Category Archives: Leaders

NATIONAL: HERITAGE : ‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ to be India’s Nomination for UNESCO tag for 2024-25

The ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ was included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2021 .

‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ representing extraordinary fortification and military system envisioned by the Maratha rulers will be India’s nomination for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the 2024-25 cycle, the Culture Ministry said on January 29.

The twelve components of this nomination are— Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Khanderi Fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay Durg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, and Gingee fort in Tamil Nadu, it said in a statement.

These components, distributed across diverse geographical and physiographic regions, showcase the strategic military powers of the Maratha rule, officials said.

The ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’, which developed between 17th and 19th centuries, “represent an extraordinary fortification and military system envisioned by the Maratha rulers”, the statement said.

This will be India’s nomination for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2024-25, it added.

“This extraordinary network of forts, varying in hierarchies, scales and typological features, is a result of integrating the landscape, terrain and physiographic characteristics distinctive to the Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan Coast, Deccan Plateau and the Eastern Ghats in the Indian Peninsula,” the statement said.

The ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ was included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2021, it said.

There are more than 390 forts in Maharashtra, out of which only 12 forts are selected under the ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’, and eight of these forts are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The forts under ASI are Shivneri fort, Lohgad, Raigad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala fort, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg and Gingee fort; whereas Salher fort, Rajgad, Khanderi fort and Pratapgarh are protected by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, government of Maharashtra, the statement said.

“In the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Raigad, Rajgad and Gingee fort are hill forts, Pratapgad is hill-forest fort, Panhala is hill-plateau fort, Vijaydurg is coastal fort whereas Khanderi fort, Suvarnadurg and Sindhudurg are island forts,” the Ministry said.

The inception of the Maratha military ideology dates back to the 17th century during the reign of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by 1670 and continued through subsequent rules until Peshwa rule till 1818, the statement said.

‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ nomination is in the category of cultural property, the ministry said.

At present, there are 42 World Heritage Sites in India, out of which 34 are cultural sites, seven are natural sites whereas one is mixed site.

In Maharashtra, six sites have a UNESCO tag— five cultural and one natural. These are Ajanta Caves (inscribed in 1983), Ellora Caves (1983), Elephanta Caves (1987), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004), Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (2018), and Western Ghats of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala is serial property in natural category (2012), the statement said.

There are six criteria for sending a nomination— i to vi— for cultural sites, and four criteria— vii to x— for natural sites for inclusion in the World Heritage List, it added.

The ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’ is nominated under criterion iii— to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization that is living or which has disappeared; criterion iv— to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape that illustrates significant stage(s) in human history; and criterion vi— to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance, the statement said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

6 Kirti Chakras, 16 Shaurya Chakras in Republic Day awards list

Three of the Kirti Chakras and two of the Shaurya Chakras will be awarded posthumously. These awards are equivalent to the wartime Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra, respectively.

 President Draupadi Murmu on Thursday approved 391 gallantry awards and other decorations for armed forces personnel, with the honours including six Kirti Chakras and 16 Shaurya Chakras, the country’s second and third highest awards for uncommon courage during peacetime, the defence ministry said in a statement on the eve of 75th Republic Day.

Three of the Kirti Chakras and two of the Shaurya Chakras will be awarded posthumously. These awards are equivalent to the wartime Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra, respectively.

The Kirti Chakra awardees are Major Digvijay Singh Rawat (21 Para-Special Forces), Major Deependra Vikram Basnet (4 Sikh), Captain Anshuman Singh (Army Medical Corps, 26 Punjab)(Posthumous), Havildar Pawan Kumar Yadav (21 Mahar), Havildar Abdul Majid (9 Para-Special Forces) (Posthumous) and Sepoy Pawan Kumar (Grenadiers, 55 Rashtriya Rifles) (Posthumous).

The Shaurya Chakra awardees are Major Maneo Francis PF (21 Para-Special Forces), Major Amandeep Jakhar (4 Sikh), Captain MV Pranjal (Signals, 63 Rashtriya Rifles) (Posthumous), Captain Akshat Upadhyay (20 Jat), Naib Subedar Baria Sanjay Kumar Bhamar Sinh (21 Mahar), Havildar Sanjay Kumar (9 Assam Rifles), Rifleman Alok Rao (18 Assam Rifles) (Posthumous) and Parshotam Kumar (Civilian c/o 63 Rashtriya Rifles), Lieutenant Bimal Ranjan Behera (Navy), Wing Commander Shailesh Singh (IAF), Flight Lieutenant Hrishikesh Jayan Karuthedath (IAF), DSP Mohan Lal (J&K Police), ASI Amit Raina (J&K Police), SI Faroz Ahmed Dar (J&K Police) and Constable Varun Singh (J&K Police).

