Current Affairs 09 August 2026

IIT Bombay’s Karthikeyan Lanka Wins NASI Young Scientist Award 2026.

Karthikeyan Lanka, Associate Professor at IIT Bombay, received the NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award 2026 in Earth Sciences.
The award recognizes his research in ecohydrology, satellite remote sensing, and land–atmosphere interactions.
He uses NASA’s SMAP satellite data to study soil moisture and its influence on the Indian monsoon.
Developed India’s first operational subseasonal agricultural drought forecasting system with MNCFC.
The system provides weekly drought forecasts at 9-km resolution, up to four weeks in advance.

Karnataka launched the Composite Digital Crop Survey in Bengaluru to modernize agricultural data collection using AI and satellite technology.
Technology: Combines SAR, high-resolution satellite imagery, drones, GIS, and machine learning.
Pilot Phase: To be implemented in five selected hoblis covering different geographical regions of Karnataka.
Departments Involved: e-Governance, Revenue, Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture, Fisheries, and IT-BT.
Technical Partners: Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre and NRSC.
Objective: Provide authenticated plot-level crop data for evidence-based policymaking and efficient resource allocation.

Standard Chartered received in-principle approval from IFSCA to launch wealth management services at GIFT City, Gujarat.
The bank will also distribute capital market products through the IFSC.
Strategic Shift: Expands from corporate and institutional banking into retail wealth management.
Focus: Cross-border investments and offshore wealth solutions.
Milestone: First foreign bank to begin operations at GIFT City in 2020.
Financial Footprint: Has financed over $25 billion across various products at the hub.

Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth became the first woman pilot to qualify as a Fighter Combat Leader (FCL).
She completed the FCL course at TACDE, Gwalior, on August 6, 2026.
Course: 20-week advanced programme focused on combat tactics and air operations.
Role: FCLs are trained to lead complex air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Background: Commissioned in June 2016 as one of India’s first three women fighter pilots.
The pioneering batch also included Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh.

IIT Guwahati developed “E-Eye”, a portable device for rapid water contamination detection.
Detects: Arsenic, Lead, Iron, Chromium, Fluoride, and E. coli.
Cost: ₹3,500 per device and just ₹2 per test.
Technology: Uses optical sensing and the Beer-Lambert law to measure contaminants.
Purpose: Enables quick, low-cost water-quality testing, especially in rural areas.