March

Sanjay Dutt (53)--The Supreme Court of India, on 21 March 2013 sentenced Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt to a sentence of 5 years in jail because of his association with the 1993 bombings in Mumbai. The decision was given by a bench of Justice PS Sathasivam and BS Chauhan. Sanjay Dutt, was held for acquiring illegal weapons for Mumbai bombings in 1993 which killed 257 people. The Apex Court upheld his conviction under the Arms Act, but brought down the 6-year imprisonment given by TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) court to 5 years. He has already served 18 months in a jail in Pune, which means that he will have to serve remaining three-and-a-half year sentence. In 2007, he was found guilty of acquiring AK-56 rifle as well as a pistol illegally. He was one of the high profile people among 100 who were found associated with the bombing trial. Mumbai bombings took place in 1993. India’s most wanted Dawood Ibrahim was responsible for the bombings.

Nikhil Kumar, former Nagaland Governor on 23 March 2013 sworn in as the 20th Governor of Kerala. Chief Justice of Kerala High Court Justice Manjula Chelloor administered the oath of the office and secrecy at Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram to him. Kumar will succeed as Governor of Karnataka, H R Bharadwaj, who was holding the additional charge of Kerala after the death of M O H Farooq in January 2012. Nikhil Kumar is a retired IPS Officer had served as the head of the National Security Guard and has served congress as its former MP.

Maulana Syed Raabe Hasani Nadvi--- was elected unopposed as the President of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) for the fifth consecutive term. Nadvi and other office bearers were elected during the three-day 23rd annual general meeting of AIMPLB which began in Ujjain on 23 March. Nadvi was first elected to the post in 2002 in Hyderabad. Senior Congress leader from Madhya Pradesh Arif Masood was elected unopposed for the post of Board’s executive member.

The President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman passed away on 20 March 2013 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. He was aged 84 years. The Government of Bangladesh announced three-day mourning in the country. Zillur Rahman was undergoing treatment for kidney as well as respiratory complications. Speaker Abdul Hamid became acting President of Bangladesh now. According to the Article 54 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, if a vacancy occurs in the office of President or if the President is unable to discharge the functions of his office on account of absence, illness or any other cause the Speaker shall discharge those functions until a President is elected or until the President resumes the functions of his office, as the case may be.

US President Barack Obama 22 March nominated Indian-American Renee Ramaswamy, a Bharatanatayam exponent, to the prestigious National Council of the Arts for a five year term. Ramaswamy founded the Ragamala Music and Dance Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1992 and has been popularizing this classical Indian dance form in America. The White House said Obama has sent her nomination, along with others, to the Senate for its approval

Justice T Meena Kumari was on 23 March sworn in as the first Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court by Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary. The Governor administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice Kumari at a ceremony held in the Raj Bhavan. Justice Kumari was earlier a judge of the Patna High Court. Talking to reporters after her swearing-in ceremony, Justice Kumari said that her first priority area would be to see that fast—track courts are being set up in the state. Later, the Chief Justice also administered oath of office to two new judges of the high court — T M K Singh and S R Sen at the Shillong High Court. The newly established Meghalaya High Court will be formally inaugurated on March 25 by the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice Altamas Kabir. Apart from Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura have also been given their own full-fledged high courts. While, the strength of judges in the two high courts will be three each including the chief justice, Tripura High Court, however, will have four judges including the chief justice. Notably, with the approval of these three full-fledged high courts in the North East, the total number of high courts in the country will increase from 21 to 24.
Sundar Pichai --- Google on 13 March announced that Andy Rubin, who was heading the company's Android division, is stepping down. He will be replaced by SundarPichai, an IITian, who also heads Google's Chrome division. The architect of Android, the world's top-selling mobile operating system, Andy Rubin, has decided to step down as Google Inc combines mobile software divisions under one roof, the company said on 12 March. Google appointed Sundar Pichai, the executive overseeing its Chrome web browser and applications like Google Drive and Gmail, to take over Rubin's responsibilities, hinting at how the company with the dominant Internet search engine intends to address the rise of mobile devices.

