1) Oxford University award given to Indian-origin teacher.

• An Indian-origin teacher has been honored by Oxford University for helping one of her students get into the world-famous varsity. Gurnimrat ‘Nimmy’ Sidhu, head of science at Oaks Park High School in north-east London, is among 12 teachers to win the ‘University of Oxford Inspirational Teacher Award’ set up to encourage more state-funded schools to connect with the university.
  
• About Oxford university
  
•  It is a collegiate research university.
  
•  Located in Oxford, UK.
  
•  It is the world’s second oldest university ever.
  
•  Vice- chancellor is Andrew Hamilton.
  
•  The university operates largest university press in the world.

2) Arsenal`s Alexis Sanchez wins fan award.

• Arsenal dynamo Alexis Sanchez was announced as the `Professional Footballers` Association (PFA) Fan`s Player of the Year` after an excellent first season in English football.
  
•  His performances saw him named on the six-man shortlist for the PFA`s Player of the Year award, which went to Chelsea`s Eden Hazard.

3) Indian-American kids sweep Spelling Bee contest.

• Indian-American kids won the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee contest by winning the prestigious competition for the 8th year in a row.
• Vanya Shivashankar and Gokul Venkatachalam were declared co-champions, a feat achieved by Indian Americans for the second consecutive year.
•  In 2014, Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe were declared the joint winners.
•  Vanya previously competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2010, 2012 (tied for 10th place), 2013 (tied for 5th place) and 2014 (tied for 13th place).

4) Anand Kumar, Founder of Super 30, honoured in Canada.

• Super 30 founder and mathematician Anand Kumar was honoured by Legislature of British Columbia in Canada at Toronto University for his pioneering work in the field of education.
• The Speaker Linda Reid honoured Kumar with a memento and also appreciated his endeavour at a proposal.
•  The 42-year-old Kumar was honoured for his rare achievements for the students from India`s underprivileged sections.
•  Kumar was invited by the British Columbia Government in recognition of his work through globally acclaimed Super 30, which has mentors 30 students mostly from the underprivileged sections of the society for IITs free of cost for the last 14 years.
• About Super30
•  Super30 established in 2002 by Anand Kumar in Patna, Bihar under the banner of Ramanujan School of Mathematics.
•  It provides free residential mentoring to 30 selected students from underprivileged families to appear in the entrance exam of IIT-JEE.
•  Super30 as an institution that has achieved international recognition for social awakening.
•  In 2010, the Time Magazine selected Super30 in the list of the Best of Asia.

Uttarakhand’s Health Minister SS Negi conferred with `World No Tobacco Day Award 2015`.

• Uttarakhand’s Medical, Health and Family Welfare Minister Surendra Singh Negi was conferred with the World No Tobacco Day Award 2015 by the World Health Organsiation (WHO).
•  He was one of the six awardees from the WHO South-East Asia Region.
•  The prestigious awards are presented to mark the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).

1) 6 Indian-Americans receive 2015 Ellis Island Medals of Honor in US.

• Six Indian-Americans and a British-Indian were presented prestigious 2015 Ellis Island Medals of Honor in United States for their contributions to America.
  
• They were among nearly 100 individuals who were presented this prestigious award recently in New York.
  
• Indian-American winners include
  
• Meera Gandhi: Founder of the Giving Back Foundation. It had played important role alleviating poverty illness, and suffering and also had addressed education issues which affect women and children around the world.
  
• Chad P. Gehani: Former president of the New York State Dental Association. In 2006, was honored with Foundation of Excellence in Community Service Award by the New York State Dental Foundation.
  
• S. Mona Sinha: Chairperson of the Asian Women’s Leadership University (AWLU) Project, and is founding member of AWLU that focuses on empowering women as future leaders of Asia.
  
•  K.V. Kumar: He is managing partner of Kumar & Talvadkar Associates, a Management Consulting Company. He was instrumental in successfully implementing various projects in different fields.
  
• Baroness Sandip Verma: Member of the House of Lords of United Kingdom. He is a former junior minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change in the UK.
  
• Rajdeep K. Dhami.
  
• About Ellis Island Medals of Honor
  
• It is an American award founded by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. The award pays homage to the immigrant for their experience and contribution made to America. It is awarded to native-born and naturalized US citizens.

