Sunday, August 29, 2010

HISTORICAL EVENTS

HISTORICAL EVENTS
B.C
2500-1800  Indus valley civilization.
599 Birth of Mahavir; Nirvana in 523. B.C.
563 Birth of Gautam Buddha; Nirvana in 483 B.C.
327-26 Alexander's invasion of India and the opening of land route between India and Europe.
269-232 Ashoka's reign.
261 Battle of Kalinga.
57 Beginning of Vikrama era.
30 Satvahana dynasty in Deooan. Pandyan empire in for south.
326 Alexander defeated Poras in the Battle of Hydaspas
261 Ashoka defeated Kalinga in the Kalinga War


A.D
78 Beginning of Saka era.
320 Beginning of Gupta era.
360 Samudragupta conquers the whole of N. India and much of the Deccan.
380-413 Rule of Chandragupta Vikramaditya, age of Kalidasa, renewal of induism.
606-647 Rule of Harshavardhana.
629-645 Hieun Tsang's visit in India.
622 Beginning of Hijra era.
712 Arab invasion of Sind by Mohd. bin Qasim.
1001-27 Repeated attacks of Mehmud Ghazni.
1025 Sacking of Somnath temple by Mehmud.
1191 First battle of Tarain in which Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Mohd. Ghori.
1192 Second battle of Tarain in which Mohd. Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.
1206 Qutubuddin Aibak founded the Ilbari/Slave dynasty.
1290 Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji established Khilji dynasty.
1290 Marco Polo visited India.
1320 Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq founded the Tughlaq dynasty.
1333 Ibn Batuta arrived in India.
1336 Harihara and Bukka founded the Vijaynagar empire.
1347 Bahmani kingdom founded.
1398 Timur invades India.
1451 Lodi dynasty comes in power in Delhi Sultanate.
1469 Birth of Guru Nanak Dev.
1498 Vasco da Gama lands at Calicut.
1510 Portuguese capture Goa-Albuquerque Governor.
1526 First Battle of Panipat in which Babar defeated Ibrahim Lodhi and established the Mughal dynasty.
1556 Second battle of Panipat in which Akbar defeated Hemu.
1565 Battle of Talikota in which Vijaynagar empire is defeated.
1571 Foundation of Fatehpur Sikri by Akbar.
1576 Battle of Haldighati in which Akbar defeated Maharana Pratap.
1582 Akbar started Din-i-llahi.
1600 English East India Company established.
1604 Compilation of Adi Granth.
1605 Death of Akbar.
1611 The English built a factory at Masulipatnam.
1627 Birth of Shivaji
1631 Death of Shah Jahan's wife Mumtaz Mahal. The building of Taj Mahal.
1658 Aurangzeb became Emperor of Delhi.
1666 Birth of Guru Gobind Singh.
1699 Guru Gobind Singh creates 'Khalsa'.
1707 Death of Aurangzeb, fall of Mughal empire begins.
1739 Nadir Shah invaded India; the peacock throne and the Kohinoor Diamond taken away from India.
1757 Battle of Plassey in which the English defeated Siraj-ud- daula, Nawab of Bengal.
1760 Battle of Wandiwash, end of French power in India,
1761 Third Battle of Panipat in which Ahmed Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas.
1764 Battle of Buxar in which the English defeated the triple alliance of Nawab Mir Qasim of Bengal, Nawab Shuja-ud-daula of Awadh and Mughal emperor Shah Alam.
1793 Permanent settlement in Bengal.
1799 Fourth Anglo Mysore War, death of Tipu Sultan, Ranjit Singh occupied Lahore and made it his capital.
1817-19 Marathas finally crushed.
1828 Lord William Bentick becomes Governor General; Era of social reforms; Prohibition of Sati (1829), Suppression of thugs (1830).
1835 Introduction of English as medium of instruction.
A.D
1853 First Indian railway from Bombay to Thane.
1857-58 First war of Indian Independence.
1858 British crown takes over the Indian Government; End of East India Company's rule.
1861 Birth of Rabindra Nath Tagore.
1869 Birth of M.K. Gandhi.
1885 Formation of Indian National Congress.
1905 Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon.
1906 Formation of All India Muslim League.
1909 Minto-Morley Reforms.
1911 Delhi durbar held, partition of Bengal cancelled, capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
1914 World War I started.
1918 End of World War I.
1919 Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Montague- Chelmsford reforms.
1920 Non-cooperation Movement launched,
1921 Moplah rebellian in Malabar; visit of Prince of Wales.
1922 Chauri-Chaura incidence.
1923 Swaraj party formed.
1927 Simon Commission appointed.
1928 Visit of Simon Commission to India, death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
1929           Congress demanded'Poorna Swaraj'in Lahore session.
1930 January 26 celebrated as Independence Day throughout India, Dandi Salt Satyagraha, First Round Table conference.
1931 Gandhi-lrvin Pact, Second Round Table Conference.
