07 January 2025: Daily Current Affairs Updates

Saint Narahari Tirtha; GS-1 (Art and Culture) ▪️Why in the News: The Team of Research on Culture and Heritage (TORCH) recently

uncovered a three-foot idol of the 13th-century saint Narahari Tirtha.

‣ Time Period and Role: Narahari Tirtha (c. 13th century) was an influential philosopher, scholar; and saint within the Dvaita Vedanta tradition. He was a key disciple of Madhvacharya, the founder of the Dvaita philosophy.

‣ Contributions to Dvaita Philosophy: Narahari Tirtha played a significant role in spreading the teachings of Dvaita Vedanta, particularly in eastern India, including the Kalinga region (modern-day Odisha and Andhra Pradesh). ‣ Origins and Ancestry: Narahari Tirtha is believed to have hailed from Chikakolu (now Srikakulam). His family was part of the aristocracy in the Gajapati Empire, which is now located in Odisha.

‣Literary Works: Narahari Tirtha wrote fifteen books, though only two of his works, Gita Bhasya and Bhavaprakasika, have survived

‣Contributions to Art Forms:

o. Devaranamas: He was the first to compose Devaranamas in Kannada.

o. Yaksagana Bayalata: Narahari Tirtha contributed to the popular dance-drama art form in coastal Karnataka.

• Kuchipudi: He also played a role in propagating the classical dance form that evolved into the well-known Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh.

Panchayat to parliament 2.0; GS-2 (Governance)

▪️ Why in the news: Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, recently inaugurated the Panchayat Se Parliament 2.0 program.

• Definition:

• Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, inaugurated the Panchayat Se Parliament 2:0 program.

• This initiative aims to provide insights into the Indian Constitution and parliamentary procedures to more than 500 women representatives from Panchayati Raj institutions across India.

> Organizers:

o. The program is organized by the National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

• Activities:

• The initiative will feature various workshops and sessions. Participants will also be taken on a guided tour of significant locations, such as the new Parliament House, Samvidhan Sadan, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, and Rashtrapati Bhawan.

> Special Event:

o. During the event, the Lok Sabha Speaker will lead the delegates in reading the Preamble to the Constitution of India.

> Legacy:

• This program builds upon the success of the Panchayat Se Parliament 2024 initiative, which had previously engaged 500 women sarpanches from across the country.

• Primary Objective:

• The main goal of the program is to empower women representatives from Panchayati Raj institutions by enhancing their understanding of constitutional provisions, parliamentary procedures, and governance.

Cowpea Seeds; GS-3 (Science and Technology) ▪️Why in the news: The Indian Space Research Organisation, popularly known as ISRO, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone as cowpea seeds germinated in space.

• Scientific Name:

. Cowpea, scientifically known as Vigna unguiculata, is an annual plant in the pea family (Fabaceae).

Characteristics:

• Cowpea is a legume crop that produces trailing vines bearing seeds that are typically black, white, or red in color.

• The plant is rich in protein (25%), along with various vitamins and minerals.

• Cowpeas possess nitrogen-fixing properties, helping to replenish soil fertility when their roots decompose.

Uses:

• Cowpeas are widely used in food, feed, and forage preparations.

• The plant's large leaves also serve the purpose of conserving soil moisture through their shading effect.

• Indian Context:

• Cowpea is a minor pulse in India, mainly grown in the arid and semi-arid regions of states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

> Ecological and Economic Benefits:

• Soil Fertility: Cowpeas help to replenish low-fertility soils by fixing nitrogen in the soil.

• Erosion Control: Due to its rapid growth, it is an excellent plant for preventing soil erosion.

Nigeria is the dominant player, producing and consuming 46% of the world's cowpea.

Golden Jackals; GS-3 (Environment & Ecology) ▪️ Why in the news: A survey by the Wildlife Conservation Society of India shows golden jackals were spotted in 20 out of 26 locations in the western part of Mumbai and 37 out of 44 on the eastern side of the city.

‣ Scientific Name: The golden jackal, also known as the common jackal, is a medium-sized canid resembling a wolf.

‣ Activity:

• In areas with human habitation, golden jackals are primarily nocturnal.

• In less-disturbed regions, they may exhibit partially diurnal behavior.

‣ Mating:

• Golden jackals are monogamous, forming lifelong pairs.

‣ Diet:

• As omnivores, golden jackals are opportunistic feeders, consuming a wide variety of foods depending on availability.

‣ Habitat:

. They thrive in valleys, riverbanks, tributaries, canals, lakes, and coastal areas.

• However, they are rarely found in foothills and low mountainous regions.

‣ Conservation Status:

• IUCN: Listed as Least Concern.

• CITES: Included in Appendix III.

• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (India): Classified under Schedule I.