PYQ Relevance:
[UPSC 2023] Give out the major sources of terror funding in India and the efforts being made to curtail these sources. In the light of this, also discuss the aim and objective of the ‘No Money for Terror (NMFT)’ Conference recently held at New Delhi in November 2022.
Linkage: Pakistan’s terror infrastructure, including ISI funding, Gulf-based private donors, diaspora contributions through charities, business operations, money laundering via hawala networks, narcotics trafficking, and cryptocurrency. This question directly asks about the sources of terror funding, which is a central theme in the source. |
Mentor’s Comment: The Soviet-Afghan War in 1979 was a turning point when Pakistan’s intelligence agency (ISI), with support from U.S. funding, started building a network of jihadi groups. This network has since developed into the advanced terrorist groups we see today. Pakistan intentionally supported these fighters, who had various goals, including attacking Kashmir, gaining control in Afghanistan, causing sectarian violence, and fighting ideological battles. Recent data shows that terrorism sponsored by Pakistan has been rising again in the region.
Today’s editorial looks at Pakistan’s long-standing terrorist network using open-source intelligence, declassified documents, and academic studies. This content would help in GS Paper II (International Relation) and GS Paper III (Internal Security).
_
Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
Pakistan’s security forces have supported terrorist groups for a long time, seeing them as useful for their goals. Since 2008, Pakistan has repeatedly been added to and removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ‘grey list’ because it has not effectively stopped the funding of terrorism.
What role did the Soviet-Afghan War of 1979 play in the evolution of Pakistan’s terror infrastructure?
- ISI’s Strategic Empowerment with U.S. and Saudi Funding: During the war, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) became the main conduit for channeling billions of dollars in U.S. (CIA) and Saudi funds to Afghan mujahideen fighting Soviet forces. Eg: This funding network empowered the ISI to build covert training camps and logistical bases, which later supported outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Haqqani Network.
- Creation of a Jihadi Ecosystem and Proxy Network: The war institutionalised jihad as a tool of foreign policy, with ISI actively recruiting, training, and radicalising fighters. These fighters, once trained, were later redeployed for operations in Kashmir, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Eg: The Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM), originally formed to fight in Afghanistan, later became one of the first Pakistani terror outfits to target Indian interests in Kashmir.
- Spread of Radical Ideology through Madrassas and Seminaries: To support the Afghan jihad, Pakistan encouraged the growth of radical madrassas, often funded by Gulf donors, to indoctrinate youth. These institutions outlived the war and became feeders for future terror groups. Eg: Many madrassas aligned with Ahl-e-Hadith and Deobandi ideologies became recruiting hubs for groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and LeT.
Where are the major training camps and headquarters of Pakistan-supported terrorist groups located?
- Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK): PoK serves as a key launchpad and training ground for anti-India terror operations, especially focused on Kashmir. Eg: Training camps of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have been reported in Muzaffarabad and Kotli, where cadres are prepared for infiltration into India.
- Punjab Province (Especially Lahore and Bahawalpur): Several extremist groups operate openly or under charitable fronts in Punjab, with strong logistical and financial networks. Eg: The headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is based in Bahawalpur, and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the front of LeT, has operated from Muridke near Lahore.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP): The rugged terrain along the Afghanistan border provides safe havens for jihadist groups with transnational reach. Eg: The Haqqani Network, linked to the Afghan Taliban, has operated out of North Waziristan, conducting cross-border attacks into Afghanistan.
How is the terror network in Pakistan financed and sustained despite international pressure?
- State and Deep State Support: Elements within Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), have been accused of providing logistical, financial, and strategic support to terrorist groups to serve foreign policy objectives, especially in India and Afghanistan. Eg: The ISI’s backing of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was exposed during investigations into the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where LeT operatives received training, funds, and guidance.
- Charities and Front Organizations: Terrorist groups often operate under the guise of charitable organizations to raise funds both domestically and internationally. These organizations collect donations in the name of humanitarian relief, which are then diverted for militant activities. Eg: The Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a front for Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), raised significant funds until it was banned for links to LeT.
