Category Archives: Leaders

INTERNATIONAL: MEDIA : Annurag Batra Founder of exchange4media elected to International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

Annurag Batra is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of exchange4media, which manages several major media brands.

In Short

Annurag Batra elected to International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
He founded exchange4media and chairs BW Businessworld
The academy has over 900 members from 60 plus countries

Annurag Batra, Founder of exchange4media and Chairman of BW Businessworld, has been elected as a Member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

The prestigious academy consists of over 900 members from more than 60 countries, representing the world’s leading television and media companies.

Annurag Batra is well-known in the media and television industry. He set up exchange4media, creating a new platform for media and television and has made a big impact on the digital media industry.

Batra has created a new sector that others in the field respect and follow. He is a serial entrepreneur, author, angel investor, TV show host, and a believer in the power of dreams.

He is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of exchange4media, which manages several major media brands. He is also the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of BW Businessworld Media Group.

Since acquiring BW Businessworld in late 2013, he has transformed it into a modern media conglomerate.

Batra has also served on the Board of Governors at the Management Development Institute in Gurgaon, his alma mater. He was the first graduate of MDI’s flagship program to serve on its Board of Governors from January 2020 to June 2023.

As the founder of exchange4media, he has spent over 24 years engaging with leading media owners, editors, journalists, and news media professionals.

He has built several media brands and large-scale events under exchange4media and is an accepted authority in media and television and has written extensively on these subjects. He is set to release his book in 2025 titled “Media Moguls of India.”

He is expanding his initiatives to the UAE and the MENA region. He is also investing in many media tech startups that are shaping the Indian digital media landscape.

Annurag Batra’s election to the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a testament to his influence and contributions to the media industry.

source/content: indiatoday.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: PEACEKEEPERS: Indian Woman Peacekeeper Major Radhika Sen to receive ‘UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award’ . Who is she?

Radhika Sen served with the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from March 2023 to April 2024.

Indian woman peacekeeper Major Radhika Sen, who served with the UN mission in Congo, will be honoured with the prestigious military gender advocate award by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 30 (Thursday), marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

Who is Major Radhika Sen?

Radhika Sen served with the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of MONUSCO’s engagement platoon for the Indian rapid deployment battalion (INDRDB).
Major Radhika Sen joined the Indian Army eight years ago. She graduated with a degree in biotechnology engineering and was pursuing her Master’s degree at IIT Bombay when she decided to join the armed forces.
Sen was deployed to MONUSCO in March 2023 as the engagement platoon commander with the Indian rapid deployment battalion. She completed her tenure in April 2024. Sen is the second Indian peacekeeper to receive this prestigious award, following Major Suman Gawani, who served with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and was honoured with the United Nations military gender advocate of the year award in 2019.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres lauded Major Sen for her service and said she was a true leader and role model. “Her service was a true credit to the United Nations as a whole,” Guterres said.
Reacting to the development, Major Sen said, “This award is special to me as it gives recognition to the hard work put in by all the peacekeepers working in the challenging environment of DRC and giving their best to bring a positive change in the society.”

“Gender-sensitive peacekeeping is everybody’s business – not just us, women. Peace begins with all of us in our beautiful diversity!” she added.

Created by the office of military affairs within the department for peace operations (DPO) of the UN in 2016, the United Nations military gender advocate of the year award acknowledges the dedication and efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.

The awardee is selected from among candidates nominated by force commanders and heads of mission from all peace operations. India currently ranks as the 11th largest contributor of women military peacekeepers to the United Nations.

(With inputs from PTI)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL / KARANTAKA: BUSINESS & ECONOMY : Ramesh Kunhikannan, Founder of Kaynes Technololgy Makes It To Forbes List Of Billionaires 2024

He is the Founder of Mysuru’s Kaynes Technology that supplied power systems for the Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover.

India reached a huge milestone last year, as the country became the first nation to land a spacecraft near the unexplored south pole of the moon.

