Context: The Air Force has received the first indigenously designed and developed loitering munitions.
What is Loitering Munition
Named the ALS 50, the munition - also known as a suicide drone - has been developed by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
The autonomous system is designed for Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) and has successfully demonstrated its capability to carry out precision strikes (less than 2 meters) during trials and tests.
These are capable of operating from all kinds of terrain and high-altitude areas and can take down targets at a range of over 50 km, without exposing any personnel to risk.
The weapon enables real-time targeting, either by the operator or autonomously and can be scaled up to increase firepower as well as targeting distance.
Significance
VTOL capability gives the system the ability to operate in areas where limited space is available, like narrow valleys, fortified mountain positions, small jungle clearings and the decks of warships.
Loitering munition can be used to destroy enemy targets that may be beyond line of sight, including high-value targets like command centres and missile launchers, that may be located at a distance.
Context: As perthe World Health Organization, COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global health emergency.
What it means when a disease is an emergency
Announcing a disease as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) is a significant decision that the World Health Organization (WHO) takes after thorough analysis of various factors. The following are some of the key points that WHO considers before declaring a disease as a PHEIC:
Potential to spread: The WHO assesses whether the disease has the potential to spread rapidly beyond the affected region or country, causing a global outbreak.
Severity: The WHO evaluates the severity of the disease, including its mortality rate and its impact on people's health.
International impact: The WHO considers the potential impact of the disease on the international community, including its impact on travel and trade.
Social and economic impact: The WHO also considers the social and economic impact of the disease, including its impact on daily life and the ability of countries to respond.
Urgency: The WHO assesses the urgency of the situation, including the need for immediate action to contain the disease and prevent its spread.
Expert recommendations: The WHO consults with its expert committees to gather advice and recommendations on whether to declare a PHEIC.
The WHO has analyzed all these factors, it may declare a disease as a PHEIC. This announcement is a critical step in mobilizing resources and coordinating a global response to the disease. The WHO will provide guidance and recommendations to countries on how to respond to the disease, including measures to contain its spread, protect public health, and provide medical care to those who need it. The declaration of a PHEIC may also lead to increased funding and resources for research and development of treatments and vaccines.
What is the status now
As mentioned, covid-19 is no longer an emergency. However, the officials said that even though the emergency phase was over, the pandemic has not ended. They pointed to the recent spikes in cases in Southeast Asia and West Asia to support their case.
SARS-CoV-2 Virus:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious viral illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel beta coronavirus belonging to the same subgenus as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and then caused a global pandemic leading to the disease COVID-19.
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are positive-stranded RNA viruses with a crown-like appearance due to the presence of spike glycoproteins on the envelope.
Like other RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2, while adapting to their new human hosts, is prone to genetic evolution with the development of mutations over time, resulting in mutant variants that may have different characteristics than its ancestral strains.
Although the origin of SARS-CoV-2 is currently unknown, it is widely postulated to have originated from an animal, implicating a zoonotic transmission.
Transmission: Via exposure to respiratory droplets carrying the infectious virus from close contact or droplet transmission from presymptomatic, asymptomatic, or symptomatic individuals harbouring the virus.
Context: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will be Guest of Honour at France’s Bastille Day celebrations on 14th July.
About Bastille Day
The Storming of the Bastille
Paris was in a state of high agitation in the early months of the French revolution. In Spring 1789, the Estates-General refused to dissolve, transforming itself instead into a constituent National Assembly. In July, King Louis XVI called in fresh troops and dismissed his popular Minister, Jacques Necker. On the morning of July 14, the people of Paris seized weapons from the armoury at the Invalides and marched in the direction of an ancient Royal fortress, the Bastille. After a bloody round of firing, the crowd broke into the Bastille and released the handful of prisoners held there.
The storming of the Bastille signaled the first victory of the people of Paris against a symbol of the "Ancien Régime" (Old Regime). Indeed, the edifice was razed to the ground in the months that followed.
The Fête de la Fédération ("Feast of the Federations") held on July 14, 1790, celebrated with great pomp the first Anniversary of the insurrection. In Paris, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord held Mass at the Altar of the Fatherland, on the Champ de Mars.
The National Holiday
The commemoration of July 14 was abandoned in subsequent years. Under the Third Republic, however, leaders cast about for ways to celebrate the foundations of the regime. A Deputy for the Seine Department, Benjamin Raspail, moved that July 14 be named the national holiday of the Republic, and Parliament passed an act to that effect on July 6, 1880.
From the outset, the emphasis was on the patriotic and military character of the event, expressing France’s recovery from the defeat of 1870. Every commune or locality in France held its own celebration, starting with a torchlight parade on the evening of the 13th. The next morning, church bells or gun salutes announced the military parade, which is followed by a luncheon, spectacles and games, with dancing and fireworks ending the day.
Coming after the austerity of the 1914-18 war, the 14th of July 1919 was the occasion of a great victory celebration. Similarly, July 14, 1945 was preceded by three days of civic rejoicing.
The 14th of July Today
Today, the festivities of July 14 are as popular as ever. In Paris, the traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysées is a meticulously planned spectacle, and dancing and fireworks displays or special illuminations are organized all over the country.
The successive Presidents of the Fifth Republic have modified the day’s events slightly.
Context: The pancreas’ failure to secrete adequate insulin appears to have been the trigger for type 2 diabetes in over half of the Indian patients (especially those diagnosed before the age of 45) in an Indo-Swedish study. This is in contrast to Western countries, where type 2 diabetes is mostly caused by insulin resistance, said the study, which was published in The Lancet Regional Health-Southeast Asia.
Diabetes:
A metabolic disorder in which the body has high sugar levels for prolonged periods of time.
Types of Diabetes
Researchers at Lund University, Malmo, Sweden had in 2018 shown that diabetes can be divided into five subgroups, including:
1. SAID (Severe Auto-Immune Diabetes),
2. SIDD (Severe Insulin-Deficient Diabetes),
3. SIRD (Severe Insulin-Resistant Diabetes),
4. MOD (Mild Obesity-Related Diabetes) and
5. MARD (Mild Age-Related Diabetes).
SAID is also known as type 1 diabetes, the remaining four subgroups belong to type 2 diabetes.
Cause of type 2 diabetes
The exact cause of this condition is not known.
Type 1 Diabetes is a result of the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic islet cells that produce insulin.
Genetics also plays a role in type 1 diabetes.
Pancreatic diseases can also be the cause of type 1 diabetes
Cause of type 2 diabetes
Insulin resistance occurs when the body is unable to use insulin the proper way. On the other hand, as type 2 diabetes worsens, the capacity of the pancreas to produce insulin keeps dropping, resulting in a deficiency.
A normal person secretes enough insulin to achieve the desired effect on the tissues. But when the tissues cannot respond to the usual amounts of insulin, the pancreas has to secrete more. When this happens over a longer period of time, the pancreas gets fatigued and diabetes develops.”
The other situation is where the tissues are responding reasonably well but the pancreas is not able to secrete insulin either because of genetic defects or its poor development in the womb or factors in the environment which may affect and damage the pancreatic beta cells. This is primarily an affection of the pancreas.
Type 2 diabetes is usually linked to obesity. though Indians have a lower BMI compared to Europeans, they have a higher body fat percentage and this develops when they are growing in the mother’s womb. Multigenerational undernutrition of young Indian mothers seems to have contributed to this,
Pune studies have tracked the development of diabetes and shown that poor growth of babies (lower birth weight or length) predisposes them to develop diabetes in later life. The risk is the highest in those who were born small but grew big in later life. If the system has low capacity, it cannot tolerate a load of excess calories in later life.
In addition, vitamin B12 deficiency-related genes were associated with the MOD subgroup only in Indians, not in European patients with diabetes.
Consequences of Diabetes
A number of studies in India and abroad have shown that increased liver fat is a characteristic feature of Indian type 2 diabetes patients.
Diabetes can be effectively managed when diagnosed early. However, when left untreated, it can lead to potential complications that include: heart disease stroke kidney damage nerve damage etc. as shown in the image below:
Way forward
It is well known that every patient with type 2 diabetes can behave differently.
This genetic classification is a new step in identifying the underlying Pathophysiology in a particular patient and thus individualisation of treatment.
Various subgroups of patients might have distinctive responses to various diabetes medications and hence this classification has implications as far as treatment and selecting an appropriate glucose-lowering agent is concerned.
Classifying every patient and starting appropriate treatment will help better glycaemic control and decrease diabetes-related complications in the Indian population.
Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt.
Eat foods with more fibre, such as whole grain cereals, bread, crackers, rice, or pasta.
Choose foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, bread and cereals, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese.
Drink water instead of juice and regular soda.
Be active as much as you can.
Be updated in terms of blood pressure, and foot check. Weight check etc.
Context: For the fourth consecutive year, the government has expressed outrage and rejected the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) latest report, calling it “biased and motivated”.
International Religious Freedom Report
In its report released on Monday, the independent congressional body has called for India to be designated a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for its “worsening” record on religious freedoms.
The report has targeted the Indian government for “promoting and enforcing religiously discriminatory policies”, naming laws that deal with conversion, interfaith relationships, wearing the hijab and cow slaughter, as well as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens.
It has criticised the U.S. State Department for not having designated India as a CPC and has called for sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials.
In the only such sanction imposed on India, the U.S. had, in 2005, revoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s U.S. visa after a USCIRF recommendation on the 2002 Gujarat riots.
About USCIRF
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government agency created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).
USCIRF monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) abroad.
Makes policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. and tracks the implementation of these recommendations.
USCIRF's nine Commissioners are appointed by either the President or Congressional leaders of each political party, supported by a non-partisan professional staff.
While USCIRF is independent of the State Department, the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom is a non-voting member.
Context: India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries, according to the latest report released by global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF). In comparison, Pakistan has fared better when it comes to media freedom as it was placed at 150, an improvement from last year’s 157th rank. In 2022, India was ranked at 150. Sri Lanka also made significant improvement on the index, ranking 135th this year as against 146th in 2022.
About World Press Freedom Index
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) comes out with a global ranking of press freedom every year.
RSF is an international NGO whose self-proclaimed aim is to defend and promote media freedom.
Headquartered in Paris.
It has consultative status with the United Nations.
The objective of the World Press Freedom Index “is to compare the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories”.
Context: The World Bank confirmed Ajay Banga was selected as its next president on Wednesday, taking charge at a pivotal time for the development lender as it looks to better address climate change. The Bank’s board voted to approve his leadership for a five-year term. He will take over the role from David Malpas in June.
About world bank
World Bank came into existence in the year of 1944 along with IMF at the meeting of the UN Monetary and financial conference, commonly known as the Bretton woods conference.
Now it has 189 members
India is one of the foundational members of the world bank
World bank Organization
The World Bank is like a cooperative, made up of 189 member countries.
These member countries, or shareholders, are represented by a Board of Governors, who are the ultimate policymakers at the World Bank.
Generally, the governors are member countries' ministers of finance or ministers of development.
They meet once a year at the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.
World Bank is not a single entity rather it is a group of five institutions
IBRD
Created in 1944 to help Europe rebuild after World War II.
IBRD joins with IDA, our fund for the poorest countries, to form the World Bank.
They work closely with all institutions of the World Bank Group and the public and private sectors in developing countries to reduce poverty and build shared prosperity
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is a global development cooperative owned by 189 member countries.
As the largest development bank in the world, it supports the World Bank Group’s mission by providing loans, guarantees, risk management products, and advisory services to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries, as well as by coordinating responses to regional and global challenges.
IDA
The International Development Association (IDA) is part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries.
Established in 1960 and headquartered in Washington DC, IDA aims to reduce poverty by providing zero to low-interest loans (called “credits”) and grants for programs that boost economic growth, reduce inequalities, and improve people’s living conditions.
IFC
Established in the year 1956
Headquarters at Washington DC
It makes investments in productive private enterprises in association with private investors.
It concentrates on areas where sufficient private capital is not forthcoming on reasonable terms and conditions.
It acts as a clearing house for bringing together investment opportunities, private capital and experienced management.
It stimulates the international flow of capital.
It assists the development of capital markets in less-developed countries.
It encourages private sector activity in developing countries through three types of activities.
MIGA
MIGA is the World Bank Group’s most recent agency (1988), created in Washington DC with the aim of attracting private capital to unfavourable environments, usually countries with a lower level of income and in contexts that are unappealing for investments.
This agency works as a complement to the IFC, providing guarantees to foreign investors against so-called “political risks”, which are risks related to the country where the investment will be applied, such as:
Losses related to currency convertibility (difficulties in converting local currency into dollars or euros) and transfer restrictions of the same nature;
Countries in violent contexts (wars, etc.);
Contractual violations by local governments which place the investment at risk;
Seizure of private investors’ assets or properties and failure to meet financial obligations on the part of the Host State
ICSID
It was established in 1966 by the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (the ICSID Convention).
The ICSID Convention is a multilateral treaty formulated by the Executive Directors of the World Bank to further the Bank’s objective of promoting international investment.
ICSID is an independent, depoliticized and effective dispute-settlement institution.
Its availability to investors and States helps to promote international investment by providing confidence in the dispute resolution process.
It is also available for state-state disputes under investment treaties and free trade agreements and as an administrative registry.
ICSID provides for the settlement of disputes by conciliation, mediation, arbitration or fact-finding.
Context: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has urged the government to protect historically significant structures such as the 600-year-old 'Vilakkumadom,' a magnificent granite edifice, at the Sree Mahavishnu Temple at Thirunelly in Kerala's Wayanad district.
Thirunelli Temple
History
There is documentary evidence that Thirunelly was an important town and pilgrim centre in South India during the reign of Chera monarch Bhaskara Ravi Varma I (962-1019 CE).
Historian V. R. Parameswaran Pillai states in his book 'Thirunelli Documents' that this temple was formerly an important component of Kerala's early recorded history.
Architecture
This 3000-year-old temple is a fine example of Kerala temple architecture. The temple is an architectural marvel with around 30 granite columns and a granite paved floor. A cloister of cubical granite pillars runs along the temple's outer wall.
An open courtyard surrounds the Sanctorum, which is encircled by a tile-roofed building.
The holy temple pond is called Panchatheertham. The temple lacks a temple well, which is a notable characteristic.
The main deity idol of the temple is in the form of Chathurbhuja.
Religious Significance
Temple is the only temple in the world where worshippers can complete all of life's rituals, from birth to death and life after death.
The ceremonies are carried out on the banks of the Papanasini stream, which flows down from Mount Brahmagiri.
Lord Brahma is said to have performed Lord Vishnu's prathishta here. The cave temple Gunnika, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located on the temple's western side. As a result, Thirunelli is blessed by the presence of all three parts of the trinity.
It is also known as ''Sahyamala Kshetram'' and ''Southern Kashi''.
Distinctive Kerala style of temple architecture
Provincial variety of Dravidian style
The Dravidian style took a positive shape and became strengthened during the Pallavas of Kanchipuram. This style underwent gradual changes without losing its individuality.
Kerala, on the west coast of South India, has a provincial variation of this style. Basic temple construction and Brahmanical religion developed in Kerala in tandem and steadily under the Kulasekharas of Mahodayapuram.
Local features in the Kerala temple architecture
Largely dictated by the geography of the region that abounds in forests blessed with the bounties of the monsoons, the structure of the temples in Kerala is distinctive.
Roof
Temple roof resembles those found in the Himalayan regions and those in East Asia.
Steep and pointed roofs constructed with wood are covered with copper sheets.
The shape of the roof is in accordance with the plan of the sanctum below. With a circular plan, one sees a conical roof, while with a square plan the roof is pyramidal.
The roof protrudes at numerous levels to shelter the interior skeletal framework from the region's violent monsoons.
Sanctum
The Central sanctum of a Keralite temple is referred to as the Sree Kovil.
It is surrounded by a cloistered Prakara, pierced at one or more cardinal points with a Gopuradwara.
The cloistered Prakaram has a Namaskara Mandapam located directly in front of the sanctum. This Prakaram also houses subsidiary shrines.
Mandapam
The Mukha Mandapam is integrated with the Gopura entrance.
The flagstaff or Dwaja Stambham is located outside of the Dwajastambham.
The Balipitham may be located in the Mukhamandapam or in the outer courtyard.
The outer prakaram or courtyard houses other subshrines, and optionally a temple tank.
Hall
The Kuttambalam or the theater hall of the Keralite temple is located either as a part of the inner prakara or as a separate hall outside the innermost prakaram.
The Kuttambalam has a stage, raised from the rest of the floor, and a backstage area. This is the site of the performance of Kathakali or Chakkiyar koothu recitals. Thus, the kuttambalam plays a role in educating visitors on the rich legends of the Indian cultural fabric.
Materials Used and Decorative elements
A harmonic blend of stones, woodwork, stucco work, and painting create a structure rich in regional traditions.
The woodwork is quite important here, as it gives the Kerala temple silhouette its vitality and character. The temple's inner skeletal framework is made of wood, but the foundation and upper construction are made of granite and laterite, respectively.
Kerala temple walls are made of coursed laterite stone masonry that has been plastered with mud and lime.
Murals can be found on some of these temple walls. Another distinguishing feature of Keralite temples is the use of Vilakku Maadam (multi-tiered brass lamps) in front of temples.
About INTACH
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is a non-profit charitable organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
It achieved Special Consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council was awarded in 2007.
History
INTACH was established in 1984 in New Delhi with the goal of establishing a membership organisation to promote and lead heritage awareness and conservation in India.
INTACH has been a leader in the conservation and safeguarding of India's natural and cultural heritage since 1984.
In 2007, INTACH signed a memorandum of understanding with AusHeritage, Australia's well-known heritage network, to engage on regional initiatives in South Asia and South East Asia.
Restoration
Over the years, INTACH has taken up the restoration and conservation of hundreds of monuments that fall outside the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India and other government organisations.
After developing Raghurajpur, Odisha, India, as a heritage village known for its master 'Pattachitra' artists and 'Gotipua' dance troupes, it later used the same pattern to develop Padmanabhpur village, Ganjam district, Odisha, India, known for its weavers and folk dancers, into another heritage destination.
Mission
INTACH's mission to conserve heritage, is based on the belief that living in harmony with heritage enhances the quality of life, and it is the duty of every citizen of India as laid down in the Constitution of India.
The objectives spelt out in the Memorandum of Association constitute INTACH's Mandate and Vision
Sensitise the public about the pluralistic cultural legacy of India and instill a sense of social responsibility towards preserving India's common heritage.
Document unprotected buildings of archaeological, architectural, historic and aesthetic significance, as well as the cultural resources, as this is the first step towards formulating conservation plans.
Develop heritage policies and regulations, and make legal interventions to protect India's heritage when necessary.
Provide expertise in the field of conservation, restoration and preservation of specific works of art and encourage capacity-building by developing skills through training programmes.
Undertake emergency response measures during natural or man-made disasters and support the local administration whenever heritage is threatened.
Context: Psychedelic drugs are emerging in research as promising ways to treat treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder
What are Psychedelic substances
Psychedelics are a group of drugs that alter perception, mood, and thought processing while a person is still clearly conscious.
Psychedelics are non-addictive, non-toxic and compared to illicit drugs, they are less harmful to the end user.
In India, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 prohibits (bans) the use of psychedelic substances.
Ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic with psychedelic properties, is used under strict medical supervision, for anaesthesia and treatment-resistant depression.
How do the drugs work in the body?
Users of psychedelic substances report changes in perception, somatic experience, mood, thought-processing, and entheogenic experiences.
Modern neuroimaging suggests that psychedelics are neither stimulants nor depressants of brain activity. Instead, they increase the cross-talk between different brain networks, and this correlates with the subjective effects of psychedelics.
Can psychedelics be used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders?
In November 2022, the results from a phase II psilocybin trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The trial found that a single 25-mg dose of psilocybin reduced depression scores over three weeks in people with treatment-resistant depression.
In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as MDMA, to be the “breakthrough therapy” in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Can such substances cause harm?
Death due to direct toxicity of LSD, psilocybin or mescaline has not been reported despite 50-plus years of recreational use. An overdose requires cardiac monitoring and supportive management in a low-stimulus and reassuring environment.
Synthetic psychedelics (such as 25I-NBOMe) have been associated with acute cardiac, central nervous system, and limb ischaemia, as well as serotonin syndrome. There have also been reports of death attributed directly to synthetic psychedelic use.
Context: The Prime Minister has praised National SC-ST Hub Scheme which crossed more than a lakh beneficiary registration.
About National SC-ST Hub Scheme
The National SC/ST Hub has been set up to provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs to fulfil the obligations under the Central Government Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises Order 2012, adopt applicable business practices and leverage the Stand-Up India initiative.
The “Public Procurement Policy for MSEs” mandates that Central Government Ministries, Departments, and Public-Sector Undertakings procure a minimum of 25% of their total annual value of goods or services from Micro and Small Enterprises including 4% of total procurement of goods and services from Micro and Small Enterprises owned by SC & ST entrepreneurs and 3% of total procurement of goods and services from Micro and Small Enterprises owned by women entrepreneurs.
The Hub is being implemented by the Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India through the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a public-sector undertaking under the administrative control of this Ministry.
The Hub supports existing SC/ST entrepreneurs and enterprises in technological upgradation and capacity building thereby enabling them to effectively participate in the government procurement process.
This would involve active participation by CPSEs/Central Ministries, States, and Industry Associations such as DICCI and others.
Selected entrepreneurs would be provided with support and mentoring by industry experts, CPSEs, & incubators.
Achievements of the National SC-ST Hub Scheme
1,06,854 Total SC-ST Candidates Assisted as up to 31st March 2023
35,169 Total SC-ST Candidates Trained up to 31st March 2023
1,301.93 Cr. Procurement from 8,828 SC/ST-owned MSEs in FY 2022-23
Context: Shilabhattarika, the celebrated Sanskrit poetess of Ancient India, has recently been the subject of new research by researchers at the Pune-based Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), which is home to the largest collection of manuscripts and rare books in South Asia. They claim to have shed new light on her by identifying her as the daughter of the renowned Chalukyan Emperor Pulakeshin II of Badami (in modern Karnataka).
Findings from the copper plates
Information about the literary past
The copper plate gives critical details to the literary history of the Chalukyas, in addition to providing information on the geography and politics.
Marked change in the Historiography of the Badami Chalukyas
It had provided earliest concrete historical proof of Shila-Bhattarika's status as a poetess, who made a name for herself in the historically male-dominated field of classical Sanskrit literature.
The new research has put Shilabhattarika's life in the 7th century CE instead of the prevailing belief that placed her as the wife of the 8th-century Rashtrakuta ruler, Dhruva.
Shilabhattarika was a Chalukyan princess who may have been Pulakeshin II's daughter.
Pulakeshin II, who ruled from 610 to 642 CE, is known for having notably defeated Harshavardhan of Kanauj in a battle that took place in close proximity to the Narmada River in 618 CE.
Reconstruction of the Past
Archaeologists, linguists, and orientalists employ copper plates, which frequently have inscriptions of hereditary grants made by kings, to recreate the past.
A copper-plate charter with five copper plates from the era of Vijayaditya, the Badami Chalukyan king (696-733 CE) has been deciphered.
A copper ring with a Varaha (boar) seal serves as the binding element of the charter. The Varaha seal served as the royal seal of Badami Chalukyas. A Sanskrit text written in late-Brahmi script was included in the charter.
According to a preliminary interpretation of the plates, Vijayaditya gave the village of Sikkatteru to the Vedic scholar Vishnusharma in the month of Magha, Shaka year 638.
The plates also revealed that Mahendravarma, son of Shilabhattarika, the daughter of "Satyashraya," had asked Vijayaditya to make the grant. Pulakeshin II was the only Badami Chalukyan ruler who was solely known by the title "Satyashraya," which can be translated as "patron of truth."
Additionally, evidence points to Shilabhattarika's marriage to Dadiga, a prince from Talakkad's Ganga lineage.
Shila-Bhattarika
A Sanskrit poetess from the ninth century.
In the accounts of Rajashekhara:
Shilabhattarika has been lauded for her delicate compositions by the Sanskrit poet-critic Rajashekhara, court poet of the Gurjara-Pratiharas (9th–10th century CE).
Rajashekhara claims that the Panchali style (one of the four primary literary styles, the other three are Vaidharbhi, Gaudi, and Lati) can be seen in the writings of Shilabhattarika and perhaps in a few of the works of the poet Bana from the seventh century.
The 15th-century anthology Subhashitavali contains a lyric attributed to Rajashekhara that states that Panchali style preserves "a balance between words and meaning."
In Sharngadhara-paddhati, a 14th-century anthology, she and three other female poets are lauded, in the following sentences: Poetesses like Shilabhattarika, Vijja, Marula, and Morika are well-known for their poetic brilliance and erudition. These women are proficient in all academic fields, have engaged in disputes with other academics.
Subjects in her poetry: It is known that she wrote at least 46 poems, some of which deal with "love, morality, politics, nature, beauty, the seasons, insects, anger, indignation, codes of conduct, and the characteristic features of various kinds of heroines."
The deciphering of the plates also sheds light on how, Shilabhattarika might have developed the level of poetry-writing expertise that put her on par with the most esteemed male poets of the day.
Durvinita, a well-known ruler of the Western Gangas, was Shilabhattarika's grandfather-in-law. He was also an accomplished composer who had patronised Bharavi, the author of the classical epic Kiratarjuniya.
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first water metro in Kerala's Kochi which will connect 10 islands around the city in Malabar coast through battery-operated electric hybrid boats.
Waterways - Kochi Scenario
The Kerala backwaters are a network of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (Known as Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India. Kochi is the largest city in the south Indian state of Kerala. Kochi is less vulnerable to storm surges or cyclones compared to cities on the eastern coast of the country. The city sits within a complex estuarine system comprising Lake Vembanad and the many rivers flowing into the lake, including the Periyar and Muvattupuzha rivers.
Inland water ways India Scenario
India has approximately 14,500 km of navigable waterways which comprise of rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks, etc. Navigable waterways are a fuel-efficient, environment friendly and cost-effective mode of transport. Despite the inherent advantages, the share of Inland waterway transport (IWT) in India is currently estimated to be only around 2% in comparison to 35% in Bangladesh and 20% in Germany.
Initiatives
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI): Statutory authority created under the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) Act, 1985 for regulation and development of Inland Waterways.
National Inland Navigation Institute (NINI): Setup by IWAI to develop human resources for Inland Water Transport sector
National Waterways Act, 2016: Under this act, Parliament has declared 111 National Waterways which cover a total length of 20300 Kms and spread across 24 States.
Sagarmala Program: Promote port-led development through 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways
Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP): Capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1 with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank.
Central Road and Infrastructure fund (CRIF): Set up under the CRIF Act, 2000 and administered by Finance Ministry. The money for this fund is raised through the cess on petrol and high-speed diesel. The fund can be used for various social and physical infrastructure projects, including inland water transport.
International Cooperation such as Kaladan Multi- modal Transit Transport Project, Treaty of Transit between India and Nepal, agreement between India and Bangladesh for use Chaogram and Mongla Ports for transit movement of Indian Goods.
Some important operational National Waterways in India
S.no.
National Waterways
Details of waterways
States
1
National Waterway 1
Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System (Haldia - Allahabad)
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal
2
National Waterway 2
Brahmaputra River (Dhubri - Sadiya)
Assam
3
National Waterway 3
West Coast Canal (Kottapuram - Kollam), Champakara and Udyogmandal Canals
Kerala
4
National Waterway 4
Krishna River (Vijayawada – Muktyala)
Andhra Pradesh
5
National Waterway 5
Dhamra-Paradio via Mangalagadi to Pankopal
Odisha
6
National Waterway 8
Alappuzha- Changanassery Canal
Kerala
7
National Waterway 9
Alappuzha-Kottayam – Athirampuzha Canal
Kerala
8
National Waterway 16
Barak River
Assam
9
National Waterway 27
Cumberjua River
Goa
10
National Waterway 68
Mandovi River
Goa
11
National Waterway 86
Runarayan River
West Bengal
12
National Waterway 97
Sunderbans Waterways
West Bengal
13
National Waterway 111
Zuari River
Goa
Ports & Shipping and Inland Waterways
India has a coastline spanning about 7,500 km, forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. Around 90 per cent of India’s external trade by volume and 70 per cent by value are handled by 12major ports and 205 non-major ports operate on India’s coast. Yet, roads and railways continue to be the dominant mode for cargo movement. Despite being the most cost-effective and efficient mode, water transport accounted for mere 6 per cent of freight transport in India in 2016-17.
Constraints before inland water ways
Modal mix: Roads (54 per cent) continue to be the dominant mode of transporting cargo, followed by rail (33 per cent). Transportation of cargo through waterways – shipping and inland water – accounts for a minuscule modal share (6 per cent) despite it being the most cost effective and efficient mode.
Draught levels: Most Indian container handling ports lack the capability to handle large container vessels due to inadequate depth; a minimum draft depth of 18 metres is needed to enable mother vessels to dock at ports.
Connectivity to ports: Weak hinterland connectivity between production centres and gateway ports
Transhipment port: A large percentage of containers in India are currently transhipped through other ports, such as Colombo (just south of India), Singapore (East) due to the absence of a transhipment port in the country. This has led to additional costs and delays due to the feeder voyage from India to the hub port.
Capital for inland vessels: At present, the cost of capital is very high and makes IWT freight uncompetitive.
Technical issues in inland waterways: The varying and limited depths due to the meandering and braiding of alluvial rivers and the erosion of their banks causing excessive siltation, lack of cargo earmarked for IWT, non-mechanized navigation lock systems and insufficient unloading facility at terminals hinder the use of IWT by shippers.
Way forward
Open up India’s dredging market: At present, the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) and a limited set of private vendors serve the Indian dredging market, limiting competition.
Expedite the implementation of Sagarmala to modernise ports.
Enhance last mile connectivity to inland waterways: IWT should be integrated to multimodal/ intermodal connectivity. Inland terminals with proper road and/or rail connectivity and seamless transfer of goods from one mode to the other are important for an efficient logistics supply chain.
Facilitate access to capital for inland vessels: Financing for inland vessels could be made part of priority sector lending by banks. Categorizing inland vessels as infrastructure equipment will further ease access to capital issues for a sector where capital investments and operational costs are high.
Address technical and regulatory constraints in inland waterways to ease movement of inland vessels- Detention of a vessel without a valid reason should not be allowed; A clear directive needs to be issued for security of inland vessels, crew and cargo; Strengthen existing Inland Water Transport Directorates or Maritime Boards or set them up in states where they do not exist to ease the IWT business and to ensure efficient regulation and facilitation of IWT for cargo movement.
Streamline the governance of inland waterways: Currently, inland waterways are governed by multiple authorities including the Central Inland Water Corporation Limited (CIWTC Ltd), port authorities and state governments. Streamlining the regulatory structure and bringing an overarching body to oversee Inland Water Transport such as the IWAI will bring more consistency in the rules and strategy of the sector.
Develop measures for year-round navigation: Currently, due to weather conditions, several inland waterways are only serviceable during a part of the year. The seasonality of this mode of transport reduces its adoption. Efforts should be made to develop deeper stretches of the river, i.e., at least 2.5 m to 3 m.
