Daily Current Affairs 30-05-2024

An Overview of the AMRUT Scheme

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• India is rapidly urbanizing, around 36% of India’s population is living in cities and by 2047 it will be more than 50%.
  • The World Bank estimates that around $840 billion is required to fund the bare minimum urban infrastructure over the next 15 years.

About

• Looking at the rapid urbanisation and to address the infrastructure need, AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme was launched by the government in 2015, with its 2.0 version launched in 2021.
• The mission was drawn to cover 500 cities and towns with a population of over one lakh with notified municipalities. 
• The purpose of the AMRUT mission was to:
  • ensure that every household has access to a tap with assured supply of water and a sewerage connection; 
  • increase the value of cities by developing greenery and well-maintained open spaces such as parks and; 
  • reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorised transport. 
• AMRUT 2.0: Aimed at making cities ‘water secure’ and providing functional water tap connections to all households in all statutory towns.
  • Ambitious targets were set up such as providing 100% sewage management in 500 AMRUT cities.
• Other components of AMRUT 2.0 are:
  • Pey Jal Survekshan to ascertain equitable distribution of water, reuse of wastewater, mapping of water bodies and promote healthy competition among the cities /towns.
  • Technology Sub-Mission for water to leverage latest global technologies in the field of water.
  • Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign to spread awareness among masses about conservation of water.

Need for the Scheme

• It is estimated that about 2,00,000 people die every year due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene. 
• In 2016, the disease burden due to unsafe water and sanitation per person was 40 times higher in India than in China. 
• The 150 reservoirs monitored by the central government, which supplies water for drinking and irrigation, and are the country’s key source of hydro-electricity, were filled to just 40% of its capacity a few weeks ago.
  • Around 21 major cities are going to run out of ground water. 
• In a NITI Aayog report it was stated that 40% of India’s population will have no access to drinking water by 2030. 
  • Nearly 31% of urban Indian households do not have piped water; 67.3% are not connected to a piped sewerage discharge system; and average water supply per person in urban India is 69.25 litres/day, whereas the required amount is 135 litres.

Challenges

• Narrow Approach: The basic fundamental of the scheme was erroneously constructed. Instead of a holistic approach, it took on a project-oriented attitude.
  • Furthermore, AMRUT was made for cities with no participation from the cities. It was quite mechanical in design, with hardly any organic participation of the elected city governments, and driven by mostly private interests. 
• Delays in Implementation: Like many government schemes, AMRUT projects often face delays in implementation due to bureaucratic hurdles, land acquisition issues, and other administrative challenges.
• Maintenance and Sustainability: While AMRUT focuses on building new infrastructure, ensuring its long-term maintenance and sustainability is equally important.
  • Without proper maintenance, the infrastructure deteriorates over time, undermining the benefits of the scheme.
• Inclusivity: There is a need to ensure that the benefits of AMRUT reach all sections of society, including marginalized communities and informal settlements.
  • Inclusive planning and implementation strategies are essential to address the needs of all urban residents.
• Environmental Impact: The rapid urbanization and infrastructure development under AMRUT may have adverse environmental consequences if not implemented sustainably.
  • Measures should be taken to minimize environmental degradation and promote eco-friendly practices.

Way Ahead

• The scheme needs nature based solutions and a comprehensive methodology with a people centric approach and empowering local bodies.
• By addressing these challenges effectively, AMRUT can play a crucial role in improving the quality of life in urban areas across India.

Source: TH

Digital Health and India

Syllabus:GS2/Health; GS3/Inclusive Growth

Context

• Recently, India hosted a side event on Digital health during the ongoing 77th World Health Assembly at Geneva, a decision-making body of WHO.

About the Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH)

• It is a WHO-managed network comprising organisations, institutions, and government technical agencies actively engaged in supporting national digital health transformation.
• Its primary goal is to converge and convene global standards, best practices, and resources to fast-track digital health system transformation.

