Gundaram inscriptions in Telangana’s Peddapalli
Syllabus: GS1/ History and Culture
Context
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has documented 11 new inscriptions in the Gundaram Reserve Forest near Peddapalli, Telangana.
Key findings
- These inscriptions date from the 1st century BCE to the 6th century CE and provide crucial insights into the Satavahana period and the early cultural-political landscape of the Deccan region.
- Scripts and Language: The inscriptions are in early Brahmi script and Prakrit language.
- Inscription 1: A person from the Haritiputra lineage (linked to Chutu dynasty) excavated a cave for Buddhist monks, mentioning friendship with Kumāra Hakusiri, a Satavahana prince.
- Inscription 2: It begins with a trident and damaru, religious symbols typically associated with Shaivism.
- It mentions that land east of the hill belonged to Siri Devarana, a mahatalavara (high-ranking official).
| Satavahana period – Time Period: 1st century BCE – 3rd century CE – Capital: Pratishthana (modern Paithan in Maharashtra). – They ruled over the Deccan region, which includes parts of modern-day Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. – The dynasty was founded by Simuka, who established the early foundations of the Satvahana rule. 1. However, the Satvahanas reached their zenith under the reign of Gautamiputra Satakarni. |
Source: TH
Western Disturbance
Syllabus: GS1/ Physical Geography
In News
- The weather conditions were triggered by a fresh Western Disturbance over northern and northwestern parts of the country causing heavy rainfall.
About Western Disturbance
- Western Disturbances are cyclonic storms that form over land. These are referred to as middle latitude or extra tropical cyclones, because of development in the mid and high latitude.
- They occur mostly in the Mediterranean region due to a temperature gradient caused by the mixing of warm air from the tropics and cold air from the northern polar regions.
- They collect moisture from the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Caspian Sea and traverse over Iran and Afghanistan before hitting the western Himalayas.
- While the storm systems occur throughout the year, they travel to India mostly between December and April because of the trajectory of the subtropical westerly jet stream.
Impacts of Western Disturbances in India
- Western Disturbances support rabi crops by bringing rainfall and sustaining river flow, but irregular patterns can negatively impact the rabi crops yields.
- These have a significant impact on India’s climate and environment, affecting not only the weather patterns but also the country’s food and water security.
Source: IE
Mt. Makalu
Syllabus :GS 1/Geography
In News
- The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) successfully climbed Mt. Makalu (8,485 m) during its first-ever twin summit expedition to Mt. Makalu and Mt. Annapurna, both in Nepal.
Mt.Makalu
- It is 20 km east of Everest in the Khumbu region and is the fifth highest mountain in the world.
- It lies in the Makalu Barun National Park and is known for its perfect pyramid shape with four sharp ridges.
- North of the mountain lies Tibet and it has two notable subsidiary peaks.
- Kangchungtse, or Makalu II, 7,678 m lies north-northwest of the main summit.
- The other is Chomo Lonzo which lies just north of the main peak.
Past expeditions
- Mt.Makalu was first attempted by an American team in 1954 but was successfully summited on May 15, 1955, by French climbers Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy.
- It has never been summited in true winter conditions.
- The first Nepali to summit it was Ang Chepal Sherpa in 1978.
Source :TH
Insider Trading
Syllabus :GS3/Economy
In News
- SEBI has accused Pranav Adani of insider trading by allegedly sharing price-sensitive information about Adani Green’s 2021 SB Energy acquisition with his brother-in-law.
Insider trading
- Insider trading is the illegal practice of trading a company’s securities using unpublished price-sensitive information (UPSI) by individuals with access to such data, like employees, directors, or associates.
- It involves buying or selling securities based on confidential, material nonpublic information, violating a duty of trust.
- It also includes sharing such information (“tipping”) and trading by those who receive or misuse it.
- SEBI regulates and prohibits insider trading to ensure market fairness and protect investors.
Source :TH
Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) Upstage FPIs
Syllabus: GS3/ Economy
Context
- Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) overtook foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in ownership of NSE-listed companies in the March quarter of 2025.
About
- DIIs held a 17.62 per cent stake, up from 16.89 percent in the December 2024 quarter.
- FPI ownership stood at 17.22 percent.
- It is the first time DIIs have outpaced FPIs since Prime Database began tracking data in 2009.
- Impact: DIIs act as shock absorbers during phases of FPI withdrawal, reducing market volatility.
| Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) – These include institutions such as mutual funds, insurance companies, pension funds, and banks that invest in domestic financial markets. – DIIs also channel retail investments via Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs). Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) – FPI consists of securities and other financial assets held by investors in another country. – It does not provide the investor with direct ownership of a company’s assets and is relatively liquid depending on the volatility of the market. – FPI holdings can include stocks, American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), bonds, mutual funds, and Exchange-traded funds (ETFs). – It is different from Foreign direct investment (FDI), which is an ownership stake in a foreign company or project made by an investor, company, or government from another country. |
Source: BS
Black Hole Bomb
Syllabus: GS3/ S&T
In News
- Researchers have created the first laboratory analog of the ‘black hole bomb’, a theoretical concept developed by physicists in the 1970s.
About Black Hole Bomb
- It is a theoretical mechanism where rotational energy of a spinning black hole is extracted and amplified.
- Based on Penrose process (1971), particles in the ergosphere of a rotating black hole can gain energy through frame-dragging.
- Ergosphere is the region outside the event horizon where frame-dragging occurs.
- Zel’dovich (1971) extended the idea to rotating, axially symmetric bodies—predicting energy amplification in a resonance chamber.
How was it Simulated in the Lab?
- A rotating aluminum cylinder was placed inside magnetic coils generating a rotating magnetic field.
- The cylinder acted as the analog black hole, and the magnetic field represented the wave/particle.
- When the cylinder rotated faster than the magnetic field, the field was amplified, mimicking superradiance.
- Mirror-like coils simulated the reflective boundary to create a feedback loop — the key to the “bomb” effect.
Source: TH
Pangolin
Syllabus: GS3/ Species In News
In News
- Global trafficking of pangolin has sharply declined since 2020.
About Pangolin
- Pangolins are mammals covered in keratin scales, the only such mammals on Earth.
- They feed on ants, termites, and larvae using their long sticky tongues.
- When threatened, they use volvation (rolling into a ball) to protect themselves with their armor-like scales.
- They are considered “ecosystem engineers” due to their role in soil aeration and pest control.
- Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata)
- IUCN Status: Endangered
- Habitat: Widely distributed across India, except arid zones (e.g., Rajasthan), High Himalayas & North-Eastern states
- Also found in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
- Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
- Habitat: Himalayan foothills – Eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Northern India, Northeast Bangladesh, Southern China.
Source: TH
Operation Hawk 2025
Syllabus: GS2/Issues Related To Children; GS3/Cyber Security
Context
- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched Operation Hawk to successfully dismantle the cybercrime networks involving online child sexual exploitation with international linkages.
About
- Earlier, the CBI had launched Operation CARBON in 2021 and Operation Megh Chakra in 2022 to trace accused of online child sexual exploitation cases with international linkages.
Source: TH
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
Syllabus :Miscellaneous
In News
- Olympians Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
- It is considered India’s highest sporting honour and is named after the Indian hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand (1905–79).
- It was established in 1991-92 and is given for outstanding performances in sports spanning over a period of four years.
- The winners receive a medallion, certificate and a cash prize.
- Legendary sports figures like MC Mary Kom, S. MirabaiChanu, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Vijender Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli amongst others have received this highest sporting honour in the past.
| Major Dhyan Chand – He was the star of the Indian hockey team that dominated the sport in the years before World War II. – He played a key role in India’s three consecutive gold hauls at the Olympic Games – in 1928, 1932 and 1936. – His mastery of the game and ball control was so dazzling that it earned him the epithets ‘Hockey Wizard’ and ‘The Magician’. |
Source :PIB