In a celebrated moment for Indian cinema, music composer M M Keeravani recently bagged the prestigious Golden Globe Award for best original song for the Telugu film ‘RRR’, directed by SS Rajamouli. The song, ‘Naatu Naatu’, made history by becoming the first Asian song to achieve this honour.
Golden Globe Achievement: ‘Naatu Naatu’ Triumphs
The Golden Globe Awards, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), are an annual recognition of outstanding contributions in the fields of motion pictures and television. The award that Keeravani received is no small feat, given that the Golden Globes are considered second only to the Academy Awards, or Oscars, among film honours.
National Youth Day 2023: Honouring Swami Vivekananda
Moving onto cultural events in India, the nation annually observes National Youth Day (NYD) on 12th January, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. This holiday was instituted by the Government of India in 1984. The theme for NYD 2023 is ‘Viksit Yuva – Viksit Bharat’. Swami Vivekananda played a pivotal role in popularising Hindu philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga in the Western world, elevating Hinduism as a globally recognized religion in the late 19th century. He was known for his focus on social justice, particularly in advocating for women’s and lower caste rights. A disciple of 19th-century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.
The End of Uganda’s Worst Ebola Outbreak
Internationally, Uganda recently announced the conclusion of its most severe Ebola outbreak in two decades. After four strenuous months and 55 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the epidemic over. The outbreak was triggered by the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus, a hemorrhagic fever that can be transmitted through contact with infected individuals or animals. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, and headaches, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, and internal and external bleeding. Notably, existing Ebola vaccines like the Ervebo vaccine cannot combat the Sudan strain.
Swadesh Darshan Project: Spotlight on Beypore and Kumarakom
Finally, in local development news, Kerala has named Beypore and Kumarakom as the two tourism destinations included in the detailed project report submitted to the Centre for Phase-2 of the Swadesh Darshan Project. Beypore carries historical significance as a port town and is globally renowned for its Beypore Uru boats and picturesque seashore. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme, initiated in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, aims to develop theme-based tourist circuits. Its second phase, Swadesh Darshan 2.0, aims to revive destination tourism, with 15 states identified under this scheme as part of India’s new domestic tourism policy.
