Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of August 08th & 14th August 2026. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2026 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs August 08th & 14th PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• National Handloom Day is observed every year on 7 August to honour the handloom weaving community and create awareness about the importance of India's traditional handloom sector.
• National Javelin Day is observed annually on 7 August to commemorate Neeraj Chopra's historic gold medal in the Men's Javelin Throw at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, achieved on 7 August 2021.

• Quit India Movement Day is observed on 8 August every year to commemorate the launch of the Quit India Movement in 1942, which demanded an immediate end to British rule in India.
• Nagasaki Day is observed annually on 9 August to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States (US) on 9 August 1945, during the Second World War.

• International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed annually on August 9 to raise awareness about the rights, culture, traditions and well-being of Indigenous Peoples and to highlight the challenges they face in areas such as education, healthcare, environment, culture and economic development.

• World Biofuel Day is observed annually on 10 August to create awareness about the importance of biofuels and highlight initiatives undertaken to promote their production and use.
• World Lion Day is observed annually on 10 August to raise awareness about the conservation, protection and ecological importance of lions.

• World Steelpan Day is observed annually on 11 August to highlight the cultural, historical and social significance of the steelpan and its contribution to sustainable development.

• World Elephant Day is observed annually on 12 August to raise global awareness about the protection, conservation and welfare of elephants.

• International Youth Day is observed annually on 12 August across the world to raise awareness about the challenges faced by young people and promote solutions for youth-related issues.

• World Organ Donation Day is observed annually on 13 August to create awareness about the importance of organ donation and encourage people to donate their organs after death.

• International Lefthanders Day is observed annually on 13 August to celebrate the uniqueness of left-handed people and raise awareness about  the challenges they face in a predominantly right-handed world.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL AND STATE NEWS

• Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson presented the first Budget of the TVK Government in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced during the Balram Krishi Mahotsav in Betul that the state has emerged as a leading horticulture state, with a focus on modern farming technologies to enhance agricultural productivity, farmers' income, and exports.
• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the application process for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Scheme and Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Scheme.
• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari conferred the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak on 12 rat miners for their exceptional courage and selfless service during the Silkyara Tunnel Rescue Operation.

• The Union Government has opposed petitions seeking the introduction of a creamy-layer exclusion within the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), similar to the existing system applicable to Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
• Parliament passed the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, with the Lok Sabha approving it on august 6.
• Ratusinh Na Muvada, a small village in Mahisagar district, Gujarat, with around 100 households, has emerged as an unexpected nursery for young chess talent, producing 120 trophies and 179 medals in competitive chess.

• Ladakh is set to introduce India’s first-ever “High-Altitude Wildlife Safari” on popular snow-leopard and bird-watching trails in its high-altitude regions.
• The Tenth BRICS Industry Ministers’ Meeting concluded in Jaipur, Rajasthan, under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, bringing together Industry Ministers and senior representatives from BRICS member countries for discussions under the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR).
• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the first-ever commercial sea shipment of 18 Metric Tonnes of Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Mithila Makhana from the BIADA Industrial Area, Bihta, Bihar, to Australia.
• The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has partnered with the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI) to launch ‘AAERI Verify’, a digital platform aimed at simplifying and securing the verification of documents for Indian students seeking admission to Australian universities.
• Under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, the Meeting of Heads of BRICS Competition Authorities was organised by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Param Pragya’, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered high-performance supercomputing facility, at the Sonipat Campus of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi).
• Parliament has passed the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026, after the Rajya Sabha approved the Bill. The Lok Sabha had already passed it.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has added 11 more international ports to the list of designated entry points for foreign nationals holding an Indian e-Visa.
• Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan released scholarship and fellowship funds for agriculture students through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, New Delhi.
• The Karnataka Government has approached the Supreme Court of India against a Karnataka High Court ruling that paved the way for motorcycles to  be registered and permitted as bike taxis.
• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated E-Samudra, a comprehensive digital platform aimed at providing single-window maritime services to seafarers, shipping companies, ports and other maritime stakeholders.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the prestigious President’s Colours to the Puducherry Police, recognising the force for its bravery, dedicated service, hard work and commitment towards protecting the Union Territory and maintaining internal security.

• V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, has become the first port in India to receive ISO 50001:2018 certification for its Energy Management System (EnMS).
• The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI), launched India’s first-of-its-kind Accreditation Scheme for Mobile Food Testing Laboratories.
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) celebrated its 10th Foundation Day at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal calling for a new, user-friendly and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled procurement platform.
• The Central Government has sanctioned an additional ₹1,000 crore specifically for electric two-wheelers (e2Ws) under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme.
• Parliament passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, after the Rajya Sabha approved the legislation; the Lok Sabha had already passed it.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the autobiography of former President of India Ram Nath Kovind, titled “Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles”.

