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One Liners 14-02-2025
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History, Art and Culture
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Khultabad Name Change to Ratnapur
Recently, Maharashtra government announced the renaming of the historic town Khultabad to its original name, Ratnapur.
- History of Ratnapur/Khultabad - Originally known as Ratnapur, the town's name was changed to Khultabad during the Mughal era.
- Location - Situated approximately 25 km from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad)
- Tomb of Aurangazeb – The town houses the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, along with the graves of his son Azam Shah and Asaf Jah I, the founder of the Hyderabad Nizam dynasty.
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Geography
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Thar Desert Greening
The Thar Desert in India saw a striking 38 per cent rise in greening annually over the last two decades, a new study showed.
- Thar Desert – It is an arid region in the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent that covers an area of 200,000 km² in India and Pakistan.
- Thar desert States - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana.
- It is the world's 18th-largest desert, and the world's 9th-largest hot subtropical desert.
- Unique phenomena - Thar was the only desert in the world with the highest concurrent increase in population, precipitation and vegetation during the last few decades.
- This remarkable transformation stands in contrast to vegetation trends observed in other deserts globally.
- Thar is among only four major deserts (Thar, Arabian, Negev and Eastern Gobi) worldwide that have experienced significant precipitation increases during this period.
- Reason for greening:
- Enhanced South West Monsoon rainfall
- Groundwater pumping for irrigation.
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International Relations and Issues
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Country Partnership Framework (CPF)
Recently, Mauritius has signed a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
- CPF – It is a strategic document designed to facilitate medium- and long-term cooperation with ISA member countries to achieve their solar energy goals.
- Aim – To promote the deployment of solar-based applications, capacity-building on technical, regulatory, and financing needs to the country.
- To establish the Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C), scaling of solar rooftop, projects, agrivoltaics, water pumping systems and solar Green Hydrogen.
Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C) is a program initiated by ISA, to build a skilled solar workforce through specialized training, tools, and learning modules.
- Mauritius – It has become the 1st African nation and 4th globally to enter into this partnership with ISA.
- Duration – 3 years and renewed based on mutual consent.
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Economy
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GI Tags for Meghalaya's Textiles
Recently, the Geographical Indication (GI) tags to Ryndia silk and Khasi handloom, two significant traditional textile products from Meghalaya.
- Ryndia Silk – It is a hand-spun eri silk which is naturally dyed, and organically produced and ethically sourced.
- Ryndia – It is the Khasi name for eri, named after the ryndia (castor) plant that nourishes the eri silkworms.
- Peace Sik, or Ahimsa Silk - Its yarn is extracted without cruelly boiling the silkworms and killing them, unlike other silks.
- Region - It is particularly associated with the Umden-Diwon region, designated as Meghalaya’s first Eri Silk Village in 2021.
- Khasi Handloom – It is the traditional textile art of the Khasi community.
- Uniqueness - This handloom is known for its distinctive weaves and the use of natural dyes.
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Environment
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Vembur Sheep
Vembur sheep in Tamil Nadu faces threat from industrial plan.
- Vembur Sheep - It is one of 5 the indigenous hair sheep breeds in Tamil Nadu and locally called as Pottu aadu.
- Characteristics – It has medium-sized drooping ears, short thin tails, and tall lean bodies.
- It doesn’t require shearing and well-suited to the Tamil Nadu climate.
- Unique coating pattern – White fur adorned with irregular reddish brown patches, and in rare cases black fawn patches.
- It does not rely on commercial cattle fodder, but entirely on natural grazing grounds.
- Recognising its uniqueness, the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources officially registered the breed in 2007.
- Climate resilient - The breed’s natural resilience and adaptability to dry climate makes it ideal for the rain-fed agricultural regions.
- Conservation status – IUCN – Not listed.
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India in Mission Innovation Annual Gathering (MIAG), 2025
Recently, India highlighted their initiatives at Mission Innovation Annual Gathering, 2025 which was held at Seoul, South Korea.
- Mission Innovation – It is a global clean energy initiative to catalyse action and investment in research, development and demonstration in clean energy.
- Launched in – It was announced at COP21 in 2015 by the then President Obama of the United States.
- Members - 23 countries including India and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union).
- Missions
- Mission Innovation 2.0 - It was launched on 2021, is catalysing a decade of action and investment.
- India’s leadership - The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India - co-leads the Mission Integrated Biorefinery jointly with the Netherlands as part of Mission Innovation (MI) 2.0.
- Bio E3 Policy - Biotechnology for Environment, Energy, and Economy Policy.
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Security
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Gaurav – Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB)
Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted the trials of Gaurav from a Su-30 MKI aircraft.
- LRGB ‘Gaurav’ – It is a 1,000 kg class glide bomb.
- Indigenous production – It is indigenously designed and developed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat, Armament Research and Development Establishment, and Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.
- Range - The trials successfully demonstrated range close to 100 kms with pin-point accuracy.
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YARD 3039- Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel
Recently, The Keel Laying ceremony for Yard 3039, the third Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) was held in Kolkata.
- Yard 3039 – It is a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel.
- Developed by - Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL), Goa and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
- Features of Yard 3039
- It has a tonnage capcity of around 3000T.
- Designed for coastal defence and surveillance, search and rescue, offshore asset protection, and anti-piracy missions.
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Science
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Black Rats: Primary Hantavirus Carriers in Madagascar
Recent research published in Ecology and Evolution has identified black rats as the primary carriers of hantavirus in rural Madagascar, highlighting a significant health risk to local populations.
- Hantavirus infection - Hantavirus is a serious viral infection transmitted to humans through contact with the excreta (urine, droppings, saliva) of infected rodents.
- Associated Syndromes
- Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a potentially fatal respiratory disease
- Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which primarily affects kidney function.
- Black rat (Rattus rattus) – It is an invasive species, introduced to Madagascar centuries ago, between the 10th and 14th centuries.
- Increased Human Contact - Deforestation and agricultural expansion in Madagascar have led to increased interaction between human communities and hantavirus-carrying black rats, elevating the potential for disease transmission.
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Miscellaneous
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National Safe Motherhood Day, 2025
National Safe Motherhood Day is observed annually on April 11th in India, coinciding with Kasturba Gandhi's birth anniversary, to emphasize the critical need for maternal healthcare.
- Theme - “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” focusing on ensuring accessible and quality maternal healthcare from the beginning of pregnancy for safe outcomes.
- Maternal death – It is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy.
- Maternal mortality rate in India – It is declined from 130 per 100,000 live births in 2014-16 to 97 per 100,000 live births in 2018-20.
- While some states, like Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, have witnessed a significant reduction in maternal deaths, others continue to struggle with large numbers.
- White Ribbon Alliance – It is an international non-profit organization that advocates for maternal health.
- Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) – It is one of the schemes launched by the central government to provide free and zero-expense delivery and treatment for pregnant women and sick newborns.
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