GS PAPER II NEWS
Pandit Birju Maharaj
Why in News
-
- Eminent Kathak artist Samrat Pandit Birju Maharaj passed away. He was 83 years old. He breathed his last on 16 January 2022 in Delhi after a heart attack.
About Pandit Birju Maharaj
-
- The real name of Pandit Birju Maharaj was Brijmohan Mishra. He was born on 04 February 1938 in Lucknow.
- Birju Maharaj was earlier named Dukhharan. It was later changed to ‘Brijmohan Nath Mishra’. Birju Maharaj was a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers.
- Apart from Padma Vibhushan, he has also received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Kalidas Samman. In the year 2012, he was awarded the National Film Award for choreography in the film Vishwaroopam.
- Birju Maharaj’s hold was very good in the world of music as well as dance. Birju Maharaj is a brilliant drummer. All of whom play drums. He was very fond of playing Tabla and Naal.
- The first Guru of Birju Maharaj was his father and uncle. Birju Maharaj was given art initiation by his father Achhan Maharaj and his uncle Lachhu Maharaj.
kathak dance
-
- Kathak dance is a North Indian classical dance. Telling a story is called Kathak. The meaning of the word Kathak is to narrate the story in a dance form.
- In ancient times, Kathak was known as Kushilava.
- This is a very ancient style as there is a description of Kathak in Mahabharata also.
- In the medieval period, it was related to Krishna story and dance. This was also done in the court during the time of Muslims.
- This dance is a means of telling stories. There are three main gharanas of this dance. The Jaipur Gharana was born in the Raja Sabha of the Rajputs of Kachwa, the Lucknow Gharana in the Raja Sabha of the Nawab of Awadh and the Varanasi Gharana in the Sabha of Varanasi.
- There is also a lesser known ‘Raigad Gharana’, famous for its own distinctive compositions.
- Lucknow Gharana: It was born in the court of Wajid Ali Shah, the Nawab of Awadh. Agra style Kathak dance has beauty, natural balance.
- Artistic compositions, thumri etc. Along with acting, there are also soulful genres such as horris (literally acting) and improvised compositions.
- Pandit Birju Maharaj (son of Achchan Maharajji) is considered the main representative of this gharana.
- Jaipur Gharana: It was born in the court of Kachhwa Raja of Rajasthan. The more technical aspects of the dance are significant here in the form of powerful tatkars, many rounds and complex compositions in different talas. Pakhwaj is used a lot here. It is the oldest gharana of Kathak. The originator of Jaipur Gharana is Bhanu ji (famous Shiva Tandava dancer).
- Banaras Gharana: Janki Prasad had established this gharana. Here Natvari is used exclusively and Pakhawaj (a type of tabla used in North-Indian style) tabla is used less.
- Here there is a difference between thaat and tatkar. The minimum rotation is taken from both the right and left sides.
- Raigarh Gharana: Maharaj Chakradhar Singh of Chhattisgarh had established this gharana. A unique atmosphere was created by the confluence of different styles and artists from different backgrounds and tabla compositions.
- Pandit Karthik Ram, Pandit Firtu Maharaj, Pandit Kalyandas Mahant, Pandit Barmanalak are the famous dancers of this gharana.
GS PAPER II
Aroma Mission
Why in News
-
- Recently, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge), Minister of State for Earth Sciences (Independent Charge), PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said here that “Start- “Purple Revolution” in “Up India” is the contribution of Jammu and Kashmir.
- This initiative was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 and now we are celebrating the first National Start-up Day.
Aroma Mission
-
- The Aroma Mission was launched by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology through the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which has given birth to the famous “Purple Revolution” in India.
- CSIR introduced high value essential oil lavender crop through its Jammu based laboratory- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) for cultivation in several districts.
- Initially it was started in Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and then other districts including Ramban and Pulwama etc.
- Within a short span of time, Aroma/Lavender cultivation has become a popular choice in agriculture for agricultural start-ups.
- A youth named Bharat Bhushan, who hails from the remote village of Khilani in Doda district, has become an exemplary success story.
- Bhushan in collaboration with CSIR-IIIM took up lavender cultivation in about 0.1 hectare of land.
- As the profits started to roll in, he converted a large area of cornfield around his house into a lavender plantation.
