1. Indian-American physician Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee nominated for the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction in London
Tags: Awards
Indian-American physician and cancer researcher Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee has been nominated for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction in London, a prestigious £50,000 prize.
An Overview of the News
His book "The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human" is one of 13 books selected for the long list.
The six finalists for the prize are to be announced on 8 October and will be revealed during a live event at England's annual Cheltenham Literature Festival.
The winner of the prize will be announced at a ceremony at the Science Museum in London on 16 November.
Established in 1999, the award covers several categories of English non-fiction, including current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography, and art.
Last year's recipient of the award was Katherine Rundell, who was recognized for her biography of the poet "Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne".
Book focus and Mukherjee's background:
The book highlights the transformative impact of cellular research on medicine, leading to breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's and AIDS.
Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, Associate Professor of Medicine at Columbia University and Rhodes Scholar, has authored bestsellers such as "The Gene" and "The Emperor of All Maladies" and has a strong academic and publishing background.
2. The 48th Toronto International Film Festival begins in Canada
Tags: Awards
The 48th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) began on 7 September in Canada.
An Overview of the News
India will actively participate in the 48th TIFF, which will run from September 7 to September 17, and highlight its talent, content, and entertainment industry.
The official Indian delegation participating in TIFF will be led by Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
India has a comprehensive plan for participation with the intention of showcasing its creative and technological strengths. The country aims to attract international collaboration to co-produce films in India and use Indian locations for shooting.
This year TIFF has selected six Indian films to be part of its official selection. These films include "Dear Jassi" directed by Tarsem Singh Dhandhwar, "Kill" directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt, and "Thank You for Coming" directed by Karan Boolani.
About TIFF
Established in 1976, TIFF is one of the world's most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals. It takes place annually in September in Toronto, Canada.
It is headquartered at the TIFF Bell Lightbox Cultural Center in downtown Toronto.
The People's Choice Award at TIFF, determined by audience voting, is considered a strong predictor of success during awards season, including the Academy Awards.
Past recipients of the People's Choice Award include Oscar-winning films such as "Life Is Beautiful," "American Beauty," "Slumdog Millionaire," and "Nomadland."
In 2022, the festival took place from 8 to 18 September, with Cameron Bailey as executive director.
3. Professor Satyajit Majumdar of TISS receives Dr. VG Patel Memorial Award 2023
Tags: Awards Person in news
Professor Satyajit Majumdar, serving as the Dean of the School of Management and Labor Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, was awarded the 'Dr V G Patel Memorial Award-2023'.
An Overview of the News
He received this prestigious award in the category of 'Entrepreneurship Coach, Educator, and Mentor' for his outstanding contribution to promoting and strengthening entrepreneurship in India.
Dr. V.G. Patel is widely recognized as a pioneer of the entrepreneurship movement in India, which makes this award particularly significant.
Professor Satyajit Mazumdar was selected for this award from among 400 applicants from 26 different states. The selection was done by a jury appointed by the Indian Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDII) in Ahmedabad.
Over the past two decades, Professor Majumdar, who is 63, has played a key role in pioneering entrepreneurship.
With his dedicated team, he has provided mentorship to over 350 startups, including 40 from the Jammu and Kashmir region, as well as cluster startups in Jhabua, West Bengal.
Since his appointment at TISS in 2010, Professor Majumdar's primary focus has been on establishing a thriving ecosystem for entrepreneurship within the institute.
In 2012, under his leadership, TISS established a dedicated Entrepreneurship Cell, reflecting his commitment to promoting entrepreneurship in the academic context.
4. Kathmandu-Kalinga Literature Festival concludes in Lalitpur, Nepal
Tags: Awards
The three-day Kathmandu-Kalinga Literature Festival concluded successfully in Lalitpur, Nepal.
An Overview of the News
The Kathmandu-Kalinga Literature Festival was inaugurated by Nepal's Foreign Minister NP Saud and played an important role in promoting cultural exchange within South Asia by promoting literary and cultural activities.
Artists from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka participated in the event, which showcased various art forms includingliterature, music, dance, poetry, and more.
