My Science School

          Encouragement and inspiration stimulate people for greater efforts and sincere work. Awards act as a source of encouragement as well as recognition of merit and sacrifice. It is given to individuals and institutions acknowledging their excellent work and outstanding contributions in any walk of life. In the field of Indian cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke Award is the highest film award in the land and is given to eminent film personalities who made a significant and lasting contribution to the cause of Indian cinema. The award was instituted by the Government of India in the year 1969 to commemorate, the memory of Dhundiraj Govind (Dadasaheb) Phalke, the Father of Indian Cinema. He was the maker of the first Indian feature film ‘Raja Harishchandra’ – A silent movie, in the year 1913. The film was 3,700 ft long and it was a wholly Indian venture. It had titles in both Hindi and English and ran for an unprecedented 23 days.

          Initially the award carried Rs. 11,000 in cash, a shawl and a plaque. In 1975, the award was increased to Rs. 40,000 in cash and carried a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus). In 1985 the cash amount was raised to Rs. 1, 00,000.

          Till date, the award has been won by great film personalities for their lifetime achievements. The award winners from 1969 onwards are: Devika Rani Roerich (1969), B.N. Sircar (1970), Prithviraj Kapoor (posthumous) (1971), Pankaj Mallick (1972), Sulochana (Ruby Meyers) (1973), B.N. Reddi (1974), Dhiren Ganguly (1975), Kanan Devi (1976), Nitin Bose (1977), R.C. Boral (1978), Shorab Modi (1979), P. Jairaj (1980), Naushad (1981), L.V. Prasad (1982), Durga Khote (1983), Satyajit Ray (1984), V. Shantaram (1985), B. Naggi Reddi (1986), Raj Kapoor (1987), Ashok Kumar (1988), Lata Mangeshkar (1989), A. Nageshwar Rao (1990), B. Pendharkar (1991), Bhupen Hazarika (1992), Majrooh Sultanpuri (1993), Dilip Kumar (1994).

          Apart from the Dada Saheb Phalke award several other national film awards are given for different specified categories. There is a film jury which decides the different awards. These awards are given every year at a function called National Film Festival.

 

               Music has been a main component of our culture since times immemorial. Generation after generation, people have enjoyed and experienced different forms and varieties of music. As a consequence every period of history has produced its own breed of musicians but only a few could make a lasting impact in the minds and hearts of people. Mozart was one such product of the 18th century music and went on to become one of the most brilliant composers in the history of music. His great genius was his ability to compose every form of music that included operas, choral, orchestral, and chamber music.

               Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756. His father was a musician at the court of the Archbishop and his sister was also a talented musician. Even as a very young child Mozart could play violin and harpschord so well that his father took him on a tour to Europe to play before the Royalty. The trio consisting of Mozart, his father and sister, were acclaimed wherever they performed. The young Mozart began to compose at the age of five. Later he studied music in Italy.

               During his brief life, Mozart could be able to change the trend of music of the earlier era by providing a tone of emotion to it as the symphonies, sonatas and other instrumental works. In the pre-Mozart era, music almost lacked any kind of emotional expression. He is generally considered as a classical composer because his symphonies, concerts and sonatas follow the rules of the musical forms of the classical period. What is not at all classical about some of Mozart’s music is his very personal note. Some of his finest compositions sound as if he was pouring his heart out of his music.

               Mozart composed some of the finest operas which include The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute. He was one of the 18th century musicians who is bracketed with Beethoven and Haydn for evolving and perfecting the orchestral music. His operas reflected every change of mood and twist of plot. The characters were presented as real people rather than theatrical puppets.

               Though Mozart captured great attention as a child artist yet the popularity waned with his growing age. As a result he had to earn his living as a humble musician. He spent a greater part of his life in poverty and his health suffered consequently. He died in 1791 at the young age of thirty-five. Unfortunately he died so poor that only the grave digger attended his funeral. 

          Even after many centuries of his death Alexander the Great is still regarded as one of the greatest conquerors of the world in human history. This brave soldier died in Babylon over 2000 years ago at the age of thirty-three only.

          His empire, stretching from Greece to India, disintegrated after his death. But the cities founded by him are still there. It is said that he founded about 70 cities during his short span of life.

          The story goes that when Alexander was only a boy of fourteen, he tamed the wild horse Bucephalus whom nobody else had been able to control. He rode this horse in all his battles. This horse died in a battle in India. He built a town and named it after the brave horse.

          Alexander’s father, Philip, became the king of Macedonia in 359 B.C. He raised his own army and planned an invasion of the great Persian Empire. But he was murdered in 336 B.C. in a palace conspiracy. After him, Alexander became the king at the age of twenty.

          Alexander had received the training of warfare from his father. The great philosopher Aristotle was his intellectual mentor. After his father’s death, a serious revolt broke out in his kingdom. Alexander restored law and order in a very short time. The young Alexander attacked the Persian Empire in about 334 B.C. There he fought two battles and achieved resounding victories. He was well-trained in the tactics of warfare. He was a fearless man. After conquering Persia, he attacked Egypt. He conquered Egypt also and established a city called Alexandria at the mouth of river Nile.

          When Alexander entered Asia Minor, he was shown the chariot of the ancient king Gordius and was told of a legend that whoever could untie the knot binding the chariot would rule the world. Alexander seized a sword and cut the knot. By now Alexander was the king of Macedonia, Greece, Egypt, Persia and Asia - half of the known world. For six more years his army kept on marching and conquered Afghanistan, Hindu Kush, Samarkand, Tashkent and Khyber Pass. Then he entered India.

          After entering Asia he started living in luxury. He married a rich and beautiful princess, Roxana. He fought his last great battle with the brave Indian king, Porus. He won this battle but with great difficulties. Alexander hoped to reach the river Ganga, but when his soldiers reached the river Beas, they refused to go further.

          They had been away from their homes for more than eight years. Alexander tried his best to persuade them but they did not move further. They marched back to their homes. Alexander developed high fever on the way and died in June 323 B.C. But though he lived to be only 33, he had built the greatest empire that civilization had yet known and he was the person who prepared the way for penetration of “Hellenistic” culture, i.e. the Greco-Macedonian culture that spread through the lands conquered by him into all parts of the known world.