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GS Paper: GS1

  • Tribes in news: Siddi 

    Why in the News?

    President Droupadi Murmu met members of Gujarat’s Siddi Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) community and praised their 72% literacy rate as a sign of social progress.

    President Droupadi Murmu met members of Gujarat’s Siddi Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) community and praised their 72% literacy rate as a sign of social progress.

    About the Siddi Community:

    • Overview: An Afro-Indian tribal group descended from Bantu-speaking peoples of Southeast Africa, brought to India via the Indian Ocean slave trade (7th–19th centuries).
    • Arrival in India: First arrived at Bharuch port (628 CE) with Arab traders; major influxes during Muhammad bin Qasim’s conquest (712 CE) and later under Portuguese and British.
    • Migration & Settlement: Brought as soldiers, sailors, slaves, and servants; some escaped bondage to form independent forest settlements.
    • Genealogy: Studies show 60–75 % African admixture mixed with Indian and Portuguese ancestry accumulated over two centuries.
    • Geographic Distribution: Concentrated in Karnataka (Uttara Kannada, Belgaum, Dharwad) and Gujarat (Junagadh, Gir-Somnath, Saurashtra); smaller groups in Maharashtra, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh; total population 40 k–2.5 lakh.
    • Historical Role: Served in Deccan Sultanate and Nizam armies; most famous figure, Malik Ambar (1600–1626), Ethiopian-origin prime minister of Ahmadnagar (now Ahilyanagar).

    Cultural and Demographic Features:

    • Social Status: Recognised as Scheduled Tribe (ST) in five regions and as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
    • Language & Culture: Speak regional languages, Gujarati, Konkani, Marathi, Kannada, but retain African musical and spiritual traditions, notably the Goma/Dhamaal dance rooted in Ngoma drumming and ancestral worship.
    • Religion: Predominantly Muslim (≈ 99 % in Gujarat) with Hindu and Christian minorities; practices blend Sufi, African, and Indian folk elements.
    • Livelihoods & Economy: Depend on agriculture, forest labour, crafts, and daily wage work; socio-economic deprivation and limited access to education, health, housing persist.
    • Cultural Continuity: Maintain African-Indian fusion in music, attire, and cuisine; Marfa music in Hyderabad and Dhamaal dance near Sasan Gir remain iconic.
    • Sports & Identity: Active in boxing and football, using sport for youth empowerment and social mobility.

  • [11th October 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The real need is a holistic demographic mission

    PYQ Relevance:

    [UPSC 2024] What is the concept of a ‘demographic winter’? Is the world moving towards such a situation? Elaborate.

    Linkage: Demographic shifts in border regions can exacerbate tensions, linking the topic to communalism and regionalism.  Illegal migration links directly to organized crime, such as human trafficking, drug trafficking (India’s proximity to illicit opium-growing states is a major concern mentioned in 2018 PYQ), and the potential penetration by external state and non-state actors.

    Introduction:

    On August 15, 2025, the Prime Minister had announced the launch of India’s Demographic Mission, a comprehensive national initiative aimed at monitoring, managing, and interpreting India’s demographic transitions.

    Initially projected as a mechanism to monitor undocumented immigration from Bangladesh and its demographic implications in India’s border regions, the mission’s vision extends to a broader national strategy for demographic management.

    The initiative comes at a time when India, now the world’s most populous nation, stands at a demographic crossroads, balancing its youth potential with emerging challenges of migration, ageing, inequality, and social security.

    What is the Demographic Mission?

    1. Launch: Unveiled by PM on 15 August 2025, it is a national initiative to monitor, manage, and interpret India’s demographic transitions in a holistic and strategic manner.
    2. Focus: Initially targeted at undocumented immigration from Bangladesh, addressing demographic and border-security implications through biometric systems, AI-based surveillance, and smart fencing.
    3. Expanded Mandate: Evolved into a comprehensive population governance framework, integrating security, social, and developmental objectives across ministries.
    4. Institutional Measures: Includes formulation of a National Refugee Law, implementation of the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRC), and demographic data integration across sectors.
    5. Policy Shift: Moves from population control to capability development, treating demographic potential as a source of economic strength and human capital formation.

    Socio-Political Dimensions of Demography:

    1. Reframing the Debate: Shifts the focus from population control to issues of equity, inclusion, and sustainability.
    2. Migration and Identity Politics: Highlights that migration and fertility transitions shape social hierarchies and electoral narratives, influencing policy priorities and identity construction.
    3. Institutional Sensitivity: Calls for embedding demographic awareness in governance, particularly in urbanisation, labour mobility, and welfare systems.
    4. Demographic Diversity as Strength: Treats India’s multi-ethnic and multi-lingual population as an asset for national integration rather than division.
    5. National Integration Framework: Positions demography as a foundation for inclusive federal policy and cohesive nation-building.

    Various Issues:

    1. Illegal Immigration: Ongoing influx from Bangladesh strains border security and regional demographics, complicating citizenship and resource distribution.
    2. Migration & Identity Exclusion: Internal migrants lack voting rights and welfare access due to “usual residence” definitions, leading to political marginalisation.
    3. Ageing and Longevity: Rising life expectancy necessitates rethinking retirement age, social security, and elder-care policies.
    4. Regional Inequality: Unequal spread of education, health, and skilling infrastructure widens developmental divides among states.
    5. Policy Insensitivity: Centralised, per capita-based planning ignores population composition, gender ratio, and dependency structures.
    6. Governance Centralisation: Demographic planning remains highly centralised, with limited state participation in design and monitoring.

    Various Solutions for Demographic Balance:

    1. Migration Reform: Provide legal recognition of migrant rights, ensure voting portability and welfare mobility, and promote balanced internal migration.
    2. Education and Skill Equity: Build uniform educational and vocational infrastructure and establish regional skill hubs to reduce capability gaps.
    3. Active Ageing Policies: Redefine retirement norms, expand financial security, and create avenues for productive ageing.
    4. Technological Integration: Deploy AI, GIS, and big-data platforms for real-time demographic mapping, analysis, and predictive planning.
    5. Decentralised Demographic Planning: Create federal demographic councils linked with NITI Aayog for region-specific strategies.
    6. Demographic Sensitisation: Mainstream population literacy and demographic research in policymaking, academia, and public discourse.

    Global Context and Strategic Positioning:

    1. Youth Advantage: With a median age of 29 years, India stands out amid ageing societies like Japan, Europe, and China.
    2. Human Capital Vision: The mission aligns with India’s aspiration to become the “Skill Capital of the World,” enhancing global labour competitiveness.
    3. Geopolitical Relevance: Integrates population policy into national security and global strategy, positioning demography as a tool of soft power and developmental diplomacy.
    4. Long-Term Significance: By combining population management, human development, and digital governance, the mission redefines India’s demographic policy for the 21st century — linking security, sustainability, and sovereignty.

    Way Forward:

    1. Institutionalise Demographic Policy: Establish a National Demographic Council for cross-ministerial coordination.
    2. Focus on Human Capital: Prioritise investments in education, health, and skill ecosystems over mere population management.
    3. Protect Migrant Rights: Legislate a Migrant Workers’ Charter to ensure political and social inclusion.
    4. Reform Social Security: Develop portable pension and healthcare systems adaptable to mobility and longevity trends.
    5. Adopt Data Ethics: Balance demographic surveillance with privacy protection and civil liberties.
    6. Mainstream Demographic Literacy: Integrate population studies into governance, academia, and public administration.

  • Venezuela’s María Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize, 2025

    Why in the News?

    Maria Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for defending democracy in Venezuela; President Trump praised her but criticised the Nobel Committee.

