Architectural remains belonging to periods from early medieval days can be found in scattered historic ruins and ancient temples, in many places of Assam, including Tezpur, Bongaigaon, Guwahati, Sivasagar, Hajo, Goalpara, Nagaon, Golaghat etc. Assam’s historical architecture is greatly influenced by its cultural contact with adjacent regions of present-day Bangladesh and Burma, yet maintaining its firm cultural relation with mainland India. The architectural heritage of Assam can be easily perceived when seen through the lens of how various dynasties ruled over the land of Assam. There are literary and epigraphic records referring to architectural activities related to the building of secular and religious buildings in Pre-Ahom Assam.
The Kalika Purana mentions some important cities of ancient Assam. Pragjyotishapura which is termed as giri-durga by the Kalika Purana. The Bhagavata Purana also describes the city as being inaccessible due to its strong defense, both by nature and man. Other cities mentioned by Kalika Purana are- Alaka, Chandravati, Bhogavati, Varasana and Sonitapura.
Architecture in Pre-Ahom Period
The earliest evidence of architecture in Assam dates back to the Gupta Period, during the rule of the Varman dynasty in Kamarupa. The Gupta idiom is visible in most of the architectural works belonging to the period of the Varmans as the kingdom of Kamarupa shared a close proximity with the Gupta mainland, especially the western most part of the kingdom of Kamarupa. Buildings with exquisite Gupta carvings have been found in the neighbourhood of Guwahati and Tezpur.
Da-Parbatia, an ancient village near Tezpur has ruins of two ancient temples, one belonging to the 5th or 6th century, on which another temple was constructed during the Ãhom rule. Amidst the lush greenery and the snow-capped Himalayas, the temple ruins show a square-shaped Garbhagriha (sanctum) while the mandap (outer gallery) is rectangular. The site is a major attraction with a well depicted Hellenistic style of sculptures and figurines that resemble Gupta style.
From almost the beginning of the Varman dynasty in the 5th century to the end of the Salastambha dynasty in the 10th century, the architectural remains can be traced in and around Tezpur. Another historical marvel from the Salasthamba period is the Rock-cut Caves in Bongaigaon. The five rock-cut caves have a brick and mud masonry made platform, which was built during a later period. The art and architecture of the caves is an exemplary example of the kind that was practiced during the time. Although not much is known about these caves, one of the best preserved caves has a length of 1.90 meters and comes with a rounded verandah with a flight of steps, unlike the other caves.
The Bargaon Inscription mentions another fortress city named Durjaya or Sri Durjaya which points to its invincible defense power. The Nagaon grant of Balavarman mentions that king Vanamala had erected a palace both aesthetically beautiful and functionally efficient.
Hieun Tsang in the 7th century mentioned about some hundred of deva temples in Kamarupa. The Yogini Tantra mentions the sacred tirtha of Apunarbhava which was adorned by several temples. The Umachal rock inscription is the earliest epigraphic record to mention about a rock cut shrine dedicated to lord Balabhadrasvamin. Tezpur grant of Vanamala refers to the rebuilding of the Hatakasulin temple. The Gachtal grant of Gopala refers to king Indrapala as having constructed the white washed temples of Sambhu.There are references to religious establishment under Buddhism and Jainism. Initiated by the Varmans of Kamarupa (4th to 7th century) architectural activities continued to develop and prosper. It had similarities with the Imperial Guptas as they both patronized Brahmanical culture. The architectural activities continued during the times of the Salastambhas and the Palas and by the second half of the 12th century, it had almost passed into obscurity.
Architecture in Ahom Period
Ahoms established their cultural and economic stability in the region for over six centuries, which can be seen in their monuments in the town of Sivasagar. The town has over 170 tanks, depicting a typical style of architecture. The most famous heritage sites of Assam, Kareng Ghar, and Talatal Ghar are historical treasures of this period. In the former capital Rangpur, Swargeo Rudra Singha built a palace from organic bricks, which was later further constructed into a seven-story palace by his successor Rajeshwara; the three ground storeys are known as ‘Talatal Ghar’ while the rest four-storey structure is called ‘Kareng Ghar’. Another construction by King Swargdeo is a remarkable two-storey structure of the Ahom period, called Rang Ghar. It is a royal sports pavilion also used for cultural programs and to watch the traditional ‘bull-fights’. The main entrance has two stone carved crocodiles while the interiors are decorated with magnificent sculptures.
In this second phase of temple architecture, inclination towards Hinduism was observed with the erection of Hindu temples, especially devoted to Goddess Durga. Subsequently temple architecture adopted the “Nilãcala type” in the construction of Jai Dol. Though Islamic influence is seen, the indigenous do-chala typed gained prominence. The style reached its zenith during the period of Siva Singha, after the construction of the tallest historical monument in Assam, the Siva Temple at Sivasagar. Like the pre-Ãhom period, the temples of this period also have an Indo-Aryan influence, consisting of Garbhagriha, Vimana, Sikhara, and Mandap.
Of the secular structure, tanks excavated during the Ahom period is an outstanding example. Most of the tanks are associated with kings. Excavation of tanks was considered the highest act of piety and was popularly known as sagar. Besides the tanks, other secular structures were the ramparts, barricades, road-cum-bunds and others.
The Maidams are another architectural wonder credited to the Ahoms. These are burial mounds, which appear hemispherical in shape from the exterior and at the same time they vary in size. The size of the maidam depends on the power, status and resources of the deceased person. The vault inside the maidam holds the mortal remains of the dead.
