24 Feb 2024: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Vimarsh 2023
2. MakhaBucha Ceremony

1. Vimarsh 2023

Syllabus: GS-3, Economy

Prelims: Vimarsh 2023

Context: The Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE) India of the SRI unit of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), conducted the Vimarsh 2023 5G Hackathon. 

The Hackathon aimed to address critical issues, explore innovative solutions for Law Enforcement Agencies, address challenges they face, and promote innovation in the field.

Details:

• As part of the third and final screening phase, conducted on 21st and 22nd February 2024,  22 out of 23 startups and institutes presented Use Case Proof of Concepts (PoC) at the DoT-funded IIT Madras 5G Testbed. 
• The demonstrations took place in the presence of esteemed Jury Members, both physically and virtually. 
• The Jury evaluated the physical demonstration of Automated drones, use cases related to AR/VR, Surveillance & Investigation, Evidence collection, Emergency response, Intelligent Traffic Management system, 5G metadata analysis, Geo-fencing, AI-based FIR filing etc. 
• Impactful solutions that emerged included Drone-based surveillance safety and security, AI-assisted FIR filing, geofencing solution for crime scene investigation, AR-based training through crime scene recreation and AI-based Data analytics & data processing Apps for predictive policing, etc.

2. MakhaBucha Ceremony

Syllabus: GS-1, Art and Culture

Prelims: MakhaBucha Ceremony

Context: The sacred MakhaBucha (Magh Puja) ceremony, one of the five most revered events for Buddhists in Thailand, was gracefully conducted by the esteemed Somdet and other senior monks of Thailand. 

Details:

• The ceremony took place at the very venue where the holy relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples, brought from India, are enshrined, symbolizing the profound spiritual connection between Thailand and the roots of Buddhism.
• MakhaBucha Day (Magha Puja) is a religious celebration marking Lord Buddha’s teachings to his disciples. 
• MakhaBucha is celebrated according to the traditional lunar calendar, on the day of the full moon of the third lunar month. 
• The term makha comes from the word “Magha” in Pali and it refers to the third lunar month, while bucha can be translated as “to worship,” both of which are derived from the Pali language used in Buddhist scripture. Therefore, the term MakhaBucha refers to a day intended for worshipping on the third lunar month.
• MakhaBucha, the first important religious festival in the Buddhist calendar, takes place in nations including Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, where the majority of Buddhists practice Theravada Buddhism, also known as “Buddhism of the south”.
• People visit the pavilion in large numbers to pay their respects to the Holy Relics brought from India for a 26-day exposition in Thailand.

Read previous PIB articles here.