21 August 2026

UPSC GS 1

1. Maveeran Ondiveeran

News: Recently, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan paid tribute to Maveeran Ondiveeran on his death anniversary and recalled his valour and sacrifice in resisting colonial forces.

About Maveeran Ondiveeran:

o   Identity: Maveeran Ondiveeran, also known as Ondi Veeran, was a renowned warrior from Tamil Nadu who fought against the British East India Company.

o   Meaning of the Name: The term “Ondi” means single-handedly, while “Veeran” means brave warrior. He earned this title because of his exceptional courage and ability to defeat enemies through his individual bravery.

Early Life:

o   Community Background: Ondiveeran belonged to the Arunthathiyar community, which reveres him as a legendary hero.

o   Family Background: According to historical accounts, his grandfather owned cultivable land that was later recovered by Puli Thevar from Irulappillai.

Role in Puli Thevar’s Army:

o   Trusted Commander: Ondiveeran served as a trusted commander in the army of Puli Thevar, one of the earliest rulers to resist British expansion in South India.

o   Title in the Army: He was popularly known as the “Porvaal” (Sword) of Puli Thevar because of his military prowess and loyalty.

Military Contributions:

o   Guerrilla Warfare Expert: Ondiveeran was highly skilled in guerrilla warfare and developed innovative strategies suited to different battle conditions.

o   Resistance Against Colonial Forces: He played a significant role in resisting the military campaigns of the British East India Company in the Tirunelveli region.

Continued Resistance:

o   Service After Puli Thevar: Oral traditions and folk narratives suggest that after the martyrdom of Puli Thevar, Ondiveeran continued to fight alongside the armies of Puli Thevar’s sons.

o   Historical Evidence: However, there are no conclusive historical records available to fully verify these accounts.

Legacy and Commemoration:

o   Memorial Hall: A Mani Mandapam (Memorial Hall) in honour of Maveeran Ondiveeran was inaugurated at Palayamkottai on 1 March 2016.

o   Postal Stamp: A commemorative postal stamp was issued in his honour on 20 August 2022.

UPSC GS 2

1. Friends of MY Bharat Initiative

News: Recently, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports launched the ‘Friends of MY Bharat’ Initiative.

About Friends of MY Bharat Initiative:

o   Launch: The Friends of MY Bharat Initiative has been launched by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

o   Purpose: The initiative aims to strengthen engagement with Indian-origin youth living across the world and provide them opportunities to participate in India’s nation-building and youth-led programmes.

o   Platform-Based Initiative: The initiative has been developed through the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform.

Key Features:

o   Global Youth Engagement: The initiative enables Indian-origin students, young professionals, and other youth residing abroad to access information about nation-building activities, volunteering opportunities, and youth programmes available on the MY Bharat platform.

o   Volunteering Opportunities: The platform provides information on volunteering opportunities in sectors such as education, environmental protection, health awareness, disaster relief, and cultural preservation.

o   Know Your India Section: A dedicated ‘Know Your India’ section offers curated information on India’s culture, heritage, history, tourism, travel destinations, and notable leaders.

o   Diaspora Participation: The initiative seeks to channel the ideas, skills, experiences, and aspirations of global Indian youth towards India’s development journey.

About MY Bharat Platform:

o   Launch: MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) was launched in October 2023 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

o   Objective: The platform aims to place youth at the centre of nation-building by providing opportunities for volunteering, skill development, leadership development, and civic participation.

o   Digital Ecosystem: It serves as a digital platform connecting the Government, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and industry to facilitate meaningful youth engagement.

UPSC GS 3

1. National Sports Awards

News: Recently, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2025.

About National Sports Awards:

Definition: The National Sports Awards are presented annually to recognize and reward excellence in sports and outstanding contributions to sports development in India.

Nodal Ministry: The awards are administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Categories of National Sports Awards:

o   Arjuna Award: The Arjuna Award is given to sportspersons for consistent outstanding performance during the previous four years, along with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.

o   Arjuna Award (Lifetime): The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) is conferred on former sportspersons who have made exceptional contributions to sports through their achievements and continue to promote sports after retirement.

o   Dronacharya Award: The Dronacharya Award is presented to coaches who have consistently demonstrated outstanding and meritorious work in training athletes and helping them achieve success in international competitions.

o   Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar: The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is awarded to corporate entities, both public and private, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have played a significant role in promoting and developing sports in the country.

2. Impatiens Nimspurjai

News: Recently, a newly discovered Himalayan plant has been named Impatiens nimspurjai in honour of legendary Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja.

