Prelims Nuggets

Paleo Diet

Context: A recent review found that studies examining the paleo diet’s impact on type 2 diabetes have been inconclusive

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About Paleo Diet

The Palaeolithic diet, commonly known as the Paleo diet, caveman, or Stone-Age diet.
It is a dietary approach that aims to mimic the eating patterns of our Palaeolithic ancestors because our bodies are better adapted to the types of foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors consumed, and by returning to a similar diet, we can improve our health and well-being.
Proponents of the diet emphasize choosing low-glycemic fruits and vegetables.

Foods included in the Paleo diet

The Paleo diet typically includes the following food groups:

Meat and fish: Lean meats, such as beef, pork, and poultry, as well as fish and seafood, are central to the Paleo diet.
Fruits and vegetables: These provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Non-starchy vegetables are particularly emphasized.
Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are nutrient-dense foods that are rich in healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
Healthy fats: Healthy fats from sources like avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, and ghee (clarified butter) are included.
Eggs: Eggs are a good source of protein and healthy fats and are often consumed on the Paleo diet.

Foods excluded from the Paleo diet:

Grains: Wheat, rice, oats, and corn, are avoided in the Paleo diet. This means no bread, pasta, or cereals.
Legumes: Such as beans, lentils, peanuts, and soybeans are not typically included due to their higher carbohydrate and anti-nutrient content.

Dairy products: Milk, cheese, and yogurt, are often eliminated because lactose (milk sugar) and casein (milk protein) may be poorly tolerated by some individuals.
Processed and refined foods: Sugary snacks, soft drinks, and other highly processed and refined products are not considered.

Potential Benefits of the Paleo Diet

Overall, the diet is high in protein, moderate in fat (mainly from unsaturated fats), low-moderate in carbohydrates (specifically restricting high glycemic index carbohydrates), high in fiber, and low in sodium and refined sugars
Some studies suggest potential benefits such as weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation.

Challenges to the Paleo Diet

Higher cost. Fresh meats, fish, and produce tend to be pricier than processed versions such as frozen or canned.
Excluding foods. The exclusion of foods like whole grains and dairy may also increase the risk of deficiencies such as calcium, vitamin D, and B vitamins.
Health concerns of a high meat intake. Several studies have shown that a high intake of red meat is linked to a higher risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes

It is a chronic metabolic disorder characterised by high blood sugar levels resulting from the body's inability to properly use insulin or to produce enough insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the absorption and utilization of glucose (sugar) by the cells in the body.

Use of Artificial Intelligence against the Superbug

Context: Scientists from the United States and Canada have found a new antibiotic abaucin powerful enough to kill a superbug Acinetobacter baumannii using artificial intelligence(AI).

What are Superbugs?

Superbugs are bacteria that are resistant to several types of antibiotics.
Acinetobacter baumannii: The World Health Organization (WHO) identified this bacterium as one of the world’s most dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria and difficult to eradicate.

It can cause pneumonia, meningitis and infect wounds, all of which can lead to death.
It is usually found in hospital settings, where it can survive on surfaces for long periods.
Each year these drug-resistant bacteria infect more than 2 million people in the US and kill at least 23,000, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How do bacteria become resistant to drugs?

Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response that is genetic changes or acquires resistance genes to the use of these medicines. This ultimately threatens the ability of medicines to treat common infectious diseases.
There are several ways in which bacteria can acquire resistance like overuse and misuse of antibiotics, gene transfer, mutation, etc.
Microbial resistance to antibiotics has made it harder to treat infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), blood poisoning (septicaemia), and several food-borne diseases.
AMR also imposes a huge health cost on the patient in the form of longer hospitalisation, health complications, and delayed recovery.

How did researchers use AI against the superbug?

Narrowing down the right antibacterial chemicals against bacteria can be a long, difficult process. This is where algorithms come in because the concept of AI is based on the process of machines being given large amounts of data and training themselves on identifying patterns and solutions based on them.
The researchers tested about 7,500 different chemical compounds on A. baumannii which was cultivated in a lab dish to determine which ones could slow the bacterium's development.
Then they fed the structure of each molecule into the machine-learning model. They also told the model whether each structure could prevent bacterial growth or not. This allowed the algorithm to learn chemical features associated with growth inhibition.
Once the model was trained, the researchers used it to analyse the compounds. This analysis took less than two hours and yielded a few hundred results.
The researchers chose a few compounds with structures that were different from those of existing antibiotics for the experiment.

