AWARDS MARCH 2011

 AWARDS MARCH 2011

• Carnatic vocalist Nisha P. Rajagopal has been chosen as the first recipient of ‘ The Hindu Saregama M.S. Subbulakshmi Award.’ Presented by RmKV, the award, which was instituted on September 16, 2010, seeks to honour and recognise the merit of a young Carnatic vocalist aged between 25 and 35 pursuing music full-time. 
• The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has chosen one of the living legends of mathematics, John Willard Milnor of the Institute for Mathematical Sciences in the University of Stony Brook, U.S.A, for the award of its prestigious Abel Prize for the year 2011. Professor Milnor will receive the Prize from His Majesty King Harald at an award ceremony in Oslo on May 24, 2011. 
• The 2010 Chameli Devi Jain award for “Outstanding Woman Media Person” was presented to a former Tehelka correspondent from Thiruvananthapuram, Shahina K.K, at a function held in New Delhi for her “demonstrated ability to focus on issues that have deep social consequences impacting lives and concerns of ordinary people. Ms. Shahina, who has 13 years of experience in print and television media and is presently writing for Open magazine. 
• Indian army chief general V.K.Singh becomes the first Indian officer to be inducted in to the ‘Hall of Fame’ of U.S.Army War College. This distinction is extended by the US army to all officers from friendly foreign countries, which rise to the post of ‘chief’ of their respective armies, after attending the coveted cource at US army War College. 
• Medical Cadet Shikha Awasthi will become the first woman doctor to receive the Sword of Honour for overall excellence at the passing out parade of the 45th course of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune on March 18 
• The prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit award for cultural heritage conservation was presented to Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad on March 15. He bagged the coveted award after edging out heritage sites in 43 countries. UNESCO appreciated the restoration of the palace and efforts to rescue ‘an extraordinary complex from years of abandonment. 
• Director of Hindi film Peepli Live, Anusha Rizvi has been selected for the 14th Gollapudi Srinivas memorial national award for debut director category. 
• Mauritius has conferred one of its highest honours, Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and the Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK), on Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed. President of Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth presented the award to Mr. Nasheed. 
• Kuldip Nayar, noted journalist was conferred with Honorary Doctorate by Acharya Nagarjuna University at the 31st convocation held in Nagarjuna Nagar, Guntur, A.P. 
• Mahasweta Devi, celebrated Bengali writer and activist was conferred the Yashwantrao Chavan National Award 2010 in Mumbai for her contribution to national integration, democratic values and the socio-economic development of India.
• On the occasion of International Women’s Day The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Women and Child Development Smt. Krishna Tirath presented the ‘Stree Shakti Puraskar’ 2010, given every year to eminent women for their dedication to the cause of women and the struggles in their own lives to bring about a more gender equitable society.
  The awards are-
• Rani Lakshmibai Award has been presented to Mrs. Pottabathini Padmavathi from Andhra Pradesh, who did not allow her disability to become and adversity and faced the challenge positively to learn music and become an established artist.
• Kannagi Award was bestowed upon Mrs Thagu Maya Bardewa from Sikkim, who has done great work helping people in distress, orphans, widows and destitute.
• Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang Award to Mrs. Rathnamma from Karnataka, for her extensive work for awareness generation on child labour and eradication of dowry, early marriage, untouchability and sexual harassment.
• Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Award was awarded to Mrs. Monika S. Garg an officer of the 1989 batch of Indian Administrative service from Uttar Pradesh for her outstanding work for empowerment of women through promoting their participation in Government Programmes.
• The Mata Jijabai and Rani Rudrama Devi awards were not given to anyone this year.
• Indian Oil Corporation has bagged the best performance award at the 21 st national meet of forum of women in public sector. This award is meant to further add value to their contribution and empowerment and in turn reach out to the masses of less privileged women in bringing about awareness. Indian Oil has taken many initiatives to empower women at all levels in the hierarchy. 
• 83rd Oscar awards have been presented in Hollywood, California on 28 February. Some of the awards are-
  Best picture - "The King's Speech"
  Best director - "The King's Speech" (Tom Hooper)
  Best actor - Colin Firth ("The King's Speech")
  Best actress - Natalie Portman ("Black Swan")
  Supporting actor - Christian Bale ("The Fighter")
  Supporting actress - Melissa Leo ("The Fighter")
  Original screenplay - "The King's Speech" (David Seidler)
  Adapted screenplay - "The Social Network" (Aaron Sorkin)
  Foreign language film - "In a Better World" (Denmark)
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• Celebrated play back singer Asha Bhonsle was conferred on the Honorary D.Litt. (Doctor of Letters) degree from the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) in Nasik.
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• Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has been given Russia's highest award, the Order of St Andrew, to mark his 80th birthday for his "enormous work as head of state".