The Indian Panorama

Month: January 2014

  • KEEP YOUR WOODEN FURNITURE SHINY

    KEEP YOUR WOODEN FURNITURE SHINY

    Varnished wood is considered to be one of the most popular surfaces available in furniture. Rooms with varnished woodwork not only look elegant, but it is also considered stylish, but it needs special care. Cleaning your varnished wood furniture from time to time helps restore its appearance and sheen. Here’s how you can do it:

    1. Protect the wood from water and other liquids, such as alcohol, food or cosmetics. Don’t allow water or other liquids to settle on a wood surface as it leaves behind a stain.

    2. Keep varnish wood free of dust and dirt, as it can make the surface grimy. Use a vacuum cleaner, or a dry, soft, lint free cloth can also help remove dust and smudges. Lightly soiled varnished surfaces can be cleaned by using teak oil. For heavily soiled surfaces, dampen a soft cloth with a mixture of mild soap, and warm water.

    3. Stickiness or light soil can be removed, by first cleaning the wood surface with a damp cloth and then immediately rubbing it with a dry cloth. Test in an inconspicuous spot before you do this, and never leave a damp cloth sitting on the varnished surface.

    4. Varnished wood should be waxed or polished each year to keep its lustre. This prevents wax build-up and also protects the surface from moisture and dust. To remove the wax buildup, use a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or synthetic turpentine. Do not use natural turpentine as it may leave a sticky residue. Protect your skin by wearing rubber gloves and wash the gloves in hot sudsy water before storing.

  • AGREEMENT BETWEEN ENNORE PORT AND FORD INDIA TO BOOST AUTO EXPORTS

    AGREEMENT BETWEEN ENNORE PORT AND FORD INDIA TO BOOST AUTO EXPORTS

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Ennore Port Limited (EPL), Chennai and Ford India Private Limited have signed an agreement for export of Ford cars though the Ennore port for a period of 10 years.

    Speaking on the occasion the Union Minister for Shipping Shri G.K. Vasan said that this is a part of series of initiatives by the UPA government for attracting investments in the infrastructure sector, particularly in ports and automobile sectors. The agreement provides for various volume based discounts on wharfage by EPL ranging from 5% to 30% to encourage more exports through EPL. Ford India Private Limited has set up a modern integrated manufacturing facility at Maraimalai Nagar, near Chennai, for export of their automobile products.

    In the last few years, Chennai has emerged as the hub of automobile manufacturing sector with all global auto majors having their manufacturing plants in the city. Besides, Chennai has also emerged as a major centre for export of automobiles. Ennore Port has played a key role in facilitating these exports. Between September 2010 and December 2013 about 4,49,720 automobile units have been exported from Ennore Port, including those of manufacturers like Nissan, Ford & Ashok Leyland from Chennai, Toyota from Bangalore and Honda from Delhi. Ennore Port has developed a General Cargo-cum-Car Terminal at a cost of Rs.140 crore, which includes a car parking yard of 35 acres for parking of 10000 cars at a time, the biggest amongst the Major Ports.

    Giving details of the future projects of the port, the minister said that the Ennore Port has planned to set up an LNG storage and regasification terminal with IOCL for import of LNG at an estimated investment of Rs.4500 crores having capacity of 5 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum. The IOCL plans to commission the project by 2016-17. The Port has also commenced preproject activities for the construction of the third coal berth to handle additional 9 million tonnes of coal required by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).

    In keeping with the global trend of containerised transportation of cargo, Ennore Port has also come up with a proposal to develop a container terminal at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,270 crore with a capacity of 1.4 million TEUs. This project is targeted for award during 2013-14 along with Multi Cargo Terminal. The Port is expected to handle 24 MMT during 2013-14 as against 17.89 MMT during 2012-13. During the 12th five year plan, Ennore port has plans to increase the Port capacity from present 30 MTPA to 66.8 MTPA. All these measures are expected to generate more employment opportunities, promote the growth of Indian exports as well as boost the domestic economy.

  • Benefits of a head massage

    Benefits of a head massage

    Getting a head massage is one of the best ways to release every day stress and anxiety. It also helps relieve headaches. Here are some of the advantages.
    1. It relaxes and calms your mind
    2. It helps reduce stress
    3. Helps improve concentration
    4. Activates blood circulation in different parts of your body
    5. It aids in quick and sound sleep
    6. It strengthens your hair roots Here are a few ways you can do it at home
    7. Take an oil of your choice. Olive oil and coconut oil are considered to be the best ones.
    8. Heat the oil a bit
    9. Start by applying the oil slowly on your scalp with fingers
    10. Make sure that you apply oil slowly with your fingers on your scalp
    11. After you’ve applied the oil properly, put your fingers inside your hair and rub your scalp slowly.
    12. Do not rub your scalp forcefully as it could lead to hairfall
    13. Apart from this, you can also massage your forehead and neck during this process
    14. You can do this just before you go off
    to sleep

  • AFTER FACEBOOK, GOOGLE BUYS STARTUP WITH INDIAN LINK

    AFTER FACEBOOK, GOOGLE BUYS STARTUP WITH INDIAN LINK

    BENGALURU (TIP): After Facebook’s acquisition of Bangalore-based Little Eye Labs earlier this month, it’s Google that has now bought a three-year-old startup that had two Indians — Vish Ramarao and Naveen Jamal — as co-founders and offices in Bangalore and California.

    The startup, Impermium, had a third co-founder Mark Risher. Jamal was based in Bangalore and looked after the office here, while Ramarao and Risher were based in California. All three had previously worked together in Yahoo and came out of it in 2010 to found Impermium. The startup focused on building security products for websites. Impermium’s website now has just a note from Risher, who was the CEO, with the headline ‘Impermium is joining Google’.

    It goes on to say: “By joining Google, our team will merge with some of the best abuse fighters in the world. With our combined talents we’ll be able to further our mission and help make the internet a safer place. We’re excited about the possibilities.” Impermium had received $9 million in funding from a host of venture firms including Accel Partners, AOL Ventures, Charles River Ventures and Highland Capital Partners. Google has not disclosed the terms of its deal with Impermium. Acquisitions of India-based startups by the likes of Google and Facebook are expected to provide a big boost to the startup ecosystem. Not too many Indiabased startups have had great exits yet, but the latest instances look to be changing that trend.

    Software product startup associations like iSpirt are actively engaged in trying to marry Indian startups with global ones. Jamal is originally from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, went to the US to study, worked as a software engineer in a small US company and then joined Yahoo in 1998. He moved to Bangalore around the time Impermium was being founded and established the office here. Ramarao is from Bangalore, went to the US for higher studies, and has since been there. Prior to Impermium, all three cofounders were in Yahoo Mail, where they dealt with problems of spam, web security and fraudulent account creation. In an interview to TOI early last year, Risher said they realized that the problems they dealt with weren’t an issue with just Yahoo’s services but rather a problem with every website on the internet, and that encouraged them to found Impermium.

    Risher said the company had built a number of services that worked as a riskdetermination system, which could help identify when an account had been compromised. The system calculates the risk from parameters like where you accessed the account from, the device software and historical usage pattern of the links you’re posting. And Risher then had this to say about his new employer: “Security is always a balance between convenience and safety. And a complete overhaul (of the password system) becomes difficult. Google talked about an RFID ring that you would wear and which would transfer a secure certificate. Yes it would work but it would be a hassle and everybody would have to buy a reader. It’s not going to happen overnight.” Impermium has said it has 300,000 clients, including Tumblr, Pinterest, CNN, ESPN, Typepad and Washington Post.

