News in Shorts: 26 May 2025

The Karni Mata Temple

Context: The Prime Minister visited the Karni Mata temple situated in the town of Deshnok, Bikaner Rajasthan recently.

About the Karni Mata Temple

• The Temple is also called the “rat temple” as it is home to tens of thousands of kabas (rats), which are considered sacred and protected.
  • These rats are believed to be incarnations of Karni Mata’s family members.
• Built By: The present structure of the Karni Mata Temple was commissioned in the early 20th century by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner.
• Presiding Deity: Karni Mata
• Custodianship: The temple’s custodianship is maintained by the Charan community who considers her as their kuldevi.

About Karni Mata

• Karni Mata, born as Ridhi Kanwar or Ridhu Bai, in 1387 CE is a saint believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Durga. 
• Roots: She was born in the village of Suwap near Phalodi, about 100 km from Deshnok, into a Charan family.
  • Charan Caste, traditionally, are bards, or court poets and genealogists.
• Historical Details: Oral tradition and hagiographies, such as the Karni Mata Charitra is the most important source of information.
• Local Community Deity: Karni Mata is worshipped by various communities like Charan, Rathore Rajputs, Meghwals and Malis. 
• Political Patronisation: It is said that both Jodhpur and Bikaner were established in 1459 and 1488, respectively, with Karni Mata’s blessings by supporting their rulers.
• Relevance for the Armed Forces: Karni Mata has been a deity of the erstwhile Bikaner state’s armed forces.
  • The Karni Battalion and the Sadul Infantry of Bikaner’s forces were converted into the 19 Rajput Battalion sometimes known as 19 Rajput Karni Battalion.

World Hydrogen Summit 2025

Context: The Secretary of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has recently addressed the World Hydrogen Summit 2025 in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Key Highlights of the Address

• India is amongst the fastest-growing renewable energy markets globally. 
• Installed Renewable Energy: India has already installed over 223 GW of renewable energy
• (includes 108 GW from solar and 51 GW from wind)Target: India’s targets to achieve energy independence by 2047 and reach Net Zero emissions by 2070.

About World Hydrogen Summit 2025

• Conducted by: Sustainable Energy Council and RX Global in partnership with the Dutch Government.
• Agenda: The event centers on the hydrogen industry, with a strong emphasis on green hydrogen production and its role in the energy transition. 

More in News

• The National Green Hydrogen Mission:
  • Launched: It is a flagship initiative launched in 2023. 
  • Target: To achieve 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen production by 2030.
• Progress: 
  • Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India has been launched.
  • Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia plants have been exempted from Environmental Clearance.
  • Kandla, Paradip and Tuticorin ports have been identified to be developed as Green Hydrogen hubs.
  • 15 states have announced policies to support green hydrogen

Elephant Census

Context: The three-day elephant census concluded recently is expected to indicate the elephant population trends in the South Karnataka region.

About the Elephant Census

• The Census is a mandate prescribed by the Interstate Coordination Committee (ICC) charter.
• Objective: To generate and share the database of elephant population especially in forests bordering the south Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Synchronised Exercise: The census was part of a synchronised exercise carried out across south India on a landscape basis to  maintain a database for their conservation and study population dynamics.
  • The Synchronised Elephant Population Estimation India 2017 Report: South India harbours the most number of elephants ie. 11,960 out of 27,312 mostly in a contiguous landscape.
• Method: The census commenced with block sampling or direct count exercise followed by line transect exercise and finally concluded with a waterhole count exercise to assess sex distribution and age.
• IUCN Status:
  • Asian Elephant: Endangered
  • African Elephant: Endangered

Unveiling of the Statues of Sushruta and Charaka

Context: The Vice President recently inaugurated the statues of Acharya Charaka, Sage Susruta at Goa Raj Bhavan.

About Acharya Charaka

• Charaka is known as the father of medicine believed to have lived during the 4th century BCE
• He was the royal physician in the Kanishka court of Kushan Kingdom.
• Text: He authored the Charak Samhita (a foundational text for Ayurveda included in the Brhat-Trayi).
  • It is a comprehensive treatise on various aspects of medicine including anatomy, physiology, herbal medicine, surgical techniques, and the use of minerals and metals in medicine.

About Sage Sushruta

• Sage Sushruta is a saint surgeon who flourished around 600 BCE in the ancient city of Kashi, India
  • He is considered as the father of surgery and was a disciple of Dhanvantari.
• Text: Susruta is the listed author of the Susruta Saṃhita (Susruta’s Compendium), considered a foundational text of Ayurveda.
  • The treatise addresses all aspects of general medicine, including diet, surgery, nosology, anatomy, developmental biology, therapeutics, toxicology, pediatrics.
• Contributions to Medicine: 
  • Sushruta is credited as the first to attribute malaria to mosquitoes, link the spread of plague to rats, and making an early diagnosis of diabetes.
  • Surgical Operations: He performed rhinoplasty (the repairing or remaking of a nose), removal of a dead fetus, and lithotomy (to remove stones, or calculi)

Google’s AI Matryoshka

Context: Recently, Google’s annual I/O developer conference in 2025 was held which focused on building an AI-centric future rather than just updating individual products.

What is the Matryoshka Dowll Model in AI?

• It is a framework describing Google’s AI-centric ecosystem. 
• It likens the structure to a Russian Matryoshka doll, where each layer nests within another, with a central AI core powering successive layers of products, platforms, and user applications.
  1. Core AI (Innermost Layer):
     • Consists of advanced AI models like Gemini 2.5 Flash and Pro
     • Powers reasoning, generative tasks (e.g., Imagen 4 for visuals, Veo 3 for videos, Lyria 2 for music), and multimodal capabilities. Example: Deep Think mode in Gemini 2.5 Pro excels in complex math and coding.
  2. Developer Platforms (Middle Layer):
     • Includes Gemini API and Vertex AI, enabling developers to leverage AI 
  3. User Applications (Outermost Layer):
     1. Encompasses user-facing features like AI Mode in Search, agentic commerce (virtual try-ons, automated checkout)

Key Characteristics

• Interconnectedness: Each layer draws power from the central AI, creating a cohesive, intelligent ecosystem.
• Agentic Experience: AI enables autonomous, personalized interactions across search, commerce, and apps.
• Scalability: Ironwood TPUs and efficient models like Gemini 2.5 Flash ensure scalability for diverse applications.

India-Maldives Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership

Context: Indian External Affairs Minister and Maldives Foreign minister will review the implementation of the comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership.

About India-Maldives comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership

• Objective: Transform bilateral ties into a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership, emphasizing people-centric, future-oriented cooperation and stability in the IOR.
• Relevance for India: Aligns with India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision, countering China’s influence in the IOR.

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