Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

B. Sairam has been appointed as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Coal India Limited by the Ministry of Coal, effective from December 15, 2025. A seasoned mining engineer and alumnus of NIT Raipur, he brings over three decades of experience in the coal and mining sector. Prior to this role, he served as CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited, a key subsidiary of Coal India. His expertise spans mine operations, logistics, project planning, and regulatory affairs. The appointment is significant for India’s energy security, as Coal India plays a crucial role in supplying coal to the power and industrial sectors.

Ravi Ranjan has been appointed as the new Managing Director of the State Bank of India by the Government of India. A senior career banker, he was previously serving as Deputy Managing Director at SBI, where he handled important operational and strategic responsibilities. He succeeded Vinay M. Tonse and officially assumed charge following the government notification issued in December 2025. His tenure has been approved until his superannuation on 30 September 2028, ensuring leadership continuity at India’s largest public sector bank. The appointment is significant as SBI focuses on digital banking expansion, credit growth, asset quality management, and maintaining financial stability in a competitive banking environment.

Suresh Goyal has been appointed as the Director General of NCAER, one of India’s most respected economic policy think tanks. With more than three decades of experience across public and private sectors, he brings strong expertise in infrastructure finance, policy implementation, and strategic leadership. Prior to this role, he served as the Managing Director and CEO of the National Highway Infra Trust, supporting India’s National Monetisation Pipeline. As Director General, he is tasked with expanding NCAER’s research capabilities, setting up new policy centres, strengthening engagement with governments, and enhancing evidence-based policymaking to support India’s long-term economic growth objectives.

Milan Nedeljković has been appointed as the new CEO of BMW, taking over from long-serving chief Oliver Zipse. With a career at BMW spanning three decades, Nedeljković brings extensive technical expertise and global production leadership, making him well-suited to guide the company through increasing competition and the shift to electric vehicles. His leadership will be critical for executing BMW’s next-generation all-electric “Neue Klasse” models and optimizing manufacturing efficiency. The transition reflects BMW’s strategic focus on innovation, cost management, and maintaining its global market position amid the rapidly evolving automotive sector.

Meta India has appointed Aman Jain as its new Head of Public Policy, reflecting the company’s focus on strengthening engagement with India’s evolving digital and regulatory environment. With over 20 years of experience across government roles and global technology firms, Jain is well positioned to lead Meta’s policy strategy in the country. In his role, he will oversee government and regulatory engagement, guide discussions on digital safety, data governance, competition, and artificial intelligence, and become part of Meta’s India leadership team, reporting to the Asia Pacific policy leadership.