Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Veerabhadran Ramanathan, an 81-year-old Indian-origin scientist, won the Crafoord Prize, called the “Nobel of Geosciences,” for his pioneering climate research. He grew up in southern India, studied engineering in Bengaluru, and moved to the United States for higher studies. Early work at a refrigeration company led him to study chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and their heat-trapping effect on the atmosphere. In 1975, his Science paper showed that a single CFC molecule could warm the planet as much as thousands of carbon dioxide molecules. His work contributed to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, banning CFCs and preventing further warming.

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Ayesha Karim, Class Four student of Sarala Birla Gyan Jyoti, Guwahati, Assam, won Veergatha 5.0 Super 100 national competition. She created a powerful sketch of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Ashok Chakra awardee, during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Her artwork highlighted the courage and sacrifice of the Indian Army officer. She is the only student from Assam in five years to win this honour. Veergatha Project is a Government of India initiative to inspire students to honour armed forces bravery. It promotes patriotism through essays, poems, and paintings on gallantry awardees.

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Veteran Odia playback singer Geeta Patnaik passed away at 68 in Cuttack after suffering a brain stroke in Bhubaneswar. She began singing professionally at 15 and debuted in the Odia film Adina Megha in 1970. She was an artist of All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan. She received the State Film Award for playback singing.

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Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha appointed Shantmanu, a retired Indian Administrative Service officer, as State Election Commissioner. The appointment is for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It was made under sub-section 3 of Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989. He will hold office for five years or until he attains 70 years of age, whichever is earlier. The appointment will be effective from the date he assumes charge. The government will separately notify the detailed terms and conditions of his service.

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Microsoft appointed Indian-origin Asha Sharma as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microsoft Gaming. She joins growing list of Indian-origin leaders heading global companies. Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella announced her appointment. She earlier helped build and scale services reaching billions of users at Microsoft. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Instacart. She also worked as Vice President at Meta.

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The Manipuri film Boong, produced by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment, won the BAFTA Award for Best Children’s & Family Film in London. The film was directed by debutant Lakshmipriya Devi, who made an emotional appeal for peace during her acceptance speech. She received the award from Paddington Bear, the lead character of Paddington The Musical. Producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, along with assistant director Rahul Sharda, joined her on stage.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the ‘Speaker of the Knesset Medal’ by the Israeli Parliament, the highest honour of the Knesset. He is the first world leader to receive this medal, recognising his personal leadership in strengthening India-Israel strategic relations. In 2018, PM Modi had received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest Palestinian honour for foreign leaders.

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Gandey MLA Kalpana Soren, wife of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, received the Women Empowerment Trailblazers Award. The award was given at the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) WE Annual Women Summit and Felicitation 2026 in New Delhi. It recognises her efforts in promoting women’s empowerment and leadership. She dedicated the award to women of Jharkhand and beyond for their role in society and economy. She highlighted women’s growing role in business, sports, science, and governance.

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The book Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal was released by Upendra Dwivedi in 2026. It is authored by experts including Bipin Bakshi, Rajesh Kumar, Anil Trigunayat, and Akhelesh Bhargava. The book analyses the 88-hour Operation Sindoor, highlighting India’s response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. It explains India’s shift from reactive to proactive counter-terror strategy, especially in Kashmir. It covers multi-domain operations including military, intelligence, drones, cyber, and diplomacy.

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Rituparna Sengupta was honoured with the Women Empowerment Award for Art and Culture at the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. The award was presented by Seema Malhotra and Virendra Sharma during an event organised by GloWomen CiC. The ceremony was held to mark International Women’s Day, celebrating women’s contributions across various fields. Rituparna Sengupta was specifically recognised for her significant contributions to art and culture.