Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer received the Living Bridge Award for promoting closer India-UK relations and securing the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Seema Malhotra, Indian-origin Minister for the Indo-Pacific in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), accepted the award on his behalf. The Living Bridge Awards, organised by India Business Group (IBG), also honoured GMR Group, businessman G P Hinduja, KPMG UK chair Bina Mehta, and University of Southampton. The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) aims to double bilateral trade to USD 120 billion by 2030.

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Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud has authored his debut book “Why the Constitution Matters”. The book is published by Penguin Random House and reflects on the Indian Constitution and its contemporary relevance. Justice Chandrachud served as the 50th CJI of India from November 2022 to November 2024. The book simplifies complex constitutional principles for the common citizen and emphasizes the Constitution as the foundation of democracy, justice, and equality. Key themes include right to privacy, dissent, gender equality, environmental justice, and freedom of speech, central to his landmark judgments. It is a civic guide, not a legal treatise, encouraging citizens to engage with the Constitution actively.

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Amshi Prasannakumar, senior journalist from Mysuru, has been selected for the Hombale Samhita Harinikumar Alumni Krishi Media Award – 2025. The award recognises journalists in print and electronic media for their contribution to agricultural reporting and creating awareness among farmers. The award will be presented on 11 October 2025 at the Alumni Association (R), University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Veterinary College Campus, Hebbal. Prasannakumar is the former president of Mysore District Journalists’ Association. The award highlights the importance of media in promoting agriculture and farmer awareness.

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Renowned Gandhian and freedom fighter G.G. Parikh passed away on October 2, 2025, at the age of 101 years. He participated in the Quit India Movement (1942) and was imprisoned for 10 months. He was also jailed during the Emergency and was linked to the Baroda dynamite case. He was founder of Yusuf Meherally Centre, which now operates in 12 states promoting rural industries and youth empowerment. He led a Bharat Yatra in 2005 for communal harmony and youth involvement. In recent years, promoted the zero-carbon movement and sustainable livelihoods.

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On October 7, 2025, Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), launched the book “Above and Beyond – Exploring the Amazing World of Aviation” in New Delhi. The book is authored by Shiv Kumar Mohanaka, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The 445-page book showcases India’s aviation journey, highlighting achievements from dreams to destinations. It draws on Shiv Kumar Mohanaka’s 30 years of experience in CISF, providing a detailed view of the Indian aviation sector. Research includes a survey of 1,500 Indian flyers and explores future evolution of India’s aviation ecosystem to meet global standards.

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On October 9, 2025, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the Nobel Prize in Literature 2025 for László Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian author. He was awarded for his compelling and visionary works that explore art amidst apocalyptic terror. Born in 1954 near the Romanian border, he rose to fame with his first novel ‘Sátántangó’ (1985; English 2012). His latest work, ‘Herscht 07769’ (2025), portrays social unrest in a small town in Thüringen, Germany, blending violence and beauty. The Nobel Prize carries a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (~₹1.03 crore) and will be presented on December 10, 2025. Last year, the Literature Nobel was awarded to Han Kang, South Korea.

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Shri Anil Malik, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), received an award from the President of India for outstanding contribution to Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN). The felicitation took place at the National Conclave on ‘Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan’ held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The recognition highlights MoWCD’s key role in implementing PM-JANMAN, focused on tribal welfare and inclusion. More than 2,000 Anganwadi Centres have been made functional in Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) areas under the scheme. The initiative aims to empower tribal communities at the last mile through better access to nutrition, education, and child care services.

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Sunil Amrith, Indian-origin historian and Professor of History at Yale University, won the British Academy Book Prize 2025 for his book The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years. The prize awards £25,000 for outstanding non-fiction works in humanities and social sciences. Amrith was born in Kenya to South Indian parents, grew up in Singapore, and graduated from the University of Cambridge, England. The book explores 500 years of environmental history, linking human activity, colonisation, industrialisation, and settlement patterns to the current climate crisis.

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Queen Mother Sirikit of Thailand passed away at age 93 on 24 October at Chulalongkorn Hospital, Bangkok. She was the mother of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and wife of the longest-reigning monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. King Vajiralongkorn has ordered a year-long mourning period for the royal family. She had been hospitalised since 2019, recently battling a blood infection. Queen Mother Sirikit was renowned for rural development, preserving traditional crafts, environmental protection, and forest conservation. Her birthday, August 12, is celebrated as Mother’s Day in Thailand.

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Eminent physicist Jayant Vishnu Narlikar has been posthumously selected for the Vigyan Ratna Puraskar 2025 for his lifetime contributions in physics. The award is part of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025, the country’s highest recognition for excellence in science, technology, and innovation, modeled on the Padma Awards. A total of 23 individuals and one institution have been selected this year. Vigyan Yuva recognizes young scientists across similar domains for their research and innovation. The Vigyan Team Award has been conferred on Aroma Mission CSIR in agricultural science.