1. Ashok Chawla Appointed As Chairman Of TERI

i. TERI's governing council appointed Ashok Chawla as its new chiarman.

ii. Chawla is the former Union Finance Secretary and former Chairman of the Competition Commission.

iii. The Council decided after the elevation of climate scientist R.K. Pachauri indicted in a sexual harassment case to the post of Executive Vice Chairman on Monday, received widespread criticism from the media and women’s rights lawyers.

iv. The Research and Resources Institute (TERI) re announced that the new Director General, Ajay Mathur, as a Member of the Council will operate with full executive powers. Mr. Mathur was brought in to replace Mr. Pachauri on DG's post.

2. International Radio Fair 2016 Hosted By Bhubaneswar

i. International Radio Fair 2016 is to be held at Bhubaneswar.

ii. The fair will start on the occasion of World Radio Day i.e. 13th of February and close on 14th.

iii. Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and eminent news reader Upendra Pahadsingh have given their consent join the Radio Fair this year among others.

3. 13 February : World Radio Day

i. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is celebrating World Radio Day on 13 February.

ii. This year, the UNESCO theme for World Radio Day is “Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster”.

iii. It was proclaimed on 3 November 2011 by UNESCO's 36th General Conference after originally proposed by the Kingdom of Spain.

4. MOU Signs Between NRDC & IICB To Promote Entrepreneurship

i. To promote start-ups and entrepreneurship, the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB) and National Research Development Corporation (NRDC).

ii. Both arms of the DSIR, have signed an MoU to facilitate industry-institute partnership.

iii. The MoU have been signed by Dr H. Purushotham, CMD  of NRDC and Director, CSIR-IICB Prof. Samit Chattopadhyay in the presence of the Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of S&T and Earth Sciences and Dr Rabiranjan Chattopadhyay, West Bengal Minister  for Science, Technology & Biotechnology.

5. Lionel Messi Named La Liga Player Of Month

i. FC Barcelona forward Lionel Andres Messi has been named Liga BBVA Player of the Month for January, for the first time.

ii. The award has been given out since the beginning of the 2013-14 Primera División season but the five-times Ballon d’Or winner had not won it until now.

iii. Messi is the only football player in history to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or five times, four of which he won consecutively, and the first player to win three European Golden Shoes.

6. Oracle To Setup Its Campus In Bengaluru

i. The computer giant Oracle is planning to set up a campus in Bengaluru and start an initiative to help more than half a million students in India develop computer science skills.

ii. This was conveyed by Oracle's Global CEO Safra Catz to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

iii. Oracle is of the view that the plans are likely to boost Mr. Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, and strengthen India’s position as a world-class design and manufacturing hub.

7. Kavita Raut Clinched Gold In SAG Marathon

i. India long distance runner Kavita Raut  clinches gold in marathon.

ii. The 30 year old Raut easily clinched the marathon gold in 2 hours 38 minutes and 38 seconds to become the 4th Indian women to have qualified for Rio Games women’s marathon.

iii. Nashik girl Raut is the lone athlete to have qualified for the Olympics from the 12th SAG.

iv. With these two gold and one bronze, India ended the athletics competition with 28 gold, 22 silver and 9 bronze, medals thereby establishing their unrivalled superiority in the South Asian region.

8. Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2015

i. Chief Executive Officer Vinita Gupta  and managing director Nilesh Gupta, Lupin Ltd have been chosen the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015.

ii. Ms. Vinita and Mr. Nilesh Gupta will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY) in Monte Carlo from 7-12 June 2016.

iii. An 11-member jury led by Adi Godrej selected the winners.

iv. F. C. Kohli, former Vice-Chairman of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS),has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his pioneering contribution towards the Indian software industry and nation-building.

9. Discovery Of The Centuary : Gravitational Waves

i. Scientists have observed a stunning discovery in their quest to fully understand gravity.

ii. They have observed the warping of space time generated by the collision of two black holes more than a billion light-years from Earth.

iii. The scientist team says the first detection of these gravitational waves will usher in a new era for astronomy.

iv. The gravitational waves were predicted by Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity 100 years ago in 1915. The gravitational waves were detected on September 14, 2015 by LIGO detectors, located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, USA.

Current Affairs - 12th February 2016

1. Indian Origin Lawyer Davinder Singh Appointed As Vice - Chairman Of ICC

i. A top Indian origin lawyer has been named as Vice-Chairman of the Paris based International Chamber of Commerce Commission (ICC) on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption.

ii. Davinder Singh, 58, is one of the top Indian origin lawyer in Singapore. He is the only Singaporean lawyer to be appointed to the leadership of one of 13 Policy Commissions under the ICC.

iii. Currently he is the chief executive of the Singapore based law firm Drew & Napier. He was the member of Singapore Parliament from 1988-2006.

2. Amazon To Invest In Westland ( A Tata Group Company )

i. Ecommerce company Amazon has made an investment in Westland, a Trent Ltd subsidiary ( Tata Group ) in support of its publishing business.

ii. The investment will help to expand its international  reach and scale its physical and digital book businesses.

iii. Westland had also signed a two-month exclusive deal with Amazon to sell the book through its online platform.

3. Anirban Lahiri wins Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of the Year award

i. The Indian triumphed at the Maybank Malaysian and Hero Indian Open before going on to finish tied fifth at the PGA Championship last year.

ii. He also became the first Indian to feature at The Presidents Cup and ended the year by winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit title and finishing in 40th place in the world rankings.

iii. Lahiri won the award ahead of Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, Malaysia's Danny Chia and Philippines' Miguel Tabuena.

4. NATO & EU Signed Agreement On Cyber Defense Cooperation

i. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) have signed an agreement to improve cooperation in cyber defense.

ii. The technical agreement signed at NATO headquarters at Brussels.

iii. Belgium will help the two in countering the modern forms of hybrid warfare.

iv. It was signed between NATO Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) and the Computer Emergency Response Team – European Union (CERT-EU)

5. India And UAE Signed 9 Agreements To Boost Bilateral Cooperation

i. India and the United Arab Emirates signed 9 bilateral agreements across various sectors. These agreements were signed during the second day of the three day visit to India of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

ii. These nine agreements are covering cooperation in the fields of currency swap, culture, investments in the infrastructure sector, renewable energy, space research, insurance supervision, cyber security, skill development and commercial information sharing.

Those Agreements are as follow :- 

1. MoU on Technical Cooperation in Cyber Space and Combating Cyber Crime.
2. MoU on Establishing a Framework for Facilitating the Participation of U.A.E institutional investors in Infrastructure Investments.
3. General Framework Agreement on Renewable Energy Cooperation.
4. MoU between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency on Cooperation in the Exploration and use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes.
5. MoU for bilateral cooperation between Insurance Regulatory Authority of India (IRDA) and the Insurance Authority of UAE.
6. Executive Programme for Cultural Cooperation (EPCC).
7. Letter of Intent between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
8. MoU between Dubai Economic Council (DEC) and Export-Import bank of India.
9. MoU on Indian Rupee (INR)/UAE Dirham (AED) Bilateral Currency Swap Arrangements.

6. Wipro To Buy US Healthcare Services

i. Global software major and India's 3rd largest exporter Wipro has made an announced buying "HealthPlan Service" business in the US for $460 million (Rs.3,150 crore).

ii. HealthPlan Services is a leading independent technology and Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) provider in the US health insurance market that offers solutions to health insurance firms.

iii. By partnering with HealthPlan, Wipro will have first-mover advantage in the high growth public and private exchange space for individual, group and ancillary markets.

iv. With this acquisition, Wipro is looking to give its healthcare business a major fillip.

v. This is Wipro’s overall 4th acquisition in the in calendar year 2015 . The acquisition process is likely to be completed within the next three months.

7. Chhattisgarh And Railway Signed Joint Venture For Infrastructure Development

i. Indian Railway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chhattisgarh Government to establish a joint venture ( JV ) for laying tracks and expedite implementation of railway projects in the state.

ii. With this Chhattisgarh became 5th state to join hands with the Indian Railways for speedy execution of rail projects through JV route.

iii. Under this MoU, state government will have 51% share and Indian Railways will have remaining 49% share in the JV company. The joint venture will focus on project development and implementation, resource mobilization, land acquisition and monitor the progress of critical rail projects in the state.

8. India's 1st National Deworming Day Launched

i. India launched its 1st Deworming Day on 10th February.

ii. It was launched by The Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare to combat parasitic worm infections among preschool and school age children across India.

iii. Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare inaugurated the Deworming national programme, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, together with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

iv. National Deworming Day is a groundbreaking initiative focused on reducing the threat of parasitic worm infections, a widespread health issue affecting over 241 million children in India alone.
v. India has the highest burden of soil transmitted parasitic worms in the world.

Current Affairs - 11th February 2016

1. India Ranks 37 on USCC IP Index

i. India has ranked 37 out of 38 countries for its intellectual property rights environment in the annual IP index released by the United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC).

ii. These 38 countries bench marked in the 2016 index accounts for nearly 85% of the global GDP.

iii. Venezuela ranked lowest below India at 38th position with 6.42 points on the index.

iv. This index is based on six key parameters like rights and limitations of the patent, copyright and trademark regimes, trade secrets, enforcement and ratification of international treaties.

2. Mukesh Bansal & Ankit Nagori To Quit Flipkart

i. Mukesh Bansal, the head of commerce and advertising business and Ankit Nagori, Chief Business Officer of Flipkart has put in his papers.

ii. Mr. Nagori quit the firm to start an entrepreneurial venture in the sports domain.

iii. Bansal, who joined Flipkart when the online marketplace acquired fashion retailer Myntra in 2014, will continue to be an adviser to the company.

iv. Binny Bansal will now directly oversee the commerce and advertising platforms.   

3. Siachen Avalanche Survivor Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Passes Away

i. Lance Naik Hanamanthappa, who had been battling for life at the Army’s Research & Referral hospital, breathed his last on Today morning. “Really sorry to inform everyone that LNk Hanamanthappa is no more. He breathed his last breath at 11:45 a.m. today,” Army officials said on Today.

ii. He was 33.

iii. Hanamanthappa, hailed from Koppal in Karnataka. He belonged to a farming family in Betadur village in Kundagol taluk of Dharwad district.

4. The 6th National Science Film Festival Begins In Mumbai

i. The 6th National Science Film Festival & Competition (NSFF) has begun at Nehru Science Center in Mumbai.

ii. The festival has been jointly organised by Nehru Science Centre and Vigyan Prasar. Vigyan Prasar is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

iii. The event was chaired by veteran director Shyam Benegal and science film maker Dr Mike Panday.iv. The winners will be chosen among the 35 short-listed entries by a jury of eight people chaired by Shyam Benegal.

5. Kala Committee : Draft National Wildlife Action Plan

i. The National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) 2017-2031 unveiled by the environment ministry accords special emphasis to rehabilitation of threatened species of wildlife.

ii. While conserving their habitats which include inland aquatic, coastal and marine eco-systems.

iii. The Ministry Of Environment Forest and Climate Change has been implementing the National Wildlife Action Plan.

iv. It envisages on 17 key areas includes new area linking wildlife planning to climate change and  Mitigation of human wildlife conflict, coastal and marine ecosystem.

6. R K Verma : New Secretary Of Railway Board

i. A 1980 batch officer of Indian Railway Services Of Engineers Mr. R K Verma has assumed the charge as Secretary, Railway Board.

ii. Earlier he has served as Adviser (Public Grievance) to the Minister of State (MoS) for Railways.

iii. In his previous assignments, he has worked with various railways, including Southern, North-East Frontier Eastern and Western comprising of Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering.

iv. He also has Life Fellowship of Institution of Engineers (India),Institution of Permanent Way (India) and Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers.

7. India's 1st Aviation Park To Come Up In Gujarat

i. The state government has planned to set up the country’s first-ever Aviation Park in Gujarat near Bagodara village in Ahmedabad to strengthen the aviation sector.

ii. State government has given this task to Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Ltd (GUJSAIL) to carry out the project.

iii. The first ever Aviation Park will have the facilities including an airstrip, training school, helipad and space for setting up small manufacturing units among others.

iv. In the later stages, this park will have small manufacturing units to produce spare parts for aircraft and also in planning to develop this park on Public Private Partnership (PPP).

8. PM Shram Awards Announced For The Year 2014

i. The Government of India has announced the Prime Ministers Shram Awards for the year 2014.

ii. The award will be awarded to 54 workers employed in the Departmental Undertakings and Public Sector.

iii. The award has been given in recognition of their distinguished performances, innovative abilities, outstanding contribution in the field of productivity and exhibition of exceptional courage and presence of mind.

iv. This year, 9 nominations for the Shram Bhushan Award, 19 nominations for Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana and 26 nominations for Shram Shree / Shram Devi Awards have been selected.

Current Affairs - 10th February 2016

1. Maharashtra Has Topped In Internet Readiness Index

i. As per the report compiled and published by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indicus Analytics Maharashtra has topped in terms of the overall Internet readiness index.

ii. Maharashtra ranks at the top in terms of Internet readiness with a strong position in areas like e-infrastructure, eGovernance, IT services and consumer participation.

iii. Karnataka, Gujarat, Telengana and Tamil Nadu followed in the tally.

iv. The report, titled 'Index of Internet Readiness of Indian States', said Delhi has emerged as the leader among the smaller states, followed by Puducherry and Goa.

v. North East states, They have not even figured among the smaller states indicating that much more needs to be done in the form of investment and infrastructure development in the region.

2. India, China Hold First Joint Tactical Drill On Border In Jammu & Kashmir

i. The border troops of India and China have held their first joint tactical exercise codenamed Sino-India Cooperation 2016 in Chushul-Moldo area along with the northern border in Jammu and Kashmir.

ii. It is the part of ongoing initiatives taken by India and China to ensure greater interaction between troops stationed along the Line of Actual Control, and thereby ensure peace and tranquility along the border.

iii. As previously agreed by both countries, the exercise focused on actions to be coordinated to tackle jointly aspects of humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

3. Union Government Releases Hydrocarbon Vision 2030

i. Union Ministry of  state for Petroleum and Natural gas (MoPNG) has released the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for north-east India.

ii. The Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 outlines steps to leverage the hydrocarbon sector for social and economic development of the north-east region.

iii. The states covered under it are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Tripura.

iv. The objectives of the plan are to leverage the region’s hydrocarbon potential, enhance access to clean fuels, improve availability of petroleum products, facilitate economic development and to link common people to the economic activities in this sector.

4. Lord's To Host Women's World Cup Final In 2017

i. The hallowed Lord's will host the final of the Women's Cricket World Cup in 2017.

ii. The ICC has announced, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Somerset and Lord's in London will host the matches from June 26 to July 23.

iii. The 28-day tournament will feature 31 games.

iv. It will be the first time the tournament will be held in England since 1993 when the home side beat New Zealand in the final at Lord's.

5. 3rd Edition Of Taj Literature Festival In Agra

i. The 3rd edition of the Taj Literature Festival scheduled to begin in Agra (UP).

ii. The 3-day long festival beginning on February 26, will not have any particular theme.

iii. This edition will accommodate 16 different categories ranging from music, theater, politics, women cooking and comedy among others etc.

6. UAE Crown Prince Is On 3 Day India Visit

i. United Arab Emirates leader and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is on 3 day India visit along with seven ministers.

ii. The visit is expected to witness signing of a landmark civil nuclear cooperation pact among agreements across sectors, including a deal on security and information sharing to combat terrorists.

iii. The two countries are expected to sign about 16 agreements, including one on civil nuclear agreement.

7. Union Government Releases Hydrocarbon Vision 2030

i. Union Ministry of  state for Petroleum and Natural gas (MoPNG) has released the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for north-east India.

ii. The Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 outlines steps to leverage the hydrocarbon sector for social and economic development of the north-east region.

iii. The states covered under it are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Tripura.

iv. The objectives of the plan are to leverage the region’s hydrocarbon potential, enhance access to clean fuels, improve availability of petroleum products, facilitate economic development and to link common people to the economic activities in this sector.

8. Indian Government Sanctions Rs. 580 Crore For Railway Link With Bangladesh

i. The Indian government has sanctioned Rs.580 crore for the vital rail link.

ii. As it expected to complete the work on the 15-km-long rail line to connect Agartala with Akhaura in that country by 2017. Of the 15 km railway track, 10 km falls in the Bangladesh side and the rest in India.

iii. The entire project cost would be borne by the Center and over Rs 1,000 crore was sanctioned for completion of the track in Bangladesh side.

iv. The 1,700 km distance between Agartala and Kolkata through Chicken Neck near Siliguri would be reduced to 350 km.

v. Currently, India and Bangladesh have four rail links with West Bengal.

Current Affairs - 8th & 9th February 2016

1. R.K. Pachauri Appointed As Executive Vice Chairman And Mathur As New DG Of TERI

i. Pachauri headed TERI, which works in the field of sustainable development, energy and climate change, for the past 35 years.

ii. Mathur is a former Director General of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, an institution under the Power Ministry.

iii. Not-with-standing allegations of sexual harassment by a former colleague, TERI Chief RK Pachauri was on Monday appointed Executive Vice Chairman of the green body after new Director General Ajay Mathur took over the charge from him. "Dr. Ajay Mathur has joined as Director General of TERI. The Governing Council of TERI has appointed Dr. R K Pachauri as the Executive Vice Chairman with immediate effect," a TERI official said.

iv. In February last year, a junior colleague had accused him of sexual harassment following which he had to proceed on leave but joined work in July with a court quashing the internal committee report that found him guilty of misconduct.v. He was removed as chairman of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change and also from the international body of scientists that makes periodic assessment of climate change science.

2. India will host its first global maritime summit

i. According to PM Modi, India will host the first-ever global maritime summit in April 2016.

ii. He made the announcement at a function to thank the personnel of the Indian Navy for making the International Fleet Review (IFR) a “success”.

iii. He also quoted that “Oceans are lifelines of global prosperity. They present us with enormous economic opportunities to build our nations”.

3. Brijbhushan Sharan Singh Appointed As The President Of SAWF

i. Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh has been appointed as the president of the South Asian Wrestling Federation (SAWF).

ii. Tabiur Rehman from Bangladesh was also unanimously elected Secretary General.

iii. Ajgar of Pakistan, U.H. Neville Pdmashri from Sri Lanka and Raj Mohammed Ansari of Nepal were elected vice presidents.

iv. In April 2012, Brijbhushan was elected unopposed as the president of the WFI as no other candidate filed nomination for the post.

4. France became first country in the world to ban supermarket food waste

i. The French Senate on 3 February 2016 unanimously passed a law to ban large food stores from throwing away food that is approaching its expiration date. The National Assembly, France's other legislative chamber, had unanimously voted on the same measures in December 2015.

ii. With this, France has become the first country in the world to ban supermarkets from throwing away or destroying unsold food, forcing them instead to donate it to charities and food banks.

iii. The law came into being after a petition was launched by anti-poverty campaigners led by Councillor Arash Derambarsh.

Key highlights of the new law

* With the new law, supermarkets are bound to make donations to charities and food banks, failing which they face a fine of 75000 euros and a jail term of 2 years.
* Stores of 400 square metres and above will have to sign contracts promising that they will give unsold food due to be thrown away before its best before date to charities and food banks.
* The law also prohibits stores from pouring bleach over food items.

5. New Zealand cricket team won Chappell-Hadlee Trophy

i. New Zealand on 8 February 2016 won the three-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy of cricket against Australia, 2-1.

ii. In the third and final match played at Seddon Park, Hamilton, the Black Caps defeated Australia by 55 runs.

iii. This win of the Black Caps can be termed as the best farewell gift for Brendon McCullum who retired from One-Day International (ODI) cricket after the match. They also retained the Chappell-Hadlee trophy by putting tremendous bowling and fielding display.

6. Coast Guard To Induct 38 Aircraft And Helicopter By 2020

i. The Indian Coast Guard has proposed to induct 38 more aircraft and helicopters into its fleet by 2020. The CG at present has a fleet strength of 62 airplanes and helicopters.

ii. To boost its surveillance and search, and rescue capabilities. In this regard, the maritime security will sign a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to procure 16 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) in the next three - four months.

iii. It is also exploring options to buy 14 twin-engine heavy helicopters and 6 more Maritime Multi-mission Surveillance Aircraft.

7. New Zealand cricketer Brendon Barrie McCullum retired from One-Day Internationals

i. Brendon Barrie McCullum (New Zealand) on 8 February 2016 retired from One-Day Internationals (ODIs). However, He announced his retirement on 22 December 2015.

ii. He made his debut in ODIs as a 20-year-old batsman in 2001 against Australia at Sydney and he played his against the same side in 2016.

iii. He made his test debut against South Africa in 2003 and has played 99 tests so far and would retire from tests after playing two tests against Australia in February 2016.

iv. He played 260 ODIs and scored 6083 runs matches. They include 5 centuries and 31 half-centuries.

8. Vishal Mehta appointed as President of International Grown Diamond Association

i. Vishal Mehta on 4 February 2016 was appointed as the President of the newly- formed International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA).

ii. Mehta is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IIa Technologies, which grows diamonds at its state-of-the-art facility in Singapore.

About Vishal Mehta

* Prior to setting up IIa Technologies, Mehta joined his mother’s jewellery business, which operated in West Asia.
* He studied at the Cathedral and John Connon School.
* During his undergraduate programme, he trained at Star Gems for about a year.
* He then went to the US and qualified to be a gemologist with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

9. First joint tactical exercise Sino-India Cooperation 2016 held in Chusul-Moldo area along LoAC

i. India and China on 6 February 2016 held first joint tactical military exercise Sino-India 2016.

ii. The one-day long exercise was held in Chusul-Moldo area that is located along the Line of Actual Control (LoAC) in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Details related to Sino-India 2016 exercise

* The exercise is part of the ongoing initiatives taken by India and China to ensure greater interaction between troops stationed along the LoAC.
* The focus of the exercise was on joint actions to tackle aspects of humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
* It was participated by 30 border troops each from both the countries.
* It complements the Hand-in-Hand series of India-China joint exercises which started in 2007.

10. Joshna Chinappa clinched squash individual gold at the South Asian Games

i. Joshna Chinappa on 8 February 2016 clinched the gold in women's individual squash after beating Maria Toorpaki Wazir of Pakistan at the South Asian Games.

ii. Top seed Chinappa recovered from one set down to beat second seeded Wazir 10-12 11-7 11-9 11-7 at the R G Baruah Sports Complex in Guwahati.

About Joshna Chinappa

* Joshna Chinappa reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 13 in December 2015.
* She was the first Indian to win the British Squash Championship title in 2003 in the under 19 category and was also the youngest Indian women's national champion.
* She is the first beneficiary of Mittal Champions Trust.
* At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, she along with Dipika Pallikal won the squash women’s doubles gold medal, making it India's first ever Commonwealth Games medal in the sport.

Current Affairs - 7th February 2016

1.  Project Sunrise launched for prevention of AIDS in NE states

i. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda has launched Project Sunrise on for prevention of AIDS specially among people injecting drugs in the 8 North-Eastern states.

ii. The AIDS prevention special project aims to diagnose 90 per cent of such drug addicts with HIV and put them under treatment by 2020.

Key facts

* Project Sunrise aims at bringing the people living with HIV/AIDS into the national mainstream and create more awareness about the disease in these N-E states.
* It will be implemented in the North East in addition to the existing projects of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).
* The project has been sponsored by US based Centre for Disease Control and would be implemented by Family Health International 360.
* It will cover one lakh people living with HIV/AIDS by giving them treatment and care facilities free of cost.
* Other initiatives to be covered it include enhancing capacity of state-level institutions in high burden areas, community mobilization, intervention among females injecting drugs.

2.  International Fleet Review 2016 kick starts in Vizag

i. The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016, an international military exercise hosted and conducted by Indian Navy was inaugurated in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

ii. Theme of this edition on IFR is “United through Oceans” and its objective is to enhance mutual trust and confidence with neighbouring navies by inviting their ships to participate in the event.

iii. The last IFR conducted by the Indian Navy in 2001 in Mumbai, Maharashtra in which navies of 29 countries from across the globe had participated.

3. Zimbabwe's President declared a state of disaster in rural parts of the country

i. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe on 5 February 2016 declared a state of disaster in rural parts of the country hit by a drought.

ii. The announcement comes days after the European Union urged Mugabe to declare a state of disaster. This declaration of disaster will allow international donors to raise money quickly to provide food aid to the nation.

iii. An estimated 2.4 million people are now in need of food aid, more than a quarter of the population. The government also urged Zimbabweans not to panic, as it is importing maize from neighbouring Zambia.

iv. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in January 2016 said some 14 million people face hunger in southern Africa because of a drought that has been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon. South Africa, Namibia and Botswana have also been badly hit.
v. It seems that the worst drought in a quarter of the century is expected to increase the problems of the southern African nation, which is struggling to overcome a steep 1999-2008 recession that saw its economy contract by nearly 50 percent.

4.  In a first, NDRF trains 160 dogs for disaster response

i. In a maiden initiative, a squad of 162 dogs is being raised by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to aid its personnel in rescuing people trapped under debris in the aftermath of natural calamities like earthquake.

ii. The NDRF, which was involved in disaster rescue operations like the deluge in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Chennai and the earthquake that struck Nepal last year, has undertaken the exercise on a ‘mission mode’

iii. The force is training a batch of 162 dogs for their specialised Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) tasks under which the NDRF teams have to sift through mounds of rubble to look for life trapped beneath.
iv. A number of them have finished their regime and are being subjected to drills and field exercises where they are made to sniff out life in a collapsed concrete structure.

5. Sushma Swaraj inaugurated Rise of Digital India Exhibition in Colombo

i. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on 6 February 2016 inaugurated the Rise of Digital India Exhibition in Colombo. The exhibition was a part of Sangam -The Festival of India in Sri Lanka 2015-16.

ii. Swaraj was on a two day visit to Sri Lanka to co-chair the 9th session of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting along with her Sri Lankan counterpart, Mangala Samaraweera.

iii. The Rise of Digital India exhibition showcases the initiative of Indian government to take the benefits of Information Technology to the common man. The exhibition is a part of six month long Festival of India celebrations in Sri Lanka.

6.  Union Govt to set up Natioanl Organic Farming Reearch Institute in Sikkim

i. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has decided to set up the National Organic Farming Research Institute (NOFRI) in Sikkim.

ii. Decision in this regard was taken by Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh after he met Sikkim Agriculture Minister Som Nath Paudyal in New Delhi.

iii. The NOFRI will be established by upgrading the existing Gangtok based Regional Centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

iv. Apart from this, Union Government also has assured State Government to help in sustaining the organic farming and also in marketing of the State’s organic products.

7. Noted cartoonist Sudhir Tailang died

i. Famous political cartoonist Sudhir Tailang, passed away in Gurgaon, Haryana after battling with brain cancer for a long time. He was 56.

ii. He was known for his political cartoons that chronicled contemporary Indian politics with wit and humour. 

Current Affairs - 6th February 2016

1. PM Modi Inaugurates Petrochemical Project In Dibrugarh

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a petrochemical project in Lepetkata in Dibrugarh, which is the first such project of North-East.
 
ii. The project has been named as Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Ltd (BCPL).

iii. It has been built at cost of 10000-crore rupees and shall be producing raw material for manufacturing plastic.

iv. Prime Minister also dedicated wax producing unit in Numaligarh Refinery Limited to the nation. It is India’s highest wax producing unit and shall be using indigenous technology.

2. Corporation Bank inks pact with Universal Sompo for accident death coverage

i. Corporation Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Universal Sompo General Insurance Co Ltd for providing accident death coverage to its savings bank account holders under Corp Signature, Corp Super and Corp Saral category.

ii. According to this pact the bank provides free personal accident death cover of ₹10 lakh to its Corp Signature and ₹5 lakh to its Corp Super account holders.

iii. The MoU was signed in the presence of Jai Kumar Garg, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Corporation Bank, and VV Vendhen, Head (Bancassurance),Universal Sompo General Insurance Co Ltd.

3. ICICI Academy aims to impart skills training to one lakh youth by 2017

i.The academy and the RSETIs will train close to 45,000 candidates in the 2017 fiscal and take the total number of trained youth to over a lakh.

ii. The academy has in the last two years (since inception in 2013) trained 25,200 youths (of which 32 per cent were women) belonging to the economically weaker sections.

iii. It has set up 22 centres across the country (including 10 centres exclusively for training of women).

iv. The centre has trained 2,880 individuals so far and secured 100 per cent placement. It currently offers residential courses to 638 students in six disciplines such as electrical and home appliances repair, refrigeration and AC repair, pumps and motor repair, central air-conditioning repair, two and three-wheeler service technician and selling skills.

v. It has tied up with industry partners such as Schneider Electric India Foundation, Blue Star, Crompton Greaves, Voltas, Godrej, Perfect Engineers, Best Engineers, Ramdev Motors, Aquasyb, Geethanjali Electricals, Energy Control Corporation, TVS Training and Services, Global Innova, Axis Bank, Muthoot Fincorp and Reliance Communication. It has also set up practical training laboratories to facilitate practical orientation.

4. Union Government to set up National Organic Farming Research Institute in Sikkim

i. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on 5 February 2016 decided to set up the National Organic Farming Research Institute in Sikkim.

ii. The decision to this effect was taken by the Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh and Sikkim Agriculture Minister Som Nath Paudyal in New Delhi.

iii. The institute will be established by upgrading the existing Regional Centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Gangtok.

iv. The setting up of the institute is of primary importance for Sikkim as it was declared as the first organic farming State in the country in January 2016 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

5. 12th South Asian Games inaugurated in Guwahati

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 February 2016 declared the 12th South Asian Games 2016 open at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Guwahati, Assam.
 
ii. In his address, Modi said that the South Asian Games demonstrate 3-Ts and they are Team Work, Togetherness and Talent.

iii. Earlier the players of all 8-participating nations marched past a crowd of thousands who cheered for them with applause. Squash Player Gaurav Ghoshal was the flag bearer of the 521-member Indian contingent.

6.Centre Approves Heritage Development Projects In Andhra & Telangana

i. The Union Ministry of Urban Development approved projects worth more than Rs.12 crore for improving tourist infrastructure in heritage locations in Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh and Warangal in Telangana.

ii. An official press release said an Inter-Ministerial National Empowered Committee for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) approved the projects, which include a heritage park in Amaravati and developmental works at the 1000 Pillar Temple and Kazipet Durgah and rejuvenation of pondat Padmakshi Temple in Warangal city.

iii. Amaravati and Warangal are among the 12 cities included in the HRIDAY scheme for improving the social, cultural and economic ecosystems by augmenting necessary infrastructure with the objective of conserving the rich cultural heritage and enabling better facilities for tourists and pilgrims. More projects will be approved for Amaravati and Warangal in the near future.

7. Indian Origin Singaporean Is Diamond Trade Body’s New President

i. Vishal Mehta, A 34-year-old Indian-origin man based in Singapore was today appointed President of the newly- formed International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA).

ii.Vishal Mehta, CEO of a Singapore-based company which makes lab diamond, was named President of the IGDA, a platform of more than 10 leading grown diamond producers, distributors and retailers.

iii. Mehta is the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore-based IIa Technologies which grows diamond from its state-of-the-art facility in the city state.

Current Affairs - 5th February 2016

1. Gurdeep Singh named Chairman and MD of NTPC

i. Gurdeep Singh has taken charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC.

ii.Singh, who was earlier Managing Director of Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd.

iii. He replaces Arup Roy Choudhury, who retired from the post on August 31, 2015. In the interim, AK Jha, Director (Technical) at NTPC was given additional charge as the Chairman and Managing Director.

iv. Singh is a mechanical engineer and has 28 years of experience in the power generation sector, NTPC said in a statement. He started his career with NTPC before joining companies such as Powergen, CLP Power, IDFC, CESC and others.

2. Meet on `Make in India' in Mangalore

i. The Mangaluru-based MSNM Besant Institute of Postgraduate Management Studies will conduct a conference on ‘Make in India’ on February 5.

ii. Narayan K, Director of the institute, said the objective of the conference is to understand the ground realities of the ‘Make in India’ programme.

iii. Deepak Ishwarbhai Amin, Director, Central Board of State Bank of India, will inaugurate the conference and deliver the keynote address.

iv. MD Mallya, former Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda, will deliver the valedictory address.

3. Finance Ministry gets a dedicated YouTube channel

i. Finance Ministry now has an official YouTube Channel, which is expected to disseminate information about the official events.

ii. The Channel will feature videos on the major schemes, events, meetings, press conferences and other exclusive videos relating to the Ministry.

iii. Although most of the activities are in public domain, yet to make it easier for the world outside to know about the same, this YouTube official channel of the Ministry would be a useful platform.

iv. The youtube channel is launched by Arun Jaitley.

4. CAMS launches Aadhaar-based eKYC for setting up MF account instantly

i. CAMS, the leading services solutions provider for fund houses, has launched Aadhaar-based eKYC (know your customer) using OTP (one-time password) authentication to make mutual fund (MF) account opening and transactions a paperless and presence less process through myCAMS at www.camsonline.com .ii. CAMS, the transfer agency for most MFs, is also in the process of integrating the websites of AMCs (asset management companies) with eKYC module where it is the registrar.

iii. This is in line with market regulator SEBI's vision to ease the KYC process and facilitate MF online account opening and transactions, CAMS said.

iv. SEBI has recently enabled Aadhaar based e-KYC service offered by UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) for KYC verification on authorisation by the client using biometric or OTP (one-time password) authentication on a voluntary basis.

v. Investors, who wish to use their Aadhaar number and PAN for KYC compliance, can now complete KYC process in just three simple steps using Aadhaar-based eKYC and set up a MF account instantly without having to submit forms, documents and do in-person verification (IPV) either physically or virtually.Investors can voluntarily submit Aadhaar and mobile numbers for validation with Aadhaar/UIDAI database. On successful authentication through OTP, investors can complete KYC and start investing in MFs through myCAMS at www.camsonline.com. SEBI currently permits investment of Rs 50,000 in a financial year per MF for investors using Aadhaar-based eKYC using OTP based authentication.

5. B2B meet for SMEs begins in Kochi

i. Manufacturers in Kerala should come out with more value-added products if they want to compete in the global market, Minister for Public Works VK Ebrahim Kunju has said.

ii. Inaugurating the three-day Kerala Business-to-Business Meet 2016 at the CIAL Trade Fair & Exhibition Centre in Nedumbassery.

iii. The meet will provide the SMEs in Kerala greater exposure to businesses outside Kerala and even India, he said.

iv. ‘12% industrial growth’Unveiling the Buyer and Seller Directories on the occasion, the State Fisheries and Excise Minister K Babu said Kerala has witnessed around

v. The government has been focussing on five key areas – manpower, raw materials, capital, favourable political climate and marketing – for the promotion of industrial growth in the State, he added. As many as 200 SMEs from Kerala and nearly 480 buyers from 21 countries and 18 States are participating in the meet.

6. Ananda Shankar to address India Conference in Harvard

i. Renowned dancer-choreographer and speaker Dr Ananda Shankar Jayant will address the high-profile India Conference at Harvard in USA this week.

ii. Ananda is a Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee and a motivational speaker with a popular talk at TED. She is a career Indian Railway Services Officer.

iii. The city-based Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi exponent will talk on February 7 as part of the ‘Inspire’ series of the two-day conference at Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts. Padma Shri Ananda Shankar said, “I am humbled to be part of this exciting event.”

iv. The other speakers at the February 6-7 conference include Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, film personalities Kamal Haasan and Karan Johar, banker Chanda Kochhar, writer Shashi Tharoor, MP, and diplomat Nirupama Rao.

7. Dravid in ICC's Anti-Corruption Oversight Group

i. Batting great Rahul Dravid has been named in ICC’s newly appointed Anti-Corruption Oversight Group as part of the recommendation from its Integrity Working Party of  the parent body.

ii. The oversight group will include the chairman of the executive committee (under whose area of responsibility this function rests) and will also include former India captain Rahul Dravid, legal expert Louis Weston and independent anti-corruption advisor John Abbott, who was the Chairman of the Integrity Working Party. The Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Unit, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, and ICC Chief Executive, David Richardson, will also be ex-officio members of the group,” said the ICC in a statement.

iii. Dravid is currently coaching the Indian team in the ongoing U-19 World Cup, which is being held in Bangladesh.

8. SEBI forms task force to review risk management norms for commexes

i. Capital market regulator Sebi has set up a task force to review the risk management norms for national-level commodity bourses following the suspension of futures trading for castor seed on NCDEX.

ii. A source said that after recent developments witnessed in castor seed futures contracts, Sebi has established a task force to relook at the existing norms related to risk management, delivery mechanism, and other related issues.

iii. The task force has been asked to submit the report in three weeks. Based on the report, the risk management norms for national-level commodity derivatives exchanges will be further tightened.

iv. Meanwhile, Sebi has sought explanation from the exchange for suspending futures trade in castor seeds.v. Last year, Sebi laid down risk management norms for regional commodity bourses. At present, there are three national-level commodity derivative exchanges — MCX, NCDEX and NMCE — and six regional ones.

Current Affairs - 4th February 2016

1. Sarangi maestro Pandit Ram Narayan gets Bhimsen Joshi Award

i. Sarangi maestro Pandit Ram Narayan has been chosen for the prestigious Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi classical music award for 2015-2016, Maharashtras Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde announced on Wednesday.

ii. The annual award, instituted by the Maharashtra government, is given to individuals who have excelled in classical vocal or instrumental music, the minister said.

iii. Pandit Ram Narayan, 88, has been playing the sarangi since his childhood, and over the years acquired global acclaim for his music for which he was conferred Indias second higest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, in 2005. Pandit Ram Narayan popularized the bowed instrument sarangi as a solo concert instrument in Hindustani classical music and became the first internationally successful sarangi player.

iv. In 1944, All India Radio, Lahore, hired him as an accompanist for vocalists. He became a concert solo artist in 1956. He recorded solo albums and began to tour America and Europe in the 1960s.

2. SBI, Thomas Cook team up for 'inflation-proof' holidays

i. State Bank of India has tied up with Thomas Cook to offer online customers a recurring deposit that helps them save toward an `inflation proof' holiday. Availing the holiday on maturity of the recurring deposit is optional as customers can choose either to travel or redeem their savings. For those who stay on, Thomas Cook will top up the last instalment to pay for their holiday.

ii. "Customers will be offered an inflation-proof holiday as they pay for a future holiday at today's prices while earning interest on the linked e-recurring deposit," SBI said in a statement. The holidays are all inclusive packages in the domestic and international circuit.

iii. According to Rajnish Kumar, md, SBI besides helping people save for vacations this scheme would compel them to plan ahead and avail of lower prices. "We find that people don't plan their holidays in advance and end up taking last minute loans to finance the same. Also, they could've have saved on the cost of the holiday had they booked early," he said.

iv. Madhavan Menon, chairman, Thomas Cook India, said that the tie up with SBI will enable Thomas Cook extend its reach to over 2.5 crore online customers of SBI. "The unbeatable advantage of paying for a future holiday at today's prices, ensures SBI's customers inflation-proof holiday while enjoying attractive interest rates, a zero exit clause and a free top up from Thomas Cook on the 13th month!" Mr Menon added.

3. DJ Pandian appointed Vice President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

i. Former chief secretary of Gujarat DJ Pandian was appointed vice-president and chief investment officer of the newly-created Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on 3 February 2016.

ii. His appointment as vice-president and chief investment officer was approved by AIIB. The retired 1981-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre had worked on deputation with the World Bank in Washington. He was also the MD of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC).

iii. The Beijing-based 100 billion dollar multi-lateral lender, AIIB was set up in Beijing on 25 December 2015. It was established to boost lending for infrastructure projects such as energy, transportation, urban construction and logistics as well as education and healthcare.

iv. China had nominated its former finance minister Jin Liqun as the first president of AIIB.

v. The three largest shareholders of the bank are China (30.34 percent),India (8.52 percent) and Russia (6.66 percent). Their voting shares are calculated at 26.06 percent, 7.5 percent and 5.92 percent, respectively.

4. World Bank Expert Mr. Iyer To Lead Swachh Bharat Mission

i. The government has appointed World Bank’s water and sanitation specialist, Parameshwaran Iyer, as the new Secretary of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department.

ii. Ignoring the case of serving bureaucrats, Iyer, World Bank's Practice Manager for Water for the South Asian region , has been given the post by PM Narendra Modi for two years to steer the Swachh Bharat Mission.

iii. 56-year-old Iyer is a key architect of the framework of the $1,500 million proposed loan from World Bank for the Swach Bharat Mission which is pending Cabinet approval.

iv. Iyer's appointment is expected to create more synergy between the Swachh Bharat Mission and the objectives of the World Bank project . An IAS officer of the UP cadre, who launched Jal Suraj program here, Iyer took voluntary retirement in 2009 and joined the World Bank.

v. Before that, he worked with the UN World Food Programme (UNWFP) for nearly a decade till 2006 as a Senior Rural Water Sanitation specialist on foreign assignment. He was then served a show-cause notice by the Indian government to return and he quit in 2009.

5. Aruna Sethi appointed as first women head of Indian Cost Accounting Service

i. Aruna Sethi, the Principal Adviser (Cost),on 1 February 2016 took over charge as the head of Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS). With this appointment, she became the first woman to occupy the post.

ii. Prior to the present elevation, Aruna, a 1985 batch ICoAS officer, held important portfolios in Government of India including Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Defence etc.

iii. Indian Cost Accounts Service is one of the six organized accounting services of the Government of India. It is comparatively young accounting service constituted in 1978.

iv. The ICoAS Officers have the requisite skill by virtue of their professional background and experience gained in managing the multifarious and complex issues relating to financial and cost management matters.

v. Office of Chief Adviser Cost is one of the divisions functioning in the Department of Expenditure. It is a professional body staffed by qualified Cost/ Chartered Accountants.

vi. This Office is responsible for advising the Ministries and Government Undertakings on cost accounts matters and to undertake cost investigation work on their behalf.

6. Manipuri documentary Phum-Shang won Golden Conch Award at MIFF 2016

i. Manipuri documentary film Phum-Shang on 3 February 2016 bagged the prestigious Golden Conch Award for the best documentary film at the 14th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Animation and Short Films (MIFF 2016).

ii. The film is directed by Haobam Paban Kumar, an alumnus of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata. The 52-minute film critically examines the serious environmental problems faced by the Loktak lake, the largest freshwater lake in northeast India. The lake is characterised by its unique floating biomass, known as Phumdi, which is the primary source of livelihood for fishermen who live on huts built on the Phumdis.

iii. Paban Kumar was presented with the Golden Conch Award and a cash prize of 3 lakh rupees by the Governor of Maharashtra Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao and State Cultural Minister Vinod Tawde at a ceremony in Mumbai.

iv. Swiss film My Name Is Salt and an Indian film Placebo shared the Golden Conch Award for the best feature length documentary film.My Name Is Salt is directed by Farida Pacha, It is a film about the journey of thousands of families to the Rann of Kutch to extract the whitest salt in the world. The film also won the award for best cinematography.

v. The story of Placebo revolves around the stress and pressure faced by medical students due to intense competition.

7. Budget session to commence on Feb 23, Union Budget on Feb 29

i. The Budget Session of Parliament will commence on February 23 that will focus largely on the financial business of the government, which will present the General Budget on February 29.

ii. But there will be no curtailment of the session or the recess period on account of Assembly elections in five states due shortly. This was decided at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

iii. “The Budget Session of Parliament will commence on February 23. The Rail Budget will be presented on February 25, the pre-Budget Economic Survey on February 26 and the General Budget on February 29. “The first part of the Budget session will end on March 16 and the second part will be convened from April 25 to May 13,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu told presspersons after the meeting of the CCPA.

iv. He said there were suggestions for curtailing the recess period due to Assembly elections in five states but the government as well as political parties wanted a full session.

v. “In 2011, the then government had decided not to refer bills to Standing Committees in the Budget Session when states were going to polls and there were demands to curtail the session. “But the government today decided that bills will be referred to standing committees for examination during the recess period,” Naidu said.

8. India to participate in Cobra Gold 2016 military exercise in Thailand

i. The term Cobra Gold was in news on 3 February 2016 as India confirmed its participation in the annual amphibious military exercise in 2016. The decision in this regard was conveyed to Thailand, the host country, during Vice President Hamid Ansari’s visit to the country.

ii. It is the largest Asia-Pacific military exercise and held in Thailand every year. It is among the largest multinational military exercise in which the United States participates.

iii. As of 2014, Cobra Gold has three distinct activities, namely, the Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX),Command Post Exercise (CPX) and activity related to assisting the local Thai population.

iv. It was first held in 1982 to improve coordination between the armed forces of the USA and Thailand in both hostile military and humanitarian efforts. As of 2015, the exercise expanded to include 26 nations - Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and other South Asian and Pacific Ocean countries among others.

v. China was admitted to the exercise for the first time in 2015. The exercise was proven effective in improving coordinated military response to natural disasters, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2011 Tōhoku tsunami, and disaster relief provided to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan struck in November 2013.

9. BSE, IFC jointly develop corporate governance scorecard

i. BSE and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have partnered to develop a corporate governance scorecard. The scorecard seeks to help companies assay their corporate governance performances against national or international-benchmarked practices.

ii Using the scorecard, companies can identify areas of further improvement and track progress over time. It can be used to make board processes more efficient, improve strategy, aid decision-making, and manage risks. Companies can better understand the way in which governance affects their operations.

iii. Improved governance frameworks result in development of efficient capital markets and increased access to capital enables new investments, improves economic growth, and creates jobs.

iv. The scorecard can be used by a wide range of stakeholders, including regulators, promoters, and investors. Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, BSE said, “The collaboration with IFC to develop the scorecard is a revolutionary step towards benchmarking companies in India. The scorecard will result in increased transparency and boost investor confidence.

v. IFC is implementing a South Asia Regional Corporate Governance Project with donor support from Japan’s Ministry of Finance. This five-year project provides advisory services to individual firms and partners with local institutions, such as the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, to strengthen sector-level work on corporate governance.

Current Affairs - 3rd February 2016

1. Jai Kumar Garg appointed as MD and CEO of Corporation Bank

i. The Union Government appointed Jai Kumar Garg as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Corporation Bank for a period of three years.

ii. Garg took charge of the public sector bank on 1 February 2016, succeeding S R Bansal, who superannuated from services as CMD on 31 January 2016.

iii. Garg is a chartered accountant and also associate member of Indian Institute of Banking and Finance. Prior to his appointment at Corporation Bank, he worked as executive director in UCO Bank.

2. Samariya given additional charge as CPFC

i. HL Samariya, a 1985 batch IAS officer from the Telangana cadre, has been given additional charge as Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC),for three months or till the appointment of a regular incumbent or till further orders, a release said.

ii. Samariya is currently Additional Secretary in the Labour Ministry.The additional charge of Secretary, Department of Agriculture, has been given to Ashok Kumar Angurana, a 1980 J&K cadre officer.

3. TCS Rated World's Most Powerful Brand in IT Services: Report

i. India's top multinational IT company Tata Consultancy Services has been rated as the world's most powerful brand in Information Technology Services by a leading global brand valuation firm, the company said on Wednesday.

ii. Brand Finance's 2016 annual report evaluated thousands of the world's top brands to determine which are the most powerful and the most valuable. Scoring highly on a wide variety of measures such as familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction and corporate reputation, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) emerged as the IT services industry's most powerful brand with a score of 78.3 points - earning it an AA+ rating.

iii. "TCS' customer focus has been central to its recent success, but a closer look at our data shows strong and improving scores for brand investment and staff satisfaction too," said David Haigh, CEO, Brand Finance.

iv. "It has emerged as a dominant force in the IT services industry and is the strongest brand in the sector. Its brand power is indisputable," Haigh said. Across all industries, Disney was rated as the most powerful brand and Apple as the most valuable brand for 2016. According to the report, TCS is also the fastest growing brand within its industry over the last 6 years.

v. The company's overall brand value has increased from $2.34 billion in 2010 (when the first evaluation of the TCS brand was conducted) to $9.4 billion in 2016.

4. Kerala emerges as winner of 61st National School Athletics championship

i. The National School Athletics championship began on January 29 and concluded yesterday, i.e on February 2. Kerala emerged as the overall winner for the 19th consecutive time. The national School Athletics championship was held at Olympian Rahman Stadium in Kozhikode, Kerala.

ii. According to newspaper reports, Kerala, the host of the championship got 306 points winning 39 gold, 29 silver and 17 bronze medals. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu stood at second position with 116 points winning 11 gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze medals.

iii. Maharashtra with 101 points obtained the third position. The venue of this event of Athletics is at the Olympian Abdurrahman Stadium in Medical College Ground at Kozhikode, Kerala.The School Games Federation of India hosted the 61st National Schools Athletics Championship 2016 (SGFI 2015-16) at Kozhikode (Calicut). As many as 3,000 athletes representing 36 teams are took part in the five-day meet.

iv. Ten of the Kerala athletes won meet records. Kerala could not overcome their 46 gold record score in 2009 this year as well. State Education Minister P K Abdu Rubb presented the prize at the concluding session. Kerala's Anumol Thampi won the Junior Girls section 3000m with a record breaking effort of 9:47.19 seco, eclipsing the meet mark of 10:00.03s by Ritu Dinakar of Uttar Pradesh in 2008 in Kolkata.

v. In the Junior Boys 3000m, P N Ajith (Ker) claimed the first spot finishing the race in 8:46.54s and Karthik Kumar (UP) came second with 8:47.69s. Vidya Bharathi's Shyam finished third with 8:49.37s.

5. Invest Karnataka 2016

i. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today urged the global investor community at 'Invest Karnataka 2016' to consider Karnataka as their partner for growth.

ii. Citing the Global Startup Eco-system Ranking Report 2015, Siddaramaiah pointed out that Bengaluru is the only Indian city to be ranked amongst the 20 Startup Eco- systems in the World.

iii. At the 'Invest Karnataka 2016' meet, Siddarmaiah said, "Karnataka is being put on a high growth trajectory. Our focus is to ensure economic growth for each and every person in the State. Our goal is to make our state highly prosperous. Our government is working towards propelling Karnataka to contribute to India's growth in a significant way."

iv. He claimed that ever since the Congress took over the office, Karnataka has received Foreign Direct Investment worth USD 5.2 Billion. "We rank as the state with the Second highest FDI in India. We have cleared more than 500 projects worth over USD 20 Billion".

v. He said,"Our goal is to make Karnataka the growth engine of India".

6. Titli became first Indian film to win Best First Foreign Film award by FSCC

i. Indian film-maker Kanu Behl directorial Titli on 1 February 2016 bagged the Best First Foreign Film Award conferred by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics 2016 (FSCC).

ii. Titli has earlier won at various international film festivals at places like Bordeaux, Hawaii, New York, Turkey and Spain.

iii. The story of the movie revolves around Titli, the youngest member of a violent car-jacking brotherhood, who plots a desperate bid to escape the family business.

7. Reliance Entertainment, Neeraj Pandey join hands to form film production venture

i. Billionaire Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Entertainment today announced a joint venture with film-maker producer duo Neeraj Pandey and Shital Bhatia’s Friday Filworks for production of movies.

ii. Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Rustom’ will be the first movie under the banner, Plan C Studios. Plan C Studios will be an equal partnership joint venture between the two, the company said in a statement.

iii. Neeraj Pandey won acclaim with his very first film ‘A Wednesday’ in 2008, which went on to win the National Award. Subsequently, he directed ‘Special 26’ in 2013, and ‘Baby’ in 2015. Neeraj is currently on the floors with ‘MS Dhoni -The Untold Story’, one of the most anticipated films of the year.

iv. “We are delighted to partner with creative minds like Neeraj and Shital. This relationship is in line with our continuing strategy in the media and entertainment business, of partnering with like minded and successful individuals, while playing the role of supportive investors on our part,” Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, Group Managing Director, Reliance Group, said.

v. Commenting on the partnership, Neeraj Pandey said: “The partnership with Reliance Group is very significant and welcome, as it enables us to further raise the bar on our continued strategy of developing cutting edge commercial content. We like to keep pushing the envelope, and this partnership will greatly expand our vision.”vi. Reliance Entertainment has produced, distributed and released more than 170 films in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali. Internationally, it has partnered with iconic film producer and director Steven Spielberg.

8. Amitabh Bachchan conferred with lifetime achievement award

i. Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan was on 2 February 2016 presented with the lifetime achievement award in New Delhi.

ii. He received the honour at NDTV Indian of the Year Awards for his contribution to the film industry.

About Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan

* He was born on 11 October 1942.

