InstaLinks help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically.
Table of Contents:
GS Paper 1:
GS Paper 2:
2. Arctic Science Ministerial.
GS Paper 3:
1. China rocket debris falls in Indian Ocean near Maldives.
Facts for Prelims:
1. Mount Sinabung.
2. Badrinath Dham.
3. Drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG).
4. Shuvuuia deserti.
GS Paper : 2
Topics Covered: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Maharana Pratap:
Context: May 9 marks the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap, the 13th Rajpur king of Mewar. Maharana Pratap was born in 1540 and died at the age of 56 in 1597.
- He was the eldest son of Udai Singh II (founder of city of Udaipur).
Battle of Haldighati:
He is known for his bravery in the Battle of Haldighati. It was fought in 1576 between Maharana and the forces of Akbar led by Man Singh of Amber.
- Rana’s forces were defeated in 6 hours. But the Mughals failed to capture him. Maharana re-gathered his forces, fought and won against the Mughals after six years in 1582. Having faced a terrible defeat, Akbar stopped his military campaigns against Mewar after the battle.
Legacy:
- Rana Pratap’s defiance of the mighty Mughal empire, almost alone and unaided by the other Rajput states, constitute a glorious saga of Rajput valour and the spirit of self sacrifice for cherished principles.
- Rana Pratap’s methods of sporadic warfare was later elaborated further by Malik Ambar, the Deccani general, and by Shivaji Maharaj.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- Battle of Haldighati- reasons, groups involved and outcomes.
- Akbar’s reign- extent, cultural contributions.
Sources: PIB.
Topics Covered: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale:
Context: PM paid tributes to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on his birth anniversary. He was born on 9 May 1866.
Contributions of GK Gokhale in freedom movement of India:
- He served as Secretary of the Deccan Education Society.
- He visited Ireland and arranged for Irish nationalist Alfred Webb to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1894.
- Gokhale also published a daily newspaper entitled Jnanaprakash, which allowed him to voice his reformist views on politics and society.
- He was later elected to the Council of India of the Governor-General of India in 1903.
- He was appointed as the Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1904 New Year’s Honours List.
- In 1905, he founded the Servants of India Society, which trained people to be selfless workers so they could work for the common good of the people. He was also elected as the President of the Indian National Congress.
- He was instrumental in the formation of the Minto-Morley Reforms of 1909, which eventually became law.
- Gokhale was a mentor to both Mohammed Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi even wrote a book called, ‘Gokhale, My Political Guru’. His core beliefs about the importance of political liberty, social reform and economic progress for all Indians are still relevant to our times.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- Organisations in which Gokhale served.
- His election Governor’s council and imperial council.
- His role in freedom movement.
- Name of book written by Gandhi on Gokhale.
- INC presidency for Gokhale.
- Who published Mahratta?
- Who founded Deccan Education Society?
- Newspaper published by Gokhale.
- Gist of Morley Minto reforms.
Mains Link:
Comment on the significance of key contributions made by GK Gokhale to the Indian freedom movement.
Sources: PIB.
GS Paper : 2
Topics Covered: Issues related to health.
Black fungus:
Context:
It is a disease being detected relatively frequently among Covid-19 patients in some states..
About the disease:
- It is a rare but serious fungal infection.
- Also known as mucormycosis.
- The disease often manifests in the skin and also affects the lungs and the brain.
- Caused by a group of moulds known as mucormycetes present naturally in the environment.
Vulnerability:
It mainly affects people who are on medication for health problems that reduces their ability to fight environmental pathogens.
Symptoms:
- Sinuses or lungs of such individuals get affected after they inhale fungal spores from the air.
- Warning signs include pain and redness around the eyes or nose, with fever, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, bloody vomits, and altered mental status.
What’s the treatment?
Treated with antifungals.
It may eventually require surgery.
It is of utmost importance to control diabetes, reduce steroid use, and discontinue immunomodulating drugs.
Prevention:
Use masks if you are visiting dusty construction sites. Wear shoes, long trousers, long-sleeved shirts and gloves while gardening. Maintain personal hygiene including a thorough scrub bath.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- About the disease.
- Cause.
- Spread.
- Symptoms.
- Prevention.
Sources: Indian Express.
Topics Covered: Important international institutions.
Arctic Science Ministerial:
Context:
India is participating in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) – the global platform for discussing research and cooperation in the Arctic region.
Key facts:
- The first two meetings—ASM1 and ASM2—were held in the USA in 2016 and Germany in 2018, respectively.
- ASM3, jointly organised by Iceland and Japan, is the first Ministerial meeting being held in Asia.
- The meeting is designed to provide opportunities to various stakeholders to enhance collective understanding of the Arctic region, emphasize and engage in constant monitoring, and strengthen observations.
- The theme for this year is ‘Knowledge for a Sustainable Arctic’.
Need for international collaboration and cooperation in maintaining the Arctic region:
Arctic warming and its ice melt are global concerns as they play a pivotal role in regulating climate, sea levels, and maintaining biodiversity. Moreover, there is growing evidence of connection between the Arctic and the Indian Ocean (which modulates the Indian monsoon).
Hence, improving the understanding of physical processes and quantifying the impact of Arctic ice melt on the Indian summer monsoon is very important.
India and the Arctic:
- Since 2013, India enjoys ‘Observer’ status in the Arctic Council with twelve other countries (Japan, China, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, Singapore, and South Korea).
- India’s engagement with the Arctic dates back to 1920 with the signing of the Svalbard Treaty in Paris.
- Since July 2008, India has a permanent research station in the Arctic called Himadari at NyAlesund, Svalbard Area in Norway.
- It has also deployed a multi-sensor moored observatory called IndARC in the Kongsfjorden fjord since July 2014.
- The research in the Arctic region from India is coordinated, conducted, and promoted by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
India’s contributions further:
- India shared its plans to contribute observing systems in the Arctic, both in-situ and by remote sensing.
- The country would deploy open ocean mooring in the Arctic for long-term monitoring of upper ocean variables and marine meteorological parameters.
- The launch of NISER (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite mission, in collaboration with the USA, is underway. NISER aims to conduct global measurements of the cause and consequences of land surface changes using advanced radar imaging.
- India’s contributions to the Sustained Arctic Observational Network (SAON) are continuing.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- About ASM- objectives and meetings.
- About SAON.
- What is NISER?
- About the Arctic Council.
- About NCPOR.
- What is IndARC?
- About India’s permanent research station in the Arctic.
Sources: PIB.
GS Paper : 3
Topics Covered: Awareness in space.
China rocket debris falls in Indian Ocean near Maldives:
Context:
Debris from the last stage of China’s Long March rocket that had last month carried a key component of its under-construction space station fell into the waters of the Indian Ocean west of the Maldives recently.
Key facts:
- The Long March-5B Y2 rocket was carrying the Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, module, which is the first of three key components for the construction of China’s space station, which will be completed by the end of next year.
- Tianhe will act “the management and control hub of the space station” which is called Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace.
- The space station, which will be only the second after the International Space Station (ISS), has been designed with a lifespan of 10 years but could last 15 years, or until 2037.
Concerns and issues:
- The re-entry of the rocket, described by astrophysicists as the fourth-largest uncontrolled reentry in history, had evoked concerns in recent days about possible damage should it have fallen on land.
- It had been criticised by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the U.S. for “failing to meet responsible standards”.
- Few expected the debris to harm humans, mainly due to most of it burning up in the atmosphere, as well as the fact that large parts of the Earth are covered by oceans and massive land areas lie uninhabited.
Need of the hour:
“Spacefaring nations” should “minimise the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximise transparency regarding those operations.
Sources: the Hindu.
Facts for Prelims:
Mount Sinabung:
Located in Indonesia. The volcano has been active since 2010 when it erupted after nearly 400 years of inactivity.
Why in News?
Because of the recent eruption.
Background:
Indonesia is home to many active volcanoes owing to its location in the “Ring of Fire” or the Circum-Pacific Belt — an area along the Pacific Ocean characterised by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
Badrinath Dham:
Five oil PSUs have pledged Rs 100 crore for development of Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand as a spiritual smart city.
- The developmental activities will include river embankment work, building all-terrain vehicular path, building bridges, beautifying existing bridges, establishing gurukul facilities with accommodation etc.
- The expenditure will be borne by the companies from their CSR fund.
Geography:
Badrinath is in the Garhwal Himalayas, on the banks of the Alaknanda River. The town lies between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges 9 km east of Nilkantha peak (6,596m). Badrinath is located 62 km northwest of Nanda Devi peak and 301 km north of Rishikesh.
Drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG):
- The DCGI has granted emergency use approval to DRDO’s 2-DG drug for treatment in moderate to severe cases of Covid-19.
- 2-DG helps in faster recovery of hospitalized patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence.
- The drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has been developed by DRDO’s Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) in collaboration with Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboritories.
Shuvuuia deserti:
- It is a small bird-like nocturnal dinosaur that lived 70 million years ago.
- It was a pheasant-sized, two-legged Cretaceous Period dinosaur weighing about as much as a small house cat.
- It employed excellent night vision and superb hearing to thrive.
- Lacking the strong jaws and sharp teeth of many carnivorous dinosaurs, it had a remarkably bird-like and lightly built skull and many tiny teeth like grains of rice.
Articles to be covered tomorrow:
- Green panel allows the Great Nicobar plan to advance.
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