Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Sadhvi Satish Sail was crowned Miss India World 2026 at the 61st Femina Miss India held in Bhubaneswar. She hails from Goa and is a model and entrepreneur with experience in fashion shows and brand campaigns. She was crowned by her predecessor Nikita Porwal. Rajnandini Pawar from Maharashtra secured the first runner-up position.

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Raghu Rai, a legendary Indian photographer, passed away on April 26, 2026, in New Delhi at the age of 83. He was a member of Magnum Photos and a pioneer of modern Indian photojournalism. He was known for capturing iconic moments such as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and political life in India. He documented major events including the 1971 Bangladesh War and worked closely with leaders like Indira Gandhi. He was nominated to Magnum Photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1977. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972.

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The Government of India recently appointed Shashi Shekhar Vempati as the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification. The appointment was notified by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 6 May 2026. He will serve as the CBFC Chairperson for a period of three years from the date of joining. Prasoon Joshi stepped down from the post after being appointed Chairman of Prasar Bharati. Shashi Shekhar Vempati has extensive experience in media, broadcasting, and public communication.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) received the prestigious President’s Colour award at a ceremony held in Ghaziabad. The award recognises the service, courage, and disaster response efforts of NDRF personnel as well as contributions from State Disaster Response Forces, volunteers, and local institutions. Established under the Disaster Management Act, the NDRF has completed 20 years of service and currently operates with 16 battalions. The force has saved more than 1.5 lakh lives and shifted over 9 lakh people to safer places during disasters.

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Shyam Srinivasan launched his debut book Better Never Stops in May 2026. The book is based on his more than 30 years of experience in India’s banking and financial services sector. It provides leadership lessons and insights into the transformation and growth of private banking institutions in India. The publication highlights the importance of resilience, adaptability, discipline, and continuous improvement in leadership and management.

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Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book The Library Man of India: The Story of P.N. Panicker at Uprashtrapati Bhavan. The book was authored by P. P. Sathyan and highlights the life and contributions of P. N. Panicker. P. N. Panicker is regarded as the father of Kerala’s cultural renaissance and literacy movement. He founded the Sanatana Dharma Library and promoted the message “Read and Grow” across villages and tribal areas of Kerala.

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Shyam Lal Meena, veteran Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, passed away at the age of 61 on May 24, 2026. He was part of India’s first-ever Olympic archery team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Meena hailed from Kevadia village in Rajasthan and initially trained using a traditional bamboo bow. In the 1987 Asian Archery Championships held in Kolkata, he won a bronze medal along with Limba Ram and Rajat Haldar. He received the Arjuna Award in 1989 for his contributions to Indian sports.

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Two Indian peacekeepers, Harbhajan Singh and Sujit Kumar Pradhan, received the prestigious Dag Hammarskjold Medal posthumously from the United Nations on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers for their sacrifice in the line of duty. Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh served with the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan served with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Abhilasha Barak also received the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year award

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A book titled India’s First Olympic Gold was released by P. T. Usha. The book is authored by hockey historian K. Arumugam. It chronicles India’s historic first Olympic gold medal victory in hockey at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. The book covers challenges faced by the Indian hockey team, including financial struggles, selection issues, and internal disputes before winning the final on May 26, 1928. It also highlights how hockey became a symbol of identity for colonised India and established Dhyan Chand as India’s first international sporting hero.

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Valluvan from Pollachi district in Tamil Nadu was honoured as a FAO Soil Farmer Hero Award in May 2026. The award was given by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Valluvan transformed his 11-hectare farm into a highly profitable multi-crop, tree-based farming enterprise. He was supported by Isha Foundation under the Save Soil-Cauvery Calling Programme led by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. He adopted multi-crop and multi-tier tree-based agriculture practices.