Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy

• She was an educator, a surgeon, a lawmaker and a social reformer.
• Muthulakshmi's life came under a great influence of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Annie Besant who changed her viewpoint on life. 
• In the year 1926, she attended the Paris International Congress of Women as a delegate.
• In the coming years, she gave up her practice in response to a request from the Women's Indian Association (WTA) to enter the Madras Legislative Council.
• With serving poor women and children, she developed an interest in orphan children, which led her to build Avvai Home in Madras in 1930, under which she used to give free education, clothes and proper diet to orphans. 
• Her book, My Experience as a Legislator, has recorded all of her services in the Legislature.
• It was due to her persistent efforts that despite opposition, she brought in the Anti-Polygamy Bill.
• With this, the bill for the suppression of brothels and immoral trafficking of women and children was piloted by her and was passed in 1930.
• She set up a separate hostel for Muslim girls and provided scholarships for Harijan girl's institute.
• She also recommended the then government to make the minimum age of marriage to at least 21.
• Under the Women's Indian Association, Muthulakshmi started the Cancer Relief Fund.
• At the age of 68, Muthulakshmi became the first Chairperson of the State Social Welfare Board.
• She has brought about many improvements and additions to the Children's Aid Society for which she was honoured with the first active Honorary Secretary and Organiser.

Muthulakshmi had many firsts to her credits:

• She was the first woman to get into a total men's college, Maharajas College
• She was the first and the only woman candidate in the Medical College 1907.
• She was the first woman house surgeon in the Government Maternity and Ophthalmic Hospital.
• She was the first woman legislator in British India.
• She became the first Alderwoman of the Madras Corporation in 1937
• She was the first woman Chairperson of the State Social Welfare Advisory Board in 1954
• She was the first woman Deputy President of the Legislative Council.

Dengue & Platelet Count decrease

• When an infected mosquito bites a human, the dengue virus enters the bloodstream, it binds to platelets and replicates leading to multiplication of infectious virus.
• The infected platelet cells tend to destroy normal platelets, which is one of the major causes for the drop in the platelet count in dengue fever.
• Meanwhile, disease fighting cells is our body’s natural defense system against dengue virus.
• Antibodies produced during this time destroy normal platelets thinking that they are foreign bodies.
• Also, bone marrow suppression by dengue virus results in reduced platelet count since bone marrow is the center for the production of all blood cells including platelets.

Goals of COP-26 of UNFCCC

1. Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach

• Countries are being asked to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century.

To deliver on these stretching targets, countries will need to:

• accelerate the phase-out of coal
• curtail deforestation
• speed up the switch to electric vehicles
• encourage investment in renewables.

2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats

• The climate is already changing and it will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, with devastating effects.

At COP26 we need to work together to enable and encourage countries affected by climate change to:

• protect and restore ecosystems
• build defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives

3. Mobilise finance

• To deliver on our first two goals, developed countries must make good on their promise to mobilise at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020.
• International financial institutions must play their part and we need work towards unleashing the trillions in private and public sector finance required to secure global net zero.

4. Work together to deliver

• We can only rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by working together.

At COP26 we must:

• finalise the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational)
• accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society.

Giloy Herb

• Ministry of Ayush said that the Giloy or Guduchi herb (Tinospora cordifolia) is safe to use but similar looking plants in circulation such as T. crispa can be harmful.
• Giloy is a climbing shrub and an essential herb in Ayurvedic medicine.
• People have long used it to treat a wide range of issues, including fever, infections, diarrhoea and diabetes.
• Guduchi has well established hepato-protective properties.

Hepatoprotection

• (Antihepatotoxicity - opposite to hepatotoxicity) is the ability of a chemical substance to prevent damage to the liver.
• Hepatoprotection offered by the plant extracts was primarily attributed to its anti-hepatotoxic and antioxidant properties.
• The Ministry had a well-established system of Pharmacovigilance (for reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions from Ayush medication), with its network spreading across all over India.

Nihang

• It is an order of Sikh warriors, characterised by blue robes, antiquated arms such as swords and spears, and decorated turbans surmounted by steel quoits.
• The word Nihang, he adds, also occurs in a hymn in the Guru Granth Sahib, where it alludes to a fearless and unrestrained person.
• As per an account by the East India Company’s Colonel James Skinner (1778-1841), Khalsa Sikhs were divided into two groups:
• Those who put on blue attire which Guru Gobind Singh used to wear at the time of battle and those who do not follow any restrictions on the colour of their dress.
• Nihangs observe the Khalsa code of conduct in its strictest sense.
• They do not profess any allegiance to an earthly master.
• Instead of saffron they hoist a blue Nishan Sahib (flag) atop their shrines.
• Nihangs had a major role in defending the Sikh panth after the fall of the first Sikh rule (1710-15) when Mughal governors were killing Sikhs, and during the onslaught of Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Durrani (1748-65). 
• Their clout came to an end after the fall of Sikh Empire in 1849 when the British authorities of Punjab appointed a manager (sarbrah) for the administration of the Golden Temple in 1859.