Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, along with his wife Anjali Pichai, was honoured by their alma mater, IIT Kharagpur. Pichai was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) degree during a ceremony in San Francisco. This honour acknowledged his significant contributions to the field of technology and his leadership at one of the world’s most influential companies. The event highlighted the global impact of IIT Kharagpur and fulfilled the aspirations of Pichai's family regarding higher education.

Sanjay Shukla has assumed the role of Managing Director (MD) of the National Housing Bank (NHB) as of July 30, 2024. With a career spanning over three decades in housing and retail asset finance, Shukla has held notable positions, including business head at ING Vysya Bank and founding MD of Centrum Housing Finance Limited. His extensive experience and leadership have significantly impacted the financial institutions he has led, contributing to his appointment as MD at NHB.

Preeti Sudan, the former Union Health Secretary, is appointed as the Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), effective from August 1, 2024. This decision follows the resignation of the outgoing Chairperson, Manoj Soni. Ms. Sudan's tenure is expected to last until April 2025, aligning with the age limit for the UPSC leadership role as stipulated by the Constitution.

V. Vedachalam, a distinguished Tamil epigrapher and historian, was honoured with the V Venkayya Epigraphy Award in 2024. This award acknowledges his extensive contributions to the field of Indian epigraphy, including authorship of numerous books on diverse subjects such as numismatics, temple art, religion, and society. The award, instituted by Sunitha Madhavan and associated with the Tamil Heritage Trust, celebrates exceptional contributions to epigraphy, underscoring its significance in understanding India's historical heritage.

Manoj Mittal has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) by the Government of India. He brings over 33 years of experience in the financial services sector, having previously served as the Managing Director of the Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) and as the Deputy Managing Director at Sidbi. Sidbi, established on April 2, 1990, is the Principal Financial Institution for promoting, financing, and developing the MSME sector in India.