Current Affairs June 2019 - Appointments

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1 - SpiceJets Chairman and MD Ajay Singh was elected to the board of IATA

SpiceJet's Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh was elected to the board of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), less than three months after the airline joined the global grouping.

Founder and former chairman of the now grounded Jet Airways Naresh Goyal, who was associated with the IATA for a long time, was a member on the previous board.

Board of IATA

The new board of the global airlines' grouping would be chaired by Lufthansa Group Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr, who took charge after the conclusion of the IATA annual general meeting at Seoul, South Korea.

Spohr will be the Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG) for a one-year term. Other board members include Air Canada President and CEO Calin Rovinescu, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker.

In March, SpiceJet became the first Indian low-cost carrier to take membership of the IATA, a grouping of around 290 airlines.

International Air Transport Association (IATA)

Formed on: 19 April 1945

Headquarters: Quebec, Canada

DG and CEO: Alexandre de Juniac

Membership: 290 airlines in 120 countries

IATA is a trade association of the world’s airlines. IATA provides consulting and training services in many areas.

2 - RBI approved the appointment of Rakesh Makhija as chairman of Axis Bank

In March, the board of the Axis bank had approved appointment of Rakesh Makhija as chairman subject to RBI clearance.

Rakesh Makhija, independent director was appointed as the non-executive (part-time) chairman of the bank, for a period of 3 years, with effect from July 18, 2019, up to July 17, 2022.

Rakesh Makhija has held a number of top management positions within the SKF Group. Prior to joining SKF, he was the chief executive officer and managing director of Tata Honeywell Ltd.

3 - VP Sivakolundhu elected as Puducherry Assembly Speaker

Deputy Speaker VP Sivakolundhu was elected as the new Speaker of the Puducherry Assembly.

The post fell vacant after Congress' V Vaithilingam stepped down on March 21 to contest the Lok Sabha election from the lone Union Territory seat of Puducherry, which he won with a margin of 1,96,802 votes against his nearest rival K Narayanasamy of All India NR Congress.

The Congress leader, Sivakolundhu, was the sole contender for the Speaker's post.

4 - Muhammad Bande has been elected as the next President of the 74^th session UN General Assembly

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UN Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, elected as the next President of the 74^th session UN General Assembly. He will succeed Maria Fernanda Espinosa. The next General Assembly session will commence in September 2019.

Elected as per the rule

UNGA rule states that the President of the 74^th session of the General Assembly should be elected from among the African States. In accordance with the rule, Muhammad-Bande has been elected.

He assumes charge as UNGA prepares to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of its creation in 2020. India offered its support to Muhammad-Bande's candidature.

Focus

Muhammad-Bande, a former University professor, said that his presidency will focus on peace and security, poverty eradication, zero hunger, quality education, climate action.

The 74^th session of UNGA will focus on high-level meetings which include the High-level Political Forum, the Secretary-General’s Climate Summit, the high-level events on Universal Health Coverage, Financing for Development and the commemoration of Beijing+25, providing major opportunities to promote the implementation of the goals and targets.

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

Formed on: 1945

Headquarters: New York, United States

Members: 193

President: Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

India's Permanent Representative to the UN is Syed Akbaruddin

Note: Maria Fernanda Espinosa was only the fourth woman to be elected President of the General Assembly in the world organization's 73-year-old history and the first woman president of the world body ever from Latin America and the Caribbean region.

5 - Rajnath Singh to chair the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is to chair the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs in the second term of the NDA government. Decisions on all the parliament matters will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.

He was made a member of Cabinet Committee on Security and Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development.

He is also a part of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, the all-important panel on political affairs which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All important political decisions in the ruling dispensation will be taken by the panel.

Apart from these 4 committees, he is also a member of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). In total, he is now a part of six key panels of the government.

In the last government, Rajnath Singh headed the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.

6 - P Jayadevan appointed as IOCL executive director for TN, Pondy

P Jayadevan appointed as executive director of IndianOil Corporation Ltd for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry with immediate effect.

He succeeds R Sitharthan

He will function as the coordinator for the oil industry in the state and also in the union territory.

He will head as the chairman's secretariat at the corporate office, New Delhi.

He has over three decades of experience primarily in LPG, operations, engineering and sales.

He holds a master's degree in petroleum management from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

He is presented with the Prime Minister's Aadhaar Excellence Award for his contribution.

About Indian Oil Corporation

Headquarters: New Delhi

Chairperson: Sanjiv Singh

Subsidiaries: Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, Lanka IOC

7 - Justice Prashant Kumar appointed as Acting CJ Of Jharkhand HC

Centre notified the appointment of Justice Prashant Kumar as the Acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court with effect from the date present Acting Chief Justice D N Patel relinquishes charge following his appointment as the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.

Former Chief Justice Aniruddha Bose was appointed as Supreme Court judge on May 22.

Justice Patel appointed as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in the vacancy due to the retirement of former CJ Rajendra Menon.

He was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Jharkhand High Court. In 2016, he was transferred to the Allahabad High Court.

He was transferred back to the Jharkhand High Court.

About Justice Prashant Kumar

Justice Prashant Kumar is an Indian judge.

Presently, he is the Acting Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court.

8 - Rakesh Sharma, Bajaj Auto Executive Director elected as IMMA Vice-President

Rakesh Sharma, Bajaj Auto Executive Director and also a representative of SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) elected as VP (Vice President) of IMMA, International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (based in Geneva) during the annual general meeting of (IMMA) at Yogyakarta in Indonesia.

Rakesh Sharma has a wide range of experience in 2 and 3-wheeler industry and he is expected to efficiently direct IMMA towards being the trusted motorcycle manufacturers worldwide.

IMMA’s president is Johannes Loman.

9 - Mrutyunjay Mohapatra is appointed as IMD Chief

Renowned scientist and cyclone warning specialist Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was appointed as the Chief of India Meteorological Department (IMD). His is popularly known as Cyclone man. He will take charge in the month of August.

Mohapatra and his team at the Cyclone Warning Division (CWD) of the IMD are noted for their accurate forecasts on cyclones which have enabled the authorities to ensure early evacuation of millions of people eventually saving many lives. In the past six years, the CWD has given accurate forecasts on cyclones including when Phailin in 2013), Hudhud cyclone in 2014 and Titli in 2018 that hit the eastern coast.

India Meteorological Department

Formed on: 1875

Headquarters: New Delhi

Functions under: Ministry of Earth Sciences

Minister responsible: Harsh Vardhan

Director General: K.J. Ramesh

The IMD is responsible for the weather and climate-related forecasts in the country. It is also mandated to issue warning to people about severe weather phenomenon like cyclones, dust storms, heavy rain and snow, cold and heat waves, among others.

10 - Mekathoti Sucharitha appointed as the Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh

Sucharitha, A Dalit Women was inducted into the Congress by the late Dr Y S Rajashekara Reddy (YSR) spotted her during his historic ‘padayatra’ in 2003.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy appointed Mekathoti Sucharita as the state home minister

She is one among five ministers to be selected from SC community

Her native is Poondla village near Bapatla and completed her studies at Phirangipuram, where her father was practising as a doctor.

She vowed to maintain the highest standards of integrity and honesty in public life and thanked Chief Minister for reposing faith in her and promised that she would live up to the expectations.

About Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy

Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy, is an Indian politician.

He is serving as the 17^th and current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Party: YSR Congress Party

About Andhra Pradesh

Chief Minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy (YSR Congress Party)

Governor: E. S. L. Narasimhan

11 - BJP MP Virendra Kumar to be pro-tem speaker of Lok Sabha

Virendra Kumar, a seven-time MP from Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh chosen as the pro tem speaker of the 17^th Lok Sabha.

He was MoS in the ministry of women and child development He was also in the minority affairs ministry in the previous government.

He is likely to be administered the oath of office at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 17, the day where newly elected Lok Sabha commences its first session.

On the first two days, the new MPs will take the oath.

The election for the speaker will be on June 19.

He was elected to the 11^th Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996.

He became a member of the Standing Committee on Labour and Welfare.

He served as a member and chairman of various committees.

He studied a Ph.D. started his political career in 1977

He became the convener of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh.

He served a prison sentence of 16 months under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in protest against the imposition of Emergency when he was associated with RSS.