Key Objectives

• Priority-Driven Investment Plans: GIDH will develop clear investment plans focused on digital health transformation, ensuring that countries allocate resources effectively.
• Transparency and Reporting: The initiative aims to improve reporting and transparency related to digital health resources, enabling better tracking of progress.
• Knowledge Exchange and Collaboration: GIDH will facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration across regions and countries, accelerating digital health progress worldwide.
• Whole of Government Approaches: It supports whole-of-government approaches for digital health governance within countries.
• Technical and Financial Support: GIDH aims to increase technical and financial support for the implementation of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025 and its next phase.

India’s Approach to Digital Health

• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): India leverages DPI to transform healthcare delivery and promote a resilient, equitable society.
  • India’s DPI facilitates seamless health data exchange, improves service delivery, and enhances patient outcomes.
  • India’s journey in building a digital health ecosystem serves as a potential model for other nations.
  • India’s representative in a recent health assembly highlighted its commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility and efficiency through digital technology.
• Global Collaboration: The Union Health Secretary emphasised the need for global collaboration in harnessing digital technologies for better health outcomes.
  • The United States, Japan, and Australia (alongwith India) shared experiences and contributions of their countries to digital health, emphasising international cooperation.

India’s Advancements in Digital Health

• As one of the key deliverables of India’s G20 Presidency, the Global Initiative on Digital Health reflects India’s commitment to advancing digital health systems.
• Recent event on Digital health outlined India’s achievements in digital health, including:
• Equitable Healthcare: Digital Health plays a crucial role in ensuring equitable and accessible healthcare services.
• Universal Health Coverage: It contributes to achieving Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
• Scale of Implementation: India successfully implemented digital public infrastructure at scale, including Aadhaar for digital identities and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for financial transactions.
• Co-WIN: Co-WIN, used during the pandemic, is being transformed into UWIN for the National Immunization Programme.
  • It aims to link and provide immunisation records for newborns, mothers, and school health.
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
  • National Digital Health Ecosystem: ABDM aims to create a robust national digital health ecosystem.
  • Health IDs: Over 618 million Unique Health IDs (ABHA IDs) have been generated.
  • Health Facilities and Professionals: 268,000 health facilities and 350,000 healthcare professionals are registered under ABDM.
  • National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX): As part of ABDM, India is launching NHCX to transform insurance payments, enabling real-time settlements with auto adjudication of claims.

Other Initiatives

• AB PMJAY: The world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme provides a health cover of Rs 500,000 (Rs 5 Lakh) to 550 million (55 crore) needy and vulnerable populations.
  • It has facilitated 70 million (7 crore) treatments worth US$ 11.2 Billion (Rs 89,000 crore).
• e-Sanjeevani: The world’s largest telemedicine initiative serves 241 million patients, leading to savings of US$ 2.15 billion in out-of-pocket expenses.
• NI-KSHAY: An initiative for TB management.
• SAKSHAM: An online learning platform for health professionals.

Conclusion and Way Forward

• Since the first WHO resolution on eHealth in 2005, over 120 WHO Member States have developed national digital health policies or strategies.
• However, recent experiences highlighted the need for stronger support to transition from product-focused and pilot digital health initiatives to robust national digital health infrastructure.
  • It requires appropriate governance, policies, and a competent health workforce to select, maintain, and adapt digital health interventions.
• WHO lauded India’s implementation of DPI, highlighting its ability to facilitate healthcare delivery at scale. WHO supports countries in digital transformation for health.

Source: PIB

GM Mosquitoes to Fight Malaria

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• Genetically modified (GMO) mosquitoes were released in Djibouti, East Africa to fight malaria.

What is Malaria?

• Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries. 
• Transmission: It is caused by plasmodium protozoa.The plasmodium parasites spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.Blood transfusion and contaminated needles may also transmit malaria. 
• Types of parasites: There are 5 Plasmodium parasite species that cause malaria in humans and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose the greatest threat. The other malaria species which can infect humans are P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi.
  • P. falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite and the most prevalent on the African continent. P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa.  
• Symptoms: Fever and flu-like illness, including chills, headache, muscle ache and fatigue.

