Very Important GK /CA Notes 2023-24

1. G20 Theme: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam- One Earth, One Family, One Future”. It is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad.

Sherpa Track: It is headed by Sherpa who is the representative of the Leader. Amitabh

Kant was Sherpa during India’s presidency.

Key Outcomes of Summit:

• Inclusion of African Union (AU): Like EU, AU a 55 member body is made permanent member of the G20. It would give voice to Global south. Until now, South Africa was the sole member from Africa in the G20. It is in sync with the spirit of Sabka Sath.

• India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor: A Multinational rail and shipping initiative connecting India with the Middle East and Europe has been unveiled. It will boost the Abrahamic cooperation in West-Asia.

ClimateChange: The G20 leaders have committed to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. They acknowledged the imperative to reduce unabated coal power. They emphasized the urgency of raising funds targeting "US$5.8-5.9 trillion before 2030" for developing nations and "US$4 trillion annually for clean energy technologies by 2030. It will help in achieving the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

2. India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)

• The MOU was unveiled by the Governments of India, the United States, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy; and the European Union. It is expected to attract additional Asian countries in future.

• The IMEC is a planned economic corridor that aims to bolster economic development by fostering connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf, and Europe.

3. African Union

The African Union has secured a permanent membership status within the G20, making it the second regional organization to do so.

AU will join the European Union as the only two regional bodies in the G-20. • While it is still unclear whether the G-20 will be renamed as the “G-21” after the induction of the AU, Indian officials said the announcement would help “leave a lasting imprint” on the work of the Indian Presidency.

The AU is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent.

It was officially launched in 2002, in Durban, South Africa, as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). • HQ: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. • The decision to re-launch Africa’s pan-African organisation was a shift from the fight for decolonisation and ridding the continent of apartheid, towards increased cooperation and integration of African states to drive Africa’s growth and economic development. • The AU is guided by its vision of “An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”

4. Global Biofuel Alliance on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi

About Biofuels

• Biomass can be converted directly into liquid fuels, called biofuels. The two most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel, both of which represent the first generation of biofuel technology.

• Ethanol: Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is a renewable fuel that can be made from various plant materials, collectively known as “biomass.” It is an alcohol used as a blending agent with gasoline to increase octane and cut down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions.

• Biodiesel: It is a liquid fuel produced from renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats and is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel. It is nontoxic and biodegradable and is produced by combining alcohol with vegetable oil, animal fat, or recycled cooking grease.

Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA):

• It is an India-led Initiative to develop an alliance of Governments, International organizations and Industry to facilitate adoption of biofuels.

• Aim: To position biofuels as a key to energy transition and contribute to jobs and economic growth.

• It will do so by bringing together the biggest consumers and producers of biofuels to drive biofuels development and deployment.

• USA (52%), Brazil (30%) and India (3%), contribute about 85% share in production and about 81% in consumption of ethanol.

Biomass Programs in India: • The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is targeting 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025 from this year. • Under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative, it aims to set up 5,000 BioCNG plants with a production target of 15 MMT by 2023-24.

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is setting up 500 new compressed biogas (CBG) plants under the GOBAR-dhan scheme.

• The Ministry of Power’s Samarth Scheme aims for 5 to 7 percent of co-firing biomass pellets, going up to 10 per cent and then up to 20 percent for all coal power being produced from carbon-neutral biomass utilising farm agri-residue. • India plans to mandate a one percent blending of Sustainable Aviation fuel with conventional jet fuel for all Indian airlines by 2025. • Under the ambit of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, for management of organic/wet fraction of municipal solid waste biomethanation plants across cities was proposed in the Budget 2023-2024.

5. Agricultural scientist Dr. Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, the man behind India’s Green Revolution, passed away

• He was known as the "Father of Economic Ecology" by the United Nations Environment Programme.

• He had done groundbreaking work in the 1960s and 1970s revolutionised Indian agriculture, helping the country to stave off widespread famine and achieve self sufficiency in food production. India was importing close to three million tonnes of food grains in 1949-50, spending ₹150 crore at current prices.

• Swaminathan's pioneering efforts involved the development and introduction of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, which increased food grain production across India.

• Swaminathan’s key role was in recognising the potential of the new genetic strains or “plant type” responsive to increased fertiliser and water application, and devising a coherent strategy for their introduction and large-scale planting by farmers.

• He was equally right about aiming for an “Evergreen Revolution”, which, in his words, was an “improvement of productivity in perpetuity without ecological harm”

Awards given for his Contribution:

In recognition of his monumental contributions, Swaminathan was awarded the first World Food Prize in 1987. He used the prize money to establish the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai, further cementing his commitment to sustainable and inclusive agricultural practices.

His other notable accolades include the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971 and the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986.

He was the Padma Vibhushan awardee, and was Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and headed the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.

Borlaug-Swaminathan Green Revolution Strategy:

The strategy basically relied on breeding varieties that would produce more grain with more fertilizer, especially nitrogen, and water application.

Norman Borlaug (Father of the Green Revolution) selects strains of high-yielding wheat, along with S.P. Kohli, M.S. Swaminathan and V.S. Mathur, in New Delhi in 1965.

The Green Revolution was a period that began in the 1960s during which agriculture in India was converted into a modern industrial system by the adoption of technology, such as the use of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds, mechanised farm tools, irrigation facilities, pesticides and fertilizers.

6. FIVE EYES ALLIANCE

Five Eyes is a secret agreement between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA.

The parties are diverse societies, governed by rule of law and robust human rights and are bonded by a common language which aid the partners in sharing information with one another to protect their shared national interests.

It was established in 1946 between the United States and the United Kingdom after WWII.It expanded to include Canada in 1949 and Australia and New Zealand in 1955.

9 Eyes and 14 Eyes: It later enlarged its core group to ‘Nine Eyes’ and 14 Eyes alliances as well.

7. Three years since the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain marks an important milestone for West Asia and North Africa.

Abraham Accords:

Abraham Accords are a series of agreements to normalize relations between Israel and several Arab states.

The accords are named after the patriarch Abraham regarded as a prophet in Judaism and Islam.

The accords, all of which were signed in the latter half of 2020, consist of a general declaration alongside bilateral agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.

The accord has normalised the relations between many West Asian countries and Israel.

UAE became the third Arab nation to recognize Israel after Egypt and Jordan. It has given India a diplomatic leeway to enhance its engagement with Israel.

Background and Context: Arab-Israeli ties have historically been conflict-ridden.

Arab countries, including Egypt, Transjordan, Syria and Iraq, fought their first war with Israel in 1948 after the formation of the state of Israel was announced.

The war ended with Israel capturing more territories, including West Jerusalem that was originally proposed for a Jewish state by the UN Partition Plan.

After that, Israel and Arab states fought three more significant wars: the 1956 Suez conflict, the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Egypt made a peace deal with Israel in 1979, followed by Jordan in 1994.

In February 2019, the U.S. brokered a security conference in Warsaw to build a global strategy against Iran.

The meeting brought leaders from Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and several other countries.

Following this conference, in August 2019, the U.S. arranged secret talks between the UAE and Israel.

These meetings laid the foundations for the agreement.

8. Manipur government extended the imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in hill districts for 6 months.

AFSPA:

Provisions: Under the Act, the Central Government or the Governor of the State or administrator of the Union Territory can declare the whole or part of the State or Union Territory as a disturbed area.

• An area can be disturbed due to differences or disputes between members of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities.

• The Act gives the Army powers to search premises and make arrests without warrants, to use force even to the extent of causing death, destroy arms/ammunition dumps, fortifications/shelters/hideouts and to stop, search and seize any vehicle. It stipulates that arrested persons and the seized property are to be made over to the police with the least possible delay.

• It offers protection of persons acting in good faith in their official capacity.

• The prosecution is permitted only after the sanction of the Central Government.

Background & withdrawal of AFSPA: Since 1981, AFSPA has been applicable in Manipur, a former Union Territory which attained Statehood in 1972. AFSPA also existed in the Naga-dominated areas of the erstwhile UT of Manipur since 1958.

Since 2022, AFSPA has been gradually withdrawn from the valley districts, which are dominated by the Meitei community, due to a “significant improvement” in the security situation.

9. Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

The President has assented the 128th constitutional amendment bill , granting 33% of seats to women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. This legislation is also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

The current Lok Sabha has the highest-ever percentage of women MPs, nearly 15 percent, which is lower than the global average of 24 percent.

There is the necessity of affirmative action to improve the condition of women. Some recent studies on panchayats have shown the positive effect of reservation on empowerment of women and on allocation of resources.

The World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, has four dimensions – Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival and Political Empowerment.

There is also an argument that having a diverse group of people in powerful positions helps institutions view things from a variety of perspectives.

Representation of women in India’s legislatures: The legislation noted that though women participate substantially in Panchayati raj institutions and municipal bodies, their representation in the State legislatures and in Parliament is still limited. Women MPs constitute a mere 15% of the Lok Sabha, and only account for about 10% of members in many State Assemblies.

Introduction of Articles: It proposes to introduce new articles — 330A and 332A — in the Constitution. These new provisions will introduce the changes for Lok Sabha and Assemblies respectively. •Need of Delimitation exercise: it makes the implementation of women’s reservation contingent upon the delimitation process.

• Sunset clause: it also has a sunset clause, mandating that the reservation will be for a period of 15 years from the date of commencement of the Act.

10. The Union government has constituted a committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to explore the feasibility of "one nation, one election”.

The idea of “One Nation, One Election” envisages a system where elections to all states and the Lok Sabha will have to be held simultaneously.

This will involve the restructuring of the Indian election cycle in a manner that elections to the states and the centre synchronise.

This would mean that the voters will cast their vote for electing members of the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies on a single day, at the same time (or in a phased manner as the case may be).

Impt: Currently, elections to the State Assemblies and the Lok Sabha are held separately — that is whenever the incumbent government’s five-year term ends or whenever it is dissolved due to various reasons. This applies to both the state legislatures and the Lok Sabha. The terms of Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha may not synchronise with one another.

11. PARIS AGREEMENT

• It is a legally binding international treaty on climate change.

• It replaced the Kyoto Protocol, an earlier agreement to deal with climate change.

• It is a landmark agreement as it brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, for the first time.

• It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, in December 2015 and entered into force in November 2016.

• The agreement seeks to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industry levels.

• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): To achieve the targets under the agreement, the member countries have to submit the targets themselves, which they believe would lead to substantial progress towards reaching the Paris temperature goal.

12. The Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The sacred ensembles of the Hoysalas, constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries are represented by the three components of the Chennakeshava temple at Belur, Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu and Keshava temple at Somanathapur.

• Temple architecture style:The Hoysala temples are constructed in Vesara style of architecture.The temple has a Dravidian morphology along with substantial influences from the Bhumija style prevalent in Central India, the Nagara traditions of northern and western India.

• The material used in temple construction is choloritic schist also known as soapstone. The temple has a distinct style following a stellate plan built on a raised platform.

The Chennakeshava Temple:

• Location: The Chennakeshava temple is located on the banks of the Yagachi River (a tributary of Hemavati River) in Belur.

• Ruler: It commenced during the reign of king Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala dynasty in 1117 CE to commemorate his victory over the Cholas.It took 103 years to complete.

• Architecture: The temple stands 37 meters tall at its highest. Its outer walls are adorned with finely done artwork, with dancing girls in various postures and animals like horses, elephants and lions.

• The other temples part of the Sacred Ensembles of Hoysala at Belur are Kappe Chennigaraya Temple, Veeranarayana Temple, and Ranganayaki Temple

The Hoysaleshwara Temple:

• Location: The Hoysaleshwara temple is located in Halebidu in Karnataka.

• Ruler: The Hoysaleshwara temple was commissioned in 1121CE during the reign of King Vishnuvardhana and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

• Architecture: Intricate carvings, finely detailed sculptures, and star-shaped architectural plans are the prime features of Sacred Ensembles of Hoysala at Halebid.

The Keshava Temple:

• Location:The Keshava temple at Somanathapur is located in Mysuru district. • Ruler: It was commissioned by Somanatha Dandanayaka during the regime of Narasimha III in 1268 CE. • Trikuta Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna in three forms – Janardhana, Keshava and Venugopala. • Architecture: The Keshava temple is built on a raised platform with an outer Pradakshina pathway. • The temple has a stellar plan with three shrines and Vimanas. The walls are covered in beautiful friezes of scenes from the epics, figures of elephants and battle scenes depicting cavalry.

HOYSALA EMPIRE

The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, between the 10th and the 14th centuries.

The Hoysala rulers were originally from Malenadu, an elevated region in the Western Ghats.

By the 13th century, they governed most of Karnataka, entire northwestern parts of Tamil Nadu and parts of western Andhra Pradesh in the Deccan Plateau.

The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later moved to Halebidu.

13. NATIONAL PAYMENTS CORPORATION OF INDIA (NPCI)

It is an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, established by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) in 2008 under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.

It has been incorporated as a “Not for Profit” Company under the provisions of Section 25 of Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of Companies Act 2013), with an intention to provide infrastructure to the entire Banking system in India for physical as well as electronic payment and settlement systems.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the launch of the products by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) at the Global Fintech Festival.

14. CRR

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that it would discontinue the Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR) in a phased manner.

What is CRR?

The average daily balance that a bank is required to maintain with the Reserve Bank as a percent of its net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) as on the last Friday of the second preceding fortnight that the Reserve Bank may notify from time to time in the Official Gazette.

15. Global Debt: • Global debt refers to the borrowings of governments as well as private businesses and individuals. Governments borrow to meet various expenditures that they are unable to meet through tax and other revenues. • Governments also borrow to pay interest on the money that they have already borrowed to fund past expenditures. • The private sector borrows predominantly to make investments.

According to a report released by the Institute of International Finance (IIF) the Global debt rose to an all-time high of $307 trillion in the second quarter, by the end of June 2023.

Global debt has risen by about $100 trillion over the last decade. Further, global debt as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) has started to increase to hit 336% after dropping quite steeply for seven consecutive quarters.

Most (over 80%) of the rise in global debt in the first half of the year has come from advanced economies such as the U.S., the U.K., Japan, and France.

Among emerging market economies, China, India and Brazil have seen the most growth in debt. During the first half of 2023, total global debt rose by $10 trillion.

16. NATIONAL BANK FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (NABARD)

It is an apex regulatory agency for Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance. • Establishment:

In 1982 on the recommendations of B.Sivaraman Committee to implement the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act 1981.

It replaced the Agricultural Credit Department (ACD) and Rural Planning and Credit Cell (RPCC) of Reserve Bank of India, and Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC).

The initial corpus of NABARD was Rs.100 crores.

• Aim & Objectives: Promoting agriculture and rural development through participative financial and non- financial interventions, innovations, technology and institutional development for securing prosperity. • Functions:

Refinance support for building rural infrastructure.

Prepares district level credit plans to guide and motivate the banking industry in achieving these targets.

17. MASOOR PRODUCTION

The ongoing standoff in India-Canada ties effects can be felt in the availability and prices of masur (red lentil).

• Global Production: Canada is the largest source of red lentils for India with the annual import being pegged at around 4-5 lakh tonne.

• Domestic production: Red lentil is the second most commonly grown rabi crop (winter crops), with Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh reporting around 70 per cent of the domestic production. West Bengal, Bihar and some of the northeastern states of Tripura, Nagaland, Assam and Manipur are the key consumer states.

• Domestic Annual Consumption: The annual consumption of masur is estimated to be around 18-20 lakh tonnes.

18. UDAN SCHEME

UDAN (UdeDeshkaAamNaagrik) is a regional airport development project and the Union Government's "Regional Connectivity Scheme" (RCS).

It aims to connect the country's unserved and underserved airports by revitalizing existing airstrips and airports.

This is a first-of-its-kind global initiative to build economically feasible flights on regional routes, making flying accessible to the average person even in small communities.

Two Main Components of this scheme are:

• To build new airports and improve existing regional airports in order to increase the number of airports that are operational for scheduled civilian flights.

• To add several hundred financially feasible, capped- fare new regional fly routes to connect more than 100 under-served and unserved airports.

19. YASHOBHOOMI

PM Modi will inaugurate a state-of-the-art convention center named YashoBhoomi under the first phase of India International Convention and Expo Centre in Delhi.

The convention center is Built across more than 73,000 sq m of area and boasts of having one of the world’s largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) facilities and the largest LED media facade in the country.

Architecture: The Convention Center Comprises 15 convention rooms including the Main auditorium, the Grand ballroom and 13 meeting rooms with a total capacity of holding 11,000 delegates.

Commitment to sustainability: Yashobhoomi is equipped with a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system with 100% wastewater reuse and provisions of rainwater harvesting. Also, its campus has received Platinum certification from CII’s Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

YashoBhoomi also offers one of the largest exhibition halls in the world, which could be utilized for hosting exhibitions, trade fairs, and business events.

20. The Ministry of Textiles has approved the Startup Guidelines for Technical Textiles - Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) providing grant-in-aid upto INR 50 Lakhs for upto a period of 18 months.

• Technical Textiles’ application areas include Agro-textiles, Building-textiles, Geo-textiles, Home-textiles, Medical- textiles, Mobile-textiles, Packaging- textiles, Protective- textiles, Sports-textiles, Smart Textiles using Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, 3D/4D Printing among others.

• The guidelines focus on supporting individuals and companies to translate prototypes to technologies & products including commercialization.

• Technical Textiles termed as a “Sunrise” sector is finding widespread applications in diverse industries such as agriculture, medical, infrastructure development, automotive, aerospace, sports, protective clothing, packaging etc.

• The Indian Technical Textiles market is the 5th largest in the world and is rapidly growing, both in terms of value and output.

• According to Ministry of Textiles, Technical Textiles account for ~15% of the overall Textiles and Apparel segment in India.

• Besides, the segment also holds importance from the employment and investment standpoint as end-usage of its products cater to a wide array of industries

National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM):

• The Textile Ministry has approved 20 important research projects in specialty fibers and geotextiles.

• The National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM) with an outlay of Rs.1,480 Crores aims to place India as one of the leaders in the global technical textile market and enhance the domestic market at the same time.

• It plans to grow the domestic market from USD 40 billion to USD 50 billion by 2024.

Technotex 2023: Envisioning Indian Technical Textiles @2047', the 10th International Exhibition and Conference on Technical Textiles, was inaugurated

Technotex, organized by the Union Ministry of Textiles and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), is a flagship event comprising buyer- seller meets, an international exhibition and conference.

Ministry also gave the nod to 26 institutes for upgrading their laboratory infrastructure and training of trainers in the application areas of technical textiles.

21.The 'State of Working India 2023' report, released by Azim Premji University’s Centre for Sustainable Employment.

The report highlights the impact of India’s economic slowdown from 2018-2020 and the subsequent Covid-19 pandemic on the labor market.

It uses data sources like the National Statistical Office, including Employment-Unemployment Surveys and the Periodic Labour Force Surveys.

Major findings of the 'State of Working India 2023' Report:

• Faster structural change: Between 2004 and 2017, around 3 million regular wage jobs were created annually. Between 2017 and 2019 this jumped to 5 million per year. Since 2019, the pace of regular wage jobs creation has decreased due to the growth slowdown and the pandemic.

Upward mobility has increased: In 2004 over 80% of sons of casual wage workers were themselves in casual employment. This was the case for both SC/ST workers and other castes. For non-SC/ST castes, this fell from 83% to 53% by 2018 and incidence of better-quality work such as regular salaried jobs increased. It fell for SC/ST castes as well, but to a lesser extent (86% to 76%). • Caste-based segregation has reduced: Between 1983 and 2021, the proportion of regular wage workers belonging to the SC category has increased. In 2021, 32% of general caste workers were in regular wage employment as compared to 22% of SC workers. The report also looks at firm ownership data to conclude that general castes are over-represented to a greater degree in larger enterprises. • Gender-based earnings disparities have reduced: In 2004, salaried women workers earned 70% of what men earned. By 2017 the gap had reduced and women earned 76% of what men did. Since then, the gap has remained constant till 2021-22. • Women in job: Between 1983 and 2021, the degree of women’s representation in industries like tobacco, education, health and social work, and textiles has increased whereas in waste management & sewerage, it has decreased. Still, in all these sectors, women are over-represented in comparison to men. • Connection between growth and good jobs remains weak: Since the 1990s year-on-year non-farm GDP growth and non- farm employment growth are uncorrelated with each other suggesting that policies promoting faster growth need not promote faster job creation. However, between 2004 and 2019, on average growth translated to decent employment. • Male Breadwinner Norm: Due to the “male breadwinner” norm, as the husband’s income increases the probability of the wife being employed also reduces. In rural areas, the fall in probability slows down as the husband’s income increases.

22. ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

It was established in 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined in 1984, followed by Vietnam in 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in 1999, making up the ten Member States of ASEAN.

ASEAN Day: 8th August. ASEAN Summit: It is the highest policy-making body in ASEAN comprising the Head of States or Government of ASEAN Member States.

It is held twice annually at a time to be determined by the Chair of the ASEAN Summit in consultation with other ASEAN Member States.

The First ASEAN Summit was held in Bali, Indonesia in 1976. ASEAN Coordinating Council: Established in 2008, the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) comprises the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and meets at least twice a year to prepare for the ASEAN Summit. ASEAN Plus: India is part of the ASEAN Plus Six grouping, which includes China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia as well.

India and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations):

• Timeline: India began formal engagement with ASEAN in 1992 as a “Sectoral Dialogue Partner” and subsequently as a “Dialogue Partner” in 1995.

• It was further upgraded to the Summit level in 2002.

• At the 20 year Commemorative Summit Meeting in 2012 the Dialogue Partnership was further elevated to a Strategic Partnership.

• At the 19th ASEAN-India Summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations in 2022, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

• India-ASEAN bilateral relationship started evolving since India introduced 'Look East Policy' in 1990s. This initiative was further transformed to ‘Act East Policy’ in 2014 mainly to develop economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asian countries.

23. Indian Coast Guard

The Indian Coast Guard is a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency of India with jurisdiction over its territorial waters including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.

• Established in 1977 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India.

• Parent Agency: Ministry of Defence

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• Head: Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG) Missions of Indian Coast Guard:

  • Safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore terminals and other installations.

  • Protection and assistance to fishermen and mariners at sea.

  • Preservation and protection of marine ecology and environment including pollution control.

  • Assistance to the Department of Customs and other authorities in anti-smuggling operations.

24. India’s Aircraft Carriers: INS Vikrant: INS Vikrant is designed by Indian Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways

• It has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built in maritime history of India. It was launched into water in 2013 and commissioned in 2022.

• The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is named after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first Aircraft Carrier which had played a vital role in the 1971 war.

INS Viraat: INS Viraat was originally commissioned by the British Royal Navy as HMS Hermes on November 18, 1959.

• INS Viraat was finally commissioned by the Indian Navy on 12 May 1987.

• INS Viraat’s first major operation was ‘Operation Jupiter’ in July 1989 as part of Peacekeeping Operations in Sri Lanka, following the breakdown of the Indo- Sri Lankan Accord of 1986.

• It also played a pivotal role in Operation Parakram, which was carried out in the wake of the 2013 terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament.

• By establishing a blockade against Pakistan during the 1999 Kargil War, the INS Viraat also played a crucial part in Operation Vijay.

INS Vikramaditya- Indian Navy’s largest ship: Russia’s refurbished Admiral Gorshkov and commissioned it into the Indian Navy as INS Vikramaditya at Severodvinsk, Russia on November 16, 2013. It is a state-of-the-art ship, capable of operating a versatile range of high-performance aircrafts, such as the MiG 29K fighters, KM 31 AEW helicopters, multi-role Seakings and utility Chetaks.

24. India and US will participate in the 19th edition of EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS” which will be conducted in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, USA.

It is an annual exercise conducted jointly by the Indian Army and the United States Army that began in 2004. The 18th edition of the Exercise was conducted in Auli, Uttarakhand, India in November 2022.

Aim: The drill is conducted with the aim of exchanging best practices, tactics, techniques and procedures between the armies of the two countries.

Theme: The theme of the Exercise is 'Employment of an Integrated Battle Group in Mountain/ Extreme Climatic Conditions' under Chapter VII of United Nations mandate.

Other Exercises with USA:

• VAJRA PRAHAR

• MALABAR EXERCISE

• RIMPAC

• SANGAM (IN-US EOD Ex)

• RED FLAG

• COPE INDIA

25. Bharat Drone Shakti 2023

The Union Defence Minister inaugurated the first-ever drone exhibition ‘Bharat Drone Shakti 2023’ at the Hindan Air Force Station, Ghaziabad.

The event is jointly organised by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Drone Federation of India (DFI) featuring over 75 drone start-ups from across the country. It includes survey drones, agriculture drones, fire suppression drones, tactical surveillance drones, heavy- lift logistics drones, loitering munition systems, drone swarms, and counter-drone solutions in the exhibition. It is focused on the latest in-house innovations projects such as a hybrid drone detection system, an Artificial Intelligence (Al) engine for fault diagnosis, a fly-by-wire tester, stabilised power supply trolleys, a QR code-based tool crib management system, and modern teaching aids.

CLASSIFICATION OF DRONES AS PER INDIA’S REGULATORY PROVISIONS

Nano Less than or equal to 250 grams

Micro From 250 grams to 2kg

Small From 2kg to 25kg

Medium From 25kg to 150kg

Large Greater than 150kg

26. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed two contracts with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the Astra Missile.

• Astra is a state-of-the-art Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to- air missile (AAM) system designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft.

• It is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and other DRDO laboratories.

• Range: It has a range of over 100 km designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets.

• Speed: The missile can travel at speeds more than four times that of sound and can reach a maximum altitude of 20 km, making it extremely flexible for air combat. Astra and its Variants:

• The missile has been designed and developed for deployment on fighter jets like Sukhoi-30 MKI and Tejas of the IAF and the Mig-29K of the Navy.

• The different variants of the missile are Astra Mk-1 (Operational), Astra Mk-2 (Trial-phase) etc. The range for Astra Mk-1 is around 110 km, and for the Mk-2 is over 150 km.

• The ASTRA Mk-I Weapon System integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

VERY IMPORTANT

27. The Six Statues at the Entrances of New Parliament:

Gaja Dwar ( Elephant Gate) It represents intellect, memory, wealth and wisdom. This gate is on the north side of the building.

Ashwa Dwar (Horse Gate): It is at the Southern entrance. A horse symbolises power, strength and courage , describing the quality of governance.

Garuda ( King of Birds): It is believed to be the mount of Lord Vishnu (the preserver in the Hindu trinity). It makes Garuda a symbol of power and dharma (duty).The Garuda gate is the eastern entrance of the new Parliament building.

Makara (Mythological Aquatic Creature):

It is named after the legendary sea creature that is a combination of different animals.

Makara sculptures are seen in Hindu and Buddhist monuments spread across South and Southeast Asia.

On one hand, Makara is considered as the combination of different creatures that represents India's unity in diversity. On the other hand, Makara sculptures at doorways are seen as protectors.

The Makara Dwar faces the entrance to the old Parliament building.

Shardula ( Mythological Creature): It is a mythological creature who has the body of a lion, the head of a horse, elephant or parrot. It symbolises the power of the people of the country.

Hamsa Dwar (Swan Gate): It is named after the swan.

Hamsa is the mount of Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of knowledge).

It symbolises moksha, or meaning the liberation of the soul from the cycle of birth and death.

The Hamsa sculpture on the Parliament's gate is a symbol of self-realisation and wisdom.

28. Sarna religious code for tribals

Followers of Sarna faith regard themselves as belonging to a distinct religious group, and are nature worshippers.

The holy grail of the Sarna faith is “Jal (water), Jungle (forest), Zameen (land)” and its followers pray to the trees and hills while believing in protecting the forest areas.

Believers of Sarna faith do not practice idol worship, nor do they adhere to the concept of the Varna system, heaven-hell, etc.

The followers are largely concentrated in the tribal belt states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.

Seeking Sarna code as a separate religious code in the next Census has been a long-standing demand of tribal groups. In 2021, the Jharkhand Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution for ‘Sarna’ code.

Need for Recognition:

• As per the state government, the tribal population in the state had declined to 26 % from 38 %in the last eight decades.

• The declining trend of tribal population was worrying as it would also affect the development policy for the fifth and sixth schedule areas.

• Tribal community that are on the verge of extinction, and if they are not protected on the principle of social justice, their existence along with the language and culture will come to an end.

29. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been given the status of a Deemed-to-be- University

• It is an autonomous organisation set up in 1961 by the Government of India.

• Aim: To assist and advise the Central and State Governments on policies and programmes for qualitative improvement in school education.

The major objectives of NCERT are to:

• undertake, promote and coordinate research in areas related to school education;

• prepare and publish model textbooks, supplementary material, newsletters, journals and develops educational kits, multimedia digital materials, etc.

• organise pre-service and in-service training of teachers;

• develop and disseminate innovative educational techniques and practices;

• collaborate and network with state educational departments, universities, NGOs and other educational institutions;

• act as a clearing house for ideas and information in matters related to school education;

• and act as a nodal agency for achieving the goals of Universalisation of Elementary Education.

30. Right to Information (RTI)

It was enacted by Parliament in 2005 . • It empowers Indian citizens to seek accessible information from a Public Authority and makes the Government and its functionaries more accountable and responsible. • It mandates timely response within 30 days to citizen requests for government information.

Section 4 of the Right to Information Act deals with the obligations of public authorities. • The right to information has been upheld by the Supreme Court as a fundamental right flowing from Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to free speech and expression. • Section 24 of the RTI Act provides that the Act does not apply to the security and intelligence organisations specified in the Second Schedule of the Act. And these are Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, Directorate of Enforcement, and agencies specified by the state governments through a notification will be excluded from providing information.

The exclusion, however, is not absolute and these organisations have an obligation to provide information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violation.

31.DIKSHA Platform

• DIKSHA is a national platform for school education, under the Ministry of Education.It provides e-content for schools via an online portal and a mobile application. It also has embedded assistive technologies for learners with visual or hearing impairments.

• DIKSHA enables all states/UTs to enable learning at home, thereby elevating the use of technology for the benefit of teachers and learners across the country.

• DIKSHA features digitized National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks used by national and State Boards. Apart from this, DIKSHA hosts 2.43 lakh contributions by 11,624 academicians by way of teaching videos, explainers, and practice questions.

32. Process: Amending the Constitution

• In India, Article 368 of the Constitution deals with the power and process of amending the Constitution.

• The Constitution can be amended in three ways: Amendment by simple majority of the Parliament, Amendment by special majority of the Parliament, and Amendment by special majority of the Parliament and the ratification of half of the state legislatures.

Amending by Simple Majority:

• This is done through a majority of those present and voting and does not require a quorum.

• Article 368 does not directly make a list of such ‘less significant’ provisions. However, a number of provisions in the Constitution can be amended by a simple majority of the two Houses of Parliament outside the scope of Article 368. These provisions includes:

• Admission or establishment of new states.

• Formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states.

• Abolition or creation of legislative councils in states, etc.

Amending by Special Majority:

• The majority of the provisions in the Constitution need to be amended by a special majority of the Parliament, that is, a majority of the total membership of each House and a majority of two-thirds of the members of each House present and voting.

• The expression ‘total membership’ means the total number of members comprising the House irrespective of fact whether there are vacancies or absentees.

• The provisions which can be amended by this way includes:

  • Fundamental Rights;

  • Directive Principles of State Policy; and

  • All other provisions which are not covered by the first and third categories.

By Special Majority of Parliament and Consent of States: • Those provisions of the Constitution which are related to the federal structure of the polity can be amended by a special majority of the Parliament and also with the consent of half of the state legislatures by a simple majority. • If one or some or all the remaining states take no action on the bill, it does not matter; the moment half of the states give their consent, the formality is completed. • There is no time limit within which the states should give their consent to the bill.The following provisions can be amended in this way:

• Election of the President and its manner.

• Extent of the executive power of the Union and the states.

• Supreme Court and high courts.

• Distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the states.

• Any of the lists in the Seventh Schedule.

• Representation of states in Parliament.

• Power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and its procedure (Article 368 itself).

33. INDIAN & BHARAT

Recently, an official invitation to a G20 dinner stated that it is hosted by “The President of Bharat” instead of the usual “President of India”.

Use of ‘Bharat’:

• Article 1 of the Constitution uses the two names interchangeably: “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”

• Several names such as Reserve Bank of India and the Indian Railways already have Hindi variants with “Bharatiya” in them.
  

History of “Bharat” to ”India”:

• Puranic literature: The roots of “Bharat”, “Bharata”, or “Bharatvarsha” are traced back to Puranic literature, and to the epic Mahabharata.

• The Puranas describe Bharata as the land between the “sea in the south and the abode of snow in the north”.

• Name of a king: Bharata is also the name of the ancient king of legend who was the ancestor of the Rig Vedic tribe of the Bharatas, and by extension, the progenitor of all peoples of the subcontinent.

• Religious and socio-cultural entity: Social scientist Catherine Clémentin-Ojha explained Bharata in the sense of a religious and socio-cultural entity, rather than a political or geographical one.

• ‘Bharata’ refers to the “supraregional and subcontinental territory where the Brahmanical system of society prevails”.

• British India: From the late 18th century onwards, British maps increasingly began to use the name ‘India’, and ‘Hindustan’ started to lose its association with all of South Asia.

• “Part of the appeal of the term India may have been its

Graeco-Roman associations, its long history of use in Europe, and its adoption by scientific and bureaucratic organisations such as the Survey of India”.

• Making of Constitution: In his monumental ‘Discovery of India’, Nehru referred to “India”, “Bharata” and “Hindustan”. But when the question of naming India in the Constitution arose, ‘Hindustan’ was dropped, and both ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ were retained.

Constituent assembly: Several members of the constituent assembly expressed themselves against the use of ‘India’, which they saw as a reminder of the colonial past.

• A popular demand by several members was also to underline that India was a substitute for Bharat in “English language”.

• Many assembly members argued that the word ‘India’ was only a translation of Bharat.

• Choosing ‘Bharat’ before ‘India’: Critics also feel that the assembly should have put the words “Bharat known as India” instead of “India, that is Bharat”.

• Historians and philologists: Historians and philologists have delved deep into this matter of the name of this country, especially the origin of this name Bharat. All of them are not agreed as to the genesis of this name Bharat.

• A few suggested “Bharat” or “Bharatvarsha” or “Bharatbhumi” as possible names that are derived from scriptures.

• Opinions on recent change: Unless any intention to the contrary is made explicit, the terminology is only a question of semantics.

One of the constitutional experts said there was nothing wrong in sending an invitation as the “President of Bharat”. However, it should not be seen as the first step towards doing away with the use of the English language. • Global examples: According to a few, Sri Lanka eschewed the name Ceylon long ago, but we cling to the name left behind by the invaders.

Supreme Court’s Opinion:

• In 2020, the Supreme Court had dismissed a PIL seeking to remove “India” from the Constitution and retain only Bharat in order to “ensure the citizens of this country get over the colonial past”.

• Apex court opined that, “India is already called Bharat in the Constitution itself.”

• CJI upheld the right of the individual to choose between the two names.
  

• Way Ahead:

• The government may decide to make 'Bharat' the official name of the country.

• However, they will be required to introduce a bill in the Parliament to amend Article 1 of the Constitution.

• While there is no constitutional objection to calling India 'Bharat', completely dispense with 'India' which has incalculable brand value is futile.

34. Caste based Reservation in India:

• It was originally conceived in 1882 by William Hunter and Jyotirao Phule, and after the independence of India, only Scheduled Caste (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) were included for reservation.

• Other Backward Classes (OBCs) were included only after the recommendations of the Mandal Commission in 1991.

MANDAL COMMISSION

• In 1980, the BP Mandal-led Second Backward Classes Committee, often called the Mandal Commission, had recommended 27% reservation for OBCs and 22.5% for the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.

• In 1990, the Congress government had granted 27% reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.

• In 1991, the government issued another notification providing an additional reservation of 10% for other economically backward sections. However, the 10% quota based on economic criteria was quashed by the Supreme Court, and upheld the 27% quota (as per Mandal commission). The court observed that a backward class cannot be determined exclusively based on economic criteria and noted that backward classes could be identified based on castes.

Indra Sawhney v Union of India case

In a 1992 nine-judge bench, held that the Supreme Court accepted a 50% cap on reservations while deciding on reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

• The Supreme Court of India capped caste-based reservation, ruling that "no provision of reservation or preference can be so vigorously pursued as to destroy the very concept of equality".

• However, the court held that this reservation could be breached in ‘extraordinary situations’ with ‘extreme caution’.

• The court also ruled that total reservation provided under different categories must not cross the 50%. The court had also asked the government to separate creamy layers suitably.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

• Article 15(1) generally prohibits any discrimination against any citizen on the grounds of religion, caste, sex or place of birth.

• Articles 15(4) and 16(4) state that the equality provisions do not prevent the government from making special provisions in matters of admission to educational institutions or jobs in favour of backward classes, particularly the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs). • Article 16(1) and 16(2) assure citizens equality of opportunity in employment or appointment to any government office. • Article 16(4A) allows reservations to SCs and STs in promotions, as long as the government believes that they are not adequately represented in government services.

35. NATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR TRANSFORMING INDIA (NITI AAYOG)

• It was set up in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission.

• It is an Executive Body (acts as a think tank and advisory body)

• Objective: To foster the spirit of Cooperative and Competitive federalism through structured support initiatives on a continuous basis.

• Full-time organizational framework:

  • Prime Minister as the Chairperson

  • Vice-Chairperson (appointed by the Prime Minister)

  • Members: Full-time & Part-time members on a rotational basis: Maximum of 2 members from foremost universities, leading research organizations, and other innovative organizations in an ex-officio capacity. Ex Officio members: Maximum of 4 members of the Council of Ministers which is to be nominated by the Prime Minister.

Chief Executive Officer: The CEO will be appointed by the PM for a fixed tenure. He will be in the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.

Key Initiatives and Recent Achievements:

• Aspirational Districts Scheme.

• 3 Documents: 3-year action agenda, 7-year medium- term strategy paper and 15-year vision document.

• Monitoring and Analysing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) programme in India

• Promote Zero Budget Natural Farming.

• Promoting ‘Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati’ programme under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

• Village Storage Scheme

36. CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS FOR APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES

• Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed by the President under Articles 124(2) and 217 of the Constitution. • Article 124(2)says: “Every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with such Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts in the States as he may deem necessary. • Article 217: “Every Judge of a High Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, the Governor of the State, and, in the case of appointment of a Judge other than the Chief Justice, the Chief Justice of the High Court.”

What is the Collegium System?

• It is a mechanism invented by the judiciary for the appointment and transfer of judges, through Second and Third Judges Case judgments.

• There is no such law or constitutional provision that mentions or defines the collegium system.

• It is headed by the CJI and comprises 4 other senior-most judges of the court. An HC collegium is led by its Chief Justice and four other senior-most judges of that court.

37. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SIGN LANGUAGES

Sign Language Day is being celebrated by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) on 23rd September 2023.

The UN General Assembly proclaimed 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages. The choice commemorates the date that the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was established in 1951. The day is a unique opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users.

• Theme for 2023: A World where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere!

38. UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) India, in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), unveiled the "India Ageing Report 2023."

This report sheds light on the challenges, opportunities and institutional responses regarding elderly care in India, as India navigates a demographic shift towards an ageing population.

It represents a thorough review of the living conditions and welfare of older individuals in India.

Global: There are 1.1 billion persons aged 60 years or above in 2022, comprising 13.9 percent of the total population. Asia is home to about 58 percent of the global population of older persons.

INDIA: There are 149 million persons aged 60 years and above (10.5% of the total population)

Share of Aged Population: The share of population over the age of 60 years is projected to increase from 10.5 percent in 2022 to 20.8 percent in 2050.

By the end of the century, the elderly will constitute over 36 percent of the total population of the country.

80+Years Population: The population of people aged 80+ years will grow at a rate of around 279% between 2022 and 2050, with a predominance of widowed and highly dependent old women.

Inherently gendered: Poverty is inherently gendered in old age when older women are more likely to be widowed, living alone, with no income support and with fewer assets of their own, making them completely dependent.

Poor and No income: More than 40% of the elderly in India are in the poorest wealth quintile, with about 18.7% of them living without an income.

Life expectancy: Women, on average, had higher life expectancy at the age of 60 and at the 80, when compared to men — with variations across States and Union Territories.

Variation in States: Most States in the southern region and select northern States such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab reported a higher share of the elderly population than the national average in 2021, a gap that is expected to widen by 2036. Compared with southern and western India, central and northeastern regions have the younger group of States.

39. ARUNACHAL PRADESH BANS RODENT- CATCHING GLUE TRAPS

• Arunachal Pradesh has prohibited the statewide manufacture, sale, and use of glue traps for catching rats and mice following an appeal from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. In its appeal, PETA India requested to take immediate steps to implement the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) directions against glue traps.

• Similar circulars have been issued in States such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal.

• The use of glue traps is a punishable offence under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. A bird can damage its wings and feathers if it gets stuck in a glue trap.

• It is also a violation of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits the ‘hunting’ of protected indigenous species.

PETA India

• PETA India, based in Mumbai, was launched in January 2000, operates under the simple principle that animals are not to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way.

• It focuses primarily on the areas in which the greatest numbers of animals suffer the most, like in laboratories, food industry, leather trade, and entertainment business.

• It educates policymakers and the public about animal abuse and promotes an understanding of the right of all animals to be treated with respect.
  

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)

• It is a statutory and advisory body for the Government of India, advising on animal welfare laws, and promotes animal welfare in the country of India.

• It was established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960.

• HQ in Ballabgarh in Faridabad District of Haryana.

40. REUSABLE STRAW

The patent office of Government of India has granted a patent to Botanical Survey of India for ‘reusable straw and its manufacturing’.

The reusable straw is developed from a species of endemic bamboo plant(Schizostachyum andamanicum) which is found in the Andamans and Nicobar Islands.

• The Schizostachyum andamanicum was discovered on the island about three decades ago and now its economic potential has received a boost with the granting of the patent for reusable straw and its manufacture.

• This species of bamboo is characterized by a thin large hollow erect culm (stem) with long internodes and has potential for developing into a straw.

• The morpho-anatomical structure of culm internodes of the endemic bamboo were identical to modern synthetic drinking straws which led to the idea for this novel invention.

41.The inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS23) in Nairobi culminated in the ‘Nairobi Declaration’.

The three-day event was hosted by the government of Kenya and the African Union. • Theme: Driving green growth and climate finance solutions for Africa and the World. Multi-Billion Dollar Pledges at Summit:

• The Nairobi summit largely focused on calls to unlock investment in clean energy.

• Various stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, multilateral banks, and philanthropists have made substantial commitments totalling a remarkable $23 billion for green growth, mitigation, and adaptation efforts across Africa.

• The pledges, some directly to Kenya like the €12 million in grants from the European Union (EU) for investment in the green hydrogen industry, are expected to accelerate the continent’s green agenda.

• One of the big pledges at the summit was a $4.5 billion finance initiative announced by COP28 president-designate Sultan Al Jaber towards unlocking Africa’s clean energy.

