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President <keyword id="6354561" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-nath-kovind">Ram Nath Kovind</keyword> on Friday awarded prestigious awards to nine meritorious students of <keyword id="6359674" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="iit-roorkee">IIT Roorkee</keyword> as the premier institution held its 19th annual convocation here. This is the first time in the history of the institution that more than 300 students are being awarded their PhD degrees. Three PhD students received the award under the Engineering and Science category from President Kovind. Pulkit Singhal, B.tech, <keyword id="6603085" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mechanical-Engineering">Mechanical Engineering</keyword>, received the President Gold Medal for having the highest Cumulative Grade Points Average (CGPA). Hrituraj Singh, B.Tech, Electrical Engineering, was awarded the Institute Silver Medal for having the second highest CGPA. Tanvi Verma, B.Tech, Engineering Physics, received the Institute Bronze Medal for having the third highest CGPA. The Director Gold Medal for the best all rounder went to Sumit Kumar Yadav, B.Tech, Electronics and Communication Engineering while the Gold Medal named after former President of India Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma went to Shivam Jindal, B.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering, for excellent contribution in the field of social service among the all UG/PG students. Anant Vashistha, B.Techh, Production and Industrial Engineering won Dr Jai Krishna Gold Medal for excellent contribution in the field of Youth Leadership. The three students who won the Doctoral Excellence awards are Dr Dhiraj Raj, Department of Earthquake Engineering, Dr Yogeshkumar Manibhai Makwana, Department of Electrical Engineering and Dr Pallavi Gupta, Centre for nanotechnology. Uttarakhand <keyword id="130" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Governor">Governor</keyword> Baby Rani Maurya, HRD Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and IIT Roorkee Director Professor AK Chaturvedi were also present. Professor N P Padhy, Chairman Convocation, IIT Roorkee said that as many as 2029 students are being awarded degrees in this year's convocation. Out of the 2029 students, 1018 are undergraduate recipients, 702 Post Graduate and 309 PhD degree recipients.

Nine IIT Roorkee students get awarded by the Indian President for outstanding academic performance

<ul><li>India’s President’s address was full of praises for <keyword id="6387077" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi-government">Narendra Modi government</keyword>. </li><li>However, some of the accolades may be exaggerated or not in sync with facts.</li></ul>Ram Nath Kovind, India’s President for eighteen months, took the lead to give the country’s Parliament a report card on behalf of the four-and-a-half year old Narendra Modi government. Kicking off the <keyword id="105431" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-session">budget session</keyword> of Parliament, Kovind, in a speech that lasted over an hour, gave a glowing tribute to the incumbent government that will be seek re-election in less than 100 days from now. The following are some of the highlights of Kovind’s laudatory speech, each followed by facts that may question the President’s conviction about the Modi government’s performance. 1. “Compromising with security needs is not in interest of present &amp; future of country. New deals in last year, purchase of defence equipment raised morale of defence. After decades, Indian Air Force will use ultramodern Rafale aircraft in coming months &amp; strengthen itself.” The government auditor – the Comptroller and Auditor General of India – is yet to <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/only-3-copies-of-cags-rafale-report-likely-to-reveal-pricing-details-parliament-may-get-redacted-version-2018409.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">submit</a> its report on the government’s deal to purchase 36 Rafale aircraft for an undisclosed sum of money. Giving a clean chit to the government on the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-rafale-deal-controversy/jet-set-go/slideshow/65079741.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">alleged irregularities</a> may be premature. 2. “Youth are the greatest strength of our nation. India has the largest number of young people in the world, and the policy decisions of my Government have been inspired by the aspirations and dreams of young Indians of 21st century.” The President said this on the day a report revealed that employment in the Indian economy was at its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/unemployment-in-india-is-at-its-highest-in-45-years-says-an-indian-daily-citing-an-undisclosed-jobs-survey/articleshow/67769020.cms">worst</a> in 45 years, a labour survey that the government has not made public yet. 3. “GST has benefited businesses by bringing in more honesty and transparency." In December 2018, the All India Manufacturers’ Organisation (AIMO), <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-micro-and-small-enterprises-saw-a-whopping-32-drop-in-jobs-in-the-last-4-years-survey/articleshow/67123219.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">said</a> small businesses across the country lost over 3.5 million job losses since 2014. The job losses were attributed to a 70% drop in operational profits in the MSME sector since 2014, according to K E Raghunathan, president of AIMO. 4. “By decreasing the burden of income tax and keeping the rate of inflation under control, the government has created new opportunities for expanding the savings of the middle class.” Despite the government’s best intentions, the “current (consumer) sentiment on the general economic situation dipped further into the pessimistic zone” – this is the finding from a consumer confidence <a href="https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?id=18729"></a><a href="https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?id=18729" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">survey</a> conducted in six Indian cities by the Reserve Bank of India. In fact, the consumer confidence is at its lowest it has been since Modi government took charge. Indeed inflation has been low for much of the current government’s tenure, jobs have been scarce and income growth very tepid, making middle class consumers penny wise. 5. “Demonetisation was a defining moment in the govt’s war on corruption and black money. This decision struck at the very root of the parallel economy thriving on black money; and the money outside the formal system was brought within the ambit of nation’s economy.” One of the defining steps against black money taken by the Modi government, by its <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/modi-says-demonetisation-forced-nirav-modi-vijay-mallya-to-flee-curbed-black-money/1431229/"></a><a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/modi-says-demonetisation-forced-nirav-modi-vijay-mallya-to-flee-curbed-black-money/1431229/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">own admission</a>, was demonetisation. However, contrary to the hope that a big chunk of unaccounted cash stashed away will be left worthless, nearly all the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/after-almost-two-years-of-counting-rbi-says-99-3-of-demonetised-notes-returned/articleshow/65589904.cms"></a><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/after-almost-two-years-of-counting-rbi-says-99-3-of-demonetised-notes-returned/articleshow/65589904.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">banned notes</a> have returned to the system. What came to a grinding halt was the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/demonetisation-hit-growth-by-2-percentage-points-us-study/articleshow/67154320.cms"></a><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/demonetisation-hit-growth-by-2-percentage-points-us-study/articleshow/67154320.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Indian economy</a> leading to job losses. 6. “Government has approved ₹25,500 crores for ‘Namami Gange Mission’. By stopping the flow from dozens of big drains into the river, by stopping the industrial waste, and by setting up sewer treatment plants, my government has shown proactiveness to clean up Ganga.” Indeed the money has been allotted and a lot has been spent, but is it working? India’s waterman <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/why-indias-waterman-thinks-the-governments-3-5-billion-plan-to-clean-up-ganga-is-not-working/articleshow/67672185.cms"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/why-indias-waterman-thinks-the-governments-3-5-billion-plan-to-clean-up-ganga-is-not-working/articleshow/67672185.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Rajendra Singh</a> believes that a clean Ganga may still be a distant dream. 