Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Air India was awarded the Best Domestic Airline title at the Travel + Leisure India & South Asia Awards 2025 for the second consecutive year. The recognition is significant as it is entirely based on reader and passenger votes, reflecting real travel experiences rather than jury assessments. The award highlights growing customer trust in Air India during its large-scale transformation phase, which includes fleet modernization, improved onboard comfort, enhanced service quality, and better operational reliability. With major investments such as large aircraft orders and fleet upgrades, the airline is strengthening its domestic market credibility and working toward becoming a world-class aviation brand.

Raj Kumar Goyal was administered the oath of office as the Chief Information Commissioner at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. The oath-taking ceremony was attended by senior dignitaries, including Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan and Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh. A 1990-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, Goyal has previously served as Secretary in the Justice and Border Management departments. His appointment was recommended by a high-level selection committee headed by the Prime Minister, following a vacancy that arose in September 2025.

B. Sairam has been appointed as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Coal India Limited by the Ministry of Coal, effective from December 15, 2025. A seasoned mining engineer and alumnus of NIT Raipur, he brings over three decades of experience in the coal and mining sector. Prior to this role, he served as CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited, a key subsidiary of Coal India. His expertise spans mine operations, logistics, project planning, and regulatory affairs. The appointment is significant for India’s energy security, as Coal India plays a crucial role in supplying coal to the power and industrial sectors.

Ravi Ranjan has been appointed as the new Managing Director of the State Bank of India by the Government of India. A senior career banker, he was previously serving as Deputy Managing Director at SBI, where he handled important operational and strategic responsibilities. He succeeded Vinay M. Tonse and officially assumed charge following the government notification issued in December 2025. His tenure has been approved until his superannuation on 30 September 2028, ensuring leadership continuity at India’s largest public sector bank. The appointment is significant as SBI focuses on digital banking expansion, credit growth, asset quality management, and maintaining financial stability in a competitive banking environment.

Suresh Goyal has been appointed as the Director General of NCAER, one of India’s most respected economic policy think tanks. With more than three decades of experience across public and private sectors, he brings strong expertise in infrastructure finance, policy implementation, and strategic leadership. Prior to this role, he served as the Managing Director and CEO of the National Highway Infra Trust, supporting India’s National Monetisation Pipeline. As Director General, he is tasked with expanding NCAER’s research capabilities, setting up new policy centres, strengthening engagement with governments, and enhancing evidence-based policymaking to support India’s long-term economic growth objectives.