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Type: Prelims Only

  • Innovations in Biotechnology and Medical Sciences

    Microbots for Drug Delivery

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Microbots for drug delivery

    Mains level: NA

    An Indian researcher has found that it is possible to use light as a fuel to move microbots in real-body conditions with intelligent drug delivery that is selectively sensitive to cancer cells

    Microswimmers for drug delivery

    • Made from the two-dimensional compound poly (heptazine imide) carbon nitride (aka PHI carbon nitride), these microbots are nothing like the miniaturised humans.
    • They range from 1-10 micrometre (a micrometre is one-millionth of a metre) in size, and can self-propel when energised by shining light.
    • While carbon nitride is an excellent photo-catalyst, the two-dimensional PHI has a sponge-like structure full of pores and voids and charge storage properties.
    • The researchers found that the ions in the salty solution passed through the pores of PHI carbon nitride.
    • Thus, there was little or no resistance from the salt ions.

    How do they swim across the blood?

    • The PHI carbon nitride microparticles are photocatalytic.
    • Like in a solar cell, the incident light is converted into electrons and holes.
    • These charges drive reactions in the surrounding liquid. The charges react with the fluid surrounding them.
    • This reaction, combined with the particle’s electric field, makes the microbots (micro-swimmers) swim.
    • As long as there is light, electrons and holes are produced on the surface of the swimmers, which in turn react to form ions and an electric field around the swimmer.
    • These ions move around the particle and cause fluid to flow around the particle.
    • So this fluid flow causes the micro-swimmers to move.

    How does the ion movement occur?

    • The ions move from the bright surface of the micro-swimmer to the rear end.
    • The diffusion of the swimming medium in one direction propels the micro-swimmer in the opposite direction.
    • This is like a boat moving in the direction opposite to the oar strokes.
    • The particles are nearly spherical, and the incident light illuminates one-half of the sphere, leaving the other dark.
    • As photocatalysis is light-driven, it occurs only on the brightened hemisphere.
    • As the ions move from the bright side to the dark side, micro-swimmers march in the direction of the light source.

     

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  • Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

    Who was Guru Nabha Dass?

    Prelims Only | History | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Guru Nabha Das Ji

    Mains level: Bhakti Movement

    Punjab government has announced gazetted holiday on the birth anniversary of Guru Nabha Dass, a 16th century saint, taking it out from list of restricted holidays.

    Who was Guru Nabha Dass?

    • Guru Nabha Dass was born on April 8, 1537 at village Bhadrachalam on the bank of Godavari river in Khammam district, which falls in the present day Telangana.
    • He belonged to Mahasha also known as doom or dumna community, which is one of the Schedule Caste communities.
    • Since childhood, orphaned Guru Nabha Dass, whose original name was Narayan Dass, had an inclination towards spirituality.
    • Two religious gurus — Agar Dass and Keel Dass — who were passing through his village took the orphan child to a temple at Ghalta Dham, which is now main pilgrimage of Nabhadassias, at Jaipur.
    • People from this community are also known as Nabhadassias. They are known for making baskets and grain storage containers with bamboo.

    His legacy

    • Guru Nabha Dass wrote ‘Bhagatmal’ in 1585.
    • It has the life history of around 200 saints. He died in 1643.

    What is his connection with Punjab?

    • Guru Nabha Dass used to visit village Pandori in Gurdaspur district where people of Doom community live.
    • Some gurus of the community also used to live there.

    What made government announce gazetted holiday now?

    • Political parties can’t manage to ignore the sentiments of such a large community.
    • The community had been requesting the government to declare April 8 as a gazetted holiday since long.

     

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  • Zoonotic Diseases: Medical Sciences Involved & Preventive Measures

    Recombinant Variants of SARS-CoV-2

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Recombination vs Mutation in viruses

    Mains level: Severity of COVID

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has flagged the emergence of a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus — the XE recombinant.

    How are variants created?

    • SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is an RNA virus which evolves by accumulating genetic errors in its genome.
    • These errors are produced when the virus infects a person and makes copies of itself inside the host’s cells.
    • These errors (otherwise called mutations) are therefore a by-product of replication of SARS-CoV-2 inside the cell and may be carried forward as the virus continues to infect people.
    • When viruses having a specific set of errors or mutations infect a number of people, this forms a cluster of infections descending from a common parental virus genome and is known as a lineage or a variant of the virus.

    Who name these variants?

    • The PANGO network, an open global consortium of researchers from across the world, provides a system for naming different lineages of SARS-CoV-2.
    • Pangolin was developed to implement the dynamic nomenclature of SARS-CoV-2 lineages, known as the Pango nomenclature.
    • These variants or lineages are widely followed by epidemiologists for tracking the evolution of SARS-CoV-2.

    What is a recombinant variant?

    • Apart from the errors in the virus genome, another process through which a virus increases its genetic diversity is recombination.
    • Recombination occurs when, in extremely rare situations, two different lineages of the virus co-infect the same cell in the host and exchange fragments of their individual genomes.
    • This generates a descendent variant having mutations that occurred in both the original lineages of the virus.
    • Recombination of lineages happens in a variety of other viruses, including those that cause influenza, as well as other coronaviruses.
    • Such recombination events occur typically in situations where two or more lineages of SARS-CoV-2 may be co-circulating in a certain region during the same time period.
    • This co-circulation of lineages provides an opportunity for recombination to occur between these two lineages of SARS-CoV-2.

    How many recombinant viruses have been detected?

    • While recombination events are not frequently observed for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, multiple recombinant lineages have been designated during the pandemic.
    • The recombinant lineages are annotated by PANGO with an ‘X’ followed by an alphabet which indicates the order of discovery.
    • Some previously detected and designated lineages include XA, a recombinant of B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B.1.177 detected in the U.K., lineage XB detected in the U.S., and lineage XC detected in Japan, which is a recombinant of B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and AY.29 sublineage of Delta.
    • Three new recombinant lineages of SARS-CoV-2 have been recently designated by the PANGO network and are being monitored — XD, XE, and XF.
    • Although currently present in a very low proportion of genomes in the U.K., early data from the country show evidence of community transmission of XF.

    Are recombinant variants more deadly?

    • Although recombination has been detected in SARS-CoV-2, it has not yet impacted public health in a unique way.
    • There is little evidence to suggest that recombinant lineages have a varied clinical outcome compared to the currently dominant Omicron variant.
    • It is certain at this point in time that more data will be needed to ascertain the impact of these lineages on the epidemiology of COVID-19.

    What are the methods through which recombinants are identified?

    • Identifying and tracking recombinant lineages for SARS-CoV-2 is a challenging task.
    • This would require specialised tools and the availability of primary (or raw) data for genome sequences as similar variant combinations could also arise from inadvertent errors in sequencing or analysis as well as contamination of sequencing experiments.
    • A cluster of recombinant genomes can be designated a lineage name by the PANGO network if it can be confirmed that samples in the cluster have a common origin and descend from two individual lineages of SARS-CoV-2.
    • Additionally, there should be at least 5 genomes in the public domain belonging to the cluster, indicating an ongoing transmission of the lineage.
    • Furthermore, screening the sequencing data of these samples should show no signs of contamination and meet the definition of a recombinant.

    Way ahead

    • Since recombinations are extremely rare occurrences, it is unclear how and why the viruses recombine.
    • It is, therefore, important to track the recombination of SARS-CoV-2 lineages because it may lead to the generation of a viral lineage that is better at infecting people or transmitting from host to host.
    • Monitoring circulating SARS-CoV-2 genomes for evidence of recombination will help gain a better understanding of the ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2.
    • It will also provide information if a more “concerning” variant of the virus were to emerge.

     

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  • Special Category Status and States

    13 new districts created in Andhra Pradesh

    Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Creation of new districts

    Mains level: Administrative convenience

    Andhra Pradesh has got a new map with the creation of 13 new districts, taking the number of total districts in the state to 26.

