Context: Recently, India reached out to Australia to procure monoclonal antibodydoses to combat the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. The dosage has to be administered at an early stage of infection.
What is an antibody?
They are proteins produced by the immune system that neutralize any foreign substance (bacteria, virus) entering the human body.
An antibody attaches itself to an antigen – a foreign substance, usually a disease-causing molecule – and helps the immune system eliminate it from the body.
What is a monoclonal antibody?
Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the behaviour of antibodies produced by the immune system to protect against diseases and foreign substances.
Monoclonal antibodies are specifically designed to target certain antigens.
How do monoclonal antibodies work?
Monoclonal antibodies are specifically engineered and generated to target a disease. They are meant to attach themselves to the specific disease-causing antigen. An antigen is most likely to be a protein.
For example, most successful monoclonal antibodies during the pandemic were engineered to bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The binding prevented the protein from exercising its regular functions, including its ability to infect other cells.
What is m102.4?
m102.4 is a monoclonal antibody that binds itself to the immunodominant receptor-binding glycoprotein of the Nipah virus, potentially neutralising it. m102.4 neutralises Hendra and Nipah viruses both outside and inside of living organisms.
Both Hendra and Nipah viruses are a family of viruses that contain a single-strand RNA of the negative-sense genome, similar to the ones that cause diseases like measles, influenza etc., and replicate within infected cells.
Manufactured by: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland.
The antibody has passed phase-one clinical trials — which means that researchers tested it with a relatively small number of people to estimate the right dose of treatment that also does not cause side effects.
As of now, the drug is used on a ‘compassionate use’ basis — a treatment option that allows the use of an unauthorised medicine under strict conditions among people where no other alternative and/or satisfactory authorised treatment is known to be possible and where patients cannot enter clinical trials for various reasons.
About Nipha Virus (NiV):
Transmission: Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, especially bats and pigs. Nipah virus infection can be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person.
Natural Reservoir: Fruit Bats (also known as flying foxes) are believed to be the natural reservoir/primary carriers of the Nipah virus.
Symptoms:
Fever, muscle pain, and respiratory problems (similar to that of influenza).
Inflammation of the brain as well as late onset of Encephalitis can also occur.
The case fatality rate is between 65 percent and 100 percent.
Treatment: NiV is on the top-10 priority list of pathogens identified by the World Health Organization. Currently, there are no approved vaccines available against NiV.
Context:Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent allegations, connecting the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil to the Indian government, have brought attention to the intelligence-sharing alliance known as the 'Five Eyes.' It is suggested that this alliance may have played a role in providing information that assisted Canada in this matter.
Who are the ‘Five Eyes’?
The ‘Five Eyes’ is a multilateral intelligence sharing network of five countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S.
It is both surveillance based and tracks signals intelligence (SIGINT).
The alliance between the U.S. and the U.K. evolved around the Second World War to counter the Cold War Soviet threat. The two countries, which had successfully deciphered German and Japanese codes during the war, forged a collaboration to share intelligence related to signals such as radio, satellite and internet communications.
In 1946, the alliance was formalised through an agreement for cooperation in signals intelligence.
The arrangement was later extended to ‘second party’ countries – Canada joined in 1948, while Australia and New Zealand became part of the alliance in 1956.
The Five Eyes have become involved in ocean and maritime surveillance, scientific and defence intelligence analysis, medical intelligence, geospatial intelligence, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and the continuous sharing of intelligence products via a secret collective database known as ‘Stone Ghost’.
The intelligence alliance has faced numerous issues related to its transparency, data security, and operational procedures, which had been concealed from public scrutiny for an extended period.
Its most significant controversy emerged in 2013 when Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA), revealed classified documents. Snowden characterized this network as a "supranational (having power or influence that transcends national boundaries or governments) intelligence organization that operates independently of its member countries' legal frameworks."
Context: In a paper in Nature Physics, a researcher at Google Quantum AI reportedly demonstrated a problem that is difficult for classical computers. If a quantum computer solves this problem, it can achieve quantum supremacy.
Quantum Supremacy (QS)
When a quantum computer outperforms a classical supercomputer on a well-defined computer science problem, this achievement is known as quantum supremacy.
Superposition states allow qubits to carry more information.
Because of quantum superposition, a quantum computer can mimic several classical computers working in parallel.
This capacity of doing several computations in parallel gives quantum computers an advantage over classical computers, allowing them to perform a disproportionately greater number of operations.
Google’s quantum computer, named Sycamore, claimed ‘supremacy’ because it reportedly did the task in 200 seconds that would have apparently taken a supercomputer 10,000 years to complete.
Supercomputer
Supercomputer is a class of extremely powerful computers. The term is commonly applied to the fastest high-performance systems available at any given time.
The performance of a supercomputer is commonly measured in floating-point operations per second (FLOPS) instead of million instructions per second (MIPS).
Since 2017, there have existed supercomputers which can perform over 1017 FLOPS (a hundred quadrillion FLOPS, 100 petaFLOPS or 100 PFLOPS.
These are very large classical computers, often with thousands of classical CPU and GPU cores capable of running very large calculations and advanced artificial intelligence.
Need of Quantum Computers
Even supercomputers are binary code-based machines reliant on 20th-century transistor technology. They struggle to solve certain kinds of problems.
When classical computers fail, it's often due to complex problems which are problems with lots of variables interacting in complicated ways.
There are some complex problems that we do not know how to solve with classical computers on any scale.
The real world runs on quantum physics. Computers that make calculations using the quantum states of quantum bits should in many situations be our best tools for understanding it.
Quantum Computing
A quantum computer is a computer that takes advantage of quantum mechanical phenomena.
Quantum computers are machines that use the properties of quantum physics to store data and perform computations.
This can be extremely advantageous for certain tasks where they could vastly outperform even our best supercomputers.
Classical computers, which include smartphones and laptops, encode information in binary “bits” that can either be 0s or 1s.
In a quantum computer, the basic unit of memory is a quantum bit or qubit.
Quantum computing is driving new discoveries in healthcare, energy, environmental systems, smart materials, and beyond.
Qubit
Just like a binary bit is the basic unit of information in classical computing, a qubit is the basic unit of information in quantum computing.
Qubits vs Bits
Qubits are represented by a superposition of multiple possible states.
A qubit uses the quantum mechanical phenomena of superposition to achieve a linear combination of two states.
A classical binary bit can only represent a single binary value, such as 0 or 1, meaning that it can only be in one of two possible states.
A qubit, however, can represent a 0, a 1, or any proportion of 0 and 1 in superposition of both states, with a certain probability of being a 0 and a certain probability of being a 1.
There are many physical implementations of qubits
Where classical computers use familiar silicon-based chips, qubits (sometimes called "quantum computer qubits") can be made from trapped ions, photons, artificial or real atoms, or quasiparticles.
Depending on the architecture and qubit systems, some implementations need their qubits to be kept at temperatures close to absolute zero.
Qubits are fragile
One of the most significant hurdles in quantum computing is the fragile nature of qubits.
Entanglement of the qubit system with its environment, including the measurement setup, could easily perturb the system and cause decoherence.
Entanglement
Multiple qubits can exhibit quantum entanglement.
Entangled qubits always correlate with each other to form a single system.
Even when they're infinitely far apart, measuring the state of one of the qubits allows us to know the state of the other, without needing to measure it directly.
Entanglement is required for any quantum computation, and it cannot be efficiently performed on a classical computer.
Applications include factoring large numbers (Shor's algorithm) and solving search problems (Grover's algorithm).
Superposition
Superposition is a phenomenon in quantum computing that allows quantum objects to simultaneously exist in more than one state or location.
This means that an object can be in two states at one time while remaining a single object.
Quantum computers use the entanglement of qubits and superposition probabilities to perform operations.
Superposition enables the qubits of the quantum computer to perform multiple operations simultaneously, making them faster than conventional computers.
Superposition gives quantum computers superior computing power
Superposition allows quantum algorithms to process information in a fraction of the time it would take even the fastest classical systems to solve certain problems.
The amount of information a qubit system can represent grows exponentially for example Information that 500 qubits can easily represent would not be possible with even more than 2^500 classical bits.
It would take a classical computer millions of years to find the prime factors of a 2,048-bit number, Qubits could perform the calculation in just minutes.
Initiative taken by Indian Government towards Quantum Computing
Quantum Computer Simulator (QSim)
The launch of Quantum Computer Simulator (QSim) Toolkit by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) with an objective to
Carry out research in Quantum Computing in a cost-effective manner.
Address the common challenge of advancing the Quantum Computing research frontiers in India.
Allowing researchers and students to write and debug Quantum Code that is essential for developing Quantum Algorithms.
Allowing researchers to explore Quantum Algorithms under idealised conditions and help prepare experiments to run on actual Quantum Hardware.
Feature Highlights of QSim include
Intuitive UI: QSim offers a robust QC Simulator integrated with a graphical user interface (GUI) based Workbench allowing students/researchers to create Quantum programs, visualise the instant circuit generation and simulated outputs.
Simulate noisy Quantum logic circuits: Helps simulate Quantum circuits with and without noise and test how well various algorithms work with imperfect quantum components. This is essential to simulate real-life conditions.
Pre-loaded Quantum algorithms and examples: QSim comes loaded with Quantum programs and algorithms providing a head start to the users. E.g., QFT, Deutsch Jozsa, Grovers, and so on.
Integrated with HPC: The quantum simulations are performed on powerful HPC resources allowing multiple users to submit jobs simultaneously with different qubit configurations.
To solve challenges of national importance, the mission plans to focus on fundamental science, translation, technology development, human and infrastructural resource generation, innovation, and start-ups.
QCL by C-DOT indigenously developed Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) solution which can support a distance of more than 100 kilometers on standard optical fiber.
Indian Army's establishment of quantum laboratory
Army, with support from the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has established the Quantum Lab to spearhead research and training in this key developing field.
Research undertaken by the Indian Army in the field of quantum technology will help leapfrog into next-generation communication and transform the current system of cryptography in the Indian Armed Forces to Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC).
Key thrust areas are quantum key distribution, quantum communication, post-quantum cryptography and quantum computing.
Quantum Information Science and Technology (QuST)
Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India has initiated a new directed research programme on “Quantum Information Science and Technology (QuST)”.
QuST promises to revolutionize the future computation and communication systems which will ultimately have a huge impact on the Nation and our society.
Broad Objectives of QuST:
Development and demonstration of quantum computers.
Development and demonstration of quantum communication & cryptography.
Development of quantum-enhanced and inspired technology.
Development of advanced mathematical quantum techniques, algorithms and theory of quantum information systems.
Challenges with Initiatives taken by government
Policy gaps: India has loosely built quantum ecosystem where metrics to assess outcomes of its quantum efforts are not clearly defined. E.g., lack of target-oriented policies.
Raising funds: Indian quantum computing startups struggle with funds for product development and scaling due to low venture capital investment. E.g., the budgeted R&D outlay is less than 1%.
Insufficient talent pool: India has small pool of researchers, industry professionals, academicians, and entrepreneurs as compared to China or the US. E.g., problem of brain-drain, inadequate infrastructure and research facilities.
Poor-infrastructure: India lacks in hardware manufacturing and still imports critical quantum components. India also lacks sufficient superconducting materials, semiconductor chips, processors, and fabrication labs.
R&D in silos: India lacks common platform for all quantum research and development. At present, research is carried out in silos and knowledge exchange is not structured. E.g., no common platform to transmit real-time data of research in quantum computing.
Lack of industry connection: Most quantum-related R&D is carried out in universities. While academia can provide well-researched prototypes; industry connection is essential for developing scalable applications.
Way Forward:
Rework Indian technology policy objectives, frameworks, and deliverables to move from importer of quantum technology to exporter.
Developing knowledge ecosystem by inculcating entrepreneurship, innovation, university courses, training programmes in quantum technology.
Develop metrics to assess success of strategy and short & long-term action plan.
Periodic feedback system to map progress of Quantum-Enabled Science and Technology initiatives.
Boost to investor ecosystem to amplify production of hardware components of quantum computer plus simultaneous push to semiconductor industry.
Context: The microbiome research has gone from a ‘niche subject area’ to ‘one of the hottest topics in all of science’. Researchers have thrown light into the human microbiome — the community of microbes living in the human body.
Human Microbiome:
Human Microbiome is the aggregate of all microbiota that reside on or within human tissues and biofluids along with the corresponding anatomical sites in which they reside, including the skin, mammary glands, seminal fluid, uterus, ovarian follicles, lung, saliva, oral mucosa, conjunctiva, biliary tract, and gastrointestinal tract.
Types of human microbiota include bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses.
In the context of genomics, the term human microbiome is sometimes used to refer to the collective genomes of resident microorganisms; however, the term human metagenome has the same meaning too.
Benefits of Microbiome:
Facts about Human Microbiome:
Every adult ends up with a unique microbiota configuration, even identical twins that are raised in the same household.
Mothers do not pass their microbiomes to their children at birth. Some microorganisms are directly transferred during birth but they constitute a small fraction of the human microbiota; and only an even smaller fraction of these microbes survive and persist throughout the child’s life.
Diseases are caused by undesirable interactions between microbial communities and our cells. Whether a microbe and its metabolite are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ depends on the context. For example, most humans carry a species of bacteria called Clostridium difficile without any disease for life. It causes problems only in the elderly or in people with compromised immune systems.
The absolute microbial cells in one gram of human faeces are around 10^10 to 10^12. The human microbiota weighs about half a kg or less.
Probiotics:
Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms (live beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts) intended to maintain or improve the "good" bacteria (normal microflora) in the body.
Context: Indians are consuming more than the WHO-recommended amount of salt every day, 8 gm instead of 5 grams across all categories of people, according to a recent survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The study is based on a sample survey carried out as part of the National NCD Monitoring Survey (NNMS) in India
About salt intake in India
Salt intake was higher in men (8.9 gm), employed people (8.6 gm), and current tobacco users (8.3 gm).
The consumption was also higher than the mean among obese persons (9.2 gms) and those with high blood pressure (8.5 gms).
Need for limiting salt intake
Salt reduction is a cost-effective and practical approach to preventing cardiovascular disease (the foremost cause of mortality worldwide).
Cardiovascular diseases account for an estimated 28.1 % of total deaths in India. In 2016, 1.63 million deaths were attributable to hypertension compared to 0.78 million deaths in 1990. Reducing salt intake to 5 grams can reduce high blood pressure by 25 percent.
The Indian economy faces losses surpassing $2 trillion between 2012 and 2030 due to cardiovascular diseases according to the World Economic Forum.
India has got a score of 2 which signifies the presence of at least one voluntary policy, emphasising the need for more rigorous efforts to address this health concern.
WHO Guidelines on Sodium Intake recommends
A reduction in sodium intake to reduce blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and coronary heart disease in adults. WHO recommends a maximum intake of <2000 mg/day sodium (<5g/day salt) in adults.
Implementing front-of-pack labelling to help consumers select food products with lower sodium content.
All 194 Member States of WHO have committed to reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025 in 2013. However, as no country in the world is on track to attain this target. WHO has proposed 30% reduction target for 2030.
WHO has documented progress to date on policies through Sodium Country Score Card. It assesses country implementation of sodium reduction policies and other measures, allocating a score from 1 (for lowest level of implementation) to 4 (for highest level of implementation).
Suggestions for reducing Sodium Intake
Maximum sodium content limits in foods: Setting of global sodium benchmarks is critical to facilitate reformulation of food products, which contributes to driving progress in sodium reduction.
Healthy public food procurement & service policies: Government should lead by example through the implementation of mandatory policies of sodium reduction that cover food and beverages purchased, subsidised, prepared, served in public agencies.
Marketing restrictions: Implementing mandatory marketing restrictions is needed to limit exposure to unhealthy foods and beverages, to decrease demand for these products and to provide industry incentive to reformulate and market healthier products.
Fiscal policies: Fiscal policies to reduce population sodium intake include taxes on unhealthy foods and beverages or removing tax benefits for development and marketing of foods high in sodium. They can be strengthened by earmarking revenue for subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables, or for implementation of other sodium reduction strategies.
Use natural salt substitutes: Like lemon and its zest, which give a tangy effect and also help bring down blood pressure. Crushed garlic, oregano, black pepper and seasoning make for good coverage in salads.
Reducing salt cravings: Drinking water infused with lime, orange and mint to reduce craving. Salt cravings make you thirsty and indicate magnesium and calcium deficiencies, which need to be corrected.
Government Initiatives
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has implemented the ‘Eat Right India’ movement to transform the nation’s food system to ensure secure, healthy, and sustainable nutrition for all citizens.
FSSAI launched a social media campaign called ‘Aaj Se Thoda Kam.’ However, the average Indian’s sodium intake remains alarmingly high (approximately 11 grams).
About National NCD Monitoring Survey (NNMS)
It is the largest comprehensive national Survey on risk factors and health systems preparedness of non-communicable disease (NCD) conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Centre for Disease Informatics & Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru, Government of India with the support of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
It also provides framework on the use of telemedicine for cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, and stroke.
The survey was conducted with the purpose of collecting the reliable baseline data on key indicators such as select NCDs, risk factors, and health systems response related to the National NCD monitoring framework and its Action Plan.
The year 2010 will serve as a baseline for assessing the progress made for achieving the NCD targets in 2015, 2020 and 2025.
Context: The OSIRIS-REX mission has ended with the return of regolith (space sample) from the primordial asteroid Bennu.
OSIRIS-RExMission:
Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resources Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS REx) is an asteroid study and sample return mission by NASA.
The spacecraft set out in 2016 to study asteroid Bennu (a carbon-rich near-Earth asteroid) and return to Earth with a sample for detailed analysis in 2023.
Asteroid Bennu:
Bennu is a small asteroid, a little less than 500 metres in depth and is more than 4.5 billion years old.
It is classified as a “near-Earth object” because it passes relatively close to our planet every six years.
Over time, the asteroid has drifted closer to Earth, closely approaching it every six years, owing to which it has a small chance of impacting the Earth in future (2182 CE).
Why was Bennu chosen?
Bennu fits in three criteria: accessibility, size and composition.
For a mission like OSIRIS-REx, the most accessible asteroids are somewhere between 0.08 – 1.6 AU. Scientists needed an asteroid that could be easily travelled to, retrieve a sample from and return to Earth all within a few years. Further, Bennu had an orbit similar to Earth.
One theory is that small worlds like Bennu seeded Earth with the prebiotic ingredients for life
Significance:
Researchers believe that this pristine space dirt will reveal clues about the birth of our solar system (4.5 billion years ago) and the genesis of life on Earth.
Key Fact:
One AU (Astronomical Unit) is approximately equal to 93 million miles - the distance between the Sun and the Earth. The closest asteroids which travel within 1.3 AU of the sun are called near-Earth objects.
Context: A 108-foot statue of 8th century spiritual leader Adi Shankara was unveiled recently in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar. The statue of Openness depicts Shankaracharya as a 12-year old child when he is known to visit the Omkareshwar in Khandwa District.
Adi Shankara
He was also known as Shankaracharya.
Born in Kaladi, Kerala in 788 CE.
Propounded the Doctrine of Advaita (Monism) and wrote many commentaries on the Vedic canon (Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and Bhagavad Gita) in Sanskrit.
His major works included Brahmasutrabhasya (Bhashya or commentary on the Brahma Sutra), Bhajagovinda Stotra and Nirvana Shatakam.
He was responsible to revive Hindu philosophy at a time when Buddhism was gaining momentum in India.
He is said to have established four Mathas (Hindu Monastaries) at Shingeri, Puri, Dwaraka and
Badrinath– for propagation of Sanathana Dharma in four corners of India.
Adi Shankaracharya was opposed to Buddhist philosophers.
Philosophy of Adi Shankara is part of Vedanta (One of the six schools of Aastik Hindu Philosophy).
Advaita Philosophy
Advaita Vedanta refers to the non-dualistic school of Hindu philosophy, which is derived mostly from the Upanishads and elaborated in detail by eminent scholars like Gaudapada and Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
Dvaita means duality, and Advaita means nonduality. In simple terms, Advaita means absence of the duality between subject and object.
About Omkareshwar Temple:
Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is on an island called Mandhata, near Khandwa city in the Narmada river at Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva; the shape of the island is said to be like the Devanagari ॐ symbol.
There are two main temples of Shiva here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkara or the Lord of the Om sound") located in the island and one to Mamleshwar (Amaleshwar) (whose name means "Immortal Lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas") located on the southern bank of the Narmada River on the mainland.
Madhya Pradesh has two Jyotirlingas, the second one, Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, is situated about 140 km north of Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga.
Other Ten Jyotirlinga: are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Kedarnath in Himalayas, in Uttrakhand state, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar near Nashik in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath Temple, Vaidyanath in Jharkhand, Nageshwar at Dwarika in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar near Aurangabad, Maharashtra in Maharashtra.
Context : The Climate Ambition Summit (CAS) in New York, as part of the United Nations General Assembly, that concluded on September 21, was marked by the absence of major economies whose actions significantly influence the future of global emissions. China, United States and India — who collectively account for about 42% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are the top three emitters in that order — were all absent from the CAS.
What is Climate Ambition summit?
To accelerate action by governments, business, finance, local authorities and civil society, and hear from “first movers and doers,” the United Nations Secretary-General convened a Climate Ambition Summit at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 20 September 2023.
The Summit represents a critical political milestone for demonstrating that there is collective global will to accelerate the pace and scale of a just transition to a more equitable renewable-energy based, climate-resilient global economy.
The main goal is to keep the 1.5°C degree goal of the Paris Agreement alive and deliver climate justice to those on the front lines of the climate crisis.
In the run-up to the summit, about 100 heads of State had written to ramp up action to address the climate crisis. However, only representatives from 34 states and 7 institutions were given the floor on the day of the summit.
The criteria for countries to be considered for a speaking slot at the summit were:
That they would be expected to present updated pre-2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (as agreed in Glasgow);
Updated net-zero targets;
Energy transition plans with commitments to no new coal, oil and gas;
India’s climate commitments: India last updated its climate pledges in 2022 of reducing emissions intensity — or the volume of emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) — by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030, a 10% increase from what it agreed to in 2015.
The government committed to meet 50% of its electric power needs from renewable, non-fossil fuel energy sources — up from 40% committed at the Paris agreement. It assured to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3bn tonnes of CO2-equivalent [GtCO2e] through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. In 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed to India achieving net zero by 2070.
The scientific assessment is that India’s commitment, alongside similar commitment by G-20 economies are insufficient to keep temperatures from keeping below 2C by the end of the century. However, India’s low per capita emissions and contribution to the carbon already in the atmosphere has led other analysts to suggest that India has committed to “more than its fair share” to keeping to the Paris-agreed limits.
Context: Indian Railways' is making efforts to enhance the use of its valuable lands near railway stations, the decision has been made to replace ageing, sparsely distributed buildings with multi-story structures. This initiative is a crucial component of their mission to transform major railway stations and their surrounding areas into vibrant urban centres.
About Asset Monetisation
This approach, often referred to as asset or capital recycling, involves unlocking the untapped potential of public assets that have been previously underutilised or unused.
With a projected investment of ₹111 lakh crores from FY20 to FY25 as part of the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), approximately 15-17% of this funding is expected to come from innovative strategies like asset monetization.
It's important to note that asset monetization is distinct from privatisation and asset slump sales. Instead, it represents a structured partnership with the private sector, governed by defined contractual frameworks.
Benefits
The benefits of asset monetization are manifold.
It allows for diversified resource mobilisation, providing long-term capital for substantial infrastructure development, which is especially critical in the post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
Furthermore, it enhances financial leverage and overall value for both companies and governments with significant stakes in these assets. For instance, Indian Railways possesses 0.51 lakh hectares of vacant land assets that could be put to more productive use.
Efficiency gains are another advantage, with the private sector often delivering superior operational efficiencies for underutilised infrastructure assets. This is exemplified by non-core assets like residential buildings and office spaces with BSNL and MTNL.
Other benefits include sustained economic growth through improved infrastructure, generating employment opportunities, and enhancing overall quality of life through investments in core assets and social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.
Challenges
Financial challenges include the need for a sustained and robust asset pipeline to attract investors, as well as identifying revenue streams and revenue transfer mechanisms for different infrastructure assets. There is also the concern that leasing public utilities to private investors could lead to higher prices for consumers.
Regulatory challenges encompass the absence of independent sectoral regulators with domain expertise, structural issues like legal uncertainty, and the absence of a robust bond market hindering private investment in infrastructure. Inefficient dispute resolution mechanisms are also a hindrance.
Other challenges involve the reluctance of states to participate despite holding substantial assets, uncertainties posed by factors like Covid-19, climate-related disasters, and economic transformation during Industrial Revolution 4.0, as well as concerns about political influence and corruption.
Way Forward
The National Monetization Pipeline (NMP) with sector-specific plans has been introduced to assist the private sector in planning their fundraising for brownfield asset inventory with potential financing opportunities.
Additional steps include building the capacity and expertise of public authorities, ensuring systematic and transparent asset allocation, working closely with states to leverage assets for resource mobilisation, and developing robust brownfield models and frameworks.
Flexibility in contracts, strong dispute resolution mechanisms, and innovative regulatory frameworks such as InvITs and REITs are recommended to encourage participation from various investor classes, including global pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and retail investors, similar to the successful model of POWERGRID Infrastructure Investment Trust (PGInvIT).
Context:During the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ‘the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas,’ encompassing three temples located in Karnataka, have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.
More about the news:
The Hoysala Temples, now mark India's 42nd UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In addition to this, Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan, a university town in West Bengal, was also granted world heritage status.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) revealed that India had submitted the nomination dossier for, ‘the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas to the World Heritage Centre in January 2022,’ and the site had been on UNESCO's tentative list since 2014.
Hoysala Temples
The Hoysala Temples, constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries by the Hoysala kings, are dedicated to deities Shiva and Vishnu.
Chennakeshava temple, situated at the heart of Belur (Hassan district) within a traditional settlement surrounded by the remnants of a mud fort and a moat.
Hoysaleswara Temple is located on the banks of Dwarasamudra tank in Halebidu (Hassan district), a town featuring numerous protected and unprotected temples, archaeological ruins, and mounds.
Keshava Temple stands at the centre of Somanathapura village (Mysore district).
About Belur Chennakeshava Temple Complex:
Chennakeshava Temple Complex, is situated along the banks of the Yagachi River.
This remarkable complex is ingeniously designed within a rectangular layout.Encircled by four straight streets, this layout facilitates the traditional ritual circumambulation of the deity, offering devotees an immersive religious experience.
In a remarkable display of dedication and craftsmanship, construction of the Chennakeshava Temple commenced in the year 1117 AD.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, a central deity in Hinduism. It serves as a sacred haven for devotees seeking solace and spiritual connection with the divine.
One of the most captivating features of the Chennakeshava Temple is its richly sculptured exterior. These intricate carvings narrate compelling stories from the life of Lord Vishnu, his divine incarnations, and the epic narratives of the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Interestingly, among these depictions, there are also representations of Lord Shiva, showcasing a harmonious coexistence of deities within the Hindu pantheon.
Chennakeshava Temple has been a centre of uninterrupted worship since its establishment. It continues to thrive as a vibrant hub of devotion and remains a pilgrimage site for Vaishnavite devotes seeking spiritual fulfillment.
About Hoysaleshwar Temple of Halebid:
Halebid, formerly known as Dorasamudhra, emerged as the capital of the Hoysala empire at the zenith of its power. This transition marked a pivotal moment in the region's history, and at the heart of Halebid stands the Hoysaleshwara Temple.
Constructed in the year 1121 CE during the reign of King Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara, this temple stands as a testament to the artistic prowess and devotion of the Hoysala dynasty.
The Hoysaleshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, a principal deity in Hinduism. It serves as a place of worship and reverence for both locals and pilgrims, drawing them into its sacred embrace.
