Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2018

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:
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated the 8th edition of the Theatre Olympics at Lal Quila in New Delhi on April 17. The event has been organised by National School of Drama under the aegis of Ministry of Culture. The theme of the festival is – “Flag of Friendship”. The 51-day long nationwide theatre extravaganza will feature Indian and international theatre groups, eminent theatre personalities along with their performances. 30 countries are participating from across the globe. It will include 60 ‘living legends’ series conversing with theatre enthusiasts and 50 ‘master classes’ on various art forms. The 51-day long nationwide theatre extravaganza will be held in various cities. The event will continue till 8th of April. There will be exhibitions, seminars, symposia, interactive discussions and workshops with well-known authors, actors, designers and directors.

Notes:
Gundu Hanumantha Rao (61), the noted Telugu film comedian, has passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana on February 19, 2018. Rao, born in Vijayawada, started his film career with “Aha Na Pellanta” in 1987 and acted in around 400 films such as “Rajendrudu Gajendrudu” and “Yamaleela”. He is known for his roles in Pellaniki Premalekha Priyuraliki Subhalekha (1992), Rajendrudu Gajendrudu, Mayalodu, Jodi No.1, Nenu Seetamahalakshmi, Kedi No.1, etc. He acted in over 600 movies in Telugu and is a popular TV artist.

Notes:
Didier Lockwood (62), the noted French jazz violinist, has passed away in Paris on February 18, 2018. He was known for his use of electric amplification and experimentation on different sounds on the electric violin. Lockwood was a disciple of the late Stephane Grappelli.

Notes:
India will be the global host of 2018 World Environment Day (WED), which is scheduled to be held on June 5, 2018. The theme “Beat Plastic Pollution” urges governments, industry, communities, and individuals to come together and explore sustainable alternatives and urgently reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastic polluting our oceans, damaging marine life and threatening human health. The World Environment Day is a UN Environment-led global event and is the single largest celebration of our environment each year.

Notes:
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently constituted a four-member Empowered Expert Committee (EEC), which is being entrusted to conduct the appraisal of applications for short listing 20 Institutions of Eminence. N Gopalaswami, former Chief Election Commissioner of India is the Chairperson of the committee. The government is likely to announce the names of the selected institutions by April 2018. The committee was constituted by the UGC after the approval of the central government, as per the UGC (Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be Universities) Regulation, 2017, and UGC (Declaration of Government Educational Institutions as Institutions of Eminence) Guidelines, 2017.

Notes:
The Sanskriti Mahotsav “Swachhagrah – Bapu ko Kaaryaanjali” has started at the Man Mandir Ghat and Assi Ghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on February 21, 2018 to celebrate the creative and cultural industries in Varanasi and to focus attention on the need for Swachhta by using cultural forms. The 2-day Mahotsav will integrate the tangible and intangible heritage along the river-belt and will see the engagement of the academia, artists, artisans, writers, poets, environmental and cultural forums on the use of cultural expressions for conservation and protection of the river and the ancient city. It will cover a profusion of art forms from classical, folk music, dance and visual arts and would offer the chance to experience the best in established and emerging virtuosity.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to the construction of 4.531 km long 2-Lane Bi-Directional Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel in Uttarakhand as part of ‘Chardham Mahamarg Pariyojana’. The tunnel will have escape passage including approaches on Dharasu -Yamunotri section between Chainage 25.400 Km. and Chainage 51.000 Km. The project will be falling along NH-134 (old NH-94) in the State of Uttarakhand and will be built under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Mode. This is funded under NH (O) Scheme of Ministry of RT&H and forms part of ambitious Chardham Plan. The construction period of the project is 4 years.

Notes:
Flying officer Avani Chaturvedi from Madhya Pradesh has scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo. She flew a MiG-21 bison in her first solo sortie from IAF’s Jamnagar base in Gujarat on February 19. She is one of the three in the first batch of female pilots, besides Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh, who were inducted in Indian Air Force fighter squadron in 2016. They were commissioned as flying officers after the government took the decision in 2015 to open the fighter stream for women on an experimental basis in three women pilots had undergone strenuous training programme to fly fighter jets. The IAF has already selected the next batch of three women trainee pilots for the fighter stream.