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Current Affair 9 April, 2016 in Hindi

1.केंद्रीय मानव संसाधन विकास मंत्री स्मृति ईरानी ने आईएसबीएन पोर्टल का शुभारंभ किया

i.केंद्रीय मानव संसाधन विकास मंत्री स्मृति ईरानी ने लेखकों की रजिस्ट्रेशन में आने वाली समस्या के निदान हेतु गुरुवार को आईएसबीएन पोर्टल का शुभारंभ किया है।

ii.इस मौके पर ईरानी ने कहा कि यह एप विविध भाषाओं में छोटे लेखकों की मदद करने की एक बेहतर पहल है। हम अच्छे लेखन का हम सम्मान करते हैं और हर संभव उनके लिए काम करेंगे। 

iii..आईएसबीएन पोर्टल लांच अपडेट-रजिस्ट्रेशन के एक सप्ताह के अंदर मिलेगा। प्रकाशकों और लेखकों के लिए ISBN नंबर को होना बेहद जरूरी होता है और अभी तक जो व्यवस्था थी उसके अनुसार इस नंबर के लिए काफी दिनों तक इंतजार करना पड़ता था, लेकिन प्रकाशक, लेखक अब पोर्टल की वजह से सिर्फ सात दिनों में आईएसबीएन नंबर पा सकते हैं।

2.सचिन तेंदुलकर ‘स्किल इंडिया' अभियान के ब्रांड एंबेसडर बने

i.क्रिकेट के महान बल्लेबाज सचिन तेंदुलकर को कौशल विकास एवं उद्यमशीलता मंत्रालय (एमएसडीई) ने 'स्किल इंडिया' अभियान का ब्रांड एम्बेसडर बनाया है|

ii.स्किल इंडिया अभियान की शुरुआत प्रधानमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी द्वारा 15 जुलाई 2015 को न्यू दिल्ली प्रथम विश्व युवा कौशल दिवस के अवसर पर की गयी, जिसका मकसद 40 करोड़ लोगों को विभिन्न प्रकार के कौशल सिखाना है|

iii.इस अभियान के तहत चार योजनाओ का शुभारम्भ किया गया वे हैं

कौशल विकास और उद्यमिता राष्ट्रीय नीति 2015, राष्ट्रीय कौशल विकास मिशन, प्रधान मंत्री कौशल विकास योजना, कौशल ऋण योजना

iv.सचिन के स्किल इंडिया अभियान के लिए मनोनीत से इस अभियान के तहत भारत की मौजूदा युवा शक्ति का पूर्ण उपयोग करने में मदद मिलेगा|

3.संत उपाधि से पूर्व मदर टेरेसा को ब्रिटेन ने दिया फाउंडर्स अवॉर्ड

i.मदर टेरेसा के देहांत के 19 साल बाद ब्रिटेन उन्हें देश का प्रतिष्ठित फाउंडर्स अवॉर्ड देने जा रहा है। यह सम्मान वैश्विक एशियाई समुदाय के लोगों को उनकी अनुकरणीय उपलब्धियों को मान्यता देता है और उन्हें पुरस्कत करता है। 

ii.उन्होंने मिशनरीज ऑफ चेरेटी की स्थापना की थी और 45 साल तक गरीब, बीमार, अनाथ और कोलकाता की सड़कों पर रहने वाले बेसहारा लोगों की खिदमत की थी।

iii.छठे एशियन अवॉर्ड में फाउंडर्स अवार्ड का कल ब्रिटेन में आयोजन किया गया था। यह पुरस्कार एशियाई समुदाय के लोगों की अनुकरणीय उपलब्धियों को मान्यता देता है और उन्हें पुरस्कत करता है। 

iv.यह पुरस्कार व्यापार, लोकोपकार, मनोरंजन, संस्कति और खेल सहित 14 श्रेणियों में दिया जाता है।

4.उमा भारती ने जल फिल्म समारोह का उद्घाटन किया

i.केन्द्रीय जल संसाधन, नदी विकास और गंगा संरक्षण मंत्री उमा भारती ने नई दिल्ली में वाटर एक्सपो-2016 में जल फिल्म समारोह का उद्घाटन किया है। 

ii.इस अवसर पर उन्होंने कहा कि देश की तरक्की और समृद्धि के लिए जल संसाधन महत्वपूर्ण है और फिल्मों के जरिए कारगार तरीके से जल संरक्षण का संदेश दिया जा सकता है। लोगों के हित के लिए ऐसी फिल्में देश के कोन-कोने में दिखाई जानी चाहिए।

iii.फिल्म समारोह जल सप्ताह 2016 समारोह के हिस्से के रूप में जल संसाधन नदी विकास तथा गंगा संरक्षण मंत्रालय के अंतर्गत सार्वजनिक प्रतिष्ठान जल तथा विद्युत सलाहकार सेवा (वैपकॉस) लिमिटेड द्वारा किया गया।

5.भारत में लैंड टाइटल विधेयक पास करने वाला पहला राज्य बना राजस्थान

i.राजस्थान, लैंड टाइटल विधेयक पारित करने वाला पहला राज्य बन गया है। राज्य विधान सभा ने शुक्रवार को राजस्थान शहरी भूमि टाइटल प्रमाणन विधेयक - 2016 पारित कर दिया है। 

ii.इसका मतलब है कि नगर निगमों या राज्य विकास प्राधिकरण द्वारा शासित शहरी क्षेत्रों में रहने वाले राज्य के निवासी राज्य सरकार को मामूली शुल्क देकर अपनी भूमि का मालिकाना प्रमाण पत्र ले सकते हैं। iii.राज्य सरकार भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा के एक अधिकारी की अध्यक्षता में एक प्राधिकरण का गठन करेगी।

