Prime Minister inaugurates Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Bhogapuram.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram and launched development projects worth over Rs. 17,900 crore in Andhra Pradesh.
Key Highlights:
• Bhogapuram International Airport was built at a cost of more than Rs. 5,640 crore.
• It was developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited under a Public-Private Partnership model.
• It is Andhra Pradesh’s first greenfield international airport since the State’s 2014 bifurcation.
• The first phase is designed to handle six million passengers annually.
• The airport has a 3,800-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft.
• It has been designed to withstand cyclonic wind speeds of up to 275 kmph.
• The foundation stone was also laid for an ASIP Technologies semiconductor plant at Tarluvada village in Visakhapatnam.
• The facility is South India’s first assembly and test facility approved under the India Semiconductor Mission and targets production of 96 million chips annually.
• More than 13,000 tribal dancers set a Guinness World Record for the largest Dhimsa dance at the event venue.
Additional Information:
• Alluri Sitarama Raju led the Rampa Rebellion of 1922 against the British Madras Forest Act, 1882.
• He was popularly known as Manyam Veerudu, meaning Hero of the Jungles.
• India Semiconductor Mission was launched in 2021 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Swami Vivekananda Cultural Youth Centre inaugurated in Mysuru.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Youth Centre, also known as Viveka Smaraka, at Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama in Mysuru, Karnataka, on 1 August 2026.
Key Highlights:
• The Centre is located at Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama in Mysuru, Karnataka.
• It commemorates the support given by the then Maharaja of Mysuru to Swami Vivekananda 130 years ago.
• The Centre recognises Mysuru’s role in Swami Vivekananda’s journey before his 1893 Chicago address.
• The event highlighted educational infrastructure expansion, including more than 650 new universities and 14,000 colleges in the past decade.
• Total MBBS seats have increased to 1,40,000 across India.
• The country has developed 14,000 PM SHRI Schools and 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs.
• A Kannada translation of the Valmiki Ramayana was released to promote regional literature.
Additional Information:
• Swami Vivekananda represented India at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893.
• Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama works to promote the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda.
• Atal Tinkering Labs encourage innovation, creativity and scientific temperament among school students.
Union Cabinet approves Rs. 84,084 crore Samudra Manthan Offshore Exploration Scheme.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Union Cabinet approved the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, titled Samudra Manthan, with a total financial outlay of Rs. 84,084 crore on 31 July 2026.
Key Highlights:
• The scheme falls under the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• The approved corpus will be used until FY 2030-31.
• Rs. 43,200 crore has been allocated for drilling 60 deepwater exploration wells.
• Government support can cover up to 50 percent of eligible drilling costs.
• The maximum subsidy is capped at Rs. 675 crore per well.
• The scheme seeks to catalyse reserves exceeding 600 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent.
• ONGC has commenced drilling the first deepwater well in the Mahanadi Basin under the mission.
Additional Information:
• ONGC is India’s largest crude-oil and natural-gas company.
• ONGC was established in 1956, has Maharatna status and is headquartered in New Delhi.
• The Open Acreage Licensing Policy aims to accelerate hydrocarbon exploration and reduce India’s import dependence.
Union Cabinet extends PM-KISAN till 2030-31 and expands Khelo India.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Union Cabinet approved a five-year extension of PM-KISAN until 2030-31 and expanded the Khelo India programme along with assistance to National Sports Federations.
Key Highlights:
• PM-KISAN was approved for the period from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with an outlay of Rs. 3.15 lakh crore.
• Eligible farmer families receive Rs. 6,000 annually in three equal instalments of Rs. 2,000.
• The amount is transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts for timely investment in seeds and other agricultural inputs.
• Since its launch in 2019, over Rs. 4.47 lakh crore has been released through 23 instalments.
• The latest round benefited 9.49 crore farmers.
• Women farmers have received more than Rs. 1.06 lakh crore under the scheme.
• Khelo India and assistance to National Sports Federations received a combined five-year allocation of Rs. 36,441 crore.
