5070 Manthan2.0DECEMBER-2023 WEEK-4 (Topic1-10) V29122023

MANTHAN 2.
O
DECEMBER 2023 : WEEK-4
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Manthan 2.O | December 2023 : Week-4
Contents
1. T+0, instant settlement cycle: What is the new SEBI proposal and
its potential benefits for investors? ................................................................................................................. 3
2. INS Imphal commissioned ............................................................................................................................................... 5
3. Veer Bal Diwas: Recalling the ‘supreme sacrifice’ of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons ................................... 9
4. Red Sea attacks, Panama Canal drought: How trouble at

two shipping choke points could impact global trade ......................................................................... 11
5. Why US is willing to relax its weapons ban on Saudi Arabia ....................................................................... 14
6. Wrestlers return Padma honours: Looking back at ‘award wapsi’

during Indira Gandhi regime............................................................................................................................ 17
7. Orissa HC rapped the state govt over creating new districts ...................................................................... 20
8. Macron for Republic Day 2024: How India chooses its Republic Day chief guest............................. 23
9. National Mathematics Day: Remembering the legacy of Srinivasa Ramanujan ................................. 26
10. Iceland volcano eruption: What are volcanoes and why is the island so volcanically active? .... 29
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1. T+0, instant settlement cycle: What is the
new SEBI proposal and its potential
benefits for investors?
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed the introduction of a facility for
clearing and settlement of funds and securities on T+0 (same day) and instant settlement cycle on an
optional basis.
 The facility will be in addition to the existing T+1 (trade plus one day) settlement cycle in the secondary
markets for the equity cash segment.
 The markets regulator, in a consultation paper, has proposed to introduce a shorter settlement cycle in
two phases.
What is the current settlement cycle followed in the securities market?
 In its endeavour to keep pace with the changing times and carry out its mandate of development of
securities markets and investor protection, SEBI has shortened the settlement cycle to T+3 from T+5 in
2002 and subsequently to T+2 in 2003.
 At present, the settlement of funds and securities happens on the T+1 cycle. It was introduced in 2021 in
a phased manner and was fully implemented in January 2023.
 Under it, securities and funds are settled by the next day of the trade.
What has SEBI proposed now?
 It said that for the equity cash segment, in addition to the existing T+1 settlement cycle, a shorter
settlement cycle may be introduced as an option. It proposed to implement it in two phases – Phase 1:
T+0 Settlement Cycle and Phase 2: Instant Settlement Cycle.
 In Phase 1, an optional T+0 settlement cycle (for trades till 1:30 PM) is envisaged, with settlement of
funds and securities to be completed on the same day by 4:30 PM.
 In Phase 2, an optional immediate trade-by-trade settlement (funds and securities) may be carried out. In
the second phase, trading will be carried out till 3.30 pm.
 SEBI has suggested that to begin with, T+0 settlement shall be made available in the top 500 listed
equity shares based on the market capitalisation.
 This will be done in three tranches of 200, 200, and 100, from lowest to highest market cap.
 As per the consultation paper, the exchanges will have to coordinate to publish a common list of
securities and calendar for migration under T+0 settlement.
 The surveillance measures applicable in the T+1 settlement cycle will also apply to securities in the T+0
settlement cycle.
 Securities under the trade-for-trade settlement will not be permitted for T+0.
Why is SEBI planning to introduce a shorter settlement cycle?
 Over the last few years, Indian securities markets have seen tremendous growth, both in terms of
volumes, value, as well as number of participants, SEBI said in the consultation paper released recently.
 This increase in the participation of new investors puts a greater onus on the regulator to make markets
more efficient and safer for its participants, with a special focus on retail participants.
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 “The significant evolution of payment systems in the country in recent years coupled with sophisticated
and robust technologies used by Markets Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) appears to present further
opportunities for advancing the clearing and settlement timelines, on an optional basis,” the regulator
said in the draft paper.
 The average Indian has rapidly embraced UPI (Unified Payments Interface) and instant payment
platforms.
 This flexibility can be extended to equity dealing as well.
 In today’s age, reliability, low cost and high speed of transactions are key features that attract investors
to particular asset classes, the paper said. To that extent, reducing settlement time and hence increasing
the operational efficiency of dealing in Indian securities can further draw and retain investors into this
asset class.
What would be the features of the proposed T+0 settlement mechanism?
 It is observed that a high percentage of retail investors bring upfront funds and securities before placing
an order.
 For the period June 2023, for around 94 per cent of delivery-based trades with value up to Rs. 1 lakh per
transaction, investors made early pay–in of funds and securities, the consultation paper said.
 An instant settlement mechanism would enable instant receipt of funds and securities, vis-a-vis existing
pay-out on T+1 day.
 It would eliminate the risk of settlement shortages since both funds and securities will be required to be
available before placing the order.
 It will strengthen investor protection by enhancing the control of the investor over the securities and
funds as funds and securities would be credited into the client’s account directly for those who are
trading through blocked amounts using the UPI facility (UPI Clients).
 Providing the option for instant settlement will help establish Indian equities as an asset class with the
features of resilience, low cost and time for transaction, superior in all ways to emerging claimants of
alternative asset classes, the paper said.
What are the benefits of the new mechanism?
 For clients, the option is expected to provide flexibility in terms of faster pay-out of the funds against the
securities to the sellers and faster pay-out of securities against the funds to the buyers.
 For the securities market ecosystem, the option is expected to provide flexibility in terms of faster pay-
out of the funds against the securities to the sellers and faster pay-out of securities against the funds to
the buyers.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulatory body for securities and commodity
market in India under the administrative domain of Ministry of Finance within the Government of India.
 It was established on 12 April 1988 as an executive body and was given statutory powers on 30 January
1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.
 Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was first established in 1988 as a non-statutory body for
regulating the securities market.
 It became an autonomous body on 30 January 1992 and was accorded statutory powers with the passing
of the SEBI Act 1992 by the Parliament of India.
 SEBI has its headquarters at the business district of Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai and has
Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Regional Offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and
Ahmedabad respectively.
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 It has opened local offices at Jaipur and Bangalore and has also opened offices at Guwahati,
Bhubaneshwar, Patna, Kochi and Chandigarh in Financial Year 2013–2014.
 Controller of Capital Issues was the regulatory authority before SEBI came into existence; it derived
authority from the Capital Issues (Control) Act, 1947.
The SEBI is managed by its members, which consists of the following:
 The chairman is nominated by the Union Government of India.
 Two members, i.e., Officers from the Union Finance Ministry.
 One member from the Reserve Bank of India.
 The remaining five members are nominated by the Union Government of India, out of them at least
three shall be whole-time members.
After the amendment of 1999
Collective investment schemes were brought under SEBI except nidhis, chit funds and cooperatives.
 Madhabi Puri Buch took charge of chairman on 1 March 2022, replacing Ajay Tyagi, whose term ended
on 28 February 2022. Madhabi Puri Buch is the first woman chairperson of SEBI.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. _________ took charge of chairman of SEBI on 1 March 2022.
2. An instant settlement mechanism would enable instant receipt of funds and securities, vis-a-vis
existing pay-out on _________ day.
3. For the period June 2023, for around 94 per cent of delivery-based trades with value up to
_________ per transaction, investors made early pay–in of funds and securities.
4. SEBI chairman is nominated by the _________ of India.
5. The _________ (SEBI) is the regulatory body for securities and commodity market in India.
6. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulatory body under the administrative
domain of _________ within the Government of India.
7. SEBI was established on _________.
8. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was first established in 1988 as a _________ body
for regulating the securities market.
9. SEBI became an _________ body on 30 January 1992 and was accorded statutory powers with the
passing of the _________ by the Parliament of India.
10. SEBI has its headquarters at the business district of Bandra Kurla Complex in _________.
2. INS Imphal commissioned

 INS Imphal (Pennant D68), the third of four warships of Project 15B that together form the
Visakhapatnam class stealth-guided missile destroyers, is set to be commissioned into the Indian Navy.
What is Project 15B?
 Between 2014 and 2016, the Indian Navy commissioned three guided missile destroyers of Kolkata
class under a project codenamed ‘15A’.
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 The Kolkata class included INS Kolkata, INS Kochi and INS Chennai.
 These ships were a step ahead of their precursor Delhi class of ships, which included INS Delhi, INS
Mysore and INS Mumbai, built under Project 15 and commissioned between 1997 and 2001.
 Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), one of India’s key Defence Public Sector Undertakings
(PSUs), has built all these ships.
 A ship class signifies a group of ships built with similar tonnage, usage, capabilities and weaponry.
 For building the advanced variants of the Kolkata class guided missile destroyers, a contract for
construction under the project codenamed ‘15B’ was signed in January 2011.
 The lead ship of Project 15B, INS Visakhapatnam (Pennant No D66), was commissioned into the Indian
Navy in November 2021 and the second ship INS Mormugao (D67) in December 2022.
 The fourth ship, D69, which when commissioned will be christened INS Surat, was launched in May
last year.
 Designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house warship design entity Warship Design Bureau, and built by
MDSL in Mumbai, the four ships of Project 15B are christened after major cities from all four corners of
the country — Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Surat.
 The class is identified by its lead ship, in this case INS Visakhapatnam.
The construction of Yard 12706, now INS Imphal
 Four major ceremonial events mark a ship’s life – keel laying, launching, commissioning and
decommissioning.
 The keel laying ceremony originates from the tradition of laying one central timber which forms the
backbone of the ship.
 For modern ships, keel laying is marked by the first of the modular components of the ship being placed
in the dock.
 The time taken to build Imphal and the period for her trials is the shortest for any indigenous destroyer,
the Ministry of Defence has said.
 The keel of INS Imphal (which was referred to as Yard Number 12706) was laid on May 17, 2017.
 The next milestone is launching when the ship is transferred from the building site into the waters.
 Yard 12706 was launched into the water on April 20, 2019.
 It sailed out for her maiden sea trials on April 28 earlier this year and completed a comprehensive
schedule of trials, both in the harbour and at sea, leading up to its delivery on October 20.
 This was done within a record time frame of six months – the fastest for a ship of its size.
 The ship is set for commissioning, marking the day the ship joins the active service.
Technological Characteristics and Armament of Visakhapatnam class
 The four ships of the class are 163 meters long and 17.4m wide, with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes.
 To put it in perspective, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant is 262 meters in length, 62
meters wide and displaces around 43,000 tonnes when fully loaded.
 The ship has a ‘combined gas and gas’ (COGAG) configuration integrating four gas turbines.
 The propulsion system allows the ship to reach a maximum speed of 30 knots and a maximum range of
4000 nautical miles.
 Ships of Visakhapatnam class are operated by a crew of around 350, including 50 officers and 250
sailors.
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 The accommodation and working areas have superior ergonomics and habitability as compared to its
predecessor classes of destroyers.
 Visakhapatnam class of destroyers have multiple fire zones, elaborate battle damage control systems and
distributional power systems for improved survivability and reliability for operating in extreme
operational and conflict scenarios.
 The class also has a total atmospheric control system (TACS) that offers protection to the crew from
chemical, biological and nuclear threats.
 They are also equipped with a state-of-the-art combat management system that can evaluate threats
using analytical tools and create a tactical picture that includes available resources on board.
 This helps to allocate the resources based on the tactical picture compiled and the weapons package
available on board.
 The class has a secure network to handle data from all the sensors and weapons systems.
 The arsenal of the Visakhapatnam class has BrahMos surface-to-surface cruise missiles and vertically
launched Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles for long-range engagement of shore and sea-based targets.
 The forward bow deck of the ship has a 127 mm main gun and also has four AK-630 30 mm guns for
close-point engagement.
 The ship is armed with indigenously developed 533 mm torpedo launchers and RBU-6000 anti-
submarine rocket launchers to provide anti-submarine warfare capability.
 It can operate two multi-role helicopters, including Sea King or HAL Dhruv. The ship has a rail-less
helicopter traversing and also has a hangar facility.
Strategic Significance
 Technically, destroyers are a category of warships that have high speed, manoeuvrability and longer
endurance.
 They are designed to be part of naval formations like a fleet or a carrier battle group also known as
carrier strike group.
 The modern destroyers that are swift, sleek and difficult to detect, primarily protect the fleets and carrier
battle groups from the short-range attackers from surface, air and sub-surface.
 The guided-missile destroyers are the destroyers that are armed with guided missiles for anti-aircraft
warfare, anti-surface operations and anti-submarine warfare.
 Because of the speed, manoeuvrability and striking capability, the guided missile destroyers are a key
asset in various types of naval operations, mainly offensive.
 Being a follow-on of the Kolkata class, the Visakhapatnam class incorporates not just the feedback and
suggestions from the Navy but also several new features.
 The state-of-the-art stealth feature makes Visakhapatnam class have the radar signature of a very small
ship. A very high indigenous component gives this platform a strategic edge.
 Visakhapatnam class is arguably one of the most advanced classes of ships in the Indian Navy.
 It can operate as an independent offence platform even when not part of a large formation.
 With all its modern sensors and communication facilities, the class is a key asset in network-centric
warfare, which denotes the use of information technology and computer networking tools to form
networks of various force elements in play in a conflict scenario.
A tribute to the city of Imphal
The Ministry of Defence has said:

 “INS Imphal will have the unique distinction of being the largest and the most advanced destroyer to be
ever named after a city from the North-east.
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 This is a befitting tribute to Manipur’s sacrifices and contributions in India’s freedom struggle, be it the
Anglo-Manipur War of 1891, or Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s hoisting of the INA flag for the first time
on April 14, 1944 at Moirang, or the pitched Battle of Imphal between British and Imperial Japanese
forces, with Indians on both sides, that turned the tide of the Burma campaign and shaped the outcome
of the Second World War and the new world order.
 The commissioning of Imphal, thus, underscores the salience and contribution of the city of Imphal, the
state of Manipur and the larger North-eastern region to national security, sovereignty and prosperity.”
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited

 Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) formerly called Mazagon Dock Limited, is a shipyard
situated in Mazagaon, Mumbai.
 It manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy and offshore platforms and associated
support vessels for offshore oil drilling.
 It also builds tankers, cargo bulk carriers, passenger ships and ferries.
 MDL is a public sector undertaking managed by the Ministry of Defence, with the Government of India
holding an 84.83% stake.
 Its shipbuilding segment has indigenously built stealth frigates, destroyers, guided-missile destroyers,
corvettes, landing platform docks, missile boats, patrol boats, trailing suction hopper dredgers, cargo
ships, cargo-passenger ships, platform supply vessels, Voith tugs and BOP vessels, while its submarine
segment has built conventional submarines and stealth submarines.
 Both segments have also performed repair and refit activities.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. INS Imphal (Pennant D68), the third of four warships of Project 15B
2. India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier _________ is 262 meters in length, 62 meters wide and
displaces around 43,000 tonnes when fully loaded.
3. The arsenal of the Visakhapatnam class has BrahMos surface-to-surface cruise missiles and
vertically launched _________ surface-to-air missiles for long-range engagement of shore and sea-
based targets.
4. The lead ship of Project 15B, INS Visakhapatnam (Pennant No D66), was commissioned into the
Indian Navy in November 2021 and the second ship _________ (D67) in December 2022.
5. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) formerly called Mazagon Dock Limited, is a shipyard
situated in Mazagaon, _________.
6. MDL is a public sector undertaking managed by the _________, with the Government of India
holding an 84.83% stake.
7. MDL manufactures warships and submarines for the _________ and offshore platforms and
associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling.
8. “INS Imphal will have the unique distinction of being the _________ and the most advanced
destroyer to be ever named after a city from the _________.
9. _________ is a befitting tribute to Manipur’s sacrifices and contributions in India’s freedom
struggle, be it the Anglo-Manipur War of _________.
10. The commissioning of Imphal, thus, underscores the salience and contribution of the city of Imphal,
the state of _________.
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3. Veer Bal Diwas: Recalling the ‘supreme
sacrifice’ of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons
 Every December, Sikhs mark the supreme sacrifice made by the four sons and the mother of their 10th
religious leader, Guru Gobind Singh.
 Shaheedi Jor Mela or Shaheedi Sabha are observed in Punjab’s Chamkaur Sahib and Fatehgarh Sahib,
attended by lakhs of people.
 The historic battle of Chamkaur in December 1704 was fought here when a small number of Sikhs took
on the huge army of the Mughals and the hill kings.
 Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh (9) and Sahibzada Fateh Singh (7), were
killed following an attack on Anandpur Sahib.
 The Guru’s mother Mata Gujari and his two elder sons, Sahibzaada Ajit Singh (18) and Sahibzaada
Jujhar Singh (14), were also killed within a week.
 In January 2022, the Centre announced that December 26 would be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ to
mark the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons.
What led to the attack on Anandpur Sahib?
 Guru Gobind Singh was raising an army, which caused some concerns among the neighbouring kings.
 In 1699, the Guru had established the Khalsa, and the hill kings and the Mughals had perceived this as a
threat.
 The hill kings had engaged in several battles with the Sikhs in the last decade of the 17th century but had
been unable to dislodge them from Anandpur Sahib.
 The fateful attack of 1704 was led by Mughals, Bilaspur King Bheem Chand and Handuria King Raja
Hari Chand.
 They cordoned off Anandpur Sahib with the support from armies of Sirhind, Lahore, Jalandhar,
Malerkotla and Saharnpur. Supplies to Anandpur Sahib were cut off for several months.
 It is said that the hill kings took an oath on the cow, and Mughal governors took an oath on the Quran,
after which both sides reached an agreement that there would be no war if Guru Gobind Singh left
Anadpur Sahib.
 According to the history published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Guru
Gobind Singh left Anadpur Sahib on December 20, 1704.
 However, their opponents violated their oath and the Guru and his followers were attacked near the river
Sarsa, at a distance of about 25 kilometres from Anandpur Sahib.
Battle on the banks of Sarsa
 The river is said to have been witnessing floods at the time. Many Sikh soldiers were swept away while
attempting to cross the cold waters.
 In the chaos, Guru Gobind Singh’s family was separated, scattering in three directions.
 His wife Mata Sahib Kaur and companion Bhai Mani Singh went towards Malwa.
 The Guru, his two eldest sons, and 40 other Sikhs moved toward Chamkaur Sahib.
 Mata Gujar Kaur and the two younger sons started a journey that ended in Sirhind, located 35 km away
from Chamkaur Sahib.
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 Gurdwara Parivaar Vichhora Sahib stands on the spot where the battle of Sarsa took place and the
family was separated.
 Guru Gobind Singh and his band of followers were soon surrounded in a castle at Chamkaur Sahib,
where they had taken refuge. The historic battle of Chamkaur was fought, where a small number of
Sikhs took on the huge army of the Mughals and the hill kings. Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Sahibzada
Jujhar Singh both sacrificed their lives in this battle on December 22.
What happened to the Chhote Sahibzade
 Sahibzada Zorwar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, along with their grandmother, were staying in
village Kheri at the house of one Gangu, who had served as a cook for the family.
 Gangu, tempted by the gold ornaments and coins Mata Gujari was carrying and the reward announced
by the Mughal governor, handed over the children and their grandmother to Sarhind’s Nawab Wazir
Khan.
 The three – the 81-year-old Mata Gujari ji, and the two Sahibzade aged 7 and 9 – were imprisoned in the
Thanda Burj (cold tower), which had a river flowing next to it and was bitterly cold.
 When the children were presented in court, they were offered riches and gifts and told to convert to
Islam. They were told their father and elder brothers had been killed in the war. The Sahibzade refused
to convert or to bow to Wazir Khan.
 After efforts to make them give up their religion failed, Wazir Khan decided that the boys would be
bricked alive.
 There was resistance to this from some Muslim courtiers, like Nawab Sher Khan, who said it was
against Islam to sentence two children to death.
 However, Wazir Khan prevailed.
 It is said that even as a wall was being erected around them, the Sahibzada stood unflinching.
 Two executioners then slit their throats, killing the younger, Sahibzada Fateh Singh, first. On the same
day, Mata Gujari died of shock.
 A few years later, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur avenged the execution of the Sahibzade, by attacking,
capturing Sarhand and executing Wazir Khan.
Guru Gobind Singh
 Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last human Sikh Guru.
 He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher.
 In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs after his father Guru Tegh
Bahadur was executed by Emperor Aurangzeb.
 His father was the ninth Sikh Guru. His four biological sons died during his lifetime – two in battle and
two executed by the Mughal governor Wazir Khan.
 Among his notable contributions to Sikhism are founding the Sikh warrior community called Khalsa in
1699 and introducing the Five Ks, the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times.
 Guru Gobind Singh is credited with the Dasam Granth whose hymns are a sacred part of Sikh prayers
and Khalsa rituals.
 He is also credited as the one who finalized and enshrined the Guru Granth Sahib as Sikhism’s primary
holy religious scripture and the eternal Guru.
 Guru Gobind Singh initiated the Five K’s tradition of the Khalsa,
Kesh: uncut hair.
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Kangha: a wooden comb.
Kara: an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist.
Kirpan: a sword.
Kacchera: short breeches.
 He also announced a code of discipline for Khalsa warriors.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. Every _________, Sikhs mark the supreme sacrifice made by the four sons and the mother of their
_________ religious leader, Guru Gobind Singh.
2. Guru Gobind Singh was the _________ and _________ human Sikh Guru.
3. In 1675, at the age of nine _________ was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs after his
father _________ was executed by Emperor Aurangzeb.
4. Guru Gobind Singh is credited with the _________ whose hymns are a sacred part of Sikh prayers
and Khalsa rituals.
5. Among _________ notable contributions to Sikhism are founding the Sikh warrior community
called _________ in 1699.
6. _________ initiated the _________ K’s tradition of the Khalsa.
7. A few years later, _________ avenged the execution of the Sahibzade, by attacking, capturing
Sarhand and executing Wazir Khan.
8. The historic battle of _________ in December 1704 was fought here when a small number of Sikhs
took on the huge army of the Mughals and the hill kings.
9. _________ avenged the execution of the Sahibzade, by attacking, capturing Sarhand and executing
Wazir Khan.
10. _________ was the first Sikh Guru.
4. Red Sea attacks, Panama Canal drought:

How trouble at two shipping choke
points could impact global trade
 Amid the recent attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea trade route in West Asia, one ship on its
way to India was struck by a drone attack on Chemical tanker MV Chem Pluto roughly 200 nautical
miles (370 km) off the coast of Gujarat.
 It has raised tensions among Indian oil importers and exporters of commodities such as basmati and tea.
 The Red Sea attacks have been carried out by Yemen-based Houthi rebels, who have been in a civil war
with the Yemeni government for about a decade.
 They say the attacks are to protest Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. While the US-led maritime
security coalition has swiftly announced countermeasures, indicating the importance of the route for
world trade, the recent shipping crisis in the Red Sea is not the only pain point.
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 Two crucial choke points – the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal – threaten to disrupt over a third of
global trade.
 This comes amid already slowing demand in the West and a property crisis in China that led the World
Trade Organization (WTO) to lower its goods trade forecast by as much as 50 per cent.
What do the ongoing Red Sea and Panama Canal crises mean for world trade?
 A disruption in maritime transport is a crucial concern for the world economy, as over 80 per cent of the
global goods trade is carried by sea.
 The share of trade via sea is much higher for developing countries such as India.
 Currently, two important shipping routes are facing blockages.
 While the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait that leads to the Suez Canal in the Red Sea region connects Asia to
Europe, the 100-year-old Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
 Both these routes are among the busiest in the world and a blockage results in forcing global shipping
lines to take longer alternate routes, pushing up freight rates.
 The disruption at the Red Sea route, for instance, is estimated to push the prices of Indian agricultural
products by 10 to 20 per cent, as shipments would be routed through the Cape of Good Hope.
 This comes at a time when much of the West is witnessing higher interest rates to curb inflation. Higher
prices could further fuel demand concerns for global and Indian exporters.
Why is trade via the Panama Canal slowing?
 Shipping via the Panama Canal has dropped by over 50% due to drought conditions at the 51-mile
stretch.
 Due to the shortage of water, ships moving from Asia to the US are being forced to use the Suez Canal,
which takes six more days compared to the Panama Canal.
 Moreover, Panama is facing its driest rainy season in decades, raising fears of prolonged canal
bottlenecks.
 According to S&P Global, rather than taking longer voyages through alternative routes, LNG vessels are
participating in pricey auctions to expedite their transit through the Panama Canal.
 One vessel paid nearly $4 million for an open slot in an auction in early November.
 The number of Very Large Gas Carriers transiting the Panama Canal is projected to almost halve by
February 2024, and there are concerns that those transits will reduce to zero come January, S&P Global
further said.
Why are oil flows to India immune to attack in the Red Sea?
 With global shipping majors such as Maersk avoiding transit through the Red Sea, global oil and
petroleum product flows through the maritime channel have declined by over 50 per cent in December
from their regular levels.
 However, India has not faced a disruption in its Russian oil imports. Russia is perceived as Iran’s ally
and as the Houthi rebels are widely believed to be backed by Tehran, its tankers have been passing
through.
 The price of benchmark Brent crude, however, jumped over 5 per cent since the attacks and is hovering
around the $80-per-barrel mark.
 In a recent report, Goldman Sachs said that it does not expect the disruptions in the Red Sea to
significantly impact international oil prices as global oil production is unlikely to be directly affected.
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How have the Red Sea attacks impacted freight rates?
 Ever since the attacks along the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait began earlier this month, global shipping firms
have begun imposing war risk surcharges over and above the normal freight rates.
 Indian exporters said that freight rates for Indian shipments headed to Europe and Africa could surge as
much as 25-30 per cent if the ongoing security concern along the Red Sea trade route continues.
 This is troubling, as the European Union is one of India’s second-largest export destinations. Slowing
demand from the region has impacted India’s labour-intensive sectors, such as textiles, gems and
jewellery exports.
 Shipping giant Maersk said that it is preparing to resume shipping operations in the Red Sea after the
US-led coalition was deployed in the area to address security concerns.
 However, the company added that it would again resort to diverting ship traffic depending on how safety
conditions evolved.
Red Sea
 The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia.
 Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden.
 To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez (leading to the Suez Canal).
 It is underlain by the Red Sea Rift, which is part of the Great Rift Valley.
 The Red Sea has a surface area of roughly 438,000 km2 (169,000 sq mi), is about 2,250 km (1,400 mi)
long, and — at its widest point — 355 km (221 mi) wide. It has an average depth of 490 m (1,610 ft),
and in the central Suakin Trough it reaches its maximum depth of 3,040 m (9,970 ft).
 Approximately 40% of the Red Sea is quite shallow (less than 100 m (330 ft) deep), and about 25% is
less than 50 m (164 ft) deep.
 The extensive shallow shelves are noted for their marine life and corals.
 More than 1,000 invertebrate species and 200 types of soft and hard coral live in the sea.
 Red Sea is the world’s northernmost tropical sea, and has been designated a Global 200 ecoregion.
Panama Canal
 The Panama Canal is an artificial 82-kilometre (51-mile) waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic
Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, cutting across the Isthmus of Panama, and is a conduit for maritime trade.
 Canal locks at each end lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial freshwater lake 26 meters (85 ft) above
sea level, created by damming up the Chagres River and Lake Alajuela to reduce the amount of
excavation work required for the canal, and then lower the ships at the other end.
 The Panama Canal shortcut greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, enabling them to avoid the lengthy, hazardous route around the southernmost tip of South
America via the Drake Passage or Strait of Magellan.
 It is one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken.
 Colombia, France, and later the United States controlled the territory surrounding the canal during
construction.
 France began work on the canal in 1881, but stopped because of lack of investors’ confidence due to
engineering problems and a high worker mortality rate.
 The United States took over the project in 1904 and opened the canal in 1914.
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 The US continued to control the canal and surrounding Panama Canal Zone until the Torrijos–Carter
Treaties provided for its handover to Panama in 1977.
 After a period of joint American–Panamanian control, the canal was taken over by the Panamanian
government in 1999. It is now managed and operated by the Panamanian government-owned Panama
Canal Authority.
 The original locks are 33.5 meters (110 ft) wide.
 A third, wider lane of locks was constructed between September 2007 and May 2016.
 The expanded waterway began commercial operation on June 26, 2016. The new locks allow transit of
larger, NeoPanamax ships.
 The American Society of Civil Engineers has ranked the Panama Canal one of the Seven Wonders of the
Modern World.
 The canal is threatened by low water levels during drought and due to climate change.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the _________, lying between _________ and Asia.
2. _______ sea connection to the ocean is in the south, through the ______ strait and the Gulf of Aden.
3. Amid the recent attacks on ships passing through the _________ trade route in West Asia, one ship
on its way to India was struck by a drone attack on Chemical tanker _________ roughly 200 nautical
miles (370 km) off the coast of Gujarat.
4. The _________ is an artificial 82-kilometre (51-mile) waterway.
5. _________ canal connects the Atlantic Ocean with the _________.
6. _________ canal locks at each end lift ships up to_________, an artificial freshwater lake.
7. Colombia, France, and later the _________ controlled the territory surrounding the canal during
construction.
8. The US continued to control the canal and surrounding Panama Canal Zone until the _________
Treaties provided for its handover to Panama in 1977.
9. The American Society of Civil Engineers has ranked the Panama Canal one of the _________
Wonders of the Modern World.
10. To _________ north lie the_________, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez (leading to the Suez
Canal).
5. Why US is willing to relax its weapons

