1. 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).
2. 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
3. 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.
4. Indian film RRR bags two Golden Globe Award nominations
Tags: Awards
SS Rajamouli-directed period movie 'RRR' has been nominated in two categories at the Golden Globe Awards to be held in January 2023.
Important facts
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has nominated 'RRR'.
The film has been nominated in two categories for Best Non-English Language Film and the film's song 'Naatu-Naatu' for Best Original Song.
Earlier, there was a demand to send the film to Oscars as well, however, due to the official entry in that award function, this film was left behind.
Recently, director SS Rajamouli has also received the New York Film Critics Circle Best Director Award for the film.
'RRR' is the only Indian film to make it to the International Award category.
RRR has been released in many languages, this South film is being appreciated globally.
'RRR' is based on a pre-independence story woven around two real-life Indian revolutionaries - Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem - in the 1920s.
The film, starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead, was released worldwide in five languages in March.
5. 25th SIES Award for public leadership 2022 conferred on former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu
Tags: Awards Person in news
Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu received the 25th SIES national eminence award 2022 for public leadership in a function held at Mumbai on 10 December. Last year the South Indian Education Society (SIES) award for public eminence was conferred on Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in 2021.
Other awardees in various categories included the Governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan, eminent industrialist Ratan Tata, renowned cardiologist Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valianathan, Scientific Advisor to the Government of India Ajay Sood and famous Harikatha artiste Vishakha Hari.
Venkaiah Naidu was the 13th Vice President of India from 11 August 2017-11 August 2022.
The SIES was set up in 1932 by M. V. Venkateshwaran in Mumbai.
The SIES award is given annually in the field of Public eminence, Community leadership, Science and Technology, Social thinkers and International category.
6. NTPC Gurdeep Singh wins the S&P Platts Global CEO of the Year Award
Tags: Awards Person in news
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of India’s largest power company
भारत की सबसे बड़ी बिजली कंपनी एनटीपीसी लिमिटेड के अध्यक्ष और प्रबंध निदेशक (सीएमडी) गुरदीप सिंह को एसएंडपी प्लैट्स ग्लोबल सीईओ ऑफ द ईयर अवार्ड से नवाजा गया है।24वां वार्षिक प्लैट्स ग्लोबल एनर्जी अवार्ड्स जिसे "ऊर्जा उद्योग का ऑस्कर" भी माना जाता है, न्यूयॉर्क, संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका में आयोजित किया गया था।
एस एंड पी प्लैट्स ग्लोबल सीईओ ऑफ द ईयर अवार्ड संपूर्ण ऊर्जा और रसायन स्पेक्ट्रम में कॉर्पोरेट और व्यक्तिगत नवाचार, नेतृत्व और अनुकरणीय प्रदर्शन को मान्यता देता है।
Gurdeep Singh has been named the S&P Platts Global CEO of the Year Award. The 24th annual Platts Global Energy Awards which is also considered as the “Oscars of the energy industry” was held in New York, United States of America.
The S&P Platts Global CEO of the Year Award recognize corporate and individual innovation, leadership and exemplary performance across the entire energy and chemicals spectrum.
7. Indian-American Krishna Vavilala receives US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
Tags: Awards Person in news
The United States of America President Joe Biden has conferred the Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Award on the Indian American Krishna Vavilala. The Presidential Lifetime Achievement is America’s highest honour and is awarded to American citizens, who exhibit outstanding character, worth ethic, and dedication to their communities.
86 years old Krishna Vavilala is from Andhra Pradesh and migrated to the United States. He is a retired Electrical Engineer and is the founder and Chairman of the Foundation for India Studies (FIS). It is a non-profit organisation, whose Indo-American Oral History Project'' won the 2019 Mary Fay Barnes Award for Excellence.
