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General Knowledge

Awards & Honours

📘 NDA GAT Section · CFN06

Awards & Honours in NDA GAT tests the hierarchy of gallantry awards (wartime vs peacetime), recent Bharat Ratna recipients, and key government appointments. The most tested distinction: Param Vir Chakra (wartime) vs Ashoka Chakra (peacetime). Know this firmly — NDA sets this as a trap in almost every cycle.

📌 NDA Pattern — Awards & Honours:
• Gallantry hierarchy: wartime order & peacetime order | • Bharat Ratna: recent recipients + their field
• Nobel: winner + country + discovery | • Key appointments: CJI, NSA, RBI Governor
• International org heads | • Padma awards: which is highest?

1. Gallantry Awards — Complete Hierarchy

🏆 Wartime Gallantry (for acts in presence of the enemy)

1. Param Vir Chakra (PVC): India’s HIGHEST wartime gallantry award. 21 recipients (most posthumous). Most recent: Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, Subedar Sanjay Kumar, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, Captain Vikram Batra (all Kargil 1999). Equivalent of Victoria Cross (UK) / Medal of Honor (USA).
2. Maha Vir Chakra (MVC): 2nd highest wartime. “In the presence of the enemy” acts of gallantry.
3. Vir Chakra: 3rd highest wartime gallantry.

🏆 Peacetime Gallantry (for acts NOT in presence of enemy)

1. Ashoka Chakra: India’s HIGHEST peacetime gallantry award. Awarded on Republic Day (26 January). For bravery, courageous action, or self-sacrifice in peacetime (anti-insurgency, counter-terrorism, disaster rescue). Often awarded posthumously to soldiers killed in anti-Naxal or counter-terrorism operations.
2. Kirti Chakra: 2nd highest peacetime gallantry.
3. Shaurya Chakra: 3rd highest peacetime gallantry. Most commonly awarded; largest number of annual recipients.

⚠ NDA Trap: “What is India’s highest gallantry award?” = Param Vir Chakra (wartime). “What is India’s highest peacetime gallantry award?” = Ashoka Chakra. These are the two most confused in NDA. PVC = wartime enemy-facing; Ashoka Chakra = peacetime (no enemy). Announced on different days: PVC on 26 Jan AND 15 Aug; Ashoka Chakra ONLY on 26 Jan.

2. Civilian Awards

🏅 Bharat Ratna 2024 — Record 5 in One Year

P V Narasimha Rao (posthumous): 9th PM of India. Architect of 1991 economic liberalisation (LPG reforms: Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation) with Dr Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister.
Chaudhary Charan Singh (posthumous): 5th PM of India (1979–80). Champion of farmers’ rights; leader of Bharatiya Lok Dal. Jan 23 = Rashtriya Kisan Diwas on his birthday.
MS Swaminathan (posthumous): Agricultural scientist; “Father of Green Revolution in India.” Developed high-yielding wheat and rice varieties with Norman Borlaug’s input. Made India food-sufficient by 1970s.
L K Advani (living): Senior BJP leader; Deputy PM (2002–04); key figure in Ram Janmabhoomi movement; Rath Yatra 1990.
Note: 5 Bharat Ratnas in 2024 = unprecedented (previous maximum: 3 in one year). Total recipients since 1954: ~53. Dr Manmohan Singh (passed away Dec 2024) likely to receive posthumous Bharat Ratna in 2025.

🏅 Padma Awards Hierarchy

Padma Vibhushan: India’s 2nd highest civilian honour (after Bharat Ratna). Exceptional and distinguished service.
Padma Bhushan: 3rd highest. Distinguished service of a high order.
Padma Shri: 4th highest. Distinguished service in any field. Largest in number annually.
Announced annually on Republic Day (26 January). Categories: Art, Literature, Science, Social Work, Sports, Trade & Industry, Civil Service.

3. Nobel Prize 2024 & International Awards

📌 Nobel Prize 2024

Peace: Nihon Hidankyo (Japan). Organisation of atomic bomb (Hibakusha) survivors. Advocating nuclear-free world.
Physics: Hopfield & Hinton (USA). Foundational AI/neural network discoveries.
Chemistry: Hassabis, Jumper (DeepMind) + David Baker. AlphaFold protein prediction; computational protein design.
Medicine: Ambros + Ruvkun (USA). Discovery of microRNA.
Literature: Han Kang (South Korea). First Asian woman Nobel Literature laureate.
Economics: Acemoglu, Johnson, Robinson. How institutions shape wealth and poverty.

🎬 Oscar Awards (India-related)

“Naatu Naatu” from RRR (2023): Won Best Original Song at 95th Academy Awards. Composed by MM Keeravani; sung by Rahul Sipligunj & Kaala Bhairava. First Indian song to win an Oscar.
“The Elephant Whisperers” (2023): Won Best Documentary Short at 95th Academy Awards. Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves; produced by Guneet Monga. About bonding between an elephant and its caretakers at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu. First Indian production to win in this category.

4. Key Appointments (2024–2025)

👥 Constitutional & Government Appointments

Chief Justice of India (CJI): Justice Sanjiv Khanna — 51st CJI, appointed Nov 11, 2024. Known for electoral bonds bench, NJAC judgment. From April 2025: Justice B.R. Gavai (check for latest update before exam).
Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar. Appointed March 2022. Under new CEC Act 2023, appointed by PM + Leader of Opposition + a Cabinet Minister (panel).
CAG (Comptroller & Auditor General): Girish Chandra Murmu. 14th CAG. Constitutional position (Article 148). 6-year term or 65 years, whichever earlier.
Attorney General of India: R. Venkataramani. Appointed Oct 2022. India’s highest law officer; represents Union in Supreme Court.
NSA (National Security Advisor): Ajit Doval. Reappointed for 3rd term (Jun 2024). First police officer as NSA. IPS (Kerala cadre). Former Director, Intelligence Bureau.
Foreign Secretary: Vikram Misri. Appointed Jul 2024. Ex-Ambassador to China; managed border diplomacy. Succeeded Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra. Appointed Dec 2024. 3-year term. Succeeded Shaktikanta Das (2018–2024). Ex-Revenue Secretary, Finance Ministry. IAS (Rajasthan cadre, 1990 batch).

🌎 International Organisation Heads

UN Secretary-General: Antonio Guterres (Portugal). 9th UNSG. Since Jan 2017; 2nd term till Dec 2026.
World Bank President: Ajay Banga (USA, Indian-origin). Since June 2023. First Indian-origin World Bank President.
IMF Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva (Bulgaria). Since 2019; 2nd term.
WHO Director-General: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ethiopia). Since 2017; reappointed 2022. First African DG of WHO.
WTO Director-General: Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria). Since March 2021. First woman and first African DG of WTO.

📝 NDA PYQ

Awards & Honours — NDA GAT Pattern Questions

Q1. Which is India’s highest peacetime gallantry award?

(a) Param Vir Chakra (b) Vir Chakra (c) Ashoka Chakra (d) Kirti Chakra

Answer: (c) Ashoka Chakra
Peacetime hierarchy: Ashoka Chakra > Kirti Chakra > Shaurya Chakra. Wartime hierarchy: PVC > MVC > Vir Chakra. Ashoka Chakra = highest peacetime; PVC = highest wartime (and highest gallantry award overall). Ashoka Chakra announced on Republic Day (26 Jan only). PVC announced on both Republic Day and Independence Day.

Q2. In 2024, India conferred Bharat Ratna on 5 individuals — the largest number in a single year. Who among the following received the Bharat Ratna 2024?

(a) Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (b) MS Swaminathan (c) Atal Bihari Vajpayee (d) Manmohan Singh (2024 recipient)

Answer: (b) MS Swaminathan
MS Swaminathan (agricultural scientist, “Father of Green Revolution in India”) received Bharat Ratna 2024 (posthumously). Other 2024 recipients: PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh (both posthumous), LK Advani (living). Dr APJ Abdul Kalam received BR in 1997. Vajpayee received BR in 2015. Dr Manmohan Singh (who passed away Dec 2024) will likely receive it posthumously in 2025.

Q3. “Naatu Naatu” from the Indian film RRR made history at which awards ceremony?

(a) BAFTA — Best Original Score (b) Grammy Awards — Best Global Music Performance (c) Academy Awards (Oscars) — Best Original Song (d) Golden Globe — Best Foreign Language Film

Answer: (c) Academy Awards (95th Oscars, 2023) — Best Original Song
“Naatu Naatu” from SS Rajamouli’s RRR won Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards. Composed by MM Keeravani. First Indian song to win an Oscar. “The Elephant Whisperers” (Kartiki Gonsalves) also won Best Documentary Short at the same ceremony — two Indian wins at 95th Oscars.

Q4. Ajay Banga was appointed as President of which international organisation in 2023, making him historically significant?

(a) IMF — first Indian-origin Managing Director (b) World Bank — first Indian-origin President (c) WHO — first Asian Director-General (d) WTO — first non-European Director-General

Answer: (b) World Bank — first person of Indian descent to serve as World Bank President
Ajay Banga (born in Pune; US citizen) was elected World Bank Group President in June 2023. Former CEO of Mastercard. Nominated by US President Biden. By convention, World Bank President is nominated by USA; IMF Managing Director is nominated by Europe.

