The MBD Group marked the 15 years celebrations of its flagship Hotel Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida. Driven by the vision of the founder, Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra who went on to build and establish the MBD Group as the largest education company in India. An entrepreneur par excellence also envisioned the Group’s diversification into Hospitality and Retail amongst others. On 21st November 2003, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel, the first five-star deluxe hotel of Noida opened its doors and on 21st November, 2018 the Hotel celebrated 15 years of successful existence and memorable moments.
Since opening its doors, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida paved the way for a new standard of hospitality in Noida. Besides attracting thousands of guest, over the years, the flagship hotel of MBD Group has not only showcased the transformation efforts but also reinstated Group’s commitment to contribute in the growth of the hospitality segment in India. Most importantly it has becoame a trendsetter in Delhi-NCR.
Located in Sector 18, Noida, the hotel boasts of Multiple awards winner, amongst top 3 hotels in NCR in terms of ‘Revenue Per Available Room RevPAR’, ranked as Asia Pacific’s Best Performing Franchised Hotel of Radisson Hotel Group, with highest guest scores and numerous accolades for Food and Beverage. With access to entertainment and shopping options, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel has undergone renovation to challenge the way of elevating guest experiences. Most recently, the hotel was revamped into an ultra-luxurious property that has surpassed the expectations of the travellers looking to indulge in an effortless, imperial and opulent stay experience.
Mrs. Satish Bala Malhotra, Chairperson, MBD Group, said, “It’s a very proud and emotional moment for all of us. In these 15 years, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida hailed as one of the NCR’s most preferred hotels. The leadership and dynamic vision of Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra guided the Group’s expansion and diversification goals to become a successful conglomerate.”
Commenting on the special occasion, Ms. Monica Malhotra Kandhari, Managing Director, MBD Group, said, “Essentially the first 5-star deluxe hotel in Noida, MBD Group has established itself in Hospitality industry through our maiden venture, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel. Most recently, we decided huge renovation to redefine the experience of hotel stays and made it more luxurious with an enhanced level of service and convenience. Now hotel is providing the patrons a chance to indulge themselves in a royal experience like never before, at our hotel.”
Ms. Sonica Malhotra, Joint Managing Director, MBD Group, said, “It has been a wonderful journey of 15 years, we consistently achieved outstanding milestones, maneuvering several challenges. Team continues to guarantee memorable experiences and impeccable services to our guests. We will continue to refine our personalised service standards, whilst connecting with and giving back to the community weserve. At MBD Group, we always maintain that one must strive to push ahead to the next level, it not just only benefits us but also benefits the people walking along with us.”
At MBD Group, hospitality is not about serving but also treating guests with elegance and excellence. The second venture of the MBD Group, Radisson Blu Hotel MBD Ludhiana, the first 5 star deluxe hotel in the region, exuding seclusion, luxury and comfort. Aimed at redefining luxury at Bengaluru, Zephyr, An MBD Steigenberger Hotel is the pioneering mixed-use development entailing Luxury Hotel and Luxury Serviced Apartments. MBD Steigenberger promise hospitality made in Germany and delivered in India. Targeting to open at least 20 hotels in India over the next 15 years, this JV presents German precision tailor-made for Indian guests while ensuring outstanding global standards and a luxurious environment. MBD Express aims to tap remarkable increase in demand for quality accommodation in budget segment.
Deployed as part of Airtel’s ongoing network transformation program, Project Leap, the Massive MIMO technology will expand existing network capacity by five to seven times using the existing spectrum, thereby improving spectral efficiency. Customers will now be able to experience two to three times superfast speeds on the existing 4G network. Fifth-generation wireless (5G) is the latest iteration of cellular technology, engineered to greatly increase the speed and responsiveness of wireless networks. With 5G, data transmitted over wireless broadband connections could travel at rates as high as 20 Gbps by some estimates — exceeding wireline network speeds — as well as offer latency of 1 ms or lower for uses that require real-time feedback. 5G will also enable a sharp increase in the amount of data transmitted over wireless systems due to more available bandwidth and advanced antenna technology.Data speeds will now also be seamless, offering enhanced user experience even indoors, in crowded places and high rise buildings. It would enable multiple users and multiple devices to work simultaneously without facing any congestion or experience issues especially at hotspot locations.
Massive MIMO is a key enabler and foundation for technology revolutions to come. It is a pre-5G technology that will make the network future ready for meeting the data demand coming from digital revolution and data explosion in India. Customers can enjoy these faster data speeds on their existing 4G mobile devices without any upgrades or plan change. Massive MIMO deployment uses green technology and thus helps reduce carbon footprint.
Massive MIMO creates 3D beams both on horizontal and vertical planes towards users located within its coverage footprint. This helps in improving coverage and reducing interference across users in different beams, thereby improving signal quality (SINR) by 2-3dB. Serving multiple users by re-using same set of resource blocks (MU-MIMO) with improved signal quality helps in improving user experience, cell capacity and spectrum efficiency.
Airtel recently also announced a strategic partnership with Korean telecommunications service provider SK Telecom to leverage its expertise to build the most advanced telecom network in India. Under this partnership, Airtel and SKT will also collaborate on an on-going basis towards jointly building and enabling an ecosystem for the introduction of evolved technology standards of 5G, Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), Software-defined Networking (SDN) and Internet of Things (IoT) in the Indian context.
The high-speed and low latency service will help Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India plan, which seeks to broaden Internet access. 5G offers network management features, among them network slicing, which allows mobile operators to create multiple virtual networks within a single physical 5G network. This capability will enable wireless network connections to support specific uses or business cases and could be sold on an as-a-service basis. A selfdriving car, for example, would require a network slice that offers extremely fast, low-latency connections so a vehicle could navigate in real time. A home appliance, however, could be connected via a lowerpower, slower connection because high performance isn't crucial. The internet of things (IoT) could use secure, data-only connections.
Highlights
New technology will expand existing network capacity by 5-7 times, leading to much faster data speeds and better customer experience
India joins a select group of countries globally to deploy Massive MIMO, marking a major technological leap for the telecom sector in the country
Airtel customers to enjoy faster data speeds on their existing 4G mobile devices without any upgrades or plan change
Starting with Bengaluru and Kolkata, Airtel plans to deploy the technology in other parts of the country
Welcome to Istanbul, the city of the past, the present and the future. Istanbul not only joins continents, it also joins cultures and people.
Istanbul is one of the most visited and important places in the world, a central hub connecting Asia and Europe, blending the past and the future, bringing together cultures and people from all over the world. Located in the Marmara region of Turkey, Istanbul is the world’s most gorgeous and mysterious city, the coolest European city, the biggest Turkish city.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN ISTANBUL
Enjoy city shopping and tourist attractions, experience the colorful daily life and dynamic nightlife, or visit museums, historical and religious sites in Istanbul. Catch a glimpse of Istanbul's ancient city walls, enchanted churches, Ottoman palaces and spiritual mosques, savor the delightful flavours of the city's rich cuisine. Fascinating stories in amazing locations.
GASTRONOMY IN ISTANBUL
Food and drink has important place in Istanbul culture, from gourmet restaurants and Bosphorus side cafes to charming coastal fish restaurants, traditional kebab houses, Ottoman and world cuisine, Istanbul is just like a food lover's paradise for all tastes and budgets. In Istanbul, you can find the most delicious meals and drinks prepared with secret recipes. Discover the different flavours of Istanbul.
ISTANBUL FOR GOURMET TRAVELERS
Especially with its famous recipes inherited from the Ottoman Empire, Turkish Cuisine has an outstanding place among all other. Even though these dishes are associated with different parts of the country, the restaurants in Istanbul cope with all of them fairly well.
SHOPPING GUIDE FOR ISTANBUL
Turkey's largest city of Istanbul has much to offer the serious shopper, from the Grand Bazaar to the authentic spice markets and shopping centers to neighbourhoods full of intriguing boutiques. Sophisticated, contemporary boutiques are springing up among the traditional bazaars and back streets of Istanbul. Come and discover Istanbul like never before with superb shopping experiences.
ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE
Istanbul is Turkey's ultimate dining, music, nightlife and entertainment capital with its bars, restaurants, clubs and concert halls. The city of Istanbul never sleeps, sophisticated and artistic. Come and enjoy the best of entertainment in where east meets west. From ultra modern atmospheric clubs to passionate traditional taverns, unlimited nightlife awaits you in Istanbul. Cheers to the best party times. You can raise your glass against the amazing view of the Bosphorus in Istanbul.
ISTANBUL'S HISTORIC AREAS
The historical city of Istanbul, the only city in the world located on two continents, was the capital of three great empires; Roman, Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire.
LOVE OF CONTINENTS
Istanbul is the only city situated on two continents in the world. The Historic Areas of Istanbul are represented by four main areas: Sultanahmet Archaeological Park, Suleymaniye Conservation Area, Zeyrek Conservation Area and Land Walls Conservation Area. These areas differ from each other in terms of the periods and characteristics of the cultural property that they house, and they display the urban history of Istanbul.
SULTANAHMET ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
Istanbul is a holy city, where mosques, churches and synagogues exist side by side, and even declare their unity Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the unique mosaics of Hagia Sophia.
Topkapi Palace, the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire. Suleymaniye Mosque, the masterpiece of imperial architect Mimar Sinan, rising above the Golden Horn.
Basilica Cistern, the City Walls, the timber houses, and the music dancing at the domes of Hagia Eirene announce Istanbul as the capital of history and culture.
ZEYREK AND SULEYMANIYE CONSERVATION AREAS
An important part of the historical areas of Istanbul is the hundreds of mansions, timber houses, and public buildings in Zeyrek and Suleymaniye Conservation Areas that have managed to survive until today. Built between 1550 and 1557, Suleymaniye Mosque and its Complex is one of the masterpieces of the royal architect Mimar Sinan.
LAND WALLS
Land Walls, located on the West boundary of the Historical Peninsula and lying from the Golden Horn to Sea of Marmara in the north south direction, are one of the biggest projects of the Ancient Period. Its construction started at the beginning of the 5th century during the reign of Theodosius II. Land Walls are of high quality with their size, design, construction techniques and materials.
Ridiculously charming and talented onscreen megastar, writer, singer, philanthropist, activist is The Quanticoactress Priyanka Chopra...
Born in Jamshedpur on 18 July 1982, PC’s parents, Shri Ashok and Madhu Chopra were both physicians in the Indian Army
Priyanka made her acting debut with the Tamil film called Thamizhan in 2002.
PC is the first-ever Indian actor to have her foot impression casted in the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Italy, joining the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Marliyn Monroe.
PC is a junk food addict and loves binge on pizza and french fries
Priyanka is quite a car aficionado and owns a Porsche Cayenne, BMW 7Series and Mercedes S-Class
Priyanka stays in New York and wanted to be an engineer at first, but later thought of being a criminal psychologist. However, she ended up doing neither as she became Miss World at the age of 18, taking up modelling full time.
The stunning lovebirds, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are the hot topic of discussion these days. The lovely duo has made their relationship official lately with a same romantic picture along with even more romantic captions. While Priyanka made it official and wrote, “Taken.. With all my heart and soul..” Nick, on the other hand, introduced his lady-love in the best possible manner and wrote, “Future Mrs. Jonas. My heart. My love.” Both of them seemed to be madly in love with each other (*touchwood*).
Chopra owns a production company, Purple Pebble Productions, along with her mother, Dr. Madhu Chopra. “Global icon Priyanka Chopra has always been inspired by the art of storytelling, and conceptualized Purple Pebble Pictures as a home from which great stories originate and a solid platform to promote upcoming talent,” the website says. The production company has produced movies such as Ventilator, which won 3 National Awards in India.
The more things change, the more they remain constant. There are chances that in the rush to fast, feast, shop and celebrate in the ongoing festive season, we may forget what these celebrations are all about. But look closely, and there it is – you can see Durga’s determination to vanquish all that is evil by the way she holds her head high and poses to strike the demon Mahishasur.
So take a few moments off – keep that second helping of dessert for later, postpone the tequila shot for just a few seconds and stop taking pictures on your smartphone for just one minute. For those few moments, savour life for what it really is – love, laughter, family and happiness. Let the darkness within be dispelled through the light of wisdom; the good in us wins over the evil. Life has many facets and stages to it. It is important that we throw light on all of them, for if one aspect of our life is in darkness, we cannot express life in its totality.
Keeping the festive spirit in mind, we at DW have certainly had to work hard to catch your attention. And to do that we feature India’s Mr Business, Ratan Naval Tata on our cover. India’s Coolest Business Tycoon Ratan Tata, the name itself inspires thousands of lives. The legendary businessman, investor and philanthropist is a boon to India. He once said, “I do not believe in taking right decisions, I take decisions and then make them right”. Visionary, philanthropist, living legend and a generous soul – Padma Vibhushan Ratan Tata is so much more than just the former chairman of Tata Group. The man continues to inspire millions of dreams even today.
In this issue the Environment section we discuss the recent Climate Report that warns of extreme weather, displacement of millions without action. It calls for action to develop an early warning system to help anticipate future abrupt changes and reduce their impacts. The possibility of abrupt climate change — large shifts in climate that take place over periods as short as decades or even years — is the topic of increasing scientific research because of the potential for such changes to happen faster than human or natural systems could respond.
The Defence story talks about how UAVs have become India’s Military Requirements. UAVs would play a vital role in future battles and there is a requirement to enhance the Indian Army holdings. Read on...
In our Diplomacy section we feature the latest election of India to UN Human Rights Council with highest number of votes. India pledged that it will continue to support international efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. In the nomination pledge, India also presented a broader approach to human rights, emphasising climate justice, health and poverty alleviation.
Here’s to a world of hope and love in the coming days.
The month of November-December doesn’t just bring the season of festivals-it also marks the start of a frightening ‘pollution season’ for much for northern India, especially the National Capital Region. And this year promises to be no different.
October is the month when farmers in Punjab and Haryana complete their paddy harvest and prepare the fields for the winter crop. The stubble, which is the short part of the stalk attached to the root, is left in the field after the previous crop is removed. Removing the stubble is a lot of work, so farmers just burn it down. Seeding machines that remove the stubble and plant the new crop are available-this would solve the stubble burning problem. These machines also use the stubble to cover the soil after seeding, which helps to keep the soil moist, which is good for the next crop. However these machines are expensive and farmers in Haryana and Punjab don’t want to buy them. Burning stubble also damages the soil but farmers are not seeing this as a problem. Unless the government finds a way to convince farmers and make it worth their while to stop burning the old crop, the pollution problems won’t go away. This period coincides with a change in wind direction-winds start to blow from the north-west, bringing the smoke and soot of the stubble burning to areas like Delhi.
To add to this problem, the several million vehicles on Delhi roads release petrol and diesel fumes into the air. The cool weather doesn’t help either as the cold air, being heavy, doesn’t rise and keeps the pollution particles trapped near the ground. As a result, the air we breathe is full of pollution.
Roger Federer won his 99th career ATP tour on Sunday beating Marius Copil in two sets in the Swiss Indoors event. Just one short of his 100th title, Federer won the Swiss Indoors title for the 9th time, playing in his hometown Basel on the courts when he was once a ball boy. The win also closes the gap with Jimmy Connors who leads the board with 109 ATP tournament wins. The ATP or Association of Tennis Professionals is the body that runs men’s tennis tournaments worldwide.
A rocket failure minutes after launch forced a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to make an emergency landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan in Central Asia last month. The Russian and American astronauts on board were safely rescued. United States astronaut Nick Hague and Russian Aexei Ovchinin were on their way to the International Space Station (ISS) when the accident happened. When the rocket failed, the astronaut’s capsule automatically detached and fell to Earth at a sharp angle. The astronauts were bumped around quite a bit and felt heavy gravitational forces as their capsule fell to earth.
Russia has stopped all manned spaceflights until the rocket failure is investigated. This decision affects the ISS, which is a permanently orbiting research spacecraft that houses astronauts from different nations on board. Currently the Soyuz rockets are the only way to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. However, there is no immediate emergency as the ISS has sufficient supplies of food, water and other supplies to last those on board until next summer.
The Congress today demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to the country on Thursday, the second anniversary of the demonetisation announcement, for unilaterally attempting a "Tughlaqi" experiment that ended up “wrecking the economy and causing its people untold hardships”.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari also declared that party supporters will hold protests across the country on November 8 to condemn what he described as an exercise comparable to Delhi Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq's ill-advised monetary reforms in the 14th century. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders will participate in the rallies too, he added.
PM Modi had made the controversial announcement during a televised speech delivered at 8:15 pm on November 8, 2016, scrapping existing Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes with immediate effect. He said the objective of the exercise was to curtail black money and reduce the part played by counterfeit currency in funding terrorism and other illegal activities.
Mr Tewari, however, asserted that the exercise achieved little other than heighten the people's woes and pull down a rising economy. "None of the objectives cited for taking almost Rs. 16.99 lakh crore out of circulation were achieved... today, there is more cash in circulation than there was on November 8, 2016. So, under these circumstances, we demand that the Prime Minister stand up and apologise to the people of this country for wrecking the Indian economy through this Tughlaqi decree," he said. The Modi government's demonetisation initiative removed a substantial amount of currency from circulation, leading to serpentine queues in front of the banks and ATMs. It also hit the stock market, reduced industrial output, and made the going hard for the cash-dependent agricultural sector.
Earlier this year, the Reserve Bank of India admitted that as much as 99.3% of the scrapped currency had come back -- spurring the opposition to dub the demonetisation initiative as a "money-laundering" scam. However, an RTI activist today said the central bank refused to reveal the cost incurred on scrapping banned currency notes worth Rs. 15,31,073 crore. The central government has staunchly defended the move, stating that it encouraged digital transactions and helped bring people closer to the banking system.
The comparison with Muhammad bin Tughlaq pertains to the Delhi ruler's disastrous decision in 1330 AD to mint brass and copper coins with monetary values similar to that of traditional gold and silver currency. However, miscreants took advantage of the absence of any security feature to mint counterfeit coins. The economy was eventually flooded with fake currency, disrupting trade and forcing the administration to rethink its decision.
Over two dozen Asiatic Lions living in the Gir National Park in Gujarat have been found suffering from a virus that has killed 23 of them in recent weeks.
The lions have been infected with the Canine Distemper Virus (CSV) and it is likely that the virus has jumped from dogs to lions. The virus spreads through the air, which is why so many lions have been affected in a short time. To protect against the virus a vaccine is needed and the officials at Gir have begun the process of vaccination.
Experts however say that the lions living outside the sanctuary won’t get the vaccinations. They also point out that the risk of diseases like CDV is the reason that some lions should be shifted to other states. The Asiatic Lion is only found in one place in the world-and that’s at Gir in Gujarat. Around 600 lions live in the 850square-mile expanse of the Gir sanctuary.
In 2013, the Supreme Court had ordered that some lions be moved to other sanctuaries in other states. The idea was to prevent the lions from being wiped out in an epidemic. Since they live so closely packed together, there is a real risk that an epidemic could wipe out the entire world population of Asiatic Lions. However, the state of Gujarat wants to be the exclusive preserve of lions, and is resisting this move.
Virat Kohli now has another world record to his credit. On Saturday he smashed a century in the third India-West Indies One Day International (ODI), making it his third consecutive century in three matches. Although it wasn’t enough to see India through to victory, Kohli has joined a select band of cricketers who have scored three centuries in a row.
The others are Zaheer Abbas, Saeed Anwar and Babar Azam of Pakistan, Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock of South Africa, New Zealand’s Ross Taylor, Jonny Bairstow of England and Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara is the only one to do it four times in a row.
The new record comes days after Kohli became the fastest player to reach 10,000 runs in ODI cricket. He reached this milestone in just 205 innings, faster than Sachin Tendulkar who got there in 259 innings. Kohli is now the 13th batsman to reach 10,000 ODI runs and the fifth Indian to do so, after Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni.
Human activity and actions have wiped out 60% of vertebrates including mammals, birds, fish and reptiles since 1970, says a report from The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The report, which has been prepared by 59 scientists from across the world, says that species extinction has reached an emergency flashpoint that threatens life as we know it on our planet.
This shocking decline is shown in the Living Planet Index, produced for WWF by the Zoological Society of London, which uses data on 16,704 populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, representing more than 4,000 species, to track the decline of wildlife. Between 1970 and 2014, the latest data available, populations fell by an average of 60%.
The biggest cause of wildlife losses is the destruction of natural habitats, much of it to create farmland. Killing for food is the next biggest cause-300 mammal species are being eaten into extinctionwhile the oceans are massively overfished. Chemical pollution of land and sea is another major factor.
“The Living Planet report clearly demonstrates that human activities are destroying nature at an unacceptable rate, threatening the wellbeing of current and future generations”, says Mike Barrett, executive director of science and conservation at WWF.
Indian Railways is planning to construct Ladakh’s first railway line, connecting Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh to Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Once constructed, this will be the world’s highest railway line operating at over 5000 metres above sea level. Leh is a region within the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
The 465 kilometre line will connect Sundernagar, Mandi, Manali, Keylong, Koksar, Darcha, Upshi and Karu and other important towns of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir en route. The terrain will be a tough one to build in as it will cut through the Himalayas and the route will have 74 tunnels!
Since the train will operate at a very high altitude, passengers will travel in special pressurized coaches, similar to aircrafts. Aircraft cabins are pressurized because the air is very thin at the height planes fly. To prevent problems, the cabins of many aircraft are adjusted to near sea-level pressure, which makes breathing almost the same as at sea level. The coaches on the Leh route will also keep air inside the cabins well supplied with oxygen. The final study for the project will be completed next year, after which the construction will begin.
The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to modify its order on fireworks that only permits ‘green crackers’ to be sold in Delhi and National Capital Region during Diwali. The court also imposed a ban on the sale of already manufactured fireworks that are polluting, and said they can be sold in other parts of the country.
The direction from the apex court came after manufacturers of fireworks appealed for strict regulation, instead of an absolute ban. Defending themselves, the manufacturers argued that the fireworks weren’t to blame for the rise in air pollution and there were other factors, like wind and temperature, which also contributed to it. Manufacturers also said that they cannot be deprived of their right to do business based on statements that are not supported by facts.
On October 23, the Supreme Court granted permission to use and sell “greener” firecrackers which have low emissions and generate less noise. It has allowed fireworks with permissible sound limits to be sold in the market.
Later, the court modified its previous order on the time slots during which people can use fireworks this Diwali, and allowed states to set timings. However, the twohour limit will remain.
“Timing for bursting firecrackers in places like Tamil Nadu, Puducherry will be changed, but not exceed 2 hours a day,” the court said. In Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and other southern states, fireworks can be used from 4 am-5 am and from 9 pm-10 pm during festivals, the apex court said.
The island nation of Sri Lanka was plunged into a crisis last week when it’s President, Maithripala Sirisena abruptly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new prime minister, triggering political chaos in the island nation. The President then went on to suspend Sri Lanka’s parliament, which is made up of representatives elected by the island’s people, until midNovember. This was done to block Wickremesinghe who had called for an immediate meeting of parliament to prove that he controlled a majority of the representatives. These acts are worrisome for India as we share a better relationship with Ranil Wickremesinghe than with Rajapaksa who was PM until 2015. During his time, Rajapaksha unleashed the might of the Sri Lankan army to put down a rebellion of the Tamil people who live in the northern part of Sri Lanka. Rajapaksha is also seen as being close to China, which is India’s biggest rival in Asia.
The United States has exempted India from the imposition of certain sanctions for the development of the strategically-located Chabahar port in Iran, along with the construction of the railway line connecting it with Afghanistan.
The decision by the Trump administration, which a day earlier imposed the toughest ever sanctions on Iran and is very restrictive in giving exemptions, is a seen as a recognition by Washington of India's role in development of the port on the Gulf of Oman, which is of immense strategic importance for the development of wartorn Afghanistan.
“After extensive consideration, the Secretary (of State) has provided for an exception from imposition of certain sanctions under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012, with respect to the development of Chabahar port, construction of an associated railway and for shipment of non-sanctionable goods through the port for Afghanistan's use, as well as the country's continued imports of Iranian petroleum products," a State Department spokesperson told PTI.
The US had earlier imposed "the toughest ever" sanctions on a defiant Iran aimed at altering the Iranian regime's "behaviour". The sanctions cover Iran's banking and energy sectors and reinstate penalties for countries and companies in Europe, Asia and elsewhere that do not halt Iranian oil imports.
However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that eight countries — India, China, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey -- were temporarily allowed to continue buying Iranian oil as they showed "significant reduction" in oil purchase from the Persian Gulf country.
To a question on the fate of Chabahar port after the US reimposed all its sanctions on Iran, the spokesperson said, "This exception relates to reconstruction assistance and economic development for Afghanistan. These activities are vital for the ongoing support of Afghanistan's growth and humanitarian relief."
In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations.
Mike Pompeo's decision to give India exemption from imposition of certain sanctions for the development of the port is driven by the South Asian strategy, which was announced by President Donald Trump in August. It states that India has a major role in bringing peace and development in Afghanistan.
"The president's South Asia strategy underscores our ongoing support of Afghanistan's economic growth and development as well as our close partnership with India," the state department spokesperson said.
Born to a family of Indian industrialists and philanthropists who founded ironworks and steelworks, cotton mills, and hydroelectric power plants that proved crucial to India’s industrial development, Ratan Naval Tata comes from a Parsi family. Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata (1839— 1904) was the founder of the family’s fortunes. After an education at Elphinstone College in Mumbai (then Bombay), he joined his father’s export trading firm in 1858 and helped establish branches of the company in Japan, China, Europe, and the United States. In 1872 he concentrated on cotton manufacturing, founding mills at Nagpur in 1877 and, later, at Bombay and Coorla. His enterprises were noted for efficiency, for improved labour-protection policies, and for the introduction of finer grades of fibre. He also introduced the production of raw silk to India and planned for the Bombay-area hydroelectric power plants that became the Tata Power companies after his death.
By the late 1950s the Tata Group controlled the largest single aggregation of Indian industry. J.R.D. Tata was succeeded as chairman by his nephew, Ratan Tata, in 1991. Ratan aggressively sought to expand the Tata Group, acquiring such companies as the London-based Tetley Tea (2000) and the Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturer Corus Group (2007). In 2008 he oversaw Tata Motors’ purchase of the elite British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover from the Ford Motor Company. In 2012 Ratan retired as chairman and was succeeded by Cyrus Mistry. In October 2016 Mistry was abruptly dismissed, and Ratan took over as interim chairman; media reports indicated that conflicts over business strategy were the reason for Mistry’s ouster. In January 2017 Natarajan Chandrasekaran was appointed as the new chairman of the Tata Group.
Ratan Tata is a bachelor. He is known for his low profile lifestyle. He resides in a simple house in Mumbai and drives around in a Tata Sedan.
Ratan Tata became chairman (1991–2012 and 2016–17) of the Tata Group, a Mumbai-based conglomerate.
He was educated at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, where he earned a B.S. (1962) in architecture before returning to work in India. He gained experience in a number of Tata Group businesses and was named director in charge (1971) of one of them, the National Radio and Electronics Co. He became chairman of Tata Industries a decade later and in 1991 succeeded his uncle, J.R.D. Tata, as chairman of the Tata Group.
Upon assuming leadership of the conglomerate, Tata aggressively sought to expand it, and increasingly he focused on globalizing its businesses. In 2000 the group acquired Londonbased Tetley Tea for $431.3 million, and in 2004 it purchased the truck-manufacturing operations of South Korea’s Daewoo Motors for $102 million. In 2007 Tata Steel completed the biggest corporate takeover by an Indian company when it acquired the giant Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturer Corus Group for $11.3 billion.
In 2008 Tata oversaw Tata Motors’ purchase of the elite British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover from the Ford Motor Company. The $2.3 billion deal marked the largest-ever acquisition by an Indian automotive firm. The following year the company launched the Tata Nano, a tiny rearengined, pod-shaped vehicle with a starting price of approximately 100,000 Indian rupees, or about $2,000. Although only slightly more than 10 feet (3 metres) long and about 5 feet (1.5 metres) wide, the highly touted “People’s Car” could seat up to five adults and, in Tata’s words, would provide a “safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport” to millions of middle- and lower-income consumers both in India and abroad. In December 2012 Tata retired as chairman of the Tata Group. He briefly served as interim chairman beginning in October 2016 following the ouster of his successor, Cyrus Mistry. Tata returned to retirement in January 2017 when Natarajan Chandrasekaran was appointed chairman of the Tata Group.
Among many other honours accorded him during his career, Tata received the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s most distinguished civilian awards, in 2000.
Ratan Tata was born on December 28, 1937 in Surat, India, to Naval Tata and Sonoo. Naval Tata was the adopted son of the Jamsetji Tata’s younger son Ratanji Tata. Jamsetji Tata was the founder of the Tata Group of Companies. Ratan Tata has a brother, Jimmy, and a step-brother, Noel Tata.
When he was ten, his parents, got separated and thereafter, he and his brother were brought up by his grandmother, Navajbai Tata.
He received his early education from the Campion School, Mumbai and finished his schooling from the Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai. In 1962, he obtained his B.S. in architecture with structural engineering from Cornell University, U.S.A.
Later he got enrolled at the Harvard Business School and completed an Advanced Management Program in 1975.
In 1962, he started his career with the Tata Steel division where he shoveled stones and worked with the furnaces along with the blue-collar employees. It was a difficult job and helped him gain a better understanding and respect for his family business.
In 1971, he was appointed as the Director-in-Charge of the National Radio & Electronics Company Limited (NELCO) in order to help its struggling finances. He worked towards building a better consumer electronics division but the economic recession and union strikes prevented him from achieving success.
In 1977, he was moved to Empress Mills, a struggling textile mill within the Tata Group. He proposed a plan for the mill but the other Tata executives rejected it and the mill was shut down. Later, he was moved to the Tata Industries.
In 1991, J.R.D. Tata appointed him as the new Chairman of the Tata Group of Companies. This decision came under scrutiny following objections from other executives of the company and questions were raised regarding his ability to run the corporation.
But he succeeded in improving the financial success of the industries and expanded the growth of the organization under his leadership. He transformed the management and vision of the division, and managed to bring in significantly larger dividends.
He also became a member of the Prime Minister's Council on Trade and Industry. He served on the advisory board of the RAND's center for Asia Pacific Policy and is also an active participant in India's AIDS initiative program.
He also holds the membership of the international advisory board of the Mitsubishi Cooperation, the American International Group, JP Morgan Chase and Booze Allen Hamilton.
The Taj Hotel in Mumbai is a Tata property and one notes that the property is largely restored. Lives too were shattered by Islamic terrorism. What did the Tata’s do?
1. All category of employees including those who had completed even 1 day as casuals were treated on duty during the time the hotel was closed
2. Relief and assistance to all those who were injured and killed
3. The relief and assistance was extended to all those who died at the railway station, surroundings including the “Pav-Bhaji” vendor and the pan shop owners
4. During the time the hotel was closed, the salaries were sent my money order
5. A psychiatric cell was established in collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences to counsel those who needed such help
6. The thoughts and anxieties going on people’s mind was constantly tracked and where needed psychological help provided
7. Employee outreach centres were opened where all help, food, water, sanitation, first aid and counselling was provided. 1600 employees were covered by this facility
8. Every employee was assigned to one mentor and it was that person’s responsibility to act as a “single window” clearance for any help that the person required
9. Ratan Tata personally visited the families of all the 80 employees who in some manner – either through injury or getting killed – were affected.
10. The dependents of the employees were flown from outside Mumbai and taken care off in terms of ensuring mental assurance and peace. They were all accommodated in Hotel President for 3 weeks
11. Ratan Tata himself asked the families and dependents – as to what they wanted him to do.
12. In a record time of 20 days, a new trust was created by the Tatas for the purpose of relief of employees. Tatas were covered by compensation. Each one of them was provided subsistence allowance of Rs. 10,000/- per month for all these people for 6 months.
14. A 4 year old granddaughter of a vendor got 4 bullets in her and only one was removed in the Government hospital. She was taken to Bombay hospital and several lacs were spent by the Tatas on her to fully recover her
15. New hand carts were provided to several vendors who lost their carts
16. Tata will take responsibility of life education of 46 children of the victims of the terror
17. This was the most trying period in the life of the organisation. Senior managers including Ratan Tata were visiting funeral to funeral over the 3 days that were most horrible
18. The settlement for every deceased member ranged from Rs. 36 to 85 lacs in addition to the following benefits:
a. Full last salary for life for the family and dependents
b. Complete responsibility of education of children and dependents – anywhere in the world
c. Full Medical facility for the whole family and dependents for rest of their life
d. All loans and advances were waived off – irrespective of the amount
e. Counsellor for life for each person
2014 Life time Achievement Award in Ethical Governance & Leadership — Asian Centre for Corporate Governance & Sustainability Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, received the ‘Life time Achievement Award in Ethical Governance & Leadership’, from Mervyn King, Chairman, IIRC, UK, who has the unique distinction of having authored the King's Committee Report I, II and III on Corporate Governance. The award was presented to Mr Tata at the Asia Business Responsibility Summit 2014, organised by the Asian Centre for Corporate Governance & Sustainability on January 8, 2014, at the Bombay Stock Exchange Convention Hall, Mumbai.
2012 The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun — Government of Japan Mr Tata was conferred the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government — for his contribution to strengthening economic relations between Japan and India — at a ceremony in Tokyo. Established in 1875, the order is awarded to those who have distinguished achievements in international relations, promotion of Japanese culture, advancements in their field, development in social and occupational welfare or the preservation of the environment.
Lifetime Achievement Award — The Rockefeller Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation honoured Mr Tata for his ‘innovative approach to business and philanthropy’. Mr Tata received a Lifetime Achievement Award for innovation from the foundation.
2011 Swiss Ambassador’s Award for Exceptional Leadership — Government of Switzerland The Government of Switzerland honoured Mr Tata with the Swiss Ambassador’s Award for Exceptional Leadership and for his contribution to strengthening bilateral ties between India and Switzerland. Conferring the award, Switzerland’s Ambassador to India, Philippe Welti, said that Mr Tata is not just an Indian corporate icon, but a global business leader.
2010 Hadrian Award — World Monuments Fund The World Monuments Fund named Mr Tata and the Tata family as recipients of the Hadrian Award in recognition of their leadership in the restoration and protection of India’s cultural heritage, the preservation of iconic sites that date back to India’s greatest empires, and generous and longstanding support for archaeological excavation.
2009 Business Process Innovation Award — The Economist The British news magazine, The Economist, announced Mr Tata as the winner of the eighth edition of its annual Business Process Innovation Award for the successful development and launch of the world’s most affordable car, the Tata Nano. The citation stated that “Tata has forged a company that is shaping businesses across the globe and changing the way Indian companies conduct business.”
Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic — Government of Italy The Italian government awarded Mr Tata the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in December 2009. Handing over the award, Italy’s Minister for Economic Development, Claudio Scajola, said, “Tata is universally acknowledged as one of the outstanding business leaders of the world. He epitomises the Indian continent’s vibrant economic growth.”
2008 Padma Vibhushan — Government of India India’s President, Pratibha Patil,conferred the Padma Vibhushan (awarded for exceptional and distinguished service) for trade and industry on Mr Tata at a function at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian honour in India. In 2000, Mr Tata was awarded the Padma Bhushan (the third highest civilian award in India) for trade and industry by the then Indian President, KR Narayanan.
Honorary Citizen Award — Government of Singapore The Singapore government feted Mr Tata with its Honorary Citizen Award, a national award conferred to recognise the contributions of foreigners who have rendered valuable services to Singapore and its people, or who have made a significant impact in the areas of business, technology, information communications, education, health, arts and culture, sports, tourism, community services or security.
2007 Qimpro Platinum Standard Statesman for Quality Award — The Qimpro Foundation The Qimpro Foundation honoured Mr Tata with the Qimpro Platinum Standard 2006 — Statesman for Quality Award. The citation of the award mentioned that “Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons, is a role model who has redefined corporate governance, social responsibility and global ambition for Indian entrepreneurs.”
Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy — Carnegie Corporation Mr Tata received the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, on behalf of the Tata family, from Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York during the 2007 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy ceremony in Pittsburgh, United States. The award is in recognition of the longstanding commitment of the Tata family to philanthropic causes.
2006 FIRST Award for Responsible Capitalism — FIRST organisation This award honours business leaders who have consistently demonstrated social responsibility as an integral part of commercial success. Handing over the award, Lord Woolf, chairman of the judging panel, said: “Mr Ratan Tata has demonstrated how it is possible to combine being an extremely successful leader of highly innovative companies with social responsibility...”
2005 Businessman of the Year in Asia — Forbes magazine Mr Tata received this award in recognition of the phenomenal growth that the Tata group recorded in the 1995-2004 period.
Quality of Life Award — Auburn University College of Human Sciences in conjunction with the United Nations Mr Tata was honoured for his contribution to the wellbeing and quality of life of individuals and communities in India and globally. At the awards ceremony, the Tata group was described as “an exemplary model of corporate philanthropy...”
2003 Entrepreneur of the Year Award — Ernst & Young Mr Tata was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year India in 2003; he received the award from LK Advani, then Deputy Prime Minister of India. The ‘entrepreneur of the year program’ was first established in the United States in 1986 to celebrate the achievements of outstanding individuals who head growing, dynamic businesses and make significant contributions to their respective economies.
2002 Asia Pacific Community Building Award — East-West Center The East-West Center (EWC) honoured Mr Tata for the contributions he made towards building better relations and understanding between India, the United States and the countries in the Asia Pacific region. The award was presented at the annual celebrations of the East-West Center Foundation in Hawaii. EWC is an internationally recognised educational and research organisation established by the United States Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations between the United States and countries in Asia and the Pacific region.
1995 Alumni Achievement Award — Harvard Business School This award is given to Harvard Business School alumni who have contributed significantly to their companies and communities. Mr Tata completed the ‘advanced management program’ at Harvard Business School in 1975.
THE INTRINSIC NEED to protect its people has catapulted India’s Homeland Security sector into unprecedented growth. The Homeland Security market comprises capital spend from central and state governments, private sector and some part of export demand. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s push for domestic manufacturing of defence equipment including homeland security equipment under his ‘Make in India’campaign has tremendously aided this growth.
A significant market opportunity exists in several domains comprising of the larger Homeland Security sector such as police modernisation, critical infrastructure protection and counter-terrorism activities. Rise in terrorist activities, growing crime rates, data thefts, remote monitoring, growth of public infrastructure, increasing IT spending, government initiatives and increasing security spending are boosting demand for the security systems market in India.
A recent report by FICCI states that India is most often referred to as a “soft state” owing to it’s 7500 kilometers of coastline running through 9 states and 4 union territories, difficult relationships with neighbors and the most important, the limited ability to systematically deal with numerous threats. Occurrences like the 26/11, Mumbai blast, security issues during the large public events, growing instances of terrorism & ethnic group conflicts has increased the focus on homeland security in India.
The central and state governments perceive modernization and upgradation as one of the key focus besides creating a supporting infrastructure for the long term. The Ministry of Home Affairs has targeted development of India’s Homeland Security focused infrastructure, like creation of a centralized comprehensive database called National Information Grid (NATGRID) by combining the individual databases of several government agencies, setting up of the CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems) and modernization programs for providing better equipment and training to the security forces deployed with the task of internal security in India.
India offers a large potential for firms looking to leverage the opportunities apparent in this sector in the country on account of the following factors:
High GDP growth
Challenging relationships with neighbors
Outdated equipments and system
Increased spending on modernizing military capabilities and infrastructure
Focus on creating and enhancing support Infrastructure
Emerging public-private participation opportunities
Police Modernisation: Key Highlights from State Budget Speeches
Andhra Pradesh
Modernisation of Police and Other forces
A SIGNIFICANT MARKET OPPORTUNITY EXISTS IN SEVERAL DOMAINS COMPRISING OF THE LARGER HOMELAND SECURITY SECTOR SUCH AS POLICE MODERNISATION, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION AND COUNTER-TERRORISM ACTIVITIES. RISE IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES, GROWING CRIME RATES, DATA THEFTS, REMOTE MONITORING, GROWTH OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, INCREASING IT SPENDING, GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND INCREASING SECURITY SPENDING ARE BOOSTING DEMAND FOR THE SECURITY SYSTEMS MARKET IN INDIA.
~ `173.3 crore
Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory ~ `130 crore
Nation-wide Emergency Response System (NERS) ~ `76.4 crore
Modernisation of Fire and Emergency Services ~ `26.3 crore
Police Communications and Computer Services ~ `20 crore
Capital expenditure by State Intelligence Department ~ `10.39 crore
Arunachal Pradesh
Creating security infrastructure in the TCL region ~ `156 crore
First Phase of ‘Dial 112’ ~ `4.5 crore
Fleet of PCR vehicles, motor bikes, Traffic Lights and Wireless sets & City surveillance system with CCTV ~ `2 crore
Purchase of modern fire tenders ~ `5 crore
Assam
Setting up of SMART Police Stations ~ `100 crore
Strengthen Border Vigilance ~ `25 crore
Setting up Cyber Crime Police Stations ~ 35 Nos.
Planning to set up Forensic Science Institute in the Directorate of Forensic Science, Assam
Goa
Motor vehicles for Coastal Security Police ~ `10 crore
Modernisation of Police Force (P)~ `5 crore
Modernisation of Police Force (Highway Petrol)~ `2 crore
Gujarat
Strengthen police administration and Forensic Science administration under Police Modernisation Scheme ~ `67 crore
Installation of CCTV cameras under Safe and Secure Gujarat Scheme ~ `102 crore
Start four new cybercrime police stations at Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Mehsana ~ ` 1 crore
Haryana
Launch of a flagship programme ‘Haryana 100’ ~ `153 croreand operational cost ~ `40 crore
Karnataka
Capital expenses other than housing, construction of building etc. ~ `231.4 crore
Kerala
IT based systems. ~ `20 cror
Modernisation of Vigilance Department. ~ `10 crore
Madhya Pradesh
Security of big cities and sensitive places ~ `147 crore
Modernisation of Police Force ~ `84 crore
Infrastructure development of Police Station for Mahila Police Force ~ `40 crore
Mizoram
Arms & Ammunition `1 crore
Rajasthan
New 210 vehicles to police force-exp. of ~ `7.10 lac
Establishment of the Sardar Patel Global Centre for Security, Counter Terrorism and Anti-Insurgency ~ `91.66 crores
The rising number of terror attacks, ethnic conflicts, insurgencies, partisan politics in countries has led the governments to realise the value and need for detection and protection monitoring devices, as well as the importance of bringing together the various state-led agencies that manage various aspects of domestic security. This has resulted in increased demand for security systems including explosive detection systems, body screening systems, and baggage screening systems.
