Missile man of India APJ Abdul Kalam passes away

Former President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam passed away due to massive cardiac arrest in Shillong, Meghalaya. He was 83. He was widely acclaimed as the ‘People’s President’ and the ‘Missile man’ of India. He was was one of India’s most eminent scientists.

About APJ Abdul Kalam:

  • Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was an Indian scientist who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.
  • Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied physics and aerospace engineering.
  • He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India’s civilian space program and military missile development efforts.
  • He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.
  • He also played a pivotal organizational, technical and political role in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.
  • Awards and Honours: Bharat Ratna (1997), Padma Vibhushan (1990), Padma Bhushan (1981).
  • His famous books: India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium (1998), Wings of Fire: An Autobiography by A P J Abdul Kalam (1999), Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India (2002), The Luminous Sparks (2004), Mission India (2005), Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future (2015) etc.

Ram Sevak Sharma appointed as Chairman of TRAI

Ram Sevak Sharma was appointed as the Chairman of telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). He succeeded Rahul Khullar who had retired in May 2015. Sharma is also set to retire in September 2015 as a Secretary for Department of Electronics and Information Technology. Ram Sevak Sharma is an IAS officer of 1978 batch, Jharkhand Cadre.

IDFC gets banking licence from RBI

Infrastructure Development Financing Company (IDFC). Ltd became second lender to enter the banking sector since 2004, as the Reserve Bank of India granted Banking licence on 24 July 2015. It was Yes Bank that got banking licence in 2004. However, IDFC and Microfinance Company Bandhan Financial Services Pvt Ltd were granted preliminary bank permits by RBI in April 2014.

  • Bandhan got Banking licence from RBI in June 2015 and plans to start its operations from August 2015.
  • whereas IDFC plans to start operations from 1 October 2015. IDFC will start its operations with 20 branches and with initial loan book of 55,000 crore rupees.

CSC and HCL forms joint venture to provide technology services, solutions to banks

Computer Science Corporation (CSC) and Hindustan Computer Limited (HCL) to big IT companies have signed an agreement to form a new company to provide technology services and solutions to the banking industry. The joint venture will invest in platform modernization and product functionality enhancement and will capitalize on the proven capabilities of both companies in addressing the multi-­billion­dollar, global core banking software market.

British Cyclist Chris Froome Wins Tour De France

Cyclist Chris Froome from Britain of Team Sky has won the 102nd edition Tour de France, an annual three-week multiple stage bicycle race at Champs Elysees in Paris. This is second time Froome has won Tour de France title and for the first time he had won it 2013. He defeated Nairo Quintana (Colombia) of Movistar Team.

Note : Tour de France is the name of the annual cycling event primarily held in France since 1903. It is the most famous and one of the toughest cycling races in the world.