Human Resources Development Ministry presents Vishwakarma Awards
February 25, 2020
Highlights
This year the theme of competition of the award is as followsTheme: How to Enhance the income of a village
Around 2,372 teams submitted their solutions. There were three stages of evaluation and 117 teams were selected. The teams will exhibit their prototypes at the National Convention and Exhibition.
About Vishwakarma Awards
The awards were instituted by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) since 2017. They are being awarded every year for the growth of the society. The Chhatra Vishwakarma awards are Class I awards and are presented for highly progressive staff. The Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Awards are Class II awards that are presented to excellent institutional intervention.AICTE
The All India Council for Technical Education is an advisory body that gained statutory status in 1987. It accredits graduate and post graduate programmes. The body is assisted by 10 other statutory boards such as Technical education, architecture education, vocational education, pharmaceutical education, etc" "
President’s Colours Awards to INS Shivaji on its 75 years of Service
February 14, 2020
Highlights
The award was presented to the Indian Naval Station at Lonavala. The station was commissioned as HMIS (Her Majesty’s Indian Ship) in 1945. The motto of the ship establishment isMotto: Karmasu Kaushalam (Skill at Work)
The Station has rendered 75 years of service to the country by providing training to the personnel from Coast Guard, Indian Navy and also for Naval personnel from other countries. The Courses at INS Shivaji are conducted by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education)
About INS Shivaji
The INS Shivaji houses Naval Engineering College that trains officers of Indian Navy and Indian Coastal Guards. It is located near Bhushi Dam. There are three premier institutions at INS Shivaji. It includes Centre of Excellence, Centre of Marine Engineering and Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence School." "
Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award to Prof M S Swaminathan
January 14, 2020
Highlights
The professor was made the honours during Pongal celebrations at Raj Bhavan in Chennai. The award carried cash prize of Rs 5 lakhs. During the celebrations, the professor was titled as “Father of Green Revolution and the Doyen of Agricultural Science”.Muppavarapu foundation
Muppavarapu foundation is a non-profit organisation started by Mr Muppavarapu Harshavardhan, son of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. The organisation arranges training on latest technologies. The trainings are predominantly offered in the fields of horticulture, agriculture, animal husbandry, home science, fisheries, vermi culture and mushroom culture.M S Swaminathan
Mr Swaminathan is an Indian Geneticist. He played a major role in Green Revolution programme of India. He has played the role of director general of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), director of IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) and president of IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). He was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.The Great Bengal Famine kindled the professor’s interest towards agriculture. He left his doctor profession and learned agriculture from University of Kerala. He also conquered UPSC and qualified for IPS.
" "
Sahitya Akademi awards announced
December 18, 2019
Highlights
Sashi Tharoor, the former external affairs minister has won the award for his book “An Era of Darkness”. The other awardees include Chinmoy Guha, a Bengali Professor who has won for his essay “Ghumer Darja Thele”, tamil writer Dharman for his novel “Sool”. The awards are to be presented on February 25, 2020. The winners will be honored with a copper plaque and prize money of Rs 1 lakh.A Santhali Novel “Marom” written by Shyam Besra also won the award. It is to be noted Santhali language was used in Rajya Sabha for the first time in the recent winter session of Parliament.
Sahitya Akademi
The academy was constituted by Government of India through a resolution passed in 1952. According to its constitution the academy is run by three authorities namely a general council, finance committee and an executive board.The proposal of forming the academy was put forth in 1944 to the British Government by the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. The academy till date holds the largest library of multi-lingual books in India.
" "
2020 Crystal Award: World Economic Forum
December 15, 2019
WEF’s 2019 Crystal Award Recipients
Jin Xing– China’s media personality. She was recognized for her leadership in shaping inclusive cultural normsTheaster Gates– Chicago-based artist. He was recognized for his leadership in creating sustainable communities
Lynette Wallworth- Australian artist. She won for her leadership in creating inclusive narratives
Deepika Padukone- Indian actress. She won the award for her remarkable leadership in raising mental health awareness. She is the only Indian actress who has won 26th Annual Crystal Award for spreading mental health awareness.
The three awardees will be honoured at opening session of World Economic Forum’s 2020 Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 21-24 January. The 2020 annual meeting will take place from 22-25 January under under the theme, ‘Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World’. The WEF Annual Meeting brings together leaders from international organisations, government, civil society, culture and media, business, foremost experts and young generation from all over the world, at highest level and in representative ways.
" "
Greta Thunberg named TIME’s 2019 Person of the Year
December 13, 2019
Others honoured by TIME for year 2019:
Athlete of the Year: US Women’s Soccer TeamGuardians of the Year: the US Public Servants
Entertainer of the Year: Singer Lizzo
Business Person of the Year: Disney CEO Bob Iger
About Greta Thunberg
She is a Swedish environmental activist on climate change whose campaigning movement, which became known as “Fridays for Future,” prompted millions of people in about 150 countries “to act on behalf of the planet. She had been nominated for a Nobel peace prize, recognised for her mobilisation of students in her ‘Fridays for Future’ weekly school strikes." "
Diwali-Power of One Awards
December 9, 2019
Winners 2019
Awardees: The award is conferred to former High-Level UN diplomats or Permanent Representatives or those diplomats who will soon finish their tenure at world organisation for working selflessly towards helping form a more secure, peaceful and perfect world for all.The diplomats who were honoured are:
- Kairat Abdrakhmanov (Kazakhstan)- Former foreign minister and Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UN
- Nicholas Emiliou (Cyprus)– former Permanent Representative of Cyprus to UN
- Frantisek Ruzicka (Slovakia)- Former Chef de Cabinet to President of 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and Permanent Representative of Slovakia to UN
- Volodymyr Yelchenko (Ukraine)– Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN
About Diwali-Power of One Awards
The awards which have now come to be known as ‘Oscars of Diplomacy’ were established by Diwali Foundation USA, Inc in 2017. The awards seeks to promote a peaceful and consensus-based process to achieve societal good, as befitting high hopes and ideals of humanity enshrined in UN Charter. The co-organisers of this year Diwali Foundation USA’s Power of One awardees were- Permanent Missions of Belarus, Georgia and India to UN, along with 32 co-sponsors.Currently, Ranju Batra chairs, the Diwali Foundation USA. Ranju Batra had spearheaded efforts for nearly 7 years to get a commemorative ‘Forever Diwali’ stamp issued by US Postal Service in 2016. The ‘Power of One’ award institutionalises Diwali Stamp effort of Ranju Batra and her partners who worked tirelessly and made it the most popular stamp issued by US Postal Services.
" "
Winner of 2019 Ballon d’Or awards
December 4, 2019
A total of 176 international journalists voted for 2019 edition of Football Awards, with journalists from Europe and Asia voting for van Dijk, while journalists from Africa, Oceania and North and South America voted for Messi.
2019 Ballon d’Or awards winners
Ballon d’Or: Lionel Messi of Argentina and Barcelona FC. He won the award for a record 6th time in his career. He won previous award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015.Ballon d’Or Féminin: Megan Rapinoe of United States and Regin FC. She won the 2019 Ballon d’Or Féminin for best female player in world.
Kopa Trophy (for best player in world under age of 21): Matthijs de Ligt of Netherlands
Yashin Trophy (for best goalkeeper in the world): Alisson Becker of Brazil and Liverpool FC won the inaugural Yashin Trophy as the best goalkeeper in the world in 2019.
" "
Organ Donation Awards given by NOTTO
December 4, 2019
Organ Donation Awards
Tamil Nadu bagged- Best State Award in cadaveric organ donation. The state won the award for the fifth consecutive year.Madhya Pradesh won- Best SOTTO (State Organ Tissue Transplant Organisation) award.
Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai won Best Performing Hospital Award.
Gujarat bagged 3 awards of central government including Best SOTTO (State Organ Tissue Transplant Organisation), Best Hospital and Best Coordinator in field of organ donation activities.
" "
National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2019
December 3, 2019
About National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2019
The award was conferred on Institutions, Individuals, Organizations and State/District etc. for their outstanding achievements and work done every year towards empowerment of Persons with Disabilities or Divyangjan (PwDs).Till 2017, the Scheme of Award was governed under National Awards Rules, 2013 which provided 7 categories of disabilities according to Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. However, when Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 came into force w.e.f. 19 April 2017, the number of specified disabilities increased from 7 to 21 under new Law. Accordingly all 21 disabilities were included under National Award Guidelines.
National Selection Committee under Chairpersonship of Union Minister, Social Justice & Empowerment in its meeting held on 6 November 2019 considered recommendation of Screening Committees and approved all 65 awards in 14 categories.
" "
DPIIT invites applications for first ever National Startup Awards 2020
December 1, 2019
About National Startup Awards
The Awards seek to recognize as well as reward exceptional startups and ecosystem enablers that are building innovative products/ solutions and scalable enterprises demonstrating measurable social impact, with high potential of wealth creation and employment generation.It will also recognize outstanding startups across many categories that are providing innovative solutions to solve real problems and challenges for India, delivering measurable developmental gains, products and solutions from India to world, developing innovative technologies and building businesses that are scalable, sustainable and responsible.
The National Startup Awards measures success not only as financial gains for investors but also the contribution to the social good. It will also reward exceptional Incubators and Accelerators as key building blocks of a robust startup ecosystem.
Startups will be awarded in 35 areas, classified into 12 broad sectors. These sectors include enterprise technology, education, agriculture, security, energy, finance, health, food, urban services Industry 4.0, space and tourism. In addition, to these there are three special awards for startups from educational institutions, making impact in rural areas and women entrepreneurs.
Prize: A cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh each will be awarded to winning startup in each area. Moreover, a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakh each will be awarded to 1 winning Incubator and 1 winning Accelerator as well.
Apart from this, the winner and 4 runners-up of National Startup Awards will also be provided opportunities to present their solutions to relevant public authorities and corporates for potential pilot projects and work orders. They will also be given priority for participation in various national as well as international startup events.
" "
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for 2019: David Attenborough
November 20, 2019
About David Attenborough
He has worked tirelessly to awaken humankind to the need to- preserve and protect biodiversity of the planet, to live in a sustainable and harmonious way with all life. He also advocated for stopping what he has called: ‘a plague on earth’.His work, most of it for BBC, has received widespread recognition across the world. Apart from his knighthood ‘Sir’, he has received awards from Royal Geographical Society, the Micheal Faraday Prize, UNESCO’s Kalinga Prize, the Descartes Prize and Fellowship of the Royal Society, as well as several Emmy and BAFTA awards.
About Indira Gandhi Peace Prize
It is annual prestigious award named after former prime minister Indira Gandhi. It is conferred every year by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust since 1986 and consists of and a citation and a monetary award of Rs.25 lakh.
The award recognizes creative efforts by individuals/organizations working towards creating new international economic order, promoting international peace & development as well as ensuring that scientific discoveries are used for larger good of humanity and enlarging the scope of freedom.
Earlier Recipients: First recipient: Parliamentarians for Global Action (1986); Others– UNICEF (1989), Rajiv Gandhi (1991), M S Swaminathan (1999), Kofi Annan (2003), Angel Merkel (2013), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) (2014) and UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHRC) (2015), Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2017) and Centre for Science and Environment (2018).
" "
India’s Ravi Prakash wins BRICS-Young Innovator Prize
November 14, 2019
Key Highlights
Ravi Prakash He is a PhD scholar of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Bangalore. He was a part of 21-member delegation sent to Brazil by Department of Science and Technology (DST) for the 4th BRICS-Young Scientist Forum (YSF), 2019.Technology: It can be used for chilling milk from point of production by bringing down the temperature of raw milk from 37C to 7C within half an hour (30 minutes) using nano-fluid based phase change materials.
This innovation of affordable indigenous milk chilling unit is of great socio-economic importance for all the developing countries by preserving the quality and safety of milk just after production. It will add value in farmer’s kitty.
