News in Shorts: 25 February 2026

Mt Aconcagua

Context: A joint expedition team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi and the Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM&WS), Pahalgam, successfully summited Mt Aconcagua in Argentina.

About Mount Aconcagua

• Rank: The highest peak in South America and the highest mountain outside Asia in the world.
  • It is also the highest point in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere.
• Height: Approximately 6,961 m (22,838 ft).
• Location: Andes mountain range, Argentina, near the Argentina–Chile border.
  • Andes is the world’s longest continental mountain range located in South America.
• Geological Origin: Volcanic origin (formed by tectonic uplift of the Andes), but not an active volcano (dormant/extinct).
• Seven Summits: The Seven Summits challenge means climbing the highest mountain on each continent.
  • Mount Aconcagua represents South America in this list.
• All Seven Summits:
  • Mount Everest (Asia): 8,848.86 m; highest mountain in the world, located on the Nepal–China border in the Himalayas.
  • Aconcagua (South America): 6,961 m; highest peak in the Andes and the Western Hemisphere, located in Argentina.
  • Denali (North America): 6,190 m; highest peak in North America, located in Alaska, USA.
  • Kilimanjaro (Africa): 5,895 m; highest free-standing mountain in the world, located in Tanzania.
  • Mount Elbrus (Europe): 5,642 m; highest peak in Europe, located in the Caucasus Mountains, Russia.
  • Mount Vinson (Antarctica): 4,892 m; highest mountain in Antarctica, located in the Ellsworth Mountains.
  • Puncak Jaya (Oceania): 4,884 m; highest peak in Oceania, located in Papua, Indonesia (also called Carstensz Pyramid).
• Geographical Importance: Lies in a tectonically active zone due to Nazca Plate–South American Plate convergence (subduction).

Chicory

Context: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has introduced a major new rule that all blended coffee packets must display the chicory content prominently on the front of the pack.

What is Chicory?

• Chicory is a plant whose root is dried, roasted, and ground to be used as an additive in coffee.
• Characteristics: It is naturally caffeine-free and provides a dark color and a distinct earthy, slightly woody taste to the beverage.
• Cost: Significantly cheaper than real coffee, making it attractive for mass-market brands looking to cut costs.
• History: Chicory was historically introduced as a cheap substitute for coffee during wartime coffee shortages and later became commercially normalised.
• In India, it is commonly used in mass-market coffee blends to reduce costs while maintaining a rich color and body.
• Legal Limit: Indian regulations currently allow up to 49% chicory in a coffee blend.

The Current State of the Indian Coffee Market

• Market Size: India’s coffee market is valued at approximately $2 billion.
• Blend Popularity: A massive 75% of the mass-market coffee consumed in India consists of coffee-chicory blends. These blends typically contain 30% to 35% chicory.

C. Rajagopalachari’s bust Replaces Edwin Lutyens’ Statue

Context: President Droupadi Murmu unveiled C. Rajagopalachari’s bust at Rashtrapati Bhavan, replacing Edwin Lutyens’ statue as part of India’s decolonisation initiative.

• The installation symbolises India’s effort to replace colonial-era icons with national leaders who shaped the freedom movement and post-Independence governance.

About C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji)

• Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (1878–1972) was India’s first and only Indian Governor-General (1948–1950) of independent India and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress.
• Early Political Career
  • He attended the 1906 (Calcutta) and 1907 (Surat) Congress sessions.
  • He joined the Home Rule League in 1916.
  • He became closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi after 1919.
  • He presided over the Salem Municipal Council (1917).
• Key Contributions
• • He participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement and led the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha (1930).
  • He proposed the “C.R. Formula” (1944), an early attempt to resolve the Congress–Muslim League deadlock over Pakistan.
  • He served as Premier of Madras Presidency (1937–1939).
  • He founded the Swatantra Party (1959), advocating market-oriented reforms.
• Legacy: Rajaji is remembered for administrative integrity, social reform advocacy, literary works, and his emphasis on principled, decentralised governance.
  • He was awarded ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1954 when he became the first person to receive this highest civilian award.

About Edwin Lutyens

• Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944) was a British architect who designed key buildings of imperial New Delhi.
• Role in India: He was commissioned after the 1911 Delhi Durbar to design Delhi as the new capital of British India.
• Major Contributions
  • He designed the Viceroy’s House (completed 1929), now Rashtrapati Bhavan.
  • He contributed to the planning of Central Vista and major government buildings in New Delhi.

Micro Minority Tag

Context: The Syro-Malabar Church has sought ‘micro minority’ status from the Centre, raising questions on minority classification and constitutional safeguards.

Micro Minority Tag

• The term “micro minority” refers to relatively smaller communities within officially notified religious minorities seeking targeted welfare support.
• Constitutional & Legal Framework
• • Articles 29 and 30 guarantee minorities the right to conserve culture and establish educational institutions.
    • The Constitution does not explicitly recognise “micro minority” as a separate legal category.
  • Minority status is notified under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
  • Any sub-classification must comply with Article 14 (Right to Equality).
• Rationale Behind Demand: Smaller denominations may seek equitable access to minority welfare schemes, scholarships, and institutional protections.

Syro-Malabar Church

• The Syro-Malabar Church is one of the three Eastern Catholic Churches in India and is in communion with the Pope in Rome.
• Origin
  • The Syro-Malabar Church traces its origin to St. Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have evangelized India between 42 and 72 AD.
  • Indian Christians maintained links with the Church of the East in the Persian Empire after the visit of Pantenus, a missionary from Alexandria, in 189 AD.
  • It attained metropolitan status in the 7th century.
• Current Presence
  • Primarily centred in Kerala, with dioceses across India and abroad.
  • Headquarters at Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad, Kochi.
• Significance
  • Major contributor to education, healthcare, and social welfare.
  • Plays an important role in interfaith dialogue and community development in Kerala.

Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR- 2026

Context: Recently, the 16th edition of the India-U.S. joint special forces exercise ‘Vajra Prahar’ began at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.

About Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR

• It is a Joint Special Forces exercise between India and the United States.
• Objective: Strengthen military cooperation and improve interoperability through joint tactical drills.
• History
  • Inception: Began in 2010 as a part of India-US defense cooperation.
  • Frequency: Held annually, alternating between India and the United States.
• 16th Edition
  • Location: Special Forces Training School, Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh
  • Participants
    • Indian Army: 45 personnel from Special Forces units.
    • US Army: 12 personnel from the Green Berets (US Special Forces).
• Other India-US Exercises
  • Bilateral Exercises: Yudh Abhyas (Army), Vajra Prahar (Special Forces), Cope India (Air Force).
  • Multilateral Exercises: Malabar (navies of India, USA, Japan, Australia).

Maharashtra: Vasai Cathedral Gets UNESCO Award

Context: Recently, the 475-year-old Our Lady of Grace Cathedral in Vasai in Palghar (Maharashtra) has won the Award of Merit at the 2025 edition of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

About Vasai Cathedral (Our Lady of Grace Cathedral)

• Period: Built approximately 475 years ago during the height of Portuguese influence in the Konkan region.
• Historical Context: Vasai (earlier Baçaim) was a major Portuguese stronghold on India’s western coast.
• Construction: Notable for using traditional stone and mud mortar, entirely eschewing modern cement—a testament to mid-16th-century engineering.
• Conservation: Recently underwent a ₹4.5 crore restoration funded by the local community, highlighting a successful model of participatory heritage conservation.
• Architectural Features
• • Style: Reflects Portuguese Ecclesiastical architecture, characterised by heavy stone masonry and a fortress-like exterior.
  • Key Elements: A prominent bell tower and a restored colonnade.
    • Hand-carved liturgical elements and wooden altars in the interior.
    • Use of authentic materials (lime, wood, and stone) to maintain the original structural integrity.

About UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards

• The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation honour efforts to recognise outstanding heritage conservation projects across the Asia-Pacific region.
• Established: 2000 (Silver Jubilee in 2025).
• Objective: To motivate the protection of cultural heritage sites initiated by the private sector or public-private partnerships.
• Key Features of the Award
  • Eligibility: Private individuals, organizations, and public-private partnerships.
  • Timeline: Projects must have been completed within the last 10 years.
  • Categories: 
    • Award of Excellence (highest)
    • Award of Distinction
    • Award of Merit
    • Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts
    • Special Recognition for Sustainable Development (since 2020).

Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs)

Context: Recently, the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, constituted 64 Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs) involving more than 60 countries to strengthen India’s parliamentary diplomacy and global legislative engagement.

About Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs)

• Definition: Structured forums consisting of Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the Treasury and Opposition benches to engage with their counterparts in foreign legislatures.
• Promoter: Recently proposed and formalised by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
• Nature: A shift from ad hoc delegations to institutionalised, continuous engagement.
• Composition: There are a total of 704 MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in 64 groups.
• Structure: Each of the 64 panels will have 11 MPs each, including at least one woman. Examples:
  • India–Israel: Ravi Shankar Prasad
  • India–France: Shashi Tharoor
  • India–Australia: Akhilesh Yadav
  • India–US: Baijayant Panda
• Objectives:
  • Institutionalise parliamentary diplomacy.
  • Establish continuous dialogue with foreign lawmakers.
  • Promote cooperation in trade, technology, education, culture, and global governance.
  • Reflect India’s democratic pluralism and bipartisan consensus in foreign engagement.

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