ban on Saudi Arabia
 US Officials announced that the Biden administration is prepared to ease some restrictions on weapons
sales to Saudi Arabia, in light of advancing peace talks between Riyadh and the Houthi militia in
Yemen.
 President Joe Biden had imposed the ban two years ago amidst concerns that US weapons were being
used against civilians in Yemen, which is currently in the midst of a catastrophic war.
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A bloody civil war in Yemen
 Founded in 1990, the modern Yemini state has been plagued by religious and cultural differences
between its northern and southern halves.
 Ali Abdullah Saleh, a military officer who had ruled North Yemen since 1978 initially assumed control
over the country but was ousted in 2012 against escalating domestic and international pressure.
 His vice president, Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, assumed office as interim president, lasting two years
before he was forced to resign as well.
 Hadi’s resignation coincided with the start of Yemen’s civil war in 2014, when Houthi insurgents took
control of Yemen’s capital and largest city, Sana’a, demanding a new government.
 The Houthis, a group of Shiite rebels with links to Iran had been present in Yemen since the 1990s but
only assumed power in 2015 after seizing the presidential palace and forcing Hadi and his government
to resign.
 In early 2015, after escaping from Sana’a, Hadi rescinded his resignation, and began to lead a
government in exile based out of Saudi Arabia.
 Although the international community largely recognises the government in exile, most Yeminis live in
areas under Houthi control.
 Along with Sana’a and the north of Yemen, the Houthis also control the Red Sea coastline.
Saudi involvement
 According to analysts, the conflict, which has lasted for seven years, has evolved into a proxy war
between a multinational coalition headed by Saudi Arabia, and the Houthi rebels backed by Iran.
 In 2015, at Hadi’s request, Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Sunni majority Arab countries
including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
 In 2018, Pakistani and Eritrean military were added to the coalition.
 To restore Hadi’s administration, they carried out air assaults against the Houthis.
 For Saudi Arabia, the conflict in Yemen poses a security risk at the country’s southern border, a
situation complicated by the involvement of Iran.
 Iran is alleged to be the biggest state supporter of the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia has long
maintained that the Houthi’s are an Iranian proxy movement rather than a legitimate indigenous group.
Human rights violations and a weapons ban
 While groups like Amnesty International have accused both sides of grave human rights abuses, Saudi
Arabia in particular has been criticised for its involvement in the conflict.
 According to a report submitted to the United Nations in July, “Saudi Arabia has not only failed to
deliver accountability through either its national courts or the military coalition it launched, but it has
actively worked to thwart international efforts to pursue accountability for abuses in Yemen.”
 The report, details a series of war crimes conducted by Saudi Arabia, including assaults on migrants,
widespread prisoner abuse, denial of humanitarian supplies, the use of famine as a weapon and
bombings that killed civilians without any discernible military target nearby.
 Former US President Barack Obama initially banned the sale of US precision guided military
technology to Saudi Arabia in 2016, following an airstrike on a funeral hall in Yemen that killed 155
people.
 However, the ban was overturned by the Trump administration in 2017.
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 In the early days of his administration, Biden, who once referred to Saudi Arabia as a pariah, reimposed
many of the Obama era-restrictions.
Reasons for a reversal: Progress in peace process, Red Sea tensions
 According to UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, the opposing sides have committed steps
towards a ceasefire and a UN led peace process.
 Grundberg’s office stated that he “welcomes the parties’ commitment to a set of measures to implement
a nationwide ceasefire, improve living conditions in Yemen, and engage in preparations for the
resumption of an inclusive political process.”
 The Biden administration believes that the Saudis have abided by a US and UN brokered agreement
signed two years ago to limit casualties in Yemen. Also, since visiting Riyadh in 2022, Biden has
significantly softened his initial hard-line stance against the Saudis.
 More recently, in context of Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza, the Houthis have carried out a spate of
drone and missile attacks on Israel-linked merchant ships in the Red Sea, while also directly targeting
Israel.
 In this context, Saudi Arabia remains an important player in the Middle East, especially to combat
Houthi actions against Israel, one of the United States’closest allies.
Saudi Arabia
 Saudi Arabia officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia.
 It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about 2150000 km2 (830000 sq mi),
making it the fifth-largest country in Asia and the largest in the Middle East.
 It is bordered by the Red Sea to the west; Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; the Persian Gulf, Qatar
and the United Arab Emirates to the east; Oman to the southeast; and Yemen to the south. Bahrain is an
island country off its east coast.
 The Gulf of Aqaba in the northwest separates Saudi Arabia from Egypt and Israel.
 Saudi Arabia is the only country with a coastline along both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, and most
of its terrain consists of arid desert, lowland, steppe, and mountains.
 Saudi Arabia’s capital and largest city is Riyadh; the kingdom is also the location of Islam’s two holiest
cities of Mecca and Medina.
 The world’s second-largest religion, Islam, emerged in what is now Saudi Arabia.
 In the early 7th century, the Islamic prophet Muhammad united the population of the Arabian Peninsula
and created a single Islamic religious polity.
 Following his death in 632, his followers rapidly expanded the territory under Muslim rule beyond
Arabia, conquering huge and unprecedented swathes of territory (from the Iberian Peninsula in the west
to parts of Central and South Asia in the east) in a matter of decades.
 Arab dynasties originating from modern-day Saudi Arabia founded the Rashidun (632–661), Umayyad
(661–750), Abbasid (750–1517), and Fatimid (909–1171) caliphates, as well as numerous other
dynasties in Asia, Africa, and Europe.
 Saudi Arabia is considered both a regional and middle power.
 The Saudi economy is the largest in the Middle East; the world’s nineteenth-largest economy by
nominal GDP and the seventeenth largest by PPP.
 As a country with a very high Human Development Index, it offers a tuition-free university education,
no personal income tax, and a free universal health care system. With its dependency on foreign labour,
Saudi Arabia is home to the world’s third-largest immigrant population.
Page 16
 It also has one of the world’s youngest populations, with approximately 50% of its population of 32.2
million being under 25 years old.
 In addition to being a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia is an active and founding
member of the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League, Arab Air Carriers’
Organization and OPEC. Saudi Arabia is a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. _________ has one of the world’s youngest populations, with approximately 50% of its population
of 32.2 million being under 25 years old.
2. The Saudi economy is the _________ in the Middle East.
3. The _________ a group of Shiite rebels with links to Iran had been present in Yemen since the
1990s but only assumed power in 2015 after seizing the presidential palace and forcing Hadi and his
government to resign.
4. Arab dynasties originating from modern-day Saudi Arabia founded the Rashidun (632–661),
Umayyad (661–750), Abbasid (750–1517), and _________ caliphates.
5. Saudi Arabia officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia.
6. _________ covers the bulk of the _________ and has a land area of about 2150000 km2 (830000 sq
mi), making it the fifth-largest country in Asia and the largest in the Middle East.
7. The _________ in the northwest separates Saudi Arabia from Egypt and Israel.
8. _________ is the only country with a coastline along both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, and
most of its terrain consists of arid desert, lowland, steppe, and mountains.
9. Saudi Arabia’s capital and largest city is _________.
10. Saudi Arabia is the only country with a coastline along both the Red Sea and the _________.
6. Wrestlers return Padma honours:

Looking back at ‘award wapsi’ during
Indira Gandhi regime
 Wrestler Bajrang Punia said he was returning his Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, to
oppose the election of Sanjay Singh, a close aide of BJP MP and sexual harassment accused Brij
Bhushan Sharan Singh, as president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
 Punia, who has won multiple medals for India, was stopped by the Delhi Police at Kartavya Path when
he tried to walk towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. “I will give the Padma Shri award
to anyone who will take it to PM Modi,” Bajrang said before he placed the award on the footpath and
walked away.
 This was followed by deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh Yadav making a similar
announcement, saying he would give up his Padma Shri in solidarity with wrestler Sakshi Malik, who
quit the sport to protest Singh’s election.
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Award wapsi not new
During the Emergency

 When former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a state of Emergency on the country, several
prominent civil society members rose up in protest.
 Two of them went as far as to return the civilian honours granted to them — writer K Shivarama
Karanth from Karnataka returned his Padma Bhushan, while author Phanishwar Nath “Renu” from
Bihar gave up his Padma Shri.
Shivaram Karanth
 Shivaram Karanth was born on October 10, 1902 in Kota in the Udupi district of Karnataka.
 He wrote about 50 novels, including Mookajjiya Kanasugalu which won him the Jnanpith Award. He
also wrote around 30 plays.
 But apart from celebrated novelist and playwright, Karanth went on to don many hats.
 He was responsible for the rejuvenation of Yakshagana, a performing folk art of coastal Karnataka.
 His treatise, Yakshagana Bayalata, won him the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi award in 1958.
 Karanath wrote volumes on science, particularly for children.
 He was also a passionate advocate of environmental causes, and even contested the 1989 elections from
Karwar on a green plank.
 He passed away on December 9, 1997, at the age of 95.
Phanishwar Nath ‘Renu’

 ‘Renu’ was born on March 4, 1921, in a village called Aurahi Hingna in Bihar’s Ararria. Renu belonged
to an underprivileged caste, though his family was better-off and also progressive. Renu was educated in
Bihar, Nepal, and Banaras, and made a name for himself in the genre of the Aanchalik Upanyas, or
regional literature, where he gave voice to the struggles, triumphs, and tribulations of the usually
overlooked corners of Bihar.
 His most notable work, Maila Aanchal, is considered aming the foremost works of Hindi literature. In
2019, PM Modi, during a visit to Forbesganj in Bihar, had quoted lines from Maila Aanchal, which
roughly translate to a character saying he chooses to spend his life’s labours under the soiled aanchal of
rural Bharat Mata.
 Renu’s short story Maare Gaye Gulfam was adapted into the Bollywood movie Teesri Kasam, starring
Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman, for which he also wrote the dialogues.
 Other works of his include Parti Parikatha, Paltu Babu Road, and Juloos.
 The writer was awarded the Padma Shri in 1970. In 1972, he unsuccessfully contested the Assembly
elections from Forbesganj.
 Renu passed away on April 11, 1977, at the age of 56.
Apart from the Emergency
 Renu and Karanth were not the only writers to give up their awards in protest against the Indira
government.
 In 1984, poet and novelist Khushwant Singh returned his Padma Bhushan, awarded in 1974, to protest
Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple.
 In the same year, Kashmiri writer Akhtar Mohiuddin returned the Padma Shri, which he received in
1968, over the hanging of Kashmiri separatist Maqbool Bhat.
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Padma awards
 Padma Awards were instituted in the year 1954.
 Except for brief interruptions during the years 1978 to 1979 and 1993 to 1997, these awards have been
announced every year on Republic Day.
 The award is given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, in
decreasing order of precedence.
 Padma Vibhushan is awarded for “exceptional and distinguished service”.
 Padma Vibhushan is the second (2nd)- highest civilian award in India.
 Padma Bhushan is awarded for “distinguished service of a high order”.
 Padma Bhushan is the third (3rd)- highest civilian award in India.
 Padma Shri is awarded for “distinguished service”. Padma Shri is the fourth (4th)- highest civilian award
in India.
 Unlike national honours, the Padma awards do not include cash allowances, benefits, or special
concessions in rail/air travel.
 Per a December 1995 judgment of the Supreme Court of India, no titles or honorifics are associated with
the Bharat Ratna or any of the Padma awards; honourees cannot use them or their initials as suffixes,
prefixes or pre- and post-nominals attached to the awardee’s name.
 This includes any such use on letterheads, invitation cards, posters, books etc. In the case of any misuse,
the awardee will forfeit the award, and he or she is cautioned against any such misuse upon receiving the
honour.
 The decoration comprises a sanad (Certificate) issued under the hand and seal of the President and a
medal.
 The recipients are also given a replica of the medal, which they can wear during any ceremonial/State
functions etc., if they desire.
 A commemorative brochure giving out brief details in respect of each award winner is also released on
the day of the investiture ceremony.
Selection process
 These awards seek to recognize work of any distinction, and are given for distinguished and exceptional
achievements/service in all fields of activities/disciplines, such as art, literature and education, sports,
medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade and industry, etc.
 All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards.
 In 2015, the government decided to end the practice of ministers recommending names for Padma
awards and replaced it with any Indian citizen recommending a person for Padma awards online.
 The government said that this was done with the belief that every citizen has something to contribute to
the nation and that contribution should be integrated with the country’s growth.
 Accordingly, several hitherto unknown citizens were awarded Padma awards in 2017. The role of the
state governments was also minimised.
Annulment of awards
 While there are no specific criteria for withdrawing a Padma award, the President of India, per the
awards’ statutes, may cancel and annul any award in the case of any misconduct committed by the
recipient.
 At least three awards of the Padma Shri have been so annulled, twice in 1958 for recipients residing in
the state of Punjab and once in 1974 for a recipient residing in the state of Gujarat.
Page 19
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. Per a December 1995 judgment of the Supreme Court of India, no titles or honorifics are associated
with the _________ or any of the _________ honourees cannot use them or their initials as suffixes,
prefixes or pre- and post-nominals attached to the awardee’s name.
2. _________ wrote about 50 novels, including _________ which won him the Jnanpith Award.
3. _________ most notable work, Maila Aanchal, is considered aming the foremost works of Hindi
literature.
4. In 1984, poet and novelist Khushwant Singh returned his Padma Bhushan, awarded in 1974, to
protest _________ at the Golden Temple.
5. In _________, the government decided to end the practice of ministers recommending names for
_________.
6. Wrestler Bajrang Punia said he was returning his _________, India’s fourth-highest civilian award.
7. The award is given in three categories: _________, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, in decreasing
order of precedence.
8. _________ is awarded for “exceptional and distinguished service”.
9. Padma Bhushan is the _________ highest civilian award in India.
10. Renu and Karanth were not the only writers to give up their awards in protest against the _________
government.
7. Orissa HC rapped the state govt over

creating new districts
 Amid reports that Odisha may create a few more districts before the end of the year, the Orissa High
Court has directed the Naveen Patnaik government not to issue any final order in this regard without its
permission.
 While hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), a division bench of the court said that the state
government was going to create new districts without any guidelines and principles.
 The court, however, allowed the government to continue the process of reorganisation if it wants.
Buzz for new districts

 Last year, during the Padampur Assembly by-election, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had
promised district status to Padampur sub-division in Bargarh district by December 31, 2023, which was
a long-standing demand of the people in the region and also a major poll issue. Naveen also publicly
announced it when he visited Padampur in February this year.
 The state government had also informed the Assembly in September that proposals for the creation of 25
districts had been received by the government.
Page 20
The PIL and court observation
 The PIL was filed by a Rairangpur-based advocate Akshaya Kumar Mohanty, seeking a separate district
status for Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district. The matter was heard by a division bench comprising
acting chief justice BR Sarangi and Justice MS Raman.
 The court observed that with regard to the power of formation of new districts, except the report of the
Justice Raj Kishore Das Committee (district reorganization committee), 1975 and the Cabinet Sub-
Committee Report of 1991, nothing is made available or placed on record as to how to re-organise a
district.
When the districts were last reorganised

 While Odisha had 13 districts, 17 more districts were created by bifurcating larger districts in 1993 for
administrative convenience by the then CM Biju Patnaik.
 The decision was taken on the basis of the recommendation of the Cabinet Sub-Committee Report of
1991. Some of the large and tribal-dominated districts like Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar were
not divided.
Opposition slams Patnaik government

 The opposition BJP and Congress targeted the Patnaik government after the HC order, accusing it of
making false promises to win polls.
 Both the parties alleged that the government was behind the PIL, to secure an order for not creating
more districts.
How are new districts carved?

 The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments.
 This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly.
 Many States prefer the executive route by simply issuing a notification in the official gazette.
How does it help?

 States argue that smaller districts lead to better administration and governance. For example, in 2016,
the Assam government issued a notification to upgrade the Majuli sub-division to Majuli district for
“administrative expediency”.
Are there are any exceptions?

 The State government has been vested with unfettered powers under Section 5 of the Punjab Land
Revenue Act, 1887 to create new districts, says K.B.S. Siddhu, former financial commissioner (revenue)
of Punjab.
 “This power is generally held temporarily in abeyance only during active census operations or during
the delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha/Vidhan Sabha constituencies,” Mr. Sidhu said.
Does the Central government have a role to play here?

 The Centre has no role to play in the alteration of districts or creation of new ones. States are free to
decide.
 The Home Ministry comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a
railway station.
Page 21
 The State government’s request is sent to other departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Earth
Sciences, Intelligence Bureau, Department of Posts, Geographical Survey of India Sciences and the
Railway Ministry seeking clearance.
 A no-objection certificate may be issued after examining their replies.
What has been the trend?

 According to the 2011 Census, there were 593 districts in the country.
 The Census results showed that between 2001-2011, as many as 46 districts were created by States.
 Though the 2021 Census is yet to happen, Know India, a website run by the Government of India, says
currently there are 718 districts in the country.
 The surge in number is also due to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into A.P and Telangana in 2014.
Public Interest Litigation

 The chief instrument through which judicial activism has flourished in India is public interest litigation
(PIL) or social action litigation (SAL).
 It refers to litigation undertaken to secure public interest and demonstrates the availability of justice to
socially-disadvantaged parties and was introduced by Justice P. N. Bhagwati and Justice V.R. Krishna
Iyer.
 It is a relaxation on the traditional rule of locus standi.
 Before 1980s the judiciary and the Supreme Court of India entertained litigation only from parties
affected directly or indirectly by the defendant.
 It heard and decided cases only under its original and appellate jurisdictions.
 However, the Supreme Court began permitting cases on the grounds of public interest litigation, which
means that even people who are not directly involved in the case may bring matters of public interest to
the court.
 It is the court’s privilege to entertain the application for the PIL.
Filing a PIL under article 32, 226 Constitution of India or section 133 Cr. P. C.
 The court must be satisfied that the Writ petition fulfills some basic needs for PIL as the letter is
addressed by the aggrieved person, public spirited individual and a social action group for the
enforcement of legal or Constitutional rights to any person who are not able to approach the court for
redress.
Any citizen can file a public case by filing a petition:

 Under Art 32 of the Indian Constitution, in the Supreme Court.
 Under Art 226 of the Indian Constitution, in the High Court.
 Under sec. 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code, in a magistrate’s court.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. In India, maximum number of districts is in _________.
2. The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the _________.
3. The _________ comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a
railway station.
Page 22
4. The _________ has no role to play in the alteration of districts or creation of new ones. States are
free to decide.
5. Though the 2021 Census is yet to happen, Know India, a website run by the Government of India,
says currently there are _________ districts in the country.
6. The chief instrument through which judicial activism has flourished in India is _________.
7. Before _________ the judiciary and the Supreme Court of India entertained litigation only from
parties affected directly or indirectly by the defendant.
8. PIL refers to litigation undertaken to secure public interest and demonstrates the availability of
justice to socially-disadvantaged parties and was introduced by _________ and Justice V.R. Krishna
Iyer.
9. PIL heard and decided cases only under its _________ and _________ jurisdictions.
10. According to the 2011 Census, there were _________ districts in the country.
8. Macron for Republic Day 2024: How

India chooses its Republic Day chief
guest
 France’s President Emmanuel Macron will be India’s chief guest for its 2024 Republic Day celebrations,
the Elysee French presidential palace said.
 The Ministry of External Affairs also confirmed saying: “At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, will be visiting India as the Chief Guest for the
75th Republic Day celebrations.”
Why is being India’s Republic Day chief guest an honour?

 Being invited as the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations is the highest honour a country accords in
terms of protocol.
 The chief guest is front and centre in many ceremonial activities which have over time become a part of
the fabric of the event and the run-up to it.
 They are given the ceremonial guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan followed by a reception hosted by
the President of India in the evening.
 They also lay a wreath at Rajghat, to honour Mahatma Gandhi.
 There is a banquet in their honour, a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister, and calls by the Vice-President
and the External Affairs Minister.
 Ambassador Manbir Singh, a former Indian Foreign Service officer who served as Chief of Protocol
between 1999 and 2002, the visit of the Chief Guest is full of symbolism — “it portrays the Chief Guest
as participating in India’s pride and happiness, and reflects the friendship between the two peoples
represented by the President of India and the Chief Guest”.
Page 23
 This symbolism serves as a powerful tool to forge and renew ties between India and the nation of its
invitee, having greater political and diplomatic significance as well.
So how is the Republic Day chief guest chosen?

 The process starts nearly six months in advance of the event.
 Ambassador Manbir Singh had said all kinds of considerations are taken into account by the MEA
before extending the invitation.
 The most central consideration is the nature of the relationship between India and the country concerned.
 Invitation to be the Chief Guest of the Republic Day parade is the ultimate sign of friendship between
India and the country of the invitee.
 Political, commercial, military and economic interests of India are crucial drivers of the decision, with
MEA seeking to use the occasion to strengthen ties with the country of the invitee in all these respects.
 Another factor that has historically played a role in the choice of the Chief Guest is the association with
the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which began in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
 The NAM was an international political movement of newly decolonised nations to stay out of the
squabbles of the Cold War and support each other in their nation-building journeys.
 The first Chief Guest of the parade in 1950 was President Sukarno of Indonesia, one of the five founding
members of the NAM
What happens after the MEA has zeroed in on its options?

 After due consideration, the MEA seeks the approval of the PM and the President on the matter.
 After the MEA gets approval, Indian ambassadors in the concerned country try to discreetly ascertain
the availability of the potential chief guest.
 This is crucial as it is not uncommon for heads of state to have packed schedules and unavoidable prior
commitments.
 This is also a reason why the MEA doesn’t just choose one option but a list of potential candidates.
Discretion is of utmost importance as no formal invitation has yet been made by India.
 After a candidate is finalised, more official communication takes place between India and the invitee’s
country.
 Territorial divisions in the MEA work towards meaningful talks and agreements.
 The Chief of Protocol works on the details of the programme and logistics.
 A detailed programme for the trip and the Republic Day ceremonies is shared by the Protocol Chief with
his counterpart from the visiting nation.
 The planning of the visit involves the Government of India, state governments which the foreign
dignitary might visit, and the government of the concerned country.
Can things go wrong during the visit?

 There is always the possibility of things not going to plan, something that the organisers have to prepare
for beforehand.
 Health issues with the VIP can cause delays.
 Untimely rain can spoil a lot of things. Organisers prepare and rehearse contingencies for all kinds of
situations so that on the big day, things go smoothly.
Page 24
 Ambassador Singh recounted an incident where the aide-de-camp or ADC (a personal assistant or
secretary to a person of high rank) of the Republic Day chief guest attempted to accompany the chief
guest for the inspection of the guard of honour.
 “But in our practice, only the commander of the Tri-Services Guard accompanies the visitor, and the
insistent ADC had to be physically restrained by officials present at the spot.”
The big picture of the chief guest’s visit

 Ambassador Singh pointed out that India is mindful that the media party accompanying the Guest would
be reporting in their country on every aspect of the visit.
 To foster and further grow good relations, it is necessary that the guest’s nation perceives the visit as
having been successful, and that their Head of State has been shown all courtesies and given due honour.
 In the modern world, visual coverage is of great importance, and the programmes and protocol keep this
in view, Ambassador Singh pointed out.
 He noted that the various chief guests and their Ambassadors in New Delhi have been profuse in their
praise for India’s ceremonies and the protocol it accords. India’s hospitality reflects its traditions,
culture, and history.
 The chief guest of the Republic Day is a ceremonial honour presented to the head of state of a country
but its significance rises beyond purely the ceremonial.
 Such a visit can open new possibilities and go a long way in furthering India’s interests in the world.
Emmanuel Macron
 Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron is a French politician who has been President of France since
2017. Macron is ex officio one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra.
 He previously was Minister of Economics, Industry and Digital Affairs under President François
Hollande from 2014 to 2016, and as Deputy Secretary-General to the President from 2012 to 2014.
 He is a founding member of Renaissance.
 Born in Amiens, Macron studied philosophy at Paris Nanterre University, later completing a master’s
degree in public affairs at Sciences Po and graduating from the École nationale d’administration in 2004.
 He worked as a senior civil servant at the Inspectorate General of Finances and later became an
investment banker at Rothschild & Co.
List of chief guests at Delhi Republic Day parade

