India Hosts BRICS Meeting of National Statistical Offices in Lucknow, UP
India hosted the Meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries from August 3 to 4, 2026 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
- The two-day long meeting, held under the theme “Quality Statistics as a Driver of Change”
C-DAC and GSI Sign MoU to Advance Mineral Exploration and Disaster Management
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) signed an Umbrella Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Electronics Niketan, New Delhi, Delhi to strengthen geoscience, mineral exploration and disaster management using Advanced Technologies.
IIT Hyderabad and Crimson Energy Launch India’s First Nuclear Training Programme ‘ANUGYAN’
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad), Telangana, in collaboration with Crimson Energy Experts India Private Limited (CEEPL), launched ‘ANUGYAN’ – Nuclear Technology Orientation Programme (NTOP), India’s first industry–academia programme in nuclear technology.
About ANUGYAN Nuclear Training Programme:
Objective: The three-month residential programme aims to bridge the talent gap by developing skilled nuclear professionals to support India’s goal of expanding its nuclear power capacity from around 8.8 GW (Giga Watt) to 100 GW by 2047.
ICAR Develops India’s First T2T Genome of Pigeonpea Variety ‘Asha’
In August 2026, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) developed India’s first fully annotated Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) reference genome of the pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) variety ‘Asha’, which was approved as the global reference genome to accelerate the development of climate-resilient, high-yielding, and nutritionally enriched pigeonpea varieties.
- The breakthrough supports the Government of India’s (GoI) Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (2025–26 to 2030–31) to achieve a pulse production target of about 35 million tonnes(MT) by 2030–31.
Jupiter Wagons and Lucchini RS Partners to Build Railwheel Manufacturing Platform in India
Jupiter Wagons Limited (JWL) partnered with Italy’s Lucchini RS Holding S.p.A. and SIMEST (Italian Society for Enterprises Abroad) S.p.A. to establish India’s first fully integrated private-sector railwheel manufacturing platform through Jupiter Tatravagonka Railwheel Factory Private Limited (JTRWF).
Niyo Forex and GlobalPay Secured Perpetual AD II Licence from RBI
In August 2026, Niyo Forex (operating via Kanji Forex Pvt Ltd) and GlobalPay (WSFx Global Pay Limited) secured perpetual and expanded perpetual Authorised Dealer Category II (AD II) licences respectively from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the updated Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 2026 regulations.
- These approvals allow both fintech firms to scale their cross-border payment operations, family remittances, and non-trade transactions
Air India and Azerbaijan Airlines Sign Codeshare Partnership
Air India and Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), part of AZCON Holding, entered into a codeshare partnership to enhance connectivity between India and Azerbaijan, while promoting business, tourism and cultural ties.
Codeshare services: Air India will place its ‘AI’ designator code on Azerbaijan Airlines’ daily flights between Delhi–Baku and Mumbai–Baku, enabling passengers to book travel through Air India.
Prasanta Mahapatra Assumes Charge as SEBI Executive Director
Prasanta Mahapatra assumed charge as an Executive Director (ED) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). He will oversee the Corporation Finance Investigation Department(CFID) and the Recovery and Refund Department(RRD).
Kerala Researchers Identify New Seahorse Species ‘Hippocampus amandavincentae’
In August 2026, researchers from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) identified a new seahorse species, ‘Hippocampus amandavincentae’, resolving a 150-year-old taxonomic confusion surrounding the thorny seahorse (Hippocampus histrix).
- The findings, published in Zootaxa, were based on specimens collected from Tuticorin Fisheries Harbour, Tamil Nadu (TN), and surveys off Anchuthengu, Kerala.
Former Tripura and Bihar Governor and Padma Shri D. Y. Patil Passed Away
Dr. Dnyandeo Yashwantrao (D. Y.) Patil, former Governor of Tripura and Bihar and a renowned educationist, passed away at the age of 90 in Kasba Bawda, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He was widely known as “Dada” and “Shikshanmaharshi” for his contributions to the field of education.
- The Government of India (GoI) conferred Padma Shri, fourth-highest civilian award of India to D. Y. Patil in 1991 for his contributions to education and social service.
Hiroshima Day 2026 – August 6
Hiroshima Day is observed annually across the globe on 6 August to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan by the United States of America (USA) in 1945 during World War II (WW2).
- 2026 marks the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
International Clouded Leopard Day 2026 – August 4
International Clouded Leopard Day, also known as National Clouded Leopard Day, is observed annually across the world on 4 August to raise awareness about the conservation of one of the world’s most elusive wild cat species.