Birth Anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Context: Prime Minister paid tributes to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his birth anniversary (23 July), remembering his immense contribution to India's freedom struggle and the spread of nationalist consciousness.

About Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak

• Early Life and Education: Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born on 23 July 1856 at Ratnagiri (present-day Maharashtra) into a middle-class Chitpavan Brahmin family. 

• He graduated in Mathematics and Sanskrit from Deccan College, Pune (1876) and obtained a Law degree from the University of Bombay (1879). 
• In 1884, he co-founded the Deccan Education Society to promote modern education and later launched the newspapers Kesari (Marathi) and The Mahratta (English) to awaken political consciousness. 

• Role in India's National Movement: Tilak was one of the foremost leaders of the early nationalist movement and is popularly known as "Lokmanya" (Beloved Leader of the People). 

• He gave the historic slogan, "Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it," transforming the demand for self-rule into a mass movement. 
• Along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal, he formed the famous Lal-Bal-Pal trio and emerged as the leader of the Extremist (Nationalist) wing of the Indian National Congress. 
• He popularised nationalism by transforming Ganesh Utsav (1893) and Shivaji Jayanti (1895) into public festivals, encouraging mass political participation. 
• Tilak strongly supported the Swadeshi and Boycott movements during the Partition of Bengal (1905) and opposed the moderate constitutional approach of the Congress. 
• He was tried for sedition twice and was deported to Mandalay (Burma), where he wrote his famous work Gita Rahasya, interpreting the Bhagavad Gita as a message of selfless action (Karma Yoga). 
• In 1916, he founded the Indian Home Rule League at Pune and played a crucial role in the Lucknow Pact (1916), promoting cooperation between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League. 

• Legacy: Tilak is regarded as one of the founding architects of India's freedom movement and helped transform nationalism into a mass political movement. 

• His ideas of Swaraj, Swadeshi, national education and political self-reliance profoundly influenced later leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi. 
• Mahatma Gandhi described him as the "Maker of Modern India," while Jawaharlal Nehru called him the "Father of the Indian Revolution." 
• His writings, especially Gita Rahasya, and his vision of fearless nationalism continue to inspire generations and remain an enduring part of India's political and intellectual heritage.

Birth Anniversary of Chandra Shekhar Azad

Context: Prime Minister paid homage to Chandra Shekhar Azad on his birth anniversary (23 July), describing him as a symbol of fearless courage and unwavering patriotism whose sacrifice continues to inspire generations.

About Chandra Shekhar Azad 

• Born on 23 July 1906 at Bhabhra (now Chandra Shekhar Azad Nagar) in present-day Madhya Pradesh, he spent his childhood in the Bhil region, where he developed exceptional archery and marksmanship skills. 

• As a teenager, he participated in Mahatma Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement (1921). Following his arrest, he declared his name as "Azad", his father's name as "Swatantrata", and his residence as "Jail", earning the name by which he is remembered. 

• He joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and, after the Kakori Train Action (1925), emerged as one of its principal leaders. In 1928, he, along with Bhagat Singh and other revolutionaries, reorganised the HRA into the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), incorporating socialist ideals into its objectives. 

• Azad participated in the revolutionary campaign following the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, including the assassination of J.P. Saunders (1928), and played an important organisational role in HSRA activities while remaining underground. 

• On 27 February 1931, he was surrounded by British police at Alfred Park (now Chandra Shekhar Azad Park) in Allahabad. Staying true to his pledge that he would never be captured alive, he used his last bullet on himself after a prolonged gunfight.

• Legacy: Remembered as one of the foremost revolutionaries of India's freedom struggle, Chandra Shekhar Azad inspired generations through his courage, organisational leadership and unwavering commitment to complete independence from British rule. 

First Indigenous Expendable Turbo Jet Engine

Context: India has successfully developed its first indigenous Expendable Turbo Jet Engine in the 350 kg thrust class, marking a major milestone in indigenous aerospace propulsion technology and defence manufacturing.

About the First Indigenous Expendable Turbo Jet Engine

• The engine has been designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) through its Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE). 

• It is India's first indigenous Expendable Turbo Jet Engine in the 350 kg thrust class. 

• An Expendable Turbo Jet Engine is a turbojet propulsion system designed for one-time-use (expendable) missions, intended to power expendable aerial platforms. Unlike reusable aircraft engines, it is not designed for recovery after the completion of its mission.

• GTRE selected Azad Engineering, Hyderabad, as its industry partner for the manufacturing and assembly of the engine, highlighting the growing role of the private sector in India's defence ecosystem. 

• The engine was successfully realised and delivered by Azad Engineering to GTRE, marking the culmination of years of precision engineering, advanced manufacturing and close collaboration between India's scientific and industrial communities. 

• Jet engine technology is regarded as one of the world's most sophisticated engineering disciplines, requiring exceptional precision, advanced metallurgy, specialised materials and uncompromising manufacturing standards. 

• Only a handful of countries have mastered this capability. 

• The successful development of the engine reflects India's growing capability to design and manufacture advanced propulsion systems, 

• reduces dependence on imported technologies, 
• strengthens indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing, and 
• reinforces the objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence production.

Kusha Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile

Context: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight-test of the indigenous Kusha Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

About the Kusha Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile

• Developed by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under Project Kusha, also referred to as the Extended Range Air Defence System (ERADS). 

• Target Intercepted: Successfully engaged an electronic target simulating a high-speed, high-altitude aerial threat, with all mission objectives achieved. 

• Capability: Designed to neutralise a wide variety of aerial threats, including fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and large enemy aircraft over a wide range and altitude envelope. 

• Indigenous System: All major components, including interceptor missiles, radars, launchers, and the command-and-control system, have been developed by DRDO laboratories in partnership with Indian industry.

• Interceptor Variants: Planned in three versions—M1 (150 km), M2 (250 km) and M3 (350–400 km). 

Significance

• Marks India's entry into the elite group of nations capable of indigenously designing, developing and deploying long-range, multi-tiered air defence systems. 

• Will serve as a key component of India's proposed 'Sudarshan Chakra' air defence umbrella, intended to establish a sovereign, multi-layered air defence shield. 

• Complements the S-400 Triumf system by filling the capability gap between the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) and the S-400, rather than replacing it. 

• Reduces dependence on imported long-range air defence systems and strengthens Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing. 

• Enhances India's capability to counter fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs and future high-speed aerial threats, significantly strengthening national air defence.

NSE's Nifty500 Ahimsa Index

Context: NSE Indices Ltd., a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), has launched the Nifty500 Ahimsa Index, India's first stock market index focused on animal-welfare-based ethical investing.

About the Index

• The index has been developed in collaboration with the Ahimsagain Foundation under its Ahimsa Investment Movement (AIM), which promotes the integration of animal welfare into investment decisions. 

• It seeks to provide investors with exposure to companies whose business practices align with the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence) while promoting responsible investing. 

• It selects companies from the Nifty 500 universe using a proprietary screening framework based on publicly available information, evaluating their products, services and business practices. Companies are classified into Green, Orange and Red categories, with only Green-category companies eligible for inclusion. 

• The index currently comprises 326 companies, weighted by free-float market capitalisation, with an individual stock weight capped at 5%. It is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually, and has a base date of 1 April 2016 and a base value of 1,000. 

• It is designed to serve as a benchmark for passive investment products, including Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), index funds and other structured investment products, while maintaining diversified exposure to the equity market. 

Significance

• The index extends the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing framework by explicitly incorporating animal welfare into investment decisions, thereby promoting ethical and values-based investing. 

• It reflects the growing demand for responsible investment products and strengthens India's portfolio of thematic indices catering to evolving investor preferences. 

Exam Nugget

• BSE Saatvik Index: Introduced earlier by the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), it tracks companies aligned with Saatvik (vegetarian-friendly) principles. 

• In comparison, the Nifty500 Ahimsa Index adopts a broader animal-welfare-based screening framework, making it India's first stock market index specifically focused on animal welfare. 

Operation Southern Readiness 26-2

Context: The Indian Navy successfully concluded Operation Southern Readiness 26-2, a four-day multinational maritime security training engagement, at the Southern Naval Command (SNC), Kochi, from 20–23 July 2026. 

Key Highlights

• The exercise was conducted in partnership with the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) under the aegis of Southern Naval Command and the Indian Navy-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 154. 

• The exercise brought together 276 personnel from 27 CMF partner nations, supported by 76 facilitators and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), along with representatives from four international organisations.

• It showcased the Indian Navy's modern training infrastructure, advanced simulators and instructional expertise, reinforcing Southern Naval Command's role as a leading maritime training hub.

About Combined Task Force (CTF) 154

• CTF 154 is the dedicated Training Task Force of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational maritime partnership comprising more than 40 nations. 

• It focuses on enhancing the capacity, interoperability and professional readiness of CMF partner nations through multinational maritime training. 

• The Indian Navy currently commands CTF 154, reinforcing India's role as the Preferred Security and Training Partner in the Indian Ocean Region and its commitment to regional maritime capacity-building.