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One Liners 26-04-2025
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History, Art and Culture
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Vaikom Satyagraha Agreement
A century ago (100 years), the Travancore Government fully implemented the agreement reached during the historic Vaikom Satyagraha in Kerala.
- Vaikom Satyagraha (1924-25) - Held in Vaikom village, Kottayam district.s
- Aim - To eradicate untouchability and secure freedom of movement in public areas.
- Dalits faced severe restrictions, being barred from entering the Vaikom temple premises and even using the roads surrounding it, igniting the Satyagraha.
- Key Leaders – K. Kelappan, T. K. Madhavan, and K. P. Kesava Menon spearheaded the movement, which also received crucial support from Mahatma Gandhi, who visited in 1925.
- Success in Opening Temple Roads - The persistent Satyagraha ultimately achieved its goal, successfully opening the temple roads to people of all castes.
- Legacy of Equality and Social Justice - The full implementation of the agreement marked a significant victory in the fight against untouchability and a crucial step towards social equality and justice in Kerala.
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Polity & Governance
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Yeshasvini Scheme
Recently, Karnataka expert committee suggests a significant increase in Yeshasvini health scheme rates, up to 50% for complex procedures, aiming to improve rural healthcare access.
- Launched in – 2003, for low-to-middle-income individuals, Yeshasvini merged with Arogya Karnataka in 2018 but was relaunched in 2022-2023 following stakeholder demands.
- Expert Committee Recommendations - A 6-month market analysis led to a proposed 15-25% standard rate hike and a 50% increase for complex surgeries. Six outdated and 69 new procedures were also recommended.
- Financial Impact – The revisions may affect funding. The scheme offers cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for a minimal contribution.
- Enrollment and Hospital Participation – As of March 2025, 45.6 lakh members are enrolled, but only 782 hospitals are empanelled due to low 2017-2018 rates. Higher rates are expected to attract more hospitals.
- Future Funding and Access – The committee requests an additional Rs 40 crore to support increased costs and new procedures, focusing on enhanced rural healthcare access and increased hospital participation.
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International Relations and Issues
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Simla Agreement, 1972
Following India's actions post the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan has dramatically escalated tensions by suspending the 1972 Simla Agreement, citing alleged Indian terrorism and Kashmir violations.
- It arose directly from the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War and the creation of Bangladesh, a conflict where India's military played a decisive role, reshaping South Asian geopolitics.
- Aim – To establish peace and normalize relations after intense hostilities.
- Objectives – India sought a bilateral resolution to the Kashmir issue, improved relations based on the new power balance, and strategically avoided pushing for a permanent border at the ceasefire line to prevent Pakistani resentment.
- Core Principle – It emphasized peaceful, bilateral negotiations as the primary means to resolve all issues between India and Pakistan, aiming to end ongoing conflict and confrontation.
- Key Negotiators - PM Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
- Status of the Line of Control - A central provision addressed the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, established after the 1971 war. Both nations agreed to respect the LoC without prejudice to their claims and to avoid unilateral changes.
- Agreement mandated – The withdrawal of forces to their respective borders and outlined plans for future high-level meetings and discussions to build lasting peace, normalize relations, and address humanitarian concerns.
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Environment
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New Snake Species
Recently, Herpetologist Fred Kraus was discovered a new arboreal snake species.
- Dendrelaphis anthracina – It is a coal black tree snake on Sudest Island, Papua New Guinea which was observed defending itself against a goshawk.
- Size – 4-foot, 8-inch length.
- Newly identified 3 Endemic Species – It were identified within the Louisiade Archipelago:
- Dendrelaphis atra – The atra tree snake is matte black with a white chin, reaching 4 feet, 1 inch found on Misima Island
- Dendrelaphis melanarkys – It is known as black net tree snake (4 feet, 11 inches) has dark, net-patterned scales and orange eyes found on Rossel Island.
