Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi died at 72 recently. He disclosed his battle with cancer in April, opting out of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to health concerns. Born on January 5, 1952, he commenced his political career as a student activist at Patna University, holding the position of general secretary of the Students’ Union in 1973.

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IN-SPACe, India’s National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, received the Geospatial World Forum Leadership Award for “Public Policy: Enabling Industry Development” at the 2024 event in Rotterdam. Rajeev Jyoti and Kriti Khatri accepted the honor on behalf of IN-SPACe. The award recognizes their groundbreaking efforts in advancing India’s space sector and supporting non-government entities. GWF Leadership Awards commend innovation and contributions to the global geospatial field since 2007.

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Renowned Hindi and Marathi storyteller Malti Joshi, Padma Shri awardee, passed away at 90 due to oesophagus cancer in New Delhi on May 15, 2024. Born on June 4, 1934, in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, she grew up in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She excelled in Hindi literature, earning a Master’s from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University. Known as the “Meera of Malwa,” Joshi’s impactful storytelling legacy spans across Hindi literature.

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Senior advocate Kapil Sibal won the SCBA presidency for the fourth term, securing 1,066 votes. He succeeds Adish C. Aggarwala. Pradeep Rai was the runner-up. Vikrant Yadav was elected secretary. Sibal previously served as president in 2001 and had two stints in the late 1990s. Jairam Ramesh hailed it as a win for liberal, secular, democratic, and progressive forces. Other contenders were Priya Hingorani, Tripurari Ray, and Neeraj Srivastava.

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NTPC earned the third rank globally for Talent Development at the ATD BEST Awards 2024. The award, presented on May 21 in New Orleans, was accepted by Ms. Rachana Singh Bhal, NTPC’s chief general manager of strategic HR & talent management. The ATD BEST Awards, established in 2003, recognize organizations excelling in employee development. NTPC, India’s largest power sector company, was founded in 1975 and has diversified into various power generation methods.

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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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Mark Rutte, Netherlands Prime Minister, has been appointed as the next Secretary General of NATO. Approved by NATO’s 32 member countries on June 26 in Brussels, he will succeed Jens Stoltenberg on October 1, 2024. Rutte’s nomination came after overcoming opposition from Hungary and Turkey, and the withdrawal of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. He became the sole candidate and was elected to lead the Western military alliance after serving as Dutch Prime Minister since 2010.

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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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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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Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to the United States, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs. A retired Indian Foreign Service diplomat, Kwatra has extensive expertise in relations with India’s neighbors, the US, China, and Europe.