GK and Current Affairs Updates

Delhi has become the first state in the country to launch the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as a public health programme for school children in school.
•    HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). 
•    HPV is a different virus than HIV and HSV (herpes). HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives. 
•    There are many different types of HPV. Some types can cause health problems including genital warts and cancers. 
•    Health Minister Satyendar Jain said girls studying in Class VI in government schools will be targeted in the first year. 
•    This will be completed in the current academic year over two phases.
•    The HPV vaccine protects people against the group of 150-odd HPVs, some of which can cause cervical cancer.
•    Children will be given two doses of the vaccine. The first and the second doses will be given within a gap of 30 days.
•    Third booster dose will be given within 240 days of the first vaccine, which will be covered in the next phase.
 

Ben Ainslie, the most decorated Olympic sailor in history, led his Land Rover BAR team to victory at the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in Oman on 28th Feb 2016.
•    Ainslie beat his Jimmy Spithill and ORACLE TEAM USA, by two points.
•    For ORACLE TEAM USA the second place result was a fourth consecutive podium finish in a Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series regatta. 
•    With a third place result in Oman, Emirates Team New Zealand retains its place atop the overall Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series leader board. 
•    The America's Cup, known as the "Auld Mug", is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two sailing yachts. 
•    One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging for the cup. 
•    The trophy was originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight in England, which was won by the schooner America. 
•    The trophy was renamed the America's Cup after the yacht and was donated to the New York Yacht Club (NYYC).
•    In 2013 America’s Cup took place in San Francisco Bay, from September 7 to 21, with holders Oracle Team USA facing the best of three challengers: Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Luna Rossa (ITA) and Artemis (SWE).

•    In 2010 Challenger BMW Oracle Racing (USA) beat Alinghi (SUI) 2-0. 
•    In 2007 Defender Alinghi (SUI) beated Team New Zealand 5-2. 
 

Former Indian captain, Rahul Dravid has been named as the new mentor of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Delhi Daredevils. 
•    Dravid was the mentor of the suspended franchise, Rajasthan Royals. Paddy Upton will be the head coach of the Delhi franchise.
•    Dravid was in charge of the India Under-19 team during the ICC Under-19 World Cup that finished runners-up last month. 
•    He guided the Indian colts to the final of the tournament, where they lost to the West Indies Under-19s.
•    Virender Sehwag will be Kings XI Punjab Mentor for IPL 2016.
•    The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in India contested annually by franchise teams representing Indian cities. 
•    The league, founded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) member Lalit Modi in 2007, is scheduled over April and May of every year.
•    The brand value of IPL was estimated to be US$2.2 billion in 2014.
 

The Visa on Arrival for Japanese nationals is being launched from 1st March, 2016. 
•    This facility will be available at six airports - Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. 
•    This facility can be availed for the purposes of business, tourism, conference and medical. 
•    Validity of this visa after entry will be for a period of 30 days. 
•    About 1.80 lakh Japanese nationals visit India every year on various kinds of visas. 
•    Other countries like Cambodia, Finland, Indonesia, Laos, Luxembourg, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam etc. already have this facility
•    In October 2013, India decided to initiate the process of extending visa-on-arrival access to 40 more nations.
•    In January 2014, plans were confirmed by Planning Minister of India.
•    The sixteen different types of visa would also be reduced to three: work, business and tourism.
•    In January 2016 it was announced that the multiple entries will become available and that eTourist Visa holders will receive a gift pack on arrival.
 

On 1st March 2016Veteran playwright and director RatanThiyam was awarded Lifetime Achievement Award in 11th Mahindra Excellence Theatre Awards (META).
•    He was selected for the award for creating a new language in theatre and enriching the art form in various roles as writer, director, designer, composer and choreographer. 
•    He is the current chairman of the National School of Drama.
•    In the past, this award has been given to great theatre artists such as Zohra Sehgal, Badal Sarkar, Khaled Chowdhary, EbrahimAlkazi, Girish Karnad and HeisnamKanhailal.
•    META, instituted by the Mahindra Group, is one of the Indian theatre industry’s premier awards. 
•    The awards consist of a trophy and a cheque of 100000 rupees for the best production, 75000 rupees for best original playwright and 45000 rupees for all other award categories.
•    With META,The Mahindra Group, aims to increase awareness and appreciation of Indian theatre,
•    It is the only national platform for recognising and rewarding theatre.
 

On 28 February 2016Car racer Armaan Ebrahim got awarded the Motorsports Man-of-the-Year Trophy
•    This award ceremony was organised by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI).
•    Armaan Ebrahim was presented with the Raymond GautamSinghania Rolling Trophy.
•    He was awarded with cash prize of 2 lakh rupees for his performance in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia Series.
•    B.I. Chandhok received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to motorsports in the country.
•    ArmaanEbrahim started his career in karting and became Formula LGB Champion in 2004.
•    ArmaanEbrahim then moved to Formula BMW Asia for the 2005 season.
•    He represented A1 Team India in the A1 Grand Prix Championship, in 2005.
•    On 12 December 2008, he was announced as the first Asian driver to sign up for the rebirth of FIA Formula Two in 2009.
•    The FMSCI was founded in 1971.
• The FMSCI is the only national motor sport federation recognised by the Indian Governmen

Twitter on 26 February 2016 launched Position of Strength campaign to empower women.
•    The movement aims at bridging the gender equality gap online in India 
•    It inspires the next generation of women leaders to have an influential voice in society.
•    Previously this campaign was run in Australia and Ireland.
•    Twitter has partnered with FICCI Ladies Organisation and Observer Research Foundation 
•    This is aimed at engaging more women to raise their voices online.
•    In 2015, Indian twitter population was 22.2 million users. In India, growth in 2015 is expected to be more than twice as fast at 30.4 per cent. While it shows signs of slowing, it will still climb by 16.5 per cent in 2018.
 

On 29 February 2016Indira Gandhi International Airport received three international awards.
•    IGI Airport also bagged best airport by size in the Asia Pacific region.
•    The ranking was announced by the ACI which is a trade association of the world's airports founded in 1991.
•    Delhi airport has retained the world's number one position for the second consecutive year in 25 to 40 Million Passengers Per Annum category. 
•    The two other awards are for best airport by size & region Asia Pacific (25-40 MPPA) and second best airport by region (Asia Pacific). 
•    IGIA is managed by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) -- a joint venture between the GMR Group, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Fraport.
•    Established in 1991, Airports Council International (ACI) is the only global trade representative of the world’s airports.
    
 

 On 29 February 2016,in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, RahulSachdev won the 1st All India Open Invitational Snooker Championship 2016.
•    This tournament was organized by Billiards and Snooker Association of Aurangabad.
•    With 5-3 Score, Rahul defeated Pushpender Singh of Railways in the final. 
•    In his highest performance, Rahulsood became the runner up in Nationals in 2013 and it was his highest performance. 
•    It is major breakthrough in his career to win All India level Invitation tournament.
•    Rahul beats LaxmanRawat to reach final by 5-1 while Pushpender Singh knocked out Kamal Chawla of Railways by 5-1.
This is one of the best breakthrough for Rahul Sachdev . He has been known for his efforts since a very long time and finally with the launch of the first tournament he won the battle and has a long distance to go.Invitational Snooker Championship 2016

On 27 February 2016 Famous sound designer ResulPookutty became the first Asian to win the award for Best Sound for documentary India’s Daughter.
•    He won this award at the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ (MPSE) 63rd annual Golden Reel Awards.
•    Other competitions in the list included Beware Baltimore, Chef’s Table, Deadliest Catch, and The Undrafted, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Revenant and many others.
•    Pookutty made his debut in sound design with the 1997 film Private Detective: Two Plus Two Plus One, directed by Rajat Kapoor.
•    He got his big break with the critically acclaimed 2005 film Black.
•    In 2009, he, along with Richard Pryke and Ian Tapp, won the Academy Award for 

Best Sound Mixing for Slumdog Millionaire.
•    Motion Picture Sound Editors was founded in 1953.
•    It is an honorary society of motion picture sound editors.
•    Each year the MPSE presents The Golden Reel Awards, acknowledging year's best work in the various areas of sound editing.