Hyderabad.
•   Deep Ocean Mission includes development of Matsya 6000 manned submersible.

MSME Ministry and DPIIT sign MoU to promote Bharat GI products.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Ministry of MSME and DPIIT signed an MoU at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, on 5 August 2026 to promote commercialisation of Geographical Indication products under the Bharat GI banner.

Key Highlights:
•   Bharat GI is a branding framework for taking regional products to national and global markets.
•   GI collectives will be onboarded on Open Network for Digital Commerce.
•   Authorised GI users will be integrated with Government e-Marketplace portal.
•   The ministries will support GI Pavilions at national and international trade events.
•   The MoU will strengthen One District One Product ecosystem through quality standardisation.
•   DPIIT is the nodal body for GI registration and legal protection.
•   MSME Ministry will support artisans and traditional industries.

Additional Information:
•   Darjeeling Tea was India's first GI-tagged product in 2004-05.
•   GI registration is valid for 10 years and can be renewed.
•   DPIIT was established in 1995 and is headquartered in New Delhi.

Deepti Gaur Mukerjee appointed Higher Education Secretary.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Government of India appointed Deepti Gaur Mukerjee as Secretary of Department of Higher Education on 10 August 2026. She succeeds Vineet Joshi, who has been moved to Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Key Highlights:
•   Deepti Gaur Mukerjee is a 1993-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.
•   She will head the Department of Higher Education under Ministry of Education.
•   Pallavi Jain Govil was appointed Secretary of Corporate Affairs.
•   Sushil Kumar Lohani was appointed Chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India.
•   Sunil Paliwal was appointed Secretary of Youth Affairs and Sports.
•   Archana Verma was appointed Secretary of Department of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Additional Information:
•   Department of Higher Education works under Ministry of Education.
•   It handles university education, technical education and scholarships.
•   It oversees bodies such as UGC and AICTE.
•   IWAI was established on 27 October 1986 and is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

TDB supports indigenous AI-powered Griva Vision cervical cancer screening technology.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Technology Development Board entered into an agreement with Griva Healthcare Pvt Ltd on 10 August 2026 to support commercial production of Griva Vision, an indigenous AI-powered cervical cancer screening technology.

Key Highlights:
•   Griva Vision is a portable digital colposcope with AI-assisted screening features.
•   It helps in early detection of cervical pre-cancerous lesions.
•   Commercial-scale manufacturing will be set up in Kollam, Kerala.
•   Research and Development is being carried out at AIC-AMTZ Medivalley, Visakhapatnam.
•   More than 50 percent of product components are indigenous.
•   It is a Class B non-invasive medical device with CDSCO manufacturing licence.
•   Its software is ABDM-compliant and follows WHO-approved AVE standards.

Additional Information:
•   TDB is a statutory body under Department of Science and Technology.
•   TDB was established in 1996 under Technology Development Board Act, 1995.
•   India launched CERVAVAC, its first indigenous quadrivalent HPV vaccine, in 2023.

TRAI launches 1601 number series for utility and courier calls.

Dated: 13 August 2026

TRAI started rollout of 1601 number series on 10 August 2026 for service and transactional calls by utility and logistics companies. The move aims to help consumers identify genuine business calls and reduce impersonation fraud.

Key Highlights:
•   The 1601 series is for electricity, water, city gas and LPG utility providers.
•   It is also for courier, express logistics and freight service providers.
•   Telecom Service Providers must complete migration and onboarding within 90 days.
•   Numbers will be allotted directly to eligible companies, not intermediaries or aggregators.
•   The series can only be used for service and transactional voice calls.
•   Promotional calls through 1601 series are not allowed.
•   The series complements 1600 series, which is for BFSI and Government entities.

Additional Information:
•   TRAI was established on 20 February 1997 under TRAI Act, 1997.
•   TRAI is headquartered in New Delhi.

Prime Minister releases Ram Nath Kovind's autobiography.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released former President Ram Nath Kovind's autobiography, Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles, at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.

Key Highlights:
•   The autobiography is titled Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles.
•   The book was released at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
•   It describes Ram Nath Kovind's journey from early struggles to public service.
•   It covers his experiences and tenure as the 14th President of India.
•   The book also highlights the values that shaped his public career.

Additional Information:
•   Ram Nath Kovind was the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022.
•   He was Governor of Bihar from 2015 to 2017.
•   He was a Rajya Sabha Member from Uttar Pradesh for two terms from 1994 to 2006.
•   He worked as an advocate in Delhi High Court and Supreme Court of India.

RBI Survey of Professional Forecasters raises FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.6 percent.

