Professional Documents
Culture Documents
AWARDS
The Mumbai anti-terrorist operation got six Ashok Chakra winners, probably for
the first time after Independence for a single operation. Ashok Chakra is awarded
for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-
sacrifice other than in the face of the enemy.
Actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, cricketers M.S. Dhoni and
Harbhajan Singh, world billiards champion Pankaj Advani and former Hockey
player Balbir Singh Khullar are among the 93 who have been given the Padma
Shri awards.
DEFENCE
INS Shikra: First Chopper base for Navy: The Indian Navy has formally
commissioned its first helicopter base INS Shikra at Mumbai. The Indian Navy’s
existing helicopter base, Kunjali II has been commissioned as the INS Shikra. While
everything remains the same operationally, the change in status provides greater
administrative flexibility as well as the creation of the Air Station’s own identity.
The base has been home to the Indian Navy’s rotary wing assets for 40+ years and
every helicopter pilot has served here at one point or another. Air operations
from this base commenced in 1964 with the setting up of a small Helicopter
Maintenance Unit, as a base support facility at INS Kunjali. On April 3, 1972, INAS
321 ‘Angels’ was established at Kunjali and regular Chetak Operations
commenced. The station continued to operate newer helicopters which were
being inducted with the growth of the Indian Navy.
The copter base will be able to provide security services to important defence and
civilian installations on the Western Coast.
NUCLEAR ENERGY
India, French firm sign pact for six N-reactors: In the first commercial deal after
acquiring a clean waiver from NSG in 2008, to carry out nuclear commerce, India,
in January 2009, signed an MoU with French company Areva for supply of as
many as six new-generation Evolutionary Power Reactors (EPRs).
As per the deal signed by Areva and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd
(NPCIL), Areva will supply two EPRs of 1,650 mw each for nuclear plants the
French company will build at Jaitapur in Maharashtra. The order can be updated
to six later. The EPRs, which are designed to phase out old reactors all over the
world, are currently under construction only in France, Finland and China. Four
independent cooling systems for safety and lead-proof design are some of the
features which separate the EPRs from the older reactors.
PERSONS
Raju, Radha Vinod Raju: The Union government has named
Radha Vinod Raju, an officer of the Indian Police Service, or IPS, as head of the
newly set up National Investigation Agency, or NIA, an omnibus agency to fight
terror, on the lines of US Federal Bureau of Investigation. Raju, who belongs to
the 1975 batch of IPS, was a key member of the police team that investigated the
1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
PLACES
Gyotue monastery: The 17th Karmapa, Oxygen Trinley Dorje, next only to the
Dalai Lama as a Tibetan Buddhist leader, has finally found a permanent home in
India. The Gyotue monastery has offered to build a residence for the 24-year-old
Karmapa at Sidhbari village, 7 km from Dharamsala. Known as the Black hat Lama,
he was recognized as the reincarnate of 16th Karmapa, Rangzun Rigpe Dorje, by
the Dalai Lama. He defected from China with five men and his elder sister in
January 5, 2000, and reached Dharamsala.
Rai Bareily: The third rail coach factory has started operations here. Coaches of
India’s own bullet train would be manufactured at this Rs 1,685 crore facility.
PROJECTS
Tilaiya project for RPower: Anil Ambani Group firm Reliance Power has bagged its
third 4,000 mw Ultra Mega Power Project, at Tilaiya, in Jharkhand. The project
entails an investment of Rs 16,000-18,000 crore and will have a debt-equity ratio
of 70 : 30. Tilaiya is the fourth UMPP to be awarded to a developer. Earlier, two
UMPPs bagged by Reliance Power are those of Sasan and Krishnapatnam. Tata
Power got the Mundra UMPP.
SPACE RESEARCH
Iran launches first home- built satellite: On February 3, 2009, Iran, engaged in a
standoff with the West over its controversial nuclear programme, launched its
first indigenous satellite, named Omid, using its own Safir-2 rocket, a move that
could cause concern in the international community. The launch of the satellite
coincided with 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The satellite is aimed at
determining orbital measurements and will calculate Earth 15 times in every 24
hours.
Iran has pursued a space programme for several years. In October 2005, a
Russian-made Iranian satellite named Sina-I was put into orbit with help of a
Russian rocket.