Tag: HONOUR

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Amity Honours Top UAE Professionals

Students that displayed excellent human values were honoured, and medals were given to students that achieved academic excellence…reports Asian Lite News

His Excellency Marwan Ahmed Bin Ghalita has been recognized for activating and elevating economic movement in Dubai. As Chief Executive Officer of the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, Dubai Land Department, he has expanded, modernized and diversified the regional property market, leading to unprecedented growth of Dubai’s real estate market and a stellar reputation for ease of property transactions.

A great visionary and a dynamic leader, His Excellency Abdulsalam Al Murshidi is an Omani icon was recognized for his success in the field of financial management. As the President of Oman Investment Authority, the Sovereign Wealth Fund of the Sultanate of Oman, he has expanded and diversified the region’s investments and assets, and played an important role in his country’s successful rise on the world financial stage.

All Round Performers were recognised for their commitment to the University and the community whilst also displaying personal and professional growth. Students that displayed excellent human values were honoured, and medals were given to students that achieved academic excellence.

Amity University’s Chancellor, Dr. Atul Chauhan said: “Under the leadership of the President of the United Arab Emirates and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, we are fortunate to celebrate this momentous occasion with students and their families. Graduation marks the end of a journey and the beginning of a new chapter for young adults. As educators, we are proud of the strength and grit of every graduating student, and we are positive that each of them will contribute to the country, society and humanity. It was a privilege to award honorary doctorates to His Excellency Marwan Ahmed Bin Ghalita and His Excellency Abdulsalam Al Murshidi, both of whom embody the values of Amity University.”

ALSO READ-UAE Aims to Reduce Food Loss and Waste by 50% by 2030

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Manmohan Singh conferred Lifetime Achievement Honour  

Manmohan Singh. (Photo:indian narrative)

British Indian peer Lord Karan Bilimoria received the Living Legend Honour at the awards ceremony on January 25…reports Asian Lite News

Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh was recently conferred a Lifetime Achievement Honour by the India-UK Achievers Honours in London for his contribution to economic and political life.

The Honour, announced at an awards ceremony last week, will be handed over to Dr Singh in New Delhi by the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK at a later date.

The India-UK Achievers Honours by NISAU UK, in partnership with the British Council in India and the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT), celebrate the achievements of Indian students who studied at British universities and the Lifetime Achievement Honour is a nod to Dr Singh’s academic achievements at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

“I am very touched by this gesture, which is especially meaningful coming from young people who are the future of our country and of the ties between our two countries,” Dr Singh said in a written message.

“The India-UK relationship is indeed especially defined by our educational partnership. The founding fathers of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Patel and many others studied in the UK and went on to become great leaders, leaving a legacy which continues to inspire India and the world. Over the years countless Indian students have had the opportunity to study in the UK,” said the 90-year-old economist, who served as prime minister from 2004-2014.

To mark 75 years of India’s independence, the first-ever India UK Achievers Honours covered 75 high achievers and some key Outstanding Achievers who bolster the India-UK diaspora living bridge.

British Indian peer Lord Karan Bilimoria received the Living Legend Honour at the awards ceremony on January 25.

“All who have won awards are the living bridge that is spoken about by both countries. Their achievements create inspiration here in the UK and in India,” said Bilimoria, a patron of NISAU UK.

Opposition Labour Party MP Virendra Sharma, another a patron of NISAU UK, was also conferred the Living Legend Honour.

“India and the UK are natural collaborators, allies and friends. Where once was a relationship based on exploitation, now rests a partnership of equals, representing democracy, industry and technology,” said Sharma.

According to NISAU UK, a plethora of nominations went through a rigorous selection process by an eminent jury, shortlisting India’s 75 top achievers and eight outstanding achievers.

“Working on the Honours has been an unforgettable experience for the NISAU UK team. We have always known that the work of Indian graduates of British universities was extraordinary, but I don’t think even we realised just how profoundly world-changing it is,” said Sanam Arora, NISAU UK Chair.

Among the Outstanding Achievers honoured included Bollywood actor Parineeti Chopra, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Raghav Chadha, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla and Indian women’s football team goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan.

ALSO READ-EVENT: India UK Achievers Honours 2023, London

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Cumming returns OBE because of British Empire’s ‘toxic’ record

Cumming also expressed his “great gratitude” for the honour in the first place after explaining his reasons for his decision…reports Asian Lite News

‘Battle of the Sexes’ star Alan Cumming has handed back his OBE over ‘toxicity’ in the British Empire.

The actor, 58, was presented with the honour at Buckingham Palace in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2009 for his ‘activism for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community’ in the U.S. but announced recently that he has handed back the award, reports Mirror.co.uk.

Taking to Twitter on his 58th birthday he wrote: “The Queen’s death and the ensuing conversations about the role of monarchy and especially the way the British Empire profited at the expense (and death) of indigenous peoples across the world really opened my eyes.”

He further said, quoted by Mirror.co.uk: “Also, thankfully, times and laws in the U.S. have changed, and the great good the award brought to the LGBTQ+ cause back in 2009 is now less potent than the misgivings I have being associated with the toxicity of empire (OBE stands for Officer of the British Empire).”

