Current Affairs Quiz - September 2026

Notes:
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, its second Diving Support Vessel (DSV), at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) built the vessel, which was delivered to the Navy at Visakhapatnam on 30 July 2026. INS Nipun is designed for deep-sea diving, underwater intervention and submarine rescue operations. The vessel is capable of deep-sea saturation diving and is equipped with a side diving stage. It carries Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for diver monitoring and salvage operations. INS Nipun can also function as a mother ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) during submarine emergencies.

Notes:
The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is observed annually on 30 August. The day aims to draw global attention to arrest, detention or abduction of individuals against their will, followed by concealment of their fate or whereabouts. The first observance of the day was held in 2011. The 2026 theme is “Victims first. Actions now.” The year 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Notes:
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2026 is held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The summit marks the concluding event of Kyrgyzstan’s SCO chairmanship for 2025–26. Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship is conducted under the motto “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity.” The summit brings together leaders of SCO member states, representatives of international organisations and other high-level guests.

Notes:
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary launched the ‘Samriddh Mahila–Samriddh Bihar Abhiyan’ in August 2026 at Bapu Sabhagar, Patna. The campaign aims to promote women’s education, employment and economic empowerment in Bihar. The Bihar Government announced the establishment of a dedicated women’s university, where the Vice-Chancellor, faculty, administrative staff and students would all be women. Around ₹600 crore was transferred through DBT to nearly 5 lakh women beneficiaries under the Chief Minister’s Women’s Employment Scheme. The government plans to spend around ₹20,000 crore by 2030 for the empowerment of Jivika Didis.

Notes:
NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The telescope is named after Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first Chief of Astronomy and one of the agency’s pioneering women leaders. It is NASA’s first space telescope named after a woman. Roman is designed to study black holes, exoplanets, exploding stars, galaxies and other cosmic phenomena. It will operate at a destination approximately 1.6 million km from Earth and is expected to reach there in about one month.

Notes:
Himachal Pradesh’s first ozone-based drinking water treatment project is being established in Dehra, Kangra district at a cost of ₹46 crore. The project was announced by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during his visit to the Dehra constituency. The ozone-based technology is aimed at providing clean and safe drinking water and may subsequently be adopted across the state.

Notes:
Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, ending his 20-year career with Argentina. Messi leaves the national team with a record 207 international appearances. His major achievements include: 2022 FIFA World Cup title and Two Copa América titles. He also reached the 2014 and 2026 World Cup finals, losing both. The 2026 World Cup final defeat to Spain reportedly played a significant role in his decision to retire.

Notes:
The 6th World Nomad Games officially opened on 31 August 2026 at the new Bishkek Arena in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The Games are being held from 31 August to 6 September 2026. Around 3,000 athletes from 112 countries are participating in the event. Athletes are competing across 43 traditional sporting disciplines. Major traditional sports include Kok-boru, belt wrestling, horseback archery and falconry. The Games aim to showcase the traditional sports, culture and heritage of nomadic communities.

Notes:
The Sardar Patel National Unity Award 2026 will be announced on 31 October 2026, on the occasion of National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas). The award was instituted by the Government of India in 2019 through the Ministry of Home Affairs. It honours individuals who have made outstanding contributions towards promoting national unity and integrity. The award carries a medal and a certificate and does not include any monetary prize. The award is considered equivalent in status to the Padma Vibhushan. 31 October marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, popularly known as the “Iron Man of India.”

Notes:
On 30 August 2026, US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz. Larak Island is a small Iranian island located in the Strait of Hormuz. It lies south of Hormuz Island, southeast of Bandar Abbas, and southeast of the eastern end of Qeshm Island. The island is strategically important because it is situated close to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s major maritime chokepoints. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, providing a crucial maritime route for global energy transportation.