1. Sushila Karki is Nepal’s first woman PM
GS Paper II: International Relations -India and its Neighbourhood
GS Paper I (Society): Role of women in leadership and governance.
Essay Paper / Ethics: Themes of accountability, youth-driven change, and clean leadership.
Context: President Ram Chandra Poudel dissolved Parliament and administered oath to Sushila Karki as Prime Minister.
- This decision followed nationwide Gen Z–led protests, which forced the resignation of former PM K.P. Sharma Oli.
- Fresh elections have been scheduled for March 2026.
About Sushila karki
- Sushila Karki (73) becomes Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister.
- She was earlier the country’s first woman Chief Justice (2016–2017).
- Known for her clean image and anti-corruption stance, she carries credibility as an interim leader.
Why New P.M (Why Now)
- Nepal facing massive political turmoil
- Gen Z protests erupted after years of public frustration with corrupt, entrenched political parties.
- At least 19 people died during a harsh crackdown under K.P Sharma Oli’s government.
- Protesters burned down Parliament, the Supreme Court, and Singha Durbar as a rejection of the old political order.
- Oli resigned and placed under Army protection; protesters then selected Karki to lead a civilian cleanup and transition.
Protesters’ Key Demands
- Non-negotiable dissolution of Parliament to prevent old parties from reclaiming influence.
- Appointment of a neutral and upright leader to head an interim administration.
- Justice for victims of the September 8 crackdown and accountability for attacks on public property.
President’s Role
- Ram Chandra Poudel appointed Karki as PM and administered her oath.
- Dissolved Parliament and set election date on Karki’s recommendation.
- Held consultations with Karki, legal experts, and political leaders to ensure constitutional limits.
- Initially concerned about dissolving Parliament before appointing government head, fearing lack of accountability.
Army’s Role
- Acted as a facilitator and stabilizer during the unrest.
- Maintained street presence to prevent chaos and pressured for a quick resolution.
- Ensured protection of former PM Oli, who resigned and remains under Army care.
Challenges Before Karki
- Forming a Cabinet capable of running essential government functions.
- Restoring law and order and public trust in institutions.
- Independent investigation into deaths during the crackdown and accountability for state arson and violence.
- Overseeing free and fair elections by March 2026.
- Paving the way for constitutional reforms to strengthen democracy and accountability.
Why This is Important?
- Marks First woman leader marks a historical and symbolic shift in Nepal’s politics.
- Shows youth led movements can force big political parties
- Offers a chance for clean governance and restoration of public trust.
- Sets the stage for reforms that could reshape Nepal’s democracy.
Conclusion
The appointment of Sushila Karki as Prime Minister represents a critical turning point in Nepal’s political trajectory. She embodies public aspirations for transparency and accountability at a time of deep disillusionment. Her success in steering the country toward peaceful elections and reforms will determine the future credibility of Nepal’s democracy.
2. India’s manuscripts reflect the journey of humanity, says Modi
(GS Paper-I) – Art & Culture Topic: Indian Heritage and Culture- Preservation of Manuscripts
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gyan Bharatam Mission and digital portal.
- The event was part of an international conference on reclaiming India’s manuscript heritage.
What is the Gyan Bharatam Portal?
- Launched by PM Modi under Ministry of Culture as a national digital archive for ancient Indian manuscripts.
- Accelerates survey, documentation, conservation, digitization, and public access to over one crore manuscripts.
- Provides global access and uses advanced tools like OCR for Indian languages.
- Integrates innovations like Gyan-Setu AI to make texts searchable and interactive.
- Aims to preserve traditional knowledge, support research, and revive cultural heritage.
- Part of the Gyan Bharatam Mission, blending ancient wisdom with modern technology.
What is a Manuscript?
- Manuscripts are ancient handwritten documents preserving India’s traditional knowledge, culture, science, and learning across centuries.
- They cover diverse scripts, languages, and subjects, representing a valuable part of India’s intellectual and cultural heritage.
History of Indian Manuscripts
- India holds the world’s largest collection of about one crore manuscripts.
- Manuscripts reflect centuries of devotion to knowledge, science, and learning.
- Despite many manuscripts being destroyed over time, the surviving ones represent the intellectual legacy of humanity’s development journey.
Why Digitization is Important?
- Helps in preserving fragile and ancient manuscripts from decay and loss.
- Prevents intellectual piracy where traditional knowledge is copied and patented by others.
- Supports India’s vision of Swadeshi (made in India) and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
- Facilitates wider access and sharing of traditional knowledge globally.
Global Dimensions
- India is collaborating with countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Mongolia, which also have rich manuscript heritages.
- Reinforces cultural ties and common preservation efforts among these nations.
PM’s Key Points
- Manuscripts demonstrate India’s contribution to human knowledge and civilization.
- Digitization is a step toward protecting, preserving, and presenting India’s heritage to the world.
