Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Anant Goenka, Vice Chairman of the RPG Group, has been appointed as the President-Elect of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the 2025–26 term. He will officially assume charge after the conclusion of FICCI’s 98th Annual General Meeting in New Delhi, succeeding Harsha Vardhan Agarwal. Goenka’s leadership is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the organization’s initiatives, particularly in advancing India’s industrial competitiveness, sustainability efforts, and global trade engagement, reflecting his experience in steering diversified business enterprises under the RPG Group.

Sonali Sen Gupta has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) effective October 9, 2025. With over three decades of experience at the RBI, she brings extensive expertise in banking regulation, supervision, and financial inclusion. In her new role, she will oversee three critical departments—Consumer Education and Protection, Financial Inclusion and Development, and Inspection. Her appointment reflects the RBI’s emphasis on strengthening consumer protection, expanding financial inclusion, and ensuring robust regulatory oversight within India’s financial system.

Rishi Sunak, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has taken up advisory roles with Microsoft and Anthropic, an artificial intelligence company. His involvement highlights the growing collaboration between political leaders and the tech industry in shaping AI policy and innovation. Sunak has also pledged to donate all earnings from these positions to The Richmond Project, a charity he co-founded with his wife, Akshata Murty. This move underscores his commitment to leveraging his global influence for social good and advancing responsible technology development.

Castrol India announced a key leadership change with the appointment of Saugata Basuray as the Interim CEO, effective from January 2026. He will take over following the resignation of Kedar Lele, who steps down as Managing Director at the end of December 2025. Basuray, a long-serving Castrol professional since 1999, currently holds the position of Wholetime Director & Head of B2C Sales and will retain these responsibilities alongside his interim CEO role. His appointment reflects the company’s focus on maintaining continuity and leveraging internal leadership strength during a critical period of strategic transformation in the lubricant industry.

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan politician and democracy activist recognised for her relentless struggle for democratic rights and peaceful political transition in Venezuela. As the founder of Súmate, she has spent decades advocating for free elections, judicial independence, and nonviolent resistance against authoritarianism. Despite facing persecution, threats, and exclusion from elections, Machado’s leadership has united Venezuela’s opposition and inspired global movements for peaceful reform. Her recognition by the Norwegian Nobel Committee underscores the power of civilian courage and the link between democracy and lasting peace worldwide.