Bollywood Veteran comedian Deven Verma passes away
Veteran Bollywood actor, comedian and filmmaker Deven Verma, passed away in Pune, Maharashtra. He was 77.About Deven Verma
- He was born and brought up in Pune.
- In his four decades of film career he has worked around 149 films. He had also worked in Marathi and Bhojpuri films.
- He is well known for his comic roles in films such as Angoor, Golmaal, Rang Birangi, Chori Mera Kaam and Chor Ke Ghar Chor among others.
- Among the new films in which he acted were ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Ishq’, ‘Kya Kehna’, ‘Salaakhein’, ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’ and ‘Hulchul’. His last Hindi film was ‘Calcutta Mail’ that released in 2003.
- A graduate in politics and sociology, Varma studied at Pune’s Nowrosjee Wadia College for Arts and Science between 1953 and 1957.
- He has won three Filmfare awards
- 1976- Chori Mera Kaam.
- 1979- Chor Ke Ghar Chor.
- 1983- Angoor.
- Films produced by him are- Dana Paani, Chatpati, Besharam , Nadaan, Yakeen.
- Films directed by him are- Dana Paani, Besharam, Bada Kabutar, Nadaan.
Former Maharashtra CM and Congress veteran AR Antulay passes away
Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and a veteran Congressman, Abdul Rahman Antulay, passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 85.About AR Antulay
- Abdul Rahman Antulay, widely known as AR Antulay.
- He was 8th and first and only Muslim Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1980 to 1982.
- He had resigned from his CM post following allegations of corruption scandal which was named as the “Cement scandal”. He was convicted in an extortion case by the Bombay High Court.
- As a veteran Congressman and lawyer remained loyal to Indira Gandhi during the Emergency and its aftermath when the Congress party split in 1978. The new outfit of Congress under leadership Indira Gandhi was born at his residence.
- He also served as the Union Minister of Minority Affairs in the UPA-I government lead by Dr. Manmohan Singh.
- He was elected as Congress party MLA and MP, from Raigad district of Maharashtra.
- He had fought his last election in 2009, which he lost to the Shiv Sena, after which he remained out of the active politics.
Centre appoints Anil Kumar Sinha as new CBI Director
The Centre has appointed senior IPS officer Anil Kumar
Sinha as the new Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
He will take over from Ranjit Sinha who will retire 3rd December 2014.His name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Appointments Committee had shortlisted Anil Sinha’s name from names of about 40 officers shortlisted by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Earlier Prime Minister Narendra had consulted Selection committee headed by him to clear Sinha’s name. Selection committee’s collegium comprised of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India HL Dattu and the leader of the largest Opposition party (Congress) – Mallikarjun Kharge.
The term of Anil Sinha will be for two years from the date he takes charge.
About Anil Kumar Sinha
- He is a 1979 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre.
- Before appointment as Director of CBI, he was serving as a Special Director in CBI.
- Before joining CBI, he was posted as additional secretary in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). He has also served as DIG and IG in Special Protection Group, New Delhi.
- In Bihar, he has held various senior positions including ADG (law and order) and ADG (vigilance) before moving to the Centre.
- He was awarded the police medal for meritorious service in 2000 and the President’s police medal for distinguished service in 2006.
Renowned Crime novelist PD James passes away
Renowned Crime novelist Phyllis Dorothy James has passed
away in Oxford, UK. She was 94. She was referred as queen of crime
fiction and well-known for her series of detective novels starring the
policeman and poet Adam Dalgliesh.About Phyllis Dorothy James
- Phyllis Dorothy James usually known as PD James was born in Oxford, UK was acclaimed British writer.
- She began her writing career in the 1950s.
- Her first novel ‘Cover Her face’ was published in 1962 which featured the investigator and poet Adam Dalgliesh named after a teacher at Cambridge High School.
- She had held a job in the forensic science department and then the criminal law department until 1979.
- She had gained international recognition in 1980 after the publication of her eighth book, Innocent Blood.
- Many of her detective novels were adapted by television in the UK in 1980s.
- She was awarded the Crime Writers’ Association’s Diamond Dagger award in 1987 for lifetime achievement, and had also received the Medal of Honour for Literature in 2005 by National Arts Club.
- She has over 20 novels to her credit.
- She was British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) governor from 1988 to 1993.
Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes dies after head injury
Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes died after he had
suffered a severe head injury due to a bouncer during a match. He was
25. He was in coma for three days following the injury sustained while
playing in a Sheffield Shield game in Sydney Cricket Ground.After this incident, Hughes had undergone emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain after being struck on the head by a ball. The cricket fraternity across the world today reacted with shock and sadness at the sad demise of Phil Hughes.
About Phillip Hughes
Phillip Joel Hughes was an Australian Test and One-Day International (ODI) cricketer. He had played for domestic cricket for South Australia and Worcestershire. He was a left-handed opening batsman who played for two seasons with New South Wales before making his Test debut in 2009 at the age of 20.
93rd birth anniversary of Dr.Verghese Kurien observed as National Milk Day in Gujarat
National Milk Day was observed in Gujarat to mark 93rd
birth anniversary of Dr.Verghese Kurien. It was the first of its kind
initiative organized by all dairy majors to celebrate November 26 as
National Milk Day in the memory Dr Verghese Kurien.The idea of celebrating Indian Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA).
Events organized on National Milk Day
- National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), IDA along with around 22 state level milk federation’s including Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) that markets brand Amul took part in this initiative.
- 200 lakh milk pouches of Amul will carry the National Milk Day’s logo featuring Dr Kurien for a week across the country.
- District level milk unions who are part of Milk federation had organized district level celebrations which were attended by around 10,000 milk producers.
- Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel addressed mega gathering of farmers in a programme organized by Banas Dairy in Palanpur district.
- In Anand district, all institutes founded by Mr Kurien i.e. Amul, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Anandalaya and NDDB participated to celebrate this day.
Verghese Kurien was renowned social entrepreneur. He was best known as the “Father of the White Revolution”.
Operation Flood: His ‘billion-litre idea’-Operation Flood which was the world’s largest agricultural development programme, helped to transform India from a milk-deficit country into the world’s largest milk producer.
Milk Co-operatives Movement: He had founded around 30 institutions of excellence (like AMUL, GCMMF, IRMA, NDDB) which are owned, managed by farmers and run by professionals. As the founding chairman of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Kurien was responsible for the creation and success of the Amul brand of dairy products.
Milk powder: Under his chairmanship, Amul achieved key invention of milk powder processed from buffalo milk.
Awards conferred to Verghese Kurien for his contribution are
- 1963- Ramon Magsaysay Award.
- 1989- World Food Prize by World Food Prize, USA.
- 1965- Padma Shri.
- 1966- Padma Bhushan.
- 1999- Padma Vibhushan.
It aims to publicize activities related to milk and milk industries and raise public awareness about the importance of milk and milk products for everyone throughout life.
Persons in News: Nkosazana D. Zuma
First woman chief of African Union
Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma became the first woman to take office as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) at the A.U. headquarters in Addis Ababa.
She is a South African politician and former anti-apartheid activist.
She became the first woman to lead the organization (including its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity)
Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma became the first woman to take office as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) at the A.U. headquarters in Addis Ababa. She is a South African politician and former anti-apartheid activist.
She became the first woman to lead the organization (including its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity)
Persons in News: Monisha Kaltenborn
First Woman Team Principal in Formula one
Monisha Kaltenborn of Indian origin became the First Woman Team Principal in Formula one after taking the hold of team Sauber, a swiss Formula one team.
Monisha took the place of Peter Sauber, the founder of the Sauber team, who stepped down from the position.
Monisha Kaltenborn of Indian origin became the First Woman Team Principal in Formula one after taking the hold of team Sauber, a swiss Formula one team. Monisha took the place of Peter Sauber, the founder of the Sauber team, who stepped down from the position.
Persons in News: Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai: A school student and education activist from the town of Mingora in the Swat District of Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province. She is famous for her education and women’s rights activism in the Swat Valley,
where the Taliban has at times opposed girls from attending school.
Yousafzai gained prominence by giving interviews in print and on
television. She was appointed as chairperson of the District Child
Assembly Swat.- She was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize by Desmond Tutu, and has won Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize.
Former Union Minister Murli Deora Passes away
Former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader Murli
Deora passed away after prolonged illness. He was 77. Mr. Deora, had
held several important portfolios at local and national level politics during his decades-long political career.About Murli Deora
- Murli Deora was popularly known as Murli bhai. He was an economics graduate, industrialist and social worker-turned-politician.
- He started his political career after contesting for the civic elections in Mumbai in 1968 and was elected as corporator . He was Mayor of Mumbai from 1977 to 1978.
- Later he was elected to the Lok Sabha four times from Mumbai South, a seat later held by his son, Milind, who is also a former MP and ex Union minister. Currently, he was serving his third term as a Rajya Sabha MP. For 22 years, he was President of Mumbai Congress.
- He was Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas during the UPA-1 regime.
- In 2006, he joined the Union Cabinet shortly before he turned 70 and led oil diplomacy in Myanmar, Algeria and Egypt, and held talks with ministers from Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia and Comoros.
- In November 2007, as Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, he successfully hosted the first India-Africa Hydrocarbon Conference and Exhibition.
- After 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he retained the portfolio of Petroleum and Natural Gas in the UPA-2 government under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Magnus Carlsen defeats Anand: Retains World Championship
Norway’s Magnus Carlsen retained his title of World chess champion by defeating Indian opponent Viswanathan Anand in the 11th round of their title match held in Sochi, Russia.Carlsen scored 6.5 points after the final match to retain the title by defeating his challenger Viswanathan Anand who had held this championship title from 2007 to 2013.
About Magnus Carlsen
- Magnus Carlsen is a Norwegian chess grandmaster, No. 1 ranked player in the world and reigning World Chess Champion in classical, rapid, and blitz.
- His peak rating is 2882, the highest in history.
- He became Grandmaster in 2004, at the age of 13 years, 148 days, making him at that time the second youngest grandmaster in history, although he has since become the third youngest.
- On 1st January 2010, at the age of 19 years, 32 days, he was the youngest chess player in history to be ranked world No. 1.
- In 2013, he was named in the Time magazine list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.
Deepak Gupta is new UPSC Chairman
Government has appointed former IAS officer Deepak Gupta
as a new chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). He took
over as the chairman of UPSC on 22nd November 2014 after the tenure of then UPSC chairman Rajni Razdan came to an end.
He is the first chairman of UPSC, appointed by breaking away from the tradition of appointing the top post from the serving members of the Commission.
As per convention, the UPSC chairman is appointed from among the members of the Commission. This time it was the turn of former Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer Alka Sirohi, to be appointed UPSC Chairman who is working as member in the Commission but instead non-member of commission Deepak Gupta was appointed.
He is the first chairman of UPSC, appointed by breaking away from the tradition of appointing the top post from the serving members of the Commission.
As per convention, the UPSC chairman is appointed from among the members of the Commission. This time it was the turn of former Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer Alka Sirohi, to be appointed UPSC Chairman who is working as member in the Commission but instead non-member of commission Deepak Gupta was appointed.
About Deepak Gupta
- Deepak Gupta is a retired IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre of 1974 batch. He is younger brother of former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta.
About Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
UPSC is constitutional body which conducts the prestigious civil services examination to select IAS, IFS and IPS officers among others. It has been established under Article 315 of the Constitution and consists of a Chairman and ten Members; appointed and removed by President. The chairman and members of the Commission hold office for a term if six years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.At present there are 10 members in UPSC
Alka Sirohi former Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer, academician David R Syiemlieh, retired IFS officer Manbir Singh, former CBI Director Amar Pratap Singh, former Navy Vice Chief D K Dewan, former Railway Board Chairman Vinay Mittal, educationists P Kelimsungla and Hem Chandra Gupta, and former IAS officer Chhatar Singh are members of the Commission.Farhan Akhtar named UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia
Bollywood actor-director Farhan Akhtar has been appointed as UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia. He has become the first male to be appointed as Goodwill Ambassador in UN’s history.
As UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia, he will dedicate his
efforts towards the empowerment of women and girls and will serve as an
advocate for UN Women’s newly launched ‘HeForShe’ campaign in advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment.Key Notes:
- Farhan Akhtar, as an accomplished and well-respected actor-filmmaker-singer has raised the voice on the important issue of gender equality and violence against women and girls in India through his Men Against Rape and Discrimination (MARD) campaign.
- His own MARD campaign is for sensitizing men and creating awareness about the safety of women.
- The MARD campaign successfully had encouraged many actors to join this campaign and spread awareness.
- In this campaign, he has asked all men and boys to participate in eradicating gender inequality.
About UN Women
UN Women was established in 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly. It is the UN’s entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. It was established for accelerating the Organization’s goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Its main functions include:- To support inter-governmental bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of Women, for formulation of policies, global standards and norms.
- To help Member States to implement these standards and to forge effective partnerships with civil society.
- To hold the UN system accountable for its own commitments on gender equality, including regular monitoring of system-wide progress.
Haribhau Bagde of BJP elected as new Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
Senior BJP legislator Haribhau Bagde was unanimously elected as new Speaker of the Maharashtra
Legislative Assembly. His name was announced by Protem Speaker Jiva
Gavit in the newly-constituted Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. He was
elected unanimously after Shiv Sena and Congress withdrew their
candidates.
Bagde is the MLA from Phulambhari in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. He had held several important posts in the BJP as well as the Sena-BJP government in 1995.
Bagde is the MLA from Phulambhari in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. He had held several important posts in the BJP as well as the Sena-BJP government in 1995.
Constitutional provision for Speaker of State Legislative Assembly
Article 178 of Constitution: Speaker will preside over the sessions of the Legislative Assembly of an Indian State. The Legislative Assembly in a State, at its very first session shall elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker, from among its members. The Speaker remains in office till the next Speaker is sworn in.Noted Producer and Director Ravi Chopra Passes away
Ravi Chopra, best known for directing the classic television series Mahabharata has died in Mumbai. He was 68. He was suffering from lung cancer from last few years. He was born on 27th
September 1946 and was the son of legendary film producer &
director B R Chopra and nephew of producer & director late Yash
Chopra. Aditya Chopra and Uday Chopra are his cousins.He started his career in film industry by assisting his father B R Chopra in films like, Dastaan (1972) and Dhund (1973). He also assisted his uncle Yash Chopra in Ittefaq (1969).
He made his independent directorial debut with Zameer (1975), produced under the family banner, B.R. Films.
Films Directed by him
- Zameer (1975).
- The Burning Train (1980).
- Aaj Ki Awaz (1984).
- Mazdoor (1983).
- Dahleez (1986).
- Baghban (2003).
- Baabul (2006).
- Banda Ye Bindaas Hai (2009).
- Mahabharata (1988-1990).
- Ramayana (2002).
- Vishnu Puran(2003).
- Ma Shakti (2007).
Lee Chong Wei provisionally suspended for anti-doping regulation violation
Badminton
World Federation (BWF) has provisionally suspended Malaysian badminton
player and World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei due to an apparent anti-doping
regulation violation. BWF, world-governing body for has Badminton has
imposed this suspension due to an adverse analytical finding of a sample
taken at the World Championships in August, 2014.The provisional suspension means the athlete is barred temporarily from participation in any competition prior to the Doping Hearing Panel’s decision. The BWF has referred this matter to its Doping Hearing Panel and, in due course, the chair of the panel will set the time, date and location of a hearing. The panel will determine whether or not the athlete has committed an anti-doping regulation violation.
About Lee Chong Wei
Lee Chong Wei is a Malaysian Chinese professional badminton player.As a singles player, he was ranked first worldwide for 199 consecutive weeks from 21 August 2008 to 14 June 2012.
Achievements: He has won 55 career tittles and was named the BWF player of the year four times. He has won silver at 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He is a four time Commonwealth Games gold Medalist, 2 each in singles and men’s team events. He has won three silver medals and a bronze at the World Championships. He was part of the Silver medal winning Malaysian team at the 2014 Thomas Cup.
K C Reddy appointed in United Nations (UN) probe panel on Gaza
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed a former Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer K C Reddy as the member of United Nations
(UN) probe panel on Gaza. KC Reddy is only Indian to be part
five-member panel to investigate Israeli attacks on UN shelters during
the Gaza war and the discovery of Hamas weapons at UN sites.The inquiry panel will be headed by retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert. Other members of the panel include Maria Vicien-Milburn of Argentina, Lee O’Brien of America, Pierre Lemelin of Canada and K.C. Reddy of India.
About United Nations (UN) probe panel on Gaza
- The UN probe panel was set up by UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon to probe the presence of arms on UN premises in the Gaza strip and the damage to its facilities during the conflict between Israel and Palestinian factions.
- The five-member board will look into contentious incidents during the confrontation between Israel and the Palestinian organisation, Hamas, in July and August 2014.
- The fighting raged in this time period saw entire neighbourhoods in the Gaza strip flattened and almost one-third of the area’s population uprooted.
- In one incident in July, 15 Palestinians were killed and 200 injured by an Israeli rocket strike on a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
- The overall violence had killed more than 2100 Palestinians and destroyed over 100000 homes.
KC Reddy belonged to the Meghalaya cadre of the IPS. He was awarded the Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service. Reddy was formerly the chief security adviser to the secretary-general for the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS).
Jnanpith award 2013 conferred on Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh
President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the 49th
Jnanpith Award (for year 2013) to eminent Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh
for his outstanding contribution towards Indian literature. He was
conferred this award at a function held at Balyogi Auditorium, Parliament Library Building in New Delhi.Kedarnath Singh as a poet has offered a rare assimilation of rhymes and lyrical prose, exploring both the realms of reality and fantasy with equal felicity. His poetry presents a collage of meaning, colours and acceptance.
He is the 10th Hindi writer to receive the award.
About Kedarnath Singh
- Kedarnath Singh was a celebrated teacher who had taught at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
- He was born in Balia of Uttar Pradesh and is known for his work Abhi bilkul abhi and Yahan se dekho.
- He is also an eminent critic and essayist. He was also awarded Sahitya Akademi Award (1989) in Hindi for his poetry collection, Akaal Mein Saras.
- He became famous with a book entitled Teesra Saptak edited by Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayan whose pen name was Agyeya.
- The Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country.
- The name of award is taken from Sanskrit words, Jnana and Pitha (knowledge-seat).
- The award includes 11 lakh rupees and a citation plaque and a bronze replica of Saraswati.
- The award was instituted in 1961. It is presented by the Bharatiya Jnanpith trust founded by the Sahu Jain family.
- The award is given to any Indian citizen who writes in any 22 official languages of India mentioned in VIII Schedule of Constitution.
- Prior to 1982, the awards were given for a single work by a writer; since then, the award has been given for a lifetime contribution to Indian literature.
Communist Leader M V Raghavan Passes away
Communist Marxist Party (CMP) founder in Kerala and leader Melathu Veettil Raghavan died on 9th November 2014. He was 81. He died after a prolonged illness due to Parkinsons disease.
He had served as Minister for Co-operation of Kerala for two terms in
1991-1996 and 2001-06 in United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition
government.About Melathu Raghavan
- Melathu Raghavan is also known as MVR was born in Kannur, Kerala in 1933.
- At the age of 15, he became part of the communist movement and then became the trade union leader. He was considered as a firebrand and inspiring leader of the Left mass.
- In 1967, he was the CPI (M) party state secretary at Kannur and later became the state secretariat member of the party.
- In 1986, he was expelled from the CPI (M) party due to difference in opinion with the leadership.
- After he was expelled from the CPI (M) party, he founded the Communist Marxist Party (CMP) and later formed an alliance with Congress to form UDF.
- He was seven time legislator in Kerala Assembly and served as a minister for two terms.
- He was the founder of the Pariyaram Co-operative Medical College in Kannur District which was first medical college under co-operative sector in India.
- He was also credited for setting up the cooperative establishments like Pappinissery Visha Chikilsa Kendram (Snake-venom removal centre), Snake Park and the Ayurvedic Medical College in Kerala.
Laxmikant Parsekar sworn-in as Chief Minister of Goa
Goa Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was sworn-in as 18th Chief Minister of Goa on 8th November. He succeeded Manohar Parrikar who resigned on 8th November 2014 in order to take charges of Union Defence
Minister. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Goa
Governor Mridula Sinha. Along with Parsekar, seven other BJP ministers
were also sworn-in.They are: Francis D’Souza, Dayanand Mandrekar, Ramesh Tawadkar, Mahadev Naik, Dilip Parulekar, Milind Naik, and Alina Saldanha.
Two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) ministers Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar and Pandurang Deepak Dhavalikar were also sworn-in.
About Laxmikant Parsekar
Laxmikant Parsekar is the three-time MLA from Mandrem constituency in North Goa. Parsekar started as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) party worker. His political career started in 1988 after he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the instructions of the RSS.Manohar Parrikar resigns as Goa CM
On 8th November 2014, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar resigned from his position to take up post of Defence minister in the Union Cabinet.
With the resignation of Parrikar, entire state cabinet comprising of
12 ministers was dissolved. The fresh cabinet would be sworn-in along
with the new Chief Minister.About Manohar Parrikar
- Parrikar was born on 13 December 1955.
- He did his graduation in metallurgical engineering from IIT Bombay in 1978.
- He was Chief Minister of Goa first from 2000 to 2005 and later from March 2012 to November 2014.
- Manohar Parrikar is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India and represented the Panaji constituency in the Legislative Assembly of Goa.
Indian-origin politician Keith Vaz named as Labour MP of the Year
Indian-origin British politician Keith Vaz was named as
the Labour MP of the year 2014. He was choosen for this award for his
valuable work for underrepresented, deprived and minority sections in
the United Kingdom. Speaker of the house John Bercow announced the Patchwork Foundation MPs of the Year 2014 at Speakers House.The awards were announced for those who have represented and worked with underrepresented, deprived and minority communities across the country.
The MP of the Year Awards not only highlights the work MPs are doing to better understand their diverse communities but also applauds those MP’s who are encouraging greater civic and political engagement.
About Keith Vaz
- His full name is Nigel Keith Anthony Standish Vaz, but popularly known as Keith Vaz
- He is a British Labour Party politician. He is Member of Parliament for Leicester East since 1987. He is the longest-serving Asian MP in United Kingdom and has been the Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee since July 2007.
- He was appointed as a member of the Privy Council in June 2006. He has also been named among the most influential Asians in Britain. Before his political career, Vaz was a practicing solicitor.
APJ Abdul Kalam is honorary professor in top Chinese University
Former President of India
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was formally conferred the title of Honorary
Professor by the Peking University, one of the oldest Chinese
universities.On 5th November 2014, President of the University Enge Wang presented the Honorary Professor certificate to Kalam. The ceremony was also attended by Indian Ambassador Ashok K Kantha and other officials.
Then he delivered lecture on ‘sustainable development system and creative leadership’ to a group of students drawn from different disciplines of the university.
He was formally invited to teach at the University by its Chairman Zhu Shanlu when he visited China for the first time in 2012.
Key facts of Lecture
- He called for Sino-Indian joint space collaboration and interface between universities of the two countries on development themes.
- He mentioned that if universities of the world work together, it will be a major factor in better understanding of the different cultures and contribute significantly to the peace and prosperity of the world.
- China and India should have research and academic interfaces in development themes in order to address the development challenges.
- Both countries should jointly take up the challenge to build satellites that could generate round-the-clock solar power and connect the world with clean power.
Sajid Javid is first Indian-origin Cabinet Minister in Britain
On 5th November 2014, Sajid Javid Britain’s secretary of state or cabinet minister for culture, media and sport, has disclosed that his father was from India and his mother from Pakistan. So it makes him half-Indian and the first person of Indian origin to be a cabinet minister in Britain.He made this announcement at British Asian dinner, which released a ‘Power 101 Britain’s Most Influential Asians 2015′ list which had him at top position. Earlier, he was always been described as being of Pakistani origin, which he partially is, but his Indian connection was unknown publicly.
Previously, Indian origin MP, Keith Vaz was a minister of state in a Labour government. But no one of Indian descent has ever been appointed a cabinet minister in Britain until now.
In 2010, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who is of Pakistani origin, became a cabinet minister, the first Asian to be thus elevated.
About Sajid Javid
Sajid Javid is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bromsgrove since 2010. Currently he is the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for Equalities since 2014.He previously had served as Economic Secretary from 2012 to 2013 and as the Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 2013 to 2014.
Key facts of ‘Power 101 Britain’s Most Influential Asians 2015′ list ranking
Top five positions:- Sajid Javid- Britain’s secretary of state or cabinet minister for culture, media and sport
- Malala Yousafzai- Nobel Peace Prize winner
- Keith Vaz-Indian-origin Labour MP
- Lakshmi Mittal- Indian steel tycoon
- Hinduja brothers.
Power 101 has been compiled by The Asian Media and Marketing Group (AMG) and features the top 101 most influential Asians in the UK, ranging from all walks of life
Narendra Modi enters into Forbes List of Powerful People 2014
On 5th November 2014, Forbes magazine released
the list of ‘World’s 72 Most Powerful People’. The list gives the
annual ranking of the World’s 72 Most Powerful People on the basis of
their financial resources, scope and use of power and the number of
people they impact.Some key facts from this year’s Forbes list of World’s Most Powerful People
- For the consecutive second year, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been named the world’s most powerful person in the list.
- US President Barack Obama took the second spot on Forbes’ list for the second consecutive year.
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is new comer in this list, ranked 15th.
- Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was the highest ranked Indian last year at 21, was omitted from the list this year.
- Newcomers: This year there are 12 newcomers on the list, including Indian PM Narendra Modi and Egypt President Abdel el-Sisi.
Terror group Islamic State’s chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is also new comer to the list, ranked 54th.
- The list also included names Indian businessmen’s. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani at 36th, ArcelorMittal chairman and CEO Lakshmi Mittal at 57th and Microsoft’s Indian-born CEO Satya Nadella at 64th.
- Women who are in the list: For the first time, two women German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Head of US Federal Reserve System, Janet Yellen, reached the top 10.
- The list features 17 heads, who run nations with a combined GDP of around 48 trillion US dollars.
| 10 most powerful people in the world | ||
| Rank | Name | Designation |
| 1 | Vladimir Putin | President of Russia |
| 2 | Barack Obama | President of US |
| 3 | Xi Jinping | President of China |
| 4 | Pope Francis | Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, Vatican City |
| 5 | Angela Merkel | Chancellor of Germany |
| 6 | Janet Yellen | Head of US Federal Reserve |
| 7 | Bill Gates | Chairman of Bill & Melinda Foundation |
| 8 | Mario Draghi | President of the European Central Bank |
| 9 | Sergey Brin Larry Page | Google founders |
| 10 | David Cameron | Prime Minister of UK |
| Indian’s in this list | ||
| 15 | Narendra Modi | Prime Minister of India |
| 36 | Mukesh Ambani | Chairman of Reliance Industries |
| 57 | Lakshmi Mittal | Chairman and CEO ArcelorMittal |
| 64 | Satya Nadella | CEO Microsoft |
About the Forbes list of World’s Most Powerful People list
It was stated in 2009. The list has one slot for every 100 million people on Earth, it means in 2009 there were 67 slots on the list, in 2010 there were 68, in 2011 there were 70, and in 2012 there were 71 slots.
Slots are allocated based on the amount of human and financial resources as well as their influence on world events.
The list seeks to answer a straight yet complex question that- What is the true nature of power and can we really compare and rank heads of state with religious figures and outlaws?
Veteran actor Sadashiv Amrapurkar dies at 64
Veteran actor Sadashiv Amrapurkar passed away due to
complications from a lung infection at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani
Hospital in Mumbai.
Amrapurkar is known for his stellar performance in Sadak, Ishq and Ardh
Satya. He was especially well known for his villainous roles, and later
his comedic roles. He has done roles in mainly Marathi and Hindi
movies, though he established his presence in various other regional
movies. He was very active during the 1980s and 1990s. Since the 2000s,
he has starred only in one movie, Bombay Talkies. He has also been a
recipient of multiple Filmfare Awards.Some other key facts about Amrapurkar are:-
- Amrapurkar was born as Ganesh Kumar Narwode in Ahmednagar on 11 May 1950
- While completing his Masters in History at Pune University, he was already pursuing his passion in theatre. He adopted the stage name Sadashiv Amrapurkar in 1974.
- Initially, he worked in theatre as well as the silver screen.
- He began his acting career in theatre where he directed and acted in nearly fifty plays.
- He made his movie debut in a Marathi film ‘22 June 1897’ where he portrayed Bal Gangadhar Tilak. His Bollywood debut was in Govind Nihalani’s Ardh Satya.
- Since then, he has acted in over 300 movies in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Oriya, and Telugu languages.
- He was the first actor to receive the newly instituted Filmfare Award for ‘Best Performance in a Negative Role’ for his portrayal of Maharani, an evil eunuch, in the movie Sadak in 1991. His other Filmfare Award includes Best Supporting Actor for Ardh Satya in 1984. He was also nominated for Best Villain for Kaal Chakra in 1988 and Best Villain for Ishq in 1998.
- His last onscreen appearance was in Bombay Talkies where he did a cameo in the portion filmed by Dibakar Banerjee.
- He is survived by his wife, Sunanda Amarapurkar, three children and three grandchildren.
Chairman of Union Carbide Warren Anderson dies at 92
Former Chairman of Union Carbide Corporation, Warren M Anderson died on 29th
September 2014 at a nursing home in Vero Beach, Florida. He was 92.
Anderson was blamed for the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy as he was Chairman
and CEO of the Union Carbide Corporation at the time of the disaster.His death was not announced by his family in public but it was confirmed from public records.
About Warren M Anderson
- Warren M Anderson was an American businessman.
- He had served as Chairman and CEO of the Union Carbide Corporation at the time of the Bhopal disaster in 1984.
- Four days after the accident, he was immediately arrested. But after quickly paying bail, he never ran away and never returned to face trial in India.
- He was officially labeled as a fugitive by Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal on 1st February 1992 Bhopal disaster.
- The judge also called him an absconder for failing to appear at the court hearings in a culpable homicide case.
- Union government had requested the US government to extradite him several times but it was always denied since the first extradition request in 2003 due to lack of evidence.
- The Bhopal gas tragedy was a gas leak incident in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. It is considered as the world’s worst industrial disaster.
- It occurred on the night of 2-3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
- Over 500,000 people in Bhopal and surrounding area were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals after gas leak incident.
- The government of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh confirmed 3,787 deaths as a result of gas leakage. Unofficial estimates exceeded 10,000.
- More than a half-million people were injured, with many dying from illnesses including lung cancer, kidney failure and liver disease.
- In 1989, Union Carbide paid $470 million to the Indian government to settle litigation stemming from the disaster.
- In 2010, eight low-level Indian executives of Union Carbide’s Bhopal subsidiary were convicted of negligence in this tragedy.
Devendra Fadnavis sworn in as Chief Minister of Maharashtra
On 31st October 2014, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis, was sworn-in as the 18th Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He is the first BJP leader from Maharashtra to become CM.Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Fadnavis.
Along with CM Fadnavis, the Cabinet ministers were also sworn.
These Cabinet ministers were sworn: Eknath Khadse, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Vinod Tawde and Pankaja Munde, Prakash Mehta, Vishnu Sawra, and Chandrakant Patil. Besides, Dilip Kamble and Vidya Thakur were sworn in as ministers of state.
The oath ceremony took place in public function at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, Maharashtra and was witnessed by over 30000 people.
Fadnavis was appointed as CM of the State after he was elected by the elected legislative assembly members of the BJP.
About Devendra Fadnavis
- Fadnavis is a fourth-term MLA from Nagpur. He has been elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra State, representing Nagpur South West, since 1999.
- He is the fourth politician from Vidarbha region to become CM.
- At the age of 44, he is the second youngest person to become CM of Maharashtra.
- He was the second youngest mayor elected in India, when he served as the Mayor of Nagpur at the age of 27, in 1997.
- The State Assembly elections were held in October 2014.
- In this election, BJP had emerged as the single largest party in the 288-member Maharashtra state assembly by winning 122 seats.
- But at present BJP has 121 MLA’s as one of its MLA Govind Rathod died.
- The Shiv Sena finished second with 63 seats.
- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which emerged victorious in 41 seats, has offered the BJP external support to form the government in the state.
Jawahar Sircar elected vice president of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
The CEO of Prasar Bharati, Jawhar Sircar, was elected unopposed as the Vice-President of the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).Also, representatives from Malaysian broadcaster RTM and Japan’s NHK were also chosen as Vice-Presidents while the representative from South Korean broadcaster KBS was chosen as the President.
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)
The ABU was formed in 1964, and is a non-profit, non-governmental, professional association of broadcasting organizations. It has over 200 members in over 60 countries/regions. Its headquarters is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and its President is Yoshinori Imai.India is a founder member since 1964 and All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan have been associated with ABU too.ABU has full time members who must be national free-to-air broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific; associate members that is open to provincial, subscription and national broadcasters; and affiliate members who are organizations connected to broadcastic.
ABU provides a forum to promote the collective interests of its members. It is one of the most prominent and the third largest broadcasting union in the world.
Surya Prakash appointed as Chairman of Prasar Bharti
Surya Prakash, has been appointed as the Chairman of the
Board of Prasar Bharti for a period of three years. Prakash’s name was
recommended by a three member committee. The Committee comprised of:-- Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is also the head of the committee
- Press Council of India Chairperson, Markandey Katju
- Bimal Julka, Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
About Surya Prakash
Prakash is a journalist and a distinguished fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation. At the time of his appointment, he was Consulting Editor of The Pioneer.came on the recommendation of a three-member committee headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari and comprising Press Council of India chairperson Markandey Katju and Bimal Julka, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Mr.Prakash has also held ‘key posts at several print and broadcast media organisations including Zee News, The Pioneer, Indian Express and the Eenadu group, among others.’
About Prasar Bharati
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous body that was established under the Prasar Bharati Act in 1997. It is the public broadcaster of India. AIR (All India Radio) and Doordarshan are part of Prasar Bharati. Before the establishment of Prasar Bharati, they were under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh to be Chair of Future Earth’s Engagement Committee
Jairam Ramesh, former Environment Minister, has been asked to chair the Future Earth Engagement Committee.Future Earth Engagement Committee
The Committee is a global research platform panel on sustainable development. The strategic advisory group was instituted by an alliance of organisations including the UNEP (UN Environment Programme), UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). However, the Committee is the flagship initiative of the Science and Technology Alliance for Global Sustainability.The committee will provide knowledge and support to hasten the introduction of sustainable technologies. The committee will consist of leaders from stakeholder groups, including business, policy and civil society and will be representative of various societal partners, who can help bring about change.
The Committee will comprise of 18 members and will be fully constituted by the end of 2014.
Earlier roles in international fora
Jairam Ramesh was also a member of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Global Sustainability Panel between 2011 and 2012. He also played a key role in the UN Climate Change Conferences at Copenhagen in 2009 and Cancun in 2010.Noted freedom fighter Jagdish Sharan dies
Prominent freedom fighter Jagdish Sharan Pande passed away in Almora, Uttarakhand at age 95. He died after a prolonged illness.
Pande was a resident of Bhatkot in Uttarakhand. After his death, Pande’s remains were consigned to flames with full state honours.
Post-independence, Pande has been actively involved in social work.
Pande was a resident of Bhatkot in Uttarakhand. After his death, Pande’s remains were consigned to flames with full state honours.
Post-independence, Pande has been actively involved in social work.
Role in the fight for Independence
Pande was a part of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj. He was also jailed in Burma during 1943-44 for his involvement.N. Gopalaswami to head Kalakshetra Foundation
The Union Ministry of Culture
has named N.Gopalaswami as the Chairman of the governing board of the
Kalakshetra Foundation. Gopalaswami is a former IAS officer belonging to
the Gujarat cadre, and former Chief Election Commissioner. He will act as Chairman for a duration of five years.His predecessor was Gopalkrishna Gandhi who resigned in May this year.
Kalakshetra Foundation
Kalakshetra was founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale to nurture India’s artistic traditions. It is located in Besant Nagar, Chennai. It is a cultural academy that aims to presere the traditions of the Bharatanatyam dance form and traditional music.In January 1994, the Central Government passed a legislation to recognize the Kalakshetra Foundation as an ‘Institute of National Importance’.
Kalakshetra’s current Director is Priyadarshini Govind.
International Boxing Association (AIBA) suspends Sarita Devi
Indian boxer L.Sarita Devi has been provisionally
suspended by the AIBA for refusing to accept the bronze medal she won
after losing the semifinal fight over a controversial decision at the
2014 Asian Games.Suspension
Along with Sarita Devi, her coaches Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu, B.I.Fernandes and Sagar Mai Dhayal and India’s chef-de-mission Adille Sumariwala to the Incheon Asiad 2014 have also been suspended. All of them are prohibited from participating in the upcoming competitions till further notice. Other than AIBA competitions, they also cannot participate in AIBA events and meetings. This Sarita Devi case has now been sent for review by the AIBA Disciplinary Commission.The suspension means that Sarita Devi will miss the upcoming Women’s World Championships in Jeju, South Korea which is scheduled to take place between November 13 and 25.
Key facts about Oscar De La Renta
Fashion designer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and
fashion icon Oscar de la Renta passed away at age 82 at his home in
Kent, Connecticut. Some of the important facts of his life are:-- De la Renta was born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic in 1932 in a middle class family.
- Later, he moved to Madrid, Spain and studied at the Academy of San Fernando. He was meant to study painting, but he accidentally got involved in designing.
- In Spain, he worked in the ateliers of Balenciaga, Dior and Lanvin
- He, then moved to USA to work for Elizabeth Arden
- In 1965, he launched his own ready to wear label. His style is described as modern, yet feminine
- He has designed for CEOs, first wives, political icons, socialites and Hollywood elites for the last five decades.
- He served as President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America from 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988
- Between 1993 to 2002, de la Renta designed haute couture collections for Pierre Balmain, single-handedly helping the revival of fashion house which has been witnessing disappointing sales
- Also, he has served on the boards of The Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall amongst others. He also supports several cultural institutions, including New Yorkers for Children, the Americas Society and the Spanish Institute. He also supports an orphanage in the Dominican
- The Dominican Republic has awarded him the Order of Juan Pablo Duarte and the Order of Cristóbal Colón
- In 2002, he introduced his own furniture line. His brand also has a line of perfumes & fragrance which is sold in over 70 countries
- He has been battling cancer since 2006, and is believed to have passed away due to the disease. Before his death, he appointed British designer Peter Copping as his successor to the Oscar de la Renta brand
- De la Renta is survived by his wife, Annette Engelhard; his son, Moises; three sisters; three step-children and nine step-grandchildren
Oscar Pistorius sentenced for five years
The judgment sentencing Olympian Oscar Pistorius for the
murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was passed by Judge Thokozile
Masipa.Conviction
Oscar Pistorius was convicted earlier by a South African Court for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend. The Court held that Pistorius had unintentionally killed her. Pistorius had claimed that he had mistaken his girlfriend for an intruder and shot and killed her.Sentencing hearing
Pistorius has been sentenced to the maximum of five years for the crime of culpable homicide. He was also found guilty on one charge of possessing a gun at a restaurant and sentenced for three years. The two sentences are expected to run concurrently.However, Pistorius could have his sentence commuted to corrective supervision, or house arrest, after serving a sixth of the sentence i.e. 10 months.
The Ban
The International Paralympic Committee has announced that it will ban Pistorius from its competitions for five years. The Olympic Committee is expected to follow suit.About Oscar Pistorius
Pistorius was born with a congenital abnormality, which led to him getting both his legs amputated below the knee even before his first birthday. He is a Paralympics and Olympics sprinter. In 2012, he became the first double amputee to compete at the Olympics. Though he did not win a medal there, he won a medal in the Paralympics.Longest-serving MLA in Maharashtra Ganpatrao Deshmukh wins 11th time, creates record
Veteran legislator Ganpatrao Deshmukh won the legislative assembly elections for the 11th time. This makes him the longest serving MLA in India.Ganpatrao Deshmukh
88 year old Deshmukh won from Sangola in Solapur district, which he has represented for 54 years. In 2009, Deshmukh became the second legislator in India after M.Karunanidhi to have won 10 elections.Deshmukh belongs to the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP). He has been a Minister twice, but has spent most of his time being part of the Opposition. He was first elected as a MLA in 1962, and since then has won every election except for the 1972 and 1995 elections.
In 2012, he completed 50 years in the assembly, for which he was felicitated by the Assembly and the Government.
2014 legislative assembly win
The 2014 legislative assembly election was Deshmukh’s 13th assembly election. He defeated Shiv Sena’s Shahajibapu Patil by 25,224 votes. Deshmukh garnered 94,374 votes to Patil’s 69,150. The NCP chose not to field a candidate against Deshmukh.Five year Indian boy climbs Kalapathar peak, sets world record
Harshit Saumitra, a five year and eleven month old Indian
has successfully climbed Kalapathar peak. Harshit Saumitra is the son
of a famous mountaineer, Rajeev Saumitra.
Kalapathar Peak
The Kalapathar Peak is 200 m above the base camp of Mount Everest in Nepal. The peak is 5,554 m high. It is also the highest peak amongst all the highest peaks of three continents, Europe’s Mount Blanc (4,810 m), Antartica’s Vinson Massif (4,892 m) and Australia’s Punack Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 m).Climb to the peak
Harshit and his team, consisting of his father and two Sherpa guides, landed at Lukla Airport in a helicopter on October 7. It took them 10 days to reach the peak for a climb that normally takes 7 days.World Records
Harshit’s father has claimed that Harshit has broken a world record set by 7 year old Aryan Balaji, who has climbed to Kalapathar in 2012. They are in the process of registering Harshit’s name for the Limca Book of Records and are considering applying for the Guinness World Records.Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs
The Central Government has replaced Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram with Rajasthan Chief Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi. Mayaram is being shifted to the Tourism Ministry. Both officers are IAS officers from the 1978 Rajasthan cadre.Mehrishi has ten months of service left and has prior experience in the Finance Ministry. And Mayaram will replace Parvez Dewan as Tourism Secretary when Dewan retires at the end of October.
Secretaries at the Finance Ministry
The Finance Ministry has four secretaries, namely, Economic Affairs, Expenditure, Revenue and Financial Services. The senior most of these four secretaries is designated the Finance Secretary.
Arvind Subramanian appointed new Chief Economic Advisor of India
Renowned economist Arvind Subramanian has been appointed the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment, on a contract basis, for three years.Facts About Arvind Subramanian
Arvind Subramanian is a well respected academician, economist, author and global thinker.The US based economist obtained his undergraduate degree from St.Stephens College in Delhi, postgraduate degree from IIM-Ahmedabad and did his doctorate at the University of Oxford in UK.
Subramanian has been advising the Indian government in different capacities. He has been a member of the Finance Minister’s Expert Group on the G-20. He was Assistant Director in the Research Department of the IMF and was associated with the GATT (1988-92) during the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations.
Duties as CEA
The CEA is expected to immediately start working on the next fiscal’s budget. In a statement made after his appointment, Mr.Subramanian identified two areas of focus for the Indian economy, namely, maintaining macro-economic stability and creating conditions conducive for rapid investment and growth.The CEA is the economic advisor to the Government of India, and works directly under the Ministry of Finance. The CEA is the also the ex-officio cadre controlling authority of the IES (Indian Economic Service). Also, the CEA enjoys rank and pay equivalent to that of a Secretary to Government of India.
Richard Flanagan wins Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize 2014 for fiction was awarded to Australian author Richard Flanagan, for his novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North.The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Flanagan’s book centers around the themes of love and war. It is set in the background of World War II, in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. Flanagan worked on the novel for 12 years, and wrote five different versions before settling on the final one. The book is inspired by the personal experiences of Flanagan’s father, who was a prisoner-of-war.Richard Flanagan
Flanagan was born in Tasmania in July 1961. He is the third Australian to win the Man Booker Prize. Flanagan’s previous novels, Death of a River Guide, The Sound of One Hand Clapping, Gould’s Book of Fish, The Unknown Terrorist and Wanting have been published in 26 countries.Flanagan also directed a movie title The Sound Of One Hand Clapping in 1998.
Nominations
The Man Booker formulates a longlist, from which a shortlist is further made, finally leading to one winner. The other nominations in the shortlist in 2014 were How to be Both by Ali Smith, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee, To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris and J by Howard Jacobson.Judging process
The selection process for the winner begins with the formation of an advisory committee comprising of a writer, two publishers, a literary agent, a bookseller, a librarian, and a chairperson appointed by the Booker Prize Foundation. This committee then selects the judging panel, whose membership changes every year. Judges are selected from literary critics, writers, academics and leading public figures.This year, the Prize was chaired by A.C.Grayling. The judges this year were Jonathan Bate, Sarah Churchwell, Alastair Niven, Daniel Glaser and Erica Wagner.
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize is a literary award given to the best original novel in English, that has been published in the UK. It is presented by the Man Group, which is a British alternative investment management business. The Booker Prize was first awarded in 1969. It is generally presented in Guildhall, London. The award is open to all authors of English books, regardless of their nationalities.Jean Tirole wins Nobel Prize for Economics -2014
The Nobel
Prize for Economics was awarded to Jean Tirole “for his analysis of
market power and regulation”. He will be awarded prize money of 8 mn
Swedish krona.Jean Tirole is the second Frenchman to have been awarded a Nobel Prize this year. Tirole has been very vocal about the need for greater regulation of banks, and has been in the news for his views ever since the financial crisis of 2008.
Work of Tirole
Tirole’s area of study has been markets which are dominated by a few large and powerful firms or which have a single monopoly. When left unregulated by the government, these firms tend to distort the markets and have generally adverse consequences. Since the mid 1980s, Tirole has been researching such market failures. He analysed these firms in order to determine the best way to regulate them effectively. Governments of most nations had a tendency to place the same set of regulations on the firms in different sectors/industries. Tirole’s work suggested that such a method would be ineffectual, and that there need to be different regulations and restrictions on firms in different sectors like banking, telecommunications etc. His work has helped governments develop a better framework to protect the rights of both competing firms, small size firms and consumers.Jean Tirole
Jean was born on 9 August 1953, in France. He did his doctorate from MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is currently with the Toulouse University in France where he is the Scientific Director at Institut d’Économie Industrielle in the Toulouse School of Economics.Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences is officially called the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. It is not one of the original Nobel Prizes established by Alfred Nobel’s will in 1895. The Economics Prize was established only in 1968, and is funded by Sweden’s central bank, Sveriges Riksbank. The bank created an endowment for the Prize on its 300th anniversary.However, the Economics prize follows the same rules governing the original Nobel Prizes and is awarded at the same ceremony. Also, in consonance with Nobel’s will, the Economics Prize is also given to persons who have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. The selection is done by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, who pick the Nobel laureates in chemistry and physics.
Lewis Hamilton wins inaugural Russian Formula One Grand Prix
Englishman Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, won the inaugural Russian Formula One
Grand Prix held at Sochi. Hamilton had started on pole position. With
this win, Mercedes also clinched its first F1 Constructor’s title. The
race was witnessed by the Russian President
Vladimir Putin. The location of the competition was at Sochi, the
location where the Winter Olympics were held. The circuit went across
some of the landmark locations from the Olympics.Constructor’s title
The Constructor’s title is determined by a points system based on the Grand Prix results. The points scored in each race by an driver for that constructor of the F1 car are taken into consideration. It is a prize for the construction of the car, irrespective of who the driver is.Records
The Russian Grand Prix was Hamilton’s fourth win in a row and ninth win of the season. The 2008 world champion, is just the fourth driver in F1 history to win nine races in a single season.This win also marked Mercedes’ first Constructor’s Title victory. Mercedes’ driver also finished second. So, as a team, Mercedes had clinched both the first and second spots. This is Mercedes’ ninth such win, which is just one short of McLaren 1988 record.
Dedication to Bianchi
Hamilton dedicated his win to French F1 driver, Jules Bianchi, who crashed into a recovery tractor at Suzuka in Japan just recently. Bianchi is still in the hospital, in critical condition due to the head injuries he sustained when he lost control and crashed. Bianchi drives for Marussia.Isha and Akash Ambani made directors in Reliance companies
There is an apparent succession planning taking shape at Reliance industries. India’s largest business
house has given charge to GenNext. Mukesh Ambani’s twin scions Isha and
Akash have formally joined as Board of Reliance Jio Infocomm and
Reliance Retail Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of RIL, as
directors.Akash has graduated from Brown University with majors in Economics is already working with a close associate of Ambanis Manoj Modi on RIL’s 4G telecom venture.
Isha has graduated from Yale University with majors in psychology and South Asian Studies has also worked briefly with McKinsey.
The young brigade of Ambanis has been present at the Annual General Meetings, but the formal induction of the two is now complete.
Reliance Industries is already preparing for the launch of 4G telecom service in 2015, so the timing of the new inductions seem critical and interesting.
Captain Abbas Ali of Azad Hind Fauz passes away
Captain Abbas Ali who was a part of Indian National Army passed away due to a cardiac arrest. He had been a notable figure and was a part of British Indian Army in 1939 before the break of WWII. He later joined Indian National Army when Netaji raised the issue of armed revolt.Capt. Abbas Ali was then arrested, court marshalled and further given a death sentence. However, when India gained independence and he was released from prison fortunately before his death sentence was to be executed.
He was greatly influenced by the socialist leaders Ram Manohar Lohia, Acharya Narendra Dev and Jayaprakash Narayan and took a step into the political sphere under their guidance.
In 1966, he was appointed State General Secretary of Sanyukt Socialist Party and a member of the national executive of the Socialist Party. He was again arrested during the National Emergency under the Defence of India rule and it was only when emergency was lifted in 1977 and Janata government came to power that he was released and he was elected to Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council and was appointed as the first President of Uttar Pradesh Unit of the Janata Party.
Mark Zuckerberg visits India-stresses connectivity for whole world
Founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, is in New Delhi on a two day visit to India. He will launch the global internet project, Internet.org in Delhi.While in India, Zuckerberg met PM Modi and later spoke of Digital India initiative and said it was a positive development. His visit comes months after the visit of Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg.
Internet.org
Internet.org is a global partnership between leaders in the field of technology, NGOs, local communities and experts who work together to bring internet connectivity to the two-thirds of world’s population that doesn’t have access to internet now.Through Internet.org, Zuckerberg aims to make internet more accessible and affordable to all people around the world. In the next five years, the project aims to provide internet connectivity to 5 billion people in the world.
Nobel Prize for Physics 2014
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced its decision to award the Nobel Prize for Physics to Isamu
Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura “for the invention of
efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources”.
Isamu Akasaki
Isamu Akasaki is a Japanese citizen. He was born 1929 in Chiran, Japan and educated in Japan. He is currently a Professor at Meijo University, Nagoya, and Distinguished Professor at Nagoya University, Japan.
Hiroshi Amano
Hiroshi Amano is a Japanese citizen. He was born in 1960 in Hamamatsu, Japan and educated in Japan. He is a Professor at Nagoya University in Japan.
Shuji Nakamura
Shuji Nakamura is an American citizen. He was born in 1954 in Ikata, Japan and educated in Japan. He is currently a Professor at University of California in USA.
Although red and green LEDs have been in existence for decades now, development of blue LEDs posed a formidable challenge to scientists and researchers.
Within a LED, current is applied to multiple semiconductor materials, which emit a particular wavelength of light depending on the chemical make-up of the semiconductor materials in question. Gallium nitride was the semiconductor used by the Japanese researchers to develop the blue LED. Growing adequately big crystal of gallium nitride was the challenge that many researchers couldn’t figure out. Akasaki and Amano, worked together in 1986 to get the gallium nitride to grow to a big size, with the help of a specifically designed scaffold partially made from sapphire.
In 1990, Nakamura also managed to induce the gallium nitride to grow to a big size by manipulating the temperature to induce its growth.
Their work in discovering blue LEDs led to the combining of red, green and blue LEDs to form white LEDs.
Blue LEDs are used in many products nowadays. Smartphones, for example, use blue LEDs. White LEDs are used in a plethora of products from lamps tto television screen to computer screens.
LEDs use much less energy than incandescent lamps, and are efficient enough to run on locally generated solar power. It is major development in the 21st century where energy conservation has become vital.
Former Supreme Court
Judge, G.S.Singhvi, has been appointed the Chairman of the Competition
Appellate Tribunal. He retired from the Supreme Court in December 2013.
Justice Singhvi fills in the position that has been vacant since Justice V.S.Sirpurkar retired as Chairman in August. The Triubnal, however, is short of two members.
Former SBI Managing Director, Hemant Contractor, has been chosen to head the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
The position of Chairman has been vacant for almost a year after the
previous Chairman Yogesh Aggarwal resigned over differences with the Finance Ministry regarding the appointment of a member to PFRDA. R.V.Verma, the Finance member, was filling in as Acting Chairman.
PFRDA must consist of a Chairperson and maximum of five members, out of which a maximum of three can be full time members. Members are appointed by the central government.
One of the major roles of the PFRDA today is to oversee NPS (National Pension System). NPS is a pension scheme run by the Government of India. It has been mandatory for central government employees from 2004 and voluntary for unorganized sector workers since 2009.
In the the 17th Asian Games , at Incheon, South Korera, the 31 year old Yogeshwar Dutt came first place to win the gold medal in wrestling. He defeated Zalimkhan Yusupov of Tajikistan to win the gold. He is the first Indian to win a gold in wrestling after 28 years.
The native of Haryana, bettered his own bronze winning performance in the 2006 edition of the Asian Games. Dutt, who became a Padma Shri awardee in 2013, also won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2012 Olympics, and a gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh’s 107th birth anniversary was celebrated throughout the nation on the 28th of September 2014. Bhagat Singh was born in Jaranwala Tehsil in the Lyallpur district of the province of Punjab in British India. He was a revolutionary and an inspiration to many nationalists.
Bhagat Singh was convicted and executed at the young age of 23 for his involvement in the assassination of John Saunders (Lahore Conspiracy Case). Saunders was a British police officer. Bhagat Singh and his comrades sought revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai which was caused by brutal police violence. They were convicted after a trial by s Special Tribunal which sentenced them to death by hanging. On 23 March, 1931, Bhagat Singh, and his brothers-in-arms Rajguru and Sukhdev were executed.
The 18 year long corruption case against former CM of TN (Tamil Nadu), J. Jayalalitha, reached its conclusion when a special court in Bangalore
presided by Special Judge John D’Cunha convicted her under the
Prevention of Corruption Act. She was sentenced to four years
imprisonment and levied a fine of Rs. 100 cr. The charge against her
was of holding assets of Rs. 66.65 cr that were disproportionate to her
known sources of income. This verdict marks the first ever conviction of
a serving Chief Minister.
Two aides of Jayalalitha and her now disowned foster son were also convicted in this case.
After the sentence, Jayalalitha was taken to the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bangalore. Since she was sentenced to a period of more than three years, she will have to approach the HC of Karnataka for bail. She is also expected to file an appeal challenging the order of conviction. As of now, she stands disqualified as an MLA in accordance with the Representation of People’s Act, which also prohibits her from contesting elections for a period of six years after she finishes serving the sentence. However, if the order of conviction is stayed or overruled by a higher court, the disqualification will be annulled.
This is not the first instance of Jayalalitha having to step down as CM. In 2001, she had to step down temporarily till a higher court overturned the decision which sentenced her to two years rigorous imprisonment on a land deal case.
It has been decided that O.Paneerselvam, who was the Finance Minister of TN, will take Jayalalitha’s place as CM, following a meeting of the party’s MLAs. Mr. Paneerselvam had also served as CM for a period of six months in 2001 after Jayalalitha had resigned.
After the verdict was announced, incidents of violence were witnessed in various parts of Tamil Nadu. AIADMK supporters burnt effigies of leaders of opposing parties and went on a rampage destroying public properties. Shops were shut down and instances of buses being broken or burnt were also reported.
Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu was sworn in as the CJI (Chief Justice of India) by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. He succeeds Justice R.M.Lodha, who was also appointed this year in April.
Justice Dattu began his career in 1975 in Bangalore, Karnataka where he practiced civil, criminal, tax and constitutional law. From 1983, he began appearing before the Karnataka HC (high Court), including as a representative of the government in various matters. He was appointed as a senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department in 1995, from where he was elevated to the post of Judge at the Karnataka HC. He went on to serve as the Chief Justice in two High Courts: Chhattisgarh and Kerala. He has served in the SC since 2008. At the SC, he has been heading the bench which was monitoring investigations into the 2G Spectrum case.
Justice Dattu will serve as CJI for 14 months, and is set to retire on the 2nd of December 2015.
Sania Mirza won US Open mixed doubles title with her new partner Bruno Soares (Brazil). The pair defeated the combination of Abigail Spears (US) and Santiago Gonzalez (Mexico) 6-1, 2-6, 11-9 in an exciting mixed doubles final.
This was was Sania Mirza’s 5th mixed doubles final match at the Grand Slam level. This was her career’s 3rd Grand Slam title having won the Australian Open in 2009 and the French Open in 2012, both with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
Sania had also reached the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open this year but ended runners-up with partner Horea Tecau (Romania).
On August 30, 2014, email turned 32 years. The method of message transfer was invented by Indian American V.A.Shiva Ayyadurai when he was just 14 years. V A Shiva Ayyadurai was born to a Tamil Family in Bombay in 1963.
In 1978, Shiva Ayyadurai invented a computer programme, which he called “email,” that simulated all the functions of the interoffice mail system: Inbox, Outbox, Folders, Memo, Attachments, Address Book, etc. These features are now well-known parts of every email arrangement.
On August 30, 1982, the US government formally recognized Shiva Ayyadurai as the inventor of email by awarding him the first US Copyright for Email for his 1978 invention. At that time copyright was the only way to safeguard software inventions.
The Email wasn’t invented, with a huge research budget, in big institutions like the ARPANET, MIT, etc. Rather these organizations had believed it “impossible” to build such a system, considering it far too complex.
At the age of 14, Shiva Ayyadurai worked at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) as a research fellow, where Dr Leslie Michelson, then Director of the Laboratory Computer Network (LCN) at UMDNJ gave him a challenge: to transform the old system of paper-based mail communications used at UMDNJ to an electronic one.
Shiva Ayyadurai created a computer programme of over 50,000 lines of code, which electronically simulated all the qualities of the interoffice mail system.
1969 Leonard Kleinrock - Message transaction, two computers
1971 Ray Tomlinson- Message transaction, multi-user, multi-computer
1973 Vlnton Cerf, Rort Kahn – TCP/IP
1973 Bobtca-Ethernet
1977 Dave Crock J. Vittal, K. Pogran, D.A. Henderson – RFC 733
1978 The Challenge
(V.A.) Shiva Ayyadurai is asked by Les Michelson to create the full-scale electronic version of the interoffice paper mail system in use at UMDNJ. Shiva creates first prototype. He calls it “email”
1979 Email System at UMDNJ
Email provides UMDNJ users Inbox? Outbox, Folders, the Memo (To, From, Sublact, Data Cc, Bcc), Attachments, etc., and processes such as Compose, Foard, Sort, and others with easy-to-use interface.
1980 Using Email
Email use grows at UMDNJ. More users, secretaries and doctors, across departments offices and groups are added on to the email system.
1981 Westinghouse Award
Warting house Award, also own as the “Baby Nobal’s” recognizes Email system for its original innovation.
1982 Copyright for Email
(V.A.) Shiva Ayyadurai receives US Copyright for “Email”. August 30, 1982: Registration TXU-11 1 -775
1985 Offline Email Readers
Development of offline readers allow email users to store email on their own personal computers. Read and compose replies without actually being connected to the network.
1988 EUDORA
Steve Dorner develops Eudora. First commercial product to be widely used for reading and sending email on Local Area Networks (LAN).
1989 Compuserve & MCI Mail
Compuserve and MCI Mall become first formally sanctioned email carriers connected to the internet.
1991 Lotus Notes
Ray Ozzie and Mitch Kapor release major version of Lotus Notes (2.0)
1992 Microsoft Outook
Microsoft releases its answer to Lotus Notes. MS Outlook
1993 America Online (AOL)
AOL offers an easily accessible internet based email system
1995 EchoMail Launched
EchoMail, the first integrated Email Management system to help businesses handle increasing volumes of inbound EMAIL AT&T first customer.
1996 HoTMaiL
Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith launch HoTMail, soon becomes most used internet based email system
1997 Yahoo
Yahoo Mail offered as an alternative to HoTMaiL. It too provides web-based access through a browser.
1999 Blackberry
Blackberry makes accessing email via mobile phones more accessible. Mobile email is the new buzzword.
2003 CAN-SPAM
President George W. Bush signs into law penalties for unsolicited email.
2005 Email Address Verification
SPF released to validate email addresses to control SPAM. SPF release spawns other validation systems.
2007 Email at Google
Google launches Gmail on April Fool’s Day, after a prolonged four year Beta.
2009 iPhone 3G
iPhone and other mobile devices make email even more accessible.
2011 E-mail to Email
Associated Press Stylebook declares the use of email without hyphen “-”, as the standard
unaware of U.S. Copyright for “email”.
2012 Smithsonian Honors Email
Papers, computer code, and artifacts documenting the invention of email by VA Shiva Ayyadurai are accepted into the permanent archives of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
2013 Innovation Corps Launched
VA Shiva Ayyadurai and Dr. Leslie P. Michelson launch Innovation Corps to foster innovation for youth across the globe, in inner cities and villages, so more innovatiors such as email are possible.
Oscar organizers declared that they will give a esteemed humanitarian award to US actor-producer-singer Harry Belafonte,
whose efforts as an activist has assisted throw light on racism and
discrimination. It will be presented at the body’s 6th annual Governors Awards
on November 8, 2014 in Hollywood. He wasdnicknamed the “King of
Calypso” for popularizing the Caribbean musical style in the 1950s.
Belafonte, (87) spent much of his life campaigning for numerous causes such as education, famine relief, children, AIDS awareness and civil rights. His films such as “Carmen Jones,” “Odds against Tomorrow” and “The World, the Flesh and the Devil” aided portray the injustices of racism and discrimination.
He was a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement and marched besides Martin Luther King, Jr in his prime. In 1987, he was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in as 12th President of Turkey. He was sworn-in a ceremony held at Parliament of Turkey in Ankarra.
The ceremony was attended by Heads of state from a number of countries in Eastern Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. Previously he was Prime Minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014, and he was chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has been named the new Prime Minister
of the country. He will succeed Recep Tayyip Erdogan as PM. A close
ally of Mr Erdogan, Mr Davutoglu has held the job of foreign minister
since 2009. On August 10, 2014, Mr Erdogan won the country’s first
direct presidential poll.
Seema Malhotra
(42), an Indian-origin British MP, has been appointed as the Labour
party’s maiden shadow minister dealing with violence against women and
girls. Malhotra was nominated shadow minster by Britain’s Opposition
party leader Ed Miliband. Malhotra’s responsibility will also involve
working on Labour’s Women’s Safety Commission, which will formulate laws
to be enacted if Miliband is victorious in the next polls.
Note: A shadow minister is a member of the main opposition party in Parliament who would hold ministerial office if their party were in power.
Eminent Oscar-winning British director and actor Richard Attenborough (90) passed away.
In his six-decade long career, he appeared in movies including Brighton Rock, World War Two prisoner of war thriller The Great Escape and later in dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park. As a director he was best known for Gandhi, which won him two Oscars.
Oscar-winning actor Robin McLaurin Williams (63)
passed away. Williams was an American actor, stand-up comedian, film
producer, and screenwriter. He became famous with his role as the alien
Mork in the TV series Mork & Mindy (1978–82). He went on to become a
famed actor in both stand-up comedy and feature film.
His acting was lauded in films such as Good Will Hunting (1997), Aladdin (1992), Jumanji (1995), Night at the Museum (2006), and Happy Feet (2006).
Awards and Honors:
He was nominated thrice for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting. He also received four Golden Globe Awards, two Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.
A
book ‘Strictly Personal, Manmohan and Gursharan’ penned by Daman Singh
was released. It tells the untold story of Manmohan Singh, India’s 14th PM, and his wife Gursharan.
The book doesn’t portrait Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister but as the family man whose life and loved ones were embroiled in the vortex of history. The writer reiterates the fact that other than Jawaharlal Nehru, no other PM has had such an influence on India and its economic policies as Manmohan Singh.
Daman Singh sheds light on the life and struggle of her father – as a young boy; he lost his mother to eternity, and his family to the partition.
Parupalli Kashyap created history as he clinched Gold in the men’s singles badminton at 20th Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow, Scotland. With his gold medal, the country earned a fifth-spot finish with 64 medals, including 15 gold. He created history by becoming the first Indian male shuttler in 32 years to win a gold in the Commonwealth Games. Kashyap put up brilliant show to register triumph over Derek Wong of Singapore in the final showdown. The shuttler from Hyderabad
thus joined badminton legend Prakash Padukone and the late Syed Modi,
who had won the title in the past. While Padukone had won the men’s
singles gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Canada, Modi bagged it four years later. Commonwealth Toppers:
The XXI Commonwealth Games will be held in Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia
between 4 to 15 April 2018. The Gold Coast’s creative concept in the
Ceremony brought to life the three brand pillars of the Gold Coast 2018
Commonwealth Games – ‘The Place’, ‘The Event’ and ‘The Sport’.
Famous film director Muzaffar Ali (69), who had directed the Bollywood classic “Umrao Jaan”, has been chosen for Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award
for his extraordinary contribution towards the promotion of communal
harmony, peace and goodwill. The award carries a citation and cash award
of Rs 5 lakh.
Ali also directed over one-and-a-half dozen movies including “Gaman” and “Khizan”. He was also conferred Padma Shri in 2005. The award was instituted to mark the contribution made by Rajiv Gandhi to promote peace, communal harmony and fight against violence.
Previous recipients of the award include Mother Teresa, K.R. Narayanan, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan.
Others who were conferred upon with this award were Jagan Nath Kaul, Mohd Yunus, Hiteswar Saikia and Subhadra Joshi (jointly), Kapila Vatsyayan, Teesta Setalvad and Harsh Mander (jointly), S N Subbarao, Swami Agnivesh and Madari Moideen (jointly), Nirmala Deshpande, Hem Dutta, N Radhakrishnan, Gautam Bhai, SPIC MACAY and D R Mehta.
Isamu Akasaki
Isamu Akasaki is a Japanese citizen. He was born 1929 in Chiran, Japan and educated in Japan. He is currently a Professor at Meijo University, Nagoya, and Distinguished Professor at Nagoya University, Japan.
Hiroshi Amano
Hiroshi Amano is a Japanese citizen. He was born in 1960 in Hamamatsu, Japan and educated in Japan. He is a Professor at Nagoya University in Japan.
Shuji Nakamura
Shuji Nakamura is an American citizen. He was born in 1954 in Ikata, Japan and educated in Japan. He is currently a Professor at University of California in USA.
Discovery of blue LEDs
The three scientists of Japanese origin have been awarded the Nobel for inventing blue light emitting diodes or LEDs.Although red and green LEDs have been in existence for decades now, development of blue LEDs posed a formidable challenge to scientists and researchers.
Within a LED, current is applied to multiple semiconductor materials, which emit a particular wavelength of light depending on the chemical make-up of the semiconductor materials in question. Gallium nitride was the semiconductor used by the Japanese researchers to develop the blue LED. Growing adequately big crystal of gallium nitride was the challenge that many researchers couldn’t figure out. Akasaki and Amano, worked together in 1986 to get the gallium nitride to grow to a big size, with the help of a specifically designed scaffold partially made from sapphire.
In 1990, Nakamura also managed to induce the gallium nitride to grow to a big size by manipulating the temperature to induce its growth.
Their work in discovering blue LEDs led to the combining of red, green and blue LEDs to form white LEDs.
Significance of blue LEDs
Blue LED is an extremely significant development on its own, and because it was a stepping stone in the development of white LED, it is a path-breaking milestone.Blue LEDs are used in many products nowadays. Smartphones, for example, use blue LEDs. White LEDs are used in a plethora of products from lamps tto television screen to computer screens.
LEDs use much less energy than incandescent lamps, and are efficient enough to run on locally generated solar power. It is major development in the 21st century where energy conservation has become vital.
Justice GS Singhvi appointed chairman of Competition Appellate Tribunal
Former Supreme Court
Judge, G.S.Singhvi, has been appointed the Chairman of the Competition
Appellate Tribunal. He retired from the Supreme Court in December 2013.Justice Singhvi fills in the position that has been vacant since Justice V.S.Sirpurkar retired as Chairman in August. The Triubnal, however, is short of two members.
