Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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The Government of Assam presented the Srimanta Sankardeva Award to Dr. Sonal Mansingh, a renowned classical dancer and cultural icon. The award was conferred by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati. It honors the legacy of 15th-century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva, who promoted unity, harmony, and ecological balance. Dr. Mansingh, a Padma Vibhushan recipient, was praised for using dance to highlight women’s empowerment, social justice, and environmental issues.

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On June 16, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, Cyprus’s highest civilian honour. The award was conferred by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides during PM Modi’s visit to the country. The honour is named after the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, and represents strong bilateral ties. PM Modi dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and the friendship between India and Cyprus.

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Renowned environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee Maruti Chitampalli, also known as ‘Aranya Rishi’, passed away at 93 in Solapur, Maharashtra due to age-related issues. He devoted his life to forests, wildlife, and environmental literature, earning national recognition. He was honoured with the Padma Shri by the President of India on April 30, 2025. Chitampalli served in the Forest Department for 36 years and travelled over 5 lakh kilometres across India for research. His scientific works include ‘Pakshikosha’ (Birds), ‘Pashukosha’ (Animals), and ‘Matsyakosha’ (Fish).

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Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, a renowned journalist and President of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) Trust, was recently awarded the ‘Padma Bhushan’ by Shri Satpal Chauhan, Director General, Ministry of Home Affairs. As Shri Rai could not attend the official ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the award was presented at the IGNCA office in the presence of Director Shri Pandey Pradeep Kumar and senior officials. The award included a citation with the signature and seal of the President of India and a medal. Shri Rai also serves as Chancellor of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurugram, and guides many other institutions.

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Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, announced 23 winners for the Yuva Puraskar and 24 for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar awards. Sahitya Akademi is the central institution for literary promotion in 24 Indian languages, including English. There is no award in Dogri this year. Notable winners include Advait Kottary (English), Parvati Tirkey (Hindi), Latshmihar (Tamil), and Prasad Suri (Telugu).

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Recently, Leila Aboulela, a Sudanese-Scottish author, won the 2025 PEN Pinter Prize for her bold and truthful literary voice. The award was announced at English PEN’s summer party in London, with live readings of her work by actors Khalid Abdalla and Amira Ghazalla. She writes from a Muslim and immigrant perspective, exploring faith, migration, and cultural identity. Aboulela will receive the prize on October 10 at the British Library, where she will also announce the Writer of Courage for 2025. Past Writers of Courage include Alaa Abd el-Fattah (2024) and Rahile Dawut (2023), both persecuted for defending free speech.

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Dr. Abhijat Sheth has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the National Medical Commission (NMC) in July 2025. The appointment comes amid rising concerns over regulatory loopholes and a recent corruption probe in medical college approvals. The National Medical Commission (NMC) is India’s top regulatory body for medical education and professionals. It was established under the NMC Act, 2019, replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI). NMC is a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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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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Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) received the National Geospatial Practitioner Award 2025. The award was given for its excellent use of open-source spatial technologies. It was presented during the Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) Day (Edition 02) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. The award was handed over by the former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), A.S. Kiran Kumar. This recognition highlights INCOIS’s contribution to geospatial innovation and open-source solutions in ocean services.

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The Meri Panchayat mobile app recently won the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award. The award was given under the category “Cultural Diversity and Identity, Linguistic Diversity and Local Content” at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event held in Geneva, Switzerland. Meri Panchayat App is developed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The app provides real-time access to Panchayat budgets, payments, development plans, and details of elected representatives.