1932 Suppression of Congress Movement, Third Round Table Conference, Communal Award, Poona Pact.
1935 Government of India Act.
1937 Inauguration of Provincial Autonomy. Congress ministries formed in 8 out of 11 provinces.
1939 Resignation of Congress ministries, beginning of World War II.
1942 Cripps Mission Plan, Quit India Movement, Formation of Indian National Army by S.C. Bose.
1945 Simla conference held and the failure of Wavell Plan, INA trials at Red Fort, Delhi.
1946 Cabinet Mission Plan, Formation of Interim Government, Direct Action Resolution by Muslim League.
1947 Mountbatten Plan of June 3 in which partition of India resolution is proposed, India divided, Pakistan created, both achieve independence, Jawarhar Lai Nehru becomes the I Prime Minister of India.
1948 Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (Jan. 30).
1950 India became republic (Jan. 26).
1951 First Five Year Plan implemented.
1952 First General Elections held.
1953 Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary conquer Mt. Everest (May 29).
1954 Panchsheel agreement between India and China.
1956 Life insurance nationalized, State Reorganising Act comes into force.
1957 Second General Elections.
1958 Metric system of weights and measures introduced.
1959 Dalai Lama exiled; enters India.
1961 Liberation of Goa.
1962 Chinese attack on India. (Oct 20).
1964 Jawaharlal Nehru dies; Lai Bahadur Shastri becomes PM.
1965 Indo-Pak war.
1966 Tashkent Agreement reached, Death of Lai Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi became PM.
1967 Dr. Zakir Hussain elected President.
1968 Hargovind Khurana shares the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology.
1969 Death of. President Zakir Hussain (May 3). V. V. Giri elected President, Nationalization of 14 leading banks, Split in Indian National Congress.
1970 Former Indian ruler's privy purses abolished. Dr. C. V. Raman died (Nov. 2).
1971 Indo-Pak War over Bangladesh.
1972 Shimla Agreement signed.
1973 Manekshaw named India's first Field Marshal
1974 Nuclear explosion at Pokhran (May 18).
1975 Indian satellite 'Aryabhatta' launched, National emergency declared.
1976 The four Indian News agencies merged into a single News Agency known as 'Samachar', life of Lok Sabha extended by an year.
1977 Defeat of Mrs. Indira Gandhi in the election, Morarji Desai takes over as PM, emergency withdrawn.
1978 India launches world's biggest adult literacy plan (Oct. 2).
1979 Charan Singh became PM., Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize.
1980 Indira Gandhi returns to power at centre, India launches first satellite using its own satellite launching vehicle (July. 18).
HISTORICAL EVENTS
1981 India launched APPLE, Khalistan activists hijack Indian Airlines Boeing 737 to Lahore.
1982 Zail Singh sworn in as President, the 21-member Indian scientific expedition headed by Dr. S. Z. Qasim lands on Antarctica (Jan. 9), INSAT1 A launched, Ninth Asian Games held in New Delhi.
1983 The 7th Non Aligned Summit in New Delhi, Kalpakkam Atomic Energy plant goes critical (July 2), INSAT-1 B launched (Aug. 30), Richard Attenborough's "Gandhi" wins 8 oscars.
1984 Rakesh Sharma becomes India's first spaceman (Apr. 5), Bachendri Pal become the first Indian woman to scale Mt. Everest (May 23), Operation Blue Star, Assassination of Indira Gandhi (Oct 31), Rajiv Gandhi becomes PM, Bhopal Gas tragedy (Dec. 3).
1985 Anti-defection Bill passed (Jan. 3), Azharuddin hits 3 centuries in 3 tests.
1986 The first wholly Indian test-tube baby bom at KEM Hospital, Bombay (Aug. 7).
1987 Sunil Gavaskar becomes the first batsman to score 10,000 runs in tests (Mar. 7), Goa becomes the 25th state of India (May 30).
1988 India's first remote sensing satellite IRS 1 -A launched from Russia (Mar. 17), INSAT 1-C launched from French Guyana (July 22).
1989 Successful test of Agni (May 22), laying of the foundation stone for the Ram Janmabhoomi temple of Ayodhya (Nov 10). V.P. Singh becomes the PM.
1990 Successful launching of INSAT 1-D (June 12), Mandal Commission recommendation implemented (Aug. 7), V.P. Singh tenders resignation (Nov. 7), S. Chandrashekhar becomes PM. (Nov. 10).
1991 Rajiv Gandhi killed in a bomb blast (May 21), P. V. Narsimha Rao became PM. (June 21), Earthquake in Uttarkashi region (Oct. 20), Satyajit Ray got special Oscar award. (Dec.16).
1992 Prithvi test fired (May 5), INSAT-2 A launched (July 10), Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma became President (July 25), the domes of Babri Masjid demolished (Dec 6).
