UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 21 June 2026

by Vajiram & Ravi - 21 June 2026

Vajiram & Ravi provides Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 21 June 2026, tailored for aspirants. We cover all relevant news and events crucial for the exam, ensuring you stay updated & well-prepared.

What is Sickle Cell Anaemia?

June 21, 2026
What is Sickle cell anemia?

Sickle Cell Anaemia Latest News

Recently, the President of India said that the country would eradicate sickle cell anemia well before the government-set target of 2047.

About Sickle Cell Anaemia

  • It is a group of inherited blood cell disorders that affect hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells (RBCs) that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. 
  • How Does it Affect Blood Flow?
    • Normally, RBCs are disc-shaped and flexible enough to move easily through the blood vessels.
    • People with SCD have atypical hemoglobin molecules called hemoglobin S, which can distort RBCs into a sickle, or crescent, shape.
    • When RBCs sickle, they do not bend or move easily and can block blood flow to the rest of the body.
    • The sickle-shaped cells can also stick to vessel walls, causing a blockage that slows or stops the flow of blood.  
  • What causes it?
    • The cause of SCD is a defective gene, called a sickle cell gene.
    • A person will be born with SCD only if two genes are inherited—one from the mother and one from the father.
    • If you are born with one sickle cell gene, it’s called sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait are generally healthy, but they can pass the defective gene on to their children. 
  • Symptoms
    • Signs and symptoms of sickle cell disease usually begin in early childhood. 
    • Early stage: Extreme tiredness or fussiness from anemia (low number of RBCs), painfully swollen hands and feet, and jaundice.
    • Later stage: Severe pain, anemia, organ damage, and infections.
  • Treatments
    • A bone marrow transplant (stem cell transplant) can cure SCD.
    • However, there are treatments that can help relieve symptoms, lessen complications, and prolong life.
    • Gene therapy is also being explored as another potential cure.

Source: TH

Sickle Cell Anaemia FAQs

Q1: Which drug is used for managing Sickle Cell Anaemia as per National Guidelines?

Ans: Hydroxyurea

Q2: Sickle Cell Anaemia is caused by mutation in which gene/protein?

Ans: Beta-globin gene (HBB)

Abhigyan App

June 21, 2026
Abhigyan App

Abhigyan App Latest News

Recently, the Union Home Minister launched the Abhigyan app in New Delhi.

About Abhigyan App

  • It is a centralised platform created to support law enforcement in making better use of crime-related data. 
  • It is developed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Features of Abhigyan App

  • It enables field police personnel to access a vast repository of criminal records directly on their smartphones.
  • It is secured with two-step authentication and allows real-time fingerprint identification within seconds, strengthening ground-level policing.
  • It is equipped with features such as fast identification, portability, and access to millions of records.
  • The app is linked to the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), which stores fingerprint scans of accused, convicts, and those in prisons on a centralised platform.
  • A demonstration of the app showed that prints can be matched with the NAFIS database in 35 seconds.

Key Facts about National Crime Records Bureau

  • It was established in 1986 to act as a repository of information on crime and criminals. 
  • It was set up based on the recommendations of the Tandon Committee, the National Police Commission (1977-1981) and the Task Force of the Home Ministry.
  • Nodal Ministry: It comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi.

Source: PIB

Abhigyan App FAQ s

Q1: Which organisation launched the Abhigyan App?

Ans: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Q2: What is Abhigyan App?

Ans: It is a centralised platform created to support law enforcement in making better use of crime-related data. 

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

June 21, 2026
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Latest News

India’s candidate, Professor Bimal N. Patel has been elected as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026-2035 term.          

About International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

  • It is an independent judicial body established by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
  • Headquarter: Hamburg, Germany.
  • Composition
    • The Tribunal is composed of 21 independent members.
    • Members elected by secret ballot by the States Parties to the Convention.
    • Each State Party may nominate up to two candidates.
    • Members are elected for nine years and may be re-elected; the terms of one third of the members expire every three years.
    • Eligibility of members: Candidates from among persons enjoying the highest reputation for fairness and integrity and of recognized competence in the field of the law of the sea.

Jurisdiction of International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea

  • It has jurisdiction over any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, and over all matters specifically provided for in any other agreement which confers jurisdiction on the Tribunal.
  • Disputes relating to the Convention may concern the delimitation of maritime zones, navigation, conservation and management of the living resources of the sea, protection and preservation of the marine environment and marine scientific research.
  • The Tribunal is open to States Parties to the Convention (i.e. States and international organisations which are parties to the Convention).
  • It is also open to entities other than States Parties, i.e., States or intergovernmental organisations which are not parties to the Convention, and to state enterprises and private entities.

Source: NOA

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea FAQs

Q1: Where is the seat/headquarters of ITLOS located?

Ans: Hamburg, Germany

Q2: Under which convention was ITLOS established?

Ans: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; Part XV + Annex VI

Kalamkari Painting

June 21, 2026
Kalamkari Painting

Kalamkari Painting Latest News

Recently, the Prime Minister of India gifted a Kalamkari Mahabharata painting to the French President.

About Kalamkari Painting

  • It is a highly popular form of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile and paintings, practised in Andhra Pradesh.
  • It came up as a textile tradition during the reign of Qutb Shahis at Golconda in the 16-17th century.
  •  “The word ‘Kalam’ meant pen, while ‘Kari’ meant craftsmanship.

Kalamkari Painting Techniques

  • The process of creating Kalamkari begins by soaking the fabric in a mixture of astringents and buffalo milk, followed by drying it in the sun.
  • The outlines of the design in red, black, brown, and violet are drawn using a mordant, after which the cloth is dipped in an alizarin bath.
  • Wax is then applied to the areas that remain undyed, and the fabric is immersed in indigo dye.
  • Once the wax is removed, the remaining areas are hand-painted.
  • Artists use a bamboo or date palm stick with fine hair attached to create design contours, applying natural dyes extracted from roots, leaves, seeds, and minerals like iron and copper.

Kalamkari Painting Styles

  • It is broadly divided into two distinct styles based on the regions where the art form developed—Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam.
  • Srikalahasti Kalamkari
    • It is practised in Srikalahasti of Tirupati district and is done entirely by hand using the kalam (pen).
    • This form is characterized by freehand drawing and intricate detailing.
    • Theme: It portrays mythological figures and themes. religious iconography, temple architecture, and Hindu deities.
  • Machilipatnam Kalamkari
    • It is also known as Pedana Kalamkari, developed in Pedana near Machilipatnam.
    • It is deeply influenced by Persian art due to the patronage of the Mughals and the Golconda Sultanate.
    • Theme: It uses block-printing techniques, focusing on floral and geometric designs.
    • Common motifs include intricate patterns of leaves, flowers, cartwheels, creepers, and birds like parrots and peacocks.

Source: IE

Kalamkari Painting FAQs

Q1: What natural materials are used for colours in traditional Kalamkari?

Ans: Vegetable dyes only

Q2: Kalamkari has a GI tag. For which state?

Ans: Andhra Pradesh

Brahmani River

June 21, 2026
Brahmani River

Brahmani River Latest News

Recently, a study revealed that microscopic plastic pollution is infiltrating the pristine habitats of India’s Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, carrying a toxic cargo of heavy metals into the Brahmani River.  

About Brahmani River

  • It is one of the major rivers in eastern India, primarily flowing through the state of Odisha.
  • It is formed by the confluence of the Sankh and South Koel rivers near the major industrial town of Rourkela in Odisha.
  • Both the sources of the Brahmani River are on the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
  • River Basin: The basin flows through Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha states, before it outfalls into the Bay of Bengal.
  • Boundary: The Brahmani River basin is bounded in the north by the Chhotanagpur plateau, in the west and south by the Mahanadi basin, and in the east by the Bay of Bengal.
  • Tributaries: The principal tributaries of this river are Sankh, Tikra, and Karo.
  • The Brahmani delta is the site of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, famous for its estuarine crocodiles.
  • It is one of the few rivers that cut across the Eastern Ghats and has formed a minor gorge at Rengali in Odisha, where a dam has been built.

Source: RM

Brahmani River FAQs

Q1: What is the key issue with Brahmani River basin?

Ans: Industrial pollution

Q2: Where does Brahmani River discharge into the sea?

Ans: Bay of Bengal

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