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  • PM inaugurates Jallianwala Bagh Memorial

    Prime Minister has virtually inaugurated the renovated Jallianwala Bagh complex in Amritsar.

    What led to Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?

    Protesting the contentious Rowlatt Act

    • The act officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919 was passed in 1919 by the Imperial Legislative Council.
    • It had authorized the British government to arrest anybody suspected of terrorist activities.
    • It also authorized the government to detain such people arrested for up to 2 years without trial.
    • It empowered the police to search a place without a warrant. It also placed severe restrictions on the freedom of the press.
    • The primary intention of colonial govt. was to repress the growing nationalist movement in the country.
    • The British were also afraid of a Ghadarite revolution in Punjab and the rest of the country.

    The day

    • The massacre took place on 13 April 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Col. Reginald Dyer fired rifles into a crowd of Indians.
    • The civilians had assembled for a peaceful protest to condemn the arrest and deportation of two national leaders, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew.
    • Dyer without warning ordered his troops to fire at the unarmed crowd which included children as well.
    • The indiscriminate firing went on for about 10 minutes which resulted in the deaths of at least 1000 people and injured more than 1500 people.

    Aftermath

    • In protest against the massacre, Rabindranath Tagore gave up his knighthood.
    • Gandhiji relinquished his title ‘Kaiser-e-hind’ bestowed on him by the British for his services during the Boer War in South Africa.
    • Michael O’Dwyer, the then Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab, who had approved the actions of Dyer, was assassinated by Udham Singh in London in 1940 as revenge against the massacre.
    • The heroic treatment of Dyer’s heinous act again set a benchmark of colonial arrogance.

    Hunter Commission for inquiry

    • In October 1919 the Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagu, ordered the formation of a committee of inquiry into the events in Punjab.
    • Referred to as the Disorders Inquiry Committee, it was later more widely known as the Hunter Commission (Not to be confused with Hunter Education Commission).
    • Still, there are long-standing demands in India that Britain should apologize for the massacre.

  • Hurricane Ida makes landfall in US

    Hurricane Ida has made landfall in Louisiana, US as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm.

    What is a Hurricane?

    • A hurricane is a tropical cyclone that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean and the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
    • And a typhoon occurs in the northwestern Pacific Ocean; in the south Pacific or the Indian Ocean, comparable storms are referred to simply as “tropical cyclones” or “severe cyclonic storms”.

    What are Tropical Cyclones?

    A Tropical cyclone is an intense circular storm that originates over warm tropical oceans and is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.

    • Cyclones are formed over slightly warm ocean waters. The temperature of the top layer of the sea, up to a depth of about 60 meters, need to be at least 28°C to support the formation of a cyclone.
    • This explains why the April-May and October-December periods are conducive for cyclones.
    • Then, the low level of air above the waters needs to have an ‘anticlockwise’ rotation (in the northern hemisphere; clockwise in the southern hemisphere).
    • During these periods, there is an ITCZ in the Bay of Bengal whose southern boundary experiences winds from west to east, while the northern boundary has winds flowing east to west.
    • Once formed, cyclones in this area usually move northwest. As it travels over the sea, the cyclone gathers more moist air from the warm sea which adds to its heft.

    Try this question from CSP 2020:

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    1. Jet Streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
    2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
    3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10 degree Celsius lesser than that of the surroundings.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 2 only

    (d) 1 and 3 only

     

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    Destruction caused

    • Strong Winds: Cyclones are known to cause severe damage to infrastructure through high-speed winds.
    • Torrential rains and inland flooding: Torrential rainfall (more than 30 cm/hour) associated with cyclones is another major cause of damages. Unabated rain gives rise to unprecedented floods.
    • Storm Surge: A Storm surge can be defined as an abnormal rise of sea level near the coast caused by a severe tropical cyclone.

    Some (unexpected) benefits

    Although Tropical cyclones are known for the destruction they cause, when they strike they also bestow certain benefits to the climatic conditions of that area such as

    • Relieve drought conditions
    • Carry heat and energy away from the tropics and transport it towards temperate latitudes
    • Maintain a relatively stable and warm temperature worldwide

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    Also read:

    [Burning Issue] Tropical Cyclones and India

  • 27th August 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1    Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).

