PRESIDENT OF INDIA PRESENTS BHARAT RATNA AND PADMA AWARDS

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The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awards on (March 30, 2015) at a Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were the Vice President of India, Prime Minister, Union Ministers of Home Affairs, Finance and Human Resource Development.

Shri Pranab Mukherjee, India's high civilian honours - the Bharat Ratna and Padma awards - were on Monday conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee on a galaxy of prominent people who have done the country proud.

Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, was bestowed posthumously on freedom fighter and eminent educationist Madan Mohan Malaviya at an investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday evening.

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who too was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, was presented the medallion and the scroll of the award last week at his residence because of his ill health.

The awards, which are announced on the eve of the Republic Day every year, this year included two Bharat Ratnas, three Padma Vibhushans, 12 Padma Bhushans and 34 Padma Shris.

BJP leader and former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya received the Padma Vibhushan.

Journalists Swapan Dasgupta and Rajat Sharma, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates were awarded the Padma Bhushan.

The Gates couple, however, could not come to personally receive their awards.

Poet-lyricist Prasoon Joshi, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and playwright Tarak Janubhai Mehta were some of the well-known people who received the Padma Shri.

Rajat Sharma shook hands with Prime Minister narendra Modi as he stood to receive Padma Bhushan.

People from the sports world included well-known wrestler Satpal, who received the Padma Bhushan for his outstanding performance in various international tournaments.

Renowned badminton player P.V. Sindhu and Indian hockey team captain Sardar Singh both received the Padma Shri.

The Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan was overcrowded as relatives and friends of the recipients occupied most of the chairs.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many cabinet ministers and government officials were present.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also present at the awards ceremony. He was seen interacting with the media freely after the function.

Relatives and friends of the recipients cheered when the names of their loved ones were announced to receive the awards.

Some of them put their hands up while clapping and were seen pointing at the recipients of the honour.

On March 27, President Mukherjee made a break with protocol to drive down to Vajpayee's Krishna Menon Marg residence to confer the highest honour on the nonagenarian Bharatiya Janata Party leader who has been keeping ill health.

Ansari, Modi as well as former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Advani were among those who attended the presentation on that day.

Modi expressed his gratitude to Mukherjee for going to Vajpayee's home to personally hand over the award.

Australia win by 7 wickets, bag 5th World Cup title ...

Australia broke New Zealand hearts with a dominant final performance, bringing home the Cricket World Cup. Australia crushed New Zealand by 7 wickets in the final at the MCG on Sunday.

The MCG turned into a sea of yellow cheering for its team. The team which has won its fifth world cup is Australia.  Being the last World Cup for the Aussie Captain Michael Clarke, what better send off would he have had asked for.  New Zealand batted first after winning a rare toss, openers failed to provide a promising start to the Kiwi innings.  Mc Cullum was out for a duck and Martin Guptill was bowled by Glen Maxwell. Kane Williamson soon followed the openers to the pavilion.  Elliott's 83 runs from 82 balls was smooth alongwith a resilient knock of 40 by Ross Taylor. Elliott and Ross Taylor's 111-run stand anchored the Kiwi innings until the 36th over. Faulkner's removal of Taylor and Corey Anderson within three balls in the 35th over signaled the definitive turning point in the innings.  Starc and Johnson returned to ravage the tail, Tim Southee fell short of his crease and was run out. New Zealand were all out for a modest 183 in the 45th over. Chasing a low target of 184,New Zealand had to go all-guns- blazing at the Aussie batsmen.  The pressure by New Zealand paid early dividends. Aaron Finch was caught and bowled by the in-from pacer and leading wicket taker Trent Boult in the second over.  Coming at the elevated Number 3 slot, Steven Smith played cautiously to ensure a 60-run plus partnership with David Warner.  Opener Warner scored a 46 ball 45 runs before falling prey to Henry's ball. Michael Clarke and Steven Smith stroked fluent half-centuries to chase the target down inside 34 overs.  Clarke, the departing captain, had a standing ovation when he left the field after his sparkling 74 from 72.  Smith, his most likely successor, stayed at the crease to hit the last ball of the World Cup through deep square leg for four. It was despair for New Zealand, who got to the end of their fairytale Cricket World Cup story only to find Australia had penned a cruel twist on the final page. ( DDN )

Saina Nehwal, K Srikant win Indian Open Super Series

Saina Nehwal has lifted the Singles crown of the India Open Super Series Badminton tournament while Kidambi Srikanth won the men's singles title at the India Open Super Series on Sunday.

