India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu handed over the Padma Bhushan, one of the country’s highest civilian Awards, to Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai in San Fransisco.

Taking to Twitter, Sandhu said, “Delighted to hand over Padma Bhushan to CEO @Google & Alphabet @sundarpichai in San Francisco. Sundar’s inspirational journey from #Madurai to Mountain View, strengthening India-US economic and technology ties, reaffirms Indian talent’s contribution to global innovation.”

On the eve of the 73rd Republic Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that Sundar Pichai would be conferred with Padma Bhushan.

After receiving the Padma Bhushan award from Sandhu, Pichai in his blog said, “I want to thank Ambassador Sandhu and Consul General Prasad for hosting me to receive the Padma Bhushan. I am deeply grateful to the Indian government and the people of India for this immense honour. It is incredibly meaningful to be honoured in this way by the country that shaped me.”

“India is a part of me. I carry it with me wherever I go. (Unlike this beautiful award which I will keep somewhere safe),” he added.

According to the blog, Google CEO said that he is fortunate to grow up in a family that cherished learning and knowledge, with parents who sacrificed a lot to make sure that he had opportunities to explore his interests.

Every new technology that arrived at our doorstep made our lives better. And that experience put me on a path to Google, and the chance to help build technology that improves the lives of people all over the world, Pichai added.

Appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India vision, Pichai said that Digital India’s vision has certainly been an accelerator for that progress.

He also said that he felt proud to continue its investment in India, partnering with governments, businesses and communities over two transformative decades.

“We recently announced that we’ll be investing USD 10 billion in India’s digital future, working to enable more affordable internet access, building products for India’s unique needs, helping businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation, and using AI to tackle big societal challenges,” Google CEO said.

He further stated, “We’re also investing deeply in digital skilling, and have trained over 1 million women through our WomenWill Entrepreneurship Program and over 55,000 teachers in partnership with the government and local organizations. We’ve also sponsored over 100,000 Google Career Certificate sponsorships in collaboration with the NASSCOM Foundation and Tata Strive.”

Talking about the languages added to Google Translate, Pichai said that 8 of 24 are languages native to India. It means so much to see how people can access information and knowledge in their preferred language, and see the world open up to them in new ways.

“That’s why I continue to be so optimistic about technology, and why I believe India can and must continue to lead,” he added.

Pichai also said that he is looking forward to continuing the great partnership between Google and India, as we work together to bring the benefits of technology to more people.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has searched 16 premises across Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi covering office and residential premises of a few firms and their promoters under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

They are Securekloud Technologies Limited, Pro Fin Capital Services Limited, Quantum Global Securities Limited (QGSL), Unity Global Financial Services Pvt Limited, and Desert River Capital Pvt Ltd. In this matter, the searches conducted led to the seizure of Rs 1. 04 crore in cash, gold and diamond jewellery, the identification of immovable properties of more than Rs 30 crore and other movable assets in various DEMAT accounts as well as the seizure of incriminating documents and digital evidence.

The agency has initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR filed on February 02, 2019, which was filed by Suresh Venkatachari, the promoter and CEO of Securekloud Technologies Limited.

PMLA investigation revealed that the directors and beneficial owners of these share brokerage and financial services companies have transferred the shares worth Rs.160 crore off-market and subsequently sold the same to generate huge proceeds of crime, the agency said in a statement on Friday.

“The investigation also revealed that the complaint lodged by the Promoter of STL was misleading as he and his CFO are involved in the larger conspiracy of the cheating public by way of inflating the books of the company, diverting funds of the company to the unrelated business activities of the companies having stakes of CFO and CEO of STL (Securekloud),” it added.
Further investigation is under progress, the agency said.

In view of anti-Brahmins slogans on the walls of the JNU campus by students threatening the community, a Delhi-based advocate has filed a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South West).

The complainant has requested the police to file an FIR against the “unknown persons” under Sections 153A & B, 505, 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the social activist and Supreme Court advocate Vineet Jindal, on Thursday, casteist slogans against the ‘Baniya’ and ‘Brahmin’ were written on the walls of the School of International Studies-II building on the university campus.

The slogans on the wall of the chambers of several Brahmin professors, including Nalin Kumar Mohapatra, Raj Yadav, Pravesh Kumar, and Vandana Mishra read, “Brahmin-Baniya, we are coming for you, we will avenge you, Brahmins leave the campus, Brahmins leave India, now there will be blood, go back to Shakha”.

Advocate Jindal said that the slogans are not limited to targeting Brahmin students and teachers but also threaten to kill them. Meanwhile, the university authorities have issued a statement condemning the incident and blaming “unknown elements” behind the defacement of the campus.

An inquiry into the incident has also been ordered. “While the Left-Liberal gang intimidates every dissenting voice, they appeal to elect EC representatives that ‘can assert the values of mutual respect and civility, & equal & just treatment of all.” ‘civility’ & ‘mutual respect’. Highly deplorable act of vandalism!,” the JNU Teachers’ Forum tweeted.