7. "Government's digital plan is helping rural India." Once again, one of the stated goals of demonetisation was to make India a cashless society and push people towards digital payments. It seemed to work in the initial days of the cash crunch, but soon after, people were back to using cash, and in fact, it is <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Money/Oxohtwl6CBCWjnfjdbHCEL/Cash-transactions-up-after-demonetisation-but-Indias-ATM-ne.html"></a><a href="https://www.livemint.com/Money/Oxohtwl6CBCWjnfjdbHCEL/Cash-transactions-up-after-demonetisation-but-Indias-ATM-ne.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">now more than before</a> demonetisation. 8. “In 2014, only 59 village panchayats in the country had digital connectivity. Today, 1 lakh 16 thousand village panchayats are connected with optical fibre and about 40 thousand village panchayats have been provided with wi-fi hotspots.” The other big pillar of the Digital India dream is to allow millions of Indian villagers access to internet through a broadband network that spans the length and breadth of the country. The network has been laid for the first phase covering one lakh villages, but only 10% of the network is getting utilised. This has <a href="https://www.deccanchronicle.com/business/in-other-news/220119/rs-42000-crore-bharatnet-projects-face-delay-cost-overrun.html"></a><a href="https://www.deccanchronicle.com/business/in-other-news/220119/rs-42000-crore-bharatnet-projects-face-delay-cost-overrun.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">reportedly</a> led to the department of telecom warning the two implementing agencies, as recently as last week. India is ranked 91st among 139 countries on the Networked Readiness Index 2016, according to the <a href="http://reports.weforum.org/global-information-technology-report-2016/networked-readiness-index/"></a><a href="http://reports.weforum.org/global-information-technology-report-2016/networked-readiness-index/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">World Economic Forum (WEF)</a>). 9. “By enacting RERA law, my govt has ensured that construction of houses is completed and they are handed over to the buyers as scheduled. After enactment of this law, about 35,000 real estate projects have been registered where lakhs of houses are being constructed.” The Real Estate Regulation Act is a potential game changer for India’s tainted real estate industry, infamous as a haven for ill-gotten wealth, but the reform measure has made little progress since it was rolled out in May 2017. “States have notified the act but, unfortunately, the structures of the RERA machinery in most of the states have not been put in place,” Samantak Das told the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/real-estate/poor-implementation-of-rera-across-states-poses-a-challenge-to-home-buyers/articleshow/66375451.cms"></a><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/real-estate/poor-implementation-of-rera-across-states-poses-a-challenge-to-home-buyers/articleshow/66375451.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">IANS</a> in October 2018, adding that, “"After constituting a model act at the central level, the Union government has a role to look at whether the states are adhering to the central legislation and implementing it in true letter and spirit.” 10. “Be it cities or villages, the government is working at a fast pace to strengthen healthcare related infrastructure.” The government last year set a target of raising annual health spending to 2.5% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025, from 1.15% now-- which is one of the lowest proportions in the world. Nepal (2.3%) and Sri Lanka (2%) spend more on healthcare than the government in India does. 11. “Thirty four crore bank accounts have been opened in the country because of ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’ and almost every family is now connected to the banking system. Today, Rs 88,000 crore deposited in Jan Dhan accounts is a testimony to the changing saving habits.” While it is true that the government pushed millions of Indians to have a bank account for the first time in their lives, it is still not a universal phenomenon. According to an August 2018 report from NABARD, nearly 190 million people still do not have access to a bank. Only “49% households reported that at least one of their members had saved any money in an institution (banks, post office etc.),” according to the report. 12. "Our daughters are making remarkable contribution in every field today and have brought laurels to the country. It is for the first time since independence that the policies &amp; programmes of the Govt have created numerous new opportunities for enterprise for women" It is true that there are more conversations about ending the discrimination against women today than ever before, but it is a global phenomenon too. However, presidential speeches have little impact unless it is forced into practice, particularly among public personalities like members of Parliament. In India’s political sphere, there is more sexism than oxygen in the air. Most recently the newly-appointed Congress general secretary <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/pretty-face-no-other-talent-bihar-minister-s-sexist-remark-about-priyanka-gandhi-1438935-2019-01-25" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Priyanka Gandhi </a>was at the receiving end of jibes that called her ‘chocolate face’ and ‘Surpanakha’ (a demon from Hindu mythology). But is not BJP’s forte <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/bjp-up-chiefs-sexist-joke-on-mayawati-akhilesh-and-mulayam-over-1995-guest-house-incident-raises-a-storm/355537" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">alone.</a> It’s something that unites the country’s <a href="https://www.newsbytesapp.com/timeline/Politics/39755/176209/congress-and-bjp-can-t-be-absolved-of-sexist-remarks" data-type="tilCustomLink">political class</a> more than anything else. Meanwhile, in India’s booming private sector, 40% of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/a-whopping-40-of-indias-women-engineers-dont-have-jobs-because-of-rampant-sexism-at-workplace/articleshow/67486684.cms">women engineers </a>in India do not have a job because the country’s corporate culture has a gender bias. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/unemployment-in-india-is-at-its-highest-in-45-years-says-an-indian-daily-citing-an-undisclosed-jobs-survey/articleshow/67769020.cms">Unemployment in India is at its highest in 45 years – says an Indian daily citing an undisclosed jobs survey</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-government-commits-to-increasing-public-health-spending-to-2-5-of-gdp-by-2025but-is-that-enough/articleshow/67086285.cms">Indian government commits to increasing public health spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2025—but is that enough?</a>

