GK & Current Affairs – January 15, 16, 2016

1. Which bank has launched India’s first start-up focussed bank branch?
[A]Punjab National Bank
[B]Canara Bank
[C]State Bank of India
[D]Bank of Baroda
Answer: State Bank of India
State Bank of India (SBI) has become the first bank in the country to launch a start-up focussed bank branch. The branch ‘SBI InCube’ is launched in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The branch will focus on fulfilling the specific financial requirements of the start-ups. It will assist start-ups in cash management, taxation, foreign exchange etc.
2. Who has become the first Russian to be inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame?
[A]Marat Safin
[B]Justine Henin
[C]Helena Sukova
[D]Amelie Mauresmo
Answer: Marat Safin
Marat Safin, the former World No.1 tennis player from Russia has been inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame. The official ceremony to induct the Russian tennis player has been scheduled for July 16, 2016. With this, he will become first Russian national to be inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He won a total of 15 ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) in men’s singles category.
3. Who have won the 2016 WTA Apia International title in the women’s doubles category?
[A]Alla Kudryavtseva and Anastasia Rodionova
[B]Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic
[C]Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis
[D]Caroline Garcia and Katarina Srebotnik
Answer: Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis
Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis have won the 2016 WTA Apia International title in the women’s doubles category in Sydney, Australia after clinching their 30th win a row. It was the 11th title together for the Indo-Swiss pair from 2015 when they had won 9 titles and second trophy of the season 2016.
4. The 2016 Sahayog-Kaijin military exercise has been conducted between India and which country?
[A]Japan
[B]South Korea
[C]China
[D]Russia
Answer: Japan
The Indian Coast Guard and its Japanese counterpart has conducted the 15th edition of joint exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ in the Bay of Bengal off the Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu. The focus of exercise is in anti-piracy procedures, search and rescue operations and inter-operability between the two forces and other areas of common professional interest.
5. Who has won the 2016 Pritzker Architecture Prize?
[A]Frei Otto
[B]Shigeru Ban
[C]Alejandro Aravena
[D]Toyo Ito
Answer: Alejandro Aravena
The Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena has won the 2016 Pritzker Architecture Prize, who is best known for his work with “do tank” Elemental, an architecture group that aims to tackle poverty and eliminate slums using a participatory approach that engages local communities in early stages of the design process. With this, he is the first Pritzker laureate from Chile and the fourth from Latin America. He will receive a $100,000 grant and a bronze medal during a ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on April 2016.
6. Who has won the 2015 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize in Asia and the Pacific amateur category?
[A]Maria Jones
[B]Ankita Anand
[C]Nikhil Jain
[D]Raj Shrivastav
Answer: Ankita Anand
The Delhi-based Journalist-writer, Ankita Anand has won the prestigious 2015 Lorenzo Natali Media Prize in Asia and the Pacific – Amateur category. She earned the award for her sensitive portrayal of life for young women facing the threat of the diktat of khap panchayats in Haryana with the title ‘Stirrings beneath the peepul’ published in the journal The Equator Linel. The award is organized by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development since 1992 to journalists for outstanding reporting on development and poverty eradication. The award entails a trophy and a money prize of 5000 euros. The 2015 edition of the Lorenzo Natali Media Prize has launched under the motto “Todays stories can change our tomorrow”.
7. Who has been selected for 2016 Prof MV Pylee Award?
[A]K L Sebastian
[B]V N Rajashekhara Pillai
[C]Rajesh Singh
[D]Jancy James
Answer: Jancy James
The first woman Vice Chancellor of Kerala, Dr Jancy James has been selected for the prestigious 2016 Prof MV Pylee Award for the best academician of India. Dr Jancy was the former VC of Mahatma Gandhi University and founder Vice Chancellor of Central University of Kerala. She is an author, literary critic, researcher and translator, who also served as member of Kendra Sahitya Akademi and as the National President of the Comparative Literature Association of India. The award is instituted by Cochin University of Science and Technology, which carries an amount of Rs. 1 lakh and a citation.
8. Anil Ganguly, who passed away recently, was related to which field?
[A]Nuclear Scientist
[B]Journalist
[C]Filmmaker
[D]Painter
Answer: Filmmaker
The noted Indian filmmaker and screenwriter Anil Ganguly (82) passed in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He worked in Hindi cinema from the 1970s to the 90s and is best known for his movies viz. “Kora Kagaz”, “Tapasya”, “Saaheb”, ” Trishna”, “Khandaan”, “Humkadam”, “Pyar Ke Kabil”, “Balidan” , “Dushman Devta”, etc.
9. Which of the following organisations is providing loan for implementation of Neeranchal National Watershed Project?
[A]World Bank
[B]Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
[C]BRICS Bank
[D]Asian Development Bank
Answer: World Bank
The Indian government has signed a loan agreement with World Bank for the Neeranchal National Watershed Project. The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development over a six-year period from 2016 to 2021. The Neeranchal project was approved by the cabinet with a total budget outlay of Rs.2142 crore with the Government share of Rs.1071 crore and the rest 50% by the World Bank.
10. Mabh Bihu festival is celebrated in which of the following states?
[A]Manipur
[B]Assam
[C]Kerala
[D]Gujarat
Answer: Assam
Magh Bihu is a harvest festival of Assam and it marks the end of the harvesting season. Magh Bihu is observed on the first day of Magh month as per Bengali Panjika. Magh Bihu is also known as Bhogali Bihu and Maghar Domahi.

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