Q5. Who is the current National Security Advisor (NSA) of India, and for which term was he reappointed in June 2024?

(a) Doval, 2nd term (b) Menon, 3rd term (c) Doval, 3rd term (d) Kumar, 1st term

Answer: (c) Ajit Doval; 3rd term (reappointed June 2024)
Ajit Doval is India’s NSA since 2014 (first term). He was reappointed for a 3rd consecutive term in June 2024 alongside PM Modi’s 3rd term as PM. First police officer (IPS) to serve as NSA. Formerly Director, Intelligence Bureau. Kerala cadre IPS (1968 batch).

Q6. The Nobel Peace Prize 2024 was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo. What is Nihon Hidankyo and why did it receive the prize?

(a) A Japanese tech company; for climate-neutral innovations (b) A Japanese organisation of atomic bomb survivors; for nuclear abolition efforts (c) Japan’s space agency; for planetary exploration (d) A Japanese humanitarian NGO; for earthquake relief

Answer: (b) Japanese organisation of atomic bomb survivors (Hibakusha); recognised for efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons
Nihon Hidankyo represents survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings (1945). Their testimony has sustained global awareness of nuclear weapons’ humanitarian consequences. Nobel Committee cited their work toward a nuclear-weapons-free world. First Japanese organisation to win Peace Prize since 1974.

🔥 TRICKY QUESTIONS

Awards — Hierarchy Traps & Historical Firsts

🤯 T1. A student says: “Ashoka Chakra and Param Vir Chakra are both India’s highest gallantry awards.” What is wrong with this statement?

The statement is imprecise and misleading:
Param Vir Chakra (PVC) = India’s highest gallantry award for wartime acts (acts in presence of the enemy, during military operations).
Ashoka Chakra = India’s highest gallantry award for peacetime acts (acts NOT in presence of the enemy; counter-terrorism, rescue, anti-insurgency).
They are highest in their respective categories, not both the “highest overall.” If asked which is India’s highest gallantry award overall, the answer is Param Vir Chakra.
NDA exam: When the option says “highest gallantry award” without “peacetime,” choose PVC. When it says “highest peacetime,” choose Ashoka Chakra.

📝 Rapid Revision — CFN06 Awards & Honours

🏆 Gallantry Hierarchy

WARTIME: PVC > MVC > Vir Chakra
PEACETIME: Ashoka > Kirti > Shaurya Chakra
PVC = highest overall; 21 recipients; mostly posthumous
Ashoka Chakra = highest peacetime; 26 January only
Shaurya Chakra = most common peacetime award

🏅 Bharat Ratna 2024

PV Narasimha Rao: 9th PM; 1991 LPG reforms
Chaudhary Charan Singh: 5th PM; farmers champion
MS Swaminathan: Father of Green Revolution
LK Advani: BJP founder; Deputy PM
5 in one year = unprecedented record

📌 Nobel 2024

Peace: Nihon Hidankyo (Japan; nuclear abolition)
Physics: Hopfield + Hinton (AI/neural networks)
Chemistry: AlphaFold (protein structure AI)
Literature: Han Kang (S Korea; 1st Asian woman)
Medicine: microRNA (Ambros + Ruvkun)

👥 Key Officials

CJI: Justice Sanjiv Khanna (51st; Nov 2024)
NSA: Ajit Doval (3rd term; Jun 2024)
RBI Gov: Sanjay Malhotra (Dec 2024)
World Bank: Ajay Banga (1st Indian-origin)
WTO: Okonjo-Iweala (1st woman + 1st African)

⚡ Quick Booster — CFN06

🏆 Award Hierarchy

Highest overall = PVC (wartime)
Highest peacetime = Ashoka Chakra
Civilian: BR > Padma Vibhushan > Bhushan > Shri
Padma Shri = most commonly given
PVC announced: 26 Jan + 15 Aug

📌 Nobel + Oscars

Nobel Peace = Nihon Hidankyo (Japan)
Nobel Physics = AI (Hopfield + Hinton)
Han Kang = 1st Asian woman (Literature)
Naatu Naatu = Oscar Best Original Song
Elephant Whisperers = Oscar Best Doc Short

NDA Traps

PVC = wartime; Ashoka = peacetime (NOT same)
World Bank = Ajay Banga (NOT IMF)
IMF = Georgieva (NOT World Bank)
Bharat Ratna 2024 = MS Swaminathan (NOT Kalam)
Nobel Physics 2024 = AI (NOT quantum computing)

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