Disease burden

• According to the World malaria report, there were 247 million cases of malaria in 2021 and the estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 619 000.
• According to the World Health Organization, Africa bears the brunt of the global malaria burden, accounting for 96% of malaria deaths worldwide in 2021.
• Four African countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths worldwide: Nigeria (31.3%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.6%), United Republic of Tanzania (4.1%) and Niger (3.9%).

How GM mosquitoes help to fight malaria?

• The method targets female mosquitoes, which are predominantly responsible for malaria transmission. 
• It involves releasing genetically engineered male mosquitoes carrying a special gene into the wild, which then mate with females. 
• The introduced gene prevents female offspring from surviving to adulthood, effectively reducing the population of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes. 
• Male mosquitoes do not bite and therefore cannot transmit malaria.

Initiatives to control Malaria by WHO

• The WHO’s Global technical strategy for malaria 2016–2030 aims to reduce malaria case incidence and mortality rates by at least 40% by 2020, at least 75% by 2025 and at least 90% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.
• ‘E-2025 Initiative’: The WHO has identified 25 countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under the initiative.
• High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) initiative: WHO has initiated the initiative in 11 high malaria burden countries, including India. 

Indian government Initiatives to Control Malaria: 

• The Government of India set a target to eliminate malaria in India by 2027.
• In India, a National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) has been developed and launched in 2016 aligned with the Global Technical Strategy (GTS) for malaria elimination 2016-2030.
• Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India): It was established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.

Source: DTE

Tool to Detect Viral Infection

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• A viral infection can stress cells and change their shapes and sizes. Researchers have built a tool to detect these changes.

About

• It can detect if cells have been infected by a virus using only light and some knowledge of high-school physics.
• A viral infection can stress cells and change their shapes, sizes, and features. As the infection gains the upper hand and the body becomes ‘diseased’, the changes become more stark.
  • The researchers behind the new study translated these cellular changes into patterns that could be used to say if a cell had been infected. 
• The method can differentiate between uninfected, virus-infected, and dead cells.
  • Virus-infected cells were elongated and had more clear boundaries than uninfected cells. 

Significance

• Light-based methods could detect viral infections as accurately or even more accurately than the standard method.
• The new method was also cheaper than the standard: while the equipment cost for the standard method using chemical reagents is about $3,000 (Rs 2.5 lakh), the cost of the new method described in this paper was about a tenth. 
• The new method takes only about two hours to detect virus infected cells, against the 40 hours the current standard required.
• The new method could help catch viral infections early — which could be very helpful during, say, a virulent bird flu outbreak. 

Source: TH

PREFIRE Mission

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• NASA has successfully launched the climate satellite named “Ready, Aim, PREFIRE,” to study heat emissions at Earth’s poles.

What is PREFIRE mission?

• PREFIRE stands for “Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment”. 
• The mission consists of two shoebox-sized CubeSats, each equipped with a Thermal Infrared Spectrometer capable of measuring the far-infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s coldest and most remote regions.
• The satellite launched is one of the two climate satellites that are part of the PREFIRE mission.
  • The other is “PREFIRE and ICE,” and will be launched in the coming days. 

Significance

• Its observations will help in understanding the fundamentals of Earth’s heat balance, allowing us to better predict how ice, seas, and weather will change in the face of global warming. 
• The mission also focuses on heat emitted as far-infrared radiation by the Arctic and Antarctica, which is currently not measured in detail.

Heat Budget of Earth

• A heat budget is a perfect balance between incoming heat (insolation) absorbed by the earth and outgoing heat (terrestrial radiation) escaping it in the form of radiation. 
• The equilibrium that exists between the insolation (short waves) and the terrestrial radiation (long waves) is called the heat budget of the earth.

Explanation of Heat Budget

•  Let’s consider that the top of the atmosphere receives 100% of the insolation. 
• Approximately 35 units of insolation are reflected back into space before even reaching the Earth’s surface. Out of these, 27 units are reflected from the top of clouds, and 2 units are reflected from snow and ice-covered areas.
  • The reflected radiation is referred to as the Earth’s albedo. 
• The remaining 65 units of insolation are absorbed, with 14 units absorbed within the atmosphere and 51 units absorbed by the Earth’s surface. The Earth then radiates back 51 units of terrestrial radiation. 
• Out of these, 17 units are radiated directly into space, while the remaining 34 units are absorbed by the atmosphere. 
• Additionally, 48 units absorbed by the atmosphere are also radiated back into space. 
• Therefore, the total radiation returning from the Earth and the atmosphere is 17 + 48 = 65 units, which balances the total of 65 units received from the Sun. 

