Government comes out with a new set of National Awards in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation known as “Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar’’

The objective of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) is to recognize the notable and inspiring contribution made by the scientists, technologists, and innovators individually or in teams in various fields of science, technology and technology- led innovation. The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar shall be one of the highest recognitions in the field of science, technology, and innovation in India. Scientists working in any sector who have made distinguished contributions in terms of path-breaking research in any field of science shall be eligible for the awards. People of Indian Origin staying abroad with exceptional contributions benefiting the Indian communities or society shall also be eligible for the awards.

The awards shall be given in following four categories: –

1. Vigyan Ratna (VR) award will recognize lifetime achievements & contributions made in any field of science and technology.
2. Vigyan Shri (VS) award will recognize distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology.
3. Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB) award will recognize & encourage young scientists up to the age of 45 years who made an exceptional contribution in any field of science and technology.
4. Vigyan Team (VT) award to be given to a team comprising of three or more scientists/researchers/innovators who have made an exceptional contribution working in a team in any field of science and technology.

Veteran toastmaster Ronald Olivera Honored with ‘Meritorious Diamond Award’ in Dubai

Veteran toastmaster, internationally awarded public speaker, motivational speaker, most sought after keynote speaker, student counselor and career coach Ronald Olivera was honoured with ‘Meritorious Diamond Award’ in Dubai by District 127 of Toastmasters International for his 25 plus years of dedicated service as a Toastmaster. The award was bestowed on him during District 127 Leadership Conclave Organized, at the massive auditorium of Sunmarke School, Jumeira, Dubai. Ronald Olivera is a founder and CEO of Zillion Pathways Coaching Institute, Dubai which nurtures and grooms young adults. Ronald Olivera joined the world renowned Organization Toastmasters International, in the year 1992 as a member of Oasis Toastmaters Club in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. In 1993, he won the “Humours Speech Conest” in the Gulf level competition held at Gulf Toastmaster Annual Convention in Bahrain. He went on to win three more Gulf level contests in 1994,1995 and 1996 in Table Topic (Improptu Speech) Contest, International Speech Contest and Speech evaluation Contest, thus making him the only toastmaster to win four Gulf level contests in four consecutive years. He is also the only toastmaster in the Gulf to win awards in the International Taped Speech Contest held in Toastmasters International, USA.

12 scientists selected for Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Awards for year 2022

Country’s top annual science prize, Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Awards were announced after a gap of two years. his year 12 scientists will get the awards in seven categories. Named after Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, the first director of CSIR, these awards are given every in seven scientific disciplines – physics, biology, engineering, mathematics, medicine, chemistry, and earth sciences. These awards recognise exceptional researchers under the age of 45 and come with a cash prize of ₹5 lakh.

The list of awardees for SSB awards 2022 includes:

Ashwani Kumar, CSIR – Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh

M Maddika Subba Reddy, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad

Akkattu Biju, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru Debabrata Maiti, IIT Bombay

Vimal Mishra, IIT Gandhinagar

Dipti Ranjan Sahoo, IIT Delhi Rajnish Kumar, IIT Madras

Apoorva Khare, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru Neeraj Kayal, Microsoft Research Lab, India

Dipyaman Ganguli, CSIR Indian Institute of Chemical Biology

Anindya Das, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru Basudeb Dasgupta, TIFR Mumbai

Assam-based oncologist Ravi Kannan wins 2023 Ramon Magsaysay award.

Assam-based oncologist and a Padma Shri awardee, Ravi Kannan has been named as one of the four recipients of the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered Asia’s Nobel Prize. He joins other past esteemed winners including Satyajit Ray, MS Subbalaxmi, Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. Kannan has been serving as director of Assam’s Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) since 2007. Before that, he was a surgeon at Chennai’s Adyar Cancer Institute. To make cancer treatment affordable to poor people, Dr. Kannan has taken many steps in the last few years. One of these was to establish remote clinics in a few districts in the state. Others who received the award this year include Korvi Rakshand from Bangladesh, Eugenio Lemos from Timor-Leste and Miriam Coronel-Ferrer from the Philippines.

Ramon Magsaysay award:

The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Filipino: Gawad Ramon Magsaysay) is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay’s example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The prize was established in April 1957 by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund based in New York City with the concurrence of the Philippine government. It is often called the “Nobel Prize of Asia”.

