BRICS Summit 2023
The 15th Summit of the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—was held in Sandton Convention Centre (SCC) in Johannesburg, South Africa between August 22 and August 24, 2023. The President of the host country, Cyril Ramaphosa, chaired the meeting...
The Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023 —Key Provisions, Issues, and Analysis
Introduction The Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023 has been implemented to amend the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 that came into force 20 years ago. The Amendment Act 2023 aims at empowering cooperatives by bringing transparency...
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023—Main Provisions and Issues
Introduction The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the Lok Sabha on August 1, 2023 and in the Rajya Sabha on August 7, 2023. It received the presidential assent on August 11, 2023 and became an Act. This Act seeks to introduce...
Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough by US Scientists
Scientists at the US National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California have successfully produced a nuclear fusion reaction which could pave the way for abundant clean energy in future. According to the researchers, the fusion experiments released more energy than was...
Nanoparticles to Treat Lung Cancer
In a major breakthrough, researchers of IIT-Jodhpur have designed special nanoparticles to fight cancer cells. Cancer cells develop drug resistance. Research was going on to find a way of killing cancer cells because cancer cells have developed ‘multi-drug resistance’...
Base Edited Gene Therapy for Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
The first patient suffering from incurable T-cell cancer, namely Alyssa of 13, has been treated with base-edited T-cells gene therapy by the scientists in the UK. This trial was led by doctors and scientists at the University College, London, and Great Ormond Street...
Project Tiger Completes 50 Years
‘Project Tiger’ was launched on April 1, 1973 to promote tiger conservation and increase the population of the animal at a time when it was rapidly declining in numbers. Launched from the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, the project also aimed to preserve...
Hybrid Solar Eclipse
A hybrid solar eclipse, the rare celestial event, occurred with the greatest totality—the Moon fully covering the Sun—on April 20, 2023 (7.06 a.m. IST till 12.29 p.m. IST). It was observed in the region of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, specifically western Australia,...
Scientists Discover the Background Hum of the Universe
In June 2023, scientists unveiled the evidence that the Universe is reverberating with a background hum, or ‘ripples in the fabric of spacetime’ called gravitational waves. This cosmic sound is created by huge objects that keep moving around, colliding, and merging...
Industry 4.0—Fourth Industrial Revolution with New Technologies
Industry 4.0 (4 IR), or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, conceptualises a rapid change in the fields of technology, industries, and societal patterns and processes characterised by trends such as increased data use and storage, data connectivity, analytics, and...
Lithium: Industrial Use and Environmental Impact
Lithium (Li, atomic no. 3) is a soft and lustrous metal with the lowest density of all metals. Often referred to as ‘white gold’ due to its market value and silver colour, it reacts vigorously with water. Lightest of the all solid elements, Lithium is toxic except in...
India’s Arctic Policy 2022
In the midst of a rapidly changing global landscape, where geopolitical dynamics are constantly shifting and climate change is accelerating at an alarming rate, a beacon of strategic foresight and environmental responsibility has emerged. The recent release of India’s...
The Indian Antarctic Act, 2022
Introduction There is a rising concern over preserving the Antarctic environment and ocean around Antarctica from exploitation of marine living resources and human presence in Antarctica. Private aviation and ship operations have promoted tourism and fishing in...
Indian Ocean Dipole—Potential to Save the Monsoon and Limit the El Nino Effects
The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), or the Indian Nino, is an ocean-atmosphere interaction that happens in the Indian ocean. It is similar to the El Nino fluctuations occurring in the Pacific Ocean. The Indian summer monsoon rainfall is influenced by a system of...
The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023—Provisions, Concerns and Analysis
Introduction The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 29, 2023. It faced widespread protest from environmentalists and activists and was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on March 29, 2023. The committee...
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023—Main Provisions, Issues, and Analysis
Introduction The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (or The Delhi Services Bill 2023) was approved in the Lok Sabha on August 03, 2023. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on August 07, 2023 and received the assent of the...
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023—Key Highlights, Features, Issues, and Analysis
Introduction The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 is aimed at providing a framework for processing the digital personal data of individuals in a legal manner, which ensures the rights of the individuals to protect their personal data and the processing of...
Withdrawal of the DNA Technology Bill: Some Factors
The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2019, a steadfast endeavour introduced in Parliament multiple times, invoked robust debate, and faced resistance due to concerns regarding the precision of DNA technology, the potential encroachment upon...
Charaideo Maidams—Royal Cemetery of Ahom Dynasty
In the verdant lands of Assam, where history’s secrets are woven into the very fabric of the earth, stands a timeless testament to a bygone era—the Charaideo Maidams (also spelt moidams), the sacred burial ground of the illustrious Ahom Dynasty. This hallowed site,...
1200-Year Old Two Ancient Small Size Stupas Found in Nalanda
Historically, acting as a rare combination of outstanding achievements in institution-building, site-planning, art, and architecture and engaging in the organised transmission of knowledge continuously for more than 800 years, Nalanda stands out as the most ancient...