Ahom architecture reached its zenith during the reign of Siva Singha. His projects at Gaurisagar and Sibsagar produced the largest edifices of the period. The Gaurisagar tank was excavated and also laid the construction of three temples with independent boundary with a central alignment. The three temples were consecrated to Devi, Siva and Visnu. The largest and finest of the 3 temple is the Devi temple which can claim to be the first temple of nagara style built in brick. The Devi daul consisted of a nagara style type having a pancaratna Vastupurusamandala. It has an antarala and a spacious mandapa of the Assamese do chala type. The Siva temple and the Visnu temple are a nilacala type of structure.
Islamic influence on Architecture
In the western parts of Assam, Mughal advances are marked by three Muslim monuments: Rangamati mosque near Gauripur, Pach Piran Dargah, and Mirijumlar Masjid. Architecture of Assam has the greatest influence from the Indo-Aryan style of architecture that was predominant since the pre-Ãhom period. However, due to the Mughal rule in mainland India, the religious buildings of late medieval Assam highlight the Islamic style influence. The Hindu temples were designed using Saracenic principles by masons experienced in Islamic architecture.
Some of the most noteworthy secular building architecture are three monuments that were built during the Ãhom period- the Rang Ghar, the Talatal Ghar, and the Kareng Ghar. The Rang Ghar is built in Islamic style for the members of the then royal family. However, the Talatal Ghar is built in the Mughal style and the Kareng Ghar is built in the South-Asiatic style.
Architecture in Koch Dynasty
During the reign of King Naranãrãyana and his brother Chilãrãi, the dynasty reached its epitome of glory. The king built the Kamakhya temple on Nilachal hill, in 1565 AD over ruins that date back to even before the pre-Ãhom period. The ‘Nilachala style’ originated from this temple, which used a more Islamic style ignoring the IndoAryan style of architecture.
Architecture in Jayantia and Kachari Dynasty
The Kacharis had its first capital in Dimapur and then later shifted to Maibong and Khaspur. The monuments, monolithic hut, and rock-cut temples of these days resemble a typical Bengal do-chala structure. The Kachari architecture grew heavily under Bengal’s influence and ended with the decline of the Kachari rule. The Kachari Fort built during this time depicts the noteworthy architecture and a mix of Non-Aryan and Hinduism culture.
Assam’s Nayanmoni Saikia was conferred with the Arjuna Award at Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Draupadi Murmu.
Nayanmoni Saikia was nominated for the award for her achievements in Lawn Bowl.
Apart from Nayanmoni Saikia, Shushila Devi from Manipur was also presented with the prestigious award for her remarkable contributions and achievements in the field of boxing.
Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sharma congratulated Commonwealth Games gold medalist Nayanmoni Saikia for receiving Arjuna Award, 2022 from Hon’ble President Droupadi Murmu.
Mirabai Chanu won silver medal in World Championship 2022
Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has won a silver medal at the weightlifting World Championships in Bogota, Colombia.
Mirabai won a silver medal at the World Championships with a total lift of 200kg. China’s Jiang Huihua, who won the gold with a total effort of 206kg (93kg+113kg) while Tokyo Olympics champion Hou Zhihua who won the bronze with a total effort of198kg (89kg+109kg).
Mirabai had previously won gold in the 2017 world weightlifting championship. This was Mirabai’s second medal at the World Championships.
Tripura gets its first Film and Television Institute
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha inaugurated Tripura’s first film and television institute at Nazrul Kalakshetra in Agartala.
The institute has been set up in collaboration with Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI).
This film Institute will promote Tripura’s rich cultural heritage in the global sphere. It will help the youths of the state to nurture their cultural talents and will also help to improve the socio-economic condition of the youths.
The state government has allocated Rs 5.76 crore for the institute. Four short-term courses, including screen acting, film appreciation, production, and management along with news reporting, anchoring and newsroom automation would be started initially.
India ranked 87th in the world’s strongest passport list for 2022
India has been ranked 87 in the world’s strongest passport list for 2022, published by Arton Capital.
Passport Index 2022 published by Arton Capital ranked the world’s strongest and weakest passports.
Key Points
The Passport Index is based on the 139 members of the United Nations and 6 different aspects have been considered to make this list.
UAE ranked first in the rating of passports for 2022 followed by Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain and France.
Travellers with UAE passports can travel visa-free or “visa on arrival” to 180 countries.
Countries with the weakest passports are Afghanistan (38) Syria (39), Iraq (40), Pakistan (44).
The data for this list has been given by the governments of different countries.
Indian-American Krishna Vavilala receives US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
Indian-American Krishna Vavilala receives the US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to his community and the country.
The Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Awards, led by AmeriCorps, is an annual event held to honour citizens, who exhibit outstanding character, worth ethic, and dedication to their communities.
Krishna Vavilala is from Andhra Pradesh and is a retired Electrical Engineer. Currently, he is the founder and Chairman of the Foundation for India Studies (FIS), a non-profit organization whose major project, the Indo-American Oral History Project, won the Mary Fay Barnes Award for Excellence.
He has also received several awards and accolades from various organizations, such as the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, the Indo-American Press Club, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the India Culture Centre.
Oxford dictionary announces ‘goblin mode’ as word of the year 2022
The Oxford English Dictionary recently announces ‘goblin mode’ as word of the year 2022 that was selected by public votes – Goblin mode.
It’s the first time Oxford Languages opened up its annual word of the year listing to a public vote.
Goblin mode is a slang term that describes a type of behavior that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, generally rejecting social norms and expectations.
The word goblin mode is used to acknowledge that individuals are not always idealized, curated selves that they force themselves to present in social media platforms.
