AWARDS NOVEMBER 2017

AWARDS NOVEMBER 2017

• Lifetime Achievement Award for Girish Karnad
   Actor-playwright Girish Karnad was conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution in the field of theatre at the Tata Literature Live in Mumbai.
  
  Mr Karnad, who has been writing plays, has had his works translated into various Indian languages and helmed by directors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B V Karanth and Alyque Padamsee among others.
  
  At the eighth edition of the Tata Literature festival the 79-year-old playwright, famously known for writing 'Tughalak', spoke on the topic 'Playing on Twenty Tongues' after receiving the honour.
  
  Tata Trusts' Big Little Book Awards', for Author in Bengali Children's Literature, went to Nabaneeta Dev Sen. This year, in its second edition, 'BLBA' recognised champions of Bengali children's literature.
  
  Book of the year, non-fiction, went to 'Age of Anger: A History of the Present' by Pankaj Mishra, whereas the fiction top honour was bagged by Easterine Kire's 'Son of the Thundercloud'. The four-day LitFest concluded with a performance by sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan.
  
• Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2017 for Dr Manmohan Singh
   Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will receive the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2017 for his leadership of the country between 2004 and 2014 and for enhancing India's stature globally.
  
  According to a statement from the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, Dr Singh was unanimously chosen for the award by an international jury chaired by former President Pranab Mukherjee.
  
  The Trust said Dr Singh is only the third Indian prime minister to complete two full terms as the PM between 2004 and 2014. The award, named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was announced on the eve of Gandhi's birth anniversary.
  
• Amitabh Bachchan to be given personality of the year award at International Film Festival of India
  Amitabh Bachchan will be honoured with personality of the year award at the upcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. According to Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the award will be given during IFFI which will be held from November 20-November 28. Amitabh has starred in over 190 Indian films in a career spanning almost five decades. He has won four national awards for best actor and 15 Filmfare Awards.
  
• Royal Opera House received Award of Merit from the 2017 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation
   The restored Royal Opera House, located at Mumbai's Charni Road, has received the Award of Merit from the 2017 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
  
  In 2017 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, four restored city landmarks were among the 16 winners from six countries - Australia, China, India, Iran, New Zealand and Singapore.
  
  Meanwhile, amongst this, all Mumbai bagged the maximum number of UNESCO Heritage Awards for - Christ Church and Royal Opera House (Award of Merit), Bomonjee Hormarjee Wadia Fountain and Clock Tower and Wellington Fountain. Ahead, Delhi bagged for Haveli Dharampura in Shahjahanabad.
  
  The other two winners from India were the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, and the Gateways of Gohad Fort near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
  
• M K Sanu presented Mathrubhumi Literary Award for 2016
  Renowned writer, critic and biographer Prof. M K Sanu was on 1st November presented with the Mathrubhumi Literary Award for 2016 in recognition of his contribution to Malayalam literature.
  
  A jury headed by eminent poet Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri selected Mr Sanu for the award carrying a cash prize of two lakh rupees, a citation and a statuette.
  
  Sanu is a recipient of several honours, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Padmaprabha Award, Kendra Sahitya Adademi Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.
  
  His important works include "Changampuzha Krishnapilla", "Nakshtrangalude Snehabhajanam" and "Narayanaguru Swami".
  
  Persons in news: 
• Karambir Singh:Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, AVSM has taken over the charge as the Flag Officer commanding-in -Chief of the prestigious Eastern Naval Command (ENC).
  
• Five Indian women in world’s 100 most powerful women
  Five Indian women led by ICICI Bank CEO and MD Chanda Kochhar, and including Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra, have featured on the list of the world’s 100 most powerful women compiled by Forbes, which was topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
  
  Kochhar was ranked 32 on the coveted list, while HCL Corporation CEO Roshni Nadar Malhotra took the 57th position, followed by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder-Chair, of Biocon, at 71. Other Indians on the list include Shobhana Bhartia, Chairperson and Editorial Director, HT Media, at the 92nd place, and Priyanka Chopra, “the most successful Bollywood actor to cross over to Hollywood,” at 97. Some of Indian-origin women who made the cut include PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi at the 11th position and Indian American Nikki Haley at 43.
  
  The overall list was topped by Merkel, who retained the top spot for the seventh consecutive year and 12 times in total.
  
  Merkel is followed by UK Prime Minister Theresa May at the second position, who is “leading her country through Brexit, a historic, complex and transformative time for the country and the European Union,” Forbes said.
  
  May is followed by Melinda Gates, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who, along with her husband Bill, has donated more than $40 billion in grants till date and supports organisations across over 100 countries. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, at the 4th position and General Motors CEO Mary Barra (5th) rounded out the top five.