National Tansen Samman
Syllabus: GS1/Culture
Context
- Renowned tabla player of Indian classical music Pt. Swapan Choudhary of Kolkata was honoured with the “National Tansen Samman” for the year 2023.
About National Tansen Samman
- Established in: 1980.
- An honorarium of five lakh rupees, citation plaque and shawl-shriphal was presented.
- The award is established by the Madhya Pradesh government in the name of Music Emperor Tansen, awarded in the field of Indian classical music.
Tansen
- Tansen (16th Century) was a legendary Indian classical musician and one of the “Navaratnas” (nine jewels) in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
- He was a disciple of the great musician Swami Haridas and is often credited with bringing the dhrupad style of music to prominence.
- Tansen is known for his mastery of Hindustani classical music and for his contributions to the development of several ragas.
- Tansen was honored with the prefix ‘Miyan’ from Emperor Akbar and from that day onwards he came to be known as MiyanTansen.
Source: AIR
Goa Liberation Day
Syllabus: GS1/ History
Context
- Goa Liberation Day is celebrated every year on December 19 to mark the freedom of Goa from Portuguese rule in 1961.
Background
- The Portuguese arrived in Goa under Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510, making it one of their longest-held overseas territories.
- While India gained independence in 1947, Goa, along with Daman and Diu, remained under Portuguese control.
Operation Vijay
- It was the code name for the military action undertaken by India to liberate Goa.
- The operation began on December 17, 1961, and lasted for two days.
- On December 19, 1961, the Portuguese Governor-General Manuel Antonio Vassalo e Silva surrendered to Indian forces.
Integration into India
- After liberation Goa, Daman, and Diu were declared a Union Territory.
- In 1987, Goa was granted statehood, becoming the 25th state of India.
- However, Daman and Diu continue to remain Union Territories.
Source: BS
Vanuatu
Syllabus :GS 1/Places
In News
A massive earthquake of magnitude of 7.3 struck the coast of Vanuatu
Vanuatu
- It is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean.
- It is an archipelago about 800 km west of Fiji and 1,770 km east of Australia.
- It is home to 320,000 people
- It is situated along the seismic Ring of Fire, an arc of high tectonic activity that runs across the Pacific basin and across Southeast Asia.
Source :HT
Impeachment of Vice President
Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance
Context
- Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, rejected the Opposition’s no-confidence motion against Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
About
- No-Confidence Motion is a formal proposal or resolution moved in a legislative body to express disapproval of a particular individual or the government.
- The move was initiated under Article 67(b) of the Constitution, which provides for the removal of the Vice President, who also serves as the ex-officio Rajya Sabha.
Constitutional Provisions for Removal
- Under Article 67(b), the Vice President can be removed through a resolution passed by a majority in the Rajya Sabha and subsequently agreed upon by the Lok Sabha.
- A 14-day notice is mandatory before such a resolution can be moved.
- Article 92 of the Constitution bars the Chairman or Deputy Chairman from presiding over proceedings during the consideration of a resolution for their removal.
- However, they are permitted to participate in the debate, but not vote on the resolution.
Source: TH
Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum
Syllabus: GS2/IR
Context
- India and France signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of the new National Museum named Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum.
About
- The project is an integral part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project and is set to be developed at the and South Blocks of Parliament.
- Features:
- It will be developed through Adaptive Reuse, in collaboration with France, renowned for its expertise.
- Its development will renew the historic North and South Blocks, preserving their unique architectural features.
- It is expected to be the largest museum in the world, surpassing The Louvre in Paris, which is the world’s biggest.
- The project will be implemented in two phases.
- The first phase will involve retrofitting the North Block into a museum space, with a targeted completion by 2026.
Central Vista Redevelopment Project
- Announced in: 2019.
- Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
- Aim: Redevelopment project to give a new identity to the ‘power corridor’ of India.
- The plan included the construction of a new parliament, prime minister and vice-president’s residences along with 10 building blocks that will accommodate all government ministries and departments.
Source: TH
Nano-plastics Agents of AMR
Syllabus: GS2/Health
Context
- As per a new study, Nanoplastics derived from single-use plastic bottles (SUPBs) contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR).
About
- Nanoplastics:
- They are tiny plastic particles, typically smaller than 5 millimetres in diameter, that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items.
- Due to their small size, they can easily enter ecosystems, water supplies, and the food chain, posing environmental and health risks.
- Antibiotic Resistance:
- Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to resist the effects of medications that once killed them or inhibited their growth.
- Causes: This happens due to overuse or misuse of antibiotics, such as unnecessary prescriptions, incomplete courses of treatment, or overuse in agriculture.
- Implications: Infections become harder to treat, leading to longer illnesses, increased healthcare costs, and higher mortality rates.
- Study:
- Nanoplastics might introduce AR genes to beneficial gut bacteria like Lactobacillus acidophilus.
- It indicates that Lactobacillus acidophilus could act as reservoirs for AR genes, potentially transferring these genes to pathogenic bacteria during the course of infections.
- The finding highlights the need for responsible usage of plastics and it’s adequate waste management to safeguard human health and microbiome stability.
Source: PIB
Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024
Syllabus : GS 3/Economy
In News
- India is ranked 39th among 119 countries in the 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) report by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024
- Introduced in 2022, TTDI is an evolution of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), which has been published biennially since 2007.
- Features: It serves as a strategic benchmarking tool for businesses, governments, and organizations to develop the Travel & Tourism (T&T) sector.
- It measures the factors and policies that enable sustainable and resilient T&T development, contributing to a country’s development.
- It allows for cross-country comparison and benchmarking on T&T development, informing policies and investment decisions for the sector.
- Importance: It offers insights into the strengths and areas for improvement of each country to enhance sustainable and resilient T&T growth.
- It provides a comprehensive view of the tourism economy, including both internal and external enablers of T&T development and their interconnectedness.
- Findings of 2024 Index :
Source :PIB
Marine Heat Wave
Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
Context
- A marine heatwave nicknamed ‘The Blob’ in Alaska from 2014-2016, led to the death of an estimated 4 million common murres.
About Common Murre
- The common murre (Uria aalge) is a species of seabird found in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in the cold waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans.
- Characteristics: They have black and white plumage like penguins, with a black head, back, and wings, a white belly, and a long, slender, pointed black beak.
- They use their wings to “fly” underwater and can dive as deep as 100 meters (330 feet).
- Diet: They feed on small fish like capelin, herring, and sand lance.
- The heatwave caused a collapse in fish stocks and plankton, leading to food scarcity.
Source: NY Times
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