Prelims
Culture & History: Vande Mataram (150 Years Celebration)
About Vande Mataram
- India’s national song meaning “I bow to thee, Mother” symbolizing reverence to motherland evoking patriotism/unity.
- Composed in Sanskritised Bengali by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1870s; first published in novel Anandamath (1882).
Historical Significance
- First public rendition by Rabindranath Tagore at 1896 Congress Session marking official introduction nationally.
- Became anthem of India’s freedom struggle; sung in protests and revolutionary gatherings despite British ban.
- Indian National Congress (1937) adopted the first two stanzas as National Song balancing inclusivity and secular appeal.
- January 24, 1950: Constituent Assembly accorded Vande Mataram equal honour to National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana”.
Features
- Spiritual Patriotism: depicts nation as nurturing mother embodying emotional and divine strength comprehensively.
- Secular Adaptation: only first two stanzas (devoid of religious imagery) used officially ensuring inclusivity for all communities.
- Cultural Symbolism: serves as unifying call cutting across linguistic and regional divides uniting diverse India.
- Historical Legacy: association with Swadeshi (1905), Quit India (1942) made it lyrical soul of resistance against colonialism.
Current Status
- Recognized by Government as equal in stature to National Anthem ensuring constitutional importance comprehensively.
- Instrumental version played at closing of every Parliament session maintaining official recognition and respect.
- Citizens encouraged to show equal respect to both Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana per Delhi HC affidavit (2022).
200th Anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji
Background and Early Life
- Dadabhai Naoroji (1825–1917) was a nationalist thinker, economic theorist, social reformer and the first Indian MP in the British Parliament.
- Born on 4 September 1825 in Bombay to a middle-class Parsi family, symbolising India’s early modern intellectual awakening.
- Educated at Elphinstone Institute, later becoming the first Indian professor at Elphinstone College.
Political and Nationalist Contributions
- Founding member of the Indian National Congress (INC) and its President in 1886, 1893 and 1906.
- Presided over the historic 1906 Calcutta Session which formally adopted Swaraj as the national objective.
- As MP from Central Finsbury (1892), advocated Indian rights, parliamentary democracy and administrative reforms.
- Played a crucial mediating role between Moderates and Extremists, maintaining organisational unity.
- Mentored prominent leaders including Gokhale, Tilak and Gandhi.
Economic Thought and Drain Theory
- Pioneered the Drain of Wealth Theory, showing how British rule extracted India’s resources through salaries, pensions, remittances and unequal trade.
- Major works include Poverty and Un-British Rule in India and Poverty of India, offering early data-based economic analysis.
- His advocacy contributed to the formation of the Welby Commission (1895) on Indian expenditure.
- His analysis inspired Swadeshi, fiscal self-reliance and economic nationalism.
Social Reform and Institution Building
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- Strong advocate of women’s education; supported girls’ schooling at Elphinstone.
- Founded the Gujarati reformist newspaper Rast Goftar to promote social awakening.
- Co-founded Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha (1851) to reform Parsi society.
- Submitted key recommendations—along with Jyotiba Phule—to the Hunter Commission (1882) for compulsory primary education.
- Established global advocacy platforms:
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- London Indian Society (1865)
- East India Association (1866)
Uniqueness and Legacy
- Revered as the “Grand Old Man of India” and “Unofficial Ambassador of India” for championing India’s cause abroad.
- Among the earliest to apply scientific, statistical methods to analyse Indian poverty.
- His 200th anniversary (2025) celebrated his foundational role in economic nationalism, constitutional politics and modern Indian reformism.
Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) Event
Concept and Definition
- Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) denotes a rapid 40–50°C temperature rise in the stratosphere (10–50 km altitude).
- This warming disrupts the polar vortex, a ring of strong westerly winds that traps cold Arctic air.
- SSW events alter global circulation patterns, triggering unusual mid-latitude weather.
Mechanism of SSW Formation
- In winter, a stable stratospheric polar vortex forms, maintaining cold air over the Arctic.
- Rossby waves from the troposphere propagate upward, injecting energy into the vortex.
- When these waves break, they weaken or reverse westerly winds, destabilising the vortex.
- Resultant descending air compresses and warms, causing sudden temperature spikes.
- The vortex may split or shift south, releasing Arctic air into North America, Europe or Asia.
Key Features of SSW Events
- Rapid warming of up to 50°C within days.
- Wind reversal, with westerlies turning easterly.
- Jet stream distortion, creating blocked or wavy flow patterns.
- Surface impacts occur 1–3 weeks later.
- Occur irregularly; not all SSWs produce strong surface weather anomalies.
Impacts and Consequences
- Can cause severe cold waves, snowstorms and prolonged freezing spells in mid-latitudes.
- Disrupt storm tracks, producing North Atlantic blocking highs.
- Weather forecasting becomes uncertain beyond 7–10 days, as models struggle with stratosphere–troposphere feedback.
- Energy demand spikes, transport disruptions and agricultural losses may follow.
Meteorological Context (2025 Warning)
- Meteorologists anticipate another SSW in December 2025, likely disrupting the pole’s circulation.
- The event could direct extremely cold Arctic air into parts of the United States.
Cosmic Filament
Overview
- Cosmic filaments are the Universe’s largest structural components forming the backbone of the cosmic web.
- Each filament extends hundreds of millions of light-years, making them the largest known formations.
- They are thread-like structures composed of galaxies, dark matter, and intergalactic gas.
Formation
- Filaments arise when gravity pulls gas, dark matter, and galaxies into elongated strands.
- They form at intersections of collapsing matter sheets, creating dense channels across the Universe.
- These strands border vast voids, which are large and nearly empty regions in space.
Structure & Function
- Filaments act as cosmic highways, directing the flow of gas and smaller galaxies toward massive galaxy clusters.
- They enable galaxies to accrete pristine gas, which sustains star formation over billions of years.
Significance
- Filaments determine where galaxies form, how quickly they grow, and how much star-forming fuel they acquire.
- They shape the large-scale distribution of matter, influencing the evolution of the Universe’s architecture.
Hoolock Gibbon
Overview
- Hoolock gibbons are the smallest and fastest apes, inhabiting tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia.
- They are one of 20 global gibbon species and the only ape found in India.
Distribution
- Widely distributed across India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and southern China.
- In India, found south of the Brahmaputra across Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
- Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary (Assam) hosts the largest Indian population.
- Classified into Eastern Hoolock (H. leuconedys) and Western Hoolock (H. hoolock) with distinct geographic ranges.
Characteristics
- They are diurnal, arboreal, and move by brachiation using long arms.
- Exhibit monogamous pairing, live in small family groups, and communicate through vocal calls.
- Average lifespan is around 25 years.
Conservation Status
- Eastern Hoolock – Vulnerable, Western Hoolock – Endangered under the IUCN Red List.
- Both species are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
Introduction
- The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is India’s leading border infrastructure force, supporting the Armed Forces.
- Established 7 May 1960, it was placed entirely under the Ministry of Defence in 2015.
Mandate and Operations
- Develops and maintains roads, bridges, tunnels, airfields, and marine works in difficult terrains.
- Operates across 19 States, three UTs, and friendly nations including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, and Sri Lanka.
- Plays a crucial role during national emergencies and hostilities, ensuring forward-area mobility.
Organisational Structure
- Governed by the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB), chaired by the Prime Minister and vice-chaired by the Defence Minister.
- Led by the Director General Border Roads (DGBR), a Lieutenant General.
- Staffed by personnel from General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) and Indian Army Engineers.
Additional Role
- Provides manpower for IAF forward airfield rehabilitation.
- Employs over two lakh local workers, enhancing livelihood generation.
- Motto: “Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam” (Everything is achievable through hard work).