About BRICS Young Innovator Prize
Background: On July 2014, during the 6th BRICS Summit held in Fortaleza, Brazil, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mooted the idea of youth engagement and desired to develop an innovative mechanism to engage, network and connect BRICS youth. Eventually, India’s proposal for creating a BRICS-Young Scientist Forum received unanimous support and was endorsed by BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministers at 2nd Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Ministerial Meeting held in Brasilia on March 2015.Objective: To recognise and reward best results related to innovation, research and development projects representing technological innovation and a potential contribution to science and technology sector of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries.
The prize specially recognizes young talented researchers and entrepreneurs, whose outstanding innovations make a profound impact on socio-economic environment as well as life conditions in societies of BRICS nations.
" "
Wildlife biologist K. Ullas Karanth awarded George Schaller Lifetime Award
November 11, 2019
WCS George Schaller Lifetime Award in Wildlife Conservation Science
The award is instituted by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), New York. It is named after WCS’s Dr. George Schaller, considered to be one of the greatest wildlife scientists and conservationists globally. The Lifetime Award was created to honour WCS colleagues for outstanding contributions to saving wildlife and wild places.About Dr. K. Ullas Karanth
He joined WCS in 1988 and was inspired to become a wildlife biologist by the work of Dr. Schaller. He is currently the Director of Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bengaluru, Karnataka.His research is described as pioneering and groundbreaking with focus on ecology of tigers, predator-prey population ecology, sympatric predators and other large mammals, and mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts. He has also provided research expertise to projects across many countries including- Russia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Africa and Latin America.
Other Awards Received: Sanctuary Asia Lifetime Achievement Award (2007), the J. Paul Getty Award for Conservation Leadership (2007), the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award (2010) and the Padma Shri (2012).
" "
RBS Earth Heroes Awards 2019
November 8, 2019
RBS Earth Heroes Awards (REHA)2019 Winners
- Bholu Abrar Khan of Bharatpur (Rajasthan): Green Warrior
- Dimbeshwar Das of Assam: Green Warrior
- Ela Foundation (Pune): Earth Guardian
- Aishwarya Maheshwari (Uttar Pradesh): Save the Species
- Sathish (Tamil Nadu): Save the Species
- Jalal Ud Din Baba (Jammu & Kashmir): Inspire
- Pramila Bisoyi (Odisha): Lifetime Achievement
About RBS Earth Heroes Awards (REHA)
The awards were instituted by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in association with World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2011.Objective: REHA are an attempt to recognise the grit and determination of individuals and institutions who work exceptionally hard as well as went beyond their call of duty with an aim to preserve and protect the critical eco-systems and environment.
Significance: Under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a critical and urgent need for climate change mitigation,thus by recognising and rewarding those who are working towards this goal of environment conservation, RBS India is creating a value cycle that will urge more citizens to take up greater responsibility to mitigate climate change and conserve earth.
Categories: The award categories include:-
- RBS Earth Hero Award (Felicitation)-Individual
- RBS Earth Guardian Award (Rs.1,50,000)- Institution
- RBS Save The Species Award (Rs. 1,50,000)- 2 Individuals
- RBS Inspire Award (Rs, 1,50,000)- Individual or Institutional
- RBS Green Warrior Award (Rs. 1,50,000 each)- 2 individuals
NASSCOM Foundation’s Social Innovation Forum (NSIF) award
November 7, 2019
In 2019 edition of awards, seven organisations were declared winners across a range of categories who will receive catalytic grants for innovatively applying technology for social impact. The winners will receive Rs.10 lakh each as catalytic grants and a 12-month Support to Scale industry mentorship from experts, worth more than Rs.20 lakh.
Winners of Award
- Meraki Foundation: in Education category, won the award for upskilling low income parents towards holistic learning of their wards so as to act early to unleash a child’s potential
- Inali Foundation: won for Accessibility for developing an ‘affordable’ myoelectric prosthetic arm.
- PadCare Labs Pvt. Ltd., a Pune-based startup: won for Healthcare for developing ‘Sanicure’, a smokeless sanitary napkin disposal system.
- MHS City Lab: won the Financial Inclusion award for ‘NEEV’ a digital tool for affordable low-income housing
- Watsan Envirotech Pvt. Ltd.: won Environment award.
- NotOnMap (NoM), a Himachal Pradesh-based Community-based tourism start-up: won for Other Social issues for creating livelihood for culturally hidden communities
- Bombay Bijlee
Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice 2019
November 2, 2019
Key Highlights
The 2019 edition of award recognises the exemplary and humanitarian work done by social activists in fields and issues related to modern forms of slavery and for victim rehabilitation. The awards are in currently in its 15th year.The annual award is established by the Harmony Foundation and is endorsed by Missionaries of Charities. The theme by Harmony Foundation for 2019 is ‘Combating Contemporary Forms of Slavery’.
Harmony Foundation has taken this initiative to recognise individuals and organizations engaged in campaign to initiate practical ways to eradicate the modern day slavery evil which includes child labour, bonded labour, human trafficking, organ trafficking and child militants.
2019 laureates of Mother Teresa Memorial Awards:
Kailash Satyarthi, India: For fighting child labour and trafficking in India and Southeast Asia. He is the founder of Bachpan Bachao Andolan. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize (2014) for his work.Robert Bilheimer, United States: For using his skills as a filmmaker to raise awareness about modern forms of slavery and inspiring fight against them.
Junior Nzita Nsuami: For leading an international campaign through United Nations (UN) against the use of child soldiers in war. He is a former child soldier.
Ajeet Singh: For his efforts in creating the first red-light area in India free of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Alezandra Russell: For helping neglected and ignored young boys in red-light districts of Thailand. He is the founder of Urban Light.
Hasina Kharbhih: For rescuing and empowering over 72,000 vulnerable victims from fate of human trafficking. She is the founder of Impulse Empower.
Rob Williams: U. For persistently protecting and supporting children in armed conflicts in some of the world’s most hostile regions. He is CEO of WarChild UK.
Priti Patkar: For his holistic approach in trying to abolish intergenerational prostitution. She is an activist and social worker from India.
PRERANA: For their holistic approach in their attempts to abolish intergenerational prostitution and protecting children vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking.
Four Associations also received awards:
Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH)– USA: For raising awareness over the decades in medical community and civil society about unethical organ harvesting (especially in China).
Free A Girl: for uniquely reintegrating former sex workers into civil society by training them to become future advocates. It is a relief organization dedicated to free young girls from forced prostitution as well as prosecutes offenders.
JEEVIKA (Jeeta Vimukti Karnataka): For freeing over 30,000 bonded labourers and for its commitment to total eradication of practice in Karnataka.
Office for Rescue of Yazidis: For working in one of the world’s most hostile regions to rescue all vulnerable Yazidi women and girls from evil clutches of Islamic State (IS) group.
" "
Fact Box: Sardar Patel National Unity Award
November 1, 2019
About Sardar Patel National Unity Award
The award recognizes the notable and inspiring contributions made by any institution or organization or individual to promote cause of national unity and integrity as well as to reinforce the value of a strong and united India.In a given year not more than three Awards would be given and it would not be conferred posthumously except in very rare and highly deserving cases. Nominations for award would be invited every year and the applications would need to be filed online on website designed by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Eligible: All citizens, without distinction of race, religion, caste, age or occupation, gender, place of birth, and any institution or organization would be eligible for Award. Any Indian national or organization or institution based in India would be able to nominate an individual for consideration for this Award. Individuals may also nominate themselves for the award. State Governments, Union Territory (UT) Administrations and Ministries of Union Government may also send nominations and recommendations on the on-line portal http://www.nationalunityawards.mha.gov.in
Award Committee would be constituted by Prime Minister, and would include Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Secretary to President, Home Secretary as Members and 3-4 eminent persons selected by PM.
Award shall be conferred by: President of India by a Sanad (an Indian government charter, warrant, diploma, patent or deed) under his hand and seal and presented by him in a presentation ceremony along with Padma award presentation ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Prize: The award does not have any monetary grant or cash award attached to it and would consist of a medal and a citation.
" "
SEED Awards of United Nations: 4 Indian start-ups among 14 winners
October 30, 2019
The SEED was founded by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), UNDP (United Nations Development Program) and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) at the World Summit on SDG, Johannesburg. It works in Asian and African countries
India
Under the SEED Low Carbon category, the Aikya Organics located in Kanpur has won the award. The organization works to promote gender equality by training 1,200 women farmers. They try to achieve SDG by providing opportunities to follow natural farming techniques. The non-profit organization sells products like mustard oil, organic lentils, rice grains, etc.Apart from Aikya three more start-ups from India received the award.
Benefits of the award
The awardees will be provided financial literacy and support to scale-up. The SEED Catalyzer will help to refine their business models. They will also be provided national and international promotional opportunities." "
Lucknow-based school enters Guinness Book of World Records
October 26, 2019
City Montessori School (CMS) has won the global award for having largest number of students in 2019-20. At present, the CMS has 18 branches and approximately 56,000 students all over the city.
About City Montessori School (CMS)
It is a co-educational English medium private school that offers education from Pre-school up to Grade 12 level in Lucknow. It is affiliated to Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE).In 2014 CMS society was accredited with United Nations Department of Public Information as affiliated NGO. In 2002 CMS was awarded UNESCO Prize for Peace Education. The school has also received ‘Hope of Humanity’ Award from spiritual leader, Dalai Lama.
" "
National Panchayat Awards 2019
October 24, 2019
About National Panchayat Awards 2019
Panchayati Raj Ministry has been incentivizing the best performing Panchayats as recommended by State Governments since 2011-12.The awards are given to best performing Panchayats in recognition of their good work at different levels such as delivery of services and sanitation.
As many as 246 Awards were given to awardee Panchayats and States in various categories. The awards were conferred in following categories –
- 195 awards were conferred under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar category, in recognition of good work done for improving delivery of services and public goods.
- 20 Gram Panchayats in Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar category, for their outstanding contribution to socio-economic development by involving Gram Sabhas.
- 3 Gram Panchayats in Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) Award
- 22 Gram Panchayats were awarded in Child-Friendly Gram Panchayats Award, for best performing Panchayats/Village Councils (one in each State/UT) for adopting child-friendly practices.
- 6 states were awarded under e-Panchayat Puraskar category, for promoting e-enablement of PRIs (Panchayati Raj Institutions) for bringing in efficiency, transparency and accountability in their functioning.
Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman 2019
October 18, 2019
The Durga Puja festival helps in community development, building relations among people to people besides generating income. From past your years the state government of West Bengal is organizing Durga Puja Carnival that has created a good impact among people. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has also agreed to recognize Durga Puja as World Cultural Heritage.
About Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman (BBSS)
On the occasion of Durga Puja, West Bengal Government has come up with a unique initiative called ‘Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman’. The initiative was started in 2013 and is in its 7th year.Objective: To recognise and appreciate the brilliance and innovation in organising Durga Puja.
Organised by: Information and Cultural Affairs Department of Government of West Bengal.
It is a unique event which annually attracts local, national and international participation in an immensely healthy competition for excellence.
This initiative involves Baroari (or Community) pujas from Kolkata, districts of West Bengal, other Indian states as well as from foreign countries to participate and get honoured for their innovative ideas about idols, ambience, pandals, environment and artistry.
Award Zone Categories:
- Kolkata
- Rest of West Bengal
- Rest of India
- Rest of World
2019 Booker Prize: Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo jointly win
October 15, 2019
2019 Booker Prize
Although as per the Booker rules the prize must not be divided, however the judges insisted they could not separate the 79-year-old Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s – ‘The Testament’ and ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo. Evaristo is the first black woman to win prestigious award since its creation in 1969.Others Shortlisted Entries: The other 4 authors (out of 6) shortlisted for the prize included Lucy Ellmann for ‘Ducks, Newburyport’, Chigozie Obioma for ‘An Orchestra of Minorities‘, Elif Shafak for ’10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World’ and British Indian novelist Salman Rushdie’s tragicomic ‘Quichotte’. This was the 5th time that Mumbai-born novelist was shortlisted, including the 1981 win where he bagged award for “Midnight’s Children”.
The 2019 shortlisted entries were selected from 151 submitted books published in UK/Ireland between October 2018 and September 2019. Each of the shortlisted authors received GBP 2,500 and a specially-bound edition of their book.
Booker Prize
It is a literary prize which is awarded each year for the best original novel written in the English language and published in United Kingdom (UK). The prize is open to writers of any nationality.For the first time in 2019, the Booker Prize for Fiction is supported by venture capitalist Michael Moritz and novelist wife Harriet Heyman’s charitable foundation Crankstart, rather than the Man Group.
The prize was first awarded in 1969. In 2018 Northern Irish writer Anna Burns won the Booker Prize for ‘Milkman’
" "
National Kishore Kumar Samman for 2018-19
October 14, 2019
Key Highlights
Priyadarshan has made several blockbuster Malayalam and Hindi films. He was conferred the award on 13 October 2019.Why 13 October? Kishore Kumar died on 13 October 1987 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. His death anniversary was marked by a large number of people who arrived at his memorial here and played some of his golden hits.
Kishore Kumar Samman jury selected noted Hindi cinema actor Waheeda Rehman award for 2017-18. The venue and date for honouring Waheeda Rehman would be announced soon.
About National Kishore Kumar Samman for 2018-19
The National Kishore Kumar Award has been instituted in memory of eminent playback singer and all-rounder, Kishore Kumar.The award was instituted by MP Department of Culture and is awarded for excellence in cinematic achievements. It carries a citation and a cash prize of Rs.2 lakh.
First Recipient: Hrishikesh Mukherjee (1997–98)
" "
Minor Planet named after Pandit Jasraj
September 30, 2019
The minor planets discovered are given permanent numbers by the IAU. The number given to Pandit Jasraj planet was 300128 which is a reverse order of his date of birth 28/01/30.
About the minor planet
The asteroid, formally known as minor planet was discovered by the Catalina sky survey from the telescopes based in Arizona. As of September 2019, there are 5,41,131 numbered planets and 7,97,078 unobserved planets.Pandit Jasraj
Pandit Jasraj has received numerous awards, titles and honors. It includes Padma Vibhusha and Sangeet Natak Akademi awards. He belongs to the Mewati Gharana age of music. It was founded by the brothers Utd Ghagge Nazir Khan and Utd Wahid Khan at the court of Jodhpur.Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt between mars and Jupiter in the solar system has 4 main belts namely Ceres, Vesta, Pallas and Hygiea.The belt was formed from a group of planetesimals. Planetesimals are precursors of proto planets. Between mars and Jupiter, the gravitational pull is higher from Jupiter, the pull imbued the proto planets to accrete into a planet. As days passed, the collisions became violent shattering them into asteroids.
International Astronomical Union
The IAU was founded in 1919. The objective of the organization was to promote and safeguard astronomical science in every aspect. The organization recognizes the authorities assigning names and designations to celestial bodies.The IAU general assembly meets once in 3 years. The last IAU assembly was held a Vienna, Austria in 2018. The next IAU assembly is to be held at Busan, South Korea in 2021.
" "
Punyabhushan Award presented to archaeologist Dr. G.B. Deglurkar
September 28, 2019
About Punyabhushan Award
The word ‘Punyabhushan’ in Marathi means ‘Jewel of Pune’.The award has been instituted by Pune based Punyabhushan Foundation.
It was first awarded in 1989 and since then it is awarded every year to an eminent personality from the field of science, art, culture, music, social service, industry, or sports.
" "
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes 2019
September 27, 2019
Prize Recipients
- Biological Sciences winners: Dr. Kayarat Sai Krishnan (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune); Dr. Soumen Basak (National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi)
- Chemical Sciences: · Dr. Raghavan B Sunoj (IIT, Bombay); Dr. Tapas Kumar Maji (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru)
- Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences: Dr. Subimal Ghosh (IIT, Bombay)
- Engineering Sciences: Manik Varma (Microsoft Research India, Bengaluru)
- Mathematical Sciences: Dr. Dishant Mayur Bhai Pancholi (Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai), Dr. Nina Gupta (Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata)
- Medical Sciences: Dr. Dheeraj Kumar (International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi), Dr. Mohammad Javed Ali (LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad)
- Physical Sciences: Dr. Aninda Sinha (IISc, Bengaluru), Dr. Shankar Ghosh (TIFR, Mumbai)
About Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Awards
It is the highest multidisciplinary science awards in India. It recognizes outstanding Indian work in science and technology.This prestigious science award is presented annually by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for notable and outstanding research, applied/fundamental, in environmental science, biology, mathematics, Physics, chemistry, engineering, and medicine.
This most coveted award is named after the founder Director of CSIR, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar. It was 1st awarded in 1958.
Award Comprises of: a citation, a plaque, and cash prize of Rs.5 lakh. In addition, recipients also receive Rs.15,000/month up to age of 65 years.
" "
PM Modi receives Global Goalkeepers Award
September 25, 2019
PM Modi was honoured with international award for his leadership of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (or Swachh Bharat Mission), which he had launched on 2 October 2014 as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
About Global Goalkeepers Award
The awards were started by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.The year 2019 marks the fourth annual Global Goals Awards.
The Goalkeepers award seeks to bring together leaders from across the world to accelerate progress for ending poverty and fighting inequality.
Receiving the award is a special recognition and honour that celebrates political leader who has shown their commitment to Global Goals by impactful work in their native country and/or globally.
About Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan
SBA is an ambitious mission that seeks to improve cleanliness through solid and liquid waste management and making villages across India open-defecation free (ODF). It also aims to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage in India by 2019 as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. It is also the world’s largest behavioural change programme.As of now, 90 million toilets have been built across country to eliminate open defecation by 2 October 2019. Also, currently 98% of India’s villages have rural sanitation coverage instead of 38% in 2014.
" "
Ponung Doming – First woman officer from Arunachal Pradesh to become Lieutenant Colonel In Indian Army
September 24, 2019
She was commissioned into the Indian army as Lieutenant in 2008. She is currently posted in Pune, Maharashtra. Doming had completed her graduation in civil engineering. She served the UN Peace keeping force in Congo in 2014.
Women in Indian Armed forces
Women in armed forces were recruited only in the officer’s rank till 2018. The Indian army for the first time issued notification in 2019 inviting female applicants for the position of Soldier General Duty, personnel below officer rank. There are around 3.8% of women officers in the army. Navy has 6% of women officers and air force has 13% of women officers.
Punita Arora was the first woman officer to become Lieutenant General in the Indian armed forces. She had won 15 medals in her 36 years of services in the Indian armed forces. She was from Punjab.
In India, females are not allowed to serve in combat units like armored corps, infantry and Mechanised infantry. The role of women in Indian army began in 1888 when the British Raj began Indian Military Nursing Service. It was only in 1992, the Indian army began inducting women in non – medical roles. Later in 2007, the UN first all female peace keeping force was deployed to Liberia by India. This was first of its kind not only in India but through out the world!
" "
Sonu Nigam wins Award at 21st Century Icon Awards, UK
September 21, 2019
Key Highlights
He was among a host of winners across a range of categories at a gala awards ceremony held in UK. The ceremony was devised as a celebration of dynamic entrepreneurs and successful individuals chosen from hundreds of nominations from all across the world.The nominations for the annual award were from 22 different countries.
About 21st Century Icon Awards
These annual awards are the brainchild of UK-based Indian-origin entrepreneurs Preeti Rana and Tarun Ghulati, co-founders of Squared Watermelon Ltd.The 2019 edition of awards attracted more than 700 nominations which were narrowed down to 44 finalists.
Judges panel included personalities from varied fields, such as-
- Sandip Verma: British Indian peer Baroness
- Ibukun Adebayo from London Stock Exchange’s International Markets Unit
- Denise Lewis: former British Olympic champion
Other winners at 21st Century Icon Awards Ceremony
Outstanding Media and Entertainment Award: Kalli Purie, Vice-Chairperson of India Today GroupSpecialist Professional Award: Charlotte Crosswell, CEO of Innovate Finance UK
Inspirational Icon Award: Asha De Vos, Marine Biologist, Ocean Educator and Pioneer Blue Whale Research within Indian Ocean
Competitive Sports Award: Rachael Burford, Rugby Player and Founder of Burford Academy UK
" "
Visitor’s Awards 2019: Recipients announced
September 10, 2019
Visitor’s Awards 2019
The Awards will be presented for Research in-- Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Biological Sciences
- Technology Development.
Recipients of 2019 Award
Professor Sibnath Deb: He is from Pondicherry University. He will be awarded for his research in field of child protection, especially his focus on child abuse and neglect, student’s mental health and HIV/AIDS.Professor Sanjay Puri: He is from School of Physical Sciences in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He will be awarded for his research in field of non-equilibrium statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics.
Professor Asad Ullah Khan: He is from Inter-disciplinary Biotechnology Unit in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). He will be awarded for identifying Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) problem in India: mechanism of spread and control of AMR.
Dr Partima: She is from Special Centre for Nanoscience in Jawaharlal Nehru University. She will be awarded for her research on nano biosensors and nano-bio interactions especially early-stage cancer diagnosis using nanomaterials bases biosensing platform.
Dr Shaon Ray Chaudhuri: She is from Department of Microbiology in Tripura University. She is awarded for Technology Development, for developing microbial biofilm reactor for conversion of dairy wastewater into biofertilizer.
About Visitor’s Awards
These awards were instituted in 2014. Since 2014, President annually confers Visitor’s Awards in various categories to the recipients.Objective: To promote healthy competition amongst Central Universities as well as motivate them to adopt best global practices in pursuit of excellence.
Selection Committee for Visitor’s Awards 2019: It was headed by Sanjay Kothari, Secretary to President and comprised of eminent persons and academicians, assisted by a Sub-Committee. It made selections through an online application submitted from all Central Universities for each category.
" "
Annual Asian Achievers Awards: Anil Agarwal honoured with lifetime achievement award
September 8, 2019
Key Highlights
Novelist Jeffrey Archer helped raise GBP 150,000 for India-based charity group Yuva Unstoppable in an auction at awards night.Theme for 19th Annual Asian Achievers Awards: ‘Inclusivity’. As inclusivity is not about diversity but about being inclusive of everyone therefore this year’s candidates included LGBT community also.
ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS 2019 WINNERS
Onkardeep Singh MBE: Achievement in Community ServicesFaisal Islam: Achievement in Media, Arts & Culture
Vipul Vadera: Businessperson of the Year
Kush Kanodia: Entrepreneur of the Year
Krishna Omkar: Professional of the Year
Harjit Singh Bhania: Sports Personality of the Year
Hafsa Qureshi: Uniformed, Civil and Public Services
Neeta Patel: Woman of the Year
Anil Agarwal: Lifetime Achievement Award
Rajesh Agrawal, London Deputy Mayor: Editor’s Award for Public Services
Dr. Nilesh U Patel MD: Editor’s Award for Contribution to Thoracic Surgery
Pradip Dhamecha: Editor’s Choice Award for Community service, Philanthropy and Entrepreneur
About Asian Achievers Awards
The annual awards are hosted by Asian Business Publications Ltd (ABPL). ABPL are publishers of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar.It recognises outstanding work from individuals from across all professions and businesses within Asian community as well as acknowledge accomplishments of finest in United Kingdom’s Asian community.
The award is now into its 19th year and is consistently favoured by Asian community as most prestigious and highly respected awards.