Here’s a fact check after Indian President's glowing tribute to the Narendra Modi government

<ul><li><keyword id="6354561" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-nath-kovind">Ram Nath Kovind</keyword>, the President of India, made a significant announcement as he inaugurated the new Parliament session. </li><li>Government is set to invest ₹25 trillion to enhance agriculture productivity in coming years, ₹900 billion expenditure to be incurred annually in PMKSN. </li><li>The announcement has come just a few days before the upcoming budget. </li></ul>The Indian government is planning to infuse as much as ₹25 trillion into the agriculture sector in the coming years. This was not announced by Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> or anyone from his government. It was President Ram Nath Kovind who took the lead as he inaugurated the proceedings for the new Parliament session. “ Large scale investments have been made to strengthen rural India. In order to enhance agriculture productivity, an investment of Rs. 25 lakh crore will be made in the coming years.”said President Ram Nath Kovind It is also planning to spend ₹900 billion on its flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN), Kovind said on Thursday <a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1575025">addressing</a> the joint sitting of the parliament. An amount of ₹120 billion <a href="http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1575025">has already been disbursed</a> to the farmers in three months through the scheme, he added. The country is reeling under a sharp slowdown in the economy as well as a crippling water crisis, and both factors have had a more pronounced impact on the rural economy. The Modi government had set itself a goal to double farmers’ income by 2022 but <a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/half-way-doubling-farmers-income-is-a-distant-dream-62983">reports</a> suggest that the progress has much left to desire. But, the President’s speech today may have be a sign for investors in India for what the upcoming budget on July 5 may have in store. “To double the income of farmers by 2022, several steps have been taken in the last 5 years. Be it the decision to increase the minimum support price (MSP), or approval for 100 percent FDI in food processing; be it completion of the irrigation projects pending for decades or extension of Crop Insurance Scheme; be it the Soil Health Card or 100% Neem coating of urea.”said President Ram Nath Kovind Kovind also prodded the government to set up a separate department for integrated development of fisheries and to create a special fund to usher in, what he called, a ‘Blue Revolution’.

Indian President just took the lead ahead of the budget to announce a ₹25 trillion fund to save rural economy

All thanks to the <keyword id="1003616" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="7th-Pay-Commission">7th Pay Commission</keyword> recommendations that the central government employees are getting a 23 per cent hike and even the minimum basic pay is increasing to Rs 18,000. 
 But as the <keyword id="6359327" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-Ministry">Home Ministry</keyword> is working out the details and re-working salaries, it turns out that the Cabinet Secretary, the top most bureaucrat of India, will be taking home more salary than President <keyword id="6359124" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pranab-Mukherjee">Pranab Mukherjee</keyword>. 
 
Currently, the President receives Rs 1.50 lakh per month, the Vice-President Rs 1.25 lakh and governor of a state Rs 1.10 lakh. 
 
However, after the 7th pay commission's revision, the cabinet secretary will take home Rs 2.5 lakh per month and a secretary in the Union government will receive Rs 2.25 lakh per month. 
 
The ministry is working on this anomaly and may raise the emoluments of the President, Vice-President as well as governors of states. 
Official sources told ET the home ministry proposal may be submitted for the Union Cabinet's approval next week. After the Cabinet gives its nod, bills to this effect will be tabled in Parliament. 
 
The last salary hike that the President, Vice-President and governors got was in 2008. Till 2008, the President's salary was Rs 50,000, the Vice-President's Rs 40,000 and a governor's Rs 36,000.

Cabinet Secretary will be earning more than Indian President. Here’s how

When late <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=APJ+Abdul+Kalam">APJ Abdul Kalam</a> took office as India’s President in 2002, many politicians, leaders were of the opinion that if he cut his hair, he would look much better. 
 
But, the apolitical President was quite vain about his silver locks. 
 
His haircut, which became famous as ‘Kalam cut’, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1402097/Hair-comes-first-for-Indias-bachelor-president.html">according to a news report of 2002</a>, did not even please some parliamentarians. 
"My hair grows and grows, you cannot stop it - that fellow grows, it grows wild," the bachelor President once told a bemused interviewer. 
Kalam was also known for abandoning important conferences abruptly, only to return after an hour which he spent on his hair, making them look slick. 
 
Reportedly, he also had his hair trimmed every quarter. 
 
"He preens himself before the mirror before venturing out and often pulls a comb from his pocket and runs it lovingly through his hair,” a DRDO official had told Telegraph in 2002. 
 
Kalam passed away on July 27 in Shillong at a hospital at the age of 83. He began his life as a newspaper seller and went on to become the ‘Missile Man’ of India. 
 
