LEONARDO DA VINCI
- Period – 1452–1519
- Born in – Italy
- He was a – true Renaissance polymath, excelling as an artist, scientist, engineer, and inventor
- His works reflect – fusion of creativity and scientific inquiry
- Famous paintings-
- Mona Lisa
- The Last Supper
- Vitruvian Man
- Scientific Achievements–
- Produced detailed sketches of the human body
- Designed concepts for helicopters and tanks
- Created designs for bridges and canals
NCERT
News – NCERT comes under fire over ‘Hindi titles’ in English textbooks
- NCERT – “National Council of Educational Research and Training”
- Established in – 1961
- Nature – Autonomous organization
- Under – Min. of Education
- President of NCERT – Union Minister of Education
- Functions-
- Develops and publishes model textbooks
- Undertakes research in school education
- Organizes training programs for teachers
- NCERT is the – nodal agency for developing the National Curriculum Frameworks, under NEP 2020
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
News – ASI seeks to shed new light on Dwarka through explorations
- Estb – 1861
- Founder – Alexander Cunningham
- Under – Ministry of Culture
- Curent Director – Janhwij Sharma
- Criteria – Sites which are older than 100 yrs
- Role – archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural monuments
- Currently there are – 3693 listed monuments
- Ex- temples, cemeteries, inscriptions, tombs, forts, palaces, step-wells, rock-cut canes, canons
SYRIA
News – What a post-Assad Syria means for China
- Syria is a – country in West Asia
- Capital: Damascus
- Syria is oldest continuously inhabited cities
- Borders – Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon
- History – Home to ancient civilizations like the Kingdom of Ebla and the Umayyad Caliphate.
- Political System – Presidential system
- Currency – Syrian Pound
- Religion – Islamic
- Official Language: Arabic
- Major River – Euphrates
- Conflict – The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring
SHELL COMPANY
News – Choksi arrested in Belgium amid India push for extradition, who defraudeds PNB Bank
- About – A shell company is a corporation without active business operations
- It exists primarily on paper
- They have no physical presence or employees.
- They are often registered in tax haven countries
- Uses of shell companies –
- Legitimate use: For mergers, acquisitions, or holding assets
- Illegitimate use: Tax evasion, money laundering, fraud, and terror financing
- Regulated under –
- Benami Transactions Act, 2016.
- Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002
SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND
News – Qatar set to invest $2 billion in Indonesia sovereign wealth fund
- Defn- SWFs are (Government) state-owned investment funds created from surplus revenues
- Revenues generated from from natural resources or foreign exchange reserves
- They aim to preserve and grow wealth for future generations
- Global Examples-
- Norway Government Pension Fund Global: World’s largest SWF
- India’s Context–
- Bharat Sovereign Wealth Fund (BSWF) to tap dormant national wealth.
MCQs
1. Leonardo da Vinci was born in which country?
A. Germany
B. France
C. Italy
D. United Kingdom
2. NCERT is under?
A. Min. of Health
B. Min. of Education
C. Min. of Culture
D. Min. of Science and Technology
3. Who is the founder of Archaeological Survey of India?
A. Alexander Cunningham
B. George Orwell
C. Lord Dalhousie
D. Warren Hastings
4. Capital of Syria is?
A. Istanbul
B. Dubai
C. Baghdad
D. Damascus
5. Sovereign Wealth Funds are owned by?
A. Government
B. Investors
C. Public
D. Shell Companies