CAPF AC 2025 Q3: Current Affairs – Awards & Honours
- (a) Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan
- (b) Dr. Anandharamakrishnan C.
- (c) Prof. Umesh Varshney
- (d) Prof. Jayant Bhalchandra Udgaonkar
Answer: (a) Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan
Explanation
Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024
How to think: the Vigyan Ratna is the highest of the four categories, given for lifetime achievement.
In 2024, the first year of the awards, it went to only one scientist.
| Category | Meaning | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Vigyan Ratna | Lifetime contribution in any field of science | Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan (biochemist, former IISc director) |
| Vigyan Shri | Distinguished contribution in a field | 13 scientists |
| Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar | Young scientists up to 45 years | 18 scientists |
| Vigyan Team | Team of three or more | 1 team |
Prof. Padmanabhan is known for his work on the malaria parasite.
The awards were presented on 22 August 2024, a day before the first National Space Day.
Bank key corrected: the stored key was (b); the Vigyan Ratna 2024 went to Prof. Padmanabhan, (a).
Answer: (a) Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Prof. G. Padmanabhan received the Vigyan Ratna in 2024.
- (b) Incorrect. Dr. Anandharamakrishnan C. did not receive the Vigyan Ratna in 2024.
- (c) Incorrect. Prof. Umesh Varshney did not receive the Vigyan Ratna in 2024.
- (d) Incorrect. Prof. Jayant Udgaonkar did not receive the Vigyan Ratna in 2024.
Key point
Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar: instituted January 2024; categories Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, Vigyan Team; first awards announced 7 August 2024; 2024 Vigyan Ratna: Prof. G. Padmanabhan.
Remember
Vigyan Ratna 2024 = Padmanabhan (malaria parasite, IISc).
Common mistakes
- Mixing up Vigyan Ratna (one lifetime award) with Vigyan Shri (many awards).
- Treating this award as the old Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize, which was replaced.
- Choosing a name by familiarity instead of recalling the single Vigyan Ratna winner.
Exam tip
Educated guess: only one person gets the top lifetime award, and the 'former IISc director' with lifetime work is the senior name in the list. Remember Padmanabhan with Vigyan Ratna.
Sources
- PIB, Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024 awardees announced (Ministry of Science and Technology, August 2024)
- Government of India, Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar portal (awards.gov.in)