7.एयरटेल ने एयरसेल से खरीदा आठ सर्किलों का 4जी स्पेक्ट्रम

i.देश की दिग्गज टेलीकॉम कंपनी भारती एयरटेल ने एयरसेल के पास मौजूद आठ सर्किलों के 4जी स्पेक्ट्रम को खरीदने का एलान किया है। यह सौदा 3,500 करोड़ रुपये में हुआ है।

ii.इस अधिग्रहण के साथ एयरटेल देश भर में 4जी स्पेक्ट्रम वाली ऑपरेटर बन जाएगी। सरकार की ओर से स्पेक्ट्रम की बिक्री से जुड़े नियमों को उदार बनाए जाने के बाद से टेलीकॉम क्षेत्र में ऐसे सौदे शुरू हो गए हैं।

iii.एयरसेल के पास 2300 मेगाहर्ट्ज बैंड के स्पेक्ट्रम यानी रेडियोवेव बिहार, पश्चिम बंगाल, जम्मू-कश्मीर, आसाम, पूर्वोत्तर, आंध्र प्रदेश, तमिलनाडु और ओडिशा में हैं।

9.फ़्रांस में स्थापित होगा महाराजा रंजित सिंह का बुत

i.पंजाब सरकार महान सिख योद्धा महाराजा रणजीत सिंह का बुत जून महीनें भारत में फ्रांस के राजदूत को सौंप दिया जायेगा जोकि महाराजा रणजीत सिंह के जनरल जीन फ्रें कोइस ऐलार्ड की फ्रांस में जन्म भूमि सैंट ट्रोपोज में स्थापित किया जायेगा।

ii.पंजाब के मुख्यमंत्री स. प्रकाश सिंह बादल ने अपने निवास स्थान पर एक बैठक के दौरान सैंट ट्रोपेज के डिप्टीमेयर श्री हेनरी ऐलार्ड के नेतृत्व में दौरे पर आये एक शिष्टमंडल को यह जानकारी दी जोकि जनरल ऐलार्ड के परिवार से ही हैं।

iii.यह बुत पंजाब और फ्रांस के लोगों में आपसी गांठों को मज़बूत करेगा और दोनो क्षेत्रों के लोगों में मोह प्रेम की गांठों को और मज़बूत करेगा। उन्होंने मुख्यमंत्री को बताया कि जनरल एलार्ड ने जनरल वेंटूरा (इटली) के साथ महाराजा रणजीत सिंह की सेना में सेवा की। 

February 2016 Current Affairs --- Awards

News 1 - Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar selected for the K Veeramani Award for Social Justice.

Bihar’s Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar was selected on January 29, 2016 for the prestigious K Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2015. The award is given for his contribution towards social justice in Bihar as Chief Minister. This award is organized by Periyar International, a Chicago-based voluntary organization. However, the date and venue of the award function have not been mentioned yet. The award is instituted in Dr. K. Veeramani's name to accept and flourish his initiatives in creating an awareness on social equality and respect for human dignity in India.

News 2 - 'Titli' bags the prestigious French Critic Award.

Kanu Behl directed 'Titli' has won the Best First Foreign Film Award from the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics (FSCC) 2016 on February 02, 2016. The award was offered in Paris. The FSCC declares four prestigious prizes for Best French Film, Best First Foreign Film, Best International Film and Best Short Film annually. 'Titli', the film was co-produced by Dibakar Banerjee Productions Pvt. Ltd and Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Films. Ranvir Shorey, Amit Sial, Shashank Arora, Lalit Behl and Shivani Raghuvanshi are in the lead roles in this film.

News 3 - Bhimsen Joshi Award goes to Sarangi Maestro Pandit Ram Narayan.

Sarangi Maestro, Pandit Ram Narayan has been chosen for the Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Classical Music Award 2015-2016. The announcement was made by Maharashtra's Cultural Affairs Minister, Vinod Tawde on February 03, 2016. Pandit Ram Narayan achieved India's second highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2005. The award, finalised by a committee of top music artistes and exponents, comprises Rs.5 lakhs in cash, a trophy and a citation.

News 4 - Kerala's all women taxi cab service gets Chief Minister's Award for Innovation in Public Policy.

Kerala's all women taxi cab service, India's first 24x7 taxi network for women has won the prestigious Chief Minister's Award for Innovation in Public Policy 2014. ‘She-Taxi' has been lauded for its unique model and the ability to be replicated in all cities. It won the award in the developmental interventions category, announced on February 04, 2016. The venture is run by women under an autonomous institution, The Gender Park.

News 5 - PM Shram Awards for the Year 2014 Announced.

The Government of India has announced the Prime Ministers Shram Awards for the year 2014 on February 09, 2016. It will be awarded to 54 workers employed in the Departmental Undertakings and Public Sector. This year, nine nominations for the Shram Bhushan Award, nineteen nominations for Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana and twenty-six nominations for Shram Shree/Shram Devi Awards have been selected. These include 36 workers from the public sector and 18 workers from the private sector.

News 6 - Anirban Lahiri wins Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of the Year award.

India's Anirban Lahiri has been voted on February 12, 2016 as the Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of Year by fans in an online poll. Lahiri reinforced his stature as one of the global game’s rising young stars with a spectacular season to remember in 2015.

Lahiri triumphed at the Maybank Malaysian and Indian Open before finishing fifth at the PGA Championship last year. He also became the first Indian to feature at The Presidents Cup and ended the year by winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit title and finishing in 40^th place in the world rankings.

News 7 - Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2015 goes to Vinita and Nilesh Gupta.

Lupin CEO, Vinita Gupta and Managing Director, Nilesh Gupta have been chosen the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 on February 11, 2016. The winners will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY) in Monte Carlo from 7-12^th June 2016. The awards were presented by Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Honourable Union Minister for Road Transport, and Highways, and Shipping, who was the Chief Guest at the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards’ Banquet here today.

News 8 - Lionel Messi Named La Liga Player of the Month.

FC Barcelona striker, Lionel Andres Messi has been named Liga BBVA Player of the Month for January on February 12, 2016. The award is offered from 2013-14 Primera División season, but the five-times Ballon d’Or winner has won it for the first time. Messi, 28, was recognised after an opening month to 2016 in which he scored six times in five league games, including key goals at Malaga and at home to Atletico Madrid as Barca took control of the title race.

