Current Affairs – April 20-21, 2025

{GS1 – A&C – Literature} UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register *

• Context (IE): Manuscripts of the Bhagavad Gita and Bharata’s Natyashastra are among the 74 new additions to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register this year.

• With this, India now has 13 inscriptions on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

What is UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register?

• It lists documentary heritage that has world significance and outstanding universal value.
• Launch: In 1992, to guard against the collective amnesia, calling upon preserving the valuable archive holdings and library collections worldwide.
• Objectives:
  • Facilitate preservation of the world’s documentary heritage.
  • Catalyse universal access to documentary heritage.
  • Enhance public awareness worldwide of the significance of documentary heritage.
• Implementation: The International Advisory Committee (IAC) is the main body responsible for advising UNESCO on the programme’s planning and implementation.
• Nomination: Any organisation or individual can nominate a documentary item for inscription on the register via UNESCO Member States through their National Commission for UNESCO (or relevant government body in charge of relations with UNESCO).
• Two proposals per UNESCO Member State are considered in each nomination cycle.

Bhagavad Gita

• The Bhagavadgita, containing 700 verses in 18 chapters, is embedded within the Bhismaparva (adhyaya 23-40) of the epic Mahabharata.
• It takes the form of a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna with armies lined up for the great war intended to free Arjuna of dejection (visada).
• Bhagavadgītā is a central text in the continuous, cumulative ancient intellectual Indian tradition, synthesising various thought movements such as, Vedic, Buddhist, Jain and Carvaka.

Credit: UNESCO

Natyashastra

• Codified around the 2^nd century B.C., the Naṭyasastra of Bharatamuni is an epitome of the Naṭyaveda, an oral body of knowledge of performing art containing 36,000 verses known as the Gandharvaveda.
• The Naṭyasastra embodies a comprehensive set of rules that define naṭya (drama), abhinaya (performance), rasa (aesthetic experience), bhāva (emotion), sangita (music), among others.

Credit: UNESCO

India’s Other Inclusions in the Past

1. 1^st Summit Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Archives.
2. Manuscripts of Rigveda
3. The I.A.S. Tamil Medical Manuscript Collection
4. Abhinavagupta (940-1015 CE): Collection of Manuscripts of his works
5. Gilgit Manuscript
6. Maitreyayvarakarana
7. Shantinātha Charitra
8. laghukalacakratantrarajatika (Vimalaprabhā)
9. Tarikh-E-Khandan-E-Timuriyah
10. Saiva Manuscript in Pondicherry
11. Archives of the Dutch East India Company

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} Stem Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

• Context (TH): Clinical trials demonstrate the safety of stem cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease.

Stem Cell Therapy

• Stem cell therapy is a clinical approach that harnesses stem cells’ regenerative and reparative potential to treat or manage various diseases and injuries.
• Diseases Treated by Stem Cell Therapy:  Leukemia and Lymphoma, Sickle Cell Anemia, heart disease, lymphoma, Cystic Fibrosis, Skin Diseases etc.

About Stem Cells

• Stem cells are special cells that have the ability to develop into different types of cells in the body, such as muscle, bone, or nerve cells.
• Stem cells can be administered in several ways, depending on the condition being treated:
  • Intravenous (IV) Therapy: Stem cells are injected directly into the bloodstream.
  • Intrathecal Administration: Stem cells are injected into the spinal canal.
  • Localised Injections: Stem cells are injected directly into affected areas such as joints or muscles.

Types

• Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs): These adult stem cells are found in various tissues, including bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord tissue.
  • MSCs are notable for their ability to differentiate into bone, cartilage, and muscle cells, and they pose fewer ethical concerns than embryonic stem cells.
• Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs): These pluripotent cells can differentiate into any cell type, but involve ethical considerations due to their derivation from early-stage embryos
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs): These are adult cells reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state. iPSCs can differentiate into any cell type, providing a less controversial alternative to ESCs.

