Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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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.

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In 2026, the book The Doom Loop was released, authored by Eswar Prasad, which analyzes the growing disorder in the global economic system. The book highlights a “doom loop”, where interconnected global forces reinforce instability, making it harder to restore economic balance and global cooperation.

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The Government of India has opened nominations for Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) 2026, a top national science award. It recognises scientists, technologists, and innovators for contributions to science, technology, and innovation. It honours path-breaking research, innovation, and discoveries benefiting national development. It is administered by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR – Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) under Ministry of Science and Technology.

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Businessman R.T. Chari released the updated edition of the autobiography A Road Well Travelled by R.K. Raghavan in Chennai in April 2026. The first copy of the book was received by Nandini Azad, head of the Indian Cooperative Network for Women. The autobiography, first published in 2020 by Westland Publications, has been reissued by Creative Workshop. The book traces R.K. Raghavan’s career from the Indian Police Service to roles in the Intelligence Bureau and as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation.

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Dinesh Trivedi has been appointed as India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh. He is a former Union Minister who served as Railway Minister and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. His appointment marks a departure from the usual practice of appointing Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers to such diplomatic posts. It reflects India’s strategic emphasis on strengthening ties with Bangladesh through political-level engagement.

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Recently, the Guntur Municipal Corporation won UNIDO’s 4th Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award in Vienna. The award was presented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization during the International Day of Women in Industry 2026. GMC was recognised for deploying 200+ women as electric auto drivers for door-to-door garbage collection. The initiative promotes women empowerment and zero-emission waste management under the Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot (SCIAP).

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Dr Bhaskar Jyoti Sonowal from Assam has been elected President of the BRICS Entrepreneurs Alliance (BEA) Global Forum for the 2026–27 term. This marks a significant step in strengthening India’s role within the BRICS+ economic framework. He currently serves as CEO and Executive Director of BEA India. His leadership comes as India prepares to host the BEA Global Summit in November 2026. The appointment aims to boost cross-border trade, global partnerships, and MSME opportunities. It is expected to enhance market access for Indian entrepreneurs and promote inclusive global trade.

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Parveen Shaikh has won the 2026 Whitley Award for protecting the endangered Indian skimmer. She works with the Bombay Natural History Society. Her initiative “Guardians of the Skimmer” focuses on conservation along the Chambal River. The award, known as the “Green Oscars,” is given by the Whitley Fund for Nature in London. Her project has increased the skimmer population from about 400 in 2017 to over 1,000 by 2025. The programme uses local community members as “nest guardians” to protect nesting sites. It has significantly improved nest survival rates and reduced threats from predators and human disturbance.

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Ministry of Panchayati Raj announced the National Panchayat Awards 2025, selecting 42 Panchayats from across India. Karnataka secured the highest number of awards with six Panchayats, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with five each.
Awards are given under two categories: Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar and Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar. The Deen Dayal Upadhyay awards recognise Gram Panchayats for achievements linked to Sustainable Development Goals such as poverty reduction, health, sanitation, water sufficiency, women-friendly governance, and social justice.

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Narendra Modi was conferred Sweden’s prestigious Royal Order of the Polar Star Commander Grand Cross honour during his visit to Sweden. The award is among Sweden’s highest honours given to foreign leaders for contributions to diplomacy, international cooperation, and bilateral relations. PM Modi received the honour during talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Discussions focused on trade, green transition, technology, innovation, and strategic cooperation between India and Sweden. The honour reflects strengthening India–Sweden relations and India’s growing global diplomatic influence.