- Drug Trafficking, Hawala, and Extortion: Illicit economies, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, extortion, and the hawala system (an informal money transfer network), are widely used by terrorist groups to fund their operations. Eg: The Afghan-Pakistan border region, particularly in Balochistan and former FATA, is a major route for drug trafficking, which provides revenue to groups like the Haqqani Network and TTP.
Why has Pakistan repeatedly appeared on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list rather in black list?
- Partial Compliance and Political Commitments: Pakistan has often shown partial compliance with FATF action plans, such as enacting anti-terror financing laws or prosecuting select terror operatives. These steps, while often symbolic or limited, provide just enough movement to avoid blacklisting. Eg: After being grey-listed in 2018, Pakistan passed laws to regulate charitable donations and froze some accounts linked to UN-designated terrorists like Hafiz Saeed.
- Geopolitical Considerations and Diplomatic Shielding: Global powers, especially China, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, have used their influence within FATF to shield Pakistan from being blacklisted due to strategic and political interests, including Pakistan’s role in regional stability and Afghanistan. Eg: In several FATF meetings, China and Turkey have openly opposed efforts to blacklist Pakistan, arguing that it has made progress.
How did the Indian government execute OPERATION SINDOOR?
- Response Triggered: Launched in retaliation to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Eg: The attack by a group linked to LeT prompted the operation.
- Precision Airstrikes: Executed 24 missile strikes on nine targeted sites in Pakistan’s Punjab and administered Kashmir regions, lasting about 23 minutes. Eg: Sites in Bahawalpur and Muzaffarabad were among those hit.
- Advanced Military Assets: Deployed Rafale jets with precision-guided SCALP missiles and AASM bombs to ensure accurate targeting with minimal collateral damage. Eg: The use of advanced munitions highlighted India’s operational efficiency.
- Disruption of Terror Infrastructure: Targeted key terrorist facilities such as training camps, recruitment centers, and armories linked to groups like LeT and JeM. Eg: A strike in Bahawalpur reportedly affected close aides of a major terror leader.
- Aftermath and Escalation: The operation led to heightened tensions, with Pakistan condemning the strikes and both sides engaging in artillery exchanges along the Line of Control. Eg: The subsequent border clashes underscored the operation’s significant impact on regional stability.
|
Way forward:
- Global Accountability and Financial Sanctions: Strengthen FATF enforcement and international cooperation to impose targeted sanctions on Pakistan-based terror networks and their sponsors. Eg: Revive monitoring mechanisms to ensure closure of front charities like JuD and FIF.
- Regional Counter-Terror Framework: India and like-minded nations should push for a South Asia-focused multilateral counter-terrorism initiative with intelligence sharing and cross-border coordination. Eg: Build on QUAD and SCO platforms to diplomatically isolate state-sponsored terrorism.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Why in the News?
India ranks 130th out of 193 countries in the 2025 Human Development Index (HDI), up from 133rd in 2022.
What is the Human Development Index (HDI)?
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
- Composite Measure of Development: The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures a country’s overall development based on three key factors: life expectancy (health), education (mean and expected years of schooling), and standard of living (GNI per capita).
- Ranking and Insights: HDI ranks countries on a scale from 0 to 1, where a higher value indicates better human development.
|
Why has India’s HDI improved?
- Health (Life Expectancy at Birth): HDI measures the average number of years a person can expect to live, reflecting the overall health conditions in a country. Eg: In 2023, India’s life expectancy increased to 72 years, marking a significant improvement since 1990, when it was just 58.6 years.
- Education (Mean Years of Schooling and Expected Years of Schooling): HDI considers the average number of years adults aged 25 and older have spent in school (mean years of schooling) and the number of years a child of school-entry age can expect to receive (expected years of schooling). Eg: In 2023, children in India are expected to stay in school for 13 years on average, up from 8.2 years in 1990.
- Standard of Living (Gross National Income per Capita): HDI includes the per capita income adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), which gives a sense of the country’s economic prosperity and standard of living. Eg: India’s GNI per capita increased from $2,167 in 1990 to $9,046 in 2023, reflecting a growth in economic well-being.
