Current Context : The Prime Minister of Bhutan visited Nalanda University in Bihar.

ABOUT NALANDA UNIVERSITY

• Founded: 5th Century by Gupta Emperor Kumaragupta.
• Type: World’s first residential university.
• Location: Rajgir, Bihar. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Patrons: King Harshavardhana (7th century), Pala rulers (8th–12th century).
• International Scholars: Came from China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia.
  • Chinese scholar Xuanzang gave detailed account of Nalanda’s learning traditions.

DECLINE

• Decline started in 9th century with changes in Buddhism.
• Finally destroyed around 1200 CE by Bakhtiyar Khilji.

Current Context : India celebrated the 200th birth anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji, also known as the “Grand Old Man of India”.

ABOUT DADABHAI NAOROJI (1825–1917)

SOCIAL REFORM

• Founded Literary and Scientific Society (1848) – established 6 girls’ schools by 1849.
• Founded Rast Goftar newspaper to spread reformist ideas.
• Co-founded Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha (1851) to reform Parsi society.

ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS

• Drain of Wealth Theory – exposed how British drained India’s wealth.
• Writings: Poverty of India (1876), Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901).
• Raised India’s economic exploitation in forums like East India Association.

POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

• Moderate Leader – believed in petitions, prayers, peaceful methods.
• Founded London Indian Society (1865) and East India Association (1866).
• First Indian MP in British Parliament (Liberal Party, Finsbury Central, 1892).
• As INC President (1906) – declared Swaraj (Self-Government) as Congress goal.
• Mentored leaders like Tilak, Gokhale, Gandhi.

Current Context : Iceland has again been ranked as the most peaceful country in the world in the 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI).

ABOUT GLOBAL PEACE INDEX (GPI)

• Published By: Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
• Coverage: 163 independent states and territories (99.7% of world population)
• Indicators Used: 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators
• Main Domains:
  1. Societal Safety and Security
  2. Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict
  3. Degree of Militarisation

HIGHLIGHTS OF GLOBAL PEACE INDEX 2025

• Edition: 19th
• Global Trend: Peacefulness continues to decline.
• Conflicts: 59 active state-based conflicts – highest since World War II.
• Deaths: 17 countries recorded over 1,000 conflict deaths in the last year.
• Conflict Resolution: Successful resolution of conflicts lowest in last 50 years.
• Top 5 Peaceful Countries:
  1. Iceland (most peaceful since 2008)
  2. Ireland
  3. Austria
  4. New Zealand
  5. Switzerland
• Least Peaceful Countries:
  1. Russia (lowest ranking in 2025)
  2. Ukraine
  3. Sudan
  4. Democratic Republic of Congo
  5. Yemen
• Regional Highlights:
  1. Most Peaceful Region: Western and Central Europe (8 out of 10 top peaceful countries).
  2. Least Peaceful Region: Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
  3. South Asia: Second least peaceful region. India ranked 115, improving by one position from 2024.
  4. Most Peaceful Asian Countries: Singapore (6th), Japan (12th), Malaysia (13th), Bhutan (21st), Mongolia (37th).

Current Context : Jane Street Group (US firm) filed an appeal in the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) against SEBI, alleging market manipulation.

About SAT

• Established under: SEBI Act, 1992.
• Type: Quasi-judicial statutory body.
• Jurisdiction: Entire India.
• Headquarters: Mumbai.

Functions

• Hears appeals against orders of: SEBI, IRDAI,
• Can be approached by any aggrieved person (companies, investors, intermediaries).

Composition

• Presiding Officer: Retired or sitting SC Judge / Chief Justice / HC Judge with 7+ years experience.
• Judicial Members: HC Judges (5+ years).
• Technical Members: Senior govt. officials or experts with 15+ years experience in finance/securities.
• Appointed by: Central Government in consultation with CJI.

Tenure & Powers

• Tenure: 5 years (reappointment allowed, max age 70).
• Powers: Same as a civil court (summon, examine, demand documents).
• Appeals: Orders can be challenged in the Supreme Court (on law questions).

Current Context : The Prime Minister greeted the nation, especially tribal communities, on the occasion of Karma Puja.

About Karma Puja

• Also called Karam or Karam Parab.
• Type: Tribal festival linked with harvest and fertility.
• Sacred Symbol: Karam tree (represents prosperity and auspiciousness).