    Venezuela’s María Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize, 2025

    About Nobel Peace Prize:

    • Origin: Instituted in 1901 under the will of Alfred Nobel, Swedish inventor and philanthropist, to honour outstanding contributions to peace and humanitarian cooperation.
    • Administered By: Managed by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a five-member body appointed by the Parliament of Norway, distinct from Sweden’s Nobel institutions.
    • Purpose: Awards individuals or organisations advancing disarmament, peace negotiations, democracy, human rights, and a stable global order.
    • Expanded Focus: Now includes climate change, environmental protection, and global justice as integral to sustainable peace.
    • Prize Components: Laureates receive a gold medal, diploma, and 11 million Swedish krona (≈ US $1.2 million, 2025).
    • Venue: Presented in Oslo, Norway, the only Nobel Prize awarded outside Sweden, symbolising Norway’s neutral and humanitarian tradition.
    • Global Significance: Remains the world’s most prestigious peace honour, mirroring contemporary geopolitical and ethical realities.

    These trivial facts are too unlikely to be asked in the CS prelims but may hold importance for CAPF and other exams. 

    US Presidents who won Nobel Peace Prize:

    • Theodore Roosevelt (1906): Mediated the Russo–Japanese War settlement; first US President to win the prize.
    • Woodrow Wilson (1919): Recognised for ending World War I and founding the League of Nations, precursor to the UN.
    • Jimmy Carter (2002): Cited for human-rights mediation and the Camp David Accords, plus global work via the Carter Center.
    • Al Gore (2007): Shared with the IPCC for elevating climate change as a global peace and security issue.
    • Barack Obama (2009): Honoured for efforts toward nuclear disarmament and renewed international diplomacy; only US President got awarded while in office.

  • Are Women deciding Assembly Elections?

    Introduction

    Ahead of the 2025 Bihar elections, parties are intensifying women-focused welfare schemes involving cash transfers. Similar strategies in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and West Bengal mark a national trend of targeting women voters through direct benefits.

    Also the gender gap in voter turnout has narrowed significantly, with female participation matching or surpassing male turnout in several states, prompting political recognition of women as a distinct electoral constituency.

    Women as a Political Category:

    1. Shift in Political Focus: Women have emerged as a distinct political category, prompting parties to design targeted welfare schemes like Ladli Behna Yojana, Urimai Thogai, and Lakshmir Bhandar aimed exclusively at female voters.
    2. Economic Empowerment through Welfare: Direct cash transfers have provided limited but visible economic agency, allowing women some control over finances within households traditionally dominated by men.
    3. Beneficiary Framing: The portrayal of women primarily as labharthis (beneficiaries) reinforces dependency on state-led welfare rather than promoting them as independent political actors.
    4. Symbolic Inclusion vs. Structural Change: Women’s growing electoral visibility has not necessarily translated into greater representation or leadership, keeping them largely outside decision-making hierarchies.

    How have Political Parties harnessed the Gender Gap in Voter Turnout?

    1. Rise in Female Turnout: Over the last two decades, the gender gap in voter participation has steadily narrowed, with female turnout surpassing male turnout in several states, notably in Bihar and Odisha.
    2. Targeted Welfare Mobilisation: Political parties have strategically used welfare schemes and direct benefit transfers to consolidate women as a reliable voter base, focusing on cash assistance, LPG subsidies, and maternal benefits.
    3. Micro-Targeting: Manifestos and election campaigns increasingly feature women-focused promises, indicating recognition of their collective electoral strength.
    4. Narrative of Care Politics: Political rhetoric frames women as symbols of social welfare and household well-being, enabling parties to blend economic populism with gender outreach.

    Significance of Women’s Voting Behaviour:

    1. Indicator of Political Maturity: The steady rise in women’s participation marks a structural shift in India’s democratic engagement, highlighting growing awareness of rights and entitlements.
    2. Independent Electoral Agency: Increasing evidence shows that women are voting independently of male family influence, prioritising welfare delivery, safety, education, and dignity.
    3. Policy Feedback Mechanism: Women’s responses to welfare schemes serve as a direct feedback loop influencing governance priorities and re-election strategies.
    4. Catalyst for Inclusive Politics: The evolving behaviour of women voters has encouraged parties to incorporate gender equity into mainstream political discourse, beyond token representation.

    Issues of Gendered Voter Turnout:

    1. Documentation Barriers: Women face systemic exclusion from electoral rolls due to inadequate documentation, name changes after marriage, and migration-related bureaucratic lapses.
    2. Procedural Exclusion: Administrative exercises like Special Intensive Revision (SIR) have disproportionately omitted women, reflecting institutional insensitivity to gendered realities.
    3. Intersectional Marginalisation: Women’s political inclusion remains fragmented by caste, class, and religion, preventing the emergence of a cohesive gender-based voting bloc.
    4. Symbolic Empowerment: While parties celebrate women as voters and beneficiaries, practical empowerment remains limited, with persistent underrepresentation in legislatures and party leaderships.

    Way Forward:

    1. Institutional Strengthening: Ensure gender-sensitive voter registration and simplify documentation norms to eliminate procedural exclusions.
    2. Beyond Welfare Politics: Transition from cash-based welfare populism to policies promoting education, employment, and political representation.
    3. Data-Driven Governance: Use disaggregated gender data to assess welfare effectiveness and refine electoral outreach grounded in socio-economic realities.
    4. Leadership and Representation: Expand women’s participation in party structures, local governance, and Parliament, ensuring parity in decision-making roles.
    5. Civic and Political Literacy: Invest in sustained grassroots voter education, enabling women to act as autonomous political citizens rather than electoral dependents.

  • Laszlo Krasznahorkai wins Nobel Prize in Literature, 2025

    Why in the News?

    The 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Laszlo Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian novelist known for his dense, philosophical narratives and apocalyptic vision of modern existence.

    Back2Basics: Nobel Prize in Literature

    • First awarded in 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been conferred 117 times to 121 laureates.
    • Prize Details (2025): Each laureate receives 11 million Swedish kronor (~1.2 million USD), an 18-karat gold medal, and a diploma.
    • Ceremony: Held annually on December 10, marking the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel (1896), Swedish inventor and founder of the prize.
    • The 2024 laureate was Han Kang of South Korea, recognized for fiction confronting historical trauma and the fragility of life.

    About Laszlo Krasznahorkai:

    • Overview: Hungarian novelist celebrated for his dense, philosophical, and apocalyptic prose that examines the fragility of modern civilization.
    • Background: Regarded as one of Europe’s leading postmodern writers, noted for long, flowing sentences and hypnotic rhythm.
    • Themes & Style: His works probe moral collapse, spiritual decay, existential isolation, and the search for meaning amid disorder.
    • Literary Voice: Combines dark humor with metaphysical reflection; often set in bleak, decaying landscapes where characters struggle between despair and artistic endurance.
    • Recognition: Known as a “writer’s writer”, his art embodies a belief in the redemptive endurance of literature.

    Major Works & Adaptations:

    • Satantango (1985):  Debut novel portraying a collapsing rural community; adapted by Béla Tarr into a seven-hour film, acclaimed for its realism and existential tone.
    • The Melancholy of Resistance (1989): Allegory of hysteria and conformity in a small town; adapted as Werckmeister Harmonies (2000).
    • War and War (1999): Follows a Hungarian archivist obsessed with preserving a manuscript symbolising human history; explores madness and transcendence.
    • Seiobo There Below (2008): Interlinked stories on art and divinity across cultures; won the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.
    • Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming (2016): Tragicomic portrait of post-communist moral decay; won the 2019 National Book Award (Translated Literature).

  • Private players to conserve heritage monuments

    Why in the News?

    The Centre has recently proposed to open conservation of protected monuments to private participation, ending the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) exclusive control over this domain.

