66th National Film Awards for 2018

66th National Film Awards for 2018 announced. Gujarati film Hellaro wins Best Feature Film Award. Badhaai Ho bags award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Hindi movie Padman declared Best Film on Social Issues. Aditya Dhar wins Best Director Award for Uri: The Surgical Strike. Ayushman Khurana and Vicky Kaushal jointly win Best Actor Award for their performances in Andhadhun and Uri: The Surgical Strike. Keerthy Suresh bags Best Actress trophy for her performance in Telugu movie Mahanati. Marathi movie Paani wins the award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/ Preservation. Kannada film Ondalla Eradalla gets Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. Uttarakhand declared Most Film Friendly State

Cabinet approves ISRO Technical Liaison Unit at Moscow

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the setting up of ISRO Technical Liaison Unit (ITLU) at Moscow, Russia. The ISRO Technical Liaison Unit (ITLU) at Moscow will enable effective technical coordination for timely interventions on diversified matters with Russia and neighbouring countries for realization of the programmatic targets of ISRO. The Liaison Officer, deputed at ITLU from ISRO provides technical information about the developments in research and technology and inputs arising from their meetings with researchers, government agencies and industries in the respective countries. They also support the ongoing bilateral programmes of cooperation in space technology and act on behalf of ISRO on the matters referred.

Benefits:

ISRO will be able to collaborate with Space agencies/industries in Russia and neighbouring countries for mutually synergetic outcomes. ISRO’s Gaganyaan programme requires development of some of the key technologies and establishment of specialized facilities, which are essential to support life in space. Keeping in view the 15th August, 2022 timeline for realization of the Gaganyaan human space programme, it is prudent to avail technical cooperation from International space agencies, who have already demonstrated their technical capabilities in specific areas.  Russia, being one of the space faring nations, it is envisaged to collaborate with Russia extensively in various fields of relevance.

Source: pib.nic.in

Hima Das appointed first youth ambassador of UNICEF India

Asian Games gold-medallist sprinter Hima Das has been appointed as the first ever youth ambassador of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) India. Hima Das, a native of Assam's Nagaon district, had clinched a gold medal in Women's 4 x 400 m Relay event at the 2018 Asian Games. She had also won a silver medal in Women's 400m Race event with a clock timing of 50.59 seconds.

SBI’s Anshula Kant appointed MD and CFO of World Bank

Anshula Kant, managing director of the State Bank Of India, has been appointed as managing director and chief financial officer of the World Bank. As Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Kant will be responsible for financial and risk management of the World Bank Group, reporting to the President.

Akshaya Patra wins BBC award

Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organisation running one of the world’s largest school meals project in India, has been awarded the BBC World Service Global Champion Award for the programme. The award, presented at the BBC Food and Farming Awards in Bristol this week, recognises a person or project that is changing the way the world produces, processes, consumes or thinks about food for the better. The Bengaluru-based NGO was selected by an international panel of judges from nominations sent in by the World Service audience around the world.

First Indian woman scientist in London's Royal Society

Gagandeep Kang is the first Indian woman scientist to be selected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. Gagandeep Kang is a clinician scientist and a professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences at the famous Christian Medical College, Vellore. She is the current executive director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, which is an autonomous institution under the department of biotechnology of the science and technology ministry. Before Kang, two Indian origin women scientists - British microscopist Pratibha Gai (2016) and American microbiologist Lalita Ramakrishnan (2018) - had received the honour.

Tagore Awards for Cultural Harmony for the Years 2014, 2015 and 2016

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 to Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, Chhayanaut (a cultural organisation of Bangladesh) and Shri Ram Vanji Sutar respectively. Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh is a highly accomplished and senior most guru, exponent, chorographer, prolific writer and scholar of Manipuri dance. His name is synonymous with the propagation of Manipuri dance both in and outside Manipur. Chhayanaut is a cultural organization of Bangladesh which has played a leading role in the promotion of Tagore’s works and Bangla arts and literature not only within Bangladesh, but all across the world. It has also rushed to the aid of people at times of famines, floods or riots, bringing people together to resolve crisis with songs of protest on their lips. Shri Ram Vanji Sutar is a renowned sculptor and scholar. He has made more than 600 monumental sculptures in last eighty years. He has sculptured the mammoth 182 meter high statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the world’s tallest statue (The Statue of Unity) which has recently been installed at Sardar Sarovar Dam, Gujarat.