Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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On October 24, 2025, Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat released a book titled “Modi’s Mission” in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The book is authored by Berjis Desai, a renowned lawyer and former journalist. It is published by Rupa Publications India Private Limited. The book traces the journey of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi from his early life in Vadnagar, Gujarat to the PM’s office in New Delhi, Delhi. It highlights how PM Modi’s formative years shaped his socioeconomic vision and governance style.

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Recently, the Central Government appointed Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai as the Chairperson of the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC). Justice Desai earlier headed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Committees in both Uttarakhand and Gujarat, playing a key role in drafting their UCC reports. She began her career as Government Pleader (Appellate Side) in the Bombay High Court in 1995 and became a Judge of the Bombay High Court in 1996. She was elevated to the Supreme Court of India in 2011 and retired in 2014. After retirement, she chaired the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (2014) and the Advance Ruling Authority (2018). She also headed the Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, which increased constituencies from 83 to 90

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The Union Health Ministry achieved three Guinness World Record titles under the Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan campaign. The campaign was conducted nationwide from 17th September to 2nd October 2025 during Poshan Maah. The records include the most people registered for a health care platform in one month. It also includes the most people signed up for a breast cancer screening online in one week. Another record was the most people signed up for vital signs screening online in one week at the state level. The campaign focuses on improving the health and nutrition of women, adolescent girls and children. The achievement highlights India’s success in combining digital health innovation and community participation.

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In November 2025, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation, received the 2025 World Leader for Peace and Security Award. The award was presented by the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the AI World Society (AIWS) at Harvard University, USA. It recognizes his significant contributions to global peace-building, reconciliation, and humanitarian service. The 2025 award marks the 10th anniversary of the award (2015–2025), honoring leaders with moral courage, visionary leadership, and compassion. The focus of the 2025 award is on advancing 21st-century peace through inner harmony, interfaith dialogue, and ethical governance.

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India mourns Padma Shri awardee Saalumarada Thimmakka, a globally respected environmentalist known for grassroots afforestation. She was born in Gubbi taluk, Tumakuru district, and later lived in Hulikal. Her life was marked by poverty and personal struggles, but she turned grief into environmental service. Starting in the 1950s, she and her husband Bikkala Chikkayya walked miles daily to water saplings and protected them using thorny branches. They planted mainly during monsoons, creating a green corridor that offers shade, supports birds and stabilises the local climate. Her work shaped Karnataka’s afforestation policies and inspired tree-planting movements across India.

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Velamala Simmanna has been selected for the Lok Nayak Foundation (LNF) Literary Award 2025. He has written over 100 books and is a former Head of Department of Telugu at Andhra University. The award carries a cash prize of 2 lakh rupees and will be given on 18 January 2026. The award is presented every year by the Lok Nayak Foundation. It commemorates the death anniversaries of N. T. Rama Rao and Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

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Kumari Kamala, early child prodigy of Indian cinema and Bharatanatyam dancer, died in the United States at 91. She performed worldwide and inspired many dancers, though very little documentation of her work exists. Kamala trained under Guru Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai, mastering nritta (pure dance) with grace and abhinaya (expression) with poetry. She collaborated closely with musicians like S. Rajeswari and learned music from Vidwan Ramnad Krishnan. She influenced seven decades of Bharatanatyam and respected tradition and the Thanjavur Quartet.

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The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) won the Gold Prize for Public Outreach and Communication at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025 in New Delhi. The award recognised its innovative, inclusive, and people-friendly communication through the GST and Customs Pavilion. The pavilion ran from 14–27 November 2025 with the theme “Next-Gen Goods and Services Tax (GST): Simple Tax, Prosperous Nation.”

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On 5 December 2025, during the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump. The FIFA Peace Prize, officially named “Football Unites the World,” was created to honour individuals who take exceptional actions to promote peace and global unity. Donald Trump became the first recipient of this new award category, with FIFA praising his claimed efforts in global diplomacy and conflict de-escalation.

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Anant Ambani, founder of Vantara, received the Global Humanitarian Award in the United States for his outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation and animal welfare. He was honoured for his leadership in the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and conservation of animals through the Vantara initiative. Anant Ambani is the youngest and the first Asian to ever receive this prestigious award. The award has brought global recognition to Vantara, which is considered one of the world’s largest and most unique wildlife conservation projects.