 Since 1950, India has been hosting head of state or government of another country as the state guest of
honour for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.
 During 1950–1954, Republic Day celebrations were organised at different venues (like Irwin
Amphitheatre, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Maidan).
 It was only starting 1955 when the parade in its present form was organised at Rajpath.
 The guest country is chosen after a deliberation of strategic, economic and political interests. During
1950s–1970s, a number of Non-Aligned Movement and Eastern Bloc countries were hosted by India.
 In 1968 and 1974, India played host to two countries on the same Republic Day.
Page 25
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. The first and 1950 state guest of honour for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi was
_________.
2. The 2024 Republic day will be the _________ republic day.
3. Currency of European Union is _________.
4. The longest river that flows through Europe is _________.
5. The Currency of France is _________.
6. _________ is a French politician who has been President of France since 2017.
7. _________ is a founding member of Renaissance.
8. Since _________ India has been hosting head of state or government of another country as the state
guest of honour for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.
9. During 1950–1954, Republic Day celebrations were organised at _________.
10. During 1950s–1970s, a number of _________ and Eastern Bloc countries were hosted by India.
9. National Mathematics Day: Remembering

the legacy of Srinivasa Ramanujan
 December 22, the birth anniversary of legendary mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920), is
celebrated as National Mathematics Day.
 His time on Earth was short, and he developed many of his ideas in isolation.
 Nonetheless, Ramanujan left behind a legacy that continues to amaze and inspire mathematicians till
date.
 As his close collaborator GH Hardy once said in an interview: “had he been introduced to modern ideas
and methods at sixteen instead of at twenty-six… it is not extravagant to suppose that he might have
become the greatest mathematician of his time.”
Excelled in mathematics, struggled in other subjects

 Born in the town of Erode in Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu), Ramanujan came from humble
origins.
 He was a sickly child, contracting — and somewhat miraculously surviving — smallpox at the age of 2.
In fact, he would be plagued by ill health for the rest of his life.
 But even as a child, his mathematical aptitude was apparent.
 By the age of 14, he was completing mathematics examinations in half the allotted time, and exploring
complex topics way beyond the capability of an average 14-year old.
 In 1904, after finishing secondary school, he received a scholarship at the Government Arts College,
Kumbakonam.
 But so engrossed in mathematics was he that he failed in most other subjects and thus lost the
scholarship.
Page 26
 Finally, he managed to enrol at Pachaiyappa’s College in Madras (now Chennai).
An inspired mind
 By 1910, Ramanujan was gaining popularity in Madras’ mathematical circles.
 In 1912, V Ramaswamy Iyer, founder of the Indian Mathematical Society, helped him get a clerical
position at the Madras Port Trust.
 For the first time, Ramanujan secured a stable income. But mathematics was still his first calling.
 At his office, he would quickly complete his work, and then spend his spare time doing mathematical
research.
 Eventually, Ramanujan began sending his work to mathematicians in Britain.
 His breakthrough arrived in 1913, when the Cambridge-based GH Hardy wrote back.
 Impressed with Ramanujan’s theorems and work related to infinite series, Hardy called him to London.
 He would depart for Britain in 1914, and with Hardy’s help, got enrolled in Trinity College, Cambridge.
 He would spend nearly five years in Cambridge, collaborating with Hardy and JE Littlewood.
 Ramanujan’s lack of formal training was made up by his intuition, and inspired thinking.
 As Hardy would later say: “He combined a power of generalisation, a feeling for form, and a capacity
for rapid modification of his hypotheses, that were often really startling, and made him, in his own
peculiar field, without a rival in his day.”
 In 1917, Ramanujan was elected to be a member of the London Mathematical Society.
 In 1918, he also became a Fellow of the Royal Society, becoming one of the youngest to ever achieve
the feat.
 However, Ramanujan remained plagued with illness for much of his time in Britain.
 Unable to adjust to the diet and climate of the island nation, he would eventually return to India in 1919.
He passed away a year later.
An enduring legacy
 Ramanujan’s genius, Hardy once said, was at par with Euler and Jacobi, the greatest modern
mathematical minds in the West.
 American Mathematician Bruce C Berndt, best known for analysing and developing Ramanujan’s
theories, wrote about how Hardy rated mathematicians.
 “Suppose that we rate mathematicians on the basis of pure talent on a scale from 0 to 100. Hardy gave
himself a score of 25, JE Littlewood 30, David Hilbert 80 and Ramanujan 100.”
 His work in number theory is especially regarded, and he made advances in the partition function.
 Ramanujan was recognised for his mastery of continued fractions, and had worked out the Riemann
series, elliptic integrals, hypergeometric series, and the functional equations of the zeta function.
 After his death, Ramanujan left behind three notebooks and some pages containing unpublished results,
on which mathematicians continued to work on for many years.
 In 2012, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared December 22 as National Mathematics Day in
honour of the great man.
Abel Prize
 The Abel Prize is awarded annually by the King of Norway to one or more outstanding mathematicians.
Page 27
 It is named after the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802–1829) and directly modeled
after the Nobel Prizes.
 It comes with a monetary award of 7.5 million Norwegian kroner (NOK; increased from 6 million NOK
in 2019).
 The Abel Prize’s history dates back to 1899, when its establishment was proposed by the Norwegian
mathematician Sophus Lie when he learned that Alfred Nobel’s plans for annual prizes would not
include a prize in mathematics.
 In 1902, King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway indicated his willingness to finance the creation of a
mathematics prize to complement the Nobel Prizes, but the establishment of the prize was prevented by
the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905.
 It took almost a century before the prize was finally established by the Government of Norway in 2001,
and it was specifically intended “to give the mathematicians their own equivalent of a Nobel Prize.”
 The laureates are selected by the Abel Committee, the members of who are appointed by the Norwegian
Academy of Science and Letters.
 The award ceremony takes place in the aula of the University of Oslo, where the Nobel Peace Prize was
awarded between 1947 and 1989.
 The Abel Prize board has also established an Abel symposium, administered by the Norwegian
Mathematical Society, which takes place twice a year.
 In 2019, Karen Uhlenbeck became the first woman to win the Abel Prize, with the award committee
citing “the fundamental impact of her work on analysis, geometry and mathematical physics.
 The Bernt Michael Holmboe Memorial Prize was created in 2005. Named after Abel’s teacher, it
promotes excellence in teaching.
Selection criteria and funding

 Anyone may submit a nomination for the Abel Prize, although self-nominations are not permitted.
 The nominee must be alive.
 If the awardee dies after being declared the winner, the prize will be awarded posthumously.
 The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters declares the winner of the Abel Prize each March after
recommendation by the Abel Committee, which consists of five leading mathematicians. Both
Norwegians and non-Norwegians may serve on the Committee.
 They are elected by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and nominated by the International
Mathematical Union and the European Mathematical Society.
 As of 2022, the committee is chaired by Norwegian mathematician Helge Holden and before then was
headed by Hans Munthe Kaas, John Rognes, Ragni Piene, Kristian Seip, and Erling Stormer.
Funding
 The Norwegian Government gave the prize an initial funding of NOK 200 million (about €21.7 million)
in 2001.
 Previously, the funding came from the Abel foundation, but today the prize is financed directly through
the national budget.
 The funding is controlled by the Board, which consists of members elected by the Norwegian Academy
of Science and Letters.
Page 28
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. American Mathematician _________, best known for analysing and developing Ramanujan’s
theories, wrote about how Hardy rated mathematicians.
2. In 1912, V Ramaswamy Iyer, founder of the Indian Mathematical Society, helped him get a clerical
position at the _________.
3. In 1917, Ramanujan was elected to be a member of the _________.
4. _________ the birth anniversary of legendary mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan is celebrated as
National Mathematics Day.
5. The Abel Prize is awarded annually by the _________ to one or more outstanding mathematicians.
6. _________ is named after the _________ mathematician Niels Henrik Abel and directly modeled
after the Nobel Prizes.
7. In 1902, King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway indicated his willingness to finance the creation of a
_________ prize to complement the _________.
8. The Norwegian Government gave the prize an initial funding of _________ in 2001.
9. The award ceremony takes place in the aula of the _________, where the Nobel Peace Prize was
awarded between 1947 and 1989.
10. The Abel Prize Funding is controlled by the Board, which consists of members elected by the
_________.
10. Iceland volcano eruption: What are

volcanoes and why is the island so
volcanically active?
 Lava flows from a volcano in Iceland were slowing down although new vents could open at short notice.
 The volcano, which is known as Fagradalsfjall and located on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest
Iceland, erupted after weeks of intense earthquakes and tremors.
 In the first two hours of the eruption, hundreds of cubic metres of lava per second flowed out of the
volcano.
 The authorities anticipated the eruption due to the seismic activity and evacuated nearly 4,000 people
last month from Grindavik, a fishing town threatened by the lava flow.
 This is the third time that the Fagradalsfjall volcano has erupted in the past two years.
 It had been dormant for over 6,000 years but became active in March 2021.
 Notably, Iceland is one of the most volcanically active regions on the planet. It witnesses an eruption
every four to five years. However, since 2021 the frequency has spiked to almost one eruption per year.
What are volcanoes?

 According to the US Geological Survey: “Volcanoes are openings, or vents where lava, tephra (small
rocks), and steam erupt onto the Earth’s surface.”
Page 29
 Volcanoes can be on land and in the ocean. They are formed when material significantly hotter than its
surroundings is erupted onto the surface of the Earth.
 The material could be liquid rock (known as “magma”, when it’s underground and “lava” when it breaks
through the surface), ash, and/or gases.
 The rise of magma can take place in three different ways, according to NASA. First, when tectonic
plates — massive, irregularly shaped slabs of solid rock that carry both continents and oceans and are
constantly in motion — move away from each other.
 “The magma rises up to fill in the space. When this happens underwater volcanoes can form,” it added.
 Second, when the plates move towards each other. “When this happens, part of Earth’s crust can be
forced deep into its interior. The high heat and pressure cause the crust to melt and rise as magma,”
NASA said.
 Third is how magma rises at the hotspots — hot areas inside of the Earth, where magma gets heated up.
As magma gets warmer, it becomes less dense, leading to its rise.
What are the different kinds of volcanoes?

 The type of volcano depends on the viscosity of the magma, the amount of gas in the magma, the
composition of the magma, and the way the magma reaches the surface.
 There are two broad types of volcanoes: a stratovolcano and a shield volcano. Stratovolcanoes have
steep sides and are more cone-shaped than shield volcanoes have a low profile and resemble a shield
lying on the ground.
 There are also a host of different “volcanic features that can form from erupted magma (such as cinder
cones or lava domes) as well as processes that shape volcanoes,” the government agency added.
Why is Iceland so volcanically active?

 There are two reasons for this.
 One, Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (part of the longest mountain range in the world) in the
North Atlantic Ocean, where the Eurasian and North American plates are moving apart a few
centimetres every year.
 The UK’s Meteorological Office said: “This produces volcanic rift zones, regions where the Earth’s
crust is being pulled apart and fractured, and here molten rock, or magma, rises up, and some reaches the
surface and erupts as lava and/or ash.”
 Two, the island sits over a hot zone (or hotspot, as mentioned before), which leads to enhanced volcanic
activity in the region.
Ring of Fire
 The Ring of Fire or the Circum-Pacific belt is a tectonic belt of volcanoes and earthquakes, about 40,000
km (25,000 mi) long and up to about 500 km (310 mi) wide, which surrounds most of the Pacific Ocean.
 The exact number of volcanoes within the Ring of Fire is not universally agreed but, depending on
which regions are included in any particular count, it contains between 750 and 915 active or dormant
volcanoes, around two-thirds of the world total.
 About 90% of the world’s earthquakes, including most of its largest, occur within the belt.
 The Ring of Fire is not a single geological structure. It was created by the subduction of different
tectonic plates at convergent boundaries around the Pacific Ocean.
 These include: the Antarctic, Nazca and Cocos plates subducting beneath the South American Plate; the
Pacific and Juan de Fuca plates beneath the North American Plate; the Philippine plate beneath the
Eurasian plate; and a complex boundary between the Pacific and Australian Plate.
Page 30
 The inclusion of some areas in the Ring of Fire, such as the Antarctic Peninsula and western Indonesia,
is disputed.
 The interactions at these plate boundaries have formed oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, back-arc basins
and volcanic belts.
 The Ring of Fire has existed for more than 35 million years but subduction has existed for much longer
in some parts of the Ring; many older extinct volcanoes are located within the Ring.
 More than 350 of the Ring of Fire’s volcanoes have been active in historical times, while the four largest
volcanic eruptions on Earth in the Holocene epoch all occurred at volcanoes in the Ring of Fire.
 Most of Earth’s active volcanoes with summits above sea level are located in the Ring of Fire.
 Many of these subaerial volcanoes are stratovolcanoes (e.g. Mount St Helens), which are formed by
explosive eruptions of tephra, alternating with effusive eruptions of lava flows.
 Lavas at the Ring of Fire’s stratovolcanoes are mainly andesite and basaltic andesite but dacite, rhyolite,
basalt and some other rarer types also occur.
 Other types of volcano are also found in the Ring of Fire, such as subaerial shield volcanoes (e.g. Plosky
Tolbachik), and submarine seamounts (e.g. Monowai).
Iceland
 Iceland is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge between North America and Europe.
 It is linked culturally and politically with Europe, and is the region’s most sparsely populated country.
 Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which is home to about 36% of the country’s roughly 380,000
residents.
 The official language of the country is Icelandic.
 Located on a rift between tectonic plates, Iceland’s geologic activity includes geysers and frequent
volcanic eruptions.
 The interior consists of a volcanic plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers,
and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands.
 Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite a latitude just south of the
Arctic Circle. Its high latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a
polar climate.
 According to the ancient manuscript Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD when the
Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island.
 In the following centuries, Norwegians, and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians, immigrated to
Iceland, bringing with them thralls (i.e., slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin.
 The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the native parliament, the Althing, one
of the world’s oldest functioning legislative assemblies.
 Following a period of civil strife, Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century.
 The establishment of the Kalmar Union in 1397 united the kingdoms of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
 Iceland thus followed Norway’s integration into that union, coming under Danish rule after Sweden
seceded from the union in 1523.
 The Danish kingdom forcefully introduced Lutheranism to Iceland in 1550.
 Influenced by ideals of nationalism after the French Revolution, Iceland’s struggle for independence
took form and culminated in the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union in 1918, with the establishment of the
Kingdom of Iceland, sharing through a personal union the incumbent monarch of Denmark.
Page 31
 During the occupation of Denmark in World War II, Iceland voted overwhelmingly to become a
republic in 1944, thus ending the remaining formal ties with Denmark.
 Although the Althing was suspended from 1799 to 1845, the island republic nevertheless holds a claim
to sustaining one of the longest-running parliaments in the world.
 Until the 20th century, Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture. Industrialization of
the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid following World War II brought prosperity, and Iceland became one
of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world.
 It became a part of the European Economic Area in 1994; this further diversified the economy into
sectors such as finance, biotechnology, and manufacturing.
 Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes, compared to other OECD countries, as well as
the highest trade union membership in the world.
 It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for
its citizens.
 Iceland ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life,
education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom.
 Icelandic culture is founded upon the nation’s Scandinavian heritage. Most Icelanders are descendants of
Norse and Gaelic settlers.
 Icelandic, a North Germanic language, is descended from Old West Norse and is closely related to
Faroese.
 The country’s cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic cuisine, Icelandic literature, and medieval
sagas. Iceland has the smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing
army, possessing only a lightly armed coast guard.
QUESTIONS
Fill in the Blank:
1. The type of volcano depends on the viscosity of the _________.
2. About _________ of the world’s earthquakes, including most of its largest, occur within the belt.
3. The volcano, which is known as _________ and located on the _________ peninsula in southwest
Iceland.
4. The Ring of Fire is a tectonic belt of volcanoes and earthquakes, about 40,000 km (25,000 mi) long
and up to about 500 km (310 mi) wide, which surrounds most of the _________.
5. The establishment of the Kalmar Union in 1397 united the kingdoms of Norway, Denmark, and
_________.
6. Iceland is a Nordic island country between the _________ and Arctic Oceans.
7. Iceland capital and largest city is _________.
8. The official language of Iceland is _________.
9. The Current Currency of Iceland is _________.
10. The present Prime Minister of Iceland is _________.
Page 32

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MANTHAN 2.

2. INS Imphal commissioned ............................................................................................................................................... 5

4. Red Sea attacks, Panama Canal drought: How trouble at

5. Why US is willing to relax its weapons ban on Saudi Arabia ....................................................................... 14

6. Wrestlers return Padma honours: Looking back at ‘award wapsi’

9. National Mathematics Day: Remembering the legacy of Srinivasa Ramanujan ................................. 26

2. INS Imphal commissioned

The Ministry of Defence has said:

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited

4. Red Sea attacks, Panama Canal drought:

5. Why US is willing to relax its weapons

6. Wrestlers return Padma honours:

During the Emergency

Phanishwar Nath ‘Renu’

7. Orissa HC rapped the state govt over

Buzz for new districts

When the districts were last reorganised

Opposition slams Patnaik government

How are new districts carved?

How does it help?

Are there are any exceptions?

Does the Central government have a role to play here?

What has been the trend?

Public Interest Litigation

Any citizen can file a public case by filing a petition:

8. Macron for Republic Day 2024: How

Why is being India’s Republic Day chief guest an honour?

So how is the Republic Day chief guest chosen?

What happens after the MEA has zeroed in on its options?

Can things go wrong during the visit?

The big picture of the chief guest’s visit

List of chief guests at Delhi Republic Day parade

9. National Mathematics Day: Remembering

Excelled in mathematics, struggled in other subjects

Selection criteria and funding

10. Iceland volcano eruption: What are

What are volcanoes?

What are the different kinds of volcanoes?

Why is Iceland so volcanically active?

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