Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu was honoured with the “Key of Honour” and made an honorary citizen of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, on 7 April 2025. The award was presented by Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon, at the historic Câmara Municipal de Lisboa. This honour marks deepening ties between India and Portugal and acknowledges her role in promoting global friendship. President Murmu is on a two-nation official visit to Portugal and Slovakia from 7 to 10 April 2025.

Notes:
Daripalli Ramaiah (1937-2025), a famous environmentalist from Reddipalli village, Telangana, passed away recently. He was locally known as ‘Chetla Ramaiah’ or Vanajeevi (forest dweller). He was honored with the Padma Shri in 2017 for his significant contributions to environmental conservation. Ramaiah was a strong advocate for social forestry, having planted over 1 crore saplings in his lifetime. He was known as the “tree-man”, often wearing a green board to promote tree conservation. His awards include the Seva Award (1995), Vanamitra Award (2005), and National Innovations and Outstanding Traditional Knowledge Award (2015).

Notes:
Five military personnel were awarded the MacGregor Memorial Medal by the Chief of Defence Staff for their outstanding work in military reconnaissance, exploration, and adventure for the years 2023 and 2024. The medal was established on 3rd July 1888 to honour General Sir Charles Metcalfe MacGregor, who founded the United Service Institution of India (USI). It was originally given for military reconnaissance and exploratory missions during British Army campaigns in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Tibet, and Burma. After India’s independence, the scope was expanded to include adventure activities. The medal is open to all ranks, both serving and retired, from the Indian Armed Forces, Territorial Army, and Assam Rifles.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Former Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Union Public Service Commission is a constitutional body under Part XIV of the Indian Constitution. Articles 315 to 323 define the composition, powers, functions, appointment, and removal of UPSC members. The Chairman and other members of the UPSC are appointed by the President of India. Each member holds office for six years or until reaching 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. A former member of a Public Service Commission cannot be reappointed to the same office.

Notes:
Recently, Brazilian microbiologist Mariangela Hungria was named the 2025 World Food Prize Laureate. She developed seed and soil treatments using beneficial bacteria like rhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense. These innovations help soybeans fix nitrogen naturally and boost root growth in crops like corn for better nutrient and water uptake. The World Food Prize is the top international award for those improving food quality, quantity, or access. It was established in 1986 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Norman E. Borlaug. Often called the Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture, it carries a $500,000 reward and is given in October.

Notes:
President Draupadi Murmu recently presented the 58th Jnanpith Award to Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and poet-lyricist Gulzar at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, despite being blind, has made great contributions to Sanskrit and Hindi literature by memorizing texts like ‘Ramcharitmanas’ and the ‘Gita’. Gulzar is a famous poet, songwriter, and Oscar and Grammy winner, known for his work in literature, cinema, and television. The Jnanpith Award is India’s highest literary honour, established in 1961 by the Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust. It is given to writers working in the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and in English. The award includes ₹11 lakh, a bronze statue of Goddess Saraswati, and a citation. The first award was given in 1965 to Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup for ‘Odakkuzhal’.

Notes:
Dr M.R. Srinivasan, a key architect of India’s civilian nuclear programme, passed away at the age of 95 on 20 May. He was a technocrat with strong engineering skills and a vision for building scientific institutions. He joined the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in 1955, just a year after it was formed. He worked closely with Dr Homi Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme, to develop Apsara, India’s first nuclear research reactor, which became operational in 1956. In 1959, he became Principal Project Engineer and led India’s early efforts in nuclear power generation. He received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, for his contributions to nuclear energy. His legacy reflects excellence in engineering and dedication to national scientific self-reliance.

Notes:
India has received the Certificate of Elimination of Trachoma as a Public Health Problem from the World Health Organisation (WHO) during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva. This marks a major success for India’s long-term efforts in disease elimination and preventive healthcare. WHO had earlier confirmed on October 8th that India had met the criteria for elimination of Trachoma as a public health issue. India is now the third country in the Southeast Asia region to achieve this milestone. The National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) played a key role in tackling Trachoma. Since 2019, NPCBVI has used a special WHO format to collect Trachoma case data from all districts. A National Trachomatous Trichiasis survey was carried out in 200 endemic districts between 2021 and 2024, as required by WHO.

Notes:
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.