Management Learning

Lesson Number 1:
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long? The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Lesson Number 2:
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy. "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull."They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.
Lesson Number 3:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!
Lesson Number 4:
The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along, they passed some people who remarked "it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding". The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Later, they passed some e people that remarked, "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk." They decided they both would walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So the both rode the donkey! Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying "how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey". The boy and man said they were probably right so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.
Lesson Number 5:
Once PVNR (PV Narasimha Rao), L.K.Advani and Laloo Prasad Yadav were travelling in an autorickshaw. They met with an accident and all three of them died. Yama was waiting for this moment at the doorstep of death.He asks PVNR and Advani to go to HEAVEN. But, for Laloo, Yama had already decided that he should be sent to HELL. Laloo is not at all happy with this decision. He asks Yama as to why this discrimination is being made. All the three of them had served the public. Similarly, all took bribes, all misused public positions, etc. Then why the differential treatment? He felt that there should be a formal test or an objective evaluation before a decision is made; and should not be just based on opinion or pre conceived notions. Yama agrees to this and asks all the three of them to appear for an English test. PVNR is asked to spell " INDIA" and he does it correctly. Advani is asked to spell "ENGLAND" and he too passes. It is Laloo's turn and he is asked to spell " CZECHOSLOVAKIA" . Laloo protests that he doesn't know English. He says this is not fair and that he was given a tough question and thus forced to fail with false intent.
Yama then agrees to conduct a written test in Hindi (to give another chance assuming that Laloo should at least feel that Hindi would provide an equal platform for all three). PVNR is asked to write "KUTTA BOLA BHOW BHOW". He writes it easily and passes. Advani is asked to write "BILLY BOLI MYAUN MYAUN". He too passes. Laloo is asked to write "BANDAR BOLA GURRRRRR.... ."Tough one. He fails again. Laloo is extremely unhappy. Having been a student of history (which the other two weren't), he now requested for all the 3 to be subjected to a test in history. Yama says 'OK', but this would be the last chance; and that he would not take any more tests. PVNR is asked: "When did India get Independence? ". He replied "1947" and passed. Advani is asked "How many people died during the independence struggle?". He gets nervous. Yama asked him to choose from 3 options: 100,000 or 200,000 or 300,000. Advani catches it and says 200,000 and asses. It's Laloo's turn now. Yama asks him to give the Name and Address of each of the 200,000 who died in the struggle. Laloo accepts defeat and agrees to go to HELL.

Indian Authors In English

1. Wings of Fire --------- A.P.J Abdul Kalam
2. You Can Win ---------- Shiv Khera
3. One Day Wonder ------ Sunil Gavasker
4. The Namesake --------Jhumpa Lahiri
5. Pinjar Amrita ---------Pritam
6. The God of Small Things --- Arundhanti Roy
7. The Glass Palace -------Amitav Ghosh
8. New World ---------Amit Chaudhary
9. Fasting Feasting --------Anita Desai
10. Getting There ---------- Manjula Padamanabhan
11.A Train to Pakistan --------- Khuswant Singh
12. A Room on the Roof ----------Ruskin Bond
13. English August ---------Upmanyu Chatterjee
14. Beastly Tales ----------Vikram Seth
15. Show Business---------- Shashi Thakur
16. Coolie Mulk--------- Raj Anand
17. The Broken Wings --------------Sarojini naidu

Know First In India -II

Woman to climb mount Everest ----Bachhendri Pal
Woman Judge in Supreme Court---- Mrs. Meera Sahib Fatima Biwi
Woman Chief Justice of a High Court---- Smt. Leela Seth
Indian Woman to go in space (Now U.S. Citizen) ----Kalpana Chawla
The first Indian weightlifter to win bronze medal in Olympics---- Karnam Malleshwari (Sydney, in 2000)
The First Indian World Chess Champion---- Vishwanathan Anand
India's first paperless Newspaper ----The News Today (Launched on Jan. 3, 2001)
India's First woman Merchant Navy Officer---- Sonali Banerjee
The first Dalit Speaker of the Lok Sabha ----G. M. C. Balyogi
The first Vice-President of India to die in harness---- Krishna Kant
The first Indian woman cricketer to score double century ----Mithali Raj (August 2002 playing against England)
The first woman Air Vice-Marshal---- P. Bandopadhyaya
The first Indian to be appointed as United Nations Civilian Police Advisor---- Ms. Kiran Bedi
The first astronaut of Indian origin to perish aboard U.S. space shuttle in a tragic accident---- Dr. Kalpana Chawla (Columbia space shuttle, Feb. I, 2003)


The first woman to be appointed Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India ----K. J. Udeshi (appointed on June 10, 2003)
The first Indian girl to register a win in a Wimbledon tournament----Sania Mirza (2003)
The first Indian lady to win a medal in World Athletic Championship---- Anju Bobby George (Aug. 2003)
The first woman Chairman and Managing Director of NABARD---- Mrs. Ranjana Kumar
The highest individual test scorer of India---- Virendra Sehwag ( 309 runs in the first test in Multan against Pakistan)
The first Indian cricketer to make double centuries five times---- Rahul Drgvid (playing test against Pakistan in Pakistan in. April 2004)
The first Orissa woman to top I.A.S.---- Smt. Roopa Misra (Indian Civil Services Exam., 2003)
The first Sikh Prime Minister of India---- Dr. Manmohan Singh
The first woman Director General of Police of a State---- Kanchan C. Bhattacharya (DGP Uttaranchal)
The first woman to be appointed as the crime branch chief ----MeeriJ Borwankar (took over as crime branch chief of Mumbai police)
The first woman to reach the rank of Lt. General in the Indian army---- Puneeta Arora (Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune)
The first Indian to cross seven important seas by swimming---- Bula Chaudhury
The first woman to become Indian Air Force's first woman Air Marshal---- Padma Bandhopadhyay

Know First In India - I

British Governor General of Bengal-----------Warren Hastings
Governor General of Independent India-------Lord Mountbatten
Commander-in-chief of Free India------------General Roy Bucher
Cosmonaut-----------------------------Sqn. Ldr. Rakesh Sharma
Emperor of Moghul Dynasty in India----------Babar
Field Marshal--------------------------------S. H. F. J. Manekshaw
Indian Governor General of Indian Union-----C. Rajagopalachari
Indian I.C.S. Officer-------------------------Satyendra Nath Tagore
Indian Member of Viceroy's Executive Council----Sri S.P. Sinha
Indian to swim across English Channel--------Mihir Sen

Indian woman to swim across-English Channel-----Miss Arati Saha
Man to climb Mount Everest-----------------Tenzing Norgay
Man to climb Mount Everest without Oxygen------ Phu Dorjee
Man to climb Mount Everest twice-----------Nwang Gombu
Nobel Prize winner--------------------------Rabindra Nath Tagore
President of Indian National Congress-------W. C. Banerjee
President of Indian Republic-----------------Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Talkie Film----------------------------------Alam Ara (1931)
Test Tube Baby (Documented)--------------Indira
Viceroy of India-----------------------------Lord Canning
Woman Minister of Indian Union------------Rajkumari Amrit Kaur

Woman Chief Minister of State--------------Mrs. Sucheta Kriplani

Woman Governor---------------------------Mrs. Sarojini Naidu

Woman President of Indian National Cong.----- Dr. Annie Besant

Woman Prime Minister----------------------Mrs. Indira Gandhi

Woman Speaker of a State Assembly-------Mrs. Shanno Devi

Prime Minister of India----------------------Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru

Muslim President of Indian Union-----------Dr. Zakir Hussain

Speaker of Lok Sabha----------------------G. V. Mavlankar

General Knowledge Quiz Part - II

1)Which is the longest river in the world ?
Ans:- Nile
2)Which country is called the playground of Europe ?
Ans:-Switzerland
3)What is the capital of Indonesia? Ans:- Jakarta
4)What is the currency of China ?
Ans:- Yuan
5)Which country in the world does not have a rectangular flag? Ans:- Nepal

6)What is the currency of Russia? Ans:- Ruble
7)Which is the largest volcano on Earth?Ans:- Hawaii's Mauna Loa
8)In our Solar system, which planets have rings around them? Ans:- Four of the large outer planets in our solar system have rings around them.
Jupiter - 3 rings
Saturn - has thousands of rings Uranus - 11 rings Neptune - 6 rings
9)What is a Meteor? Ans:- There are pieces of rock orbiting space called Meteoroids. Sometime these meteoroids hit the Earth. When they are falling through the Earth's atmosphere, they burn up.These are called Meteors or Shooting Stars
10)What is the capitol of Canada? Ans:- Ottawa
11)Is Canada bigger than USA?Ans:- Yes Canada is bigger than USA
12)What is the name of the river that falls over Niagara Falls?Ans:- The Niagara River flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It serves as the border between Ontario in Canada and New York State in the USA. The river is about 56 kilometers (35 miles) long and includes Niagara falls along its way
13)Which country has the world’s largest Rainforest?
Ans:-Brazil is the largest country in the continent of South America and has the largest rainforest in the world.
14)Which river runs through this rainforest?
Ans:-Amazon River
15)Which country is the world’s largest gold producer?Ans:-South Africa
16)What is Arachnophobia?
Ans:-The word Arachnophobia comes from the Greek words, ARACHNE, meaning SPIDER, and PHOBOS, meaning FEAR.Some people have an irrational, persistent fear of spiders. It is very difficult for them to overcome this fear.

General Knowledge Quiz- Question and Answers

The place known as the Garden of England is - Kent
The tallest tower in the world is the - C.N.Tower,Toronto, Canada
The country famous for its fish catch is - Japan
The old name of Taiwan was - Farmosa
Montreal is situated on the bank of river - Ottawa
The city of Bonn is situated in - Germany
The literal meaning of Renaissance is - Revival
Julius Caesar was killed by - Brutus
The title of Desert Fox was given to - Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
The largest airport in the world is the - King Khalid Int.Airport, Saudi Arabia
The city in Russia which faced an earthquake in the year 1998 was - Armenia
The largest bay in the world is - Hudson Bay,Canada

The largest church in the world is - Bascilica of St.Peter,Vatican City,Rome
The largest peninsula in the world is - Arabia
The largest gulf in the world is - Gulf of Mexico
The tallest statue in the world is the - Motherland,Volgagra d Russia
The largest railway tunnel in the world is the - Oshimzu Tunnel,Japan
The world's loneliest island is the - Tristan da cunda
The word `Quiz'was coined by - Jim Daly Irishman
The original meaning of `Quiz'was - Trick
The busiest shopping centre of London is - Oxford Street
The residence of the Queen in London is - Buckingham Palace
Adolf Hitler was born in - Austria
The country whose National Anthem has only music but no words is - Bahrain
The largest cinema in the world is the - Fox theatre,Detroit, USA
The country where there are no Cinema theatres is - Saudi arabia
The world's tallest office building is the - Sears Tower,Chicago
In the year 1811,Paraguay became independent from - Spain
The cross word puzzle was invented by - Arthur Wynney
The city which was the capital of the ancient Persian Empire was - Persepolis
WHO stands for - World Health Organisation
WHO is located at - Geneva
FAO stands for - Food and Agriculture Organisation
FAO is located at - Rome and London
UNIDO stands for - United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
UNIDO is located at - Vienna
WMO stands for - World Meteorological Organisation
WMO is located at - Geneva

International Civil Aviation Organisation is located at - Montreal
The Angel Falls is located in - Venezuela
The Victoria Falls is located in - Rhodesia
Ice Cream was discovered by - Gerald Tisyum
The number regarded as lucky number in Italy is - Thirteen
Napoleon suffered from alurophobia which means - Fear of cats
The aeroplanes was used in war for the first time by - Italians(14 Oct.1911)
Slavery in America was abolished by - Abraham Lincoln
The Headquarters of textile manufacturing in England is - Manchester
The famous Island located at the mouth of the Hudson river is - Manhattan
The founder of plastic industry was - Leo Hendrik Bakeland
The country where military service is compulsory for women is - Israel
The country which has more than 10,000 golf courses is - USA
The famous painting `Mona Lisa'is displayed at - Louvre museum,Paris
The earlier name for tomato was - Love apple

Amazing Facts

Tuesday is considered as the most productive day of the week.
In human body the right lung takes in more air than the left one.
The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.
Bill gates house was designed using Macintosh computer which is a brand of the microsoft’s rival company.
Almost all varieties of breakfast cereals are made from grass.
In the 1930’s America track star Jesse Owens used to race against horses and dogs to earn a living.
There is a great mushroom in Oregon that is 2,400 years old. It Covers 3.4 square miles of land and is still growing.
Jimmy Carter is the first USA president to have born in hospital.
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
Cleopatra married two of her brothers.
Human birth control pill works on gorillas.
It is illegal to own a red car in shanghai china.
Tru to spin an egg, Its strange that a hard-boiled egg will spin but an uncooked or soft-boiled egg will not.
Astronauts cannot burp in space.
People with blue eyes see better in dark.
The snowiest city in the USA is Blue Canyon, California.
Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua is the only fresh water lake in the world that has sharks.
Kite flying is a professional sport in Thailand.
The gasoline can not freeze no matter how cold the temperature falls.
Human stomach produces a new layer of mucus every two weeks otherwise it will digest itself.
Every person has a unique tongue print.
Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants.
A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it go mad instantly and sting itself to death.
By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can’t sink in quicksand.
Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.
The Polar Bear can can reach 25 miles / hr of speed.
Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.
Chocolate affects a dog’s heart and nervous system. A few ounces will kill a small sized dog.
Most lipsticks contain fish scales.
Courtesy : amazing facts website

