Awards, Honours & Persons in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Lindy Cameron, an Oxford alumna and former CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, becomes the first female high commissioner to India. This historic appointment highlights UK-India relations, coinciding 70 years after India appointed its first high commissioner to London. Cameron’s career includes service in conflict zones like Iraq and Afghanistan, with senior positions in the UK government, emphasizing her background in international development.

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Dr. Gagandeep Kang, an Indian researcher, earns the 2024 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for her pioneering work in enteric diseases. Her cohort-based research has influenced vaccine development and health policy globally. The Gairdner Foundation celebrates her significant contributions to biomedical and global health research, highlighting her impact on understanding childhood diseases’ effects on life course.

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Kristalina Georgieva has been re-appointed as Managing Director of the IMF for a new 5-year term starting on October 1, 2024. The IMF Managing Director is chosen by the executive board, with Kristalina Georgieva being the sole candidate this year. Nominations for the MD position can come from an IMF Fund Governor or Executive Director. The Board of Governors, comprising finance ministers and central bank governors, is the IMF’s highest decision-making body.

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Anurag Kumar, a senior IPS officer from the 2004 batch, has been appointed as Joint Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Currently serving in the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Kumar’s tenure extends until February 24, 2027. The Personnel Ministry order highlights his Assam-Meghalaya cadre background. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has endorsed his appointment.

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Kannada poet Mamta Ji Sagar received the World Literary Prize from the World Organization of Writers (WOW) in April 2024 for her literary contributions. She’s also known as a playwright and academic. Sagar, a facilitator at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, described her journey of applying for the award, which began eight months prior. The ceremony took place during the inaugural Congress of the World Organization of Authors in Abuja, Nigeria, hosted by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Writers Village, established by Chinua Achebe in 1981.

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GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) won the ‘Best Airport Staff in India & South Asia 2024’ award by Skytrax at the Passenger Terminal EXPO 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany, on April 17. This highlights the staff’s exceptional service quality across various fronts, recognized for attitude, friendliness, and efficiency. The accolade underscores their dedication in enhancing the overall passenger experience, covering roles from customer help to security and food services.

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Professor Naima Khatoon is appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the first woman to hold the position in its history. The appointment was made by the Ministry of Education and approved by President Droupadi Murmu. Khatoon, currently the Principal of AMU’s Women’s College, will serve for five years or until she turns 70. She becomes the third VC of a Central University and the second woman VC in India after Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit.

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Gina Justus, a teacher at English High School, Sharjah Girls’ Branch, UAE, wins the MENA region in the 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards. Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, she’s worked in the UAE since 2005. Recognized for mentorship and charity work, she stood out among 14,840 nominations from 141 countries. The awards honor primary and secondary educators globally, highlighting their pivotal role in shaping students’ futures.

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The first true copy of Raja Ravi Varma’s painting “Indulekha” will be revealed at Kilimanoor Palace, Kerala, on his 176th birth anniversary. Varma, born in 1848, was a renowned Indian painter, famous for merging European techniques with Indian themes. He created around 7,000 paintings, blending Hindu mythology with Western composition. Varma’s notable works include “Damayanti Talking to a Swan” and “Shakuntala Looking for Dushyanta.” He was pivotal in introducing oil paints and lithographic reproduction to Indian art.

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Chhattisgarh’s Alok Shukla, environmental activist, wins 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize for grassroots efforts. Known as “Green Nobel Prize,” it honors his work in preserving Hasdeo Arand Forest, vital for Chhattisgarh’s ecosystem. Facing coal mining threats, Shukla rallied local tribes, pressuring the government to cancel auctions of 21 coal mines in 2022. His organization, Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, champions environmental protection in the region.