• 29 Aug 2025

Veer Singh Dev National Award

Why in News?

Noted Hindi novelist and journalist Dayanand Pandey has been honored with the Veer Singh Dev National Award by the Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi for his remarkable literary work, Vipashyana Mein Prem.

• The award ceremony took place in Bhopal, where he was presented with a citation, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

Key Points

• About: Dayanand Pandey, a 67-year-old novelist and journalist from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, is a highly prolific author with over 75 published works across a wide range of genres, including novels, short stories, poetry, ghazals, memoirs, and cinema essays.
  • He began his journalism career in 1978, contributing to leading Hindi dailies such as Navbharat Times. His journalistic expertise is reflected in his fiction, which combines social critique, emotional depth, and piercing observation.
• Notable Works:
  • Vipashyana Mein Prem (Award-winning novel)
  • Lok Kavi Ab Gaate Nahin
  • Barf Mein Phansi Machhli
  • Sumi Ka Space
  • Manna Jaldi Aana
• Translations: His works have been translated into Bhojpuri, Punjabi, English, Urdu, and Marathi.
• Awards and Honors: Pandey's contributions to literature and journalism have been recognized with several prestigious awards:
  • Lohia Sahitya Samman
  • Sahitya Bhushan
  • Premchand Samman
  • Yashpal Samman
  • Amritlal Nagar Samman
  • Sahitya Gaurav Samman

Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi

• Foundation and Purpose: The Sahitya Akademi, established in 1954, aims to introduce the works and personalities of prominent writers from Madhya Pradesh and across the nation. Initially headquartered in Nagpur, it later moved to Bhopal after the formation of Madhya Pradesh.
• Celebrating Literary Figures: The Akademi commemorates the birth anniversaries of renowned national poets like Maithili Sharan Gupta, Makhanlal Chaturvedi, and others, while also organizing various programs to promote literature.
• Awards and Publications: The Akademi has a well-defined awards scheme, including prizes for literature in six regional dialects of Madhya Pradesh and other genres of Hindi literature.
• Youth Engagement and Outreach: The Akademi encourages youth involvement in literature by organizing workshops, poetry events, and publishing the works of young writers. Its magazine, Sakshatkar, features essays, interviews, and literary works across various genres.

Exercise BRIGHT STAR 2025

Why in News?

The Ministry of Defence announced that over 700 personnel from the Armed Forces and the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff will participate in the Multilateral Exercise 'BRIGHT STAR 2025' from 28 August  2025 to  10 September 2025. 

• The exercise, hosted by Egypt in collaboration with the United States and involving multiple countries, including India, will last for 13 days.

Key Points

• About: Exercise Bright Star is a biennial multilateral military exercise hosted by Egypt in collaboration with the United States since 1980. 
  • It is one of the largest Tri-Service multilateral exercises in the region. The last edition of the exercise took place in 2023, with participation from several countries, including India.
• Activities and Features: The exercise will feature a comprehensive spectrum of military activities, including:
  • Live Firing Exercises: Demonstrating the operational capabilities of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.
  • Command Post Exercise: Designed to enhance joint planning, decision-making, and operational coordination among participating forces.
  • Short Training Exercises: These exercises will focus on various aspects of modern warfare and will be conducted by all three services.
  • Subject Matter Expert Interactions: Discussions and collaborations with experts across multiple domains of contemporary military operations.
• Significance: India’s participation in Exercise BRIGHT STAR 2025 highlights its commitment to regional peace, stability, and security. The exercise also aims to foster enhanced jointness, interoperability, and cooperation between the Indian Armed Forces and other friendly nations.

UP Leads India's Industrial Surge

Why in News?

Uttar Pradesh (UP) has set a new benchmark in industrial development, according to the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) 2023-24 released by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 

• The state has outperformed all major industrial states on three key parameters: gross value added (GVA),  number of factories and employment generation.

Key Points

• Gross Value Added (GVA): The state's GVA rose from Rs 1.34 lakh crore in 2022-23 to Rs 1.67 lakh crore in 2023-24, reflecting a 25.03% increase.
  • This is more than double the national average of 11.9%. As a result, Uttar Pradesh has secured the top rank among Indian states for GVA growth.
• Number of Factories: UP has witnessed a significant increase in the number of factories, growing from 19,102 in 2022-23 to 22,141 in 2023-24—a growth of 15.91%.
  • This growth is nearly seven times higher than the national average of 2.7%.
  •  Uttar Pradesh holds an 8.51% share of the total number of factories in India, ranking 4th in the country after Tamil Nadu (15.43%), Gujarat (12.81%), and Maharashtra (10.20%).
• Employment Generation: Employment in UP's industrial sector grew from 14.86 lakh in 2022-23 to 16.26 lakh in 2023-24, representing a growth of 9.37%—well above the all-India average of 5.9%.
  • Uttar Pradesh has joined Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka among the top 5 states for industrial employment. The state's share in national employment stands at 8%.

Annual Survey of Industries (ASI)

• About: The Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) is the primary source of industrial statistics in India.  
  • It began in 1960, using 1959 as the base year, and has been conducted annually since then, with the exception of 1972, in accordance with the Collection of Statistics Act of 1953. 
  • Since ASI 2010-11, the survey has been conducted under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, which was amended in 2017 to extend its coverage to All India.  
• Implementing Agency: The National Statistical Office (NSO), a part of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), conducts the ASI.  
  • The MoSPI is responsible for ensuring the coverage and quality of the released statistics. 
• Scope: The ASI extends to the entire country. It covers all factories registered under Sections 2(m)(i) and 2(m)(ii) of the Factories Act, 1948.