CONTENTS
- Saraswati Samman Award
- INS Sagardhwani
Saraswati Samman Award
Context:
Recently, Tamil writer Sivasankari was presented with the ‘Saraswati Samman’ 2022 for her book of memoirs Surya Vamsam.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
About the Saraswati Samman Award:
The Saraswati Samman Award is a prestigious literary honor in India, recognizing outstanding literary works in various Indian languages. Here are some key details about this award:
- Annual Award: The Saraswati Samman is awarded annually to authors for their literary contributions over the past ten years. The award considers works in 22 different Indian languages.
- Significance: It is regarded as one of the highest honors in the field of Indian literature and holds great importance in the literary community.
- Selection Process: The selection of the award recipients follows a rigorous three-tier process, culminating in a final decision by Chayan Parishad, the governing body responsible for conferring the award.
- Foundation: The Saraswati Samman Award was instituted by the K. Birla Foundation. This foundation is also associated with other notable literary awards, including the Vyas Samman and the Bihari Puraskar.
- Prize: The award includes a citation, a plaque, and a cash prize of 15 lakh rupees, making it a substantial recognition for the honored authors.
Other Works of Sivasankari:
Sivasankari, the recipient of the 2020 Saraswati Samman Award, boasts a prolific literary career spanning over five decades. Her body of work is extensive and includes a wide range of literary forms. Here are some details about her literary output:
- Versatility: Sivasankari has written 36 novels, 48 novellas, 150 short stories, 15 travelogues, seven collections of essays, and three biographies.
- Memoir: In 2019, she penned a memoir titled “Surya Vamsam,” which is presented in two volumes. The first volume delves into her transformation from childhood to a young writer, while the second volume explores her life and experiences as an acclaimed author, as she spreads her literary wings.
INS Sagardhwani
Context:
Recently, INS Sagardhwani, an oceanographic research vessel embarked on a two-month long Sagar Maitri (SM) Mission-4 from South Jetty, Southern Naval Command (SNC), Kochi.
Relevance:
GS III: Security Challenges
Dimensions of the Article:
- INS Sagardhwani
- Sagar Maitri Initiative
INS Sagardhwani:
- Origin: INS Sagardhwani is a marine acoustic research ship developed by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO, based in Kochi. It was constructed indigenously by GRSE Ltd.
- Launch Date: The ship was launched in July 1994, marking the beginning of its operational life.
- Mission: NPOL is actively engaged in studying the ocean environment and related fields. INS Sagardhwani serves as a vital platform for conducting extensive oceanic observing missions and research.
Sagar Maitri Initiative:
- DRDO’s Initiative: Sagar Maitri is an initiative by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.
- Policy Objective: This initiative aligns with the broader objective of India’s policy declaration known as ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).’ It aims to foster closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects and promote more significant scientific interaction, particularly in ocean research, among the countries in the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR).
- MAITRI Component: Within the framework of the Sagar Maitri initiative, DRDO introduced a scientific component called ‘MAITRI’ (Marine and Allied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative). This component is dedicated to establishing long-term collaboration with IOR countries in the field of Ocean Research and Development.
- Mission Scope: The missions under Sagar Maitri focus on establishing sustained scientific partnerships and collaborations with eight IOR countries, including Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar.
- Current Mission (SM-4): The ongoing mission, SM-4, plans to involve scientific deployments onboard INS Sagardhwani in the Northern Arabian Sea. It also aims to initiate collaborative research programs with the Department of Marine Sciences & Fisheries at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman.
