Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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The Union Health Ministry achieved three Guinness World Record titles under the Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan campaign. The campaign was conducted nationwide from 17th September to 2nd October 2025 during Poshan Maah. The records include the most people registered for a health care platform in one month. It also includes the most people signed up for a breast cancer screening online in one week. Another record was the most people signed up for vital signs screening online in one week at the state level. The campaign focuses on improving the health and nutrition of women, adolescent girls and children. The achievement highlights India’s success in combining digital health innovation and community participation.

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France’s oldest living Olympic champion, Charles Coste, passed away at the age of 101, marking the end of a golden era in Olympic history. Born on February 8, 1924, in Ollioules, France, he symbolized strength, dedication, and post-war recovery through sport. Coste won gold in team cycling at the 1948 London Olympics with teammates Pierre Adam, Serge Blusson, and Fernand Decanali, bringing pride to post-war France. In 1949, he triumphed in the Grand Prix des Nations, defeating Italy’s Fausto Coppi. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, just before his 100th birthday, he carried the Olympic torch, earning worldwide applause.

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Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Specialized Agency for Tourism (UN Tourism). She is the first woman to lead the organization in its 50-year history. She will officially take office in January 2026 for a four-year term, marking a historic milestone for gender representation and global leadership.

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In November 2025, David Szalay won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel “Flesh”, becoming the first Hungarian-British author to win the award. The Booker Prize is the world’s leading literary award for a single work of fiction. It was founded in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1969. Initially limited to Commonwealth writers, it is now open to authors worldwide. It honors the best English-language novel published in the UK or Ireland. The novel must be original, not a translation, and published by a registered UK or Irish imprint. The winner receives £50,000, while shortlisted authors get £2,500 each.

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The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying recently announced winners of the National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025, highlighting current progress in India’s dairy sector. NGRA are the highest honours in the livestock and dairy sector and were launched under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission in 2021. They are given by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The awards promote excellence among farmers, Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS), Milk Producer Companies (MPC), Dairy Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) and Artificial Insemination Technicians (AIT).

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Hollywood actor Tom Cruise received the Academy Honorary Award, also known as the honorary Oscar, at the 16th Governors Awards in Hollywood, California. The 63-year-old, a four-time Oscar nominee, was honoured by filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who is collaborating with him on a 2026 film.

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Velamala Simmanna has been selected for the Lok Nayak Foundation (LNF) Literary Award 2025. He has written over 100 books and is a former Head of Department of Telugu at Andhra University. The award carries a cash prize of 2 lakh rupees and will be given on 18 January 2026. The award is presented every year by the Lok Nayak Foundation. It commemorates the death anniversaries of N. T. Rama Rao and Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

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The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) won the Gold Prize for Public Outreach and Communication at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025 in New Delhi. The award recognised its innovative, inclusive, and people-friendly communication through the GST and Customs Pavilion. The pavilion ran from 14–27 November 2025 with the theme “Next-Gen Goods and Services Tax (GST): Simple Tax, Prosperous Nation.”

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Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar assumes the chairship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for 2026. India is elected as Chair under the rotational system and will hold the post till 2033. India is among the 14 founding member states of International IDEA. The charge is assumed in Stockholm, Sweden, in the presence of Ambassador Anurag Bhushan. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is globally recognised as a credible Election Management Body (EMB). India has 900+ million voters across 28 States and 8 Union Territories (UTs).

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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has named award-winning Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon as its 2025 Person of the Year for her commitment to a meat-free lifestyle, wildlife protection, and advocacy for animal welfare. Earlier in 2025, she partnered with PETA India to donate a life-sized mechanical elephant to Karnataka’s Thousand Pillars Jain Temple, recognizing the temple’s decision not to own or hire live elephants. She has championed humane education through PETA India’s Compassionate Citizen programme, which fosters empathy in young learners toward animals.