1993 Panchayati Raj Act effective (Apr. 24), INSAT-2 B launched from French Guyana (July 23), Earthquake in Latur region (Sept. 30).
1994 First heart transplant in the country (Aug. 3), PSLV D-2 launched (Oct. 15).
1995 Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh assassinated (Agu. 31), INSAT-2 C launched (Dec. 7)
1996 A.B. Vajpayee became PM. (May 16), H.D. Deve Gowda became PM. (June 1), India-Bangladesh sign Ganga Water Pact (Dec. 12)
1997 I. K. Gujral became PM. (Apr. 21), K. R. Narayanan sworn in as President (July 25), Mother Teresa passes away (Sept. 5), Arundhati Roy wins Booker Prize (Oct. 14), I. K. Gujral resigns as PM. (Nov. 28)
1998 Konkan railway commissioned (Jan. 26), A. B. Vajpayee became PM. (Mar. 19), India conducted total 5 nuclear tests (May 11 and May 13), Severe cyclone in Gujarat (June 9), Amartya Sen won the Noble Prize in Economics (Oct. 14)
1999 P.M. Vajpayee arrived in Pakistan by Delhi-Lahore bus (Feb. 20), India successfully launched its first commercial telecom satellite INSAT-2 E from Kourou (Apr. 3), Intense fighting in Kargil (June-July), Devastating cyclone in Orissa and A. P. (Oct.)
2000 U. S. President Bill Clinton visited India (Mar.) INSAT-3 B launched from Kourou (Mar. 22), Successful test firing of 'Dhanush', the naval version of 'Prithvi' missile (Apr. 11), Karnam Malleshwari wins a bronze at Olympics, Chattisgarh formed (Nov. 1), Uttaranchal formed (Nov. 9), Jharkhand formed (Nov. 15)
2001 The pilotless target aircraft 'Lakshya' inducted into the Indian Air Force (Jan. 5), Severe earthquake in Gujarat (Ja. 26), the newly-constructed Ennore port dedicated to the nation (Feb. 1), India successfully launches GSLV D-1 from Sriharikota (Apr. 18), Indo-Pak summit at Agra (July 15-16), Lok Pal Bill introduced in Lok Sabha (Aug. 14), Attack on WTC, New York shakes the world (Sept. 11), Lok Sabha passes the bill on "Right to Education till 14" (Nov. 30), Terrorist attack on Indian Parliament (Dec. 13)
2002 INSAT-3 C launched on Ariane rocket from Kourou in French Guyana (Jan. 24), ISRO successfully tries the indegenious cryogenic engine (Feb. 5), POTO passed in the joint session of the Parliament (Mar. 26), LCA test flown successfully (June 6), Cabinet clears 26% FDI in print media (June 25), Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam elected the President of India (July 18), Bhairon Singh Shekhawat sworn in as Vice-President of India (Aug. 19), India launches METSAT by using PSLV-C4 (Sept. 12), Draft of the Tenth Five-Year Plan approved by the Planning Commission (Oct. 5), BSNL launches mobile phone service (Oct. 15), Vajpayee and Putin sign Delhi declaration (Dec. 4), Kelkar submitted modified report on tax reforms (Dec. 28)
2003 Kalpana Chawla killed in space shuttle Columbia burnup (Feb. 1); Large reserves of oil & gas discovered in Barmer district of Rajasthan (Feb. 4); US launched attack on Iraq (Mar. 20); INSAT-3A launched from Kourou (Apr. 10); Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) renamed 'Tejas' (May 4); GSLVD-2 launched from Sriharikota (May 8); First instance of power failure in modern USA (Aug. 15-16); Mars comes closest to Earth (Aug. 27); Govt. approves the purchase of Advanced Jet Trainers, Hawk, from Britain (Sept. 3); INSAT-3E launched from Kourou (Sept. 20); Pope John Paul-ll beautifies Mother Teresa (Oct. 19); First Afro-Asian Games held in Hyderabad (Oct. 24-Nov. 1); India & Pakistan agree to a formal cease-fire along the LOG (Nov. 25); 97th, 98th, 99th & 100th Constitutional Amendment Bills passed (Dec. 18-23)
2004 Sensex crosses the magical figure of 6000 (Jan. 2); India signs agreement with Russia for obtaining Admiral Gorshkov (Jan. 20); Delhi High Court clears Rajiv Gandhi from the Bofors deal (Feb. 4); 200 killed in Madrid train blast (Mar. 11); Nobel Medals of Rabindra Nath Tagore gets stolen from Shantiniketan (Mar. 25); NDA conducts election before time, but loses unexpectedly, UPA government comes in power, Dr. Manmohan Singh sworn-in as the new PM (May 22); 87 children killed in a fire in school in Kumbhkonam, Tamil Nadu (July 17); Olympics return to their homeland Athens, Rajyavardhan Rathode wins a silver for India (Aug. 13-29); Hamid Karzai wins the Presidential vote in Afghanistan (Oct. 14); Sandalwood King Veerappan is dead (Oct. 18); George W. Bush re-elected (Nov. 3); Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati arrested on murder charges (Nov. 11); Yasser Arafat is dead (Nov. 11); Parliament dismissses POTA (Dec. 9); Tsunami causes havoc in South and South East Asia killing more than a lakh (Dec. 26)

Indian Constitution

Introduction to Indian Constitution  
The Constitution of India is the world's lengthiest written constitution with 395 articles and 8 schedules. It contains the good points taken from the constitution's of many countries in the world. It was passed on 26 Nov 1949 by the 'The Constituent Assembly' and is fully applicable since 26 Jan 1950. The Constituent Assembly had been elected for undivided India and held its first sitting on 9th Dec.1946, re-assembled on the 14th August 1947, as The Sovereign Constituent Assembly for the dominion of India. In regard to its composition the members were elected by indirect election by the members of The Provisional Legislative Assemblies (lower house only). At the time of signing 284 out of 299 members of the Assembly were present.
The constitution of India draws extensively from Western legal traditions in its outline of the principles of liberal democracy. It follows a British parliamentary pattern with a lower and upper house. It embodies some Fundamental Rights which are similar to the Bill of Rights declared by the United States constitution. It also borrows the concept of a Supreme Court from the US.
India is a federal system in which residual powers of legislation remain with the central government, similar to that in Canada. The constitution provides detailed lists dividing up powers between central and state governments as in Australia, and it elaborates a set of Directive Principles of State Policy as does the Irish constitution.
The constitution has provision for Schedules to be added to the constitution by amendment. The ten schedules in force cover the designations of the states and union territories; the emoluments for high-level officials; forms of oaths; allocation of the number of seats in the Rajya Sabha. A review of the constitution needs at least two-thirds of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to pass it.
The Indian constitution is one of the most frequently amended constitutions in the world. Infact the first amendment to it was passed after only a year of the adoption of the constitution and instituted numerous minor changes. Many more amendments followed, a rate of almost two amendments per year since 1950. Most of the constitution can be amended after a quorum of more than half of the members of each house in Parliament passes an amendment with a two-thirds majority vote. Articles pertaining to the distribution of legislative authority between the central and state governments must also be approved by 50 percent of the state legislatures.
Preamble of The Constitution  
We, The people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do hereby Adopt, Enact and give ourselves this Constitution.
The Union and Its Territory  
Article 1: Name and territory of the Union
  1. India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
  2. The States and the territories thereof shall be as specified in the First Schedule.
  3. The territory of India shall comprise:
    1. The territories of the States
    2. The Union territories specified in the First Schedule; and such other territories as may be acquired.
Article 2: Admission or establishment of new States
Parliament may by law admit into the Union, or establish, new States on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.
Article 3: Formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States
Parliament may by law:
  1. Form a new State by separation of territory from any State or by uniting two or more States or parts of States or by uniting any territory to a part of any State
  2. Increase the area of any State
  3. Diminish the area of any State
  4. Alter the boundaries of any State
  5. Alter the name of any State [Provided that no Bill for the purpose shall be introduced in either House of Parliament except on the recommendation of the President and unless, where the proposal contained in the Bill affects the area, boundaries or name of any of the States, the Bill has been referred by the President to the Legislature of that State for expressing its views thereon within such period as may be specified in the reference or within such further period as the President may allow and the period so specified or allowed has expired.]
Article 4: Laws made under articles 2 and 3 to provide for the amendment of the First and the Fourth Schedules and supplemental, incidental and consequential matters
  1. Any law referred to in article 2 or article 3 shall contain such provisions for the amendment of the First Schedule and the Fourth Schedule as may be necessary to give effect to the provisions of the law and may also contain such supplemental, incidental and consequential provisions (including provisions as to representation in Parliament and in the Legislature or Legislatures of the State or States affected by such law) as Parliament may deem necessary.
  2. No such law as aforesaid shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of article 368.
Citizenship  
Article 5: Citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution
At the commencement of this Constitution, every person who has his domicile in the territory of India and
  1. Who was born in the territory of India; or
  2. Either of whose parents was born in the territory of India; or
  3. Who has been ordinarily resident in the territory of India for not less than five years immediately preceding such commencement, shall be a citizen of India.
Article 6: Rights of citizenship of certain persons who have migrated to India from Pakistan
Notwithstanding anything in article 5, a person who has migrated to the territory of India from the territory now included in Pakistan shall be deemed to be a citizen of India at the commencement of this Constitution if:
  1. He or either of his parents or any of his grand-parents was born in India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935 (as originally enacted); and
  2. In the case where such person has so migrated before the nineteenth day of July, 1948, he has been ordinarily resident in the territory of India since the date of his migration, or
  3. In the case where such person has so migrated on or after the nineteenth day of July, 1948, he has been registered as a citizen of India by an officer appointed in that behalf by the Government of the Dominion of India on an application made by him therefor to such officer before the commencement of this Constitution in the form and manner prescribed by that Government: Provided that no person shall be so registered unless he has been resident in the territory of India for at least six months immediately preceding the date of his application.
Article 8: Rights of citizenship of certain migrants to Pakistan:

Notwithstanding anything in articles 5 and 6, a person who has after the first day of March, 1947, migrated from the territory of India to the territory now included in Pakistan shall not be deemed to be a citizen of India:
Provided that nothing in this article shall apply to a person who, after having so migrated to the territory now included in Pakistan, has returned to the territory of India under a permit for resettlement or permanent return issued by or under the authority of any law and every such person shall for the purposes of clause (b) of article 6 be deemed to have migrated to the territory of India after the nineteenth day of July, 1948.
Article 8: Rights of citizenship of certain persons of Indian origin residing outside India
Notwithstanding anything in article 5, any person who or either of whose parents or any of whose grand-parents was born in India as defined in the Government of India Act, 1935 (as originally enacted), and who is ordinarily residing in any country outside India as so defined shall be deemed to be a citizen of India if he has been registered as a citizen of India by the diplomatic or consular representative of India in the country where he is for the time being residing on an application made by him therefor to such diplomatic or consular representative, whether before or after the commencement of this Constitution, in the form and manner prescribed by the Government of the Dominion of India or the Government of India.
Article 9: Persons voluntarily acquiring citizenship of a foreign State not to be citizens

No person shall be a citizen of India by virtue of article 5, or be deemed to be a citizen of India by virtue of article 6 or article 8, if he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of any foreign State.
Article 10: Continuance of the rights of citizenship
Every person who is or is deemed to be a citizen of India under any of the foregoing provisions of this Part shall, subject to the provisions of any law that may be made by Parliament, continue to be such citizen.
Article 11: Parliament to regulate the right of citizenship by law
Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this Part shall derogate from the power of Parliament to make any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of citizenship and all other matters relating to citizenship.

