India recently commemorated the centenary of the historic conversation between Sree Narayana Guru and Mahatma Gandhi, organized by the Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust. The discussion took place at Sivagiri Mutt, Kerala, on 12 March 1925, during Gandhi’s visit. The dialogue revolved around key social issues like the Vaikom Satyagraha, religious conversions, non-violence, abolition of untouchability, attainment of salvation, and the upliftment of the downtrodden.
Born in Chembazhanthi, near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Founded the Shree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) in 1903 to promote social reform.
Focused on eradicating social and educational backwardness among the Ezhava community and other marginalized groups.
Authored important Advaita Vedanta texts like Nivritti Panchakam and Atmopadesa Satakam.
In 1888, consecrated a Shiva Linga at Aruvippuram, breaking caste-based restrictions on religious worship.
|
Aspect |
Sree Narayana Guru |
Mahatma Gandhi |
|---|---|---|
|
Social Reform |
- Viewed caste as unnatural, artificial, and unreal. |
- Opposed untouchability but accepted the Varnashrama system. |
|
Religious Views |
- Believed Hinduism sufficient for spiritual growth. |
- Emphasized all religions are equal paths to truth. |
|
Temple Entry & Social Equality |
- Opened temples to all castes (e.g., Aruvippuram Movement), challenging caste exclusivity in religion. |
- Supported temple entry movements (e.g., Vaikom Satyagraha), fought for Dalit rights. |
|
Education |
- Saw education as essential for progress and eradicating social evils. |
- Advocated Nai Talim (Wardha Scheme) combining manual work with intellectual growth. |
Sree Narayana Guru’s vision of social equality and spiritual humanism remains profoundly relevant today. His teachings inspire inclusive policies for gender empowerment, caste inclusion, and environmental care, guiding India toward a just, harmonious, and sustainable society rooted in dignity and respect.
Meanwhile, Mahatma Gandhi’s approach combining non-violence, religious pluralism, and social reform continues to influence India’s moral and political ethos. Together, their values offer a holistic framework for social transformation and spiritual growth.
In the mid-1960s, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya introduced Ekatma Manav Darshan or Integral Humanism as an indigenous ideological framework to guide India’s post-independence development. Amidst the challenges of the modern world, this philosophy emphasizes human dignity, harmony, and solidarity as the foundation for building an equitable and prosperous society.
Aim: To ensure a dignified life for every human being by balancing the needs of the individual and society.
It integrates the spiritual, social, and economic aspects of human life to create a harmonious society.
Central to this philosophy are the Purusharthas—the four cardinal goals of human life:
Dharma (righteousness)
Artha (wealth/prosperity)
Kama (pleasure/desire)
Moksha (liberation)
The doctrine emerged as a uniquely Indian alternative to Western ideologies, rejecting both excessive capitalist individualism and rigid Marxist socialism.
Three foundational principles of Integral Humanism:
Primacy of the whole, not the part — Emphasizes holistic development over fragmented approaches.
Supremacy of Dharma — Moral and ethical values are supreme.
Autonomy of society — Societal units must have self-governance and freedom to manage their affairs.
Cultural Nationalism (Bharatiyata): Development must respect and incorporate indigenous knowledge, traditions, and lifestyles alongside modern advancements.
Social Integration and Harmony: Calls for the eradication of caste discrimination and strives to build a society rooted in equality and justice.
Antyodaya (Upliftment of the Last Person): Economic policies should prioritize uplifting the poorest sections before focusing on industrial or urban growth.
This aligns with Upadhyaya’s vision of ‘education for all’ and ‘har hath ko kam, har khet ko pani’, culminating in the idea of Economic Democracy.
Ethical Governance: The ideal Model State (Dharma Rajya) is governed by righteousness, moral values, and transparency, beyond merely protecting religious freedom.
Decentralization: Advocates for a self-reliant, village-based economy where communities control their development based on local needs and resources.
An Indian philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, and political activist.
Born in Mathura District, Uttar Pradesh.
Became President of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1967.
