Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Dr. Ashok Kumar Panda assumed charge as the Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on 09 May 2026. Before his elevation, he served as Director (Finance) and also handled the additional responsibility of Director (Commercial) in the company. Dr. Panda began his career with SAIL in 1992 as a Management Trainee (Technical), showcasing a long and experienced association with the organisation. SAIL is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Steel and plays a major role in India’s steel production and industrial development.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj announced the National Panchayat Awards 2025, recognising 42 Panchayats from 17 States and Union Territories for their outstanding contributions to rural development and local governance. These awards are presented under the Incentivization of Panchayats component of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). The awards encourage Panchayati Raj Institutions to improve governance, social welfare, women's empowerment, child welfare, water conservation, and livelihood opportunities. Cash incentives ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹5 crore are provided to winning Panchayats. Karnataka secured the highest number of awards, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Himanta Biswa Sarma was formally appointed as the Chief Minister of Assam by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya under Article 164(1) of the Constitution. The appointment came after the NDA secured a strong majority in the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly. The BJP emerged as the leading party with 82 seats, while its allies AGP and BPF also contributed to the coalition’s victory. This appointment marked an important political milestone, as Himanta Biswa Sarma became the first non-Congress leader in Assam to serve two consecutive terms as Chief Minister, further strengthening the NDA’s political presence in the state since 2016.

Professor Kuljeet Kaur Marhas was elected as a Fellow of The Meteoritical Society in 2026 for her exceptional contributions to planetary science and cosmochemistry. She became the first Indian woman to receive this prestigious recognition and only the third Indian scientist to achieve the honour after Devendra Lal and JN Goswami. Her research at the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad focuses on isotopes, pre-solar grains, Calcium-Aluminium-rich Inclusions, and extraterrestrial materials collected from missions such as Stardust, Hayabusa, and Apollo. Her scientific work has significantly advanced the understanding of the origin and evolution of the Solar System through sophisticated isotopic analysis techniques.

Priyanka Mittal of KRBL Limited was appointed as the Co-Chair of the Indian side of the Saudi-India Business Council (SIBC) by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). She will work alongside Dr. Siddeek Ahmed to strengthen corporate and trade relations between India and Saudi Arabia. KRBL Limited is widely recognised for its India Gate rice brand and for maintaining an integrated supply chain system. The SIBC serves as an important platform for enhancing bilateral economic cooperation, trade partnerships, and investment opportunities between the two countries, contributing to stronger commercial engagement and long-term business collaboration.