CONTENTS

1. Bharat Ratna
2. National Girl Child Day

Bharat Ratna To Karpoori Thakur

Context:

Karpoori Thakur, a prominent Gandhian socialist leader and former Bihar chief minister will be awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’ posthumously. 

Relevance:

Facts for Prelims

About Bharat Ratna:

• Highest Civilian Award: Bharat Ratna, instituted in 1954, stands as the highest civilian award in India.

Eligibility:

• Inclusive Criteria: The award is open to any individual without distinction of race, occupation, position, or gender. While predominantly awarded to India-born citizens, exceptions include the naturalized citizen Mother Teresa and non-Indians such as Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela.

Special Considerations:

• Posthumous Awards: Originally, posthumous awards were not permitted, but the statutes were amended in 1955 to allow them. Lal Bahadur Shastri became the first posthumous recipient.

Recognition Criteria:

• Exceptional Service: Conferred in recognition of exceptional service or performance of the highest order across any field of human endeavor.

Nomination Process:

• Prime Minister’s Recommendation: The Prime Minister recommends the awardees to the President, and no formal recommendations are required.

Limitations:

• Annual Cap: The number of awards is capped at a maximum of three per year.

Award Components:

• Recognition: Recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion. However, the award does not carry any monetary grant.

National Girl Child Day

Focus: GS II- Vulnerable sections.

Why in News?

Nation Celebrates National Girl Child Day every year on 24th of January.

About National Girl Child Day:

• National Girl Child Day is celebrated in the country on January 24 every year
• It was first initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Gender discrimination is a major problem that girls or women face throughout their life.

Objective:

• To provide support and opportunities to the girls of India.
• To support the girl child of the nation and remove gender-based biases.
• To promote awareness about the inequalities that a girl child faces and educate people about girl’s education.
• The main focus is on changing society’s attitude towards girls, decrease female feticide and create awareness about the decreasing sex ratio.

Aim:

• To promote awareness about the rights of the girl child
• To increase awareness on the importance of girl education, and their health and nutrition