Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Anurag Garg, an IPS officer from the 1993 batch of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Previously serving as the Additional DG in the Border Security Force (BSF), he will lead the NCB until May 23, 2026, or until further instructions are issued. This appointment comes after CRPF DG Anish Dayal Singh held the position in an additional capacity following S N Pradhan's retirement, marking a significant leadership change in India's drug enforcement agency.

Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic medalist in shooting, has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways. Bhaker, whose father is a marine engineer, is the first Indian to win two individual Olympic medals. Her appointment as a brand ambassador reflects her excellence in sports and her connection to the maritime industry through her family background. Bhaker’s role is expected to promote the initiatives of the Ports Ministry, enhancing its visibility and outreach.

Brijendra Pratap Singh has been selected by the Public Enterprises Selection Board to lead National Aluminium Corporation, a prestigious Navratna company under the Ministry of Mines, headquartered in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Currently, Singh serves as director of SAIL's Burnpur and Durgapur Steel Plants. His appointment is subject to requisite clearances and approval from the Appointments Committee of Cabinet. Singh will bring his expertise to NALCO, guiding the company's strategic growth and development in the aluminium sector. His leadership experience in the steel industry will be valuable in navigating challenges and opportunities.

Saurabh Shah, previously Deputy CFO at Adani Enterprises, has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of Adani Green Energy Ltd, effective from October 1, 2024. He will be succeeding Phuntsok Wangyal in this position. Additionally, other executive shifts have been announced within the company, with Shaminder Singh Jamwal taking over as Head of security and Satyajeet Ghoshal moving to a role focused on business intelligence and technology transformation.

R. Ravindra, currently serving as the Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN in New York, has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to Iceland. The Ministry of External Affairs announced his appointment on September 10, 2024. He belongs to the 1999 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers and is expected to take up his new role shortly.