About Impatiens Nimspurjai:

o   Species Identification: Impatiens nimspurjai is a newly discovered plant species belonging to the touch-me-not family (Balsaminaceae).

o   Naming: The plant has been named in honour of renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja (Nims Purja) for his contributions to mountaineering.

o   Botanical Etymology: Its scientific name combines “Nims Purja” with “jai,” the Nepali word for jasmine.

Habitat:

o   Forest Habitat: The species grows on moist, humus-rich slopes in temperate forests and along forest margins.

o   Ecological Preference: It thrives in temperate forest and forest-edge ecosystems of the Himalayan region.

Characteristics of Impatiens nimspurjai:

o   Growth Form: It is an annual herb that can grow up to nearly one metre in height.

o   Leaf Structure: The plant possesses sessile oblong to lanceolate leaves, which help distinguish it from related species.

o   Flower Features: It produces small clusters of flowers that are predominantly yellow with a distinct purple tinge.

o   Related Species: It is closely related to Impatiens radiata, Impatiens harae, and Impatiens wallichii, which are other balsam species native to the Himalayas.

3. Sea Lice

News: A German biotech startup developing a feed-based nanoantibody treatment for sea lice has announced plans to use its platform technology to tackle bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases across aquaculture.

About Sea Lice:

o   Definition: Sea lice are the larval forms of certain jellyfish and sea anemones that inhabit saltwater oceans and seas.

o   Occurrence: Sea lice populations are unpredictable because they drift with ocean currents, causing their presence on beaches to vary from year to year.

o   Size: Sea lice are extremely small, measuring about 2–3 millimetres, roughly the size of a sesame seed.

o   Visibility: Due to their tiny size and nearly transparent appearance, sea lice are difficult to detect with the naked eye.

o   Difference from Head Lice: Despite their name, sea lice are not related to head lice and do not feed on blood.

Characteristics:

o   Stinging Ability: Sea lice can sting human skin, unlike head lice, which bite and feed on blood.

o   Skin Reaction: Their stings can cause a skin condition known as seabather’s eruption, which may appear within minutes or up to a day after exposure.

o   Affected Areas: The rash commonly develops in areas covered by a bathing suit because pressure causes the organisms’ stinging cells to release toxins into the skin.

o   Hair Attachment: Sea lice can also become trapped in hair on the head or body, leading to further irritation.

Symptoms of Seabather’s Eruption:   

o   Itchy Rash: The most common symptom is an intensely itchy skin rash.

o   Skin Appearance: The rash is typically red, raised, and resembles small pimples, blisters, or welts.

o   Systemic Symptoms: In some cases, affected individuals may experience abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, nausea, vomiting, and a general feeling of illness.

o   Impact on Children: Children often experience more severe symptoms compared to adults.

Treatment and Recovery:

o   Self-Limiting Condition: Seabather’s eruption is generally not a serious health concern and usually resolves on its own.

o   Recovery Period: Most cases improve within about two weeks, although severe reactions may take up to a month to heal completely. 

4. RK-251

News: Recently, scientists in India developed RK-251, a smart cancer drug that activates primarily inside cancer cells and may reduce damage to healthy tissues.

About RK-251:

o   Definition: RK-251 is a smart cancer drug designed to remain largely inactive in normal tissues and become activated mainly within cancer cells.

o   Developed By: The drug was developed through collaborative research led by Dr. Asis Bala of the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) and Dr. K.P. Bhabak of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Guwahati.

Working Mechanism:

o   ROS-Based Activation: Cancer cells often contain high levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which are chemically reactive molecules capable of causing cellular damage.

o   Selective Activation: When RK-251 enters cancer cells, the elevated ROS levels trigger the activation of the drug.

o   Release of Anticancer Agent: Upon activation, RK-251 releases NBDHEX, a potent anticancer compound.

o   Targeting Cancer Survival Proteins: NBDHEX acts against proteins that many cancer cells rely on for survival and resistance to treatment, thereby helping destroy cancer cells.

Key Features:

o   Targeted Action: Preclinical studies demonstrated that RK-251 showed strong effectiveness against triple-negative breast cancer cells while having significantly lower effects on healthy cells.

o   Reduced Side Effects Potential: The selective activation mechanism may help minimize damage to normal tissues compared to conventional chemotherapy drugs.

o   Fluorescence Property: The drug exhibits fluorescence in the presence of ROS, allowing researchers to confirm its activation in ROS-rich cancer environments.

o   Safety Findings: Experiments conducted on zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio) showed no obvious signs of toxicity during preclinical testing.

o   Current Status: RK-251 is currently at the preclinical research stage, and additional studies are required before it can enter human clinical trials.