08 February 2016 Current Affairs
Renowned Urdu poet Nida Fazli dead
Renowned Urdu poet and Bollywood lyricist Muqtida Hasan Nida Fazli, died in Mumbai on 8 February 2016 due heart attack.He was 78. Fazli was awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1998 and conferred with the Padma Shri in 2013. Born in a Kashmiri family in Delhi in October 1938, his parents migrated to Pakistan after Partition, but he chose to stay back in India. He came to Mumbai in 1964 hoping to make a career in Bollywood and also wrote for certain top Hindi magazines of that era and later started penning lyrics for Hindi film songs. His soulful ghazals include the evergreen “Kabhi kisi ko mukammal jahan nahin milta” (“Ahista, Ahista”), “Tu is tarha se meri zindagime shamil hai” (“Aat To Aise Na The”), “Hoshwalon ko khabar kya” (“Sarfarosh”), “Aa bhi jaa,” (“Sur”). He also penned for films like “Razia Sultan”, “Nakhuda”, “Harjaee”, “Yatra”, “Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin”, “Tamanna” and many others.Fazli published collections of poetry which include “Lafzon Ke Phool”, “Mor Naach”, “Aankh Aur Khwab Ke Darmiyan”, “Safar Mein Dhoop To Hogi”, “Khoya Hua Sa Kuchh” and “Duniya Ek Khilona Hai”.
India-Nepal military exercise begins in Pithoragarh
“A 14-day 9th India-Nepal combined military exercise, named “”Surya Kiran IX””, commenced at Pithoragarh on 8 February 2016. The exercise will culminate on February 21. The Nepal army is being represented by officers and troops of the elite Shree RudraDhoj battalion while an infantry battalion is participating on behalf of the Indian Army. The combined battalion-level exercise is being conducted under the aegis of the Panchshul Brigade of the Central Command. During the combined training, emphasis will be laid on upgrade of tactical and practical skills by sharing each other’s experiences and also on enhancing inter-operability in jungle warfare and counter terrorism operations in mountain terrain. The role and importance of Armed Forces in disaster management in both the countries has assumed increasing significance in the recent years. Therefore, focus will also be laid on humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations, including medical and aviation aspects.”
Iran awards medals of honour to nuclear deal negotiators
Iran awarded medals of honour on 8 February 2016 to its nuclear negotiators who helped clinch a landmark deal with world powers last year. President Hassan Rouhani awarded the “Medal of Merit” to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the “Medal of Courage” to Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan and Vice-President Ali Akbar Salehi, who is also the country’s nuclear chief. The historic July 14 agreement brought about the lifting of international economic sanctions in January after the United Nations certified that Iran has met all its commitments to curbing its nuclear activities.
Indian wrestlers won 14 gold medals in SAG
Indian wrestlers won 14 gold medals out of a total 16 on offer as the wrestling competition in the 12th South Asian Games ended here on 8 February 2016. India won gold in all the eight women’s categories, while their men counterparts won six gold and two silver. Pakistan won two gold medals.In the 2010 edition, India had won three gold and a silver in men’s wrestling while Pakistan had won two gold and a silver.
India sweep cycling gold medals on third day
“In women’s 40km group time trial final, the Indian quartet of T Bidyaluxmi, Rutuja Satpute, G. Manisha and Chaoba Devi bagged the gold in a time of 59:23.5 secs. Sri Lanka and Pakistan took the silver and bronze respectively.
In men’s 70km group time trial final, the estate group of Arvind Panwar, Manjeet Singh, Deepak Kumar Rahi and Manohar Lal Bishnoi took the gold in one hr 29 mins and 37.840 seconds. Pakistan and Sri Lanka won the silver and bronze respectively.
For Bidyaluxmi and Arvind, today’s gold were their 2nd overall. Bidyalaxmi possessed won the gold in the women’s 30km personal time trial event while men’s 40km personal time trial Arvind won gold medal.”