Bonda Tribe, Cyclone Asna, Submarine INS Arighaat

• A student from the Bonda Tribe cracked this year’s NEET, becoming the first Bonda tribe member—a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group—to study medicine.
• Admission into medical college marks a historic moment for the Bonda tribe, symbolizing a new chapter in their collective history.
• The Bondas, one of India’s oldest tribes, lived in isolation until a few decades ago, with minimal outside interaction.
• The Bonda tribe reside in the hilly regions of Odisha’s Eastern Ghats, particularly in the Malkangiri district.
• They speak the Bonda language, an Austroasiatic language with a rich oral tradition.
• The Bondas are primarily subsistence farmers, relying on shifting cultivation and forest produce for their livelihood.
• Their society is matriarchal, with women playing a dominant role in family and economic activities.
• Known for their unique attire, the women wear minimal clothing and heavy silver jewellery, while the men carry bows and arrows.
• The tribe faces significant challenges, including poverty, illiteracy, and limited access to healthcare and education. However, efforts are being made to integrate them into broader societal frameworks while preserving their cultural heritage.

Dig Deeper: Read about the PVTGs and the spread of Modern Education in the hinterlands of India.

• Recently, the Karnataka SEC filed a contempt petition against the Karnataka government for delaying panchayat elections by over three and a half years.
• In another incident, the Andhra Pradesh SEC faced legal challenges when the state government tried to hinder panchayat elections.
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is renowned for its track record of conducting free, fair, and timely elections. However, the 34 State Election Commissions (SECs) require significant attention and strengthening.
• SECs were established by Articles 243K and 243ZA of the Constitution (introduced by the 73rd and 74th amendments in 1993), giving them control over elections to panchayats and urban local governments (ULGs).
• Despite this mandate, SECs are increasingly disempowered, often finding themselves in legal battles with their state governments.

Dig Deeper: Compare the Election Commission of India with State Election Commissions.

• Cyclone Asna, a rare land-originating cyclonic storm has formed over the Kutch coast in Gujarat and adjoining areas of Pakistan, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• It is a rare occurrence that a deep depression over land has converted to a cyclonic storm over the sea.
• The cyclone brought light to moderate rainfall across Gujarat, with heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas of Kutch and Saurashtra.
• Simultaneously, a well-marked low-pressure area — a very early precursor to a cyclone — has formed in the Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha.
• The build-up from cyclone Asna resulted in torrential rainfall in Gujarat
• Vadodara, the worst-hit city from the recent downpour, experienced some relief as the water level in the Vishwamitri river dropped.

Dig Deeper: Locate the west-flowing Rivers of Gujrat.

• India’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Arighaat, was commissioned into service at Visakhapatnam in the presence of the Defence Minister.
• It joins INS Arihant, commissioned in 2016, to further bolster India’s nuclear triad and enhance national security.
• INS Arighaat features significant Indigenous upgrades compared to its predecessor, INS Arihant while retaining the same 6,000-tonne displacement and an 83-MW pressurized light-water reactor with enriched uranium.
• The induction of INS Arighaat enhances India’s ability to maintain strategic balance and peace, deterring potential adversaries and safeguarding national interests.

Dig Deeper: Read about Scorpene-class diesel-electric hunter-killer boats.