SBI’s Anshula Kant appointed MD and CFO of World Bank

Anshula Kant, managing director of the State Bank Of India, has been appointed as managing director and chief financial officer of the World Bank. As Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Kant will be responsible for financial and risk management of the World Bank Group, reporting to the President.

Akshaya Patra wins BBC award

Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organisation running one of the world’s largest school meals project in India, has been awarded the BBC World Service Global Champion Award for the programme. The award, presented at the BBC Food and Farming Awards in Bristol this week, recognises a person or project that is changing the way the world produces, processes, consumes or thinks about food for the better. The Bengaluru-based NGO was selected by an international panel of judges from nominations sent in by the World Service audience around the world.

First Indian woman scientist in London's Royal Society

Gagandeep Kang is the first Indian woman scientist to be selected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. Gagandeep Kang is a clinician scientist and a professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences at the famous Christian Medical College, Vellore. She is the current executive director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, which is an autonomous institution under the department of biotechnology of the science and technology ministry. Before Kang, two Indian origin women scientists - British microscopist Pratibha Gai (2016) and American microbiologist Lalita Ramakrishnan (2018) - had received the honour.

Tagore Awards for Cultural Harmony for the Years 2014, 2015 and 2016

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 to Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, Chhayanaut (a cultural organisation of Bangladesh) and Shri Ram Vanji Sutar respectively. Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh is a highly accomplished and senior most guru, exponent, chorographer, prolific writer and scholar of Manipuri dance. His name is synonymous with the propagation of Manipuri dance both in and outside Manipur. Chhayanaut is a cultural organization of Bangladesh which has played a leading role in the promotion of Tagore’s works and Bangla arts and literature not only within Bangladesh, but all across the world. It has also rushed to the aid of people at times of famines, floods or riots, bringing people together to resolve crisis with songs of protest on their lips. Shri Ram Vanji Sutar is a renowned sculptor and scholar. He has made more than 600 monumental sculptures in last eighty years. He has sculptured the mammoth 182 meter high statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the world’s tallest statue (The Statue of Unity) which has recently been installed at Sardar Sarovar Dam, Gujarat.

Vice Admiral Karambir Singh is appointed as Chief of Naval Staff

The Government have appointed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, presently Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) Eastern Naval Command as next Chief of the Naval Staff with effect from afternoon of May 31, 2019. The present Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba retires on the same day. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).

India Bags First Prize at The International Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2019

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has won the First Prize in the category of TV Cinema Spot at the prestigious international Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2019. The Golden City Gate Tourism Multi-media Awards are given annually in various categories related to the Tourism and Hospitality sectors. The ‘Golden City Gate’ is a creative multi-media international competition for countries, cities, regions and hotels. The entries received for the awards are judged by an international jury comprising film and tourism experts. The annual award ceremony takes place at ITB Berlin, the world’s leading tourism trade show.

PM Modi launches Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) Yojana

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, launched the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) Yojana at Vastral in Gujarat. He also distributed the PM-SYM pension cards to select beneficiaries. Over two crore workers at three lakh Common Service Centers across the country witnessed the launch event through video conference Terming it as a historic day, the Prime Minister dedicated PM-SYM Yojana to the forty two crore strong unorganized sector workers in the country. He said that the scheme will assure a monthly pension of Rs.3000 for the enrolled unorganized sector workers during their old age. It is for the first time since independence that such a scheme is envisaged for the crores of workers engaged in the informal sector.