Dated: 13 August 2026

RBI's 101st Survey of Professional Forecasters revised India's FY27 real GDP growth forecast to 6.6 percent in July 2026. The survey also projected FY27 retail inflation at 5 percent.

Key Highlights:
•   FY27 real GDP growth forecast was increased from 6.5 percent to 6.6 percent.
•   RBI's August 2026 bi-monthly policy projected FY27 GDP growth at 6.7 percent.
•   FY27 retail inflation forecast is 5 percent for both SPF and RBI estimates.
•   FY28 GDP growth forecast was raised by 10 basis points to 7 percent.
•   FY28 retail inflation forecast remains at 4.5 percent.
•   FY27 Current Account Deficit is projected at 1.4 percent of GDP.
•   FY27 merchandise exports are projected to grow by 7 percent and imports by 9.9 percent.

Additional Information:
•   RBI was established on 1 April 1935 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
•   RBI Governor is Sanjay Malhotra.
•   MPC has six members and maintains the retail inflation target of 4 percent with a margin of plus or minus 2 percent.

IndusInd Bank and EazyDiner launch Platinum RuPay Credit Card.

Dated: 13 August 2026

IndusInd Bank partnered with EazyDiner on 11 August 2026 to launch EazyDiner IndusInd Bank Platinum RuPay Credit Card. The lifetime-free card offers UPI-linked dining and entertainment benefits.

Key Highlights:
•   The card has zero joining fee and no annual fee.
•   It is issued on RuPay network and can be linked with UPI apps for QR-code payments.
•   Users get ?500 dining discount through EazyDiner app up to three times each month.
•   It offers three-month EazyDiner Prime membership worth ?1,095.
•   Potential annual dining savings are estimated at ?18,000.
•   It offers one monthly Buy One Get One movie ticket through BookMyShow.
•   Users earn EazyPoints that can be redeemed for dining and lifestyle benefits.

Additional Information:
•   IndusInd Bank started operations in 1994 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
•   RuPay was launched by NPCI in 2012.
•   RuPay is India's indigenous global card payment network and supports credit-on-UPI transactions.

RBI approves Indel Remit for trade remittance services.

Dated: 13 August 2026

RBI approved Indel Remit, the foreign exchange arm of Indel Money Limited, to provide trade remittance services on 6 August 2026.

Key Highlights:
•   Indel Remit works under an Authorized Dealer Category-II licence.
•   The perpetual licence allows non-trade current account transactions, except gifts and donations.
•   It can facilitate foreign trade transactions up to ?25 lakh per transaction.
•   It provides inward and outward cross-border remittance services.
•   The services will help MSMEs, traders and business executives.

Physicist Deepak Dhar wins ICTP 2026 Dirac Medal.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Theoretical physicist Deepak Dhar was announced as co-recipient of ICTP 2026 Dirac Medal on 11 August 2026 for his work in statistical mechanics.

Key Highlights:
•   Dhar is among ten physicists globally to win both Dirac Medal and Boltzmann Medal.
•   He was the first Indian to win Boltzmann Medal in 2022.
•   His research explains complex systems such as earthquakes, traffic jams and financial-market fluctuations.
•   He is INSA Distinguished Professor at ICTS, Bengaluru.

Additional Information:
•   Dirac Medal was instituted in 1985 by ICTP, Italy.

Parliament passes Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026.

Dated: 13 August 2026

Rajya Sabha passed Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026 on 10 August 2026 after its Lok Sabha approval on 5 August. The Bill allows digital and virtual banking records to be used as evidence in courts.

Key Highlights:
•   The Bill modernises rules for banking evidence in courts.
•   It covers NBFCs, payment aggregators and fintech companies with pan-India presence.
•   Banking records can be presented in physical and electronic form.
•   Clause 4 allows the Central Government to include other regulated entities through notification.

Additional Information:
•   Original Bankers' Books Evidence Act was enacted in 1891.

80th Independence Day celebrations to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram.

Dated: 13 August 2026

India will celebrate its 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026 with themes 150 Years of Vande Mataram and Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat@2047.

Key Highlights:
•   For the first time, Vande Mataram will be sung from Red Fort ramparts on Independence Day.
•   2,500 NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers will form the words Vande Mataram on Gyanpath.
•   IAF Mi-17 helicopter will shower petals and display a 150-years banner.
•   Military bands will perform at 343 locations from 8 to 15 August.
•   Around 5,000 Special Guests will attend the celebrations.

Additional Information:
•   Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875.
•   It was adopted as National Song on 24 January 1950.