Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2018

Notes:
Jayant Madhab Bora has been conferred with the 2017 Sahitya Akademi Award for Assamese literature for his novel “Moriahola”. The annual Sahitya Akademi awards for 2017 were presented at a function in New Delhi on February 12, 2018. The awards were given in 24 languages. The awarded works includes Seven novels, five collections each of poetries and short stories, five works of literary criticism, a play and a book of essays. Excerpts are as follows: Afsar Ahmed received the award for his Bengali Novel ‘Sei Nikhonj Manusta’ and in Bodo language Rita Boro was presented the honours for her Novel ‘Thwisam’. While in Dogri, Shiv Mehta received the award for his short stories ‘Banna’, Urmi Ghanshyam Desai got the award for her literary criticism Gujarati Vyakaranna Baso Varsh. The awardee received a casket containing an engraved copper-plaque, a shawl and a cheque of Rs 1 lakh.

Notes:
Prof. Chandrashekhara Kambar, the eminent Kannada writer and Jnanpith winner, has been elected as the new president of Sahitya Akademi in the election held for the post. He is the third Kannada writer to head the country’s premier literary institution, after Vinayak Krishna Gokak (1983) and U.R. Ananthamurthy (1993). Hindi poet Madhav Koushik has been elected as vice-president. This is the second time election was held in the history of Sahitya Akademi, after Ananthamurthy’s election to the post. Prof. Kambar has served as member of the Akademi executive board for over 10 years and was vice-president for 2013-18.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu has lifted their maiden title in the 23rd edition of the Senior Women’s National Football Championship 2018 by defeating Manipur in the final by 2-1 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on February 14. Indumathi has also adjudged the player of the final as well as the tournament for her superlative performances.

Notes:
Vinod Kumar Jain, the former Professor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of the Tezpur University. He will serve as the vice-chancellor for a period of five years from the date he takes charge until he attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier. Prof Jain was conferred D Phil from the Sussex University, Brighton UK in 1982. He served as a scientist, class I (1983-1985) in the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) New Delhi before joining JNU’s School of Environmental Sciences as an associate professor in 1985. Prof Jain has been actively involved in research activities for the past 36 years.

Notes:
The third-edition of international conference and exhibition on pharmaceuticals industry and medical devices- India Pharma 2018 and India Medical Device 2018 – has started in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 15, 2018. It was inaugurated by Ananth Kumar, Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, with the theme – ‘Affordable & Quality Healthcare’. The key highlight of the conference is a workshop by World Health Organization (WHO) on “Regulatory System Strengthening and Prequalification updated by WHO”. The 3-day event is being organized by Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). More than 20 international drug and device regulators will participate in a meet with Indian regulators.

Notes:
Sanjiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Finserv, has been named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 for solutions in lending, life and general insurance and wealth advisory. He will represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY) in Monte Carlo from June 13, 2018. Dr. E Sreedharan was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for transforming the face of public transportation in India.

Notes:
The Bheemgarh dam is built across the Wainganga river in Chhapara tehsil of Seoni district of Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The dam is also known as Sanjay Sarovar Bandh and Upper Wainganga dam. It is known as the biggest Mud / Earthen dam of Asia. It is bounded by mountains from all sides

Notes:
Vikas Sathaye, a Pune-born person has been honoured with the Scientific and Engineering Academy Award at the Oscars Scientific and Technical Awards 2018 at Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California. Sathaye and his team received the award for his contribution towards conceptualisation, designing, engineering, and the implementation of the ‘Shotover K1 Camera System’ during his stint at Shotover Camera Systems in Queenstown, New Zealand. The Scientific and Engineering Award is given for scientific achievements that produce a definite influence on the advancement of the motion picture industry.

Notes:
Legendary singer Asha Bhosle has been conferred with the 5th edition of Yash Chopra Memorial Award 2018 on February 16 in Mumbai for her outstanding contribution to the Hindi film industry. The award has been instituted by MP T Subbarami Reddy in the memory of Chopra, who died in 2012, in association with Anu Ranjan and Shashi Ranjan. The award also carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh. The previous recipients of the award were Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha and Shah Rukh Khan.

Notes:
India and Iran has recently signed Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income in New Delhi. The Agreement will stimulate flow of investment, technology and personnel from India to Iran & vice versa, and will prevent double taxation. The Agreement will provide for exchange of information between the two Contracting Parties as per latest International Standards. It will improve transparency in tax matters and will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance. The Agreement also meets treaty related minimum standards under G-20 OECD Base Erosion & Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project, in which India participated on an equal footing.