    What are Districts?

    • India’s districts are local administrative units inherited from the British Raj.
    • They generally form the tier of local government immediately below that of India’s subnational states and territories.
    • A district is headed by a Deputy Commissioner/ Collector, who is responsible for the overall administration and the maintenance of law and order.
    • The district collector may belong to IAS (Indian Administrative Service).
    • Districts are most frequently further sub-divided into smaller administrative units, called either tehsils or talukas or mandals, depending on the region.

    How are new districts carved?

    • The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments.
    • This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly.
    • Many States prefer the executive route by simply issuing a notification in the official gazette.

    How does it help?

    • States argue that smaller districts lead to better administration and governance.
    • For example, in 2016, the Assam government issued a notification to upgrade the Majuli sub-division to Majuli district for “administrative expediency”.

    Does the Central government have a role to play here?

    • The Centre has no role to play in the alteration of districts or creation of new ones. States are free to decide.
    • The Home Ministry comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a railway station.
    • The State government’s request is sent to other departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Intelligence Bureau, Department of Posts, Geographical Survey of India Sciences and the Railway Ministry seeking clearance.
    • A no-objection certificate may be issued after examining their replies.

     

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  • Forest Conservation Efforts – NFP, Western Ghats, etc.

    Conservation of Sacred Grooves

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Sacred Grooves

    Mains level: Read the attached story

    India’s sacred groves are being gradually altered due to ever-expanding human populations, pollution and removal of biomass; effective conservation is the need of the hour to maintain their functional values

    What are Sacred Grooves?

    • Sacred groves of India are forest fragments of varying sizes, which are communally protected, and which usually have a significant religious connotation for the protecting community.
    • It usually consists of a dense cover of vegetation including climbers, herbs, shrubs and trees, with the presence of a village deity and is mostly situated near a perennial water source.
    • Sacred groves are considered to be symbols of the primitive practice of nature worship and support nature conservation to a great extent.
    • The introduction of the protected area category community reserves under the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002 has introduced legislation for providing government protection to community-held lands, which could include sacred groves.

    Historical references

    • Indian sacred groves are often associated with temples, monasteries, shrines, pilgrimage sites, or with burial grounds.
    • Historically, sacred groves find their mentions in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, from sacred tree groves in Hinduism to sacred deer parks in Buddhism for example.
    • Sacred groves may be loosely used to refer to natural habitat protected on religious grounds.
    • Other historical references to sacred groves can be obtained in Vrukshayurveda an ancient treatise, ancient classics such as Kalidasa’s Vikramuurvashiiya.
    • There has been a growing interest in creating green patches such as Nakshatravana

    Regulation of activities in Sacred Grooves

    • Hunting and logging are usually strictly prohibited within these patches.
    • Other forms of forest usage like honey collection and deadwood collection are sometimes allowed on a sustainable basis.
    • NGOs work with local villagers to protect such groves.
    • Traditionally, and in some cases even today, members of the community take turns to protect the grove.

    Threats to such grooves

    • Threats to the groves include urbanization, and over-exploitation of resources.
    • While many of the groves are looked upon as abode of Hindu deities, in the recent past a number of them have been partially cleared for construction of shrines and temples.

    Total grooves in India

    • Around 14,000 sacred groves have been reported from all over India, which act as reservoirs of rare fauna, and more often rare flora, amid rural and even urban settings.
    • Experts believe that the total number of sacred groves could be as high as 100,000.
    • They are called by different names in different states:
    1. Sarna in Bihar
    2. Dev Van in Himachal Pradesh
    3. Devarakadu in Karnataka
    4. Kavu in Kerala
    5. Dev in Madhya Pradesh
    6. Devarahati or Devarai in Maharashtra
    7. Lai Umang in Maharashtra
    8. Law Kyntang or Asong Khosi in Meghalaya
    9. Oran in Rajasthan
    10. Kovil Kadu or Sarpa Kavu in Tamil Nadu

    What lies ahead?

    • The groves have great research value in in situ conservation of rare, endangered and threatened plant species.
    • It is high time that public awareness is created about the importance of these sacred groves, developmental activities are banned and the felling of trees or removal of any other vegetation is completely stopped.
    • This is possible only by way of enacting a special law for the protection and management of sacred groves.
    • As the management practices and other rituals vary from state to state, the concerned state governments may promulgate such an act as suitable for the state.
    • The idea should be to protect certain rare, endangered and threatened plant species in the era of global warming and climate change.

     

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  • Innovations in Sciences, IT, Computers, Robotics and Nanotechnology

    Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for instant payments

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Near Field Communication (NFC)

    Mains level: Not Much

    Google Pay has recently launched a new feature in India, ‘Tap to pay for UPI’, in collaboration with Pine Labs. The feature makes use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

    What is Near Field Communication (NFC)?

    • NFC is a short-range wireless connectivity technology that allows NFC-enabled devices to communicate with each other and transfer information quickly and easily with a single touch.
    • It makes possible to pay bills, exchange business cards, download coupons, or share a document.

    How does it work?

    • NFC transmits data through electromagnetic radio fields, to enable communication between two devices. Both devices must contain NFC chips, as transactions take place within a very short distance.
    • NFC-enabled devices must be either physically touching or within a few centimetres from each other for data transfer to occur.

    When did NFC tech start?

    • In 2004, consumer electronics companies, Nokia, Philips and Sony together formed the NFC Forum, which outlined the architecture for NFC technology to create powerful new consumer-driven products.
    • Nokia released the first NFC-enabled phone in 2007.

    How will this technology work with the recently launched feature, ‘Tap to pay for UPI’?

    • Google Pay has been the first among UPI apps to bring the Tap to Pay feature working on POS terminals.
    • It will allow users with UPI accounts configured on Google Pay to make payments just by tapping their NFC-enabled Android smartphones on any Pine Labs Android POS terminal.
    • Once users tap their phones on the POS terminal, it will automatically open the Google pay app with the payment amount pre-filled.
    • Users can then verify the amount and merchant name and authenticate the payment, using their UPI PIN.
    • The process is much faster compared to scanning a QR code or entering the UPI-linked mobile number which has been the conventional way till now.

    What are the other applications of NFC technology?

    • NFC tech has a wide range of applications besides driving payment services.
    • It is used in contactless banking cards to perform money transactions or to generate contact-less tickets for public transport.
    • Contactless cards and readers use NFC in several applications from securing networks and buildings to monitoring inventory and sales, preventing auto theft, keeping tabs on library books,
    • NFC is behind the cards that we wave over card readers in subway turnstiles and on buses to check tickets.
    • It is present in speakers, household appliances, and other electronic devices that we monitor and control through our smartphones.
    • With just a touch, NFC can also set up WiFi and Bluetooth devices in our homes, investopedia noted.
    • It also has an application in healthcare, to monitor patient stats through NFC-enabled wristbands.
    • NFC is used in wireless charging too.

    How safe is this technology?

    • NFC technology is designed for an operation between devices within a few centimetres from each other.
    • This makes it difficult for attackers to record the communication between the devices compared to other wireless technologies which have a working distance of several metres, according to the NFC forum, a non-profit industry association.
    • The user of the NFC-enabled device determines by the touch gesture which entity the NFC communication should take place with, making it more difficult for the attacker to get connected.
    • The security level of the NFC communication is by default higher compared to other wireless communication protocols.

    Where does it stand in comparison to other wireless technologies?

    • There are other wireless technologies available which are replacing cable-based connections.
    • The IrDa technology is a short range (a few metres) connection based on the exchange of data over infrared light where the two communication devices must be positioned within a line of sight.
    • Today, this technology is mainly used for remote control devices. For larger data communication with computer devices this technology was replaced by Bluetooth or WiFi connections.
    • However, for these technologies’ receiver devices need their own power supply due to the larger working distance.
    • Therefore, the receiving device cannot be powered by the radiofrequency (RF) field like in NFC, the NFC forum highlighted.
    • Another consequence of the larger working distance is the need for the user to configure their device and to pair them together for communication.

