Tamil Nadu

Archaeology & Ancient Tamil Culture

Sangam-Era Water Regulation Structure in Kollidam River:
- Discovery: A detailed study by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) confirmed that a brick structure exposed on the Kollidam riverbed at Koogur in Tiruchi district (near Kallanai dam) is a Sangam-period water regulation structure.
- Literary Connection: The structure has been linked to Kurampu, an ancient water-management mechanism documented in classical Sangam literature.
- Structural Features: Built using large Sangam-period bricks measuring 39–43 cm in length, 20–22 cm in width, and 6–7 cm in thickness.

18th BRICS Summit (New Delhi) — Concluding Declarations:
- Key Focus: PM Narendra Modi flagged the risk of weaponisation of technology and critical minerals and called for resilient Global South supply chains.
- New BRICS Institutional Frameworks:
  1. BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for mass infectious disease response.
  2. BRICS Logistics Supply Chain Cooperation Framework.
  3. BRICS Startup Innovation Fund & BRICS Incubator Network.
  4. BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture (linking AI, geospatial technology, and Digital Public Infrastructure).
  5. BRICS Urban Mobility Hub & MSME Cooperation Portal.
UN Map Controversy & Security Council Overhaul:
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres clarified that the UN does not publish official maps defining international borders, addressing Indian concerns regarding the omission of Indian claim lines in Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh on UN Geospatial maps.
- Reaffirmed that the UN Security Council requires an overhaul to address distorted global power structures that make it non-operational during geopolitical crises.