UPSC Prelims News 14th September 2022

UPSC Prelims News of 14th September 2022

Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker

Context: Malayalam film Pathonpatham Noottandu, based on the life of Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker, was recently released.

About Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker

• Panicker was a social reformer from the Ezhava community who lived in the 19th century in the state of Kerala.
  • He was born into a well-off family of merchants in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
• ‘Panicker’ title was given to him by the then-king of Travancore in 1869. He was murdered by a group of upper-caste men in 1874.
  • He is considered the ‘first martyr’ of the Kerala renaissance.

Role in Social Reform Movement:

• He is said to have challenged the domination of upper castes or ‘Savarnas’ and brought about changes in the lives of both men and women.
• Temple construction: Panicker is credited for building two Shiva temples that allowed entry to members of all castes and religions.
• Dignity of oppressed women: Panicker led the Achippudava Samaram strike at Kayamkulam in 1858 that allowed women belonging to oppressed groups the right to wear a lower garment that extended beyond the knees.
  • The strike extended into Ethappu Samaram in 1859, a protest demanding the right to wear an upper body cloth by women belonging to backward castes.
  • He led the Mukkuthi Samaram at Pandalam in 1860, demanding for the rights of lower-caste women to wear ‘mukkuthi’ or nose-ring, and other gold ornaments.
• Rights of agricultural labourers: Panicker led Karshaka Thozhilali Samaram, which was the first-ever strike by agricultural labourers in Kerala.
• Kathakali schools: Panicker established the first Kathakali Yogam (schools for the classical dance form Kathakali) for the Ezhava community in 1861.

Other Achievements:

• Panicker was a master of Kalaripayattu (the traditional martial arts practiced in Kerala) and other sports such as wrestling, swimming and horseback riding.

UPSC Prelims News of 15th September 2022

JIMEX 2022

Context: The sixth edition of Japan-India Maritime Exercise 2022 (JIMEX 22) hosted by Indian Navy began in the Bay of Bengal from 11th September 2022.

The 2022 Edition:

• Indian participants: The Indian Navy is being represented by INS Sahyadri, a multi-purpose stealth frigate, and Anti Submarine Warfare Corvettes INS Kadmatt and INS Kavaratti.
• Phases: The exercise would be conducted in two phases–Exercises at sea and a harbour phase at Visakhapatnam.
• Significance: The sixth edition of JIMEX marks 10 years since the exercise’s first edition.

JIMEX:

• Objective: JIMEX aims to consolidate the high degree of interoperability existing between maritime forces of the two countries, through complex exercises in the surface, sub-surface and air domains.
• The exercises are held biennially between Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Other Military Exercises with Japan:

• Annual joint land military exercise named ‘Dharma Guardian’
• Trilateral Maritime Exercise ‘Malabar’ with the USA
• Joint Air Force exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri

Ramayana Circuit

Context: India and Nepal have decided to speed up the projects on Ramayana Circuit.

About Ramayana Circuit

• Ramayana Circuit is one among the fifteen thematic circuits identified for development under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism.
  • Other tourist circuits: Buddhist circle, Desert circle, Coastal circle, Eco circle, Himalayan circle, Heritage circle, Krishna circle, North-East circle, Ramayana circle, Rural circle, Spiritual circle, Sufi circle, Tirthankar circle, Tribal circle and Wildlife circle.

• The circuit will connect prominent places associated with the life of Lord Ram in India and Nepal. It will be operated by IRCTC.
• Nepal’s Janakpur is part of the Ramayana Circuit.
• Places in India developed under Ramayana Circuit:
  • Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh)
  • Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar)
  • Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh)
  • Mahendragiri (Odisha)
  • Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh)
  • Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra)
  • Bhadrachalam (Telangana)
  • Hampi (Karnataka)
  • Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu)

Swadesh Darshan scheme:

• The scheme was launched in 2014 -15 for integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits in the country.
• Objective: Develop theme-based tourist circuits on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness, and sustainability in an integrated manner.

Exercise Pitch Black 2022

• Context: The Indian Air Force contingent participating in Exercise Pitch Black 22 in Australia has returned after successful participation.
• About: It is a biennial multinational warfare exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
• Aim: The aim of the exercise is to practice Offensive Counter Air (OCA) and Defensive Counter Air (DCA) combat, in a simulated war environment.
  • It will enhance combat readiness and interoperability between partner nations.
• As inferred from the name of the exercise, it will take place in low light conditions.
• Other important exercises between India and Australia:
  • Bilateral
    • Ex AUSTRA HIND (Army)
    • Ex AUSINDEX (Navy)
  • Multilateral
    • Malabar Exercise (With the Navies of USA, India, Australia and Japan)

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