The'Yashasvi Sahitya Samman' awards were presented to notable personalities, including Professor Awadhesh Pradhan, actress and writer Divya Dutta, Professor Madhav Prasad Pokharel, and actress Manisha Koirala.
In addition, the 'Yashasvi Book Prize' was instituted this year, in which awards were given in various categories:
Bibek Ojha received the award for fiction in recognition of his book 'Aithan'.
Dr. Nawaraj KC was awarded for creative non-fiction for his work 'Sunyako Mulya'.
Renuka GC received the award for her storybook 'Sanesh'.
Dr. Mahendra Malla received the award for poetry in the collection 'Bhasako Bakpatra'.
Govinda Giri Prerana was given the award in the Biography category for 'Sushree Parijaat'.
Anuradha received the Children's Literature Award for 'Chhamchhako Chhamchhami'.
Other recipients of the 'Yashasvi Book Prize' include:
Reema KC Awarded for the translation of 'Selected Poems of Amrita Pritam'.
In the Food and Drug category, Narayan Ghimire was awarded for his book 'Raithane Khanpan Ra Chadparva'.
Lakpa Dendi Sherpa for his autobiography 'Himalayan Maverick'.
Sushant Thapa was awarded in the category of English poetry writing for his compilation of poems titled 'Means of Merit'.
5. President of India to honor outstanding teachers with National Teacher Awards 2023 on 5th September
Tags: Awards
The President of India Draupadi Murmu will confer the National Awards to Teachers 2023 to 75 teachers on September 5, 2023, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
An Overview of the News
The event is organized annually on 5th September, the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, which is celebrated as National Teachers' Day in India.
The objective of the National Teacher Awards is to acknowledge and celebrate the extraordinary contribution of teachers to education and the positive impact they have on the lives of students.
Reward Benefits:
Each award includes a certificate of merit.
Cash prize of Rs. 50,000.
A silver medal.
Opportunity to interact with the Honorable Prime Minister.
Extent of Award Area:
The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education organizes this event to honor outstanding teachers.
This year the National Award to Teachers has been expanded to include the following teachers:
Higher Education Department
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Number of award winners:
A total of 75 teachers will be honored in 2023:
50 school teachers
13 Higher Education Teacher
12 teachers from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
6. SVAMITVA Yojana of Ministry of Panchayati Raj gets National Award for e-Governance 2023
Tags: Awards
In the 26th National Conference on e-Governance 2023, the National Award was given to the SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
An Overview of the News
The objective of the SVAMITVA scheme is to survey the population of villages, map rural areas with advanced technology, and provide ownership rights of property to individuals living in rural areas.
State-of-the-art technologies such as drones and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used for this initiative.
Property cards have been created, which enable rural property owners to leverage their property for financial benefits.
Significance of the Award:
The National Award for e-Governance was given in the category "Application of emerging technology for providing citizen-centric services".
It recognizes the innovative use of technology in the scheme to provide services that directly benefit citizens.
National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG):
The 26th NCeG was held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and jointly organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The theme was "Developing India, Empowering Citizens" with a focus on advanced technologies and effective e-governance strategies.
The objective of the conference is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and promote collaboration among stakeholders.
National e-Governance Awards Categories:
The National e-Governance Awards were presented in five categories, including government process re-engineering, emerging technology applications, district-level e-governance initiatives, research on citizen-centric services, and emerging technology applications by start-ups.
Effect of SVAMITVA Scheme:
SVAMITVA Scheme is implemented in collaboration with the Survey of India, State Revenue and Panchayati Raj Departments, and NIC-GIS.
Property cards empower rural property owners to access bank loans and resolve land disputes with accurate maps.
Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department - Giriraj Singh
7. PM Modi becomes the first Indian Prime Minister to receive the Grand Cross of the Order of Honor from Greece
Tags: Awards
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the highest civilian honor Grand Cross of the Order of Honor by Greek President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou in Athens
An Overview of the News
The award is the highest civilian honor Greece can bestow on a foreign head of government.
The award recognizes PM Modi's outstanding contribution to strengthening bilateral relations between Greece and India.
The citation given along with the award highlights PM Modi's commitment to enhancing political, economic, cultural, and people-to-people relations between the two countries.
He is also the first foreign head of government to be honored with the award since 2017.
The award reflects PM Modi's efforts to strengthen ties between India and Greece, which share a history of friendship and cooperation.
About the Grand Cross of the Order of Honor
It is awarded by the President of Greece.
Recipients include Prime Ministers and eminent personalities.
Award winners are recognized for enhancing the prestige and status of Greece.
The Order of Honor was established in 1975.
The medallion depicts the Greek goddess Athena.
Accompanying the image of Athena are the words "Only the righteous should be respected".
Blue and white ribbons are used to wear the badge around the neck.
8. Maharashtra to confer first 'Udyog Ratna' award to Ratan Tata; Three more awards for entrepreneurs announced
Tags: Awards
Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant will present the first 'Udyog Ratna' award to veteran industrialist and Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata.
An Overview of the News
Along with the Udyog Ratna award, the Maharashtra government will introduce three other awards. One award will be given to a woman entrepreneur, second to a Marathi entrepreneur and third to a young entrepreneur from the state.
The Udyog Ratna Award is equivalent to the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan Award and will be given to Ratan Tata for the first time.
The main objective behind the Maharashtra Udyog Ratna Awards is to acknowledge and honour individuals and organisations that have made noteworthy contributions to various sectors, such as business, industry, education, real estate, tourism, financial services, fashion, electronics, agriculture, banking, IT, food items, and health, within the state of Maharashtra.
Ratan Tata has been honoured with several prestigious awards for his contributions:
He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2008 and the Padma Bhushan in 2000, both of which are India's highest civilian awards.
In a recent remarkable achievement, Ratan Tata was conferred with the 'Order of Australia' award, Australia's highest civilian honour.
About Maharashtra
It is a state located in the western part of India and covers a significant part of the Deccan Plateau.
Chief Minister - Eknath Shinde
Governor - Ramesh Bais
Official Animal - Indian giant squirrel
Official Bird - Yellow-footed Green Pigeon
Official Dance - Lavani
9. Shankari Chandran honoured with Miles Franklin Literary Award for novel “Tea Time at Cinnamon Gardens”
Tags: Awards
Sri Lankan-born Australian author Shankari Chandran has been awarded the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Prize in 2023 for the novel "Tea Time at Cinnamon Gardens".
An Overview of the News
Ten years earlier, he had encountered difficulty publishing his first book, as publishers doubted its appeal to the local Australian market, as it was not "Australian" enough.
Chandran's award-winning novel, titled 'Tea Time at Cinnamon Gardens', revolves around themes of family, memories, community, race and highlights Australia's complex relationship with multiculturalism and the consequences of colonialism.
The novel has been hailed as an inter-generational epic that explores the complexities of Australia's multicultural society and the miseries of post-colonialism.
Chandran's story emphasises that our personal stories play an important role in shaping us as individuals and the fabric of society.
Remarkably, 'Tea Time at Cinnamon Gardens' is Chandran's third published novel, which shows his growth and dedication as a writer.
Miles Franklin Literary Award:
It is an annual award given to a novel of the highest literary merit that explores some aspect of Australian life.
The judging panel for this year's award included:
Richard Neville - State Library of NSW Mitchell librarian and Chair
Bernadette Brennan - author
Mridula Nath Chakraborty - translator
James Ley - critic
Elfie Shiosaki - poet
The Miles Franklin Literary Award is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious literary awards in Australia.
Previous winners of the award include acclaimed authors like Thea Astley, Jessica Anderson, and Tim Winton, among others.
10. Seven-year-old Indian Moksha Roy receives 'Points of Light' award in UK
Tags: Awards
Indian-origin seven-year-old Moksha Roy has been honored with the British Prime Minister's 'Points of Light' award.
An Overview of the news:
- Indian-origin Moksha Roy has been working for the United Nations' sustainable initiative against microplastic pollution since she was just three years old.
- British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden presented the award to seven-year-old Moksha Roy in the third week of July.
- Moksha Roy has been given the title as the world's youngest sustainability advocate.
- Moksha is recognized for her work in several sustainable campaigns including raising funds to help children in need.
- Moksha's parents Raginiji Roy and Sourav Roy said that their daughter's effort proves that even small children in the society can play an important role in combating climate change.
