Current Affairs - July 5, 2026 Current Affairs

Hokato Hotozhe Sema achieved the World No. 1 ranking in the men's Shot Put F57 category on July 02, 2026, marking a significant milestone for Indian para athletics. Hailing from Nagaland, he serves as a Subedar in the 9 Assam Rifles and has earned recognition for his outstanding achievements in sports. He won a bronze medal in the men's Shot Put F57 event at the Paris Paralympics 2024 and became the first Paralympian to receive the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM). He is also a recipient of the Arjuna Award for excellence in sports.

Rajiv Kumar was appointed as the Part-time Chairman and Additional Independent Director of HDFC Bank on June 30, 2026, for a three-year term, subject to approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). A former Finance Secretary of India, he played a key role in the consolidation of 10 Public Sector Banks into four entities and later served as the Chief Election Commissioner during the 2024 General Election. He succeeded Atanu Chakraborty after the interim tenure of Keki Mistry. His appointment reflects HDFC Bank's focus on experienced leadership and strong corporate governance.

Mayilsamy Annadurai was appointed as the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Curriculum Design Committee by the School Education Department on June 30, 2026. He replaced Sultan Ahmed Ismail (Retd.), who resigned from the position, and will lead the existing 16-member panel while the remaining members continue in their roles. A distinguished ISRO scientist, Annadurai served as the Project Director of Chandrayaan-1 and played key leadership roles in Chandrayaan-2 and the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan). His appointment is expected to strengthen curriculum development by bringing scientific expertise and innovation to school education.

Bank of Baroda entered into a strategic partnership with Japan's Mizuho Bank on June 30, 2026, to strengthen cooperation in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) financing and related financial services. The collaboration focuses on joint origination, structuring, and syndication of acquisition financing, along with co-underwriting and selected M&A advisory deals. It also aims to develop preferred-partner channels for secondary risk distribution and sub-participation. By combining Mizuho Bank's global expertise with Bank of Baroda's strong domestic presence, the partnership is expected to support cross-border investment opportunities and corporate financing in India.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) approved the first molecular diagnostic test for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) on July 2, 2026, to strengthen outbreak response efforts in Africa. The test detects the virus's genetic material directly from blood samples, allowing faster and more accurate diagnosis. It is specifically designed for the Bundibugyo strain, which is different from the Zaire strain and requires separate diagnostic tools. The approval supports timely detection, better disease surveillance, and improved public health measures, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the outbreak is ongoing.

Lokhande Prashant Sitaram, an IAS officer, was appointed as the Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on July 3, 2026. Before assuming this role, he served as the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, a position he held from April 1, 2026. CBSE is a premier national-level education board functioning under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is responsible for conducting the Class 10 (AISSE) and Class 12 (AISSCE) examinations and oversees thousands of affiliated public and private schools across the country.