Current Affairs - August 13, 2026 Current Affairs

India’s retail inflation rose marginally to 4.45% in July 2026, compared with 4.38% in June 2026. The increase was mainly driven by higher food prices, with Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) inflation rising to 5.52% from 5.32% in June. The July figures were based on the revised Consumer Price Index (CPI), which uses 2024 as its base year. Rural retail inflation stood higher at 4.84%, while urban inflation was 3.96%. Among major states, Telangana recorded the highest inflation at 6.32% in July.

Karnataka launched Tathyakosh.in, a centralised digital public good platform designed to simplify the discovery of fragmented public data across India. Developed by the ACSEL Technology Forum, Karnataka’s Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, in collaboration with the IIT Alumni Centre Bengaluru, the platform integrates more than 1.5 million datasets from 458 data sources. Tathyakosh functions as a discovery tool rather than storing datasets directly, redirecting users to original sources to preserve data ownership and provenance. It is particularly useful for startups and researchers working in healthcare, agriculture, climate research, and financial inclusion.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) initiated the rollout of the 1601 number series on August 10, 2026, for service and transactional voice calls made by utility and logistics companies. The initiative aims to help consumers identify legitimate business communications and reduce impersonation fraud involving standard 10-digit mobile numbers. In its first phase, the series covers electricity, water, city gas and LPG providers, along with courier, express logistics and freight companies. Eligible entities must use the numbers exclusively for service and transactional calls, while promotional calls through the 1601 series are prohibited.

Hyderabad will host Amgen’s new Science and Innovation Centre at Genome Valley, with the facility scheduled to become operational in 2027. The centre will focus on discovery chemistry, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, precision medicine, and the integration of experimental science with data technology. The project is expected to create employment opportunities for around 200 highly skilled professionals. Amgen had earlier established its Global Capability Centre in Hyderabad in February 2025. Genome Valley is India’s first systematically developed life sciences research and development cluster and has become an important hub for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

August 13 is observed every year as World Organ Donation Day to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and encourage people to become donors. The day also aims to dispel myths and misconceptions related to organ transplantation. Organ donation can provide a second chance at life to patients suffering from organ failure. Organs such as the kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas, and intestines can be donated under appropriate medical and legal conditions. Awareness campaigns help bridge the gap between the growing demand for organs and the availability of donated organs.

VOC Port, officially known as V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority, became India’s first major port to be recognised as Scope-2 emission-free on August 10, 2026. Located in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, the port achieved this milestone with renewable energy accounting for 93.89% of its total electricity consumption during 2025-26. It also received ISO 50001:2018 certification for its Energy Management System from Bureau Veritas. The port operates solar and wind power facilities and is developing green hydrogen and green methanol infrastructure as part of its broader clean-energy initiatives.

IIT Delhi was the highest-ranked Indian institution in the QS World University Rankings 2027, securing the 118th position globally after climbing five places. It was followed by IIT Bombay at 134th, IIT Madras at 170th, IIT Kharagpur at 205th and IISc Bengaluru at 221st. India’s representation in the rankings has expanded significantly, with 52 institutions featured in 2027 compared with just 11 in 2015. The growth reflects improvements in higher education, research, innovation and institutional development, supported by policy initiatives including the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Jammu & Kashmir approved ₹10 crore on August 11, 2026, for the repair and renovation of the historic Rattan Garh Fort in Bhaderwah, Doda district. The project focuses on preserving the fort’s architectural and historical character while developing it as a major heritage and tourism attraction. Rattan Garh Fort is associated with the cultural heritage of the Chenab Valley. The restoration is also expected to integrate the fort into Bhaderwah’s tourism circuit, improve visitor facilities and contribute to local economic activity through increased tourism.

Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, was appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education on August 10, 2026. She succeeded Vineet Joshi, who was transferred to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The Department of Higher Education functions under the Ministry of Education and is responsible for university education, technical education and scholarships. It also oversees major regulatory bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Srinivasa Kumar Tummala assumed charge as the Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on August 10, 2026. A scientist with extensive experience in ocean and climate-related research, he previously served as Director of ESSO-INCOIS in Hyderabad from August 2020. His priorities include expanding the Deep Ocean Mission, advancing India’s Blue Economy agenda, and strengthening polar research and climate modelling. He also played a key role in establishing the Indian Tsunami Early Warning System and received the National Geoscience Award in 2010 and the Indian National Geospatial Award in 2008.