National
2nd phase of Saansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the second phase of Saansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23 via video conferencing on 18 January 2023.
The Prime Minister appreciated the scale of Khel Mahakumbh and expressed hope that India’s traditional expertise in sports will get a new wing through such events. He informed that about 200 Parliamentarians have organised such Khel Mahakumbh in their constituencies. The Prime Minister expressed happiness that about 40,000 athletes, three times more than the last year, are participating in the Khel Mahakumbh.
- The second phase of Khel Mahakumbh was organized from 18 to 28 January 2023 in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh.
- Saansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23 was organised in two phases. The first phase of the Khel Mahakumbh was organised from 10th to 16th December 2022.
Various competitions:
The Khel Mahakumbh organised various competitions in both indoor and outdoor sports like wrestling, kabaddi, kho kho, basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, handball, chess, carrom, badminton, table tennis etc.
Apart from these, competitions in essay writing, painting, rangoli making etc were also organised during the Khel Mahakumbh.
Background:
- Since 2021, Saansad Khel Mahakumbh is organised by Shri Harish Dwivedi, Member of Parliament from Basti.
- The Khel Mahakumbh is a novel initiative that provides an opportunity and a platform for the youth of District Basti and neighbouring areas to showcase their sporting talent, and motivates them to take sport as a career option.
- It also endeavours to inculcate the spirit of discipline, teamwork, healthy competition, self-confidence and nationalism among the youth of the region.
Chief Guest on 74th Republic Day of India
⇒ India’s celebrated its 74th Republic Day on 26 January 2023.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt was on a State visit to India from 24-26 January 2023 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
- President Sisi, who was on his second State Visit to India, also the Chief Guest on India’s 74th Republic Day.
Vande Bharatam Programme:
Cultural Extravaganza Vande Bharatam programme of Ministry of Culture remained one of star attractions at the national Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
479 artists selected from a national level competition performed in front of the entire nation on the theme ‘Nari Shakti’.
Key Points:
- ‘Vande Bharatam Dance Festival’ is organized under the joint aegis of Union Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Defence.
- It is an all-India dance festival, which aims to reflect its vibrancy to the whole world through dance, promoting the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ among the people.
- Artists from every corner of the country competed for the second edition of this competition which started on October 15, 2022.
- There were three stages in this competition – State, Zonal and National and the prescribed age limit for participation was 17 to 30 years.
- The grand finale of the competition was organized on 19 and 20 December 2022 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
President’s Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) and Tatrakshak Medal (TM)
⇒ The President has awarded President’s Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) and Tatrakshak Medal (TM) to the following Indian Coast Guard Personnel for their act of conspicuous gallantry, exceptional devotion to duty and distinguished/meritorious service on the occasion of the Republic Day 2023:
President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service)
- IG Anand Prakash Badola, TM (0248-M)
Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry)
- ComdtDurgesh Chandra Tiwari (0645-P)
- Rishi, P/Nvk(R), 12196-T
- Mohit Kumar Yadav, U/Nvk (RP), 13830-M
Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service)
- DIG HimanshuNautiyal (0298-C)
- Sant Lal, P/Adh (RO), 01566-P
»These awards are being given to the personnel of Indian Coast Guard on the occasion of Republic Day and Independence Day every year, since January 26, 1990.
Distinguished Service and Gallantry Awards to Indian Navy Personnel
⇒ The President has approved awards to Indian Naval personnel on the eve of Republic Day celebrations with distinguished service and gallantry awards on the occasion 26 January 2023.
Complete List of Awardees
International
SCO Film Festival 2023
⇒ Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur and Minister of State (External Affairs and Culture) Smt Meenakshi Lekhi inaugurated the SCO Film Festival 2023.
- The Opening Ceremony was held at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai on 27th January, 2023.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting organized the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Film Festival from the 27th – 31st of January, 2023, in Mumbai, through the National Film Development Corporation.
Key Points:
- The SCO Film Festival was organized to mark India’s Presidency at SCO.
- This edition was the biggest ever SCO Film Festival, with 58 films from 14 countries being showcased.
- The very first edition of SCO Film Festival in India was screened in both Competition and non-competition category.
- The festival opened with the screening of Tamil film “Appatha”, directed by Shri Priyadarshan and starring Smt Urvashi.
- The ceremony was followed by the screening of the award-winning Marathi film ‘Godavari’ directed by Nikhil Mahajan across all screening venues.
2023 SCO Film Festival Award Winners:
- Best Film: Marathi Film Godavari, directed by Nikhil Mahajan
- Best Director: Xiaozhi Rao, director of Chinese film Homecoming
- Best Actor (male): Kazakh actor, Askar Ilyasov, for Paralympian
- Best Actor (female): Rano Shodiyeva from Uzbekistan, for The Fate of a Woman.
- Special Jury Award: Russian film, Don’t Bury Me Without Ivan directed by Liubov Borisova
Special mention from the jury:
- The Kyrgyz film The Road to Eden directed by Bakyt Mukul & Dastan Zhapar received special mention from the jury for the message of hope and warning about the risk of losing cultural values in turbulent times.
- The Jury also found it pertinent to award a special mention to Tajik film Fortune directed by Muhyiddin Muzaffar for the remarkable actor’s ensemble immersing the audience into experience the value of true friendship.
Seven Jury Members of SCO Film Festival:
The seven Jury Members of SCO Film Festival –China’s film director Ms. Ning Ying; Musician from Kazakhstan Mr. Dimash Kudaibergen; Filmmaker and Film Critic from Kyrgyzstan Ms. Gulbara Tolomushova; Russian Film Producer and Journalist Mr. Ivan Kudryavtsev; Film Producer, Actor and Author from Tajikistan Mr. Mehmedsaid Shohiyon; Uzbekistan’s actor Mr. Matyakub Sadullayevich Matchanov and Chairperson of the jury and acclaimed Indian film-maker Rahul Rawail were also felicitated.
About SCO:
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a multilateral organization, established on 15 June 2001.
- The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), three Observer States (Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and fourteen Dialogue Partners (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar, UAE and Turkey).
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is the world’s largest regional organization in terms of geographic scope and population, covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia, 40% of the world population, and more than 30% of global GDP.