• The expansion creates a structured pathway from grassroots talent to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
Additional Information:
• PM-KISAN was launched in February 2019 as a central-sector scheme with 100 percent funding from the Government of India.
• Khelo India was introduced in 2018 to strengthen India’s domestic sporting ecosystem.
• TOPS was launched in September 2014 to provide specialised support to potential Olympic medal winners.
Union Cabinet approves PM Surya Sarovar Yojana for 5,000 MW floating solar capacity.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana on 31 July 2026 to develop floating-solar projects integrated with energy-storage systems.
Key Highlights:
• The total financial allocation for the scheme is Rs. 5,070 crore.
• It targets development of 5,000 MW of floating solar photovoltaic projects.
• The scheme includes energy-storage systems with at least two-hour capacity, totalling 10,000 MWh.
• Projects will be sanctioned between FY 2026-27 and FY 2030-31.
• Financial disbursement will continue up to FY 2032-33.
• Central Financial Assistance of Rs. 1 crore per MW will be provided after commissioning.
• Up to Rs. 50 lakh per project is available for feasibility studies, including bathymetry and hydrography assessments.
• The scheme is projected to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by around 10 million tonnes annually.
• It is expected to create about 16,000 to 17,000 full-time-equivalent jobs across the value chain.
Additional Information:
• The National Institute of Solar Energy estimates India’s floating-solar potential at 102.18 GWp across inland water bodies.
• NISE is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana.
• India’s operational floating-solar capacity is approximately 700 MW.
Nauru officially reclaims its traditional name as the Republic of Naoero.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Pacific island nation of Nauru officially reclaimed its traditional name and became the Republic of Naoero on 31 July 2026.
Key Highlights:
• The country’s short-form name has been changed from Nauru to Naoero.
• Citizens of the country will henceforth be called dei-Naoero.
• The transition was formalised through a constitutional amendment passed by Parliament in May 2026.
• President David Adeang cancelled a proposed referendum, noting that Naoero was already embedded in the national identity and coat of arms.
• Nauru was a colonial-era alteration of the indigenous name Naoero, adopted because European colonisers found the original pronunciation difficult.
• The native language, dorerin Naoero, is classified by UNESCO as severely endangered.
• A 2025 Bill incorporated the language into the national school curriculum.
Additional Information:
• The Republic of Naoero is located in the Central Pacific and consists of one coral island.
• It has an approximate population of 12,000.
• It is the world’s third-smallest country by land area, after Vatican City and Monaco.
• Naoero is a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Union Cabinet approves Rs. 36,441 crore for revamped Khelo India and National Sports Federations.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Union Cabinet approved the revamped Khelo India Scheme and enhanced assistance to National Sports Federations with a combined outlay of Rs. 36,441 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
Key Highlights:
• A combined budget of Rs. 36,441 crore has been allocated for five years.
• The allocation is about eight times higher than the previous version of the programme.
• The initiative aligns with Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and the National Education Policy 2020 to integrate sports with mainstream education.
• Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas will be established.
• Khelo India Centres and Youth Sports Companies managed by the Armed Forces will be expanded.
• The Emerging Khelo India Athletes category will expand the athlete pool ten-fold.
• A structured pathway will link grassroots athletes to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
• The National Coach Accreditation Board will standardise professional qualifications for coaches.
• A unified digital sports platform will integrate athlete databases, infrastructure mapping and talent assessments.
Additional Information:
• Khelo India was launched in 2018 by consolidating three earlier sports schemes.
• TOPS was launched in September 2014 to support potential Olympic medal winners.
• Khelo India is managed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
New freshwater catfish Pseudolaguvia khairii discovered in Odisha.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Researchers discovered a new freshwater catfish species, Pseudolaguvia khairii, in Odisha’s Budhabalanga River; the finding was published in the journal Zootaxa.
Key Highlights:
• The species was discovered in the Budhabalanga River in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha.
• It was named after Khairi, the legendary orphaned Royal Bengal tigress of Similipal.
