- Current Affairs February 2019
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Current Affairs Feb 2019 - Appointments
1 - Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra Appointed as NCC Director General
Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra is appointed as the Director General of NCC (DGNCC) in New Delhi. He is an alumnus of the National Defense Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. In addition to this, Lt Gen Chopra has been awarded with Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his notable service in January 2018.
Lt Gen Chopra has also commanded various major operations like Operation Rhino in Assam and has also been the Commandant officer of the prestigious Infantry School.
2 - Sanjiv Ranjan Appointed as Ambassador of India to the Republic of Colombia
On 2nd February 2019, Ministry of External Affairs appointed Sanjiv Ranjan as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Colombia. Mr. Ranjan is Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1993 batch. Currently, he is serving as the Ambassador of India to Argentina.
Mr. Ranjan also served as Deputy High Commissioner of India to Mauritius from 2006 to 2009.
3 - Rishi Kumar Shukla Appointed as New Director of CBI
The Center has appointed 1983 batch IPS officer, Rishi Kumar Shukla as the new director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Mr. Shukla is appointment for a period of two years from the date of joining of the office. It has been approved by appointment committee of the Cabinet.
Currently, Mr. Shukla is the Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation.
4 - EU Parliament Recognized Juan Guaido as Venezuelan Interim President
Parliament of European Union (EU) recognized Juan Guaido as Interim President of Venezuela. Mr. Juan Guaido is self-declared interim president and de facto Head of the State.
At a special session in Brussels, held to recognize Venezuelan Congress Head Guaido as interim leader, among all EU lawmakers, 439 have been voted in favor; 104 voted against; and, 88 were absent.
However, by the time, EU did not set any time limit for the Presidential election in Venezuela.
5 - B.S. Mubarak Appointed as Ambassador of India to the Republic of Honduras
Indian Foreign Service Officer of 2001 batch, Mr. B. S. Mubarak has been appointed as the next ambassador of India to the Republic of Honduras.
Currently, Mr. Mubarak is ambassador of India to the Republic of Guatemala with residence in Guatemala City.
6 - Dinesh Bhatia appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Argentina
Indian foreign Service Officer of 1992 batch, Mr. Dinesh Bhatia has been appointed as the next ambassador of India to the Republic of Argentina.
Currently, Mr. Bhatia is Consulate General of India, Toronto and he is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
7 - Former Mayor Nayib Bukele Became New President of El Salvador
Former Mayor of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele has won the presidential election of El Salvador with 53.7 percent of vote and 89 percent of the ballots counted.
The 37 years old, Mr. Bukele will take the charge of President of El Salvador on June 1, 2019.
8 - Sanjay Kumar Verma Appointed as the Next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Marshall Islands
Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of 1998 batch, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Verma is appointed as the next ambassador of India to the Republic of Marshall Islands.
Presently, Mr. Verma is ambassador of India to Japan with residence in Tokyo.
Mr. Verma will take up the assignment shortly.
9 - African Union Elected Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi as its New Chairman
President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El Sisi has been elected as a new chairman of African Union. He has been elected in the 32nd African Union summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame was previous Chairman of African Union, who completed his one-year of tenure.
However, this appointment is warned by the rights group Amnesty international, as they are worried that chairmanship of El Sisi might undermine the human rights mechanisms.
10 - Centre has named Ruchira Kamboj as India’s new Ambassador to Bhutan
Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1987 batch, Ms. Ruchira Kamboj has been appointed as the next ambassador of India to Royal Kingdom of Bhutan.
Presently, Ms. Kamboj is High Commissioner of India to the Republic of South Africa. Ms. Kamboj will take up the assignment shortly.
11 - Australia Spin Legend Shane Warne Appointed as Brand Ambassador of Rajasthan Royals
Australian spin legend, Mr. Shane Warne has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Rajasthan Royals for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019. Mr. Warne was the captain of Rajasthan Royals for four sessions of IPL. However, in 2011, he retired completely from all forms of cricket.
Under the captainship of Mr. Warne, Rajasthan Royals had won their first and only IPL title in 2008.
Apart from this, Rajasthan Royals has also decided to change the color of their jersey from blue to pink. Pink is pretty popular color in Rajasthan because the capital Jaipur is popular as ‘Pink city;’ Jodhpur is famous for ‘pink sandstones;’ and, Udaipur is known for its ‘pink marble.’
