Current Affairs - March 18, 2020 Current Affairs

Ministry of Culture has established an institute named Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS) at Dahung, Arunachal Pradesh.The main objective of CIHCS is to preserve ancient Buddhist manuscripts, to promote research in different aspects of Buddhism, digitize ancient Buddhist text preserved in the languages of Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian languages through the system of a modern university.

Parliament passes Central Sanskrit Universities Bill, 2019 granting central university status to three deemed Sanskrit universities - Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth Tirupati.

Filmmaker Saurabh Thakur launched his debut novel 'Aham', a bold step for the fantasy fiction genre in India. The book has been published by Locksley Hall Publishing. Aham is the story of creation set in a world where demons, spirits, and humans inhabit different realms, and the world of humans is protected by a race of warriors called Rekhyts

Veteran journalist and former Rajya Sabha member Patil Puttappa breathed his last at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) hospital in Hubli. He was 99.Puttappa was a Rajya Sabha member from 1962 to 1974.He was a popular writer, journalist and a hardcore Kannada activist

The Solar Charkha Mission was initiated by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME). The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) implemented the program. The Scheme aims to ensure inclusive growth by the generation of employment, especially for women and youth, and sustainable development through solar charkha clusters in rural areas.

Microsoft's Bing team has built a tracker for COVID-19 worldwide. The web portal has been launched by Microsoft's Bing team. The site, launched Sunday, features a live map and tracks total confirmed cases of COVID-19 as well as cases per country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to participate in the 100th birth Anniversary celebrations of 'Jatir Pita' Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Bangladesh on 17 March (through video message). Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), the planned events will be held without any public gatherings. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is popularly known as Bangabandhu by the people of Bangladesh.

Noted Marathi actor Jairam Kulkarni died in Pune morning due to old-age related ailments. He was 88.Kulkarni had acted in more than 150 films, including "Chal Re Laxya Mumbaila", "Ashi Hi Banwabanwi", "Thartharat", "Rangat Sangat" to name a few.His last movie "Khel Aayushyacha" was released recently.

India has been ranked 12th in the world as per study titled 'Women On Board 2020'. The list was topped by Norway with 40.72% women on board. A study on 'Women On Board 2020' has been done jointly by global recruitment tendering platforms MyHiringClub and Sarkari-Naukri. The 7824 listed companies across 36 countries were considered for the study. From India, 628 listed companies participated in an online study.

Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi was nominated to Rajya Sabha on 16 March 2020. He was nominated by President Ram Nath Kovind. His nomination to the upper house was made against the vacancy created due to the retirement of senior lawyer KTS Tulsi. There are 11 other nominated members in the Rajya Sabha.

Moody's Investors Service lowered India's GDP growth forecast for 2020 calendar year to 5.3 percent from 5.4 percent, on coronavirus implications on the economy. This too was a downgrade from 6.6 per cent earlier forecast.Moody's forecast a 5.8 percent growth rate for India in 2021.

A book titled "An Extraordinary Life: A biography of Manohar Parrikar" was written by senior journalists Sadguru Patil and Mayabhushan Nagvenkar. The book was published by Penguin Random House India and to be released in April 2020.

India will provide 107.01 million Nepali Rupees for the construction of three new school buildings. These schools will be built in Darchula, Dhanusha and Kapilvastu districts. The MoU was signed on March 16, 2020 in Kathmandu between the bodies of India, Nepal and allied districts.

The Election Commission of India appointed Hirdesh Kumar as the new Chief Electoral Officer of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. He will replace Shailendra Kumar with effect from the date he assumes charge.

Share of Indian vendors in defence contracts grew from 39.06% in 2015-16 to 75.03% in 2019-20: Govt

Eminent researcher and writer Dr.Paramananda Majumder was presented the 10th Moghai Ojah Award at a function held at the auditorium of Jorhat Science Centre and Planetarium. He was awarded for his significant role in raising issues of public interest and society's betterment.

Wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation declines to 2.26% in February 2020.

The Philippines halted stock, bond and currency trading until further notice, becoming the first country to shut financial markets in response to the widening coronavirus pandemic.The closures take effect on March 17, 2020, according to statements from the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

Flipkart, an E-commerce company based partnered with Aegon Life Insurance to sell comprehensive insurance solutions to customers seeking instant digital policies with an assured sum up to Rs 10 lakh.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cleared the appointment of Ravinder Singh Dhillon as Chairman and Managing Director of Power Finance Corporation (PFC) with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post on or after June 1 till the date of his superannuation on May 31, 2023, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.