Republic Day Celebrations 2024: National School Band Competition winners declared

Source: Government of India (2)

Ministry of Defence

Republic Day Celebrations 2024: National School Band Competition winners declared

Odisha & Rajasthan schools secure top spots in Pipe Band Girls & Pipe Band Boys categories respectively; Kerala & Sikkim schools bag best Brass Band Girls & Brass Band Boys awards

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 7:02PM by PIB Delhi

The winners of National School Band Competition, which was jointly organised by Ministry of Defence & Ministry of Education at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi as part of Republic Day celebrations 2024, have been announced. The winners are as follows:

S No

School

Cash Prize

Pipe Band Boys

 

1.

PM SHRI School JawaharNavodaya Vidyalaya, Suratgarh, Sriganganagar, Rajasthan

Rs 21,000/-

2.

Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential School, Arugolanu, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh

Rs 16,000/-

3.

Govt. Mizo High School,Aizawl, Mizoram

Rs 11,000/-

4.

Maharaja Agarsain Public School, Ashok Vihar, North Delhi

Rs 3,000/-

(Consolation Prize)

Brass Band Girls

 

1.

St. Teresa’s Higher Secondary School, Kannur, Kerala

Rs 21,000/-

2.

City Montessori School, Kanpur Road Campus, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Rs 16,000/-

3.

St. Xavier’s Higher Secondary School,Pathaliaghat, Sepahijala, Tripura

Rs 11,000/-

4.

Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Rs 3,000/-

(Consolation Prize)

Pipe Band Girls

 

1.

Droupadi Girls High School, Nishaposi, Mayurbhanj, Odisha

Rs 21,000/-

2.

ShriSwaminarayanKanyaVidyaMandir, Bhuj, Gujarat

Rs 16,000/-

3.

PM SHRI KendriyaVidyalaya MEG & Centre, St. Johns Road Sivan Chetty Garden, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Rs 11,000/-

4.

Queen Mary’s School, Tis Hazari, New Delhi

Rs 3,000/-

(Consolation Prize)

Brass Band Boys

 

1.

Govt. Sr. Secondary School, West Point, Gangtok, Sikkim

Rs 21,000/-

2.

Amalorpavan Higher Secondary School, Vanarapet, Pondicherry, Puducherry

Rs 16,000/-

3.

Don Bosco High School & Junior College, Vikhroli, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Rs 11,000/-

4.

DAV Public School, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh

Rs 3,000/-

(Consolation Prize)

Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy Shri Sanjay Kumar gave away the cash prizes to the winners along with a trophy, and certificates. The jury appointed by the Ministry of Defence, which included members from each wing of the Armed Forces, selected the winners of the competition upon the culmination of the grand finale held on January 21 & 22, 2024.

In addition to the participating teams, there was a special performance by Government Sardar Patel Senior Secondary School, Kalpeni, Lakshadweep.

The competition was organised at three levels viz. State, Zonal and conducted by all the States/Union Territories (UTs) for all schools (CBSE, ICSE, KVS, NVS, and Sainik schools etc). Four hundred and eighty six (486) teams, comprising 12,857 children, participated at the State-Level Competition, while 73 teams of 2,002 children took part at the Zonal Level. Four hundred and fifty seven (457) students of schools from 15 States/Union Territories took part in the Grand Finale. This competition was aimed at rejuvenating the spirit of patriotism and unity amongst children in schools throughout the country and motivating them on the path of holistic education.

ABB/Savvy/RS/SS

(Release ID: 1998624)

Maharashtra Gymnast Aaryan Davande wins boys Artistic All-Round Gold

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 7:04PM by PIB Delhi

Defending champions Maharashtra opened their gold medal account at the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 on Monday when gymnast Aaryan Davande clinched the Artistic All-Round crown at the SDAT Aquatics complex here.

Davande accumulated a total of 73.200 points to pip Uttar Pradesh’s Pranav Mishra (72.470 pts) to the top spot. Harshit of UP clinched the bronze with a score of 71.700 points in the event where the boys have to perform on six different apparatus to decide the winner.

The gold medal helped Maharashtra jump to third place in the overall standings with a total of 10 medals, including four silver and six bronze.

Host Tamil Nadu continued to top the medal chart with five gold medals. Cyclist J Srimathi added a gold to the state’s tally in Girls Time Trial at the TNPESU Velodrome with a timing of 39.752 while her state-mate R Tamilara bagged the bronze medal with a time of 41.028. Rajasthan’s Vimla took home the silver.

In the Boys Time Trial, Telangana’s Aashirwad Saxena clinched the gold medal with a timing of 1:12.652s with Maharashtra’s Vedant Jadhav (1:13.362s) and Haryana’s Gurmoor Poonia (1:14.192s) bagging the silver and bronze respectively.

Elsewhere, at the Nehru Park squash courts, girls top seed Pooja Arthi stormed into the individual final with a facile 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 win over state-mate Deepika V.

In hockey competition, Haryana and Odisha booked their semi-finals berths in the girls category from Group B with two wins apiece while Madhya Pradesh assured themselves a spot in the last four stage with a 1-0 win over Chhattisgarh.

Photo caption: Maharashtra gymnast Aaryan Davande in action on the Horizontal Bar during the Artistic All-Round competition at SDAT Aquatics Complex, in Chennai, on Monday. Davande won the gold medal with a score of 73.200 points.

Medal Tally: https://youth.kheloindia.gov.in/medal-tally

Results (Till 5pm)

Basketball

Girls: Group B: Chhattisgarh bt Uttar Pradesh 81-50;

Boys: Group A: Punjab bt Mizoram 105-66; Uttar Pradesh bt Madhya Pradesh 106-83

Cycling

Girls: Time Trial (500m): Gold – J Srimathi (TN) 39.752; Silver – Vimla (Raj) 40.211; Bronze – R Tamilarasi 41.028

Team Sprint: Gold – Tamil Nadu 1:20.036; Silver – Rajasthan 1:20.528; Bronze – Maharashtra 1:20.814

Boys: Time Trial (1km): Gold – Aashirwad Saxena (Tel) 1:12.652; Silver – Vedant Jadhav (Mah) 1:13.362; Bronze – Gurmoor Poonia (Har) 1:14.192

Team Sprint: Gold – Kerala 1:09.856; Silver – Maharashtra 1:10.434; Bronze – Tamil Nadu 1:11.156

Gymanastics

Boys: Artistic All-Round: Gold – Aaryan Davande (Mah) 73.200; Silver – Pranav Mishra (UP) 72.470; Bronze – Harshit D (UP) 71.700

Hockey

Girls: Group A: Madhya Pradesh bt Chhattisgarh 1-0; Mizoram bt Tamil Nadu 7-0

Group B: Haryana bt Jharkhand 4-3; Odisha bt Punjab 2-0

Boys: Group A: Punjab bt Tamil Nadu 2-1

Squash

Girls Individual (semi-finals): 1-Pooja Arthi R (TN) beat Deepika V (TN) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5

Girls Team (quarterfinals): Tamil Nadu bt Bihar 3-0; Rajasthan bt Kerala 3-0; Uttar Pradesh bt Uttarakhand 3-0; Maharashtra beat Karnataka 3-0

Boys Individual (semi-finals): Tanveet Singh Mund (MP) beat Sarvesh Pr (TN)  11-6, 10-12, 12-14, 11-8, 11-6;

Boys Team (quarterfinals): Tamil Nadu bt Manipur 3-0; Assam bt Kerala 2-1; Rajasthan bt Maharashtra 3-0; Uttar Pradesh bt Chhattisgarh 3-0

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PPG /SK

(Release ID: 1998625) Visitor Counter : 74

Shri Sanjay Kumar attends the Grand Finalé of National School Band Competition 2023-24

Source: Government of India (2)

Shri Sanjay Kumar attends the Grand Finalé of National School Band Competition 2023-24

Teams put up spectacular performances exhibiting confidence and discipline – Shri Sanjay Kumar

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 7:15PM by PIB Delhi

Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Shri Sanjay Kumar, attended the Grand Finalé of the National School Band Competition 2023-24 as part of Republic Day Celebrations, 2024 today at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. The two-day event was organized by the Ministry of Education in association with the Ministry of Defence. Additional Secretaries, Ministry of Education, Shri Vipin Kumar and Shri AnandRao Vishnu Patil; Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr.AmarpreetDuggal and other senior officials from the Ministries of Education and Defence, dignitaries, and students were also present at the event.

