1-2 AUGUST 2016
Tokyo elects Yuriko Koike as first female governor
Former Japanese Defence Minister Yuriko Koike on 31 July 2016 was elected as the first woman governor of Tokyo, the capital city of Japan.
Koike garnered more than 2.9 million votes in the election, defeating her opponents, Hiroya Masuda and Shuntaro Torigoe, by a wide margin.
Who is Yuriko Koike?
•Yuriko Koike is a Japanese politician.
•She served as the member of the House of Representatives of Japan from 1993 to 2016 when she resigned to run in the Tokyo gubernatorial election.
•She was elected to the House of Councillors in 1992 as a member of the Japan New Party.
•She was then elected to the House of Representatives in 1993.
•In 1996, she was re-elected to the House of Representatives. She held this seat in the 2000 election as a candidate of the New Conservative Party.
•She joined the Liberal Democratic Party in 2002.
•She served as the Minister of the Environmentand Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairsin the Cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
•She was appointed Minister of Defence, Japan's first female defence minister, in June 2007 during the first term of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. However, she announced her resignation in August 2007, citing the Aegis classified information leak scandal as a reason.
India to host Kabaddi World Cup in October 2016
International Kabaddi Federation on 31 July 2016 announced selected India to host The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup. The World Cup featuring 12 countries is scheduled to be held in October 2016, the dates for the event will be announced later.
Participants of the tournament include India, USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Iran, Poland, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Korea, Japan and Kenya.
Kabaddi became a part of Asian Games in the year 1990 and India has won all the gold medals since.
• Official broadcaster:Star Sports was selected to broadcast the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup
• President of International Kabaddi Federation: Janardan Singh Gehlot
Kabaddi
• Kabaddi originated from India and is the one of the most popular games of Asia.
• It is probably the only game which requires ground and a whistle only.
• It came on international Map during SAF Games Dhaka in 1985.
• Kabaddi saw its major breakthrough in 1990 when it was included in the Asian Games during 11th Asian Games at Beijing-China in 1990, since then Kabaddi is a regular discipline in Asian Games.
• Kabaddi was included in Asian Indoor Games during 2nd Asian Indoor Games at Macau-SAR China in 1997.
• Kabaddi achieved one more success when it was included in Asian Beach Games during 1st Asian Beach Games at Bali-Indonesia in 1998 and that too for Men & Women both.
• It is the only game being played in all the 3 versions of Asian Games i.e. Asian Games, Asian Indoor Games and Asian Beach Games
• Women Kabaddi was included in Asian Games during 16th Asian Games at Guangzhou in 2010.
Justice DB Bhosale sworn-in as Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court
Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale was sworn-in as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court on 30 July 2016. His oath of the office was administered by Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik.
The post had been vacant since May 2016 after Justice Bhosale’s predecessor, Justice DY Chandrachud, was elevated to the Supreme Court. He retired on 23 October 2018.
Who is Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale?
• Born on 24 October 1956, Justice Bhosale belongs to a family of freedom fighters.
• His father Babasaheb Bhosale had served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
• He obtained a Degree of Law from Government Law College, Mumbai and joined the Bar in June 1980.
• During his illustrious career as a lawyer, he served as Chairman of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Vice-Chairman of Bar Council of India.
• He was member of the Legal Education Committee for 3 years (1998-2000) constituted under the Advocates Act.
• He had the honour to be a member of the delegation representing Lawyers in India in the Common-Wealth Lawyers Conference held in September-1999 at Kaulalampur, Malaysia.
• He also led the delegation of Indian Lawyers to the International Lawyers Conference of I.B.A in 2000.
• He was elevated as a judge of the Bombay High Court in 2001.
•n Before being appointed as Chief Justice in Allahabad High Court he served as a judged in Karnataka High Court and Acting Chief Justice at the Hyderabad High Court.
Mohun Bagan Ratna conferred on Syed Nayeemuddin
Mohun Bagan Football Club on 29 July 2016 conferred the Mohun Bagan Ratna on Syed Nayeemuddin, India’s only Dronacharya football coach.
