DAILY GK 17-18 AUG 2026
1. INDIA
LAUNCHES 1ST-EVER GUIDE TO GRASSLANDS
·
The Government of India (GoI) launched
its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural
Ecosystems (ONEs) of India during a side event at the 17th Session of the Conference of the
Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held
in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
·
The
guide was launched under the guidance of the Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change (MoEFCC), to promote the conservation
and sustainable management of India’s grasslands and open natural ecosystems.
2. NITI
AAYOG REPORT ON INDIA’S MANUFACTURING SECTOR
·
Ashok
Kumar Lahiri, Vice Chairperson of National Institution for
Transforming India (NITI Aayog), released the report
titled “Key Sectors to Position India as a Global
Manufacturing Hub”, providing
a data-driven assessment of India’s manufacturing sector.
·
The
report has identified 12 manufacturing sectors (automobiles,
electronics, steel, capital goods, defence and drones, chemicals, solar PV,
textiles, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, telecom equipment, leather and
footwear and food processing) to accelerate India’s journey towards global
manufacturing hub and the vision of Viksit Bharat.
·
Out of the 12 key sectors, the report has
identified chemicals, textiles, telecom and networking equipment, and Solar
PV manufacturing as four
high-potential sectors that have the potential to drive India’s
manufacturing growth and strengthen its position in global value chains.
3. ESPORTS
WORLD CUP CHESS
·
Norwegian chess Grandmaster (GM) and World
No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, representing Team Liquid, won the Esports World Cup Chess title
2026 for the second consecutive year in Paris, France, defeating
Belarusian GM Denis Lazavik 2–0 (3–1, 3–1) in
the final
·
Hikaru Nakamura (USA, Team Falcons) secured third place while Alireza Firouzja (France,
Team Falcons) finished fourth
4. GAJ
GAURAV AWARD 2026
·
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) conferred the Gaj Gaurav Awards
2026 during the national celebrations of World Elephant Day held
in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP)
·
7
Mahouts and Elephant Handlers were honoured for their
exceptional bravery during severe flash floods.
·
Bikash Kharia and Rajiv Oraon rescued and protected six stranded captive
elephants.
·
Ajibul
Haque, Ajit Gabur, Momtaz Alam, Amasur Kharia, and Dilip Munda successfully
guided 13 displaced wild one-horned rhinoceroses to elevated safe areas.
5. PMIS
INDUSTRY AWARDS 2026
·
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) organised
the ‘PMIS Industry Awards 2026’ in New Delhi under the
Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) to recognise
partner companies, with Mahindra & Mahindra Limited named
Overall Industry Champion.
·
Top
Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) partners included Oil and Natural
Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), NTPC Limited, and Western Coalfields Limited
(WCL)
·
Top
private partners were Reliance Industries Limited (RIL),
Infosys Limited, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited (DRL).
·
HDFC
Bank Limited won the Pre-Internship
Excellence Award
·
Shriram
Finance Limited received the Internship Management Excellence Award
·
IBM
India Private Limited was recognised for Innovation in Program Implementation
·
Power
Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) for Innovation in Exit Pathways.
6. NATIONAL
SPORTS AWARDS 2025
·
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports (MYAS) announced the National
Sports Awards 2025, naming 17 Arjuna awardees along
with 1 Arjuna (Lifetime), 3 Dronacharya
(Regular), 2 Dronacharya (Lifetime), and 1 Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar
recipient.
·
No
athlete was selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award,
marking a rare instance (previously in 2008 and 2014) since its institution in
1991.
·
The awards were finalised based on
recommendations of a selection committee chaired by former Supreme Court (SC)
judge Arun Kumar Mishra
·
Winners
list: Arjuna Awards
7. WORLD’S
YOUNGEST MALE CA
·
Indian-origin Dubai, based finance
professional Lakshmanan Meyyappan was
recognised by the Guinness World Records as the
World’s Youngest Male Chartered
Accountant (CA) after achieving the feat at the
age of 16 years and 141 days (in June 2021).
·
Meyyappan completed the Association of
Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification at the age of 16, having
started the course at 15 and finishing it in nearly one year.
8. INDIA-THAILAND
JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE MAITREE-XV
·
The Indian Army (IA) contingent
departed for Thailand to participate in the 15th
edition of the India-Thailand Joint Annual Military
Exercise MAITREE-XV in Surat Thani, Thailand.
·
The Indian contingent is represented mainly
by troops from 9 Gorkha Rifles, while the Royal Thai Army contingent comprises
personnel from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Brigade, 5th
Division.
9. WORLD
HUMANITARIAN DAY 2026 – AUGUST 19
·
World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is
observed globally on 19 August every year to honour
humanitarian workers who provide life-saving assistance during crises and
promote the protection of humanitarian personnel and International Humanitarian
Law (IHL).
·
2026 Theme: “Honouring fallen humanitarians and calling
for greater protection of health care”
·
The first World Humanitarian Day was observed
on 19 August 2009.
·
On 19 August
2003, a suicide truck bombing targeted the United Nations headquarters at Canal
Hotel, Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22
humanitarian workers, including Sérgio Vieira de Mello, UN Special
Representative for Iraq.
