Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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The Government of India announced that Shri Mohanlal will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023. The award is the highest recognition in Indian cinema for outstanding contribution. The presentation will take place at the 71st National Film Awards on 23rd September 2025. Mohanlal Viswanathan Nair, born 21 May 1960 in Kerala, is an acclaimed actor, producer, and playback singer, primarily in Malayalam cinema. He is known as “The Complete Actor” with over 360 films and landmark performances in Kireedam, Bharatham, Vanaprastham, and Drishyam. Recipient of five National Film Awards, multiple Kerala State Film Awards, Padma Shri (2001), and Padma Bhushan (2019).

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Gram Panchayats were conferred National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2025 under a new category for grassroots digital service delivery. Awards were presented during the 28th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Gold Award won by Rohini Gram Panchayat, Dhule District, Maharashtra – Sarpanch Dr. Anandrao Pawara. Silver Award won by West Majlishpur Gram Panchayat, West Tripura District, Tripura – Sarpanch Smt. Anita Deb Das. Jury Awards won by Palsana Gram Panchayat, Surat District, Gujarat – Sarpanch Shri Pravinbhai Parshottambhai Ahir, and Suakati Gram Panchayat, Kendujhar District, Odisha – Sarpanch Smt. Kautuka Naik. Awards include trophies, certificates, and financial incentives (Rs.10 lakh for Gold, Rs.5 lakh for Silver).

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Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud has authored his debut book “Why the Constitution Matters”. The book is published by Penguin Random House and reflects on the Indian Constitution and its contemporary relevance. Justice Chandrachud served as the 50th CJI of India from November 2022 to November 2024. The book simplifies complex constitutional principles for the common citizen and emphasizes the Constitution as the foundation of democracy, justice, and equality. Key themes include right to privacy, dissent, gender equality, environmental justice, and freedom of speech, central to his landmark judgments. It is a civic guide, not a legal treatise, encouraging citizens to engage with the Constitution actively.

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In September 2025, the Union Minister of Education (MoE) unveiled the book “Living The Vivekananda Way – Practical Spirituality For Modern India” at Delhi University, New Delhi, Delhi. The book is authored by Ananya Awasthi and Nikhil Yadav. It explores Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and philosophy, focusing on oneness, unity of all religions, fearlessness, and democratic values. The book provides practical guidance for modern India, encouraging students to embrace Vivekananda’s values.

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The 31st Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for Environmental Protection was held by Rotary Club of Madras East (RCME). The award honours individuals, NGOs, or companies contributing to environmental protection and awareness. First award went to Sahaja Samrudha, Mysore, for conserving traditional farming practices, paddy varieties, millets, and indigenous crop biodiversity. Second award given to Veerappan, 60-year-old Irular fisherman from Kalaignar Nagar, for mud crab and fish propagation, and training college students in aquaculture.

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India’s social security coverage expanded from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, covering over 940 million citizens. This achievement was recognized by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). India received the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award 2025 for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Social Security’ at World Social Security Forum (WSSF) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. India now holds 30 votes in ISSA General Assembly, the highest share globally. The award highlights India’s vision of inclusive and universal social protection under Antyodaya principles.

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R. Arthur James, Professor and Chair, Department of Marine Science, Bharathidasan University (BDU), received the Tamil Nadu Government’s Scientist Award in Environmental Science 2022. The award was presented by Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TANSA) at the Resource Centre for Tribal Development, Udhagamandalam. The award includes a cash prize of ₹50,000 and a citation. Govi. Chezhiaan, Minister for Higher Education, and M. P. Saminathan, Minister for Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, presented the award. Prof. James is recognized for pioneering research on natural nanomaterials, including antibiotic agents for wound healing and food preservatives from extremophilic micro-organisms.

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The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for discovering how the immune system decides what to attack or protect. The prize was announced on 6 October 2025 at the Nobel Assembly, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. The research focuses on peripheral immune tolerance, which involves immune components outside the central nervous system (CNS). They identified regulatory T (Treg) cells, which prevent the immune system from attacking the body itself. Their work explained how autoimmune diseases develop and confirmed Treg cell function. Sakaguchi previously won the Canada Gairdner Award (2015) for the same discovery.

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On October 7, 2025, Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), launched the book “Above and Beyond – Exploring the Amazing World of Aviation” in New Delhi. The book is authored by Shiv Kumar Mohanaka, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The 445-page book showcases India’s aviation journey, highlighting achievements from dreams to destinations. It draws on Shiv Kumar Mohanaka’s 30 years of experience in CISF, providing a detailed view of the Indian aviation sector. Research includes a survey of 1,500 Indian flyers and explores future evolution of India’s aviation ecosystem to meet global standards.

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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.