     

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  • Trade Sector Updates – Falling Exports, TIES, MEIS, Foreign Trade Policy, etc.

    India to export Wheat

    Prelims Only | Agriculture | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Wheat

    Mains level: Indias export of agricultural commodities

    Russia and Ukraine account for about 25% of the world’s wheat exports. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent Western sanctions against Moscow have curtailed wheat supplies drastically.

    India eyeing the global wheat basket

    • As a result of War, many countries which were sourcing wheat mainly from these two nations are now in a dire need of alternatives.
    • India, the largest wheat producer after China, is reported to be eyeing the void.
    • The government plans to allow increased exports to cash in on the higher price of wheat in the international market.
    • With harvesting season (March to May) coinciding with the supply crunch, a bumper crop is also expected again this year.

    Global wheat scenario

    • While Russia and Ukraine exported 183 million tonnes (MT) and 91 MT of wheat, respectively, between 2017 and 2021, India exported just a fraction of its output, or just 12.6 MT, in the period.
    • Five other countries accounted for the bulk of wheat exports in this period, including the European Union (157 MT), the U.S. (125 MT), Canada (112 MT) and Australia (83 MT).
    • India, which had the second-highest wheat supply (including production, existing stocks and imports) in this period at 613 million tonnes, exported only 2% of this, with about 80% used for domestic consumption, and the rest stored.

    Impact of the war

    • Many countries in Africa, West Asia and Southeast Asia rely heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat.
    • Egypt, the biggest importer of wheat, sources 93% of its needs from the East European neighbors. Indonesia, the second-largest importer, has a 30% dependence on these two nations.
    • African nations such as Sudan (60% reliance), Tanzania (64%), Libya (53%), Tunisia (52%), and West Asian countries including Lebanon (77% dependency), Yemen (50%) and the UAE (42%) are also highly dependent on supplies from the two neighbors now at war.

    India’s focus markets

    • India is now focussing on exporting wheat to many nations such as Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria, Algeria, West Asia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, the Philippines, Morocco and Tanzania.
    • To give impetus to the export promotion of wheat as well as to bring focus on the challenges and bottlenecks faced in production and export, APEDA has created a task group.

    Legal hurdles over Wheat Exports

    • If India decides to export wheat from its stocks, some developed nations may raise objections at the World Trade Organisation.
    • Already, in March, India was accused of exporting rice from its stocks.
    • India had replied that its rice exports were not from stocks set aside under the public stockholding programs.

    India’s consideration

    • The Supreme Court in the Right to Food case, observed that the peace clause adopted in WTO’s Bali Ministerial in 2014 does not prevent India from exporting foodgrains.
    • With the buffer stocks at hand, India should increase its wheat exports in order to stabilise global prices to the extent that it can.
    • It is also important because the countries that were dependent on Russia and Ukraine for their wheat are looking for an alternative source.

    Way ahead

    • There is a need to prioritise local prices and ensure adequate supplies for domestic consumption before deciding on the quantum of exports.
    • Ensuring the stability of prices in India and availability of grain for internal consumption should be of utmost priority to the Indian government
    • The government should plan this move in such a way that it does not impact local consumption.
    • A bumper crop of wheat is expected, so the government can procure enough for its distribution and buffer needs.
    • Further, as of now, there are no export restrictions, so farmers can also get the advantage of higher prices by selling the surplus to private traders for exports.

     

    Try this PYQ from CSP 2019:

    Q. Among the agricultural commodities imported by India, which one of the following accounts for the highest imports in terms of value in the last five years?

    (a) Spices

    (b) Fresh fruits

    (c) Pulses

    (d) Vegetable oils

     

    Answer is subjective to the year. But still you can give it a try.