Ramesh Kunhikannan, whose company contributed largely to the historic space mission, was named on the Forbes Billionaires List 2024 for the first time this year, thanks to the historic space mission. He is presently placed among the richest people across the globe along with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mukesh Ambani with a whopping 1.2 billion US Dollars (approx. Rs. 10,011 crore) net worth.

Ramesh Kunhikannan is the Founder and Managing Director of Kaynes Technology India, headquartered in Mysuru.

The company is famous for manufacturing electronic products. The 60-year-old billionaire graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Engineering (NIE), Mysuru.

He started his company in 1988 as a contract electronics manufacturer. His spouse and current company Chairperson, Savitha Ramesh, joined the company in 1996. The company presently hold a market capitalisation of Rs. 17,156 crore with its stocks priced at around Rs. 2,700, according to Value Search.

The 36-year-old company mainly supplies electronic systems and design services to automobile industries, aerospace, medical and defence. Kaynes’ services are mainly used for electronic controls in EVs, railway signals, etc.

The shares of the company have given a return of about 234 percent since its debut. The company assembles printed circuit boards and has eight factories in India.

Kaynes supplies 350 clients across the globe in the auto, aerospace and medical industries.

It is also one of the multiple companies which largely contributed to the achievement of Chandrayan 3. The company provided power systems for the Chandrayaan-3’s lander and rover. Following the successful completion of the mission, Kaynes Technology India’s shares skyrocketed from Rs. 1,719 in August 2022 to Rs. 2683.85 as of today.

Presently, Kunhikannan holds 64 percent of the company which is around 1.1 billion US Dollars (approximately Rs. 8.3 thousand crores) to his net worth.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: e-COMMERCE: India’s Government e-Market is World’s 3rd Largest e-commerce platform: CEO

Launched in August 2016, the total value of orders placed through GeM in 2018-19 was Rs.17,445 crore, which gradually went up to about Rs.1.07 lakh crore in 2021-22.

India’s ‘Government e-Market’ or GeM portal is the world’s third largest e-commerce platform for public procurement after Korea’s ON-line E-Procurement System (KONEPS) and Singapore’s GeBIZ with a total sales value crossing Rs.4 lakh crore in the current financial year ending on March 31, a senior official said.

“GeM closes this financial year with over Rs.4 lakh crore gross merchandise value (GMV), almost a 100% jump from the GMV at the end of the previous fiscal year, exhibiting its unique ability to promote digital inclusion,” GeM CEO PK Singh said. GMV represents the total value of goods or services sold within a specific period.

Launched in August 2016, the total value of orders placed through GeM in 2018-19 was Rs.17,445 crore, which gradually went up to about Rs.1.07 lakh crore in 2021-22. In the previous financial year (FY23), the value of orders (or GMV) was a little over Rs.2.01 lakh crore.

While both public and private sector companies can sell their products and services through GeM, buyers can only be government entities, including gram panchayats.

Defence procurement is one of the major business activities in the platform. “Assembly of BrahMos missile is being done through GeM as a service contract. In defence, right from supplying eggs up to the missile parts is being done through the portal,” said Singh.

GeM provides a level playing field for domestic businesses, particularly smaller ones, physically distant from popular markets, to grow and thrive. Of the Rs.4 lakh crore GMV orders, nearly 50% have been awarded to marginalised seller segments such as artisans, weavers, craftsmen, micro and small enterprises, women-led units, farmer producer organisations and startups, he said.

The portal has collaborations with over 520,000 Common Services Centres (CSCs) and more than 150,000 India Post offices to link the remotest locations of the country for seamless procurement, Singh said.

“Through supportive handholding at every step to help diverse sellers and service providers grow their business on GeM, the platform has given impetus to hyper-local economies across regions in India, resulting in job creation and greater incomes,” Singh added.

According to Singh, services procurement through GeM is rapidly growing. Procurement of services from the portal was worth Rs.66,000 crore in 2022-23, which jumped to Rs.2.05 lakh crore in the current fiscal year. Goods procurement in FY24 (as of March 28) was valued at Rs.1.95 lakh crore, marginally lower than the services procurement.

“GeM has been exceptionally successful in breaking down the cartel of established and renowned service providers, paving the way for small domestic entrepreneurs to participate in government tenders from anywhere at any time. The vast repository of services on GeM has enabled states to procure innovative solutions that cater to all their dynamic needs,” Singh said.

He said the government wants to develop GeM as a unified procurement portal of the country by including contracts also. Currently, only goods and services are available on the platform. A dedicated page for election-related goods and services, such as catering and webcasting services is also available on the portal.

The portal’s network of over 150,000 government buyers and 2.1 million sellers has helped the e-marketplace to grow rapidly, Singh said. “Through comprehensive onboarding of last-mile buyers and sellers GeM has fostered engagement at the grassroots level, by integrating 89,421 panchayats and over 760 cooperatives within its procurement ecosystem, GeM has facilitated sustainable procurement while ensuring optimisation in public spending at the very last level of administration,” he added.

GeM provides a wide range of goods and services, including office stationery, passenger vehicles, computer furniture, hiring of helicopter services, logistics, waste management, and webcasting.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS LEADERS: Maximum City ‘Mumbai’ has maximum billionaires in India, 3rd in the World and Asia’s billionaire capital making it the fasted growing club in the world

Mumbai was the fastest growing billionaire capital in the world with 92 billionaires, adding 26 in the year, taking it to third in the world and Asia’s billionaire capital.

India added 94 new billionaires in 2023, the most by any country other than the US, taking the total to 271, according to the 2024 Hurun Global Rich List. An individual with $1 billion in wealth is a billionaire.

The collective wealth of Indian billionaires amounts to US$ 1 trillion or 7 per cent of total wealth, emphasising the nation’s substantial economic influence, it said. The average age of Indian billionaires is 67 years.

Dominant industries which India’s billionaires represented include pharmaceuticals (39), automobile & auto components (27) and chemicals (24).

Mumbai was the fastest growing billionaire capital in the world with 92 billionaires, adding 26 in the year, taking it to third in the world and Asia’s billionaire capital. New York ranked number 1 with 119; London was in second spot with 97. Beijing dropped from first place last year to the fourth position with 91, just three billionaires less than India’s.

New Delhi broke into the Top 10 for the first time.

Mukesh Ambani is in the tenth position with a wealth of $115 billion and Gautam Adani is in the 15th position with a wealth of $86 billion, according to UK based Hurun.

At 52, Elon Musk (US $231 billion) reclaimed the title of the richest person in the world for the third time in four years, propelled by a surge in Tesla’s stock. Simultaneously, SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace venture, saw its valuation hit new heights on the back of successful launches, satellite internet ventures, and lucrative government contracts.

Jeff Bezos, 60, rose to the second position with US$ 185 billion, as his wealth grew 57 per cent this year, driven primarily by Amazon’s cloud computing, winning market share and making up for all his losses last year.

The biggest gainers of the year were Mark Zuckerberg, adding US$ 90 billion, and Elon Musk adding US$ 74 billion. Jensen Huang of Nvidia saw his wealth double to US$ 48 billion and a place in the Hurun Top 30.

Despite losing 155 billionaires, China is still the world capital for billionaires with as many as 814. The USA was just behind with 800 billionaires, adding 109. Between themselves, China and the USA — the ‘Big Two’ — have 49 per cent of the known billionaires on the planet, down 4 per cent, says the Hurun Rich List.

The 2024 Hurun Global Rich List underscores India’s ascension as a future economic titan, poised to secure its place as the world’s third-largest economy. Surpassing all but the United States, India’s unprecedented billionaire boom propels Mumbai past Beijing, crowning it as Asia’s billionaire epicentre,” said said Anas Rahman Junaid – Founder and Chief Researcher, Hurun India.

The USA had a strong year on this latest Hurun Global Rich List, with its 800 entrants contributing a notable 37% of the overall wealth of the list. Adding 132 new faces, the American landscape continues to showcase entrepreneurial dynamism.

source/comment: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

India-born Economist Geeta Batra Named As First Woman Director of World Bank’s GEF

Geeta Batra, a distinguished India-born economist, has been appointed as the Director of the Independent Evaluation Office of the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility (GEF). This historic appointment makes her the first woman from a developing country to hold this prestigious position.

Currently serving as the Chief Evaluator & Deputy Director for Evaluation at the GEF’s Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), affiliated with the World Bank, Batra’s nomination for the role received unanimous approval during the 66th GEF Council Meeting in Washington on February 9.

Geeta Batra, aged 57, outlined her top priorities, emphasizing the delivery of sound evaluative evidence on GEF’s results and performance, leadership to keep the GEF IEO at the forefront of environmental evaluation, and the strengthening of IEO teams through skill development.

Her role will also involve building partnerships with multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations, and networks, sharing knowledge on effective environmental strategies.

Born in New Delhi, Batra pursued her education in Mumbai and Chennai, completing her Economics degree and an MBA in Finance.

Inspired by her professor, Harkant Mankad, she pursued a Ph.D. in Economics in the United States. After working in various roles, including Senior Manager, Risk, at American Express and serving at the World Bank’s Private Sector Development Department, she joined the GEF’s IEO in 2015.

The GEF has been a significant player in the environmental sector since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, providing substantial grants and co-financing for projects addressing global environmental concerns. Geeta Batra’s appointment signifies a major milestone, reflecting her extensive experience and commitment to environmental evaluation.

With IANS Inputs

source/content: indiatimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: LEADERS IN USA: Ashwin Ramaswami? The First Gen Z Indian-American In US Senate Race

The most recent Indian American to enter US politics is a 24-year-old software engineer, who is the first Gen Z candidate of Indian descent to run for state senate in the nation.

Ashwin Ramaswami is a second-generation immigrant who has the distinction of being the first Indian American senator from Georgia and the only one with a law degree in addition to a computer science degree. If elected.

He is a Democratic candidate facing off against Republican Shawn Still, who was charged with the same crimes as former US President Donald Trump for the US Capitol uprising on January 6.

Ashwin Ramaswami: Who Is He?

Ramaswami is a tech startup entrepreneur who has worked in cybersecurity for the US government and currently runs a technology law and policy consulting firm.

His parents, both IT professionals, immigrated from Tamil Nadu to US in 1990 and Ramaswami graduated from Stanford University in 2021. “I was born and grew up in Georgia. I’m a second-generation immigrant, an Indian American, a twin brother, and an engineer,” his campaign website reads.

“I’m running for (Georgia) State Senate in order to give back to my community. I want to make sure that everyone has the same opportunities that I had growing up,” the 24-year-old told news agency PTI.

Ramaswami says he is keen to make sure the young people have who come from “unconventional backgrounds in politics” have “a new voice”.

“I’m a Hindu”

Even as a young techie, Ramaswami says he is grounded in Indian culture. “I’m a Hindu. I’ve been very interested in Indian culture philosophy my whole life,” he said.

The 24-year-old, who was raised on epics like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavad Gita, also taught Hindu philosophy and culture to schoolchildren at the Hindu spiritual movement’s Chinmaya Mission Balavihar.

“When I was in college, I learned Sanskrit and ended up reading a lot of ancient texts and got very interested in reading Upanishads, ..and my whole life I’ve been very involved in yoga and meditation and now also teaching Baal Vihara to younger students,” he told news agency PTI.

Apart from this, he founded the Dharmic Law Student Organization, a group that conducts programs for Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, and Jain students.

Gen Z And Political Goals

As a civil servant involved in election security, Ramaswami claimed to have contributed to the security of the 2020 and 2022 elections. In response to scepticism regarding his youth in his State Senate campaign, the twenty-four-year-old claimed that his generation is “very aware politically.”

“We very much see the news, we see all these things happening, and we want to ensure a good future for ourselves. But I think one problem we face is we don’t have the resources or ability to go and make a difference in the sense that it’s really hard for people my age to get elected because the election process skews towards people who are wealthier and older,” he said.

With his eyes set on the state senate, Ramaswami says he aims to increase wages for state employees and introduce better technology to secure elections. He also plans to Introduce “common-sense gun laws” and antitrust laws to hold big tech companies accountable for online harms.

The young techie wants to create a sustainable tech hub in the south of US and make Georgia a leader in green energy investments.

source/content: zeenews.india.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : LEGAL – INVITATION: ICJ judge Hilary Charlesworth joins CJI Chandrachud on Supreme Court Bench

Ms. Charlesworth, an Australian international lawyer who has been a judge of the ICJ since 5 November 2021, is in India at present.

Judge of the International Court of Justice Hilary Charlesworth on Monday, February 12, 2024, sat on the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and witnessed judicial proceedings.

“I have great pleasure in welcoming ICJ judge Hilary Chalesworth among us. She has taught earlier at the Mayo College here. She is a distinguished jurist,” the CJI said, calling Ms. Charlesworth a friend of India.

“We all welcome her Ladyship to the court,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.

Ms. Charlesworth, an Australian international lawyer who has been a judge of the ICJ since 5 November 2021, is in India at present. On Saturday, she delivered the second annual lecture on ‘The International Court of Justice: A legal forum in a political environment’ on the Supreme Court premises.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

REGIONAL / COMMONWEALTH: LEADERSHIP: Darasing Khurana Appointed As ‘Commonwealth Year Of Youth Champion’ Along With UK’s Prince Edward

India’s Darasing Khurana is the second person in the world to be appointed as ‘Commonwealth Year of Youth Champion’.

Darasing Khurana, ever since he entered showbiz, has represented India globally on various platforms. In fact, he has been a guiding force for the youth by empowering them in more ways than one. Now adding to it, he has now been appointed as the Commonwealth Year Of Youth Champion 2024. With the latest feat, he has become the first Asian and the second person in the world to hold the title along with Prince Edward of the UK.

He was officially appointed for the post by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC. Talking about him, the dignitary said, “With your exceptional commitment to youth development and empowerment the Commonwealth is confident that your voice will resonate with young people across borders and inspire positive change. Your dedication to this cause aligns perfectly with the values of the Commonwealth and we believe that your influential voice and advocacy will greatly contribute to the success of our endeavours during the Year of Youth.”

With undertaking the title, Darasing Khurana will be required to provide informed and targeted messaging to governments, youth organisations, the private sector and the general public. He would be the high-profile spokesperson, who would be instrumental in guiding and promoting youth development and empowerment across the Commonwealth. Throughout his tenure, he would collaborate closely with key stakeholders, participate in significant events, thereby aiding in shaping the future of youth in the Commonwealth member countries.

For those caught unaware, Darasing bagged the Mister India International title in 2017. Since then, he has been working for the betterment of the youth. He is also the brand ambassador of DATRI, world’s second largest blood stem cell donors’ registry, and the founder of Pause.Breathe.Talk Foundation to provide affordable mental health care to people. He is also known to work with UNICEF India as a youth advocate.

source/content: outlookindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: PARLIAMENT – Firsts : Sengol added to Ceremonial Procession to Welcome President to Parliament

PM Modi had installed the Sengol in the new Parliament building on the day of its inauguration.

For the first time in the history of Parliament, the Sengol (sceptre), considered a symbol of power of monarchs, was added to the ceremonial procession welcoming the President to the House.

Rajeev Sharma, a senior marshal in the Lok Sabha, who was dressed in traditional attire with scarf and a turban, carried the Sengol in his hand and accompanied President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Speaker Om Birla during the parade.

It was kept in front of the Speaker’s podium during the President’s Address to the Joint Session of Parliament.

Mr Modi had installed the Sengol in the new Parliament building on the day of its inauguration.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said last year, before the inauguration of the new building, that on the night of August 14, 1947, India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, received the Sengol from the priests of the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam in Tamil Nadu.

“It was precisely the moment in which power was transferred by the British into the hands of Indians. What we are celebrating as independence is actually marked by the very moment of handing over the ‘Sengol’,” Mr. Shah had said.