Savitribai Phule
History / Personality in News
Context
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to Savitribai Phule on her death anniversary.
Savitribai Phule (1831 – 1897)
- Born in – Naigaon village of Maharashtra’s Satara district.
- In 1840, at the age of nine, she married Jyotirao Phule, who was just 13 at the time.
- Formally recognised as India’s first female teacher.
- In 1848, the couple established the country’s first school for girls in Bhidewada, Pune.
- In 1863, Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai began Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha, India’s first home dedicated to prohibiting infanticide.
- She also advocated inter-caste marriages, widow remarriage, and eradication of child marriage, sati, and dowry systems, among other social issues.
- In 1873, the Phule’s set up the Satyashodhak Samaj (‘Truth-seekers’ society’), a platform open to all, irrespective of their caste, religion or class hierarchies, with the sole aim of bringing social equity.
- Literary works: Kavya Phule (Poetry’s Blossoms) in 1854 and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (The Ocean of Pure Gems), in 1892.
Kurumba Painting
History/Culture
In News
- The Kurumba art tradition is facing the threat of extinction due to declining practitioners.
Kurumba paintings
- It traces back over 3,000 years, linked to rock art sites like Ezhuthupaarai in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris; they were practiced by the Kurumba tribe.
- The Kurumba tribe is classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
- Originally they were painted over the house walls, temple walls or during festivals and artists derive natural pigments from forest sources like tree resins.
- These folk paintings illustrate rituals, festivals, honey hunting, nature, animals, and daily community activities using simple linear motifs, dots, lines, and geometric patterns.
Fiscal Health Index 2026
Polity and Governance
Context
- NITI Aayog has released the second annual edition of Fiscal Health Index (FHI 2026.
Fiscal Health Index
- Mandate – It assesses the fiscal health of states in India.
- Parameters – Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
- Data for the index is sourced from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
Key Highlights of FHI 2026
Overall State Rankings:
- Odisha remains the top-performing state, further improving its fiscal score.
- Goa and Jharkhand also feature among the Achiever states.
- Gujarat and Maharashtra continue to remain in the top five.
- Haryana shows a notable improvement by gaining three ranks.
States Showing Recovery:
- Bihar, Karnataka, and Telangana demonstrate moderate improvement in fiscal performance.
Low-Performing States:
- Punjab, West Bengal, and Kerala continue to remain at the bottom of the rankings, reflecting persistent fiscal stress.
NE and Himalayan States:
- Evaluated separately for the first time, Arunachal Pradesh tops as Achiever (strong revenue growth), followed by Uttarakhand;
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