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One Liners 08-05-2025
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History, Art and Culture
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Commemorate the 300th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar,
Recently, Maharashtra announced it will produce a multilingual biopic on Ahilyabai Holkar's life for her 300th birth anniversary, showcasing her governance and welfare contributions on Doordarshan and OTT.
- Aims to - Raise awareness about India's female historical figures, and popularize her contributions to governance, welfare, architecture, and culture.
About Ahilyabai Holkar
- Born on - May 31, 1725, in Chondi, Maharashtra, she was reverently known as ‘Punyashlok Ahilyabai’.
- Reign and Rule - She ruled the Malwa region after the demise of her husband and father-in-law, known for her progressive and just governance.
- Public Welfare Focus - Ahilyabai championed public welfare, undertaking extensive works and funding the restoration of numerous Hindu temples across India.
- Military Leadership - She was a capable commander, leading armies alongside Tukoji Rao Holkar to protect her kingdom from invasions.
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World Red Cross Day (WRCD)
Annually on May 8th, honoring the global humanitarian network and its dedicated volunteers and staff.
- Honoring Henry Dunant - The date commemorates the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant (1828), the visionary founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
- RCD- Is a global humanitarian organization dedicated to protecting human life and health, ensuring respect for all human beings, and preventing and alleviating human suffering. It is the most extensive humanitarian network worldwide.
- Core Mission: To alleviate human suffering, protect life and health, and uphold human dignity, especially during armed conflicts, natural disasters, and other emergencies.
- The 2025 theme is - "Keeping Humanity Alive," emphasizing selfless service.
- The Tripartite Movement - The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement comprises the ICRC (armed conflict focus), the IFRC (disaster relief coordination), and National Societies (local humanitarian action).
- Global Significance - World Red Cross Day raises awareness about the Movement's core principles and encourages public support and engagement in humanitarian activities worldwide.
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Geography
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Poonch
Pakistan's retaliation after India's Operation Sindoor struck Poonch civilians, killing 12 and destroying property including a Gurudwara. "All Eyes on Poonch" reflects rising LoC tensions and calls for peace.
- Location - In the western part of Jammu and Kashmir, it shares border with the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, on its north, west, and south.
- Topography - largely mountainous and undulating, formed by the southern slopes of the Pir Panjal range, which separates the Kashmir Valley from the Jammu region.
- Rivers - The Poonch River and its tributaries flow through the district.
- History - Dating back to ancient times. It was known as Dravabhisar around 326 BC during Alexander the Great's invasion.
- In the 7th century AD, the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang passed through Poonch and noted its fame for graphics, fine tea, and good horses.
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Ancient Wildfire Evidence in Godavari Basin
Scientists recently discovered palaeofire (ancient wildfire) evidence from the Permian Period (250 million years ago) in India's Godavari Basin.
- Palaeofires - Preserved in geological records, are vital for understanding past vegetation, climate shifts, and coal formation across geological periods.
- Advanced Analytical Techniques - The research employed Palynofacies analysis, Raman Spectroscopy, Rock-Eval Pyrolysis, and FTIR Spectroscopy to examine microscopic organic matter and fossil charcoal.
- Distinguishing Charcoal Origins - A key finding was the successful differentiation between in situ (on-site) and ex situ (transported) charcoal, resolving a geological debate about charcoal origins in coal formations.
- Stratigraphic Patterns and Fire Residues - Rock layering analysis showed concentrated, well-preserved fire residues during sea-level drops (regressive phases) and dispersed, oxidised charcoal during sea-level rises (transgressive phases).
- Permian Fire-Prone Earth - High Permian atmospheric oxygen likely intensified wildfire frequency, influencing carbon cycling and offering insights for modern climate change strategies.
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National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) Flags Damage in KLIP Barrages
NDSA has reported "irreparable damage" to three barrages within Telangana's Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).
- Kaleshwaram Project - The KLIP is a significant multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Telangana.
- Irrigation and Drinking Water Goals - Designed to irrigate about 4.5 million acres across 20 Telangana districts (excluding Hyderabad and Secunderabad), it also aims to supply drinking water.
- World's Largest Lift Irrigation - Currently the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, its upstream reach extends to the Pranhita-Godavari confluence.
- Project Scope and Scale - Comprising seven links and 28 packages over 500 km, its canal network spans over 1,800 km.
- Water Allocation - The project targets 240 TMC of water for irrigation, Hyderabad's municipal supply, industrial use, and drinking water for nearby villages.
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Polity & Governance
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Haryana's Artist Support Scheme Launched
Recently,Haryana government has introduced the “Pandit Lakhmi Chand Kalakar Samajik Samman Yojana” to provide financial assistance to senior artists and art scholars.
- Monthly Honorarium Offered - Eligible artists will receive a monthly honorarium of 10,000 under this initiative.
- Target Beneficiaries - The scheme aims to support senior artists with at least 20 years of dedication to fields like singing, acting, dance, drama, and visual arts.
- Eligibility Requirements - Applicants must be Haryana residents aged 60 or older with 20+ years in their art form. Income verification via Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) is required, with varying honorariums based on income.
- Evaluation and Selection Process - A special committee will assess applications based on artistic merit and financial need, ensuring deserving artists are selected as beneficiaries.
- Expected Scheme Impact - The yojana is anticipated to improve the financial well-being of senior artists, acknowledge their contributions, preserve cultural heritage, and foster artistic expression in Haryana.
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Environment
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Trespassing Threatens Bhimgad Sanctuary
Recently uncontrolled public trespassing into the ecologically vital Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) in Khanapur taluk raises serious conservation concerns.
- About Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary - Established in Karnataka's Belgaum district in 2011 within the Western Ghats, the sanctuary is named after Shivaji's 17th-century Bhimgad Fort.
- Ecological Connectivity and Hydrology - BWS borders several other protected areas and serves as the headwaters for key rivers like Tillari, Malaprabha, and Mhadei.
- Unique Bat Habitat - The sanctuary harbors the Barapede caves, the only known breeding site for the endangered Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat.
- Diverse Flora and Fauna - Featuring tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, BWS is home to endangered species like the sloth bear and black panther, alongside diverse birdlife.
- King Cobra Breeding Grounds - Bhimgad's isolated rock formations provide crucial breeding habitats for the King Cobra, the world's longest venomous snake.
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Yangtze Porpoise Decline Evidenced by Poetry
Recent research utilizing classical Chinese poetry reveals a significant decline in the distribution of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise.
- Historical Poetic - Over 700 poems spanning 1,400 years, from the Tang to Qing Dynasties, mention the porpoise, indicating its historically widespread presence.
- Mapping Distribution via Poems - Researchers analyzed poems with location-specific information, finding that half contained crucial data for mapping the porpoise's historical range.
- Staggering Range Contraction - The study documented a 65% contraction in the porpoise's range since the Tang Dynasty, with a drastic 91% loss in tributaries and lakes.
- Human Activities: Primary Driver - Dam construction since the 1950s is identified as the main factor obstructing migration and severely reducing the porpoise's habitat.
- Poetry as Ecological Data - This research highlights the valuable ecological insights that historical art forms like poetry can provide regarding wildlife distribution and the impact of human activities.
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Security
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Operation Abhyas
Following a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directive, recently Bengaluru held a significant civil defence mock drill, ‘Operation Abhyas’.
- Aim of ‘Operation Abhyas’ - The primary objective was to enhance public awareness and improve emergency preparedness across various scenarios.
- Mock Drill Activities - The exercise included siren alerts, rescue operations from simulated debris, high-rise evacuations, firefighting demonstrations, and first-aid procedures.
- Context: Heightened National Alert - This drill occurred amidst a nationwide alert prompted by the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and increasing tensions between India and Pakistan.
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Science
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World Thalassaemia Day 2025
May 8th, marks World Thalassaemia Day.
- Focusing - Uniting Communities, Prioritizing Patients."
- Observance Significance - Thalassaemia is a group of inherited blood disorders characterized by the body making an abnormal form or inadequate amount of hemoglobin.
- Hemoglobin - Is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. This can lead to anaemia and other complications
- Key Objectives - The day aims to promote awareness, encourage genetic screening, improve access to quality treatment, strengthen healthcare systems, build community support, and advocate for policy reforms.
- Observance Origins - Founded in 1994 by the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF).
- Global Impact - Thalassaemia affects hemoglobin synthesis, with over 300,000 children born annually with significant forms of the disorder worldwide.
- India faces - a substantial burden with approximately 10,000 new cases and over 100,000 registered thalassaemia major patients each year.
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