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Common Leopard

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Key Facts Common Name: Indian leopard or common leopard Scientific Name: Panthera pardus Population: No official countrywide population estimate is available. However, within the 17 tiger bearing states of India, the leopard occupies an area of around 1,74,066 km2, nearly double the area occupied by the tiger Height: 45-80 cms Length: Head-body length: 100-190 cm, Tail length: 70-95 cm Weight: Male: 30-70 kg, Female: 28-60 kg Status: Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and included in Appendix I of CITES. Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List Characteristics Nine subspecies of the leopard have been recognized, and they are distributed across Africa and Asia. Each of them vary to some degree in appearance and biology as one moves across this wide geographical range, but their exceptionally beautiful black-spotted coat, supreme stealth, and elusive nature remains common. The leopard is the smallest of the big cats, and known for its ability to adap...
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Megamaser

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An  astrophysical maser  is a naturally occurring source of  stimulated   spectral line  emission, typically in the  microwave  portion of the  electromagnetic spectrum . This emission may arise in  molecular clouds ,  comets ,  planetary   atmospheres ,  stellar atmospheres , or various other conditions in  interstellar space . This galaxy has a far more exciting and futuristic classification than most — it hosts a megamaser. Megamasers are intensely bright, around 100 million times brighter than the masers found in galaxies like the Milky Way. The entire galaxy essentially acts as an astronomical laser that beams out microwave emission rather than visible light (hence the ‘m’ replacing the ‘l’). A megamaser is a process where some components within a galaxy (like gas clouds) are in the right stimulated physical condition to radiate intense energy (in this case, microwaves). Astrophysical Maser - Wikipedia Megamaser ...
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Convention on Cluster Munitions

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  The   Convention on Cluster Munitions   ( CCM ) is an international   treaty   that prohibits all use, transfer, production, and stockpiling of   cluster munitions , a type of   explosive weapon   which scatters submunitions ("bomblets") over an area. Additionally, the convention establishes a framework to support victim assistance, clearance of contaminated sites, risk reduction education, and stockpile destruction. The convention was adopted on   30 May   2008 in   Dublin ,  and was opened for signature on   3 December   2008 in   Oslo . It entered into force on   1 August   2010, six months after it was   ratified   by 30 states.   As of September 2024, a total of 124 states are committed to the goal of the convention, with 112 states that have ratified it, and 12 states that have signed the convention but not yet ratified it. Countries that ratify the convention are obliged "never u...
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NITI Aayog and UNICEF India Sign Statement of Intent to Strengthen Nutrition and Health Outcomes in Aspirational Districts and Blocks

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In a significant step towards strengthening collaborative efforts for improving nutrition and health outcomes, NITI Aayog and UNICEF India today signed a Statement of Intent to support strategic interventions in Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks. The SOI was signed by Shri Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme, NITI Aayog and Mr. Arjan de Wagt, Deputy Representative, UNICEF India. This collaboration aims to leverage the strengths of both institutions to advance efforts toward improved maternal and child nutrition outcomes in underserved regions. The partnership will support the promotion of multi-stakeholder engagement and strengthen implementation systems for nutrition and health interventions at the block level. Shri Rohit Kumar noted that the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme has demonstrated the importance of convergence, collaboration and data-driven governance in accelerating development outcomes...
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Aawa Paani Jhoki movement

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  In a time when water scarcity is emerging as one of the most pressing climate challenges, Korea district of Chhattisgarh has demonstrated that the most powerful solutions do not begin with large dams or heavy machinery; they begin with people. Through the spirit of  Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari , the district transformed a vulnerable landscape into a model of resilience by asking a simple yet revolutionary question: What if every farmer voluntarily dedicates just 5% of their land to water? The 5% Model: Small Commitment, Transformational Impact Under the Aawa Paani Jhoki movement, farmers voluntarily set aside 5% of their agricultural land to construct small recharge ponds and terraced pits. These structures capture rainwater directly within fields, ensuring that every monsoon drop is retained, absorbed, and reused. The results have been remarkable: Rainwater that once flowed away now recharges the soil and aquifers Soil erosion has reduced significantly Crop moisture levels ha...
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