Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Andro Village in Manipur won the Best Tourism Village award in the Heritage category at the 2024 Best Tourism Villages Competition. The award was given by the Ministry of Tourism during World Tourism Day celebrations in New Delhi. The village’s rich cultural heritage and unique traditions, including centuries-old fire worship, contributed to its selection. Andro Village’s cultural heritage and historical temple attract tourists from around the world. Tourism has boosted income and job opportunities for locals, with the community actively involved in promoting and sustaining their heritage.

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Dhananjaya M.V., a principal scientist at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, received the Kalaiah Krishnamurthy National Award for his significant contributions to developing gummy stem blight-resistant varieties of bottle gourd. This recognition highlights the importance of agricultural research in enhancing crop resilience and productivity, crucial for India’s agricultural development. The award was presented during the University of Agricultural Sciences-Bangalore’s foundation day celebrations, emphasizing the need for scientific advancements in agriculture.

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The Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine 2024 has been awarded to scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun. They were recognized for their discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. MicroRNA is crucial for regulating gene activity. The Nobel Assembly stated that their discovery is vital for understanding how organisms develop and function. The winners receive a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns, equivalent to about $1.1 million.

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The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for their groundbreaking work in machine learning with artificial neural networks. Machine Learning (ML) is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) focused on creating systems that learn from data. ML enables systems to adapt and improve as they gain more experience. Algorithms in ML identify relationships and patterns in data, making predictions and classifying information.

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The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper for contributions to protein science. David Baker received the prize for computational protein design, creating entirely new proteins since 2003. Demis Hassabis and John Jumper were recognized for developing AlphaFold2, an AI model that predicts 3D protein structures. AlphaFold2 can predict the structure of nearly all 200 million identified proteins. These innovations are used in fields like pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and solving challenges like antibiotic resistance and plastic degradation.

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Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, was awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons and raise awareness about the humanitarian consequences of their use. The group, representing the Hibakusha, has played a crucial role in the global movement for nuclear disarmament since its founding in 1956. Their testimonies have significantly contributed to establishing a nuclear taboo, ensuring that nuclear weapons have not been used since 1945. This recognition highlights the ongoing challenges and pressures faced by the disarmament movement in the contemporary world.

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The 5th National Water Awards 2023 were announced in New Delhi. Odisha won the first prize for Best State, followed by Uttar Pradesh in second place. Gujarat and Puducherry jointly secured third place. The event, led by Union Minister C.R. Patil, aimed to recognize efforts in water conservation and management. A total of 38 winners were honored in various categories, promoting awareness of sustainable water practices. The awards underscore the importance of effective water management in addressing challenges related to water scarcity and sustainability.

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Dr. S. Somanath, ISRO Chairman, was honored with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) World Space Award for the success of Chandrayaan-3. The award was presented in Milan, Italy, recognizing India’s achievements in space exploration. Chandrayaan-3 made a historic landing near the Moon’s South Pole on August 23, 2023. India became the first nation to land near the Moon’s South Pole and joined an elite group capable of lunar landings. This award highlighted India’s growing role in the global space community.

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Assam’s Bibhab Kumar Talukdar received the prestigious Harry Messel Award from the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC). The award was presented on October 25 at the 5th IUCN SSC leaders’ meeting in Abu Dhabi, with over 300 conservation experts attending. He was recognized for his on-ground and leadership contributions to species conservation.
He joined IUCN SSC in 1991 and has chaired the Asian Rhino Specialist Group since 2008. Founder of Aaranyak, a key conservation organization in Northeast India, Talukdar has published over 70 scientific papers and led more than 60 projects over 25 years.

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Fiji awarded Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar the “Honourary Officer of the Order of Fiji,” its highest civilian honor, for his global peace and community work. Fiji’s President, Ratu Wiliame M. Katonivere, presented the award, and Sri Sri expressed gratitude on social media. As founder of The Art of Living, Sri Sri has received top civilian awards from five other nations, highlighting his humanitarian influence in over 180 countries. In Fiji, he met with leaders, including the Deputy Prime Minister and UN Coordinator, to discuss youth empowerment and mental health.