Current Affairs Notes

Indian Art & Culture

  • India added six properties to UNESCO's Tentative List.

    • Kanger Valley National Park (Chhattisgarh): rich in biodiversity.

    • Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs (Telangana): ancient burial structures.

    • Ashokan Edict Sites: rock & pillar edicts of Emperor Ashoka.

    • Chausath Yogini Temples: circular temples with 64 Yogini deities.

    • Gupta Temples (North India): Gupta-era architecture.

    • Palace Fortresses of the Bundelas (MP & UP): Rajput-Mughal architectural fusion.

  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

    • World Heritage Convention adopted in 1972.

    • Aims to preserve cultural heritage and protect biodiversity.

    • India has 43 sites: 35 Cultural, 7 Natural, 1 Mixed.

    • Latest Addition: Moidams (Ahom Dynasty burial mounds, Assam) in 2024.

  • Kamba Ramayana:

    • South Zone Cultural Centre (SZCC) initiative to preserve in Tamil Nadu.

    • 12th-century Tamil epic by poet Kambar, based on Valmiki's Sanskrit Ramayana.

  • Jahan-e-Khusrau 2025:

    • Sufi music festival inaugurated at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi.

    • Dedicated to Amir Khusrau, a 13th-century Sufi poet and musician.

  • Revival of Vikramshila University:

    • Efforts to revive ancient learning center in Bihar.

    • Established by King Dharmapala of the Pala Dynasty.

    • Major Buddhist learning center specializing in Tantrayana Buddhism.

  • The Jalanatheswarar Temple:

    • Located in Thakkolam Town, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu.

Social Issues

  • Global Food Waste Crisis:

    • UNEP's Food Waste Index Report 2024: 1.05 billion tonnes wasted globally in 2022.

    • Food Wastage: Edible & inedible parts discarded at various stages.

    • Food Loss: Occurs earlier in the supply chain.

    • India's per capita household food waste is 55 kg annually.

  • Global Best Practices to Tackle Food Waste:

    • France: Supermarkets must donate unsold food.

    • Denmark: Mobile app connects consumers with surplus food.

    • Italy: Tax incentives for food donations.

    • Netherlands: Repurposes surplus food into new products.

  • Efforts To Reduce Food Waste In India:

    • Save Food, Share Food, Share Joy Initiative by FSSAI.

    • E-NAM aims to minimize post-harvest food loss.

    • Operation Greens supports cold storage and food processing.

    • PM Kisan Sampada Yojana promotes food processing infrastructure.

  • Right Against Disability-Based Discrimination:

    • Supreme Court declared it a fundamental right.

    • Visually impaired candidates are eligible for judicial services.

    • RPWD Act, 2016 recognizes 21 types of disabilities.

  • ASHA Workers in India:

    • Accredited Social Health Activists, female volunteers promoting health awareness.

    • Introduced as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005.

    • Based on Chhattisgarh's Mitanin programme.

Other

  • Hmar & Zomi Tribe:

    • Leaders in Manipur agreed to cooperate for restoring peace.

    • "Zomi" includes Mizo, Kuki, & Chin communities.

    • Hmar are part of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo ethnic group.

  • Koch-Rajbongshis:

    • Demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

    • Community spread across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, & Bhutan.

    • Speak Rajbongshi/Rajbanshi language.

  • Senior Citizens Commission:

    • Kerala is the first state to establish a Senior Citizens Commission.

    • Aims to safeguard the rights & dignity of senior citizens.

  • Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) (SBM-G):

    • Launched: 2nd October 2014 by Ministry of Jal Shakti

    • Objective: Eliminating open defecation in rural areas

  • Sant Guru Ravidas:

    • Born in 14th Century in Varanasi, he was Bhakti Saint

    • He opposed system of untouchability and caste discrimination

  • Gross Domestic Knowledge Product:

    • GDKP was propounded by Prof. Umberto Sulpasso of the University of Southern California with Prof. Jeff Cole.

    • It is a proposed metric that quantifies the knowledge generated and utilized within an economy.

  • PM-DAKSH Yojana:

    • Approved for a period of five years from 2021-22 to 2025-2

    • Objective: Short Term Training, Upskilling / Re-skilling and Entrepreneurship Development Programme conducted by the empanelled training institutes.

  • Hybrid Quantum Supercomputer sci/Techie:

    • Engineers in Japan have switched on the the world's first hybrid quantum supercomputer, called Reimei

    • 20-qubit quantum computer Reimei has been integrated into Fugaku, the world's sixth-fastest supercomputer.

  • Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati (1824 to 1883):

    • Values: Nationalism, Universal brotherhood, Humanism etc.

    • Back to the vedas

  • Climate Risk Index - 2025:

    • India is ranked the 6th most affected country during 1993-2022 in the CRI 2025.

    • Published by: Germanwatch (since 2006)

  • BrahMos NG missile:

    • Advanced/supersonic cruise missile developed by India-Russia joint venture.

    • Designed to be deployed on SU-30MKI and LCA Tejas, submarines, and naval platforms.

  • Brahamgiri W.L∙S:

    • It lies in the core of Western Ghats in Kodagu district (Karnataka).

    • The sanctuary derives its name from Brahmagiri Peak, its highest point.

    • Vegetation: It consists of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests interspersed with shola grassland

  • PRESIDENT RULE IN MANIPUR:

    • Following the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on February 9

    • Reasons Behind the Manipur Crisis: Relative deprivation due to Land Ownership

  • APPOINTMENT OF NEW CEC:

    • President Droupadi Murmu appointed Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India.

  • AERO INDIA SHOW 2025:

    • Their presence highlights India's growing influence in the global defence sector.

    • India's first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, developed by HAL and ADA.

  • THREE-LANGUAGE POLICY UNDER NEP 2020:

    • three-language formula introduced in 1968 emphasized: Hindi, English, and a modern Indian language (preferably a southern language) in Hindi-speaking states.

  • VIJAY DURG:

    • Recently, Fort William in Kolkata, the headquarters of the Eastern Army Command, has been renamed as Vijay Durg.

  • SOVEREIGN GREEN BONDS:

    • Debt instruments issued to raise funds for emission reduction or climate resilience projects.

    • Sovereign entities, like the Government of India.

Indian Art & Culture

  • UNESCO Tentative List:

    • India added 6 properties.

    • Key sites: Kanger Valley National Park, Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs, Ashokan Edict Sites, Chausath Yogini Temples, Gupta Temples, Palace Fortresses of the Bundelas.

  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

    • India: 43 sites (35 Cultural, 7 Natural, 1 Mixed).

    • Latest: Moidams (Ahom Dynasty, Assam) in 2024.

  • Kamba Ramayana:

    • SZCC initiative.

    • 12th-century Tamil epic by Kambar.

  • Jahan-e-Khusrau 2025:

    • Sufi music festival, Delhi.

    • Dedicated to Amir Khusrau.

  • Vikramshila University Revival:

    • Revival of ancient Buddhist learning center.

  • Jalanatheswarar Temple:

    • Located in Thakkolam Town, Tamil Nadu.

Social Issues

  • Global Food Waste Crisis:

    • UNEP: 1.05 billion tonnes wasted in 2022.

    • India: 55 kg household waste annually.

  • Global Best Practices:

    • France: Food donations.

    • Denmark: Surplus food app.

    • Italy: Tax incentives for donations.

    • Netherlands: Repurposing food.

  • India's Efforts:

    • Initiatives: Save Food, Share Food, Share Joy, E-NAM, Operation Greens, PM Kisan Sampada Yojana.

  • Right Against Disability-Based Discrimination:

    • Fundamental right (Supreme Court).

    • RPWD Act, 2016: 21 disabilities.

  • ASHA Workers:

    • Health awareness volunteers (NRHM).

    • Based on Chhattisgarh's Mitanin programme.

Other

  • Hmar & Zomi Tribe:

    • Cooperating for peace in Manipur.

    • Hmar: Chin-Kuki-Mizo group.

  • Koch-Rajbongshis:

    • Demanding ST status.

    • Spread across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, & Bhutan.

  • Senior Citizens Commission:

    • Kerala: Safeguarding rights.

  • Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen):

    • Launched 2014: Eliminate open defecation.

  • Sant Guru Ravidas:

    • Opposed untouchability.

  • Gross Domestic Knowledge Product:

    • Metric for knowledge economy.

  • PM-DAKSH Yojana:

    • Short term training.

  • Hybrid Quantum Supercomputer:

    • Japan: Reimei integrated into Fugaku.

  • Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati:

    • Nationalism, brotherhood, Humanism.

    • Back to Vedas.

  • Climate Risk Index - 2025:

    • India: 6th most affected (1993-2022).

    • Published by Germanwatch.

  • BrahMos NG missile:

    • India-Russia joint venture.

  • Brahamgiri W.L.S:

    • Karnataka: Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

  • President Rule in Manipur:

    • Due to resignation of CM.

    • Reason: Land deprivation.

  • New CEC Appointment:

    • Gyanesh Kumar.

  • AERO INDIA SHOW 2025:

    • India's defence influence.

  • THREE-LANGUAGE POLICY UNDER NEP 2020:

    • Hindi, English, modern Indian language.

  • VIJAY DURG:

    • Fort William renamed.