PM Modi becomes first Foreign Head of Government to be awarded ‘The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour’ by Greece.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Foreign Head of Government to be honored with ‘The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour’ by the Greek government. This prestigious accolade was bestowed during Prime Minister Modi’s official visit to Greece.The Order of Honour, established in 1975, depicts the head of the goddess Athena on its front side, with the inscription “ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS SHOULD BE HONOURED. ” The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour is granted by the President of Greece to Prime Ministers and notable figures who, by virtue of their esteemed positions, have contributed to enhancing Greece’s stature.

Greece:

• President: Katerina Sakellaropoulou
• Capital: Athens
• Currency: Euro (€) (EUR)

Nobel Prize award raised to 78 crore for 2023

Winners of this year’s Nobel Prizes will get extra 1 million crowns, taking the reward to 11 million Swedish crowns ($986,000 or 78 crore). The prize money has been adjusted up and down in recent years and the award-givers said it was increasing the amount this year to reflect the Foundation’s stronger financial position. In 2012, prize money was reduced from 10 million crowns to 8 million as the Foundation looked to shore up its finances. The prize amount was increased to 9 million in 2017 and in 2020 to 10 million – where it was prior to 2012.

Nobel Prize:

• Awarded for: Contributions that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind in the areas of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Economics and Peace.
• Country: Sweden (all prizes except the Peace Prize), Norway (Peace Prize only)
• Presented by: Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Economic Sciences, Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute (Physiology or Medicine), Swedish Academy (Literature), Norwegian Nobel Committee (Peace)
• Reward: A gold-plated green gold medal, a diploma, and a monetary award
• First awarded: 1901

Journalists and litterateurs of 18 Indian languages honoured with Bharatiya Bhasha Samman 2023

Journalists and litterateurs of 18 Indian languages were honoured with Bharatiya Bhasha Samman 2023 during the Bharatiya Bhasha Samman Diwas program organized by the multilingual news agency Hindusthan Samachar on the occasion of Hindi Diwas. Hitesh Shankar, editor of ‘Panchjanya’, Dr. K. , senior journalist for Telugu language Vikram Rao, senior journalist Shri Ram Joshi for Marathi, Padmashree Dr. Vishnu Pandya for Gujarati, senior journalist Dr. Bhai Paramjit Singh for Punjabi, Dr. Suman Chandra Das for Bengali, Arun Jyoti Bora for Assamese, and Dilli Ram for Nepali. Dular and Kamal Kishore Khatri of Sindhi were honored. Similarly, senior journalist Kavalam Sasikumar was honoured for Malayalam language, V. Srinivasan for Tamil language, Swati Chandrashekhar and Pannag Raj Ramchandra Rao Kulkarni for Kannada language, Dr. Samanvay Nand for Odia language, and Keshav Mohan Pandey for Bhojpuri language. Apart from this, two journalists from Hindusthan Samachar, Dr. Sharda Vandana and Gunjan Kumar, were honoured with the ‘Kalamveer’ award.

Shanta Thoutam honored with World Innovation Award at BRICS

Telangana Chief Innovation Officer Shanta Thoutam received the World Innovation Award at the first BRICS Innovation Forum hosted in Moscow. The award is given for outstanding contribution to Sustainable Development Goal-4 which ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong opportunities for all. The award, organised by World Organisation for Development, an international NGO with special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, honours leaders from the developing world that have made an outstanding personal contribution to the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDG).

BRICS:

BRICS is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa formed by the 2010 addition of South Africa to the predecessor BRIC. The BRICS mechanism aims to promote peace, security, development and cooperation.

P V Satyanarayana receives Dr. M. S. Swaminathan Award

P.V. Satyanarayana, principal scientist at the Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University Andhra Pradesh was presented 8th Dr M. S. Swaminathan award. He received the award in recognition of his contribution to the development of high-yielding rice varieties that exhibit resilience against pests and environmental challenges. He has also contributed to fine-grain varieties and hybrid rice that have revolutionized agriculture across India. The award includes a cash prize of `2 lakh and a gold medal.

Dr. M. S. Swaminathan Award:

Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (born 7 August 1925) is an Indian agronomist, agricultural scientist, plant geneticist, administrator and humanitarian. Swaminathan is a global leader of the green revolution. He has been called the main architect of the green revolution in India for his leadership and role in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice.