Daily PIB Highlights (17TH & 18TH OCT 2025)

Topic 1: Ayush Diplomacy Reaches the Arctic: India Champions Integrative Health Collaboration at Reykjavík Assembly

GS Paper 2: International Relations  GS Paper 3: Science & Technology | Environment

Context:

India’s Ministry of Ayush participated as part of the national delegation at the Arctic Circle Assembly 2025 held in Reykjavík, Iceland. It highlights India’s evolving Arctic diplomacy and leadership in integrative health collaboration. Prof. (Vaidya) Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, and Dr. Srinivas Rao Chinta, Joint Advisor (Homoeopathy), represented India in the global forum, aligning health diplomacy with India’s Arctic Policy.

Key Highlights

1. Plenary Session: Global South in the Arctic

• • Acharya presented India’s proactive role under the Indian Arctic Policy, emphasizing the inclusion of traditional health systems in Arctic cooperation.
  • The plenary was organized by the Government of India and featured key speakers, including Rear Admiral T.V.N. Prasanna (Polar Coordinator), Manish Tiwari (NCPOR), and Wassim Said (Emirates Polar Program, UAE).

2. Integrative Health and Wellness Vision

• • Highlighted the potential of Ayush systems in fostering wellness, adaptability, and mental resilience in extreme environments such as the Arctic.
  • Proposed transdisciplinary proof-of-concept clinical trials in Arctic settings to assess Ayush-based interventions for health and environmental stress adaptation.

3. Research and Institutional Collaboration

• • Called for the establishment of a Joint Research Consortium within the Arctic Policy framework to connect traditional knowledge with polar science.
    Advocated capacity building in cross-cultural Ayush delivery, safety surveillance, and evidence-based standardization.

4. Scientific Evidence and Global Integration

• • Emphasized the need for robust scientific publications to integrate Ayush into mainstream global health discourse.
  • Proposed embedding Ayush awareness as a pillar of India’s Arctic diplomacy and sustainable development engagements.

5. India’s Broader Arctic Engagement

• • The participation reflected India’s expanding engagement under the Arctic Policy (2022) pillars — science, environmental protection, and international cooperation.
  • Reinforced the Global South’s perspective in shaping inclusive and sustainable Arctic governance.

Strategic Significance

• • Positions India as a pioneer in leveraging traditional medicine for international health cooperation in extreme climate regions.
  • Integrates Ayush research with Arctic science, fostering a new model of evidence-driven traditional medicine diplomacy.
  • Strengthens India’s soft power and aligns Ayush diplomacy with sustainability, climate adaptation, and holistic wellness goals.
  • Amplifies India’s voice in global forums, advocating an inclusive, pluralistic, and human-centric Arctic engagement model.

Conclusion

India’s participation in the Arctic Circle Assembly 2025 marks India’s vision of “One Earth, One Health”, positioning Ayush as a bridge between global science, sustainability, and diplomacy in the Arctic and beyond.

Topic 2: Historic “Tally Bungalow” Restored as Yoga & Recreation Centre under Special Campaign 5.0

GS Paper 2: Governance | Welfare Administration GS Paper 4: Ethics & Work Culture

Context:

Under the Special Campaign 5.0 and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited under the Ministry of Coal, has restored and repurposed the historic Tally Bungalow at the Bankola Area, West Bengal. Once an abandoned colonial-era structure, it has now been transformed into a Yoga-cum-Recreation Centre, symbolizing heritage conservation, employee welfare, and wellness-driven governance.

Key Highlights

1. Heritage Restoration:

• • The 80-year-old Tally Bungalow, originally built during the British period by a private coal company, was fully renovated without altering its architectural integrity.
  • The total campus area spans 81,310 sq. ft., with the main building covering 16,868 sq. ft.

2. Modern Wellness Infrastructure:

The rejuvenated premises include a lush green lawn, modern body fitness equipment, and dedicated spaces for yoga and recreation.

Facilities include toilets and washrooms for employees and local residents using the centre for daily yoga practice.

3. Inauguration Ceremony:

• • The centre was inaugurated virtually by Shri Satish Jha, CMD, ECL, in the presence of Shri Sanjay Kumar Sahu, Area General Manager, and senior officials, including members of the Welfare Committee, CISTEA, INMOSSA, and SC/ST/OBC Council.

4. Leadership Message:

• • CMD Shri Satish Jha appreciated the initiative as a model of employee-centric governance, highlighting the role of yoga in ensuring physical fitness, mental peace, and emotional balance.
  • He underlined the importance of such projects in promoting discipline, work–life balance, and organizational harmony.

5. Alignment with National Initiatives:

• • The project aligns with the Special Campaign 5.0 focus on asset utilization and space optimization.
  • It also complements the Fit India Movement, Swachh Bharat Mission, and the broader vision of “Viksit Bharat @2047” through wellness-led productivity.

Strategic Significance

• • Promotes a culture of health, mindfulness, and holistic well-being among coal sector employees.
  • Revives a colonial-era landmark while retaining its original design and cultural value.
  • Reflects ECL’s proactive management ethos under Special Campaign 5.0—transforming abandoned assets into functional, welfare-oriented spaces.
  • Reinforces values of empathy, inclusivity, and wellness, fostering a balanced and motivated workforce.

Conclusion

The restoration of the Tally Bungalow into a Yoga and Recreation Centre exemplifies how public sector enterprises can blend heritage preservation with human-centric governance.

Topic 3: NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform and DP World launch ‘We Rise’ Initiative to Empower Women Entrepreneurs

GS Paper 2: Governance | Women Empowerment Paper 3: Economy | Inclusive Growth | MSME Development

Context:

NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), in collaboration with DP World, launched the ‘We Rise – Women Entrepreneurs Reimagining Inclusive and Sustainable Enterprises’ initiative to strengthen women-led enterprises and enable their access to global markets. The initiative was launched under WEP’s Award to Reward (ATR) programme in the presence of Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, and Ms. Anna Roy, Mission Director, WEP.

Key Highlights

1. Objective and Scope:

• • ‘We Rise’ aims to support women-led MSMEs in India by facilitating global trade access, mentorship, and capacity building.
  • The initiative aligns with the Government’s vision of women-led development, emphasizing inclusion, innovation, and enterprise growth.

2. Partnership Framework:

• • Under the ATR programme, WEP and DP World will jointly identify high-potential women entrepreneurs across India.
  • DP World will provide trade facilitation, logistics support, and export-readiness mentoring to help entrepreneurs meet global standards.

3. Global Market Access:

• • 100 women entrepreneurs will be mentored to enhance export competitiveness and business resilience.
  • Selected entrepreneurs will showcase their products at Bharat Mart, Dubai—a major B2B and B2C platform within the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), offering direct engagement with international buyers.

4. Public–Private Collaboration:

• • WEP and DP World’s partnership represents a model PPP initiative, leveraging private sector expertise in supply chains and logistics for inclusive trade.
  • DP World reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and sustainable economic growth through trade facilitation and capacity-building programmes.

5. Institutional Context:

• • WEP, launched by NITI Aayog in 2018 and transitioned into a public–private partnership in 2022, functions as a national aggregator for strengthening the women entrepreneurship ecosystem.
  • It addresses six key pillars: finance, market linkages, training, mentorship, compliance, and business development.
  • The ATR initiative (2023) institutionalises scalable partnerships by connecting ecosystem enablers and celebrating success stories.

Strategic Significance

• • Strengthens India’s MSME base by integrating women entrepreneurs into global trade and value chains.
  • Advances the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 by empowering women as drivers of economic transformation.
  • Demonstrates effective collaboration between government institutions and global enterprises to address gender gaps in trade.
  • Enhances export readiness of Indian women entrepreneurs, positioning them as contributors to India’s global trade footprint.

Conclusion

The ‘We Rise’ initiative marks a significant step toward realizing India’s goal of women-led economic empowerment through entrepreneurship.

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