1) World Breastfeeding Week 2021: 01 – 07 August
•The World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is marked every year in the first week of August, between 1 to 7 August, to raise awareness on the importance of breastfeeding for mothers and infants. The theme of the World Breastfeeding Week 2021 is “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility”. The annual week is organized by WABA, WHO and UNICEF since 1991.
2) Muslim Women’s Rights Day: 01 August
•In India, “Muslim Women’s Rights Day” is celebrated across the nation on August 01 to celebrate the enactment of the law against Triple Talaq. The first Muslim Women’s Rights Day was observed in 2020. The Government of India enacted the law against Triple Talaq on August 01, 2019 to make the social malpractice of Triple Talaq a criminal offence.
•The law is formally called the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019. It prohibits the practice of instant divorce by Muslim men and any violation of the law is punishable by a jail term of up to three years.
3) PM Modi to launch e-RUPI digital payment solution
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch e-RUPI, an e-voucher-based digital payment solution, via video conferencing. The e-RUPI initiative will be one of the programmes launched over the years to limit touchpoints between the government and the beneficiary and “ensure that the benefits reach its intended beneficiaries in a targeted and leak-proof manner”.
4) India takes over UNSC presidency for August 2021
•India took over from France to assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of August 2021. This is the first presidency for India during its 2021-22 tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first Indian PM to preside over a meeting of the UNSC.
•As the president of the top UN Body, India will decide the agenda for the month, coordinate important meetings and other related issues. India will focus on three priority areas during its presidency. These include maritime security, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism.
5) Vice Admiral SN Ghormade takes charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
•Vice Admiral SN Ghormade has assumed charge as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff at a formal ceremony in New Delhi. He succeeds Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar who retired on July 31, 2021, after more than 39 years of illustrious service.
•The Flag officer SN Ghormade was commissioned in the Indian Navy on January 01, 1984. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) on January 26, 2017, and Nausena Medal (NM) in 2007 by the President of India, and a Commendation by the Chief of the Naval Staff in 2000.
6) Meenakashi Lekhi leads Indian delegation at G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting
•Meenakashi Lekhi, the Minister of State for Culture of India participated in the G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting on behalf of the Government of India. The two-day meeting was hosted by Italy on July 29 and 30 July 2021, during their ongoing Presidency of G20 in 2021. At the end of the discussions, the G20 Ministers of Culture adopted the G20 Culture Working Group Terms of Reference.
7) GST Collections Touched ₹ 1.16 Lakh Crore In July 2021
•Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections for July 2021 were ₹ 1.16 lakh crore, 33 per cent more than the corresponding period of last year. GST collections in July 2020 had stood at ₹ 87,422 crore, while sequentially they had stood at ₹ 92,849 crores in June this year.
•According to figures released by Finance Ministry, gross GST revenue collected in July 2021 are ₹ 1,16,393 crore, out of which Central GST is ₹ 22,197 crores, State GST is ₹ 28,541 crore and Integrated GST is ₹ 57,864 crore (including ₹ 27,900 crores collected on import of goods) and cess of Rs 7,790 crore (including ₹ 815 crores collected on import of goods).
8) Cyrus Poonawalla wins Lokmanya Tilak National Award
•Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Chairman of the Pune-based vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII), has been selected for the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award for 2021. He has been named for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic, by manufacturing the Covishield vaccine. He will receive the award on August 13. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs one lakh and a memento.
9) Novelist Kunal Basu’s ‘In An Ideal World’ to come out in 2022
•Renowned novelist Kunal Basu’s new work of fiction, In An Ideal World, will be released next year, Penguin Random House India (PRHI) announced. The book, scheduled to be released under the publishing house’s ‘Viking’ imprint, is touted to be a “powerful, gritty and fast-paced literary novel” exploring a variety of themes relevant to the current times — college, politics, family, crime investigation and fanaticism.
•According to the publishers, the story of his upcoming book revolves around the disappearance of a member of the Liberal Party of a college in Manhar. The prime suspect of this abduction is the leader of the Nationalist group of the same college.
10) PV Sindhu Wins Bronze in Women’s Badminton at Tokyo Olympics
•Ace Indian badminton player PV Sindhu defeated China’s He Bingjiao to win the bronze medal in the women’s singles event at the Tokyo Olympics on August 01, 2021. With this win, Sindhu scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman and the only second Indian athlete to win two Olympic medals in individual events.
•Earlier she won the silver in women’s singles badminton at the Rio Olympics in 2016. This is India’s second medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
