Current Affairs – May 18-19, 2025

{GS1 – A&C – Religion} Parasnath Hill *

• Context (IE): Recently, the Jharkhand HC directed the state government to enforce a pre-existing ban on the consumption and sale of meat, alcohol, and other intoxicants on Parasnath Hill, considered to be sacred by both the Santal Adivasi and Jain communities.

Conflict Over Parasnath Hill

• Referred to as Marang Buru (the Great Mountain) by Santals and Parasnath by Jains, the hill in Jharkhand’s Giridih district has been the site of a century-old inter-community conflict.
• The 3-day Sendra festival of Santals has been a frequent flash point in the Santal-Jain conflict over the hill. During the Sendra festival, all male members of the Santal community head into the forest to hunt.
• The Sendra festival has long been a deep concern for Jains, who adhere to a strict, spiritually driven vegetarian lifestyle.

Significance of Parasnath Hill for Jains

• Jains believed that an ancient king had donated Parasnath Hill to the community. The hills are one of the most important pilgrimage centres for Jains. They call it Sammed Sikhar.
• The name “Parasnath” is derived from Parshvanatha, the 23^rd tirthankara. Today, there are more than 40 Jain temples and dhams on the hill.
• 20 of the 24 Jain tirthankaras (divine teachers) belived to attain nirvana (liberation) on Parasnath Hill.

Significance of Parasnath Hill for Santhals

• It is the supreme animist deity in the Santhal tradition. The Jug Jaher Than (sacred grove) on the hill is the Santals’ most sacred dhorom garh (religious site), akin to what Mecca means for Muslims.
• The ‘Dishom Manjhi Than’ on the hill is the symbolic seat of the dishom manjhi (the traditional Santal leader), where customary rituals are performed.
• Marang Buru is the supreme seat of justice for Santals.
  • The Lo Bir Baisi, a tribal council that resolves disputes which cannot be handled at the village level, convenes at Boda Darha in Sohraiya village, on the eastern part of the sacred mountain.

Santal Hul With Lo Bir Baisi’s resolution, the historic Santal Hul was launched in 1855. The rebellion was led by Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu, which targeted the oppressive dikus, literally “outsiders”, including zamindars, mahajans, and British officials.

Read More> Jainism and Santhal Hul.

{GS2 – Education – NEP} Globalisation of Indian Higher Education **

• Context (IE | PIB): IIFT’s first overseas campus in Dubai aligns with NEP 2020’s internationalisation vision.

About IIFT

• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade was established in 1963 as an autonomous business school under Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Purpose: To professionalise India’s international trade management and build human resource capability in global business.
• IIFT is one of India’s top institutions for international trade and business education and is a key contributor to policy-making and trade research.
• Operates campuses in Delhi, Kolkata and Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), offering postgraduate and doctoral programmes in international business.
• Seeks to extend India’s trade education legacy to international markets.

Alignment with NEP 2020 Vision

• Strategic Framework: NEP 2020 promotes internationalisation by encouraging Indian HEIs to go global and allowing foreign HEIs to set up campuses in India.

Models of Internationalisation under NEP 2020

• Outbound Campus: Indian HEIs set up operations abroad – e.g. IIT Madras in Tanzania.
• Inbound Campus: Foreign HEIs establish in India – e.g. Australia’s Deakin University in GIFT City Gujarat.

Benefits of Internationalisation of HEIs

• Enhanced Academic Quality: Enables global research collaborations, joint innovation, improved rankings and better access to international funding.
• Faculty and Knowledge Exchange: Facilitates cross-border faculty mobility and academic partnerships, enriching institutional learning environments.
• Global Employability: Offers international certifications and multicultural exposure, preparing students with future-ready skills for global careers.
• Economic Gains: Reduces outbound student migration, saves foreign exchange and earns revenue by attracting international students to Indian and offshore campuses.
• Leadership in Global Academia: Strengthens India’s role in international education and expands its academic influence across borders.
• Cultural Diplomacy: Promotes Indian heritage, values and educational philosophy globally, advancing India’s soft power.

Challenges in Internationalisation of HEIs

• Regulatory Hurdles: Complex permissions deter foreign HEIs from setting up campuses in India.
  No Ivy League institution has entered India yet, as per a recent Parliamentary panel report.
• Cultural and Linguistic Gaps: Limited diversity training and English fluency impact seamless integration in global academia.
• Risk of Brain Drain: Lucrative offers from foreign campuses may attract top Indian faculty away from domestic institutions.

{GS2 – Polity – State Reorganisation} 50 Yrs of Sikkim’s Statehood | Butterthon *

• Context (TH): Sikkim celebrated 50 years of statehood by launching ‘Butterthon’.

About Sikkim

• Borders: Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and West Bengal. Gangtok is the capital of Sikkim.
• Known for rich biodiversity and cultural diversity, it is home to Kanchenjunga, India’s highest peak, and the Khangchendzonga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The population is approximately 600,000, with a literacy rate of 81.4%.
• Historically, it has been ruled by the Namgyal dynasty since 1642.

Historical Integration

• Became an Indian protectorate in 1950, retaining internal autonomy while India managed defence, external affairs, and communications.
• In 1974, Sikkim’s assembly passed a resolution to merge with India, followed by a 1975 referendum in which over 97% of voters voted in favour.
• On May 16, 1975, Sikkim became India’s 22^nd state, marking the end of the monarchy and the establishment of democratic governance.
• Sikkim Statehood Day is celebrated annually on May 16 to honour this integration and ongoing progress.
• Article 371F: Special provisions to protect Sikkim’s unique cultural identity, land rights, and local laws.

About Butterthon

• First-of-its-kind international butterfly-watching event held across Sikkim’s ecological zones, organised by the Butterfly Society of Sikkim – TPCF.
• TPCF represents the word “butterfly” in four local languages: Lepcha (Thamblyok), Nepali (Putali), Limboo (Charphemba), and Bhutia (Famiyap).
• Aimed at promoting butterfly tourism and citizen science through observation and documentation.

Sikkim is home to significant butterflies like the rare Kaiser-i-Hind (Schedule I protected), high-altitude Common Blue Apollo, mid-altitude pollinator Red-base Jezebel, brightly colored Peacock Royal and Paris Peacock, rare Yellow Gorgon indicating undisturbed habitats, Glassy Tiger found in lower elevations, and the Indian Tortoiseshell active in alpine zones during early spring.

Butterflies in Sikkim

• Hosts about 700 butterfly species, nearly half of India’s total. The Dzongu region (78 sq. km) near Khangchendzonga National Park alone hosts around 420 species (61% of Sikkim’s butterflies).
• Home to significant butterflies like the rare Kaiser-i-Hind (Schedule I protected), high-altitude Common Blue Apollo, mid-altitude pollinator Red-base Jezebel, brightly colored Peacock Royal and Paris Peacock, rare Yellow Gorgon indicating undisturbed habitats, Glassy Tiger found in lower elevations, and the Indian Tortoiseshell active in alpine zones during early spring.
• Rich biodiversity is due to varied altitudes and intense conservation efforts.

Also read,> Sikkim National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health – Diseases} Prostate Cancer

• Context (LM): Former US President has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.

Credit: MC

About Prostate Cancer

• It is a malignant growth of cells in the prostate gland, a male reproductive organ below the bladder that helps produce semen.
• It is usually slow-growing and often detected early, leading to high survival rates.

Globally, around 1.47 million men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022, making it the second most common cancer in men. In India, prostate cancer made up about 6.1% of all male cancers in 2022, ranking as the third most common cancer in men.

• Transmission: Non-communicable disease (NCD) and not infectious.
• Symptoms:
  • Often asymptomatic; when present, symptoms include blood in urine/semen, frequent urination, trouble starting/stopping urination, and nocturnal urination.
  • Advanced symptoms include metastasis (spread of cancer from where it started to other parts of the body, especially to bones).

• Caused by: Genetic mutations, especially those in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, in prostate cells.
• Risk Factors: Age >50, black ethnicity (higher aggressiveness), family history, obesity, and smoking.
• Diagnosis: Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, Digital Rectal Exam (DRE), imaging, and biopsy.

Gleason Score It is used to measure the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. It examines the differences in appearance between cancer cells and normal prostate cells under a microscope. The score ranges from 6 to 10: 6 = slow-growing, less aggressive cancer 7 = moderate aggressiveness 8 to 10 = fast-growing, aggressive cancer The score is made by adding two numbers: First number: pattern of the most common cancer cells Second number: pattern of the second most common cells Example: 4 + 5 = Gleason 9 → very aggressive cancer

{GS3 – Envi – Degradation} Yala Glacier

• Context (HT): Yala Glacier in Nepal was declared ‘dead’ after losing 66% of its area since the 1970s, marking a significant loss in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) cryosphere.
• Precedents of Symbolic glacier funerals: Okjokull Glacier (Iceland, 2019), Pizol Glacier (Switzerland, 2019), Clark Glacier (USA, 2020) and Ayoloco Glacier (Mexico, 2021).

About Yala Glacier

• Location: Situated in the Langtang Valley, central Nepal.

• Among only seven glaciers in the 3,500 km HKH monitored annually for over a decade, contributing to the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) database. The Indian summer monsoon influences it.
• Original elevation between 5,170m & 5,750m (2011); significant reduction due to warming. Expected to disappear completely by the 2040s.
• Cryosphere Warming: HKH region warming at twice the global average, intensifying glacial retreat.
• Only the Himalayan glacier is listed in the Global Glacier Casualty List (GGCL) launched in 2024.

Global Glacier Casualty List (GGCL)

• Initiated in 2024 by Rice University, University of Iceland, Iceland Glaciological Society, WGMS & UNESCO to emphasise the urgency of glacier preservation and highlight their role in storing 70% of global freshwater.
• Purpose: Documents endangered or vanished glaciers to raise awareness and scientific accountability.
• Examples of Listed Glaciers:
  • Pico Humboldt Glacier (Venezuela): vanished in 2024.
  • Sarenne Glacier (France): disappeared in 2023.
  • Dagu Glacier (China): “critically endangered”, expected to vanish by 2030.

Consequences of Glacier Retreat

• Water Insecurity: Glaciers hold nearly 70% of global freshwater; rapid melting disrupts ecosystems and human livelihoods.
• Cryosphere Dependency: 240 million people in the Hindu Kush Himalayas depend on glacial meltwater.
• Disasters: Increases risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and avalanches.
• Sea Level Rise: Melting glaciers contributed nearly 2 cm to sea level rise since 2001 (Nature study).
• Albedo Effect Loss: Shrinking glaciers reduce Earth’s reflectivity, absorb more heat and accelerate global warming.

Glacier Conservation Initiatives

Global Initiatives

• UN–Backed Observances: 2025 declared as International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation; March 21 designated as World Day for Glaciers.
• Global Networks: UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme; Himalayan Adaptation Network (IUCN); Living Himalayas Initiative (WWF).

India’s Efforts

• Policy Frameworks: National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE); Network Programme on the Himalayan Cryosphere.
• Monitoring Infrastructure:
  • Himansh Research Station studies Himalayan glacier dynamics.
  • INCOIS monitors glacier events and issues GLOF alerts.
  • IndARC (2014) is India’s Arctic observatory enhancing polar and cryosphere studies.

{GS3 – Envi – Species} Himalayan Yak Genome

• Context (TH): Researchers from four ICAR institutions have assembled the first-ever chromosome-level genome of the Indian yak.

  

  Credit: TH, IUCN

About Indian Yak

• Scientific Name: Bos grunniens (domesticated yak), Bos mutus (wild yak)
• Native Range: High-altitude regions of the Himalayas; domesticated form found in India, while the wild yak (Bos mutus) is native to the Tibetan Plateau.
• Geographical Distribution:
  • In India: Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Outside India: Wild yak populations are found in Tibet, western China, Mongolia, and parts of Russia.
• Habitat: Alpine and subalpine grasslands, meadows, and cold desert environments. Requires high-altitude ecosystems typically above the tree line.
• Altitude Range: Primarily found above 7,000 feet, with some regions reaching up to 5,500 meters.
• Behaviour: Highly adapted to extreme cold and low-oxygen environments. Domesticated yaks are herded in semi-nomadic systems and known for their endurance, docility, and resilience in harsh climates.
• Conservation Status:
  • Indian Yak: Not assessed by IUCN, but populations are under stress.
  • Wild Yak:
    • IUCN: Vulnerable.
    • CITES: Appendix I.
    • Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972: Schedule I.
• Population Decline: Threatened by habitat loss, reduced grazing land, climate change, genetic dilution through crossbreeding with cattle, and declining traditional yak-rearing practices.
• Significance: Crucial for Himalayan pastoral economies and cultural heritage; also serves as a model species for studying high-altitude adaptation, including cold tolerance and hypoxia resilience.

