Current Affairs August 2023

• The Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2023, an educational event has been  concluded with a resolution collectively made by the education leaders to transform India into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society.
  • • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha, which was jointly organized by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
    • Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, introduced the logo, slogan – “Jan Jan Sakshar“, and mobile app- ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society).
• Under 'I Have Space', Amazon India has announced to open its first ever floating store in famous Dal Lake in Srinagar.
• Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), released the detailed report of All India Tiger Estimation — 2022 titled "Status of Tigers: Co-Predators & Prey in India-2022" during the event orgnised as a part of the Global Tiger Day (29th July 2023) at Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand. According to the report by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Tiger Population in India is estimated to be 3,925 with an annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum. India currently retains almost 75% of the world's wild tiger population.
• India and Moldova agreed to sign a MOU for cooperation in the agriculture sector. The MoU would serve as an institutional mechanism for cooperation between the two countries.
• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved 7 projects worth Rs.692 crore for the construction of Sewage Treatment Plants and other works to prevent pollution of the river Ganga and its tributaries during the 50th meeting of the Executive Committee of National Mission for Clean Ganga.
• The Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) India to enhance students’ capabilities and employability in emerging technologies like cloud computing, data annotation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML).
• India has the highest number of road accident fatalities globally, with around 1.5 million lives lost every year, according to a report from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and EY.
• India Meteorological Department (IMD) launched the Heat Index on an experimental basis. Heat Index will provide information about the impact of humidity on the high temperatures and thus provide a feel like temperature for human beings which can be used as an indication for human discomfort.
  • • Green: Experimental heat Index less than 35 degree Celsius.
    • Yellow: Experimental heat Index in the range 36-45 degree Celsius.
    • Orange: Experimental heat Index in the range 46-55 degree Celsius.
    • Red: Experimental heat Index greater than 55 degree Celsius.
• Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has notified the creation of a new category of Ayush (AY) visa for foreign nationals for treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine. The introduction of Ayush Visa fulfills the proposal for introduction of a special visa scheme for foreigners visiting India for treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine like therapeutic care, wellness and Yoga.
  • • A new chapter i.e. chapter 11A – Ayush Visa has been incorporated after Chapter 11 - Medical visa of the Visa Manual, which deals with treatment under the Indian systems of medicine and accordingly necessary amendments has been made in various chapters of the Visa Manual, 2019.
• In line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of re-establishing India as a global hub of education, Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Union External Affairs Minister Shri S. Jaishankar jointly launched Study in India (SII) Portal in New Delhi .
• Ministry of Educatio selected Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to modernize the national education technology platform i.e. Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA).
• President of India Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the ‘Unmesha’ – International Literature Festival & ‘Utkarsh’ – National Festival of Folk and Tribal Performing Arts, to promote inclusivity and cultural diversity at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to set up the first-ever regional Center for Species Survival (CSS) in India.
  • • The MoU aims to enhance conservation efforts by wildlife experts and specialist groups and safeguard the rich biodiversity of India.
    • This will be the 10th CSS in the world and the first of its kind in South Asia.
• The government has merged the Project Tiger and Project Elephant into one division known as Project Tiger and Elephant (PT&E) Division which would be headed by an additional director general of forest (ADGF)-rank officer. 
• Jyotiraditya Scidia, the Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation, revealed the new logo of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC). The launch of new logo is a big step for NMDC, showing its commitment to responsible mining and global standards.

