51st IFFI: Awards And Accolades

The 51st edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held its coveted award ceremony on the closing day of the festival in Goa at Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Stadium.
While Danish World War II drama ‘Into the Darkness’ won the Golden Peacock Award (Best Film), Tzu-Chuan Liu and Zofia Stafiej won the top acting honours.
51st IFFI jury chairman was Pablo Cesar of Germany.

Awards and Accolades

Golden Peacock Award (Best Film)

Into the Darkness, directed by Anders Refn won the Best Film (Golden Peacock) award.
The film chronicles the complex, emotional turmoil which the people of Denmark had to undergo, during the Nazi occupation of the country.

Silver Peacock Award

Best Actor (Male): Tzu-Chuan Liu (Taiwan), The Silent Forest
Best Actor (Female): Zofia Stafiej (Poland), I Never Cry
Best Director: Chen-Nien Ko (Taiwan), The Silent Forest

Other Awards

Best Debut Director Award: Cássio Pereira dos Santos (Brazil), Valentina

Special Mention Award: Kripal Kalita (Assam, India), Bridge
- Indian film director Kripal Kalita from Assam has brought laurels to the country and the state after winning the IFFI 51 Special Mention Award for his Assamese film ‘Bridge’.
- ‘Bridge’ reflects the life amidst hardships caused by annual floods in rural Assam.
- The film tells the story of the annual phenomenon in the state, wherein the mighty Brahmaputra and its tributaries flood many villages and ruin cultivation.
Special Jury Award: Kamin Kalev (Bulgaria), February
Lifetime Achievement Award: Vittorio Storaro (Italy)
ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Award: '200 Meters'
- Ameen Nayfeh’s 2020 Arabic film '200 Meters' won the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Award – for best reflecting Gandhiji's ideals of peace, tolerance & non-violence.

Indian Personality of the Year Award: Biswajit Chatterjee

Other Felicitations

Yesteryear actress Zeenat Aman and Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishen were felicitated for their contribution to films.

Marco Bezzecchi Wins IndianOil Grand Prix of India - MotoGP Bharat 2023

Marco Bezzecchi, riding for the Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) team, claimed victory at the IndianOil Grand Prix of India - MotoGP Bharat 2023 on 24^th Sept, completing the race in 36 minutes and 59.157 seconds at the Buddh International Circuit.

Key Points

New Sprint Race Format: This year's event introduced a new Sprint race format, consisting of Moto3 with 16 laps, Moto2 with 18 laps, and the MotoGP category featuring 21 laps of racing action.
Global Reach of MotoGP: MotoGP enjoys a global viewership, broadcasting to 200 countries and reaching up to 450 million households worldwide.
In India, the event attracted over 100,000 daily spectators at the Circuit, with millions more accessing content through TV and streaming platforms.
Government Recognition: The recognition of these races by the Government of India aims to boost tourism and economic opportunities in the region while elevating the profile of the Buddh International Circuit.

President Inaugurates Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show

On 21^st Sept, Indian President inaugurated the first Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida.

The event, a collaborative effort by the UP Government and India Exposition Mart Limited (IEML), is set to run from September 21 to 25.

Key Points

Venue and Purpose: The five-day extravaganza unfolds at the India Expo Mart in Knowledge Park, Greater Noida. Its primary aim is to provide international exposure and market opportunities for Uttar Pradesh's products, specialties, cuisine, and culture.
Diverse Exhibitors: Over 2000 exhibitors will display their offerings spanning various sectors, including automobiles, handicrafts, healthcare, food processing, pharmaceuticals, dairy, electronics, and e-commerce.
Informative Sessions: State government departments, institutions, and even the renowned Mumbai Dabbawala will conduct informative sessions on a range of business activities.
Boost to Start-ups: Additionally, the trade show will host 108 new startups eager to showcase their innovations.

Indian Coast Guard Conducts 'Operation Sajag' for Coastal Security along West Coast

On September 18, 2023, the Indian Coast Guard conducted 'Operation Sajag,' a comprehensive coastal security drill along the west coast.

This operation involved all stakeholders and aimed to revalidate the coastal security mechanism while raising awareness among fishermen at sea.

Key Points

Monthly Drill for Ongoing Improvement: This day-long drill is conducted every month, with its outcomes serving as a basis for ongoing improvements in the coastal security framework.
It offers an opportunity to assess the implementation of various coastal security measures, extract valuable lessons, and identify trends that impact coastal security.

Old Parliament Building Renamed as "Samvidhan Sadan"

On 19^th September, 2023, the Prime Minister announced the new name for the old parliament building, which will now be known as "Samvidhan Sadan" or Constitution House.

