August 2026 Current Affairs
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🏆 Awards & Honors – Part 4
Welcome to Day 8 of your August 2026 Current Affairs preparation.
Today we cover five important updates from the PDF. Focus on the award, recipient, organisation, prize money, location and important associated facts.
After reading the topics, attempt the 5-question quiz at the end.
Sarala Puraskar 2026
Ashutosh Parida, an Odia poet and essayist, won the Sarala Puraskar 2026.
He received the award for his poetry collection "Bishwas De Pruthwi".
🎯 Exam Facts
- Award: Sarala Puraskar 2026
- Winner: Ashutosh Parida
- Profession: Odia poet and essayist
- Winning work: "Bishwas De Pruthwi"
- Cash Prize: ₹7 lakh
- Award presentation: 25 October 2026
- Presented annually by: Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT)
- Purpose: Outstanding literary achievement
📚 About Sarala Puraskar
Sarala Puraskar is a prestigious annual literary award recognising the best work in Odia literature.
Also Announced
The Ila-Bansidhar Panda Kala Samman was also announced for Odissi dance guru and Padma Shri awardee Durga Charan Ranbir, along with Bhaskar and art educator Damodar Behera.
Each recipient will receive a citation, ₹2.5 lakh cash prize and a copper plaque.
Awards for Excellence in Book Production 2026
The Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting won seven awards at the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) Awards for Excellence in Book Production 2026.
🎯 Exam Facts
- Organisation: Publications Division
- Total awards: 7
- Second Prizes: 4
- Third Prizes: 3
- Award event: Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) Awards for Excellence in Book Production 2026
- Presented by: Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva
📖 Areas Recognised
- Editorial quality
- Printing
- Book design
- Production quality
- Publishing standards
🏛️ Publications Division – Static Fact
- Established: 1941
- Ministry: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Kaziah Liz Mejo Wins Miss Universe India 2026
Kaziah Liz Mejo from Kerala won the Miss Universe India 2026 title.
The grand finale was held at Zee Studios, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
She will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant.
🎯 Exam Facts
- Winner: Kaziah Liz Mejo
- State: Kerala
- Title: Miss Universe India 2026
- Finale venue: Zee Studios, Jaipur, Rajasthan
- International pageant: 75th Miss Universe
- Miss Universe 2026: Puerto Rico, November 2026
- Crowned by: Manika Vishwakarma, Miss Universe India 2025
🇮🇳 Rajasthan – Quick Facts
- Capital: Jaipur
- Chief Minister: Bhajan Lal Sharma
- Governor: Haribhau Bagade
MSSRF Chosen for YSR Award 2026
The M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) was selected for the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Award 2026.
The award carries a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.
🎯 Exam Facts
- Award: Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Award 2026
- Recipient: M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF)
- Cash Prize: ₹25 lakh
- Inaugural Award – 2025: Subhash Palekar Krushi
🌾 Areas Recognised
- Sustainable agriculture
- Food security
- Rural livelihoods
- Sustainable development
👨🌾 Dr. M.S. Swaminathan – Important Facts
- Known as the "Father of India's Green Revolution."
- Recipient of the first World Food Prize (1987).
- Awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024.
- Major components of the Green Revolution included HYV seeds, irrigation, fertilizers and mechanization.
Roger Federer Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame
Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The ceremony was held in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
🎯 Exam Facts
- Inducted: Roger Federer
- Hall of Fame: International Tennis Hall of Fame
- Ceremony venue: Newport, Rhode Island, USA
- Professional retirement: 2022
- Popular title: King of Grass Court
- Headquarters of the Hall of Fame: United States
📝 Day 8 Quick Quiz
Test yourself on today's five important current affairs. Select an answer and move through the questions. Your score and answers will be shown only after submission.