1. UIDAI wins DSCI best Security practices award in the government sector award
Tags: place in news Science and Technology Summits Awards
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has won the Data Security Council of India's (DSCI) Best Security Practices in Government Sector award.
The award was given to UIDAI during DSCI's three day Annual Information Security Summit (AISS) in Gurugram for its significant role in securing national critical Aadhaar infrastructure that provides digital identity based welfare services to residents.
The Annual Information Security Summit (AISS) was organised by Nasscom -DSCI from 20-22 December in Gurugram. Data Security Council of India is a premier industry body on data protection in India. It was set up by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM).
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.
It was set up on 12 July 2016 by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
UIDAI was created to issue Unique Identification numbers (UID), Aadhaar, to all residents of India. It issues a 12 digit biometric Aadhaar number to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority.
Chief Executive officer (CEO): Dr Saurabh Garg
2. UIDAI HQ Building wins top Green Building Award
Tags: Awards
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Headquarter in New Delhi has won the prestigious GRIHA Exemplary Performance Award 2022, a top national level Green Building Award.
Important facts
GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) is a national rating system for green buildings in India.
UIDAI HQ has been declared a winner among the existing highest rated building category.
UIDAI believes and promotes the idea of recycle and reuse to reduce carbon footprint.
It has been harnessing solar power to meet a portion of its energy consumption.
It is recycling and reusing water and has been adhering to sustainable waste management practices.
On average, 25% to 30% of its daily water consumption is coming from recycled water.
Similarly, UIDAI Headquarter building is also recharging ground water on an average of 3590 KL per year.
In 2021, the UIDAI Headquarters building was declared the runner-up.
3. 'Naatu Naatu' from RRR movie becomes the first Indian song to be shortlisted for Oscar Award
Tags: Awards National News
The song 'Natu-Natu' from SS Rajamouli's film 'RRR' has been shortlisted for Oscars 2023.
Important facts
This song has been shortlisted in the Best Song category, which is one of the 15 songs shortlisted for Oscars 2023.
This is India's first song to be shortlisted for Oscars.
Besides Natu Natu, other songs on this list include Nothing Is Lost from the movie Avatar: The Way of Water, 'Lift Me Up' from Blank Panther and 'Hold' from Top Gun: Maverick. Hold My Hand'.
Song 'Naatu-Naatu' is composed by MM Keeravani and written by Chandrabose, voiced by Rahul Sipligunj and Kaal Bhairav.
The song was released as "Naacho Naacho" in Hindi, "Nattu Koothu" in Tamil and "Halli Naatu" in Kannada.
This song was also nominated for Best Original Song at the 80th Golden Globe Awards.
The 95th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), will honor films releasing in 2022.
The award ceremony will be held on March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California.
4. Shalini Kumari received first prize in 3rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation Forum
Tags: Awards
Ms Shalini Kumari from India received first prize in the Grassroots Innovation Competition at the 3rd ASEAN India Grassroots Innovation forum for her innovation ‘Modified walker with adjustable legs’.
Important facts
The first prize winner from India Ms Shalini Kumari at the forum, a resident of Patna in Bihar; she was first recognized by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India.
The technology was transferred to the industry, Vissco Rehabilitation Aids, a leading manufacturer of orthopaedic products in the country.
It is available for purchase through Brick and Mortar stores and also through marketplaces like Amazon India for purchase by common people of the country.
Ms Shalini Kumari received the prize from H E Dr Hul Seingheng, Cambodia COSTI Chairman and Director General, General Department of Science, Technology & Innovation under the Ministry of Industry Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI), Kingdom of Cambodia.
She has won the cash prize of USD 1,500 by virtue of being the winner of first prize.
The second and third prizes were won by innovators from the Philippines and Myanmar, who won US$1000 and US$500, respectively.
A total of 45 innovators participated and represented 9 nationalities in the competition.
The first and second prize in the Student Innovation competition has been won by participants from Thailand whereas the third prize has been won by the student from Lao PDR.
Grassroots Innovation Competition
1st Prize | India - Ms Shalini Kumari | Modified walker with adjustable legs |
2nd Prize | Philippines - Mrs Meriam Bouquia | Multi purpose Fiber Stripper |
3rd Prize | Myanmar - Mr. Myo Thaw | GreenToddy’s Plamyra palm coconut |
Student Innovation Competition
1st Prize | Thailand - Ms. Napaschol Inthapan | ORA (Osteoarthritis Rehabilitation Assistant) |
2nd Prize | Thailand - Mr. Tanapat Charunworaphan | The HealthTech that keeps your heart in checked |
3rd Prize | Lao PDR - Mr. Phonsena Chanthavong | Intelligent boat for a cleaner river |
5. Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs wins Platinum Icon in Digital India Awards 2022
Tags: Awards
The Smart Cities Mission of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has won the Platinum Icon at the Digital India Awards 2022 for their initiative "DataSmart Cities: Empowering Cities through Data".
Important facts
The award was announced under the ‘Data Sharing and Use for Socio-Economic Development’ category.
About Data smart Cities Initiative
The DataSmart Cities Initiative is a key step in creating a robust data ecosystem that enables evidence-based decision-making in cities.
It aims to harness the power of data for better governance in India’s 100 Smart Cities.
It is based on a ‘People, Platform, Process’ strategy, which is helping in the convergence of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs' efforts for performance management, empowerment of communities, and research, co-creation & open innovation.
The initiative has institutionalised a Data Ecosystem in cities through 100 City Data Offices and more than 50 Data Policies.
About Digital India Awards 2022
It is a prestigious National competition that seeks to encourage and honour innovative digital solutions by government entities in realising the Digital India vision.
These are conducted by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).
6. India's Sargam Kaushal wins Mrs World 2022 title, Title returned to India after 21 years
Tags: Awards
Sargam Kaushal has won the title of Mrs. World 2022, becoming the winner among contestants from 63 countries. This title has returned to India after 21 years.
Important facts
America's Mrs. World 2021 Shaylin Ford crowned Mumbai's Sargam Kaushal at an event held at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino on the evening of 18 December.
Mrs. Polynesia was named the first runner-up, followed by Mrs. Canada as the second runner-up.
The Mrs. India pageant announced the winner on its official Instagram page.
The newly crowned Mrs. World Sargam Kaushal hails from Jammu and Kashmir.
Actress-model Aditi Govitrikar, who brought the Mrs India crown to India in 2001, also shared a congratulatory message on the Mrs World pageant's page.
For the final round, Kaushal wore a pink slit dazzling gown designed by Bhavana Rao and was guided by pageant expert and model Alessia Raut.
About Mrs World title
Mrs World is the first beauty pageant for married women.
The pageant was conceived in 1984 and traces its roots to the Mrs. America pageant.
Initially this pageant was named Mrs. Woman of the World.
It became known as Mrs. World in 1988. Most of the winners are from America.
India has won the title of Mrs. World only once, in 2001 when Dr. Aditi Govitrikar bagged the coveted crown.
Dr. Govitrikar has served as a judge for Mrs. India Inc. 2022-23.
7. NMDC wins IEI Industry Excellence Award 2022
Tags: Economy/Finance Awards
National Miner National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) won the coveted IEI (Institution of Engineers, India) Industry Excellence Award 2022 on 16th December,2022 in Chennai.
Important facts
On behalf of NMDC, N R K Prasad, CGM (IE & MS), received the award from Dr K Ponmudy, Minister for Higher Education, Government of Tamil Nadu.
NMDC, the largest producer of iron ore in the country, was honoured at the 37th Indian Engineering Congress for its outstanding performance and high level of business excellence.
The Institution of Engineers (India) has given the Industry Excellence Award to NMDC , after reviewing the business operations, financial performance, environmental performance, research and development, CSR and corporate governance policies of a company.
With an eco-friendly, economic and efficient approach, NMDC is undertaking transformational projects to maintain its domestic leadership and move towards becoming a global mining company.
About NMDC
It was incorporated in 1958 as a Government of India public enterprise.
It is India’s largest producer of iron ore.
Since inception, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel, it has been exploring minerals including copper, rock phosphate, limestone, magnesite, diamond, tungsten and beach sand, among others.
Headquarters: Hyderabad
8. UN ranks 'Namami Gange' project among world's top 10 initiatives
Tags: Government Schemes Awards National News
India's 'Namami Gange'- river Ganga rejuvenation project- has been recognised as one among world's 10 most "ground-breaking" initiatives for restoration of natural ecosystems, according to a report released during the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15).
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has won the "Public Water Agency of the Year" award at the Global Water Awards, 2019 by Global Water Intelligence.
Important facts
The award was received by G Ashok Kumar, Director General, Namami Gange, at the 15th Conference of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) in Montreal, Canada on 14 December 2022.
Namami Gange was selected from over 150 such initiatives from 70 countries across the globe.
They were selected under the banner of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global movement coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Recognized initiatives, including Namami Gange, will now be eligible to receive UN support, funding or technical expertise.
Other initiatives included in the World Restoration Flagship
Trinational Atlantic Forest Pact, which aims to protect and restore the forest in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.
Abu Dhabi Marine Restoration project that targets safeguarding the world’s second-largest dugong population in Abu Dhabi.
Great Green Wall for restoration to restore savannahs, grasslands and farms across Africa.
Multi-Country Mountain Initiative based in Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda and Rwanda.
The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative in Kazakhstan to restore the steppe, semi-desert and desert ecosystems.
The Central American Dry Corridor
Shan-Shui Initiative in China
About Namami Gange
It was approved as a 'Flagship Programme' by the Central Government in June 2014.
It was launched to serve the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of the national river Ganga.
It is being operated under the Ministry of Water Resources, Department of River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The program is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its State Program Management Groups (SPMGs).
9. Meghalaya awarded for TB control programme
Tags: Awards State News
The Meghalaya government, which has adopted a 'people's movement' against tuberculosis, has recently been awarded for best practices in controlling the disease that affects 2.6 million people in India every year.
Important facts
Representatives of the health department were presented with awards for best practice in tuberculosis control, communication and social mobilisation at a national workshop aimed at ending TB infection in the national capital.
The state registered 4,189 TB cases in 2021 while in the first quarter of 2022, around 1,075 patients have been enrolled for treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a national target to eliminate the disease, which affects more than 26 lakh Indians each year, by 2025, five years ahead of the WHO's Sustainable Development Goals.
A National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination (2017-25) has also been launched which ensures greater community engagement.
About Meghalaya
Capital: Shillong
Chief Minister: Conrad Kongkal Sangma
Governor: B. D. Mishra
10. India win 6 gold medals at 19th International Junior Science Olympiad in Bogota
Tags: Awards
India secured the top rank at the 19th International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) 2022 held in Bogota, Colombia by winning 6 gold medals.
Important facts
The 19th edition of the competition was hosted at Bogota in Colombia, from 2 to 12 December.
A total of six students from India participated in the competition and each earned one gold, 203 students from 35 countries participated in the event.
This is the third consecutive year and fourth overall that the country has put up an “all-gold performance.
In total, 20 gold, 42 silver, and 59 bronze medals were awarded at the IJSO.
India won the best team award, being the only country to win six gold medals. Three members of the Indian contingent also jointly won bronze medals in the experimental category.
This year's edition was originally scheduled to be held in war-torn Kyiv, but was later moved to Colombia due to the ongoing conflict in Russia and Ukraine.
The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) is the nodal centre of the country for the Olympiad programme.
Winners from India
Arittra Malhotra from Delhi,
Rajdeep Mishra from Jamnagar,
Avaneesh Bansal from Dehradun,
Vasu Vijay from Kota,
Devesh Pankaj Bhayiya from Jalgaon
Banibrata Majee from Hyderabad
About International Junior Science Olympiad
It is an annual individual and team competition in the Natural Sciences for students who are under sixteen years old on 31st December of the competition year.
It has been established for the general education of youth and in recognition of the importance of natural science in all aspects of their lives.
Its aim is to promote and reward the pursuit of excellence in scientific endeavour.