News Papers/ Journals

News Papers/ JournalsFounder/Editors
Bengal Gazette (India's first news paper, 1780)  J. K. Hikki
Amrit Bazar Patrika Shishir Kr. Ghosh & Motilal Ghosh
Keshri Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Maharatta Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Sudharak G. K. Gokhle
Vande Mataram Aurobindo Ghosh
Native Opinion V. N. Mandalik
Kavivachan Sudha Bhartendu Harishchandra
Rast Goftar (First News Paper in Gujrati) Dadabhai Naoroji
New India Bipin Chandra Pal
Statesman Robert Knight
Hindu Vir Raghavacharya & G. S. Aiyar
Sandhya B. B. Upadhyaya
Vichar Lahiri Krishna Shastri Chiplunkar
Hindu Patriot Girish Chandra Ghosh
Som Prakash Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Yugantar Bhupendra Nath Datta & Barindra Kumar Ghosh
Bombay Chronicle Firoze Shah Mehta
Hindustan Madan Mohan Malviya
Mooknayak B. R. Ambedkar
Comrade Mohammed Ali
Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq Sir Syyed Ahmed Khan
Al-Hilal Abul Kalam Azad
Al-Balagh Abul Kalam Azad
Independent Motilal Nehru
Punjabi Lala Lajpat Rai
New India Annie Besant
Commonweal Annie Besant
Pratap Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
Essays in Indian Economics Mahadev Govind Ranade
Samvad Kaumudi (Bengali) Ram Mohan Roy
Mirat-ul-Akhbar (First Persian News Paper) Ram Mohan Roy
Indian Mirror Devendra Nath Tagore
Nav Jeevan M. K. Gandhi
Young India M. K. Gandhi
Harijan M. K. Gandhi
Prabudha Bharat Swami Vivekananda
Udbodhana Swami Vivekananda
Indian Socialist Shyamji Krishna Verma
Talwar (in Berlin) Birendra Nath Chattopadhyaye
Free Hinduatan Tarak Nath Das
Hindustan Times K. M. Pannikar
Kranti Mirajkar, Joglekar, Ghate

Saturday, August 28, 2010

State Birds of India

  • West Bengal
  • White-throated Kingfisher
  • Halcyon smyrnensis

  • Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala
  • Great Hornbill
  • Buceros bicornis
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Sarus Crane
  • Grus antigone
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Western Tragopan or Western Horned Tragopan
  • Scietific name: Tragopan melanocephalus
  • Lakshadweep
  • Sooty Tern
  • Onychoprion fuscatus
  • Punjab
  • Northern Goshawk
  • Accipiter gentilis
  • Manipur and Mizoram
  • Mrs Hume's Pheasant
  • Syrmaticus humiae
  • Orissa
  • Indian Peacock
  • Pavo cristatus
  • Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka
  • Indian Roller
  • Coracias benghalensis
  • Rajasthan
  • Indian Bustard
  • Ardeotis nigriceps
  • Chhattisgarh and Meghalaya
  • Hill Myna
  • Gracula religiosa

    • Uttaranchal
    • Himalayan Monal
    • Lophophorus impejanus
    Maharashtra and Tripura
  • Green Imperial Pigeon
  • Ducula aenea
  • Gujarat
  • Greater Flamingo
  • Phoenicopterus roseus
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Emerald Dove
  • Chalcophaps indica
  • Nagaland
  • Blyth's Tragopan
    Tragopan blythii
  • Sikkim
  • Blood Pheasant
  • Ithaginis cruentus
  • Jammu & Kashmir
  • Black-necked Crane
  • Grus nigricollis
  • Goa
  • Black-crested Bulbul
  • Pcnonotus melanicterus
  • Haryana
  • Black Francolin
    Francolinus francolinus
  • Jharakhand
  • Asian Koel
  • Eudynamys scolopaceus
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
  • Terpsiphone paradisi