This architectural marvel was made possible through the collective efforts of the affluent citizens and merchants of Dorasamudra. Their patronage and financial support enabled the temple's construction, exemplifying the community's deep-rooted faith and commitment to their religious beliefs.
What truly sets the Hoysaleshwara Temple apart are the more than 240 exquisite wall sculptures that adorn its outer walls. These intricate carvings narrate captivating stories from Hindu mythology and historical events.
Halebid extends its cultural heritage beyond the Hoysaleshwara Temple. Within the walled complex, one can discover three Jaina basadi (temples) dating back to the Hoysala period. These temples serve as a testament to the religious diversity and harmonious coexistence of different faiths in the region. Additionally, a stepped well adds to the historical significance of the site, reflecting the ingenious engineering achievements of the time.
About Kesava Temple of Somnathpur:
The Kesava Temple is a veritable masterpiece, boasting a mesmerizing Trikuta architecture. It is dedicated to Lord Krishna in three distinct forms: Janardhana, Keshava, and Venugopala. This trifecta of deities embodies various facets of the divine and provides a multifaceted spiritual experience for visitors.
Each intricately carved figure and ornament is a testament to the devotion and craftsmanship of the artisans of that era.
The Hoysala Empire: A Comprehensive Overview:
The Hoysala Empire, a prominent Kannadiga dynasty originating from the Indian subcontinent, held dominion over a significant part of present-day Karnataka during the span of the 10th to the 14th centuries. This period was marked by remarkable achievements in art, architecture, and religion. In this elaboration, we delve into the various facets of the Hoysala Empire, from its geographic expansion to its cultural contributions.
1. Geographic Expansion
The Hoysala Empire was initially established in the landscapes of Malenadu, a region nestled within the Western Ghats.
However, the 12th century saw the Hoysalas capitalizing on the internal strife between the Western Chalukya Empire and the Kalachuris of Kalyani.
This opportunistic maneuver allowed them to annex territories in present-day Karnataka and the fertile regions north of the Kaveri delta, now part of Tamil Nadu
By the 13th century, their dominion extended to encompass most of Karnataka, substantial portions of northwestern Tamil Nadu, and segments of western Andhra Pradesh within the Deccan Plateau.
2. Political History:
Initially, the Hoysalas were vassals or feudatories of the Chalukyas of Kalyani.
Their capital was situated in Dwarasamudra (Halebeedu). The dynasty's inception was credited to Sala, and his successors included Vinayaditya and Balalla I.
However, the zenith of Hoysala power came under the reign of Vishnuvardhana, also known as Bittideva.
Vishnuvardhana's remarkable military acumen was highlighted by his decisive victory over the Cholas in the Battle of Talakadu, earning him the title "Talkadugonda."
In commemoration of this triumph, he commissioned the construction of the Kirtinarayana Temple in Talakadu and the Chennakesava Temple in Beluru.
3. Religious Patronage:
The Hoysalas were renowned patrons of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Jainism.
Vishnuvardhana himself converted to Srivaishnavism under the influence of Sri Ramanujacharya, who settled in Melukote, Karnataka.
4. Literary Contributions:
The Hoysala era witnessed a flourishing of literature in both Kannada and Sanskrit.
Notable literary works from this period include "Harihara" and "Raghavanka's Harishchandracharite" in Kannada, as well as "Nemichandra's Leelavati Prabhanda" in Sanskrit.
Evolution of Hoysala Architecture: From Inception to Flourishing Style:
The Vesara style, from its nascent stage under the patronage of the Badami Chalukyas in the 7th century, it matured during the Western Chalukya era in the 11th century.
However, it reached its zenith as an independent and distinct style during the reign of the Hoysalas in the 13th century.
1. The Temple-Centric Hoysalas
The Hoysala rulers were renowned for their prolific temple construction. Their architectural style is often described as "temple-centric," reflecting their deep devotion to Hindu deities such as Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and various manifestations of the Goddess.
2. Star-Shaped Ground Plans
One of the hallmark features of Hoysala architecture is the star-shaped ground plan (known as Stellate plan) employed in many of their temples, although staggered square plans are sometimes observed.
The temples were erected on a raised platform called Jagati, which stood at approximately 1 meter in height.
These temples exhibit a symmetrical arrangement of multiple shrines and the walls and staircases of the temple followed a zigzag pattern.
3. Soapstone as the Primary Building Material
The Hoysalas favoured soapstone (chloritic schist) as their primary construction material.
This soft stone allowed for exquisite carving and intricate detailing, enabling the creation of the elaborate sculptures and motifs that adorn the temples.
4. Intricate Carvings
These intricate sculptures grace nearly every surface of the temples, depicting scenes from Hindu mythology, celestial beings, deities, animals, and intricate geometric patterns.
Prominently featured are various forms of Lord Vishnu, especially Chennakesava, and Lord Shiva.
Let us look at some of the distinctive architectural elements:
Makartorana: This feature leads to the mantapa of the temples, adorned with sculpted images of Makara in lintel form overhead.
Mantapa: Hoysala temples incorporate both open (outer mantapa) and closed mantapa (inner mantapa), with highly ornate ceilings bearing mythological figures and floral designs.
Pillars: Circular pillars in the mantapas of Hoysala temples are a common sight, each featuring four brackets at the top adorned with sculpted figures.
Cella (Vimana): Vimanas in Hoysala temples are plain on the inside but profusely elaborated on the outside.
Shrine: Hoysala temples are classified based on the number of shrines, such as ekakuta (one shrine) or dvikuta (two shrines).
Development of Kalasa: A characteristic feature of Hoysala temple towers is the vase-shaped water pot placed atop.
Salabhanjika: These mythical female figures, with stylized feminine attributes, are found in four brackets on top of the pillars and on each side of the makartorana.
Kirtimukh: The figure of kirtimukh often embellishes the vimana of certain Hoysala temples.
Mythical Presentation: Hoysala art excels in presenting Hindu mythology through sculpted and architectural forms. Scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas intricately adorn temple walls.
Erotica: Some temples feature erotic sculptures, influenced by the prevailing Sakta tradition.
Influence of Chola and Chalukya Art:
For instance, the "Sthambha buttalikas" pillar image in Hoysala art exhibits influences from Chola and Chalukya artistic traditions.
A notable example of Chola influence can be seen in the image of Mohini on one of the pillars in the Chennakeshava temple, seamlessly integrated into Hoysala artistry.
Hoysala architecture represents a captivating chapter in the history of Indian art and temple construction. Its evolution, from its nascent stages to the mature and distinctive style that emerged under Hoysala rule, showcases a profound commitment to temple-centric design, intricate carvings, and a fusion of artistic influences.
Context: The first batch of eight cheetahs from Namibia arrived on September 17, 2022, officially launching Project Cheetah, India’s cheetah introduction programme. An overview of the project as it completes one year.
What is Project Cheetah?
It is an ambitious project to re-establish the species within its historical range in India.
The project hopes to benefit global cheetah conservation efforts by providing up to 100 000 km2 of habitat in legally protected areas and an additional 600 000 km2 of habitable landscape for the species.
Cheetahs fulfil a unique ecological role within the carnivore hierarchy and their restoration is expected to enhance ecosystem health in India. As a charismatic species, the cheetah can also benefit India’s broader conservation goals by improving general protection and ecotourism in areas that have been previously neglected.
Present status:
In total, 20 adult African cheetahs have been imported so far.
So far, only 12 of the 20 cheetahs were ever released into the wild, with a few being brought back multiple times to the Kuno National Park (KNP).
Six of the cheetahs which came from Africa have died.
Why did the cheetahs die?
There have been a variety of reasons and causes attributed to the deaths of the six adults and three cubs. Radio collars are not the underlying reason for the deaths of any of these cats, at least that is the officially stated position.
One needs to determine if the African cheetahs are susceptible to certain insects and parasites in India, and if the collars provide a micro-environment conducive for these to thrive.
Context: An earthquake is caused when tectonic plates shift. But quakes themselves aren’t restricted to the earth. For example, small tremors have also been detected on the moon.
About moonquakes
It seismic tremors or vibrations that occur on the Moon's surface.
It is less intense than earthquakes on Earth. The strongest moonquakes can reach magnitudes of up to 5.5 on the Richter scale, but most are much weaker.
It is measured using seismometers placed on the Moon's surface by Apollo missions. These instruments recorded data from 1969 to 1977.
Between 1972 and 1977, 28 shallow moonquakes were observed.
It has helped scientists learn about the Moon's internal structure, composition, and history.
Causes and types of moonquakes:
Tidal forces: Gravitational interactions between the Moon and Earth can cause stress and strain on the Moon's surface, leading to moonquakes, known as deep moonquakes (~700 km below the surface).
Meteorite impacts: Craters on the moon can also form when meteors hit its surface, and since the moon doesn't have an atmosphere, even small impacts can make big craters. There are thousands of these craters on the moon's surface.
Thermal stress: The moon gets very hot and very cold, with temperatures ranging from 121 degrees Celsius to -133 degrees Celsius, a difference of 250 degrees Celsius,the expansion and contraction of the lunar surface can induce moonquakes.
Volcanic activity: Movement of magma or the collapse of lunar lava tubes.
The first three kinds of moonquakes mentioned above tend to be mild; however, shallow moonquakes caused by volcanic activity can register up to mB=5.5 on the body-wave magnitude scale.
