1. Sindhu Gangadharan appointed Vice-Chairperson of NASSCOM
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Sindhu Gangadharan, currently Senior Vice-Chairperson and Managing Director at SAP Labs India, was named Vice Chairperson of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM).
An Overview of the News
As the first woman to lead SAP Labs India, which is SAP's largest R&D center globally, Gangadharan is responsible for overseeing product development and innovation across all five centers located in Bangalore, Gurgaon, Pune, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
Earlier this year, Gangadharan was appointed as the Chairman of the NASSCOM GCC Council for the period 2023-2025.
She also holds positions on the boards of organizations such as Siemens India and Titan Company Limited.
Gangadharan is a member of the steering committee of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, an industry association promoting bilateral trade and discussion between India and Germany.
NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies):
It is the apex body for India's technology industry.
Established as a non-profit organization in 1988.
Membership exceeds more than 3000 companies, including Indian and multinational companies.
Membership spans the entire industry spectrum.
NASSCOM's mission includes policy advocacy and strategic guidance for the development and progress of the technology sector.
Founder - Nandan Nilekani, Devang Mehta
Headquarters - Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and New Delhi
Cognizant India Chairman and Managing Director Rajesh Nambiar has been appointed as the new chairperson of the Indian IT and technology trade body NASSCOM.
2. Renowned political cartoonist Ajit Ninan passes away
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Renowned political cartoonist Ajit Ninan passed away at the age of 68.
An Overview of the News
Ajit Ninan was widely recognized for his contributions, including the famous "CentreStage" series in India Today magazine and "Ninan's World" in The Times of India.
In addition to his political cartoons, Ninan was known for his work in children's literature.
One of his favorite creations of the 1980s was Detective Moochwala and his dog Pooch, which appeared in the youth magazine Target.
Ajit Ninan's political cartoons are known for their bold and humorous stances on various subjects, including satire on both the ruling government and the opposition.
He also used his artistic talents to address environmental issues and create memorable caricatures.
About Ajit Ninan
Ajit Ninan is best known for his work on "Ajit Ninan's Funny World", which was published in Target magazine.
They were called "Just Like That!" Also known for. Which was published daily in the Times of India.
With Jug Suraiya, he sang "Like That's Only!" Co-wrote. Which was published bi-weekly in the Times of India.
During the 2009 Indian general elections, he produced a series of cartoons, "Poli Tricks", which was published in The Times of India.
Additionally, he collaborated with Sunil Agarwal on the single-panel cartoon strip "iToons" in The Times of India.
3. RBI approves the reappointment of Sandeep Bakshi as MD & CEO of ICICI Bank
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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakshi as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD and CEO) of ICICI Bank.
An Overview of the News
The RBI approval, received through an exchange filing on September 11, has extended the tenure of Sandeep Bakshi as MD and CEO of ICICI Bank from October 4, 2023, to October 3, 2026.
Sandeep Bakshi has been leading ICICI Bank since October 15, 2018, and before that, he served as a full-time director and Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Bakshi has a tenure of 36 years in ICICI Group and has held various important positions.
About ICICI Bank Limited:
ICICI Bank Limited is an Indian multinational bank and financial services company.
The Bank offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to both corporate and retail customers.
ICICI Bank has subsidiaries in the fields of investment banking, life and non-life insurance, venture capital, and asset management.
Additionally, it has a global presence,operating in 17 countries.
It also has branches in the United States, Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Qatar, Oman, Dubai International Finance Centre, China and South Africa.
In addition, the bank has representative offices in the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Established - 5January 1994
Headquarters - Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, (Registered Office at Vadodara, Gujarat)
4. Dennis Austin, co-creator of Microsoft PowerPoint, dies at 76
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Dennis Austin, one of the co-creators of Microsoft PowerPoint, has died at the age of 76.
An Overview of the News
Dennis Austin, along with Robert Gaskins, developed PowerPoint and introduced it in 1987.
Austin and Gaskins were both part of the software company Forethought, which was later acquired by Microsoft for $14 million shortly after the launch of PowerPoint, which was originally named Presenter.
