NATIONAL – DAIRY OF EVENTS

President Appreciates Project Cheetah Support

• Context: President interacted with Cheetah Mitras and members of the Sahariya tribe at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district. 

• She appreciated their contribution to Project Cheetah and said that the active participation of local communities is playing an important role in the success of the ambitious conservation programme.

Project Cheetah

• • Project Cheetah is India’s premier wildlife conservation initiative focused on bringing back cheetahs, a species that disappeared from the country in 1952. 

• It is a landmark ecological effort, making India the first nation to attempt the reintroduction of an extinct large carnivore through translocation from another continent.

History and Background

• • The cheetah was officially declared extinct in India in 1952. 

• Project Cheetah was launched in 2022. 

• The first group of cheetahs was brought from Namibia and released into Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Another group arrived from South Africa in 2023. 

• The project is being executed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with support from Indian and international wildlife specialists. 

Objectives of Project Cheetah

• To restore cheetahs to India after an absence of over seven decades. 
• To develop a self-sustaining and free-ranging cheetah population in suitable habitats. 
• To revive and conserve grassland and savannah ecosystems, which have received relatively little conservation attention. 
• To enhance biodiversity by restoring the ecological role of a top predator. 
• To generate eco-tourism opportunities and improve livelihoods for local communities through their participation in conservation efforts. 
• To reinforce India’s position as a global leader in wildlife protection, species recovery, and ecosystem restoration.

Sahariya Tribe

• The Sahariya are recognized as one of India’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). They are known by several alternative names, including Seher, Sair, Savar, Saonar, and Sahra.

Habitat and Settlements

• The tribe primarily inhabits forested and rural areas of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. 
• They usually reside in separate hamlets known as “Seharana”, consisting of clusters of houses. 
• Traditional houses are constructed using stone blocks, with roofs made from locally available stone slabs called Patore. 

Language and Religion

• The Sahariya have largely lost their original tribal language and now speak the regional dialects prevalent in their areas. 
• Their religious practices combine elements of Hinduism with the worship of local deities such as Bhavani, Gond Devta, and Bijasur. 
• They also retain animistic traditions that reflect their long association with forest environments. 

Culture and Traditions

• The Sahariya are famous for Saharia Swang, a traditional folk dance performed during the Holi festival. 
• The dance is accompanied by musical instruments such as the dhol, nagari, and matki. 
• A distinctive feature of the performance is a male dancer dressed in female attire who performs alongside other male dancers. 

Livelihood

• The Sahariya mainly depend on forests for their sustenance and income. 
• They collect and sell forest products, cultivate small agricultural plots, and often work as agricultural labourers. 
• The community is particularly renowned for its expertise in producing catechu (katha) from khair trees.

 

V.O.C. Port 

• Context: The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways commended the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority for transforming into a national model for sustainable maritime development.
• He also highlighted the port’s significant achievements in reducing carbon emissions, utilizing renewable energy, driving digital innovation, and developing social infrastructure.
• The Minister drew attention to data from the port’s inaugural sustainability report, which indicates that renewable energy now meets approximately 94 percent of the port’s energy consumption needs.
• Furthermore, the report highlighted a reduction of about 45 percent in net carbon emissions.

About V.O.C. Port

• Formerly known as Tuticorin Port, it was renamed V.O.C. Port in 2011 in honor of V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, who established the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company in 1906 to challenge British dominance in maritime trade.
• It is an artificial, all-weather, deep-draft port situated on the Coromandel Coast.
• It plays a pivotal role in India’s trade with the Mediterranean region, Europe, and the Americas.

Location and Strategic Importance

• The port is located in the Gulf of Mannar along the Coromandel Coast.

• Situated near the East-West international shipping route, it serves as a key gateway for international trade.

• This strategic location offers a significant advantage for India’s exports to and imports from major global markets.

Port Modernization

• By implementing a pilot project starting in late 2025, the V.O.C. Port became India’s first port to produce and utilize green hydrogen within its own premises.

• Furthermore, it is the first Indian port to introduce a ‘Digital Twin’ platform. This creates a real-time virtual model of port operations to enhance monitoring, predictive maintenance, and overall efficiency.
• In February 2026, it became the first Indian port to install an advanced anti-drone system utilizing radar and radio-frequency technology to safeguard critical infrastructure.

Outer Harbour Project

• The ongoing Outer Harbour Project aims to handle large vessels and mega-carriers.

• This expansion is expected to transform the V.O.C. Port into a major cargo transshipment hub for South India.

Significance

• The V.O.C Port is one of India’s most important strategic ports; it contributes significantly to maritime trade, technological innovation, and the growth of South India’s cargo handling and export sectors.

Launch of PortGPT Mobile App

• • The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways launched the PortGPT mobile app.

• With this, the VOC Port becomes the first major port in the country to offer an enterprise-level ‘Generative’ Artificial Intelligence platform via a dedicated mobile app.

 

Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)

• Context: INCOIS has started issuing special ‘El Niño’ bulletins to inform the maritime community about the potential impacts of the prevailing ‘El Niño’ conditions.

About INCOIS

• INCOIS was established in 1999 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

• It operates under the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO).

• • Its primary mandate is to provide ocean information and advisory services to the public, industries, government agencies, and researchers through sustained ocean observations and scientific research.

• INCOIS is a permanent member of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.

• It has established the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre; this centre issues tsunami warnings within 10 minutes and provides services to India and 28 other countries in the Indian Ocean region.
• Its headquarters is located in Hyderabad.

Key Initiatives of INCOIS

Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT)

• SARAT assists the Indian Coast Guard, the Indian Navy, and the Coastal Security Police in locating missing persons, boats, or objects at sea.

SynOPS Visualization Platform

• The SynOPS platform integrates real-time oceanographic and meteorological data to enhance coordination and decision-making capabilities during disasters and extreme weather events.

Significance

• INCOIS plays a pivotal role in ocean monitoring, disaster management, maritime safety, and early warning services, thereby helping to protect lives, property, and marine resources.