National
One-time Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award
⇒ The General Council meeting of Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama was held on 6-8 November 2022 at New Delhi.
» The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi has unanimously selected 86 artists for this one-time Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award.
Key Points:
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi has announced one-time Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) commemorating 75 years of India’s independence for 86 artists.
- These include artists who are above the age of 75 years and haven’t been accorded any national honour in their career so far, from the field of the Performing Arts of India.
- The Awardees so selected represent the nation as a whole, and belong to different States and Union Territories. Besides, these artists cover the different genres of the performing arts of India.
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award carries a purse money of Rs 1,00,000 (Rupees one lakh), besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.
Complete list of awardees (Official Link)
Kathakar 2022
⇒ The 15th edition of Kathakar was inaugurated by Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Law and Justice and Smt Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture.
About Kathakar 2022:
- Kathakar 2022 partnered with Ministry of Culture under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and the event on 26th November took place at Amphitheatre Central Vista India Gate as Kalanjali.
- The storytelling sessions were held at Sunder Nursery, Heritage Park in Delhi and at Central Vista, India Gate.
- Kathakar 2022 aim was twofold: to ensure the conservation of oral storytelling tradition and increase its popularity.
- The festival was showcased in its pristine physical form amazing stories and music by Indian and International storytellers from seven countries (United Kingdom; Australia; Mongolia; Israel; Sierra Leonne; Korea; and India).
- Among International artists, Kathakar 2022 featured Niall Moorjani (United Kingdom), Lilian Rodrigues Pang (Australia), Baatarjav Erdenetsogt (Mongolia), Alim Kamara (Sierra Leonne), Sarah Rundle (United Kingdom), Seung Ah Kim (South Korea) and Yossi Alfi (Israel).
Kathakar 2022 featured big names and events:
For the first time, powerhouse performer, Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Bollywood actor) narrated stories and was in Conversation with Mohit Chauhan, noted music composer, singer who is also the patron of the festival.
- Other events were- Sufi musical night; titled Kissey, Kahani aur Cinema; titled Kissey, Kahani aur Guftagu; Kabir Vani, & Shadow puppet play of the Ramayana from Kerala.
» Kathakar 2022 was a marquee event to revive the traditional style of storytelling in a world dominated by hi-tech gizmos and gadgets.
- Thus, Kathakar featured professional and passionate storytellers from the country and abroad who showcased their mesmerizing craft to underscore the fact that storytelling cuts across all boundaries of language and culture.
Background:
- The art of storytelling in India has many forms and utilizes many mediums. Despite differences in settings, genres, or cultures, all stories ultimately aim to convey something universal.
- They serve both an educational and entertainment purpose for audiences. It’s clear that different sections of India’s culture have its own distinct approach to storytelling.
- Puppets, dance, or even musical instruments are used as props to help the narrator make storytelling more impactful.
- Hence, Kathakar, the sole celebration of India’s rich oral storytelling tradition, which was started under the umbrella of Ghummakkad Narain Travelling Literature Festival was launched in 2010.
Exhibition of paintings by renowned Goan painter António Xavier Trindade
⇒ An exhibition of paintings by renowned Goan painter António Xavier Trindade was inaugurated on 24th November 2022 by Sri Adwaita Gadanayak, Director General, National Gallery of Modern Art and His Excellency Mr. Carlos Pereira Marques, Ambassador for Portugal.
- The exhibition was inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Paulo Gomes, Director, Fundação Oriente- Delegation in India at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi under the Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Portugal.
Key Points:
- The exhibition was for public viewing from 24th November, 2022 to 24th January, 2022.
- There was a display of 37 masterpieces, among them three were from NGMA’s collection, the remaining were from The Trindade Collection which were donated to Fundação Oriente by the Esther Trindade Trust in 2004.
About António Xavier Trindade:
- António Xavier Trindade was born in Sanguem, Goa in 1870.
- After being encouraged to pursue his artistic talent, Trindade enrolled at the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art & Industry in Bombay.
- The Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art & Industry, a prestigious institution dedicated to the teaching of painting, sculpture and design which followed the traditions of European naturalism as expressed by the south Kensington system.
- Trindade`s vast body of work matured in the 1920s and early 1930s, a time when the artist focused mainly on portraits, landscapes and still-life.
- The work of António Xavier Trindade skilfully interweaves the cultural universes of the Indian Subcontinent and Western Europe, ensuring the painter great acclaim and the highest honors an artist could aspire to at that time.
International
India wins the IEC Vice Presidency and SMB Chair
⇒ India wins the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Vice Presidency and Strategic Management Board (SMB) Chair for the 2023-25 term.
By securing over 90% of the votes cast by full members of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) during its General Meeting held in San Francisco, USA, India’s representative, a member of the Indian National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and various technical committees of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS-India), was elected.
Key Points:
- Representation of BIS (India) in policy and governance bodies of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and IEC ensures that Indian viewpoints on the important strategic and policy matters are put forth and it also provides opportunities to align the national standardization priorities with International best practices.
- Currently, BIS (India) is represented in various policy and governance bodies of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and IEC such as ISO Council, ISO Technical Management Board, IEC SMB, IEC Market Strategy Board, IEC Business Advisory Committee, etc.
IEC Vice President representing India:
Shri Vimal Mahendru is the IEC Vice President representing India. Shri Mahendru began his three-year term as IEC Vice-President and Chair of the Standardization Management Board (SMB) on 1 January 2023.
About IEC:
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is an international standard setting body that publishes international Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.
- Standardization Management Board (SMB) is an apex governance body of IEC responsible for technical policy matters.