Benefits

• Tissue Regeneration: Stem cells can replace damaged or lost cells due to injury, disease, or ageing. By differentiating into specialised cells, they facilitate restoring function in affected tissues or organs.
• Drug Discovery and Testing: Stem cells can be utilised to create in vitro models of human tissues, enabling researchers to test the safety and efficacy of new drugs and therapies.
  • This approach reduces the need for animal testing and provides more accurate insights into potential drug interactions with human cells.
• Disease Modelling: Stem cells can be used to generate disease-specific cell lines, enabling researchers to study disease progression and identify potential therapeutic targets.
• Gene Therapy and Genetic Editing: Stem cells can be genetically modified to correct mutations responsible for inherited diseases.
  • Techniques such as CRISPR-Cas9 allow researchers to edit specific genes in stem cells, which can then be reintroduced into the patient’s body to restore normal cellular function.
• Immunotherapy: Stem cells can play a role in modulating the immune system, making them valuable in treating autoimmune diseases and preventing transplant rejection.

Concerns

• Risk of Immune Rejection: If the stem cells used are not derived from the patient’s own body, the immune system may recognise them as foreign and reject them, leading to complications.
• Tumour Formation: Especially with embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), there is a risk of uncontrolled cell growth, which can result in tumour formation.
• High Cost: Expensive, often costing tens of thousands per treatment. This makes them inaccessible for most patients, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
• Ethical Issue: These cells are typically derived from human embryos, often created in laboratories for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and later discarded. Critics argue that this process destroys potential human life.

Parkinson’s Disease

• Parkinson’s disease is a progressive movement disorder of the nervous system. It causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to weaken, become damaged, and die.
• People with this disease lose neurons that communicate with each other using dopamine as a neurotransmitter in a part of their brains.
  • These dopaminergic neurons have been found to contain aggregated masses of proteins called Lewy bodies. Most of these proteins are SNCA.
  • The SNCA gene provides instructions for making a small protein called alpha-synuclein. Alpha-synuclein is abundant in the brain.
• Cause: The cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown. However, it is not contagious.
• Symptoms: Tremor, slowed movement, also called bradykinesia, rigid muscles, loss of automatic movements etc.
  • As symptoms progress, people with Parkinson’s disease may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks.
• Treatment: Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease.

{GS2 – States – Initiatives} Adarsh Sanskrit Village Programme

• Context (IE): Uttarakhand approved the Adarsh Sanskrit village programme to promote Sanskrit.

• On a pilot basis, 1 village from each district has been selected. The scheme will be introduced at the block level depending on the response.
• Sanskrit will be actively promoted in these villages, connecting the younger generation with Indian philosophy and the country’s knowledge traditions through this ancient language.
  • Sanskrit is the 2^nd official language of Uttarakhand.
• The scheme, funded by the Central Sanskrit University, Delhi, is expected to be rolled out in May.

{GS3 – DM – Cloudburst} Cloudburst

• Context (IE): Recently, the cloudburst led to a landslide and flash floods in Ramban (J&K).

What is Cloudburst?

• Definition: The India Meteorological Department defines cloudburst as the condition where the amount of rainfall over a particular area exceeds 100 millimetres in an hour.
• Climate Change is a major reason behind the increasing Cloudbursts in recent years.
  • As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere can hold more moisture. This leads to more intense, erratic, and sudden rainfall, increasing the frequency and severity of cloudbursts.
• Difficulty in Prediction: Cloudbursts happen in localised areas (over a roughly 10 km x 10 km area), making them difficult to capture accurately.

Mechanism

• Orographic Lift: It is the process by which warm air currents push up clouds already ready to rain. Cloudbursts are more common in hilly areas because of ‘orographic lift’.
• Droplets Grow Bigger: As clouds reach higher elevations, the water droplets within them become bigger, and new ones are formed. Lightning within these clouds helps delay rainfall.
• Rainfall: These dense clouds eventually burst, unable to hold the large volume of moisture. This results in torrential downpours in the geographical region right below.

