Green Energy and Green Livelihoods awards August 16, 2009

Green Energy and Green Livelihoods awards

Two Indian non-governmental organisations (NGO), Ecosphere Spiti in Himachal Pradesh and Barefoot College in Rajasthan, have been chosen for the 2009 Green Energy and Green Livelihoods awards, for their work towards engaging local communities in sustainable occupations.

The awards have been instituted by Sierra Club, a U.S.-based environmental organisation founded in 1892. This is its first collaboration with India.

NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS (INDIA’S GOT TALENT) August 15, 2009

Rabindranath Tagore (1861 – 1941)
Field: Literature
For: Gitanjali (His collection of Poems, English version, published in 1912)
Year: 1913

• He was first Asian to win Nobel Prize
• He wrote our National Anthem (Later translated into English and is known as morning song of India)
• He founded Shanti Niketan, which later became VishwaBharati University
• He also wrote the National Anthem of Bangladesh “Amar Sonar Bangla (My Bengal of gold)”.

Sir C.V. Raman (Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman) (1888 – 1970)
Field: Physics
For: “RAMAN” effect (Scattering of Light)
Year: 1930

• He was the first Asian scientist to win the Nobel Prize.
• He also received Bharat Ratna and Lenin Peace Prize.
• He founded Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Dr. Hargobind Khorana (1922 – )
Field: Medicine and Physiology
For: Genetic Study
Year: 1968

• He produced the first artificial gene in his laboratory.
• He shared the Nobel Prize with Marshall Nuremberg and Robert Holley.

Mother Teresa (1910 – 1997)
Field: Peace
For: Exemplary Charity and Social Service
Year: 1979

• Born in Skoplje, Yugoslavia (then Turkey)
• Original Name: Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu
• Founded Missionaries Of Charity in Calcutta.
• Received Bharat Ratna Award in 1980
• Receive Magsaysay Award in 1962.

Dr. Subramaniam Chandrasekar (1910 – 2000)
Field: Physics
For: his work on stars and their evolution (Chandrasekhar’s Limit).
Year: 1983

• The space telescope Chandra launched by NASA was named after him.
• He also served as the Governor of Maharashtra
• He received Bharat Ratna in 1998

Dr. Amartya Sen
Field: Economics
For: Mathematical Solution to “Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem”
Year: 1998

There are some more Nobel Laureates who are related to India but are not Indians.

V.S. Naipaul, Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (1932- )
[British writer of Indian origin]
Field: Literature
Year: 2001

Rajendra K. Pachauri (1940 – )
For: Peace and Environment Conservation
Year: 2007

• He accepted the prize on behalf of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as he was the chairman.
• He shared the award with Al Gore, Vice President of USA