AWARDS AND HONOURS
- Filmfare Awards 2017
The complete list of 62nd Jio Film fare Awards 2017.
| Best Actor (Male) | Aamir Khan for ‘Dangal’ |
| Best Actor (Female) | Alia Bhatt for ‘Udta Punjab’ |
| Best Film | ‘Dangal’ |
| Best Director | Nitesh Tiwari for ‘Dangal’ |
| Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film | ‘Neerja’ |
| Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor (Male) | Shahid Kapoor for ‘Udta Punjab’ and Manoj Bajpayee for ‘Aligarh’ |
| Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor (Female) | Sonam Kapoor for ‘Neerja’ |
| Best Actor (Male) in a SHORT Film | Manoj Bajpayee for ‘Taandav’ |
| Best Short Film People’s Choice | Khamakha |
| Best Short Film (Fiction) | ‘Chutney’ |
| Best Short Film (Non-fiction) | ‘Matitali Kusti’ |
| Best Actor (Female) in a Short Film | Tisca Chopra for ‘Chutney’ |
| Best Debut Director | Ashwini Iyer Tiwari for ‘Nil Battey Sannata’ |
| Best Male Debut | Diljit Dosanjh for ‘Udta Punjab’ |
| Best Female Debut | Ritika Singh for ‘Saala Khadoos’ |
| Best Dialogue | Ritesh Shah for ‘Pink’ |
| Best Screenplay | Shakun Batra and Ayesha Devitre Dhillon for ‘Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921)’ |
| Best Story | Shakun Batra and Ayesha Devitre Dhillon for ‘Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921)’ |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) | Rishi Kapoor for ‘Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921)’ |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female) | Shabana Azmi for ‘Neerja’ |
| Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award | Shatrughan Sinha |
| Best Music Album | Pritam for ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ |
| Best Lyricist | Amitabh Bhattacharya for ‘Channa Mereya’ from ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ |
| Best Playback Singer (Male) | Arijit Singh for ‘Ae dil hai mushkil’ from ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ |
| Best Playback Singer (Female) | Neha Bhasin for ‘Jag Ghoomeya’ from ‘Sultan’ |
| Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent | Amit Mishra for ‘Bulleya’ from ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ |
| Best Visual Effects | Red Chillies for ‘Fan’ |
| Best Editing | Monisha Baldawa for ‘Neerja’ |
| Best Costume | Payal Saluja for ‘Udta Punjab’ |
| Best Action | Shyam Kaushal for ‘Dangal’ |
2. Lance Naik Hanamanthappa awarded Sena Medal
Siachen braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who survived miraculously for six days under a huge ice-and-snow debris after an avalanche hit his post before losing life to multiple organ failure, was awarded the Sena Medal in New Delhi. The doughty soldier’s wife Mahadevi Ashok Bilebal received the medal from Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat at Army Day parade in New Delhi. A resident of village Betadur in Dharwad district of Karnataka, the Madras regiment soldier was pulled out alive from under 30 ft of ice-and-snow debris where he lay buried for six days on the unforgiving Siachen glacier.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
3. Union Government discussing with States to bring Water into Concurrent list
Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has said that centre is discussing the issue of bringing water into concurrent list with States. Inaugurating the Jal Manthan-III in New Delhi she said her Ministry is also seriously working on new acts for water use and Ganga.
Deliberating on various issues related to water resources management, the Minister said water user associations are not performing up to the mark in some States. The help from NGOs to strengthen these associations as active and performing water user associations are very important for the success of AIBP-PMKSY”. Underlying the need for people participation in Water Resources Management the Minister said there is a need to convert Jal Kranti into Jan Kranti.
4. 1st edition of ABU International Television Dance Festival held in Hyderabad
The first edition of ABU International Television Dance Festival, showcasing traditional and contemporary dance performances by artistes from over 10 counties across the Asia-Pacific region. Union Information & Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu would inaugurate the festival. The event is also likely to be attended by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, state Tourism and Culture Minister Azmeera Chandulal, Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash and other senior officials of I&B Ministry, Prasar Bharati and Telangana government.
5. Expert Group on SECC submits report to Rural Development Ministry
The Government mounted the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) with the purpose of ranking households for receiving benefits under government programmes. The Socio Economic and Caste Census has been concluded. The Ministry of Rural Development has decided to use SECC data for identification of beneficiaries and for generating
priority list of beneficiaries under its programmes.
An Expert Group under the Chairmanship of former Finance Secretary Shri Sumit Bose was constituted to study the objective criteria for allocation of resources to States and identification and prioritization of beneficiaries under various programme using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data.