Major Hazards Caused by a Cloudburst

• Flash Floods: Massive rainfall in minutes causes rivers and streams to overflow instantly, leading to devastating flash floods.
  • Flash floods are again more common in hills, because rocky terrain does not absorb water very well.
• Landslides: Heavy rain loosens the soil on slopes, causing landslides that can block roads, destroy infrastructure, and bury entire areas under debris.
• Mudflows: A dangerous mix of water, soil, and debris flows rapidly down slopes, burying everything from agricultural fields to buildings.
• Land Caving (Subsidence): The excessive water pressure can weaken the ground, causing it to collapse suddenly. This can result in deep cracks, sinkholes, or collapsing hillsides.

Way Forward

• Develop Better Weather Prediction Systems: Advanced forecasting tools can help predict intense rainfall events with greater accuracy, giving people precious time to prepare.
• Strengthen Early Warning Mechanisms: Installing real-time alert systems in high-risk areas, especially in hilly and remote regions, can save lives by enabling timely evacuations.
• Promote Eco-Friendly Construction & Reforestation: Building responsibly in sensitive zones and restoring green cover helps stabilise slopes, improve water absorption, and prevent landslides.
• Educate Communities on Emergency Preparedness: Training locals on what to do before, during, and after a cloudburst can reduce panic and ensure faster, safer responses during disasters.

Also Read> Landslides.

{GS3 – IE – RBI} Central Bank Independence

• Context (IE): US President Trump’s repeated public criticism of Fed Chairman for warning against tariffs has reignited debates over central bank autonomy, highlighting parallels in India’s executive-RBI tensions.

Key Differences: India vs US

• Legal Provision: US law does not explicitly allow the President to remove the Fed Chair without cause; the Indian government can technically direct the RBI via Section 7(1).
• The US Senate’s confirmation process and public accountability mechanisms bolster the Fed’s autonomy, whereas the RBI operates under the direct purview of the Finance Ministry, making it more vulnerable to executive pressure than the Fed.

India’s Case: RBI vs Government

• Friction arises when elected governments push for growth-oriented populist measures while the RBI prioritises macroeconomic stability.

Historical Clashes

• Benegal Rama Rau’s Exit (1957): Forced to resign after policy disagreement with Finance Minister T T Krishnamachari, supported by Nehru.
• Urjit Patel’s Tenure (2016-2018): Abrupt resignation following repeated disagreements on issues like prompt corrective action, NBFC liquidity and reserves transfer.
• 2018 Standoff: RBI Dy. Governor Viral Acharya cautioned against political interference in central banking.
• Section 7 Controversy: For the first time, the government considered invoking Section 7(1) of the RBI Act, allowing it to issue directions to the RBI Governor in public interest.
  • The move was widely viewed as a threat to the RBI’s institutional independence, previously unchallenged even during crises.

Instances of Government Influence

• Demonetisation (2016): The RBI’s role was debated, with concerns about the extent of its decision-making power.
• COVID-19 Pandemic Response: The RBI was pressured to support large-scale government spending, impacting its independent monetary stance.

Issues Arising out of Executive-Central Bank Friction

• Populism vs Prudence: Elected governments may prioritize quick economic results before elections, clashing with central banks’ cautious approach.
• Public Perception: Political targeting of central bankers can undermine market confidence and institutional credibility.
• Policy Confusion: Mixed signals from the executive and central bank may distort economic expectations and reduce policy effectiveness.

Way Forward

• International Standards: Align with IMF and BIS norms that stress non-interference in central bank operations for credibility and global trust.
• Institutional Reforms: Promote internal checks within the government to avoid knee-jerk directives to autonomous institutions.
• Codify Operational Independence: Strengthen legal safeguards to ensure the RBI and Fed can operate without political directives.
• Transparent Communication: Encourage structured communication frameworks between the central bank and the executive to avoid public confrontations.

Also refer to Independence of RBI.

{GS3 – S&T – Bio} Angioplasty *

• Context (TH): Angioplasty, a minimally invasive procedure to restore heart blood flow, has gained significant attention following the death of Dr. Mathew Samuel Kalarickal.

What is Angioplasty?

• “Angio” refers to blood vessels, & “plasty” means treatment, making the term “angioplasty” mean a medical procedure to open blocked arteries supplying blood to the heart, preventing heart attacks.
• Cause of Blockage: Arterial blockage results from atherosclerosis, where plaque builds up in the arteries, reducing blood supply and causing chest pain or angina. If blood flow is completely restricted, this can worsen into a heart attack.

