Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to Adikabi Sarala Das on his 600th birth anniversary. Sarala Das was a 15th-century poet and scholar of Odia literature. The President honored Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan with the Kalinga Ratna Award-2024. The event marked a significant celebration of Odia literary heritage. Adikabi Sarala Das is known for composing the Mahabharata in Odia, enriching Indian literature.

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Recently, on July 24, 2025, the government appointed Ajay Seth as the new Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Ajay Seth is a 1987-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Karnataka cadre. He retired as Union Finance and Economic Affairs Secretary in June 2025. He will serve as IRDAI Chairman for three years or till the age of 65 or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. He succeeds Debasish Panda, also a former IAS officer, whose term ended in March 2025.

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Recently, G P Birla Memorial Award was conferred on V. Narayanan, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary of the Department of Space. The award was presented by Nirmala Birla, Chairperson of G P Birla Archaeological Astronomical and Scientific Institute. The award has a prestigious legacy and has earlier been given to 32 Nobel laureates. Past recipients include Nobel Prize winner Venkataraman Ramakrishnan, physicist Jogesh Pati, former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and former ISRO chief Kasturirangan. The award recognises global leaders for their contributions to scientific progress and innovation.

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Laura Dahlmeier, a 31-year-old German mountaineer and Olympic biathlon champion, died during an expedition on Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountains. She was caught in a rockfall at around 5,700 metres (18,700 feet) altitude. She was a double Olympic gold medallist in biathlon at Pyeongchang 2018 and won 15 World Championship medals.

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Hiromasa Urakawa, a 28-year-old Japanese boxer, died from brain injuries sustained in a fight in Tokyo. He was knocked out in the eighth round against Yoji Saito on August 2 and later died after surgery for subdural haematoma, a bleeding between the skull and brain. This comes after Shigetoshi Kotari also died from similar injuries in the same event at Korakuen Hall. The Japan Boxing Commission reduced all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title fights from 12 to 10 rounds. Urakawa is the third high-profile boxing death in 2025, after Irish boxer John Cooney’s death from intracranial haemorrhage in February.

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On August 14, 2025, Dr. Vece Paes, a 1972 Munich Olympics bronze medal-winning hockey player, passed away in Kolkata at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. He was suffering from an advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease. Born in 1945 in Goa, he combined careers as a medical practitioner and a hockey player. He made his international debut in 1966 at the Hamburg International Cup and later won a bronze at the 1971 World Cup and 1972 Olympics. He represented clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, winning multiple Beighton Cups and Calcutta League titles.

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L. Ganesan, Governor of Nagaland and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Tamil Nadu, passed away in Chennai on August 15, 2025, at the age of 80. He had earlier served as Governor of Manipur and held additional charge as Governor of West Bengal. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during school days and became its chief organiser in Tamil Nadu during the Emergency. He was admired for his role in Hindu unity during Meenakshipuram conversions and Mandaikkadu riots. In 1991, he shifted to BJP, serving as Tamil Nadu unit president, general secretary, and later as BJP vice-president. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in 2017.

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Karikot village in Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh, won the Indian Subcontinental Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Award 2025. The award is presented by ICRT India Foundation with support from the Ministry of Tourism. The ceremony will be held in New Delhi on 13th September 2025. The award honors leaders in sustainable tourism, reducing negative impacts and enhancing positive outcomes. Karikot stood out for its Tharu tribal-led eco-tourism, homestays, and cultural immersion near Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

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Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Satish Golcha took charge as Police Commissioner of Delhi. Mr Golcha is a 1992-batch IPS officer. The Central Government appointed Satish Golcha yesterday as the New Delhi Police Commissioner. He replaced IPS officer SBK Singh. SBK Singh was given additional charge of Delhi Police Commissioner along with his responsibility as Director General of Home Guards in Delhi. The appointment aims to ensure smooth functioning and leadership in Delhi Police. This change is part of administrative reshuffles in key police positions in Delhi.

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Non-Resident Indian businessman Younus Ahamed from Palakkad, Kerala, won the Camel International Award 2025. He is the Executive Director of Middle East Dotspace Coworking. The award was given by Arabian World Records for his contributions and business leadership. Arabian World Records also honoured 14 achievers from across the world in literature, art, fine arts, business, and social media.