6. Digital Dakiya scheme inaugurated in MP to encourage cashless transactions
In Madhya Pradesh Indore district witnessed inauguration of first of its kind scheme of the country. Digital Dakiya, which aims at encouraging cashless transactions. “Digital Dakiya or Digital Postman will visit different places to teach and encourage people about cashless transactions and its benefits. State Finance Minister Jayant Malliya inaugurated the scheme at Indore. State government will provide Identity cards to the volunteers deployed in this programme.
7. Two-day camel festival begins in Bikaner
The two-day annual camel festival began with much fanfare in the presence of foreigners and domestic tourists. District Collector Ved Prakash flagged off a procession from Junagarh which culminated at Karni Singh Stadium. It was followed by fun activities including camel safaris. The festival, dedicated to the ship of the desert, will see camel dance, milking and fur cutting design competitions and camel races.
8. Himachal temple unveils 1,600 kg butter idol
Installation of the idol of Goddess Brajeshwari Devi made of 1,600 kg of clarified butter in the famous Brajeshwari Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh. The idol, being prepared by using ‘desi ghee’ after purification with holy water 101 times by temple priests, will be open for the public temple.
One of the busiest shrines in north India, the Brajeshwari Devi temple in this Himachal town sees a large number of pilgrims from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
9. 4th International Kite Festival begins in New Delhi
The fourth International Kite Festival began in New Delhi. Professional kite flying experts from across India and the globe are taking part in the three-day festival, which will have an exhibition on the history of kites as well. A special kite making demonstration will also be organised where professional kite flyers will showcase their expertise and demonstrate the art of kite making.
IMPORTANT DAY
10. 69th Army Day being observed on 15th January 2017
69th Army Day is being observed on 15th January 2017. The day marks the taking over of the Indian Army by the first Indian Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal KM Cariappa, on January 15, 1948. He took over the reins of the Army from Lieutenant General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief and became the first Commander-in-Chief of the independent India.
The day is celebrated to pay homage and salute to the courageous and brave Indian soldiers who have been sacrificing their lives for protecting the country. This day inspires the troops to continue to enrich the glorious traditions of the Indian Army with their dedication and sacrifice. To mark the day, Army Parade will be organised at the Delhi Cantt.
BANKING AND FINANCE
11. ICICI blocked transactions on our payments app: PhonePe CEO
ICICI Bank Ltd has blocked transactions on payments app PhonePe in at least the second such instance of a commercial bank trying to protect its turf against non-bank mobile wallet and payment companies. PhonePe is a unified payments interface (UPI) app which works on the ecosystem created by the National Payments Corp. of India (NPCI). Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who currently serves as an advisor to the NPCI and has overseen the development of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), declined comment.
12. Mahindra Asset Management launches Mahindra Mutual Fund Dhan Sanchay Yojna scheme
Mahindra Asset Management Company Pvt. Ltd (MAMCPL) has announced launch of Mahindra Mutual Fund Dhan Sanchay Yojna scheme. The scheme will close on January 24 and will reopen for continuous sale and repurchase from February 8. “The scheme is for those investors who seek to take a calculated exposure in both equity and debt with a long term investment outlook,” said head of sales and distribution of MAMCPL, Jatinder Pal Singh.
13. Airtel’s Payments Bank Starts Operation with Initial Investment of Rs. 3000 Crore
Country’s largest telecom player Bharti Airtel had said it would make an initial investment of Rs 3,000 crore to build a pan-India banking system and a digital payment eco-system. Airtel Payments Bank became the first among several such niche banks to start operations, after RBI handed over new permits to bring financial services within the reach of millions who still lack access to formal banking.Airtel had last year launched the payments banks initially in Rajasthan, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh as a pilot project.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
14. SpaceX resumes flights; launches Falcon 9 vehicle on California coast
The American SpaceX rocket company has resumed flights, launching a Falcon 9 vehicle from the Vandenberg Air Force Base on the California coast. It is the first mission by the company since one of its vehicles exploded on the launch pad in September. The return to operations sees SpaceX start to renew what was the original global handheld satellite phone network, run by Iridium.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
15. UAE, Britain launch joint military drills
Joint military exercises between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and British forces started in the Gulf Arab state. Dubbed “Sea Dagger 2017”, the exercises were held “within the framework of cooperation, coordination and exchange of experiences and military information” between the two sides. The joint military drill was part of a “unified strategy to strengthen military cooperation between the UAE armed forces and their British counterparts.