CCI (Competition Commission of India)
The CCI whose predecessor was the MRTPC (Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission) was established to eliminate practices that adversely affect competition in different industries/areas and protect interests of consumers and ensure freedom of trade. The Competition Act of 2002 called for the creation of CCI. However, it was established in 2003 and became fully functional only by 2009. The CCI is a quasi judicial body which gives opinions to statutory authorities and also deals with other cases.COMPAT (Competition Appellate Tribunal)
COMPAT was also established under the Competition Act of 2002. It was set up by the Centre in 2009. An appeal from a decision of the CCI is made to COMPAT. COMPAT can have one Chairperson and a maximum of two other members, all of whom serve for 5 years. They are all eligible for re-appointment unless they reach the age of 68 in case of Chairperson and 65 in case of members. Only a former SC Judge or CJ of HC can be appointed as Chairperson of COMPAT.Hemant Contractor: New chairman of PFRDA
Former SBI Managing Director, Hemant Contractor, has been chosen to head the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
The position of Chairman has been vacant for almost a year after the
previous Chairman Yogesh Aggarwal resigned over differences with the Finance Ministry regarding the appointment of a member to PFRDA. R.V.Verma, the Finance member, was filling in as Acting Chairman.PFRDA
Interim PFRDA was established by the government through a bill for the same introduced in Parliament in 2003. Its goal was to promote, develop and regulate pension sector in India. The Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority Act was passed in 2013. PFRDA is authorized by Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services.PFRDA must consist of a Chairperson and maximum of five members, out of which a maximum of three can be full time members. Members are appointed by the central government.
One of the major roles of the PFRDA today is to oversee NPS (National Pension System). NPS is a pension scheme run by the Government of India. It has been mandatory for central government employees from 2004 and voluntary for unorganized sector workers since 2009.
Yogeshwar Dutt wins wrestling gold in Asian Games
In the the 17th Asian Games , at Incheon, South Korera, the 31 year old Yogeshwar Dutt came first place to win the gold medal in wrestling. He defeated Zalimkhan Yusupov of Tajikistan to win the gold. He is the first Indian to win a gold in wrestling after 28 years.The native of Haryana, bettered his own bronze winning performance in the 2006 edition of the Asian Games. Dutt, who became a Padma Shri awardee in 2013, also won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2012 Olympics, and a gold in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
107th birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh celebrated
Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh’s 107th birth anniversary was celebrated throughout the nation on the 28th of September 2014. Bhagat Singh was born in Jaranwala Tehsil in the Lyallpur district of the province of Punjab in British India. He was a revolutionary and an inspiration to many nationalists.Bhagat Singh was convicted and executed at the young age of 23 for his involvement in the assassination of John Saunders (Lahore Conspiracy Case). Saunders was a British police officer. Bhagat Singh and his comrades sought revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai which was caused by brutal police violence. They were convicted after a trial by s Special Tribunal which sentenced them to death by hanging. On 23 March, 1931, Bhagat Singh, and his brothers-in-arms Rajguru and Sukhdev were executed.
Jayalalitha convicted and jailed in graft case; O.Paneerselvam to be CM of TN
The 18 year long corruption case against former CM of TN (Tamil Nadu), J. Jayalalitha, reached its conclusion when a special court in Bangalore
presided by Special Judge John D’Cunha convicted her under the
Prevention of Corruption Act. She was sentenced to four years
imprisonment and levied a fine of Rs. 100 cr. The charge against her
was of holding assets of Rs. 66.65 cr that were disproportionate to her
known sources of income. This verdict marks the first ever conviction of
a serving Chief Minister.Two aides of Jayalalitha and her now disowned foster son were also convicted in this case.
After the sentence, Jayalalitha was taken to the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bangalore. Since she was sentenced to a period of more than three years, she will have to approach the HC of Karnataka for bail. She is also expected to file an appeal challenging the order of conviction. As of now, she stands disqualified as an MLA in accordance with the Representation of People’s Act, which also prohibits her from contesting elections for a period of six years after she finishes serving the sentence. However, if the order of conviction is stayed or overruled by a higher court, the disqualification will be annulled.
This is not the first instance of Jayalalitha having to step down as CM. In 2001, she had to step down temporarily till a higher court overturned the decision which sentenced her to two years rigorous imprisonment on a land deal case.
It has been decided that O.Paneerselvam, who was the Finance Minister of TN, will take Jayalalitha’s place as CM, following a meeting of the party’s MLAs. Mr. Paneerselvam had also served as CM for a period of six months in 2001 after Jayalalitha had resigned.
After the verdict was announced, incidents of violence were witnessed in various parts of Tamil Nadu. AIADMK supporters burnt effigies of leaders of opposing parties and went on a rampage destroying public properties. Shops were shut down and instances of buses being broken or burnt were also reported.
Justice H.L.Dattu sworn in as 42nd Chief Justice of India
Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu was sworn in as the CJI (Chief Justice of India) by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. He succeeds Justice R.M.Lodha, who was also appointed this year in April.Justice Dattu began his career in 1975 in Bangalore, Karnataka where he practiced civil, criminal, tax and constitutional law. From 1983, he began appearing before the Karnataka HC (high Court), including as a representative of the government in various matters. He was appointed as a senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department in 1995, from where he was elevated to the post of Judge at the Karnataka HC. He went on to serve as the Chief Justice in two High Courts: Chhattisgarh and Kerala. He has served in the SC since 2008. At the SC, he has been heading the bench which was monitoring investigations into the 2G Spectrum case.
Justice Dattu will serve as CJI for 14 months, and is set to retire on the 2nd of December 2015.
G.K.Pillai appointed Tata International chairman
F
ormer Home Secretary G.K.Pillai has been named the Chairman of Tata International
Ltd., which is the global trading and distribution arm of the Tata
group of enterprises. Mr.Pillai is set to replace B.Muthuraman as
Chairman from September 26.
Tata International has a presence in over 40 countries across the globe. It has a turnover upwards of $1.5 bn and employs 10,000 people.
ormer Home Secretary G.K.Pillai has been named the Chairman of Tata International
Ltd., which is the global trading and distribution arm of the Tata
group of enterprises. Mr.Pillai is set to replace B.Muthuraman as
Chairman from September 26.Tata International has a presence in over 40 countries across the globe. It has a turnover upwards of $1.5 bn and employs 10,000 people.
Former CAG Vinod Rai stresses on Collegium System for CAG Selection
Former CAG Vinod Rai has stressed that there is a need
for selection of CAG under a collegium system on the lines of the
selection process employed for Election Commissioners, Information
Commissioners and Vigilance Commissioners. This will ensure transparency
in the selection process, according to him. He also stated that the
powers of the CAG are substantial and sufficient for performance of 
duties.
The current system for selecting the CAG is opaque. It is an entirely internal process, where some names reach the Prime Minister, who chooses one amongst them and recommends it to the President, who makes the appointment. There is no prescribed process for selection or fixed job description or necessary criteria to determine eligibility.
The SC is currently hearing a PIL challenging the appointment of Shashi Kant Sharma as the CAG, and asking the Court to frame guidelines for selection of the CAG. The Centre has, however, refused to change the selection process, stating that it was the domain of the executive and not the judiciary.
duties.The current system for selecting the CAG is opaque. It is an entirely internal process, where some names reach the Prime Minister, who chooses one amongst them and recommends it to the President, who makes the appointment. There is no prescribed process for selection or fixed job description or necessary criteria to determine eligibility.
The SC is currently hearing a PIL challenging the appointment of Shashi Kant Sharma as the CAG, and asking the Court to frame guidelines for selection of the CAG. The Centre has, however, refused to change the selection process, stating that it was the domain of the executive and not the judiciary.
Govind Mishra gets Saraswati Samman 2013 for novel ‘Dhool Paudhon Par’
The renowned Hindi author, Mr. Govind Mishra received the Sarawasti Samman 2013 for his book “Dhool Paudho Par” published in 2008. The award made Mr. Mishra the second Hindi author to receive the honour after noted Indian poet Mr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan.
About Saraswati Samman
About Saraswati Samman
- Establish: 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation.
- Cash Price: Rs 10 lakh, a citation and a plaque.
- Annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works in any Indian language listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.
Govt declares September 25 as ‘Antyodaya Diwas’
Union Government announced 25 September as “Antyodya Diwas” to mark the 98th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, a noted philosopher, historian and political activist. Several activities including blood donation camps, seminar, symposia were organised across the country.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-68) was a well-known political personality and a thoughtful philosopher. He was a coordinator and a famous leader of Jan Sangh. He founded the Rashtra Dharma Prakashan publishing house in Lucknow and launched Rashtra Dharma, a monthly magazine, to advocate the principles he held sacred. Later he launched the weekly Panchjanya and the daily Swadesh. He wrote a drama Chandragupta Maurya in Hindi and later wrote a biography of Shankaracharya.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-68) was a well-known political personality and a thoughtful philosopher. He was a coordinator and a famous leader of Jan Sangh. He founded the Rashtra Dharma Prakashan publishing house in Lucknow and launched Rashtra Dharma, a monthly magazine, to advocate the principles he held sacred. Later he launched the weekly Panchjanya and the daily Swadesh. He wrote a drama Chandragupta Maurya in Hindi and later wrote a biography of Shankaracharya.
98th Birth Anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Observed
The 98th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was celebrated on the 25th of September, with the Madhya Pradesh Government establishing a Chair in his honour at Makhanlal University. Pandit Deendayal was an eminent political
activist and philosopher. He was a noted leader of the Bharatiya Jana
Sangh, which is considered a precursor to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata
Party).![ScreenClip[21]](http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ScreenClip21.png)
Pandit Deendayal was born in 1916 in what is now Uttar Pradesh. He excelled in academics since a young age and was even selected to the Provincial Services. However, he chose to dedicate his life to the common man and engage in public service instead of joining the Provincial Services.
A critic of both capitalism and communism, Pandit Deendayal advocated his own brand of Integral Humanism which combined morality in politics and a human centric approach to economics. He strongly supported swadeshi and small scale industrialization. He upheld nationalistic ideals, and believed that blindly adhering to Western ideologies wouldn’t be a suitable path for India.
Along with an active political career, he also engaged in various literary endeavors. He established his own publishing house named Rashtra Dharma Prakashan and brought out the monthly Rashtra Dharma. He also launched and edited the weekly Panchjanya and the daily Swadesh from Lucknow. He also wrote a drama on Chandragupta Maurya, a biography of Shankaracharya and also translated a Marathi biography of K.B.Hedgewar.
He suffered an untimely death in 1968 when he was assassinated in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh.
Pandit Deendayal was born in 1916 in what is now Uttar Pradesh. He excelled in academics since a young age and was even selected to the Provincial Services. However, he chose to dedicate his life to the common man and engage in public service instead of joining the Provincial Services.
A critic of both capitalism and communism, Pandit Deendayal advocated his own brand of Integral Humanism which combined morality in politics and a human centric approach to economics. He strongly supported swadeshi and small scale industrialization. He upheld nationalistic ideals, and believed that blindly adhering to Western ideologies wouldn’t be a suitable path for India.
Along with an active political career, he also engaged in various literary endeavors. He established his own publishing house named Rashtra Dharma Prakashan and brought out the monthly Rashtra Dharma. He also launched and edited the weekly Panchjanya and the daily Swadesh from Lucknow. He also wrote a drama on Chandragupta Maurya, a biography of Shankaracharya and also translated a Marathi biography of K.B.Hedgewar.
He suffered an untimely death in 1968 when he was assassinated in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh.
India’s ex-Ambassador to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri named Secy-general of ICM
Hardeep Singh Puri appointed as Secretary General of
Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM). Hardeep Singh was
former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the UN.
Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM)
Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) launched by International Peace Institute (IPI) is targeted at recognizing policy proposals to improve the multilateral system’s capacity to respond to developing global challenges. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be chairperson of the ICM, Foreign Minister of Norway Borge Brende and Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird will be co-Chairpersons. The commission will be an all-inclusive two-year programme and it will be funded by the Canada and Norway governments.
Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM)
Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) launched by International Peace Institute (IPI) is targeted at recognizing policy proposals to improve the multilateral system’s capacity to respond to developing global challenges. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be chairperson of the ICM, Foreign Minister of Norway Borge Brende and Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird will be co-Chairpersons. The commission will be an all-inclusive two-year programme and it will be funded by the Canada and Norway governments.
Kaushik Basu appointed as president-elect of International Economic Association (IEA)
Kaushik Basu, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of World Bank, has been appointed as president-elect of the association by the International
Economic Association (IEA). Meanwhile, Basu will continue serving as
Senior Vice President and World Bank Chief Economist. A World Bank Chief
Economist is appointed for a 4 year term and Basu started his Job as
Senior Vice President and World Bank Chief Economist on October 1, 2012.
The International Economic Association (IEA) is one of the key organizations of professional economists, and has been significant in determining global economic policy and research. Amongst the past presidents of IEA were the Nobel laureates Robert Solow, Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz. Thus, Kaushik Basu will be the 2nd Indian to head IEA.
IEA produces a large number of research papers and books and organises round tables on topics of present-day interest. Its principal activities include International Congress organized every 3 years. The occasion serves as one of the major assemblies of economists from around the world. The 2014 International Congress was held at Dead Sea, Jordan. Earlier to that the Congress was hosted by China in Beijing in 2011.
The International Economic Association (IEA) is one of the key organizations of professional economists, and has been significant in determining global economic policy and research. Amongst the past presidents of IEA were the Nobel laureates Robert Solow, Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz. Thus, Kaushik Basu will be the 2nd Indian to head IEA.
IEA produces a large number of research papers and books and organises round tables on topics of present-day interest. Its principal activities include International Congress organized every 3 years. The occasion serves as one of the major assemblies of economists from around the world. The 2014 International Congress was held at Dead Sea, Jordan. Earlier to that the Congress was hosted by China in Beijing in 2011.
Meghalaya Governor Dr KK Paul given additional charge as Governor of Manipur
Meghalaya Governor Dr Krishan Kant Paul sworn in as the 15th Governor of Manipur. Manipur High Court’s Chief Justice Lakshmi Kanta Mahapatra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Dr KK Paul.
Dr KK Paul who is currently the Governor of Meghalaya will be taking an additional charge as Governor of Manipur. Dr Krishan Kant Paul has earlier served as the Commissioner of Delhi Police from February 2004 to July 2007 and had afterwards joined UPSC as a member on July 26, 2007.
Dr KK Paul who is currently the Governor of Meghalaya will be taking an additional charge as Governor of Manipur. Dr Krishan Kant Paul has earlier served as the Commissioner of Delhi Police from February 2004 to July 2007 and had afterwards joined UPSC as a member on July 26, 2007.
Subhash Chandra Garg selected as the ED of the World Bank
Senior IAS officer Subhash Chandra Garg, a 1983-batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, was selected as the ED (Executive Director) of the World Bank. The order released by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) held that Subhash Garg will have tenure of 3 years from the date of assuming charge of the post.
An ED of the World Bank is accountable for the conduct of the general operations of the Bank. They also carry out all the powers authorized to them by the Boards of Governors and choose a President who performs as Chairman of the Boards.
EDs are also accountable for IBRD’s (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) loans, guarantees and policies that effect the World Bank’s general operations amid others.
An ED of the World Bank is accountable for the conduct of the general operations of the Bank. They also carry out all the powers authorized to them by the Boards of Governors and choose a President who performs as Chairman of the Boards.
EDs are also accountable for IBRD’s (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) loans, guarantees and policies that effect the World Bank’s general operations amid others.
RBI sets upper age limit for private bank CEOs at 70
The RBI brought relief for investors in HDFC Bank and IndusInd Bank,
who have been anxious about the destiny of their celebrated chiefs who
have provided massive returns in the past few years. Full-time directors
of Pvt. banks can now continue up to the age of 70, in line with the
Companies Act 2013. The bank boards will, nevertheless, hold the right
to set a lower retirement age for officials.
RBI has been decided that the upper age limit for MD & CEO and other WTDs (Whole-Time Directors) of banks in the private sector should be 70 years, i.e.- beyond which no person should remain in the post. Within the overall limit of 70 years, individual bank’s boards are free to fix a lower retirement age for the WTDs, counting the MD & CEO, as an internal policy.
This view received further credence after the P J Nayak committee proposed a maximum age of 65 for bank CEOs. The committee, to review governance of boards of banks, had made the suggestion in its report to RBI this May.
Whilst RBI can take decision on what can be done at private banks as they are governed by the Companies Act, the Parliament has to amend the Bank Nationalisation Act to permit parallel provisions for state-run banks.
RBI has been decided that the upper age limit for MD & CEO and other WTDs (Whole-Time Directors) of banks in the private sector should be 70 years, i.e.- beyond which no person should remain in the post. Within the overall limit of 70 years, individual bank’s boards are free to fix a lower retirement age for the WTDs, counting the MD & CEO, as an internal policy.
This view received further credence after the P J Nayak committee proposed a maximum age of 65 for bank CEOs. The committee, to review governance of boards of banks, had made the suggestion in its report to RBI this May.
Whilst RBI can take decision on what can be done at private banks as they are governed by the Companies Act, the Parliament has to amend the Bank Nationalisation Act to permit parallel provisions for state-run banks.
- This is the first time RBI is prescribing retirement age for Pvt. bank CEOs.
- The RBI Move aligns retirement with the Companies Act 2013
- Minimum age to become Manager is 21 years.
- Maximum age for CEOs, whole-time directors is 70.
- Age of Top Bank CEOs: Aditya Puri (MD & CEO HDFC Bank: 64 Years), Romesh Sobati (MD & CEO IndusInd Bank: 65 Years), Chanda Kochar (MD & CEO ICICI Bank: 52 Years).
Serena Williams wins 3rd consecutive US Open
Tennis
Woman’s World number one Serena Williams lifted her 3rd consecutive US
Open trophy as she joined the elite club of Tennis legends Chris Evert
and Martina Navratilova on 18 Grand Slam titles. In the Women’s Singles
finals at US Open, the US Tennis Star Serena Williams defeated Caroline
Wozniazki of Denmark in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 to secure a record-equalling sixth US Open title.
Also, the 32-year-old Serena Williams also surpassed Briton Virginia Wade to become the second oldest Grand Slam winner after Navratilova, who had won Wimbledon in 1990 aged 33.
Also, the 32-year-old Serena Williams also surpassed Briton Virginia Wade to become the second oldest Grand Slam winner after Navratilova, who had won Wimbledon in 1990 aged 33.
Sania-Soares win US Open mixed doubles title 2014
Sania Mirza won US Open mixed doubles title with her new partner Bruno Soares (Brazil). The pair defeated the combination of Abigail Spears (US) and Santiago Gonzalez (Mexico) 6-1, 2-6, 11-9 in an exciting mixed doubles final.This was was Sania Mirza’s 5th mixed doubles final match at the Grand Slam level. This was her career’s 3rd Grand Slam title having won the Australian Open in 2009 and the French Open in 2012, both with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
Sania had also reached the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open this year but ended runners-up with partner Horea Tecau (Romania).
China bestows “China Book Award” to JNU professor Priyadarsi Mukherji
China
bestowed China Book Award to Jawaharlal Nehru University professor
Priyadarsi Mukherji , for his support to interpretation and publication
of Chinese works. Priyadarsi Mukherji was awarded along with 10 other
winners. China Book Award is a distinctive award to applaud those who
have made great and extensive assistance to familiarizing Chinese books overseas.
Prof. Mukherji is presently working under the Chinese and Sinological Studies department of JNU. He has translated a number of literary works from Chinese into Bengali, English and Hindi. over the last 25 years he has monographed books on Chinese culture and language. Prof. Mukherji has to his credit many works themed around China like “Poems of Lu Xun” – an anthology of 45 poems by Lu Xun from original Chinese into Bengali.
China Book Award was first launched in 2005 by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China as a State-level award. It intends to encourage Chinese culture and literature overseas. Awards generally go to foreign sinologists, translators, writers and publishers who have made great headways in familiarizing Chinese culture to the world.
Prof. Mukherji is presently working under the Chinese and Sinological Studies department of JNU. He has translated a number of literary works from Chinese into Bengali, English and Hindi. over the last 25 years he has monographed books on Chinese culture and language. Prof. Mukherji has to his credit many works themed around China like “Poems of Lu Xun” – an anthology of 45 poems by Lu Xun from original Chinese into Bengali.
China Book Award was first launched in 2005 by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China as a State-level award. It intends to encourage Chinese culture and literature overseas. Awards generally go to foreign sinologists, translators, writers and publishers who have made great headways in familiarizing Chinese culture to the world.
24 Standing Committees formed; BJP to head 11, Congress 5
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has declared the list of members and chairpersons for 24 DRSCs (Department Related Standing Committees) of Parliament. While the ruling BJP grabbed 11 chairperson posts of these panels, the Congress will chair 5, including the coveted Committee on Finance.
The Trinamool Congress will
chair two panels. Members of Bahujan Samaj Party, Telugu Desam Party,
Biju Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United), Shiv Sena and the AIADMK will chair one panel each.
Rajya Sabha Panels- Committee on Commerce: Chandan Mitra (BJP)
- Committee on Home Affairs: P Bhattacharya (Congress)
- Committee on Human Resource Development: JP Nadda (BJP)
- Committee on Industries: KC Tyagi (JD-U)
- Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests: Ashwani Kumar (Congress)
- Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture: KD Singh (Trinamool Congress)
- Committee on Health and Family Welfare: SC Mishra (BSP)
- Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice: EM Sudarsana Natchiappan (Congress)
- Committee on Finance: Veerappa Moily (Congress)
- Committee on Agriculture: Hukm Deo Narayan Yadav (BJP)
- Committee on IT: Anurag Singh Thakur (BJP)
- Committee on Defence: BC Khanduri (BJP)
- Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution: JC Divakar Reddy (TDP)
- Committee on Labour: Virendra Kumar (BJP)
- Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas: Prahlad Joshi (BJP)
- Committee on Railways: Dinesh Trivedi (Congress)
- Committee on Urban Development: Pinaki Mishra (BJD)
- Committee on Water Resources: Hukum Singh (BJP)
- Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers: Anandrao Adsul (Shiv Sena)
- Committee on Rural Development: P Venugopal (AIADMK)
- Committee on Coal and Steel: Hansraj Ahir (BJP)
- Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment: Ramesh Bais (BJP)
- Committee on Energy: Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP)
- Committee on External Affairs: Shashi Tharoor (Congress)
- Committee on Estimates: Murli Manohar Joshi (BJP)
- Committee on Public sector Undertakings: Shanta Kumar (BJP)
- Public Accounts Committee: K V Thomas (Congress)
World’s Oldest surviving Test cricketer Norman Gordon passes away
Oldest surviving Test
cricketer, South African fast bowler Norman Gordon (103), passed away
after a year long illness due to renal complications. Gordon played
5 Tests against England in 1939 taking 20 wickets in all before World War cut short his international career.
He was best known for being one of the 22 players, who took part in the epic ‘Timeless Test’ between England and South Africa that was held between March 3-14, 1939 in Durban.
He was best known for being one of the 22 players, who took part in the epic ‘Timeless Test’ between England and South Africa that was held between March 3-14, 1939 in Durban.
Nalanda University in Bihar reopens after 800 years
Approximately 800 years after the ancient education institution was ruined, on September 1, 2014, Nalanda University (also known as University of Nalanda), in Bihar’s Rajgir district,
commenced its first academic session. Nalanda is a Central University
in Rajgir, about 55 miles south east of Patna, near Nalanda, Bihar, India.
The university is envisioned to re-establish the older Nalanda
University which was one of the oldest ancient higher-learning
institutions. Nobel Laureate Dr. Amartya Sen is the Chancellor of the University.
Background:
Historical studies advocate that the University of Nalanda was originally established in the 5th century AD during the reign of a Gupta King called Śakrāditya (also known as Kumāragupta, reigned (415-55)). Both Xuanzang ((602-664) a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator) and Prajñavarman (a Bengali Buddhist writer) cite Śakrāditya as the founder. A Seal discovered at the site also confirms Śakrāditya as the founder of the University. Śakrāditya’s identity is uncertain and who is not a historical character, he might have been either Kumaragupta I or Kumaragupta II.
Some buildings were constructed by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka the Great (273–232 BCE). As per the Historians, Nalanda prospered between the reign of the Gupta king Śakrāditya and 1197 CE, supported by patronage from Buddhist emperors like Harsha as well as later emperors from the Pala Empire.
Nalanda University (NU) was one of the world’s first residential universities, as it had dormitories for students. In its peak it housed over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. The complex was built with red bricks and its ruins occupy an area of 14 hectares. The university was respected as an architectural masterpiece, and was marked by a tall wall and one gate. There were 8 distinct compounds and 10 temples, together with many meditation halls and classrooms. There were lakes and parks on the grounds. The library was located in a 9-storied building where meticulous copies of texts were produced.
Xuanzang (a Tang Dynasty Chinese pilgrim and scholar) studied, taught and spent nearly 15 years at Nalanda University. He left thorough descriptions of the university in the 7th century. Yijing ((635–713 CE), was a Tang Dynasty Chinese Buddhist monk, originally named Zhang Wenming) also left information about kingdoms lying on the route between China and the Nālandā university. He was translated a large number of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Chinese.
At its peak, the university appealed scholars and students from China, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Persia, Tibet and Turkey. The subjects taught comprised: Astronomy, Architecture, History, Law, Linguistics, Medicine, Metallurgy, Pharmacology, Public Health, Religion and Sculpture.
Nalanda University was ruined 3 times by invaders, but reconstructed only twice:-
Asanga, Aryadeva, Dharmakirti, Dharmapal, Harshavardhana, Hwui Li, Nagarjuna, Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita, Suvishnu, Vasubandhu and Xuanzang (the reputed founder of Buddhism in Tibet). Shilabhadra (Silavadra) was a Buddhist monk and philosopher. He is best known as being an abbot (a man who is the head of a monastery) of Nālandā monastery in India, He was an expert on Yogācāra teachings, and was personal tutor of the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang.
Background:
Historical studies advocate that the University of Nalanda was originally established in the 5th century AD during the reign of a Gupta King called Śakrāditya (also known as Kumāragupta, reigned (415-55)). Both Xuanzang ((602-664) a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator) and Prajñavarman (a Bengali Buddhist writer) cite Śakrāditya as the founder. A Seal discovered at the site also confirms Śakrāditya as the founder of the University. Śakrāditya’s identity is uncertain and who is not a historical character, he might have been either Kumaragupta I or Kumaragupta II.
Some buildings were constructed by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka the Great (273–232 BCE). As per the Historians, Nalanda prospered between the reign of the Gupta king Śakrāditya and 1197 CE, supported by patronage from Buddhist emperors like Harsha as well as later emperors from the Pala Empire.
Nalanda University (NU) was one of the world’s first residential universities, as it had dormitories for students. In its peak it housed over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. The complex was built with red bricks and its ruins occupy an area of 14 hectares. The university was respected as an architectural masterpiece, and was marked by a tall wall and one gate. There were 8 distinct compounds and 10 temples, together with many meditation halls and classrooms. There were lakes and parks on the grounds. The library was located in a 9-storied building where meticulous copies of texts were produced.
Xuanzang (a Tang Dynasty Chinese pilgrim and scholar) studied, taught and spent nearly 15 years at Nalanda University. He left thorough descriptions of the university in the 7th century. Yijing ((635–713 CE), was a Tang Dynasty Chinese Buddhist monk, originally named Zhang Wenming) also left information about kingdoms lying on the route between China and the Nālandā university. He was translated a large number of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Chinese.
At its peak, the university appealed scholars and students from China, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Persia, Tibet and Turkey. The subjects taught comprised: Astronomy, Architecture, History, Law, Linguistics, Medicine, Metallurgy, Pharmacology, Public Health, Religion and Sculpture.
Nalanda University was ruined 3 times by invaders, but reconstructed only twice:-
- First Destruction: By the Huns under Mihirakula during the reign of Skandagupta (455–467 AD). Later, Skanda’s successors started the restoration, developing it with even larger buildings, and gifted it with ample resources to let the university sustain itself in the longer span.
- Second Destruction: By the Gaudas in the early 7th century. This time, the Bauddha King Harshavardhana (606–648 AD) restored the Buddhist university.
- Third Destruction: Destroyed in a Turkish attack led by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193. Scholars also mark this event as a late milestone in the fall of Buddhism in India. The Persian historian Minhaj-i-Siraj, in his records the ‘Tabaqat-i Nasiri’, reported that thousands of monks were burned alive and thousands beheaded as Khilji tried his best to uproot Buddhism.
Asanga, Aryadeva, Dharmakirti, Dharmapal, Harshavardhana, Hwui Li, Nagarjuna, Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita, Suvishnu, Vasubandhu and Xuanzang (the reputed founder of Buddhism in Tibet). Shilabhadra (Silavadra) was a Buddhist monk and philosopher. He is best known as being an abbot (a man who is the head of a monastery) of Nālandā monastery in India, He was an expert on Yogācāra teachings, and was personal tutor of the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang.
‘Email’ invented by Indian-American V A Shiva Ayyadurai turns 32
On August 30, 2014, email turned 32 years. The method of message transfer was invented by Indian American V.A.Shiva Ayyadurai when he was just 14 years. V A Shiva Ayyadurai was born to a Tamil Family in Bombay in 1963.In 1978, Shiva Ayyadurai invented a computer programme, which he called “email,” that simulated all the functions of the interoffice mail system: Inbox, Outbox, Folders, Memo, Attachments, Address Book, etc. These features are now well-known parts of every email arrangement.
On August 30, 1982, the US government formally recognized Shiva Ayyadurai as the inventor of email by awarding him the first US Copyright for Email for his 1978 invention. At that time copyright was the only way to safeguard software inventions.
The Email wasn’t invented, with a huge research budget, in big institutions like the ARPANET, MIT, etc. Rather these organizations had believed it “impossible” to build such a system, considering it far too complex.
At the age of 14, Shiva Ayyadurai worked at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) as a research fellow, where Dr Leslie Michelson, then Director of the Laboratory Computer Network (LCN) at UMDNJ gave him a challenge: to transform the old system of paper-based mail communications used at UMDNJ to an electronic one.
Shiva Ayyadurai created a computer programme of over 50,000 lines of code, which electronically simulated all the qualities of the interoffice mail system.
The History of Email
1961 Tom Van Vleck - Message transaction multi-user. one computer1969 Leonard Kleinrock - Message transaction, two computers
1971 Ray Tomlinson- Message transaction, multi-user, multi-computer
1973 Vlnton Cerf, Rort Kahn – TCP/IP
1973 Bobtca-Ethernet
1977 Dave Crock J. Vittal, K. Pogran, D.A. Henderson – RFC 733
1978 The Challenge
(V.A.) Shiva Ayyadurai is asked by Les Michelson to create the full-scale electronic version of the interoffice paper mail system in use at UMDNJ. Shiva creates first prototype. He calls it “email”
1979 Email System at UMDNJ
Email provides UMDNJ users Inbox? Outbox, Folders, the Memo (To, From, Sublact, Data Cc, Bcc), Attachments, etc., and processes such as Compose, Foard, Sort, and others with easy-to-use interface.
1980 Using Email
Email use grows at UMDNJ. More users, secretaries and doctors, across departments offices and groups are added on to the email system.
1981 Westinghouse Award
Warting house Award, also own as the “Baby Nobal’s” recognizes Email system for its original innovation.
1982 Copyright for Email
(V.A.) Shiva Ayyadurai receives US Copyright for “Email”. August 30, 1982: Registration TXU-11 1 -775
1985 Offline Email Readers
Development of offline readers allow email users to store email on their own personal computers. Read and compose replies without actually being connected to the network.
1988 EUDORA
Steve Dorner develops Eudora. First commercial product to be widely used for reading and sending email on Local Area Networks (LAN).
1989 Compuserve & MCI Mail
Compuserve and MCI Mall become first formally sanctioned email carriers connected to the internet.
1991 Lotus Notes
Ray Ozzie and Mitch Kapor release major version of Lotus Notes (2.0)
1992 Microsoft Outook
Microsoft releases its answer to Lotus Notes. MS Outlook
1993 America Online (AOL)
AOL offers an easily accessible internet based email system
1995 EchoMail Launched
EchoMail, the first integrated Email Management system to help businesses handle increasing volumes of inbound EMAIL AT&T first customer.
1996 HoTMaiL
Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith launch HoTMail, soon becomes most used internet based email system
1997 Yahoo
Yahoo Mail offered as an alternative to HoTMaiL. It too provides web-based access through a browser.
1999 Blackberry
Blackberry makes accessing email via mobile phones more accessible. Mobile email is the new buzzword.
2003 CAN-SPAM
President George W. Bush signs into law penalties for unsolicited email.
2005 Email Address Verification
SPF released to validate email addresses to control SPAM. SPF release spawns other validation systems.
2007 Email at Google
Google launches Gmail on April Fool’s Day, after a prolonged four year Beta.
2009 iPhone 3G
iPhone and other mobile devices make email even more accessible.
2011 E-mail to Email
Associated Press Stylebook declares the use of email without hyphen “-”, as the standard
unaware of U.S. Copyright for “email”.
2012 Smithsonian Honors Email
Papers, computer code, and artifacts documenting the invention of email by VA Shiva Ayyadurai are accepted into the permanent archives of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
2013 Innovation Corps Launched
VA Shiva Ayyadurai and Dr. Leslie P. Michelson launch Innovation Corps to foster innovation for youth across the globe, in inner cities and villages, so more innovatiors such as email are possible.
Baba Kalyani re-nominated as Co-Chairman of Indo-Japan Business Leader’s Forum
Baba Kalyani has been re-nominated as the Co-Chairman of the India-Japan Business Leader’s Forum (IJBLF). The Ministry of Commerce and Industry appointed Kalyani as chairman of IJBLF. Kalyani is Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge Ltd.
The members of IJBLF are accompanying PM Narendra Modi on his maiden visit to Japan.
IJBLF is a forum to leverage the trade and investment between the two nations for greater co-operation between their businesses. At present, the forum has 15 members that include Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Bharti Enterprises head Sunil Bharti Mittal, HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, Infosys S. Gopalakrishnan, TCS CEO N. Chandrasekaran and Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej. The forum continues to strengthen the business processes and discover newer opportunities for both nations.
The members of IJBLF are accompanying PM Narendra Modi on his maiden visit to Japan.
IJBLF is a forum to leverage the trade and investment between the two nations for greater co-operation between their businesses. At present, the forum has 15 members that include Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Bharti Enterprises head Sunil Bharti Mittal, HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, Infosys S. Gopalakrishnan, TCS CEO N. Chandrasekaran and Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej. The forum continues to strengthen the business processes and discover newer opportunities for both nations.
Pakistan’s Army General intervenes to tackle political crisis
Pakistan Government has appointed its Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif as mediator to neutralize the ongoing political
crisis in the country. The decision to seek COAS’ help was taken after
both Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and
Tahir-ul-Qadri, the chief of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) refused to end
their protests demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign.
Background:
The current political turbulence in Pakistan was caused after the former additional secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Afzal Khan claimed
that the general election in which Nawaz Sharif registered an
overwhelming victory was rigged. The country is in turmoil owing to
political impasse for two weeks. Anti-government protests have gripped
the capital Islamabad.
Earlier, Pakistan’s military had chosen
not to intervene in the political crisis. But now, with the direct
involvement of the General, there are apprehensions that military could
use this opportunity to exercise its influence over a
democratically-elected civilian government.
Harry Belafonte to receive honorary humanitarian Oscar
Oscar organizers declared that they will give a esteemed humanitarian award to US actor-producer-singer Harry Belafonte,
whose efforts as an activist has assisted throw light on racism and
discrimination. It will be presented at the body’s 6th annual Governors Awards
on November 8, 2014 in Hollywood. He wasdnicknamed the “King of
Calypso” for popularizing the Caribbean musical style in the 1950s.Belafonte, (87) spent much of his life campaigning for numerous causes such as education, famine relief, children, AIDS awareness and civil rights. His films such as “Carmen Jones,” “Odds against Tomorrow” and “The World, the Flesh and the Devil” aided portray the injustices of racism and discrimination.
He was a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement and marched besides Martin Luther King, Jr in his prime. In 1987, he was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan: New President of Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in as 12th President of Turkey. He was sworn-in a ceremony held at Parliament of Turkey in Ankarra.The ceremony was attended by Heads of state from a number of countries in Eastern Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. Previously he was Prime Minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014, and he was chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Ahmed Davutoglu: New PM of Turkey
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has been named the new Prime Minister
of the country. He will succeed Recep Tayyip Erdogan as PM. A close
ally of Mr Erdogan, Mr Davutoglu has held the job of foreign minister
since 2009. On August 10, 2014, Mr Erdogan won the country’s first
direct presidential poll.Shahrukh Khan to become the brand ambassador for “Turn Back Crime” campaign of Interpol
Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) has become the first Indian to become the brand ambassador of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).
Interpol has signed SRK as the ambassador for its global “Turn Back Crime” campaign. The campaign will spread awareness in preventing crime in the society. SRK will lend his voice for the campaign to disseminate the message that society will benefit if the citizens will respect the law and fight against the crime.
SRK joined the club of actors who have been the ambassador for the campaign. These include Hollywood actor Jackie Chan, footballer Lionel Messi, F1 racing drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
“Turn Back Crime”
Turn
Back Crime is a global campaign that highlights the dangers of
organized crime and its effect on our day-to-day lives. Using a variety
of media channels – including video, website and social networks – the
campaign provides advice on how to stay safe and encourages the general
public, businesses and governments to play a role in reducing the impact
of crime. While many people are aware that criminal networks are behind
the illicit trafficking of drugs, firearms, and even persons, they are
often unaware of these networks’ ties to other, seemingly unrelated
offenses such as the counterfeiting of commercial goods, cybercrime,
fraud, child exploitation, and corruption in sport.
Organized crime affects every one of us, it affects the global economy as well as puts even individuals at risk. Their health is endangered by poor quality counterfeit products; their financial safety is compromised by attempts to steal their personal data; and children face threats such as online grooming and abuse.
Interpol has signed SRK as the ambassador for its global “Turn Back Crime” campaign. The campaign will spread awareness in preventing crime in the society. SRK will lend his voice for the campaign to disseminate the message that society will benefit if the citizens will respect the law and fight against the crime.
SRK joined the club of actors who have been the ambassador for the campaign. These include Hollywood actor Jackie Chan, footballer Lionel Messi, F1 racing drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
“Turn Back Crime”
Turn
Back Crime is a global campaign that highlights the dangers of
organized crime and its effect on our day-to-day lives. Using a variety
of media channels – including video, website and social networks – the
campaign provides advice on how to stay safe and encourages the general
public, businesses and governments to play a role in reducing the impact
of crime. While many people are aware that criminal networks are behind
the illicit trafficking of drugs, firearms, and even persons, they are
often unaware of these networks’ ties to other, seemingly unrelated
offenses such as the counterfeiting of commercial goods, cybercrime,
fraud, child exploitation, and corruption in sport.Organized crime affects every one of us, it affects the global economy as well as puts even individuals at risk. Their health is endangered by poor quality counterfeit products; their financial safety is compromised by attempts to steal their personal data; and children face threats such as online grooming and abuse.
‘Gods of Antarctica’: Book penned by 13-year-old Yashwardhan Shukla
Yashwardhan Shukla, a 13-year old school boy based in Delhi, has penned a novel titled ‘Gods of Antarctica’. The book is a fictional tale of gods and monsters. The book was published by the Readers Paradise.
The book tells a tale of a school kid David, who accidentally lands up in Antarctica after losing his entire family to a monster attack. It is about the mythological fantasy of David’s encounter with gods and monsters.
The book tells a tale of a school kid David, who accidentally lands up in Antarctica after losing his entire family to a monster attack. It is about the mythological fantasy of David’s encounter with gods and monsters.
Seema Malhotra appointed Labor Party’s First Shadow Minister in UK
Seema Malhotra
(42), an Indian-origin British MP, has been appointed as the Labour
party’s maiden shadow minister dealing with violence against women and
girls. Malhotra was nominated shadow minster by Britain’s Opposition
party leader Ed Miliband. Malhotra’s responsibility will also involve
working on Labour’s Women’s Safety Commission, which will formulate laws
to be enacted if Miliband is victorious in the next polls.Note: A shadow minister is a member of the main opposition party in Parliament who would hold ministerial office if their party were in power.
Hindi Sevi Samman for 2010 and 2011 presented by President Pranab Mukherjee
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee presented the Hindi Sevi Samman for the years 2010 and 2011:
Various Categories included:
Various Categories included:
Ganga Sharan Singh Award
(For work in the field of promotion and training of Hindi)
2010:- Janhu Barua
- Padma Sachdev
- R.F. Nirankatti
- S.A. Suryanarayan Verma
- C Kulchandra Sharma
- Dr. H. Balasubrahmanium
- Robin Das
- T. R. Bhatt
Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Award
(For work in the field of journalism and creative literature)
2010: - Dilip Kumar Chaubey
- Ravish Kumar
- Dr. Shivnarayan
- Govind Singh
Atmaram Award
(For work in the field of Science and Technology Literature and Machinery growth)
2010:- Anil Kumar Chaturvedi
- Kali Shankar
- Mahesh D Kulkarni
- Vijay Kumar Malhotra
Subramanyam Bharti Award
(For work for promotion of Hindi in constructive or criticism way)
2010:- Sudhish Pachauri
- Dr. Shyam Sundar Dubey
- Dilip Singh
- Nityanand Tiwary
Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan Award
(For work in the field exploration and research as well as for description on its journey)
2010:- Dr. Parmanand Panchaal
- Raghuveer Chaudhary
- Ashgar Vajahat
- Ved Rahi
Dr. George Grierson Award
(Awarded to people of foreign origin for promotion and training of Hindi outside India)
2010:- Samtoff Azad (Uzbekistan)
- JO Kim (South Korea)
Padmabhushan Dr. Moturi Satyanarayan Award
(Awarded to people of Indian origin for promotion and training of Hindi outside India)
2010:
- Madanlal Madhu (Russia)
- Tejendra Sharma (UK)
Oscar-winning director and actor Richard Attenborough passed away
Eminent Oscar-winning British director and actor Richard Attenborough (90) passed away.In his six-decade long career, he appeared in movies including Brighton Rock, World War Two prisoner of war thriller The Great Escape and later in dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park. As a director he was best known for Gandhi, which won him two Oscars.
General Prayuth Chan-ocha is new PM of Thailand
Thailand’s military’s top official, General Prayuth Chan-ocha (60), has been named the new Prime Minister of the country. Gen Prayuth was nominated in a legislature chosen by the junta and consisting mostly military and police figures. The general was the head of the army when he led a coup in May 2014. The coupled to the ouster of Yingluck Shinawatra’s civilian government. The General had claimed that military intervention was needed to restore stability to the nation.
Hanuman Akhara selected for Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar
Guru Hanuman Akhara, a wrestling academy based in Delhi, has been chosen for Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar (RKPP) for year 2014. As per Sports Ministry, Guru Hanuman Akhara has been chosen for ‘establishment and management of sports academies of excellence.’ President Pranab Mukherjee will honor the RKPP awardees along with Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand award winners at the National Sports Awards function in Delhi on August 29, 2014. Other RKPP awardees:
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC): Chosen for employment of sports persons and sports welfare measures
- Jindal Steel Works (JSW): Chosen for its contribution in identification and nurturing of budding/young talent
Noted Kanada writer U.R. Ananthamurthy passes away
Eminent Kannada writer and one of the most heralded public intellectuals in the country, U.R. Ananthamurthy (82) passed away.
He was a contemporary writer and critic in the Kannada language and is considered as one of the path-breakers of the Navya movement.
Awards and Honors:
He was conferred Jnanpith Award- the highest literary honor in India- for the Kannada language. He is the sixth person among eight recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language. In 1998, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan award from the Government of India.
Navya Movement
In the 1950s, a new modernist school of writing called Navya evolved even as the Pragatishila merged back into the Navodaya mainstream. A new (Navya) movement, the Navya Movement (Modernist Movement) was born around 1950. Though formally introduced by V. K. Gokak with his Navya Kavitegalu (“Modern Poems”, 1950), it was Gopalakrishna Adiga who best illustrated the spirit of the movement. Gopalakrishna Adiga is known as the father of this form of expression with his Nadedu Banda Dari (“The Path Traversed”, 1952).
The most effective vehicles of the movement were Poetry and short story. The Navya authors questioned the time-honoured standards of plot of the Navodaya; life was seen not as a pursuit of already existing values, but as an introspective search for them, at times narrated in stream of consciousness technique.
The study of Kannada literature is divided into 3 movements:
16-year old Max Verstappen is set to create history by becoming the youngest ever Formula One (F1) driver next season after Toro Rosso announced that the youngster will replace Jean-Éric Vergne. Verstappen
is a Dutch and is son of the former F1 driver Jos. He has been racing
this season in the European F3 Championship, having graduated from karts
in 2013. He joined Red Bull’s junior programme in August 2014 but was
confirmed to replace Vergne for next season.
To date, the Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari, who made his debut, at the age of 19, with the same Red Bull-owned team in 2009 is the youngest driver in the history of the sport.
Pakistan’s first-ever world champion in any sport, squash star Hashim Khan (100) passed away in the US. Former players paid homage to the legend of the sport.
Khan had clinched the sport’s premier title- the British Open seven times between 1951 and 1958.
Noted filmmaker and Poet, Muzaffar Ali (69), has been conferred 22nd Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the president of All-India Congress Committee (AICC), presented him the award.
Muzaffar Ali has been honored with this award in recognition to his contribution in spreading Communal harmony and peace. He had directed some of the very popular and highly extolled movies like Umrao Jaan, Gaman and Khizan. He had been honoured with Padma Shri for his works in 2005.
Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana award
It is also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Communal Harmony Award and was introduced by All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in 1992 to commemorate the contribution of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The award is presented every year on August 20, the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi as Sadbhavna Diwas (Harmony Day). It carries a cash award of Rs 5 lakh and a citation.
Prof. Kuruppassery Varkey Thomas has been appointed as Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Thomas is the senior Congress Parliamentarian from Ernakulum Constituency, Kerala.
The position was previously held by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and
had chairman of PAC for four consecutive years during 15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014).
Globally acclaimed yoga exponent B.K.S. Iyengar (95) passed away in Pune.
Born in Karnataka’s Kolar district in 1918 and enervated by maladies since his childhood, he codified Patanjali’s yoga sutras in an ingeniously dynamic yoga style which came to be known as Iyengar Yoga which attracted millions of followers in more than 70 countries. He expounded its principles in Light on Yoga (1966), which has since been regarded as the bible of yoga. The book has been translated into 19 languages and has sold more than 3 million copies.
His knowledge was open for access to all irrespective of class, caste and religion. Mr. Iyengar, who was honored with the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan, exposed yoga to the West, teaching such famous personalities like violin maestro Yehudi Menuhin and author Aldous Huxley.
He was a contemporary writer and critic in the Kannada language and is considered as one of the path-breakers of the Navya movement.
Awards and Honors:
He was conferred Jnanpith Award- the highest literary honor in India- for the Kannada language. He is the sixth person among eight recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language. In 1998, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan award from the Government of India.
Navya Movement
In the 1950s, a new modernist school of writing called Navya evolved even as the Pragatishila merged back into the Navodaya mainstream. A new (Navya) movement, the Navya Movement (Modernist Movement) was born around 1950. Though formally introduced by V. K. Gokak with his Navya Kavitegalu (“Modern Poems”, 1950), it was Gopalakrishna Adiga who best illustrated the spirit of the movement. Gopalakrishna Adiga is known as the father of this form of expression with his Nadedu Banda Dari (“The Path Traversed”, 1952).
The most effective vehicles of the movement were Poetry and short story. The Navya authors questioned the time-honoured standards of plot of the Navodaya; life was seen not as a pursuit of already existing values, but as an introspective search for them, at times narrated in stream of consciousness technique.
The study of Kannada literature is divided into 3 movements:
- Navodaya (1926-47)
- Pragatisheela (1945-55)
- Navya (1950-75)
INS Kamorta: India’s first domestically built stealth warship commissioned into Navy
India’s first indigenously-built stealth anti-submarine warfare INS Kamorta was commissioned into Indian Navy by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley at naval dockyard in Vishakhapatnam.
The corvette has been built by the state-owned Gardenreach Shipbuilders (GRSE) in Kolkata and is the first vessel in the Navy whose all weapon systems have been manufactured indigenously.
Kamorta is the first of four ASW stealth combat ships designed by Indian Navy’s internal organization, Directorate of Naval Design (DND), and built by GRSE.
The corvette has been built by the state-owned Gardenreach Shipbuilders (GRSE) in Kolkata and is the first vessel in the Navy whose all weapon systems have been manufactured indigenously.
Kamorta is the first of four ASW stealth combat ships designed by Indian Navy’s internal organization, Directorate of Naval Design (DND), and built by GRSE.
Apex court’s notice to Centre on a plea seeking conduct of court proceedings in Hindi
Responding to a PIL seeking the Supreme Court’s direction to the government to amend the Constitution for making Hindi official language for conducting court proceedings, the apex court has issued a notice to the Centre on the matter. The court has sought response from the Centre for amending Article 348 of
the Constitution which holds that all proceedings in the Supreme Court
and all the high courts shall be conducted in English. The PIL filed by
Shiv Sagar Tiwari, a lawyer, says that using English as an official
language in higher judiciary is a legacy of British rule which should be eliminated. He termed the termed the language as “Gulami Bhasha”. It demands that the language of the Supreme Court should be ‘rashtra bhasha’ as defined under Article 343 of the Constitution.
Indian scientist awarded prestigious grant under Obama initiative
Partha Mitra, an Indian researcher in the US has been awarded a prestigious research grant under President Barack Obama’s initiative to map the human brain.
The grant will support Mitra’s endeavors to develop a “virtual neuroanatomist”, an artificial-intelligence system that can identify cell types and neural structures in microscopic images of brain slices.
Apart from Mitra, Florin Albeanu is the other scientist at the National Science Foundation who has been awarded Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) under President Barack Obama’s multi-year Brain Initiative.
The award will provide $300,000 over two years for the development of innovative conceptual and physical tools to move forward neuroscience. The awards are intended to fund short-term, proof-of-concept projects with the prospect of high-returns.
The grant will support Mitra’s endeavors to develop a “virtual neuroanatomist”, an artificial-intelligence system that can identify cell types and neural structures in microscopic images of brain slices.
Apart from Mitra, Florin Albeanu is the other scientist at the National Science Foundation who has been awarded Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) under President Barack Obama’s multi-year Brain Initiative.
The award will provide $300,000 over two years for the development of innovative conceptual and physical tools to move forward neuroscience. The awards are intended to fund short-term, proof-of-concept projects with the prospect of high-returns.
T M Bhasin: New Chairman of Indian Bank’s Association
Mr. T M Bhasin, CMD, Indian Bank, has been elected by the managing committee of Indian Bank’s Association (IBA) as its Chairman for the year 2014-15.
On behalf of IBA, Mr Bhasin, will be associated with “Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana” Mission, headed by Union Finance Minister.
Indian Bank Association (IBA)
IBA is the representative body of CMDs and CEOs of Public Sector, Private Sector and Foreign banks, which plays advisory role and presents the views of banking Industry to various Ministries of Government of India for policy framing and to RBI on regulatory matters.
On behalf of IBA, Mr Bhasin, will be associated with “Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana” Mission, headed by Union Finance Minister.
Indian Bank Association (IBA)
IBA is the representative body of CMDs and CEOs of Public Sector, Private Sector and Foreign banks, which plays advisory role and presents the views of banking Industry to various Ministries of Government of India for policy framing and to RBI on regulatory matters.
Max Verstappen: Youngest ever F1 driver
16-year old Max Verstappen is set to create history by becoming the youngest ever Formula One (F1) driver next season after Toro Rosso announced that the youngster will replace Jean-Éric Vergne. Verstappen
is a Dutch and is son of the former F1 driver Jos. He has been racing
this season in the European F3 Championship, having graduated from karts
in 2013. He joined Red Bull’s junior programme in August 2014 but was
confirmed to replace Vergne for next season.To date, the Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari, who made his debut, at the age of 19, with the same Red Bull-owned team in 2009 is the youngest driver in the history of the sport.
Pakistan’s squash legend Hashim Khan passed away
Pakistan’s first-ever world champion in any sport, squash star Hashim Khan (100) passed away in the US. Former players paid homage to the legend of the sport.Khan had clinched the sport’s premier title- the British Open seven times between 1951 and 1958.
Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali conferred Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award
Noted filmmaker and Poet, Muzaffar Ali (69), has been conferred 22nd Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the president of All-India Congress Committee (AICC), presented him the award.Muzaffar Ali has been honored with this award in recognition to his contribution in spreading Communal harmony and peace. He had directed some of the very popular and highly extolled movies like Umrao Jaan, Gaman and Khizan. He had been honoured with Padma Shri for his works in 2005.
Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana award
It is also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Communal Harmony Award and was introduced by All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in 1992 to commemorate the contribution of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The award is presented every year on August 20, the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi as Sadbhavna Diwas (Harmony Day). It carries a cash award of Rs 5 lakh and a citation.
KV Thomas is new Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC)
Prof. Kuruppassery Varkey Thomas has been appointed as Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Thomas is the senior Congress Parliamentarian from Ernakulum Constituency, Kerala.
The position was previously held by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and
had chairman of PAC for four consecutive years during 15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014).
Public Accounts Commission (PAC)
The Committee on Public Accounts is constituted by Parliament each year for examination of accounts showing the appropriation of sums granted by Parliament for expenditure of Government of India, the annual Finance
Accounts of Government of India, and such other Accounts laid before
Parliament as the Committee may deem fit, such as accounts of autonomous
and semi-autonomous bodies (except those of Public Undertakings and
Government Companies which come under the purview of the Committee on
Public Undertakings).
Constitution of the Committee
The Committee consists of not more than
22 members comprising 15 members elected by Lok Sabha every year from
amongst its members according to the principle of proportional
representation by means of single transferable vote and not more than 7
members of Rajya Sabha
elected by that House in like manner are associated with the Committee.
The Chairman is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its members of
Lok Sabha. The Speaker, for the first time, appointed a member of the
Opposition as the Chairman of the Committee for 1967-68. This practice
has been continued since then. A Minister is not eligible to be elected
as a member of the Committee. If a member, after his election to the
Committee is appointed a Minister, he ceases to be a member of the
Committee from the date of such appointment.
Change in set-up
From its inception in the year 1921 till
early 1950, the Finance-member was appointed as the Chairman of the
Committee and its Secretarial functions were looked after by the Finance
Department (later Ministry of Finance). With the coming into force of
the Constitution of India on 26 January 1950, the Committee became a
Parliamentary Committee under the control of the Speaker. Its
Secretarial functions were transferred to the Parliament Secretariat (now Lok Sabha Secretariat).
Functions of the Committee
The Examination of the Appropriation Accounts relating to the Railways, Defence
Services, Postal Services and other Civil Ministries of the Government
of India and Reports of the Comptrolier and Auditor-General of India
thereon as also the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General on
Revenue Receipts mainly form the basis of the deliberation of the
Committee. In scrutinizing the Appropriation Accounts and the Reports of
the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon, it is the duty of the
Committee to satisfy itself:
a) that the money shown in the accounts
ashaving been disbursed were legally available for, and applicable to
the service or purpose to which they have been applied or charged;
b) that the expenditure conforms to the authority which governs it; and
c) that every re-appropriation has
been made in accordance with the provisions made in this behalf under
rules framed by the competent authority.
One of the duties of the Committee is to
ascertain that money granted by Parliament has been spent by Government
within the scope of the demand. It considers the justification for
spending more or less than the amount originally sanctioned. If any
money has been spent on a service in excess of the amount granted by the
House for the purpose, the Committee examines with reference to the
facts of each case, the circumstances leading to such an excess and
makes such recommendations as it may deem fit.
The functions of the Committee extend, however, “beyond, the formality of expenditure to its wisdom, faithfulness and economy”. The Committee thus examines cases involving losses, nugatory expenditure and financial irregularities.
While scrutinizing the Reports of the
Comptroller and Auditor-General on Revenue Receipts, the Committee
examines various aspects of Government’s tax administration. The
Committee, thus, examines cases involving under-assessments,
tax-evasion, non-levy ofduties, misclassifications, etc., identifies the
loopholes in the taxation Laws and procedures and makes recommendations in order to check leakage of revenue.
Working of the Committee
The representatives of the Ministries
appear before the Committee when examining the Accounts and Audit
Reports relating to their Ministries. The Committee proceeds by way of
interrogation of witnesses. The Comptroller and Auditor General is the “friend, philosopher and guide” of the Committee. He attends the sittings of the Committee and assists it in its deliberations.
The Committee may appoint one or more Sub-Committees/Sub
Groups to examine any particular matter. At the beginning of its term,
the Committee appoints a few Working Groups/ Sub-Committees to
facilitate the examination of the various Accounts and Audit Reports and
Sub-Committee to consider the action taken by the Government on the
recommendations made by the Committee in its earlier Reports. If it
appears to the Committee that it is necessary for the purpose of its
examination that an on-the-spot study should be made, the Committee may,
either in its entirety or by dividing itself into Study Groups, decide
to undertake tours to make an on-the-spot study of any project or
establishment. All discussions held during tour by the Committee/Study
Groups with the representatives of the establishment, Ministries/
Departments, non-official organisations, Labour Unions, etc. are treated
as confidential and no one having access to the discussion, directly or
indirectly is to communicate to the Press or any unauthorised person,
any information about matters taken up during the discussions.
Government takes action on the
recommendations of the Committee and submits action taken notes to the
Committee. The Committee then presents an Action Taken Reportafter
considering the views of the Government. The Government further submits
an “Action Taken Statement” on the action taken by the Government on the “Action Taken Report”
of the Committee. The Action Taken Statement is generally laid before
the House without any further examination by the Committee. Normally,
almost all the recommendations of the Committee are implemented by the
Government.
Yoga exponent B.K.S. Iyengar passed away
Globally acclaimed yoga exponent B.K.S. Iyengar (95) passed away in Pune.Born in Karnataka’s Kolar district in 1918 and enervated by maladies since his childhood, he codified Patanjali’s yoga sutras in an ingeniously dynamic yoga style which came to be known as Iyengar Yoga which attracted millions of followers in more than 70 countries. He expounded its principles in Light on Yoga (1966), which has since been regarded as the bible of yoga. The book has been translated into 19 languages and has sold more than 3 million copies.
His knowledge was open for access to all irrespective of class, caste and religion. Mr. Iyengar, who was honored with the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan, exposed yoga to the West, teaching such famous personalities like violin maestro Yehudi Menuhin and author Aldous Huxley.
Rajni Razdan: New UPSC chief
Rajni Razdan (64) assumed charge as new chairman of Union Public Service Commission, which conducts the prestigious civil services examination to select IAS, IFS and IPS officers among others. Outgoing chairperson D P Agrawal administered Razdan the oath as UPSC chief.
Razdan, a former IAS officer of Haryana cadre, had retired as Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances. She had joined as UPSC member on April 19, 2010.
Note: The UPSC is headed by a chairman and 10 members.
Razdan, a former IAS officer of Haryana cadre, had retired as Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances. She had joined as UPSC member on April 19, 2010.
Note: The UPSC is headed by a chairman and 10 members.
RBI board approves radical changes, introduces COO post as proposed by Raghuram Rajan
In a bid to introduce radical changes in the functioning of the Reserve Bank of India, the RBI board has approved Governor Raghuram Rajan’s
proposal of shrinking organizational cumbersomeness and reducing
overlaps. It also seeks to create the post of Chief Operating Officer
(COO), an executive who’s likely to be made responsible for executing
the RBI’s reform agenda.
Rajan proposed to bring all aspects of RBI under 5 functional departments to be supervised by 4 Deputy Governors and a COO. He suggested merging some departments to avoid overlaps. He is also inclined to make lateral hires from the private sector as practiced in the West.
Nachiket Mor is seen as the most likely candidate for the post of COO. Mor is a former executive director of ICICI Bank and also chaired the RBI panel on financial inclusion.
Since the position of COO is likely to be at the deputy governor level, the post’s status will have to be discussed further with the government, and which may also necessitate some legislative amendments.
Rajan proposed to bring all aspects of RBI under 5 functional departments to be supervised by 4 Deputy Governors and a COO. He suggested merging some departments to avoid overlaps. He is also inclined to make lateral hires from the private sector as practiced in the West.
Nachiket Mor is seen as the most likely candidate for the post of COO. Mor is a former executive director of ICICI Bank and also chaired the RBI panel on financial inclusion.
Since the position of COO is likely to be at the deputy governor level, the post’s status will have to be discussed further with the government, and which may also necessitate some legislative amendments.
India’s future lies in manufacturing with ‘Zero-Defect and Zero-Effect’: PM Narendra Modi
PM Narendra Modi, in his maiden speech from Red Fort, stressed on achieving economic self-reliance, saying the country should strive to become a manufacturing hub for global investors with ‘Zero-defect products and Zero-effect’ on environment.
He invited global investors to make India their manufacturing base and urged the young industrial workforce and entrepreneurs to strive to build the made-in-India brand. He appealed the people world over, “Come, make in India”, “Come, manufacture in India. Sell in any country of the world but manufacture here. We have got skill, talent, discipline, and determination to do something”. The PM called upon the Indian enterprise to think of ways by which the country does not have to import goods, but export to the world.
“Zero Defect, Zero Effect” manufacturing
PM Modi urged entrepreneurs that they would never compromise, at least on two fronts. First, Zero defect and, second, Zero effect. He suggested that Indian goods should be manufactured in such a way that they bear zero defects and that our exported goods are never returned to us. The goods should also have zero effect that they should not have a negative impact on the environment.
He invited global investors to make India their manufacturing base and urged the young industrial workforce and entrepreneurs to strive to build the made-in-India brand. He appealed the people world over, “Come, make in India”, “Come, manufacture in India. Sell in any country of the world but manufacture here. We have got skill, talent, discipline, and determination to do something”. The PM called upon the Indian enterprise to think of ways by which the country does not have to import goods, but export to the world.
“Zero Defect, Zero Effect” manufacturing
PM Modi urged entrepreneurs that they would never compromise, at least on two fronts. First, Zero defect and, second, Zero effect. He suggested that Indian goods should be manufactured in such a way that they bear zero defects and that our exported goods are never returned to us. The goods should also have zero effect that they should not have a negative impact on the environment.
PM Modi’ announces “Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana” on Independence Day
In his maiden Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, PM Narendra Modi announced a new financial scheme named ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana’ to help the poor open bank accounts which will come bundled with a debit card and life insurance cover.
PM Modi observed that there are crores of families that have mobile phones, but no bank account. He stressed that access to banking services is crucial to protect the poor from falling prey to moneylenders and increasing cases of suicides by farmers who fall in this trap.
The new scheme has a very different approach from the financial inclusion approach so far. The scheme seeks to provide a bank account to every poor in the country, and the account holder will be provided a debit card and a life insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh.
The government has set a target of 7.5 crore new accounts by 2018 via regular brick-and-mortar branches, deviating from UPA’s initiative of banking services in cities with certain minimum population.
The Union Cabinet has already approved the two-phase financial inclusion scheme under which bank accounts will be opened for 15 crore poor persons with an overdraft facility of Rs.5,000 and accident insurance of Rs.1 lakh. The scheme seeks to provide two accounts to 7.5 crore identified households by August 2018.
Key features of ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana’:
PM Modi observed that there are crores of families that have mobile phones, but no bank account. He stressed that access to banking services is crucial to protect the poor from falling prey to moneylenders and increasing cases of suicides by farmers who fall in this trap.
The new scheme has a very different approach from the financial inclusion approach so far. The scheme seeks to provide a bank account to every poor in the country, and the account holder will be provided a debit card and a life insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh.
The government has set a target of 7.5 crore new accounts by 2018 via regular brick-and-mortar branches, deviating from UPA’s initiative of banking services in cities with certain minimum population.
The Union Cabinet has already approved the two-phase financial inclusion scheme under which bank accounts will be opened for 15 crore poor persons with an overdraft facility of Rs.5,000 and accident insurance of Rs.1 lakh. The scheme seeks to provide two accounts to 7.5 crore identified households by August 2018.
Key features of ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana’:
- Rs.5,000 overdraft facility for Aadhar-linked accounts
- Ru Pay Debit Card with inbuilt Rs.1 lakh accident insurance
- Minimum monthly remuneration of Rs.5,000 to business correspondents who will provide the last link between the account holders and the bank.
Independence Day: Modi’s mantras for new India
Addressing India on the occasion of country’s 68th Independence Day, PM Narendra Modi made a sensational and motivational speech using catchy slogans expressing his vision and mantras for building a new India.
Excerpts from his speech:
Pradhan Sevak: “Today Indians, both in India and all over the world, are celebrating Independence Day. I convey my greetings to them not as a Pradhan Mantri, but Pradhan Sevak (prime public servant).”
Make in India: “We need to build up the manufacturing sector. I want to tell the world: Come, make in India.” It is an invitation to investors with a view to make India a manufacturing hub.
Zero defect, zero effect: “Our manufacturing should have zero defect so that our products should not be rejected in the global market. Besides, we should also keep in mind that manufacturing should not have any negative impact on our environment.” This underscores the importance of skilled workforce, while also keeping in mind the importance of protecting the environment.
Digital India: “India used to be called a land of snake charmers. Today, our youth has surprised the world with its IT skills. Our dream is to build a ‘Digital India’.” The digital focus was in consonance with Modi’s election promises of a new India and focus on IT.
He concluded his speech saluting the devotion, the sacrifices of the security forces of the country, para-military forces of the country, and all the security forces of the country to protect Mother India. He urged the countrymen with the quote “राष्ट्रयाम, जाग्रयाम्वयम्”, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”. He exhorted the countrymen to be vigilant and take the country to new heights and move forward with this resolution.
Excerpts from his speech:
Pradhan Sevak: “Today Indians, both in India and all over the world, are celebrating Independence Day. I convey my greetings to them not as a Pradhan Mantri, but Pradhan Sevak (prime public servant).”
Make in India: “We need to build up the manufacturing sector. I want to tell the world: Come, make in India.” It is an invitation to investors with a view to make India a manufacturing hub.
Zero defect, zero effect: “Our manufacturing should have zero defect so that our products should not be rejected in the global market. Besides, we should also keep in mind that manufacturing should not have any negative impact on our environment.” This underscores the importance of skilled workforce, while also keeping in mind the importance of protecting the environment.
Digital India: “India used to be called a land of snake charmers. Today, our youth has surprised the world with its IT skills. Our dream is to build a ‘Digital India’.” The digital focus was in consonance with Modi’s election promises of a new India and focus on IT.
He concluded his speech saluting the devotion, the sacrifices of the security forces of the country, para-military forces of the country, and all the security forces of the country to protect Mother India. He urged the countrymen with the quote “राष्ट्रयाम, जाग्रयाम्वयम्”, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”. He exhorted the countrymen to be vigilant and take the country to new heights and move forward with this resolution.
PM Modi does away with bullet-proof shield at Red Fort
Breaking the three-decade old practice, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his Independence Day speech without the protection of any bullet-proof shield
from the parapets of Red Fort. The last time a PM did so was the late
Indira Gandhi. Ever since her assassination in 1984, bullet-proof
shields for PMs at Red Fort became a usual security practice.
After the assassination of India’s PM Indira Gandhi in 1984, a bullet-proof shield was set up in front of the dais from which Rajiv Gandhi spoke at Red Fort while he was PM. Later the shield was expanded to cover the sideview of the PM as well in the tenure of AB Vajpayee in 1999. After Manmohan Singh became the PM in 2004, the shield was converted into a full 360-degree bullet-proof enclosure for his speech on August 15.
After the assassination of India’s PM Indira Gandhi in 1984, a bullet-proof shield was set up in front of the dais from which Rajiv Gandhi spoke at Red Fort while he was PM. Later the shield was expanded to cover the sideview of the PM as well in the tenure of AB Vajpayee in 1999. After Manmohan Singh became the PM in 2004, the shield was converted into a full 360-degree bullet-proof enclosure for his speech on August 15.
