Category Archives: Leaders

WORLD: LEADER IN BANKING & ECONOMY: President Biden Announces U.S. Nomination of Ajay Banga to Lead World Bank

Today, President Biden announced that the United States is nominating Ajay Banga, a business leader with extensive experience leading successful organizations in developing countries and forging public-private partnerships to address financial inclusion and climate change, to be President of the World Bank.
 
Statement from President Biden: “Ajay is uniquely equipped to lead the World Bank at this critical moment in history. He has spent more than three decades building and managing successful, global companies that create jobs and bring investment to developing economies, and guiding organizations through periods of fundamental change. He has a proven track record managing people and systems, and partnering with global leaders around the world to deliver results.
 
He also has critical experience mobilizing public-private resources to tackle the most urgent challenges of our time, including climate change. Raised in India, Ajay has a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing developing countries and how the World Bank can deliver on its ambitious agenda to reduce poverty and expand prosperity.”
 
Ajay Banga, Nominee for President, The World Bank
 
Ajay Banga currently serves as Vice Chairman at General Atlantic. Previously, he was President and CEO of Mastercard, leading the company through a strategic, technological and cultural transformation.
 
Over the course of his career, Ajay has become a global leader in technology, data, financial services and innovating for inclusion. He is Honorary Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chairman from 2020-2022. He is also Chairman of Exor and Independent Director at Temasek. He became an advisor to General Atlantic’s climate-focused fund, BeyondNetZero, at its inception in 2021. He previously served on the Boards of the American Red Cross, Kraft Foods and Dow Inc. Ajay has worked closely with Vice President Harris as the Co-Chair of the Partnership for Central America. He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a founding trustee of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum, a former member of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, and Chairman Emeritus of the American India Foundation.
 
He is a co-founder of The Cyber Readiness Institute, Vice Chair of the Economic Club of New York and served as a member of President Obama’s Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity. He is a past member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.
 
Ajay was awarded the Foreign Policy Association Medal in 2012, the Padma Shri Award by the President of India in 2016, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Business Council for International Understanding’s Global Leadership Award in 2019, and the Distinguished Friends of Singapore Public Service Star in 2021.

source/content: whitehouse.gov / feb 23, 2023 (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: BUSINESS & ECONOMY: The Inaugural ‘I2U2 Business Forum’ was held in Abu Dhabi-UAE to address Energy Crisis, Food Insecurity

India’s Envoy reiterated the nation’s commitment to the I2U2 partnership and made a strong pitch for all stakeholders to work towards achieving tangible progress in all I2U2 initiatives.

The inaugural Business Forum of I2U2 nations – India, Israel, the UAE and the USA – was held in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, making it the first event of this kind since the launch of the I2U2 group since its leaders’ summit in July 2022.

The Forum brought together senior private and public sector representatives from the member nations with discussions held on investment opportunities to address issues related to the management of the energy crisis and food insecurity.

The I2U2 partnership is a grouping focused on driving tangible economic cooperation between its members across a range of sectors, including food security, water, energy, space, transportation, health, and technology.

It aims to mobilize private sector capital and expertise to, among other objectives, help modernize infrastructure, decarbonize industries, improve public health, and promote the development of green technologies.

Hosted by UAE Minister of State Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, the forum was attended by Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ronen Levi and, India’s Economic Relations Secretary Dammu Ravi, while the US delegation was led by the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W Fernandez.

“The officials reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing economic cooperation under the I2U2 framework, noting the significance of direct engagement between decision makers from I2U2 countries and private sector stakeholders interested in forming a future partnership,” said the MEA.

Ravi reiterated India’s commitment to the I2U2 partnership and made a strong pitch for all stakeholders to work towards achieving tangible progress in all I2U2 initiatives, including setting up an I2U2 Innovation Centre in Gurugram. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call for LiFE-Lifestyle for Environment, he urged I2U2 partners to work towards a sustainable and environment-friendly lifestyle for all.