The term speaks to the current times when people are embracing their inner goblin and choosing to reject the accepted social customs.
American dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster has chosen “gaslighting” as its word of the year for 2022.
Assam govt announces yearly stipend for female PG students
The government of Assam will introduce a scheme under which all female students pursuing post-graduate courses in the state will be provided a yearly stipend of Rs 10,000 each which would be helpful in covering their commutation and other related expenses.
This was announced by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The Chief Minister appealed to the female students pursuing PG courses to apply for getting the stipend in the portal to be launched by the Department of Education for the purpose in a few weeks from now.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also distributed scooters to meritorious candidates who cleared the last higher secondary examination conducted by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) with a percentage above a certain threshold at a ceremony held in Guwahati.
To be eligible for the award, the male candidates had to score a minimum of 75 per cent in higher secondary examination, while for female candidates the cut-off was fixed at 60 per cent.
The 23rd Hornbill Festival 2022
The 23rd edition of the Hornbill International Festival 2022 begins at the Heritage Village Kisama in Nagaland. The festival commenced on December 1 and will continue till December 10.
The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its extravaganza and traditions.
About Hornbill Festival
The festival is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colourful forest bird which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state’s ethnic groups.
To encourage inter-ethnic interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland, the Government of Nagaland organizes the Hornbill Festival every year.
The 10-day Hornbill Festival represents all ethnic groups of Nagaland for which it is also called the Festival of Festivals.
The festival host guests from across states and nations, representing the rich culture of various tribes of Nagaland,
The festival provides a colourful mixture of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs and religious ceremonies.
Traditional arts which include paintings, wood carvings, and sculptures are also on display.
The Hornbill Festival has contributed significantly to enhancing the state’s tourism brand.
India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’
The 18th edition of India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is scheduled to be conducted in Uttarakhand.
Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures between the Armies of the two nations.
Key Points
US Army soldiers of 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the ASSAM Regiment will be participating in the exercise.
The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate.
The schedule will include all operations related to peace keeping & peace enforcement.
The joint exercise will also focus on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
The troops from both nations will work together to achieve common objectives and will practice launching of swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity.
In order to derive full benefit from the professional skills & experiences of both the armies, a Command Post Exercise and Expert Academic Discussions (EAD) on carefully selected topics will be carried out.
The scope of the Field Training Exercise includes validation of integrated battle groups, force multipliers, establishment and functioning of surveillance grids, validation of operational logistics, mountain warfare skills, casualty evacuation and combat medical aid in adverse terrain and climatic conditions.
The exercise will involve exchanges and practices on a wide spectrum of combat skills including combat engineering, employment of UAS/Counter UAS techniques and information operations.
The exercise will facilitate both Armies to share their wide experiences, skills and enhance their techniques through information exchange.
The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021.
Stephanie Frappart will be the first woman referee at men’s’ FIFA World Cup
Stephanie Frappart will be the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match after FIFA announced that she will take charge of the Group E match between Germany and Costa Rica.
Frappart is one of three women referees among the 36 selected for the tournament in Qatar, alongside Rwandan official Salima Mukansanga and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita.
She was the first woman to referee in France’s Ligue 1 in 2019, the same year she took charge of the women’s World Cup final in her home country.
She also officiated the 2019 Uefa Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea, before refereeing the Champions League in 2020 and then the French Cup final last season.
India assumes United Nations Security Council Presidency for December 2022
India assumed the monthly presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the second time in its two-year tenure as an elected member of the Council in 2021-22. India had earlier assumed the Presidency in August 2021.
India has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations security council for 8 terms, with the most recent being the 2021-22 term.
Key Points
India will hold a “high-level open debate” on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism (NORMS)” at the Security Council.
New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism (NORMS) envisages reforms in the current multilateral architecture, with the UN at its centre, to make it more representative and fit for purpose.
The other signature event planned is the high-level briefing on the theme “Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts: Global Approach to Counter Terrorism — Challenges and Way Forward”.
This briefing intends to underscore the necessity of collective and coordinated efforts to combat the menace of terrorism.
About United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
It is one of the UN’s six main organs and is aimed at maintaining international peace and security.
The Headquarters of the UNSC is located in New York City.
The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council.
It is composed of 15 members: 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent.
Five permanent members: China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis as follows:
Five for African and Asian States.
One for the Eastern European States.
Two for the Latin American and Caribbean States;
Two for Western European and other States
Maternal Mortality Ratio in India dips to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20
According to the report released by the office of the Registrar General of India, The maternal Mortality Ratio in India has dropped from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh live births in 2018-20.
About Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)
Maternal mortality in a region is a measure of the reproductive health of women in the area.
According to the World Health Organization, “Maternal death is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes”.
The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths during a specific time period per 100,000 live births during the same period.
Key Points
As per the statistics derived from Sample Registration System (SRS), the country has witnessed a progressive reduction in MMR from 130 in 2014-2016, 122 in 2015-17, 113 in 2016-18, 103 in 2017-19 and to 97 in 2018-20.
Upon achieving this, India has accomplished the National Health Policy (NHP) target for MMR of less than 100/lakh live births.
Target 3.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations aims at reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live births during the same period.
According to the data, Assam has the highest MMR of 195, followed by Madhya Pradesh with an MMR of 173 and Uttar Pradesh with MMR of 167 per 1 lakh live births.
Kerala has the lowest MMR, followed by Maharashtra at 33 and Telangana at 43.
Senior advocate R Venkataramani has been appointed as the new Attorney General of India
Senior advocate R. Venkataramani has been appointed as the new Attorney General of India for a period of three years from the 1st of October.