* He is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the angry young man of Hindi cinema.

* He started his career in 1969 film Saat Hindustani followed by Anand, Guddi, Zanjeer, Sholay among others.

* He also made his Hollywood debut with Baz Luhrmann's film The Great Gatsby, in which he played a Jewish character.

* He won numerous major awards in his career, including three National Film Awards as Best Actor.

* He shares a record with Kamal Hassan and Mammootty.

* He won a number of awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies and fifteen Filmfare Awards.

* He is the most-nominated performer in any major acting category at Filmfare, with 39 nominations overall.

* Apart from National Film Awards, Filmfare Awards and other competitive awards which he won for his performances throughout the years, he has been awarded several honours for his achievements in the Indian film industry.

9. Maharashtra announced Babasaheb Ambedkar Special Collective Incentive Scheme

i. Maharashtra Cabinet on 2 February 2016 announced Bharatratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Special Collective Incentive Scheme for the economically backward Dalit entrepreneurs.

ii. The scheme was launched to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar.

iii. Under this scheme, special facilities would be given to Dalit entrepreneurs besides the present Collective Incentive Scheme 2013. Businessmen in Commodities and Service sector would be able to avail the benefits of this scheme.

Major highlights of the Scheme* Dalit and tribal communities will be allowed to set up their businesses on lands provided by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). These lands will be offered at cheaper rates.
* The government will set aside a portion of land in every integrated town for businessmen belonging to lower class.

* Tribal entrepreneurs will be also included under this new scheme.

* Only one member of the family will be eligible for loan under this scheme and start up Unit till get an additional 10 pc incentive

* A single window (Maitri Kaksha) was initiated for giving all permissions required starting business.

* Online Wallet would be made available for those wanting to apply for industrial permissions and all scrutiny and processing fees for would be paid through this and application tracking be available online.

Current Affairs - 2nd February 2016

1. Archana Ramasundram became 1st woman to head paramilitary force

i. Tamil Nadu Cadre IPS officer Archana Ramasundram on 1 February 2016 was appointed as the Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) that guards India's frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan.

ii. With this appointment, Ramasundram became the first woman to head a paramilitary force. 58-year-old Ramasundram is currently the Director of National Crime Records Bureau.

iii. An order issued by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said that she has been appointed to the post till the date of her superannuation, that is, 30 September 2017.

iv. Besides, IPS officer K Durga Prasad was appointed as Director Generals of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Another IPS officer K K Sharma will be new Chief of the Border Security Force (BSF). They will take over after the incumbent chiefs of these forces retire on 29 February 2016.

v. Paramilitary forces in India are Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB),Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF),Border Security Force (BSF),Central Industrial Security Force and Indo Tibetan Border Police.

2. Modi to open ayurveda meet at Kozhikode

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive at Kozhikode early this afternoon to open the 'vision conclave’ of the Global Ayurveda Fest.

ii. The ayurveda fest, being held from January 31 to February 4, is showcasing the ayurvedic tradition of healing, a major Kerala heritage, to the world. The show also aims to jack up export of ayurvedic products, especially to Europe.

iii. This is the first time Modi is visiting Kozhikode after taking over as Prime Minister. More than 1,000 police personnel are being deployed in Kozhikode to give a security cover to Modi.

3. National Pension System has 1.15 crore subscribers now

i. The National Pension System now has 1.15 crore subscribers, each with an average ₹ 95,000 of assets under management. “The total assets under management are worth ₹1,09,140 crore while assets under management per subscriber is ₹95,000 on an average,” said the Finance Ministry on Tuesday, adding that the total corpus of the National Pension System (NPS) is ₹90, 327 crore.

ii. The scheme has 16,11,020 Central government employees as subscribers, amounting to 14.1 per cent of its total member base. They have a total corpus of ₹34,754 crore.

iii. Meanwhile, 28,59,094 State government employees are members of the NPS, amounting to quarter of it total subscribers and having a corpus of ₹45,486 crore. The NPS for private citizens has 5,76,993 subscribers --- 4,48,509 members from the corporate sector and 1,28,484 from the unorganised sector.

iv. The largest chunk of subscribers to the retirement saving scheme comes from NPS Lite, which has 44,63,637, constituting 39 per cent of the total membership. It has now been discontinued and replaced with the Atal Pension Yojana that has 19,48,811, subscribers or 17 per cent of the total members.

4. Saroj Kumar Jha appointed Senior Director for Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group at World Bank

i. An Indian national Saroj Kumar Jha was in news as he was appointed as the Senior Director for the Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group at the World Bank on 1 February 2016.

ii. He was appointed to provide strategic leadership to address the challenge of fragility, conflict and violence, working across the Bank Group and in close collaboration with partnes.

iii. The WB President Jim Young Kim assigned him the new role. Earlier to this, he was the World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia based in Almaty, Kazakhstan since February 2012. He also worked as the World Bank's Global Manager for Disaster Risk Management Practice.

iv.  He is an Indian national and holds a dual degree in civil engineering and development economics from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, India. He joined the World Bank in 2005 as a Senior Infrastructure Specialist in the Sustainable Development Network.

v. He had significant experience with the Government of India and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as a senior executive in the field of public sector management, infrastructure financing, natural resources management, natural disaster prevention and environmental sustainability.

5. WHO declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern over Zika virus outbreak

i. World Health Organisation (WHO) on 1 February 2016 declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern over the explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which is linked to birth defects in the Americas.

ii. The UN health agency convened an emergency meeting of independent experts in Geneva to assess the outbreak of the virus. The meeting was convened after noting a suspicious link between Zika's arrival in Brazil in 2015 and a surge in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads.

iii. This was the first meeting of the Emergency Committee (EC) convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005).

iv. Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the virus family Flaviviridae and the genus Flavivirus, transmitted by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes, such as A. aegypti. In case of humans, the virus cases mild illness known as Zika fever (Zika or Zika disease). It has been occurring since the 1950s within a narrow equatorial belt from Africa to Asia.

v. In 2014, the virus spread eastward across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, then to Easter Island and in 2015 to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, where the Zika outbreak has reached pandemic levels.

vi. Earlier in last week of January 2016, WHO estimated that there could be up to 4 million cases of Zika in Americas by 2017 but no recommendations didn’t issued travel restriction or trade.

6. Rishabh Pant slams fastest fifty in huge India win

i. India Under-19 opener Rishabh Pant had the fastest recorded U-19 international century comfortably in his sights when he was dismissed for 78 off 24 balls, having blown Nepal Under-19 away in a small chase.

ii. Pant did break the record for the fastest recorded U-19 fifty though, getting there in 18 balls, one faster than the previous mark.

iii. He added 124 in 9.1 overs with his captain Ishan Kishan, who scored 52 off 40 balls. India eventually chased down Nepal's score of 169 with 179 balls to spare in Mirpur.

iv. His strike rate of 325 meant that had he scored 22 more runs in singles Pant would have still broken the record for the fastest u-19 hundred by seven deliveries.

7. Saroj Kumar Jha appointed Senior Director for Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group at World Bank

i. An Indian national Saroj Kumar Jha was in news as he was appointed as the Senior Director for the Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group at the World Bank on 1 February 2016.

ii. He was appointed to provide strategic leadership to address the challenge of fragility, conflict and violence, working across the Bank Group and in close collaboration with partnes.

iii. The WB President Jim Young Kim assigned him the new role. Earlier to this, he was the World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia based in Almaty, Kazakhstan since February 2012. He also worked as the World Bank's Global Manager for Disaster Risk Management Practice.

iv.  He is an Indian national and holds a dual degree in civil engineering and development economics from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, India. He joined the World Bank in 2005 as a Senior Infrastructure Specialist in the Sustainable Development Network.
v. He had significant experience with the Government of India and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as a senior executive in the field of public sector management, infrastructure financing, natural resources management, natural disaster prevention and environmental sustainability.

8. Alphabet officially dethrones Apple as the world’s most valuable company

i. Alphabet, the company that owns Google, has overtaken rival Apple in Monday’s extended trading to become the highest valued company in the world. Alphabet now comes before Apple atop the list of the world’s most valuable companies.

ii. Operating income from its core businesses rose 23% in 2015. Investors liked what they saw and shares spiked 8% in after-hours trading. The Mountain View, Calif. firm generated $21.3 billion in revenue, beating Wall Street estimates of $20.8 billion. Earnings were $8.67 per share, beating estimates of $8.09 per share. The company attributed its strong revenue growth to search ads, YouTube and programmatic advertising.

iii. By changing its name and structure last year, Alphabet Chief Executive Officer Larry Page has put the focus on the company’s main web business while giving more insight into investments in new areas such as artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, health technology and fast Internet access. Even though Apple has also been building expertise in cars and AI, the secretive company has kept much of that under wraps.

iv. Google and Apple have worked to improve mobile computing, and their competition has seen Apple’s iOS smartphone operating system fight out against Google’s own Android for dominance since the latter emerged on the market in 2008 and became the system of choice for Samsung. The South Korean tech giant is in turn Apple’s major competitor in smartphone production, and the two are involved in litigation over patent infringement.

Current Affairs - 1st February 2016

1. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar selected for K Veeramani Award for Social Justice

i. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 29 January 2016 was selected for the prestigious K Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2015. Kumar is chosen for the award for his contribution towards social justice as Chief Minister.

ii. The award is given away by Periyar International, a Chicago-based voluntary organisation. However, the date and venue of the award function are yet to be decided.

iii. The K Veeramani Award for Social Justice was instituted by the non-resident Indian (NRI) followers of Periyar E. V. Ramasami, the great social reformer of India, living all over the world. This award is instituted in Dr. K. Veeramani's name to recognize his contributions in creating a mass awareness in India on social equality and respect for human dignity.

iv. This international award is awarded every year to an individual who has or an institution that has contributed immensely to the cause of social justice. The award recognizes a single event or a lifetime contribution that is responsible for the emancipation of a section of the society from the oppressions of social injustice.

v. Constituted in 1996, the award recipients include former Prime Minister V P Singh, former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati, former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi, former Maharashtra deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal and former AICC president Sitaram Kesri. In 2014, Professor Dhaneswar Sahoo was honoured with the award.

2. TCS, Infosys, Wipro join Obama's 'computer science for all' plan

i. Three major Indian IT companies — Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro — have joined US President Barack Obama's ambitious 'computer science for all' initiative as part of a public-private collaboration, pledging thousands of dollars in grants.

ii. Obama announced his 'Computer Sciences for All' plan in his weekly address on Saturday as he emphasized on the need for teaching the subject as a "basic skill" to all children across schools in the country in a changing economy.

iii. While Infosys has pledged a $1 million in donation, Tata Consultancy Services is providing support in the form of grants to teachers in 27 US cities, the White House said in a fact sheet, also issued on Saturday.

iv. Wipro announced a $2.8 million grant for multi-year project in partnership with the Michigan University to involve over a hundred school teachers, with the aim of nurturing excellence in science and mathematics.

v. According to White House, the TCS and Infosys pledge is part of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) effort to collaborate with the private sector to support high-school CS teachers.

vi. "Infosys Foundation USA will be a founding member of this public-private collaboration with a $1 million philanthropic donation, and, as an initial participant, Tata Consultancy Services is providing additional support in the form of grants to teachers in 27 US cities.

3. 30th Surajkund International Crafts Mela started at Faridabad

i. The 30th edition of the Surajkund International Crafts Mela began at Surajkund in Faridabad, Haryana on 1 February 2016. The event that will continue till 15 February 2016 was inaugurated by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

ii. Telangana was selected as the Theme State and will showcase its unique culture and rich heritage and about 300 artistes from the state will perform different folk arts. Chhattisgarh was chosen as the Theme State for the 29th Surajkund International Crafts Mela-2015. At least 23 countries will be part of the Mela, with China and Japan being the two focus countries.

iii. The first edition of the Surajkund Crafts Mela was hosted in 1987. The Mela is organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.

iv. Traditional craftsmen (artists, painters, weavers and sculptors) from all parts of the country participate in this annual mela and showcase some of the most exquisite handlooms and handicrafts of India and culture. Handmade fabrics soaked in ethnic colours make an eye catching display for the visitors.

v. Every year a theme State and a Partner Nation is chosen. Theme State is chosen with a view to promote and focus the art, craft and cuisine of the theme State whereas Partner Nation is chosen to showcases the best of that nation’s art, culture, traditions and heritage.

4. Datta Padsalgikar appointed as Commissioner of Police of Mumbai

i. Senior IPS officer Datta Padsalgikar was on 30 January 2016 appointed as the Commissioner of Police of Mumbai with effect from 31 January 2016. He succeeds Ahmed Javed, who was appointed as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

ii. With this, Padsalgikar became the 40th Police Commissioner of Mumbai. He was on deputation to the Union Government in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for the past few years, but was repatriated in January 2016 in preparation for his new charge.

iii. Born on 26 August 1958, Padsalgikar is an IPS Officer of 1982 Batch. Padsalgikar has vast experience in terror and counter-terror operations and had been playing a critical role in gathering evidence against the Pakistani non-state actors who directed the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008.

iv. He has also worked as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Nagpur and Karad (Satara). He served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Detection in the crime branch, DCP in Economic Offences Wing, DCP in South Mumbai and DCP of the Bandra-Jogeshwari stretch.

v. In the Intelligence Bureau (IB),he has worked in Nagaland, New Delhi and Washington (US).

5. Naresh Bedi honoured with V Shantaram Award Life Time Achievement Award

i. Veteran wildlife filmmaker Naresh Bedi on 28 January 2016 was honoured with the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th edition of the Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films (MIFF 2016).

ii. Bedi was honoured for his outstanding contribution to wildlife filmmaking. He is also credited with filming several rare wildlife moments. Naresh Bedi is the eldest of the Bedi Brothers and a member of the second generation of three generations of Wildlife photographers and filmmakers.

iii. He is the first Asian to receive a Wildscreen Panda Award, popularly known as the Green Oscars, for his cinematography for the documentary, The Ganges Gharial. He is also the first Indian to receive a nomination for the British Academy Film Awards.

iv. He was honoured by the Government of India in 2015 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award. He is a recipient of the Earth Watch Award of National Geographic Society and Eastman Kodak Award.

6. Pietro Fittipaldi won 2015-16 MRF Challenge Formula 2000

i. Brazilian racing driver Pietro Fittipaldi on 31 January 2016 clinched the 2015-16 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 at Madras Motor Racing Track in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.

ii. Fittipaldi won two of the four races which earned him the required points to clinch the title with a tally of 244 points while Colombian Tatiana Calderon finished second (199),just eight ahead of Nikita Troitckii of Russia (191).

iii. Pietro Fittipaldi da Cruz is the grandson of two time Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. He began his racing career in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, winning the track championship at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2011.

iv. In 2013, he moved to Europe to pursue a career in open-wheeled racing. In 2014, he won the Protyre Formula Renault Championship, clinching the title with one race remaining. In October 2014, he was one of four drivers to be invited to join the Ferrari Driver Academy.

7. Aditya Mehta won 83rd Senior National Snooker Championship

i. Aditya Mehta on 31 January 2016 won the 83rd Senior National Snooker Championship in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

ii. To win the title, he defeated Manan Chandra 6-3 in the final that was held as part of the National Billiards & Snooker Championship 2016.

iii. In another event, Vidya Pillai won the National Snooker Championship in the women’s category by defeating Amee Kamani 4-2. For 38-year-old Vidya, it was her ninth national title.

iv. The women’s billiards title was won by 19-year old Keerath Bhandaal by defeating Arantxa Sanchis of Maharashtra 3-1. Keerath is a student of Economics at the Jesus and Mary College in Delhi.

8. Novak Djokovic won the 2016 Australian Open Men's Singles Title

i. World Number One Novak Djokovic on 31 January 2016 won the Australian Open Men’s Singles title. In the final played at Melbourne, the Serbian defeated Andy Murray of Britain in straight sets 6-1, 7-5, 7-6. 

ii. With this, Djokovic retained his title and also equalled the record of Roy Emerson's record of six Australian Open Singles titles.

iii. On the other hand, the defending champion also kept his record against Murray in Australian Open final by defeating the Briton for the fourth time in Men’s singles at the year’s first Grand Slam championship.

iv. Murray succumbed to his fifth loss in five Australian Open finals. Djokovic claimed his 11th grand slam title to match the totals of Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg.

v. Earlier on 30 January 2016, Germany’s Angelique Kerber won the Australian Open Women’s Singles title by defeating defending champion Serena Williams in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. This was maiden Grand Slam Tennis title for 7th seed Kerber. 

vi. While on 29 January 2016, Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis won the 2016 Australian Open title of tennis in the women’s doubles category.

9. Anti-Leprosy Day observed on 30 January 2016

i. Anti-Leprosy Day was observed on 30 January 2016 nationwide to focus attention on the disease which is also known as the Hansen’s disease.

ii. Annually, the day is celebrated in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, who attained martyrdom on 30 January 1948, in order to re-memorize his selfless efforts and care for the people affected by the infectious disease leprosy.

iii. Leprosy also known as Hansen's disease (HD),is a chronic infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Initially, infections are without symptoms and typically remain this way for 5 to as long as 20 years.

iv. Symptoms that develop include granulomas of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This may result in a lack of ability to feel pain and thus loss of parts of extremities due to repeated injuries. Weakness and poor eyesight may also be present.

v. A drug Chaulmoogra oil was used for leprosy treatment until Dapsone was discovered with anti-leprosy effects during 1940s.

vi. It was in 1970s when multi drug therapy (MDT) consisting of Rifampicin, Clofazimine and Dapsone were identified as cure for leprosy which came into wide use from 1982 following the recommendations of WHO.