Authored works including Samrat Chandragupt, Jagatguru Shankaracharya, and Political Diary.
Edited the weekly Panchajanya and the daily Swadesh.
His philosophy shares similarities with Gandhi’s ideals of Sarvodaya (welfare of all), Gram Swaraj (village self-rule), and opposition to untouchability and social injustice.
A 12-year-old girl with Bloom Syndrome recently underwent a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from her younger brother at a private hospital in Chennai.
This treatment aims to address some of the complications associated with the disorder.
Definition: A rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the BLM gene, which codes for a protein crucial for DNA structure maintenance and repair.
Impact of Mutation: The defective BLM gene results in impaired DNA repair, causing abnormal cell growth and increased vulnerability to infections and cancers.
Inheritance Pattern: Autosomal recessive — the disorder manifests only when a child inherits two mutated copies of the BLM gene, one from each parent.
Prevalence: More common among the Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish population.
Growth Delay: Poor fetal and postnatal growth, below-average height and head size.
Physical Features: Narrowing of the head and face, prominent ears and nose, long limbs, and high-pitched voice.
Skin Issues: Sun sensitivity causing red rashes (photosensitivity).
Metabolic Problems: Insulin resistance leading to diabetes risk.
Immune Deficiency: Greater susceptibility to infections (ear, lung infections, COPD).
Reproductive Issues: Male sterility and female infertility in adults.
Cancer Risk: Increased risk of developing various cancers at a young age.
There is no specific cure for Bloom Syndrome.
Management involves a multi-disciplinary approach focusing on symptom relief and prevention of complications like infections and cancers.
Recent advances like bone marrow transplantation are being explored to improve patient outcomes.
DRDO successfully conducted first flight tests of the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS), a multi-layered air defence system designed to protect Indian armed forces from aerial threats.
Purpose: Multi-layered defence to protect against aerial attacks, combining missile and directed energy technologies.
Components:
Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missiles (QRSAM) – Developed by DRDO
Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) – Developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) – Laser-based system developed by Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), Hyderabad
Control: Centralised Command and Control Centre developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad.
QRSAM:
Short-range Surface to Air Missile system.
Designed to shield moving Army armored columns from enemy air attacks.
Highly mobile, with search-and-track capabilities while on the move.
Range: 3 to 30 kilometers.
Equipped with two radars (Battery Surveillance Radar & Battery Multifunction Radar) offering 360-degree coverage.
VSHORADS:
Fourth-generation, miniaturized Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD).
Usable by Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Directed Energy Weapon (DEW):
Laser-based weapon system with a range of less than 3 kilometers.
Recently demonstrated successfully by CHESS.
Effective against fixed-wing UAVs and swarm drones by damaging their structure and disabling sensors.
Puts India among a select group of nations possessing such advanced DEW technology.
A 12-year-old tigress, which was sick and found roaming near the forest boundary in the Singara forest range of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, died recently.
Location: Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, covering 321 sq. km.
Geographical Significance: Located at the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Part of: Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve — the first biosphere reserve in India.
Boundaries:
West: Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala)
North: Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka)
South & East: Nilgiris North Division
South-West: Gudalur Forest Division
Terrain: Undulating hills with elevation ranging from 960m to 1266m.
Name Meaning: ‘Mudumalai’ means “the ancient hill range”, dating back 65 million years.
Diverse habitats: tropical evergreen, moist deciduous, moist and dry teak forests, secondary grasslands, and swamps (Vayals).
Moyar River flows through the reserve.
Flora includes tall “Elephant Grass,” giant bamboo, and valuable timber like teak and rosewood.
Home to wild relatives of cultivated plants such as wild rice, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon.
Hosts elephants, gaur, sambar deer, four-horned antelope, spotted and barking deer, blackbuck, wild pig, mouse deer, and predators like tigers, leopards, and wild dogs.
Approximately 8% of India’s bird species found here.
The Theppakadu Elephant Camp inside MTR was the filming location for the Oscar-winning documentary ‘Elephant Whisperers’.
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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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