The “Sea Dagger 2017” exercises come as part of a series of joint exercise series being held between the two countries with the aim of training on the planning, implementation and management of joint military operations.
16. India, US ink MoU for collaboration in third world countries
India and the US have signed an MoU to collaborate in the fields of developmental activities and aid in third world countries. The MoU has been signed between the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and Development Partnership Administration (DPA) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
MCC is a US agency providing eligible countries with grants to fund country-led solutions for reducing poverty through sustainable economic growth. DPA looks after implementation of India’s development cooperation programmes with partner countries.
17. Lady Liberty portrayed as a black woman for the first time
The United States is set to issue a commemorative $100 gold coin that depicts Lady Liberty — a national symbol generally portrayed as a white woman as an African American for the first time.
The 24-karat gold piece will be released in honor of the United States Mint’s 225th anniversary, one of a series of coins that will feature a racially diverse array of Lady Liberties.
18. Tesla Gigafactory to get world’s largest rooftop solar array
Tesla has big plans for its big roof in Nevada. The electric automaker/energy company has said from the beginning that its Gigafactory (which, as future plans have expanded, has come to be known as ‘Gigafactory 1’) would be a net-zero-energy production facility powered by renewables. Electrek reports that on a recent tour for investors, though, Tesla said just how massive onsite solar power generation capacity would be 70 megawatts.
19. US lifts 20-year economic embargo on Sudan
The United States has announced the end of a 20-year economic embargo on Sudan, lifting trade and financial sanctions in an effort to foster ties with the Sudanese government. The announcement made by outgoing President Barack Obama’s administration has comes after an executive order to permanently repeal a range of sanctions as a result of Sudan’s efforts to improve security in the region.
For the first time in two decades, Sudan will be able to receive imported goods and services from the US, as authorised by the US Department of the Treasury.
20. Ecuador takes chair of UN group of 134 developing countries
Ecuador has taken over from Thailand as chair of the Group of 77 which promotes the interests of the 134 developing countries it represents at the United Nations, including China. Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa told handover ceremony that the group will continue promoting “social and economic equality.” New Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the G-77 is his “preferred forum” to implement his vision including seeing the new goals become reality and reforming UN operations.
21. Pepsico sells land parcel to Wadhwa Group for Rs.190 cr
American snack and beverage giant PepsiCo India has sold a 2.5 acre land parcel in the Central suburb Chembur to The Wadhwa Group for ₹ 190-200 crore. Pepsi had bought the land parcel from Videocon in 1996 to set up a bottling plant for their beverage Duke’s. The factory has been defunct since 2014. Industry watchers said that several key developers were eyeing the marquee land parcel for its strategic location. Wadhwa Group had outbid players such as Godrej Properties, K Raheja Corp, Mahindra Lifespace among others.
22. Beijing sets 2017 air pollution goal at double of WHO limit
Beijing’s air quality target for 2017 is more than double the acceptable standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the mayor announced in the wake of weeks of hazardous air pollution in the Chinese capital.
The acceptable PM 2.5 annual average set by the WHO is 20-25 micrograms per cubic metre. Beijing’s air quality likely improved 9.9 percent in 2016, the municipal government said in a document, and PM 2.5 likely sat at an annual average of 73, better than the 2016 target of around 76.6.
SPORTS
23. Sports Minister Goel inaugurates ‘Khelo India’ competitions
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel inaugurated national level competitions under the Khelo India scheme at the S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Pool complex in the Talkatora Stadium.
Besides swimming, various competitions of cycling, wrestling under different categories will be held under this championship till January 21. More than 1,000 children from 25 states are participating in this event. The ministry has kept the venues open for public with free entry. hoping to develop the sports culture.
24. Gujarat wins First Ranji Trophy title beating Mumbai
Gujarat has its maiden Ranji Trophy title when it beat Mumbai by 5 wickets in the final tie. In doing so, it became the 17th side in the history of domestic cricket to win the tournament, and fifth – after Holkar, Delhi, Karnataka and Haryana – to win the title by defeating Bombay/Mumbai in the final match.’
OBITUARY
25. Actor Dick Gautier dies at 85
Dick Gautier, who starred on Broadway in the original production of Bye, Bye Birdie and then famously played Hymie the Robot on the sitcom Get Smart, has died. He was 85. Gautier died at an assisted living facility in Arcadia, Calif., after a long illness.
Gautier, who started his career as a stand-up comic, received a Tony nomination for playing Conrad Birdie, the character based on Elvis Presley, in the memorable, original 1960 production of Bye, Bye Birdie, starring Dick Van Dyke.
