Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad has been awarded the prestigious Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar for 2025 in the Institutional Category. This award recognizes INCOIS’s significant contributions to disaster management in India, particularly in tsunami early warning, cyclone forecasting, and coastal risk mitigation. INCOIS operates the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC), recognized globally by UNESCO. The organization has developed innovative tools like SARAT and SynOPS to enhance disaster response capabilities. This award highlights India’s advancements in disaster management and the crucial role of institutions like INCOIS in safeguarding lives and livelihoods.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh’s Mahakumbh tableau won the best tableau award at the 76th Republic Day celebrations. Tripura’s tableau on Kharchi Puja secured second place, followed by Andhra Pradesh’s tableau on Etikoppaka Bommalu wooden toys. Jammu & Kashmir Rifles won best marching contingent among services, while Delhi Police topped in the CAPF/auxiliary forces category. Ministry of Tribal Affairs won for its Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh tableau. Special prizes were given to Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for its Constitution of India tableau and the Jayati Jai Mamah Bharatam Dance Group.

Notes:
Greg Bell was an American long jumper who won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana on November 7, 1930 and died on January 25, 2025. Bell was the world’s top men’s long jumper in the 1950s.  He jumped 8.10 meters in 1957, which was only 3 centimeters off the world record set by Jesse Owens in 1935.  Bell was inducted into the Indiana University Hall of Fame and the U.S. National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1988.

Notes:
Latika Katt, a renowned Indian sculptor, passed away at 76 in Jaipur. She was known for larger-than-life sculptures, public busts, and capturing nature’s organic forms. Her works include a 20-ft bronze sculpture of Jawaharlal Nehru at Jawahar Bhawan, Delhi. She experimented with terracotta, papier-mâché, stone, and bronze over five decades. She won the Beijing Art Biennale Award (2010) for Makarsankranti Nahan at Dashaswamedh Ghat.

Notes:
The Ministry of Ayush has opened nominations for the Prime Minister’s Yoga Awards for International Day of Yoga (IDY2025). The awards recognize individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to promoting Yoga nationally and internationally. It was established to honor Yoga’s impact on society, the awards celebrate its role in disease prevention and health promotion. Winners in four categories (National/International Individual and Organization) will receive a trophy, certificate, and Rs. 25 lakh cash. Nominees must be at least 40 years old with 20 years of service in Yoga promotion. A screening committee will review applications, and an evaluation jury will make final decisions.

Notes:
Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), replacing Rajiv Kumar. He is a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre and senior to the other commissioners. Vivek Joshi has been appointed as Election Commissioner; he was the former Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner. This is the first appointment under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioner Act, 2023.

Notes:
Vishvaa Rajakumar, a 20-year-old Indian student, won the Memory League World Championship 2025. He memorized 80 random numbers in 13.50 seconds and 30 images in 8.40 seconds. The Memory League World Championship is a top-level online memory competition. Rajakumar, ranked No. 1 with a score of 5,000, studies at Manakula Vinayagar Institute of Technology, Puducherry. He credits hydration for improving memory speed and clarity. His goal is to become a memory trainer and establish a memory institute in India.

Notes:
Purnima Devi Barman, an Indian biologist and wildlife conservationist, is named in TIME Magazine’s Women of the Year 2025 list. She is the only Indian woman on the list, alongside global figures like Nicole Kidman and Gisele Pelicot. The award recognizes extraordinary leaders working for a more equitable and sustainable world. Barman is known for her efforts in conserving the greater adjutant stork (Hargila). Her work has transformed both environmental and social landscapes, making a significant impact on wildlife conservation.

Notes:
The Ministry of Ayush conferred the National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards to three distinguished practitioners. Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav presented the awards in Mumbai on 20.02.2025. Awardees include Vaidya Tara Chand Sharma, an expert Nadi Vaidya and author; Vaidya Maya Ram Uniyal, a Dravyaguna Vigyana scholar with 60 years of service; and Vaidya Sameer Govind Jamadagni, founder of Vishwa Vyakhyanmala. Each recipient received a citation, a trophy featuring Lord Dhanwantari, and ₹5 Lakh. The awards highlight India’s commitment to holistic healthcare and preserving traditional medicine.

Notes:
Russian chess grandmaster Boris Spassky, the 10th World Chess Champion, has passed away at 88. Spassky was known for his strategic brilliance, sportsmanship, and deep understanding of chess. Born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), he became an International Grandmaster in 1955. In 1969, he defeated Tigran Petrosian to become the World Chess Champion. Spassky was famous for his versatile playing style, excelling in both positional and attacking games.