Indian spiritual leader, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was presented with the 'Order of St. George' Award for the year 2019 as part of the Commemorative Feast at the Puthuppally St. George Orthodox Church (462-year-old ) in Kottayam, Kerala. The award was presented by the head of Kandanad East diocese, Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan at the cultural conference held at the church. In 1981, Sri Sri founded the Art of Living Foundation, a volunteer-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) providing social support to the people.

The new emperor, Naruhito (59-year-old), on 1st May received the sacred imperial regalia that represents his rightful succession to the world's oldest monarchy, Tokyo, Japan. Emperor Akihito of Japan formally stepped down on 30th April 2019 as his son Naruhito prepared to take the Chrysanthemum Throne and usher in a new imperial era. Emperor Akihito abdicated the Chrysanthemum Throne three decades after he succeeded his father, the wartime emperor Hirohito. This is the first abdication for 200 years in the world's oldest monarchy. In the "Room of Pine" in Tokyo's Imperial Palace, the popular 85-year-old performed the abdication ritual in the presence of the imperial regalia, an ancient sword and the sacred jewel. Akihito (now 85 years old), took the throne in 1989. He devoted his career correcting for a war fought in his father's name. He even brought the aloof monarchy closer to people. He is the first emperor in Japan's modern history whose era did not have a war. While the role of the emperor has been chiefly ceremonial since the end of World War II, the departing monarch acted as the nation's chief consoler during times of disaster, such as the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and sought to make amends throughout Asia for Japan's wartime atrocities.

Chris Gayle has been appointed as the vice-captain of the West Indies World Cup team that will be led by Jason Holder. The 39-year-old Jamaican, who will retire from the One-day International (ODI) format of the game following the Cricket World Cup 2019 expressed his gratitude and support to the team.

Stevo Pendarovski, the 55-year-old former political-science professor won the presidential runoff vote amid promises to push the Balkan state towards NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and European Union membership. Pendarovski had 51.7% of votes whereas Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, his challenger, had 44.7% votes. Siljanovska-Davkova is North Macedonia's first female candidate and a university professor. The main conservative opposition VMRO DPMNE (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity) party (which backed Siljanovska-Davkova) having seen many irregularities in the election procedure, accused the government of "electoral engineering".

Indian goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh has been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award by Hockey India. Chinglensana Singh Kangujam and Akashdeep Singh and women's team defender Deepika have been nominated for the Arjuna Award. Hockey India has also nominated R.P. Singh and Sandeep Kaur for Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement.

US President Donald Trump on May 6, 2019 bestowed Tiger Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour, describing the golfer as one of the greatest athletes in the history of sports. The 43-year-old is only the fourth and the youngest golfer ever to have received the highest American civilian award.

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge clinched his fourth London Marathon 2019 crown on 28th April at London, UK. Kipchoge strode clear of the field to win with the second fastest-ever time of 2:02:37. He set the world record time of 2:01.39s at Berlin in 2018.

India's first Nobel laureate who reshaped Bengali literature and music, Rabindranath Tagore was also an educationist who started the Vishwa Bharati University in Shantiniketan, and in the process, challenged conventional mores of education. Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary is also known as Pochise Boishakh 2019.

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Kerala High Court judge, Justice Parappillil Ramakrishnan Nair Ramachandra Menon (P.R. Ramachandra Menon) as Chief Justice Of Chhattisgarh High Court while exercising his powers conferred by clause (A) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India. At the same time, Bombay High Court judge Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka elevated as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court and Justice Shripathi Ravindra, a judge of the Delhi High Court was named as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.

To commemorate the 750th birth anniversary of Sri Vedanta Desikan, Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a postage stamp in New Delhi on May 2, 2019. The stamp has been released by Indian postal department. The postage stamps inspire the younger generation to practice humanism, peace and compassion propagated by the great saint and spiritual icon.