Also Read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Mortal-remains-of-former-President-Kalam-being-brought-to-Delhi/articleshow/48247729.cms">http://www.businessinsider.in/Mortal-remains-of-former-President-Kalam-being-brought-to-Delhi/articleshow/48247729.cms</a> 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Former Indian President Kalam was very particular about his hair

His differences with <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword> have always been talked about, but honourable president of India <keyword id="6359124" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pranab-Mukherjee">Pranab Mukherjee</keyword> has claimed that he had no role in Singh's exit as the RBI Governor. He also stated that the differences between him and the central bank head were nothing more than legitimate exchanges of opinion over purely professional matters. 
 In his autobiography, Mukherjee has also asked if Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> and Finance Minister <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> should individually go and meet industrialists. He then stated that in his tenure as the FM, his meetings with industrialists, either individual or collective, were very important. 
 He also stated that <keyword id="6652246" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="VP-Singh">VP Singh</keyword>, who served as the Minister of Finance from 31 December 1984 to 23 January 1987 was "adamant" about not meeting industrialists one-on-one. 
 
Talking about the socially and politically unstable period of 1998 to 1991, Mukherjee has mentioned of differences in approach that he and V P Singh carried. 
 "For instance, as Finance Minister, he was adamant about not having any one-on-one meetings with industrialists. My view--which I followed during my tenures as the Finance and Commerce Ministers--was that meetings with industrialists, individually or collectively, were very important to get an overall understanding of specific contexts. In other words, how can a Finance Minister or Prime Minister not meet industrialists?," the President asked in the book, called "<keyword id="3224907" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="The-Turbulent-Years-1980-1996">The Turbulent Years- 1980-1996</keyword>". Mukherjee was the FM before Singh took charge of the post. 
 
<a href="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/411923-PranabMukherjee-1342985892.JPG">Image source</a>

Differences with Manmohan Singh were purely professional, recalls President Pranab Mukherjee in autobiography

Personalities from different fraternities along with the common man paid rich tributes to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=APJ+Abdul+Kalam">former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam</a>, who passed away at a Shillong hospital on July 27. 
 
Social media sites were flooded with quotes by Kalam and top political leaders shared their experiences and moments spent with the ‘<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=missile+man">Missile Man of India</a>’. 
 
Fondly known as ‘People’s President’, there have been many instances where Dr Kalam proved he was synonymous with humbles and simplicity. 
Once when he was the President, he refused to sit on a chair at convocation of a university as it was larger in size than other chairs. 
 
He had once rejected the idea of putting broken pieces of glass as it would be harmful for the birds. 
 
Reportedly, Dr Kalam invited a roadside cobbler and owner of a very small hotel as presidential guests to Kerala's Raj Bhavan during his first visit to the state. 
 
Here is a slideshow showing who all paid tributes to Dr Kalam and why Kalam is known as the ‘Missile Man’. 
 
We at Business Insider have created this unique platform for anyone who wants to pay homage to this the beloved Former President, APJ Abdul Kalam- the great leader, teacher, scientist and amongst many other things a visionary par excellence, even as he embarks upon his last journey. Just click on the link to pay your respects: 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Pay-your-last-respects-to-former-President-APJ-Abdul-Kalam/social/48249034.cms">http://www.businessinsider.in/Pay-your-last-respects-to-former-President-APJ-Abdul-Kalam/social/48249034.cms</a> 
 
 
(Images: PIB, DD, Amul Twitter)

Nation remembers Dr Kalam, pays rich tributes

<keyword id="1826774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="former-Indian-President">Former Indian President</keyword> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=APJ+Abdul+Kalam">Dr A P J Abdul Kalam</a> died in <keyword id="57704" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shillong">Shillong</keyword> on Monday. That was about the same day, when India experienced a bout of terrorism in Punjab. Was it something of a coincidence? Kalam, the peace keeper was igniting minds about making earth a liveable place at a seminar, as per his last tweet; and a few thousand kilometres away, a society was disintegrating itself with a terror strike. 
 
Kalam spoke the language of peace. But, his work as a scientist often contradicted his words. Why did he work on building missiles and play an instrumental role in Pokhran Test Range second time around, as part of India’s nuclear programme in 1998? His words on peace, that came much later, didn’t seem to resonate the spirit with this incident. However, this is where people didn’t read his intention as well as they saw his gestures. 
 
He was someone who believed in self-defence. A country that was well-defended with latest technology didn’t have to fear anyone. Believing in peace was his innate faith, but that didn’t mean he would sit without preparing for any eventualities should the enemies strike at once. 
 
His road to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, to don the chair of 11 th President of India between 2002 and 2007 was more or less apolitical. He had worked with various governments and had no enemies across partylines. A scientist to the core, Kalam was a people’s man through every second of his existence. 
 
