Vice Admiral J C DeSilva, AVSM, has assumed charge of Director General Coast Guard with effect from March 5, 1999. He succeeds Vice Admiral R N Ganesh, AVSM.

Vice Admiral DeSilva will visit Coast Guards ships and other establishments in Mumbai on Thursday. He was inducted into the Indian Navy after he passed out from the National Defence Academy in 1960.

While in service, DeSilva commanded missile guided ship INS Sindudurg and destroyer INS Ranvijay. Later, he was posted as Director of Naval Intelligence at the Headquarters at New Delhi.

Sarvodaya leaders arrive

Two senior leaders of the Sarvodaya Movement who are on a 5000-km long walk across six states arrived in Mumbai today. Thakurdas Bang and Amarnath Bhai aim to consolidate the movement against the government's ban on common salt and the promotion of iodised salt. They are scheduled to reach New Delhi on April 5.

Ad against plastic use gets award

Raka Advertising andMarketing private Limited has bagged the `Concerned Communicator Award 1999' for the socially relevant Hindi advertisements in a national level contest open to all advertising agencies in the country. Raka's entry depicted the ill effects of plastic bags on the environment and discouraged the use of plastic bags.

Music concert by Giants

Giants Group of Chowpatty and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kala Kendra have jointly organised a musical concert in aid of medical and family planning projects on March 20 at Kanji Khetsi Sabhagrih, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chowpatty at 6 pm. The concert features Santoor recital by Snehal Mazoomdar, Hanveli Sangeet by Hemang Mehta and Hori Ke Geet by Neha Majumdar.