News 9 - International Federation of the Phonographic Industry names Adele best-selling artist.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) named Adele as the best-selling artist of 2015 on February 08, 2016. The British ballad singer broke many records with her single "Hello". Her latest album "25" broke records for first-week sales in the United States and Britain. IFPI, which stands for the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, presents its annual award based on an artist's physical and digital sales as well as streaming, although the group does not release figures.

News 10 - Eight scientists win UNESCO Medals.

Professor Lei Jiang - China, Professor Isamu Akasaki - Japan, Professor Philippe Pernod - France, Academician Gennady Krasnikov - Russia, Professor Nicholas Kotov - US, Professor Igor Ashurbeyli - Russia, Dr Mikhail Dubina - Russia and Dr Natalya Mikhaylova – Russia have been honoured with UNESCO medals for their contribution to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies on February 09, 2016. Established in 2010 is an initiative of the International Commission responsible for developing the Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies theme for the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS).

News 11 - Karnataka's mobile-one governance project wins’ gold at the m-governance awards.

On February 11, 2016, in the fourth World Government Summit, Karnataka's flagship mobile-one governance project won gold at the m-governance awards in Dubai. This award was instituted for the first time at the Summit and India also won it for first time. This award, instituted for the first time at the Summit, has been given to India just ahead of the state visit by Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi & Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE. Armed Forces.

News 12 - Asif Kapadia's Amy wins BAFTA for Best Documentary.

The acclaimed documentary "Amy", which is based on the life of late singer Amy Winehouse, on February 15, 2016 won the prize for Best Documentary at the 2016 BAFTA. Directed by Indo-British filmmaker, Asif Kapadia, this film depicts the life of the troubled singer, who died in 2011 at a very young age. Kapadia’s Oscar nominated film beat “Cartel Land”, “He Named Me Malala”, “Listen to Me Marlon” and “Sherpa” to win this honor.

The filmmaker in his acceptance speech paid tribute to the tragic star, who died in 2011 at the age of 27, following a battle with drug and alcohol.

News 13 - Vidya Balan Awarded with the Pride of Kerala Award.

Bollywood actress, Vidya Balan has been awarded on February 14, 2016 with the 'Pride of Kerala' award by the World Malayalee Council and Kairali TV. National Award-winning actress, Vidya Balan is from Kerala. She is 38 years old. The National award-winning actress has starred in films like “Parineeta”, “Paa”, “No One Killed Jessica”, “The Dirty Picture” and “Kahaani”. Balan will be next seen in Sujoy Ghosh-produced “TE3N”, which also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. She is also part of the sequel of “Kahaani”, which is one of her favorite movies as well.

News 14 - Tata Steel wins TIME's Best in Class for Manufacturing Award.

US agency, Time Inc. has announced on February 13, 2016 the winners of the inaugural TIME India awards, honoring leaders for manufacturing excellence in India. Tata Steel has been bestowed with the ‘Best in class manufacturing’ award at the Time India Awards held at the National Sports Council of India in Mumbai during the Make in India Week. McKinsey & Company is the knowledge partner for these awards. Hero MotoCorp was named the manufacturing innovator of the year, while Yogesh and Rajesh Agrawal of Ajanta Pharma Limited were declared winners of the TIME India Young Maker of the Year.

News 15 - Manish Arora Awarded Knight of the Legion Honor.

It was announced on February 17, 2016 that Fashion Designer, Manish Arora will be conferred with the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor), France's highest civilian award. This award is offered for creations and significant contribution to the fashion world as well as his longstanding ties with France. Created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion of Honour is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service, regardless of the nationality of the recipients.

News 16 - Warren Richardson Wins World Press Photo Contest of 2015.

The jury of the 59^th annual World Press Photo Contest has selected on February 18, 2016 an image by Australian Photographer, Warren Richardson as the World Press Photo of the Year 2015. Richardson is currently based in Budapest, Hungary. He is a freelance photographer. The premier award, the World Press Photo of the Year, carries a cash prize of 10,000 euros. In addition, Canon will present the winning photographer with the recently launched Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera and lens kit.

News 17 - Karnataka Bank bags IBSA Banking Technology Award.

Karnataka Bank Ltd. has won the IBA Banking Technology Award’ on February 18, 2016. It was offered in the category of ‘Best Risk and Fraud Management Initiative - Runner Up’. This award was announced as part of Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) Technology Conference, Expo and Awards 2016. Mahabaleshwara MS, Chief General Manager of the bank has received the award from HR Khan, Deputy Governor of RBI and Ashwani Kumar, Chairman of IBA in Mumbai.

News 18 - Indologist David Schulman wins Israel Prize for religious studies.

Renowned Indologist, Professor David Dean Shulman was awarded the Israel Prize for Religious Studies on February 15, 2016. Shulman is a professor of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His groundbreaking research on the religion has received widespread acclaim. The 67-year-old Shulman is known to be active in a left—wing organisation, Ta’ayush, a joint Israeli—Palestinian initiative active in the south Hebron Hills. Professor Shulman has also made an important contribution towards research management and teaching in the Israeli universities.

News 19 - Malayalam Film ‘Ottal’ Wins Award at the Berlin Film Festival.

The National award winning Malayalam film, 'Ottal' has been named as the best children's film at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival on February 21, 2016. It was also honoured with the Crystal Bear award in the 'Generation KPlus' section. This film is directed by Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair and is about the story of an old fisherman and his grandson. The movie is an adaptation of Anton Chekhov's short story 'Vanaka'. This is the third year in a row that Indian films have triumphed. Earlier winners were "Killa" 2014 and "Dhanak" 2015.

News 20 - Yes Bank receives the inaugural Green Bond Award in UK.

On February 23, 2016, Yes Bank received the inaugural Green Bond Award in UK. The award was organized by the Climate Bonds Initiative to recognize the 'Pioneers in Emerging Markets-India.' Yes Bank was recognized for its pioneering efforts in the Green Bonds market; including the highly successful issuance of India's first ever Green Infrastructure Bonds. The bank is gradually getting into the race as one of the leading private lender among other biggies of the banking sector.

News 21 - Global CSR Excellence & Leadership Award goes to GVK Biosciences.

