1. Swati Vijay Kulkarni Appointed as India's Next Ambassador to Algeria
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Swati Vijay Kulkarni has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Algeria, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on September 13.
An Overview of the News
Kulkarni is an Indian Foreign Service officer from the 1995 batch.
She is currently serving as Additional Secretary in the MEA.
Bilateral Relations
Diplomatic ties between India and Algeria were established in July 1962.
Relations have been cordial, with both nations supporting each other on various bilateral and multilateral issues.
Mechanisms for Cooperation
The Joint Commission Mechanism (JCM) was established in 1981 to address bilateral issues.
The 9th JCM was held in Algiers in May 2015, led by then-Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman and Algeria's Minister of Transport Boudjema Talai.
The fifth Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) took place in Algiers in November 2018.
About Algeria
History:- Influenced by Arab and Berber dynasties; part of Ottoman Empire; French annexation in 1830.
Capital:-Algiers
Currency:- Algerian Dinar
Languages:- Arabic, Tamazight
President:- Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Prime Minister:- Nadir Larbaoui
2. RS Sharma Appointed Non-Executive Chairperson of ONDC
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Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed initiative, has appointed RS Sharma as its non-executive chairperson.
An Overview of the News
RS Sharma is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
RS Sharma’s Professional Background
First Director General and Mission Director of Aadhaar.
Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
CEO of the National Health Authority (NHA).
Chief Secretary of the Jharkhand government.
Sharma's contributions:
He helped India lead in using technology to address large-scale challenges during his time at TRAI and the NHA.
He played a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic in deploying digital solutions.
About ONDC
It is a private, non-profit Section 8 company.
Established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India.
Founded: 31 December 2021.
CEO: Thampy Koshy (since February 2022).
Founder: Government of India.
Headquarters: India.
Aim: To develop an open e-commerce network.
3. R. Ravindra Appointed as India’s Next Ambassador to Iceland
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R. Ravindra, a 1999-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Iceland.
An Overview of the News
Currently, Ravindra serves as India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
He joined his current role at the UN in September 2020.
Before this, he was the Joint Secretary for Central and West Africa in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi.
He will shortly take up his new assignment in Iceland.
About Iceland
Capital: Reykjavík
Official Language: Icelandic
President: Halla Tómasdóttir
Prime Minister: Bjarni Benediktsson
4. Rajesh Verma Appointed Chairperson of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR
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Rajesh Verma, a 1987-batch IAS officer from the Odisha Cadre, took charge as Chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas on September 9, 2024.
An Overview of the News
Rajesh Verma's appointment is for three years from the date of assuming office or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
He has over 35 years of experience in public administration and governance.
Professional Experience and Key Roles
Verma has served in various departments of both the Central and State Governments, including the President’s Secretariat, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, and Ministry of Power.
He has also worked with the Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd. (REC), Departments of Education, Steel & Mines, Agriculture, Energy under the Government of Odisha, and Industrial Development Corporations in Odisha and Rajasthan.
His roles have made him a key stakeholder in addressing air pollution in various capacities.
Successor to Dr. M.M. Kutty
Rajesh Verma succeeded Dr. M.M. Kutty, who completed his tenure as the full-time Chairperson of CAQM after serving for three years.
Prior to his current role, Verma served as Secretary to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, until his retirement on August 31, 2024.
5. Dr. Vinay Goyal Appointed State Mission Director for National Health Mission
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Dr. Vinay Goyal has been appointed State Mission Director for the National Health Mission (NHM), succeeding K. Jeevan Babu.
An Overview of the News
Goyal also serves as Director of the Kerala State IT Mission and Project Director of eHealth Kerala.
Dr. Goyal aims to enhance Kerala's digital and healthcare infrastructure in his new role.
Educational Background of Dr. Vinay Goyal
MBBS from PGIMS Rohtak
Master of Public Management from Jawaharlal Nehru University
Master of Public Health (MPH) from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Previous Roles and Experience
Director of the Scheduled Tribes Development Department
Director of the Backward Classes Development Department
Secretary of the Kerala State Housing Board
Managing Director of Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd
CEO of Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited
District Development Commissioner of Thiruvananthapuram
6. Amit Shah Re-elected as Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Official Language
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah was unanimously re-elected as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language.
An Overview of the News
The meeting to reconstitute the committee was held in New Delhi after the formation of the new government.
Amit Shah has previously served as Chairperson from 2019 to 2024.
Efforts to Strengthen Hindi
After 75 years of independence, India must govern in its own language.
Efforts include the creation of a dictionary incorporating words from local languages into Hindi.
This initiative has enriched Hindi, made it more flexible, and strengthened its bond with other Indian languages.
Software is being developed to translate languages of the 8th Schedule, accelerating the use of Hindi.
