First Bodoland Mohotsav

Context: Recently, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi inaugurated the 1st Bodoland Mohotsov, at SAI Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, New Delhi.

About Bodoland Mohotsav

• It is a mega-cultural festival celebrating language, literature and culture to sustain peace and build a Vibrant Bodo Society.
• The theme for the Mohotsav is ‘Peace and Harmony for Prosperous Bharat’.
• It also aims to capitalise on the richness and linguistic, ecological diversity and tourist potential of Bodoland.
• It will integrate the indigenous Bodo people residing not only in Bodoland but also in other parts of Assam, West Bengal, Nepal, and other international border areas of the Northeast.
• It is also about celebrating the remarkable journey of the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020.

Bodo Tribe

• The Bodos are an ethnic and linguistic community and one of the indigenous tribes of Assam. ‘Bodo’ is pronounced as ‘Bo-ro’ and denotes both the name of the language and the name of the community.
• Bodo, earlier known as Bodo-Kacharis, is one of the largest tribal communities of the North-East region of India that are largely confined to Assam. 
• They are at present known by different names like Bodos, Kacharis and Mechs.

Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR)

• It is an autonomous region in Assam, Northeast India and made up of four districts on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River below the foothills of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is administered by an elected body known as the Bodoland Territorial Council.
  The Council was constituted under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India in 2003. 
• A peace agreement was signed in 2020 between the Government of India and the Government of Assam on one side and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, (NDFB) the All Bodo Students’ Union and the United Bodo People's Organisation on the other. Under the terms of this agreement, a Bodoland Territorial Region was formed with enhanced executive and legislative powers. 

India’s maiden long-range hypersonic missile

Context: Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested India’s maiden long-range hypersonic missile.

About Long-Range Hypersonic Missile: 

• India successfully conducted the flight trial of a long-range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha.
• Hypersonic Cruise Missiles use scramjet engines to sustain hypersonic speed throughout their flight. They fly at lower altitudes and also manoeuvrability.  
• Payload Range: The missile is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1500km for all the services of the Indian Armed Forces.
  The term “Hypersonic” refers to a speed at least five times the speed of sound (also called Mach-5). 
• Developed by: Laboratories of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad, along with various other DRDO labs and industry partners.
• Only Russia, China and the US had developed hypersonic missiles with this technology.
• Several other countries, including France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Iran, and Israel, are also pursuing projects to develop hypersonic missile systems.
• A hypersonic version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is undergoing a development phase between India and Russia. 

Sagarmanthan - The Great Oceans Dialogue

Context: Recently, India hosted its maiden of South Asia’s Largest Maritime Thought Leadership Forum, Sagarmanthan.

Sagarmanthan

• It is organized by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) in association with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
• It aims to foster knowledge of the maritime sector and provide a premier global platform for global leaders, policymakers, and business moguls.
• It also shares, learns and shapes actionable insights towards effective decisions for a future-ready, sustainable and efficient marine sector.
• It has been designed around four central themes:
  New Frontiers: It will explore subjects around connectivity, infrastructure and development in a dynamic world.
  Blue Growth Partnerships for Progress: It is aimed at fostering partnerships for progress.
  Green and Blue: It will dabble in important issues of sustainability, technology and innovation
  Coasts & Communities: maritime governance and social impact will be discussed.

Significance of Sagarmanthan

•  India aims to lead on inclusive growth, sustainable practices, and resilient communities.
• It also fosters a shared vision for a thriving and sustainable blue economy aligned with ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – ‘The World is One Family’.”