1 79th Independence Day: Prime Minister Modi will address the nation on the theme of ‘New India’ from the Red Fort on August 15
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the 79th Independence Day celebrations from the historic Red Fort in Delhi on August 15. This year’s event will be based on the theme ‘New India’, which will reflect the country’s progress, self-reliance and the goal of a developed India by 2047. During this, PM Modi will hoist the national flag tricolor and address the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. This year the guard will be conducted by Wing Commander A.S. Sekhon of the Indian Air Force. The Prime Minister will be accompanied by the Defense Minister, Minister of State for Defense, Chief of Defense Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the chiefs of the three armies on the ramparts of the Red Fort. Flying Officer Rashika Sharma will assist the Prime Minister in hoisting the national flag. Along with this, 21-gun salute will be given by 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial) from indigenous 105 mm light field gun, which will be led by Major Pawan Singh Shekhawat. The contingent saluting the national flag will include 128 soldiers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. For the first time, the Air Force Band along with 11 ‘Agniveer Vayu’ musicians of the Air Force will play the National Anthem. During this, two Mi-17 helicopters of the Air Force will shower flowers – one will display the national flag and the other the flag of ‘Operation Sindoor’.
2 India achieves 100 GW of solar PV module manufacturing capacity
India has achieved a historic milestone of 100 GW of solar PV module manufacturing capacity listed under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) , a remarkable jump from a mere 2.3 GW in 2014. The government aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. This achievement makes India self-reliant in solar PV manufacturing and establishes the country as a major player globally. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy introduced the ALMM order in 2019 , with the first list covering 8.2 GW of capacity . In just four years, this capacity has grown more than twelvefold to 100 GW, with 123 manufacturing units being operated by 100 manufacturers, up from 21 in 2021.
Taking a big decision, the Odisha government has banned the use of the word ‘ Harijan ‘ in official communication . The state government has directed all its departments and public institutions to stop using the word ‘Harijan’ in official communication, records and documents. In an official order issued by the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development, Minority and Backward Classes Welfare Department, officials have been directed to use only the constitutional word ‘Scheduled Caste’ for official purposes. The order mandates the use of the word ‘Scheduled Caste’ in English and its proper translation in Odia and other languages recognized under Article 341 of the Indian Constitution.
Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences have become the first central government hospitals in the country to receive a full certification from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) . This accreditation is considered an important benchmark of quality in the country for hospitals. NABH, which is part of the Quality Council of India, sets over 500 measurable standards for hospitals, including protocols such as infection control, emergency care, documentation, patients’ rights and staff training. Only a few government hospitals in Delhi have received a full NABH certification and no central government hospital had achieved this feat so far.
5 My Bharat signs MoU with School of Ultimate Leadership Foundation (SOUL) for youth leadership development
Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and SportsMy Bharat, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with School of Ultimate Leadership Foundation (SOUL) to collaborate on knowledge sharing, capacity building and youth leadership development . The partnership aims to support the national vision of preparing 1,00,000 young leaders in the age group of 18-29 years across India through joint programmes in governance, public policy, social entrepreneurship, digital literacy, financial literacy and other areas. The MoU is valid for three years and can be extended further with mutual consent.
The Union Cabinet has approved the Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement Technical Education Scheme (MERITE) . It is worth ₹ 4,200 crore Central Sector Scheme aimed at improving quality, equity and good governance of technical education in India . The scheme will be implemented over five years from 2025-26 to 2029-30 and will cover 275 institutions — 175 engineering colleges and 100 polytechnic institutes.
7 India’s first drone-AI based artificial rain experiment in Jaipur
For the first time in India , drones and cloud seeding technology equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) are being used to create artificial rain . This pilot project is being run in the Ramgarh Dam area of Jaipur , Rajasthan, which aims to revive the 129-year-old reservoir, which has been dry for the last two decades and has not been filled to its full capacity since 1981. This initiative has been started by a joint effort of Indo-US based technology company GenX AI and the Rajasthan government . This is the country’s first attempt to create artificial rain through drones in which precision based technology has been used. Till now cloud seeding work has been done through big aircraft , but this is the first time that artificial rain will be created in a limited area and with pin point target through drones. In Ramgarh Dam area of Jaipur The first attempt to create artificial rain through drones in Jaipur’s Ramgarh Dam area on Tuesday failed . The clouds were very high. Therefore cloud seeding did not happen. Drones could fly only up to 400 feet. There was no permission to fly above this.
8 Operation Alert started on Rajasthan border before Independence Day
The Border Security Force (BSF) has launched a high-intensity security operation, ‘Operation 100’, on the Rajasthan border ahead of Independence Day 2025. Operation Alert The aim of this special operation is to strengthen border security, rehearse standard operating procedures (SOPs) and counter potential threats.
8 Rare blue pinkgill mushroom discovered in forests of Telangana
An unusual sight has been spotted in the Kaghaznagar forest division of Komram Bheem Asifabad district of Telangana — the Blue Pinkgill Mushroom (Entoloma hochstetteri) , commonly found in New Zealand. . Known for its striking sky-blue colour, this mushroom contains rare azulene pigments, making it one of the most distinctive and unique fungi in the world. Also, the Shuttle-cock mushroom (Clathrus delicatus) has been recorded for the first time in the Eastern Ghats region, particularly in the Kawal Tiger Reserve, further highlighting the rich fungal diversity of the region.
9 Bibi Fatima Women’s Self Help Group wins United Nations Equator Prize 2025
Bibi Fatima Women’s Self Help Group (SHG) of Tirtha village, Kundgol taluk, Dharwad district of Karnataka has brought laurels to the country. This group has been awarded the Equator Prize 2025 given by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) , which is considered the ” Nobel Prize ” for biodiversity conservation. . This honor has been given for their eco-friendly farming, community seed bank, promotion of millet and women-led rural entrepreneurship work.
10 Axis Bank launches ‘Lock FD’ feature to protect customers from digital banking frauds
With the increasing use of internet banking and digital payment platforms, concerns about online fraud have also increased among bank customers. Cases such as phishing, malware attacks and account hacking have left many depositors worried about the safety of their hard-earned money. To tackle these risks, leading private sector lender Axis Bank has launched a security-focused initiative to protect customers’ term deposits from unauthorized digital transactions . The newly launched ‘ Lock FD ‘ feature allows Axis Bank customers to protect their fixed deposits (FDs) from premature closure through digital channels. Once activated, the option to close an FD through mobile banking or internet banking is deactivated. The only way to close a locked FD is by raising a request in person at an Axis Bank branch.
11 Zomato made Shahrukh Khan its brand ambassador
Zomato has officially announced Shah Rukh Khan as its new brand ambassador. The move comes after Khan’s recent association with Zomato “ Fuel Your Hustle ” campaign, which celebrates the relentless hard work and determination behind individual success stories.
12 Gulveer Singh broke his own national record in the non-Olympic men’s 3000m event in Budapest
India’s Gulveer Singh broke his own national record to finish fifth in the non-Olympic men’s 3000m event at the Gyulai Istvan Memorial – Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix in Budapest . He clocked 7 minutes 34.49 seconds to break his own previous national record of 7 minutes 38.26 seconds set at the Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational in February this year.
13 The Indian Olympic Association has officially approved India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formally approved India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games at its Special General Meeting in Delhi . India will now submit its proposal for the final bid before the deadline of August 31. The year 2030 will mark 20 years since the Commonwealth Games were held in New Delhi. This was the first and only time India hosted these games.