- Indian Heritage
Meenakari Art
Meenakari Craft is an age-old Indian art form of enamelling metal surfaces with vibrant colours, patterns, and designs. The craft is believed to have originated in the city of Persia and traveled to India in the 16th century. It is said that the Mughal Emperor Akbar was instrumental in introducing Meenakari to India, and it flourished during his reign.
Initially, Meenakari was used to decorate the interiors of Mughal palaces, including walls, ceilings, and even thrones. Over time, it evolved into a decorative art form for jewellery, utensils, and other metal objects. Meenakari work involves intricate designs that are etched onto the metal surface, which is then filled with various colours of enamel.
The process of Meenakari involves a series of steps, starting with the cleaning of the metal surface, followed by engraving the design onto it. The next step is to fill the cavities created by the design with enamel paste. The object is then fired in a kiln to allow the enamel to fuse with the metal surface. Finally, the object is polished to give it a glossy finish.
Meenakari is primarily associated with the state of Rajasthan in India, where the craft has been passed down through generations of artisans. Jaipur is famous for its Meenakari jewellery, which is exported all over the world. Meenakari work is also popular in other parts of India, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
- Culture
Akademi Ratna
The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, New Delhi, at its meeting held on 21 and 22 February 2024 at New Delhi unanimously elected six (6) eminent personalities in the field of performing arts as Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna). The Fellowship of the Akademi is a most prestigious and rare honour, which is restricted to 40 at any given time.
The General Council also selected ninety-two (92) artists from the field of Music, Dance, Theatre, Traditional/Folk/Tribal Music/Dance/ Theatre, Puppetry and Overall contribution/scholarship in the Performing Arts for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for the years 2022 & 2023.
The Fellows and Awardees so selected represent the nation as a whole, and belong to different States and Union Territories. Besides, these eminent artists cover the entire gamut of the performing arts forms expressed in the form of music, dance, drama, folk & tribal art, puppetry and allied theatre art forms etc.
The General Council of the Akademi has also selected 80 young artists for Sangeet Natak Akademi Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2022 and 2023. The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries a purse money of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram. These awards will be conferred by the Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi in a special ceremony.
The Akademi Awards have been conferred since 1952. These honours not only symbolize the highest standard of excellence and achievement, but also recognize sustained individual work and contribution. The honour of Akademi Fellow carries a purse money of Rs.3, 00, 000/- (Rupees three lakhs) while the Akademi Award carries a purse money of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.
- Modern Indian history
- The Freedom Struggle
- Post-independence
- Indian Society
A. population and associated issues
B. poverty and developmental issues
C.urbanization
7. Geographical features
8.Indian Constitution
9. Polity
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
B Health
C. Education
D. Human Resources
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
Appellate Body and Dispute Settlement Reforms at ongoing WTO Ministerial Conference-13 in Abu Dhabi
At the Working Session on Dispute Settlement (DS) Reforms, at the World Trade Organization’s 13th Ministerial Conference on 28 February 2024, India emphatically called for the restoration of the Appellate Body as the top-most priority of any reform process, along for effective formalisation of the ongoing informal dispute settlement reform discussions among some Members at the WTO.
During the Working Session, WTO Members noted that the Appellate Body – the appellate arm of the DS system – had been non-functional since December 2019, due to the blocking of appointment of its Members by the United States. This had called into question the WTO’s overall credibility and the rules-based trade-order it upholds.
India recalled the commitment of WTO Members of 12th Ministerial Conference to conduct discussions with the view to having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all Members by 2024.
India reiterated its long-standing position that a credible and reliable WTO DS system is the bedrock of an equitable, effective, secure and predictable multilateral trading system. India emphasized that the outcome of any reform process should provide for the restoration of the Appellate Body, which remains a top-most priority for India.
Moreover, India recalled that for the past year, it had engaged in good faith in the facilitator-driven informal DS reform discussions between certain Members, despite several deficiencies with the process. The format and pace of the informal discussions had posed significant challenges for most developing countries, particularly the least-developed countries (LDCs), from the outset. The informal organisation of these discussions made it extremely difficult for developing countries to participate effectively.
As a way forward, India sought the immediate and effective formalization and multilaterization of the informal DS reform process by rectifying the procedural and substantive defects. To this end, India proposed a three-point action plan for Members:
First, to transition the discussions on dispute settlement reforms to WTO formal bodies, preferably under the guidance of the Dispute Settlement Body Chair to meet the mandates of paragraphs 3 and 4 of the MC12 Ministerial Declaration.
C.Indian diaspora
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
B. industrial
First Mile Connectivity Projects (FMC)
With a steadfast commitment to enhancing coal supply and quality in an eco-friendly way, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate two significant First Mile Connectivity Projects (FMC) of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL) under the Ministry of Coal, virtually on 29th February. These projects, valued at the Rs 1393.69 Crore spearheaded by Northern Coalfields Limited, represent a notable step towards faster, efficient mechanized Coal evacuation contributing to the reduction of carbon emission.
Among the noteworthy projects to be unveiled are the Jayant OCP CHP-SILO and the Dudhichua OCP CHP-SILO. The Jayant OCP CHP-SILO boasts a capacity of 15 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) and has been developed with an investment of Rs. 723.50 Crore. Similarly, the Dudhichua OCP CHP-SILO, with a capacity of 10 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA), has been constructed with an investment of Rs. 670.19 Crore.
These projects, after an inauguration will usher in a new era of efficiency and sustainability in coal evacuation processes, while reducing both transportation time and costs, thereby enhancing overall productivity and profitability. Moreover, by optimizing logistics and minimizing carbon emissions, these projects will contribute to a greener and more environmentally conscious approach to dispatch of quality coal and its distribution.
E.issues
14. Technology
hydrogen fuel cell
WHAT IS FUEL CELL?
A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity by a chemical reaction. Every fuel cell has two electrodes, the anode (which is positively charged) and the cathode (which is negatively charged)1. The reactions that produce electricity take place at the two electrodes. Every fuel cell also has an electrolyte, which carries electrically charged particles from one electrode to the other, and a catalyst, which speeds the reactions at the electrodes2. Multiple fuel cells are usually assembled into a stack and generate direct current (DC).
Hydrogen is the basic fuel for fuel cells, but fuel cells also require oxygen3.
There are several kinds of fuel cells, and each operates a bit differently. But, in general terms, hydrogen atoms enter a fuel cell at the anode where a chemical reaction strips them of their electrons. The hydrogen atoms are now “ionized,” and carry a positive electrical charge. The negatively charged electrons provide the current through wires to do work. If alternating current (AC) is needed, the DC output of the fuel cell must be routed through a conversion device called an inverter.
Oxygen enters the fuel cell at the cathode and, in some cell types, it combines with electrons returning from the electrical circuit and hydrogen ions that have traveled through the electrolyte from the anode. In other cell types the oxygen picks up electrons and then travels through the electrolyte to the anode, where it combines with hydrogen ions.
The electrolyte plays a key role. It must permit only the appropriate ions to pass between the anode and cathode. If free electrons or other substances could travel through the electrolyte, they would disrupt the chemical reaction.
Whether they combine at anode or cathode, together hydrogen and oxygen form water, which drains from the cell. As long as a fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen and oxygen, it will generate electricity.
Types of Fuel Cells
- Alkali fuel cells operate on compressed hydrogen and oxygen. They generally use a solution of potassium hydroxide (chemically, KOH) in water as their electrolyte. Efficiency is about 70 percent, and operating temperature is 150 to 200 degrees C, (about 300 to 400 degrees F). Cell output ranges from 300 watts (W) to 5 kilowatts (kW). Alkali cells were used in Apollo spacecraft to provide both electricity and drinking water. They require pure hydrogen fuel, however, and their platinum electrode catalysts are expensive. And like any container filled with liquid, they can leak.
- Molten Carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) use high-temperature compounds of salt (like sodium or magnesium) carbonates (chemically, CO3) as the electrolyte. Efficiency ranges from 60 to 80 percent, and operating temperature is about 650 degrees C (1,200 degrees F). Units with output up to 2 megawatts (MW) have been constructed, and designs exist for units up to 100 MW. The high temperature limits damage from carbon monoxide “poisoning” of the cell and waste heat can be recycled to make additional electricity. Their nickel electrode-catalysts are inexpensive compared to the platinum used in other cells. But the high temperature also limits the materials and safe uses of MCFCs – they would probably be too hot for home use. Moreover, carbonate ions from the electrolyte are used up in the reactions, making it necessary to inject carbon dioxide to compensate.
- Phosphoric Acid fuel cells (PAFC) use phosphoric acid as the electrolyte. Efficiency ranges from 40 to 80 percent, and operating temperature is between 150 to 200 degrees C (about 300 to 400 degrees F). Existing phosphoric acid cells have outputs up to 200 kW, and 11 MW units have been tested. PAFCs tolerate a carbon monoxide concentration of about 1.5 percent, which broadens the choice of fuels they can use. If gasoline is used, the sulfur must be removed. Platinum electrode-catalysts are needed, and internal parts must be able to withstand the corrosive acid.
- Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells work with a polymer electrolyte in the form of a thin, permeable sheet. Efficiency is about 40 to 50 percent, and operating temperature is about 80 degrees C (about 175 degrees F). Cell outputs generally range from 50 to 250 kW. The solid, flexible electrolyte will not leak or crack, and these cells operate at a low enough temperature to make them suitable for homes and cars. But their fuels must be purified, and a platinum catalyst is used on both sides of the membrane, raising costs.
- Solid Oxide fuel cells (SOFC) use a hard, ceramic compound of metal (like calcium or zirconium) oxides (chemically, O2) as electrolyte. Efficiency is about 60 percent, and operating temperatures are about 1,000 degrees C (about 1,800 degrees F). Cells output is up to 100 kW. At such high temperatures, a reformer is not required to extract hydrogen from the fuel, and waste heat can be recycled to make additional electricity. However, the high temperature limits applications of SOFC units and they tend to be rather large. While solid electrolytes cannot leak, they can crack.
National Science Day
When was the day declared as National Science Day?
In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) asked the Government of India to designate 28 February as National Science Day which the then Govt. of India accepted and declared the day as National Science Day in 1986. The first National Science Day was celebrated on February 28, 1987.
What is Raman Effect?
Raman Effect is a phenomenon in spectroscopy discovered by the eminent physicist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman in 1928. After two years in 1930, he got Nobel Prize for this remarkable discovery and this was the first Nobel Prize for India in the field of Science. while working in the laboratory of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata.
Raman Effect is a change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules. When a beam of light traverses a dust-free, transparent sample of a chemical compound, a small fraction of the light emerges in directions other than that of the incident (incoming) beam. Most of this scattered light is of unchanged wavelength. A small part, however, has wavelengths different from that of the incident light; its presence is a result of the Raman Effect.
15. Environment
16. Security
17. Disaster Management