Nayeemuddin was chosen for the prestigious award for his overall contribution to the club and the country both as a player and as a coach.
The former India captain became the 16th recipient of the prestigious award.
Who is Syed Nayeemuddin?
•Syed Nayeemuddin is an Indian football coach and former player.
•As a player, he captained the Indian national team that won a bronze medal at the 1970 Asian Games.
•He was appointed coach of India in 1997.
•He won the South Asian Football Federation Cup by beating the Maldives 5–1 and reached the semi-finals of the Nehru Cup for the first time.
•He is the only sports-person to win both the Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards for football.
About Mohun Bagan Ratna
•The Mohun Bagan Ratna is awarded annually to great football players.
•It is a mark of respect which recognizes and lauds indispensable contribution of football greats to the club over the years.
•In 2015, Karuna Sankar Bhattacharya was honoured posthumously with the Mohun Bagan Ratna.
Lewis Hamilton wins 2016 German Grand Prix of F1
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes on 31 July 2016 won the 2016 German Grand Prix held in Hockenheimring.
The 2016 German Grand Prix turned out to be fourth consecutive win for Hamilton. The previous three are 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix, 2016 British Grand Prix and 2016 Austrian Grand Prix.
Till now, 5 drivers have won three German Grand Prix in their careers. With this win, Hamilton joins the league of Ayrton Senna, Jackie Stewart, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Fernando Alonso.
Rankings after 2016 German Grand Prix
|
Rankings |
Driver |
Team |
Country |
|
1 |
Lewis Hamilton |
Mercedes |
United Kingdom |
|
2 |
Nico Rosberg |
Mercedes |
Germany |
|
3 |
Daniel Ricciardo |
Red Bull |
Australia |
|
4 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
Ferrari |
Finland |
|
5 |
Sebastian Vettel |
Ferrari |
Germany |
About German Grand Prix
• The German Grand Prix is an annual automobile race that has been held most years since 1926.
• The German Grand Prix became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951.
• It was designated the European Grand Prix four times between 1954 and 1974, when this title was an honorary designation given each year to one grand prix race in Europe.
• It has been organized by Automobile Club of Germany (AvD) since 1926.
• Nico Rosberg was the winner of the 2014 German Grand Prix.
Andhra Pradesh signs MoU with Japan to develop food value chain
The Andhra Pradesh government on 30 July 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan to develop a food value chain in the state.
Under the MoU, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) will encourage direct investments by Japanese companies in the fields of agriculture and food-related industry in Andhra Pradesh.
Along with developing a food value chain, it will also establish food industrial parks and develop cold chains.
Andhra Pradesh occupies a premier position in agri-business with a major contribution in agriculture, horticulture, dairy, poultry, fisheries and marine production.
Railway Minister flags off maiden broad-gauge train service between Agartala and Delhi
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 31 July 2016 flagged off maiden broad-gauge train service between Agartala and Delhi, ‘Tripura Sundari Express’.
The ‘Tripura Sundari Express’ will run weekly between Agartala and Anand Vihar in Delhi. It will have commercial stoppages at 16 stations and cover a distance of 2461 kms in 46 hours and 50 minutes.
The train will reach Delhi via Guwahati and New Jappaiguri. The rail link was developed at an expense of 968 crore rupees.
Apart from this, Prabhu along with Bangladesh Railway Minister Md. Mazibul Hoque also laid the foundation stone for Agartala-Akhaura International Rail Project. This train link would be part of the trans-Asian rail connectivity.
The rail track here would be extended to Sabroom, the southern-most town in Tripura, which is only 75 km from the Chittagong port in Bangladesh.
The laying the 15.054 rail track will be completed by 2017. Of the total track, only five km will be on the Indian side and the rest in Bangladesh.
The agreement between the two countries on the rail link was signed during Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in January 2010.
