1. Dinesh Karthik Appointed SA20 League Ambassador
Tags: Person in news Sports News
Dinesh Karthik, an Indian commentator and former wicketkeeper, has been appointed as the league ambassador of South Africa's premier T20 cricket tournament, SA20 League, ahead of the 2025 edition.
An Overview of the News
Karthik becomes the first Indian player to be associated with the SA20 League.
He has signed with Paarl Royals as an overseas player for the 2025 season.
Career and Retirement
Retirement from Cricket: Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in June 2024.
International Career: Karthik represented India in 26 Tests, 94 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 60 T20Is. He was also part of the Indian team that won the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa.
Connection with Former Teammates
Joining AB de Villiers: Karthik will join his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Daredevils teammate AB de Villiers as one of the league's ambassadors.
SA20 League Overview
Tournament Background: The SA20 League, also known as Betway SA20 for sponsorship reasons, is organized by Cricket South Africa (CSA) and was first contested in 2023. The 3rd season is scheduled from 9th January to 8th February 2025.
Franchise Teams: The tournament features six franchises: MI Cape Town, Joburg Super Kings (JSK), Durban SuperGiants (DSG), Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC). These teams are owned by the same entities that own Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises.
2. Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera Assumes Charge as DG of Assam Rifles
Tags: Person in news
Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera assumed charge as the Director General (DG) of Assam Rifles on 1 August.
An Overview of the News
Vikas will replace Lt Gen PC Nair, who retired after four decades of service.
Background of Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera:
Commissioned into the 4 SIKH LI of the Indian Army on June 9, 1990.
Extensive experience serving in the northeastern region.
Educational Qualifications:
Postgraduate from Defence Service Staff College, Wellington.
Alumnus of the Higher Defence Management Course from the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad.
Completed the National Defence Course from the Royal College of Defence Studies, London.
Holds an MSc from Madras University, an MA from King's College, London, and a Masters in Management Studies from Osmania University.
Previous Roles and Experience:
Held various command and staff appointments throughout his career.
Served as the Additional Director General Military Operations handling Information Warfare before taking over as DG of Assam Rifles.
Extensive experience in planning and executing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern region.
Honors and Awards:
Recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
Awarded the Sena Medal.
Honored with the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card.
Received two Army Commander Commendation Cards.
About the Assam Rifles:
Established in 1835 as "Cachar Levy"
Known as "Friends of the North East People"
Director-General: Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera
Headquarters: Shillong, Meghalaya
3. Challa Sreenivasulu Setty Appointed Chairman of SBI
Tags: Person in news
Challa Sreenivasulu Setty has been appointed as Chairman of the State Bank of India (SBI) for a three-year term.
An Overview of the News
The term will start on or after August 28, 2024, and will last for three years or until further orders.
Previous Role: Setty was previously the Managing Director at SBI, overseeing Global Markets & Technology.
Recommendation: His appointment follows the recommendation by the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) in June 2024.
Background:
Setty holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and is a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB).
He joined SBI in 1988 as a Probationary Officer and has extensive experience in various banking sectors.
Current Chairman’s Retirement
Incumbent Chairman: Dinesh Kumar Khara, the current Chairman of SBI, will retire on August 28, 2024, upon turning 63, which is the upper age limit for the position.
Appointment of Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh as SBI Managing Director
New Managing Director: Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh has been appointed as Managing Director of SBI.
Current Role: Singh is currently the Deputy Managing Director.
Term Details: He will hold the post of Managing Director till June 30, 2027 or until further orders.
About State Bank of India:
Origin: Began as the Bank of Calcutta in 1806, renamed Bank of Bengal in 1809. Followed by the Bank of Bombay (1840) and the Bank of Madras (1843).
1921: Merged to form the Imperial Bank of India.
1955: Nationalized and renamed State Bank of India (SBI) following the Gorwala Committee's recommendation.
Current Status: SBI is the largest commercial bank in India.
Chairman: Challa Sreenivasulu Setty
Managing Director: Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh
Headquarters: Mumbai
Tagline: "The Banker To Every Indian"
4. K. Kailashnathan Sworn in as 25th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry
Tags: Person in news State News
K. Kailashnathan took the oath as the 25th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on August 7, 2024.
An Overview of the News
The oath was administered by the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, D. Krishnakumar.
Kailashnathan, a retired Gujarat cadre IAS officer, is the first full-time Lt. Governor of Puducherry since Kiran Bedi left in 2021.
The event was held at Raj Nivas and was attended by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Speaker of the territorial assembly R. Selvam, and other officials.
Kailashnathan was felicitated by the Acting Chief Justice, Chief Minister Rangasamy, and Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan.
About Puducherry
Formation: July 1, 1963
Capital: Pondicherry
Chief Minister: N. Rangasamy
5. Janet Yang Re-Elected President of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Tags: Person in news
Janet Yang has been re-elected as the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
An Overview of the News
This marks her third term as President and sixth year as a Governor-at-Large.
Janet Yang's Career Highlights
Member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since 2002.
Producing credits include "South Central," "The Joy Luck Club," "The People vs. Larry Flynt," "Zero Effect," "Savior," "The Weight of Water," "High Crimes," and "Over the Moon."
Won an Emmy® for "Indictment: The McMartin Trial."