Mr Venkataramani will replace current Attorney General KK Venugopal whose term ends on September 30, 2022.
About R Venkataramani
R Venkataramani was registered as a lawyer with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu in 1977 and joined the chambers of PP Rao, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court in 1979.
In 1982, he had set up an independent practice in the Supreme Court and was designated as Senior Advocate of the SC in 1997.
He has specialised in Constitutional law, Law of Indirect Taxes, Human Rights Law, Civil and Criminal Law.
He had also served as a member of the Law Commission of India in 2010 and 2013.
About Attorney-General of India
The Attorney General for India is the Indian government’s chief legal advisor, and is its chief advocate in the courts.
The Attorney-General of India is appointed by the President of India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and hold office during the pleasure of the President.
They must be a person qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Hence, they must have been a judge of a high court for five years or an advocate of a high court for ten years, or an eminent jurist in the opinion of the President.
India ranks 40 in Global Innovation Index of World Intellectual Property Organization
India ranks 40 in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022 rankings released by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
India has leapfrogged to 40th position on the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022 from the 81st spot in 2015.
India continues to lead the world in ICT services exports and holds top rankings in other indicators, including venture capital receipt value, finance for start-ups and scale-ups, graduates in science and engineering, labour productivity growth and domestic industry diversification.
Switzerland is the most innovative economy in the world in 2022 – for the 12th year in a row – followed by the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
About Global Innovation Index
The Global Innovation Index is an annual ranking of countries by their capacity for, and success in, innovation, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
It was started in 2007 by INSEAD, Cornell University, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), along with other institutions.
The index is based on both objective and subjective data compiled from various sources including the World Bank, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the International Monetary Fund.
Samantha Cristoforetti becomes first European woman to command International Space Station
Samantha Cristoforetti has been appointed as the first woman to command the International Space Station. She succeeded Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev.
Samantha will be the fifth and first woman European commander of the International Space Station.
The International Space Station is a multinational collaborative project that consists of five participating space agencies including NASA, JAXA, CSA, Roscosmos, and ESA. The authority and use of the space station are established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.
Suella Braverman has been named winner of the first-ever Queen Elizabeth II Woman of the Year award
Britain’s Indian-origin Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been named winner of the first-ever Queen Elizabeth II Woman of the Year award.
She has been recently appointed as Home Secretary by British Prime Minister Liz Truss.
She was the Attorney General for England and Wales from 2020 to 2022. She has been a member of parliament for Fareham in Hampshire since 2015.
Other Indian-origin winners lists:
Broadcaster Naga Munchetty in the media category.
Chairman and CEO of celebrated visual effects firm DNEG Namit Malhotra in the Arts and Culture category.
Captain Harpreet Chandi in the Uniformed and Civil Service category for her solo expedition across the Antarctic to the South Pole earlier this year.
Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian was named Professional of Year for his pioneering DNA sequencing discovery.
Karenjeet Kaur Bains won Sports Personality of the Year as the first female Sikh powerlifter to represent Britain on the global stage.
Sherry Vaswani won Entrepreneur of the Year.
Restaurateur brothers Shamil and Kavi Thakrar were named Business Persons of the Year as the founders of the successful Dishoom chain of restaurants.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Kartar Lalvani, the founder of the UK’s well-known health supplements brand Vitabiotics.
Odisha releases India’s first tribal community-based encyclopedia
Odisha became the first state in India to publish an encyclopedia based on tribal communities. The “Encyclopedia of Tribes in Odisha” was unveiled by state chief minister Navin Patnaik.
Key Points
The encyclopedia documents the unique and old-age traditions and culture of Odisha.
Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI) and Odisha State Tribal Museum published the encyclopedia.
Tribes, as per 2011 census, constitute 22.85% of the population in Odisha. A total number of 62 tribal communities live in the state.
Odisha is home to the third largest tribal population of India, but it is the most diverse indigenous communities found in the country.
The encyclopedia consists of five edited volumes. It has 418 research articles on the tribals, including 13 particularly vulnerable groups.
The encyclopedia is of 3800 papers contributed by its own research personnel.
The Kaziranga National Park in Assam has got a memorial made out of the ash of burnt rhino horns. The memorial was unveiled by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Key Points
The memorial having three rhino sculptures was named “Abode of the Unicorns”, it has three rhino sculptures – an adult male, an adult female and a calf.
It also has three statutes of forest guards, created using different materials.
The rhino statues were created using ashes collected from around 2,500 rhino horns that were burnt to flames by the Assam Government.
The rhino memorials in Kaziranga National Park are crafted by the sculptor Biju Das and the statues of the forest guards were sculpted by Biren Singha.
It takes around four months to finish the whole job and the estimated cost of this project is Rs.10 to 12 lakh.
India has won United Nations Award for National Health Mission
India has won the United Nations (UN) award for its ‘India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI)’. The initiative is a large-scale hypertension intervention under the National Health Mission (NHM).
The IHCI won the ‘2022 UN Interagency Task Force and WHO Special Programme on Primary Health Care Award’ at the UN General Assembly side event held at New York in USA
Key Points
The IHCI has been recognized for its unique and extraordinary work within India’s existing primary healthcare system.
The award recognizes the outstanding commitment and action of India to prevent and control Non-Communicable Diseases and deliver integrated people-centric primary care.
The initiative to control hypertension in the primary care system will contribute to reducing deaths due to heart attacks, kidney failures, and stroke.
IHCI has improved the linkage between population-based screening initiatives with health care.