Initially, PowerPoint was available exclusively for the Macintosh platform.
About Dennis R. Austin's career:
Dennis R. Austin was the lead software developer of PowerPoint from 1985 to 1996, focusing on versions for Apple Macintosh computers.
He began his career in the computer division of General Electric in Arizona, followed by positions at Honeywell in Massachusetts and Burroughs in California.
In late 1984 Forethought, Inc. He became a software developer for Gavilon Computer.
At Forethought, Robert Gaskins initiated the development of graphical presentation software that later became PowerPoint, with Austin as the lead developer.
Tom Rudkin joined the PowerPoint project and made significant programming contributions along with Austin.
Microsoft acquired Forethought in 1987, and Austin remained as the lead developer of PowerPoint until 1996.
5. Parliament of Vanuatu elects Sato Kilman as the new Prime Minister
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Vanuatu Parliament elects Sato Kilman as Prime Minister amid political change.
An Overview of the News
The decision came after a court upheld a no-confidence motion against Kilman's predecessor.
Former Prime Minister and People's Progressive Party leader Sato Kilman took the position with 27 votes in favor.
In the secret ballot, his rival Kalsakau got 23 votes.
Kilman, 65, held the post of deputy prime minister in Kalasakau's government before he was ousted in May.
About Vanuatu
It is an archipelago consisting of 83 islands, 16 of which are inhabited.
Its largest islands include Espiritu Santo, Malacula, Efate, Eromango, Ambrym, Tanna, Pentecost, Apé, Ambe (also known as Aoba), Gaua, Vanua Lava, Maevo, Malo, and Anitium (or Anatome).
Its capital is Port Vila, located on the island of Efate.
Its other important cities include Luganville on Espiritu Santo and Isangel on Tanna.
Vanuatu has three official languages: Bislama, English and French.
Bislama is a Creole language spoken by the majority of the population of Vanuatu.
The official currency used in Vanuatu is the vatu (VUV), which is pegged to the Australian dollar, resulting in a relatively stable exchange rate.
6. SPG Chief Arun Kumar Sinha responsible for PM Modi's security passed away
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Arun Kumar Sinha, director of the Special Protection Group (SPG), responsible for the security of Prime Minister Modi, died at the age of 61 in Gurugram.
An Overview of the News
Arun Kumar Sinha was an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1987 Kerala cadre.
He assumed the role of Director of SPG in March 2016 and was initially appointed on a contract basis, with a tenure of up to May 31, 2024, in the rank and compensation of Director General of Police.
His dedication to his responsibilities has resulted in a one-year extension in service till May 31, underlining his commitment to the role.
Arun Kumar Sinha had a varied career, serving in various positions in his home cadre state Kerala, and in the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Centre.
Role of SPG:-
The Special Protection Group (SPG) was established in 1985.
Its primary mission is to protect the Prime Minister of India.
SPG has a strength of around 3,000 personnel.
It remains a central force in ensuring the security of the country's highest office.
7. Hindustani classical singer Malini Rajurkar passed away at the age of 82
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Renowned Hindustani classical singer Malini Rajurkar has passed away at the age of 82.
An Overview of the News
Malini Rajurkar was known for her simplicity and deep artistry in music.
He was a notable presence in India's major music festivals including Gunidas Sammelan (Mumbai), Tansen Samaroh (Gwalior), Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav (Pune) and Shankar Lal Mahotsav (Delhi).
Malini Rajurkar was highly regarded for her expertise in Tappa and Tarana styles of music.
He also ventured into light music and gained popularity for rendering Marathi Natyageet and other compositions.
Born in 1941 in Ajmer, Rajasthan, she received her musical education at Ajmer Sangeet College under the guidance of Govindrao Rajurkar and Vasantrao Rajurkar, who later became her husband.
She was an exponent of the Gwalior Gharana and was known for her mastery of the'Khayal' and 'Tappa' styles in Hindustani classical music.