• e-CARe (e-Clearance for Afterlife Remains) portal has been launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. For conducting dead body/human remains clearance procedures electronically which is expected to transform the government functioning to a more efficient mode.
• Kerala’s state Responsible Tourism Mission(RT Mission) in collaboration with United Nations(UN) Women India organised the ‘Trainers of Trainer’ programme under the ‘Women-Friendly Tourism’ project.
• Parliament has passed the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill 2023, Rajya Sabha approved it on July 1, 2023. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill. The Bill seeks to promote research on medicinal plants, encourage production of plant-based medicines and benefit local persons involved in the use of forest produce. The Bill amends the Biodiversity Act, 2002 to simplify compliance requirements for domestic companies.
• PM Modi announced the launching of “Meri Mati Mera Desh” campaign to honor the bravehearts and programmes will be organised across the country in memory of those who laid down their lives for the country.
• During the campaign of “Meri Mati Mera Desh”, an Amrit Kalash Yatra will also be taken out. This ‘Amrit Kalash Yatra’ will reach Delhi, carrying the soil in 7,500 Kalash from villages and various corners of the country. This yatra will also carry plants from various parts of the country. An ‘Amrit Vatika’ will be built close to the National War Memorial from these 7,500 Kalash of soil and plants.
• NLC India Limited has entered a joint venture with the UP government to set up a thermal power plant at a cost of Rs 19,406 crore. The plant will come up at Ghatampur near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
• Union Cabinet approved Rs 1.39 lakh crores for a last-mile broadband connectivity plan for 6.4 lakh villages across India as part of the BharatNet project. It will involve a change in execution strategy, with a focus on providing optical fiber-based connections to the last mile through village-level entrepreneurs.
• Recognising the pivotal role of its sales force, the Postal Life Insurance (PLI) introduced the pilot program for “Direct Incentive Disbursement” in the Delhi and Uttarakhand Circles.
  • • This programme will recognize the role of PLI’s sales force which is the driving force behind the department’s accomplishments.
    • It will impact around two lakh sales force members across the nation, including Gramin Dak Sevaks, Direct Agents, Field Officers, and Departmental Employees.
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched the e-portal ‘Bhartiya Vastra evam Shilpa Kosh - A Repository of Textiles & Crafts’ developed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology. This launch was made during the 9th National Handloom Day celebration held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan.
• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Academy, based in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh joined the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) Global Academy Network as its 10th member through a virtual signing ceremony organized between CBI and Interpol at Global Complex for Innovation, Singapore for development and delivery of joint training program and research projects.
• The New Amravati Railway Station (Amaravti, Maharashtra) became the 3rd station within Central Railway(CR) and the 1st station in Bhusaval Division of CR to be designated as a Pink Station, fully managed by women staff.
• Sinh Suchna Web application has been launched by Gujarat government on the occasion of World Lion day celebrated on 10th August 2023.
• The Central Government has organized the 77th Independence Day at Red Fort New Delhi, which was addressed by the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi.
  • • The theme for this year’s celebration is “Nation First, Always First”.
    • PM announced ‘Vishwakarma Yojana‘ to benefit individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship/artisan works.
• Tamil Nadu is set to establish India’s first Common Testing Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones) under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS).
• The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) has officially been renamed as the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library (PMML) Society with effective from August 14, 2023. It is located within the Teen Murti House complex at New Delhi.
• Graphene-Aurora Program has been launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in Kochi, Kerala. The program shall be implemented by Digital University Kerala with joint funding from Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), and Government of Kerala and Industry partners, Carborundum Pvt Limited joined as one of the main industry partners.
  • • It shall nurture the deep/emerging Graphene technology & innovation ecosystem that can guide, develop, implement, and support SMEs and startups to commercialize developed graphene technologies for scale adoption.
• India and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) signed a MoU on sharing of ‘India Stack‘, a collection of open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and Digital Public Goods(DPGs) that aim to facilitate identity, data, and payment services on a large scale.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to host a mega multilateral military exercise i.e. Tarang Shakti in mid of 2024.
• The Honourable Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, Mr. Ashwini Vaishnaw, officially opened India's first 3D Printed Post Office at Cambridge Layout in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The First World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Global Summit held between August 17 and 18 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Theme of Summit: "Towards Health and Well-being for All.”
• The World Bank launched a report titled "Digital-in-Health: Unlocking the Value for Everyone."
• The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) was inaugurated in New Delhi by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, with the objective of enhancing road safety measures for motor vehicles in the M1 category with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of under 3.5 tonnes.
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has officially approved the Karauli-Sarmathura-Dholpur sanctuary in Rajasthan as Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve of India under Project Tiger. It becomes 5th Tiger reserve of Rajasthan and 54th Tiger Reserve of India.
• Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, released the Biodiversity Atlas of Mayem in North Goa, which is India's First Village Atlas. 
• National Health Authority (NHA) launched India’s first Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) microsite in Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram.
• Union Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan has launched the indigenously developed cyber threat detection and resolution system - Trinetra. It has been launched on the 40th Foundation Day of Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT).
• The Group of Twenty (G20) Trade and Investment Minister’s Meeting (TIMM) was held under the India’s G20 Presidency at Jaipur in Rajasthan.
• Ministry of Education’s (MoE) Innovation Cell in collaboration with the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) announced the launch of the 6th edition Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2023.
• At the Rashtrapati Bhavanthe President of India, Droupadi Murmu, unveiled a commemorative postage stamp honoring the late Dadi Prakashmani, the erstwhile head of Brahma Kumaris. This issuance, part of the 'My Stamp' scheme by the Department of Posts under the Ministry of Communications, marks the 16th anniversary of Dadi Prakashmani's passing.
• Former President of India Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) school in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• The Governments of India and New Zealand have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to adopt an Open Sky Policy, which will permit an increased number of flights to operate between multiple cities across both nations.
• National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India have signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to speed up the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
• The NHAI has launched a mobile application 'Rajmargyatra', aiming to improve the user experience on the National Highways.
• The Ministry of Minority Affairs, implemented the ‘Free Coaching and Allied’ scheme to provide free coaching to students/candidates belonging to economically weaker sections of minority communities for preparation of entrance examinations of technical/professional courses and competitive examinations.
• The Srinagar District has been Ranked as the top performing District under Jal Jeevan Survekshan(JJS-2023) among 114 Har Ghar Jal Certified districts across the Country in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission(JJM) during October, 01, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
• The mysterious condition known as 'Havana Syndrome' has been puzzling doctors and scientists for years, and it appears that India may be the latest country to be affected by it.
• India Startup Festival 2023 begins in Bengaluru, hosting over 10,000 global startups
• The Matti banana variety, native to the Kanniyakumari district (Tamil Nadu) was granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, and is known for its unique characteristics that thrive only in the specific climate and soil conditions of its native region.
• During the concluding day of the G20 Health Ministers' meeting held in Gandhinagar on 19th August 2023, Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled the 'Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH)', a network managed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched a new 'Lotus flower variety named 'Namoh 108' developed by CSIR-NBRI in Lucknow. This lotus has an extraordinary 108 petals and holds religious and symbolic significance.The unveiling of 'NAMOH 108' is seen as a special gift to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dedicated ten years in office.
• India has announced the definition of Green Hydrogen. The Green Hydrogen Standard for India sets a criterion of 2 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg H₂ as a 12-month average emission threshold. 
• NTPC Limited has launched the trial of India’s first hydrogen bus in the picturesque region of Leh, situated in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. 
• The G20 Culture Ministers' meeting has held in Varanasi. The event represents the culmination of India's G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) meetings and discussions.
• The 3rd International Conference on Structural Integrity (ICONS 2023) was held virtually at Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu on August 23, 2023.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi become the first Indian to receive  the highest civilian honor Grand Cross of the Order of Honor by Greek President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou in Athens
• In the 26th National Conference on e-Governance 2023, the National Award was given to the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje inaugurated the G20 One Health Workshop in Bengaluru.
• Int-- Sri Lanka hosted the Karnataka Cultural Festival for the first time.
• NA--India and New Zealand recently formalized a cooperative agreement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their cooperation in the field of civil aviation.

