Maharashtra Launches ‘Bhagyashree’ Scheme for Girl Child

Maharashtra government has launched Bhagyashree scheme for girls. The scheme replaces state government’s previous Sukanya scheme. Under the Sukanya scheme, the state government was to earmark an amount of Rs. 21,200 for each girl child born in a Below the Poverty Line (BPL) family. While the Bhagyashree scheme aims at providing one lakh rupees on maturity after the girl completes 18 years of age. Bollywood actress Bhagyashree is the brand ambassador of the scheme.

The Simpsons Co-creator Sam Simon Dies at 59

The co-creator of the hit animated show, The Simpsons, has died aged 59. A nine-time Emmy award winner, Simon was made showrunner on the sitcom Taxi aged 23. He wrote for and produced Cheers and The Drew Carey Show, and created a show for legendary US comedian George Carlin.

An Emmy Award, or simply Emmy, recognizes excellence in the television industry, and corresponds to the Academy Award (for film), the Tony Award (for theatre), and the Grammy Award (for music).

Veerappa Moily gets Saraswati Samman for his Kannada poem ‘Ramayana Mahaveshanam’

Former Union minister and senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily has been selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman for 2014 for his famous Kannada poem ‘Ramayana Mahanveshanam’. Instituted by the K K Birla Foundation in 1991, Saraswati Samman is given annually for an outstanding literary work in any Indian language mentioned in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution. The award carries a cash purse of Rs 10 lakhs, a citation and a plaque. In the poem, Moily tried to explore the ‘Ramarajya’ or the true principle of the ‘ideal State’ from a secular and modern point of view, the Foundation said in a release.

Camille Muffat, French Olympic swimming champion, dies in helicopter crash

French Olympic gold medalist swimmer Camille Muffat and bronze medalist boxer Alexis Vastine were among 10 people killed in a helicopter crash in Argentina on Monday during the filming of a reality TV show  “Dropped”.  Muffat won gold in the 2012 Olympic 400 m freestyle, silver in the 2012 Olympic 200 m freestyle and bronze in the 2013 World Championships 200 m freestyle. Alexis Vastine won a boxing bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.