Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Sahitya Akademi released the Hindi translation of the acclaimed Lithuanian novel The Last Day, titled “Antim Din”, in New Delhi. The event was held at Rabindra Bhawan in collaboration with the Embassy of Lithuania. The novel is written by Lithuanian-Ukrainian author Jaroslavas Melnikas. Madhav Kaushik, President of Sahitya Akademi, called it a milestone in promoting world literature in Indian languages. It is the first-ever translation of a Lithuanian fiction book into Hindi. The novel explores themes of existential change and cultural identity, fostering literary and cultural collaboration between India and Lithuania.

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The 6th National Water Awards 2024 highlighted India’s push for better water management in the recent context of rising water challenges. Maharashtra ranked 1st in the Best State category, followed by Gujarat and Haryana. The National Water Awards are given by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The awards aim to create awareness about the importance of water and promote best water-use practices. They are presented in 10 categories, including Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution, Best Civil Society and Best Individual.

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The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) won the Gold Prize for Public Outreach and Communication at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025 in New Delhi. The award recognised its innovative, inclusive, and people-friendly communication through the GST and Customs Pavilion. The pavilion ran from 14–27 November 2025 with the theme “Next-Gen Goods and Services Tax (GST): Simple Tax, Prosperous Nation.”

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Dr. Tessy Thomas, called the Missile Woman of India, received the 8th Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios Award 2025 for excellence in science and women empowerment. She is a senior scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). She was the first Indian woman to lead a missile project and headed Agni-IV and Agni-V ballistic missile programmes. She is also known as “Agniputri”, meaning one born of fire. The award is given by the Sophia Society of the Malankara Orthodox Church in memory of Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios.

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Anant Ambani, founder of Vantara, received the Global Humanitarian Award in the United States for his outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation and animal welfare. He was honoured for his leadership in the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and conservation of animals through the Vantara initiative. Anant Ambani is the youngest and the first Asian to ever receive this prestigious award. The award has brought global recognition to Vantara, which is considered one of the world’s largest and most unique wildlife conservation projects.

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UN Environment Programme (UNEP) awarded IAS officer Supriya Sahu the 2025 UN Champions of the Earth award in the Inspiration and Action category. She was honoured for her long-standing leadership in plastic reduction, wildlife conservation, and especially sustainable cooling. Her key initiative, Tamil Nadu’s Cool Roof Project, lowered indoor temperatures by 5–8°C using high Solar Reflective Index paint, offering a low-cost cooling solution. UNEP called it a game changer for cities facing extreme heat, showing scalable climate action.

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Elan Group, with Invincible Publishers, launched “The Art of Doing Nothing Right”, debut book by Ajit Navraj Hans, on 9th December 2025 at Elan Epic Mall, Gurugram. The event was attended by Daler Mehndi, Hans Raj Hans (Padma Shri), and Navraj Hans, celebrating creative legacy and family inspiration. The book explores embracing imperfections, learning from mistakes, and celebrating authenticity and resilience.

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Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh was awarded Best Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Institute for the second consecutive year by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The award was presented during ARISE 2025 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. It was organised by organised by Health Technology Assessment in India (HTAIn), the central HTA body under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. PGIMER earlier received the same recognition at the ICMR–DHR Health Summit last year.

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The Vice-President of India, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, released the book Sanatan Sanskriti Ki Atal Drishti by Shri Vasudev Devnani, Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, at the Vice-President’s Enclave, New Delhi. The book is a tribute to former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his centenary birth anniversary. The Vice-President praised Vajpayee as an institution whose life embodied principles, values, and visionary leadership.

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Tripura Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu, aged 72, passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru following a massive cerebral stroke. A four-time MLA from the Dharmanagar constituency, he started his political career with Congress, joined Trinamool Congress in 2016, and later BJP before the 2018 Assembly elections. The state government declared three days of mourning and ordered the closure of all government offices, schools, colleges, and institutions on 26 December as a mark of respect.