14^th October 2025

1. Maitri II: Recently, the Finance Ministry approved the establishment of Maitri II, India’s newest Antarctic research station, to be built in eastern Antarctica.

• About Maitri II Station: Maitri II will serve as India’s latest and largest research base on the icy continent, designed with a strong focus on sustainability and green technology.

• Key Features: Size & Design: Larger than the existing Maitri I, it will be developed as a green research station.

          - Renewable Energy Integration: The station will rely on solar energy during summer and wind power to harness strong Antarctic winds for continuous operations.

          - Automated Systems: Equipped with automated instruments to record and transmit scientific data to India, even during unmanned periods.

          - Completion Timeline: The construction is expected to be completed by January 2029.

          - Nodal Agency: The project is led by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), which manages India’s polar missions.

2. Van Rakshak Project (VRP): Recently, a report by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) highlighted the crucial role of India’s forest protectors, or Van Rakshaks, in safeguarding the nation’s wildlife and ecosystems.

• About VRP: Also known as the “Guardians of the Wild”, the Van Rakshak Project is a flagship initiative of WTI, launched in 2000, to strengthen and support India’s frontline forest staff.

• Aim: To build a strong, well-equipped, and motivated force of forest personnel dedicated to protecting wildlife and their habitats within India’s Protected Areas (PAs).

• Van Rakshaks: They are forest rangers and frontline staff responsible for the protection of over 1,100 protected areas and numerous other natural habitats across India.

• Key Features of the Project: Four Core Areas of Focus:

          - Training – on wildlife crime prevention, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and rescue operations.

          - Equipping – provision of essential field gear for safety and patrolling.

          - Awareness – promoting conservation ethics among forest personnel and local communities.

          - Morale Boosting – through financial aid and public recognition.

• • Community Engagement: The initiative also focuses on empowering local and indigenous communities, recognizing their critical role on the frontlines of conservation.

3. Civil Registration System (CRS) Report 2023: Recently, the Vital Statistics of India based on the Civil Registration System (CRS) Report 2023 revealed that India recorded 2.52 crore births in 2023 — a decline of about 2.32 lakh compared to 2022.

• Key Findings: The report, prepared by the Registrar General of India (RGI), also noted that 6 lakh deaths were registered in 2023, a slight increase from 86.5 lakh deaths in 2022.

  • Sex Ratio at Birth (2023): Lowest: Jharkhand (899), Bihar (900), Telangana (906), Maharashtra (909), Gujarat (910), Haryana (911), Mizoram (911)

• Highest: Arunachal Pradesh (1,085), Nagaland (1,007), Goa (973), Ladakh & Tripura (972), Kerala (967)

  • Institutional Births: Share of institutional births: 74% in 2023 (data excludes Sikkim).

• Overall birth registration:4%.

  • Timely Registration (within 21 days): Above 90%: Gujarat, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Punjab.

• 80–90%: Odisha, Mizoram, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh.

• 50–80%: Assam, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh.

4. Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects: Recently, UNESCO unveiled the Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects during its MONDIACULT conference.

• About Virtual Museum: This groundbreaking digital platform seeks to reconnect communities with their stolen cultural treasures.

• Objective: The initiative aims to create the first global virtual immersive museum dedicated to stolen cultural artifacts. It strives to raise public awareness about the impact of illicit trafficking of cultural property and assist in the recovery of stolen objects.
• The museum was launched during the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2025). The project receives financial backing from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was developed in partnership with INTERPOL.
• Currently, the digital museum showcases around 240 missing cultural objects from 46 countries.
• Indian Artifacts Featured: Among the exhibits are two 9th-century sandstone sculptures from the Mahadev Temple in Pali, Chhattisgarh:

           - A Nataraja sculpture, depicting Lord Shiva in his cosmic dance.

           - A Brahma sculpture, showing the creator god seated in lalitasana, with three visible faces and four arms holding sacred symbols such as a rosary and the Vedas.

5. National Critical Mineral Stockpile (NCMS): Recently, India began preparations to launch the National Critical Mineral Stockpile (NCMS) to secure the availability of rare earth elements (REEs) vital for clean energy, defense, and high-tech industries.

