UPSC: Namdhari Sect, Guam Island, Hakki Pikki Tribe, and More

Table of Contents

UPSC GS 1

Namdhari Sect

News: Hundreds of followers of two rival groups of the Namdhari religious sect clashed violently in Rania in Haryana’s Sirsa district recently.
Founding and Origins:
- - The Namdhari sect was founded by Satguru Ram Singh on Baisakhi in 1857.
  - Satguru Ram Singh challenged the status quo, advocated social reform, and resisted the British Raj.
Kukas and Recitation Style:
- - The Namdharis were also known as “Kukas” due to their distinctive style of reciting the Gurbani in a high-pitched voice, called “Kook” in Punjabi.
Boycott and Organizational Structure:
- - Satguru Ram Singh urged his followers to boycott all goods bearing the stamp of the British Government.
  - Over time, he became the secular leader of the Kukas and appointed Governors and Deputy Governors to organize them across different districts of Punjab.
  - He also encouraged and inspired young men by providing them with military training.
Resistance and British Punishment:
- - The British inflicted severe punishments on the Namdharis.
  - Ram Singh was deported to Rangoon by the British and never returned.
Beliefs and Practices:
- - Guru Beliefs: Namdhari Sikhs believe that Satguru Ram Singh is still alive and will return one day.
  - They mourn his absence by wearing white.
  - Religious Texts: The Namdharis consider the Guru Granth Sahib as the Supreme Gurbani but also believe in a living human Guru.
  - Sacred Cow: The Namdharis consider the cow to be sacred.
  - Lifestyle: They are strict teetotallers and abstain from even tea and coffee.
Headquarters:
- - The Namdhari sect’s sprawling headquarters is located at Bhaini Sahib, near Raiyaan village in Ludhiana, where Ram Singh was born.

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Guam Island

News: INS Shivalik recently reached Guam for an Operational Turnaround after participating in RIMPAC 2024, the world’s largest multinational maritime exercise.
About Guam Island
- - Location: Largest, most populous, and southernmost island of the Mariana Islands in the Northern Pacific Ocean.
  - Territorial Status: Guam is an island territory of the United States of America.
  - Historical Background: Formerly a Spanish colony until 1898, it became a US territory after the Spanish-American War.
  - Climate: Guam has a tropical climate, influenced by northeast trade winds and the north equatorial ocean current, providing pleasant weather conditions.
  - Ethnicity: Native Guamanians, known as Chamorros, are primarily of Malayo-Indonesian descent, with a significant mix of Spanish, Filipino, Mexican, and other European and Asian ancestries.
  - Capital: The capital city of Guam is Hagatna.
Key Facts about INS Shivalik
- - Class: First stealth multi-role frigate built for the Indian Navy.
  - Builder: Constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai.
  - Commissioning Date: INS Shivalik was commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 29, 2010.
Features of INS Shivalik
- - Speed: Maximum speed of 32 knots (59 km/h).
  - Stealth and Capabilities: Enhanced stealth and land-attack features compared to the preceding Talwar-class frigates.
  - Propulsion: The first Indian Navy ship to utilize the CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system.
  - Weapon Systems: Equipped with a mix of Russian, Indian, and Western weapons.

Hakki Pikki Tribe

News: Members of the Hakki Pikki tribal community have become successful entrepreneurs, particularly in the hair oil industry.
About the Hakki Pikki Tribe
- - Name Origin: “Hakki” means ‘bird’ and “Pikki” means ‘catchers’ in Kannada, reflecting their traditional occupation as bird catchers and hunters.
  - Geographical Spread: The tribe is one of the major tribal communities in Karnataka, residing mostly near forest areas. They also have a presence in other Western and Southern states of India.
  - Migration History: The community originally migrated from Northern India, particularly Gujarat and Rajasthan, and is now concentrated mainly in the districts of Shivamogga, Davanagere, and Mysuru in Karnataka.
  - Scheduled Tribe Status: Hakki Pikkis are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India.
Language
- - Indo-Aryan Language: Despite living in the southern part of India, surrounded by Dravidian languages, the Hakki Pikki tribe speaks an Indo-Aryan language.
  - Mother Tongue: Their mother tongue is called ‘Vaagri’ by scholars.
  - Daily Language: They speak ‘Vaagri’ at home but use Kannada for daily business.
  - Endangered Language: UNESCO has listed Hakki Pikki as one of the endangered languages.
Occupation
- - Traditional Occupation: The tribe was traditionally involved in bird catching and hunting.
  - Shift in Occupation: Due to stricter wildlife laws, the Hakki Pikki tribe shifted to selling spices, flowers, Ayurveda formulations, and herbal oils.
  - Global Trade: Tribe members now travel internationally, particularly to the African continent, where there is demand for affordable alternatives to Western medicine.
Rituals and Customs
- - Religion and Festivals: The Hakki Pikki tribe follows Hindu traditions and celebrates Hindu festivals.
  - Marriage Practices: The tribe prefers cross-cousin marriages, and their society is matriarchal, with the groom giving dowry to the bride’s family.
  - Unique Customs: The eldest son in the family is required not to cut his hair for identification purposes.
  - Diet: The tribe is non-vegetarian.