    About Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):

    • Establishment: Formed in 1861 under the Ministry of Culture, ASI is responsible for archaeological research, exploration, and protection of India’s cultural heritage.
    • Legal Authority: Enforces the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
    • Scope of Work: Manages about 3,700 centrally protected monuments and archaeological sites of national importance.
    • Organisational Structure: Operates through 37 regional Circles and specialist wings such as Science Branch (material analysis), Horticulture Branch (site maintenance), Temple Survey Projects (documentation), and Underwater Archaeology Wing (submerged heritage).
    • Institutional Challenges: Faces staff shortages, budget limits, and procedural delays, constraining nationwide conservation capacity.

    What is the new Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Model for Conservation?

    • Purpose: Supplements ASI’s work by allowing private participation in conservation of heritage monuments.
    • Participants: Corporates, PSUs, and philanthropic bodies may fund, execute, and monitor restoration projects under ASI supervision.
    • Funding Mechanism: Routed through the National Culture Fund (NCF); donations qualify as CSR expenditure with 100% tax exemption.
    • Implementation Framework:
      • Empanelment of conservation architects via RFP by the Ministry of Culture.
      • Donors select architects, who jointly engage restoration agencies experienced in structures over 100 years old.
      • Each project must have a Detailed Project Report (DPR) approved by ASI and comply with the National Policy for Conservation, 2014.
    • Priority Monuments: 250 sites identified for initial adoption based on region or thematic interest.
    • Eligibility: Proven heritage conservation experience, financial competence, and technical compliance with ASI standards.

    Difference from ‘Adopt a Heritage’ Scheme:

    • Earlier Model (2017, revised 2023): Focused on tourism amenities cafés, ticketing, signage through “Monument Mitras”; excluded structural restoration.
    • Current PPP Model: Extends to scientific conservation and architectural restoration under direct ASI oversight.
    • Regulatory Control: ASI retains authority over authenticity, ethics, and policy compliance; funding channelled via NCF with technical audit.
    • Policy Evolution: Marks a shift from tourism partnership to heritage stewardship, blending private resources with public accountability for monument preservation.

  • World’s Highest Motorable Road constructed at Mig La Pass in Ladakh

    Why in the News?

    The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has achieved a historic milestone by constructing the world’s highest motorable road at Mig La Pass, situated 19,400 feet above sea level in Ladakh.

    • Strategic Value: Enables rapid troop movement and logistics support in high-altitude sectors; promotes eco-tourism and local trade.

    What is Project Himank?

    • Overview: A flagship Border Roads Organisation (BRO) initiative launched in December 1985 to build and maintain roads in Ladakh’s high-altitude regions.
    • Key Achievements: Built Umling La Road, Chisumle–Demchok, Darbuk–Shyok–DBO, Kargil–Zanskar, and now the Mig La Road (19,400 ft) under severe climatic stress.

    About Mig La Pass:

    • Importance: Crucial for India’s border logistics network, enabling swift troop deployment, supply transport, and surveillance near LAC and LoC.
    • Location: Situated on the Changthang Plateau, eastern Ladakh, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
    • Elevation: Stands at 19,400 ft (5,913 m), now the highest motorable road in the world (2025), overtaking Umling La (19,024 ft).
    • Alignment: Lies along the Likaru–Mig La–Fukche route, forming a third strategic link from Hanle to Fukche near the Indo-China border.
    • Connectivity Role: Provides access to remote frontier villages—Hanle, Rongo, Kuyul, and Demchok—improving healthcare, communication, and supply access.
    • Geography: Part of the Changthang cold desert, with thin air, permafrost, and extreme cold, posing major engineering challenges.
    • Historical Link: Follows ancient Indo-Tibetan trade routes, reflecting Ladakh’s role in trans-Himalayan Silk Route exchanges.
    [UPSC 2007] Which one of the following Himalayan passes was reopened around in the middle of the year 2006 to facilitate trade between India and China?

