Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Sunil Amrith, Indian-origin historian and Professor of History at Yale University, won the British Academy Book Prize 2025 for his book The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years. The prize awards £25,000 for outstanding non-fiction works in humanities and social sciences. Amrith was born in Kenya to South Indian parents, grew up in Singapore, and graduated from the University of Cambridge, England. The book explores 500 years of environmental history, linking human activity, colonisation, industrialisation, and settlement patterns to the current climate crisis.

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Dr. Eknath Vasant Chitnis, pioneering Indian space scientist, passed away on 22 October 2025 at age 100 in Pune, Maharashtra. He was born on 25 July 1925 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1985 for his contributions to science and technology. He was a key architect of India’s early space programme and a close associate of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, founder of India’s space programme. He helped establish the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which evolved into the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Dr. Chitnis was instrumental in selecting Thumba, Kerala, for India’s first rocket launch.

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On October 24, 2025, Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat released a book titled “Modi’s Mission” in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The book is authored by Berjis Desai, a renowned lawyer and former journalist. It is published by Rupa Publications India Private Limited. The book traces the journey of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi from his early life in Vadnagar, Gujarat to the PM’s office in New Delhi, Delhi. It highlights how PM Modi’s formative years shaped his socioeconomic vision and governance style.

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Queen Mother Sirikit of Thailand passed away at age 93 on 24 October at Chulalongkorn Hospital, Bangkok. She was the mother of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and wife of the longest-reigning monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. King Vajiralongkorn has ordered a year-long mourning period for the royal family. She had been hospitalised since 2019, recently battling a blood infection. Queen Mother Sirikit was renowned for rural development, preserving traditional crafts, environmental protection, and forest conservation. Her birthday, August 12, is celebrated as Mother’s Day in Thailand.

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Eminent physicist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar has been posthumously selected for the Vigyan Ratna Puraskar 2025 for his lifetime contributions in physics. The award is part of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025, the country’s highest recognition for excellence in science, technology, and innovation, modeled on the Padma Awards. A total of 23 individuals and one institution have been selected this year. Vigyan Yuva recognizes young scientists across similar domains for their research and innovation. The Vigyan Team Award has been conferred on Aroma Mission CSIR in agricultural science.

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Recently, the Central Government appointed Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai as the Chairperson of the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC). Justice Desai earlier headed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Committees in both Uttarakhand and Gujarat, playing a key role in drafting their UCC reports. She began her career as Government Pleader (Appellate Side) in the Bombay High Court in 1995 and became a Judge of the Bombay High Court in 1996. She was elevated to the Supreme Court of India in 2011 and retired in 2014. After retirement, she chaired the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (2014) and the Advance Ruling Authority (2018). She also headed the Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, which increased constituencies from 83 to 90

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Sahitya Akademi released the Hindi translation of the acclaimed Lithuanian novel The Last Day, titled “Antim Din”, in New Delhi. The event was held at Rabindra Bhawan in collaboration with the Embassy of Lithuania. The novel is written by Lithuanian-Ukrainian author Jaroslavas Melnikas. Madhav Kaushik, President of Sahitya Akademi, called it a milestone in promoting world literature in Indian languages. It is the first-ever translation of a Lithuanian fiction book into Hindi. The novel explores themes of existential change and cultural identity, fostering literary and cultural collaboration between India and Lithuania.

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The Union Health Ministry achieved three Guinness World Record titles under the Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan campaign. The campaign was conducted nationwide from 17th September to 2nd October 2025 during Poshan Maah. The records include the most people registered for a health care platform in one month. It also includes the most people signed up for a breast cancer screening online in one week. Another record was the most people signed up for vital signs screening online in one week at the state level. The campaign focuses on improving the health and nutrition of women, adolescent girls and children. The achievement highlights India’s success in combining digital health innovation and community participation.

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France’s oldest living Olympic champion, Charles Coste, passed away at the age of 101, marking the end of a golden era in Olympic history. Born on February 8, 1924, in Ollioules, France, he symbolized strength, dedication, and post-war recovery through sport. Coste won gold in team cycling at the 1948 London Olympics with teammates Pierre Adam, Serge Blusson, and Fernand Decanali, bringing pride to post-war France. In 1949, he triumphed in the Grand Prix des Nations, defeating Italy’s Fausto Coppi. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, just before his 100th birthday, he carried the Olympic torch, earning worldwide applause.

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The 6th National Water Awards 2024 highlighted India’s push for better water management in the recent context of rising water challenges. Maharashtra ranked 1st in the Best State category, followed by Gujarat and Haryana. The National Water Awards are given by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The awards aim to create awareness about the importance of water and promote best water-use practices. They are presented in 10 categories, including Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution, Best Civil Society and Best Individual.