Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh flagged in, in New Delhi, a first-of-its-kind Open Water Swimming Expedition to the 21 Islands of the Andaman & Nicobar archipelago named after the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) Awardees.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had named 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar after the PVC awardees on January 23, 2023 on Parakram Diwas commemorating the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
To commemorate the first anniversary of the renaming, the Tri-service Andaman & Nicobar Command launched ‘Expedition Param Vir’,
wherein a team of personnel from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Indian Coast Guard undertook swimming to all the 21 islands as a tribute to the valour & sacrifice of the 21 gallantry awardees and unfurled the National Flag at each island.
The 11-member expedition team was led by the acclaimed open water swimmer and Tenzing Norway National Adventure Awardee Wing Commander Paramvir Singh.
The expedition was formally flagged-off by CINCAN on the occasion of World Water Day on March 22, 2024, from Shri Vijayapuram, with an inaugural swim to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Dweep.
The team swam to all 21 islands, more than 300 kms, over a period of five months. The expedition culminated on 78th Independence Day on August 15, 2024. The final swim was undertaken by 78 personnel from the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard, swimming from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Dweep to the Shri Vijayapuram.
Anurag Garg, an IPS officer of the 1993 batch, has been appointed as the new director general of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), a government order said,
Garg is currently working as an Additional DG in the Border Security Force (BSF) at its headquarters here.
An order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Garg, a 1993 batch Indian Police Service officer from Himachal Pradesh cadre, as the NCB DG "on deputation basis, with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post till 23.05.2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
In a historic achievement, Jordan has become the first country to eliminate leprosy, receiving official verification from the World Health Organisation (WHO). This milestone reflects the country's commitment to eradicating a disease that has plagued humanity for centuries and signifies a major breakthrough in global public health efforts.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, affecting the skin, nerves, and respiratory tract.
Jordan’s journey to this remarkable achievement began many years ago with targeted public health campaigns, early detection programs, and free, accessible treatments for all citizens.
The Jordanian Ministry of Health, in partnership with the WHO and other international organisations, has worked tirelessly to identify cases, provide multi-drug therapy (MDT), and educate communities on the realities of leprosy to reduce the stigma surrounding the disease.
India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) appointed Manu Bhaker, the double Olympic medal winner, as a brand ambassador.
Bhaker, the shooting ace who won Medals in shooting in the recent Summer Olympics held at Paris, is the daughter of a Marine Engineer.
The Minister also participated in an event to celebrate the achievements of women – especially those who have helped towards nation-building. Also felicitated were Lt Commander Vartika Joshi, First Women’s Skipper, Indian Crew of INSV Tarini; Sonali Banerjee, First Lady Marine Engineer in the history of Indian Mercantile Marine;
Captain Teena Joey, General Manager, JM Baxi Group, Chennai Branch; Thulasimathi Murugesan, the winner of Silver Medal in Singles Badminton the Paris Paralympics; Manisha Ramadass, Bronze medal winner in Singles Badminton in the Paris Paralympics; and Rupali Raj Joshi, Surveyor, 1 STS Marine Components, Indian Registrar of Shipping.
SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission, which concluded with a successful splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico on September 15, 2024, has gone down in history for multiple groundbreaking achievements. The mission, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, marks significant advancements in commercial space exploration, including the first-ever private spacewalk,
and the highest orbit a crewed spacecraft has reached since the Apollo era.
One of the mission’s key milestones was the first private spacewalk (also known as an Extravehicular Activity or EVA) performed by civilians. On September 12, Isaacman and Sarah Gillis, a SpaceX engineer and mission specialist, ventured outside the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, tethered for safety.
The EVA tested SpaceX’s newly developed spacesuits, designed for future commercial space missions. This spacewalk demonstrated the viability of private, non-government-led EVAs and showcased SpaceX’s advanced technology in this field.
In addition to the spacewalk, the Polaris Dawn crew reached a record orbital altitude of 1,408 kilometres,
the highest a human crew has flown since NASA’s Gemini 11 mission in 1966. This feat sets the stage for future missions aiming for deep space exploration, further solidifying SpaceX’s capabilities beyond low-Earth orbit.
Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions under the Polaris Program, aimed at pushing the boundaries of private spaceflight.
In a significant move to bolster India’s leadership in technological innovation, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Telecom Centre of Excellence (TCOE) India and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) – Visvesvaraya Research & Innovation Foundation (VRIF). The landmark MoU is for establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Quantum Technology,
associated 5G/6G Technologies etc, and other frontier areas of research and development. This CoE, headquartered at VTU-VRIF Bangalore, aims to accelerate India’s progress across these key sectors and is part of the 100-day programme.