" "
Vaishno Devi shrine named country’s ‘Best Swachh Iconic Place’
September 4, 2019
Key Highlights
The Rankings of Swachh Iconic Places was released by Union ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.Vaishno Devi Shrine which is visited by thousands of devotees daily, received a special award in 2017 from union ministry of drinking water and sanitation for bagging 2nd spot behind Golden Temple. In 2018, shrine was also declared as cleanest religious place by India Today Group.
Why Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine? The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine has been adjudged on basis of overall improvement in sanitation brought about by board due to several initiatives taken in last few years to ensure cleanliness of entire shrine area.
Initiatives: taken by board includes not only equid dung management centre, installing water kiosks, kill waste machines, but also collection, transportation and disposal of waste along with regular mopping up of waste though a workforce of 1300 sanitation workers, among others have enabled shrine to achieve top rank.
Other competitors: The shrine competed with many other iconic places in country including-
Church and Convent of St Francis of Assissi (Goa), Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Maharashtra), Tirupati Temple (Andhra Pradesh), Taj Mahal (Uttar Pradesh), Golden Temple (Punjab), Kamakhya Temple (Assam), Jagannath Puri (Odisha), Ajmer Sharif Dargah (Rajasthan), among others.
" "
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2018
August 31, 2019
Winners are:
- Land Adventure category: Aparna Kumar, Late Dipankar Ghosh and Manikandan K.
- Water Adventure category: Prabhat Raju Koli
- Air Adventure: Rameshwer Jangra
- Life Time Achievement: Wangchuk Sherpa
About Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award
It is highest national awards for adventure sports in India. It is conferred annually to recognize achievements of people in the field of adventure on land, sea and air. It aims to provide incentive to the young people for getting exposed to the adventure activities. It is conferred in four categories – Land Adventure, Air Adventure, Water Adventure, and Life Time Achievement.Winners are selected based on the recommendations of the National Selection Committee chaired by Secretary (Youth Affairs) and has experts from the field of adventure as members. The awardees are presented with statuettes, certificates and cash prize worth Rs. 5 lakh each. It is named after Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay. He was one of the first two individuals known to reach summit of Mount Everest, which he accomplished with Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953.
" "
PM Modi conferred King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain
August 26, 2019
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has been conferred King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in Manama, capital of Bahrain. He was conferred this prestigious honour in recognition of his efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with Bahrain, the key Gulf nation. As of now, it is overall the 7th international award conferred on PM Modi since he assumed office in 2014 (List Below).Key Highlights
PM Modi is the 1st Indian prime minister to visit Bahrain.The King of Bahrain bestowed Bahrain Order, the First Class on PM Modi in recognition of his efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with Kingdom of Bahrain.
Global awards conferred on PM Modi since 2014
- Amir Amanullah Khan Award– highest civilian award of Afghanistan
- Order of King Abdulaziz Sash- highest civilian honour of Saudi Arabia
- Grand Collar of the State of Palestine-highest honour of Palestine, given to foreign dignitaries
- Seoul Peace Prize– by Seoul Peace Prize Foundation of South Korea.
- Champions of the Earth award – United Nations’s highest environmental honour, awarded by UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
- Order of Zayed– highest civil honour of UAE.
ANUBHAV Awards 2019
August 24, 2019
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh presented ANUBHAV awards, 2019 in New Delhi. This was fourth annual award in the series.About ANUBHAV awards
They are given by Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare. It seeks to encourage retiree to submit his valuable experience/ suggestions through write-ups.Genesis: Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare had created Anubhav portal on the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 with vision to preserve rich experience of retired official in digital form. It envisaged that their rich experience should be preserved for future generation to learn and explore knowledge on various aspects of governance, culture & development history of a particular region. As part of this initiative, an award scheme was introduced in 2016 to incentivize and encourage more retiring employees to submit their write-ups. Since then, three annual awards ceremony have been organized.
" "
President awards certificate of honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman for 2019
August 16, 2019
President of India Ramnath Kovind awarded Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman to following scholars of Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Pali, Prakrit, Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu, Classical Malayalam and Classical Odiya for year 2019: –Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Awardees
SANSKRIT: (1) Dr. Ashok thapliyal; (2) Prof. SujataTripathi; (3) Dr.Sanju Mishra; (4) Dr. Abhijit Hanmant Joshi; (5) Dr.SharachchandraDwivediPALI: Anoma Shriram Sakhare
PRAKRIT: Ashish Kumar Jain
ARABIC: Dr. Fauzan ahmad
PERSIAN: (1) ER.M. Shahbaz Alam
CLASSICAL KANNADA: (1)G B harisha; (2) S. Karthik; (3) Dr. M. Byrappa
CLASSICAL TELUGU: (1) Dr. Addanki Srinivas; (2) Dr. V. Triveni; (3) Dr. DK Prabhakar
CLASSICAL MALAYALAM: (1) Dr. Rajeev RR; (2) Shri Santhosh Thottingal
CLASSICAL ODIA: Dr. Subrat Kumar Prusty
In addition to this President also awarded certificate of honor to following scholars of Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Pali, Prakrit, Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu, Classical Malayalam and Classical Odiya for year 2019.
List of Awardees of Certificate of Honor –
SANSKRIT: (1) Sripada Satyanarayanamurthy; (2) RajendraNathSarma; (3) Prof. Ramji Thakur; (4) Prof. Chand KiranSaluja; (5) Dr. ShriKrishan Sharma; (6) Dr. V. Ramakrishna Bhatt; (7) Vidwan Janardana Hegde; (8) Dr. Kala acharya; (9) Prof. (Dr.) Harekrishna Satapathy; (10) Pandit Satya Dev Sharma; (11) Banwari Lal Gaur; (12) Dr. VS Karunakaran; (13) Prof. Yugal Kishor Mishra; (14) Pandit Manudev Bhattacharya; (15) Subuddhi Charan GoswamiPALI: Dr. Uma Shankar Vyas
PRAKRIT: Kamal Chand Sogani
ARABIC: (1) Faizanullah Farooqi; (2) Mohammad iqbal Husain; (3) Dr Mohd. Samiullah Khan
PERSIAN: (1) Dr. Iraq Raza Zaidi; (2) Chander Shekhar (3) Mohammad sidiq Niazmand
CLASSICAL KANNADA: Shri Hampa Nagarajaiah
CLASSICAL TELUGU: Ravva Srihari
CLASSICAL MALAYALAM: Dr.CP Achuthan Unny
CLASSICAL ODIA: Dr. Antaryami mishra
About Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman
The awards are annually conferred on the Independence Day. They were instituted in 2002 by Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.It is awarded to young scholars between 30 to 45 years of age. It carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh.
These awards conferred to recognise contribution of scholars in the field of nine languages viz. Sanskrit, Prakrit, Persian, Pali, Arabic, Classical Oriya, Classical Kannada, Classical Malayalam and Classical Telugu.
Certificate of Honour
It was introduced in 1958 to honour scholars of Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic languages and later in 1996 it was extended to cover Prakrit and Pali as well.It is awarded to scholars aged 60 years and above. It carries a cash prize of Rs. 5,00,000.
NOTE Exemptions: These awards are not given posthumously and to scholars who have been awarded earlier, or who are convicted in criminal case or against whom criminal case is pending in court.
" "
NITI Aayog launches 4th edition of Women Transforming India Awards
August 10, 2019
About Women Transforming India (WTI) Award
It is being organized annually by NITI Aayog in collaboration with United Nations to recognize women entrepreneurs from across India. It has been launched under Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). It aims to recognise and celebrate stories of exemplary women from all over India.Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)
It is initiative of NITI Aayog to promote and support aspiring as well as established women entrepreneurs in India. It aims to assist and handhold these women entrepreneurs in their journey from starting to scaling up and expanding their ventures.Objectives:
(i) To transform the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in the country.
(ii) To become one-stop resource centre for Indian women entrepreneurs.
(iii) Provide single platform for meeting and working in collaboration for various stakeholders in the entrepreneurial space.
Partner Organisations of WEP: It has more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs registered on its platform, more than 30 partners and, has committed funding of more than US$10mn for these startups. Google, UN India Business Forum, SIDBI, NIC, NASSCOM, CRISIL, WEE Foundation, SEWA bank, MannDeshi Foundation etc. are the partners.
" "
Bharat Ratna 2019 Awards presented by President of India
August 9, 2019
Bharat Ratna 2019 Award Winners
Pranab Mukherjee: His life-long political career spanned about five decades. He was 13th President of India (from 2012 until 2017). He has also served as the Union Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012 under prime ministership of Manmohan Singh.Bhupen Hazarika: He was a legendary Assamese singer-composer who died in 2011. He was most popular in Bengal and Bangladesh and was responsible for introducing culture and folk music of Assam and northeast India to Hindi cinema. He is popularly known as Sudhakantha, meaning the nightingale.
Nanaji Deshmukh: He had been a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He is credited with bolstering Jana Sangh in Uttar Pradesh (UP). As a social activist, he laid emphasis on education. He established 1st Saraswati Shishu Mandir at Gorakhpur in 1950. He has been honoured with Padma Vibhushan earlier.
NOTE: Other Presidents, who had been conferred Bharat Ratna earlier are- Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Rajendra Prasad, Zakir Hussain, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Dr. V V Giri.
About Bharat Ratna
It is highest civilian award of Republic of India. It was instituted in 2 January 1954.First recipients of Bharat Ratna award (1954)- C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and C. V. Raman.
Bharat Ratna recipients rank 7th in order of precedence of Republic of India.
Criteria: Bharat Ratna award is conferred in recognition of exceptional service/performance of highest order in any field of human endeavor. Till 2011 the award was originally limited to achievements in fields of arts, literature, science, and public services which was then changed. Also, original statutes did not provide for posthumous awards but were amended in 1955 to permit them.
Eligibility: It is conferred without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. Although usually Bharat Ratna is conferred on India-born citizens, but it has been awarded to one naturalised citizen (Mother Teresa) and to 2 non-Indians (former South African President Nelson Mandela and Pakistan national Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan).
Award Process: There is no formal nomination process. The recommendations for award can only be made by the Prime Minister to President.
Limits: Maximum of 3 nominees can be awarded per year.
Medal: Bharat Ratna recipients receive a certificate signed by President and a medal. Medal is in shape of a peepal leaf rimmed in platinum. The sun burst design with rays spreading out, made of platinum, is embossed on obverse side of medal. The words ‘Bharat Ratna’, in Devanagari Script, is inscribed on obverse side. In centre of reverse side of me A State Emblem of India is placed in centre of reverse side with national motto, ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (Truth alone triumphs) in Devanagari Script. There is no monetary grant associated with award.
" "
Ravish Kumar wins 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award
August 2, 2019
About Ravish Kumar
He is one of India’s most influential TV journalists. He is also NDTV India’s senior executive editor. His news show ‘Prime Time’ that is broadcasted on NDTV deals with real-life, under-reported problems of ordinary people.He was chosen for Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s premier prize in recognition of his unfaltering commitment to a professional, ethical journalism of highest standards, his moral courage in standing up for truth, integrity, and independence as well as for his principled belief that it is in giving voice to voiceless, in speaking truth bravely yet soberly to power, that journalism fulfills its noblest aims to advance democracy.
2019 awardees–
About Ramon Magsaysay Award
- It is Asia’s premier prize and highest honour. It is often regarded as region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
- It was established in 1957 by trustees of New York City (NYC) based Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Philippine government.
- It celebrates the memory and leadership example of the third Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay after whom the award is named
- It is awarded annually to individuals or organizations from Asia region for their altruistic, selfless and philanthropic service.
- It carries Medallion bearing likeness of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, cash prize and a certificate.
- In 2018, it was awarded to two Indians Bharat Vatwani and Sonam Wangchuk.
TIFF 2019: Meryl Streep wins Tribute Actor award
July 27, 2019
About Meryl Streep
The 70-year-old actress is one of the most talented and versatile actors of her generation.She is most nominated actor in Academy Award history and has won Oscar three times.
Her contribution to cinema, television and stage spans 5 decades, is tremendous as she has portrayed characters that are as compelling as they are timeless.
About Toronto International Film Festival
It is one of the world’s largest publicly attended film festivals. Every year it attracts, more than 480,000 people. It was founded in 1976 and operates out of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, located in downtown Toronto in Canada.It presents best of International and Canadian cinema as well as creates transformational experiences for film lovers and creators.
It has grown to become a permanent destination for film culture.
TIFF 2019 will run from 5-15 September.
TIFF’s Tribute Gala is basically a Charity Gala or a glitzy fundraiser that support festival’s year-around efforts to promote films and industry’s leading creators.
" "
Sangita Kalanidhi Award: Carnatic vocalist S. Sowmya wins
July 23, 2019
Other Awards
Other 2019 Award conferred by Madras Music Academy-Sangita Kala Acharya Awards: Vocalists Seetha Narayanan and M.S. Sheela.
TTK Awards: Nagaswaram player Vyasarpadi Kothandaraman and vocalist Rajkumar Bharathi
Musicologist Award: Aarti N. Rao
Nritya Kalanidhi Award (for Dance): Priyadarshini Govind.
About Sangita Kalanidhi Award
Background: It is an annual award presented by Madras Music Academy (MMA). MMA plays an important role in promoting Carnatic Music. Sangita Kalanidhi Award came into existence in 1942 and prior to that, a senior musician or expert was invited to preside over Music Academy’s annual conference.Sangita Kalanidhi Award is considered as the highest accolade in field of Carnatic music.
It comprises of gold medal and a birudu patra (citation) and is conferred upon one person who has contributed to the field of Carnatic music.
Since 2005, Sangita Kalanidhi also receives MS Subbulakshmi Award instituted by The Hindu (newspaper publication).
About S. Sowmya
She is youngest musician to receive coveted award in recent times after Sanjay Subramaniam. She is a high-calibre vocalist is known for her intellectual approach towards Carnatic music.She is a student of renowned Dr. S. Ramanathan and T. Mukta.
She equally excelled in her academic pursuit and obtained a doctorate from Madras University.
" "
Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskars for 2018 announced
July 17, 2019
Key Highlights
The Sangeet Natak Akademi’s General Council at its meeting held on 26 June 2019 at Guwahati, Assam unanimously selected 32 (Including one joint Awards) Indian artists who have made a mark as young talents in their respective fields of performing arts for Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2018.The artists are selected for Yuva Puraskar 2018 in field of-
- Music: 8 recipients
- Dance: 8 recipients
- Theatre: 7 recipients
- Traditional/Folk/Tribal Music/Dance/Theatre and Puppetry- 8 recipients
About Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar
The award was instituted in 2006, in memory of Ustad Bismillah Khan.It is conferred upon young artists below 40 years of age for their talent in fields of music, dance and drama.
Yuva Puraskar will be presented at a special ceremony, by Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Objective: behind conferring award is to identify and encourage outstanding young talents in diverse fields of performing arts. The award gives them national recognition early in their life, so that they may work with greater commitment and dedication in their chosen fields.
Prize: Award carries money of Rs.25000.
About Sangeet Natak Akademi
The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama is the apex body of performing arts in India. It was set up by Indian education ministry on 31 May 1952 and became functional the following year (in 1953).Parent organization: Union Ministry of Culture
Function: To preserve and promote vast cultural heritage of India expressed in music, dance and drama.
It also works with governments and art academies in states and territories of India.
" "
Vayoshreshtha Samman 2019: Government invites Nominations
May 21, 2019
About Vayoshrestha Sammans
- Background: The series of National Award-Vayoshreshtha Samman awards were instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2005. In 2013 these were elevated to the level of national awards.
- It is an annual award which is conferred in thirteen categories.
- Nominees: The various Ministries and Departments of Government of India, their autonomous organistions, State Government, Union Territory’s (UT) Administration all can nominate suitable individuals and institutions for the said National Awards.
- Awardees: These are conferred to eminent senior citizens and Institutions who are involved in providing distinguished services for the cause of elderly persons.
- Awarded on: In general these are conferred by the President of India on 1st October each year on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP).
UN Sasakawa Award 2019: Awarded to Pramod Kumar Mishra
May 17, 2019
Key Facts
- The Sasakawa Awardee was announced at recent Award Ceremony during 6th Session of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2019 held at Geneva, Switzerland.
- Pramod Kumar Mishra was awarded in recognition of his dedication to improve resilience of communities most exposed to disasters and for his personal commitment to social inclusion, which as per him acts as a critical principle to reduce inequality and enhances safety net of socially and economically marginalized section of society.
About Sasakawa Award
- It is the most prestigious international award in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) area.
- It is jointly organized by United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Nippon Foundation.
- Objective: It recognizes individuals, initiatives and organizations which have contributed towards ensuring inclusive participation in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities for all sections of society.
- Prize: The Sasakawa Awardee (one or more winners) is given a total grant of US $50,000.
- Background: In 1986 Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa, the founding Chairman of Nippon Foundation, established following three prizes –
- The United Nations (UN) Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) Sasakawa Health Prize.
- The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Sasakawa Environment Prize.
- Sasakawa Award 2019: For this year’s award UNDRR received more than 61 nominations from 31 countries. The theme of 2019 Sasakawa award was- “Building Inclusive and Resilient Societies”.
About GPDRR
- It is a multi-stakeholder forum to review progress, share knowledge and discuss the latest developments and trends in reducing disaster risk.
- It was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
- It a biennial meeting which takes place every two years.
- It was first held in 2007. Its sixth session took place in Geneva, Switzerland from 13 May to 17 May, 2019.
Indian student Trio won 2nd prize in Microsoft’s Imagine Cup World Championship
May 8, 2019
About Caeli
- It is precisely designed for asthmatic and chronic respiratory patients.
- Features: It is a sleek, portable, easy to fit/carry inside pocket nebulizer and customized mask. Its drug doses can be scheduled through app.
- In case of breathing difficulties, app allows user to switch on intelligent mode which provides instant relief drugs. App also monitors real-time air quality and helps people to choose least polluted travel route.
- For this innovation team has earlier won first position in Asia Regional Final contest held in Sydney in February 2019.
About Microsoft’s Imagine Cup World Championship
- It is held every year to celebrate top student teams that bring and compete with their biggest, boldest ideas to life.
- To competing on a global stage for World Champion title, each participant team has to create an original technology project from scratch to finish while.
- Winner for 2019 was Team EasyGlucose from United States won. They won for their Deep Learning non-invasive blood glucose level monitor.
Nepal’s 18 year old girl sets Guinness World Records for Longest Dancing
May 5, 2019
Old Record
- She broke record set by India’s Kalamandalam Hemlatha, who danced continuously for 123 hours and 15 minutes in 2011.
- He performed classical dance form Mohiniyattam and set record at age of 37.
About Guinness World Records
Since its inception from 1933 to 2000 it was known as ‘The Guinness Book of Records’, later it was renamed Guinness World Records. It is a reference book which lists record-breaking achievements. It is published annually." "
World Press Freedom Prize 2019 awarded to Myanmar Journalists
May 4, 2019
Recipients of World Press Freedom Prize 2019
- In 2019 award would be shared by two jailed Myanmar journalists ‘Wa Lone’ and ‘Kyaw Soe Oo’ who reported on alleged human rights violations in state of Rakhine, Myanmar.
- The Reuters reporters are serving seven year prison sentence in Myanmar. They are charged with breaking country’s secrets law for their journalistic investigation on military’s brutal crackdown and killings of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state.
Importance
It honours a person, organization or institution which has made an outstanding contribution for defending and promoting freedom of press anywhere in world, especially when achieved it in face of danger by fighting all odds.It includes a cash Prize worth $25000.
Background
It was established in 1997 on initiative of UNESCO’s Executive Board. The name ‘Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize’ is to honour Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist who was a vocal critic of Columbosa’s powerful drug barons and was assassinated in front of his newspaper El Espectador office in Bogotá, Colombia on 17 December 1986." "
Goldman Environmental Prize 2019
April 30, 2019
Goldman Environmental Prize 2019 winners
- Linda Garcia of US, rallied local communities to successfully prevent construction of North America’s largest oil export terminal in Vancouver, Washington.
- Ana Colovic Lesoska of North Macedonia, led seven-year campaign to cut off international funding for two large hydropower plants project from being built in Mavrovo National Park (country’s largest national park).
- Bayarjargal Agvaantseren of Mongolia, who led the fight to create 1.8 million-acre Tost Tosonbumba Nature Reserve (in South Gobi Desert) which is a critical habitat for vulnerable snow leopard. She persuaded Mongolian government to prohibit all mining within reserve.
- Alfred Brownell of Liberia, an environmental activist and human rights lawyer who stopped destruction of Liberia’s tropical forests by palm oil plantation developers.
- Jacqueline Evans of the Cook Islands, led five year campaign to protect Islands’ stunning marine biodiversity and for conservation and sustainable management of all of Cook Islands’ ocean territory and creation of 15 marine protected areas.
- Alberto Curamil of Chile, a jailed indigenous activist who organized his Mapuche community to protest construction of hydroelectric projects on sacred Cautín River in Chile.
Goldman Environmental Prize
- It is an annual award established in 1989 by U.S. philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. It is also known as Green Nobel Prize and awards Cash prize of $200,000.
- It is awarded by Goldman Environmental Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco, California.
- It honors grassroots environmentalists, who risk their lives to protect environment and empower those people who are most vulnerable to lose from industrial projects.
- It honors grassroots environmental heroes from world’s six inhabited continental regions of Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, Islands & Island Nations and South & Central America. Final winners are selected from nominations made by environmental organisations and others.
- Generally winners are announced every April to coincide with Earth Day (22 April).
Indians Received Awards in Past
- Prafulla Samantara: He had led historic 12-year legal battle that affirmed indigenous Dongria Kondh’s land rights and protected Niyamgiri Hills from a massive, open-pit aluminum ore mine.
- Medha Patkar: She is known for Narmada Bachao Andolan.
- C. Mehta: He had single-handedly won numerous landmark judgments from supreme court, like introducing lead-free gasoline to India and reducing industrial pollution fouling the Ganges and eroding the Taj Mahal.
- Rasheeda Bi and Champ Devi Shukla: They are Bhopal activists who ignited international campaign to seek justice for disaster survivors, demanded cleanup and compensation for affected individuals 1984 Union Carbide gas leak.
- Ramesh Agrawal: He had organized villagers to demand RTI about industrial development projects and succeeded in shutting down one of largest proposed coal mines in Chhattisgarh.
Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019
April 25, 2019
Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize aims to revive poetry and books that can change lives. An amount of $10,000, a Tagore statue and a certificate for contribution to literature will be given to the awardee. Indian Poets, novelists and Playwrights writing in officially recognized languages or dialects of the Indian subcontinent, including English.
Other Awardees
Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for social achievement was awarded to Yohei Sasakawa, the World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, for “his incredible efforts to uproot leprosy and great contribution to world peace”.Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen was awarded as a beacon of democracy”, the organisers said.
Rabindranath Tagore Awards
TagorePrize is founded and launched with a strong vision to be a platform and a vehicle for improving and inspiring World Peace, Literature, Art and Education. The prizes promotes the culture and beauty of literature just as Rabindranath Tagore had taught us to, but also, the culture and society of tolerance, harmony and non – discrimination." "
Saraswati Samman 2018
April 15, 2019
K Siva Reddy was born in 1943 in a farmer’s family in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur. He is considered as the most renowned modern poets in Telugu. Siva Reddy has also published critical essays on poetry.
Pakkaki Ottigilite was published in 2016. It is an anthology of 104 poems in blank verse. It captures the responses of the poet over the years to social change, the evolution of his own self and his dynamic relationship with the world.