New Officer Appointments
Lesley Barber: Vice President (Chair, Membership Committee)
DeVon Franklin: Vice President (Chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee)
Donna Gigliotti: Vice President/Treasurer (Chair, Finance Committee)
Lynette Howell Taylor: Vice President (Chair, Awards Committee)
Howard A. Rodman: Vice President/Secretary (Chair, Governance Committee)
Officer Terms and Roles
Officers serve one-year terms with a maximum of four consecutive years in the same role.
Board members can serve up to two three-year terms, with eligibility renewing after a two-year hiatus.
About the Academy
The Academy has over 10,500 global members, recognizing achievements in film through awards like the Oscars®.
It maintains the largest film-related collection, housed at the Academy Museum, Margaret Herrick Library, and the Academy Film Archive.
The Academy is involved in conservation, preservation, and film-related exhibitions, and supports young artists and underrepresented communities in the film industry.
6. RBI Approves Re-appointment of Inderjit Camotra as MD & CEO of Unity Small Finance
Tags: Person in news
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Inderjit Camotra as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unity Small Finance Bank Limited (Unity Bank) for an additional 2 years.
An Overview of the News
Inderjit Camotra has been serving as MD & CEO of Unity Small Finance Bank since 2022.
Camotra has over 28 years of experience in senior roles with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ), and Citigroup Inc.
Previously served as Executive Director (ED) with Centrum Financial Services Limited, the promoter entity of Unity Bank.
About Unity Small Finance Bank Limited:
Unity Bank is a Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB) promoted by Centrum Financial Services Limited, with Resilient Innovations Private Limited as a co-investor.
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Incorporated: 2021
7. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to Succeed Jay Shah as ACC President in 2025
Tags: Person in news
Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is set to become the next President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in January 2025. His term will last for two years.
An Overview of the News
Current ACC President Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), received a one-year extension in January 2024, continuing his third consecutive term.
Naqvi will oversee the Asia Cup in 2025 (T20I) in India and the 2027 edition in Bangladesh (ODI).
In addition, Naqvi will be responsible for managing the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be hosted by Pakistan.
The ACC, established in 1983, is a cricket organization dedicated to promoting and developing the sport in Asia.
Asian Cricket Council(ACC)
It was set up in 1983 to promote cricket in Asia.
All the test playing nations of Asia are its members namely. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Headquarters : Colombo, Sri Lanka
BCCI
President: Roger Binny
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founded:1928
8. Renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi Dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy Passes Away at 84
Tags: Person in news
Renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy passed away at 84 in Apollo Hospital.
An Overview of the News
Yamini Krishnamurthy was born on December 20, 1940 in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh.
She trained in Bharatanatyam from Rukmini Devi Arundale at Kalakshetra and also learnt Kuchipudi and Odissi.
She was also adept at Carnatic singing and the Veena.
Achievements and Honors
Awarded Padma Shri (1968), Padma Bhushan (2001), and Padma Vibhushan (2016).
Received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1977.
Known for adding power, beauty, and glamour to Bharatanatyam.
Tributes
Former students and fellow dancers, including Rama Vaidyanathan and Sonal Mansingh, paid tribute to her dedication and impact.
Condolence messages from notable figures like former Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Kuchipudi couple Raja and Radha Reddy.
9. Daljit Singh Chawdhary Takes Over Additional Charge as DG of BSF
Tags: Person in news
Daljit Singh Chawdhary, Director General of Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB), took over additional charge as Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) on August 3, 2024.
An Overview of the News
Daljit Singh Chawdhary is a 1990 batch officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS), Uttar Pradesh cadre.
He assumed the charge of DG SSB on January 23, 2024.
Service Tenure:
In his 34 years of service, he has served in various capacities in Uttar Pradesh.
Since 2017, he has been on Central Deputation, serving as ADG in Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and as SDG in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Skills and Recognition:
He is a renowned marksman and qualified skydiver.
He has been awarded 4 police medals for Gallantry.
He also received the police medal for meritorious service, the President's police medal for distinguished service, and the Ati Utkrisht Seva Medal.
10. Preeti Sudan Appointed New UPSC Chairperson
Tags: Person in news
Preeti Sudan has been appointed as the chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) effective August 1.
An Overview of the News
Preeti is a 1983 batch IAS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre. Her tenure as chairperson will last until April 29, 2025.
She is the second woman to lead the UPSC, following RM Bathew, who served as chairperson from 1992 to 1996.
Previous Chairperson's Resignation
Manoj Soni resigned from his position as chairperson of the UPSC, effective July 31.
Soni's resignation followed his initial appointment as a UPSC member in 2017 and subsequent chairmanship starting May 16, 2023.
His resignation, submitted on July 4, was for "personal reasons" and was not directly related to the controversy involving IAS officer Puja Khedkar.
UPSC's Role
The UPSC is a constitutional body responsible for conducting various examinations for the central government.
It includes the civil services examinations and recommends candidates for the All India Services (IAS, IFS, IPS) and Central Services (Group A and B).
About UPSC
Established: Originally as the Public Service Commission (PSC) in 1926, renamed Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) in 1937, and became the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in 1950.
Constitutional Status: UPSC is a constitutional body under Articles 315-323, Part XIV, Chapter II of the Indian Constitution.
Functions: Conducts exams for central government services, including IAS, IFS, IPS, and others.
Structure: Headed by a Chairperson and can have up to 10 members.
Current Chairperson: Preeti Sudan
Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