2) Shivani Agarwal and Maharaja Pandit selected for prestigious Radcliffe Fellowship by Harvard University.

• Shivani Agarwal and Maharaja Pandit are two Indians who have been selected for the prestigious Radcliffe Fellowship by Harvard University.
  
• Shivani Agarwal is from Indian Institute of Science has been selected as William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Fellow for learning to make choices in the era of big data.
  
• About Radcliffe Fellowship:
  
• Radcliffe Fellowship by Harvard University is considered as one of the most prestigious honors for faculty for Advanced Study.
  
• The fellowship is dedicated to creating and sharing transformative ideas across the arts, sciences, social sciences and humanities.
  
• Annually the fellowship Program supports the work of 50 leading artists and scholars across the world.

3) Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai won the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.

• Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai won the prestigious Man Booker International Prize for 2015 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
• He was announced as sixth winner of the award at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
• He received a cash prize of 60000 pound.
• About Man Booker International Prize:
• Man Booker International Prize is an international literary award given every two years to a living author of any nationality for a body of work published in English or generally available in English translation.

4) Indian Film Masaan won FIPRESCI Award at 68th Cannes film festival.

• Indian Movie Masaan won the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) award at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival.
•  The film is directorial debut of Neeraj Ghaywan.
•  It stars Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi along with Richa Chadda.
•  The movie was showcased in the Uncertain Regard section at the movie gala, following which it received a five-minute standing ovation.
•  The film is based in Varanasi and its characters are connected with the River Ganges.
•  Apart from Masaan, Hungarian film Son of Saul by Laszlo Nemes won the critics prize in official competition and the other movie `Paulina` won the prize in parallel sections.
•  

5) Two Indians posthumously chosen for UN’s prestigious Dag Hammarskjold Medal.

•  Two Indian peacekeepers have been chosen posthumously for United Nation’s Dag Hammarskjold Medal.
  
•  They are Lance Naik Nand Ram and Raju Joseph.
  
•  Both of them are among the 126 police, military and civilian personnel who have been posthumously awarded a prestigious UN medal.
  
•  They have been chosen for this award for their courage and sacrifice while serving in UN peacekeeping operations in 2014 and lost their lives as a result of hostile acts, accidents and disease.
  
•  They will be presented with this medal on May 29, 2015 i.e. on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
  
•  Lance Naik Nand Ram had served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
  
•  While, Raju Joseph had served in a civilian capacity with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
  
• About Dag Hammarskjold Medal
  
•  Established in December 2000.
  
•  Awarded posthumously to members of peacekeeping operations who lost their lives during service with a peacekeeping operation under the operational control and authority of the United Nations.
  
•  Named after second UN Secretary General and Swedish diplomat Dag Hammarskjold (In office: from 1953 to 1961). Hammarskjold had died in a mysterious plane crash in 1961.
  
•  He was posthumously awarded Nobel Peace Prize the year he died (exceptional case).
  
•  In 2014, eight Indian soldiers had posthumously received the medal.

6) TNPL Bags Dun and Bradstreet Corporate award.

•  The Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL) has bagged the Dun and Bradstreet Corporate award under the paper and paper products category.
•  Dun and Bradstreet India has selected TNPL as top Indian company under the paper and paper products category and the award was received by A. Velliangiri, Deputy Managing Director, TNLI, from Bibek Debroy, permanent member, NITI Aayog, in Mumbai recently, according to a TNPL release.
•  This is the fourth consecutive year that the TNPL had bagged the award, the release added.

In 68th Cannes Film Festival 2015 French director Jacques Audiard won The `Palme d’Or` Prize.

• French thriller movie Dheepan was honoured with the Palme d`Or top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. The film brings a spotlight on the plight of traumatised refugees building new lives.
• Indian film `Masaan` directed by Neeraj Ghaywan won the Promizing Future `Prize Ex-aequo` at the festival.
• Awards at 68th Cannes Film Festival:
• The Grand Prix: Son of Saul, directed by László Nemes.
• Best director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien for The Assassin.
•  Screenplay: Michel Franco for Chronic.
• Best actress: Emmanuelle Bercot in Mon Roi and Rooney Mara in Carol.
• Best Actor: Vincent Lindon in The Measure of a Man.
• Camera d’Or: La Tierra Y La Sombra, directed by César Augusto Acevedo.
• Short Films Palme d Or: Waves ’98, directed by Ely Dagher.
• The Jury Prize: The Lobster, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.

1) Veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor bestowed with Dada Saheb Phalke award.

• Veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor honoured with the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai.
  
•  Shashi Kapoor became the 46th winner of the award.
  
•  He was awarded for his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
  
•  Shashi Kapoor is the 3rd Person to Receive the Prestigious award from same family.
  
•  Prithviraj Kapoor: 1971.
  
•  Raj Kapoor: 1987.
  
•  Shashi Kapoor: 2015.
  
•  Shashi Kapoor best known performances as child artist were in Aag (1948), Awaara (1951) and Sangram (1950).
  
•  Shashi Kapoor is also best-known for his performances in Hindi films like ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’, ‘Deewar’ and ‘Kabhi Kabhie’.
  
• About Dadasaheb Phalke Award:
  
•  India’s highest award in cinema.
  
•  Established in 1969 to commemorate the birth centenary year of father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke.
  
•  The award is conferred annually by the Union Government to person for his lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
  
•  Award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a cash prize of 10 lakh rupees and a shawl.

2) Dr. Siva Mandjiny wins UNC’s 2015 Award for Teaching Excellence.

• An Indian-American professor of chemistry from Tamil Nadu has won the University of North Carolina (UNC) Board of Governors 2015 Award for Excellence in Teaching.
  
•  The award carries a cash prize of 12,500 US dollars and a commemorative Bronze.
  
•  The award, which serves to underscore the importance of teaching, will be presented by a member of the Board of Governors to one professor at each of the 17 UNC campuses to receive the award during spring graduation ceremonies.
  
• About Dr. Siva Mandjiny:
  
•  Dr. Siva Mandjiny did his Masters degree in biochemical engineering from IIT, a second master’s degree in chemical engineering from University of Toronto and PhD from universite de Technologie de Compiegne in France.
  
•  Dr. Siva Mandjiny is a distinguished scholar with any published research papers, conference presentations etc.
  
•  Dr. Siva Mandjiny is also recipient of three Excellence in Teaching awards from the Students-Athlete Advisory Committee, and won university’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2006.

3) Indian Writer Neel Mukherjee Wins Encore Award.

• Kolkata-born writer Neel Mukherjee`s "The Lives of Others" has won the UK`s Encore Award for the best second novel.
  
•  His book `Past Continuous` won the `Vodafone-Crossword Book Award` in 2008.
  
•  `The Lives of Others` was shortlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize.
  
•  The novel The Lives of Others reflects the political and social convulsions of an entire society and based upon story of one family living in Calcutta in 1960s.
  
•  Neel Mukherjee’s first novel `A Life Apart` was published in 2010.
  
• About Encore Award:
  
•  This award was started in the year 1990 and sponsored by Lucy Astor.
  
•  The cash prize associated with this is 10,000 pounds.
  
•  Peter Benson and Paul Watkinswere the first recipients of this award in 1990.

4) President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil.

•  
• President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil for the years 2011-12 and 2012-13.
•  The award was conferred on scholars who have made outstanding contribution to the development of Classical Tamil language and literature.
• Awardees:
•  Tolkappiyar Award for lifetime achievement in Classical Tamil was given to SV Shanmugam for year 2011-12 and R Krishnamurthi for year 2012-13.
•  Kural Pitam Award was given to Eva Maria Wilden of Germany for 2011-12.
•  Young Scholar Awards was presented to E. Ezhilvasanthan, K. Jawahar and K. Iyyappan for 2011-12 while for the year 2012-13 was given to R. Venkatesan, A. Sathish, M.R. Devak, U. Alibava and B. Jaiganesh.

About the Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil:

1. These awards were instituted by the HRD or Ministry of Human Resources Department.
2.  These awards recognise distinguished scholars who had made outstanding contributions in the development of Classical tamil language and literature.
3.  Citation and shawl apart from cash award of 5 lakhs for Tolkappiyar and Kural pitam awardees and 1 lakhs for Young scholar awardees.

5) Anurradha Prasad conferred with Pt. Haridutt Sharma Award for Journalism and Social Services.

