Daily Current Affairs Question-Answer (Q&A) 21st August 2026 (Special for Competitive Exams)
Daily Current Affairs: 21 August 2026
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In today’s highly competitive era, staying up to date with current affairs is crucial for clearing any competitive examination. Our goal is to ensure that current affairs never become a hurdle in your preparation, but rather your strongest scoring subject.
To save you time and provide you with the most authentic information, we meticulously collect daily news from top national and international sources, including PIB, The Hindu, AIR News, Indian Express, leading Hindi dailies, and major news channels. We provide Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Current Affairs along with additional static facts. This content is highly beneficial for exams like UPSC, SSC, Bank, Railway, Defense, Insurance, and all state-level exams.
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We hope our effort proves to be a milestone in your success journey. Best wishes to all of you! Let's dive into today's current affairs:
Q1. Which two Mumbai-based Parsi doctors have recently been proposed by the Pakistan government for its highest civilian honour, 'Nishan-e-Imtiaz'?
Answer: Dr. Jal Ratanji Patel and Dr. Jal Dhaybho-Koo
Extra Facts:
- Nishan-e-Imtiaz is Pakistan’s highest civilian honour.
- About Pakistan (At a glance):
- Capital: Islamabad
- Currency: Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
- Prime Minister: Shehbaz Sharif
- President: Asif Ali Zardari
Q2. On August 19, 2026, the Union Cabinet approved four multi-tracking railway projects worth how many crores to strengthen railway infrastructure across four states?
Answer: ₹9,450 crore
Extra Facts:
- These projects cover around 410 km of railway tracks across West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
- Their main objective is to ease congestion on critical routes and improve the speed of freight and passenger trains.
- About Indian Railways:
- Railway Minister: Ashwini Vaishnaw
- Ministers of State for Railways: V. Somanna and Ravneet Singh Bittu
- Chairman and CEO of Railway Board: Satish Kumar
Q3. On August 20, 2026, India signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation in New Delhi with the Maritime Self-Defense Force of which country?
Answer: Japan
Extra Facts:
- This agreement establishes a robust framework for comprehensive cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
- Key areas of cooperation include Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Search and Rescue operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), naval visits, joint exercises, and personnel exchanges.
- About Japan (At a glance):
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Japanese Yen (¥)
- Prime Minister: Sanae Takaichi
- Head of State (Emperor): Emperor Naruhito
Q4. Where was the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting held on August 20, 2026, under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah?
Answer: Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
Extra Facts:
- This meeting focuses on cooperative federalism and the "TEAM BHARAT" approach to Centre-state coordination.
- The Southern Zonal Council comprises Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.
- Zonal Councils were set up under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, and the Union Home Minister is the ex-officio chairman of all Zonal Councils.
Q5. On August 18, 2026, West Bengal hosted its first 'Kaushal Mahotsav' at Balurghat Stadium in Dakshin Dinajpur. Which edition of the Kaushal Mahotsav in India was this?
Answer: 11th Kaushal Mahotsav
Extra Facts:
- The event was jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), and the West Bengal Government.
- About West Bengal (At a glance):
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Suvendu Adhikari
- Governor: R. N. Ravi
Q6. Under India's BRICS Chairship, the Eighth BRICS Youth Energy Summit 2026 was held virtually on August 17 under which theme?
Answer: “Energy for All” (सर्वेषां ऊर्जम्)
Extra Facts:
- More than 100 young professionals, energy experts, and representatives participated in this summit.
- Global organizations such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), IRENA, and Sustainable Energy for All actively participated.
- About BRICS:
- It is a crucial grouping of major emerging economies founded in 2006 (South Africa joined in 2010).
- It currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, along with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Q7. What new system has the National Medical Commission (NMC) proposed under the 'One Nation, One Licence' framework for registered doctors?
Answer: Centrally generated Unique Identification (UID) number
Extra Facts:
- The proposal is part of the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026.
- The Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) will oversee this proposed unified identification system.
- This system will allow doctors to practise across India without separate state registrations.
- The National Medical Register (NMR) will maintain a digital record of registrations, disciplinary actions, and suspensions.
- Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare: Jagat Prakash Nadda (J. P. Nadda).
Q8. Which new module has the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports recently launched for Indian-origin youth living abroad?
Answer: 'Friends of MY Bharat'
Extra Facts:
- Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse announced this module during the BRICS Youth Summit 2026 in Gandhinagar.
- Through this platform, Indian-origin students and young professionals can access volunteering and nation-building opportunities in India.
- The platform includes a 'Know Your India' section covering culture, heritage, history, tourism, and prominent leaders.
- Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports: Mansukh Mandaviya.
Q9. In the latest 'Hunger Hotspots Report 2026' released by the FAO and WFP, how many countries and territories have been identified as hotspots facing severe acute food insecurity?
Answer: 13 countries and territories
Extra Facts:
- The report covers the period from June to November 2026.
- Conflict, displacement, climate shocks, and economic instability are the major drivers of hunger.
- Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, Palestine, Northeast Nigeria, and Somalia are among the areas of greatest concern.
- About the United Nations:
- HQ: New York, USA
- Head/Chief (Secretary-General): António Guterres
- Established: October 24, 1945
Q10. Where did the 65th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament 2026 kick off on August 18, featuring 108 participating teams?
Answer: New Delhi (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Stadium)
Extra Facts:
- The tournament is being conducted across three junior categories: Junior Girls Under-17, Junior Boys Under-17, and Sub-Junior Boys Under-15.
- The Subroto Cup is India's oldest and most prestigious inter-school national football tournament, named after India's first Air Chief, Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee.
Q11. Which ministry did PhonePe sign an MoU with on August 20, 2026, to integrate digital data analytics with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan portal?
Answer: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
Extra Facts:
- Under this agreement, PhonePe’s 'PulsePro' platform will be integrated with the PM GatiShakti portal.
- BISAG-N is coordinating this integration using geospatial and space-based applications.
- PulsePro generates near-real-time market insights by processing data from over 700 million registered users and 50 million merchants.
Q12. When is 'World Mosquito Day' observed annually to commemorate Sir Ronald Ross’s 1897 discovery that malaria is transmitted through female Anopheles mosquitoes?
Answer: August 20
Extra Facts:
- The day is observed to raise awareness about mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, and Zika virus.
- Sir Ronald Ross made this historic discovery in Secunderabad, India, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1902.
Q13. According to a recent study published in the journal 'Nature', which star has been identified as the fastest securely orbiting star around the Milky Way’s central supermassive black hole?
Answer: S301
Extra Facts:
- Scientists have confirmed that the star S301 follows a highly elliptical orbit around 'Sagittarius A*', the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way.
- It reaches a maximum speed of approximately 25,000 km/s, which is about 8% of the speed of light.
- The star completes one orbit in approximately 8.7 years and approaches within about 12 astronomical units (AU) of the black hole.
Q14. When is 'Indian Akshay Urja Day' observed annually to raise awareness about the importance and use of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower in India?
Answer: August 20
Extra Facts:
- "Akshay Urja" refers to inexhaustible energy sources, including solar, wind, biomass, hydropower, and geothermal energy.
- The day emphasizes the role of renewable energy in combating climate change and strengthening India's energy security.
- This day was initiated in 2004 by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Q15. Which former Congress MP, who was serving a life sentence in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, passed away at the age of 80 on August 20, 2026?
Answer: Sajjan Kumar
Extra Facts:
- Sajjan Kumar represented the Outer Delhi Lok Sabha constituency in 1980, 1991, and 2004.
- The Delhi High Court sentenced him to life imprisonment on December 17, 2018, in a case involving the killing of five Sikhs.
- In February 2025, a Delhi court awarded him another concurrent life sentence in a separate riot-related case.
Q16. Following the RBI's new directives, which NBFC has become India's first to set up exclusive 'Silver Loan' branches?
Answer: Paul Merchants Finance Private Limited (PMFPL)
Extra Facts:
- This product has been launched following the 'Reserve Bank of India (Lending Against Gold and Silver Collateral) Directions, 2025'.
- Under this scheme, customers can avail of loans ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹15 lakh against eligible silver jewellery, ornaments, and approved silver coins.
Q17. The Central Government has reappointed Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra as a part-time, non-official director on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for how many years?
Answer: 4 years
Extra Facts:
- This reappointment takes effect from August 20, 2026.
- About RBI:
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Governor: Sanjay Malhotra
- Established: April 1, 1935 (on the recommendation of the Hilton Young Commission).
Q18. Who has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), bringing over 27 years of capital market experience?
Answer: Prasanta Mahapatra
Extra Facts:
- About SEBI:
- SEBI is the principal regulatory authority for securities and commodity markets in India.
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Chief (Chairman): Tuhin Kanta Pandey
- Established: April 12, 1988 (acquired statutory status in 1992).
Q19. Which athlete from Arunachal Pradesh has been selected to represent India in the Men’s 400m T37 category at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Answer: Tingong Wangpan
Extra Facts:
- Tingong Wangpan is an outstanding para-athlete associated with the 'CM Aces' programme of Arunachal Pradesh.
- About Asian Para Games:
- It is a multi-sport event regulated by the Asian Paralympic Committee for athletes with physical disabilities.
- The event is held every four years immediately after the Asian Games.
- The first Asian Para Games were held in 2010 in Guangzhou, China.
Q20. Which new health insurance company, a 70:30 joint venture between Prudential plc and the HCL Group, has commenced business operations in India?
Answer: Prudential HCL Health Insurance Ltd
Extra Facts:
- The joint venture received approval from the insurance regulator (IRDAI) on July 1, 2026, to enter India's over Rs 1 lakh crore health insurance market.
- About IRDAI: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Hyderabad.
Q21. Which Indian international boxer (hailing from Sorkhi village in Hansi district, Haryana) has recently been selected for the prestigious 'Arjuna Award'?
Answer: Narender Berwal
Extra Facts:
- About Arjuna Award:
- It is the second-highest sporting honour of India, awarded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for outstanding performance in sports.
- The award was instituted in 1961.
- The award comprises a cash prize of ₹15 lakh, a bronze statuette of Arjuna, and a scroll of honour.
Q22. The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a dedicated Bench of which High Court in Ladakh to ensure easier access to justice for citizens?
Answer: High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh
Extra Facts:
- This bench will significantly reduce the time and cost required to avail legal services for citizens living in the remote areas of Ladakh.
- About Ladakh (At a glance):
- Capital: Leh and Kargil (Joint administrative capitals)
- Chief Minister: None (Union Territory without a legislative assembly)
- Lieutenant Governor: Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena (4th Lieutenant Governor)
Q23. Which indigenous medium drone was launched by Hyderabad-based DeepTech and defence technology startup 'AkinAnalytics' for farmers and field-intensive industries?
Answer: NIKA2 Kisan Medium Drone
Extra Facts:
- This drone provides advanced technology for precision agriculture, pesticide spraying, crop monitoring, and soil health analysis.
- Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
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