Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Dr. Srinivas ‘Bobby’ Mukkamala has been elected as the first Indian-origin president of the American Medical Association (AMA) in its 178-year history. He will serve as the 180th president of the AMA, the largest association of physicians in the United States. Dr. Mukkamala, an ENT specialist from Michigan, has led the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force. He has advocated evidence-based policies to address the overdose epidemic in the U.S. He graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School and completed residency at Loyola University, Chicago.

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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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Lieutenant Commander Yashaswi Solankee, aged 27, became the first woman officer to be appointed as an Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the President of India. The President usually has five ADCs — three from the Indian Army, and one each from the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. Until now, no woman officer had ever served in this prestigious role. Solankee, from Bharuch in Gujarat, was selected in April 2025 and completed a month-long orientation. She received her aiguillette from President Droupadi Murmu after training. The ADC manages presidential schedules, attends all ceremonies, and serves as a 24/7 liaison with government and military.

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Recently, China’s former Vice Finance Minister Zou Jiayi was named as the next president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, known as AIIB, during its 10th Annual Meeting. Zou will take over from Jin Liqun, the founding president, starting her five-year term on January 16, 2026. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a multilateral development bank focused on sustainable infrastructure, and started in 2016. China is the largest shareholder with 26.54% voting shares, while India holds 7.58%, followed by Russia and Germany.

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Recently, the government appointed Parag Jain, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Punjab cadre, as the new Secretary of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for two years. Jain will replace Ravi Sinha, a 1988-batch IPS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, whose term ends on June 30, with Jain taking charge on July 1. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet approved his posting under the Cabinet Secretariat as per service rules. Jain currently leads the Aviation Research Centre, which gathered key intelligence during Operation Sindoor on Pakistan’s terror camps.

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The Shakti Bhatt Prize 2025 was awarded to debut author Zara Chowdhary for her memoir The Lucky Ones, about surviving the 2002 Gujarat riots. She will receive a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh with the award. This year marks the final Shakti Bhatt Prize, which started in 2008 to honour debut authors in memory of publisher Shakti Bhatt, who died in 2007. The prize celebrated South Asian literature from countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, remaining independent and free from corporate sponsorship.

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Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Kesavan Ramachandran as Executive Director (ED) from July 1, 2025. As Executive Director, he will oversee the Department of Regulation (Prudential Regulation Division). Earlier, Kesavan was Principal Chief General Manager in the Risk Monitoring Department. He has over 30 years of experience in currency management, banking and non-banking supervision, training, and administration. He served as RBI’s nominee on the Board of Canara Bank for more than five years.

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Recently, Kasaragod district won the Fisheries Department Excellence Award 2025 under the Popular Fish Farming Project in Kerala. It was declared the best district for achievements in the fisheries sector. The award is part of the annual State Farmer Awards to honour aquaculture excellence. Kasaragod earlier won the Matsya Karshaka Award and Best Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) Award in 2023. Its District Panchayat was the first in India to declare a tree, flower, and bird as district biodiversity symbols.

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Recently, Indian women’s rights activist Varsha Deshpande received the 2025 United Nations Population Award in the individual category for promoting gender equality and reproductive rights. She is the secretary of Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal, a Maharashtra-based organisation she founded in 1990 to empower marginalised women. The award includes a gold medal, diploma, and monetary prize.

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Recently, the President of India will confer Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The event is organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Swachh Survekshan is an annual survey under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan-Urban (SBA-U) to assess cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation in urban India. It is implemented by MoHUA with Quality Council of India (QCI) as the partner. It rewards efforts of cities under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U).