Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 29 March 2016 flagged off India’s first indigenous composites bow mounted Sonar Dome during DefExpo 2016 in Goa. The Sonar Dome will now be delivered to Mazgaon Docks, Mumbai for use in the warships of Indian Navy. With the successful manufacture of Sonar Dome, India joined a select group of nations which have the capability of realizing large composites structure with multi-functional requirements, complex geometry and high structural rigidity with acoustic transparency. It was possible due to the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process technology with built-in process monitoring capability, to ensure manufacture of a quality product.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel on 30 March 2016 remotely launched Asia's biggest telescope, the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) which is located at Devasthal near Nainital in Uttarakhand.The telescope is the product of an Indo-Belgian collaborative effort and was assisted by the Russian Academy of Sciences.It will replace Vainu Bappu Observatory in Kavalur, Tamil Nadu to be Asia’s largest ground-based optical telescope.
Haldhar Nag, the 66-year-old poet in Kosli language, was in news in the last week of March 2016. He came in news after President Pranab Mukherjee on 28 March 2016 conferred Padma Shri 2016 on him at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.He was bestowed with third highest civilian honour for his contribution in Literature & Education section.
The 13th India-European Union Summit was held on 30 March 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. In the summit, India was represented by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The European Union (EU) was represented by Donald Tusk, President of the European Council and Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission.
A group of scientists discovered sand-eating tadpole in the southern Western Ghats. The tadpole lives in total darkness, until it fully develops into a young frog.The discovery of the tadpole was documented on 30 March 2016 in the journal PLOS One.The tadpole belongs to the Indian Dancing Frog family, Micrixalidae.The discovery is the result of collaborative efforts of scientists from the University of Delhi, the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and Gettysburg College, California.This discovery builds the knowledge base for further comparative analyses and conservation of Micrixalus, an ancient and endemic lineage of Indian frogs.
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on 30 March 2016 announced that France will end its Operation Sangaris in the Central African Republic in 2016.The decision was taken in view of the achievement of the objective of its military intervention in the country. The mission was launched with the objective of restoring security in the country after three years of communal violence.
The announcement came alongside the swearing-in ceremony of Faustin-Archange Touadera as the first elected President of the nation in three years.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 29 March 2016 cancelled the certificate of registration of the 22 Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).RBI cancelled their certificates of registration by exercising the powers conferred on it under Section 45-IA (6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
Renowned playback singer P. Susheela Mohan in the last week of March 2016 entered the Guinness Book of Records for singing 17695 songs in 12 Indian languages.On the other hand, Asia Book of Records also officially recognised Susheela for singing most number of songs in Indian languages.
While the Guinness Book of Records officially credited her for singing 17695 songs (solo, duet and chorus backed songs) in twelve Indian languages, Asia Book of Records recognised her for singing 17330 songs.
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on 29 March 2016 notified Guidelines for 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Business to Business (B2B) e-commerce.The guidelines were issued under the Consolidated FDI Policy Circular 2015 that was notified by the DIPP of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The Environment Ministry on 29 March 2016 notified Construction & Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016 for the first time. The rules were notified to effectively tackle the issues of pollution and waste management. The basis of these rules is to recover, recycle and reuse the waste generated through construction and demolition.
Htin Kyaw was sworn-in President of Myanmar on 30 March 2016 at a joint session of parliament in the capital Nay Pyi Taw.With this, Aung San Suu Kyi's close aide Kyaw also became the first elected civilian leader to be the President of the country after 53 years of military rule. Army took power in a 1962 coup.
Htin Kyaw, 69, from the National League for Democracy (NLD) took over from Thein Sein, who introduced wide-ranging reforms during his five years in power.
China on 30 March 2016 launched its 22nd satellite for its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS). The satellite was launched aboard a Long March-3A carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.The BeiDou system will be completed in 2020 and will comprise over 30 satellites.It was the 225th launch of the Long March carrier rocket.
The first direct container MV Harbour-1 Vessel between India and Bangladesh carrying cotton was flagged off from Krishnapatnam of Andhra Pradesh to Chittagong on 28 March 2016.The voyage was started as a part of a coastal shipping agreement to facilitate trade between India and Bangladesh.
Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin on 28 March 2016 won the FIDE World Chess Candidates Tournament held in Moscow.In the final Round 14, the Russian grandmaster defeated American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.Karjakin will now play with the incumbent world champion, Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, in a match for the world chess crown in the United States in November 2016.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 28 March 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate 848 million US dollars in funding to develop solar parks across India. The agreement was signed by Jonathan Addleton, Mission Director, USAID/India and M. Teresa Kho, Country Director, India Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank.
This agreement between USAID and ADB will help finance the development of solar parks in support of the Government of India’s renewable energy targets.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on 28 March 2016 dedicated the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project to the people of the state.The project is situated at Pattiseema village of Polavaram mandal in West Godavari district. It started functioning on a full-scale as the installation of all 24 pump sets was completed on 24 March 2016.
Tata Motors on 28 March 2016 announced that it signed a follow-on contract with the Indian Army to supply 619 units of its 6X6 high-mobility vehicle (HMV) multi-axle truck.
This is in conjunction, to an earlier order awarded to Tata Motors for 1239 units of its 6X6 MMV. This is the single largest order awarded to an Indian private firm in land systems by the Indian Army under the Union Ministry of Defence, Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).
The Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 28 March 2016 unveiled the Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 (DPP 2016). It was unveiled on the sidelines of the Defexpo-2016 that was inaugurated by him at Naqueri Quitol in Quepem Taluka, Goa.The DPP 2016 will replace the Defence Procurement Procedure 2013 (DPP 2013). It will come into force on 1 April 2016.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to script history by launching a record number of 22 satellites in a single mission in May 2016. These satellites (micro and nano) will be launched using ISRO’s workhorse Polar rocket PSLV C34. It will be carrying India’s Cartosat 2C along with 21 other satellites from other countries, including US, Canada, Indonesia and Germany as co-passengers.
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh on 28 March 2016 upheld the status of Islam as the State religion. The ruling was given by the High Court Division of the court while dismissing a petition filed by Samendra Nath Goswami.Goswami challenged the legality of the constitutional provision of Islam as the state religion (8th Constitutional Amendment, 1988) despite revival of secularism as a fundamental state policy under a 2011 amendment to the Constitution.
Fiction writer, poet and essayist, Jim Harrison passed away on 26 March 2016 in Patagonia, Arizona, United States. Harrison is best known for his 1979 novella Legends of the Fall. He was called a force of nature, and his works were compared to that of William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway.
Indian-American Nandita Bakhshi was appointed as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of the West, a unit of French banking giant BNP Paribas. Her appointment was announced by the bank on 16 March 2016.She will take over the roles of President and CEO-designate effective from 1 April 2016 and will assume the role on 1 June 2016.
Bakhshi succeeded Michael Shepherd who will take on the role of Chairman of BNP Paribas USA, the new holding company for all BNP Paribas subsidiaries in the US. Shepherd will continue to serve as Chairman of BancWest Corporation and of Bank of the West.
The book entitled Anything But Khamosh: The Shatrughan Sinha Biography was in news in the fourth week of March 2016. The book was authored by Bharathi S Pradhan.
The book describes film actor Shatrughan Sinha’s journey from Patna to Film Institute of India (now FTII) in Poona and his tryst with the celluloid in Mumbai.This Pradhan’s work also traces Sinha’s political journey. In 2003, Sinha set a record as the first film star to be sworn-in as a Union Cabinet Minister.He also held two portfolio - the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Jan 2003-May 2004) and the Ministry of shipping (August 2004) - during the NDA Government.
President Rule was imposed in Uttarakhand on 27 March 2016 following the approval of the recommendation of the Union Cabinet by the President Pranab Mukherjee. The Cabinet recommended president rule in the state citing a constitutional breakdown.President signed the proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution dismissing the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat and placing the Assembly under suspended animation.
The 63rd National Film Awards were announced on 28 March 2016.The awards will be presented by Directorate of Film Festivals of India to honour the best films of 2015 in the Indian cinema. The award ceremony will be held on 3 May 2016.