    GS-2   Comparison of the Indian Constitutional Scheme with that of Other Countries.

     GS-3   Food Processing and Related Industries in India- Scope’ and Significance, Location, Upstream and Downstream Requirements, Supply Chain Management.

    GS-4    Case Studies

    Questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Giving a brief account of distribution of cotton textile industry in India, identify the factors responsible for localization of this industry in Ahmedabad–Mumbai–Pune region. (10 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 Has the first-past-the-post system polarised Indian politics? What are the advantages of this system and suggest ways to deal with the issues with the system. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.2 Is Iron-fortified rice an answer to the anaemia prevalence in India? What are the issues with such a policy? (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 A woman employee has leveled allegations of sexual misconduct on social media against the Head of Operations in the company where you are in-charge of human resources department. This has been in the context of the recent phenomenon of women coming out against powerful men who have sexually harassed them in the past. Given the frenzy around the issue, your company is under immense pressure to act quickly against this person. You have the following options before you: (a) Accept the statement of allegations and take departmental and legal action quickly. (b) Investigate the matter through an internal complaints committee and take action after it submits its findings. Analyse the given options and argue which course of action would you choose? Also suggest what measures would you take to prevent occurrences of such instances in your company in future. (20 Marks)

     

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  • Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano

    Geologists have detected a swarm of earthquakes at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, though it was not erupting.

    Kilauea Volcano

    • Kilauea is about 200 miles south of Honolulu, on the Big Island of Hawaii.
    • It is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, having erupted 34 times since 1952. In Hawaiian tradition, Kilauea is home to the volcano goddess Pele.
    • From 1983 to 2018, it erupted almost continuously, in some cases sending streams of lava that covered farms and homes.
    • At the end of this decades-long eruption, Kilauea spewed lava from vents in a residential neighborhood on its eastern flank and destroyed more than 700 homes.
    • In December, Kilauea erupted at the crater, creating a lake with enough lava to fill 10 Hoover dams. That eruption ended in May.

    Do not skip answering this PYQ:

    Consider the following statements:

    1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian Territory.
    2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
    3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (CSP 2014)

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 3 only

    (d) 1 and 3 only

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    Back2Basics: Volcanic Landforms

    • Note the intrinsic and extrinsic types of volcanic landforms

    • A volcano has 3 main characteristics
    1. Cone shaped mountain
    2. Formed by rock or ash thrown from the inside of the earth
    3. At times, opening or depression at top
    • The three main types of volcanos are:

    1. Cinder cone Volcano: The cinder cones are small volcanoes with steep sides. Even though they are small, these are the ones you probably hear about.  They are very explosive and made of ash and rock.  Most of the cinder cones are small and less than 500 meters high.  A famous cinder cone is Sunset Crater Volcano in Arizona.
    2. Shield Volcanoes: A shield is a low and broad volcano that usually has a very wide crater (a dent in the Earth’s surface). It is formed from thin layers of lava after consistent low-grade eruptions.  The largest volcano in the world is a shield volcano.  It is located in Hawaii.
    3. Composite volcanoes: They are the tallest type of volcano. They look very impressive but do usually have quiet and slow lava flows.  They sometimes have small eruptions that cause ash and rock to go flying.  One of the most famous volcanoes in the world is a composite volcano.  It is Mount Fuji in Japan.

  • Making of the Modern City of Kolkata

    A 2003 judgment by the Calcutta High Court generates discussion of the city’s age, its date of founding, and Job Charnock, whom many credits for having “found” the city of Calcutta.

    Calcutta: Who founded the city?

    Nobody.

    • A place then called Kalikatah was an important religious centre due to the existence of the Kali temple in the adjacent village of Kalighat.
    • The first literary reference to the site is found in Bipradas Pipilai’s magnum opus Manasa Mangala which dates back to 1495.
    • Abul Fazl’s Ain-I-Akbari dating 1596 also mentions the place.
    • The Sabarna Roy Choudhury family was granted the Jagirdari of Kalikatah by Emperor Jehangir in 1608.

    Who was Job Charnock?

    • Job Charnock (1630–1693) was an English administrator with the East India Company.
    • He was once regarded as the founder of the city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).
    • However, this view is challenged, and in 2003 the Calcutta High Court declared that he ought not to be regarded as the founder.
    • Charnock was entrusted with procuring the Company’s saltpetre and appointed to the centre of the trade, Patna in Bihar in1659.