No sooner did the news of his death break on the internet, social networks went berserk. In the days where role models are few and clean images even fewer, Dr Kalam was someone who was not only rare to find, but also difficult to contain. His charisma and aura was a challenge to anybody who believed personal brand building was an exercise to be done by PR agencies. 
 
His demeanour was spirited, honest and forthcoming. There has hardly been any other politician in the recent times who has been as popular and as interactive. 
 
Kalam had a rare gift. He was untiring when it came to imparting his experience to anyone who cared to listen. His core audience was young minds. He loved being amidst them, administer them an oath of honesty and integrity, make them say they would never indulge in corruption and ensure tomorrow’s India was at least aware of the ill effects of corruption. 
 
Majority of the students and persons who posted on social media soon after his death had only praises for him. While it is normal for people to sing praises about the dead, it is imperative to know Kalam was among those rare people who genuinely left a feeling of loss and void among people’s hearts. At 83, he was sprightly and focused. 
 
An author of several books, Kalam was deeply obliging of people who wanted some moments with him. A picture here, a signed copy of a book there, a lecture someone else, a closely interactive meeting with someone who sought his time; Kalam hardly turned anyone down unless he was pressed for time. 
 
Though <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=NDA">NDA </a>led by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=BJP+">BJP </a>put forth his name for the President, Kalam had no enemies in the then Opposition party of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Congress+">Congress </a>at all. He was NDA's poster boy of sorts since he had just completed Pokhran II to bring laurels to the then Prime Minister <keyword id="47100" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Atal-Bihari-Vajpayee">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</keyword>. <keyword id="6366153" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Defence-Minister">Defence minister</keyword> <keyword id="2972300" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Geroge-Fernandes">Geroge Fernandes</keyword> was completely on his side and all the contributions he had to make, for India as a <keyword id="1435588" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Missile-scientist">missile scientist</keyword>. He was known as ‘Missile Man’ much against the soft person who lived inside him. 
 
He checked into Rashtrapathi Bhavan, the abode of the President of India and opened doors of this magnificent structure to the public. People could visit him, meet him and talk to him with shortest of the formalities. He mainly responded to children with utmost keenness, even if they sent them a letter or a book, they were sure to get a response in return. 
 Monday when he died, almost every person on social media has a picture with him on some occasion or the other. Such was the reach of this man who never forgot his roots lie in that quaint village of <keyword id="194058" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ramanathapuram">Ramanathapuram</keyword> in Tamil Nadu. A south Indian who rose to the highest office, just for doing his job with utmost passion is a story that legends are made of. 
 
He died doing what he loved the best. Parting with his energy, his conviction, and commitment to integrity, and igniting minds with new ideas. He collapsed on the dais where he was delivering a lecture, and passed away probably at that instant, amidst keen young minds which were getting inspired to do something for the country. 
 
Image: indiatimes

APJ Abdul Kalam: A flaming torch that ignited young minds

Mortal remains of late former Indian President <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=APJ+Abdul+Kalam">APJ Abdul Kalam</a> arrived at Palam Airport in New Delhi from Guwahati on Tuesday. 
 Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, <keyword id="6354814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="prime-minister-Narendra-Modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword>, along with Three Service Chiefs paid homage to Kalam. 
 
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were also present. 
 
 
 
Public can pay homage to the late President from 3pm onwards at 10 Rajaji Marg in New Delhi. 
 
 
 
The last rites will take place at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. 
 
People from all walks of life took to social media and paid homage to the apolitical President. Kalam led the scientific team that developed missiles able to carry India's nuclear warheads. 
 
He became a national hero after helping oversee nuclear tests in 1998 that solidified India's status as a nuclear weapons state. India's first atomic test was in 1974. 
 
Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=smriti+irani">Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani</a> announced Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan to be renamed as APJ Abdul Kalam Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan. 
 
Telangana Government has announced holiday, whereas the Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to work one hour extra to pay tribute to the late President. 
 
Kalam died on Monday (July 27) from a cardiac arrest at the age of 83. 
 
Kalam, popularly known as 'Missile Man', was delivering a lecture in Shillong when he collapsed and was rushed to Bethany Hospital. 
 
