Laszlo Krasznahorkai wins Man Booker International Prize

Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai has won the Man Booker International Prize 2015. He was among a shortlist of 10 writers that included India-born Amitav Ghosh. Krasznahorkai had gained recognition in 1985 after he had published his debut novel Satantango. His other famous novels are The Melancholy of Resistance (1989), War and War (1999), Seiobo There Below (2008).

Note: The Man International Booker Prize is awarded to a living author of any nationality who has published fiction either in English or in English translation. Unlike the annual Man Booker Prize for Fiction, the Man Booker International Prize, which is awarded once in two years, is in recognition of a writer’s full body of work and overall contribution to fiction rather than to a single novel.

BJP MP S.S. Ahluwalia to head joint panel on Land Acquisition Amendment bill

Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) MP Surendrajeet Singh Ahluwalia has been appointed chairman of a Joint Committee of Parliament that will look into the provisions of the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill, 2015. The joint committee will comprise 30-members– 20 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.

David Granger sworn in as the 8th President of Guyana

David Arthur Granger has been sworn in as Guyana’s 8th Executive President, after the Guyana Elections Commission Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally formally announced that his Coalition party had won the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

Draupadi Murmu sworn in as first woman Governor of Jharkhand

Draupadi Murmu was on 18 May 2015 sworn in as the first woman Governor of Jharkhand since the state was granted statehood status after bifurcating from Bihar on 15 November 2000. With this, Murmu became the ninth Governor of Jharkhand. She succeeded Syed Ahmed who was recently transferred as Governor of Manipur by President Pranab Mukherjee.

Eminent Economist Mrinal Datta Chaudhuri passes away

Eminent economist and academic Mrinal Datta Chaudhuri passed away on 20 May 2015 in Pune, Maharashtra. He was 81. He had served as Director of Delhi School of Economics (DSE) and was a visiting professor of economics at the Universities of Harvard and Minnesota. He was conferred with the Padma Bushan in 2005 by the government for his contributions in the field of Trade and Industry.

Joe Root and Charlotte Edwards named England cricketers of the year 2014-­15

Joe Root and Charlotte Edwards on 18 May 2015 were named as England men and women cricketers of the year 2014­-15 respectively.

  • Root who was recently appointed vice-­captain of England’s Test team was named as the cricketer of the year for scoring 1135 test runs at an average of 95 including four scores of 149 and above.
  • Charlotte Edwards, the women’s captain, won the award for second consecutive year. She was chosen for averaging above 75 in ODIs and nearly 60 in T-20 internationals in the season.