PERSONS IN NEWS
A). APPOINTMENTS
J. Manjula as the first Woman Director General at DRDO
J. Manjula has been appointed as the first Woman Director General (D G), Electronics and Communi-cation Systems Cluster at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). She has assumed charge from distinguished scientist and Director General Dr. K.D. Nayak on 9 September, 2015. Manjula has the honour of being the first woman DG of DRDO cluster. Manjula is a receipient of DRDO award for ‘Perfor-mance Excellence’ and ‘Scientist of the Year 2011.
K.M. Singh as new Chairman of NHPC
K.M.Singh on 23 September took over as the new Chairman and Managing Director of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). Prior to this appointment, he was the chief executive director of NHDC, a joint venture company of NHPC and the Government of Madhya Pradesh. He began his professional career as an executive trainee in NHPC at its Loktak Power Station in 1979.
Meghalaya Governor V. Shanmuganathan gets additional charge of Manipur
Governor of Meghalaya V. Shanmuganathan was given additional charge of Manipur after previous Governor Syed Ahmed passed away. He was appointed as Governor of Meghalaya in May 2015. He will discharge additional functions of the Governor of Manipur along with his own duties.
B). RESIGNS
Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb resigned
Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb resigned on 12 September, 2015, days after a government minister was accused of corruption and detained. Egypt President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi accepted the resignation and appointed the minister of petroleum, Sherif Ismail to form a new government. Egyptian Paliamentary elections are scheduled to begin in October and go through November. The results will be announced in December.
Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned
Volkeswalken CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned on 23 September, taking responsibility for the German Carmaker’s rigging of U.S. emissions tests in the biggest scandal in its 78 years history. Volkswagen could face penalities of up to 18 billion dollars for cheating emissions tests on some of its diesel cars.
C). DEATHS
Shortest person in the world ‘Bahadur Dangi’ died
Bahadur Dangi of Nepal who was in Guiness Records as the shortest person in the world died on 4 September, 2015. His hight is 54.6 centimeters as per the 2012 Guiness World Records.
The famous British author Jackie Collins died
Jackie Collins (77), the best selling British born author died on 19 September in California. She wrote more than 30 books. Her first novel, ‘The World is full of Married Men’ was published in 1968, which was banned in some countries. Her works also included Confessions of a Wild Child, The Stud and Hollywood Wives. Her last novel, ‘The Santangelos’ was published in June, 2015.
Manipur Governor Syed Ahmed passed away
Manipur Governor Syed Ahmed (70) passed away in Mumbai on 27 September. Mr. Ahmed served as a Minister in the Maharashtra Government from 2001 to 2004. He was sworn in as 16th Governor of Manipur on May 16,2015.
D). VISITORS
Vice President Hamid Ansari visited Combodia
India Vice-President Hamid Ansari on 15 September went to Combodia on a four day official visit to conduct delegation level talks and sign Memorandums of Understanding in tourism and infrastructure building. The visit is an effort to shore up bilateral trade and investment which remains much below potential.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Ireland
Narendra Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ireland after 1959, held talks with the Prime Minister of Ireland Enda Kenny. Modi on 23 September visit Ireland and sought Ireland’s support for India’s membership of UN Security Council and International export control regimes, including NSG, during wide ranging talks with Enda Kenny and also covered global challenges like terror and radicalisation.
E). MISCELLANEOUS
Indian-origin Mahesh Ramanujam as new CEO of America’s Green Council
Indian-origin Mahesh Ramanujam has been named as the new CEO of the prestigious ‘US Green Building Council’ (USGBC), a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability in how buildings are designed, built and operated. Ramanujam is from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In 2009, he joined the company as senior vice-president, in 2011 he become the COO of the company and in December 2012 he become the president of GBCI.
Japanese centenarian “Golden Bolt” sets Guinness World Record in racing
A fleet-footed Japanese centenarian raced into the Guinness World Records reference book on 23 September and declared him a ‘medical marvel’ as he continues to stalk sprint king Usain Bolt. Hidekichi Miyazaki, dubbed ‘Golden Bolt’ after the fastest man
on the planet clocked 42.22 seconds in Kyoto to set a 100 metres world record in the over-105 age category.
Mukesh Ambani’ is the richest Indian in Hurun Report’s ‘India Rich List-2015’
Relience Industries Head Mukesh Ambani is the richest Indian as per the Hurun Report’s India Rich List-2015. His assets are valued at Rs. 1,60,951 Crores. As per Hurun Reports there are 124 dollar billionaires in the country. And there are 296 high net-worth individuals (those whose assets are valued above Rs. 1600 Crores). The Pharmaceuticals tycoon Dilip Singhvi of Sun Pharma is the second richest Indian and S.P. Hinduja is the third. This is the fourth year for Hurun Report, a Shanghai based luxury publishing group has come out with the list of Super rich in India.