The actor told his 479,000 followers he wanted to share with them ‘something I recently did for myself.’ He further quipped: “I’m now back to being plain old Alan Cumming again. Happy birthday to me!”

Cumming also expressed his “great gratitude” for the honour in the first place after explaining his reasons for his decision.

He said in 2019 he was proud of starring in the first ever network drama on US television to have a gay leading character, playing Dr Dylan Reinhart in Instinct, which is shown on Sky Witness in the UK.

Cumming posted a message on Instagram at the time, saying he was proud to have been part of a show in which “millions of people will have seen a same-sex marriage portrayed for the first time”.

The actor’s roles across stage and screen have ranged from BBC comedy The High Life and playing Hamlet for the English Touring Theatre, to US shows such as the Good Wife and a Broadway version of Cabaret.

Cumming, who has dual UK and US citizenship, also recently hosted a travel show on Channel 4 with his friend and fellow actor Miriam Margolyes.

He received an honorary degree from the Open University in 2015, for his contribution to education and culture.

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Abu Dhabi Business

AD Ports Group receives top honours

The report cites the use of digital technology and green fuel alternatives as two of the major ways that countries are modernising their ports and making maritime supply chains more resilient – both areas in which Khalifa Port has excelled…reports Asian Lite News

Executives at Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports Group) have confirmed that its flagship deep-water port, Khalifa Port, has been ranked in the top five of the global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The ranking is based on time vessels needed to spend in port to complete workloads over the course of 2021, a year that saw unprecedented port congestion and disruption to global supply chains due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

More than four-fifths of global merchandise trade by volume are carried by sea, and approximately 35 percent of total volumes and over 60 percent of commercial value is shipped in containers, making the ranking an important global economic indicator.

The report cites the use of digital technology and green fuel alternatives as two of the major ways that countries are modernising their ports and making maritime supply chains more resilient – both areas in which Khalifa Port has excelled.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, said, “This ranking is another indicator of the high levels of performance that customers are receiving at Khalifa Port, with the full support of AD Ports Group’s integrated business clusters. We have recognised the pressure that global supply chains are under and have worked hard to create efficiencies and new synergies in every area. At the direction of our nation’s wise leadership, we will continue to drive world-class performance levels at all our facilities.”

Saif Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group, commented, “Khalifa Port is at the cutting-edge of innovation and investment, to support world trade and the growth and diversification of the UAE economy. We have deployed a leading team of professionals and cutting-edge technology at Khalifa Port including automatic stacking cranes, aerial drones, and an automated Terminal Operation System. This has enabled us to deliver the highest standards of service, and we continue to deploy new innovations to ensure the best possible customer experience.”

AD Ports Group has continued to invest in innovative technologies throughout 2022, to ensure it maintains its cutting-edge. Maqta Gateway, AD Ports Group’s digital solutions provider, offers more than 160 digitalised services to stakeholders and customers at Khalifa Port, boosting overall efficiency and enabling faster turnaround times.

CSP Abu Dhabi container terminal (CSP) operating within Khalifa Port is the first terminal in the Middle East to implement an autonomous port truck system, deploying electric Q-Trucks to support mother vessel loading and unloading activities within the facility’s container yard.

Four of the five most efficient ports in the ranking are based in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Port, Port Salalah in Oman and Hamad Port in Qatar joining Khalifa Port at the top.

The Container Port Performance Index is based on total port hours per ship call, defined as the elapsed time between when a ship reaches a port to its departure from the berth having completed its cargo exchange. Greater or lesser workloads are accounted for by examining the underlying data within ten different call size ranges. Five distinct ship size groups are accounted for in the methodology given the potential for greater fuel and emissions savings on larger vessels.

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UK honours memory of 9/11 victims

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle paid tributes to the victims who lost their lives in the attack…reports Asian Lite News.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office commemorated all those killed in the 9/11 attacks in the US 20 years ago and those who bravely rushed to help.

“Today we remember all those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on the 11th September 2001. We will never forget those that died that day, and all those that put themselves in harm’s way to help others,” the foreign office said on Twitter.

Queen Elizabeth II also sent her prayers and thoughts to those affected by the tragedy.

“As we mark the 20th anniversary of the terrible attacks on 11th September 2001, my thoughts and prayers – and those of my family and the entire nation – remain with the victims, survivors and families affected, as well as the first responders and rescue workers called to duty,” the monarch said.

The Queen then added that her visit to Ground Zero in 2010 would be forever held in her memory and “reminds [her] that as we honour those from many nations, faiths and backgrounds who lost their lives, we also pay tribute to the resilience and determination of the communities who joined together to rebuild.”

On this day 20 years ago, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial aeroplanes. Two of the planes were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York. Another plane struck the west side of the Pentagon, and yet another one crashed in Pennsylvania before reaching its presumed target. The attacks claimed nearly 3,000 lives.

On September 10, US President Joe Biden designated September 11 as Patriot and National Day of Service and Remembrance and noted that on this day, all government entities should display the US flag at half-staff.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle paid tributes to the victims who lost their lives in the attack.