Shri Sanjay Kumar, while speaking at the occasion applauded the spectacular performance, confidence and discipline of the students who participated in the competition. He expected that in the next editions, the event will expand with increased participation.

The competition was held in four categories: Boys Brass Band, Girls Brass Band, Boys Pipe Band and Girls Pipe Band.Droupadi Girls High School, Odisha, received the first prize in Pipe Band Girls; St. Teresa’s Higher Secondary School, Kannur, Kerala, received the first prize in Brass Band Girls; Govt. Sr. Secondary School, West Point, Gangtok, Sikkim, received the first prize in Brass Band Boys; and PM SHRI School JawaharNavodayaVidyalaya, Rajasthan, received the first prize in Pipe Band Boys.

The top three teams in each category received a cash prize (1st – Rs. 21,000; 2nd – Rs. 16,000; 3rd – Rs. 11,000), a trophy, and certificates. Consolation cash prizes of Rs. 3,000 each were given to the remaining team in each category.

This year 16 bands, four from each zone (East, West, South and North), from 15 States/UTs with 457 children were shortlisted for the final through State- and Zonal-level competitions. Four hundred and eighty-six teams comprising 12,857 children participated in State-Level Competition; while at the Zonal Level, 73 teams comprising 2,002 children took part. This initiative aims to rejuvenate the spirit of patriotism and unity amongst children in schools throughout the country and motivate them on the path of holistic education.

In addition to the participating teams, there was a special band performance by the school band team from Government Sardar Patel Senior Secondary School, Kalpeni, Lakshadweep.

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SS/AK

(Release ID: 1998628) Visitor Counter : 37

PM chairs a meeting to launch “Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana” with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses

Source: Government of India (2)

PM chairs a meeting to launch “Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana” with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses

Scheme aims to reduce the electricity bill of the poor and middle class, along with making India self-reliant in the energy sector

PM directs to start a massive national campaign to mobilize residential segment consumers to adopt rooftop solar in large numbers

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 7:29PM by PIB Delhi

Following his visit to Ayodhya on the auspicious occasion of consecration of  Suryawanshi Lord Shri Ram, Prime Minister chaired a meeting to launch “Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana” with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses.

During the meeting, Prime Minister said that the power of the sun can be harnessed by every household with a roof to reduce their electricity bills and to make them truly aatmanirbhar for their electricity needs.

Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana aims to provide electricity to low and middle-income individuals through solar rooftop installations, along with offering additional income for surplus electricity generation.

The Prime Minister also directed that a massive national campaign should be started to mobilize residential segment consumers to adopt rooftop solar in large numbers.

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DS/LP/AK

(Release ID: 1998634) Visitor Counter : 55

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar to Inaugurate Synopsys’ Chip Design Centre at DLF Tech Park in Noida Tomorrow

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 8:58PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is set to inaugurate Synopsys’ Chip Design Centre at DLF Tech Park in Noida tomorrow. During this event, the Minister will deliver a special address to an audience comprising senior leadership, employees, partners, and customer delegates of Synopsys.

Established in 1986, Synopsys widely commercialized logic synthesis, revolutionizing the creation of digital designs from language descriptions. This capability propelled the transition of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) into the Electronic Design Automation (EDA) era, facilitating the scaling of digital complexity in line with Moore’s Law. Synopsys has consistently expanded its product portfolio and market position through substantial investments in research and development, coupled with approximately 120 strategic acquisitions. Today, Synopsys is a leading name in EDA, playing a pivotal role in advancing digital chips within the technology ecosystem

Synopsys offers a wide range of design portfolios, spanning from silicon to software, contributing to $5.9 billion in revenue. As a market leader in EDA tools and Interface, Foundation, & Physical IPs, Synopsys holds a significant position in the industry. Demonstrating confidence in Indian design talent, Synopsys has established the second-largest design center in India, extending beyond its headquarters. This center is home to approximately 6,000 engineers from India, constituting 27% of their global design workforce.

While it’s an established fact that 20% of global VLSI/Chip designers are from India, the increasing footprint of Synopsys in Noida, hosting 1650 engineers to begin with, stands as a testament to the growing ecosystem of fabless chip design and innovation in India. Synopsys’ Indian engineers are not only contributing to every aspect of the design cycle of semiconductor chips/IP Cores but are also participating in the success stories of all leading semiconductor companies. Almost all the chips designed by any company use EDA/IP solutions in one way or another.