It has also been able to support and strengthen the existing healthcare delivery system and hypertension control interventions under the National Health Mission.
About India Hypertension Control Initiative
The IHCI was introduced in 2017 and regulated in a phased manner to cover more than 130 districts across 23 states.
Under the initiative, more than 34 lakh people with hypertension are taking treatment in government health facilities, including Ayushman Bharat Health Wellness Centres.
India’s first plant-based meat shipped to the US
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) has announced that Greenest has shipped India’s first consignment of plant-based meat products under the vegan food category from Nadiad in Gujarat to California, US.
The plant-based consignment is 5000 kg and consists of mini samosas, hot and spicy strips, momos, spring rolls, nuggets, grilled patty, and other vegan products.
Greenest is India’s pioneer in plant-based protein products. It’s investors include names like Better Bite Ventures, a New Zealand-based dedicated Alt Protein VC fund, Magnetic and Sachid Madan, former chief executive of ITCs’s frozen snacks business.
Greenest has collaborated with Wholesome Foods to export its plant-based products to the US.
Uttar Pradesh Legislature reserves a women-only day
The Uttar Pradesh Legislature made history after both the Houses decided to reserve the day for women legislators to speak. The move was met with praise from both the ruling and opposition parties.
The whole day was reserved for women members to raise women-centric issues, which happened for the first time in the history of UP assembly.
The chief minister Yogi Adityanath initiated the day-long session during which only women members spoke in the House. He assured the women members of the house that whatever issues and problems they will raise, government will sympathetically work to solve them.
Many women members thanked the government for this initiative and said that it is the power of democracy that a whole day was reserved for women.
Indian Author Meena Kandasamy wins the German PEN award
Indian author and poet Meena Kandasamy has been announced winner of the Hermann Kesten Prize by the PEN Centre in Germany’s Darmstadt.
Her novels have been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the International Dylan Thomas Prize, the Jhalak Prize and the Hindu Lit Prize.
Kandasamy is a feminist and anti-caste activist whose work revolves around the issue of gender, caste, sexuality, patriarchy, and oppression by the Brahmanical system. She previously held an editorial role at the English-language magazine ‘The Dalit’.
The Hermann Kesten Prize is given to the personalities who stand up for the rights of persecuted authors and journalists.
The winner will receive an amount of €20,000 ($19,996) as prize money. This year, the PEN Center is also honouring the website “Weiter Schreiben” (German for “Keep writing”) with a special award for encouragement, for giving authors in exile and writers from conflict zones a platform to express their thoughts.
All Manipur Shumang Leela Festival 2021-2022 begins
The 50th All Manipur Shumang Leela Festival 2021-2022 began at Iboyama Shumang Leela Shanglen in Palace Compound, Imphal.
During the festival, the Governor also distributed medals to the winners of 49th All Manipur Shumang Leela Festival 2020-21.
Shumang Leela is a traditional form of theatre in Manipur and the roles of female artists are all played by male actors and male characters are played by female artists in case of female theatre groups.
Shumang Leela Groups of the early stage attempted to preserve and promote humanism, tolerance, confidence, devotion, truth and justice through their performances.
In the present day Shumang Leelas have been trying to focus on the issues of moral values, unity and integrity. It has also been trying to strengthen the bond of brotherhood and friendship among various communities in the State.
IIT Guwahati developed a new method for making sugar substitute “Xylitol”
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have developed an ultrasound-assisted fermentation method to produce a safe sugar substitute called ‘Xylitol’ from sugarcane bagasse (the residue left after crushing of sugarcane).
This method overcomes the operational limitations of chemical methods of synthesis and the time delays associated with conventional fermentation.
The IIT Guwahati researchers used two approaches to overcome the two problems:
First, they used sugarcane bagasse, the waste fibrous material produced after extracting juice from sugarcane, as the raw material. This overcomes the cost limitations of current xylitol synthesis methods and provides a method to upcycle a waste product.
Secondly, they used a new type of fermentation process wherein, the microbe-induced synthesis of xylitol is hastened by the application of ultrasound waves.
The use of ultrasound during the fermentation process not only reduced the time of fermentation to 15 hours, but also increased the yield of the product by almost 20%.
There has been an increase in the use of safe alternative sweeteners as awareness of the negative effects of white sugar (sucrose) on individuals with diabetes and general health has grown.
A sugar alcohol generated from plants called xylitol may have anti-obesogenic and anti-diabetic properties in addition to being a mild prebiotic and guarding teeth against caries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first earthquake memorial
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated India’s first earthquake memorial, named Smruti Van at Bhuj in Gujarat.
Smruti Van is a unique memorial carrying the names of more than 12 thousand people who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake that struck here in January 2001.
The memorial is spread across 470 acres of land and is built atop Bhujiyo hill. It celebrates the spirit of resilience in the wake of the death of nearly 13,000 people during the earthquake on January 26, 2001, which had its epicentre in Bhuj. Bhujio Hill was a military base for former rulers of the Kutch region.
The museum will showcase the Harappan civilisation of this region, scientific information regarding earthquakes, Gujarat’s culture, science behind cyclones and Kutch’s success story after the earthquake.
Linthoi Chanambam wins gold medal at the World Cadet Judo Championship
Linthoi Chanambam became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Cadet Judo Championship 2022. She won the gold medal in the women’s -57kg category in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 16-year-old Linthoi Chanambam is from Manipur. Shedefeated Brazil’s Reis Bianca 1-0 by Waza-ari-a throw to win the gold at the world championships in Sarajevo.
