Ishpreet Singh Chadha won National Sub-Junior Snooker title 2015

Ishpreet Singh Chadha of Maharashtra on 6th Jan 2015 won his 1^st  National Sub-Junior Snooker title 2015 at the BRC Gloster National billiards and  Snooker Championship 2015. He defeated Shobhit Sethi of Punjab by 3-0 in a final match.
Ishpreet reached the finals by defeating Mandeep Singh of Uttar Pradesh (UP) whereas Shobhit Sethi reached the finals by beating Rohan Sahani of Maharashtra.
In the Quarterfinals, Shobhit defeated Johnson Narsidani of Gujarat by 59-0, 71-41 and Ishpreet defeated Hritik Jain of Madhya Pradesh by 62-29, 58-37.
Ishpreet Singh Chadha  was trained under former Asian champion Yasin merchant.

Rare plant species found in Palakkad

Scientists at the Centre for Medicinal Plants Research, Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal, have reported the discovery of a rare plant species from the Dhoni hills in Palakkad district.

It was during an expedition to study the floristic diversity of the high mountains in the southern regions of the Western Ghats that the researchers led by scientist K.M. Prabhu Kumar and director Indira Balachandran came across the new species in the grasslands of the Palamala hills in the Dhoni mountain range.

The plant belonging to the genus Chlorophytum of the Asparagaceae family was later reported from the Elival hills of Muthikulam in Palakkad by a team comprising scientists from the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.

Named Chlorophytum palghatense, after the place of discovery, the plant is a perennial herb endemic to the grassland ecosystem of the Dhoni and Muthikulam forests at a height above 6,000 feet. It flowers and fruits from September to November. The finding has been published in ‘Phytotaxa’, an international journal on botanical taxonomy.

Distributed throughout Africa and India, the Chlorophytum genus is represented by 17 species in India, of which 15 occur in the Western Ghats.

Detailed taxonomic studies carried out at Shivaji University, Kolhapur, revealed that the new species was distinct from C.sharmae endemic to Munnar. Mr. Kumar said C.Palghatense was named thus to highlight the rich biodiversity of Palakkad district, especially as a reservoir of rare plants endemic to the Western Ghats.

A study has been taken up to assess the medicinal properties of the new species, a pressnote quoting Ms. Indira Balachandran said. C.Palghtense has been found to be similar to safed musli (C.borivilianum), a medicinal herb also widely marketed as an aphrodisiac.

V.S. Hareesh and K.P. Vimal from the Department of Botany, Calicut University, and S.R.Yadav and Avinash Asraji Adsul from Shivaji University were part of the research team that reported the discovery of the new plant.

Indian weight lifters end campaign with 14 medals

Indian weightlifters ended their campaign on a high by bagging a total of 14 medals, including six gold in the 17th Asian Youth (boys & girls), 22nd Junior Women and 29th Junior Men Asian Weightlifting Championships at Doha, Qatar.

Even those six lifters, who failed to make it to the podium, finished within the top six positions in their respective body weight categories.

India won a silver on the last day of the competition on Monday as Swapna Priya Baruah ended second in the Junior Women 69kg division.

Ragala Venkat Rahul on Sunday clinched a gold in Junior Men 85kg with a total lift of 324kg -143kg in snatch and 181kg clean & jerk.

Two Junior Women lifters - S Thasana Chanu (58kg) and Punam Yadav (63kg) - settled for a bronze each, while Kh Nungshiton also claimed the third spot in Youth Girls 58kg.

India won maximum number of gold in Youth Boys division; bagging the yellow metal in all three categories the lifters took part.

The other three gold came each in Youth Girls, Junior Men and Junior Women sections.

Nilesh Shah quits Axis Capital, to join Kotak AMC as MD, CEO

Nilesh Shah, the MD and CEO of Axis Capital, has put in his papers. Shah will be joining Kotak Asset Management Company as its new MD and CEO. Shah could not be immediately reached for comments.
Shah has over 20 years of experience in capital markets and was leading Axis Bank's initiatives in investment banking space. Prior to joining Axis, he was the deputy-MD at the nation's third-biggest mutual fund ICICI Prudential Asset Management. At ICICI he quit after serving for seven years when assets more than quadrupled.

