Category: RECORDS, INDIA (National)

** Biggest medal haul, longest list of awardees

India had its biggest medal haul at the Tokyo Olympics with one gold, two silver and four bronze medals.

The unprecedented medal haul by Indian sportspersons at this year’s Olympics and Paralympics has resulted in a highest-ever number of recommendations for the Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards.

Tokyo Olympics javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra, silver medallist wrestler Ravi Dahiya, bronze-winning boxer Lovlina Borgohain and hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh are among 11 names selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour.

India had its biggest medal haul at the Tokyo Olympics with one gold, two silver and four bronze medals. The other three medallists – wrestler Bajrang Punia, shuttler PV Sindhu  and weightlifter Mirabhai Chanu  – have already been conferred with the Khel Ratna.

** Who is Anita Anand, Canada’s new defence minister?

Anita Anand, an Indian-origin Canadian, will replace Harjit Sajjan and take oath as the 43rd Defence Minister of Canada.

She is only the second woman to hold the position. She is preceded only by former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, who held the Defence Minister’s post for five months in 1993.

Who is Anita Anand?

The 54-year-old minister was born in the coastal Canadian province of Nova Scotia to Indian parents hailing from Punjab and Tamil Nadu. She has two sisters — Dr. Sonia Anand and lawyer Gita Anand — who have been with her on the campaign trail.

** Isha Ambani appointed on the Board of Trustees of the prestigious Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

In 2019, Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries’ Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, was elected to the board of New York’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art

** Different take

THE THIN EDGE | Reconstructing India’s freedom struggle on celluloid

Re-examining periods of the past is crucial to deepening our understanding of history. Today, when we are fighting a massive, relentless hijacking attempt on the history of our freedom struggle by the falsification factories of the Hindutva brigade, genuine re-examinations of the first few decades of the 20th century matter more than ever.

Shoojit Sircar’s recently released film, Sardar Udham, positions itself as such a project, one which brings to light the almost forgotten story of Udham Singh, who also went to the gallows, ten years after the execution of his younger and much more famous HSRA comrade, Bhagat Singh.

** Wipro’s Azim Premji donated Rs 27 crore per day in FY21, retains top giver rank

Wipro’s Azim Premji donated Rs 9,713 crore or Rs 27 crore a day to retain his top rank among Indian philanthropists in FY21.

** L&T chosen for first part of Central Secretariat

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) on Wednesday awarded its largest-ever contract at ₹3,141.99 crore, handing over the letter of award for construction of three buildings of the new Common Central Secretariat to Larsen and Toubro Ltd.

The CPWD opened the financial bids of three bidders — L&T, Tata Projects Ltd. and NCC Ltd. — on October 18. L&T was the only one to submit a bid below the estimate of ₹3,254 crore. The project includes construction of the three buildings.

** Fruit tree from the Ghats set to take root in farmlands

Called Moottilpazham, this plentiful wild fruit is soon set to make its way to our gardens as well as diet, thanks to an initiative by the Kerala Forest Department. An 11-minute documentary film that propagates the lesser-known tale of this fruit and its potential for cultivation is slated for a release next week.

According to G. Prasad, Assistant Conservator of Forest (Social Forestry), who conceptualised the movie, Moottilpuli, the tree, is endemic to the southern region of the Western Ghats that extends from South Canara to Kanyakumari. “The tree, Baccaurea courtallensis, is a member of Euphorbiaceae family and the fruit derives its name from the way it bunches up at the base of the tree and even touches the ground. It blooms in February and March while the fruit matures between June to August,” he explained.

Kerala

** M. Krishnan Nair, founder of RCC, passes away

Oncologist was instrumental in setting up the first modern and affordable cancer-care centre in Kerala’s public sector

M. Krishnan Nair, renowned oncologist and founder-director of Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), passed away here on Thursday. He was 81.

Having single-mindedly pursued the dream of setting up the first modern and affordable cancer care centre in the State’s public sector, Dr. Nair’s name was synonymous with the institution he founded in 1981 and nurtured till his retirement in 2003.

** Meet Savita Singh, the ‘camera ma’am’

Savita Singh’s film not only won the National Award for Best Cinematography, it is also India’s short film entry for the Oscars

If cinematography is the art of making the invisible visible, then Savita Singh has mastered it. Her short film Sonsi is not only winner of this year’s National Award for Best Cinematography, it is India’s entry for the Oscars in the short film category.

Savita, who hails from a family of farmers in Hisar and is the first female graduate from her village, has gradually emerged as an ambassador of the growing tribe of women cinematographers in the country.