Some Appointments this year

» Farah Pandit of Kashmiri-origin was appointed special representative of the Obama administration to reach out to the Muslim world. She was appointed by Secretary of State to interact with Muslims across the globe. She was a senior adviser to the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs. She also served on the National Security Council and with USAID on assistance projects for Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Born in 1968, Farah belongs to a business family of Kashmir. Her father, Muhammad Anwar Pandit, is originally from Sopore. Her mother, a doctor is from Srinagar city. In early 70s Farah's parents shifted to United States and stayed in Boston, where her father continued his business.

» Darrell Dexter took charge of Nova Scotia's 27th premier and the first New Democrat to lead a government in Atlantic Canada in downtown Halifax on June 19,2009. He succeeded Rodney Joseph MacDonald of Progressive Conservative Party.
Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik took charge as the 19th chief of the India Air Force from Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, who demitted office on May 31. An alumnus of Sainik School, Satara, and the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Air Chief Marshal Naik saw action in the 1971 India-Pakistan war. He was decorated with the Param Vishist Seva Medal and the Vishist Seva Medal.
» Amal Allana was appointed as chairperson of the National School of Drama (NSD) for a second term on June 15,2009. Allana, an alumnus of the NSD, is the daughter of Ibrahim Alkazi, the founder of the NSD. She joined NSD in 2005 as the chairperson. She has directed several plays, including “Aadhe Adhure”, “The Exception and the Rule”, “Khamosh, Adalat Jari Hai”, “Ashadh Ka Ek Din”, “Mahabhoj”, “King Lear”, “Himmat Mai” and “Begum Barve”. She was awarded many honours, including awards from the Delhi Natya Sangh (1994), Sahitya Kala Parishad (1996), Czech TV for the tele-play “Wapsi” (1983) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for direction (1998).


» He was elected Chairman of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) for 2009-10 at the association’s managing committee meeting held in Mumbai on June 1. Punjab National Bank Chairman and Managing Director K. C. Chakrabarty succeeded T. S. Narayanasami who was superannuated Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of India on May 31,2009.

» Distinguished journalist and political commentator Harish Khare was appointed as the media adviser to the Prime Minister on June 20,2009. He replaced Deepak Sandhu, who was shifted to the Central Information Commission as its member. Harish Khare will hold the rank of a secretary to the government of India. Prior to this appointment, Khare, was the Chief of Bureau and senior associate editor at The Hindu. He also worked as the resident editor of the Times of India, Ahmedabad. Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank took oath as the fifth chief minister of Uttarakhand along with three ministers on June 28. Replacing B C Khanduri as the chief minister, Nishank was Health Minister in his cabinet. A sitting legislator from Thalisen constituency, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank is a strong leader from Garhwal and is known to be close to the RSS.

» Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam was appointed solicitor general on June 15, the second most important law officer of the country after the attorney general. From the petrol pump scam case to the inquiry commission into Graham Staines murder, he had ample opportunity to render valuable assistance to the Supreme Court as amicus curiae. At the same time, he represented the Centre in high-voltage cases like Bihar assembly dissolution, defreezing of London bank accounts of Bofors case accused Ottavio Quattrocchi and the cash-for-query scam. 51-year-old Subramaniam was additional solicitor general during 2004-09.

» Uttarakhand chief minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri finally succumbed to mounting pressures and tendered his resignation on June 25,2009. Rebels were active against him after the Bharatiya Janata Party's rout in the Lok Sabha elections from the state. The BJP

in reference to:

"» Farah Pandit of Kashmiri-origin was appointed special representative of the
Obama administration to reach out to the Muslim world. She was appointed by
Secretary of State to interact with Muslims across the globe. She was a senior
adviser to the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs.
She also served on the National Security Council and with USAID on assistance
projects for Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Born in 1968, Farah belongs to a
business family of Kashmir. Her father, Muhammad Anwar Pandit, is originally
from Sopore. Her mother, a doctor is from Srinagar city. In early 70s Farah's
parents shifted to United States and stayed in Boston, where her father
continued his business.

