Research and Analysis Wing (RAW or R&AW) and National Investigation Agency (NIA)

The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW or R&AW) is the main external intelligence agency of the Republic of India. It was formed in September 1968 under the helmsman-ship of its first Director, R. N. Kao. The primary function of the R&AW is collection of external intelligence and counter-terrorism. In addition, it is responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and persons, to advise Indian policymakers. RAW’s Headquarters is in New Delhi.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a federal agency approved by the Indian Government to combat terror in India. The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. The National Investigation Agency Bill 2008 to create the agency was moved in Parliament by Union Home Minister on 31 December 2008. NIA was created after the Nov 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was realised. NIA’s Headquarters is in New Delhi.

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List of Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winners

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is an annual award given by the Indian government for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. The Award was instituted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered the father of Indian cinema. The award is being given to veterans in the film field such as Actors, Actresses, Producers, Directors, Music Directors and other Technical experts.

 

• 1969 – Devika Rani Chaudhuri Roerich (Actress)
• 1970 – B. N. Sircar (Producer)
• 1971 – Prithviraj Kapoor (Actor, Awarded posthumously)
• 1972 – Pankaj Mullick (Music Director)
• 1973 – Ruby Myers (Sulochana, Actress)
• 1974 – Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy (Director)
• 1975 – Dhirendranath Ganguly (Actor, Director)
• 1976 – Kanan Devi (Actress)
• 1977 – Nitin Bose (Cinematographer, Director, Screenwriter)
• 1978 – Raichand Boral (Music Director, Director)
• 1979 – Sohrab Modi (Actor, Director, Producer)
• 1980 – Paidi Jairaj (Actor, Director)
• 1981 – Naushad (Music Director)
• 1982 – L. V. Prasad (Actor, Director, Producer)
• 1983 – Durga Khote (Actress)
• 1984 – Satyajit Ray (Director)
• 1985 – V. Shantaram (Actor, Director, Producer)
• 1986 – Bommireddy Nagi Reddy (Producer)
• 1987 – Raj Kapoor (Actor, Director, Producer)
• 1988 – Ashok Kumar (Actor)
• 1989 – Lata Mangeshkar (Playback singer)
• 1990 – Akkineni Nageswara Rao (Actor)
• 1991 – Bhalji Pendharkar (Director, Producer, Screenwriter)
• 1992 – Bhupen Hazarika (Musician, Singer, Poet, Filmmaker, Lyricist)
• 1993 – Majrooh Sultanpuri (Lyricist)
• 1994 – Dilip Kumar (Actor)
• 1995 – Rajkumar (Actor, Singer)
• 1996 – Sivaji Ganesan (Actor)
• 1997 – Pradeep (Lyricist)
• 1998 – B. R. Chopra (Director, Producer)
• 1999 – Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Director)
• 2000 – Asha Bhosle (Playback Singer)
• 2001 – Yash Chopra (Director, Producer)
• 2002 – Dev Anand (Actor, Director, Producer)
• 2003 – Mrinal Sen (Director)
• 2004 – Adoor Gopalakrishnan (Director)
• 2005 – Shyam Benegal (Director)
• 2006 – Tapan Sinha (Director)
• 2007 – Manna Dey (Playback singer)
• 2008 – V. K. Murthy (Cinematographer)
• 2009 – D. Ramanaidu (Producer, Director)
• 2010 – K. Balachander (Director)
• 2011 – Soumitra Chatterjee (Actor)
• 2012 – Pran (Actor)

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Tamil Nadu +2 (12th – HSC) Results 2013 – Official Links

Directorate of Government Examinations, Chennai. HSC March 2013 Examination Results Expected on 9th May 2013 at 10:00 Hrs. Here are some official website links. Our best wishes for all.

http://tnresults.nic.in/

http://www.dge.tn.nic.in/

http://www.dge1.tn.nic.in/

http://www.dge2.tn.nic.in/

http://www.dge3.tn.nic.in/

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South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA)

The South Asian Free Trade Area or SAFTA is an agreement reached on 6 January 2004 at the 12th SAARC summit in Islamabad, Pakistan. It created a free trade area in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The seven foreign ministers of the region signed a framework agreement on SAFTA to reduce customs duties of all traded goods to zero by the year 2016.

The Agreement on SAARC Preferential trading Arrangement (SAPTA) was signed on 11 April 1993 and entered into force on 7 December 1995, with the desire of the Member States of SAARC (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives) to promote and sustain mutual trade and economic cooperation within the SAARC region through the exchange of concessions.

The 17th SAARC summit was held in November 10, 2011 in the South Province of Maldives (Addu Atoll, Fuvahmulah). The theme of the summit was “Building Bridges”.

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16th April 2013: 160th anniversary of India’s first passenger train journey

India’s first passenger train journey took place on 16 April, 1853, between Bombay and Thane. In 1951 Indian Railway systems were nationalised as one unit – Indian Railways – to form one of the largest networks in the world. The only steam engines still in service in India operate on two heritage lines (Darjeeling and Ooty), and on the tourist train Palace on Wheels. The oldest steam engine in the world in regular service, the Fairy Queen, operates between Delhi and Alwar. The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works makes electric locomotives. The Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi makes diesel locomotives. The Integral Coach Factory in Perambur makes integral coaches. The Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala also makes coaches. The Rail Wheel Factory at Yelahanka manufactures wheels and axles. In 2003, the Indian Railways celebrated 150 years of its existence. Various zones of the railways celebrated the event by running heritage trains on routes similar to the ones on which the first trains in the zones ran. The Ministry of Railways commemorated the event by launching a special logo celebrating the completion of 150 years of service. Also launched was a new mascot for the 150th year celebrations, named “Bholu the guard elephant”.

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Playback singer P B Srinivas passes away

Prativadi Bhayankara Srinivas (Sep 22, 1930 – Apr 14, 2013) born to the couple Phanindra Swamy and Sesha Giriamma, in Kakinada, East Godavari District was a veteran playback singer. He had sung in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam and Tulu films. He had headed many music related organizations such as being the president of Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram. He expired on April 14th 2013, Tamil New year day. His last song was in Tamil film ‘Ayirathil Oruvan’ in 2010.

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Indian Coast Guard

A committee was constituted in September 1974 with Mr Khusro Faramurz Rustamji as its chairman to study the problem of seaborne smuggling and the question of setting up a Coast Guard type of organization. This committee recommended the setting up of a Coast Guard Service patterned on the Navy for general superintendence and policing of our seas in peace time under administrative cover of the Ministry of Defence.

The Maritime Zones of India Act was passed on 25 August 1976. Under this Act, India claimed 2.01 million sq km of sea area in which she has the exclusive rights for exploration and exploitation of resources, both living and non-living at sea. Following this a Cabinet decision was taken by which an interim Coast Guard Organization came into being on 01 February 1977. The Coast Guard in its present shape was formally inaugurated on 18 August 1978 as an independent armed force of the union with the enactment of the Coast Guard Act 1978 by the Parliament with its motto as `VAYAM RAKSHAMAH’ which means `WE PROTECT’.

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