•  The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari conferred the “Pt. Haridutt Sharma Award” in the field of Journalism, Writing and Social Services to Smt. Anurradha Prasad, Editor-in-Chief, News-24 Channel.
•  The award is given in the memory of Pt. Haridutt Sharma who was a renowned journalist and eminent writer.
• About:
•  The award is given annually in the field of Journalism, Writing and Social Services for the outstanding contribution in their respective field.
•  The Award comprises of Cash prize of 51000 rupees, Citation, Trophy, Shawl and Souvenir.

6) Indian-American Harkeert Singh Saini won Prestigious Police Award in Texas.

• Prestigious award, “Top Civilian Supervisor of the Year”, was presented to the 44 year old Indo-American policemen, Harkeert Singh Saini at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston.
  
•  He was conferred with this award for his efficient services to Houston Police department, in the Texas state of USA.
  
•  He received this award from Mayor of Houston Anise Parker and Chief of Police Charles McClelland.
  
• About Harkeert Singh
  
•  Harkeert Singh belongs to Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, who completed his graduation from Deshbandu College in New Delhi.
  
•  He settled in Houston,Texas in 1998 and joined Houston Police Department in the year 2000.

1) C.N.R. Rao conferred with Japan`s highest civilian award.

• The Emperor of Japan (Akihito) has conferred the highest Civilian Award, the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, to Professor C.N.R. Rao.
  
• He was bestowed with this award for his outstanding contributions to science and Indo-Japanese science cooperation.
  
• About C.N.R. Rao(Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao ):
  
•  Born: June 30
  
•  Professor Rao is a National Research Professor, Linus Pauling Research Professor and Honorary President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru.
  
•  He had been bestowed with about 70 honorary doctorates and had received the highest civilian award of India, Bharat Ratna.
  

2) President Pranab Mukherjee honours talent at 62nd National Film Award.

•  President Pranab Mukherjee presented the 62nd National Film Awards at a glittering ceremony here studded with talent representing the diversity of the Indian film industry.
  
•  A special film on Shashi Kapoor was also shown on the occasion, where Pallavi Joshi and Rajat Kapoor played the hosts.
  
•  45 awards in Feature Film category and a total of 21 awards in the Non-Feature film category were presented.

1. Best Actress: kangana Ranaut for Queen.
   
2.  Best actor: Vijay Kumar for Kannada film "Nanu Avanalla Avalu".
   
3.  Dadasaheb Phalke award: Shri Sashi Kapoor.
   
4.  Best Popular Film : Mary Kom.
   
5.  Best Children`s Film: Tie between Marathi entertainer "Elizabeth Ekadashi" and Tamil movie "Kaakkaa Muttai".
   
6.  Best Feature film: Marathi Film Court.
   
7.  Best Director: Srijit Mukherji For Bengali Film Chotushkone.

3) Syrian journalist Mazen Darwish Honoured with UNESCO/ Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

• The UN`s cultural body awarded its annual press freedom prize to Mazen Darwish, a Syrian journalist and rights activist.
  
• Mazen Darwish was bestowed with this award by the UN’s Cultural body for recognition of his work carried out in Syria for more than 10 years at great personal sacrifice, harassment, enduring a travel ban, as well as repeated detention and torture.
  
• Presently he has been detained since February 2012, when he was arrested with colleagues Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Ghareer by the Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
  

4) West Bengal`s Nadia district gets UN Public Service Award.

• Nadia district in West Bengal has won the 2015 United Nations Public Service Award in the category of improving delivery of public services for the initiative ‘Sabar Shouchagar’.
  
• Nadia district is the first open defecation free district in country. The district had achieved this feat by making toilets available for all under state governments flagship programme Sabar Shouchagar.
  
• Nadia has become the winner of this global award from our entire country through a tough competition with multiple entries from 187 countries.
  
• The Award would be handed over by the UN Secretary General on June 23, 2015 in Medellin, Republic of Colombia.

5) Charlie Hebdo awarded 2015 PEN Freedom of Expression Courage award.

• French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was awarded the 2015 Freedom of Expression Courage Award at a star-studded gala at the American Museum of Natural History.
• The satirical magazine was recognized for this award by PEN American Centre as 12 of its staff members had died during January 2015 terrorist attack on its Paris based office.

About Charlie Hebdo:

1. Charlie Hebdo is a weekly French satirical news magazine.
   
2.  Established: 1970.
   
3.  Ceased publication: 1981.
   
4.  Relaunched: 1992.
   
5.  Headquarters: Paris, France.