Where Celebrated

• States: Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam.
• Communities: Munda, Ho, Oraon, Baiga, Kharia, Santhal.

Celebration

• Women sow seven types of grains a week before.
• A Karam tree branch is planted in the courtyard or akhra.
• Worship by the pahan (tribal priest) with flowers and songs.
• Ends with immersion of the branch in a river or pond.

Current Context : India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows rose 15% year-on-year to USD 18.62 billion in April–June FY26, compared to USD 16.17 billion in the same quarter last year.

• USA emerged as the largest investor, with inflows tripling to USD 5.61 billion.

ABOUT FDI

• Meaning: Investment by a company or individual from one country into business interests in another country.
• Law: Governed under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
• Regulator: Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

RELEVANT DATA :

• Total FDI (Equity + Reinvested Earnings + Other Capital): USD 25.2 billion.
• Top Sources: USA (USD 5.61 bn), Singapore (USD 4.59 bn), Mauritius (USD 2.08 bn).
• Top Sectors: Computer Software & Hardware (USD 5.4 bn), Services (USD 3.28 bn), Automobiles (USD 1.29 bn).
• Top States: Karnataka (USD 5.69 bn), Maharashtra (USD 5.36 bn), Tamil Nadu (USD 2.67 bn).

Current Context : The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 was released by the Ministry of Education on 4 September 2025.

• IIT-Madras has secured the 1st position in the Overall category for the 7th consecutive year, followed by IISc Bengaluru and IIT-Mumbai.

ABOUT NIRF

• Launched: 2015 by Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education).
• Purpose: Provides a ranking framework for Indian higher education institutions.
• 2025: Marks the 10th edition with evaluation across 17 categories.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2025 RANKINGS

• Top Overall Institutions: 1^st IIT-Madras, 2^nd IISc Bengaluru, 3^rd IIT-Mumbai.
• Engineering: IIT-Madras (1^st), IIT-Delhi (2^nd).
• Innovation: IIT-Madras (1^st).
• Research Institutions: IISc Bengaluru.
• Medical: AIIMS Delhi.
• Law: National Law School of India University, Bengaluru.
• Management: IIM Ahmedabad (1st), IIM Bangalore (2nd).
• Agriculture: Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Delhi.
• Sustainable Development Goals (New Category): IIT-Madras.

Celebrated on 5 September every year to honor Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India’s second President and great philosopher.

• Introduced In: 1962

ABOUT DR. SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN

Early Life & Education

• Born: 5 September 1888, Tiruttani (Tamil Nadu).
• Education: Studied Philosophy (B.A. & M.A.) at Madras Christian College.

Academic Career

• Professor of Philosophy at Mysore, Calcutta, and Oxford universities.
• Vice-Chancellor: Andhra University and Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
• Chancellor: Delhi University.

Diplomatic Career

• India’s Delegate to UNESCO (1946–52), also Chairman of UNESCO Executive Board (1948–49).
• Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1949–52).

Political Career

• Vice President of India (1952–62): First person to hold this post.
• President of India (1962–67): Elected with 25% votes; served till 1967.

Legacy & Honours

• Bharat Ratna (1954): India’s highest civilian award.
• Requested that his birthday be celebrated as Teachers’ Day instead of a personal celebration.
• Many institutions are named after him, including medical, arts, and Ayurvedic universities.

Observed every year on 5 September by all United Nations member states.

Purpose : To promote and mobilize charitable efforts worldwide. Encourage donations, volunteering, and awareness activities to reduce poverty and support people during humanitarian crises.

• Declared By: United Nations General Assembly in 2012 (Resolution 67/105).
• Proposed By:
• Date Significance: Chosen to mark the death anniversary of Mother Teresa (Nobel Peace Prize laureate), known for her lifelong service to the poor and needy.

Current Context: The Coconut Development Board celebrated World Coconut Day by launching newly revised schemes for the integrated development of the coconut sector.

 ABOUT CDB

• Established on: 12 January 1981
• Type: Statutory body
• Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India
• Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala
• Regional Offices: Bangalore (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Guwahati (Assam), Patna (Bihar)

FUNCTIONS OF CDB

• Promote integrated development of coconut production and utilization
• Provide technical advice to coconut cultivators and industry
• Offer financial assistance for expansion of coconut area
• Encourage modern processing technologies for value addition
• Suggest measures for remunerative prices for coconut products
• Recommend improvements in marketing, imports, and exports
• Fix grades, standards, and specifications for coconut and its products