Types of Angioplasties

• Balloon Angioplasty: A balloon is inflated inside the artery to push plaque aside, widening the artery.
• Stent Placement: A small mesh tube (stent- made from metal, fabric, or silicone) may be inserted to keep the artery open after widening.
• Bioresorbable Stents: These stents dissolve over time, allowing the artery to regain its natural function.
• Laser Angioplasty: Dissolves plaque in severe cases, especially when traditional methods do not work.

How is Angioplasty Different from Other Procedures?

• Minimally Invasive: Unlike traditional open-heart surgery, angioplasty requires only a small incision in the groin or arm.
• Faster Recovery: Patients can be discharged as early as 24 hours post-procedure due to minimal invasiveness, whereas open-heart surgery requires longer recovery.

Role of Dr. Mathew Samuel Kalarickal

• Dr. Kalarickal, known as the “Father of Angioplasty in India,” played a crucial role in bringing angioplasty to India, training under Dr. Andreas Gruentzig, the pioneer of balloon angioplasty.
• After returning to India in 1985, Dr. Kalarickal built a reputation based on results and founded key initiatives such as the India Live cardiology conference and the National Angioplasty Registry of India, ensuring high standards for Indian cardiologists.

{Prelims – In News} Easter Truce

• Context (BBC): Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violating an Easter truce. Easter truce is a temporary ceasefire for 30 hours, announced unilaterally by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

• However, reports indicate that both sides accused each other of violations, and Ukraine expressed scepticism about its genuineness.

{Prelims – Sports} U-19 Age Rules | Tanner-Whitehouse 3 Test

• Context (CTS): The BCCI has amended its eligibility and participation rules for Under-19 cricket players.

Key Amendments in Eligibility Rules

• W3 test relaxation: Players failing the TW3 test at the U-19 level but with birth registration within two years of birth can now participate for three years (previously two).
  • Rationale is to reduce exclusion of genuine players with delayed birth registrations while maintaining age verification.
• Birth certificate registration window: Players with birth certificates registered within two years of birth and passing the TW3 test are now allowed three years of U-19 participation (previously two).
  • Players passing the TW3 test at U-16 level but with birth registration delayed beyond two years now get three years (previously two).
• Direct entry provisions: Direct entrants with birth certificates registered within two years can play U-19 for three years (up from two).
  • Direct entrants with birth certificates registered after two years and failing the TW3 test remain restricted to one year.

{Species – Plants} Myristica Swamps

• Context (IE): Myristica swamps were in news.

About Myristica Swamps

• These are freshwater wetlands dominated by Myristicaceae family species, with fossil evidence tracing their origins to the Early Cretaceous period.
  • Classified as swamps, these endangered wetland ecosystems are marked by water-saturated soil, providing unique habitats for diverse flora and fauna, crucial for Western Ghats’ ecosystem health.
• Geographical Distribution: Found predominantly in the Western Ghats, with a smaller distribution in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Water Regulation: Function as natural water reservoirs, replenishing groundwater tables, preventing flooding, ensuring year-round water availability; contributes to traditional water management practices.
• Cultural Value: In certain regions, they serve as sacred groves where local communities worship deities such as Chowdamma (the water goddess) and Hulidevaru (the tiger god).
• Threats: Encroachment for agriculture, climate change, excessive water extraction, and a lack of awareness and proper recognition of Myristica swamps as wetlands hinder their conservation.

Flora

• Dominant Tree Species: Myristica trees, especially Myristica fatua & Gymnacranthera canarica, have evolved root systems (knee & stilt roots) to thrive in oxygen-deprived waterlogged environments.
• Diverse Vegetation: A richly varied plant community including numerous herbs, shrubs, climbers & trees.

Source: Wikipedia

Fauna

• Endemic Species: Lion-tailed macaque, Malabar giant squirrel (LC), Kottigehar dancing frog (VU) and Malabar Grey Hornbill (VU).
• Unique Insects: The Myristica Bambootail damselfly is found exclusively in these swamps.

Source: iNaturalist