Saraswati Samman Awards
Saraswati Samman Award was instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in the year 1991. It is given annually for an outstanding literary work written in any official Indian language and published during the preceding 10 years. It carries a cash purse of Rs 15 lakh, apart from a citation and a plaque.Other popular literary awards constituted by the Birla Foundation are Vyas Samman (for Hindi) and Bihari Puraskar (for Hindi and Rajasthani writers of Rajasthan).
" "
PM Narendra Modi Honoured with Order of St Andrew the Apostle
April 14, 2019
The statement by the Russian Government has stated that Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi was decorated with the Order of St Andrew the Apostle – the highest state decoration of Russia – for exceptional services in promoting special and privileged strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of India and friendly relations between the Russian and Indian peoples.
Order of St Andrew the Apostle
Order of St Andrew the Apostle is awarded to prominent statesmen and public figures and representatives of science, culture, the arts and various industries for their exceptional services in promoting the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia. It is both the highest and the oldest state decoration of Russia established in the 17th century by Peter the Great around 1699.Russia also bestows Order of St Andrew the Apostle to foreign heads of state for outstanding services to Russia. The list of the foreign awardees includes President of China Xi Jinping, the former President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the former President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Geydar Aliev.
PM Modi was previously been awarded the United Arab Emirates’s top honour as well as from countries including South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Afghanistan.
" "
Deepa Malik wins New Zealand PM’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship
April 12, 2019
The citation states that the Deepa Malik exemplifies two values that make a great sportsperson: courage and a can-do attitude. Deepa is an inspiring achiever who can confidently and proudly carry forward our message of inclusivity and the pursuit of excellence.
Deepa Malik will be undertaking a series of visits to Paralympic sporting organisations, and engage with Kiwi athletes, students and the media as well as New Zealand’s significant Indian Diaspora community. Deepa Malik will promote cultural as well the people-to-people relationship between India and New Zealand.
New Zealand Prime Minister’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship
The Fellowship Program is running since 2008 aims to strengthen the relationship between India and New Zealand by showcasing the different aspects of the warm friendship between the two countries. The fellowship aims to strengthen the ties between India and New Zealand.Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and Philanthropist. Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt.Sir Edmund Hillary served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and concurrently as Ambassador to Nepal from 1985 to 1988.
" "
India’s Education Technology Start-Up Bags Global Tech Prize
April 10, 2019
Dost Education
Dost Education was awarded for its ability to empower parents to take charge of their child’s early education by creating short, friendly audio content that is sent to them via their mobile phones.The software, audio content, and tool kits of Dost Education makes it easy fun and addictive for parents to boost their child’s early development, so low-income families need no longer send their children to primary school behind and without a chance to catch up.
Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019
Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019 is awarded by the UK-based Varkey Foundation. The award recognises the most innovative technology destined to have a radical impact on education in low income and emerging world countries.The award also highlights technology’s potential to tackle the problems that have proven too difficult for successive generations of politicians to solve.
" "
UAE awards PM Narendra Modi with Highest Civilian Honour
April 5, 2019
The statement issued by the UAE states that PM Modi has provided “exceptional leadership” in forging a new “strategic” relationship between the two nations. It lauds Modi’s foreign policy and the way New Delhi reached out to the Islamic world.
Zayed Medal
The ‘Order of Zayed’ is the highest civil decoration instituted by the UAE. It consists of a collar cantered by a medallion bearing the name ‘Zayed’ who is the founding father of the United Arab Emirates. The Order of Zayed is awarded to Heads of Government/Head of State for their international relations with UAE." "
President Ram Nath Kovind honoured with highest civilian award of Croatia
March 27, 2019
Croatia’s highest civilian award the Grand Order of the King of Tomislav is awarded to heads of state for their important contribution towards the development of state relations between Croatia and their respective countries. President Kovind is the first-ever Indian head of state to visit Croatia.
Croatia
Croatia is located in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula and its capital is Zagreb. Croatia was constituent of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia On 25 June 1991.Croatia is a republic governed under a parliamentary system is a member of the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe, NATO, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Union for the Mediterranean.
" "
Peter Tabichi wins Global Teacher Prize 2019
March 25, 2019
A science teacher from rural Kenya, Peter Tabichi has won the prestigious Global Teacher Prize 2019 which honours the world’s best teacher. He was honoured for his achievements in a deprived school with crowded classes and a few textbooks.Peter Tabichi is a maths and physics teacher at Keriko secondary school in Pwani Village, in a remote part of Kenya’s Rift Valley. He gives away 80% of his income to help the poorest students at the poorly-equipped and overcrowded school who could not afford uniforms and books.
Tabichi started a “talent nurturing club” and expanded the school’s science club, helping pupils design research projects of such quality that many now qualify for national and international competitions.
His students have taken part in international science competitions and won an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry after harnessing local plant life to generate electricity.
Swaroop Rawal, an Indian teacher at Lavad Primary School, Gujarat and various other schools, was also there in contention for the award.
Global Teacher Prize
The Global Teacher Prize underlines the importance of educators and seeks to acknowledge the impacts of the very best teachers not only on their students but on the communities around them.The award was constituted in the year 2015 by the Varkey Foundation and the winners are awarded a US $1 million award. The prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.
" "
Lalit Kala Akademi announces 60th National Academy Award winners
March 25, 2019
The winners of the 60th National Academy Awards conferred by Lalit Kala Akademi are Chandan Kumar Samal (Odisha), Gouri Vemula (Telangana), Hemant Rao (Madhya Pradesh), Hiren Kumar Chotu Bhai Patel (Gujarat), Jaya Jena (Odisha), Jayesh K.K (Kerala), Jitendra Suresh Sutar (Maharashtra), Douglas Maryan John (Maharashtra), Pratap Chandra Chakraborty (West Bengal), Rashmi Singh (Uttar Pradesh), Sachin Kashinath Chaudhari (Maharashtra), Sunil Kumar Viswakarma (Uttar Pradesh), Tabassum Khan (Bihar), Vasudeo Taranath Kamath (Maharashtra) and Veenita Sadguru Chendvankar (Goa).
Lalit Kala Akademi
Lalit Kala Akademi established in 1954 is an autonomous organisation under Ministry of Culture. It is head quartered in New Delhi.The Akademi aims to promote and propagate the understanding of Indian art, in and outside the country in the field of visual arts such as painting, sculpture and graphics etc. The Akademi works to preserve the glorious traditions of the past and enrich them with the works of the modern artist.
" "
Raghu Karnad wins Windham-Campbell Prize
March 19, 2019
Raghu Karnad is the second Indian to receive the award. Earlier in 2016, Jerry Pinto had won the award for his novel, Em And The Big Hoom. Raghu Karnad is the son of legendary writer and the Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad.
Windham-Campbell Prize
The Windham-Campbell Prize is administered by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University in the US and was established in 2013.The award was constituted with the generous gift from writer Donald Windham in memory of his partner Sandy Campbell. The jury selects two winners each for each of the category fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry.
" "
President presents Gallantry Awards
March 15, 2019
Among the recipients are Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, who was presented the Param Vishisht Seva Medal; Major Tushar Gauba, who was awarded the Kirti Chakra and Vice Admiral Sunil Anand, who was given the Nao Sena Medal, among others.
Gallantry Awards in India
The government of India constituted Gallantry Awards on 26th January 1950 and were deemed to have effect from the 15th August 1947. Further, on 4th January 1952, three more Gallantry Awards i.e. the Ashoka Chakra Class-I, the Ashoka Chakra Class-II and the Ashoka Chakra Class-III were instituted by the Government of India on 4th January 1952. These awards were renamed as the Ashoka Chakra, the Kirti Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra respectively in January 1967.Order of precedence of the Gallantry awards is the Param Vir Chakra, the Ashoka Chakra, the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra. Gallantry Awards are announced twice in India on the occasion of Independence Day and Republic Day.
" "
University for Peace Confers Honorary Doctorate on Vice President Venkaiah Naidu
March 11, 2019
Shri. Venkaiah Naidu is the first Indian to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Peace.
University of Peace
The University of Peace was established in accordance with the Resolution 35/55 passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1980. The main campus of the University of Peace is located in Costa Rica, a country of Central America.The University of Peace aims to be a forward-thinking, transformational and inspirational educational institution dedicated to the goals of quality teaching, research and service for serving humanity in building a peaceful world.
The stated mission of the University of Peace is to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace and with the aim of promoting, among all human beings, the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, to stimulate cooperation among peoples and to help lessen obstacles and threats to world peace and progress, in keeping with the noble aspirations proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations.
" "
Journalist Priyanka Dubey gets Chameli Devi Jain Award
March 10, 2019
The jury honoured Priyanka Dubey for her multi-faceted, investigative and interrogative reportage which took up the burning and complex social and political issues and uncovering the reality underlying them showing them to be layered, complex, and variegated.
The Chameli Devi Jain Award awards women journalists for their exceptional contribution to the cause of journalism upholding standards of excellence through a sustained body of work.
The Chameli Devi Jain Award named after the freedom fighter, Chameli Devi Jain who held demonstrations against the foreign goods on the call of Gandhiji and got arrested. She was Gandhian and spun chakra. She would attend meetings with other women on matters of community reform, like widow remarriage.
" "
Japanese architect Arata Isozaki wins Pritzker Prize
March 7, 2019
Some of his major works include Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Palau Saint Jordi indoor sporting arena in Barcelona, he Allianz Tower in Milan, Italy, Qatar’s National Convention Centre, Kitakyushu’s Central Library in Japan, Thessaloniki concert hall’s second auditorium, M2, in Greece, Nara Centennial Hall in Japan etc.
Pritzker Prize
Pritzker Prize is an annual award to honour a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.The award constituted by Pritzker family of Chicago through their Hyatt Foundation in 1979. is often referred to as “architecture’s Nobel” and “the profession’s highest honour.”
Earlier awardees of the coveted prize include India’s Balkrishna Doshi, Jorn Utzon who designed the Sydney Opera House, Oscar Niemeyer of Brazil and the British-Iraqi designer, Zaha Hadid.
" "
TVS Motors Bags Green Era Award for Sustainability
March 5, 2019
Green Era Award for Sustainability
The Green Era Award for Sustainability was awarded at the Green Economy Forum held on 10th of February 2019 at Lisbon. The forum witnessed the participation of renewable energy firms, environmental agencies and green companies from the 5 continents. The nominees for the Green Era Award for Sustainability are based on the following criteria’s:- Energy Efficiency – representing a reduction of specific energy consumption through general housekeeping measures, best practices, retrofitting inefficient equipment and new projects in the use of energy.
- Creativity & Innovation – in terms of demonstrated systems and processes, influencing energy technologies, opportunities with potential for further development and transferability to others and productivity of the operations while making sure that the ecological balance is not impacted.
- Increase of Renewable Energy share in the energy source portfolio – use of renewable energy such as solar, wind, biomass, biogas and other cleaner energy sources and gradual reduction of dependence on non-renewable energy sources.
- Economic, Social & Environmental Impact.
" "
OSDMA bags SKOCH Award
March 4, 2019
The SKOCH Award is being presented since 2003 to individuals and institutions having done meritorious works in the field of governance, finance, banking, disaster management, technology, corporate citizenship, economics and inclusive growth by Skoch Group.
OSDMA and Disaster Management
- OSDMA had received Order-of-merit in the Gold category for constructing 879 multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters which played a key role in saving human lives during Cyclone Phailin in 2013.
- OSDMA had received ‘Order-of-merit’ in the silver category for constructing disaster resilient houses for about 17,000 Phailin affected families by relocating them to safer places.
- Order-of-merit Bronze was given to the OSDMA for its Early Warning Dissemination System for different hydro-meteorological disasters across the coastline of Odisha which will benefit 1,205 villages in 22 blocks of six coastal districts.
- OSDMA had received ICHL award, 2013 for Excellence in Humanitarian Action in the field of Disaster Management and many certifications for effective management of disasters.
