1. Gajapati Empire

Ø News:     A Telugu medieval inscription linked to the Gajapati rulers of Odisha has recently been discovered on a stone pillar at the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Ramachandrapura Agraharam, Guntur.

Ø Nature of the Empire: The Gajapati Empire was a medieval Hindu dynasty that originated in Odisha and ruled approximately from 1434 to 1541.

Ø Origin and Foundation:

o The dynasty succeeded the Eastern Ganga rulers and emerged as the Gajapati monarchy.

o It was founded by Kapilendra Deva of the Suryavamsa lineage after the death of the last Eastern Ganga ruler, Bhanu Deva IV.

Ø  Capital:

o The initial capital of the empire was located at Cuttack.

o During the reign of Prataparudra Deva from 1497 to 1540, the capital was shifted to Kataka, which is now associated with Konark.

Ø Territorial Extent: At its peak in the 15th century, the empire extended from the Ganges region near Hooghly in the north to the Kaveri River in the south.

Ø Cultural Contributions:

o The Gajapati rulers were notable patrons of art, architecture, and literature.

o Their architectural achievements are reflected in monuments such as the Sun Temple at Konark, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

o Their support for the Odia language, literature, and performing arts led to a significant cultural revival in Odisha.

Ø  Decline:

o The empire faced continuous rivalry with the Vijayanagara Empire.

o By the early 16th century, it lost substantial parts of its southern territories to the Vijayanagara Empire and the Golconda Sultanate.

o Internal conflicts and external invasions weakened the empire, eventually leading to its collapse.

o By the late 16th century, the region came under the control of the Mughal Empire.

UPSC GS 2

2. Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project

Ø News:     The Union Minister of Communications has recently inaugurated a Samriddhi Kendra at Umri village in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh under the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Initiative.

Ø Nature of the Initiative:

o The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project is designed as a phygital model that combines physical infrastructure with digital service delivery.

o It aims to empower rural populations by integrating on-ground service centres with advanced digital systems.

Ø  Objective:

o The initiative seeks to transform rural areas by ensuring seamless access to essential services through a combination of physical and digital platforms.

o It focuses on delivering services in an efficient and sustainable manner.

Ø Technological Backbone: The project leverages BharatNet connectivity to ensure reliable digital access in rural regions.

Ø   Coverage under Pilot Project: The initiative has identified three villages for implementation including Ari and Umri in Madhya Pradesh, Narakoduru in Andhra Pradesh, and Chaurawala in Uttar Pradesh.

Ø  Samriddhi Kendras: Each selected village will host a Samriddhi Kendra that functions as an integrated digital service hub.

Ø Key Services Provided:

o Education and Skilling: The centres will provide smart classrooms, AR and VR based learning, and digital skill development aligned with government programmes.

o Agriculture Support: Services will include IoT-based soil testing, drone-assisted operations, and smart irrigation solutions.

o Healthcare Services: Facilities such as teleconsultation, health ATMs, and emergency care support will be available.

o e-Governance: The Kendras will offer assisted access to government services, documentation, and grievance redressal mechanisms.

o E-Commerce Integration: The initiative will connect rural producers with ONDC and other digital marketplaces to promote local entrepreneurship.

o Financial Inclusion: Digital banking and payment services will be provided to improve financial access.

o  Connectivity Infrastructure: The project includes strengthening BharatNet through fibre-to-the-home connectivity, establishment of a Village Area Network, and provision of public Wi-Fi hotspots.

o Implementing Agency: The initiative is being implemented by the Department of Telecommunications.

UPSC GS 3

3. NavIC IRNSS

Ø News:      ISRO has reported that the atomic clock onboard the IRNSS-1F satellite stopped functioning recently, resulting in the loss of positioning data from that satellite.

Ø Nature of the System:

o The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System is an independent regional satellite navigation system that provides positioning services.

o It is also known as Navigation with Indian Constellation or NavIC.

Ø Developer: The system has been developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation.

Ø Objective: NavIC provides positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services using signals transmitted by satellites. Receivers on Earth calculate their location by measuring how long these signals take to travel from the satellites.

Ø Coverage Area: NavIC provides accurate positioning services over India and extends coverage up to about 1500 kilometres beyond the country’s boundaries.

Ø Constellation Structure: The system is designed as a constellation of seven satellites supported by a network of ground-based infrastructure.

Ø Satellite Configuration:

o Three satellites are placed in geostationary orbit.

o Four satellites are placed in inclined geosynchronous orbit.

Ø Ground Segment: The ground segment includes control centres, timing facilities, monitoring stations, and two-way ranging stations that operate continuously.

Ø Key Features:

o Independent Navigation System: NavIC functions as a fully indigenous and stand-alone navigation system under India’s control.

o Positioning Accuracy: It provides positioning accuracy better than 20 metres within its primary service area.

o Types of Services:

§ Standard Positioning Service (SPS): available for civilian use

§ Restricted Service (RS): encrypted signals intended for authorised users, including the military

o Signal Frequencies: NavIC satellites transmit signals in L5 and S frequency bands.

