Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Singapore Changi Airport has been named the best international airport in the world for 2025 at India’s Best Awards by Travel+Leisure (T+L). The airport is known for sky-lit interiors, indoor gardens, art-filled spaces, and attractions like the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and butterfly gardens. The award was part of the 14th India’s Best Awards, reflecting traveller preferences through online voting. Changi Airport sets global benchmarks by combining efficiency, comfort, and design, making it a destination in itself.

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Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister, passed away at 80 after a prolonged illness. She was the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). She played a major role in restoring democracy following periods of military rule. She dominated Bangladesh’s political landscape for several decades.

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In January 2026, a Telugu book titled Agni Sarassulo Vikasinchina Kamalam Droupadi Murmu was released at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The book traces President Droupadi Murmu’s journey from tribal roots to Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is authored by Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, former Member of Parliament and President of the Viswa Hindi Parishad. The title symbolizes a lotus blooming through fire, reflecting her rise from adversity. The book was released by Lakshmamma, a woman sanitation worker, highlighting dignity of labour and social equality.

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Major Swathi Shantha Kumar, an Indian Army officer from Bengaluru, received the UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 for gender-inclusive peacekeeping. She is currently serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Her project, “Equal Partners, Lasting Peace,” strengthens UNMISS’s gender-inclusive approach. The award recognises initiatives promoting gender parity and gender-responsive peacekeeping. Her project was selected from UN-wide nominations and won the Gender Category with the highest votes globally.

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Recently, the Centre for Development of Telematics received the SKOCH Award 2025 at the 104th SKOCH Summit themed “Resourcing Viksit Bharat”. The award was given for its Cell Broadcast Solution, an indigenous disaster and emergency alert platform. The system integrates agencies like India Meteorological Department, Central Water Commission, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Defence Geo-informatics Research Establishment, and Forest Survey of India. It delivers near real-time, geo-targeted, multilingual disaster alerts through mobile networks with approval from State and National Disaster Management Authorities.

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Vice President Dr C. P. Radhakrishnan launched the book Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi–Challenge and Response in New Delhi. The book is authored by Surendra Kumar Pachauri, a former secretary to the Government of India. Dr Radhakrishnan stated that Ram Mandir at Ayodhya represents a defining moment in India’s civilisational journey, where faith, law, and democracy converged. The 2019 Supreme Court verdict fulfilled the aspirations of millions and highlighted the strength of Indian democracy.

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Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, former staff member of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has won the Wiley Research Heroes Prize 2025. He is the first and only Indian to receive this global honour so far. The award received over 2,000 nominations from across the world. He won in the category “Impact Beyond Academia”, recognising research that influences policy and society. Dr. Lahariya is among five researchers globally honoured this year for outstanding research and policy impact.

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In January 2026, Sikkim Police has been conferred the President’s Police Colour Award (Nishaan). The award recognises outstanding service, professionalism, bravery, discipline, and dedication. Nishaan is worn with pride on the left sleeve of the uniform. Since Independence, only 14 states have received this prestigious award. Sikkim becomes the 15th state overall and 3rd in the North East to receive it.

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Veteran journalist Mark Tully passed away in Delhi at the age of 90 on January 25, 2026. He was a long-time British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) correspondent and became a household name in South Asia. Born in Kolkata in 1935, he later returned to India as BBC’s Assistant Representative in New Delhi. He covered major events like the 1965 and 1971 India–Pakistan wars, Emergency of 1975, Punjab insurgency, and Operation Blue Star. He was knighted in 2002 and awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2005, earning the reputation as the “voice of India.”

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Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a Maharatna PSU and India’s largest public sector steel producer, has received the ‘Great Place to Work’ certification for February 2026–February 2027. This marks the third consecutive year SAIL has earned the prestigious recognition. The certification was awarded after a company-wide assessment by the Great Place to Work Institute, India, based on extensive employee feedback. SAIL recorded a significant improvement in its Trust Index score, reflecting growing employee confidence in leadership, policies, and work environment.