National
National Service Scheme Awards for the year 2021-2022
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu presented the National Service Scheme Awards for the year 2021-2022 at Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 29, 2023.
- The NSS Awards, instituted by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, are presented every year to the NSS Volunteers, Programme Officers, NSS Units and the Universities/+2 Councils to recognize their voluntary service.
List of winners of National Service Scheme Awards for the year 2021-2022
International
19th EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS 2023
⇒ The 19th edition of “EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS” was conducted from 25th September to 8th October 2023 in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, USA.
- It is an annual exercise conducted jointly by the Indian Army and the United States Army. The previous edition of the Exercise was conducted in Auli, Uttarakhand, India in November 2022.
Participation:
- Indian Army contingent comprising of 350 personnel participated in this edition of the Exercise. The lead battalion from Indian side was affiliated to MARATHA Light Infantry Regiment.
- 1-24 Infantry Battalion of 1st Brigade Combat Team participated from the US side.
Theme:
The theme of the Exercise was ‘Employment of an Integrated Battle Group in Mountain/ Extreme Climatic Conditions’ under Chapter VII of United Nations mandate.
Key Points:
- Both sides practiced a series of tactical drills to enhance interoperability in conducting UN peacekeeping operations.
- Personnel from both sides also held detailed discussions to share their experiences and best practices.
- A Command Post Exercise and Expert Academic Discussions on selected topics were also part of the schedule.
- The scope of the Field Training Exercise included validation of Integrated Battle Groups against hostile forces at the Brigade level, Integrated Surveillance Grid at the Brigade/ Battalion level, employment of Heliborne/ Airborne elements and Force Multipliers, validation of logistics and casualty management during operations, evacuation and combat medical aid and other aspects as applicable to High Altitude Areas and Extreme Climatic Conditions.
- The Exercise also involved exchange of views and best practices in drills on a wide spectrum of combat skills including combat engineering, obstruction clearance, mine and Improvised Explosive Devices warfare.
“EX YUDH ABHYAS-23” facilitated both Armies to mutually learn from each other and further strengthen the bonds between the two armies.
Indian Participation in the 15th Tashkent International Film Festival 2023
⇒ Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr. L Murugan represented India at the opening of the 15th Tashkent International Film Festival held on 29 September 2023.
- Indian delegation comprised of senior film producer and director Shri Umesh Mehra and officials of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).
Key Points:
- India and Uzbekistan have a strong tradition of cooperation in filmmaking going back to Soviet era. These links are sought to be strengthened by joint work of NFDC and Uzbek Kino (Uzbek Films).
- The participation in this film festival was aimed to build cinematic partnerships, have exchange of programmes, nurture filmmaking and act as a bridge between the cultures.
- The festival platform was utilized to promote the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which was held from 20th to 28th November 2023 in Goa, India.
About Tashkent International Film Festival:
Tashkent International Film Festival 2023 was held from 29th September to 1st October 2023.
- The XV Tashkent International Film Festival “Pearl of the Silk Road” closing ceremony was held for the first time in the “Eternal City” in Samarkand.
» Known as the “Pearl of The Silk Road”, the Tashkent International Film Festival was started in 1968, and Indian film Amrapali was screened in the opening edition of the festival.
Death
Eminent agriculture scientist, Dr. MS Swaminathan
⇒ Eminent agriculture scientist, Dr. MS Swaminathan passed away on 28 September 2023 in Chennai. He was 98.
About Dr MS Swaminathan:
- Dr MS Swaminathan, alias Mankomb Sambasivan Swaminathan, was a plant geneticist by training.
- He is widely known as the Father of India’s Green Revolution. The United Nations Environment Programme has called him “the Father of Economic Ecology”.
- MS Swaminathan founded M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in 1988. Swaminathan was also a Member of the Parliament of India (Rajya Sabha) for the period 2007-13.
» He was the recipient of Padma Shri (1967), Padma Bhushan (1972) and Padma Vibhushan (1989). He was recently awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the Republic of India, in 2024.
Other awards received by him include:
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (1961) for his contribution to biological sciences
- Ramon Magsaysay Award (1971) for Community Leadership
- The Albert Einstein World Science Award (1986)
- The first World Food Prize (1987)
- The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (1991)
- Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace (1999)
- Disarmament and Development, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award (2000)
- The Planet and Humanity Medal of the International Geographical Union (2000)
- Mahatma Gandhi Prize of UNESCO (2000)
- Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award (2007)