Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Periasamy Kumaran has been appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom by the Ministry of External Affairs. He is a senior diplomat with extensive international experience and is currently serving as Secretary (East) in the MEA. Over his distinguished career, he has held key diplomatic positions in Cairo, Tripoli, Brussels, Islamabad, Washington D.C., and Colombo. He has also served as Ambassador to Qatar and High Commissioner to Singapore. His appointment reflects his vast expertise in international relations and diplomacy, making him well-suited for this important role in strengthening India-UK ties.

Kiran Mani has been appointed as the Managing Director for Asia-Pacific by OpenAI, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion strategy in high-growth markets. He is set to take on this role in June 2026 and will be based in Singapore, reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer. Mani brings extensive experience from his leadership roles, including serving as CEO of JioStar and holding key positions at global companies like Google, Microsoft, and IBM. His appointment highlights OpenAI’s focus on strengthening its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in countries like India with rapidly growing user bases.

P.V. Narayana Rao, a highly experienced Chartered Accountant, has been appointed as a Co-opted Member of the Sustainability Reporting Standards Board (SRSB) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India for the 2026–27 term. With a professional career spanning over 37 years, he has contributed significantly to advancing corporate governance and sustainability practices. The SRSB plays a key role in aligning Indian corporate reporting with global standards, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, and works closely with regulatory bodies like SEBI and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Jose Joseph Kattoor was appointed as the Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman of South Indian Bank, a prominent private sector lender based in Kerala. His appointment was approved by the Reserve Bank of India for a tenure of three years, starting from March 23, 2026. He succeeded V.J. Kurian, who retired after completing his term. Kattoor had already been serving as an Independent Director on the bank’s board since July 2024, making his elevation a natural progression in leadership. His appointment reflects continuity and stability in the bank’s governance structure.

Rituparna Sengupta, a renowned actress, was honoured with the Women Empowerment Award for Art and Culture at the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. The award ceremony was organised by GloWomen CiC to celebrate International Women's Day, recognizing individuals who have made notable contributions to society. The award was presented by distinguished personalities Seema Malhotra and Virendra Sharma. Her recognition highlights her impactful and sustained contributions to the field of art and culture, as well as her role in promoting women’s empowerment through her work.