1. Mithun Chakraborty to be Honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Tags: Awards
Mithun Chakraborty will be honored with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest recognition in cinema.
An Overview of the News
The award will be presented at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8, 2024.
Political Career and Recent Honors
Mithun Chakraborty was previously a sympathizer of the Naxal movement in Calcutta.
He became a Rajya Sabha MP in 2014 on a Trinamool Congress ticket.
He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2021 ahead of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.
Earlier this year, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award.
Cinematic Achievements and National Awards
Mithun Chakraborty debuted with Mrinal Sen’s 1976 film Mrigayaa, earning his first National Award for Best Actor.
He received two additional National Awards for Tahader Katha (1992) and Swami Vivekananda (1998).
Despite his recent decrease in Hindi cinema appearances, his contribution to Indian cinema remains significant, with films like Kabuliwala (2023) and Projapati (2022) in Bengali.
Disco Dancer and Cultural Impact
Mithun Da’s breakthrough came in 1982 with Disco Dancer, a film credited with popularizing disco dancing in India.
His iconic performance and dance style in songs like “I Am A Disco Dancer” made him a household name.
From 2009 to 2018, he served as the head judge on the popular dance reality show Dance India Dance.
2. Deepak C. Mehta, Receives Prestigious ICC Lifetime Achievement Award 2023
Tags: Awards
Deepak C. Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director of Deepak Nitrite Limited, was awarded the ICC Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023.
An Overview of the News
The award recognizes Mehta's significant contributions to India's chemical manufacturing sector over several decades.
The award was presented by Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar at the 59th ICC Annual Awards in Mumbai, attended by industry leaders and academicians.
Legacy of Leadership and Vision
Mehta has served as President of the Indian Chemical Council and as a member of the Government's Task Force on Chemicals Industry.
He leads the National Chemicals Committee and Sector Skills Council at FICCI, helping to advance India's chemical sector.
Sustainable Growth and Innovation at Deepak Nitrite
The company has a diversified portfolio serving sectors like dyes, pigments, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and personal care.
Deepak Nitrite operates across six locations, is accredited by Responsible Care, and received a Silver Rating from EcoVadis in 2022 for sustainability initiatives.
3. Vinod Bachchan Receives Global Prestige Award at UK Parliament
Tags: Awards
Bollywood producer Vinod Bachchan received the prestigious Global Prestige Award at the House of Lords, UK Parliament.
An Overview of the News
The ceremony was hosted by Lord Bellamy KC and Lord Rami Ranger CBE, a notable Member of Parliament.
Contributions to Indian Cinema
Bachchan is known for producing successful films such as Tanu Weds Manu, Zila Ghaziabad, Ginny Weds Sunny, and Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana.
He was honored for his significant role in bringing Indian cinema to a global audience and promoting Indian culture and traditions.
About the Global Prestige Award
The award recognizes individuals who have made notable contributions in their respective fields.
Presented at the UK Parliament, it celebrates diversity and excellence across various domains, including arts, culture, and business.
It emphasizes the importance of cultural exchange and the role of cinema in bridging societal gaps.
4. Laapataa Ladies Chosen as India’s Official Entry for Oscars 2025
Tags: Awards
Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies was selected as India's official entry for the 2025 Oscars.
An Overview of the News
Assamese director Jahnu Barua, head of the 12-member jury, provided insights into the decision-making process.
Kiran Rao's Second Directorial Venture
Laapataa Ladies, released in March 2024, is Kiran Rao's second film following her debut with Dhobi Ghat.
The film is a satirical comedy-drama that tells the story of a young man whose bride is mistakenly swapped with another woman.
Film Federation of India's Perspective
Ravi Kottakara, President of the Film Federation of India (FFI), provided additional context on the selection process.
He shared that the jury felt All We Imagine As Light resembled "foreign" cinema, while Laapataa Ladies embodied the Indian experience, particularly focusing on the struggles of women.
The film’s portrayal of the goonghat (veil) and related cultural misunderstandings was seen as a uniquely Indian narrative, which influenced the decision.
5. Chiranjeevi Honored by Guinness World Records as Most Prolific Star in Indian Cinema
Tags: Awards
Former Union Tourism Minister and eminent actor Chiranjeevi Konidela was honored with the "Most Prolific Star in the Indian Film Industry" award by Guinness World Records.
An Overview of the News
The award ceremony took place in Hyderabad, where a representative of Guinness World Records handed over the certificate.
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan was also present at the event, sharing the stage with Chiranjeevi.
The certificate acknowledged Chiranjeevi's achievement on 20 September 2024.
Chiranjeevi's Achievements
Chiranjeevi expressed his gratitude, stating he never anticipated receiving a Guinness World Record.
Over his 45-year film career, he performed 24,000 dance moves across 537 songs in 156 films in multiple languages.
Dance has become an integral part of his life throughout his extensive career.
6. Prasanthi Ram Wins 2024 Singapore Literature Prize for English Fiction
Tags: Awards
Prasanthi Ram, an Indian-origin lecturer at Nanyang Technological University, won the Singapore Literature Prize for English Fiction in 2024.
An Overview of the News
Prasanthi Ram winning work, "Nine Yard Sarees," is a short story cycle published at the end of 2023.
The collection traces generations of a Tamil Brahmin family across Singapore, Sydney, New York, and Connecticut.
Prasanthi expressed surprise and humility at receiving the award, noting she wrote the collection while caring for her late father.
The Straits Times hailed her debut as "one of the best in Singapore fiction."
A three-member panel described her writing as "skilful, assured, comedic at times, and profoundly moving."
The panel praised Prasanthi as a "clear-sighted and ruthlessly principled observer" and highlighted how her collection reveals "the damage women inflict on each other and the men in their families" with "remorseless precision."
Singapore Literature Prize:
Purpose: Recognizes excellent published works by Singaporean authors in the four official languages: Chinese, English, Malay, or Tamil.
Organizer: Singapore Book Council (SBC).
Support: National Arts Council.
Other Winners:
Poetry: "Yaamakkodangi" (2023) by Mathikumar Thayumanavan
Fiction: "Cheenalakshumi" (2022) by Kanagalatha K
Creative Nonfiction: "Appan" (2023) by Azhagunila
Best Debut: "Kaatralalyll" (2023) by Tamilselvi Rajarajan
7. FICCI Honors Neeraj Chopra and Ayushmann Khurrana with Youth Icon India Awards 2024
Tags: Awards
On August 29, 2024, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) hosted the inaugural 'FICCI Young Leaders Awards (2024)'.
An Overview of the News
The event recognized outstanding young achievers across 13 categories.
Award Recipients
Neeraj Chopra
Awarded 'Youth Icon Award 2024 (Sports)'
Became the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal in javelin throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Secured a silver medal in the men's javelin throw at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Ayushmann Khurrana
Awarded 'Youth Icon Award 2024 (Entertainment)'
Won the National Award for Best Actor in 2019 for Andhadhun (2018).
Appointed as the National Ambassador of UNICEF India in 2023 and has been a Celebrity Advocate for UNICEF India since 2020.
Other Honorees
Amitabh Shah
Awarded 'Youth Icon Award 2024 (Public Service)'
Founder of Yuva Unstoppable.
Rahul Mishra
Awarded 'Youth Icon Award 2024 (Art & Culture)'
Renowned Indian fashion designer.
Palki Sharma
Awarded 'Youth Icon Award 2024 (Media)'
Acclaimed journalist.
About FICCI
Founded:- 1927
Founder:- Ghanshyam Das Birla
President:- Subhrakant Panda
Headquarters:- New Delhi
8. 16 National e-Governance Awards presented at Mumbai Conference on September 3-4, 2024
Tags: Awards
27th National Conference on e-Governance held on 3rd and 4th September 2024 at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
An Overview of the News
16 National Awards for e-Governance 2024 announced on 23 August 2024 were presented.
List of Key Award-Winning Projects
Poshan Tracker
Organisation: Ministry of Women & Child Development
Project Head: Indevar Pandey, Former Secretary
iGOT
Organisation: Karmayogi Bharat
Project Head: Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary
Area Officer, the Worksite Monitoring and Inspection Management System
Organisation: Department of Rural Development
Project Head: Amit Kataria, Former Joint Secretary, DoRD
Shiksha Setu Axom
Organisation: Samagra Shiksha, Assam
Project Head: Dr. Om Prakash, Mission Director
Rajkisan Saathi Phase - II
Organisation: Department of Information Technology and Communication, Government of Rajasthan
Project Head: Inderjeet Singh, Commissioner and Special Secretary
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
Organisation: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
Project Head: Sanjiv, Joint Secretary
Use of Teleradiology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Chest Radiograph and Auto Approval for Direct Bank Transfer of Relief to Silicosis Patients
Organisation: Social Justice and Empowerment Department, Government of Rajasthan
Project Head: Dr. Samit Sharma, Secretary to Government of Rajasthan
JHAR - JAL Portal
Organisation: Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, Government of Jharkhand
Project Head: Dr. Manish Ranjan, Former Secretary, Government of Jharkhand
Lab Mitra
Organisation: District Administration, Varanasi, Government of Uttar Pradesh
Project Head: S. Rajalingam, District Magistrate
Wokha SAATHI (Smart AI-based Assistant for Timely Help & Interface) Whatsapp Chatbot
Organisation: District Administration Wokha, Government of Nagaland
Project Head: Ajit Kumar Ranjan, Deputy Commissioner
AI Enabled Adaptive Traffic Control System & Smart Hawking Solution
Organisation: Rajkot Municipal Corporation, Government of Gujarat
Project Head: Devang P. Desai, Municipal Commissioner
PCMC Smart Sarathi Project
Organisation: Pimpri Chinchwad Smart City Limited, Government of Maharashtra
Project Head: Shekhar Singh, Municipal Commissioner
India Hypertension Control Initiative
Organisation: ICMR - National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai
Project Head: Dr. Ganeshkumar Parasuraman, Scientist ‘E’
National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases
Organisation: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow
Project Head: Dr. Uttam Kumar Sarkar, Director
Karnataka GIS
Organisation: Karnataka State Remote Sensing Application Center, Government of Karnataka
Project Head: Dr. D. K. Prabhuraj, Former Director
Use of Barcode in Digitizing Property Registers of Police Station Inventory – e-Malkhana
Organisation: Commissionerate of Police, Chandannagar, Government of West Bengal
Project Head: Amit P. Javalgi, Commissioner of Police.
9. Varanasi’s 'Lab Mitra' Initiative Wins National e-Governance Gold Award
Tags: Awards
The 'Lab Mitra' initiative from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, has been honored with the National e-Governance Gold Award.
An Overview of the News
The award was presented at the National e-Governance Conference 2024 held in Mumbai.
'Lab Mitra' received the award for its contributions to Administrative Reforms and district-level initiatives in e-governance.
Initiative Detail
'Lab Mitra' was launched by the district administration of Varanasi in collaboration with a private bank and an NGO.
Due to its success, the model has been expanded across Uttar Pradesh under the name 'Lab Report.'
The initiative is currently operational in 20 hospitals, including all government hospitals in Varanasi.
Over 2.5 lakh patients have benefited from the 'Lab Mitra' service so far.
Service Functionality
Through the 'Lab Mitra' portal, patients at government hospitals are registered for laboratory tests based on their doctor’s prescription.
The system generates an online report after the test, which is sent as a link via text message to the patient’s phone number.
Patients can access their complete lab test reports after four hours at Community Health Centers (CHCs) and after 12 hours at government hospitals.
10. Hayao Miyazaki Awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award 2024
Tags: Awards
Hayao Miyazaki, renowned film director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, has been honored with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2024.
An Overview of the News
This award, often called Asia’s Nobel Prize, recognizes Miyazaki’s substantial contributions to cinema and culture.
About Hayao Miyazaki
Co-founder of Studio Ghibli, known for classics like Spirited Away.
Prefers traditional hand-drawn animation over computer-generated imagery, contributing to the unique and timeless quality of his films.
Notable works include Princess Mononoke, which made a significant impact at the box office.
Passionate about aviation, a theme reflected in many of his films.
Despite multiple retirement announcements, his commitment to storytelling has led him back to filmmaking.
Studio Ghibli's Achievements
Under Miyazaki's leadership, Studio Ghibli has become one of the world’s most respected animation studios.
The studio recently made history by receiving the honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Miyazaki came out of retirement to direct The Boy and the Heron, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
About the Ramon Magsaysay Award
Established in 1957 to honor outstanding work in Asia, named after a former president of the Philippines.
Recognizes achievements in community leadership, government service, and journalism.
Known as “Asia’s Nobel Prize,” it has been awarded to over 300 individuals, including A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Mother Teresa.
The award process maintains fairness with secret nominations and emphasizes social justice, honesty, and good citizenship.
On August 31, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation announced its annual prize recipients:
Farwiza from Indonesia
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong from Vietnam
Miyazaki Hayao from Japan
Karma Phuntsho from Bhutan
Rural Doctors Movement (RDM) from Thailand
