Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Anant Ambani has been appointed as the Executive Director of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), effective from May 1, 2025, for a five-year term. This appointment is a major milestone in the generational leadership transition within one of India’s largest conglomerates. Anant is the first among the Ambani siblings to join the RIL board in an executive capacity, having previously served as a non-executive director. A graduate of Brown University, he has played a key role in leading the company’s energy vertical and sustainability initiatives. His appointment reflects both his rising influence within RIL and the company’s long-term succession planning.

T. Rabi Sankar has been re-appointed as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for another year beginning May 3, 2025. This is his second extension since his initial appointment in May 2021. As Deputy Governor, he oversees key departments including foreign exchange, currency management, and government accounts. His continued role signals the government's confidence in his leadership and expertise in managing critical aspects of the Indian financial system. His re-appointment is essential to maintaining continuity in these sensitive areas within the RBI.

Achyuta Samanta, the founder of KIIT and KISS, received the 2025 Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Award for his lifelong dedication to education and societal development, particularly for underprivileged and tribal communities. The award, presented in Kokrajhar, Assam, by the Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Trust, recognizes individuals making exceptional contributions to social upliftment. Samanta’s work has empowered thousands through free education, housing, and healthcare. In a notable gesture of generosity, he donated the Rs 1 lakh prize money back to the Trust. His commitment reflects the values of Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma, a spiritual leader and reformer known as the “Mech Gandhi of Assam.”

India nominated Ms M. Revathi, who currently serves as Joint Wireless Advisor at the Department of Telecommunications, for the position of Director at the International Telecommunication Union's Radiocommunication Bureau. With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, her nomination is not only significant in terms of her professional experience but also historic. If elected, she would become the first woman and the first individual from ITU Regions E and D to assume this prestigious leadership role in the Bureau, marking a milestone in gender and regional representation within the ITU.

The PoshanTracker application was honoured with the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024, recognizing its innovative approach to promoting women and child nutrition. The award was presented to the Ministry of Women and Child Development during Civil Services Day. This recognition highlights the role of PoshanTracker as a key tool in the implementation of POSHAN 2.0 and Mission Saksham Anganwadi, both of which aim to strengthen nutrition and health delivery systems across the country. Its contribution to enhancing real-time monitoring and accountability within the nutrition mission was pivotal in securing this award.