Kota Doria (Rajasthan)

• Features: A uniquely lightweight, breathable fabric woven on traditional pit looms in Kaithoon (near Kota, Rajasthan).
• Structure: Known for its signature chequered square patterns called khats.
• Geography: Associated with the Hadoti region of Rajasthan.
• Status: Awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Eri Silk (Northeast India)

• Features: Known as the world's only "vegan" or "Ahimsa" silk. Unlike other silks, the moth naturally exits the cocoon, so it is processed without harming the silkworm.
• Qualities: Soft, warm, and highly durable, possessing wool-like warmth despite being a silk.
• Geography: Primarily produced in Assam, Meghalaya, and other Northeastern states. Meghalaya’s Eri Silk also holds a GI tag.

Other Facts

• India is one of the few countries that commercially produces all five major types of silk: Mulberry, Tropical Tasar, Oak Tasar, Eri, and Muga. Eri is non-mulberry, multivoltine, and domesticated.
• The Central Silk Board (CSB) operates under the Ministry of Textiles and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• India is globally the second-largest producer of raw silk (after China) and the largest consumer of silk in the world.

• Formation: (by bifurcation) 15 August 1947
• Governor: C. V. Ananda Bose
• Rajya Sabha: 16 seats
• Lok Sabha: 42 seats
• Boundaries: Shares international borders with Bangladesh (longest), Nepal, and Bhutan.
• National Parks (6): Sundarbans (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Jaldapara, Gorumara, Neora Valley, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Singalila
• Ramsar Sites: East Kolkata Wetlands and Sundarban Wetland
• Major Rivers: Hooghly (Bhagirathi), Teesta, Damodar (Sorrow of Bengal)
• Folk Dances: Chhau, Gambhira, Jatra, Baul, Brita/Vrita Dance, Tusu Dance

• First Chief Minister of the state: Govind Ballabh Pant
• First woman Chief Minister of the state and country: Sucheta Kripalani
• Present CM: Yogi Adityanath
• Highest Peak: Amsot Peak
• Total Districts: 76

• Present Governor: Anandiben Patel
• Uttar Pradesh Day: 24 January
• First woman governor of the state and country: Sarojini Naidu
• Largest District: Lakhimpur Kheri
• Most Populous District: Prayagraj
• Least Populous District: Mahoba

• Capital: Hyderabad
• Formation: Officially formed on June 2, 2014, as the 29th state of India (currently 28th after Jammu & Kashmir became a UT)
• Governor- Shiv Pratap Shukla
• Chief Minister-Revanth Reddy
• Telangana has a bicameral legislature (Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council).
• Telangana was part of the Nizam’s Hyderabad state, merged with Andhra State in 1956 to form Andhra Pradesh, and separated after a long movement.
• Etymology: Derived from "Trilinga Desa" (Land of three lingas: Draksharama, Kaleshwaram, Srisailam) or "Telugu-angana" to distinguish it from Marathi-speaking Marathwada.
• Important Historic Eras: Satavahanas, Kakatiyas (Warangal Fort), Qutb Shahis (Hyderabad, Charminar), and Asaf Jahi Nizams (1724–1948).
• Key Historic Events: Operation Polo (1948 - integration with India), Telangana Rebellion (1946-51), Gentlemen’s Agreement (1956), Srikrishna Committee (2010), AP Reorganisation Act (2014).
• Forest: Kawal Tiger Reserve, Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, and Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary
• Key irrigation projects: Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (world's largest), Palamuru-Rangareddy, and Mission Kakatiya
• Festivals: Bonalu (Goddess Mahakali), Bathukamma (Flower festival), Ramzan, and Muharram
• Arts & Crafts: Bidri craft (metalwork), Banjara needle crafts, Dokra metal crafts, and Nirmal arts.

• Boundaries: Sweden is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It shares its longest land border with Norway to the west and a smaller land border with Finland to the northeast.
• Water Bodies: It is bounded by the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea to the east and south. Three strategic straits separate it from Denmark in the southwest: The Skagerrak, the Kattegat, and the Öresund (The Sound). It is physically linked to Denmark via the Öresund Bridge.
• Capital: Stockholm.
• Currency: Swedish Krona (SEK).
• Highest peak: Mount Kebnekaise
• Sweden formally became the 32nd member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in March 2024 and member of Nordic Council and the Arctic Council.
• Sweden is a member of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen Area, but notably does not use the Euro.
• Lake Vänern is Sweden’s largest lake and the third-largest in Europe
• The Nobel Prizes: Administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden, these prizes are awarded annually for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Economic Sciences (The Nobel Peace Prize is the only one awarded in Oslo, Norway).
• It is home to global tech giants like Volvo, Spotify, Ericsson, and IKEA.
• The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is based in Sweden.

• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Currency: UAE Dirham (AED)
• Prime minister: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
• Memberships: UN, Arab League, GCC (founding member), OPEC, BRICS (joined 2024), and I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE, USA).

• Sharjah: Known as the "Cultural Capital of the Arab World"
• Dubai: Commercial and financial center; home to the Burj Khalifa (tallest building at 828m)
• Headquarters: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is headquartered in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

• Borders: Saudi Arabia (South & West) and Oman (East & Northeast)
• Terrain: Primarily flat coastal plains and sand dunes (Rub' al Khali or "Empty Quarter" in the south), with the Hajar Mountains in the east.

World's most critical maritime chokepoint due to its role in global energy trade.

• Connecting Water Oman and the Arabian Sea.
• Bordering N Bodies: It links the Persian Gulf (also known as the Arabian Gulf) to the Gulf ofations:
  • North: Iran.
  • South: The Musandam Peninsula, which is an exclave of Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Dimensions: It is approximately 167 km long and narrows to about 33 km (21 nautical miles) at its narrowest point.

Key Islands: Includes Hormuz, Qeshm, and Larak (under Iranian control), as well as the disputed Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa islands.

• Top Honors: Received Namibia's Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, Brazil's Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, and the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
• International Recognition: Awarded Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III (Cyprus), and Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana.
• Regional Accolades: Received the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (Mauritius), First Class Order of Oman, and Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia.

• Consumption-Based Tax: The ultimate burden of VAT falls entirely on the final consumer.
• Multi-Point Levying: Tax is collected at every stage of the supply chain where value is added.
• Cascading Effect Removal: VAT eliminates the "tax on tax" phenomenon through an Input Tax Credit (ITC) mechanism, allowing producers to offset taxes already paid on raw materials.
• State Subject: In India, state VAT was introduced on 1 April 2005, replacing the old Sales Tax, based on the recommendations of the L.K. Jha Committee (1976) and the subsequent Asim Dasgupta Committee.

Current Status of VAT in India

While the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act introduced GST in 2017, VAT has not been entirely abolished. Individual states continue to collect VAT on specific high-revenue items excluded from GST:

• Petroleum Products: Crude oil, high-speed diesel, motor spirit (petrol), natural gas, and aviation turbine fuel.
• Alcoholic Liquor: Alcohol meant for human consumption remains under state excise duty and state VAT.

• Hyderabad's Qutub Shahi heritage represents the profound architectural, cultural, and political foundation of the city, established by the Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687).
• Originating from Persia, this Shia Islamic sultanate ruled from the diamond-rich kingdom of Golconda for nearly 170 years before founding the city of Hyderabad in 1591.
• Their legacy is defined by a unique synthesis of Persianate and local Deccani cultures, leaving behind iconic monuments that remain central to the city's identity.

Qutb Shahi Dynasty (1518–1687 CE)

• Founder: Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk established the dynasty in 1518 CE.
• Capital Shift: The initial capital was Golconda; it shifted to Hyderabad in 1591 CE.
• Bahmani Breakdown: It was one of the five Deccan Sultanates formed after the breakup of the Bahmani Kingdom.
• Battle of Talikota (1565): The dynasty allied with other Sultanates to defeat the Vijayanagara Empire.
• Mughal Annexation: Aurangzeb conquered Golconda in 1687 CE, ending the dynasty.
• Charminar was Built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 CE to commemorate the end of a plague.

• Founder: Vijayalaya Chola (capturing Thanjavur in 850 CE).
• Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
• Emblem: Tiger.
• Peak Rulers: Rajaraja I and Rajendra I.

Administration & Local Governance

• Central Government: Hereditary monarchy with a powerful bureaucracy.
  • Territorial Divisions: Mandalams (Provinces)-Valanadus (Districts) -Nadus (Autonomous Villages).
• Local Self-Government: Detailed in the Uttaramerur Inscriptions (919 and 921 CE) of Parantaka I.
  • Ur: General assembly of the common village.
  • Sabha / Mahasabha: Assembly of Brahmin villages (Agraharas).
  • Variyams: Committees managing specific tasks like water (Eri-variyam) and gardens (Thotta-variyam).
  • Qualifications: Property ownership, age (35-70), and knowledge of Vedas. Selection was by a lottery system (Kudavolai).

Art, Architecture, and Literature

• Style: Pure Dravidian style of architecture.
• Key Monuments:

• • Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur: Built by Rajaraja I; features a massive Vimana (tower).
  • Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple: Built by Rajendra I to commemorate his northern victory.

• Sculpture: Lost-wax casting method reached its peak. The Nataraja (four-armed dancing Shiva) bronze statue is a masterpiece.

Literature:

• Kamban’s Ramavataram (Tamil Ramayana).
• Kalingattu Parani by Jayamkondar.

Military Expansion & Economy

• Navy: The Cholas controlled the Bay of Bengal, turning it into a "Chola Lake."
• Expeditions: Rajendra I defeated Mahipala of Bengal and launched naval raids on Southeast Asia (Srivijaya Kingdom/Sumatra).
• Revenue: Land tax (Kadamai) based on rigorous survey, and trade tolls (Sungam).
• Trade Guilds: Manigramam and Ayyavole (Five Hundred) handled long-distance maritime trade with China and Southeast Asia.

Core Mechanism of Monsoon

• Thermal Contrast: Land heats up faster than the sea in summer, creating low pressure over Central Asia and India.
• ITCZ Shift: The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone shifts northward toward the Indo-Gangetic plains in July.
• Jet Streams: The withdrawal of the Subtropical Westerly Jet Stream from northern plains triggers the monsoon onset.
• Tropical Easterly Jet: This jet stream establishes over the peninsula, intensifying the south-west monsoon.
• Mascarene High: A high-pressure zone near Madagascar drives strong cross-equatorial winds toward India.

The Two Main Branches

• Arabian Sea Branch: Hits the Western Ghats first, causing heavy rainfall on the windward side.
• Bay of Bengal Branch: Moves up the bay, hits Myanmar and Northeast India, and gets deflected west by the Himalayas.

Factors Influencing Monsoon

• El Niño: Warming of the central Pacific Ocean, which generally weakens the Indian monsoon.
• La Niña: Cooling of the central Pacific Ocean, typically leading to stronger, above-normal monsoon rains.
• Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD): Positive IOD (warmer western Indian Ocean) boosts monsoon rainfall; negative IOD dampens it.
• Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO): A moving band of rain clouds that can temporarily enhance or suppress rain active cycles.

• Founded: 26 January 1950
• Navy Day: 4 December

• Motto(s): Shaṁ No Varunaḥ
• Supreme Commander: President Droupadi Murmu

• Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

Key medal winners of India

• Gyaneshwari Yadav: Secured India's only silver medal of the tournament in the women's 53kg snatch event, along with an overall bronze in the same weight class.
• Komal Kohar: Stepped in for the injured Mirabai Chanu to clinch bronze medals in both the overall and clean and jerk sections of the women's 48kg category.
• Ajith Narayana: Claimed bronze medals in both the clean and jerk and overall total in the men's 71kg division.
• Harjinder Kaur: Added a bronze medal in the women's 69kg snatch event.
• Sanjana: Had a standout performance in the women's 77kg division, bagging three bronze medals across the overall, snatch, and clean and jerk sections.