Piprahwa Relics
Syllabus :GS1/History
In News
- The Ministry of Culture has acted swiftly to prevent the auction of the sacred Piprahwa Relics by Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
The Piprahwa Relics
- They were excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa (believed to be the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha) and hold significant historical and spiritual value.
- They were discovered in 1898 by William Claxton Peppé and the relics include bone fragments, caskets, and offerings such as gold and gemstones.
- An inscription in Brahmi script on one of the caskets confirms these as relics of the Buddha, deposited by the Sakya clan.
- Status : The majority of these relics were transferred to the Indian Museum, Kolkata, in 1899 and are classified as ‘AA’ antiquities under Indian law, prohibiting their removal or sale.
- While a portion of the bone relics was gifted to the King of Siam, a selection retained by Peppé’s descendants has now been listed for auction.
Source: AIR
Ahilyabai Holkar
Syllabus:GS1/History
In News
- The Maharashtra government will make a film on Ahilyabai Holkar’s life for her 300th birth anniversary in 2025.
Ahilyabai Holkar
- She was the Holkar Queen of the Malwa kingdom.
- She is regarded as one of the most visionary female rulers of India.
- In the 18th century, as the Maharani of Malwa, she was instrumental in spreading the message of dharma and propagating industrialization.
- She is widely known for her wisdom, courage, and administrative skills.
Early Life
- She was born on 31 May 1725 in Chondi, Maharashtra, came from a humble background and was educated by her father.
- Her character caught the attention of Malhar Rao Holkar, who arranged her marriage to his son, Khanderao Holkar, in 1733.
- After her husband’s death, she was prevented from committing sati by her father-in-law, who instead trained her in administration and warfare.
Rise to Power
- Following the deaths of Malhar Rao in 1766 and her son in 1767, Ahilyabai took over the rule of Malwa with the Peshwa’s approval and became the ruler of Indore on 11 December 1767.
- She ruled for 28 years with justice, wisdom, and administrative excellence, transforming Maheshwar into a cultural and economic hub.
Contribution
- She promoted industry—most notably the Maheshwari saree textile trade—encouraged the arts, and supported religious and public welfare projects across India.
- Her most notable contribution was the renovation of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1780.
Legacy
- Known as the ‘Philosopher Queen,’ Ahilyabai Holkar passed away on 13 August 1795.
- Her enduring legacy is reflected in the many temples, rest houses, and charitable works she commissioned across the country.
Source :TH
Centre plans revision of ‘safe harbour’ clause
Syllabus :GS 2/Governance
In News
- The government is considering revising guidelines for intermediary platforms and re-evaluating the “safe harbour” protections under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act.
‘Safe harbour’under Section 79 of the IT Act
- Section 79 of the IT Act grants intermediaries safe harbour protection from liability for third-party content, as long as they follow certain conditions.
- However, under Section 79(3)(b), this protection is void if the intermediary, upon receiving actual knowledge or a government notice about unlawful content, fails to promptly remove or block access to it.
| Do you know? – Section 69A of the IT Act allows the Central government to block public access to information for reasons like national security and public order, with procedural safeguards established by the Supreme Court in the 2015 Shreya Singhal case. |
Latest Developments
- The recent move aims to curb the spread of fake news, particularly following the Pahalgam terror attack, which led to the blocking of several YouTube channels, including two Indian ones.
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) stated that platforms may be required to take proactive steps against fake news, although no new law is currently planned due to constitutional concerns around free speech.
- Instead, the government favors self-regulation and supports giving statutory backing to the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check Unit.
- Meanwhile, the Ministry of Electronics and IT plans to challenge a Bombay High Court ruling that limited this unit’s power to remove content and revoke safe harbour status.
Source :TH
58th ADB Annual Meeting
Syllabus: GS2/Regional Groupings
Context
- The 58th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) began in Milan, Italy.
About
- The meeting will be attended by official delegations of the Board of Governors of ADB, official delegations of ADB members and international financial institutions.
- FM Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047 — Viksit Bharat — and called the ADB a “valued partner” in India’s development journey.
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
- ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific.
- Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.
- Headquarters: Manila, Philippines
- Primary Goal: To alleviate poverty and foster sustainable economic growth, inclusive development, and regional integration.
- Structure:
- Board of Governors: One representative from each member country.
- Board of Directors: 12 members who supervise the bank’s operations.
- President: Elected by the Board of Governors; oversees ADB’s management.
Source: AIR
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
Syllabus: GS2/International Groupings
Context
- India strongly criticised the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its statement about not mentioning the Pahalgam terror attack and parroting Pakistan’s propaganda on Kashmir.
About OIC
- Established: 1969, in Rabat, Morocco.
- Trigger Event: Response to the arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque
- Headquarters: Currently in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Membership: Open to UN member states with a Muslim majority (57 member states as of 2024).
- Goals and Mandate: Present itself as the “collective voice of the Muslim world”
- Promote solidarity and unity among members.
- Membership & Voting:
- Full membership requires consensus in the Council of Foreign Ministers
- Observer status follows a similar process
- Quorum: Two-thirds of members present
- Decisions: Preferably by consensus, or by two-thirds majority of those present and voting
- Key Organs
- Islamic Summit: Highest authority, composed of Heads of State, meets every 3 years.
- Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM): Primary decision-making body, meets annually.
Source: TOI
Centre Notifies Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims
Syllabus: GS2/Governance
Context
- The government has announced a cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims nationwide.
About
- The scheme has come into force with effect from May 5, 2025.
- Financial Coverage: Victims will be entitled to a maximum of ₹1.5 lakh per accident per person.
- Implementation Agencies:
- National Health Authority (NHA): Central implementing agency.
- State Road Safety Council: Nodal agency for each state/UT.
- Coordination will be done with police, hospitals, and State Health Agencies.
- Treatment Period: Benefits apply for a maximum period of seven days from the date of the accident.
- Treatment at Non-Designated Hospitals:
- Allowed only for stabilization purposes.
- Conditions to be specified under official guidelines.
- Monitoring Mechanism: The central government will set up a steering committee to monitor implementation of the scheme.
Source: TH
Gaganyaan Mission Moved to First Quarter of 2027
Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology
Context
- The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology said that India’s first human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan programme is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2027.
Gaganyaan mission
- Purpose: To demonstrate the capability to launch human beings (three crew members) to low earth orbit and bring them back safely to earth by landing.
- Launch vehicle: The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).
- Crew Escape System (CES): HLVM3 consists of CES powered by a set of quick acting, high burn rate solid motors which ensures that Crew Module along with the crew is taken to a safe distance in case of any emergency either at launch pad or during ascent phase.
- Orbital Module: The Orbiter Module will orbit the Earth, and it consists of Crew Module (CM) and Service Module (SM). It is designed to keep the crew safe during ascent, orbital phase, and re-entry.
- The Crew Module (CM) is the habitable space with the Earth-like environment in space for the crew.
- Service Module (SM): It will be used to provide the necessary support to CM while in orbit. It is an unpressurized structure containing thermal system, propulsion system, power systems, avionics systems and deployment mechanisms.
- This manned mission will be the first of ISRO’s human spaceflight missions. The US, Russia and China are the only three countries to have conducted human spaceflights yet.
Source: TH
OPERATION SINDOOR
Syllabus: GS3/Defence
Context
- The Indian Armed Forces launched ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.
About
- Touted as the Indian military’s biggest and deepest strike yet, ‘Operation Sindoor’ marks the first full-scale tri-service operation since the 1971 war.
- The name — Operation Sindoor — given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a symbolic tribute to the Pahalgam victims, avenging those killed for their faith while their sindoor-wearing wives were spared.
- The strategic operation targeted and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen training bases, with India deploying some of its most advanced weaponry.
- At the heart of the operation were SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided munitions, both launched from India’s frontline Rafale fighter jets.
- Also, loitering munitions, or kamikaze drones, provided real-time surveillance and executed precise strikes on high-value, mobile targets as they emerged.
Source: PIB
Urban Colour Homogenisation Hypothesis
Syllabus: GS3/ Environment and Ecology
Context
- A recent global study challenges the Urban Colour Homogenisation Hypothesis, which posited that urbanisation leads to more uniform and dull bird coloration.
About
- The study utilized a global dataset encompassing over 1,200 bird species to analyze the relationship between urban environments and bird plumage coloration.
- It contradicts long-held assumptions and underscores the complex relationship between urbanisation and biodiversity.
What is the urban color homogenization hypothesis?
- The “urban color homogenization hypothesis” suggests that urbanization leads to a reduction in the diversity of colors found in both the built environment and natural areas within cities.
- This is due to factors like habitat fragmentation, the prevalence of certain species, and the dominance of certain color palettes in urban planning.
Key Findings of the new study
- Birds thriving in urban environments are more likely to be colourful, especially with blue, dark grey, and black plumage.
- Melanin-based colours (dark grey/black) might confer advantages in polluted environments by binding to toxins.
- Conversely, birds with brown or yellow feathers are less successful in cities.
- Brown coloration, effective as camouflage in forest understoreys, may become less adaptive in urban settings due to the absence of natural backgrounds (like leaf litter or soil).
- Reduced predation pressure in cities may allow birds to adopt more conspicuous, colourful plumage.
Source: TH
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