Content:
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Jagadguru Basaveshwara on Basava Jayanti
- GenomeIndia
Prime Minister pays tribute to Jagadguru Basaveshwara on Basava Jayanti
Historical Context of Basaveshwara:
- Jagadguru Basaveshwara (12th century) was a prominent philosopher, statesman, and social reformer in Karnataka.
- He was the founder of the Lingayat or Veerashaiva movement, advocating monotheism, social equality, and ethical living.
- Basavanna served as a minister in the Kalachuri dynasty under King Bijjala I, using his political position to promote social reforms.
Relevance : GS 1(History) ,GS 3(Ethics – Personalities)
Core Teachings & Contributions:
- Advocated Kayaka (Work as Worship) – dignity of labor and spiritual significance of one’s profession.
- Emphasized equality across caste, gender, and religion, challenging Brahmanical hierarchy.
- Established the Anubhava Mantapa – the world’s first spiritual and democratic parliament, where people from all backgrounds discussed spiritual and social issues.
- Opposed ritualism and temple-based religion, focusing on personal devotion (bhakti) and inner purity.
- His Vachanas (poetic writings in Kannada) spread messages of morality, non-violence, and universal brotherhood.
Relevance Today (as alluded by PM Modi):
- Social justice & empowerment of the marginalized remain key themes in contemporary policy and governance.
- His teachings align with Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, reflecting inclusive development.
- A symbol of spiritual democracy, gender equality, and grassroots governance – crucial for India’s evolving democratic values.
Broader Implications:
- Honors like this reflect the government’s strategy to highlight indigenous reform movements over colonial or Western models.
- Basava Jayanti is now celebrated beyond Karnataka, promoting cultural unity across Indian states.
- Such tributes reinforce India’s civilizational heritage as a basis for modern ethical governance.
GenomeIndia
Overview and Vision
- GenomeIndia is a national initiative funded by the Department of Biotechnology, aiming to sequence the whole genomes of over 10,000 individuals representing India’s major population groups.
- The project seeks to democratize genetic resource knowledge, promoting equity in access to data for Indian researchers.
- Reflects India’s strategic push towards precision medicine, bioinformatics, and sustainable development.
Relevance : GS3(Science and technology)
Infrastructure and Data Resources
- GenomeIndia data is stored and managed by the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC), established in March 2020.
- IBDC is a cutting-edge infrastructure with:
- 96 TF computing capacity, 2912 CPUs, 39 TB RAM.
- 865 TF GPU computing power, 4 PB file system.
- High-speed throughput (100 GB/sec writing capability) and 1.5 PB storage for backups.
- Archive as of now includes:
- FASTQ files (raw WGS data): 9772 samples (~700 TB).
- gVCF files (variant data): 9772 samples (~35 TB).
- Phenotype data: 9330 samples.
- Joint call files: ~3.5 TB.
Policy and Regulatory Framework
- Supported by:
- Biotech PRIDE Guidelines (2021) – promote open yet secure data access.
- FeED Protocols – ensure responsible, structured data sharing.
- Access to data is not limited to formal “Calls for Proposals”; independent requests are also allowed, ensuring flexibility and openness.
Presidential Recognition
- President Droupadi Murmu termed it a “significant chapter in Indian Science” during her Republic Day-eve address (25 Jan 2025).
Researcher Support & Transparency
- Department issued ‘Call for Proposals’ to encourage translational research using the GenomeIndia dataset.
- A detailed addendum clarified:
- Type of data available.
- Accessibility of associated phenotype data (including 27 key health markers and anthropometry variables like age, BMI, etc.).
- The inclusion of samples with complete and clean phenotypic data (9330 out of 9772).
Concerns and Clarifications on FASTQ Data
- No public access to FASTQ files (~700 TB) due to:
- Logistical burden of transferring massive data sets.
- Concerns around data sanctity, duplication of computational efforts, and inefficient infrastructure use.
- The current policy aligns with global best practices, such as using cloud-based access models.
- Decision ensures data integrity, equitable research capability, and cost-effective resource usage.
Strategic Importance and Implications
- Positions India as a global leader in genomics, data science, and population-scale biology.
- Vital for:
- Understanding genetic diversity.
- Enhancing personalized healthcare and diagnostics.
- Building indigenous capabilities in AI-driven bioinformatics.
- Reinforces Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) in science and technology.