The increase in FDI in defence provides huge opportunity to vendors for developing internal and cyber security solutions. In 2015 FDI cap in defence through automatic route has been raised to 49%. Deals involving FDI beyond 49% are subject to approval by the Government of India, where access to modern technologies is involved. Other factors such as increase in demand for security solutions by Indian businesses, Technological innovations and decline of prices of security solutions etc. are contributing to the growth of Indian Homeland Security market.
Central and State Governments intend to leverage the capabilities of the private sector to meet the needs in homeland security for Safe City Surveillance, Border Infiltration, Counter Terrorism, Police Modernisation, Intelligence, Critical Infrastructure, Maritime Security etc. There is a business opportunity of 2.7 bn USD approx. in this sector. Capital Expenditure by the Ministry of Home Affairs for Policing in 2018-19 is estimated at `11048.19 crores ( 1.7 bn USD ) which is 4.3% higher than last year's capital expenditure. Capital Expenditure by the State Governments for policing in 2018-19 is estimated at `11048.19 crores (1.03 bn USD).
EVERY YEAR IN early October, the world turns its gaze towards Sweden and Norway as the Nobel Laureates are announced in Stockholm and Oslo. Millions of people visit the website of the Nobel Foundation during this time.
The Nobel Prize has been awarded to people and organisations every year since 1901 (with a few exceptions such as during World War II) for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. Nobel Day is 10 December. For the prize winners, it is the crowning point of a week of speeches, conferences and receptions.
At the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in Stockholm on that day, the Laureates in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature receive a medal from the King of Sweden, as well as a diploma and a cash award. The ceremony is followed by a gala banquet. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo the same day.
Prize in Economic Sciences
In 1968, Sweden’s central bank (Sveriges Riksbank) established the Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. The prize is based on a donation received by the Nobel Foundation in 1968 from the central bank to mark the bank’s 300th anniversary. The Prize in Economic Sciences is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, following the same principles as the Nobel Prizes.
Legacy of Alfred Nobel
The Nobel Prize is the legacy of Sweden’s Alfred Nobel (1833–1896). Prizes are awarded to ‘those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.’ When he signed his last will in 1895, Nobel declared that the bulk of his estate should be converted into a fund and invested in safe securities. The four institutions in Sweden and Norway (the two countries were united between 1814 and 1905) conferring the prizes were to be the Swedish Academy of Sciences, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, the Academy in Stockholm and a committee of five people to be elected by the Norwegian parliament (Stortinget).
The Nobel Foundation
The Nobel Prize in each category is currently worth SEK 9 million. There can be up to three recipients for each prize, who share the sum between them.
Organisations affiliated with the prize
The Nobel Prize is affiliated with several organisations and institutions entrusted with different tasks related to the prize. The Nobel Foundation Rights Association was established in 1999 to provide information through a variety of media about the Nobel Laureates and their achievements.
This non-profit association serves as an umbrella organisation for three other entities:
Nobel Media, which develops and manages programmes, productions and media rights of the Nobel Prize within the areas of digital and broadcast media, publishing as well as events
The Nobel Museum, housed in the Old Stock Exchange Building (Börshuset) in Stockholm’s Old Town, creates interest and spreads knowledge around the natural sciences and culture
Medicine or Physiology
James P. Alliso
Tasuku Honjo
For the discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation
Physics
Arthur Ashkin
For the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems
Gerard Mourou
Donna Strickland
For their method of generating highintensity, ultra-short optical pulses
Chemistry
Frances H. Arnold
For the directed evolution of enzymes George P. Smith
Sir Gregory P. Winter
For the phage display of peptides and antibodies
Peace
Denis Mukwege
Nadia Murad
For their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict
Economic Sciences
Paul M. Romer
For integrating technological innovations into the long-run macroeconomic analysis
William D. Nordhaus
For integrating climate change into the longrun macroeconomic analysis
INDIA IS ELECTED to the United Nations top human rights body with maost number of votes from Asian Pacific region. India is elected to this body for a period of three years, starting from 1st of January 2019 by getting 188 votes. The 193 member United Nations General Assembly has held elections to the new posts and 18 members have won with absolute majority and India sailed through smoothly in these elections by crossing the 97 votes which is the minimum number of votes to get elected.
The Human Rights Council (HRC) is the key human rights body in the United Nations system. Its main goal is to promote all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
India was vying for a seat in the Asia Pacific category. Along with India, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Fiji and Philippines had also staked a claim in the same regional group. Given that there were five nations vying for five seats in the Asia Pacific category, India's election to the Council was all but certain. The new members will serve a term of three years beginning January 1, 2019. India had previously been elected to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council for the 2011-2014 and 2014-2017 term. Its last tenure had ended on December 31, 2017 and in accordance with the rules, it was not eligible for immediate re-election since it had already served two consecutive terms. When it nominated itself for the Council, India showcased its position as “the world’s largest democracy (and) India’s secular polity.”
It pledged that it will continue to support international efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. In the nomination pledge, India also presented a broader approach to human rights, emphasising climate justice, health and poverty alleviation
India was among the first batch of 47 countries elected to the Council in 2006 soon after it was set up and received an initial one-year term instead of three to facilitate a rotating roster of vacancies each year.
The Council was established in 2006 by the UN General Assembly resolution 60/251 to succeed the work of the UN Commission on Human Rights and to strengthen the human rights dimension of the UN system. The Council is comprised of 47 member states elected by the General Assembly for a three-year term with the possibility of re-election to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The Council meets regularly three times a year (in March, June, and September), and also when the need arises, usually following the outbreak of a human rights crisis. During its meetings, the Council discusses situations in individual countries as well as thematic issues pertaining to human rights in all states. The objective of the HRC is to address situations of human rights violations, to prevent such violations through dialogue and cooperation, to promote the implementation of human rights obligations, to give recommendations to the General Assembly for development of international law or to promote the human rights education.