Nine antibiotics were discovered as a result of those investigations, one of which was extremely strong and successful at eliminating A. baumannii. Abaucin is the name given to the antibiotic.

What is virtual autism?

Virtual autism is a phrase formulated in 2018 by Marius Teodor Zamfir, a Romanian psychologist. He found that children, 0-3 years, who stared at screens for over 4 hours a day, had “sensory-motor and socio-affective deprivation”.

These activated “behaviours and elements are similar to those found in children diagnosed with ASD [autism spectrum disorder]”.
Autism is a pervasive development disorder, meaning it affects all areas of early childhood development, including speech, sociability, play, and skill development.
The nervous system is not ready for screens at an early stage of life.
A parent or sibling blowing bubbles and a child reaching out to touch them is not the same as the simulated video game on a tablet.
Children at this age learn a variety of skills as they discover their bodies, simple objects, and the voices of family members.
By using screens as a substitute for self-soothing or as a distraction, we are destroying five levels of learning, These include
- Interoception (awareness of body cues),
- Sensory learning that is not restricted to the visual,
- Muscle memory to enables a lower-level skill to progress into a higher-level skill,
- Emotional learning, and other forms of learning (including school work, regulation, and problem-solving).
For a child who has been spending long hours in front of screens and is showing signs of uneven development, there is a combination of ways of reversing the prognosis.

How to treat virtual autism

Treatment of virtual autism is to be structured by professionals (child psychologists and occupational therapists), but not restricted to the therapist’s office.
It is about changing the home environment to be more stimulating — letting babies be idle and not having to engage them all the time it can be treated through using various therapies like-
- Play therapy
- Psychomotor stimulation therapy to language stimulation
- Cognitive behaviour therapies.

India seeks leeway to plan shift to sustainable aviation fuel

Context: The 41st International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly adopted a long-term global aspirational goal (LTAG) for international aviation of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in support of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius and reach net zero by 2050.

What is sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)?

SAF is a liquid fuel currently used in commercial aviation which reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%. It can be produced from a number of sources (feedstock) including waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste and non-food crops.
It can also be produced synthetically via a process that captures carbon directly from the air. It is ‘sustainable’ because the raw feedstock does not compete with food crops or water supplies, or is responsible for forest degradation.
Whereas fossil fuels add to the overall level of CO2 by emitting carbon that had been previously locked away, SAF recycles the CO2 which has been absorbed by the biomass used in the feedstock during the course of its life.
Seven biofuel production pathways are certified to produce SAF, which perform at operationally equivalent levels to Jet A1 fuel. By design, these SAFs are drop-in solutions, which can be directly blended into existing fuel infrastructure at airports and are fully compatible with modern aircraft.

Need for SAF:

International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) could contribute around 65% of the reduction in emissions needed by aviation to reach net-zero in 2050.
This will require a massive increase in production in order to meet demand. The largest acceleration is expected in the 2030s as policy support becomes global, SAF becomes competitive with fossil kerosene, and credible offsets become scarcer.

What is India’s stand?

India asserted that global mandates for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with 2050 as the target year was ‘too early’ and each country must be allowed to develop its strategy according to its national plans.
It also sought the support of UN Aviation watchdog ICAO to achieve carbon net-zero goals alongside other priorities in the aviation sector.
Any global mandates for SAF with milestones to 2050 are too early as each State must be allowed time to develop its own strategy for reaching LTAG as per its national plans,” said Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rajiv Bansal at ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium 2023.

SAVITRIBAI PHULE

Context: Maharashtra Chief Minister directed to initiate a probe into a website that allegedly posted derogatory content against pioneering 19th-century educationists.

Savitribai Phule

She was from the Mali community and was born on January 3, 1831, in Maharashtra’s Naigaon village.
At the tender age of 10, she was married to 12-year-old Jyotirao Phule, a man of social reform himself, who believed that women must be educated. He began to home-school Savitribai. Later, Jyotirao admitted Savitribai to a teacher’s training institution in Pune.
She was an exponent of female education, equality, and justice who took on the caste system with her revolutionary ideals and strived to dismantle the elite-controlled education system.

Contributions of Savitribai Phule in Education:

In 1848, Savitibai and Jyotiba established the first-ever school for girls in Bhidewada of which Savitribai was the headmistress.
In 1853, they established an education society that opened more schools for girls and women from all classes, in surrounding villages.
Savitribai and Jyotirao broke social barriers, paving the way for women's emancipation in a time when female education was unheard of.
Known as modern India’s first female teacher and in 1852, she was declared the best teacher in the state by the British government.

Role as Social Reformer

Savitribai started the Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha (‘Home for the Prevention of Infanticide’), a childcare centre for sexually exploited, pregnant widows, and rape victims facing discrimination.
She also adopted a child of a widow, Yashwantrao.
In 1852, she started the Mahila Seva Mandal to fight for the rights of women.
She organized a strike against barbers in Pune and Mumbai, putting pressure on them to stop shaving the heads of Brahmin widows.
She is often referred to as the mother of Indian feminism.
In 1873, Savitibai and Jyotiba started ‘Satyashodhak Marriage’, a rejection of Brahmanical rituals where the marrying couple takes a pledge to promote education and equality.
In 1868, she along with her husband set up a well in their backyard to allow people from the oppressed classes to drink water.
In 1897, following the Bubonic plague, Savitribai set up a clinic in Hadapsar to attend to the victims of the plague.

Literary works

She published two collections of poems - Kavya Phule(Poetry’s Blossoms) was published in 1854 and Bhavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (The Ocean of Pure Gems), in 1892.

Her most iconic poem is titled 'Go, Get Education' and was intended to encourage women to educate themselves as the best means of fighting inequality.

Homi Jahangir Bhabha

Context: Recently a biography was written on Homi J Bhabha by Bakhtiar K Dadabhoy.

About Homi J Bhabha and his contributions

Bhabha was born into a wealthy Parsi family (he was related to the Tatas).
He studied physics at Cambridge (switching from mechanical engineering) and wrote several well-regarded papers.
He was admitted to the Royal Society as a Fellow at age 31, and nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in the 1950s.
In addition, he was a talented artist, a connoisseur of classical music and gourmet food.
He was a design freak and a proto-environmentalist, who micromanaged the architectural master plans of TIFR and BARC, realigning roads and buildings to avoid cutting down trees.
He coaxed and cajoled the Tatas into creating the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), and became the first chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
He designed the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (renamed in his honour after his death) from the ground up.
He is also credited with doing the spadework, both in terms of creating the technical capacity as well as in terms of the political manoeuvring, to set up that first “peaceful nuclear explosion” in 1974.
He influenced the draft of the legislation that created India’s atomic energy policy, and then he drove nuclear science as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
Bhabha's pioneering research in nuclear physics led to the formulation of the Bhabha scattering theory, also known as Bhabha's scattering formula. This theory explained the behaviour of high-energy cosmic rays in the Earth's atmosphere and provided important insights into the interaction between subatomic particles.
His work on meson theory and the concept of virtual particles laid the foundation for further advancements in the field of particle physics.
Bhabha's vision and leadership laid the foundation for the establishment of India's first nuclear power reactor, Apsara, in 1956.

Homi Jehangir Bhabha's contributions had a lasting impact on India's scientific development. His work in nuclear physics, establishment of scientific institutions, and advocacy for nuclear energy laid the groundwork for India's advancement in these fields. His legacy continues to inspire generations of scientists in India and beyond.

Graphene - the new wonder material

Context: Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing and graphene, these three emerging technologies are poised to revolutionize the human-machine interface in the coming decades. While India holds a leading position in AI and shows promise in quantum computing, it must strive to bridge the gap in research and production of graphene, the revolutionary material that defines the current era.

More about the news

According to Grand View Research, the global graphene market size reached $175.9 million in 2022, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46.6% from 2023 to 2030.
Leading countries in graphene research include China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Singapore.
After 2017, China surged ahead, filing 218 patents in 2018.
China and Brazil are at the forefront of commercial graphene production, with the Beijing Graphene Institute, established in 2018, hosting several companies that produce industrial-grade graphene products.
India, on the other hand, had only eight filings. India's production of graphene is approximately one-twentieth of China's and one-third of Brazil's output.

