1. Ex-CJI HL Dattu selected as new Chairman of NHRC
1. Union Government has selected former Chief Justice of India (CJI) H L Dattu as new Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). He will succeed Mr. K.G. Balakrishnan who had demitted office after his five-year term ended in May 2015. Since then Justice C Joseph is functioning as the acting Chairman.
2. He was selected by the high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The committee also included Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha P J Kurien and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. His name will be sent to the President Pranab Mukherjee for his approval.
2. Naval Exercise IBSAMAR 2016 between India, South Africa, Brazil kicked off in Goa
1. The fifth edition of IBSAMAR 2016 trilateral naval exercise between Brazil, India and South Africa kicked off in Goa.
2. IBSAMAR is abbreviated as India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime. This is the for the first time the exercise is held in India as all the previous editions were held in South Africa since it began in 2006.
This trilateral naval exercise aims at increasing (i) Interoperability among navies of three countries (ii) Common understanding maritime security between them. This edition of IBSAMAR naval exercise will be conducted two phases namely Harbour phase and Sea Phase.
3. India’s first nuclear submarine INS Arihant passes deep sea tests
1. India’s first indigenously built nuclear armed submarine INS Arihant has successfully passed several deep sea diving drills as well as weapons launch tests. These successful tests undertaken off Vishakhapatnam coast where the submarine was build. These tests makes it ready for formal induction into the Naval Fleet.
2. INS Arihant’s design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarine. It is a 6,000-tonne nuclear powered submarine and is 112 metre long. Powered by 83 MW pressurised light water reactor built with Russia’s help. This reactor generates tremendous heat, driving a steam turbine.
4. India to host 3rd Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation
1. India is going to host Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation from 12 April 2016 to save tigers. It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It will the third such conference on tiger conservation to be hosted by India that will see the participation of all 13 tiger range countries (TRCs). They are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
2. The first edition of Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation was held in Hua Hin, Thailand in 2010 and second edition was held in Thimphu, Bhutan in 2013.
5. World’s 1st fast-acting Anti-Rabies drug to be launched in India
1. World’s first fast-acting anti-rabies drug Rabies Human Monoclonal Antibody (RMAb) will be launched in India. The drug has been developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and US-based MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
2. RMAb drug is a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that instantly deactivates rabies virus by specifically binding to a conformational epitope of G glycoprotein of the virus. It is 25% cheaper compared to the existing expensive human rabies immunoglobulin (hRIG) treatment.
6. Tamil film Kanavu Variyam wins 2016 Remi Award
1. Tamil film Kanavu Variyam has won the prestigious 2016 Remi Award in the United States. The film has been directed and produced by a Chennai-based techie Arun Chidambaram and Karthik Chidambaram. The film deals with the incessant power cuts and shortage of electricity faced by the Indian villages. It stars Jiya as the lead character and the music is by Shyam Benjamin.
2. The award will be presented to A Chidambaram during the 49th WorldFest Houston International Film Festival that will be held from 8 to 17 April, 2016 The movie also has won Special Jury Award at the National Science Festival. The song Kalla Manna in the film which is based on compilation of 51 traditional games of rural India has been accepted for screening at the Bare Bones International and Music Festival in Oklahoma.
7. Justice Dinesh Maheshwari sworn-in as Chief Justice of Meghalaya HC
1. Justice Dinesh Maheshwari of Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court was sworn-in as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
Maheshwari was administered the oath of office by state Governor V. Shanmuganathan.
2. Justice Maheshwari succeeds Justice Uma Nath Singh who retired as Chief Justice on 14 January 2016. Since then, Justice Sudip Ranjan Singh was serving as the acting Chief Justice of the state high court.
8. Sagar Sarhadi to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFP
1. Renowned scriptwriter Sagar Sarhadi will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the second edition of the International Film Festival of Prayag (IFFP). The festival will be held in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh from 26 February to 28 February 2016.
2. Sarhadi will be honoured at the festival for his contribution to Hindi cinema over the years.
9. Govt appoints 3 information commissioners in CIC
1. The Centre on Wednesday appointed three information commissioners in the Central Information Commission (CIC).
2. They are Amitava Bhattacharyya, Indian Administrative Service, (Gujarat 1980), retired Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, Bimal Julka, IAS (Madhya Pradesh:1979), retired Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Divya Prakash Sinha, Indian Police Service (Manipur-Tripura: 1979), retired Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat.