The other gallantry awards include 53 Sena Medals (Gallantry, including seven posthumous, four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry) and one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), the statement said.

The other awards approved by the President include 31 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, two Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 59 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 10 Yudh Seva Medals, eight Bar to Sena Medals (devotion to duty), 38 Sena Medals (devotion to duty), 10 Nao Sena Medals (devotion to duty), 14 Vayu Sena Medals (devotion to duty), five Bar to Vishisht Seva Medals and 130 Vishisht Seva Medals.

The President also approved 84 Mentioned-in-Despatches to armed forces personnel, including 10 posthumous. The Coast Guard has been awarded one President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service), two Tatrakshak Medals (Gallantry) and three Tatrakshak Medals (Meritorious Service).

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

WORLD RECORD: SPORT / TENNIS : World No.1 Ranking will Inspire ‘Gen-Next’ of Indian Tennis, says Rohan Bopanna after Achieving the Feat

Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia.

Rohan Bopanna feels that his ascent to world No. 1 in doubles rankings at the twilight of his career is perfect boost that Indian tennis needed just when it was falling off the radar.

Bopanna is set to become the oldest tennis player to achieve the world No. 1 ranking in men’s doubles after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open along with his partner Matthew Ebden of Australia here on Wednesday.

The 43-year-old, who had entered the tournament with a career-high ranking of world No. 3, and Ebden recorded a comfortable 6-4 7-6(5) win over sixth seeded Argentinian duo of Máximo González and Andrés Molteni in the quarterfinals that lasted an hour and 46 minutes here.

Bopanna will be crowned the new numero uno spot on Monday after the end of the tournament.

“It (the feat) means a lot not to just me but for Indian tennis also. You need something to inspire the next generation. Sumit (Nagal) also had a great Australian Open. He won a round,” Bopanna told PTI in an exclusive interview from Melbourne.

And the star player said the feat came with a lot of sacrifices.

“Extremely proud of this (world no.1 ranking in men’s doubles). It’s a special moment. Lot of sacrifices have gone into this. My coaches, family everyone. My family is travelling with me, so different feeling,” he said.

In fact, he is more happy that for the past week, Indian tennis has been in the news.

“Nothing at all was happening in Indian tennis. You (journalists) also did not have much to write about, so this has happened at the right time.” Earlier, Rajeev Ram of the USA was the oldest player to be ranked world no. 1 when he had achieve the top ranking in October 2022 at the age of 38 for the first time in his career.

Ebden, on the other hand, is set to reach the world no 2 spot.

Bopanna twice reached the US Open final but never won a men’s doubles major.

He, however, has a mixed doubles trophy at the French Open when he and his partner Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada won the crown at the 2017 French Open, defeating Anna-Lena Grönefeld and Robert Farah in the final 2–6 6–2 12–10.

But Bopanna’s desire to win a men’s doubles title at the Slam still remains unfulfilled, something which we wants to achieve before hanging up his racquet.

“That’s a personal goal (winning men’s doubles title at a Grand Slam). It’s no one else’s goal,” he said.

For the veteran, it is always one step at a time.

“When you reach second round, next you want is third round then fourth, quarters, semi-final. So, yes I have been in two Slam final and now want to win but it’s a natural. You always try to go one better,” Bopanna said about his future goal.

Bopanna, who had achieved the highest of world No. 3 for the first time in 2013, is the fourth Indian after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to take the world number one rank in doubles.

He also didn’t forget to acknowledge the contribution of his long-time coach Scott David of the USA in his breathtaking journey in the game.

“I am probably fifty world number one of coach Scott David. It’s a proud moment for him also. I switched to doubles in 2010 and since then I have been with him only,” Bopanna said.

Bopanna and Ebden have been one of the most consistent pairs on the tour over the last 12 months. The duo reached the final of US Open 2023, their best result so far in Grand Slams.

En route the semifinals here, the second seeded Bopanna and Ebden, had to over come two close contests in the first and third rounds to book their place in the semifinals.

