12 April 2017 Current Affairs
Tim Berners – Lee Wins 2016 ACM AM Turing Award:
Sir Tim Berners Lee in the first week of in April 2017 was honoured with the 2016 ACMAM Turing Award. Berners – Lee received the 2016 Turing Award for inventing the “World Wide Web”, the first web browser and the fundamental protocols and algorithms allowing the Web to scale. The computer scientist is one of the world’s most influential voices for on line privacy and government transparency.
National Hindi Sevi Samman Awards announced.
Professors from Japan, USA to be honoured for promoting Hindi. 26 writers including two Japanese and Amercian professors Hindi Sevi Samman by President Pranab Mukherjee for their efforts to promote the language. Fujii Takeshi (Japan) and Gabriela Nikijieva (USA) will be presented George Greason award in the foreign Hindi writers category.
PM releases book “Matoshree” authored by Sumitra Mahajan:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a book authored by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan in New Delhi. On 11 April 2017. The book “Matoshree” covers the life and time of legendary Devi Ahilyabai Holker who ruled the Holkar Empire spread over the Malwa region from 1767 to 1795. The region of Ahilyabai of Indore in Central India has became almost legendary as a period during which perfect order and good government prevailed and the people prospered. She has participated in several plays on the life of Ahilyabai.
Pak Military court awarded death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav:
Over a year after Indian Navy Officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, was arrested, amilitary court in Pakistan has sentenced him to death for “espionage and subversive activities, triggering sharp reaction from India which called it “premeditated Murder”. The Pakistan Army announced that its Chief, General Qamar Ahmed Bajwa, on 10 th April 2017 approved Jadhav’s execution after a Field General Court Martial found him guity of all charges.
Former Union Minister Akhilesh Das Gupta passes Away:
Congress leader and former Union Minister Akhilesh Das Gupta passes away after suffering with heart attack. He is the son of Freedom Fighter Late Shri Babu Banargidas, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Das Gupta has been a National level badminton player and had represented the State of Uttar Pradesh 1977 to 1983.
India’s first ever micro-drama festival held in Delhi:
India’s first ever Micro-drama festival was held in New Delhi. With respect to it, the festival is named ‘Thespis’ after Thespis of Iearia the fir4st actor in Greek drama. The longest film of the festival was not more than 10 minutes and shortest film not less than 42 seconds. The day long event saw screening of 28 independent plays at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Art in New Delhi.
Anuja Ravindra Dhir becomes first non-white judge at London Court:
Indian – origin Anuja Ravindra Dhir became the first non – white judge of the old Bailey Court of London. She is also the youngest circuit judge currently to sit at the court. The old Bailey court of London is the Central Criminal court of London. It houses 15 judges including 10 men and five women.
First rail freight service to China departs UK:
The Government of China recently launched a rail freight service between China and London. The train is loaded with whisky soft drinks, vitamins and baby products. The train with 30 containers filled with UK produced goods, set off on the 7500 – mile journey from Stanford-le-Hope in Essex. The train will reach its destination in 18 days. It is the first direct rail link between China and Great Britain.
Sudarsan Pattnaik to compete in Moscow Championship:
World – renowned sand artist, Sudarsan Pattnaik has been selected as the Indian representative in 10th edition of Moscow Sand Art Championship, to be held later in April 2017. The theme selected for this year championship is “The World Around us”. It would be held from 22 April to 28 April at Kolomenzkoye in Moscow, Russia. Pattnaik had won the gold medal in the 9th edition championship in 2016 for his sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi on World Peace.
Unemployment rate in Uttarpradesh higher than National average:
The unemployment rate in Uttarpradesh is higher than the National Average. The centre will soon join hands with the new state government to deal with the problem, according to the Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya. The National average of unemployment stood at 5.8%. While the unemployment rate in rural areas it was 4.4%. In Uttar Pradesh, the rate, of unemployment in rural areas was 5.8% and in Urban areas 6.5% which is quite high.