DRDO and IAF Successfully Test-Fire RudraM-II Missile

The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted flight-tests of the indigenously developed RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from an airborne platform off the coast of Odisha.

• Operational Parameters: The missile was test-fired from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft under extreme release conditions. It successfully validated its critical flight trajectory and engaged a pre-defined target with pinpoint accuracy, with all mission objectives validated by tracking data at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
• Technical Performance: RudraM-II is an advanced, high-speed anti-radiation missile capable of reaching peak speeds up to Mach 5.5 (hypersonic range). It is engineered to carry a warhead payload of up to 200 kg and destroy enemy air defense radars, communication hubs, and tracking stations from a strike range of approximately 300 to 350 kilometers.
• The Technology: Developed primarily by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, the missile features a hybrid navigation configuration combining an Inertial Navigation System (INS), GPS/NavIC, and a sophisticated passive homing head that detects radio frequency emissions across wide bands.

📌 High-Yield Static GK Notes

• Strategic Importance: RudraM-II serves as a massive force multiplier for suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) operations, intending to eventually replace older, Russian-origin Kh-31 anti-radiation missiles currently in active service.
• DRDO Profile: Established in 1958, functioning under the Ministry of Defence to drive self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) in advanced military technologies.

Lokhande Prashant Sitaram Appointed as CBSE Chairman

The Central Government has appointed senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

• Administrative Shift: A 2001-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre, Lokhande replaces the outgoing chief Rahul Singh, who has been transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Context of Appointment: The immediate transition comes alongside the appointment of Varun Bhardwaj as the new CBSE Secretary. This top-tier administrative restructuring follows intense scrutiny and structural overhauls surrounding the board's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system and automated evaluation evaluation frameworks.
• Academic Background: Lokhande brings a distinct technical and management edge to the educational board, holding a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Mechanical Engineering from Pune University and a Post Graduate Diploma from IIM Mumbai (formerly NITIE).

📌 High-Yield Static GK Notes

• CBSE Structure: The Central Board of Secondary Education is a premier national-level board of education in India for public and private schools, controlled and managed by the Union Government. It was reconstituted in its present form in 1962 and is headquartered in New Delhi.

Mission Senehjori Launched to Elevate Assam's Muga Silk Sector

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia, alongside Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, launched Mission Muga Silk 'Senehjori' to transform the traditional textile sector.

• The Project Outlay: The project is backed by a budget allocation of ₹411 crore and is slated for comprehensive rollout over a three-year implementation cycle (2026 to 2028). It targets the economic empowerment of over 2.5 lakh rural weavers, silkworm rearers, and entrepreneurs.
• Core Objectives:
• Production & Infrastructure: Re-generating 5,000 hectares of Som and Soalu host plants and setting up five modernised Muga reeling units across major clusters including Jorhat, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Majuli, and Sualkuchi.
• Traceability & Market Linkages: Creating 30 new Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and enforcing strict Geographical Indication (GI) authentication for over 80% of traded Muga silk via digital traceability mechanisms.
• Cultural Economy: The initiative also introduces a 'Muga Silk Trail', a dedicated Silk Tourism Park, and annual 'Muga Utsav' festivals to turn the unique asset into a premium global luxury brand.

                    🌍 ASHTALAKSHMI REGIONAL STRENGTHS 🌍
         [The Union Government's Targeted North-East Product Mapping]
  
     ➡️ Assam             ──► Muga Silk (Famed "Golden Thread" Luxury Textile)
     ➡️ Nagaland          ──► Coffee
     ➡️ Tripura           ──► Pineapple
     ➡️ Sikkim            ──► Organic Farming
     ➡️ Arunachal Pradesh ──► Kiwi Fruit
     ➡️ Mizoram           ──► Organic Ginger
     ➡️ Manipur           ──► Polo Sports Infrastructure

📌 High-Yield Static GK Notes

• Muga Silk Profile: Known as the world’s only naturally golden silk, Muga is produced by the silkworm Antheraea assamensis, which is endemic to the Brahmaputra Valley. Assam accounts for roughly 90% of global production.
• GI Tag Identification: Muga Silk holds the historic distinction of being India’s first GI-tagged silk product, securing geographical protection status in 2007.