• The Gujarat Government has approved the establishment of four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to promote and expand natural farming across the state.

• Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan approved major financial allocations for Rajasthan and Telangana under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY) for 2026–27.

• President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, converting it into law.

• The Lok Sabha approved a motion to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The 16th BRICS Health Ministers' Meeting was successfully concluded in Chandigarh, India under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 to strengthen cooperation among BRICS countries on global health challenges.
• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, facilitated the first-ever export of 24 Metric Tonnes (MT) of Frozen French Fries from Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand, to Iraq.

• Bangladesh inaugurated the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum at the former official residence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, marking one year since the 2024 student-led uprising that led to the collapse of her government.
• India and South Africa held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS 2026 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Jaipur to strengthen economic cooperation, trade and investment ties.

• The Government of India (GoI), through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, donated five peacocks to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), Switzerland.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND BUSINESS

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducted the 62nd and 3rd Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Meeting of FY 2026-27 from August 3–5, 2026 under the chairmanship of RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
• The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) Monthly Report for June 2026, analysing the types, categories and disposal status of public grievances.
• Bajaj General Insurance Limited (formerly Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Swiss Re Corporate Solutions to explore a partnership in India’s commercial insurance segment.
• Manipal Health Enterprises (MHE), backed by Temasek, has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for its proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO).
• Manipal Health Enterprises is one of India’s largest private hospital operators The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) identified 17 Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) as NBFC-Upper Layer (NBFC-UL) for 2026–27 under its Scale-Based Regulation (SBR) framework, based on their financial position as of 31 March 2026.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Draft Reserve Bank of India (Non-Banking Financial Companies – Credit Facilities) Amendment Directions, 2026 to strengthen the regulatory framework for NBFC lending practices.
• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has enabled Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments for online bookings at “At the Top, Burj Khalifa” in Dubai through a partnership with UAE-based NEOPAY and Emaar Entertainment.
• According to SEBI’s Annual Report 2025–26, India retained the top global position in the number of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and ranked third globally in funds raised through IPOs, highlighting the resilience of India’s capital markets amid global economic uncertainties.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has announced a comprehensive FY 2026–27 roadmap to simplify regulations, deepen capital markets, reduce compliance burdens and strengthen investor protection through technology-driven reforms and financial literacy initiatives.
• The Lok Sabha passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on 6 August 2026, which includes amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and enables the government to permit charges on Unified Payments Interface (UPI), RuPay debit cards and other notified electronic payment modes.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued revised directions governing loan recovery practices and the engagement of recovery agents to strengthen borrower protection, transparency, and responsible recovery practices.
• Indian Bank (IB) approved nearly ₹500 crore in Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) loans for 128 beneficiaries during a Credit Outreach Programme held in New Delhi, Delhi, as part of its 120th Foundation Day Fortnight Celebrations.
• Standard Chartered Bank received approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to offer wealth management products and services through its branch at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• SBI Life Insurance Company Limited entered into a Corporate Agency Partnership with Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited (J&K Bank) to distribute and service SBI Life insurance products through J&K Bank’s branch network across India.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed a revised Credit Valuation Adjustment (CVA) framework for commercial banks to make capital requirements more risk-sensitive and improve the measurement of risks from derivative transactions.
• Muthoot FinCorp received a perpetual Authorised Dealer Category-II (AD-II) foreign exchange licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), allowing it to offer a wider range of regulated foreign exchange (forex) services.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed banks to exclude advances backed by eligible fresh FCNR(B) and NRE deposits from Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) while calculating their Priority Sector Lending (PSL) targets.
• Indel Remit, the foreign exchange division of Indel Money Limited, has received a perpetual Authorised Dealer–II (AD-II) licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• IndusInd Bank Limited and EazyDiner jointly launched the ‘EazyDiner IndusInd Bank Platinum RuPay Credit Card’, a lifetime-free co-branded credit card.
• The Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance is organising PSB Confluence, a two-day ideation conclave on 17–18 August 2026 in New Delhi.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its 101st Survey of Professional Forecasters (SPF), conducted in July 2026, providing forecasts for India’s economic growth, inflation and external sector.

• Financial inclusion is central to India’s vision of equitable development, with expansion in banking, digital payments, credit, insurance, pensions and investment opportunities supported by Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and citizen-centric reforms.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed revised prudential norms on capital adequacy for commercial banks through the Draft RBI (Commercial Banks – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Eleventh Amendment Directions, 2026.
• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated the new premises of the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC) in Mumbai and launched technology and cybersecurity initiatives for the Urban Cooperative Banking (UCB) sector.
• The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Quarterly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for April–June 2026.

• The Economic Research Department (ERD) of State Bank of India (SBI Research) released its latest Ecowrap report, projecting that India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)growth could rebound to around 8% in Q1 FY2026-27 (April–June 2026).
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha that, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India’s nominal GDP is projected to cross the $5 trillion mark in FY 2028–29 (FY29), reaching around $5.1 trillion.
• PMS Bazaar, a leading Indian alternative investments platform, announced a strategic partnership with NSDL Database Management Limited (NDML Accreditation Agency) to facilitate the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Accredited Investor certification process for eligible investors and entities.
• US-based Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) regained the top position in Indian equity ownership in the June 2025 quarter, despite continuing India-US trade tensions.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

• Kroll, an American global financial advisory firm, released the 11th edition of the ‘Kroll Celebrity Brand Valuation 2025’ report.

• Indian theoretical physicist Deepak Dhar has been awarded the 2026 Dirac Medal by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) for his influential contributions to statistical mechanics and theoretical physics.

• The President of India will confer the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Awards for 2024 and 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• Air India appointed Tewolde Gebremariam, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines Group, as its new Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director (CEO & MD) on 5 August 2026.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a one-year extension in the service of V. Somanathan, Cabinet Secretary of India.
• The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPP&P) approved key foreign postings of senior bureaucrats through the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
• Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth became the first Indian woman fighter pilot to successfully complete the prestigious Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) course, earning the distinction of India’s first woman “Top Gun” combat pilot.
• The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, recommended the elevation of four judges as Chief Justices of different High Courts at its meeting held on 6 August 2026.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved a one-year extension for Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Rahul Navin beyond 13 August 2026.
• Archana Varma assumed charge as Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti on 12 August 2026.
• The Hungarian Parliament elected Andras Baka, former head of the Supreme Court of Hungary, as the country’s new President.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal and Sri Lanka's Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation & Minister of Energy Anura Karunathilake held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi to review cooperation in the power sector.
• Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal held a bilateral meeting with Bhutan's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Lyonpo Gem Tshering, in New Delhi.

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry signed strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Cashfree Payments India Private Limited, Darwin Dynamics LLP, Vultr India Private Limited, Cars24 Services Private Limited, and Council for Startup India (CSI) to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem.

• Lohia Aerospace Systems Private Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Massivit, an Israel-based large-format additive manufacturing company, to introduce advanced large-format 3D printing technology for composite tooling and critical aerospace components in India.

• The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), the apex research organisation under the Ministry of Ayush, and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), India’s National Standards Body, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen quality standards, conformity assessment, scientific research and capacity building in the Ayush sector.

• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the commercialisation and global market access of India’s Geographical Indication (GI) products.
• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Institute of Data Engineering, Analytics and Science Foundation (IDEAS), Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata for undertaking research studies.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITION AND MERGERS

• The Government of India (GoI) launched an Offer for Sale (OFS) to divest up to 6.5% stake in Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), making it the largest OFS-based disinvestment in India’s history.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• Adani Navbharat Developers Private Limited (ANDPL), the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) implementing the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), launched "Dharavi Didi", an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered conversational assistant for project-related information.

• IBM and Indian AI startup Sarvam have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the development and deployment of sovereign Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for central and state governments, public sector organisations, and regulated industries in India.
• Researchers from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, developed an advanced light-driven multifunctional nanobot for targeted breast cancer therapy.

• For the first time, the Government informed Parliament that India’s NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) currently cannot provide standalone positioning services because only three navigation satellites are operational, whereas at least four satellites are required for independent navigation.
• CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), New Delhi presented its indigenously developed Modified Mix Seal Surfacing Plus (MSS+) Technology to V. Srinivas, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan, at the Rajasthan Secretariat.
• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice-President, CSIR, dedicated the first-of-its-kind CSIR-NBRI Eco-Educational Hub ‘Prakriti Gyan Dham’ to the nation at the Maharishi Parashar Bioresource Centre (MPBC), Banthra, Lucknow.
• University of Hyderabad (UoH) secured Indian Patent No. 596319 for HYDERACENE, a novel polymer-based material developed for solid rocket propellants used in defence and space applications.
• The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, participated in the 10th Anniversary Meeting of the South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 4–5 August 2026.
• ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal has developed India’s first indigenous MA-104 cell line-based live attenuated vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF).

• Astrobase Space Technologies Private Limited, a Bengaluru-based Indian space startup, unveiled EVEREST, India’s first privately developed 800 kN Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) rocket engine, on 7 August 2026.
• Scientists have detected an unusually high concentration of ozone in the upper atmosphere over the North Bay of Bengal, providing new insights into the transport of ozone through the stratosphere.
• Microsoft has launched its largest data centre region in India, the India South Central region, in Hyderabad, Telangana, to meet the growing demand for Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) services.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts Anil Menon and Jessica Meir successfully completed a 6-hour 27-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) to carry out structural and power-system upgrades.

• VinSpace, the aerospace unit of Vingroup, Vietnam, has signed a launch agreement with SpaceX to deploy its first satellites through a Transporter Rideshare Mission in 2027.
• Adani Airport City Limited (AACL), a step-down wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), has incorporated AACL Global IFSC Limited as a new wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL).
• Airtel Business, the enterprise arm of Bharti Airtel, and ITI Limited, Bengaluru, have entered into a strategic collaboration to accelerate enterprise digital transformation and strengthen India’s digital infrastructure.
• Researchers from S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, in collaboration with Ashoka University, have developed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) framework to identify hidden cancer stem-like cells.

• Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, a Hyderabad-based Indian private space startup, signed a Multi-Launch Agreement (MLA) with HEX20, a Thiruvananthapuram-based spacetech startup, for three dedicated Vikram-series missions.
• International Business Machines (IBM Corporation) has partnered with Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) Bengaluru and CHRIST (Deemed to be University) to establish Artificial Intelligence (AI)-focused centres in India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

• India successfully conducted a user trial of the Agni-4 Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) on 6 August 2026 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF), along with the Indian Army and Himachal Pradesh state authorities, successfully concluded a forest firefighting operation in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.

• The Indian Navy (IN) and United States Navy (USN) commenced the 8th Edition of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Exercise 2026 at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, Kerala.
• India will celebrate its 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the celebrations from the historic Red Fort, New Delhi.
• Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement to strengthen defence and security cooperation amid rising tensions in the Middle East and the escalating conflict involving Iran.

• The Indian Navy’s second Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), Yard 3037 ‘Shruti’, was launched on 11 August 2026 at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, West Bengal.

• India Optel Limited (IOL), a Mini Ratna Category-I Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) under the Department of Defence Production, launched the indigenous ‘GARUD’ High Resolution Binoculars for the civil market.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

• Times Higher Education (THE) released the 8th edition of the Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, which measures the contribution of universities towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Brand Finance released the Brand Finance India 100 2026 report, ranking India’s most valuable and strongest brands.
•  The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released the Global Liveability Index 2026, evaluating living conditions across 173 cities worldwide.
• Barclays Private Clients Hurun India Most Valuable Family Businesses 2026 report ranked India’s 300 most valuable family businesses based on their business value.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Indian Grandmaster (GM) R. Praggnanandhaa won his first Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz title in the 2026 Grand Chess Tour (GCT), United States.

• Suraj Kumar Chand created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the FISU World University Squash Championships, defeating Hungary’s Benedek Takács in the men’s final by 5–11, 11–8, 11–5, 6–11, 11–4.

• Gitika Talukdar, a sports photojournalist from Northeast India, became the only Indian female photojournalist accredited to cover the FIFA World Cup 2026.
• Charles Leclerc of Ferrari won the British Grand Prix 2026 at the Silverstone Circuit, securing his first Formula One victory since 2024.
• John Turner, England’s fast bowler, announced his retirement from professional cricket at the age of 25, citing persistent injury problems.

• Ariha Pangambam, a 22-year-old gymnast from Manipur, created history by becoming the first Indian ever to win a gold medal in the Senior Individual Women’s event at the Asian Aerobic Gymnastics Championships.

• India won 1 Gold Medal, 3 Bronze Medals and 1 Honourable Mention at the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) 2026, held in Romania.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, former Chief Justice (CJ) of the Madras High Court (HC) and Andhra Pradesh High Court (HC), passed away on 2 August 2026 at the age of 87.

• M.P. Parameswaran, an Indian nuclear scientist, science communicator, Marxist theorist, writer and people’s science activist, passed away on 11 August 2026 at the age of 92 in Thrissur, Kerala.
• Donald Arvid Nelson (Don Nelson), the legendary American basketball player and coach, passed away at the age of 86 in Frisco, Texas,United States of America(USA).