  • Rs 5-lakh-crore investments: PM wants solar energy target advanced

    Rs 5-lakh-crore investments: PM wants solar energy target advanced

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has instructed advancing the planned commissioning of 100,00 Megawatt (Mw) of solar power generation capacity to 2027, against the originally envisaged target of 2031. The long-term target for the ambitious solar mission will be made public soon.

    The government received bids from 68 companies, including Tata Power, Moser Baer, Welspun, Azure Power, Jakson Power and KSK Energy, for setting up 2,170 Mw capacity projects for the second phase of the mission. This is three times the proposed 750 Mw to be supplied at a fixed tariff of Rs 5.5 per unit. The highest bidders included Azure Power (200 Mw), Welspun (160 Mw) and ILF&S Energy (100 Mw). The PM’s Office has asked the largest power equipment manufacturer, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to give next week presentations on the blueprint of the strategies to implement the plan that could attract investment in excess of Rs 5-6 lakh crore.

    “PM’s Principal Secretary Pulok Chatterjee is guiding the entire initiative. MNRE had earlier worked out the 2031 plan and the PM has now asked for an aggressive target of 2027. This is now possible as we believe the grid-parity for solar power is expected to be achieved by 2018,” an executive involved in the discussions told Business Standard. As part of the plan, BHEL is setting up integrated facilities to manufacture equipment across the value chain, from polysilicon wafers to photovoltaic cells and modules that capture sunlight light for conversion into electricity. The first 500-Mw capacity factory is under construction and will start producing in 18 months.

    The PSU will also take up the role of a producer by utilising its surplus resources to take up minority equity stakes in the solar power generation projects that will be set up under the initiative. BHEL had a cash balance of Rs 6,221 crore at the end of September quarter. The company is currently building a 4,000-Mw solar power plant 75 km from Jaipur in Rajasthan. Singh had launched the National Solar Mission, as one of the seven schemes under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), in January 2010. The scheme targeted setting up 20,000 Mw of solar power capacity by 2022 in three phases. Since then, over 2,000 Mw of such capacity has been commissioned in the first phase (2010-13).

    The success of the first phase was owed to the mechanism of bundling expensive solar power with electricity from the unallocated quota of the centre’s thermal power stations, which is relatively cheaper. Also, a reverse-bidding mechanism was followed that enabled qualified bidders to benefit from declining global prices for solar components, thereby reducing purchase prices of solar PV equipment. In reverse bidding, developers quote the amount of investment needed to construct a project to qualify for viability gap funding (VGF) rather than quoting the electricity tariff. Prices were pulled down due to a slump in demand for solar components in key economies.

  • FOREIGN RELATIONS OF INDIA

    FOREIGN RELATIONS OF INDIA

    India has formal diplomatic relations with most nations; it is the world’s second most populous country, the world’s mostpopulous democracy and one of the fastest growing major economies. With the world’s seventh largest military expenditure, ninth largest economy by nominal rates and third largest by purchasing power parity, India is a regional power, a nascent great power and a potential superpower.

    India’s growing international influence gives it a prominent voice in global affairs. The Economist magazine argues, however, that underinvestment in diplomacy and a lack of strategic vision have minimised India’s influence in the world. India is a newly industrialised country, it has a long history of collaboration with several countries and is considered one of the leaders of the developing world along with China, Brazil, Russia and South Africa (the BRICS countries). India was one of the founding members of several international organisations, most notably the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank, G20 industrial nations and the founder of the Non-aligned movement.


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    India has often represented the interests of developing countries at various international platforms. Shown here is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Dmitry Medvedev, Hu Jintao and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during BRIC summit

    India has also played an important and influential role in other international organisations like East Asia Summit, World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund (IMF), G8+5 and IBSA Dialogue Forum. Regionally, India is a part of SAARC and BIMSTEC. India has taken part in several UN peacekeeping missions and in 2007, it was the secondlargest troop contributor to the United Nations.[12] India is currently seeking a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, along with the G4 nations. India’s relations with the world have evolved since the British Raj (1857–1947), when the British Empire monopolised external and defence relations. When India gained independence in 1947, few Indians had experience in making or conducting foreign policy. However, the country’s oldest political party, the Indian National Congress, had established a small foreign department in 1925 to make overseas contacts and to publicise its freedom struggle.

    From the late 1920s on, Jawaharlal Nehru, who had a longstanding interest in world affairs among independence leaders, formulated the Congress stance on international issues. As a member of the interim government in 1946, Nehru articulated India’s approach to the world. India’s international influence varied over the years after independence. Indian prestige and moral authority were high in the 1950s and facilitated the acquisition of developmental assistance from both East and West. Although the prestige stemmed from India’s nonaligned stance, the nation was unable to prevent Cold War politics from becoming intertwined with interstate relations in South Asia.


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    In the 1960s and 1970s India’s international position among developed and developing countries faded in the course of wars with China and Pakistan, disputes with other countries in South Asia, and India’s attempt to balance Pakistan’s support from the United States and China by signing the Indo- Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in August 1971. Although India obtained substantial Soviet military and economic aid, which helped to strengthen the nation, India’s influence was undercut regionally and internationally by the perception that its friendship with the Soviet Union prevented a more forthright condemnation of the Soviet presence in Afghanistan. In the late 1980s, India improved relations with the United States, other developed countries, and China while continuing close ties with the Soviet Union. Relations with its South Asian neighbours, especially Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, occupied much of the energies of the Ministry of External Affairs.

    In the 1990s, India’s economic problems and the demise of the bipolar world political system forced India to reassess its foreign policy and adjust its foreign relations. Previous policies proved inadequate to cope with the serious domestic and international problems facing India. The end of the Cold War gutted the core meaning of nonalignment and left Indian foreign policy without significant direction. The hard, pragmatic considerations of the early 1990s were still viewed within the nonaligned framework of the past, but the disintegration of the Soviet Union removed much of India’s international leverage, for which relations with Russia and the other post-Soviet states could not compensate. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, India improved its relations with the United States, Canada, France, Japan and Germany. In 1992, India established formal diplomatic relations with Israel and this relationship grew during the tenures of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and the subsequent UPA (United Progressive Alliance) governments.

    In the mid-1990s, India attracted the world attention towards the Pakistan-backed terrorism in Kashmir. The Kargil War resulted in a major diplomatic victory for India. The United States and European Union recognised the fact that Pakistani military had illegally infiltrated into Indian territory and pressured Pakistan to withdraw from Kargil. Several anti-India militant groups based in Pakistan were labeled as terrorist groups by the United States and European Union. India has often represented the interests of developing countries at various international platforms. Shown here are Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Dmitry Medvedev, Hu Jintao and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during BRIC summit in June, 2009. In 1998, India tested nuclear weapons for the second time which resulted in several US, Japanese and European sanctions on India.

    India’s then-defence minister, George Fernandes, said that India’s nuclear programme was necessary as it provided a deterrence to potential Chinese nuclear threat. Most of the sanctions imposed on India were removed by 2001. After the 11 September attacks in 2001, Indian intelligence agencies provided the U.S. with significant information on Al-Qaeda and related groups’ activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. India’s extensive contribution to the War on Terror, coupled with a surge in its economy, has helped India’s diplomatic relations with several countries. Over the past three years, India has held numerous joint military exercises with U.S. and European nations that have resulted in a strengthened U.S.-India and E.U.-India bilateral relationship. India’s bilateral trade with Europe and United States has more than doubled in the last five years.

    India has been pushing for reforms in the UN and WTO with mixed results. India’s candidature for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council is currently backed by several countries including France, Russia,[50] the United Germany, Japan, Brazil, Australia and UAE. In 2004, the United States signed a nuclear co-operation agreement with India even though the latter is not a part of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty. The US argued that India’s strong nuclear non-proliferation record made it an exception, however this has not persuaded other Nuclear Suppliers Group members to sign similar deals with India. During a state visit to India in November 2010, US president Barack Obama announced US support for India’s bid for permanent membership to UN Security Council as well as India’s entry to Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group and Missile Technology Control Regime.

  • INTERESTING CRUNCHES TO SCULPT SIX-PACKS

    INTERESTING CRUNCHES TO SCULPT SIX-PACKS

    Bored of doing the standard sit ups? Here’s how to sculpt sixpack abs with interesting crunches Doing the basic sit-ups to firm your abdominal muscles is not a bad choice. But if you find yourself wondering why you have been unable to achieve a surfboard tummy even after doing 100 crunches a day, it is time you sit up and think different. TOI lists few of the most recommended abdominal exercises that will help you achieve a flat stomach.

    1. Crunch on a ball
    Sit on a Swiss ball with your feet flat on the floor at shoulder-width distance. Lie back on the ball such that your back is parallel to the ground. At this point, your lower back must feel like it is curved around the ball. Raise your arms towards the ceiling, and raise your chest up in a crunching motion. Your head should be in line with your upper body and neck must not strain. End your range of motion when your middle back loses contact with the Swiss ball. If you rise further, the ball may slip from under your hip. Hold the contracted position for three seconds and go back to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

    2. Twist and crunch
    Lie down on your back on a mat. Place your hands near your ears and lift your legs in the air folded at 90 degrees at the knees. Contract your abs and bring your right elbow across your body towards your left knee. Hold for three seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the contraction on the other side with the left elbow. Do 10 reps on each side. If you can’t, start with five reps on each side.

    3. Russian crunch
    Sit on a decline bench, with your legs held under the pads. If you do not have a decline bench, lie on the ground on your back with your feet on the floor and knees folded. Take support on your feet such that they remain rooted on the floor, or ask someone to stand on your feet. Now lean back so that your thighs and torso form a 90-degree angle.

    With abs crunched, keep both your hands on your chest and twist your abdomen to the right first, then left, then right and left again. All of this will make for one repetition. Perform the motion as quickly as you can without compromising on the form. Do 10 reps if possible. Or start with five and work your way up to 10.

    4. Hip raise and leg raise
    Lie down on a flat bench with your legs up and perpendicular to the ground. Hold the bench behind your head to remain steady. Now contract your lower ab muscles and lift your hips off the bench. Make sure your legs remain perpendicular to the ground. Hold for three seconds and lower your hips to normal position.

    Remain in the position and lower your legs till they are at an angle of 180 degrees with your body. Hold for three seconds and return your legs to the perpendicular position. This is one repetition. Perform 10 reps in all.

    5. Woodchop
    The wood chop targets the obliques. Unlike the static plank, it targets your middle while it is in motion. Grab a ball, the size of a football with both hands. Stand with your knees slightly bent and your feet apart — a little wider than the hip distance. Raise your hands with the ball at higher than eye level and twist your abdomen on the left.

    Imagine that you are holding an axe in your hands and chopping wood. Now, chop the ball down diagonally across your body towards your right knee. Return to the starting position and do 10 reps on each side.

    6. Jackknife
    Lie down on your back on the ground and your body straight. Raise your arms towards the ceiling. Now, with hands raised, abs crunched, simultaneously raise your legs off the ground. The weight of your body should be on your glutes and knees should not be bent. Your legs and torso should form a 90-degree angle, and your fingertips should be almost touching your toes. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

    7. Wiper crunch
    Lie on your back with your arms in the T-position for better balance. Lift your legs in the air so that they are perpendicular to the ground and your knees are straight. Let both legs fall towards the ground on the left side (without touching the floor). Now, move your legs together from the left to the right, and let them fall towards the ground (without touching the floor) on the right. The motion is very similar to how wipers move on the windshield of your car. This makes for one repetition. Repeat 10 times.

    8. Reverse crunch
    Lie down on a bench with your legs raised in the air and knees bent at 90 degrees. Grab the bench behind your head for remain steady. Keeping your back straight, raise your hips off the bench. Crunch your ab muscle to pull your knees towards your chest. At this point your body weight should lie on your shoulders and upper back. Hold the crunch for three seconds. Return to the starting position and perform 10 reps.

    9. Side on crunch ball
    Turn sideways and firmly place your right hip on a Swiss ball. Ensure that you are leaning into the ball, with your weight on the right hip, and torso and legs in a straight line. For support, press the soles of your feet against the bottom of a wall. Place your hands near your ears, and lift your torso as far up as you can by contracting your left oblique muscles. Hold for three seconds and repeat on the other side. Perform 10 reps on each side.

    If 10 seems difficult start with five. These abdominal exercises must be performed with a proper diet and a fatburning cardio regimen. Do these exercise five times a week. If all goes as per plan, you will start developing six pack abs in three months.

  • JOURNEY OF INDIAN REPUBLIC

    JOURNEY OF INDIAN REPUBLIC

    Asalute of 21 guns and the unfurling of the Indian National flag by Dr. Rajendra Prasad heralded the historic birth of the Indian Republic on January 26, 1950; 894 days after our country became a dominion following withdrawal of British Rule. Since then, every year the day is celebrated with great pride and happiness all over the nation. The transition of India from a British colony to a sovereign, secular, and democratic nation was indeed historical. It was a long journey of around two decades that started with the conceptualisation of the dream in 1930 to its actual realization in 1950. A look into the journey that led to the birth of Indian Republic will make our celebrations more meaningful.

    Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress
    The seeds of a republican nation were sowed at the Lahore session of the Indian National Congress at the midnight of 31st December 1929. The session was held under the presidency of Pt. Jawarhar Lal Nehru. Those present in the meeting took a pledge to mark January 26 as “Independence Day” in order to march towards realizing the dream of complete independence from the British. The Lahore Session paved way to the Civil Disobedience movement. It was decided that January 26, 1930 would be observed as the Purna Swaraj (complete Independence) Day. Many Indian political parties and Indian revolutionaries from all over the country united to observe the day with honour and pride.

    Indian Constituent Assembly Meetings
    The Indian Constituent Assembly, which was constituted as a result of the negotiations between the Indian leaders and members of the British Cabinet Mission, had its first meeting on December 9, 1946. The Objective of the Assembly was to give India a constitution, which would serve a lasting purpose and hence appointed a number of committees to thoroughly research the various aspects of the proposed constitution. The recommendations were discussed, debated and revised many times before the Indian Constitution was finalized and officially adopted three years later on November 26, 1949.


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    Constitution came into force
    Though India became a free nation on August 15, 1947, it enjoyed the true spirit of Independence on January 26, 1950 when the Constitution of India finally came into force. The Constitution gave the citizens of India the power to govern themselves by choosing their own government. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, took oath as the first President of India at the Durbar Hall in the Government House and this was followed by the Presidential drive along a five-mile route to the Irwin Stadium, where he unfurled the National Flag. Ever since the historic day, January 26 is celebrated with festivities and patriotic fervor all around the country. The day owes its importance to the constitution of India that was adopted on this day.

    Constitution of India
    The Indian constitution is the Constitutional supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. It is the longest written constitution of any sovereign country in the world, containing 448 articles in 25 parts, 12 schedules, 5 appendices and 98 amendments. Besides the English version, there is an official Hindi translation.

    Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is widely regarded as the father of the Indian Constitution. The Constitution follows parliamentary system of government and the executive is directly accountable to legislature. Article 74 provides that there shall be a Prime Minister of India as the head of government. It also states that there shall be a President of India and a Vice-President of India under Articles 52 and 63. Unlike the Prime Minister, the President largely performs ceremonial roles. The Constitution of India is federal in nature. Each State and each Union territory of India have their own government. Analogues to President and Prime Minister, the Governor in case of States, Lieutenant Governor for Union territories and the Chief Minister. The 73rd and 74th Amendment Act also introduced the system of Panchayati Raj in rural areas and Municipality in urban areas.

    Also, Article 370 of the Constitution gives special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Constitution was adopted by the India Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, and came into effect on 26 January 1950. The date of 26 January was chosen to commemorate the Purna Swaraj declaration of independence of 1930. With its adoption, the Union of India officially became the modern and contemporary Republic of India and it replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country’s fundamental governing document. To ensure constitutional autochthony, the framers of constitution inserted Article 395 in the constitution and by this Article the Indian Independence Act, 1947 was repealed. The Constitution declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, assuring its citizens of justice, equality, and liberty, and endeavors to promote fraternity among them. The words “socialist” and “secular” were added to the definition in 1976 by constitutional amendment (mini constitution). India celebrates the adoption of the constitution on 26 January each year as Republic Day.

    Constituent Assembly
    The Constitution was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which was elected by the elected members of the provincial assemblies. Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Sanjay Phakey, Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Kanaiyalal Munshi, Purushottam Mavalankar, Sandipkumar Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Nalini Ranjan Ghosh, and Balwantrai Mehta were some important figures in the Assembly. There were more than 30 members of the scheduled classes. Frank Anthony represented the Anglo- Indian community, and the Parsis were represented by H. P. Modi. The Chairman of the Minorities Committee was Harendra Coomar Mookerjee, a distinguished Christian who represented all Christians other than Anglo-Indians.

    Ari Bahadur Gururng represented the Gorkha Community. Prominent jurists like Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, Benegal Narsing Rau and K. M. Munshi, Ganesh Mavlankar were also members of the Assembly. Sarojini Naidu, Hansa Mehta, Durgabai Deshmukh, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and Vijayalakshmi Pandit were important women members. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is hailed as the prime architect of the Indian Constitution The first temporary 2-day president of the Constituent Assembly was Dr Sachidanand Sinha. Later, Rajendra Prasad was elected president of the Constituent Assembly. The members of the Constituent Assembly met for the first time on 9 December 1946.

    Preamble to the Constitution of India
    The preamble to the Constitution of India is a brief introductory statement that sets out the guiding purpose and principles of the document. The preamble-page, along with other pages of the original Constitution of India, was designed and decorated solely by renowned painter Beohar Rammanohar Sinha of Jabalpur who was at Shantiniketan with acharya Nandalal Bose at that time. Nandalal Bose endorsed Beohar Rammanohar Sinha’s artwork without any alteration whatsoever. As such, the page bears Beohar Rammanohar Sinha’s short signature Ram in Devanagari lower-right corner.

    The preamble is not an integral part of the Indian constitution was first decided by the Supreme Court of India in BeruBari case therefore it is not enforceable in a court of law. However, Supreme Court of India has, in the Kesavananda case, recognised that the preamble may be used to interpret ambiguous areas of the constitution where differing interpretations present themselves. In the 1995 case of Union Government Vs LIC of India also the Supreme Court has once again held that Preamble is the integral part of the Constitution. As originally enacted the preamble described the state as a “sovereign democratic republic”. In 1976 the Forty-second Amendment changed this to read “sovereign socialist secular democratic republic”.

  • FOODS TO AVOID FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

    FOODS TO AVOID FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

    Do not panic if you have been diagnosed with High Blood Pressure. Besides regular exercise, one can control it with diet low in sodium and fat. So here are some of the top foods you should avoid:
    1. Pickles are low calorie but they are loaded with sodium.
    2. Papads are again low calorie but high in sodium.
    3. French Fries provide a large dose of fat and sodium. A medium serving of fries has about 19 grams of fat and 270 mg of sodium.
    4. Bacon is mostly fat. Three slices have 4.5 grams of fat and about 270mg of sodium.
    5. Readymade soup may be comfort food but it has about 800 mg of sodium in one cup serving.
    6. Dairy is a great source of calcium, but high fat dairy sources, like whole milk, provide more fat than you need. A one cup serving of whole milk provides eight grams of fat, five of which are saturated.
    7. Alcohol consumption actively causes the blood pressure to elevate. It also damages the walls of the blood vessels, while simultaneously increases risks of further complications.
    8. Donuts may be yummy, but they sure aren’t very good for your health and body. Just one donut packs in 200 calories with 12 grams of fat.

  • BENEFITS OF GINGER TEA

    BENEFITS OF GINGER TEA

    Nothing beats cold in the winter like a piping hot cup of ginger tea. With its high levels of Vitamin C, magnesium and other minerals, ginger root is extremely beneficial for health. Once made into tea, you can add peppermint, honey or lemon to mask the taste of the ginger. Here’s why you should have this soothing beverage.

    Relieve nausea
    Drinking a cup of ginger tea before travelling can help prevent the nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness. You can also drink a cuppa at the first sign of nausea to relieve the symptom.

    Improve stomach performance
    Useful in improving digestion and increasing absorption of food, ginger tea can bloating after eating too much.

    Reduce inflammation
    Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties that make it an ideal home remedy for muscle and joint problems. In addition to drinking ginger tea, you can also use it to soak inflamed joints.

    Fight respiratory problems
    Ginger tea can help relieve congestion associated with the common cold. Try a cup of ginger tea for the respiratory symptoms associated with environmental allergies.

    Improve blood circulation
    The vitamins, minerals and amino acids in ginger tea can help restore and improve blood circulation that may help decrease the chance of cardiovascular problems. Ginger may prevent fat from depositing in the arteries helping to prevent heart attacks and stroke.

  • PARANTHE WALI GALI

    PARANTHE WALI GALI

    STORY: A struggling theatre actor and a young girl, ‘mad over paranthas’, bump into each other in the famous paranthe wali gali of old Delhi and talk each other into fulfilling their dreams. REVIEW: Playwright and theatre director Sachin Gupta’s debut film with an interesting title offers a fresh perspective on life, ambition and our ability to hit back harder when life hits you hard. Very rarely do films focus on simple and light-hearted everyday conversation.

    Gupta brings that aspect to the forefront with the beautiful backdrop of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi (or Delhi-6, thanks to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra). We also liked the fact that though based on the hero’s love for theatre, most songs and scenes don’t look theatrical. Gupta keeps it real with locations, performances, interactions. While the sight of scrumptious paranthas and pickle leave you salivating, lack of a concrete plot coupled with the film’s stagnant pace also unfortunately leave you hungry and tired.

    Plus, the story lacks direction; it wanders around aimlessly, lacking continuity and failing to connect with the audience. This makes you question the motive of the film. For example, the protagonist Maulik ( Anuj Saxena), a theatre actor/director, who struggles to get himself a show, goes on and on about his passion for ‘theatre’, but his actions do not back his words. We don’t feel for his character or his love for the art, which is the biggest drawback of the film. Saxena is a tad too understated for his character.

    On the contrary, his young heroine ( Neha Pawar), who plays a loud Punjaban, tries to imitate Anushka Sharma and ends up looking over-animated in most scenes. She gets better when she’s herself. The lead actors have good screen presence but need to undergo voice modulation for their pitch stays constant. The chemistry between the two doesn’t work either. Supporting actors are pleasant, but don’t add much to the proceedings. The abrupt climax doesn’t live up to the strong initial build-up either.

  • KANGANA RANAUT EXPERIENCES DÉJÀ VU!

    KANGANA RANAUT EXPERIENCES DÉJÀ VU!

    Kangana Ranaut got a sense of deja vu when she was shooting for ‘Badra Bahaar’ from the film ‘Queen’. Kangana, who is originally from Manali, had come to Mumbai all alone to become an actor. Before she worked her way to the top and became a successful star, Kangy had to live alone and figure out her way in the big city. What is commendable is that she successfully carved a niche for herself in Bollywood without a Godfather.

    Coincidentally, in the movie Rani leaves India to visit Paris, venturing out on her own for the very first time in her life. Braving it out in a new place, Rani discovers a whole new world. She fights every situation and thoroughly enjoys moments that life throws at her.

  • DON’T LEAVE RANVEER, FRIENDS WARN DEEPIKA

    DON’T LEAVE RANVEER, FRIENDS WARN DEEPIKA

    Deepika Padukone’s rumoured beau Ranveer Singh has got the seal of approval from her friends who are now urging the actress to get ‘serious’ about the relationship. This happened during their rendezvous in New York during New Year which Mirror reported. Deepika’s circle met her Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela co-star and the advice followed. The pair was joined by friends over dinner and the conversation soon veered towards their ‘relationship’.

    At this point Deepika tried to change the topic but her pals refused to drop the subject. “They unanimously suggested that Deepika should not leave Ranveer,” said the source. “One of them blurted out, “Can’t you see the man loves you madly? Don’t leave him.” Perhaps Deepika’s friends were hinting at her history of her break-ups; Nihar Pandya, Yuvraj Singh, Ranbir Kapoor and Sidhartha Mallya.

  • GAINING INDEPENDENCE FROM ILLITERACY

    GAINING INDEPENDENCE FROM ILLITERACY

    Statistics mentioned above indicate that while progress has been made, measures have been far from adequate. We therefore need to upgrade our education system so that illiteracy can be completely uprooted from India. No matter how hard we try to fight the problem, it simply seems to persist.

    That even after 66 years of independence we have to lay stress on this issue is a shamebut at least it’s better than brushing it under the carpet. India, the land of Vedas, where we have learnt over the years that culture flourishes with literature, is one of the nations with highest illiteracy rates. Even underdeveloped countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand have achieved higher literacy levels in shorter time.

    In his India Development Report 2002, Kirit S. Parikh pointed out, “With a literacy rate of 65, we have 296 million illiterates, age seven years and above, as per the 2001 census. The number of illiterates today exceeds the population of the country of around 270 million at Independence, age seven and above.” Our society faces several challenges in the form of poverty, unemployment, child labour, female feticide, overpopulation etc. But all of them evolve from illiteracy which is actually the mother of most our problems. A high literacy rate can contribute to valuable social and economic participation by the people which will go a long way in human development and poverty eradication.

    Spread of education is necessary for modernization, urbanization, industrialization, communication and commerce. You name an issue and literacy will be a prerequisite for its solution. Illiteracy in India can be easily characterized by the wide gaps between the urban and rural populations. The urban population is more educated and therefore desires a life of comfort and luxury. On the other hand, the rural population depends on agriculture for their survival. They are the food providers of our country, who work for basic necessities and thus feel no need for education in their lives. Children in rural areas drop out of schools for a variety of reasons: some leave because of a sheer lack of interest; others quit so that they can work in fields or elsewhere, while some have no other choice due to inaccessibility and lack of school teachers.

    In villages, a large percentage of the dropouts are females. Forced by their parents, they are limited to performing household chores. They are married at a very early age and are taught since birth that what is important for them is their family and the looking after the house. Education is not even a secondary item on their to-do lists. Inadequate number of teachers and their absence in schools across the country is another roadblock towards complete literacy. A large number of teachers refuse to teach in rural areas and those who do, are usually under-qualified. Many teachers lack the necessary enthusiasm because of their meagre salaries. In one of his research papers, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has mentioned, ‘Absenteeism of comparatively well-paid teachers, particularly where bulk of the students come from scheduled castes and tribes, poses a major problem.

    Students are circumstantially forced to go in for private tuitions. Sometimes the very institutions that were created to overcome disparities and barriers tend to act as reactionary influences in reinforcing inequality.’ Lack of infrastructure like buildings, benches, books etc is a widespread problem too. Some schools are located in warehouses while others in small thatched rooms which are of little use during rains. Many rural schools operate without electricity. The distribution of government funds is another major hindrance in the reform of our educational system. According to World Bank, ‘30 % of the total educational funding goes toward higher educational institutions.’ What with announcements of quota in higher education and an increase in the number of IIMs & IITs, the government clearly cares little for primary education. Even private institutions are seen to be a hindrance in the progress of children. In such schools, the children from poor households are seen as lowly, below average and thus not fit to sit and study with the children of upper caste or class.

    Untouchability has been abolished but this new rift between rich and poor students continues to take its toll on the country’s fortunes. Our education system is more or less a remnant of the long gone colonial system of the British Empire. No emphasis is ever laid on vocational courses, which can provide many job opportunities. “We are bumbling along with this out modeled system of elementary education, which is a real shame,” says Krishna Kumar, director of the Central Institute of Education in New Delhi. Reservation is yet another problem. Though it exists in other countries as well, reservation in India has a totally different approach. Our government grants reservations on the basis of caste when the correct basis of granting quotas must be the economic standards of the people. As a result, even better off backward caste students seek to get an entry in venerable institutions like the AIIMS through petty quotas. Quality be damned, seems to be the motto of such policies.

    Amidst this gloom, a recent welcome measure has been the passage of the Right to Education bill, during this session of Parliament. Its guidelines are like this: – Compulsory education for children between 6-14 yrs – Rs 10,000 fine if any child prevented from going school – No selection and screening process to choose preference over candidates – No physical punishments – States need to plan techniques to monitor advancements in the program – Roping in private schools to keep 25% seats reserved at entry level – Banning capitation fees It is a commitment that has taken decades to get fulfilled, but more efforts will be needed to implement it properly. As we have seen all these years, only directions and guidelines cannot resolve any crisis in the country. Various organizations and schemes have been fighting this problem.

    In 2003, the Magsaysay Award was awarded to Shantha Sinha in recognition of her work to end child labour, a major reason for illiteracy. The Supreme Court, in 1993, ruled that children had a fundamental right to free education. The Sarva Siksha Abhiyan launched in 2001 was to ensure that all children in the age group 6–14 years attend school and complete eight years of schooling by 2010. District Primary Education Programme launched in 1994 has so far started more than 160,000 new schools, including almost 84,000 alternative schools. The National Literacy Mission, launched in 1988 aimed at attaining a literacy rate of 75% by 2007. India is developing but at a very slow rate and one of the main reasons is the low level of literacy.

    Literacy enables a person to think rationally- for himself and others around him. A literate person is aware of all his fundamental rights and duties. It is a kind of panacea to fight problems like communalism, terrorism and under development. Not only the government, but also every literate citizen should contribute in battling the demon of illiteracy. Each one should teach one if we are to become a superpower. Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ So let us enlighten the world by bringing this change into our and everybody’s lives.

    EDUCATION AS A DRIVER OF GROWTH
    India’s need for an enormous skilled work force that can drive its growth story forward is now a well accepted fact. But developing and honing these skills is where the real challenge lies. The first-ever Education Investment Conclave, 2013, in London, backed by India Inc, explored some of the complex issues linked with meeting the country’s educational demands. India is poised for its much-talked-about demographic dividend to kick in, which roughly translates into a requirement of around 200 million graduates and 500 million skilled people by 2022 – by which time nearly 25 per cent of the global work force will come out of the country.

    The Literacy rate of India has shown as improvement of almost 9 percent. It has gone up to 74.04% in 2011 from 65.38% in 2001, thus showing an increase of 9 percent in the last 10 years. It consists of male literacy rate 82.14% and female literacy rate is 65.46%. Kerala with 93.9% literacy rate is the top state in India. Lakshadweep and Mizoram are at second and third position with 92.3% and 91.06% literacy rate respectively. Bihar with 63.08% literacy rate is the last in terms of literacy rate in India. The Government of India has taken several measures to improve the literacy rate in villages and towns of India. State Governments has been directed to ensure and improve literacy rate in districts and villages

  • Vidya’s sexy avatars in Shaadi Ke Side Effects

    Vidya’s sexy avatars in Shaadi Ke Side Effects

    While Vidya Balan may prefer wearing a sari in real life, she dresses up glamorously for her character in the upcoming film Shaadi Ke Side Effects.

  • KEIRA KNIGHTLEY ‘TERRIBLE’ AT KEEPING SECRETS

    KEIRA KNIGHTLEY ‘TERRIBLE’ AT KEEPING SECRETS

    Keira Knightley has revealed that she couldn’t be a CIA agent like her onscreen lover in ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’, because she is ”terrible” at keeping secrets. While the 28-year-old beauty plays the love interest of a CIA agent in the new flick, she insists she could never be a covert operative herself because she would end up spilling all the classified information. Speaking at the European premiere of ‘Jack Ryan’ in London’s Leicester Square, she told BANG Showbiz that she’s terrible at keeping secrets, and it would come straight out of her mouth, so she would be an awful CIA agent.

  • KIM K WANTS TO HAVE SIX KIDS AT LEAST

    KIM K WANTS TO HAVE SIX KIDS AT LEAST

    Kim Kardashian has revealed that after experiencing the wonder of bringing up her first daughter, North, she now wants at least six children. The reality TV star gave birth to her first daughter, North, last June and is eager to go through the joys of having a child again. She told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres that she always wanted about six kids, and after having North, she would like to have a million, Contactmusic reported. Even though is keen to increase her brood, she isn’t looking forward to pregnancy again, after suffering health problems during her first, including preeclampsia, which caused her body to swell and was dangerous to the health of both her and the baby.

  • ENHANCING CAPABILITIES

    ENHANCING CAPABILITIES

    DEFENSE
    With personnel strength of 1.1 million soldiers (6 regional commands, a training command, 13 corps, and 38 divisions), the Indian Army has kept the nation together through various crises, including four wars since Independence, Pakistan’s “proxy war” in J&K since 1989–90, and insurgencies in many of the northeastern states.

    Given its large-scale operational commitments on border management and counterinsurgency, the army cannot afford to reduce its manpower numbers until these challenges are overcome. Many of its weapons and equipment are bordering on obsolescence and need to be replaced. The next step would be to move gradually toward acquiring network-centric capabilities for effects-based operations so as to optimize the army’s full combat potential for defensive and offensive operations.

    The army is also preparing to join the navy and the air force in launching intervention operations in India’s area of strategic interest when called on to do so in the future. Lieutenant General J.P. Singh (retired), former deputy chief of the army staff (planning and systems), stated in an interview with the CLAWS Journal that “the critical capabilities that are being enhanced to meet challenges across the spectrum include battlefield transparency, battlefield management systems, nightfighting capability, enhanced firepower, including terminally guided munitions, integrated maneuver capability to include self-propelled artillery, quick reaction surface-to-air missiles, the latest assault engineer equipment, tactical control systems, integral combat aviation support and network centricity.” [6] The army’s mechanized forces are still mostly “night blind.”

    Its artillery lacks towed and self-propelled 155- mm howitzers for the plains and the mountains and has little capability by way of multi-barrel rocket launchers and surface-to-surface missiles. Infantry battalions urgently need to acquire modern weapons and equipment for counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations to increase operational effectiveness and lower casualties. Main battle tanks (MBT) and infantry combat vehicles (ICV) are the driving forces of India’s conventional deterrence in the plains. This fleet is being modernized gradually by inducting two regiments of the indigenously developed Arjun MBT and importing 310 T-90S MBTs from Russia. A contract has also been signed for 347 additional T-90S tanks to be assembled in India. The BMP-1 and BMP-2 Russian ICVs, which have long been the mainstay of the mechanized infantry battalions, need to be replaced as well.

    The new ICVs must be capable of performing internal security duties and counterinsurgency operations in addition to their primary role in conventional conflicts. Artillery modernization plans include the acquisition of towed, wheeled, and self-propelled 155- mm guns and howitzers for the plains and the mountains through import as well as indigenous development. The Corps of Army Air Defence is also faced with problems of obsolescence. The vintage L-70 40-mm air defense (AD) gun system, the four-barreled ZSU-23-4 Schilka (SP) AD gun system, the SAM-6 (Kvadrat), and the SAM-8 OSA-AK, among others, need to be replaced by more responsive modern AD systems that are capable of defeating current and future threats.

    The modernization of India’s infantry battalions is moving forward but at a similarly slow pace. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the battalions’ capability for surveillance and target acquisition at night and boosting their firepower for precise retaliation against infiltrating columns and terrorists hiding in built-up areas. These plans include the acquisition of shoulder-fired missiles, hand-held battlefield surveillance radars, and hand-held thermal imaging devices for observation at night. A system called F-INSAS (future infantry soldier as a system) is also under development. One infantry division has been designated as a rapid reaction force for employment on land or in intervention operations and will have one amphibious brigade and two air assault brigades. Similarly, the

    Indian Army proposes to substantially enhance the operational capabilities of army aviation, engineers, signal communications, reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition branches in order to improve the army’s overall combat potential by an order of magnitude. Modern strategic and tactical level command and control systems need to be acquired on priority for better synergies during conventional and sub-conventional conflict. Plans for the acquisition of a mobile corps-to-battalion tactical communications system and a battalion-level battlefield management system likewise need to be hastened. Despite being the largest user of space, the army does not yet have a dedicated military satellite for its space surveillance needs. Cyberwarfare capabilities are also at a nascent stage. The emphasis thus far has been on developing protective capabilities to safeguard Indian networks and C4I2SR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, information, surveillance, and reconnaissance) from cyberattack. Offensive capabilities have yet to be adequately developed. All these capabilities will make it easier for the army to undertake joint operations with multinational forces when the need arises and the government approves such a policy option.

    INDIAN DEFENSE POWER AND MISSILE SYSTEMS


    26

    • Indian Army is the 3rd biggest military contingent in the World after USA and China.
    • India’s indigenous nuclear-powered ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) AGNI-V puts India into the Elite Club consisting of USA, China, France and Russia.
    • India claims AGNI-V to have a reach of 5,000 kms to which Chinese and Australian delegates and experts suspect to have a range of 8,000 kms. and that India is hiding these facts just to avoid any concern from foreign countries.
    • AGNI-VI(being built) will have a range of 10,000 kms. which would give India the power to strike in any part of the world barring South America and very small parts of North America.

      • India’s cruise missile (being tested) NIRBHAYA is a cruise nuclearwarhead missile which when blasted, takes the form of a plane and when the target is in nearby range, attacks it with a random procedure thus eliminating the probability of it getting stopped by any anti-missile system as its process is itself not defined. In other words-unstoppable.

    • In the hilly terrains, it gives an advantage as the missile goes from the side of the mountains and attacks the target from the rear side.
    • The missile BrahMos-2 (built under collaboration with Russia)(under testing)(Named after its rivers Brahmaputra+Moscow) is the fastest hypersonic missile in the world travelling at a speed of Mach-7 (7 times the speed of sound in air).
    • India’s INS-Vikrant (bought from the UK) is the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of India.
    • The HMS Harriers(airplanes on INS VIRAAT) are one of its kind which has the ability of vertical landing and take-off.
    • INS Viraat: Centaur class carrier (ex-HMS Hermes) in service since 1987.
    • INS Vikramaditya : Modified Kiev class carrier (ex-Admiral Gorshkov) due in service October 2013.
    • INS Vikrant: 40,000 ton Vikrant class carrier. It is being built at Cochin Shipyard and is expected to enter service in 2017.
    • INS Vishal: 65,000 ton Vikrant-class carrier. Expected to enter service in 2022.
    • India’s INS-ARIHANT is the first indigenous(built completely in India, by India) nuclear powered submarine in India. It has a capability to shoot missiles with nuclear war-heads even after being at some tens of kilometers beneath the water-level.
    • The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Dassault Mirage 2000, and MiG-29 serve in the Indian Air Force and are also seen as a means to deliver nuclear weapons.
    • In addition India maintains SEPECAT Jaguar and MiG-27M which can be used to drop gravity bombs.
    • The new in queue for the indigenous aircraft of India is HAL-Tejas
    • It integrates technologies such as relaxed static stability, fly-by-wire flight control system, multi-mode radar, integrated digital avionics system, composite material structures, and a flat rated engine.
    • It is a tailless, compound delta-wing design powered by a single engine.
    • Indian Army is the 3rd biggest military contingent in the World after USA and China.
    • India’s indigenous nuclear-powered ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) AGNI-V puts India into the Elite Club consisting of USA, China, France and Russia.
    • India claims AGNI-V to have a reach of 5,000 kms to which Chinese and Australian delegates and experts suspect to have a range of 8,000 kms. and that India is hiding these facts just to avoid any concern from foreign countries.
    • AGNI-VI(being built) will have a range of 10,000 kms. which would give India the power to strike in any part of the world barring South America and very small parts of North America.
    • India’s cruise missile (being tested) NIRBHAYA is a cruise nuclearwarhead missile which when blasted, takes the form of a plane and when the target is in nearby range, attacks it with a random procedure thus eliminating the probability of it getting stopped by any anti-missile system as its process is itself not defined. In other words-unstoppable.
    • In the hilly terrains, it gives an advantage as the missile goes from the side of the mountains and attacks the target from the rear side.
    • The missile BrahMos-2 (built under collaboration with Russia)(under testing)(Named after its rivers Brahmaputra+Moscow) is the fastest hypersonic missile in the world travelling at a speed of Mach-7 (7 times the speed of sound in air).
    • India’s INS-Vikrant (bought from the UK) is the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of India.
    • The HMS Harriers(airplanes on INS VIRAAT) are one of its kind which has the ability of vertical landing and take-off.
    • INS Viraat: Centaur class carrier (ex-HMS Hermes) in service since 1987.
    • INS Vikramaditya : Modified Kiev class carrier (ex-Admiral Gorshkov) due in service October 2013.
    • INS Vikrant: 40,000 ton Vikrant class carrier. It is being built at Cochin Shipyard and is expected to enter service in 2017.
    • INS Vishal: 65,000 ton Vikrant-class carrier. Expected to enter service in 2022.
    • India’s INS-ARIHANT is the first indigenous(built completely in India, by India) nuclear powered submarine in India. It has a capability to shoot missiles with nuclear war-heads even after being at some tens of kilometers beneath the water-level.
    • The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Dassault Mirage 2000, and MiG-29 serve in the Indian Air Force and are also seen as a means to deliver nuclear weapons.
    • In addition India maintains SEPECAT Jaguar and MiG-27M which can be used to drop gravity bombs.
    • The new in queue for the indigenous aircraft of India is HAL-Tejas
    • It integrates technologies such as relaxed static stability, fly-by-wire flight control system, multi-mode radar, integrated digital avionics system, composite material structures, and a flat rated engine.
    • It is a tailless, compound delta-wing design powered by a single engine.


    27

  • Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

    Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

    STORY: Based on the character created by author Tom Clancy, ‘Jack Ryan’ is a geopolitical thriller set in the post 9/11 world. REVIEW: While the previous films in the series were adapted from Clancy’s best-selling novels, Shadow Recruit is a reboot, which works as a prequel to the original Jack Ryan stories. In this one, Jack Ryan (Chris Pine), CIA’s covert financial analyst, discovers a Russian conspiracy to destroy the American economy and must travel to Moscow to save his country. But it’s not that easy when Russian Mogul Viktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh), is at the helm of the attack.

    Who will win? While the film is certainly not yawn-inducing and keeps the suspense level high, it fails to create its own identity. In spite of being fast-paced and sleek in terms of stunts, it looks like a generic action thriller, which seems to be made to keep the franchise going. We don’t mind the ‘lack of originality’, as long as what you see onscreen is engaging enough. The film does manage to capture attention in the beginning, but as it proceeds, the execution gets mediocre and what you end up seeing is a run-of-the-mill espionage thriller.

    While you crave to see the urgency, suspense and high-octane action that the Bourne series or Mission Impossible exhibit, here you get an uninspiring, one-dimensional film instead, which doesn’t look real. The ‘Russians as the bad guys’ theme has been done to death. The protagonist conveniently dodges danger while the girlfriend ( Keira Knightley) has nothing much to do, except for suspecting he’s having an affair. Chris Pine, known more for his looks than performance, does a decent job, but it’s the regular direction and script which undo his effort. The background score works and (villain-cum-filmmaker) Kenneth Branagh does look vicious; unfortunately, the climax fails him too. Kevin Costner is wasted.

