WHO Chief Congratulates Okonjo on Reappointment as WTO Director General
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, congratulated Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her reappointment as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a second term.
The reappointment process was overseen by Ambassador Petter Olberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council.
According to the WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala first assumed office as Director-General on March 1, 2021, becoming the first woman and first African to lead the WTO.
Vijay Chandok, a financial market veteran, joined the National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Prior to joining NSDL, Chandok served as the MD and CEO of ICICI Securities. He held pivotal roles at the ICICI Group, including on the board of ICICI Bank as an executive director.
A seasoned banker and a financial market veteran with over three decades of experience, Chandok brings a wealth of expertise in the BFSI sector.
SBI Funds Management Limited Appoints Nand Kishore as MD and CEO
SBI Funds Management Limited, a joint venture between State Bank of India and Amundi, Europe's largest asset manager, announced the appointment of Nand Kishore as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Nand Kishore, Deputy Managing Director of State Bank of India, took over as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SBI Funds Management Limited from Shamsher Singh.
Kishore has more than 34 years of rich experience working with the State Bank of India across major banking verticals such as branch banking, international operations, treasury operations, investment banking, corporate banking, and retail operations.
IICA Hosts MoU Signing Ceremony with Executive Search Leaders, Launches New Governance Initiatives
The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, hosted the MoU Signing Ceremony with Executive Search Leaders at the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) Headquarters, New Delhi. The event was presided over by Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Chairman, NFRA, and DG & CEO, IICA.
The MoUs were signed with six leading executive search firms: Korn Ferry, ABC Consultants, EMA Partners Limited, DHR Global, Sheffield Haworth, and Vahura. These partnerships aim to enhance the selection and appointment processes for Independent Directors in Indian boardrooms, a critical step towards advancing corporate governance excellence in Indian Boardrooms.
Siddarth Kaul, a fast bowler, announced his retirement from Indian cricket, marking the end of a 17-year-long career that began with a first-class debut in Mohali. Kaul represented India in six international matches (three ODIs and three T20Is). He was instrumental in domestic circuits and achieved notable success in both white-ball and red-ball cricket.
Under-19 World Cup Glory (2008): Played a pivotal role in India's victorious campaign under Virat Kohli's captaincy.
IPL Success (2017-2018): Represented franchises like Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he was the joint-highest wicket-taker in 2018 (21 wickets), leading to his India call-up during the UK tour.
Sanraksha App Launched for Enhancing Rail Passenger Safety
The Indian Railways launched the 'Sanraksha' mobile application aims to enhance the safety and security of passengers. It integrates advanced technology, including data analytics and potential AI applications, to train and build the capacity of railway staff while ensuring passenger safety. The app was launched after a successful pilot project in the Nagpur division, and it is being rolled out across various railway zones to create a more secure environment for travellers.
India and Bosnia & Herzegovina Strengthen Ties at 4th Foreign Office Consultations
India and Bosnia & Herzegovina held the 4th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina led by Arun Kumar Sahu, Additional Secretary (Central Europe) from India, and Tarik Bukvic, Head of the Department for Asia and Africa from Bosnia. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral political ties, trade and investment, scientific collaboration, cultural relations, and enhancing people-to-people connections through student and youth exchanges.
Both sides reviewed developments in their respective regions and addressed global issues, including multilateral cooperation through BRICS, the UN, EU, and NAM. The consultations are part of a broader effort to celebrate 30 years of diplomatic ties in 2025 and deepen multi-faceted relations.
India Re-elected to UN Peacebuilding Commission
India was re-elected to the UN Peacebuilding Commission for 2025–2026.
India's current term on the Commission was expiring on December 31.
The Peacebuilding Commission is an intergovernmental advisory body that supports peace efforts in conflict-affected countries and is a key addition to the capacity of the International Community in the broad peace agenda, according to its website.
The PBC is composed of 31 Member States, elected from the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council. The top financial contributing countries and the top troop-contributing countries to the United Nations system are also members.
It was established in 2005 with the passage of both A/RES/60/180 and S/RES/1645. Sérgio França Danese (Brazil) is the incumbent chair of the PBC.
The bilateral military exercise "Agni Warrior 2024" between India and Singapore took place at the Devlali Field Firing Ranges in Maharashtra from November 28 to November 30. Organised as part of professional military collaboration, the exercise aimed to strengthen interactions between the artillery units of both nations. The exercise included the exchange of best practices and advanced techniques between the Indian Army and Singapore Armed Forces, aimed to deepen military cooperation and operational understanding.
Another interesting component that the exercise saw was providing a platform for cultural exchanges, thereby strengthening the bond between the two nations. The exercise came a month after Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's Minister of Defence, visited India to co-chair the sixth India-Singapore Defence Ministers' Dialogue in New Delhi, with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.
India Tests K-4 Missile from INS Arighaat
India achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing the K-4 nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of 3,500 km from the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat in the Bay of Bengal. This test strengthened India's nuclear deterrence and placed the nation among the select few capable of launching nuclear missiles from land, air, and sea.
Professor Amiya Kumar Bagchi, recipient of the Padma Shri, who passed away was one of the most outstanding economists, scholars, and public intellectuals of our time.
Renowned for his revolutionary contributions to economic history and his commitment to Left politics, Bagchi's scholarship bridged economic theory and historical data, influencing both economists and historians alike. His work continues to shed light on India's colonial economic history, development, and underdevelopment, providing profound insights into the impact of imperialism.
Bagchi a beloved teacher and mentor guided numerous students, many of whom went on to become prominent scholars in their own right.
He played a pivotal role in the academic landscape, combining economics with historical analysis to challenge colonial narratives.
Marathi Web Series 'Lampan' Wins Best Web Series (OTT) Award at IFFI 2024
Marathi Web Series 'Lampan' grabbed the Best Web Series (OTT) Award at the 55th International Film Festival of India, for its remarkable storytelling, high production values, and exceptional performances.
Directed by Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari based on stories written by Prakash Narayan Sant, 'Lampan' is the tale of a dreamy child with unbounded curiosity.
The award, which celebrates innovation in digital content, was presented to the creators and the OTT platform behind Lampan for their dedication to delivering an engaging and thought-provoking narrative.
Recognizing the surge of creativity in digital content, the Best Web Series (OTT) Award, introduced in the 54th edition, marks a transformative milestone in honouring outstanding storytelling on OTT platforms.in recognition of the growing impact of OTT platforms on global entertainment.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay introduced a mobile application, TARA (Teacher's Assistant for Reading Assessment), designed to evaluate and improve oral reading fluency (ORF) in students. This innovative app leverages speech processing and machine learning to provide precise and automated assessments of reading skills.
According to Professor Preeti Rao from IIT Bombay's Department of Electrical Engineering, who spearheaded the project, TARA uses audio recordings of children reading passages aloud and generates key ORF metrics, including Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM). The app not only evaluates reading speed and accuracy but also considers expression through phrasing, intonation, and stress, offering a comprehensive assessment of reading development.
Trained on expert-annotated recordings, TARA currently supports English and Hindi, and its reliability was validated against human expert assessments. The project has received funding from the Tata Centre of Technology and Design, the Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation Fellowship, and the school education community.
Tourism Ministry Sanctions Funds for Development of 40 Lesser-known Sites
The Union Ministry of Tourism approved 40 projects under the Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme, designed to develop lesser-known destinations into iconic tourist sites. The projects, costing Rs. 3295.76 crore, span 23 states and aim to enhance tourism, create employment opportunities, and boost local economies, Union minister for tourism and culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, said.
As part of the SASCI scheme, 40 sites were identified by the Centre, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj museum in Ponda, Goa, Loktak lake experience in Manipur, and the international convention centre for MICE in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
The implementation of the projects will be handled by the respective state governments that will also oversee the operation and management of the infrastructure.