- ISRO names Sivan K as new chairman
The government has appointed renowned scientist Sivan K as the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to replace of A S Kiran Kumar. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment as secretary, Department of Space and chairman of Space Commission for tenure of three years.
Sivan, at present Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, will succeed Kumar, who was appointed on January 12, 2015. He graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in aeronautical engineering in 1980 and completed Master of Engineering in Aerospace engineering from IISc, Bangalore in 1982.
- IOA appoints Harjinder Singh as Chef de Mission for Winter Olympics
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has appointed Harjinder Singh as the Chef De Mission for the 23rd Winter Olympic Games to be held in Pyeongchang next month. Singh currently holds the post of General Secretary in the Ice Hockey Association of India.
- UIDAI introduces ‘Virtual ID’ to address privacy concerns
In a bid to address privacy concerns, the UIDAI has introduced a new concept of ‘Virtual ID’ which Aadhaar-card holder can generate from its website and give for various purposes, including SIM verification, instead of sharing the actual 12-digit biometric ID.
This will give the users the option of not sharing their Aadhaar number at the time of authentication.
The Virtual ID, which would be a random 16-digit number, together with biometrics of the user would give any authorised agency like a mobile company, limited details such as name, address and photograph, which are enough for any verification.
- Cabinet approves closure of Tungabhadra Steel Products
The Cabinet has approved the closure of Tungabhadra Steel Products Ltd (TSPL). The decision also allowed the name of the company to be struck off from the Registrar of Companies after settling balance liabilities of TSPL.
The Cabinet also approved the transfer of MMH (Metallurgical and Material Handling Plants) to the Karnataka government along with 20,000 square metres of land.
Selling 82.37 acres of the company’s land at Hospet to Karnataka for use by the Karnataka State Housing Board also got the Cabinet’s nod.
The land is being sold to the Karnataka government at the rate of ₹66 lakh per acre offered by them.
- Cabinet approves MoU between India and Canada for cooperation in the field of Science & Technology
The Union Cabinet has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Canada for cooperation in the field of Science & Technology. The MoU will provide a mechanism and help to foster scientific cooperation between R&D and academic institutions of India and Canada.
The MoU was concluded in pursuance to the inter-governmental Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the India and Canada concluded in November 2005.
- Aviva, Bank of Maharashtra in bancassurance tie-up
State-run Bank of Maharashtra, which under the prompt corrective action of the Reserve Bank due to very high bad loans, and Aviva Life Insurance have entered into a corporate agency arrangement to distribute the latter’s products.
With this tie-up under the open architecture system, BoM will hawk Aviva Life products through its 1,863 branches.
| Bank of Maharashtra | |
| Headquarters | Pune |
| CEO | Ravindra Prabhakar Marathe |
| Aviva India Insurance company | |
| Headquarters | Gurugram |
| CEO | T.R.Ramachandran |
- IndiGo rated world’s 4th most punctual ‘mega carrier’
India’s IndiGo is the fourth most ‘mega carrier’ in the world, beating British Airways and Lufthansa in a travel analyst company’s annual list.
Japan Airlines takes the top spot in OAG’s list of the world’s most punctual ’mega carriers’. Its annual review, the Punctuality League 2018, takes into account airlines’ performance on timekeeping.
OAG has two separate punctuality lists, one for all airlines, big and small, and another one for ‘mega carriers’. The company defines ‘on-time performance’ as flights that arrive or depart within 14 minutes and 59 seconds (under 15 minutes) of their scheduled arrival/departure times.
- ISRO to launch its 100th satellite on January 12
India will launch ISRO’s 100th satellite along with 30 others in a single mission on January 12 from Sriharikota, in a milestone event in the country’s space history.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it was “back in the game” with the launch, the first Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) mission after the unsuccessful launch of the navigation satellite IRNSS-1H in August last.
The 31 spacecrafts, including weather observation Cartosat-2 series satellite, will be launched by PSLV-C40.
- India, Malaysia discuss cooperation in traditional medicine
India and Malaysia have discussed cooperation in the field of traditional systems of medicine and the establishment of an Ayurveda Chair at a private university in Malaysia.
Officials from the two countries discussed several issues, including the setting up of an Ayurveda Chair in University of UTAR in Malaysia and professional training in Panchakarma therapy for Malaysian experts in India.
- Intel unveils ‘flying car’ with 27 km range
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich showed off the Volocopter, an autonomous passenger drone at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018.
The craft can have a 30-minute flight and have a maximum range of around 27 kilometres and is powered by a battery. The ‘flying car’ can also be flown autonomously.
Intel showcased it as an autonomous passenger taxi, which is powered by a battery and comes with 18-rotors.
- Bahrain to host first-ever ‘Baby Olympics’
Bahrain has unveiled plans to stage the first ever Baby Olympics in April, where medals will be contested by two to four year-olds, in a bid to promote the Olympic principles and exercise at a young age.
The Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) intends to include five disciplines. The Athletics competition will host three events: medley relay for four year-olds, a hurdles toddle for three year-olds, while participating two year-olds will cross a specially designed stretch of 15 meters in a freestyle race.
