Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty was elected the first woman president of the Press Club of India on December 14, 2025. Her team won all office-bearer and managing committee positions with a 21-0 sweep in the elections held on December 13. Afzal Imam was elected Secretary General. Jatin Gandhi became Vice-President. Aditi Rajput (Treasurer) and P R Sunil (Joint Secretary) were elected unopposed.

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Union Minister for Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, praised the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) for winning the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE SA) Corporate Award 2025. C-DOT is the first organisation from India and only the fifth globally to receive this award in the 140-year history of IEEE. The award recognises C-DOT’s contributions to advancing IEEE standards in wireless broadband, rural 5G, telecom education, and developing globally recognised, standards-based innovation frameworks from India.

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An Indian team, Photonics Odyssey from Chennai, won the Most Inspirational Award at NASA’s 2025 International Space Apps Challenge for their satellite internet concept. The team proposed a sovereign, phased-array satellite internet infrastructure aimed at expanding broadband access in remote regions of India. The project is designed to reduce dependency on ground infrastructure and connect over 700 million people in India who currently lack broadband access.

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Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh was awarded Best Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Institute for the second consecutive year by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The award was presented during ARISE 2025 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. It was organised by organised by Health Technology Assessment in India (HTAIn), the central HTA body under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. PGIMER earlier received the same recognition at the ICMR–DHR Health Summit last year.

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Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first woman Prime Minister, passed away at 80 after a prolonged illness. She was the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). She played a major role in restoring democracy following periods of military rule. She dominated Bangladesh’s political landscape for several decades.

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Vice President Dr C. P. Radhakrishnan launched the book Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi–Challenge and Response in New Delhi. The book is authored by Surendra Kumar Pachauri, a former secretary to the Government of India. Dr Radhakrishnan stated that Ram Mandir at Ayodhya represents a defining moment in India’s civilisational journey, where faith, law, and democracy converged. The 2019 Supreme Court verdict fulfilled the aspirations of millions and highlighted the strength of Indian democracy.

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Bakul Limbasiya, founder of Bhathwari Technologies, received the APO National Award for productivity, innovation, and leadership. The award is instituted by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) and administered in India by the National Productivity Council (NPC) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). It is among India’s highest recognitions for advancing productivity and competitiveness. The award marks a milestone for India’s lab-grown diamond (LGD) industry. Limbasiya produced India’s first lab-grown diamond in 2004 and pioneered the sector since 1998.

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The Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar is an annual award instituted by the Government of India to recognize individuals and institutions for outstanding contribution in the field of disaster management. The award is announced every year on 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke of the Indian Army received the award in the Individual Category for her exceptional leadership during disaster response operations. She led large-scale Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts in Wayanad, Kerala, during the 2024 floods and landslides. The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) was awarded in the Institutional Category for its outstanding institutional approach to disaster preparedness and response.

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Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was conferred the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, by President Droupadi Murmu during the 77th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path. Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair will be awarded the Kirti Chakra. Shubhanshu Shukla travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025 as part of the Axiom-4 mission, becoming the second Indian in space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma. The award recognises his exceptional courage, leadership, presence of mind and swift decision-making under demanding space mission conditions.

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Captain Hansja Sharma became the Indian Army’s first woman pilot qualified to fly the Rudra Armed Helicopter. She led the 251 Army Aviation Squadron during the Army Day Parade 2026 in Rajasthan. She topped training at the Combat Army Aviation Training School (CAATS), Nashik. She is the first woman officer to receive the Silver Cheetah Trophy for best combat aviator. She also secured First in Order of Merit in the 107th Air Traffic Management and Air Laws course. Rudra, also called Advanced Light Helicopter–Weapon System Integrated (ALH-WSI), is an indigenous armed helicopter by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).