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Tuesday, October 05, 2021
Current Affairs-October 5, 2021
NOAA report: August 2021 is the 6th-warmest in 142 years
As per NOAA’s National Center for Environmental Information analysis, August 2021 was the 6th hottest month on the Earth, despite the fact that, Central Texas went through a cooler than average month.
Highlights
- August 2021 was the 6th warmest month in 142 years.
- While analysing the August’s heat, scientists found that the average global land & ocean surface temperature was 1.62 degrees F more than the average of 20th-century.
- North America witnessed its top-10 warmest August.
- Asia had its 2nd warmest August while Africa had 3rd warmest August.
- Since 2009, 9 out of 10 warmest Augusts on Earth have happened.
Hottest summer in Northern Hemisphere
Year 2021 was also the 2nd hottest summer on record in Northern Hemisphere. Year 2020 witnessed the hottest summer on record in the Northern Hemisphere. August end also wrapped up meteorological summer, a summer which was tied with 2019 as second hottest summer on record in the Northern Hemisphere.
Meteorological summer in Northern Hemisphere
June-August is known as meteorological summer in the Northern Hemisphere. June-August was the 4th warmest on record for Earth while Southern Hemisphere was going through winter. Global temperatures were recorded as 1.62 degrees F above the 20th Century.
6th warmest month
January-August ranks as the 6th warmest period ever recorded on Earth. The temperatures were 1.48 degrees F warmer as compared to 20th-century average.
Sea ice extent
In August, Arctic Sea ice witnessed the 10th smallest extent in 43-year records while Antarctic Sea ice coverage was 5th highest.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA is an American scientific and regulatory agency working under the “United States Department of Commerce”, that forecasts weather, charts the sea, monitors oceanic & atmospheric conditions, conducts deep sea exploration, besides managing fishing & protecting marine mammals.
Why India’s ancient republics need to be recognised for their place in world history
Abhishek Banerjee, Sumedha Verma Ojha write: An India that sees its own democracy as a pale imitation of an Anglo-American system is neither good for itself nor the world.
On September 25, while addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an important historical point: India is not just the world’s largest democracy, but also the “mother of democracy”. This assertion would unsettle several long-held Western notions about our world, and it should. The existence of proto forms of democracy and republicanism in ancient India is part of humanity’s common heritage and deserves an important place in our shared view of the past.
There are two pillars of the modern world. The first is science-based rational thinking, and the second is democracy. It is also telling that both are often believed to be Western inventions, reflecting Western ascendancy over our world.
In recent years, there has been a move to recognise advances in science made in the past by non-Western societies. The Pythagorean theorem, for instance, was well known in ancient India. It would be more historically accurate to refer to the Fibonacci numbers perhaps as Pingala’s numbers or Hemachandra’s numbers. But old beliefs and the assumptions that go with them are still strong. As Joe Biden noted last year, they don’t tell you how a black man contributed to the making of the electric bulb. In a similar vein, it is time to fix the historical record on the origins of democracy.
The evidence for republics in ancient India has always been available in plain sight. In the Mahabharata’s Shanti Parva, republics (ganas) are mentioned along with the essential features of administering them. The Vedas describe at least two forms of republican governance. The first would consist of elected kings. This has always been seen as an early form of democracy, later practised in Europe, especially in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th-18th centuries.
The second form described in the Vedas is that of rule without a monarch, with power vested in a council or sabha. The membership of such sabhas was not always determined by birth, but they often comprised people who had distinguished themselves by their actions. There is even a hint of the modern bicameral system of legislatures, with the sabha often sharing power with the samiti, which was made up of common people. The “vidhaata”, or the assembly of people for debating policy, military matters and important issues impacting all, has been mentioned more than a hundred times in the Rig Veda. Both women and men took part in these deliberations, a far cry from the Greeks who did not admit women (or slaves) as full citizens of their “democracies”.
Other sources appear in the Ashtadhyayi of Panini, the Arthashastra of Kautilya, as well as a variety of ancient Buddhist and Jain writings. Buddhist and Jain texts list 16 powerful states or mahajanapadas of the time. After Alexander’s invasion in 327 BCE, Greek historians also record Indian states that did not have kings. The Lichchavi state of Vaishali, in particular, deserves special mention. Buddhist writings describe in detail Vaishali’s rivalry with neighbouring Magadha, which was a monarchy. The long battle of attrition between Magadha and Vaishali, which the former won, was a fight also between two systems of governance, ganatantra and rajatantra. Had the Lichchavis won, the trajectory of governance may well have been non-monarchical in the Subcontinent.
Was the rajatantra an “off with his head” kind of system with concentration of powers in one person? No. Instead, any state is thought of as composed of seven elements. The first three, according to Kautilya, are swami or the king, amatya or the ministers (administration) and janapada or the people. The king must function on the advice of the amatyas for the good of the people. The ministers are appointed from amongst the people (the Arthashastra also mentions entrance tests). As per the Arthashastra, in the happiness and benefit of his people lies the happiness and benefit of the King. Isn’t this the lodestone of democracy?
