Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Vijay Sankar, the Honorary Consul General of Denmark for Southern India and Chairman of The Sanmar Group, was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Dannebrog by the King of Denmark. This prestigious honour recognized his exceptional consular services and significant contributions to strengthening Indo-Danish relations. The award was presented at a ceremony held in Chennai on March 18, 2025. This recognition also highlights the Sankar family's longstanding association with Denmark’s consular services, spanning three generations.

Indranil Bhattacharyya was appointed as the Executive Director (ED) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on March 19, 2025. In his new role, he will oversee the Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR), which plays a crucial role in shaping monetary policies and conducting economic research. Bhattacharyya brings with him nearly three decades of experience in critical areas such as monetary policy, fiscal policy, banking regulations, and international economic relations, making him a key figure in the RBI's policy-making processes.

Dr. Lakshmi Venu has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE). With her vast experience in the farm mechanization and auto component sectors, she has been instrumental in various leadership roles, including serving as a Director at TAFE. Additionally, Dr. Lakshmi is the Managing Director of Sundaram-Clayton Ltd. Her appointment reflects TAFE's commitment to strengthening its leadership team and expanding its global presence. Dr. Lakshmi's academic and professional achievements further highlight her impact in the corporate and industrial sectors.

Intel Corporation appointed Lip-Bu Tan as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective March 18, 2025. This leadership change marks a pivotal moment for the company as Tan, a veteran technology leader with significant experience in the semiconductor industry, takes over from Interim Co-CEOs David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus. Tan’s leadership style, rooted in customer-centric strategies and his prior success at Cadence Design Systems, is expected to help drive Intel’s turnaround and innovation in the competitive semiconductor market.

Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman has been appointed as the CEO of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), succeeding Prof. Abhay Karandikar. Dr. Kalyanaraman is an alumnus of IIT Madras and Ohio State and has previously held key roles at Microsoft. He is also a Fellow of IEEE, INAE, and ACM.