- Inequality Adjustments: HDI adjusts for inequality in each of its three dimensions—health, education, and standard of living—through the Inequality-adjusted HDI (IHDI). The more inequality there is in a country, the lower the adjusted HDI score will be. Eg: India’s HDI value of 0.685 in 2023 was influenced by inequalities, including gender and income disparities, which the report highlighted as a key challenge.
- Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): HDI is indirectly linked to the MPI, which measures poverty beyond income, including deprivations in health, education, and living standards. Eg: India has made significant progress in reducing multidimensional poverty, with 13.5 crore people escaping poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21.
How has the pandemic affected India’s HDI recovery?
- Health Impact: The pandemic strained India’s healthcare system, leading to higher mortality rates and disruptions in healthcare services, which affected life expectancy. Eg: The pandemic slowed India’s progress towards improving life expectancy, though it rebounded in the subsequent years, reaching 72 years in 2023.
- Education Disruptions: School closures and lack of access to online education hindered educational outcomes, especially for underprivileged children. Eg: While the expected years of schooling improved, the pandemic delayed educational progress, particularly in rural areas.
- Economic Setbacks: The lockdowns and economic disruptions due to the pandemic led to a sharp contraction in economic activities, affecting income levels and jobs, particularly in the informal sector. Eg: India’s GNI per capita growth faced a slowdown, though it eventually rebounded, reaching $9,046 in 2023.
What challenges remain in improving India’s HDI?
- Income Inequality: Despite progress, income disparity remains a major challenge, with the rich benefiting disproportionately from economic growth, while the poor remain marginalized. Eg: India’s HDI is impacted by a 30.7% loss due to income inequalities, which continues to drag down overall development outcomes.
- Gender Disparities: The gender gap in labor force participation and political representation limits progress in improving India’s HDI. Women’s workforce participation remains low, and the gender wage gap is significant. Eg: The female labor participation rate stood at 41.7% in 2023-24, but a supportive ecosystem for women’s work retention and political representation is still lacking.
How can India use AI to address development while avoiding inequality? (Way forward)
- AI in Public Service Delivery: AI can streamline public services, making them more efficient, transparent, and accessible, especially to marginalized communities. Eg: AI-driven systems can help in targeted welfare distribution, ensuring resources like food and healthcare reach those most in need, reducing administrative inefficiencies.
- Inclusive Education and Skill Development: Leveraging AI for personalized learning can bridge gaps in educational access and quality, particularly for underserved areas. Eg: AI-based platforms like Byju’s and other ed-tech initiatives provide tailored education, improving learning outcomes for students in rural and remote areas.
- AI for Job Creation and Economic Inclusion: AI can be used to create new job opportunities and enhance existing ones, especially in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing. Ensuring that AI adoption leads to inclusive economic growth can help reduce inequality. Eg: AI-driven agricultural technologies can optimize crop yields and provide real-time data to farmers, increasing productivity and income, especially for those in rural areas.
Mains PYQ:
[UPSC 2019] Despite Consistent experience of High growth, India still goes with the lowest indicators of human development. Examine the issues that make balanced and inclusive development elusive.
Linkage: The paradox of economic growth not translating into high human development indicators, which is a central theme when discussing India’s HDI rank and the challenges despite improvements. It also touches upon inclusive development, another concept related to the HDR’s focus on reducing inequalities
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Why in the News?
U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance recently mentioned that the U.S. is ready to work more closely with India on energy and defense.
What are the main areas of India-U.S. cooperation?
- Energy Security: Strengthening access to sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy resources is central to India-U.S. ties. Eg: In 2024, both countries signed an MoU to diversify supply chains for critical minerals like lithium and rare earths, crucial for clean energy and EV technologies.
- Defence and Technology Cooperation: Enhancing strategic and technological collaboration helps address common security challenges and promote innovation. Eg: Under the iCET framework, India and the U.S. are collaborating on defence co-production and advanced systems, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for civilian nuclear use.
