Indra Nooyi, Shobhana Bhartia awarded 2015 Global Leadership Award

Hindustan Times Group chairperson Shobhana Bharatia and PepsiCo Chairman Indra Nooyi have been awarded 2015 Global Leadership Award of the US-India Business Council (USIBC). They were honoured with this award for their roles as top women leaders in the Business world and their commitment to driving a more inclusive global economy. Apart from them, renowned Indian-American artist Natvar Bhavsar was awarded the Artistic Achievement Award. He is well-known for his abstract expressionism and colour-field painting. All of them were presented the awards during the annual gala of the USIBC. US Vice President Joe Biden, US Secretary of State John Kerry were among the dignitaris who had addressed USIBC gala on the occasion. It should be noted that USIBC is the top advocacy group for India and American companies in the US. It aims to deepen trade and strengthen commercial ties between both countries

Kalpana Chawla remembered on her 12th death anniversary on 1 February

Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-American astronaut and first Indian woman in space was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on February 1, 2003.

She first flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator.

Kalpana Chawla was born on July 1, 1961, in Karnal, India. She was the first Indian-American astronaut and first Indian woman in space.

As per her academic record, Chawla  completed her aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College in and a masters degree from the University of Texas in 1980s. In 1994, Chawla was selected as an astronaut candidate

Kalpana Chawla died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster which occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, with the death of all seven crew members

National Mathematics Day being celebrated on Srinivasa Ramanujan’s birth anniversary

Every year 22^nd December is observed as National Mathematics Day to celebrate birth anniversary of great Indian Mathematician autodidact Srinivasa Ramanujan.

This year, it will be the 127th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.

About Srinivasa Ramanujan

He was born on 22^nd December, 1887 in Erode district of Tamil Nadu.

He was considered as doyen of number theory, infinite series, mathematical analysis, and making formulas and equations without any formal training in pure mathematics.

Key contributions:

• ·  As a mathematical genius, he had compiled more than 3900 mathematical results and equations
•     His Ramanujan Prime and Ramanujan theta discoveries had inspired further research on this mathematical subject.
• ·  
  Along with British Mathematician Hardy, Ramanujan had discovered the smallest number represented as sum of two cubes 1729 which is known as Hardy-Ramanujan number.

Background

In 2011, Union Government had declared 22nd December as ‘National Mathematics Day’ to celebrate his 125th birth anniversary. Government also had declared, 2012 as National Mathematics Year.

SS Mundra - Chairman & Managing Director of Bank of Baroda

Shri S.S. Mundra assumed the charge as Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda on 21st January, 2013. Prior to his elevation as Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda, he was the Executive Director of Union Bank of India.

Born on 18th July, 1954, Shri Mundra holds a Masters Degree in Commerce and is a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (CAIIB). Shri Mundra started his career as a Probationary Officer in Bank of Baroda in 1977 and has over three decades of experience in Banking. He has held wide range of responsibilities in Domestic as well as International Operations of the Bank, in various capacities before his elevation as Executive Director of Union Bank of India in 2010. Shri Mundra brings with him diverse experience in Treasury, International Operations and Credit. He has held key leadership positions as Zonal Head of Maharashtra & Goa Zone. He was also the Chief Executive of Bank of Baroda’s UK Operations for a period of 3 years.