State-run Hindustan Copper Ltd today said its Director (Mining) Avijit Ghosh has ceased to be a Director in the company following his appointment as the CMD of another PSU Heavy Engineering Corporation.

"Avijit Ghosh ceased to Director (Mining) of the company at the close of working hours on December 31, 2014 consequent upon his appointment as Chairman & Managing Director of Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd," the Kolkata-based copper maker said in a BSE filing.

Ghosh has  ..

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45776340.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

State-run Hindustan Copper Ltd today said its Director (Mining) Avijit Ghosh has ceased to be a Director in the company following his appointment as the CMD of another PSU Heavy Engineering Corporation.

"Avijit Ghosh ceased to Director (Mining) of the company at the close of working hours on December 31, 2014 consequent upon his appointment as Chairman & Managing Director of Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd," the Kolkata-based copper maker said in a BSE filing.

Ghosh has  ..

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/45776340.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Google's Larry Page named as business person of the year for 2014

Google's Larry Page has emerged as the 'business person of the year' for 2014, edging past the likes of Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, according to Fortune magazine.

Page, who is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder of Google, came on top in the 20 global corporate leaders' list compiled on the basis of various factors including company's performance, leadership style and total shareholder returns, the magazine said while bringing out its list.

Apart from Jack Ma and Zuckerberg, others in the race included Apple's Tim Cook and fast food chain Chipotle co-CEOs -- Montgomery Moran and Steve Ells-- and Fedex chairman & CEO Fred Smith.

Besides, five women have made the cut to the top 20 list. Interestingly, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, who led Fortune list in 2012, failed to make in to the top 20 list.

As Google's core business continues to thrive, Page, who topped the list, is making "huge bets on new technology -ingestible nanoparticles, balloons that beam down broadband- that could define the future," the magazine noted.

Page and his company have packed a lot of evolution into just over 15 years of existence, it added.

The women contenders were Ultra Beauty CEO Mary Dillon, ITT CEO and President Denise Ramos, TJX Cos CEO Carol Meyrotwiz, Theranos Founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes and Williams-Sonoma President and CEO Laura Alber.

The list is based on various parameters like financial results of the company including 12-month and three year growth in profits and revenues, company's stock performance and total shareholder returns over the same periods.

Besides, several non-financial elements like business influence, leadership style, strategic initiatives played a part in evaluation.

Polish motorcyclist dies in Dakar Rally

Polish motorcyclist Michal Hernik (KTM) died of unknown causes during the Dakar Rally the organisers said.

Hernik, 39, was found lying dead near the third stage route between the Argentinean cities of San Juan and Chilecito. He showed no signs of an accident, reports Xinhuaon Tuesday.

A helicopter search party found his body 206 km of Cuesta de Miranda, in La Rioja province, around 4 p.m. local time.

It was the first time Hernik participated in the race. His death is the first in this year’s Dakar rally and the fifth since the rally was moved to South America over security concerns in the Sahara desert in 2009.

That year, France’s Thierry Pascal died, followed by Argentine Jorge Martinez Boero in 2012, France’s Thomas Bourgin in 2013 and Belgium’s Eric Palante in 2014. All were riding motorbikes.

Overall, 24 deaths have been recorded since the inaugural race in 1979.

Keywords: Michal Hernik, Polish motorcyclist, Death, Dakar Rally

8 new planets found in ‘Goldilocks zone’

Astronomers with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) have discovered eight new planets within the so-called Goldilocks — or habitable — zone of their stars.

To be considered habitable, exoplanets must orbit within a distance of their stars in which liquid water can exist on the planet’s surface, receiving about as much sunlight as Earth.

“Most of these planets have a good chance of being rocky, like Earth,” lead author Guillermo Torres of the CfA said in a release.

The discoveries of Kepler-438b and Kepler-442b are the latest in several advancements scientists have made to find signs of possible life in the universe.

At a panel held last summer at NASA headquarters in Washington, astronomers said they were “very close in terms of technology and science to actually finding the other Earth.”

That’s due in part to the Kepler Space Telescope. The planet-hunting Kepler probe, launched in 2009, finds planets by looking for dips in the brightness of a star as a planet transits, or crosses, in front of that star.

Christine Pulliam of CfA said the team of scientists monitored data from more than 160,000 stars, which led them to the eight new planets.

The couple most like Earth, Kepler-438b and Kepler-442b, both orbit red dwarf stars, which are cooler and smaller than the Earth’s sun.

Kepler—438b’s diameter is 12 per cent bigger than Earth and has a 70 per cent chance of being rocky, which means the surface of the planet appears to be like Earth’s.

Kepler—442b is about one-third larger than Earth with a 60 per cent chance of being rocky. Scientists give it a 97 per cent chance of being in the habitable zone, but caution that the estimations aren’t certain.

“We don’t know for sure whether any of the planets in our sample are truly habitable,” second author David Kipping of the CfA said in a release.

“All we can say is that they’re promising candidates.”

Tulsi Gabbard and Ami Bera take oath for their second term

Tulsi Gabbard and Dr. Ami Bera have been sworn in for their second consecutive term in US House of Representatives.
Both of them belong to Democratic Party. They were sworn in after the 114th session of the US Congress began.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is the first Hindu lawmaker in US to take her oath on Bhagavad-Gita. She was administered the oath of office by re-elected Speaker of US House of Representatives John Boehner.
She is representing Hawaii’s second congressional district since 2013. In 2013, she also had taken her oath on Gita.
While Dr. Ami Bera, is only serving Indian-American in the current Congress. He has been elected as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans which is the largest country- specific caucus in the House of Representatives.
He is representing, California’s 7th congressional district since 2013 and is third Indian-American elected to the House of Representatives after Dalip Singh Thind and Bobby Jindal.
Some facts
In 114th session of the US Congress, Republicans have formally taken control of both chambers the House of Representative and Senate for the first time since the 109th Congress (2005-2006).

BCCI announces India’s squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced Indian squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
It was announced by the BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, after the meeting of the selection committee of BCCI.
Indian squad for the ICC CWC – 2015
MS Dhoni (Captain & Wicket Keeper), Virat Kohli (Vice Captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Md. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.
ICC Cricket world cup 2015
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will be the 11th edition and in total 49 matches will be played across 14 venues.
It will start on 14th February 2015 in Christchurch and co-host New Zealand team will play against Sri Lanka.
On the same day in Melbourne, Australia will play against England.

Punjab bans sale of loose cigarettes and tobacco

Punjab has become first state in India, to completely ban the sale of loose cigarettes (even as single sticks) and loose tobacco.
State government had banned the sale of loose cigarettes and tobacco under Section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA Act, 2003).
Section 7 of COTPA bans sale of these products if they are traded, supplied or distributed without specified warning including pictorial warning on it.
State government notification in this regard clearly mentions that loose cigarettes and tobacco products do not carry a pictorial or a written warning so they are banned.
Earlier state government had banned sale of  nicotine in the form of e-cigarette.
About COTPA Act, 2003
It was enacted by Parliament in 2003. It prohibits advertisement and regulates tobacco business in India.
This Act has put restriction on tobacco products which includes cigarettes, gutka, panmasala (containing tobacco), cigar, cheroot, Beedi, Snuff, chewing tobacco, hookah, tooth powder containing tobacco.

PM releases commemorative coins to honour late industrialist Jamsetji Tata

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released commemorative coins to honour Tata Group founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata.
PM released coins in the denomination of 100 and five rupee to mark Jamsetji Tata’s 175th birth anniversary.
Thus, Jamsetji will be the first industrialist in India to be felicitated by the government in such a manner.
He was chosen by the government because he is a legendary figure and the government wants to encourage Indian businesses through this initiative.
So far government has minted coins in honour of artists, freedom fighters, scientists, institutions and organisations.
Earlier, government had honoured Jamsetji twice by releasing his postal stamps one in 1958 and another in 1965.
Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata
He was pioneer industrialist who had founded Tata Group- India’s biggest conglomerate company. He is regarded as Father of Indian Industry.
He was born on 3 March 1839 in Navsari then part of the princely state of Baroda (Now in Gujarat).
His successors’ work led to achieve:

• Tata Steel: formerly known as Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited (TISCO ) is Asia’s first and India’s largest steel company. It is also world’s fifth largest steel company.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc): Located in Bengaluru, it is pre-eminent Indian institution for research and education in Science and Engineering.
• Tata Hydroelectric Power Supply Company: later it was renamed Tata Power Company Limited, currently India’s largest private electricity company.