    Options: (a) Chang La (b) Jara La (c) Nathu La* (d) Shipki La

     

  • India’s only Mud Volcano erupts after 20-years in Andamans

    Why in the News?

    India’s only mud volcano at Baratang Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands erupted after remaining dormant for over two decades.

    India's only Mud Volcano erupts after 20-years in Andamans

    Note: The Barren Island has erupted recently.

    • India’s only active lava volcano, located about 140 km from Port Blair.
    • Lies at the junction of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates.
    • Eruption history: 1787 (first recorded), followed by episodes in 1991, 2005, 2017, November 2022, and September 2025.

    About the Baratang Mud Volcano:

    • Location: Baratang Island, around 100–150 km north of Port Blair, situated in the North and Middle Andaman district.
    • Uniqueness: It is India’s only collection of mud volcanoes — 11 in total across the archipelago, 8 of which are on Baratang and Middle Andaman.
    • Eruptions: Significant eruptions were last reported in 2005; the 2025 eruption marks the first major event in 20 years.
    • Composition & Nature:
      • Emits cool mud, water, and gases (methane, hydrogen sulfide) rather than lava or fire.
      • Creates mud cones, bubbling pools, or dried crater-like formations.
      • Eruptions are low in intensity, involving slow oozing and gas bubbling rather than violent explosions.
    • Accessibility: A short 160-metre walk from the nearest road; the site lies near the Jarawa Tribal Reserve, where photography is prohibited for ethical and legal reasons.

    Geological Formation and Features:

    • Tectonic Setting: Formed due to subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Burmese Plate, leading to gas and fluid release from deep layers.
    • Mechanism:
      • Decomposition of organic matter underground produces gas pressure that pushes mud upwards.
      • These gases, along with water and sediments, escape to the surface, creating muddy eruptions and bubbling vents.
    • Temperature & Composition:
      • The expelled material is cool, unlike magmatic volcanoes.
      • Contains saline water, organic sediments, and gases, giving it a distinctive odour and appearance.
    • Earth Processes: The phenomenon helps scientists study fluid migration, methane emissions, and crustal deformation in active subduction zones.
    [UPSC 2018] 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?

    Options: (a) 1 only * (b) 2 and 3 (c) 3 only (d) 1 and 3

     

  • [pib] First Commercial Coal Mine in Arunachal Pradesh at Namchik-Namphuk

    Why in the News?

    Arunachal Pradesh has launched its first commercial coal mine at the Namchik-Namphuk coal block in Changlang district.

    About the Namchik–Namphuk Coal Mine:

    • Overview: Located in Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, is the state’s first commercial coal mine, situated near the Indo-Myanmar border.
    • Reserves & Quality: Holds ~15 million tonnes of lignite/sub-bituminous coal, primarily for thermal power and industrial use.
    • Operator & Allocation: Operated by Coal Pulz Private Limited (CPPL), allotted through a transparent auction in 2022, project first allocated in 2003 but stalled due to environmental and administrative delays.
    • Production & Revenue: Initial capacity of 0.2 million tonnes per annum, expected to generate ₹100 crore annually for the state government.
    • National Context: Marks Arunachal Pradesh’s entry into India’s coal-producing map as the country crosses 1 billion tonnes output (FY 2024-25).
    • Policy Alignment: Supports the EAST Vision (Empower, Act, Strengthen, Transform) for North-Eastern development.

    Significance:

    • Legal Mining: Ends decades of illegal mining through regulated, community-driven extraction.
    • Sustainable Development: Part of Mission Green Coal Regions, targeting 73,000 ha of land reclamation by 2030, embedding ecological restoration into mining.
    [UPSC 2008] In which one of the following states are Namchik-Namphuk Coalfields located?

    Options: (a) Arunachal Pradesh* (b) Meghalaya (c) Manipur (d) Mizoram

     

  • Thumri maestro Pandit Chhannulal Mishra passes away

    Why in the News?

    Pandit Chhannulal Mishra, a maestro of Hindustani classical music and Padma Vibhushan recipient, passed away at 89.

    Who was Pandit Chhannulal Mishra?

    Thumri maestro Pandit Chhannulal Mishra passes away

    • Background: Born in 1936 in Varanasi, Pandit Chhannulal Mishra emerged from a modest family to become one of India’s greatest Hindustani classical vocalists.
    • Musical Lineage: Foremost exponent of the Purab Ang Thumri of the Banaras Gharana, blending the melodic precision of Kirana with the emotive depth of Banaras traditions.
    • Artistic Range: Mastered Thumri, Dadra, Kajri, and Chaiti, combining folk vitality and classical discipline, hallmarks of the Kashi musical spirit.
    • Voice & Expression: His gravelly, resonant voice conveyed devotion, mysticism, and deep emotion, evoking Lord Shiva, the Ganga, and the eternal mood of Banaras.
    • Cultural Symbol: Alongside Ustad Bismillah Khan, he personified the Ganga–Jamuni tehzeeb, symbolising the harmony of Hindu–Muslim artistic traditions.
    • Honours: Recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, his legacy unites classical rigor, folk heart, and spiritual emotion in a single aesthetic stream.

    About Thumri Music:

    • Nature: Thumri is a semi-classical vocal genre of North India known for its emphasis on emotion (bhava) rather than rigid raga structure.
    • Origin: Developed in the 19th century under Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Lucknow; later enriched in Banaras, where it absorbed devotional and folk influences.
    • Etymology: Derived from thumakna (“to walk gracefully”), reflecting its rhythmic, fluid, and expressive nature tied to Kathak dance.
    • Themes: Revolves around Sringara rasa, love, separation, and devotion especially, Radha-Krishna narratives; often sung from a female perspective.
    • Language: Primarily in Braj Bhasha, Awadhi, and Hindi, with traces of Urdu and Sanskrit.
    • Musical Features:
      • Uses popular ragas like Bhairavi, Khamaj, Kafi and tālas like Dadra and Keherva.
      • Allows improvisation, vocal ornamentation (murki, meend, gamak), and interpretive freedom.
    • Forms of Thumri:
      • Bandish-ki-Thumri: Structured composition, rhythmically defined.
      • Bol-Banao Thumri: Lyrical, slow, emotive style allowing deeper expression.
    • Major Gharanas:
      • Lucknow Gharana: Courtly refinement and dance association (Begum Akhtar).
      • Banaras Gharana: Devotional Purab Ang tradition (Girija Devi, Rasoolan Bai, Siddheshwari Devi, Chhannulal Mishra).
      • Patiala Gharana: Fast, rhythm-oriented style with tappa influence (Bade Ghulam Ali Khan).

    Thumri and Indian Classical Tradition:

    • Position in the Hindustani system:
      • Thumri is semi-classical, bridging the gap between pure classical forms (like Khayal and Dhrupad) and folk/dance traditions.
      • It prioritises emotional storytelling over technical display, making classical music accessible to the wider public.
    • Connection with Kathak:
      • Thumri complements Kathak dance, aiding abhinaya (expressive gesture) through musical narration.
    • Hindustani vs Carnatic contrast:
      • Hindustani classical music (North India) focuses on raga improvisation;
      • Carnatic music (South India) is composition-centric with structured kritis and rigid tala frameworks.
    • Cultural Role:
      • Thumri mirrors the fusion of classical, folk, and devotional idioms, symbolising India’s cultural inclusivity.
      • It thrives on the interplay of bhava (emotion), raga (melody), and laya (rhythm)—a trinity central to Indian aesthetics.
    [UPSC 2019] With reference to Mian Tansen, which one of the following statements is not correct? Options: (a)Tansen was the title given to him by Emperor Akbar.*

    (b) Tansen composed Dhrupads on Hindu gods and goddesses.

    (c) Tansen composed songs on his patrons.

    (d) Tansen invented many Ragas.