It would be unreasonable to expect republics in ancient India, as with the Greek city of Athens, to have developed full-fledged democratic institutions as we understand them today. As late as the 1780s, when America was founded, voting rights were restricted to (white) males who owned property or paid taxes, which amounted to a mere six percent of the population. The idiosyncrasies of that old system are still visible today. As with scientific advancement, democracy remains and will always be a work in progress.
Another criticism of the idea of India as the “mother of democracy” would be that there is no surviving direct line between the ancient ganas and the modern republic of India. However, the same applies to ancient Greek city-states. If the line survives, it is as a way of thinking. The stability of India’s democratic institutions is more or less an exception among post-colonial states since 1945. This is best explained by an ancient system of thought that contains expressions of democracy.
Why is it so important in the 21st century for us to recognise the origins of democracy in ancient India? There are at least two reasons. First, as a growing power on the world stage, India has to offer its own narrative on world history, as well as provide the world with a vision. We as a nation are not aspiring upstarts. We are the nation that inspired great journeys, from those of Alexander to the voyage of Columbus.
The other reason relates to the general loss of confidence in the US. The power struggles of the near future are becoming clear. It is also a struggle to define history and take it forward. At this time, an India that sees its own democracy as a pale imitation of an Anglo-American system is neither good for itself nor the world.
This column first appeared in the print edition on October 5, 2021 under the title ‘Roots of democracy’. Banerjee is a scientist, columnist and author. Verma Ojha is a historian, author of historical fiction series, ‘Urnabhih’
Source: Indian Express, 5/10/21
Monday, October 04, 2021
Quote of the Day
“In dreams, we enter a world that's entirely our own.”
Albus Dumbledore
“अपने सपनों में हम एक ऐसे संसार में प्रवेश करते हैं जो पूर्णतया हमारा होता है।”
एल्बस डम्बलडो
Current Affairs
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Wildlife Week 2021
Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, inaugurated the Wildlife Week 2021 on October 2, 2021 at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.
Key facts
- Wildlife Week 2021 is being observed from October 2nd to October 8th.
- This week is a sincere effort that raise awareness among people for the protection of wildlife resources.
- On the occasion, government of J&K has opened Dachigam National Park for public. To provide easy access to the park, permission will be granted using an online portal which is operated by J&K Forest and Wildlife Department.
About Wildlife Week
India observes Wildlife Week from October 2nd to October 8th every year with the aim of protecting India’s fauna. During the week, experts conduct workshops in order to make people understand the importance of wildlife conservation. During the week, several awareness-building activities are organised across different levels in order to make people aware about wildlife.
Why this week is celebrated?
This week is celebrated because, wildlife plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of nature. Any harm to it can pose threat to entire ecosystem. Thus, it becomes important to preserve flora and fauna.
Biological Hotspot
India is a biological hotspot. It supports a number of animal species. India is home to more than 7 percent of world’s biodiversity. Faunal wealth of India is also incredibly diverse. It accounts for 7.4% of the world’s fauna.
History of Wildlife Week
First ever Wildlife Week was observed in the year 1957. Wildlife Week 2021 is the 67th edition. Wildlife Week was conceptualised by the Indian Board of Wildlife in 1952 in order to raise the awareness regarding long-term goals of protecting the wildlife across India. Initially, Wildlife Day was celebrated in 1955, but in 1957 it was upgraded as the Wildlife Week.
Theme of Wildlife Week 2021
Wildlife Week 2021 is being celebrated under the theme “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”.
Assam: Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award
On October 3, 2021, the “Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award for National Integration and National Contribution 2021” was conferred by the Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu.
Key Facts
- Awards were conferred to “Shillong Chamber Choir”, Assam branch of Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust as well as writer Nirod Kumar Baruah.
- This award is one of the biggest civilian awards in Assam. It carries a citation along with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.
- Award is conferred in the name of first chief minister of Assam, Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi. He was a multi-dimensional figure with outstanding accomplishments. He was also conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1999.
Shillong Chamber Choir
Shillong Chamber Choir was founded in 2001 by founder, mentor and conductor of the choir Neil Nongkynrih. Its repertoire includes the works of western classical music such as Bach, Handel, Gershwin and Mozart besides Khasi folk songs & opera. The choir has performed in Poland, Britain, Switzerland, Italy, Sri Lanka, as well as in Indian cities of Delhi, Mombai, Bangalore and Guwahati. In the year 2021, it had won the reality TV show, India’s Got Talent. It had also awarded with three gold awards at the 6th World Choir Games for Gospel, Musica Sacra and Popular Music.
Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award
It is one of the biggest civilian awards of Assam, which is bestowed upon the institutions and individuals from diverse fields to honour their exemplary contributions towards integration of nation.
Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust
This trust was set up on January 9, 1946, when Mahatma Gandhi visited Assam. It has been working for rural women and children.
Dr Nirod Kumar Baruah
He is based in Germany. He did his masters in History and Political Science from Kashi Hindu University while M Phil from Bonn University, Germany. He has written several books on Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi.