GK & Current Affairs Quiz: February 19, 2018

Notes:
The prestigious World Congress on Information Technology has started in Hyderabad on February 19, 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural session of the 3-day IT summit through a video link. The World Information Technology and Services Alliance is organising Congress while the National Alliance of Software and Services Companies and the Telangana state Government are jointly hosting the prestigious event. Over 2000 delegates including heads of IT majors, visionaries, Government leaders and academia from 30 countries will take part in the Congress being held for the first time in India. Over 150 global thought leaders will share their views during the Congress.

Notes:
Gundu Hanumantha Rao (61), the noted Telugu film comedian, has passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana on February 19, 2018. Rao, born in Vijayawada, started his film career with “Aha Na Pellanta” in 1987 and acted in around 400 films such as “Rajendrudu Gajendrudu” and “Yamaleela”. He is known for his roles in Pellaniki Premalekha Priyuraliki Subhalekha (1992), Rajendrudu Gajendrudu, Mayalodu, Jodi No.1, Nenu Seetamahalakshmi, Kedi No.1, etc. He acted in over 600 movies in Telugu and is a popular TV artist.

Notes:
The 44th Khajuraho Dance Festival 2018 will be held at the temple town in Chhatarpur district on February 20. The fest is being organised by the culture department of the Madhya Pradesh government. The 6-day fest will showcase classical dances including Kathak, Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Mohiniattam. This year, the Art Mart (which is part of the festival) would showcase paintings of international artists from Germany, France and China among other countries. During the festival, dances are performed in an open- air auditorium, usually in front of the Chitragupta Temple dedicated to the Sun God and the Vishwanatha Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temples at Khajuraho, built by the Chandela dynasty between 950 AD and 1050 AD, are world-wide known for their erotic.

Notes:
Archaeologist and historian Arvind P. Jamkhedkar will be the new Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR). He will replace Prof. K. Sudershan Rao, whose term as ICHR chief was mired in controversy. The post fell vacant after Prof. Rao’s retirement. Prof. Jamkhedkar is at present Chancellor of Deccan College, Pune, known in academic circles for its archaeology department. Prof. Jamkhedkar, who taught at Dhule, Nagpur and Mumbai, was vice-president of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai from 2007 to 2013. He is also editor of the Journal of Asiatic Society of Mumbai .

Notes:
PhonePe, the online payment service provider, has partnered with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to deploy its own Point of Sale (POS) payment terminals across all IOCL retail outlets nationally. As part of the pilot program, PhonePe PoS devices have already been installed at 30 IOCL outlets. The device will allow IOCL customers to pay using UPI, credit and debit cards, PhonePe wallet, or other external wallets including JIO money and Freecharge.

Notes:
India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre will be set up by the Maharashtra Government in Mumbai. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will launch the plan for the institute during the Magnetic Maharashtra Summit and at the Global Economic Conference in Canada in March 2018. The AI institute will give a fresh impetus to the fourth industrial revolution, and promote Mumbai as an investment destination in innovations and data analysis. The main aim of the centre is to integrate artificial intelligence in the field of social development.

Notes:
Didier Lockwood (62), the noted French jazz violinist, has passed away in Paris on February 18, 2018. He was known for his use of electric amplification and experimentation on different sounds on the electric violin. Lockwood was a disciple of the late Stephane Grappelli.

Notes:
The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and UK’s Natural History Museum (NHM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on February 16, 2018 for cooperation in the field of genetic/taxonomic studies, research and training, conservation in India, including species and habitat conservation assessments, etc. The MoU will pave the way for BSI staff to work in Natural History Museum, London and vice-versa and they will share fairly and equitably the benefits that may arise from the collection, study and conservation of the plant materials such as seeds, herbarium specimens and tissue samples and exchange associated data and images. NHM will help BSI in capacity building in areas of systematic botany and long-term conservation of plant genetic resources in India. The headquarters of BSI is located in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Notes:
The World Day of Social Justice is observed every year on February 20 to recognize the need to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment. It is an opportunity to recognize social and economic injustices in the world — and to find ways to help those affected. The day aims to break down the barriers created by gender, class, race, sexuality and religion to create a world that promotes health, opportunity and justice for all. The 2018 theme is “Workers on the Move: the Quest for Social Justice”.

Notes:
The Kallanai dam is an ancient dam, which is built across the Kaveri river in Tiruchirapalli district in Tamil Nadu. It is the 4th-oldest water-diversion or water-regulator structures in the world and the oldest in India which is still in use. Originally, the dam was constructed by the Chola king Karikalan in 2nd century AD.