Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Doordarshan, India’s national broadcaster, was recognized for its exceptional voter awareness and education campaign during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. The award was given in the Electronic Media category, specifically for its special series “Chunav Ka Parv Desh Ka Garv”. This initiative played a key role in educating voters, particularly first-time voters, and strengthening India’s democratic process. The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu to Doordarshan’s Director-General Kanchan Prasad on Republic Day 2025, highlighting the broadcaster's commitment to responsible media outreach across the country.

Senior Diplomat Jitender Pal Singh, an Indian Foreign Service officer from the 2002 batch, was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Israel on January 24, 2025. Singh has extensive experience in managing sensitive diplomatic roles, including serving as Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan and leading the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division. His appointment comes during Israel's post-conflict recovery phase and emphasizes strengthening India’s strategic and technological ties with Israel. He succeeds Sanjeev Kumar Singla, who has taken up the role of India’s Ambassador to France.

M. Mohan was appointed as the Director of ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Thiruvananthapuram on January 25, 2025. He succeeded Dr. V. Narayanan, who became the ISRO Chairman earlier that month. M. Mohan has been an integral part of ISRO's propulsion initiatives and his expertise in liquid propulsion systems has played a significant role in advancing India's space capabilities. The LPSC has been central to the development of liquid propulsion stages for India’s launch vehicles and spacecraft, contributing to key missions like PSLV, GSLV, Chandrayaan, and Mangalyaan.

Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the 25th-anniversary edition of FICCI Frames, India’s premier global media and entertainment convention. This marks a significant milestone for the event, and Ayushmann expressed his honour and commitment to promoting the theme “RISE: Redefining Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence” to celebrate and propel the media and entertainment industry’s contributions globally.

In June 2024, Akhil Gupta, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was appointed as the Chairman of Bharti AXA Life Insurance. Gupta brings over 40 years of experience, having played a pivotal role in Bharti Airtel's growth and forging strategic partnerships with leading investors such as Warburg Pincus, Temasek, and Sequoia Capital. His leadership has been instrumental in Bharti Enterprises' expansion, including overseeing public listings and joint ventures, cementing his reputation as a key figure in corporate governance and strategy.