Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Mauritius’ highest civilian honor, The Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK). The award ceremony took place in Port Louis, highlighting India-Mauritius strong diplomatic and cultural ties. This is PM Modi’s 21st international accolade, marking global recognition of his leadership. He dedicated the honor to Indian ancestors who migrated to Mauritius and to all Indians. PM Modi reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening India-Mauritius strategic relations. He also presented the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card to Mauritius’ President and First Lady, strengthening cultural ties. His participation in global events reflects India’s rising international influence.

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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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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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Researchers from Kerala received the Future Conservationist Award by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) for their work on saving the Malabar Grey Hornbill. The CLP is a global partnership between Fauna & Flora International, BirdLife International, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. The award supports young conservationists with less than five years of experience by offering funding and expert guidance. The Malabar Grey Hornbill is a bird found only in the Western Ghats of India, mostly at elevations above 50 meters from sea level. Its International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status is Vulnerable, meaning it faces a high risk of extinction.

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The Central Government has appointed former Supreme Court (SC) judge, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, as chairman of the 23rd Law Commission. The commission was notified on September 2 last year and will function for three years till August 2027. Its role includes submitting a report on Uniform Civil Code (UCC), studying laws affecting the poor, and identifying laws that hinder India’s economic growth. The 23rd Law Commission will have one chairman, four full-time members including a member secretary, two secretaries from the Law Ministry, and up to five part-time members. Justice Maheshwari retired from the Supreme Court in May 2023. The previous 22nd Law Commission was headed by Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, who left early after being appointed as a member of the Lokpal. During his term, the panel used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse over 80 lakh public petitions regarding the Uniform Civil Code.

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On 17th Civil Services Day, the PoshanTracker App of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 under the Innovation category. The award was accepted by the Secretary of Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD). A special session titled “Promoting Nutrition for Women and Children through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0” was held under Union Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi. The PoshanTracker also promotes citizen ownership and was praised for its impact.

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Dr. K. Kasturirangan, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), passed away at 84 in Bengaluru. He was a key architect of India’s National Education Policy. Dr. Kasturirangan played a major role in developing the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), India’s most reliable satellite launcher. He led ISRO for over nine years, stepping down as Chairman in August 2003. Dr. Kasturirangan served as Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Chairman of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission. He was also a Rajya Sabha member from 2003 to 2009 and Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru.

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The government has revamped the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) after the Pahalgam terror attack, appointing former intelligence chief Alok Joshi as chairman. National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) is an advisory body under the National Security Council (NSC) structure. It is chaired by the Prime Minister, supported by the National Security Advisor (NSA) and the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). Established in 1998 after the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, it institutionalized India’s national security framework. The NSAB provides non-partisan strategic inputs on national security issues but is not a decision-making body. It reports to the NSCS and includes experts from various sectors.

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The Pulitzer Prizes 2025 were recently announced by the Pulitzer Prize Board to honor excellence in journalism and the arts. The Pulitzer Prize is considered the most prestigious award in journalism in the United States. It was established in the year 1917 and is administered by Columbia University. The award is overseen by the Pulitzer Prize Board, which consists of judges appointed by Columbia University. The prize is named after Joseph Pulitzer, a famous newspaper publisher who left funds in his will to create the School of Journalism and the Pulitzer Prize.