Impacts of imbalance of Heat Budget

• Rising Global Temperatures: Increased greenhouse gases trap more heat in the atmosphere, leading to higher global temperatures.
• Melting Polar Ice and Glaciers: Warmer temperatures cause ice sheets and glaciers to melt, contributing to rising sea levels.
  • Higher sea levels erode coastlines and increase the frequency and severity of coastal flooding.
• Ocean Warming: The ocean absorbs most of the excess heat, leading to thermal expansion and further sea level rise.
  • Coastal and marine habitats, such as mangroves and coral reefs, are threatened by rising waters.
• Increased Frequency of Heatwaves: Prolonged periods of excessive heat become more common.
• Ocean Acidification: Higher levels of carbon dioxide dissolve in ocean water will lead to acidification.
  • Acidic waters harm calcifying organisms like corals, mollusks, and some plankton species, disrupting marine ecosystems.

Source: IE

Superfast Method for Producing Diamonds

Syllabus :GS 3/Economy

In News

• Scientists developed a superfast method for producing diamonds.

Key Points 

• The group of 15 scientists created a cocktail of gallium, iron, nickel and silicon by putting them in a graphite crucible. 
• Then they pumped in methane at 1,175oC. 
• Diamonds formed at the bottom, where the liquid metal had solidified 

About Lab grown diamonds (LGD )

• LGD are manufactured in laboratories, as opposed to naturally-occurring diamonds.
  • However, the chemical composition and other physical and optical properties of the two are the same.
• Naturally-occurring diamonds take millions of years to form; they are created when carbon deposits buried within the earth are exposed to extreme heat and pressure. 
• Lab Grown Diamonds are basically made from two processes: Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD).

Steps of India 

• India is promoting the manufacturing of lab-grown diamond (LGD) in the country. 
• In the Budget for 2023-24, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman announces reduction in customs duties for ‘seeds’ for lab grown diamonds, to give a fillip to diamond manufacturing in India. 
• The government also gave a grant of ₹242 crore to IIT Madras for setting up an India Centre for Lab Grown Diamonds (InCent-LGD) for research into LGDs.

Importance 

• Good quality lab-grown diamonds with qualified certification, produced from the developed equipment and process parameters will attract many foreign customers increasing the export volume of lab-grown diamonds and scalability of production. 
•  the environmental footprint of a diamond grown in a laboratory is much lesser than that of a naturally-occurring diamond
•  Also, the production cost is lesser making them more affordable than their counterparts. 
• Though there is an initial cost in setting up the laboratory, and equipment, the production cost is significantly less than the real diamonds.

Challenges 

• The scale of the past year’s geopolitical and economic disruptions has left a mark on the overall demand dynamics of the diamond market.
•  competition from lab-grown rivals included slowing economic growth in the all-important U.S. and China markets, as well as oversupply and sanctions against Russian rough-cut diamonds. 
• India’s natural diamond industry was forced into a rare voluntary import ban on rough diamonds.

Conclusion and Way Forward 

• The demand for naturally mined diamonds will continue to stay relevant in the market, while the demand for LGDs is expected to grow manifold during 2024, with steeper competition from India to other prominent LGD-producing countries. 
• This growing demand for LGD in both domestic and international markets will not only help mitigate the impact of export decline, but also provides a platform for the development and improvement of the industry at large.

Source:TH

Sovereign Bond Yields

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• Recently, it is found that the 10-year bond yield fell to near-one-year low on RBI’s record surplus dividend transfer to government.

About the Sovereign Bond Yield (aka Government Bond Yield)

• It refers to the annual interest rate paid by a national government or sovereign entity to the holder of its bonds.
• These bonds are issued as a means of borrowing money from investors to finance government spending, infrastructure projects, and other budgetary needs.

Key Features of Sovereign Bond

• Issuance and Purpose: Sovereign bonds are debt securities issued by a national government. They serve as a way for governments to raise capital.
  • When one invests in a sovereign bond, it effectively lends money to the government.
• Risk-Free Assets: Sovereign bonds are often considered risk-free assets because they are backed by the issuing government.
  • Since governments can always issue more currency to pay off the bonds at maturity, they do not have credit risk built into their valuation.
• Yield Calculation: The yield on a sovereign bond is the interest rate paid to the bondholder. It is expressed as an annual percentage.
  • It represents the return an investor receives for holding the bond until maturity. The yield 

Factors Influencing Bond Yield

• Creditworthiness: The credit risk rating of the issuing government affects the yield.
  • Stronger economies and stable political environments tend to have lower yields.
• Currency Exchange Rate Risk: The value of the issuing currency on the exchange market impacts the yield.
• Local Interest Rates: The prevailing interest rates in the country play a role.
• Credit Ratings: International credit rating agencies (such as Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch) assess the creditworthiness of sovereign bonds.
  • They consider factors like GDP growth, history of default, per capita income, inflation rate, external debts, and economic development within the nation.
• Risk Premium: The spread between sovereign bond yields and highly-rated corporate bond yields is often used as a measure of the risk premium placed on corporations.

Impact of Lowering Bond Yield

• Lower borrowing costs within the economy, overseas investment, and crude oil Prices etc are mostly affected by this.

Source: ET

News in Short

Kumartuli

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• Kumartuli, one of Kolkata’s oldest neighbourhoods, nestled on the banks of the Hooghly provides the city its greatest source of joy — idols of Durga. 

About

• The place is famous for its expertise with sculpting Indian Gods and Goddesses out of clay for different festivals in West Bengal throughout the year.
• After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the East India Company decided to build a new settlement of Fort William. 
• Under the direct orders of the company different parts of the city were allocated for different workmen.
• The places acquired work related names such as Suriparah for the wine sellers, Collotollah for the oil sellers, Chuttarparah for the carpenters, Aheeritollah for the cow herders and Coomartolly for the potter’s quarters.

Source: TH

Nidoviruses

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• Researchers had identified 40 novel Nidoviruses in a variety of vertebrates using artificial intelligence. 

What are Nidoviruses?

• When host animals are infected with different viruses at the same time, there are chances of recombination of viral genes.
• The phenomenon of crossbreeding between distinct viruses may give rise to the creation of an entirely new, modified virus possessing potentially more hazardous traits.
• It is an order of enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses which infect vertebrates and invertebrates.

Source: FP Journal

RudraM-II 

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) flight-tested the RudraM-II missile from Su-30 MK-I platform off the coast of Odisha.

About

• The RudraM-II is an indigenously developed solid-propelled Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile. 
• The missile has a range of 300 kilometers.
• The missile has a speed of Mach 5.5 and can carry a 200 kilogramme payload.

Source: PIB

International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers

Syllabus: GS2/International Organisation, GS3/Defence

Context

• The Indian Army commemorated the 76th International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers (also called Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets).

About

• On this day in 1948 the first UN Peacekeeping Mission, “UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO)” began operations in Palestine.
• Each year on this day, the UN and countries across the globe pay rich tributes to the professionalism, dedication and courage of men and women who have served/ are serving in UN Peacekeeping Missions. 
• Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis.
• This day also honours the memory of sacrifices of those who have laid down their lives for the cause of peace.
• India has a rich legacy of contribution to UN Peacekeepers operations and is one of the largest contributors of troops.
• In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN peacekeeping mission.

Source: PIB

Golden rice

Syllabus :GS 3/S&T /Crops 

In News

• A court in the Philippines recently revoked biosafety permits for commercial propagation of genetically modified golden rice and Bt eggplant. 

