Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Eminent tabla player Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri from Kolkata received the ‘Rashtriya Tansen Samman’ for 2023. Sanand Nyas Sanstha from Indore was awarded the ‘Raja Mansingh Tomar Samman’ for 2023. The awards were presented during the Tansen Sangeet Samaroh 2024, held in Gwalior to mark the centenary year of legendary music maestro Tansen. The ‘Tansen Award’ is the highest national music honor in Indian classical music, instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government. Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri thanked the state government for the prestigious recognition.

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Gagan Gill (Hindi) and Easterine Kire (English) are among 21 winners of the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2024. Easterine Kire from Nagaland won the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 for her novel Spirit Nights. Hindi poet Gagan Gill received the award for her poetry book Main Jab Tak Aai Bahar. The award honors outstanding books in 24 Indian languages, initiated in 1954, with the first awards given in 1955. Recipients receive a copper plaque (designed by Satyajit Ray), a shawl, and a cash prize. Sahitya Akademi, India’s national academy of letters, was established in 1954 under the Ministry of Culture. Based in New Delhi, it promotes Indian literature, preserves literary heritage, and encourages literary activities across languages.

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President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024 to 17 children on December 26. The award celebrates the energy, determination, and enthusiasm of children. It is the highest civilian honor for children in India. It is instituted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Awards recognize exceptional achievements in seven categories: Art & Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, Sports, and Environment.

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Arunish Chawla, a 1992-batch IAS officer from the Bihar cadre, has been appointed as the next revenue secretary, replacing Ajay Seth. Chawla currently serves as secretary in the Department of Pharmaceuticals since November 1, 2023, and holds additional charge of the Ministry of Culture until a permanent appointment is made. He has over three years left in service, with his tenure ending in July 2028. Chawla’s previous roles include joint secretary in the Finance Ministry, minister (economics) at the Indian Embassy in the U.S., and senior economist with the IMF. He holds a postgraduate degree and a PhD in economics from the London School of Economics. In Bihar, he served as additional chief secretary of planning, secretary of the State Planning Board, and project director for disaster rehabilitation.

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MT Vasudevan Nair, renowned writer, screenwriter, and filmmaker, was celebrated for capturing human emotions and rural life. Born in 1933 in Kudallur, Kerala, he became a prominent figure in Malayalam literature and cinema over seven decades. His works include novels, short stories, screenplays, and films, deeply resonating with diverse audiences. He passed away at 91, marking the end of an era in Indian literature and cinema. Early life influences came from Kudallur and Punnayurkulam; he completed schooling locally and graduated in chemistry from Victoria College, Palakkad, in 1953.

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Kaamya Karthikeyan, 17, became the youngest female to conquer the highest peaks on all seven continents, completing the Seven Summits Challenge. She reached Mount Vinson in Antarctica on December 24, 2024, at 17:20 Chilean Standard Time with her father, Cdr S Karthikeyan. Previously, she scaled Mt Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mt Elbrus (Europe), Mt Kosciuszko (Australia), Mt Aconcagua (South America), Mt Denali (North America), and Mt Everest (Asia). A Class 12 student at Navy Children School, Mumbai, Kaamya’s achievements have been praised by the Indian Navy and Prime Minister Modi. Her journey inspires young adventurers worldwide.

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Vitul Kumar, a 1993 batch IPS officer from Uttar Pradesh, is appointed Acting Director General of the CRPF after Anish Dayal Singh’s retirement. Born in Bhatinda, Punjab, Kumar holds a degree in Electronics Engineering, enhancing his analytical skills in law enforcement. He has held key positions in the CRPF, progressing from Deputy Inspector General in 2009 to Special Director General in 2023. Kumar’s awards include the President’s Police Medal (2021) and Police Medal (2009).

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Manchester United Football player Denis Law passed away at the age of 84 on January 18. He began his football career with Huddersfield Town before gaining fame at Manchester United. He spent 11 years at the club, winning league titles in 1965 and 1967 and the European Cup in 1968. He scored 237 goals in 404 appearances, making him the club’s third-highest goalscorer after Wayne Rooney and Sir Bobby Charlton. He formed the iconic ‘holy trinity’ with Charlton and George Best, revered by Manchester United fans. He is the only Scottish player to win the Ballon d’Or, earning it in 1964.

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Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad has been awarded the prestigious Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar for 2025 in the Institutional Category. This award recognizes INCOIS’s significant contributions to disaster management in India, particularly in tsunami early warning, cyclone forecasting, and coastal risk mitigation. INCOIS operates the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC), recognized globally by UNESCO. The organization has developed innovative tools like SARAT and SynOPS to enhance disaster response capabilities. This award highlights India’s advancements in disaster management and the crucial role of institutions like INCOIS in safeguarding lives and livelihoods.

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Hariman Sharma, a farmer from Himachal Pradesh, received the Padma Shri for revolutionizing apple farming. He developed HRMN-99, a self-pollinating, low-chilling apple variety that grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions. HRMN-99 thrives in temperatures of 40-45°C, expanding apple cultivation across 29 Indian states and UTs. Sharma’s journey began in 1998 when he planted discarded apple seeds in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. His work was validated by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) in 2012. The variety benefits farmers nationwide, especially in the North-East, where 100,000+ saplings have been planted.