Use of Algae & Fungi in Everyday Life, Some Memorable Facts

Algae
  1. Agar, which is used as a culture medium in growing microorganism in laboratory is obtained from red algae Gracilaria & Gelidium. Agar is also used in food & pharmaceutical industries.
  2. Chorella is a green algae rich in proteins & vitamins and is considered as one of the possible food source for human beings.
  3. Carrageenan which is used in dairy Industry is obtained from Chondrus crispus which is a red algae. It is also used in Cosmetics industry.
  4. Alginic Acid which is used as an stabilizer & thickening agent is obtained from brown algae Sargassum and Laminaria.
  5. Both alginic acid and carageenan are cell wall polysaccharides.
  6. Laminaria is a rich source of Iodine, which is a major microelement required in human being to prevent disease of thyroid gland.
  7. Cells walls of fossil diatoms is a raw material source for preparation of Dynamite. The cell wall of diatoms contain silica.
  8. Ulva , Porphyra and Laminaria algae are used as a source of food.
  9. An antibiotic chorellin is obtained from Chorella.
  10. Acetabularia which is a green algae has been widely used in biological experiments which decided the role of nucleus in control of cell activities.
  11. Chorella and Scendesmus have also been used for bacterial decomposition of sewage.
  12. Red rust of tea is caused by cepheleuros virescence.
  13. Waterblooms which are found on the surface of stagnant water are formed by blue green algae such as Anabaena, Microcystis, Oscillatoria.
  14. Chlaymidomonas nivalis which is a Green Algae causes “ Red Snow” .
  15. "Fouling" which is caused on the bottoms and sides of ships are caused by some algae.
  16. "Red Sea" which is a part of Mediterranean sea is “Red” because of blue green algae “Trichodesmium" which has presence of phycoerythrin pigment in its cells.
  17. Potash is obtained from Macrocystis and Nereocystis.
  18. The blue green algae Sargassum is abundant in the Sargasso sea of Atlantic.
Fungi
  1. The most commonly cultivated fungi (mushroom ) is Agaricus compestris.
  2. Yeasts are fungi and they are rich source of Vitamin B Complex.
  3. Penicillin which was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1929 is obtained from fungi Penicillum notatum.
  4. The plant growth hormones indole acetic acid was isolated from Rhizopus niger.
  5. Another plant growth hormone Gibberellic acid was obtained (isolated) from Gibberella fujikuroi.
  6. Some strains of Aspergillus niger are used in the manufacture of citric acid.
  7. Yeasts due to their ability to ferment sugar are used in wine and bread industry (bakery).
  8. Morchella is an species of edible mushroom.
  9. Ergot disease in rye , wheat, barley and oat are called by Claviceps purpurea which is a fungi.
  10. LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) which is a hallucinogen is obtained from Claviceps purpurea.
  11. Aflatoxins are toxic substances produced by fungi.
  12. Smut disease is caused by a fungi Ustilago.
  13. Rust disease is commonly caused by another fungi Puccinia.
  14. Athlete’s foot or "Foot Ringworm" is caused by a fungi Trichophyton interdigitale.
  15. Late blight of Potato which caused a disastrous femine of Ireland in 1845 was caused by Fungi only. The fungi which causes late blight of potato is Phytophthora infestens. Early blight of Potato is another disease which is caused by Alternaria solani. Please note that Solanum means potato which represents solanaceae family in Botany.
  16. Pulmonary Aspergillosis is a disease very much similar to TB is caused by Aspergillus fungi.
  17. All types of food stuffs like pickle, breads etc. are spoiled by Mucor, Rhizopus & Aspergillus which are various strains of fungi.
  18. Leaf spot or tikka disease of groundnut is caused by a fungus Cercospora personata.

List of Human Diseases Caused By Bacteria and Viruses

List of Human Disease Caused By Virus & Bacteria
Disease
Causing Agent
Infection / Transmission
AIDS Human T -cell Leukemia Virus HTLV-III blood and sperms , thru sexual contact homo or heterosexual)
Ascariasis Ascaris lumbricoides raw vegetables infected with eggs
Athletes' Foot Trichophyton bad foot hygiene
Bacillary Dysentery Shigella Dysenterie flies, food, faeces
Botulism Clostridium botulinum food poisoning
Chickenpox Varicella Virus contact
Cholera Varibrio Cholerae flies, food , faeces, carriers
Common Cold Rhino Virus contact
Dengue Dengue Virus (arbovirus) Aedes Mosquito
Diarrhea Giardia intestinalis contaminated stools
Diphtheria Corynebacterium diptheriae ( Bacteria) contact
Filariasis Wuchereria bancrofti mosquito, infection in lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels
Gonorrhoea Diplococcus ( Neisseria gonorrhoeae) sexual intercourse
Herpes Herps Virus contact
Hook worm disease Ancylostoma Duedenale faiseces and walking barefoot.
Influenza Flu Orthomixovirus contact
kala azar Leishmania Donovani infected sand fly
Leprosy Mycobacterium Leprae Long and close contact
Measles Measles virus (ParaMyxoVirus) contact
Mumps Mumps Virus (Paramyxovirus) contact, virus in saliva spreads
oriental Sore Leishmania Tropica infected sand fly
Pinworm Disease Enterobius Vermicularis caecum ingestion of eggs contaminated food
Plague Yersinia Pestis Rat Flea
Pneumonia Diplococcus pneumoniae bacteria transmission by contact.
Poliomyelitis Polio Virus or Enterovirus houseflies, food and water
Rabies rhabdovirus mad dog bites
Ringworm Microsporum Trichophyton cats and dogs
Septic Sore Throat Streptococcus Bacteria contact
Sleeping Sickness Tryponosoma Brucei reaches lymph nodes via transmission thru fly bites
Smallpox Variola Virus contact
Syphilis Treponema Palladium direct contact mainly sex
TB Mycobacterium tuberculosis Bacteria transmission by cough
Tetanus Clostidium tetani bacteria in soil thru wounds
Typhoid Salmonella Typhi Flies, food etc.
Vaginatis Trichomonas Vaginalis Female Vaginal tracts, Male Urinary Tract both may be infected during coitus
Viral Encephelitis arbovirus mosquito Bite
Whooping cough Hameophilius Pertussis coughing and sneezing

