1 Glasgow Commonwealth Games: India finishes fourth with 39 medals
India finished fourth at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a total of 39 medals, including 13 gold, 17 silver, and 9 bronze . Indian boxers Jasmine Lamboria (57 kg), Preeti Pawar (54 kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (48 kg), Priya Ghanghas (60 kg), Arundhati Chaudhary (70 kg) , Sachin Siwach (60 kg), and Ankush Panghal (80 kg) won gold medals with impressive victories in their respective finals . However, India’s Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg) had to settle for silver . Indian boxer Sachin Siwach also won gold by defeating Triagen Morning Ndwelo of Namibia in the men’s 60 kg final. In athletics, Indian runner Gulvir won bronze in the 5,000 meters . Narendra Berwal will face England’s Damar Thomas in the men’s 90 kg final. India also achieved a historic feat in para athletics with Soman Rana winning the gold medal in the men’s shot put F57 category , though Shubham Juyal had to settle for the silver medal.
2 National Security Advisor Ajit Doval honoured with Lokmanya Tilak National Award-2026
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award-2026 at a ceremony held in Pune . The award, instituted by the Lokmanya Tilak Memorial Trust , was presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the occasion of the 106th death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak . Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shah said that Ajit Doval has made significant contributions to strengthening India’s national security. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis , Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohan, Chairman of the Lokmanya Tilak Memorial Trust Dr. Rohit Tilak, and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Air Marshal Tejpal Singh AVSM VM assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 1 August 2026. Commissioned as a fighter pilot on 16 June 1990, the Air Marshal has over 3500 hours of flying experience. He is a Category A qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot. The Air Marshal has held several important operational, command and staff appointments in the Indian Air Force. Air Marshal Tejpal Singh took over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff from Air Marshal Avdhesh Kumar Bharti SYSM AVSM VM, who retired on 31 July 2026 after 39 years of glorious and distinguished service to the nation.
Vice Admiral A N Pramod , AVSM, YSM assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff on August 1, 2026. An alumnus of the 38th Integrated Cadet Course of the Naval Academy at Goa, Vice Admiral A N Pramod joined the Indian Navy on July 1, 1990. He is a Flag Officer Grade ‘A’ Sea King Air Operations Officer and a Communications and Electronic Warfare specialist. He succeeds Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, who retired from service on July 31, 2026 after over 38 years of distinguished service.
Alka Nangia Arora, a 1991 batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), assumed charge as the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) on August 1, 2026. An alumnus of Garhwal University, Dehradun, and IIT Roorkee, Ms. Arora has held several key positions in the Government of India, including Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Managing Director of the Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Limited, and Additional Development Commissioner for Handicrafts in the Ministry of Textiles.
With an aim to provide travelers with a fast, smooth, and hassle-free travel experience, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has successfully launched the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system at the Shahjahanpur toll plaza on the Delhi -Jaipur section of NH- 48 in Rajasthan . Previously, the NHAI had also implemented the Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling system at the Daulatpura and Manoharpura toll plazas on the same corridor . Marking a significant milestone towards transforming the busy Delhi-Jaipur section of NH-48, the launch of MLFF at the Shahjahanpur toll plaza has made the journey from Manesar to Jaipur completely hassle-free and smooth, enhancing the “ease of travel” for national highway users. The system integrates Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology with FASTag-based electronic toll collection to facilitate automated user fee collection. For smooth use of the National Highway (MLFF), users are required to maintain sufficient balance in their FASTag account. In situations like insufficient balance in FASTag, invalid or defective FASTag, electronic notice (e-notice) is issued to the users for non-payment of user fee.
Cross-border trade between India and China through the Shipki-La Pass in Himachal Pradesh ‘s Kinnaur district has resumed after nearly six years. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi inaugurated the Chhupan Trade Mart in Namgya , a border panchayat in the Pooh subdivision of Kinnaur district, and flagged off a group of 17 traders for cross-border trade. The trade had been suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Its resumption is expected to boost trade activities in the border areas.
8 Patanjali to buy stake in Magma General Insurance
On July 30 , Patanjali Ayurved and the Dharampal Satyapal (DS) Group received approval from insurance regulator IRDAI to acquire a stake in Magma General Insurance . The company announced this in a stock exchange filing. The deal was valued at ₹4,500 crore. IRDAI approved the acquisition through a letter dated July 28, 2026. This approval letter is valid for three months from the date of issue, and a deed must be signed within that period. Under this deal, Patanjali Ayurved will acquire a 73.6% stake, while the Dharampal Satyapal Group will acquire a 24.5% stake. With IRDAI’s approval, Patanjali will become the promoter company of Magma General Insurance, while the DS Group will act as a co-investor. According to reports, Patanjali may make further investments to strengthen the company’s growth and solvency. IRDAI’s approval will be valid for three months from the date of issue. During this time, the buyer group will need to complete the share transfer process and meet all regulatory requirements. Magma General Insurance (formerly Magma HDI) is a leading Indian general insurance company that offers products such as motor, health, and home insurance. IRDAI stands for Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India.
9 US Treasury Department bans Skiez Travels
On July 31 , the US Treasury Department (OFAC) banned Indian-based Skiez Travels from the US . The US also imposed sanctions on six companies from China, Russia, and Iran for allegedly supporting Iran’s aviation company Mahan Air and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). All of these companies were acting as sales agents or logistics partners for Mahan Air. All assets of these entities in the US have been blocked. Under this ban, US citizens and companies cannot do business with these entities. OFAC is the US agency that enforces economic sanctions. OFAC added Skiez Travels to its sanctions list. It alleges that the company facilitated prohibited activities or transactions related to Iran , which violated US sanctions.
10 Andhra Pradesh: PM Modi inaugurates the greenfield Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Greenfield Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh . Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazir , Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan welcomed the Prime Minister at the airport. Shri Modi inaugurated the passenger terminal building and inspected the Greenfield airport. The Prime Minister witnessed a traditional Thimsa dance performance by over 13,500 tribal women , showcasing the vibrant tribal culture of North Andhra.
11 Tennis: India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth win doubles title at Bonn Open 2026
In Tennis , India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth won the doubles title at the Bonn Open 2026. The Indian pair defeated England’s Scott Duncan and Sweden’s Adam Heinonen in the final . This is Ramkumar’s second ATP Challenger title of the year, having previously won the Texas Spine & Joint Challenger event in June with Rithvik Bolipalli . The 31-year-old Ramkumar has won 13 ATP Challenger titles in his career so far.
12 135th ‘Durand Cup’ football tournament begins in Shillong
Asia’s oldest football tournament kicked off on July 31st in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya . This is the 135th edition of the Durand Cup , and Group E matches began at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Polo Ground) in Shillong . This group includes three football clubs from Meghalaya: Shillong Lajong, Nongxeh Sports, Social and Cultural Club, and Langsning Football Club. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma attended the opening ceremony. The cup will be played until August 23rd, and 24 teams are participating. All these teams have been divided into six different groups. The semi-finals will be played on August 19th and 20th, while the final will be held in Kolkata on August 23rd.