Linthoi’s coach Mamuka Kizilashvili believes that Linthoi’s gold-winning feat is not only a historic achievement but could be a sign of things to come for the sport of Judo in India.
India successfully test-fires Indian Navy’s VL-SRSAM Missile System
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy successfully flight-tested the indigenously designed and developed Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
About VL-SRSAM
The missile has been specially designed by DRDO using four short-span long-chord cruciform wings that offer aerodynamic stability.
The Missile system has been developed as a quick reaction surface-to-air missile for the Indian Navy.
The range of this missile system is capable of hitting targets across 40 to 50 km range at an altitude of about 15 km.
It is a canisterised system and each missile is stored and operated from specific compartments, making its transport and storage easier.
The missile can be used for neutralizing various aerial threats at medium and close ranges and are also capable of intercepting sea-skimming fighter jets and missiles that are used to avoid being detected by radar.
The new missile system is being developed to replace the existing Barak 1 surface-to-air missile system which is being used on Naval Ships by the Indian Navy.
Gautam Adani becomes world’s third-richest person
Gautam Adani has now become the world’s third-richest person. It’s the first time an Asian has broken into the top-3 of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
With a net worth of $137.4 billion, he is now just behind Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in the global ranking.
Elon Musk has a net worth of $251 billion, while Jeff Bezos has a total worth of $153 billion. Gautam Adani, co-founder and chairman of the Adani Group, has left behind the ranking business magnate Bernard Arnault.
Godrej Agrovet signs MoUs with Assam, Manipur & Tripura for oil palm cultivation
Godrej Agrovet, a diversified agribusiness conglomerate, announced that it has signed an MoU with the governments of Assam, Manipur, and Tripura for the development and promotion of oil palm cultivation in the area under the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm initiative.
The partnership will bring new opportunities and growth in building oil palm plantations in these three states and would help provide the required support to the farmers.
The Agreements are in keeping with Godrej Agrovet’s long-term goal to be the driving force behind India’s oil mission by doubling farmer income and promoting sustainable expansion of oil palm production.
Government of India launched the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEOOP) in August 2021, with a planned outlay of ₹ 11,040 Crore.
Under this mission, the Government has envisaged raising the area under cultivation of oil palm to 10 Lakh hectares by 2025-26 and 16.7 Lakh hectares by 2029-30 with a special focus on the North East region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
India-Bangladesh 38th Joint River Commission meeting held in Delhi
The 38th meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission (JRC) was held in Delhi. The JRC is headed by Water Resources Ministers of both countries.
Key Points
The meeting discussed several ongoing projects of mutual interest including common river water sharing, sharing of data on flood, countering river pollution, joint survey on sediment management, protection of river banks among others.
Both sides finalised the contents of an MoU on interim water sharing of the Kushiara river.
Both sides also welcomed the finalisation of the design and location of water intake points on Feni river to meet the needs of the people in Sabrum town in India as per the India-Bangladesh MoU signed in 2019.
India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which 7 rivers have been identified earlier for development of the water sharing agreement framework on priority basis.
Sharing of the real time flood data is one of the most important areas of India’s cooperation with Bangladesh.
India recently extended the flood information sharing period beyond October 15 to help Bangladesh deal with the unexpected floods in some areas.
Uday Umesh Lalit appointed as the 49th Chief Justice of India
Shri Justice Uday Umesh Lalit appointed as the 49th Chief Justice of India with effect from 27th August, 2022. He will succeed incumbent CJI NV Ramana, who demits office on August 26.
Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of India in August 2014 from the Bar. Justice Lalit will become the second Chief Justice of India to be directly elevated to the Supreme Court from the Bar, after Justice S.M. Sikri, who served as the 13 th CJI in 1971.
Justice Lalit has served as a Member of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee for two terms. He was designated as a senior advocate by the top court in April 2004.
In January 1986, he shifted his practice to Delhi. He was appointed a special public prosecutor for the CBI to conduct the trial in the 2G spectrum allocation case.
NITI Aayog declared Haridwar as the best aspirational district in India
NITI Aayog has declared Haridwar city of Uttarakhand as the best aspirational district on the basis of five parameters.
The district has secured the first rank in basic infrastructure theme and has become entitled to receive an additional allocation of Rs 3 crore.
Parameters for Evaluation
Parameters for Best Aspirational District It envisages rapid development of selected districts on basis of composite index based on five parameters:
Health & Nutrition (30%)
Education (30%)
Agriculture & Water Resources (20%)
Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10%)
Infrastructure (10%)
Aspirational District Programme
NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme launched in January 2018.
The programme aimed at identifying potential districts that can develop into model blocks through socio-economic development.
Under the programme, the central government takes steps to improve the socio-economic condition of identified districts and ensure inclusive and holistic development.
The ranking of aspirational districts combines innovative use of data with practical governance, placing the district at the center of inclusive growth.
As per the norms for planning of aspirational districts, each district should prepare an action plan in consultation with the State and Central officers in charge, after which it should be sent to NITI Aayog for final approval of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries constituted for the programme.
Germany Launches World’s first Hydrogen-powered Passenger Train
Recently, the world’s first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger trains was launched by Germany. The engine of the trains is powered by electricity generated using hydrogen fuel cells.
The new fleet consists of 14 Coradia iLint hydrogen trains made by the French company Alstom and operated by regional rail company LNVG.
Key Points
The use of hydrogen is a clean alternative to fossil fuels.
Lower Saxony has invested a total of 93 million euros for the first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger train projects.
This invitation is an excellent example and effort to make the economy of Germany greener.
