Category: PIO’s

** FEATURED Who is Astra Sharma, the Indian-origin tennis player making waves in Australia?

Laxmi Poruri was making waves in the US tennis circuit by the time she was 15.

America had an Indian-American lead the way in female tennis ranking and it was truly a historic moment for her.

Similarly, there have been many Indian NRIs or citizens of Indian descent living abroad who have represented and played sport for their country of residence.

One woman making headlines in Australia is 22 year old Astra Sharma.

** The 2020 Millennium Technology Prize goes to…

Balasubramanian and Klenerman for DNA sequencing techniques

The 2020 Millennium Technology Prize, announced in May, has been awarded to Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman, “for their development of revolutionary DNA sequencing techniques.” Their work is a perfect blend of science and innovation, and very apt as we have all heard a great deal about genome sequencing in the context of the ongoing pandemic.

** Records of freedom fighters to be digitised to mark 75 years of Independence: Minister

Precaution will be taken to save records during demolition for Central Vista project, says Kishan Reddy.

Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Monday said the National Archives’ records related to freedom fighters would be digitised within a year as a part of the commemoration of 75 years of Independence next year.

Mr. Reddy, who took over the Culture and Tourism Ministries after the Cabinet reshuffle last week, visited the National Archives on Monday morning. After his visit, he told media that the National Archives of India, which houses over 18 crore pages, 64,000 volumes and 1.2 lakh maps, had started the digitisation process, but it would take a long time to complete.

“The records of the freedom movement and freedom fighters would be digitised in the coming year as a part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,” he said, referring to the year-long series of activities leading up to Independence Day 2022.

** Meet Abhimanyu Mishra, 12, the youngest chess grandmaster in history

The New Jersey resident broke a record held by Sergey Karjakin for almost 20 years.

Abhimanyu Mishra started playing chess when he was just two, Now, at the age of 12, he has broken one of the oldest records in the game to become the youngest grandmaster in history.

The youngster, who is from New Jersey, broke a record held by the Russian former chess prodigy Sergey Karjakin, who earned the title in 2002 at the age of 12 years and seven months. Abhimanyu earned the title at 12 years, four months and 25 days on Wednesday at an event in Budapest.

** Indian-origin Justice becomes first person of colour to be nominated to Supreme Court of Canada

Justin Trudeau announced Justice Mahmud Jamal’s nomination on Thursday to replace the retiring Rosalie Silberman Abella, the first refugee and first Jewish woman to sit on the top court. 

** Chennai-born man named president of Illinois Institute of Technology

Raj Echambadi is an alumnus of College of Engineering, Guindy

Rajagopal Ragavan Echambadi, Dunton Family Dean at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University, has been appointed 10th president of the Illinois Institute of Technology, U.S.

** Microsoft names CEO Satya Nadella as chairman

Microsoft Corp on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, named Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella as its new chairman, in place of John Thompson.

Mr. Nadella, who took over as CEO in 2014 from Steve Ballmer, has been instrumental in scaling up its business including billion-dollar acquisitions like LinkedIn , Nuance Communications and ZeniMax.