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National – Across the India:

1. President Pranab Mukherjee dedicated India’s first co-operative society in Information Technology (IT) sector UL CyberPark in Kozhikode, Kerala.

• ULCCS cooperative was launched in 1925 in Vadakara in Kozhikode district by 14 members with an initial investment of 37 paise.
• The IT Park has been set up by a labour cooperative society, Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS).
• It is built on 25 acre land in Nellikode in Kozhikode district at the cost of Rs. 270 crore.

2. India’s first Gender Park was inaugurated at Kozhikode district of Kerala by President Pranab Mukherjee.

• The Gender Park seeks to encourage women to take part in developmental and decision making process.
• The park is an initiative of the Social Justice Department of the Kerala Government to promote research and other initiatives to enable total gender equality.

3. The first phase Kerala Tourism’s Muziris Heritage Project (MHP) was inaugerated by President Pranab Mukherjee at Trissur in Kerala to reinstate the historical and cultural significance Muziris.

• Muziris was an ancient seaport and urban centre which dates from at least the 1st century BC and located at the mouth of the Periyar River in Kerala.
• The project is Kerala Government’s first green Project and India’s largest heritage conservation project.

Awards & Recognition:

1. President Pranab Mukherjee has formally declared Kerala as the country’s first digital state.

• Kerala was able to achieve this feat due to the combined efforts of the government and various social organizations in the state.
• President announced it after launching a digital empowerment campaign of state at a function to be held in Kozhikkode.

2. Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Ranveer Singh have been chosen for the prestigious 2016 Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar Award.

• The award was instituted in 1999 in the memory of Dinanath Mangeshkar, father of Lata Mangeshkar.
• The award will be bestowed upon them by Lata Mangeshkar at a function to be held in Pune on 24 April to commemorate Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar’s death anniversary.

3. Resul Pookutty, the Oscar-winning sound designer has won the prestigious American Motion Picture Sound Editors’ (MPSE) Golden Reel Award.

• The Golden Reel Award has been instituted by the MPSE and recognises excellence in an array of sound editing achievement, sound effects and foley to dialogue and score integration and ADR to music.
• Pookutty is a film sound designer, sound editor and mixer working in Hollywood, Hindi cinema, Malayalam Cinema and Tamil cinema.
• He won the best sound for documentary “India’s Daughter” directed by Leslee Udwin. It is based on the Delhi gangrape incident of December 2012.

2. The 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

• For the second consecutive year, film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu received the most nominations.
• Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra made her debut in the award ceremony and presented Award in the ‘Best Editing’ category along with actor Liev Schreiber.
• Best Picture: Spotlight.
• Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant).
• Best Actress: Brie Larson (Room).
• Best Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant).

Appointments & Resignations:

1. Alok Kumar Verma, Senior IPS Officer has taken charge of new Police Commissioner of Delhi, replacing B. S. Bassi.

• He is a senior IPS officer from 1979-batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.
• He also served as Director General (Prisons).

2. Vinod Rai, former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has been appointed as the first Chairman of Banks Board Bureau (BBB).

• BBB will be a super authority (Autonomous Body) of eminent professionals and officials for public sector banks (PSBs). It will replace the Appointments Board of Government.
• Appointed Members of Banks Board Bureau includes Vinod Rai (Chairman), N. Sinor (Member), Anil K Khandelwal (Member), Rupa Kudwa (Members).

3. Dinesh Sharma has been unanimously elected as the Chairperson of the Governing Council of International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).

• IFAD was established in 1977 as the 13th Specialised Agency of the United Nations. India is a founder member of IFAD and a key contributor among the member countries.
• Currently, he is serving as Additional Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs under the Union Ministry of Finance and is also India’s Governor to the IFAD, Rome.

Science & Technology:

1. The cycloneprone eastern coast of India will get a new doppler radar to boost the weather forecasting system.

• Doppler radar is an observational tool for monitoring and predicting severe weather events such as hailstorms, thunder storms, cyclones and tornados within a radius of 300 km.
• It will be commissioned by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Gopalpur in Odisha which had faced the severe cyclonic storm Phailin in October 2013.

2. Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan has released Seismic Microzonation reports for Delhi and Kolkata.

• These reports highlight vulnerability of specific areas in these megacities and help in minimizing the effects of earthquakes by (i) Proper assessment of Seismic Hazard (ii) Implementation of safe building construction codes (iii) adopting appropriate land-use planning.
• Benefits of seismic microzonation are Disaster Mitigation and Management Authorities, Risk Assessment, and Help Urban Development Authorities.

3. Micro blogging site Twitter for first time has launched #Positionofstrength campaign in India to empower women to raise voices against any form of discrimination.

• The campaign seeks spread awareness to bridge the gender equality gap online in India and inspire the of women leaders next generation to have an influential voice in society.
• It was launched by taking cue from a study showcasing a prevailing male dominance over both online and offline space.
• The campaign has been launched with partnership of FICCI Ladies Organization and Observer Research Foundation.

Important Dates:

1. In India February 28 is celebrated as the National Science Day i.e. Rashtriya Vigyan Diwas every year.

• The theme for year 2016 is “Scientific Issues for Development of the Nation” that aims at raising public appreciation.
• It aims to impart scientific temper in the minds of people of all age groups.

Sports:

1. Stan Wawrinka from Switzerland has won the 2016 Dubai ATP Tennis title in the men’s singles category.

• In the final match played in the United Arab Emirates, he defeated Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) by 6-4, 7-6 (15/13) score.
• It was his ninth straight final and overall 13th title of his career and second of the 2016 season after winning Chennai Open.

Death:

1. Bindiganavile Krishnaswamy Garudachar, Legendary pre-independence cricketer and skipper has passed away in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He was 99.

• He was the oldest living Indian first-class cricketer who had represented Mysore, United province and Bombay first class cricket matches.
• He had his cricket career in the 1930s and his first-class debut was in November 1935 playing for Mysore against Madras in the 1935–36 edition of the Ranji Trophy.