• About NCMS: A strategic reserve of critical minerals vital for economic resilience and national security.

• Aim: To reduce dependence on imports, safeguard India’s mineral security, and secure rare earth supplies against global disruptions.
• Under: The initiative will operate under the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM).
• Purpose: To mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly in light of China’s export restrictions on rare earth magnets and processing technologies, which have disrupted global supply chains.
• Funding: The government has allocated ₹500 crore under the NCMM to shield against supply shocks and ensure steady mineral availability.
• Initial Focus: The NCMS will begin by establishing a two-month reserve of rare earth elements to buffer against global market fluctuations.
• Private Sector Participation: The design of NCMS includes collaboration with private entities to ensure efficient stockpile management and reserve adequacy.

6. Indian wolf: Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conducted, for the first time, a separate evaluation of the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes).

• About Indian Wolf: A subspecies of the Grey Wolf, native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southwest Asia.

• Habitat: It primarily inhabits scrublands, semi-arid grasslands, and pastoral agro-ecosystems.
• Behavior: Indian wolves typically live in small packs of about 6–8 members. They are less vocal, seldom howl, and are known to be territorial and nocturnal hunters.
• Appearance: They are intermediate in size between the Tibetan and Arabian wolves, but lack a thick winter coat, an adaptation suited to warmer climates.
• Distribution: Their range extends across India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Israel, Turkey, Iran, and Syria.
• Threats: The species faces a steady population decline due to habitat loss, reduced prey availability, and human persecution.

7. Blue Flag Certification: Recently, the prestigious international Blue Flag certification was awarded to five beaches in Maharashtra.

• About Blue Flag Certification: The Blue Flag is a globally recognized eco-label granted by the Foundation for Environment Education (FEE), Denmark.

• It is awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable tourism boats that meet 33 stringent criteria related to cleanliness, natural beauty, and environmental sustainability.
• Background: The Blue Flag programme began in France in 1985 and expanded beyond Europe in 2001. It has since become one of the most respected voluntary awards in the field of environmental management and sustainable coastal tourism.
• Core Focus Areas: The programme encourages sustainable development across freshwater and marine ecosystems through four main parameters: Water Quality, Environmental Management, Environmental Education and
• Mission: To promote sustainability in tourism through environmental protection, education, and responsible coastal development practices.

8. Operation Golden Sweep: Recently, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) launched Operation Golden Sweep, dismantling a transnational gold smuggling syndicate at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

• About Operation Golden Sweep: A strategic intelligence-driven operation by the DRI, targeting an international gold smuggling network that used transit passengers and airport insiders to illegally transport gold into India.

• Aim: To disrupt organized smuggling cartels, protect India’s economic security, and reduce illicit gold inflows that harm legitimate trade and drain foreign exchange reserves.

• Key Features: Gold Seized:488 kg of 24-carat gold worth ₹12.58 crore.

• Modus Operandi: Smugglers arriving from Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, and Dhaka concealed gold in egg-shaped wax capsules inside their bodies.

• Insider Nexus: Investigations exposed the involvement of airport personnel who facilitated the movement of contraband from secure zones — highlighting a serious insider threat within aviation infrastructure.

9. IUCN Kenton Miller Award: Recently, Sonali Ghosh, Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian to be honoured with the prestigious IUCN Kenton Miller Award at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi.

• About the Kenton Miller Award: The Kenton Miller Award for Innovation in Protected Area Management is a biennial award (given every two years) that celebrates innovative leadership and excellence in managing and sustaining national parks and protected areas.

• Named After: Kenton R. Miller, a global pioneer in conservation and a former Director General of IUCN.

• Established in: 2006

• Presented by: The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).

• Purpose: To honor innovators who have made a significant, measurable impact on conservation and protected area management at local, national, or international levels.

• Award Components: USD 5,000 grant

- International recognition by conservation peers

- Formal citation acknowledging their contribution

• Award Categories: Recognizes innovations in:

- Planning and Management

- Finance and Economics

- Governance

- Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation

- Communication