Roger Federer clinches 300th Masters match
Swiss tennis star Roger Federer
achieved a new milestone as he became the first man to win 300 matches
at the ATP Masters 1000 level, defeating Vasek Pospisil in Cincinnati.
Justice Banumathi: Frist woman to become Supreme Court judge from TN
Justice R Banumathi has become the first woman judge from Tamil Nadu to be elevated to the Supreme Court.
Justice Banumathi is only the 6th woman judge of the SC since India’s Independence. Now, the 30-judge SC will now have two woman judges. The other is Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The sanctioned strength of the apex court is 31. Justice Banumathi is the one who ordered ban on jallikkattu and bull taming game in rural Tamil Nadu. The judgment paved the way for formulating guidelines to regulate the traditional sport in the state.
The other women judges of the court were Justice M Fathima Beevi (Kerala) who was the first woman SC judge, Justice Sujata V Manohar (Maharashtra), Justice Ruma Pal (West Bengal) and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra (Bihar).
Justice Banumathi is only the 6th woman judge of the SC since India’s Independence. Now, the 30-judge SC will now have two woman judges. The other is Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai. The sanctioned strength of the apex court is 31. Justice Banumathi is the one who ordered ban on jallikkattu and bull taming game in rural Tamil Nadu. The judgment paved the way for formulating guidelines to regulate the traditional sport in the state.
The other women judges of the court were Justice M Fathima Beevi (Kerala) who was the first woman SC judge, Justice Sujata V Manohar (Maharashtra), Justice Ruma Pal (West Bengal) and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra (Bihar).
Bimal Jalan appointed as head of Expenditure Management Commission
Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Bimal Jalan has been appointed as head of the Expenditure Management Commission,
which will study various aspects of expenditure reforms to be
undertaken by the government. The panel will submit its interim report
before the 2015-16 Budget and its final report before the 2016-17 Budget.
The formation of EMC follows the announcement of the same made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Budget 2014-15. With the setting up of EMC, the government intends to review the allocative and operational efficiencies of the government expenditure to achieve maximum output.
Previous ERCs
Atal Bihari Vajpayee government initiated Expenditure Reforms Commission (ERC) headed by former finance secretary K P Geethakrishnan during the year 1999-2000. This commission suggested moderating the central government machinery and winding up of some government departments. A few recommendations of the panel were implemented during the term of then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha.
In 2002, UPA government appointed former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar as the head of the Committee for fiscal consolidation plan which included cutting down the subsidies. The Committee recommended increasing diesel and cooking gas prices gradually. The panel’s suggestions are being followed.
The formation of EMC follows the announcement of the same made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Budget 2014-15. With the setting up of EMC, the government intends to review the allocative and operational efficiencies of the government expenditure to achieve maximum output.
Previous ERCs
Atal Bihari Vajpayee government initiated Expenditure Reforms Commission (ERC) headed by former finance secretary K P Geethakrishnan during the year 1999-2000. This commission suggested moderating the central government machinery and winding up of some government departments. A few recommendations of the panel were implemented during the term of then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha.
In 2002, UPA government appointed former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar as the head of the Committee for fiscal consolidation plan which included cutting down the subsidies. The Committee recommended increasing diesel and cooking gas prices gradually. The panel’s suggestions are being followed.
‘Burra katha’ exponent Daroji Eramma passed away
The renowned and one of the last exponents of ‘Burra Katha’ Daroji Eramma (84) passed away.
Ms. Eramma, belonged to the ‘Budaga Janagama’ community, a nomadic tribe (SC), had perfected the folk art form of storytelling based on mythological and social themes. She was a famous personality across the country. Ms. Eramma could render as many as 12 epics by-heart, as per the records of the Department of Tribal Studies, Kannada University in Hampi. In recognition to her contribution to this art, the Kannada University honored her with the Nadoja Award. She was also conferred the Rajyotsava and Janapada Shri awards.
What is ‘Burra katha’?
“Burra” means ‘tambura’, a musical string instrument with a hollow shell. “Katha” is Sanskrit equivalent of ‘story’. Burra means a skull in Telugu. The shell resembles a human skull. It is made of baked clay or dried pumpkin, or of brass and copper.
Burra katha, is a oral storytelling practice in the Katha tradition, performed in villages of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Burrakatha tellers are called as “budagajangalu”. The ensemble consists of one main performer and two co-performers. It is a narrative entertainment that consists of prayers, solo drama, dance, songs, poems and jokes. The theme will be either a Hindu mythological story or a contemporary social issue.
The art is also known by other local names like Jangam Kataha in the coastal region of Andhra, in Rayalaseema is known as Tandana katha or suddulu and in Telangana it is Tamboora katha or sarada katha.
Popular performers of Burra Katha include Pendyala Venkateswarrao, Paruchuri Ramakotayya, Kosuri Punnayya, Kakumanu Subbarao, Mahankali Lakshmi and Moturi Udayam
The art is now on the verge of extinction with people turning to TV and internet for entertainment.
Ms. Eramma, belonged to the ‘Budaga Janagama’ community, a nomadic tribe (SC), had perfected the folk art form of storytelling based on mythological and social themes. She was a famous personality across the country. Ms. Eramma could render as many as 12 epics by-heart, as per the records of the Department of Tribal Studies, Kannada University in Hampi. In recognition to her contribution to this art, the Kannada University honored her with the Nadoja Award. She was also conferred the Rajyotsava and Janapada Shri awards.
What is ‘Burra katha’?
“Burra” means ‘tambura’, a musical string instrument with a hollow shell. “Katha” is Sanskrit equivalent of ‘story’. Burra means a skull in Telugu. The shell resembles a human skull. It is made of baked clay or dried pumpkin, or of brass and copper.
Burra katha, is a oral storytelling practice in the Katha tradition, performed in villages of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Burrakatha tellers are called as “budagajangalu”. The ensemble consists of one main performer and two co-performers. It is a narrative entertainment that consists of prayers, solo drama, dance, songs, poems and jokes. The theme will be either a Hindu mythological story or a contemporary social issue.
The art is also known by other local names like Jangam Kataha in the coastal region of Andhra, in Rayalaseema is known as Tandana katha or suddulu and in Telangana it is Tamboora katha or sarada katha.
Popular performers of Burra Katha include Pendyala Venkateswarrao, Paruchuri Ramakotayya, Kosuri Punnayya, Kakumanu Subbarao, Mahankali Lakshmi and Moturi Udayam
The art is now on the verge of extinction with people turning to TV and internet for entertainment.
Significance
Burra katha a pastime event in villages can be seen even today especially during Dussehra or Sankranti festivals.
It is used to narrate narrate events in epics like Ramayan and
Mahabharat, etc. Burra Katha played an impressive role in
delivering message to people and awakening people throughout the Indian Independence Movement.Since Burra Katha it was a medium to educate the people of the political situation, the British Government had banned Burra katha in Madras and the Nizam Government banned it in Hyderabad kingdom.
Outstanding Parliamentarian Award to Arun Jaitley, Karan Singh and Sharad Yadav
President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee presented the Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards to Arun Jaitley, Dr Karan Singh and Sharad Yadav
for the year 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. The awards were
conferred upon them for their priceless contribution in discharge of
their parliamentary duties.
President while presenting the awards urged all Parliamentarians to maintain the prestige and dignity of Parliament, as it’s a duty of every Parliamentarian.
Background of Outstanding Parliamentarian Award
The Outstanding Parliamentarian Award was established in 1992 by Shivraj Patil who was then the Speaker of Lok Sabha. The Indian Parliamentary Group selects an outstanding sitting Member of the Indian Parliament after considering his/her overall contribution in Parliament.
President while presenting the awards urged all Parliamentarians to maintain the prestige and dignity of Parliament, as it’s a duty of every Parliamentarian.
Background of Outstanding Parliamentarian Award
The Outstanding Parliamentarian Award was established in 1992 by Shivraj Patil who was then the Speaker of Lok Sabha. The Indian Parliamentary Group selects an outstanding sitting Member of the Indian Parliament after considering his/her overall contribution in Parliament.
Panel recommends Awardees for Arjuna Award, No Khel Ratna
The 12-member selection panel, headed by legendary cricketer Kapil Dev, recommended the names of 15 sportspersons for the prestigious Arjuna Award. However, the committee did not recommend anyone one for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. This is the third time when no sportsperson has been recommended for the Khel Ratna since the establishing of the country’s highest sporting award in 1991.
Sportspersons recommended for Arjuna Award:
Sportspersons recommended for Arjuna Award:
- Ravichandran Ashwin (cricket)
- Akhilesh Varma (archery)
- Tintu Luka (athletics)
- H N Girisha (paralympics)
- V Diju (badminton)
- Geetu Ann Jose (basketball)
- Jai Bhagwan (boxing)
- Anirban Lahiri (golf)
- Mamta Pujari (kabaddi)
- Saji Thomas (rowing)
- Heena Sidhu (shooting)
- Anaka Alankamony (squash)
- Tom Joseph (volleyball)
- Renubala Chanu (weightlifting)
- Sunil Rana (wrestling)
M Thambidurai to be deputy speaker of Lok Sabha
With Congress supporting candidature of AIADMK leader M Thambidurai as deputy speaker of Lok Sabha,
he is set to be elected unopposed for the post. Mr. Thambidurai is the
leader of AIADMK in the House. He was deputy speaker from 1985 to 1989.
PIOs win top awards in the field of Mathematics
The International Mathematical Union (IMU) awarded mathematicians of Indian-and Iranian-origin with the 2014 Fields Medal, also considered as the “Nobel Prize of Mathematics“.
Persons of India Origin (PIOs) Manjul Bhargava bagged the Fields Medal 2014 while Subhash Khot won the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize conferred by the IMU at International Congress of Mathematicians 2014 held in Seoul, South Korea.
Manjul Bhargava
He is an Indian Canadian-American mathematician. He is a Professor of Mathematics at Princeton University and is known primarily for his contributions to number theory.
Notable Contribution: He has been awarded the Fields Medal for “developing powerful new methods in the geometry of numbers, which he applied to count rings of small rank and to bound the average rank of elliptic curves.” His work is based both on a profound understanding of the representations of arithmetic groups and a unique mix of algebraic and analytic expertise.
Awards and Honors:
Bhargava was awarded with the Merten Hasse Prize of the Mathematical Association of America (2003), the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize (2005), the Cole Prize in Number Theory of the American Mathematical Society (2008) and the Infosys Prize (2012). He was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences in 2013.
The Rolf Nevanlinna Prize:
The prize is awarded once every 4 years at the International Congress of Mathematicians in recognition to the outstanding contributions in Mathematical Aspects of Information Sciences including all mathematical aspects of computer science, including complexity theory, logic of programming languages, analysis of algorithms, cryptography, computer vision, pattern recognition, information processing and modelling of intelligence as well as scientific computing and numerical analysis.
Persons of India Origin (PIOs) Manjul Bhargava bagged the Fields Medal 2014 while Subhash Khot won the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize conferred by the IMU at International Congress of Mathematicians 2014 held in Seoul, South Korea.
Manjul Bhargava
He is an Indian Canadian-American mathematician. He is a Professor of Mathematics at Princeton University and is known primarily for his contributions to number theory.
Notable Contribution: He has been awarded the Fields Medal for “developing powerful new methods in the geometry of numbers, which he applied to count rings of small rank and to bound the average rank of elliptic curves.” His work is based both on a profound understanding of the representations of arithmetic groups and a unique mix of algebraic and analytic expertise.
Awards and Honors:
Bhargava was awarded with the Merten Hasse Prize of the Mathematical Association of America (2003), the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize (2005), the Cole Prize in Number Theory of the American Mathematical Society (2008) and the Infosys Prize (2012). He was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences in 2013.
The Rolf Nevanlinna Prize:
The prize is awarded once every 4 years at the International Congress of Mathematicians in recognition to the outstanding contributions in Mathematical Aspects of Information Sciences including all mathematical aspects of computer science, including complexity theory, logic of programming languages, analysis of algorithms, cryptography, computer vision, pattern recognition, information processing and modelling of intelligence as well as scientific computing and numerical analysis.
Names of Mathematicians for the Fields Medal 2014 announced
The names of four outstanding mathematicians for the
Fields Medal, the most prestigious award in mathematics, have been
announced.
The Fields Medal is given by the International Mathematical Union to between two and four mathematicians under the age of 40 at the International Congress of Mathematicians, held once every four years. The award intends to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement for existing work and for the promise of future achievement.
The four 2014 Fields Medalists:
The Fields Medal is given by the International Mathematical Union to between two and four mathematicians under the age of 40 at the International Congress of Mathematicians, held once every four years. The award intends to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement for existing work and for the promise of future achievement.
The four 2014 Fields Medalists:
- Artur Avila: For his most noteworthy research is in the study of chaos theory and dynamical systems.
- Manjul Bhargava: For his contribution to number theory and algebra.
- Martin Hairer: For his researches on stochastic partial differential equations.
- Maryam Mirzakhani: For her work on the geometry of Riemann surfaces.
Resham Lal Jangde: Member of India’s first Lok Sabha passed away
Member of India’s first Lok Sabha Reshamlal Jangde
(90) passed away. A law graduate from Nagpur, he contested polls on a
general seat despite being a Schedule Caste and made it to the first Lok Sabha in 1952 from Bilaspur as a Congress contestant. A close aid of Lal Bahadur Shastri, he was also a member of the Provisional Parliament that preceded the first Lok Sabha between 1950 and 1952.
The First Lok Sabha was constituted on April 15, 1952 after India’s first general election. The first Lok Sabha lasted its full tenure of five years and was dissolved on April 4, 1957.
Following were the First Lok Sabha officers and other important members:-
The First Lok Sabha was constituted on April 15, 1952 after India’s first general election. The first Lok Sabha lasted its full tenure of five years and was dissolved on April 4, 1957.
Following were the First Lok Sabha officers and other important members:-
- Speaker: Ganesh Vasudev Mavlankar (May 8, 1952- Feb 27, 1956), M. A. Ayyangar (Mar 8, 1956-May 10, 1957)
- Deputy Speaker: M. A. Ayyangar (May 30, 1952-Mar 20, 1956), Sardar Hukam Singh (Mar 20, 1956-Apr 4, 1957)
- Secretary-General: M. N. Kaul (Apr 17, 1952-Apr 4, 1957)
- Leader of the House: Jawaharlal Nehru (Apr 17, 1952-Apr 4, 1957)
- Leader of the Opposition: A. K. Gopalan
Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams passed away
Oscar-winning actor Robin McLaurin Williams (63)
passed away. Williams was an American actor, stand-up comedian, film
producer, and screenwriter. He became famous with his role as the alien
Mork in the TV series Mork & Mindy (1978–82). He went on to become a
famed actor in both stand-up comedy and feature film.His acting was lauded in films such as Good Will Hunting (1997), Aladdin (1992), Jumanji (1995), Night at the Museum (2006), and Happy Feet (2006).
Awards and Honors:
He was nominated thrice for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting. He also received four Golden Globe Awards, two Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.
Archery World Cup: Indian women archers bag gold, men silver
India’s women archers’ team led by Deepika Kumari won the recurve team gold after defeating Mexico 6-0 in the final as India returned with 5 medals in the Archery World Cup Stage IV in Wroclaw, Poland.
Deepika clinched3 medals and a bronze each in recurve women’s individual event and recurve mixed team pair event with her partner Jayanta Talukdar.
The men’s recurve team managed to clinch a silver after losing to Mexico 3-5 in the final.
Deepika clinched3 medals and a bronze each in recurve women’s individual event and recurve mixed team pair event with her partner Jayanta Talukdar.
The men’s recurve team managed to clinch a silver after losing to Mexico 3-5 in the final.
Iraq’s President nominates Haider Al-Abadi for the role of PM
President of Iraq Mr. Fuad Masum has nominated Dr Haider Al-Abadi for the role of country’s Prime Minister.
Masum is an Iraqi politician and spokesman for the Islamic Dawa Party. He was appointed Minister of Communications in the Iraqi Governing Council in September 2003. A Shia Muslim and electronic consultant engineer with a PhD degree from the University of Manchester, UK in 1980. Al-Abadi lived in exile in London during the reign of Saddam Hussein.
While incumbent Nouri al-Maliki seemed to hold power, the change of PM comes after the country elected Faud Masum as its new president in July, 2014. However, for the nomination to take effect, Al-Abadi must form a government and be confirmed by Parliament, within 30 days.
Masum is an Iraqi politician and spokesman for the Islamic Dawa Party. He was appointed Minister of Communications in the Iraqi Governing Council in September 2003. A Shia Muslim and electronic consultant engineer with a PhD degree from the University of Manchester, UK in 1980. Al-Abadi lived in exile in London during the reign of Saddam Hussein.
While incumbent Nouri al-Maliki seemed to hold power, the change of PM comes after the country elected Faud Masum as its new president in July, 2014. However, for the nomination to take effect, Al-Abadi must form a government and be confirmed by Parliament, within 30 days.
Strictly Personal, Manmohan and Gursharan: A book by Daman Singh
A
book ‘Strictly Personal, Manmohan and Gursharan’ penned by Daman Singh
was released. It tells the untold story of Manmohan Singh, India’s 14th PM, and his wife Gursharan.The book doesn’t portrait Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister but as the family man whose life and loved ones were embroiled in the vortex of history. The writer reiterates the fact that other than Jawaharlal Nehru, no other PM has had such an influence on India and its economic policies as Manmohan Singh.
Daman Singh sheds light on the life and struggle of her father – as a young boy; he lost his mother to eternity, and his family to the partition.
Kapil Dev to chair Arjuna Award selection panel
Legendary India cricket skipper Kapil Dev will head the Arjuna Awards selection committee for selecting outstanding sportspersons of the country for year 2014. Former hockey captain Ajitpal Singh is expected to head the Dronacharya Awards selection committee.
Each panel will have 15 members, including 12 renowned sportspersons and three officials. The three officials – Director General of the Sports Authority of India and a Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary from the ministry – will be on both panels.
It is worth recalling that for year 2013, Arjuna and Dronacharya awards selection committee’s were chaired by world billiards champion Michael Ferreira and mountaineer H P S Ahluwalia respectively.
Each panel will have 15 members, including 12 renowned sportspersons and three officials. The three officials – Director General of the Sports Authority of India and a Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary from the ministry – will be on both panels.
It is worth recalling that for year 2013, Arjuna and Dronacharya awards selection committee’s were chaired by world billiards champion Michael Ferreira and mountaineer H P S Ahluwalia respectively.
PM Modi to induct warship INS Kolkata
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to induct country’s largest indigenously-built combat vessel INS Kolkata in Mumbai in August 2014.
Key points about INS Kolkata:
Key points about INS Kolkata:
- Largest indigenously-built warship
- Constructed by the Mazagon Dockyards Limited and designed by Navy’s design bureau.
- The 6,800 tonne warship is a technology demonstrator and will mark India’s giant leap in shipbuilding technology.
- To be a part of the Kolkata Class destroyers of the Indian Navy which will include follow-on ships by the name of INS Kochi and INS Chennai respectively.
- It also test-fired a BrahMos missile off Karwar’s coast earlier in August 2014 as part of pre-induction weapon trials at sea.
Hari Gautam Panel to review the status of UGC
A four-member Committee under the chairmanship of former UGC chairman Hari Gautam has been constituted by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) with a view to review the present status of Universities Grants Commission’s (UGC).
The panel will recommend ways to restructure and reorganize the Commission to upgrade its performance in order to meet desired objectives.
The panel has been assigned 14 items for review, which include performance evaluation of UGC in coordinating and determining standards of education in universities, conducting an audit of its regulatory reach and identifying its strengths and weaknesses in this regard. The committee will submit its report within six months.
The panel will recommend ways to restructure and reorganize the Commission to upgrade its performance in order to meet desired objectives.
The panel has been assigned 14 items for review, which include performance evaluation of UGC in coordinating and determining standards of education in universities, conducting an audit of its regulatory reach and identifying its strengths and weaknesses in this regard. The committee will submit its report within six months.
Ramon Magsaysay Award 2014: List of Awardees
The list of Awardees for the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards for year 2014 has been announced.
The Awardees are:
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest honor and is also regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It commemorates the leadership example of the third Philippine president after whom the award is named. The award is conferred every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the same altruistic and philanthropic service that dominated the life of the late and highly respected Filipino leader.
The Awardees are:
- Hu Shuli: An investigative journalist from China whose work was instrumental in the dismissal of corrupt officials. She is the founder and former editor of Caijing a business magazine widely-known for its groundbreaking investigative reporting that has made a significant impact on China.
- Saur Marlina Manurung: The Award recognizes her outstanding efforts to protect and improve the lives of Indonesia’s forest people, and her kinetic leadership of volunteers in SOKOLA’s customized education program.
- Omara Khan Masoudi: The award has been conferred upon him in recognition of his courage, labor, and leadership in preserving Afghan cultural heritage. At great risk to his life, the deputy director of the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul led his colleagues in moving some of the museum’s most precious objects to safety during the Taliban’s attack on his country’s cultural treasures in the 1990s.
- The Citizens Foundation from Pakistan: It is an NGO in Pakistan founded by six business leaders. It built 1,000 schools over hundreds of cities and towns in the country which is home to the world’s second highest number of children who are out of school.
- Wang Canfa: He is a Chinese Professor who founded the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims, which has provided free legal services to thousands of people and imparted environmental law training to lawyers and others.
- Randy Halasan: The award is in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and service to the indigenous Matigsalug tribe. He made huge efforts in teaching the children of the Matigsalug tribe in one of the remotest mountain villages in Mindanao, Philippines.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest honor and is also regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It commemorates the leadership example of the third Philippine president after whom the award is named. The award is conferred every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the same altruistic and philanthropic service that dominated the life of the late and highly respected Filipino leader.
Glasgow Commonwealth Games: With Kashyap’s historic gold India finishes 5th
Parupalli Kashyap created history as he clinched Gold in the men’s singles badminton at 20th Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow, Scotland. With his gold medal, the country earned a fifth-spot finish with 64 medals, including 15 gold. He created history by becoming the first Indian male shuttler in 32 years to win a gold in the Commonwealth Games. Kashyap put up brilliant show to register triumph over Derek Wong of Singapore in the final showdown. The shuttler from Hyderabad
thus joined badminton legend Prakash Padukone and the late Syed Modi,
who had won the title in the past. While Padukone had won the men’s
singles gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Canada, Modi bagged it four years later. Commonwealth Toppers: The XXI Commonwealth Games will be held in Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia
between 4 to 15 April 2018. The Gold Coast’s creative concept in the
Ceremony brought to life the three brand pillars of the Gold Coast 2018
Commonwealth Games – ‘The Place’, ‘The Event’ and ‘The Sport’.India’s PM Narendra Modi’s Nepal visit concludes
The two-day Nepal visit of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded on August 4, 2014.
Highlights of Mr. Modi’s Nepal visit:
The aim was to forge a new relationship with Nepal and to begin a new chapter in bilateral ties that will serve as a model and catalyst for regional collaboration.
The main agenda of the visit was to give impetus to negotiations on a power trade between the two nations.
Negotiators were trying to resolve the differences over the power agreement aimed at tapping Nepal’s estimated 42,000 MW hydro-electric potential to meet domestic demands and also supply India’s power-deficient economy.
Currently, Nepal has an installed capacity of 600 MW as its development has been hindered by years of political turbulence. Nepal is still grappling with the transition to a constitutional republic after the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
Nepal’s ties with India are also significant to tackle the emergence of China as the strongest power in South Asia.
Highlights of Mr. Modi’s Nepal visit:
- Mr. Modi is the first Indian PM to Nepal in 17 years. He was welcomed by the guard of honour.
- He addressed the Nepalese Parliament.
- Aim was to forge a new relationship with Nepal and to begin a new chapter in bilateral ties that will serve as a model and catalyst for regional collaboration.
- Mr. Modi gave a ‘HIT’ formula for Nepal expressing India’s willingness to help Nepal build Highways (H), Information highways (I) and Transways- transmission lines (T).
- He promised to grant Nepal 10,000 crore Nepali rupee concessional line of credit, for its development.
- He announced India’s keenness to double power supply to Nepal.
- India would help Nepal in building pipelines to help transport oil to Nepal.
- The scholarships to students from Nepal would be increased.
- India extended help to Nepal to enable it to emerge as a major exporter of herbal medicines.
- India would also help develop the tourism potential of Nepal, both as a spiritual, and adventure tourism destination.
- Mr. Modi extended assistance to Nepal in the fields of organic farming, and soil health.
The aim was to forge a new relationship with Nepal and to begin a new chapter in bilateral ties that will serve as a model and catalyst for regional collaboration.
The main agenda of the visit was to give impetus to negotiations on a power trade between the two nations.
Negotiators were trying to resolve the differences over the power agreement aimed at tapping Nepal’s estimated 42,000 MW hydro-electric potential to meet domestic demands and also supply India’s power-deficient economy.
Currently, Nepal has an installed capacity of 600 MW as its development has been hindered by years of political turbulence. Nepal is still grappling with the transition to a constitutional republic after the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
Nepal’s ties with India are also significant to tackle the emergence of China as the strongest power in South Asia.
1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship
The 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship is a bilateral pact between the
Government of Nepal and Government of India aimed at establishing a
close strategic relationship between the two South Asian neighbors. The
treaty was inked at Kathmandu on July 31, 1950 by then Prime Minister of Nepal Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and the then Indian ambassador to Nepal, Chadreshwar Narayan Singh.
The treaty permits free movement of people and goods between the two countries and a close relationship and collaboration on matters of defence and foreign affairs. After an unsuccessful attempt in 1952 of the Communist Party of Nepal to seize power with Chinese backing, India and Nepal intensified military and intelligence cooperation under treaty provisions, and India sent a military mission to Nepal.
The treaty has 10 articles. It envisages for eternal peace and friendship between the two nations and there is a bilateral agreement to recognize and respect the complete sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of each other.
According to Articles 6 and 7, the two governments agree to grant, on a reciprocal basis, to the citizens of one country in the territories of the other, the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of a similar nature. This enables the Nepali and Indian nationals to move freely across the border without passport or visa, live and work in either country and own property or do trade or business in either country. There is a significant number of Nepalis (in millions) living, owning property and working or doing business in India as a beneficial aspect of the treaty for Nepal. Similarly, many Indians live, own property and do business in Nepal.
The norm of free trans-border movement of people was there even before the 1816 Treaty of Suguali. This became somewhat restricted after 1816. After the 1860 treaty, Prime Minister Jung Bahadur allowed Indians to acquire and sell land in the Tarai and invited businessmen, traders and landlords from India. The British also kept the Nepal-India border open.
The Nepal king enacted Citizenship Act of 1952 that permitted Indians to immigrate to Nepal and acquire Nepalese citizenship.
Background
The Himalayan Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal borders northern India in the south, east and west. During British regime in India, Nepal’s ties with India were governed by the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli.
The 1923 “Treaty of perpetual peace and friendship” replaced the former treaty. After the independence of India in 1947, the two nations wanted to create close strategic, commercial and cultural ties. The emergence of Communist China in 1949 and the subsequent invasion of Tibet escalated security concerns in both India and Nepal — while India had maintained good relations with Tibet, Nepal apprehended that China would back the Communist Party of Nepal and sponsor a communist revolution toppling the state. With increasing concerns over the security threat to India presented by Communist China, which was seen as seeking to projecting power and influence over Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan and border disputes with India, the latter sought to bolster its “Himalayan frontier” by forging an alliance on defence and foreign affairs with Nepal.
Criticism of the treaty
Some Nepalese criticize this treaty by calling it unequal. They claim that Nepalese law does not allow an open border and Indians cannot buy lands and properties in Nepal and carry out businesses in their names. They claim that the 1950 treaty was signed by undemocratic rulers of Nepal and can be revoked by a one year notice. Some segments of Nepal disagree with the treaty as they often regard it as a violation of its sovereignty.
The treaty permits free movement of people and goods between the two countries and a close relationship and collaboration on matters of defence and foreign affairs. After an unsuccessful attempt in 1952 of the Communist Party of Nepal to seize power with Chinese backing, India and Nepal intensified military and intelligence cooperation under treaty provisions, and India sent a military mission to Nepal.
The treaty has 10 articles. It envisages for eternal peace and friendship between the two nations and there is a bilateral agreement to recognize and respect the complete sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of each other.
According to Articles 6 and 7, the two governments agree to grant, on a reciprocal basis, to the citizens of one country in the territories of the other, the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of a similar nature. This enables the Nepali and Indian nationals to move freely across the border without passport or visa, live and work in either country and own property or do trade or business in either country. There is a significant number of Nepalis (in millions) living, owning property and working or doing business in India as a beneficial aspect of the treaty for Nepal. Similarly, many Indians live, own property and do business in Nepal.
The norm of free trans-border movement of people was there even before the 1816 Treaty of Suguali. This became somewhat restricted after 1816. After the 1860 treaty, Prime Minister Jung Bahadur allowed Indians to acquire and sell land in the Tarai and invited businessmen, traders and landlords from India. The British also kept the Nepal-India border open.
The Nepal king enacted Citizenship Act of 1952 that permitted Indians to immigrate to Nepal and acquire Nepalese citizenship.
Background
The Himalayan Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal borders northern India in the south, east and west. During British regime in India, Nepal’s ties with India were governed by the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli.
The 1923 “Treaty of perpetual peace and friendship” replaced the former treaty. After the independence of India in 1947, the two nations wanted to create close strategic, commercial and cultural ties. The emergence of Communist China in 1949 and the subsequent invasion of Tibet escalated security concerns in both India and Nepal — while India had maintained good relations with Tibet, Nepal apprehended that China would back the Communist Party of Nepal and sponsor a communist revolution toppling the state. With increasing concerns over the security threat to India presented by Communist China, which was seen as seeking to projecting power and influence over Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan and border disputes with India, the latter sought to bolster its “Himalayan frontier” by forging an alliance on defence and foreign affairs with Nepal.
Criticism of the treaty
Some Nepalese criticize this treaty by calling it unequal. They claim that Nepalese law does not allow an open border and Indians cannot buy lands and properties in Nepal and carry out businesses in their names. They claim that the 1950 treaty was signed by undemocratic rulers of Nepal and can be revoked by a one year notice. Some segments of Nepal disagree with the treaty as they often regard it as a violation of its sovereignty.
India ready to review 1950 Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty: PM Narendra Modi
India’s PM Narendra Modi who is on a visit to neighboring country Nepal said in his speech that he was ready to take into account suggestions if any to review the 1950 India-Nepal Friendship Treaty that governs the relationship between the two nations.
There have been demands lately for reviewing the treaty and both sides have been expressing their willingness to do so without any progress. However, some sections in Nepal have been critical of this pact, arguing that it is not in the interest of Nepal.
Modi also spoke about the process of Constitution-making in Nepal, saying it is moving forward. He praised Nepal’s tryst with democracy, and said that it highlights the preference given to “ballot over the bullet”.
Earlier, Modi gifted ‘Samvidhan — The making of the Constitution of India’ to the Chairman of Nepal’s Constituent Assembly.
Modi, on his arrival in Nepal, was received with a rousing welcome which he mentioned in his speech. He said that the warmth showed the affection people of Nepal have for the people of India.
There have been demands lately for reviewing the treaty and both sides have been expressing their willingness to do so without any progress. However, some sections in Nepal have been critical of this pact, arguing that it is not in the interest of Nepal.
Modi also spoke about the process of Constitution-making in Nepal, saying it is moving forward. He praised Nepal’s tryst with democracy, and said that it highlights the preference given to “ballot over the bullet”.
Earlier, Modi gifted ‘Samvidhan — The making of the Constitution of India’ to the Chairman of Nepal’s Constituent Assembly.
Modi, on his arrival in Nepal, was received with a rousing welcome which he mentioned in his speech. He said that the warmth showed the affection people of Nepal have for the people of India.
Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award to Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali
Famous film director Muzaffar Ali (69), who had directed the Bollywood classic “Umrao Jaan”, has been chosen for Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award
for his extraordinary contribution towards the promotion of communal
harmony, peace and goodwill. The award carries a citation and cash award
of Rs 5 lakh.Ali also directed over one-and-a-half dozen movies including “Gaman” and “Khizan”. He was also conferred Padma Shri in 2005. The award was instituted to mark the contribution made by Rajiv Gandhi to promote peace, communal harmony and fight against violence.
Previous recipients of the award include Mother Teresa, K.R. Narayanan, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan.
Others who were conferred upon with this award were Jagan Nath Kaul, Mohd Yunus, Hiteswar Saikia and Subhadra Joshi (jointly), Kapila Vatsyayan, Teesta Setalvad and Harsh Mander (jointly), S N Subbarao, Swami Agnivesh and Madari Moideen (jointly), Nirmala Deshpande, Hem Dutta, N Radhakrishnan, Gautam Bhai, SPIC MACAY and D R Mehta.
Robert Frederick Panara: Pioneer of Deaf Studies passed away
Robert Frederick Panara (94), the pioneer of deaf studies
passed away in Rochester, US. Robert was an author, a poet, a professor
who later went on to become the first deaf teacher within the
mainstream Higher Education
in the US. He helped translate Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Hamlet and
Othello into sign language. His wife Shirley Fischer was also deaf. Both
used sign language to communicate.
Panars’s key contributions and achievements:
In 1965, Panara helped establishing America’s first Technical college for the deaf, National Technical Institute for Deaf (NTID). NTID was set up by an act of US Congress and is a part of the Rochester Institute of Technology. He also helped in the foundation of the Connecticut-based National Theatre of the Deaf. In 1948, Panara became the first deaf person to get a Master’s degree in English from New York University.
An autobiography of the former External Affairs Minister and veteran Congress Party leader Natwar Singh was released. The book titled “One Life is Not Enough” is penned by Kunwar Natwar Singh.
This book has been in news and controversy since past few days because it discloses much information about Sonia Gandhi, the President of the Congress Party.
The most debated information revealed in the book includes
the truth behind the fact that forced Sonia Gandhi to not opt for the post of Prime Minister in 2004 General Elections. As per the book, it was not the inner soul of Sonia Gandhi that forced her to withdraw her name from the position of Prime Minister, but it was her son Rahul Gandhi, who feared that his mother’s fate would end up like his grandmother and father.
The book holds Sonia Gandhi responsible for the drubbing of Congress in the 16th General Elections.
Panars’s key contributions and achievements:
In 1965, Panara helped establishing America’s first Technical college for the deaf, National Technical Institute for Deaf (NTID). NTID was set up by an act of US Congress and is a part of the Rochester Institute of Technology. He also helped in the foundation of the Connecticut-based National Theatre of the Deaf. In 1948, Panara became the first deaf person to get a Master’s degree in English from New York University.
S S Mundra assumes office as RBI deputy governor
S S Mundra (60) has taken charge as deputy governor Reserve Bank of India. As a deputy governor of the central bank, he will be responsible for banking
supervision, currency management, financial stability and rural credit.
The government has notified his appointment for a period of 3 years.
The veteran banker had begun his career as a probationary officer, and served for a short time at Union Bank of India, where he was executive director. In a rare move, he returned as the CMD of his parent bank (Bank of Baroda) and was seen as a surprise choice for the prestigous regulatory job. In fact, Mundra would have never been offered this post had it not been for K C Chakrabarty’s decision to resign before the end of his tenure as RBI deputy governor.
Now, RBI has four deputy governors– H R Khan, Urijit Patel, R Gandhi and S S Mundra.
RBI is planning to have one more deputy governor, but this will require a change in the rules of RBI. Till the time the changes in rules are made, the RBI has suggested the Government to appoint an Officer on Special Duty or Chief Operating Officer (COO) with the rank of a deputy governor. Government is yet to take a call on any of these proposals put forward by the RBI. Normally, an RBI deputy governor can be appointed for 5 years or till the age of 62, whichever is earlier. To be eligible for the post, a candidate needs to be less than 60 years of age while assuming charge.
The veteran banker had begun his career as a probationary officer, and served for a short time at Union Bank of India, where he was executive director. In a rare move, he returned as the CMD of his parent bank (Bank of Baroda) and was seen as a surprise choice for the prestigous regulatory job. In fact, Mundra would have never been offered this post had it not been for K C Chakrabarty’s decision to resign before the end of his tenure as RBI deputy governor.
Now, RBI has four deputy governors– H R Khan, Urijit Patel, R Gandhi and S S Mundra.
RBI is planning to have one more deputy governor, but this will require a change in the rules of RBI. Till the time the changes in rules are made, the RBI has suggested the Government to appoint an Officer on Special Duty or Chief Operating Officer (COO) with the rank of a deputy governor. Government is yet to take a call on any of these proposals put forward by the RBI. Normally, an RBI deputy governor can be appointed for 5 years or till the age of 62, whichever is earlier. To be eligible for the post, a candidate needs to be less than 60 years of age while assuming charge.
General Dalbir Singh Suhag assumes charge as new Chief of Indian Army
General Dalbir Singh Suhag (59) took charge as the new Chief of the Army Staff of 1.3-million strong Indian Army. He succeeded out going General Bikram Singh whose tenure ended.
The decision to appoint Gen. Suhag, who was the army vice chief, as the next chief was taken by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during the April-May Lok Sabha polls.
The move was objected by the BJP at that time. However, after the party came to power, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, made it clear that there “shall be no controversy” over Gen. Suhag’s appointment. Gen. Suhag’s tenure as Chief of Army Staff will be of 30 months.
General Dalbir Singh Suhag:
The decision to appoint Gen. Suhag, who was the army vice chief, as the next chief was taken by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during the April-May Lok Sabha polls.
The move was objected by the BJP at that time. However, after the party came to power, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, made it clear that there “shall be no controversy” over Gen. Suhag’s appointment. Gen. Suhag’s tenure as Chief of Army Staff will be of 30 months.
General Dalbir Singh Suhag:
- Belongs to a family of soldiers from a village in Jhajjar, Haryana.
- He served as a Company Commander during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, led the 53 Infantry Brigade that was involved in counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley, and commanded the 8 Mountain Division in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Second officer from the Gorkha Rifles to rise to the position of army chief after the late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
- In 2012, the then outgoing army chief Gen. V.K. Singh had put him under a Discipline and Vigilance ban for a failed intelligence operation at Jorhat in Assam.
- After General Bikram Singh took over as the army chief the ban was revoked that paved the way for Gen. Suhag’s elevation as the Eastern Army Commander in June 2012.
‘One Life is Not Enough’: Autobiography of Natwar Singh released
An autobiography of the former External Affairs Minister and veteran Congress Party leader Natwar Singh was released. The book titled “One Life is Not Enough” is penned by Kunwar Natwar Singh.This book has been in news and controversy since past few days because it discloses much information about Sonia Gandhi, the President of the Congress Party.
The most debated information revealed in the book includes
the truth behind the fact that forced Sonia Gandhi to not opt for the post of Prime Minister in 2004 General Elections. As per the book, it was not the inner soul of Sonia Gandhi that forced her to withdraw her name from the position of Prime Minister, but it was her son Rahul Gandhi, who feared that his mother’s fate would end up like his grandmother and father.
The book holds Sonia Gandhi responsible for the drubbing of Congress in the 16th General Elections.
Dipa Karmakar: First Indian woman gymnast to win a medal in Commonwealth Games
Dipa Karmakar (20) scripted history as she clinched bronze in the vault event in the Commonwealth Games 2014 at Glasgow, Scotland, by becoming the first Indian woman gymnast and second person of the country to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Karmakar, who belongs to Tripura, secured 14.366 points to finish third in the women’s vault final at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.
First Indian male gymnast to win a medal at CWG was Ashish Kumar. He won a silver in vault and bronze in floor events in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Karmakar, who belongs to Tripura, secured 14.366 points to finish third in the women’s vault final at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.
First Indian male gymnast to win a medal at CWG was Ashish Kumar. He won a silver in vault and bronze in floor events in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Key points in proposed Judicial Appointment Commission Bill
The controversy over the efficacy of the collegium system for appointing Supreme Court judges has gained momentum with many leaders and even eminent jurists including well-known names such as Markandey Katju have been candid on the failure of the current collegium system. There are demands for overhaul of the existing provisions.
To address this issue the government has proposed Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Bill as an alternative to the existing system.
Highlights of JAC Bill:
To address this issue the government has proposed Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Bill as an alternative to the existing system.
Highlights of JAC Bill:
- Establishment of a six-member Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to make recommendations to the President on appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary.
- It will encourage collaborations between the judiciary and executive.
- The Chief Justice of India, two other senior most judges of the Supreme Court, the Union Minister for Law and Justice, and two eminent persons to be nominated by the Prime Minister, and the Leader of Opposition of the Lok Sabha will be its members. Law Commission of India Chairman and former Delhi High Court Chief Justice AP Shah have suggested raising the strength of the body to seven.
- JAC basic function: Making recommendations for appointments of the CJI, SC judges, Chief Justice and other High Court judges, and even the transfer of HC judges.
- It would be empower the Parliament to pass a law providing for the composition, functions and procedures of the JAC.
- Transparency will be the underlining feature of the entire process under the JAC. As per suggestions, the entire record of the process, starting from the nominations received up to the final recommendation made to the President, must be publicly disclosed.
- As per Katju’s recommendation, JAC should hold a meeting and it should be televised so that all people in India can see it and there is total transparency. They should call the prospective candidate and ask him questions about his earlier functioning as a High Court judge and also his personal life, as is done in the United States.
- Consensus will be criteria for arriving at decisions. In the case the consensus not clear, a simple majority may help decide, with all dissenting notes accompanied by reasons being recorded in writing.
- The JAC will work in a stipulated time frame. It provides time periods within which vacancies will be filled up. Even the government has time limit of upto 2 months to intimate the Commission of the vacancy.
- There are other suggestions to provide constitutional validation to the JAC, thus making it a permanent body and not an ad hoc measure. It is also suggested that its decision be made binding on the President and in case the President rejects any name, the same should be open to judicial review.
Theodore VanKirk (Dutch): Last Airman in US bombing of Hiroshima passed away
Theodore VanKirk (93), also known as “Dutch,” who
was the last surviving member of the crew that jettisoned an atomic
bomb on Hiroshima, bringing an end of World War II and forcing the world
into the atomic age, passed away in Georgia.
Though VanKirk was part of nearly 60 bombing missions, but it was this mission in the Pacific that etched his name in history. He was 24 years old when he served as navigator on the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the first atomic bomb deployed in wartime over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. He was teamed with pilot Paul Tibbets and bombardier Tom Ferebee in Tibbets’ fledgling 509th Composite Bomb Group for Special Mission No. 13. As the 9,000-pound (4,080-kilogram) bomb nicknamed “Little Boy” fell toward the sleeping city, he and his crewmates hoped to escape with their lives. The blast and its aftereffects killed 140,000 in Hiroshima.
Three days after Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The blast and its aftermath took 80,000 lives. Six days after the Nagasaki bombing, Japan surrendered.
Though VanKirk was part of nearly 60 bombing missions, but it was this mission in the Pacific that etched his name in history. He was 24 years old when he served as navigator on the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the first atomic bomb deployed in wartime over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. He was teamed with pilot Paul Tibbets and bombardier Tom Ferebee in Tibbets’ fledgling 509th Composite Bomb Group for Special Mission No. 13. As the 9,000-pound (4,080-kilogram) bomb nicknamed “Little Boy” fell toward the sleeping city, he and his crewmates hoped to escape with their lives. The blast and its aftereffects killed 140,000 in Hiroshima.
Three days after Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The blast and its aftermath took 80,000 lives. Six days after the Nagasaki bombing, Japan surrendered.
Sixth C-17 Globemaster III aircraft delivered to IAF
Indian Air Force received its sixth C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at the Palam Airbase in New Delhi in the presence of the Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.
About C-17 Globemaster III
About C-17 Globemaster III
- It has the potential to carry 75 tonnes of load which is almost double the capacity of Russian IL-76 in the IAF inventory which can carry only around 40 tonnes.
- It will boost up IAF’s flexibility in terms of operational response and with the heavy lift capability it could easily move troops and heavy tanks to required locations.
Vincenzo Nibali wins 101st Tour de France
Italian Vincenzo Nibali won the 101st edition of Tour de France, becoming the first Italian in 16 years to win the championship.
Nibali’s triumph comes after 2013 champion Chris Froome and two-time winner Alberto Contador crashed out with injuries in the first half of the Tour.
Nibali is only the sixth rider to win all three Grand Tours – France, Italy and Spain. The last Italian to win the Tour de France was Marco Pantani in 1998.
The 2014 Tour de France began in Yorkshire, England, and guided riders over 3,664 kilometers (2,277 miles) including cobblestones, wind-swept flats and climbs in the Vosges, Alps and Pyrenees.
Nibali’s triumph comes after 2013 champion Chris Froome and two-time winner Alberto Contador crashed out with injuries in the first half of the Tour.
Nibali is only the sixth rider to win all three Grand Tours – France, Italy and Spain. The last Italian to win the Tour de France was Marco Pantani in 1998.
The 2014 Tour de France began in Yorkshire, England, and guided riders over 3,664 kilometers (2,277 miles) including cobblestones, wind-swept flats and climbs in the Vosges, Alps and Pyrenees.
RBI rejects Andhra’s request for farm loan waiver
The Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) communicated the Andhra Pradesh government that there was no case
for considering its request for restructuring of agricultural loans in
the state.
A refused to consider the request even before the state government could prepare clarifications the apex bank had sought from it on crop yields for year 2013.
RBI, on its own, examined crop yields and bank savings patterns during the period the state government said farmers were under stress. The central bank found no parameter that justified a loan restructuring.
As per RBI, crop yields should be less than half the normal for banks to consider farm loan relief. RBI found no evidence of a drop in crop yields to that level in areas declared as calamity-hit by the Andhra Pradesh government. This conclusion was based on data generated by state government bodies like the Directorate of Economics and Statistics.
RBI scrutinized the waiver request in detail since the government was trying to use rescheduled loan payments as a proxy for its promise of farm loan waivers. Rescheduled farm loans were routinely implemented by banks in the past.
Following the Cabinet meeting, CM N. Chandrababu Naidu announced his government would waive over Rs 40,000 crore of loans at Rs 1.5 lakh per farming family and Rs 1 lakh per self-help group.
Farm loans overdue in Andhra Pradesh are pegged by banks at Rs 87,000 crore. As per banks, these dues surged after the Telugu Desam Party made loan waiver a manifesto promise in the recently-concluded state elections.
RBI Chief has spoken to the Chief Election Commissioner on how to prevent political parties from making such promises in future polls.
A refused to consider the request even before the state government could prepare clarifications the apex bank had sought from it on crop yields for year 2013.
RBI, on its own, examined crop yields and bank savings patterns during the period the state government said farmers were under stress. The central bank found no parameter that justified a loan restructuring.
As per RBI, crop yields should be less than half the normal for banks to consider farm loan relief. RBI found no evidence of a drop in crop yields to that level in areas declared as calamity-hit by the Andhra Pradesh government. This conclusion was based on data generated by state government bodies like the Directorate of Economics and Statistics.
RBI scrutinized the waiver request in detail since the government was trying to use rescheduled loan payments as a proxy for its promise of farm loan waivers. Rescheduled farm loans were routinely implemented by banks in the past.
Following the Cabinet meeting, CM N. Chandrababu Naidu announced his government would waive over Rs 40,000 crore of loans at Rs 1.5 lakh per farming family and Rs 1 lakh per self-help group.
Farm loans overdue in Andhra Pradesh are pegged by banks at Rs 87,000 crore. As per banks, these dues surged after the Telugu Desam Party made loan waiver a manifesto promise in the recently-concluded state elections.
RBI Chief has spoken to the Chief Election Commissioner on how to prevent political parties from making such promises in future polls.
Flipkart raises $1 billion, largest in Indian e-commerce field
India’s home-grown e-retailer Flipkart announced that it has raised funds worth $1 billion (over Rs.6,000 crore), the largest-ever by an Indian e-commerce firm.
Flipkart has been raising fund aggressively as it raised $210 million in May 2014. This year the e-retailer also surpassed $1 billion in gross merchandise value in March 2014 and then went on to acquire rival Myntra.com in one of the biggest deals in the e-commerce space.
As per experts, with this the company is valuated between $6 billion and $7 billion.
Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal, described the deal inked last week as a milestone for the Indian Internet as a whole and said that the company hoped to become one of India’s first $100 billion company in the next five years or more.
Comparing Indian Internet business with that of Chinese both Bansals believed the Indian Internet is picking up with Internet speeds on the increase, more users connecting and with ascending mobile traffic. As per them, the Indian e-commerce is still at least nine years behind Chinese.
Flipkart has been raising fund aggressively as it raised $210 million in May 2014. This year the e-retailer also surpassed $1 billion in gross merchandise value in March 2014 and then went on to acquire rival Myntra.com in one of the biggest deals in the e-commerce space.
As per experts, with this the company is valuated between $6 billion and $7 billion.
Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal, described the deal inked last week as a milestone for the Indian Internet as a whole and said that the company hoped to become one of India’s first $100 billion company in the next five years or more.
Comparing Indian Internet business with that of Chinese both Bansals believed the Indian Internet is picking up with Internet speeds on the increase, more users connecting and with ascending mobile traffic. As per them, the Indian e-commerce is still at least nine years behind Chinese.
PM Modi launches “MyGov” web platform to get citizens’ ideas for governance
A new web platform – MyGov- launched by PM Narendra Modi
will now make it much easier for the common man and experts from
different fields to reach out to the government with their ideas and
suggestions.
The web platform – www.mygov.nic.in- allows the citizens to discuss their ideas with experts within and outside the government and even earn “credit points” for the tasks which would eventually be approved for implementation by concerned departments\agencies.
The platform will enable flow of ideas\suggestions on various issues including different projects like cleaning the river Ganga, education of girl child and job creation.
PM Modi is of the view that the step would enhance people’s participation by bridging the gap between the people and the processes of governance. During his past sixty days as PM he observed that there were many people who wanted to contribute towards nation-building, and devote their time and energy for good governance.
How does MyGov work?
The web platform provides an opportunity to the citizens to both ‘Discuss’ and ‘Do’. There are several theme-based discussions on MyGov where a wide range of people would exchange their thoughts and ideas. Besides, any idea shared by a contributor will also be discussed on these discussion forums, facilitating constructive feedback and interaction. For those who intend to go beyond discussions and wish to contribute on the ground, the MyGov offers several options to do so. Citizens can volunteer for various tasks and submit their entries.
Other members and experts would review these tasks. Once approved, these tasks can be shared by those who complete the task and by other members on MyGov. Every approved task would earn credit points for completing the task.
The platform has been divided into various groups namely Clean Ganga, Girl Child Education, Clean India, Skilled India, Digital India, Job Creation. Each group consists of online and on-ground tasks that can be taken up by the contributors. The objective of each group is to bring about a qualitative change in that domain through people’s participation.
MyGov would also be used as a comprehensive knowledge repository, giving insights from the sharpest and brightest minds across.
The web platform will be managed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).
The web platform – www.mygov.nic.in- allows the citizens to discuss their ideas with experts within and outside the government and even earn “credit points” for the tasks which would eventually be approved for implementation by concerned departments\agencies.
The platform will enable flow of ideas\suggestions on various issues including different projects like cleaning the river Ganga, education of girl child and job creation.
PM Modi is of the view that the step would enhance people’s participation by bridging the gap between the people and the processes of governance. During his past sixty days as PM he observed that there were many people who wanted to contribute towards nation-building, and devote their time and energy for good governance.
How does MyGov work?
The web platform provides an opportunity to the citizens to both ‘Discuss’ and ‘Do’. There are several theme-based discussions on MyGov where a wide range of people would exchange their thoughts and ideas. Besides, any idea shared by a contributor will also be discussed on these discussion forums, facilitating constructive feedback and interaction. For those who intend to go beyond discussions and wish to contribute on the ground, the MyGov offers several options to do so. Citizens can volunteer for various tasks and submit their entries.
Other members and experts would review these tasks. Once approved, these tasks can be shared by those who complete the task and by other members on MyGov. Every approved task would earn credit points for completing the task.
The platform has been divided into various groups namely Clean Ganga, Girl Child Education, Clean India, Skilled India, Digital India, Job Creation. Each group consists of online and on-ground tasks that can be taken up by the contributors. The objective of each group is to bring about a qualitative change in that domain through people’s participation.
MyGov would also be used as a comprehensive knowledge repository, giving insights from the sharpest and brightest minds across.
The web platform will be managed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).
Kaptan Singh Solanki is new Governor of Haryana
The President of India appointed veteran BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Kaptan Singh Solanki (75) as the Governor of Haryana in place of Jagannath Pahadia whose tenure is over.
Solanki, a former professor, belongs to Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh and was renominated to Rajya Sabha in August, 2012.
Solanki, a former professor, belongs to Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh and was renominated to Rajya Sabha in August, 2012.
Amitabh Bachchan is Maharashtra’s horticulture ambassador
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan (71) has been appointed as the horticulture ambassador of the state of Maharashtra.
Big B, who is also the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, would be promoting the horticulture sector in Maharashtra.
Big B, who is also the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, would be promoting the horticulture sector in Maharashtra.
India C&AG of assumes office as Member of UN Board of Auditors
India’s Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) took charge as Member of the United Nations Board of Auditors for a six-year term upto June 2020. Mr. Shashi Kant Sharma assumed this prestigious office as he took over from Mr. Liu Jiayi, the Auditor General of the People’s Republic of China at the United Nations Headquarters at New York. Mr. Sharma was elected to this position defeating Philippines by a convincing margin of 62 votes in November 2013.
United Nations Board of Auditors
The United Nations Board of Auditors was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to audit the accounts of the United Nations Organization and its funds and programmes and to report its findings and recommendations to the UNGA. For this, 3 members were appointed by the Assembly, each of whom must be the Auditor-General of a Member State. Other two members of the Board are Mr. Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Mr. Ludovick Utouh, Controller and Auditor-General of United Republic of Tanzania.
C&AG’s international presence
India’s C&AG has been the external auditor of various international organizations. At present, besides being a Member of the UN Board of Auditors, he is the external auditor of the World Food Programme, World Intellectual Property Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, UN World Tourism Organization and the International Organization for Migration. Recently, he has been the external auditor of major UN Agencies like the World Health Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization, International Maritime Organization, Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons etc.
Benefits for India
The UN Board of Auditors is one of the major supervising organs of the United Nations and its significance has increased in recent years, especially in view of the resource shortage being faced by all Member Nations in the wake of economic crisis. The reports of the Board provide a key input in policy-making within the UN system. The election of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India to the UN Board of Auditors is a matter of prestige for the country and would greatly enhance the visibility of India within the UN system.
Unlike most elections in the UN and its Agencies, this election was a rare case where an institution was involved. With the election of the C&AG of India as a member of the UN Board of Auditors, one of the most prestigious institutions of Indian democracy got its due recognition at the international level.
By auditing international organizations of the UN system, not only would the C&AG add value to the operations of UN, but its own officers would also be further exposed to the best international auditing and accounting practices leading to enrichment of their professional skills. Deploying of such professionals in India would translate into high quality of auditing and accounting and would promote accountability, transparency and good governance in India.
Benefits for United Nations
The auditors of the C&AG of India bring in rich experience they have in the audit of UN and its Agencies and other International Organizations, which would assist the UN in bringing about greater efficiency, economy and effectiveness in its operations by focussing their audit thrust on key risk areas within the UN.
At present, the UN is in the process of business process transformation by way of shifting to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) for financial reporting and introduction of a SAP based Enterprise Resource Planning solution. C&AG of India has a pool of audit professionals specialising in IPSAS, who have assisted World Health Organization (WHO), International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) in their on-going migration to an IPSAS compliant financial accounting system. Similarly, C&AG of India is known for its expertise in the audit of IT systems. India’s twin strengths in IPSAS and auditing ERP systems would bring immense value to the United Nations in its ongoing migration to IPSAS and implementation of its SAP system, UMOJA.
Credentials of C&AG
With a history over 150 years, the institution of the C&AG of India is regarded as one of the strongest pillars of India’s democratic governance. It is one of the largest Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) in the world, with a large human resource pool which is professionally qualified in diverse fields.
Highly respected in the international community of Supreme Audit Institutions, the CAG of India chairs the Knowledge Sharing Committee – one of the four major Committees of International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) besides being a member of a number of other standards setting committees/sub-committees. He is on the Governing Board of INTOSAI. He is member of the UN Panel of External Auditors. The CAG also chairs the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI). Due to his active participation in these international forums, the CAG is closely linked with activities in establishing standards, best practices and guidance in various fields of audit for use by the SAI community in general.
United Nations Board of Auditors
The United Nations Board of Auditors was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to audit the accounts of the United Nations Organization and its funds and programmes and to report its findings and recommendations to the UNGA. For this, 3 members were appointed by the Assembly, each of whom must be the Auditor-General of a Member State. Other two members of the Board are Mr. Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Mr. Ludovick Utouh, Controller and Auditor-General of United Republic of Tanzania.
C&AG’s international presence
India’s C&AG has been the external auditor of various international organizations. At present, besides being a Member of the UN Board of Auditors, he is the external auditor of the World Food Programme, World Intellectual Property Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, UN World Tourism Organization and the International Organization for Migration. Recently, he has been the external auditor of major UN Agencies like the World Health Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization, International Maritime Organization, Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons etc.
Benefits for India
The UN Board of Auditors is one of the major supervising organs of the United Nations and its significance has increased in recent years, especially in view of the resource shortage being faced by all Member Nations in the wake of economic crisis. The reports of the Board provide a key input in policy-making within the UN system. The election of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India to the UN Board of Auditors is a matter of prestige for the country and would greatly enhance the visibility of India within the UN system.
Unlike most elections in the UN and its Agencies, this election was a rare case where an institution was involved. With the election of the C&AG of India as a member of the UN Board of Auditors, one of the most prestigious institutions of Indian democracy got its due recognition at the international level.
By auditing international organizations of the UN system, not only would the C&AG add value to the operations of UN, but its own officers would also be further exposed to the best international auditing and accounting practices leading to enrichment of their professional skills. Deploying of such professionals in India would translate into high quality of auditing and accounting and would promote accountability, transparency and good governance in India.
Benefits for United Nations
The auditors of the C&AG of India bring in rich experience they have in the audit of UN and its Agencies and other International Organizations, which would assist the UN in bringing about greater efficiency, economy and effectiveness in its operations by focussing their audit thrust on key risk areas within the UN.
At present, the UN is in the process of business process transformation by way of shifting to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) for financial reporting and introduction of a SAP based Enterprise Resource Planning solution. C&AG of India has a pool of audit professionals specialising in IPSAS, who have assisted World Health Organization (WHO), International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) in their on-going migration to an IPSAS compliant financial accounting system. Similarly, C&AG of India is known for its expertise in the audit of IT systems. India’s twin strengths in IPSAS and auditing ERP systems would bring immense value to the United Nations in its ongoing migration to IPSAS and implementation of its SAP system, UMOJA.
Credentials of C&AG
With a history over 150 years, the institution of the C&AG of India is regarded as one of the strongest pillars of India’s democratic governance. It is one of the largest Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) in the world, with a large human resource pool which is professionally qualified in diverse fields.
Highly respected in the international community of Supreme Audit Institutions, the CAG of India chairs the Knowledge Sharing Committee – one of the four major Committees of International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) besides being a member of a number of other standards setting committees/sub-committees. He is on the Governing Board of INTOSAI. He is member of the UN Panel of External Auditors. The CAG also chairs the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI). Due to his active participation in these international forums, the CAG is closely linked with activities in establishing standards, best practices and guidance in various fields of audit for use by the SAI community in general.
Narendra Modi uses idea of ‘zero hour’ at Cabinet meetings
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced the concept of “zero hour” at Cabinet meetings.
The “zero hour” will be the free-wheeling discussions where ministers can bring up any issue they feel relevant for the Cabinet’s informal consideration.
The practice come from Gujarat when Modi was state’s chief minister, the difference being that then the zero hour happened at the start of cabinet meetings and Modi absented himself during the deliberations to let ministers speak up without feeling hesitant due to his presence.
The concept is almost same with a change that now Modi also attends the discussions to listen to ministerial colleagues though he does not speaks too often. The objective behind is to bring issues to the PM’s notice and getting a sense of the cabinet on how a particular situation or development is evolving in terms of its public perception or political ramifications. The Modi cabinet holds its discussions without officials barring the cabinet secretary and national security advisor who are permanent invitees to ministerial discussions.
The “zero hour” will be the free-wheeling discussions where ministers can bring up any issue they feel relevant for the Cabinet’s informal consideration.
The practice come from Gujarat when Modi was state’s chief minister, the difference being that then the zero hour happened at the start of cabinet meetings and Modi absented himself during the deliberations to let ministers speak up without feeling hesitant due to his presence.
The concept is almost same with a change that now Modi also attends the discussions to listen to ministerial colleagues though he does not speaks too often. The objective behind is to bring issues to the PM’s notice and getting a sense of the cabinet on how a particular situation or development is evolving in terms of its public perception or political ramifications. The Modi cabinet holds its discussions without officials barring the cabinet secretary and national security advisor who are permanent invitees to ministerial discussions.
S S Mundra to be fourth deputy governor of RBI
S S Mundra (60), Chairman and managing director of Bank of Baroda, is set to be appointed as the fourth deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after PM Narendra Modi approved his appointment.
The veteran banker had begun his career as a probationary officer, and served for a short time at Union Bank of India, where he was executive director. In a rare move, he returned as the CMD of his parent bank (Bank of Baroda) and was seen as a surprise choice for the prestigous regulatory job. In fact, Mundra would have never been offered this post had it not been for K C Chakrabarty’s decision to resign before the end of his tenure as RBI deputy governor.
Currently, RBI has three deputy governors– H R Khan, Urijit Patel and R Gandhi.
The veteran banker had begun his career as a probationary officer, and served for a short time at Union Bank of India, where he was executive director. In a rare move, he returned as the CMD of his parent bank (Bank of Baroda) and was seen as a surprise choice for the prestigous regulatory job. In fact, Mundra would have never been offered this post had it not been for K C Chakrabarty’s decision to resign before the end of his tenure as RBI deputy governor.
Currently, RBI has three deputy governors– H R Khan, Urijit Patel and R Gandhi.
Ukraine’s PM submits resignation
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has resigned from the office. This means that Ukraine will have fresh elections that would mirror the country’s changed political picture after the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.
Yatsenyuk, an advocate of closer relationship with Europe and a key participant in the protests that ousted Yanukovych, made the announcement after two parties said they would withdraw their support to the governing coalition.
The newly elected President Petro Poroshenko, praised the withdrawal of the two parties. Poroshenko’s calls for political renewal indicate that the resignation and new polls are the result of planning and political maneuvering, not chaos.
Yatsenyuk had assumed the PM office just five months back supported by a coalition of pro-European parties. They took power after Yanukovych was driven from office by months of street protests on Kiev’s Independence Square, or Maidan.
The protests triggered over Yanukovych’s denial to sign a sweeping trade pact with the European Union, but aggravated to include wider grievances such as the government’s attempts to crush the protests with riot police, corruption, and lack of progress in modernizing the economy.
The current Parliament was originally dominated by Yanukovych supporters in the pro-Russian Party of Regions. That group has reduced through defections and its members face an uncertain future in fresh upcoming polls.
After assuming office, Yatsenyuk was to run a government almost insolvent and facing the likelihood of taking up unpopular measures to fulfill conditions to get loans sanctioned from the International Monetary Fund. It succeeded in getting the IMF bailout.
The government faces tensions with Russia which termed Yanukovych’s ouster a coup, seized Ukraine’s Crimea region and cut off natural gas supplies in a price dispute.
It has also combated a pro-Russian insurgency in which rebels armed with heavy weapons have seized public buildings and battled government troops. Russia denies supporting the rebels.
The nationalist Svoboda party and the Udar party led by former boxer Vitali Klitschko withdrew their support from Yatsenyuk’s coalition.
Yatsenyuk, an advocate of closer relationship with Europe and a key participant in the protests that ousted Yanukovych, made the announcement after two parties said they would withdraw their support to the governing coalition.
The newly elected President Petro Poroshenko, praised the withdrawal of the two parties. Poroshenko’s calls for political renewal indicate that the resignation and new polls are the result of planning and political maneuvering, not chaos.
Yatsenyuk had assumed the PM office just five months back supported by a coalition of pro-European parties. They took power after Yanukovych was driven from office by months of street protests on Kiev’s Independence Square, or Maidan.
The protests triggered over Yanukovych’s denial to sign a sweeping trade pact with the European Union, but aggravated to include wider grievances such as the government’s attempts to crush the protests with riot police, corruption, and lack of progress in modernizing the economy.
The current Parliament was originally dominated by Yanukovych supporters in the pro-Russian Party of Regions. That group has reduced through defections and its members face an uncertain future in fresh upcoming polls.
After assuming office, Yatsenyuk was to run a government almost insolvent and facing the likelihood of taking up unpopular measures to fulfill conditions to get loans sanctioned from the International Monetary Fund. It succeeded in getting the IMF bailout.
The government faces tensions with Russia which termed Yanukovych’s ouster a coup, seized Ukraine’s Crimea region and cut off natural gas supplies in a price dispute.
It has also combated a pro-Russian insurgency in which rebels armed with heavy weapons have seized public buildings and battled government troops. Russia denies supporting the rebels.
The nationalist Svoboda party and the Udar party led by former boxer Vitali Klitschko withdrew their support from Yatsenyuk’s coalition.
Joko Widodo wins Indonesian presidential polls
Jakarta (Indonesia) Governor Joko Widodo
has been declared the winner of the Indonesian presidential polls. He
received around 53% of the total valid votes cast in the election.
Indonesia’s General Elections Commission, known as the KPU, declared the final results of the polls. As per the results, Widodo won 53.15% of the nearly 133 million valid ballots cast. His rival Subianto won 46.85% votes.
Former General Prabowo Subianto withdrew from the presidential election as he alleged massive fraud which was unfair and undemocratic.
Indonesia’s General Elections Commission, known as the KPU, declared the final results of the polls. As per the results, Widodo won 53.15% of the nearly 133 million valid ballots cast. His rival Subianto won 46.85% votes.
Former General Prabowo Subianto withdrew from the presidential election as he alleged massive fraud which was unfair and undemocratic.
Government sets up Suresh Prabhu Panel to review Gas Pricing Formula
Union government will appoint Suresh Prabhu Committee to review the gas pricing formula. Suresh Prabhu is a former Union Power Minister under National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The other members on the panel will be Pratap Bhanu Mehta, President and Chief Executive of Centre for Policy Research and Bibek Debroy of the same institute.
The decision to set up Suresh Prabhu Committee comes close on the heels of the Union government decision to put stay on the revision of natural gas price. The Union Cabinet had recently postponed the implementation of the C Rangarajan Committee’s pricing formula till September 30, 2014 for conducting a comprehensive review of the whole issue.
The implementation of the Rangrajan pricing formula would have doubled current gas rates to at least $8.4 dollars/mbtu resulting in increasing power cost by over Rs 2/unit, urea production cost by Rs 6,228/tonne and piped gas by Rs 8.50/kg.
The decision to set up Suresh Prabhu Committee comes close on the heels of the Union government decision to put stay on the revision of natural gas price. The Union Cabinet had recently postponed the implementation of the C Rangarajan Committee’s pricing formula till September 30, 2014 for conducting a comprehensive review of the whole issue.
The implementation of the Rangrajan pricing formula would have doubled current gas rates to at least $8.4 dollars/mbtu resulting in increasing power cost by over Rs 2/unit, urea production cost by Rs 6,228/tonne and piped gas by Rs 8.50/kg.
Fuad Masum: New President of Iraq
The Council of Representatives of Iraq (Iraqi Parliament) in Baghdad elected Muhammad Fuad Masum of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party as the seventh President of Iraq. He got 211 votes in his favor and 17 votes against.
Masum is the second non-Arab President of Iraq after Jalal Talabani who founded the PUK party and is the current President of Iraq. He had been almost guaranteed the job after Kurdish parties struck a late-night deal to support him. Under an unofficial power-sharing deal, Iraq’s Kurds traditionally get the post of president.
Iraq is at present facing an existential threat, which can be overcome by formation of a fully inclusive government and the move could pave the way for a deal on the much more powerful post of prime minister. The president has got 14 days to nominate the PM candidate of the largest bloc in parliament.
Masum is the second non-Arab President of Iraq after Jalal Talabani who founded the PUK party and is the current President of Iraq. He had been almost guaranteed the job after Kurdish parties struck a late-night deal to support him. Under an unofficial power-sharing deal, Iraq’s Kurds traditionally get the post of president.
