Current Affairs

PARTITION HORRORS REMEMBRANCE DAY

Why in the News?

• The day is annually observed on 14^th August and is also known as Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas.
• The day was established in 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The day serves as a poignant reminder of the immense suffering and loss experienced during the 1947 partition of India.

About Partition 1947

• The Partition of 1947 refers to the division of British India into two independent dominions, India and Pakistan.
• This partition led to one of the largest and most tragic human migrations in history, accomied by widespread violence, loss of life, and deep-seated communal animosity.
• Background
  • British India was a vast colony under British rule from 1858 to 1947.
  • Rising nationalist movements led by the Indian National Congress (INC) and the All-India Muslim League (AIML) sought independence from British rule.
  • The Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded a separate nation for Muslims due to fears of marginalization in a Hindu-majority India.
• Mountbatten Plan
  • Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, proposed a plan for the division of British India into India and Pakistan.
  • The plan was hastily executed, with minimal consideration of the consequences for the millions of people involved.
• Creation of India and Pakistan
  • India was created as a secular state with a Hindu majority.
  • Pakistan was established as a Muslim-majority state, with two geographically separated regions: West Pakistan (modern-day Pakistan) and East Pakistan (modern-day Bangladesh).
• Mass Migration and Violence
  • An estimated 10-15 million people migrated across the newly drawn borders to join their religious majority, making it one of the largest migrations in history.
  • The partition was accompanied by horrific communal violence, with estimates of around 1-2 million deaths.
  • Massacres, sexual violence, and looting were rampant, and entire communities were uprooted.
• Long-term Consequences
  • The partition left a legacy of bitterness and hostility between India and Pakistan, leading to several wars and ongoing conflicts, particularly over the Kashmir region.
  • It also led to the displacement of millions, who struggled to rebuild their lives in new, unfamiliar territories.
  • The social and cultural fabric of the subcontinent was forever altered, with deep scars that persist to this day.

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ANCIENT MAHARASHTRA ROCK ART

Why in the News?

• The Maharashtra government has declared Ratnagiri's ancient geoglyphs and petroglyphs, dating back to the Mesolithic era, as protected monuments. These artworks, depicting animals and footprints, are spread across 70 sites, with over 1,500 in Ratnagiri alone. Some are on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list.

Geoglyphs and Petroglyphs

• They are declared protected monuments under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960.
• They date back to the Mesolithic era and represent creations of Mesolithic humans.
• Geoglyphs
  • They are large-scale, open-air depictions on laterite plateaus (Sada) in the Konkan region.
  • They include pictorial representations of marine, riverine, terrestrial, and extinct life forms.
  • These geoglyphs are unique compared to other forms of rock art in India, such as rock paintings and etchings.
• Petroglyphs
  • They are images or symbols carved, etched, or chiseled into rock surfaces, typically found on cliffs, boulders, or cave walls.
  • These ancient artworks are created by removing the outer layer of rock to reveal the lighter stone underneath, forming patterns, figures, or representations of animals, humans, and abstract designs.

Maharashtra Rock Art

Maharashtra

• Location: Western India
• Bordered by: Arabian Sea, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Goa.
• Capital: Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment hub.
• Official Language: Marathi
• Chief Minister: Eknath Shinde
• Governor: CP Radhakrishnan
• It is the second-most populous state in India.
• It is one of India’s wealthiest states.
• Major Ports
  • Mumbai Port
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva)
  • Dighi Port
  • Dabhol Port
• Major Rivers
  • Godavari River
  • Krishna River
  • Tapi (Tapti) River
  • Bhima River
  • Wardha River
• Major Dams
  • Koyna Dam
  • Jayakwadi Dam
  • Ujjani Dam
  • Bhatsa Dam
  • Mula Dam
• Major Soil Types: Black Soil (Regur Soil), Red Soil, Laterite Soil, Alluvial Soil, Saline Soil.

Location of Maharashtra

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GLIDE BOMB 'GAURAV'

Why in the News?

The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully carried out the first flight test of the Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) from an Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30 MKI aircraft.

About the Bomb

• Type: 1,000 kg class air-launched glide bomb.
• Capabilities: Designed for long-distance target strikes.
• Development: Indigenously developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad.
• Navigation System: Uses a hybrid navigation system combining INS (Inertial Navigation System) and GPS (Global Positioning System) data for precise targeting.
• The test was carried out off the coast of Odisha on Tuesday.
• In its first test, GAURAV hit the target on Long Wheeler Island.
• Complete flight data was captured by Telemetry and Electro-optical tracking systems from the Integrated Test Range.

Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB)

Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)

• Established: 1958
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Chairman: Samir V Kamat
• It works under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
• Objective: Develop and produce technology and equipment for defense applications.
• Key Areas: Includes missile systems, radar technology, naval systems, combat vehicles.
• Notable Projects
  • Agni - Intercontinental ballistic missiles
  • Prithvi - Surface-to-surface ballistic missiles
  • Tejas - Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)
  • Pinaka - Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher
  • Akash - Air Defence System
  • BrahMos - Supersonic cruise missile
  • NAG - Anti-tank guided missile

Logo of DRDO

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JIYO PARSI SCHEME

Why in the News?

Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday launched the Jiyo Parsi scheme portal that would enable Parsis to apply, check the status of their application and to receive financial assistance online through direct benefit transfer mode.

About the Scheme

• Objective: Reverse the declining trend of the Parsi population through scientific protocols and structured interventions and stabilize their population.
• Implemented By: Ministry of Minority Affairs
• Key Features
• Financial Assistance: Provides support for medical treatment, childcare, and elderly care.
• Web Portal: Launched to facilitate online applications, status checks, and financial assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Impact: The scheme has supported over 400 Parsi children since its inception.

Parsis They are a Zoroastrian community primarily residing in India and Pakistan. They are descendants of Persian Zoroastrians who migrated to the Indian subcontinent to escape religious persecution in Persia (modern-day Iran) around the 7th century AD.

General Knowledge

HOW DID DELHI GOVERNMENT EVOLVE?

• Location: Located in northern India, bordered by the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
• Administrative Divisions: Consists of 11 districts, with three municipal corporations.
• Lieutenant Governor: Vinai Kumar Saxena
• Chief Minister: Arvind Kejriwal
• Bordering States: Haryana, Uttar Pradesh
• Evolution
  • Dynasties: Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526), Mughal Empire (1526–1857)
  • 1911: It became the capital of British India, officially inaugurated by Viceroy and Governor-General Lord Irwin in 1931.
  • 1947: It was designated as the capital of the newly formed Republic of India.
  • 1952: The Delhi State Legislative Assembly came into being, under the Government of Part-C States Act, 1951.
  • 1956: It was declared a Union Territory with its own legislature, but the central government retained substantial control.
  • 1958: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi was established, originally as a single body covering the entire city.
  • 1966: The Delhi Administration Act of 1966 established a more formal structure for governance, creating a legislative assembly and executive council for Delhi.
  • 1991: The National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, granted Delhi the status of a National Capital Territory (NCT) with its own legislative assembly and executive authority.
  • 2012: MCD was trifurcated into three separate municipal corporations (North, South, and East) to improve administrative efficiency and local governance.
• Structure
  • Legislature: it has a Legislative Assembly with 70 elected members. The Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, also known as the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, is a unicameral legislature.
  • Executive: The Chief Minister heads the Delhi government and is supported by a Council of Ministers. The Lieutenant Governor, appointed by the President of India, represents the central government and has certain powers and responsibilities.
  • Municipalities: Delhi is divided into three municipal corporations (North, South, and East Delhi) responsible for local civic administration and services.
• Governance
  • Mayor: Each municipal corporation has its own mayor, elected by the elected members of the corporation.
  • Municipal Commissioner: The executive head appointed by the Delhi government, responsible for the day-to-day administration of the corporation.

Location of Delhi

Eminent Personalities in the News Today

Name	Designation	Image
Vinai Kumar Saxena	Lieutenant Governor of Delhi
Mohan Yadav	Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Amit Shah	Union Home Minister
Bhupendra Rajnikant Patel	Chief Minister of Gujarat
Bhagwant Mann	Chief Minister of Punjab
Siddaramaiah	Chief Minister of Karnataka
Mijaín López	Cuban Wrestler
Zheng Haohao	Chinese Skateboarder
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar	Minister of External Affairs
Anwar Ibrahim	Prime Minister of Malaysia
Jagat Prakash Nadda	Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, President of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Vivek Ram Chaudhari	Chief of Indian Air Force
Nicolás Maduro	President of Venezuela