12 - President Appointed Sushil Chandra as New Election Commissioner
Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxation (CBDT), Mr. Sushil Chandra has been appointed as new Election Commissioner by the President of India.
The other two members of the election commission are Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner (EC) Ashok Lavasa.
Appointment of Mr. Chandra will fill the vacancy, which is occurred because of the retirement of existing EC Mr. O.P. Rawat.
13 - Union Minister Arun Jaitley Resumed Charge as Finance Minister
Union Minister Arun Jaitley resumed the charge as the Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs.
He was on leave for three weeks from January 23, 2019 to February 14, 2019 because of some health related concerns.
In the absence of Minister Arun Jaitley, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal looked after both Finance and Corporate Affairs ministries.
14 - PC Mody Designated as New CBDT chairman
Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Officer of 1982 batch, Mr. Pramond Chandra Mody has been appointed as new Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). CBDT is a policy making body of Income Tax Department.
Mr. PC Mody has been appointed in the place of previous Chairman of CBDT, Mr. Sushil Chandra.
15 - Mary Kom Designated as Women’s Training Ambassador of PUMA
Six-time World boxing champion, Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom has been appointed as women’s training Ambassador of PUMA. It is a Germany based Sports and Lifestyle company.
According to Mary Kom, PUMA is brand which always supports and encourages women. The Managing Director of PUMA India, Mr. Abhishek Ganguly is expecting that this partnership will encourage women all over the country and also said,
"We are very thrilled to welcome Mary to the Puma family. Having consistently defied all odds to achieve a wide range of records and medals, she is an idol for women all over India."
16 - The Charge as Secretary of Department of Fisheries Given to Tarun Shridhar
Secretary of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy, Mr. Tarun Shridhar has been given additional charge as secretary of newly created Department of Fisheries. The appointment is with immediate effect and it will remain till the appointment of a regular obligatory or until further orders.
The appointment had been done just day after the approval of the forming Department of Fisheries by the Cabinet. Mr. Shridhar is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer of 1984 batch.
17 - BFI President Ajay Singh Appointed as the Head of AIBA Elite Foundation
President of Boxing Federation of India (BFI), Mr. Ajay Singh has been selected for the post of President of the Foundation Board for Better Boxing. It is an elite International Boxing Association (AIBA) Elite Foundation. He has been elected for the tenure of four years.
Mr. Ajay Singh expressed his happiness through the following words:
“The appointment is a huge pride not only for me personally but an honour for Indian boxing and the boxers too as our hard work has been not only appreciated globally, our potential as an upcoming boxing powerhouse has been recognised as well. I would like to thank AIBA and all members for considering me for this position and I will do everything possible in my capacity to render the responsibilities bestowed”.
18 - Former Judge, Justice D.K. Jain, Appointed as First BCCI Ombudsman by SC
The Supreme Court of India has appointed former Judge, Justice D.K. Jain as the first ombudsman for the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI).
Ombudsman is an administrative body who deals with any issue that comes with regards to the players and other financial issues.
Headquartered in Mumbai, the Ombudsman will have to hold the hearing at the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI).
19 - Justice Uma Nath Appointed as First Lokayukta of Nagaland
On February 22, 2019, former Chief of Meghalaya High Court, Justice Uma Nath Singh took the oath as a first Lokayukta of Nagaland.
The Governor of Nagaland, Mr. PB Acharya administrated the Oath to Justice Uma Nath Singh in an oath ceremony held at Raj Bhawan.
Tenure of the post is 4 years or until the age of 70. Whichever is earlier.
20 - Brij Bhushan Sharan Elected as WFI President
The Wrestling Federation of India has been elected MP Brij Bhushan Sharan as the President of WFI. Mr. Sharan assumed the post of President of WFI third time.
Mr. Sharan is also the member of Parliament from the Aiserganj constituency of Uttar Pradesh,
In addition to this, Mr. Sharan was also the chef-de-mission of the Indian Contingent for the Asian Games 2018 held in Jakarta and Palembang.
21 - Muhammadu Buhari Re-Elected as Nigerian President
President Muhammadu Buhari has been re-elected as the President of Nigeria. He will serve for the second four-year term.
President Buhari defeated his biggest rival, Atiku Abubakar by the margin of about four million votes but the opposition party of Atiku Abubakar, rejected the election result. Mr. Buhari was first elected in 2015. Earlier during the year of 1980s, he led a military regime for 20 months.