VP Jagdeep Dhankhar Conferd Fourth National Water Awards
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar conferred the fourth National Water Awards in New Delhi. The Jal Shakti Ministry has announced a total of 41 winners, covering 11 categories, including joint winners, for the 4th National Water Awards, 2022. Each award winner was conferred with a citation and a trophy as well as cash prizes in certain categories.
The 1st Prize for the Best State was conferred on Madhya Pradesh; Best District was conferred on Ganjam District, Odisha; Best Village Panchayat was conferred on Jagannadhapuram Village Panchayat, Bhadradri Kothagudem district, Telangana; Best Urban Local Body was conferred on Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh; Best Media was conferred on Advance Water Digest Private Limited Gurugram, Haryana; Best School was conferred on Jamiyatpura Primary School, Mehsana, Gujarat; Best Institution for Campus usage was conferred on Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir; Best Industry was conferred on Barauni Thermal Power Station, Begusarai, Bihar; Best NGO was conferred on Arpan Seva Sansthan, Udaipur, Rajasthan; Best Water User Association was conferred on the Sanjeevani Piyat Sahkari Mandli Ltd, Narmada, Gujarat; and Best Industry for CSR Activities was conferred on HCL Technologies Ltd., Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
As part of the ongoing nationwide drive to realize the Government's vision of a 'Water Prosperous India', the award focused on encouraging the good work and efforts made by various individuals and organizations. It seeks to create awareness among people about the importance of water and motivate them to adopt best water use practices.
Jun 15, 2023
RBI Chief Named 'Governor of the Year' At London's Central Banking Awards
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das was awarded the "Governor of the Year" at the Central Banking Awards 2023 in London. Central Banking is a London-based international economic research journal.
Das is the second RBI governor to receive the award after Raghuram Rajan, who was given the title in 2015.
The National Bank of Ukraine was named the 2023 Central Bank of the Year.
Child Rights Advocate Lalitha Natarajan Wins 2023 Iqbal Masih Award
Chennai-based lawyer-activist Lalitha Natarajan was awarded the 2023 Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labour.
US Consul General Judith Ravin presented the award to Natarajan at a ceremony at the US Consulate General in Chennai.
As a leader in the fight to end exploitative child labour in southern India, Natarajan identifies child victims of trafficking, specifically bonded labour, assisting in their reintegration into society. In her role as a member of the Child Welfare Committee (North Zone), under the Department of Social Defence, Tamil Nadu, Natarajan ensures victims receive compensation under the Child Labour Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Besides working on child labour issues, Lalitha also provides legal and counselling support to victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
The award is named after Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani child who was sold into slavery at the age of four and forced to work in a carpet factory. He escaped at the age of ten and became an outspoken advocate for the rights of child labourers. He was assassinated in 1995 at the age of twelve.
Jun 11, 2023
Paterson Joseph Wins RSL Christopher Bland Prize 2023
Paterson Joseph has won the Royal Society of Literature (RSL) Christopher Bland Prize for 'The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho'.
The Christopher Bland Prize is an annual prize awarded to a debut writer for work of fiction or non-fiction, who has published his first book over the age of 50. The winner receives a prize money of £10,000. This is the fifth year of the award.
Initially a one-man show written and performed by Joseph in 2018, the book illuminates the remarkable life of Charles Ignatius Sancho, British abolitionist, writer and composer, and the first known Black man to cast a vote in England.
Jun 10, 2023
Balaram Pani and Ashutosh Mishra, Awarded Prestigious Soul Of India Award
In a momentous celebration of their exceptional contributions to nation-building, Prof. Balaram Pani, Dean of Colleges at the University of Delhi, and Ashutosh Mishra, Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, were honoured with the esteemed Soul of India Award 2023.
The award ceremony took place at the House of Lords, Parliament of the United Kingdom, in London, where Lord Rami Ranger CBE, a Member of Parliament in the House of Lords, presented the awards. Reportedly the Minister of Law and Justice of India, Arjun Ram Meghwal also took part in the event.
The Soul of India Award is a prestigious accolade that recognizes individuals who have demonstrated unwavering dedication and outstanding achievements in their respective fields, embodying the essence of India's spirit. Prof. Balaram Pani and Ashutosh Mishra have both exemplified excellence in their endeavours, leaving an indelible impact on the academic and intellectual landscape of India.
This prestigious event at the House of Lords not only honoured the awardees but also fostered collaboration and cultural exchange between India and the United Kingdom, strengthening ties in the fields of education and research.
Bihar government honoured renowned paper mache artiste Subhadra Devi at Delhi's Bihar Bhawan. The Government of Bihar, represented by Resident Commissioner IAS Kundan Kumar, honoured Subhadra Devi with a memento, a letter of appreciation, a shawl, and a generous cheque of Rs. 2 lakh.
Subhadra Devi was bestowed with the prestigious Padma Shri award in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the art of paper mache. Her remarkable skills and artistic brilliance captivated the attention of the nation, earning her this distinguished honour in 2023.
Hailing from Salempur village in Pandaul Block of Madhubani district, Subhadra Devi has been deeply connected to the art of paper mache since 1980 when she received recognition from the state government's Industry Department. In 1991, the central government also acknowledged her immense talent and dedication.