Navy’s INSV Tarini

Context: INSV Tarini is on the fourth leg of an ongoing global circumnavigation by two women Indian Navy officers.

• It left Port Stanley, Falkland Islands on March 4 to Cape Town, South Africa. 

About INSV Tarini

• INSV Tarini is on a global circumnavigation mission under the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II expedition.
• Built by: Aquarius Shipyard Limited.
• The expedition was flagged off from Goa on October 2, 2024. 
  • The entire expedition includes five legs, stopping at four ports for maintenance and restocking.
    • Goa to Fremantle, Australia
    • Fremantle to Lyttelton, New Zealand
    • Lyttelton to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
    • Port Stanley to Cape Town, South Africa
    • Cape Town back to Goa

Ruellia Elegans

Context: A new study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa has highlighted the threat posed by Ruellia elegans  to native biodiversity in Assam’s Digboi.

About Ruellia elegans

• Common names: Brazilian petunia, Christmas pride, wild petunia.
• Native Habitat: Wet tropical biomes of Brazil.
• Distinct Features: Bright red, trumpet-shaped flowers.
• Invasive Presence in India: One of four invasive Ruellia species alongside Ruellia ciliatiflora, Ruellia simplex, and Ruellia tuberosa.
• Recorded Sightings:
  • First documented in Odisha nearly a decade ago.
  • Introduced in the Andaman Islands, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.
  • Recently observed in Assam’s Digboi.

Impacts of Invasive Species on Biodiversity

• Competition for Resources: Rapidly spreads, outcompeting native plants for sunlight, water, and nutrients.
• Ecosystem Disruption: Alters biodiversity, affecting wildlife habitats.
• Threat to Native Species: Leads to population decline or extinction of indigenous flora.
• Economic and  Environmental Damage: Causes long-term ecological imbalance, requiring costly management efforts.

Cyclone Alfred

Context: Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to hit Australia’s eastern coast early tomorrow.

• The cyclone is being touted to be the strongest tropical cyclone to threaten the region in more than 50 years.
  • Brisbane:  Dinah in 1967 and Wanda in 1974 were the last severe cyclones to make landfall near Brisbane.
  • The 1954 cyclone, which caused the ‘Great Flood’ in northern NSW and southeast Queensland, is the best historical comparison.

About Alfred Cyclone

• Landfall: The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Noosa and Coolangatta, north of Brisbane.
• Category: Alfred will remain on the stronger end of Category 2  when it makes landfall and could possibly reach a Category 3 status according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
• Wind Speed: It can possibly reach up to 150kmph per hour in areas of Queensland and NSW, with rainfall totals expected up to 600mm.
• Formation: Alfred Cyclone formed in the Coral Sea alongside two more systems. 
  • Tropical cyclones forming out of the same trough is quiet rare in the South Pacific.
• Unique Movement: Alfred initially moved out to sea southwards, travelling parallel to Australia’s east coast, and then took a sharp turn westward towards Australia’s eastern coast.
  • Usual Pattern: Most cyclones that form in the Coral Sea typically tracks southeastward, away from the Australian coastline (getting caught in mid-latitude westerly winds).
• Reason: 
  • Extratropical Transition: Alfred underwent a process of extratropical transition due to its interaction with a mid-latitude trough (a system of low pressure that extended northward) altering its movement.
    • During this process, they can re-intensify into a hybrid system, sometimes even stronger than the original tropical cyclone
  • Movement: As the mid-latitude trough moves east, Alfred has been left under the influence of the subtropical ridge, which is pushing it westward (straight toward Australia’s southeast coast).
  • Climate change: Warmer oceans (above 26.5C) to sustain tropical cyclones further south than 25 degree parallel and low vertical wind shear are essential for a cyclone to develop, strengthen, and sustain itself.
    • Historically due to the cooler waters and wind shear in the south-eastern area, tropical cyclones used to weaken.
  • Slow Movement: The cyclone is currently traveling at 14 Kmph which is less than the average tropical cyclone speed ie, between 15-20 kmph.
    • Slow movement gives a cyclone more time to intensify in the oceans and bring more rainfall over cities.

Tarabai Shinde

Context: In 1882, disturbed by societal double standards, Tarabai Shinde penned Stri-Purush Tulana, India’s first feminist text, challenging patriarchal norms and the unjust blame placed on women.

About Tarabai Shinde

• Early Life and Education: Born in Buldhana, Maharashtra, into a well-educated Maratha family, Tarabai was encouraged by her father, Bapuji Hari Shinde, an associate of social reformer Jyotirao Phule. 
  • She received an education uncommon for women of her time.
• Challenges and Personal Struggles: Married but living in her father’s house, which was a rarity then she remained childless. 
  • Some scholars suggest her personal experiences shaped her bold feminist stance.
• Legacy: Her singular publication left a lasting mark on feminist discourse in India.

Contribution of Tarabai Shinde

• Literary Contribution: Her book Stri-Purush Tulana, printed in 1882, directly questioned gender inequalities and critiqued Hindu scriptures for their bias against women.
  • Through historical and mythological examples, she exposed contradictions in religious texts that justified women’s oppression.
• Social Reform and Advocacy: A supporter of the Satyashodhak Samaj, she advocated for gender equality and widow remarriage.
  • Her work voiced concerns about the suffering of women, emphasizing the need for social and legal reforms.
• Recognition and Impact: Initially ignored, her work resurfaced in 1975 through Marathi scholar S. G. Malshe.
  • Though sidelined in her time, Stri-Purush Tulana remains a foundational feminist text, resonating with contemporary gender debates.