Person Appointed March 2016 Recent Updates

Ashok Chawla

• The Governing Council of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) appointed Ashok Chawla, former Union Finance Secretary and former Chairman of the Competition Commission, as its new Chairman on February 12, 2016.
• He replaced noted scientist BV Sreekantan. The Governing Council met after the elevation of dimate scientist RK PachaurL indicted in a sexual harassment case, to the post of Executive Vice-Chairman
  Ashok Chawla was an LAS officer of 1975-batch of Gujarat cadre. TERL* 1200-member organisation employed 33% women among its staff.
• It is a non-profit research institution that conducts research work in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development.

Harinder Sidhu

• Australia announced the appointment of Indian-origin Harinder Sidhu as the country’s next High Commissioner to India on February 11, 2016. She is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• She has an Indian background and had migrated to Australia as a child with her family from Singapore. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics degrees from the University of Sydney.
• She has been also serving as First Assistant Secretary of the Multilateral Policy Division. She will replace the outgoing High Commissioner Patrick Suckling. Sidhu will also have non-resident accreditation to Bhutan.

Dr. DJ Pandian

• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) announced the appointment of India’s nominee. Dr. DJ Pandian. as the Vice-President. Chief Investment Officer of the newly formed S 100 billion multilateral development bank on February 10, 2016.
• His primary responsibility is leading the planning and supervision of the Bank’s infrastructure investment by promoting sustainable investment throughout Asia that is consistent with the Bank’s vision, goals, and strategies, and by ensuring the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of AIIB operations.

Tamar Hahn

• The United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Tamar Hahn (Israel) as Director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Buenos Aires. She assumed her duties on February 10, 2016.
• Prior to this appointment, Ms. Hahn was the Regional Adviser for Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Panama City, Panama, since 2013.
• The UNIC serves as regional couriers of information from the UN to the local public at least 60 locations around the world. They are operated by the United Nations Department of Public Information. UNIC at Buenos Aires serves Argentina and Uruguay.

John W. Nicholson

• US Military Lieutenant General John W. Nicholson has been appointed as NATO and US Military Commander in Afghanistan on February 4, 2016.
• He will take charge after General John Campbell’s services tenure will end.
• General Nicholson is the Chief of Staff in the operation for International Security in Afghanistan and US President Barrack Obama has named him as Commander for US and NATO Military.
• General Nicholson will take action against terrorists and militant groups together with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Jai Shanker Menon

• Major General Jai Shanker Menon of India was appointed as the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on February 2, 2016.
• He succeeded Lieutenant General Puma Chandra Thapa of Nepal, who completed his assignment on February 7, 2016.
• The UNDOF was established on May 31, 1974 by UN Security Council following the agreed disengagement of the Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan.