Contemporary India: Values, Environment, and Digital Ethics

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the core societal structures, philosophical traditions, environmental ethics, and digital security topics outlined in the Contemporary India course.

Sanatan Dharma

The ancient Sanskrit name for Hindu Dharma meaning 'eternal' (Sarvavyapi), based on canonical scriptures and not founded by a single historical prophet.

Shad Darshan

The six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy derived from the scriptures: Mimansa (Rishi Jamini), Sankhya (Maharshi Kapila), Nyay (Akshapada Gautama), Vaisheshik (Kanada Kashyap), Yoga (Maharishi Patanjali), and Vedanta (Gaudapada and Adi Shankaracharya).

Sanchit Karma

In Hindu philosophy, the accumulated actions and deeds earned across past incarnations that determine the status, merits, and demerits of an individual's present birth.

Theravada Buddhism

The orthodox 'school of the Elders' (often referred to historically as Hinayana) established around 250 BC; it emphasizes monastic discipline, meditation, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path without deifying the Buddha.

Mahayana Buddhism

The 'Great Vehicle' tradition of Buddhism systematized by Nagarjuna around the 2nd century CE that reveres the Buddha as a divine entity and promotes the universal bodhisattva path toward enlightenment for all beings.

Vajrayana Buddhism

An esoteric Buddhist school (also known as Tantrayana) that emerged around the 5th century CE, primarily in Tibet, utilizing mantras, visualizations, and specialized rituals to hasten the path to enlightenment.

Tirthankara

In Jainism, a spiritual conqueror (Ji) who has overcome worldly passions and attained liberation, serving as a 'ford-maker' across the river of human suffering. There are 24 Tirthankaras, beginning with Rishab and ending with Mahaveer Vardhman.

Tri-ratna (Jainism)

The three core jewels of Jain ethics consisting of Right Faith (sincere belief in Jain principles), Right Knowledge (doubt-free perception of reality), and Right Conduct (observance of Ahimsa, Satya, Non-Stealing, Chastity, and Renunciation).

Zakat

The third pillar of Islam denoting mandatory and voluntary charitable contributions made to support the poor and underprivileged.

Khalsa

The sovereign community of initiated Sikhs established by the tenth guru, Guru Govind Singh, embodying the saint-soldier ideal committed to buoyant hope (chardikala) and the defense of righteousness (Dharam).

Shaniwar Telis

The regional designation given to the Bene Israel Jewish community of Maharashtra, meaning 'Saturday oil pressers,' due to their traditional occupation and observance of Sabbath rest on Saturdays.

Endogamy

The essential matrimonial rule of the Indian caste system requiring individuals to marry strictly within their own caste or sub-caste group.

Jati Panchayat

A caste-level governing council or tribunal (known regionally as Kuldriya or Jokhila) responsible for enforcing customary caste codes, regulations, and social boundaries.

Animism

A tribal religious belief system centered around the veneration and worship of spiritual entities or ancestral souls.

Totemism

A tribal belief system involving the ritual veneration of a particular plant or animal regarded as an ancestor or sacred emblem of the clan.

Regionalism

The expression of a shared identity and collective purpose by people within a specific territory based on common culture or language, which can undermine national integration when carried to an extreme.

Secessionism

An extreme form of regionalism characterized by militant or fundamentalist advocacy to break away completely from the sovereign territory of the Indian Union.

Deep Ecology

An ecological philosophy coined by Arne Naess asserting that all human and non-human life forms possess equal, intrinsic value independent of their instrumental utility to human beings.

Radical Ecofeminism

A branch of ecofeminism arguing that both women and nature are subordinated and exploited by the same patriarchal, capitalist hierarchies that seek to impose dominance over perceived chaos.

Cultural Ecofeminism

A perspective within ecofeminism proposing that women possess an empowering, innate spiritual and biological affinity with the natural world through processes such as childbirth and menstruation.

Ecotourism

Responsible travel to fragile, pristine natural areas that focuses on environmental conservation, minimal carbon footprint, respecting carrying capacity, and improving the socioeconomic welfare of local inhabitants.

Silent Valley Movement

An environmental campaign initiated in 1978 in the Palghat district of Kerala against a planned dam across the river Kunthipuzha, organized by local residents and the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP).

Chipko Movement

An ecological movement launched on April 24, 1973, in Mandal, Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, where villagers hugged forest trees to prevent commercial contractors from felling them.

Appiko Movement

A Southern Indian forest conservation movement launched in September 1983 in the Uttar Kannada region of Karnataka, inspired by the Chipko method of embracing trees to stop commercial deforestation.

Jungle Bachao Andolan

A 1980s tribal movement originating in the Singhbhum district of Bihar (now Jharkhand) against government initiatives to replace native Sal trees with commercial teak plantations.

DoS (Denial of Service) Attack

A cyberattack that inundates a targeted server or network infrastructure with excessive traffic, deliberately overwhelming system resources to deny access to authorized users.

Salami Slicing

A stealthy financial cyberattack where malicious actors execute microscopic unauthorized deductions from numerous customer accounts over an extended duration, minimizing detection.

Web Jacking

A digital attack derived from hijacking wherein an attacker clones a legitimate webpage to redirect users to a fraudulent site, gaining illicit control or altering the host site's contents.

Non-repudiation

An e-commerce security principle ensuring that a participating party in a transaction or communication cannot dispute the authenticity of their signature, message, or purchase authorization.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

A security defense requiring users to provide two or more distinct verification credentials—such as passwords combined with SMS/email codes or biometrics—to access an IT system.

PCI-DSS

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard; an established regulatory framework mandating firewalls, encryption, access controls, and network tracking to protect customer cardholder data.

Cyberbullying

The deliberate, repetitive use of digital devices and online platforms to harass, humiliate, or harm another person's reputation or psychological well-being; a term first coined by Bill Belsey.

Doxing (Outing)

The malicious act of publishing private, confidential, or identifying records and photographs of an individual on public platforms without their explicit consent.

Fraping

The act of hijacking someone's active social media account to publish inappropriate, offensive, or defamatory statements under the victim's authentic identity.

Masquerading

A form of online bullying where the perpetrator creates a fake profile or adopts another individual's persona to mislead, deceive, and harass targets.

Flaming

The hostile practice of posting inflammatory insults, profanity, or vulgar language in digital discussion threads and online public forums.

Section 66C (IT Act, 2000)

A provision of the Indian Information Technology Act penalizing identity theft—the fraudulent or dishonest misuse of electronic signatures, passwords, or personal identifying features—with up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of up to one lakh rupees.

Section 66D (IT Act, 2000)

A statutory section under the Indian Information Technology Act that penalizes cheating by personation carried out through any computer resource or digital communication device.