Pranay Verma appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh

Senior diplomat Pranay Verma has appointed India’s new high commissioner to Bangladesh. Verma is a 1994-batch Indian Foreign Service officer.

He is currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Vietnam.

He will succeed current High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami.

Doraiswami is set to assume charge as Indian High Commissioner to the UK.

Indian High Commissioner to the UK Gaitri Issar Kumar retired from service on June 30.

About Bangladesh

• Capital– Dhaka
• Currency– Taka
• President– Mohammad Abdul Hamid
• Prime Minister– Sheikh Hasina

Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL) which was set up to implement the ambitious BharatNet project, will be merged with BSNL

This year’s theme “Use and abuse of technology” focuses on the role of technology as a tool that can both enable and impede human trafficking.

Singapore emerged as the top country with the highest FDI in India in FY22

Singapore, the USA, Mauritius, Netherlands and Switzerland have emerged as the top 5 countries for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into India in FY2021-22.

Singapore has emerged as the top sourcing nation with a contribution of 27.01 percent, followed by the USA at 17.94 percent.

Mauritius, The Netherlands and Switzerland follow the top two nations with contributions standing at 15.98 percent, 7.86 percent and 7.31 percent respectively.

While among the states, Karnataka led the pack in with a share of 37.55 percent of the total FDI inflow in FY22, followed by neighbouring state Maharashtra at 26.26 percent and national capital Delhi at 13.93 percent.

The DSF Foundation has instituted a first-of-its-kind ‘Dinesh Shahra Lifetime Award’ for Excellence in Music.

Peter Brook, one of the greatest theatre directors of the 20th century, passed away recently at the age of 97.
He is also regarded as one of the world’s most innovative theatre directors. He was known for staging Peter Weiss’s “Marat/Sade” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”. He is known for bringing nine-hour adaptation of the Sanskrit epic “The Mahabharata” from France to New York in 1987.

Karnataka was the highest receiver of FDI Equity inflow during FY 2021-22 with 37.55 percent inflow, followed by Maharashtra (26.26 percent), Delhi (13.93 percent), Tamil Nadu (5.10 percent) and Haryana (4.76 percent). Singapore and USA emerged as the top 2 sourcing nations in FDI equity flows into India in FY2021-22, following by Mauritius, Netherlands and Switzerland.

World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is observed every year on July 28th to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis and to influence real change. The theme of World Hepatitis Day (WHD) 2022 is ‘I Can’t Wait’. The day calls on people from across the world to take action and raise awareness of hepatitis because Hepatitis Can’t Wait.

The Indian Navy recently received two MH-60 R multirole helicopters from the United States. The third helicopter is scheduled to be delivered in August this year
In 2019, the United States had approved the sale of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to India under its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.  The MH-60R is the most advanced marine multi-mission helicopter which is in use currently.

Dinesh Shahra Lifetime Award’ instituted for the first time

Dinesh Shahra Foundation (DSF) has instituted a first-of-its-kind ‘Dinesh Shahra Lifetime Award’ for Excellence in Music.

The initiative is supported by the Indian Arts & Cultural Society. Apart from a trophy or memento, the recognition will also include a significant cash component.

Dinesh Shahra’s book – Sanatan Leela, was also launched during the event.

The Announcement of this novel recognition was made by Dinesh Shahra, Trustee -DSF, during a cultural event titled ‘Mausiqui’ in Mumbai recently.

The event ‘Mausiqui’ was a tribute to deceased legends – Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and Lata Mangeshkar who have made invaluable contributions to Indian music.

Recent Awards

• Global Energy Prize 2022 – Indian-Origin Professor Kaushik Rajashekara
• UAE honoured Kamal Haasan by granting him Golden Visa
• Mother Teresa Memorial Award by the Maharashtra govt. – Dia Mirza & Afroz Shah
• Mrs Universe Divine Crown in South Korea – Pallavi Singh (India)
• Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star award by Japan Govt. – Narayanan Kumar VC of Sanmar Group
• CII Quality Ratna Awards 2021 – Ashok Soota
• Shiromani Award at NRI World Summit 2022 – Michelle Poonawalla

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar launched the 11th Agricultural Census (2021-22) on July 28, 2022. The agriculture Census is conducted every 5 years. The census is being undertaken now after a delay due to COVID-19 pandemic. The field work for the census will start in August 2022.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced two-time Olympic medal winning player PV Sindhu as the Team India Flagbearer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham.
The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games also has the largest contingent of female athletes in the history of the Games. As many as 205 participants are set to take part in the games in 20 sports. Top Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra had to withdraw due to an injury.

India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier— Vikrant was built and delivered to the Indian Navy by Cochin Shipyards Limited (CSL).
CSL, the public sector shipyard, under the Ministry of Shipping, has built the carrier with 76 per cent indigenisation components. Vikrant will be commissioned into the Indian Navy as Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant.