Current Affairs - Persons

Karim Maredia was selected to receive the Borlaug CAST Communication Award for his contributions to global agricultural science. Born in a small village in Gujarat, India, Maredia is an agricultural scientist with expertise in international development and technology transfer. His work includes developing programmes that improve biosafety and agricultural productivity in developing nations. The award recognises professionals who demonstrate excellence in communicating agricultural, environmental, or food science issues. It is presented by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), established in 1972 and headquartered in Ames, Iowa, USA. The award is named after renowned agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug.

Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic won the 73rd Miss World 2026 pageant held in Vietnam. She was crowned on September 5, 2026, succeeding Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand, the 72nd Miss World. Dominguez holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana. She is also a professional model and serves as a Goya Gives Ambassador. Elisabeth Reynés of Spain was the first runner-up, while Taanusiya Chetty of Malaysia secured the second runner-up position. India was represented by Nikita Porwal of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, who had qualified after winning the Femina Miss India World 2024 title.

Kishor Makwana, Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), is set to receive the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Jan Seva Puraskar 2026. The award recognises the contribution of the NCSC towards social justice, protection of the constitutional and legal rights of Scheduled Castes, and public service. Prime Point Foundation and the Sansad Ratna Awards Jury nominated the NCSC for this honour. The award also acknowledges Makwana’s leadership and dedicated service during his tenure as Chairman. It is scheduled to be presented during the 16th Sansad Ratna Awards 2026 event in Delhi, highlighting the importance of equality, dignity, justice, and empowerment.

Roger Federer was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on September 2, 2026. He achieved this honour in his first year of eligibility after retiring from professional tennis in 2022. Federer won 20 Grand Slam titles, including a record eight Wimbledon championships, and completed his Career Grand Slam by winning the French Open in 2009. He also accumulated 103 ATP Tour titles and held the World No. 1 ranking for 310 weeks. His Olympic achievements include a doubles gold medal in 2008 and a singles silver medal in 2012.

Sophie Adenot became the first French woman to perform a spacewalk during a maintenance mission at the International Space Station (ISS). She conducted the spacewalk alongside NASA astronaut Anil Menon, with the primary objective of replacing a space-to-ground antenna that supports the station’s communication network. The work was carried out around the Z1 truss above the Unity module. The initial spacewalk lasted approximately six and a half hours, but the antenna installation could not be completed due to time constraints. A second spacewalk was scheduled for August 25, 2026, to finish the installation, with Jack Hathaway assisting through the Canadarm2 robotic arm.