About Koldam Hydro Power Project:

• It is located on the Satluj River in the Bilaspur District of Himachal Pradesh.
• It is located just upstream of the Bhakra reservoir.
• The total capacity of the project is 800 MW.
• The project involved the construction of a 167m-high rock-and-gravel-filled clay-core dam.
• It also necessitated the construction of an upstream coffer dam as well as a downstream coffer dam.
• The reservoir created by the dam can hold up to 560 million cubic metres of water.
• It is owned and operated by India's biggest power utility National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
• The output from the power plant is conveyed to the national grid via a 400kV direct current (D/C) line.
• Himachal Pradesh receives 15% of the generated power free of cost and 12% at bus-bar rate.
• The project also benefits Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chandigarh.

About Kikai Caldera:

• It is a massive submarine caldera with three small islands, parts of the caldera rim, that project above sea level.
• It is located in the East China Sea just south of Kyushu, Japan.
• It is still active, producing a scattered array of minor eruptions in recent decades.
• Research has found evidence of new volcanic activity beneath the Kikai Caldera, pointing to the formation of a lava dome and raising concerns about its potential to erupt again.

About Pithora Painting:

• It is a traditional tribal wall art that has originated in the tribal regions of Gujarat, mainly in Panchmahal and Chhota Udaipur.
• It is done by tribes such as the Rathwa, Bhil, and Bhilala, who hold a strong belief in nature, spirits, and divine powers.
• It holds a long history, and its existence dates back to around the 13th century.
• It is named after Pithora De, who is their tribal god and is associated with marriage, prosperity, and the well-being of the tribe.
• Traditionally, Pithora paintings were created on the walls of home The paintings were often commissioned during significant life events, such as weddings, births, and festivals, serving as a means of invoking blessings and protection from deities.
• Artists: Traditionally executed by specialist ritual painters known as Lakharas, under the guidance of a priest called Badwa.
• Surface Preparation: Traditionally, walls are prepared by applying a mixture of cow dung and clay.
• Natural Colors:
  • Artists use natural pigments derived from minerals, plants, and other organic materials to create the colors for their paintings.
  • Common colors include red, yellow, green, and blue, each derived from specific natural sources.
• Painters use a combination of bamboo sticks, cotton and wooden stencils to create their art.
• The paintings show tribal and Hindu deities, horses, animals, and scenes from daily life like farming, hunting, and dancing.
• It plays a crucial role in preserving tribal stories, beliefs, and customs and helps to teach younger generations about their culture.
• Although it is traditionally practiced only as wall art, today’s generation of pithora painters use paper and canvas that they sell commercially.
• It has been awarded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2026.

About Tigidia singhal:

• It is a new species of trapdoor spider.
• It was discovered from the semi-arid grasslands of the Deccan Plateau in Maharashtra.
• The discovery brings the number of Tigidia species in India to eight. Spiders of the genus Tigidia occur only in Madagascar, Mauritius, and India.
• Until now, species of this genus were known from peninsular India’s tropical evergreen and deciduous forests, particularly the Western and Eastern Ghats.
• singhal is the first record of this genus from a semi-arid open natural ecosystem.

What are Trapdoor Spiders?

• Trapdoor spiders are long-living, sedentary spiders that spend most of their lives in burrows, rarely leaving except to search for a mate.
• The doors of silk, soil, moss, and leaves that many species construct to camouflage their burrows give this group its name.
• This adaptation has great advantages for the spider, providing protection against desiccation and predators and enabling efficient prey capture.
• They feed by quickly opening the trap door and grabbing an insect or other arthropod that is passing close by.
• Trapdoor spider burrows aerate soil, maintain soil structure, and provide microhabitats for other organisms.
• Highly sensitive to habitat disturbances, these spiders also serve as ecological indicators, with their presence suggesting a healthy ecosystem and rich soil biodiversity.
• They belong to the infraorder Mygalomorphae, which also includes tarantulas and funnel-web spiders.
• The genus Tigidia falls within the family Barychelidae (brush-footed spiders) — one of India’s nine mygalomorph families.

About Bhavani River:

• It is a major tributary of the Cauvery River flowing through the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• It is the second largest river in Tamil Nadu.
• Course:
  • It originates from the Western Ghats in the Nilgiri Hills, located in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
  • The river emerges from Bhavani Lake.
  • From there, it flows into Kerala, passing through the Silent Valley National Park.
  • After flowing through Kerala, the river turns and flows back into Tamil Nadu.
  • Finally, the river merges with the Cauvery River in the town of Bhavani, at a location known as Bhavani Sangameshwarar Temple, a significant pilgrimage site for Hindus.
• It is a “perennial” river, which means it flows all year round and never dries up.
• The drainage basin spans covering parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka:
• Tributaries: The largest tributaries are West and East Varagar, which come from the Nilgiris.
• Major Dams:
  • Bhavani Sagar Dam
  • Kodiveri Dam.

About Japan:

• Location: It is an island nation in East Asia, situated in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.
• Maritime borders: It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Sea of Okhotsk, Sea of Japan and East China Sea.
• Capital City: Tokyo
• Geographical Features of Japan:
  • It comprises a chain of islands stretching in a northeast–southwest arc.
  • Terrain: Over 80% mountainous, with rugged terrain.
  • Main Islands (north to south): Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
  • Climate: It ranges from subarctic in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
  • Volcanic activity: It is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire – a major zone of earthquakes and active volcanoes.
  • Highest peak: Mount Fuji, which is a stratovolcano.
  • Major mountain ranges: Japanese Alps.
  • Major rivers: Shinano River (longest), Tone River, Kiso River.
  • Natural Resources: It mainly consists of Coal, iron ore, zinc, lead, copper, sulfur, gold, and silver.

About SHetA2 Therapy:

• SHetA2 is a small molecule therapy that is designed to stop an HPV infection from causing cancer.
  • Small molecule therapies are chemically manufactured, low-weight compounds that can easily be absorbed by the body.
• It is designed to treat HPV-induced cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer.
• It is developed through collaboration between scientists at ICMR's National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) and the University of Oklahoma's Stephenson Cancer Center in the US.
• Working :
  • This therapy targets three proteins in the human body called mortalin, heat shock cognate (hsc70), and glucose regulated protein 78 (Grp78).
  • These are essential for the proliferation of the cancer-causing oncoprotein of the virus.
  • It works by breaking the connection between the HPV-E7 protein and a host protein inside human cells.
  • Normally, this host protein protects E7 and allows it to keep damaging healthy cells. When SHetA2 breaks this connection, the harmful E7 protein is destroyed by the body’s normal immune defences
• The therapy is meant for those who have developed precancerous lesions of cervical cancer.
• The therapy has, at present, been evaluated in an oral, capsule form.

Key Facts about Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

• HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), and there are more than 100 types of HPV.
• However, some types of HPV infection cause skin growths called warts, and some types of HPV infection can cause cancer.
• Transmission:
  • The virus that causes HPV infection is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
  • Most people get a genital HPV infection through direct sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
  • About 80% of people – both men and women – will get an HPV infection at some point in their lives. 
• Symptoms may include warts on the genitals or anus or cancerous growths in the mouth or throat. 
• Treatment: There’s no cure for HPV. HPV vaccination is the most effective way to prevent HPV-related cancers.

About Soliga Tribe:

• The term “Soliga” literally translates to “children of bamboo”, which reflects the tribe’s relationship with nature and their belief that they too have emerged from it.
• Distribution: They are a group of indigenous, forest-dwelling people found mostly in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• They reside in the peripheral forest areas near Biligiri Rangana Hills and Male Mahadeshwara Hills.
• Soligas was the first tribal community living inside a tiger reserve and getting their forest rights recognised by a court in a judgment in 2011.
• Language: The Dravidian language sholaga is spoken by the Soliga. They also speak Kannada and Tamil.
• The Soligas live in single-room huts, built of bamboo and mud.
• They believe in coexisting with the environment and have indigenous ways of using nature to make unique utility products, such as the ‘jottai’, which is a cup made out of leaves.
• Religion of Soliga Tribes : Along with adhering to Hindu customs, the Soliga people practice naturism and animism.
• Economy: The traditional economy of the Soliga is mostly based on shifting cultivation and collection of minor forest produce.

About Malvi Camel:

• It is one of the nine recognised camel breeds in India.
• Distribution: It is primarily found in Madhya Pradesh’s Malwa region and parts of Rajasthan such as Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar and Baran.
• It is also valued for milk production, with a female capable of yielding around 4-5 kg of milk per cycle.
• Physical Appearance:
  • It is known for its distinct white colour and is considered the smallest among India’s camel breeds.
  • Malvi camels are generally medium-sized with a robust build.
  • They often have a light brown to reddish-brown coat and a well-developed hump.
• Adaptability: These camels are well-adapted to both semi-arid and slightly more humid conditions, as the Malwa region experiences a range of climatic conditions compared to the harsher desert environments of other camel breeds.
• Endurance and Strength: These are known for their endurance and strength, making them suitable for carrying loads and performing work, including transportation and agricultural tasks.

About Andromeda Galaxy:

• It is also known as M31, comparable in size to our Milky Way galaxy.
• It is a large spiral galaxy located approximately 2.5 million light years from Earth.
• It is named for its celestial location in the constellation of Andromeda.
• It is the closest major galaxy to the Milky Way and is visible to the naked eye.
• It is currently transitioning to its ‘middle age’, away from being a vibrant, active galaxy and towards a quiescent state 
• It is a barred spiral galaxy, so-called for the bar-like structure formed by the stars in its center.
• It is observed that this galaxy is moving towards the Milky Way at approximately 110 km/s.

Key Facts about Hubble Space Telescope

• It is named in honour of the trailblazing astronomer Edwin Hubble which was launched by the NASA.
• It is a large, space-based observatory, which has revolutionized astronomy since its launch and deployment by the space shuttle Discovery in 1990.
• Hubble’s domain extends from the ultraviolet through the visible (which our eyes see) and into the near infrared.
• It is one of NASA’s Great Observatories Programs.