8. Dr Ogarit Younan and Dr Waleed Slyabi of Lebanon gets the Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Promoting Gandhian Values outside India 2022
Tags: Awards Person in news
The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation has on 8 December 2022 announced the winners of the Jamnalal Bajaj award 2022 .Dr Ogirat Younan and Dr Walid Slyabi of Lebanon was awarded the Jamnalal Bajaj award for Promoting Gandhian Values outside India.
The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation was established in 1977, in the memory of Mr. Jamnalal Bajaj, a close associate and adopted fifth son of Mahatma Gandhi. It was inaugurated on 4th November, 1977 by Mr. Morarji Desai, Prime Minister of India. Each award carries a Citation, a Trophy and a Cash Prize of Rs. 10, 00,000.
The Foundation gives 4 awards in different categories. Three are given to Indians and one award, for promoting Gandhian values outside is given to a foreigner.
Jamnalal Bajaj 2022 winners
For Constructive Works
Nilesh Desai of Madhya Pradesh has been chosen for the Jamnalal Bajaj award for Constructive Works. He is the founder of the Sampark Samaj Sevi Sansthan which works for the upliftment of the Bhil Community.
Award for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development:
Mansukhbhai Prajapati of Gujarat was awarded the Jamnalal Bajaj award for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development. He was selected for his innovation and entrepreneurship in bringing traditional pottery making into the mainstream. His company Mitticool produces clay products and clay pots .He has helped the rural artisans making clay pottery to find new markets and business.
Award for Development and Welfare of Women and Children:
Sophia Saik of Odisha was awarded the Jamnalal Bajaj award for Development and Welfare of Women and Children. She is a social service activist who works for women empowerment and gender rights. She is a prominent activist for women beedi workers in Odisha.
International Award for Promoting Gandhian Values outside India:
Dr Ogirat Younan and Dr Walid Slyabi of Lebanon was awarded the Jamnalal Bajaj award for Promoting Gandhian Values outside India.
They are the founders of the Academic University College for Non-Violence and Human Rights .They are the pioneers of non-violence in Lebanon and Arab world and spreading the Gandhaian ideas in the region.
9. Bank of Baroda wins EAG Laureate award on Financial Security
Tags: Economy/Finance Awards
State-owned Bank of Baroda on 6 December 2022 has said it has bagged an EAG Laureate award in the International Olympiad of Financial Security held at Sochi, Russia on 10 October 2022.
The Eurasian group on combating money laundering and terrorism (EAG) is a FATF type regional which comprises of 9 members including India.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the global anti- money laundering and anti- terrorist financing body.
Bank of Baroda
It is the second largest public sector bank in India after State Bank of India (SBI).
The banks in which the government of India holds 51% or more equity shares are called public sector banks in India.
Chairman of the Bank: Hasmukh Adia
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Sanjiv Chadha
The Headquarters of the bank: Vadodara, Gujarat
Tagline of the Bank: India’s International Bank
10. The “Diwali Stamp-Power of One” awarded to four veteran diplomats and a US lawmaker at the United Nations
Tags: Awards
Four veteran diplomats and a US lawmaker have been honoured with this year's annual 'Diwali- Power of One' award at the United Nations (UN) Headquarter at New York, US on 5 December for their efforts in working towards a peaceful and secure world.
The award, which is also known as the ‘Oscars of Diplomacy', is presented to former top diplomats of the United Nations or a member state for their effort to help form a more perfect, peaceful and secure world for all."
The award was established by Diwali Foundation USA. The Diwali foundation USA was founded in 2017 to promote a peaceful and consensus based process to achieve societal goods.
Award Winner 2022
Former Permanent Representative of Georgia to the UN Kaha Imnadze,
Former Permanent Representative of Grenada to the United Nations Keisha McGuire,
Former Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the UN Georgi Velikov Panayotov,
Former Permanent Representative of Benin to the UN Jean-Claude do Rego,
Former Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives Eliot Lance Engel.
Speaking on the occasion, the President of the 77th session of the General Assembly Csaba Korosi of Hungary said that Diwali marks the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, “much like we intend to achieve here at the United Nations.”