The nation is advancing to fulfill the vision set by Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi, which emphasizes that “Design in India is as crucial as Make in India.” This vision is currently being executed and championed by Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar through several initiatives. These include SemiconIndia futureDESIGN, Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Program, and the India Semiconductor Research Center (ISRC).

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DK/DK/SMP

(Release ID: 1998678) Visitor Counter : 32

PRESIDENT OF INDIA PRESENTS PRADHAN MANTRI RASHTRIYA BAL PURASKAR

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 10:03PM by PIB Delhi

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu presented Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to the 19 children at a function held in New Delhi today (January 22, 2024). One child each in the categories of Bravery, Science & Technology, and Innovation; four children in the category of Social Service; five children in the category of Sports and seven children in the category of Art and Culture received the award.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that this award ceremony is an opportunity to encourage the amazing potential and talent of young achievers. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of children. She appreciated all the children for their excellent work.

The President said that our children have versatile talents. They have immense potential to create their own identity through dedication and hard work. It is our duty to show them the right direction so that they can utilize their talent and energy properly.

The President said that today India has an invaluable resource in the form of a large number of youth. This resource can play an important role in the progress of not only India but also the whole world. We have to make our youth capable for using technology. They have to be encouraged for innovation and entrepreneurship. Only then will they be able to make their rightful place in this rapidly changing world.

The President said that nowadays children are tech-savvy. They are using technology for their education. But technology is often misused also. Many crimes like deep fake, financial fraud, exploitation of children are being committed through technology. She stated that social media is a powerful medium to express one’s views and spread awareness among people on any issue, but it is also being misused in spreading rumors. She advised children to be alert and stay away from wrongdoings, as one wrong step can put their future in danger.

The President noted that the physical activities are decreasing in young generations. She said that due to less physical activities many diseases which used to be very rare in children and youth are increasing today. She appealed to youth to learn at least one sport and participate in it. She said that they may not take up sports as a career, but sports keep them physically and mentally healthy. This develops team spirit in them.

The President said that children and youth are the leaders of the future of our country. It is our duty to make them aware of Indian culture and life values ​​along with providing them modern education. Referring to the consecration of the idol of Prabhu Shri Ram in Ayodhya, she said that on this occasion, we should resolve to adopt ideals of Lord Ram and the life values ​​​​described in Ramayana in our lives.

Please click here to see the President’s speech – 

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DS/AK

(Release ID: 1998692) Visitor Counter : 9

INDIAN – KYRGYZSTAN JOINT SPECIAL FORCES EXERCISE KHANJAR COMMENCES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 3:56PM by PIB Delhi

The 11th edition of India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR has commenced at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 22nd January to 3rd February 2024. It is an annual event conducted alternatively in both the countries.

The Indian Army contingent comprising 20 personnel is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and the Kyrgyzstan contingent comprising 20 personnel is represented by Scorpion Brigade.

Aim of the exercise is to exchange experiences and best practices in Counter Terrorism and Special Forces Operations in Built-up Area and Mountainous Terrain under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter. The exercise will emphasise on developing Special Forces skills, advanced techniques of insertion and extraction.

The exercise will provide an opportunity for both the sides of fortify defence ties while addressing common concerns of international terrorism and extremism. The exercise will also accord opportunity to showcase capabilities of cutting edge indigenous defence equipment besides achieving shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations.

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SC/VBY/GKA

         

(Release ID: 1998544) Visitor Counter : 62

First meeting of the Social Audit Advisory Body (SAAB) held

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 4:41PM by PIB Delhi

The 1stmeeting of the Social Audit Advisory Body (SAAB) was held on 18thJanuary 2024 at conference hall, Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. The Meeting was chaired by the Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment. This advisory body, a first of its kind, has been established to guide the Ministry in institutionalizing social audits for its various schemes.

Representatives from key ministries and academic institutions, including the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Department of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ministry of Rural Development, National Institute of Rural Development, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Delhi School of Social Work and Indian Institute of Public Administration are members of this advisory body.

The meeting commenced with a welcome address by the Director of the National Institute of Social Defense (NISD). Ms. Pratima Gupta, Deputy Director General of the Statistic Division of DoSJE -cum – convener of SAAB presented an overview of social audits, emphasizing on the importance of this social accountability tool in promoting transparency and accountability.

The Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor, Mr. Sanjay Pandey shared insights into the journey of institutionalizing social audits within the department, underscoring the commitment to ensuring effective implementation.

The Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment in the keynote address, highlighted the transformative power of social audit processes in raising community awareness and amplifying the voices of citizens. He emphasized the pivotal role of social audits in bringing transparency and driving corrective actions based on valuable feedback from citizens.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has taken a pioneering step by establishing the National Resource Cell for Social Audit (NRCSA) to ensure social audits through dedicated Social Audit Units at the state level. The NRCSA team presented the approach of social audit processes developed and implemented by the department and their significant impact on the schemes’ effective implementation.

Members of the SAAB provided valuable inputs to strengthen the social audit process and align it more closely with the principles of social justice. The Secretary-DoSJE commended the team for their dedicated work and new initiatives to social audits adopted and expressed his hope that the success of these social audits under DoSJE could also serve as a guiding example for other government departments.

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MG/MS/VL

(Release ID: 1998569) Visitor Counter : 56

INDIAN ARMY SPECIAL FORCES CONTINGENT REACHES EGYPT FOR JOINT EXERCISE ‘CYCLONE’

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 4:02PM by PIB Delhi

The Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel reached Egypt to take part in the 2nd edition of India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise CYCLONE.  The Exercise will be conducted at Anshas, Egypt from 22nd January to 1st February 2024.  The first edition of the exercise was conducted last year in India.

The Indian contingent is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and Egyptian contingent comprising 25 personnel is being represented by Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon.

Aim of the Exercise is to acquaint both the sides with each other’s operating procedures in the backdrop of Special Operations in desert/ semi desert terrain under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter.  Exercise CYCLONE is designed to develop bilateral military cooperation and strengthen bond between two armies through conduct of discussions and rehearsal of tactical military drills.

The Exercise will involve planning and execution of special operations in sub conventional domain and conducted in three phases. While the first phase will include Military Exhibitions and Tactical Interactions, second phase will focus on training on Improvised Explosive Device (IED), counter IED and Combat First Aid. The third and final phase will encompass Joint Tactical Exercise based on Fighting in Built-up Area and Hostage Rescue Scenarios.

The Exercise will provide an opportunity to both the contingents to strengthen their bond and share best practices. It will also act as a platform to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations.

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SC/VBY/GKA

         

(Release ID: 1998549) Visitor Counter : 20

Coal Based Power Generation in the Country Grows 10.13% During April-December, 2023 as Compared to Corresponding Period of Previous Year

Source: Government of India (2)

Coal Based Power Generation in the Country Grows 10.13% During April-December, 2023 as Compared to Corresponding Period of Previous Year

Coal Import for Blending decreased by 40.66% during April-December, 2023 as Compared to Corresponding Period of Previous Year

India Stepping towards self-reliance in Coal Sector

Posted On: 22 JAN 2024 4:03PM by PIB Delhi

Coal-based power generation in the country witnessed a remarkable growth of around 10.13% during Apr-Dec’23, as compared to corresponding period of previous year while overall power generation grew 6.71% during the same period.

The Domestic coal-based power generation during Apr-Dec’23 reached 872 Billion Units (BU), reflecting an increase of 7.14% from the 813.9 Billion Units (BU) generated in the corresponding period of last year. This reflects an ample coal supply to meet the growing energy demand in the country.

Coal import for blending has decreased substantially by 40.66% to 17.08 MT during Apr-Dec’23 from 28.78 MT in the corresponding period of previous year, despite the escalating power demand. It showcases the nation’s commitment to self-reliance in coal production and minimizing overall coal imports.

In India, power is generated from conventional (Thermal, Nuclear & Hydro) and renewable sources (Wind, Solar, Biomass etc.). However, Major source of power generation is coal, which is more than 70% of the total power generation.

Coal-based power generation in India has played a significant role in meeting the country’s energy demands. India is currently experiencing a substantial increase in power demand, driven by a combination of factors like industrial growth, technological advancements, population growth, economic development etc.

The government persists in its efforts to further enhance coal production, aiming to increase availability and reduce dependence on imported coal, thereby safeguarding foreign reserves.

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BY/RKP/ST

(Release ID: 1998550) Visitor Counter : 12