Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Syllabus: GS1/Personalities
Context
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, on his 75th death anniversary (15 December 1950).
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
- Born on – October 31, 1875,
- India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.
- He is widely regarded as the architect of India’s national integration and a key force behind the establishment of modern civil services
- He was posthumously honoured with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country in 1991.
Contributions in India’s Freedom Struggle
- Kheda Satyagraha, 1917: As a prominent local leader in the Kheda district of Gujarat, Patel supported Mahatma Gandhi in organising the Satyagraha against unjust land revenue taxes imposed by the British.
- Non-Cooperation Movement, 1920-22: Patel significantly impacted the Non-Cooperation Movement, recruiting approximately 300,000 members and raising 1.5 million rupees.
- Bardoli Satyagraha, 1928: During the Bardoli Satyagraha, Patel supported the local population suffering from famine and increased land taxes.
- Civil Disobedience Movement 1930-34: He actively participated in the Salt Satyagraha, a nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly.
- Quit India Movement, 1942: He organised protests and strikes against British rule, and delivered compelling and electrifying speeches throughout India, inspiring and mobilising people to join mass protests, engage in acts of civil disobedience, boycott tax payments, and stage civil service shutdowns.
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Do you know? ● Since 2014, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, also known as National Unity Day, has been celebrated every year on October 31 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. ● The Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, was unveiled on 31 October 2018 at Kevadia in Gujarat on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. ● Civil Services Day is observed on 21 April to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s address to the first batch of civil servants of Independent India in 1947. |
Bison Horn Maria Dance
Syllabus: GS1/ Culture
Context
- The traditional Bison Horn Maria dance was performed during a village festival at Judiya Para in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
Bison Horn Maria Dance
- Performed by: Dandami Madia (Maria /Gaur Maria) tribes of Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
- Both men and women perform the dance, during village festivals and major community occasions.
- Costumes: Male dancers wear horn-shaped headgear made of bamboo, decorated with bison horns, feathers, shells and bright cloth strips.
- Women wear brass chaplets and heavy necklaces.
- Instruments: Log drums slung around the neck provide rhythmic beats.
- Performance: Men mimic bison charging and hunting, while women dance alongside, often with sticks, in a synchronized, ritualistic way.
- Ritual chants invoke deities such as Budhadev and Danteshwari Mai, reinforcing spiritual continuity.
FDA Approves Two Oral Therapies to Treat Gonorrhea
Syllabus: GS2/ Health
Context
- The U.S. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved two new oral medicines to treat gonorrhea.
Gonorrhoea
- Pathogen – It is a preventable and curable sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
- Concern – Antimicrobial resistance to gonorrhoea is a serious and growing problem
- Transmission – Gonorrhoea can be passed from a pregnant mother to her baby.
- Diagnosis: Molecular tests, Gram stain microscopy.
Ponduru Khadi
Syllabus: GS3/ Economy
In News
- Ponduru Khadi from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh has received Geographical Indication (GI) tag recognition.
Ponduru Khadi
- It is a handwoven fabric primarily produced from short-staple, hill-variety, pest-resistant cotton grown locally.
- This cotton enables chemical-free farming practices, promoting sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly production methods traditional to the region.
Connect with the basics – Geographical Indication or GI Tag
- It is a name or a sign given to certain products related to a specific geographical location or origins like a region, town, or country.
- A certification for unique products – GI Tag may be regarded as a certification for a particular product with certain specific qualities or has a specific reputation because of its geographical origin.
- GI Tags can be issued for wine and spirit drinks, foodstuffs, agricultural products, handicrafts, and industrial products.
- Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) – At the International level, GI is governed by the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
- Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act – In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force in September 2003.
- Darjeeling tea – The first product in India to be accorded with the GI tag was Darjeeling tea in 2004-05.
MahaCrimeOS AI
Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/AI
Context
- Microsoft Chairman Satya Nadella announced the statewide rollout of its AI-powered investigation platform for the Maharashtra Police “MahaCrimeOS AI”.
MahaCrimeOS
- Jointly developed by – Microsoft & Maharashtra Government and its specialised AI policing initiative, MARVEL (Maharashtra Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement).
Key Features and Functionality
- Instant Case Creation: The system enables instant digital case file creation, reducing manual effort.
- Multimodal Data Extraction: It can ingest complaints in various formats, such as PDFs, audio files, handwritten notes, or images, and extract relevant data for analysis.
- AI-Powered Investigation: Using AI-based Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), it helps investigators link related cases and analyze digital evidence rapidly.
- Legal Assistance: It provides contextual legal assistance and guidance based on India’s criminal laws, aiding officers in legal compliance and procedure.
Lunarcrete
Syllabus: GS3/Science & Technology
Context
- Researchers are developing Lunarcrete, concrete produced using lunar materials for sustainable long-term habitats on the Moon.
Lunarcrete
- Lunarcrete is an umbrella term for ‘concrete made on the moon’.
- It is a proposed construction material made using lunar regolith (Moon soil) instead of Earth-based sand and gravel.
- Purpose: It supports in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) by enabling construction of habitats, landing pads, and roads on the Moon without transporting materials from Earth.
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