Several other pledges at the meeting included: • Britain’s £49 million for UK-backed projects to help Africa achieve its growth agenda in renewable sectors. • The African Development Bank (AfDB) and Global Center on Adaptation’s $1 billion initiative launched to finance youth-led businesses and startups across Africa. And an additional $25 million from AfDB towards climate finance by 2025. • The United Arab Emirates investors pledge to buy $450 million of carbon credits generated in Africa by 2030. • Germany’s €60 million debt swaps with Kenya to free up money for green projects nationwide.

Nairobi Declaration: The declaration has a raft of recommendations, pledges and demands believed to have boosted Africa’s bargaining power on international platforms.

• It highlights green investment opportunities in Africa’s emerging blue and green economies.

• It also urges world leaders to back a proposed “carbon tax on fossil fuel trade, maritime transport and aviation”.

• While calling the international community to order, the declaration wants them to honour the annual climate finance pledge of $100bn they made, as a matter of urgency.

• With many African countries having defaulted on loans from developed countries, the declaration proposes debt relief interventions.

• It recommends extending the debt repayment period and instituting a 10-year grace period to allow the borrowed funds to serve intended development goals.

42. PROJECT CHEETAH COMPLETES ONE YEAR

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), is one of the world’s most- recognizable cats, known especially for its speed.In India, the cheetah population used to be fairly widespread. • The cheetah is believed to have disappeared from the Indian landscape in 1947 when Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Koriya princely state hunted down and shot the last three recorded Asiatic cheetahs in India.

The cheetah was officially declared extinct by the Indian government in 1952. • Since the 1940s, the cheetah has gone extinct in 14 other countries – Jordan, Iraq, Israel, Morocco, Syria, Oman, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Ghana, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Project Cheetah:

• Project Cheetah is India’s cheetah relocation programme.It aims to bring back independent India’s only extinct large mammal.

• As part of the project, 50 cheetahs will be introduced in various National Parks over five years.

• The goal of the introduction of African cheetahs is to “establish viable cheetah metapopulation in India that allows the cheetah to perform its functional role as a top predator and provides space for the expansion of the cheetah within its historical range thereby contributing to its global conservation efforts.”

Status of the Project Cheetah • In total, 20 adult African cheetahs have been imported so far and were relocated in Kuno National Park. • The first batch of eight cheetahs arrived in September 2022 from Namibia and another batch of 12 cheetahs from South Africa arrived in February 2023. • This is the first time in the world that a large carnivore has been relocated from one continent to another.

In March 2023, one of the females gave birth to a litter of four cubs which were conceived in India. However only one of the cubs survived.

Out of 20 cheetahs brought six adults and three cubs born in India have died so far.

KUNO NATIONAL PARK

• The park is located in the Vindhyan Hills of Central India in Madhya Pradesh.The Kuno river flows through the national park.

• It was established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary. In 2018, it was given the status of a national park.

43. GREEN AMMONIA

Recently, Chidambaranar Port Authority , Tamil Nadu successfully handled 3x20 ISO Green Ammonia Containers, weighing 37.4 tons of Green Ammonia, from Damietta Port, Egypt.

• Ammonia is a pungent gas that is widely used to make agricultural fertilisers. Green ammonia production is where the process of making ammonia is 100% renewable and carbon-free.

• It is most commonly made from methane, water and air, using steam methane reforming (SMR) (to produce the hydrogen) and the Haber process.

• The current way of making ammonia is to strip hydrogen from natural gas using steam (producing CO2 as a by-product), and then combine that hydrogen with nitrogen from the air at high pressure and temperatures of hundreds of degrees Celsius.

• This procedure, called the Haber-Bosch process, typically releases nearly 2 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere for every ton of usable ammonia.

• This process consumes a lot of energy and produces around 1.8% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

• Green ammonia involves slashing emissions from ammonia production by taking natural gas out of the equation and instead making hydrogen by splitting water with electricity sourced from renewables.

• The rest of the Haber-Bosch process remains the same, powered by renewable electricity.

Decarbonisation of Ammonia Production:

• Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide produced during the ammonia manufacturing process is critical to achieve net- zero targets by 2050.

• The best way to reduce carbon emissions when making ammonia is to use low-carbon hydrogen and the most likely short-term options for creating carbon-free hydrogen at scale are blue hydrogen and green hydrogen:

• Blue hydrogen is where carbon emissions from the steam methane reforming (SMR) process are captured and stored (CCS).

• Green hydrogen is produced using water electrolysis to generate hydrogen and oxygen, using sustainable electricity in the process.

44. PINK DIAMONDS

The researchers have found the “missing ingredient” for pink diamonds by measuring the age of elements of the crystals of an Argyle rock sample. Pink diamonds are some of the world’s most expensive stones due their rarity and beauty.

The Argyle Mines in Western Australia account for over 90% of all pink diamond production, with the remaining 10% coming from other mines in Brazil, South Africa, India, Russia, and Canada.

Only 1% of the Argyle diamonds mined in the region are pink diamonds, even though the Argyle mines contain the majority of pink diamonds. Traces of pink diamonds are occasionally found in the olconda mines of the Godavari delta region.

45. GALACTIC TIDES

Researchers have observed the Andromeda galaxy is heading towards the Milky Way and found tidal streams near its edges.

These are the tidal forces experienced by objects affected by the gravitational field of galaxies, such as the Milky Way. • These are caused by gravitational forces within a galaxy, arising in the interactions between celestial objects such as stars and gas clouds.

When two large galaxies collide or pass close to each other, they exert enormous tidal forces and often produce the most visually impressive demonstrations of galactic tidal behaviour. • Understanding galactic tides is crucial to understand the complex dynamics and evolution of galaxies over cosmological time in astronomy. • Tidal streams (Galactic tides) which is near the edges of Andromeda galaxy, closest to the Milky Way, could be signatures of dwarf galaxies.

The Andromeda galaxy is heading towards the Milky Way at 110 km/s and is estimated tocollide in four billion years.

Effects of Galactic Tides:

• Galactic tides create two arms in the galaxy, just as the Moon creates two tides on opposite sides of the Earth.

• These tides influence various aspects of a galaxy’s evolution and can reshape a galaxy structure by creating tidal tails and bridges, promoting star formation, and disrupting smaller star systems. These include galactic collisions, the destruction of dwarf and satellite galaxies, and the tidal effects on the Oort cloud.

46. NORMAN BORLAUG AWARD

Swati Nayak becamethe third Indian agriculture scientist to win the prestigious Norman E. Borlaug Award for 2023. The other two Indian recipients are Aditi Mukherji (2012) and Mahalingam Govindaraj (2022).

Who is Swati Nayak?

• She is an agriculture scientist famously known by the name “Bihana Didi” (Seed Lady) by local communities in Odisha.

• Ms. Nayak and her team formulated a strategy for introducing the drought-tolerant Sahbhagi Dhan rice variety in Odisha. She is recognized for her innovative approach to engage small farmers in demand-driven rice seed systems, from testing and deployment to equitable access and adoption of climate-resilient and nutritious rice varieties.

47. NASA’S FIRST ASTEROID SAMPLES LAND ON EARTH

NASA capsule carrying first asteroid samples from Bennu lands on Earth.

• The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft released the sample from the Bennu asteroid in the Utah desert of the USA.

• The sample containing pebbles and dust represent the biggest haul from beyond the moon that will help scientists to understand better about the Earth’s evolution and our solar system. Along with this, it will help scientists to investigate how planets formed and how life began.

• It has been estimated that the material of Bennu are so old, it may contain organic molecules similar to those that could have been involved with the start of life on Earth.

• Japan is the only other country to bring back asteroid samples.

• A sample from the Asteroid Ryugu, having a rich complement of organic molecules is bought by Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft.

• After dropping off the sample, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft began a new mission as OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer (OSIRIS-APEX) and headed toward an encounter with asteroid Apophis in 2029

48. HYBRID SEEDS

Hybrid seeds are becoming increasingly popular in India.

A hybrid seed, also called an F1 hybrid, is produced by controlled cross-pollination between different varieties of the same plant. F1 hybrid: It is a first-generation hybrid, which means that the seeds came from the cross pollination of two parent plants from two different “pure” lines.

These are chosen to enhance the characteristics of the resulting plants including – better yield, greater uniformity, and disease resistance.

The origin of hybrids can be traced to India’s Green Revolution in the 1960s, when the government’s effort was primarily to increase agricultural productivity. For this, the National Seed Corporation was set up to develop, store and distribute high yield variety seeds.

Significance of Hybrid Seeds:

• Hybrid seeds are crucial in addressing food shortage, wastage, climate concerns and deteriorating food quality.

• They enhance the resulting plants’ characteristics, such as better yield, greater uniformity, pest resistance and disease resistance.

• This enhances farm productivity, thus increasing the profitability of farmers, which mainly benefits small farmers, who account for over 80% of all farmers in India.

Difference between Genetically Modified (GM) and Hybrid: • GMOs are created through biotechnology, which involves modifying an organism's DNA using in vitro nucleic acid techniques or forcing the combination of unrelated organisms with newer methods. • Hybridization can occur in nature when two plants of related species cross-pollinate due to insects, animals or the wind.

In this case, people replicate what already happens in nature in a more controlled environment. • Via genetic manipulation in a laboratory, scientists can sidestep the slow, natural process of hybridization and can- do things that hybridization would never be capable of.

49. Recently, the anniversary of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), Mangalyaan was observed which successfully entered into orbit around Mars on September 24, 2014.

Mars:

• Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun.

• Terrain: Mars is a terrestrial planetthat is composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals.

• Geological Features: Mars hosts a large shield volcano (Olympus Mons) and one of the largest canyons in the Solar System (Valles Marineris).

• Soil: Mars is known as the Red Planet because of the presence of iron minerals in the Martian soil which is oxidized causing the soil and atmosphere to look red.

• Atmosphere: Mars is a dusty, cold, desert world with a very thin atmosphere, made up mostly of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Argon (Ar), Nitrogen (N2), and a small amount of oxygen and water vapor.

• Seasons: The axial tilt of Mars is 25.19° relative to its orbital plane, which is similar to the axial tilt of Earth. As a result, Mars has seasons like Earth, though on Mars they are nearly twice as long because its orbital period.

• Orbit and Rotation: Mars's average distance from the Sun is roughly 230 million km, and its orbital period is 687 earth days. The solar day on Mars is only slightly longer than an Earth Day: 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35.244 seconds.

• Rings: There are no rings around Mars.

• Moons: Mars has two moons-Phobos and Deimos.

MOM: • Name: The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also famously known Timeline: It was launched by ISRO aboard PSLV-C25 from Sriharikota in 2013 and was put into Mars orbit on September 24, 2014. It stayed in touch with Earth till April 2022, when communications were finally lost. • MissionObjectives:Themissionwasa"technologydemonstrator" project to develop the technologies for designing, planning, management, and operations of an interplanetary mission. • Payloads: It carried the following five scientific payloads:

 Mars Color Camera (MCC)  Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIS)  Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM)  Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA)

 Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP) as Mangalyaan, was India's first interplanetary mission.

