Daily Current Affairs – 21-11-2025
Personalities, Awards and Events
Ilakkiya Maamani Awards 2024 Presented by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin
At the Chennai Secretariat, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin presented the Ilakkiya Maamani Award 2024 instituted by the Tamil Development Department to Professor The. Gnanasundaram, former Vice-Chairman of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, Dr. R. Kamarasu from Tiruvarur district, and K. Somasundaram (Kalapriya) from Tenkasi district, representing the categories of Padma Shri Fame Tamil, Research Tamil, and Creative Tamil respectively. The award, announced by the Chief Minister on June 3, 2021, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, is given annually to three scholars who contribute to Tamil literature, and so far 12 scholars have received it. Each recipient was honoured with a ₹5 lakh cheque, a one-sovereign gold medal, and a citation, in the presence of Tamil Development Minister M.P. Saminathan, Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam, Tamil Development and Information Department Secretary V. Rajaraman, and Tamil Development Department Director Avvai N. Arul.
Retirement of Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Appointment of Next CJI
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, the 52nd Chief Justice of India, will retire on November 21, marking his final day of hearings at the Supreme Court of India. He took charge as CJI on May 14 after having served as an advocate in the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990, and later as a Government Pleader at the Nagpur Bench on January 17, 2000. He became an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2003, a Permanent Judge on November 12, 2005, and was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. Over the past six years, he has served on benches involving around 700 judges, handling major cases in constitutional, civil, criminal, commercial, consumer, electricity, educational, and environmental law, and has authored nearly 300 judgements. He was part of key Constitution Bench rulings on demonetisation, internal reservation for SC/ST communities, and abrogation of Article 370, and recently headed the bench that held that no deadline can be imposed on the Governor or President regarding decisions linked to Maharashtra. Following his retirement, Justice Suryakant will assume office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24.
Key Judgements
- Validity of demonetisation upheld
- Internal reservation within SC/ST quotas permitted
- Article 370 abrogation upheld
- No deadline can be fixed for Governor or President in Maharashtra decision
Tamil Isai Sangam Awards 2025
At the 83rd Annual Tamil Isai Festival scheduled on December 21, 2025, the Tamil Isai Sangam will confer the Isai Perarignar award on Chitra Visweswaran, a renowned dancer and recipient of the Padma Shri and Kalaimamani awards, and the Pann Isai Perarignar award on Kudanthai V. Lakshmanan, a noted Thirumurai musician and disciple of Isai Perarignar Dharmapuram Swaminathan. The awards will be presented at Raja Annamalai Mandram, Chennai, by Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court, and each recipient will receive a ₹10,000 cheque as part of the honour.