Anand Mahindra and former ISRO chief S. Somnath appointed as directors of RBI Central Board for 4 years

The story of India's distinguished former wicketkeeper-batsman, Farukh Engineer, has come to light, causing widespread resonance. Engineer was announced as recipient of the Padma Shri award around 53 years ago, in 1973, yet at the age of 88, he is still awaiting this honor.

Interestingly, Farukh Engineer's name appears on the official list of Padma Shri awardees from 1973 on the official website of Indian government awards. Nevertheless, it remains unclear when and how he was supposed to be presented with this award.

In light of this, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is preparing to intervene in the situation and plans to send a corresponding letter to the government.

Farukh Engineer recounted that when he was informed of the Padma Shri award in 1973, he was playing cricket in England. He learned about the award not through an official letter or government notification, but through newspapers.

In an interview with The Indian Express, he recalled that team manager Hemu Adhikari informed him about the Padma Shri from the Government of India, and this news was published in all newspapers. Engineer assumed that the government would contact him officially and he would receive the award, but this never happened.

He emphasized that he received no official notifications, and no government officials contacted him. According to him, newspapers were the primary source of information at the time. He also spoke with Hemu Adhikari, who assured him that an official letter from the government would be sent, but this letter never arrived.

Engineer noted that for many years, he did not know whom to approach regarding this matter, so he did not raise the issue himself and continued to wait. Now that this case has come to the attention of the BCCI, it is reported that the Indian cricket board will send a letter to the government to find out why the Padma Shri announced in 1973 never reached Engineer.

Engineer also mentioned that he recently discussed this matter with Jay Shah, who promised to help him.

The Padma Shri is one of India's foremost civilian awards. In the hierarchy of civil awards, it follows the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and Padma Bhushan. Typically, the award is conferred at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President personally.

The fact that Farukh Engineer's name is present in official records as a 1973 awardee, yet he has not received the award, raises many questions. On the official Padma Awards website (padmaawards.gov.in), Engineer's name appears in the 1973 list of awardees, but the future of his case remains uncertain.

Farukh Engineer is among the legendary players of Indian cricket who established themselves as a wicketkeeper-batsman in the early years of cricket development in the country. He played 46 Test matches for the Indian team from 1961 to 1975, scoring 2611 runs from two centuries. Engineer also participated in 5 ODIs, where he scored 114 runs.

His talent is further confirmed by the fact that around 1970, he was selected for the 'Rest of the World' team as a wicketkeeper. This period of his career was highly significant as he became one of the world's leading wicketkeepers. Playing 46 Test matches for India is a great achievement in itself, especially in an era when the international cricket calendar for India was not as packed as it is today.

For Farukh Engineer, this issue is not just about an award, but about recognition that was announced during his brilliant sporting career. After the announcement of the Padma Shri in 1973, he hoped to receive this award from the President soon. However, time passed, and the award never materialized.

Now that the BCCI is preparing to write to the government, this long-standing issue has once again drawn attention. It is still unclear at what stage the process of conferring the Padma Shri upon Engineer in 1973 got stuck, and why he did not receive it despite his name being in the official registers. All eyes are on what steps the government will take after the BCCI's letter, and whether this distinguished Indian cricketer can finally receive the Padma Shri after 53 years of waiting.

A significant piece of news related to the Tata Group has emerged: N. Chandrasekaran has resigned from the post of Chairman of Tata Sons. He made this decision ahead of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Tata Sons scheduled for August 18th. Although Chandrasekaran's tenure as Chairman of Tata Sons was set until February 2027, according to information, he will complete his current term but will not be reappointed.

This resignation comes at a time when the Tata Group is facing various challenges across its different businesses. Reports indicate that there were also disagreements regarding Chandrasekaran's reappointment between Tata Sons and Tata Trusts.

It is noteworthy that Tata Sons, the main holding company of the $400 billion Tata Group, manages more than 30 companies, including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Motors, and Air India. Tata Trusts holds a 66% stake in Tata Sons.

Sources suggest that some conditions were put forth by Noel Tata, Chairman of Tata Trusts, amidst ongoing disagreements within the Tata Group. One of these conditions was that Tata Sons would never be listed. N. Chandrasekaran was not amenable to these conditions, leading to several points of contention between the two parties on the board.

A job at the bank is a dream for many young people, and in this regard, the State Bank of India has announced a special opportunity for those who have long hoped for a government job in the financial sector. The bank has issued a notification about recruitment for 1538 vacancies for clerk (junior specialist) positions.

Interested candidates can apply online through the official website. Before submitting documents, they should familiarize themselves with all the detailed information regarding these positions.

Applications for these positions started on August 7 and will run until August 27. As part of this recruitment drive, appointments will be made for all 1538 positions, and candidates will need to pay a registration fee of 750 rupees.

Qualification requirements: candidates must hold a bachelor's degree, which they must obtain by December 31, 2026. A special condition of the recruitment is that students studying in their final or penultimate year can also apply, but they must provide proof of exam completion before December.

The minimum age for application is 21 years, and the maximum is 28 years. Candidates from the OBC category are granted an exemption of a three-year reduction in the age limit. Candidates from the SC and ST categories are entitled to a five-year deferment, while persons with disabilities are granted a ten-year deferment.

Regarding application fees and salary, candidates from the General and OBC categories must pay a fee of 750 rupees when applying. However, this service is free for SC, ST, PwBD, ex-servicemen, and DXS. Selected candidates will be paid a monthly salary ranging from 24,050 to 64,480 rupees.

The article also contains information on how to apply.