Current Affairs - 28 January 2016

General Affairs 

President's Rule Imposition In Arunachal Pradesh 'Darkest Day': NCP

• ITANAGAR:  Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today termed imposition of President's Rule as the "darkest" day in the history of Arunachal Pradesh.
  
  Expressing solidarity with ruling Congress in the state, party's women wing President Fauzia Khan told reporters at Arunachal Press Club that the party would protest the 'hasty' decision of the Centre.
  
  "The political situation in the state is very delicate and democracy has been sidelined," she said adding, the party is with Congress.
  
  

  Criticising Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa for his decision to advance the assembly session, Ms Khan alleged that the Governor had transformed the Raj Bhawan into the office of BJP.
  
  "This is no more a local issue but a national issue. If Raj Bhawan works as an office of BJP, it is very damaging for a democratic country," she said adding, the Governor cannot summon an assembly session without consulting the council of ministers.
  
  "The Governor is supposed to act on the advice of the council of ministers. But when he acts as an RSS agent, it is very destructive," Ms Khan added.
  
  When her attention was drawn to the feud among ruling Congress legislators which led to the crisis, Ms Khan said dissidence among party legislators was a different issue but dissident activities being engineered by another political party had created chaos in the peaceful state.
  
  Asked on the cases being in the Supreme Court on the issue, the NCP leader said that the party would honour whatever judgement the court would pronounce.
  
  On her party's stand if mid-term poll is announced, Ms Khan said that political parties are always ready for any polls.
  
  On Chakma-Hajong refugee issue that rocked the state in recent times, she said that her party was not against granting citizenship to the refugees but opposes granting Scheduled Tribe status to them.

Government Approves Hybrid Annuity Model For Highway Projects

• NEW DELHI:  The government today approved hybrid annuity model for building roads to fast-track highway projects, revive the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode and attract more investments in the sector.
  
  "The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the Hybrid Annuity Model as one of the modes of delivery for implementing the Highway Projects," said a statement from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
  
  

  Under this model, the government will provide 40 per cent of the project cost to the developer to start work while the remaining investment has to be made by the developer.
  
  "Adopting such a model for projects not found viable on BOT (Toll) mode, shall be more effective in terms of maximising the quantum of kilometers implemented within the available financial resources of the Government," the statement said.
  
  The main objective of the approval is to revive highway projects in the country by making one more mode of delivery of highway projects, it said.
  
  It said by adopting the model, all major stakeholders in the PPP arrangement - the Authority, lender and the developer, concessionaire would have an increased comfort level resulting in revival of the sector through renewed interest of private developers/investors in highway projects and this will bring relief thereby to citizens/travelers in the area of a respective project," the government said.
  
  It will facilitate uplifting the socio-economic condition of the entire nation due to increased connectivity across the length and breadth of the country leading to enhanced economic activity, it said.
  
  Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has recently said, "No one (private players) was ready to participate in the PPP-based projects as they had lost faith (in the previous government). However, to encourage private participation, we have also introduced a hybrid model, where we will share the risk with them."
  
  The decision taken on September 11 last year by the CCEA has delegated the authority for deciding on the mode of delivery of highway projects to the ministry.
  
  The erstwhile Planning Commission has developed the first version of the Model Concession Agreement for roads in 2006.
  
  This was done considering the need to standardise documents and processes for the PPP framework in the country for ensuring uniformity, transparency and quality in development of large-scale infrastructure projects.
  
  Subsequently, the Planning Commission had developed various other versions of the MCA for highways considering the different PPP modes like BOT (Toll) and BOT (Annuity) addressing to a significant extent, the sector's changing needs of the sector.
  
  "One of the documents developed by the Planning Commission for infrastructure including highways is the MCA for Annuity Projects -version April, 2014," the statement said.

On Arunachal Pradesh, The Court Case Is One Of Centre's Two Big Problems.

• 

  NEW DELHI:  After the Supreme Court has sought a detailed explanation for why President's Rule has been imposed in Arunachal Pradesh, sources say the government will emphasize its declared position that the state has to be rescued from a "constitutional crisis".
  
  The top court today has asked the government to detail its stand by Friday. Judges also asked for a copy of the report sent by Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhow, on the basis of which central rule was recommended by the cabinet. President Pranab Mukherjee asked for clarifications in person from Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, a session which convinced him that the north eastern state cannot remain in the care of the Congress and Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
  
  In its defense, the Centre has been underscoring that the Arunachal assembly had not met for over six months, a constitutional requirement. The Governor called a session in December that was not held at the state legislature because the Speaker, a Congress leader, did not allow access to the building. The Congress has challenged this session as invalid because it says the Chief Minister and his cabinet were not consulted. A top union minister told on the condition of anonymity," If the court agrees that the House has gone without a session for over six months and the session ordered by the state governor was invalid, then the Centre's decision is valid. If the session is held valid, then the continuance of the Nabam Tuki government has to be invalid." The source added, "MLAs can't enter the state assembly building. The state's governance is being threatened. Isn't that a political and constitutional crisis?"
  
  

  The crisis in Arunachal Pradesh for Chief Minister Tuki had been building for months till it peaked in December with nearly half his party's legislators teaming up with the BJP. With the Congress effectively split, the Chief Minister may find it tough to prove he still has a majority.  Junior Home Minister Kiran Rijuju told, "The Centre did not trigger the crisis. The Chief Minister suspended 14 of his party's MLAs who decided to break away. The BJP or the NDA government didn't precipitate the crisis. "
  
  The Centre wants the Supreme Court to treat as confidential the report submitted by the Governor that presents his reasoning in favour of President's rule. The Congress, which has taken the Centre to court, wants to access the document.  The judges say they will decide after reviewing it themselves.
  
  The report, according to sources, includes the charge that "Government institutions and officials were funding and abetting organisations to target the Governor. Governance has collapsed and the state government is invisible."
  
  Home Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to meet with senior officers to prepare the government's response, due by Friday.  The next court hearing has been set for Monday.   
  
  The legal challenge does not loom in solitude over the Centre.  Parliament will meet for the budget session in late February, and both houses will have to sign off on President's rule for Arunachal Pradesh. The government has a huge majority in the Lok Sabha, but it is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha, where the Congress will work to persuade other opposition parties to vote against the initiative. If both houses don't clear the move, President's Rule will have to be withdrawn in Arunachal Pradesh.

Asked To 'Finish Off' Unarmed Man, Cop Confesses In 6-Year-Old Shooting

• IMPHAL:  Six years after a 22-year-old man suspected to be a militant was shot dead in Manipur, a policeman has admitted that he was unarmed and shot in cold blood.
  
  Sanjit Meitei, suspected to be a member of People's Liberation Army, was shot dead in 2009 on a busy street in state capital Imphal. He was reportedly working as a hospital attendant at the time.
  
  Herojit Singh, the head constable who shot him, has alleged that he was asked to "finish off" Sanjit by a senior officer who assured him that the order had been cleared by the police chief and the Chief Minister.
  
  Mr Singh has been quoted by the Indian Express as saying that he "felt no remorse at the time and he was making the admission now because he feared for his life."
  
  Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in  Delhi that he would "look into" the case.
  
  Herojit Singh is one of the nine policemen being investigated by the CBI, which took over the case in 2010.
  
  The killing had sparked anger after photographs showed Sanjit being taken to a medicine store on July 23, 2009, and then his body being brought out some time later. A woman who was in the vicinity was also shot dead.
  
  The police had claimed that Sanjit had taken out a gun during police frisking, opened fire and then run away. Their report said a police party followed the young man into the Maimu pharmacy and retaliated when he fired at them. They also claimed that a 9 mm pistol was found clutched in his hand.
  
  Mr Singh has, however, said Sanjit was holding nothing but a mobile phone.
  
  The Express quotes him as saying: "I shot him six or seven times, all in the torso. I'm sure Sanjit must have known that I had come back to kill him. I am sure he knew that when I was about to shoot him. But he didn't say anything. He didn't have any arms (weapons) on him. Just the mobile phone we had found earlier. Then the others came and took away his body."

Doctors On Call: Should India Worry About Zika Virus?

• What is the Zika virus?
  
  Zika virus is a type of virus which belongs to the Flavivirus family which is similar to the viruses which cause dengue and chikungunya. It was first discovered in the 1940s. Previously, outbreaks have been reported in Africa, Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands.
  
  How is the Zika virus spread?
  
  The Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of the Aedes mosquito. This is the same mosquito which can spread dengue. Pregnant women who are infected with the virus can transmit this virus into the amniotic fluid causing infection. There has also been a concern that this virus can be transmitted sexually.
  
  What are the symptoms Zika virus causes?
  
  The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, headache and conjunctivitis. The symptoms can last for up to a week. Only 1 in 5 people infected with the virus show symptoms. Severe illness or death is very rare. People infected with the virus can carry the virus for a 7-10 days. It can be diagnosed with the help of a blood test in which the virus DNA, called RT-PCR is detected.
  
  Why the sudden concern for the Zika virus?
  
  4,000 babies were born with microcephaly in Brazil between October 2015 and January 2016. Although no direct relation was seen, women found to be carrying babies diagnosed with microcephaly were found to have the Zika virus in the amniotic fluid. This has raised the concern that this virus can cause birth defects in newborns.
  
  There is also a concern that this virus can cause another neurological illness called Guillain-Barre syndrome in some people. In this condition the nerve cells get affected causing muscle weakness. Most of the people recover fully from Guillain-Barre syndrome, but this condition can last for a few weeks to several months.
  
  What is microcephaly?
  
  Microcephaly is a rare neuro-developmental disorder in which the size of the head of the child is very small. This causes poor growth of the skull and brain causing problems like delay in speech, hearing loss, seizures, mental retardation and in some severe cases even death.
  
  What is the treatment for Zika virus?
  
  There is no known treatment for Zika virus. It is important to take plenty of rest, drink lots of fluid and avoid medications like ibuprofen or aspirin. If you have any of the above symptoms, then please let your doctor know so you can be tested for the virus.
  
  Is there any vaccine for the Zika virus?
  
  There is no known vaccine currently for the virus.
  
  Can this virus spread to India?
  
  People travelling from countries where the Zika virus is currently present like Brazil, El Salvador etc. can bring in the virus to India. Since only 20% of the people infected with the virus show symptoms, someone might carry the virus without realizing that they are infected. If an Aedes mosquito would bite an infected person, it can spread the virus to other people by biting them.
  
  How long can the infection spread?
  
  During the first week of infection, the Zika virus can be found in the blood of a person. A mosquito who bites this person can then spread the virus to others. So it is crucial to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
  
  What precautions can Indians take?
  
  Pregnant women should avoid travelling to countries where the Zika virus has spread. People in general should avoid travelling to countries where the infection is prevalent. People should also take precautions against mosquito bites by using insect repellents, wearing full sleeved clothes and mosquito nets. Steps should also be taken to prevent stagnant water from standing as this is where this mosquito breeds.

Business Affairs 

Sensex ends flat, Nifty holds 7,400 ahead of derivatives expiry, US Federal policy

• In a volatile trading session, the S&P BSE Sensex ended flat on Wednesday, while broader CNX Nifty settled above its key 7,400-mark.

  The benchmark indices scuttled between red and green as investors avoided risky bets ahead of the expiry of January derivative contracts on Thursday and a US Federal Reserve policy statement due later in the day. 
  

  Tthe 30-share index ended the day at 24,492, up 6.44 points, while broad-based 50-share index was quoted 7,437, up 1.60 points at close.

  Market breadth turned mixed with 15 of the 30 Sensex components ending the day in green.

  While the US Federal Reserve is not expected to move on interest rates at its two-day meeting, which began on Tuesday, investors will parse the Fed's commentary to gauge how recent global turmoil affects the likelihood of future rate hikes.

  Risk appetite for equities was also subdued as crude oil prices resumed their slide towards $30 a barrel amid data showing profits earned by Chinese industrial firms in December fell for a seventh straight month.

  Markets are expected to be volatile on Thursday with the expiry of January futures and options contracts.

  "The Nifty futures premium for next month is not showing a substantial increase," said Alex Mathews, head of research at Geojit BNP Paribas.

  "That is a clear sign that people are not willing to carry forward positions to the next month," said Mathews, adding that there were uncertainties over China, crude oil and the budget.

  Among Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei gained 2.72 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index added 1.02 per cent. China's Shanghai Composite bucked the trend to lose 0.52 per cent.

  Overnight, US markets added over 1 per cent on the back of rebound in oil prices coupled with increased buying interest across some of the heavyweights ahead of the earnings season. However, Dow futures indicated at lower opening on Wednesday.

Vodafone deploys SON technology to reduce call drops

• At a time when telecom companies are under fire for call drops,Vodafone India on Wednesday said it has deployed Cisco's Self Optimising Network (SON) technology to deliver superior mobile experience, improve voice call quality and reduce dropped calls.

  Vodafone said it expects Cisco SON would optimise its existing sites and streamline the process of adding new sites to its fast growing network.

  "Vodafone India has already deployed SON over a third of its network. Deployment will continue until the entire network is SON-enabled," a company statement said on Wednesday.

  Vodafone is also currently rolling out 4G services in phases.

  Benefits from the network include improved voice call quality, reduced dropped calls, higher data speed, better accessibility, lower network congestion and lower operational cost, the company said.

  "This initiative follows our strategy and commitment to deliver an enhanced and differentiated customer experience. We are confident... Cisco will help us delight our users with a great quality of both voice and data services," Vodafone India Director of Technology Vishant Vora said.

Neyveli Lignite Corp allotted coal block in Jharkhand

• 

  Public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) has been allotted a coal block by the Jharkhand government, officials said on Tuesday.

  Neyveli has asked the government for more coal blocks, the officials said.

  "On the coal front, we have been allotted a coal block in Jharkand and we have requested Ministry of Coal to allot us further blocks, which will fuel our capacity additions in coal-based generation," Neyveli Lignite Corporation Chairman and Managing Director Sarat Kumar Acharya said.

  Acharya said that NLC plans to build 19,000-MW capacity by the year 2025 and will generate 6,000 MW from coal and 2,500 MW from lignite.

  "We are no more a company limited to lignite mining and lignite-based power generation in Neyveli complex, but have diversified into coal-based power generation, renewable energy and coal mining," a release quoted him as saying.

  "Last year, the company had commissioned its first 10 MW solar energy project at Neyveli," he said.

Is Toyota in partnership talks with Suzuki Motor Corp?

• Toyota Motor Corp may be in talks with Suzuki Motor Corpto discuss partnering from a variety of angles, including the possibility of cross-shareholdings as they look to take capitalise on demand for compact cars in India and other emerging economies, according to a report published in the Nikkei business daily.

  Toyota however denied being in talks with Suzuki and said it was instead considering buying out the rest of mini-vehicle maker Daihatsu Motor Co, a $3.2 billion deal at current market prices. Toyota owns 51.2 per cent of Daihatsu, which like Suzuki, specialises in 660cc mini-vehicles, a segment particular to Japan, as well as compact cars.

  Full control of Daihatsu could help Toyota leverage the lower-cost brand better and cut procurement costs for Daihatsu, while capital ties with Suzuki would help the world's largest automaker make inroads into India where Suzuki commands around half the passenger car market.

  Still, others noted that a potential Toyota-Suzuki partnership could benefit both automakers.

  Suzuki, through its control of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, has a vast distribution network in India that Toyota could greatly benefit from.

  "Suzuki would meanwhile be getting a stable shareholder in Toyota as well as access to Toyota's HEV/FCV and other next-generation environmental technologies geared toward future vehicle electrification," JPMorgan analysts said in a note.

  Suzuki is expected, however, to tread carefully with any new tie-ups. It formed a capital alliance with Volkswagen AG in early 2010 but relations soon soured, leading to a years-long dispute in an arbitration court that ended last year with the unwinding of their cross-shareholdings.

  Shares in Daihatsu soared 20 per cent in late Wednesday trade after being overwhelmed by buy orders throughout the day. Shares in Suzuki jumped 11 per cent despite denials from both Toyota and Suzuki. Toyota rose 3.6 per cent.

  "We are constantly considering a number of possibilities relating to Daihatsu, such as partnerships or business restructuring, including making the company a fully owned subsidiary," Toyota said in a statement, but added that no decisions had been made.

  Some analysts noted that greater control of Daihatsu could be at odds with potential cooperation with Suzuki given that the two mini-vehicle makers are fierce competitors for the same customers.

  "I can easily see the Daihatsu brand used in the same way that VW uses Skoda or Renault uses Dacia or Nissan uses Datsun as a low-cost, sub-premium brand to the core brand," CLSA senior research analyst Christopher Richter said.

  "That could be a very effective weapon against Suzuki in places like India ... if I were Suzuki that would sound like a risk to doing business with Toyota," Richter said.

More fiscal stimulus credit negative for China: Moody's

• Terming China's GDP growth rate at 6.9 per cent in 2015 as 'relatively robust', Moody's said continued policy support and fiscal stimulus to keep the growth rate high will be 'credit negative' for the country.

  India has recently overtaken China in terms of growth rate, but unlike China, it does not depend on fiscal stimulus to boost growth. IMF has projected India to grow at 7.3 per cent in 2015-16.

  In its report on China, Moody's Investors Service said policy support by Chinese authorities in the "pursuit of growth targets is likely to persist in 2016, postponing deleveraging and the eradication of excess capacity. Such a delay would be credit negative".

  Slowdown in Chinese economy has hit the global equity and currency markets, including that of India.

  Moody's expects China to maintain its focus on growth and prevent significant slowdown by applying substantial policy support.

  The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its World Economic Outlook, had projected China's growth to slow to 6.3 per cent in 2016 and further to 6 per cent in 2017. It has projected India to grow at 7.5 per cent in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

  "Further policy support would be credit negative to the extent that it delays deleveraging in the economy as a whole and among state-owned enterprises in particular," Moody's added.

  Moody's projected China's fiscal deficit to be around 2.5-3 per cent of GDP in 2016 after 2.7 per cent in 2015 and below 2 per cent in the previous five years.

  "We forecast government debt to rise slightly above 40 per cent of GDP in 2016, still in line with similarly rated peers," it added.

General Awareness

PADMA AWARDS 2016

• 

  
  

  President Pranab Mukherjee has announced the names of Recipients of this year’s Padma awards. He approved conferment of 112 Padma Awards. Following is the list of the recipients—

  
  

  Padma Vibhushan Awardees 2016
  1. Ms. Yamini Krishnamurthi – Art- Classical dance (Delhi)
  2. Shri Rajinikanth – Art-Cinema (Tamil Nadu)
  3. Smt. Girija Devi – Art-Classical Vocal (West Bengal)
  4. Shri Ramoji Rao – Literature and Education Journalism (Andhra Pradesh) 
  5. Dr. Viswanathan Shanta – Medicine- Oncology (Tamil Nadu)
  6. Shri Shri Ravi Shankar – Others-Spiritualism (Karnataka)
  7. Shri Jagmohan – Public Affairs (Delhi)
  8. Dr.Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre – Science and Engineering (Karnataka)
  9. Shri Avinash Dixit (Foreigner) – Literature and Education (USA)
  10. Late Shri Dhiru Bhai Ambani (Posthumous) – Trade and Industry (Maharashtra) 
  
  Padma Bhushan Awardees 2016
  11. Shri Anupam Kher – Art-Cinema (Maharashtra)
  12. Shri Udit Narayan Jha – Art-Playback Singing (Maharashtra)
  13. Shri Ram V. Sutar – Art-Sculpture (Uttar Pradesh)
  14. Shri Heisnam Kanhailal – Art-Theatre (Manipur)
  15. Shri Vinod Rai – Civil Service (Kerala)
  16. Dr. Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad – Literature and Education (Andhra Pradesh)
  17. Prof. N. S. Ramanuja Tatacharya – Literature and Education (Maharashtra )
  18. Dr. Barjinder Singh Hamdard – Literature and Education - Journalism (Punjab)
  19. Prof. D. Nageshwar Reddy – Medicine-Gastroenterology (Telangana)
  20. Swami Tejomayananda – Other-Spiritualism (Maharashtra)
  21. Shri Hafeez Contractor – Others-Architecture (Maharashtra)
  22. Shri Ravindra Chandra Bhargava – Public Affairs (Uttar Pradesh)
  23. Dr.Venkata Rama Rao Alla – Science and Engineering (Andhra Pradesh)
  24. Ms. Saina Nehwal – Sports-Badminton (Telangana)
  25. Ms. Sania Mirza – Sports-Tennis (Telangana)
  26. Ms. Indu Jain – Trade and Industry (Delhi)
  27. Late Swami Dayanand Sarawasati (Posthumous) – Others-Spiritualism (Uttarakhand)
  28. Shri Robert Blackwill (Foreigner) – Public Affairs (USA)
  29. Shri Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry (NRI/PIO) – Trade and Industry (Ireland)
  
  Padma Shri Awardees 2016
  30. Smt. Prathibha Prahlad – Art- Classical Dance (Delhi)
  31. Shri Bhikhudan Gadhvi – Art- Folk Music (Gujarat)
  32. Shri Sribhas Chandra Supakar – Art- Textile Designing (Uttar Pradesh)
  33. Shri Ajay Devgn – Art-Cinema (Maharashtra)
  34. Ms. Priyanka Chopra – Art-Cinema (Maharashtra)
  35. Pt. Tulsidas Borkar – Art-Classical Music (Goa)
  36. Dr. Soma Ghosh – Art-Classical Vocal (Uttar Pradesh)
  37. Shri Nila Madhab Panda – Art-Film Direction and Production (Delhi)
  38. Shri S.S. Rajamouli – Art-Film Direction and Production (Karnataka)
  39. Shri Madhur Bhandarkar – Art-Film Direction and Production (Maharashtra)
  40. Prof. M. Venkatesh Kumar – Art-Folk Artist (Karnataka)
  41. Ms. Gulabi Sapera – Art-Folk Dance (Rajasthan)
  42. Smt. Mamta Chandrakar – Art-Folk Music (Chhattisgarh)
  43. Ms. Malini Awasthi – Art-Folk Music (Uttar Pradesh)
  44. Shri Jai Prakash Lekhiwal – Art-Miniature Painting (Delhi)
  45. Shri K. Laxma Goud – Art-Painting (Telangana)
  46. Shri Bhalchandra Dattatray Mondhe – Art-Photography (Madhya Pradesh) 
  47. Shri Naresh Chander Lal – Art-Theatre and Cinema (Andaman and Nicobar)
  48. Shri Dhirendra Nath Bezbaruah – Literature and Education (Assam)
  49. Shri Prahlad Chandra Tasa – Literature and Education (Assam)
  50. Dr.Ravindra Nagar – Literature and Education (Delhi)
  51. Shri Dahyabhai Shastri – Literature and Education (Gujarat)
  52. Dr.Santeshivara Bhyrappa – Literature and Education (Karnataka)
  53. Shri Haldar Nag – Literature and Education (Odisha)
  54. Shri Kameshwaram Brahma – Literature and Education - Journalism (Assam)
  55. Prof. Pushpesh Pant – Literature and Education Journalism (Delhi)
  56. Shri Jawaharlal Kaul – Literature and Education Journalism (Jammu and Kashmir)
  57. Shri Ashok Malik – Literature andEducation (Delhi)
  58. Dr.Mannam Gopi Chand – Medicine-Cardio Thoracic Surgery (Telangana)
  59. Prof. Ravi Kant – Medicine-Surgery (Uttar Pradesh)
  60. Prof. Ram Harsh Singh – Medicine- Ayurveda (Uttar Pradesh)
  61. Prof. Shiv Narain Kureel – Medicine- Paediatric Surgery (Uttar Pradesh)
  62. Dr.Sabya Sachi Sarkar – Medicine –Radiology (Uttar Pradesh)
  63. Dr. Alla Gopala Krishna Gokhale – Medicine-Cardiac Surgery (Andhra Pradesh)
  64. Prof. T.K. Lahiri – Medicine-Cardio Thoracic Surgery (Uttar Pradesh)
  65. Dr. Praveen Chandra – Medicine-Cardiology (Delhi)
  66. Prof. (Dr) Daljeet Singh Gambhir – Medicine-Cardiology (Uttar Pradesh)
  67. Dr.Chandrasekar Shesadri Thoguluva – Medicine Gastroenterology (Tamil Nadu)
  68. Dr. (Mrs.) Anil Kumari Malhotra – Medicine-Homeopathy (Delhi)
  69. Prof. M.V. Padma Srivastava – Medicine-Neurology (Delhi)
  70. Dr. Sudhir V. Shah – Medicine-Neurology (Gujarat)
  71. Dr. M. M. Joshi – Medicine-Ophthalmology (Karnataka)
  72. Prof. (Dr) John Ebnezar – Medicine-Orthopaedic Surgery (Karnataka)
  73. Dr. Nayudamma Yarlagadda – Medicine-Paediatric Surgery (Andhra Pradesh)
  74. Shri Simon Oraon – Other Environment Conservation (Jharkhand)
  75. Shri Imitiaz Qureshi – Other-Culinary (Delhi)
  76. Shri Piyush Pandey – Others-Advertising and Communication (Maharashtra)
  77. Shri Subhash Palekar – Others-Farming (Maharashtra)
  78. Shri Ravinder Kumar Sinha – Others-Wildlife Conservation (Bihar)
  79. Dr. H.R. Nagendra – Others-Yoga (Karnataka)
  80. Shri M. C. Mehta – Public Affairs (Delhi)
  81. Shri M. N. Krishna Mani – Public Affairs (Delhi)
  82. Shri Ujjwal Nikam – Public Affairs (Maharashtra)
  83. Shri Tokheho Sema – Public Affairs (Nagaland)
  84. Dr. Satish Kumar – Science and Engineering (Delhi)
  85. Dr.Mylswamy Annadurai – Science and Engineering (Karnataka)
  86. Prof. Dipankar Chatterji – Science and Engineering (Karnataka)
  87. Prof.(Dr.) Ganapati Dadasaheb Yadav – Science and Engineering (Maharashtra) 
  88. Smt. (Prof.) Veena Tandon – Science and Engineering (Meghalaya)
  89. Shri Onkar Nath Srivastava – Science and Engineering Uttar Pradesh
  90. Ms. Sunita Krishnan – Social Work (Andhra Pradesh)
  91. Shri Ajoy Kumar Dutta – Social Work (Assam)
  92. Shri M. Pandit Dasa – Social Work (Karnataka)
  93. Shri P. P. Gopinathan Nair – Social Work (Kerala)
  94. Smt. Madeleine Herman de Blic – Social Work (Puducherry)
  95. Shri Srinivasan Damal Kandalai – Social work (Tamil Nadu)
  96. Shri Sudhakar Olwe – Social Work (Maharashtra)
  97. Dr. T.V. Narayana – Social Work (Telangana)
  98. Shri Arunachalam Murugantham – Social Work (Tamil Nadu)
  99. Ms. Deepika Kumari – Sports-Archery (Jharkhand)
  100. Shri Sushil Doshi – Sports-commentary (Madhya Pradesh)
  101. Shri Mahesh Sharma – Trade and Industry (Delhi)
  102. Shri Saurabh Srivastava – Trade and Industry (Delhi)
  103. Sh Dilip Sanghvi – Trade and Industry (Maharashtra)
  104. Dr. Keki Hormusji Gharda – Trade and Industry (Maharashtra)
  105. Late Shri Prakash Chand Surana (Posthumous) – Art -Classical Music (Rajasthan)
  106. Late Shri Saeed Jaffrey (NRI/PIO/Posthumous) – Art-Cinema (UK)
  107. Shri Michael Postel (Foreigner) – Art-Archaeology (France)
  108. Shri Salman Amin Sal Khan (NRI/PIO) – Literature and Education (USA)
  109. Smt. Hui Lan Zhang (Foreigner) – Others-Yoga (China) 
  110. Shri Predrag K. Nikic (Foreigner) Others-Yoga (Serbia) 
  111. Dr.Sundar Aditya Menon (NRI/PIO) Social Work (UAE)
  112. Shri Ajaypal Singh Banga (NRI/PIO) Trade and Industry (USA)