Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

HS Dhaliwal, a 1997-batch IPS officer, was appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Andaman and Nicobar Islands on July 25, 2024. Prior to this appointment, he served as the special commissioner of police in New Delhi, overseeing traffic zone II. Dhaliwal is known for solving several high-profile cases, including the Dhaula Kuan gangrape and the murder case of Punjabi singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala.

KV Subramanian has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Bank, with his term starting on September 23, 2024. Prior to this role, Subramanian was the Joint Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank. Federal Bank, headquartered in Aluva, Kerala, is a prominent Indian private sector bank founded on April 23, 1931, by K. P. Hormis. His appointment marks a significant leadership transition for the bank.

Paytm Payments Bank has appointed Arun Kumar Bansal, a former executive at IDBI Bank, as its new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Bansal replaces Surinder Chawla, who retired in June. His appointment is part of a broader restructuring at Paytm Payments Bank, which has seen several senior-level changes and the induction of new independent directors to its board. Bansal's experience and previous roles position him well to lead the bank into its next phase of growth.

Vinay Kwatra, the former Foreign Secretary of India, has been appointed as India's new Ambassador to the United States, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs. He will take over the role that has been vacant since January 2024 following Taranjit Sandhu's retirement. Kwatra brings extensive diplomatic experience to the position, having served in various key roles, including as a diplomat in Geneva, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Beijing, and at the SAARC Secretariat in Nepal. His career in the Indian Foreign Service began in 1988, and he has held numerous significant positions since then.

Sanjeev Krishan has been re-elected as the Chairperson of PwC India for a second term, beginning April 1, 2025. Krishan, who started his first term on January 1, 2021, joined PwC in 1991 as an articled trainee and has had a significant impact on the firm. In addition to his role as Chairperson, he will continue to serve on the PwC Global Strategy Council. His re-election underscores his leadership and contributions to the firm's strategic direction and global presence.