Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Hariman Sharma, a farmer from Himachal Pradesh, received the Padma Shri for revolutionizing apple farming. He developed HRMN-99, a self-pollinating, low-chilling apple variety that grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions. HRMN-99 thrives in temperatures of 40-45°C, expanding apple cultivation across 29 Indian states and UTs. Sharma’s journey began in 1998 when he planted discarded apple seeds in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. His work was validated by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) in 2012. The variety benefits farmers nationwide, especially in the North-East, where 100,000+ saplings have been planted.

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Uttar Pradesh’s Mahakumbh tableau won the best tableau award at the 76th Republic Day celebrations. Tripura’s tableau on Kharchi Puja secured second place, followed by Andhra Pradesh’s tableau on Etikoppaka Bommalu wooden toys. Jammu & Kashmir Rifles won best marching contingent among services, while Delhi Police topped in the CAPF/auxiliary forces category. Ministry of Tribal Affairs won for its Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh tableau. Special prizes were given to Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for its Constitution of India tableau and the Jayati Jai Mamah Bharatam Dance Group.

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Latika Katt, a renowned Indian sculptor, passed away at 76 in Jaipur. She was known for larger-than-life sculptures, public busts, and capturing nature’s organic forms. Her works include a 20-ft bronze sculpture of Jawaharlal Nehru at Jawahar Bhawan, Delhi. She experimented with terracotta, papier-mâché, stone, and bronze over five decades. She won the Beijing Art Biennale Award (2010) for Makarsankranti Nahan at Dashaswamedh Ghat.

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The government posthumously honored Chaman Arora with the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 in the Dogri language category. He received the award for his book Ik Hor Ashwthama. The Ministry of Culture confirmed the selection based on a unanimous jury recommendation. Sahitya Akademi President Madhav Kaushik approved the decision. The award includes a casket with an engraved copper plaque and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. Arora’s family will receive the award at a special event on March 8 in New Delhi.

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Vishvaa Rajakumar, a 20-year-old Indian student, won the Memory League World Championship 2025. He memorized 80 random numbers in 13.50 seconds and 30 images in 8.40 seconds. The Memory League World Championship is a top-level online memory competition. Rajakumar, ranked No. 1 with a score of 5,000, studies at Manakula Vinayagar Institute of Technology, Puducherry. He credits hydration for improving memory speed and clarity. His goal is to become a memory trainer and establish a memory institute in India.

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Dr. Anju Rathi Rana has become the first woman Secretary of the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice. Her appointment marks an important step for gender diversity in top government positions. She has represented India at international forums, including the BRICS Ministers of Justice Meeting. She has contributed to legal reforms and gender representation in the judiciary.

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Chinese architect Liu Jiakun won the 2025 Pritzker Architecture Prize for designs that celebrate everyday life. The Pritzker Prize is the most prestigious award in international architecture. Liu is the 54th laureate and was chosen for his focus on people and communities over his 40-year career. He is the third Chinese architect to win, after IM Pei and Wang Shu. The Pritzker Architecture Prize, often called “architecture’s Nobel Prize,” is an international award established in 1979 by the Pritzker family through their Hyatt Foundation, recognizing a living architect (or architects) for their significant contributions to humanity and the built environment.

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Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, noted classical singer and former Asthana Vidwan (court musician) of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), passed away at 76 due to a heart attack in Tirupati. Served TTD from 1978 to 2006 and composed music for 1,000+ compositions of saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya. His famous works include Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnukatha, Pidikita Thalambrala Pellikoothuru, and Jagadapu Chanavula Jajara, also featured in the Telugu film Annamayya.

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Gold Mercury International awarded the Gold Mercury Award 2025 to Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. The award recognizes his efforts in promoting peace, compassion, and sustainability. The Dalai Lama urged world leaders to unite for global peace, cooperation, and environmental protection. He emphasized non-violence, wisdom, and environmental harmony as key values. Rooted in Buddhist philosophy, he advocates for all living beings and ecological balance. He remains a global symbol of non-violence and a strong voice for Tibetan rights and environmental conservation.

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Renowned Odia poet and former bureaucrat Ramakanta Rath passed away, leaving a rich literary legacy. Born on December 30, 1934, in Puri, he studied English literature at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1956 and held key positions in Central and State governments. His first poetry collection, Kete Dinara (1962), introduced a new poetic movement in Odia literature. Saptama Ritu (1977) won him the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi Award in 1978. His most celebrated work, Sri Radha (1985), won the Saraswati Samman. He received the Padma Bhushan (2006) and Atibadi Jagannath Das Award (2018).