UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 17th September 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Rosh Hashanah

Subject: Art and Culture

Why in News?

The Prime Minister of India extended greetings to Jewish people around the world on Rosh Hashanah.

About Rosh Hashanah

• It is a Hebrew phrase that means ‘the head of the year‘, and followed as  a ‘new year day’ in Judaism. It begins on the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar.
• As it is celebrated for 48 hours, it is also called ‘yoma arichta’, meaning ‘a long day’.

Origin

• It is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah (Judaism’s founding religious text) and appears under different names in the Bible.
• However, Torah mentions a sacred occasion that starts on the first day of the seventh month of the Jewish calendar around the time Rosh Hashanah is scheduled.
• Though the holiday was likely well established by the sixth century B.C., the phrase “Rosh Hashanah” shows up for the first time in the Mishna, a Jewish code of law compiled in 200 A.D.

How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?

• Jewish people blow a Shofar, a curved ram’s horn, and pray near a body of water in a Tashlich ceremony.
• They eat apples and honey together to symbolise a sweet new year, and eat pomegranate seeds that represent the 613 mitzvot, or commandments.

Source: PIB

Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards

Subject: Art and Culture

Why in News?

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar presented the one-time Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards to 84 artistes from the field of performing arts.

About

• The awards are given to Indian artistes aged above 75 years who have not been accorded any national honour in their career so far.
• The recipients are selected by the Akademi’s General Council, consisting of distinguished musicians, dancers, theatre artists and scholars in these disciplines and nominees of the Central government, state governments, and Union Territories.
• The award carries a purse of Rs 1 lakh, besides a ‘Tamrapatra’ and ‘Angavastram’.

Source: The Hindu

GS-II

NeVA Project

Subject: Polity

Why in News?

President Droupadi Murmu launched the Gujarat Assembly’s National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) project recently.

About National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) project:-

• National eVidhan Application (NeVA) is an online application.
• It is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) that comes under the Digital India Programme.
• Objective: to make all legislatures digital with the help of Information & Communication Technologies (ICT).
• Ministry: Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MoPA).
  • It is the ‘Nodal Ministry’ for its implementation in all the 31 States/UTs with Legislatures.
• Funding: It is provided by the MoPA.
  • The funding of NeVA is through Central Sponsored Schemee. 60:40; and 90:10 for North East & and hilly States and 100% for UTs.
• The technical support by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MietY).
• So far, 21 State Assemblies have signed Memorandums of Understanding to implement NeVA, and funding has been allocated for 17 of them.
• Nine legislatures have transitioned fully into digital Houses and actively operate on the NeVA platform.
• Himachal Pradesh was the first Digital Legislature of the country.

Significance:-

• NeVA epitomizes the concept of ‘One Nation, One Application’, with a mission to prioritize cloud-first and mobile-first approaches.
• It is to serve the Members of Legislative Assemblies more effectively.
• It enables automation of the entire law-making process, tracking of decisions and documents, and sharing of information.
• Through the cloud technology (Meghraj), data deployed can be accessed anywhere at any time.
• The live webcasting of Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV is also available on this application.

Source: The Hindu

International Day of Democracy

Subject: Polity

Why in News?

The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on 15 September each year.

• It was established through a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007, encouraging governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy.
• The International Day is an opportunity to review the state of democracy around the world. Each year highlights a specific theme. 
• Theme 2023: “Empowering the next generation,” focuses on young people’s essential role in advancing democracy and ensuring that their voices are included in the decisions that have a profound impact on their world.

Source: The Hindu

GS-III

Engineers’ Day 2023

Subject: Science and Technology

Why in News?

Recently, Engineers’ Day 2023 was celebrated.

• It was celebrated on September 15.
• Engineer’s Day is also celebrated in Sri Lanka and Tanzania on September 15.

• The day is celebrated to recognize the contributions made by M Visvesvaraya in the field of science and technology.
• Born:1861.
• M Visvesvaraya was born in a Telugu family at Chikkaballapur near Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• He was known as the father of Modern Mysore. His full name is Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.
• After completing his formal school education in his hometown, Visvesvaraya went to study BA at the University of Madras.
• However, he later switched and pursued a diploma in civil engineering at the College of Science in Pune.
• He was a pro in flood disaster management and irrigation techniques.
• He was recognized for his work in irrigation techniques and flood control.
• He was Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918.

• He was the chief engineer responsible for the construction of the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam in Mysore.
• He designed and patented automatic water floodgates in 1903, which were first installed at the Khadakwasla reservoir in Pune.
• In 1917, Visvesvaraya established the Government Engineering College in Bengaluru, which was later named University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering in his honour.
• He founded the Bangalore Agricultural University.
• He was a renowned precursor of economic planning in India.

• In 1955, the Government of India honoured him with the highest civilian honour — Bharat Ratna for his numerous industrial, economic and social projects.
• He was also conferred the British knighthood by King George V, earning the title “Sir.”

Source: Indian Express

P-7 Heavy Drop Parachute System

Subject: Defence 

Why in News?

DRDO’s Heavy Drop Parachute System’ Gets Bulk Order After Successful Trials

• It is a military parachute system primarily used for the airdrop of heavy equipment, vehicles, and supplies from aircraft.
• It was indigenously designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Features:
  • Weighing approximately 500 kg, the parachute guarantees the secure delivery of heavy cargo, even under challenging conditions.
  • It comprises a platform and a specialised parachute system, promising to enhance the operational capabilities of the armed forces.
  • It boasts eight main canopies, three extractor parachutes, one drogue parachute, and a suite of electrical, electronic, and mechanical systems. 
  • With a maximum load-bearing capacity of 8,500 kg and a permitted payload limit of 7,000 kg, the system operates at drop speeds ranging from 260 to 400 kph.
• Landing Speed : 7 m/sec
• Reusability : 5 times 
• Its compact designallows seamless integration onto various aircraft, including the C-17, C-130, and other cargo aircraft of the IAF, providing versatility in deployment. 

Source: Republic World

Probiotics

Subject: Science

Why in News?

Recent studies have shown the positive role of probiotics in reducing Cholesterol.

Background:-

• Using probiotics to reduce cholesterol is an upcoming area of interest and the research is promising.
• Probiotics are thought to help lower cholesterol levels via a number of mechanisms.
• These include helping to incorporate cholesterol into cells and adjusting the microbiome of the gut to favor the elimination of cholesterol via the faeces.
• In a 2018 study, researchers pooled results from 32 studies and analyzed them all together in a type of study known as a meta-analysis.
• The people who took probiotics reduced their total cholesterol level by 13 percent.
• Other systematic reviews support these findings.

• Probiotics are a combination of live beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts.
• Probiotic supplements are a way to add good bacteria to our body.
• A probiotic community is made up of things called Microbes.
• We have trillions of microbes on and in our body.
• These microbes are a combination of:
  • Bacteria.
  • Fungi (including yeasts).
  • Viruses.
  • Protozoa.
• Everyone’s microbiome is unique.
• No two people have the same microbial cells.
  • Even twins are different.
• The most common type of probiotic bacteria is Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
• Probiotics are also made up of good yeast.
  • The most common type of yeast found in probiotics is Saccharomyces boulardii.

• We constantly have both good and bad bacteria in our body. 
• When we get an infection, there are more bad bacteria, knocking your system out of balance.
• Good bacteria help eliminate extra bad bacteria, returning the balance

For a microbe to be called a probiotic, it must have several characteristics. These include being able to:

• Be isolated from a human.
• Survive in your intestine after ingestion (being eaten).
• Have a proven benefit.
• Be safely consumed.
• Help your body digest food.
• Keep bad bacteria from getting out of control and making you sick.
• Create vitamins.
• Help support the cells that line your gut to prevent bad bacteria that you may have consumed (through food or drinks) from entering your blood.
• Break down and absorb medications.

• Yogurt.
• Buttermilk.
• Sourdough bread.
• Cottage cheese.
• Kombucha.
• Tempeh.
• Fermented pickles.

Source: Down to Earth