Thiru K. Kamaraj
Syllabus: GS1/History
In News
- The Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Thiru K. Kamaraj Ji on his birth anniversary.
Thiru K. Kamaraj
- Kumaraswami Kamaraj was born in Tamil Nadu on July 15, 1903.
- His early life was shaped by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and meeting Mahatma Gandhi, which inspired him to join the freedom movement.
- He became active in the Indian National Congress, participating in non-cooperation and Salt Satyagraha movements.
- He was elected unopposed to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937 and re-elected in 1946.
- That same year, he was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India and later to Parliament in 1952.
Other Political roles
- Kamaraj became the Chief Minister of Madras in 1954.
- In 1963, he proposed to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that senior Congress leaders should resign from ministerial posts to focus on strengthening the party organisation.
- This initiative became known as the ‘Kamaraj Plan.’
- In recognition of his service to the nation, he was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna in 1976.
Legacy
- He was at the forefront of India’s freedom struggle and provided invaluable leadership in the formative years of our journey after Independence.
- His noble ideals and emphasis on social justice inspire us all greatly.
Source :PIB
Spinning of Earth
Syllabus: GS1/Geography
In News
- Earth is expected to spin slightly faster on July 9, July 22, and August 5, 2025, shortening each day by 1.3 to 1.51 milliseconds.
Spinning of Earth
- Earth spins on an imaginary axis passing through the North Pole, its center of mass, and the South Pole.
- The earth rotates on its axis from west to east completing a rotation in 23 hours and 56 minutes.
- This axis shifts naturally due to changing mass distribution inside and on the planet — a phenomenon called polar motion.
- Historically, Earth’s rotation has slowed over billions of years due to the moon moving away, lengthening our days.
- However, recent years have shown variability, with 2020 seeing the fastest rotations since the 1970s and the shortest recorded day on July 5, 2024.
- Factors like mantle circulation, ocean currents, and hurricanes contribute to this shift, which can vary by several meters each year.
- Human activities, particularly climate change, also influence polar motion.
- Studies in 2016 and 2021 found that melting glaciers and ice in Greenland and related water mass redistribution have accelerated the axis drift since the 1990s.
Impacts
- Although days may vary by milliseconds, our clocks remain unchanged, since only a 900-millisecond difference would require adjusting time zones.
- These differences are tracked by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS), which adds “leap seconds” when needed.
Source :IE
Furlough & Parole
Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance
Context
- The Delhi High Court ruled that prison authorities can decide on parole or furlough requests of convicts whose appeals are pending in the Supreme Court.
About
- In India, parole and furlough are two forms of temporary release granted to prisoners under specific circumstances.
- Parole is generally granted by the Divisional Commissioner, while furlough is granted by the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons.
Parole
- Parole is a conditional release granted to a prisoner for a specific purpose or emergency for a short duration. It is not a right, but a privilege granted under defined conditions.
- It is granted to maintain social relations with family and the community in order to fulfil familial and social obligations and responsibilities.
- The prisoner has to spend extra time in prison for the period spent by him outside the Jail on parole.
- Parole may be of the following two types: Emergency Parole and Regular Parole.
- Legal Framework: Governed by State Prison Rules (as prison is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution).
Furlough in India
- Furlough means release of a prisoner for a short period of time after a gap of a certain qualified number of years of incarceration by way of motivation for him maintaining good conduct and remain disciplined in the prison.
- This is purely an incentive for good conduct in the prison.
- Therefore the period spent by the prisoner outside the prison on furlough shall be counted towards his sentence.
- Legal Basis: Also governed by State Prison Rules, and varies slightly between states.
- Under trial prisoners are not eligible for regular parole and furlough, and may be released only on emergency parole, that too by the order of the concerned trial court.
Source: IE
Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Syllabus: GS2/ Governance, GS3/ Agriculture
Context
- The 97th foundation of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) organised was observed recently.