• Khairi was raised by conservationist Saroj Raj Choudhury.
• The fish is distinguished by a unique fleshy protuberance at the base of its dorsal fin.
• It is a small hillstream catfish, measuring only a few centimetres in length.
• The discovery team included Balaji Vijayakrishnan, Gaurav Anil Shinde of the Wildlife Institute of India and Prakash Chand Gogineni, Field Director of Similipal Tiger Reserve.
Additional Information:
• Pseudolaguvia is a genus of small bottom-dwelling catfishes.
• Species of this genus occur in fast-flowing rivers of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar.
• The Budhabalanga River originates in the Similipal hills and drains into the Bay of Bengal.
• Similipal Tiger Reserve is the only tiger reserve in the world known for melanistic black tigers.
Centre releases additional Rs. 1.09 lakh crore tax devolution to States.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Ministry of Finance released an additional tax-devolution instalment of Rs. 1,09,019 crore to State governments on 1 August 2026.
Key Highlights:
• The Centre released Rs. 1,09,019 crore as an additional instalment beyond the regular monthly release.
• The additional instalment was released on 1 August 2026.
• The normal monthly tax-devolution release was due on 10 August 2026.
• The Union Government devolves taxes to States in 14 instalments in a financial year.
• Currently, 41 percent of the Centre’s divisible tax pool is devolved among the States.
• The release supports States in financing development expenditure and welfare commitments.
Additional Information:
• The Finance Commission is a constitutional body established under Article 280 of the Constitution.
• It recommends vertical and horizontal distribution of net tax proceeds between the Centre and States.
• The 15th Finance Commission recommended the current 41 percent tax-devolution share for States.
Air Marshal Tejpal Singh assumes charge as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Air Marshal Tejpal Singh assumed charge as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff on 1 August 2026 after the superannuation of Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti.
Key Highlights:
• Air Marshal Tejpal Singh succeeded Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.
• Air Marshal Bharti retired on 31 July 2026 after completing 39 years of service.
• Tejpal Singh is a Category A Qualified Flying Instructor.
• He has also served as an Experimental Test Pilot during his career.
• He was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in January 2011.
• He received the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in January 2021.
Additional Information:
• The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932.
• Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
• The IAF motto is Nabham Sparsham Deeptam, meaning Touch the Sky with Glory.
• The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Vice Admiral AN Pramod assumes charge as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Vice Admiral AN Pramod assumed charge as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff on 1 August 2026, succeeding Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti.
Key Highlights:
• Vice Admiral AN Pramod replaced Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, who retired on 31 July 2026 after 38 years of service.
• He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1990 as part of the 38th Integrated Cadet Course.
• He participated in Operation Vijay in 1999 and Operation Parakram in 2001.
• He served as Fleet Operations Officer during Operation Snow Leopard after the Galwan incident.
• He was Director General Naval Operations from 13 December 2023 to 31 July 2026.
• He has served as Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area.
• He received the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024 and the Yudh Seva Medal in 2025.
Additional Information:
• The Indian Navy was established in its present form on 26 January 1950.
• Naval Headquarters is located in New Delhi.
• National Navy Day is celebrated annually on 4 December.
• Deputy Chief of Naval Staff is a Principal Staff Officer at Naval Headquarters and holds the rank of Vice Admiral.
Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja appointed next Director General Armed Forces Medical Services.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Government of India appointed Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja as the next Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), effective from 31 August 2026.
Key Highlights:
• Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja will succeed Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin as DGAFMS.
• He is currently serving as Director General Medical Services (Air).
• He operationalised the BHISHM Cube, a portable hospital designed for rapid medical response during humanitarian missions.
• He helped strengthen medical preparedness for the Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Mission.
• He was commissioned in December 1986 and is an alumnus of the National Defence College.
• His previous appointments include Commandant, AFMC Pune; Command Hospital Lucknow; and Military Hospital Pathankot.
• He is a recipient of the Sena Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal Bar twice.
Additional Information:
• The Armed Forces Medical Services provides medical support to the Army, Navy and Air Force.
• DGAFMS is a three-star-rank officer and heads the Armed Forces Medical Services.
• AFMC Pune was established in 1948 as a premier medical-training institution managed by the Indian Armed Forces.
Alka Nangia Arora assumes charge as Controller General of Defence Accounts.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Alka Nangia Arora, a 1991-batch Indian Defence Accounts Service officer, assumed charge as the Controller General of Defence Accounts on 1 August 2026.
Key Highlights:
• Alka Nangia Arora is a 1991-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service.
• She heads the Defence Accounts Department under the Ministry of Defence.
• She has over three decades of experience in financial management.
• She earlier served as Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education.
• Her other assignments include Joint Secretary in the Ministry of MSME and Managing Director of Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Limited.
• She also served as Additional Development Commissioner for Handicrafts under the Ministry of Textiles.
Additional Information:
• CGDA functions as the internal auditor and financial representative of the Ministry of Defence.
• The office handles payment and accounting functions for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
• The Indian Defence Accounts Service is a Group A central civil service under the Ministry of Defence.
• CGDA headquarters is in New Delhi.
Varsha Ashok Aglawe becomes Geological Survey of India’s first woman Director General.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Varsha Ashok Aglawe assumed charge as the 54th Director General of the Geological Survey of India on 31 July 2026, becoming the institution’s first woman head.
Key Highlights:
• Varsha Ashok Aglawe is the first woman to lead the Geological Survey of India in its 176-year history.
• She succeeded Asit Saha, who had served as Director General for two years.
• She is a palaeontologist with more than three decades of professional experience.
• She joined GSI in 1992 after working with the Indian Bureau of Mines.
• Before becoming DG, she served as Additional Director General and Head of Department for GSI’s Eastern Region in Kolkata.
Additional Information:
• GSI was established in 1851 to locate coal deposits for the Railways.
• It is headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• It functions as an attached office of the Ministry of Mines.
• GSI is one of the oldest scientific-survey organisations in the world.
• The Indian Bureau of Mines was established in 1948 and is headquartered in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Self-enumeration for India’s 16th Census begins in West Bengal.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The self-enumeration phase of India’s 16th Census, Census 2027, was launched in West Bengal on 1 August 2026.
Key Highlights:
• The exercise marks India’s first fully digital Census.
• Citizens can submit their family details independently through self-enumeration.
• The Phase-I self-enumeration window runs from 1 August to 15 August 2026.
• Digital submissions are made through the official portal, se.census.gov.in.
• The Phase-II house-listing exercise is scheduled from 16 August to 14 September 2026.
• Collected information is to be used only for statistics, planning and development purposes.
• The information is legally protected to ensure secrecy.
Additional Information:
• India’s first non-synchronous Census was conducted in 1872 under Lord Mayo.
• The first synchronous Census was conducted in 1881 under Lord Ripon.
• The Census is conducted decennially under the Census Act, 1948.
• The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the administrative head is the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
India observes Friendship Day 2026 on 2 August.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
India and several other countries observed Friendship Day 2026 on 2 August 2026, the first Sunday of August.
Key Highlights:
• India, the United States and parts of Asia observe Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August.
• The day is commonly marked through exchange of friendship bands, cards and gifts.
• The idea of Friendship Day was introduced in 1930 by Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards, initially as a greeting-card initiative.
• In 1958, Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho proposed the World Friendship Crusade at Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay.
• The initiative promoted friendship as a means of fostering global peace.
• The United Nations officially declared 30 July as the International Day of Friendship in 2011.
Additional Information:
• The World Friendship Crusade was founded in Paraguay in 1958.
• The UN’s International Day of Friendship encourages cooperation among peoples, cultures and communities.
• It also focuses on involving young people in activities that build bridges between different cultures.
New Delhi to host GI Beyond 2.0 Summit on 5 August 2026.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Ministry of Textiles will organise the GI Beyond 2.0 Summit on 5 August 2026 at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
Key Highlights:
• The summit is being jointly organised by the Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms and the Handloom Export Promotion Council.
• A Digital Handloom Atlas titled “One Platform. Endless Markets.” will be launched to link Indian artisans with global markets.
• The Diamond Jubilee logo of the Handloom Export Promotion Council will be unveiled.
• More than 100 GI-registered handloom and handicraft products will be showcased.
• Overseas buyers from around 10 countries are expected to participate.
• The event will feature live demonstrations of traditional handloom-weaving traditions.
• IIT Madras will make a special presentation on the use of Artificial Intelligence to strengthen the GI ecosystem.
• Technical sessions will focus on GI registration, intellectual-property rights and domestic as well as international market access.
Additional Information:
• The Handloom Export Promotion Council was established in 1965 and is headquartered in Chennai.
• GI tags in India are governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999.
• Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to receive a GI tag in 2004.
Gujarat’s Pithora painting of Rathwa tribe receives GI tag.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The traditional Pithora painting of Gujarat, a ritualistic art form associated with the Rathwa tribe, received the Geographical Indication tag on 2 August 2026.
Key Highlights:
• Pithora painting is an ancient ritual wall-painting tradition practised mainly by the Rathwa, Bhilala and Nayaka tribes.
• It is prevalent in Gujarat and adjoining regions.
• The paintings are made inside homes to worship Baba Pithora, who is believed to bring wealth, health and peace.
• The art is a ritual offering and not merely a decorative form.
• Horses are the central motif and are represented as deities.
• The paintings also depict the Sun, Moon, animals, birds and agricultural activities.
• The GI tag provides legal protection against imitation and unauthorised commercial use.
• It can facilitate access to national exhibitions, international fairs and export markets.
Additional Information:
• The Rathwa tribe mainly resides in Gujarat’s Chhota Udepur and Panchmahal districts.
• The Rathwas are classified as a Scheduled Tribe in Gujarat.
• A GI registration remains valid for 10 years and can be renewed.
Indian Navy launches fifth Diving Support Craft DSC A24 at Titagarh.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
The Indian Navy launched DSC A24 (Yard 329), the fifth vessel of its five-ship Diving Support Craft project, at Titagarh in West Bengal.
Key Highlights:
• The Diving Support Craft was built by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, Kolkata.
• DSC A24 is the fifth vessel in the five-ship project.
• It has a catamaran-hull design that provides superior stability and enhanced deck area.
• The craft has a displacement capacity of about 300 to 400 tonnes.
• It has been built in accordance with the Naval Rules of the Indian Register of Shipping.
• The vessel is designed for diving support, underwater inspection and salvage assistance.
• It can be deployed for coastal operations and other naval missions.
• The craft incorporates 70 percent indigenous content in its main and auxiliary equipment under the Make in India initiative.
Additional Information:
• Titagarh Rail Systems Limited is a private-sector engineering and shipbuilding company headquartered in Kolkata.
• The Indian Navy was established in its modern form on 26 January 1950.
• The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy.
Legendary Italian footballer Franco Baresi passes away at 66.
Dated: 2026-08-03
Why in the News:
Former Italy national-team captain and AC Milan defender Franco Baresi passed away at the age of 66 on 31 July 2026.
Key Highlights:
• Franco Baresi spent his entire 20-year professional career with AC Milan.
• He made more than 700 appearances for the club.
• He won six Serie A titles and three European Cups with AC Milan.
• He captained AC Milan for 15 seasons.
• He led the club during a 58-match unbeaten Serie A run, earning the team the nickname Gli Invincibili.
• Baresi made 81 appearances for the Italy national team.
• He was part of Italy’s 1982 FIFA World Cup-winning squad.
• He captained Italy in the 1994 FIFA World Cup final and played all 120 minutes against Brazil shortly after knee surgery.
Additional Information:
• AC Milan was established in 1899 and is based in Milan, Lombardy, Italy.
• The club is popularly known as the Rossoneri.
• Italy has won the FIFA World Cup four times: 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006.
• AC Milan has the second-highest number of UEFA Champions League/European Cup titles in the competition’s history.