14 April 2025

• Social History: 14 April is Ambedkar Jayanti, marking the 134th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. It is also observed as Equality Day.
• Wildlife: Two South African male cheetahs named Prabhas and Pavak were relocated from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh as part of Project Cheetah.
• Economy: US tariff uncertainty continued to dampen export sector sentiment. India's negotiation team for the Bilateral Trade Agreement held preparatory meetings in New Delhi.
• Policy: The National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE) and related schemes for the ageing population entered policy discussions ahead of the Geriatric Care National Summit.

GS area: Modern Indian History, Social Issues, Polity

14 April marks the birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, observed nationally as Equality Day.

• Birth: 14 April 1891, Mhow (now Dr Ambedkar Nagar), Madhya Pradesh.
• Education: Studied at Columbia University and the London School of Economics. Among the first Dalits to earn a doctorate abroad.
• Role in the Constitution: Served as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly. Often called the "Father of the Indian Constitution."
• Key contributions:
  • Championed reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
  • Incorporated fundamental rights including Article 17 (abolition of untouchability).
  • Argued for women's property rights in the Hindu Code Bill.
  • Article 21 (right to life), Article 15 (non-discrimination), and the Directive Principles owe significant shape to his interventions.
• Resignation: Resigned from the Cabinet in 1951 over the Hindu Code Bill being diluted.
• Religious conversion: Converted to Buddhism on 14 October 1956 in Nagpur along with approximately 600,000 followers.
• Posthumous honour: Awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1990.

Static linkage: Social reform, Constitution-making, fundamental rights (GS-1 History, GS-2 Polity).

GS area: Environment and Ecology

Two South African cheetahs were relocated from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh in April 2025. The transfer represents the next phase of Project Cheetah.

• Project Cheetah: India's programme to reintroduce cheetahs, which went extinct in India by 1952. Cheetahs were first brought from Namibia in September 2022, followed by a South African batch in January 2023.
• Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary:
  • Location: Northwestern Madhya Pradesh along the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border.
  • Declared a sanctuary in 1974. Expanded in 1983.
  • The Chambal River bisects the sanctuary.
  • Ecosystems: Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests.
  • Fauna: Chinkara, Nilgai, Spotted Deer, Indian Leopard, Striped Hyena, Mugger Crocodile, otters.
  • Recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).
• Two relocated cheetahs: Named Prabhas and Pavak. Both male, sourced from South Africa.
• Logic of relocation: Kuno was becoming saturated. Gandhi Sagar offers larger open grassland terrain closer to what wild cheetahs need for hunting.

Static linkage: Wildlife conservation, reintroduction programmes (GS-3 Environment).

GS area: Social Issues, Governance

India's elderly population is growing rapidly, prompting a review of existing welfare schemes in April 2025.

• Demographics: India had 103.8 million elderly persons (60+) in 2011. This is projected to reach 193.4 million by 2031 and over 300 million by 2050.
• Challenges: Multiple co-morbidities, mental health issues, economic insecurity, a caregiver crisis, and inadequate geriatric health infrastructure.
• Government schemes:
  • Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY): flagship elderly welfare umbrella scheme.
  • National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE): health services for the elderly.
  • SACRED Portal: connects elderly job-seekers with employers.
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): provides assistive devices to BPL senior citizens.
  • Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): cash transfer to elderly poor.
• The ageing dividend question: As the working-age population peaks in 2040 and begins declining, India's demographic dividend window closes and the dependency ratio rises.

Static linkage: Demographic trends, elderly welfare (GS-2 Social Issues).

GS area: Art and Culture

14 April fell close to World Heritage Day (18 April). Heritage protection discussions included India's UNESCO World Heritage record.

• Total UNESCO World Heritage Sites: India has 43 sites as of 2024.
• First four sites (1983): Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, Ajanta Caves, and Ellora Caves.
• Categories: The 43 sites include cultural, natural, and mixed sites.
• Taj Mahal: Attracts over 6 million visitors annually.
• Challenges: Urban encroachment, pollution, climate change, and tourist pressure threaten heritage sites.

Static linkage: Indian culture, UNESCO (GS-1 Art and Culture).

GS area: Polity

Ambedkar Jayanti discussion brought the constitutional framework against untouchability into focus.

• Article 17: Abolishes untouchability in any form. Its practice is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.
• Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955: Gives legal teeth to Article 17. Prescribes penalties for untouchability-based discrimination.
• SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: Goes further to address crimes against Dalit and tribal communities beyond untouchability.
• Article 15(4): Allows the state to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes.
• Article 46: A Directive Principle directing the state to promote educational and economic interests of the weaker sections, particularly Dalits and tribals.

Static linkage: Constitutional provisions, social justice (GS-2 Polity).

• Exercise Prachand Prahaar: Tri-service military exercise in high-altitude terrain of Arunachal Pradesh in April 2025. Tests multi-domain operations including UAVs, loitering munitions, swarm drones, and fighter aircraft. Demonstrates India's high-altitude warfare doctrine.
• Blue Economy Policy: Aligned with SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Core principle is sustainable extraction balancing ecological and social inclusion. India's coastal economy includes fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, shipping, and seabed mineral exploration.