The couple listed all 2,977 names of the people killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on United Flight 93 on the homepage of their Archewell Foundation website.

The page was titled “In Memoriam” to mark the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks.

The Sussexes paid a special tribute to the nearly 3,000 victims who tragically passed away on September 11, 2001.

As per E! News, the royal couple blacked out their Archwell website and only displayed the text “In Memoriam: September 11, 2001” on its page with a list of all the names of those who lost their lives in the horrific attacks.

On a related note, Harry’s grandmother- Queen Elizabeth II also sent her prayers and thoughts to those affected by the tragedy. A special ceremony was also held in England to commemorate the day.

Early on Saturday, the Queen had the Windsor Castle guards perform the US National Anthem as dozens of people stood by and watched the performance. Afterwards, spectators took a moment of silence to pay their respects to the deceased, reported E! News. (ANI/Sputnik)

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UK Asian Film Festival 2021: ‘Not Today’ Wins Honour

“Not Today” is slated to release in India later this year…reports Asian Lite News.

Getting honoured is truly a treasure for artists. Indie filmmaker Aditya Kripalani’s film “Not Today” has been honoured at the recent UK Asian Film Festival. The film talking about suicide prevention has been awarded the Ray Of Hope Igniting Flame Commendation 2021.

The film starring Harsh Chhaya and Rucha Inamdar has also been officially selected for the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart 2021.



“It feels great to win the festival directors award because the UK along with India, has very high rates of suicide. Also akin to India, in the UK also 60 per cent of suicides are by men. So, I’m glad the festival recognised the film and wrote to us saying they felt very strongly for it,” Kripalani said.

“The UK Asian Film Festival is special because your film stands on a platform with films from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and the UK itself along with many more countries. They also hold screenings across the UK and not just in London. So, we get a cross sections of audiences for the film,” the filmmaker added.

“Not Today talks about somehow overcoming that strong urge to kill oneself, in that one moment. It talks about loneliness and about how sometimes all one needs is someone to listen at the right time,” he added.

“Not Today” is slated to release in India later this year.

Aditya Loves Film Making

Filmmaker Aditya Kripalani says that he loves making films that explore stories around people engaging with their and other genders.

“I normally like to make films about human beings engaging with their own and other genders, and about humans engaging with society. Also (I like making) films about ‘what ifs’,” he told.

Kripalani is known for his indie film and “Tikli And Laxmi Bomb”, and his most recent film “The Goddess And The Hero” (“Devi Aur Hero”) was premiered at The Projector — Singapore. The filmmaker says that film festivals are a great way to understand how a film would be accepted globally.

“Films playing at festivals tell you how your idea and emotions are translating across borders to someone from a very different circumstance and background,” he says.

Aditya says that he wants to keep making films regularly.

“Future plans are to keep making one film a year as soon as I’m able to, with Covid around. I want to make films that in some way engage with society around us. A human being’s attempt at finding dignity and belonging in the world. Things we all deal with universally forever,” he says.

Meanwhile, he adds that he doesn’t want his career as a filmmaker to become a burden for him.

“I’m more aware of commercial viability now, but not too much. The other thing I hope to not have to do, is to lose my freedom of living life because I want to make movies. I don’t want filmmaking to ever become a chain. I still want to be able to pursue anything else I feel like along with having a career in film,” he says.

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Irrfan and Bhanu honoured at Oscars 2021

Irrfan, who passed away last year in Mumbai at the age of 53 after a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour, earned global recognition with his work in projects such as “The Warrior”, “The Namesake”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, “The Amazing Spider-Man”, “Life Of Pi”, “Jurassic World” and “Inferno”. He passed away on April 29 last year…reports Asian Lite News.

It is a great honour for all Indians and the film industry that our own people bags recognition on a global stage. Irrfan Khan and Bhanu Athaiya were the Indian film personalities honoured in the “In Memoriam” montage showcased at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony held here, on early Monday morning according to India time.

Sean Connery and Chadwick Boseman were also among many others that the Academy remembered in the special tribute segment. Oscar nominee Angela Bassett gave a speech with the tribute, which was shown in the form of a video clip and was a homage to achievers the world of screen lost over the past year, including actors, writers, directors, and technicians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oavHZ0L_vwg

Irrfan, who passed away last year in Mumbai at the age of 53 after a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour, earned global recognition with his work in projects such as “The Warrior”, “The Namesake”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, “The Amazing Spider-Man”, “Life Of Pi”, “Jurassic World” and “Inferno”. He passed away on April 29 last year.

Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Oscar, for her work in Sir Richard Attenborough’s much-feted classic of 1982, “Gandhi”. She won the Oscar jointly with John Mollo. Athaiya was 91 when she passed away at her residence in Mumbai after prolonged illness last year on October 16. Athaiya had also won a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design for the film.

In 2012, Athaiya returned her Oscar to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for safe keeping.

The 93rd Academy Award, also known as the Oscars, was held from two locations in Los Angeles — Union Station and Dolby Theatre. Anthony Hopkins and Frances McDormand were honored with the Best Actor and Actress award respectively while filmmaker Chlo Zhao’s “Nomadland” was named the Best Film. Zhao won Best Director for the film.

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