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29 Jul 2026, 04:35 PM
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Daily Current Affairs 19 July
DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS
19 JULY 2026
Comprehensive, exam-oriented daily compilation featuring in-depth analysis of national and international developments.
International Relations & Global News
UN Mission
19 July 2026
Bangladesh Diplomat Rabab Fatima Appointed Head of UNAMA
- Key Appointment: Senior diplomat Rabab Fatima from Bangladesh has been appointed as the new Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
- Prior Position: Previously served as UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS (UN-OHRLLS).
- Mandate: Leads UN's coordination efforts for human rights protection, political dialogue, and humanitarian aid delivery in Afghanistan.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
UNAMA: Established in 2002 by UNSC Resolution 1401. Headquartered in Kabul, Afghanistan.
UN Secretary-General: Antonio Guterres | HQ: New York, USA.
UN Secretary-General: Antonio Guterres | HQ: New York, USA.
Obituary
19 July 2026
Legendary West Indies Cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers Passes Away at 89
- Passing of a Legend: The cricket world mourns the passing of legendary West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers in Barbados at the age of 89.
- Historic Feats: Famous for hitting six sixes in an over in first-class cricket (1968) and scoring a then-record 365 runs in a Test match in 1958. He scored 8,032 runs and took 235 wickets in 93 Test matches.
- Honours: Knighted in 1975, named one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the 20th Century, and honored via the **Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy** for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
West Indies Cricket: Governed by Cricket West Indies (CWI). HQ: St. John's, Antigua. Sir Garfield Sobers was born in Saint Michael, Barbados in 1936.
Policy, Clean Energy & Technology
Hydrokinetic Energy
19 July 2026
Norway's Tidal Sail AS & Arunachal Pradesh Partner for India's First River Kinetic Energy Project
- Bilateral MoU: The Arunachal Pradesh government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Norway's **Tidal Sail AS** to develop a 500-kW River Kinetic Energy Demonstration Project.
- Clean Innovation: Generates clean electricity from natural river currents without constructing major dams or reservoirs, offering a decentralized renewable solution for remote Himalayan regions.
- Cooperation: Implemented via the Centre for Earth Sciences & Himalayan Studies (CES&HS) under the India-Norway Green Partnership.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Norway: Capital: Oslo | Prime Minister: Jonas Gahr Store | Currency: Norwegian Krone.
Arunachal Pradesh: CM: Pema Khandu | Governor: Lt. Gen. K. T. Parnaik.
Arunachal Pradesh: CM: Pema Khandu | Governor: Lt. Gen. K. T. Parnaik.
Geothermal Energy
19 July 2026
India's First and Deepest Geothermal Wells Operationalized in Puga Valley, Ladakh
- Geothermal Milestone: Operations commenced at India's first and deepest geothermal energy wells located in the high-altitude **Puga Valley, Ladakh**.
- Pilot Project: Executed by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to tap volcanic geothermal reservoirs, generating continuous carbon-free electricity and space-heating for extreme winter climates.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Puga Valley: Located in the Changthang region of Ladakh, famous for hot springs, sulfur deposits, and borax pools.
ONGC: Established: 1956 | Chairman & CEO: Arun Kumar Singh | HQ: New Delhi.
ONGC: Established: 1956 | Chairman & CEO: Arun Kumar Singh | HQ: New Delhi.
Precision Timing
19 July 2026
MoCAFPD Launches White Rabbit Technology-Based IST Distribution Network in Bengaluru
- Network Launch: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the White Rabbit Technology-based **Indian Standard Time (IST) Distribution Network** at RRSL Bengaluru.
- One Nation, One Time: Establishes a highly secure, uniform, and indigenous time synchronization network with sub-nanosecond accuracy over fiber optics, removing dependency on foreign GPS-based clocks.
- Applications: Critical for high-frequency stock exchanges, 5G/6G telecom networks, national grid systems, defense, and digital banking security.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Legal Metrology Division: Part of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
Partners: Co-designed with ISRO, BSNL, and CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi.
Partners: Co-designed with ISRO, BSNL, and CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi.
Satellite Broadband
19 July 2026
Reliance Jio Secures IN-SPACe Technical Clearance for 1,600-Satellite LEO Constellation
- Constellation Approval: Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited secured technical greenlight from **IN-SPACe** to deploy a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation of around 1,600 satellites.
- Connectivity Boost: Designed to provide high-speed satellite broadband and Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) enabling Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity in deep rural areas.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
IN-SPACe: Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre. Established in 2020 as a single-window nodal agency under the Department of Space. Chairman: Pawan Goenka.
Private Space Flight
19 July 2026
Skyroot Aerospace Launches India's First Private Orbital Rocket Vikram-1 from Sriharikota
- Historic Launch: Skyroot Aerospace successfully completed 'Mission Aagaman', launching **Vikram-1**, India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
- Global Milestones: Makes India the 3rd country (after USA, China) with private space launch capabilities following Space Sector Reforms.
- Unique Cargo: Carried tech-demonstrator satellites, a golden micro-rocket holding micro-sculptures of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, and Sir C.V. Raman, and a signed Vande Mataram postcard from PM Modi.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Skyroot Aerospace: HQ: Hyderabad | Founders: Pawan Kumar Chandana & Bharath Daka.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR): Located on Sriharikota Island, Andhra Pradesh.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR): Located on Sriharikota Island, Andhra Pradesh.
Cabinet Decisions & Infrastructure
CCEA Approvals
19 July 2026
Union Cabinet Approves NIPU-2026 & Rs 25,000 Crore Varanasi Elevated Corridor Projects
- Fertilizer Vision: CCEA approved the **National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026)** to set up new domestic gas-based urea units, adding 1 crore Metric Tonnes (MT) capacity.
- Varanasi Decongestion: Approved two elevated highway projects in Varanasi worth over **Rs 25,000 crore** (46-km Ganga Elevated Corridor and 43-km Varuna Elevated Corridor).
- Rail Multitracking: Approved Paradeep-Haridaspur Doubling and Rajkharsawan-Dangoaposi 4th Line railway projects (Odisha & Jharkhand).
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES / SCHEMES
PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan: Integrated planning and coordinated execution of infrastructure connectivity projects across India.
State Reforms & Local Governance
Ease of Doing Business
19 July 2026
Chhattisgarh Becomes First State to Enact Risk-Based Business Approval System
- Historic Act: Passed the **Chhattisgarh Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026**, making it India's first state with a risk-based and trust-based business approval framework.
- Reforms: Introduces self-certification for low-risk units, abolishes annual physical license renewals, and enacts a "Deemed Auto-Approval" clause if departments delay clearances.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Chhattisgarh Profile: Capital: Raipur | Chief Minister: Vishnu Deo Sai | Governor: Ramen Deka.
Index Rank
19 July 2026
Gujarat Tops NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index 2026
- Index Release: NITI Aayog released the Investment Friendliness Index 2026 (*Nivesh Anukulata Suchkank*).
- State Rankings: Gujarat secured the 1st position overall, followed by Maharashtra in 2nd and Tamil Nadu in 3rd place.
- Other Categories: **Uttarakhand** topped among Himalayan and Northeastern states. **Goa** secured the 1st rank among Union Territories and small states.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Gujarat Profile: Capital: Gandhinagar | CM: Bhupendra Patel | Governor: Acharya Devvrat.
Wildlife Tourism
19 July 2026
Supreme Court Approves India's First Night Safari in Kukrail Reserved Forest, UP
- SC Clearance: The Supreme Court cleared the construction of India's first Night Safari in the Kukrail Reserved Forest near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
- Project Details: Developed to boost eco-tourism alongside the relocation of the Lucknow Zoo to the forest area. Includes a nocturnal animal breeding center and safari tracks.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Kukrail Forest: Located in Lucknow, originally set up in 1978 as a captive breeding center for gharials and crocodiles.
Cultural Heritage
19 July 2026
Foundation Stone Laid for State-of-the-Art Sikh Museum in Kurukshetra
- Museum Foundation: The foundation stone for an ultra-modern, digital-experiential Sikh Museum was laid in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
- Features: Features immersive 3D projections, VR historical galleries, and rare scriptural archives celebrating the lives and spiritual teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Haryana Profile: Capital: Chandigarh | CM: Nayab Singh Saini | Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya.
Kurukshetra: Sacred city located along the Sarasvati-Drisadvati river plains.
Kurukshetra: Sacred city located along the Sarasvati-Drisadvati river plains.
History, Appointments & Media
Banking Milestone
19 July 2026
Bank Nationalisation Day Celebrated in India on 19 July
- Historical Day: Bank Nationalisation Day is observed annually across India on 19 July.
- Background: Commemorates the historic decision in 1969 under PM Indira Gandhi to nationalise the 14 largest private commercial banks in the country via an ordinance.
- Impact: Led to massive expansion of bank branches in rural regions, boosting priority sector lending (agriculture & small industries) and financial inclusion.
CONCEPT FOCUS & BACKGROUND
The 14 nationalised banks in 1969 held nearly 85% of deposits. A second wave followed in 1980, nationalising 6 more private commercial banks.
Union Appointment
19 July 2026
Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala Appointed Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences
- Key Appointment: Renowned oceanographer and scientist Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala was appointed as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
- Prior Profile: Previously served as the Director of the Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
INCOIS: Established: 1999 as an autonomous body under MoES.
Minister of State (I/C) for Earth Sciences: Dr. Jitendra Singh.
Minister of State (I/C) for Earth Sciences: Dr. Jitendra Singh.
Media Conference
19 July 2026
ECI Organizes All India Media Conference in New Delhi
- Election Media Focus: The Election Commission of India (ECI) organized the **All India Media Conference** in **New Delhi**.
- Agenda: Discussed "Media's Role in Strengthening Electoral Democracy", regulating campaign media, and combating deepfakes, AI-generated misinformation, and fake news.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Election Commission of India (ECI): Established: 25 January 1950.
Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar | Election Commissioners: Gyanesh Kumar & Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar | Election Commissioners: Gyanesh Kumar & Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
โก ONE-LINER QUICK REVISION POINTERS (19 JULY 2026)
- Bank Nationalisation Day: Observed on 19 July, commemorating Indira Gandhi's 1969 nationalisation of 14 private banks.
- UNAMA Head: Bangladesh diplomat Rabab Fatima appointed head of United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
- Sir Garfield Sobers: Legendary West Indies cricketer and Wisden icon passed away in Barbados at 89.
- River Kinetic Energy: Norway's Tidal Sail AS partnered with Arunachal Pradesh to develop India's first 500-kW hydrokinetic project.
- Geothermal Wells: India's first and deepest geothermal energy wells operationalized by ONGC in Puga Valley, Ladakh.
- White Rabbit IST: Indigenous precision timing network launched by MoCAFPD in Bengaluru for sub-nanosecond accuracy.
- Reliance Jio: Secured IN-SPACe clearance to deploy a 1,600-satellite LEO constellation for satellite broadband.
- Vikram-1 Rocket: Skyroot Aerospace successfully completed private orbital launch from Sriharikota.
- CCEA Decisions: Approved National Urea Policy 2026 (NIPU-2026) and Ganga/Varuna elevated corridors worth Rs 25,000 Cr in Varanasi.
- Chhattisgarh EoDB: Became first state to enact a risk-based and trust-based business approval framework.
- Kukrail Night Safari: Supreme Court approved setting up India's 1st Night Safari in Lucknow's Kukrail Reserved Forest, UP.
- Sikh Museum: Foundation stone for a state-of-the-art interactive Sikh Museum laid in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
- Investment Friendliness Index: Gujarat ranked 1st in NITI Aayog's index; Uttarakhand topped Himalayan states; Goa topped small states.
- MoES Secretary: Oceanologist Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala appointed new Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- Media Conference: Election Commission of India organized All India Media Conference in New Delhi.
Appendix: Governors & Swearing-In Dates of States & UTs
| S.No. | State / UT | Chief Minister / Administrator | Governor / Lt. Governor | Swearing-In Date / Taking Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | N. Chandrababu Naidu | S. Abdul Nazeer | 12 June 2024 |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | Pema Khandu | Lt. Gen. Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik | 13 June 2024 |
| 3 | Assam | Himanta Biswa Sarma | Lakshman Prasad Acharya | 10 May 2021 / 30 July 2024 |
| 4 | Bihar | Nitish Kumar | Rajendra Arlekar | 28 January 2024 / 17 February 2023 |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | Vishnu Deo Sai | Ramen Deka | 13 December 2023 / 31 July 2024 |
| 6 | Goa | Pramod Sawant | P.S. Sreedharan Pillai | 28 March 2022 / 15 July 2021 |
| 7 | Gujarat | Bhupendra Patel | Acharya Devvrat | 12 December 2022 / 22 July 2019 |
| 8 | Haryana | Nayab Singh Saini | Bandaru Dattatreya | 17 October 2024 / 15 July 2021 |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu | Shiv Pratap Shukla | 11 December 2022 / 18 February 2023 |
| 10 | Jharkhand | Hemant Soren | Santosh Kumar Gangwar | 28 November 2024 / 31 July 2024 |
| 11 | Karnataka | Siddaramaiah | Thaawarchand Gehlot | 20 May 2023 / 11 July 2021 |
| 12 | Kerala | Pinarayi Vijayan | Arif Mohammad Khan | 20 May 2021 / 06 September 2019 |
| 13 | Madhya Pradesh | Mohan Yadav | Mangubhai C. Patel | 13 December 2023 / 08 July 2021 |
| 14 | Maharashtra | Devendra Fadnavis | C.P. Radhakrishnan | 05 December 2024 / 31 July 2024 |
| 15 | Manipur | N. Biren Singh | Lakshman Prasad Acharya (Addl. Charge) | 21 March 2022 / 31 July 2024 |
| 16 | Meghalaya | Conrad Sangma | CH Vijayashankar | 07 March 2023 / 30 July 2024 |
| 17 | Mizoram | Lalduhoma | Kambhampati Hari Babu | 08 December 2023 / 19 July 2021 |
| 18 | Nagaland | Neiphiu Rio | La. Ganesan | 07 March 2023 / 20 February 2023 |
| 19 | Odisha | Mohan Charan Majhi | Raghubar Das | 12 June 2024 / 31 October 2023 |
| 20 | Punjab | Bhagwant Mann | Gulab Chand Kataria | 16 March 2022 / 31 July 2024 |
| 21 | Rajasthan | Bhajan Lal Sharma | Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde | 15 December 2023 / 31 July 2024 |
| 22 | Sikkim | Prem Singh Tamang | Om Prakash Mathur | 10 June 2024 / 31 July 2024 |
| 23 | Tamil Nadu | M.K. Stalin | R.N. Ravi | 07 May 2021 / 18 September 2021 |
| 24 | Telangana | A. Revanth Reddy | Jishnu Dev Varma | 07 December 2023 / 31 July 2024 |
| 25 | Tripura | Manik Saha | N. Indrasena Reddy | 08 March 2023 / 26 October 2023 |
| 26 | Uttar Pradesh | Yogi Adityanath | Anandiben Patel | 25 March 2022 / 29 July 2019 |
| 27 | Uttarakhand | Pushkar Singh Dhami | Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh | 23 March 2022 / 15 September 2021 |
| 28 | West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee | C.V. Ananda Bose | 05 May 2021 / 23 November 2022 |
| UNION TERRITORIES | ||||
| 29 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | -- | Admiral D.K. Joshi (Lt. Governor) | 08 October 2017 |
| 30 | Chandigarh | -- | Gulab Chand Kataria (Administrator) | 31 July 2024 |
| 31 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | -- | Praful Patel (Administrator) | 26 January 2020 |
| 32 | Delhi (NCT) | Atishi Marlena | Vinai Kumar Saxena (Lt. Governor) | 21 September 2024 / 26 May 2022 |
| 33 | Jammu & Kashmir | Omar Abdullah | Manoj Sinha (Lt. Governor) | 16 October 2024 / 07 August 2020 |
| 34 | Ladakh | -- | Brig. (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Lt. Governor) | 12 February 2023 |
| 35 | Lakshadweep | -- | Praful Patel (Administrator) | 05 December 2020 |
| 36 | Puducherry | N. Rangasamy | K. Kailashnathan (Lt. Governor) | 07 May 2021 / 07 August 2024 |