He was a minister of state in the previous Modi government.

Definition of Pro Term Speaker

After the general election and formation of a new government, a list of senior Lok Sabha members prepared by the Legislative Section is submitted to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs

He who selects a pro tem speaker.

The appointment should be approved by the President.

12 - Narasimhan has been appointed as CEO of Reckitt Benckiser

PepsiCo executive Laxman Narasimhan has been appointed as the chief executive officer of the British consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser. He will succeed Rakesh Kapoor. Narasimhan will join Reckitt as CEO-designate and be appointed to the board on July 16. He will resume his office and become group CEO on September 1.

Narasimhan’s initial priorities will be to focus on delivering outperformance especially in the health business unit, and to drive the Lysol maker’s plan to split the firm into two business units under the same company.

13 - Zuzana Caputova sworn as Slovakia's first female President

Zuzana Caputova sworn as Slovakia's first female President.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at Constitutional Court chair Ivan Fiacan parliamentary session held in Bratislava, Xinhua.

After her sworn in the ceremony she insisted to maintain and strengthen this space of the pillars of Slovakia.

She is the fifth president in the modern Slovak.

She was elected in the month of March.

She defeated Smer-SD candidate Maros Sefcovic.

About Slovakia

It is a landlocked country in Central Europe

Capital: Bratislava

Currency: Euro

14 - Om Birla has been elected as the 17^th Lok Sabha Speaker

Om Birla has been unanimously elected as the 17^th Lok Sabha Speaker with the opposition Congress coming out in support of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s candidate. Birla will replace Sumitra Mahajan.

Mr.Om Birla

He is a two-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament (MP) from Rajasthan. Birla is also a member of the Standing Committee on Energy in Parliament, member of Committee on Petitions and Consultative Committee for Ministry of social justice and empowerment. He has an 86% average attendance in the House.

Nominated by

Mr.Birla was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah and minister for transport and highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari. He was also backed by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) which was led by the Congress has also decided to support Birla’s candidature.

15 - Shefali Juneja appointed as India's representative in the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

Government of India appointed Shefali Juneja appointed as India's representative in the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

The period of three years.

She is currently serving as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA).

She will replace Alok Shekhar (IAS officer ) who is named for the post in October 2015.

The council is composed of 36 states.

The council member states are chosen under three headings namely states of chief importance in air transport, states make the largest contribution to the provision of facilities for air navigation.

About the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

Founder: Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation

Founded: 1944

Headquarters: Montreal, Canada

Head: Fang Liu

16 - Justice V Ramasubramanian appointed as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court

Justice V Ramasubramanian appointed as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

He succeeded Chief Justice Surya Kant.

The ceremony was administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat.

He served as an Additional Judge of the Madras High Court

He joined as permanent Judge from November 9, 2009

About Himachal Pradesh

Capital - Shimla

Chief Minister - Jai Ram Thakur

17 - Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan appointed as the second Chief Justice of Telangana High Court

Raghvendra Singh Chauhan appointed as the second Chief Justice of Telangana High Court in Hyderabad.

He succeeded Chief Justice T.B. Radhakrishnan in April, 2019

He belongs to Rajasthan

He took oath before Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan.

Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi initiated swearing-in ceremony

The Registrar General of Telangana High Court A. Venkateswar Reddy read out the warrant

About Telangana

Capital - Hyderabad

Chief Minister - K. Chandrashekar Rao

18 - K Natarajan to be the new director general of Indian Coast Guard

Krishnaswamy Natarajan appointed as the next director general of Indian Coast Guard.

He replaces Rajendra Singh who is retiring after three and a half years of service.

K. Natarajan joined the Coast Guard on January 18, 1984.

He holds a Masters Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University.

He held various important command and staff appointments, both afloat and ashore.

The flag officer commanded all classes of ICG ships namely Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) Sangram, Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Veera, Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) Kanaklata Barua and Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) Chandbibi.

19 - Samant Goel appointed as the new Chief of Research and Analysis Wing

The appointment comes after Samant Goel's key role in India’s counter-attack on the terror infrastructure in Pakistan’s Balakot. Goel is of the 1984 batch and hold the rank of Director General. He is from the Punjab cadre.

The appointment was finalized and approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). ACC is headed by PM Narendra Modi and comprising Home Minister Amit Shah.

Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW)

Formed on: 21 September 1968

Headquarters: New Delhi, India

Minister responsible: Narendra Modi, PM of India

It is the foreign intelligence agency of India.

The agency's primary function is gathering foreign intelligence, engaging in counter-terrorism, promoting counter-proliferation, advising Indian policymakers, and advancing India's foreign strategic interests.

It is also involved in the security of India's nuclear programme.

20 - Author Amish Tripathi appointed as the Director of Nehru Centre in London

Author Amish Tripathi named as the director of London's Nehru Centre.

Author of best-selling books like the Secret of the Nagas and Sita - Warrior of Mithila, Tripathi take over from diplomat Srinivas Gotru.

Gotra's four-year tenure ended this year.

Tripathi appointed for the post followed by an interview with a selection panel, ICCR president Vinay Sahasrabudhe.

The Nehru Centre founded in 1992

Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its founder director.

About Amish Tripathi

He is an Indian author

His famous works are The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas, The Oath of the Vayuputras, Scion of Ikshvaku and Sita: Warrior of Mithila.

21 - Acharya sworn in as the Governor of Manipur on 27 June

Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya sworn in as the Governor of Manipur on 27 June. Justice Lanusungkum Jamir of the High Court of Manipur administered the oath of office to Acharya at the Darbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan, Manipur.

Acharya will discharge the functions of the Governor of Manipur, in addition to his current duty as the Governor of Nagaland, during the absence of Dr Najma Heptulla, Governor of Manipur. After swearing in Acharya said that the governor is the constitutional head of state and that he will discharge his constitutional duties.

Can a governor be appointed for 2 or more states?

Yes he can.

Article 153 of Constitution: It says that there shall be a Governor for each state. The 7^th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 has facilitated the appointment of the same person as a governor for two or more states.

22 - Arvind Kumar is appointed as Director of Intelligence Bureau

Arvind Kumar, Senior IPS officers, is appointed the new Chief of Intelligence Bureau (IB). He is the IPS officer of 1984 batch. His appointment is confirmed by the Home Ministry. Arvind Kumar will succeed Rajiv Jain as IB Chief and will assume his charge on 30^th June 2019.

Previously Arvind Kumar was involved in tackling the Left Wing Extremism at IB. He is considered to be an expert on Kashmir issues. The Director of the Intelligence Bureau or the IB Chief is the senior most ranked IPS officer in the IB and the senior most IPS officer in the country also.

23 - Sharad Kumar Saraf is appointed as the new President of FIEO

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has elected Sharad Kumar Saraf as its new president. Saraf will succeed renowned exporter Ganesh.

Sharad Kumar

Saraf in his earlier stints at FIEO has served twice as vice-president and four times as regional chairman. He is chairman and founder of Technocraft Industries (India).

FIEO

Federation of Indian Export Organisations Interface between international trading community of India and Centre and state government, railways, ports, surface transport, financial institutions. Export development authorities in India. Its direct members contribute more than 70% of India

It was established in 1965 with headquarters in New Delhi by Union Ministry of Commerce and private trade and industry.

FIEO serves as a forum for two way transmission of views between the government departments and the exporting community.

FEIO has partnered with international agencies like International Trade Centre (ITC), World trade organisation(WTO), United nation conferrence on trade and development (UNCTAD), Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International trade money ITM.

24 - Sarada Kumar Hota took over as NHB MD

Government of India, Canara Bank General Manager (GM)Sarada Kumar Hota assumed charge as the National Housing Bank (NHB) Managing Director

It lasted for a period of three years.

He succeeds Sriram Kalyanaraman.

He served as the managing director of Can Fin Homes

A subsidiary of Canara Bank.

NHB wholly owned by the Government.

Last week, NHB tightened rules on leverage and capital adequacy ratio for HFCs, by capping the borrowing limit of these companies at 12 times the net owned fund as on 31 March, 2022

NHB is now 100% owned by the government.

About NHB

Founded: 9 July 1988

Headquarters: New Delhi