Month: April 2020

D. Mohini Kumari, a woman has been appointed for the first time in history of the South Central Railways (SCR) as a ‘Guard’ for the Goods/Freight trains.

Mohini Kumari, a graduate,  was initially appointed in 2006 as a clerk, on compassionate grounds after the death of her husband. She subsequently qualified for the post of Guard after a departmental examination and subsequently underwent training in Secuderabad.  Mohini Kumari, the 43-year old graduate took charge of her new position as ‘Guard’ on Friday, July 26th, 2013.

The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) first giant Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (tail no. CB-8001)has taken off, after its transfer ceremony held in Long Beach, California on Tuesday, June 11th, 2013. The IAF is flying its first heavy-lift strategic transport plane, on its more than 8,000 mile journey to its new home at the Hindon Air Force Station (outside Delhi), where the squadron will be based.

Nearly a year ago, Indian Consul General Shri. N Parthasarathi stood on the floor of the Boeing Co. C-17 Globemaster III production plant, drilling ceremonial rivets into the first of the 10 military planes bound for India.

” The C-17 will equip the IAF with amongst the world’s most advanced humanitarian and strategic capabilities ” said Air Vice Marshall SRK Nair, Assitant Chief of Air Staff Operation Transport and Helicopter. The IAF’s capability to swiftly transport combat troops and war-fighting equipment to distant battle fronts will be hugely bolstered with the induction of the C-17’s aircraft that will augment their air lift capacity.

The giant Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a high-wing, four engine, T-tailed military transport aircraft can take off from short runaway of as little as 7,600 feet in length and land on runaways as short as 3,000 feet. It can fly 2,400 miles without aerial refuelling – flying longer with refuelling and carry as much as 80 tons of cargo. Th C-17’s are as much valued for their cargo capacity, the ability to fly long distances, their versatility and ability to land on remote airfields in rough terrain.

The first C-17 arrives in India almost exactly after 2 years of the deal being signed in June 2011. The $4.116 billion deal for 10 aircraft will make India the largest operator of the aircraft outside of the U.S.  India became Boeings’s largest foreign customer when it endorsed the $ 4 billion deal to purchase the C-17’s. Boeing is on track to deliver 4 more this years and 5 more to the IAF in 2014.

Once the deliveries are done, it will make the IAF the operator of the 2nd largest fleet of C-17’s after the US Air Forces’ current 218 strong inventory. The UK currently holds the status with the Royal Air Force operating 8 of the type.

Boeing will support the IAF C-17 fleet through the Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP) Performance-Based Logistics Contract.

V. S. Rama Devi was India’s first and only woman Chief Election Commissioner till date (ie. April 18, 2013) for a brief periond November 26, 1990 to December 11, 1990. She was succeeded by T. N. Seshan.

She did her M.A and then obtained her LLM. Subsequently enrolled as an Advocate in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. Then joined the Central Government Service as an officer belonging to the Group A service.

V.S. Rama Devi held several important assignments in her career. She was Governor of Himachal Pradesh (July 26, 1997 to December 01, 1999). Next she served as the First Woman Governor of Karnataka (December 02, 1999 to August 02, 2002).

Other key assignments of the talented Telugu bureaucrat were Honorary Advisor to the National Commission for Women(NCW), Member, Secretary – National Law Commission and Secretary General, Rajya Sabha (July 01, 1993 to July 25, 1997).

Rama Devi co-authored the book ‘Rajya Sabha at Work’.

V. S. Rama Devi was born in Chebrolu of West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. Born January 15, 1934 – Tuesday , April 17, 2013 – age 79 years, Bangalore.

India’s first new chemical entity (NCE) Lipaglyn (Saroglitazar) is discovered and developed indigenously by an Indian Pharmaceutical Company …Zydus Cadilla.

Zydus Cadilla announced a breakthrough in its research effots with Lipaglyn, a drug targeted at bridging a hitherto unmet healtcare need for treating diabetic dyslipidemia or hypertriglyceridemia in Type II diabetes, not controlled by statins.

Lipaglyn is the world’s first drug for treating diabetic dyslipdemia and combines lipid-and glucose-lowering effects in a single molecule. Lipaglyn has an active ingredient Saroglitazar and is the world’s first glitazar to be approved anywhere in the world.

Discovered by Zydus Research Centre, the dedicated NCE research arm of Zydus Cadilla – the Ahmedabad headquartered group.

The drug has been approved for launch in India by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)and is expected to be in the market by 2014.

Lourembam Brojeshori Devi, aged 19 was the first and only female judoka in the Indian Olympic contingent who participated in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in the Judo event ‘ Women’s Half-lightweight ‘.

Brojeshori Devi at 19 was a National champion . She  participated in 20 international and 16 national judo championships. Took part in the 2002 Busan Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games 2002 (Manchester) and in 2006 (Melbourne). This judoka won 2 Gold medals in SAF Games in 2006 and 2010. She won a Silver medal at the Vietnam International Judo tournament at Ho Chi Min city. Also represented India in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (China).

Brojeshori Devi was coached by Deven Moirangthem from Imphal (Manipur)for the period 1995-1988.

L. Brojeshori Devi born January 01st,1981 hails from Imphal, Manipur. She is the 3rd child amongst 5 children born to Lourembam Manglem and Taruni L. of Khagempalli, Huidrom Leikai. She was married to Th Rojen of Tabungkhok Mayai Leikai.

Brojeshori joined the CRPF in 1999 and worked as ‘Inspector’ of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). She was undergoing training in July 2013 at the CRPF Training Centre in Coimbatore on a Departmental training programme to become ‘Assistant Commandant’ when she became unwell.

She expired prematurely at 10.45pm, July 21st,2013 – aged 32,  at G.K. Hospital, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu where she was rushed for health related treatment. Lourembam Brojeshori Devi’s last rites were carried out by her husband Rojen Singh in Tabukhok Mayailekai near Imphal.

India’s first indigenous state-of-the-art ‘Manned Chamber Welding’ MCW shop was inaugurated at HAL’s Koraput(Sonabeda)facilities in Odisha by Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State for Defence on Thursday, May 19th, 2013. This makes India the second country in the world after Russia.

HAL Chairman Dr. R K Tyagi handed over the symbol of ‘robotic argon chamber’ dedicated to the nation to the Minister in the presence of the Defence Production Secretary R K Mathur.

The Indian equipment was developed indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with the help of other vendors. The Indian MCW system at HAL is unique that it offers both robotic and human (manual) welding in argon atmosphere. Russia and India are the only 2 countries having this facility with the Russian welding process being carried our manually.

In this robotic system, HAL does welding of 17 major modules of Sukhoi engine. The entire outer casing module of the engine is welded inside this chamber. The welder working inside has all life support and health maintaining features.

India’s Prime Minister’s Office has paved the way for the first woman head at a Public Bank. Arundhati Bhattarcharya has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the Country’s largest bank – The State Bank of India (SBI). August 02nd, 2013.

Arundhati Bhattarcharya breaks the glass ceiling and will be the first woman Mangaging Director of the Country’s largest bank – State Bank of India (SBI). She has been promoted from her previous position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Offier of SBI Capital Markets, the merchant banking arm. She replaces Diwakar Gupta who retired just a few days ago.

Prior to her role at SBI Capital Markets, Bhattacharya was also the Corporate Development Officer. She has been instrumental in setting up various initiatives of SBI General Insurance, SBI Macquarie Infrastructure Fund and SBI SG Global Securities Services. She has over 3 decades of experience at SBI and has undertaken various assignments spanning credit, forex, treasury and retail operations.

The SBI has 4 Managing Directors, 5 Deputy Managing Directors and 18 Chief General Managers apart from the Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri. The other 3 Managing Directors are A. Krishna Kumar, Hemant G. Contractor and S. Visvanathan.

Note: There are other women who made it to the top in the domestic Banking and Financial Services industry . You may use the ‘Search’ feature to access the information.

The country’s first private sector, self financed yoga university ‘Lakulish Yoga University’ was inaugrated on May 23rd, 2013 (Thursday) in Ahmedabad, by Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The University has been set up by the Surendranagar based Life Mission Trust which already runs several yoga training centres across the state and overseas. The newly appointed Vice Chancellor is Bansidhar Upadhyay. The Varsity founder Swami Rjarshi Muni said “..there would not be just one medium of teaching in the insititution”.

The University will award degrees for the 3-year courses. Students of the 3-year degree course will be taught Ashtang yoga, Karma, Knowledge, Bhakti yoga, Philosophy, Psychology, Anatomy, Ayurveda and Naturopahy.

The Gujarat government had earlier enacted a law for the creation of Yoga University in the State.

The Varsity is established in a lotus-shaped building on the Sarkhej – Gandhinagar highway on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.