Kalanamak, a traditional type of rice with a black husk and a powerful fragrance, is about to get a new look and name. The rice is thought to have been a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Sravasti (capital of the ancient Kosala) following his enlightenment Addressing the problem of lodging, the Indian… Continue reading Kalanamak Rice

Speakers of Tulu and Kodava have opposed the draft of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, 2022, which aims to ensure the “extensive use and propagation” of Kannada.   About ‘Tulu’ language – Tulu is a Dravidian language. It is mainly spoken in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Kasargod and the Western Ghats had 17,22,768 speakers as… Continue reading Kannada Language Comprehensive Development, Bill, 2022

According to the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the central government’s development journey in the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has only begun, and its northward journey will be complete after reaching Gilgit-Baltistan.   History of the region – Gilgit was part of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir, but was… Continue reading Gilgit-Baltistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently mooted the idea of ‘One Nation, One Police Uniform’.   Details – His suggestion “One Nation, One Uniform” is in line with his broader attempt to introduce a uniform set of policies across the country.  Currently, there is a ‘one nation, one ration’ card; ‘one nation, one mobility’ card; ‘one… Continue reading ‘One Nation, One Uniform’ for police

The Election Commission of India is hosting a two day international conference at New Delhi. The ECI leads the Cohort on Election Integrity – which was established as a follow on to the ‘Summit for Democracy’ held in December, 2021.   Details – Theme is ‘Role, Framework & Capacity of Election Management Bodies’. It will… Continue reading International Conference by Election Commission of India

The four-day Chhath Puja celebrations began across the country on October 28.   About ‘Chhath Puja’ – Dedicated to — Chhath is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun god and his wife Usha in order to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth. The Goddess who is worshipped during the famous Chhath Puja is known as Chhathi… Continue reading Chhath Puja

The fourth edition of the Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS) is being conducted by the Naval War College (NWC) at Goa from 31 October to 01 November 2022.   Details – The theme of GMS-2022 is “Maritime Security Challenges in the Indian Ocean Region: Converting Common Maritime Priorities into Collaborative Mitigation Frameworks”. The theme is underpinned by… Continue reading Goa Maritime Symposium 2022

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology recently raised several questions on implication on data privacy of citizens with vague definitions of “public interest” and “national security” in the draft Indian Telecommunication Act, 2022.   History – 17 DRSCs were established in Parliament in 1993 on the proposal of the Lok Sabha Rules Committee. Seven… Continue reading Department Related Parliamentary Committees

The first edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise (IMT TRILAT), a joint maritime exercise among the Indian, Mozambique and Tanzanian navies commenced at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.   Details – Indian Navy is represented by the guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and MARCOS (Special Forces). The exercise has three broad objectives — capability… Continue reading IMT TRILAT

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recently announced the onset of the northeast monsoon over South India.   What is the Northeast monsoon? India receives rainfall during two seasons. About 75 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall is received from the Southwest monsoon between June and September. The Northeast monsoon, on the other hand, occurs… Continue reading Northeast Monsoon