Iraq is at present facing an existential threat, which can be overcome by formation of a fully inclusive government and the move could pave the way for a deal on the much more powerful post of prime minister. The president has got 14 days to nominate the PM candidate of the largest bloc in parliament.
K. N. Tripathi takes oath as Governor of West Bengal
Former Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and five-time MLA Keshari Nath Tripathi was sworn-in as the Governor of West Bengal. Tripathi,
was administered the oath of office by the acting Chief Justice of
Calcutta High Court Asim Kumar Banerjee in the presence of Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Tripathi superseded M K Narayanan who resigned after being pushed to do so by the NDA government at the Centre.
Tripathi superseded M K Narayanan who resigned after being pushed to do so by the NDA government at the Centre.
Wages under MNREGA shouldn’t be less than minimum wage in states: Mahendra Dev Committee
As per the recommendations of a high-level committee set up by the Centre, wages under MNREGA should be equal to or higher than the minimum wage in the state.
According to the report submitted by the seven-member panel, headed by S Mahendra Dev, director of Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research:
The baseline for MNREGA wage indexation from 2014 may be the current minimum wage rate for unskilled agricultural labourers fixed by the states under the Minimum Wages Act or the ‘current MGNREGA wage rate’, whichever is higher.
MGNREGA wage rates must be revised every year on the basis of Consumer Price Index for Rural (CPI-Rural) as the appropriate index.
At present, wages under MNREGA are linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the annual revision is based on the CPI-AL (Agriculture Labour).
The panel was set up to examine whether the Consumer Price Index for Agriculture Labour (CPIAL) is the suitable index for protecting the wages against inflation and what would be the appropriate index for revising MGNREGA wage rates every year.
According to the report submitted by the seven-member panel, headed by S Mahendra Dev, director of Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research:
The baseline for MNREGA wage indexation from 2014 may be the current minimum wage rate for unskilled agricultural labourers fixed by the states under the Minimum Wages Act or the ‘current MGNREGA wage rate’, whichever is higher.
MGNREGA wage rates must be revised every year on the basis of Consumer Price Index for Rural (CPI-Rural) as the appropriate index.
At present, wages under MNREGA are linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the annual revision is based on the CPI-AL (Agriculture Labour).
The panel was set up to examine whether the Consumer Price Index for Agriculture Labour (CPIAL) is the suitable index for protecting the wages against inflation and what would be the appropriate index for revising MGNREGA wage rates every year.
Cricket: India registers historic test victory at Lord’s against England
India
bagged their first Test victory at the historic Lord’s in nearly three
decades as they rode on Ishant Sharma’s inspired spell of fast bowling
to flatten England by 95 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the five match series being played in England.
The tall pacer, whose consistency has always been questioned, played a pivotal role as he grabbed a career-best 7 for 74 to bowl out the home team for a 223 chasing a competitive victory target of 319.
It took 28 long years for India to win a Test match at the ‘Home of Cricket’ after ‘Kapil Dev’s team achieved the feat back in June 1986 winning by five wickets.
The victory also marked Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s first major victory as Test captain outside the sub-continent. The last time India won a Test match outside the South Asian region was back in 2011 when they defeated West Indies in a 1-0 series win.
The tall pacer, whose consistency has always been questioned, played a pivotal role as he grabbed a career-best 7 for 74 to bowl out the home team for a 223 chasing a competitive victory target of 319.
It took 28 long years for India to win a Test match at the ‘Home of Cricket’ after ‘Kapil Dev’s team achieved the feat back in June 1986 winning by five wickets.
The victory also marked Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s first major victory as Test captain outside the sub-continent. The last time India won a Test match outside the South Asian region was back in 2011 when they defeated West Indies in a 1-0 series win.
Management of PM Relief Fund to be emulated on Gujarat model
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed that the management of the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) should emulate the Gujarat model in selection of beneficiaries, giving priority to the poor and children.
PM Modi reviewed the working of the PMNRF and recommended several qualitative changes in the way the fund is managed.
PM Modi’s directions to PMNRF:
On his three-day visit to India, the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim arrived in New Delhi. During his visit, he will meet PM Narendra Modi for understanding the development priorities in India. Kim is also scheduled to meet the Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley.
He will also be visiting the World Bank assisted project sites in Tamil Nadu with a view to understand rural-urban transformation challenges.
PM Modi reviewed the working of the PMNRF and recommended several qualitative changes in the way the fund is managed.
PM Modi’s directions to PMNRF:
- Selection of beneficiaries should be done in a more comprehensive, scientific and humanitarian basis, giving priority to children, poor and cases from government hospitals.
- Priority should be accorded to cases involving life-threatening diseases and applications should be decided on need and merit.
- Pendency in appeals for help should be minimized and the draw to select the cases should be conducted in a manner that does not exclude any genuine case.
- A letter from the Prime Minister should be sent to all beneficiaries.
- SMS alert to be sent to beneficiaries whose appeals have been approved for grant of relief.
On his three-day visit to India, the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim arrived in New Delhi. During his visit, he will meet PM Narendra Modi for understanding the development priorities in India. Kim is also scheduled to meet the Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley.
He will also be visiting the World Bank assisted project sites in Tamil Nadu with a view to understand rural-urban transformation challenges.
German World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm retires
Philipp Lahm, the captain of Germany’s football team, announced his retirement from international football. His retirement announcement comes just five days after Germany led by him bagged its fourth football World Cup defeating Argentina in the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil.
Lahm is the country’s fourth most-capped player behind Lothar Matthaus (150), Klose (137) and Lukas Podolski (116).He is also the 4th Mannschaft captain to win the World Cup Trophy, after Fritz Walter in 1954, Franz Beckenbauer in 1974 and Matthaus in 1990.
Lahm is the country’s fourth most-capped player behind Lothar Matthaus (150), Klose (137) and Lukas Podolski (116).He is also the 4th Mannschaft captain to win the World Cup Trophy, after Fritz Walter in 1954, Franz Beckenbauer in 1974 and Matthaus in 1990.
Prakash Kohli sworn in as Governor of Gujarat
Former Rajya Sabha member and veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mr. Om Prakash Kohli was sworn in as Gujarat Governor. Mr. Kohli’s appointment follows the unceremonious exit of former Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal.
Mr. Kohli was the president of the BJP’s Delhi unit. He served as a lecturer at the Delhi University-affiliated Hansraj College and Deshbandhu College.
Mr. Kohli was the president of the BJP’s Delhi unit. He served as a lecturer at the Delhi University-affiliated Hansraj College and Deshbandhu College.
National Health Profile (NHP) 2013 released by Dr. Harsh Vardhan
The National Health Profile (NHP) 2013 was released by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan. The annual report is prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI). It takes into account demographic, socio-economic, health status and health finance
indicators, along with comprehensive information on health
infrastructure and human resources in health. CBHI has been publishing
NHP annually since 2005.
It is very important to have reliable country-wise data in all sectors of healthcare in the country covering not only public health professionals, but the various stakeholders in the healthcare sector such as even those who have traditional knowledge in different systems. Such data would facilitate the policymakers in well-grounded planning and effective implementation of various schemes. A comprehensive healthcare database showing region-wise and location-wise availability of doctors, nurses, chemists, dispensaries, private practioners and other human and health infrastructure will be significant in stepping up our capacity of dealing with any health emergency.
It is very important to have reliable country-wise data in all sectors of healthcare in the country covering not only public health professionals, but the various stakeholders in the healthcare sector such as even those who have traditional knowledge in different systems. Such data would facilitate the policymakers in well-grounded planning and effective implementation of various schemes. A comprehensive healthcare database showing region-wise and location-wise availability of doctors, nurses, chemists, dispensaries, private practioners and other human and health infrastructure will be significant in stepping up our capacity of dealing with any health emergency.
Bashar al-Assad sworn-in as Syria President for third term
After a being declared winner in the recently
held and much criticized presidential polls, Bashar al-Assad has been
sworn in for a third 7-year term as president of Syria.
Mr Assad pledged to fight “terrorism” until security was reinstated to all over the country, but also vowed to offer “national reconciliation” to opponents.
He has refused the demands of resignation since an uprising began in March 2011. The conflict that flared up after the authorities launched a brutal suppression on protests has left at least 170,000 people dead and displaced more than nine million others.
Mr Assad pledged to fight “terrorism” until security was reinstated to all over the country, but also vowed to offer “national reconciliation” to opponents.
He has refused the demands of resignation since an uprising began in March 2011. The conflict that flared up after the authorities launched a brutal suppression on protests has left at least 170,000 people dead and displaced more than nine million others.
Sim Bhullar: First Indian-origin player in NBA also the tallest player in NBA at present
Sim Bhullar (21) has become the first player of Indian origin to join the National Basketball Association (NBA) after he inked a summer contract with the Sacramento Kings, a professional basketball team in the US.
Bhullar is originally from Canada but his parents hail from Punjab. He is 7.5 feet tall, weighs 360 pounds and is a centre from New Mexico State University. Bhullar is the tallest player in the NBA right now, and needs only to stand on his tiptoes to make a basket.
Interestingly, in 2013, the Kings became the NBA’s first team to have an Indian-origin majority owner – Vivek Ranadive. Since assuming the charge of the Kings, which was performing low in recent years, Ranadive has transformed the organization into one of the better ones in the association.
Bhullar is originally from Canada but his parents hail from Punjab. He is 7.5 feet tall, weighs 360 pounds and is a centre from New Mexico State University. Bhullar is the tallest player in the NBA right now, and needs only to stand on his tiptoes to make a basket.
Interestingly, in 2013, the Kings became the NBA’s first team to have an Indian-origin majority owner – Vivek Ranadive. Since assuming the charge of the Kings, which was performing low in recent years, Ranadive has transformed the organization into one of the better ones in the association.
Noted Hindi litterateur Madhukar Singh passed away
Madhukar Singh (87), a distinguished Hindi litterateur passed away at his residence in village Dharahara of Bhojpur district, Bihar.
Madhukar Singh
In 1970s he led “Samantar Kahani Andolan” in story writing along with Kamleshwar, a noted writer and others. He wrote comprehensively about rural downtrodden workers and farmers. He penned about 35 books including 17 collections of stories and 13 novels. His story titled Dushman became a milestone in Hindi story writing and played as drama in 1980s in Hindi belt by different drama groups. Some of his other notable works include Arjun Zinda Hai, Benimadho Tiwari Ki Patoh Sonbhadra Ki Radha and Mere Gaon Ke Log.
Awards and honours:
For individuals
New projects and programmes
Key allocations
Economic Measures
Some key fiscal information
Administrative reforms
Madhukar Singh
In 1970s he led “Samantar Kahani Andolan” in story writing along with Kamleshwar, a noted writer and others. He wrote comprehensively about rural downtrodden workers and farmers. He penned about 35 books including 17 collections of stories and 13 novels. His story titled Dushman became a milestone in Hindi story writing and played as drama in 1980s in Hindi belt by different drama groups. Some of his other notable works include Arjun Zinda Hai, Benimadho Tiwari Ki Patoh Sonbhadra Ki Radha and Mere Gaon Ke Log.
Awards and honours:
- Soviet Land Nehru Award
- Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Sahitya Puraskar conferred upon him by Bihar Government
- Udayraj Puraskar
Nadine Gordimer: Nobel Prize winning South African author passed away
Nadine Gordimer (90), South African Nobel Prize-winning author passed away in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The writer was always vociferous voices against apartheid which she reflected in her books. She penned more than 30 books, including the novels My Son’s Story, Burger’s Daughter and July’s People. She jointly won 1974’s Booker Prize for The Conservationist and was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1991. For her hatred of apartheid reflected in her writings, a number of Gordimer’s books were banned by the South African government under the apartheid regime including 1966’s The Late Bourgeois World and 1979’s Burger’s Daughter.
Her last novel, ‘No Time Like the Present’, published in 2012, follows veterans of the battle against apartheid as they deal with the issues facing modern South Africa. Gordimer was also an aggressive campaigner in the HIV/Aids movement, lobbying and fund-raising on behalf of the Treatment Action Campaign, a group insisting the South African Government to provide free, life-saving drugs to diseased person.
The writer was always vociferous voices against apartheid which she reflected in her books. She penned more than 30 books, including the novels My Son’s Story, Burger’s Daughter and July’s People. She jointly won 1974’s Booker Prize for The Conservationist and was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1991. For her hatred of apartheid reflected in her writings, a number of Gordimer’s books were banned by the South African government under the apartheid regime including 1966’s The Late Bourgeois World and 1979’s Burger’s Daughter.
Her last novel, ‘No Time Like the Present’, published in 2012, follows veterans of the battle against apartheid as they deal with the issues facing modern South Africa. Gordimer was also an aggressive campaigner in the HIV/Aids movement, lobbying and fund-raising on behalf of the Treatment Action Campaign, a group insisting the South African Government to provide free, life-saving drugs to diseased person.
Mahela Jayawardene retires from Test cricket
The former skipper of Sri Lanka‘s cricket team Mahela Jayawardene has announced retirement from Test cricket.
The right-handed batsman has played 145 tests and his 11,493 runs shares 6th position, along with Kumar Sangakkara of the same team, on the list of highest scorers in the longest format of the game. He has 33 test centuries to his name and has a batting average of a little more than 50/innings.
The right-handed batsman has played 145 tests and his 11,493 runs shares 6th position, along with Kumar Sangakkara of the same team, on the list of highest scorers in the longest format of the game. He has 33 test centuries to his name and has a batting average of a little more than 50/innings.
Gandhi Peace Prize to Chandi Prasad Bhatt
President Pranab Mukherjee presented Gandhi Peace Prize for 2013 to noted environmentalist and pioneer of the Chipko movement Chandi Prasad Bhatt for his contribution towards the environment and society through Gandhian philosophy.
The honor puts Bhatt in the elite club of personalities that includes the likes of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, who were earlier bestowed with the prestigious prize.
Gandhi Peace Prize is an award that is conferred upon individuals and organizations for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through peace and other Gandhian methods.
Chandi Prasad Bhatt:
Born: June 23, 1934, in Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Key Contributions: He was one of the founders of Chipko movement, adopted non-violence in preventing deforestation in the Garhwal Himalayas by embracing trees to prevent them from being felled during the early 70s. The movement later spread throughout the country.
Awards and Honors: He was awarded the Raman Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1982. In 2005, he was conferred the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in the country. In 2014, he was honored with the prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize for 2013.
The honor puts Bhatt in the elite club of personalities that includes the likes of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, who were earlier bestowed with the prestigious prize.
Gandhi Peace Prize is an award that is conferred upon individuals and organizations for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through peace and other Gandhian methods.
Chandi Prasad Bhatt:
Born: June 23, 1934, in Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Key Contributions: He was one of the founders of Chipko movement, adopted non-violence in preventing deforestation in the Garhwal Himalayas by embracing trees to prevent them from being felled during the early 70s. The movement later spread throughout the country.
Awards and Honors: He was awarded the Raman Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1982. In 2005, he was conferred the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in the country. In 2014, he was honored with the prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize for 2013.
“The Grand Old Lady of Bollywood” Veteran actor Zohra Sehgal passed away
Veteran actor Zohra Sehgal (102), who acted in Bollywood classics and Doctor Who adventures, passed away. Sehgal, for her contribution to the Indian cinema is dubbed “the grand old lady of Bollywood”. A Padma Shri awardee, she also received the Padma Vibhshan in 2010.
Sehgal, started her career as a dancer with Uday Shankar in 1935. She had appeared in many Bollywood films as a character actor as well as in English language films besides television series and plays. Often called the “grand old lady of Bollywood” and the “laadli” of entertainment , last appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Saawariya” in 2007.
Sehgal, started her career as a dancer with Uday Shankar in 1935. She had appeared in many Bollywood films as a character actor as well as in English language films besides television series and plays. Often called the “grand old lady of Bollywood” and the “laadli” of entertainment , last appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Saawariya” in 2007.
The Miracle girl “Mississippi baby”cured of HIV as an infant now detected with virus again
The baby girl who had emerged as a ray of hope for the
global combat against AIDS, when she was cured of HIV after being born
to an infected mother has now been detected with the HIV virus.
In a huge setback to researchers, the child known as the “Mississippi baby” who when put on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) within 30 hours of birth was cured in 2013 by stopping the formation of viral reservoirs — dormant cells responsible for the re-starting the infection in most HIV patients within weeks of halting the therapy has now been found to have been re-infected after more than 2 years without ART support.
The kid has detectable HIV levels in the blood (16,750 copies/mL). Besides, the child has reduced levels of CD4+ T-cells, the main constituent of a normal immune system, and the presence of HIV antibodies — signs of a replicating pool of virus in the body. The kid has been put on ART again. It has been found that the child’s HIV infection was the same strain acquired from the mother.
HIV first emerged over 30 years ago and has till now infected over 34 million people globally. Scientists face a daunting challenge of finding a vaccine against HIV. As per the UN estimates, 330,000 babies were infected in 2011. This is apart from more than 3 million children living with HIV across the globe.
In India, over 14,000 children got infected in 2011, which accounted for 13% decrease as compared to 2009. The number of estimated deaths among children (0-14 years old) due to AIDS was 10,213 in 2011. In India, in 2011, an estimated 21 lakh people living with HIV/AIDS, 7% were children. Nearly 40% (8.16 lakh) of them were women, who are likely to pass on the virus to their babies.
In a huge setback to researchers, the child known as the “Mississippi baby” who when put on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) within 30 hours of birth was cured in 2013 by stopping the formation of viral reservoirs — dormant cells responsible for the re-starting the infection in most HIV patients within weeks of halting the therapy has now been found to have been re-infected after more than 2 years without ART support.
The kid has detectable HIV levels in the blood (16,750 copies/mL). Besides, the child has reduced levels of CD4+ T-cells, the main constituent of a normal immune system, and the presence of HIV antibodies — signs of a replicating pool of virus in the body. The kid has been put on ART again. It has been found that the child’s HIV infection was the same strain acquired from the mother.
HIV first emerged over 30 years ago and has till now infected over 34 million people globally. Scientists face a daunting challenge of finding a vaccine against HIV. As per the UN estimates, 330,000 babies were infected in 2011. This is apart from more than 3 million children living with HIV across the globe.
In India, over 14,000 children got infected in 2011, which accounted for 13% decrease as compared to 2009. The number of estimated deaths among children (0-14 years old) due to AIDS was 10,213 in 2011. In India, in 2011, an estimated 21 lakh people living with HIV/AIDS, 7% were children. Nearly 40% (8.16 lakh) of them were women, who are likely to pass on the virus to their babies.
Margaret Alva Sworn-in as Goa Governor
Margaret Alva, the current Governor of Rajasthan, was sworn-in as the Governor of Goa.
She was administered oath of office by Chief Justice of Bombay high
court Mohit Shah. Rajasthan governor Alva has been given additional
charge of Goa after previous governor B V Wanchoo resigned on July 4,
2014, a day after CBI interrogated him in the VVIP chopper deal scam.
Budget Box 2014-15: Highlights
Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley presented Union Budget 2014-15. The highlights:
For individuals
- No change in the Tax slab on personal income
- Income tax exemption limit increased by Rs 50,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh and for senior citizens to Rs 3 lakh
- Exemption limit for investment in financial instruments under 80C increased to Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh.
- Investment limit in PPF increased to Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs 1 lak
- Deduction limit on interest on loan for self-occupied house enhanced to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 1.5 lakh.
- Reintroduction of Kisan Vikas Patra, National Savings Certificate with insurance cover to be launched
- Long term capial gain tax for mutual funds doubled to 20%; lock-in period increased to 3 years
- Mandatory wage ceiling of subscription to EPS (Employee Pension Scheme) enhanced from Rs 6,500 to Rs 15,000
- Minimum pension raised to Rs 1,000 per month
- LCD, LED TV become less expensive
- Cigarettes, pan masala, tobacco, aerated drinks become costlier
New projects and programmes
- 5 IIMs to be opened in HP, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha and Rajasthan
- 5 IITs in Jammu, Chattisgarh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala
- 4 more AIIMS like institutions in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Vidarbha in Maharashtra and Poorvanchal in Uttar Pradesh
- Kisan TV for farmers, Arun Prabha TV for northeast
- National Rural Internet and Technology Mission for services in villages and schools, training in IT skills proposed
- ‘Digital India’ programme will be launched to ensure broad band connectivity at village level
- Ultra Modern Super Critical Coal Based Thermal Power Technology has been proposed
- ‘Jal Marg Vikas’ a project on the river Ganga for inland waterways between Allahabad and Haldia; Rs 4,200 crore will be allocated for the same.
- “Uniform Account Number” service will be launched by EPFO for contributing members.
- Project “Neeranchal” will be launched to give fillip to watershed development in the country with an initial outlay of Rs. 2142 crores.
- Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana to spread awareness and help in improving the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for women.
- Achieving “Health For All” objective through Free Drug Service and Free Diagnosis Service
- Two National Institutes of Ageing to be established at AIIMS, New Delhi and Madras Medical College, Chennai.
Key allocations
- Rs 100 crore allocated to support about 600 new and existing Community Radio Stations
- Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to cover every household with sanitation facility by the year 2019
- Rs 100 crore for metro projects in Lucknow and Ahmedabad
- ‘Namami Gange’ the Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission has been allocated Rs 2,037 crore
- Rs 150 crore set aside for enhancing safety of women in large cities
- Rs. 7,060 crore allocated for the project of developing 100 Smart Cities.
- Rs 11,200 crore for PSU banks capitalization
- Rs 500 crore allocated for rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri migrants
- “Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna” has been provided Rs 1000 crore.
- Rs. 50,548 crore under the SC Plan and Rs. 32,387 crore under TSP
Economic Measures
- Composite cap of foreign investment to be increased to 49% in Defence and Insurance sectors.
- Requirement of the construction area and capital conditions for FDI decreased to 20,000 square metres and $5 million respectively for development of smart cities.
- Manufacturing can sell its products through retail including e-commerce platforms.
- Requirement to inject Rs.2,40,000 crore as equity by 2018 in our banks to be in consonance with Basel-III norms PSUs will invest through capital investment a total sum of Rs. 2,47,941 crores.
- Rs 4,000 cr allocated to increase flow of cheaper credit for affordable housing to the urban poor/EWS/LIG segment.
- Government supports consolidation of PSU banks
- Providing greater autonomy to PSU banks while making them accountable is under consideration
Some key fiscal information
- Government expects Rs 9.77 lakh crore revenue crore from taxes
- Plan expenditure pegged at Rs 5.75 lakh crore and non-plan at Rs 12.19 lakh crore.
- Fiscal deficit target maintained at 4.1% of GDP for current fiscal and 3.6% for FY 2016
- Disinvestment target fixed at Rs 58,425 crore
- Gross borrowings pegged at Rs 6 lakh crore
- Configuration of GST to be finalized this fiscal
- Government to examine DTC proposal.
Administrative reforms
- Panel to examine all fresh tax demands for indirect transfer of assets in wake of retrospective tax amendments of 2012
- Setting up of Expenditure Management Commission; will look into food and fertilizer subsides
- Legislative and administrative amendments to clear up pending tax demands of more than Rs. 4 lakh crore under dispute and litigation.
- Formulation of New Urea Policy
- MGNREGA would provide more productive, asset creating wage employment with linkages to agriculture and allied activities
- A panel will look into and recommend how unclaimed amounts with PPF, Post Office, saving schemes etc. can be utilized to protect and further financial interests of the senior citizens
- Slum development to be included in the list of Corporate Social Responsibility
- Panel to look into the financial architecture for MSME Sector, remove impediments and create new norms and structures regarding the same.
- To provide support to mainstreaming PPPPs (People Public Private Partnership) called “4PIndia”, an institution will be established with a corpus of Rs. 500 crores.
Emma Watson: UN Women Goodwill Ambassador
Famous British actress, Emma Watson, has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador of UN Women – the United Nation’s organization devoted to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Widely known for her role as Hermione Granger in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series, the distinguished actress, humanitarian, and recent graduate of Ivy League institution Brown University, will dedicate her efforts as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador towards the empowerment of young women and will serve as an advocate for UN Women’s HeForShe campaign in promoting gender equality.
“HeForShe Campaign”
HeForShe is a UN Women’s solidarity campaign which calls upon the masculine gender to stand up against the inequalities faced by women and girls globally. The movement bolsters the support for women’s rights as human rights by enlisting the support of men and urging them to play the role of promoters of gender equality.
Widely known for her role as Hermione Granger in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series, the distinguished actress, humanitarian, and recent graduate of Ivy League institution Brown University, will dedicate her efforts as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador towards the empowerment of young women and will serve as an advocate for UN Women’s HeForShe campaign in promoting gender equality.
“HeForShe Campaign”
HeForShe is a UN Women’s solidarity campaign which calls upon the masculine gender to stand up against the inequalities faced by women and girls globally. The movement bolsters the support for women’s rights as human rights by enlisting the support of men and urging them to play the role of promoters of gender equality.
R K Pachauri calls Shopping Malls “energy guzzlers”
Noted environmentalist and, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) R K Pachauri termed shopping malls as “energy guzzlers” and said they are not suited to the Indian environment.
Pachauri, who is also chairperson of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said that buildings contribute to green house gas emissions and they should be made more efficient. The largest growth of buildings is taking place in the emerging economies. Most of the buildings projected to be standing in 2030 in India are yet to be constructed.
With a view to speed up the development of high performance buildings in India and Southeast Asia, TERI and the US Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a strategic collaboration. TERI’s GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) and USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) have joined hands to promote the best of global and Indian practices to ensure efficiency of design, construction and operation of high performance buildings.
For new buildings, GRIHA projects will have the opportunity to earn LEED certification and LEED buildings will have the opportunity to get GRIHA certification.
Pachauri, who is also chairperson of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said that buildings contribute to green house gas emissions and they should be made more efficient. The largest growth of buildings is taking place in the emerging economies. Most of the buildings projected to be standing in 2030 in India are yet to be constructed.
With a view to speed up the development of high performance buildings in India and Southeast Asia, TERI and the US Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a strategic collaboration. TERI’s GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) and USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) have joined hands to promote the best of global and Indian practices to ensure efficiency of design, construction and operation of high performance buildings.
For new buildings, GRIHA projects will have the opportunity to earn LEED certification and LEED buildings will have the opportunity to get GRIHA certification.
Government ambiguous on Direct Tax Code, says Bill has lapsed
As per the Government, the Direct Taxes Code, which proposed revamp of the six-decade old Income Tax Act, has lapsed. No commitment has been given on reviving the same.
The Minister of State for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman gave a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha which said that with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha, the Direct Taxes Code Bill, 2010 has lapsed. The DTC, which proposed replacing the old Income Tax Act of 1961, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 30, 2010.
The Minister of State for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman gave a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha which said that with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha, the Direct Taxes Code Bill, 2010 has lapsed. The DTC, which proposed replacing the old Income Tax Act of 1961, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 30, 2010.
Granville Austin: Eminent Indian Constitution academic passed away
Granville Austin (87), a distinguished scholar of India’s Constitution and a Padma Shri awardee, passed away in Washington.
Austin wrote two critically acclaimed political histories of the Indian Constitution — ‘The Indian Constitution: A Cornerstone of A Nation’ and ‘Working A Democratic Republic: The Indian Experience.
For his works, the Government of India conferred upon him Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honor in India, in 2011.
Austin worked as a journalist/photographer and later worked with the US Information Service, Department of State, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and on the staff of a US Senator.
Austin wrote two critically acclaimed political histories of the Indian Constitution — ‘The Indian Constitution: A Cornerstone of A Nation’ and ‘Working A Democratic Republic: The Indian Experience.
For his works, the Government of India conferred upon him Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honor in India, in 2011.
Austin worked as a journalist/photographer and later worked with the US Information Service, Department of State, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and on the staff of a US Senator.
Novak Djokovic overcomes Roger Federer to win Wimbledon men’s title
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Roger Federer (Switzerland)
in the final of 2014 men’s Wimbledon championship in a challenging
contest. It was the first time since 2007 that Federer and Djokovic had
met for a Grand Slam title. Djokovic, who had 6 major titles before this
match had last won Wimbledon in 2011. Djokovic was beaten in 2013 by
Andy Murray. Roger Federer’s last title at Wimbledon was in 2012.
Federer (Switzerland), along with Rafael Nadal (Spain), Djokovic (Serbia) and Murray (Scotland), have dominated the sport for nearly a decade.
Federer (Switzerland), along with Rafael Nadal (Spain), Djokovic (Serbia) and Murray (Scotland), have dominated the sport for nearly a decade.
Rangarajan panel suggests new Poverty Line: Rs.47 per day in urban, Rs. 32 in rural areas
Brushing aside the Tendulkar Committee report on poverty estimation, a Committee headed by former RBI governor C Rangarajan has said that the number of poor in India was much higher in 2011-12 at 29.5% of the population, which means that 3 out of 10 persons are poor.
As per the report submitted by C Rangarajan Committee:
Government set up the Rangarajan Committee in 2013 to review the Tendulkar Committee methodology for estimating poverty and clear the ambiguity over the number of poor in the country. It was a done in a response to the severe criticism of Planning Commission estimates on poverty based on Tendulkar panel report in September 2011 when in an affidavit to the Supreme Court it was stated that households with per capita consumption of more than Rs. 33 in urban areas and Rs. 27 in rural areas would not be considered poor.
As per the report submitted by C Rangarajan Committee:
- Persons spending below Rs. 47 a day in cities should be considered poor, much above the Rs. 33/day mark suggested by the Suresh Tendulkar Committee.
- Poverty stood at 38.2% in 2009-10 and reduced to 29.5% in 2011-12. This is in contrast with the Tendulkar report as per which poverty was at 29.8% in 2009-10 and decreased to 21.9% in 2011-12.
- A person spending less than Rs. 1,407 a month (Rs. 47/day) should be considered poor in cities, as against the Tendulkar panel’s suggestion of Rs. 1,000 a month (Rs.33/day).
- A person spending less than Rs. 972 a month (Rs. 32/day) should be considered poor in villages which is again a variance with Tendulkar committee’s suggestion of Rs. 816 a month (Rs. 27/day).
- The number of poor in India was estimated at 36.3 crore in 2011-12, down from 45.4 crore in 2009-10. However, as per Tendulkar panel, the number of poor was 35.4 crore in 2009-10 and 26.9 crore in 2011-12.
Government set up the Rangarajan Committee in 2013 to review the Tendulkar Committee methodology for estimating poverty and clear the ambiguity over the number of poor in the country. It was a done in a response to the severe criticism of Planning Commission estimates on poverty based on Tendulkar panel report in September 2011 when in an affidavit to the Supreme Court it was stated that households with per capita consumption of more than Rs. 33 in urban areas and Rs. 27 in rural areas would not be considered poor.
President appoints three judges to the Supreme Court
Three judges, the Chief Justices of Calcutta and Orissa
High Courts, Arun Mishra and Adarsh Kumar Goel respectively, and senior
lawyer Rohinton Nariman have been elevated as judges of the Supreme Court.With the appointment of these judges, the strength of judges in the court will increase to 28, as against the sanctioned strength of 31.
Justice Goel, who belongs to Haryana, was a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel will be the first judge to represent Haryana in the court.
Justice Goel, who belongs to Haryana, was a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel will be the first judge to represent Haryana in the court.
Rejig of Governors: Kamla Beniwal sent to Mizoram, Margaret Alva given additional charge of Gujarat
The arrival of the new government at Centre has also led
to the removal and shuffling of Governors appointed by the previous UPA
led government. In continuance of the same, the President of India Pranab Mukherjee has announced three major changes:
In the honor of Akhouri Sinha,
a distinguished Indian-American scientist whose ground-breaking
biological research expedition has provided vital data about animal
populations, the United States has named a mountain in Antarctica after him as Mt Sinha.
An adjunct professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development at the University of Minnesota, Sinha was recognized by the US Geological Survey, which named the mountain Mt Sinha, for his critical contribution as an explorer in 1971-72. Sinha was a member of a team that catalogued population research of seals, whales and birds in the ice-packed Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas and in Glaciers in 1972 and 1974.
Mt Sinha, a mountain (990 m) at the southeast end of Erickson Bluffs in the southern part of McDonald Heights, overlooks lower Kirkpatrick Glacier from the north in Marie Byrd Land.
- Dr. (Smt.) Kamla Beniwal, Governor of Gujarat has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Mizoram for the remainder of her term in place of Shri Vakkom Purushothaman.
- Shri Vakkom Purushothaman, current Governor of Mizoram has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Nagaland for the remainder of his term. He will continue to hold the additional charge of the office of the Governor of Tripura.
- Smt. Margaret Alva, Governor of Rajasthan will also discharge the functions of the Governor of Gujarat besides her own duties, until regular arrangements for the office of the Governor of Gujarat are made.
Petra Kvitova wins 2014 women’s Wimbledon title
Czech tennis star Petra Kvitova clinched her second Wimbledon title as she defeated Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard in a very short match.
Kvitova, who first won Wimbledon in 2011, took just 55 minutes to bag a second Grand Slam title held at the Centre Court, London. The 24-year-old Czech needed only 55 minutes to win 6-3 6-0, making it the shortest women’s final at Wimbledon since Navratilova beat Andrea Jaeger by the same scoreline in 54 minutes in 1983.
Kvitova, who first won Wimbledon in 2011, took just 55 minutes to bag a second Grand Slam title held at the Centre Court, London. The 24-year-old Czech needed only 55 minutes to win 6-3 6-0, making it the shortest women’s final at Wimbledon since Navratilova beat Andrea Jaeger by the same scoreline in 54 minutes in 1983.
‘Mt Sinha': US names a peak in Antarctica after Indian scientist Akhouri Sinha
In the honor of Akhouri Sinha,
a distinguished Indian-American scientist whose ground-breaking
biological research expedition has provided vital data about animal
populations, the United States has named a mountain in Antarctica after him as Mt Sinha.An adjunct professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development at the University of Minnesota, Sinha was recognized by the US Geological Survey, which named the mountain Mt Sinha, for his critical contribution as an explorer in 1971-72. Sinha was a member of a team that catalogued population research of seals, whales and birds in the ice-packed Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas and in Glaciers in 1972 and 1974.
Mt Sinha, a mountain (990 m) at the southeast end of Erickson Bluffs in the southern part of McDonald Heights, overlooks lower Kirkpatrick Glacier from the north in Marie Byrd Land.
President Pranab Mukherjee: India’s first incumbent President to join Twitter
President Pranab Mukherjee joined the social networking platform Twitter with his account @RashtrapatiBhvn. He has become the first serving president of India to join Twitter.
India’s former president Abdul Kalam is already on Twitter with the handle @apj_abdul_kalam. President Mukherjee already has a Facebook page with over 5 lakh followers on the world’s largest social network.
India’s former president Abdul Kalam is already on Twitter with the handle @apj_abdul_kalam. President Mukherjee already has a Facebook page with over 5 lakh followers on the world’s largest social network.
Saina Nehwal clinches Australian Open Super Series title
Star Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal defeated Spain’s Carolina Marin to win the $750,000 Star Australian Super Series title.
The 6th seeded Indian, who had clinched the India Open Grand Prix Gold earlier this year, dominated the contest throughout.
The 6th seeded Indian, who had clinched the India Open Grand Prix Gold earlier this year, dominated the contest throughout.
Jean-Claude Juncker will be next president of European Commission
Backed by most EU leaders, Jean-Claude Juncker has been nominated as the next president of the European Commission. The development is a severe impact on opponent David Cameron and threatens to amplify the chances of Britain leaving the European Union (EU).
The British PM David Cameron was opposed to Juncker’s nomination and said it may hamper his efforts to keep Britain in the EU ahead of an in-out referendum to be conducted in 2017.
Former Luxembourg PM, Juncker, was supported by all EU member states except Hungary and Britain.
The British PM David Cameron was opposed to Juncker’s nomination and said it may hamper his efforts to keep Britain in the EU ahead of an in-out referendum to be conducted in 2017.
Former Luxembourg PM, Juncker, was supported by all EU member states except Hungary and Britain.
Chung Hung Won retained as PM of S Korea
South Korea has retained Chung Hung Won as its Premier. The President of South Korea, Park Geun-Hye announced the decision to retain the Chung Hung Won as country’s PM.
Won had resigned taking the responsibility of government’s inability and untimely response to the ferry disaster that happened in April 2014. President Park accepted the resignation and asked him to remain in the job until new Prime Minister takes over.
Won had resigned taking the responsibility of government’s inability and untimely response to the ferry disaster that happened in April 2014. President Park accepted the resignation and asked him to remain in the job until new Prime Minister takes over.
France confers ‘Officer of the Legion of Honor’ upon actor Shahrukh Khan
France will confer the honor ‘Officer of the Legion of Honour’ upon Indian actor Shahrukh Khan for his contribution to Cinema.
Officier de la Legion d’Honneur (Officer of the Legion of Honour) is the highest award among Civilians and Military conferred by France upon French citizen as well as foreigners.
Shahrukh Khan is the second Bollywood actor after Amitabh Bachchan to be bestowed with Legion of Honour. Amitabh Bachchan received the honour in 2007.
Other Indian luminaries who have been decorated with France highest honor are Lata Mangeshkar and Satyajit Ray.
Previously, Shahrukh Khan was honored with Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the Government of France in 2007. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 2005.
Officier de la Legion d’Honneur (Officer of the Legion of Honour) is the highest award among Civilians and Military conferred by France upon French citizen as well as foreigners.
Shahrukh Khan is the second Bollywood actor after Amitabh Bachchan to be bestowed with Legion of Honour. Amitabh Bachchan received the honour in 2007.
Other Indian luminaries who have been decorated with France highest honor are Lata Mangeshkar and Satyajit Ray.
Previously, Shahrukh Khan was honored with Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the Government of France in 2007. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 2005.
N. Srinivasan appointed as the first Chairman of ICC
N. Srinivasan has been appointed as the first chairman of
the ICC after its 52-member council approved a controversial overhaul
of the body’s administrative structure.
Amendments to the ICC’s Memorandum and Articles of Association at the Annual Conference were approved by the council.
Srinivasan, who is also defunct President of BCCI, has been in controversy related to IPL 2013 match-fixing scandal. He has been barred by the Supreme Court of India from carrying out his duties as BCCI president due to ongoing investigations into the match-fixing allegations relating to the 2013 edition of the IPL.
However, after the apex court declined to stop his appointment to the ICC position, path was clear for his elevation to the newly-created post. The restructuring will also hand major executive decision-making authority to the “Big Three” of the game — India, Australia and England.
From 2016, the ICC Board, which will continue to be the primary decision-making body, will elect the ICC Chairman for a 2-year term.
Amendments to the ICC’s Memorandum and Articles of Association at the Annual Conference were approved by the council.
Srinivasan, who is also defunct President of BCCI, has been in controversy related to IPL 2013 match-fixing scandal. He has been barred by the Supreme Court of India from carrying out his duties as BCCI president due to ongoing investigations into the match-fixing allegations relating to the 2013 edition of the IPL.
However, after the apex court declined to stop his appointment to the ICC position, path was clear for his elevation to the newly-created post. The restructuring will also hand major executive decision-making authority to the “Big Three” of the game — India, Australia and England.
From 2016, the ICC Board, which will continue to be the primary decision-making body, will elect the ICC Chairman for a 2-year term.
Indian-origin judge V K Rajah is Attorney-General of Singapore
Indian-origin judge V K Rajah has been appointed as Attorney-General of Singapore. The swearing-in of Justice V K Rajah was presided by President of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam. Rajah will succeed Steven Chong.
VK Rajah was also appointed as a member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights for a 3-year term. The 17-member council reports on matters, including Bills or other legislation.
VK Rajah was also appointed as a member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights for a 3-year term. The 17-member council reports on matters, including Bills or other legislation.
East India Company issues Sachin Tendulkar with rare coin
In a tribute to Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, UK’s luxury goods brand East India Company issued an exclusive legal
tender gold coin worth 12,000 pound sterling. The company will issue
only 210 gold coins, each weighing precisely 200g, to pay tribute to
Tendulkar at a global level. The issue of a ‘legal tender’ coin is an
official mark of eminence given to individuals who have attained great
achievements in human history.
The East India Company
The East India Company
The East India Company which
had ventured into India in around 1600 AD for the purpose of trade and
which later became the precursor of British rule in India has launched a
new office in the Qatari capital of Doha in collaboration with local
partner Nasser Al Ansari of Octagon International.
Although the Company was dissolved in 1874, it was re-born in 2010 and a
revived East India Company launched its flagship Fine Foods store in
London’s Mayfair. Since its creation in 1600 by The Royal Charter
granted by Queen Elizabeth I, the influence of The East India Company
has been great.
India-born Sanjiv Mehta acquired the over 400-year-old company in 2005.The
Company offers products that have been crafted by artisans and
specialists from around the globe using elements that have been sourced
for their quality.
Provide information to SIT on black money: RBI directs banks and FIs
The RBI has asked all Banks and Financial Institutions (FIs) to provide information and documents sought by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to uncover black money.
The new Government at Centre recently constituted an SIT under the chairmanship of former Justice M.B. Shah in pursuance of a July 2011 Supreme Court judgment.
The Finance Ministry has informed that the government will write to Switzerland seeking details of Indians with unaccounted money in Swiss banks.
As per the latest data published by Swiss National Bank, the volume of Indian money in various Swiss banks swelled 43% during 2013 to almost Rs. 14,000 crore, including money held directly by Indian clients and those through fiduciaries or wealth managers.
Switzerland has expressed its willingness to working together with the new government of India in its fight against tax evasion.
The new Government at Centre recently constituted an SIT under the chairmanship of former Justice M.B. Shah in pursuance of a July 2011 Supreme Court judgment.
The Finance Ministry has informed that the government will write to Switzerland seeking details of Indians with unaccounted money in Swiss banks.
As per the latest data published by Swiss National Bank, the volume of Indian money in various Swiss banks swelled 43% during 2013 to almost Rs. 14,000 crore, including money held directly by Indian clients and those through fiduciaries or wealth managers.
Switzerland has expressed its willingness to working together with the new government of India in its fight against tax evasion.
Canada’s York University confers honorary doctorate upon Ratan Tata
Canada’s prestigious York University bestowed Ratan Tata with an honorary doctor of laws degree for his pursuit of innovation and role in promoting corporate social responsibility.
The chairman emeritus of Tata Sons is viewed as one of the great architects of modern India and one of the great global visionaries in business. He has become an international icon of corporate social responsibility and now he heads the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and other smaller trusts which together hold 66% shares in the holding company Tata Sons.
The chairman emeritus of Tata Sons is viewed as one of the great architects of modern India and one of the great global visionaries in business. He has become an international icon of corporate social responsibility and now he heads the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and other smaller trusts which together hold 66% shares in the holding company Tata Sons.
Mayaram Committee’s definitions of FDI, FII accepted by the Government of India
The Government of India has accepted the report of Mayaram Committee thereby accepting the definitions of FII and FDI. The panel headed by Finance Secretary was set up to rationalize the definitions of FII and FDI.
Some key points from Mayaram Committee Report:
Some key points from Mayaram Committee Report:
- Foreign investment of 10% or more in a listed company will now be treated as FDI.
- An investor may be allowed to invest below 10% and this can be treated as FDI subject to the condition that the FDI stake is raised to 10% or beyond within one year from the date of the first purchase.
- If the stake is not raised to 10% or above, then the investment can be treated as portfolio investment.
- Foreign Portfolio Investors include Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and Qualified Foreign Investors (QFIs).
- Foreign investment in an unlisted company, irrespective of the threshold limit, may be treated as FDI.
Pen Pinter prize to novelist Salman Rushdie
Eminent novelist Salman Rushdie (67), author of Midnight’s Children and The Satanic Verses,
has been named the winner of Pen Pinter prize for 2014. The award was
instituted in 2009 by writers’ charity English Pen in memory of British
writer Harold Pinter.The prize will be presented on October 9, 2014 at
an event at the British Library in London.
Rushdie went into hiding in 1989 after The Satanic Verses triggered extensive protests by Muslims and a fatwa was released from Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini.
He was conferred Knighthood in 2007 contributions to literature. His other noted books include Haroun and the Sea of Stories and The Moor’s Last Sigh.
Rushdie went into hiding in 1989 after The Satanic Verses triggered extensive protests by Muslims and a fatwa was released from Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini.
He was conferred Knighthood in 2007 contributions to literature. His other noted books include Haroun and the Sea of Stories and The Moor’s Last Sigh.
Magnus Carlsen becomes first man to hold the Chess Triple Crown; but he is not the first player
World Champion Magnus Carlsen has become the first man in the history of Chess to hold the Chess Triple Crown by holding the World Blitz, Rapid, and Classic titles consecutively.
However, he is not the first player to have achieved this feat. Before him, Ms. Susan Polgar did it back in 1996. Polgar was the first chess player in the world to hold all three world titles in a row, reasonably making her the first player to hold a chess Triple Crown.
Ms Susan Polgar was the first chess player in the world to hold all three world titles successively, fairly making her the first player to hold a chess Triple Crown.
However, there are some dissimilarities between Carlsen’s newly achieved Triple Crown and Polgar’s. First, Polgar won FIDE’s Women’s World Blitz, Rapid, and Classic titles while Carlsen won the Men’s. While, Carlsen won all three titles in one 12-month period, Polgar held her titles contemporaneously, but won them in different years.
However, he is not the first player to have achieved this feat. Before him, Ms. Susan Polgar did it back in 1996. Polgar was the first chess player in the world to hold all three world titles in a row, reasonably making her the first player to hold a chess Triple Crown.
Ms Susan Polgar was the first chess player in the world to hold all three world titles successively, fairly making her the first player to hold a chess Triple Crown.
However, there are some dissimilarities between Carlsen’s newly achieved Triple Crown and Polgar’s. First, Polgar won FIDE’s Women’s World Blitz, Rapid, and Classic titles while Carlsen won the Men’s. While, Carlsen won all three titles in one 12-month period, Polgar held her titles contemporaneously, but won them in different years.
Founder of Himalayan mineral water Dadi Balsara passed away
Dadi Balsara (81) who founded Himalayan natural mineral water brand passed away at his home “Taj Mansingh Hotel” in Delhi.
Dadi Balsara:
He started his career as an LIC officer in Nagpur on a monthly pay of Rs 600. He later tried his hand in different careers and went to the US to study psychiatry on a scholarship. Though he obtained a doctorate, his practice did not take off.
Later, a Japanese television channel decided to host Balsara’s holistic lifestyle programmes. His shows — “You & your destiny” and “Power of the mind” — became quite a hit and money started coming. Balsara later settled in Singapore and began selling perfumes, earning the title “Perfumes king of Asia”.
In 1991, he invested $20 million to set up the largest natural mineral water plant in Dhaula Kuan in Himachal Pradesh. Under the Himalayan brand manufactured by his Mount Everest Mineral Water Limited. In 2001, Tata Global Beverages acquired Himalayan brand, which marked the company’s venture into the packaged water market.
Even after selling Himalayan to Tata, Balsara he continued his relationship with the celebrated business house by becoming their hospitality brand’s long-standing guest at their Taj Mansingh hotel and had been residing there since the hotel’s inauguration 36 years ago.
Dadi Balsara:
He started his career as an LIC officer in Nagpur on a monthly pay of Rs 600. He later tried his hand in different careers and went to the US to study psychiatry on a scholarship. Though he obtained a doctorate, his practice did not take off.
Later, a Japanese television channel decided to host Balsara’s holistic lifestyle programmes. His shows — “You & your destiny” and “Power of the mind” — became quite a hit and money started coming. Balsara later settled in Singapore and began selling perfumes, earning the title “Perfumes king of Asia”.
In 1991, he invested $20 million to set up the largest natural mineral water plant in Dhaula Kuan in Himachal Pradesh. Under the Himalayan brand manufactured by his Mount Everest Mineral Water Limited. In 2001, Tata Global Beverages acquired Himalayan brand, which marked the company’s venture into the packaged water market.
Even after selling Himalayan to Tata, Balsara he continued his relationship with the celebrated business house by becoming their hospitality brand’s long-standing guest at their Taj Mansingh hotel and had been residing there since the hotel’s inauguration 36 years ago.
Jnanpith Award 2013 to Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh
Renowned Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh (80) has been named the recipient of the prestigious Jnanpith Award for 2013. The award includes Rs 11 lakh and a citation.
Born in Balia, UP, Singh has also penned essays and stories and Abhi bilkul abhi and Yahan se dekho are among his high-flying works. Singh is the 10th Hindi writer to get the award and joins the class of Sumitra Nandan Pant, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar among others.
Born in Balia, UP, Singh has also penned essays and stories and Abhi bilkul abhi and Yahan se dekho are among his high-flying works. Singh is the 10th Hindi writer to get the award and joins the class of Sumitra Nandan Pant, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar among others.
Immunotherapists from US and Japan win the inaugural ‘Tang Prize’
Immunologists Dr James Allison of the US and Dr Tasuku Honjo of Japan were named joint recipients of the inaugural Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science
for their discoveries that have helped advance immunotherapy and has
brought new ray of hope that many types of cancers can be cured.
Prized Discoveries of Allison and Honjo
Dr Honjo:
Discovered PD-1 in 1992, an inhibitor of the T cell, a type of lymphocyte that plays a pivotal role in cell-mediated immunity. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the antibodies against PD-1 as an investigational drug and are being developed as a cancer treatment.
One such antibody is likely to be launched in year 2015 for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer which is considered to significantly change the approach towards lung cancer treatment.
Dr Allison:
In 1995, Allison became the first researcher to identify cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), a protein receptor that down-regulates the immune system.
CTLA-4 is found on the surface of T cells, which lead cellular immune attacks on antigens. Allison developed an antibody that blocks CTLA-4 activity. This antibody has been shown to have potential to help fight various types of tumors in mice.
The study led to the development of a monoclonal antibody drug that was approved by the FDA in 2011 to treat melanoma. The therapy and a regimen combining anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 have been shown to significantly improve long-term survival rates of cancer patients.
The Tang Prize:
A Taiwanese entrepreneur Samuel Yin Established instituted the Tang Prize in 2012 to award leaders in four fields:
Prized Discoveries of Allison and Honjo
Dr Honjo:
Discovered PD-1 in 1992, an inhibitor of the T cell, a type of lymphocyte that plays a pivotal role in cell-mediated immunity. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the antibodies against PD-1 as an investigational drug and are being developed as a cancer treatment.
One such antibody is likely to be launched in year 2015 for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer which is considered to significantly change the approach towards lung cancer treatment.
Dr Allison:
In 1995, Allison became the first researcher to identify cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), a protein receptor that down-regulates the immune system.
CTLA-4 is found on the surface of T cells, which lead cellular immune attacks on antigens. Allison developed an antibody that blocks CTLA-4 activity. This antibody has been shown to have potential to help fight various types of tumors in mice.
The study led to the development of a monoclonal antibody drug that was approved by the FDA in 2011 to treat melanoma. The therapy and a regimen combining anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 have been shown to significantly improve long-term survival rates of cancer patients.
The Tang Prize:
A Taiwanese entrepreneur Samuel Yin Established instituted the Tang Prize in 2012 to award leaders in four fields:
- Sustainable development
- biopharmaceutical science
- Sinology
- The rule of law.
Rajeev Topno appointed Private Secretary to PM Narendra Modi
Senior IAS officer Rajeev Topno has been appointed Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Topno, a 1996 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, was already working as Director in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
World Food Prize 2014 to India-born scientist Sanjaya Rajaram
Sanjaya Rajaram, an India-born plant scientist, has been chosen for the World Food Prize 2014 for scientific research that led to a stupendous increase in world wheat production.
However, farm activists in the country criticised the prize as mere a public relations stunt by big agri-food companies who fund it.
Sanjaya Rajaram, a citizen of Mexico, took over Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug as head of the wheat breeding program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico, where he worked for 33 years. The World Food Prize acknowledges his contribution to the breeding technologies which have made significant impact in providing more nutritious food around the world and assuaging world hunger.
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
Commonly called by its Spanish acronym CIMMYT (Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo) is a non-profit research and training institution dedicated to both the development of improved varieties of wheat and maize, and introducing better agricultural practices to farmers, thus bettering their livelihoods.
CIMMYT is one of the 15 non-profit, research and training institutions affiliated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
However, farm activists in the country criticised the prize as mere a public relations stunt by big agri-food companies who fund it.
Sanjaya Rajaram, a citizen of Mexico, took over Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug as head of the wheat breeding program at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico, where he worked for 33 years. The World Food Prize acknowledges his contribution to the breeding technologies which have made significant impact in providing more nutritious food around the world and assuaging world hunger.
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
Commonly called by its Spanish acronym CIMMYT (Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo) is a non-profit research and training institution dedicated to both the development of improved varieties of wheat and maize, and introducing better agricultural practices to farmers, thus bettering their livelihoods.
CIMMYT is one of the 15 non-profit, research and training institutions affiliated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
BCIC recommendations on tax reforms accepted by Shome Committee
The Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC) headed by Parthasarathy Shome has accepted the suggestions of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) pertaining to realignment of the administration of CBDT and CBEC which will help move towards a more “unified management structure”. The Committee suggested abolition of the post of Revenue Secretary, merger of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) and broaden the use of Permanent Account Number (PAN).
The recommendations by BCIC have been incorporated in TARC’s report submitted to the Finance Ministry.
Some key suggestions by BCIC included in TARC report:
The recommendations by BCIC have been incorporated in TARC’s report submitted to the Finance Ministry.
Some key suggestions by BCIC included in TARC report:
- Realignment of administration of CBDT and CBEC to develop a unified management structure.
- Abolish of manual filing of TDS certificates
- Single registration of both central excise and service tax
- Dispute resolution based on a fundamental approach of collaborative and solution oriented
- PAN as a common business identification number
- Single registration for both central excise and service tax
- Enhance the number of payment gateways for tax payments, provision to allow disclosure in the returns.
- Do away with territorial jurisdiction
- Industry-based assessment
- Dispense with manual filing of TDS certificates
- Alternate and speedier dispute resolution mechanisms
Government sets up Panel to look into the cause of gas leakage in Bhilai Steel Plant
An independent High Level Committee under the chairmanship of Shri K.K. Mehrotra, former CMD, MECON has been constituted by the Government to inquire about the cause of gas leakage from blast furnace-GCP in Bhilai Steel Plant on June12, 2014. The panel will hand in the final report to the Secretary, Ministry of Steel by July 17, 2014.
Bhilai Steel Plant
The Bhilai Steel Plant is located in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh was set up with the help of the USSR in 1955. It is India’s first and sole producer of rails and heavy steel plates. It is also a key producer of wide steel plates and other steel products. The Bhilai Steel plant which has been the flagship integrated steel plant unit of the Public Sector steel company, the SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) has been a 11 time winner of the Prime Minister’s Trophy for best integrated steel plant in the country. It is the sole supplier of the India’s longest rail tracks, which measure 260 metres (850 ft) and is the largest and most profitable production facility of SAIL.
Bhilai Steel Plant
The Bhilai Steel Plant is located in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh was set up with the help of the USSR in 1955. It is India’s first and sole producer of rails and heavy steel plates. It is also a key producer of wide steel plates and other steel products. The Bhilai Steel plant which has been the flagship integrated steel plant unit of the Public Sector steel company, the SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) has been a 11 time winner of the Prime Minister’s Trophy for best integrated steel plant in the country. It is the sole supplier of the India’s longest rail tracks, which measure 260 metres (850 ft) and is the largest and most profitable production facility of SAIL.
Nita Ambani became First woman director on Reliance board
Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries
Chairman Mukesh Ambani, became the first woman to be appointed on the
board of the country’s largest private company Reliance Industries
Limited (RIL).
The appointment of Nita Ambani on the board of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) fulfills the requirement of a new law according to which listed companies are required to have at least one woman in the boardroom to promote gender diversity.
The RIL board, headed by Mukesh Ambani, 57, currently has his cousins Nikhil R Meswani and Hital R Meswani. Ramniklal H Ambani, who is the elder brother of Dhirubhai H Ambani, the late Founder Chairman of the company and father of Mukesh, was the other director from the promoter family. Nita, 50, took the place of Mukesh’s uncle Ramniklal H Ambani, who retired from the board at the age of 90. P M S Prasad and P K Kapil are the only non-family executive directors on the company board.
The appointment of Nita Ambani on the board of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) fulfills the requirement of a new law according to which listed companies are required to have at least one woman in the boardroom to promote gender diversity.
The RIL board, headed by Mukesh Ambani, 57, currently has his cousins Nikhil R Meswani and Hital R Meswani. Ramniklal H Ambani, who is the elder brother of Dhirubhai H Ambani, the late Founder Chairman of the company and father of Mukesh, was the other director from the promoter family. Nita, 50, took the place of Mukesh’s uncle Ramniklal H Ambani, who retired from the board at the age of 90. P M S Prasad and P K Kapil are the only non-family executive directors on the company board.
Do away with the post of Revenue Secretary, merge CBDT, CBEC: Shome Panel on TARC
The government appointed Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC), headed by Parthasarathi Shome, has recommended some radical reforms in tax administration which include:- Abolition of the post of Revenue Secretary
- Amalgamation of CBDT and CBEC
- Broaden the use of Permanent Account Number (PAN)
- Avoid retrospective amendments to tax laws
- Income Tax Return should also include wealth tax details
- Separate budget allocation to ensure time bound tax refund and a passbook scheme for TDS (Tax Deduction at Source).
- Tax Administration should be given greater functional and financial autonomy and independence from governmental structures, given their special needs.
Government appoints Shaktikanta Das as Revenue Secretary
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Shaktikanta Das, a 1980 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, as the new Revenue Secretary, replacing Rajiv Takru.
Mr. Das, who is at present Fertilizers Secretary in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, will take charge as Revenue Secretary in the finance ministry after Mr. Takru relinquishes the post.
Mr. Das, who is at present Fertilizers Secretary in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, will take charge as Revenue Secretary in the finance ministry after Mr. Takru relinquishes the post.
Jordanian envoy first Muslim to be elected UN human rights chief
The nomination of Prince Zeid al Hussein of Jordan of as the new High Commissioner for Human Rights was unanimously approved by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He succeeds outgoing Navi Pillay of South Africa. He is the first High Commissioner from the Asian continent and from the Muslim and Arab worlds.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, headquartered in Geneva, has the authority to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all rights founded in the UN Charter and in international human rights laws and pacts. It is mandated to preventing violations of human rights, assuring respect for all human rights, encourage international cooperation to safeguard human rights, synchronizing related activities throughout the UN, and bolstering and streamlining the UN system in the sphere of human rights. Besides its mandated responsibilities, the Office leads efforts to incorporate a human rights approach within all work conducted by UN bodies.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, headquartered in Geneva, has the authority to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all rights founded in the UN Charter and in international human rights laws and pacts. It is mandated to preventing violations of human rights, assuring respect for all human rights, encourage international cooperation to safeguard human rights, synchronizing related activities throughout the UN, and bolstering and streamlining the UN system in the sphere of human rights. Besides its mandated responsibilities, the Office leads efforts to incorporate a human rights approach within all work conducted by UN bodies.
Juan Manuel Santos gets another term as President of Colombia
Juan Manuel Santos has secured another term as the President of Colombia
as he has won the recently held presidential poll. His victory
symbolizes peoples support to his 18-month-old peace negotiations to end
country’s longest-running conflict with the left-wing FARC rebel group.
The violent conflict which has been running for several decades has inflicted huge damage to Colombia. It involved armed groups, drug cartels and glaring violations of human rights, although since 2002, the country has made some progress towards improving security.
Colombia: An Overview
Geographically, Colombia is the fourth largest country in South America and one of the most populous nations in this continent. The country has sizeable oil reserves and is a major producer of gold, silver, emeralds, platinum and coal.
Since the 1960s, the country has been ailing from an asymmetric low-intensity armed conflict between the united group of liberal and left-wing guerillas or FARC group and anti-communist Colombian government which has the military and financial backing of the US. Both the paramilitary and the rebel group have been accused of engaging in drug trafficking and terrorism and violations of human rights. The conflict intensified in the 1990s, but since 2000 the conflict has decreased considerably. The peace talks between the government and the FARC began in 2012. Right-wing groups are surrendering under a peace initiative. CurrentPresident Santos maintains his predecessor’s tough stance against the FARC.
Economically, despite growth in recent years, millions dwell in poverty. The country has also inked a Free Trade Agreement with the US. Colombia is a big recipient of US assistance and is a steadfast ally of Washington.
Vice
admiral Anil Chopra, took chanrge as the flag officer
commanding-in-chief of the Western Naval Command (WNC). The ceremonial
parade was held at INS Shikra, Mumbai. He succeeded Vice admiral Shekhar Sinha who took voluntary retirement on April 21, 2014.
Previous to his appointment, Vice admiral Chopra was the director general Indian Coast Guard. Under his controls, the Coast Guard observed an exponential surge in both its force levels, and operational dispositions. Chopra who got commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1975, had also been been the fleet commander of the Navy’s Sword Arm – the Western Fleet in 2008.
Rural Development Minister and senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde (64) died in a road accident in Delhi, while
he was on his way to Delhi airport when his car was rammed by a
speeding Indica, leading to his death. Although he didn’t suffer any
serious injuries, he seemingly underwent a shock in the shock of
accident.
Munde was chosen as the Rural Development Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet.
The violent conflict which has been running for several decades has inflicted huge damage to Colombia. It involved armed groups, drug cartels and glaring violations of human rights, although since 2002, the country has made some progress towards improving security.
Colombia: An Overview
Geographically, Colombia is the fourth largest country in South America and one of the most populous nations in this continent. The country has sizeable oil reserves and is a major producer of gold, silver, emeralds, platinum and coal.
Since the 1960s, the country has been ailing from an asymmetric low-intensity armed conflict between the united group of liberal and left-wing guerillas or FARC group and anti-communist Colombian government which has the military and financial backing of the US. Both the paramilitary and the rebel group have been accused of engaging in drug trafficking and terrorism and violations of human rights. The conflict intensified in the 1990s, but since 2000 the conflict has decreased considerably. The peace talks between the government and the FARC began in 2012. Right-wing groups are surrendering under a peace initiative. CurrentPresident Santos maintains his predecessor’s tough stance against the FARC.
Economically, despite growth in recent years, millions dwell in poverty. The country has also inked a Free Trade Agreement with the US. Colombia is a big recipient of US assistance and is a steadfast ally of Washington.
Queen Elizabeth confers Knighthood upon Indian-origin physicist Prof. Tejinder Virdee
Professor Tejinder Virdee, a noted Indian-origin physicist known for his work for the Large Hadron Collider, was conferred an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition to his contribution to the field of science.
Prof. Virdee of Imperial College London was named a Knight Bachelor for his services to science in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Professor Virdee contribution in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment is considered his most remarkable service to science. The CMS experiment, at the Large Hadron Collider, CERN, Geneva, has delivered significant results in particle physics, including the landmark discovery of the Higgs Boson, or the God particle, a particle that renders mass to other particles.
Prof. Virdee of Imperial College London was named a Knight Bachelor for his services to science in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Professor Virdee contribution in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment is considered his most remarkable service to science. The CMS experiment, at the Large Hadron Collider, CERN, Geneva, has delivered significant results in particle physics, including the landmark discovery of the Higgs Boson, or the God particle, a particle that renders mass to other particles.
Miss Marwadi Nepal 2014: Indian-origin Dakshina Agrawal wins the title
Indian-origin Dakshnia Agrawal (24) has bagged the ‘Miss Marwadi Nepal 2014′ title during the second edition of the beauty contest organized in Kathmandu, Nepal. The model received the title at a function held by Indian-origin ‘Marwadi’ business community.
Vishaka Agrawal (22) and Sanjoli Joshi (23) adjudged first and second runner-ups in the pageant respectively.
Vishaka Agrawal (22) and Sanjoli Joshi (23) adjudged first and second runner-ups in the pageant respectively.
Lt Gen Amit Sharma appointed Commander-in-Chief of SFC
Lt Gen Amit Sharma (58) has been appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief of Strategic Forces Command (SFC)
which guards the nuclear weapon store of the country. He takes charge
from Vice Admiral S P S Cheema as the latter has moved to Kochi to head
the Navy’s Southern Command based there. Previously, Sharma was the
Chief of Staff of Japiur-based South Western Command of the army and had
headed its elite 21 Strike Corps.
The SFC is responsible to implement the directives of the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA). It has the sole responsibility of starting the process of delivering nuclear arsenal after receiving approval from NCA.
The SFC is responsible to implement the directives of the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA). It has the sole responsibility of starting the process of delivering nuclear arsenal after receiving approval from NCA.
Vice-President presented with Book titled “Warrior State” authored by T V Paul
Vice President Hamid Ansari was presented with the book titled Warrior State: Pakistan in the Contemporary World written by T V Paul.
The book presents a broad perspective of Pakistan’s insecurity quandary using literature from sociology, history, religious studies, and international relations. In addition, it introduces the concept of geostrategic curse, an important view akin to resource curse and oil curse. The book offers potent tool for policymakers and researchers alike to understand this crucial yet disturbed country. T V Paul is James McGill Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
The book presents a broad perspective of Pakistan’s insecurity quandary using literature from sociology, history, religious studies, and international relations. In addition, it introduces the concept of geostrategic curse, an important view akin to resource curse and oil curse. The book offers potent tool for policymakers and researchers alike to understand this crucial yet disturbed country. T V Paul is James McGill Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Rasik Ravindra elected as member of UN body on ocean issues
Indian origin scientist Rasik Ravindra has been elected as member of the United Nations Commissionon the Limits of Continental Shelf (CLCS) as India’s candidate for member of the Commission.
Rasik, an alumnus of the Jammu and Kashmir University, is one of India’s eminent scientists. He has a rich experience of over four decades in different spheres of geosciences that include geological studies in Antarctica, India and Bhutan. He has been honored with many prestigious awards including the National Award for Polar Sciences and Cryosphere in the year 2013 and National Mineral Award in the year 1990. He has wide global experience and has also held coveted positions that included negotiations in policy, technical and scientific issues.
United Nations Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf (CLCS):
Rasik, an alumnus of the Jammu and Kashmir University, is one of India’s eminent scientists. He has a rich experience of over four decades in different spheres of geosciences that include geological studies in Antarctica, India and Bhutan. He has been honored with many prestigious awards including the National Award for Polar Sciences and Cryosphere in the year 2013 and National Mineral Award in the year 1990. He has wide global experience and has also held coveted positions that included negotiations in policy, technical and scientific issues.
United Nations Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf (CLCS):
- The CLCS has 21 members, who are experts in the domains of geophysics, geology, or hydrography, and are elected for a term of 5 years by the nations who are party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) among their nationals. It is the UN body that is empowered to allocate new seabed territory to countries.
UNGA elects Ugandan Foreign Minister as President of 69th session
Uganda’s foreign minister Sam Kahamba Kutesa has been unanimously elected as the President of the 193-membered United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
He was in news recently for defending the Ugandan government’s
stringent anti-homosexuality law which President Yoweri Museveni signed
in February 2014.
The members of the UNGA elect its president annually with a different regional grouping providing a candidate or candidates. Since it was Africa’s turn to nominate a President, Mr. Kutesa was chosen unanimously by the African Union as the only candidate for the presidency of the upcoming 69th Session. However, Western nations and human rights advocates have expressed concerns over the Uganda’s widely criticized anti-homosexuality legislation.
The members of the UNGA elect its president annually with a different regional grouping providing a candidate or candidates. Since it was Africa’s turn to nominate a President, Mr. Kutesa was chosen unanimously by the African Union as the only candidate for the presidency of the upcoming 69th Session. However, Western nations and human rights advocates have expressed concerns over the Uganda’s widely criticized anti-homosexuality legislation.
East India Company launches new office in Qatar
The East India Company which
had ventured into India in around 1600 AD for the purpose of trade and
which later became the precursor of British rule in India has launched a
new office in the Qatari capital of Doha in collaboration with local
partner Nasser Al Ansari of Octagon International.
Although the Company was dissolved in 1874, it was re-born in 2010 and a
revived East India Company launched its flagship Fine Foods store in
London’s Mayfair.
Since its creation in 1600 by The Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I, the influence of The East India Company has been great.
India-born Sanjiv Mehta acquired the over 400-year-old company in 2005. The Company offers products that have been crafted by artisans and specialists from around the globe using elements that have been sourced for their quality.
