Awards & Honours - Current Affairs for July, 2016

Indian human rights activist Bezwada Wilson and south Indian classical musician TM Krishna have been conferred the Ramon Magsaysay award for 2016.

• Wilson born to a Dalit family in Karnataka has worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the masses and the right to a life of human dignity.
• Chennai born Carnatic musician TM Krishna has been award for ensuring social inclusiveness and promoting culture.
• The Ramon Magsaysay award has bee instituted after former president of Philippines Ramon Magsaysay to honour selfless service to the Asian people.
• Four other awardees for 2016 are Conceit Carpo-Morales from the Philippines, Domput Dhaufa from Indonesia and Vientiane Rescue from Laos as well as the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.

East Bengal on 26th July 2016 announced 2016’s Bharat Gaurav award (Pride of India) will be awarded to well known athlete Milkha Singh.

• Singh will be handed the award and cash of INR 3 lakh on August 1, which is the East Bengal Foundation Day.
• The Flying Sikh has been called the prometheus of the sports world by the football club.

A. Kanyakumari, an outstanding and versatile violinist, will get the Sangita Kalanidhi award of the Music Academy this year.

• “The executive committee of the Academy held on July 24 has unanimously chosen her for its coveted award,” said N. Murali, president of Academy.
• He said Ms. Kanyakumari was the first woman violinist to get the award in the history of the Music Academy and she will preside over the 90th annual conference of the Academy to be held between December 15, 2016 and January 1, 2017.
• The award will be conferred on her at the Sadas on January 1, 2017.
• She belongs to the Balasubramaniam school of music.
• She has also created 7 rages under Saptadri, 7 names of Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati

Nigerian journalist Didi Akinyelure on 19th July 2016 won the BBC World Service News Komla Dumor Award for 2016.

• Akinyelure is the second recipient of the award after Nancy Kacungira.
• Ghanian BBC World News presenter Komla Dumor is the person after whom this award is instituted.
• Didi is a prime time news anchor in Nigeria- she presents business news for CNBC broadcasting across the continent.
• She has been on the CNBC Africa team since 2013.

Advay Ramesh, a 14 year old student from Chennai has won the Google Community Impact Award for Asia for creation of a device that enhances fishermen safety and productivity.

• Ramesh, a class X student from Chennai’s National Public School is among top 20 finalists shortlisted to compete for USD 50,000 as a Google scholarship.

President Barack Obama has bestowed the Medal of Honour on retired Lt. Col. Charles Kettles, a Vietnam War veteran.

• Kettles received the nation’s highest military honour on July 18, 2016.
• He led chopper flights carrying reinforcements to US soldiers and evacuated the wounded after they were ambushed in combat operations near Duc Pho in May 1967.

Advertising Club of Madras in its diamond jubilee year has conferred the Distinguished Service Award to CMD of RK SWAMY BBDO, Srinivasan K Swamy.

• This is one of the highest honours in the advertising industry.
• Swamy is the 6th recipient of this award.
• Swamy is also vice chairman of Asian Federation of Advertising Associations.
• Earlier he was the Chairman of Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations during 2008-10.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferred the 51st Jnanpith Award on renowned writer, Dr. Raghuveer Chaudhari (July 11, 2016) at a function held at Parliament Library Building, New Delhi.

• Speaking on the occasion, the President said that an eminent scholar and a Gandhian in spirit and behaviour, Dr. Chaudhari represents the fluid brilliance that characterizes India’s pluralistic literary genius.

S. African filmmaker, photographer and writer Lidudumalingani Mqombothi on July 5, 2016 won the 17th edition of the prestigious Caine Prize 2016 for his short story Memories We Lost.

• He won 10000 Euro and a month at Georgetown University in the US as writer-in-residence.
• This winning story covers the battle with schizophrenia and the protagonist’s close relationship with the sibling in the Eastern Cape.
• Caine Prize is a yearly literature award given to African short story writers who publish work in English.
• It was established in 2010 in the UK and named in memory of Chairman of the Booker Group, Harry Caine.
• This award is called the African Booker and it showcases the richness and diversity of African writing

Radhika Menon became the first woman to become captain of Indian Merchant Navy.

• She also became the first woman in the world to receive the Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea from the International Maritime Organisation for saving 7 fishermen caught in a storm.
• Fishing boat Durgamma drifted from Kakinada in AP to Gopalpur in Odisha when it was spotted by the team led by Menon.
• Menon was at the helm of oil tanker Sampurna Swarajya of the SCI.

Four Indian Americans including Google CEO Sunder Pichai were along 42 US nationals awarded the “Great Immigrants:The Pride of America” award for their sizeable professional accomplishments.

• Other three Indian Americans include Hari Sreenivasan, anchor and senior correspondent, PBS NewsHour, Vikram Malhotra Chairman of the Americas McKinsey & Company and Bharati Mukherjee, National Book Critics Circle Award Winning writer
• For 2016, Carnegie Corporation named 42 honourees representing 30 different countries of origin, a wide range of personal immigration stories and inspiring professional accomplishments