Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Retired Justice B.N. Srikrishna, renowned for chairing India's first data protection law committee, has been named the chair of Equal's advisory board. Equal focuses on ID verification and secure, consent-driven data sharing, collaborating with account aggregator firm OneMoney. The board includes other distinguished members, such as retired RBI Deputy Governors and former UIDAI CEOs, emphasizing its commitment to responsible data governance and security.

Dr Syed Anwar Khursheed, an eminent Indian physician based in Saudi Arabia, was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in 2025. With over 45 years of service, he has significantly contributed to healthcare, education, and community welfare, including pivotal efforts during COVID-19 and the Hajj Medical Program. As Vice President of the Saudi-Indian Healthcare Forum, he plays a crucial role in strengthening healthcare ties between the two nations.

IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency) achieved an 'Excellent' rating for the third consecutive year in its MoU performance for FY 2023-24, with a score of 98.24. This accomplishment highlights IREDA's dedication to promoting renewable energy goals and maintaining high standards of corporate governance. The agency's previous scores were 93.50 (FY 2022-23), 96.54 (FY 2021-22), and 96.93 (FY 2020-21), further underscoring its sustained excellence in performance.

Sanjeev Kumar Sharma has been named the CFO of Signature Global, effective January 7, 2025. He is a Chartered Accountant with nearly 30 years of expertise in finance, M&A, taxation, and strategic decision-making. He has held leadership roles at major organizations like Brookfield Properties, Blackstone, BPTP, M3M India, and ICICI, making him highly qualified for this role.

V. Narayanan has been appointed as the new chairman of ISRO, succeeding S Somanath. Starting January 14, 2025, he will also serve as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission. With extensive experience in solid propulsion for rockets and critical contributions to ASLV and PSLV missions at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Narayanan has proven expertise in India's space program. Currently the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Valiamala, he is well-suited to lead ISRO into its next phase of advancements.