Today in History (October 8^th, 1932)

The Indian Air Force was established on October 8, 1932, as an auxiliary force under British rule. Initially, it consisted of a limited number of aircraft and personnel.

Let’s Revise

A) How many Indian languages have recently been granted classical language status in 2024?

1. Four
2. Five
3. Six
4. Three

Answer: 2)

B) Which language is the first language to get the status of classical language?

1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
3. Malayalam
4. Tamil

Answer: 4)

C) How many languages in India have the status of classical language?

1. 13
2. 12
3. 11
4. 5

Answer: 3)

D) Which one of the following languages is not classical language in India?

1. Tamil, Odiya
2. Telugu, Sanskrit
3. Kannada, Malayalam
4. Konakani, Dogri

Answer: 4)

E) Who granted classical language status to new five languages?

1. Union Cabinet
2. Ministry of Education
3. Linguistic Experts Committee
4. University Grants Commission

Answer: 1)

F) Which script is used to write Marathi?

1. Devnagri
2. Brahmi
3. Kutilalipi
4. Eastern Nagari

Answer: 1)

G)What is the criteria for a language to be considered classical based on?

1. Number of speakers
2. Geographical location
3. Criteria established by Linguistic Experts Committee
4. Economic factors

Answer: 3)
H) What are the benefits of classical language status?

1. Only international awards
2. Only Centre of Excellence
3. Various benefits including international awards and Centre of Excellence
4. No benefits

Answer: 3)

I) Which languages were already recognized as classical before Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit?

1. Only Tamil
2. Only Sanskrit
3. Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia
4. None

Answer: 3)

J) Who established the criteria for classical language status?

1. Linguistic Experts Committee
2. Ministry of Education
3. University Grants Commission
4. PM Modi

Answer: a)

K) What is the time period required for a language to be considered classical?

1. 500-1000 years
2. 1000-1500 years
3. 1500-2000 years
4. 2000-2500 years

Answer: c)

L) What script is used to write Pali?

1. Brahmi
2. Kharo
3. Thai
4. All of the above

Answer: d)

M) Which script is used to write Prakrit?

1. Brahmi
2. Kharoshthi
3. Both
4. None

Answer: c)

Summary of Today’s News

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM)

• The Pakistan government recently banned the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a group which fights for the rights of ethnic Pashtuns, citing it as a threat to national security.
• Who are Pashtuns? Pashtuns, also called “Pathans” or “Pakhtuns,” are a group of people living mainly in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Where do they live? They mostly live in the area between the Hindu Kush mountains in northeastern Afghanistan and the northern part of the Indus River in Pakistan.
• Separation by the Durand Line: The Pashtuns in Pakistan are separated from those in Afghanistan by a border called the Durand Line. This line was created in the late 1800s when the area was part of British India, dividing the two groups.

• The Pashtun are the biggest ethnic group in Afghanistan, making up 40-50% of the population. The term “Afghan” originally referred just to them before it started to mean anyone from Afghanistan.
• They mainly speak Pashto, which is one of Afghanistan’s official languages. Many also know Farsi (Persian) for trade purposes.
• The Pashtun share common beliefs, including being Sunni Muslims, and they follow a social code called Pashtunwali, which outlines how to behave and interact with others.
• Their society is based on family ties. Each tribe is made up of related families that trace their ancestry through the male line.
In terms of jobs:
• Most Pashtun are farmers who grow crops and raise animals. Some move around with their livestock.
• Many serve in the military, and a smaller number work in government roles.

Progeria Disease

• Sammy Basso, who was the longest living survivor of the rare genetic disease progeria, recently died at the age of 28.
What is Progeria?
Progeria, also called Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, is a very rare genetic disorder that makes children age much faster than normal.

Cause:
It happens because of a small change in their genes.

How common is it?
Progeria affects about 1 in 4 million newborns around the world.

Signs at birth:
Babies with progeria may look healthy when they are born, but they usually start showing signs of aging within their first one to two years.

Growth:
Their growth slows down, and they don’t gain weight like other children.

Intelligence:
Progeria does not affect how smart a child is or how their brain develops.

Physical features:
As children with progeria get older, they develop noticeable physical traits, such as:
• Losing hair and becoming bald.
• Having big eyes.
• Getting wrinkled skin that looks aged.
• Having a thin, pointed nose.
• Having a smaller face compared to their head size.
• Losing fat under their skin.
Health problems:
As they grow up, they develop serious health issues usually seen in older people, like bone loss, hardening of the arteries, and heart disease.

Life expectancy:
Progeria is always fatal, with most children passing away from heart problems or strokes. The average lifespan for a child with progeria is around 15 years, but some may live longer, up to about 20 years.
Treatment:
There is no cure for progeria, but a drug called lonafarnib has been found to help slow down the disease’s progression.