Mars Orbiter Mission 2 (Mangalyaan 2):

• ISRO is planning to launch Mangalyaan 2 in 2024.

• The spacecraft will carry "a hyperspectral camera, a high resolution panchromatic camera and a radar to understand early Martian crust, recent basalts and boulder falls."

50. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently completed a key engine test for Gaganyaan Mission.

ISRO has successfully completed the CE20 E13 engine hot test for the Gaganyaan mission and 22-tonne thrust qualification.

CE20 E13 Engine: • It is a vital component, serving as the powerhouse of the Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) responsible for propelling the upper stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).

It is developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and was tested at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. • E13 is the engine hardware of the CE20 which is selected for both Gaganyaan qualification and 22-tonne thrust level operations. CE20 E13 Engine has demonstrated its capability by successfully operating at a thrust level of 19 tonnes in six successive LVM3 missions, including the Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and two commercial OneWeb missions.

Important:

CRYOGENIC ENGINE/ CRYOGENIC STAGE

• It is the last stage of space launch vehicles which makes use of Cryogenics. Cryogenics is the study of the production and behaviour of materials at extremely low temperatures (below -150°C) to lift and place heavier objects in space.

• Cryogenic stage is technically a much more complex system in comparison to solid or liquid propellant (stored on earth) stages due to the usage of propellants at extremely low temperatures.

• It provides more force with each kilogram of cryogenic propellant it uses compared to other propellants, such as solid and liquid propellant rocket engines. Propellants in Cryogenic Engine:

• It makes use of Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen as propellants which liquefy at -183 °C and -253 °C respectively.

• The major components of a cryogenic rocket engine are combustion/thrust chamber, igniter, fuel injector, fuel cryo pumps, oxidizer cryo pumps, gas turbine, cryo valves, regulators, the fuel tanks and a rocket engine nozzle.

51.What is Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)?

It is a molecule in living cells that carries genetic information and helps in production of proteins. Unlike DNA, however, RNA is most often single-stranded. • While most RNAs have a linear structure with free ends, a unique type known as circular RNA (circRNA) forms a closed-loop. • Its role in HIV-1 replication has remained unclear for a long time.

Recently, the researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Bhopal have identified a Circular RNA virus, ciTRAN.

HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)?

• About: HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, specifically the CD4 cells, which are crucial for fighting off infections.

On the basis of genetic characteristics and differences,HIV is classified into the types 1 and 2 (HIV- 1, HIV-2). HIV-2 develops more slowly and has a lower transmission rate than HIV-1.

HIV-1 is the most common type of HIV, and it occurs all over the world. Around 95% of people living with HIV have HIV-1.

HIV-2 is mainly present in West Africa, but it is slowly starting to appear in other regions, including the United States, Europe, and India.

• Causes: It primarily spreads through unprotected sexual contact, sharing needles or syringes, and from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. • Symptoms: Many people with HIV do not experience any symptoms for years after infection, but the virus continues to damage the immune system.

As HIV progresses, symptoms may include fever, fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, and recurrent infections. • Treatment:

At present, there is no cure for HIV or AIDS, but antiretroviral therapy (ART) can slow the progression of the virus and improve quality of life.

It involves taking a combination of medications that target different stages of the virus’s life cycle, reducing its ability to replicate and damage the immune system.

The drugs must be taken for life because the virus continues to persist in reservoirs across the body.

If left untreated, the virus destroys a person’s immune system and leads to AIDS resulting in death.

52. INTERNET COOKIES

The newly enacted Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 now requires websites to obtain explicit consent from users before collecting or processing personal data via cookies.

• These are text files with small pieces of data — like a username and password — that are used to identify your computer with a network.

• Specific cookies are used to identify specific users and improve their web browsing experience.

• The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) cookies are built specifically for web browsers to track, personalise and save information about each user’s session (amount of time spent on a site) which is created to identify you when you visit a new website.

Usage of Cookies:

• As Digital ID Cards: Data stored in a cookie is created by the server upon our connection, which is labelled with an ID unique to us and our computer.

• Personalisation: Cookies foster a sense of personalisation by recalling user’s preferences such as language choice or website theme.

Cookies function as the digital equivalent of a persistent shopping cart, ensuring items that have been added online remain there at the time of return. • Cookies facilitate website owners in gathering invaluable analytics data about user interactions, enabling them to make enhancements and customise content for better service delivery. • Cookies play a pivotal role in targeted advertising, as advertisers use them to display ads that align with our interests and browsing history.

In India: • The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, enacted by India, necessitates websites to acquire explicit consent from users prior to collecting or processing their personal data via cookies.

53.Copyright:

• “Copyright” refers to the right given by the law to creators of literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works and producers of cinematograph films and sound recordings.

• It’s a bundle of rights that includes rights of reproduction, communication to the public, adaptation, and translation of a work.

• The Copyright Act, 1957, aims to safeguard creative works, which are considered to be the creator’s intellectual property

Copyright Infringement:

• A copyrighted work will be considered “infringed” only if a substantial part is made use of without authorisation.

• In cases of infringement, the copyright owner can take legal action against any person who infringes on or violates their copyright and is entitled to remedies such as injunctions, damages, and accounts.

Injunction:

• An injunction is “an official order given by a law court, usually to stop someone from doing something.

• However, an injunction only acts as a deterrent and does not mean that all alleged instances of misuse will be corrected immediately. This is because even when a court grants it, it is not easy to track all such cases and act on them.

54. ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVs)

The World EV Day is celebrated on 9 September every year. It has been observed since 2020.

Indian Initiatives: • In India, the government has implemented several schemes to promote the use of electric vehicles (EVs). These include:

• FAME I & II: Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles is a government scheme, which provides incentives for the purchase of EVs and the installation of charging infrastructure.

• NEMMP: National Electric Mobility Mission Plan was launched in 2020, which aims to have at least 30% of vehicles on Indian roads be electric by 2030.

• Tax benefits: The Government has announced plans to provide an additional income tax deduction of INR 1.5 Lakh on the interest paid on loans taken to purchase electric vehicles.

• PLI: The government has announced a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to boost domestic manufacturing and attract global companies to invest in the Indian market.

• NTTM: The Government also plans to set up a National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) to promote the use of technical textiles in various sectors, including the EV industry.

BENEFITS:

• Lower operating costs: Electric vehicles have lower fuel costs and require less maintenance than traditional gasoline- powered vehicles.

• Environmental benefits: EVs produce zero emissions and can significantly reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

• Energy independence: As more renewable energy sources are used to power EVs, it can reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

• Improved performance: EVs have instant torque, which means they can accelerate quickly, and have a smoother and quieter ride.

• Convenience: Many electric vehicles have the ability to charge at home using a standard electrical outlet, eliminating the need to visit a gas station.

• Energy security: EV's use domestic electricity to power the car, reducing the need for oil imports.

55. Iran experienced extreme heat with a heat index of 70°C in August, leading to public holidays being declared due to the unprecedented heat.

• Heat index, also known as apparent temperature, is a measure of how the temperature feels to humans. Relative humidity is an important factor that determines heat index, along with air temperature.

• A heat index value of 67°C or above can be extremely dangerous for people and animals who have direct and prolonged exposure.

Humidity: Factor of Heat Index

• Hot air can hold more moisture than cold air. Therefore, when temperature rises, the air’s capacity to hold moisture also increases, thus affecting the apparent temperature or heat index.

56. KILAUEA VOLCANO ON HAWAII'S BIG ISLAND

Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island started erupting.

PLACES IN NEWS

1)KAOBAL GALI-MUSHKOH VALLEY

Kaobal Gali-Mushkoh Valley, once the battlefield of Kargil war, has been opened up for tourists.

• The high-altitude passes of the Gurez valley, in north Kashmir is set to connect with the Mushkoh valley, in Kargil’s Drass Sector, Ladakh, the site of the Kargil war in 1999.

• A 130-km road has been opened up for tourists. Kaobal Gali, the highest pass at a height of 4,166.9 meters in Gurez, connects the two valleys.

• The road connecting the two valleys is being maintained under Beacon (by the Border Roads Organisation) and at present is a fair-weather road.

Gurez Valley:

• The Gurez valley is close to the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir, situated at about 2,400 meters above sea level.

• It is also home to ibex, musk deer and marmots, Himalayan brown bear and snow leopard. The Kishanganga River flows through the valley.

• The Gurez valley is one of few habitations in Kashmir where villages with only log houses exist, with no intervention of urban concrete materials.

Mushkoh Valley:

• The Mushkoh Valley is situated in Dras, Ladakh.

• It is home to boisterous wild tulip flowers and endangered Himalayan yew.

2)Bagmati River

• Bagmati River is a transboundary river between Nepal and India border.

• Origin: Shivapuri Hills to the north of Kathmandu, Nepal.

• Mouth of the River: The River ultimately joins the Narayani River. The merged waters of the Bagmati and Narayani eventually make their way southward and into the Ganges.

At least 12 people went missing after a boat capsized in the Bagmati river in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar recently.

3)MANA VILLAGE

Akashvani Delhi celebrated the successful culmination of India's Presidency of the G-20 summit and the 'Meri Maati Mera Desh' initiative with a grand cultural extravaganza in Village Mana, District Chamoli, Uttarakhand.

• Mana is located in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand and shares a border with China and was previously referred to as the “last village” but is now referred to as the "first Indian village”.

• It is located on the banks of the River Saraswati, just 3 km away from the town of Badrinath, making it one of the best tourist attractions in the region.

• The people living in Mana village belong to the Bhotia community, a Mongol tribe.

• Mana is renowned for its woollen garments and materials, which are made primarily from sheep wool.

• It holds a huge religious significance for the Hindus as the place is related to the time of Mahabharata.

4) RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK

It is located at the junction of the Aravali and Vindhya hill ranges in the district of Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan.

Ranthambore National Park was established initially as Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Government of India.

In 1973, it was declared as one of the Project Tiger reserves in India, and declared a National Park in 1980.

It comes under the dry-deciduous forest system and home to varieties of flora and fauna.

Tigers at Ranthambore National park have been known to even hunt in full view of human visitors.

5)Major security breach reported from Idukki dam.

It is a double curvature Arch dam constructed across the Periyar River in a narrow gorge between two granite hills locally known as Kuravan and Kurathi in Mariyapuram village in Idukki District in Kerala, India.

• It is one of the highest arch dams in Asia and third tallest arch dam. • The dam stands between the two mountains – Kuravanmala and Kurathimala.

Periyar River: The Periyar River is the longest river in the state of Kerala. It is also known as ‘Lifeline of Kerala’ as it is one of the few perennial rivers in the state.

• It originates from Sivagiri Hills of Western Ghats and flows through Periyar National Park and reaches the Periyar Lake and then the water flows into Vembanad Lake and finally into Arabian Sea.

