Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Harjit Singh Grewal assumed charge as the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on July 21, 2026. The NCM is a statutory body established under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, and functions under the Ministry of Minority Affairs. It is responsible for safeguarding the rights and interests of six notified religious minority communities in India—Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis (Zoroastrians), and Jains. Along with Grewal's appointment, S. Munawari Begum took charge as Vice Chairperson, while Glenn Souza Ticlo and Berjis Desai joined the Commission as members representing the Christian and Parsi communities, respectively.

Pralhad Joshi was assigned the additional charge of the Ministry of Education after President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan on the recommendation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi under Article 75(2) of the Constitution. Joshi will continue to handle his existing portfolios of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy while overseeing the Education Ministry until further orders. A senior BJP leader and Member of Parliament from Dharwad, Karnataka, he has previously served as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal, and Mines, bringing extensive administrative and ministerial experience to his new responsibility.

Satya Pal Kumar, a 2005-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the Income Tax cadre, has been appointed as the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)-India. The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) as part of a major bureaucratic reshuffle involving around 20 senior officers. FIU-India, functioning under the Ministry of Finance, is responsible for collecting, analysing, and sharing intelligence on suspicious financial transactions. The agency plays a vital role in combating money laundering, terror financing, financial fraud, and other illicit financial activities while supporting domestic and international enforcement agencies in maintaining the integrity of India's financial system.

Ashiss Kumar Dash has been appointed as the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Infosys, with his five-year term beginning on April 1, 2027, after Salil Parekh completes his tenure. A graduate of IIT Kharagpur, Dash joined Infosys in 1995 and has spent nearly three decades with the company, leading several global business portfolios and digital transformation initiatives. He also headed the Energy, Utilities, and Resources (EURS) business and worked for nearly a decade in Los Angeles. His appointment marks a historic milestone as he becomes the first internally promoted CEO in Infosys' history, reflecting the company's focus on leadership continuity and AI-driven growth.

Naresh Pal Gangwar was appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education following the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on July 23, 2026. A 1994-batch IAS officer from the Rajasthan cadre, he succeeded Vineet Joshi, who was transferred to the Department of Panchayati Raj. Previously serving as Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Gangwar brings extensive administrative experience. He holds a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, an M.Tech from IIT Delhi, and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Rajasthan, making him well-equipped to lead higher education policy reforms.