Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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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’.

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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.

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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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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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Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), has received the United Nations Sasakawa Award 2025 for Disaster Risk Reduction. The award, started in 1986 with support from The Nippon Foundation, is the highest international honor in the disaster risk field. The 2025 theme, “Connecting science to people,” highlights his efforts in making cyclone forecasts accessible to vulnerable communities. Known as the “Cyclone Man of India,” Dr. Mohapatra helped reduce cyclone-related deaths across the north Indian Ocean region.

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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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Recently, the Indian literary world was shocked as the JCB Prize for Literature has been officially discontinued. The award, worth Rs 25 lakh for the best fiction work by an Indian author, ended with no future editions planned. It was established in 2018 by JCB India. The prize promoted Indian fiction and translations, awarding five out of seven winners for translated works in languages like Malayalam, Tamil, and Urdu. The JCB Prize, though short-lived, made a strong impact on regional literature and India’s literary ecosystem.

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Recently, the government appointed Parag Jain, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Punjab cadre, as the new Secretary of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for two years. Jain will replace Ravi Sinha, a 1988-batch IPS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, whose term ends on June 30, with Jain taking charge on July 1. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet approved his posting under the Cabinet Secretariat as per service rules. Jain currently leads the Aviation Research Centre, which gathered key intelligence during Operation Sindoor on Pakistan’s terror camps.

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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).

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Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Kesavan Ramachandran as Executive Director (ED) from July 1, 2025. As Executive Director, he will oversee the Department of Regulation (Prudential Regulation Division). Earlier, Kesavan was Principal Chief General Manager in the Risk Monitoring Department. He has over 30 years of experience in currency management, banking and non-banking supervision, training, and administration. He served as RBI’s nominee on the Board of Canara Bank for more than five years.