Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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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.

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Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) won the SKOCH Award 2024 at the 100th SKOCH Summit on February 15, 2025, in New Delhi. The award was received by ANGO Konyak and Venni Konyak on behalf of Nagaland’s Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (DEFCC). NFMP focuses on forest conservation, jhum rehabilitation, and sustainable livelihoods. The SKOCH Award is an award given by the SKOCH Group to recognize people, projects, and institutions that make India a better nation.

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The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) hosts the Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya Award Ceremony in New Delhi. The event honors individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to animal welfare. AWBI is a statutory body promoting animal welfare and preventing cruelty to animals. It advises the Central and State Governments on animal welfare laws and enforcement. AWBI was established in 1962 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Its headquarters is in Ballabhgarh, Haryana. It functions under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.

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Dr. Anju Rathi Rana has become the first woman Secretary of the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice. Her appointment marks an important step for gender diversity in top government positions. She has represented India at international forums, including the BRICS Ministers of Justice Meeting. She has contributed to legal reforms and gender representation in the judiciary.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados award. The award recognizes his strategic leadership and assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is one of the highest national honors of Barbados, given for significant contributions to the country or international relations.

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Jayshree Vencatesan, co-founder of Care Earth Trust, is the first Indian to receive the Ramsar award for ‘Wetland Wise Use.’ She is among 12 women changemakers in wetlands, recognized by the Ramsar secretariat in Geneva. She has dedicated decades to conserving India’s wetlands, especially Chennai’s Pallikaranai Marsh. She leads an all-women research team and mentors future conservationists. She dedicates her award to her late father and advocates for women’s technical roles in wetland management. She stresses persistence in conservation efforts despite bureaucratic challenges. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is a global treaty for wetland conservation.

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Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, noted classical singer and former Asthana Vidwan (court musician) of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), passed away at 76 due to a heart attack in Tirupati. Served TTD from 1978 to 2006 and composed music for 1,000+ compositions of saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya. His famous works include Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnukatha, Pidikita Thalambrala Pellikoothuru, and Jagadapu Chanavula Jajara, also featured in the Telugu film Annamayya.

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Gold Mercury International awarded the Gold Mercury Award 2025 to Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. The award recognizes his efforts in promoting peace, compassion, and sustainability. The Dalai Lama urged world leaders to unite for global peace, cooperation, and environmental protection. He emphasized non-violence, wisdom, and environmental harmony as key values. Rooted in Buddhist philosophy, he advocates for all living beings and ecological balance. He remains a global symbol of non-violence and a strong voice for Tibetan rights and environmental conservation.

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Mridulika Jha of Aaj Tak won the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism 2025 for reporting on the “Dunki route” used by Haryana youths to illegally enter the United States of America. 27 journalists were awarded across 20 categories at the 19th Ramnath Goenka Awards held in New Delhi on 19 March 2025. The award, instituted by the Indian Express Group in 2005, honors Print/Digital & Broadcast journalists for excellence despite political and economic pressures. President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest and presented the awards. Winners received a citation, a trophy, and ₹1 lakh cash prize.

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The Abel Prize for mathematics was awarded to Japanese mathematician Masaki Kashiwara. He is a specialist in algebraic analysis, representation theory, and sheaf theory. The 78-year-old was honoured for his work on D-modules and crystal bases. D-modules introduced a new way to study linear differential equations. The prize is named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel. It was created by Norway’s government to compensate for the lack of a Nobel Prize in mathematics.