About Golden rice

• Golden Rice is a new type of rice that contains beta carotene (provitamin A, a plant pigment that the body converts into vitamin A as needed).
  •  This compound is what gives this grain its yellow-orange or golden colour, hence its name.
• Golden Rice is developed through genetic engineering. 
• Like ordinary rice, Golden Rice does not require any special cultivation practices, and generally has the same yield and agronomic performance.
• In July 2021, the Philippines became the first country in the world to approve Golden Rice for commercial propagation.
• Golden Rice has been assessed to be as safe as ordinary rice with the added benefit of beta-carotene in the grains by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Health Canada , the United States Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry.

Source:DTE

KAZA Summit

Syllabus :GS 2/IR

In News

• More than 400 delegates are gathered in Livingstone, a Zambian resort town on the northern side of the Victoria Falls, for the inaugural Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA) summit .

About  KAZA 

• The KAZA region is a 520,000-square kilometre wetland paradise straddling these five southern African nations that have common international borders along the Okavango and Zambezi river basins
• It is home to a high concentration of wildlife species, including the largest elephant population. 
• About 70 per cent of KAZA land is under conservation, made up of 103 wildlife management areas and 85 forest reserves.
  •  Within it are also three World Heritage sites namely the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi river which makes the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and the Okavango Delta and the Tsodilo Hills both in Botswana.
• The KAZA states signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2006 resulting in the KAZA Treaty of 2011 followed by its immediate implementation.
  • The KAZA-FTCA area is a partnership centred around “a common vision to conserve biodiversity at scale through promoting integrated transboundary management and to market the landscape biodiversity using nature-based tourism as the engine for rural economic growth and development.”

Source:DTE

SIDS4 Conference

Syllabus: GS2/International Organisation; GS3/Infrastructure

Context

• Recently, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) has launched an $8 million funding initiative for disaster resilient infrastructure in small island developing states during the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) in Antigua and Barbuda.

About the Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

• These comprise 37 UN Member nations and 20 Associate Members of regional commissions, uniquely and unfortunately positioned at the forefront of multiple global crises, notably climate change.
• These remote economies, prone to natural disasters were formally recognised as a special case both for their environment and development at the UN Conference on Environment and Development  held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992.
• Occupying less than 0.5% of the world’s surface, these nations are spread across three key regions:
  • The Caribbean;
  • The Pacific and the Atlantic;
  • Indian Ocean and South China Sea.

SIDS4 Conference Goals

• Review Progress: The international community gathered to review SIDS’ sustainable development progress.
• Decade of Partnerships: The conference proposed a new decade of partnerships and solutions to accelerate the path to resilient prosperity.
• UN Commitment: The United Nations reaffirmed its commitment to supporting SIDS in their quest for a more resilient and sustainable future.

Source: ET

Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Syllabus: GS1/Personalities in News

Context

• Recently, the Prime Minister of India announced his visit and meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

About the Vivekananda Rock Memorial

• It is a sacred monument located off the coast of Kanyakumari, India’s southernmost tip.
• It commemorates the visit of the great spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda to this very spot in December 1892.
• According to ancient tradition, the rock on which the memorial stands was blessed by the touch of the feet of the Goddess Kanyakumari.
• Swami Vivekananda himself attained enlightenment on this very rock.

Architectural Marvel

• Vivekananda Mandapam: It includes a meditation area (Dhyana Mandapam), an assembly hall (Sabha Mandapam), and a statue section (Pralima Mandapam).
  • A life-sized bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda graces the premises.
• Shripada Mandapam: It houses the sanctum sanctorum (Garbha Graham), surrounded by inner and outer prakarams.
  • The design ensures that Swamiji’s statue gazes directly toward the sacred Shripadam.

Swami Vivekananda – He was born as Narendra Nath Datta on January 12, 1863, to Bhuvaneswari Devi and Vishwanath Datta. – He was a monk and the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhansa. – His teachings and contributions had a profound impact on Indian philosophy, spirituality, and nationalism. a. He envisioned a strong, united India and actively promoted the idea of nationalism. b. He advocated for social reforms, education, and empowerment of the masses. – He introduced Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. – He played a crucial role in raising interfaith awareness and bringing Hinduism to the global stage during the late 19th century. a. In 1893, Swami Vivekananda represented India at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Legacy: – Quote: ‘Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is reached’ remains etched in our collective consciousness.

Source: IE