- Mobility and Innovation Exchange: Facilitating people-to-people ties and high-tech partnerships boosts economic growth and shared innovation ecosystems. Eg: India and the U.S. are working to ease skilled labor mobility and co-develop innovation corridors in areas like semiconductors and AI.
Why is a minerals partnership vital for both countries?
- Strategic Resource Security: Critical minerals are essential for clean energy, electronics, and defence, and current supply chains are overly dependent on China. Eg: China controls nearly 90% of global rare earth processing, creating a strategic vulnerability for both India and the U.S.
- Economic and Technological Collaboration: Joint exploration and processing of minerals supports cross-sector innovation and economic resilience. Eg: India and the U.S. signed an MoU in 2024 to co-invest in third-country mineral projects in Africa and South America.
- Supply Chain Diversification: A minerals partnership helps build resilient, transparent, and traceable supply chains to withstand geopolitical shocks. Eg: Proposal for an India-U.S. Mineral Exchange and blockchain-based traceability standards to ensure secure mineral sourcing.
How can nuclear energy help India meet its energy goals?
- Low-Carbon Energy Source: Nuclear energy provides a firm, low-emission alternative to fossil fuels, aiding in decarbonisation efforts. Eg: Nuclear power contributes just over 8 GW currently but is crucial for India’s net-zero by 2070 targets.
- Base Load Power Stability: It ensures continuous electricity supply, complementing the intermittency of solar and wind sources. Eg: Nuclear plants provide uninterrupted power, stabilising the grid as renewable sources fluctuate.
- High Energy Output with Small Land Use: Nuclear energy offers high output per unit of land, which is vital in land-scarce regions. Eg: Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have lower land requirements and are suitable for water-scarce areas due to air-cooling.
- Industrial Decarbonisation Support: Nuclear power can drive clean energy transitions in sectors like steel and AI-based data centres. Eg: SMRs can power green steel manufacturing and meet rising energy needs of AI infrastructure.
- Strategic Energy Independence: Reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports enhances national energy security. Eg: With a 100 GW nuclear target by 2047, India aims to lower its dependence on imported oil and coal.
Which reforms are key to expanding India’s nuclear capacity?
- Faster Deployment and Standardisation: Accelerate construction timelines and adopt standardized reactor designs to lower costs and ensure quick scaling of nuclear energy capacity. Eg: Reducing construction time from 9 to 6 years could reduce electricity costs by 8%, helping India meet its 2047 nuclear capacity goal.
- Private Sector Involvement: Facilitate private investments by providing clear incentives and long-term purchase commitments, especially for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Eg: SMRs, with lower capital expenditure and land requirements, become financially viable when supported by private capital and stable offtake agreements.
- Legislative and Policy Reforms: Amend existing laws to encourage private investment in nuclear energy and enhance the ease of doing business in this sector. Eg: Amending the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, would allow private companies to participate in nuclear projects, boosting investment and technological growth.
What are the steps taken by the Indian government?
- Expansion of Nuclear Power Infrastructure: The government has set a target to achieve 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047, and is working on commissioning new plants to achieve this, including collaborations with international partners. Eg: The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and new reactors under construction are key initiatives to expand nuclear capacity.
- Regulatory and Policy Reforms: India has been reforming nuclear energy laws, including the amendment of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, to attract private sector participation and investment in nuclear projects. Eg: The approval for the transfer of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology by Holtec International to Indian companies.
- International Collaborations and Technology Transfer: India is fostering strategic partnerships with global nuclear technology leaders to enable technology transfer, co-production, and joint ventures for nuclear power development. Eg: India’s collaboration with the U.S. on advanced nuclear technology and the approval of SMRs to meet energy goals.
|
Way forward:
- Enhanced Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage greater private sector participation through incentives, policy clarity, and long-term contracts, especially for emerging technologies like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). This will drive innovation, investment, and rapid scaling of nuclear energy.
- Strengthen International Collaboration and Technology Transfer: Expand partnerships with global leaders in nuclear technology to accelerate the adoption of advanced reactors and improve operational efficiency, positioning India as a global leader in clean nuclear energy.