• The Embassy of India, Kathmandu and Government of Nepal signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for undertaking two High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal under the grant assistance of Government of India - one each in health care and education sectors, at a total estimated cost of NRs. 80.33 million.
• Iraq is the 18th country recognized by the WHO for getting rid (eliminating) of the eye disease trachoma. It's the 5th country in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean area to do this. Also, it's the 50th country worldwide that the WHO acknowledges for eliminating at least one Neglected Tropical Disease.
• India and Laos signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for the implementation of five Quick Impact Projects in the fields of education, health, water facility and IT.
• India and Papua New Guinea signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for sharing India Stack, successful digital solutions implemented at population scale in New Delhi. India Stack is the moniker for a set of open APIs and digital public goods that aim to unlock the economic primitives of identity, data, and payments at population scale.
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) unveiled its annual flagship publication, the World Trade Statistical Review (WTSR) for 2023. Global Exporters and Importers: India ranked 18th in merchandise exports and 7th in services exports. India was the 9th largest goods importer and 9th in services imports.
  • • China remained the top merchandise exporter in 2022 but with a reduced world export share of 14%.
    • The United States and Germanyranked second and third in merchandise exports.
• India will be providing support worth 700,000 USD from the India-UN Development Partnership (UNDP) Fund to the project in Tuvalu to store and provide clean water in schools.
  • • Tuvalu, in the South Pacific, is an independent island nation within the British Commonwealth.
• India’s eGov Foundation and UNDP Indonesia have recently signed an MoU to improve medical waste management in Indonesia using digital technology. This is a significant step towards addressing the environmental and health challenges posed by the increasing amount of infectious medical waste generated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • • The MoU was signed on August 9, 2023, and is part of UNDP Indonesia’s ME-SMILE project, which stands for Medical Waste Management for Sustainable and Inclusive Livelihoods and Environment.
• ‘Zayed Talwar’, a bilateral naval maritime partnership exercise was held between the Indian Navy and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy , which was held from 8th to 11th August 2023 in Dubai, UAE.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) developed an open-source software called ‘National Carbon Registry’.This software enables countries to effectively manage national data and processes for trading carbon credits.
• The 27^th edition of the MALABAR 2023 naval exercise took place on the East Coast of Australia, in the waters off Sydney, from August 11 to August 21, 2023. This edition, hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), marked the first time the exercise was conducted in Australian territory and featured the participation of the Indian Navy (IN), the United States Navy (USN), and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF).
• At the invitation of Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to Johannesburg for a three-day visit from August 22 to August 24, 2023, to participate in the 15th annual BRICS Summit 2023, which encompasses Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
  • • The South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa is the Chair of 15th BRICS Summit.
• Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent is set to join Exercise BRIGHT STAR-23, a biennial multinational tri-service exercise slated to take place at Cairo (West) Air Base in Egypt from August 27 to September 16, 2023.
• The Government of Canada hosted the 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility. The assembly discussed environmental solutions under the overarching theme of “Healthy Planet, Healthy People“.
• 48 African nations have come together to endorse the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment, and Climate Change (KDMECC). This collective action aims to tackle the issues of climate change and human mobility in Africa while harnessing the potential for sustainable development.
• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 21 August 2023, approved the first vaccine that protects newborns from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
• Three remaining survivors of the Amazon rainforest tribe - Piripkura found in Brazil.The Piripkura tribe comes from the Mato Grosso region of Brazil and leads a nomadic lifestyle.

• Paytm has launched two new payment devices: Paytm Pocket Soundbox and Paytm Music Soundbox. Both have 4G capabilities, making it easier for merchants to use them anywhere.
• KWIK virtual credit card has been launched by Axis Bank in collaboration with National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI). It is the revolutionary credit on Unified Payment Interface (UPI) platform which offers credit card rewards along with the convenience of UPI’s fast and secure payment for seamless online and offline transactions.
• India First Life GOLD (Guarantee of Life Dreams), a non-linked, non-participating, individual saving, limited premium paying, life insurance plan was rolled out recently by IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited.
• The Government of India (GoI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 200 million loan agreement as additional financing for the ongoing Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project as additional financing, to expand water supply and sanitation systems and enhance urban resilience and heritage living in selected towns.
• Brookfield Asset Management signed a MoU with Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to explore opportunities to manufacture renewable energy and decarbonization equipment in Australia.
• AU Small Finance Bank has become the first bank in India to offer 24X7 for 365 days video banking facility to all the customers for free of cost.
• Airtel Payment Bank has become the first Indian Bank to launch an eco-friendly debit card for its new and existing customers with a savings bank account. The debit cards will be crafted from recycle- Poly Vinyl Chloride (r-PVC) material, a certified eco-friendly material, against normal PVC cards.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 40.5 million loan for an integrated project focussing on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Maternal Mental Health in Meghalaya.
• iris by YES BANK, a state-of-the-art mobile banking application is a comprehensive financial proposition that has been co-created based on the valued feedback received from YES BANK customers.
• Indian Bank became the First Public Sector Bank (PSB) to extend facility of execution of on-line locker agreement through Digital Document Execution (DDE) Platform of National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL), India’s first Information Utility under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
• Canara Bank launched its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Interoperable Digital Rupee mobile application, called the “Canara Digital Rupee app,” as a part of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot project.
• Axis Bank Limited launched ‘Infinity Savings Account’, a first-of-its-kind fully Digital fixed fee-based savings account with no paperwork or branch visits.
• India has embarked on an ambitious trajectory to amplify its existing 6% share of natural gas in the energy amalgam to a formidable 15% by 2030, as the government presses forward with a suite of comprehensive measures.

• BRICS' New Development Bank (NDB) has elected Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi,  as a member of its Board of Directors and a Constituency Director.
• Microfinance Industry Network (MFIN) elected Udaya Kumar Hebbar as Chairperson and Manoj Kumar Nambiar as the Vice Chairperson in its 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Delhi.
• Professor Ganesan Kannabiran, assumed charge as the new Director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
• The Government of India appointed Sanjay Kumar Agarwal as the Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
• Quantum Ecosystems Technology Council of India (QETCI) has announced the appointment of scientist and defense expert Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat as Chairman of the Governing Board.
• Shivendra Nath is set to be next Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Engineering Projects (India) Ltd. a PSU under the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.
• United Kingdom's Jim Skea has been elected as the newly elected chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• Indian-American Shohini Sinha has assumed the role of special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office, as appointed by FBI Director Christopher Wray.
• Hun Manet Became New Prime Minister of Cambodia.
• Indian Ecologist, Scientist and Asian elephant expert Raman Sukumar has been elected as Vice Chair of Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• The Supreme Court of India is set to constitute an all-women committee comprising three former High Court judges, led by former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Gita Mittal, to oversee the relief, rehabilitation, and rebuilding measures in Manipur.
• Amit Jhingran appointed as the Managing Director& Chief Executive Officer  of SBI Life Insurance Company Limited (SBI Life).
• The Government of India (GoI) has appointed R Doraiswamy as Managing Director  of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
• Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) has appointed Parminder Chopra as its first woman full-time Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) with effective from (w.e.f) 14th August, 2023.
• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has named Rahul Dravid as its new brand ambassador.
• Bernardo Arevalo was elected as Guatemala’s Presidential Election.
• Srettha Thavisin  was elected as the 30th Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand.
• Sachin Tendulkar was named as the ‘National Icon’ for voter awareness and education for the Election Commission of India.
• Umesh Revankar was appointed as the chairman of the Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) for a period of 2 years.
• Geetika Srivastava, a 2005 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer was appointed as the first woman Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) at the High Commission of India in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• Indian-origin Vaibhav Taneja is the new Chief Financial Officer of Elon Musk-owned carmaker Tesla.
• Justice Prakash Shrivastava has been appointed as Chairperson of National Green Tribunal (NGT). 

• Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) has achieved a milestone by becoming the first Indian participant in the Asia Transition Finance Study Group (ATFSG), an initiative spearheaded by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to promote sustainable transition finance in Asian countries.
• Pegasus Universal Aerospace (PUA) Company, led by its Chairman Mohamed Reza Mia, an Indian-origin South African, won the 2022/2023 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 Awards for outstanding contributions to Science, Engineering, Technology (SET) and innovation in South Africa for the category "Innovation Award: Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME)".
• The Maharashtra government has decided to confer the first 'Udyog Ratna' award on veteran industrialist and chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award at a function in Pune, Maharashtra. The Award was constituted by Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in 1983 to honor the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak. The Prime Minister donated the cash prize to the Namami Gange Project.
• Myra Grover, a distinguished author, and Secretary of the New Delhi Social Workers Association (NDSWA) has been awarded the Prestigious 'Women Icon Award', an international recognition and award from the House of Lords, the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament, for her contributions to the society in the domain of Mental Wellness.
• The Indian film "Champaran Mutton," directed by Ranjan Kumar from Bihar, has reached the semifinals of the 49th edition of the Oscar's Student Academy Awards (SAA) 2023, an international student film competition.
• The National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) team from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has won the Gold Award in the Excellence in Government Process Reengineering for Digital Transformation Category-1. This award is presented by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions. The award recognizes the dedication of the NAFIS team in creating a fool-proof fingerprint identification system.