USA General Knowledge

On 4th July 1776 America declares itself as an independent country
The U.S President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865
According to a theory California State was nbamed by its Spanish settlers after a utopian society described in a popular 16th-century novel called Serged de Esplandian.
The State Georgia named after King George II of England, who charted the colony in 1732.
Louisiana state named after French King Louis XIV.
Washington Named after George Washington.
Wyoming derived from the Algonquin word for “large prairie place”
Rhode Island named by “Roode Eylandt” (Red Island) because of its red clay.
Teaxas word Derived from the Caddo Indian word for “friend,” or “ally.”
North and south Dakota taken from the Sioux word for “friend,” or “ally”.
Virginia and west virginia was Named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, the “virgin” queen, by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584.
Newyork was named after the Duke of York and Albany.
Minnesota was derived from the Sioux word for “sky tinted” or “muddy water”.
New Mexico is the Spanish name for the territory north of the Rio Grande.
Kansas word was taken from the Sioux word for “south wind people,” their name for anyone who lived south of Sioux territory.
Hawaii is an English adaptation of the native word Owyhee, which means “homeland”.
Indiana state was named by English-speaking settlers because the territory was full of Indians.
Kentucky was possibly derived from the Indian word kan-tuk-kee, meaning “dark and bloody ground.” Or kan-tuc-kec, “land of green reeds”, or ken-take, meaning “meadowland”.
Shakespeare invented the word ‘ assassination’ and ‘bump’