Their first hurdle came in the opening round against wildcards James Duckworth and Marc Polmans of Australia, whom Bopanna and Ebden defeated 6-7(5) 6-4 6-7(2).

Their next steep challenge came in the third round where they overcame 14th seeds Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Croatian Nikola Mektić 7-6(8) 7-6(4).

And Bopanna attributed the ability to finish close matches to his experience on the circuit.

“Experience is a great factor in getting those wins. Ever since, I started focussing only on doubles in 2010, it has taken me 13-14 years to reach this. I have been a journeyman,” said Bopanna, who will take over the top position from USA’s Austin Krajicek, who and his Croatian partner Ivan Dodig lost in the second round.

The Indo-Australian pair will play unseeded Tomas Machac of Czech Republic and Chinese Zhizhen Zhang in the semi-finals.

His former Davis Cup teammates Mahesh Bhupathi and Somdev Devvarman termed it as one of the greatest stories in Indian sport.

“Rohan Bopanna getting to World Number 1 today after 20 years on tour in my opinion is one of the greatest stories in Indian Sport!!!,” Bhupathi wrote on ‘X’.

“Bops first told me he was contemplating retirement 5 years ago, then 4 years ago, then 3 years ago…Moral of the story is…. Who cares… He’s number 1! Couldn’t be happier for the Bopanna family! rohanbopanna is the best story in indian sport,” Devvarman wrote.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: REPUBLIC DAY : Tri-services Women Contingent, C-295 Transport Aircraft to make Debut at Republic Day parade

A total of 51 aircraft comprising 29 fighters and eight transport aircraft of IAF, 13 helicopters and one heritage aircraft will participate in this year’s Republic Day flypast.

A 144 personnel tri-service women contingent would be participating in Republic Day Parade this time for the first time with 48 personnel from each service. Also the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) latest induction, the C-295 medium transport aircraft will make debut over kartavya path during the Republic Day flypast this year.

“A total of 48 Agniveervayu Women would be part of this contingent. Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Verma would be marching as supernumerary Officer of the (tri-service) contingent,” said Wg Cdr Manish Sharma briefing the media on IAF’s participation in the Republic Day parade this year.

A total of 51 aircraft comprising 29 fighters and eight transport aircraft of IAF, 13 helicopters and one heritage aircraft will participate in this year’s Republic Day flypast. This includes four helicopters of the Army and one P-8i maritime patrol aircraft of the Navy which will fly in two separate formations.

A C-295 aircraft flanked by two C-130 aircraft in echelon, will fly as the Arjan formation during Republic Day fly past, said IAF Spokesperson Wg Cdr Ashish Moghe.

The IAF induced the first C-295 in September last year, which will replace the legacy HS-748 Avro transport aircraft in service.

The IAF marching contingent of 144 personnel will be led by Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur with Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav, Squadron Leader Pratiti Alhuwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil as supernumerary Officers. They will be marching to the tune ‘Sound Barrier’ played by 72 lAF musicians and three drum majors. The band will be led by Sergeant CA Daniel.

For the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29 at Vijay Chowk, the IAF Band comprising of 121 musicians would be participating in the event. The band will be led by Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar. 

In line with theme of the 75th Republic Day Parade-2024 “Samridh Bharat Sashakt Bharat”, the theme of the IAF tableau is “Bharatiya Vayu Sena: Saksham, Sashakt, Atmanirbhar”, said Wg Cdr Sharma. Flight Lieutenant Ananya Sharma and Flying Officer Asma Sheikh, both Su- 30 pilots, would be present on the tableau, he added.

On the tableau, Wg Cdr Sharma said the IAF has been at the forefront of rendering humanitarian aid, both within and across borders. In Operation Kaveri launched on April 24, 2023 to evacuate Indian nationals from strife-torn Sudan, the IAF’s C-130J aircraft were used extensively towards rescuing 3,862 Indians from the country, he noted. “The rear element of the tableau depicts one specific sortie of this mission during which an IAF C-130 extricated Indian nationals from Wadi Sayyidna in Sudan under extremely adverse conditions at night.”

The middle section of the tableau depicts Tejas and SU-30 fighters flying over the Indian Ocean Region which depicts the ever-expanding reach of the lAF- over land, as well as over the sea, he added.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Why an Indian Princess’s memorial in Ayodhya is a big draw for South Korean tourists

South Korea has a special connection with Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram. No, it has nothing to do with Lord Ram.

Every year, hundreds of South Koreans visit the holy city of Ayodhya to pay tribute to Queen Huh Hwang-ok. It is believed that several South Koreans have their ancestral roots in Ayodhya.

Who was Queen Huh Hwang-ok?

Legend has it that Queen Huh Hwang-ok, also known as Princess Suriratna, was the princess of Ayodhya before she went to South Korea and married King Kim Suro of Karak Clan in 48 AD.

As per a research paper by Dr Uday Dokras, “Ancient Korean text Samguk Yusa chronicles King Suro’s wife to have been a princess of a distant kingdom called Ayuta, which people relate to be the holy city of present-day Ayodhya.”

Queen Huh Hwang-ok has a memorial in Ayodhya

The South Korean queen’s memorial was first inaugurated in 2001 in Ayodhya.

In 2015, PM Narendra Modi and former South Korean President Moon Jae-in signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the PM’s visit to South Korea for expansion of the memorial.

Later, the memorial was beautified to honour the queen’s legacy, and the memorial park was inaugurated in 2022.

According to UP tourism’s official website, around 60 lakh people of the Karak clan consider Ayodhya as their maternal home.

In 2019, commemorative Rs 25 and Rs 5 postage stamps for the queen were also issued by India. 

From Ayodhya to South Korea by boat

As per the UP government website, it is believed that Princess Suriratna reached Korea on a boat. She was only 16 when she got married.

She is believed to be the first queen of King Suro of Geumgwan Gaya.

According to some Chinese-language texts, the then King of Ayodhya was ordered by god to send his 16-year-old daughter to South Korea to marry King Kim Suro in a dream, says a BBC report.

The same publication mentioned that the king and queen had ten sons, adding that they both lived over 150 years.

Back in 2020, the then South Korean Ambassador to India, Shin Bong-kil, told ANI, “Ayodhya has important relations with Korea.” 

Shin Bong-kil mentioned that in Korea’s ancient history book, it’s written that a princess from Ayodhya married a Korean king, adding that in archaeological findings from Kim Suro’s tomb, artefacts belonging to Ayodhya have been discovered.

Where is Queen Huh Hwang-ok’s memorial?

  • The memorial park portrays the journey of Princess Suriratna from Ayodhya to Korea.
  • The legend is inscribed on a stone structure that was shipped from South Korea.
  • The park has been built on the bank of the Sarayu River, on a reported budget of Rs 21 crore.
  • The south-east corner of the memorial features a statue of Queen Huh Hwang-ok.
  • The north-east corner has a statue of King Kim Suro.
  • The princess’s sea journey has been recreated at the memorial with the help of a pond and footbridge.
  • The park also features an egg made of granite. It is believed that Princess Suriratna took a golden egg along during her journey to Korea.

INSTA

Queen Huh Hwang-ok’s Tamil connection 

There is another theory about the queen by Dr Kannan Narayan, a retired professor and former Scientific Advisor and Coordinator of Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology.

In his theory, based on Chinese legends, Kannan Narayan stated that the queen’s name points to the South Indian kingdom of Pandya – the Pandyas of Madurai, says a Deccan Herald report.

He added that the twin fish symbol seen on the walls of Ayodhya possibly dates back to a time when it was a part of the United Provinces. He mentioned that it was also the national symbol of the Pandya Dynasty.

The retired professor said that it’s a possibility that the queen left the port of Athiyuthu from Tamil Nadu and not Ayodhya and the same has been modified over time to ‘Ayutha’.

source/content: indiatoday.in (headline edited)

INDIA: INFRA-STRUCTURE : INDIA’s LONGEST: Atal Setu: Mumbai gets India’s Longest Sea Bridge, operations begin today

PM inaugurates the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project.

The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), perhaps the most anticipated infrastructure project in the city, is set to open for regular traffic this Saturday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s longest sea bridge on Friday. 

Named the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, the 21.8 km-long, six-lane engineering marvel, of which 16.5 km is in the sea, has been built at a cost of Rs 17,840 crore, and will cut the distance between the Mumbai island city and its satellite city Navi Mumbai shorter. 

