Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced an annual literary award named “Semmozhi Illakiya Virudhu (Classical Language Literary Award)”. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh for each language. In the first phase, awards will be given for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odiya, Bengali, and Marathi. The initiative was announced following cancellation of the Sahitya Akademi awards due to alleged political intervention by the Union Culture Ministry. The state government will act as patron, while independent experts will handle the selection process.

Notes:
K. Pajanivel of Puducherry has been awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to traditional martial arts, specifically Silambam. Born on 30th January 1973 in Pooranankuppam, Puducherry, he trained under Master Rajaram. He has spent decades preserving, promoting, and popularising Silambam in India and abroad. He has previously received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2023), Kalaimamani Award (2012), Best Youth Award (2004), and Silambam International Award (2002). He supports teaching Silambam in schools and aims to further promote it globally.

Notes:
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a Maharatna PSU and India’s largest public sector steel producer, has received the ‘Great Place to Work’ certification for February 2026–February 2027. This marks the third consecutive year SAIL has earned the prestigious recognition. The certification was awarded after a company-wide assessment by the Great Place to Work Institute, India, based on extensive employee feedback. SAIL recorded a significant improvement in its Trust Index score, reflecting growing employee confidence in leadership, policies, and work environment.

Notes:
Paradip Port Authority (PPA) won First Prize at Swachhata Pakhwada Awards 2025 by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW). Paradip Port Authority (PPA) was recognised for excellence in cleanliness, sustainability, and community participation. The achievement reflects commitment to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and inclusive development. Paradip Port Authority (PPA) implemented three pillars: Jan Bhagidari, Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, and Safai Mitra Suraksha.

Notes:
India’s expanding space programme is inspiring young students to join space research activities. Aditya Pandya, a 17-year-old student, became India’s youngest male analog astronaut. He completed a simulated lunar habitat mission under Moon-like conditions. The mission was organised by AAKA Space Studio, a space research and simulation organisation. It was conducted at Dholavira in Gujarat. The mission duration was from 1 February to 8 February 2026. It aimed to simulate isolation and operational challenges similar to real space missions.

Notes:
Mumbai will host the Earthshot Prize 2026 in November, marking the first time the award comes to India. The Earthshot Prize was founded in 2020 by Prince William of Britain to promote global action to protect the planet. The announcement was made during Mumbai Climate Week. The award will honour 15 innovative environmental solutions. The five categories are Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate.

Notes:
C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book Atal Bihari Vajpayee: The Eternal Statesman. The book is authored by Vijay Goel. It was launched at Dr Ambedkar International Centre on February 21. The Vice-President called it a tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharat Ratna awardee. Vajpayee was praised for integrity, inclusive politics and democratic values.

Notes:
Sahitya Akademi announced the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2025, recognising outstanding literary works in 24 Indian languages. The awards cover genres like poetry, novels, short stories, essays, literary criticism, autobiography and memoirs. Selected works include 8 poetry collections, 4 novels, 6 short story collections, 2 essay volumes, 1 literary criticism work, 1 autobiography and 2 memoirs. Notable winners include Navtej Sarna for English novel Crimson Spring, Mamta Kalia for Hindi memoir Jeete Jee Allahabad, and N. Prabhakaran for Malayalam novel Maayaamanushyar.

Notes:
Kaveh Madani has been named the 2026 recipient of the Stockholm Water Prize, which is considered the world’s most prestigious award for water-related work. The prize has been awarded annually since 1991 by the Stockholm Water Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It recognizes individuals or organisations that make outstanding contributions to the conservation and protection of water resources and to the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants.

Notes:
The book Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal was released by Upendra Dwivedi in 2026. It is authored by experts including Bipin Bakshi, Rajesh Kumar, Anil Trigunayat, and Akhelesh Bhargava. The book analyses the 88-hour Operation Sindoor, highlighting India’s response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. It explains India’s shift from reactive to proactive counter-terror strategy, especially in Kashmir. It covers multi-domain operations including military, intelligence, drones, cyber, and diplomacy.