Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Justice SA Dharmadhikari was appointed as the 55th Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in 2026 after the retirement of Justice Manindra Mohan Srivastava on March 5, 2026. The oath of office was administered by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi. Justice Dharmadhikari began his legal career after enrolling as an advocate in 1992 and primarily practised before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He also served as standing counsel for the Union of India. In 2016, he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and later confirmed as a Permanent Judge. In 2025, he was transferred to the Kerala High Court before being elevated as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in 2026.

Dan Bailey, a veteran in the telecommunications industry with more than 35 years of experience, was appointed as the President of Jio Platforms to lead its global expansion initiatives. Based in London, he reports directly to Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, and is responsible for driving the company’s international business strategies. Bailey has previously held senior positions at major financial institutions such as Schroders/Citi, Morgan Stanley, HSBC, and Deutsche Bank, where he chaired the Technology, Media, and Telecom practice. His appointment reflects Jio’s commitment to expanding its digital platforms and telecom services beyond India as part of its long-term global growth strategy.

Deepak Gupta assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of GAIL (India) Limited on March 1, 2026, succeeding Sandeep Kumar Gupta, who retired on February 28, 2026. His tenure is scheduled to continue until February 28, 2029. Prior to this role, he served as Director (Projects) at GAIL from February 2022. A mechanical engineer from Delhi College of Engineering, he has extensive experience in natural gas transmission, LNG infrastructure, and large-scale energy projects. Before joining GAIL, he worked for over three decades at Engineers India Limited. His leadership is expected to support the expansion of India’s natural gas infrastructure and strengthen the country’s long-term energy strategy.

Dr. Rajeev Raghuvanshi received approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for reappointment as the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for an additional one-year term in March 2026. He was initially appointed in November 2023 on a contractual basis for two years with the possibility of extension. The extension ensures continuity in leadership at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), India’s apex drug regulatory authority. With prior experience as Joint Drugs Controller (India) and other senior roles within CDSCO, Dr. Raghuvanshi brings significant expertise in regulatory science, pharmacovigilance, and biologics regulation, supporting ongoing reforms and global harmonisation efforts in India’s pharmaceutical regulatory system.

Saba Shawl was appointed as the Superintendent of Srinagar Central Jail in March 2026, becoming the first Kashmiri woman to hold this position in the history of the facility. Her appointment represents an important step toward greater gender representation in Jammu and Kashmir’s prison administration. Srinagar Central Jail is one of the oldest and most significant correctional institutions in the Union Territory, housing both undertrial prisoners and convicts. As a senior officer in the J&K Prison Department, Saba Shawl has previously served in several roles, gaining extensive experience in jail administration, inmate welfare, and security management.