1. 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.
2. 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
3. Air Marshal Tejinder Singh Assumes Role as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
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Air Marshal Tejinder Singh took over as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force in New Delhi.
An Overview of the News
After assuming his new role, he paid homage at the National War Memorial by laying a wreath to honor the bravehearts.
Background:
Alumnus: National Defence Academy.
Commissioned: Into the fighter stream of the IAF on 13 June 1987.
Flying Experience: Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor with over 4500 hours of flying.
Education: Alumnus of Defence Service Staff College and National Defence College.
Command Experience:
Commanded a Fighter Squadron.
Led a Radar Station and a premier Fighter Base.
Served as Air Officer Commanding in Jammu and Kashmir.
Awards:
Vayu Sena Medal (2007).
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2022).
4. Subhasri Sriram Appointed as MD & CEO of Shriram Capital
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Subhasri Sriram has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of Shriram Capital Private Limited (SCPL), effective September 1, 2024.
An Overview of the News
He was previously served as Joint MD at Shriram Capital Private Limited.
Career at Shriram Group:
Joined the Shriram Group in 1991.
Played a significant role in the company's growth and expansion.
Held key positions including Executive Director (ED) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Shriram City Union Finance (now Shriram Finance).
Professional Qualifications:
Fellow of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
Fellow of the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India (now Institute of Cost Accountants of India - ICAI).
Company Information:
Shriram Capital Private Limited, formerly known as Shriram Financial Ventures (Chennai) Private Limited, is the holding company of the Shriram Group.
Headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).
5. Dr. T.V. Somanathan Appointed as New Cabinet Secretary of India
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Dr. T.V. Somanathan has assumed the role of the new Cabinet Secretary in the Government of India.
An Overview of the News
Somanathan takes over following the retirement of Shri Rajiv Gauba.
Dr. Somanathan is an IAS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, belonging to the 1987 batch.
Education and Qualifications
Ph.D. in Economics: From Calcutta University.
Executive Development Program: Completed at Harvard Business School.
Professional Qualifications: Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant, and Company Secretary.
Key Positions and Experience
Central Government:
Former Finance Secretary and Secretary, Department of Expenditure.
Served as Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
State Government (Tamil Nadu):
Managing Director of Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.
Secretary to the Chief Minister.
Additional Chief Secretary & Commissioner of Commercial Taxes during GST rollout.
Commissioner, Disciplinary Proceedings.
World Bank:
Financial Economist, East Asia & Pacific Regional Vice Presidency.
Manager of the Budget Policy Group.
Director, Corporate Affairs (2011-2015).
Publications and Contributions
Academic Contributions: Over 80 papers and articles on economics, finance, and public policy.
Authorship: Authored three books published by McGraw Hill and Cambridge/Oxford University Press.
6. Rajesh Nambiar Appointed NASSCOM President-Designate
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Rajesh Nambiar, CMD of Cognizant India, has been appointed as the president-designate of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM).
An Overview of the News
Nambiar will succeed Debjani Ghosh after her term ends in November 2024.
Nambiar will step down as CMD of Cognizant India effective September 2024.
Current Roles and Contributions:
Serving as the Chairperson of NASSCOM since 2023.
Member of the NASSCOM Executive Council.
Executive Vice President (EVP) and CMD of Cognizant India.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cognizant Foundation in India.
Previous Experience:
Chairman and President of Ciena India, a leading network solutions partner.
Global Delivery Leader at IBM.
Led the eastern region in the US at Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS).
Member of the global board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).
NASSCOM Announces New Chairperson
Appointment: Sindhu Gangadharan, Managing Director of SAP Labs India, has been appointed as the new Chairperson of NASSCOM.
Previous Role: Gangadharan was previously the Vice Chairperson of NASSCOM.
Successor: She will succeed Rajesh Nambiar, who has been named the president-designate of NASSCOM.
About NASSCOM:
Role: Apex body for India's technology industry.
Established: 1988 as a non-profit organization.
Membership: Over 3,000 companies, including both Indian and multinational firms.
Scope: Covers the entire technology industry spectrum.
Mission: Focuses on policy advocacy and strategic guidance for sector development.
Founders: Nandan Nilekani and Devang Mehta.
Headquarters: Noida and New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
7. Govind Mohan Takes Over as Union Home Secretary
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Senior IAS officer Govind Mohan has assumed the position of Union Home Secretary.
An Overview of the News
Govind Mohan succeeded Ajay Kumar Bhalla, whose tenure ended on August 22, 2024.
Prior to this role, Mohan was serving as the Secretary in the Culture Ministry.
Govind Mohan was appointed as the next Union Home Secretary by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on 14th August.
Background of Govind Mohan
Service Tenure: A 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Sikkim cadre.
Educational Qualification: Holds an electrical engineering degree from BHU-IIT Varanasi.
Previous Roles: Extensive career in government, including two previous stints in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and a brief period as Secretary of the Department of Sports earlier this year.
About Home Secretary
The Home Secretary is the administrative head of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The position is held by a senior IAS officer, ranked as Secretary to the Government of India.
The current Home Secretary is Govind Mohan.
The Home Secretary oversees Central Forces such as CRPF, CISF, BSF, and other Central Police Organizations.
The Home Secretary ranks 23rd in the Indian Order of Precedence.
The position was established in 1947.
8. Amardeep Singh Bhatia Assumes Charge as Secretary, DPIIT
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Amardeep Singh Bhatia, IAS has assumed the role of Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
An Overview of the News
He succeeds Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS, who has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Defence.
Career of Amardeep Singh
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer, 1993 Batch, Nagaland cadre.
Previously served as Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Held various significant positions in the Ministries of Corporate Affairs and Health & Family Welfare in the Central Government.
Managed key departments in the Nagaland State Government, including Planning & Coordination, Health & Family Welfare, Environment & Forest, Municipalities and Local Self Government, and Home.
About DPIIT
In the year 2019, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) was renamed as Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
It is administered by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
It is a nodal government agency to formulate and implement development strategies for the industrial sector, along with other socio-economic objectives and national priorities.
9. Jay Shah to Replace Greg Barclay as ICC Chairman
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Jay Shah, BCCI secretary, is set to replace Greg Barclay as the new ICC chairman.
An Overview of the News
Shah has the support of cricket boards from England and Australia, ensuring the necessary votes for his election.
India’s History of ICC Leadership
Jay Shah will become the third Indian to chair the ICC, following Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar.
His appointment will officially take place in November when he replaces Barclay.
Jay Shah’s Term as BCCI Secretary
Shah has one year left as BCCI secretary before a mandatory cooling-off period of three years begins in October 2025.
According to BCCI rules, an office bearer can serve for six years before requiring a cooling-off period and can hold office for up to 18 years in total (nine years in a state association and nine years in BCCI).
Youngest ICC Chairman in History
At 35 years old, Jay Shah will become the youngest chairman in the history of the ICC when he assumes the role in December 2024.
About the International Cricket Council (ICC)
It is the global governing body for cricket.
It was founded in 1909 as the Imperial Cricket Conference by representatives of England, Australia, and South Africa.
In 1989 its name was changed to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Established - 15 June 1909
Headquarters - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Chairman - Jay Shah (November 2024)
CEO - Geoff Allardyce
10. Satya Prakash Sangwan Named Chef de Mission for India’s Paris 2024 Paralympic Team
Tags: Person in news Sports News
Satya Prakash Sangwan has been appointed as the Chef de Mission (CMD) for India's contingent at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
An Overview of the News
Sangwan currently serves as the Vice-President of PCI.
He will lead India's largest-ever Paralympic contingent, consisting of 84 para-athletes competing in 12 sports disciplines.
Sangwan is a respected figure in the para-sports community, known for his extensive experience and passion for the field.
Devendra Jhajharia, President of the Paralympic Committee of India, highlighted Sangwan's integral role within the organization for over a decade.
The role of Chef de Mission involves leadership, mentorship, and strategic planning to guide the contingent effectively.
Paralympic Committee of India
Founded: August 7, 1994 (as Physically Handicapped Sports Federation of India)
Headquarters: New Delhi, India
President: Devendra Jhajharia
Secretary General: Jayawant Gundu Hamanawar
Role: Selects and manages Indian athletes for Paralympic Games and international meets
