National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval stayed back in India to deal with the security situation arising from the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir election.
About National Security Advisor (NSA):
He is the principal advisor to the Prime Minister on national security matters and provides comprehensive strategic counsel on domestic, foreign, and defense policies.
He offers in-depth analysis and insights on complex security and intelligence issues.
His functions include:
Coordination and Integration:
He receives all intelligence (R&AW, IB, NTRO, MI, DIA, NIA) reports and co-ordinates them to present before the Prime Minister.
He ensures synergy among different ministries on security-related policies and actions.
Crisis Management and Response:
He leads crisis management efforts during national security emergencies and oversees the implementation of crisis response strategies.
Diplomatic Engagement and Negotiations:
He participates in high-level diplomatic negotiations on security matters and engages in track-two diplomacy for sensitive international issues.
He represents India in international security forums and bilateral security dialogues.
Institutional Leadership:
He acts as the secretary of the National Security Council that is headed by the Prime Minister.
International Relations
Topic: South Asia
2. Sri Lanka
Why in the news?
Sri Lanka’s election commission declared Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a previously fringe politician, the country’s President-elect after a vote coloured by discontent over the island nation’s response to an unprecedented financial crisis.
About Sri Lanka:
It was historically known as Ceylon.
It is an island country in South Asia.
It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal.
It is separated from the Indian peninsula by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
It shares a maritime border with the Maldives in the southwest and India in the northwest.
It is shaped as a teardrop or a pear/mango.
It consists mostly of flat to rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part. The highest point is Pidurutalagala (2,524 m. above sea level).
It has 103 rivers. The longest of these is the Mahaweli River, extending 335 km.
Its mangrove ecosystem spans over 7,000 hectares and played a vital role in buffering the force of the waves in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
It is rich in minerals such as ilmenite, feldspar, graphite, silica, kaolin, mica and thorium.
Existence of petroleum and gas in the Gulf of Mannar has also been confirmed, and the extraction of recoverable quantities is underway.
It is a democratic republic and a unitary state which is governed by a semi-presidential system. It is the oldest democracy in Asia. The Constitution of Sri Lanka officially declares it to be a socialist state.
It is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Presently, it is also a member of the Commonwealth, the SAARC, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and the Colombo Plan.
Gulf of Mannar:
It spans between the northwest coast of Sri Lanka and the southeast coast of India.
It is a part of the Laccadive Sea of the Indian Ocean.
It encompasses 21 islands.
It is bounded to the northeast by Rameswaram (island), Adam’s (Rama’s) Bridge (a chain of shoals), and Mannar Island.
It receives several rivers, including the Tambraparni (India) and the Aruvi (Sri Lanka).
The port of Tuticorin is on the Indian coast.
The gulf is noted for its pearl banks and sacred chank (a gastropod mollusk).
Topic: Places in News
3. Iran
Why in the news?
A blast caused by methane gas leak at an Iranian coal mine has killed at least 51 people, in one of the country’s deadliest work accidents in years.
About Iran:
It is also known as Persia.
It is a country in West Asia.
It borders:
Turkey to the northwest
Iraq to the west
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Caspian Sea, and Turkmenistan to the north
Afghanistan to the east
Pakistan to the southeast
Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf to the south
It has a mostly Persian-ethnic population of almost 90 million.
It ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population.
It is the sixth-largest country entirely in Asia and the second-largest in West Asia.
It is officially an Islamic republic and has a Muslim-majority population.
Tehran is the nation's capital, largest city and financial center.
It consists of the Iranian Plateau.
It is one of the world's most mountainous countries.
The populous west part is the most mountainous, with ranges including the Caucasus, Zagros, and Alborz.
Mount Damavand (5,610 m), Iran's highest point, is the highest volcano in Asia.
The north part is covered by the lush lowland Caspian Hyrcanian forests, near the southern shores of the Caspian Sea.
The east part consists mostly of desert basins, such as the Kavir Desert (country's largest desert) and the Lut Desert, as well as salt lakes.
Methane:
It is the primary component of natural gas, and is responsible for approximately a third of the warming the earth is experiencing today.
It is a colorless odorless gas, flammable water insoluble gas.
It is also known as marsh gas or methyl hydride.
It is easily ignited. The vapors are lighter than air. Under prolonged exposure to fire or intense heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket.
It is a powerful and short-lived greenhouse gas, with a lifetime of about a decade and Global Warming Potential about 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2) during the 20 years after it is released into the atmosphere.
It sometimes comes from non-human sources like wetlands. These habitats contain things like permafrost, which is frozen ground that’s also filled with carbon from animals and plants that have been dead for hundreds of thousands of years.
As temperatures rise with global warming, wetland permafrost thaws. That unleashes carbon, previously locked in the ice, in the form of CO2 and methane.
