Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
Ace Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia has regained the top spot in the world rankings after he clinched a second successive gold medal at the Matteo Pallicone Ranking Series.
In the 65kg freestyle event final in Rome, he defeated his Mongolian counterpart to win gold. Bajrang Punia also won gold in the tournament last year. He had also earned his quota for the Tokyo Olympics.

Notes:
For the India Science and Research Fellowship (ISRF) 2021, 40 scholars have been selected. These research scholars belong to six countries and have been awarded fellowship to conduct research in science and technology in various Indian institutes and universities.
The selection has been based on the scholar’s research proposal, experience, academic merit and publication record.

Notes:
Leading private sector bank HDFC Bank has announced the launch of a dedicated programme on the occasion of International Women’ Day.
Called as the ‘SmartUp Unnati programme’, it aims to mentor women entrepreneurs by senior women leaders at the bank, over the next one year.

Notes:
‘Dustlik’ is a military exercise between India and Uzbekistan. The second edition of the joint military exercise “Dustlik-2” started at Chaubatia in Uttarakhand.
Around 45 military personnel of armies of both the countries are participating in the exercise. The first edition of the joint military exercise was carried out in Tashkent in November 2019.

Notes:
Switzerland voted in favour of banning full facial coverings including the niqab and burqa in almost all public places.
Around 51.21 per cent of voters voted in support of the proposal. France was the first country in Europe to ban facial coverings in public places in the year 2011 and the European Court of Human Rights upheld the ban in 2014.

Notes:
The Odisha government announced the setting up of District Investment Promotion Agencies (DIPAs) in 30 districts.
The DIPAs will operate under the leadership of the District Collector with other district officials including SPs. The DIPAs will be housed at the District Collectorate and will seek to promote local entrepreneurship and investment.

Notes:
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat resigned recently. The 60-year-old leader tendered his resignation to Governor Baby Rani Maurya.
With only a year short of the state elections, the BJP legislature party in Uttarakhand is to meet shortly to choose a new leader. Trivendra Singh Rawat sworn in as the Chief Minister in the year 2017.

Notes:
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has recently inaugurated the World Skill Centre (WSC) at Mancheswar.
India’s first skill centre, the WSC is developed at an outlay of Rs 1,342 crore with support from the Asian Development Bank under the Odisha Skill Development Project. It aims to impart advanced and employable skills to the youth in the state.

Notes:
Indian Ace Chess player Koneru Humpy won the BBC India Sportswoman of the Year award for 2020. The award was based on a public vote.
Humpy beat sprinter Dutee Chand, shooter Manu Bhaker, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and hockey captain Rani Rampal. Humpy won the World Rapid Chess Championship in December 2019 after a two-year maternity break. She also won the Cairns Cup in 2020.

Notes:
Vaccine Passport is the name for a certification system that allows people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to access certain facilities and events.
This has been recently introduced by Israel for access to public facilities like restaurants, gyms, and hotels in Israel. It is also applicable for international air travellers also.