Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

M Anitha, an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) from the 2007 batch, has been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for appointment as Director in the Department of Defence. Her posting is under the Central Staffing Scheme, which enables experienced civil servants to serve in key positions across central ministries. She will join the Department of Defence on a lateral shift from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, where she was serving as Director. The appointment reflects the government’s approach of leveraging administrative expertise for strategic and policy-oriented roles.

Paradip Port Authority received the first prize at the Swachhata Pakhwada Awards 2025, presented by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The recognition was awarded for its exceptional performance in maintaining cleanliness, promoting sustainability, and encouraging community involvement. The authority implemented several impactful initiatives, including large-scale public participation in sanitation drives and an extensive green campaign that led to the planting of around 40,000 saplings. Additionally, welfare measures for Safai Mitras were undertaken, reflecting a commitment to worker well-being. These efforts highlight the port’s role in promoting environmental responsibility and sustainable development practices.

Capt. Ganti Venkateswarlu assumed additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Shipyard Limited following the superannuation of Cmde Girideep Singh on January 31, 2026. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as Director (Shipbuilding) at HSL and had been closely associated with major shipbuilding and refit initiatives. The leadership transition comes at a significant time, as the shipyard has completed important refit projects and made steady progress on large-scale programmes for the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, reinforcing HSL’s strategic role in India’s maritime and defence manufacturing ecosystem.

Harish Duhan has assumed the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director of Western Coalfields Limited from February 1, 2026, while continuing his role as CMD of South Eastern Coalfields Limited. The responsibility has been assigned for a period of three months or until further orders, whichever is earlier. With over 35 years of experience as a mining engineer, he has held several senior leadership positions across key coal subsidiaries such as Western Coalfields Limited, Central Coalfields Limited, and Northern Coalfields Limited, reflecting his extensive expertise in the coal and mining sector.

Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, marking a historic moment as she became the first woman to hold this position in the state. A Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, she was unanimously elected as the leader of the NCP legislature party at Vidhan Bhavan. Her appointment followed the tragic death of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Backed by senior party leaders, her elevation reflects political continuity as well as a significant step toward greater representation of women in top executive roles within state governance.