• Highlights of 69th National Film Award –
  • • Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon jointly won the National Film Award in the Best Actress category.
    • Telugu actor Allu Arjun was named the Best Actor for his film Pushpa: The Rise'.
    • R Madhavan's Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, based on the life of former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayan, was adjudged the Best Feature Film. 
• Jayesh Saini Receives Global Leader Award 2023 for Healthcare Expansion in Africa.
• Jio Haptik has been honored with the Tech Startup of the Year (Artificial Intelligence) award at the prestigious 13th Annual Entrepreneur India Awards.
• Subhash Runwal, Chairman – Runwal, a leading real estate developer with a legacy of over four decades, was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the first-ever RICS South Asia Awards.
• Raj Chetty, an Indian-American economist, and Michael Springer, a biologist, have been awarded Harvard University’s George Ledlie Prize for their work in their respective fields.

• Winners of India Smart Cities Awards Contest 2022
  • • National Smart City Award Category:-- 1^st Indore; 2^nd Surat; 3^rd Agra.
    • UT Award Category—1^st Chandigarh.
    • State Award Category:- 1^st Madhya Pradesh ; 2^nd Tamil Nadu; 3^rd Rajasthan.

• Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has given the first Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker of Akash – the Next Generation Weapon System to the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). This RF Seeker was produced at BDL's newly set-up Seeker Facility Centre (SFC), which uses advanced technology.
• Indian Air Force has received the Israeli Spike Non Line of Sight (NLOS) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) which can hit targets from distances up to 30 km. This will boost the capabilities of the IAF to destroy enemy targets hidden behind mountains.
• India's indigenous Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) and the variant of HELINA (Helicopter-launched NAG) Weapon System called 'Dhruvastra' are set to be inducted into the Indian army and Indian Air Force.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) began transferring IMS-1 Satellite Bus technology to Alpha Design Technologies, a Bengaluru-based private company. The transfer was facilitated by ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) through an agreement. It is bringing in a new era of increased private industry participation in India's space sector.
• "Neerakshi" (Eyes in the Water) is India’s first-of-its-kind indigenous Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, designed to detect mines. It was launched in Kolkata, West Bengal, by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers.
• Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud launched 'SuSwagatam', a web-based and mobile-friendly application which enables advocates, visitors, interns and others to register themselves online and get e-passes to enter the Supreme Court of India(SC).
• The Ministry of Defense has decided to replace the Microsoft Operating System (OS) on all computers that can connect to the internet with the new indigenously developed OS “Maya,” which is based on open-source Ubuntu, by the end of 2023.
• Prabal happens to be the first revolver being manufactured in India which has a side swing cylinder enhancing its usability and convenience. India's first long-range revolver 'Prabal', manufactured by the state-owned Advanced Weapons and Equipment India (AWEIL), has been launched.
• Indian Army inducted the first Swathi Mark II Mountain variant Weapon Locating Radar(WLR), a lighter and compact version WLR for mountains & high-altitude areas.
• Russia’s first lunar mission in 47 years, Luna-25, failed as the space craft spun out of control and crashed into the moon after a problem preparing for pre-landing orbit(orbital maneuver).
• NTPC Limited has begun the trial of India's 1st hydrogen bus in Leh, Union Territory (UT) Ladakh. This marks India's 1st-ever use of hydrogen buses on public roads.
• Union Minister of State(MoS) Dr.Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science & Technology, launched CSIR Prima ET11, India’s 1st indigenous e-Tractor.
• Professor Andrea Rinaldo, the world-renowned hydrologist from Italy is awarded the Stockholm Water Prize 2023 for his research on river networks, demonstrating their significance in the spread of solutes, aquatic species, and diseases.
• The Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics revealed the Mohajer-10, a newly developed domestically-manufactured attack drone, also known as an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), featuring advanced capabilities.
• India's Vikram (Valour) Lander Module (LM) from the Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully executed a soft landing near the moon's South Pole at 70 degrees latitude. This achievement made India the first country to soft land the Spacecraft on Moon’s South Pole.
  • • It was Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) 3^rd lunar mission which resulted in unprecedented milestone in space exploration. Chandrayaan 1 was launched in 2008, and Chandrayaan 2 in 2019.
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has manufactured India’s first set of Indigenous Catalysts for Selective Catalyst Reactors (SCR) for limiting oxides of nitrogen (NOx).This production is in line with the government’s “Make in India” Initiative.
• The National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) recently introduced the 'Jaldost Airbot.' This unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is designed to support water-based missions, such as monitoring and surveying water bodies, rivers, and reservoirs, making it a valuable tool for water resource management.
• NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) has collaborated with Tata Play to  launch GSAT-24, a 4-tonne class communication satellite built by ISRO for providing DTH services
• The Indian Air Force has welcomed its most recent Heron Mark 2 drones into service, featuring the capability for strikes and comprehensive border surveillance along the frontiers with China and Pakistan in a single mission.
• Central Water Commission launched the mobile app "Floodwatch". It will help in providing information related to the flood situation and forecasts for up to 7 days on a real-time basis.
• Researchers from Germany, the United States and Peru have named a recently discovered species of snake after actor Harrison Ford.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing its innovative device named ‘Nabhmitra’.
• Agnikul Cosmos is set to become the first Indian firm to design, develop and launch a liquid-fuelled rocket.

