Art & Culture

A colossal Buddha head, a giant palm unearthed amid ASI excavation in Ratnagiri - Indian Express

In December, when Archaeological Survey of India’s superintending archaeologist D B Garnayak and his team took up excavations at the 5th-13th Century Buddhist complex in Ratnagiri, in Odisha’s Jajpur district, after a gap of 60 years, their aim was two-fold – to uncover more of the complex and to find material evidence of the state’s link to the larger Southeast Asian culture.

Buddhism in Odisha 

• History: Ashoka embraced Buddhism after the Kalinga War (261 BC).
• Expansion in Odisha: Under the Bhaumakara dynasty (8th–10th centuries).
• Trade Links with Southeast Asia: Pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, silk, camphor, gold, and jewellery

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• Baliyatra Festival: Annual 7 -day event commemorating 2,000-year-old maritime links with Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

Ratnagiri 

• Location: 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar, Odisha situated on a hill between Birupa and Brahmani rivers.
• Significance: Most famous and extensively excavated Buddhist site in Odisha.
• Period: Dated to the 5th–13th centuries, with peak construction between the 7th–10th centuries.

Importance:

• Center for Mahayana and Tantrayana (Vajrayana) Buddhism.
• Possibly visited by Chinese monk Hiuen Tsang in 638–639 AD.
• Discoveries by ASI: Colossal Buddha head, massive palm, ancient wall, and inscribed relics from the 8th–9th centuries.

World Affairs 

What is U.S.’s new rule for exporting AI chips? - The Hindu

With an objective to advance increased control over circulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) chips and technology, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) introduced a tiered framework for licensing and exports. It held the regulations were in tandem with “national security and foreign policy interests”. Further, it would help “cultivate a secure and trusted technology ecosystem for the responsible use and diffusion of AI”.

Country Tiers

• Tier 1: No restrictions for 18 U.S. allies (e.g., Australia, Canada, U.K., Japan).
• Tier 2:
  • Caps on volume; exemptions based on specifications.
  • Requires Validated End User (VEU) authorisation for transactions aiding advanced AI development.
  • Chips with combined power of ~1,700 GPUs exempted.
  • Includes China and India.
• Tier 3:
  • Arms-embargoed countries (e.g., North Korea, Iran, Russia).
  • No access to advanced technology.

Reasons for Curtailing Access

• Objectives: 
  • Prevent advanced technology from reaching U.S. adversaries or countries of concern.
  • Ensure model weights are stored securely and advanced IC clusters are built in low-risk destinations.
• Concerns Raised by BIS: Adversaries could leverage AI systems for:
  • Enhanced military decision-making and logistics.
  • Development of weapons of mass destruction.
  • Cyber-offensive operations.
  • Human rights violations (e.g., mass surveillance).
  • Chinese companies use foreign subsidiaries in uncontrolled destinations to procure ICs.
• Risk to U.S. innovation leadership globally: Rules control globally available technology (e.g., gaming PCs) without enhancing security.

Impact on India

• Indian data centres deploying advanced AI chips may require VEU authorisation for faster access.
• VEU allows use for civilian and military purposes except nuclear-related applications.
• India’s exclusion from the trusted allies category likely due to concerns about chip leakages to Russia.

Environment 

5.2K birds of 117 species in Uttarakhand’s Asan wetland - Indian Express

In a significant citizen science effort, a bird counting campaign at the Asan Wetland in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand has yielded impressive results, with volunteers identifying 5,225 birds across 117 different species.

Asan Conservation Reserve (ACR)

• About: A 444-hectare stretch of the Asan River in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand.
• Designation: Declared a Conservation Reserve in 2005 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Significance: First Ramsar site in Uttarakhand; Important Bird Area (BNHS & BirdLife International).
• Location: Located on the Central Asian Flyways (CAF).
• Fauna: 
  • Critically Endangered: White-rumped vulture, Baer's pochard.
  • Endangered: Egyptian vulture, steppe eagle, black-bellied tern.
  • Vulnerable: Marbled teal, common pochard, Indian spotted eagle.
  • Fish: 49 fish species, including the endangered Putitor mahseer.

India's NMDC to extract diamonds worth $3.4 mln from mine near tiger reserve - The Hindu 

India's state-run miner NMDC is expected to extract 6,500 carats of diamonds, worth $3.4 million, this fiscal year from ores in a mine near a tiger reserve, after receiving mining clearances last year, two sources said.

National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC)

• About: Established in 1958 as a fully owned Government of India enterprise.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Steel and holds "Navratna" status since 2008.
• Operations:
  • Exploration of minerals.
  • Largest iron ore producer in India.
  • Producing >45 million tonnes annually from Bailadila (Chhattisgarh) and Donimalai (Karnataka).
  • Operates India’s only mechanized diamond mine in Panna, MP.
• Significance:
  • One of the world's low-cost producers of iron ore.
  • Supplies high-grade iron ore to Indian steelmakers.
  • All mining complexes rated 5-star by the Indian Bureau of Mines.
• Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana.

Defence

Pralay missile - The Hindu 

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Indigenously developed Pralay missile will be showcased during the Republic Day Parade for the first time.

Pralay Missile

• About: Indigenously developed short-range, quasi-ballistic surface-to- surface missile by DRDO.
• Basis: Prithvi Defence Vehicle from the Indian Ballistic Missile Programme.
• Deployment: Along the LAC and LoC.
• Propulsion: Solid-propellant rocket motor.
• Range: 150-500 km; launched from a mobile launcher.
• Payload: 500-1,000 kg; capable of carrying conventional warheads.
• Accuracy: A Circular Error Probable (CEP) of less than 10 meters.
• Targeting: Engages radar installations, command centers, and airstrips.
• Maneuverability: Can alter its path mid-air.