Around 60% of the methane that makes it into the atmosphere comes from human activities.
Geography
Topic: Deserts
4. Thar Desert
Why in the news?
Livestock has been an integral part of the rural economy in Rajasthan’s Thar desert.
The pastoral undercurrent is especially evident in communities such as Raikas, Ahirs, Bharwads and Gurjars who traditionally maintain a thriving livestock which provides sustenance in the arid districts in the Thar desert.
About Thar Desert:
It is also known as the Great Indian Desert.
It is an arid region of rolling sand hills on the Indian subcontinent.
It is one of the largest subtropical deserts in the world.
Majority of Thar desert is in northwestern India and 15 percent lies in eastern Pakistan.
It extends across the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Haryana in India, and the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan.
It is bordered by the irrigated Indus River plain to the west, the Punjab Plain to the north and northeast, the Aravalli Range to the southeast, and the Rann of Kachchh to the south. It is separated from the Greater Rann of Kutch to the west by the low-lying marshy lands of the Luni River.
Climate:
The desert features a hot and arid climate, with temperatures often reaching over 50 degrees Celsius during the day and dropping significantly at night.
Rainfall is scarce, with the majority of the desert receiving less than 50mm of rain annually.
Landscape:
It encompasses rugged landscape, with a variety of different terrains.
It is known for its vast expanses of rolling dunes, which are up to 200 m. high.
It is characterized by rocky outcroppings (clusters of large rocks that rise from the desert floor).
It is home to large salt flats (areas of flat land covered with a layer of salt).
Large, flat plains covered with a thin layer of soil and vegetation, are also found here.
It is rich in a variety of minerals, including gypsum, limestone, salt, bauxite, silica.
It has one of the largest coal reserves in India.
Topic: Agriculture
5. Contract Farming
Why in the news?
Disappointed by the hollow promises by a company that encouraged them to cultivate figs on a contractual basis, hundreds of farmers in Rajasthan are now destroying their orchards.
It is alleged that a company raised crores by selling fig plants but refused to buy the produce during harvest
Dismayed by false promises in contract farming, cultivators resort to destroying their fig orchards
About Contract Farming:
It can be defined as agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmers, which establishes conditions for the production and marketing of a farm product or products. The farmer agrees to provide agreed quantities of a specific agricultural product.
Under contract farming, farmers can be given seeds, credit, fertilizers, machinery and technical advice so that their product is tailor-made for the requirements of the companies.
There would be no middlemen involved and farmers would get a predetermined sale price from the companies.
The farmer does not have to make trips to the mandis nor worry about getting seeds and credit for farming operations.
By entering into a contract, the farmer reduces the risk of fluctuating market demand and prices for his produce and the companies reduce the risk of non-availability of raw materials.
Objectives of Contract Farming:
To promote a steady source of earnings at the individual farmer level.
To expand private sector investment in agricultural business.
To inspire financially rewarding employment opportunities in rural communities, especially for landless agricultural labour.
To bring down the burden of central and state-level procurement systems.
To minimize migration from rural to urban areas.
To create a market focus on crop selection by Indian farmers.
To promote value addition and processing.
To bring down as far as feasible, any seasonality associated with such employment.
To encourage rural self-reliance by pooling locally available resources and expertise to meet new challenges.
Environment and Ecology
Topic: Protected Areas
6. Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Why in the news?
The Maharashtra government’s Tourism and Culture Department held a program at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park under the ‘Chala Januya Nadila’ (Let’s Know Our Rivers) campaign which is aimed at raising awareness on the importance of protecting rivers for a sustainable future.
About Sanjay Gandhi National Park:
It is located within the suburban region of Mumbai, Maharashtra.
It covers about 20% of Mumbai’s geographical area.
It is popularly known as “Krishnagiri Upvan” or “Borivali National Park”.
The 2400-year-old Kanheri caves are sculpted out of the rocky cliff that lies within the park.
Flora:
Kadamba, Teak, Karanj, Shisham, and species of acacia, Ziziphus, euphorbias etc are found in this National Park.
Fauna:
It encompasses a large variety of wild animals such as Chital, Rhesus macaque, Bonnet macaque, Black-naped, Bengal Tiger etc.
Kanheri caves:
These are a group of caves and rock-cut monuments cut into a massive basalt outcrop in the forests of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
These caves comprise more than 110 different rock-cut monolithic excavations and are one of the largest single excavations in the country.
These excavations were primarily undertaken during the Hinayana phase of Buddhism but also have several examples of the Mahayana stylistic architecture as well as a few printings of the Vajrayana order.
The name Kanheri is derived from ‘Kanhagiri’ in Prakrit and occurs in the Nasik inscription of the Satavahana ruler Vasisthiputra Pulumavi.
They contain Buddhist sculptures and relief carvings, paintings and inscriptions, dating from the 1st century CE to the 10th century CE.
