Observed annually on 24 July since 2014,

• Purpose: To honour professionals who manage heat dissipation in electronics and mechanical systems.
• Initiated by: Advanced Thermal Solutions (U.S.-based firm) in 2014.
• Importance: Thermal engineers ensure thermal safety in various high-performance technologies including consumer electronics, aerospace, automotive, biotech, and data centers.
• Applications: Vital for increasing reliability and lifespan of electronic components.

CURRENT CONTEXT: A traditional polyandrous marriage (‘Jajda’) was recently observed among the Hatti tribe in Himachal Pradesh.

 ABOUT HATTI TRIBE:

• Location: Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand (near Giri and Tons rivers).
• Name Origin: From traditional occupation—selling produce at local markets (‘Haat’).
• Status: Recognized Scheduled Tribe (ST).

 PRACTICE OF POLYANDRY:

• Type: A woman marries more than one man simultaneously.
• Local Recognition: Known as ‘Jodidara’ in revenue records.
• Purpose:
• Prevent division of ancestral land
• Preserve joint family unity and promote brotherhood
• Address demographic and resource constraints

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Government of Tamil Nadu has formally approved ₹1 crore for establishing India’s first Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, aiming to protect the Great Indian Hornbill and three other threatened hornbill species found in the Western Ghats.

ABOUT ANAMALAI TIGER RESERVE (ATR)

• Location: Situated in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, within the Western Ghats.
• Area: Covers around 1,480 sq km, comprising core and buffer zones with a mix of forested hills and plantation landscapes.
• Biodiversity:
  • Hosts over 250 species of birds, including:
    • Great Indian Hornbill
    • Malabar Grey Hornbill
    • Indian Grey Hornbill
    • Malabar Pied Hornbill
  • Rich in mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and butterflies endemic to the Western Ghats.

ABOUT THE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR HORNBILL CONSERVATION

Key Objectives

• Research on hornbill ecology, breeding, movement, climate change impact, and genetics.
• Population monitoring and surveys of food and nesting trees.
• Habitat restoration using:
  • Sapling nurseries
  • Nest site protection
  • Installation of artificial nest boxes

Current Context: Tribal communities from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra gathered at Mangarh Dham to reiterate their demand for a separate Bhil Pradesh.

About the Mangarh Massacre:

• Also known as the “Adivasi Jallianwala” (Adivasi equivalent of Jallianwala Bagh).
• The Bhils, inspired by reformer Govindgiri, gathered to oppose forced labour, heavy taxes, and princely exploitation.
• On 17 November 1913, despite British orders to disperse by 15 November, the tribes remained, triggering a violent crackdown.
• Govindgiri and his deputy Punja Pargi were arrested; Govindgiri was later sentenced to life imprisonment.
• The site, now known as Mangarh Dham, was declared a national monument by the Government of India in 2022

Current Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mangal Pandey marking his 198th birth anniversary, honouring him as a pivotal warrior of India’s First War of Independence .

 About Mangal Pandey:

• Born on 19 July 1827 in Nagwa, Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh.
• Served as a sepoy in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry of the East India Company.
• He fired at British officers on 29 March 1857 at Barrackpore, protesting the use of greased Enfield rifle cartridges offensive to Hindu and Muslim beliefs.
• His defiance is widely considered the spark that ignited the 1857 Revolt (First War of Independence).
• He was arrested and hanged on 8 April 1857.
• He is viewed as a symbol of resistance and national pride; India issued a postage stamp in his honour in 1984, and a park in Barrackpore is named after him

CURRENT CONTEXT: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is developing an indigenous malaria vaccine named ‘AdFalciVax’.

 ABOUT THE VACCINE:

• Institutes Involved:
• ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar
• National Institute of Malaria Research
• Department of Biotechnology – National Institute of Immunology
• Target: Dual-stage protection against Plasmodium falciparum (most lethal species)

ABOUT MALARIA:

• Caused by Plasmodium parasites (not person-to-person).
• Spread via bites of infected female Anopheles
• Found mostly in tropical regions.
• 5 human-infecting species: falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, P. knowlesi.

CURRENT CONTEXT : China has started building what is expected to become the world’s largest hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (known as the Brahmaputra River in India) near the Arunachal Pradesh border.

The project is located in a deep gorge in the Himalayas where the river takes a U-turn before entering India.

ABOUT THE DAM PROJECT

• The dam is being constructed in the Medog County of Tibet Autonomous Region.
• Once completed, it could surpass China’s Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in power generation.
• The Yarlung Tsangpo River flows through the Tibetan Plateau, forming the world’s deepest canyon before entering India as the Brahmaputra.

 KEY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DAM

Disaster Risk

• The Tibetan Plateau is seismically active due to tectonic activity.
• Large dams in such regions increase the risk of earthquake-triggered disasters.
• Example: 1950 Assam–Tibet Earthquake, one of the most powerful quakes in the region.

INDIA-CHINA WATER COOPERATION

• Expert-Level Mechanism (ELM) established in 2006 to share hydrological data during flood seasons.
• Despite ELM, there is no water-sharing treaty between the two countries.
• Both countries are not signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, 1997.

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Lakshadweep administration is considering acquiring Bitra Island for defence purposes. It would become the third defence establishment in the archipelago.

 ABOUT BITRA ISLAND

• Location: Northern region of Lakshadweep
• Smallest inhabited island in the Union Territory
• Cultural Site: Contains a shrine dedicated to Malik Mulla, an old Arab saint

 CLIMATE

• Similar to Kerala’s climate
• Hottest Period: March to May
• Temperature Range: 25°C to 35°C
• Humidity: 70%–76% throughout the year

 STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE

• Will become the third defence base in Lakshadweep
• Existing Naval Bases:
  • INS Dweeprakshak – Kavaratti (UT capital)
  • INS Jatayu – Minicoy

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry recently announced that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will come into effect from 1st October 2025.

 ABOUT EUROPEAN FREE TRADE ASSOCIATION

• Established: 1960 by the Stockholm Convention
• Type: Intergovernmental organisation
• Objective: Promote free trade and economic integration among members and globally

 MEMBER COUNTRIES

• Founding Members: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
• Later Joined: Iceland (1970), Finland (1986), Liechtenstein (1991)
• Countries That Left EFTA to Join EU:
  • Denmark and UK (1973)
  • Portugal (1986)
  • Austria, Finland, and Sweden (1995)
• Current Members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland

CURRENT CONTEXT: The Ram Division of the Indian Army conducted Exercise Prachand Shakti at the Kharga Corps Field Training Area in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

 ABOUT THE EXERCISE:

• Showcased use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), loitering munitions, AI-enabled systems, and autonomous platforms.
• Aimed at improving agility, lethality, and survivability of infantry in deep offensive operations.
• Part of the Year of Technology Absorption under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat