1057 personnel awarded Gallantry and Service Medals on Independence Day.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Ministry of Home Affairs announced the conferment of Gallantry and Service Medals to 1057 personnel from Police, Fire Service, Home Guard and Civil Defence, and Correctional Service on Independence Day, 15 August 2026.
Key Highlights:
• A total of 1057 personnel were honoured with Gallantry and Service Medals.
• The awards covered Police, Fire Service, Home Guard and Civil Defence, and Correctional Service personnel.
• Medal for Gallantry was awarded to 301 personnel for acts of bravery.
• Of the Gallantry Medals, 272 were awarded to Police personnel and 29 to Fire Service personnel.
• President's Medal for Distinguished Service was conferred upon 92 personnel.
• A total of 664 Medal for Meritorious Service awards were given for devotion to duty.
Additional Information:
• Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for internal security and public order.
• MHA is the nodal ministry for announcing service medals on Republic Day and Independence Day.
• MHA headquarters is located in New Delhi.
• Gallantry medals recognise personnel for risk-taking beyond the call of duty.
Ministry of Civil Aviation organises Tiranga Rally under Har Ghar Tiranga 2026.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Ministry of Civil Aviation organised a Tiranga Rally in New Delhi on 13 August 2026 under the nationwide Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026. The rally was flagged off by Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol.
Key Highlights:
• The Tiranga Rally was organised by Ministry of Civil Aviation in New Delhi.
• It was held under Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026.
• The rally was flagged off by Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and Murlidhar Mohol.
• The rally started from Udaan Bhawan.
• It culminated at Aviation Park, Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan.
• A Digital Video Wall was inaugurated for Independence Day celebrations.
• Officials performed Vande Mataram and the National Anthem during the event.
Additional Information:
• Ministry of Civil Aviation formulates policies for development and regulation of civil aviation.
• MoCA has administrative control over AAI, DGCA and BCAS.
• The National Flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya.
• The Constituent Assembly adopted the National Flag on 22 July 1947.
• National Flag ratio of width to length is 2:3.
Dr Padma Gurmet conferred UT Ladakh State Award 2025.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Dr Padma Gurmet, Director of National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa, Leh, was conferred the UT Ladakh State Award 2025 on 13 August 2026 for exemplary service to Sowa-Rigpa medicine. The award was conferred by Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena.
Key Highlights:
• Dr Padma Gurmet received UT Ladakh State Award 2025.
• He is Director of National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa, Leh.
• The award was conferred by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
• He was recognised for preservation, promotion and development of Sowa-Rigpa medicine in Ladakh.
• The award ceremony honoured 36 distinguished individuals for contributions in different fields.
• The awards conferred in 2026 covered award years from 2022 to 2025.
Additional Information:
• National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa is located in Leh, Ladakh.
• Sowa-Rigpa is a traditional system of medicine.
• UT Ladakh State Award recognises exceptional contributions and exemplary service in various fields.
• Ladakh is a Union Territory of India.
Jhansi Parichha Dam receives World Heritage Irrigation Structure tag.
Dated: 17 August 2026
The 140-year-old Parichha Dam in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, was recognised as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage on 14 August 2026. The dam is located across the Betwa River and remains a functional irrigation structure.
Key Highlights:
• Parichha Dam received World Heritage Irrigation Structure recognition from ICID.
• The structure is around 140 years old and remains functional.
• The official award will be conferred in October 2026 at the 26th ICID International Congress in France.
• Parichha Dam is built across the Betwa River in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
• The dam is 1,174 metres long and 16.8 metres high.
• It is the headworks of the Betwa Canal System that covers 2,654 km and irrigates 4,28,360 hectares.
• The dam also supplies water to Parichha Thermal Power Project with 920 MW capacity.
Additional Information:
• Construction of Parichha Dam began in 1881 and it became operational in 1886.
• International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage was established in 1950.
• ICID headquarters is in New Delhi.
• Betwa River is a major tributary of Yamuna River and originates in Vindhya Range of Madhya Pradesh.
Revamped India Code Portal launched for citizen-centric legal access.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal launched the revamped India Code Portal at Kartavya Bhavan 2, New Delhi, on 13 August 2026. The portal was developed by National Informatics Centre to make legal information more accessible, transparent and citizen-centric.
Key Highlights:
• The revamped India Code Portal was launched by Arjun Ram Meghwal.
• The launch took place at Kartavya Bhavan 2, New Delhi.
• The portal was developed by the NIC using contemporary digital technologies.
• It features AI-assisted, semantic and speech-based search options.
• It integrates with the e-Gazette ecosystem and provides QR-enabled access to legislation.
• The portal provides legal texts in all 22 Eighth Schedule languages.
• It contains Central Acts, State Acts, UT legislations, subordinate regulations and legislative history.
Additional Information:
• National Informatics Centre was established in 1976.
• NIC functions as an attached office under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• NIC headquarters is in New Delhi.
• Eighth Schedule originally had 14 languages and currently includes 22 languages.
• Attorney General for India is appointed under Article 76 of the Constitution.
IIT Guwahati develops two-stage bioenergy and CO2 capture process.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Researchers at IIT Guwahati developed a nutrient-assisted two-stage cultivation process to improve carbon dioxide capture and bioenergy production. The process uses microalgal culture with controlled CO2 concentrations, calcium and phosphorus supplementation.
Key Highlights:
• Stage 1 grows microalgal culture under 15 percent CO2 for rapid growth and high carbon availability.
• Stage 2 reduces CO2 concentration to 5 percent and adds calcium and phosphorus.
• The process achieved 25.7 percent higher biomass production.
• It achieved 35.4 percent higher CO2 fixation.
• Lipid productivity was 1.86 times higher with 37.65 percent better intracellular bioenergy efficiency.
• Calcium-assisted auto-sedimentation delivered 98.46 percent biomass recovery efficiency.
• The derived renewable fuels meet biodiesel standards of India, United States and Europe.
Additional Information:
• The experiment was conducted in a 2-litre bubble-column photobioreactor.
• IIT Guwahati was established in 1994 as the sixth IIT.
• IIT Guwahati is located in Guwahati, Assam.
• Bioenergy is renewable energy produced from biological sources such as microalgae and plant biomass.
L&T secures AI data centre order from Together AI.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Larsen and Toubro secured an order worth up to Rs 15,000 crore from U.S.-based cloud platform Together AI to host an AI data centre using NVIDIA high-performance chips. The project will be executed through L&T AI infrastructure subsidiary LTN Compute at the Vyoma.AI Chennai campus.
Key Highlights:
• L&T secured an AI data centre order from Together AI.
• The order value ranges from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore.
• The project will be hosted at Vyoma.AI unit in Chennai campus.
• The facility will have a capacity of 10,000 NVIDIA B300 chips.
• It is the largest deployment of such NVIDIA chips in India.
• The data centre will support AI inference, fine-tuning and training on Together AI cloud platform.
Additional Information:
• Larsen and Toubro was established in 1938.
• L&T headquarters is in Mumbai, India.
• NVIDIA was founded in 1993.
• NVIDIA headquarters is in Santa Clara, California, USA.
PMRKVY and Krishonnati Yojana funds released for Rajasthan and Telangana.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare approved financial allocations under PMRKVY and Krishonnati Yojana for Rajasthan and Telangana on 13 August 2026. Rajasthan received Rs 340.59 crore while Telangana received Rs 265.12 crore.
Key Highlights:
• Rajasthan received a total allocation of Rs 340.59 crore.
• Rajasthan received Rs 216.12 crore under RKVY and Rs 124.47 crore under Krishonnati Yojana.
• Telangana received a total allocation of Rs 265.12 crore.
• Telangana received Rs 157.66 crore under RKVY and Rs 107.46 crore under Krishonnati Yojana.
• Rajasthan annual action plan for 2026-27 is Rs 849.37 crore.
• Telangana annual action plan for 2026-27 is Rs 651.06 crore.
Additional Information:
• PMRKVY stands for Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.
• PMRKVY focuses on holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors through state-led planning.
• Krishonnati Yojana is an umbrella scheme comprising multiple central sector missions.
• Kisan Credit Card Scheme was launched in 1998 based on R.V. Gupta Committee recommendations.
IISc releases SraVaani Voice AI Model for 65 Indian languages.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Researchers at Indian Institute of Science released SraVaani, an open-source voice artificial intelligence model designed to recognise speech in 65 Indian languages and dialects. The model was developed by IISc SPIRE Lab in partnership with ARTPARK and with support from Google.
Key Highlights:
• SraVaani recognises speech in 65 Indian languages and dialects.
• It supports 20 scheduled languages and 45 regional languages and dialects.
• It supports languages including Garo, Chakma and Kokborok.
• The model can convert speech into text across 10 scripts.
• It has automatic language identification, removing the need to manually select a language.
• It achieved a 9.5 percent word error rate for Garo, compared with 69.4 percent for the next-best system.
• SraVaani is released on Hugging Face under an MIT licence.
Additional Information:
• IISc was established in 1909 by Jamsetji Tata and Maharajah of Mysore.
• IISc is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• ARTPARK is a non-profit foundation promoted by IISc.
• ARTPARK promotes innovation in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
Handloom Haat Experience Centre inaugurated at Janpath, New Delhi.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh inaugurated Handloom Haat: The Handloom Experience Centre at Janpath, New Delhi, on 14 August 2026. The centre has been curated by National Handloom Development Corporation in collaboration with Weavers Service Centres to promote India's handloom ecosystem.
Key Highlights:
• Handloom Haat Experience Centre was inaugurated at Janpath, New Delhi.
• It was inaugurated by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh.
• The centre was curated by NHDC in collaboration with Weavers Service Centres.
• Ground Floor features Reimagining Odisha Weaves exhibition by Vriksh Designs.
• First Floor houses Visvakarma Gallery showcasing rare textiles from 1981 to 1991.
• Second Floor hosts the Design Conclave focused on animal and floral motifs.
• Weave The Future 5.0 features 24 award-winning weavers and more than 30 curated brands.
Additional Information:
• NHDC was established in 1983 as a Public Sector Undertaking.
• NHDC functions as nodal agency for implementation of handloom schemes.
• NHDC headquarters is at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• Sant Kabir Award is a national award for outstanding traditional handloom craftsmanship.
World Elephant Day 2026 celebrations and Gaj Gaurav Awards held in Visakhapatnam.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organised the national celebrations for World Elephant Day 2026 and conferred Gaj Gaurav Awards in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on 13 August 2026. The event highlighted elephant conservation, corridor protection and mitigation of human-elephant conflict.
Key Highlights:
• National World Elephant Day 2026 celebrations were held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• Gaj Gaurav Awards 2026 were conferred for elephant conservation and management.
• India hosts nearly 60 percent of the world's wild Asian elephant population.
• India has 33 Elephant Reserves and 150 scientifically identified elephant corridors.
• A Regional Action Plan for Southern India was launched with Rs 500 crore support.
• The plan covers Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• Project Elephant Steering Committee reviewed Phase II study of conflict in five states.
Additional Information:
• Project Elephant was launched in 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Project Elephant protects elephants, their habitats and addresses Human-Elephant Conflict.
• Indian Elephant scientific name is Elephas maximus.
• Indian Elephant became India's National Heritage Animal in 2010.
• Indian Elephant is protected under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Indian Army trains CISF personnel at Agartala Airport.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Indian Army concluded a specialised 14-day tactical training programme for CISF personnel at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, Agartala, on 12 August 2026. The programme was conducted under the aegis of the Red Shield Division to strengthen aviation-security readiness.
Key Highlights:
• The Indian Army conducted a 14-day tactical training programme for CISF personnel.
• The training was held at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, Tripura.
• The programme was held from 27 July to 8 August 2026.
• It was conducted under the aegis of the Red Shield Division.
• Training covered counter-drone operations and counter-sabotage measures.
• It included high-speed contingency response, advanced access control and perimeter hardening.
• The programme was organised as a Military-Civil Fusion initiative for aviation security.
Additional Information:
• CISF was established on 10 March 1969 under an Act of Parliament.
• CISF functions under Ministry of Home Affairs.
• CISF guards critical infrastructure including airports, seaports and nuclear power plants.
• Red Shield Division is the Leimakhong-based 57th Mountain Division of Indian Army.
Cochin Shipyard delivers MS Maria vessel to German firm HS Schiffahrts.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Cochin Shipyard Limited delivered MS Maria, the second of eight multi-purpose vessels in the HS EcoFreighter series, to German firm HS Schiffahrts UG on 12 August 2026. The vessel has been designed by Groot Ship Design of Netherlands.
Key Highlights:
• MS Maria is the second of eight vessels in the HS EcoFreighter series.
• The vessel was delivered to German firm HS Schiffahrts UG.