About Yak Genome Assembly (GA)

• GA is the process of piecing together an organism’s complete DNA sequence by organizing short or long DNA fragments into their correct order, creating a comprehensive genetic blueprint.
• GA of the Indian Yak is led by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Research Centre on Yak, Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh (est. 1989) – apex body for yak research in India.
  • Along with collaborating institutes, ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (Ranchi), ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cattle (Nagpur), and ICAR-CIRC (Meerut).
• Methods Used:
  • Long-read sequencing: Enables sequencing of longer DNA fragments, allowing more accurate assembly with fewer gaps—especially useful for complex and repetitive genomes like the yak.
  • Advanced bioinformatics: High-powered algorithms and computational tools were used to assemble and analyse the massive volume of genetic data, allowing precise mapping of genes to individual chromosomes.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} ‘Bird-Wing’ Solar Eruption

• Context (HT): NASA detected a “bird-wing” eruption, with the possibility of a powerful geomagnetic storm noted by Aurora chaser Jure Atanackov, leading to a possible Earth impact.

• It is a massive solar flare spanning over 1 million kilometres, more than twice the Earth-Moon distance.
• Named “bird-wing” due to the sweeping shape of superheated plasma captured in satellite visuals.
• Occurred across the Sun’s northern hemisphere, causing widespread ionospheric disturbances.
• Radiation Impact: Already triggered radio blackouts in regions facing the Sun during the event-
  North & South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia.

Potential Implications on Earth

• Geomagnetic Storms: Likely impact from incoming Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) may cause powerful geomagnetic disturbances.
  • Can disrupt Earth’s magnetosphere, leading to auroras and possible weather-scale anomalies.
• Communication & Navigation Disruptions: Risk to satellite electronics, GPS systems, and communication networks due to high-energy particles.
• Space Mission Hazards: Spacecraft/astronauts face increased radiation risk in outer space environments.

Source: EarthMagazine

Relevant Concepts

• Solar Flares: Sudden, intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun due to magnetic field line realignments; Release energy across spectrum (X-rays, UV, visible light, radio waves & gamma rays).
  • Flare Classifications: Categorised by intensity, they are A, B, C, M, X (X-class being the most powerful); Occur more during solar maximum, peak of the solar cycle when Sun’s magnetic polarity flips.
    • Magnetic Field Flipping: Occurs roughly every 11 years during the solar cycle, leading to heightened solar surface activity.
• Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs): Massive expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun’s corona, often associated with strong solar flares; Travel slower than flares (250 km/s to 3000 km/s, taking 1-3 days to reach Earth).

Also refer to Sympathetic Solar Flares; Aditya L-1 Mission; Solar storm.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} ISRO Workhorse PSLV Fails On 101^st Launch

• Context (ToI): ISRO’s 101^st launch, the PSLV-C61 mission failed to place the EOS-09 Earth observation satellite into a sun-synchronous polar orbit.

• The setback marks only the 3^rd unsuccessful PSLV mission out of a total of 63 launches over the past 32 years, excluding a partial failure in 1997. This was ISRO’s 2^nd consecutive mission failure in 2025.
• The 1^st PSLV’s failure occurred during the rocket’s maiden flight, PSLV-D1, in 1993, while the 2^nd failure was PSLV-C39 in 2017, which failed to deploy the IRNSS-1H satellite.

About Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

Credit: ISRO

• 3^rd generation launch vehicle of India and 1^st Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
• After its 1^st successful launch in October 1994, PSLV emerged as a reliable and versatile workhorse launch vehicle of India.

Stages of PSLV

• The PSLV has four stages, using solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately.
  • 1st Stage and 3rd Stage: Solid-fuelled stages
  • 2nd Stage and 4th Stage: Liquid-fuelled stages.
    • The 2^nd stage engine, Vikas, is a derivative of France’s Viking engine.
    • The PS4 is the uppermost stage of PSLV, comprising two Earth-storable liquid engines.

