Society
Purple Fest 2025:
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- It is organized by ISLRTC and Amity University, celebrated inclusion, empowerment, highlighting equality, and dignity for persons with disabilities (Divyangjan).
- It was held on 10–11 September 2025 at Amity University,
- The event included addresses emphasizing that Disability is not a weakness, Assistive Devices are not charity, and Respect is not a favor—it is a Right.
- A Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Gurdeep Kaur Vasu, the first deafblind Indian to secure a government job under the multiple disabled categories.
- Fest highlights included:
– Art & Craft Exhibition – Showcasing products created by Divyangjan.
– Entrepreneurship Stalls – Providing opportunities for Divyangjan entrepreneurs.
– Cultural Programmes & Sports Events – Demonstrating diversity, creativity, and participation.
– Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) Programmes – Strengthening professional knowledge with focus on Indian Sign Language (ISL).
(PIB)
Personality in the News
Acharya Vinoba Bhave (Birth anniversary):
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- He was a pioneering Indian philosopher, freedom fighter, Bhoodan Movement founder, and close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, celebrated for his deep commitment to nonviolence, social justice, and rural upliftment.
- Born as Vinayak Narahari Bhave on 11 September 1895 in Maharashtra, he was influenced from an early age by spiritual and philosophical texts, especially the Bhagavad Gita.
- Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi in 1916, he renounced his formal studies and joined Gandhi’s ashram, adopting the path of Satyagraha and constructive work.
- Deeply involved in Gandhian movements such as the Salt Satyagraha, Individual Satyagraha (he was Gandhi’s chosen first satyagrahi in 1940), and Temple Entry movement at Vaikom.
- He was imprisoned several times for his role in nonviolent uprisings against British colonial rule and used his time in jail for spiritual and philosophical study.
- Founded Brahma Vidya Mandir in Paunar in 1959, an ashram dedicated to women’s empowerment, self-sufficiency, and applications of nonviolence in agriculture.
- Promoted spiritual education, simple living, and the translation of the Bhagavad Gita into Marathi (“Geetai”).
- Seen as Gandhi’s spiritual successor and hailed as the “National Teacher of India”
- Embraced “Samadhi Maran” (voluntary fasting unto death) in accordance with Jain tradition, passing away on 15 November 1982.
- Awarded the prestigious Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1983 for his contributions to Indian society and nation-building.
- Vinoba gave a new dictum to the world.
Science + Spirituality = Sarvodaya (Welfare of all)
(PIB)
Science & Technology
Perseverance rover discovered potential biosignatures on mars:
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- NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered potential biosignatures in a Martian rock, which could indicate that some form of life may have existed on Mars in the past.
- NASA announced that the rover found “potential biosignatures” in a rock sample called Cheyava Falls, raising excitement about possible extraterrestrial life.
- The rock contains clay, silt, organic carbon, sulfur, oxidized iron, and phosphorus, materials that on Earth are known to preserve signs of ancient microbial life.
- Scientists caution that these features could also have been formed by non-biological (abiotic) processes, so further study is required before making definitive claims about life.
- The rock sample is one of over 30 collected by Perseverance, and NASA aims to return these samples to Earth in a future mission for more detailed analysis.
- The findings, published in Nature, represent the most promising evidence yet in the search for past life on Mars but do not conclusively prove the presence of life.
(IE)
Geography & Environment
Pythons:
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- Pythons are large, nonvenomous constrictor (kill prey by squeezing them to death, not by venom) snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
- Many pythons possess heat-sensing pits near their mouths that help them detect and locate warm-blooded prey in the dark.
- Uniquely among snakes, pythons have two functional lungs.
- They are Oviparous (Egg-laying).
- IUCN status of Indian python is Near Threatened and Burmese python is Vulnerable.
- It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
(TH)
Red ivy plant:
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- Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode in Thiruvananthapuram, have tapped into the wound-healing properties of the red ivy plant, locally known as murikooti pacha (Strobilanthes alternata, belonging to the Acanthaceae family) to develop an innovative and multifunctional wound-healing pad using nanomaterials like electro-spun.
