20th AUGUST 2026 ENGLISH TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF TNPSC SHOUTERS
31st Meeting of the Southern Zonal Council
- The 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council is underway today (August 20, 2026) at Kovalam in the Chengalpattu district, presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
- Chief Ministers from various states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, arrived to participate in the meeting. As Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is currently on an overseas visit to the UK, the Deputy Chief Minister is attending the meeting in his place.
- Meanwhile, while Puducherry Chief Minister Rangasamy has boycotted the meeting, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kailashnathan is participating and will speak on behalf of the Union Territory.
- It is reported that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay delivered the welcome address immediately after the meeting commenced.
- Following this, five minutes were allocated to the Chief Minister of each state for an opening address; accordingly, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay was allotted five minutes to speak about the state's requirements.
- Similarly, the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and the Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana each spoke for five minutes regarding the needs of their respective states.
- Subsequently, a detailed discussion has been underway since 11:30 AM scheduled until 1:00 PM regarding inter-state issues, matters requiring resolution, and necessary courses of action.
- In 1946, prior to the Partition of India, two doctors from Mumbai's Parsi community—Dr. Jal Ratanji Patel and Dr. Jal Dhaybo-Koo—diagnosed Muhammad Ali Jinnah with severe tuberculosis.
- Upon examining Jinnah's X-ray results, they realized the shocking truth that he had only a year or two left to live. Given the potential for this information to have a massive political impact at the time, both doctors upheld professional ethics and kept the details confidential until the very end.
- The 'Nishan-e-Imtiaz' award has now been announced in recognition of the fact that the creation of the separate nation of Pakistan was made possible only because this secret was kept. The awards will be presented to them at an official ceremony scheduled to take place in Pakistan in March 2027.