“The inauguration of Atal Setu exemplifies India’s infrastructural prowess and underscores the country’s trajectory toward a ‘Viksit Bharat’,” Modi after inaugurating the bridge. He arrived at the programme in Navi Mumbai in the evening, after his convoy drove across the sea bridge – the foundation stone of which the PM had laid around seven years ago.  

The prime minister also laid foundation stones for other development projects in the state worth more than Rs 12,700 crore. “…a budget of Rs 44 trillion for infrastructure has been presented in the 10 years of the present government. In Maharashtra alone, the central government has either completed infrastructure projects worth about Rs 8 trillion or work on them is in progress,” he said. 

The MTHL project is one of the four main infrastructure projects in the city that are likely to become operational this year — an election year for both country and Maharashtra.  

The other three, along with MTHL, are estimated to cost upwards of Rs 84,000 crore.

The MTHL project — 80 per cent of which has been funded through a debt from Japan International Cooperation Agency, where the MMRDA is the borrower – is expected to spur further economic development in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The MMRDA, or Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, is the nodal agency for the project.

Sanjay Mukherjee, the Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, anticipates “a consistent uprising in business opportunities and economic growth in the surrounding regions” as one of the many positive outcomes of the project.

“The Atal Setu will be a huge contributor to the steady escalation of the MMR’s humongous share in our nation’s GDP in the forthcoming years,” he said.

Sanjay Sethi, chairperson for Jawaharlal Nehru Port Agency (JNPA), located in Navi Mumbai, said: “The increased connectivity, especially in the JNPA vicinity, will open up new trade opportunities, attracting investments in warehousing and logistics infrastructure, further boosting JNPA SEZ’s economy.”

The MTHL project — first conceived in the 1970s and finally awarded in 2017 – was to be completed in the early part of 2022. However, its execution saw delays, partly because of pandemic-related supply chain woes.


source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

Ayodhya to get world’s largest ‘solar powered street lights line’ , set Guinness record

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision to transform Ayodhya into a solar city is about to get a boost through establishment of the world’s largest ‘solar powered street lights line’, with the installation of 470 solar street lights over an area of 10.2 km city between Guptar Ghat and Nirmali Kund.

The unique feat will also see Ayodhya find entry into the the Guinness Book of World Records once again, with the earlier one taking place during Deepotsav with the lighting of the highest number of earthen lamps.

Under the guidance of CM Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has already completed approximately 70 per cent of the installation work, while the remaining 160 solar street lights will be installed before January 22.

Ayodhya UPNEDA project officer Praveen Nath Pandey said here on Tuesday that by January 22, a world record will be set in the temple city with the installation of 470 solar street lights in a 10.2 km stretch from Lakshman Ghat to Guptar Ghat, extending up to Nirmali Kund.

He added that under the project, 310 solar lights have been installed from Lakshman Ghat to Guptar Ghat, while work is ongoing to install 160 solar-powered street lights in the stretch between Guptar Ghat and Nirmali Kund, covering a distance of 1.85 km. All these solar-powered street lights are LED-based, operating at 4.4 watts, and equipped with smart technology. Through their installation, the 10.2 km stretch from Lakshman Ghat to Nirmali Kund will be illuminated with a radiant glow.

The world record that the state government aims to break through a solar energy-powered project is currently registered in the name of Malham of Saudi Arabia, where 468 solar-powered lights were installed over a stretch of 9.7 km in 2021. Now, the Yogi government is gearing up to surpass this record in Ayodhya by installing 470 solar-powered lights in an area spanning 10.2 km.

Earlier, Ayodhya got listed in the Guinness Book of World Records during Diwali in 2023, when 25,000 volunteers from Avadh University lit 22.23 lakh lamps together at the ghats of river Sarayu.

Discussions are underway between the local administration, officials of UPNEDA, and representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records in this context.

source/content: thestatesman.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: U.K.: Over 30 British Indians Honoured by King Charles in New Year List: Who Are They?

Several prominent Indian-origin people received knighthoods, OBEs, MBEs, and CBEs in the name of King Charles III.

Over 30 Indian-origin academics, economists, philanthropists, medics, and politicians were honoured by Britain in the country’s New Year’s Honours list – issued in the name of King Charles III – for their “incredible public service” in the United Kingdom (UK) and overseas.

Recipients on the list were hailed for contributions in their respective fields, particularly public service, youth engagement, and community work.

Among them, Alok Sharma, an Indian-origin former minister, was given a knighthood for serving as the president of the COP26 summit, which was held in Glasgow, Scotland, in October and November last year.