Orbits in which PSLV Places Satellites

• It can take up to 1,750 kg of payload to Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbits of 600 km altitude.
• PSLV can also launch small-sized satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Notable Launches of PSLV

• The PSLV has launched around 345 satellites for 34 countries and was also used in primary ISRO missions.
  1. Chandrayaan-1/PSLV-C11 (2008): India’s 1^st mission to the Moon.
  2. Mars Orbiter Mission/PSLV-25 (2013): India became the 1^st Asian nation to reach Mars orbit and the 1^st in the world to do so in its maiden attempt.
  3. Astrosat/PSLV-C30 (2015): India’s 1^st dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory.
  4. PSLV-C37 (2017): Set a world record by launching 104 satellites in a single mission.
  5. IRNSS (2013-18): PSLV launched all seven satellites of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), later named NavIC.
  6. PSLV-C58 / XPoSat (2024): India’s 1^st dedicated polarimetry mission to study cosmic X-rays.

{Prelims – Festivals} Pushkar Kumbh

• Context (IE | ET): Pushkar Kumbh, a rare Vaishnavite spiritual gathering, is being held.

Religious and Cultural Significance

• Held every 12 years when Jupiter enters Gemini (Mithun Rashi) as per Hindu astrology.
• Conducted at Keshav Prayag, the confluence of Alaknanda & Saraswati in Mana village (Uttarakhand).

Source: 100untoldstories

Mana is India’s first village near the Badrinath Dham in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, the last one on the Indo-Tibetan border and is culturally significant. Panch Prayag: The confluence of Alaknanda with other rivers (Dhauliganga, Pindar, Mandakini, and Bhagirathi) at Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag, and Devprayag respectively, is known as the Panch Prayag.

Source: TripTradition

• Spiritual Lineage: Saints like Maharishi Ved Vyas (composer of the Mahabharata), Ramanujacharya, and Madhvacharya are believed to have received divine knowledge here, and the Mahabharata is believed to have been composed here.
• Rituals: Devotees gather to take a holy dip and participate in religious activities; Continuous devotional singing and rituals are conducted from dawn to dusk at the sacred ghats.

{Prelims – PIN World – CA} Honduras

• Context (DD): The Republic of Honduras opened an Embassy in New Delhi.

Key Features of Honduras

• Location: Honduras, a country of Central America situated between Guatemala and El Salvador to the west and Nicaragua to the south and east.
• Capital: Tegucigalpa.
• Form of Government: Honduras is a democratic constitutional republic with a multi-party system, headed by a president who serves as both the head of state and government.
• Surrounding Waterbodies: The Caribbean Sea borders its northern coast, while the Pacific Ocean touches its narrow southern coast.

Geographical Features

• Terrain: More than 3/4^th of the land area of Honduras is mountainous, with lowlands being found only along the coasts.
• No Active Volcano: Honduras is the only Central American country without active volcanoes.
• Climate: Tropical climate, but due to its varied topography, it experiences several climatic zones.
• Natural Vegetation: Tropical Rainforests, Montane Forests, Mangroves, etc.
• Major Rivers: Patuca River (Longest river), Ulúa River, Choluteca River, Coco River and Aguán River.

Economy

• The economy is primarily agricultural, with coffee and bananas as major exports.
• Honduras faces challenges such as poverty and economic inequality.

India-Honduras Relations

• Diplomatic Relations: The bilateral relations between India and Honduras have strengthened steadily since establishing diplomatic ties on September 28, 1994.
• Trade: India’s bilateral trade with Honduras stands at US$ 208.76 million (Nov 2024), of which US$ 182.43 million are India’s exports to Honduras.
  • Indian exports include Pharmaceuticals, textiles (mainly cotton yarn and fibres), Chemicals, engineering products, automobiles- two and three wheelers, motor vehicles/cars, etc.
• Developmental Assistance: In 2024, through the India-UNDP Fund, India has approved US$ 800,000/- to Honduras to implement the project “Access to climate resilient and safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene services (WASH).
  • India also donated essential medicines and PPEs to Honduras during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Cultural Relations: In 2022, for the 1^st time, the Embassy organised celebrations of Diwali in Honduras with the Indian community. In March 2023, for the 1^st time, organised the Holi Festival in Honduras.
  • The Indian Embassy has successfully organised International Day of Yoga (June 21) festivals in Honduras since 2015.
• Indian Community: There is hardly any Indian community; the number of Indians is about 25, including a few Mother Teresa missionary nuns.