Current Affairs - Places

New Delhi hosted the PMIS Industry Awards organised by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on August 16, 2026. The event recognised companies that made significant contributions by providing internship opportunities under the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS). The scheme aims to enhance skill development and employability among Indian youth through industry-linked training and hands-on experience in leading companies. Mahindra & Mahindra Limited was recognised as the Overall Industry Champion, while several PSUs and private companies received awards in different categories. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, headquartered in New Delhi, administers the Companies Act, 2013 and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

New Delhi hosted IIHT SUTRA 2026, the first national conclave of the Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology. The event was inaugurated by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on August 14, 2026, at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre. Organised under the theme “IIHTs: Weaving the Future of the Indian Handloom Sector – Educate. Innovate. Transform,” the conclave aimed to strengthen IIHTs as centres of excellence in technical education, research, and technological innovation. Several strategic MoUs were also signed with organisations including Grasim Industries, Northern India Textile Research Association, and IIM Sambalpur.

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.

Lucknow is the location where India’s first-of-its-kind Eco-Educational Hub, ‘Prakriti Gyan Dham’, was inaugurated at the Banthra campus of CSIR-NBRI on August 8, 2026. The hub was dedicated to the nation by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. It includes the PAaVan Path interpretive heritage trail, Indian Heritage Garden, Vibhav Enclave for rare and threatened plants, Bhairav Enclave featuring State Plants, and Bamboosteum with 43 bamboo species. The initiative promotes experiential environmental education, biodiversity awareness, and conservation. CSIR-NBRI, headquartered in Lucknow, is a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

The 9th India Medical Device 2026 conference was organised at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on August 7 and 8, 2026. The event was organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). Its theme was “Towards Viksit Bharat: Advancing India as a Global Hub for Quality Medical Devices”. Key technical sessions focused on Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, localisation of component manufacturing and reimbursement mechanisms for innovative therapies. The conference aimed to strengthen India’s medical device sector and support the country’s goal of becoming a global hub for quality healthcare technologies.