May 30, 2025
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Famous personalities

Famous Personalities in News: Must-Know Icons for Railway NTPC Exam 2025

General Awareness can make or break your score in the Railway NTPC Exam 2025, and questions related to famous personalities in news are a hot favorite. Whether it’s a Nobel laureate, a political leader, or a sports icon, staying updated on who’s who in current affairs is crucial to cracking the exam.

In this blog, we bring you a curated list of key personalities—both Indian and global—who made headlines in the past year. Let’s dive into the names and reasons why they’re important for your exam.

Famous Indian Personalities in the News (2024–2025)

1. Ratan Tata – Honored with ‘Bharat Ratna’ (2024)

  • The industrialist and philanthropist was recently awarded India’s highest civilian award.
  • Known for: Tata Group, simplicity, and national service.

2. Dr. M.S. Swaminathan – Passed Away (September 2023)

  • The father of India’s Green Revolution passed away, making headlines.
  • Contributions: Agricultural innovation, food security.

3. Narendra Modi – Global Recognition

  • The Prime Minister was in the news for international diplomacy, G20 leadership, and hosting global summits in India.

4. Neeraj Chopra – Gold at World Athletics Championships (2023)

  • Javelin thrower and Olympic gold medalist continued to make India proud.

5. Nita Ambani – IOC Membership

  • Reappointed to the International Olympic Committee.
  • Involved in sports and cultural philanthropy in India.

6. Sudha Murty – Rajya Sabha Nominee (2024)

  • Author, philanthropist, and Infosys Foundation chairperson.
  • Known for simplicity and massive social impact.

7. PV Sindhu – Consistent Sports Achievements

  • India’s badminton ace remained in the news for global tournaments and endorsements.

🌍 Famous Personalities Internationally in the News (2024–2025)

1. Elon Musk – Tech & Space Innovations

  • Owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter).
  • In headlines for AI ventures and Mars colonization plans.

2. Volodymyr Zelenskyy – Ukraine War Updates

  • President of Ukraine continues to be a central figure in global politics.

3. Taylor Swift – Time’s Person of the Year (2023)

  • Pop icon and record-breaking artist influencing global youth culture and economy.

4. Javier Milei – President of Argentina

  • Elected in 2023; known for radical economic reforms and libertarian policies.

5. Sam Altman – AI and ChatGPT

  • CEO of OpenAI, leading voice in the artificial intelligence revolution.

6. Greta Thunberg – Climate Advocacy

  • Made headlines for her protests, speeches, and arrest in environmental activism events.

📌 Why This Matters for Railway NTPC Aspirants

The General Awareness section in CBT 1 and CBT 2 often includes:

  • Personalities in News
  • Awards and Honors
  • Recent Appointments or Resignations
  • Sports Achievements
  • Obituaries

Exam Tip: Questions like “Who won the Bharat Ratna in 2024?” or “Who is the President of Ukraine?” are very common.

🎯 Power Strategy to Remember Famous Personalities

Here are a few smart strategies to lock in these names:

✅ Use Flashcards: Create cards with name on one side and details on the other.

✅ Follow Monthly Current Affairs PDFs: Trusted sources like Vision IAS, AffairsCloud, and Drishti IAS.

✅ Practice GK Quizzes Weekly: Helps boost memory and retention.

✅ Make a News Notebook: Dedicate 10 minutes a day to jot down who was in the news and why.

🧠 Bonus: Most Expected Questions for Railway NTPC 2025

  1. Who received the Bharat Ratna in 2024?
    ➤ Ratan Tata
  2. Who won gold for India in World Athletics Championship 2023?
    ➤ Neeraj Chopra
  3. Who is the CEO of OpenAI?
    ➤ Sam Altman
  4. Who was reappointed to the International Olympic Committee from India?
    ➤ Nita Ambani
  5. Who is the current President of Ukraine?
    ➤ Volodymyr Zelenskyy
  6. Ratan Tata (1937–2024)
  7. Business Leader, Philanthropist
  8. Achievements: As Chairman of Tata Group (1991–2012), transformed the conglomerate into a global powerhouse with acquisitions like Jaguar Land Rover and Corus, growing revenues from $5.8 billion to $85 billion. Launched Tata Nano, expanded philanthropic work through Tata Trusts, impacting millions in education, health, and rural empowerment.
  9. Awards:
  10. Padma Bhushan (2000)
  11. Padma Vibhushan (2008)
  12. Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy (2007)
  13. Honorary Knight Grand Cross (2014)
  14. Udyog Ratna (2023)
  15. Sitaram Yechury (1952–2024)
  16. Veteran Politician, CPI(M) Leader
  17. Achievements: Former Rajya Sabha MP, CPI(M) Politburo member, known for coalition-building, advocacy for workers’ rights, and significant contributions to parliamentary debates. Authored books and edited People’s Democracy for 20 years.
  18. Awards: While not known for civilian awards, he was widely respected for his political intellect and contributions to Indian socialism.
  19. Manmohan Singh (1932–2024)
  20. Former Prime Minister, Economist
  21. Achievements: Architect of India’s 1991 economic reforms, Prime Minister (2004–2014), oversaw RTI Act, MGNREGA, and significant welfare schemes. Regarded as a thoughtful statesman and reformer.
  22. Awards:
  23. Padma Vibhushan (1987)
  24. Numerous honorary doctorates and international recognitions.
  25. Zakir Hussain (1951–2024)
  26. Tabla Maestro, Composer
  27. Achievements: Redefined Indian classical music, collaborated globally, educator and composer, four-time Grammy winner.
  28. Awards:
  29. Padma Shri (1988)
  30. Padma Bhushan (2002)
  31. Padma Vibhushan (2023)
  32. Four Grammy Awards.
  33. Sushil Kumar Modi (1952–2024)
  34. Politician, Former Deputy CM of Bihar
  35. Achievements: Key architect in shaping Bihar’s political landscape, fostered BJP-JD(U) alliance, served as Finance Minister.
  36. Awards: No major civilian awards, but recognized for his political acumen and governance.
  37. Shashi Ruia (1944–2024)
  38. Businessman, Essar Group Co-founder
  39. Achievements: Built Essar into a global conglomerate with interests in steel, energy, infrastructure, and services. Noted for his entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
  40. Awards: Various business leadership awards.
  41. Pankaj Udhas (1951–2024)
  42. Ghazal Singer
  43. Achievements: Iconic for songs like “Chitthi Aayi Hai,” contributed to popularizing ghazal music in India.
  44. Awards:
  45. Padma Shri (2006).
  46. World
  47. ➤ Some more famous personalities for ntpc exam 1
  48. Jimmy Carter (1924–2024)
  49. Former US President, Humanitarian
  50. Achievements: 39th President of the United States, Nobel Peace Prize laureate for humanitarian work, founder of The Carter Center.
  51. Awards:
  52. Nobel Peace Prize (2002)
  53. Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  54. Famous Indian Personalities in News (2024-2025)
  55. Politics and Public Life:
  56. Narendra Modi: Continued to dominate headlines as India’s Prime Minister.
  57. Rahul Gandhi: Returned as Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, made significant speeches including in the US, stirring political debates.
  58. Arvind Kejriwal: Delhi CM arrested in an excise policy scam case, later granted bail.
  59. Sitaram Yechury: Communist Party leader who passed away in September 2024.
  60. Baba Siddique: Former Maharashtra minister shot dead, linked to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
  61. Kangana Ranaut: Made her political debut with BJP, contested Lok Sabha elections, involved in controversies.
  62. Madhabi Puri: SEBI chairperson involved in controversy linked to Adani scandal.
  63. Ashneer Grover: Former BharatPe MD settled legal disputes this year.
  64. Business:
  65. Ratan Tata: Legendary industrialist passed away in October 2024, widely mourned.
  66. Gautam Adani: Continued to be a key business figure amidst controversies.
  67. KL Rahul: Indian cricketer involved in IPL team captaincy controversies.
  68. Entertainment:
  69. Diljit Dosanjh: Successful music and film career, performed internationally including Coachella.
  70. Salman Khan: Faced threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, security issues.
  71. Shah Rukh Khan: Featured on Hurun Rich List and Forbes highest-paid actors list; extortion call incident.
  72. Nancy Tyagi: Fashion influencer noted for Cannes Film Festival appearances.
  73. Hanumankind (Sooraj Cheukat): Indian rapper gaining international fame.
  74. Bollywood Actresses Leading in 2025:
  75. Deepika Padukone
  76. Alia Bhatt
  77. Katrina Kaif
  78. Priyanka Chopra Jonas
  79. Kareena Kapoor, among others.
  80. Famous Global Personalities in News (2024-2025)
  81. Politics and Global Influence:
  82. Angela Merkel: Noted for handling EU and global issues.
  83. Xi Jinping: Chinese President active in reforms and international relations.
  84. Boris Johnson: UK politician preparing for leadership bids.
  85. Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Turkish President with significant regional influence.
  86. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: ISIL leader influencing Middle East geopolitics.
  87. Tech and Business:
  88. Elon Musk: Continued prominence in tech and space sectors.
  89. Marissa Mayer: CEO of Yahoo!, influential in tech.
  90. Jack Dorsey: Twitter co-founder focusing on mobile payments and politics.
  91. Rupert Murdoch: Media mogul with ongoing influence.
  92. Carlos Slim: World’s richest man with active philanthropy.
  93. Entertainment and Sports:
  94. Steven Spielberg: World’s richest celebrity in 2025 with $5.3 billion net worth.
  95. Michael Jordan and LeBron James: NBA legends with massive salary and endorsement growth.
  96. Cristiano Ronaldo: Global sports icon.
  97. Justin Bieber: Major music celebrity.
  98. George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin: Influential couple in showbiz and politics.
  99. Michael Mosley (1957–2024)
  100. Doctor, Broadcaster
  101. Achievements: Popularized intermittent fasting, author, presenter of “Just One Thing”.
  102. Nikki Giovanni (1943–2024)
  103. Poet, Author
  104. Achievements: Leading voice of the Black Arts Movement, over 30 books published.
  105. Tulsi Gowda (c. 1944–2024)
  106. Environmental Activist
  107. Achievements: Known as “Encyclopedia of Forests,” planted over 30,000 saplings, preserved indigenous knowledge.
  108. Subbanna Ayyappan (1955–2025)
  109. Aquaculture Scientist
  110. Achievements: Key architect of India’s “Blue Revolution,” advanced fisheries and aquaculture research.
  111. Awards: Padma Shri.
  112. Shyam Benegal (1934–2024)
  113. Renowned film director and producer known for classics like Ankur (1974), Bhumika (1977), and Trikal (1985).
  114. Recipient of multiple National Film Awards and Padma Shri.
  115. Passed away on 23 December 2024
  116. Alok Chatterjee (1961–2025)
  117. Acclaimed film and theatre actor, NSD alumnus, honored with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2019).
  118. Acted in films like Patalghar (2003) and Haseen Dillruba (2021).
  119. Passed away on 6 January 2025.
  120. Manoj Kumar (1937–2025)
  121. Legendary actor-director known as ‘Bharat Kumar,’ famous for patriotic films like Shaheed, Upkar, and Kranti.
  122. Recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2015) and Padma Shri (1992).
  123. Passed away on 4 April 2025
  124. Mario Zagallo (Brazil, Football)
  125. Only person to win the FIFA World Cup as both player and coach, legendary figure in Brazilian football
  126. Padma Awards 2025
  127. Ajith Kumar, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Anant Nag, Shobana, Pankaj Udhas (posthumous), Shekhar Kapur
  128. Achievement: Conferred with Padma Bhushan for exceptional achievements in cinema and arts.
  129. Why in news: Recognized among India’s highest civilian honors for their lifelong contributions.
  130. Arijit Singh, Ashok Saraf, Barry John, Jaspinder Narula, Ricky Kej
  131. Achievement: Received Padma Shri for excellence in music, theatre, and arts.
  132. Why in news: Acknowledged for their influence and achievements in their respective fields
  133. Alia Bhatt
  134. Achievement: Cannes Film Festival debut in 2025; Gucci’s first Indian global brand ambassador.
  135. Why in news: Recognized for her international impact and expanding India’s presence on global platforms.
  136. Janhvi Kapoor
  137. Achievement: Cannes debut with the film Homebound, which received a 9-minute standing ovation.
  138. Why in news: Marked as a rising star on the international stage.
  139. Nitanshi Goel
  140. Achievement: Won Best Actress at IIFA Awards 2025 for Laapataa Ladies; made her Cannes debut representing L’Oréal Paris.
  141. Why in news: Lauded as a breakout star and for representing India internationally.
  142. Awards: Padma Shri.

🏁 Final Thoughts: Your Shortcut to Smart Success

Don’t let easy marks slip away! Famous personalities in the news are high-scoring and easy to prepare. Keep yourself updated, stay consistent, and practice regularly.

Remember: Every mark counts. And being aware of the world around you is not just good for exams—it’s good for life.

📚 Start building your current affairs power list today. Your Railway NTPC dream job awaits!

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