Current Affair March 2015

Union Government appoints 9 Executive Directors in Public Sector Banks

Union Government has appointed 9 Executive Directors (EDs) in Public Sector Banks (PSBs).

Their appointment was approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on recommendation of selection panel headed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan.

Following 9 Executive Directors (ED) of PSBs were appointed

• K. Sahoo- ED of Allahabad Bank.
• Pawan Kumar Bajaj- ED of Indian Overseas Bank.
• Ravi Shankar Pandey- ED of Syndicate Bank.
• Kishore Piraji Kharat- ED of Union Bank of India.
• C.Lodha- ED of Central Bank of India.
• Charan Singh- ED of UCO Bank
• Venkata Rama Moorthy- ED of Bank of Baroda.
• P. Marathe- ED of Bank of India.
• Harideesh Kumar B- ED of Canara Bank.

Wipro appoints Ali Neemuchwala as the Group President and Chief Operating Officer

Wipro, India’s third-largest software services firm has appointed Abid Ali Neemuchwala as the Group President and Chief Operating Officer (COO). This appointment will be effective from 1 April 2015.

Neemuchwala in his new role will head Wipro’s service lines of global infrastructure services, business application services, business process services and advanced technology solutions.

He will also head company’s advisor relationships, strategic engagements as well as the marketing function and business operations in various geographies including continental Europe, Latin America and Africa.

Prior to this appointment, Ali Neemuchwala was heading BPO arm of India’s largest software services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

About Abid Ali Neemuchwala

• He holds an Electronics & Communication (E&TC) engineering degree from NIT, Raipur and Master’s degree in Industrial Management from IIT, Mumbai.
• Neemuchwala has rich experience of 23 years in all facets of IT & BPS businesses and good track record of building and scaling businesses.

Services clinched 69th Santosh Trophy football title 2015

Services on 15 March 2015 have won 69th Santosh Trophy football title 2014-15. In the final match Services defeated host Punjab by score of 5-4 at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, Punjab.

In the final match both teams failed to score a goal in regulation period. But, in tie-breaker penalty shootout all the five players of Services including Captain Anthony, Arun Tudu, Vibin, Francis Zonuntulnga and Rakesh Singh scored goal which led them to victory.

With this win services have won this title for fourth time besides finishing runners up on five occasions. Previously services had won the Santosh Trophy in year 1961, 2012, 2013.

About Santosh Trophy

• Founded: 1941.
• It is an annual Indian football tournament.
• Trophy is named after the late Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh (that is now in Bangladesh).

India win’s Women’s FIH Hockey World League Round Two

India on 15 March 2015 has won FIH Women’s Hockey World League Round Two competition title.

In the final match played at Major Dhyan Chan stadium in New Delhi, Indian women team defeated Poland team by score of 3-1 goals.

In this match, from Indian side Vandana Kataria (15th minute), Ritu Rani scored two goals (44th and 59th minute) which led to victory. Polish team’s Oriana Walasek scored goal for her team at 17th minute.

It should be noted that Women’s Hockey World League Round Two, Indian team was victorious with clean sweep i.e. winning all the six matches played over in this tournament.

Rankings of teams

• India- 1st.
• Poland- 2nd.
• Malaysia- 3rd.
• Thailand- 4th.
• Russia- 5th.

Union Government appoints MC Mary Kom as Brand Ambassador for the North East

Union Government has selected legendary boxer and five-time world boxing champion MC Mary Kom as Brand Ambassador for the North East Region.

It was announced by Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh at a two-day business summit in New Delhi.

MC Mary Kom was selected to showcase the potential of the North East region which can offer Rs. 2.4 trillion business opportunities across various sectors.

About MC Mary Kom

• Her full name is Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom and belongs Kom tribal community of the north-eastern state of Manipur.
• Mary Kom is nicknamed Magnificent Mary. She is Five-time World Boxing champion, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships.
• She had won a bronze medal in 2012 London Olympics in the flyweight (51 kg) category and was only Indian woman boxer to qualify for this category.
• She is also first Indian woman boxer to get a Gold Medal in the 2014 Asian Games held at Incheon, South Korea.
• Awards- For her precious contribution to the sport of boxing (sports), she has been conferred with Padma Bhushan (2013), Padma Shree (2010) and Arjuna Award for Boxing (2003).
• Autobiography- Unbreakable.

Law Commission Report pitches for stronger Election Commission

Law Commission of India in its 255th report on electoral reform has pitched for stronger Election Commission of India (ECI).

The report was submitted to Ministry of Law and Justice by Law Commission Chairman Justice A P Shah.

Recommendations of 255th Report of Law Commission with respect to ECI

• Appointments of Chief Election Commissioners (CEC) and all Election Commissioners (ECs)- It should be made by the President in consultation with a three-member collegium or selection committee.
• The collegium or committee shall consist of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition of the Lok Sabha (or the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha) and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• Seniority based elevation- The elevation of an EC should be on the basis of seniority. If senior EC is not appointed due to unfit reasons, the three member collegium or a committee give reasons in writing.
• Equal constitutional protection to all members of the ECI- Equal constitutional protection must be given to all members of the ECI in matters of removability from office.
• In this regard, Article 324(5) of the Constitution should be amended.