1) Goa Tourism Minister D Parulekar conferred with PATWA 2015 Award.
- Parulekar is the first tourism minister of Goa to receive this prestigious award.
- He gets the award in the category for ‘Best Innovated Tourism Minister’ for the year 2015. This award will be presented to him at a ceremony in New Delhi. Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) is an affiliate of United Nations WTO.
About Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA):
- PATWA is a professional organization of travel writers. It was founded in 1998 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- It is an affiliate of United Nations (UN) and World Tourism Organization (WTO). It adheres to the fundamental principles UNESCO, UN and UNWTO.
Kerala government announces State film awards 2014 for Malayalam movies.
- The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy since 1998 on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
- The list of awardees was declared by State Minister for Cinema Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Winners are:
- Best actor: Nivin Pauly (Bangalore Days and 1983), Sudev Nair (My Life Partner).
- Best actress: Nasriya Naseem (Om Shanthi Hosana and Bangalore Days).
- Best child actor: Master Adwaith.
- Best child actress: Anna Fathima.
- Best male playback singer: K.J. Yesudas
- Best female playback singer: Shreya Ghoshaal.
- Best Director: Sanalkumar Sasidharan (OraalPokkam).
3) President Pranab Mukherjee presented Saraswati Sammaan to Dr. M. Veerappa Moily.
- Veerappa Moily was bestowed with this award for his Kannada poem `Ramayana Mahanveshanam` which was first published in 2007. The poem explores the ‘Ramarajya’ or the true principle of the ‘ideal State’ from a secular and modern point of view. It has been translated into English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil.
- With this Dr. Moily became second Kannada writer to receive this prestigious award after S.L. Bhyrappa (2010).
About Dr. M. Veerappa Moily:
- Marpadi Veerappa Moily is a senior Congress leader from Karnataka.
- He served Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1992 and 1994. He also has held several other ministerial portfolios in UPA government at Centre including Corporate Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Law and Justice.
- He is renowned writer in Kannada and His 4 novels are Kotta, Suligali, Tembare, Typhoon, and Sagaradeepa, Ocean lamp. His 3 poem collections include Halu-Jenu Maththe, Yakshaprashne and Nadeyali Samara
4) NABARD got accredited by UN’s Green Climate Fund as National Implementing Entity.
- NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is the only national implementing entity in the country for undertaking climate change projects.
- NABARD will get funds in the form of concessional loan or in form of grant or through other modalities approved by the GCF Board.
- In line of this NABARD has submitted a proposal to GCF for financial support on ‘Mitigating climate change and enhancing adaption for farmers through agro-forestry project set by Haryana Government.
5) Boxing Coach Swatantra Raj Singh recommended for Dronacharya award.
- Along with Swatantra Raj Singh, Nihar Amin(swimming) and Harbans singh(Athletics) also have been chosen for this year’s Dronacharya award 2015.
- Their names were finalised by the award selection committee meeting presided by former Olympic Badminton Player Dipankar Bhattacharya and comprised of Woman Swimmer Bula Chaudhry and Woman Athlete Chaini Wilson.
About Dronacharya Award:
- The award is bestowed on person in recognition of his excellence in sports coaching.
- Established in 1985 and named after Dronacharya who was the teacher of Arjuna (a protagonist of the Mahabharata along with Krishna).
- The award is presented by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Sarbananda Sonowal.
6) President Pranab Mukherjee approved 67 Gallantry Awards to Armed forces personnel.
- The awards were approved on the eve of India’s 69th Independence Day celebrations.
- The approved awards include two Kirti Chakras, 10 Shaurya Chakras, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 49 Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and three Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Kirti Chakra awardees:
- Lieutenant Colonel Nectar Sanjenbam
- Rajesh Kumar (Posthumous)