Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

N Rangasamy, leader of the All India NR Congress (AINRC), was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Puducherry for the fifth time on May 13, 2026. The oath of office was administered by Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan. The AINRC-led NDA alliance formed the government after securing the support of 18 MLAs, crossing the majority mark in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly. Along with him, Malladi Krishna Rao and A Namassivayam were inducted as ministers. N Rangasamy also won assembly elections from both Thattanchavady and Mangalam constituencies with significant victory margins.

Dr. Ashok Kumar Panda assumed charge as the Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on 09 May 2026. Before his elevation, he served as Director (Finance) and also handled the additional responsibility of Director (Commercial) in the company. Dr. Panda began his career with SAIL in 1992 as a Management Trainee (Technical), showcasing a long and experienced association with the organisation. SAIL is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Steel and plays a major role in India’s steel production and industrial development.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj announced the National Panchayat Awards 2025, recognising 42 Panchayats from 17 States and Union Territories for their outstanding contributions to rural development and local governance. These awards are presented under the Incentivization of Panchayats component of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). The awards encourage Panchayati Raj Institutions to improve governance, social welfare, women's empowerment, child welfare, water conservation, and livelihood opportunities. Cash incentives ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹5 crore are provided to winning Panchayats. Karnataka secured the highest number of awards, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Himanta Biswa Sarma was formally appointed as the Chief Minister of Assam by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya under Article 164(1) of the Constitution. The appointment came after the NDA secured a strong majority in the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly. The BJP emerged as the leading party with 82 seats, while its allies AGP and BPF also contributed to the coalition’s victory. This appointment marked an important political milestone, as Himanta Biswa Sarma became the first non-Congress leader in Assam to serve two consecutive terms as Chief Minister, further strengthening the NDA’s political presence in the state since 2016.

Professor Kuljeet Kaur Marhas was elected as a Fellow of The Meteoritical Society in 2026 for her exceptional contributions to planetary science and cosmochemistry. She became the first Indian woman to receive this prestigious recognition and only the third Indian scientist to achieve the honour after Devendra Lal and JN Goswami. Her research at the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad focuses on isotopes, pre-solar grains, Calcium-Aluminium-rich Inclusions, and extraterrestrial materials collected from missions such as Stardust, Hayabusa, and Apollo. Her scientific work has significantly advanced the understanding of the origin and evolution of the Solar System through sophisticated isotopic analysis techniques.