Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Deepak Gupta assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of GAIL (India) Limited on March 1, 2026, succeeding Sandeep Kumar Gupta, who retired on February 28, 2026. His tenure is scheduled to continue until February 28, 2029. Prior to this role, he served as Director (Projects) at GAIL from February 2022. A mechanical engineer from Delhi College of Engineering, he has extensive experience in natural gas transmission, LNG infrastructure, and large-scale energy projects. Before joining GAIL, he worked for over three decades at Engineers India Limited. His leadership is expected to support the expansion of India’s natural gas infrastructure and strengthen the country’s long-term energy strategy.

Dr. Rajeev Raghuvanshi received approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for reappointment as the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for an additional one-year term in March 2026. He was initially appointed in November 2023 on a contractual basis for two years with the possibility of extension. The extension ensures continuity in leadership at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), India’s apex drug regulatory authority. With prior experience as Joint Drugs Controller (India) and other senior roles within CDSCO, Dr. Raghuvanshi brings significant expertise in regulatory science, pharmacovigilance, and biologics regulation, supporting ongoing reforms and global harmonisation efforts in India’s pharmaceutical regulatory system.

Saba Shawl was appointed as the Superintendent of Srinagar Central Jail in March 2026, becoming the first Kashmiri woman to hold this position in the history of the facility. Her appointment represents an important step toward greater gender representation in Jammu and Kashmir’s prison administration. Srinagar Central Jail is one of the oldest and most significant correctional institutions in the Union Territory, housing both undertrial prisoners and convicts. As a senior officer in the J&K Prison Department, Saba Shawl has previously served in several roles, gaining extensive experience in jail administration, inmate welfare, and security management.

The Ministry of Defence signed major defence procurement contracts worth ₹5,083 crore on March 3, 2026, aimed at strengthening India’s maritime security and air defence capabilities. The agreements included the purchase of six ALH Mk-III (Maritime Role) helicopters for the Indian Coast Guard and VL-Shtil surface-to-air missiles for the Indian Navy. These contracts were signed at South Block, New Delhi, in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The ALH Mk-III deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited supports indigenous manufacturing under the “Buy (Indian-IDDM)” category, while the VL-Shtil missile agreement with Russia’s Rosoboronexport enhances the layered air defence system of Indian naval warships.

B.P. Singh took over as the Director General of Naval Armament (DGONA) at Naval Headquarters in New Delhi on March 1, 2026. A senior officer from the 1994 batch of the Indian Naval Armament Service, he succeeded Divakar Jayant following his retirement. With over three decades of experience in naval armament management, procurement, logistics, and guided weapon systems, he has held key positions at multiple Naval Armament Depots and at Naval Headquarters. An alumnus of the National Defence College, he brings strategic and operational expertise to strengthen India’s naval weapon systems management and maritime defence preparedness.