Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your UPSC current affairs 2025 knowledge nugget on ‘Mayabini’, Zubeen Garg and a UNESCO world heritage site. Knowledge Nugget: ‘Mayabini’, Zubeen Garg and a UNESCO world heritage site Subject: Environment, Society, and Ethics (Relevance: Personalities in the news are not just important for the facts directly associated with them. They also serve as links to broader themes and issues, sometimes revealing surprising connections that may surface in the question paper. Some articles in The Indian Express on Zubeen Garg, for instance, offer insights that go beyond current affairs. When read closely, they may prove relevant for the UPSC Ethics and Essay papers as well. In today’s Knowledge Nugget, we highlight this dimension—emphasizing how certain topics can be valuable for both Prelims and Mains. ) Why in the news? — In a heartwarming gesture, an elephant calf, born in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, was named after late singer Zubeen Garg’s popular number ‘Mayabini’, which emerged as an anthem for his fans during his last rites, news agency PTI reported. — Calling the move “heartwarming”, Assam Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary Saturday announced the decision of the Ministry of name the newly-born elephant calf “Mayabini,” which symbolises “new life, hope, and harmony in the wild”. — Taking to X, Patowary wrote: “Heartening news on #WorldAnimalDay — Kuwari, the elephant of @kaziranga_ has given birth to a healthy female calf! With immense affection and public goodwill, we’ve named her “MAYABINI” — a symbol of new life, hope, and harmony in the wild.” — Zubeen, 52, died on September 19 after he went swimming while on a yacht outing in Singapore. His cousin and Assam Police Service officer Sandipan Garg, who had accompanied him on the trip to Singapore, was arrested by the Assam police on Wednesday. He was part of the yacht outing, officials said. Last week, two more people who had been part of the outing, Zubeen’s co-musicians Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, had been arrested in the case. Key takeaways: — On September 19 this year, Zubeen Garg, one of the most influential musical artists from Assam, passed away in a swimming-related accident in Singapore. By the age of 52, he had written and composed nearly 38,000 songs across 40 different languages, played dozens of instruments, and directed and acted in movies and videos, creating almost a cult-like phenomenon for nearly three decades in Assam. — Released in 2001, the song ‘Mayabini’ is jointly sung by Zubeen Garg and Kalpana Patowary, for the album ‘Daag’, and is hailed as the cult hit of the Assamese music industry. — Why knowing Zubeen is important? Excerpt from 'How Zubeen Garg became a symbol of unity in a divided Assam' by Murchana Kaushik, The Indian Express: "Assam has historically been marked by contesting ideas about the nation, which have manifested in the form of several identity assertion movements. The Assam Movement, the emergence of the United Liberation Front of Assam, identity assertions by different tribal groups, and the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act are some of the more recent landmark events that point out the heterogeneity of the region and the conflicting interests of the different groups. Such issues have not only shaped the narratives of society and politics but also determined the everyday lives of people. Zubeen understood these conflicts and hierarchies that characterise the socio-political reality of the state and tried to rise above them through his humanitarian call. He saw himself as a socialist who was not bound by socio-cultural identities like caste, religion, ethnicity, language, etc. This is what made him the Zubeen da. Many think that Zubeen’s entry into Assamese music in the early 1990s was a breath of fresh air. It had the sensitivity to understand the disturbing past of Assam and show people a way forward to dream of a better tomorrow. Others argue that Zubeen’s style of rock and pop music provided Assamese music a new dimension to which the youth identified. A few others, however, highlighted his straightforward nature and his ability to call a spade a spade that possibly increased his appeal among people, especially the youth who saw him as fearless, courageous and someone who spoke for the right cause. Zubeen’s stand against ULFA’s ban on performing Hindi songs in Bihu functions, his voice against the CAA, are oft-cited examples that show his defiance. His generosity, exemplified by several initiatives to help the needy, has been highlighted by many after his death." (Aspirants can note down points for the Essay and Ethics papers. Refer to the full opinion piece for more such insights. (Click here)) — Kaziranga National Park: It is located in Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts of Assam. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. This national park is famous for its one-horned Rhinoceros and lies between the Brahmaputra River and the Karbi (Mikir) Hills. The park is also a breeding ground of elephants, wild water buffalo, ganga river dolphin and swamp deer. Kaziranga was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006. It is also an important area for migratory birds. — World Animal Day: Mayabini was born on World Animal Day. It is celebrated on October 4 around the world, is a social mission to raise the status of animals in order to improve the welfare standards around the globe. October 4 aligns with the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.The theme for 2025 is "Save Animals, Save the Planet!" marking the 100th anniversary of the day. BEYOND THE NUGGET: Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) — The Assam government has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore to assist in the ongoing probe into superstar Zubeen Garg’s death in Singapore. — An MLAT is an agreement between two or more countries for the purpose of gathering and exchanging information in an effort to enforce public laws or criminal laws. — When evidence or other forms of legal assistance, such as witness statements or the service of documents, are needed from a foreign sovereign, states may attempt to cooperate informally through their respective police agencies or, alternatively, resort to what is typically referred to as requests for ‘mutual legal assistance’. Post Read Questions Consider the following statements: 1. Kaziranga National Park lies between the Brahmaputra River and the Karbi (Mikir) Hills. 2. A one-horned Rhinoceros, born in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, was named after late singer Zubeen Garg’s popular number ‘Mayabini'. 3. Kaziranga National Park was declared as a Tiger Reserve in 2006. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Answer key (b) (Sources: golaghat.assam.gov.in, How Zubeen Garg became a symbol of unity in a divided Assam) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Anniversary Special: Read the UPSC Essentials September 2025 special edition, celebrating two years of the magazine! Share your views and suggestions at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com 🚨 Topic: How are US tariffs likely to impact India? What can India do? You are invited to the next Express Explained.live with Sajjid Chinoy, Managing Director and Chief Asia Economist at J.P. 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