Graphene, the revolutionary material transforming industries

Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. As the building block of graphite, graphene possesses remarkable characteristics that make it a potential game-changer in various industries.
In 2004, Russian scientists, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, along with others, published the first electronic measurements proving they had isolated graphene. They had removed carbon flakes from graphite using bits of sticky tape – which ultimately led to them winning a Nobel prize for physics in 2010.

Properties

It surpasses copper in electrical conductivity, being 200 times stronger than steel yet six times lighter.
With an exceptional transparency of absorbing only 2% of light, it also exhibits im-permeability to gases, including hydrogen and helium.
The high surface-area-to-volume ratio of graphene, stemming from its thinness, makes it a promising candidate for energy storage.

Applications and Potentials

One of its ground breaking applications lies in the potential to replace indium, a scarce and expensive resource, in the production of OLED screens for smartphones. Studies have shown that integrating graphene into these screens could significantly reduce costs without compromising quality.

Application of Graphene composites:

It has been proven that even a minuscule amount of graphene added to plastics, metals, or other materials can significantly enhance their strength.
These graphene composites find applications in aerospace, automotive, sports equipment, construction, high-performance batteries, conductive inks, water purification, desalination, and even in the production of graphene-based masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its capability to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic waves positions it as a valuable component for stealth coatings and materials that reduce radar signatures and electromagnetic interference.
Graphene's sensitivity to environmental changes makes it an excellent candidate for sensing chemical and biological agents, explosives, radiation, and other hazardous substances.
It also holds promise in numerous applications: efficient and precise sensors, faster and more efficient electronics, efficient solar panels, accelerated DNA sequencing, and drug delivery systems.

India’s progress

Centre for Nano Science and Engineering at IISc Bangalore, in collaboration with KAS Tech, developed a graphene-based system, known as ‘Ocean’. The system is a chemical vapour depositor that can produce various two-dimensional materials including graphene.
India's specialization lies in leveraging graphene for innovation. For instance, it has discovered that graphene oxide-based wrappers loaded with preservatives can enhance the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
However, the current trickle of such initiatives needs to transform into a torrent.

A commendable step in this direction is the establishment of the India Innovation Centre for Graphene in Kerala, implemented by the Digital University Kerala in collaboration with Tata Steel and C-MET, Thrissur.
It is essential to entrust a nodal Ministry with this responsibility, otherwise, the subject may be neglected.
Given the high cost-to-volume ratio for high-grade graphene, its production may become concentrated in a few global locations, akin to the semiconductor industry.
India missed the semiconductor bus in the mid-1990s, and now is the opportune time to prioritize graphene.

Geomagnetic storms and magnetosphere

Context: Researchers have traced a very significant increase in special continuous oscillations with pearl-type structures called Geomagnetic Pc1 pearl oscillations on the surface of the Earth in the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms. This study is significant for investigating of precipitation particles during geomagnetic storms and can help us understand the radiation hazard to satellites and astronauts.

What are geomagnetic storms?

A geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth.
These storms result from variations in the solar wind that produces major changes in the currents, plasmas, and fields in Earth’s magnetosphere.
The solar wind conditions that are effective for creating geomagnetic storms:
- Sustained (for several to many hours) periods of high-speed solar wind.
- Southward directed solar wind magnetic field (opposite the direction of Earth’s field) at the dayside of the magnetosphere. This condition is effective for transferring energy from the solar wind into Earth’s magnetosphere.
- High-speed solar wind stream (HSS).
The largest storms that result from these conditions are associated with solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) where a billion tons or so of plasma from the sun arrives at Earth.
Storms also result in intense currents in the magnetosphere, changes in the radiation belts, and changes in the ionosphere, including heating the ionosphere and upper atmosphere region called the thermosphere.

How Solar flares are formed?

Impacts of such storms:

Increase in the density in the upper atmosphere, causing extra drag on satellites in low-earth orbit.
Horizontal variations in the in the ionospheric density that can modify the path of radio signals and create errors in the positioning information provided by GPS.
Storms create beautiful aurora.
They also can disrupt navigation systems such as the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
They can create harmful geomagnetic induced currents (GICs) in the power grid and pipelines.

What is Magnetosphere?

It is the region around a planet dominated by the planet's magnetic field. Other planets in our solar system have magnetospheres, but Earth has the strongest one of all the rocky planets.
Earth's magnetosphere is a vast, comet-shaped bubble, which shields our home planet from solar and cosmic particle radiation, as well as erosion of the atmosphere by the solar wind - the constant flow of charged particles streaming off the sun.
It is generated by the convective motion of charged, molten iron, far below the surface in Earth's outer core.
Constant bombardment by the solar wind compresses the sun-facing side of our magnetic field. The sun-facing side, or dayside, extends a distance of about six to 10 times the radius of the Earth. The side of the magnetosphere facing away from the sun - the nightside - stretches out into an immense magnetotail, which fluctuates in length and can measure hundreds of Earth radii, far past the moon's orbit at 60 Earth radii.

Difference between Ionosphere and Magnetosphere?

The ionosphere is a region within the upper mesosphere and thermosphere where solar radiation and particles in the "solar wind" strip electrons from atoms in the atmosphere and create an electrically charged zone of ions. It is used to communicate long distances by radio. Radio waves bounce off the ionosphere in much the same way that light is reflected by a mirror. The ionosphere changes its position from day to night, rising in the night and lowering in the day. This is why radio signals from far off places can be detected at night, while only close by transmissions are detectable during the day.
The magnetosphere is Contained within the Earth's thermosphere and is the region where the Earth’s magnetic field interacts with the charged particles coming from the Sun in the solar wind. These particles become trapped in the magnetic field of the Earth and circulate around the Earth following the Earth’s magnetic field. Large bombardments of these charged particles cause the auroras in the ionosphere as they follow the Earth’s magnetic field through the upper atmosphere towards the magnetic poles.

What are Van Allen radiation belts?

The Van Allen radiation belt is a zone of energetic charged particles, most of which originate from the solar wind. The particles are captured by and held around a planet by that planet’s magnetic field. It surrounds Earth, containing a nearly impenetrable barrier that prevents the fastest, most energetic electrons from reaching Earth.
The outer belt is made up of billions of high-energy particles that originate from the Sun and become trapped in Earth’s magnetic field, an area known as the magnetosphere. The inner belt results from interactions of cosmic rays with Earth’s atmosphere.

Buddhism as a tool of Soft Power

Context: Nepal, the birthplace of Siddhartha Shakya, known as the Buddha, holds immense historical and cultural significance for Buddhists worldwide. However, despite this rich heritage, Nepal's role in global Buddhist congregations has been limited. This article explores the growing influence of India and China, two emerging superpowers, in defining the future of Buddhism and their utilization of Buddhism as a tool of soft power.

India's Approach to Buddhism

India is the place where Buddha attained his Nirvana and also popularised Buddhism. Hence, many religious sites associated with Buddhism in India are sacred for Buddhist across the globe.
India has long claimed Buddhism as an integral part of its cultural identity. The country sees Buddhism as a symbol of peace and tranquillity, especially during its tumultuous formation as a Republic, marked by religious divisions between Hinduism and Islam.
India has utilized Buddhist symbolism, such as the Ashoka Pillar and the wheel on the flag, to escape difficult times and promote harmony.
Also, India's recently hosted a two-day global Buddhist summit in New Delhi, organized by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation.

China's Soft Power Strategy

China's growing political and economic power has led to a multifaceted approach to promote Chinese Buddhism as a tool of soft power.
With a vast Buddhist population and numerous monasteries and temples, China sees Buddhism as an important aspect of its cultural diplomacy.
China's focus on Nepal as a source of Buddhism, alongside its infrastructure investments in Buddhist countries, demonstrates the country's intent to harness Buddhism's power for national integration and as a soft power tool.

Let us understand the significance of the Global Buddhist Summit

The summit, which took place in April, witnessed the participation of prominent figures from the global Buddhist community, including the Dalai Lama.
By organizing this high-profile event, India seized a valuable opportunity to project itself and connect with the Buddhist population worldwide, thereby bolstering its soft power.

Understanding Soft Power Diplomacy

Soft power diplomacy refers to the use of cultural, social, and economic means to influence other countries' attitudes and behaviours, without resorting to coercion or economic pressure. It aims to build relationships and shape international discourse through avenues such as cultural exchanges, educational programs, and public diplomacy campaigns.
India's Buddhist heritage plays a pivotal role in its soft power diplomacy strategy.

Significance of Buddhism for India's Foreign Relations

Historical and Cultural Ties: India's deep-rooted cultural and historical connections with Buddhism strengthen its soft power diplomacy with Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Promoting Religious Harmony: As the birthplace of Buddhism, India can leverage its Buddhist heritage and teachings to engage with countries like China, which has a substantial Buddhist population, fostering dialogue and understanding between the two nations.
Economic Benefits: India's possession of seven out of the world's eight most significant Buddhist sites provides economic opportunities. The development of the Buddhist Circuit, a tourist trail connecting these sites, contributes to the nation's soft power diplomacy efforts.
Pan-Asian Presence: With 97% of the global Buddhist population residing in Asia, Buddhism holds intrinsic value for countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, shaping their national values and identity.

India's Efforts in Buddhist Diplomacy

Focusing on promoting tourism through the development of the Buddhist tourist circuit.
Prime Minister made it a priority to visit Buddhist sites during his Southeast and East Asian visits.
Alternative Approach to Global Politics:

The statement by Prime Minister, "India has not given 'Yuddha' to the world but 'Buddha'," reflects India's aspiration to provide an alternative to contentious global politics, with morality as a guiding principle.
The theme of the Delhi summit, "Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis," aligns with this objective.

Challenges

China factor:

China's attempt to control the appointment of the next Dalai Lama poses a challenge to India's soft power projection.
China's investment in the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Nepal, viewed by India as a Chinese project.

Geopolitical wrangling over Nepal's Buddhist sites risks turning them into mere attractions, devoid of their historical and spiritual essence.
India's promotion of Tibetan Buddhism and the exclusion of Nepal and other Buddhist nations from forums like the Global Buddhist Summit may serve geopolitical interests rather than a genuine commitment to Buddhism's essence.

Way forward

India should continue promoting Buddhism at the highest levels of government and organize cultural events to showcase its rich Buddhist history.
Collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and strengthening ties with Buddhist institutions and leaders worldwide would be beneficial.
Furthermore, leveraging Bollywood's reach to promote India's Buddhist heritage and utilizing cultural meetings during India's G-20 presidency can amplify Buddhist diplomacy on a global scale.
Increase investments, such as construction of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture in Lumbini.

Kheer Bhawani temple

Context: The Kheer Bhawani Mela witnessed an immense display of excitement and zeal as Kashmiri Pandits and locals of the Kashmir valley commemorated it. This revered event, which takes place on Jyeshtha Ashtami, holds significant spiritual importance in the region.

(Picture given above: oldest drawing of Kheer Bhawani Fair by William Carpenter Junior)

About Kheer Bhawani Mela

Every year on the auspicious day of Jyeshtha Ashtami, Kashmiri Pandits make a pilgrimage to the Mata Ragnya Devi Temple or the Kheer Bhawani Temple to express their reverence.
The deity Kheer Bhavani holds great significance and is deeply respected within the region.
This vibrant fair takes place near the Kheer Bhawani Spring, locally known as Syendh, distinct from the Sindhu (Indus) River.
Under the rule of Ranbir Singh (1830-1885), a temple was constructed on the island, featuring a revered goddess idol and a Shiva linga within a lofty chamber built inside the spring. This amalgamation of a Shiv Linga and a goddess idol is unique to this sacred Hindu site.
It stands as one of the largest Hindu gatherings in the region, second only to the Amarnath pilgrimage.
Throughout the years, the Kheer Bhawani Mela has evolved into a symbol of communal harmony and fraternity in Kashmir.

Kheer Bhawani Temple

Location: North-eastern region of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Surrounding the goddess, there is a septa-gonal spring within the temple premises. This holy spring is known for its remarkable ability to change colours, displaying hues of red, pink, orange, green, blue, and white, although most of these colours do not hold any specific significance.
The current structure of the spring, temple pond, and temple itself was established during the 1910s under the rule of Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, with further renovations carried out by Maharaja Hari Singh. The temple area is adorned with ancient chinar trees.

History and associated legends

References to Kheer Bhawani can be found in several ancient texts.

Kalhana's Rajtarangini: It mentions the sacred spring of Tula Mula, noting its location in a marshy area that was once engulfed by floods thousands of years ago, submerging both the spring and the temple.
The Bhrigu Samhita also makes a reference to Kheer Bhawani.
Abu’l-Fazal's Ain-i-Akbari: It provides further information, describing the Tula Mula area as spanning a hundred bighas, which would sink into the marshy lands during the summer season.

Mo Ghara (My Home)

Context: Recently Odisha government announced a new initiative, Mo Ghara (My Home) – a credit-linked housing scheme for the rural poor in the state with an aim to convert all kutcha houses into pucca ones.

Benefits of the Scheme

Under the Mo Ghara scheme, a beneficiary can avail housing loan of up to Rs 3 lakh that can be repaid in 10 years in easy instalments excluding one year moratorium period.
The state government will release capital subsidy to the loan account of the beneficiaries on completion of the house.
There will be four slabs of the loan amount. The rates of the subsidy will be Rs 30,000 for a Rs 1 lakh loan, Rs 45,000 for a Rs 1.5 lakh loan, and Rs 60,000 for a loan amount of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.
The subsidy will be Rs 10,000 more across slabs for those belonging to the SC/ST category and for the differently abled

Special features of the scheme

Banks have been asked not to charge any processing fee from beneficiaries.
The government has also waived registration fees and stamp duties required during the mortgage of the title deed to further reduce the financial burden for the beneficiaries.

Who is eligible?

A family staying in a kutcha house or one pucca room with a concrete roof is eligible to get the loan under the Mo Ghara scheme.
Families that have not availed of any government housing assistance or have availed assistance of below Rs 70,000 in the past with a monthly income below Rs 25,000 will also be eligible under the scheme.

Who can’t be a beneficiary?

Families having four-wheelers or any member in government service or irrigated land of five acres or more will not be eligible for the loan.

What is Hysterectomy?

Context: The Union Health Ministry recently urged State governments to audit hysterectomy trends in public and private hospitals, in response to a Supreme Court petition arguing that women from marginalised locations are at risk of unjustified hysterectomies for economic gains and exploitation. The Court also gave a three-month deadline to States, directing them to implement the guidelines previously issued by the Centre.

What is hysterectomy?

Hysterectomy is the partial or total surgical removal of a woman's uterus. It may also involve the removal of the cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and other surrounding structures. After a hysterectomy, a woman no longer menstruates and is unable to conceive.
According to NFHS-5 data, the highest percentage of hysterectomies were to treat excessive menstrual bleeding or pain (51.8%) followed by treatment for fibroids, cysts and uterine disorder or rupture. Studies have shown that many of these causes were considered to be treatable and surgery could be avoided.

Measures taken by the government:

The Union Health Ministry in 2022 issued guidelines to prevent unnecessary hysterectomies — listing possible indications of when a hysterectomy may be required and alternative clinical treatments for gynaecological issues.
It recommended setting up district, State-level and national hysterectomy monitoring committees to monitor and collect data on age, mortality, and occupations, among other details.
The monitoring committees are also tasked with creating awareness, among both practitioners and patients, about bodily anatomy, the role of the uterus and when hysterectomies are actually indicated.
The government’s flagship health insurance programme, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana provides health cover of ₹5 lakh for 1,949 procedures, including hysterectomies. The government has authorised 45,434 hospitals to conduct these operations.

Concerns:

Lack of awareness: There is a dearth of awareness and informed consent in the absence of sexual and reproductive health education. Most women assumed that the uterus served no role outside of pregnancy and that removing the uterus would solve their health issues.
- A majority of hysterectomies were reported among socially and economically disadvantaged women.
- Women from rural areas look at hysterectomies as a way of increasing days of productive work and earning more wages, as it eliminates the need for menstrual care and hygiene among workers.
Misuse by private clinics: Private clinics engage in unethical practices, and unnecessary procedures and did not inform women of side effects to earn profits (from insurance money) by quick surgery, turning healthcare into a business.
Long-term health consequences: Hysterectomies may cause long-term injuries and disabilities, requiring follow-up and post-operative care in some cases like additional surgery or hormone replacement therapies. But these interventions are limited to private hospitals and remain unaffordable for low-income groups.