Mains PYQ:
[UPSC 2013] With growing scarcity of fossil fuels, the atomic energy is gaining more and more significance in India. Discuss the availability of raw material required for the generation of atomic energy in India and in the world.
Linkage: Nuclear energy as a “next frontier” for India-U.S. linkages and a reliable source complementing renewables. This question directly addresses the significance and resources for atomic/nuclear energy in India.
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Why in the News?
The Union Culture Ministry has successfully halted the auction of the sacred ‘Piprahwa’ Buddhist relics by Hong Kong.
About the Piprahwa Relics:
- The Piprahwa relics were discovered in 1898 by William Claxton Peppe, an English engineer, during an excavation in Siddharthnagar district, UP, near the Nepal border.
- The site is believed to be ancient Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya republic, where Prince Siddhartha (later the Buddha) lived before his renunciation.
- Peppe excavated a stupa and unearthed a large stone coffer buried beneath it.
- The coffer contained bone fragments (believed to be Buddha’s cremated remains), caskets of soapstone and crystal, a sandstone coffer, and several gold ornaments and gemstones.
- The British Crown claimed the relics under the Indian Treasure Trove Act of 1878.
- A majority of the artifacts — about 1,800 pearls, rubies, topaz, sapphires, and gold sheets — were transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata.
Stupas with Buddha’s Relics:
- After the Buddha’s death (Mahaparinirvana), his cremated relics were divided among 8 kingdoms and a Brahmin named Drona, who coordinated their distribution.
- Each recipient built a Stupa to enshrine their share of the relics, creating important pilgrimage sites and early centers of Buddhist worship.
- The 9 stupas were located in Rajagriha, Vaishali, Kapilavastu, Allakappa, Ramagrama, Vethadipa, Pava, Kushinagar, and Pippalivana.
- Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BCE) redistributed the relics from these stupas into thousands of new stupas across his empire.
- The stupa at Ramagrama is unique because it is believed to remain untouched and still holds the original relics.
- A typical early Buddhist stupa included a hemispherical mound (anda), a square railing (harmika), a central pillar (yashti) with umbrellas (chatra), and a path for circumambulation (pradakshinapatha).
| [UPSC 2023] With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements:
1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.
2. Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
3. Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition. How many of the statements given above are correct?
Options: (a) Only one (b) Only two* (c) All three (d) None |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Why in the News?
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a proposal under the Revised SHAKTI (Scheme to Harness and Allocate Koyla Transparently in India) Policy to enhance coal availability for Central/State Sector Thermal Power Plants and Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
About the SHAKTI Policy:
- The SHAKTI Policy, launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Power, created a transparent mechanism to allocate coal linkages to thermal power plants lacking Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs).
- It replaced the earlier nomination-based system with auction-based and tariff-based bidding, enhancing fairness and transparency.
- While government-owned plants continue receiving coal through nominations, private power producers must obtain coal via competitive bidding.
- The policy aimed to reduce coal imports, promote the domestic coal industry, and improve energy self-sufficiency.
- It also intended to revive stressed assets in the power sector, indirectly supporting public sector banks and infrastructure growth.
Key Features of the Revised SHAKTI Policy (2024):
- The revised 2024 policy simplifies the system by merging eight criteria into just two windows, enhancing the ease of doing business.
- Window-I allocates coal at notified prices to central and state government utilities, their joint ventures, and subsidiaries, including those with PPAs under Section 62 of the Electricity Act.
- Window-II permits coal and imported coal-based producers to acquire coal through premium-based auctions for 12 to 25 years, without requiring a PPA.
- The policy encourages pithead plants, supports new capacity planning, and allows Imported Coal-Based (ICB) plants to transition to domestic coal, reducing import reliance.
- Existing FSA holders can now purchase coal beyond 100% of their Annual Contracted Quantity (ACQ) during periods of peak demand.
- Unrequisitioned surplus electricity can be sold on power exchanges, boosting plant utilization.
- The policy imposes no additional financial burden on coal companies.
- Beneficiaries include thermal power plants, Coal India, SCCL, railways, state governments, and end consumers.
| [UPSC 2023] With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements:
1. None of them uses seawater.
2. None of them is set up in water-stressed district.
3. None of them is privately owned.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Options: (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None* |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Why in the News?
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has officially notified the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025, which came into force on May 5, 2025.
In 2023, India reported over 4.80 lakh road accidents and 1.72 lakh fatalities, highlighting the urgent need for such a scheme.
About the Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims, 2025:
- The scheme provides financial coverage up to ₹1.5 lakh per person, per accident, for a maximum of seven days from the date of the accident.
- All victims, including those without health insurance, are eligible for treatment under this scheme.
- This initiative was introduced following a Supreme Court directive, urging action under Section 162(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
- The scheme aims to deliver critical care during the “golden hour”, defined under Section 2(12A) as the first hour after a traumatic injury, when prompt treatment can save lives.
Key Features of the Scheme:
- Treatment must be provided immediately and is fully covered up to ₹1.5 lakh for up to 7 days from the accident.
- Designated hospitals are required to treat victims without delay or demanding any upfront payment.
- Non-designated hospitals may only offer initial stabilisation, as defined in the guidelines.
- The State Road Safety Council serves as the nodal agency for implementation at the state level.
- The Council will work with the National Health Authority (NHA) to onboard hospitals, monitor care, and ensure timely reimbursements.
- Additional hospitals may be designated by State Health Agencies, beyond those already listed under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY.
- Hospitals must file payment claims via an online portal, attaching all required documentation.
- The State Health Agency will process claims and may approve, partially approve, or reject them, with reasons provided.
- A national steering committee, chaired by the MoRTH Secretary and NHA CEO, will oversee the scheme’s implementation and compliance.
| [UPSC 2023] Consider the following actions:
1. Detection of car crash/collision which results in the deployment of airbags almost instantaneously
2. Detection of accidental free fall of a laptop towards the ground which results in the immediate turning off of the hard drive.
3. Detection of the tilt of the smart phone which results in the rotation of display between portrait and landscape mode.
In how many of the above actions is the function of accelerometer required?
Options: (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three* (d) None |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now
Why in the News?
The Art Deco style, first showcased at the Paris Exposition on April 29, 1925, took a decade to arrive in Madras. It spread to India via Bombay, where the country’s first Art Deco structure — the Syndicate Bank building — was completed in 1932.
About Art Deco Style of Architecture:
- Art Deco Style is a design style that emerged in the 1920s and 30s, characterized by sleek, geometric shapes, luxurious materials, and a focus on manufactured goods.
- It signified a break from older styles like Neo-classical, Indo-Saracenic, and Bombay Gothic.
- The style was embraced by Indian banks, insurance companies, cinemas, studios, and business houses to symbolize modernity and cultural identity.
- In Madras, Art Deco became visible in cinema theatres like Casino (1941), preview halls of Gemini, AVM, and Vijaya-Vauhini studios, commercial buildings like Dare House (1938), hotels such as Oceanic and Dasaprakash, and residential areas including T. Nagar, Mylapore, Alwarpet, and Adyar.
- Art Deco influenced furniture design, silverware, and even fonts in print.
- By the 1950s, it was gradually replaced by Modernist/Brutalist styles, aligned with Socialist ideology.
Contributions of Laxman Mahadeo Chitale:
- Chitale (1892–1960) was a prominent architect who introduced Art Deco to Madras.
- Recognized for his drawing skills by Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III of Baroda.
- He trained under H.V. Lanchester, a British architect associated with New Delhi‘s early planning.
- He worked on the Umaid Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur, a grand Art Deco residence.
- After returning from England, Chitale settled in Madras and joined the PWD.
- In 1932, he started his independent practice, marking the beginning of Art Deco architecture in the city.
- His major works included the Oriental Insurance Building on Armenian Street, the National Insurance Building (1938) on China Bazaar Road, and the Andhra Insurance Building (1939).
- His architectural style often included corner entrances and street-facing facades, inspired by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
| [UPSC 2007] Which one of the following was the first fort constructed by the British in India?
Options: (a) Fort William (b) Fort St. George* (c) Fort St. David (d) Fort St. Angelo |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
Attend Now