Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Varsha Ashok Aglawe assumed charge as the 54th Director General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on July 31, 2026, becoming the first woman to lead the organisation in its 176-year history. A distinguished palaeontologist with more than 30 years of experience, she joined GSI in 1992 after serving at the Indian Bureau of Mines. Before her appointment, she was the Additional Director General and Head of the Eastern Region in Kolkata. She succeeded Asit Saha and is expected to strengthen GSI's role in geological mapping, mineral exploration, and geoscientific research under the Ministry of Mines.

Ngulkham Jathom Gangte, a 1994-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, was appointed as India's next Ambassador to Mexico on July 30, 2026. Before this appointment, he served as Special Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He previously served as India's Ambassador to Tunisia with concurrent accreditation to Libya and as the High Commissioner to Zambia from 2017 to 2021. A graduate of Hansraj College with a background in Chemistry, Gangte brings extensive diplomatic experience to strengthen India–Mexico bilateral relations.

Satya Pal Kumar, a 2005-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer from the Income Tax Department, was appointed as the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) on July 30, 2026. The FIU functions under the Union Finance Ministry and is responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing, and disseminating information related to suspicious financial transactions to combat money laundering and financial crimes. Established in 2004 and headquartered in New Delhi, the FIU reports to the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC), which is chaired by the Union Finance Minister.

Girikumar Nair, former Chief General Manager of the State Bank of India (SBI), was appointed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as the Official Liquidator for Paytm Payments Bank Limited. His responsibilities include supervising the winding-up process, ensuring compliance with the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and the Companies Act, 2013, managing the settlement of liabilities, and protecting the interests of depositors and stakeholders. The RBI initiated the liquidation after the Delhi High Court approved the process following the cancellation of the bank's licence due to serious regulatory violations. The RBI also assured that the bank has sufficient liquidity to repay eligible depositors.

Keshav Chandra, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre, assumed charge as the Secretary of the Ministry of Mines on July 27, 2026. As Secretary, he will oversee key areas such as mineral exploration, auction and operationalisation of mineral blocks, and the development and management of critical and strategic minerals. He will also be responsible for implementing policies aimed at strengthening India's mining sector. The Ministry of Mines administers the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and supervises organisations such as the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).