Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the President of India will confer Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The event is organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Swachh Survekshan is an annual survey under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan-Urban (SBA-U) to assess cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation in urban India. It is implemented by MoHUA with Quality Council of India (QCI) as the partner. It rewards efforts of cities under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U).

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The government has recently appointed Nitin Gupta, former Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), as the new Chairperson of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA). NFRA was established in 2018 by the Government of India under the Companies Act, 2013. It is headquartered in New Delhi. NFRA recommends accounting and auditing policies and standards for companies. It monitors and ensures compliance with these standards across companies. It oversees the quality of services provided by professionals in the accounting and auditing field.

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Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) received the National Geospatial Practitioner Award 2025. The award was given for its excellent use of open-source spatial technologies. It was presented during the Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) Day (Edition 02) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. The award was handed over by the former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), A.S. Kiran Kumar. This recognition highlights INCOIS’s contribution to geospatial innovation and open-source solutions in ocean services.

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Suhani Shah from Rajasthan recently won the title of ‘Best Magic Creator 2025’ at the Federation Internationale des Societes Magiques (FISM) World Championship of Magic. She became the first Indian ever to win this prestigious global award in the online magic category. The FISM World Championship of Magic, known as the Olympics of Magic, was held in Torino, Italy from July 14 to 19, 2025. FISM, founded in 1948, is held every three years and features stage magic, close-up magic, and online magic.

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Recently, State Bank of India (SBI) was named the World’s Best Consumer Bank for 2025 by Global Finance magazine. The recognition was announced on July 18, 2025. SBI is India’s largest public sector bank. The award was based on Global Finance’s research and analysis, along with inputs from corporate finance experts, analysts, and bankers worldwide.

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Pratyaya Amrit, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Bihar. He is currently serving as Development Commissioner and also holds additional charge of Health and Disaster Management Department. He will replace Amrit Lal Meena, a 1989-batch IAS officer, who is set to retire on August 31, 2025. Pratyaya will assume charge as Chief Secretary on September 1, 2025. Till then, he will serve as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Chief Secretary’s office.

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On August 14, 2025, Dr. Vece Paes, a 1972 Munich Olympics bronze medal-winning hockey player, passed away in Kolkata at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. He was suffering from an advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease. Born in 1945 in Goa, he combined careers as a medical practitioner and a hockey player. He made his international debut in 1966 at the Hamburg International Cup and later won a bronze at the 1971 World Cup and 1972 Olympics. He represented clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, winning multiple Beighton Cups and Calcutta League titles.

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The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has opened nominations for the National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025. National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) is one of the highest national honours in the livestock and dairy sector. It was launched in 2021 under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission. The awards encourage excellence among farmers, Dairy Cooperatives, Milk Producer Companies (MPCs), Dairy Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and Artificial Insemination Technicians (AITs). The focus is on promoting indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds that are robust and vital for the economy.

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India won 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal at the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2025 held in Mumbai from August 15–21. The event hosted 288 students from 63 countries. Indian gold medalists are Aarush Mishra (Bengaluru), Banibrata Majee (Delhi), Panini (Patna) and Akshat Srivastava (Kolkata). Sumant Gupta (Gurugram) won the silver medal. Iran emerged as the top performer with all five members winning gold medals. The event was organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)

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Ajay Singh was re-elected as Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president for a third consecutive term on August 21, 2025. Singh defeated Olympian boxer Jaslal Pradhan with 40 votes against 26 in Gurugram. Pramod Kumar elected as Secretary-General and Pon Baskaran as Treasurer. Election was overseen by Justice (Retd) Rajesh Tandon and Fairuz Mohammed, WB (World Boxing) representative. Ajay Singh prioritized grassroots development, empowering junior and youth athletes, and strengthening India’s international boxing presence.