GVK Biosciences bagged the Global CSR excellence & Leadership Award on February 25, 2016 in the category of Best Environment Friendly Project. The award was offered in recognition of its mega plantation drive conducted injury 2015. The global CSR awards are constituted by the World CSR Congress every year on the World CSR Day and are presented to companies who believe in the value of sustainable corporate social responsibility. GVK BIO has also tied up with the GHMC for watering and soil maintenance of the plants for the next 3 years.

News 22 - Ismail Mahomed Conferred Knighthood in France.

On February 23, 2016, Indian-origin playwright Ismail Mahomed was knighted by the French government. The Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature (The Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres) was awarded by French Ambassador Elisabet Barbier in Johannesburg. The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and its supplementary status to the Ordre national du Mérite was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963.

News 23 - Tamil film Kanavu Variyam wins 2016 Remi Award.

On February 23, 2016 Tamil film Kanavu Variyam won the prestigious 2016 Remi Award in the United States. Directed and produced by a Chennai-based techie Arun Chidambaram and Karthik Chidambaram, the film deals with the incessant power cuts. The award will be handed over to Chidambaram during the 49th WorldFest Houston International Film Festival, where the movie will have its world premiere. WorldFest Houston International Film Festival will be conducted from April 8 to 17.

News 24 - Ex-DRDO Chairman Dr Avinash Chander receives Aryabhata Award 2013.

Former Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and ex-DRDO chief, Dr Avinash Chander on 25 February 2016 received the prestigious Astronautical Society of India's Aryabhata Award 2013. The award is presented for outstanding lifetime contribution to the promotion of astronautics. The Aryabhata Award, named after the fifth century Indian astronomer and mathematician and also in commemoration of the first Indian Satellite, Aryabhata, is presented annually to an individual for outstanding lifetime contribution to the promotion of astronautics in India.

News 25 - Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ranveer Singh to get Dinanath Mangeshkar Award.

Actor Ranveer Singh and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali were on 26 February 2016 selected for Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar Award. This award will be bestowed upon them by Lata Mangeshkar at a function to be held in Pune. On April 24 every year, the Mangeshkars honor the finest artistes in India to commemorate Lataji’s father Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar’s death anniversary.

February 2016 Current Affairs --- Appointments

News 1 - Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi is appointed as India’s Envoy to Mexico.

Senior IFS officer, Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Mexico on January 29, 2016. Pardeshi is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1991 batch. He was the Joint Secretary (Passport division) in the Union Ministry of External Affairs before this. He has also served as the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of India in Jakarta from 2007 to 2010. During 1993-2001, he worked with the Indian Missions in Mexico, Colombia as well as in Nepal.

News 2 - P Harish is appointed as India’s Envoy to Vietnam.

The Union Government of India has appointed P Harish on January 30, 2016 as India’s Envoy to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Harish is an Indian Foreign Services (IFS) officer of the 1990 batch. He was the Consul General in Houston, United States before taking up this new assignment. He has also been in other top positions like serving in the Indian Missions of Cairo and Riyadh, where he was handling Political, Commercial, Project, Press and Information portfolios.

News 3 - Swati Bhattacharya is appointed as FCB Ulka's Chief Creative Head.

Swati Bhattacharya has joined FCB Ulka Advertising as its chief creative head on February 01, 2016. She was the principal partner of Dentsu Mama Labs before this stint. She will replace Sarbir Singh, who resigned in December 2015.

Bhattacharya was with JWT India in the beginning of her career and she served the agency for over two decades. She joined Dentsu in 2014. Her exemplary work for brands like Horlicks, Maggi sauces, Pizza Hut, Pepsi and UNICEF are well admired.

News 4 - Datta Padsalgikar is the new Mumbai Police Commissioner.

Datta Padsalgikar is the new Police Commissioner of Mumbai with effect from January 31, 2016. He will replace Ahmed Javed, who is now the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Padsalgikar was a 1982-batch IPS officer from the Maharashtra cadre. He is the 40th police commissioner of the city. He was the Additional Director in the Intelligence Bureau before this police commissioner role. He is not only one of the most senior-most officers in Maharashtra but he also has the image of an honest and non-controversial officer.

News 5 - Dr. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey is appointed as the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.

Dr. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey is the new Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) from January 30, 2016. He is appointed for a period of three years. The CCPD is appointed by the Central Government.

Dr. Pandey is a Medical Graduate from Agra University (1990 batch) and has worked with Sewa Bharti, an NGO in the field of rehabilitation of slum dwellers and Akhil Bhartiya Dristihin Kalyan Sangh, an NGO for the visually challenged. Before joining CCPD, Dr. Pandey was with Saksham, an NGO working in the domain of disabilities.

News 6 - Archana Ramasundram is the first woman to become Chief of a Paramilitary Force.

Ms. Archana Ramasundram was appointed the Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on February 01, 2016. She is the first woman to become the head of a paramilitary force. She is a Tamil Nadu cadre IPS Officer. She was the Director of National Crime Records Bureau before joining SSB. She will replace Bihar’s 1981-batch IPS cadre A R K Kini. The SSB is the force that guards India's borders with Nepal and Bhutan. Ms. Ramasundram will remain the DG of SSB till 30 September 2017.

News 7 - Saroj Kumar Jha is appointed on a key World Bank position.

India's Saroj Kumar Jha has been appointed the Senior Director at the World Bank’s key department on February 02. 2016. This position is at the Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group of the Bank.

He was World Bank's Global Manager for Disaster Risk Management Practice before being promoted to this position. Mr. Jha studied in the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and he has enough experience with the Indian government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

News 8 - J K Garg is elected as the MD of Corporation Bank.

Mr. JK Garg has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Corporation Bank from February 01, 2016. He will replace S R Bansal. Mr. Garg was the Executive Director in UCO Bank before joining this position in Corporation bank.

He joined Corporation Bank in 1986. He has experience in the fields, of credit management, recovery, forex, retail banking and managerial administration.

News 9 - Virender Sehwag is appointed as the mentor of Kings XI Punjab.

