1 . Project Rhino & Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Biodiversity & Conservation | Wildlife Protection | Species Recovery | Human–Wildlife Management
- On World Rhino Day (22 September), the Prime Minister highlighted conservation efforts for the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros, noting that Assam holds nearly 80% of the world’s rhino population.
- Kaziranga has been highlighted for its efforts to control rhino poaching, while rhino populations have also been protected or restored in parts of Bihar and West Bengal.
- The successful reintroduction of rhinos in Dudhwa, Uttar Pradesh was highlighted as an example of active wildlife management and species recovery.
- Project Rhino has been initiated to provide financial and technical support to rhino range states for protection, habitat management, genetic improvement and understanding population dynamics.
- The Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is native to the Indian subcontinent and is distinguished by its single horn and characteristic skin folds giving it an armour-plated appearance.
- In India, the species is primarily associated with Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, making these important rhino-range states; Kaziranga National Park is the major stronghold.
- Kaziranga National Park, Assam, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in the Brahmaputra floodplain, providing extensive grassland and wetland habitats favourable to the greater one-horned rhinoceros.
- Dudhwa National Park, Uttar Pradesh, forms part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and is an important protected landscape for Terai biodiversity; rhino reintroduction there represents a species-recovery approach beyond its major Assam stronghold.
- The species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is included in CITES Appendix I, placing international trade in the species under the strictest CITES controls.
- India’s earlier rhino-conservation efforts include the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020), which focused on increasing rhino numbers and expanding their distribution through population management and translocation; Project Rhino 2026 represents a newer national support framework.
- Genetic improvement and population dynamics, specifically mentioned under Project Rhino, are important because long-term species conservation requires not only increasing numbers but also maintaining genetic diversity, viable populations and scientifically monitored population trends.
2. India Cine Hub (ICH)
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Media & Entertainment Industry | Digital Infrastructure | Ease of Doing Business | Creative Economy
- India Cine Hub (ICH) is a digital single-window platform for streamlining film-shooting permissions across India, managed by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC).
- ICH consolidates coordination for state approvals, police clearances, filming permissions, co-production applications and film-visa facilitation, reducing the bureaucratic friction involved in shooting across multiple jurisdictions.
- International creators can use the platform for filming permissions and Film Visa facilitation, while the portal also provides guidelines relating to aerial filming, animal filming, forests and filming at monuments.
- The platform provides a GIS-based location directory containing information on filming locations, relevant permit authorities and filming hubs, while also listing verified local vendors such as studios, equipment rentals, casting agencies, accommodation, medical and security services.
- ICH is being expanded beyond film permissions to support Live Event Permissions through the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC), using venue mapping to route applications to relevant authorities; 9 premier venues have already been onboarded.
- The platform also supports co-production applications and provides information on relevant co-production arrangements, helping facilitate international collaboration in film production.
- NFDC is a Government of India organisation under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and has a mandate covering promotion and development of Indian cinema; it also organises/hosts Film Bazaar India alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa.
3. Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Syllabus Mapping: GS-I: Indian Culture | Indian Cinema | Art & Culture | Cultural Heritage
- The President of India conferred the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, marking the first time the ceremony was held outside Delhi as part of an effort to take the awards to important tourist destinations across States and UTs.
- Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 for his distinguished contribution to theatre and cinema.
- The 72nd National Film Awards received 400 Feature Films across 34 languages and 161 Non-Feature Films across 24 languages, with 22 Feature Film and 23 Non-Feature Film awards
- The awards highlighted India’s linguistic diversity, with recognition extending beyond the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule through awards for Garhwali and Tulu cinema; a Santhali film, Angen, also received the Best Debut Film of a Director award.
- The President also emphasised social security and dignity for workers, assistants, small artists and other vulnerable members of the creative economy, and called for greater women’s participation in award juries.
- The National Film Awards are India’s national-level awards for excellence in Indian cinema and are administered by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting; they recognise both Feature and Non-Feature Films as well as various individual contributions.
- The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest official honour in Indian cinema and was instituted in 1969 in memory of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke.
- Dadasaheb Phalke is widely regarded as the Father of Indian Cinema and directed Raja Harishchandra (1913), regarded as India’s first full-length Indian feature film.
- The award was instituted on the centenary of Dadasaheb Phalke’s birth, and the first recipient was Devika Rani in 1969.
- The award is conferred annually by the Government of India for an individual’s outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
- The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is separate from the National Film Awards, although it is presented as part of the National Film Awards ceremony; the former recognises lifetime contribution, while the latter cover competitive categories for films and individual artistic/technical achievements.
4. Exercise Veer Guardian 2026
Syllabus Mapping: GS-II: India–Japan Relations | Strategic Partnership; GS-III: Defence Cooperation | Military Exercises
- Exercise Veer Guardian 2026, the bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), concluded at Air Force Station Jodhpur on 22 September 2026 after 14 days of joint training.
- The IAF participated with Su-30 MKI, Rafale and indigenous LCA Tejas, while the JASDF participated with F-2A fighter aircraft.
- The exercise included advanced flying missions involving Within Visual Range (WVR) combat and coordinated multi-aircraft operations, strengthening operational interoperability between the two air forces.
- Within Visual Range (WVR) combat refers to aerial combat where opposing aircraft are within visual range, involving manoeuvring and short-range engagement concepts; it differs from Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat, which relies more heavily on sensors, networking and long-range weapons.
5. Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework & AI/ML-based Reservoir Sediment Management
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Water Resources | River Management | AI in Governance | Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
- The 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 was inaugurated by Vice-President P. Radhakrishnan at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, and is being held from 22–26 September 2026 with the theme “Climate Resilient Water Management.”
- The Vice-President emphasised judicious use, conservation and integrated management of water resources, highlighting the growing complexity created by climate change, urbanisation and population growth.
- He highlighted the need for an integrated approach combining river-basin management, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation, along with greater recycling and reuse of water.
- The Vice-President called for greater inter-State cooperation on water-sharing issues and highlighted 10 inter-State MoUs for water sharing, including the Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement involving six States.
- Two technology-oriented initiatives were launched at IIWW 2026: the Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework and AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management.
- The SURM Framework focuses on improving the management of urban rivers through a more integrated and sustainable approach, particularly relevant as urbanisation increases pressure on river systems.
- The framework aligns with the broader emphasis of IIWW 2026 on climate-resilient water management, requiring urban river management to address changing hydrological conditions and increasing human pressures.
- AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for technology-enabled management of sediment in reservoirs, supporting more informed and predictive reservoir-management decisions.
- Reservoir sedimentation is important because accumulated sediment occupies reservoir storage space, gradually reducing the effective capacity available for water storage and potentially affecting the long-term performance of reservoirs.
- The AI/ML approach represents a shift from reactive sediment management towards predictive management, where data-driven tools can help understand sediment accumulation and support timely management interventions.
