Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

In April 2026, a major political shift occurred in Bihar when Nitish Kumar resigned from the post of Chief Minister. Following this, Samrat Choudhary was elected as the leader of the NDA legislative party and took over as the new Chief Minister. His appointment marked a historic moment as he became the first Chief Minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state. The swearing-in ceremony took place on April 15, 2026. The new government structure also includes two Deputy Chief Ministers from the Janata Dal (United), reflecting a coalition governance model in the state.

On April 10, 2026, Sunil Bajpai took charge as the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. He is a senior officer from the 1990 batch of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and has held several important roles in tax administration and governance. Before this appointment, he served as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax-5 in Mumbai. His experience includes positions in the National Security Council Secretariat and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. With strong academic qualifications from IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, and IIM Lucknow, he brings significant expertise to the role.

Roman Gofman is the individual appointed as the new head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. He succeeds the outgoing chief and is set to begin his five-year tenure in June 2026. His appointment is notable because he does not come from a traditional intelligence background, making him the first leader of the agency with such a profile. Having migrated from Belarus at a young age, he built a distinguished military career in the Israel Defence Forces, serving in key command roles and later as military secretary to the Prime Minister before assuming this position.

K. Satyanarayana Raju was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) on April 10, 2026. He brings extensive experience in the banking sector, having previously served as the MD & CEO of Canara Bank and held leadership roles in institutions like BoB Financial Solutions. IDPIC, established in 2025 as a not-for-profit entity, plays a crucial role in strengthening India’s digital payment ecosystem by using artificial intelligence to detect and prevent fraud in real time, thereby enhancing financial security and trust.

Sanjay Khanna assumed the role of Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) effective November 4, 2026. Prior to this elevation, he served as Director (Refineries) at BPCL, where he managed key refining operations in Mumbai, Kochi, and Bina. With over three decades of experience in the petroleum sector, he has developed strong expertise in refinery management, supply chain operations, and execution of strategic projects. His leadership is expected to strengthen BPCL’s operational efficiency and support its growth as a Maharatna public sector enterprise.