Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Columbia University announced the 2024 Pulitzer Prize winners on May 7. The prestigious award, established by Joseph Pulitzer in 1904, recognizes excellence in journalism, arts, and culture. Winners are selected by the Pulitzer Prize Board, with categories spanning journalism and arts. The ceremony, to be held later, will see recipients honored by the university president. This year’s winners join a legacy dating back to the first prize in 1917.

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Renowned Punjabi poet Surjit Patar, Padma Shri recipient, passed away at 79 in Ludhiana, Punjab. Tributes flood in from political and literary circles. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan express profound grief, acknowledging Patar’s global impact on promoting and preserving the Punjabi language.

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Kamla Beniwal, Rajasthan’s first female minister, passed away at 97 on May 15, 2024, in Jaipur. Born in 1927 in Jhunjhunu district, she was a freedom fighter, earning a BA from Maharaja College and an MA from Banasthali Vidyapeeth. In 1952, she became an MLA, serving seven terms. At 27, she became Rajasthan’s first female minister. She held various ministerial roles in Congress governments, including deputy chief minister in 2003.

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Renowned Hindi and Marathi storyteller Malti Joshi, Padma Shri awardee, passed away at 90 due to oesophagus cancer in New Delhi on May 15, 2024. Born on June 4, 1934, in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, she grew up in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She excelled in Hindi literature, earning a Master’s from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University. Known as the “Meera of Malwa,” Joshi’s impactful storytelling legacy spans across Hindi literature.

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Rajahmundry Central Prison was honored with the Biodiversity Conservation Award by Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board. The recognition applauds the prison’s eco-friendly initiatives, including groundwater preservation, natural farming, and crafting with natural materials. State Biodiversity Boards, mandated by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, are present in all states but not in Union territories, where the National Biodiversity Authority acts as their counterpart.

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Jyoti Ratre, a 55-year-old entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast from Madhya Pradesh, became the oldest Indian woman to summit Mount Everest on May 19. Her achievement comes six years after Sangeeta Bahl’s record. This was Ratre’s second attempt, after harsh weather halted her 2023 climb. She has already conquered the highest peaks on five continents and aims to summit Mount Vinson and Denali to complete all seven.

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NTPC earned the third rank globally for Talent Development at the ATD BEST Awards 2024. The award, presented on May 21 in New Orleans, was accepted by Ms. Rachana Singh Bhal, NTPC’s chief general manager of strategic HR & talent management. The ATD BEST Awards, established in 2003, recognize organizations excelling in employee development. NTPC, India’s largest power sector company, was founded in 1975 and has diversified into various power generation methods.

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Arti, an 18-year-old E-rickshaw driver from Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, received the Amal Clooney Women’s Empowerment Award from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. She arrived in her Pink E-rickshaw, provided under UP’s Mission Shakti scheme. Sponsored by Prince Trust International, the award recognizes young women’s achievements despite challenges. Named after barrister Amal Clooney, it honors Arti’s work inspiring girls in her community through the Pink E-rickshaw initiative.

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Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary of India, has been appointed Chairperson of Committee A at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, held from May 27 to June 1. Committee A addresses crucial health topics like universal health coverage, emergency preparedness, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and WHO financing. Chandra highlighted India’s COVID-19 management and commitment to global health, reflecting the “One World, One Family” philosophy and promoting health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Major Radhika Sen, an Indian peacekeeper in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, received the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year for 2023. Serving with MONUSCO, she led the Engagement Platoon, established Community Alert Networks, and conducted mixed-gender patrols. Her efforts included providing education and training for locals, empowering women, and fostering a safe, inclusive environment. Her service ran from March 2023 to April 2024. The award, established in 2016, honors peacekeepers integrating gender perspectives. Major Sen is the second Indian recipient after Major Suman Gawani in 2019, who served in South Sudan.