Since its creation in 1600 by The Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I, the influence of The East India Company has been great.
India-born Sanjiv Mehta acquired the over 400-year-old company in 2005. The Company offers products that have been crafted by artisans and specialists from around the globe using elements that have been sourced for their quality.
Dilip Kumar’s autobiography ‘The Substance and the Shadow’ released
Indian cinema’s legendary actor Dilip Kumar’s
autobiography ‘The Substance and the Shadow’ that narrates his life
since birth was launched. The book is written by author and former
journalist Udaya Tara Nayar which chronicles the thespian’s ups and
downs in his much-talked about relationships, marriage and movies.
Dilip Kumar:
He was born in Peshawar, Pakistan and his original name was Muhammad Yusuf Khan. He spent his childhood in Maharashtra and left home to start a canteen before he was picked up as a potential actor.
The actor entered films with the 1944 release Jwar Bhata. In a career spanning six decades, he did over 60 films including Mela, Naya Daur, Aan, Devdas, Madhumati and Mughal-E-Azam. After a break of of 5 years he acted in Kranti (1981) followed by Vidhaata, Shakti, Mashaal, Karma, Saudagar and Qila with his last appearance in 1998.
Awards and Honors:
Dilip Kumar:
He was born in Peshawar, Pakistan and his original name was Muhammad Yusuf Khan. He spent his childhood in Maharashtra and left home to start a canteen before he was picked up as a potential actor.
The actor entered films with the 1944 release Jwar Bhata. In a career spanning six decades, he did over 60 films including Mela, Naya Daur, Aan, Devdas, Madhumati and Mughal-E-Azam. After a break of of 5 years he acted in Kranti (1981) followed by Vidhaata, Shakti, Mashaal, Karma, Saudagar and Qila with his last appearance in 1998.
Awards and Honors:
- Padma Bhushan in 1991
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994
- Pakistan’s highest civilian award Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1998
- Nominated to the Rajya Sabha for a term.
- Guinness World Record for winning the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor.
Infosys appoints Vishal Sikka as new CEO
Infosys has appointed former SAP AG top executive Vishal Sikka as Chief Executive Officer.
It is for the first time the company has not selected one of its
founders for the role, as it looks to recapture market share and control
the high attrition rate of its staff.
With this, Infosys, India’s second-largest IT services Executive Chairman N.R. Narayana Murthy would step down, nearly a year after he was brought back from retirement to assist the firm better compete with rivals including Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro. The company is still grappling with high staff exodus and management uncertainty, factors that led to loss of market share for a company that was once a dominated India’s $100-plus billion a year IT export business, and escalated investor pressure for a change of leadership.
With this, Infosys, India’s second-largest IT services Executive Chairman N.R. Narayana Murthy would step down, nearly a year after he was brought back from retirement to assist the firm better compete with rivals including Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro. The company is still grappling with high staff exodus and management uncertainty, factors that led to loss of market share for a company that was once a dominated India’s $100-plus billion a year IT export business, and escalated investor pressure for a change of leadership.
UPSC Civil Services results out, 1,122 candidates selected
Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) which conducts Civil Services Examination
among other exams has released the list of candidates to be appointed
to the various civil services posts namely IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and Groups
A and B of the central services. It has recommended 1,112 candidates
for appointment to these posts.
Among the selected candidates, Gaurav Agrawal has secured the all India first rank in the 3-tier appointment process. Munish Sharma and Rachit Raj secured second and third place respectively.
There are 517 candidates from the general stream, 326 OBC candidates, 187 SC candidates and 92 ST candidates in the final list.
Among the selected candidates, Gaurav Agrawal has secured the all India first rank in the 3-tier appointment process. Munish Sharma and Rachit Raj secured second and third place respectively.
There are 517 candidates from the general stream, 326 OBC candidates, 187 SC candidates and 92 ST candidates in the final list.
Bharat Ratna JRD Tata award conferred upon Somasundaram
Member of Air Navigation Services of Airports Authority of India (AAI), Somasundaram, has been conferred upon the esteemed Bharat Ratna JRD Tata Award 2013 instituted by Aeronautical Society of India (ASI). He has made significant contributions not only in improving ANS infrastructure
in the country for enhancing safety, efficiency and capacity of the
airspace but also towards smooth ATM and global coordination.
The ASI has been presenting annual national awards
in recognition and appreciation of distinguished contribution and
outstanding achievements made in the field of aeronautics and airspace
sciences. The ASI gives Bharat Ratna JRD Tata Award to an individual who
has made outstanding contributions in the field of civil aviation.
Madhusudhana Chary elected first Speaker of Telangana Assembly
TRS MLA Sirikonda Madhusudhana Chary (58), who represents Bhupalapally in Warangal district, has been elected unopposed as the first Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly. Chary is a close aid of K Chandrasekhar Rao even before the latter founded the TRS in 2001.
PM launches book ‘Getting India Back on Track: An Action Agenda For Reform’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a book titled ‘Getting India Back on Track: An Action Agenda For Reform’
edited by Bibek Debroy, Ashley J. Tellis and Reece Trevor. The book’s
foreword has been written by Ratan N Tata and it comprises insightful
essays by noted academicians and public policy experts.
Ranjit Kumar appointed as Solicitor General
The new government led by PM Narendra Modi has appointed senior Supreme Court advocate Ranjit Kumar as the Solicitor General of India. Kumar, who is considered an expert in Constitutional laws, has earlier defended Gujarat in a number of cases.
A few days back, Mukul Rohatgi was appointed as the Attorney General of India, who thus became the top law officer of the country. The Solicitor General is subordinate to the Attorney General for India.
With this, the new government has made its first appointments of law officers who would be representing it in courts.As a convention, law officers resign with the change of government.
A few days back, Mukul Rohatgi was appointed as the Attorney General of India, who thus became the top law officer of the country. The Solicitor General is subordinate to the Attorney General for India.
With this, the new government has made its first appointments of law officers who would be representing it in courts.As a convention, law officers resign with the change of government.
Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin elected Israel’s new President
Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin, Knesset member of Likud Party, has been elected 10th President of Israel, following a vote by members of the parliament.
Rivlin who has been former speaker of parliament won the ceremonial
post in a runoff against Meir Sheetrit. He will replace outgoing
president Shimon Peres. * The Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel.
Former TRAI Chairman Nripendra Misra, 69, was on May 28, 2014 appointed Principal Secretary to Modi.
Mudgal Panel: Sourav Ganguly joins Mudgal Panel probing IPL spot-fixing & betting scandal
Sourav Ganguly, former India cricket team skipper, has been inducted into the Supreme Court
appointed Mudgal Panel that has been set up to investigate the IPL
spot-fixing and betting scandal including probing the 13 names that are
mentioned in the sealed envelope that it had submitted to the court in February 2013.
The apex court had asked the panel to select a cricketer of ‘impeccable integrity’ after which names of Ganguly was under consideration.
The apex court had asked the panel to select a cricketer of ‘impeccable integrity’ after which names of Ganguly was under consideration.
Petro Poroshenko takes oath as Ukraine President
Petro Poroshenko, billionare owner of the Roshen chocolates group, who is also popular as Chocolate King, sworn in as the Ukraine President. Poroshenko offered political
concessions to people in the conflict-ridden east and said he did not
want war or revenge. Mr Poroshenko made an ardent appeal for the unity
of the country.
He held that he has told Russian President that Crimea, which Moscow has annexed, would “always be Ukrainian”.Mr. Poroshenko has assumed power at a time when Crimea which was part of Ukraine until now, has now been annexed by Russia.
He held that he has told Russian President that Crimea, which Moscow has annexed, would “always be Ukrainian”.Mr. Poroshenko has assumed power at a time when Crimea which was part of Ukraine until now, has now been annexed by Russia.
P.K Mishra is PM’s Additional Principal Secretary
P K Mishra (65), a 1972-batch retired IAS officer of Gujarat cadre and former Agriculture Secretary, has been appointed as the Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Mishra had served between 2001 and 2004 as Principal Secretary to Modi when he was Gujarat CM. Mishra’s appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or till further orders.Former TRAI Chairman Nripendra Misra, 69, was on May 28, 2014 appointed Principal Secretary to Modi.
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi sworn-in as Egypt’s President
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi (59), former army chief of Egypt, has been sworn in as the President of the country for a 4-year term. Egypt has been facing political
turbulence since 2011 with deadly agitation and economic
worries. El-Sissi has took over the highest office less than a year
after he toppled the country’s first freely elected president Mohammed
Morsi, following days of public protests by Egyptians demanding his
resignation.
Tennis French Open: Rafael Nadal clinches men’s title
Spaniard Rafael Nadal maintained his dominance in the French Open as he defeated Serbian Novak Djokovic in the final match. French Open 2014 is Nadal’s 14th career Grand Slam title. World
no.1 Nadal also became the first man to win five Roland Garros crowns
in a row as he took his record at the tournament to 66 wins against just
one defeat. With 14 Grand Slams, Nadal has equaled the mark of Pete Sampras. Now, he is just three behind the all-time record of Roger Federer.
Tennis French Open: Maria Sharapova wins women’s title
Maria Sharapova won French Open women’s
title after defeating Simona Halep in the final. It was Sharapova’s
second French Open title victory. She has now won five Grand Slam
titles, taking her to joint-11th on the Open era list alongside Martina Hingis.
The Russian rallied from a set down three straight times to reach this year’s French Open final and then prevailed in thrilling three-hour finale against rising star Simona Halep, 6-4 6-7 6-4. Halep, 22, might have been playing in her first Grand Slam final but she pushed the 2012 champion to the limit as for the first time since 2001, the French Open women’s final would require a final set.
The Russian rallied from a set down three straight times to reach this year’s French Open final and then prevailed in thrilling three-hour finale against rising star Simona Halep, 6-4 6-7 6-4. Halep, 22, might have been playing in her first Grand Slam final but she pushed the 2012 champion to the limit as for the first time since 2001, the French Open women’s final would require a final set.
Chandrababu Naidu takes oath as Andhra Pradesh CM
Head of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Nara Chandrababu Naidu (64) has been sworn-in as the first Chief Minister of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Naidu was administered the oath of office by Governor E S L Narasimhan.
Mr. Naidu has served as the CM of (united) Andhra Pradesh for 8 years (from 1995 to May 2004) – the longest tenure for any CM of Andhra. He has been elected as an MLA seven times and also holds the record as the longest-serving Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh between 2004 and 2014.
Post bifurcation, AP’s new geographical expanse is about 1.60 lakh sq km while its population is around 5 crore. Although Andhra Pradesh has been divided into Telangana and residuary Andhra, Hyderabad will remain the common capital for both states for next 10 years.
Mr. Naidu has served as the CM of (united) Andhra Pradesh for 8 years (from 1995 to May 2004) – the longest tenure for any CM of Andhra. He has been elected as an MLA seven times and also holds the record as the longest-serving Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh between 2004 and 2014.
Post bifurcation, AP’s new geographical expanse is about 1.60 lakh sq km while its population is around 5 crore. Although Andhra Pradesh has been divided into Telangana and residuary Andhra, Hyderabad will remain the common capital for both states for next 10 years.
Sumitra Mahajan: Speaker of 16th Lok Sabha
Sumitra Mahajan (71) was elected Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha unopposed. She has gained the honor of becoming the second woman presiding officer of the lower house after her predecessor Meira Kumar.
Mahajan, the longest-serving woman MP, was elected after a motion moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by BJP leader L K Advani was adopted by voice vote called by pro tem Speaker Kamal Nath.
Mahajan, the longest-serving woman MP, was elected after a motion moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by BJP leader L K Advani was adopted by voice vote called by pro tem Speaker Kamal Nath.
Vice Admiral Anil Chopra takes charge as the Western Naval Commander
Vice
admiral Anil Chopra, took chanrge as the flag officer
commanding-in-chief of the Western Naval Command (WNC). The ceremonial
parade was held at INS Shikra, Mumbai. He succeeded Vice admiral Shekhar Sinha who took voluntary retirement on April 21, 2014.Previous to his appointment, Vice admiral Chopra was the director general Indian Coast Guard. Under his controls, the Coast Guard observed an exponential surge in both its force levels, and operational dispositions. Chopra who got commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1975, had also been been the fleet commander of the Navy’s Sword Arm – the Western Fleet in 2008.
Afghan-US ties strained over the issue of Bergdahl-U.S. PoW Taliban swap
Afghanistan’s
government has taken exception to a U.S. deal to release five high-risk
Taliban militants in exchange for a U.S. soldier. Afghanistan argues
that the release of the men from a Guantanamo Bay jail to Qatar transgresses international law.
The five prisoners were taken to Qatar as part of the deal to free army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only known U.S. prisoner of war (PoW) in Afghanistan, held captive for five years. Bergdahl was flown out of Afghanistan to a military hospital in Germany.
Who is Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl?
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is a US soldier who was deployed in Afghanistan war. He was captured by Taliban terrorists in 2009 and had been held captive for five years. As part of US efforts to free him, the country negotiated a deal cut by Qatari intermediaries to swap him in exchange of 5 Taliban militant who had been in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where they had been held since it opened in 2002, and flown to Qatar where they must stay for a year.
Why Afghanistan protesting the US move?
Afghanistan is angry over the swap and suspects that the high ranked terrorists would rejoin the Taliban. It also says that no government can transfer citizens of a country to a third country as prisoners. At least two of them are suspected of committing war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Afghan Shias, according to leaked U.S. military cables. Many view the US move as a further sign of a U.S. intention to disengage from Afghanistan as quickly as possible. The US has plans to completely withdraw all of its troops by the end of 2016.
The five prisoners were taken to Qatar as part of the deal to free army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only known U.S. prisoner of war (PoW) in Afghanistan, held captive for five years. Bergdahl was flown out of Afghanistan to a military hospital in Germany.
Who is Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl?
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is a US soldier who was deployed in Afghanistan war. He was captured by Taliban terrorists in 2009 and had been held captive for five years. As part of US efforts to free him, the country negotiated a deal cut by Qatari intermediaries to swap him in exchange of 5 Taliban militant who had been in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where they had been held since it opened in 2002, and flown to Qatar where they must stay for a year.
Why Afghanistan protesting the US move?
Afghanistan is angry over the swap and suspects that the high ranked terrorists would rejoin the Taliban. It also says that no government can transfer citizens of a country to a third country as prisoners. At least two of them are suspected of committing war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Afghan Shias, according to leaked U.S. military cables. Many view the US move as a further sign of a U.S. intention to disengage from Afghanistan as quickly as possible. The US has plans to completely withdraw all of its troops by the end of 2016.
Former Airtel CEO Sanjay Kapoor becomes Micromax chairman
Indian handset maker Micromax has announced the
appointment of Sanjay Kapoor, former CEO of Bharti Airtel as the
company’s chairman.
Micromax will be looking to exploit Sanjay’s experience in establishing Airtel and his industry expertise.
Micromax will be looking to exploit Sanjay’s experience in establishing Airtel and his industry expertise.
‘A Girl is a Half-formed Thing’ by Eimear McBride wins Baileys women’s prize for fiction
The Irish author Eimear McBride has been awarded the Baileys book prize for her first novel titled “A Girl is a Half-formed Thing”. Her competitor was Donna Tartt’s colossal third novel, The Goldfinch.
McBride’s dark family story, penned in a forceful narrative of an anonymous narrator, won over the judges of the women’s prize for fiction, previously known as the Orange prize.
McBride’s dark family story, penned in a forceful narrative of an anonymous narrator, won over the judges of the women’s prize for fiction, previously known as the Orange prize.
Chester Nez, last of original Navajo code talkers of WW II, passed away
Chester Nez (93), the last one of the original Navajo
code talkers credited for developing an unbreakable code during World
War II, passed away. The Marine Corps mourns his death as the end of an
era- for both the nation and its armed forces.
Nez was the last remaining of the original 29 Navajos recruited by the Marine Corps to develop the legendary code that was used for vital communications during battle. They created a code, including developing a dictionary.
Navajo was chosen as a code language because its syntax and tonal qualities were almost impossible for a non-Navajo to learn, and it had no written form.
The Navajo code flummoxed the Japanese, who had successfully decrypted codes used by the U.S. Army. After the war, the Japanese chief of intelligence, Lt. General Seizo Arisue, admitted they were never able to decipher the Navajo code used by the Marines.
A film was also made in 2002 named “Windtalkers,” starring Adam Beach and Nicolas Cage, followed the fictional account of two Marines assigned to protect two code talkers during the battle of Saipan.
Nez was the last remaining of the original 29 Navajos recruited by the Marine Corps to develop the legendary code that was used for vital communications during battle. They created a code, including developing a dictionary.
Navajo was chosen as a code language because its syntax and tonal qualities were almost impossible for a non-Navajo to learn, and it had no written form.
The Navajo code flummoxed the Japanese, who had successfully decrypted codes used by the U.S. Army. After the war, the Japanese chief of intelligence, Lt. General Seizo Arisue, admitted they were never able to decipher the Navajo code used by the Marines.
A film was also made in 2002 named “Windtalkers,” starring Adam Beach and Nicolas Cage, followed the fictional account of two Marines assigned to protect two code talkers during the battle of Saipan.
Union Rural Development Minister Gopinath Munde dies
Rural Development Minister and senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde (64) died in a road accident in Delhi, while
he was on his way to Delhi airport when his car was rammed by a
speeding Indica, leading to his death. Although he didn’t suffer any
serious injuries, he seemingly underwent a shock in the shock of
accident.Munde was chosen as the Rural Development Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet.
Telangana now officially 29th state of India
Telangana formally became the country’s 29th state of India and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) took oath as Telangana’s first Chief Minister. Telangana consists of the 10 north-western districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Backgrounder:
In the history of India, it happened for the first time that outside Hindi and Bengali speaking areas, 2 states speaking the same language have been created (Telangana and AP are both Telugu speaking states. In addition to more than one Hindi speaking state, there are two Bengali speaking states: West Bengal and Tripura.
This essentially challenges the roots (the linguistic basis of states in which language being believed as the measure for a similar culture) on which during the first decade after Independence, the internal map of the Indian Union was re-drawn. This essentially now leaves a space for an additional exercise to redraw the internal map of India.
Albeit there was a request for a combined Telugu state even previous to our Independence, the Nehru-led regime formed AP (Andhra Pradesh) owing to vested political interests of the Congress leaders. Now, History has completed a circle.
The Congress faced a hard electoral contest from the Communists in the Andhra state that was in 1953 sliced out of the Telugu speaking regions of then Madras state. Thus, it was settled to combine Andhra with the Telugu speaking parts of the territory of the ousted Nizam of Hyderabad, so as to form a bigger state where the communists could be whitewashed.
The next unspoken motive of the Nehru regime was that, after being humiliated by the experience of the integration of Kashmir it, didn’t desire to let away the regions of the Nizam as they were. Consequently, whilst the Telugu language parts went to Andhra Pradesh, the Marathi and Kannada language parts went to Bombay and Mysore provinces.
This workout proved good for the Congress as it shaped a monopoly for the Congress in the 1977 post-Emergency elections. Albeit at the national level the Congress was badly beaten yet it won 41 of the 42 seats in Andhra Pradesh. The subsequent year, Indira Gandhi sailed back to the Lok Sabha from Medak.
But the Congress CMs (Chief Ministers) did nothing to encourage rural empowerment. The only CM (Mr. Narasimha Rao) who tried something, confronted resistance from vested interests and was sacked. Thus, rising rural anger led to Maoism in these areas.
In 1983, the Congress was substituted by the NT Rama Rao’s TDP (Telugu Desam Party). The son-in-law of Rama Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, became the first CM all ever in India to hold on to economic developments. Chandrababu Naidu soon turned capital city Hyderabad into an IT hub. But the rural areas were ignored and suicide by farmers rose. Shortly an isolated drive started in the state with the people of Telangana supposing that they would be well off as an independent state. Thus in 2004, Chandrababu Naidu was substituted by Congressman Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Reddy began a rule of “free-ships” (viz. free electricity, fee refunds to students, free houses, free medical care et al). Albeit these efforts taxed the exchequer but transformed into significant electoral gains for the Congress, permitting it to make a government at the centre. Subsequent to the sudden death of YSR, the Congress went into a panic state. In 2014, in order to benefit on apparent political gain, Congress passed a bill to split the state. Unluckily for the Congress, the attempt proved futile to gain it political bonus and it was deeply rejected in both areas.
Backgrounder:
In the history of India, it happened for the first time that outside Hindi and Bengali speaking areas, 2 states speaking the same language have been created (Telangana and AP are both Telugu speaking states. In addition to more than one Hindi speaking state, there are two Bengali speaking states: West Bengal and Tripura.
This essentially challenges the roots (the linguistic basis of states in which language being believed as the measure for a similar culture) on which during the first decade after Independence, the internal map of the Indian Union was re-drawn. This essentially now leaves a space for an additional exercise to redraw the internal map of India.
Albeit there was a request for a combined Telugu state even previous to our Independence, the Nehru-led regime formed AP (Andhra Pradesh) owing to vested political interests of the Congress leaders. Now, History has completed a circle.
The Congress faced a hard electoral contest from the Communists in the Andhra state that was in 1953 sliced out of the Telugu speaking regions of then Madras state. Thus, it was settled to combine Andhra with the Telugu speaking parts of the territory of the ousted Nizam of Hyderabad, so as to form a bigger state where the communists could be whitewashed.
The next unspoken motive of the Nehru regime was that, after being humiliated by the experience of the integration of Kashmir it, didn’t desire to let away the regions of the Nizam as they were. Consequently, whilst the Telugu language parts went to Andhra Pradesh, the Marathi and Kannada language parts went to Bombay and Mysore provinces.
This workout proved good for the Congress as it shaped a monopoly for the Congress in the 1977 post-Emergency elections. Albeit at the national level the Congress was badly beaten yet it won 41 of the 42 seats in Andhra Pradesh. The subsequent year, Indira Gandhi sailed back to the Lok Sabha from Medak.
But the Congress CMs (Chief Ministers) did nothing to encourage rural empowerment. The only CM (Mr. Narasimha Rao) who tried something, confronted resistance from vested interests and was sacked. Thus, rising rural anger led to Maoism in these areas.
In 1983, the Congress was substituted by the NT Rama Rao’s TDP (Telugu Desam Party). The son-in-law of Rama Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, became the first CM all ever in India to hold on to economic developments. Chandrababu Naidu soon turned capital city Hyderabad into an IT hub. But the rural areas were ignored and suicide by farmers rose. Shortly an isolated drive started in the state with the people of Telangana supposing that they would be well off as an independent state. Thus in 2004, Chandrababu Naidu was substituted by Congressman Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Reddy began a rule of “free-ships” (viz. free electricity, fee refunds to students, free houses, free medical care et al). Albeit these efforts taxed the exchequer but transformed into significant electoral gains for the Congress, permitting it to make a government at the centre. Subsequent to the sudden death of YSR, the Congress went into a panic state. In 2014, in order to benefit on apparent political gain, Congress passed a bill to split the state. Unluckily for the Congress, the attempt proved futile to gain it political bonus and it was deeply rejected in both areas.
Anand Mahindra first Indian to be honoured with Harvard Medal
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand G Mahindra became
the first Indian to be honoured with the prestigious Harvard Medal for
his ‘dedication, generosity and service’ to the university. In 1977, Mahindra is an alumnus of the HarvardUniversity. He graduated with Honours (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He completed his MBA from the Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts in 1981.
Mahindra is the Co-founder of the Harvard Business School (HBS) Association of India and he is also a instituting member of the university’s South Asia Institute (SAI), the HBS India Research Center, and the SAI field office in Mumbai, India. In 2010, Mahindra made a gift of $10 million to the Humanities Centre which was then renamed the Mahindra Humanities Center in honor of his mother, Indira Mahindra.
Mahindra is the Co-founder of the Harvard Business School (HBS) Association of India and he is also a instituting member of the university’s South Asia Institute (SAI), the HBS India Research Center, and the SAI field office in Mumbai, India. In 2010, Mahindra made a gift of $10 million to the Humanities Centre which was then renamed the Mahindra Humanities Center in honor of his mother, Indira Mahindra.
SBI’s Arundhati Bhattacharya amongst Forbes’ most powerful women
SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya is amongst the 5
Indian women who featured in this year’s Forbes’ 100 most powerful women
in the world list. The list was topped by German Chancellor Angela
Merkel.
Indian women in the list:-
Indian women in the list:-
- Indra Nooyi (Pepsi Co – 13th) (Indian Born but US Citizen now)
- Arundhati Bhattacharya (SBI – 36th)
- Chanda Kocchar (ICICI Bank– 43rd)
- Padamshree Warrior (Cisco – 71st)
- Kiran Mazumdar (Biocon – 92nd) (Indian Born but US Citizen now)
- Angela Merkel (Germany – Politics)
- Janet Yellen (US – Finance)
- Melinda Gates (US – Philanthropy/NGO)
- Dilma Rousseff (Brazil – Politics)
- Christine Lagarde (France – Philanthropy/NGO)
- Hillary Clinton (US – Politics)
- Mary Barra (US – Business)
- Michelle Obama (US – Politics)
- Sheryl Sandberg (US – Technology)
- Virginia Rometty (US – Technology)
KKR wins IPL 7 trophy
Sharukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chased down a huge 200-run target to beat Preity Zinta’s Kings XI Punjab in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 7. Kolkata Knight Riders beat Kings XI Punjab by 3 wickets.
IPL-7 which was held from April 16 – June 1, 2014 was played at venues in UAE & India. Based on security demands for the 2014 Lok Sabha General Elections the venues for some matches were shifted outside India. 8 teams participated in IPL-7.
Kolkata won IPL for the second time (last time in 2012).
Lithuania’s incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite (58) has been declared the winner in the country’s run-off Presidential elections. She got 58% votes whereas her Social Democrat rival Zigmantas Balcytis only 42% votes. The election was held amid rising concerns in the region after Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
15th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) informally known as the “Bollywood Oscars,” held in US for the first time. The ceremony was held at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida,US. The 2014 IIFA Awards honoured the best films of 2013, took place between April 23-26, 2014. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was awarded the most awards (14).
Hollywood star John Travolta was also awarded at the ceremony for his outstanding contribution to International cinema.
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram as the new Finance Secretary. Arvind Mayaram, a 1978 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer has been holding charge as the Economic Affairs Secretary since 2012.
Documentary
“Gulabi Gang” to be screened at the 14th New York Indian Film
Festival that will run from May 5 to 10, 2014. Directed by Nishtha Jain, it is based on the life of Sampat Pal Devi, a child bride and former government health worker. In 2006, Sampat Pal Devi formed the Gulabi Gang of pink sari-clad women and it works for rights of women in destitute Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Movies based on the Gulabi Gang
Viktor Orban reelected to a third term as Prime Minister of Hungary.
He declared victory in Hungary’s parliamentary election, winning a
second consecutive term. Orban’s Fidesz party won 44.6% of the vote.
Political Carrier:
-First premiership (1998–2002)
-In opposition (2002–2010)
-Second premiership (2010-2014)
-Third premiership (2014-To Till Date)
Hungary (capital and largest city: Budapest) is a landlocked country in Central Europe and is recognized today as a developed country. Hungary is home to the largest thermal water cave system in the world and the largest natural grasslands in Europe (the Hortobágy).
“Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and other Truths” authored by former coal secretary P C Parakh released.
Controversy surrounding the book:
Parekh in his controversial book has alleged that the PM Manmohan Singh incapable to avert his own junior ministers from blocking a move towards a more transparent system of bidding for coal blocks. Parekh has also claimed that the coal scam could have been averted had PM Singh hard-pressed for reforms, including e-marketing and open auction of coal blocks, as recommended by Parekh to PM. The book details the corrupt practices under the UPA and NDA regime.
Excerpts from the book:
“After the Prime Minister approved open bidding in 2004, letters poured in opposing the move. A few Ministers of States tried to scuttle the proposal, but the Prime Minister remained silent on their repeated attempts to stall open bidding.”
“The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh” –
a memoir by Indian policy analyst Sanjaya Baru released. Mr. Baru was
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Media Advisor from May 2004 until August
2008.
Controversy surrounding the book:
The book proclaims that PM Singh had neither complete control over his cabinet nor the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The book instead alleges that a considerable power was possessed by the Congress Party’s President Sonia Gandhi, to whom PM Singh was entirely “subservient“. Thus, the book paints a incriminating portrait of a PM who was in office but “not in power”, while Congress President Sonia Gandhi called the shots.
Excerpts from the book:
“There cannot be two centres of power, that creates confusion. I have to accept that the party president is the centre of power. The government is answerable to the party” – PM Singh to Sanjaya Baru.
Response from PMO on the book:
The PMO released a statement: “It is an attempt to misuse a privileged position and access to high office to gain credibility and to apparently exploit it for commercial gain. The commentary smacks of fiction and coloured views of a former adviser.“
Ratan Tata (76), the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons and former chairman of the Tata Group, honoured by Queen Elizabeth with a GBE (Knight Grand Cross), one of the UK’s highest civilian awards. He is the only Indian among 5 foreigners to be awarded as part of the ‘Honorary British Awards to Foreign Nationals’ for 2014.
In 2009, Mr. Tata was conferred a KBE (Knight Commander) by the Queen.
In 2008, the Tata Group under chairmanship of Ratan Tata had acquired the flagging British luxury car brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The Tata Group has emerged as one of the largest employers in Britain, employing nearly 60,000 people across Britain. Now in its 18th year, the Sir Ratan Tata Fellowship works in collaboration with the London School of Economics.
Ratan Tata appointed board member of China-backed Boao Forum. For the first time a senior Indian business
leader inducted as a member of the Board of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA),
an uncommon distinction for an Indian in the Chinese government-backed
influential body.
Ratan Tata’s nomination to the board of the BFA is considered as part of China’s attempts to push closer ties with India. Tata is the most successful Indian business group in China. TCS, Range Rover SUV (manufactured by TATA-owned Jaguar Land Rover) are a big hit in China.
Boao Forum for Asia (BFA)
A non-governmental and non-profit international organization with a fixed conference date and a fixed domicile. BFA was officially introduced on February 27, 2001. Since 2002, BFA has been having its yearly conference at Boao, Hainan Province, China which now serves as the permanent site of BFA Headquarters. Each year world’s Top political and business leaders gather at Boao to brain storm on global political and economic issues.
BFA has now turned into a high-end platform for dialogues between leaders of national governments, industrial and business circles, and academicians of nations in Asia and other continents about the significant subject matters in Asia and even the whole world. BFA is dedicated to pushing Asian countries to accomplish common development via further integration of regional economy. Via its working web with the political, business, and academic circles, BFA will attend to the ever-rising economic cooperation amidst its members and within its members and other entities.
Objective(s):
UK-born
physicist Stuart Parkin won the Millennium technology prize 2014.
Parkin won this prize for his breakthrough in magnetic disk drive
storage capacity.
Parkin’s ground-breaking contribution to the science and application of spintronic materials has led to an abnormal expansion in the capacity to store digital information. Parkin employed the process of Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR) to produce enormously sensitive devices that can detect tiny magnetic fields, harbingering the epoch of cloud computing. In magnetic disk drives information is stored as “bits” (0s and 1s) mapped by regions of the disk magnetized differently. Thus, if the detector is more sensitive, then the magnetic regions and fields need to be more smaller to store the information, which implies more data can be put on to a hard disk drive – all in digital form. This discovery led to 1,000-fold betterment in the storage capacity of magnetic disk drives with cost remaining almost same.
The foundation behind this award has made services like Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc. possible.
Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR) and Parkin’s accomplishment:
Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR) was separately discovered by physicists Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg in the late 1980s and in 2007 they shared the Nobel Prize for physics for their work on GMR. The phenomenon develops when atomically thin layers of magnetic and non-magnetic materials are piled on top of each other. In a plain organization, a non-magnetic layer (typically copper) is sandwiched amid two magnetic layers which act like bar magnets pointing either north or south. On inducing a current in this sandwich, electrons pass through the layers. The degree of interference they go through is dissimilar and depends upon an intrinsic quantum mechanical property of them called “Spin“, which can be adjusted to the direction of the bar magnet or against it. Electrons which have a spin in one direction will travel in a freer manner. Thus, the flow of the current can be checked by the proportional placement of the bar magnets of the top and bottom layers. This phenomenon is called Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR), as its value is much larger than the MR value received from anisotropic MR that come out from normal ferromagnetic materials.
Parkin’s accomplishment was to prepare a device based on such “Spintronic” effects in which tiny magnetic fields from magnetized regions (that store data within the disk drive) can rotate the direction of magnetization in one of the layers of the sandwich. This outcome is a sensor that quickly goes through large alterations in resistance as it reads the disk drive.
Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha (64) as the next Chief Justice of India. President Pranab Mukherjee with exercise of his powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the next Chief Justice of India with effect from April 27, 2014.
Justice R.M. Lodh will have a short tenure of 5 months as the Chief Justice as he is scheduled to retire on September 27, 2014.
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that the Veteran poet and film lyricist Gulzar (real name: Sampooran Singh Kalra)
has been chosen for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year
2013. Sampooran Singh Kalra’s pen name is Gulzar. Dadasaheb Phalke
Award is India’s
highest award in cinema, conferred annually by the government for
outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
Awards: Padma Bhushan (2004), Sahitya Akademi Award (2002), Academy Award (2008 – Shared with Music Director A. R. Rahman for “Jai Ho” from film Slumdog Millionaire). He has won 20 Filmfare Awards.
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is using the advanced 3D hologram technology, to address around 1,000 rallies in different States on the same day.
How Narendra Modi’s live rallies on a single day at several places is made possible ?
This has been made possible by the use of 3D-Hologram Technology. BJP is performing virtual campaigns using 3-D hologram technology in such a large scale for communication during the election period. With the use of 3D Hologram Technology, Modi addresses lakhs of people at the same time, sitting at one place.
Narendra Modi had previously also used this technology. It was used by him for the first time for his election meetings in 2012 to address voters over 53 locations in Gujarat simultaneously.
What Is Holography?
Holography is the science of producing holograms. This advanced form of photography permits the light scattered from an object to be recorded in 3 dimensions and later reconstructed.
Background:
The 1948 paper by Dennis Gabor, considered as the Father of Holography and Holographic Technologies,
is the foundation for modern Holography. The interesting thing about
his paper was that laser light had not even been invented till the time
Dennis wrote his paper.
Timeline:
A
Hologram when looked from various angles, projects different
perspectives. It normally looks like a glittering picture or smear of
colors and if cut in half, each half comprises of whole views of the
entire holographic image.
How 3D Holographic Projection Technology used in Narendra Modi’s campaign works?
The technology used in Narendra Modi’s campaign is based on “Hi-Definition Projection Technology”. The technique Narendra Modi is captured in a 3D Aspect with a Special Hi-Definition Camera on a specially built Stage and then Projected “As Is” at several remote locations “At-A-Time”. This necessitates the use of a laser, interference, diffraction, and light intensity recording and suitable illumination of the recording. The image alters as the position and orientation of the viewing system alters. The public (audience) at the other end of the stage experience the presence of Narendra Modi (projected ‘Virtual” person) in front of them and, without even wearing any kind of 3D glasses.
Holography may be viewed as analogous to sound recording, in which a sound field created by a vibrating material viz. musical instrument or vocal cord, is encoded in such a manner that it can be reproduced afterwards, without the presence of the original vibrating matter. Similarly, in Holography a light field (produced from a light source scattered off objects) is recorded and afterwards reconstructed when the original light field is no longer present, because of the absence of the original object.
As part of the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2014 in India, Internet giant Google has come up with its tool ‘Know Your Candidate’
which will assist Citizens of India to get a very basic snapshot
information about their Candidates, incumbent MPs as well as other
candidates contesting from all over India. The tool incorporates
publicly accessible information, such as educational background,
financial details and social media
presence about the candidate. The information has been obtained from
Indian organizations such as the Association for Democratic Reforms
(ADR), PRS Legislative Research and Liberty Institute India.
Koyal Rana from Jaipur won the Miss India 2014 crown at the 51st edition of the beauty pageant. The runners up were Jhataleka Malhotra (1st runner-up) from Mumbai
and Gail Da’Silva (2nd runner-up) from Goa. 2013 Miss India winner
Navneet Kaur Dhillion and Miss World 2013 Megan Young crowned Rana the
new Femina Miss India 2014.
Miss India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant in India is organised by Femina, a women’s magazine published by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. The winner of Femina Miss India goes to compete globally for Miss World, while the first runner up goes to compete globally in Miss Earth, and the second runner up goes to compete globally for Miss Supranational.
List of the of sub contest winners:
The Election Commission entered into a partnership with film actor Aamir Khan as its National
Icon. Election Commission has recorded video and audio campaigns
showing Aamir Khan urging Indian Citizens to vote “ethically”. Aamir has
also lent his voice to audio spots prepared for the Election
Commission.
As indicated on the Election Commission’s National Voters’ Pledge, Aamir also asks Indian citizens to be determined and vote without fear, pressure or any bribes, etc.
IPL-7 which was held from April 16 – June 1, 2014 was played at venues in UAE & India. Based on security demands for the 2014 Lok Sabha General Elections the venues for some matches were shifted outside India. 8 teams participated in IPL-7.
Kolkata won IPL for the second time (last time in 2012).
- Orange Cap (Highest Scorer): Robin Uthappa (KKR)
- Purple Cap (Highest Wicket Taker): Mohit Sharma (CSK – Chennai Super Kings)
- Player of the Tournament: Glenn Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab)
Peter Mutharika takes oath as President of Malawi
After being victorious in the recently held presidential polls in Malawi, Peter Mutharika (74) was sworn in as the new President of the southern African country. He will replace outgoing President Joyce Banda.
Malawi (“The Warm Heart of Africa”)
Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It shares its boundaries with Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. Malawi is known as “The Warm Heart of Africa”.
Capital: Lilongwe
President: Joyce Banda
Currency: Malawian kwacha
Official language: English Language
Malawi is amongst the world’s least-developed countries. Malawi’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture, and majority of the population is rural. The government depends heavily on foreign aid to meet its development needs.
Malawi (“The Warm Heart of Africa”)
Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It shares its boundaries with Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. Malawi is known as “The Warm Heart of Africa”.Capital: Lilongwe
President: Joyce Banda
Currency: Malawian kwacha
Official language: English Language
Malawi is amongst the world’s least-developed countries. Malawi’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture, and majority of the population is rural. The government depends heavily on foreign aid to meet its development needs.
Army Chief endorsed as the new leader by Thai king
Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej (86) has backed the army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who captured power in a coup, to run Thailand.
Why is Thailand under military rule?
The political situation in Thailand has been restive for past few months. At present, the country is under junta rule (army rule) after army seized power in a recent coup. According to its Army, the military has taken control of the government and suspended the constitution in order to reinstate order and enact political reforms.
There has been agitation in the country with the opposition accusing the current democratically elected government of corruption and demanding its dissolution. The coup comes after months of surging tensions. The cabinet has been directed to report to the military and gatherings of more than five people have been prohibited.
Have there been coups before in Thialand?
Yes, this is the 12th military coup since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. The last coup was witnessed in 2006, when then PM Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted by the army after he was accused of corruption. Many accuse the army of being kind to the cause of his opponents in the current anti-government drive.
What are the roots of the Thailand crisis?
The politics in Thailand is polarized with mostly rural, often poor, supporting Mr Thaksin, whereas, the urban middle class is against him.
Ever since Mr Thaksin’s regime was toppled in 2006, there have been regular protests. But in the past few years the focus has been on the current Thaksin-aligned Pheu Thai government.
The protests began to aggravate into violence in November 2013, after the lower house passed a controversial amnesty bill which, as per critics, could make possible Mr Thaksin’s return from exile without serving time in jail.
As per the anti-government camp, at least 28 people have died since then.
The situation exacerbated further in May 2014, after a controversial court judgment removed Mr Thaksin’s sister Yingluck from her position as Prime Minister, saying she had abused her power by illegally transferring the National Security Chief to another position.
Why is Thailand under military rule?
The political situation in Thailand has been restive for past few months. At present, the country is under junta rule (army rule) after army seized power in a recent coup. According to its Army, the military has taken control of the government and suspended the constitution in order to reinstate order and enact political reforms.
There has been agitation in the country with the opposition accusing the current democratically elected government of corruption and demanding its dissolution. The coup comes after months of surging tensions. The cabinet has been directed to report to the military and gatherings of more than five people have been prohibited.
Have there been coups before in Thialand?
Yes, this is the 12th military coup since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. The last coup was witnessed in 2006, when then PM Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted by the army after he was accused of corruption. Many accuse the army of being kind to the cause of his opponents in the current anti-government drive.
What are the roots of the Thailand crisis?
The politics in Thailand is polarized with mostly rural, often poor, supporting Mr Thaksin, whereas, the urban middle class is against him.
Ever since Mr Thaksin’s regime was toppled in 2006, there have been regular protests. But in the past few years the focus has been on the current Thaksin-aligned Pheu Thai government.
The protests began to aggravate into violence in November 2013, after the lower house passed a controversial amnesty bill which, as per critics, could make possible Mr Thaksin’s return from exile without serving time in jail.
As per the anti-government camp, at least 28 people have died since then.
The situation exacerbated further in May 2014, after a controversial court judgment removed Mr Thaksin’s sister Yingluck from her position as Prime Minister, saying she had abused her power by illegally transferring the National Security Chief to another position.
Dalia Grybauskaite to become President of Lithuania for second consecutive term
Lithuania’s incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite (58) has been declared the winner in the country’s run-off Presidential elections. She got 58% votes whereas her Social Democrat rival Zigmantas Balcytis only 42% votes. The election was held amid rising concerns in the region after Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.Kamal Nath will Pro-tem Speaker of 16th Lok Sabha
Senior Congress leader and former union minister Kamal Nath will be the Pro-tem Speaker of the newly elected Lok Sabha. As the Pro-tem Speaker of 16th Lok
Sabha, Mr Nath will be responsible to formally start the proceedings to
the new Lok Sabha. Among his responsibilities will be to swear-in the
newly-elected MPs and help the election of the new Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha.
Ajit Doval appointed as the new National Security Advisor
The new government at Centre appointed former Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajit Doval as National Security Adviser.
He retired in January 2005 as the chief of Intelligence Bureau. His tenure will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
Doval is a 1968-batch IPS officer and is known for his sharp intelligence skills. He was India’s main negotiator with the hijackers of Indian Airlines plane IC-814 taken to Kandahar in 1999.
He retired in January 2005 as the chief of Intelligence Bureau. His tenure will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
Doval is a 1968-batch IPS officer and is known for his sharp intelligence skills. He was India’s main negotiator with the hijackers of Indian Airlines plane IC-814 taken to Kandahar in 1999.
Mukul Rohatgi is the new Attorney General of India
The new government at the Centre appointed senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi as the new Attorney General of India (AGI) to take over from G E Vahanvati as the 14th AG of the country.
The AGI is the Indian government’s chief legal advisor, and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court of India. He is appointed by the President of India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and holds office during the pleasure of the President. He must have qualification to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Like the Advocate General of a State, the Attorney General is not supposed to be a political appointee, in spirit, but this is not the case in practice. Every time a new government attains power at the Centre, all the law officers resign and law officers loyal to the new party are appointed.
Odisha assembly polls 2014 results:
Rajeev Suri
(46) has been announced the new CEO of Finnish telecommunications
gadget manufacturer Nokia. Previously, Suri was the head of Nokia
Solutions and Networks (NSN), the smaller network equipment unit of
Nokia when the company still made mobile phones. Suri one of those rare
top corporate executives who have attained heights without pursuing any
MBA/PG degree.
Recently, Nokia finalized a $7.5 billion deal for the sale of its struggling mobile phone business to Microsoft.
A
copy of the FIR registered against Bhagat Singh in the then Lahore
SSP’s murder case in 1928 has been sought here to prove the innocence of
the legendary freedom fighter. Petitioner Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi,
chairman of the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, had filed a petition
seeking attested copy of the FIR registered against Singh, Sukhdev and
Rajguru for allegedly killing then SSP John P Saunders.
Qureshi said the Punjab police legal affairs office had records from 1895 to 1928. But the police did not give him the FIR registered in 1928 when the SSP was killed. He said special judges of tribunal handling Singh’s case awarded death sentence to him without hearing 450 witnesses in the case. Singh’s lawyers were not given the opportunity of cross-question them.
In March 1931, following his trial for involvement in the ‘Lahore conspiracy case’, the British government hanged Singh at Shadman Chowk, aged 23.
The AGI is the Indian government’s chief legal advisor, and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court of India. He is appointed by the President of India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and holds office during the pleasure of the President. He must have qualification to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Like the Advocate General of a State, the Attorney General is not supposed to be a political appointee, in spirit, but this is not the case in practice. Every time a new government attains power at the Centre, all the law officers resign and law officers loyal to the new party are appointed.
Vishwanath Tripathi awarded Vyas Samman
Noted Hindi author Vishwanath Tripathi awarded the prestigious Vyas Samman for the year 2013. He was awarded for his memoir ‘Vyomkesh Darvesh’, a biolgraphy of noted Hindi scholar Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi. ‘Vyomkesh
Darvesh’ is a biographical criticism and its speciality is that the
personality (Hazari Prasad Dwivedi) that it describes, has been written
about by his own student in his (Dwivedi’s) own style.
Vyas Samman is an annual literary award instituted in 1991 by the K K Birla Foundation which carries an amount of Rs 2.5 lakh and is given to an outstanding literary work in Hindi published during the last 10 years.
Vyas Samman is an annual literary award instituted in 1991 by the K K Birla Foundation which carries an amount of Rs 2.5 lakh and is given to an outstanding literary work in Hindi published during the last 10 years.
Sushma Swaraj -The first woman to head MEA
In yet another first for BJP leader Sushma Swaraj (62), she has become the first woman External Affairs Minister of India. She
is the country’s first woman to be appointed as a full-time Cabinet
minister with the external affairs portfolio. Indira Gandhi too held the
portfolio between September 1967 and February 1969 and again between
July and October 1984, but it was among the portfolios she retained with
her as Prime Minister.
Sushma Swaraj has several other first to her name:
Sushma Swaraj has several other first to her name:
Justice MB Shah Committtee: SIT to probe black money
In its first major step after assuming charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate black money, mostly hoarded abroad.
Composition of SIT
The SIT will be headed by retired Supreme Court judge MB Shah. Its other members include Secretary revenue, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, director of the Intelligence Bureau, director of the Enforcement Directorate, director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes and director of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
As per an estimate by the US-based think tank Global Financial Integrity, the illegal money outflow from India is around $462 billion.
The black money refers to the money that is earned and transferred illegally abroad in tax havens like Cayman Islands and Mauritius, generally to evade tax. Real estate is believed to account for nearly a third of black money transactions. Other major areas of black money transactions include manufacturing, gold and consumer goods purchases.
Composition of SIT
The SIT will be headed by retired Supreme Court judge MB Shah. Its other members include Secretary revenue, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, director of the Intelligence Bureau, director of the Enforcement Directorate, director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes and director of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
As per an estimate by the US-based think tank Global Financial Integrity, the illegal money outflow from India is around $462 billion.
The black money refers to the money that is earned and transferred illegally abroad in tax havens like Cayman Islands and Mauritius, generally to evade tax. Real estate is believed to account for nearly a third of black money transactions. Other major areas of black money transactions include manufacturing, gold and consumer goods purchases.
Malavath Purna- Girl from Andhra becomes youngest woman to climb Everest
In a historic achievement, Malavath Purna (13)
became the youngest female mountaineer to scale the Mount Everest.
Purna was accompanied by Sadhanapalli Anand Kumar (16), a Class IX
student from the Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh. Anand and Purna are both students of Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Educational Society.
T.R Zeliang take oath as Nagaland CM
T.R. Zeliang, leader of Naga Peoples Front (NPF), was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Nagaland following the resignation of Neiphio Rio, who has been elected to Lok Sabha. The NDF-led ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN-III) government was formed in March 2013.
Mr. Rio resigned from the office after serving Chief Minister of the
state for over 11 years following his victory in the recent Lok Sabha
polls.
‘Father of Malaysian Hockey’ Sultan Azlan Shah passed away
Hockey pioneer and ‘Father of Malaysian Hockey’, Sultan Azlan Shah(86)
passed away. He was known for his stupendous contribution to the sport
for over 41 years – both as a player and an administrator.
His intense love for hockey inspired him to start the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in 1983. The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup began as a biennial event but became an annual event after 1998 and is hosted in the Perak capital of Ipoh.
Under his aegis, Malaysia hosted two hockey World Cups – 1975 and 2002 editions. In 1997, he was elected as the president of the Asian Hockey Federation and he held the post until his death. He also became the Vice-President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in 1992 and served two terms.
His intense love for hockey inspired him to start the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in 1983. The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup began as a biennial event but became an annual event after 1998 and is hosted in the Perak capital of Ipoh.
Under his aegis, Malaysia hosted two hockey World Cups – 1975 and 2002 editions. In 1997, he was elected as the president of the Asian Hockey Federation and he held the post until his death. He also became the Vice-President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in 1992 and served two terms.
Ordinance promulgated to appoint Nripendra Misra as Principal Secretary
The Centre promulgated an ordinance to clear the way for
retired IAS officer and former chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority
of India (TRAI) Nripendra Misra’s appointment as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ordinance expedited by the government designed to amend the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Act, 1997, which prohibits a chief of the regulatory body from “future employment under the central and state governments”.
When Misra was TRAI Chairman, he wrote to the Communications Ministry saying Section 5(h) of the TRAI Act, which forbade the head of the telecom regulator from seeking further employment, was unreasonable and should be eliminated. He argued that no such prohibitions applied to chairpersons and members of other important regulators like Competition Commission of India and SEBI.
As per Section 5(h) of the original TRAI Act, the chairperson of the regulatory body, upon ceasing to hold such office, shall be ineligible for further employment under the central or state government, and cannot accept any commercial employment for a period of 2 years. It is for this reason the Centre took ordinance route to amend the TRAI Act which was drafted by the Ministry of Law and Justice and moved for clearance by the Cabinet. After Cabinet nod, the legislation was sent to the President.
When Misra was TRAI Chairman, he wrote to the Communications Ministry saying Section 5(h) of the TRAI Act, which forbade the head of the telecom regulator from seeking further employment, was unreasonable and should be eliminated. He argued that no such prohibitions applied to chairpersons and members of other important regulators like Competition Commission of India and SEBI.
As per Section 5(h) of the original TRAI Act, the chairperson of the regulatory body, upon ceasing to hold such office, shall be ineligible for further employment under the central or state government, and cannot accept any commercial employment for a period of 2 years. It is for this reason the Centre took ordinance route to amend the TRAI Act which was drafted by the Ministry of Law and Justice and moved for clearance by the Cabinet. After Cabinet nod, the legislation was sent to the President.
Mauritius to provide India automatic exchange of tax information
In a step taken to address India’s concerns about Mauritius being used for money laundering activities, the island nation has decided to provide automatic exchange of tax related information with India.
India and Mauritius have also agreed upon to have an innovative partnership to strengthen their bilateral ties. In this direction, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMOs) of both nations would set up special cells for effective implementation of ideas.
Around 70% population of Mauritius is of the people of Indian descent. The incumbent Prime Minister’s father, late Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was a leader in Mauritian independence movement and also served as the first Chief Minister and Prime Minister of Mauritius. Seewoosagur Ramgoolam is also known as ‘Father of Nation’ of Mauritius.
India and Mauritius have also agreed upon to have an innovative partnership to strengthen their bilateral ties. In this direction, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMOs) of both nations would set up special cells for effective implementation of ideas.
Around 70% population of Mauritius is of the people of Indian descent. The incumbent Prime Minister’s father, late Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was a leader in Mauritian independence movement and also served as the first Chief Minister and Prime Minister of Mauritius. Seewoosagur Ramgoolam is also known as ‘Father of Nation’ of Mauritius.
Vineet Taneja to be Micromax CEO
Gurgaon based mobile-maker Micromax has appointed Samsung India’s former mobile and IT business chief Vineet Taneja as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Micromax, the country’s second largest smartphone player, hopes the step will help it further strengthen its position in the market, which is witnessing sharp growth.
Micromax, the country’s second largest smartphone player, hopes the step will help it further strengthen its position in the market, which is witnessing sharp growth.
PM Modi sets up new Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created a Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in order to address the challenge of skills deficiency in the country. Sarbananda Sonowal has been appointed Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
As per National Skill Development Corporation India (NSDC), a PPP initiative for skill development, India is not producing sufficient number of people with skills for an economy as a whole to grow at a 10-12% growth. As per an NSDC survey of the skills gap, over the next 12 years Indian industries need 240 million people just to sustain the current growth rate. The whole education system only produces about 12 million graduates and another 4.3 million people who come out of the education system as skilled people in a year.
India aims skilling / upskilling 500 million people in the country by 2022, mainly by furthering private sector initiatives in skill development programmes and providing viability gap funding.
As per National Skill Development Corporation India (NSDC), a PPP initiative for skill development, India is not producing sufficient number of people with skills for an economy as a whole to grow at a 10-12% growth. As per an NSDC survey of the skills gap, over the next 12 years Indian industries need 240 million people just to sustain the current growth rate. The whole education system only produces about 12 million graduates and another 4.3 million people who come out of the education system as skilled people in a year.
India aims skilling / upskilling 500 million people in the country by 2022, mainly by furthering private sector initiatives in skill development programmes and providing viability gap funding.
Sachin Tendulkar chosen as Goodwill Ambassador of the 35th National Games
Kerala Government has announced cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as the Goodwill Ambassador for the 35th edition of National Games, slated to be held across seven cities in Kerala early in 2015.
Sachin was chosen as the ambassador during his meeting with Oommen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala. Besides, Mr. Chandy also announced the name of the Kochi franchise team owned by Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian Super League Football Tournament. The team will be called Kerala Blasters Football Club.
Sachin was chosen as the ambassador during his meeting with Oommen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala. Besides, Mr. Chandy also announced the name of the Kochi franchise team owned by Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian Super League Football Tournament. The team will be called Kerala Blasters Football Club.
Ahmed Maitiq is Libya’s new PM
Ahmed Maitiq took oath as Libya’s new Prime Minister along with his cabinet ministers amidst objections against his election process. Libyan Parliament has been in an impasse since former leader Muammar Gaddafi was ousted in 2011 after protests.
Politicians have raised objections against Maitiq’s election as PM because out of the 200 lawmakers, only 93 were present in the confidence vote. Out of the 93 votes, 83 votes supported Maitiq as the PM. Many have called the confidence vote meaningless considering the absence of over 50% of lawmakers.
Politicians have raised objections against Maitiq’s election as PM because out of the 200 lawmakers, only 93 were present in the confidence vote. Out of the 93 votes, 83 votes supported Maitiq as the PM. Many have called the confidence vote meaningless considering the absence of over 50% of lawmakers.
Rajiv Mathur appointed new Chief Information Commissioner
President Pranab Mukherjee appointed former Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Mathur (64) as the new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC). Mathur succeeds Sushma Singh as the head of the transparency watchdog.
His name was recommended by a three-member selection panel headed by
outgoing PM Manmohan Singh. His term will be of just 3 months.
At present, there are seven Information Commissioners — Vijai Sharma, Basant Seth, Yashovardhan Azad, Sharat Sabharwal, Manjula Prasher, M A Khan Yusufi and Prof Madabhushanam Sridhar Acharyulu.
At present, there are seven Information Commissioners — Vijai Sharma, Basant Seth, Yashovardhan Azad, Sharat Sabharwal, Manjula Prasher, M A Khan Yusufi and Prof Madabhushanam Sridhar Acharyulu.
Gujarat’s ‘Rani ki Vav’ to be replicated digitally in UK
Gujarat’s famous archeological monument “Rani ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell)” is among five international heritage sites to be recreated digitally using latest technology in Scotland, UK. The Scottish Ten — an ambitious five-year-project aims to create accurate digital models of Scotland’s five Unesco-designated World Heritage Sites and five international heritage sites in order to help in conservation and management of these sites.
The digital models will help conserve significant historical sites for the benefit of future generations and provide 3D digital models and data to site staff to better preserve these sites. The laser scanning measurements will enable identification of problems and rate of decay of the monuments which can then be addressed quickly. Scotland hopes that digitally documenting stepwell would bring the site to a much wider audience and enhance both its national and international profile.
The digital models will help conserve significant historical sites for the benefit of future generations and provide 3D digital models and data to site staff to better preserve these sites. The laser scanning measurements will enable identification of problems and rate of decay of the monuments which can then be addressed quickly. Scotland hopes that digitally documenting stepwell would bring the site to a much wider audience and enhance both its national and international profile.
Indian-American Akhil Rekulapelli clinches National Geographic Bee Championship
Akhil Rekulapelli (13), an Indian American student from Virginia, has bagged the prestigious National Geographic Bee Championship
that includes a $50,000 college scholarship. Rekulapelli beat fellow
Indian American Ameya Mujumdar in the final round of the contest held in
Washington. His triumph as the national Geographic Bee champion
continues a series of Bee dominance exhibited by Indian American
students, who have also regularly topped the Scripps National Spelling
Bee in recent years, too.
Sanskrit Scholar and Indologist Sukumari Bhattacharji passed away
Indologist and Sanskrit scholar Sukumari Bhattacharji
(92) who was known for her grasp over English and Sanskrit language,
passed away.
She started her career as a lecturer in English at Lady Brabourne College in Kolkata. She joined Jadavpur University’s Comparative Literature department and later switched to the Sanskrit department.
Her grasp over Sanskrit helped her to do in-depth study of the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita — and uncover the societal patterns in ancient India and evolution of culture and religion.
She penned some 34 books such as The Gita — Its Why and How, Human & Society in Ancient India, Fatalism in Ancient India. She presented an analysis on how the Goddess Lakshami in pre-Aryan agrarian society became alakshami in the Aryan society in her book Legend of Devis which became very popular.
Some other books written by her include Bede Samsay O Nastikko, Bede Khuda O Khadya and Balmikir Ram.
She started her career as a lecturer in English at Lady Brabourne College in Kolkata. She joined Jadavpur University’s Comparative Literature department and later switched to the Sanskrit department.
Her grasp over Sanskrit helped her to do in-depth study of the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita — and uncover the societal patterns in ancient India and evolution of culture and religion.
She penned some 34 books such as The Gita — Its Why and How, Human & Society in Ancient India, Fatalism in Ancient India. She presented an analysis on how the Goddess Lakshami in pre-Aryan agrarian society became alakshami in the Aryan society in her book Legend of Devis which became very popular.
Some other books written by her include Bede Samsay O Nastikko, Bede Khuda O Khadya and Balmikir Ram.
Hiroshi Naka is new vice-president of World Bank
Hiroshi Naka has been appointed as vice-president and auditor general of World Bank (WB). His appointment was announced by Bank’s President Jim Yong Kim.
Naka who is Japanese citizen brings in more than 25 years of experience working with the Japanese ministry of finance and multilateral organizations, where he specialized in issues such as economic sanctions, anti-money laundering, and supervision of financial institutions
He will shoulder the responsibility of providing leadership on evaluating and improving the effectiveness of the organization’s risk management, control, and governance processes.
Naka who is Japanese citizen brings in more than 25 years of experience working with the Japanese ministry of finance and multilateral organizations, where he specialized in issues such as economic sanctions, anti-money laundering, and supervision of financial institutions
He will shoulder the responsibility of providing leadership on evaluating and improving the effectiveness of the organization’s risk management, control, and governance processes.
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg clinches Monaco F1 Grand Prix
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany defeated main rival Lewis Hemilton of Britain to win 2014 Monaco F1 Grand Prix. This was his second victory of the season and fifth of his career.
With this victory, the Mercedes finished first and second position for the fifth time in a row and has won all six races this season.
The drivers ranking after Monaco Grand Prix:
Donald Levine (86), the man credited as the father of G.I. Joe (toy) for developing the world’s first action figure, passed away. As the head of research and development at toy manufacturer Hasbro, Levine led the team which developed the figure – complete with 21 moving parts that made it popular among kids. Mr Levine was not the inventor of the iconic toy, that was merchandiser Stan Weston,
but he gauged its potential and developed the model as a mass
seller. G.I. Joe first hit the shelves of American toy shops in
Christmas 1964, and was an instant success.
G.I.Joe
G.I. Joe is a range of action figures produced by the toy manufacturing company Hasbro. The term G.I. stands forGovernment Issued and after the First World War became a common term for U.S. soldiers. G.I. Joe was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York, in 2003.
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has cancelled a visit to Chibok, the town from where more than 200 schoolgirls have been abducted by militant Islamist group Boko Haram. Jonathan has been criticised for not visiting the town – more than a month after the girls were abducted.
The president will now go direct to Paris to participate in a meeting convened by French President Francois Hollande to discuss the issue of Boko Haram militants.
Around 276 female students were abducted from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria on the night of April 14-15, 2014. Boko Haram, an Islamic Jihadist, and Takfiri terrorist organization based in northeast Nigeria have claimed these kidnappings. Boko Haram, had earlier said the girls should not have been at school and should be married instead.
Boko Haram:
It is a militant Islamist group Boko Haram active mainly in Nigeria and is responsible for wreaking mayhem in the country through a series of bombings, assassinations and now kidnappings. It intends to bring down the government and create an Islamic state.
Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it “haram”, or forbidden, for Muslims to participate in any political or social activity associated with Western society. This includes voting in elections, wearing shirts and rousers or receiving a secular education.
The group was set up in 2002 as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”. It was dubbed Boko Haram, a phrase in the local Hausa language meaning, “Western education is forbidden”.
With this victory, the Mercedes finished first and second position for the fifth time in a row and has won all six races this season.
The drivers ranking after Monaco Grand Prix:
- Nico Rosberg of Germany
- Lewis Hamilton of Britain
- Fernando Alonso of Spain
- Daniel Ricciardo of Australia
- Nico Hulkenberg of Germany
- Mercedes
- Red Bull Racing
- Ferrari
- Force India
- McLaren
Donald Levine, man behind G.I. Joe, passed away
Donald Levine (86), the man credited as the father of G.I. Joe (toy) for developing the world’s first action figure, passed away. As the head of research and development at toy manufacturer Hasbro, Levine led the team which developed the figure – complete with 21 moving parts that made it popular among kids. Mr Levine was not the inventor of the iconic toy, that was merchandiser Stan Weston,
but he gauged its potential and developed the model as a mass
seller. G.I. Joe first hit the shelves of American toy shops in
Christmas 1964, and was an instant success.G.I.Joe
G.I. Joe is a range of action figures produced by the toy manufacturing company Hasbro. The term G.I. stands forGovernment Issued and after the First World War became a common term for U.S. soldiers. G.I. Joe was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York, in 2003.
Naveen Patnaik takes oath as fourth time CM in Odisha
Naveen Patnaik was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Odisha for the fourth term in a row. Mr. Patnaik was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor S.C. Jamir.
It was in 2005 when Mr. Patnaik, head of Biju Janata Dal (BJD), became the CM for the first time when the BJD-BJP alliance came to power defeating the Congress.
Mr. Patnaik continued his second term from 2004 to 2009 when the BJD separated itself from the BJP and contested the elections by having seat sharing arrangements with Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Nationalist Congress Party.
It was in 2005 when Mr. Patnaik, head of Biju Janata Dal (BJD), became the CM for the first time when the BJD-BJP alliance came to power defeating the Congress.
Mr. Patnaik continued his second term from 2004 to 2009 when the BJD separated itself from the BJP and contested the elections by having seat sharing arrangements with Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Nationalist Congress Party.
Members of Planning Commission resign
Following the standard practice, all members of the
Planning Commission (PC) including Deputy Chairman Montek Singh
Ahluwalia and all the other members of the Commission submitted their
resignations to the Prime Minister’s
Office to enable its reconstitution. Dr. Ahluwalia and the rest of the
members will continue as acting members till a new Commission is set up.
The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairman of the PC and all members of the commission submit their resignations to the Prime Minister after the general elections. The term of members of the PC is coterminous with the government. The reconstitution of the new PC will be decided by the newly elected government.
This outgoing Planning Commission had formulated the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), which envisages an annual average economic growth of 8% during the plan period.
The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairman of the PC and all members of the commission submit their resignations to the Prime Minister after the general elections. The term of members of the PC is coterminous with the government. The reconstitution of the new PC will be decided by the newly elected government.
This outgoing Planning Commission had formulated the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), which envisages an annual average economic growth of 8% during the plan period.
Anandiben Patel: First woman CM of Gujarat
Anandiben Patel (73) will succeed PM-designate Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Prior to her election as CM, she was state’s revenue minister. Modi
was the longest-serving chief minister of the state. Anandiben Patel is
the first woman chief minister of Gujarat.
Anadiben Patel:
Born: November 21, 1941
Political Party: Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)
Career Profile: Former school teacher, a gold-medalist in MSc and also a winner of the President’s Medal. She held important portfolios of urban development, revenue and disaster management and was earlier in charge of education ministry, steering successfully some of the key Modi projects, including the one for boosting female literacy.
Anadiben Patel:
Born: November 21, 1941
Political Party: Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)
Career Profile: Former school teacher, a gold-medalist in MSc and also a winner of the President’s Medal. She held important portfolios of urban development, revenue and disaster management and was earlier in charge of education ministry, steering successfully some of the key Modi projects, including the one for boosting female literacy.
Jitan Ram Manjhi sworn-in as Bihar Chief Minister
Jitan Ram Manjhi is the new Chief Minister of Bihar.
He was administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor D.Y. Patil
at a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan in Patna. The 15 members of the previous
Nitish Kumar government have retained their place in the new Jitan Ram
Manjhi Ministry, while two independent MLA have also been added.
It may be recalled that chief minister Nitish Kumar had resigned from the post taking the responsibility of his party’s (JDU) dismal performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.
Jitan Ram Manjhi:
Manjhi is from Mahkar village in Gaya district. He is a legislator from the Makhdoompur assembly constituency in Jehanabad district. He is the third Dalit CM of Bihar after Bhola Paswan Shastri and Ram Sundar Das. Prior to his appointment as CM, Manjhi was SC/ST welfare minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet.
It may be recalled that chief minister Nitish Kumar had resigned from the post taking the responsibility of his party’s (JDU) dismal performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.
Jitan Ram Manjhi:
Manjhi is from Mahkar village in Gaya district. He is a legislator from the Makhdoompur assembly constituency in Jehanabad district. He is the third Dalit CM of Bihar after Bhola Paswan Shastri and Ram Sundar Das. Prior to his appointment as CM, Manjhi was SC/ST welfare minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet.
Modi is not the first instance when CM becomes PM
Prime Minister-to-be Narendra Modi is not the first Chief Minister to ascend to the seat of the head of Government of India. The distinction goes to former Karnataka CM H.D. Deve Gowda, who, moved to the post of Prime Minister in 1996.
Mr. Gowda resigned as Chief Minister and gave up his membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly after he was named PM. The Constitution of India permits a person, who enjoys the support of the majority of Lok Sabha MPs, to be sworn in as PM without being a member of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
However, the person has to get elected to either House of Parliament within a period of 6 months. Mr. Gowda chose to become a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Narendra Modi’s Case:
Because Mr. Modi is already elected as a member of the Lok Sabha from Vadodara and Varanasi, he will have to step down as CM and resign as the member of the Gujarat Assembly as well as one of the two Lok Sabha seats he has been elected. As per the law, an individual cannot be a member of the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha as well as the Legislative Assembly. The person has to give up his membership of one of the two within 14 days of the notification of the election result by the Election Commission. The same rule applies to a person who is elected from more than one Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly seat.
The unique case of Narasimha Rao:
The case of the late Narasimha Rao is one of its kind. He had almost retired from politics and did not fight the 1991 Lok Sabha (LS) polls. But the situation took a sharp turn with the assassination of Congress prime ministerial candidate Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, where he was campaigning for the same LS elections.
The Congress won the elections and the party proposed Sonia Gandhi to be the PM but she declined the proposal. Then Mr. Rao, who had the support of Ms. Gandhi, was chosen for the job of Prime Minister. Subsequently, he contested a by-election from the Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh and won with a record margin of over 5 lakh votes as the Telugu Desam Party endorsed his political campaign in the name of “Telugu pride”.
