GK & Current Affairs – March 2, 3, 2016

1. Who has been chosen for the 2015 Bihari Puraskar?
[A]Vijaydan Detha
[B]Nand Bhardwaj
[C]Bhagwati Lal Vyas
[D]Rajesh Vyas
Answer: Bhagwati Lal Vyas
Notes:
The renowned poet Dr.Bhagwati Lal Vyas has been chosen for the 2015 Bihari Puraskar for his anthology of Rajasthani poems “Katha Sun Aawe Hai Sabad”. The award is instituted by the K K Birla Foundation in 1991 and is given annually for an outstanding literary work in Hindi or Rajasthani published during last 10 years by a Rajasthani writer. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. One lakh, a citation and a plaque.
2. The World Wildlife Day is observed on which date?
[A]February 29
[B]March 3
[C]April 21
[D]May 5
Answer: March 3
Notes:
The World Wildlife Day is observed on March 3 every year to raise awareness about the dangers faced by the planet’s fauna and flora. The 2016 theme is “The future of wildlife is in our hands”, with African and Asian elephants being the main focus of global campaigns.
3. India’s first Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme has been launched by which state?
[A]Kerala
[B]Rajasthan
[C]Uttar Pradesh
[D]Delhi
Answer: Delhi
Notes:
Delhi has become the first Indian state to launch Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as a public health programme for school children. The girls studying in Class VI in government schools will be targeted in the first year. The HPV vaccine protects people against the group of 150-odd HPVs, some of which can cause cervical cancer.
4. Which Indian has won the 2016 Windham-Campbell in the fiction category?
[A]Kiran Nagarkar
[B]Stanley Crouch
[C]Rohinton Mistry
[D]Jerry Pinto
Answer: Jerry Pinto
Notes:
The Indian columnist and author Jerry Pinto has won the 2016 Windham-Campbell Prize for his novel “Em and The Big Hoom” in the fiction category at the Yale University, United States. The novel tells the story of an unnamed narrator’s slow, painful attempt to come to terms with his mother’s bipolar disorder and suicidal tendencies. Apart from him, the other winners in the fiction category are Tessa Hadley and C.E. Morgan.
5. The first Raisina Dialogue 2016 has been hosted by which union ministry?
[A]Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour
[B]Ministry of Health
[C]Ministry of External Affairs
[D]Ministry of Finance
Answer: Ministry of External Affairs
Notes:
The first Raisina Dialogue 2016 has been hosted by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), an independent think tank based in India, in New Delhi from March 1-3, 2016. It is a 3-day India’s flagship conference on Geopolitics and Geo-economics with the theme “Asia: Regional and Global Connectivity”. The 2016 dialogue will enable the MEA to reach out to a wider international multi-disciplinary audience.
6. Who will be conferred with the Lifetime Achievement honour at the 2016 Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META)?
[A]Girish Karnad
[B]Badal Sarkar
[C]Ratan Thiyam
[D]Khaled Chowdhury
Answer: Ratan Thiyam
Notes:
The renowned playwright and director Ratan Thiyam will be conferred with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the 11th edition of the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) 2016. Thiyam, theatre guru and current chairman of the National School of Drama, has been selected for creating a new language in theatre and enriching the art form in various roles as writer, director, designer, composer and choreographer.
7. Martin Crowe, who died recently, was a cricketer from which country?
[A]New Zealand
[B]Australia
[C]South Africa
[D]West Indies
Answer: New Zealand
Notes:
Martin Crowe (53), former New Zealand cricket captain, commentator and author, passed away in Auckland, New Zealand. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1985 and was credited as one of the best young batsmen in the world.
8. What is the theme of the 2016 Zero Discrimination Day?
[A]Stand Up
[B]Stand Out
[C]Speak loud for justice
[D]Live Up
Answer: Stand Out
Notes:
The Zero Discrimination Day is observed on March 1 every year to promote diversity and recognizes that everyone counts. The 2016 theme is “Stand Out” and encourages everyone to stand for fair and just societies.
9. What is the India’s position in the latest Global Energy Architecture Performance Index Report?
[A]44
[B]86
[C]90
[D]112
Answer: 90
Notes:
India has been ranked at the 90th place in a list of 126 countries in the latest Global Energy Architecture Performance Index Report compiled by World Economic Forum (WEF) on the basis of their ability to deliver secure, affordable and sustainable energy. The list is topped by Switzerland followed by Norway, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, etc.
10. Which of the following organisation has launched its first Uridashi Masala bonds?
[A]International Monetary Fund (IMF)
[B]International Finance Corporation (IFC)
[C]Asian Development Bank (ADB)
[D]BRICS Bank
Answer: International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Notes:
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank has launched its first Uridashi Masala Bonds (Japanese bonds). These masala bonds were launched to mobilise 30 crore rupees from Japanese retail investors and will be sold to Japanese household investors. The proceeds from these bonds will be used for promoting private sector development in India. JP Morgan is the sole arranger of the bonds and Daisen Hinomaru Securities is its distributor. .

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