Daily Current Affairs: 03 May 2014

1) President presented 61st National Film Awards 2014: President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday gave away trophies to the winners of National Film Awards including the best film for Anand Gandhi's 'Ship of Theseus' and most popular film to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra-directed 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag'.

Best Actress award winner Geetanjali Thapa (L), and joint winners for Best Actor Suraj Venjaramoodu (C) and Raj Kumar (R) 

'Ship of Theseus', a complex and philosophical film about an unusual photographer, a Jain monk and a stock broker, was given the best picture award which carries a Swarna Kamal and a cash prize of Rs 2,50,000. Hansal Mehta and Rajkumar Rao were given the award for the best director (Swarna Kamal and Rs 250,000) and best actor (Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000) for their biopic "Shahid" (Hindi) on slain lawyer-activist Shahid Azmi. Rao shared the best actor trophy with Suraj Venjaramoodu for Malayalam film 'Perariyathavar' which also won the award for being the best film on environment conservation. Actress Geetanjali Thapa was conferred the best actress trophy for her role in Hindi film 'Liar's Dice'.

2) Gulzar received Dadasaheb Phalke Award, overwhelmed: Veteran lyricist Gulzar received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema at the 61st National Awards ceremony in New Delhi on Saturday. The 77-year-old was overwhelmed and thanked a string of "gurus" and musical geniuses of the past and current generation for contributing to his success story.

Clad in his trademark white kurta pyjama, Gulzar turned towards the audience to take a bow before he approached the stage to receive the Swarna Kamal, Rs.1 million and a shawl, conferred upon him by President Pranab Mukherjee at the Vigyan Bhavan.

3) 350 dead, hundreds missing in Afghan landslide: More than 300 people were killed and hundreds of others feared dead after a landslide buried an Afghan village, officials said, as rescue teams on Saturday rushed to the scene in the hope of finding any survivors.

4) US sprint champion Tyson Gay suspended for a year for doping: Former world double sprint champion Tyson Gay has been suspended for one year after testing positive in 2013 for a banned anabolic steroid, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said on Friday. Gay has also returned the silver medal he won with the U.S. 4x100 metres relay team at the 2012 London Olympics but will be eligible to return to competition as early as next month after admitting his offence and co-operating with investigators.