1) Mustansir Barma won 2015 Gujar Mal Modi award for innovative science and technology.
- The award is given in the memory of Gujar Mal Modi who was a Scientist and made outstanding contribution in the field of Science and Technology.
- He received the award from Vice President of India Hamid Ansari at a ceremony in New Delh
- Barma, a distinguished Professor and former Director of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, have made immense contribution in the field of Statistical Physics in India.
About the Gujar Mal Modi Innovative Science and Technology Award:
- The award was instituted by the GM Modi Foundation in the memory of industrialist Gujar Mal Modi in 1988.
- The award is presented to a scientist of eminence outstanding contribution to science & technology.
- Prof. Satish Dhawan was the first recipient of the award in the 1988 for his contribution in the field of space and Remote Sensing Technology.
2) Union Government announced awardees for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2015 and Arjuna Awards 2015.
- The selection of awardees was based on the recommendations of the Selection Committee headed by Justice VK Bali, former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court and consisting of eminent sportspersons and sports administrators.
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee will receive medal, certificate and award money of 7.5 lakh rupees and Arjuna Awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and award money of 5 lakh rupees each.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2015 winner:
- Sania Mirza - Tennis
Arjuna Awards 2015 winners:
- Naib Subedar Sandeep Kumar – Archery
- M.R. Poovamma – Athletics
- Kidambi Srikanth Nammalwar – Badminton
- Mandeep Jangra – Boxing
- Rohit Sharma – Cricket
- Dipa Karmakar – Gymnastic
- Sreejesh P.R. – Hockey
- Manjeet Chhillar – Kabaddi
- Abhilasha Shashikant Mhatre – Kabaddi
- Sawarn Singh – Rowing
- Anup Kumar Yama - Roller Skating
- Jitu Rai – Shooting
- S.Sathish Kumar – Weightlifting
- Bajrang – Wrestling
- Babita Kumari – Wrestling
- Yumnam Sanathoi Devi – Wushu
- Sharath M. Gayakwad - Para-Swimming
3) TPP Nair, SP Misra, Romeo James recommended for Dhyan Chand award 2015.
- The selection committee headed by former Indian hockey captain Zafar Iqbal recommended the names of TTP Nair, SP Misra and Romeo James for 2015 Dhyan Chand award by short listing these three players out of 60 applicants in total.
- TTP Nair, the former captain of the Indian volleyball team, led the Indian team which bagged a bronze medal in the Tokyo Asian games and a silver medal in the Jakarta Asian games.
- SP Misra is the former captain of Davis Cup and at present in the chairman of the All Indian Tennis Association Selection Committee
- Romeo James, the former goalkeeper of the Indian hockey team, represented the country in the Los Angeles Olympics.
About Dhyan Chand Award:
- It is India’s highest award for lifetime achievement in sports and games.
- It is given by the ministry of youth affairs and sports, government of India
- The award is named after the legendary Indian hockey player Dhyan Chand.
- The award carries a cash prize of INR 500,000, a plaque and a scroll of honor
4) Debut Novelist Zia Haider Rahman won the James Tait Black Award 2015.
- He received the award for his debut novel In The Light Of What We Know.
- His debut novel’s story is based on an investment banker in a lead role who receives a visit from an old friend and addresses a whole range of issues including Afghanistan war, the rise of Muslim fundamentalism and global banking crisis.
- He received this prize at the 2015 Edinburgh international book festival along with Richard Benson who had won this award for his novel The Valley: A Hundred Years in the Life of a Yorkshire Family in the biography category.
About James Tait Black award:
- It is annual literary award bestowed on person for literature written in the English language in UK and is oldest literary award in the country.
- It was instituted in 1919 in memory James Tait Black.
- It is given in three categories viz. Fiction, Biography and Drama (introduced in 2012) by the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
- The award carries monetary prize of 10000 British pounds.
5) Babasaheb Purandare conferred with Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2015.
- He was bestowed this award in literature category by Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao in presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a function held in Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.
- He is best known for his book Raja Shiv Chhatrapati and popular play Janata Raja. His book Raja Shiv Chhatrapati has more than 16 editions and is widely read across the state. While the Janata Raja play has been performed more than 850 times, it has been staged in India as well as in United States.
About Maharashtra Bhushan Award:
- It is a highest civilian award of Maharashtra state presented annually by the state government.
- It was instituted in 1995
- It was initially conferred in the fields of Art, Science, Literature and Sport. Later the other fields such as Journalism, Social Work, Public Administration and Health Services were included.
- Eminent Marathi writer and humourist Purushottam Laxman Deshpande was first recipient of this prestigious award in 1996.
6) Syrian woman Journalist Zaina Erhaim wins 2015 Peter Mackler Award.
- A Syria-based woman journalist Zaina Erhaim has won the prestigious 2015 Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism.
- She was bestowed with this award for her efforts to train citizen reporters in her war-ravaged country. She has trained about 100 citizen reporters from inside Syria over the last two years.
- She also has helped in establishing new, independent newspapers and magazines in the war-torn country.
About Peter Mackler Award:
- The award has been named in the memory of late Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist Peter Mackler.
- It was instituted in 2008.
- It is given by journalist training consortium comprising of Reporters without Borders, AFP and Global Media Forum which was founded by Mackler.