Sahir Ludhianvi -- The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on 8 March 2013 released the Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi on occasion of his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Sahir Ludhianvi died on 25 October 1980 and was a renowned Urdu poet. He was known among the young for his poetry on beauty and love. Sahir Ludhianvi had converged Urdu poetry into the film songs as well. Also, he fought for recognition of lyric writers through the Film Writers Association.

B Ashok Reddy-- B Ashok Reddy, the Infotech Enterprises President (Human Resources and Corporate Affairs), was elected as the new chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Andhra Pradesh, for 2013-14. C Suresh Rayudu, the Srinivasa Hatcheries Group Managing Director was elected as the vice-chairman of CII, AP. Both of them were elected on 16 March 2013 in Hyderabad. Earlier, B Ashok Reddy served as the Vice-Chairman, CII Andhra Pradesh.

Kallam Anji Reddy -- The man behind Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (DRL), the second-largest drug maker of India died on 15 March 2013 at Hyderabad’s Apollo Hospital. Anji Reddy was the founder and chairman of DRL. He was aged 72 years. He died because of liver cancer. He is survived by his wife, daughter and son. Anji Reddy was a chemical engineer. He served as the member on Prime Minister's Council on Trade & Industry. Anji Reddy was honoured with Padma Bhushan, the highest Civilian Award in India, in April 2011. He was awarded for distinguished service in Trade and Industry field. He also founded Neo-natal Intensive Care and Emergencies called NICE Foundation, which is the only institute for newborn in Asia. In 1998, he also established Naandi Foundation which provided safe drinking water in rural areas. This foundation also provides the midday meals to 1.3 million children as well as farmers. Dr Reddy's Laboratories is the second-largest pharmaceutical company of India, in terms of market capitalization with 31000 crore Rupees. It was also the first pharmaceutical company of India that was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2001.

Ganesh Pyne(76)--- legendary painter, on 12 March 2013 died after a heart attack in Kolkata.Ganesh Pyne was born in Kolkata in 1937. In his long career of five decades, his paintings were exhibited round the world - Paris, London, Washington and Germany. He was described as an artist's artist, a philosopher's philosopher and master fantasist of them all. He had received several awards and accolades for his works. He was conferred Raja Ravi Varma award by Kerala Government. Ganesh Pyne drew his inspiration from Bengal's rich storehouse of folklore and mythology, stories that his grandmother told him in his childhood. He blended romanticism, fantasy and free form and an inventive play of light and shade to create a world of poetic surrealism. In the year 2012 Ganesh Pyne was conferred the lifetime achievement award by Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Bobby Ghosh -- The eminent Indian Journalist was appointed as the editor of Time International on 16 March 2013. He is the first non-American World Editor in the history of the Times. Bobby Ghosh joined TIME in 1998 after serving India as a journalist for 10 years

Ramankutty Nair(88)-- Padma Bhushan-winning Kathakali exponent Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, passed away at his house at Vellinezhi, near Palakkad, on 11 March.He became famous for his role of Parasurama in ‘Sita Swayamvaram,’ which became his trade mark in his early days. He was the most appreciated for his enactment of Ravana, Duryodhana, Keechaka and other negative heroes in the category of performance called ‘katthi vesham.’He also excelled in the role of Hanuman in Thoranayudham and Kalyanasougadhikam.Ramankutty Nair, who studied in Kerala Kalamandalam, later became its Principal. He wrote his autobiography ‘Thiranottam,’ and the famous filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan made a documentary film on the legendary Kathakali artist.

Sripada Pinakapani (100) ---Legendary Carnatic musician and medical practitioner Sripada Pinakapani, passed away at his residence kurool, A.P on 11 March. Popularly known as “Doctor Singer of Kurnool”, Pinakapani was born at Priya Agraharam in Srikakulam district to Pinakapani Kameswara Rao and Jogamma on August 3, 1913.More than teaching, he made great contributions to creative music and evolved his own style. He was considered the “healer of malady’’ (as doctor) and “producer of melody” (as musician). He produced a voluminous treatise on Carnatic music. In recognition of his contribution to music, he was awarded Padmabhushan, Kalaprapoorna, Rabindranath Tagore Ratna, Gana Vidya Varadhi, Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award and many other rewards. K. V. Ramana Murthy, Chairman, State Cultural Council, in his condolence message said that though Pinakapani, recipient of the first ‘Telugu Velugu’ award from the Cultural Council, was a doctor by profession, he chose classical music as his vocation.

Mukul Manda Sangma(47) - Mukul Sangma of Congress was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second term on 5 March 2013. He took oath for the second term as 26th Chief Minister of the state. The Governor, R.S. Mooshahary administered him the oath of office and secrecy at the Raj Bhavan premises in Shillong.

Neiphiu Rio (63)- Neiphiu Rio of Naga People’s Front (NPF) party was sworn in as Chief Minister of Nagaland for the third straight term on 5 March 2013 along with 11 ministers by the Governor Nikhil Kumar at the Raj Bhavan in Kohima. The Naga People’s Front (NPF), is supported by two alliance partners, BJP and JD (U) with one MLA each, also with an unconditional support of 7 Independents. Neiphiu Rio is the only leader to have led the regional party to victory in the assembly elections for the third time in the 50-year history of Nagaland statehood. Neiphiu Rio was Chief Minister from 6 March 2003 to 3 January 2008, and has been Chief Minister again since 12 March 2008.

Hugo Chavez (58)--Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died on 5 March 2013 at a military hospital in Caracas at the age of 58 due to Cancer. He died after battling from cancer for two years during which he underwent several surgeries and chemotherapy in Cuba. With his death his 14 year rule of Venezuela came to an end and bringing a challenge of electing a new President for the country within 30 days as per Constitution of Venezuela. Till then the Presidency will be assumed by the Vice-President of the country, Nicolas Maduro. Hugo Chavez was the President of Venezuela from 1999 till his death in 2013. He was the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. He was responsible for the promotion of the Bolivarian cause of social revolution and started the secretive Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 (MBR-200) in early 1980s. He served the Venezuelan army as a officer before entering into politics and initiation the secretive Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 (MBR-200). He was a former leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007.He led a coup attempt in 1992 and landed in jail for his act and was further he launched his political career served as the President of Venezuela for three times.

Rajeev0 Shahare was appointed as the new High Commissioner to Maldives on 28 February 2013; replacing D M Mulay. At present, Shahare is a Joint Secretary in the West Asia North Africa division of Ministry of External Affairs. D M Mulay, on the other hand, has now been appointed as the India’s Consul General in New York. He would take up office in March 2013. The appointment of Rajeev Shahare came at a time when bilateral relations between India and Maldives are suffering because of termination of contract to GMR for Male International Airport modernisation.

Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal --on 28 February 2013 he took over as the twentieth Director General of the Indian Coast Guard. He is the successor of the outgoing Vice Admiral MP Muralidharan. He was commissioned on Indian Navy on 1 July 1977 and since then held different sea and operational appointments. He is a Navigation and Aircraft Direction specialist

Park Geun-hye (61)-Park Geun-hye sworn-in as the first woman President of South Korea on 25 February 2013. After swearing-in, she vowed for zero tolerance against nuclearised North Korea as well as economic prosperity of the country. Park Geun-hye took charge of the office of the President of South Korea just a little over 50 years after Park Chung-hee, her father had taken over the office in 1961. Park Geun-hye was elected as the first female President of South Korea on 19 December 2012. She belongs to the conservative Saenuri party. Former President of South Korea was Lee Myung-bak.

Natwar Singh- The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari on 1 March, released a book entitled “Walking with Lions : Tales from a Diplomatic Past” written by K. Natwar Singh, former Union Minister for External Affairs at a function in New Delhi. In “Walking with Lions: Tales from a Diplomatic Past”, the author puts together fifty episodes that entertain, inform and illuminate. Recounted with empathy and humour, this collection of encounters is a warm, unaffected and reassuring reminder that the great too can be as fallible as the rest of us.

Rajeev Shahare –Rajiv Shahare was appointed as the new High Commissioner to Maldives on 28 February 2013, replacing D M Mulay.At present, Shahare is a Joint Secretary in the West Asia North Africa division of Ministry of External Affairs. D M Mulay, on the other hand, has now been appointed as the India’s Consul General in New York. He would take up office in March 2013. The appointment of Rajeev Shahare came at a time when bilateral relations between India and Maldives are suffering because of termination of contract to GMR for Male International Airport modernization.