Vision for 2047 and the Role of Indian Languages
Amit Shah highlighted the goal of having all official work in Indian languages by 2047, marking 100 years of independence.
As a thousand-year-old language, Hindi needs to be revived and accepted with pride.
The freedom fighters envisioned a unified national language, and the committee aims to fulfill this dream.
7. Manish Kumar Gupta Appointed New Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh
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Manish Kumar Gupta has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh.
An Overview of the News
Gupta is a 1991 batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and other Union Territories).
The appointment was announced by the Union Home Affairs Ministry on September 5.
Gupta replaces the outgoing Chief Secretary Dharmendra, who has been transferred to the national capital.
Prior to this, Gupta served as the Principal Secretary (Home) and Additional Chief Secretary in the Delhi administration.
About Arunachal Pradesh
It is a state located in the northeastern region of India.
It shares its borders with the countries of Bhutan, China, and Myanmar.
Establishment:- 20 February 1987
Capital:- Itanagar(Executive Branch)
Chief Minister:- Pema Khandu
Governor - Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik
Official flower:- Rhynchostylis retusa
Official Animal:- Gayal
8. Randhir Singh Elected as First Indian President of the OCA
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Randhir Singh has been elected unopposed as the first Indian President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
An Overview of the News
The election took place during the 44th General Assembly in New Delhi.
Background:
Singh, 77, is from a sporting family in Patiala, Punjab.
He is a former Asian Games gold medalist in trap shooting.
Administrative Experience:
Served as Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association from 1987 to 2012.
Vice-Chairman of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games organizing committee.
OCA Secretary General from 1991 to 2015, and Life Vice President afterward.
Acted as OCA President in 2021 before officially assuming the role in 2024.
International Influence:
Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and held various positions on its commissions.
About OCA
Formation: November 16, 1982
Membership: 45 National Olympic Committees
Headquarters: Kuwait City, Kuwait
President: Randhir Singh
9. Sharath Kamal Becomes First Indian Ambassador of ITTF Foundation at UTT 2024
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Sharath Kamal Achanta, renowned Indian table tennis player, has been appointed as the Foundation Ambassador of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Foundation.
An Overview of the News
Kamal is the first Indian to hold this prestigious position.
The announcement was made during the celebration of the ITTF Foundation's TT4Health Programme at the 5th season of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT 2024).
Event Details:
Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Date: UTT 2024 is being held from 22nd August to 7th September 2024.
Recognition:
Sharath Kamal was presented with the Foundation Ambassador t-shirt.
The presentation was done by ITTF Governing Board Members, Princess Zeina Shaban of Jordan and Vita Dani, Chairperson of UTT.
About Sharath Kamal:
Olympian: 5-time Olympian and 10-time Men's Singles champion at the Senior National Table Tennis Championships.
Commonwealth Games (CWG) Achievements:
First Indian table tennis player to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Gold medals in Men's Singles and Men's Team event at the 2006 CWG in Melbourne, Australia.
Awards:
Arjuna Award (2004)
Padma Shri for Sports (2019)
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2022)
Other Roles:
Co-chair of the ITTF Athletes Commission.
Captaining the Chennai Lions in UTT 2024.
About ITTF:
It is the global governing body of table tennis.
Founded - 1926
Headquarters - Lausanne, Switzerland.
10. Philips Appoints Bharath Sesha as New Managing Director
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Philips has appointed Bharath Sesha as Managing Director for the Indian subcontinent, effective September 1, 2024.
An Overview of the News
Bharath will lead Philips' growth strategy in India, focusing on customer satisfaction and operational excellence.
He will oversee the Healthcare business based in Gurgaon and manage Philips' operations in India, including:
Philips Innovation Campus (PIC) in Bangalore
Healthcare Innovation Centre (HIC) in Pune
Global Business Services (GBS) in Chennai
Predecessor:
Bharath succeeds Daniel Mazon, who was Vice Chairman and Managing Director until April 1, 2024, and now holds a global role at Philips' headquarters in the Netherlands.
Background of Bharath Sesha:
Bharath Sesha has over 20 years of global experience with a strong understanding of the Indian market, particularly in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Before joining Philips, he was Managing Director at Heubach Colorants India Ltd.
He holds a Master's degree in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and an MBA from the Institute for Technology & Management (ITM).
Philips' Investments:
Philips' investments in India, including the 2023 launch of the Philips Innovation Campus in Bangalore and the 2024 announcement of a new R&D campus at the Healthcare Innovation Center in Pune, have bolstered the company's position as a leading Healthtech innovator and strengthened its operational presence in the country.
About Philips:
Founded: 1891
Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Industry: Health technology and consumer electronics
CEO - Roy Jakobs
MD for India - Bharath Sesha
