NATIONAL:
1. Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar honoured with 'Legendary Award ' 2017
Indian melody queen Lata Mangeshkar has been honoured with the ‘Legendary Award’ by The Brand Laureate. She says she is thankful for her gratifying career and well-wishers. “Heartfelt thank you to The Brand Laureate for honouring me with the Legendary Award 2017,” the 87-year-old posted on Twitter alongside an image the award. The Brand Laureate recognises world-class achievement in branding amongst individuals and companies. Mangeshkar’s award reads: “Asia Pacific Brands Foundation awards Lata Mangeshkar, Legendary Award as a veteran melody queen who has given a plethora of memorable hits and soulful melodies in Hindi film music.”
In a heartfelt message to her fans, she tweeted: “I have lived through a gratifying career for which I am and will always remain in deep gratitude to all my well-wishers.”
2. Sumitra Mahajan inaugurated 2-day South Asian Speaker’s summit at Indore in Madhya Pradesh
The two-day South Asian Speakers Summit was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan at Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. The speakers would discuss achieving sustainable goals, including poverty, development, environment and gender concerns in South Asia, the home to over 25 per cent of the world population. The summit is being organised jointly by the Indian Parliament and Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a global organisation for multilateral political and legislative discussions.
3. ISRO successfully tests its indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage engine for GSLV Mark III rocket
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully ground tested its indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage engine for GSLV Mark III at its Liquid Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu yesterday.
ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar said the full duration flight test of cryogenic upper stage for GSLV Mark III was successful. He said yesterday’s test was last in the series before going for an actual rocket launch. The engine will be put into use in April.
The C25 stage is the most powerful upper stage developed by ISRO and uses Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen propellant combination. The development of C25 cryogenic stage will provide ISRO capability to launch four ton class satellites in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
INTERNATIONAL:
4. Germany’s Angela Merkel to US: Uphold, strengthen multilateralism
German Chancellor Angela Merkel appealed to the United States and others on Saturday to support and bolster multilateral organisations such as the European Union, the United Nations and NATO, an alliance to which US Vice President Mike Pence pledged America’s commitment was “unwavering.”
Merkel told Pence and other world leaders, diplomats and defence officials at the Munich Security Conference that “acting together strengthens everyone.” Her address came amid concern about the Trump administration’s approach to international affairs and fears that it may have little interest in working in multilateral forums.
BUSSINESS:
5. India’s economic growth to make sharp recovery: RBI Governor
Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel today said India’s economic growth will make a sharp recovery following the recall of old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Mr Patel made a strong case for continuing with globalisation, even in the face of a potential shift to trade protectionism under US President Donald Trump, as India has benefited from open trade.
He said, the remonetisation has happened at a fast pace and that was part of the plan.
RBI last week lowered economic growth projection for the current fiscal to 6.9 per cent from the previously estimated 7.1 per cent, but saw it bouncing back in a big way to 7.4 per cent in 2017-18. Mr Patel said, the benefit of junking 86 per cent of currency in circulation will take time to fully play out and needs more work to ensure they are lasting.
Asked when India could achieve 9 per cent GDP growth, he said it is difficult to predict sustainable growth rates. The six-member monetary policy committee (MPC) headed by Patel had last week kept interest rates unchanged at 6.25 per cent for the second straight meeting and changed policy stance to neutral from accommodative.
SPORTS:
6. Sandeep Kumar smashes own national record in 50km race walk
Sandeep Kumar of Haryana smashed his own national record en route to winning the gold medal in the gruelling men’s 50km event of the National Race Walking Championships here today.
Sandeep clocked three hours 55 minutes and 59.05 seconds in a brilliant performance to win the race and qualify for the London World Championships in August. The earlier national record which stood in his name was 3:56:22 which he clocked in the IAAF World Race Walking Cup at Taicang, China in May 2014.
Services athletes Jitender Singh (4:02:11.58) and Chandan Singh (4:04:18.41) won the silver and bronze respectively in the energy-sapping race. Both Jitender and Chandan also booked their berths for the August 4-13 World Championships.
The entry standard for the men’s 50km race walk event for the World Championships is 4:06:00.