These trains have ranges up to 1000 kilometers and a maximum speed of 140 kph.
After the introduction of the first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger trains, the hydrogen produced with renewable energy, the trains will save up to 1.6 liters of diesel in a year.
Angela Merkel wins UNESCO Peace Prize 2022
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded the 2022 UNESCO Peace Prize for her efforts to welcome refugees.
Merkel was awarded the 2022 Félix Houphout-Boigny-UNESCO Peace Prize for her “courageous decision in 2015 to welcome more than 1,2 million refugees, notably from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea.
She is best known for her work in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where she condemned rape as a “weapon of war”.
About UNESCO Peace Prize
The UNESCO Peace Prize was constituted in 1989 under the United Nations Charter and the UNESCO Constitution.
The prize is awarded to a person, an organization or a private or governmental body for making a significant contribution for “promotion, study, safeguarding, or maintenance of peace.”
The prize has been named after Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the late former president of Côte d’Ivoire.
The prize includes a gold medal and a cheque of USD 150,000 along with a peace diploma. If there are multiple recipients, the cheque is shared equally.
Tapan Kumar Deka appointed as new Director of Intelligence Bureau
Tapan Deka has been appointed as the new Chief of the Intelligence Bureau for a tenure of two years. He will succeed incumbent Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Tapan Kumar Deka.
About Tapan Kumar Deka
Tapan Deka, is a 1988 batch Himachal Pradesh Cadre officer.
He is currently serving as the Special Director of Intelligence Bureau and he is also in charge of counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
He has given preference to an officer over some four seniors in the Intelligence Bureau with the objective of adding more strength to the Intelligence Agency.
Global Liveability Index 2022
Recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) launched the Global Liveability Index for 2022. A total of 173 cities were ranked by EIU based on a range of criteria, including the availability of green space, infrastructure, crime rates, political stability, and health care.
Key points
The first place on the list is acquired by Vienna followed by Copenhagen in second place and Zurich in third place.
The cities in India have fared poorly in the list of the world’s most liveable cities. India’s national capital New Delhi has been ranked 112th on the list while Mumbai is ranked at 117th position.
The Pakistani city of Karachi and Bangladesh capital Dhaka are among the least liveable cities in the world.
Several of the top 10 cities have the minimum COVID-19 rules. Museums, Schools, eateries, and shops have all resumed operations.
Top 10 liveable cities
1.Vienna, Austria
Copenhagen, Denmark
Zurich, Switzerland
Calgary, Canada
Vancouver, Canada
Geneva, Switzerland
Frankfurt, Germany
Toronto, Canada
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Osaka, Japan and Melbourne, Australia (tie)
Least 10 liveable cities
Tehran, Iran
Douala, Cameroon
Harare, Zimbabwe
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Port Moresby, PNG
Karachi, Pakistan
Algiers, Algeria
Tripoli, Libya
Lagos, Nigeria
Damascus, Syria
Nitin Gupta appointed as the new chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
Nitin Gupta has been appointed as the new Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman.
He is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 1986 batch of the Income Tax cadre, is currently serving as member (investigation) in the CBDT and is scheduled to retire in September next year.
About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is the administrative body for the Income Tax department.
It was established as per the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
It is administered by the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.
It is headed by a Chairman and can have six members who are in the rank of special secretary.
It deals with matters related to levying and collecting Direct Taxes and formulation of various policies related to direct taxes.
Partners in the Blue Pacific’ initiative
Recently, the United States and allied countries namely Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have – launched a new initiative called ‘Partners in the Blue Pacific’ for “effective and efficient cooperation” with the region’s small island nations.
About Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP)
It is an initiative of a five-nation “informal mechanism” to support Pacific islands and to boost diplomatic, economic ties in the region.
It speaks of enhancing “prosperity, resilience, and security” in the Pacific through closer cooperation among the member nations.
Member countries would cooperate in areas including climate crisis, transportation, connectivity, health, maritime security & protection, prosperity and education.
The initiative members will “elevate Pacific regionalism”, and forge stronger ties with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
Reasons behind the PBP Initiative
As China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands, the deal flagged serious concerns about the Chinese military getting a base in the southern Pacific, close to the US island territory of Guam, and right next to Australia and New Zealand.
China’s quest to dominate crucial shipping lanes pushed 10 Pacific nations to endorse a game-changing agreement called the “Common Development Vision”.
Common Development Vision is a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development, to build a closer China-Pacific Island Countries community with a shared future.
The vision is to follow cooperative and sustainable security measures and promote regional peace – strengthening dialogue and cooperation in governance and cybersecurity.
Efforts of the US and its allies to counter China
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF): US and its partners had launched “Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)” before the launch of Partners in the Blue Pacific Initiative. It is a trade-boosting framework, launched in association of 13 member countries; namely, Brunei, India, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Fiji.
G7 announced a plan- Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative by promising to raise 600 billion dollars to fund development projects in low and middle-income countries.
Asia-Africa Growth Corridor: A collaboration between India and Japan for development, connectivity, and cooperation between Asia and Africa.
Indian Army and DRDO successfully tests Ingeniously- developed Anti Tank Guided Missile
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the final deliverable configuration of an indigenous Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM)
The Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) was successfully test-fired from Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army at KK Ranges with support of Armoured Corps Centre & School (ACC&S) Ahmednagar
The ATGM has been developed with multi-platform launch capability and is currently undergoing technical evaluation trials from the 120 mm rifled gun of MBT Arjun.
With the trial, the ATGM’s capability to engage targets from minimum to maximum range has been established. Earlier trials have been successful for maximum range.