Some Important Launches of PSLV

  1. PSLV had its first launch on 20 September 1993.
  2. In September 2002, the 1060 kg KALPANA-1 was launched by PSLV-C4 into GTO.
  3. On 17 October 2003, the 1360 kg Earth observing ResourceSat1 was launched by PSLV-C5.
  4. On May 5, 2005, PSLV-C6 launched two satellites into orbit; CARTOSAT-1 a stereoscopic Earth observation satellite with cartographic applications, weighing 1560 kg, and HAMSAT providing satellite based radio service for amateur radio operators, weighing 42.5 kg into a high polar orbit (632 x 621 km).
  5. On January 10, 2007, the PSLV-C7 carried four satellites - the 680 kg Indian remote sensing satellite CARTOSAT-2, the 550 kg Space Capsule Recovery Equipment (SRE-1), Indonesia's LAPAN-TUBSAT (60 kg) and Argentina's 6 kg nanosatellite called NANO PEHUENSAT-1 into orbit.
  6. On April 23, 2007, the PSLV-C8 carried out India's first commercial satellite launch successfully. This was the AGILE for the Italian Space Agency as the main payload of the launch with the Advanced Avionics Module as a secondary payload.This was ISRO's first exclusively commercial launch. All launches of foreign satellites before this had been of micro-satellites or light weight satellites piggybacked on the PSLV, with an Indian satellite being the primary payload. The PSLV-C8 was also launched without its regular 6 strap-on boosters. Another first for ISRO was the inclination of 2.5o (equatorial orbit), which made launch comparatively riskier than usual.
  7. On 21 January 2008, PSLV-C10 launched the Israeli TecSAR satellite successfully.
  8. On 28 April 2008, PSLV-C9 launched ten satellites, the most number ISRO has deployed in one launch. PSLV-C9 successfully placed in orbit an imaging satellite Cartosat-2A, technology demonstrator IMS-1/TWSAT, and a cluster of eight nanosatellites from different countries.
  9. On 22 October 2008, PSLV-C11 launched the 1380 kg Chandrayaan remote sensing satellite for lunar exploration.[14]. The satellite was successfully placed in the earth's orbit and then transferred to the lunar orbit on 8 November 2008.
  10. On 20 April 2009, PSLV-C12 in core alone version successfully launched RISAT-2 and ANUSAT at 00:15 hours GMT from SDHC.
  11. Update: On 23 September 2009, using PSLV-C14, a Core-Alone version of the PSLV, India successfully launched its 16th remote-sensing satellite Oceansat-2 and six nano European satellites in 1,200 seconds with the help of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle from SDHC

Government of India- Table of Precedence

  1. President of India
  2. Vice President of India
  3. Prime Minister of India
  4. Governors of States within their respective States
  5. Former Presidents
    5a. Deputy Prime Minister
  6. Chief Justice of India; Speaker of Lok Sabha
  7. Cabinet Ministers of the Union; Chief Ministers of States within their respective States; Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission; Former Prime Ministers; Leaders of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha
    7a. Holders of Bharat Ratna decoration
  8. Ambassadors Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary and High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries accredited to India; Governors of States outside their respective States; Chief Ministers of States outside their respective States
  9. Judges of the Supreme Court
    9a. Chief Election Commissioner; Comptroller & Auditor General
  10. Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha; Deputy Chief Ministers of States; Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, Members of Planning Commission; Members of State of the Union and any other Ministers in the Ministry of Defence for Defence Matters
  11. Attorney General of India; Cabinet Secretary; Lt Governors within their respective Union Territories
  12. Chiefs of Staff holding the rank of full General or equivalent rank
  13. Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary accredited to India
  14. Chairmen and Speakers of State Legislatures within their respective States; Chief Justices of High Courts outside their respective jurisdictions
  15. Cabinet Ministers in States within their respective States; Chief Ministers of Union Territories; Deputy Ministers of the Union
  16. Officiating Chiefs of Staff holding the rank of Lt General or equivalent rank
  17. Chairman, Central Administrative Tribunal; Chairman, Minorities Commission; Chairman, SC & ST Commission; Chairman, UPSC; Chief Justices of High Courts outside their respective jurisdictions; Puisne Judges of High Courts within their respective jurisdictions
  18. Cabinet Ministers of States outside their respective States; Chairmen and Speakers of State Legislatures outside their respective States; Chairman MRTP Commission; Deputy Chairmen and Deputy Speakers of State Legislatures within their respective States; Ministers of Union Territories within their respective Union Territories; Speakers of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories within their respective Union Territories
  19. Chief Commissioners of Union Territories not having Councils of Ministers, within their respective Union Territories; Deputy Ministers of States within their respective States; Deputy Speakers of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories within their respective Union Territories
  20. Deputy Chairmen and Speakers of State Legislatures outside their respective States; Ministers of State in States outside their respective States; Puisne Judges of High Courts outside their respective jurisdictions
  21. Members of Parliament
  22. Deputy Ministers of States outside their respective States
  23. Army Commanders/Vice Chief of the Army Staff or equivalent in other services; Chief Secretaries to State Governments within their respective States; Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities; Commissioner for SC and ST; Members, Minorities Commission; Members, SC and ST Commission; Officers of the rank of full General or equivalent rank; Secretaries to the Government of India (including officers holding this rank ex-officio); Secretary, Minorities Commission; Secretary, SC and ST Commission; Secretary to President; Secretary to Prime Minister; Secretary Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha; Solicitor General; Vice-Chairman, CAT
  24. Officers of the rank of Lt General or equivalent rank
  25. Additional Secretaries to the Government of India; Additional Solicitor General; Advocate Generals of States; Chairman, Tariff Commission; Commissioners a pied and interim Chief Ministers of Union Territories outside their respective Union Territories; Chief Secretaries to State Governments outside their respective States; Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General; Speakers of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories and Chairman, Delhi Metropolitan Council outside their respective Union Territories; Deputy Speakers of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories outside their respective Union Territories; Director, CBI; Director General, BSF; Director General, CRPF; Director, Intelligence Bureau; Lt Governors of Union Territories outside their respective Union Territories; Members, CAT; Members MRTP Commission; Members, UPSC; Ministers of Union Territories outside their respective Union Territories; Principal Staff Officers of the Armed Forces and officers of the rank of Major General or equivalent rank
  26. Joint Secretaries to the Government of India and officers of equivalent rank; Officers of the rank of Major General or equivalent rank

