Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Gold Mercury International awarded the Gold Mercury Award 2025 to Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. The award recognizes his efforts in promoting peace, compassion, and sustainability. The Dalai Lama urged world leaders to unite for global peace, cooperation, and environmental protection. He emphasized non-violence, wisdom, and environmental harmony as key values. Rooted in Buddhist philosophy, he advocates for all living beings and ecological balance. He remains a global symbol of non-violence and a strong voice for Tibetan rights and environmental conservation.

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Renowned Odia poet and former bureaucrat Ramakanta Rath passed away, leaving a rich literary legacy. Born on December 30, 1934, in Puri, he studied English literature at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1956 and held key positions in Central and State governments. His first poetry collection, Kete Dinara (1962), introduced a new poetic movement in Odia literature. Saptama Ritu (1977) won him the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi Award in 1978. His most celebrated work, Sri Radha (1985), won the Saraswati Samman. He received the Padma Bhushan (2006) and Atibadi Jagannath Das Award (2018).

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Mridulika Jha of Aaj Tak won the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism 2025 for reporting on the “Dunki route” used by Haryana youths to illegally enter the United States of America. 27 journalists were awarded across 20 categories at the 19th Ramnath Goenka Awards held in New Delhi on 19 March 2025. The award, instituted by the Indian Express Group in 2005, honors Print/Digital & Broadcast journalists for excellence despite political and economic pressures. President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest and presented the awards. Winners received a citation, a trophy, and ₹1 lakh cash prize.

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The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was held on 22nd March 2025 in New Delhi. Elections for the post of Chairman and Governing Council members were conducted successfully. Shri. Ashok Singh Thakur was elected as Chairman for a 3-year term. INTACH, India’s premier heritage conservation organisation, was established on 27th January 1984. It is a national registered Society under the Societies Registration Act (1860). INTACH works to conserve heritage, environment, and intangible culture while providing financial and technical expertise. The INTACH Charter, adopted in 2004, is being revised for interdisciplinary heritage conservation.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the ‘Mithra Vibhushana’ medal from the Government of Sri Lanka for strengthening India-Sri Lanka ties and shared cultural heritage. This is the highest civilian honour of Sri Lanka, instituted in 2008 by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The award was given by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at a ceremony in Colombo. It is the 22nd international award given to PM Modi by a foreign nation. The medal features the Dharma Chakra for Buddhist heritage, Pun Kalasa for prosperity, Navarathna for deep friendship, and the Sun and Moon for eternal relations.

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Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik became the first Indian to receive the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award for excellence in sand art. The award was presented at the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival in Dorset, England, marking the 100th birth anniversary of British sculptor Fred Darrington. To celebrate, Pattnaik made a 10-foot-high sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha with the message of “World Peace”. A Padma Shri awardee from Odisha, he has taken part in over 65 international sand art events, gaining global fame for his spiritual and social themes. The Sandworld exhibition at Lodmoor Park features global artists using only sand and water to craft giant sculptures.

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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.

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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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Renowned Kathak dancer Kumudini Lakhia passed away at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of innovation in Indian classical dance. Kathak, derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Katha’, means ‘story’, and is a classical dance form traditionally focused on mythological storytelling. Kumudini Lakhia transformed Kathak from a solo narrative form to a group ensemble, introducing contemporary and non-narrative elements. She received the Padma Shri (1987), Padma Bhushan (2010), and Padma Vibhushan (2024) for her contributions to Indian dance.

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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.