1 Fast-Track EPFO Batch-2021 EPFO-CRASH COURSE Awards & Honours Source: Newspapers Useful for PT CUM MAINS – UPSC EXAM UPSC-PT/EPFO Copyright © Aspire IAS All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Aspire lAS. 2 Fast-Track EPFO Batch-2021 Awards and Honours Indian activist gets U.S’ International Anti-corruption Champions Award About Anjali Bhardwaj • She is a 48-year-old activist who is also the founder of ‘Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS)’. • SNS is a citizens’ group that promote transparency and accountability in government and also encourage the active participation of citizens. • She has also served as an active member in the “Right to Information Movement” in India. • She is a convener of National Campaign for People’s’ Right to Information. • This campaign resulted into establishment of an anti-corruption ombudsman and Whistleblowers’ Protection Act. Hyderabad- 2020 Tree City of the World • The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as a 2020 Tree City of World. • Hyderabad was selected for the recognition following its commitment to grow and maintain the urban forests. Highlights • This recognition was a testament for city’s sustained and institutional efforts of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. • It also marks the development of the urban and peri-urban forestry actions, projects besides the strategic planning & commitment of building healthy city. • Other cities which were recognised by the organisation includes 120 cities from across 63 countries. • Most of the cities were from United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) • It is a specialized agency of United Nations. 3 Fast-Track EPFO Batch-2021 • FAO leads the international efforts of defeating hunger and improving the nutrition security as well as the food security. • The organisation was founded by UN in October 1945. • It is headquartered in Rome, Italy. It has its regional and field offices around the 130 countries. • FAO coordinate with the governments and development agencies to improve and develop the agriculture, fisheries, forestry, land resources and water resources. Theodore Baskaran won Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award 2020 • S. Theodore Baskaran who is a writer, a historian, a naturalist and an activist has won the Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award, 2020. • The award was instituted by the Sanctuary Nature Foundation. Why he won the award? • Theodore Baskaran was chosen for the award in the light of his dedication to the wildlife conservation. • He won the award for his writing prowess in English and Tamil. About S. Theodore Baskaran • He was born in 1940 in Tamil Nadu. • He is an Indian film historian and a wildlife conservationist. • He is prolific in Tamil. His Tamil works include Vaanil Parakkum Pullelam and Kal Mel Nadandha Kaalam. Nari Shakti Puraskar • Nari Shakti Puraskar are conferred every year on the occasion of International Women’s Day. • The award is conferred by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. • The Nari Shakti Puruskar is awarded to individuals or groups or NGOs or institutions. • The award encourages the women to participate in decision making roles, skill development in traditional and non-traditional sectors among the women. 4 Fast-Track EPFO Batch-2021 Who are eligible for the award? • As per the Guidelines any individual of at least 25 years of age and institutions that have worked in the relevant field for at least 5 years are eligible to apply. International Women’s Day • The day is celebrated on the March 8, every year across the world. • United Nations started celebrating the day in the year 1977. • The UN theme for International Women’s Day for the year 2021 is “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”. • The hashtag for the day will be #IWD2021 and #InternationalWomensDay Padma Awards 2021 On the evening of 72nd Republic Day, India has honored 119 people from diverse field with the Padma Awards. Highlights • These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions at Rashtrapati Bhawan.. • It also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners or NRI or PIO or OCI,16 Posthumous awardees and 1 transgender awardee. • Shri Ram Vilas Paswan was conferred the award (Posthumous) in Public Affairs Bihar category. Padma Awards • It is one of the highest civilian Awards of the country. • This award is given in three categories namely, the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. • It is given in various disciplines and fields of activities including the art, public affairs, social work, Trade and industry, science and engineering, medicine, literature, education, sports and civil service. Padma Vibhushan • It is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India. 5 Fast-Track EPFO Batch-2021 • The award was Instituted on January 2, 1954. • This award is given for the “exceptional and distinguished service”. • It does not differentiate between race, occupation, position, or sex. • The award is given for the exceptional and distinguished service. • Satyendra Nath Bose, Zakir Hussain, Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, Nand Lal Bose were among the first recipient of the award in 1954. • In the year 2021, this award was given to: 1. Shri Shinzo Abe – Public Affairs – Japan 2. Shri S P Balasubramaniam (Posthumous) – Art – Tamil Nadu 3. Shri Sudarshan Sahoo – Art – Odisha 4. Belle Monappa Hegde – Medicine – Karnataka 5. Shri B. B. Lal Others – Archaeology – Delhi 6. Shri Narinder Singh Kapany (Posthumous) – Science and Engineering – United States of America 7. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan – Others – Spiritualism – Delhi Padma Bhushan • It is the third-highest civilian award in India. • The award is preceded by the Bharat Ratna & Padma Vibhushan while followed by the Padma Shri. Padma Shri • It is the fourth-highest civilian award of India after Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan. CogX Awards • CogX is a Global Leadership Summit held annually in London. • MyGov is the world’s largest citizen engagement platform. • It facilitates two-ways communication between the Government and Citizen and facilitates participatory governance in India. 6 Fast-Track EPFO Batch-2021 • MyGov, JioHaptik Technologies Limited and WhatsApp team collaborated to develop AI enabled MyGov Corona Helpdesk. • AI enabled MyGov Corona Helpdesk bagged two awards under categories of Best Innovation for Covid-19 - Society and People’s Choice Covid-19 Overall Winner. International Emmy Awards 2020 • Indian web series Delhi Crime on Netflix has won the best drama series award at the 48th International Emmy Awards 2020. • It was based on 2012- Delhi Gang Rape. • The event was held virtually for the first time in the history of International Emmy Awards due to the pandemic. • Another Indian show on prime ‘Four More Shots Please’ and actor Arjun Mathur from ‘Made in Heaven’ also made their way for the nominations in the respective categories of International Emmy Awards but did not win. WORLD SOIL DAY AWARD 2020 - 5TH DECEMBER • Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has won prestigious International King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award for 2020 on World Soil Day. • ICAR has been conferred for its commitment to raise awareness about healthy soil addressing soil erosion under motto ‘Stop soil erosion, save our future’, taken in 2019. • Award is presented by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2021 • The award is formerly known as the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement. • This is Highest Civilian Honour in India that is given to the exceptional achievers under the age of 18. • A child must be an Indian Citizen and reside in India in order to get the award. 7 Fast-Track EPFO Batch-2021 • The Ministry of Women and Child Development has instituted the purashkar in the 1996. • This purashkar recognizes the children with exceptional abilities and outstanding status in fields including the arts, culture, academics, research, social service, design, innovation and sports. • The President of India confreres the award in the week preceding the Republic Day. Health Ministry Kayakalp Awards • The Kayakalp Awards are presented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare annually to the health facilities with the highest standards of sanitation and hygiene. • Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research was awarded the second prize • AIIMS Bhubaneswar has received the best central government hospital under Category B of the Kayakalp Awards for cleanliness for the third consecutive time. • Category B holds hospitals with less than thousand beds. • The Rairangpur Sub Divisional Hospital of Mayurbhanj district was felicitated as the best Sub- divisional hospital community health centre category. • The scheme aims to incentivize public health care facilities that show high performance in following protocols, infection control, cleanliness and sanitation. Digital India Awards, 2020: Bihar wins in Pandemic category • The Chief Minister Secretariat of Bihar, National Informatics Centre and the Disaster Management Department have been jointly chosen as winners in “Pandemic Category” in Digital India Awards, 2020. • Bihar was selected under the Pandemic Category for its financial assistance to more than 21