Karnataka & Group C Current Affairs – July 18th, 2026

Awards

72nd National Film Awards 2026 Announced

Context: The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards—honoring films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2024—were officially announced in New Delhi by the feature film jury chaired by filmmaker Jayaraj.

Key Highlights:

• Scope & Jury: Recognizes excellence in Indian cinema for films certified between January 1 and December 31, 2024, evaluated by a central panel under Jayaraj.
• Major Accolades: The political drama Article 370 secured the premier honor for Best Feature Film, while top acting honors were shared across the Hindi and Malayalam industries.
• Wholesome Entertainment: The sci-fi blockbuster Kalki 2898 AD was recognized for providing the best popular mainstream entertainment.

Science & Technology

SII to Manufacture M72 TB Vaccine

Why in News: Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) partnered with Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) to manufacture the novel M72/AS01E tuberculosis (TB) vaccine.

Key Exam Facts:

• Historic Milestone: Set to be the first new TB vaccine for adults in over 100 years, serving as a critical complement to the infant-focused BCG vaccine.
• Vaccine Profile: A protein subunit vaccine targeting active pulmonary TB in infected adults and adolescents aged 18–50 years.
• Efficacy & Trials: Demonstrated ~50% protection in Phase 2b; Phase 3 is currently testing 20,000 participants across 5 high-burden nations.
• Collaborators: SII (manufacturing via a $100M+ investment), Gates MRI (trial sponsor), and GSK (supplying the essential AS01E adjuvant).
• WHO Projection: Estimated to prevent 76 million TB cases and save 8.5 million lives over the next 25 years.

Sports

1. Rohit Sharma Scripts History at Lord’s, Breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s Records

Why in News: Veteran Indian opener Rohit Sharma struck a commanding 138 off 110 balls against England in the decisive 3rd ODI at Lord’s on July 19, 2026, becoming the first Indian to hit an ODI century at the venue and breaking multiple records held by Sachin Tendulkar.

Key Highlights:

• First at the ‘Home of Cricket’: Surpassed Sourav Ganguly’s previous best (90 in 2004) to become the first Indian batter ever to score an ODI century at Lord’s.
• Oldest Indian Centurion: At 39 years and 80 days, he became the oldest Indian to score an international and ODI century across formats, eclipsing Tendulkar’s record of 38 years and 327 days.
• Most Tons as an Indian Opener: Registered his 46th international century as an opener, moving past Tendulkar’s tally of 45 (second globally only to David Warner).
• Most ODI Centuries as a Visitor: Struck his 8th ODI hundred in England, surpassing Tendulkar (7 in UAE), AB de Villiers (7 in India), and Saeed Anwar (7 in UAE) for the most ODI hundreds in a single foreign country.
• 50+ Scores Record: Recorded his 15th fifty-plus ODI score on English soil in just 30 innings, surpassing Virat Kohli (14) for the most by any visiting batter in England.
• Career & Captaincy Legacy: Currently stands at 34 ODI centuries overall; previously captained India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title and the 2023 ODI World Cup final before stepping away from T20Is and Test cricket.

2. PV Sindhu Creates History, Wins Maiden Japan Open Title

Why in News: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu defeated reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan (21-17, 21-17) in Tokyo to win the Japan Open 2026 women’s singles badminton title.

Key Highlights:

• First Indian Champion: Became the first Indian shuttler ever to win the prestigious Japan Open title.
• Maiden Super 750 Crown: Secured her career-first BWF Super 750 title, marking her most significant triumph since lifting the 2019 World Championships gold in Basel.
• Drought Ended: Broke a major title drought of over two years, having last won a BWF World Tour crown at the 2024 Syed Modi International.
• Head-to-Head Dominance: Improved her career record against three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi to 16-14 across 30 international encounters.

3. Spain Triumphs in FIFA World Cup 2026: Full Awards & Key Records

Why in News: Spain 🇪🇸 defeated defending champions Argentina 🇦🇷 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey) to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive winner in the 106th minute.

Key Highlights:

• Host & Format: Co-hosted by the USA 🇺🇸, Canada 🇨🇦, and Mexico 🇲🇽, marking the first-ever 48-team tournament.
• Historic Dominance: This is Spain’s 2nd World Cup crown (after 2010). They set a tournament record by conceding just 1 goal in 8 matches and extended their European-record unbeaten streak to 38 matches. They are also the only European nation to hold the men’s World Cup, Euro 2024, and Women’s World Cup (2023) titles simultaneously.
• All-Time Scorer Milestone: France’s 🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappé became the first player ever to win back-to-back Golden Boots and extended his record as the all-time top scorer in men’s World Cup history with 22 career goals.

FIFA World Cup: 2026 vs. 2022 Champions & Award Winners

Miscellaneous

Uttarakhand Celebrates Traditional Harela Festival

Why in News: The traditional folk festival Harela was celebrated across Uttarakhand (predominantly in the Kumaon region) on the first day of Shravan (Kark Sankranti) to mark the onset of the monsoon.

Key Highlights: 

• Meaning & Rituals:- Translates to “Greenery”. Seeds of multiple grains are sown indoors days prior, and the young green shoots (Harela) are harvested and offered to deities to bless the new agricultural sowing cycle. 
• Mythological Significance:- Culturally commemorates the divine wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, blending Shaivite devotion with nature worship. 
• Environmental Push:- The Government of Uttarakhand actively utilizes the occasion to drive state-wide tree plantation and afforestation campaigns (Harela Parva).