About ICAR
- It is an autonomous body under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
- ICAR is the apex body for coordinating, guiding, and managing research and education in agriculture and allied sectors in India.
- Established in 1929, it was earlier known as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
- It is headquartered at NASC Complex, New Delhi.
Major Initiatives in 2024–25
- Global Centre of Excellence on Millets (Shree Anna): Promoting millets globally in line with the International Year of Millets 2023 legacy.
- Genome Editing in 40 Crops: Enhancing climate resilience, pest resistance, and nutritional value.
- Clean Plant Programme: Operational in 9 centres to ensure disease-free planting material.
- MAHARISHI (Millets and Other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative): Preserving traditional grains.
- All India Network Project on Biotech Crops and Emerging Pests: Strengthening research against climate-induced pest outbreaks.
Source: PIB
Statathon: A Data Journey Towards Viksit Bharat
Syllabus: GS2/ Governance
Context
- The National Statistical Office (NSO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, has launched a national-level grand challenge titled “Statathon – A Data Journey Towards Viksit Bharat.”
About
- The Statathon is designed to harness emerging technologies and innovative solutions to transform the landscape of official statistics in India.
- Organised under the aegis of MoSPI’s Data Innovation Lab (DI Lab) initiative, the Statathon marks an important milestone in the commemoration of 75 years of the National Sample Survey (NSS).
- The challenge invites participation to address five problem statements, each covering different phases of the data lifecycle; collection, processing & analysis, and dissemination.
What are the Problem Statements?
- API Gateway for Survey Datasets: Development of a scalable, configurable, and privacy-compliant API gateway enabling SQL-based data retrieval from NSS datasets.
- AI-Powered Smart Survey Tool: Creation of an AI-enabled, multilingual, mobile-friendly survey application using digital platforms for real-time data collection.
- AI-Enhanced Application for Automated Data Processing: Development of AI based configurable modules for data scrutiny, statistical analysis, and report generation.
- Semantic Search for Occupation Classification (NCO): Implementation of a semantic search interface using NLP and Gen AI for intuitive, context-aware searches across occupational codes.
- Evaluation and Enhancement of Data Anonymisation Practices: Review of current anonymisation methods and development of a robust safe data tool to ensure data privacy and security.
Source: PIB
India’s first Digital Nomad Village inaugurated in Sikkim
Syllabus: GS3/ Economy, Infrastructure
Context
- The country’s first Digital Nomad Village was officially inaugurated at Yakten village, Pakyong district in Sikkim.
About the Nomad Sikkim Initiative
- Objective: To develop Yakten as a sustainable remote work hub for digital professionals while supporting local tourism and rural livelihoods.
- Facilities:
- Village-wide high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity through two dedicated internet lines.
- Provision of inverters to ensure uninterrupted power.
- Plans under Jal Jeevan Mission to address water scarcity.
- Model: Enables professionals to work remotely in a peaceful, eco-friendly setting, providing a year-round alternative to seasonal tourism.
Source: AIR
Patriot Air Defense Systems
Syllabus: GS3/Defence
In News
- Amid discussions over weapon supply to Ukraine, US President Donald Trump has said he will send Patriot air defence systems to help Ukraine against Russian aggression.
About
- The Patriot system (Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target) is a highly advanced, mobile surface-to-air missile defence system developed by Raytheon.
- It is considered one of the most advanced air defence systems in the US arsenal and has been in service since the 1980s.
- It includes radar, control units, launchers, and support vehicles.
- It can intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, depending on the interceptor type: PAC-2 uses proximity blasts, while PAC-3 interceptors directly hit the target.
- Patriot radars have a range of over 150 km. Though not designed for hypersonic threats, Ukraine used it in 2023 to shoot down a Russian Kinzhal missile.
- Over 240 units have been delivered to 19 countries, including the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Ukraine.
- Each battery costs over $1 billion, and each missile is about $4 million.
Source :IE
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