Ø Global Navigation Systems: Other major global navigation satellite systems include GPS of the United States, GLONASS of Russia, Galileo of the European Union, and BeiDou of China.

Ø  Atomic Clock In Navigation Satellites:

o An atomic clock in navigation satellites is an extremely precise timekeeping device carried onboard each satellite.

o Satellite navigation systems determine position by measuring the time taken by radio signals to travel from the satellite to a receiver on Earth.

o Since radio signals travel at the speed of light, even a very small timing error can result in a large error in position calculation.

o Atomic clocks keep time using the natural oscillations of atoms such as rubidium or caesium.

o This method allows atomic clocks to maintain exceptionally high accuracy, which is essential for reliable navigation.

4. Dimethyl Ether (DME)

Ø News:    The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Chemical Laboratory, in collaboration with an engineering partner, is preparing to scale up dimethyl ether technology for industrial-level demonstration.

Ø Nature of the Fuel: Dimethyl Ether is a synthetically produced fuel that can serve as an alternative to diesel in specially designed compression ignition engines.

Ø Key Properties:

o It has a very high cetane number, which indicates strong ignition capability in diesel-type engines.

o Under normal atmospheric conditions, it exists as a colourless gas.

o It burns in a cleaner manner, producing very low levels of soot, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and particulate matter.

o Its thermal efficiency is comparable to conventional fuels, making it a viable substitute.

Ø Suitability as Alternative Fuel:

o Dimethyl Ether has the potential to be used as an alternative fuel along with compatible engine technologies.

o It can be adapted for use in conventional diesel engines widely used in India’s agriculture and transport sectors.

Ø Applications:

o The compound is widely used in the chemical industry and also serves as an aerosol propellant.

o It is further utilised in the production of chemicals such as dyes and plastics.

5. Alprazolam

Ø News:     The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has recently uncovered an illegal facility in Andhra Pradesh involved in the production of Alprazolam.

Ø  Nature of the Drug: Alprazolam is classified as a psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

Ø Drug Class:

o It belongs to the benzodiazepine group of medicines and acts as a tranquillizing agent.

o Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants that slow down brain activity.

Ø  Mechanism of Action: Alprazolam increases the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is a neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for calming neural activity.

Ø Medical Uses: The drug is commonly prescribed for treating anxiety disorders, panic disorders, and anxiety associated with depression.

6. Amblyceps Vayavy

Ø News:      Researchers have recently identified a rare new species of catfish named Amblyceps vayavy from hill streams of the Western Ghats in Goa and Maharashtra.

Ø  Nature of the Species: Amblyceps vayavy is a newly discovered freshwater catfish species belonging to the genus Amblyceps.

Ø Discovery and Location: The species was recorded from the northern part of the Western Ghats, covering regions in Goa and Maharashtra.

Ø Habitat:

o The fish inhabits shallow hill streams with streambeds composed of sand, pebbles, and stones.

o These conditions create microhabitats that allow the species to hide and forage effectively.

Ø Etymology:

o The name vayavy is derived from Marathi and Konkani languages, meaning northwest.

o This name reflects its occurrence in the northwestern section of the Western Ghats.

Ø Distribution Significance: It represents the northernmost confirmed occurrence of the genus Amblyceps in the Western Ghats region.

Ø Distinguishing Features:

o The species can be identified by a bifurcated caudal fin and an incomplete lateral line.

o It also lacks centrally projecting hooks in the veins of the middle portion of the tail and shows a distinctive adipose fin structure.

Facts for Prelims

7. Jnanpith Award 2025

Ø News:  Vairamuthu has become the third Tamil writer to win the Jnanpith Award.

Ø  Introduction to the Jnanpith Award:

o The Jnanpith Award is considered the most prestigious literary recognition in India.

o It is presented annually to an author in acknowledgment of their exceptional contribution to Indian literature through original creative writing.

o The award is conferred for works in any of the languages listed in Schedule VIII of the Indian Constitution, as well as in English.

o The award was established in the year 1961.

Ø Award Components: The honour includes a monetary reward, a formal citation, and a bronze replica of the goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), who is revered as the deity of learning.

Ø Sponsoring Organisation:

o The award is administered by Bharatiya Jnanpith, a leading cultural and literary institution in India.

o Bharatiya Jnanpith has been actively promoting Indian literature and cultural heritage since its founding in 1944.

o Its literary initiatives span across awards, publications, fellowships, and scholarly research.

Ø Eligibility and Selection Criteria:

o The first-ever recipient of the Jnanpith Award was Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup, honoured in 1965 for his poetry collection titled Odakkuzhal.

o Only Indian citizens who are living at the time of nomination and have produced creative literary works are eligible for consideration.

o If a language receives the award in a specific year, it becomes ineligible for selection for the subsequent two years.

o A writer who has once received the award is not eligible to be considered for it again.

o The Jnanpith Award Selection Board holds the authority to withhold the award in any given year if it deems that no nominee meets the required literary standards.