Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee

Context: On July 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 124th Birth Anniversary recalling his sacrifice and vision for a self-reliant India.

About Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee

• Early Life: Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was born on July 6, 1901, in Kolkata, West Bengal, into a prominent Bengali family.
• Academic Excellence: He earned degrees in English, Bengali, and Law from Calcutta University.
  • He started the Bengali journal “Bang Wani” in 1922.
• Legal Career: In 1926, he became a barrister after being called to the English Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in London.

Contribution to Freedom Struggle and Ideological Stand

• Opposition to Quit India Movement: He opposed the Quit India Movement in 1942, believing it would weaken India during World War II.
• Voice for Hindu Rights: He joined the Hindu Mahasabha and worked to safeguard the rights of Hindus, particularly in Bengal.
• Liaquat-Nehru Pact Protest: He resigned from Nehru’s cabinet in 1950 over concerns that the pact endangered Hindus in East Bengal.

Political Contributions

• Youngest Vice-Chancellor: In 1934, he became the youngest-ever Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University.
• Coalition Politics in Bengal: He served as Bengal’s Finance Minister in a coalition government supported by the Hindu Mahasabha.
• Part of the Constituent Assembly: He was  a member of the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities, and Tribal and Excluded Areas in the Constituent Assembly.
• Founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh: In 1951, he founded the BJS, a political party that laid the foundation for today’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
• Parliamentary Influence: He played a role in shaping the early structure of opposition politics and contributed to the formation of the National Democratic Party in Parliament.
• The Lion of Parliament: It  is a title used to refer to him, for his strong personality, powerful oratory, and uncompromising stance on issues related to India’s unity and integrity.
• Key role  in establishing  institutions like the Chittaranjan Locomotive Factory, Sindri Fertilizer Corporation, and Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation.

Legacy

• First Industry Minister: He was independent India’s first Minister for Industry and Supply.
• Martyrdom: Dr. Mookerjee died on June 23, 1953, under controversial circumstances while protesting the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • He opposed Article 370, asserting that one nation cannot have two constitutions, heads, or flags.
• Literary Contribution: “Leaves from a Diary” contains the autobiographical writings of parliamentarian Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

Amaravati Quantum Valley Declaration

Context: Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government approved the Amaravati Quantum Valley Declaration (AQVD) to position the state as a global quantum technology hub.

About Amaravati Quantum Valley Declaration

• It is a strategic framework jointly signed by the Andhra Pradesh government and industry leaders like IBM, TCS, and L&T to build a quantum technology ecosystem in Amaravati.
  • The declaration sets a guiding framework of six joint commitments on research, infrastructure, talent, and global partnerships.
• The AQVD was the key outcome of the Amaravati Quantum Valley Workshop.
  • It was organised to catalyse cross-sectoral collaboration involving leading firms like IBM, TCS, and L&T.
• Significance:
  • With AQVD, Andhra Pradesh aligns itself with the global movement toward quantum supremacy and digital sovereignty.

Ancient City of Peñico, Peru

Context: Recently, archaeologists announced the discovery of a 3,500-year-old city named Peñico in Peru’s northern Barranca province.

About Ancient City of Peñico

• Introduction: Peñico is an ancient city located around 200 km north of Lima, situated 600 metres above sea level in the Barranca province.
• Historical Context: It dates back to between 1800 and 1500 BC, a period parallel to early civilisations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley.
• Strategic Role: The city likely served as a major trade hub, connecting the Pacific coast, Andes mountains, and the Amazon basin.

Significance and Recent Discovery

• Artefacts Found: Excavations revealed clay sculptures of humans and animals, ceremonial items, and necklaces made from beads and seashells.
• Architectural Features: Circular ceremonial structure on a terrace, surrounded by stone and mud buildings.
• Cultural Continuity: Experts believe Peñico reflects the cultural legacy of the Caral civilisation, the oldest known in the Americas.
• Importance: The discovery provides insight into the evolution and migration of early Peruvian societies following the decline of Caral due to climate change.

Other Ancient Sites in Peru

• Caral Civilization: Located in the Supe Valley, Caral dates to around 3000 BC and includes 32 pyramidal monuments, urban planning, and irrigation systems.
• Machu Picchu: The famed Inca citadel in the Andes, built in the 15th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of Inca engineering.
• Nazca Lines: These geoglyphs etched into the desert, depicting animals and shapes, remain one of the greatest archaeological mysteries of ancient Peru.

River Seine

Context: Recently, Paris reopened the River Seine to public swimming for the first time since 1923, following a massive cleanup campaign.

About River Seine

• Geographic Overview: The Seine is a 777 km long river flowing through Paris, originating from the Langres Plateau in northeastern France and emptying into the English Channel at Le Havre.
• The Seine River drainage basin: Also known as the Paris Basin, covers approximately 79,000 square kilometers and primarily drains northern France
  • Left Bank Tributaries: Yonne, Loing, and Aube
  • Right Bank Tributaries: Marne and Oise
• Cultural Significance: The Seine is central to Parisian identity, bordered by iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral, and featured in countless works of art and literature.
• Historic Pollution: Swimming was banned in 1923 due to severe water contamination caused by urban runoff, industrial waste, and untreated sewage.

Nomination-based Golden Visa

Context: The UAE has launched a nomination-based Golden Visa scheme, offering lifetime residency to eligible individuals from India and Bangladesh without requiring investment in property or business.

What is the UAE’s Golden Visa?

• A long-term residency visa for foreigners without requiring a UAE sponsor.
• Existing categories include:
  • Investors (AED 2 million+ in real estate or business)
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Exceptional talents (doctors, scientists, artists, athletes, PhDs, top students)
• Duration: 5 to 10 years, renewable.

What’s new in the nomination-based Golden Visa scheme?

• Lifetime residency offered instead of 5–10 years.
• No need for business or property investment.
• Flat fee: AED 100,000 (approx. ₹23.3 lakh).
• Pilot launched for Indian and Bangladeshi nationals.

Key Features of the Nomination Scheme

• Eligibility assessed through: Criminal & anti-money laundering background checks, Social media review, Evaluation of potential contribution to UAE in fields like culture, finance, science, or startups.
• Pre-approval possible from home country (no Dubai visit needed).
• Right to: Bring family members, Employ domestic staff (servants/drivers), Work in any profession or start a business.

AI-Based TB Mortality Prediction Model

Context: Tamil Nadu became the first state to integrate a predictive model for TB mortality into its state-wide screening tool under TN-KET (Tamil Nadu – Kasanoi Erappila Thittam).

About the Model

• Developed jointly by the Tamil Nadu Health Department and the ICMR–National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE).
• Implemented under Tamil Nadu Kasanoi Erappila Thittam (TN-KET).
  Integrated into the TB SeWA platform, a digital tool for real-time triaging of TB patients.
• Result: 20% reduction in early TB deaths (within 2 months of treatment start) across the state.

How the TB Triage Tool Works

• Parameters (No lab tests involved):
  • BMI < 14 kg/m² → Severe undernutrition
  • Respiratory Rate (sitting) → Sign of insufficiency
  • Oxygen Saturation (pulse oximeter)
  • Pitting Edema (leg swelling after 15 seconds pressure)
  • Performance Status → Inability to stand unaided
• If any one parameter is abnormal → Patient marked as ‘severely ill’
  Immediate referral to in-patient treatment
• Time-to-Care:
  • Triaging within 1 day of diagnosis
  • 98% of severely ill patients hospitalized within 7 days

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