Largest Gold Reserves of The World

1. United States of America
United States of America has the largest Gold Reserves of the world. The country has 8,133.5 tonnes of gold which constitutes 77.4 per cent of the country's total forex reserves. Besides USA is world's third highest buyer and fourth largest producer of gold. Do you know what is USA's GDP ? It is $ 14.3 Trillion which is largest in the world and constitutes 1/4 of Global GDP (nominal) and 1/5 of Global GDP at ppp (Purchasing power parity) (2008 figures)

2. Germany
Germany is world's number 2 holder of Gold Reserves. It had 3,408.3 tons of gold comprising approximately 69.2 per cent of the country's total forex reserves. Germany is world's number 4 economy.

3. International Monetary Fund:
IMF the multilateral financing agency with 186 countries as member, has 3,217.3 tonnes of gold.

4. Italy:
Italy has 2,451.8 tonnes of gold. Italy is 7th largest economy of the world.

5. France
France has 2451.5 tonnes of Gold. Do you know which one is largest economy in the European Union. Yes it is France. Please note that France is also the most visited country of the world as the coutry tops the International tourist arrivals by country of destination 2008 a ranking by World Toursim Organisation. The World Tourism rankings are compiled by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as part of their World Tourism Barometer publication. in 2009, 82 million tourists visited France.

6. China
Our neighbour possesses 1,054 tonnes of gold. No need to mention that China has been the fastest growing economy of the world with 10% average GDP growth for the last 3 decades. It is the third largest economy after US & Japan. GDP? $ 4.4 Trillion

7. Switzerland
Switzerland , one of the richest nations of the world, possesses 1,040.1 tonnes. Apart from being home to the rich, some cities of the european country have been ranked as having highest qualities of Life.

When it comes to overall quality of living, Zurich, Geneva and Bern have for years occupied top slots in international rankings.


8. Japan
The second largest economy of the world possesses 765.2 tonnes of Gold.
Please Note :
  1. Japan : 2nd Largest Economy by nominal GDP
  2. Japan : 3rd largest Economy by GDP on PPP
  3. Japan : 4th Largest exporter
  4. Japan : 6th largest Importer
  5. And the only coutry in G-8 from Asian continent.
9. The Netherlands
Netherlands is in possession of 612.5 tonnes of gold.
The Dutch market is one of the most free market capitalist economies in the world.

10. Russia
Russia has 568.4 tonnes of gold . Please note that Russia is 6th largest producer of Gold and 7th largest buyer of Gold.

11. India
India is on 11th rank in terms of Gold reserves with 557.7 tonnes of gold.
This 557.7 tonnes of Gold constitutes about 6 per cent of the country's forex reserves.
Recently India bought 200 tonnes of Gold for $ 6.7 Billion @ $1045 per ounce. Please note that we have paid this money to IMF in hard currency and not in SDR (Special Drawing Rights).

List of India’s Export Development Centers

List of India’s Export Development Centers
  1. Agra:Leather Shoes
  2. Aligarh :Brass Locks
  3. Alleppi:Coconut and Coir
  4. Ambala:Scientific Instruments
  5. Batala:Machine Equipments
  6. Bhagalpur:Weaving
  7. Jalandhar :Sports Goods
  8. Jamnagar :Brass Spare Parts
  9. Kanchipuram :Silk
  10. Khurja :Clay Pots
  11. Ludhiana:Heavy machinery & Hosiery
  12. Meerut :Sports Goods
  13. Moradabad:Brass Ware Handicraft
  14. Nagpur:Handmade Equipments
  15. Panipat :Handloom textiles
  16. Rajkot:Engine Pumps
  17. Ranipat :Leather
  18. Selam:Handmade Items
  19. Sivakashi:Match boxes
  20. Surat :Gems & Jewellery
  21. Tirupur:Hosiery & weaving Industry
  22. Vishakhapatnam:Fish & Fish Products
  23. Wapi :Chemicals

World Places Famous for Industries

Baku (Russia):::Petroleum
Bangkok (Thailand):::Shipping
Belfast (Ireland):::Ship buildings, Linen goods
Buenos Aires (Argentina):::Dairy Products
Cadiz (Spain):::Cork
Chicago (U.S.A.):::Gramophone
Detroit (U.S.A.):::Automobiles
Dresden:::Optical and P h o t o g r a p h i c apparatus
Glasgow (Scotland):::Machinery, Textiles
Havana (Cuba):::Cigar
Hollywood (U.S.A.):::Films
Johannesburg (South Africa):::Gold Mines
Kimberley (South Africa):::Diamond Mining
Leeds (England):::Woollen Goods
Los Angeles (U.S.A.):::Film, Oil
Lyons (France):::Silk
Morocco (North Africa):::Leather
Munich (Germany):::Lenses
New Orleans (U.S.A.):::Cotton
Pitsburg (U.S.A.):::Iron and Steel
Plymouth (England):::Ship building
Sheffield:::Cutlery
Venice (Italy):::Glass
Vienna (Austria):::Glass
Wellington (New Zealand):::Dairy Products