Haque announced that Bangladesh has decided to launch a new train between Khulna and Kolkata in addition to the Maitri Express train that plies between Dhaka and Kolkata.
|
Effects of the inauguration The inauguration and other railway initiatives will help in betterment of the connectivity of the regions, which in return will result in all around development in the North East region of India. The connectivity will also bring more employment in the region and help in generating income in the North East. |
Besides, the Railway Minister Prabhu said that a train service between Agartala and Kolkata will be started in August 2016. He also assured that more passenger services from Agartala would be introduced in a phased manner.
India Rising: Fresh Hope, New Fears authored by Ravi Velloor
India Rising: Fresh Hope, New Fears: Ravi Velloor
A book titled India Rising: Fresh Hope, New Fearsby Ravi Velloor chronicles India's journey in the decade before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rise. The book was released in April 2016 by Singapore Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong.
The book captures the significant events of the years under former India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and examines how the country dealt with those issues.
Ravi Velloor is an associate editor of Singapore newspaper The Straits Times.
Highlights of the Book
• It describes key aspects of the country’s development in the last 10 years, expressing fresh hopes but also new fears under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Each chapter cuts a different slice into the complex reality which is India. Like a CT scan, the slices combine to give the reader a composite sense of the unfolding Indian drama.
• Importantly for Asia, it also looks closely at the strategic sweet spot India has found itself in, wooed by every major power.
• It assesses India's potential to become the world's fifth largest economic power by the end of this decade.
• It discusses issues such as the unease that minorities feel under Modi, a leader backed by Hindu nationalist forces.
• The book includes insider accounts of events such as the removal of National Security Adviser MK Narayanan, the resignation of navy chief DK Joshi, how India handled the crisis in Sri Lanka and the Mumbai attack, etc.
Resolution to rename Madras HC as Tamil Nadu HC passed
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on 1 August 2016 unanimously passed a resolution to rename the Madras High Court as the Tamil Nadu High Court. The resolution on the matter was moved by Chief Minister J Jayalalitha as most of the High Courts established after the formation of new states based on linguistic lines have been named after the states only.
The resolution was presented in light of the High Courts (Alteration of Names) Bill, 2016, which was introduced in Lok Sabha on 19 July 2016.
She said the Madras High Court has jurisdiction over the entire state and therefore it is necessary to change the name as the Tamil Nadu High Court.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa also recalled the fact that the renaming of Madras as Chennai was made in 1996, but averred that the name refers only to the specific city whereas the High Court is meant for the whole state.
|
Background The demand of renaming the High Court remained dormant since the state got the name Tamil Nadu in 1967. The demand came active in the state after the introduction of the Bill in the Lok Sabha that wants to change the names of Madras, Bombay and Culcatta High Courts. High Courts (Alteration of Names) Bill, 2016 The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Law and Justice, Ravi Shanker Prasad with an aim to modify the names of the High Court’s (HCs) of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Alteration of names of the HCs: The High Courts of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras will be known as the High Courts of Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai respectively. Government to modify relevant laws: In order to give effect to the alteration of names of the three High Courts, the appropriate government will have the power to amend or repeal any laws. This must be done within one year of the coming into force of this Act. Legal proceedings: Any pending legal proceedings against the High Courts of Bombay, Calcutta or Madras as parties will now be substituted with the high courts of Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The decision was taken in light of the name change of the cities where these high courts are located. |
Strategic Forces Command exempted from ambit of RTI Act, 2005
The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which forms part of the National Command Authority (NCA), was on 30 July 2016 added to the Second Schedule of the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005.
In this regard, Union Government issued a notification mentioning SFC has been brought under sub-section (2) of Section 24 of the RTI. The Section 24 of the RTI exempts security and intelligence establishments from its purview.
Section 24 of the RTI Act 2005: It says that RTI Act, 2005 is not applicable to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule. However, the only exception these organisations have is for information on allegations of corruption and human rights violations.