     

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  • Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

    Raja Ravi Varma and his Arts

    Prelims Only | History | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Raja Ravi Varma

    Mains level: Not Much

    Raja Rai Varma’s Draupadi Vastraharan is expected to fetch between Rs 15 and Rs 20 crore at an auction.

    Who was Raja Ravi Varma?

    • Raja Ravi Varma was born in April 1848 in Kilimanoor, Kerala, to a family which was very close to the royals of Travancore.
    • Often referred to as the father of modern Indian art, he is widely known for his realistic portrayal of Indian gods and goddesses.
    • While he majorly painted for the royalty, he is also credited for taking art to the masses with his prints and oleographs.
    • At a young age, he would draw animals and everyday scenes on the walls in indigenous colours made from natural materials such as leaves, flowers and soil.
    • His uncle, Raja Raja Varma, noticed this and encouraged his talent.
    • Patronised by Ayilyam Thirunal, the then ruler of Travancore, he learnt watercolour painting from the royal painter Ramaswamy Naidu, and later trained in oil painting from Dutch artist Theodore Jensen.

    How he became an artist of the royals?

    • Varma became a much sought-after artist for the aristocrats and was commissioned several portraits in late 19th century.
    • Arguably, at one point, he became so popular that the Kilimanoor Palace in Kerala opened a post office due to the sheer number of painting requests that would come in for him.
    • He travelled across India extensively, for work and inspiration.

    Fame as a notable painter

    • Following a portrait of Maharaja Sayajirao of Baroda, he was commissioned 14 Puranic paintings for the Durbar Hall of the new Lakshmi Vilas Palace at Baroda.
    • Depicting Indian culture, Varma borrowed from episodes of Mahabharata and Ramayana for the same.
    • He also received patronage from numerous other rulers, including the Maharaja of Mysore and Maharaja of Udaipur.
    • As his popularity soared, the artist won an award for an exhibition of his paintings at Vienna in 1873.
    • He was also awarded three gold medals at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

    Nature of his artforms

    • Much of his celebrated art also borrows heavily from Indian mythology.
    • In fact, he is often credited with defining the images of Indian gods and goddesses through his relatable and more realistic portrayals often painted with humans as models.
    • The depictions include Lakshmi as the goddess of wealth, Saraswati as the goddess of knowledge and wisdom, and Lord Vishnu with his consorts, Maya and Lakshmi.

    How he took Indian art to the masses?

    • Raja Ravi Varma aspired to take his art to the masses and the intent led him to open a Lithographic Press in Bombay in 1894.
    • The idea, reportedly, came from Sir T Madhava Rao, former Dewan of Travancore and later Baroda, in a letter where he pointed out to Varma that since it was impossible for him to meet the large demand for his work, it would be ideal for him to send some of his select works to Europe and have them produced as oleographs.
    • Varma, instead, chose to establish a printing press of his own.
    • The first picture printed at Varma’s press was reportedly The Birth of Shakuntala, followed by numerous mythological figures and saints such as Adi Shankaracharya.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. There are only two known examples of cave paintings of the Gupta period in ancient India. One of these is paintings of Ajanta caves. Where is the other surviving example of Gupta paintings?

     

    (a) Bagh caves

    (b) Ellora caves

    (c) Lomas Rishi cave

    (d) Nasik caves

     

    Post your answers here.

     

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  • Tribes in News

    Tripura’s Darlong community in included in ST List

    Prelims Only | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Darlong Tribes

    Mains level: Scheduled Tribes and issues

    The Lok Sabha recently passed a bill to amend a constitutional order to include Darlong, a tribal clan in Tripura which was among the generic Halam community till now, in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST).

    Who are Darlongs?

