Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others died in a plane crash. The military aircraft left Lilongwe but couldn’t land at Mzuzu due to poor visibility and lost contact after being ordered back. President Lazarus Chakwera confirmed the wreckage was found in Chikangawa Forest with no survivors. Chilima, once a potential presidential candidate, was cleared of graft charges last month.

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Sarod maestro Pandit Rajeev Taranath recently passed away in Mysuru. The sarod, a prominent Hindustani classical music instrument, is a stringed lute adapted from the Afghan rabab in the 16th century, with its modern form designed in the 19th century. Typically 100 cm long, it features a hollow wooden body, a goatskin membrane, a horn bridge, and steel or bronze strings, with no fretboard but a polished steel plate.

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Vinod Ganatra, a prominent children’s filmmaker from India, has been honored with South Africa’s prestigious ‘Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his contributions to cinema. He is the first Indian to receive this accolade, presented at the 7th Nelson Mandela Children’s Film Festival. Ganatra’s career spans over four decades, producing numerous documentaries and youth programs, and winning 36 national and international awards, including the ‘Liv Ullmann Peace Prize’ and ‘DadaSaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award.’

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A project by IIIT-Delhi won joint second prize in the Trinity Challenge’s second competition for addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Trinity Challenge (TTC) is a charity fostering data-driven solutions to global health threats, partnering with over 40 organizations. Launched in response to COVID-19, TTC funds public challenges to enhance pandemic preparedness, awarding £5.7 million for innovative health solutions.

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Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy has been awarded the 2024 PEN Pinter Literary Prize for her courageous writing. This honor comes shortly after the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi sanctioned her prosecution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The award ceremony will be held in October in London. Previous winners include Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood. The PEN Pinter Award, established in 2009, recognizes exceptional English-language writers from the UK, Ireland, or the Commonwealth.

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Bhupinder Singh Rawat, a former Indian footballer known for his speed as a winger in the 1960s and 1970s, passed away at 85. He represented India in the 1969 Merdeka tournament in Malaysia and played domestically for Delhi Garrison, Gorkha Brigade, and Mafatlal. Rawat also featured for Services and Maharashtra in the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy.

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The 15th Agriculture Leadership Awards Committee, chaired by Justice P Sathasivam, has named Maharashtra the Best Agriculture State for 2024. Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde will receive the award in New Delhi on July 10. Recognized for its innovative agricultural policies and programs, Maharashtra’s initiatives include the largest bamboo mission, extensive irrigation projects, and nano-technology fertilizer distribution. The award highlights significant contributions to agricultural advancement and rural prosperity.

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Nagaland won the ‘Best State in Horticulture Award 2024’ for innovative horticulture programs benefiting many farmers and rural people. Women Resource Development and Horticulture Minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse received the award in New Delhi. The state’s horticulture sector enhanced livelihoods, created jobs, ensured nutritional security, and achieved GI registration for three crops. Nagaland formed 13 farmers’ producer companies and certified 6,800 hectares organically, earning national recognition.

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Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCLTech, was awarded France’s highest civilian honor, the “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur,” for her significant contributions to business and sustainability, as well as enhancing economic relations between France and India. The honor was presented by the French Ambassador to India, acknowledging her exceptional leadership and influence in international business and diplomacy, underscoring her impactful role in these sectors.

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Captain Avhilash Rawat and his crew from the oil tanker Marlin Luanda have received the 2024 International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea. They were recognized for their determination during a rescue mission in the Red Sea, where they encountered a serious fire after an anti-ship missile strike, allegedly from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The award highlights the skill and bravery of Indian seafarers, as noted by India’s Directorate General of Shipping.