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[AWARDS] Goldman Prize for Prafulla Samantra, the activist who blocked Vedanta's Niyamgiri mine
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| Prafulla Samantara | Photo Credit: Courtesy: Goldman Environmental Prize |
Social activist Prafulla Samantra was announced one of six winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize, in San Francisco, Monday.
The prize citation said this was for his "...historic 12-year legal battle that affirmed the indigenous Dongria Kondh’s land rights and protected the Niyamgiri Hills from a massive, open-pit aluminum ore mine."
Mr. Samantra was one of the key leaders responsible for rallying tribes, indigenous to Odisha's Niyamgiri region, and using legal provisions to thwart mining-to-metals conglomerate, Vedanta. The company has been forced to suspend plans to mine bauxite.
Trained as a lawyer and involved in activism "since the Jayprakash Narayan-movement" Mr. Samantara said that he would continue his work to ensure that politics play more than lip service in ensuring sustainable development." We must have a national mining policy to rationally decide how much of our natural resources can be used for mining," he told The Hindu in an interview prior to Monday's announcement.
The annual prize honours grassroot environmentalists, who undergo risk to their lives, to protect the environment and empower those who have most to lose from industrial projects threatening their traditional livelihood.
Other winners this year include
- Mark Lopez, United States;
- Uroš Macerl, Slovenia;
- Rodrigo Tot, Guatemala;
- Rodrigue Katembo, Democratic Republic of Congo; and
- Wendy Bowman, Australia.
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| Photo Credit: Courtesy: Goldman Environmental Prize |
Since 1990 when the awards were first instituted, five Indians —
- Medha Patkar,
- M.C. Mehta,
- Rasheeda Bi,
- Champaran Shukla, and
- Ramesh Agrawal — have won the prize.
Mr. Samantra will be the sixth.
[AWARDS] Renowned Film Director & Actor K. Viswanath wins Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2016
Veteran filmmaker and actor Kasinadhuni Viswanath is the winner of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2016, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting announced on Monday(24-04-2017).
The award consists of a Swarn Kamal (Golden Lotus), a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs and a shawl.
The award shall be conferred by the President of India at a function on May 3, 2017 at Vigyan Bhawan.
A presenter of classical and traditional art, music and dance, Shri K Viswanath has been a guiding force in the Indian film industry. As a director he has made fifty films since 1965 known for their strong content, endearing narrative, honest handling and cultural authenticity. His films on wide range of social & human issues had great appeal to the masses.
Shri K Viswanath was born in February 1930 at Gudivadain Andhra Pradesh. An ardent art lover, he made a series of films based on varied themes of art, music and dance. His films empathized with courage and frailty, aspirations and convictions, perseverance and distractions, social demands and individual struggle and at the core believed in the goodness of the human spirit.
His contributions have received recognition in the form of Padmashri Award in 1992 by the Government of India for his contribution to film making. He has also been awarded 5 National Awards, 20 Nandi Awards (awarded by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh), 10 Filmfare Awards including Lifetime Achievement Award. His national award winning SwathiMuthyam was the India’s official entry to the 59th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category.
The stories that Shri K Viswanath told through his films were seemingly simple. They provide an uncomplicated, direct and pleasant cinematic enjoyment to the audience. At the same time they lend themselves to a nuanced and layered interpretation leading many to watch them again and again and come back with a new hitherto unseen aspect or a deeper understanding and realization.
One of his most memorable films, Sirivennelawas a sensitive story of a blind flutist and a mute painter who fall in love with each other, over the love of music and their individual setbacks. It helped in changing the viewers’ perception of disability, to a large extent. The musical compositions of this film are still fresh and soothing to the ears.
His film, Sankarabharanam, is one of India’s most memorable classics, which was appreciated across the world. A remarkable feature of his films is that all of them remain wholesome family entertainers. They have a fair share of humor, sentiments and contain scenic beauty, good music, powerful and realistic characters and most importantly concrete storylines.
Source : PIB
[CURRENT AFFAIRS] UNESCO includes Yoga in Intangible Cultural Heritage list
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has formally inscribed Yoga in its representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Decision in this regard was taken by the Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The declaration describes Yoga, an ancient Indian practice as a Human Treasure. It was unanimously supported by all the 24 members of inter-governmental Committee.
Other new inscriptions added in the list are Rumba dance (Cuba), Belgian beer (Belgium), Almezmar (Saudi Arabia), Kuresi (Kazakhstan) and Khidr Elias feast (Iraq), Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals (Japan), Momoeria, New Year’s celebration (Greece), practice of organizing shared interests in cooperatives (Germany),Making and sharing flatbread (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan), Culture of Jeju Haenyeo (South Korea), Gada system (Ethiopia),Tahteeb, stick game (Egypt), Music and dance of the merengue (Dominican Republic), Valencia Fallas festivity (Spain), Solar Term(China), Mangal Shobhajatra on Pahela Baishakh(Bangladesh).
Background:
The proposal for inclusion of Yoga in this list was forwarded by the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) immediately after the first International Yoga Day was on 21st June 2016. The dossier in this regard was forwarded by MEA through the Sangeet Natak Akademi. India’s proposal for nominating Yoga had stressed upon its pan-Indian and global expanse, health benefits and practised by people from all communities.
About UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage:
The UNESCO’s coveted list is made up of those intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate diversity of cultural heritage and raise awareness about its importance. It was established in 2008 after Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003 came into effect. It compiles two lists viz. Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Now, the list includes 814 cultural sites, 203 natural and 35 with both cultural and natural qualities.
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity from India:
- Koodiyattam: Sanskrit Theatre of Kerala.
- Mudiyett: theatre ritual of Kerala.
- Tradition of Vedic Chanting.
- Kalbelia: folk songs and dances of Rajasthan.
- Ramlila: Traditional Performance of the Ramayana.
- Sankirtana: singing, drumming and dancing ritual of Manipur.
- Ramman: religious festival and ritual theatre of Garhwal Himalayas.
- Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil of Thatheras: Punjab.
- Chhau dance: classical Indian dance originated in the eastern Indian states.
- Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.
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