Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Rahul Navin received a one-year extension as the Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), following approval by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on August 9, 2026. His extended tenure is effective beyond August 13, 2026, and continues until August 13, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The extension was formally processed through an order issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT). The Enforcement Directorate operates under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, and is responsible for enforcing important laws such as the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.

IIT Bombay Associate Professor Karthikeyan Lanka was selected for the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award 2026 in the Earth Sciences category. His research focuses on ecohydrology, satellite remote sensing and land-atmosphere interactions. He has used data from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission to study soil moisture and its influence on the Indian monsoon. Lanka also developed India’s first operational subseasonal agricultural drought forecasting system in collaboration with the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre. The system provides weekly drought forecasts at a 9-kilometre spatial resolution with lead times of up to four weeks.

Prasanta Mahapatra was appointed as the Executive Director (ED) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on August 6, 2026. In his new role, he will lead the Corporation Finance Investigation Department and handle the Recovery and Refund Department of the market regulator. Mahapatra joined SEBI in April 1999 and previously served as its Chief General Manager. He also worked at SEBI’s Eastern Regional Office in Kolkata. SEBI is the principal regulator of India’s securities market and received statutory powers under the SEBI Act, 1992.

Tewolde Gebremariam, the former Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, was appointed as the new CEO of Air India in 2026. He succeeds Campbell Wilson, who led the airline during its initial stabilisation and integration phase after the Tata Group regained ownership in 2022. Gebremariam is known for transforming Ethiopian Airlines into a globally successful and profitable airline group by expanding international routes, modernising its fleet, strengthening cargo operations, and developing aviation training and maintenance facilities. At Air India, he is expected to focus on operational excellence, international connectivity, customer experience, safety, and the development of world-class aviation infrastructure.

Harshita Jakhar became the first Indian woman to feature in the Tour de France Femmes in 2026. The 19-year-old cyclist participated in the event in Switzerland and led the ceremonial start of Stage Two in Aigle, completing a 4.5 km ride ahead of the professional peloton. She was also selected for the UCI World Cycling Talent Programme, which provides elite international exposure to cyclists from developing nations. Jakhar won three gold medals at the 2025 Khelo India Youth Games and earned a silver and two bronze medals at the 2024 Asian Junior Cycling Championships. She trains at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Patiala.