Recently, the Research, Development and Innovation Fund (RDI Fund) announced its first cohort of 19 Second-Level Fund Managers (SLFMs) to promote private-sector investment in research, development and innovation.
The Research, Development and Innovation Fund is a flagship initiative of the Government of India. It aims to provide long-term financing or refinancing at low or zero interest rates to encourage private-sector investment in research, development and innovation.
The fund seeks to strengthen India's research ecosystem by supporting technology development, innovation and strategic self-reliance.
Nodal Department: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is the nodal department responsible for the scheme.
Governance Structure: The Governing Board of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), chaired by the Prime Minister, will provide overall strategic direction to the RDI Scheme.
Promotion of Private-Sector Investment: The fund aims to encourage private companies to increase investment in research, development and innovation, particularly in sunrise sectors and other areas important for India's economic security, strategic interests and self-reliance.
Support for Transformative Projects: It seeks to finance transformative projects at higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) to facilitate the development and commercialisation of advanced technologies.
Acquisition of Strategic Technologies: The fund will support the acquisition of technologies that are critical or strategically important for the country.
Promotion of Deep-Tech Innovation: It will facilitate the establishment of a Deep-Tech Fund of Funds to improve access to finance for technology-driven enterprises and startups.
The RDI Fund has a total financial corpus of ₹1 lakh crore. It follows a structured financing mechanism in which funds are channelled through Second-Level Fund Managers rather than being directly invested in industries and startups.
Special Purpose Fund (SPF):
A Special Purpose Fund (SPF) will be established within the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). It will act as the custodian of the ₹1 lakh crore corpus and channel funds to Second-Level Fund Managers.
Second-Level Fund Managers (SLFMs):
The Second-Level Fund Managers will receive funds from the SPF and provide financial support to eligible industries and startups.
These fund managers may include Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
Long-Term Loans: The fund will provide long-term loans at low or zero interest rates to encourage private-sector investment in research, development and innovation.
Equity Financing: Equity-based financing may also be provided, particularly to support startups involved in developing innovative and advanced technologies.
A 17-member Indian Coast Guard (ICG) mountaineering team has successfully scaled Mount Mukut (7,045 metres) in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand.
Mount Mukut is a high-altitude mountain peak located in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, in the Zaskar Range, near Mount Kamet.
It is part of the Gangotri Group of peaks and lies in the western Garhwal Himalayas, within the Nanda Devi Sanctuary.
The peak is known for its distinctive crown-like shape. The word Mukut means crown in Hindi.
It lies in a transition zone between the greener, monsoon-influenced valleys of Garhwal and the dry, high-altitude landscape of the Tibetan Plateau.
First Ascent: The peak was first climbed in 1951 by a New Zealand expedition team that included Edmund Hillary and George Lowe.
The upper slopes of Mount Mukut consist mainly of exposed rocks, permanent snow, glacier ice and wind-swept ridges.
Its high-altitude terrain and harsh climatic conditions make mountaineering particularly challenging.
Location and Extent: The Garhwal Himalayas form the western part of the Central Himalayas and lie mainly in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.
Geographical Extent: The region stretches from the Tons River in the west to the Kali River in the east.
Boundaries: It shares its northern boundary with Tibet (China) and its southern boundary with the Shivalik Hills.
Major Rivers: Important rivers flowing through the region include the Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Mandakini and Yamuna.
Flora: The region has dense forests dominated by pine, oak, deodar, fir and rhododendron.
The recent death of a famous Indian actor has drawn attention to coronary thrombosis, a condition associated with the formation of blood clots in the arteries supplying blood to the heart.
Coronary thrombosis occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle.
These arteries carry oxygen and nutrients required for the normal functioning of the heart.
When a blood clot partially or completely blocks a coronary artery, the blood supply to the heart muscle is reduced. If the interruption continues for too long, the heart muscle may become damaged, potentially resulting in a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
Coronary thrombosis is often associated with atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty deposits, cholesterol and other substances accumulate along the walls of arteries, causing them to narrow.
Smoking: Smoking damages blood vessels and promotes the formation of blood clots, increasing the risk of coronary thrombosis.
High Cholesterol: Elevated cholesterol levels contribute to the formation of fatty plaques in the arteries, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis.
Hypertension: High blood pressure can damage artery walls and contribute to the narrowing of arteries.
Obesity and Physical Inactivity: Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are associated with an increased risk of coronary thrombosis.
Common symptoms of coronary thrombosis may include chest pain or discomfort, breathlessness, excessive sweating, nausea, dizziness and unusual fatigue.
Treatment aims to restore blood flow to the heart and prevent further clot formation.
Medications: These may include blood thinners (anticoagulants), clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics) and antiplatelet agents.
Angioplasty and Stent Placement: Angioplasty may be performed to open the blocked artery, often followed by the placement of a stent to maintain blood flow.
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG): In certain cases, bypass surgery may be required to restore blood flow around the blocked artery.
The project head of the Indo-French TRISHNA satellite mission recently informed that the satellite is expected to be launched within the next 12–16 months.
TRISHNA stands for Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment.
It is a collaborative satellite mission between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French space agency, Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).
It will be the third satellite jointly developed by India and France, following the successful collaborations Megha-Tropiques and SARAL (Satellite with ARGOS and ALTIKA).
The mission aims to provide high-resolution observations of the Earth's surface to improve the monitoring and management of natural resources.
Monitoring Water and Energy Budgets: It will monitor the energy and water budgets of the continental biosphere to quantify terrestrial water stress and water use.
Water Quality Assessment: It will provide high-resolution observations of water quality and dynamics in coastal and inland water bodies.
Urban Heat Island Monitoring: It will help assess urban heat islands and detect thermal anomalies associated with volcanic activity and geothermal resources.
Glacier and Snow Monitoring: It will enable precise monitoring of snowmelt runoff and glacier dynamics.
Atmospheric Monitoring: It will provide valuable data on aerosol optical depth, atmospheric water vapour and cloud cover.
The satellite will carry two major payloads developed by ISRO and CNES.
Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) Payload
The TIR payload is provided by CNES. It features a four-channel long-wave infrared imaging sensor capable of high-resolution mapping of surface temperature and emissivity.
Visible–Near Infra-Red–ShortWave Infra-Red (VNIR-SWIR) Payload
The VNIR-SWIR payload is developed by ISRO. It includes seven spectral bands designed for detailed mapping of surface reflectance.
These observations will help generate important biophysical and radiation-budget variables.
TRISHNA is designed to provide high spatial and high temporal resolution monitoring of the Earth's surface.
It will measure surface temperature, emissivity, biophysical variables and radiation variables, supporting the assessment of surface energy budgets at regional to global scales.
The data generated by the mission will contribute to better understanding of water stress, agricultural water use, climate processes, urban heat and ecosystem dynamics.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tarkash has been deployed to South Africa to participate in the ninth edition of the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime Exercise (IBSAMAR-IX).
IBSAMAR is a trilateral maritime exercise conducted among the navies of India, Brazil and South Africa.
The exercise has been conducted biennially since 2008 under the framework of the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Forum.
Theme of IBSAMAR-IX: “Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain.”
The exercise aims to strengthen collective maritime security and operational preparedness to address emerging maritime challenges.
The exercise covers a wide range of maritime operations to improve coordination and interoperability among the participating navies.
Surface Warfare: Exercises focus on improving operational capabilities against surface threats.
Anti-Air Warfare: It involves operations to detect, track and respond to aerial threats.
Anti-Submarine Warfare: It focuses on detecting and countering underwater threats.
Naval Air Operations: These activities involve the coordination of naval aviation assets with warships.
Maritime Interdiction: It includes operations to prevent or intercept suspicious maritime activities.
Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS): It involves boarding and inspecting vessels to identify illegal or suspicious activities.
Other Activities: The exercise also includes anti-piracy operations, search and rescue, damage control and firefighting.
The Indian Navy is participating in the exercise with INS Tarkash, accompanied by an integral Chetak helicopter.
INS Tarkash is a frontline guided-missile stealth frigate of the Indian Navy. It is the second of the three Talwar-class guided-missile frigates.
Design and Construction: The Talwar-class frigates were designed and built in Russia. They are modified versions of the Krivak III-class frigates.
Shipyard: INS Tarkash was constructed at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
Commissioning: It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 9 November 2012, at Kaliningrad, Russia.
Speed and Endurance: The ship has a maximum speed of more than 30 knots, a range of approximately 4,500 nautical miles, and an endurance of up to 30 days.
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We provide offline, online and recorded lectures in the same amount.
Every aspirant is unique and the mentoring is customised according to the strengths and weaknesses of the aspirant.
In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
We provide you the best and Comprehensive content which comes directly or indirectly in UPSC Exam.
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