Vijay Amritraj honored with 2021 Golden Achievement Award
Vijay Amritraj has been named the 2021 recipient of the Golden Achievement. The award is annually presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation.
He is the first recipient from India and he joins an esteemed list of tennis leaders who have received the honour, including Brian Tobin of Australia, Eiichi Kawatei of Japan, and Peachy Kellmeyer of the United States.
The Golden Achievement Award
The award is selected from a pool of nominations submitted by tennis federations and individuals from around the world.
The annual honouree is selected by the Golden Achievement Award Committee, which is comprised of tennis administrators.
Iran and Argentina apply to join BRICS
Recently , Iran and Argentina submitted an application to become a full member of BRICS. As per Iran’s Foreign Minister Spokesperson, Iranian membership in BRICS will result in added values for both sides.
BRICS is a grouping of 5 powerful economies joining which will provide Iran and Argentina an international platform to present their regional and economic issues.
China hosted the most recent 14th BRICS summit on 24 June 2022 virtually. Theme of the 14th BRICS Summit is Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development.
India is the chair for 2021.
About BRICS
BRICS is the acronym coined to associate five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
In 2001, the British Economist Jim O’Neill coined the term BRIC to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
BRICS powers had their first summit in 2009 in Russia and South Africa joined in 2010.
The grouping was formalised during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers’ in 2006.
Ambubachi Mela
Four-day Ambubachi Mela begins in Guwahati’s Kamakhya temple atop the Nilachal Hills.
This annual festival is held in the middle of June, when the Brahmaputra River is at its highest flow, during the monsoon season, which also happens to fall within the Assamese month of Ahaar.
About Ambubachi Mela
The Ambubachi Mela is an annual Hindu mela held at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
It is the celebration of the yearly menstruation course of goddess Kamakhya.
It is believed that the presiding goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time stretch.
The temple remains closed for three days during the mela for it is believed that the goddess rests for three days like the traditional women’s menstrual seclusion.
After three days devi Kamakhya is bathed and other rituals are performed to ensure that the devi retrieves her purity. Then the doors of the temple are reopened[and prasad is distributed.
On the fourth day the devotees are allowed to enter the temple and worship devi Kamakhya.
Salt Sector Crisis
Recently, the Salt Industry is facing enormous challenges in meeting the demand and handling the crisis faced by salt farmers and workers.
Farmers are facing low prices as there is no minimum support price, Workers are also in distress due to a lack of a proper system for wages and social security.
Issues
Indian Salt Manufacturers Association(ISMA) has demanded the classification of salt production as an agricultural activity under the Ministry of agriculture.
This is because mining produces hardly 0.5% salt. 99.5% of salt is produced either from sea water or from subsoil water and the whole process is done by seeding, farming and harvesting.
Unseasonal rains and floods are resulting in demand for Minimum Support Prices for the Salt industry.
Salt companies have replaced cooperatives and they decide the wages of these workers and the production of farmers. Most of them are migrant labourers with no minimum wages or social security.
Moreover, projects such as Rann Sarovar, a freshwater lake construction project in 5,000 square kilometers of this area, will render about 50,000 people jobless.
Salt Industry in India
India is the third producer of salt in the world next to the USA and China.
Initially, the farmers were getting ₹ 17/per tonne which touched up to ₹70 by 1991.
Salt is a central subject listed as item number 58 of the Union List of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution.
Gujarat produces about 28.5 million tonnes of salt per year which is more than 80% of the country’s total production.
Ekasarana Dharma is a neo-Vaishanavite religion propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century in the Indian state of Assam. It is focused on devotion (bhakti) to Sril Krishna in the form of congregational listening and singing his name and deeds.
The simple and accessible religion attracted already Hinduized as well as non-Hindu populations into its egalitarian fold. The neophytes continue to be inducted into the faith via an initiation ceremony called xoron-lowa, usually conducted by Mahantas who were heads of monastic institutions called Sattras who generally draw apostolic lineage from Sankardev.
Institutions propagating Eka Sarana like sattra (monasteries) and village Namghar (prayer houses), had profound influence in the evolution of the social makeup of Assam. The artistic creations emanating from this movement led to engendering of new forms of literature, music (Borgeets), theatre (Ankia Naat) and dance (Sattriya dance).
The central religious text of this religion is Bhagavat of Sankardeva, which was rendered from the Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana by Srimanta Sankardeva and other luminaries of the Eka Sarana school. This book is supplemented by the books of songs for congregational singing: Kirtan Ghoxa by Sankardeva and Naam Ghoxa and Ratnavali by Madhabdev, written in the Assamese language.
The religion is also called Mahapuruxiya because it is based on the worship of the Mahapurux, an epithet of the supreme spiritual personality in the Bhagavata and its adherents are often called Mahapuruxia, Sankari etc. Sankardeva and Madhabdev are the principal preceptors of the religion.
Though Ekasarana acknowledges the impersonal (nirguna) god, it identifies the personal (saguna) one as worshipful which it identifies in the Bhagavad-Puranic Narayana.
The cari vastu or the Four Principles defined this religious system are
Naam — the chanting and singing the name and the qualities of God. In general, only four names are most important: rama-krishna-narayana-hari
Deva — worship of a single God, that is Krishna.
Guru — reverence of a Guru, or Spiritual Preceptor.
Bhakat — the association or the congregation of devotees
Sankardev defined the first, second and fourth of these, whereas Madhavdev introduced the third while accepting Sankardev as the guru for himself and for all others who accepted his faith. The four principles are revealed and their meaning explained at the time of xonron-lowa.
