AWARDS & HONOURS

Parveen Shaikh Wins 2026 Whitley Award

• Honoured for community-led conservation of the endangered Indian Skimmer, a rare river bird.
• India hosts over 90% of the global Indian Skimmer population, estimated at around 3,000 birds.
• The award was presented at the Royal Geographical Society by Princess Anne.

Indian Journalists Win Pulitzer Prize 2026

• R. K. Anand and Suparna Sharma won for their Bloomberg investigation 'trAPPed' on cyber fraud and digital surveillance.
• Shared the award with co-reporter Natalie Obiko Pearson.
• The Pulitzer Prize is administered by Columbia University in the United States.

Soma Mandal — Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award 2026 (South Asia)

• Recognised for her work in environmental and climate-change education.
• Announced by Cambridge University Press & Assessment for encouraging student engagement with sustainability.

National Florence Nightingale Awards 2026

• Presented by President Droupadi Murmu on International Nurses Day, honouring outstanding nursing professionals.
• Each award includes a Certificate of Merit, ₹1 lakh cash prize and a medal.

PM Modi Receives Sweden's Royal Order of the Polar Star

• One of Sweden's highest honours for foreign leaders, established in 1748; awarded during his official Sweden visit.
• Recognises his contribution to international diplomacy and public leadership.

PM Modi Receives Norway's Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Merit

• His 32nd international honour from a foreign nation, reflecting India's expanding global diplomatic footprint.
• One of Norway's most prestigious honours for foreign dignitaries.

PM Modi Receives FAO Agricola Medal

• Awarded in Rome for India's contributions to sustainable agriculture and food security.
• Highlights India's progress in agricultural modernisation and farmer welfare.

'Taiwan Travelogue' Wins International Booker Prize 2026

• Written by Yang Shuang-zi, translated by Lin King — the first Mandarin-Chinese work to win the prize.
• The award recognises author and translator jointly.

Tripti Mukherjee to Receive Padma Shri

• Honoured for nearly 37 years of preserving West Bengal's traditional Kantha embroidery craft.
• Recognised also for artisan training and women's empowerment through skill development.

Chandrayaan-3 Wins 2026 Goddard Astronautics Award

• Recognised by AIAA for India's historic soft landing near the Moon's south pole.
• Accepted on ISRO's behalf by India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, in Washington DC.

IIT Kanpur's Manindra Agrawal, Dr Soumya Swaminathan Elected Royal Society Fellows

• Agrawal is renowned for the AKS Primality Test, a landmark algorithm in theoretical computer science.
• The Royal Society counts historic scientists like Newton, Einstein and Darwin among its Fellows.

2026 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards

• Received a record 504 nominations from 89 countries; Liesl Zühlke won the Africa/Arab States Award.
• Recognises outstanding contributions in life sciences and environmental sciences globally.

South Africa Confers Order of Mapungubwe on Indian-Origin Scientists

• Salim Abdool Karim and Keertan Dheda honoured for their contributions to HIV/AIDS and TB research.
• Presented by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the National Orders ceremony in Pretoria.

Major Abhilasha Barak Wins UN Gender Advocate Award

• India's first woman combat helicopter pilot, serving in UNIFIL Lebanon, received the 2025 award.
• Commands the Female Engagement Team within the Indian Battalion in Lebanon.

Sansad Ratna Awards 2026

• Recognised 10 Lok Sabha MPs, 2 Rajya Sabha MPs and 4 Parliamentary Standing Committees for outstanding performance.
• Smita Uday Wagh received special recognition for continuing parliamentary duties amid chemotherapy treatment.

Bangalore Water Board Ranks Among Top 5 Globally

• Recognised at the Global Water Summit 2026, Madrid, for sustainable water governance.
• The only Indian water utility to secure a top-five spot in three major award categories, driven by its '5 pillars' strategy.

Sikkim Police Conferred President's Police Colour

• Presented by President Droupadi Murmu in Gangtok, a top honour for distinguished police service.
• Recognises exceptional service, professional excellence and commitment to public safety.