Second Schedule of the RTI Act 2005:It includes 26 intelligence and security agencies under its ambit. Some of them are (i) Intelligence Bureau (IB), (ii) Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of the Cabinet Secretariat (iii) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), (iv) Special Frontier Force (SFF), (v) Border Security Force (BSF) (vi) National Security Guards (NSG) and (Vii) Assam Rifles.
Section 8 of the RTI Act 2005: It says that there shall be no obligation on Government to provide any citizen information which will affect (i) India’s sovereignty and integrity (ii) security (iii) strategic scientific or economic interests of state and (iv) relations with foreign States or (v) will lead to incitement of an offence.
About Strategic Forces Command (SFC)
• It is a tri-Service command that forms part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA).
• It was created on 4 January 2003 by an executive order of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• It is responsible for the management and administration of the country’s tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile.
• It is headed by a Commander-in-Chief of the rank of Air Marshal. The first commander-in-chief of SFC was Air Marshal Teja Mohan Asthana.
About Nuclear Command Authority (NCA)
• It is India’s nodal authority responsible for command, control and operational decisions regarding India’s nuclear weapons programme.
• It has Executive Council and Political Council. The Executive Council is chaired by the National Security Adviser (NSA). The Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister.
• The NCA’s directives are executed by the Strategic Forces Command.
2 August
Patna Pirates beats Jaipur Pink Panthers to win Pro Kabaddi League Season 4
The Patna Pirates on 31 July 2016 won the fourth edition of Pro Kabaddi League by defeating Jaipur Pink Panthers 37-29 at Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad, Telangana.
With this win, Patna Pirates became the only team to lift the trophy twice in the tournament’s historyof four editions.
The Puneri Paltan was placed at the third place in the edition after they defeated Telugu Titans by 40-35 score.
About Patna Pirates
•Patna Pirates is a Kabaddi team based in Patna, Bihar.
•The team is currently led by Dharamraj Charlathan.
•The team is currently coached by Arjun Singh.
•The team is owned by Rajesh Shah.
•The team plays its home matches at the Patliputra Sports Complex, Patna.
About Pro Kabaddi League
•The Pro Kabaddi League is a professional kabaddi league in India.
•It was founded in 2014.
•It is based on the format of the Indian Premier League T20 cricket tournament.
•It is known as the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi for sponsorship reasons.
•The first edition of the tournament was played in 2014 with eight franchises representing various cities in India.
•It is currently managed by Mashal Sports.
2016 Rogers Cup concluded
Serbian Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep of Romania on 31 July 2016 won men’s and women’s singles title in the 2016 Rogers Cup.
The Rogers Cup also known as Canadian Open/Masters was held in Toronto (for men) and Montreal (for women) from 25 July to 31 July 2016.
The men's competition is a Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour. The women's competition is a Premier 5 tournament on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tour. The competition is played on hard courts.
Winners of 2016 Rogers Cup
|
Category |
Winner |
Runner-up |
|
Men’s Singles |
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) |
Kei Nishikori (Japan) |
|
Women’s Singles |
Simona Halep (Romania) |
Madison Keys (the US) |
|
Men’s doubles |
Ivan Dodig (Croatia) and Marcelo Melo (Brazil) |
Jamie Murray (Scotland) and Bruno Soares (Brazil) |
|
Women’s doubles |
Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina (Russia) |
Simona Halep and Monica Niculescu (Romania) |
Key highlight of 2016 Rogers Cup
• Novak Djokovic defeated Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-5 to clinch his 66th career title. The world number one claimed his fourth Canadian title.
• Djokovic, who won Bronze in Beijing Olympics and missed the podium in London, became the first player to clinch 30 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles.
• It was seventh crown of the year and fourth at the Masters 1000 level for Djokovic, others Masters 1000 level victories were notched in Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid.
• The Serbian, who takes home 782525 dollar in prize money and 1000 Emirates ATP Rankings points, moved into solo second on the Open Era titles list at the Rogers Cup, adding to victories in 2007 and 2011-12. Only six-time champion Ivan Lendl owns more singles trophies in Canada.