The I2U2 Business Forum aims to become a regular platform for private and public entities from India, Israel, the UAE, and the US to convene and establish tangible joint business ventures in I2U2’s core economic and technological fields.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: TRANSPORT: RAILWAYS: India Railway’s, Railway Protection Force (RPF) to Host the Paris based – ‘International Union of Railways’ ’18th World Security Congress (WSC) 2023’ in Jaipur, Feb 21-23rd

The WSC will start on February 21 to continue till February 23 with experts and officials participating from across the world.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is all set to host the International Union of Railways’ 18th World Security Congress (WSC) to deliberate upon the various aspects of security.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is the law-enforcing agency of Indian Railways (IR) which is hosting the 18th World Security Congress (WSC) at Jaipur.

The WSC will start on February 21 to continue till February 23 with experts and officials participating from across the world.

The Ministry of Railways on Monday said that the theme of this year’s WSC has been set as ‘Railway Security Strategy: Responses and Vision for Future’.

The International Union of Railways is headquartered in Paris and represents the railway sector promoting rail transport worldwide. Railway said that the WSC will be attended by the heads of security of railway organisations from across the world, apart from the concerned officials of UIC and partner agency RPF of Indian Railway.

“It will be an event befitting with the occasion of India taking on the leadership of hosting railway security delegates from around the world,” said DG PR Railway Yogesh Baweja on Monday in a statement. He added that DG RPF has been made chair of the WSC platform, starting in pink city Jaipur from Tuesday over railway security vision and aspects.

“Sanjay Chander- DG RPF has taken up measures to enhance the involvement of member- organisations operating in Asia, Africa and several other developing countries with similar demographic patterns so that their voice could be heard and concerns addressed at multilateral platforms provided by the UIC,” he said.

The RPF will be the host for engaging with delegates (security representatives) of the member organisations of the International Union of Railways which is called UIC.

The DG PR Railway said that the entire congress has been divided into 4 sessions with underlying sub-themes Protecting Critical Assets and Freights, Human security Approach, the best railway security tools and practices across the world and Visison-2030. Earlier, the same congress was organised in 2006 and 2015 by the RPF hosting the International Union of Railways in New Delhi.

RPF DG Sanjay Chander has also taken over the chairmanship of the International UIC Security Platforms from July 2022 to July 2024. The UIC promotes strategic and tactical cooperation amongst world railway sectors as it negotiates its evolving relationship with global governments and security across the continents.

“In a global scenario where criminal elements exploit the advantages of networking to devise newer ways and means of attack, it is highly imperative that positive forces also come together to face such challenges,” the DG PR Railway said. 

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION: India’s First new Mobility- Focussed Cluster – the ‘Telangana Mobility Valley’ (TMV) announced by Telangana

KTR said that the Hyderabad E-Mobility Week would be held regularly to foster collaboration by bringing together the thought leaders.

Telangana today announced India’s first new mobility-focused cluster, Telangana Mobility Valley (TMV), at the first edition of Mobility Next Hyderabad Summit – part of the Hyderabad E-Mobility Week, to further accelerate the growth of sustainable mobility in India.

Sharing the details of the TMV, KT Rama Rao, Minister for IT E&C, MA&UD and Industries & Commerce, in his inaugural address, said, “Telangana Mobility Valley will create best-in-class infrastructure making Telangana the most competitive destination for both manufacturing and E R&D in India.”

“TMV aims to attract investments of around Rs 50,000 crore and generate more than 4 lakh jobs in the next 5 years. For this, the State is developing 4 Mega clusters in and around Hyderabad- EV Manufacturing cluster in Zaheerabad, an EV Manufacturing cluster in Seetharampur, Energy storage system (ESS) cluster in Divitipally and Innovation cluster at Yenkathala.

Each of the clusters will be equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to reduce the cost of operations for their tenant,” the Minister added.

Rama Rao said, “Further, investments aggregating Rs 3,000+ Cr are in advanced stages and will be announced in the next 2 weeks. These investments will further strengthen Electric 3-wheeler, Electric 2-wheeler and charging equipment manufacturing ecosystem in Telangana.”

“TMV aims to facilitate companies across all segments of sustainable mobility including Electric 2Wheelers/ 3 wheelers/ 4 wheelers, Advanced Cell Chemistry and Hydrogen fuel cells, Tier 1 and Tier 2 Component manufacturers and Auto Engineering R&D companies among others,” the Minister added.

Rama Rao said that the Hyderabad E-Mobility Week would be held regularly to foster collaboration by bringing together the thought leaders, experts, and global automotive ecosystem players to chart a course for sustainable mobility.

As part of the event, the State also announced three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) — ATS-TUV Rheinland MoU with Telangana Government; Bosch Global Software Technologies MoU with BITS Hyderabad, and Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge’s (TASK) MoU with Shell.

Delivering the keynote address, Hizmy Hassen, Chief Digital Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “The E-Mobility Week along with other investments by the Government of Telangana is another show of great public sector commitment.

The broader automotive industry should take advantage of these incentives and excellent infrastructure to accelerate sustainability in mobility. The industry needs to come together along with policymakers towards the common goal of making it more sustainable for decades to come.”

Talking about the future of sustainable mobility, Christian Cahn von Seelen, Executive Director, Sales, Marketing & Digital, Volkswagen Group India, said, “Sustainable mobility is achievable through the right cooperation between all stakeholders, including the supportive government policies in India.

The G20 presidency of India offers a huge opportunity and there is a strong drive from various industries to address the challenges of climate change. With hard work and dedication, we can remain optimistic and see the realization of sustainable mobility in the future.”

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, and Industries & Commerce Departments, Govt. of Telangana gave the vote of thanks.

The summit saw participation from government, academia, and industry including Kamal Bali, President and MD, Volvo Group India, Nikolaus Lang, Sr. Partner & MD, Global Leader- Global Advantage Practice, BCG, Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India & South Asia, Shrikant Sinha, CEO, Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge – TASK, Suman Mishra, CEO, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Division, Dirk Adamczyk, SVP, Engineering Solutions ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Mamatha Chamarthi, SVP Business & Product Management, Stellantis, and Dr. Amaresh Chakrabarti, Chair, Centre for Product Design & Manufacturing, Indian Institute of Science, among others.

For more information and to register for Mobility Next Hyderabad 2023, please visit the event’s website at www.evhyderabad.in/mobility-next.

source/content: siasat.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DEFENCE / AVIATION: PM Modi Unveils India’s Biggest Helicopter Manufacturing Facility at HAL, Tumakuru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s helicopter factory — the country’s largest chopper manufacturing facility — in Tumakuru district of Karnataka.

Bengaluru-headquartered HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonne with a total business of more than Rs 4 lakh crore over a period of 20 years at this facility in Gubbi taluk, officials said.

The factory, spread across 615 acres for which the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone in 2016, would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH)).

It will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and giving much-needed fillip to the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in helicopter design, development, and manufacture, they said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and senior officials of Ministry of Defence were among those present on the occasion.

“It is a dedicated new greenfield helicopter factory which will enhance India’s capacity and ecosystem to build helicopters,” Singh said.


Assembly polls in Karnataka are due by May.

PM Modi unveiled the LUH, which has been flight tested. The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed three-tonne class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter. Initially, the factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year and can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 every year in a phased manner, according to the Defence Ministry.

The factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters (IMRHs). It will also be used for maintenance, repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and IMRH in the future.

Potential exports of civil LUH will also be catered to from this factory, which is being equipped with state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations, officials said.

The proximity of the factory, with the existing HAL facilities in Bengaluru, will boost the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in the region and support skill and infrastructure development such as schools, colleges and residential areas, it was noted.

The factory is fully operational after the establishment of facilities like heli-runway, flight hangar, final assembly hangar, structure assembly hangar, air traffic control and various supporting service facilities, officials said.

source/content: english.varthabharati.in (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES / VACCINES: INDIA’S FIRST INTRANASAL COVID-19 VACCINE – 3 Lakh Doses of Intranasal Covid Vaccine ‘iNCOVACC’ sent to Hospitals: Bharat Biotech’s Krishna Ella

iNCOVACC, the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, was launched on January 26.

Bharat Biotech dispatched three lakh doses of its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to some hospitals two days ago, the company’s executive chairman Krishna Ella said on Sunday.

Mr. Ella was speaking on the sidelines of an event here at which a bilateral agreement was signed between the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Global Health Institute (GHI) and the Ella Foundation for the establishment of the first-ever UW-Madison One Health Centre in Bengaluru.

iNCOVACC, the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, was launched on January 26. The vaccine is now available on CoWIN and priced at ₹800 for private markets and ₹325 for the government of India and State governments.

“We dispatched three lakh doses of the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to some hospitals two days ago,” Mr. Ella said.

On whether Bharat Biotech is looking at exporting the vaccine, he said some countries and international agencies are approaching the company for the intra-nasal vaccine.

iNCOVACC is also the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose for adults.

Mr. Ella said the UW-Madison One Health Centre in Bengaluru is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

It will advance the development and production of new vaccines for India. Furthermore, the partnership will enable collaboration across disciplines and geographic boundaries, provide Indian students and researchers access to UW expertise and training, and build research capacity in India, he said.

“Both Ella Foundation and UW-Madison GHI share a common vision to advance innovation in science, research, and knowledge sharing. Establishing the UW-Madison Global One Health Centre holds great significance as it will advance global health through research, education, and community engagement by facilitating student, faculty exchanges, research and education,” he added.

UW-Madison GHI director Jorge Osorio said, “We are energised by the opportunity to partner with the Ella Foundation to bring UW knowledge and expertise to expand innovative and impactful health initiatives outside Wisconsin to India.”

The India One Health Centre joins a global network that includes Africa and Latin America and will open new opportunities for research, education, and provide actionable outcomes to benefit humans, animals, and ecosystems that advance equitable and sustainable health across India and the world.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN: Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi (1927-2023) | Pioneer of Indian Modernist Architecture

Indian architect BV Doshi has passed away, at the age of 95. Trained under Le Corbusier, he was the only Indian to have been awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize for designing IIM, Bengaluru.

One of the most distinguished Indian minds in the world of architecture, BV Doshi, passed away at the age of 95 on Tuesday. leaving behind a tall legacy and an irreplaceable void in the world’s design community.

BV or Balkrishna Vithaldas, won the gold medal awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2022, joining a select league of international names like Le Corbuiser, Louis I Kahn and Edwin Maxwell Fry.

A Padma Bhushan awardee, Doshi was known for designing the buildings of the Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environment and Planning Technology (CEPT) and Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute.  His style of architecture — an amalgam of European modernist, brutalist architecture with Indian sensibilities — won many hearts.

Shiv Dutt Sharma (93), a contemporary of Doshi who had worked on the Chandigarh project with Corbusier, describes Doshi as “hospitable, amiable, simple and incredibly humble,” adding “He was a dear friend.”

In October last year, when this correspondent reached out to Doshi, his granddaughter Khushnu Panthaki-Hoof, principal architect, Studio Sangath, said that he was not talking to many journalists and was still recovering from a bout of COVID-19, which he had two months ago. But on learning that the article was intended to highlight Corbusier’s legacy, he made an exception. “I consider him my guru,” he had said at that time.

Apart from designing one of the finest buildings in Ahmedabad, Doshi also created designs for low-cost housing. His 1982 project, Aranya Low Cost Housing in Indore won him the 6th Aga Khan Award for Architecture. In another example of the international recognition of his works, Doshi was awarded France’s highest honour for the arts, the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters, in 2011.

He graduated from the Sir JJ School of Architecture in Mumbai in 1950 and left for Europe soon after, beginning his journey in architecture with Corbusier in Paris between 1951 and 1954. On returning to India, he worked for Corbusier in Ahmedabad.

The celebrated architect authored several books on art and architecture, including Paths Uncharted (2011), Balkrishna Doshi: Writings on Architecture and Identity (2019), and Balkrishna Doshi: Architecture for the People (2019). Meanwhile, international architects ended up writing books on Doshi. This included William J R Curtis’s book Balkrishna Doshi: An Architecture for India, released in 2014.

In his book Paths Uncharted, former Chief Architect of Chandigarh, Sumit Kaur, points to an excerpt where Doshi wrote: “Frankly, at this stage in life I even hesitate in calling myself an architect because the more I think about what Architecture is, the less I feel I know about its true calling. Every time I felt I have mastered it, each new completed project has made me aware of how much more there is to Architecture. As a result I increasingly see myself more as a person seeking my destiny rather than just being an architect planner or such.”

A statement issued by his family said the cremation will take place at 2:30 pm at Thaltej Crematorium. The message read: “No one loved life more than him, ‘ Anand Karo’ – Celebrate Life, as he would always say. He had so many people that he loved dearly and who loved him back. He will leave for his onward journey from our residence Kamala House.”

B.V. Doshi passed away Tuesday, January 24th, 2023

INTERNATIONAL: INDIAN-ORIGIN / LEADERS: USA: Manpreet Monica Singh becomes First Female Sikh Judge to swear in

There are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs in the US, with 20,000 Sikhs living in the Houston area.

Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh has been sworn in as a Harris county judge, becoming the first female Sikh judge in the US.

Singh was born and raised in Houston and now lives in Bellaire with her husband and two children. She was sworn in as a judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No.4 in Texas on Friday.

Singh’s father immigrated to the US in the early 1970s.

A trial lawyer for 20 years, she has been involved in numerous civil rights organizations at the local, state, and national levels.

“It means a lot to me because I represent H-town (a nickname of Houston) the most, so for it to be us, I’m happy for it,” she said at the oath ceremony.

Indian-American Judge Ravi Sandill, the state’s first South Asian judge, presided over the ceremony, which took place in a packed courtroom.

“It’s a really big moment for the Sikh community,” Sandill said.

“When they see someone of colour, someone a little different, they know that possibility is available to them. Manpreet is not only an ambassador for Sikhs, but she’s an ambassador for all women of colour,” he said.

There are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs in the US, with 20,000 Sikhs living in the Houston area.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said, “It was a proud day for the Sikh Community, but also a proud day for all people of Colour who see the Diversity of the City of Houston in the Diversity of the Court.”

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL RECORDS: AUTOMOBILES: India Surpasses Japan to become 3rd Largest Auto Market Globally

India’s sales volume is expected to rise further with the inclusion of pending fourth-quarter sales figures for commercial vehicles.

India eclipsed Japan in auto sales last year, according to the latest industry data, making it the third-largest auto market for the first time, Nikkei Asia reported on Friday.

India’s sales of new vehicles totalled at least 4.25 million units, based on preliminary results, topping the 4.2 million sold in Japan. New vehicles delivered in India totalled 4.13 million between January and November 2022, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Adding December’s sales volume reported on Sunday by Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, brings the total to roughly 4.25 million units.

India’s sales volume is expected to rise further with the inclusion of pending fourth-quarter sales figures for commercial vehicles, along with year-end results yet to be released by Tata Motors and other automakers, according to Nikkei Asia.

In 2021, China continued to lead the global auto market, with 26.27 million vehicles sold. The U.S. remained second at 15.4 million vehicles, followed by Japan at 4.44 million units. Nikkei Asia said India’s auto market has fluctuated in recent years. Roughly 4.4 million vehicles were sold in 2018, but volume dipped below 4 million units in 2019, due primarily to the credit crunch that hit the nonbank sector that year. When the Covid pandemic triggered a countrywide lockdown in 2020, vehicle sales plummeted further below the 3-million-unit mark. Sales recovered in 2021 to approach 4 million units, but the shortage of automotive chips weighed on growth.

Vehicles powered by gasoline, including hybrid vehicles, accounted for most of the new autos sold in India last year, Nikkei Asia said, adding that electric vehicles hardly have a presence. Autos for the Indian market are seen as having fewer semiconductors than those sold in advanced economies. According to Nikkei Asia, the easing of the automotive chip crunch in 2022 provided a springboard for recovery.

Along with Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and other Indian automakers saw sales growth last year. India is home to 1.4 billion people, and its population is expected to outstrip China sometime this year and continue growing until the early 2060s. Incomes are rising as well. Only 8.5% of Indian households owned a passenger vehicle in 2021, according to British research firm Euromonitor, meaning there is plenty of room for sales growth.

The government has started offering subsidies for EVs amid a trade deficit resulting from petroleum imports. In Japan, 4,201,321 vehicles were sold last year, down 5.6% from 2021, according to data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association. Nikkei Asia said the omicron epidemic and the lockdowns in China greatly undercut production, leaving automakers unable to meet demand.

Japan’s auto sales peaked in 1990 at 7.77 million units, meaning sales have tumbled by nearly half from the all-time high, according to Nikkei Asia. And the country’s declining population offers little prospect for a significant recovery in sales in the foreseeable future. According to Nikkei Asia, China surged past Japan to become the second-largest auto market in 2006. In 2009, China overtook the U.S. to become the world’s largest market.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)