Curiosity - Astrobiology Robot

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Making a new milestone in mankind’s space odyssey, NASAs’ Curiosity rover ended its eight-month 566-million-km journey to successfully land at Mars on August 6, 2012 (11.02 a.m IST). The $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory, the most sophisticated roving lab ever to land on another planet, touched down inside the Gale Crater on the surface of the red planet. After the touch-down, it took Curiosity seven minutes to beam back its first image, a scene of rocky ground, back to Earth.

The rover will look out for indications of whether the planet once harboured life. It is NASAs’ first astrobiology mission after the VIKING probes of 1970s. Curiosity was initially funded for a two-year period. However, experts now expect that it will continue with its mission for a longer time span.

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Devendra Kumar Joshi

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1.      Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi, an anti-submarine warfare specialist, took over as the new Chief of the Naval Staff on August 31, 2012. 58 yr old Admiral Joshi succeeds Admiral Nirmal Verma. He is the 21^st chief of the Naval Staff of independent India and the 19^th Indian to command the Indian Navy. Earlier, Admiral Joshi had commanded the tri-services Andaman and Nicobar Island Command and also headed the Integrated Defence Staff Headquartered in Delhi. Commissioned in 1974, Admiral Joshi had also commanded aircraft carrier INS Viraat, Guided-Missile destroyer Ranvir and Corvette INS Kuthar. A graduate of the Naval War college, USA, Admiral Joshi is an alumnus of the College of Naval warfare, Mumbai and National Defence college, New Delhi.

Admiral Joshi is a recipient of the Nausena Medal, the Vishisht Seva Medal and the Yudh Seva Medal. While commanding the Vizag-based Eastern Fleet, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal as well. He will have a tenure of 3 yr. During his tenure, the Navy will Start the Rs.13,000-crore Phase II expansion of Project Seabird,the naval harbor under construction near Goa.

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Altamas Kabir

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Chief Justice of India(CIJ) Mr. S H Kapadia, who retires on September 28, 2012, recommended the name of Justice Altamas Kabir, the most senior judge in the Supreme Court of India, as his successor. It is a normal practice for the outgoing CJI to suggest the name of the next incumbent, based on seniority. Justice Altamas kabir will be the 39^th Chief Justice of India following his swearing on September 29, 2012.

Born in Faridpur ( now in Bangladesh) on July 19, 1948. Justice Kabir was enrolled as an advocate in 1973 and practiced in the District Court and the Calcutta High Court in Civil and Criminal sides. He was appointed as a permanent Judge in the Calcutta High Court on August 6, 1990. Justice Kabir was thereafter appointed as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court on March 1, 2005. He was elevated to the post of Judge of the Supreme Court in September 2005. He has rendered several landmark judgments, particularly on human rights and election laws. Justice Kabir the nephew of the late Union Minister Humayun Kabir,who served with former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. Justice Kabir will hold the country’s highest judicial position till July 18, 2013 when he attains the age of 65.

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Michael Phelps

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Greatest Olympian of all time - Michael Phelps of USA. One of the greatest swimmers in the history of sports, pulled the curtain down on his brilliant career on  August 4, 2012 with befitting ending a Gold Medal in the 4  x 100- meter medley relay at the London Olympics 2012. Phelps total in four Olympics are a record 22 Medals [18 – Golds, 2 – Silvers, 2 – Bronzes ], 51 races and 9000 meters of swimming. The 27 year old Phelps also holds the all-time records for Gold Medals (18). Gold Medals in individual events (11) and Olympic medals in individual events for a male (13). With this astounding feat, the ace swimmer has stamped his authority as the greatest Olympian of all time.

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