Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Narendra Modi was awarded the prestigious Agricola Medal by Food and Agriculture Organization at its headquarters in Rome. The medal was presented by Qu Dongyu. The Agricola Medal is the highest honour conferred by the FAO Director-General. The award recognises exceptional contributions to global food security, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and poverty reduction.

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa conferred the prestigious Order of Mapungubwe on Indian-origin scientists Salim Abdool Karim and Keertan Dheda in Pretoria on May 20, 2026. The Order of Mapungubwe is South Africa’s highest civilian award, given for exceptional achievements benefiting society and humanity. Professor Salim Abdool Karim received the Gold award for his major contributions to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis research, and South Africa’s COVID-19 response. He is associated with Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa and the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Professor Keertan Dheda received the Silver award for pioneering work in pulmonology and tuberculosis 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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Taga Ram Bheel received the Padma Shri in the field of Art for preserving and promoting the traditional music of the Thar Desert through the folk instrument Algoza. Algoza is a traditional pair of woodwind instruments associated with Rajasthan, Punjab, Sindh, and western regions of India and Pakistan. It is considered one of India’s oldest surviving folk wind instruments. The instrument consists of two wooden pipes played simultaneously — one for melody and the other for drone or rhythm.

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Taipei Capital Cup 2026 was held in Taipei from 26–28 May 2026. India won two Silver Medals and three Merit Awards at the competition. Muskan won a Silver Medal in Painting and Decorating. Arjun Sumathi Vijayabashkar secured a Silver Medal in Mobile Applications Development. Merit Awards were won by Mohamed Mafaz Poonaikannan Rabi Ahamed (Software Applications Development), Suresh Kumar Ganesan Meena (Digital Construction), and Md Seraj (Automobile Technology). The Indian contingent was supported by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and National Skill Development Corporation.

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Soma Mandal from GD Goenka Public School won the global Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards 2026. She became the first Indian teacher to win the overall global title after securing 40% of the public vote among regional winners worldwide. The award is organised by Cambridge University Press & Assessment to recognise teachers for their contribution to shaping students’ futures and promoting quality education.

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Salim Kumar, National Award-winning Malayalam actor, passed away in Kochi at the age of 57. He began his career through mimicry and television comedy shows and entered cinema in 1996 with the movie Ishtamanu Nooruvattam. Over a career spanning three decades, he acted in around 350 films. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor in 2010 for his performance in Adaminte Makan Abu. He also received multiple Kerala State Film Awards and acted in Tamil, Odia, and Bengali films.

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Veteran filmmaker Bharathi Rajaa recently passed away in Chennai at the age of 84. He was a renowned director, producer, and actor who transformed Tamil cinema by bringing rural life and natural landscapes to the silver screen. Bharathi Rajaa was widely regarded as a pioneering figure in the Kollywood film industry and introduced a new style of storytelling. During his illustrious career, he won six National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards, and six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

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Gavri Devi, the renowned Mand folk singer from Rajasthan, passed away at the age of 98. Gavri Devi was widely recognized for her immense contribution to Mand folk music, one of Rajasthan’s oldest musical traditions. She played a major role in preserving and popularising Mand singing across India and internationally. Mand singing is a traditional music style of Rajasthan that combines melody, storytelling, and folk elements.

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India’s senior bureaucrat Vivek Aggarwal has been selected as the Vice-President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the 2026–27 term. He will succeed Giles Thomson of the United Kingdom. Vivek Aggarwal is currently serving as Secretary, Ministry of Culture. FATF (Financial Action Task Force) is an independent intergovernmental body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing. India became a member in 2010.