Current Affairs - Awards and Honours

Shri Vineet Joshi has been appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. With a distinguished career in the education sector, he has previously served as the Chief Secretary of Manipur, Director-General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), and Chairman of CBSE. He holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from IIT Kanpur and an MBA from IIFT, showcasing his academic and administrative expertise.

Ashok Chandra has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Punjab National Bank (PNB), effective January 2025. With over three decades of experience, he previously served as an Executive Director at Canara Bank, handling various key verticals like digital banking, IT, MSME, and financial inclusion. Alongside this appointment, Binod Kumar has been named the MD and CEO of Indian Bank. Kumar, also with extensive banking experience, previously held positions such as Chief General Manager (Corporate Credit) and Zonal Manager at PNB and was elevated to Executive Director in November 2022. Both appointments signify strategic leadership transitions in these major public sector banks.

Tarun Das, former Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), was awarded the Singapore Honorary Citizen Award. This recognition was given to him for his significant contribution to strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Singapore. The award was presented to him by Singapore's President, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, during a visit to India aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two countries across various sectors.

M. Rajeshwar Rao, a seasoned Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has been entrusted with the responsibility of heading the Monetary Policy and Economic Research Departments. He succeeds Michael Patra, whose term ended on January 15, 2025. Rao brings with him over four decades of experience in the RBI, having previously managed critical departments like Regulation, Risk Monitoring, and Communication. His expanded role includes participating temporarily in the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) until a permanent successor to Michael Patra is appointed.

Nawaf Salam, a former presiding judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has been appointed as Lebanon's new Prime Minister. Receiving nominations from two-thirds of Lebanon’s 128-member parliament, he takes over from caretaker PM Najib Mikati, who garnered only 9 votes. Nawaf Salam, known for his distinguished judicial career, joined the ICJ in 2018 and was elected its president for a three-year term in February. His appointment signifies a pivotal change in Lebanon’s political leadership amidst ongoing challenges.