• Major Tributaries: Muthirapuzha, Mullayar, Cheruthoni, Perinjankutti and Edamala rivers.

6) UMIAM LAKE

The Meghalaya High Court heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the cleanliness of the Umiam Lake.

Umiam Lake

• It is one of the biggest artificial lakes in Meghalaya that is situated about 15 km from Shillong.

• It is more easily recognised as Bara Pani, and covers an area of about 220 sq km.

• The surrounding Sylvan Hills and green Khasi pines add to the majesty of this vast lake.

• It was created by damming the Umiam River in the early 1960s.

CULTURE

1) BHARATANATYAM (IMPORTANT FOR NID)

WHY IN NEWS?

Bharatanatyam exponent Saroja Vaidyanathan has passed away. The classical dancer was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2002 and the Padma Bhushan in 2013.

• Bharatanatyam of Tamil Nadu state is one of the classical dances of India which has grown out of the art of dancers dedicated to temples and was earlier known as Sadir or Dasi Attam.

• It is a popular classical dance form in South India.

• It is the first of India's traditional dances to be refashioned as a theatre art and to be exhibited widely both at home and abroad.

• The Abhinaya Darpana by Nandikesvara is one of the main sources of textual material, for the study of the technique and grammar of body movement in Bharatnatyam Dance.

• Bharatanatyam rests on principles of performance and an aesthetics set down in classics such as Bharata's Natyashastra.

• It has a rich repertoire of songs in Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit.

• Bharatanatyam has a highly evolved language of Nritta, abstract dance, and Nritya which unfolds the narrative.

• The themes have a wide range spanning human and divine love and are generally classed under the rubric of shringara (romantic love) and bhakti (devotion).

• As a result of its exquisite representation of the element of fire within the human body, Bharatanatyam is frequently referred to as the "fire dance."

• The music of Bharatanatyam belongs to the Carnatic system of southern India.

• Some common instruments that accompany a Bharatanatyam dancer in a recital are; the Mridangam, Veena, Flute, Violin, Talam, Ghatam, Kanjeera, Tambura, Nadaswaram and Harmonium.

Elements of Bharatanatyam: • Bhava (Expressions): Bharatanatya performers need to master being able to perform various facial expressions as demanded by the song/story.  Expressions of joy, surprise, anger, grief, love etc aid in communication of the message during performance. • Hastha Mudra (Hand gestures): Hand gestures and forming of different shapes by finger movements make an important part of Bharatanatyam performance. • Thala: Bharatanatyam performance is done in sync with some soulful Carnatic music.  Thalas represent eight rhythmic intervals. • Dance: Bharatanatyam dance performance includes carefully choreographed and well-rehearsed dance performance that utilizes all of stage space, showcasing tricky body maneuvers and dance steps that sync perfectly with music, facial expressions and hand gestures. • Nataraja Statue: Most Bharatanatya dances are performed in front of Lord Nataraja statue.  All performances begin with a prayer and initial steps marking respect to Lord Nataraja. • Dress: Bharatanatyam performers (females) wear silk saree, along with suitable ornaments, jewelry and metallic bells (gejje) on their wrist and ankles.  Male performers wear silk dhoti, shalya and minimum jewelry. • Performers: Bharatanatyam is performed both by male and female artists. However, the majority of the artists are female.

• Solo/Group: Bharatanatyam may be performed both solo and in a small group.

2)Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister recently unveiled the Ekatmata ki Murti (Statue of Oneness) of Adi Shankaracharya on the Mandhata hillock at Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh.

Ekatmata ki Murti (Statue of Oneness):

• The 108-feet-tall statue portrays the 8th-century Indian philosopher and theologian- Adi Guru Shankaracharya, who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta.

• The unveiling is part of the ambitious Ekatma Dham project of the State government of Madhya Pradesh. The government wants to develop it along the lines of the Mahakal Lok corridor as a major destination for spiritual-religious tourism.

Adi Shankaracharya and Advaita Vedanta: • Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya (788–820 CE) was born in Kaladi in Kerala and died in Kedarnath at the young age of 32.

He is credited with establishing the Advaita Vedanta School of Hindu philosophy, which integrates diverse thoughts and Hindu practices into a philosophy based on the Vedic dictum of ‘One Truth, Many Expositions’. • He emphasized the importance of pramana or methods of reasoning, tempered by anubhava or intuitive experience, which empower the seeker to gain the spiritual knowledge adumbrated by sacred texts. • He declared that any human being, merely by virtue of their personhood could attain the Supreme Consciousness through a study of the scriptures, the Puranas and the epics, meditation (japa), fasting (upavasa) and worship (puja).

He revived Hinduism and established the organizational structure for its survival and regeneration, through the 4 ashrams/mathas he established in Sringeri, Dwaraka, Puri and Joshimatha.

Works:

• He composed 72 devotional and meditative hymns like Soundarya Lahari, Sivananda Lahari, Nirvana Shalkam, Maneesha Panchakam.

• He also wrote 18 commentaries on the major scriptural texts including the Brahma Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and 12 major Upanishads.

• He also authored 23 books on the fundamentals of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy which expound the principles of the non-dual Brahman. These include Viveka Chudamani, Atma Bodha, Vaakya Vritti, Upadesa Sahasri, among others.

• His bhashyas are all written in prose, not verse, with lucidity and sharpness, and employ the Upanishadic question-and- answer format that the West calls ‘Socratic’.

3) The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is going to launch various initiatives to exhibit the rich cultural heritage of India.

Adopt a Heritage 2.0 Programme:

• The programme is a revamped version of the earlier scheme ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan' , launched in 2017. The scheme was an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India.

• The programme defines the amenities sought for different monuments as per Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act 1958.

• Under this programme, ASI invites corporate stakeholders to enhance the amenities at the monuments by utilizing their Corporate social responsibility (CSR ) funds.

• The selected stakeholders will develop, provide and/or maintain amenities in hygiene, accessibility, safety and knowledge categories.

• The term of the appointment for stakeholders will be for a period of five years initially, which may be further extended up to five years.

‘Indian Heritage’ Mobile App:

• The app will feature state-wise details of monuments along with photographs, list of public amenities available, geo- tagged location and feedback mechanism for citizens.

• The launch will be in a phased manner, with the ticketed monuments launched in Phase I, followed by the remaining monuments.

e-Permission Portal:

• The portal will be launched for obtaining permission for photography, filming and developmental projects on monuments.

• The portal will fast-track the process for obtaining various permissions and solve operational and logistical bottlenecks involved.

4) The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has appointed actor R Madhavan as the president of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Society and chairperson of the governing council.

• It is the premier training facility for acting, filmmaking, video editing, direction, and production.

• It is an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• It was founded in 1960 and is officially recognized under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.

• It is located in Pune, Maharashtra, in the premises of the former Prabhat Film studios.

• It is also a member of International Liaison Centre of Schools of Cinema and Television (CILECT), an organization of world’s leading schools of film and television.

5)At Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20 Summit in Delhi, the replica of the iconic Konark Sun Temple wheel was installed. PM Modi also explained the significance of the Konark wheel to the US President Joe Biden.

Konark Sun Temple:

• Deity: Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE temple dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya.

• Location: It is located at Konark about 35 kilometres northeast from Puri city on the coastline in Puri district, Odisha.

• History: The temple was constructed during the reign of king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty about 1250 CE.

• Cultural Significance: It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. It remains a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, who gather here every year for the Chandrabhaga Mela around the month of February.

• Other Names: This temple was called the "Black Pagoda" in European sailor accounts because it looked like a great tiered tower which appeared black. Similarly, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called the "White Pagoda".

Konark Wheel: Architecture

• Sun Temple of Konark is renowned throughout the world for its stone sculptures.

• The temple was designed in the shape of a huge chariot drawn by 7 mighty spirited horses on 12 pairs (total 24 wheels) of gorgeously decorated wheels at its base.

• The size of the wheel is of 9 feet 9 inches in diameter and each one of them having 8 wider spokes and 8 thinner spokes.

• Out of these 24 wheels 6 are in either side of the main temple, 4 wheels are on each side of the Mukhasala and 2 wheels on each side of steps at eastern front.

• Various theories have been advocated regarding the significance of Konark wheel.

• According to some, the 7 horses represent the days of the week and the 12 pairs of wheels represent the 12 months of the year and the 24 wheels signifies 24 hours of a day and the 8 major spokes signifies prahars (three hour period) of a day.

• According to others, the wheels of the chariot have been interpreted as the 'Wheel of Life'. They portray the cycle of creation, preservation and achievement of realisation.

• These 12 pairs of wheels may also possibly represent the 12 zodiac signs.

• Some also believe that the Wheel of Konark is the same as the Dharmachakra of the Buddhists - The Wheel of Karma, The Wheel of the Law

6) NATARAJA

The world’s tallest bronze statue of Nataraja, weighing 20 tonnes, has been installed at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20 summit in Delhi.

Composition:

• The artisans from Swamimalai in Kumbakonam in Tamil nadu constructed it using “ashta dhatu”, a blend of eight metals, with copper as the primary component at 87%.

• The eight metals used in its construction are copper, zinc, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury and iron.
  

Lost Wax Casting Process: • The sculpture has been made using traditional ‘lost wax’ casting process, adhering to ancient canons and measurements prescribed in the Shilpa Shastra or the science of sculpturing, which have guided the creation of Nataraja sculptures since the Chola period. • The intricate fabrication process involves several stages, including creation of a clay armature figure to serve as the support structure; application of a wax layer on top of the clay armature; addition of detailing and elaborate finishing and polishing.

Tandava:

• Nataraja is Lord Shiva in his dynamic dance posture, called “tandava”, which in a single pose captures Shiva’s roles as creator, preserver, and destroyer.

• The two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the  Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and  Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss, the vigorous form of dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews— weary perspectives and lifestyles.

Features of Nataraja Sculpture:

• On the forearm of his right hand is placed a bhujanga-valaya which is a bracelet shaped like a coiled snake.

• The left leg of Nataraja is raised diagonally towards the right one with its foot up in the air denoting the path of salvation.

• The image of Shiva is encircled in a prabhamandala, that is the circle of fire.

• Adorning the head of the lord is a crown of coiled hair (jatamukuta), embellished with the river Goddess Ganga, a snake, jewels, flowers, a crescent moon, and a human skull.

• Several jatas emerge from the crown on either side spreading horizontally, touching the prabhamandala.

Adornments:

• Shiva is adorned with a pearl necklace, a yajnopavita that is a sacred thread, urassutra (a chest band), rings, anklets, and a Makara-kundala in the right ear and Patra-kundala on his left ear.

• Makara-kundala refers to an earring shaped like a Makara that is a mythical fish-like creature, while • Patra-kundala refers to earrings shaped as coconut or palmyra leaves.

7) Noted Rudra veena exponent, Ustad Ali Zaki Hader, passed away in New Delhi at the age of 50.

• Ali Zaki Hader was the last exponent of the Khandarbani (Khandaharbani) style of the Jaipur Beenkar gharana of Dhrupad.