- Dendrelaphis roseni – Rosen’s tree snake, the smallest at 3 feet, 5 inches found on Woodlark Island.
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New Labeo Fish Species
Researchers recently in Kochi identified 2 new freshwater fish species, Labeo uru and Labeo chekida, in the Western Ghats.
- Labeo uru – Found in the Chandragiri River, is named for its sail-like fins.
- Labeo chekida – Locally known as ‘kaka chekida’ and found in the Chalakudy River.
- Endemic species – Both are endemic to their respective river systems.
- Threats – Posed by dams and habitat destruction, which threaten the survival of these unique species and the overall ecological health of the rivers.
- Conservation status – IUCN – It has not been formally determined.
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Urban Munnar Effect
Recently, the Technology Development Board (TDB) extending a financial support to Urban Air Labs Private Limited, Gurugram.
- It is a novel technology developed by Urban Air Labs and used in their uBreathe Life air purifier.
- Process – It enhances the natural air-purifying abilities of leafy indoor plants by amplifying the airflow around them and directing it to the root zone, where the majority of purification happens.
- Features – It is a combination of,
- Falcon Effect – Create a low-pressure area that draws the more air, then is purified.
- Magneto Effect – Bends the airflow, further increasing airflow and accelerating the purification process.
- Phytoremediation – It enhances the natural air-purifying abilities of plants.
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Science
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Lunar Nuclear Power Plant
- China and Russia intend to construct a nuclear power plant on the Moon to provide energy for their joint International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
- Aim – To conduct research in lunar geology, astronomy, space environment observation, fundamental science experiments, and lunar resource utilization.
- Participation – Currently, 17 countries and international organizations, along with over 50 research institutions.
- Capabilities – It will feature essential capabilities including,
- Earth-Moon transportation, a robust energy supply system, centralized control, communication, navigation, and ground support.
- "555 Project" Invitation – Their plan includes the "555 Project," an initiative to invite 50 countries, 500 research institutions, and 5,000 researchers to participate in the ILRS.
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Swap Kidney Transplant (SKT)
Recently, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) of Raipur successfully performed its 1st Swap Kidney Transplant.
- Process of SKT – A patient with kidney failure who has a willing living donor, but is unable to receive the kidney due to an incompatible blood group.
- The patient can still undergo a transplant by exchanging donors with another incompatible pair.
- Through this arrangement, both recipients receive compatible kidneys, resulting in successful transplants for both pairs.
- It leads to a 15% increase in the number of transplants.
- It also known as a Kidney Paired Transplant (KPT).
- AIIMS Raipur – It becomes the 1st government hospital in the state of Chhattisgarh to carry out this complex and life-saving procedure.
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Miscellaneous
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Asia University Rankings, 2025
Recently, the Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2025, released on April 23rd, 2025.
- The rankings indicate an intensifying competitive landscape in Asian higher education and highlighting leaders in research, teaching, and innovation.
- It features 853 universities across 35 Asian countries and territories.
- Top Positions – China continues to lead the regional rankings, with Tsinghua University and Peking University securing the first and second positions, respectively.
- IISc Tops Indian Institutions - Remains India's top-ranked university at 38th in Asia, although it experienced a drop from its 32nd position in 2024.
- Other Indian Universities Ranking - Anna University (111th), IIT Indore (131st), and Mahatma Gandhi University (140th) also saw slight decreases in their rankings compared to the previous year.
- Indian institutions experienced a decline amidst strong performances from universities in China, Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong.
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National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR)
Recently, the Minister of Youth Affairs inaugurated NCSSR at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.
- It is a hub for high-level research, education, and innovation under the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
- Aim – To enhance elite athlete performance.
- Main objective – To develop a National Integrated Sports Science & Sports Medicine (SSSM) Framework based on state-of-the-art services.
- It predominantly provides services across the 3 key areas:
- Sports Science
- Sports Medicine
- Research focused on Sports Science and Sports Medicine.
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