" "
Vice President presents Kalam Innovation in Governance Award 2019
March 1, 2019
Kalam Summit on Innovation and Governance
Kalam Summit on Innovation and Governance is organised by the Kalam Centre to feature discussions and studies on various national and global examples of transformational governance for the betterment of the people.The Summit is an international conclave of policymakers, civil service officers, NGOs, media and academia who are dedicated to the task of governance and its dimensions. The Summit is aimed at exploring how cutting edge technology, 21st-century management and out-of-box thinking, can transform the role and impact of governance in India and across the world.
The Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award for Innovation in Governance will also be presented during the summit to individuals and institutions for their exemplary work in improving governance and delivering value to the citizens. The awards are given in the following categories:
- Education
- Healthcare, Sanitation & Nutrition
- Security & Safety
- Environment
- Women & Child Welfare
- Banking, Economics & Finance
- Rural Development & Agriculture
- International Contribution
- Technology, IT & Enterprise
- Social Welfare
- Infrastructure
- Energy
- Media & Entertainment
- Innovation
" "
Infosys Foundation Constitutes Aarohan Social Innovation Awards
February 28, 2019
Aarohan Social Innovation Awards
- Aarohan Social Innovation Awards are aimed at nurturing the culture of innovation in the social sector to scale positive change across the country and thereby provide a platform to help the solutions scale.
- The awards would be given away in six categories spanning healthcare, destitute care, rural development, women’s safety and empowerment, education and sport and sustainability.
- The awards are part of the Infosys Foundation’s endeavour to support individuals and non-government organisations (NGOs) acting on their good intentions towards society and help them turn their ideas into action.
- Those projects which are from a non-commercial venture and has a functioning prototype and not a concept, idea or mock-up would be considered for the awards.
- The award will also provide winners with an opportunity for residential mentorship at IIT Hyderabad up to 12 weeks at its campus to help them develop their solutions and scale them for social impact.
Infosys Foundation
Infosys Foundation established in 1996 is a not-for-profit initiative of Infosys Ltd. It aims to support the underprivileged sections of society by creating opportunities for building a more equitable society. The foundation supports programs in the areas of education, rural development, healthcare, arts and culture, and destitute care." "
91st Oscar Awards
February 27, 2019
- Documentary (Feature) —Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Free Solo.
- Actress in a Supporting Role — Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk.
- Cinematography — Alfonso Cuarón, Roma.
- Foreign Language Film — Alfonso Cuarón, Roma.
- Actor in a Supporting Role —Mahershala Ali, Green Book.
- Animated Feature Film —Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman.
- Animated Short Film —Domee Shi, Bao.
- Documentary Short Subject — Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton, Period. End of Sentence.
- Live Action Short Film — Guy Nattiv and Jamie Ray Newman, Skin.
- Best Original Screenplay — Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly, Green Book.
- Best Adapted Screenplay — Spike Lee, Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Raymond Mansfield, Jordan Peele, BlacKkKlansman.
- Original Score — Ludwig Goransson, Black Panther.
- Original Song — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt, “Shallow,” A Star Is Born.
- Best Actor in a Leading Role— Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody.
- Best Actress in a Leading Role — Olivia Colman, The Favourite.
- Best Director — Alfonso Cuarón, Roma.
- Best Picture — Green Book.
Oscar Awards
The Oscars Awards also known as Academy Awards honour artistic and technical merit in the film industry. The awards are given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy’s voting membership." "
JSPL wins FICCI CSR Award for Women Empowerment
February 23, 2019
FICCI CSR Award
FICCI Corporate Social Responsibility Awards were India’s first CSR awards and was instituted in 1999 by FICCI. The award aims to identify and recognize the efforts of companies in integrating and internalizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).Categories of the FICCI CSR Award
- FICCI CSR Award for Women Empowerment.
- FICCI CSR Award for Education, Skill Development and Livelihood.
- FICCI CSR Award for Environment Sustainability.
- FICCI CSR Award for Health, Water and Sanitation.
- Any other ( for domains other than the above four categories).
- FICCI CSR Award for Exemplary Innovation ( irrespective of the turnover of the company).
- FICCI CSR Award for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) – companies having turnover up to INR 200 Crores per annum.
" "
PM Modi awarded Seoul Peace Prize
February 22, 2019
The PM Modi dedicated the award to the people of India. He stated that the award belongs to the success India has seen in less than five years, powered by 1.5 billion people.
PM Modi is the 14th recipient of the award. Past winners of the Seoul Peace Prize include former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and international relief organisations like Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam.
Seoul Peace Prize
The Seoul Peace Prize is sponsored by the Seoul Peace Prize Foundation. The Seoul Peace Prize was established in 1990 to commemorate the success of the 24th Olympic Games held in Seoul.The Seoul Peace Prize reflects the wishes of the Korean people and to crystallize their desire for everlasting peace on earth. The awardee receives a diploma, a plaque and honorarium of US$200,000.
The Seoul Peace Prize is awarded to Individuals or institutions which have made great contributions to the harmony of mankind and world peace in each field of endeavour around the world regardless of nation, race, religion, or ideology.
" "
7th National Photography Awards
February 20, 2019
The theme for the Professional category was “Women-led Development” and theme for Amateur category was “Fairs and Festivals of India”.
Awardees List
A total of 13 awards were presented during the ceremony. The Lifetime Achievement Award has a cash prize of Rs.3,00,000. The awards in Professional Photographer of the Year category and Amateur Photographer of the Year category had a cash prize of Rs.1,00,000 and Rs.75,000 respectively. 5 Special Mention Awards in both Professional and Amateur categories were awarded with cash prize of Rs.50,000/- and Rs.30,000/- each respectively. The winner’s list is enlisted below:- Lifetime Achievement Award – Shri Ashok Dilwali.
- Professional Photographer of the Year – Shri SL Shanth Kumar.
- Amateur Photographer of the Year – Shri Gurdeep Dhiman.
- Special Mention Awards (Professional) – Shri Arun Sreedhar, Shri P.V. Sunderrao, Shri Kailash Mittal, Shri Mihir Singh, Ms Ranita Roy.
- Special Mention Awards (Amateur) – Shri V. Ravi Kumar, Ms. S. Neelima, Shri Manish Jaisi, Shri Mahesh Balasaheb Lonkar, Shri Avijit Datta.
National Photography Awards
National Photography Awards are presented by the Photo Division under Ministry of I&B. The Photo Division previously existed as a separate Unit and now has been brought under the aegis of PIB.National Photography Awards aims to promote art and technique of photography and to encourage professional and amateur photographers from all corners of the country.
" "
BAFTA FILM AWARDS 2019
February 14, 2019
- Best Film: Roma
- Outstanding British Film: The Favourite
- Leading Actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite
- Leading Actor: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
- Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz, The Favourite
- Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, Green Book
- Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
- Costume Design: The Favourite
- Make Up & Hair: The Favourite
- Original Music: A Star Is Born
- Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Michael Pearce and Lauren Dark, Beast
- Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman
- British Short Animation: Roughhouse
- British Short Film: 73 Cows
- Cinematography: Roma
- Documentary: Free Solo
- Editing: Vice
- Film Not in the English Language: Roma
- Original Screenplay: The Favourite
- Production Design: The Favourite
- Sound: Bohemian Rhapsody
- Special Visual Effects: Black Panther
- EE Rising Star Award: Letitia Wright, Black Panther/Infinity War (public vote)
" "
Siddhartha Lal Named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 – India
February 13, 2019
About EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 (EOY)
The EOY is held annually in India to honour entrepreneurs who emerged as Builders of a better India with their creative ideas and exceptional enterprises. This year was the 20th year of EOY India Awards program. Mr. Lal will represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY) in Monte Carlo from 6 – 8 June 2019. There were seven other categories of EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 winners –- Byju Raveendran, founder and CEO, Think & Learn (start-up)
- Kishore Biyani, founder and CEO, Future Group (business transformation)
- Nirmal K Minda, CMD, Minda Industries (manufacturing)
- Ritesh Agarwal, founder and CEO, OYO Hotels and Homes (services)
- Sanjay Agarwal, MD and CEO, AU Small Finance Bank (financial services)
- Binish Chudgar, vice CMD, Intas Pharmaceuticals (Life Sciences & Healthcare)
- Rajesh Mehra, promoter and director, Jaquar group (consumer products and retails).
- Titan Company Limited MD Bhaskar Bhat won the Entrepreneurial CEO award.
- The winners were chosen by a eight-member jury led by Uday Kotak.
- The winners having unicorns and market disruptors have a revenue of more than ₹1,28,000 crore and employ over 2,50,000 people worldwide.
About EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY)
The EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Forum is organized each year and hosts a unique gathering of disruptive entrepreneurs and global business leaders from more than 50 countries to find innovative approaches to accelerate growth. This program was started from US since the year 1986. Nominations are done regionally in most countries. Regional winners are then eligible for their country’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year National Award. These country winners will then be eligible for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. The event is held every year in Monaco.What is a Unicorn Entrepreneur?
A privately held startup company valued at over $1 billion is called a Unicorn. The coin was termed in 2013 by the by venture capitalist Aileen Lee.
What is a Market Disruptor?
An innovation that creates a totally new market and value network, thus disrupting the existing market and value network by displacing established market-leading firms, products, and alliances is called Disruptive Innovation. The person responsible for it is called the Market Disruptor.
About EY
EY (Ernst and Young) is one of the largest professional services firms in the world founded in 1989 that is headquartered in London, England, United Kingdom. Its CEO is Mr. Mark Weinberger It is one of the Big Four Accounting firms – Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)" "
Father Franois Laborde conferred with Légion d’Honneur
February 8, 2019
Father Laborde has set up an organisation called Howrah South Point which works for the development of specially-abled children, the destitute and the most deprived sections of the society.
Father Franois Laborde is the third person from the state of West Bengal to have been awarded the Legion of Honor. The honour has already been bestowed upon film maestro Satyajit Ray and actor Soumitra Chatterjee. Both of them also hails from the state of West Bengal.
Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour)
Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour) officially National Order of the Legion of Honour was instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 as a general military and civil order of merit conferred without regard to birth or religion provided that anyone admitted swears to uphold liberty and equality.The honour has been retained by all later French governments and regimes. It is the highest civilian award given by the French government for outstanding service and excellence in any field regardless of the nationality of the recipients.
" "
Azim Premji awarded EY Lifetime Achievement Award
February 5, 2019
Motivational Journey of Azim Premji
Azim Premji was born on July 24, 1945, to an affluent Gujarati entrepreneur. He inherited Wipro, a vegetable oil company at the age of 21 after the sudden demise of his father.Azim Premji was pursuing Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, USA when he took over the reins of his family business in 1966. He was written off to carry the herculean task and was publicly advised to sell his shareholding and give it into more mature hands. This further strengthened his resolve to make Wipro a success story.
Under his able leadership, Wipro diversified from hydrogenated cooking fats to bakery fats, ethnic ingredient based toiletries, hair care soaps, baby toiletries, lighting products and hydraulic cylinders.
The expulsion of IBM from the Indian market led to a vacuum and Wipro ventured into software services taking advantage. The rest is history. He led Wipro from a hydrogenated cooking fats company to a pioneer in providing integrated business, technology and process solutions on a global delivery platform. Wipro Technologies is the largest independent R&D service provider in the world and is ranked among the top 100 technology companies globally.
In 2005 Premji was conferred the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan in 2011. Premji has also pledged to donate USD 2 billion for improving school education in India, the first of its kind by any Indian billionaire.
" "
Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal awarded Carnot Prize
January 31, 2019
Piyush Goyal during his tenure as Union Minister of Power, coal, new and renewable energy, and mines brought in transformational changes in the Power Sector which includes fast-track electrification of nearly 18,000 villages in some of the most remote and inaccessible parts of the country, rolling out a comprehensive power sector reform plan UDAY, the world’s largest LED bulb distribution program, and the world’s largest renewable energy expansion program. The award honours his exceptional service towards reforming the power sector in the country.
Accepting the award Piyush Goyal announced that government has embarked on an ambitious programme to ensure 100 per cent electrification of Railway’s grid in the next five years.
About Carnot Prize
The Carnot Prize is the annual recognition by the US-based Kleinman Center for Energy Policy for distinguished contributions to energy policy through scholarship or practice.The prize has been named after French scientist Sadi Carnot, who in 1824 published Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire, which became the basis for the second law of thermodynamics. Carnot recognized that the power of the steam engine would “produce a great revolution” in human development.
The Carnot Prize is awarded to honour those who have revolutionized our understanding of energy policy.
" "
No Presents Please wins DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2018
January 27, 2019
The award was presented by eminent writer Ruskin Bond to Jayant Kaikini and translator Tejaswini Niranjana. For the first time the award was being given to a translated work and the jury wanted to recognise the outstanding contribution of Tejaswini Niranjana, the translator.
The novel presents illustrate life in Mumbai with the Mumbai City presented as a protagonist of a coherent narrative.
DSC Prize for South Asian Literature
Instituted in 2010, the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature awards the best work in South Asian fiction writing each year. The Prize is awarded to writers of any ethnicity or nationality writing about South Asia themes such as culture, politics, history, or people.The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature was instituted by Surina Narula and Manhad Narula in 2010 for an original full-length novel written in English, or translated into English.
" "
Bharat Ratna Awards 2019
January 26, 2019
Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Mukherjee served as the 13th President of India from 2012 until 2017. A veteran congressman, Pranab Mukherjee had held various key portfolios like Finance, Defence and External Affairs as Union Minister. He is the outstanding statesman of the present time.Pranab Mukherjee was born in a Bengali family. Pranab Mukherjee earned an MA degree in Political Science and History and LL.B. from the University of Calcutta. He has also served as a professor of Political Science at Vidyanagar College in West Bengal. Before entering Politics, he was working as a journalist with ‘Desher Dak’.
Nanaji Deshmukh
Nanaji Deshmukh laid great emphasis on education as a social worker. The first Saraswati Shishu Mandir was established by him at Gorakhpur in 1950. He was a member of RSS and also served as general secretary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh.Nanaji Deshmukh took part in Jai Prakash Narayan movement during the Emergency. He got elected as a member of Lok Sabha from Balrampur in 1977. He has also served as a nominated member of Rajya Sabha. Nanaji was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1999.
Bhupen Hazarika
Bhupen Hazarika was a playback singer, lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam, widely known as Sudhakantha. He mainly wrote and sang in the Assamese language. His works were marked by humanity and universal brotherhood and have been translated and sung in many languages. He also served as a channel to introduce the culture and folk music of Assam and Northeast India to Hindi cinema at the national level." "
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2019
January 25, 2019
The winner of this prestigious award includes Gita Gopinath chief economist of IMF, Nihal Singh Agar, founding president of VHP in Australia and Ramesh Chotai, former president of Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre in Canada.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians. The awards are conferred on a Non-Resident Indian, Person of Indian Origin or an organization or institution established and run by the Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin, who has made a significant contribution in any one of the following fields:- Better understanding about India abroad;
- Support to India’s causes and concerns in a tangible way;
- Building closer links between India, the overseas Indian community and their country of residence;
- Social and humanitarian causes in India or abroad;
- Welfare of the local Indian community;
- Philanthropic and charitable work;
- Eminence in one’s field or outstanding work, which has enhanced India’s prestige in the country of residence; or
- Eminence in skills which has enhanced India’s prestige in that country (for non-professional workers).
" "
Ranjani Murali receives Woman’s Voice Award
January 22, 2019
Woman’s Voice Award
Prabha Khaitan Woman’s Voice Award popularly known as Woman’s Voice Award aims to recognize and encourage creative writing by women in India, to help build a network of women writers across India by creating a forum for their work, and to support the publication of new creative writing by women in India. It is a joint initiative between Oxford Bookstore and Prabha Khaitan Foundation.Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF)
Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) was the first literary festival of India. It is also the only literary Festival to be driven by a bookstore and it celebrates books, music, art, film. AKLF d explores literature as part of our tangible and intangible heritage." "
Sheikh Saud International Prize for Materials Research awarded to C N R Rao
January 21, 2019
C N R Rao
Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao popularly known as C N R Rao is an Indian scientist who has made significant contributions in material research.He has authored over 1,600 research papers and 50 books. His areas of research include transition metal oxides and other extended inorganic solids, metal-insulator transitions, nano-materials including nanotubes and graphene, artificial photosynthesis and hydrogen generation by photocatalysis and thermal means.
He has been honoured several national and international awards which include honorary fellowship of the ‘Royal Society of Chemistry’, London in 1989 and ‘Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur’ from France in 2005. He has also been conferred with ‘Padma Shri’ (1974), ‘Padma Vibhushan’ (1985) and ‘Karnataka Ratna’ (2001), Bharat Ratna(2014) among others.
" "
International Gandhi Peace Prize Announced
January 18, 2019
Winners of Gandhi Peace Prize
The government has announced the names of Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari (2015), AkshayaPatra Foundation and Sulabh International (2016), EkalAbhiyan Trust (2017) and Yohei Sasakawa (2018) for the International Gandhi Peace Prize.The Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari was awarded for its contribution to rural development, education, and development of natural resources.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation was awarded for its work towards providing midday meals to children across India.
The Sulabh International was awarded for its contribution towards the improvement of sanitation facilities in India and the emancipation of manual scavengers.
The EkalAbhiyan Trust was awarded for its work in the field of education for rural and tribal children, rural empowerment and gender and social equality.
Yohei Sasakawa, chairperson of Nippon Foundation and World Health Organization goodwill ambassador was awarded for his contribution towards eradicating leprosy.
About International Gandhi Peace Prize
International Gandhi Peace Prize was constituted by the government of India in 1995 as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Mahatma Gandhiji, father of the Nation.The winners are selected by a jury headed by Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the Chief Justice of India and two other eminent persons. The winners would receive a cash prize of Rs 1 crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque and a traditional handicraft/handloom item.
" "
PM Narendra Modi receives first ever Philip Kotler Presidential Award
January 14, 2019
Why PM Modi was conferred with the award?
The citation of the award underlines the following achievements of the PM Modi for conferring the award:- PM Modi was selected for his outstanding leadership for the nation.
- PM Modi’s selfless service towards India, combined with his tireless energy has resulted in extraordinary economic, social and technological advances in the country.
- Under PM Modi’s leadership, India is now identified as the centre for innovation and value-added manufacturing (Make in India), as well as a global hub for professional services such as information technology, accounting and finance
- Modi’s visionary leadership has also resulted in the digital revolution (Digital India), including the Unique Identification Number, Aadhaar, for social benefits and financial inclusion.
- Initiatives such as Make in India, Startup India, Digital India and Swachh Bharat have positioned India as one of the most lucrative manufacturing and business destinations in the world
Philip Kotler Presidential Award
Philip Kotler, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management is also known as ‘Father of Modern Marketing’. Apart from marketing, Philip Kotler has extensively written on education, environment, government marketing, healthcare, hospitality, and innovation.The Philip Kotler Presidential Award is constituted to honour mastery in the field of marketing and management. The award recognises and celebrates achievements of organisations, marketing teams, and individuals in different industries around the world.
" "
Andhra Pradesh bags CBIP award for Polavaram project
January 5, 2019
Polavaram Multipurpose project
Under the Polavaram Multipurpose project, a dam is constructed across the Godavari River in West Godavari District and East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. The reservoir of the dam also spreads to parts of Chhattisgarh and Orissa States.Through the Polavaram Project, 291,000 ha of new land will be brought under irrigation in which 129,000 ha by the right canal and 162,000 ha by the left canal.
Central Board of Irrigation and Power
Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP) is a Premier Institution of Indian government rendering dedicated services to the professional organization, engineers and individuals in the country related to Power, Water Resources and Renewable Energy Sectors for the last 90 years. CBIP was established in the year 1927.
" "
Anindita Neogy Anaam honoured with National Nritya Shiromani award
January 4, 2019
Cuttack Mahotsav: International Dance and Music Festival
The Cuttack Mahotsav is an International Dance and Music festival organised by Utkal Yuva Sanskrutik Sangh, in collaboration with the state government’s department of Odia language.Anindita Neogy Anaam
US-based Kathak exponent Anindita Neogy Anaam has been trained under Pandit Rajendra Gangani and Pandit Jaikishan Maharaj. She has acquainted herself with both Jaipur and Lucknow Gharana of the art-form. She has been awarded the National Nritya Shiromani award for her contribution towards preserving and promoting the Kathak dance form across the world." "
Eminent Sitar Player Manju Mehta conferred Tansen Samman, 2018
December 27, 2018
Tansen
Tansen (earlier names Ramtanu Pande/Mohammad Ata Ali Khan) was the legendary court musician of Akbar. His early music training was held in music school of Gwalior’s Raja Mansingh Tomar. He was a disciple of Swami Haridas.Tansen Samaroh (Tansen Music Festival)
The department of culture, Madhya Pradesh government organizes annual four day Tansen Samaroh near the tomb of Tansen in Gwalior every year in December. The vocal and instrumental artists from all over India come and deliver their performances.Tansen Award
Tansen Award was instituted by Madhya Pradesh government to honour the individual artists with significant contribution to Hindustani Classical Music. This award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 Lakh along with a memento. The first Tansen Samman was conferred upon Sitar maestro Ustad Abdul Haleem Jafar Khan in 2000.Manju Mehta
Veteran Sitar maestro Manju Mehta belongs to Bhatt family of Jaipur, which other eminent musicians Shashimohan Bhatt and Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt come from. She has been a top artist at All Indian Radio and has co-founded the Saptak School of Music in Gujarat." "
Sardar Patel Award for National Integration
December 24, 2018
Sardar Patel Award for National Integration
The award would be given for outstanding efforts to further national integration. The countries first Home Minister Sardar Patel had devoted his life to unifying India. The award for national integration in his name would be a tribute to him and will inspire more people to work towards furthering the cause of India’s unity and national integration." "DGPs/IGPs Conference at Kevadia
A three day All India DGPs/IGPs Conference was held at Kevadia. On the occasion, PM Modi also released a commemorative stamp on the National Police Memorial and Presented Police medals for distinguished services to IB officers.
National Police Memorial
National Police Memorial located in New Delhi’s Chanakyapuri area commemorates the police personnel from all of the central and state police forces in India who have died in the line of duty since the nation’s Independence in 1947.
NITI Aayog organised Women Transforming India Awards 2018
December 17, 2018
Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the vice-president of India, was the chief guest on this occasion. He also launched the upgraded version of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform web portal at the event. Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu lauded the effort of the NITI Aayog for creating Women Entrepreneurship Platform 2.0 and placing gender equality at the centre of its policy decisions.
About Women Entrepreneurship Platform:
- The primary objective of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is to promote and support both established and aspiring Indian women entrepreneurs. This platform has been set up by NITI Aayog.
- Women Entrepreneurship Platform is the first of its kind unified access platform that allows the partner organizations to provide various support services to Indian women entrepreneurs.
- It aims to transform the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in the country.
- It seeks to become a one-stop resource centre for Indian women entrepreneurs.
- It also provides for meeting and working in collaboration of several stakeholders in the entrepreneurial space on a single platform
- Many organisations such as Google, UN India Business Forum, CRISIL, SIDBI, NIC, NASSCOM, WEE Foundation, SEWA bank, MannDeshi Foundation etc. are the partners in the Women Entrepreneurship Platform.
- These awards are given to recognise and celebrate stories of exemplary women from all over India.
- The theme for WTI Awards 2018: “Women and Entrepreneurship”.
"
No comments:
Post a Comment