General Awareness

AWARDS AND HONOURS - March 2025

Mar 2025

Aug 14, 2026

Gaj Gaurav Award 2026 Honours Jaldapara Mahouts

Seven mahouts from the Jaldapara Wildlife Division in West Bengal were honoured with the Gaj Gaurav Award 2026 for their work in elephant care and wildlife rescue operations. The award recognises dedication to wildlife conservation and animal protection, highlighting the frontline role played by mahouts in caring for elephants and coordinating rescue efforts. Jaldapara Wildlife Division, renowned for its biodiversity including elephants and endangered species like the one-horned rhinoceros, was celebrated for humanely handling complex wildlife situations. The ceremony showcased the important link between traditional hands-on care and modern wildlife management practices.

Recipients: Seven mahouts from Jaldapara Wildlife Division, West Bengal.
Award: Gaj Gaurav Award 2026 for elephant care and rescue work.
Significance: Recognition of frontline wildlife conservation efforts.
Location context: Jaldapara’s biodiversity, including elephants and rhinoceros.
Impact: Highlights traditional expertise in modern wildlife management.

Aug 13, 2026

Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards 2024–25 conferred

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships (Akademi Ratna) and Akademi Puraskar for 2024 and 2025 in August 2026. A total of 115 artists were honoured for their outstanding contributions to performing arts, including music, dance, theatre and traditional arts. The ceremony took place at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Akademi Ratna recognises lifetime achievement, while Akademi Puraskar honours significant artistic work. The awards highlight the diversity and richness of India's cultural heritage and celebrate artists who have shaped contemporary Indian performing arts through sustained excellence and innovation. The government announced plans to promote regional arts and provide more opportunities for emerging talent.

Sangeet Natak Akademi awards conferred for 2024 and 2025.
115 artists honoured across music, dance, theatre and traditional arts.
Ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Akademi Ratna for lifetime achievement; Akademi Puraskar for notable work.
Plans to promote regional arts and support emerging talent.

Aug 11, 2026

Deepak Dhar named recipient of 2026 Dirac Medal by ICTP

Indian theoretical physicist Deepak Dhar was named among the recipients of the 2026 Dirac Medal awarded by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). The award recognises Dhar's important contributions to statistical mechanics and the study of complex systems, including influential work on self-organised criticality. Dhar's career spans several Indian institutions, and he has been associated with IISER Pune as a Distinguished Emeritus Professor. The Dirac Medal is one of the field's most respected international honours and typically accompanies a lecture as part of ICTP's mission to promote theoretical science in developing regions.

Deepak Dhar named recipient of the 2026 Dirac Medal
Awarded by ICTP for work in statistical mechanics and complex systems
Noted for self-organised criticality research
Associated with IISER Pune as Distinguished Emeritus Professor
Dirac Medal is a prestigious international honour in theoretical physics

Aug 10, 2026

President's Colour awarded to Puducherry Police

Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the President's Colour to the Puducherry Police in August 2026, recognizing the force's distinguished service, discipline and contribution to maintaining law and order. The award ceremony followed months of preparations by the Puducherry Police for the national honour, which is among the highest recognitions bestowed on police and armed forces. The event highlighted the department's long-standing commitment to public safety, operational readiness and community engagement. The presentation reflects central government acknowledgment of the force's performance in coastal union territory's crime prevention, disaster response and policing across urban and rural frontiers. The ceremony underscored inter-governmental cooperation and the value of ceremonial awards in boosting morale.

President's Colour presented to Puducherry Police
Conferred by Union Home Minister Amit Shah
Award highlights service, discipline and order maintenance
Ceremony followed extensive 2026 preparations
Significance as one of the highest police honours

Aug 05, 2026

Annapurni Subramaniam wins COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal 2026, first Indian woman recipient

Annapurni Subramaniam, Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bengaluru, has become the first Indian woman scientist to receive the COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal in 2026. The award recognises her significant contributions to space research, including studies on stellar populations, blue straggler stars, and observations from AstroSat’s UVIT instrument. Subramaniam is the fourth Indian to receive this honour, highlighting India’s rising role in space science. The COSPAR medal underscores long-term astronomical research and the growing involvement of Indian researchers in international space programs, reflecting ongoing collaboration between Indian institutions and global space agencies.

Recipient: Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, IIA Bengaluru.
First Indian woman to receive Vikram Sarabhai Medal (2026).
Research focus: stellar populations, blue stragglers, AstroSat UVIT data.
Fourth Indian awarded the honour overall.
Significance: strengthens India’s space research profile.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

August GK, July GK, June GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26