▼ NITI Aayog confers Women Transforming India Awards 2017 [08-30-17]
 Celebrating the outstanding achievements of women in India, NITI Aayog, in partnership with MyGov and the United Nations, announces winners of the Women Transforming India Awards, 2017.
The awards ceremony recognizes the exceptional work of 12 women in critical areas such as preventing violence against women; bridging the gender gap in education; providing healthcare.
Additionally the awards recognize building livelihoods and enterprises for women; and promoting inclusion for persons with disabilities.
The awardees were selected after a rigorous process by an eminent jury comprising P.T. Usha, track and field Olympian; Pooja Thakur, Wing Commander, Indian Air Force; Nirupama Rao, Former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador, Arvind Panagariya, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog and Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator.
Launched on International Women’s Day on 8 March, the contest aimed to gather lesser-own stories of women leading change.
It was hosted on MyGov.in and ran till 1 June and was supported by an extensive outreach campaign to promote equal opportunity for women.
Top 6 Contestants
Laxmi Agarwal: Attacked in 2005 in broad daylight at the age of 15, Laxmi Aggarwal is today a champion of violence against women.
She has filed public interest litigations in India’s highest court to restrict the sale of acid.
Safeena Husain: The founder and executive director of Educate Girls, a non- profit organization working for girls’ education, Safeena Husain has worked to bring education to some of India’s most backward districts.
Kamal Kumbhar: Broke free from the shackles of poverty and a suffocating marriage to create a micro-enterprise network, enabling women like herself to realise their dreams of a brighter tomorrow.
Subasini Mistry: After losing her husband at a young age, Subasini Mistry saved for two decades to build a hospital for the needy.
Arunima Sinha: Is the first female amputee to scale the highest mountain in the world.
Jamuna Tudu: Along with her band of women activists, Jamuna Tudu has conserved 50 hectares of forest land around her village in Jharkhand, taking on encroachers with little more than bows and arrows and courage.
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▼ Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna to para athlete Devendra, other awards conferred [08-23-17]
 National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four year.
Arjuna Award is given for consistency outstanding performance for four years.
Dronacharya Award for coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious International sports events.
Dhyan Chand Award for life time contribution to sports development.
A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year, which were considered by the Selection Committees consisting of former Olympian, Arjuna Awardees, Dronacharya Awardees, Dhyan Chand Awardees, Sport Journalists/ Experts/ Commentators and sports administrators.
Selection Committee for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Awards was headed by Justice C.K. Thakkar (Former Judge Supreme Court of India, Chief Justice of High Court of Himachal and Bombay).
Selection Committee for Dronacharya Awards and Dhyan Chand Awards was headed by Shri Pullela Gopichand.
Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the following sportspersons/coaches/organisations :
(i) Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2017
1. Shri Devendra - Para Athlete
2. Shri Sardar Singh - Hockey
(ii) Dronacharya Awards 2017
1. Late Dr. R. Gandhi - Athletics
2. Mr. Heera Nand Kataria - Kabaddi
3. Mr. G.S.S.V. Prasad - Badminton (Lifetime)
4. Mr. Brij Bhushan Mohanty - Boxing (Lifetime)
5. Mr. P.A. Raphel - Hockey (Lifetime)
6. Mr. Sanjoy Chakraverthy - Shooting (Lifetime)
7. Mr. Roshan Lal - Wrestling (Lifetime)
(iii) Arjuna Awards 2017
1. Ms. V.J. Surekha - Archery
2. Ms. Khushbir Kaur - Athletics
3. Mr. Arokia Rajiv - Athletics
4. Ms. Prasanthi Singh - Basketball
5. Sub. LaishramDebendro Singh - Boxing
6. Mr. CheteshwarPujara - Cricket
7. Ms. Harmanpreet Kaur - Cricket
8. Ms. OinamBembem Devi - Football
9. Mr. S.S.P. Chawrasia - Golf
10. Mr. S.V. Sunil - Hockey
11. Mr. Jasvir Singh - Kabaddi
12. Mr. P. N. Prakash - Shooting
13. Mr. A. Amalraj - Table Tennis
14. Mr. SakethMyneni - Tennis
15. Mr. SatyawartKadian - Wrestling
16. Mr. Mariyappan - Para-Athlete
17. Mr. Varun Singh Bhati - Para-Athlete
(iv) Dhyan Chand Award
1. Mr. Bhupender Singh - Athletics
2. Mr. Syed Shahid Hakim - Football
3. Ms. Sumarai Tete - Hockey
The awardees will received their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 29, 2017.
Apart from a medal and a citation, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee will receive a cash prize of Rs. 7.5 lakh. Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand Awardees will received statuettes, certificates and cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh each.
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▼ New website to honour gallantry award winners launched [08-16-17]
 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has launched a new website on Aug 15, 2017 to honour all the gallantry award winners since Independence.
Announcing the launch of the website http://gallantryawards.gov.in/ in a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said the portal will preserve and tell the stories of our bravest men and women, civilians as well as armed forces personnel.
“In remembrance of our heroes who have been awarded gallantry awards since Independence, launched the site http://gallantryawards.gov.in/
The website gives details of the Chakra Series awardees i.e., Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.
The portal contains information such as name, unit, year, citations and photographs of awardees till date.
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▼ President confers gallantry awards on armed personnel [08-16-17]
The President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has approved 112 Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces which include five Kirti Chakras, 17 Shaurya Chakras, 85 Sena Medals (Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
The President has also awarded 40 Mention-in-Despatches to Army/Air Personnel for their significant contributions in different military operations which include two for ‘Operation Meghdoot’, 32 for ‘Operation Rakshak’, four for ‘Operation Orchid and one each for Army Headquarters and Air Force.
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▼ Correctional Service Medals to 20 prison personnel [08-16-17]
The President of India has approved the conferment of Correctional Service Medals to 20 prison personnel on the occasion of Independence Day, 2017.
The list of awardees include one President’s Correctional Service Medal for Distinguished Service and 19 Correctional Service Medal for Meritorious Service.
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▼ Gallantry medals for coast guard announced [08-16-17]
 On the occasion of Independence Day, the President of India has awarded one President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service), four Tatrakshak Medals (Gallantry) and two Tatrakshak Medals (Meritorious Service) to Indian Coast Guard personnel.
This was for displaying conspicuous acts of gallantry, distinguished and meritorious service.
The detailed list of the awardees are as follows:
PRESIDENT’S TATRAKSHAK MEDAL (Distinguished Service)
- DIG Suresh Chand Tyagi, P No. (0066-X)
TATRAKSHAK MEDAL (GALLANTRY)- DIG Surendra Singh Dasila, P No. (0270-M)
- Comdt Rajappan Ramesh, P No. (0482-S)
- Comdt (JG) Abdus Sadek Ali, P No. (0671-X)
- Asst Comdt Panneerselvan Sasiselvan, P No. (1052-P)
TATRAKSHAK MEDAL (MERITORIOUS SERVICE)
- DIG Ravindra Dattatraya Shedbalkar, P No. (4018-E)
- DIG Surinder Singh Azad, P No. (0467-L)
These awards are being given to the personnel of the Indian Coast Guard on Republic Day and Independence Day every year, since 26 Jan 1990.
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▼ NGO Mimaansa wins Young Innovators Challenge 2017 [08-10-17]
 A MUMBAI-BASED organisation that works on assisting children who suffer from learning disabilities (LD), was awarded in the Young Innovators Challenge 2017 event.
This was hosted by 3M India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for its work with students of municipal schools in Thane.
The aim of the challenge was to come up with unique ideas to tackle India’s social and economic problems.
Mimaansa, started in 2012 by Pooja Joshi, a former French teacher and now psychotherapist, works on offering early intervention for children with learning disabilities.
This is including a remedial programme focused on alternative teaching strategies by skilled special educators.
Mimaansa also offers teacher training programmes for municipal school teachers to help them identify and help students with LD, and counselling programme for children with LD.
Joshi shared how that as a teacher, she was never told what the term “special” child actually meant.
After a volunteering stint with children, she decided to start Mimaansa.
Mimaansa currently employs 12 ground staff, including counsellors and special educators who are trained to work with students impacted with LD.
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▼ Veteran national award winning actor Sharada honoured with Prem Nazir [08-7-17]
 Veteran actor and national award winner Sharada has been selected for this year's Prem Nazir Award.
The award, carrying a purse of INR 75,000, a statuette and a citation, was instituted by people of Chirayankeezhu, Nazir's hometown in the district, in memory of Kerala's evergreen actor.
It will be presented to Sharada by devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran at a function at Chirayankeezhu on August 15.
Sharada had won three national awards with the first being for her performance in 1968 tragedy film 'Thulabharam'.
She also won the award for Swayamvaram (1972, Malayalam) and Nimajjanam (1978, Telugu).
Actor T P Madhavan will be presented INR 50,000 cash award announced by Chirayankeezhu panchayat.
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