One horned rhino
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday unveiled a memorial to the greater one
horned rhino and the forest guards the 1,300 sq. km kaziranga tiger reserve owes its existence
to.
● The ash collected from the burning of a stockpile of 2,479 rhino horns, seized from
poachers and smugglers and collected from animals that died naturally, was used in the
concrete mix to create the lifesize rhinos
● The stockpile of horns was also burnt to demonstrate that rhino horns have no medicinal
value
● The memorial named ‘Abode of the Unicorns’, which took six months to complete, is at
Mihimukh, the main entrance to the park in Kohora, one of the five ranges of the Eastern
Assam Wildlife Division. Kohora is about 200 km east of Guwahati.
Key Points related to One-Horned Rhino?
● About:
○ There are five species of rhino – white and black rhinos in Africa,
and the greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran rhino species in
Asia.
IUCN Red List Status:
Black Rhino: Critically endangered. Smaller of the two African species.
White Rhino: Near Threatened. Researchers have created an embryo of the northern white
rhino by using In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process.
One-Horned Rhino: Vulnerable Javan: Critically Endangered
Sumatran Rhino: Critically Endangered. It has gone extinct in Malaysia.
Only the Great One-Horned Rhino is found in India.
● Also known as Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino species.
● It is identified by a single black horn and a grey-brown hide with skin folds.
● They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as
leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.
Habitat:
○ The species is restricted to small habitats in Indo-Nepal terai and
northern West Bengal and Assam.
○ In India, rhinos are mainly found in Assam, West Bengal and Uttar
Pradesh.
○ Assam has an estimated 2,640 rhinos in four protected areas, i.e.
Pabitora Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park,
Kaziranga National Park, and Manas National Park.
■ About 2,400 of them are in the Kaziranga National
Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR).
● Protection Status:
○ IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
○ CITES: Appendix I (Threatened with extinction and CITES prohibits
international trade in specimens of these species except when the
purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific
research).
○ Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.
● Threats:
○ Poaching for the horns
○ Habitat loss
○ Population density
■ Decreasing Genetic diversity.
What are the Conservation Efforts?
● The five rhino range nations (India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia) have
signed a declaration ‘The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019’ for the
conservation and protection of the species.
● Recently, the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has
begun a project to create DNA profiles of all rhinos in the country.
● National Rhino Conservation Strategy: It was launched in 2019 to conserve the
greater one-horned rhinoceros.
● Indian Rhino Vision 2020: Launched in 2005, it was an ambitious effort to attain a
wild population of at least 3,000 greater one-horned rhinos spread over seven
protected areas in the Indian state of Assam by the year 2020.
India’s position on RussiaUkraine conflict
Addressing the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday, External Affairs
Minister S. Jaishankar explained India’s position in the RussiaUkraine conflict, saying India
was on the side that respected the UN charter and on the side of peace.
● The Minister also made a strong pitch for UN Security Council (UNSC) reform.
● Mr. Jaishankar said, adding that India was on the side “of those struggling with rising
food, fuel and fertilizer costs”
● Without naming China, he criticised those that politicise the United Nations Security
Council’s (UNSC) sanctions regime, saying that countries “defending proclaimed
terrorists, do so at their own peril”
● Why India should be granted permanent membership?
○ Emerging Global Power
■ India, after 75 years of independence, has emerged as one of the major
powers in global politics; which represents one-sixth of the global
population
■ It is also the world’s fifth largest economy and third largest in terms of
purchasing power parity as of 2020.
■ Also, India has taken the lead in calling for New International Economic
Order (NIEO) by reforming the international organizations
■ Further, at times of challenges, India has been at the forefront in raising its
voice for cooperation and shared responsibilities.
○ Long Historical ties with UN
■ India shares a long historic relationship with the UN and its contemporary
role in the global arena
■ India’s contribution to the international community is undeniable.
■ India also adheres to the Principle of Panchsheel whose relevance is
timeless
■ The principle of Panchsheel is based on Mutual respect for sovereignty,
non-aggression, non-interference, equality and peaceful coexistence.