3. The appointments have been made for a term of five years from the date on which they enter upon their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier, as per the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
1. Ex-CJI HL Dattu selected as new Chairman of NHRC
1. Union Government has selected former Chief Justice of India (CJI) H L Dattu as new Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). He will succeed Mr. K.G. Balakrishnan who had demitted office after his five-year term ended in May 2015. Since then Justice C Joseph is functioning as the acting Chairman.
2. He was selected by the high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The committee also included Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha P J Kurien and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. His name will be sent to the President Pranab Mukherjee for his approval.
2. Naval Exercise IBSAMAR 2016 between India, South Africa, Brazil kicked off in Goa
1. The fifth edition of IBSAMAR 2016 trilateral naval exercise between Brazil, India and South Africa kicked off in Goa.
2. IBSAMAR is abbreviated as India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime. This is the for the first time the exercise is held in India as all the previous editions were held in South Africa since it began in 2006.
This trilateral naval exercise aims at increasing (i) Interoperability among navies of three countries (ii) Common understanding maritime security between them. This edition of IBSAMAR naval exercise will be conducted two phases namely Harbour phase and Sea Phase.
3. India’s first nuclear submarine INS Arihant passes deep sea tests
1. India’s first indigenously built nuclear armed submarine INS Arihant has successfully passed several deep sea diving drills as well as weapons launch tests. These successful tests undertaken off Vishakhapatnam coast where the submarine was build. These tests makes it ready for formal induction into the Naval Fleet.
2. INS Arihant’s design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarine. It is a 6,000-tonne nuclear powered submarine and is 112 metre long. Powered by 83 MW pressurised light water reactor built with Russia’s help. This reactor generates tremendous heat, driving a steam turbine.
4. India to host 3rd Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation
1. India is going to host Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation from 12 April 2016 to save tigers. It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It will the third such conference on tiger conservation to be hosted by India that will see the participation of all 13 tiger range countries (TRCs). They are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
2. The first edition of Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation was held in Hua Hin, Thailand in 2010 and second edition was held in Thimphu, Bhutan in 2013.
5. World’s 1st fast-acting Anti-Rabies drug to be launched in India
1. World’s first fast-acting anti-rabies drug Rabies Human Monoclonal Antibody (RMAb) will be launched in India. The drug has been developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and US-based MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
2. RMAb drug is a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that instantly deactivates rabies virus by specifically binding to a conformational epitope of G glycoprotein of the virus. It is 25% cheaper compared to the existing expensive human rabies immunoglobulin (hRIG) treatment.
6. Tamil film Kanavu Variyam wins 2016 Remi Award
1. Tamil film Kanavu Variyam has won the prestigious 2016 Remi Award in the United States. The film has been directed and produced by a Chennai-based techie Arun Chidambaram and Karthik Chidambaram. The film deals with the incessant power cuts and shortage of electricity faced by the Indian villages. It stars Jiya as the lead character and the music is by Shyam Benjamin.
2. The award will be presented to A Chidambaram during the 49th WorldFest Houston International Film Festival that will be held from 8 to 17 April, 2016 The movie also has won Special Jury Award at the National Science Festival. The song Kalla Manna in the film which is based on compilation of 51 traditional games of rural India has been accepted for screening at the Bare Bones International and Music Festival in Oklahoma.
7. Justice Dinesh Maheshwari sworn-in as Chief Justice of Meghalaya HC
1. Justice Dinesh Maheshwari of Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court was sworn-in as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
Maheshwari was administered the oath of office by state Governor V. Shanmuganathan.
2. Justice Maheshwari succeeds Justice Uma Nath Singh who retired as Chief Justice on 14 January 2016. Since then, Justice Sudip Ranjan Singh was serving as the acting Chief Justice of the state high court.
8. Sagar Sarhadi to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFP
1. Renowned scriptwriter Sagar Sarhadi will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the second edition of the International Film Festival of Prayag (IFFP). The festival will be held in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh from 26 February to 28 February 2016.
2. Sarhadi will be honoured at the festival for his contribution to Hindi cinema over the years.
9. Govt appoints 3 information commissioners in CIC
1. The Centre on Wednesday appointed three information commissioners in the Central Information Commission (CIC).
2. They are Amitava Bhattacharyya, Indian Administrative Service, (Gujarat 1980), retired Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, Bimal Julka, IAS (Madhya Pradesh:1979), retired Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Divya Prakash Sinha, Indian Police Service (Manipur-Tripura: 1979), retired Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat.
3. The appointments have been made for a term of five years from the date on which they enter upon their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier, as per the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005.