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First Indian to be appointed Global CEO of Worldwide Italian Confectionery Giant . August 2013 .

Sameer Suneja has been promoted to the top job as global CEO of the 2,245 million Italian sugar confectionery making – Perfetti Group. He will take over the role on October 01st, thus making him the first ever Indian Global head and perhaps the first non-Italian global CEO of the privately held firm.

Perfetti Van Melle Spa (PVM)is the world’s 3rd largest confectionery group after Kraft-Cadbury and Mars-Wrigley. Perfetti makes Alpenliebe and Mentos candies, Chlormint toffee, Center Fresh, Hanny Dent and Big Babool gum.

Sameer Suneja will report to the Board of Directors of the Netherlands based holding of the Group.

His promotion comes barely a year after he was promoted as Executive Vice President (EVP), Innovation & Business Development based in the Netherlands reporting to the global CEO of Perfetti, Ubalto Traldi. Suneja’s mandate included exchanging successful experiences in marketing and commercial fields across the group.

Previous to moving to the global role based out of Netherlands, Suneja was the Managing Director, Perfetti Van Melle India for 4 years. In India Suneja also launched Alpenliebe candy, now the country’s single-largest confectionery. He has been with PVM India, a subsidiary of the global conglomerate for over 16 years. He joined Perfetti as brand manager in 1997 when it was only 3 years old in India.

Sameer Suneja, 41 years, an IIM-Bangalore alumnus 1994 batch, started his career at Colgate-Palmolive toothpaste maker as management trainee. He then moved on and became product manager handling Colgate toothbrush portfolio. Subsequently he joined Pepsico’s snacks arm Frito Lay as brand manager, handling both the chips and traditional snacks categories before joining Perfetti Van Melle India as brand manager in its early days in the country in 1997.

Note: There are other individuals who have made it to the top heading Global multi-nationals. You may use the ‘Search’ feature to access the information.

India’s airline – Air India’s first long-haul airservice to London from Bombay . June 1948 .

Air India then run by the Chairman, J.R.D.Tata (known as Father of Indian Civil Aviation) created aviation history in its inaugral flight the ‘Malabar Princess'(registered VT-CQP), a 40-seater Lockheed Constellation L-749A aircraft to London Heathrow from Bombay (Mumbai)via Cairo and Geneva on Tuesday, June 08th, 1948 with Captain K.R.Guzdar in command. The National carrier of India was launched as an International Airline.

Months of meticulous planning had finally paid off. Carefully selected staff members wre alloted to the new operation. New staff were recruited and Air India offices were opened in Cairo, Geneva and London. The Cairo office was set up by F.Nariman, G.Bertoli took charge of the Geneva operations and London was headed by M.A.S.Dalal, where Air India had a very small set up at London Airport.

This was the airlines first long-haul flight, a milestone in the history of Indian Civil Aviation, soon followed by a service in 1950 to Nairobi via Aden. This beautiful silver state-of-the-art Lockheed Constellation aircraft bearing the  tricolour was the finest that money could buy.

‘Malabar Princess’ arrived in London in the early hours of June 10th taking a little more than 24 hours. For the second leg of the journey from Cairo, Captain D.K.Jatar was in command.

After World War II, a regular commercial service was restored in India, and Tata Airlines became a public limited company on July 29th, 1946 under the name Air India. In 1948 after, after the independence of India, 49% of the airline was acquired by the Government of India, with an option to purchase an additional 2%. In return the airline was granted status to operate international service from India as the designated flag carrier under the name Air India International.

In 1948 only a few airlines existed and not many countries had their own international operations. India had achieved a notable milestone, ahead of others that night.

The first Indian to participate in the ‘ Lamborghini Super Trofeo ‘ International motor racing series . May 2013 .

Amir Beg, an Indian racing enthusiast is all-set to make his debut, as the first Indian to participate in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, Season II. The series also marks India’s debut in the championship.

The Lamborghini race is considered to be the fastest one-design series in the world (where all the vehicles are of the same make and same specifications). The participating race cars in the series are Lamborghini Gallardo 570-4 Super Trofeo. Interestingly this event also coincides with the 50 year celebration of the Italian mega brand Lamborghini. The legendary car manufacturer has decided to support Amir Beg.

Born in hyderabad, on May 01st, 1981  Amir Beg did his schooling at a boarding school in Bangalore. He then headed off to the University of Western Ontario in Canada for higher studies.

Anmol Rajan appointed ‘ The Independent ‘s Editor and becomes first non-white Editorial head of a UK national newspaper . June 2013 .

In a bold move Evgeny Lebedev the Russian owner of The Independent named, Anmol Rajan, a  29-year old Indian-origin journalist,as the newest editor of  The Independent newspaper on June 17th, 2013. He was the editor of The Independent Voics section. Rajan takes over from Chris Blackhurst who became Group Content Director.

Anmol Rajan one of the youngest ever at 29, makes Fleet Street history by becoming first non-white newspaper editorial head of a UK national newspaper creating ripples in London’s all-white Oxbridge media elite. And also the first- ethnic minority editor, a first-British Asian editor of a British national newspaper.

Rajan was born in Calcutta (Kolkata)on July 04th, 1983 , before moving to London as a three year old. He grew up in Tooting, South London and went on to read English literature at Downing College, Cambridge University and edited the prestigious student magazine ‘Varsity’. He spent his gap year working at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

After graduating, Rajan worked briefly for the ‘Evening Standard’ and ‘Channel 5’ before moving to ‘The Independent’ in August 2007 where he rose through the ranks from being a news reporter , columnist, comment editor and editor of Independent Voices. He is also a devoted foodie, writing a restaurant column for The Independent on Sunday and appeared as a judge on BBC1’s Masterchef in April. Rajan was the secondary presenter on ‘The Wright Stuff’ the daytime talk show on the Five Network during its 2006-07 season. A former columnist of ‘The Salisbury Review’.

Anmol Rajan is also a volunteer youth worker with Prospex, a charity based in Islington.

Books: Anmol Rajan is a keen cricket fan and has even written a well regarded book ‘Twirlymen: Unlikely History of Cricket’s Greatest Spin Bowlers’ published by Random House in 2011.

Diamler India exports first-batch of Fuso Trucks from Chennai. June 2013 .

Diamler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV)exported the first shipment of 64 Fuso trucks manufactured at its Oragadam plant. The trucks exported are in the 9-, 12- and 25 tonne range.

Marc Llistosella, Managing Director & CEO, DICV said ‘This is a realisation of our promise to export from Chennai ‘

The Fuso trucks are headed towards Sri Lanka as a part of Diamler India’s (DICV)commitment to export to various countries in Asia and Africa. Sri Lanka will be followed by Bangaldesh, Zambia, Kenya and Brunei later this year.

The Fuso brand of trucks, owned by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), is a member of the Diamler Trucks Division of Diamler AG, which owns 89.29% per cent stake in the Corporation.

Diamler India (DICV) is a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of German automotive giant Diamler AG. The Oragadam (Chennai) plant alongwith the Kawasaki plant in Japan will be Diamler’s two global competence centres. Although the new lineup will be branded Mitsubishi Fuso in export markets, in India they will be branded as Bharat Benz – Diamler’s India brand.

Oragadam is an industrial hub to the west, in the outskirts of Chennai where DICV in its plant spread over 400 acres ,produces the Bharat Benz range of trucks for the domestic market.

 

 

First Indian Secretary General of Asian Wrestling body (AAWC) . April 2013 .

Raj Singh became the first Indian to be elected Secretary General of ” Asian Associated Wrestling Council ” (AAWC) by vote of the general assembly on Tuesday, April 16th, 2013.

Raj Singh the current Secretary General of the ” Wrestling Federation of India ” (WFI)secured 20 votes and will hold the office for the term of 4 years. Chang Kew Kim was elected President for the 2nd term, as President AAWC after he got 23 votes.

The 24 representatives of their respective Asian countries cast their vote at the General Assembly, held in New Delhi.

India’s first ‘ Miss World ‘ . 1966 . First Asian to win the ‘ Miss World ‘ title. 1966

Reita Faria was the first Indian to be crowned ‘Miss World’ in 1966. She was also the first Asian to win the ‘Miss World’ title in 1966.

The red sari with golden zari work bagged the ‘Best Evening Gown’ prize.

The brown eyed beauty Reita Faria made the whole world sit up and look at India. By winning the crown, she showed the way for later competitors giving them confidence that they too could take the world by storm. She could be the first international beauty queen to qualify as a doctor during her reign.

Reita Faria was a student at the Grant Medical College and Sir J.J.Group of Hospitals.  Born 1945 she hailed from Mumbai with ancestral ties to Tivim, Goa. After winning the crown, she turned down offers of modelling and films, fame and fortune, instead chose to focus on her medical studies.

She won the Miss Mumbai crown and subsequently won the Eve’s Weekly ‘Miss India’ contest. Dr.Reita Faria was a judge at ‘Femina Miss India’ 1996. She adjudicated the ‘Miss World’ competions 3 times and attended the 25th and 50th anniversary of the contest.

Dr.Reita Faria married endocrinologist Dr.David Powell and lives in Dublin, Ireland. She has 2 Daughters,both in the medical profession and 5 grandchildren.

First Indian American and First Asian American elected to U.S. Congress. 1957 .

Dalip Singh Saund PhD., an American – created history by becoming the first Asian American, the first Indian American, the first Punjabi, the first Sikh to become a U.S. Congressman in 1957.

Saund ran for election as a ‘ Justice of the Peace ‘ in 1950 for Westmoreland township in California and won. As a Democrat, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, serving the 29th District of California from January 03, 1957 to January 03, 1963. Dalip Singh Saund served almost three terms in Congress.

Obtained his Bachelors degree in Mathematics, Prince of Wales College (Jammu), University of Punjab in 1919. Subsequently went to the US for higher education. Obtained his Masters degree (1922) and PhD (1924) both in Mathematics at University of California, Berkeley. He became an American citizen in 1949.

Saund married Marian Kosta. Dalip Singh Saund (born Chhajulwadi, Punjab, India  September 20th, 1899 – April 22nd, 1973) aged 73, Hollywood, California.

http://wwww.saund.org

Indian sisters are the ‘ first twins ‘ in the world to scale Mount Everest. May 2013 .

Twin sisters Nunshi Malik and Tashi Malik became the world’s first twins on May 19th, 2013 to scale Mount Everest, the earth’s highest mountain in the world .

The Uttarakhand sisters from Dehradun were with a 11 member joint Indian and Nepal army expedition. They reached the top with two sherpas, who incidentally were also twins.They were among a team of 135 other people who reached the top of Mount Everest at 8,848 meters above sea level.

Nunshi and Tashi Malik are children of Col.Virendra Singh Malik and Manju Malik of Johri village. The sisters havew previously also scaled Mount Kiliminjaro in Africa.

Background: Other women from the state in the past who have reach the top peak of the world are Bachendri Pal (who was the first women mountaineer from the country to climb the mountain), Sumanlata Kuthiyal, Savita Martolaya and Kavita Burathoki.

First Indian American lawyer confirmed as U.S. Court Judge . May 2013 .

Srikanth Srinivasan (widely known as Sri) scripted history as the first South Asian judge confirmed to America’s second highest court. He is the first new judge to be confirmed to the DC circuit in 7 years.

Described as a “trailblazer” by the US President Barack Obama, Srinivasan’s nomination to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Colombia Circuit, was unanimously approved by the bi-partisan voting of the Senate by 97 in favour.

Srinivasan began his legal career by serving as a law clerk for Judge J Harvie Wiekinson on the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth circuit from 1995-1996. He was a very successful litigator for close to two decades prior to serving as the Principal Deputy Solicitor in the US.

Srikanth Srinivasan received his BA with honours and distinction in 1989 (Stanford University) and his JD (Juris Doctor) with distinction in 1995 from Sanford Law School. He was elected to ‘Order of the Coif’ and served as editor of the Stanford Law Review.He also holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

For his work he received recongnition – the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in ‘Furthering US National Security in 2003’ and the Office of the Secretary of Defence ‘Award for Excellence’ in 2005.

Chandigarh born, 46 years old legal luminary Srinivasan grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He immigrated to the US at the age of four and his family settled in Lawrence, Kansas. His father was a mathematics Professor at the University of Kansas and his mother taught at the Kansas City Art Insititute. His father hails from Mela Thiruvenkatanathapuram (near Thirunelveli), Tamil Nadu.