  • Decoded: Why beer turns foamy

    Decoded: Why beer turns foamy

    LONDON (TIP): Spanish scientists have discovered why beer transforms from liquid to foam when one bottle is bumped against another. Scientists at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid ( UC3M) and colleagues got the idea for the research when they observed that the foam of one beer spilled over when somebody jokingly hit the neck of one bottle against the base of another.

    “We all began to propose hypotheses and theories about the cause of the phenomenon, but none of them convinced us, so we decided to take it to the laboratory to do research using controlled experiments in well-defined conditions to analyse which physical phenomena are behind the appearance of that foam,” said Javier Rodriguez, a professor in UC3M’s department of thermal and fluids engineering. The study explained in detail what happens after a bottle receives an impact.

    First, expansion and compression waves appear. These advance inside the liquid and cause the gas cavities (bubbles) to burst at the bottom of the bottle. Afterwards, small balls of foam are formed because the bubbles break into even smaller ones. Finally, given that they weigh less than the liquid surrounding them, these bubbles move to the surface so rapidly that the final result is similar to an explosion. The foam appears because, in carbonated beverages, there is more carbon dioxide (CO2) than the water (the main component) is able to maintain in the solution.

  • SEX WITH GLASS’ APP ADDS SPICE TO LOVEMAKING

    SEX WITH GLASS’ APP ADDS SPICE TO LOVEMAKING

    LONDON (TIP): A new app for Google’s hi-tech wearable computing gadget, Glass, would reportedly change the way people have sex, or more appropriately “view it”. The ‘Sex with Glass’ app has been designed to enhance the wearer’s experience while having sexual intercourse. The app records one’s sexual activity when the wearer says “OK Glass, it’s time” and live streams the video to the partner and vice versa, metro.co.uk reports.

    If one wants to stop seeing what their partner sees, a command “OK Glass, pull out” would be sufficient. The app would then string together all the footage from both the partners and play it back before deleting the video five hours later. According to the report, the Sex with Glass app also allows users to turn down the lights and turn up the music with voice commands apart from providing suggestions for which positions one can use next. Developer of the app, Sherif Maktabi, a design student at London’s Central Saint Martins art college, said that having sex with Google Glass on brings a completely new perspective.

  • ‘123456’ DETHRONES ‘PASSWORD’ AS WORST PASSWORD

    ‘123456’ DETHRONES ‘PASSWORD’ AS WORST PASSWORD

    LONDON (TIP): Internet security firm SplashData has released its list of the worst passwords of 2013. King of terrible passwords, ‘password’, has finally been unseated from its throne. It has been displaced by ‘123456’ as the world’s most popular worst password. This year’s list was influenced by the large number of passwords from Adobe users posted online by security consulting firm Stricture Consulting Group following Adobe’s well-publicized security breach.

    “Seeing passwords like ‘adobe123’ and ‘photoshop’ on this list offers a good reminder not to base your password on the name of the website or application you are accessing,” says Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData. SplashData’s list of frequently-used passwords shows that many people continue to put themselves at risk by using weak passwords. Some other passwords in the Top 10 include ‘qwerty,’ ‘abc123,’ ‘111111,’ and ‘iloveyou’. SplashData’s top 25 was compiled from files containing millions of stolen passwords posted online during the previous year.

    The company advises consumers or businesses using any of the passwords on the list to change them immediately. SplashData suggests making passwords more secure with these tips: “Use passwords of eight characters or more using mixed characters. But even passwords with common substitutions like ‘dr4mat1c’ can be vulnerable to attackers’ increasingly-sophisticated technology, and random combinations like ‘j%7K&yPx$’ can be difficult to remember.

  • DOWNLOAD 44 FILMS IN A SECOND VIA THIS NET LINK

    DOWNLOAD 44 FILMS IN A SECOND VIA THIS NET LINK

    LONDON (TIP): Scientists in the UK have created the fastest ever real-world internet connection, using commercial-grade fibre optic lines to clock up speeds of 1.4 terabits per second. It’s believed to be the fastest speed test of its kind, and would allow users to hypothetically download 44 high-definition films in a single second. Downloading the entire English version of Wikipedia would take just 0.006s.

    A joint research team from French telecoms company Alcatel-Lucent and BT created the connection using an existing 410km-stretch of fibre optic cable between BT Tower in London and a BT research campus in Suffolk. Using a new protocol named Flexigrid the researchers were able to overlay several transmission channels over the same connection. The resulting ‘Alien Super Channel’ was comprised of seven 200 gigabit per second connections, increasing transmission efficiency by 42.5% when compared to previous efforts.

    The researchers’ use of existing hardware is integral, as it will allow telecoms companies to meet the UK’s ever-increasing demand for faster internet speeds without having to replacing existing optical fibres. However, despite this record recent news from South Korea shows that the UK is still lagging behind other countries when it comes to mobile connections. In Seoul this week mobile operator SK Telecom Co announced plans to roll-out a new 300Mbps by the end of 2014.

    In comparison, UK operator EE currently offers speeds of “up to 60mbps” through their fastest 4G service. Although SK Telecom Co’s new network is slow compared to BT’s ‘Alien Super Channel’ (it would take a whole 22 seconds to download a single HD movie) the announcement is impressive for a commercial subscription. The South Korean goverment also announced a new initiative to introduce a next-generation 5G wireless connection within six years.

  • A LONG-LASTING BATTERY THAT RUNS ON SUGAR

    A LONG-LASTING BATTERY THAT RUNS ON SUGAR

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Scientists have developed a new biodegradable battery that runs on sugar and can work for long hours without charging. In as soon as three years, the new battery could be running some of the cell phones, tablets, video games, and the myriad other electronic gadgets that require power, researchers said. The battery developed by a Virginia Tech research team has an unmatched energy density, a development that could replace conventional batteries with ones that are cheaper, refillable, and biodegradable.

    While other sugar batteries have been developed, this one has an energy density an order of magnitude higher than others, allowing it to run longer before needing to be refuelled, Y H Percival Zhang, an associate professor of biological systems engineering in the College of A griculture and Life Sciences and College of Engineering, said.

  • Track eye movement to know how patient you are

    Track eye movement to know how patient you are

    NEW YORK (TIP): People who are less patient tend to move their eyes with greater speed, says a study. “It seems that people who make quick movements – at least eye movements – tend to be less willing to wait,” said Reza Shadmehr, professor of biomedical engineering and neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University. The findings suggest that the weight people give to the passage of time may be a trait consistently used throughout their brains – affecting the speed with which they make movements – as well as the way they make certain decisions. To understand this, the research team used very simple eye movements – known as saccades – to stand in for other bodily movements.

    Saccades are the motions that our eyes make as we focus on one thing and then another. They are probably the fastest movements of the body as they occur in just milliseconds. Human saccades are fastest when we are teenagers and slow down as we age, said the study published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The team first asked healthy volunteers to look at a screen upon which dots would appear one at a time – first on one side of the screen, then on the other, then back again. A camera recorded their saccades as they looked from one dot to the other.

    To determine whether saccade speed correlated with decision-making and impulsivity, the volunteers were told to watch the screen again. This time, they were given visual commands to look to the right or to the left. When they responded incorrectly, a buzzer sounded. “When the speed of the volunteers’ saccades was compared to their impulsivity during the patience test, there was a strong correlation,” said Shadmehr.