Ashwani Lohani appointed new Air India chief

August 20, 2015

New Delhi, Aug 20: Ashwani Lohani, Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) official, was appointed as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of national carrier Air India Ltd, for three years.

ashwaniHe will be replacing Rohit Nandan, whose extended tenure ends tomorrow.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved appointment of Mr. Lohani, a 1980 batch IRSME officer, as CMD, Air India Ltd, for tenure of three years, an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training said.

He is presently working as Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, in Bhopal.

Mr. Nandan, a 1982 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was given second extension till August 21.

The first extension came on August 11, last year, after he completed a three-year term at the helm of Air India, steering it through a difficult phase of merger.

Following this, the Civil Aviation Ministry had sought his continuation in the post crediting Mr. Nandan with improving the performance of the loss-making airline and successfully making Air India a member of the 27-member global airlines grouping, Star Alliance.

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News Network
February 26,2020

Mumbai, Feb 26: Observing that the violence in Delhi is akin to a "horror film" depicting the grim reality of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday said the "bloodbath" has brought disrepute to the national capital like never before while US President Donald Trump was in India with the "message of love".

The editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' lamented that Trump was welcomed in Delhi while there was bloodbath on the streets.

It further said that the violence could potentially spread the message that the Central government has failed to maintain the law and order situation in Delhi.

"Violence has erupted in Delhi. People are on the streets equipped with canes, swords, revolvers, blood is being spilled on the roads. Some horror film-like situation is being witnessed in Delhi, which depicts the grim reality of the 1984 riots," the Sena said.

It further said the BJP was still blaming the Congress for the deaths of hundreds of Sikhs in the violence that was erupted after assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

It needs to be unravelled who is responsible for the current riots in Delhi, the Sena said while referring to the "language of threats and warning used by some BJP leaders".

"The national capital was burning at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting US President Trump were holding talks.

"It does not augur well that Trump was welcomed in Delhi with the horror film of violence, bloodbath on the streets, screams of people, and tear gases. Trump saheb came to Delhi with a message of love, but what unfolded before him? 'Namaste' in Ahmedabad and violence in Delhi. Never before Delhi was defamed like this," the editorial said.

Trump had begun his February 24-25 India visit from Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Seventeen people have died so far and over hundred were injured in the violence that has gripped several parts of north east Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) since Sunday.

Attacking the Central government over reports that the violence was timed with Trump's visit, Sena said, "the Union Home Ministry has alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to defame India internationally by triggering the violence during Trump's visit to the national capital.

"The Home Ministry not knowing about the conspiracy behind the violence over the CAA is detrimental to national security. There is no problem in controlling the riots with the same courage with which Article 370 and 35A were scrapped," the editorial said.

It further said the anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi was yet to be called off yet despite the Supreme Court appointing mediators.

"It is being said that the violence sparked off after some BJP leaders talked the language of threats and warning. So, did someone want the peaceful agitation (at Shaheen Bagh) to acquire the present form of riots? (They) could have waited for at least Trump to leave the country," the Sena said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also questioned the timing of the riots, which are occurring days after the results of the Delhi assembly polls.

"It is mysterious that the violence broke out days after the BJP lost the Delhi assembly elections. The BJP lost and now this is the condition of Delhi," the Sena said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, a former ally of the BJP, now shares power in Maharashtra with the NCP and the Congress.

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Agencies
July 29,2020

Ambala, Jul 29: The five French Rafale fighter jets touched down at Haryana's Ambala after covering a distance of nearly 7,000 km to join the Indian Air Force.

The jets were given a customary water salute upon their arrival at the airbase, some 220-km from the India-Pakistan border.

The formal induction ceremony of the aircraft would be held later. The aircraft would move out soon to another operational base for operational sorties.

After taking off from France on Monday, the aircraft made their first stopover at a French base in the United Arab Emirates on their way to India and were refuelled by the French Air Force tanker aircraft somewhere around Greece or Israel over the sea before landing there.

The five were flown by pilots of the 17 Golden Arrows led by Commanding Officer Group Captain Harkirat Singh along with other pilots, Wing Commanders MK Singh, R Kataria, Sidhu and Arun.

The five Rafale fighter aircraft took off on Monday for India from an airbase in France. The weather in Ambala was cloudy with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers being forecasted.

India had signed a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 for 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.

In view of Rafale fighter jets landing in the city on Wednesday, Section 144 is being imposed in four villages close to Ambala airbase. Munish Sehgal, DSP Traffic, Ambala, said the administration is on a high alert and the gathering of people on roofs and photography during landing has been strictly prohibited.

The five Rafale fighter jets had entered the Indian Airspace earlier in the day. "The Birds have entered the Indian airspace..Happy Landing in Ambala!" tweeted the Defence Minister's Office earlier on Wednesday.

The Defence Minister's Office further informed that the five Rafales were escorted by 02 SU30 MKIs as they enter the Indian airspace.

Here are the key Highlights of Rafale:

It's an Omni role aircraft.
4th Generation Fighter Jet.
It's a two-engine aircraft.
It's top speed is 2,222 Km/Hr.
It can go up to 50,000 Ft.
It's Rate of Climb is 60,000 Ft/Min.
It's Operational Range is 3,700 Km.
Ground Support.
In-depth Strike.
Anti-Ship Strike.

Reach and combat radius is 1600-1700 Kms.
Capable for Long Range standoff Mission.
Equipped with Air-to-Ground Missile System.

Specifically designed to take off from an extremely cold high altitude region.

It will also be fitted with the air-to-air beyond visual range interception combat and self-defence missile.

It can also carry the best long range air-to-land missile.

It has multi-directional radar system which can detect 40 targets at the same time in a range of over 100 Kms.

It has advance radar warning receiver to identify hostile tracking system a towed decoy system to thwart incoming missile attacks.

Rafale will ensure that our pilots will not have to cross the border to strike the target, that is about 600 Km in enemy territory.

It will get French industrial support for 50 years. 

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News Network
January 22,2020

New Delhi, Jan 22: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said Indian values consider all religions equal, and that is why the country is secular and never became a theocratic state like Pakistan.

Speaking at the NCC Republic Day Camp in Delhi, Singh said: "We (India) said we would not discriminate among religions. Why did we do that? Our neighbouring country has declared that their state has a religion. They have declared themselves a theocratic state. We didn't declare so."

"Even America is a theocratic country. India is not a theocratic country. Why? Because our saints and seers did not just consider the people living within our borders as part of the family, but called everyone living in the world as one family," the minister said.

Singh underlined that India had never declared its religion would be Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist and people of all religions could live here.

"They gave the slogan of 'Vasudev Kutumbakam' -- the whole world is one family. This message has gone to the whole world from here only," he added.

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A Member of Va…
 - 
Thursday, 23 Jan 2020

 

Very thoughtful and eye-catching statement by Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh.

Sir, I kindly request you to convey this beautiful message to your Party’s comrades, who are deprived of this dosage for long times and are badly need of this.  

Also, for those from your Party, who are, time and again, spitting the venomous rhetoric against Dalits, Muslims, Christians and others alike.

Yashwant Sinhaji is now doing a wonderful job in this regard.

You will also follow his suit for sure in the days to come; that’s what your honest statement indicates.

    

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