- They have hired 20 people who are working in their lavender fields and nursery. At the same time, about 500 farmers of his district have also followed Bharat Bhushan by starting cultivation of perennial flowering lavender plant except maize.
- CSIR has started the second phase of Aroma mission after the completion of its first phase.
- Aroma Mission is attracting start-ups and farmers from all over the country.
- During its first phase, CSIR assisted cultivation on 6000 hectares of land. This mission was conducted in 46 aspirational districts of the country.
- Under this, more than 44,000 people have been trained and farmers have received income of several crores.
- In the second phase of Aroma Mission, it is proposed to involve more than 45,000 skilled human resources with an aim to benefit more than 75,000 farming families across the country.
GS PAPER II
Aroma Mission
Why in News
-
- Recently, the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge), Minister of State for Earth Sciences (Independent Charge), PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said here that “Start- “Purple Revolution” in “Up India” is the contribution of Jammu and Kashmir.
- This initiative was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 and now we are celebrating the first National Start-up Day.
Aroma Mission
-
- The Aroma Mission was launched by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology through the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which has given birth to the famous “Purple Revolution” in India.
- CSIR introduced high value essential oil lavender crop through its Jammu based laboratory- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) for cultivation in several districts.
- Initially it was started in Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and then other districts including Ramban and Pulwama etc.
- Within a short span of time, Aroma/Lavender cultivation has become a popular choice in agriculture for agricultural start-ups.
- A youth named Bharat Bhushan, who hails from the remote village of Khilani in Doda district, has become an exemplary success story.
- Bhushan in collaboration with CSIR-IIIM took up lavender cultivation in about 0.1 hectare of land.
- As the profits started to roll in, he converted a large area of cornfield around his house into a lavender plantation.
- They have hired 20 people who are working in their lavender fields and nursery. At the same time, about 500 farmers of his district have also followed Bharat Bhushan by starting cultivation of perennial flowering lavender plant except maize.
- CSIR has started the second phase of Aroma mission after the completion of its first phase.
- Aroma Mission is attracting start-ups and farmers from all over the country.
- During its first phase, CSIR assisted cultivation on 6000 hectares of land. This mission was conducted in 46 aspirational districts of the country.
- Under this, more than 44,000 people have been trained and farmers have received income of several crores.
- In the second phase of Aroma Mission, it is proposed to involve more than 45,000 skilled human resources with an aim to benefit more than 75,000 farming families across the country.
GS PAPER II
Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC)
Why in News
-
- Narendra Kumar Goenka, founder and managing director of Texport Industries, took over as the chairman of Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) on 17 January 2022.
Key point
-
- A Sakthivel was appointed to the post for the period 2020-21.
- Narendra Goenka has been associated with the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) for more than two decades.
- He was serving as the Vice President of the apex body of Indian Apparel Exporters before assuming the top post.
What is AEPC?
-
- Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) was established in the year 1978 as the official body of Apparel Exporters in India.
- It comes under the Union Ministry of Textiles. Its headquarter is in Gurugram, Haryana.
- The apex body provides invaluable assistance to Indian exporters as well as importers and international buyers.
- The objective of AEPC is to promote, support and facilitate the Indian Apparel Industry to enhance its competitive advantage and global position.
GS PAPER III
Electric bus
Why in News
-
- Delhi Government has launched the first electric bus of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).
Key point
-
- Electric buses are being run in Delhi to tackle air pollution. The bus is manufactured by JBM Auto Ltd.
- 50 more e-buses are expected to join DTC’s fleet next month, when the mass roll-out of public transport begins.
- Delhi government has planned to buy 2300 electric buses. In this, 1300 buses will be procured by DTC. At the same time, the remaining 1 thousand buses will work under the cluster scheme.
- The plan to include e-buses in Delhi was first announced in July 2018. Now in future Delhi government will buy only electric buses.
- Delhi government has taken a major initiative to tackle air pollution.
- Ride aggregators and delivery service providers will now compulsorily include electric vehicles in their new fleet of vehicles.
- Delhi government has become the first government in India to notify an aggregator policy to make EVs mandatory in the fleet.
- The public has been given 60 days to give their opinion on the draft of the policy.
- This policy will provide necessary impetus to make the aggregator industry environment friendly.