Thomas Hickey’s 19th century painting on smallpox vaccination

A 19th-century portrait of three women from Mysore has been going viral as “one of the most important scientific pictures in the history of medicine in India”. What did the portrait depict? Believed to be painted in 1805 by Irish-born artist Thomas Hickey, the oil on canvas was initially thought to be portraits of “dancing… Continue reading

Reclining Buddha and his various other depictions in art

On this Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, or Vesak — India’s largest statue of the Reclining Buddha was to have been installed at Bodh Gaya. The ceremony has been put off due to Covid-19 restrictions. The Reclining Buddha A reclining Buddha statue or image represents The Buddha during his last illness, about to enter Parinirvana, the… Continue reading

Fundamental problems facing GST regime

The article highlights the fundamental challenges the GST faces in the form of trust erosion and politicisation of decision making in GST Council. Initial issues with GST The multiple rates structure, high tax slabs and the complexity of tax filings as the problems underpinning India’s GST. These were indeed the initial problems in the way… Continue reading

NGT upholds rights of pastoralists in Banni Grasslands

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered all encroachments to be removed from Gujarat’s Banni grasslands. Banni Grasslands Banni Grasslands form a belt of arid grassland ecosystem on the outer southern edge of the desert of the marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch. They are known for rich wildlife and biodiversity and are spread across… Continue reading

WHO BioHub: Global Facility for Pathogen Storage

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Switzerland have signed an MoU to launch a BioHub facility that will allow rapid sharing of pathogens between laboratories and partners to facilitate better analysis and preparedness against them. WHO BioHub The BioHub will enable member states to share biological materials with and via the BioHub under pre-agreed conditions,… Continue reading

Why community efforts are essential for real change

The article highlights the important role played by civil society and suggest the need for the new framework for the participation of community in the solution of problems. Important role played by civil society in second wave of Covid We also have to realise that the state or the market cannot be the only provider… Continue reading

Semiconductor chips shortage, and how carmakers are coping

A shortage of inputs, especially semiconductor chips, has made India-based car manufactures and premium bike makers curtail production across categories. Do you know? Electronic parts and components today account for 40% of the cost of a new internal combustion engine car, up from less than 20% two decades ago. Chip famine The trigger point was… Continue reading

CBI

The high-powered selection committee headed by the Prime Minister has finalized some names for the post of CBI director. Try answering this: Q.Why the CBI is called “a caged parrot speaking in its master’s voice”? Critically comment. Central Bureau of Investigation The CBI is the premier investigating agency of India operating under the jurisdiction of… Continue reading

[pib] Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery

Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery is set to begin from 15th June 2021. What is Hallmark Gold? The process of certifying the purity and fineness of gold is called hallmarking. Bureau of Indian Standards, the National Standards Body of India, is responsible for hallmarking gold as well as silver jewellery under the BIS Act. If you… Continue reading

[pib] Competition Commission of India

Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs recently commemorated the 12th Annual Day of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Competition Commission of India CCI is the competition regulator in India. It is a statutory body responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 and promoting competition throughout India and preventing activities that have an appreciable… Continue reading

COVID & Economic Inequality

Pandemic hit hard the lives, livelihood and the economy. It has also worsened income inequality. The article deals with the issues of impacts of pandemic and suggests ways to revive growth the deal with income inequality. Need to address growth and inequality issue The second wave of the pandemic is spreading to rural areas also.… Continue reading

Israel-Palestine conflict explained

Context The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is one of the world’s most enduring hostilities, with the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip reaching 53 years. Various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process. British Palestine & Jew Migration The British, after the First World War, established… Continue reading

challenges the second Covid wave poses to India’s path to fiscal consolidation.

The article highlights the challenges the second Covid wave poses to India’s path to fiscal consolidation. Recalibration to growth projection due to second Covid wave The growth projections of different national and international agencies and the fiscal projections of Centre’s 2021-22 Budget require recalibration. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had forecast real GDP growth for… Continue reading

China’s 17+1 Cooperation Forum

Lithuania has decided to quit China’s 17+1 cooperation forum with central and eastern European states that include other EU members, calling it “divisive”. About 17+ 1 Forum The forum is an abbreviation for Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries. It is an initiative by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote… Continue reading

Eruption of Mount Nyiragongo

Thousands have fled a volcanic eruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo from Mount Nyiragongo on the outskirts of Goma City. These were some volcanoes in news this year: Mount Vesuvius, Taal Volcano, La Soufriere Mount Nyiragongo Mount Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano with an elevation of 3,470 m (11,385 ft) in the Virunga Mountains… Continue reading

What is Vaccine Tourism?

A couple of days ago, reports emerged of a Dubai-based tour operator offering a 24-day package tour from Delhi to Moscow that has included two shots of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine. What is vaccine tourism? In India, the term “vaccine tourism” became popular late last year when reports emerged of several tour operators offering packages… Continue reading

Person in news: Sunderlal Bahuguna

Veteran environmentalist and architect of the Chipko Movement Sundarlal Bahuguna, 94 has succumbed to COVID. Answer this PYQ in the comment box: Q.In India, the problem of soil erosion is associated with which of the following? Terrace cultivation Deforestation Tropical climate Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only… Continue reading

Appointments to the Kalakshetra Foundation

The Central government has appointed 12 eminent artists and musicians to the board of the prestigious institution. Kalakshetra Foundation It is an arts and cultural academy dedicated to the preservation of traditional values in Indian art and crafts, especially in the field of Bharatanatyam dance and Gandharvaveda music. Based in Chennai, India, the academy was… Continue reading

How AIDS fight offers a COVID vaccine patent pathway

The possibilities of new strain of Covid-19 emerging from any region of the world could derail the global recovery. To prevent that from happening vaccines need to be made available and affordable to all. This article discusses the ways to ensure that. Ensuring affordability and availability of Covid vaccines To achieve global herd immunity and… Continue reading

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