Content

1. BOTSWANA GIFTS INDIA EIGHT CHEETAHS FOR NEXT PHASE OF PROJECT CHEETAH
2.  AKSHAR MAHOSTAV

BOTSWANA GIFTS INDIA EIGHT CHEETAHS FOR NEXT PHASE OF PROJECT CHEETAH

Why in News?

• Botswana has formally gifted 8 wild cheetahs to India for the next phase of Project Cheetah.
• President of India Droupadi Murmu and Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko jointly witnessed their symbolic release at Mokolodi Nature Reserve, Botswana.
• Marks a new chapter in India–Botswana wildlife cooperation, especially after earlier cheetah translocations from Namibia and South Africa.

Relevance

GS 3 – Environment, Biodiversity & Conservation

• Inter-continental translocation under Project Cheetah.
• Genetic diversification for long-term species viability.
• Wildlife reintroduction science, habitat restoration, landscape ecology.
• India–Africa cooperation in wildlife management and anti-poaching systems.

GS 2 – International Relations

• Strengthening India–Botswana ties across wildlife, energy, agriculture, health, digital cooperation.
• Conservation diplomacy as an instrument of foreign policy.
• Alignment with India’s Africa strategy (IAFS, Global South outreach).
• Multilateral collaboration: UN, G77, NAM.

The Event

• 8 cheetahs captured from Botswana’s Ghanzi region were released into the quarantine facility at Mokolodi.
• Joint operation by Indian & Botswanan wildlife experts.
• Symbolic launch of the next phase of India’s cheetah reintroduction programme.

Importance for Project Cheetah

• Expands the genetic base of India’s cheetah population.
• Addresses high mortality concerns by strengthening founder population diversity.
• Reinforces long–term viability of Kuno and other potential sites (Gandhi Sagar, Nauradehi, Mukundra).

India–Botswana Wildlife Diplomacy

• Botswanan cheetahs are considered more wild, genetically strong, and habituated to large landscapes.
• Enhances India’s conservation diplomacy in Africa.
• Botswana emerges as a key partner along with Namibia and South Africa.

High-Level Bilateral Engagements

Core Themes Discussed

• Strengthening of bilateral ties.
• Expansion of cooperation in:
  • Renewable energy
  • Agriculture
  • Digital technologies
  • Trade & investments
  • Health & education
  • Wildlife management & ecological research

India–Botswana Relations (Strategic Context)

• Built on shared democratic values and South–South cooperation.
• India is a major development partner under:
  • ITEC
  • Pan-African e-Network
  • Solar Alliance collaboration
• Indian diaspora (~11,000) plays a strong economic role in retail, mining, IT, and healthcare.

President’s Address to Indian Community

Key Points

• Appreciated diaspora’s contribution as cultural ambassadors.
• Urged them to:
  • Support Botswana’s national development.
  • Deepen people-to-people ties with India.
  • Leverage OCI scheme, Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, and India’s economic transformation.
• Emphasised India–Botswana partnership driven by trust, respect, democratic values.

Diplomatic Significance of the Visit

• Forms part of her two-nation African tour: Angola + Botswana.
• Aligns with India’s larger Africa outreach:
  • India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) strategy
  • Strengthening ties with resource-rich African democracies
  • Collaboration in multilateral forums (UN, G77, NAM)

Relevant Angles

Environment & Biodiversity

• Project Cheetah: world’s first inter-continental large carnivore translocation.
• Genetic diversification is crucial for rewilding success.
• Botswanan cheetahs boost ecological viability in Indian landscapes.

International Relations

• Deepening India–Africa partnerships.
• Expanding conservation diplomacy.
• Forward movement in trade, digital public infrastructure, and renewable energy.

Diaspora

• Diaspora as soft power multiplier.
• Role of OCI initiatives and cultural diplomacy.

Future Outlook

• Next batch of cheetahs expected in India’s newly prepared reserves.
• Enhanced India–Botswana joint training & conservation protocols.
• Greater collaboration in:
  • AI-based wildlife tracking
  • Anti-poaching intelligence
  • Community-based conservation models

AKSHAR MAHOTSAV

Why in News?

• The National Museum, under the Ministry of Culture, is hosting Akshar Mahotsav 2025 from 14–16 November 2025.
• Theme: “Akshar–Sanskriti – Letters as Pillars of Culture.”
• Celebrates India’s scriptural, calligraphic, and manuscript heritage in partnership with The Calligraphy Foundation.

Relevance

GS 1 – Art & Culture

• Preservation of scriptural, calligraphic, and manuscript heritage.
• Cultural significance of Indic scripts (Brahmi, Sharada, Grantha, Siddham).
• Museums as custodians of intangible cultural heritage.
• Revival of traditional arts through contemporary platforms.

GS 1 – Indian Heritage & Literature

• Manuscripts as carriers of civilizational memory.
• Script evolution and linguistic heritage.
• Integration of classical knowledge with modern creative expression.

The Event – Core Details

• Venue: National Museum, New Delhi.
• Duration: 3 days (14–16 November 2025).
• Organised by:
  • National Museum
  • The Calligraphy Foundation
  • Supported by Ministry of Culture
• Motto: “Lekhan Se Sulekhan” (From Writing to Calligraphy).

Cultural & Educational Significance

• Reasserts that scripts are fundamental to India’s civilizational identity.
• Links manuscript heritage with modern creative arts.
• Promotes interdisciplinary learning: art, history, linguistics, design.

Alignment with Government Programmes

National Mission for Manuscripts

• Supports documentation, conservation, digitalisation of India’s manuscript wealth.

Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

• Highlights script diversity across states.
• Promotes inter-cultural appreciation through written traditions.

National Education Policy (NEP 2020)

• Encourages inclusion of art-integrated learning, Indian knowledge systems, and multilingual education.
• Fuses creative literacy with contemporary pedagogy.

Ministry of Culture’s Vision: Preservation with Innovation

• Revitalising traditional Indian scripts while promoting digital calligraphy.
• Encouraging young artists and designers to reinterpret Indic scripts.
• Using exhibitions, workshops, and master sessions to merge heritage with modernity.

Larger National Impact

• Strengthens India’s positioning as a leader in creative literacy and script innovation.
• Revives awareness of classical scripts (Brahmi, Sharada, Grantha, Siddham).
• Boosts national and global appreciation for:
  • Handwritten arts
  • Manuscript traditions
  • Scriptural diversity
  • Visual communication heritage

Relevant Angles

Art & Culture  

• Revival of handwritten and manuscript traditions.
• Importance of scripts as carriers of cultural memory.
• Role of institutions in preserving intangible heritage.

Culture Policy 

• Implementation of NEP 2020 and cultural education integration.
• Collaboration between government museums and private cultural foundations.

Heritage Conservation 

• Connection with digital preservation programmes.
• Promotion of knowledge systems rooted in classical Indian traditions.

Creative Economy

• Expanding India’s cultural industries: calligraphy, design, arts education.
• Nurturing young creators through workshops and exhibitions.

Future Outlook

• Possible expansion into a national calligraphy circuit across museums.
• Digital archives of artworks and manuscripts.
• Integration of calligraphy modules in schools and colleges.
• Greater public engagement in aesthetic, linguistic, and heritage literacy.