Archives November 2012

The Queen of Melody, the Bharat Ratan of SwarsGanga who has completed 81 years of wonderful life and is still as melodious as Over - Lata Mangeshkar is music personified. This Dada Saheb Phaike Award receiver moved the entire nation with her deep influencing voice while she sang 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' on All India Radio and a stunned nation wept to her heart rendering voice. She represents an entire era, a movement and a lasting phase in Indian music. Her voice has such great power that it has transcended all barriers of language, caste, creed, culture, boundaries, region and religion. To millions it is just melody, sweetness and harmony. Born on September 28, 1929, she is the daughter of the well known Drama Troupe Owner in Marathi - Pandit Dina Nath Mangeshkar. She is the eldest among four daughters and a son. The first fruits of Classical Music more...

From being adored as a revolutionary and vibrant personification of the forward looking spirit of India, to being described as a pampered young man who accidentally acquired national leadership—indeed, Jawaharlal Nehru had many hues and shades to his personality. Born on November 14, 1889 at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, he grew up in an influential political family with European governesses and tutors. The illustrious Motilal Nehru was his father and he was brought up in an aristocratic manner. From 1907-10, he studied Natural Science at Trinity college, Cambridge and later joined the Inner Temple, London. In 1912, he returned to India and following the footsteps of his father joined the Allahabad High Court Bar. In 1916, he entered into matrimony with Kamala Kaul. Their only child Indira was born the very next year. The turning point in Nehru's life came while travelling on a train. He overheard General Dyer, of more...

For most people, he is best known as the architect of Independent India's industrialization strategy that was embodied in the Second Five Year Plan (1956-61). An Indian scientist and most importantly, an Applied Statistician, he is best known for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure. This pioneering statistician was born on June 29, 1893. He graduated in physics in 1912 from the Presidency College, Kolkata and later studied at Cambridge. Inspired by 'Biometrika' and mentored by Acharya Brajendra Nath Seal, he started his statistical work. Initially, he worked on analyzing university exam results, anthropometric measurements on Anglo-Indians of Kolkata and some meteorological problems. He also worked as a meteorologist for some time. In 1924, when he was working on the probable error of results of agricultural experiments, he met Ronald Fisher, with whom he established a life-long friendship. He also worked on schemes to prevent floods. His most important contributions more...

How would you describe a man who moved from the portals of an affluent business family to being the Father of Indian Space programme? If one thinks intently, probably, the word 'genius' would suit him. It is to this genre that Vikram Sarabhai belongs to. Born at Ahmedabad on August 12, 1919 in a family which was throughly steeped into freedom struggle, he had his early education in a private school, 'Retreat'. This was a school run by his parents on Montessori lines. It was this atmosphere combined with the visits of legendary leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Jawahar Lal Nehru; that injected into the young boy the seeds of scientific curiosity, ingenuity and creativity. As far as academics go, Sarabhai was a bright student, actively participating in diverse activities. He matriculated from the Gujarat College in Ahmedabad and moved to England to pursue further studies. A notable more...

Steeped in intellectual thought with an illustrious eye for detail, he represented India's scientific temper. He is the first Asian and the foremost Indian to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. Most importantly, he did this at a time when India was little known in the field of sciences. A man of immense calibre and a pool of talent, he can be none other than Chandrasekhara Venkat.d Raman. Born at Trichinopoly in Tamil Nadu on November 7, 1888, his father was a lecturer in Mathematics and Physics. So, from an early age, he was immersed in an academic atmosphere. He was a diligent student. He entered the Presidency College, Madras, in 1902, and in 1904 passed his BA examination, winning the first place and a gold medal in physics. In 1907, he gained his MA degree, obtaining the highest distinctions. His earliest researches in  optics and acoustics - the two more...

A good friend of mine is my room-mate in the school hostel. He hails from a village in Haryana. He had been inviting me off and on to visit his village. During the summer vacation he repeated the invitation. Before the winter vacation he had to leave for his Village early. I promised him that this time I will avail of his kind invitation. On closing of school, the next morning, I packed my l lungs. I wanted to travel light. I took a Haryana roadways bus that goes via his village. In a couple of Hours I was there. The bus stop is close to the railway station which is a few kilometers away from the village.   Instead of sitting in a bullock cart, I chose to walk down.  The weather was fine with cool breeze blowing all along. It was a pleasure to walk, cross country, following the more...

Introduction. Mahatma Gandhi's name is on the lips of everybody. He was the greatest man not only of India but of the world Also. He was the father of the nation. We generally call him Bapu. His Birth and Parentage. Mahatma Gandhi was born at porbandar in the year if 1869 on 2nd October. His father; Kaba Gandhi was the diwan of Rajkot State. His mother was a noble and pious lady. His Education. At the age of seven he was sent to school. At school he proved himself to be only an average boy. He was always regular and punctual in his class. After passing his Matriculation Examination he studied at college. Then he went to England to study law. Practice as a Lawyer. He started his practice at Bombay. But he did not do well. Then he went to Rajkot. He was not a successful lawyer. In Africa. more...

Sonia Maino was born on 9 December 1946 to Stefano Maino , a building contractor, and Paolo Preledon on the 1'.inks of the Po in Orhassano near Turim in Italy (she is frond of three daughters). In 1965, she went to Cambridge in enroll in an English language school. She met Rajiv Gandhi at the Varsity Restaurant in Cambridge. He was at Trinity College then. In year 1967, marriage of Rajiv and Sonia was announced.  In 1968, marriage of these two took place on the lawns of  The safdarjung  house of lndira Gandhi on Vasant Panchami  Day in  February, the same day Indira married Feroze in  1942; Sonia wore the same cotton pink sari that Indira had  Worn  for her wedding, the sari spun by Jawaharlal Nehru While in  prison. In 1970, Rahul was born, Priyanka two years later. In 1980, Sonia became an Indian citizen. In 1980, Rajiv’s brather, more...

Introduction. Today man's scientific knowledge is very wide and highly advanced. It has helped him to discover and invent many things for his comforts and efficiency Computer is the latest .and most Brilliant child of science.                                              How computer came into existence? Charles Babbage developed v the first difference and analytical engine in 1812, the later developed 'Analytical engine'. This machine had the concepts of modern Computers namely memory unit and capacity to handle Stored programme. But this machine could not be put into practical Application due id technological limitations at his time. In 1854, George Boole invented the logic system which is the basis for today's Digital computers. In 193.7, the first electro machine calculator was developed by Howard and Dilton. In 1946, the first computer came into existence. It was named as ENIAC [Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator] was developed by Dr. John Nouchly and J.P. Eckert University of more...

India's 13th prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh is acclaimed as a thinker and a scholar. He is well regarded for his diligence and his academic approach to work, as well as his accessibility and his unassuming conduct. He has been in academics and a civil servant. Manmohan Singh was born on 26 September 1932, in village Gah in the Punjab province of undivided India. He completed his matriculation examination from Punjab University in 1948. His academic career took him from I 'Punjab to the University of Cambridge, UK, where he earned II first class honours degree in Economics in 1957. He followed this with a D. Phil in Economics from Oxford University in 1962. His book, India's Export Trends and prospects for Self-sustained Growth (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1964) was an early critique of India's inward- oriented trade policy. Dr Singh's academic credentials were burnished by the years he spent on more...