UPSC GS 3

Purandar Figs

News:The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) recently facilitated the export of India’s first ready-to-drink fig juice to Poland.
This juice is made from geographical indication (GI)-tagged Purandar figs.
About Purandar Figs
- - Quality: Known to be one of India’s finest figs, Purandar figs are renowned for their sweet taste, large size, and high nutritional value.
  - Geographical Origin: These figs are cultivated in many villages of Purandar taluk in Pune district, Maharashtra.
  - Agro-Climatic Factors: Essential factors for cultivation include dry weather, hilly slopes, and well-drained medium land.
  - Soil Composition: Purandar has red and black soil rich in calcium and potassium, contributing to the distinctive violet color and size of the figs.
  - GI Tag: Purandar figs were awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag in 2016.
Key Features of Purandar Figs
- - Shape and Size: Bell-shaped and larger than other fig varieties.
  - Color: The skin is violet, which sets it apart from other figs.
  - Pulp: More than 80% of the fig consists of pulp, with a pinkish-red color.
  - Nutritional Value: Rich in vitamins and minerals.

Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA)

News:The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently handed over the Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) of the ‘Nipun’ munition to the DGQA.
About Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA)
- - Function: The DGQA is an Inter-Service Organisation under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence.
  - Historical Significance: It is over 100 years old and provides second-party Quality Assurance (QA) for all defence stores and equipment, both imported and indigenous.
Services:
- - Responsible for the QA of equipment for the Army, Navy (excluding Naval Armaments), and common user items for the Air Force.
  - Products approved by the DGQA undergo extensive testing, including extreme condition simulations.
  - Engages in import substitution and collaborates with DRDO on development projects.
  - Ensures documentation, codification, and standardization to minimize the variety of components and equipment.
  - Promotes small-scale industries, offers post-procurement services, conducts defect investigations, and provides technical consultancy to users, the Ministry, and production agencies.
Organisational Structure
- - The DGQA is divided into eleven Technical Directorates, each responsible for specific equipment.
  - Structure: The organisation operates in two tiers—Controllerates and Field Quality Assurance Establishments.
  - Proof Establishments: These establishments, particularly in the Armament Discipline, are responsible for the proofing of weapons and ammunition.
About Nipun Munition
Development: Nipun is a soft-target munition developed by the Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) in collaboration with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.
Features:
- - Highly user-friendly and effective against enemy targets.
  - Completely safe for handling, transportation, and laying.

National Coal Index (NCI)

News: The National Coal Index (NCI) saw a decline of 3.48 percent in June 2024, standing at 142.13 points compared to 147.25 points in June 2023.
About the National Coal Index (NCI)
- - Definition: The NCI is a price index that reflects the changes in coal prices for a specific month, relative to the fixed base year.
  - Components: The index combines prices from all coal sales channels, including Notified Prices, Auction Prices, and Import Prices.
  - Launch Date: The NCI was launched on 4th June 2020 with the aim of creating an index that accurately reflects the market price of coal.
  - Development: The Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, designed the index and developed the representative prices.
  - Monthly Release: The Ministry of Coal releases the NCI every month.
  - Base Year: The base year for the NCI is FY 2017-18.
Scope of the NCI
- - The index includes all transactions of raw coal in the Indian market.
  - It encompasses both coking and non-coking coal of various grades that are transacted in both regulated (power and fertilizer) and non-regulated sectors.
  - Exclusions: Washed coal and coal products are not included in the index.
Significance of NCI Movements
- - Upward Movement: Indicates a rise in coal demand, encouraging coal producers to increase domestic production to meet growing energy needs.
  - Downward Movement: Reflects a balanced market, aligning supply and demand dynamics.

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Gross Environment Product Index

News: Uttarakhand became the first Indian state to launch a Gross Environment Product (GEP) Index.
About the Gross Environment Product Index
- - Purpose: The GEP Index is an integrative metric designed to evaluate the ecological development impacted by human interventions.
  - Main Constituents: The index evaluates four primary environmental components affected by development activities:
  - Air Quality
  - Water Quality
  - Number of Trees Planted Annually
  - Organic Soil Area
  - Formula: The index is calculated using the following formula:
  - GEP Index = (Air-GEP Index + Water-GEP Index + Soil-GEP Index + Forest-GEP Index)
  - Assessments: It quantifies improvements in air, water, soil, and forest quality.
Significance of the GEP Index
- - Environmental Impact Assessment: Helps assess the anthropological pressures on ecosystems and natural resources.
  - Ecological Growth Measurement: Provides a robust method for evaluating a state’s ecological growth, highlighting various aspects of environmental well-being influenced by human activities.

Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR)

News: The forest department fined 14 SUV owners Rs 1 lakh each for illegally entering RTR during an adventure rally.
Location and Geography
- - Position: RTR is located at the junction of the Aravalis and Vindhyan ranges, 14 kilometers from Sawai Madhopur district in Eastern Rajasthan.
  - Size: It is one of the largest tiger reserves in northern India, covering an area of 1,411 sq. km.
  - Historical Background: It was once a royal hunting ground for the Maharajas of Jaipur.
  - Terrain: The landscape varies from the gentle slopes of the Vindhyas to the sharp, conical hills of the Aravali valley. The reserve is bounded by the Chambal River in the south and the Banas River in the north.
  - Unique Geological Feature: The ‘Great Boundary Fault’ is a significant environmental feature where the Vindhya plateau meets the Aravali range.
  - Lakes: Notable lakes within the reserve include Padam Talab, Raj Bagh Talab, and Malik Talab.
Flora and Vegetation
- - Vegetation Types: Tropical dry deciduous and tropical thorn forests dominate the reserve.
  - Key Flora: Dhok trees (Anogeissus pendula) are prominent, interspersed with grasslands on plateaus and lush vegetation around canals.
  - Fauna
  - Primary Predator: The tiger is the apex predator in RTR.
  - Other Fauna: Wild boar, sloth bear, striped hyena, rhesus macaque, southern plains grey langur, 250 avifaunal species,