Chrysanthemum Flowers or Gul-e-Dawood | International Convention Against Doping in Sport | Strengthening Governance through Blockchain Technology | Makhananomics | Cloud Seeding | Sree Narayana Guru | Gyan Bharatam Mission

Chrysanthemum Flowers or Gul-e-Dawood

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

In News

• Kashmir’s new Chrysanthemum Garden, Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood will open near the Zabarwan range, featuring over 30 lakh blooms across 50+ varieties.

Chrysanthemum

• It is a perennial flowering plant from the Asteraceae family.
• It is widely cultivated in China, Japan, Europe, and the U.S. for its medicinal properties and use in aromatic beverages.
• Uniqueness – It is  rich in phenolic compounds and exhibits potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and other therapeutic activities.

International Convention Against Doping in Sport

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

In News

• India was re-elected as Vice-Chairperson of the Bureau representing the Asia-Pacific during the 10th Session of UNESCO’s International Convention against Doping in Sport, held in Paris.

Doping and its Concerns

• Doping refers to the practice of using banned chemical substances, known as performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), by athletes.

Conventions and Declarations related to Anti-Doping

Copenhagen Declaration

• Held in – Copenhagen Declaration on Anti-Doping in Sport was agreed upon by governments at the Second World Conference on Doping in Sport held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2003.
• Purpose – The declaration was the political document through which governments signalled their intention to formally recognise and implement the World Anti-Doping Code.
• Significance – This declaration was the first step toward the preparation of the UNESCO International Convention against doping in sports.
• India agreed to this declaration in the year 2003.

International Convention Against Doping in Sport

• It is also known as the ‘UNESCO Anti-Doping Convention’.
• It was adopted at the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris in 2005. It entered into force in 2007.
• Objective – To promote the prevention of and the fight against doping in sports, with a view to its elimination.
• India ratified this convention in 2007.
• Note – National Anti-Doping Agency, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs, is responsible for adopting, implementing and enforcing anti-doping programmes in India.

Strengthening Governance through Blockchain Technology

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance. GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• India is accelerating its adoption of blockchain technology to transform governance, enhance transparency, and strengthen digital trust through the National Blockchain Framework (NBF).

Connect with the basics- Blockchain

• Definition – Blockchain is a distributed, transparent, secure, and immutable database that functions like a ledger of records or transactions, resistant to tampering and accessible across a network of computers.

Applications of Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has numerous applications across various industries due to its secure, transparent, and decentralized nature.

1. Cryptocurrencies: Enabling secure digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
2. Smart Contracts: Automating agreements without intermediaries.
3. Supply Chain Management: Enhancing transparency and traceability.
4. Healthcare: Securing patient records and improving data sharing.
5. Banking and Finance: Streamlining cross-border payments and fraud detection.
6. Voting Systems: Ensuring transparent and tamper-proof elections.
7. Identity Management: Offering secure, verifiable digital identities.
8. Real Estate: Simplifying property transfers with tokenized assets.
9. Gaming: Enabling ownership of in-game assets and NFTs.
10. Energy Sector: Supporting peer-to-peer energy trading.

National Blockchain Framework (NBF)

• Launched in- 2024
• Developed by – Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
• Objective – to accelerate the development and deployment of permissioned blockchain-based applications.

Makhananomics

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

In News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the newly launched National Makhana Board as a transformative “revolution” for the sector.

Makhana (Euryale ferox)

• It is a flowering plant classified in the water lily family (Nymphaeaceae).
• Climatic condition: Requires a temperature range of 20-35°C, and annual rainfall between 100- 250 cm.
• It is a fully organic non-cereal food found principally in India but also in Korea, Japan, as well as parts of eastern Russia.
• Bihar accounts for ~90% of India’s makhana production.
• GI Tag: In 2022, ‘Mithila Makhana’ was conferred a GI tag.

Cloud Seeding

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• Delhi Chief Minister has said cloud seeding is essential for the national capital as it could play a key role in controlling rising pollution levels during the winter season.

Cloud Seeding or Artificial Rain

• Definition – Artificial rain refers to inducing precipitation by injecting certain chemicals into clouds to accelerate the process of raindrop formation.
• Cloud seeding involves dispersing substances like:

1. Silver iodide (AgI)
2. Potassium iodide
3. Sodium chloride
4. Dry ice (CO₂)

• Conditions Required: Potential rain-bearing clouds, sufficient humidity and atmospheric instability & Favorable wind and temperature conditions.

Advantages of Cloud Seeding

• Air Pollution Mitigation: In cities like Delhi, artificial rain can wash down particulate matter and other pollutants, providing temporary relief from severe air pollution.
• Drought Mitigation and Water Resource Augmentation: States like Maharashtra and Karnataka have used cloud seeding to combat water shortages (e.g., “Project Meghdoot” and “Varshadhari”).
• Forest Fire Control: By increasing moisture levels, cloud seeding can potentially reduce the risk and intensity of wildfires.

Sree Narayana Guru

Syllabus: GS1/Modern History

Context

• The President of India inaugurated the observance of the Mahasamadhi centenary of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, Kerala.

Sree Narayana Guru(1856–1928)

• He was born in 1856 in Kerala into the Ezhava community, which faced severe caste disabilities.
• He was a saint, philosopher, and one of the foremost social reformers in modern India who challenged caste oppression and emphasized spiritual reform as the path to social reform.
• Sree Narayana Guru known for blending Advaita Vedanta with a call for social justice.

Key Contributions

• Social Philosophy: Propagated the radical message: “One Caste, One Religion, One God for Man”.
• Rejected birth-based caste hierarchy and promoted dignity of labour.
• Institution Building: Founded Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP, 1903) to advance education, social empowerment, and reform.
• Aruvipuram Movement (1888): Consecrated a Shiva idol himself, breaking the Brahmin monopoly over temple ritual Built temples, schools, and ashrams for the common people with egalitarian access.
• Political & Social Movements: Extended moral and ideological support to the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–25) for temple entry rights of lower castes.
• Educational Upliftment: Stressed education as the foundation of empowerment and upliftment.

Gyan Bharatam Mission

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• The Gyan Bharatam Mission on manuscripts under the Union Culture Ministry, signed Memorandums of Understanding with around 20 institutes for conservation, upkeep and digitisation of manuscripts.

Gyan Bharatam Mission

• Purpose – The mission aims to preserve and protect manuscripts found across the country.
• Objective: To undertake the “survey, documentation and conservation” of more than one crore manuscript heritage lying with academic institutions, museums, libraries, etc.
• Significance of Mission: Preserving historical value, unveiling ancient Indian knowledge to the world, ensuring longevity and round-the-clock access to Manuscripts, etc.

Basic terms – Manuscripts

• A manuscript is a handwritten composition on paper, bark, palm leaf etc. dating back at least 75 years that has significant scientific, historical or aesthetic value.
• g. Bakhshali manuscript (Third or fourth century A.D.), an ancient Indian mathematical text written on birch bark, is considered to be the earliest recorded example of use of zero.
• India possesses an estimated 10 million manuscripts in 80 ancient scripts like Brahmi, Kushan, Gaudi, Lepcha, and Maithili.

Other initiatives for manuscript conservation in India

• National Manuscripts Mission (NMM): Launched In 2003, by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to locate and preserve manuscripts.
• National Library of India, Kolkata: It has about 3600 rare and historically important manuscripts.
• Asiatic Society of Bengal: Founded on Jan. 15, 1784, by Sir William Jones, undertakes digitization of ancient manuscripts.