SNIPPETS 28 JANUARY 2026

INSV Kaundinya: India’s first ‘stitched ship’ built using the ancient stitched shipbuilding (Tankai) method+ It aims to revive the 2000-year-old Tankai method, a forgotten indigenous technique+ Design & Inspiration: Modeled after vessels depicted in the 5th-century Ajanta cave paintings+ The design draws inspiration from the ancient Sanskrit text Yuktikalpataru (by King Bhoja, 9th century CE) and accounts of foreign travellers+ Reached Muscat’s Port Sultan Qaboos after completing its maiden voyage from Porbandar (Gujarat), highlighting the shared maritime heritage of India and Oman. 

Bactrian Camel: Two Bactrian camels named ‘Galwan’ and ‘Nubra’ will feature in the Republic Day Parade 2026 on Kartavya Path as part of the Army’s Animal Contingent, highlighting Ladakh’s unique cold-desert heritage+ A double-humped camel adapted to extreme cold and arid conditions of Central Asian cold deserts+ The species is found only in Ladakh (Nubra Valley) in India+ Wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus): Critically Endangered

Granth Kutir: It has a rich collection of manuscripts and books in 11 classical languages of India which are Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali+ To enhance awareness among the citizens regarding the rich cultural and literary heritage of India+ The President of India inaugurated Granth Kutir at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Agarwood: Highly fragrant, resinous heartwood formed in Aquilaria trees when they are wounded and infected by fungi, triggering a defensive resin response+ Mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts such as the Susruta Samhita+ Habitat: South and Southeast Asia, including India (Tripura, Assam and the Northeast), Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and China+ Listed under CITES Appendix II due to overexploitation and illegal trade risks+ Union Minister laid the foundation stone of the ₹80 crore Agarwood Value Chain Development Scheme in Tripura to strengthen the sector from farm to global markets