• He was the Disciple of Ustad Asad Ali Khan.

Rudra Veena: • It is an ancient stringed instrument, which is made of teak wood, metal, pumpkin, and Bamboo. • It is found in various parts of North India. Majorly used in Northern Indian classical music. • It is held at a higher angle of elevation, i.e, almost vertically. It consists of two large vibrating boxes. • Unlike a sitar or sarod, the rudra veena does not have resonance strings.

The word veena is believed to have been derived from the word vana, a string instrument mentioned in the Rig Veda. • It is believed that Rudra Veena was created by Lord Shiva as a tribute to the beauty of Goddess Parvati. • Rudra Veena has now become a rare instrument almost on the verge of extinction. • Both, the craftsmen who create the instrument as well as its players are rarely found now. The instrument lost its importance in the early nineteenth century with the evolution of other stringed instruments such as – Surbahar, Sitar and Sarod, etc.

8) ARTISANAL TREASURES SHOWCASED IN G20

The G20 Summit witnessed a showcase of India's rich tribal heritage and craftsmanship, curated and presented by TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India), Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Longpi Pottery:

• Named after the village of Longpi in Manipur. The Tangkhul Naga tribes practice this exceptional pottery style.

• Unlike most pottery, Longpi does not resort to the potter’s wheel. All shaping is done with the hand and with the help of molds.

• The characteristic gray- black cooking pots, the stout kettles, quaint bowls, mugs and nut trays, at times with a handle of fine cane are trademarks of Longpi.

Chhattisgarh Wind Flutes:

• It is curated from the 'Sulur' bamboo by the Gond Tribe of Bastar in Chhattisgarh.

• Unlike traditional flutes, it produces melodies through a simple one-handed twirl. Craftsmanship involves meticulous bamboo selection, hole drilling, and surface etching with fish emblems, geometric lines, and triangles.

• Beyond music, the 'Sulur' serves utilitarian purposes, helping tribal men ward off animals and guide cattle through jungles.

Gond Paintings:

• The Gond tribe's artistic brilliance shines through their intricate paintings, reflecting their deep connection to nature and tradition.

• They start with dots, calculating image volume, which they then connect to form outer shapes filled with vibrant colors.

Gujarat Hangings:

• The Gujarati Wall Hangings are crafted by the Bhil & Patelia Tribe in Dahod, Gujarat.

• The material used is cotton cloth and recycled materials along with mirror work, zari, stones, and beads.

Araku Valley Coffee:

• Araku Valley Arabica Coffee is from the picturesque Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh.

• It is produced organically and boasts a distinguished reputation for its rich flavor, invigorating aroma, and unmatched purity.

SHEEP WOOL STOLES

Bodh, Bhutia and Gujjar Bakarwal tribes from Himachal Pradesh/ Jammu & Kashmir exhibit their ingenuity with pure sheep wool, fashioning a diverse range of apparel, from jackets to shawls and stoles. • Sheep wool threads are woven into intricate diamond, plain, and herringbone patterns.Originally they were made in monochromatic colors white, black, and gray, however dual- colored designs now dominate.

Rajasthan Artistry Unveiled:

• Glass Mosaic Pottery captures the mosaic art style, meticulously crafted into lamp shades and candle holders. When illuminated, they unleash a kaleidoscope of colors, adding vibrancy to any space.

• Meenakari is an art of decorating metal surfaces with vibrant mineral substances, a technique introduced by the Mughals. Delicate designs are etched onto metal, creating grooves for colors to nestle in. Each hue is fired individually, creating intricate, enamel-adorned pieces.

• Metal Ambabari Craft curated by the Meena Tribe, also embraces enameling, a meticulous process that elevates metal decoration. Today, it extends beyond gold to metals like silver and copper.

9) Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to organise a festival of democracy in Nalanda University, Bihar.

• The ‘Vaishali’ festival of democracy was organised by the Union Culture Ministry in ‘Bharat Mandapam’ as part of the side events of the G-20 Summit.

• The exhibition titled “Bharat: mother of democracy” was aimed at highlighting the democratic ethos of India.

• It holds significant historical and cultural importance, as it commemorates the birthplace of democracy and celebrates the enduring values of democratic governance.

Ancient City of Vaishali:

• It is a great Buddhist pilgrimage and birthplace of Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankar of Jainism. It is believed to be the first republic in the world.

• Buddha visited this place thrice, delivered his last sermon and announced his Nirvana here at Vaishali.

• After the death of Buddha, the Second Buddhist Council was held at Vaishali. Gana or Sangha:

• It was a different form of government of the Magadha empire.

• In a gana or a sangha there were many rulers, each one was known as a raja who performed rituals together. They also met in assemblies, and decided what had to be done and how, through discussion and debate. However, women, dasas and kammakaras could not participate in these assemblies.

• Both the Buddha and Mahavira (about whom you will read in Chapter 7) belonged to ganas or sanghas.

• Ajatshatru, the great Magadh King, annexed Vaishali in the fifth century BC and after that Vaishali gradually lost its glory and power.

UNESCO declared the ruins of Nalanda Mahavihara, a world heritage site.

NALANDA UNIVERSITY

• It was a centre of higher learning that attracted scholars from different parts of the country as well as the world from the 5th century CE to 12th century CE.

• It was located in present day Rajgir, Bihar.

• The courses of study offered by Nalanda University covered a wide range, almost the entire circle of knowledge then available. Students at Nalanda studied the Vedas and were also trained in fine arts, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, politics and the art of warfare.

• The Chinese scholars I-Qing and Xuan Zang visited Nalanda in the 7th century CE and noted that as many as one hundred discourses happened on a daily basis, in a variety of disciplines through the methods of debate and discussions.

Xuan Zang himself became a student of Nalanda to study yogashastra. He has mentioned that the Chancellor of Nalanda, Shilabhadra, was the highest living authority in yoga.

10) SEPTEMBER 13 marks the 75th anniversary of Operation Polo.

• It was the police action launched by the Indian Army on Sept. 13, 1948, to integrate the princely state of Hyderabad.

• This operation was named “Operation Polo” and it is also referred to as “Operation Caterpillar” at times.

• The Nizam’s forces surrendered to the Indian Army by September 18.

• The Indian forces were led by Maj Gen Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, the General Officer Commanding of 1 Armoured Division, who later went on to become the Chief of Army Staff.

• Havildar Bachhitar Singh was among the recipients of the first Ashoka Chakra of Independent India awarded posthumously for his role in Operation Polo.

SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL (1875-1950)

• Leader of the freedom movement, and a Congress leader.

• Follower of Mahatma Gandhi.

• Deputy Prime Minister and first Home Minister of independent India.

• Played an important role in the integration of Princely States with India.

• Member of important committees of the Constituent Assembly on Fundamental Rights, Minorities, Provincial Constitution, etc.

11) Recently, Gita Mehta, a renowned writer-filmmaker passed away.

• She was a writer, journalist and filmmaker of both Indian and American heritage.

• She was engaged in documentary filmmaking, with focus on various wars and conflicts.

• One of her significant contributions was her coverage of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

Books Published:

Karma Cola', 'Snake and Ladders', 'A River Sutra', 'Raj' and 'The Eternal Ganesha'.

Awards Honored: • She was conferred India’s fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, in the field of literature and education in 2019, she had declined the award.

12) History of Old Parliament House:

• The Old Parliament building was designed by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker and was constructed between 1921 and 1927.

• The foundation stone was laid by HRH Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, in 1921.

• It was inaugurated in January 1927 by Viceroy Lord Irwin as the seat of the Imperial Legislative Council.

• The third session of the Central Legislative Assembly was held in this house on 19 January 1927.

• Following the British withdrawal from India, it was taken over by the Constituent Assembly of India, and then by the Indian Parliament after India's Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950.

• For 73 years, it housed the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the lower and upper houses respectively in India’s bicameral parliament.

It is believed that the building of the Old Indian Parliament may have been inspired from the Chausath Yogini Temple, Madhya Pradesh.

• It is situated in Mitaoli village, in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.

• It was built by King Devpala of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty and was the venue of providing education in astrology and mathematics based on the transit of the Sun.

• The Archaeological Survey of India has declared the temple an ancient and historical monument.

• It is also known as Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple because of the presence of a multitude of shiva lingas inside its cells.

• It is circular, with 64 chambers dedicated to the 64 yoginis, and a central shrine dedicated to Shiva.

• Within the main central shrine there are slab coverings which have perforations in them to drain rainwater to a large underground storage.

• The design of the temple has withstood earthquake shocks, without any damage to its circular structural features, in the past several centuries.

13) ABOUT GAUTAMA BUDDHA

• Early Years: Birth: 563 BC in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal) as Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Parents: Suddhodana (father) was the chief of the Shakya clan and Maya Devi (real mother) and Prajapati Gautami (foster mother).

• In search of truth: He left his worldly possessions and princedom at the age of 30 to lead a life searching for the truth, seeking penance in the hopes of liberating himself from suffering (dukkha).

• Enlightenment: He attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya and gave his first sermon at Sarnath near Varanasi which is known as Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana (turning of the wheel of law).

• Sermons: He taught in the area around Rajgir, where he was living in a forest monastery built by king Bimbisara of Magadha, and he lived the largest part of his life as The Buddha in Shravasti. He delivered his last sermon in Vaishali.

• Death: Most people believe he died in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, at the age of 80.

• Avatara of Vishnu: Buddha is considered as the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu.
  

Buddhist Circuit:

• India is currently home to seven of the eight most significant Buddhist sites in the world.

• The Ministry of Tourism is promoting a number of tourist circuits that transgress national borders. The holy places of Buddhism, where Lord Buddha was born and He taught, preached, and attained ‘Enlightenment’ and ‘Nirvana’, are termed as Buddhist Circuit.

14) Dadasaheb Phalke Award:

• Criteria: It is India's highest award in the field of cinema. The recipients are honoured for their “outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.”

• By whom: It is presented annually at the National Films Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organization set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• Cash Prize: The Award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs.

• First recipient: The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, who was honoured in 1969.

• Recent recipients: Waheeda Rehman (2021), Asha Parekh (2020), Rajinikanth (2019), Amitabh Bachchan (2018), Vinod Khanna (2017).

15) Dadasaheb Phalke:

• The award is named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke (1870–1944),

• He was an Indian producer-director-screenwriter and is regarded as "the Father of Indian cinema".

• He directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913).

Other One Liners:

1. Pramila Mallik has been nominated as the first woman Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

2. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways recently inaugurated India’s First Lighthouse Festival from the Fort Aguada Lighthouse in Panjim, Goa.

3. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), is celebrating International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf) from 18th-24th September, 2023.

4. India retains 40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

5. Bollywood actress Waheeda Rehman will be conferred with the 53rd Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award.

6. The Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship recently launched a two-day Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav and Technology & Bharatiya Bhasha Summit, at New Delhi.

7. Mathematician Ruixiang Zhang ,Professor of University of California to receive 2023 Sastra Ramanujan Prize.