Awards and Honours
Narendra Modi Named The Straits Times ‘Asian Of The Year 2014’
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on 5 December named ‘Asian of the Year 2014’ for being a development-focused leader by editors of Singapore’s leading daily, The Straits Times. Last year’s award was shared by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and China’s President Xi Jinping.
Time Magazine Named Ebola Fighters As ‘Person of the Year 2014’
The countless doctors, nurses and caregivers at the forefront of battling one of the worst ever outbreaks of the deadly Ebola virus, were on 10 December collectively named as Time magazine’s 2014 ‘Person of the Year’. The ‘Ebola fighters’ have been awarded for their tireless acts of courage and mercy and for risking, persisting, sacrificing and saving.
Fidel Castro Awarded China’s Confucius Peace Prize – 2014
Cuba’s former leader Fidel Castro has been awarded the Confucius Peace Prize -2014, China’s alternative to the Nobel. He did not attend the Confucius Peace Prize award ceremony on 9 December. A Cuban exchange student accepted the award on his behalf. The Confucius Peace prize was established in 2009 as an eastern alternative to the Nobel Peace Prize following the proposal of Chinese businessman Lui Zhiqin.
Atal Bihari Vajpee and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya To Be Awarded Bharat Ratna
The Union Government on 24 December 2014 made announcement to award the Bharat Ratna, country’s highest civilian honour to Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and educationist and social reformer Madan Mohan Malviya(posthumously). The announcement coincides with Vajpayee’s birthday on December 25 which the government has already declared as ‘Good Governance Day’. Malviya is the 11th person to receive the award posthumously, while Vajpayee is the sixth Prime Minister to receive the award. Till now 43 people have been honoured with the Bharat Ratna. Educationist Madan Mohan Malviya and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee are the 44th and 45th distinguished personalities who have been conferred with country’s highest civilian award. In 2013, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and scientist C N R Rao were awarded Bharat Ratna for their contribution in their respective fields.