Mr. Gowda resigned as Chief Minister and gave up his membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly after he was named PM. The Constitution of India permits a person, who enjoys the support of the majority of Lok Sabha MPs, to be sworn in as PM without being a member of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
However, the person has to get elected to either House of Parliament within a period of 6 months. Mr. Gowda chose to become a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Narendra Modi’s Case:
Because Mr. Modi is already elected as a member of the Lok Sabha from Vadodara and Varanasi, he will have to step down as CM and resign as the member of the Gujarat Assembly as well as one of the two Lok Sabha seats he has been elected. As per the law, an individual cannot be a member of the Lok Sabha/ Rajya Sabha as well as the Legislative Assembly. The person has to give up his membership of one of the two within 14 days of the notification of the election result by the Election Commission. The same rule applies to a person who is elected from more than one Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly seat.
The unique case of Narasimha Rao:
The case of the late Narasimha Rao is one of its kind. He had almost retired from politics and did not fight the 1991 Lok Sabha (LS) polls. But the situation took a sharp turn with the assassination of Congress prime ministerial candidate Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, where he was campaigning for the same LS elections.
The Congress won the elections and the party proposed Sonia Gandhi to be the PM but she declined the proposal. Then Mr. Rao, who had the support of Ms. Gandhi, was chosen for the job of Prime Minister. Subsequently, he contested a by-election from the Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh and won with a record margin of over 5 lakh votes as the Telugu Desam Party endorsed his political campaign in the name of “Telugu pride”.
Chibok Kidnapping of Schoolgirls: Nigeria’s President calls off town visit
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has cancelled a visit to Chibok, the town from where more than 200 schoolgirls have been abducted by militant Islamist group Boko Haram. Jonathan has been criticised for not visiting the town – more than a month after the girls were abducted.The president will now go direct to Paris to participate in a meeting convened by French President Francois Hollande to discuss the issue of Boko Haram militants.
Around 276 female students were abducted from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria on the night of April 14-15, 2014. Boko Haram, an Islamic Jihadist, and Takfiri terrorist organization based in northeast Nigeria have claimed these kidnappings. Boko Haram, had earlier said the girls should not have been at school and should be married instead.
Boko Haram:
It is a militant Islamist group Boko Haram active mainly in Nigeria and is responsible for wreaking mayhem in the country through a series of bombings, assassinations and now kidnappings. It intends to bring down the government and create an Islamic state.
Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it “haram”, or forbidden, for Muslims to participate in any political or social activity associated with Western society. This includes voting in elections, wearing shirts and rousers or receiving a secular education.
The group was set up in 2002 as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”. It was dubbed Boko Haram, a phrase in the local Hausa language meaning, “Western education is forbidden”.
India’s ‘Steel Man’ – Former Tisco chief Russi Mody passed away
Russi Mody (96), regarded as India’s ‘Steel Man’ for his role in elevating Tata Steel (then known as Tisco) to its present status of India’s largest steel manufacturing company, passed away.
He was born on January 17, 1918, joined Tisco in 1939, and rose through the ranks to become its chairman and managing director in 1984. The man who was with Tata Steel for nearly four decades was credited with laying the foundation for what Tata Steel is today.
Mody was removed from the top position at Tata Steel in 1993 as the result of differences in opinions with Ratan Tata, who had just assumed charge as chairman of the Tata Group. He was then appointed as the joint chairman of Air India and Indian Airlines by then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.
Mody received Padma Bhushan (nation’s third highest civilian award) in 1989 for his exemplary contribution to the Indian industry.
He was born on January 17, 1918, joined Tisco in 1939, and rose through the ranks to become its chairman and managing director in 1984. The man who was with Tata Steel for nearly four decades was credited with laying the foundation for what Tata Steel is today.
Mody was removed from the top position at Tata Steel in 1993 as the result of differences in opinions with Ratan Tata, who had just assumed charge as chairman of the Tata Group. He was then appointed as the joint chairman of Air India and Indian Airlines by then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.
Mody received Padma Bhushan (nation’s third highest civilian award) in 1989 for his exemplary contribution to the Indian industry.
PMEAC chairman C. Rangarajan resigns
Following resignation of Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman, Dr C. Rangarajan has
also resigned. The present PMEAC chaired by Rangarajan had Saumitra
Chaudhuri, VS Vyas, Pulin Nayak, and Dilip Nachane as its members. The term of PMEAC members is co-terminus with that of the Prime Minister.
Andhra Pradesh assembly polls results: TDP wins largest number of seats
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by N. Chandra Babu Naidu
emerged as the largest party with 117 seats out of the total 294
assembly seats of the Andhra Pradesh in the recently concluded Assembly Elections in the state.
Results:
Results:
| Political Party | Seats Won |
| TDP | 117 |
| Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party | 70 |
| Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) | 63 |
| Indian National Congress (INC) | 21 |
| BJP | 9 |
| Others | 14 |
Arunachal Pradesh assembly polls: INC to form government
The results of the 2014 assembly elections of Arunachal Pradesh are out. The Indian National Congress (INC) led by the incumbent Chief Minister Nabam Tuki won 42 seats of the total 60 assembly seats in the state.
BJP with 11 seats is the first runner up whereas People’s Party of Arunachal finished third with 5 seats.
Results:
BJP with 11 seats is the first runner up whereas People’s Party of Arunachal finished third with 5 seats.
Results:
| Political Party | Seats Won |
| Bharatiya Janata Party | 11 |
| Indian National Congress | 42 |
| People’s Party of Arunachal | 5 |
| Independent | 2 |
Odisha assembly polls 2014: BJD emerged largest party in the state
The results of the 2014 assembly elections of Odisha have been announced. Of the total 147 assembly seats, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by incumbent Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has won 117 seats, making it the single largest party in the state.Odisha assembly polls 2014 results:
| Political Party | Seats Won |
| BJD | 117 |
| BJP | 10 |
| Indian National Congress | 16 |
| Others | 4 |
Sikkim Assembly elections 2014: SDF to retain power for fifth term in a row
Sikkim
Democratic Front (SDF) led by incumbent Chief Minister Pawan Kumar
Chamling has emerged as the single largest party by winning 22 seats out
of total 32 in the 2014 assembly elections
of Sikkim. The newly established party Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)
led by Prem Singh Tamang won 10 assembly seats and will sit in
opposition.
The SDF which came into being in 1993 has been in power in Sikkim since 1994. This will be party’s fifth consecutive term in power.
The SDF which came into being in 1993 has been in power in Sikkim since 1994. This will be party’s fifth consecutive term in power.
General Election 2014: Resounding victory for BJP, Congress faces drubbing in 6 states
World’s biggest democratic exercise- India’s 16th Lok Sabha (Lower House) elections
which ran from April, 7 to May 12, 2014 are over and its verdict is
out. Of the total 543 seats for which elections were contested, BJP led
NDA achieved a thumping victory on 336 seats, whereas, Congress led UPA
has faced thorough defeat in 6 key states winning just 59 seats, and the
Congress, 44 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which contested on 424
seats has faced debacle as it could win just 4 seats. AAP leader and
former Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejrival, who contested against the Narendra Modi from Varanasi, defeated by a huge margin of more than 3 lakh votes.
With this NDA victory, BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is all set to be the head of the newly elected Indian Government.
Some high spots of Lok Sabha polls 2014:
With this NDA victory, BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is all set to be the head of the newly elected Indian Government.
Some high spots of Lok Sabha polls 2014:
- It was 16th Lok Sabha election.
- Election Commission of India conducted election in 9 phases, longest election in the country’s history.
- 8,251 candidates contested for 543 constituencies in India.
- 814.5 million People were eligible voters, with an increase of 100 million voters since the last general election in 2009, making this the largest-ever election in the world.
- Average election turnout was around 66.38%, the highest ever in the history of Indian general elections.
- With more than six times the seats of its closest contenders, Modi’s is the most decisive mandate for a leader since the 1984 assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi propelled her son to office. Since 1989, India has been governed by coalitions.
- With 282 seats, the BJP has won the highest number of seats by a single party in the modern, post-regional politics era, compared with 244 for the Congress in 1991 and 206 for it in 2009.
- It is the worst ever performance by Congress compared to its show in other previous General Elections.
- Since 1977, the BJP is the first non-Congress party to defeat Congress by such a huge margin. However, the biggest tally of seats achieved by a non-Congress party is 295 won by the Janata Party in the 1977 post-Emergency election that ousted Mrs. Gandhi from office.
- BJP registered its biggest win in Uttar Pradesh winning 71 seats despite a big coalition partner, the best performance by a single party in the state since 1984 when the Congress won 83 of 85 seats.
Results Lok Sabha Polls 2014:
| ALLIANCE | TALLY |
| NDA (BJP + Allies) | 335 |
| UPA (Congress + Allies) | 59 |
| AAP | 4 |
| SP | 5 |
| BSP | 0 |
| AITC | 34 |
| JD(U) | 2 |
| LEFT | 11 |
| ADMK | 37 |
| OTHERS | 56 |
| TOTAL | 543/543 |
VOTE SHARE:
| Alliance | Vote share (%) |
| NDA | 35 |
| UPA | 23 |
| LEFT | 4 |
| AITC | 4 |
| OTHERS | 34 |
Govt should reduce its shareholding in PSBs to below 50%: RBI Committee
An RBI committee headed by former chairman of Axis Bank PJ Nayak has said in its report that the government should bring down its stake in Public Sector Banks (PSBs) to below 50%.
Key Suggestions proposed by the RBI Panel:-
1) On existing Governance pattern of PSBs:
Criticizing the way in which the 26 PSBs are being currently governed, the panel blamed several “externally imposed constraints” like dual regulation by the RBI and finance ministry and external vigilance by agencies like the CVC and CAG for the distress of banks.
The government should reduce its stake in these banks to less than 50%, along with certain other executive measures for the removal of these constraints.
The Centre should distance itself from the governance of banks and the Bank Nationalization Acts of 1970 and 1980, along with the SBI Act and SBI Subsidiary Banks Act, be repealed as it finds “the selection process for directors is increasingly compromised”.
2) On Government’s powers in relation to the governance of banks
All banks should be incorporated under the Companies Act and a Bank Investment Company (BIC) be set up to which the government transfers its holdings in banks. BIC should be given power of governance of the banks. Until BIC becomes functional, a Bank Boards Bureau comprising former senior bankers should advise all board appointments, including those of chairmen and executive directors.
3) On existing Human Resource Policy in Banks
Change in human resource policy to encourage younger people joining top management. Private sector banks should be provided a more level-playing field with the public sector counterparts.
4) On governance issues in private sector banks
Ownership constraints that could misalign the interests of shareholders with those of top management must be removed. Allowing larger block shareholders generally enhances governance.
5) On distressed banks
Distressed banks, private equity funds, including sovereign wealth funds, should be allowed to take control of stakes of up to 40%.
6) On Evergreening of bad loans
Boards of banks need to be vigilant about the quality of the loans. The policy of private sector banks can be considered which incentivises senior management on the basis of bank profitability, and disburses the compensation through stock options. There is potential incentive to evergreen assets in order that provisions do not make a dent in profitability.
In the case of evergreening, fines can be slapped through cancellations of unvested stock options and claw-back of monetary bonuses on officers concerned and on whole-time directors, and that the chairman of the audit committee be asked to step down from the board.
Key Suggestions proposed by the RBI Panel:-
1) On existing Governance pattern of PSBs:
Criticizing the way in which the 26 PSBs are being currently governed, the panel blamed several “externally imposed constraints” like dual regulation by the RBI and finance ministry and external vigilance by agencies like the CVC and CAG for the distress of banks.
The government should reduce its stake in these banks to less than 50%, along with certain other executive measures for the removal of these constraints.
The Centre should distance itself from the governance of banks and the Bank Nationalization Acts of 1970 and 1980, along with the SBI Act and SBI Subsidiary Banks Act, be repealed as it finds “the selection process for directors is increasingly compromised”.
2) On Government’s powers in relation to the governance of banks
All banks should be incorporated under the Companies Act and a Bank Investment Company (BIC) be set up to which the government transfers its holdings in banks. BIC should be given power of governance of the banks. Until BIC becomes functional, a Bank Boards Bureau comprising former senior bankers should advise all board appointments, including those of chairmen and executive directors.
3) On existing Human Resource Policy in Banks
Change in human resource policy to encourage younger people joining top management. Private sector banks should be provided a more level-playing field with the public sector counterparts.
4) On governance issues in private sector banks
Ownership constraints that could misalign the interests of shareholders with those of top management must be removed. Allowing larger block shareholders generally enhances governance.
5) On distressed banks
Distressed banks, private equity funds, including sovereign wealth funds, should be allowed to take control of stakes of up to 40%.
6) On Evergreening of bad loans
Boards of banks need to be vigilant about the quality of the loans. The policy of private sector banks can be considered which incentivises senior management on the basis of bank profitability, and disburses the compensation through stock options. There is potential incentive to evergreen assets in order that provisions do not make a dent in profitability.
In the case of evergreening, fines can be slapped through cancellations of unvested stock options and claw-back of monetary bonuses on officers concerned and on whole-time directors, and that the chairman of the audit committee be asked to step down from the board.
Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag appointed as new Army chief
The government appointed Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag as the next Chief of the Indian Army. The Union Cabinet
cleared the name of Vice Army Chief Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh
Suhag as the successor to Gen Bikram Singh, who will retire on July 3,
2014.
Suhag was the most senior officer in the Indian Army after Bikram Singh. He was recommended by the Ministry of Defence for further consideration by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC).
Suhag was the most senior officer in the Indian Army after Bikram Singh. He was recommended by the Ministry of Defence for further consideration by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC).
Google rankings can influence Elections: Study
As per a new study conducted in India during the just concluded Lok Sabha Elections 2014, Google rankings can dramatically swing ill-informed voters leading to influence the election outcome.
The study done by Robert Epstein, a former editor of Psychology Today and noted Google critic, found that manipulating the Google search results can significantly influence the candidate preferences of the voters who are not well-informed and are undecided as they tend to sway towards candidates appearing on the top of the search results/ranking.
In the experiment it was found that search rankings biased in favour of a candidate could push the preferences of undecided voters towards that candidate by 15% or more. If there are two candidates and both vying to push their rankings higher then that’s fine. But if Google, which has a monopoly on search in India, were to favour one candidate, it could easily put that candidate in office by manipulating search rankings, and no one could counter that.
These manipulations can pose a serious threat to democracy. To prevent too much influence, election-related search rankings need to be regulated and monitored, as well as subjected to equal-time rules.
The study done by Robert Epstein, a former editor of Psychology Today and noted Google critic, found that manipulating the Google search results can significantly influence the candidate preferences of the voters who are not well-informed and are undecided as they tend to sway towards candidates appearing on the top of the search results/ranking.
In the experiment it was found that search rankings biased in favour of a candidate could push the preferences of undecided voters towards that candidate by 15% or more. If there are two candidates and both vying to push their rankings higher then that’s fine. But if Google, which has a monopoly on search in India, were to favour one candidate, it could easily put that candidate in office by manipulating search rankings, and no one could counter that.
These manipulations can pose a serious threat to democracy. To prevent too much influence, election-related search rankings need to be regulated and monitored, as well as subjected to equal-time rules.
Indian Railways releases: ‘India Junction – A Window to The Nation’
Indian Railway released a book, titled ‘India Junction – A Window to the Nation’. The book has been brought out by Public Relations Directorate, Railway Board. The book has been edited by Ms Seema Sharma.
About the Book:
‘India Junction – A Window to the Nation’ is a book which tells the story of the long an eventful journey of Indian Railways starting from 1853 to the present day through in-depth, analytical essays that are rich in history;
scrumptious travel pieces; and some truly amazing and rare photo
features—celebrates the changes the Railways has brought about in our
lives; and examines how the Railways itself has transformed over time.
The Indian Railways provides us with a practical, convenient mode of transport, but its contribution to Indian life goes much beyond that. The Railways is the lifeline of the nation and, in many ways, its development has been deeply intertwined with the destiny of India. India Junction—featuring in-depth, analytical essays that are rich in history; delectable travel pieces; and some truly amazing and rare photo features—celebrates the changes the Railways has brought about in our lives; and examines how the Railways itself has transformed over time.
Some quotes in INDIA JUNCTION:
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra and several cabinet ministers have been ordered to resign by the Constitutional Court of the country. The court ordered that Ms Yingluck acted illegally when she transferred her national security chief Thawil Pliensri to another position in 2011. The order has come after months of political
impasse. Anti-government protesters have been trying to topple Ms
Yingluck regime since November 2013. The remaining cabinet members have
nominated the commerce minister to replace Ms Yingluck. Ms Yingluck had
been accused of abuse of power
in improperly transferring Thawil Pliensri, her national security chief
appointed by the opposition-led administration, in 2011.
Political situation in Thailand:
Thailand has been undergoing a power struggle since Ms Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra who was PM was thrown out in 2006 by a military coup. Mr Thaksin and his family are detested by some urban and middle-class elites who accuse them of corruption and abuse of power. But Mr Thaksin’s policies hugely popular in rural areas won both the elections since the coup have returned Thaksin-allied governments to power. Court rulings have, in the past, been a key factor amid political turmoil in Thailand.
Gary Becker (83), a professor in University of Chicago who was conferred the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 1992, passed away. He is credited for his path-breaking approach to economics as the study of human behavior. Becker
applied his economic analysis to a wide array of human behavior and
interactions. He also studied issues such as marriage and divorce, crime
and punishment, addiction and household decisions.
Before 1950s, most experts considered habit and often emotion or irrationality as the main factors in human behavior such as having children or committing crimes. It was Becker who theorized that human behavior follows the same rational principles, whether it involves a household, a business or an organization. Although initially his views were received skeptically, his work influenced sociology, demography and criminology.
Polo (43), India’s
only gorilla, listed as one of the world’ s critically endangered
species, passed away at the Mysore Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological
Gardens), Karnataka.
The male Western Lowland Gorilla, which was gifted to Mysore zoo by
Dublin zoo about 19 years ago, had been ill since over a month.
About the Book:
‘India Junction – A Window to the Nation’ is a book which tells the story of the long an eventful journey of Indian Railways starting from 1853 to the present day through in-depth, analytical essays that are rich in history;
scrumptious travel pieces; and some truly amazing and rare photo
features—celebrates the changes the Railways has brought about in our
lives; and examines how the Railways itself has transformed over time.The Indian Railways provides us with a practical, convenient mode of transport, but its contribution to Indian life goes much beyond that. The Railways is the lifeline of the nation and, in many ways, its development has been deeply intertwined with the destiny of India. India Junction—featuring in-depth, analytical essays that are rich in history; delectable travel pieces; and some truly amazing and rare photo features—celebrates the changes the Railways has brought about in our lives; and examines how the Railways itself has transformed over time.
Some quotes in INDIA JUNCTION:
- Without the railways, the three great cities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras would have remained small colonial trading ports. —Sir Mark Tully
- ‘Railways was the greatest force of modernization and unity that India had ever seen.’ —Sandipan Deb
- ‘The development of the railways has been deeply intertwined with the destiny of the Indian subcontinent.’ —Sharmila Kantha
- ‘In Mumbai locals, there is even a new subgroup of intimacy: the train friend.’ —Jerry Pinto
- ‘No Railways, no India.’—Ian J. Kerr
Indian Navy operationally deploys INS Vikramaditya
As per the announcement made by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Robin Kumar Dhowan,
the newly inducted aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, is now
operationally deployed and its integral MiG-29K fighters have been fully
integrated with the carrier. The 44,500-tonne aircraft carrier bought
from Russia at a cost of $2.33 billion had arrived in India in January, 2014 and is positioned at Karwar in Karnataka.
Also, INS Vikrant, the first indigeneously built aircraft carrier being built at the Cochin shipyard, will be ready for trials in 2017 and for delivery by 2018-end.
Click Here for more on INS Vikramaditya
Also, INS Vikrant, the first indigeneously built aircraft carrier being built at the Cochin shipyard, will be ready for trials in 2017 and for delivery by 2018-end.
Click Here for more on INS Vikramaditya
Thailand court sacks PM Yingluck Shinawatra
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra and several cabinet ministers have been ordered to resign by the Constitutional Court of the country. The court ordered that Ms Yingluck acted illegally when she transferred her national security chief Thawil Pliensri to another position in 2011. The order has come after months of political
impasse. Anti-government protesters have been trying to topple Ms
Yingluck regime since November 2013. The remaining cabinet members have
nominated the commerce minister to replace Ms Yingluck. Ms Yingluck had
been accused of abuse of power
in improperly transferring Thawil Pliensri, her national security chief
appointed by the opposition-led administration, in 2011.Political situation in Thailand:
Thailand has been undergoing a power struggle since Ms Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra who was PM was thrown out in 2006 by a military coup. Mr Thaksin and his family are detested by some urban and middle-class elites who accuse them of corruption and abuse of power. But Mr Thaksin’s policies hugely popular in rural areas won both the elections since the coup have returned Thaksin-allied governments to power. Court rulings have, in the past, been a key factor amid political turmoil in Thailand.
Gary Becker, economist and winner of Nobel Prize passed away
Gary Becker (83), a professor in University of Chicago who was conferred the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 1992, passed away. He is credited for his path-breaking approach to economics as the study of human behavior. Becker
applied his economic analysis to a wide array of human behavior and
interactions. He also studied issues such as marriage and divorce, crime
and punishment, addiction and household decisions.Before 1950s, most experts considered habit and often emotion or irrationality as the main factors in human behavior such as having children or committing crimes. It was Becker who theorized that human behavior follows the same rational principles, whether it involves a household, a business or an organization. Although initially his views were received skeptically, his work influenced sociology, demography and criminology.
Ahmed Maiteeq- Libya’s youngest and fifth Prime Minister since dictator Kadhafi was toppled and killed in 2011 uprising
Businessman Ahmed Maiteeq (42) of Libya’s National Conference has been elected as the new Prime Minister. Maiteeq
defeated his rival Omar al-Hassi, a university professor. It comes
three weeks after former PM Abdullah al-Thinni resigned from the post.
Libya has been grappling with instability since armed groups threw out Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. Maiteeq will have to tackle the lawlessness and insecurity currently destabilizing the country. He is the fifth Prime Minister to be appointed to lead the country in the past two and a half years.
Libya has been grappling with instability since armed groups threw out Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. Maiteeq will have to tackle the lawlessness and insecurity currently destabilizing the country. He is the fifth Prime Minister to be appointed to lead the country in the past two and a half years.
Egypt: 683 alleged supporters of ex-President Morsi sentenced to death
Muslim Brotherhood’s supreme guide, Mohamed Badie
and 683 alleged supporters of the group have been sentenced to death by
an Egyptian judge. The judge confirmed the death sentences of 37 of 529
alleged supporters condemned earlier.
If the sentence is confirmed, Mohamed Badie, would be the most senior Brotherhood figure sentenced to death since one of the group’s leading ideologues, Sayed Qutb, was sentenced and executed in 1966.
The guilty verdict and death sentences are still subject to appeal at the Court of Appeal. It however, gives a chance for a judge to change an initial sentence. As per Egyptian law, the death sentences are confirmed by the presiding judge after a comment has been invited from the Grand Mufti of Al Azhar, the country’s apex religious official.
The violence of which the defendants are accused happened on August 14, 2013 as news reached Minya governorate that police had launched the deadly clearance of two sit-ins in Cairo, held by supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi, who had recently been thrown out after mass protests against his regime.
If the sentence is confirmed, Mohamed Badie, would be the most senior Brotherhood figure sentenced to death since one of the group’s leading ideologues, Sayed Qutb, was sentenced and executed in 1966.
The guilty verdict and death sentences are still subject to appeal at the Court of Appeal. It however, gives a chance for a judge to change an initial sentence. As per Egyptian law, the death sentences are confirmed by the presiding judge after a comment has been invited from the Grand Mufti of Al Azhar, the country’s apex religious official.
The violence of which the defendants are accused happened on August 14, 2013 as news reached Minya governorate that police had launched the deadly clearance of two sit-ins in Cairo, held by supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi, who had recently been thrown out after mass protests against his regime.
Polo, India’s only gorilla, breaths his last
Polo (43), India’s
only gorilla, listed as one of the world’ s critically endangered
species, passed away at the Mysore Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological
Gardens), Karnataka.
The male Western Lowland Gorilla, which was gifted to Mysore zoo by
Dublin zoo about 19 years ago, had been ill since over a month.Rajeev Suri: Nokia’s new CEO
Rajeev Suri
(46) has been announced the new CEO of Finnish telecommunications
gadget manufacturer Nokia. Previously, Suri was the head of Nokia
Solutions and Networks (NSN), the smaller network equipment unit of
Nokia when the company still made mobile phones. Suri one of those rare
top corporate executives who have attained heights without pursuing any
MBA/PG degree.Recently, Nokia finalized a $7.5 billion deal for the sale of its struggling mobile phone business to Microsoft.
Ramesh Agrawal honored with Goldman Prize 2014
The Goldman Environmental Foundation awarded six environmental activists from India, Peru, Russia and three other countries Goldman Prize for year 2014. India’s Ramesh Agrawal has been given the prize for helping villagers to battle coal mining in Chhattisgarh.
Other Awardees:
Other Awardees:
Awardees
|
Country |
Significant Roles
|
| Ruth Buendia | Peru | Helped to prevent two dams in the Peruvian Amazon |
| Suren Gazaryan | Russia | Defended protected areas from Olympic development in Sochi. |
| Helen Slottje | US | Helped to shut down fracking in New York State |
| Desmond D’Sa | South Africa | Helped to shut down a toxic dump site in Durban |
| Rudi Putra | Indonesia | Helped to shut down illegal palm oil plantations in Sumatra |
Petition filed in Pakistan court to prove Bhagat Singh’s innocence
A
copy of the FIR registered against Bhagat Singh in the then Lahore
SSP’s murder case in 1928 has been sought here to prove the innocence of
the legendary freedom fighter. Petitioner Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi,
chairman of the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, had filed a petition
seeking attested copy of the FIR registered against Singh, Sukhdev and
Rajguru for allegedly killing then SSP John P Saunders.Qureshi said the Punjab police legal affairs office had records from 1895 to 1928. But the police did not give him the FIR registered in 1928 when the SSP was killed. He said special judges of tribunal handling Singh’s case awarded death sentence to him without hearing 450 witnesses in the case. Singh’s lawyers were not given the opportunity of cross-question them.
In March 1931, following his trial for involvement in the ‘Lahore conspiracy case’, the British government hanged Singh at Shadman Chowk, aged 23.
15th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA)
15th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) informally known as the “Bollywood Oscars,” held in US for the first time. The ceremony was held at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida,US. The 2014 IIFA Awards honoured the best films of 2013, took place between April 23-26, 2014. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was awarded the most awards (14).Hollywood star John Travolta was also awarded at the ceremony for his outstanding contribution to International cinema.
Winners
Popular Awards- Best Film: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra– Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Actor In A Leading Role: Farhan Akhtar – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag as Milkha Singh
- Best Actress In A Leading Role: Deepika Padukone – Chennai Express as Meenalochni Azhagusundaram
- Best Actor In A Supporting Role: Aditya Roy Kapur – Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani as Avinash “Avi” Arora
- Best Actress In A Supporting Role: Divya Dutta – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag as Ishri Kaur
- Male Debutant Star: Dhanush – Raanjhanaa as Kundan Shankar
- Female Debutant Star: Vaani Kapoor – Shuddh Desi Romance as Tara
- Best Performance In A Comic Role: Arshad Warsi – Jolly LLB as Jagdish Tyagi (Jolly)
- Best Performance In A Negative Role: Rishi Kapoor– Aurangzeb as DCP Ravikant, HPS
- Best Story: Prasoon Joshi – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Music Direction: Aashiqui 2 – Mithoon, Ankit Tiwari, Jeet Ganguly
- Best Lyrics: Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2 – Mithoon
- Best Male Playback Singer: Ankit Tiwari for Sunn Raha Hai;– Aashiqui 2
- Best Female Playback Singer: Shreya Ghoshal for Sunn Raha Hai – Aashiqui 2
- Best Sound Design: Nakul Kamte – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Background Score: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Action: Sham Kaushal & Tony Ching Siu Tung – Krrish 3
- Best Special Effects: Keitan Yadav & Haresh Hingorani (Red Chillies VFX) – Krrish 3
- Best Choreography: Remo D’souza – Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
- Best Cinematography: Binod Pradhan – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Costume Design: Dolly Ahluwalia – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Dialogue: Prasoon Joshi – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Editing: P. S. Bharti – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Makeup: Vikram Gaikwad – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Production Design: Wasiq Khan – Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela
- Best Screenplay: Prasoon Joshi – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Sound Mixing: Anup Dev – Chennai Express, Debajit Changmai – Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Sound Recording: Vinod Verma for Lungi Dance – Chennai Express
Suresh Reddy to be first Indian Ambassador to ASEAN
Suresh Reddy has been appointed as a full-time envoy for ASEAN. Reddy
is at present ambassador in Iraq and has been given credit for swinging
about the Indo-Iraqi links. The Indian mission would be based out of
Jakarta (Indonesia), which houses the ASEAN secretariat.
Even as the ASEAN has been storm-tossed by territorial worries with China and the future of the regional grouping seems uncertain, India has firmly adhered to its “centrality” by taken an ASEAN-centric approach on the subject of the territorial claims in the South China Sea .
The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh recently at the East Asia Summit (EAS) at Brunei, elucidated stating that “stable maritime environment is essential for meeting the common developmental aspirations of countries in the South and South East Asian region“.
Even as the ASEAN has been storm-tossed by territorial worries with China and the future of the regional grouping seems uncertain, India has firmly adhered to its “centrality” by taken an ASEAN-centric approach on the subject of the territorial claims in the South China Sea .
The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh recently at the East Asia Summit (EAS) at Brunei, elucidated stating that “stable maritime environment is essential for meeting the common developmental aspirations of countries in the South and South East Asian region“.
Arvind Mayaram appointed new Finance Secretary
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram as the new Finance Secretary. Arvind Mayaram, a 1978 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer has been holding charge as the Economic Affairs Secretary since 2012.
Who is a Finance Secretary?
A Finance Secretary is the senior-most IAS officer in the Finance Ministry. He coordinates the working of the 5 departments under the Finance Ministry.
The Ministry of Finance is composed of 5 departments, each headed by a Secretary who directly report to the Finance Minister:
As a custom, the senior amongst of the 5 is made the Finance Secretary (FS) (where seniority is defined by the year of entry into the civil service and not age). Sometimes, none of the 5 is labelled as Finance Secretary (FS). Most finance secretaries have been IAS officers, but some of them were not IAS but Career Economists.
A Finance Secretary is the senior-most IAS officer in the Finance Ministry. He coordinates the working of the 5 departments under the Finance Ministry.
The Ministry of Finance is composed of 5 departments, each headed by a Secretary who directly report to the Finance Minister:
- The Department of Economic Affairs
- The Department of Revenue
- The Department of Expenditure
- The Department of Financial Services
- The Department of Disinvestment
As a custom, the senior amongst of the 5 is made the Finance Secretary (FS) (where seniority is defined by the year of entry into the civil service and not age). Sometimes, none of the 5 is labelled as Finance Secretary (FS). Most finance secretaries have been IAS officers, but some of them were not IAS but Career Economists.
Documentary “Gulabi Gang” to be screened at the 14th New York Indian Film Festival
Documentary
“Gulabi Gang” to be screened at the 14th New York Indian Film
Festival that will run from May 5 to 10, 2014. Directed by Nishtha Jain, it is based on the life of Sampat Pal Devi, a child bride and former government health worker. In 2006, Sampat Pal Devi formed the Gulabi Gang of pink sari-clad women and it works for rights of women in destitute Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Gulabi Gang Movement
An extraordinary women’s movement formed in 2006 by Sampat Pal Devi in the Banda District of Uttar Pradesh in Northern India. It comprises of thousands of Indian women activists reported to be active across North India. The women’s group is famous as Gulabi or ‘Pink’ Gang since the members wear bright pink saris and carry bamboo sticks. These women threaten abusive husbands and beat them with bamboo sticks unless these husbands quit abusing their wives.
This region of Uttar Pradesh is one of the poorest in India and is stigmatized by social problems viz. a profound patriarchal culture, unbending caste divisions, female illiteracy, domestic violence, child labour, child marriages, dowry, etc.Movies based on the Gulabi Gang
- “Pink Saris” movie by Kim Longinotto (2010)
- “Gulabi Gang” Documentary by Nishtha Jain (2012)
- “Gulaab Gang” Bollywood film starring Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla (2014)
Hungary: Viktor Orban re-elected to a third term as Prime Minister of Hungary
Viktor Orban reelected to a third term as Prime Minister of Hungary.
He declared victory in Hungary’s parliamentary election, winning a
second consecutive term. Orban’s Fidesz party won 44.6% of the vote.Political Carrier:
-First premiership (1998–2002)
-In opposition (2002–2010)
-Second premiership (2010-2014)
-Third premiership (2014-To Till Date)
Hungary (capital and largest city: Budapest) is a landlocked country in Central Europe and is recognized today as a developed country. Hungary is home to the largest thermal water cave system in the world and the largest natural grasslands in Europe (the Hortobágy).
Justice G Rohini appointed as the first ever woman Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court
President Pranab Mukherjee cleared the nomination of Justice G Rohini (59), the most senior judge of the Andhra Pradesh high court, as the Chief Justice of the Delhi
High Court. Prior to Justice Rohini’s appointment, the Delhi high court
had a strength of 40, out of which 9 were women. She will be the 10th
woman judge at the Delhi high court.
In February 2014, Collegium of Supreme Court of India, headed by Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam nominated Justice Rohini as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court. She will charge as the first woman chief justice of Delhi High Court, 47 years after the court was established in October 1966.
Justice G. Rohini is expected to stay for a period of 4 years if not elevated to the Supreme Court. At present, out of 29 judges in the Supreme Court, only 2 are women.
In February 2014, Collegium of Supreme Court of India, headed by Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam nominated Justice Rohini as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court. She will charge as the first woman chief justice of Delhi High Court, 47 years after the court was established in October 1966.
Justice G. Rohini is expected to stay for a period of 4 years if not elevated to the Supreme Court. At present, out of 29 judges in the Supreme Court, only 2 are women.
Indian Navy’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant sold to ship-breaker for only Rs 60 Crore
Indian Navy’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant
has been sold for mere Rs 60 Crore via an online auction to an Alang
ship-breaker. The decommissioned aircraft carrier played an crucial role
in the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
The carrier was sold via an online auction to a ship-breaker following the dismissal a PIL (Public-Interest Litigation) filed by Kiran Paigankar (founder of the “Save Vikrant Committee”) by the Bombay High Court. The Court dismissed the PIL stating that the carrier’s tatterdemalion condition did not justify her conservation, also the requisite funds or government support are also not available.
Timeline: INS Vikrant
Under United Kingdom:
The carrier was sold via an online auction to a ship-breaker following the dismissal a PIL (Public-Interest Litigation) filed by Kiran Paigankar (founder of the “Save Vikrant Committee”) by the Bombay High Court. The Court dismissed the PIL stating that the carrier’s tatterdemalion condition did not justify her conservation, also the requisite funds or government support are also not available.
Timeline: INS Vikrant
Under United Kingdom:
- Named: “HMS Hercules”; Builder: Vickers-Armstrong/Harland and Wolff; Never commissioned
- 1943: Laid down on November 12, 1943
- 1945: Launched on September 22, 1945
- 1957: Sold to India
- 1961: Commissioned on March 4, 1961
- 1971: Played a crucial role in imposing the naval encirclement on East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
- 1997: Decommissioned on January 31,1997
- Preserved as a museum ship in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai. But there was a lack of funding for its proper preservation. INS Vikrant was the only World War II-era British-built aircraft carrier to be preserved as a museum.
- 2010: Maharashtra government had conveyed its unfitness to maintain Vikrant
- 2012: Museum was closed after Vikrant was viewed as unsafe.
- 2013: On December 3, 2013, the Indian government adjudicated to auction the ship, due to its upkeep difficulties.
RBI accepts P. Vijaya Bhaskar Committee’s recommendations relating to Financial Benchmarks; asks establishing an independent body for recommending benchmark foreign exchange rate
RBI has accepted the P. Vijaya Bhaskar Committee’s
recommendations relating to Financial Benchmarks. RBI has asked for
establishing an independent body for recommending benchmark foreign
exchange rate in order to avoid any potential manipulation by the
bankers.
The Bhaskar Committee had suggested Indian money and currency markets should move their benchmarks towards transaction-based from poll-based in an attempt to comb out manipulation.
In 2013, RBI had appointed a committee under the chairmanship of P Vijaya Bhaskar, Executive Director of RBI, as it wanted to avoid issues caused by the manipulation of London Interbank Offered Rate (LIOBOR) and exchange rates all over Europe.
RBI has suggested FIMMDA (Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India) and FEDAI (Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India) to act as administrators to the Indian rupee, interest rate, and foreign exchange benchmarks, respectively. In order to defeat any potential conflicts of interest in the benchmark fixing procedure originating from the present governance structure of the FIMMDA and FEDAI (which are industry nodal agencies), RBI has suggested that an independent body, either individually or conjointly, may be formed by the FIMMDA and FEDAI for administration of the benchmarks.
Some key measures that are anticipated to beef up the governance model for benchmark submission:-
World over, financial benchmarks viz. LIBOR, EURIBOR, TIBOR, MIBOR (Mumbai Interbank Offered Rate), etc. are primarily used for pricing, valuation and settlement purposes in financial contracts. Now since, the aggregate volume of financial contracts which are valued via these Financial benchmarks is very huge, therefore these benchmarks need to be highly reliable as they play a vital role in stability of any country’s financial system.
But, late global developments with respect to manipulation of various key global benchmark rates, viz. LIBOR, EURIBOR, TIBOR, etc. have raised questions about the reliability of these financial benchmark rates, in particular who governs them and how they are governed.
Thus, world over, various international standard setting bodies, national regulators, central banks, and self regulatory market bodies have reexamined the subsisting benchmark determining process and have come out with wide-ranging reform measures and governing principles for enhancing the robustness and reliability of these crucial financial benchmarks.
The Challenges undertaken by the Vijaya Bhaskar Committee on Financial Benchmarks:
The Bhaskar Committee had suggested Indian money and currency markets should move their benchmarks towards transaction-based from poll-based in an attempt to comb out manipulation.
In 2013, RBI had appointed a committee under the chairmanship of P Vijaya Bhaskar, Executive Director of RBI, as it wanted to avoid issues caused by the manipulation of London Interbank Offered Rate (LIOBOR) and exchange rates all over Europe.
RBI has suggested FIMMDA (Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India) and FEDAI (Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India) to act as administrators to the Indian rupee, interest rate, and foreign exchange benchmarks, respectively. In order to defeat any potential conflicts of interest in the benchmark fixing procedure originating from the present governance structure of the FIMMDA and FEDAI (which are industry nodal agencies), RBI has suggested that an independent body, either individually or conjointly, may be formed by the FIMMDA and FEDAI for administration of the benchmarks.
Some key measures that are anticipated to beef up the governance model for benchmark submission:-
- The benchmark submitters have to essentially take part in the polling process and abide by several provisions specified in the code of conduct
- The benchmark submitters have to introduce place an efficient conflict of interest policy helping identification of potential and genuine conflicts of interest
- The benchmark submitters also have to lay down an effective whistle-blowing policy to help early detection of any potential misconduct in benchmark data presentations
- Benchmark submissions are subject to periodic internal audit and, where appropriate, to external audit
- Submissions by way of written communications or via full-bodied contribution devices which leave an audit trail. This is done in order to do away with possibilities of errors
World over, financial benchmarks viz. LIBOR, EURIBOR, TIBOR, MIBOR (Mumbai Interbank Offered Rate), etc. are primarily used for pricing, valuation and settlement purposes in financial contracts. Now since, the aggregate volume of financial contracts which are valued via these Financial benchmarks is very huge, therefore these benchmarks need to be highly reliable as they play a vital role in stability of any country’s financial system.
But, late global developments with respect to manipulation of various key global benchmark rates, viz. LIBOR, EURIBOR, TIBOR, etc. have raised questions about the reliability of these financial benchmark rates, in particular who governs them and how they are governed.
Thus, world over, various international standard setting bodies, national regulators, central banks, and self regulatory market bodies have reexamined the subsisting benchmark determining process and have come out with wide-ranging reform measures and governing principles for enhancing the robustness and reliability of these crucial financial benchmarks.
The Challenges undertaken by the Vijaya Bhaskar Committee on Financial Benchmarks:
- Study all key financial benchmarks in India, in reference to evaluating their present significance/utilization.
- Propose changes, if any, for addition of new benchmarks or elimination of some of the existent benchmarks.
- Study international experience in dealing with problems concerning benchmarks and learn lessons there from them which applicable to Indian context.
- Analyse the governance mechanisms within the organizations calculating the benchmarks with a view to evaluating conflicts of interest, if any, and propose measures for removing such conflicts and increasing transparency.
- Analyse the need for regulators’ participation in calculation of benchmarks.
- Propose worthy mechanisms for handling with transition issues coming up out of legacy contracts in the case of markets changing to a fresh benchmark.
- Suggest a system of supervisory oversight with regard to institutions caught up in calculating /broadcasting the benchmarks.
- Analyse and suggest on any other associated issues.
“Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and other Truths” – Book by former coal secretary P C Parakh released
“Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and other Truths” authored by former coal secretary P C Parakh released.Controversy surrounding the book:
Parekh in his controversial book has alleged that the PM Manmohan Singh incapable to avert his own junior ministers from blocking a move towards a more transparent system of bidding for coal blocks. Parekh has also claimed that the coal scam could have been averted had PM Singh hard-pressed for reforms, including e-marketing and open auction of coal blocks, as recommended by Parekh to PM. The book details the corrupt practices under the UPA and NDA regime.
Excerpts from the book:
“After the Prime Minister approved open bidding in 2004, letters poured in opposing the move. A few Ministers of States tried to scuttle the proposal, but the Prime Minister remained silent on their repeated attempts to stall open bidding.”
“The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh” – Book by Sanjaya Baru, former Media Advisor to PM
“The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh” –
a memoir by Indian policy analyst Sanjaya Baru released. Mr. Baru was
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Media Advisor from May 2004 until August
2008.Controversy surrounding the book:
The book proclaims that PM Singh had neither complete control over his cabinet nor the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The book instead alleges that a considerable power was possessed by the Congress Party’s President Sonia Gandhi, to whom PM Singh was entirely “subservient“. Thus, the book paints a incriminating portrait of a PM who was in office but “not in power”, while Congress President Sonia Gandhi called the shots.
Excerpts from the book:
“There cannot be two centres of power, that creates confusion. I have to accept that the party president is the centre of power. The government is answerable to the party” – PM Singh to Sanjaya Baru.
Response from PMO on the book:
The PMO released a statement: “It is an attempt to misuse a privileged position and access to high office to gain credibility and to apparently exploit it for commercial gain. The commentary smacks of fiction and coloured views of a former adviser.“
Admiral R.K. Dhowan appointed new Navy chief
Almost two months after Admiral D.K. Joshi resigned in February owning moral responsibility for a series of accidents, Robin K. Dhowan (59) took over as the new Chief of the Indian Navy.
Admiral Dhowan who has been the acting Navy chief since Joshi’s
departure, has now been appointed the Chief of Navy Staff. Admiral
Dhawan’s tenure will last 25 months and he will retire in May 2016.
British Queen confers GBE (Knight Grand Cross) on Ratan Tata
Ratan Tata (76), the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons and former chairman of the Tata Group, honoured by Queen Elizabeth with a GBE (Knight Grand Cross), one of the UK’s highest civilian awards. He is the only Indian among 5 foreigners to be awarded as part of the ‘Honorary British Awards to Foreign Nationals’ for 2014.In 2009, Mr. Tata was conferred a KBE (Knight Commander) by the Queen.
In 2008, the Tata Group under chairmanship of Ratan Tata had acquired the flagging British luxury car brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The Tata Group has emerged as one of the largest employers in Britain, employing nearly 60,000 people across Britain. Now in its 18th year, the Sir Ratan Tata Fellowship works in collaboration with the London School of Economics.
Ratan Tata appointed board member of China-backed Boao Forum
Ratan Tata appointed board member of China-backed Boao Forum. For the first time a senior Indian business
leader inducted as a member of the Board of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA),
an uncommon distinction for an Indian in the Chinese government-backed
influential body.Ratan Tata’s nomination to the board of the BFA is considered as part of China’s attempts to push closer ties with India. Tata is the most successful Indian business group in China. TCS, Range Rover SUV (manufactured by TATA-owned Jaguar Land Rover) are a big hit in China.
Boao Forum for Asia (BFA)
A non-governmental and non-profit international organization with a fixed conference date and a fixed domicile. BFA was officially introduced on February 27, 2001. Since 2002, BFA has been having its yearly conference at Boao, Hainan Province, China which now serves as the permanent site of BFA Headquarters. Each year world’s Top political and business leaders gather at Boao to brain storm on global political and economic issues.
- FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce) is an ordinary member of the Boao Forum.
BFA has now turned into a high-end platform for dialogues between leaders of national governments, industrial and business circles, and academicians of nations in Asia and other continents about the significant subject matters in Asia and even the whole world. BFA is dedicated to pushing Asian countries to accomplish common development via further integration of regional economy. Via its working web with the political, business, and academic circles, BFA will attend to the ever-rising economic cooperation amidst its members and within its members and other entities.
Objective(s):
- To base itself on Asia and encourage and deepen the economic exchange, coordination, and cooperation within Asia and between Asia and other parts of the world.
- To offer a high-end dialog platform for governments, enterprises, experts, and scholars to collectively talk about economy, society, and environment and other pertinent subject matters.
British physicist Stuart Parkin awarded prestigious Millennium technology prize
UK-born
physicist Stuart Parkin won the Millennium technology prize 2014.
Parkin won this prize for his breakthrough in magnetic disk drive
storage capacity.Parkin’s ground-breaking contribution to the science and application of spintronic materials has led to an abnormal expansion in the capacity to store digital information. Parkin employed the process of Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR) to produce enormously sensitive devices that can detect tiny magnetic fields, harbingering the epoch of cloud computing. In magnetic disk drives information is stored as “bits” (0s and 1s) mapped by regions of the disk magnetized differently. Thus, if the detector is more sensitive, then the magnetic regions and fields need to be more smaller to store the information, which implies more data can be put on to a hard disk drive – all in digital form. This discovery led to 1,000-fold betterment in the storage capacity of magnetic disk drives with cost remaining almost same.
The foundation behind this award has made services like Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc. possible.
Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR) and Parkin’s accomplishment:
Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR) was separately discovered by physicists Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg in the late 1980s and in 2007 they shared the Nobel Prize for physics for their work on GMR. The phenomenon develops when atomically thin layers of magnetic and non-magnetic materials are piled on top of each other. In a plain organization, a non-magnetic layer (typically copper) is sandwiched amid two magnetic layers which act like bar magnets pointing either north or south. On inducing a current in this sandwich, electrons pass through the layers. The degree of interference they go through is dissimilar and depends upon an intrinsic quantum mechanical property of them called “Spin“, which can be adjusted to the direction of the bar magnet or against it. Electrons which have a spin in one direction will travel in a freer manner. Thus, the flow of the current can be checked by the proportional placement of the bar magnets of the top and bottom layers. This phenomenon is called Giant Magneto-Resistance (GMR), as its value is much larger than the MR value received from anisotropic MR that come out from normal ferromagnetic materials.
Parkin’s accomplishment was to prepare a device based on such “Spintronic” effects in which tiny magnetic fields from magnetized regions (that store data within the disk drive) can rotate the direction of magnetization in one of the layers of the sandwich. This outcome is a sensor that quickly goes through large alterations in resistance as it reads the disk drive.
Justice R.M. Lodha appointed as the next Chief Justice of India
Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha (64) as the next Chief Justice of India. President Pranab Mukherjee with exercise of his powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the next Chief Justice of India with effect from April 27, 2014.Justice R.M. Lodh will have a short tenure of 5 months as the Chief Justice as he is scheduled to retire on September 27, 2014.
Gulzar selected for Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2013
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that the Veteran poet and film lyricist Gulzar (real name: Sampooran Singh Kalra)
has been chosen for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year
2013. Sampooran Singh Kalra’s pen name is Gulzar. Dadasaheb Phalke
Award is India’s
highest award in cinema, conferred annually by the government for
outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.Awards: Padma Bhushan (2004), Sahitya Akademi Award (2002), Academy Award (2008 – Shared with Music Director A. R. Rahman for “Jai Ho” from film Slumdog Millionaire). He has won 20 Filmfare Awards.
“3D Hologram Technology” used to broadcast Narendra Modi’s rallies all over India
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is using the advanced 3D hologram technology, to address around 1,000 rallies in different States on the same day.This has been made possible by the use of 3D-Hologram Technology. BJP is performing virtual campaigns using 3-D hologram technology in such a large scale for communication during the election period. With the use of 3D Hologram Technology, Modi addresses lakhs of people at the same time, sitting at one place.
Narendra Modi had previously also used this technology. It was used by him for the first time for his election meetings in 2012 to address voters over 53 locations in Gujarat simultaneously.
What Is Holography?
Holography is the science of producing holograms. This advanced form of photography permits the light scattered from an object to be recorded in 3 dimensions and later reconstructed.
Background:
The 1948 paper by Dennis Gabor, considered as the Father of Holography and Holographic Technologies,
is the foundation for modern Holography. The interesting thing about
his paper was that laser light had not even been invented till the time
Dennis wrote his paper.Timeline:
- 1948: Dennis Gabor developed the theory of Holography
- 1960: Pulsed Ruby Laser was developed
- 1962: White Light Reflection Hologram were developed
- 1983: Master Card became the first Credit Card to use Holograms
- 2009: Interactive Holographic displays developed
- 2010: Development of Moving 3D Holograms
A
Hologram when looked from various angles, projects different
perspectives. It normally looks like a glittering picture or smear of
colors and if cut in half, each half comprises of whole views of the
entire holographic image.How 3D Holographic Projection Technology used in Narendra Modi’s campaign works?
The technology used in Narendra Modi’s campaign is based on “Hi-Definition Projection Technology”. The technique Narendra Modi is captured in a 3D Aspect with a Special Hi-Definition Camera on a specially built Stage and then Projected “As Is” at several remote locations “At-A-Time”. This necessitates the use of a laser, interference, diffraction, and light intensity recording and suitable illumination of the recording. The image alters as the position and orientation of the viewing system alters. The public (audience) at the other end of the stage experience the presence of Narendra Modi (projected ‘Virtual” person) in front of them and, without even wearing any kind of 3D glasses.
Holography may be viewed as analogous to sound recording, in which a sound field created by a vibrating material viz. musical instrument or vocal cord, is encoded in such a manner that it can be reproduced afterwards, without the presence of the original vibrating matter. Similarly, in Holography a light field (produced from a light source scattered off objects) is recorded and afterwards reconstructed when the original light field is no longer present, because of the absence of the original object.
This technique is grounded on “Pepper’s ghost”, a theatre proficiency used for centuries in plays and magic tricks for developing illusions. In the ingenious re-imagining of the Pepper’s Ghost technique a patented foil, completely invisible to the naked eye, is rigged at 45° all over the stage.
The stage reflects back the content from the projector upwards to the
foil which gives a feeling of a real 3D moving live image on the stage.
Based on Pepper’s ghost illusion technique
A Model of Stage setup used in Narendra Modi’s virtual rallies
‘Know your candidate’ tool launched by Google for Lok Sabha Elections 2014
As part of the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2014 in India, Internet giant Google has come up with its tool ‘Know Your Candidate’
which will assist Citizens of India to get a very basic snapshot
information about their Candidates, incumbent MPs as well as other
candidates contesting from all over India. The tool incorporates
publicly accessible information, such as educational background,
financial details and social media
presence about the candidate. The information has been obtained from
Indian organizations such as the Association for Democratic Reforms
(ADR), PRS Legislative Research and Liberty Institute India.
The tool which will be modified on a
regular basis, will furnish information about all candidates as they get
finalized. The information will be made available at least a week
before the voting day in each constituency. This will assist Voters to
assist in selection the right candidate from their constituency.
Click here to use the “Know Your Candidate” Tool by Google
Koyal Rana wins Miss India 2014 title
Koyal Rana from Jaipur won the Miss India 2014 crown at the 51st edition of the beauty pageant. The runners up were Jhataleka Malhotra (1st runner-up) from Mumbai
and Gail Da’Silva (2nd runner-up) from Goa. 2013 Miss India winner
Navneet Kaur Dhillion and Miss World 2013 Megan Young crowned Rana the
new Femina Miss India 2014.Miss India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant in India is organised by Femina, a women’s magazine published by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. The winner of Femina Miss India goes to compete globally for Miss World, while the first runner up goes to compete globally in Miss Earth, and the second runner up goes to compete globally for Miss Supranational.
| Name of the title | Winners |
| Miss India World 2014 | Koyal Rana |
| Miss India 2014 1st runner up | Jhataleka Malhotra |
| Miss India 2014 2nd runner up | Gail Da’Silva |
- Miss Multimedia: Irshikaa Mehrotra
- Miss Beauty With Purpose: Koyal Rana
- Miss Fashion Icon: Jantee Hazarika
- Miss Vivacious: Tenneti Joga Bhanu
- Miss Healthy Skin: Koyal Rana
- Miss Timeless Beauty: Gail Dasilva
- Miss Adventurous: Yoshiki Sindhar
- Miss Beautiful Hair: Nikhila Nandgopal
- Miss Congeniality: Aarpita Kaur
- Miss Active: Nikhila Nandgopal
- Miss Lifestyle: Sathitya Jagannathan
- Miss Talented: Deepti Sati
- Miss Body Beautiful: Lopamudra Raut
- Miss Rampwalk: Varsha Gopal
- Miss Photogenic: Jantee Hazarika
- Miss Beautiful Smile: Irshikaa Merhotra
- Miss Waterbaby: Mansi Grewal
- Miss Iron Maiden: Deepti Sati
- Miss Sudoku: Malati Chahar
- Miss National Costume: Jhataleka Malhotra
Sri Lanka beat India to win its maiden Cricket World Cup T20 title
Sri Lanka lifted their maiden World Twenty20 title by beating India in the finals held at Mirpur , Bangladesh. Sri
Lanka 132-4 (17.5 overs) beat India 130-4 (20 overs) by 6 wickets. Sri
Lanka finally managed to break their jinx of losing the finals of global
events, having gone down in the decider of the 50-over World Cup in
2007 and 2011 and T20 World Cup in 2009 and 2012.
Dreams of India to become the first team to hold all three limited-overs trophies, were shattered by the 52 not out knock from Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene both aged 36, had announced their plans to retire from T20 international cricket just before start of the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.
India’s Virat Kohli, won the World Twenty20 player of the tournament award.
Dreams of India to become the first team to hold all three limited-overs trophies, were shattered by the 52 not out knock from Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene both aged 36, had announced their plans to retire from T20 international cricket just before start of the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.
India’s Virat Kohli, won the World Twenty20 player of the tournament award.
Australia beat England to win their 3rd successive Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup (2014) title
Australia lifted their 3rd World Twenty20 title by beating Australia in the finals held at Dhaka , Bangladesh. Australia 106 for 4 beat England 105 for 8 by six wickets. It was Australia’s third T20 triumph in succession. England medium-pacer Anya Shrubsole was named as the Women’s Player of the Tournament
of the ICC World Twenty20. The 22-year-old grabbed 12 wickets at an
average of 5.75 in the lead her team(England) up to the final.
For the ICC Women’s Cricket World Twenty20 (2014):
For the ICC Women’s Cricket World Twenty20 (2014):
- Australia captain: Meghann Moira Lanning
- England Captain: Charlotte Marie Edwards
- Indian Captain: Mithali Raj
Indian-origin teenager Suvir Mirchandani shows how printing in ‘Garamond Font’ could save US Government $400 Million every year
Suvir Mirchandani, a 14 year old Indian origin student at
a school in Pennsylvania, has found a way of saving the US government
$400 million dollars (£240 million) per annum. Suvir has shown how by
simply changing the Font US Govt uses for printing official documents,
the US Govt can save $400 million dollars (£240 million) per annum.
Rationale for the finding:
Suvir calculated that if US government uses “Garamond” font instead of the “Times New Roman”, font usually used by Govt, the Garamond font would use 25% less ink as each character in Garamond is lighter and thinner. Thus, cost of printing voluminous documents of Government would be subsequently reduced.
Federal government if used just Garamond then it could save $136 million (£81 million) per year. If State Governments also use the Garamond font, then an additional $234 million (£140 million) could be saved annually.
Suvir calculated that if US government uses “Garamond” font instead of the “Times New Roman”, font usually used by Govt, the Garamond font would use 25% less ink as each character in Garamond is lighter and thinner. Thus, cost of printing voluminous documents of Government would be subsequently reduced.
Federal government if used just Garamond then it could save $136 million (£81 million) per year. If State Governments also use the Garamond font, then an additional $234 million (£140 million) could be saved annually.
Aamir Khan becomes Election Commission’s National Icon
The Election Commission entered into a partnership with film actor Aamir Khan as its National
Icon. Election Commission has recorded video and audio campaigns
showing Aamir Khan urging Indian Citizens to vote “ethically”. Aamir has
also lent his voice to audio spots prepared for the Election
Commission.As indicated on the Election Commission’s National Voters’ Pledge, Aamir also asks Indian citizens to be determined and vote without fear, pressure or any bribes, etc.
Jens Stoltenberg: Next secretary general of NATO
The Atlantic Council has appointed Jens Stoltenberg as the next Secretary General of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Mr. Stoltenberg will replace Denmark’s Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen and take over as leader of the 28-nation military alliance in October 2014.
Jens Stoltenberg was Prime Minister of Norway from 2000-01 and again from 2005-13. Norway was a founding member of NATO in 1949, and Stoltenberg is the first Norwegian to serve as Secretary-General
Jens Stoltenberg was Prime Minister of Norway from 2000-01 and again from 2005-13. Norway was a founding member of NATO in 1949, and Stoltenberg is the first Norwegian to serve as Secretary-General
Death penalty of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court
On grounds of delay in deciding mercy plea and medical condition, the Supreme Court of India commuted the death penalty of 1993 Delhi bomb blast case convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar to life imprisonment. The Chief Justice P Sathasivam bench granted life to Bhullar on the grounds of inordinate delay in deciding his mercy petition and his suffering from Schizophrenia.
Some key points from the Judgement made by the Honourable Supreme Court:-
Death penalty can be commuted to life on the ground of inordinate delay on part of President to decide their mercy pleas.
Death sentence of a condemned prisoner cannot be executed if (s)he is suffering from mental illness and schizophrenia.
There has to be a minimum 14-day gap between the information given to condemned prisoner about rejection of mercy plea and the actual execution date. This will give the condemned prisoner an opportunity to either challenge the rejection, eat the food he likes, meet family, relatives and friends.
All condemned prisoners are entitled to free legal aid to draft mercy petitions and challenge its rejection.
Every person on death row, whether convicted for multiple murder or terrorism cases, will have a right to approach SC to challenge the rejection of their mercy petitions on grounds of inordinate delay in deciding the mercy plea.
Therefore, now inordinate delay clause would be applicable to terrorism cases also.
Devinderpal Singh Bhullar
Some key points from the Judgement made by the Honourable Supreme Court:-
Death penalty can be commuted to life on the ground of inordinate delay on part of President to decide their mercy pleas.
Death sentence of a condemned prisoner cannot be executed if (s)he is suffering from mental illness and schizophrenia.
There has to be a minimum 14-day gap between the information given to condemned prisoner about rejection of mercy plea and the actual execution date. This will give the condemned prisoner an opportunity to either challenge the rejection, eat the food he likes, meet family, relatives and friends.
All condemned prisoners are entitled to free legal aid to draft mercy petitions and challenge its rejection.
Every person on death row, whether convicted for multiple murder or terrorism cases, will have a right to approach SC to challenge the rejection of their mercy petitions on grounds of inordinate delay in deciding the mercy plea.
Therefore, now inordinate delay clause would be applicable to terrorism cases also.
Devinderpal Singh Bhullar
- Born: May 26, 1965 in Punjab.
- Profession: Professor of Engineering.
- Convicted of killing 9 bystanders in a 1993 car bombing intended to kill politician Maninderjeet Singh Bitta.
- His petition for mercy was rejected by the President of India after eight years (an unnecessary delay).
- In January, 2014, the apex court had stopped Bhullar’s execution and had sought a medical report on his mental health.
- Bhullar’s family had pleaded that the 49-year-old is mentally unfit and thus should not be hanged.
Novak Djokovic clinched 2014 Miami Masters title by defeating Rafel Nadal in the finals
Novak Djokovic clinched his 4th Miami Masters title by defeating World No:1 Rafael Nadal by 6-3, 6-3 in the men’s singles final.
Other winners of 2014 Miami Masters title
Miami Masters is a yearly Tennis tournament for men and women held in Miami, Florida. It is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event for the men’s tour and a Premier Mandatory event for the women’s tour, played on hard court.
Other winners of 2014 Miami Masters title
- Womens’ Singles: Serena Williams (USA) won by defeating Li Na (China).
- Men’s doubles: United States players Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan won by defeating Colombian players Juan Sebastián Cabal & Robert Farah.
- Women’s doubles: Martina Hingis & Sabine Lisicki won by defeating Ekaterina Makarova & Elena Vesnina.
Miami Masters is a yearly Tennis tournament for men and women held in Miami, Florida. It is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event for the men’s tour and a Premier Mandatory event for the women’s tour, played on hard court.
“Iwao Hakamada”- World’s longest-serving death row-inmate freed by Japan
The Japanese court release of the World’s longest serving death row inmate, Mr. Iwao Hakamada (78), as the evidences used against him were probably made up.
About Mr. Iwao Hakamada
Note: The only crimes that can lead to a death sentence in Japan are murder and treason.
About Mr. Iwao Hakamada
- Nationality: Japanese.
- Japanese former professional boxer.
- Sentenced to death on September 11, 1968 for a mass murder (known as the Hakamada Incident).
- Convicted of killing a company manager and his family and setting fire to their central Japan home, where he was a live-in employee.
- Known for: World’s longest death-row inmate (48 years) certified by Guinness World Records.
Note: The only crimes that can lead to a death sentence in Japan are murder and treason.
President Pranab Mukherjee re-promulgated SEBI ordinance
President Pranab Mukherjee cleared the re-promulgation of the SEBI Ordinance
that provides powers for SEBI Chairman to authorize Investigating
Authority or any other officer of the regulator to conduct search and
seizure under the SEBI Act and crack down on Ponzi schemes.
SEBI ordinance – Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2013
SEBI ordinance – Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2013
- Purpose: To arm the regulator with more stringent powers comes in wake of thousands of duped investors reportedly taking to the streets in Siliguri (West Bengal) protesting the proliferation of chit fund companies there and the Rs 2,000-crore Sardhaa chit fund scam.
- SEBI can regulate any money pooling scheme worth Rs 100 crore or more and attach assets in cases of non-compliance and its Chairman can order “search and seizure operations”.
- Empowers the market watchdog to seek information, such as telephone call data records, from any persons or entities in respect to any securities transaction being investigated by it.
Parthasarathi Shome panel for tax administration reform set up
In a bid to bring more credibility among tax payers and to streamline income tax procedures, the Union Government has set up a Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC) comprising officials from public and private sector agencies.
About Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC)
Chairman: Dr. Parthasarathi Shome.
Focus: On the rules and features and structural reforms in tax administration.
Members: Former chairmen of two tax boards, Former Chief Financial Officer from IT service provider Tata Consultancy Services and an Ex-Vice President for Taxation from the Murugappa Group.
Purpose: To bring in more transparency in the tax department and in the collection of taxes as a certain amount of “distrust” emerged between the tax department and the tax payers.
About Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC)
Chairman: Dr. Parthasarathi Shome.
Focus: On the rules and features and structural reforms in tax administration.
Members: Former chairmen of two tax boards, Former Chief Financial Officer from IT service provider Tata Consultancy Services and an Ex-Vice President for Taxation from the Murugappa Group.
Purpose: To bring in more transparency in the tax department and in the collection of taxes as a certain amount of “distrust” emerged between the tax department and the tax payers.
Japanese architect Mr. Shigeru Ban won the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2014
The Japanese architecture, Mr. Shigeru Ban (56)
won the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2014 for his unique approach in
using materials viz. paper tubes, bamboo and shipping containers.
About Mr. Shigeru Ban
About Mr. Shigeru Ban
- Known for his creative and inexpensive designs for disaster relief shelters.
- Purpose: To build an inexpensive and easy-to-construct-and- dismantle structures.
- Designed a range of buildings to help victims of natural disasters and refugees in places viz. Rwanda, Turkey, India, China, Haiti,Japan, etc.
- Uses cardboard tubes to make temporary housing in disaster zones.
- Notable work: the seven-storied wooden office-building in Zurich, and the church made of cardboard tubes and colour glasses in Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Establish: 1979.
- Awarded for: A career of achievement in the art of architecture.
- Sponsor: Hyatt Foundation.
- Prize: $100,000, a citation and a bronze medallion.
Mr. Govind Mishra selected for Saraswati Samman 2013
The renowned Hindi author, Mr. Govind Mishra will receive Sarawasti Samman 2013 for his book “Dhool Paudho Par” published in 2008. The award would make Mr. Mishra the second Hindi author to receive the honour after noted Indian poet Mr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan.
About Saraswati Samman
About Saraswati Samman
- Establish: 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation.
- Cash Price: Rs 10 lakh, a citation and a plaque.
- Annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works in any Indian language listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.
Stuart Oliver won first edition of Tata T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship
The British racer, Mr. Stuart Oliver won the Tata T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship (India’s first truck racing championship) at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida. Mr. Oliver represented Castrol Vecton team in the race and took 30:26.848 minutes to complete 15 laps of the 2.5 km loop on the 5.1 km-long track.
About T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship
About T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship
- Two races: a 5-lap Sprint Race and a 15-lap Main Race.
- Champion Award granted to the winning driver on the basis on combined points from both the races.
- The Team Championship was awarded on the basis of the combined scores of the two drivers of the respective teams from both the races.
- The series used 12 heavily-modified Tata Prima trucks having 370 horsepower and reaching a top speed of 110 km/hr.
- Top three winners: Stuart Oliver (Castrol) , Mathew Summerfield (Cummins) and Dave Jenkins (Tata Technologies).
“Lal Bahadur Shastri: Lessons in Leadership”- Anil Shastri’s book launched by Dalai Lama
The Tibetian spiritual leader Dalai Lama launched a book on the life of Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in New Delhi. The book titled ‘Lal Bahadur Shastri: Lessons in Leadership’ is a biographical account co-authored by former PM’s son Anil Shastri and columnist Pavan Choudhary.
- Lal Bahadur Shastri was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of India and a leader of the Indian National Congress party. He led his life with great simplicity and honesty and was a great source of inspiration for all the countrymen.
- Highlights the rich values and principles of Former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri which may have moral lessons for masses.
- And also his exemplary leadership that helped the nation to overcome challenges viz. the acute food shortage, social unrest, hostile neighbors, etc.
- Contains an account of how Former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri handled questions of governance and politics even as he dealt with crises viz. the 1965 war with Pakistan.
Kirti Chakra gallantry awards 2014
The President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee presented gallantry awards to defense personnel for their distinguished services at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Kirti Chakra awards: Lt Commander Abhilash Tomy, Major Mahesh Kumar and Wing Commander Darryl Castelino.
Two Uttam Yudh seva medals and 10 Shaurya Chakra awards were also conferred to the defence personnel.
Note: Kirti Chakra is the second highest peace time gallantry award i.e. awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle.
Kirti Chakra awards: Lt Commander Abhilash Tomy, Major Mahesh Kumar and Wing Commander Darryl Castelino.
- Wing Commander Darryl Castelino: Awarded posthumously for his role in operation Rahat in Uttarakhand where his chopper crashed with 20 personnel on board after he had helped in rescuing lives of more than 80 people.
- Major Mahesh Kumar (Punjab Regiment): Awarded for his gallant acts in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir where he killed 4 terrorists in three separate incidents.
- Caption Abhilash Tomy: Awarded for completing world voyage on his sail ship non-stop and without any external support in 151 days.
Two Uttam Yudh seva medals and 10 Shaurya Chakra awards were also conferred to the defence personnel.
Note: Kirti Chakra is the second highest peace time gallantry award i.e. awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle.
