WORLD FOOD PRIZE 2012

Daniel Hillel won World Food Prize 2012 on 13 June 2012. He is a scientist from Israel. The work and motivation of Daniel Hillel built the bridge between the divisions and to promote peace and understanding in the Middle East by advancing a breakthrough achievement. His work is relevant for agriculture-dominated  economies. He applied the method of micro-irrigation, which maximizes the efficiency of water usage in agriculture. World Food Prize is an international award. This award recognizes the importance of water for agricultural purposes. Dr. Hillel will be formally presented with the cash prize of 250000 dollar award in October 2012 at United States. This award was recognized by Norman Borlaug in 1987. This award indicates to that person who is pioneer in radical innovative way of bringing water to crops in arid and dry-land regions. Norman Borlaug is a Nobal Prize winner and champion in Green Revolution. The World Food Prize award is chaired by M.S. Swaminathan. He is Indian agricultural scientist Professor and the first World Food Prize laureate. Norman Ernest Borlaug was an American agronomist, humanitarian and also known as the the father of the Green Revolution. He won Padma Vibhushan which is the India’s second highest civilian honour.

WISDEN INDIA OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

India’s Batting great Sachin Tendulkar was conferred upon the Wisden India Outstanding Achievement award for completing a century of 100 international hundreds, in Dubai on 11 June 2012. The legendary batsman was
presented a trophy at an event organised by FidelisWorld. The trophy was made from crystal, it resembles a cricket ball resting on the open pages of a book.  Tendulakar achieved the incredible feat while playing against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in March 2012. The batting genius has total 49 One-Day International centuries and 51 Test centuries to his credit. Tendulkar, while receiving the award spoke on range of aspects of his career, like his favourite innings, the match - winning fourth innings hundred against England at Chennai in December 2008, balancing play and personal life, and the influence that his late father had in shaping his career.

ONDAATJE PRIZE 2012

Rahul Bhattacharya, the Delhibased author, on 29 May 2012 won the prestigious Ondaatje Prize 2012 for his book The Sly Company of People Who Care. He is the first Indian author to have received the award. Bhattacharya was also conferred with the Hindu Literary Prize for Best Fiction, 2011 for the same book. The 10000 pounds award is conferred by the Royal Society of Literature every year to recognize a work of fiction,  nonfiction or poetry which evokes the spirit of a place. The award is  presented to the author who is a citizen of or who has been resident in the Commonwealth or Ireland. The other authors whose work were shortlisted for the prize include Julia Blackburn’s ‘Thin Paths’, Teju Cole’s ‘Open City’,  Paul Farley and Michael Symmons Roberts’ ‘Edgelands’, Olivia Laing’s ‘To the River’ and Tim Robinson’s ‘Connemara’.