Today's GK (29-9-13)

Marquez wins Aragon MotoGP 

Marc Marquez extended his points lead by winning the Aragon MotoGP on Sunday, but his victory came only after he played a part in the crash of Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa.

Marquez grazed the back of Pedrosa’s bike when he was trying to pass him with 18 laps to go, causing Pedrosa to lose control and slide down the track with sparks flying.

“I touched him a little with the front of my bike, and they tell me I may have broken a cable and that’s why he fell,” said Marquez. “It was very unlucky. That doesn’t usually happen.”

The 20-year-old Marquez went on to overtake defending champion Jorge Lorenzo, who had jumped ahead with a great start on his Yamaha.

Marquez finished the race at the 5-kilometre (3.15-mile) MotorLand Aragon circuit in 42 minutes, 3.4 seconds. Lorenzo was 1.3 seconds behind.

Srinivasan re-elected BCCI president

Plan panel likely to cut average GDP growth in 12th Plan to 6%

Planning Commission is likely to cut the annual average economic growth rate target of 8 per cent for the 12th Plan (2012-17) to around 6 to 6.5 per cent in its mid-term review of the five year policy document.

"It would be difficult to achieve the 8 per cent average economic growth in the 12th Plan period in view of slowdown. It is quite possible that the commission will cut the target substantially to around 6 per cent," an official said.

As per the practice, the commission comes out with a mid-term review of plans during the third financial year of the policy period.

Naval Science and Technological Laboratory Centre inaugurated in Visakhapatnam

In Andhra Pradesh, a state-of-the-art advanced integration centre for the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory under DRDO was inaugurated in Visakhapatnam on 29 September 2013.  With this facility torpedoes developed by this lab would be of world class in the days to come.

Named as Talvar, the Electrical Heavy Weight Torpedoes (EHWT) testing lab would also serve the needs of the prestigious heavy weight torpedo Varunastra project and the future such projects to be undertaken.

The centre was equipped with all the technical facilities required for carrying out sub-system level assembly, functional checks, system checks, preparation, balancing, pressure tests and full torpedo evaluation and would speed up the process of making of the torpedoes. The new facility was built to meet international standards at a cost of around 7.2 crore rupees in an area of 7500 sq. mts. for testing and integration of torpedoes.

Ruchira Kamboj appointed the Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO

Ruchira Kamboj was appointed as the Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, Paris with the rank of Ambassador. The government made this announcement on 25 September 2013. She will succeed VS Oberoi. At present, Ruchira is joint secretary in Ministry of External Affairs. She is expected to take up her assignment shortly.

Kamboj joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1987. She last served as the Deputy Head, in the office of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, London. Prior to that, she served as the Minister & Head, High Commission of India, Cape Town, South Africa.

In addition, she served as a Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York. She also served at the High Commission of India, Mauritius and at the Indian embassy in Paris. She held the positions of Director/Deputy Secretary (Foreign Service Personnel) and Under Secretary (Europe West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi.

Ruchira Kamboj is married to a businessman from India and has one daughter.

Sudha Singh of Railways won Gold in Women's 3000m Steeplechase

Sudha Singh of Railways won gold medal in women’s 3000m steeplechase on the third and penultimate day of the 53rd National Open Athletics Championship on 9 September 2013. She doubled her achievement by improving her own meet mark. Significantly, she is National record holder besides  being  a silver medallist at Asian Championship. Sudha, clocked 10 minutes 9.04 secs to better her own old meet record of 10:09.56 set in 2010.

Her Railways teammate Lalita Babar was second 10:33.40 whereas Kiran Tiwari of Haryana was third in 10:52.75. The championship was held at Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium, Ranchi.