Current Affairs May 2017 - Awards

1 - Chandrababu Naidu won the US India Business Council Award

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has won the US-India Business Council award for his role in advancing the US-India partnership at the state level.

Mr Naidu was presented the ‘Transformative Chief Minister Award’ during the USIBC West Coast Summit in the Silicon Valley.

Ministry of Electronics and IT Aruna Sundararajan was honoured with the ‘Transformative Leadership Award’ for excellence in public service and for her commitment to advancing US-India cooperation and Digital India.

News 2 - Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar received Japan Imperial Decoration

Former Union minister Ashwani Kumar has been honoured by Japan for this year's Spring Imperial Decorations, for his contribution to strengthening of bilateral ties and promotion of friendship between the two countries. Kumar contributed to the promotion of Japan-India relations.

The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, the highest category of decorations among the Orders of the Rising Sun, is conferred in recognition of distinguished accomplishments of individuals.

News 3 - Sanjay Pratihar won INSA Medal for Young Scientist

Sanjay Pratihar of Assam has been chosen for the the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) medal for the Young Scientist Award for the year 2017 for his excellent contribution to multi-metal complexes, theoretical understanding, selective sensing of Hq2+ions and important applications in agriculture.

He is a scientist at Tezpur University at the Department of Chemical Sciences.

The INSA medal for young scientists are awarded annually to honour talented young Indian scientists in recognition of their outstanding contributions in any branch of science or technology.

News 4 - President presented 64^th National Film Awards

President Pranab Mukherjee gave away the 64^th National Film Awards in New Delhi. He conferred Dadasaheb Phalke Award to eminent Director K.Vishwanath for the year 2016.

Akshay Kumar was conferred Best Actor award for his role in Hindi Movie - Rustom. Malayalam actress Surabhi was given best actress for her role in - Minnaminungu - The Firefly.

Some other awardees were as follows:

News 5 - South Korea honoured Rajive Kaul with diplomatic service award

Prestigious Order of Diplomatic Service Merit Sungnye Medal of the Republic of Korea was conferred to Rajive Kaul, Chairman of Nicco group and past president of CII.

He was honored for his services rendered as honorary consul general of South Korea in Kolkata.

Acting President and Prime Minister of South Korea Hwang Kyo-ahn gave away the honorship to Rajive Kaul at a ceremony in New Delhi. Kaul was appointed as honorary consul general in November 1998.

6 - 44^th EMMY Awards 2017 announced

44^th Annual Daytime Emmy Award winners 2017 were announced by National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

List of winners:

• Good Morning America (ABC) − Outstanding Morning Program

• Steve Burton − Outstanding Supporting Actor (Drama Series)

• Kate Mansi − Outstanding Supporting Actress (Drama Series)

• General Hospital (ABC) − Outstanding Drama Series

• Jeopardy − Outstanding Game Show

• The Talk (CBS) − Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Hosts

• Scott Clifton − Outstanding Lead Actor (Drama Series)

• Gina Tognoni − Outstanding Lead Actress (Drama Series)

News 7 - Padma Venkatraman awarded Avvaiyar Award

Veteran social worker Padma Venkataraman was conferred with “Avvaiyar Award” for 2017 by Tamil Nadu government. She is the daughter of former President of India, late R Venkataraman.

She was awarded for her tremendous efforts in the areas of women’s welfare, empowerment and rehabilitation of leprosy-affected persons. She has been contributing best of her efforts since 30 years.

The “Avvaiyar Award” was constituted by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to honour women for their efforts. Award winner is given Rs one lakh prize money, a gold medal weighing 8 gm, and a certificate.

News 8 - New York Indian Film Festival honored Adil Hussain’s Mukti Bhawan movie

New York Indian Film Festival honored Adil Hussain’s acted movie Mukti Bhawan as Best Film. The film, directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani and featuring Adil Husain and Lalit Behl, revolves around an interesting relationship between a father and son, where son accompanies his father on a journey to Varanasi.

NYIFF was held in New York April 30-May 7 and is known for supporting Indian films.Mukti Bhawan received a special mention at the National Film Awards.

News 9 - Konkona Sen Sharma honored at New York Indian Film Festival

37-year-old actress Konkona Sen Sharma was honored with Best Director for her movie ‘A Death in the Gunj’ and Best Actress for her performance in Lipstick Under My Burkha by New York Indian Film Festival.

This movie is the directorial debut of Konkona Sen Sharma. The film also featured one of the last performances by famous actor Om Puri, who passed away in January 2017.

Other winners at the fest were K Kaladharan for best actor in a Malayalam film "Ottayaaln Paatha" and "Aaba" as best short film.

News 10 - Sachin Tendulkar conferred with Fellowship Award in UK

Veteran Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar was honored with Fellowship Award at the 7^th annual Asian Awards in UK. He was praised for his social work in the form of charities and various initiatives to help the under-privileged people.

He provided solar lights to poor people and made toilets under Swachh Bharat mission in the villages allotted to him.

Other receipients were singer Adnan Sami for ‘Outstanding achievement in music’, actor ‘Om Puri’ for his lifetime contribution to Indian cinema, Ajay banga for ‘Business Leader of the year’ and Krishnan Guru-Murthy for Outstanding achievement in television.

News 11 - The President conferred Florence Nightingale Awards to 35 Nurses

The President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Florence Nightingale Awards to 35 nurses from across the country on the occasion of International Nurses Day.

The Florence Nightingale awards were given to the outstanding nursing personnel employed in Central, State/UTs. Nurses working in Government, Voluntary Organizations, Mission institutions and the private institutions can apply with the due recommendation of concerned State Government.

The Florence Nightingale Awards carries Rs. 50,000 cash, a certificate, a citation certificate and a Medal.

News 12 - Chanda Kochhar received Woodrow Wilson Award for Global Corporate Citizenship

Ms. Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Global Corporate Citizenship from the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington DC for demonstrating a commitment to the common good - beyond the bottom line.

Another recipient this year is Senator Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader of the Senate. He was conferred with the 2017 Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service.

Previous recipients of the Woodrow Wilson Awards include former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murthy.

News 13 - Pawan Kumar Chamling honored with first BS Shekhawat award

President Pranab Mukherjee presented first Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Lifetime Achievement Honour in Public Service to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling for his contribution to Sikkim and its efforts behind making Sikkim as a role model for other states.

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was the vice-president between 2002 and 2007 and was observed as a graceful leader who cared for his people and their welfare. Pawan Kumar Chamling has been serving as Chief Minister of Sikkim for 22 years. He became chief minister of Sikkim in 1994.

News 14 - IIT-Hyderabad professor honored with INSA Young Scientist award

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad’s professor Aravind Kumar Rengan was honored with National Science Academy (INSA) award under Young Scientist category for 2017. Award ceremony will take place during the anniversary general meeting in December 2017.

Professor Aravind Kumar Rengan has immensely contributed in scientific work related to curing cancer and his research to engineer a biodegradable nano-system for photothermal therapy of cancer.

INSA every year honors young scientists who contribute immensely towards research in science and technology.

News 15 - Indian Scientist Shrinivas Kulkarni Won Dan David Prize

Indian scientist and astronomer Shrinivas Kulkarni has won the prestigious Dan David prize for his contribution in the field of astronomy. He is a professor of astrophysics and planetary science at California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Mr Kulkarni built the Palomar Transient Factory, with which he conducted a large-area survey of the night sky in search of variable and transient phenomena. The award consists of $1 million prize money.

News 16 - Sanjay Gubbi and Purnima Barman Bagged Whitley Awards 2017

Sanjay Gubbi and Purnima Barman have won the prestigious Whitley Award for their efforts in wildlife conservation. The award is also popularly known as the Green Oscars and is instituted by the U.K. registered charity Whitley Fund for Nature.

Mr. Gubbi has been awarded for his work to protect tiger corridors in Karnataka. Ms. Barman has been awarded for her work in conservation of Assam’s Greater Adjutant Stork and its habitat.

News 17 - Two Indian peacekeepers honored posthumously with UN medal

Two Indian peacekeepers along with 117 military, police and civilian personnel were honored with a prestigious UN medal awarded posthumously for their courage and sacrifice in the line of duty.

Rifleman Brijesh Thapa who served with the UN Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Private Ravi Kumar who was deployed with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon was honoured with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

News 18 - ISRO received 2014 Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014 was presented to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in recognition of its path-breaking achievements, culminating in the Mars Orbiter Mission; its significant contributions in strengthening international cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space etc.

The award consists of a trophy, a cash award of Rs 1 Crore and a Citation. The prize was received by Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman, ISRO.

News 19 - Prashant Ranganathan of India Won Intel International Science Award in US

Prashant Ranganathan of India has won the Intel International Science Award in US in the environmental engineering category for his project on biodegradation of pesticides. It is the world's largest pre-college science competition.

20 high school students from various parts of India had participated in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. The topmost Gordon E Moore Award of USD 75,000 went to Ivo Zell, 18, of Germany for designing and constructing a remote-control prototype of a new "flying wing".

News 20 - EDII and ITC honored with Porter Prize 2017

Porter Prize 2017, instituted by the Institute for Competitiveness was honored to Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Gujarat and ITC Ltd.

Dr Sunil Shukla, Director, EDII and Sanjiv Puri, the CEO and ED of ITC were presented Porter Prize 2017 by Michael E Porter.

ITC Ltd was given the Porter Prize 2017 for "Excellence in Corporate Governance and Integration" and for its contribution in "Creating Shared Value". EDII was honored in the category of education and training.

News 21 - Cartoonist Rohan Chakravarty bagged WWF International President’s Award 2017

Cartoonist Rohan Chakravarty was honored with WWF International President’s Award 2017 under the age of 30 from around the world, for his amazing cartoons centred on conservation issues under the banner of Green Humour.

His cartoon gives an impression of conservation that leaves an instant impression in the minds of young and old alike. Rohan is best known for his wildlife and environment cartoons made for conservation of nature.

Rohan Chakravarty has made over 400 cartoons and has become one of the largest online cartoon repositories — under the banner of Green Humour.

News 22 - The President presented the Dr. Ambedkar National Awards

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the Dr. Ambedkar National Awards for outstanding contribution to the promotion of social understanding and for the upliftment of weaker sections of the society for the years 2011, 2012 and 2014.

The President congratulated Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot and his colleagues for working to extend a helping hand to those in need and mobilizing social forces to ensure that all can enjoy the fruits of development.