Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Former Governor Satya Pal Malik passed away on August 5, 2025, at the age of 79. He served as Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Goa, Odisha, and Meghalaya. He died at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, due to multiple organ failure following sepsis, pneumonia, and chronic kidney disease. Malik began politics in the 1960s, influenced by Ram Manohar Lohia’s socialist ideology. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2004, became national vice-president in 2012. He belonged to the Jat community, originally from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, with roots in Haryana. As J&K Governor, he oversaw the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi instituted a global award in memory of Professor M. S. Swaminathan, father of India’s Green Revolution, to honour scientists from developing nations working for “Food and Peace.” The first M. S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace was conferred to Nigerian scientist Prof. Ademola A. Adenle for combating hunger in Nigeria. Prof. Swaminathan, who passed away on 23 September 2023 at 98, was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024.

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Hiromasa Urakawa, a 28-year-old Japanese boxer, died from brain injuries sustained in a fight in Tokyo. He was knocked out in the eighth round against Yoji Saito on August 2 and later died after surgery for subdural haematoma, a bleeding between the skull and brain. This comes after Shigetoshi Kotari also died from similar injuries in the same event at Korakuen Hall. The Japan Boxing Commission reduced all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title fights from 12 to 10 rounds. Urakawa is the third high-profile boxing death in 2025, after Irish boxer John Cooney’s death from intracranial haemorrhage in February.

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On August 14, 2025, Dr. Vece Paes, a 1972 Munich Olympics bronze medal-winning hockey player, passed away in Kolkata at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. He was suffering from an advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease. Born in 1945 in Goa, he combined careers as a medical practitioner and a hockey player. He made his international debut in 1966 at the Hamburg International Cup and later won a bronze at the 1971 World Cup and 1972 Olympics. He represented clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, winning multiple Beighton Cups and Calcutta League titles.

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L. Ganesan, Governor of Nagaland and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Tamil Nadu, passed away in Chennai on August 15, 2025, at the age of 80. He had earlier served as Governor of Manipur and held additional charge as Governor of West Bengal. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during school days and became its chief organiser in Tamil Nadu during the Emergency. He was admired for his role in Hindu unity during Meenakshipuram conversions and Mandaikkadu riots. In 1991, he shifted to BJP, serving as Tamil Nadu unit president, general secretary, and later as BJP vice-president. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in 2017.

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India won 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal at the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2025 held in Mumbai from August 15–21. The event hosted 288 students from 63 countries. Indian gold medalists are Aarush Mishra (Bengaluru), Banibrata Majee (Delhi), Panini (Patna) and Akshat Srivastava (Kolkata). Sumant Gupta (Gurugram) won the silver medal. Iran emerged as the top performer with all five members winning gold medals. The event was organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)

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Ajay Singh was re-elected as Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president for a third consecutive term on August 21, 2025. Singh defeated Olympian boxer Jaslal Pradhan with 40 votes against 26 in Gurugram. Pramod Kumar elected as Secretary-General and Pon Baskaran as Treasurer. Election was overseen by Justice (Retd) Rajesh Tandon and Fairuz Mohammed, WB (World Boxing) representative. Ajay Singh prioritized grassroots development, empowering junior and youth athletes, and strengthening India’s international boxing presence.

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The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, has invited nominations for the National Youth Award (NYA) 2024. The award is sponsored by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. The award is given to Indian youth for their outstanding work in social service and national development. The eligible age group for the award is between 15 and 29 years. The award is given in two categories: Individual and Organisation, with a maximum of 20 individual awards and 5 organisation awards each year. Prize money for individuals includes a medal, a certificate, and ₹1,00,000, while voluntary youth organisations receive a medal, a certificate, and ₹3,00,000.

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Anand V. Patil has been honoured with Prof. V.K. Gokak Award. The award ceremony is held in Bengaluru on September 7 2025. The award is named after Prof. Vinayaka Krishna Gokak, a prominent Indian literary figure. It recognises individuals with significant contributions to Indian literature, especially in the Kannada language. The award highlights the importance of promoting regional literature and nurturing young readers. Anand V. Patil’s recognition reflects his lasting impact on children’s literary culture in India.

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Sankarshan Thakur, Editor of The Telegraph, passed away on September 8, 2025, in a Gurgaon hospital at the age of 63. Thakur was known for incisive political analysis, fearless commentary, and sharp ground reporting. He authored famous books like Making of Laloo Yadav, The Unmaking of Bihar, Single Man: The Life and Times of Nitish Kumar, and The Brothers Bihari. He began his career with Sunday magazine of Ananda Bazar Patrika group. He worked with The Indian Express and Tehelka, later becoming National Affairs Editor and then Editor of The Telegraph. He won the Prem Bhatia Award (2001) for excellence in political journalism. His ground reporting in Manipur (2001) after the ceasefire extension with NSCN-IM was widely acclaimed.