    Beginning of Urbanization

    • The establishment of the Government House in 1767 and the Lottery Commission in 1817 were the other important developments in the city’s history that gave its urban landscape more defined contours.
    • This commission was entirely responsible for the setting up of the city’s roads, streets and lanes.
    • Some markers of urban settlements include planned roads, water supply and transport.
    • The establishment of these in the early 19th century was responsible for making Calcutta the great city that it eventually became.

    Significance of Kolkata

    One of the most significant developments that gave the city a semblance of urban formation occurred in 1756 when the Nawab of Bengal Siraj ud-Daulah lay siege to Calcutta.

    • This was in retaliation for the British East India Company engaging in unauthorized development of the structure that is now known as Fort William.
    • The East India Company was defeated in a decisive battle, making them realise the vulnerability of the fort.
    • Post 1757 the fort was remade and fortified with enhanced protection, the construction was exceptionally well done.
    • It was really this attack on Fort William, a bastion of the British and other Europeans living there, that changed the map of Calcutta.
    • The Europeans who used to primarily lived inside the fort—the European merchants, the administrators etc—started moving out.
    • They knew that if there was an attack, there was infrastructure to save them. That was European Calcutta, what we call ‘White Town’.

    Hey! We won’t let you move away without answering this PYQ:

    Wellesley established the Fort William College at Calcutta because (CSP 2020):

    (a) He was asked by the board of directors at London to do so

    (b) He wanted to revive interest in oriental learning in India

    (c) He wanted to provide William Carey and his associates with employment

    (d) He wanted to train British civilians for administrative purposes in India.

     

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  • 26th August 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1    Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).

    GS-2    India and its Neighborhood- Relations.

     GS-3   Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

    GS-4    Probity in Governance: Information sharing and_ transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

    Questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Give an account of the geographical distribution pattern of major agro-based industries in India. Also, explain their multiplier effect on rural economy. (15 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 What are the doctrines followed in international law for the recognition of the government of the State? What should be India’s approach towards recognising Taliban government in Afghanistan? (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3. How Automated Facial Recognition Systems work? What are the issues with the National Automated Facial Recognition System in India? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 Compassion should never be considered as weakness, but rather as an essential element for providing a congenial administrative working environment. Discuss. (10 Marks)

     

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  • Saroop of the Sikh Holy Book

    A union minister has received one of the Saroops of the holy Guru Granth Sahib flown in from Afghanistan.

    What is Saroop?

    • Saroop is a physical copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, also called Bir in Punjabi.
    • Every Bir has 1,430 pages, which are referred to as Ang. The verses on every page remain the same.
    • The Sikhs consider the Saroop of Guru Granth Sahib a living guru and treat it with utmost respect.
    • They believe that all the 10 Gurus were the same spirit in different bodies, and the Guru Granth Sahib is their eternal physical and spiritual form.

    Compilation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib

    • It was the fifth Sikh master, Guru Arjan Dev, who compiled the first Bir of the Guru Granth Sahib in 1604, and installed it at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
    • Later, the tenth Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh, added verses penned by the ninth master, his father Guru Tegh Bahadur, and compiled the Bir for the second and last time.
    • It was in 1708 that Guru Gobind Singh declared the Guru Granth Sahib the living Guru of the Sikhs.
    • Guru Granth Sahib is a compendium of hymns written by six Sikh gurus,15 saints, including Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Ravidas, Sheikh Farid and Bhagat Namdev, 11 Bhatts (balladeers) and four Sikhs.
    • The verses are composed in 31 ragas.

    What does the act of carrying the saroop on one’s head signify?

    • The installation and transportation of Guru Granth Sahib is governed by a strict code of conduct called rehat maryada.
    • As a mark of respect, the Bir of the Guru Granth Sahib is carried on the head, and the person walks barefoot.
    • Whenever a devout sees the Bir of Guru Granth Sahib passing by, s/he removes her shoes and bows.
    • A ceremonial whisk is waved high over the Guru Granth Sahib either on the move or while reading from it.
    • Gurdwaras have a separate resting place for the Saroop, called ‘Sukh Asan Sthan’ or ‘Sachkhand’ where the Guru rests at night.
    • This takes place at the end of the day when the holy book is ceremoniously shut and rested. In the morning, the saroop is again installed in a ceremony called ‘prakash’.
    • Many tourists specially come to watch the prakash and sukha asan ceremony of the Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple.