Virender Sehwag has become the mentor of the Kings XI Punjab team of Indian Premier League (IPL) on February 01, 2016. He will work with coach Sanjay Bangar and will be responsible for motivating and mentoring the team. He has ties with the KXIP team for over two years as a player. Now, he will be associated as their mentor. Sehwag, on his part, said he is looking forward to his new role with the franchise.

News 10 - S N Prasad is appointed as the Marketing Director of CIL.

SN Prasad has become the Marketing Director for Coal India Limited from February 01, 2016. He replaced B K Saxena. Mr. Prasad was the General Manager (Sales & Marketing) in South Eastern Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of CIL before getting promoted to this role. Prasad was an officer of sales and marketing discipline all through his career.

He joined CIL in 1982 as a management trainee and has also worked in coal mines as well as corporate offices of the coal companies.

News 11 - SC appoints Lodha Committee to oversee the sale of PACL assets.

The Supreme Court has conferred an overseeing committee on February 03, 2016 with the lead of Chief Justice RM Lodha to sell the physical assets of Pearls Agrotech Corporation Ltd (PACL). The sale is aimed to reach and refund 49 thousand crore rupees of the investors.

The refund will be made to the public who invested in the company’s collective investment scheme (CIS) that was later found illegal by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

News 12 - Ambiga Dhiraj is appointed as the CEO of Mu Sigma.

Ambiga Dhiraj has been appointed as the CEO of Mu Sigma, a Data Analytics firm on February 03, 2016. Ms. Dhiraj becomes the first ever woman CEO of an IT firm that has assets worth at least $1 billion.

She was the COO of Mu Sigma and joins the position of her husband Dhiraj Rajaram as CEO. Rajaram is scheduled to relocate to the United States to deal with the 'Fortune 500' clients.

News 13 - Major General Jai Shanker Menon is appointed as the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force.

India's Major General Jai Shanker Menon will be the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). He was appointed by the UN Secretary, General Ban Ki-moon on February 03, 2016.

As per the United Nations statement, Major General Menon will replace Lt General Purna Chandra Thapa of Nepal. Major General Menon occupied the post of Additional Director, General Equipment Management in the Indian Army. From 2012 - 2013, he was General Officer, Commanding an Infantry Division.

News 14 - Aruna Sethi is appointed as the Head of Indian Cost Accounting Service.

Ms. Aruna Sethi became the head of Indian Cost Accounting Service with effect from February 01, 2016. She was the Principal Adviser (Cost) before joining this position. She is the first woman to head the Indian Cost Accounting Service (ICoAS). Aruna has worked in the Ministries of Consumer Affairs, Corporate Affairs, Finance, Department of Expenditure, Food and Public Distribution, among others.

News 15 - RS Mann is appointed as the Chairman of Punjab Pay Commission.

Punjab Chief Secretary, R S Mann is the new Chairman of the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission. He was appointed by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with effect from February 3, 2016. The new chairman, Mr. Mann is expected to mandate recommendations about new pay scales for the employees and revision of pension for pensioners of the state government employees. This will be done after having detailed deliberations with the various state employees’ and pensioners’ associations.

News 16 - DJ Pandian is appointed as the Vice president of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved appointment of Mr Pandian, Gujarat's former chief secretary, as the vice-president and chief investment officer on February 03, 2016.

AIIB is a 100-million-dollar multi-lateral financing company based in Beijing, China. This bank was established with the view to lend funds for infrastructure projects such as energy, transportation, urban construction and logistics apart from education and healthcare in Asia.

News 17 - Justice R S Reddy is appointed as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court.

Justice Ramayyagari Subhash Reddy is the new Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court from February 03, 2016. He will replace Justice Jayant M Patel. Prior to the appointment, Justice Reddy was Judge of the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He has become the first judge to be elevated as the Chief Justice of a High Court since the government had brought into force the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, which had overturned the collegium system of appointing judges.

News 18 - HL Samariya is now the Central Provident Fund Commissioner.

Mr. Heera Lal Samariya has been offered the additional charge of Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC). He is a 1985 batch IAS officer from the Telangana cadre. He has been given the charge for three months or till the appointment of a regular commissioner. Mr. Samariya is the Additional Secretary in the Labour Ministry before this. He was promoted from the post of Joint Secretary, Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. He has previously held top portfolios as being the Director of Madras Fertilizers Limited and has also served as an Independent Director of Indian Potash Limited as well.

News 19 - US General John Nicholson is appointed as the NATO commander in Afghanistan.

Army Lieutenant General John Nicholson has been named as the commander of the NATO forces in Afghanistan. Nicholson takes the position from US General John Campbell.

Nicholson is the US Army commander of NATO land forces currently. He has experience of working as the chief of staff of operations for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and US Forces - Afghanistan, director of Pakistan and Afghanistan Coordination Cell for the Joint Staff and deputy commander - Stability of ISAF Regional Command - South.

News 20 - Viacom names CEO Philippe Dauman as Executive Chairman.

Viacom's CEO, Philippe Dauman has been named the executive chairman on February 04, 2016. Dauman will occupy the position of founder, Sumner Redstone. Redstone has also left the executive chairman position of CBS Corps being replaced by CEO Leslie Moonves. The 92-year-old Redstone has now become the chairman emeritus of Viacom. Dauman will now serve as a Redstone trustee. It is being rumored that Dauman’s compensation will not increase with the added title.

News 21 - Rahul Dravid is now a member of Anti-Corruption Unit Oversight Group of ICC.

Former Indian cricket player, Rahul Dravid has been named as a member of the newly formed Anti-Corruption Unit Oversight Group of International Cricket Council (ICC) on February 04, 2016. ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar took this decision in a meeting at ICC Headquarters in Dubai. Apart from Dravid, as a member, this group will have a Chairman, two members and two ex-officio members. The team will provide independent input to tackle corruption and its implementation.

News 22 - World Bank expert Parameshwaran Iyer is appointed to lead the Swachh Bharat Mission.

World Bank's water and sanitation specialist, Parameshwaran Iyer, has been named as the new Secretary of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department in Swachh Bharat Mission on February 04, 2016. Prime Minister Narendra Modi allotted the post for a period of two years. Iyer, an IAS officer of the UP cadre, had launched Jal Suraj program in India. He had taken voluntary retirement in 2009 and joined the World Bank.

