12th June 2025

Explanation: 
According to Tamil legends, there existed three Sangams (Academy of Tamil poets) in ancient Tamil Nadu. The first Sangam was held at Madurai, but no literary work of this Sangam is available. The second Sangam was held at Kapadapuram, and all the literary works had perished except Tolkappiyam. The third Sangam at Madurai was founded by Mudathirumaran, and the Sangam literature was largely consolidated from this third Sangam. 

Explanation: 
UNFPA (formerly United Nations Fund for Population Activities) is formally named the United Nations Population Fund. The organisation was created in 1969, with its work involving improvement of reproductive health, creation of national strategies and protocols, and birth control by providing supplies and services. The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) establishes its mandate. UNFPA began operations in 1969 as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities under the administration of the United Nations Development Fund, and in 1971 it was placed under the authority of the United Nations General Assembly. 

Explanation: 
Nickel is the fifth-most common element on earth and occurs extensively in the earth’s crust and core. India has substantial nickel laterite reserves, particularly in Odisha’s Sukinda region. The largest reserves of Nickel in the world are found in Indonesia and Australia. Nickel is an important metal used in several clean energy technologies, especially Electric Vehicles (EVs), and is used in batteries. 

Explanation: 
The Blue Nationally Determined Contributions Challenge is a landmark international initiative launched by France and Brazil. It urges countries to incorporate ocean-focused climate measures into their NDCs ahead of COP30 in Belem, Brazil. Australia, Fiji, Kenya, Mexico, Palau, and Seychelles have joined this initiative. It is supported by Ocean Conservancy, the Ocean and Climate Platform, the World Resources Institute, and has been endorsed by WWF-Brazil. 

Explanation: 
According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021 released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in the country has remained constant at 2.0 in 2021. India’s demographic profile is undergoing significant changes, as highlighted in the latest SRS report. The replacement level TFR, required to sustain a stable population, is 2.1. India reaching a TFR of 2.0 suggests that it is on the path toward population stabilisation. In July 2020, a Lancet analysis said that India’s population is expected to reach a peak of 160 crore in 2048, and the TFR is projected to continue a steep decline until about 2040.