    Where are copies of the Guru Granth Sahib published?

    • There was a tradition among Punjabis, both Sikhs and Hindus, to copy the Guru Granth Sahib by hand and produce multiple copies.
    • The Udasi and Nirmla sects also played a role in making handwritten copies of the Birs until the British introduced the printing press.
    • Nowadays, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has the sole rights to publish the Birs of the Guru Granth Sahib, and this is done at Amritsar.

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    Try answering this PYQ:

    Consider the following Bhakti Saints:

    1. Dadu Dayal
    2. Guru Nanak
    3. Tyagaraja

    Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over? (CSP 2018)

    (a) 1 and 3

    (b) 2 only

    (c) 2 and 3

    (d) 1 and 2

     

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  • 25th August 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1    Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent)

    GS-2   Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers & Privileges and Issues Arising out of these.

     GS-3   Disaster and Disaster Management.

    GS-4   Probity in Governance: Concept of public service;
    Philosophical basis of governance and probity.

    Questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 Which are the major iron ore producing regions in the world? With examples, discuss the factors that influence the location of Iron and Steel industry. (15 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 Indian lawmaking is in the need of more scrutiny and less speed. Comment. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3 The frequency of devastating cyclones is increasing, with increasing consequences for India. In light of this, examine the impact of cyclones and suggest the long term measures to deal with them. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 What are the problems arising out of declining ethical standards among public servants? Suggest certain strategies to address the same. (10 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

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    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

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    8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

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  • Person in news: Sree Narayana Guru

    The Prime Minister has paid tributes to Sree Narayana Guru on his Jayanti.

    Sree Narayana Guru (1856-1928)

    • Narayana Guru was a philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer in India.
    • He led a reform movement against the injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala in order to promote spiritual enlightenment and social equality.

    His legacy:

    Temple Entry

    • He was in the forefront of the movement for universal temple entry and against the societal ills like the social discrimination of untouchables.
    • He gave the famous slogan “One Caste, One Religion, One God for All”.
    • In 1888, he built a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at Aruvippuram which was against the caste-based restrictions of the time.
    • In one temple he consecrated at Kalavancode, he kept mirrors instead of idols. This symbolised his message that the divine was within each individual.

    Untouchability

    • The social protest of Vaikom Satyagraha (1924-25) was an agitation by the lower caste against untouchability in Hindu society of Travancore.
    • He taught equality but felt the inequalities should not be exploited to carry out conversions and therefore generate strife in society.

    Philosophy

    • Sree Narayana Guru became one of the greatest proponents and re-evaluators of Advaita Vedanta, the principle of non-duality put forward by Adi Shankara.

    Answer this PYQ:

    Q.Which one of the following pairs does not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy?

    (a) Mimamsa and Vedanta

    (b) Nyaya and Vaisheshika

    (c) Lokayata and Kapalika

    (d) Sankhya and Yoga

     

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  • Places in news: Indira Point

    The Swarnim Vijay Varsh Victory Flame was taken to Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country on August 22, 2021, as part of its voyage to the Nicobar Group of Islands.

    Indira Point

    • Indira Point is the southernmost point of Indian Territory.
    • It is a village in the Nicobar district at Great Nicobar Island of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India.
    • Rondo Island, Indonesia’s northernmost island in Sabang district of Aceh province of Sumatra, lies 163 km south of Little Andaman Island and 145 km or 80 nautical miles from Indira point.
    • The point was formerly known as Pygmalion Point and Parsons Point. It was renamed in honour of Indira Gandhi during mid-1980s.
    • Galathea National Park and Lighthouse are the major attractions here.

    India and Indonesia are upgrading the deep sea port Sabang under the strategic military and economic collaboration to protect the channel between Great Nicobar Island and Rondo Island which is 612 km or 330 nautical miles from Indira Point.

    What is Swarnim Vijay Varsh?

    • It marks the 50th anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
    • Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on December 16 to mark India`s triumph in liberating Bangladesh.
    • The journey of the Victory Flame is taken from north to south corners of India.