Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Padmashree Ram Sahay Pandey, who recently passed away, was a renowned figure associated with the Rai folk dance of the Bundelkhand region. Pandey dedicated his life to promoting and preserving the Rai folk dance, a tradition that was once stigmatized. He is credited with bringing respectability to the art form and taking it from the heart of Bundelkhand to international platforms. The Rai dance is a traditional folk dance from the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022 for his contributions to the preservation and promotion of Rai dance.

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The Uttar Pradesh Police’s “Investigation, Prosecution, and Conviction Portal” recently won the SKOCH Award in the “Police & Safety” category. This in-house development by the Technical Services Unit of UP Police has been recognized for its role in enhancing justice delivery and public trust, particularly in identifying and monitoring serious crimes and facilitating timely convictions. The portal has led to nearly 85,000 convictions and resolved over 40,000 pending cases.

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The Central Government has appointed former Supreme Court (SC) judge, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, as chairman of the 23rd Law Commission. The commission was notified on September 2 last year and will function for three years till August 2027. Its role includes submitting a report on Uniform Civil Code (UCC), studying laws affecting the poor, and identifying laws that hinder India’s economic growth. The 23rd Law Commission will have one chairman, four full-time members including a member secretary, two secretaries from the Law Ministry, and up to five part-time members. Justice Maheshwari retired from the Supreme Court in May 2023. The previous 22nd Law Commission was headed by Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, who left early after being appointed as a member of the Lokpal. During his term, the panel used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse over 80 lakh public petitions regarding the Uniform Civil Code.

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Recently, the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) received the Udyog Vikas Award at the Udyog Vikas event organized by Janmabhumi Daily in Kerala. The National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) is India’s major infrastructure project aimed at developing new industrial cities as Smart Cities with next-generation technologies. The NICDC acts as the nodal agency responsible for managing the entire programme and ensuring seamless execution. The NICDP focuses on attracting investments from both large industries and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to boost industrial growth. It supports the government’s vision of achieving $2 trillion in exports by the year 2030.

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Sub Inspector Geeta Samota has become the first personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to climb Mount Everest in the 56-year history of the force. She reached the summit of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, which stands at 8,849 metres, on Monday. This achievement marks a proud moment of courage and strength for both the CISF and the nation. Geeta is from Chak village in Sikar district, Rajasthan, and started her journey as a hockey player during college. She joined CISF in 2011 and is currently posted at the Udaipur airport unit.

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Indian-origin rapper and singer-songwriter Raja Kumari won an American Music Award (AMA) 2025. She was nominated at the 51st AMA held in Los Angeles for the song from Arcane League of Legends: Season 2. This made her the first Indian-origin musician ever nominated for an AMA. The song Renegade (We Never Run) was a collaboration with Stefflon Don and Jarina de Marco. It was nominated under the Favourite Soundtrack category. She was chosen for the song as the film character is Indian, and she represents Indian culture with powerful music.

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Recently, the President of India presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the year 2025 to nurses at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The National Florence Nightingale Award was started in 1973 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It is a prestigious national honour given to outstanding nursing personnel from Central Government, State and Union Territories, and Voluntary Organizations. The award recognizes the meritorious services of nurses in hospitals, communities, education, or administration. The award includes a Certificate of Merit, a Cash Award of ₹1,00,000, and a medal.

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Prominent writer Sarah Joseph has received the 2024 Mathrubhumi Literary Award. The award was presented by Jnanpith awardee Pratibha Ray in Kozhikode. It includes ₹3 lakh cash, a citation, and a sculpture by M. V. Devan. Sarah Joseph was appreciated for her fearless voice in Malayalam literature and social issues. She earlier won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and Sahitya Akademi Awards.

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The Government of Assam presented the Srimanta Sankardeva Award to Dr. Sonal Mansingh, a renowned classical dancer and cultural icon. The award was conferred by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati. It honors the legacy of 15th-century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva, who promoted unity, harmony, and ecological balance. Dr. Mansingh, a Padma Vibhushan recipient, was praised for using dance to highlight women’s empowerment, social justice, and environmental issues.

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On June 16, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, Cyprus’s highest civilian honour. The award was conferred by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides during PM Modi’s visit to the country. The honour is named after the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, and represents strong bilateral ties. PM Modi dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and the friendship between India and Cyprus.