Current Affairs Anmol vachan UPSC PSC

The correct answer is B) Nepal. Why Option B is Correct 🟢 Tilaurakot is located in the Kapilvastu district of southern Nepal. It is an ancient fortified citadel widely identified by international and national archaeologists as the primary location of ancient Kapilavastu, the capital city of the Shakya kingdom. This is the historical site where Prince Siddhartha (Gautama Buddha) spent the first 29 years of his life before renouncing worldly pleasures. It has heavily featured in recent global headlines due to consecutive, successful multi-nation archaeological excavations (spearheaded by UNESCO, Nepal's Department of Archaeology, and Durham University), which unearthed ancient Buddhist structures and major temple remains to support its pending nomination for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Why the Other Options are Incorrect 🔴 A) India: While India hosts Piprahwa (in the Siddharthnagar district of Uttar Pradesh), which is also historically claimed as a critical religious core or segment of ancient Kapilavastu, the specific archaeological site of Tilaura Kot lies distinctly within Nepal's border. 🔴 C) Bhutan & D) Sri Lanka: These nations contain rich Buddhist history but have no geographical or historical overlap with the ancient Shakya kingdom's territorial capital. 🔴 E) None of the above / More than one of the above: Since Option B is the uniquely precise geographic location of the named site, this option is incorrect.

The correct answer is B) Patna. Why Option B is Correct 🟢 India’s and Asia's first-ever National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) was officially built and inaugurated on the banks of the Ganga River within the secure campus premises of Patna University. It was set up with a dedicated budget to serve as the core institutional hub for global and national scientists. The center helps researchers map endangered Gangetic dolphin behavior, track mortality causes, and design river ecosystem conservation plans. This location is highly strategic because the state of Bihar accounts for roughly half of India's total freshwater dolphin population. Why the Other Options are Incorrect 🔴 A) Varanasi: While Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) is a major city along the Ganga River with intensive conservation drives under the Clean Ganga Mission, it does not host the permanent NDRC institutional facility. 🔴 C) Bhagalpur: This is a classic destination trap for BPSC aspirants. Bhagalpur hosts the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (India’s only protected river habitat for dolphins). However, the state-of-the-art research facility building itself is anchored in Patna. 🔴 D) Guwahati: Guwahati lies on the Brahmaputra River, which is home to another major population of river dolphins. However, the central government allocated the flagship NDRC establishment to Bihar, not Assam. 🔴 E) None of the above / More than one of the above: This option is invalid as Option B is the fully accurate choice. High-Yield Fact for 72nd BPSC 💡 The Gangetic River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is India's National Aquatic Animal. To generate localized awareness, the State Government of Bihar officially celebrates National Dolphin Day on 5th October every year.