Differences in Classical Music in India: Hindustani and Carnatic Traditions
In India, there is a historical perspective that music was unified by the 13th century AD.
After this period, it began to split into two distinct forms: Hindustani and Carnatic classical music.
The Government of India officially recognizes these two classical music traditions.
Carnatic classical music is mainly practiced in the southern Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Renowned Carnatic singer M.S. Subbalakshmi comes from this tradition.
In the rest of India, classical music is called Hindustani music.
8. Neeraj Mittal appointed as Secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT)
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Neeraj Mittal was appointed as Secretary in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
An Overview of the News
Neeraj Mittal is a 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
He is currently serving as the Principal Secretary in the Department of Information Technology, Tamil Nadu.
Prior to this, he worked as Senior Advisor in the World Bank Group and as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
He is replacing K Rajaraman, who is now the chairman of the International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) in Gujarat.
S Krishnan will head the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
S Krishnan, a 1989 batch IAS officer, was appointed as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Krishnan currently holds the post of Industries Secretary in the Tamil Nadu State Government.
His appointment comes after the retirement of the previous secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma on August 31.
Important appointments and changes in the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India
VL Kantha Rao, who was earlier holding the post of Additional Secretary in the Department of Telecommunications, has been selected as the Secretary in the Ministry of Mines.
Former Secretary, the Ministry of Mines, Vivek Bhardwaj will now hold the role of Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Umang Narula has been designated Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, bringing his broad administrative experience to this vital portfolio.
Arunish Chawla, a 1992 Bihar cadre IAS officer, is set to take charge as the secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals within the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers from November 1, 2023.
Chanchal Kumar of the 1992 batch and Bihar cadre has been appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region.
Vumlunmang Vualnam, a 1992 Manipur cadre IAS officer, has been assigned the role of Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. He previously served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance.
9. Professor Satyajit Majumdar of TISS receives Dr. VG Patel Memorial Award 2023
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Professor Satyajit Majumdar, serving as the Dean of the School of Management and Labor Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, was awarded the 'Dr V G Patel Memorial Award-2023'.
An Overview of the News
He received this prestigious award in the category of 'Entrepreneurship Coach, Educator, and Mentor' for his outstanding contribution to promoting and strengthening entrepreneurship in India.
Dr. V.G. Patel is widely recognized as a pioneer of the entrepreneurship movement in India, which makes this award particularly significant.
Professor Satyajit Mazumdar was selected for this award from among 400 applicants from 26 different states. The selection was done by a jury appointed by the Indian Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDII) in Ahmedabad.
Over the past two decades, Professor Majumdar, who is 63, has played a key role in pioneering entrepreneurship.
With his dedicated team, he has provided mentorship to over 350 startups, including 40 from the Jammu and Kashmir region, as well as cluster startups in Jhabua, West Bengal.
Since his appointment at TISS in 2010, Professor Majumdar's primary focus has been on establishing a thriving ecosystem for entrepreneurship within the institute.
In 2012, under his leadership, TISS established a dedicated Entrepreneurship Cell, reflecting his commitment to promoting entrepreneurship in the academic context.
10. ISRO condoles the death of Valarmathi, the famous voice behind the Chandrayaan-3 countdown
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Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientist N Valarmathi died due to a cardiac arrest.
An Overview of the News
N Valarmathi was known for her key role in providing countdown announcements for rocket launches held in Sriharikota.
Valarmathi's last public announcement was during the countdown to the launch of Chandrayaan-3, a historic mission that successfully landed on the Moon.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
Notably, Chandrayaan-3 marked the last countdown announcement given by N Valarmathi before his demise.
The career of N Valarmathi
N Valarmathi had a distinguished career spanning over 30 years in the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
She played a key role as the voice behind the countdown for many of ISRO's launches, including the historic Chandrayaan-3 mission, which successfully made a soft landing on the Moon in July 2023.
Valarmathi's calm and reassuring voice became a familiar and comforting presence to millions of Indians who flocked to watch ISRO launches.
In addition to her role in launch communications, she was noted for her significant contributions to the development of space applications intended to benefit society.
