Shiva Kumaraswami: Shivakumara Swami of Siddhaganga Mutt in Tumkur was a revered seer of the Lingayat-Veerashaiva faith and was the Lingayat religious head of Sree Siddaganga Mutt. Born on 1st April, 1907, in Veerapura village of Ramanagara (Karnataka), he was well known for his philanthropic activities. He worked for 88 years to realize the thought of Basaveshwara and paved the way to bring equality, …
Chaitra Sukladi: It marks the beginning of the new year of the Vikram Samvat also known as the Vedic [Hindu] calendar. Vikram Samvat is based on the day when the emperor Vikramaditya defeated Sakas, invaded Ujjain and called for a new era. Under his supervision, astronomers formed a new calendar based on the luni-solar system that is still followed …
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Antarctica: Antarctica is uninhabited except for those manning the nearly 40 permanent stations established by several countries, including India, for carrying out scientific research. India maintains two research stations on the continent: ‘Maitri’ (commissioned in 1989) at Schirmacher Hills and ‘Bharati’ (2012) at Larsemann Hills. It has also launched 41 scientific expeditions every year thus far. Together with ‘Himadri’ station in …
Biosphere Reserves focus on the harmonised management of biological and cultural diversity. Out of 18 notified biosphere reserves, India has 12 biosphere reserves under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR), the latest one included is Panna Biosphere Reserve. World Heritage Sites promote the conservation of natural and cultural sites of outstanding universal value. India has 40 world heritage sites, including 32 …
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Geo-heritage Sites: Geo-heritage refers to the geological features which are inherently or culturally significant offering insight to earth’s evolution or history to earth science or that can be utilized for education. Geological Survey of India (GSI) is the parent body which is making efforts towards identification and protection of geo-heritage sites/national geological monuments in the country. Why in …
Ministry : Ministry of MSME Scheme: Scheme would commence in FY 2022-23. It is a World Bank assisted Central Sector Scheme. Aims: Improving access to market and credit Strengthening institutions and governance at the Centre and State Improving Centre-State linkages and partnerships Addressing issues of delayed payments and greening of MSMEs The overall monitoring and policy overview of …
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Buddhism: Buddhism is 2,500 years old. It is one of the important religions of South and South-Eastern Asian countries. Buddhism arose as a result of Siddhartha Gautama’s quest for Enlightenment in around the 6th Century BC. There is no belief in a personal God. It is not centred on the relationship between humanity and God. Buddhists believe that nothing is …
Bamiyan Buddhas: The Bamiyan Buddha statues, cut from sandstone cliffs, are said to have dated back to the 5th century AD, and were once the tallest standing Buddhas in the world. They are located in Mes Ayank, Afghanistan. In their Roman draperies and with two different mudras, the statues were great examples of a confluence of Gupta, …
Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) project: Project NETRA is an initiative by ISRO which is an early warning system in space to detect debris and hazards to the Indian satellites. Under this project, ISRO plans to put up many observational facilities like telescopes, connected radars, data processing units, and a control centre. …
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Shrinkflation: Shrinkflation is the practice of reducing the size of a product while maintaining its sticker price. It is a form of hidden inflation. Raising the price per given amount is a strategy employed by companies, mainly in the food and beverage industries, to stealthily boost profit margins or maintain them in the face of rising input costs. Nowadays, …