Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II

Context: Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan has released a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II Suvaran Maran.

About Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II

• Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II, also known as Suvaran Maran was a king from the Mutharaiyar dynasty.
• Political Authority & Territorial Control
  • Period of Rule: c. 705–745 CE
  • Capital: Tiruchirappalli
  • Initially a powerful feudatory of the Pallava dynasty, his authority expanded as Pallava central power weakened.
  • He exercised control over the fertile Cauvery river basin, including:
    • Thanjavur
    • Tiruchirappalli
    • Pudukkottai
    • Perambalur
• Military Role: A key ally, he fought multiple battles alongside Pallava King Nandivarman II against the Pandya and Chera dynasties.
• Religious Patronage: Primarily patronized Shaivism but also fostered debates, hosting Jain scholar Vimalachandra at his court.
• Architectural Legacy: His dynasty built early rock-cut and structural stone temples, influencing later Chola architecture.
• Political End: The dynasty’s decline began after Vijayalaya Chola captured Thanjavur in the mid-9th century.
• Cultural & Social Icon: He is a revered icon for the Mutharaiyar community, which is classified among the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) in Tamil Nadu.

India Secures $2.2 Billion Asian Development Bank Loan

Context: India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed loan agreements worth over $2.2 billion.

About the ADB Projects

• The funding is designated for development projects focused on skilling, renewable energy, healthcare, urban transport, and sustainable livelihoods across multiple Indian states.
• Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation Programme: 
  • Objective: To create a future-ready workforce.
  • Modernise 650 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across 12 states.
  • Upgrade five National Skill Training Institutes into centres of excellence.
• Accelerating Affordable & Inclusive Rooftop Solar Programme:
  • Objective: To support the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
  • Target: Provide clean, affordable energy to 10 million households by 2027.
• Assam State Tertiary Health Care Augmentation Project:
  • Objective: To strengthen tertiary care services and medical education in Assam.
• Chennai Metro Rail Investment Project:
  • Objective: To support the expansion of Chennai’s metro network.
• Meghalaya Ecotourism & Sustainable Agri-based Livelihood Project: 
  • Objective: To promote nature-based tourism while improving farm incomes.

About the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established in 1966.
• Aim: To promote social and economic development across Asia and the Pacific. 
• Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.
• Membership: 69 member countries from both the Asia-Pacific region and other developed nations.
• Voting Power: Like the World Bank, it operates on a weighted voting system, where a member’s voting power is proportional to its capital subscription. 
  • Japan and the United States are the largest shareholders. India holds a significant stake of 6.317%.
• India: India is a founding member, a major shareholder, and one of the largest recipients of ADB assistance.

Karthigai Deepam

Context: Tamil Nadu informed the Madras High Court that the deepathoon at Thirupparankundram hill is of Jain origin, opposing its use for lighting Karthigai Deepam by the temple.

Background of the Case

• A Single Judge of the Madras High Court permitted lighting of Karthigai Deepam at the deepathoon besides traditional locations, prompting appeals by multiple stakeholders.
• Appellants argued that religious customs at the site, including animal sacrifice and lamp-lighting, must be adjudicated by a competent civil court before any practice is allowed.
• The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department cited expert literature asserting that the deepathoon was not historically used for Karthigai Deepam.

About the Deepathoon (Stone Pillar)

• The deepathoon is a stone pillar historically associated with Jain ascetic practices rather than Hindu temple rituals.
• Location: It is situated atop Thirupparankundram hill in Madurai district, a site marked by religious coexistence involving Hindu, Jain and Islamic traditions.
• Cultural Significance
• • According to archaeological and literary sources, Digambara Jain monks from Ujjain once inhabited the hill and used the pillar for lighting lamps during nocturnal gatherings.
  • Similar Jain stone pillars exist at Samanar Hills in Tamil Nadu and Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, supporting its Jain attribution.

About Karthigai Deepam 

• Karthigai Deepam is a significant South Indian festival of lights, particularly for Tamils, celebrating the divine light (Jyothi) of Lord Shiva.
• Deepam lit atop Tiruvannamalai hill signals start of karthigai festival
  • It is only after the Karthigai Deepam is lit that temples and people across Tamil Nadu light lamps on karthigai festival.
• It is marked with traditions including lighting earthen lamps, special sweets like Adhirasam, and huge bonfires, especially at Tiruvannamalai where Lord Shiva is believed to appear as a pillar of fire.
• The collective participation of all religious communities in Karthigai Deepam rituals highlights the living tradition of communal harmony, reinforcing the constitutional values of unity, pluralism, and shared cultural heritage.

United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Context: India has reaffirmed ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ and religious harmony at the 11th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).

About the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

• The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is a UN initiative to bridge cultural and religious divides, promote dialogue, and counter extremism and polarization. 
• Established: 2005.
• Founder: Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
• Co-sponsors: The Governments of Spain and Turkey.
• Background: Created in response to rising cultural and religious divides in the post–Cold War and post-9/11 world.
• Origin: A High-Level Group of experts was formed to study the roots of polarization between societies and recommend actionable solutions. Their report forms the basis of UNAOC’s work.
• The 11th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Theme, “UNAOC: Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity – Advancing a New Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in a Multipolar World”.

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

• Meaning: A Sanskrit phrase meaning “The world is one family.”
• Origin: Derived from the Maha Upanishad.
• Philosophical Basis: Rooted in ancient Indian wisdom and Upanishadic thought.
  • It emphasises universal brotherhood, interdependence, and harmony among all beings.
• In Indian Foreign Policy: Forms a moral foundation of India’s global outlook and is frequently invoked in forums such as the United Nations, G20, and UNAOC.
• Theme of India’s G20 Presidency (2023): “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future.”

Bondi Beach

Context: Australia has declared the Sydney Bondi Beach shooting a terrorist act after the death toll rose to 15 during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

• Hanukkah, the “Festival of Lights,” is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

About Bondi Beach

• Bondi Beach is a world-famous ocean beach and adjoining suburb in Sydney.
• Location: Seven kilometres east of Sydney’s Central Business District in the Eastern Suburbs, within the Waverley Council area.
• Naming: The name “Bondi” is derived from the Dharawal Aboriginal word meaning a loud thud, describing waves crashing on rocks.
• Geography: The beach is crescent-shaped, sandy, and faces the Tasman Sea, making it popular for surfing, swimming, and coastal recreation.
• Significance: One of Australia’s most visited beaches, Bondi is a major social, cultural, and tourism landmark with global recognition.

MahaCrimeOS AI

Context: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella launched MahaCrimeOS AI for Maharashtra Police, enabling AI-driven cybercrime investigations across all 1,100 police stations statewide.

About MahaCrimeOS AI 

• MahaCrimeOS AI is an advanced, AI-powered investigation platform jointly developed by Microsoft and the Maharashtra Government under the MARVEL (Maharashtra Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement) initiative to modernise policing.
• Key Features
• • The tool ingests complaints in multiple formats, including PDFs, audio, images, and handwritten notes, and extracts critical information using multilingual, multimodal AI.
  • It automatically generates crime-specific investigation plans aligned with Maharashtra Police protocols and Supreme Court and High Court guidelines, including Marathi FIR processing.
  • The platform analyses telecom data and open-source intelligence, identifies linkages between suspects, and prepares time-stamped digital case diaries for court submission.

Significance

• MahaCrimeOS AI accelerates investigations, reduces officer workload, ensures compliance with new criminal laws, and enhances Maharashtra’s capacity to tackle complex cyber and financial crimes.

Geminid Meteor Shower

Context: The Geminid meteor shower peaked over India on December 13–14, offering one of the year’s brightest celestial displays under clear night skies.

About the Geminid Meteor Shower

• The Geminid meteor shower is an annual astronomical event in December, renowned for its high meteor count and exceptionally bright, slow-moving streaks.
• Origin: Unlike most meteor showers originating from comets, the Geminids arise from debris left by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, making them scientifically distinctive.
• Significance: The Geminids are among the most spectacular and consistent meteor showers annually, offering valuable insights into asteroid debris, Earth’s atmosphere, and public engagement with observational astronomy.

About Meteor Shower

• A meteor shower is a celestial event where numerous meteors (streaks of light) appear to radiate from a single point in the night sky, occurring when Earth passes through trails of cosmic debris (meteoroids) left by a comet or asteroid.
  • These tiny particles burn up when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere and produce bright flashes.
• These showers happen annually as Earth crosses these debris streams, with the meteors seeming to come from a specific constellation.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Context: India commemorated the death anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on December 15, recalling his decisive leadership and enduring role in shaping a united nation.

About Vallabhbhai Patel

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a central leader of India’s freedom struggle and independent India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.
• Birth : October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Bombay Presidency, British India (present-day Gujarat, India).
• Gandhi’s Companion: Sardar Patel significantly helped Mahatma Gandhi in the Kheda Satyagraha (1918), organizing farmers and ensuring the movement’s success against unjust tax collection
  • He also played a key role in the Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918) by managing logistics and supporting Gandhi’s fast, solidifying their partnership.
• Title of ‘Sardar’: He earned the title ‘Sardar’ after successfully leading the 1926 Bardoli Satyagraha, where disciplined mass mobilisation forced the British to roll back unjust land revenue hikes.
• President of the Indian National Congress: He presided over the Karachi Session in 1931, a pivotal moment where fundamental rights and national economic policies were adopted, and the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was endorsed.
• Key Contributions post Independence
  • He played a decisive role in integrating over 560 princely states into the Indian Union, preventing political fragmentation after Independence.
  • He laid the foundations of a strong administrative and civil services system.
  • He strengthened internal security and political unity through firm, pragmatic leadership.
• Death: December 15, 1950, in Bombay (present-day Mumbai), Bombay State, India. He died at the age of 75 due to a massive heart attack
• Current Relevance: Remembered as the ‘Iron Man of India’, Patel’s emphasis on national unity, administrative discipline, and decisive governance remains deeply relevant for contemporary nation-building and federal cohesion reflected in the Statue of Unity dedicated to him.

ICTP Prize

Context: The 2025 ICTP Prize has been awarded to Indian physicists Titas Chanda and Sthitadhi Roy for pioneering contributions to quantum many-body and quantum information science.

About the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) Prize

• The ICTP Prize is an annual international award recognising outstanding young scientists from developing countries for original and impactful research in theoretical physics.
  • Instituted in 1982, the prize carries a certificate and cash award.
• Purpose: It honours cutting-edge work across areas such as condensed matter physics, quantum information science, and non-equilibrium quantum systems, encouraging global scientific excellence.
• About ICTP: The ICTP was founded in 1964 by Nobel laureate Abdus Salam to strengthen research capacity in developing nations.

ICTP Award 2025

• The 2025 prize was awarded in memory of Italian physicist Giancarlo Ghirardi, noted for foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and entanglement theory.
• 2025 Awardee:
  • Titas Chanda (IIT Madras): Awarded for contributions to quantum information science and quantum many-body physics, including research on quantum correlations, open quantum systems, and applications like quantum batteries and communication protocols.
  • Sthitadhi Roy (ICTS–TIFR, Bengaluru): Recognised for work on non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum many-body systems, including measurement-induced phase transitions, many-body localisation, and emergent quantum phases.
• Scientific Significance: The award-winning research advances understanding of how complex quantum systems behave out of equilibrium and supports the development of controllable quantum technologies such as quantum computers and sensors.

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