Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration

MS Swaminathan, Noted agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan selected for the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for the year 2012. MS Swaminathan is an Indian geneticist and 
former member of Rajya Sabha. Swaminathan contributed to the agricultural renaissance in the country and led the nation to achieve green revolution.             

                                                 

MS Swaminathan has served as Director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. He served as Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Agricultural Research and Education.

Sachin Tendulkar retired from Test cricket

Noted batsman Sachin Tendulkar on 10 October 2013 announced his decision to retire from Test cricket after playing his landmark 200th Test match against the West Indies in November 2013.                                               

Previously, Sachin Tendulkar announced retirement form one day cricket on 23 December 2012 and from Twenty-20 cricket format on 26 May 2013.

Deepak Sandhu

Deepak Sandhu became the first woman Chief Information Commissioner. Deepak Sandhu took over the office from Satyananda Mishra. Mishra served the 5 year term in the office. Deepak Sandhu is the former Indian Information Service officer of 1971 batch.

She served at various crucial positions such as Principal Director General (media and communications); Press Information Bureau; Director General, DD News; Director General (news), All India Radio. The Central Information Commission was established under the Right to Information Act, 2005.  CIC was established under the Government of India for acting on complaints of the people.

National Media Centre

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday inaugurated the National Media Centre here on Raisina Road which is said to be equipped with the latest technologies of information dissemination.  the National Media Centre has been constructed by the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) at a cost of Rs. 60 crore over a period of three years.

The Centre is equipped with a wi-fi enabled press conference hall for 283 media persons, a briefing room for about 60 persons, 24 work stations for journalists, a library, media lounge with wi-fi facilities and a cafeteria. Reports state other facilities at the Centre are optic fibre Internet backbone with redundancy, mini data centre for application development and hosting webcast, including live webcast, Video feed to TV channels, IT facilities to media persons in work area and lounge, Internet telephony and AV Video Wall.