The earliest reference to Kanheri is ascribed to Fa-Hein who visited India during 399-411 CE.
Topic: International Treaties
7. International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)
Why in the news?
The 12th Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) concluded successfully in Rome, Italy. The meeting discussed ways to enhance the multilateral system established under the ITPGRFA.
These discussions are vital for food security and sustainable agriculture, addressing key challenges such as rising food demand, promoting resilient agricultural practices, and ensuring equitable access to resources.
About International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA):
It was adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2001 in Madrid, and entered into force on 29 June 2004.
It is also known as the Plant Treaty.
It is the first legally-binding international instrument to formally acknowledge the enormous contribution of indigenous people and small-holder farmers as traditional custodians of the world’s food crops.
It also calls on nations to protect and promote their rights to save and use the seeds they have taken care of for millennia.
The parties to this treaty have come together after nearly three years to discuss governance of agricultural biodiversity and global food security.
The treaty aims at:
Guaranteeing food security through the conservation
Exchange and sustainable use of the world’s plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA)
Fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from its use, as well as
Recognition of farmers’ rights.
The treaty has implemented a Multilateral System (MLS) of access and benefit sharing, among those countries that ratify the treaty, for a list of 64 of some of the most important food and forage crops essential for food security and interdependence.
The genera and species are listed in Annex 1 to the treaty. The treaty facilitates the continued open exchange of food crops and their genetic materials.
The list of plant genetic material included in the Multilateral System of the Treaty is made of major food crops and forages.
The Forages are also divided in legume forages and grass forages.
They were selected taking into account the criteria of food security and country interdependence
Topic: Biodiversity
8. One-horned Rhinoceros
Why in the news?
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has reiterated the commitment towards rhino protection on occasion of World Rhino Day on September 22. He also urged citizens to visit Kaziranga National Park in Assam, home to a large number of one horned rhinos in India.
About One-horned Rhinoceros:
It is the largest of the rhino species.
It is identified by a single black horn and a grey-brown hide with skin folds.
It is one of the five species of Rhinos.
The other four species are:
White rhino: It is native to northern and southern Africa
Black rhino: It is native to eastern and southern Africa
Javan rhino: It is also known as Sunda rhino or lesser one-horned rhino
Sumatran rhino: Critically Endangered species of rhino
It is a grazer. When not grazing on land, it likes to immerse itself in water, where it grazes on aquatic plants.
This species of rhino is commonly found in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and in Assam, India.
Protection Status:
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
Kaziranga National Park:
It is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
It was declared a national park in 1974.
It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses two-thirds of the total world population of greater one-horned rhinoceros.
It is the largest undisturbed area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplains.
It is a mix of eastern wet alluvial grasslands, semi evergreen forests and tropical moist deciduous forests.
Flora:
It is famous for its dense and tall elephant grasses intermixed with small swamplands.
It also includes an abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinths and lotus.
Rattan Cane, a type of climbing palm, is also found here.
Fauna:
Important wildlife found are One-horned rhinoceros, Leopard, Fishing Cat, other Lesser cats, royal Bengal tiger, Large Indian Civet, Small Indian Civet, Sambar, Barking deer, Hog deer, Gaur, Hog Badger, Capped Langur, etc.
It is also one of the last remaining homes of the endangered and endemic western hoolock gibbon, the only species of apes found in India.
It is home to approximately 478 species of both resident and migratory birds.
It is one of the last homes of the critically endangered Bengal florican.
Topic: Agriculture
9. Horticulture
Why in the news?
Horticulture output is estimated to have fallen marginally by 0.65% to 353.19 million tonnes in 2023-24, according to the government’s third advance estimate released on Saturday.
Fruit production is expected to have risen 2.29% to 112.73 million tonnes in 2023-24 (July-June), driven by higher output of mango, banana, lime/lemon, grapes, and custard apple.
Vegetable output was put at 205.8 million tonnes, with increases in tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower offsetting declines in potatoes and onion, it said.
About Horticulture:
It is the branch of agriculture concerned with intensively cultured plants directly used by humans for food, medicinal purposes and aesthetic gratification.
It is the cultivation, production and sale of vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs, ornamental or exotic plants.
The term Horticulture is derived from the Latin words hortus (garden) and cultūra (cultivation).
L.H. Bailey is considered the Father of American Horticulture and M.H. Marigowda is considered the Father of Indian Horticulture.
Classification:
Pomology: Planting, harvesting, storing, processing, and marketing of fruit and nut crops.
Olericulture: Producing and marketing vegetables.
Arboriculture: Study, selection and care of individual trees, shrubs or other perennial woody plants.
Ornamental Horticulture: It has two subparts:
Floriculture: Production, use and marketing of floral crops.
Landscape Horticulture: Production and marketing of plants used to beautify the outdoor environment.