These principles can be highly significant to UN Charter to work towards
peace and security in cooperation
○ India’s stand on disarmament and non-violence
■ India has stood to uphold non-discriminatory and transparent working in
international organisations
■ India has time and again reiterated its stand as a responsible nuclear
weapons state and its deterrence to no first use and non-use against non-
nuclear states
■ India has often criticised the discriminatory and undemocratic nature of
the NPT (Non-proliferation treaty)
○ Active International participation
■ India has been an active participant in international events and treaties like
UN peacekeeping mission, development goals, sustainable development,
climate change and anti-terrorism
■ India has provided more than 200,000 officers to UN peacekeeping
missions
■ India is also contributed to the UN in fighting against global challenges
such as terrorism, climate change, energy security, refugee crisis,
pandemics and restructuring the existing international economic world
order
○ As an added representative from Asian region
■ In the recent times, India’s shift from non-alignment to multi-alignment
shows that India can maintain good parallel relations with all major and
minor powers in the international system
■ India’s membership can be demanded based on its economic growth, size,
democratization, political stability, the rise of soft-power, nuclear power,
military power and its emergence as a rising power in the South Asian
region
● Tracing India’s run to permanent membership at UNSC
○ In 1992, India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan (referred as G4) had put up their
claims and logic for demanding inclusion as permanent members
■ Besides G4 countries South Africa (largest economy in African Continent)
is also a claimant, as the Continent remains unrepresented on high table of
permanent members
○ In retaliation, the pitch for reforms of G4 was lowered by their regional rivals
like Italy, Pakistan, Mexico and Egypt, which started formulation of another
interest group, known to be “Uniting for Consensus” opposing G4 becoming
permanent members with a veto power.
○ The efforts for expansion of UNSC and reforms were also made in the form of
the General Assembly Task Force on Security Council Reform and 2005 Kofi
Annan’s Plan to expand to 24 member UNSC, with various combinations for
equitable representation, but none of the initiatives have worked so far
○ The USA has time and again supported India’s bid for permanent membership in
2010 and again in 2017
○ Recently in 2020, France also supported India’s candidacy for permanent seat in
the UNSC
● What would be India’s aspirations being a permanent member at UNSC?
○ Being a “pen holder” as the permanent member of the Security Council, India
would similarly assume the mantle of international peace and security decision-
making
○ The powerful body would provide it the much needed leverage to expand its
global geo-political and geo-economic clout
■ It would serve as an equaliser to China and an emerging hegemon in
Asia, and an ever increasing strategic and security concern in its
immediate neighbourhood and beyond
○ As India’s international profile and capabilities rise due to its ever expanding
global and regional footprint in diverse areas such as politics, development,
economics, culture and science and technology, India wishes to shift its
international position from a rule taker (a constrained role) to a rule maker (a
system shaping role)
○ The Indian attempts at joining various regimes like the MTCR(Missile
Technology Control Regime) and the ongoing, high-pitched campaign to join the
NSG amply indicate that India is no more satisfied with being either the target or
a mere follower of various international norms and rules, and now wants to shape
and align them to suit Indian ideas and interests
Roadblocks for India
○ China factor
■ China is one of the five permanent members of the UNSC and has been
using its veto power to block India’s efforts to become a permanent
member of the body
■ The opposition by China, could be further complimented by India’s
assertion with China on Border issues and India’s opposition to China’s
Belt & Road Initiative
○ India’s firmness to not mend
■ Critics argue that India has still not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) and also refused to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-
Test-Ban Treaty in 1996
■ This aspect doesn’t sit well with other Permanent members of UNSC
○ Lack of resources for Multi-lateral Diplomacy
■ Though India is on firm path of Economic growth, it has been performing
poorly in socio-economic indicators like the Human Development Index,
which might become a consideration factor
■ Further, India still heavily relies on weaponry imports from US and Russia
for its military requirements; which questions its abilities to operate
beyond the Indo-pacific region
○ Veto power contention
■ Reforms to improve effectiveness and responsiveness of UN to
international security challenges are meaningless without the reform of the
UNSC veto power with P5, which enables any one of them to prevent the
adoption of any “substantive” draft council resolution, regardless of its
level of international support.
Jain heritage site in T.N.
With much of the art in Sittanavasal either damaged or vandalised, Archaeological Survey of
India has undertaken conservation measures and also introduced digital checks to track public
access
● A small village in Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu was a major centre of Jain
influence for 1,000 years just before the Christian era.
● Sittanavasal is the name used synonymously for the hamlet and the hillock that houses
the Arivar Kovil (temple of Arihats — Jains who conquered their senses), Ezhadipattam
(a cavern with 17 polished rock beds), megalithic burial sites and the Navachunai tarn
(small mountain lake) with a submerged shrine
● Sittanavasal is the only place in Tamil Nadu where we can see Pandya paintings
● The artwork on the ceiling of the sanctum and the ardha mandapam of Arivar Kovil is
an early example of postAjanta cave paintings of the fourth to sixth centuries
Sittanavasal Caves – Historical Background
● Sittanavasal is a north-south running rock-cut cave located on the western side of the
middle part of a hill.
● The Sittanavasal village dates from the 1st century BC to the 10th century AD, when
Jainism was prevalent in the region.
● There are also Jain stone beds on top of the hill, indicating that this area was a pilgrimage
site during the Jain era, which lasted until the 9th century AD.
● This cave temple was built by Pallava King Mahendravarma (580–630 AD) prior to
his conversion from Jainism to Hinduism.
● An inscription, however, credits its restoration to a Pandyan king, most likely Maran
Sendan (654–670 AD) or Arikesari Maravarman (670–700 AD).
● The Ramaa beds on the hilltop are thought to have belonged to a Jain pilgrimage center
that lasted until the 9th century AD.
● However, many megalithic burial sites from much older have been discovered in the
Pudukkottai region, where the monuments are located.
Rock-Cut Temple Architecture in South India:
○ Temple architecture in South India began under the Pallava ruler
Mahendravarman.
● The temples developed during the Pallava dynasty reflected the stylistic taste of the
individual rulers and can be classified into four stages chronologically.
○ Mahendra group: This was the first stage of Pallava temple architecture.
■ The temples built under Mahendravarman were basically rock-cut
temples.
■ Under him, the temples were known as mandapas, unlike the Nagara
style in which the mandapas meant only the assembly hall.
○ Narasimha group: Second stage of the development of temple architecture in
South India.
■ The rock-cut temples were decorated by intricate sculptures.
■ The mandapas were now divided into separate rathas.
■ The biggest one was called the Dharmaraja ratha while the smallest
one was called the Draupadi ratha.
○ Rajsimha group and Nandivarman group: Third and fourth stage of temple
development.
■ Development of real structural temples was started which replaced
the rock-cut temples.
ISRO Rohini RH-200
In a few weeks’ time, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) hopes to achieve a
remarkable feat — the 200th successful launch of the Rohini RH200 sounding rocket in a
row.
● RH200, a trusted member of the Rohini sounding rocket family used by the ISRO
for atmospheric studies, has completed 198 consecutive successful flights.
● RH200 is a two stage rocket capable of climbing to a height of 70 km bearing
scientific payloads. The first and second stages of RH200 are powered by solid
motors. The ‘200’ in the name denotes the diameter of the rocket in mm.
● For years, the RH200 rocket had used a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)based propellant.
The first RH200 to use a new propellant based on hydroxyl terminated
Polybutadiene (HTPB) was successfully flown from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket
Launching Station (TERLS) in September 2020.
What is a Sounding Rocket?
● It is also called a research rocket or rocketsonde. The sounding rockets are one or
two stage solid propellant rockets used to study upper atmospheric regions and for
space research.
● They serve as easily affordable platforms that test prototypes of new components or
subsystems intended for use in launch vehicles and satellites.
● The sounding rockets generally stay between 40 km and 160 kilometres in the
atmosphere. The range is such because the weather balloons have to stay within 40
kilometres and the Space rockets. The rockets are placed above it. In case the
Sounding rockets go above 160 km, they may burst.
About India’s first sounding rocket
● ISRO began with the launch of indigenously built sounding rockets from 1965. Its
experience gained was valuable in gaining excellence in the solid propellant technology.
● In 1975, all sounding rocket activities were cluttered under the Rohini Sounding Rocket
(RSR) Programme. RH-75, with a diameter of 75 mm was the first truly Indian sounding
rocket, which was followed by RH-100 and RH-125 rockets.
● The series of sounding rockets are called Rohini series with RH 200, RH 300 and RH 560
being the most important among them.
● The numbers along with the name acronym stands for the diameter of the rocket in
milimetres.
RBI introduced UPI Lite
Shaktikanta Das, governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), introduced UPI Lite, to speed
up and simplify low-value UPI payments. Users will be able to conduct real-time small-value
payments up to Rs 200 using UPI Lite, an on-device wallet function, without entering a UPI
PIN.
What is UPI
- The term “Unified Payment Interface” (UPI) refers to a smartphone application that
enables users to transfer money between bank accounts. - It is a mobile payment system created by the National Payments Corporation of
India. - Customers are no longer required to initiate transactions by divulging private
information like bank account numbers or other financial details.
What is UPI123Pay - To decrease cash-based transactions in India, the RBI introduced UPI. For a sizable
percentage of the population who lacked smartphones, UPI was unavailable. - The RBI introduced UPI123Pay to solve this issue. Customers will be able to use their
feature phones for almost all transactions using UPI123Pay, with the exception of scan
and pay.
What is UPI Lite? - UPI Lite is an “on-device wallet”. To use UPI Lite, users must first contribute money
to the app’s wallet from their bank accounts. - Users can make real-time payments without the Internet because it is a “on-device
wallet.” - In phase one, UPI Lite will process transactions in near offline mode, i.e., debit
(payments) can be made without Internet connection and credits into the account will be
done online, NPCI said. - However, there is a plan to make UPI Lite offline in the future where customers can
process transactions — both debit and credit — in complete offline mode. - The maximum amount that can be transferred via UPI LITE is Rs. 200, and the
maximum amount that can be in your UPI LITE balance at any given moment is Rs.
2000, or any additional limits that may occasionally be set by NPCI.
How UPI lite works - You can access UPI LITE and complete UPI LITE transactions by logging into the app
you downloaded on your phone and providing the necessary information for the
device’s biometric or pattern validation. - UPI LITE does not require a separate authorization or UPI PIN to complete a
transaction.
