Two army personnel, Major Mukund Varadarajan and NaikNeeraj Kumar Singh were awarded the highest peacetime military honour, the Ashok Chakra posthumously by President Pranab Mukherjee.
The awards were received by their wives at the 66th Republic Day celebrations.
Both the army men had laid down their lives while battling groups of militants in separate operations in Shopian and Kupwara districts of Kashmir.
In April 2014, Major Mukund Varadarajan who was an officer in the Rajput Regiment of the Indian Army had killed three terrorists in an encounter in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.
While in August 2014, Naik Neeraj Singh was leading a search operation in general area Gurdaji of Kupwara district, he died after heavy fire from terrorists.
About Ashok Chakra:
- It is India’s highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield
- It is the peace time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice other than in the face of the enemy.
About Rasipuram Laxman
Rasipuram Laxman (famously known as RK Laxman) was born on 24 October 1921 in Mysore, Karnataka. Famous novelist R. K. Narayan was his older brother.
His creation:
- He is best known for creation of iconic character The Common Man, for his daily cartoon strip, You Said It in The Times of India(TOI). It was started in 1951. This character held a mirror to the society and targeted politicians for more than five decades.
- In 1988, commemorative postage stamp of The Common Man was released by the Indian Postal Service on the 150th anniversary TOI.
- He also created a popular mascot for the Asian Paints group called Gattu in 1954.
- His cartoons have appeared in Hindi films such as Mr. & Mrs. in 1955 and a Tamil film Kamaraj.
- His creations also include the sketches drawn for the television adaptation of Malgudi Days (written by his elder brother R K Narayan and directed by Shankar Nag).
- Awards: He is recipient of Padma Vibhushan (2005) and Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts (1984).
- His Autobiography: The Tunnel of Time: An Autobiography.
- Books: He had published numerous short stories, essays, and travel articles, some of which were collected in The Distorted Mirror (2003). His novels include The Hotel Riviera, The Messenger and the short story collection Servants of India.
Colombia’s Paulina Vega was crowned 63rd Miss Universe after beating out contenders from the United States, Ukraine, Jamaica and Netherlands.
Miss USA Nia Sanchez from Las Vegas was named a runner-up, along with Miss Ukraine Diana Harkusha.
Paulina Vega- She is granddaughter of celebrated Colombian singer Gastón Vega. Currently, she is a student of business from the northern Colombia city of Barranquilla.
Miss Universe
- It is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by the Miss Universe Organization.
- Along with the Miss World and Miss Earth contests, Miss Universe is one of the three largest beauty pageants in the world and one of the most anticipated beauty pageants worldwide.
- It was founded in 1952 by the California clothing company Pacific Mills.
4. Anti-austerity Syriza party wins Greece’s general elections
In Greece, anti-austerity Syriza party has won general election.
In this election Syriza party has won about half the seats in Parliament.
While the earlier ruling government led by outgoing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of centre-right New Democracy party has been placed second.
Syriza party:
In Greece, anti-austerity Syriza party has won general election.
In this election Syriza party has won about half the seats in Parliament.
While the earlier ruling government led by outgoing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of centre-right New Democracy party has been placed second.
Syriza party:
- It was formed in 2004 as an umbrella group. Syriza- an acronym means the Radical Coalition of the Left.
- It is led by Alexis Tsipras and first came to prominence following the 2008 Greek riots.
- In this general election, Syriza Party has promised to end Greece’s painful austerity measures and wants to renegotiate its debt.
