Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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On 17th Civil Services Day, the PoshanTracker App of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 under the Innovation category. The award was accepted by the Secretary of Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD). A special session titled “Promoting Nutrition for Women and Children through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0” was held under Union Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi. The PoshanTracker also promotes citizen ownership and was praised for its impact.

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Dr. K. Kasturirangan, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), passed away at 84 in Bengaluru. He was a key architect of India’s National Education Policy. Dr. Kasturirangan played a major role in developing the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), India’s most reliable satellite launcher. He led ISRO for over nine years, stepping down as Chairman in August 2003. Dr. Kasturirangan served as Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Chairman of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission. He was also a Rajya Sabha member from 2003 to 2009 and Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru.

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The Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying recently awarded the first-ever Aqua Insurance to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Yojana (PM-MKSSY). PM-MKSSY, a sub-scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, provides comprehensive aquaculture insurance. The mobile application VyAS-NAV was also launched for digital data collection for the 5th Marine Fisheries Census. The Aqua Insurance aims to provide financial support to small and marginalized fisheries farmers. Beneficiaries include registered aquafarmers, firms, cooperatives, and Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs). The insurance covers one crop cycle.

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Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was elected President of the 80th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on June 2. She won the secret ballot with 167 votes, while 14 countries chose to abstain. Baerbock is the first woman from the Western European group and the fifth woman overall to lead the UN General Assembly. The 80th session begins on September 9, 2025, and will focus on global crises and reforms like the UN80 initiative and choosing the next Secretary-General before 2026.

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On June 6, 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances launched a new category in the National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2025. The category is called “Grassroots Level Initiatives for Deepening Service Delivery at Gram Panchayats or Equivalent Traditional Local Bodies.” It honors Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for their digital efforts to improve ease of living and citizen-centric service delivery. From more than 1.45 lakh entries, four Gram Panchayats were awarded: Rohini (Maharashtra) won Gold; West Majlishpur (Tripura) won Silver; and Palsana (Gujarat) and Suakati (Odisha) won Jury Awards. Winners receive a trophy, certificate, and up to ₹10 lakh to further improve their public welfare projects.

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Recently, Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe made history by becoming the first female and first African President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its 130-year history. Coventry, a seven-time Olympic medallist in swimming, won the election in one round with 49 out of 97 votes, beating Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. and other candidates. She aims to focus on athlete rights, gender equality, and the sustainability of the Games. She has pledged to expand Olympic participation, especially in Africa, and engage youth.

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Recently, China’s former Vice Finance Minister Zou Jiayi was named as the next president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, known as AIIB, during its 10th Annual Meeting. Zou will take over from Jin Liqun, the founding president, starting her five-year term on January 16, 2026. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a multilateral development bank focused on sustainable infrastructure, and started in 2016. China is the largest shareholder with 26.54% voting shares, while India holds 7.58%, followed by Russia and Germany.

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The Shakti Bhatt Prize 2025 was awarded to debut author Zara Chowdhary for her memoir The Lucky Ones, about surviving the 2002 Gujarat riots. She will receive a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh with the award. This year marks the final Shakti Bhatt Prize, which started in 2008 to honour debut authors in memory of publisher Shakti Bhatt, who died in 2007. The prize celebrated South Asian literature from countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, remaining independent and free from corporate sponsorship.

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Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a five-nation tour, was awarded Ghana’s highest civilian honour, the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. With this, PM Modi has now received top civilian honours from 24 countries, the highest for any Indian leader. PM Modi dedicated this award to 1.4 billion Indians, especially the youth, cultural heritage, and diversity.

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Recently, Manipuri classical dancer and Padma Shri awardee Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi passed away at age 85 after prolonged illness at her home in Keishampat, Imphal West. She was one of the 113 Padma Shri recipients this year. She joined Aryan Theatre as a child artist and performed in the Soviet Union in 1954. Later, she performed in China, Japan, South Korea, and other countries. She trained under Padma Meishnam Amubi and joined Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA).