Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2017

Notes:
Professors Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim, a globally-acclaimed South African Indian-origin researcher couple, has been honoured with a prestigious 2017 IHV Lifetime Achievement Award for their exceptional contributions in the field of HIV/AIDS. The researcher couple received the award from the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) in Baltimore in the US. The award was presented to them by Robert Gallo, who discovered HIV as the cause of AIDS, at the 19th international meeting of the IHV. The Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a syndrome caused by a virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). The disease alters the immune system, making people much more vulnerable to infections and diseases.

Notes:
The 2017 Vigilance Awareness Week (VAW) will be observed by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) from 30th October to 4thNovember, 2017 with theme “My Vision-Corruption Free India”. The Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu will be the Chief Guest at the Inaugural Function to be held on 30th October 2017. The purpose of observing VAW is to educate the public at large about the corruption related practices and also educating them how to report about it.

Notes:
Girija Devi (88), the veteran Indian classical singer of the Seniya and Banaras gharanas, has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal on October 24, 2017. She was known as ‘Thumri queen’, who popularised the genre of semi-classical Indian music. She was conferred with all three Padma awards, and was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 2016.

Notes:
Rajiv Mehrishi, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India(CAG) and former Union home secretary, has authored an e-book titled “India 2017 Yearbook” on current affairs in India. It is recently launched by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur. The e-book includes a plethora of information on important dignitaries, state policy, public schemes and important data about demographics, trade, economy and many other topics.

Notes:
The International Conference on Green Initiatives & Railway Electrification has inaugurated by Union Minister of Railways & Coal Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on October 27, 2017. The conference is organised by Ministry of Railways through Institution of Railways Electrical Engineer (IREE). The main purpose of the 2-day international conference is to bring green power project developers and other stakeholders on a common platform for making Indian Railways (IR) an efficient and Greener mode of transport. This will open an international discussion on various Green initiatives including use of renewable energy, shift towards electric traction, development of new locomotive technology, high speed rail traction system and development in generation of Solar/Wind power as well as use of energy in efficient ways.

Notes:
Dr Digamber Singh, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, has passed away in Jaipur, Rajasthan on October 27, 2017. He served as cabinet minister in Government of Rajasthan led by Vasundhara Raje. He represented Deeg-Kumher constituency of Bharatpur district in the assembly. He is currently President of “Bees Sutri Karyakram” and has a status of Cabinet Minister.

Notes:
Punathil Kunjabdulla (77), the renowned writer and Malayalam novelist, has passed away in Kozhikode, Kerala. His works includes more than 45 books, including 7 novels, 15 short story collections, memoirs, an autobiography and travelogues. His masterpiece ‘Smarakashilakal’ published in 1977, is one of the most significant novels of all time in Malayalam. It won the both the Kerala and Central Sahitya Akademi Awards.

Notes:
The 36th edition of National Games of India will be held in Goa from November 4 to 17, 2018. The Games were originally scheduled to be held in November 2016 but the Goa administration requested a postponement at the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)’s annual general meeting based on extraneous factors, mainly the State elections. The delays to the 34th and 35th editions of the Games, which were hosted by Jharkhand and Kerala respectively, affected Goa’s plan to hold the mega-event.

Notes:
The Anamalai Tiger Reserve, which is earlier known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (IGWLS&NP), is located in the Anaimalai Hills of Pollachi, Valparai and Udumalpet taluks of Coimbatore District and Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu. It is home to golden jackal, leopard cat, jungle cat, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, wild boar, common langur, bonnet macaque, Asian palm civet, etc. It is also home to 15 of 16 species of birds endemic to the Western Ghats. Over 250 species of birds have been identified in the park such as cormorants, ducks, teal, darter, partridge, quail, etc.

Notes:
According to World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Global TB Report 2017, India topped the list of seven countries, accounting for 64% of the 10.4 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide in 2016. Indonesia has acquired 2nd position, followed by China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa. As per new TB report, an estimated 1.7 million people died from TB in 2016, including nearly 400,000 people who were co-infected with HIV, recording a drop by 4 per cent as compared to 2015. Also, India along with China and the Russia accounted for almost of half of the 490,000, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases registered in 2016. The report pointed out that though global efforts to combat tuberculosis have saved an estimated 53 million lives since 2000 and reduced the TB mortality rate by 37 percent, the latest picture is grim as TB remains the top infectious killer in 2016.