Key Points

Significance: This historic structure, designed by British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, was completed in 1927 and has witnessed pivotal moments in Indian history, including the drafting and passing of India's constitution.
Honouring the Building's History: The Prime Minister paid tribute to every aspect of the old Parliament building, acknowledging its role in shaping India's democratic history.
Conservation as an Archaeological Marvel: It is planned to conserve the old Parliament building as an archaeological marvel of India, recognizing its historical and architectural significance.

Delhi's RML Hospital Inaugurates India's First Dedicated Transgender OPD

On 17^th September, 2023, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in Delhi unveiled India's first specialized Outpatient Department (OPD) catering to the transgender community.

Key Points

Initiative Motivation: The launch of this dedicated OPD coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday and was initiated to address the unique healthcare needs of the transgender community.
Facility Enhancements: As part of this initiative, a dedicated restroom facility will be made available within the hospital premises for transgender patients.

India Clinches 8th Asia Cup Title with Dominant Victory over Sri Lanka

On 17^th September, 2023, India secured its 8th Asia Cup championship by easily chasing down a target of 51 against Sri Lanka.

Key Points

One-Sided Contest: Mohammed Siraj played a pivotal role in India's victory, decimating Sri Lanka's batting lineup with remarkable figures of 6 for 21 off 7 overs.
The result was all but assured after Sri Lanka's batters struggled, with five of them getting dismissed without contributing to the score.
Swift Victory: India achieved the target in just 6.1 overs, winning the final match with a remarkable 263 balls to spare and all 10 wickets intact.
This victory marked India's largest winning margin in terms of balls remaining in Asia Cup history, surpassing their previous record set against Kenya in 2001.

Swachhata Special Campaign 3.0 Portal

On 14^th September, 2023, the Swachhata Special Campaign 3.0 Portal, a dedicated platform for monitoring the Swachhata (cleanliness) campaign in India, was launched.

Key Points

Campaign Details: The Special Campaign 3.0 will consist of a preparatory phase from September 15 to September 30, 2023.
During this period, Ministries/Departments will identify pending tasks in selected categories and finalize campaign sites.
The main phase of Special Campaign 3.0 will run from October 2 to October 31, 2023.
It will focus on cleanliness (Swachhata) and reducing pending tasks in government offices with a saturation approach.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) is the nodal department for implementing Special Campaign 3.0.
Achievements of the Swachhata Campaign: The Swachhata campaign, initiated by Prime on August 15, 2014, has accomplished four primary objectives:
- Change in work culture, exemplified by the successful hosting of the G20 Summit.
- Transition to over 90% online file work through the eOffice portal.
- Productive utilization of open spaces, transforming junkyards into courtyards in some departments.
- Promotion of an archive culture, with an increased focus on file archiving.

Supreme Court Data Integrated with National Judicial Data Grid Portal

On 14^th September, 2023, Chief Justice of India announced the integration of the Supreme Court's data with the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) portal, marking the completion of a comprehensive merger of all three tiers of the Indian judiciary on this platform.

Key Points

Integration of Supreme Court Data: The portal is designed to provide real-time updates and comprehensive information about the Supreme Court, including monthly and annual statistics on filed cases, cases disposed of, and pending cases, readily accessible with a simple click.
Efficient Management of Oldest Cases: This integration will provide a robust database for the Chief Justice of India to expedite the resolution of these longstanding cases.
Accessing the NJDG-SCI Portal: The NJDG-SCI portal can be conveniently accessed through the Supreme Court's official website. Users can simply click on the tab labeled "NJDG SUPREME COURT OF INDIA" to access the integrated data.

President of India Inaugurates 'National e-Vidhan Application' (NeVA)

On 13^th September, 2023, the President of India officially launched the 'National e-Vidhan Application' (NeVA) and delivered an address at the Gujarat Legislative Assembly in Gandhinagar.

Key Points:

Digital Transformation of the Assembly: President highlighted that the inauguration of the E-Assembly, powered by the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), signifies a significant step toward transforming the Assembly into a Digital House.
Enhancing Efficiency and Transparency: NeVA would enable the members of the Assembly to adopt and learn from the best practices of the Parliament and other Legislative Assemblies across the nation.
This initiative, aligned with the goal of "one nation one application," would enhance the speed and transparency of the Assembly's operations while facilitating a paperless environment, promoting environmental conservation.

Novak Djokovic Secures 24th Grand Slam Title

On 10^th September, 2023, Novak Djokovic claimed his 24th Grand Slam title, the highest number ever achieved by a player in the Open Era, with a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Daniil Medvedev.

Key Points

Djokovic's Victory and Record: This victory also tied him with Australian Margaret Court for the Grandest Slam singles titles in history.
Experience Pays Off: Djokovic's experience played a crucial role in his win, especially compared to his 2021 loss to Medvedev.
Historic Milestone: Djokovic now boasts a 12-3 record in Grand Slam finals in his 30s, a notable improvement over his 12-9 record in his 20s.