Today’s important current affairs, which are essential for students preparing for government jobs…
INTERNATIONAL
1. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Hua Chunying
- On 28 July, Vikram Misri met China’s Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying.
- Both leaders reviewed India-China bilateral relations.
- They discussed trade, economic cooperation, cultural exchange and people-to-people ties.
- Misri is on an official visit to China and visited Beijing during the trip.
- The visit focused on improving ties, border peace and bilateral cooperation.
- Both sides stressed peace and stability in border areas.
- Misri also met politician Sun Haiyan.
- They discussed political, academic, think-tank and public outreach cooperation.
- Misri met Hong Liang of China’s Foreign Ministry.
- Trade, economic cooperation and border peace were discussed.
- He also met Hong Liang in his role linked to the CPPCC.
- Border stability remained a key focus of the talks.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also participated in the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
NATIONAL
2. RBI will test plastic notes
- On 27 July, the Centre approved testing of ₹10 and ₹20 plastic notes.
- The RBI will begin trials of ₹10 and ₹20 polymer notes.
- A total of 200 crore plastic notes will be printed.
- The pilot project involves notes worth ₹3,000 crore.
- If successful, more plastic notes may be introduced later.
- The government said there is no proposal to replace paper notes completely at present.
- Plastic notes last longer and are harder to counterfeit.
- India had earlier planned polymer notes in 2012, but the project was postponed due to technical issues.
- Plastic notes can last much longer than paper notes.
- Australia became the first country to issue polymer banknotes in 1988, and many countries later adopted them.
These are currency notes that are made from a special plastic called polymer instead of paper.
3. Paytm Payments Bank will be completely shut down
- On 28 July, it emerged that Paytm Payments Bank will be shut down completely.
- The RBI said the Delhi High Court has ordered the closure of Paytm Payments Bank Limited.
- The court appointed Girikumar M Nair, former Chief General Manager of SBI, as the Official Liquidator.
- Nair has been exercising the powers of the bank’s Board since 8 July 2026.
- The RBI said the directions were issued through court orders dated 8 July and 22 July 2026.
- The RBI had cancelled the bank’s licence in April 2026 for repeated regulatory non-compliance.
- It had said the bank’s operations were not in the interest of depositors.
- The RBI had also stated that it would approach the Delhi High Court for closure proceedings.
- The Paytm app, UPI and other digital payment services will continue to function normally as they operate separately from Paytm Payments Bank.
Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL)
- Paytm Payments Bank was launched in 2017.
- It offered digital banking, savings accounts, UPI, wallet, FASTag and payment services.
- As a payments bank, it was not allowed to give loans.
SPORTS
4. Sharmila won gold in Para Shot Put F57
- On 27 July, India’s Sharmila Dhankad won gold in the Women’s Para Shot Put F57 event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.
- She achieved a season-best throw of 9.81 metres.
- The F57 category includes para athletes with affected lower limbs or reduced muscle strength.
- Sharmila had earlier won gold at the 2026 Para Athletics Championship in Dubai.
- She began training in seated shot put at the age of 34.
- In 2023, her family sold their house to fund her training and later moved into rented accommodation.
- Despite financial difficulties, she continued practising.
- India’s Shilpa K. Shayla won bronze in the same event.
- This was India’s second gold medal at the Games.
- Earlier, Mirabai Chanu won gold in the 48 kg weightlifting category.
- Sarvesh Kushare (high jump) and Ajay Babu (79 kg weightlifting) won silver medals.
- Bindyarani Devi won bronze in the 58 kg category.
- Gyaneshwari Yadav won silver in the 53 kg category.
- India’s medal tally reached 10, placing the country eighth.
- Australia remained on top with 59 medals, including 26 gold.
DEATH
5. Anatomist Dr Gunter von Hagens passes away
- On 27 July, the Institute for Plastination announced the death of German anatomist Dr Gunter von Hagens.
- He died on 24 July at the age of 81.
- Dr von Hagens invented plastination technology in 1977.
- The technique replaces body tissues with special polymers to preserve human or animal bodies for a long time.
- In 1995, he launched the Body Worlds (Körperwelten) exhibition displaying plastinated human bodies and organs.
- Millions of people worldwide learned about human anatomy through the exhibition.
- He had expressed the wish that his own body should also be plastinated after death.
Plastination Technology
- Von Hagens developed the technique in 1977 while working at Heidelberg University.
- The process removes body fluids and fats and replaces them with resin, silicone rubber and epoxy.
- It strengthens tissues and allows bodies to be displayed in lifelike poses.
- Plastination is used for anatomy studies.
- It helps medical students study specimens without the smell and harmful effects of chemicals such as formalin.
Through plastination process technology, dead bodies and organs can be preserved for decades without any special maintenance to explain structures.
6. Senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister passes away
- Heera Singh Bisht passed away on 27 July at the age of 85.
- He was a senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister.
- He was elected MLA from Dehradun in 1985, when it was part of Uttar Pradesh.
- After Uttarakhand was formed, he became MLA from Rajpur in 2002.
- He later represented the Doiwala Assembly constituency.
- In 2007, he served as Transport, Labour and Technical Education Minister in the government led by then Chief Minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari.
- He was also State President of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) in Uttarakhand.
- Bisht was among the founding members of the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand.
Bisht was a senior leader of Congress and former Cabinet Minister of Uttarakhand.
Today in History
- In 1904, J R D Tata, the great industrialist who laid the foundation of modern India, was born.
- In 1958, a bill was passed in the US to establish the space agency NASA.
