Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Zou Jiayi, a distinguished Chinese official and former Vice Finance Minister, has been appointed as the new President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). She will assume office on January 16, 2026, following the completion of Jin Liqun’s ten-year tenure as the founding President. Her appointment was announced at the 10th Annual Meeting of the AIIB Board of Governors. Zou brings extensive experience from global financial institutions like the World Bank, ADB, and NDB, making her well-positioned to lead AIIB’s mission of promoting sustainable infrastructure. Based in Beijing, AIIB currently includes 110 approved member countries, emphasizing global cooperation.

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), a fully government-owned digital bank operating under the Department of Posts, secured the Digital Payments Award 2024–25 presented by the Ministry of Finance. Recognized for its innovative model and outreach in unbanked and underbanked areas, IPPB ranked first among all payment banks in the DFS Performance Index for FY 2024–25. Its tech-enabled services, delivered through over 2 lakh postal agents, make digital banking accessible across India, particularly in rural regions. The award reflects IPPB’s alignment with India’s goal of financial inclusion and a cash-light economy, underlining its pivotal role in digital transformation.

Professor Suman Chakraborty, a distinguished mechanical engineer and innovator in diagnostic technologies, has been appointed as the Director of IIT Kharagpur. Taking over from interim Director Professor Amit Patra, his appointment marks a strategic emphasis on research-led innovation and global academic collaboration at the institute. A J.C. Bose National Fellow and visiting faculty at Stanford, Professor Chakraborty is acclaimed for developing accessible medical technologies such as Covirap, HemoQR, and PrepapQR, which aim to make diagnostic solutions more affordable. His leadership is expected to steer IIT Kharagpur toward impactful research and inclusive healthcare innovation over the next five years.

K Paul Thomas, the Managing Director and CEO of ESAF Small Finance Bank, has been elected as the chairman of Sa-Dhan, an association of microfinance and impact finance institutions recognized by the Reserve Bank of India as a self-regulatory organization (SRO). His election took place during the annual general meeting, which was attended by nearly 100 members. This appointment signifies a continued commitment to strengthening the microfinance sector in India, with Thomas bringing valuable leadership experience and insight from his role at ESAF to guide Sa-Dhan’s mission of promoting financial inclusion.

Prof M Satish Kumar has been appointed as the inaugural Dean of Queen’s University Belfast’s GIFT City campus in Gujarat, marking a landmark step in India–UK academic collaboration. With over 25 years of experience at Queen’s University in the School of Natural and Built Environment, Prof Kumar is well-known for his leadership roles in internationalisation and strategic academic partnerships. His new appointment signifies the university’s commitment to offering top-tier British education in India. The GIFT City campus will serve as a crucial bridge between global academic standards and local industry needs, further enhancing India’s stature in international higher education.