• The Indian women's hockey team beat Spain to win the title at the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation Tournament in Terrassa, Barcelona. This was their first victory at this 2023 tournament.
• Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon( 45 years old) announced his retirement from football. He was part of the Federation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) World Cup winning Italian team in 2006.
• India topped the medal tally with 4 medals (3 gold and 1 bronze) at the 52nd edition of the Hyundai World Archery Championships 2023, held in the Berlin Olympic Park in Berlin, Germany from 31st July to 6th August 2023. India won the gold medal for the first time since its 1st edition that held in 1931.
• Aditi Gopichand Swami and Ojas Pravin Deotale have won gold in the Women's and Men's individual compound events, respectively.
• Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Gopichand Swami won gold in the women's compound team event.
• Taylor Fritz is back with a bang on the American hard courts for the US Open Series.
• Prannoy Haseena Sunil Kumar from India won a silver medal in men's singles at the Australian Open 2023. He lost the finals to China's Weng Hong Yang. The event was held at the State Sports Centre in Sydney.

Winners of Australian Badminton Open 2023:

• Vakkom Purushothaman, Senior Congress leader and former Speaker of Kerala, who also served as Governor of Mizoram, Tripura and Andaman & Nicobar Island passed away at the age of 95 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Marathi poet and lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor, popularly known as Na Dho Mahanor, passed away at the age of 81 in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Padma Awardee and renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Chandra Sinha (aged 78) passed away in Kolkata.
• Padma Bhushan Awardee, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, a renowned social activist and the Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, passed away at the age of 80.
• Mohammed Habib, the legendary Indian football player, and Former Indian Team captain, passed away at the age of 74 in Hyderabad.
• Padma Awardee Dr. V S R Arunachalam an Indian Scientist and the former Director General (DG) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), passed away.
• Renowned Indian-American Statistician and mathematician Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao (CR Rao) passed away.
• Jayanta Mahapatra, an Eminent Indian English poet and Litterateur, who was the first recipient of Sahitya Akademi award for English poetry(1981), passed away.
• Renowned Telangana folk singer and balladeer Gaddar, who was popularly known for his revolutionary songs during the 1980s and later during the Telangana statehood agitation, passed away due to ill-health.

• Union Minister Amit Shah introduced the book 'Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Memories Never Die'. It's the English version of the Tamil book 'Abdul Kalam: Ninaivugalukku Maranamillai', co-written by Dr. APJM Nasima Maraikayar.
• “Kargil: Ek Yatri Ki Jubani” (Hindi Edition) authored by Rishi Raj. The book which pays tribute to the Martyrs of Kargil War was published by Prabhat Prakashan.
• Book "Monsoon: A Poem of Love and Longing" has been authored by Abhay Kumar
• The King of Jungle - Asiatic Lions of Gir’, written by Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Sakkira Begum
• ‘Hu Gir no Savaj’ written by Shri Arvind Goswami.
• A book titled “The Life, Vision and Songs of Kabir” written by  Vipul Rikhi
• A book titled ‘Pitchside: My Life in Indian Cricket’ by long-term cricket administrator Amrit Mathur released. 