- Praised the role of private organizations working alongside the government in digitization efforts.
Additional points
- The Government of India plans to host the first-ever International Manuscript Heritage Conference in September 11–13 – 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi,
- The event commemorates the 132nd anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s historic 1893 address at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago.
- Conference Title: The conference is titled: ‘Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy Through Manuscript Heritage’.
Key themes and focus areas of the conference include:
- Decipherment of Ancient Scripts: Indus, Gilgit and Sankha
- Survey, Documentation, Metadata Standards and Digital Archiving
- Manuscriptology and Paleography, Codicology
- Digitization Tools, Platforms, and Protocols (HTR, AI, IIIF)
- Conservation and Restoration of Manuscripts
- Decoding Manuscripts: Pathways to the Indian Knowledge System
- Manuscripts as Tools of Cultural Diplomacy
- Legal and Ethical Frameworks for Manuscript Preservation and Access
3. The RTI’s shift to a ‘right to deny information’
GS Paper II: International Relations (Cultural diplomacy and global collaborations)
GS Paper III: Science & Technology (Digitization, AI, preservation technologies)
Ethics & Integrity: Preservation of cultural heritage, combating intellectual piracy.
Context: The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, amended Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, raising concerns about reduced transparency and increased secrecy around “personal information.”
RTI Act: The Original Spirit
- Enacted in 2005 to uphold democratic values where government-held information belongs to citizens.
- Emphasizes maximum disclosure with specific exemptions to protect certain interests.
- Section 8(1)(j) balanced disclosure and privacy, allowing withholding personal information only if unrelated to public interest or constitutes unwarranted privacy invasion.
- Included a safeguard that information not deniable to Parliament or State Legislatures cannot be denied to citizens.
Original Section 8(1)(j)
- A detailed provision guiding Public Information Officers (PIOs) to weigh privacy against public interest.
- Privacy is case-specific, respecting constitutional limits of decency and morality.
- Government-collected information is generally shareable unless it severely invades privacy.
What is the DPDP Act?
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DPDP Act Amendment: What Changed?
- Section 8(1)(j) condensed to a six-word clause exempting all “information which relates to personal information.”
- Removed the public interest override and Parliament access safeguard.
- Created ambiguity in defining “personal information,” aligning with the expansive DPDP definition that includes natural persons, firms, associations, and the State.
Two Possible Interpretations
- Narrow: “Personal information” refers only to data on natural persons (individuals).
- Expansive: Includes corporate bodies, Hindu undivided families, associations, and even the State, broadening the scope for denial.
Why This is Dangerous?
- Allows easy denial of most government information, transforming RTI into a “Right to Deny Information.”
- PIOs fear heavy penalties (up to ₹250 crore) under the DPDP Act, leading to conservative disclosure.
- Hampers anti-corruption efforts by restricting citizen access to critical information.
- The “larger public interest” clause exists but is practically ineffective due to complexity and risk aversion.
How its Impact Democracy?
- Prioritizes privacy over access, potentially eroding citizen-led checks on power.
- Weakens institutional watchdogs like the Lokpal by limiting investigative information flows.
- Fosters secrecy culture, complicating exposure of systemic issues from welfare fraud to policy lapses.
- Risks public disinterest, as privacy framing masks broader accountability losses.
Way Forward
- Encourage nationwide media and citizen engagement to debate these changes.
- Demand political accountability and party promise to reverse regressive amendments.
- Strengthen legal clarity on “personal information” to prevent misuse.
- Promote the practical and balanced implementation of the “larger public interest” clause.
- Mobilize civil society and legal activism to uphold the integrity of the RTI Act.
4. Property rights, tribals and the gender parity gap
GS PAPER I -Indian society: Salient features of Indian Society
Context: The Supreme Court of India delivered a landmark judgment in Ram Charan and Ors. vs Sukhram and Ors. (July 17, 2025), affirming the right of tribal women and their heirs to equal inheritance rights in ancestral property. This highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality among indigenous populations of India, making the issue highly topical following the recent International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
Why Are Tribal Women Excluded from Property Rights?
- Tribal customary laws, especially in Scheduled Areas (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, etc.), govern marriage, succession, and adoption and often exclude women from inheriting ancestral property.
- Many tribal societies uphold communitarian ownership, where land is not individually owned.
- Concerns over tribal women marrying outside the community leading to alienation of tribal land also contribute to restrictive customs.
- No formal statutory protections grant tribal women property rights, except for matrilineal tribes in the Northeast.
Judicial Response to the Landmark Case
- The Supreme Court ruled that denying inheritance due to unproven or outdated customs violates Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality and prohibit gender discrimination.
- The Court emphasized that in the absence of a clear customary or personal law barring women’s rights, principles of justice, equity, and good conscience prevail (Central Provinces Laws Act, 1875).
- Earlier lower court decisions that dismissed tribal women’s claims based on unestablished customs were overturned.
- The Court drew analogies with reforms under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005, which granted daughters coparcenary rights.
What Does the Historical Judicial Background Reveal?
- Earlier rulings (e.g., Madhu Kishwar vs State of Bihar, 1996) upheld customary exclusions despite claims of inequality.
- The current judgment marks a shift by rejecting customs that perpetuate gender injustice and aligns customary laws with constitutional mandates.
- It signals judicial willingness to reinterpret or invalidate discriminatory customs to uphold equality.
Why Is Codification or a New Law Necessary?
- The Hindu Succession Act, 1956, explicitly excludes Scheduled Tribes from its applicability (Section 2(2)).
- Lack of a unified, statutorily codified succession law for tribal communities results in legal uncertainty and inconsistent protections.
- Codification can harmonize diverse tribal customs with constitutional values and provide clear inheritance rights to tribal women.
- A separate Tribal Succession Act could address tribal specificities while ensuring gender equality and legal clarity.
What Makes This Issue Urgent and Significant?
- 16.7% of Scheduled Tribe women owning land vs. 83.3% of men (Agriculture Census 2015-16) illustrates glaring gender disparity.
- Property and land rights are crucial for economic independence, social security, and dignity.
- Changing socio-economic contexts require updating customary practices to protect tribal women’s rights.
- Ensuring equality in inheritance rights is vital for inclusive tribal development and gender justice.
Conclusion: The Supreme Court’s ruling in Ram Charan vs Sukhram marks a transformative step towards gender justice in tribal communities. It underscores the importance of aligning customary practices with constitutional guarantees of equality. A separate codified legal framework for tribal succession is essential to protect tribal women’s property rights, reconcile customs with constitutional morality, and ensure social justice for India’s indigenous populations.
5. Kerala capital to host two-day blue economy conclave
GS Paper III (Economics and Environment), Topic: Blue Economy, International Cooperation, Sustainable Development, Marine Resources Management
Context: Kerala’s Fisheries Department is hosting a two-day blue economy conclave titled ‘Blue Tides – Two Shores One Vision’ on September 18-19, 2025, at The Leela Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram.
- The event is organized in collaboration with the Union government and the European Union.
About the Conclave
- Representatives from 29 European countries are expected, with 17 countries confirmed, including Finland, France, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Denmark, Bulgaria, Austria, Malta, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, and Germany.
- The EU Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Hervé Delphin, will attend alongside other dignitaries.
- Experts and stakeholders from India and Europe will discuss blue economy themes and foster partnerships.
Objectives
- To develop Kerala as a sustainable and resilient blue economy model.
- To leverage the EU’s expertise and Kerala’s strategic marine resources.
- Focus areas include marine logistics, fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism, renewable marine energy, green technologies, skill development, academic collaboration, policy innovation, research and development, and startup promotion.
Significance
- The conclave aims to position Kerala as a global leader in the blue economy.
- It fosters international cooperation for sustainable ocean-based economic growth while protecting marine ecosystems.
- The initiative supports livelihood creation, economic growth, and sustainable use of ocean resources.
Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR)
6. GS paper III: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation.
Context: The Union Environment Ministry has approved the capture and translocation of eight tigers from Tadoba-Andhari and Pench Tiger Reserves to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in western Maharashtra. This move aims to bolster the tiger population and strengthen conservation efforts.
About Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR)
- Location: Situated in the Sahyadri Range of the Western Ghats, covering Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Ratnagiri districts in Maharashtra.
- Status: Declared a Tiger Reserve in 2010 and part of the UNESCO Western Ghats World Heritage Site since 2012.
- Geography: Dominated by the Shivsagar (Koyna) and Vasant Sagar (Warana) reservoirs; terrain includes rocky plateaus called “Sadas.”
- Vegetation: Moist evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist & dry deciduous forests with endemic species like karvi, bamboo, Terminalia, and Emblica.
- Fauna: Bengal tiger, leopard, dhole, gaur, antelopes, mouse deer, giant squirrel, hornbills, vultures, and river tern birds.
- Tiger Population: Tigers were absent for years, with 5-9 individuals recorded since 2018; presence remains unstable.
- Corridor Linkages: Connected to Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary (north) and Anshi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve (south, Karnataka), providing a critical corridor in the Western Ghats.
- Ecological Role: Protects catchments of Koyna and Warana rivers, vital for agriculture and livelihoods.
Need for Tiger Translocation
- The reserve has a prey-rich habitat but lacks a stable breeding tiger population.
- Translocation will prevent local extinction of tigers and strengthen genetic diversity.
- Enhances corridor connectivity and supports Project Tiger conservation goals.
- Aims to conserve the biodiversity of the Western Ghats and safeguard watershed ecosystems vital for downstream water security.