It should be also noted that present Jamshedpur district in Jharkhand is named after him. Earlier it was known as Sakchi.

President signs ordinance amending Citizenship Act, 1955

President Pranab Mukherjee has signed the ordinance that amend’s Citizenship Act, 1955.
Earlier, union government had promulgated this ordinance in order to merge Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) schemes. Thus, providing life-long Indian visa facility to PIOs.
It was signed on the eve of the opening of the three-days meet of Indian diaspora i.e. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2015 held in Gujarat.
Key amendments

• Citizenship Act amendments will benefit PIO and will give them benefits like life-long visa and exemption from appearing before the local police station on every visit etc.
• It will also change the clause of parent Act which says that foreigners who marry Indians must continuously stay in the country for a period of one year before they get an Indian citizenship. In this regards they will get relief of 30 days in a year when they can travel outside the country.
• The amendment also clears the way for relaxed visa norms for minor children of OCI cardholders.

Government gives nod to Neutrino project in Tamil Nadu

Union cabinet meeting has approved setting up of India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project in Bodi West Hills, Tamil Nadu.  This cabinet meeting was headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Key facts about India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project

• It is an underground project, jointly supported by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• It will comprise a complex of caverns – the main cavern, which will house detector which is 130 metres long, 26 metres wide and 30 metre high.
• Along with main cavern, there will be two smaller caverns that will be used for setting up experiments for neutrino double detector and dark matters.
• This underground complex will be approached by a 2-kms long tunnel.
• It will host experiments such as the neutrino-less double beta decay and the search for dark matter.
• It also involves Inter-Institutional Centre for High Energy Physics (IICHEP) and Iron Calorimeter Detector (ICAL).

Along with project, government has also approved the construction of a 50,000 tonne magnetised iron calorimeter detector (ICAL). It will study the properties of the neutrino, in particular the mass hierarchy among different types of neutrino.

Neutrino

It is an electrically neutral, weakly interacting elementary subatomic particle with half-integer spin. It belongs to the lepton family.
There are three types of neutrinos: electron neutrinos, muon neutrinos and tau neutrinos.

Government launches subsidised 5 kg LPG Cylinder scheme for BPL families

Central government has launched the sale of subsidised 5-kg LPG cylinders scheme for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and others.
It was launched by Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Bhubaneswar, Odhisa.
This scheme was launched as part of the oil companies’ Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to cover BPL population in urban areas.
Under this pilot scheme, a BPL family would be provided with LPG connection. In this case customers not need to pay security deposit and cost of pressure regulator.
Government by launching this scheme is aiming to promote LPG as it a cleaner fuel which will help in creating better and smoke less cooking environment and help in improvement of women’s health.
Petroleum Minister also launched the sale of 5-kg cylinders under Free Trade LPG scheme in Bhubaneswar, Odhisa.
Free Trade LPG scheme: It will cater the LPG requirement of all sections of the society including the economically weaker section, student, migrant labourers who do not have proof of address due to their short stay in a particular place.
This scheme is aims at increasing the usage of LPG by providing customers with more affordable facilities.

PM launches National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting for energy conservation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting in New Delhi for energy conservation by reducing energy consumption.
Along with this programme, PM launched scheme for Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulb distribution under the Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) and a web-based system to enable consumers in Delhi to register requests for procuring LED bulbs under DELP.
National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting

• It aims to install LED bulbs for domestic and street-lighting in 100 cities across India by March 2016.
• Under this programme, LED bulbs will be distributed in a phased manner from March 2015 onwards.
• The initiative is part of the Government’s efforts to spread the message of energy efficiency in the country.
• LED bulbs have a very long life, almost 50 times more than ordinary bulbs, and 8-10 times that of CFLs, and therefore provide both energy and cost savings in the medium term.
• It will help in saving of energy around 24 crore units every year.