In the final at the Siri Fort Indoor Complex in New Delhi on Sunday, she defeated Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in straight games 21-16, 21-14. The girl from Hyderabad, who has been on a roll ever since her victory at the China Open, played like a champion as she anticipated her opponent's moves and caught her on the wrong foot during rallies. Intanon, seeded third, seemed to be affected by her marathon semifinal match against Carolina Marin of Spain which lasted for close to an hour and and half on Saturday. The energy-sapping clash seemed to have made her movements slow on the court as she struggled with her returns. Harvir Singh Nehwal, Saina's father was very happy at his daughter's achievement. Kidambi Srikanth brought more joy to the Indian camp after Saina Nehwal's victory when he won the men's singles title at the India Open Super Series. He beat Denmark's Viktor Axelsen 18-21, 21-13, 21-12 to win his maiden India Open Super Series title. The World No.4 defeated China's Xue Song 21-16, 21-13 in 42 minutes to enter the summit clash. DDN

Saina scales a new high, 1st Indian woman to World No.1

Saina scales a new high, 1st Indian woman to World No.1

New Delhi: Saina Nehwal on Saturday scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman shuttler to attain the number one spot in world rankings, reaffirming her status as the country's most consistent performer in the international circuit.   

The 25-year-old zoomed to the top after her closest challenger for the position, Spain's Carolina Marin, lost in the India Open Super Series semifinal here. 

Though the official rankings will be out only on Thursday next week, Saina has been assured of her ascent to the top owing to the reigning world champion's 19-21 23-21 20-22 loss to third seed Thai Ratchanok Intanon.

    

Saina thus becomes only the second Indian overall to be world number one after Prakash Padukone had the distinction of being the numero uno men's badminton player.

   

Saina plays Japan's Yui Hashimoto in the second semifinal but the Indian ace will be No. 1 irrespective of her result today.   

The London Olympic bronze-medallist has won a staggering 14 international titles in her glorious career and most recently she became the first Indian woman to make the finals of the prestigious All England Championships in Manchester.    

"Number one is not at the back of mind right now. The only thing I am focussing on is playing all the tournaments and I want to win them," Saina had said when asked about the ranking.

    

"I want to perform well and beat the players against whom I was losing. I don't want to lose the way I was losing in the last three years. I want to be more consistent. When you are playing well, other things fall in place", she said.

Stamp commemorating 'Kuka Movement' of Namdhari Sikhs released

 Speaking at the occasion,  Ravi Shankar Prasad ( Union minister for Communication and Information Technology) said that The Kuka Movement marked the first major reaction of the people in the Punjab to the new political order initiated by the British after 1849. The Namdhari Movement, of which the Kuka Movement was the most important phase, aimed at overthrowing the British rule.

                                                                                                      

  The sacrifices made by people of Punjab will be always remembered. He also said that members of  the Kuka Movement raised voice against foreign rule at a time when most people feared barbaric approach of the rulers.

                                                                                                                                                                                        The Kuka Movement evoked the feelings of self respect and sacrifice for the country. They called for boycott of educational institutions of British and argued against laws established by them. They were rigid in their clothing and wore only hand-spun white attire. The Kuka followers actively propagated the civil disobedience.

                                                                                   At New Delhi, Dec. 24, Union minister for Communication and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday released a commemorative stamp to highlight heroic deeds of those engaged in 1857 Kuka movement of the Namdhari Sikhs against the British.

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