• Track Elephant Movement, a mobile app, has been launched by Jharkhand government on the occasion of the 74th Van Mahotsav in Ranchi. The mobile app will help villagers and the forest department of Jharkhand to track elephant movements so that precautionary measures could be taken in advance.
• ‘Just Ask!’ chatbot that was launched by the Madhya Pradesh government and the UNFPA. It’s a great initiative to provide accurate and reliable information on social issues and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among adolescents and young adults in India.

• 'LEAP Coworks' state-wide membership card for Kerala Startup Mission's has been launched by Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan. [ Note LEAP- Launch, Empower, Accelerate, Prosper].
• Amrit Brikshya Andolan web portal and mobile application has been launched by Assam government. Aims to plant a total of one crore (10 million) commercially-viable saplings across the state by individuals from various walks of life.
• ‘Shubhayatra’- a new project has been launched by Kerala government. The project aims to create a positive and productive migration ecosystem by providing financial assistance of up to Rs. 2 lakhs with a tax holiday for 6 months and attractive interest subvention to meet the incidental expense of eligible candidates.
• Three famous products from Tamil Nadu – Jaderi Namkatti, Kanyakumari Matti Banana, Chedibuta Saree were given GI tag by the Geographical Indications Registry.
• Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren approved the setting up of India's first hydrogen fuel-related industry in Jamshedpur.
• Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister (CM) of Rajasthan, launched the Indira Gandhi Smart Phone Scheme, under the scheme free smartphones with 3 years of data facility will be distributed to 1.3 crore women in Rajasthan.
• Telangana government has launched India’s first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX) and Agriculture Data Management Framework (ADMF) in Hyderabad.
• Gramin Mitra scheme has been launched by Goa government. This is a flagship scheme of the Government of Goa to provide doorstep delivery of government services across the state and promote digital empowerment in rural areas.
• Kerala government has launched a user-friendly web portal named ‘Athidhi Portal’, for the registration of migrant workers in Kerala.
• Goa government inaugurated free In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) therapy at the Goa Medical College.
• UNESCO and Government of Telangana, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to collaborate and make efforts in order to implement the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• Manav Sampada portal has been launched by government of Uttar Pradesh to ensure transparency in the work of all the officers and employees of all 74 departments in the UP government.
• The Assam Cabinet inaugurated the "Most Outstanding District Initiative" (MODI), a program designed to honor the district demonstrating exemplary cleanliness. This initiative aims to enhance solid waste management and promote better sanitation practices across districts.
• Chief Minister(CM) of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel launched a software called the Panchayati Raj Accounting Information System Automation (PRAISA), to make online payment compulsory for Panchayati Raj institutions at a state-level under ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh‘campaign.
• On the 18th day of the Tamil month all the people of South India celebrated Aadi Perukku, the monsoon festival in a grand way. Monsoon season commences in the month of Aadi and symbolizes prosperity.
• After a substantial increase in the number of tigers in Bihar, the state government has now decided to set up a 'Rhino Task Force' to suggest measures to reintroduce terrestrial mammals to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran district.
• The Ministry of Tourism has identified ‘Prayagraj’ and ‘Naimisharanya’ in Uttar Pradesh as destinations for development under ‘Swadesh Darshan 2.0 with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations.
• The Kerala Assembly on 9 August 2023, unanimously passed a resolution urging the Central government to officially change the name of the State from Kerala to Keralam.
• The Uttar Pradesh government has announced to set up the country's largest IT hub in Lucknow.
• The Tamil Nadu government and Racing Promotions Private Limited (RRPL) have launched a new street circuit in Chennai. The 3.5km track will be located around the Island Grounds and will be the first-ever street circuit in India and South Asia to host a night race.
• Kannauj has become the first district in Uttar Pradesh to introduce an e-office system at its collectorate. 
• The Maharashtra government has launched the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Jodaraste Scheme, aimed at connecting tribal villages in 17 districts of the state with main roads.
• Guwahati's popular Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LBBI) has become the first airport in Northeast India to launch a 'Digi Yatra' facility.
• In a significant stride towards resolving the water crisis gripping Chennai city, Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, M K Stalin, has laid the foundation stone for what is set to become South East Asia’s largest water desalination project.
• The city of Indore has clinched the top spot in the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan -2023 conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board, in the category of cities with a population exceeding 10 lakhs.