Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Renowned Punjabi poet Surjit Patar, Padma Shri recipient, passed away at 79 in Ludhiana, Punjab. Tributes flood in from political and literary circles. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan express profound grief, acknowledging Patar’s global impact on promoting and preserving the Punjabi language.

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Chandrakant Satija, Founder/CEO of Chandra Admission Consultants, received the Global Excellence Award 2024 at a Mumbai ceremony on May 12th. He was honored as the Most Trusted Admissions Consultant in Vidarbha. With 21+ years in education, Satija guides students’ careers with quality education, counseling, and admission guidance.

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Kamla Beniwal, Rajasthan’s first female minister, passed away at 97 on May 15, 2024, in Jaipur. Born in 1927 in Jhunjhunu district, she was a freedom fighter, earning a BA from Maharaja College and an MA from Banasthali Vidyapeeth. In 1952, she became an MLA, serving seven terms. At 27, she became Rajasthan’s first female minister. She held various ministerial roles in Congress governments, including deputy chief minister in 2003.

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IN-SPACe, India’s National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, received the Geospatial World Forum Leadership Award for “Public Policy: Enabling Industry Development” at the 2024 event in Rotterdam. Rajeev Jyoti and Kriti Khatri accepted the honor on behalf of IN-SPACe. The award recognizes their groundbreaking efforts in advancing India’s space sector and supporting non-government entities. GWF Leadership Awards commend innovation and contributions to the global geospatial field since 2007.

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Senior advocate Kapil Sibal won the SCBA presidency for the fourth term, securing 1,066 votes. He succeeds Adish C. Aggarwala. Pradeep Rai was the runner-up. Vikrant Yadav was elected secretary. Sibal previously served as president in 2001 and had two stints in the late 1990s. Jairam Ramesh hailed it as a win for liberal, secular, democratic, and progressive forces. Other contenders were Priya Hingorani, Tripurari Ray, and Neeraj Srivastava.

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Rajahmundry Central Prison was honored with the Biodiversity Conservation Award by Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board. The recognition applauds the prison’s eco-friendly initiatives, including groundwater preservation, natural farming, and crafting with natural materials. State Biodiversity Boards, mandated by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, are present in all states but not in Union territories, where the National Biodiversity Authority acts as their counterpart.

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Jyoti Ratre, a 55-year-old entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast from Madhya Pradesh, became the oldest Indian woman to summit Mount Everest on May 19. Her achievement comes six years after Sangeeta Bahl’s record. This was Ratre’s second attempt, after harsh weather halted her 2023 climb. She has already conquered the highest peaks on five continents and aims to summit Mount Vinson and Denali to complete all seven.

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Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary of India, has been appointed Chairperson of Committee A at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, held from May 27 to June 1. Committee A addresses crucial health topics like universal health coverage, emergency preparedness, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and WHO financing. Chandra highlighted India’s COVID-19 management and commitment to global health, reflecting the “One World, One Family” philosophy and promoting health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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The National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru received the 2024 Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion from WHO. This award, established in 2019, honors significant contributions to health promotion. Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Health Secretary Shri Apurva Chandra congratulated NIMHANS, highlighting it as a recognition of India’s efforts in inclusive healthcare and pioneering mental health work.

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Poet and playwright Siddhalinga Pattanashetti has been awarded the prestigious Gudleppa Hallikeri Award for 2024 by the Gudleppa Hallikeri Memorial Foundation, Hosaritti (Haveri District). The announcement was made by Veeranna Chekki, senior trustee of the foundation. This 19th award presented on June 6, commemorating Gudleppa Hallikeri’s birth anniversary. Hallikeri (1906–1972) was a notable Indian freedom fighter from Karnataka, known for founding the Gandhi Grameena Gurukul and using nonviolent protests. He worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi and others for Karnataka’s unification, and a college in Haveri is named after him.