Kalam’s last tweet was: 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Going to Shillong.. to take course on Livable Planet earth at iim. With <a href="https://twitter.com/srijanpalsingh">@srijanpalsingh</a> and Sharma.
	— In memoryof Dr.Kalam (@APJAbdulKalam) <a href="https://twitter.com/APJAbdulKalam/status/625546195205648384">July 27, 2015</a></blockquote>
 
We at Business Insider have created this unique platform for anyone who wants to pay homage to this the beloved Former President, APJ Abdul Kalam- the great leader, teacher, scientist and amongst many other things a visionary par excellence, even as he embarks upon his last journey. Just click on the link to pay your respects: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/social/48249034.cms">http://www.businessinsider.in/social/48249034.cms</a> 
 
(Images: ANI Twitter)

President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Modi pay homage to Dr Kalam at Delhi airport

Thiruvananthapuram, External Affairs Minister <keyword id="491850" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="s-jaishankar" source="Orion">S Jaishankar</keyword> on Sunday said the West was not the "bad guy" as it was not flooding Asian and African markets with goods on a massive scale and that there was a need to get over the "syndrome" of seeing it in a negative way. <keyword id="236448" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="jaishankar" source="Orion">Jaishankar</keyword>, in an interview to Malayalam news channel Asianet, also made it clear that he was not batting for the West. He was in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the launch of the <keyword id="18816562" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Vishwakarma-scheme-" source="Orion">PM Vishwakarma scheme.</keyword> "It is not the West which is flooding Asia and Africa with goods on a massive scale. I think we need to get over the syndrome of the past that the West is the bad guy and on the other side are the developing countries. The world is more complicated, the problems are much more complicated than that," the minister said. Former Indian diplomat T P Sreenivasan interviewed the minister for the channel. On being asked whether Chinese President <keyword id="191809" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="xi-jinping" source="Orion">Xi Jinping</keyword> did not attend the G20 summit in New Delhi because it did not want India to be seen as leader of the Global South, Jaishankar said the reasons were up for speculation. He said the issue today was the building up of a strong sense, over the last 15-20 years, over the inequities of globalisation where countries saw their products, manufacturing and employment come under stress due to their markets being flooded by cheap goods -- an indirect reference to the Chinese trade and economic policies. The minister said this underlying resentment and pain of those countries regarding the global economy was building up for the last 15-20 years and the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict resulted in prices of energy and food items going up. So there was a sense of anger building up in countries about them being used as an extractive resource to fuel the economy of another nation and added that the West was not to be blamed for that. He made it clear that he was not batting for the West and said that in today's globalisation there was a concentration of manufacturing that was being leveraged and subsidised and was affecting economies of various nations. However, India's manufacturing, agriculture, scientific achievement like the Chandrayaan-3 mission, ability to vaccinate, etc all of that has created a sense among the Global South, which includes the African Union, "that one of us has the ability to stand, grow and progress". "So they identify with us in a way that they do not with other people," Jaishankar said. Responding to queries, he also spoke about the achievements of the G20 Summit under the Indian presidency and the threat posed by the political space given by Canada to the Khalistan group. Jaishankar said that some of the major achievements of the G20 Summit under the Indian presidency was that India was able to get the influential group of nations back on the track of growth and development and also focus on the Global South initiative. In addition to that, the country was also able to do diplomacy in a different way and through the summit created a greater interest in the nation about the Baltic, he said. Jaishankar said India was a different country now with a different level of confidence and a different leadership and the manner in which G20 was conducted has only benefited the nation. He said that the summit showed that the agenda "does not have to be decided by the West or by the P5 or by a narrow one or two countries" and that India too can shape it. "By doing the Voice of the Global South (summit) and bringing 125 nations together, we straightaway shaped the agenda," he said. At the same time, he said, the Global South was not a new world order or a definition and India was not claiming to be its leader. "My most truthful answer is that the Global South is not a definition, but a feeling. It is a feeling of solidarity, a willingness to put yourself out," he said, adding that "those who are part of it know it and those who are not also know it". World leaders at the two-day G20 Summit in New Delhi recently had hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "decisive leadership" and for championing the voice of the Global South. He also welcomed the proposed economic corridor with India at one end and Europe at the other and which passes through the Middle East making it easier for people from here to go there for job opportunities. While speaking about people migrating abroad for jobs, he touched upon the issue of the Khalistan group's activities in Canada and its effect on India's relations with that country. He said the problem arises when, for whatever reason, such countries give space in their politics for activities of such groups. The minister said there were compulsions in politics, "but everybody, especially in a democracy, must temper that with a larger sense of responsibility to the world as well as a sense of responsibility to their own image and their own well being". "Forget us for the moment. You know the kind of force involved in all of this. They are not good for the country where all of this will happen. Today it is Canada, it could be something else tomorrow. We are focusing on generating that appreciation," he said. On how India managed to not get Russia blamed for the Ukraine conflict in the G20 declaration, Jaishankar said, "Everybody compromised." "There was a lot of give and take," he added. He said what happened in the Bali Summit of G20, where Russia was blamed, could not be repeated in India and at the same time the clock could not be stopped there. "This is New Delhi. So the New Delhi outcome had to be forged," he said. He also said that in the G20 India was able to focus on the Global South in terms of phrases, agenda, outcome and the African Union's membership "for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi really stuck his neck out". "This is a different country, with a different level of confidence and a different leadership," he concluded.

We need to get over syndrome that 'West is the bad guy': Jaishankar

<ul><li>The Reserve Bank of India (<keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rbi" source="Orion">RBI</keyword>) has made no bones about it being averse to <keyword id="2721952" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="crypto" source="Orion">crypto</keyword> currency.</li><li>RBI Governor <keyword id="6359111" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="Orion">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> has, in fact, sought an outright ban on it, while making his views clear on it at several platforms in the last two years.</li></ul>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made no bones about it being averse to crypto currency, ever since it emerged on the horizon in the country a few years ago. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has, in fact, sought an outright ban on it, while making his views clear on it at several platforms in the last two years. "Crypto should be banned, given its no underlying value in the market. Just like every asset, every financial product comes with some underlying value, hence the value of crypto is totally based on the make-believe factor," he had said in January this year during a media event. "Crypto is a form of gambling without any underlying value and is nothing but a 100 per cent speculation world," he had said in the same event, while seeking a ban on it. If crypto is allowed in India, the RBI may likely fail in monitoring the transactions, Das has said. The RBI governor has gone on to say that crypto masquerading as a financial asset is a completely misplaced argument. Calling crypto as a form of gambling, Das has said that gambling is not promoted in India and if people still want to indulge in it, then there is a need to draw proper rules for it, while calling for an outright ban on it. He has said that crypto products need to be looked at and, going forward, the effort is to develop an international framework, an international architecture to deal with this problem. What's happening to the <keyword id="6791630" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="cbdc" source="Orion">CBDC</keyword>? Although the RBI has vehemently opposed cryptocurrency, its own Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), which had been launched as a pilot project on December 1, 2022, for retail use, is ready to target one million users by the end of this month. This was informed by the RBI on Thursday during the post repo rate announcement press conference. While it has no specific date in mind for a full-fledged launch of the CBDC, the central bank will take a measured approach, it said. The RBI also has plans to make the united payments interface (UPI) platform fully interoperable with the CBDC. "We are not targetting a specific date, it will be a calibrated approach," T. Rabi Sankar, deputy governor, RBI had said on June 8. "We want to assess the impact and learn as we go. By the end of June, we are targeting 1 million CBDC users. We are also planning to make UPI QR code interoperable with CBDC," he added. The matter of banning Crypto As far as completely banning cryptocurrencies, back in July 2022, <keyword id="25455" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="finance" source="Orion">Finance</keyword> Minister <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> had said that a stand could be taken only after considerable international collaboration on the risks, benefits, evolution of a common taxonomy and standards. "Cryptocurrencies are by definition borderless and require international collaboration to prevent regulatory arbitrage. Therefore, any legislation for regulation or for banning can be effective only after significant international collaboration on evaluation of the risks and benefits and evolution of common taxonomy and standards," Sitharaman had told Parliament in a reply. Earlier this year, though, during the meeting of the G20 finance ministers central bank governors (FMCBG) held in Bengaluru in February, it was decided that once the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) formulate a technical paper in a bid to attain a coordinated global approach for the regulation of crypto assets as proposed by the Indian presidency of the G20, it will form the basis for future discussions to develop an international architecture. Sitharaman had said after the FMCBG meeting that cryptocurrency regulation was discussed by a panel on February 23, 2023 and would again come up during the meeting scheduled in July 2023. A synthesis of the two studies -- by IMF and FSB -- would be considered in September this year, which will lead towards creation of a global policy approach on this matter (regulation of cryptocurrency), she had informed.

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