CURRENT CONTEXT : Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar announced in the Legislative Assembly that Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav (10-day public Ganesh festival) is officially recognized as the State Festival of Maharashtra, with government funding and support.

 ABOUT SARVAJANIK GANESHOTSAV:

• Origins: Instituted by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893 to promote social unity and nationalism.
• Cultural Impact:
  • One of the largest public festivals in India with over 3,700 mandals in Pune (2024.
  • Expected boost in tourism, local business, and international promotion .

CURRENT CONTEXT : The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in partnership with UNICEF India, launched TALASH—a digital platform for the holistic growth of students in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) across India.

 ABOUT TALASH:

• Full form: Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills & Self-Esteem Hub.
• Reach: Targeting ~1.38 lakh students in EMRSs across 28 states and 8 UTs.
• Platform Features:
  • Psychometric Assessments (inspired by NCERT’s Tamanna) offering aptitude-based Career Cards.
  • Career Counselling for guiding students towards suitable professional paths.
  • Life Skills & Self-Esteem Modules focusing on resilience, communication, and emotional well-being.
  • Teacher E-Learning Portal: So far, 189 teachers from 75 EMRSs trained, enabling peer-led expansion.
• National Rollout: To be implemented across all EMRSs by end-2025, with phased pilots underway.
• Objectives: Foster self-awareness, informed career choice, life skills, and mentor readiness—aligned with NEP 2020.

CURRENT CONTEXT: Google launched the AMED API—an AI- and satellite-based tool offering detailed crop and field activity data across Indian farms

 ABOUT AMED API:

• Successor to Google’s ALU API; uses AI to map crop type, season, field area, and up to 3 years of historical agricultural data.
• Updates every 2 weeks, enabling near real-time monitoring.
• Aims to support agri-tech startups, rural lending systems, farm resource management, yield forecasting, and climate risk mitigation

Celebrated annually on 12 July

Aim : To mark the invention of the first mass-production paper bag machine by Francis Wolle in 1852—a subtle but important milestone in packaging history.

CURRENT CONTEXT: NITI Aayog, in consultation with various ministries, finalised the framework for a Battery Passport for EV batteries, aimed at improving safety, quality, traceability, and bolstering exports.

ABOUT BATTERY PASSPORT:

• Definition: A QR-coded digital identity for every EV battery, similar to Aadhaar.
• Includes Data On:
• Origin, composition, performance, carbon footprint, and end-of-life disposal.
• Features:
• Enhances safety by preventing mix of incompatible cells
• Promotes circular economy and compliance with global standards
• Aims to boost EV exports by ensuring quality and traceability

CURRENT CONTEXT : At the World Boxing Cup in Astana (30 June–7 July 2025), Indian women boxers Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), and Nupur (80+kg) won gold medals. In total, India clinched 11 medals—its best-ever haul in this tournament.

About :

• Venue: Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Art Palace, Astana.
• Participation: 400+ boxers from 35 nations; 20 gold medals awarded (10 men, 10 women).
• India’s Gold Medallists:
• Sakshi – Women’s 54kg (unanimous win over Yosline Perez, USA)
• Jaismine Lamboria – 57kg (defeated Jucielen Cequeira Romeu, Brazil by 4-1)
• Nupur – 80+kg (beat Yeldana Talipova, Kazakhstan by 5-0)
• Overall Performance: India secured three golds; Kazakhstan led with eight. India’s total tally included 11 medals.

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting launched the “Kalaa Setu – Real‑Time Language Tech for Bharat” Challenge via the WaveX startup platform, calling on AI startups to build tools that convert text into video, graphics, or audio in Indian languages.

ABOUT KALAA SETU:

• Objective: Enable instant conversion of official content into regional-language multimedia formats for governance, public health, education, and agriculture outreach.
• Focus Areas:
  1. Text-to-Video – Auto-generation of explainer videos, animations.
  2. Text-to-Graphics – Creation of infographics simplifying complex data.
  3. Text-to-Audio – Voice synthesis with accurate Indian accents and emotional tone .
• Parallel Initiative: Bhasha Setu challenge (real-time translation) – applications open until 22 July 2025.
• Platform: WaveX is part of the WAVES Initiative, supporting media, entertainment, and language-tech startups with mentorship, pilot programs, and integration with AIR, Doordarshan, and PIB.

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Sheesh Mahal, Mughal-era palace in Shalimar Bagh (North Delhi), reopened to the public after ~370 years following restoration by ASI and DDA; inaugurated by Union Culture Minister and Delhi officials.

 ABOUT SHEESH MAHAL:

• Built: 1653 by Izz-un-Nisha Begum, wife of Shah Jahan, as a summer retreat replicating Kashmir’s Shalimar Bagh.
• Architecture: Baradari with central hall and water channel; red sandstone, brick, mirror-work chambers; Kangra & Rajasthani murals depicting poets Keshav, Surdas, Bihari; adjacent hammam (bathhouse).
• Historical significance: Site of Aurangzeb’s first coronation in 1658; declared ASI-protected monument in 1983.

CURRENT CONTEXT : A section of the Gambhira Bridge over the Mahi (Mahisagar) River collapsed near Mujpur (Padra taluka), Gujarat, causing 11–13 deaths and several vehicles falling into the river.

ABOUT MAHI RIVER & BRIDGE:

• River: Originates in Vindhya range (MP), flows ~583 km through Rajasthan and Gujarat before emptying into Gulf of Khambhat.
• Tributaries : Eru, Nori, Chap, Som, Jakham, Moran, Anas, Panam, Bhadar .
• Bridge: Gambhira Bridge built in 1985–86, concrete roadway connecting Central Gujarat with Saurashtra.

CURRENT CONTEXT: The iconic elephant Vatsala, believed to be Asia’s oldest female elephant (aged 100+), died at Panna Tiger Reserve.

ABOUT PANNA TIGER RESERVE:

• Location: Vindhyan range, northern Madhya Pradesh; the only Tiger Reserve in Bundelkhand (~542 sq km) .
• Ecology: Biogeographic zones include Deccan Peninsula and Central Highlands; called a “table top” landscape with plateaus and gorges.
• River: The Ken River runs south-to-north through the reserve.
• Heritage: Home to 2,000-year-old rock paintings; inhabited by Baiga & Gond
• Flora: Dry deciduous forests with teak and Acacia catechu on steep slopes; edge of teak’s northern natural range.
• History: Declared a Project Tiger site in 1994.

 ABOUT VATSALA:

• Born in Kerala’s Nilambur forests around the 1920s, she joined Panna in 1993.
• Served in patrol duties, and later cared for calves even after retirement (2004).
• Matriarch known as “Vatsala Daadi”, survived multiple elephant attacks, and had health issues in recent years.