About Perseverance Rover:

• Perseverance, nicknamed “Percy“, is a semi-autonomous rover the size of a small car designed to explore the surface of Mars.
• It is part of NASA’s ongoing Mars 2020 Mission.
• Landing: Successfully landed on the surface of Mar’s Jezero Crater in 2021.
  • It is the first rover to actually land in an ancient Martian river delta, located inside the Jezero crater.
• Objective: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.
  • The rover will be able to detect organic matter and minerals, map the chemical composition of rocks and sediments, and zoom in on distant rocks and rugged terrain for further inspection.
• It is the first rover to record sounds on Mars and broadcast them back to Earth.
• It is the first rover to create oxygen on Mars. Perseverance carries an instrument called MOXIE, which can generate oxygen from Mars’ carbon dioxide atmosphere.
• Features:
  • Perseverance is built from the same basic design as Curiosity, which landed on Mars about a decade before Perseverance.
  • Power source: Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). It converts heat from the radioactive decay of plutonium into electricity.

Key Facts about Ingenuity Helicopter:

• It is a small, autonomous aircraft.
• Objective: Technology demonstration to test the first powered flight on Mars.
• The helicopter rode to Mars attached to the belly of the Perseverance rover.
• It became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet.
• Ingenuity uses solar power to charge its batteries and can operate autonomously.

About Ellora Caves:

• They are located near the village of Ellora in Maharashtra.
• Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the Ellora Caves are an extraordinary complex of rock-cut monasteries and temples carved into a high basalt cliff.
• These structures date from the 6th to the 10th century CE and represent three major religions—Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
• The sculptures range from depictions of deities, celestial beings, and mythological scenes to portraits of royalty and everyday life.
• The architectural brilliance of Ellora is most evident in the Kailasanatha Temple, the site’s grandest and most breathtaking structure.
  • It is one of the largest monolithic structures in the world.
  • The structure is carved vertically from a single rock.
  • The temple features ornate pillars, detailed sculptures, massive courtyards, and elaborate carvings that depict stories from Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
• The Buddhist caves include large chaityas (prayer halls) and viharas (monasteries), while the Jain caves are known for their intricate detailing and depictions of Jain Tirthankaras.

About Thalassemia:

• It is an inherited blood disorder.
• It affects the body’s ability to produce normal hemoglobin.
• Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells (RBCs). It allows the RBCs to transport oxygen throughout your body.
• In thalassemia, the body produces fewer healthy hemoglobin proteins, and bone marrow produces fewer healthy RBCs.
  • The condition of having fewer RBCs is called anemia.
  • As RBCs serve the vital role of delivering oxygen to tissues in body, not having enough healthy RBCs can deprive your body’s cells of the oxygen they need to make energy and thrive.
• Thalassemia is caused by inheriting a gene mutation (change in the normal DNA) from one or both parents.
• Traits for thalassemia are more common in people from Mediterranean countries, like Greece and Turkey, and in people from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
• There are different types of thalassemia. The type someone has depends on which gene mutation they inherit.
• Symptoms: Thalassemia can cause mild or severe anemia and other complications over time (such as iron overload).
• Symptoms of Anemia Include:
  • Trouble breathing.
  • Feeling cold.
  • Pale skin.
• Severe thalassemia may cause death.
• Treatments:
  • Blood transfusions – regular blood transfusions treat and prevent anemia; in severe cases these are needed around once a month.
  • Chelation therapy – treatment with medicine to remove the excess iron from the body that builds up as a result of having regular blood transfusions.
  • The only possible cure for thalassemia is a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, but this is not done very often because of the risks involved.

About SIM Binding:

• SIM binding refers to a form of device binding in which a user's mobile device is securely linked to their SIM card.
• This approach enhances security by ensuring that authentication processes are tied not just to the device but specifically to the unique identity of the SIM card, reducing the risk of unauthorised access.
• This prevents the user from hackers, spammers, and fraudsters to misuse numbers.

Recent Government Directions:

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked all over-the-top communication platforms operating in India to complete the SIM-binding-to-device exercise within the next 90 days.
• The DoT has directed these apps to make sure their services work only when the correct SIM card is in the phone.
• If the app stops working the moment the SIM is removed, the government believes it will close one loophole that scammers use to stay untraceable.
• Several financial applications, including banking and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) apps, already enforce strict active-SIM rules to prevent fraud.

About International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA):

• It was adopted by the Thirty-First Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2001.
• Entering into force in 2004, it is the only legally binding international agreement that specifically deals with the conservation and sustainable management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA).
• The countries which participate in the treaty exchange and share genetic material and information for most of the world’s most important food crops.
• Objectives:
  • Conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA.
  • Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture and food security.
• The treaty ensures that farmers and plant breeders access, easily, the raw genetic material needed to develop new crop varieties, including those with higher yields and those that are resilient to climate change.
• The International Treaty makes it possible to share plant genetic resources across borders through a unique Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing (MLS).
  • MLS applies to 64 major crops and forages over which recipients cannot claim Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) or any other rights.
• The exchange of material from the MLS is operationalised through the standard material transfer agreement (SMTA), a legal document that governs the terms under which genetic material is shared.
• Those who access genetic materials through the Multilateral System agree to share any benefits from their use.
  • Fair sharing of benefits from use can be achieved through information exchange, access to and transfer of technology, capacity building, and sharing of the financial and other benefits of marketing.
• This treaty established and operates a special initiative operated for the benefit of developing countries–the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF).
  • BSF supports agricultural projects for farmers, public institutions and others in developing countries to conserve and use PGRFA to improve food crop production, fight plant pests, and adapt to the effects of climate change.

About Sahariya Tribe:

• It is one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG).
• The Sahariya community is also called by the names Seher, Sair, Savar, Saonar, Sahra, etc.
• They live in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• Living condition and Social Structure:
  • They mostly live in a separate area in the village, which is called ‘Seharana’ which is generally a cluster of houses.
  • The houses are made of some stone boulders, and the roofing is also made of stone slabs – locally called Patore. In some villages, mud structures are also constructed.
• Religion and Language
  • Language: While the Sahariyas have lost their original language, they speak the local dialects of the regions they inhabit.
  • They are known for their dance, the Saharia Swang, which is performed on the festival of Holi.
• Livelihood: They are predominantly forest dwellers and make their living from forest produce, additionally cultivating small plots of land.
• They are particularly skilled in making catechu from khair trees.

About Asia Power Index:

• It is published annually by the Australia-based think tank, Lowy Institute.
• It assesses the ability of nations, particularly of those in the Asian continent, to influence their external environment.
• It is the seventh edition it evaluates the countries and territories across Asia, based on indicators across eight thematic measures, including Military Capability and Defence Networks, Economic Capability and Relationships, Diplomatic and Cultural Influence and Resilience and Future Resources.

Highlights of Asia Power Index 2025:

• India ranks third for two measures economic capability and future resources.
• India’s economic and military capability, have both increased in the 2025 edition of the Asia Power Index. 

About Hansa-3 (NG) Trainer Aircraft:

• It is India’s first indigenous flying trainer aircraft.
• It was designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• Features of Hansa-3 (NG) Trainer Aircraft:
  • It has an advanced electronic fuel injection system, which controls the fuel and air mixtures electronically and provides optimum fuel air mixture at every altitude.
  • It is an ideal aircraft for Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) due to its low cost and low fuel consumption. 

About Short Neck Clam:

• It is a valuable bivalve mollusk.
• It is India’s first Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified
• It is the major fishery resource of the brackish water Ashtamudi Lake in Kerala, India
• Economic Significance:
  • It is used in cement production and to make carbide for use in welding.
  • They are also used for lime burning for construction, in paddy field and fish farms for neutralizing acid soil and as slaked lime.
• Reasons for its decline: Environmental pollution, invasion of non-native species like the Charru mussel, climate change, including altered salinity and water temperature, have significantly reduced the clam population.

About INS Taragiri:

• It is the fourth ship of Nilgiri Class (Project 17A) ship built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilding Ltd (MDL)
• It is a reincarnation of the erstwhile INS Taragiri, a Leander-class frigate that was part of the Indian Naval fleet.
• It is designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB).
• Features of INS Taragiri:
  • P17A ships are fitted with an advanced weapon and sensor suite compared to the P17 (Shivalik) class.
  • Propulsion: It is configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants, comprising a diesel engine and a gas turbine that drive a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft, and state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
  • Weapon suit: The potent weapon and sensors suite comprises BrahMos SSM, MFSTAR and MRSAM complex, along with rockets and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare.

What is Project 17A?

• It was launched by the defence forces of India to construct a series of stealth guided-missile frigates.
• Under the Project 17A programme, four ships by Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) are being built.