Environmentalist Ms. Almitra Patel
Environmentalist Ms. Almitra Patel is the member of Supreme Court Committee for Solid Waste Management of India.
She has a very strong technical background and experience in several
engineering fields, good para-medical knowledge and on a wide variety of
pollution-related issues.
About Ms. Patel’s work in the field of environment & solid waste management practices
About Ms. Patel’s work in the field of environment & solid waste management practices
- Honorary Tree Warden for Karnataka.
- Founder Member of Swabhimana.
- Fought a successful battle against poor solid waste management and filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to force the Union Government to put in place effective solid waste management rules in the country.
- Designed and supervised construction of 41 low-cost homes, 22 poultry sheds and 2 large school buildings.
- Designed and built a gender-friendly low-cost toilet to prevent blockage of sewers.
- Convener, INTACH Waste Network.
- Honorary Advisor / supporter / mentor of numerous students, entrepreneurs, individuals and NGOs in the fields of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Waste Water Management.
- Award(s): Economic Times’ Achiever of the Year for Environment in Karnataka, Golden Jubilee Award for Environment from Bangalore City Corp’n, Kempegowda Award-winner for Environment, etc.
- Publications: Vacuum Concrete, Track Down Your Induction Furnace Lining Problems, Strategies for Slum – Free cities : A Discussion Paper, etc.
RBI Deputy Governor KC Chakrabarty gave early resignation
Dr. Kamalesh Chandra Chakrabarty (62), the Deputy Governor of RBI, resigned from the post against his scheduled term end, due to his personal reasons. His term was scheduled to end on June 30, 2014.
Mr. Nandan Nilekani resigned as chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and formally joined Congress. Infosys co-founder Mr. Nilekani will contest Lok Sabha polls from Bangalore. Mr. Nandan Nilekani declared that his and wife Rohini’s assets were worth Rs.7,700 crore
Note: Bangalore South has been a hostile terrain for Congress which had been tasting defeat since the late 1970s, barring in 1989 when former chief minister late R. Gundu Rao had won.
The World No.2 Tennis player, Novak Djokovic won the BNP Paribas Open singles title 2014 by defeating Roger Federer by 3-6, 6-3,7-6 in California.
Other winners of BNP Paribas Open 2014
Women’s singles title: Flavia Pennetta (Italy) defeated Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) by 6-2, 6-1.
Women’s doubles title: Hsieh Su-Wei (Chinese Taipei) & Peng Shuai (China) defeated Cara Black (Zimbabwe) and Sania Mirza (India) by 7-6(5), 6-2.
Men’s doubles title: United States pair Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan defeated Alexander Peya (Austria) & Bruno Soares (Brazil) by 6–4, 6–3.
Note: The Indian Wells Masters, also known by its current sponsored name the BNP Paribas Open, is an annual tennis tournament held in Indian Wells, California, United States.
Indian
Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been voted the cricketer of the
generation by a 50-member jury of current and former cricketers and
journalists. The award is meant to honour the most outstanding cricketer between the years 1993 and 2013.
The award ceremony was organized in Mumbai to also mark the 20th anniversary celebrations for the cricket website.
Winners of ESPNcricinfo Award 2013
Retired Supreme Court judge, Mr. BN Srikrishna appointed as the Chairman of Financial Planning Standards Board India (FPSB). He succeeded Mr. Dhirendra Swarup.
About Mr. BN Srikrishna
Retired Supreme Court Judge.
Served as the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court.
Also served as the Chairman of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) and headed the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
Note: FPSB India is a public-private enterprise and a professional standards setting body that proactively guides development and promotion of standards for financial planning professionals to benefit and protect the public. (Founded: 2005 & Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra).
The public sector lender, Canara Bank announced cricketer Shikhar Dhawan as its brand ambassador.
Objective: To gear up for the next phase of banking with a special focus on the country’s youth.
Canara Bank is not the first public sector lender to name a cricketer as its brand ambassador. For example- Cricketer Rahul Dravid has been Bank of Baroda’s brand ambassador since 2005.
At the 7th Asian Air Gun Championship in Kuwait, India’s ace shooter Ms Heena Sidhu clinched the air pistol women’s gold medal and Chain Singh
bagged a gold medal in men’s air rifle event. In the women’s team
event, Heena (386), Shweta Chaudhary (378) and Harveen Srao (374) won
the silver medal in the team event with a total score of
1138/1200. In the men’s team event, Chain Singh (619.6), Ravi Kumar
(620.7) and PT Raghunath (615.8) won the bronze medal. The gold and silver medals were won by China and Iran.
Note: Presently, Heena Sidhu is the world record holder in finals with a score of 203.8 at ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany in 2013.
The
Indian cricketer Virat Kohli reclaimed the number one position in the
ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen. He was able to claim the first
position by gaining 12 points during the Asia Cup by scoring 189 runs in
three innings with 136 against Bangladesh. He is followed by South African ODI captain AB de Villers, who was at the first position before the Asia Cup.
Top position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player Rankings for
Ms Michelle Bachelet (62) sworn-in as the President of Chile for second time. She is the first person since 1932 to win the presidency of her country twice in competitive elections. Previously, Ms Bachelet served as Chilean President from 2006-2010.
Succeeded by: Sebastián Piñera.
Note: Under Chile’s constitution, she was banned from running for a second consecutive term, even though her popularity ratings remained high.
Indian author Mr. Pankaj Mishra won the prestigious Donald Windham Campbell Literature prize 2014 in the non-fiction category. The awards are announced by The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at YaleUniversity.
Mr. Mishra Mishra is an Indian essayist, memoirist, travel writer and novelist whose work expands our understanding of the encounter between Western and Non-western culture.
Besides the novel, The Romantics, he has published four works of non-fiction: Butter Chicken in Ludhiana: Travels in Small TownIndia, An End to Suffering: the Buddha in the World, Temptations of the West: How to Be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet, and Beyond and From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia.
2014 prizewinners of Donald Windham Campbell Literature Prize in
Indian-American attorney, Mr. Vince Chhabria (44) will become California’s first federal judge of South Asian descent. At present, Mr. Chhabria serves as the Deputy City Attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. He has represented San Francisco in defense of its health insurance law, adoption rights of same-sex couples and other major cases, has won Senate confirmation for a federal judgeship.
As per the Shyamala Gopinath Committee’s recommendations
Former Delhi chief minister Ms. Sheila Dikshit (75) appointed as the Governor of Kerala by the President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. Ms. Dikshit succeeded Mr. Nikhil Kumar, a former Delhi Police
Commissioner. She became the 22nd Governor of Kerala. Ms Dixit formerly
served as the Chief Minister of Delhi from 1998 to 2013.
Ms Dikshit was defeated in her own constituency, New Delhi,In December 2013 elections to the Legislative Assembly of Delhi, by Mr Arvind Kejriwal
Former External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh released a book titled, “ India at Risk – Mistakes, Misconceptions and Misadventures of security policy”. The book is on 60 years of Indian security issues.
About the book “India at Risk”
Throws a light on various events that took place during his appointments as minister of External Affairs and Minister of Defence viz. hijacking of IC 814 to Kandahar-1999, the Kargil war, the Operation Parakaram 2011, etc.
Also includes history events viz. Indo-China wars, the Indo-Pak war, Kargil, the Emergency, etc.
From Kandahar to Pakistan, Mr Singh reveals what really happened as India faced grave security challenges.
Overall, the book brings forth the mistakes, misconception and misadventures of Indian security policy for past 60 years and way forward.
About Mr. Jaswant Singh
Microsoft Co-founder, Mr. Bill Gates
regained the title of the world’s richest person in the Forbes 2014
billionaire list. Mr. Gates has topped the list for 15 of the last 20
years, with a net worth of $76 billion and Mexico’s telecommunications mogul Mr. Carlos Slim Helu is at second place.
As per the Forbes’ 28th annual ranking of the world’s billionaires 2014
The US leads the list of billionaires in the world with 492 billionaires, followed by China (152) and Russia (111). The list has new billionaires from Algeria, Lithuania, Tanzania and Uganda.
Total number of billionaires in the world: 1,645 with combined net worth of $6.4 trillion.
Top 5 billionaires: Mr. Bill Gates, Mr. Carlos Slim Helu, Mr. Amancio Ortega, Mr. Warren Buffett, and Mr. Larry Ellison (Oracle Corp chief).
Indian shuttler, Arvind Bhat (34) defeated Denmark’s
World No. 25 Hans-Kristian Vittinghus to clinch the men’s singles title
of the $120,000 German Open Grand Prix Gold. This is the first time an Indian has won a German Open title in any category. ( Indian chief national coach Pullela Gopichand had reached the final way back in 1999.)
World Ranking: 87.
Coach: Prakash Padukone.
Won six International titles viz.e Scottish Open 2004, Syria International 2007, Czech International 2007, etc.
Participated in the 2010 Asian games in Guanzhou, China and was in the Indian team for Sudirman Cup 2011.
The 86th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Roger Federer won the Singles title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis
Championship after defeating Tomas Berdych by 3-6, 6-4, and 6-3 in the
final. This is the sixth title for Roger Federer in Dubai and also the
78th career title.
Note: Indo Pak duo of Rohan Bopanna and Aihsan ul Haq Qureshi bagged the doubles title by defeating Daniel Nestor and N. Zimonjic by 6-4, 6-3 in straight sets.
The Vice President of India Mr. M. Hamid Ansari released a book “Ambedkar: Awakening India’s Social Conscience”
authored by Dr. Narendra Jadhav. This book is the first ever
intellectual biography of Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, a dalit icon
and chief architect of the Indian constitution.
Dr. Jadhav is a member of the planning commission and a well-known economist, policy maker, educationist, social scientist and best-selling author and holds a PhD in Economics from Indiana University, USA.
Mr. Sourav Kothari won the National
Billiard Championships held in Lucknow by beating Alok Kumar by 5-3. It
is the first maiden title for Saurav Kothari since he turned
professional in 2007.
Sourav Kothari and Alok Kumar both play for Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB). Third position was secured by B. Bhaskar by beating Dhruv Sitwala.
Mr. Dinesh K Sarraf appointed the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC).
Previously, he was the Managing Director of ONGC’s overseas arm, ONGC Videsh (OVL). Mr. Sarraf replaced Mr. Sudhir Vasudeva.
The
veteran Indian painter Mr. Prokash Karmakar (81) passed away in Kolkata
due to age related illness. The painter was best known for his
landscapes and nudes.
About Mr. Prokash Karmakar
The well-known Telugu litterateur, Dr. Janumaddi Hanumath Sastry (90) passed away in Kapada town of Andhra Pradesh due to old age-related illness.
About Dr. Janumaddi Hanumath Sastry
Born: Rayadurg in Anantapur district on September 5, 1926.
Awards: Kavitraya Jayanthi Puraskaram, the Gadicherla award, Sarvadhari Ugadi Puraskaram, etc.
Authored books: Maa Seema Kavulu, Mana Devathalu, Rasavadghattalu, Bellary Raghava, Mokshagundam Visweswarayya, C.P. Brown Charitra, Dr. Ambedkar, Ganapati, etc.
For his contribution to Telugu literature, he was conferred with a doctorate by Telugu University Hyderabad.
Delivered over 150 talks on AIR and wrote over 2,000 articles for various magazines.
Organized C.P. Brown bicentennial celebrations in November 1998.
The Vice President of India, Mr. M. Hamid Ansari launched a book titled “Water, Peace and War – Confronting the Global Water Crisis” authored by Mr. Brahma Chellaney.
About the “Water, Peace and War – Confronting the Global Water Crisis” book
Focus: On a wide range of research from scientific and policy fields to examine the global linkages between water and peace.
Author: Mr. Brahma Chellaney.
Founds a way on how we can secure humankind’s water future and promised to become the recognized authority on the most precious natural resources of this century.
The author sketched a bleak picture of water scarcity in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East regions that are not only struggling with unstable governments, but also rapidly growing populations.
Water stressed conditions are also appearing in developed countries, viz. Australia, Spain, and South Korea. Even the deep-water aquifers that support modern agriculture in North America are dwindling.
The Indian-American scientist, Ms. Sangeeta Bhatia
developed a simple, cheap, paper test that could improve cancer
diagnosis rates and help people to get treated earlier. Ms. Bhatia is
professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Howard
Hughes Medical Institute.
About the paper diagnostic test for cancer
The diagnostic, which works much like a pregnancy test, could reveal within minutes, based on a urine sample, whether a person has cancer. The synthetic biomarker technology relies on nano-particles that interact with tumour proteins called proteases, each of which can trigger release of hundreds of biomarkers that are then easily detectable in a patient’s urine.
India’s middle order batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the Gujarat state Election Commission for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Objective: To encourage young voters of the region to caste their votes in the upcoming elections.
Mr. Pujara is known for his discipline, integrity and sense of duty towards his country as he has been an integral part of India’s cricket team for the several years. He has a very clean image and has always steered himself clear of controversies. He won the Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2013.
India’s oldest parliamentarian, Mr. Rishang Keishing (94) decided to retire after serving the nation for seven decades. His term at Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of Parliament) ends on April 9, 2014.
Mr. Keishing started his political career as a socialist and became the member of the first Lok Sabha in 1952 after being elected from Socialist Party; he joined the Congress in 1962. He had served as Chief Minister of Manipur four times.
Note: After Mr. Keishing’s retirement, Mr. Ram Sundar Das of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) will be the oldest MP in the Lok Sabha.
- Mr. Chaktabarty is also the Chairman of the Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran and also heads the Advisory Committee of College of Agricultural Banking (CAB).
- First RBI top official to quit before retirement in the last two decades.
- Appointed as RBI Deputy Governor for a three-year term on June 15, 2009 and was subsequently given a two-year extension. His extended term was to come to end on June 15, 2014.
- Known for his strong views on use of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) as a tool for monetary management, was involved in verbal duel last year with the then SBI Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri, who wanted its abolition.
- Current portfolio at RBI: Secretary’s Department, Department of Banking Supervision, Financial Stability Unit, Human Resource Management Department, Rajbhasha Department, Department of Currency Management, Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, Customer Service Department and the Rural Planning and Credit Department.
- RBI’s nominee on the Financial Stability Board. (FSB- a global body established to develop and promote implementation of effective regulatory, supervisory and other financial sector policies).
- Previous jobs: Worked in Bank of Baroda, Chairman of the Indian Bank and then Punjab National Bank before being appointed as Deputy Governor of RBI.
Gyan Correa bagged the Gollapudi Srinivas National Award 2013
The debutant director of Gujarati movie “The Good Road”, Mr. Gyan Correa has been selected for the 17th Gollapudi Srinivas National Award 2013. The award would be presented to the winners on August 12, 2014 in Chennai.
Gollapudi Srinivas National Award
Gollapudi Srinivas National Award
- Instituted in memory of late Gollapudi Srinivasa, who died while directing his first film Prema Pustakam (Book of Love) on August 12, 1992.
- Cash Prize: Rs.1.50 lakh and a memento.
G D Birla award for scientific research 2013: Physicist Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar
Physicist Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar (46) to be honoured with 23rd G D Birla award for scientific research for 2013.
At present, Mr. Gopakumar working as a theoritical physicist at Harish
Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad and has made important
contributions on topics in quantum field theory and string theory.
About G D Birla award for scientific research
About G D Birla award for scientific research
- Established: 1991 K K Birla Foundation to recognise significant scientific research undertaken by Indian scientists below the age of 50, working in India.
- Cash Prize: Rs. 1.5 lakh and a citation.
Mr. Nandan Nilekani resigned as UIDAI chairman
Mr. Nandan Nilekani resigned as chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and formally joined Congress. Infosys co-founder Mr. Nilekani will contest Lok Sabha polls from Bangalore. Mr. Nandan Nilekani declared that his and wife Rohini’s assets were worth Rs.7,700 croreNote: Bangalore South has been a hostile terrain for Congress which had been tasting defeat since the late 1970s, barring in 1989 when former chief minister late R. Gundu Rao had won.
ATP Indian Wells 2014: Novak Djokovic won BNP Paribas Open by defeating Roger Federer
The World No.2 Tennis player, Novak Djokovic won the BNP Paribas Open singles title 2014 by defeating Roger Federer by 3-6, 6-3,7-6 in California.Other winners of BNP Paribas Open 2014
Women’s singles title: Flavia Pennetta (Italy) defeated Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) by 6-2, 6-1.
Women’s doubles title: Hsieh Su-Wei (Chinese Taipei) & Peng Shuai (China) defeated Cara Black (Zimbabwe) and Sania Mirza (India) by 7-6(5), 6-2.
Men’s doubles title: United States pair Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan defeated Alexander Peya (Austria) & Bruno Soares (Brazil) by 6–4, 6–3.
Note: The Indian Wells Masters, also known by its current sponsored name the BNP Paribas Open, is an annual tennis tournament held in Indian Wells, California, United States.
ESPNcricinfo Awards 2013: “Sachin Tendulkar”- Cricketer of the Generation
Indian
Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been voted the cricketer of the
generation by a 50-member jury of current and former cricketers and
journalists. The award is meant to honour the most outstanding cricketer between the years 1993 and 2013.The award ceremony was organized in Mumbai to also mark the 20th anniversary celebrations for the cricket website.
Winners of ESPNcricinfo Award 2013
- Test batting award: Shikhar Dhawan (India) for his rollicking 187 on debut against Australia in Mohali in 2013.
- ODI bowling award: Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) (he won in the same category for 2009).
- Test bowling title: Mitchell Johnson (Australia).
- Debutant of the Year (new category): Mohammed Shami (India) who took 17 wickets in his four Tests in 2013, and 30 ODI wickets.
- Contribution to Cricket Award: Mr. Tarak Sinha (head coach of the Sonnet Cricket Club in Delhi).
- Cricket for Good award: Rahul Dravid (India) for his mentorship of junior and paralympic athletes in India in his association with the GoSports Foundation.
- Statsguru Award: South Africans AB de Villiers (South Africa) and Dale Steyn (South Africa).
- Batsman of the Year, Best Test Batsman, and Most Consistent Batsman: AB de Villiers (South Africa).
- Bowler of the Year and the Best Test Bowler: Dale Steyn (South Africa).
Former SC judge Mr. BN Srikrishna appointed as chairman of Financial Planning Standards Board India (FPSB)
Retired Supreme Court judge, Mr. BN Srikrishna appointed as the Chairman of Financial Planning Standards Board India (FPSB). He succeeded Mr. Dhirendra Swarup.About Mr. BN Srikrishna
Retired Supreme Court Judge.
Served as the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court.
Also served as the Chairman of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) and headed the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
Note: FPSB India is a public-private enterprise and a professional standards setting body that proactively guides development and promotion of standards for financial planning professionals to benefit and protect the public. (Founded: 2005 & Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra).
Sahitya Akademi Award 2013
The President of Sahitya Akademi, Dr.Viswanath Prasad Tiwari presented prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award 2013 at the annual “Festival of Letters” in New Delhi.
Sahitya Akademi Award 2013 to
Sahitya Akademi Award 2013 to
- Famous poets: Rabindra Sarkar (Assamese), Subodh Sarkar (Bengali), Anil Boro (Bodo), Sitaram Sapolia (Dogri), Chinu Modi (Gujarati), Ambika Dutt (Rajasthani), Radhakant Thakur (Sanskrit), Arjun Charan Hembram (Santali), Namdev Tarachandani (Sindhi) and Javed Akhtar (Urdu) .
- Novelists: Mridula Garg (Hindi),Manmohan (Punjabi) and R.N. Joe D’ Cruz (Tamil).
- Renowned film maker Dr. Makhonmani Mongsaba.
- Books of essays: C.N.Ramachandran (Kannada), Tukaram Rama Shet (Konkani), Satish Kalasekar (Marathi), and Katyayani Vidmahe(Telugu).
- Books of short stories: Temsula Ao (English) and Mohi-ud- Din Reshi (Kashmiri).
- Travelogues: Makhonmani Mongsaba (Manipuri) and Man Bahadur Pradhan (Nepali).
- M.N.Paloor (Malayalam) for his autobiography, Sureshwar Jha (Maithili) for his memoirs and Bijoy Misra (Odia) for his play.
President’s Standard and Colours Award to 112 Helicopter Unit & No. 4 Base Repair Depot
The President of India and the Supreme Commander of Indian defense forces, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee awarded the prestigious President’s Standard to 112 Helicopter Unit and President’s Colours to No. 4 Base Repair Depot of Indian Air Force at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Winners:
Winners:
- Standard Award: Wing Commander Manish Sharma, Commanding Officer of 112 Helicopter Unit.
- Colour Award: Group Captain S Shrinivas Commanding Officer of 4 Base Repair Depot (BRD).
- The Bangalore-based 112 Helicopter Unit is a premier training establishment for pilots, flight engineers and gunners. The Unit had been awarded with the two Vir Chakras, one Yudh Seva Medal and two Vayusena Medals.
- The 4 BRD specializes in repairing and overhauling turbo-jet aero engines. The 4 BRD has been awarded with five Vishisht Seva Medals and numerous commendations.
Ms Soma Mondal appointed first Women director of NALCO
Ms Soma Mondal appointed as the first female director (commercial) of Navratna Public Sector Unit (PSU) National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO).
Previously, Ms. Mondal was working with the company as executive director (marketing) at Nalco’s corporate office.
Note: NALCO is a public sector enterprise of the Government of India. It is Asia’s largest integrated aluminium complex, encompassing bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting and casting, power generation, rail and port operations.
Previously, Ms. Mondal was working with the company as executive director (marketing) at Nalco’s corporate office.
Note: NALCO is a public sector enterprise of the Government of India. It is Asia’s largest integrated aluminium complex, encompassing bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting and casting, power generation, rail and port operations.
Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan: Canara Bank’s Brand ambassador
The public sector lender, Canara Bank announced cricketer Shikhar Dhawan as its brand ambassador.Objective: To gear up for the next phase of banking with a special focus on the country’s youth.
Canara Bank is not the first public sector lender to name a cricketer as its brand ambassador. For example- Cricketer Rahul Dravid has been Bank of Baroda’s brand ambassador since 2005.
Mr. Amitabh Kant appointed as new DIPP Secretary
Mr. Amitabh Kant appointed as Secretary of Department of
Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). He succeeded Mr. Saurabh
Chandra.
- Mr. Kant is a 1980 batch Kerala cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
7th Asian Air Gun Championship: Indian shooters Chain Singh and Ms Heena Sidhu clinched gold medal
At the 7th Asian Air Gun Championship in Kuwait, India’s ace shooter Ms Heena Sidhu clinched the air pistol women’s gold medal and Chain Singh
bagged a gold medal in men’s air rifle event. In the women’s team
event, Heena (386), Shweta Chaudhary (378) and Harveen Srao (374) won
the silver medal in the team event with a total score of
1138/1200. In the men’s team event, Chain Singh (619.6), Ravi Kumar
(620.7) and PT Raghunath (615.8) won the bronze medal. The gold and silver medals were won by China and Iran.Note: Presently, Heena Sidhu is the world record holder in finals with a score of 203.8 at ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany in 2013.
ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen: Indian cricketer Virat Kohli reclaimed the number one position
The
Indian cricketer Virat Kohli reclaimed the number one position in the
ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen. He was able to claim the first
position by gaining 12 points during the Asia Cup by scoring 189 runs in
three innings with 136 against Bangladesh. He is followed by South African ODI captain AB de Villers, who was at the first position before the Asia Cup.Top position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player Rankings for
- Test Batsman: A.B. de Villiers (South Africa)
- Test Bowlers: D.W. Steyn (SA)
- ODI Bowlers: Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan)
- Twenty20 Batsmen: B.B. McCullum (New Zealand)
- Twenty 20 Bowlers: S.P. Narine (West Indies)
Ms Michelle Bachelet: Chile President for second term
Ms Michelle Bachelet (62) sworn-in as the President of Chile for second time. She is the first person since 1932 to win the presidency of her country twice in competitive elections. Previously, Ms Bachelet served as Chilean President from 2006-2010.Succeeded by: Sebastián Piñera.
Note: Under Chile’s constitution, she was banned from running for a second consecutive term, even though her popularity ratings remained high.
Update on Khobragade case: US court dismissed visa fraud charges against Indian diplomat Ms. Devyani Khobragade
The US Court ruled that the Indian diplomat Ms. Devyani Khobragade had full diplomatic immunity at the time of indictment on visa fraud and underpaying her maid.
Note: Ms. Devyani was employed as the Deputy Consul General for Political, Economic, Commercial and Women’s Affairs at the Consulate General of India in New York, where she was arrested for an alleged case of visa fraud and making false statements in connection with the visa application for an Indian national employee who was domestic helper in her home. Later on, she released on a $250000 bond after she pleaded not guilty in a court.
- As per the judgment, Ms. Khobragade who served as Consular officer in the US from October 2012 to January 2014 was at a position of consular immunity as per the Vienna Convention.
- The Court had dropped all charges against her claiming that the day when the charge was returned to her, she definitely had diplomatic immunity.
- This order was passed by US District Judge Ms. Shira Scheindlin supporting her diplomatic immunity in a 14-page order.
Note: Ms. Devyani was employed as the Deputy Consul General for Political, Economic, Commercial and Women’s Affairs at the Consulate General of India in New York, where she was arrested for an alleged case of visa fraud and making false statements in connection with the visa application for an Indian national employee who was domestic helper in her home. Later on, she released on a $250000 bond after she pleaded not guilty in a court.
Indian-origin kid Kush Sharma won epic spelling bee
An Indian American student Kush Sharma (13) won the epic
spelling bee at the Central Library in Kansas City in Missouri and
secured a berth in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington scheduled for May 2014.
Note: Indian Americans have dominated the contest over the years. New York student Arvind Mahankali won the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Note: Indian Americans have dominated the contest over the years. New York student Arvind Mahankali won the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Mr. Pankaj Mishra: Indian author won Windham Campbell Literature Prize 2014
Indian author Mr. Pankaj Mishra won the prestigious Donald Windham Campbell Literature prize 2014 in the non-fiction category. The awards are announced by The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at YaleUniversity.Mr. Mishra Mishra is an Indian essayist, memoirist, travel writer and novelist whose work expands our understanding of the encounter between Western and Non-western culture.
Besides the novel, The Romantics, he has published four works of non-fiction: Butter Chicken in Ludhiana: Travels in Small TownIndia, An End to Suffering: the Buddha in the World, Temptations of the West: How to Be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet, and Beyond and From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia.
2014 prizewinners of Donald Windham Campbell Literature Prize in
- Fiction: Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone), Nadeem Aslam (Pakistan), and Jim Crace (United Kingdom);
- Non-fiction: Pankaj Mishra (India) and John Vaillant (United States/Canada);
- Drama: Kia Corthron (United States), Sam Holcroft (United Kingdom) and No lle Janaczewska (Australia).
64th National Basketball Championship held in New Delhi
The 64th National Basketball Championship held at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
Winners:
Winners:
- Chhattisgarh won the women’s title after beating Indian Railways by 81-77.
- Tamil Nadu won the men’s title by defeating Punjab by 74-57.
- Harish Sharma Most Valuable Player Award: Rikin Pethani (Tamil Nadu) and Kavita Kumari (Chhattisgarh).
- Services finished third in the men’s category while Delhi women beat Maharashtra to secure third position.
12th Meeting of the FSDC Sub-Committee at New Delhi: Set up a High Powered Inter Regulatory Committee to explore ways to comply with Basel-III capital norms
At the 12th sub-committee meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC), headed by RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, held at New Delhi,
it was decided to set up a High Powered Inter Regulatory Committee to
explore ways of enabling banks to meet these requirements.
Objective: To find ways for the banking sector to comply with Basel-III capital norms.
Discussions during the 12th Meeting of the FSDC Sub-Committee:
1) Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC):
2) Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) Sub-Committee:
Objective: To find ways for the banking sector to comply with Basel-III capital norms.
Discussions during the 12th Meeting of the FSDC Sub-Committee:
- The implementation of non-legislative recommendations of FSLRC and setting up of a repository for investors with a single view of all financial asset classes.
- The ways for setting up an effective resolution regime for the financial sector. Issues of greater harmonisation of regulations across sectors for similar activities were also taken up.
- The report of the working group on ‘Resolution Regimes’ in India, chaired by RBI Deputy Governor Anand Sinha and Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram.
1) Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC):
- Apex-level body constituted by government of India
- Idea to constitute such a super regulatory body was first given by Raghuram Rajan Committee in 2008
- Financial Stability
- Financial Sector Development
- Inter-Regulatory Coordination
- Financial Literacy
- Financial Inclusion
- Macro prudential supervision of the economy including the functioning of large financial conglomerates
- Coordinating India’s international interface with financial sector bodies like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Financial Stability Board (FSB)and any such body as may be decided by the Finance Minister from time to time.
- Chairperson: The Union Finance Minister of India
- Governor Reserve Bank of India (RBl),
- Finance Secretary and/ or Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA),
- Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS),
- Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance,
- Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI),
- Chairman, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA),
- Chairman Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA),
- Joint Secretary (Capital Markets), DEA, will be the Secretary of the Council,
2) Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) Sub-Committee:
- The FSDC Sub-committee has also been set up under the chairmanship of Governor, RBI. It meets more often than the full Council. All the members of the FSDC are also the members of the Sub-committee. Additionally, all four Deputy Governors of the RBI are also members of the Sub Committee.
- Executive Director, RBI (in charge of financial Stability) is the Member Secretary, while the Financial Stability Unit (FSU) of RBI is the Secretariat for the Sub-committee.
- 3.1) Inter regulatory technical group (IR-TG): For inter-regulatory coordination among the financial sector regulators. The Group is headed by ED in charge of Financial Stability, RBI and members being ED/CGM level officers of the other regulators.
- 3.2) Technical Group on financial inclusion and financial literacy: Chaired by DG, RBI in charge of financial stability and has representatives from all regulators (at the level of ED/CGM) as well as from DEA and DFS (at the level of Joint Secretary).
- 3.3) Inter regulatory forum for monitoring financial conglomerates (IRF-FC): Headed by the Deputy Governor, RBI (in-Charge of the Department of Banking Supervision) and other Members are senior representatives of all the sectoral regulators at the level of Executive Directors (RBI, SEBI, IRDA and PFRDA).
- 3.4) Early Warning Group: To coordinate the response of GOI/Regulators in the time of a crisis situation. It is chaired by DG, RBI in-charge of Financial Markets Department. It has Joint Secretary level representative from DEA & DFS as members. It is represented by Member/ED level officers from financial sector regulators.
- 3.5) Working Group on resolution regime for financial institutions: To examine the existing resolution regime/ framework for the entire financial sector as a whole and identify the current gaps in the national resolution regime/ framework vis-à-vis the FSB Key Attributes. With this background, the Group would recommend changes in the legal framework to facilitate the required resolution regime including cross border resolution. Was constituted in January 2013 under the Co-Chairmanship of Shri Anand Sinha, DG, RBI, and Secretary (DEA). The Financial sector regulators at the level of Executive Director/General Manager/Joint Director/Principal Legal Adviser are members of this group.
Stree Shakti Puraskar 2013
The President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee awarded Stree Shakti Puraskar to six illustrious women on International Women’s Day for their distinguished services for the upliftment of women. The Government of India has instituted six national awards are known as Stree Shakti Puraskar.
- These awards are in the name of the following eminent women personalities in the Indian history who are famous for their personal courage and integrity:- Rani Lakshmibai, Rani Rudramma Devi, Kannagi, Rani Gaidinliu Zaliang, Rani Ahilyabai Holkar and Mata Jijabai.
- Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang Award: Dr. Vartika Nanda (Delhi) for creating awareness on women’s issues through media.
- Rani Lakshmibai Award: Ms. Manasi Pradhan (Odisha) for her work in the field of women’s empowerment.
- Rani Rudramma Devi Award: Dr. M Venkaiah (Andhra Pradesh) for her contribution in the field of women’s health.
- Mata Jijabai Award: Ms. Bina Sheth Lashkari (Maharashtra) honored for her achievement in the field of education and training
- Kannagi Award: T Radha K Prashanti (Andhra Pradesh) for her achievement in the field of providing support to orphans, visually impaired, handicapped and destitute women.
- Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Award: Dr Seema Sakhare (Maharashtra) for her contribution in the field of women’s rights, gender issues, legal counseling and institutional support to women and girls.
- Category: Women Activism (Individual).
- Objective: To recognize recognizes the spirit of courage of a women in difficult circumstances, who has established this spirit of courage in her personal or professional life.
- Instituted: 1991.
- Awarded by Government of India.
- Conferred by the President of India on occasion of International Women’s Day i.e. 8th March every year at New Delhi.
- Cash award: Rs. 300,000.
- Also recognizes pioneering contribution of an individual in empowering women and raising women’s issues.
“Phantom”- World’s first 3D model of human fingerprint developed by Indian-American scientist Mr. Anil Jain
An Indian-American scientist, Mr. Anil Jain from Michigan State University built the world’s first three-dimensional (3D) model of a human fingerprint known as Phantom.
About Phantom – 3D model of human fingerprint
A method that takes a two-dimensional image of a fingerprint and maps it to a 3-D finger surface.
In health care, a 3D heart or a kidney may be created because of known dimensions and they can be put in a scanner and the imaging system may be calibrated.
Objective: To have a precise fingerprint model with known properties and features that can be used to calibrate existing technology used to match fingerprints.
Would help to improve the overall accuracy of fingerprint-matching systems that leads to better security in applications ranging from law enforcement to mobile phone unlock.
Developed to boost the accuracy of fingerprint-matching systems and to improve security technology.
About Indian-American scientist Mr. Anil Jain
Has a B.Tech degree from IIT Kanpur and MS and PhD degrees from OhioStateUniversity.
Six USpatents on fingerprint matching and has written a number of books on biometrics and fingerprint/facial recognition.
Received a number of prestigious awards for contributions to pattern recognition and biometrics.
Note: The 3D model doesn’t have the feel or texture or a real finger, but it could advance the technology of fingerprinting sensing and matching.
About Phantom – 3D model of human fingerprintA method that takes a two-dimensional image of a fingerprint and maps it to a 3-D finger surface.
In health care, a 3D heart or a kidney may be created because of known dimensions and they can be put in a scanner and the imaging system may be calibrated.
Objective: To have a precise fingerprint model with known properties and features that can be used to calibrate existing technology used to match fingerprints.
Would help to improve the overall accuracy of fingerprint-matching systems that leads to better security in applications ranging from law enforcement to mobile phone unlock.
Developed to boost the accuracy of fingerprint-matching systems and to improve security technology.
About Indian-American scientist Mr. Anil Jain
Has a B.Tech degree from IIT Kanpur and MS and PhD degrees from OhioStateUniversity.Six USpatents on fingerprint matching and has written a number of books on biometrics and fingerprint/facial recognition.
Received a number of prestigious awards for contributions to pattern recognition and biometrics.
Note: The 3D model doesn’t have the feel or texture or a real finger, but it could advance the technology of fingerprinting sensing and matching.
Mr. Vince Chhabria to be first Indian-American judge in California
Indian-American attorney, Mr. Vince Chhabria (44) will become California’s first federal judge of South Asian descent. At present, Mr. Chhabria serves as the Deputy City Attorney at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. He has represented San Francisco in defense of its health insurance law, adoption rights of same-sex couples and other major cases, has won Senate confirmation for a federal judgeship.
- Appointed by: United States President Barack Obama.
- Succeeded: Susan Illston.
Indian acid attack victim Ms. Laxmi won International Women of Courage Award
Indian acid attack victim, Ms. Laxmi won the prestigious International Women of Courage Award from the US First Lady Michelle Obama for successfully leading the campaign against acid attacks on women in India.
About acid attack victim Ms. Laxmi
About acid attack victim Ms. Laxmi
- Incident with her: In 2005, when she was 16 years old, an acquaintance threw acid on her face while she waited at a bus stop in New Delhi and disfigured her permanently.
- After this incident, she became the standard-bearer in India for the movement to end acid attacks.
- Made repeated appearances on national television, gathered 27,000 signatures for a petition to curb acid sales, and took her cause to the Supreme Court of India.
- Owing to her petition, Supreme Court ordered the Indian central and state governments to regulate immediately the sale of acid and the Parliament to make prosecutions of acid attacks easier to pursue.
- Establish: 2007.
- Presented by: United States Department of State annually.
- Presented to: Women around the world that have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially for better promotion of women’s rights.
- 2014 awardees: Ms Laxmi (India), Dr. Nasrin Oryakhil (Afghanistan), Ms. Fatimata Touré (Mali), Ms. Roshika Deo (Fiji), Bishop Rusudan Gotsiridze (Georgia), Dr. Maha Al Muneef (Saudi Arabia), Ms. Oinikhol Bobonazarova (Tajikstan), Judge Iris Yassmin Barrios Aguilar (Guatemala), Ms. Ruslana Lyzhychko (Ukraine) and Ms. Beatrice Mtetwa (Zimbabwe).
Shyamala Gopinath Committee recommendations: Interest rates on FDs offered by Post Offices hiked by 0.2%
The Union Government decided to hike interest rates on fixed deposit schemes offered by post offices by up to 0.2 %. The decision to hike interest rates is taken on the recommendations of Shyamala Gopinath Committee.As per the Shyamala Gopinath Committee’s recommendations
- The interest rate on fixed deposits for one and two years has been increased to 8.4% from the present 8.2%.
- Fixed deposits of three and five years will earn 0.1% higher rate at 8.4% and 8.5%.
- The interest rate on five-year recurring deposits will be 8.4% from 8.3%.
- The rate on National Savings Scheme (NSC) with 5 and 10 year maturities also remain unchanged at 8.5 % and 8.8 %.
- The rate on five-year Monthly Income Scheme (MIS) remains the same at 8.4 %. The savings deposit rates are kept unchanged at 4 %.
- Though, the interest rate on Public Provident fund (PPF) has been kept unchanged at 8.7 %.
16th Lok Sabha elections 2014 to be held from April 7, 2014 in 9-phases
The Chief election commissioner Mr. VS Sampath announced the schedule for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Some Unique features of 16th Lok Sabha Elections:-
Some Unique features of 16th Lok Sabha Elections:-
- For the first time, Voters will be able to exercise the “None Of The Above” (NOTA) option for candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
- Electoral strength in 2014 is 81.45 crore (814.5 million), the largest in the world
- Use of COMET (Communication Plan for Election): During the Elections, the Election Commission of India would be using an SMS based alert system called COMET. This system would send SMS messages to the lakhs of government officials on election duty. COMET would also send alerts to the local police in case of disturbances at any polling station.
- It would collect data via mobile phones about officials, scheduled events viz. staff reaching the polling station, mock polls, start/end of polling, voting %, number of voters, etc.
- 9-phase general elections will begin from April 7 and end on May 12, 2014.
- Nine phases of polls: April 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and May 12.
- It will be three phase poll in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, two phases in Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tripura. All the remaining States and the UnionTerritories will have a single phase poll.
- The elections to the 294-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly will be held on April 30 and May 7 along with the respective Lok Sabha constituencies in the State.
- The Lok Sabha has strength of 543 (excluding two nominated members) and the term of thepresent 15th Lok Sabha ends on May 31, 2014.
- Counting of votes will be held on May 16, 2014
Ms. Sheila Dikshit: Former Delhi Chief Minister appointed as Kerala Governor
Former Delhi chief minister Ms. Sheila Dikshit (75) appointed as the Governor of Kerala by the President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. Ms. Dikshit succeeded Mr. Nikhil Kumar, a former Delhi Police
Commissioner. She became the 22nd Governor of Kerala. Ms Dixit formerly
served as the Chief Minister of Delhi from 1998 to 2013.Ms Dikshit was defeated in her own constituency, New Delhi,In December 2013 elections to the Legislative Assembly of Delhi, by Mr Arvind Kejriwal
- President Pranab Mukherjee also approved a second term for Uttar Pradesh Governor B.L. Joshi.
“India at Risk” Mr. Jaswant Singh’s book launched
Former External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh released a book titled, “ India at Risk – Mistakes, Misconceptions and Misadventures of security policy”. The book is on 60 years of Indian security issues.About the book “India at Risk”
Throws a light on various events that took place during his appointments as minister of External Affairs and Minister of Defence viz. hijacking of IC 814 to Kandahar-1999, the Kargil war, the Operation Parakaram 2011, etc.
Also includes history events viz. Indo-China wars, the Indo-Pak war, Kargil, the Emergency, etc.
From Kandahar to Pakistan, Mr Singh reveals what really happened as India faced grave security challenges.
Overall, the book brings forth the mistakes, misconception and misadventures of Indian security policy for past 60 years and way forward.
About Mr. Jaswant Singh
- Belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
- During the NDA regime (1998 to 2004): Had many portfolios in the national cabinet viz. Finance, External Affairs and Defense.
- From 2004 to 2009: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
- From 1998–99: Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India.
- Known for his moderate political views, he is a self-described liberal democrat even though the Bharatiya Janata Party is often described as a right-wing nationalist organization.
- At present, Mr. Singh representing Darjeeling parliamentary constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha.
- “India at Risk” is his eleventh book in English. In addition, he has written eleven books in Dingal, two in Hindi and one in French.
Forbes’s 2014 billionaires list: Bill Gates reclaims title as world’s richest person
Microsoft Co-founder, Mr. Bill Gates
regained the title of the world’s richest person in the Forbes 2014
billionaire list. Mr. Gates has topped the list for 15 of the last 20
years, with a net worth of $76 billion and Mexico’s telecommunications mogul Mr. Carlos Slim Helu is at second place.As per the Forbes’ 28th annual ranking of the world’s billionaires 2014
The US leads the list of billionaires in the world with 492 billionaires, followed by China (152) and Russia (111). The list has new billionaires from Algeria, Lithuania, Tanzania and Uganda.
Total number of billionaires in the world: 1,645 with combined net worth of $6.4 trillion.
Top 5 billionaires: Mr. Bill Gates, Mr. Carlos Slim Helu, Mr. Amancio Ortega, Mr. Warren Buffett, and Mr. Larry Ellison (Oracle Corp chief).
- Highest ranked women on the list: Christy Walton (9), with a net worth of $36.7 billion and Liliane Bettencourt (11) has worth $34.5 billion.
- World’s youngest billionaire: Ms. Perenna Kei from Hong Kong.
- WhatsApp founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton join the ranks of Silicon Valley’s wealthiest for the first time.
- From Internet field: Facebook Inc founder Mark Zuckerberg (21), Amazon.com Inc’s Jeff Bezos (18) and Google Inc founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin ranked 17th and 19th.
- Business Tycoon, Mr. Mukesh Amabani: India’s richest person for the 7th year in a row. Mr. Ambani is ranked 40th globally with net worth of $18.6 billion.
- India has 56 billionaires in all with a collective net worth of $191.5 billion.
Indian shuttler Arvind Bhat clinched German Open Grand Prix Gold title
Indian shuttler, Arvind Bhat (34) defeated Denmark’s
World No. 25 Hans-Kristian Vittinghus to clinch the men’s singles title
of the $120,000 German Open Grand Prix Gold. This is the first time an Indian has won a German Open title in any category. ( Indian chief national coach Pullela Gopichand had reached the final way back in 1999.)About Arvind Bhat
Badminton player from Bangalore.World Ranking: 87.
Coach: Prakash Padukone.
Won six International titles viz.e Scottish Open 2004, Syria International 2007, Czech International 2007, etc.
Participated in the 2010 Asian games in Guanzhou, China and was in the Indian team for Sudirman Cup 2011.
Oscar Awards: 86th Academy Awards
The 86th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.- Best Motion picture: 12 Years a Slave.
- Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity).
- Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club).
- Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
- Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club).
- Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave).
- Best Writing – Original Screenplay: Her by Spike Jonze.
- Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave by John Ridley.
- Best Animated Feature Film: Frozen.
- Best Foreign Language Film: The Great Beauty (Italy) in Italian – Paolo Sorrentino
- Best Documentary – Feature: 20 Feet from Stardom.
- Best Visual Effects: Gravity
- Best Film Editing: Gravity.
- Best Costume Design: The Great Gatsby.
- Best Cinematography: Gravity.
- Best Sound Mixing: Gravity.
- Best Sound Editing: Gravity.
Mexican Open 2014
Winners of the Mexican Open 2014
- Men’s singles: Fourth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria defeated South African Kevin Anderson by 7-6(7-1), 3-6, 7-6(7-5).
- Women’s singles: Slovakia Dominika Cibulková beat American Christina McHale by 7–6(7–3), 4–6, 6–4.
- Men’s doubles: South African Kevin Anderson and Australian Matthew Ebden beat Feliciano López (Spain) and Max Mirnyi (Belarus) by 6-3, 6-3.
- Women’s doubles: Kristina Mladenovic (France) and Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan) beat CzechRepublic players Petra Cetkovská and Iveta Melzer by 6–3, 2–6.
Mr. Chandi Prasad Bhatt: Eminent Gandhian and environmentalist selected for Gandhi Peace Prize 2013
The noted Gandhian and environmentalist, Mr. Chandi Prasad Bhatt selected for the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2013.
About Mr. Chandi Prasad Bhatt
Born:1934.
Indian Gandhian environmentalist and social activist.
Founder of the Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh in Gopeshwar, which later became the mother organization to the Chipko Movement.
Known for his work on subaltern social ecology, and considered one of India’s first modern environmentalist
One of the pioneers of the Chipko movement for which he was awarded the Raman Magsaysay Award in 1982.
Awards: Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Green legend-Greenies Eco Award-2010, Raman Magsaysay Award, etc.
Note: Gandhi Peace Prize is an award that is bestowed to individuals and organizations for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through peace and other Gandhian methods.
About Mr. Chandi Prasad Bhatt
Born:1934.Indian Gandhian environmentalist and social activist.
Founder of the Dasholi Gram Swarajya Sangh in Gopeshwar, which later became the mother organization to the Chipko Movement.
Known for his work on subaltern social ecology, and considered one of India’s first modern environmentalist
One of the pioneers of the Chipko movement for which he was awarded the Raman Magsaysay Award in 1982.
Awards: Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Green legend-Greenies Eco Award-2010, Raman Magsaysay Award, etc.
Note: Gandhi Peace Prize is an award that is bestowed to individuals and organizations for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through peace and other Gandhian methods.
Roger Federer won Dubai tennis championship
Roger Federer won the Singles title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis
Championship after defeating Tomas Berdych by 3-6, 6-4, and 6-3 in the
final. This is the sixth title for Roger Federer in Dubai and also the
78th career title.Note: Indo Pak duo of Rohan Bopanna and Aihsan ul Haq Qureshi bagged the doubles title by defeating Daniel Nestor and N. Zimonjic by 6-4, 6-3 in straight sets.
Lt Gen P.R. Kumar appointed as the New Army DGMO
Lt Gen PR Kumar appointed as Director General Military Operations (DGMO).
He took the charge from Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia. Lt Kumar is an aviator and
was holding the responsibility of the Directorate General of Army Aviation.
Note: The DGMO is an important office controlling the operations of the Army and is also responsible for immediate resolution of border conflicts with Pakistan and is soon expected to be assigned the same task with China as well.
Note: The DGMO is an important office controlling the operations of the Army and is also responsible for immediate resolution of border conflicts with Pakistan and is soon expected to be assigned the same task with China as well.
“Raunaq”- music album written by Mr. Kapil Sibal launched
Bollywood Actor, Mr. Salman Khan launched the music album titled “Raunaq” written by the Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mr. Kapil Sibal. This album was composed by music maestro AR Rahman.
About “Raunaq” album
About “Raunaq” album
- Composed by A. R. Rahman and lyrics are penned by Mr. Sibal.
- Label: Sony Music.
- Consists of seven compositions.
- Songs sung by artists from the music industry: Lata Mageshkar (Laadli), Shreya Ghosal (Kismat se), Jonita Gandhi (Aa Bhi Jaa) and Rahman (Laadli and Boondein).
- The album is Kapil Sibal’s the second lyrical attempt after the Bollywood movie Bandook.
“Ambedkar Awakening India’s Social Conscience” Dr. Narendra Jadhav’s book launched
The Vice President of India Mr. M. Hamid Ansari released a book “Ambedkar: Awakening India’s Social Conscience”
authored by Dr. Narendra Jadhav. This book is the first ever
intellectual biography of Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, a dalit icon
and chief architect of the Indian constitution.Dr. Jadhav is a member of the planning commission and a well-known economist, policy maker, educationist, social scientist and best-selling author and holds a PhD in Economics from Indiana University, USA.
Turkish president Abdullah Gul approved the bill on restricting the judicial powers
The Turkish President
Mr. Abdullah approved the bill on restricting the judicial powers. The
bill will give more control to the Justice ministry in comparison to the
Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors. It is an independent body that
deals with the appointment of the judiciary.
- Objective: To curb the independence of the judicial powers.
Sourav Kothari won the National Billiard Championship title
Mr. Sourav Kothari won the National
Billiard Championships held in Lucknow by beating Alok Kumar by 5-3. It
is the first maiden title for Saurav Kothari since he turned
professional in 2007.Sourav Kothari and Alok Kumar both play for Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB). Third position was secured by B. Bhaskar by beating Dhruv Sitwala.
Mr. Dinesh Sarraf appointed next ONGC chief
Mr. Dinesh K Sarraf appointed the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC).Previously, he was the Managing Director of ONGC’s overseas arm, ONGC Videsh (OVL). Mr. Sarraf replaced Mr. Sudhir Vasudeva.
Indian Navy Chief Mr. DK Joshi resigned after accident on Indian sub Sindhuratna
The Indian Naval Chief Admiral DK Joshi (59) resigned in the wake of submarine INS Sindhuratna accident. The Defense Ministry has accepted his resignation.
- Vice Admiral RK Dhowan took over as the Acting Chief till regular Naval Chief is appointed.
What is the issue behind the resignation of Navy Chief Mr. DK Joshi?
- Recently, India’s Russian-built submarine, INS Sindhuratna was at sea off Mumbai for routine training and workup (inspection) when smoke was reported in the sailors’ accommodation. In that accident, seven sailors were injured and two officers were dead. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
- This accident was the 10th involving an Indian Navy warship and the third involving a submarine in the last seven months.
- In August 2013, the Navy lost another Kilo, INS Sindhurakshak, in a fire that gutted the boat and killed all 18 crew on board.
- Due to the repeated accidents of naval vessels and submarines, Mr. Joshi took the moral responsibility and resigned form the post of Naval Chief.
- He became the first Indian naval chief to resign.
Mr. Ibrahim Mahlab: New Prime Minister of Egypt
Mr. Ibrahim Mahlab sworn- in as new Prime Minister of Egypt. He is a former member of Hosni Mubarak’s political
party. Mr. Mahlab replaced Mr. Hazem el-Beblawi, who was interim Prime
Minister of Egypt since 2013. Previously, he was the housing minister in
the previous administration. Mr. Mahlab would head Egypt’s sixth
government since the 2011 uprising that toppled the autocratic President Hosni Mubarak. He is expected to lead an interim government at least until the election of a new president.
Eminent painter Mr. Prokash Karmakar passed away
The
veteran Indian painter Mr. Prokash Karmakar (81) passed away in Kolkata
due to age related illness. The painter was best known for his
landscapes and nudes. About Mr. Prokash Karmakar
- Born: 1933 in Kolkata.
- Inspired by the works of Picasso and other masters of the 19th century Impressionism.
- Works: Permanent collections of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi and Lucknow Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata.
- Awards: Lalit Kala Akademi National Award, RabindraBharatiUniversity Award, BirlaAcademy of Art and Culture, Calcutta, etc.
- His Official Website: http://www.prokashkarmakar.com/
Dr. Janumaddi Hanumath Shastry: Veteran Telugu litterateur passed away
The well-known Telugu litterateur, Dr. Janumaddi Hanumath Sastry (90) passed away in Kapada town of Andhra Pradesh due to old age-related illness.About Dr. Janumaddi Hanumath Sastry
Born: Rayadurg in Anantapur district on September 5, 1926.
Awards: Kavitraya Jayanthi Puraskaram, the Gadicherla award, Sarvadhari Ugadi Puraskaram, etc.
Authored books: Maa Seema Kavulu, Mana Devathalu, Rasavadghattalu, Bellary Raghava, Mokshagundam Visweswarayya, C.P. Brown Charitra, Dr. Ambedkar, Ganapati, etc.
For his contribution to Telugu literature, he was conferred with a doctorate by Telugu University Hyderabad.
Delivered over 150 talks on AIR and wrote over 2,000 articles for various magazines.
Organized C.P. Brown bicentennial celebrations in November 1998.
“Braigo”- a low-cost Braille printer invented by Indian-origin boy Shubham Banerjee
The Indian-origin, Master Shubham Banerjee (12) invented Braigo, a low-cost Braille printer by using toy construction Lego pieces in USA.
About Braigo, a low-cost Braille printer
Braille printers, also known as embossers, are used to make copies of electronic documents on paper in a format that is readable by blind people.
About Braigo, a low-cost Braille printer
- A mash-up of Braille and LEGO.
- Cost: $350.
- Designed from the Lego Mindstorms EV3 set.
- Modified a robot model to make a functional printer at a fraction of the cost of other machines in the market. (Basic model Braille printers retail for about $2,000 online).
- Programmed to produce the letters :A to Z” in Braille. It takes about seven seconds to print each letter.
- Users can type in letters, and the Braigo’s needle will hammer out the translated message in raised dots on paper.
- Future Plan: To programme Braigo to print the numbers one to 10.
Braille printers, also known as embossers, are used to make copies of electronic documents on paper in a format that is readable by blind people.
- Working: Receives data from computer devices and embosses that information in Braille onto paper through the use of solenoids that control embossing pins. Typically print on heavyweight paper and use up more pages for the same amount of information than pages printed on a regular printer.
- Slower and noisier.
- Inter-point printers are Braille printers that emboss Braille on both sides of a page.
Freedom fighter “Maulana Hasrat Mohani’s postage stamp released by Vice President of India
The Vice President of India, Mr. M. Hamid Ansari released the commemorative postage stamp of Freedom fighter “Maulana Hasrat Mohani” in New Delhi.
About Freedom fighter Maulana Hasrat Mohani
About Freedom fighter Maulana Hasrat Mohani
- Born: January 1,1875 in Mohan , United Province, British India.
- Died: May 13,1951 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
- Pen name: Hasrat Mohani.
- Eminent poet who used to Ghazal poetry – a purely genre of love poetry – for political subjects and gave it a new turn.
- Was a great freedom fighter and never accepted British rule over India.
- Great admirer of Lokmanya Tilak and always used to refer him as Tilak Maharaj, even in his poetry.
- In 1908, he was sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment by British government for publishing an article in Urdu-e-Mu-alla against British policies in Egypt. He was released in 1910 and re-started Urdu-e-Mu-alla.
- Second person in Indian History who demanded ‘Complete Independence’ (Azadi-e-Kaamil) in 1921 as he presided over an annual session of All India Muslim League. (First person was Swatantryaveer Savarkar, who demanded ‘Complete Independence’ in 1900).
Indian-origin men win Heinz Awards in US
Indian-origin men, Professor Abraham Verghese and Mr. Sanjeev Arora are among the five recipients who won the 19th Heinz awards 2013 and will be honored in Pittsburgh on April 3, 2014. Each winner will receive a cash award of $250,000 each as well as a medallion inscribed with an image of late US senator John Heinz.
19th Heinz Awards – 2013: Category and its’ recipients
19th Heinz Awards – 2013: Category and its’ recipients
- Arts and humanities – Professor Abraham Verghese, a doctor and author based at Stanford University Medical School, USA was given the award in recognition of his best-selling authorship. In his first book, ‘My Own Country’, he wrote extensively about AIDS in rural areas of Tennesse. He belongs to Kerala.
- Public policy – Dr. Sanjeev Arora, professor of medicine at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, was recognized for revolutionizing community healthcare using video conferencing technology. He belongs to Kota, Rajasthan.
- Environment – Professor Jonathan Foley, director of the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota where he has conducted research on the global environment and how to improve the efficiency of food production.
- Human condition – Mr. Salman Khan, founder of online Khan Academy in Mountain View, Calif., an educational nonprofit that offers free tutorials and exercises to students around the world.
- Technology, the economy and employment – Leila Janah (an entrepreneur based in San Francisco, USA) was honored for founding the nonprofits Samasource and SamaUSA that uses an Internet to train and employ people in impoverished communities around the world.
- Established in 1993 by Ms. Teresa Heinz, the chairwoman of the Heinz Family Foundation in honor of her late husband, Senator H. John Heinz III, the Pennsylvania Republican.
- Headquarters:Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (separate from the international food company).
- Annually awarded by the Heinz Family Foundation.
- The Heinz Awards celebrates the accomplishments and spirit of the Senator by recognizing the extraordinary achievements of individuals in the areas of greatest importance to Senator John Heinz, who died in a midair aircraft collision in 1991.
- Awards recognize outstanding individuals for their contributions in five areas: Arts and Humanities, Environment, Human Condition, Public Policy, and Technology, the Economy and Employment.
Dr. Madan Babu won the Protein Science Young Investigator Award for 2014
An Indian-born scientist, Dr. M Madan Babu won the Protein Science
Young Investigator Award for 2014 at Cambridge, UK. He got the award
for his effort in the field of biological system and to
understand intrinsically disordered proteins and gene regulation
clearly. MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CambridgeUK
- He became the first scientist from MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology to won this award.
- At present, Dr. Babu heads the group on Regulatory Genomics and Systems Biology at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
- Recognizes an important contribution to the study of proteins by a scientist still in the early stages of an independent career.
- Given by the Protein Society.
- The Society represents a global community of researchers dedicated to the understanding of proteins.
German Chancellor Ms. Angela Merkel awarded Israel’s highest civilian honor
The German Chancellor Ms. Angela Merkel awarded the Presidential Medal of Distinction (Israel’s highest civilian honor) by the President
of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres. She was awarded with this medal for her
firm commitment to the security of Israel along with her fight against
anti-Semitism and racism in particular through education.
About Presidential Medal of Distinction (Israel’s highest civilian honor)
About Presidential Medal of Distinction (Israel’s highest civilian honor)
- The medal features the North Star (to symbolize the (“right path”) and a seven-branched menorah or Jewish candelabrum – the symbol of Israel – inscribed with the phrase “From his shoulders and upward,” from the Book of Samuel 9:2.
- Open to Israeli citizens and non-citizens.
- Awarded every year by the President to a person for his/her extraordinary contribution to the country.
- Past recipients of the medal: U.S. President Barack Obama, former U.S. president Bill Clinton, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra director Zubin Mehta, human rights activist Elie Wiesel, etc.
“Water, Peace and War – Confronting the Global Water Crisis” Mr. Brahma Chellaney’s book launched
The Vice President of India, Mr. M. Hamid Ansari launched a book titled “Water, Peace and War – Confronting the Global Water Crisis” authored by Mr. Brahma Chellaney.About the “Water, Peace and War – Confronting the Global Water Crisis” book
Focus: On a wide range of research from scientific and policy fields to examine the global linkages between water and peace.
Author: Mr. Brahma Chellaney.
Founds a way on how we can secure humankind’s water future and promised to become the recognized authority on the most precious natural resources of this century.
The author sketched a bleak picture of water scarcity in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East regions that are not only struggling with unstable governments, but also rapidly growing populations.
Water stressed conditions are also appearing in developed countries, viz. Australia, Spain, and South Korea. Even the deep-water aquifers that support modern agriculture in North America are dwindling.
Indian- American Scientist Sangeeta Bhatia developed cheap paper diagnostic for cancer
The Indian-American scientist, Ms. Sangeeta Bhatia
developed a simple, cheap, paper test that could improve cancer
diagnosis rates and help people to get treated earlier. Ms. Bhatia is
professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Howard
Hughes Medical Institute.About the paper diagnostic test for cancer
The diagnostic, which works much like a pregnancy test, could reveal within minutes, based on a urine sample, whether a person has cancer. The synthetic biomarker technology relies on nano-particles that interact with tumour proteins called proteases, each of which can trigger release of hundreds of biomarkers that are then easily detectable in a patient’s urine.
- Concept of synthetic biomarker technology: To amplify signals from tumor proteins (that would be hard to detect on their own) by injecting special nanoparticles into the body.
- These proteins are known as Matrix Metallo Proteinase (MMP) that help cancer cells to escape from their original locations by cutting through proteins of the extra cellular matrix, which normally holds cells in place.
- These nanoparticles, coated with peptides (short protein fragments), can interact with tumour proteins called proteases. In a patient’s body, these particles congregate at tumour sites, where cancer proteases cleave the peptides, which then accumulate in the kidneys and are excreted in the patient’s urine.
- These biomarkers are easily detectable using an approach known as a lateral flow assay, the same technology used in pregnancy tests. In tests in mice, the researchers were able to accurately identify colon tumours, as well as blood clots.
Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara: Brand ambassador of Gujarat Election Commission
India’s middle order batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the Gujarat state Election Commission for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.Objective: To encourage young voters of the region to caste their votes in the upcoming elections.
Mr. Pujara is known for his discipline, integrity and sense of duty towards his country as he has been an integral part of India’s cricket team for the several years. He has a very clean image and has always steered himself clear of controversies. He won the Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2013.
Ms Lakshmi Swaminathan : Became first Indian President of Administrative Tribunal of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Ms. Lakshmi Swaminathan became the first Indian to become president
of Administrative Tribunal of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for
three years. Ms. Swaminathan is the seventh president of the Tribunal.
At present, she is a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of several
public sector undertakings and NSE.
About Administrative Tribunal of Asian Development Bank (ADB)
- Establish: 1991, as an external mechanism to review personnel decisions by Management.
- Composition: Consists of five judges, who are all nationals of member countries of ADB.
- The Tribunal elected Judge Ms. Lakshmi Swaminathan as President and Professor Roy Lewis as Vice-President on the occasion of the 35th session held in Manila.
ATP Delhi open: Somdev Devvarman wins single’s title, Saketh Myneni and Sanam Singh win doubles title
India’s top singles star, Somdev Devvarman won his third ATP Challenge Tennis title after beating top seed Aleksandr Nedovyesov by 6-3, 6-1 in the final in New Delhi. Saketh
Myneni, lifted the men’s doubles title with Sanam Singh and they put a
bow on the Indian swing with doubles titles in the capital city of New
Delhi.
Mr. Rishang Keishing: India’s oldest Parliamentarian retired after serving seven decades
India’s oldest parliamentarian, Mr. Rishang Keishing (94) decided to retire after serving the nation for seven decades. His term at Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of Parliament) ends on April 9, 2014.Mr. Keishing started his political career as a socialist and became the member of the first Lok Sabha in 1952 after being elected from Socialist Party; he joined the Congress in 1962. He had served as Chief Minister of Manipur four times.
Note: After Mr. Keishing’s retirement, Mr. Ram Sundar Das of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) will be the oldest MP in the Lok Sabha.
M.P.Bezbaruah Committee: For protection of rights of North Eastern people
The Union Government expanded Bezbaruah panel
to look into the various kinds of concerns of the persons hailing from
the North Eastern States, who are living in different parts of the
country, especially the Metropolitan areas, and to suggest suitable
remedial measures which could be taken by the Government.
- Four new members drafted in the committee: Ms. Marina Nido (Mother of the Student Nido Tania who died after being allegedly beaten by some shopkeepers in south Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar), former IPS officer S T Sangliana and student’s leaders J Mavio and J T Tagam from Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Earlier, a six-member panel led by Former IAS officer M P Bezbaruah, was formed to propose remedial measures to address concerns of people from the Northeast following outrage over the death in Delhi of a 19-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh.
- Members: Retired IAS officers H W T Syeim, Allen Temshi Jamir, Tape Bagra and P Bharat Singh and the Deputy Secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs S Saha as Member Secretary.
Terms of Reference of the Bezbaruah Committee:-
- To examine the various kinds of concerns, including the concerns regarding security, of the persons hailing from the North Eastern States.
- To examine the causes behind the attacks/violence and discrimination against the people from the North-Eastern States.
- To suggest measures to be taken by the Government to address these concerns.
- To suggest legal remedies to address all the concerns.
The Bezbaruah panel will interact with
the students/professionals, NGOs, students’ organizations and other
persons from the North Eastern States living in Delhi to seek their
suggestions.
Note: Suggestions can also be sent by e-mail at mpbcomm.Northeast@gmail.com and also by post to S Saha, Member Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Room No. 172-C, North Block, New Delhi.
“SOMAH Solution- to preserve donated organs”; developed by Indian origin doctor Dr. Hemant Thatte
An Indian origin doctor, Dr. Hemant Thatte developed a 21-chemical solution known as SOMAH Solution that could preserve a donated organ for up to a week before a transplant.
SOMAH Solution in Sanskrit means elixir of immortality.
- Dr. Hemant Thatte is a senior cardiovascular surgeon at HarvardUniversity.
SOMAH Solution in Sanskrit means elixir of immortality.
- The new preservative that is a mixture of 21 chemicals, has the potential to store the heart (and other organs) for up to 7 days.
- A research paper published in the medical journal Circulation in October 2009 showed cells of organs preserved in SOMAH had a lower rate of death than in another preservation solution.
- The biggest advantage of SOMAH is that it can be used at room temperatures.
Ashok Kumar Mathur-7th Pay Commission: Cabinet approved merger of 50% DA with Pay and 7th Pay Commission Terms of Reference
In order to benefit over 50 lakh employees and over 30 lakh pensioners, the Union Cabinet approved terms of reference for seventh pay commission. This includes merging dearness allowance above 50% with basic pay.
At present, Dearness Allowance (DA)
is around 90% of basic pay and another hike of 10% is expected soon. DA
is calculated on the basis of change in retail inflation.
As per practice, the government uses
CPI-IW data of the past 12 months to arrive at a quantum for the purpose
of any DA hike. Thus, the retail inflation for industrial workers
between January 1 to December 31, 2013 would be used to take a final
call on the matter.
Note: To revise the salary
structure of Union government employees from both civil and military
services, the Union Government constituted the 7th Central Pay Commission under the chairmanship of Mr. Ashok Kumar Mathur, a retired Supreme Court judge and retired chairman of Armed Forces Tribunal.
“Email Miles”- Tracks how far our email has traveled
Email miles is a new GPS based system that tells us how
far our email has travelled. This new technology uses Global Positioning
System (GPS) and internet tracking to calculate the number of miles an
email has travelled before reaching an inbox.
About the new technology “Email miles”
About the new technology “Email miles”
- A free and open source plug-in for standard email software.
- Inventor: Jonah Brucker-Cohen
- The system tracks where a message was sent from and where it was received and calculates the total distance between the two and displays it on the screen alongside a map.
- The system does all of its time and distance calculations using the internet and a ‘coordinate mapping system’. When all of the mileage amounts are tallied, it adds them all and provides the user with a map, the countries, continents and miles the email traveled.
- In other words, Email miles show how indirect the route of emails can be.
“Public Issues before Parliament”- Mr. Vijay Darda’s book released by Vice President of India
The Vice President of India, Mr. Hamid Ansari released a book entitled “Public Issues before Parliament” authored by Mr. Vijay Darda (MP) in New Delhi.
- The book is the summarization of the significant contributions made by Mr. Darda during his period as Member of Parliament (MP).
- It is dedicated to the common who considers Parliament as an embodiment of his hopes and aspirations.
- Mr. Darda is a politician from Indian National Congress party and is a Member of the Parliament of India representing Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha since 1998.
Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy resigned as AP Chief Minister
Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy resigned from the post of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
and also quitted from the membership of the State Assembly and the
Congress Party. Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan accepted the
resignation of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and asked him to
continue in office till alternative arrangements are made.
To cure blindness of eye due to glaucoma, Professor
Harminder Singh Dua from the Nottingham University discovered an
ultra-thin layer hidden deep in the human cornea that can help treat
glaucoma. (He is an Indian origin UK doctor).
Located at the back of the cornea between the corneal stroma and Descemet’s membrane.
Plays a vital role in the structure of the tissue that controls the flow of fluid from the eye.
Makes an important contribution to the sieve-like trabecular meshwork called the Trabecular Meshwork (TM) in the periphery of the cornea.
Benefit of this discovery: It will offer new clues on why the drainage system malfunctions in the eyes of some people, leading to high pressure.
The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mr. Arun Jaitley launched a book titled “ModiNomics: Inclusive Economics, Inclusive Governance”, by Sameer Kocchar, in New Delhi.
Focus: On the Gujarat story and tells how BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi brought about a sea change through his unique brand of ModiNomics. Speaks about the vision of Narendra Modi about economic and development strategies. Presents a deep insight of Modi’s idea of both Inclusive Economics as well as Inclusive Governance.
Mr. Avinash Arun’s directorial debut, the Marathi feature film “Killa” won the Crystal Bear (Glasernen Bar) for the Best Film awarded by the Children’s Jury in Generation Kplus section at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival (also known as the Berlinale).
Deals with the universal conflict of migration and how it impacts the lives of people, especially children.
Former Preston and England winger, Sir Tom Finney
(91) passed away. Mr. Finney was one of the England’s greatest
footballers and the ultimate one-club man. He was famous for his loyalty
to his league club, Preston North End for which he made 569 first-class
appearances.
Played for Preston from 1946 until he retired.
Scored 210 goals in 473 appearances.
Footballer of the year: In 1954 and 1957 (the first player to receive the honor twice).
Appointment: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (1961),
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1992.
Veteran Nepali Congress President, Mr. Sushil Koirala (75) elected as Prime Minister of Nepal, after he secured more than two-thirds of the votes in the Parliament
of Nepal. He would be the sixth head of government since the country
became a Republic in 2008, following a peace deal with Maoist rebels in
2006.
Became the fourth prime minister from his family, after Matrika Prasad Koirala, Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala and Girija Prasad Koirala.
Coalition form with the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist), the second largest party, and some other smaller groups.
In a seven-point power-sharing deal, both the parties (UML & NC) decided to draft a new constitution and old fresh elections for the president and vice president within a year.
Had taken over the charge from Mr. Khil Raj Regmi, who was working as acting Prime Minister of Nepal from March 14, 2013.
The search giant, Google marked the 135th birth anniversary of freedom fighter and poet Sarojini Naidu
with a doodle. The doodle on the search giant’s homepage displayed a
portrait of Ms. Naidu in the place of the second ‘O’ in the company’s
logo. There was also a pen in place of the letter ‘L’ in logo, which
seemingly depicted Naidu’s writing capabilities.
In India, ‘National Women’s Day’ observed on February 13 every year, in memory of date of birth of India’s first women governor Sarojini Naidu.
For
the 2014 World’s Children’s Prize, Pakistani teenage rights activist
Malala Yousafzai, John Wood from the USA and Nepalese child rights
worker Indira Ranamagar are nominated for an award also known as the “Children’s Nobel Prize”.
The world’s largest annual educational program teaching young people about the rights of the child, democracy and global friendship.
Vision: A world where the rights of the child are universally respected and where every new generation grows up as humane global citizens.
Mission: To catalyze the growth and development of a more humane global community through an integrated global educational program, engaging a growing number of children throughout the world.
The award programme, launched in 2000, is supported by 60,000 schools with 29.3 million students in 109 countries and over 600 organisations.
Every year, three Child Rights Heroes are selected by the WCP Child Jury to be candidates for the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child.
The annual program concludes with a “Global Vote”, where children work together to choose their Child Rights Hero. “Global Vote Days” are held in schools around the world like a democratic election.
The WCP Foundation is regulated by the Svensk Insamlingskontroll (Swedish Fundraising Control), which protects the interests of donors and ensures that the funds raised are used appropriately.
Microsoft has become the biggest company to be headed by an Indian. Indian-born Mr. Satya Nadella appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of the Internet giant Microsoft. The appoint of Mr. Nadella is a significant achievement as he joined a circle of India-origin executives manning top global companies.
Some global corporations led by Indian CEOs:
Why Mr. Reddy resigned from the CM post of Andhra?
To protest against the Congress and Centre’s decision to divide AP and the way the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Bill was dealt with in Parliament. Now, the formation of Telangana state waited for the formal nod of President, as the Telangana Bill passed in both Houses of Parliament.Highlights of the Telangana Bill:
- Telangana will have 10 districts and the rest of Andhra Pradesh 13 districts.
- Hyderabad will remain the joint capital of Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh for ten years.
- The Bhadrachalam division will continue to be with Khammam district which will be part of Telangana.
- NTPC will construct a 4,000 MW power project in Telangana to solve the electricity problem in the region.
- A petroleum university will be constructed in Seemandhra region while seats for Semmandhra students in educational institutes in Telangana will be reserved for ten years.
- Article 371 D will continue for the both states to ensure equitable opportunities for education and public employment.
Dua’s layer: Dr. Harminder Singh Dua, Indian origin UK doctor discovered new layer of cornea
About the new layer discovered by Mr. Dua
This 15 microns thick new layer also known as Dua’s layer.Located at the back of the cornea between the corneal stroma and Descemet’s membrane.
Plays a vital role in the structure of the tissue that controls the flow of fluid from the eye.
Makes an important contribution to the sieve-like trabecular meshwork called the Trabecular Meshwork (TM) in the periphery of the cornea.
Benefit of this discovery: It will offer new clues on why the drainage system malfunctions in the eyes of some people, leading to high pressure.
- The study was published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
What is Trabecular Meshwork (TM)?
TM is a wedge-shaped band of tissue that extends along the circumference of the angle of the anterior chamber of the eye. It is made of beams of collagen wrapped in a basement membrane to which trabecular cells and endothelial cells attach. The beams branch out randomly to form a ‘meshwork’.- Pressure within the eye is maintained by the balance of aqueous fluid production by eye tissue called the ciliary body and drainage principally through the TM to the canal of Schlemm, a circular channel in the angle of the eye.
- Defective drainage through the TM is an important cause of glaucoma, a condition that leads to raised pressure in the eye that can permanently affect sight.
“ModiNomics” – Sameer Kochhar’s book launched
The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mr. Arun Jaitley launched a book titled “ModiNomics: Inclusive Economics, Inclusive Governance”, by Sameer Kocchar, in New Delhi. About the “ModiNomics: Inclusive Economics, Inclusive Governance”
Author: Sameer Kochhar.Focus: On the Gujarat story and tells how BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi brought about a sea change through his unique brand of ModiNomics. Speaks about the vision of Narendra Modi about economic and development strategies. Presents a deep insight of Modi’s idea of both Inclusive Economics as well as Inclusive Governance.
P.C. Chacko committee: To recommend punitive measures for the pepper spray incident in the Parliament
The Lok Sabha Speaker, Ms. Meira Kumar referred the pepper spray incident in the Parliament to the Committee of Privileges, which has powers to recommend punitive measures. The senior Congress leader Mr. PC Chacko is the head of the privilege committee.
About the P.C. Chacko committee
- Consists of 15 members
- Chairman of the Committee of Privileges of Lok Sabha: Mr. P C Chacko
- Function: To examine every question involving breach of privilege or contempt of the House or of the members of any Committee thereof referred to it by the House or by the Speaker.
- Enjoys power to take punitive measures which include recommending imprisonment and even expulsion among others.
- Would also consider whether Members of Parliament should be frisked for security purposes before entering the two Houses.
What is the issue behind the forming of the privilege committee?
- On the issue of the introduction of Telangana Bill in the Parliament, a pepper spray was used by some MPs in the Parliament, which resulted in the hospitalization of three MPs (Member of Parliamentarians) and plunged the House into extreme confusion and disorder.
- Later congress member Mr. L Rajagopal was expelled and 16 Seemandhra MPs were suspended.
- The Lok Sabha Secretariat stated that the decision to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee has been done under Rule 227 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, where a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the Speaker.
About Committee of Privileges
- Examines the cases of breach of privileges of the House and its members and recommends appropriate action.
- Function: Semi judicial in nature.
- The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members while the Rajya Sabha committee has 10 members.
Avinash Arun’s Marathi film “Killa” won Crystal Bear award at Berlin Fest
Mr. Avinash Arun’s directorial debut, the Marathi feature film “Killa” won the Crystal Bear (Glasernen Bar) for the Best Film awarded by the Children’s Jury in Generation Kplus section at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival (also known as the Berlinale).About Marathi film Killa
First Indian feature film to win Crystal Bear award.Deals with the universal conflict of migration and how it impacts the lives of people, especially children.
- The story is about an 11 year old child, Chinu, who is coping with the death of his father and finds it difficult to adapt to a new place he has migrated to.
- Directed by Avinash Arun.
- Produced by Madhukar R Musle, Ajay G Rai and Alan McAlex under the banner, Jar Pictures and presented by M R Filmworks.
- Will be released in May, 2014.
Football Legend “Sir Tom Finney”: Former Preston and England winger passed away
Former Preston and England winger, Sir Tom Finney
(91) passed away. Mr. Finney was one of the England’s greatest
footballers and the ultimate one-club man. He was famous for his loyalty
to his league club, Preston North End for which he made 569 first-class
appearances.About Sir Tom Finney
Nickname:Preston Plumber.Played for Preston from 1946 until he retired.
Scored 210 goals in 473 appearances.
Footballer of the year: In 1954 and 1957 (the first player to receive the honor twice).
Appointment: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (1961),
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1992.
- Knighted in the 1998 Queen’s New Year Honors.
- President of Kendal Town.
67th BAFTA Awards 2014
The 67th BritishAcademy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held at the Royal Opera House in London.
In the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings, Chinese tennis ace Li Na ranked World No.2 following her second Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open 2014.
Top five players in the WTA Singles rankings:
Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton launched a new global review of data to analyze the advancement of women and girls around the world since the mid-1990s.
Objective: To promote female participation in education, politics and the economy around the world.
Ms. Clinton publicized the new partnership at New YorkUniversity between the Clinton Foundation and the Gates Foundation. The project is part of her “No Ceilings” initiative that aims to empower women in the 21st century and will collect and review data on the progress of women since the 1995 United Nations Beijing conference.
Major General Konsam Himalaya Singh became the first Lieutenant General in the army from North East States. Singh is the senior most serving officer in the army from Manipur. Presently, Major General KM Singh is serving in the military secretary’s branch which is headquartered in New Delhi.
In Kargil war, Singh commanded 27 Rajput Regiment and he was awarded Yudh Seva Medal for leading successful operations. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Sewa Medal in 2013. Albeit around 2 Indian Air Force Officers from the North Eastern region have risen to 3-star rank, Maj. Gen. Kosnam Himalaya Singh is the first from the Army to reach this rank.
Publisher Penguin India agreed to withdraw American Indologist Wendy Doniger’s book “The Hindus: An Alternative History” from the Indian market.
The decision made between the publisher and Delhi based complainant organization called “Shiksha Bachao Andolan”, who moved to court alleging distortion aimed at denigrating Hindu traditions.
The main contention of all petitioners is that the book insults and offends Hindus and Indians. The issues against the book range from factual errors, dates, maps, to use of psychoanalytical tools while viewing Vedic, Hindu and Indian gods.
As per the settlement between the complainant and Penguin publishers, Penguin will destroy all copies of the book, dubbed “disrespectful of Hinduism”, within six months.
Winners of the 67th Annual BAFTA Awards
- Best Film: 12 Years a Slave
- Outstanding British Film: Gravity.
- Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity).
- Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave).
- Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine).
- Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips).
- Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle).
- Best Original Screenplay: American Hustle.
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Philomena.
- Best Editing: Rush.
- Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity).
- Best Production Design: The Great Gatsby.
- Best Costume Design: The Great Gatsby.
- Best Original Music: Gravity.
- Best Makeup and Hair: American Hustle.
- Best Sound: Gravity.
- Best Visual Effects: Gravity.
- Best Film Not in the English Language: The Great Beauty.
- Best Animated Film: Frozen.
- Best Documentary: The Act of Killing.
- Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer: Kieran Evans.
- Best British Short Film: Room 8.
- Best British Short Animation: Sleeping with the Fishes.
- The EE Rising Star Award: Will Poulter.
- Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema: Peter Greenaway.
- Most awards: Gravity (6).
About British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)
- Formed: 1947.
- Headquarters: London.
- Purpose: To supports, promotes and develops the art forms of the moving image – film, television and video games – by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public.
WTA rankings: Li Na climbs to World No.2 spot
In the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings, Chinese tennis ace Li Na ranked World No.2 following her second Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open 2014.Top five players in the WTA Singles rankings:
- Serena Williams (United States).
- Li Na (China)
- Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland)
- Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
- Maria Sharapova (Russia)
- Peng Shuai (China)
- Hsieh Su-Wei (Chinese Taipei)
- Vesnina Elena (Russia)
Ms. Hillary R Clinton launched a new global review of data on women empowerment
Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton launched a new global review of data to analyze the advancement of women and girls around the world since the mid-1990s.
Objective: To promote female participation in education, politics and the economy around the world.
Ms. Clinton publicized the new partnership at New YorkUniversity between the Clinton Foundation and the Gates Foundation. The project is part of her “No Ceilings” initiative that aims to empower women in the 21st century and will collect and review data on the progress of women since the 1995 United Nations Beijing conference.
New Zealand won 2-Cricket Test series against India 1-0
New Zealand won the two match Test Series against India by 1-0 after the second test at the Basin Reserve, Wellington ended in a draw.
Man of the Match: Brendon McCullum.
Outcome of the series:
Man of the Match: Brendon McCullum.
Outcome of the series:
- Brendon McCullum became New Zealand’s first triple-centurion in 84 years of Test cricket in the second test match against India in Wellington. He scored 302 runs in the second innings.
- India retained their second position in the ICC Test team rankings, after losing the series by 1-0.
- A two-Test series loss has resulted in India slipping from 117 ratings points to 112 that means that they are ahead of Australia by just one rating point.
- Here, Australia has a chance to go ahead of India on the table before the April 1, 2014 cut-off date.
Mr. Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi CM
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, Mr. Arvind Kejriwal resigned from the post of Chief Minister of Delhi, after failing to introduce and pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly.
In the 70-member Assembly, the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill was opposed by 42 MLAs: BJP (32), Congress (8) and one of the Janata Dal (United) and an Independent.
Note: The AAP formed the
government after winning 28 seats out of 70 in the Assembly election in
Delhi. Although, it didn’t have the majority, the Congress party
extended its unconditional support to AAP for forming government. Mr.
Kejriwal was sworn in as the second-youngest chief minister of Delhi on
December 28, 2013.
Major General Kosnam Himalaya Singh: First Army Officer from North Eastern States to be appointed as Lieutenant General
Major General Konsam Himalaya Singh became the first Lieutenant General in the army from North East States. Singh is the senior most serving officer in the army from Manipur. Presently, Major General KM Singh is serving in the military secretary’s branch which is headquartered in New Delhi.
In Kargil war, Singh commanded 27 Rajput Regiment and he was awarded Yudh Seva Medal for leading successful operations. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Sewa Medal in 2013. Albeit around 2 Indian Air Force Officers from the North Eastern region have risen to 3-star rank, Maj. Gen. Kosnam Himalaya Singh is the first from the Army to reach this rank.
“The Hindus: An Alternative History”: Penguin withdraws Doniger book on Hinduism
Publisher Penguin India agreed to withdraw American Indologist Wendy Doniger’s book “The Hindus: An Alternative History” from the Indian market.
The decision made between the publisher and Delhi based complainant organization called “Shiksha Bachao Andolan”, who moved to court alleging distortion aimed at denigrating Hindu traditions.
The main contention of all petitioners is that the book insults and offends Hindus and Indians. The issues against the book range from factual errors, dates, maps, to use of psychoanalytical tools while viewing Vedic, Hindu and Indian gods.
As per the settlement between the complainant and Penguin publishers, Penguin will destroy all copies of the book, dubbed “disrespectful of Hinduism”, within six months.
NRIs set up first NaMo tea stall in Silicon valley, USA
The Indian-American
professionals from many IT companies viz. Microsoft, Cisco, Apple, eBay,
Oracle, etc. set up the first NaMo tea stall in Silicon valley, USA.
Objective: To extend their support to BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for the Lok Sabha polls.
To make use of latest technology to cut power transmission losses in India,
fully computerizing the process of government tenders and providing
technological aid to Indian farmers. They will compile all the
suggestions discussed and send them to a team formed by BJP in India.
These professionals met at Indian tea-stall in Ortega Park in Sunnyvale as part of the volunteer group – “I Care for India”. There they discussed the role of technology in solving Governance issues in India. Such as:
- Use the latest technology to cut power transmission losses in India
- Fully computerize the process of government tenders and provide technological aid to Indian farmers.
All these suggestions would send to a team formed by BJP in India to support BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Note: NaMo Tea stalls or ‘Chai pe charcha’
programmes are to interact with the public of India and to take
suggestions from the public on the various issues related to the
progress of the country viz. good governance, etc. This mega outreach
programme is a part of Mr. Narendra Modi’s (BJP’s prime ministerial
candidate) election campaign for the Lok Sabha elections due by May, 2014.
Mukul Mudgal Committee report on IPL spot fixing scandal
The Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee submitted its report to the Supreme Court after investigating allegations of spot-fixing and betting in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
As per the Mukul Mugdal Committee report
- The allegations of betting and passing of information against Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan (the Son-in-Law of BCCI president N Srinivasan) stand proved.
- More investigation is needed against Rajasthan Royals owner Mr. Raj Kundra, who is facing charges of betting and fixing the match.
- The allegations of spot-fixing and match fixing against five players – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan, Ajit Chandila, Amit Singh and Siddharth Trivedi – on the basis of evidence provided by Delhi Police were facing criminal trial and adequate punishment has been imposed upon them by the BCCI.
- Constitution of IPL Governing Council, the two teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals may be suspended.
- As per the Clause 11.3 of the IPL franchise agreement in any case,
if the team, official, team owner or anyone else associated with the
team tries to bring in bad image on the league, then the team can be
suspended immediately.
Recommendations of Mukul Mudgal panel
- Senior players should make ensure that younger players are aware about the spot-fixing and other things that tarnish the image of the sport as well as the player or team.
- The game should be made more clear and transparent.
- Information should be shared with other agencies by BCCI.
- BCCI should make a proactive approach against players and bookies instead of wait for the media probe.
- In its recommendation, it has also suggested getting registered agents of the players by BCCI and those agents should not be allowed to travel with the players.
About Mukul Mugdal Committee
- Formed: By Supreme Court in October 2013.
- Purpose: To investigate spot-fixing in IPL matches.
- Chairman: Mr. Mukul Mudgal, the Retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
- Other members: Additional Solicitor L N Rao and Nilay Dutta.
- The panel led by Justice Mudgal made the report after compiling statements of players, officials associated to IPL and Journalists.
Mr. Jatinder Bir Singh: Appointed as a new CMD of Punjab and Sind Bank
Mr. Jatinder Bir Singh appointed new Chairman and Managing Director of “SMSS J031300.36-670839.3”: Oldest known star in the Universe discovered
The astronomers led by Dr Stefan Keller of the Australian National University (ANU) have discovered the oldest known star, SMSS J031300.36-670839.3, in the Universe, which formed shortly after the Big Bang 13.6 billion years ago.
- Modern cosmological science stated that our universe came into existence as a result of a Big Bang event about 13.7 billion years ago. Our Sun is approximately 4.57 billion years old.
- The new star beats the previous longevity record of 13.2 billion years set by a star dubbed HD 140283 surveyed by American astronomers.
- The ANU SkyMapper telescope at the Sliding Spring Observatory has discovered the oldest known star in the Universe.
About SMSS J031300.36-670839.3 star
- SMSS stands for SkyMapper Southern Sky Survey, the 031300 refers to the right ascension of the star on the sky and the 670839.3 refers to the declination.
- Second-generation star due to the low level of iron in the upper limit.
- Composition: Mass 60 times bigger than our Sun and is relatively close to us, about 6,000 light years from the Earth.
- Age: Approximately 13.6 billion years.
- Discovery indicates that the supernovae of first generation stars may not have been as powerful as previously thought.
- Showed the signs of pollution with lighter elements viz. carbon, magnesium, etc, with no traces of iron. This indicates the primordial star’s supernova explosion was of surprisingly low energy. (Previously, primordial stars were thought to have died in violent explosions which polluted space with iron).
- In other words, the extremely low iron content of ‘J’ (to give it a more manageable pseudonym) indicates that the explosion that formed it was relatively low energy.
- Though, sufficient to disintegrate the primordial star, almost all of the heavy elements such as iron, were consumed by a black hole that formed at the heart of the explosion.
- The discovery is the first step in understanding ancient stars that formed after the Big Bang. Astronomers can measure the star’s composition as well as iron “pollution” due to supernovae.
Benefit of the discovery: For the
first time, astronomers can study the chemistry of the first stars and
can give a clearer idea of what the Universe was like in its infancy.
About Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang is the scientific theory that is most consistent with observations
of the past and present states of the universe, and it is widely
accepted within the scientific community. It offers a comprehensive
explanation for a broad range of observed phenomena, including the
abundance of light elements, the cosmic microwave background, large
scale structure, and the Hubble diagram.
Note: First generation stars are
predominantly tens or hundreds of times more massive than the Sun. They
live fast, die young and have not survived to the present day. Though,
the second generation stars, a little smaller than the Sun, have massive
lifespan of over 13 billion years.
Sushil Koirala: Nepal’s new PM
Veteran Nepali Congress President, Mr. Sushil Koirala (75) elected as Prime Minister of Nepal, after he secured more than two-thirds of the votes in the Parliament
of Nepal. He would be the sixth head of government since the country
became a Republic in 2008, following a peace deal with Maoist rebels in
2006.Mr. Sushil Koirala
Received 405 votes while 148 votes were cast against him out of the present 583 legislators that took part in the voting in the Parliament in the Kathmandu a short while ago.Became the fourth prime minister from his family, after Matrika Prasad Koirala, Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala and Girija Prasad Koirala.
Coalition form with the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist), the second largest party, and some other smaller groups.
In a seven-point power-sharing deal, both the parties (UML & NC) decided to draft a new constitution and old fresh elections for the president and vice president within a year.
Had taken over the charge from Mr. Khil Raj Regmi, who was working as acting Prime Minister of Nepal from March 14, 2013.
Mr. Vishwanath Tripathi honored with the Vyas Samman 2013
The famous Hindi writer, Mr. Vishwanath Tripathi (82) honored by the prestigious Vyas Samman 2013. He has been chosen for his memoir ‘Vyomkesh Darvesh ‘that is a biography of the noted Hindi scholar Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi.
- The Vyas Samman 2012 was given to Hindi litterateur Narendra Kohli for his historical novel “Na Bhooto Na Bhavishyati” based on Swami Vivekananda.
- Mr. Surya Prasad Dikshit was the selection committee head of Vyas Samman 2013.
- Mr. Tripathi has around 20 publications by his name that includes memoirs, novel and poetry collection.
Dr. Marco Lambertini: New Director-General of WWF International
Dr. Marco Lambertini appointed as the Director General of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International. He will begin his new role with the global conservation organization on May 1, 2014.
Dr. Marco Lambertini
- At present, he is the chief executive of Bird Life International.
- Holds an experience of 25 years as a global conservation leader.
- Began his association with WWF as a youth volunteer growing up in his native Italy.
About World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
- An international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment.
- Founded: April 29, 1961.
- Headquarters: Gland, Vaud, Switzerland.
- Mission: To stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
- Focus: On the conservation of three biomes that contain most of the world’s biodiversity: oceans and coasts, forests, and freshwater ecosystems.
- Also concerned with endangered species, pollution and climate change.
Sitaram Yechury committee report: Revisit Aircraft Act 1934 and bring out comprehensive bill
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has rejected the Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) Bill in the present form. The committee stated that the proposal
for setting up a new aviation regulator lacks teeth in empowering the
authority.
- The panel, headed by Sitaram Yechury suggested the Civil Aviation Ministry
to come out with a comprehensive Bill after revisiting the Aircraft
Act, 1934 because it felt that the Act is too old to tackle the
emerging problems in the aviation sector.
Excerpts of the Sitaram Yechury committee report on Transport, Tourism and Culture
- The Chairperson of Civil Aviation Authority of India should be part-time only as there exists possibility of deadlock between a full time Chairperson and the Director General would be imminent.
- Increase the number of experts in the selection committee for the appointment of Chairperson, DG and full-time members of the Authority.
- Found fault with the qualifications needed to become the chairman of the CAA in the Bill, saying it would seem that only a former civil aviation secretary would fulfill the requirements to head the CAA.
- Allow professionals and heads of public sector undertakings viz. Airports Authority of India, who have the relevant experience and knowledge but were lower in rank than secretary, to head CAA.
- CAA members’ term of office should be reduced to three years from the proposed five years as it would block those persons having latest training and knowledge from becoming members, particularly when the sector was growing and changing fast.
Ms. Arunima Sinha bagged Amazing Indian Award 2014
Ms Arunima Sinha bagged with Amazing Indian Award by the Vice President of India, Mr. Hamid Ansari, for scaling Mount Everest despite being physically challenged.
- Ms. Sinha is the first Indian amputee who scales the Mount Everest on May, 2013. She is a former national volleyball and football player from Uttar Pradesh.
- She lost her right leg in 2011 after being thrown off a moving train. Two years later she stood on the peak of the Mount Everest with an artificial leg and an indomitable spirit to achieve the unimaginable.
Google doodle celebrated Sarojini Naidu’s 135th birthday or National Women’s Day of India
The search giant, Google marked the 135th birth anniversary of freedom fighter and poet Sarojini Naidu
with a doodle. The doodle on the search giant’s homepage displayed a
portrait of Ms. Naidu in the place of the second ‘O’ in the company’s
logo. There was also a pen in place of the letter ‘L’ in logo, which
seemingly depicted Naidu’s writing capabilities.- Ms. Naidu was also known as the ‘Nightingale of India’ and the first Indian woman to become the president of the Indian National Congress.
- The British government awarded the Naidu ‘Kaiser-i-Hind medal’ for her work during the plague epidemic in India in 1928.
- Her birthday observed as a National Woman Day in recognition of the works done by her for upliftment and development of women in India.
World Children’s Prize (Children’s Nobel Prize) Nominees 2014: Malala, John Wood and Indira Ranamagar
For
the 2014 World’s Children’s Prize, Pakistani teenage rights activist
Malala Yousafzai, John Wood from the USA and Nepalese child rights
worker Indira Ranamagar are nominated for an award also known as the “Children’s Nobel Prize”.- Ms. Malala Yousafzai nominated for her courageous and dangerous fight for girls’ right to education. She started to speak out for girls’ rights at the age of 11, when the Taliban banned girls from going to school in the SwatValley in Pakistan.
- Mr. John Wood nominated for his 15-year fight for children’s right to education. John quit his job as a manager at the Microsoft company to fulfil his dream: to fight poverty by giving children all over the world the chance to go to school.
- Ms. Indira Ramanagar nominated for her 20-year struggle for prisoners’ children in Nepal. She has built up an organisation called Prisoners Assistance Nepal (PA), which has rescued over a thousand children from cramped, dirty prisons.
Indira Ramanagar and Prisoners Assistance:
- Run three children‘s homes, two schools, and youth programs on organic agriculture, arts and crafts, and more.
- Support girls in villages to enable them to go to school. They are also given bikes, since they often have a long journey to get to school.
- Search for relatives and support them to take care of the children.
- Make sure that children get a chance to visit their parents in prison.
- Run programs allowing children to go to school during the day and stay with their mothers in prison at night. They also educate mothers in prison up to Year 5 level and give them vocational training.
- Support prisoners who have been released, so that they can be reunited with their children.
- Speak out for the weakest in society and fight for prisoners – especially women and their children – to be treated in a fair and humane way.
About World’s Children’s Prize (WCP)
Also known as the Children’s Nobel PrizeThe world’s largest annual educational program teaching young people about the rights of the child, democracy and global friendship.
Vision: A world where the rights of the child are universally respected and where every new generation grows up as humane global citizens.
Mission: To catalyze the growth and development of a more humane global community through an integrated global educational program, engaging a growing number of children throughout the world.
The award programme, launched in 2000, is supported by 60,000 schools with 29.3 million students in 109 countries and over 600 organisations.
Every year, three Child Rights Heroes are selected by the WCP Child Jury to be candidates for the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child.
The annual program concludes with a “Global Vote”, where children work together to choose their Child Rights Hero. “Global Vote Days” are held in schools around the world like a democratic election.
The WCP Foundation is regulated by the Svensk Insamlingskontroll (Swedish Fundraising Control), which protects the interests of donors and ensures that the funds raised are used appropriately.
Indian CEOs leading major companies in the world
Microsoft has become the biggest company to be headed by an Indian. Indian-born Mr. Satya Nadella appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of the Internet giant Microsoft. The appoint of Mr. Nadella is a significant achievement as he joined a circle of India-origin executives manning top global companies.Some global corporations led by Indian CEOs:
- Mr. Lakshmi Mittal – Chairman and CEO of Arcelor-Mittal, world’s largest steel making company. The Indian Steel mogul is one of the most influential and powerful figures globally.
- Ms. Indra Nooyi – Chairperson & CEO of PepsiCo, one of the largest food and beverage business in the world.
- Rakesh Kapoor – CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, the consumer goods giant is listed on London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
- Anshu Jain: Co-CEO, Deutsche Bank.
- Ajay Banga: President & CEO, MasterCard, an American financial services corporation that process payments between the banks of merchants when purchases are made through the brand card. Mr. Banga appointed CEO in July 2010.
- Sanjay Jha: Appointed as chief executive officer of GLOBALFOUNDRIES in January 2014. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global manufacturing and technology footprint.
- Shantanu Narayen – President and CEO of Adobe Systems, one of the world’s largest and most diversified software companies.
- Dinesh Paliwali: CEO of Harman International, a leading provider of premium audio and infotainment systems for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. He has served as the CEO since July 2007.
- Rajeev Vasudeva: Egon Zehnder.
- Ivan Menezes: CEO of alcoholic beverages firm Diageo PLC since July 1, 2013.
- Ajit Jain: Berkshire Hathaway Group.
- Piyush Gupta: DBS Group Holdings.
- Sanjay Mehrotra: CEO of SanDisk since January 1, 2011.
Bezbaruah Committee: To address concerns of Northeastern people
The Union Government set up a Bezbaruah panel to propose remedial measures to address concerns of people from the Northeast following outrage over the death in Delhi of a 19-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh.
The Bezbaruah Committee:
- A six-member panel led by Former IAS officer M P Bezbaruah, who is also a member of North-Eastern Council.
- Members: Retired IAS officers H W T Syeim, Allen Temshi Jamir, Tape Bagra and P Bharat Singh and the Deputy Secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs S Saha as Member Secretary.
- The Chairman of the committee shall co-opt members, one each from the other Northeastern states like Tripura, Mizoram and Sikkim.
- Objective: The Panel will examine the causes behind attacks/violence and discrimination against people from the Northeast, suggest measures to be taken by the government to address these concerns besides suggesting legal remedies for the same. It will deliberate and find ways to stop such attacks on the people from Northeast.
K.V. Thomas Committee: Ad monitoring committee to draft guidelines to safeguard consumer interest from false advertisements
The Central Consumer Protection Council (CCPC) under the chairmanship of minister K V Thomas set up a sub-committee to draft guidelines to safeguard consumer interest from false advertisements in the country.
Objective: To issue guidelines to monitor the advertisements. At present, there is no any legal protection cover available for consumers against false advertisements.
Note: The immediate push for regulation has come from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The court ordered the consumer affairs ministry to set up an ad-monitoring panel as recommended by the Vibha Bhargava Commission. The commission had submitted its report in 2005 and it underlined the urgent need to regulate false claims by advertisers of different products.
Objective: To issue guidelines to monitor the advertisements. At present, there is no any legal protection cover available for consumers against false advertisements.
- Formed to see how to regulate false statements made in the advertisements in the name of scientific claims. (Maximum false claims are made in health-related fields).
- Will have the powers to (take) corrective actions and (impose) compensation.
- Proposal: To hold everyone engaged in the production of advertisement responsible for its contents. This will include the manufacturer, advertising agency, artists, actors and the media platform, be it print or electronic.
- The committee will submit its recommendations by the end of February 2014.
Note: The immediate push for regulation has come from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The court ordered the consumer affairs ministry to set up an ad-monitoring panel as recommended by the Vibha Bhargava Commission. The commission had submitted its report in 2005 and it underlined the urgent need to regulate false claims by advertisers of different products.
About Central Consumer Protection Council
- The apex body is appointed by the Central Government in accordance with provisions of the Act.
- Objective: To protect and promote the interest of consumers viz. the right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property; the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods or services, as the case may be so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices, etc.
- Lies under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
- The CCPC consists of the minister in charge of the consumer Affairs as chairperson, minister in charge of States, members of parliaments, representative of the government departments, consumer organization, women members, representatives of trade, industries and consumers.
Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur Committee: 7th Pay Central Commission constituted
The Central Government constituted the 7th Central Pay Commission under the chairmanship of Mr. Ashok Kumar Mathur, a retired Supreme Court judge and retired chairman of Armed Forces Tribunal.
Objective: To revise the salary structure of Union government employees from both civil and military services.
President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the country’s highest civilian honor Bharat Ratna on eminent scientist Prof C.N.R. Rao and cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Under the Constitution, the award cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the recipient`s name. Though the award winner can use mention as ‘Awarded Bharat Ratna by the President’ or ‘Recipient of Bharat Ratna Award’ in their bio-data, letter head or visiting cards. The recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion. It does not carry any monetary grant.
Note: The Bharat Ratna has been conferred after a long gap with classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi being the last recipient in 2008.
Former Miss World, top notch model and a powerhouse performer, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (40)has voted the world’s fourth most beautiful woman in a recent poll conducted by online magazine Hollywood Buzz.
Aishwarya ranked fourth on the
list of Top Thirty Most Beautiful Women after Italian actress Monica
Belluci and American model-actress Kate Upton.
Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone are the only Indian women to feature in the list. Ms. Padukone ranked 29th in the list.
The poll conducted in December 2013 by Hollywood Buzz, listed the “Official Top 30 World’s Most Beautiful Women of 2014”. Over 4 million people across the world participated in the poll and selected the most intelligent, desirable and successful women of 2013-14.
The parameters of judging were based on intelligence, desirability and success.
Bill Gates assumes role of “Founder and technology advisor” of Microsoft
John Thompson appointed as the new Chairman of Microsoft
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates assumed a new role on the Board as Founder and Technology Advisor. He will help Satya Nadella (the new CEO of Microsoft) in shaping technology and product direction and will devote more time in making Microsoft Office more interactive and building a cloud platform as examples of ways Microsoft can innovate in the future. He stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014.
Indian-born Mr. Satya Nadella (46) appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of the Internet giant Microsoft. Previously, he was the executive vice president
of Microsoft’s cloud and enterprise group, responsible for building and
running the company’s computing platforms, developer tools and cloud
services.
Mr. Nadella is only the third chief executive in Microsoft’s 39-year history, following co-founder Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. He succeeded Mr. Steve Ballmer.
The senior congress leader, Mr. Harish Rawat sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He was administered the oath by the Governor Aziz Qureshi at Raj Bhawan. He succeeded Vijay Bahuguna.
Mr. Bahuguna resigned from the post of CM due to the criticism for the way he had handled the flood situation and relief and rescue work.
In the 70-member assembly, the Congress, which has 33 MLAs, is supported by the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) which comprises three BSP MLAs, three independents, and one Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) MLA
Meghalaya’s
first Padma Shri awardee Ms. Silverine Swer (103) passed away due to
illness. She received the Padma Shri Award from the then president R. Venkataraman in 1990.
About Ms. Silverine Swer
New Zealand’s Kathy Cross (56) became the first woman to be inducted in the International Cricket Council‘s (ICC’s) umpires’ panel. Previously, she was officiated in the Women’s World Cup in Australia in 2009 and in India in 2013.
Ms. Cross and Nigel Morrison have joined Sameer Bandekar, Mark Hawthorne, Wynand Louw, David Odhiambo, Buddhi Pradhan, Sarika Siva Prasad, Richard Smith, Ian Ramage and Courtney Young in the panel for 2014. The panel was named by the Associate and Affiliate Selection Committee.
The umpires on the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires can be assigned to ODI and T20 matches involving Associate and Affiliate Members, Intercontinental Cup matches, Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Divisions 3 to 6 and other Associate and Affiliate tournaments, as well as Development Events.
Mahatma Gandhi’s grand daughter, Ms. Ela Gandhi honored with the Prestigious South African Award, ‘Amadelakupha’
by the South African Government. This award was also given to Sunny
Singh and Mac Maharaj of Indian Decent. The South African Government
stated that Ms. Gandhi selected for the award in recognition for her
lifetime contribution to the freedom struggle in South Africa.
She formed the trio of Indian-origin South Africans along with Sunny Singh and Mac Maharaj. These three played an active role in the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). The Umkhonto we Sizwe was the armed struggle wing of the African National Congress (ANC).
Former Umkhonto we Sizwe members were incorporated into the South African defence force after the advent of democracy in 1994 following the release of Nelson Mandela to become the first democratically-elected president. Mr. Mandela was the first democratically-elected president of South Africa.
Mr. Raymond Weil (87), watch marketing pioneer and founder of the famed eponymous Swiss timepiece brand passed away.
Founded: Raymond Weil Watch Company in 1976 in Geneva, Switzerland.
One of the great innovators of the Swiss watch industry.
Purpose for forming a company: To create high quality timepieces with superior design at affordable prices.
The company was formed at a time when the Swiss watch industry was going down due to the quartz crisis.
The grand Annual 59th Idea Filmfare Awards event was organized in Mumbai. The following are the winners under various categories:
POPULAR AWARDS:
Objective: To revise the salary structure of Union government employees from both civil and military services.
- Secretary of the ministry of petroleum and natural gas Mr. Vivek Rae will be a full-time member of the Commission.
- Dr Rathin Roy, director of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, will be a part-time member.
- Ms. Meena Agarwal, officer on special duty in the department of expenditure, will be the secretary of the Commission.
- The panel will submit its report in two years and the recommendations would be implemented from Jan 1, 2016.
- The 6th Central Pay Commission under the Chairmanship of B.N.Srikrishna was approved in July 2006.The 5th Pay Commission was implemented with effect from January 1, 1996 and fourth from January 1, 1986.
- The 1st pay commission was constituted under the Chairmanship of Srinivasa Varadachariar in May 1946 and its report was submitted by 1947.
President Pranab Mukherjee conferred Bharat Ratna on Prof. C N R Rao and Sachin Tendulkar
President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the country’s highest civilian honor Bharat Ratna on eminent scientist Prof C.N.R. Rao and cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.- Prof C.N.R.Rao is the third scientist after C V Raman and former President A P J Abdul Kalam, to be awarded with the honor.
- Sachin Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket last year, is the first sports-person to be bestowed with the honor. He is also the first active sportsperson to become a Rajya Sabha member last year.
Under the Constitution, the award cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the recipient`s name. Though the award winner can use mention as ‘Awarded Bharat Ratna by the President’ or ‘Recipient of Bharat Ratna Award’ in their bio-data, letter head or visiting cards. The recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion. It does not carry any monetary grant.
Note: The Bharat Ratna has been conferred after a long gap with classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi being the last recipient in 2008.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan voted fourth most beautiful woman of the world
Former Miss World, top notch model and a powerhouse performer, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (40)has voted the world’s fourth most beautiful woman in a recent poll conducted by online magazine Hollywood Buzz.Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone are the only Indian women to feature in the list. Ms. Padukone ranked 29th in the list.
The poll conducted in December 2013 by Hollywood Buzz, listed the “Official Top 30 World’s Most Beautiful Women of 2014”. Over 4 million people across the world participated in the poll and selected the most intelligent, desirable and successful women of 2013-14.
The parameters of judging were based on intelligence, desirability and success.
Top Ten stunners that rule the list of the World’s Most Beautiful Women 2014:
- Monica Bellucci
- Kate Upton
- Angelina Jolie
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
- Irina Shayk
- Meryem Uzerli
- Charlize Theron
- Amber Heard
- Rihanna
- Scarlet Johansson
The list of thirty also includes musicians Beyonce, Katy Perry and Rihanna, with a sprinkling of models viz.AdrianaLima, Irina Shayk and Miranda Kerr, etc. The list of thirty also includes musicians Beyonce, Katy Perry and Rihanna, with a sprinkling of models viz.AdrianaLima, Irina Shayk and Miranda Kerr, etc.
Bill Gates “Founder and technology advisor”; John Thompson new Chairman of Microsoft
Bill Gates assumes role of “Founder and technology advisor” of MicrosoftJohn Thompson appointed as the new Chairman of Microsoft
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates assumed a new role on the Board as Founder and Technology Advisor. He will help Satya Nadella (the new CEO of Microsoft) in shaping technology and product direction and will devote more time in making Microsoft Office more interactive and building a cloud platform as examples of ways Microsoft can innovate in the future. He stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014.
About Bill Gates
An American business magnate, investor, programmer, inventor and philanthropist.- Founded Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen and served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) until 2000.
- Chairman of the Microsoft board until Feb. 4, 2014.
- As per recent poll conducted by The Times, Mr. Bill Gates is the most admired person on Earth.
- Known for donating large sums of money to charitable organizations and scientific research and is highly regarded globally.
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF or the Gates Foundation): founded by Bill and Melinda Gates in 1997.
- Objective of the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation: to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology.
Indian-born Mr. Satya Nadella appointed as the new Microsoft CEO
Indian-born Mr. Satya Nadella (46) appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of the Internet giant Microsoft. Previously, he was the executive vice president
of Microsoft’s cloud and enterprise group, responsible for building and
running the company’s computing platforms, developer tools and cloud
services.Mr. Nadella is only the third chief executive in Microsoft’s 39-year history, following co-founder Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. He succeeded Mr. Steve Ballmer.
About Mr. Satya Nadella
- Born: 1967 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
- Residence:Bellevue, Washington, US.
- Started career as a member of the technology staff at Sun Microsystems.
- Joined Microsoft in1992.
- Played a major role in Microsoft’s transition to the cloud: During his long tenure, he lead major strategy and technical shifts across the company’s portfolio of products and services viz. development of one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world supporting Bing, Xbox, Office and other services.
- Played a key role in bringing some of Microsoft’s most popular technologies viz. its database, Windows server and developer tools, to the cloud, called Window Azure.
- Helped Microsoft to bring a cloud version of Microsoft Office to the cloud, Office 365. Microsoft says Office 365 is one of its fastest growing products ever.
- Currently, responsible for a huge, largely invisible part of Microsoft’s business.
Mr. Harish Rawat sworn-in as new CM of Uttrakhand
The senior congress leader, Mr. Harish Rawat sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He was administered the oath by the Governor Aziz Qureshi at Raj Bhawan. He succeeded Vijay Bahuguna.Mr. Bahuguna resigned from the post of CM due to the criticism for the way he had handled the flood situation and relief and rescue work.
In the 70-member assembly, the Congress, which has 33 MLAs, is supported by the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) which comprises three BSP MLAs, three independents, and one Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) MLA
Ms. Silverine Swer: Meghalaya’s first Padma Shri awardee, passed away
Meghalaya’s
first Padma Shri awardee Ms. Silverine Swer (103) passed away due to
illness. She received the Padma Shri Award from the then president R. Venkataraman in 1990.About Ms. Silverine Swer
- Born: November 12, 1910 in Christian tribal family, Meghalaya.
- Fondly known as Kong Sil and was also the oldest voter from Meghalaya.
- Awards & Honors: Padmashree Award, Patogan Sangma Award for social service, Silver Elephant Medal of the Bharat Scout & Guides Award (by President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in 1976), Kaisar-i- Hind Medal, RG Buruah Smriti Rakhya Samiti, etc.
- Member of the Good Will Movement of the Moral Rearmament (MRA).
- First Khasi woman to become the Trainer and Adviser of the Girls Guide Movement – a movement that became her lifelong passion until her last days.
- Awarded Kaisar-i-Hind medal by the Assam government for her efficiency and integrity while handling the rationing system and for service to the Girl Guide movement in Assam.
- Saw four wars: the two World Wars, the Sino-Indian War and the Bangladesh Liberation War involving India.
- 1944-1949: Appointed as the Assistant Controller of Rationing during the World War II under Assam government.
- 1953 -1969: Chief Social Education Organizer in Arunachal Pradesh under erstwhile NEFA government for 15 years.
- Pioneering Principal of the Teacher Training Institute at Changlang Tirap district and retired from service in 1968.
- After retirement, she involved herself passionately with various women voluntary social welfare organizations and governing bodies of schools, colleges and co-operative societies.
- Important roles in Meghalaya taken by her: Chairman of the State Social Welfare Advisory Board, State Commissioner (Guides), Chairperson of the International Year for Women (1979), Member of NEHU’s Executive Council and Adviser of many more organizations.
Justice B.N.Srikrishna Committee recommendations to be reviewed by a 9-member IRDA panel
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) set up a 9-member panle to review the 14 non-legislative recommendations made by the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC).
The role of panel is to:
The role of panel is to:
- Examine the extant legislative and regulatory framework in compliance 14 Non-Legislative Recommendations (NLRs).
- Identify the gaps and possible improvements in the extant framework vis-a-vis the 14 NLR.
- Suggest changes or modifications to the extant framework in compliance with the 14 NLR.
About Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) report:
- Headed by former Justice B.N.Srikrishna
- Contains 12 key proposals and these do not require legislative changes.
- The financial sector regulators will take serious action with high penalties on violators and time bound investigations that would act as deterrents and improve consumer protection.
- The proposals that called for penalties discourage the future violations as a multiple of the illegitimate gain of violations.
- Regulators should also put in place internal manuals on conducting investigations. The investigating officer would be kept different from the officer who would decide the penalty for the crime.
Mr. Anand Kumar, founder of Super30 classes bestowed with the prestigious Ramanujan Mathematics award
Leading mathematician and founder of Super30 classes Mr. Anand Kumar bestowed with the prestigious 2014 Ramanujan Mathematics Award at the 8th National
Mathematics Convention organized by a Rajkot-based school. Renowned
atomic scientist Pitamber Patel and famous scientist J J Rawal presented
the cash award of Rs 20,000 to Kumar.
- Mr. Kumar, who is a native of Bihar, is founder of Super30, which imparts free residential mentoring to 30 selected students from underprivileged families for IIT entrance exam and has achieved international recognition for social awakening.
- His papers published in a number of international journals viz. Mathematical Spectrum and Mathematical Gazette of the UK, etc and was thrice invited jointly by the Mathematical Association of America and the American Mathematical Society to present his papers.
Ms. Kiwi Kathy Cross: First woman in ICC umpire’s panel
New Zealand’s Kathy Cross (56) became the first woman to be inducted in the International Cricket Council‘s (ICC’s) umpires’ panel. Previously, she was officiated in the Women’s World Cup in Australia in 2009 and in India in 2013.Ms. Cross and Nigel Morrison have joined Sameer Bandekar, Mark Hawthorne, Wynand Louw, David Odhiambo, Buddhi Pradhan, Sarika Siva Prasad, Richard Smith, Ian Ramage and Courtney Young in the panel for 2014. The panel was named by the Associate and Affiliate Selection Committee.
The umpires on the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires can be assigned to ODI and T20 matches involving Associate and Affiliate Members, Intercontinental Cup matches, Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Divisions 3 to 6 and other Associate and Affiliate tournaments, as well as Development Events.
56th Grammy Awards 2014
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards
were held on, at the StaplesCenter in Los Angeles. This year the Grammy
Awards weren’t just about the music and they were also about making a
statement in the same-sex marriage debate.
For complete list of Winners and Nominees kindly visit: http://www.grammy.com
Category
|
Album
|
Artist
|
Best album of the year
|
Random access memories
|
Daft Punk
|
Best record of the year
|
Get Lucky
|
Daft Punk , Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers
|
Best song of the year
|
Royals
|
Lorde
|
Best new artist
|
- |
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
|
Children’s Album
|
Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well
|
Jennifer Gasoi
|
Best Pop solo performance
|
Royals
|
Lorde
|
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
|
Get Lucky
|
Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
|
Mahatma Gandhi’s grand daughter Ela Gandhi honored with prestigious South African Award ‘Amadelakupha’
Mahatma Gandhi’s grand daughter, Ms. Ela Gandhi honored with the Prestigious South African Award, ‘Amadelakupha’
by the South African Government. This award was also given to Sunny
Singh and Mac Maharaj of Indian Decent. The South African Government
stated that Ms. Gandhi selected for the award in recognition for her
lifetime contribution to the freedom struggle in South Africa.She formed the trio of Indian-origin South Africans along with Sunny Singh and Mac Maharaj. These three played an active role in the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). The Umkhonto we Sizwe was the armed struggle wing of the African National Congress (ANC).
Former Umkhonto we Sizwe members were incorporated into the South African defence force after the advent of democracy in 1994 following the release of Nelson Mandela to become the first democratically-elected president. Mr. Mandela was the first democratically-elected president of South Africa.
About Ms. Ela Gandhi
- Born: July 1, 1940 in Durban, South Africa.
- Peace activist and was a Member of Parliament in South Africa from 1994-2004
- Awards: Community of Christ International Peace Award, Padma Bhushan award(2007), Pravasi Bhartiya Award (2014) and Umkhonto we Sizwe.
- Developed a 24-hour program against domestic violence, founded the Gandhi Development Trust.
- Chaired the Mahatma Gandhi Salt March Committee and the Mahatma Gandhi Development Trust.
- And also served as the Chancellor of Durban University of Technology for many years.
Second Supermoon of 2014 will be visible on Jan 31, 2014
The second of the five
supermoons of 2014 would be visible on Friday around 3.30 p.m. January
1, 2014 was the year’s first supermoon and January 31, 2014 will be the second.
- January is the only month with two supermoons until January 2018.
As per Space Foundation, an organisation
working for popularizing astronomy, the second of the five supermoons
of 2014 would be visible on Friday. The other supermoons this year are
forecasted to happen on July 12, August 10, and September 9, 2014. The
one is August is supposed to be the closet to Earth.
What is a supermoon?
A supermoon is the coincidence of a full
moon or a new moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the
Earth on its elliptical orbit, resulting in the largest apparent size of
the lunar disk as seen from Earth. The technical name is the perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system. It appears as much as 14 % bigger and 30 % brighter.
- The term “Super Moon” was coined by astrologer “Richard Nolle” in 1979. Before supermoons were called supermoons, they were referred to “Perigee Full Moon”, or “Perigee New Moon”.
What is ‘Perigee-Syzygy’?
The term supermoon is not widely
accepted or used within the astronomy or scientific community, who
prefer the term ‘Perigee-Syzygy’.
- Perigee: the point at which the Moon is closest in its orbit to the Earth.
- Syzygy: a full or new moon, when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are aligned nearly in a straight line.
- Supermoon = Perigee + Syzygy, although they do not perfectly coincide each time.
Thus a Supermoon can be regarded as a
combination of the two, although they do not perfectly coincide each
time. Syzygy may occur within a maximum of 12 hours from perigee
during a supermoon, and 1 hour from perigee during an extreme
Supermoon.
How does supermoon occur?
A super full moon occurs when the moon’s
closest approach to the Earth (lunar perigee) coincides with the phase
of full moon. When this happens the moon may seem bigger and brighter.
However, for the ordinary star-gazer there will be no significant
difference.
- In other words, the Moon which is a natural satellite of the Earth revolves around it in an elliptical orbit rather than a circular one. While revolving, when it reaches the perigee (closest point to Earth from its orbit) , the Moon is about 356,992 km away, as compared to the 405,696 km away that it is at its furthest distance from the Earth (apogee). This closeness combined with the coincident of a full moon gives it a bigger look from the Earth. Thus, the phenomenon called “Supermoon”.
About Full moon
The full moon is a lunar phase occurs
when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun and all
three bodies are aligned in a straight line. It appears as an entire
circle in the sky. In modern use, when 13 full moons occur in a year,
usually one calendar month has 2 full moons; the second one is called a “Blue Moon”.
Mr. Raymond Weil: Swiss luxury watch pioneer passed away
Mr. Raymond Weil (87), watch marketing pioneer and founder of the famed eponymous Swiss timepiece brand passed away.About Mr. Raymond Weil
Born: 1926Founded: Raymond Weil Watch Company in 1976 in Geneva, Switzerland.
One of the great innovators of the Swiss watch industry.
Purpose for forming a company: To create high quality timepieces with superior design at affordable prices.
The company was formed at a time when the Swiss watch industry was going down due to the quartz crisis.
Tata Motors MD Mr. Karl Slym passed away
Tata Motors
Managing Director Mr. Karl Slym (51) passed away after apparently
falling from a high floor of a five-star hotel in Bangkok where he had
gone to attend a board meeting of the company’s Thailand arm.
- Mr. Slym was an English businessman and the managing director of Tata Motors from October 2012.
- He joined Tata Motors as part of a major management service and was responsible for charting the company’s strategy to regain momentum in the Indian market.
- Previously, he was the executive vice-president, SGMW Motors, China (a General Motors Joint Venture).
Winners of 59th Idea Filmfare Awards 2013
The grand Annual 59th Idea Filmfare Awards event was organized in Mumbai. The following are the winners under various categories: POPULAR AWARDS:
- Best Film: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
- Best Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag)
- Best Actor (Male): Farhan Akhtar (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag)
- Best Actor (Female): Deepika Padukone – Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela
- Best Supporting Actor (Female): Supriya Pathak Kapur (Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela)
- Best Supporting Actor (Male): Nawazuddin Siddiqui (The Lunchbox)
- Best Music – Mithhoon, Ankit Tiwari, Jeet Ganguly (Aashiqui 2)
- Best Playback Singer (Male) – Arjit Singh – “Tum hi ho” – (Aashiqui 2)
- Best Playback Singer (Female) – Monali Thakur – “Sawaar Loon”(Lootera)
- Best Lyrics – Prasoon Joshi – “Zinda” (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag)
- Best Debut (Male) – Dhanush (Raanjhanaa)
- Best Debut (Female) – Vaani Kapoor (Shuddh Desi Romance)
- Best Debut Director – Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox)
- Best Screenplay: Chetan Bhagat, Abhishe Kapoor, Supratik Sen and Pubali Chaudhari (Kai Po Che)
- Best Story: Subhash Kapoor (Jolly LLB)
- Best Dialogue: Subhash Kapoor (Jolly LLB)
- RD Burman Award For Upcoming Talent In Music: Sidharth Mahadevan
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Tanuja
- Sony Trendsetter of The Year: Chennai Express
- Best Actor (Male): Rajkumar Rao (Shahid)
- Best Actor (Female): Shilpa Shukla (BA Pass)
- Best Movie (Best Director): The Lunchbox (Ritesh Batra)
- Best Action: Thomas Struthers and Guru Bachchan (D Day)
- Best Cinematography: Kamaljit Negi (Madras Cafe)
- Best Editing: Aarif Sheikh (D-Day)
- Best Production Design: Acropolis Design (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag)
- Best Sound Design: Bishwadeep Chatterjee and Nohar Rajan Samal (Madras Café)
- Best Costume Design: Dolly Ahluwalia (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag)
- Best Choreography: Samir and Arsh Tanna – Lahu muh lag gaya (Goliyon Ki Raasleel Ram-leela)
- Best Background Score: Hitesh Sonik (Kai Po Che!)
- Best Special Effects: Tata Elxis (Dhoom 3)
- Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s sports biopic ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ won six awards including best film, best director and best actor for Farhan Akhtar.
Padma Awards 2014
President Pranab Mukherjee announced the names of Recipients of this year’s Padma awards.
He approved conferment of 127 Padma Awards including one duo case
(counted as one). Padma Awards, the country’s highest civilian awards,
are conferred in three Categories viz. Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The list comprises two Padma Vibhushan, 24 Padma Bhushan and 101 Padma Shri Awardees.
The Padma Awards are conferred by the President of India at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhawan around March/ April every year.
Note: * indicates awardees in the category of Foreigners / NRIs/ PIOs.
# indicates awardees in the posthumous category.
$ indicates one duo case. (treated as one award.)
2014 Padma Vibhushan Awards :
These are awarded for exceptional and distinguished service. This year both the awardees were from Maharashtra:- Dr. Raghunath A. Mashelkar for Science and Engineering
- Shri B.K.S. Iyengar for Yoga
2014 Padma Bhushan Awards:
These are awarded for distinguished service of high order:- Prof. Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, Art – Painting, Gujarat
- Begum Parveen Sultana, Art – Classical Singing, Maharashtra
- Shri T.H. Vinayakram, Art – Ghatam Artist, Tamil Nadu
- Shri Kamala Haasan, Art-Cinema, Tamil Nadu
- Justice Dalveer Bhandari, Public Affairs, Delhi
- Prof. Padmanabhan Balaram, Science and Engineering, Karnataka
- Prof. Jyeshtharaj Joshi, Science and Engineering, Maharashtra
- Dr. Madappa Mahadevappa, Science and Engineering, Karnataka
- Dr. Thirumalachari Ramasami, Science and Engineering, Delhi
- Dr. Vinod Prakash Sharma, Science and Engineering, Delhi
- Dr. Radhakrishnan Koppillil, Science and Engineering, Karnataka
- Dr. Mrityunjay Athreya, Literature and Education, Delhi
- Ms. Anita Desai, Literature and Education, Delhi
- Dr. Dhirubhai Thaker, Literature and Education, Gujarat
- Shri Vairamuthu Ramasamy Thevar, Literature and Education, Tamil Nadu
- Shri Ruskin Bond, Literature and Education, Uttarakhand
- Shri Pullela Gopichand, Sports – Badminton, Andhra Pradesh
- Shri Leander Paes, Sports – Tennis, Maharashtra
- Shri Vijayendra Nath Kaul, Civil Service, Delhi
- Late Justice Jagdish Sharan Verma, Public Affairs, Uttar Pradesh #
- Late Dr. Anumolu Ramakrishna, Science and Engineering, Andhra Pradesh #
- Prof. Anisuzzaman, Literature and Education, Bangladesh*
- Prof. Lloyd I. Rudolph and Prof. Susanne H. Rudolph, Literature and Education, USA*$
- Dr. (Smt.) Neelam Kler, Medicine – Neonatology, Delhi
2014 Padma Shri Awards:
These are awarded for distinguished service in any field:- Shri Mohammad Ali Baig, Art – Theatre, Andhra Pradesh
- Ms. Nayana Apte Joshi, Art, Maharashtra
- Shri Musafir Ram Bhardwaj, Art – Instrumental Music – Pauna Manjha, Himachal Pradesh
- Ms. Sabitri Chatterjee, Art – Film, West Bengal
- Prof. Biman Bihari Das, Art – Sculptor, Delhi
- Shri Sunil Das, Art – Painting, West Bengal
- Smt. Elam Endira Devi, Art – Manipuri Dance, Manipur
- Shri Vijay Ghate, Art – Instrumental Music – Tabla, Maharashtra
- Smt Rani Karnaa, Art – Kathak, West Bengal
- Shri Bansi Kaul, Art – Theatre, Jammu & Kashmir
- Ustad Moinuddin Khan, Art – Instrumental Music – Sarangi Player, Rajasthan
- Ms. Geeta Mahalik, Art – Odishi Dance, Delhi
- Shri Paresh Maity, Art – Painting, Delhi
- Shri Ram Mohan, Art – Film Animation, Maharashtra
- Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik, Art – Sand Artist, Orissa
- Shri Paresh Rawal, Art – Cinema and Theatre, Maharashtra
- Shri Wendell Augustine Rodricks, Art – Fashion Designing, Goa
- Prof. Kalamandalam Sathyabhama, Art – Mohini Attam, Kerala
- Shri Anuj (Ramanuj) Sharma, Art – Performing Art, Chhattisgarh
- Shri Santosh Sivan, Art – Film, Tamil Nadu
- Ms. Supriya Devi, Art-Bengali Cinema, West Bengal
- Ms. Sooni Taraporevala, Art- Script Writing, Maharashtra
- Ms. Vidya Balan, Art-Cinema, Maharashtra
- Smt. Durga Jain, Social Work, Maharashtra
- Dr. Rama Rao Anumolu, Social Work, Andhra Pradesh
- Dr. Brahm Dutt, Social Work, Haryana
- Shri Mukul Chandra Goswami, Social Work, Assam
- Shri J.L. Kaul, Social Work, Delhi
- Shri Mathurbhai Madhabhai Savani, Social Work, Gujarat
- Shri Tashi Tondup, Public Affairs, Jammu and Kashmir
- Dr. Hasmukh Chamanlal Shah, Public Affairs, Gujarat
- Shri Sekhar Basu, Science and Engineering, Maharashtra
- Shri Madhavan Chandradathan, Science and Engineering, Kerala
- Prof. Sushanta Kumar Dattagupta, Science and Engineering, West Bengal
- Dr. Ravi Bhushan Grover, Science and Engineering, Maharashtra
- Prof. Eluvathingal Devassy Jemmis, Science and Engineering, Karnataka
- Shri Ramkrishna V. Hosur, Science and Engineering, Maharashtra
- Dr. Ajay Kumar Parida, Science and Engineering, Tamil Nadu
- Dr. Malapaka Yajneswara and Satyanarayana Prasad, Science and Engineering, Andhra Pradesh
- Shri Kiran Kumar Alur Seelin, Science and Engineering, Gujarat
- Dr. Brahma Singh, Science and Engineering, Delhi
- Prof. Vinod Kumar Singh, Science and Engineering, Madhya Pradesh
- Dr. Govindan Sundararajan, Science and Engineering, Andhra Pradesh
- Ramaswamy R. Iyer, Science and Engineering, Delhi
- Dr. Jayanta Kumar Ghosh, Science and Engineering, West Bengal
- Shri Ravi Kumar Narra, Trade and Industry, Andhra Pradesh
- Shri Rajesh Saraiya, Trade and Industry, Maharashtra
- Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, Trade and Industry, Tamil Nadu
- Shri Pratap Govindrao Pawar, Trade and Industry, Maharashtra
- Dr. Kiritkumar Mansukhlal Acharya, Medicine – Dermatology, Gujarat
- Dr. Balram Bhargava, Medicine – Cardiology, Uttar Pradesh
- Prof. (Dr.) Indra Chakravarty, Medicine – Health & Hygiene, West Bengal
- Dr. Ramakant Krishnaji Deshpande, Medicine – Oncology, Maharashtra
- Prof. (Dr.) Pawan Raj Goyal, Medicine – Chest Disease, Haryana
- Prof. Amod Gupta, Medicine – Opthalmology, Haryana
- Prof. (Dr.) Daya Kishore Hazra, Medicine, Uttar Pradesh
- Prof. (Dr.) Thenumgal Poulose Jacob, Medicine – Vascular Surgery, Tamil Nadu
- Prof. (Dr.) Shashank R. Joshi, Medicine – Endocrinology, Maharashtra
- Prof. Hakim Syed Khaleefathullah, Medicine – Unani Medicine, Tamil Nadu
- Dr. Milind Vasant Kirtane, Medicine – ENT Surgeory, Maharashtra
- Dr. Lalit Kumar, Medicine – oncology, Delhi
- Dr. Mohan Mishra, Medicine, Bihar
- Dr. M. Subhadra Nair, Medicine – Gynecology, Kerala
- Dr. Ashok Panagariya, Medicine – Neurology, Rajasthan
- Dr. Narendra Kumar Pandey, Medicine – Surgery, Haryana
- Dr. Sunil Pradhan, Medicine – Neurology, Uttar Pradesh
- Dr. Ashok Rajgopal, Medicine – Orthopaedics, Delhi
- Dr. Kamini A. Rao, Medicine – Reproductive Medicine, Karnataka
- Dr. Sarbeswar Sahariah, Medicine – Surgery, Andhra Pradesh
- Prof. Om Prakash Upadhyaya, Medicine, Punjab
- Prof. (Dr.) Mahesh Verma, Medicine – Dental Science, Delhi
- Dr. J.S. Titiyal, Medicine- Opthalmology, Delhi
- Dr. Nitish Naik, Medicine- Cardiology, Delhi
- Dr. Surbrat Kumar Acharya, Medicine- Gastroenterology, Delhi
- Dr. Rajesh Kumar Grover, Medicine-Oncology, Delhi
- Dr. Naheed Abidi, Literature and Education, Uttar Pradesh
- Prof. Ashok Chakradhar, Literature and Education, Delhi
- Shri Chhakchhuak Chhuanvawra, Literature and Education, Mizoram
- Shri Keki N. Daruwalla, Literature and Education, Delhi
- Prof. Ganesh Narayandas Devi, Literature and Education, Gujarat
- Prof. Kolakaluri Enoch, Literature and Education, Andhra Pradesh
- Prof. (Dr.) Ved Kumari Ghai, Literature and Education, Jammu and Kashmir
- Smt. Manorama Jafa, Literature and Education, Delhi
- Prof. Rehana Khatoon, Literature and Education, Delhi
- Dr. Waikhom Gojen Meeitei, Literature and Education, Manipur
- Shri Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri, Literature and Education, Kerala
- Prof. Dinesh Singh, Literature and Education, Delhi
- Dr. (Mrs.) P. Kilemsungla, Literature and Education, Nagaland
- Ms. Anjum Chopra, Sports – Cricket, Delhi
- Ms. Sunil Dabas, Sports – Kabbadi, Haryana
- Shri Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu, Sports – Mountaineering, Delhi
- Ms. Dipika Rebecca Pallikal, Sports – Squash, Tamil Nadu
- Shri H. Boniface Prabhu, Sports – Wheelchair Tennis, Karnataka
- Shri Yuvraj Singh, Sports – Cricket, Haryana
- Smt. Mamta Sodha, Sports – Mountaineering, Haryana
- Ms Parveen Talha, Civil Service, Uttar Pradesh
- Late Dr. Narendra Achyut Dabholkar, Social Work, Maharashtra#
- Shri Ashok Kumar Mago, Trade and Industry, USA*
- Dr. Siddharth Mukherjee, Medicine-Oncology, USA*
- Dr. Vamsi Mootha, Medicine – Biomedical Research, USA*
- Dr. Sengaku Mayeda, Literature and Education, Japan*
The Padma Awards are conferred by the President of India at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhawan around March/ April every year.
Note: * indicates awardees in the category of Foreigners / NRIs/ PIOs.
# indicates awardees in the posthumous category.
$ indicates one duo case. (treated as one award.)
Pitroda Committee recommends autonomy for Prasar Bharati
The Prasar Bharati Expert Committee, headed by technocrat Sam Pitroda, submitted its report to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Recommendations of the Sam Pitroda committee
- Amend the Prasar Bharati Act 1990 to give effective freedom to the Prasar Bharti with administrative and financial powers.
- To give power to Prasar Bharati to frame rules and regulations and hire manpower without going to the government for approval. In other words, Prasar Bharati’s vision must be to become a “genuine public broadcaster” as against a “government broadcaster”.
- The public broadcaster should monetize all available assets (archival and other) as soon as possible to enhance funding.
- To make Direct-To-Home (DTH) signals the primary mode of transmitting content for Doordarshan and to discontinue terrestrial analog transmission.
- To scale up allocation of funds for content generation to 50 % of the total expenditure within a period of 5–7 years.
- Called for a review of all existing channels and content of Doordarshan and All India Radio and based on their relevance, output and viability, sub-optimal utilization of resources should be phased out.
- On the technology front, the report suggested to expand the satellite and digital cable TV operations to meet the obligation of public service broadcasting. It added that the present AM radio system should be digitized after due evaluation subject to cost and availability of DRM receivers.
- For social media, it asked the ministry to define and execute a social media strategy of Prasar Bahrain.
- Terrestrial TV operations should be selectively digitalized based on commercial viability.
- To set up Prasar Bahrain Connect (PBC) as the third arm of the public service broadcaster, independent of Doordarshan and All India Radio.
- Stressed to create a world-class broadcasting service benchmarked with the best in the world using next-generation opportunities, technologies, business models and strategies. The platform should be designed for new media first and then extended to conventional TV.
- There should be a creation of dedicated, multi-platform channels for dissemination of Prasad Bharati’s archival products.
Dr. Tej Vir Singh won the UNWTO Ulysses Prize for the Creation and Dissemination of Knowledge
Professor Dr. Tej Vir Singh won the 2013 UNWTO Ulysses
Prize for Excellence in the Creation and Dissemination of Knowledge in
Madrid, Spain.
About Professor Dr. Tej Vir Singh
About Professor Dr. Tej Vir Singh
- Belong to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
- Established the CTRD in 1976, a Non-Government Organization (NGO) devoted to the cause of tourism academics and research, with a special focus on India.
- Founding director of the Centre for Tourism Research & Development (CTRD) in India.
- And also founding editor of Asia oldest tourism journal ‘Tourism Recreation Research’.
- Specialist in Himalayan tourism wrote many books on tourism and many papers on tourism development and its impacts.
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