1.Waheeda Rehman to be honoured with 53rd Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award

Current Context: Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur has announced that legendary actress Waheeda Rehman will be honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2021.

Key Points:

• She has been critically acclaimed for her roles in Hindi films, prominent among them, Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke Phool, Chaudhavi Ka Chand, Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam, Guide, Khamoshi and several others.

• The award will be presented during the 69^th National Film awards ceremony.

• She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her roles in Guide (1965) and Neel Kamal (1968).

• The actress also won the National Award for Best actress (1971) and was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1972, later also received the Padma Bhushan in 2011.

About the Dadasaheb Phalke Award:

• It is India's highest award in the field of cinema.

• It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organization set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• The recipients are recognized for their ‘outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema’.

• The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs.

• The award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke's contribution to Indian cinema, who is popularly known as and often regarded as "the father of Indian cinema". 

• It was first presented in 1969.

2. Norman E. Borlaug Award for 2023

Current Context: Recently, Dr. Swati Nayak, an Indian scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), was named the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Norman E Borlaug Award on September 21, 2023.

Key Points:

• She has been awarded for Field Research and Application, with the World Food Prize Foundation describing her as an "outstanding young scientist.”

• She is the South Asia Lead for Seed System and Product Management at the IRRI in New Delhi.

• Endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation, the award recognises Nayak for her innovative approach to engaging smallholder farmers in demand-driven rice seed systems, from testing and deployment to equitable access and adoption of climate-resilient and nutritious rice varieties, a release from the World Food Prize Foundation.

• The award is given to exceptional scientists under 40 and someone who works in the field of food and nutrition security, hunger eradication, in memory of the Nobel awardee and Green Revolution's chief architect Dr Norman Borlaug.

3. Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar

Current Context: The Government of India has come out with a new set of National Awards in the field of Science, Technology, and Innovation known as “Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar’’.

Key Points: 

• The objective of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) is to recognize the notable and inspiring contribution made by the scientists, technologists, and innovators individually or in teams in various fields of science, technology, and technology-led innovation.

• The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar shall be one of the highest recognitions in the field of science, technology, and innovation in India.

• People of Indian origin staying abroad with exceptional contributions benefiting the Indian communities or society shall also be eligible for the awards.

• The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar shall be given in the 13 different domains.

 The awards shall be given in the following four categories:

• Vigyan Ratna (VR) award: It will recognize lifetime achievements and contributions made in any field of science and technology.

• Vigyan Shri (VS) award: It will recognize distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology.

• Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB) award: It will recognize and encourage young scientists up to the age of 45 years who made an exceptional contribution in any field of science and technology.

• Vigyan Team (VT) award: It will be given to a team comprising of three or more scientists/researchers/innovators who have made an exceptional contribution working in a team in any field of science and technology.

Important day/date related to Science in India:

• National Science Day-28th February.

• National Technology Day-11th May.

• National Space Day-23rd August.