- It grows abundantly across tropical regions, including India, and traditional practitioners have long been using it to treat cuts and wounds.
- They have identifying and isolating a new molecule,
- Along with acteoside, it also incorporates the antibiotic neomycin sulfate, blended with FDA-approved polymers.
- It is native to Java, Indonesia.
(TH)
Miscellaneous
‘Samudra Pradakshina’:
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- Samudra Pradakshina is world’s first tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition, from Mumbai on September 11, 2025.
- It involves 10 women officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, sailing indigenously built IASV Triveni yacht for nine months across 26,000 nautical miles, crossing the Equator twice, rounding Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and Cape Good Hope, and making international port calls in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa.
- The crew’s expedition will follow international speed record norms: sailing nonstop under wind power, crossing all longitudes with no powered transit or canal passages, and facing extreme conditions in the Southern Ocean, especially around Cape Horn.
- This circumnavigation aims to celebrate Nari Shakti, showcase the jointness of India’s armed forces, and demonstrate self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) through indigenous defence technology.
- Scientific research on micro-plastics, ocean life documentation, and marine health awareness will be conducted during the voyage in partnership with the National Institute of Oceanography.
(PIB)
INS Aravali:
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- INS Aravali will be commissioned by the Indian Navy at Gurugram on 12 September 2025, enhancing India’s maritime domain awareness and command capabilities.
- It is named after the resilient Aravali Mountain range and will support information and communication centres essential for India’s naval command, control, and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) framework.
- The base’s motto, ‘Maritime Security through Collaboration’, reflects its supportive and collaborative ethos, working with naval units, MDA centres, and allied stakeholders.
(PIB)
PRACTICE MCQS
Q1. Consider the following statements:
1. Pythons are species of the suborder Serpentes that can produce venom, which they use for killing prey.
2. They are Oviparous in nature.
3. They are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
4. They are found in the old-world countries of snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2, 3, and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: Pythons are large, nonvenomous constrictor (kill prey by squeezing them to death, not by venom).
Statement 2 is correct: They are Oviparous in nature. They lay eggs.
Statement 3 is correct: They are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Statement 4 is correct: They are found in the old-world countries of snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Q2. Consider the following statements:
1. Acharya Vinobha Bhave was deeply involved in Gandhian movements such as salt satyagraha and temple entry.
2. He founded Brahma Vidya Mandir in Paunar in 1959.
3. Prominent figures like Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Dada Dharmadhikari were contemporaries of Vinoba Bhave.
How many of the above statements are correct?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Acharya Vinobha Bhave was deeply involved in Gandhian movements such as salt satyagraha and temple entry.
Statement 2 is correct: He founded Brahma Vidya Mandir in Paunar in 1959.
Statement 3 is correct: Prominent figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Dada Dharmadhikari were contemporaries of Vinoba Bhave.
Q3. With reference to the Red ivy plant, consider the following statements:
1. It is native to Java, Indonesia.
2. Traditional practitioners have long been using it to treat cuts and wounds.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: It is native to Java, Indonesia. It grows abundantly across tropical regions, including India.
Statement 2 is correct: Traditional practitioners have long been using it to treat cuts and wounds.
Q4. Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Samudra Pradakshina is world’s first tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition.
Statement II: The expedition involves officers from the tri-services on indigenously built INS Aravali.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is not correct
d) Statement-I is not correct but Statement-II is correct
Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Samudra Pradakshina is world’s first tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The expedition involves officers from the tri-services on indigenously built IASV Triveni.
Q5. Consider the following statements:
1. NASA’s Perseverance rover is a car-sized vehicle exploring the Jezero Crater on Mars.
2. Its aim is to find signs of ancient microbial life and gather rock and soil samples for future return to Earth.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: NASA’s Perseverance rover is a car-sized vehicle exploring the Jezero Crater on Mars.
Statement 2 is correct: It’s aim is to find signs of ancient microbial life and gather rock and soil samples for future return to Earth.
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