Senior rocket scientist Somanath appointed new Isro chairman

Senior rocket scientist S Somanath has been appointed as the tenth chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation and secretary, department of space.

He will replace K Sivan, who will complete his term, which included a one-year extension, on January 14.

Somanath, who at present is serving as director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said: “The most important responsibility is to create a space enterprise in India where all the stakeholders, including DoS, Isro, IN-SPACe, industry and start-ups are all part of the efforts to expand the space programme on a bigger scale. This is the primary responsibility. ” “Another objective is to align the overall space programme with the vision the government has put forth where DoS has to become an enabler to cause the expansion of space enterprise in India. This will be done through appropriate legislation, framework and guidelines that have to be put in place,” he added.

Before becoming VSSC director, he had a two-and-a-half year stint as director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. Among other things, Somanath is credited with “energising development activities of the high thrust semi-cryogenic engine, conceiving a fast track hardware realisation and test programme, development of throttleable engines for the lander of Chandrayaan-2 and successful flight of an electric propulsion system in GSAT-9”. Somanath earned his B. Tech in mechanical engineering from TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, Kerala, and a Masters in aerospace engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, with a gold medal, where he specialised in “structures, dynamics and control”. As PSLV project manager, he handled areas of mechanisms, pyro systems, integration and satellite launch service management.

As per Isro records, he joined the GSLV MkIII Project during 2003 and was the deputy project director responsible for overall design of the vehicle, mission design, structural design and integration before becoming the project director of GSLV Mk-III from June 2010 to 2014. Under his leadership, the first experimental flight of the CARE mission was successfully accomplished on December 18, 2014.

Dharam Sansad: SC seeks reply from Centre, states

The Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre, the Delhi Police commissioner and the Uttarakhand DGP on a PIL demanding action against those who delivered hate speech, allegedly calling for armed action against a minority community, at congregations in Haridwar and Delhi last month.

Petitioner Qurban Ali’s counsel Kapil Sibal said the inaction of police would encourage participants in scheduled meetings of Dharam Sansad during the electioneering period in Uttar Pradesh to indulge in similar speeches and requested a bench of CJI N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli to direct the police authorities concerned to take preventive measures.

The bench in its order said, “Sibal submitted that some more events are being planned, in which there may be a possibility of certain inflammatory speeches. If that is so, the petitioners are at liberty to make a representation to, or bring it to the notice of, the local authorities concerned. ”

When the CJI pointed out that multiple petitions raising the issue of hate speech is pending before the SC and suggested a consolidated hearing of all petitions, both Sibal and senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Tushar Gandhi, vociferously opposed, saying the present petition is about calls for annihilation of the Muslim community presenting a unique problem that threatens to rip the secular fabric of the country. The bench posted the matter for hearing after10 days.

Retail inflation jumps

Retail inflation jumped to a five-month high in December on the back of higher food, beverages, clothing, footwear, fuel and light prices and posed a fresh challenge for policymakers against the backdrop of a third wave of Covid. Inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, rose an annual 5. 6% in December, up from November’s 4. 9%. Rural inflation was at 5. 4%, a shade lower than the 5. 8% in urban areas.

Industrial output growth slowed to a nine-month low of 1. 4% in November, slower than the upwardly revised 4% recorded in October, led by a sluggish manufacturing sector and contraction in capital goods and consumer durables segments. The sector had shown signs of reviving after the lifting of curbs but the ongoing third wave is likely to have an impact in the months ahead.

In inflation, the food index rose to 4. 1%, higher than November’s 1. 9%. December’s retail inflation reading is a notch below the RBI’s upper inflation tolerance band. Inflation has emerged as a policy challenge in recent months but the RBI is confident that the pressure is expected to ease in the months ahead.

The retail inflation data showed oil and fats inflation at 24. 3% in December, remaining in double digits. Fuel and light inflation rose nearly 11% in December, reflecting firm global prices.

Government to become largest shareholder in Voda Idea

In a rare development, the Centre is set to receive ownership in two private telecom companies — the debt-laden Vodafone Idea and Tata group’s Tata Teleservices —inlieu of the interest dues from them, as part of the revival package for ailing players announced last September. Following the decision by the companies, the central government will become the single largest shareholder in VodafoneIdea, holding 35. 8% in the country’s third-largest telecom company

India tests naval BrahMos missile

The naval variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, with an extended range of 350 to 400-km, and the indigenous man-portable anti-tank guided missile, with a 2. 5-km strike range, were successfully tested on Tuesday.

The BrahMos missile was fired from the Navy’s latest guided-missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam, commissioned last November, to hit the designated target in a sea-tosea mode with “precision”, a DRDO official said.

The low-weight, fire-andforget MP-ATGM, in turn, was successfully flight-tested in its “final deliverable configuration”. The DRDO official said, “Launched from a man portable launcher integrated with thermal sight, the missile impacted the designated target and destroyed it. ”

“The test was to prove the consistent performance of the missile, which has a miniaturised infrared imaging seeker and advanced avionics for on-board control and guidance, for the minimum range. Its performance has been proven for maximum range earlier,” he added.

The range of BrahMos, a deadly conventional (non-nuclear) weapon jointly developed with Russia that flies almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2. 8, is being extended from the original 290km to 350-400-km now.

The BrahMos land-attack missile batteries have been deployed in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, along with tanks, howitzers, surface-to-air missiles and other weapons, as part of the overall military readiness posture against China.

The air-breathing BrahMos has emerged as the “prime strike weapon” for the armed forces over the years.

India reports 1,41,986 new COVID cases

Amid an unabated resurgence, India registered 1,41,986 new COVID cases, another significant single-day spike, and 285 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union ministry of health and family welfare said on Saturday The new fatalities has increased the nationwide death toll to 4,83,463.

The active caseload has jumped to 4,72,169, accounting for 1. 34 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.

With 64 fresh Omicron infections being detected in the last 24 hours, the national tally of this highly transmissible COVID-19 variant has mounted to 3,071, the Union health ministry said on Saturday morning.

More than 2 crore teens have been inoculated with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, since the beginning of the vaccination drive for children aged between 15 to 18 years on January 3.

According to the Cowin portal, as of now, a total of 2,17,42,837 teens have been vaccinated.

Polls in 5 states from Feb 10

Spanned over seven phases, the elections to five states assemblies — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur — would be held from February 10 to March 7, and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls on February 10, 14, 20, 23 and March 3 and 7; Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand would vote on February 14; while Manipur will vote in two phases on February 27 and March 3, said chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra.

The elections would be held following full COVID protocols.

Up to January 15, no physical rallies roadshows, padyatras, or vehicle rallies will be allowed keeping in view the pandemic situation. All parties have been advised to conduct campaigns in virtual mode.

Invoking Article 171 (1), Chandra said that the assembly tenure has to end in five years and, therefore, elections are necessary.

As per the COVID protocols for conducting elections, all elections officials will be double vaccinated, will be given a booster dose and will also be treated as frontline workers. Booths would be fully sanitised and there will be adequate gloves, sanitisers etc for the polling staff.

More than 15 crore people in the five poll-bound states have received the first dose of the vaccine, while nine crore people have received both shots.

Polling time has been increased by one hour in all the states.

The final electoral rolls were published on January 5. There are a total of 18. 34 crore voters. Of these, 8. 55 crore are women. The EC has made an effort to increase the number of voters and as a result, all states have seen an increase, with the maximum voter increase in Uttar Pradesh.

There are a total of 24. 5 lakh first-time electors and 30. 47 lakh senior citizens. The EC has capped the number of voters per booth to 1,250, resulting in an increase in the number of polling stations.