T. P. G. Nambiar, chairman emeritus and founder of the BPL Group, died in Bengaluru at the age of 94. He was one of the key architects of the electronics industry in post-independent India. BPL used the 1982 Asiad as a launch pad for the manufacture of colour TV sets and branched out into other segments.
At its height, the BPL brand became ubiquitous, gaining a reputation for quality and even signed up Hindi film star Amitabh Bachchan as brand ambassador in the 1990s.
Bibek Debroy, Chairman of PM's Economic Advisory Council, Dies
Bibek Debroy, a prominent economist and chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (EAC-PM), passed away at the age of 69. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Debroy, recognising his significant contributions to the field of economics.
A columnist at The Indian Express and Financial Express, Debroy was appointed Chairman of PM-EAC on September 25, 2017, when he was also a member of the NITI Aayog. As the Chairman, he deftly managed the body, and managed to attract talent from not just independent think tanks but also the private sector. The PM-EAC, which interacted frequently among itself, met the PM on crucial economic issues at least once a year.
Debroy was a full-time Member of NITI Aayog from its constitution in 2015 until June 2019. A prolific author, Debroy authored and edited several books, including translations of the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the puranas, the four vedas and 11 major Upanishads.
Debroy was awarded a Padma Shri in 2015 and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the US-India Business Summit in 2016.
Oct 29, 2024
Justice K. S. Puttaswamy, Key Petitioner in Right to Privacy Case, Passes Away
Justice K. S. Puttaswamy, former Karnataka High Court judge and the lead petitioner in the seminal 'right to privacy case', passed away at the age of 98.
Justice Puttaswamy enrolled as an advocate in 1952 after studying at Maharaja College in Mysuru and the Government Law College in Bengaluru. He practised at the Mysore High Court before it came to be known as the Karnataka High Court and would go on to become an Additional Government Advocate before being appointed as a judge of the Karnataka High Court on November 28, 1977.
Following his retirement in 1986, he was appointed as the first Vice-Chairman of the Bengaluru bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal. He also served as the chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh backward Classes Commission.
Oct 20, 2024
Sanskrit Scholar Vasant Anant Gadgil Passes Away
Vasant Anant Gadgil, a revered Sanskrit scholar and founder of Sharda Gyan Peetham, passed away at the age of 94 in Pune. His contributions to the promotion of Sanskrit were vast, spanning from teaching at Tilak Maharashtra University to conducting international efforts in places like the US and Africa. He was deeply involved in researching ancient Sanskrit texts, such as the Vedas and Upanishads, and was a significant figure at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
In 2012, Gadgil was felicitated by then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and he was also the recipient of the prestigious Mahakavi Kalidas Sanskrit-Vrati National Award for his research and development efforts in the language. His legacy continues through his family, with his wife, son Shrivardhan Gadgil, daughter-in-law, and grandson.
Oct 19, 2024
Veteran Director Deb Kumar Bose Passes Away
Renowned film director Deb Kumar Bose, a pivotal figure in the history of Manipuri cinema, passed away. He was 91.
Bose, who directed several Bengali, Assamese and Oriya films, shaped the Manipuri film world with his important contribution. The journey of Manipuri films started with his hands and he won the President's Medal in the 20th National Film Festival in 1972 for making 'Matamgi Manipur' (1972), the first full-length Manipuri feature film.
Oct 18, 2024
Nikita Porwal Is Femina Miss India 2024
Nikita Porwal from Madhya Pradesh emerged as the winner of the Femina Miss India 2024 title. This prestigious event took place at Famous Studios in Mumbai, marking the 60th edition of India's iconic beauty pageant.
The Femina Miss India contest featured 30 talented contestants who were state winners representing all 29 states and one from the Union Territories.
Nikita was crowned by Nandini Gupta, the Femina Miss India World 2023 winner, while renowned Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia placed the Miss India sash on her.