Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2018

Notes:
The All India Radio (AIR) and National Book Trust (NBT) has recently signed a MoU to preserve and promote cultural heritage and folk songs sung on various occasion across the country. Several traditional and folk songs have been recorded under the Akashvani Lok Sampada Sanrakhshan Mahapariyojana. The MoU was inked in presence of Director General of AIR, F. Shehreyar and NBT Chairman, Baldeo Bhai Sharma in New Delhi. Through NBT, All India Radio will provide information to people about the rich heritage of folk songs preserved by it. The NBT will publish the Sanskar and folk songs. The NBT is an Indian publishing house functions under aegis of Ministry of Human Resource The headquarters of NBT is located in Vasant Kunj, Delhi.

Notes:
Armen Vardani Sarkissian has been elected as the new president of Republic of Armenia on March 2, 2018. Sarkissian will succeed Serzh Sarkisian and will assume the presidency in April 9, 2018. This was the first time in Armenia’s history when the president was elected by the National Assembly instead of popular vote. Sarkissian served as Prime minister of Armenia from November 1996 to March 1997. Previously, he had been Armenia’s ambassador in London. He has also served as the Armenian ambassador to the European Union, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and the Holy See.

Notes:
The 19th edition of FICCI Frames has inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smiriti Irani in Mumbai, Maharashtra on March 5, 2018. The 3-day global convention covering the entire gamut of Media and Entertainment Industry will attract not only the industry stakeholders from across the world but also the government policy makers from India and abroad. The event will have more than 35 knowledge sessions by experts besides having over 200 high profile speakers from across the world. This year a first edition of Content Market has been added with over 70 buyers for a curated slate of new Indian Films. A special screening facility has also been set up to introduce festival programmers and key buyers to selected new Indian films. It is attended by nearly 2000 Indian and 800 foreign delegates encompassing the entire universe of media and entertainment.

Notes:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the noted an Indian cricketer, has become a brand ambassador of gaming platform Dream11 on March 5, 2018. Dhoni, who had led the country to a famous triumph in the inaugural World T20 Championship in 2007, would be the new face of the gaming platform’s multi-channel marketing campaigns and brand engagement activities. Dhoni captained the Indian team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2016 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014. Currently the gaming platform has a user base of 2 crore sports fans playing “fantasy cricket, football, kabaddi and NBA.

Notes:
The Shigmotsav is the biggest festival for the Hindus in Goa, which is celebrated in the month of Phalguna (March) from the 9th moon day to full moon day as per the Hindu calendar. The 5th day is called ‘Rang Panchami’. This day of rejoicing is celebrated with the abundant use of ‘Gulal’ or red powder. This year, in 2018, the 2-week long festival has started from March 3. The Shigmotsav or Shigmo is one of the several cultural festivals of the coastal state and is celebrated through colours, costumes, music, dance and parades. The Shigmo parades will give one and all a chance to take a glimpse at the life of a Goan which is depicted in elaborate folk performances by local men and women who dance tirelessly in huge processions along with the parade. Folk dances like Ghode Modni and Fugdi will be performed on the streets in massive troupes along the procession, showcasing the traditions of Goa.

Notes:
Rashid Khan, the world’s No.1 ODI and Twenty20 International bowler, has become the youngest international captain in cricket history by leading Afghanistan at the age of 19 years & 165 days against Scotland in the first match of the 2018 ICC World Cup qualifiers played in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. He replaced Rajin Saleh of Bangladesh who captained his side against South Africa at the age of 20 years and 297 days in 2004.

Notes:
The 9th edition of the Women’s Film Festival (WFF-2018) will be organized by the National Film Archives of India (NFAI) from 9 to 11 March at NFAI Pune. The theme of the fest is ‘Travelling Women’. It will open with Sidney Pollack’s Out Of Africa, featuring Meryl Streep. The festival will feature other acclaimed films including Away We Go, Under the Tuscan Sun, and Wild. The closing film is Eat Pray Love, starring Julia Roberts. On March 8, NFAI will also host a special event “Parikathe til Rajkumari”, and screen audiovisual clips paying tribute to women in Indian cinema, from the birth of Indian cinema till the 1960s. The festival to mark the 2018 International Women’s Day will screen Balu Mahendra’s Tamil film Moondram Pirai, in remembrance of actress Sridevi.

Notes:
Neiphiu Rio, the senior leader of President of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) & currently a Member of Parliament (MP) from Nagaland Lok Sabha constituency, will be sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Nagaland on March 8, 2018. He has to prove his majority on the floor of the House “on or before March 16”, according to a media release issued by the office of Governor P B Acharya. Rio belongs to the Angami Naga tribe in the state.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the pan-India expansion of flagship programme–Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao (BBBP)–from JhunJhun district of Rajasthan on March 8 to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD-2018). The BBBP is an initiative to save and educate the girl child. The programme will be expanded from the present 161 districts to 640 all over the country. In another landmark initiative, the Prime Minister will also launch the National Nutrition Mission (NNM). He will also launch NNM- ICDS Common Application Software.

Notes:
Shammi (89), the veteran Bollywood and television actress, has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on March 6, 2018. Fondly addressed as ‘Shammi aunty’ by Bollywood celebrities, Shammi started her film career with Malhar as a leading lady and later on moved to the comic genre. She acted in over 100 films and TV shows and was best remembered for her role in the Nineties sitcom ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’. She was famous for her comic timing and was quite prolific in both TV and cinema.