• It has a 7,000 DWT capacity and is classified as an Ice-class vessel.
• The vessel uses Groot Cross-Bow design and transom stern for fuel efficiency.
• It is powered by a medium-speed four-stroke diesel engine with Controllable Pitch Propeller.
• It can carry project cargo, heavy cargo, steel coils, containers, timber, paper and dangerous goods.
• The vessel was constructed under Det Norske Veritas classification rules.
Additional Information:
• Cochin Shipyard Limited is India's largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility.
• CSL is headquartered in Kochi, Kerala.
• CSL was established in 1972 under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• CSL built India's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
• CSL is a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise.
New Cascade frog species discovered in India.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Researchers reported the discovery of new Cascade frog species in the forest regions of India on 12 August 2026. The identified species include Amolops bella and Amolops sendenyu, which are adapted to habitats near fast-flowing mountain streams and waterfalls.
Key Highlights:
• New Cascade frog species were discovered in forest regions of India.
• The identified species include Amolops bella and Amolops sendenyu.
• Cascade frogs are adapted to fast-flowing mountain streams and waterfalls.
• They connect aquatic and terrestrial food webs and act as ecological anchors.
• They are sensitive indicators of health and quality of clean-water ecosystems.
• They help control pest populations in their habitats.
Additional Information:
• Amolops is a genus of Ranid frogs commonly known as Cascade frogs.
• Cascade frogs can inhabit high-gradient streams and torrents.
• They have large suction-like digital discs to adhere to wet rocks.
• Ranidae is known as the family of true frogs.
• Ranidae members generally have smooth moist skin and powerful hind legs.
Indian Army to establish youth training centres across Telangana.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Indian Army announced its readiness to establish specialised training centres for youth across district headquarters in Telangana. The announcement was made by Lieutenant General C Rajesh Pushkar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command, after a meeting at MCRHRD Institute in Hyderabad.
Key Highlights:
• Indian Army will establish specialised youth training centres across Telangana district headquarters.
• The announcement was made by Lieutenant General C Rajesh Pushkar.
• He is the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command.
• The decision followed a meeting at MCRHRD Institute in Hyderabad.
• The centres will train local youth for nationwide Army recruitment drives.
• The initiative will create awareness about careers in the Armed Forces.
• Army will also support rescue, evacuation and rehabilitation during natural disasters in the state.
Additional Information:
• Southern Command was established in 1895.
• Southern Command headquarters is in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Southern Command is the oldest and geographically largest command of Indian Army.
• Telangana was formed on 2 June 2014.
• Capital of Telangana is Hyderabad.
India Optel launches indigenous GARUD High Resolution Binoculars for civil market.
Dated: 17 August 2026
India Optel Limited launched indigenous GARUD High Resolution Binoculars for the civil market on 13 August 2026 at DPSU Bhawan, New Delhi. The binoculars were developed and manufactured by Ordnance Factory, Dehradun, a unit of India Optel Limited.
Key Highlights:
• GARUD High Resolution Binoculars were launched by India Optel Limited for civil market use.
• The product was developed by Ordnance Factory, Dehradun.
• The binoculars provide 8x magnification and a 7.6-degree field of view.
• They include plus or minus 5 diopter adjustment for individual eyesight needs.
• The binoculars weigh about 610 grams and have weather-resistant construction.
• They can be used in forestry, marine activities, wildlife observation and security applications.
• The launch marks IOL entry into civilian optics market.
Additional Information:
• India Optel Limited is headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• IOL functions under Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence.
• IOL was created after restructuring of Ordnance Factory Board into seven DPSUs in 2021.
• Ordnance Factory Dehradun has a manufacturing legacy since 1943.
Bank of America to acquire 49.9 percent stake in Jio Credit.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Bank of America entered a joint venture agreement to acquire up to 49.9 percent stake in Jio Credit, the lending arm of Jio Financial Services, for Rs 18,268 crore. The transaction is subject to regulatory and statutory approvals.
Key Highlights:
• Bank of America will acquire up to 49.9 percent stake in Jio Credit.
• The total transaction is valued at Rs 18,268 crore.
• Bank of America will initially acquire 26.5 percent equity interest through preferential allotment.
• The stake will rise to 49.9 percent through exercise of warrants.
• Jio Credit is the lending arm of Jio Financial Services.
• The transaction requires regulatory and statutory approvals.
Additional Information:
• Jio Financial Services operates in digital lending, insurance broking and payments.
• Bank of America headquarters is in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
• Bank of America is led by Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan.
• Bank of America was founded in 1998 through merger of BankAmerica and NationsBank.
India and Kenya strengthen bilateral ties through parliamentary engagement.
Dated: 17 August 2026
India and Kenya strengthened bilateral relations through a high-level engagement between Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Kenyan Speaker Moses Wetangula at Parliament House Complex on 13 August 2026. The discussions focused on parliamentary cooperation, democratic values, technology and multilateral support.
Key Highlights:
• The engagement was held between Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Kenyan Speaker Moses Wetangula.
• Both sides discussed regular high-level engagements to strengthen bilateral relations.
• Kenya recognises Persons of Indian Origin as an indigenous community.
• The two countries will strengthen Parliamentary Friendship Groups and delegation exchanges.
• India will share its experience of using AI in parliamentary functioning for transparency and efficiency.
• Kenya supports India's candidature for permanent membership of United Nations Security Council.
Additional Information:
• PRIDE provides training and research support to parliaments.
• UNSC was established in 1945 for maintenance of international peace and security.
• UNSC has five permanent members: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States.
• Mahatma Gandhi influenced Kenya's freedom struggle and a statue of Gandhi is installed in Kenya Parliament.
MCX-NISM Centre for Commodity Markets launched.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Multi Commodity Exchange of India and National Institute of Securities Markets launched the MCX-NISM Centre for Commodity Markets on 12 August 2026. The centre will focus on capacity building, professional development, applied research, investor awareness and academic engagement in commodity markets.
Key Highlights:
• MCX and NISM jointly launched the MCX-NISM Centre for Commodity Markets.
• The centre is housed at NISM.
• It focuses on capacity building and professional development in commodity markets.
• The centre will promote applied research, investor awareness and academic engagement.
• It aims to improve understanding of commodity derivatives and market-risk management.
• It will bridge the knowledge gap created by new products, digital tools and regulations.
Additional Information:
• MCX was established in 2002.
• MCX headquarters is in Mumbai.
• NISM was established in 2007.
• NISM headquarters is in Navi Mumbai.
• NISM mandate is capacity building for securities markets in India.
PCIM&H and IPC renew MoU for One Herb, One Standard initiative.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy and Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission renewed their MoU on 12 August 2026 to advance the One Herb, One Standard initiative. The three-year framework aims to create harmonised scientific standards for medicinal plants and plant-based traditional medicines.
Key Highlights:
• PCIM&H and IPC renewed their MoU for a three-year framework.
• The MoU was renewed at Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi.
• The initiative is titled One Herb, One Standard.
• It aims to establish harmonised scientific standards for medicinal plants.
• It will develop uniform, reliable and scientifically robust quality standards for plant-based drugs.
• The initiative seeks to increase global acceptance of Indian medicinal plants and products.
• In the first phase, 50 monographs of medicinal plants were developed.
Additional Information:
• PCIM&H functions under Ministry of Ayush.
• IPC functions under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Ayush stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
• IPC works on drug quality standards and pharmacopoeial standards.
Ambani family tops Hurun India Most Valuable Family Businesses 2026 ranking.
Dated: 17 August 2026
Hurun India Most Valuable Family Businesses Ranking 2026 placed the Ambani Family of Reliance Industries at the top position with a value of Rs 25,82,800 crore. The Birla Family ranked second and Jindal Family ranked third.
Key Highlights:
• Ambani Family ranked first with a value of Rs 25,82,800 crore.
• Birla Family of Aditya Birla Group ranked second with Rs 8,13,700 crore.
• Jindal Family of JSW Steel ranked third with Rs 8,01,800 crore.
• Bajaj Family ranked fourth with Rs 7,70,400 crore.
• Mahindra Family ranked fifth with Rs 5,14,600 crore.
• Top 300 Indian family businesses have a collective value of USD 1.46 trillion or Rs 138 lakh crore.
• The collective value grew 27.5 percent since 2024.
Additional Information:
• Reliance Industries was founded in 1973 as Reliance Textiles.
• Reliance Industries headquarters is in Mumbai.
• Aditya Birla Group was founded in 1882.
• JSW Steel was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Bengaluru.