Sharma, 55, was born in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and moved to the UK’s Reading when he was five years old. He currently serves as the MP from Reading West and was a Cabinet-level minister in the Boris Johnson government till October last year.

What did the UK say about Sharma’s contributions? In a statement, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said that Sharma had been honoured with a knighthood for his “contribution to combatting climate change through his leadership at COP26” and “driving the UK to agree a historic agreement from individual countries that will have a major impact in addressing climate change in the future.”

List of Indian-Origin People On the List

Apart from Sharma, several British Indians were given high honours by the UK.

British Indians awarded Knighthood:

  • Partha Sarathi Dasgupta, an 80-year-old professor, received a Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) for his contributions to economics and the natural environment.Dasgupta was born in Dhaka and raised in Varanasi, following which he moved to the UK to study at the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics in the 1960s.
  • Pune-born businessman Ivan Manuel Menezes was knighted for “services to business and equality.” The 63-year-old has been the CEO of Diageo, a multinational alcoholic beverage company, since 2013.
  • Mayur Keshavji Lakhani, Chair of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and General Practitioner at the Highgate Medical Centre in Loughborough, received a knighthood for his contributions towards “general practice.”Born in East Africa to Indian-origin parents, he moved to the UK in 1972.
  • Indian-origin recipients of Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE):
  • Vengalil Krishna Kumar Chatterjee, a professor at the University of Cambridge, was awarded a CBE for serving people with endocrine disorders. The 64-year-old obtained multiple degrees from the University of Oxford in 1982.
  • Ramesh Dulichandbhai Mehta, a Nagpur-born paediatrician, was honoured for his efforts towards “equality, diversity, and inclusion.”The 75-year-old was born in Nagpur and moved to the UK in 1981. He currently serves as the president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO).
  • Nageshwara Dwarampudi Reddy, an Indian-origin portfolio director of the Department for Work and Pensions, was honoured for his efforts towards public service.
  • Gurdial Singh Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, received a CBE for his contributions to the UK’s technology sector.
  • The principal of Walsall College, Jatinder Kumar Sharma, was honoured for his services towards education.
  • Jasvir Singh, a family law barrister and chair of the City Sikhs, was honored with a CBE for his contributions towards charity and social cohesion. The Labour Party politician is also the co-founder of South Asian Heritage Month.
  • Keshav Singhal, a professor, was honoured for his contributions to medicine in Wales.

British Indians given the Order of the British Empire (OBE):

  • Nishi Chaturvedi, a professor at University College London, received an OBE for her contributions to medical research. She had graduated from the University of London in 1985.
  • Ravinder Gill, founder of the College of Accountancy, was hailed for his services to higher education.
  • Puneet Gupta, CEO of PG Paper, was awarded an OBE for his contributions to business, charity, and the community in Scotland.
  • Sharon Kaur Jandu, director of the Yorkshire Asian Business Association, was honoured for the contributions towards international trade.
  • Krishna Rohan Kandiah, founder of the Sanctuary Foundation, was given an OBE for services towards refugee integration.
  • Hitan Mehta, executive director of the British Asian Trust, was recognized for his efforts towards the British Asian community.
  • On the overseas list of Army OBEs were Corporal Pardeep Kaur and Acting Major Daljinder Singh Virdee.

British Indians who are given Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs):

  • Among the British Indians awarded MBEs are doctors Minal Bakhai and Jyotiben Shah, for their contributions to medicine and the field of education.
  • Bhavena Patel, senior relationship manager at the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education, was hailed for the services to further education.
  • Nipa Devendra Doshi was awarded for contributions to design.
  • Chef Vineet Bhatia, for services to British cuisine, hospitality, and international trade.
  • Sarah Johal, for services towards adoption and fostering
  • Inderpaul Singh Johar, for contributions towards architecture.
  • Psychologist Aditya Kamal, for his role in health psychology during the COVOD-19 pandemic.
  • Jaspal Singh Mann, director of Simply Shred and Recycle Ltd, for his contributions to environmental protection.
  • Businessman Veejay Kumar Chimanlal Patel, for contributing towards employment and training.
  • Professor Prashant Pillai for his role in cyber security and education.
  • Keranjeet Kaur Virdee, for contributions towards art.
  • And urologist Jyotiben Shah, for contributing to medicine.

Further, Robina Shah—one of Britain’s leading patient care experts—received a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her immense role in the National Health Service.

source/content: thequint.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DEFENCE & SECURITY: FIRSTs -WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP : Senior IPS Officer Nina Singh takes Charge as CISF’s First Woman Director General

Singh, who served as DG in-charge of CISF after her predecessor Sheel Vardhan Singh retired on August 31, was accorded a guard of honour at the CISF headquarters.

Senior IPS officer Nina Singh on Friday took over as the first woman Director General of CISF, a central force that guards civil airports and other vital installations.

Singh, who served as DG in-charge of CISF after her predecessor Sheel Vardhan Singh retired on August 31, was accorded a guard of honour at the CISF headquarters. Among those present was her husband, IAS officer and Union consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) issued an order for her appointment to the post on Thursday. Originally from Bihar, Singh studied at the Patna Women’s College before obtaining Master’s degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Harvard. “She is also trained in the evaluation of social programmes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA and co-authored research papers with Economics Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, both from MIT on evidence-based police reforms initiatives,” CISF chief PRO Shrikant Kishore said.

“She is recipient of the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2005, the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2014 and the ‘Ati Utkrisht Seva Medal’ in 2020. She has also been honored with the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for outstanding contributions and the Nari Shakti Samman. She also earned the title of ‘Champion of Evidence-Based Policing’ from the Cambridge University Police Executive Programme, UK,” he said in a statement.

An MHA official said the decision to appoint Singh as the CISF chief was taken “on the basis of her vast experience” in the force. “She has been working in the CISF since 2021 — first as Additional DG and then as Special DG and DG in-charge since August 31,” the official said. Singh earlier served as Joint Director of CBI during 2013-2018. During her tenure, she

supervised many high profile cases relating to corruption, economic offences, bank frauds and sports integrity. She also headed the investigation of the Sheena Bora murder case.

A 1989-batch officer, Singh was the first woman IPS officer to be allocated the Rajasthan cadre, taking on several important assignments in the state. “With a distinguished career spanning 34 years, she has worked on various assignments across Rajasthan and acquired in-depth knowledge of the police administration, training, criminal investigation and maintenance of public order. She was the Member-Secretary of Rajasthan State Commission for Women,” CISF PRO Kishore said.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENE & TECHNOLOGY / RESEARCH: Indian-origin Professor Brajesh Singh of Western Sydney University ,Australia Honoured with the top Microbiology ‘2023 Dorothy Jones’ Award

An Indian-origin professor from Australia has been awarded the 2023 Dorothy Jones Prize for using microbiology to make a significant contribution to understanding of terrestrial life and preservation of global ecosystem.

Brajesh Singh, a global expert in the field of microbial functional ecology from the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment in Western Sydney University, was presented the award at the British Medical Association (BMA) House in London last month.

Singh’s fundamental research provides solutions to global challenges, including environmental degradation and food insecurity.

This has been done by identifying the quantitative relationships between soil diversity and ecosystem functions and exploring how these are impacted by natural and anthropogenic pressures.

Findings from his research, identifying the causal link between soil microbial and faunal soil biodiversity and key ecosystem functions and services, have advanced crucial areas of ecosystem science, according to a Western Sydney University release.

The research findings have also informed multiple policy decisions at regional, national, and global levels, including providing key recommendations for bilateral engagements in agribusiness and trade between Australia and both India and the European Union.

He has developed innovations to boost the efficacy of existing microbial products and provided new tools for manipulating soil and plant microbiomes for an array of industries across Australia and the world, the release said.

Singh is currently working with multiple government and intergovernmental bodies, including the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), to train farmers, consultants, and policy advisors in sustainable agriculture, and in the Sustainable Development Goals.

In addition, he works with the UN FAO’s Global Soil Partnership to boost the resilience of farming systems and ensure environmentally sustainable food security measures globally.

Having spent ten years honing his knowledge in Scotland before relocating to Australia, Singh also advises the European Commission on enhancing productivity in the bioeconomy.

He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science; the Soil Science Society of Australia; the Soil Science Society of America, the American Academy of Microbiology, and a Humboldt Research Awardee.

Named after Dr Dorothy Jones — who served as President of Applied Microbiology International from 1989 to 1991 — the prize is part of the Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards, which celebrate the brightest minds in the field promoting individuals and research shaping the future of applied microbiology.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)