State of Horticulture Sector in India:
India is the 2nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables.
The Indian horticulture sector contributes about 33% to the agriculture Gross Value Added (GVA) making a very significant contribution to the Indian economy.
India is currently producing about 320.48 million tons of horticulture produce which has surpassed the food grain production, that too from much less area (25.66 million Ha. for horticulture against 127.6 M. ha. for food grains).
Productivity of horticulture crops is much higher compared to productivity of food grains.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), India leads in the production of certain vegetables (ginger and okra) and fruits (banana, mangoes and papaya).
In terms of export, India is ranked 14th in vegetables and 23rd in fruits, and its share in the global horticultural market is a mere 1%.
Around 15-20% of the fruits and vegetables in India are wasted along the supply chain or at consumer level, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Science
Topic: Cancer Treatment
10. ICGA cancer multi-omics data portal
Why in the news?
The Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) announced that it has launched India’s first comprehensive cancer multi-omics data portal.
This pioneering platform provides open access to clinically correlated data from Indian cancer patients, aimed at transforming cancer research and treatment for Indian populations, the organization claimed.
About ICGA cancer multi-omics data portal:
It is India’s first comprehensive cancer multi-omics data portal launched by the India Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) foundation.
It is India's first platform providing open access to data from Indian cancer patients.
It provides open access to clinically correlated data from Indian cancer patients, aimed at transforming cancer research and treatment for Indian populations.
The portal will be the first in India to offer data that includes DNA, RNA, and protein profiles of breast cancer patients, integrated with clinical outcomes.
Currently, the platform consists of data from 50 breast cancer patients, with plans to expand to over 500 patients in the coming year.
This data is freely accessible to the global research community under India's PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) guidelines, which promote ethical sharing and collaboration in cancer research.
Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA):
It is a national initiative focused on mapping cancers across India, supported by a foundation.
The ICGA Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit organization, operates through a public-private-philanthropic partnership.
It receives support from more than 50 clinicians, researchers, and data analysts.
Its mission is to enhance cancer diagnosis and treatment for Indian patients and contribute to the global understanding of cancer biology.
The foundation's first project focuses on the multi-omics profiling of breast cancer, with plans to extend this effort to other types of cancer in the future.
Topic: Technology
11. Pagers
Why in the news?
Nine persons were killed and several thousands injured, including Iran’s envoy to Beirut, when pagers used by the armed group Hezbollah detonated simultaneously across Lebanon.
A day after the pager blasts, walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah also blew up, killing nearly two dozen and injuring over 450 people.
About Pagers:
These are also known as beepers, are wireless devices that receive and display messages.
They were widely used in the 1980s but are still relied upon by specific groups like healthcare and emergency services due to their reliability in low-signal areas.
Pagers operate using radio signals transmitted by towers that can penetrate areas where cellular signals may be weak.
Types of Pager:
One-way pagers: Receive messages from a central transmitter but cannot reply. They alert users through beeps or vibrations.
Two-way pagers: Allow users to send and receive messages, though they are still less functional than smartphones.
Pagers Application in Covert Operations:
Low Susceptibility to Surveillance: Their lack of Global Positioning System(GPS) and internet connectivity reduces the risk of location tracking.
Difficult to Intercept: The use of radio frequencies makes them harder to monitor than cellular or internet-based devices.
Modifiable for Covert Use: Pagers can be modified to trigger signals for remote detonation or alerts without drawing attention.
Art and Culture
Topic: Dance Forms
12. Yakshagana
Why in the news?
Artists performing "Yakshagana", a form of traditional folk dance popular in the coastal districts of Karnataka and parts of Kerala, at Nassau Coliseum in New York, Long Island for an Indian community event to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
About Yakshagana:
It is a traditional folk dance form popular in Coastal Karnataka districts.
It is a combination of dance, music, song, scholarly dialogues and colourful costumes.
Traditionally, men portray all roles, including the female ones, though women are now part of Yakshagana troupes.
A typical troupe consists of 15 to 20 actors and a Bhagawatha, who is the master of ceremonies and the main storyteller.
Elements of Yakshagana:
The Act: Each performance typically focuses on a small sub-story (known as ‘Prasanga’) from ancient Hindu epics of Ramayana or Mahabharata. The show consists of both stage performances by talented artists and commentary (performed by the lead singer or Bhagawatha) accompanied by traditional music.
The Music: Musical instruments used in Yakshagana include Chande (drums), Harmonium, Maddale, Taala (mini metal clappers) and flute among others.
The Dress: Costumes used in Yakshagana are very unique and elaborate. Large size headgear, coloured faces, elaborate costumes all over the body and musical beads on the legs (Gejje).
Folk dance:
It is generally a type of dance that is a vernacular, usually recreational, expression of a past or present culture.
Online Classes
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