July 2011
National Communal Harmony Awards for 2009 and 2010 were presented to Dr. Mohd. Hanif Khan Shastri in the individual category for the year 2009. Dr Shastri is a Sanskrit scholar and has authored several books including Geeta Aur Quran men Samanjasya. Acharya Lokesh Munni received the award in the individual category for the year 2010. Acharya Lokesh Muni is a social worker and orator who has contributed towards communal harmony through his oratory and writings. The Centre for Human Rights & Social Welfare received the award in the organisation category for the year 2009.
The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) conferred its national awards for outstanding lifetime contributions on the foundation of MoES. The award was conferred upon the former Director of the Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Agency, B. L. Deekshatulu, and the former Director of the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, R. N. Keshavamurthy.
Two Indians -Nileema Mishra, a lender to the poor in Maharashtra and US-trained Indian engineer Harish Hande who revolutionized the use of solar lights were among six people to have received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2011.The two Indians were honoured for their effort to harness technologies to empower their countrymen and create waves of progressive change across Asia. The other award winners Filipino charity group Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Hasanain Juaini, who set up an Islamic school for girls in Indonesia, fellow Indonesian Tri Mumpuni who promoted micro hydropower technology and Koul Panah who toils to restore democracy in Cambodia were the other winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2011.
Former India striker Shabbir Ali, who took up full-time coaching after retirement on 26 June 2011, became the first footballer to win the prestigious Dhyan Chand award as recognition for his lifetime achievement in sports.
Former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was honoured posthumously with the highest Bangladesh award — the Bangladesh Swadhinata Sammanona (Bangladesh Freedom Honour ) on 25 July 2011. The award was meant to honour Indira Gandhi’s for her outstanding contributions to Bangladesh`s Liberation War fought in 1971. The award was received by her daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi who visited Bangladesh at the invitation of Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh will honour former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with its highest state award `Bangladesh Swadhinata Sanmanona`, for her outstanding contribution to the country`s 1971 `Liberation War`. The daughter-in-law of Mrs Gandhi and Indian Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi will receive the award from President Zillur Rahman on July 25 at Bangabhaban presidential palace at a special ceremony.
Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Akademi Awards for 2010 were presented by Vice-President of India, M. Hamid Ansari on 22 July 2011.
The highest honour of Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) was conferred on eminent vocalist Girija Devi, renowned dance guru Nataraja Ramakrishna, Dhrupad maestro Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar, and Mridangam vidwan T. K. Murthy. The Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna Sadasyata) and Akademi Award (Akademi Puraskar) are the most coveted national honours conferred on performing artists, gurus and scholars of the performing arts. The Sangeet Natak Akademi is the country’s apex cultural body for music, dance, theatre and the arts.
A female Pakistani DMG officer, Amna Imran Khan was awarded the Order National du Merite by President Nicholas Sarkozy of France. She was awarded the prestigious French knighthood for distinguished and extra ordinary services for strengthening and promoting cooperation between the Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan and France.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was honoured with Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French government by the Ambassador of France in New Delhi, Jerome Bonnafont. Aishwarya is the first Asian actress and the youngest Indian to win the honour. Other Indian celebrities, who were conferred with the honour in the past, include Sharmila Tagore, Habib Tanveer, Shah Rukh Khan, Raghu Rai, Upamanyu Chatterjee and Nandita Das.
India`s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Talmiz Ahmad has become the first Indian diplomat to be conferred the King Abdulaziz Medal of First Class for his contribution towards elevating Indo-Saudi ties. The honor was bestowed upon him at Jeddah by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal.