Volume: 05 Issue: 06 February 2026 Rs.

85/-
T H E P R A J YA T E A M

Published by: 
Arya Samaj Charitable Foundation "Public transport is like a magnifying glass that shows
you civilisation up close."
Editorial Board:
Smt Mali Nandakumar As we are well aware, transport is the most determinative sector of any economy.
Educational Consultant Tianshan Shengli Tunnel in China is an engineering marvel featuring the world's
Shri Nandakumar V deepest vertical shaft for a highway tunnel. It uses a "three tunnels plus four shafts"
Educational Consultant design to traverse complex geologically sensitive zones. With the area experiencing
Smt Nandhini S temperatures dropping to - 42oC, the tunnel significantly improves logistics and
Principal | D.A.V. (Boys) Senior Secondary transport efficiency in the region, smoothing the movement of goods and stimulating
School, Mogappair economic development.
The National Highways Authority of India established four consecutive
Teacher Contributors: Guinness World Records for rapid highway construction on the Bengaluru–
Smt Manju Aildasani
Smt Meenakshi S Kadapa–Vijayawada Economic Corridor in Andhra Pradesh. These records were
Smt Ramamani N for the longest continuous bituminous concrete laying and highest quantity of
Smt Sandhya Nair bituminous concrete laid within 24 hours. With these NHAI has outshined previous
Smt Sarada Devi Ravutu
global standards for highway construction, improving infrastructure development
Smt Shubha T R
under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. These achievements highlight India's capabilities
in high-speed, high-quality road construction, utilising modern machinery and
Independent Contributors:
sustainable materials.
Kum Anu Narayan
Smt Anuradha V R
Smt Archana Sundar Kashi Ropeway in Varanasi, India's first urban public transport ropeway is
Shri Arpith Vijayan designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city’s narrow, congested lanes. Often
Shri Bharath quoted as the first of its kind in India (and potentially Asia), will be a major,
Smt Deepasri
sustainable addition to urban mobility in the city.
Smt Ghana Saraswathy M
Smt Kavya R Read, reflect and revert with your thoughts and feelings.
Smt A Laxmi We look forward to your support and suggestions.
Shri Mrithyunjay GN
Shri Nagarajan R
Shri Natarajan Raman
Kum Pavithra S
Dr Preethy S P Dear Readers,
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FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 3

 Content
International National Current
Current Affairs Affairs

6 2026 - Year of 15 New airport

launched
rangelands and
pastoralists 17 India wins maiden
Squash World Cup
8 Nature news
18 PM's launches
20 Technological news
10 First wheelchair
user in Space 24 India shines at
NASA Space Apps
Challenge
11 Postal stamp on
Ashwagandha 25 INSV Kaundinya's
first voyage
12 Guinea's new
27 Liquid nanoclay
President
turns deserts green
13 2,000-year-old
28 Flora & fauna news
Kushan coins
30 Drogue parachute
discovered
tests for Gaganyaan
14 Prof Shrinivas 31 India’s first urban
Kulkarni gets RAS public transport
Gold Medal ropeway

4 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 32 Architectural news 47 Living Naturally -
Holistic healing of
34 NHAI shatters world
muscle injuries
records
50 Women scientists
36 India - first to of India -
commercially [Link]
produce bio- Bandyopadhyay
bitumen
53 Know your
38 India sets a new Padma awardee -
port record Lourembam Bino
Devi
Defence
updates 55 Curiosity Corner -
Defence technology
39 INS Anjadip
56 AI-connect - Part 6
41 World's first ramjet-
powered artillery 60 Architectural

shells wonder -
Mukteshwar Temple
43 Missile news
61 Sahas Veer - The
General Awards
Knowledge
63 Spotlight - Kamya
Karthikeyan
45 Law in focus - Key
legal events 2025 - 65 Nobel Series 2025 -
Part-2 Economics

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 5

 Smt Manju Aildasani

2026
International year of rangelands and pastoralists

T
he International Year management. These include
The rangeland of Rangelands and The Steppes of Central Asia,
Pastoralists – 2026 the African savanna, the Alps
ecosystems are (IYRP), implemented by Food and the Pyrenees in Europe,
under increasing and Agriculture Organisation of Andes in South America and
the United Nations (FAO) aims the Great Plains of the United
pressure from to raise awareness and advocate States.
droughts, floods, healthy rangelands and sustainable
2. Pastoralists as sustainable
pastoralism. These ecosystems are
managers: As key custodians,
land degradation, under increasing pressure from
they manage around 1 billion
animal diseases droughts, floods, land degradation, animals worldwide from sheep
animal diseases and competing land and goats to cattle, camelids,
and competing uses, limiting pastoralists’ mobility yaks, horses, reindeer and
and threatening their way of life.
land uses, limiting buffaloes, contributing to food
security, cultural heritage and
pastoralists’ The 12 global themes of IYRP indigenous knowledge.
mobility and 1. Rangelands as essential 3. Economics and
threatening their ecosystems: Highlights livelihoods: This showcases
their extent (covering 54% the economic power
way of life. of Earth's land) and crucial of pastoralism and its
role in biodiversity, carbon contribution to local and
sequestration and water national economies.

6 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 4. Food security and 7. Land degradation 10. Governance and tenure
nutrition: This emphasises neutrality: This addresses the rights: This addresses the
the role of livestock products challenges of degradation need for legal recognition
in providing high-quality, and the need for sustainable of land rights, mobility
nature-based protein. management practices. and community-based
management.
8. Pastoralist women: This
5. Climate change
foucuses on the specific roles
resilience: This focuses on 11. Cultural heritage and
and empowerment of women
how rangelands and pastoral
in pastoralist societies. knowledge: This recognises
systems can adapt to and
9. Youth and innovation: This the diverse cultures, traditions
mitigate climate change.
highlights how youth and knowledge systems of
6. B i o d i v e r s i t y are merging traditional pastoralists worldwide.
conservation: This highlights knowledge with new
the role in supporting diverse technologies to secure the 12. The future of pastoralism: This
flora and fauna. future of pastoralism. creates a forward-looking, 50-
year vision for sustainable,
resilient pastoral systems.

These monthly themes will

be supported by global events,
including a planned Global
Pastoralist Gathering and events at
the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification (UNCCD
COP17) in Mongolia from 17th to
28th August 2026.

Camelids are animals

belonging to the Camelidae
family which comprises
camel, guanaco, llama,
vicuña and alpaca.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 7

 Kum Anu Narayan

Nature
news
New species of pumpkin toadlet
discovered in Brazil

S
cientists have discovered a The new frog is incredibly The frog is unusual in another
brand-new species deep in small, measuring only about 9 to way too. Even though it makes
the cloud forests of Brazil. 13 millimetres in length. That is sounds to communicate, it is deaf to
The tiny amphibian lives in the smaller than a paperclip, making its own calls. Instead of listening, it
Serra do Quiriri mountain range it one of the tiniest four-legged uses visual signals to talk to other
and belongs to a group of miniature animals in the world. Its bright frogs. It puffs up its throat, opens
frogs called Brachycephalus. With orange colour helps it stand out its mouth and waves its arms to get
this discovery, there are now 43 among leaves; and its body is dotted attention.
known species in this special group. with small greenish-brown spots on Scientists named the frog
its sides and belly. Brachycephalus lulai in honour of
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula
da Silva. They hope this will bring
attention to the need to protect the
Atlantic Forest, where the frog
lives. This forest is one of the most
threatened ecosystems in the world.
The frog lives in the leaf
litter of forests above 750 metres.
Although it is currently listed as
“least concern,” its habitat is at risk
due to deforestation, mining and
tourism. Researchers say protecting
its environment is essential for its
survival.
This discovery reminds us how
much there is still to learn about
Earth’s biodiversity—and how
important conservation truly is.

8 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Amazon stingless bees get legal rights

I
n an amazing first for the world, and respected these bees for
stingless bees living in the generations.
Peruvian Amazon rainforest
have been granted legal rights. The new law recognises the
These tiny insects, unlike the bees’ right to exist, thrive and live
honeybees common in Europe, do in a clean, healthy environment.
not sting—but they play a huge role It also says they have the right
in keeping the rainforest alive. to healthy habitats and stable
climate conditions. Even more
The decision was made by the importantly, the bees can now be
provincial municipality of Satipo legally represented if their survival
in Peru, after years of work by is threatened.
scientist Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
and the Earth Law Center. They Stingless bees are among the pollinate more than 80% of plants
worked closely with indigenous oldest bee species on Earth and in the Amazon, including crops
communities who have protected are essential pollinators. They help people around the world enjoy, such
as coffee, chocolate, avocados and
blueberries.
Sadly, these bees are under
threat from deforestation, climate
change, pesticides and competition
from invasive bee species.
Conservationists hope this new law
will protect them and inspire other
regions to take similar action.
Experts say this law marks
a new way of thinking—where
humans recognise that nature also
deserves protection and rights.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 9

 Smt Sandhya Nair

M ichaela Benthaus, a 33-year-

old
aerospace
paraplegic German
and mechatronics
engineer at the European Space
Agency, blasted off on a dream-
come-true rocket ride with former
space engineer Hans Königsmann
of Germany and four US
entrepreneurs, Joey Hyde, a retired
physicist and quantitative investor;
Neal Milch, a business executive
and entrepreneur, Adonis Pouroulis,
an entrepreneur and mining
engineer; and Jason Stansell, a
computer scientist. She became the
first paraplegic to travel past the
Kármán Line.
MICHAELA BENTHAUS
Severely affected by a spinal
cord injury during a mountain
biking accident seven years ago,
FIRST WHEELCHAIR USER IN SPACE
she had lost hope of her childhood 105 kilometres up, skimming into Benthaus could scoot between
dream of becoming an astronaut. space. the capsule's hatch and her seat.
The mission NS-37 is the 16th The space-skimming flight The recovery team also unrolled a
suborbital space tourism launch required only minor adjustments to carpet on the desert floor following
carried out by Blue Origin. The New accommodate Benthaus because the touchdown, providing immediate
Shepard NS-37 was launched off autonomous New Shepard capsule access to her wheelchair, which she
from a Jeff Bezos property in West was designed with accessibility in left behind at lift-off.
Texas at 8:15 a.m. The passengers mind. An elevator was in place at The space tourism company
experienced a brief moment of the launch pad to ascend the seven Blue Origin, owned by Amazon
weightlessness as part of the trip. storeys to the capsule perched atop founder Jeff Bezos, has operated
The flight was just 10 minutes but the rocket. Blue Origin added a 16 human spaceflight missions,
the capsule still managed to soar patient transfer board so Michaela including the most recent one. The
New Shepard programme has flown
people with blindness, low vision,
hearing difficulties, limb differences
or mobility limitations

Karman Line a
common demarcation for
outer space that lies 100
kilometres above sea level.

10 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Smt Shubha T R

Postal stamp on
A
s the world is turning Ashwagandha was a major the stamp release took place at the
towards Ayurveda for focus at the Summit, where summit in Bharat Mandapam, New
sustainable and preventive international experts explored its Delhi.
healthcare, “Ashwagandha” scientific validation and safety The five rupee denomination
(medicinal herb) has emerged as a standards to integrate it into global stamp is intended to highlight the
global leader in natural wellness. healthcare. global recognition and resonance
With so many of us juggling Commonly called by the of the herb as an integral part of
busy lives and looking for natural Sanskrit name, "Ashwagandha" , traditional medicine system.
ways to support our health, it is no the plant's roots are said to smell
surprise that ashwagandha is getting like a wet horse (“ashwa” for horse
a lot of attention, for its potential and “gandha” for smell). It is also
benefits - from easing stress to sometimes known as winter cherry
boosting energy and supporting or Indian ginseng. Also known
overall wellbeing. as the "King of adaptogens",
ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Ayurveda has several
This herb has been a key part of classical texts like
helps the body maintain homeostatis
Ayurvedic medicine for thousands Charaka Samhita, Sushruta
while resisting the body's biological,
of years, and today, it is being Samhita, Bhela Samhita etc.,
physical and chemical stressors. Its comprising of codified
rediscovered for its wide range of potent ability also lowers cortisol and organised medicinal
potential health benefits. and boosts energy. It has been used wisdom covering all
Highlighting the importance for over 3,000 years to enhance branches of medicine and
of traditional medicine at the strength, vitality and resilience surgery.
second WHO Global Summit, against physical and mental WHO has established its
Prime Minister Modi released the exhaustion. The herb also has first and only Global Centre
commemorative postal stamp of sleep-inducing and neuroprotective for Traditional Medicine
Ashwagandha recently, reinstating properties. (GCTM) in Jamnagar,
the herb’s significance in promoting Created by the Department of Gujarat with the support of
immunity and wellness globally. Posts and the Ministry of Ayush, the Government of India.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 11

 Shri Ramaswamy R

Guinea’s new President

Economy
Area in [Link]. Population Currency
Country Language Capital (Ranking ) (Nominal/
(Ranking) (millions) (For 1 USD)
PPP)

French Minerals (bauxite, gold

2,45, 857 14.3 (85% (official and Guinean Franc and diamonds) rich.
Guinea Conakry
(77) Muslims) indigenous (8758)
languages (153/155)

G
uinea is a coastal nation by corruption and civil unrest in the of risks in debt traps, economic
bordering the Atlantic later years. Since then Guinea only dependance and environmental
Ocean, with four distinct undergoes series of military coups impact, in addition to locals losing
geographic regions. The country and dictatorship. jobs to Chinese labour.
approximately has a coastline of
320 kms and forest cover of 23%. General Mamady Doumbouya Rule in African countries
(41) is a military general now are frequently disturbed by
Guinea received its
serving as the 5th president of since military coup and dictatorship.
independence from France in
January 2026. He won a landslide Out of 54 African countries, 22
1958. Sékou Touré was their first
victory with 87% votes. Earlier in could be considered democratic
President. The country had one-
September 2021, Doumboya as or democratic-leaning and only
party rule until 1984. His socialist
member of the Special Forces Group half of the 22, truly democratic.
experiment with Soviet/Chinese
had led a coup that overthrew the Reasons are often specific to each
assistance was an economic failure.
previous president, Alpha Condé to individual country, but one common
His leaning towards West came too
become Interim President. denominator is colonial powers
late in the 1970s and had very little
ripping off minerals and natural
impact. Mamady Doumbouya allows wealth, leaving the innocent people
Col. Lansana Conté’s military Chinese investment and funding to fight among themselves for
rule from 1984 to 2008 was marked mostly in the mining sector, in spite scarce resources.

12 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Smt Sarada Devi Ravutu

A
rchaeological discoveries
play a crucial role in
uncovering the hidden
stories of the past and deepening our
understanding of ancient societies,
their beliefs and their way of life.
The recent unearthing of ancient
Kushan coins belong to the era of
emperor Vasudeva, one of the last
great Kushan rulers.

The discovery site

The excavation took place 2,000-year-old Kushan
at Bhir Mound in Rawalpindi, an
important archaeological location
near the historic city of Taxila. This
coins discovered
site has long been associated with the front side of the coins portrays into the empire’s inclusive and
ancient settlements and learning King Vasudeva, while the reverse multicultural religious outlook.
centres. displays a female religious deity.
Trade and economic
Historical background This symbolic representation
significance
highlights the religious tolerance of
The Kushan Empire was one of the Kushan era, during which rulers The discovery of precious
the most powerful dynasties in early supported diverse faiths. Moreover, stone fragments alongside the coins
Indian history, flourishing between Kushan coin designs often suggests well-established trade
the first and third centuries CE. It combined artistic elements from routes connecting distant regions,
played a major role in promoting Indian, Iranian, Greek and Buddhist promoting cultural interaction and
trade, culture and learning across traditions, offering valuable insights economic growth.
Central and South Asia.

Details of the discovery

The excavation team uncovered
bronze coins (2nd century AD)
along with pieces of lapis lazuli (6th
century BC), a highly valued semi-
precious stone.

Coin imagery and religious

pluralism
According to archaeologists,

Nomadic people from the Central Asian steppes near

Origin
China
Extent The Oxus River in Central Asia to the Ganga
Founder of the Kujula Kadphises unified the Kushans and displaced the
empire Sakas.
Culture Developed the Gandhara School of Art

Greatest ruler Kanishka; held 4th Buddhist Council

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 13

 Kum Pavithra S

Prof. Shrinivas Kulkarni receives the

RAS Gold Medal

T
he world of science celebrated As a graduate student, he co- [Link] has built ten
a proud moment when discovered the first millisecond instruments in his career, guided
Prof. Shrinivas Kulkarni, a pulsar, an ultra-fast-rotating by a simple maxim. He states, "My
Maharashtra-born astrophysicist, neutron star. Recalling the moment, motto has been to build a big enough
was awarded the Gold Medal of Kulkarni described it as "the most gizmo and things will happen."
the Royal Astronomical Society fun achievement in my life," saying He led the development of the
(RAS)—one of the highest honours the excitement kept him awake for Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF),
in astronomy. several days. which surveys the entire Northern
sky every two nights, catching
With this prestigious In 1997, Kulkarni and his
thousands of cosmic events as they
recognition awarded since 1824, collaborators demonstrated that
happen in real time.
Kulkarni joins legendary scientific gamma-ray bursts originate outside
Currently, he is developing
minds such as Stephen Hawking, the Milky Way, fundamentally
NASA's Ultraviolet Explorer
Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Albert Einstein changing how we understand these
(UVEX) mission, targeted to launch
and Edwin Hubble. powerful cosmic explosions.
in 2030.
When asked about the honour,
The journey of a cosmic Building "gizmos" that Kulkarni humbly said, "I was
detective changed astronomy very surprised to hear the news,
especially given the stellar list of
Prof. Kulkarni received his The RAS citation specifically past winners."
Master's from IIT Delhi in 1978, recognises his "sustained, innovative His story, from Kurundwad
earned his PhD from UC Berkeley in and ground-breaking contributions to Caltech, from student to Gold
1983, and has been based at Caltech to multi-wavelength transient Medal laureate proves that curiosity,
for over 40 years. But what makes astrophysics"—studying things in passion and the courage to build
him extraordinary isn't just where space that suddenly appear, explode something new can literally reveal
he studied—it's what he discovered. or vanish. the secrets of the universe.

14 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Smt Anuradha V R

New airport launched

Navi Mumbai International Airport

Synopsis  Designed by Zaha Hadid partnership (PPP) between
Architects. Mumbai International Airport
 The new airport will play a
Limited (MIAL), a subsidiary
major role in establishing  Inspired by the Lotus, the
of Adani Airport Holdings
the region as Asia's largest airport combines cultural
Limited (AAHL) and the City
connectivity hub. identity, modern design,
and Industrial Development
 NMIA, developed by AAHL sustainability and robust cargo
Corporation (CIDCO). The project
and CIDCO, marks a infrastructure to strengthen
represents a major stride in India’s
landmark milestone in India’s India’s growing economy.
infrastructure-building vision,
aviation and infrastructure NMIA has been developed reflecting the Government’s agenda
journey. as a landmark public-private of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Envisioned as part of a dual-

airport system for the Mumbai
Metropolitan Region (MMR),
NMIA will complement Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj International
Airport (CSMIA).

With an initial capacity

of 20 million passengers per
annum (MPPA), the airport will
eventually expand to manage 90
MPPA, making it one of the largest
passenger-handling airports in
India.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 15

 Nature themed terminal at Lokapriya
Gopinath Bardoloi Airport

P
rime Minister Modi and is designed to handle up to
inaugurated the new terminal 1.3 crore passengers annually. It
of Lokapriya Gopinath significantly enhances the airport’s
Bardoloi International Airport in capacity and improves the overall
Guwahati. The bamboo orchid– travel experience.
themed terminal boosts Assam’s
Major upgrades include
connectivity and tourism.
improved airside infrastructure,
It marks a major milestone modern passenger facilities and
in the infrastructure development systems designed for smoother
of the Northeast. Along with aircraft and passenger movement,
the terminal the Prime Minister positioning Guwahati as a major
also unveiled an 80-foot statue of regional aviation hub. Orchids.” The design reflects the
Gopinath Bardoloi, Assam’s first state’s close relationship with nature
Nature-inspired Design: and tradition.
Chief Minister, outside the airport
“Bamboo Orchids”
premises. Architectural elements
The new terminal draws showcase
HIGHLIGHTS
inspiration from Assam’s
The new terminal is spread biodiversity and cultural heritage,  Extensive use of bamboo-
across nearly 1.4 lakh square metres built around the theme “Bamboo inspired structures
 Motifs reflecting Assam’s flora
and cultural symbols
 Interiors that combine
modern design with local
identity.
This approach aligns with the
Prime Minister’s vision of “Vikas
bhi, Virasat bhi” development
along with heritage.

Who is Lokapriya Gopinath

Bordoloi?
Lokapriya Gopinath
Bordoloi was a pivotal Indian
statesman, freedom fighter and
the first Chief Minister of post-
Independence Assam, renowned
for his visionary leadership,
dedication to Assam's development
(establishing universities like
Guwahati University), and
efforts to protect the Northeast's
interests, earning him the title
"Lokpriya" (beloved by all) and a
posthumous Bharat Ratna in 1999.

16 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Smt Kavya R

India wins maiden

Squash World Cup
I
ndia made history on 14th Yi. Reflecting on her performance composed 3-0 win against Tomato
December 2025 by winning the and the significance of the moment, Ho to complete the clean sweep
Squash World Cup for the first Chinappa said, “It feels great for India. After the match, Anahat
time, defeating top-seeded Hong playing here in Chennai. I am still said, “I just wanted to play my best
Kong 3-0 in the final held at the so thankful that I can still be a part squash. To finish the tie for India is
Express Avenue Mall in Chennai. of the India national team. Playing unbelievable.”
The victory marked a landmark here with the home support made
India’s squad was unbeaten
success for Indian squash and made all the difference.”
throughout the tournament,
India the first Asian nation to lift
India’s top-ranked men’s singles winning every tie without dropping
the prestigious mixed-team title.
player Abhay Singh followed with a match as they progressed to the
Veteran Joshna Chinappa set a clinical 3-0 victory over Alex final. Their dominant run included
the tone for the final with a strong Lau in just 19 minutes, extending victories over Switzerland, Brazil,
3-1 win over Hong Kong’s Lee Ka India’s lead. Singh spoke about the South Africa and Egypt before
experience of winning on home soil, facing Hong Kong.
saying, “An unbelievable evening. I
The World Cup triumph
am so privileged to be able to do
improves on India’s bronze medal
this with some really legendary
finish in the 2023 edition and
teammates. For me to be a Chennai
comes as squash prepares for its
boy and do this in my city makes me
Olympic debut at the Los Angeles
speechless.”
2028 Games, a development seen as
The tie was sealed by 17-year- a boost for the sport’s profile in the
old Anahat Singh, who delivered a country.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 17

 Smt Laxmi A

PM's launches

Fertiliser plant in Dibrugarh

P
M Modi laid the foundation Limited, National Fertilisers farmers in Assam and
stone of a ₹10,601 crore Limited, Hindustan Urvarak neighbouring states.
ammonia urea fertilizer plant & Rasayan Limited and  With rising demand and
at Namrup in Dibrugarh district, Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser ageing infrastructure there
Assam. The project developed Corporation Limited
under the Assam Valley Fertiliser was a pressing need for a
(BVFCL). modern, high capacity plant.
and Chemical Company Limited
(AVFCCL).  Annual production: 12.7 lakh  This would ensure
metric tonnes of urea. uninterrupted urea supply,
HIGHLIGHTS  Expected commissioning: reduce dependence on
 Joint venture between central 2030 imports and strengthen the
region’s agricultural resilience.
and state entities - Assam  This collaboration ensures  A major step towards fertiliser
Government, Oil India financial strength, technical self-reliance, boosting farmer’s
expertise and long-term welfare and accelerating
sustainability. industrial growth in Northeast
India.
Significance Prime Minister inaugurated
 Namrup has been a centre the Grand International Exposition
for fertiliser production for of Sacred Piprahwa Relics in
New Delhi. The Piprahwa relics,
decades; and houses BVFCL
discovered in 1898, are among the
which is the oldest fertiliser
earliest archaeological remains
unit in the Northeast. directly associated with Lord
 Traditionally, it has served Buddha.

18 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Sacred Piprahwa relics in
global buddhist exposition
The exposition displays
rare Buddhist relics connected
to Buddha, many of which were
recently repatriated to India.
The event reflects the country’s
continued focus on preserving
heritage while sharing it with the
world.

HIGHLIGHTS

 Titled “The Light and the

Lotus: Relics of the awakened
one”, the exposition is being
held at the Rai Pithora
Cultural Complex.

 For the first time, the

exhibition brings together
Piprahwa relics preserved at
the National Museum and the
Indian Museum.

Significance

 The exposition highlights

India’s deep civilisational
links with Buddhism, which
originated in the subcontinent
and spread across Asia.

 It reflects India’s role as power through heritage,

the spiritual homeland of spirituality, and shared Asian
Buddhism and strengthens cultural traditions.
cultural diplomacy.
 Such efforts not only preserve
national heritage but also
 The event also aligns with the make it accessible to scholars,
Prime Minister’s emphasis devotees and the general
on promoting India’s soft public.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 19

 Shri Mrithyunjay GN

Te ch no logi c al news
F
rom breakthroughs Across research labs, defence Government of India. PARAM
in supercomputing to institutions, space centres and Rudra has a computing capacity
homegrown medical devices startup ecosystems, India has shown of three petaFLOPS (a measure
and strides in space missions and that major technological progress of a computer's processing speed,
sustainable engineering, 2025 can be achieved with domestic specifically the ability to perform
has been a transformative year ingenuity and global vision. Here one quadrillion (1015) floating-point
for India’s technology landscape. are five developments that capture operations per second) and is built
Indian innovators have delivered the impact of India’s technological on indigenously designed Rudra
achievements that demonstrate surge over the last year and the first servers developed by the Centre
not just advancement but self- week of 2026 too! for Development of Advanced
reliance, achieving milestones that Computing (C-DAC).
echo a commitment to innovation, PARAM Rudra System
becomes operational at IIT It is expected to benefit more
economic strength and strategic
Bombay than 200 faculty members along
autonomy.
The Indian Institute of with nearly 1,200 students.
Technology (IIT) Sunita Verma, Group
Bombay has inaugurated Coordinator at the Ministry of
a new high-performance Electronics and Information
supercomputing Technology (MeitY), highlighted
facility known as the importance of this achievement
the PARAM Rudra in India’s technological trajectory,
system as part of the and emphasised the need for
Government’s National more investment in indigenous
Supercomputing development.
Mission. The system
was inaugurated This installation continues the
on 8 th
January 2026 expansion of India’s supercomputing
by Professor Abhay ecosystem, with a total of 38
Karandikar, Secretary supercomputers commissioned
of the Department of across the country under the
Science and Technology, National Supercomputing Mission.

20 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

DHRUV64: A fully developers but
indigenous 64-bit to anyone across
microprocessor the world.
India has marked another T h i s
significant milestone in its milestone
semiconductor development with not only adds
the launch of DHRUV64, the a valuable
nation’s first fully indigenous component to
1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core India’s processor
microprocessor. Developed by portfolio but
C-DAC under the Government’s also lays the
Microprocessor Development groundwork for
Programme, the chip represents a future high-end
strategic step in domestic processor chips that can
capability, crucial for reducing our be produced at
dependence on foreign computing home.
hardware. D H RU V 6 4
is not just a
DHRUV64 is a reliable, chip. It is a Tesla MRI scanner. The scanner was
homegrown processor platform building block for next-generation built at the Chandrapur Cancer
much like the ones running our homegrown semiconductor Care Foundation near Nagpur.
many computers and smart devices. technologies.
DHRUV64’s design is based on This development dramatically
open-source RISC-V architecture VoxelGrids unveils India’s shifts India’s position in advanced
which will provide a dependable first indigenous MRI diagnostic imaging by reducing
platform for industrial systems, scanner dependence on expensive imported
5G networks, automotives and In a breakthrough for medical MRI systems.
consumer electronics. And all of technology, Bengaluru-based
The VoxelGrids system is
this will be openly accessible to startup VoxelGrids has developed
built with a helium-free design,
not just Indian scientists and India’s first fully indigenous 1.5
which lowers manufacturing
and operating costs by almost
40 % compared to conventional
imported MRI machines. It also
incorporates energy-efficient
electronics and maintains industry-
standard size for clinical use across
all health centres.

Founder Arjun Arunachalam

said that the company’s long-term
effort involved more than a decade
of research. “We have been able to
make the electronics around the
magnet extremely well-packaged
while maintaining the same bore-
size, making it far more power
efficient and reducing operating
costs,” he explained.
In addition to cost and energy
advantages, VoxelGrids also offers

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 21

 deployment, ISRO Chairman V
Narayanan announced, “I am
extremely happy that LVM3-M6
launch vehicle has successfully and
precisely injected BlueBird Block-2
communication satellite in the
intended orbit.” Prime Minister
Modi remarked, “This is also
reflective of our efforts towards an
Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” further
congratulating space scientists and
engineers.
The BlueBird Block-2 satellite
is designed to expand space-based
cellular broadband connectivity,
providing direct-to-smartphone
communication services in areas
that lack traditional ground
infrastructure.
The mission showcased the
reliability of India’s space launch
capabilities and strengthened the
flexible pricing models such as launch marking the success of the
country’s role in global satellite
pay-per-use, which could make ‘Baahubali’ rocket.
deployment market.
MRI services more accessible to
smaller hospitals and in regions This mission is one of the
SWaDeS enhances water
which do not currently have access heaviest commercial payloads
security with portable sea
to expensive technology found in launched from Indian soil,
water desalination
metros. showcasing India’s growing
capability in global commercial India’s Defence Research
This innovation reflects a major space services. On the successful and Development Organisation
leap in India’s medical technology
capabilities and supports broader
goals of domestic manufacturing in
health tech.

BlueBird Block-2 satellite

launch on ISRO’s
‘Baahubali’ rocket
The Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) successfully
launched the BlueBird Block-2
satellite aboard its heavy-lift
LVM3-M6, commonly referred
to as the ‘Baahubali’ rocket, from
Satish Dhawan Space Centre in
Sriharikota recently. The satellite,
developed by AST SpaceMobile in
the United States, was successfully
placed into Low Earth Orbit post its

22 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

(DRDO) has developed a portable enabling soldiers in coastal, to clean water in remote areas
Sea Water Desalination System high-altitude or arid regions where conventional supply lines are
known as SWaDeS, aimed at to independently generate safe unavailable.
turning saline seawater into potable drinking water without heavy
The manual version’s portability
drinking water for troops and infrastructure. The engine-operated
makes it useful for patrols and
remote communities. The system version can reduce seawater salinity
emergency deployments. SWaDeS
was unveiled in January 2026 to drinkable standards and support
also highlights how defence-led
by DRDO’s Defence Laboratory, the needs of up to 20 to 25 personnel.
technologies can have broader
Jodhpur.
The system is a practical civilian applications in settings
SWaDeS can operate both solution to one of the most persistent where water scarcity is a critical
manually and with engine support, challenges of field operations: access challenge.

A look ahead
These milestones represent
India’s rising confidence
and capability in technology
domains once dominated by
global incumbents. Whether in
supercomputing, semiconductors,
medical imaging, space services
or sustainable engineering, India’s
approach is clear: build locally, scale
globally and empower tomorrow’s
innovators.

Collectively, these
achievements underscore the
progress and promise of an India
that is not just participating in
the global technological race but
shaping its direction.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 23

 Smt Meenakshi S

A
n innovative satellite
internet concept developed
by an Indian team has
earned global recognition at the
NASA Space Apps Challenge
2025. The project aims to bridge
India’s digital divide by delivering
broadband connectivity to remote
and underserved regions.

The Chennai-based team:

Photonics Odyssey, proposed a
sovereign, phased-array satellite
internet infrastructure to expand
broadband access across remote
regions and won the Most
Inspirational Award. The project
aims to reduce ground dependency
and help connect more than
shines at
700 million people in India who NASA's Space Apps Challenge
currently lack access to broadband
connectivity. This technology
offers several advantages over
The NASA International Space
conventional satellite systems
Apps Challenge is an annual global
like faster signal acquisition,
hackathon organised to encourage
lower latency, higher reliability
collaborative problem-solving
and better scalability for large
using open-source data provided
populations. A key factor behind
by space agencies. Since its launch
the global recognition is their
in 2012, the challenge has grown
interdisciplinary approach that
into a powerful ecosystem fostering
combined expertise in photonics,
innovation, entrepreneurship and
satellite communications, systems
real-world problem-solving using
design and problem-solving.
space science and technology.
The winning team members are
Manish D., M. K., Prasanth G., It has grown into one of
Rajalingam N., Rashi M., and the world’s largest collaborative NASA said the 2025 edition of
Sakthi R. platforms for STEM innovation. its flagship global hackathon
brought together more than 1
lakh 14 thousand participants
across 551 local events in 167
countries and territories. Indian
American students and participants
of Indian origin also featured
prominently among the winners,
reflecting the strong presence of the
Indian diaspora in global science
and technology innovation. This
recognition not only celebrates a
single project but also symbolises
India’s broader innovation
ecosystem, which increasingly
contributes solutions to global
challenges.

24 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Shri Bharath

INSV Kaundinya's first voyage

A tribute to indigenous knowledge systems

I
n July 2023 a tripartite MOU architect Cdr Hemanth Kumar
Inspired by the was signed by the Ministry of and the project was funded by the
Culture, Indian Navy and a Ministry of Culture.
ancient Indian ship Goa-based ship building company
M/S Hodi Innovations Private
building tradition Ltd. The agreement was to build
The ship

and techniques, a sailing vessel using sewn ship After the MOU was signed the
technique. The design of the ship is keel was laid in September 2023.
Kaundinya was based on a 5th century CE merchant Inspired by the ancient Indian ship
ship depicted in the murals of building tradition and techniques,
constructed Ajanta caves. This ship was named Kaundinya was constructed entirely
entirely using Kaundinya after the legendary first using stitched – plank techniques.
century Indian mariner who sailed The wooden planks of the ship are
stitched – plank to Southeast Asia. stitched together using coconut coir
ropes and sealed with natural resins.
techniques. With such ships Indian mariners
The project
have undertaken long-distance
The project was conceived voyages to West Asia, Southeast
by Sanjeev Sanyal - an economist, Asia and Africa, long before the
author and historian, to revive advent of modern navigation.
ancient Indian maritime heritage – Built by traditional artisans under
shipbuilding, seafaring and cultural. the guidance of master shipwright
The concept was realised by naval Babu Sankaran and builder

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 25

Prathamesh Dandekar, the ship is Sun motifs on sails-
fully sea worthy and fit for oceanic representing vitality, divinity,
navigation. They were supported by navigation and auspicious
extensive research and testing by the beginnings.
Indian Navy and the Department of Simha yali on the bow-
Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras. It is A mythical lion-like creature
a 19.6 m long and 6.5 m wide vessel symbolising strength and
and is equipped with square sails guardianship over the ship.
and steering oars which are entirely
alien to modern day ships. Despite Harappan – style stone anchor
using ancient techniques the vessel on deck as a tribute to Indus valley
is equipped with modern satellite maritime trade networks and early
communication. This engineless, anchoring technology.
wind powered ship was launched in The voyage: Kaundinya
February 2025 and commissioned embarked on her maiden voyage
in May 2025. from Porbandar, Gujarat to Muscat,
Sultanate of Oman 29th December’
[Link] voyage celebrates the
The symbolism more than five millenia old shared maritime heritage that long
maritime, cultural and civilisational predates the modern nation-state. It
The ship is also very rich in was an 18-day journey that ended
ties between India and Oman and
its cultural symbolism with the on 14th January 2026.
is a tribute to India’s seafaring
following symbols:
legacy .The voyage retraces the
Gandabherunda – A two ancient maritime routes that once Cdr Vikas Sheoran led the
headed eagle associated with the connected the western coast of vessel while Cdr Hemant Kumar
Kadamba dynasty, symbolising India with Oman. The arrival of who was associated with the project
power and protection. Kaundinya in Muscat symbolises a since the conceptualisation, was the
officer-in-charge of the expedition.
The crew comprised four officers
and thirteen naval sailors.

This voyage from Porbandar to

Muscat is not only important from
a bilateral relations perspective but
also from a strategic perspective.
Today, the Indian Ocean has re-
emerged as a theatre of intense
geopolitical competition. China’s
growing naval presence and
expanding partnerships among
extra-regional powers have
heightened the strategic value of
reliable regional partners. For India,
whose trade and energy lifelines
traverse these waters, Oman’s
location near the Strait of Hormuz
makes it strategically important.
The concept, the techniques, the
symbols and the selection of the
destination for the maiden voyage
are all rooted in Bharatiyata. INSV
Kaundinya is thus a convergence
of Bharatiya history, craftsmanship
and naval expertise.

