News In Short 27-August-2025

Committees to Celebrate 150th Birth Anniversaries of Sardar Patel and Birsa Munda

Syllabus: GS1/History

Context

• The Government of India has set up three separate high-level committees to oversee celebrations of the 150th Birth Anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–2025), Birsa Munda (1875–2025) and Birth Centenary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2024). 
  • The Committee is tasked to approve plans, programmes, supervise, and guide the commemoration ceremony across the country.

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950)

• Vallabhbhai Patel was born on 31st October 1875 in Gujarat. His birth anniversary is now observed as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
  • He had accomplished the task of integrating 565 Princely States into the Union of India within a remarkably short span of time. 
  • Vallabhbhai Patel is also known as the Iron Man of India.
  • Civil Services Day is observed on 21st April every year to commemorate the day in 1947 when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the first batch of civil servants at the Metcalfe House, New Delhi. 
  • He was bestowed with the title of ‘Sardar’ after the success of Bardoli Satyagrah.
  • He was conferred the Bharat Ratna in 1991 posthumously.

About Birsa Munda (1875–1900)

• Tribal Freedom Fighter & Social Reformer from the Munda community (Chotanagpur plateau, Jharkhand).
• He led the Tribal movements against British rule, like the Ulgulan (Revolution) in 1899, which were not only pivotal in challenging British oppression but also inspired a national awakening. 
• 15 November is celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

About Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924–2024)

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a poet, writer, and statesman who served as Prime Minister for three terms.
  • To commemorate the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, 25th December is observed as Good Governance Day. 
  • During his tenure as Prime Minister, India carried out the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. 
  • In 2015, he was conferred the country’s highest civilian honour- Bharat Ratna.

Source: AIR

Dnipropetrovsk Region

Syllabus: GS1/Places

In News

• Russian forces have captured villages in the region of Dnipropetrovsk .

 Dnipropetrovsk Region

• It is situated in southeastern Ukraine and  is a key industrial and logistical hub.
• It borders conflict-prone regions like Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk.
• It is not among the five Ukrainian territories Russia officially claims to have annexed (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Crimea).

Importance 

• It is an important mining and industrial hub for Ukraine and deeper Russian advances into the region could have a serious knock-on effect for Kyiv’s struggling military and economy.

Source: TH

Project Aarohan

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched a Project Aarohan to support the educational aspirations of toll plaza employees. 

Project Aarohan

• It aims to remove financial barriers and provide equal access to quality education for students from economically weaker sections. 
• It will cover five hundred students from Class 11 to the final year of graduation. 
• Each student will receive an annual scholarship of 12 thousand rupees during the financial year 2025-26. 
• Additionally, fifty bright students aspiring for postgraduate and higher studies will be supported with scholarships of 50 thousand rupees each. 

Source: AIR

Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

In News

• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation inaugurated a two-day workshop on the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in New Delhi.

About Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)

• It is a flagship initiative aimed at holistic development of remote and strategic villages located along India’s land borders.
• The initial phase (VVP-I) covers 662 villages in the northern border districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh. 
• The latest phase (VVP-II), launched in 2025 as a Central Sector Scheme, expands coverage to select villages along international borders in 17 States/UTs including Northeast, North, East, and West frontier areas.
• It will encourage tourism, skill development, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and cultivation of medicinal plants, while preserving local heritage and organizing community events.

Source: PIB

Scientific Steering Committee for the National One Health Mission

Syllabus: GS2/Health/Governance

Context

• The third meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee on One Health Mission was held.
  • The mission adopts the “One Health” approach – recognising the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

About the National One Health Mission (NOHM)

• Launched by: The Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) approved setting up a National One Health Mission with a cross-ministerial effort in 2022.
• Objective: To develop an integrated framework for surveillance, prevention, and control of zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and emerging health threats.
• Approach: Cross-sectoral collaboration among ministries (Health, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Environment, etc.), research bodies, and state governments.
• Focus areas:
  • Zoonotic diseases (e.g., Nipah, Avian Influenza, COVID-19 origins).
  • Food safety and antimicrobial resistance.
  • Climate change and its impact on disease spread.
  • Capacity building for laboratories and data integration platforms.

Source: PIB

Kuttiyadi Coconut

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• Kuttiyadi coconut from Kerala is seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

About the Kuttiyadi Coconut

• The Kuttiyadi coconut, cultivated mainly in the Kuttiyadi region of Kozhikode, is known to be a high-yielding variety that starts yielding within five years of planting. 
• The trunk of this tree is too strong compared to other coconut varieties and resists most pests and draught. 
• The tree even has a life expectancy of more than 100 years. The fruit is larger and heavier while the kernel is thicker than other varieties and hence produces more oil too.

What is a Geographical Indication (GI) Tag? – A GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities, reputation, or characteristics attributable to that origin. – GI Registration: 1. Governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. 2. Applicable to agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and industrial goods. 3. Validity: 10 years, renewable in blocks of 10 years. – Benefits of a GI Tag: 1. Provides legal protection to the product in India and prevents unauthorised use of the registered GI by others. 2. Promotes economic prosperity for producers in the geographical region. 3. Helps boost exports of GI-tagged products.

Source: TH

Sudarshan Chakra Mission

Syllabus  :GS3/Defence 

In News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of “Mission Sudarshan Chakra”.

Sudarshan Chakra mission

• It is a new national security initiative which is aimed at protecting India’s critical establishments over the next decade.
• It  will be based entirely on indigenous research and technology, aligning with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• It is inspired by Lord Krishna’s mythological act of shielding the sun.
• It will implement a multi-layered security framework, including advanced surveillance, cyber protection, and physical safeguards. 

Significance

• The initiative responds to rising global threats like cyber warfare and hybrid attacks, signaling a shift towards proactive, self-reliant security planning for India’s future.
• It is  aimed at neutralising enemy defence infiltrations and enhancing India’s offensive capabilities.

Source :PIB

Early Detection of Parkinson’s Disease With Tiny Gold Particles

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have developed a nanotechnology-based biosensor that could detect Parkinson’s Disease (PD) even before any symptoms appear.

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

• Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting movement and motor control.
• It occurs due to the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain.
• The disease is linked to the abnormal misfolding and aggregation of a protein called α-synuclein, which forms toxic clumps in the brain, leading to neuronal damage.
• Symptoms include tremors, rigidity, slowness of movement, and postural instability.

How Does It Work?

• Scientists developed gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), which are ultrasmall glowing particles only a few nanometres wide.
  • These nanoclusters were coated with naturally occurring amino acids to give them selective binding ability.
• Proline-coated clusters attach to the normal (monomeric) α-synuclein protein, which is harmless.
• Histidine-coated clusters attach to the toxic aggregated (amyloid) form of α-synuclein, which causes Parkinson’s disease.
• This selective interaction allows the sensor to differentiate between healthy and harmful protein states, enabling early detection of Parkinson’s before symptoms appear.

Source: PIB

Operation Rainbow

Syllabus: GS3/ Internal Security

Context 

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has recently seized nearly 9 kilograms of narcotic substances in Delhi, under Operation Rainbow.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)

• The DRI was founded in December 1957, with the primary objective of gathering intelligence and combating smuggling activities at an all-India level.
  • While initially focused on addressing gold smuggling, its mandate has expanded significantly to counter a wide range of economic and narcotics-related crimes.
• It operates under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) within the Ministry of Finance.
• Headquarters: The DRI is headquartered in New Delhi and led by a Director General.
• International liaison: The agency maintains contact with foreign countries, and international bodies like INTERPOL to combat transnational smuggling.

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 – It prohibits the production, sale, possession, transport, and consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, except for medical or scientific purposes. – Scope: 1. Regulates operations from cultivation to distribution. 2. Provisions for forfeiture of property derived from drug trafficking. – Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB): The act led to the establishment of the NCB in 1986 to coordinate enforcement activities across central and state agencies.

Source: PIB

Arogyapacha

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In News

• Kuttimathan Kani, a member of Kani tribe in Kerala’s Agasthya hills, who first revealed the medicinal plant Arogyapacha to researchers has passed away.

About Arogyapacha

• Arogyapacha (Trichopus zeylanicus), often called “Kerala Ginseng,” is a rare medicinal herb native to the Western Ghats of India, especially in the Agasthya hills of Kerala.
• Kani tribes historically consumed its fruits for instant energy, especially during strenuous activities, asserting it kept people youthful and resistant to illness.
• Studies highlight pharmacological benefits such as antioxidant, anti-fatigue, aphrodisiac, anti-diabetic, anti-ulcer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, cardioprotective, and hepatoprotective activities.

Source: DTE

New World Screwworm

Syllabus: GS2/ Health, GS3/ Environment

Context

• The Department of Health and Human Services reported the first human case of the flesh-eating parasite, the New World screwworm, in the United States.

What is a New World screwworm?

• Screwworms (Cochliomyia hominivorax) are a type of blue-grey blowfly, typically found in South America and the Caribbean. 
• Screwworms, specifically females, are attracted to and lay eggs on open wounds or another entry point like a nasal cavity in warm-blooded animals and rarely humans.
  • These eggs hatch into larvae (known as maggots), which burrow into the wound to feed on the living flesh, leading to infestation. 
  • After feeding, the larvae fall into the ground, burrow into the soil and emerge as adult screwworm flies.
• Causes myiasis: When its larvae (maggots) infest living tissue, it’s known as myiasis.
• New World screwworm infestations are painful, especially in humans, with a high mortality rate if left untreated.

Source: IE