Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 24 Jul 2023
- 4 min read
Bal Gangadhar Tilak Birth Anniversary
Recently, the Prime Minister of India has paid tributes to Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his Jayanti on 23rd July,2023.
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak, born on 23rd July 1856, was a freedom fighter, lawyer, and educationist known as Lokmanya Tilak.
- Founder of the Deccan Education Society in 1884, he also established the Fergusson College in 1885.
- Tilak emphasized the need for self-rule or swarajya and popularized the slogan "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it!"
- Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in 1890 and played a significant role in the Surat Split in 1907, advocating complete independence or swarajya.
- He propagated the Swadeshi and Boycott Movement to promote Indian self-reliance.
- Tilak founded the All-India Home Rule League in April 1916, aiming for Hindu-Muslim unity through the Lucknow Pact in 1916.
- Known for his newspapers Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English) and authored books like Gita Rhasya and Arctic Home of the Vedas.
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak passed away on 1st August 1920, leaving behind a significant contribution to India's freedom movement.
Read more: Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Pratihara Ruler Mihir Bhoja
A controversy surrounding the unveiling of a statue of Samrat Mihir Bhoj, a 9th-century ruler, in Kaithal district, Haryana, has led to a significant boycott by the Rajput community.
- Mihir Bhoja or Bhoja I (836 - 885 CE) is the greatest ruler of the Pratihara Dynasty.
- Mihir Bhoj had made Kannauj his capital. He was a devotee of Vishnu, so in honor of Vishnu, he had assumed titles like Varaha and Prabhas.
- The achievements of Mihir Bhoj have been described in his Gwalior Prashasti inscription.
Read more: Pratihara Ruler Mihira Bhoj
The Cannabis Medicine Project
- Government of India recently announced the Cannabis Medicine Project. This research project, undertaken by CSIR-IIIM Jammu, is the first of its kind in India, and it represents a collaboration between the Indian government and a Canadian firm.
- It aims to explore the medicinal potential of cannabis, benefiting patients with neuropathies, cancer, and epilepsy.
- Besides the therapeutic implications, the project will also boost investment in Jammu and Kashmir, creating a positive impact on the region's economy.
Read More: Neuropathies, Cancer, Epilepsy
Chandra Shekhar Azad
- On July 23rd, we commemorate the birth anniversary of Chandra Shekhar Azad, an iconic and fearless freedom fighter of India.
- Born in Bhabhra village (now in Alirajpur District of Madhya Pradesh) in 1906, Azad joined Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement at a young age of 15 and adopted the name "Azad" as a symbol of his defiance against British rule.
- He became a prominent member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), a revolutionary group dedicated to armed struggle against the colonial government.
- Azad was also involved in daring acts of resistance, including the Kakori train robbery.
- Known for his organizational skills and mastery of disguise, he pledged to never be captured alive. Tragically, he lost his life on February 27, 1931, in a fierce gunfight with the police.
Read More: Chandra Shekhar Azad, Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, Non-cooperation movement
