Prelims Focus-30th September 2023

1.Toto Shabda Sangraha

In News: Toto Shabda Sangraha is a dictionary to save Toto language from extinction.

• • Dictionary Toto Shabda Sangraha is a step towards preserving the language jointly compiled and published by the Faith and Bhasha Samsad, compiled and published by Bhakta Toto, a bank clerk and poet. 
  • The Trust will soon publish Uttal Torsa, a Bengali novel written by Dhaniram Toto. 
  • Dhaniram Toto, who is like the cultural father of Totos, was awarded the Padma Shri in 2023.  
  • Toto words translated into Bengali and English are written in  Bengali script, as the Toto script continues to evolve members of the tribe are more familiar with the Bengali script. 

• About Toto Language 

• • Toto is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the  Toto tribes and  written in Bengali. 
  • The Toto are a small tribal community of only 1,632 people who live in Toto Para Alipurduar district on the edge of North Bengal near the Indo-Bhutan border and speak the same language.

2.CRIIIO 4 GOOD

In News: The Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched ‘CRIIIO 4 GOOD’, a new online, life skills learning module, to promote gender equality among girls and boys. 

• The modules are very engaging and use the power of cricket to talk about important life skills and gender equality for girls and boys in a fun and interactive way. 
• “CRIIO 4 GOOD” is a series of eight cricket-based cartoons that promote gender equality, equip girls with life skills and encourage them to take up the sport. 
• The program is available for free at criiio.com or criiio4good in three languages: English, Hindi and Gujarati. 
• The themes of the eight modules are: leadership, problem solving, trust, decision making, negotiation, empathy, teamwork and goal setting. 
• These are illustrated with state-of-the-art animations using cricket examples. 
• Deep research of local nuances  made these films real and relatable.

3.Chilobrachys natanicharum

n News: Recently Scientists have discovered an electric blue tarantula species named Chilobrachys natanicharum.

• This is a new species of tarantula found in the forests of Thailand. 
• It has a “blue-purple hue similar to the color of electric sparks. 
• Its colors are not due to blue pigmentation, but rather to “the unique structure of the hair, which contains nanostructures that manipulate light to create that striking blue look. 
• These hairs are found on various parts of the spider’s body, including the legs, the chelicerae (pincer-like mouth appendages), and the carapace (upper shell). 
• It is both terrestrial and arboreal – living in tree hollows.

4.Prachand attack helicopters

In News: Indian Air Force (IAF) will order 156 ‘Made-in-India’ Prachand attack helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

• • Prachand attack helicopter is a locally developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). 
  • It was developed by state-owned aerospace giant Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. 
  • The multi-role attack helicopter is customized to operate in both desert and high altitude as per the requirements of the Indian Armed Forces. 
  • It is the only attack helicopter in the world that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,400 feet). 

• Functions: 

• • It is powered by a 5.8-ton twin-engine engine called Shakti, which is primarily designed for use in high-altitude areas. 
  • Its maximum speed is 268 kilometers per hour. 
  • It has a driving distance of 550 kilometers and an endurance of more than three hours. 
  • It has the best cover features, armored Shield systems and darkroom attack capability. 
  • Its crash-resistant landing gear gives it the added benefit of better durability, along with other technology like radar and IR tagging. 
  • The pressurized cabin provides protection against nuclear, biological and chemical situations. 
  • It is equipped with a countermeasures delivery system that protects it from enemy probes or enemy missile infrared seekers. 

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