< Daily Current Affairs & Important Editorials

Rabindranath Tagore

GS- I >> Art & Culture>> Personalities

Context: The town of Santiniketan, founded by the renowned Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, was accorded the Heritage status in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

• Located in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, Santiniketan, which translates to ‘abode of peace,’ began its journey in 1901 and stands as the very place where Tagore laid the foundations of Visva-Bharati University.

About Rabindranath Tagore:

• Within literary circles, he was celebrated under the titles ‘Bhanu Singha Thakur,’ ‘Gurudev,’ ‘Kabiguru,’ and ‘Vishwakavi.’
• In a historic achievement, Tagore became the first non-European laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, bestowed upon him for his literary masterpiece- Gitanjali.
• Moreover, his literary prowess extended to composing the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh.

Educational Vision:

• His ideals bore fruit in the form of Visva-Bharati University, an institution that stood as a testament to his innovative thinking. Building upon the foundation laid by his father at the Santiniketan Ashram, Tagore expanded this educational complex.
• It incorporated the principles of ancient Indian Gurukul system, where education was provided in a natural setting, fostering a strong connection between students and their environment.

Social Reform:

• His literary works served as potent instruments of protest against the prevailing Brahmanical social order, the caste system, narrow sectarianism, untouchability, and animal sacrifice.

Economic Endeavours:

• In 1921, Tagore joined forces with agricultural economist Leonard Elmhirst to establish the ‘Institute for Rural Reconstruction,’ later renamed.
• He advocated vigorously for the expansion of small-scale cottage industries in rural areas, aiming to infuse vitality into the rural economy by leveraging local resources.

Influence on the Freedom Struggle:

• The Swadeshi movement, which gained momentum as a reaction to Lord Curzon’s decision to divide Bengal along communal lines in 1905, saw Tagore as a leading figure against the division.
• In this phase of tumult, where Tagore envisioned change would come with unity and education, he wrote songs of patriotism such as Banglar Maati Banglar Jol (Earth of Bengal, Water of Bengal) that bolstered the movements and also epitomised Hindu-Muslim unity.
• Moreover, he initiated the Rakhi Utsav, a festival where individuals from Hindu and Muslim communities exchanged colourful threads as a symbol of unity and self-reliance against oppression.
• Rabindranath Tagore received the Knighthood award in 1915. He received that award for his contribution to literature. In 1919, following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he renounced his Knighthood.

Vision on Nationalism:

• He held a sceptical view, asserting that the term ‘nationalism’ was inherently tied to the concept of the nation-state, which, in his eyes, was essentially an embodiment of Western ideals rooted in capitalism and mechanization.
• According to Tagore, these ideals clashed fundamentally with the Indian tradition, characterized by values such as self-autonomy, pluralism, and religious tolerance.
• In national anthem, he aimed to emphasize that ultimate sovereignty rested with the people of India, as symbolized by ‘Jan Gana Man.’
• Like other utilitarian scholars of his time, Tagore denounced international warfare. He openly criticized forms of patriotism and nationalism that compromised human values, especially after the devastating First World War.

Link: whc.unesco.org

Article 99 of UN Charter

GS- II >> International Relations >> United Nations (UN)

Context: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invokes Article 99 of the UN Charter amid Israel’s military attacks on Gaza.

About Article 99 of UN Charter:

• UN Charter is the foundational document of the United Nations.
• Grants the UN authority to address various global issues.
• Article 99 addresses the Secretary-General’s role.
• Empowers the Secretary-General to alert the Security Council about matters threatening international peace and security.
• Viewed as a discretionary power.
• Requires high political judgment, tact, and integrity.
• 1945 report emphasizes the high responsibility on the Secretary-General.
• Calls for exercising qualities of political judgment, tact, and integrity.
• President of the Security Council is obligated to convene a meeting if the Secretary-General raises a matter under Article 99.

Link: indianexpress.com

Betelgeuse

GS- III >> Science & Technology >> Space

Context: Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the sky, will be eclipsed by an asteroid named Leona.

About Betelgeuse:

• Betelgeuse is a red supergiant located in the Orion constellation.
• Leona, the asteroid is a slowly rotating, oblong space rock situated in the primary asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
• Betelgeuse, located approximately 700 light-years away, is observable with the naked eye.
• Betelgeuse is thousands of times brighter than our sun and around 700 times larger.
• Its colossal size is such that if it replaced our sun, it would extend beyond Jupiter.
• Despite being considerably younger at 10 million years old compared to our sun’s 4.6 billion years, Betelgeuse is expected to be short-lived due to its mass and the rapid rate at which it’s consuming its resources.
• In 2019, Betelgeuse experienced a significant dimming when a substantial amount of surface material was expelled into space.
• This resulted in a temporary blockage of starlight due to a dust cloud, and within six months, Betelgeuse had returned to its previous brightness.
• Scientists anticipate Betelgeuse to undergo a supernova explosion within the next 100,000 years.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence

GS- III >> Science & Technology>> Emerging Technology

Context: India is hosting the Annual Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit from December 12 – 14, 2023

About Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence:

• It is a multi-stakeholder initiative which aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice on AI by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities.
• It was launched in June 2020.
• Membership in GPAI is open to all countries, including emerging and developing countries.
• Member countries: At present it has 28 member countries including the European Union.
• India is one of the founding members of GPAI.
• Secretariat: Its secretariat is hosted at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris.
• Structure:
• It has a Council and a Steering Committee.
• It has two Centres of Expertise: One in Montreal and another in Paris.
• These Centres of Expertise will facilitate GPAI’s four working groups and their research and practical projects, across various sectors and disciplines.
• The working groups will initially focus on four themes:
• Responsible AI
• Data Governance
• The Future of Work
• Innovation and Commercialization

Source: pib.gov.in

Assam Catkin Yew

GS- III >> Environment >> Flora & Fauna

Context: Experts raises concern that there is a need to conserve Assam catkin yew.

About Assam Catkin Yew:

• It is a endemic specie found only in two locations in Arunachal Pradesh: Changlagam in Anjaw district, and Deb village in Toru Hills, Papum Pare district.
• The species, a conifer and part of the Taxaceae genus, primarily grows in the subtropical biome at altitudes of 1,600 to 2,000 metres.
• The original habitat and ecology of this plant have undergone severe land transformation, rendering it critically endangered due to its low reproduction rate.
• It is believed to have evolved during the age of the dinosaurs.
• Conservation status:
• IUCN: Critically Endangered
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 6
• Threats:
• The species faces a severe risk of extinction due to unknowing and reckless exploitation in the area.
• Owing to its strength and fortification, it is highly threatened by accidental cutting for construction purposes, or use in households and other utilities.
• Amentotaxus has significant economic and ecological value, considered for medicinal treatment, besides the extraction of a poisonous chemical from yew.

Source: arunachaltimes.in