» Darrell Dexter took charge of Nova Scotia's 27th premier and the first New
Democrat to lead a government in Atlantic Canada in downtown Halifax on June
19,2009. He succeeded Rodney Joseph MacDonald of Progressive Conservative Party.
Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik took charge as the 19th chief of the India
Air Force from Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, who demitted office on May 31.
An alumnus of Sainik School, Satara, and the National Defence Academy,
Khadakvasla, Air Chief Marshal Naik saw action in the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
He was decorated with the Param Vishist Seva Medal and the Vishist Seva Medal.
» Amal Allana was appointed as chairperson of the National School of Drama (NSD)
for a second term on June 15,2009. Allana, an alumnus of the NSD, is the
daughter of Ibrahim Alkazi, the founder of the NSD. She joined NSD in 2005 as
the chairperson. She has directed several plays, including “Aadhe Adhure”, “The
Exception and the Rule”, “Khamosh, Adalat Jari Hai”, “Ashadh Ka Ek Din”,
“Mahabhoj”, “King Lear”, “Himmat Mai” and “Begum Barve”. She was awarded many
honours, including awards from the Delhi Natya Sangh (1994), Sahitya Kala
Parishad (1996), Czech TV for the tele-play “Wapsi” (1983) and Sangeet Natak
Akademi Award for direction (1998).


» He was elected Chairman of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) for 2009-10 at
the association’s managing committee meeting held in Mumbai on June 1. Punjab
National Bank Chairman and Managing Director K. C. Chakrabarty succeeded T. S.
Narayanasami who was superannuated Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of
India on May 31,2009.

» Distinguished journalist and political commentator Harish Khare was appointed
as the media adviser to the Prime Minister on June 20,2009. He replaced Deepak
Sandhu, who was shifted to the Central Information Commission as its member.
Harish Khare will hold the rank of a secretary to the government of India. Prior
to this appointment, Khare, was the Chief of Bureau and senior associate editor
at The Hindu. He also worked as the resident editor of the Times of India,
Ahmedabad. Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank took oath as the fifth chief minister of
Uttarakhand along with three ministers on June 28. Replacing B C Khanduri as the
chief minister, Nishank was Health Minister in his cabinet. A sitting legislator
from Thalisen constituency, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank is a strong leader from
Garhwal and is known to be close to the RSS.

» Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam was appointed solicitor general on June 15,
the second most important law officer of the country after the attorney general.
From the petrol pump scam case to the inquiry commission into Graham Staines
murder, he had ample opportunity to render valuable assistance to the Supreme
Court as amicus curiae. At the same time, he represented the Centre in
high-voltage cases like Bihar assembly dissolution, defreezing of London bank
accounts of Bofors case accused Ottavio Quattrocchi and the cash-for-query scam.
51-year-old Subramaniam was additional solicitor general during 2004-09.

» Uttarakhand chief minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri finally succumbed to mounting
pressures and tendered his resignation on June 25,2009. Rebels were active
against him after the Bharatiya Janata Party's rout in the Lok Sabha elections
from the state. The BJP lost all the five Lok Sabha seats in the state in the
May 2009 polls, including the three it had won in 2004.

» The chairman of Prasar Bharati Board, Arun Bhatnagar relinquished his job
citing differences with Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli. A retired IAS officer,
Bhatnagar was appointed as the chairman of Prasar Bharati on 2008. Some members
of the Broad have levelled various allegations of impropriety and financial
irregularities against B S Lalli and the matter has reached the Delhi High Court
through a PIL.

» Vice-Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma was appointed country’s next Chief of Naval
Staff. He will take charge from Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who retires from service
on August 31. Born on November 14, 1950, Vice-Admiral Verma, currently Flag
Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Eastern Naval Command, has, during his
long and distinguished 39 years of service, commanded aircraft carrier INS
Viraat.

» Senior advocate and former Solicitor General Goolam E Vahanvati was appointed
the new Attorney General of India for a period of three years. He became the
first Muslim to hold the post of Attorney General of India. G E Vahanvati
succeeded Milon Banerjee, who had held the Attorney General’s post in the last
government. He and all other law officers had put in their papers on May 29,2009
to make way for a fresh team.

» Timothy J Roemer was nominated as the next US Ambassador to India. A former US
lawmaker and a member of the 9/11 Commission, Roemer is currently head of a
Washington-based think tank. He is considered close to President Barack Obama
and was among the first few Democrat leaders to support Obama in his run for US
Presidency.

» Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), C B Bhave was elected
chairman of the Asia- Pacific Regional Committee of the International
Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) at the 34th Annual Conference of
IOSCO being held at Tel Aviv, Israel. IOSCO is recognised as the international
standard setter for securities markets. The Organisation’s wide membership
regulates more than 90% of the world’s securities markets and IOSCO is the
world`s most important international cooperative forum for securities regulatory
agencies."
- (Study Material) Sports : CSE (Mains) Exam 2009 | UPSCPORTAL - UPSC, IAS, IFS, PCS, Civil Services India Community Portal. UPSC Syllabus, Exam, Toppers, Results, Books, Chat (view on Google Sidewiki)

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