• Fifth seed Simona Halep defeated Madison Keys 7-6, 6-3 to claim her 14th WTA title.
• Halep has three singles titles this year and 14 overall.
|
Rogers Cup (Canadian Open or Canada Masters) The Rogers Cup is an annual tennis tournament held in Canada. The competition is played on hard courts. The events alternate from year to year between the cities of Montreal and Toronto. In odd-numbered years, the men's tournament is held in Montreal, while the women's tournament is held in Toronto, and vice versa in even-numbered years. Before 2011, they were held during separate weeks in the July–August period, now the two competitions are held during the same week in August. The Toronto tournament is held at the Aviva Centre and the Montreal tournament is held at the Uniprix Stadium. The Cup is one of the oldest tournaments of the world. Only Wimbledon and the US Open have longer histories than this Tour event. Rogers Cup Title Leaders (Open Era)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Title Leaders
|
Narsingh Yadav gets NADA's clean chit; may participate in Rio Olympics
Narsingh Yadav, the Olympic bound wrestler who earlier failed the dope test, on 1 August 2016 was given clean chit by National Anti Doping Agency (NADA). With this, he can participate in Rio Olympics beginning on 5 August 2016.
The NADA disciplinary panel has exonerated Yadav from charges of violating anti doping rules of NADA.
Findings that helped in tilting NADA’s decision
• It found that the wrestler is a victim of sabotage done by a competitor, thus there is no fault and negligence on Narsingh Yadav's part.
• The panel is of the opinion that one time ingestion by Yadav was not within his knowledge neither was intentional.
• It said that the athlete deserves the benefit of article 10.4 of the NADA’s anti-doping code.
Earlier, Narsingh was tested positive for methandienone, a banned anabolic steroid, after he cried foul claiming the entire episode was a conspiracy against him.
After more than a week of drama which began with Narsingh testing positive for a banned methandienone in tests conducted on 25 June 2016, NADA panel concluded that the athlete deserves the benefit its anti-doping code.
The Wrestling Federation of India said the process to get Narsingh back in the Olympic squad has been set in motion.
Narsingh had been replaced by Parveen Rana when the scandal broke out to save India's quota place in the 74kg category.
Deepak Iyer appointed as Managing Director of Mondelez India
Deepak Iyer was on 1 August 2016 appointed as Managing Director of Mondelez International's India Business.
He succeeds Chandramouli Venkatesan, who led the business as Managing Director of India operations for two years and was with the company for more than a decade.
Iyer, as Managing Director of Mondelez India Foods, will be part of the Asia Pacific Leadership Team and report into Maurizio Brusadelli, President of Asia Pacific, Mondelez International.
About Deepak Iyer
• Prior to this appointment, Iyer was serving Bharti Axa General Insurance Company as its CEO and MD.
• Prior to Bharti Axa, Iyer was the CEO and managing director of Wrigley India.
• He has also worked with PepsiCo for 17 years across different roles and in different markets.
Rani Singh Nair takes over as Chairperson of CBDT
Senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Rani Singh Nair on 1 August 2016 took over as the Chairperson of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
Nair’s predecessor Atulesh Jindal, who was appointed CBDT chief in February 2016, retired on 31 July 2016.
After the appointment, Nair will oversee effective execution of the ambitious one-time domestic black money disclosure programme, also called the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS).
Who is Rani Singh Nair?
•Nair is a 1979-batch IRS officer of the Income Tax cadre.
•She worked as member (Legislation and Computerisation) at CBDT.
•She has been instrumental in framing the procedures and protocols that led to the roll-out of the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) on June 1 2016. The scheme aims at bringing undisclosed income and assets into the tax net.
About Central Board of Direct Taxes
•The Central Board of Direct Taxes provides essential inputs for policy and planning of direct taxes in India.
•It is the policy-making body of the Income Tax Department under the Union Finance Ministry.
