UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 03-08-2026

One Liners 03-08-2026

History, Art and Culture

Pingali Venkayya

• Recently Prime Minister paid tributes to Pingali Venkayya on his 150th birth anniversary.
• Birth – August 2, 1876, in Bhatlapenumarru village, Andhra Pradesh.
• Major contribution – Designed the foundational design of the Indian National Flag, which was approved by Mahatma Gandhi in 1921.
• On 13 April 1923, during a procession by local Congress volunteers in Nagpur commemorating the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the Swaraj flag with the spinning wheel was hoisted.
• On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted the design as the official national flag, replacing the spinning wheel with the navy blue 24-spoke Ashoka Chakra.

Polity & Governance

Bhogapuram International Airport (nearby Vizag)

The Bhogapuram International Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

• Official name – Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport.
• Location –Bhogapuram within the Vizianagaram district, positioned off National Highway 16 (A major east coast highway in India, connecting Dankuni (West Bengal) and Chennai (Tamil Nadu)).
• Developed by – GMR Group.
• Type – Greenfield airport.
• It was built under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• Note – Alluri Sitarama Raju was a legendary freedom fighter known as "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungle).
  • He led the Rampa (Manyam) Rebellion against British colonial rule in the tribal areas of the Godavari agency.
• Note – Uttar Pradesh has the most international airports in India, with a total of five designated international airports.

International Relations and Issues

Republic of Naoero

The Pacific island nation of Nauru officially reclaimed its traditional indigenous name, becoming the Republic of Naoero.

• Reason – Reverting from the colonial-era name "Nauru" to honor ancestral heritage, language, and cultural identity.
• Population – Approximately 12,000 people
• It is world's third-smallest nation (after Vatican City and Monaco) and the smallest independent republic.
• Administrative center – Yaren District (no official capital city).

Nathula pass

• India and China have officially resumed border trade through the strategic Nathu La Pass in East Sikkim after 6 years of suspension.
• Nathula pass –
• It is a high-altitude mountain pass, a historic trading post, and a famous tourist spot.
• Located at – 4,310 meters (14,140 feet) on the Indo-China border in East Sikkim, connecting India to Tibet.

Economy

Vizhinjam International Seaport

• The Vizhinjam International Seaport has been officially notified as a customs port by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
• It will now handle import and export cargo under the Customs Act, 1962.
• Previous role – Exclusive international transshipment hub.
• Natural draft – 18 meters.
• Location – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Initial EXIM Restriction – Limited to Full Container Load (FCL) for Direct Port Delivery due to pending Container Freight Station setup

Environment

Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats  (IDWH)

Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has recommended the inclusion of the pygmy hog in the list of critically endangered species under IBWH.

• It is an Indian central scheme that aids wildlife protection, supports protected areas, and recovers rare species.
• Implemented by – Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

• It focusses on saving critically endangered animals like the Great Indian Bustard and Snow Leopard.
• Note - Manas National Park in Assam, India, is the historic home and primary refuge of the critically endangered pygmy hog, the world's smallest wild pig

Security

DSC A24 vessel

The Indian Navy recently launched DSC A24 vessel.

• Launched at – Titagarh, Kolkata (West Bengal).
• It features a catamaran-hull form designed for superior stability, enhanced deck space, and improved sea-keeping.
• The 70 % of main and auxiliary equipment of the vessel sourced from indigenous manufacturers.
• Operations – Diving Support, Underwater Inspection, Salvage Assistance, and Coastal Operational Deployment.

Science

Unknown Alloy Found in Hiroshima Blast Debris

Researchers have found a previously unknown metal alloy created by the blast of the Hiroshima atomic bomb in 1945.

• The alloy material was recovered from beach sands of Hiroshima Bay.
• These alloy formed when the intense heat of the blast vaporised building materials, soil, and metals, which solidified as they fell back to the earth.
• Composition of alloy – complex mix of iron, chromium, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, and aluminium.
• The alloy shares characteristics with other unusual high-entropy alloys and quasicrystals, which are significant to engineers for their strength and stability.

Miscellaneous

Tejaswin Shankar

Tejaswin Shankar won India's first-ever Commonwealth Games decathlon medal by claiming bronze at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

• Host Location – Glasgow, Scotland.
• A decathlon medal is an award given to the top three finishers in a decathlon, which is a two-day track and field competition consisting of 10 distinct events.
• Athletes earn points in each event based on their performance, and the 3 competitors with the highest cumulative scores receive gold, silver, and bronze medals.
• Tejaswin Shankar scored a total of 7,976 points secured 3^rd position.
  • It is India’s 1^st-Ever Commonwealth Games Decathlon Medal.
• He previously won a bronze medal in the high jump at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

India’s First Commonwealth Judo Golds

Indian judokas Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh created sporting history by winning India’s first-ever gold medals in judo at the Commonwealth Games.

• Held in – Glasgow, Scotland.
• Asmita Dey (Women's 48kg Category) – The 23-year-old athlete from Belonia, South Tripura, clinched India’s first-ever absolute judo gold.
• Harsh Singh (Men's 60kg Category) – Just moments after Dey's historic victory, 23-year-old Harsh Singh doubled India’s tally in his maiden Commonwealth appearance.