UPSC Daily Current affairs | Prelim Bits 03-01-2020

Savitribai Phule

Savitribai Phule, was a social reformer, an educationist and a poetess, and regarded as ‘mother of Indian feminism’.
Phule, along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, dedicated her life to the cause of women’s rights and education.
She is an important figure in the social reform movement, particularly in the state of Maharashtra.
Education of all women is what she focused on, despite facing ostracism from her community for it.
Along with her husband, she opened the very first school for girls in India.
Phule would also give stipends to children, so as to encourage them to attend schools and complete their education.
She also campaigned against the caste system in the country and advocate of inter-caste marriages.
Along with Jyotirao Phule she founded the Satyashodhak Samaj which, it is believed, organised marriages without priests and dowry.

Young Scientists Laboratories

Union government has launched 5 Young Scientists Laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs) are located in five cities viz, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
It aims to empower the youth by giving them decision making powers and challenging research opportunities.
Each lab will work on key advanced technology of importance to the development of futuristic defence systems viz,

It can be noted that N Chandrasekaran Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Defence in 2018 to study the use and application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military.

Indian science congress

The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two British Chemists, namely, Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon.
The first meeting of the Congress was held from January 15-17, 1914 at the premises of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
107th Indian Science Congress is scheduled to take place between January 3-7, at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
“Science & Technology: Rural Development” is the theme for the congress.
Indian Science Congress is a major focal point for scientists, researchers and academicians interested in various aspects of scientific discoveries and technologies.

Yakshagana

Yakshagana is a rare and unique traditional theatre of Karnataka state in India and has a recorded history of more than 5 centuries.
It is a rich artistic blend of music, dance, speech, and costumes, this art combines the features of opera as well as drama, the characteristics of moral education and mass entertainment.
Yakshagana is strongly influenced by the Bhakti movement.
Recently, the Yakshagana committee (Non-Government Organization) hosted the 60th annual Yakshagana in the Padmanur village, Karnataka.
The committee is officially known as the Sarvajanika Yakshagana Bayalata Samithi and was set up in 1959.
It is a multi-faith committee consisting of Hindus, Christians and Muslims and it hosts Yakshagana every year.

Lai Haraoba

Lai Haraoba, a ritualistic festival observed by Manipuri meitei communities since ancient times.
Lai Haraoba is celebrated through oral literature, music, dance and rituals., to please the Umang Lai, the traditional deities of Sanamahism.
It is one of the main festivals still performed in Manipur which has its roots in the pre-Vaishnavite period.
Lai Haraoba is the earliest form of dance which forms the basis of all stylised dances in Manipur.
The principal performers are the maibas and maibis (priests and priestesses) who re-enact the theme of the creation of the world.
It is usually observed during the month of Kalen tha (summer season).
Four types of Lai Haraoba are prevalent in the Meitei society, namely:

MANI App

Reserve Bank of India, RBI has launched a mobile app, MANI, Mobile Aided Note Identifier.
It aims to help visually challenged people to identify denomination of currency notes.
Through the downloaded app, users can scan the notes using the camera.
The audio output will give the result in Hindi and English.
The mobile application does not authenticate a note as being either genuine or counterfeit.

Source: PIB, the Hindu, Indian Express, AIR