News 23 - Indian Origin Singaporean, Vishal Mehta is the Diamond Trade Body’s New President.

A 34-year-old Indian-origin businessman based in Singapore, Vishal Mehta, was appointed as the President of the newly-formed International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA) on February 06, 2016. Mehta is the CEO of Singapore-based IIa Technologies. This firm grows diamond in its state-of-the-art facility. IGDA is a platform of more than 10 leading grown diamond producers, distributors and retailers across the world under the same umbrella.

News 24 - Soumitra Dutta appointed as Dean of Cornell's New Business College.

It was announced on February 05, 2016 that Indian origin academician, Soumitra Dutta, will become the dean of the prestigious Cornell University's new College of Business. The institute will start with in the academic year 2016-17. Dutta is an alumnus of the IT-Delhi. He is the current dean and professor of management and organizations in the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at the Cornell University. His work has been widely published in the Harvard Business Review, European Management Journal, Management Science, and other journals.

News 25 - Brijbhushan Sharan Singh Appointed as the President of SAWF.

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh is named the president of the South Asian Wrestling Federation (SAWF) on February 08, 2016. Tabiur Rehman of Bangladesh was also elected the Secretary General. The federation has unanimously authorized Mr. Singh to appoint one Joint Secretary from India and a Treasurer from Afghanistan and one executive member from each of the SAF (South Asia Foundation) countries. These include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

News 26 - R.K. Pachauri Appointed as Executive Vice Chairman and Ajay Mathur as New DG of TERI.

TERI Chief, RK Pachauri was on February 08, 2016 appointed as the Executive Vice Chairman of the organization after the new Director General Ajay Mathur took over the charge from him. Pachauri headed TERI works in sustainable development, energy and climate change. He has been involved with TERI for the past 35 years. Mathur is a former Director General of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, under the Power Ministry. The post of Executive Vice Chairman has been recently created and Dr. Pachauri will be the first to hold the post.

News 27 - Harinder Sidhu is the new Australian High Commissioner to India.

Indian-origin Harinder Sidhu has been appointed as the nation's new High Commissioner to India by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia on February 11, 2016. Sidhu, has worked in Moscow and Damascus and will replace Patrick Suckling. Australian foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop on the occasion said that India is one of Australia's closest and most significant partners in the Indo-Pacific region. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics degrees from the University of Sydney.

News 28 - R K Verma - The New Secretary of Railway Board.

Mr. R K Verma has assumed the charge as Secretary, Railway Board on February 09, 2016. He is a 1980 batch officer of Indian Railway Services of Engineers. Verma was an Adviser (Public Grievance) to the Minister of State (MoS) for Railways earlier. He also has Life Fellowship of the Institution of Engineers (India), Institution of Permanent Way Engineers (India) and the Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers as well. He has also undergone first hand training in the Heavy Haul Operations in South Africa.

News 29 - Tamar Hahn is appointed as the Director of UN Information Center.

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon on February 10, 2016 appointed Tamar Hahn as the Director of United Nations Information Centre in Buenos Aires. Hahn was engaged as the Regional Adviser for Resource Mobilization and Partnerships at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office in Panama City, Panama. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Hebrew. Ms. Hahn holds a master’s degree in Journalism and Latin American studies from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Tel Aviv in Israel.

News 30 - Ashok Bhargava is re-appointed as the Chairman of Indian Tea Association.

Ashok Kumar Bhargava has been re-appointed on February 05, 2016 as the Chairman of the Indian Tea Association. He will also be the chairman of Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA). Bhargava is the Managing Director of Apeejay Tea Limited. Further, Azam Monem, Director, McLeod Russel India Limited and Vivek Goenka, President, Warren Tea Limited have also been re-elected as the Vice Chairman and the Additional Vice-Chairman of the association respectively.

News 31 - Lawyer Davinder Singh is appointed as the Vice Chairman of ICC.

A top Indian origin lawyer, Davinder Singh on February 11, 2016 has been named as Vice-Chairman of the Paris based International Chamber of Commerce Commission (ICC) on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption. Mr Singh, a member of parliament from 1988-2006 and chief executive of the local law firm Drew & Napier, is appointed to the leadership of one of 13 policy commissions under the ICC, which forges international rules, mechanisms and standards used across the globe.

News 32 - Ashok Chawla is appointed as the Chairman of TERI.

TERI's governing council appointed Ashok Chawla on February 12, 2016 as its new Chairman. Mr Chawla is by career a bureaucrat and a former finance secretary, who last month retired as the Chief of Fair Trade Regulator Competition Commission, as the new Chairman of its Governing Council. He has said that he has had a preliminary discussion with Teri Director General Ajay Mathur on having an external ombudsman to help address issues faced by employees.

News 33 - Piruz Khambatta is named as the ambassador of Make in India initiative.

Rasna's Chairman, Piruz Khambatta was recently named the ambassador of the government's 'Make in India' initiative on February 13, 2016. The company, Rasna, said it will support entrepreneurs, who wish to develop plants in India to manufacture food products. Rasna is the leader in the concentrated drinks category and the largest manufacturers of instant powder in the world. They have been a stellar example of an outstanding “Made in India” global iconic brand. Rasna has a 90% market share and actually owns the category.

News 34 - Sri Srinivasan - The 1st Indian American Judge of the US Supreme Court.

It was announced on February 14, 2016 that Sri Srinivasan will be the first Indian-American Judge of the US Supreme Court to replace Justice Antonin Scalia after his unexpected death. Srinivasan is originally from a village near Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli. He is 48 years old and was born in Chandigarh. He has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since he was confirmed on a 97-0 bipartisan vote in the U.S. Senate in May 2013. Republican senators who supported him then would likely be asked to justify why they couldn't back him for the Supreme Court.

News 35 - Prof. Yogesh Tyagi - New Vice Chancellor of the Delhi University.

President Pranab Mukherjee appointed Yogesh Tyagi, dean of the law faculty at South Asian University (SAU), on February 15, 2016 as the new Vice Chancellor of Delhi University (DU).

The HRD ministry had forwarded a panel of four names to the President, who is the Visitor of all Central Universities, to make the final selection. Other contenders for this post were Professor R N K Bamezai of JNU, Bidyut Chakrabarty of DU and UPSC member Hemchandra Gupta.

News 36 - U.K. Sinha gets Extension as the SEBI Chairman.

Mr. UK Sinha will remain India's capital and commodities market regulator for one more year. The government on February 15, 2016 extended Sinha's term as the chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) till March 01, 2017.

His extension was approved by the appointments committee of the cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sinha is a Bihar-cadre IAS officer. He is the second-longest serving chief in SEBI’s over two-decade history after DR Mehta.

News 37 - Vilas A. Tonapi is appointed as the Director of Indian IIMR.

Dr. Vilas A. Tonapi is the new Director of Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Rajendranagar. He is currently the Principal Scientist at Seed Science and Technology of the IIMR. He holds a Ph.D. from Tamil Nadu Agriculture University and did his Post-Doctoral from the University of Queensland, Australia. His special attainments include Planning, development and management of crop improvement programs and strategies. He has 50 research papers to his credit in peer reviewed journals, 30 authored and edited books.

News 38 - Devaraja Reddy is the new ICAI President.

The CA Institute appointed a new President in M Devaraja Reddy from February 12, 2016. He is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) with more than 28 years of involvement. Before taking this role, Mr. Reddy was the Vice-President of ICAI. Mr. Reddy is a resident of Hyderabad and a fellow member of the ICAI with more than 28 years of professional standing. He will be having this stint as the President for one year.

News 39 - RD Mathur is promoted to the rank of Air Marshal.

Air Vice Marshal, Rajiv Dayal Mathur, on February 15, 2016 was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal. He was the Assistant Chief of Air Staff in charge of the Indian Air Force's Air Warfare Strategy Cell. He was also involved in the air force’s space, cyber, Air Traffic Services and Media & Public Relations Directorates. He had earlier served as Air Defence commander and commanded a frontline Air Force Station and a fighter aircraft squadron as well. For his meritorious service, he has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2003 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014 by the President of India.

News 40 - Alok Kumar Verma is appointed as the Delhi's new Police Commissioner.

Alok Kumar Verma was appointed as Delhi's new Police Commissioner on February 17, 2016. He will replace BS Bassi with effect from March 1, 2016. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has selected Verma from a list of three IPS officers to the Cabinet Committee on Appointments (CCA). A 1979-batch Union Territory cadre officer, 58-year-old Verma is currently serving as the Director General of Tihar Jail and will serve as the top police officer of the national capital for close to 17 months.

News 41 - Jayant Misra is appointed as the DG of DRI.

Senior IRS officer, Jayant Misra has been appointed on February 17, 2016 as the Director General of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). He is the DG (Systems) at the Directorate General of Systems and Data Management currently. This move comes after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) asked the DRI to verify if USD 505 billion was transacted out of the country between 2004 2013 as part of trade-based money laundering. With the approval of competent authority, Jayant Misra has been transferred to DG DRI, Delhi, a government order said.

News 42 - KM Mammen is the new Chairman of ATMA.

Mr. K M Mammen (CMD, MRF Ltd.) was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) on February 17, 2016. Mammen will take over from Raghupati Singhania, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of JK Tyres & Industries Ltd.

While, Satish Sharma, President (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) Apollo Tyres Ltd has been elected as the Vice Chairman of this association. There are eleven tyre companies comprising Indian and international tyre majors and representing over 90% of production of tyres in India are the members of ATMA.

News 43 - Christine Lagarde to serve second term as the IMF Chief.

Ms. Christine Lagarde, 60, was named the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a second term on February 19, 2016. Lagarde, a former French finance minister became the MD of IMF after the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Ms. Lagarde was first appointed Managing Director on July 5, 2011. The selection process was initiated by the Board on January 20, 2016, when it adopted a merit-based and transparent process. The Managing Director is the chief of the IMF’s operating staff and Chairman of the 24-member Executive Board.

News 44 - Kalikho Pul is sworn in as the CM of Arunachal Pradesh.

Mr. Kalikho Pul was sworn in as the state's Chief Minister by Governor J P Rajkhowa on February 19, 2016. This was done after President Pranab Mukerjee revoked the President's rule in Arunachal Pradesh. Pul met the Governor J.P Rajkhowa and staked the claim to form the government in the state. He took 31 members to Rajbhavan and he claims to have support of 19 Congress, 11 BJP and 2 independent MLS’s. Following the expulsion of two MLA’s, the strength of the state assembly is now reduced to 58.

News 45 - Amit Mitra is elected as the new chairman of empowered committee on GST.

West Bengal Finance Minister, Amit Mitra was elected on February 20, 2016 as the new Chairman of the Empowered Committee of the State Finance Ministers. The empowered committee is working with the Center to bring out the goods and services tax (GST) regime. Mr. Mitra was the Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry before he joined politics in 2011 and became a minister in the TMC government in West Bengal. The head of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers has always been from an opposition ruled state.

News 46 - Shinjini Kumar to join as the CEO of Paytm's payment bank.

Ms. Shinjini Kumar, a Director at the research and consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been appointed as the chief executive officer at Paytm's payments bank. Paytm is a mobile wallet and E-commerce company, which received in-principle approval from RBI to set up a Payments bank in 2015.

Ms. Kumar, who also has had a stint at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, is expected to join the company in March as the Alibaba-backed Paytm is gearing up to start its payments bank operations after June this year. The initial plan was to start operations in the first quarter of the new fiscal, but it is now expected to be delayed slightly.

News 47 - Vinay Kumar Singh is appointed as the MD of NCRTC.

Indian Railway Officer, Vinay Kumar Singh has been appointed on February 22, 2016 as the Managing Director of National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is the the implementing agency for the three corridors of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) in the NCR zone.

He was working with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a railway PSU involved in the study of high speed rail corridors till now. The high-speed connectivity will facilitate seamless travel between the capital and suburbs.

News 48 - Mortaza named as the UNDP's National Goodwill Ambassador for Youth.

On February 23, 2016, Bangladesh's cricketer, Mashrafe Mortaza was appointed as the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) "National Goodwill Ambassador for Youth". Mortaza is the captain of Bangladesh's One-Day International and T20 international teams. According to the news reports, he had received the proposal a month ago and was extremely excited to receive the opportunity. The UN agency had said it will hold an official signing ceremony and make a formal announcement soon.

News 49 - K N Vyas is appointed as the new BARC Chief.

On February 19, 2016, K N Vyas was appointed as the Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), India's multi-disciplinary nuclear research center. He is a distinguished scientist and has also made notable contributions in the areas of design and development of a unique fuel. Mr. Vyas is also a recipient of the Science and Technical Excellence awards. He is currently working as the associate director at BARC, as per their website. The BARC is India’s premier nuclear research facility based in Mumbai.

News 50 - Udai Kumar is appointed as the Full Time MD and CEO of MSEI.

The Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India (formerly MCX Stock Exchange) has appointed on February 22, 2016 its interim Managing Director & CEO, Udai Kumar as their full time MD & CEO after receiving necessary approvals from the securities regulator, SEBI. He has been in the role on an interim basis since October. A veteran of the capital and financial markets, Kumar has over two decades of rich experience in stock exchange administration, capital markets, fund-raising, restructuring and merger and acquisition functions.

News 51 - Rahul Taneja is appointed as the Chief Peoples Officer of Jet Airways.

India's 2nd largest airline, Jet Airways India Ltd named Rahul Taneja on February 23, 2016 as its Chief People Officer. He will be responsible for shaping the operations and performance of the entire group. Mr. Taneja has previously headed Corporate Human Resources at the diversified Essar Group will now be a part of the airline's Executive Management Committee. He has more than 25 years of experience in various industries and would be based at the Jet Airways' corporate headquarters which are in Mumbai and will report to the CEO.

News 52 - Justice Vineet Saran is appointed as the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.

President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Justice Vineet Saran as the new Chief Justice (CJ) of Orissa High Court on February 21, 2016. His appointment was made under the provisions of Article 217 of Constitution. Prior to his present appointment, Justice Saran was officiating as a senior judge of Karnataka High Court.

The post of Orissa Chief Justice was lying vacant ever since Justice D. H. Waghela took over as the CJ of Bombay High Court on February 15^th. Justice Saran graduated from the Allahabad University in 1976 and obtained his LL.B. Degree in year 1979-80.

News 53 - Rajendra Singh is Appointed as the First Non-Navy Officer to Head Coast Guard.

Mr. Rajendra Singh was appointed as the first non-navy officer to head the Coast Guard on February 24, 2016. The force will get a chief from its own internal cadre for the first time, since it was set up in 1978 as the country's fourth armed force after the Army. Rajinder Singh is currently additional director general of the Coast Guard. A 1980 batch officer, he was the first from the Coast Guard cadre to be elevated to three-star officer when the defence ministry approved his appointment to his current post in in 2013.

News 54 - Gianni Infantino is elected as the new FIFA President.

On February 26, 2016 Swiss National, Gianni Infantino overtook Sepp Blatter as the president of the World football governing body, FIFA. Infantino polled 115 votes, 27 more than closest rival, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, who received second highest votes. Infantino becomes just the third Fifa president in 40 years personified by Blatter and his Brazilian predecessor João Havelange, during which Fifa’s revenues soared but scandals involving World Cup tickets, TV rights and corrupt bidding races multiplied.

News 55 - Jonathon Sinclair Neal is appointed as the CEO of AAE Travel.

Expedia, the online travel company has appointed Jonathon Sinclair Neal on February 24, 2016 as the Chief Executive Officer of AAE Travel. This AAE Travels is the joint venture between AirAsia and Expedia Inc. Jonathon will be located in Singapore. Prior to assuming his current role, Jonathon was the Chief Financial Officer of AAE Travel, where he was responsible for all aspects of finance as well as corporate strategy and business analytics. AirAsiaExpedia is the joint venture company between the world's leading online travel company, Expedia Inc. and the world's best low cost airline, AirAsia.

News 56 - Justice Dinesh Maheshwari is appointed as the Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.

On February 24, 2016, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari has been selected as the Chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court. Before this appointment, he was a senior judge in the Allahabad High Court. The Governor V Shanmuganathan administered the oath of office to the Chief Justice at a ceremony in Raj Bhavan, where Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and his cabinet colleagues, judges and government officials were also present. He Graduated in Law from the Jodhpur University in year 1980.

News 57 - Ashwini Nangia becomes the Director of CSIR-National Chemical Lab, Pune.

On February 24, 2016, Ashwini Nangia became the Director of the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. He is an alumnus of the IIT Kanpur. After his Ph.D. (1988), he worked in NOCIL Agrochemicals R&D Centre, Navi Mumbai for a year, and then joined the University in 1989. He is a JC Bose National Fellow, Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, according to a release from the UoH.

News 58 - USL appoints MK Sharma as their new Chairman.

The Diageo-Controlled United Spirits Limited (USL) has announced on February 26, 2016 the appointment of MK Sharma as its new chairman. This occurred after Vijay Mallya resigned from the post. Vijay Mallya will have the honorary title of founder emeritus, USL.

The USL is now controlled by the world’s largest spirits maker, Diageo, which had acquired an additional 26% stake in USL for Rs 11,448.91 crores in July to take its total share in the Indian firm to 54.78%.

News 59 - Ratan Tata to Head Indian Railways’ Innovation Committee.

Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railway has announced on February 25, 2016 that Ratan Tata will head the Indian Railway Innovation Committee. In 2016-2017, Prabhu had announced plans to set up a dedicated cross functional team called Special Unit for Transportation Research and Analytics (Sutra). The Ministry has set aside a sum of Rs 50 crores for providing innovation grants to employees, start-ups and growth oriented small businesses to support internal and external innovation. A program management structure will be put in place to manage this initiative.