Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled a life-size statue of late General Bipin Rawat, the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), at TonsBridge School, Dehradun. In the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Defence Minister praised General Rawat’s courage and humanity, terming him an enduring inspiration. Singh recalled an incident where Rawat, wounded at a remote border post, strengthened India’s defense strategies. Rawat epitomized the nation’s military dedication, transcending birthplace for the country’s security.

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India won the 9th GovTech Prize at the 2024 World Government Summit in Dubai for its innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing government services. The award recognizes the Government of India’s Ministry for Road Transport and Highways’ transformative project, iRASTE. The Emirates Government Service Excellence Program (EGSEP) manages the annual GovTech Prize and the “M-Gov Award”.

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Renowned Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya have been announced as the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award by the Jnanpith selection committee. This prestigious award is recognition of their significant contributions to literature. In 2022, the award was conferred upon Goan writer Damodar Mauzo, adding to the distinguished list of laureates. The Jnanpith Award, established in 1961, is one of the highest literary honors in India, celebrating outstanding writers in various Indian languages.

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King Charles III of the United Kingdom awarded Sunil Bharti Mittal, the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, an honorary Knighthood. The honor is titled Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE), one of the highest honors given by the British Sovereign to civilians.

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Dr. Pradeep Mahajan, Founder and CMD of StemRx, received the Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2024 for groundbreaking contributions to regenerative medicine. His unique approach and commitment have advanced scientific understanding and provided innovative therapies globally. Dr. Mahajan’s work at StemRx Hospital and Research Centre, and StemRx Bioscience Solutions, has not only transformed patient treatments but has also established him as a beacon in regenerative medicine, earning him the prestigious recognition for his impactful and pioneering efforts.

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India was honored with the prestigious ‘Measles and Rubella Champion’ award on March 6, 2024, for its outstanding efforts in combatting these diseases. Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan accepted the award on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the American Red Cross Headquarters in Washington DC. The recognition from ‘The Measles and Rubella Partnership’ highlights India’s steadfast commitment to public health and controlling the spread of infectious diseases among children.

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Indian writer Amitav Ghosh, aged 67, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Erasmus Prize’ in 2024 by the Premium Erasmianum Foundation of the Netherlands. Recognized for his passionate contributions in highlighting the global climate change crisis through literature, Ghosh will receive the award, with an incentive of 150,000 Euros, in person in November. The award, established in 1958, honors individuals or institutions making exceptional contributions to culture or scholarship in Europe and beyond, emphasizing the cultural dimensions of the climate crisis.

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Krystyna Pyszkova of the Czech Republic won Miss World 2024 at the Jio World Cinema in Mumbai, succeeding Poland’s Karolina Bielawska. Alongside the main title, Pyszkova was honored with the Best Fashion Designer Award – Europe. Notable contestants included India’s Sini Shetty and Trinidad and Tobago’s Aché Abrahams. The first runner-up was Yasmina Zaytoun from Lebanon. The event featured a grand ceremony with Bielawska crowning her successor in a star-studded affair.

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Asif Ali Zardari is the 14th president of Pakistan. He was sworn in on March 10, 2024, replacing Dr. Arif Alvi.Zardari is a veteran politician who has been the president of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians and co-chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party. He is the first president to be elected twice to the office.

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Nayab Saini, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, became the 11th Chief Minister of Haryana on March 12, 2024. The swearing-in ceremony took place in Chandigarh, administered by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, succeeding Manohar Lal Khattar, the state’s first BJP Chief Minister. Earlier, Khattar resigned along with his council of ministers after the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), led by Dushyant Chautala, terminated its alliance with the BJP government in Haryana.