    • Darlong is a tribal community of 11,000 people.
    • Despite its small population, the community has a high prevalence of education, cultural activities and members of the community are serving in different high positions in the local administration.
    • Darlongs, despite being Scheduled Tribes, were never given ST certificates.
    • Since they were considered a generic tribe under the Kuki community, they were handed their tribal certificates as members of ‘Kuki’ community.
    • The subsequent identity crisis among them, especially Darlong youths, who were equipped with modern education, culminated in the demand for a separate statutory identity of their own in 1995.
    • The group is a small tribal clan but has produced a high number of educated people proportionate to its population in the state.
    • People from the Darlong community, like many other tribal communities, are now serving in high positions in the state administration, academia, and public services.
    • Tribal musicologist and Rosem (tribal instrument) maestro Thanga Darlong was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award a few years back for his contribution to culture.

    Why is tribal identity a big issue in Tripura?

    • Out of 37 lakh people of Tripura, nearly 30 per cent are tribals, who mostly live in areas under jurisdiction of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
    • They are spread in patches across all eight districts and covering 70 per cent of the state’s geographical area.
    • The state saw tribals become minority in their own state due to arrival of East Pakistani refugees who fled their country.
    • Tribal identity is a major issue in Tripura, which is also one of the major subjects dominating the state politics now.
    • There is rising demand of Greater Tipraland – a proposed separate state for Tiprasa or Tripuris (tribal and non-tribal) living in the state.

    Back2Basics: Tribes of Tripura

    • Tripura, the tiny Northeast state of 37 lakh people houses 19 tribal communities.
    • These include Tripuri or Debbarma, Reangs or Brus, Jamatia, Noatia, Uchoi, Chakma, Mog, Lushai, Kuki, Munda, Kour, Oram, Santhal, Bhil, Bhutia, Chaimar or Sermai, Garo, Khasi, Lepcha and Halam.
    • Many of these communities are further divided into sub-tribes.
    • For example, Kukis have nearly 17-18 sub-tribes within the community.
    • It is an umbrella tribal community including many smaller clans like Khasi, Lushai, Hmars and other generic clans.
    • In course of time, Lushai, Hmar, Garo etc. came out of Kuki as separate communities.
    • Halam community also has several sub-tribes such as Rangkhawl, Ranglong, Dab, Chaimar or Sermai, Bong, Korbong, Harbong, Bongcher etc.

     

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  • Festivals, Dances, Theatre, Literature, Art in News

    [pib] Festivals in news: Gudi Padwa

    Prelims Only | History | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Hindu new year , Gudi Padwa

    Mains level: NA

    The President of India has sent his greetings to fellow citizens on the eve of Chaitra Sukladi, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba.

    Gudi Padwa

    • Gudi Padwa is a spring-time festival that marks the traditional New Year for Marathi and Konkani Hindus, but is also celebrated by other Hindus as well.
    • It is celebrated in and around Maharashtra, Goa, and the union territory of Damaon on the first day of the Chaitra month, to mark the beginning of the New Year according to the luni-solar method of the Hindu calendar.
    • Padava or paadvo comes from the Sanskrit word pratipada, which is the first day of a lunar fortnight.
    • The spring festival is observed with colourful floor decorations called rangoli, a special Gudhi dvaja (flag garlanded with flowers, mango and neem leaves, topped with upturned silver or copper vessels), street processions, dancing& festive foods.

    Significance

    • Gudhi Padva signifies the arrival of spring and to the reaping of Rabi crops.
    • The festival is linked to the mythical day on which Hindu god Brahma created time and universe.
    • To some, it commemorates the coronation of Rama in Ayodhya after his victory over evil Ravana, or alternatively the start of Shalivahan calendar after he defeated the Huns invasion in the 1st century.

    State-wide celebrations

    • Bihu among the Assamese of Assam.
    • Cheti Chand among the Sindhi people
    • Navreh among the Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir.
    • Pahela Baishakh among the Bengalis in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
    • Puthandu among the Tamils in Tamil Nadu.
    • Samvatsar Padvo among Hindu Konkanis of Goa and Konkani diaspora in Kerala
    • Vaisakhi or Baisakhi among the Punjabis in Punjab.
    • Vishu or among the Malayalis in Kerala.
    • Ugadi among the south-Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
    • Sajibu Cheiraoba in Manipur

     

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