TamilNad Mercantile Bank has announced the appointment of Shri Vincent Menachery Devassy as the Whole Time Director (Executive Director) for a period of three years. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved this appointment on September 19, 2024, under Section 35B of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. Shri Devassy’s appointment is subject to shareholder approval.
A veteran banker, Shri Vincent Menachery Devassy brings over 39 years of experience in commercial banking. His career, which began with the State Bank of India in 1984, spans a wide range of roles, including Chief General Manager for the North East Circle and General Manager for both Amaravati and Bangalore Circles.
CIFDAQ, a leading blockchain ecosystem firm has named Muthuswamy Iyer as Chief Compliance Officer. Muthuswamy brings extensive experience in regulatory compliance and adherence to PMLA guidelines to his new position at CIFDAQ, having worked primarily in the securities market and Web3/blockchain sectors for over 25 years, including pivotal roles at WazirX,
Edelweiss Broking Ltd, Karvy Stock Broking Ltd, Angel Broking Ltd, and National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. Muthuswamy has extensive experience in regulatory compliance, surveillance, and liaising with regulatory bodies. He is well-known for his crisis management abilities and ability to achieve outcomes under duress.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its nod for the re-appointment of V Vaidyanathan as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IDFC First Bank. According to the bank’s exchange filing on Thursday, the re-appointment is set to take effect from December 19, 2024, for a three-year term, running until December 18, 2027.
The bank’s board had initially approved the re-appointment on April 27, 2024, before Vaidyanathan’s current term expires in December 2024. Vaidyanathan took over as MD and CEO of IDFC First Bank in December 2018, following the merger of IDFC Bank and Capital First.
SBI General Insurance, one of India’s largest general insurers, has formed a strategic agreement with BLS E-Services to provide vital insurance products to a wider spectrum of customers across India. This collaboration is expected to broaden SBI General Insurance’s reach, particularly in rural and regional areas, by giving customers new products such as
Hospicash, auto insurance, personal injury insurance, and shop insurance.
Through this collaboration, SBI General Insurance strengthens its commitment to providing specialised insurance products to a wide range of consumer categories. Thanks to BLS E-Services’ network of over 40,000 consumers, particularly in underserved locations.
Jana Small Finance Bank, one of India’s top small finance banks, announced the debut of a comprehensive solution called “Liquid Plus” Fixed Deposit, which offers an attractive interest rate of 6.75% per annum for tenures ranging from 7 to 180 days. The rate applies to retail deposits of up to INR 3 crore and bulk deposits of up to INR 200 crore per customer.
The liquid plus fixed deposit makes short-term fund deployment incredibly straightforward and attractive, with better returns. The Bank took this action in response to consumer feedback requesting short-term fund placement.
Liquid Plus” is intended to meet the demands of individuals, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), and,
corporations seeking short-term investment opportunities with safety, liquidity, and guaranteed returns. Aside from high interest rates, this solution includes novel features such as T+0 (same-day) redemption, the option to make partial withdrawals, and an Instant Overdraft facility if needed.
Fintech firm, Veefin Group has acquired a 26% stake in EpikIndifi, a software solution provider, through a cash-and-share swap deal. This acquisition values EpikIndifi at Rs 125 crore and marks Veefin’s third major purchase this year, following its acquisitions of Nityo Infotech and Regime Tax Solutions (which operates TaxGenie and PayInvoice).
As part of the deal, EpikIndifi’s co-founders, Rajendra Awasthi, Sushmitshri Babu, and Vaidyanathan Balasubramaniam, will join Veefin Group along with their team. The acquisition aims to expand Veefin’s digital lending capabilities across personal loans, green loans, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) schemes, credit cards, mortgage loans, and SME loans,
complementing its strong presence in working capital solutions.
Veefin has announced plans to invest Rs 25 crore into EpikIndifi over the next two to three years to increase its stake for a complete acquisition. Launched in 2018, EpikIndifi offers cloud-based loan origination platforms that streamline customer and employee interactions for banks and financial institutions.
On 8 December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly, in its seventy-eighth session, unanimously adopted resolution 78/122 “World Cleanup Day”, which proclaims 20 September as World Cleanup Day. The resolution invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations, and other relevant stakeholders –
including civil society, the private sector and academia – to observe World Cleanup Day through activities aimed at raising awareness of the role clean-up efforts play in sustainable development. The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) facilitates the observance of the Day.
The theme of the inaugural event, taking place on 20 September in the city of Tromsø, Norway, is “Arctic Cities and Marine Litter”. The event, convened with support from UN-Habitat, GRID-Arendal, and the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the municipality of Tromsø.