•It is a statutory authority functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
•The Chairperson of the CBDT is the senior-most IRS civil servant in the Government of India.
•The Chairperson of Central Board of Direct Taxes is the ex officio Special Secretary to the Government of India and also cadre controlling authority of the Indian Revenue Service.
•The CBDT Chairperson is placed above the officers of the rank of Lieutenant-General, Vice-Admiral or Air Marshal, CBI Director and Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General in the Order of Precedence.
Typhoon Nida makes landfall in China’s Dapeng Peninsula; lashes Hong Kong
Typhoon Nida made its landfall near Dapeng Peninsula in China’s Guangdong province on 2 August 2016.
Nida that carried gale-force and heavy rain lashed the Chinese city Hong Kong that is located about 42 kilometers from the Dapeng Peninsula.
The Hong Kong Observatory reported that Nida generated winds up to 145 kilometers per hour as it moved toward Hong Kong but showed signs of weakening after it struck land.
Chinese State Oceanic Administration had issued a red alert, the highest in China’s four-tier colour coded warning system, for ocean waves and storm tides.
Warnings issued
• The government warned of flooding in low-lying areas.
• People living in Guangdong province in southern China were warned to stockpile food and other essentials.
• Temporary shelters have been established while schools in flood-prone areas have contingency plans in place.
• Hundreds of train routes and flights had already been canceled in cities across southern China as Nida barreled toward land after battering the Philippines over the weekend.
Nida, also called Tropical Storm Carina, hit the Philippines on 30 July 2016, pouring up to 11 inches of rain over the northern parts.
Malaysian security law comes into force
Malaysia on 1 August 2016 enforced a new legislation that grants sweeping powers to its National Security Council (NSC).
Powers conferred to the Council
• The ability to take charge of security forces.
• Declare security areas for up to six months within which authorities can arrest, search or seize without warrants.
Different takes on the law
• Government said that the NSC Act is must to deal with terror threats.
• The human rights activists and the UN Human Rights Office for Southeast Asia fear that the law gives security forces and the Prime Minister too much power. They say that the draconian law would be used to silence the critics of the Government.
Background
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who came in power in 2009 by pledging an end to ruling-party corruption and authoritarianism, is facing calls to resign over a huge alleged 1MDB (Malaysia Development Berhad) corruption scandal. Najib's ruling party has controlled Malaysia since independence from the United Kingdom in 1957.
The step to enforce the law, which was rammed in December 2015, came into effect after the US Justice Department in last week of July 2016 launched a move to seize more than 1 billion dollar in assets, including Wolf of Wall Street rights, which were purchased with money stolen from 1MDB economic development fund.
Earlier in December 2015, the National Security Council Act was rammed by the Malaysian Government through Parliament, giving it powers to declare virtual martial law in areas of the country determined to be facing a security threat.
Lok Sabha passes Bill on Reconstruction of Financial Assets
The Lok Sabha on 1 August 2016 passed the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The bill was passed by a voice vote.
The bill seeks to amend four laws:
• The Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002
• The Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993
• The Indian Stamp Act, 1899
• The Depositories Act, 1996
Highlights of the Bill
• It simplifies the procedures by which there will be a quick disposal of claims of banks and financial institutions.
• It will empower the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to examine the statements and any information of Asset Reconstruction Companies related to their business.
• The RBI may penalise a company if it fails to comply with any directions issued by the central bank.
• It says the stamp duty will not be charged on transactions undertaken for transfer of financial assets in favour of asset reconstruction companies. Financial assets include loans and collaterals.
Parliament passes National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2016
Rajya Sabha on 1 August 2016 passed the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
Lok Sabha passed the bill on 21 July 2016. Now, the bill will be sent to the President for his assent.
Key features of the Bill
• The Bill seeks to establish the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Andhra Pradesh as an institute of national importance under the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (NITSER) Act, 2007.
• The NIT will be deemed to have been an institute of national importance as on 20 August 2015. This is the day the central government approved its establishment.
The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, on 19 July 2016. For the current year, an amount of 40 crore rupees have been allocated for the establishment of the Institute.
Anita Gopalan wins 2016 PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants
Translator and artist Anita Gopalan on 25 July 2016 was awarded the 2016 PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants for her English translation of Hindi novelSimsimby Geet Chaturvedi.
Gopalan is the second Indian translator to be selected for the grant.
Simsim, the lyrical, award-winning novella was first published in 2008. It is recognized for its groundbreaking contribution to contemporary Hindi fiction.
Simsim focuses on four central characters and a decaying library sitting on prime Mumbai real estate. The book narrates the clash between two Indias, i.e. one old and traditional, and the other driven by consumerism and corporate greed.
Who is Anita Gopalan?
•Anita Gopalan is a translator and artist.
•She graduated in Computer Science and Mathematics from BITS Pilani.
•She worked in Banking Technology sector for over 14 years in India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Middle East.
•She has translated prose and poetry by contemporary Hindi author Geet Chaturvedi.
About PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants
• The PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants were established in 2003 by PEN American Center.
•It was established following a gift of 730000 US dollar by Michael Henry Heim, a noted literary translator.
•Previously known as the PEN Translation Fund Grants, the awards were renamed in honour of Heim.
•The Grants' purpose is to promote the publication and reception of translated world literature in English.
•Grants are awarded each year to a select number of literary translators based on quality of translation as well as the originality and importance of the original work.
R D Burmania: Panchamemoirs authored by Chaitanya Padukone released
R D Burmania: Panchamemoirs: Chaitanya Padukone
A book titled R D Burmania: Panchamemoirs authored by Chaitanya Padukone was released in July 2016. The book throws light on the legendary musician Rahul Dev Burman, whose cabaret tunes still reverberate at pubs and discotheques.
It also claims that Burman hated composing such songs and even believed that the genre was just a passing fad.
The book chimes a tribute that strings together amazing, amusing and fascinating anecdotes, incidents and idiosyncrasies as well as rare, startling photographs while unraveling the mystique behind Bollywood's most adored composer-singer RD Burman.
This Memoirs also features exclusive tributes to Panchamda from illustrious luminaries like Amitabh Bachchan, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Rishi Kapoor, A.R.Rahman, Zeenat Aman, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Hariharan, Sonu Nigam, Himesh Reshammiya, Shekhar Kapur, Mahesh Bhatt, Babul Supriyo and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, Hema Malini, 'late' Rajesh Khanna and many more.
Chaitanya Padukone
• Chaitanya D. Padukone is an eminent senior Bollywood film and music-biz journalist over the past three decades.
• He is the recipient of the KA Abbas Memorial gold medal and trophy, which was conferred on him for creative excellence in film journalism by mega-star Amitabh Bachchan.
• In 2012, he was honored with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award for his outstanding contribution to showbiz journalism.
Anant Maheshwari named as President of Microsoft India
Anant Maheshwari was on 1 August 2016 named as the President of Microsoft India by the parent company Microsoft Inc. Maheshwari will succeed Bhaskar Pramanik, who retires in March 2017.
Maheshwari, who will join Microsoft India on 1 September 2016, will take over operations of the company on 1 January 2017.
As president, Maheshwari will be responsible for all of Microsoft’s product, service, and support offerings across India.
About Anant Maheshwari
• Presently, he is working as the President of Honeywell India, a Fortune 100 company.
• At Honeywell, Maheshwari was responsible for the continued growth of India operations across all its three strategic business groups: aerospace, automation and control solutions (ACS).
• Maheshwari has held various business leadership roles in Honeywell for over 12 years. His prior roles include managing director of listed Honeywell Automation India Ltd.
• He also successfully conceptualized and set up the security operations in India for Honeywell.
• Prior to Honeywell, Maheshwari was with McKinsey & Co. for six years where he worked with clients across multiple industries.