Prelims Exam
Gudi Padwa
- Celebrated on the first day of Chaitra month in the Hindu calendar, marking the Marathi and Konkani Hindu new year.
- Gudi Padwa translates to “Gudi” (flag) and “Padwa” (first day of lunar fortnight). A Gudi is hoisted on this day.
- Significance:
- Arrival of spring and reaping of Rabi crops.
- Believed to be the day Lord Brahma created the universe.
- Beginning of harvest season in Maharashtra.
- Promotes traditional arts through Gudi making and rangoli drawing.
Ural River
- Europe’s third longest river, originating in the southern Ural Mountains and flowing 2,428 kilometers to the Caspian Sea.
- Historically known as the Yaik, it forms a natural boundary between Europe and Asia.
- Economic Importance:
- Natural waterway for trade and transportation (navigable up to Oral, Kazakhstan).
- Hydroelectric power generation through dams (e.g., Iriklinsky dam).
Girl Empowerment Mission (GEM)
- Launched by NTPC Limited, India’s largest integrated power company, as a CSR initiative.
- Aimed at girls from underprivileged sections to tackle gender inequality.
- Program:
- One-month workshop during summer holidays.
- Focuses on health, hygiene, safety, fitness, sports, and yoga.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Self-regulating business model promoting social accountability.
- Benefits:
- Improves society.
- Enhances company brand image.
- Categories:
- Environmental impacts
- Ethical responsibility
- Philanthropic endeavors
- Financial responsibilities
- Mandatory provision in India under the Companies Act, 2013.
Peter Higgs: Physicist Behind Higgs Boson Particle
- British physicist who proposed the Higgs boson (God particle) in 1964 to explain particle mass.
- Theorised a subatomic particle that gives mass to other particles.
- Theory confirmed in 2012 at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.
- Awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics with Francois Englert.
Lavender Cultivation
- CSIR interventions led to the growth of lavender cultivation and product development in India.
- Lavender:
- Small evergreen shrubs with purple flowers.
- Native to the Mediterranean region but suitable for India’s rainfed temperate regions.
- Success in J&K earned it the name “Purple Revolution.”
- Benefits:
- Therapeutic and aromatic herb.
- Growing domestic and international markets for Kashmiri lavender.
- Profitable for farmers with sustained demand and organized activities.