26 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Kum Anu Narayan

Liquid nanoclay turns deserts green

A
t the beginning of March, the sand. It can be applied using One challenge is cost. Treating
a small team travelled to sprinklers or regular irrigation land currently costs several dollars
the deserts of Dubai and systems. According to the company, per square metre, but the company
planted watermelon, zucchini and the treatment can turn desert land is developing machines that can
pearl millet in what looked like into usable farmland in just a few produce much more liquid nanoclay
lifeless sand. Five months later, that hours and reduce water use by at lower prices. If the cost drops, this
same land was covered in healthy more than half. invention could have a huge impact
green plants and fresh vegetables. This invention is especially on global food supplies.
This surprising success was made important for countries like the Liquid nanoclay shows how
possible by an invention called United Arab Emirates, which science and innovation can help
Liquid Nanoclay. imports about 90% of its food. solve real-world problems—like
Growing food locally in the desert feeding a growing planet.
Liquid Nanoclay is a special
could improve food security and
mixture made from just water and
reduce dependence on imports.
clay. It is created by a Norwegian
Since 2018, Desert Control has
company called Desert Control.
been working with the International
When sprayed onto dry, sandy soil,
Center for Biosaline Agriculture
the liquid soaks in and sticks to
(ICBA) in Dubai to test the
the sand particles. This helps the
technology on real crops.
soil hold water better and provides
nutrients that plants need to grow. Scientists believe Liquid
Nanoclay could help many dry
The technology was invented regions around the world grow more
by scientist Kristian Olesen and food. However, some experts warn
later developed into a product by that deserts are fragile ecosystems;
Desert Control. The clay particles and any new technology must be
are made extremely tiny, allowing used carefully to avoid harming
the liquid to spread easily through nature.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 27

 Shri Arpith Vijayan

Flora & fauna news

A rare all-black tiger tigers are believed to result from protected tiger reserves, though
spotted in Odisha rare genetic mutations affecting sightings of melanistic big cats are

A
pigmentation. exceptionally rare. Wildlife experts
rare all-black tiger has say the discovery highlights the
been sighted, surprising Forest department officials
ecological significance of the region
wildlife experts and said the animal appeared healthy
and underscores the importance
conservationists. and was moving freely within
of continued conservation efforts
its natural habitat. Camera trap
The melanistic tiger, to protect endangered species and
images and eyewitness accounts are
distinguished by its unusually their habitats.
currently being reviewed to confirm
dark coat, was reportedly observed Rare eastern imperial
details of the sighting and to better
in a forested region of the state eagle spotted at
understand the tiger’s behaviour.
during routine wildlife monitoring Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
activities. Such sightings are Odisha is known for its rich
extremely uncommon, as true black biodiversity and is home to several A rare migratory bird of prey,
the eastern imperial eagle, was
sighted in Tamil Nadu during the
2025-26 winter season. The sighting
has drawn attention to Mudumalai’s
growing importance as a safe
winter home for birds of prey that
migrate long distances to the Indian
subcontinent.
The eastern imperial eagle, a
winter visitor to India, was recorded
by wildlife photographer Murali
Moorthy in the Nilgiris landscape.
One of the photographs also showed
the eagle alongside an endangered
Egyptian vulture, making the

28 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 NHAI introduces India’s
first wildlife-safe road

India has taken an important

step towards eco-friendly road
development with the launch of
its first wildlife-safe highway on
National Highway 45 (NH-45)
in Madhya Pradesh. The project,
introduced by the National
Highways Authority of India
(NHAI), aims to reduce accidents
involving wild animals while
ensuring smooth travel through
forest areas.
sighting especially important The reserve has open grasslands for
The wildlife safe road is
for conservationists. Experts say hunting, forest edges, tall trees for
located on the 11.96-kilometre
such observations help track the resting, and plenty of prey. Studies
Hiran Sindoor stretch of NH-45,
movement and survival of rare conducted between 2011 and
connecting Bhopal and Jabalpur.
migratory birds. 2022 recorded around 58 species
Situated about 60 kilometres
of raptors in the area. Low human
The species breeds in parts from Jabalpur, the highway passes
disturbance and diverse habitats
of Central and Western Asia and through a dense forest corridor
make it suitable for wintering birds.
travels south during the winter between the Nauradehi Wildlife
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Sanctuary and the Veerangana
months. Only a small number reach
covers about 321 square kilometres. Durgavati Tiger Reserve. This
India each year, making sightings
It is located at the meeting point of region is home to tigers, deer,
uncommon. The eagle is a large Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, sambar, jackals and other animals;
bird of prey and a top predator that and forms part of the Western and frequent crossings have earlier
feeds on rodents and small animals, Ghats and the Nilgiris Biosphere led to accidents.
helping maintain balance in nature.
Reserve. Conservationists, however,
Its presence is often seen as a sign of
warn that increasing tourist activity The main feature of the project
a healthy ecosystem.
could disturb sensitive habitats. is the introduction of ‘table-top red
Wildlife researchers say They stress the need for responsible road markings’, used for the first
Mudumalai provides ideal tourism to protect both migratory time in India. These slightly raised
conditions for migratory raptors. and resident wildlife. red surfaces slow down vehicles
naturally without sudden braking.
The bright red colour alerts drivers
that they are entering a wildlife-
sensitive zone. Nearly the entire
forest stretch has been covered with
these markings.

The highway also includes 25

wildlife underpasses and tall iron
fencing to guide animals towards
safe crossing points. Built under the
Green Highways Policy, 2015, the
`122 crore project could serve as a
model for wildlife-friendly roads
across India.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 29

 Smt Ghana Saraswathy M

Drogue parachute tests for Gaganyaan

I
ndia’s dream of sending This is followed by the This achievement was made
astronauts to space took deployment of two drogue possible through the combined
another confident step forward parachutes, whose main role is to efforts of ISRO, Vikram Sarabhai
in December 2025, when ISRO stabilise the crew module and reduce Space Centre (VSSC), ADRDE
successfully completed a crucial its speed during re-entry. Once (DRDO) and TBRL (DRDO).
series of qualification tests for the the drogue parachutes complete
Drogue parachutes used in the their task, three pilot parachutes The successful completion of
Gaganyaan crew module. These are released to pull out three main these tests marks a major milestone
tests were conducted at the Rail parachutes, which finally slow the in qualifying the parachute
Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility module enough for a safe landing. system for human spaceflight,
of the Terminal Ballistics Research bringing India closer to its historic
Among all these stages, the Gaganyaan mission.
Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh. drogue parachutes play a critical
The parachute system is one of role. They must perform perfectly
the most important safety features under extreme conditions,
of the Gaganyaan mission. It ensures including high speeds and changing
that the Crew Module carrying flight environments. The objective
astronauts slows down safely while of this test series was to verify
returning to Earth. The complete their performance, reliability and
The Rail Track Rocket
deceleration system consists of 10 strength under such challenging
Sled facility allows scientists
parachutes of four different types, conditions. to simulate extreme speeds
deployed in a carefully planned Both tests conducted at the and forces on Earth without
sequence. RTRS facility were fully successful, going to space. This makes
achieving all planned objectives. it one of the safest and most
The descent begins with two The results confirmed that the cost-effective ways to test
apex cover separation parachutes, drogue parachutes remain robust critical spaceflight systems
which remove the protective cover even when there are significant like parachutes before real
of the parachute compartment. variations in flight conditions. missions.

30 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Shri Nagarajan R

India’s first urban public transport ropeway

I
ndia’s first urban public Highlights them is improved accessibility
transport ropeway will be to key destinations, including
 Capacity: Expected to carry
rolled out by March 2026 in the renowned Kashi Vishwanath
nearly 1 lakh passengers daily
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, connecting Temple and Dashashwamedh Ghat.
using 148–150 gondolas,
the Cantonment Railway Station By offering an alternative means of
operating every 2 minutes
to Godowlia Crossing, with transport, the ropeway will enable
with a maximum capacity of
construction nearing completion. devotees and tourists to reach
3,000 passengers per hour per
This project marks a significant these significant sites with ease,
direction.
shift towards using aerial cable car saving both time and money.
systems for daily urban commuting  Stations: Five major stations These cars will operate at a
in India, rather than just for tourist (Varanasi Cantonment, Vidya height of 45 metres, providing
or religious sites. Peeth, Bharatmata Mandir, a scenic and efficient mode of
Girijaghar and Godowlia). transportation. The ropeway
 Cost: Approximately ₹645 will be versatile, catering to the
crore to ₹815 crore. transportation needs of both
goods and passengers, making it
 Technology: The system a unique addition to Varanasi's
features a 10-person transportation landscape.
gondola lift with high-speed
capabilities. Covering an aerial distance
of 4.2 kilometres, it will bypass
 Status: Trial runs began in late road congestion, enabling a swift
2025 and early 2026, aiming to and hassle-free journey, drastically
ease severe congestion in the reduce travel time from 45 to just 16
city's narrow, historic lanes. minutes.

The ropeway system in Varanasi is poised to lead India's

Varanasi promises to bring adoption of ropeways for public
numerous benefits to the city transport, setting a remarkable
and its residents. Chief among precedent for other cities to follow.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 31

 Smt Laxmi A

Architectural news
India’s largest circular stone Link to the Satavahana  Such coins were commonly
labyrinth discovered in dynasty used in the Roman world.
Maharashtra

A
 The Satavahana dynasty ruled Possible purpose of the
rchaeologists have large parts of the Deccan Labyrinth
uncovered the largest between the 1st and 3rd
circular stone labyrinth  Navigational marker for
centuries CE
in the Boramani grasslands of traders.
Solapur district which dates back  Maharashtra played a key role
 Symbolic signpost along trade
nearly 2,000 years. It sheds new in long-distance trade during
light on ancient trade routes and routes.
this period.
cultural links. It belongs to the Early  Guide for merchants trading
Common Era (1st –3rd century CE)  The region connected inland
spices, textiles and precious
settlements with coastal ports.
Structure and design stones.
 Trade flourished between
Size: Approximately 50 feet ×  The placement of the structure
India and the Roman Empire.
50 feet in open grasslands, rather
Circuits: 15 concentric stone Evidence of Indo-Roman than settlements or temples,
rings (highest ever recorded in contact suggests it was meant to be
India) visible from a distance.
 The circular pattern closely
resembles labyrinth symbols
 Wider network of trade
found on ancient coins from
structures.
Crete.
Similar, smaller stone labyrinths
 Roman coins have been
have been found in nearby districts,
discovered in Indian port
Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur.
cities and trading centres from
the same era. Together, these discoveries

32 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

  Zehanpora was likely part
of the Gandhara Buddhist
network, a trans-regional
system of monasteries, trade
routes and learning centres.
Key characteristics
 Stupa-like plateau/mounds:
The mounds appear as man-
made raised platforms,
resembling stupa bases that
have been reduced by time but
remain prominent.
 Multiple mounds (clustered
layout): The landscape
suggests more than one stupa,
indicating a complex, not an
indicate a network of stone markers What is Silk Road? isolated shrine.
across western Maharashtra,
 It was a network of Asian  Evidence of superstructure:
possibly outlining ancient inland
trade routes connecting ports to the trade routes active from the Indications of a wooden super-
second century BCE until the structure above the mound(s),
Deccan interior.
mid-15th century spanning imply layered construction.
Ancient stupas and over 6,400 km on land.  Scientific mapping and
monastic structures  It played a central role survey: Documentation used
from the Kushan period in facilitating economic, drones, remote sensing, aerial
discovered in Kashmir cultural, political and religious photography and ground
interactions between the mapping, indicating that
Context: The 2,000-year-old the site is structurally dense
Eastern and Western worlds.
Buddhist stupas and monastic beyond what is visible on the
complex at Zehanpora in Baramulla Historical background surface.
dating to the Kushan period have
 The site dates to the Kushan  Signature-link potential:
been scientifically excavated.
period (1st –3rd century CE). The excavation narrative
What is Zehanpora stupa? highlights comparing
 Kashmir was a major centre construction patterns/
The Zehanpora site is a large of Buddhist learning during circuits/modus features across
Kushan-era Buddhist complex this time under rulers like regional sites.
comprising multiple stupas, apsidal Kanishka and Huvishka.
chaityas (prayer halls), viharas  Buddhism in Kashmir began Significance
(monk residences), urban-type earlier under Ashoka (3rd Experts note no other
settlements and artefacts, spread century BCE) and flourished regional site matches Zehanpora’s
over nearly 10 acres in Baramulla through Mahayana Buddhism, scale, making it a key addition to
district located along the ancient which later spread to Central Kashmir’s material history.
Silk Route corridor. Asia and China.
The complex strengthens
Kashmir’s position as a hub of
Buddhist learning and monastic
activity, linked to movement of
monks, ideas and pilgrims.

Modus is a structured
approach to building or a
specific, consistent style, often
relating to proportion, rhythm
or a particular, established
technique of creation.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 33

 Shri Sampath D

NHAI shatters world records

T
he National Highways Highway project. Two additional
The record Authority of India Guinness World Records were
breaking operation (NHAI), in association set in the subsequent week. These
with concessionaire Rajpath included the continuous laying of
was underpinned Infracon, has established four a massive 57,500 metric tonnes of
by stringent Guinness World Records. The bituminous concrete and a record
feats were accomplished during the for continuous paving of 156
quality assurance construction of the Bengaluru– lane km. This stretch, equivalent
mechanisms Kadapa–Vijayawada Economic to a 3-lane wide section of 52
Corridor (NH-544G). The record- km, significantly surpassed the
and monitored break happened in January 2026, previous world record which stood
by premier near Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, at 84.4 lane km.
where the team established the NHAI and Rajpath Infracon
institutions, first two global records. NHAI deployed a massive fleet of state-
including IIT achieved the longest continuous of-the-art construction equipment,
laying of bituminous concrete including 70 tippers, five hot mix
Bombay and in a single day, covering 28.89 plants, one paver and 17 rollers.
original equipment lane km (equivalent to a 3-lane The operation was underpinned
wide section stretching 9.63 km). by stringent quality assurance
manufacturers, Simultaneously, a second record mechanisms and monitored by
was set for the highest quantity premier institutions, including IIT
ensuring that of bituminous concrete laid in a Bombay and original equipment
speed did not single day, totalling 10,655 metric manufacturers (OEMs), ensuring
tonnes. that speed did not compromise
compromise safety or quality standards.
These marked the first time
safety or quality such figures have been recorded The Bengaluru–Kadapa–
standards. globally under a six-lane National Vijayawada greenfield national

34 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

highway project has been designed brownfield sections. By bypassing enhance regional connectivity by
for a safe, high-speed and scenic congested towns and existing linking Bengaluru with Vijayawada,
travel experience. It has recently highways, the corridor aims to strengthening access between the
gained momentum and is expected enable faster and uninterrupted Rayalaseema region and the coastal
to significantly enhance Andhra movement for both passengers and northern regions of Andhra
Pradesh, as well as the Koparthy
Pradesh’s connectivity with and freight. The project features 17
Industrial Node.
Bengaluru. The six-lane, access- interchanges, 10 wayside amenities,
controlled expressway is designed a 5.3 km tunnel and a 21 km eco- These Guinness World Records
to reduce travel time between the sensitive section passing through stand as a testament to NHAI’s
Andhra Pradesh capital, Amaravati forest areas. commitment to deliver world-class
National Highway infrastructure,
and Bengaluru from the current The total length of the aligned with the vision of the
11–12 hours to nearly 8 hours. expressway is estimated at 518–624 Government of India to build safe,
Traversing the Guntur, km, at a projected cost of around efficient and globally benchmarked
Prakasam, Kurnool and Kadapa r19,200–19,320 crore. The greenfield corridors that support economic
districts before entering Karnataka, section spans approximately 342 growth and regional development
the expressway is being developed kms while brownfield upgrades across the country.
under Bharatmala Phase- cover 186 kms.
II, combining greenfield and The corridor will significantly
Greenfield projects involve
building from scratch on
unused land, offering total
design freedom and modern
infrastructure but with higher
initial, longer and higher-risk
development costs.
Brownfield projects involve
redeveloping existing sites,
offering faster, cheaper and
more sustainable access to
established infrastructure.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 35

 Shri Ramaswamy R

- First to commercially
produce bio - bitumen

B
itumen is a highly viscous, of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun,
black, sticky and waterproof invented commercial bio-bitumen
hydrocarbon mixture by developing a method to
Bio-bitumen, which derived from petroleum refining convert agricultural waste (such
replaces up to 30% (residue from distillation) or as rice straw and stubble) into a
natural deposits. It is used primarily sustainable, high-performance
of conventional as a road construction binder and binder for road construction. This
petroleum-based waterproofing material. Classified innovation, which replaces up to
into four main chemical fractions 30% of conventional petroleum-
bitumen, aims to Saturates, Aromatics, Resins based bitumen, aims to reduce
reduce India's and Asphaltenes (SARA), natural India's import and combat pollution
bitumen has been in use for from stubble burning.
import and combat thousands of years. The process
pollution from of refining bitumen from crude
The invention process
petroleum in a laboratory or
stubble burning. industrial setting was pioneered in
involved the following key
scientific and technical steps:
the early 1900s in the United States.
1. Agricultural residues like
Scientists from CSIR (Council
for Scientific and Industrial paddy straw that are otherwise
Research), mainly Central Road burnt causing environmental
Research Institute (CRRI), New hazards, are processed into
Delhi, and the Indian Institute pellets.

36 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 2. The biomass pellets are
subjected to pyrolysis, a
process of heating agricultural
waste in the absence of oxygen
at controlled temperatures.

3. The yield of bio-oil is upgraded

by chemical operations to
create a stable high-quality
binder.
4. The resulting bio-binder
is tested for mechanical,
chemical and rheological
properties, to ensure that Bitumen at 15% blending in 2002, which turned plastic
it matches or exceeds the would save s4500 crores in waste into road building material
performance of traditional forex. and mixed with heated bitumen to
petroleum-based bitumen. create more durable, water-resistant
This “waste-to-wealth”
5. The technology was validated initiative, aims to improve air roads. Reducing requirements
through successful field trials, quality while strengthening for bitumen, this technology has
including a demonstration rural economies and providing a been used to build over 1,00,000
on the Jorabat–Shillong sustainable alternative for highway km roads in India and has been
Expressway (NH-6). construction. In this context, adopted internationally.
CSIR then transferred the mention needs to be made about
technology to private firms for the efforts of Dr. Rajagopalan, Rheology is the study of
industrial-scale commercial Chemistry Professor at Thiagarajar the deformation and flow
production. The produced College of Engineering, Madurai. of matter, focusing on the
bio-bitumen at s40 per kg Awarded Padma Shri in 2018, the relationships between stress,
is 20% less expensive. Bio- Professor had patented a method strain, temperature and time.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 37

 Shri Sampath D

I
ndia’s maritime sector has
emerged as a vital pillar of
the nation’s economic growth,
facilitating nearly 90% of the
country’s trade by volume and over
70% by value. In recent years, Indian
ports have witnessed remarkable
improvements in capacity, efficiency
and technology. The achievement of
a new port record in cargo handling
and operational performance
reflects India’s growing strength in
maritime logistics and its ambition

India sets a new port record

to become a global trade hub.
Reduced vessel turnaround time,
faster clearance procedures and
equivalent units (TEUs). This marks in supporting economic growth
improved hinterland connectivity
a significant rise from the 7.05 and realising the vision of making
have contributed significantly to
million TEUs recorded in 2024. India a leading global logistics and
this achievement. The adoption
Alongside container growth, JNPA maritime hub.
of automated systems, real-time
also registered its highest-ever cargo
tracking and digital documentation
tonnage at 98.87 million tonnes,
has further streamlined port
compared to 90.27 million tonnes
operations.
in the previous year.
A major factor behind this The achievement was driven
success is the government’s by strong performances across all
proactive policy framework. The terminals.
Sagarmala programme has played
• Bharat Mumbai Container
a crucial role in modernising port
Terminals (BMCT) - 2.6 million
infrastructure, enhancing coastal
shipping and developing port- • APM Terminals (APMT) -
linked industrial clusters. 2.17 million
• Nhava Sheva International
In 2025, India's maritime sector
Container Terminal - 1.3 million
achieved historic milestones, with
• Nhava Sheva (India) TEU or Twenty-foot
major ports handling a record 855 Equivalent Unit is a standard
million tonnes of cargo. Mundra Gateway Terminal - 1.09 million
measurement in shipping
Port became the first in India to • Nhava Sheva Free Port and logistics representing
exceed 200 million metric tons Terminal - 0.74 million the volume of a 20-foot
of annual cargo, while Adani The growth of port-led long, 8-foot wide and 8-foot
Gangavaram Port set a monthly development has also stimulated high shipping container,
record of 66 vessels. regional economic development, used to quantify container
particularly in coastal states. ship capacity, port traffic
Jawaharlal Nehru Port and cargo volumes globally.
Authority (JNPA), India’s To sustain this momentum,
leading container port and a India must focus on sustainability, It is the basic unit for
skill development, and integrated calculating shipping costs
key international trade gateway,
and tracking trade, where a
achieved a historic milestone in logistics planning. It is imperative
40-foot container equals 2
calendar year 2025 by handling that with consistent efforts, Indian
TEUs.
a record 7.9 million twenty-foot ports can play a transformative role

38 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Col Shashidhar M V (Retd)

INS ANJADIP
Reincarnating a coastal sentinel
Rewind to address a growing operational name off Karwar, an area of enduring

T
gap in coastal and littoral anti- maritime and strategic relevance.
he story of INS ANJADIP is
submarine warfare. The re-incarnation is symbolic but
best understood when the
the necessity is operational - being
Ministry of Defence in April INS ANJADIP, the third vessel
able to secure India’s vast coastline
2019 signed a contract with Garden of the series, was launched in June
against underwater threats in
Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers 2023 at L&T’s Kattupalli facility
shallow waters.
(GRSE) for eight Anti-Submarine (Tamilnadu). The ship’s name
Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW revives the legacy of the earlier INS Dock news
SWC). Conceived to replace the ANJADIP, a Petya-class corvette
ageing Abhay-class corvettes, these decommissioned in 2003 and draws INS ANJADIP was delivered
Arnala-class ships were designed its identity from island of the same to the Navy at Chennai on 22nd
December 2025 marking yet another
milestone in indigenous warship
construction. With this handover,
it became the 115th warship built
by GRSE and the 77th delivered to
the Navy. It was formally inducted
by the Eastern Naval Command,
reinforcing steady momentum
within the fleet. The delivery also
capped a productive year for GRSE
which had already handed over
multiple frontline platforms across
ship categories.

Public Private Partnership

A defining feature of the
ASW SWC programme is its

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 39

 with approximately 80 to 88%
Public-Private Partnership model. among the largest Indian naval ships indigenous content. From hull
While GRSE leads the project, propelled by waterjets. A shallow fabrication to combat systems,
construction of four vessels has been draught of about 2.7 metres enables Indian industry and DRDO-linked
subcontracted to L&T Shipyard. close-coast operations. The ship ecosystems have driven the delivery.
Designed and built under Indian is equipped with state-of-the-art This reduces import dependence,
Register of Shipping classification lightweight torpedoes, indigenously strengthens domestic supply chains,
rules, this collaboration designed anti-submarine rockets and generates skilled employment
demonstrates how complex naval and shallow-water sonar. A 30 mm across the defence manufacturing
platforms can be delivered through indigenous naval surface gun further base.
shared industrial responsibility, enhances its close-range combat
schedule discipline and technology capability. With a maximum speed Conclusion
transfer setting a template for future of about 25 knots and endurance of
defence shipbuilding. 1,800 nautical miles, the platform INS ANJADIP strengthens
is optimised for sustained littoral coastal surveillance, anti-submarine
Physical features, armaments missions. defence and mine-laying capability.
and weaponry Industrially, it validates PPP-driven
Boost to Atmanirbhar Bharat shipbuilding at scale. Strategically,
At approximately 77 metres
in length and around 900 tonnes INS ANJADIP embodies it reinforces maritime security close
displacement, INS ANJADIP is the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision to home waters.

40 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Col Shashidhar M V (Retd)

World's first
ramjet-powered artillery shells
Gunners shot Artillery modernisation in the have limits in range when compared

T
Indian Army to advanced missile systems. The
he Indian Army stands on the
new ramjet-assisted shell aims to
cusp of a historic milestone Artillery modernisation has
bridge this gap.
in artillery technology. It is been a long-standing priority for the
poised to become the world’s first Army ever since the famous Bofors The innovation
military force to deploy ramjet- guns were contracted in the early
The key innovation lies in
powered 155 mm artillery shells. 1980s. The current geo-political
integrating ramjet propulsion
This is an important story which threat has brought the focus back on
into a standard 155 mm artillery
needs to be followed up because it the mighty gunners to meet these
shell. This development promises to
shows how science, innovation and challenges with increased range,
extend the shell’s range by 30 to
military minds come together to improved accuracy and enhanced
50% without reducing its destructive
strengthen our country’s defence. overall performance of munitions.
power. Instead of replacing existing
Artillery, often called the “King Modern battlefields demand the
guns or ammunition, the Army can
of Battle,” is once again evolving ability to strike targets farther
upgrade what it already has, making
to meet the challenges of modern away with precision. Conventional
the innovation both practical and
warfare. artillery shells, though powerful,
cost-effective.
Ramjet technology

Ramjet technology has been

used in missiles for many years,
but applying it to artillery shells
was a concept hitherto unknown. A
ramjet is an air-breathing engine
with no moving parts.
It begins working only after
the shell reaches very high speed—
around Mach 2 or twice the speed
of sound.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 41

 in aerospace engineering, materials
science and military operations has
been crucial in turning a complex
idea into a working system.
Atmanirbharta initiative and
pay-offs
This development strongly
supports India’s self-reliance
initiative.
By reducing dependence on
foreign technology and upgrading
existing ammunition, India
strengthens its defence industry and
saves resources. The innovation also
opens possibilities for future exports
and further technological progress.

Conclusion
The ramjet-powered artillery
shell is more than a military
achievement. It is a lesson in
innovation, education and national
At this stage, air entering the been conducted at the Pokharan
responsibility. It shows how science
shell mixes with fuel and burns, field firing ranges in Rajasthan.
taught in classrooms can protect the
producing thrust that pushes the This partnership highlights how
nation in real life. For students, it
shell farther during flight. academic institutions and the
is an inspiring example of how
Academia–military military can work together for
knowledge can serve the country.
collaboration national development.
This project is presently being The team
developed jointly by the Indian The project has been led by
Army and IIT Madras with support a dedicated team of professors,
from the Army Technology Board. engineers and retired senior military
Successful trials have already officers. Their combined expertise

Author’s note
As a gunner, I have always
believed that the gunner’s strength
lies not just in firepower, but in
thinking ahead.
A new idea small in size but
big in impact is quietly changing
how far and how accurately our
guns can strike. I have had the
personal privilege of working with
these experienced military minds
behind this path-breaking project
sometime in the past and let me
confess this is going to be a game
changer for Indian artillery once it
is operationalised.

42 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Col Shashidhar M V (Retd)

Missile news
Precision, credibility and a strategic message
The countdown missile test in the Bay of Bengal,

I
reflects steady progress in both
ndia’s recent missile-related conventional strike capability and
developments mark an strategic deterrence. Both these
important step in strengthening events highlight preparedness,
national security and technological indigenous innovation and credible
confidence. The successful salvo strategic heft in a complex security
launch of two Pralay missiles environment.
from the same launcher off the
Odisha coast, followed by a What these tests mean
submarine - launched ballistic The salvo firing of two Pralay

missiles in quick succession

demonstrates that India’s missile
systems can perform reliably under
realistic operational conditions.
Conducted as part of user evaluation
trials, both missiles followed their
intended trajectories and met all
mission objectives, confirming the
robustness of guidance, control and
launcher systems.
The submarine-launched
ballistic missile test, carried out

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 43

 Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence.
Both the missile systems have been
designed by our in - house DRDO,
defence labs, industry partners and
MSMEs to meet the strategic and
tactical defence capabilities of our
Armed Forces. Indigenous design
and production reduce dependence
on external suppliers and ensure
continuity during crises.

Pay offs
Operationally, the Pralay
missile enhances conventional
from a nuclear-powered submarine the US Army’s Precision Strike
deterrence through precision,
in the Bay of Bengal, reinforces Missile (PrSM) and South Korea’s
flexibility and rapid re-engagement
India’s ability to maintain a secure Hyunmoo-2, Pralay can deceive
capability. With a range of 150–500
second-strike capability. anti-ballistic missile interceptors.
km and the ability to carry different
types of warheads, it complicates
Pralay missile K-4 SLBM
adversary planning. Strategically,
Indigenously developed solid- The K-4 SLBM is India's the successful SLBM test from INS
propellant quasi-ballistic missile nuclear-capable, intermediate- Arighaat strengthens deterrence and
Pralay employs state-of-the-art range missile (IRBM) developed by assuring retaliation capability
guidance and navigation to ensure by the DRDO for India's nuclear thereby reducing any incentive for
high precision. submarines, boasting a 3,500 km escalation by adversaries.
range and a 2-tonne payload,
Alongside the BrahMos Technology demonstrator
significantly enhancing India's
supersonic cruise missile, Pralay is undersea deterrence, which is part Both tests function as
expected to play a key role in India’s of its nuclear triad (land, air, sea). technology demonstrators. The
planned rocket force. It is reportedly Pralay salvo validates launcher
comparable to China’s Dong Feng These achievements are endurance, fire-control systems
12 and Russia’s Iskander missile, closely aligned with the vision of and terminal accuracy, while the
SLBM test confirms complex
dynamics such as underwater
launch, transition to flight and
long-range performance. Each test
feeds valuable data back into the
design loop, enabling incremental
improvements and faster induction
timelines.

Conclusion
India’s recent missile tests
are not isolated events but part
of a deliberate, phased approach
to building credible, indigenous
military capability as part of long-
term national security by combining
precision on land with survivability
at sea, thus reinforcing deterrence
and retaining escalation control.

44 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Law in focus Smt Deepasri

KEY LEGAL EVENTS (2025) – Part-2

I
n continuation of the previous that digital access is an intrinsic
The Ministry edition of the series, below is part of the fundamental right
a snapshot of some key legal to life and dignity under
of Labour and events/changes which took place Article 21 of the Constitution
Employment rolled over the course of 2025. and issued directions to
make digital KYC/e-KYC/
out CPPS under the  Environment (Construction video-KYC inclusive for
Employees’ Pension and Demolition) Waste persons with disabilities.
Management Rules, 2025: This potentially raises the
Scheme, 1995, to The Central Government expectation for banks and
enable pensioners notified these rules under the other institutions concerned,
Environment (Protection) to equip themselves and
to receive their Act, 1986, to strengthen address grievances on priority.
pensions from regulation of waste from  Centralised Pension
construction, renovation and Payment System (CPPS):
any bank/branch repair activities. The rules, The Ministry of Labour
and to address proposed to come into force and Employment rolled out
from 1st April 2026, lay down CPPS under the Employees’
accessibility a framework for segregation,
Pension Scheme, 1995, to
collection and processing of
challenges faced waste, with tighter regulation
enable pensioners to receive
their pensions from any
by pensioners and and risk for lapses/non-
bank/branch and to address
compliances.
ensure an efficient accessibility challenges faced
by pensioners and ensure
disbursement  Digital access part of Article an efficient disbursement
mechanism. 21: The Supreme Court held mechanism.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 45

 Secretary of the Department
of Legal Affairs in the Ministry
of Law and Justice, India,
becoming the first woman to
hold this position.
 The Greenhouse Gases
Emission Intensity Target
Rules, 2025: The Ministry
of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change notified
these rules, which describe
greenhouse gases emission
intensity targets along
with carbon-credit linked
compliance concepts.
 Appointment of Justice
Surya Kant as CJI: On 24th
November, 2025, Justice Surya
Kant was appointed the 53rd
Chief Justice of India. He is set
to serve until his retirement
on 9th February, 2027.
 SHe-Box Portal: Based on the
Supreme Court’s judgement
in Aureliano Fernandes v.
The State of Goa and Ors.,
the Department of Women
and Child Development,
Government of Delhi has
mandated all establishments
to register with the ‘SHe-Box
portal’ where women can file
complaints regarding sexual
harassment in the workplace,
as a step towards safer
 Implementation of the
workspaces for women.
Uniform Civil Code (UCC):
Uttarakhand became the
first state in India post-
independence to implement KYC Know our Customer
the UCC. The UCC Act, / Client is a mandatory
which received presidential verification process used
assent in 2024; and the UCC by financial institutions,
Rules notified in January banks and other companies
2025; cover various aspects to authenticate a customer's
including marriage, divorce identity, address and
and succession. credentials. This process
is crucial to prevent money
 Secretary of the Department
laundering, fraud and illegal
of Legal Affairs: Dr. Anju
financial activities.
Rathi Rana was appointed the

46 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Dr Preethy SP Living Naturally

Holistic healing of muscle injuries

M
uscle pull, muscle pain Muscle pain may also arise from
and strain are common lactic acid build-up, dehydration,
Naturopathy aims health issues affecting mineral imbalance or chronic
people of all age groups. They often inflammation. Modern lifestyles
not only to relieve occur due to overexertion, improper involving long hours of sitting,
posture, sudden movements, lack of excessive screen time and reduced
symptoms but also warm-up before physical activity, physical activity have increased the
nutritional deficiencies or prolonged incidence of such problems in India.
to address the root stress. Naturopathy focuses on Naturopathy aims not only to relieve
healing through Nature, supporting symptoms but also to address the
causes of muscular the body’s inherent ability to repair root causes of muscular weakness
itself by using natural therapies, and imbalance.
weakness and proper nutrition, lifestyle regulation
and mental well-being. Hydrotherapy for muscle
imbalance. relief
Understanding muscle pull Hydrotherapy is one of the most
and strain effective naturopathic treatments
A muscle pull or strain for muscle pain and strain. It
occurs when muscle fibres are involves the therapeutic use of water
overstretched or torn due to sudden at different temperatures.
force or excessive load. This leads Hot water fomentation helps
to pain, stiffness, swelling and relax tight muscles and improves
restricted movement. blood circulation.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 47

 Regular practice enhances
flexibility, strengthens muscles
and improves posture. Asanas
such as bhujangasana, tadasana,
trikonasana, vajrasana and
shavasana are beneficial for relieving
muscle tension and improving
circulation.
Pranayama techniques like
anulom vilom and bhramari help
reduce stress, which is often linked
to chronic muscle pain.

Applying a hot compress or Herbal oils infused with

soaking in warm water for 15–20 eucalyptus, camphor, turmeric and
minutes reduces stiffness and ginger are especially effective for
promotes healing. Cold water muscle pain.
therapy, on the other hand, is useful
during the initial stage of injury. Yoga and physical therapy
Cold compresses reduce swelling Yoga plays a vital role in
and inflammation. preventing and managing muscle
Contrast baths, alternating injuries.
between hot and cold water,
stimulate circulation and speed up
tissue repair.

Mud therapy and earth

healing
Mud therapy is a traditional
naturopathic method widely
practised in India. Natural clay or
mud, rich in minerals, is applied
to the affected area. It helps absorb
toxins, reduce inflammation and
improve circulation. Mud packs over
strained muscles provide cooling
relief and promote regeneration of
tissues.

Massage therapy and oil

How to massage for pain relief: For muscle sprain, oil massage
application should be done gently after the initial swelling has reduced
(usually after 24–48 hours). Warm a small amount of sesame,
Massage is an essential part of coconut, castor or mustard oil until it is lukewarm and apply it
naturopathic and traditional Indian lightly over the affected area. Massage using slow circular motions
healing. Gentle massage improves and gentle strokes along the muscle without applying too much
lymphatic drainage, reduces muscle pressure. Continue for about 10–15 minutes once or twice daily.
tension and restores flexibility. After massage, applying a warm towel or hot water bag helps
Natural oils such as sesame oil, improve circulation and healing. Avoid massage if there is severe
coconut oil, mustard oil and castor pain, swelling, bruising or open wounds.
oil are commonly used.

48 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 fasting for physical and spiritual
purification.
However, fasting should be
done under professional guidance,
especially for elderly or weak
individuals.

Lifestyle modifications
Naturopathy emphasises
disciplined living. Maintaining
proper posture, using ergonomic
furniture, taking regular breaks
during work and ensuring adequate
sleep are crucial for muscle health.
Walking barefoot on grass
(earthing), sun exposure in the
morning and spending time in
Nature are encouraged to improve
circulation and mental balance.

Stress management through

meditation and mindfulness also
plays a significant role in reducing
muscle tension.

Preventive approach

Prevention is better than

cure. Warm-up exercises before
Gentle stretching under proper Healthy fats physical activity, gradual increase
guidance accelerates recovery and Cold-pressed oils, coconut, in workload, regular stretching and
prevents recurrence. balanced nutrition prevent muscle
groundnuts and flaxseeds support
Diet therapy tissue healing. injuries.
A balanced naturopathic diet Hydration While naturopathy is highly
for muscle health includes: Adequate intake of water, effective for mild to moderate
Proteins coconut water, buttermilk and muscle injuries, severe tears,
herbal teas prevents cramps and fractures or nerve damage require
Pulses, lentils, chickpeas, fatigue.
sprouts, paneer, curd, nuts and medical intervention. An integrated
seeds provide essential amino acids Avoiding processed foods, approach combining modern
for muscle repair. excessive sugar, fried snacks and diagnostics with natural therapies
carbonated drinks is essential, as ensures safe and comprehensive
Calcium and magnesium
they promote inflammation and treatment.
Ragi, sesame seeds, leafy greens, delay recovery.
bananas and almonds strengthen In today’s fast-paced world,
muscles and bones. Fasting and detoxification returning to Nature-based healing
Short-term fasting and not only relieves pain but also
Anti-inflammatory foods
detox therapies are sometimes promotes long-term wellness,
Turmeric, ginger, garlic, tulsi, resilience and harmony. Through
recommended in naturopathy to
amla and curry leaves reduce conscious living and natural
inflammation and pain. remove metabolic waste. Fruit
fasting, vegetable juice fasting or care, individuals can maintain
Fruits and vegetables mono-diet therapy helps cleanse strong muscles, flexible bodies
Papaya, pineapple, oranges, the body and improves nutrient and balanced minds, reflecting
guava, carrots, beetroot and spinach absorption. This practice is rooted the true essence of Indian health
supply antioxidants and vitamins. in ancient Indian traditions of philosophy.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 49

 Smt Uthra Dorairajan Women scientists of India

Dr. Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay

T
he first woman director of With passion to learn, she
Indian Statistical Institute later joined IIT Kharagpur and
[Link] (ISI), [Link] completed her masters as a
started her career Bandyopadhyay is a scientist with topper again. Her thirst to research
mastery in machine learning, further and achieve mastery drove
in the machine artificial intelligence as well as her to complete Ph.D. in computer
intelligence unit biology and bioinformatics. With science from ISI, Kolkata.
this kind of multi-disciplinary
of ISI as a faculty expertise, she has designed [Link] started her
member in 1999 algorithms for studying the role career in the machine intelligence
of micro RNAs in cancer, HIV1 unit of ISI as a faculty member
and grew up the pathogenesis and Alzheimer's in 1999 and grew up the ladder
to become this prestigious
ladder to become progression.
organisation's first woman director
this prestigious Sanghamitra was born in in 2015. Though she was not much
1968 in Howrah, West Bengal and oriented towards biology during
organisation's first lived in different small towns and school or college days, she was
woman director in cities, as her father Satyendra Nath asked if she could use her prowess
Banerjee had a transferable job. in pattern recognition algorithms to
2015. This helped her adapt to changes, identify patterns of interaction and
understand people and appreciate interference of small RNA molecules
different cultures of our country. to combat life threatening diseases.
She completed her [Link]. Physics
from Presidency College Kolkata, Ever since, Sanghamitra
followed by [Link] in Computer decided that computational biology,
Science with the first rank. bioinformatics and evolutionary

50 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Academy of Engineers
(INAE).
 2006 - Swarnajayanti
Fellowship from the
Department of Science and
Technology.
 2010 - Shanti Swarup
Bhatnagar Prize in
Engineering Sciences. She was
the second woman scientist to
receive it.
 2017 - JC Bose Fellowship.
 2018 - TWAS prize for
Engineering
Other achievements include:
 IIT Kharagpur distinguished
alumni award.
 Humboldt Fellowship.
 Senior associateship of ICTP
(International Centre for
computation should become her but at times when saying no is
Theoretical Physics) Italy.
line of inquiry. “Shifting through important, the leader should be able
them and finding what we can to say no. It is important to have that Fellow of
only be done computationally not transparency, to demonstrate that
 Indian National Science
manually”, she started looking there’s fairness,” says this exemplary
Academy (INSA).
out for biomarkers of cancer. In leader.
2014, Prof. Sanghamitra and her  National Academy of Sciences,
No wonder she is the first
peers identified a new genetic person who was reselected in 2020 India (NASI).
biomarker for breast cancer. With as the Director of ISI, for the second  Indian National Academy of
practical applications in the field of term of this internationally reputed Engineers (INAE).
healthcare, her works have made her organisation, after the founder Prof.
one of the leading computational Mahalanobis. She avers, “Another  Institute of Electrical and
biologists. important part of keeping your Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
A person who entered the team motivated is telling them “I
 The World Academy of
portals of ISI as a senior research value you” – that you value their
Sciences (TWAS).
fellow also demonstrated her contribution, you value what they are
doing, you value them for whoever  International Association for
strength as a research guide, teacher,
they are, irrespective of successes or Pattern Recognition (IAPR).
scientist and a collaborator. “For a
failures.” The chambers of ISI echo
scientific organisation, in particular, this value as she continues to be at  West Bengal Academy of
the leader should be a reputed the helm of affairs. Science and Technology.
academician/​scientist who is known
for the strength of their science. The  The Infosys Prize in
[Link] is the recipient
other quality which is an absolute Engineering and Computer
of several honours.
must is a very high level of integrity. Science was awarded to Prof.
 2000 - Young Scientist Award Sanghamitra for her scholarly
The actions taken should be very
from the Indian National record in algorithmic
rational and should be backed up by
Science Academy (INSA). optimisation.
strong logic.
They should always be trying to  2002 - Young Engineer Modern scientific instruments
find a solution, to facilitate things, Award from Indian National such as sequencers and information

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 51

networks generate prodigious of white matter in Alzheimer’s From 2018, Prime Minister's
amounts of data that need to be disease. The World Academy Science, Technology and Innovation
analysed quickly and sometimes at of Sciences (TWAS) recognised Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) has
real-time speeds. her outstanding contributions been advising the Prime Minister
in computational biology, multi- on various science and technology-
Sanghamitra’s scholarship
objective optimisation and genetic related matters for developing a
concerns design of new computer
algorithm-based classification and futuristic roadmap. Recognising
algorithms that enable us to
clustering techniques. the zeal for transdisciplinary
automatically search for patterns
research, our government made
and knowledge in large data sets.
Prof. Sanghamitra is [Link] a member of this
Her algorithms save time in finding
internationally acclaimed for her council from the day of its inception.
optimal solutions and have a
clustering methods using genetic Later in 2022, she was awarded
significant impact on biological data
algorithms. She has held the Padma Shri, for her contributions
analysis. Her discoveries include a
positions of a researcher and faculty in the fields of machine learning,
genetic marker for breast cancer,
member with various foreign artificial intelligence, computational
determination of co-occurrence
academic institutes world-wide biology and bioinformatics.
of HIV with cancers and the role
including USA, Australia, Germany, “By nature, I’m never too happy
France, Italy, China, Slovenia and with successes and never too sad
Mexico and delivered invited with failures. What has always
lectures in many more countries. mattered to me is whether I’ve given
She has authored more than 300 it my best shot or not. And once I
research papers, book chapters have done that, I take the results
and conference proceedings as they come, whether they are
in multiple areas of research successes or failures. But not giving
interest including Bioinformatics up is something which has been
and Computational Biology, very important to me. You learn
Computational Intelligence, Pattern from your failures as well as from
Recognition, Data Mining and your successes”, are her words that
Multiobjective Optimisation. reveal a karmayogi.

52 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

Know your Padma awardee Smt Ramamani N

Lourembam Bino Devi

Early life rooted in tradition Learning the art of Leeba Mastery through dedication

L
At the age of seventeen, soon Over the next five decades,
ourembam Bino Devi was
after her marriage to Lourembam Lourembam Bino Devi mastered
born on 1st March 1944 in
Kunjabihari Singh, Bino Devi began nearly thirty intricate Leeba designs.
Singjamei Mathak Thokchom
learning Leeba appliqué art from She created traditional items
Leikai, Imphal West, Manipur.
her mother-in-law, Lourembam such as Monmai pillow covers,
Growing up in the cultural heartland
Ongbi Ibetombi, a National Award- Ningkham Samjin waistbands,
of the Meitei community, she was
winning artisan. Her training Luhong Phijin and Harao Phijin
surrounded by traditions where art
followed the traditional guru– shawl borders. Her work strictly
and ritual were closely connected.
shishya parampara. She learnt by followed traditional protocols, as
She studied up to Class IX; though
observing and practising, without Leeba motifs are considered sacred
her formal education was limited,
sketches or machines. Every motif and closely linked to Meitei rituals,
her environment nurtured a deep
was cut freehand using scissors, festivals and royal attire.
respect for heritage that would later
needle, thread and cloth, guided by
define her life’s purpose. Each piece took days of careful
memory and cultural knowledge.
and patient craftsmanship.
Reviving heritage and sacred
motifs
Bino Devi played a crucial role
in reviving rare and sacred motifs
such as Phantup, associated with the
deity Pakhangba and Thamballei
Cheplei, inspired by the lotus and
Manipur’s royal heritage.
She also restored important
historical artefacts, including the

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 53

 interest among youth and market
limitations, she has remained
determined to protect the art from
extinction.

Notable honours and

recognition
1996 - State Award for
Master Craftsmen by Commerce
flag of Maharaja Chandrakirti and State Museum in collaboration and Industries Department,
royal velvet shoes of Maharaja with cultural experts, training Government of Manipur.
Kulachandra Singh, using authentic students under the guru–shishya
2000 - First prize at the All
Leeba techniques. parampara. She has taught at her
India Handicrafts Week.
home, participated in exhibitions
Educator and guardian of across India and spoken on All 2015 - Silpa Bhushan Award by
culture India Radio and Doordarshan to Manipuri Sahitya Parishad.
Since 1995, she has conducted spread awareness about Leeba.
2022 - Padma Shri, in
workshops at the Manipur Despite challenges such as declining
recognition of being one of the oldest
and most dedicated practitioners of
Leeba.

An enduring inspiration
Even in her eighties,
Lourembam Bino Devi continues to
teach and create. Her life proves that
passion, patience and perseverance
can preserve an entire cultural
legacy. She stands as an enduring
inspiration, reminding us that
safeguarding heritage is not just a
duty, but a lifelong commitment.

54 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Smt Archana Sundar Curiosity
Defence technology Corner
1. How does radar technology detect fast-moving aerial objects?
2. Why are defence satellites critical for both security and weather monitoring?
3. What is the advantage of a supersonic cruise missile compared to a subsonic
one?
4. How does DRDO contribute to student and youth innovation in science and
engineering?
5. Why is drone technology considered a major shift in modern defence
strategy?
6. How can cyber defence protect a country without physical weapons?
7. Why is indigenous (self-reliant) defence manufacturing strategically
important?
8. Which Indian missile is known as the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the
world?
9. Why is India’s missile named “Agni”—and what does the name tell us about its
role?
10. Which Indian defence system is called a “flying fortress in the sky” because
it can spot threats hundreds of kilometres away?
11. What does the word “BrahMos” stand for?
12. Why does India follow a “No First Use” nuclear policy, and why is it important
globally?
13. How does India protect its borders without firing a single bullet—using
technology and satellites?
14. What is cyber warfare and why is it considered the “new battlefield”?
15. Which Indian aircraft carrier is proudly called “Made in India, for India”?
16. Why are submarines harder to detect than warships—and why does that
matter?
17. How do fighter jets refuel mid-air? Why is this a game-changer?
18. What is DRDO? How does it turn science students into defence innovators?
19. Can lasers and AI really be used in defence? Where is India already doing
this?
20. Why are some Indian missiles named after rivers, fire and warriors?
Answers on page 66
FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 55
 Shri Natarajan Raman

Ved: Hey Vyas, what’sup? I magic part called attention or more

heard something about transformers specifically, self-attention. Imagine
in AI. Can you tell me more? we are reading the sentence: “The cat
Vyas: Sure Ved, you can sat on the mat because it was tired.”
consider transformer to be a smart To understand what “it” means, you
brain of AI, one that is advanced pay attention to “cat”. Transformers
over the traditional neural networks do the same—they check how much
like CNN and RNNs used for attention each word should give to
understanding language—like how every other word.

Vyas chatbots, translators and voice Ved: So, every word looks at all

Ved assistant’s work. the other words to find relation and

importance?
Ved: Oh! So, does it read text
like how we read a story? Vyas: Exactly! Each word asks,
“Who should I care about?” This
Vyas: Yes, kind of, but in a helps the transformer understand
much smarter way. Earlier models meaning, grammar and context of
like RNNs read words one by one, the sentence well.
like reading with a finger under
Ved: Cool! But where does
each word. Transformers read the
the transformer start? Does it
whole sentence at once and figure
understand words directly?
out how all the words are related.
Vyas: First, words are changed
Ved: That sounds great! How
into numbers called embeddings.
does it understand which words are
Think of embeddings as special
important?
coordinates that tell the computer
Vyas: Good question. That what a word means and how it’s
is where transformers bring the related to other words.

56 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 57
58 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026
 it generates the sentence in another
language, one word at a time.
Ved: Oh, nice. Does the
decoder also use attention?
Vyas: Yes, two types!
 Self-attention to look at the
words it already generated.
 Encoder–decoder attention
to look back at the encoder
and decide which input words
matter most for the next
output word.
Ved: Wow! That’s like checking
your notes while writing an answer!
Vyas: Great comparison! That
is why transformers are so powerful.
They are also parallel, meaning they
can process many words at the same
time, unlike older models that were
slow.
Ved: Is that why models like
ChatGPT are fast and smart?
Vyas: Yes! ChatGPT, Google
Translate and many AI tools are
based on transformers.
Ved: Like how “teacher” and 1. Self-attention – to see Ved: Are there any drawbacks?
“students” are related? relationships between words.
Vyas: They need a lot of data
Vyas: Perfect example! Their 2. Feed forward network – to and computing power to train. But
embeddings are close to each other. think deeply about what it once trained, they are amazing at
After embeddings, the transformer learned. understanding language.
adds something called positional Ved: Multiple layers? Why not Ved: So, in short, transformers
encoding. just one? use attention to understand
Ved: What does that mean? Vyas: More layers mean deeper everything together, not step by
Why ? understanding. The first layer might step?
Vyas: Transformers don’t learn simple things like grammar, Vyas: Exactly, Ved. That is the
naturally know word order. while deeper layers understand fundamental idea. Attention is all
Positional encoding tells the model meaning, emotions or intent. you need!
which word comes first, second and Ved: That is like school! First, Ved: Haha! Now that makes
so on—like adding page numbers to we learn letters, then sentences, sense. Thanks, Vyas! I also got to
words. then essays! know that transformers handle
Ved: Got it. So, what happens multi format objects like images,
Vyas: Exactly Now, after the
next? music, audio, video etc.
encoder understands everything,
the information goes to the decoder. Vyas: Yes. These can handle
Vyas: Then comes the encoder.
multiple format objects/files. We’ll
The encoder’s job is to understand Ved: What does it do? discuss this later. Got to go now.
the input sentence. It has multiple
Vyas: The decoder creates the Bye!
layers, and each layer has two main
parts: output. For example, in translation, Ved: Thanks, Vyas. Bye!

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 59

Architectural wonder Smt Ghana Saraswathy M

Mukteshwar
Temple

N
estled quietly in famous arched gateway (torana)
Bhubaneswar, the at the entrance. Unlike anything
Mukteshwar Temple seen before in Odisha, this curved
may be small in size, but it stands stone arch is richly decorated with
tall as one of the finest examples carvings of dancers, floral patterns
of Odisha’s temple architecture. and mythical figures.
Often called the “gem of Odishan
architecture,” this temple captures The temple walls are covered
the grace, imagination and spiritual with intricate sculptures—graceful
depth of ancient India. women, musicians, ascetics,
Built in the 10th century, animals and scenes from daily
Mukteshwar Temple marks an life. Every carving feels alive, as
important transition in temple if the stone itself is telling stories
design. It beautifully blends earlier from a thousand years ago. The
simplicity with later decorative sanctum tower (vimana) rises Best time to visit
richness, making it a turning point gently, decorated with detailed The best time to visit is from
in the evolution of Kalinga-style motifs, while the small prayer hall October to February, when the
architecture. The moment you walk (jagamohana) adds balance and weather is pleasant. Early mornings
closer, your eyes are drawn to the harmony to the structure. and evenings are ideal for a calm
and memorable experience.

Mukteshwar Temple
is often called the
“architectural bridge”
between early and mature
phases of Odishan temple
architecture.

60 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Smt Ramamani N Sahas Veer

Ashoka Chakra
Kirti Chakra
Shaurya Chakra
Honouring courage beyond Gallantry awards and their
the battlefield significance

I
The gallantry ndia has a proud tradition
These gallantry awards are
awards are of recognising extraordinary
bravery and sacrifice. After announced twice a year—on
announced twice gaining independence, the Republic Day and Independence
Day—symbolising the nation’s
a year—on Government of India established
heartfelt gratitude towards its
gallantry awards to honour those
Republic Day and who displayed exceptional courage brave sons and daughters. In the
order of precedence, the Ashoka
Independence in the service of the nation. On
Chakra holds a prestigious position,
26th January 1950, the Param Vir
Day—symbolising Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and Vir followed by the Kirti Chakra and
Chakra were introduced, but were Shaurya Chakra among other
the nation’s awards. The Ashoka Chakra and
deemed to have come into effect
heartfelt gratitude from 15th August 1947. Later, on Shaurya Chakra stand out as they
4th January 1952, three additional are awarded for acts of bravery
towards its awards—Ashoka Chakra Class I, “otherwise than in the face of the
brave sons and II, and III—were instituted, which enemy,” recognising remarkable
were renamed in January 1967 as courage during peacetime or in
daughters. the Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra internal security situations.
and Shaurya Chakra, respectively.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 61

 Shaurya Chakra: Gallantry
recognised widely
The Shaurya Chakra, originally
instituted as Ashoka Chakra Class
III, has been awarded to 2,143
individuals. It honours acts of
gallantry not in direct combat with
the enemy and may also be awarded
posthumously.
Recipients are also entitled to a
monetary allowance, acknowledging
their sacrifice and service. It carries
a monthly stipend of ₹750/- for the
recipient.
Following categories of persons
are eligible for the Shaurya Chakra:
Officers and men and women
of all ranks of the Army, the Navy
and the Air Force, of any of the
Reserve Forces, of the Territorial
Army, Militia and of any other
lawfully constituted forces.
Nursing officers of military
nursing service.
Ashoka Chakra: Supreme gallantry award, awarded to
bravery in peace military personnel and civilians Civilian citizens in all walks of
for conspicuous courage and self- life and members of Police Forces
The Ashoka Chakra is awarded
sacrifice away from the field of including Central Para-Military
for the most conspicuous bravery,
battle. Forces and Railway Protection
daring acts, pre-eminent valour
Ranking below the Ashok Force are also eligible.
or self-sacrifice. To date, 98 brave
Chakra and above the Shaurya Legacy of inspiration
individuals have been honoured
Chakra, it is often bestowed for anti-
with this award.
insurgency and rescue operations.
It is open to officers, men and
women of all ranks from the Army, Officers, men and women of
Navy and Air Force, including all ranks of the Army, the Navy and
reserve forces and other lawfully the Air Force, of any of the Reserve
Forces, of the Territorial Army,
constituted forces. Members of the
Militia and of any other lawfully
Armed Forces Nursing Services,
constituted Armed Forces are
police personnel, paramilitary eligible for this award.
forces, the Railway Protection Force We have witnessed the
Members of the Nursing extraordinary stories of Param Vir
and even civilians from all walks of
Services of the Armed Forces, awardees in earlier editions. We will
life are eligible.
Civilian citizens in all walks of continue to explore the remarkable
The award includes a medal, life and members of Police Forces journeys of Ashoka Chakra, Kirti
and a monthly stipend of ₹2,800/-. including Central Para-Military Chakra and Shaurya Chakra
Forces and Railway Protection awardees, who are the true “Desh
Kirti Chakra: Supreme Force are also eligible. ke sahas veer”.
bravery in peace
The decoration may be awarded Their lives inspire generations
The Kirti Chakra is India's posthumously. Monetary allowance to cherish courage, selflessness and
second-highest peacetime of ₹1050/- per month. unwavering service to the nation.

62 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Spotlight of the month Smt Archana Sundar

TEEN TITAN
Kaamya Karthikeyan

I
n a breathtaking display To maintain her strength in
of endurance and grit, these sub-zero conditions, Kaamya
18-year-old Kaamya had to consume a rich diet of nearly
Kaamya’s South Karthikeyan has officially etched 5,000 calories a day, often eating
Pole success her name into the annals of polar freeze-dried meals while sheltered
history. She became the youngest in a small tent that served as her
follows her 2024 Indian and the second-youngest only refuge against the Antarctic
completion of the woman in the world to reach the wilderness. Every litre of water
South Pole on skis, marking the she drank had to be painstakingly
Seven Summits, penultimate step in her quest for melted from snow using a portable
where she global exploration dominance. stove, a task that added hours of
labour to her already exhausting
scaled the tallest The 115 km battle daily routine.
mountain on every Kaamya’s journey was a A trail of broken records
While most of her peers are
continent. gruelling odyssey across the world’s
most unforgiving terrain. Hauling focused on board exams, Kaamya’s
a heavy supply sled—her life "classroom" has been the world’s
support containing food, fuel and highest peaks. This South Pole
shelter—she navigated a landscape success follows her 2024 completion
of treacherous sastrugi (wind- of the Seven Summits, where she
sculpted snow ridges) and blinding scaled the tallest mountain on every
whiteouts. continent.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 63

 Her record-breaking streak Antarctic? Kaamya’s training was
includes: legendary. To simulate pulling a sled
 Mount Everest: Reaching the on ice, she spent months in the heat
summit at just 16. of India pulling massive tractor tires
becoming the youngest person in
across rough terrain. This discipline,
 Mount Aconcagua: Becoming history to complete the Explorers
fuelled by a passion that began on
the youngest girl to summit Grand Slam. To achieve this, she
a trek at age three, has seen her
the South American giant in must reach the North Pole, the final
recognised by the Prime Minister
2020. piece of a puzzle that includes all
and awarded the Pradhan Mantri
 Mount Elbrus: Completing a seven major continental summits.
Rashtriya Bal Shakti Puraskar.
rare ski descent from Europe’s
As she stands at the bottom of
highest point at age 11. One step from the Grand the world, Kaamya Karthikeyan
Slam has sent a clear message to the
Training in the heat for the
cold The South Pole was not the youth of India: no horizon is too
How does a student from finish line—it was a milestone. distant and no climate is too cold
tropical Mumbai prepare for the Kaamya is now on the brink of for a heart-fuelled by fire.

64 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026

 Shri Sridhar P Nobel series 2025

Economics
T
he 2025 Nobel Prize for innovation. Newer products and Hurdles that creative
Economics was awarded technologies continuously replacing destruction overcame: Western
to Joel Mokyr, Phillipe older ones drive economic growth. Europe was ruled by the nobles
Aghion and Peter Howitt for who owned most businesses and
The work of Nobel laureates: land. Innovation was viewed with
their work on innovation-driven
Joel Mokyr used historical sources scepticism because the nobles
economic growth and particularly
to establish the causes that feared loss of power. Innovation and
for developing the concept for
propelled sustained growth and creative destruction always create
creative destruction.
a new normal was set every time social upheavals due to job losses,
What is creative destruction? that set the bar for further progress. anxiety and adoption bottlenecks.
Technological innovation is an Prior to the industrial revolution, With the pace of innovation
unstoppable process that hastened, societies didn’t quite capitalise on and its wider adoption societal
post industrial revolution. innovations because there was no disruptions will crop up. This will
A confluence of factors like require continuous upskilling and
clarity as to see how innovation
education, discovery of electricity retraining of labour force. But in
blossomed and how it could be put
and its universal reach across the hindsight it is obvious that creative
to use. Joel Mokyr demonstrated
technology spectrum, adoption of destruction has delivered better and
that if innovations were to succeed
technology etc., paved the way for more; and improved quality of life
in a sustained way one has to a have
the march of innovation. for all.
a scientific explanation as to why
Technology advances bring they work. He also suggested that
newer products and replace older people should be open to new ideas.
ones, resulting in better quality of Phillepe Aghion and Peter Howitt
Nobles were the descendants
life. This entire cycle of innovation, studied the mechanisms behind
of warlords that were given
newer products, replacing older sustained economic growth. They
land by the king in return
products older and services is developed mathematical models
for service especially
called creative destruction. Creative to explain creative destruction.
military. They were ranked
destruction as a concept was The laureates believe that creative
immediately below royalty
developed by economist Joseph destruction can create conflicts that
(kings and queens) in
Scumpeter who observed that the must be resolved in a constructive
society.
essential process in capitalism is manner.

FEBRUARY 2026 PRAJYA 65

Answers Answers of page 55
Defence technology
[Link] Detection uses the Doppler Effect to measure frequency shifts in radio waves, allowing
it to distinguish fast-moving objects from stationary background noise.
[Link] satellites provide secure, encrypted communication for troops and high-resolution
atmospheric data for tactical weather forecasting.
[Link] high speed (Mach 1+) minimises an enemy’s reaction time, making them significantly
harder to intercept than slower subsonic missiles.
[Link] fosters innovation through the Dare to Dream contest, internships and funding Centres
of Excellence at universities.
[Link] allow for persistent surveillance and high-risk strikes without risking the lives of human
pilots.
[Link] Defence protects a nation’s vital soft infrastructure—like power grids, banks and
communication networks—from being disabled by hackers.
[Link] importance ensures strategic autonomy, meaning India isn't dependent on foreign
nations for parts or software during a war.
[Link] BrahMos is currently the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world.
[Link] (Fire): Named after the Vedic element of fire, it represents India's nuclear deterrence and
the "destructive power" required to maintain peace.
[Link] PHALCON AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) or the indigenous Netra
systems.
[Link] is a combination of the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moskva River in Russia.
[Link] promises never to use nuclear weapons first; globally, this establishes India as a
responsible nuclear power and prevents accidental escalation.
[Link] uses thermal sensors, satellite imaging (RISAT), and "smart fences" (CIBMS) to detect
intruders without opening fire.
[Link] Warfare involves attacking a nation's digital nervous system; it’s the "new battlefield"
because it can cripple a country faster and cheaper than a physical army.
[Link] Vikrant is the aircraft carrier designed and built entirely within India.
[Link] hide under the ocean’s thermoclines (temperature layers) which block SONAR; this
makes them the ultimate "invisible" second-strike weapon.
[Link] a "probe-and-drogue" system, jets take fuel from a tanker in flight, drastically
extending their range and mission time.
[Link] DRDO provides the technical labs and funding to turn student research into military-
grade technology.
[Link]; India is developing the DURGA-II laser system and uses AI for autonomous surveillance
and facial recognition at border checkpoints.
[Link] are named after elements Agni (Fire), Prithvi (Earth) and warriors to honour Indian
heritage and signify the weapon's purpose and reach.

66 PRAJYA FEBRUARY 2026