April, 2017: Nita Ambani made member of IOC's Olympic Channel

India’s first woman International Olympic Committee member Nita Ambani made it to two important commissions of the global sports governing body, including the prestigious Olympic channel.

Besides the Olympic Channel, the 53-year-old Ms. Ambani has also been made a member of Olympic education Commission as IOC announced the composition of 26 commissions for 2017. She is one of the 16 members of the Olympic Channel Commission headed by United States Olympic Committee Chairman Lawrence Francis Probst.

Ms. Ambani has replaced International Paralympic Committee President Philip Craven, who was a member of the commission till last year.

April, 2017: India bans red beacon lights from top of VIP cars

The government decided to ban red beacons atop cars of all ministers, politicians and bureaucrats, ending a privilege that was seen as the ultimate status symbol.

The ban, effective from May 1, doesn’t exempt even vehicles of the country’s top dignitaries such as the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India. But ambulances and vehicles of the fire service, police, and army will be allowed to use blue flashing beacons to cut through traffic. About six categories of beacons — primarily red, blue and yellow — are in use in India. But the red, or the coveted “lalbatti”, has been drawing maximum attention as an elitist VIP symbol since the British rulers introduced it.