Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Doordarshan received an award for its voter awareness campaign during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. It won in the Electronic Media category for its special series “Chunav Ka Parv Desh Ka Garv”. The initiative helped educate first-time voters and strengthened India’s democratic process. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to Doordarshan’s Director-General Kanchan Prasad on Republic Day 2025. The award recognizes Doordarshan’s commitment to responsible media outreach across India.

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The Ministry of Ayush has opened nominations for the Prime Minister’s Yoga Awards for International Day of Yoga (IDY2025). The awards recognize individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to promoting Yoga nationally and internationally. It was established to honor Yoga’s impact on society, the awards celebrate its role in disease prevention and health promotion. Winners in four categories (National/International Individual and Organization) will receive a trophy, certificate, and Rs. 25 lakh cash. Nominees must be at least 40 years old with 20 years of service in Yoga promotion. A screening committee will review applications, and an evaluation jury will make final decisions.

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Purnima Devi Barman, an Indian biologist and wildlife conservationist, is named in TIME Magazine’s Women of the Year 2025 list. She is the only Indian woman on the list, alongside global figures like Nicole Kidman and Gisele Pelicot. The award recognizes extraordinary leaders working for a more equitable and sustainable world. Barman is known for her efforts in conserving the greater adjutant stork (Hargila). Her work has transformed both environmental and social landscapes, making a significant impact on wildlife conservation.

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Gold Mercury International awarded the Gold Mercury Award 2025 to Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. The award recognizes his efforts in promoting peace, compassion, and sustainability. The Dalai Lama urged world leaders to unite for global peace, cooperation, and environmental protection. He emphasized non-violence, wisdom, and environmental harmony as key values. Rooted in Buddhist philosophy, he advocates for all living beings and ecological balance. He remains a global symbol of non-violence and a strong voice for Tibetan rights and environmental conservation.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) won the Digital Transformation Award 2025 from Central Banking, London for its digital initiatives Sarthi and Pravaah. Sarthi, launched in January 2023, digitized RBI’s internal workflows, improving document sharing, record management, and data analysis for 13,500 employees across 40+ locations. Pravaah, launched in May 2024, digitized 70+ regulatory applications, enhancing efficiency and transparency with real-time tracking. Pravaah increased monthly applications by 80%, reducing delays from paper-based systems. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised RBI’s achievement, calling it a milestone in India’s financial digital transformation.

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Mridulika Jha of Aaj Tak won the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism 2025 for reporting on the “Dunki route” used by Haryana youths to illegally enter the United States of America. 27 journalists were awarded across 20 categories at the 19th Ramnath Goenka Awards held in New Delhi on 19 March 2025. The award, instituted by the Indian Express Group in 2005, honors Print/Digital & Broadcast journalists for excellence despite political and economic pressures. President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest and presented the awards. Winners received a citation, a trophy, and ₹1 lakh cash prize.

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The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was held on 22nd March 2025 in New Delhi. Elections for the post of Chairman and Governing Council members were conducted successfully. Shri. Ashok Singh Thakur was elected as Chairman for a 3-year term. INTACH, India’s premier heritage conservation organisation, was established on 27th January 1984. It is a national registered Society under the Societies Registration Act (1860). INTACH works to conserve heritage, environment, and intangible culture while providing financial and technical expertise. The INTACH Charter, adopted in 2004, is being revised for interdisciplinary heritage conservation.

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Telangana won the Best National Performance Award in NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) testing under the 100-Day ‘TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ campaign. The award was presented by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on World TB Day in New Delhi. Telangana achieved over 100% screening in nine TB-affected districts, identifying over 4,600 new TB cases.

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Padmashree Ram Sahay Pandey, who recently passed away, was a renowned figure associated with the Rai folk dance of the Bundelkhand region. Pandey dedicated his life to promoting and preserving the Rai folk dance, a tradition that was once stigmatized. He is credited with bringing respectability to the art form and taking it from the heart of Bundelkhand to international platforms. The Rai dance is a traditional folk dance from the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022 for his contributions to the preservation and promotion of Rai dance.

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Renowned Kathak dancer Kumudini Lakhia passed away at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of innovation in Indian classical dance. Kathak, derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Katha’, means ‘story’, and is a classical dance form traditionally focused on mythological storytelling. Kumudini Lakhia transformed Kathak from a solo narrative form to a group ensemble, introducing contemporary and non-narrative elements. She received the Padma Shri (1987), Padma Bhushan (2010), and Padma Vibhushan (2024) for her contributions to Indian dance.