Indian Presidents

1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad
India’s first president after independence was dr. Rajendra Prasad born on december 3, 1884 in the Saran district of North Bihar. Prasad spent his childhood listening to tales from the Ramayana, and the epic had a profound influence on his life. He was a brilliant student, he studied in the Presidency College, Calcutta, and topped in Master of Arts and Master of Law at the Calcutta University.
He joined the Indian National Congress while practicing Law in Calcutta in 1911. Even though he made his mark as a lawyer, he was deeply influenced by Gandhi, and plunged himself into the freedom struggle. He twice became the president of the Congress in 1934 and 1939.
Prasad emerged as the only choice for presidency after the country became a Republic in 1950. When it came to relinquishing office in 1962, after being the First Citizen of India for 12 long years from January 26, 1950 to May 13, 1962, Dr. Prasad did not bat an eyelid, despite persuasions from all quarters. The nation befittingly awarded him with a Bharat Ratna. He was passed on February 28, 1963.
2. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
The Second President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan born on September 5, 1888 in a middle class Hindu family in Tirutani in the then Madras State. He best known as a philosopher, statesman, writer, educationist, humanist and administrator, despite being orthodox, his parents had a vision for their son and sent him to Christain missionary schools and colleges, such as Lutheran Mission School, Tirupati; Vellore College, Vellore; and Madras Christian College.
He took up Philosophy at the graduation level in Madras University and went on to master the subject. Throughout his glorious career, Radhakrishnan held numerous important academic, cultural and political posts, both in India and abroad, such as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Spaulding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics, Oxford University, Leader of the Indian Delegation to UNESCO, Ambassador-Extraord inary and Minister-Plenipoten tiary to the U.S.S.R., etc.
Dr. Radhakrishnan became the President after Dr. Rajendra Prasad, his presidency period starts from May 13, 1962 to May 13, 1967. His birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s Day throughout India he passed on April 17, 1975.
3. Dr. Zakir Hussain
Third President an educator, Dr. Zakir Hussain was born in Hyderabad on February 8, 1897. He studied at Islam High School, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, and later at the Anglo-Muhammadan Oriental College (now known as Aligarh Muslim University).
He founded the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. He held several posts as Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education, a member of the University Grants Commission and a member of the University Education Commission. Hussain served as the Vice-President from 1962 to 1967 and then went on to grace Rashtrapati Bhavan as the third President. The first President to die while in office on may 3, 1969, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1954 and the Bharat Ratna in 1963.
4. Varahagiri Venkata Giri
Fourth President Varahagiri Venkata Giri was a prolific writer and a good orator, he was born in Berhampur in the Ganjam district(then a part of the Madras Presidency) of Orissa on August 10, 1894.
A Telegu by birth, he went to the University of Dublin, Ireland, for higher studies. He soon got absorbed into the freedom struggle in Ireland. While taking active participation in the freedom movement, Giri joined the Indian National Congress and mobilised the trade unions in support of the freedom struggle. He was elected to the Parliament in 1952. Thereafter, Giri served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore from 1957 to 1967. He became the Vice-President in 1967. Giri had to officiate as President Dr. Zakir Hussain passed away while in office. He was finally elected the President in 1969. Giri received the Bharat Ratna in 1975.
5. Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
The Fifth President Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed man of many abilities, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was born on May 13, 1905 in the Hauz Qazi area of Old Delhi. He received his primary education from Bonda Government High School, Uttar Pradesh, and did his matriculation from the Delhi Government High School, then under the Punjab University. Later, he joined the Catherine College, Cambridge University, and was called to the Bar from Inner Temple of London. Ahmed joined the Indian National Congress in 1931 and took active part in the freedom struggle. He became part of the Central Cabinet after Independence and held important portfolios. He could not complete his term due to a fatal heart attack on February 11, 1977.
6. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
India’s sixth President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was born in the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh on May 18, 1913. After completing his primary education at Theosophical High School at Adyar in Madras, Reddy went to Government’s Arts College at Anantpur for higher studies. He plunged into the freedom movement in 1931, participating in various nationalist activities.
Reddy became the chief minister of the then newly-formed state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, and later from 1962 to 1964. He served in the cabinet of Prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. Twice elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker (1967 and 1977), Reddy became the President in 1977 after winning the elections hands down as an unopposed candidate.
7. Giani Zail Singh
Giani Zail Singh a man of the masses and the only Sikh President of India till date, Zail Singh was born on May 5, 1916 in an agricultural family in village Sandhwan in the then Faridkot State. Hailing from a humble background, Singh showed remarkable acumen in mastering Sikh history and its scriptures. He acquired the epithet of ‘Giani’ because of his scholarly abilities.
After leading the fight against feudalism and participating actively in the freedom movement in Punjab, Singh went on to become the chief minister of the state in 1972. Punjab enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity under his leadership. He became home minister in Indira Gandhi cabinet in 1980, he utilised his administrative skills to solve many problems that stared in the face of the nation. He was elected to the highest office of India in 1982.
8. Ramaswamy Venkataraman
Eighth President, Ramaswamy Venkataraman was born in village Rajamadam in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu on December 4, 1910. He did his Masters in Economics from Madras University and Law from Law College, Madras. As a practicing lawyer, he became involved with the Quit India Movement in 1942.
Venkataraman was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted India`s Constitution. After India became a Republic, he was elected to the Parliament in 1952. He was Governor, International Monetary Fund, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank. He was elected Vice-President of India in 1984 and became the President in 1987.
9. Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
The Ninth President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was born in Bhopal on August 19, 1918, Madhya Pradesh, and studied in St. John’s College, Agra; Allahabad University; Lucknow University; Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University; Lincoln’s Inn, London and Harvard Law School, USA.
He taught Law at Cambridge University in 1946-47. While in Britain, Sharma took active interest in India’s struggle for Independence, and later joined the Indian National Congress. After India became a Republic, Sharma took over as the Chief Minister of Bhopal in 1952 before the state of Madhya Pradesh was formed. He also occupied the posts of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. Sharma was elected the Vice-President in 1987 and eventually the country’s President in 1992. He is credited to have sworn in three prime ministers.
10. Kocheril Raman Narayanan
The tenth president Kocheril Raman Narayanan was a scholar and a writer, Narayanan was born in village Uzhavoor in Kottayam district of Kerala on October 27, 1920. He did his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English Literature from Travancore University, and later went on to study at the London School of Economics.
Narayanan joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1949 and served in Rangoon, Tokyo, London, Canberra and Hanoi. He was India’s Ambassador to Thailand, Turkey, China, and eventually became Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in 1976. He was India’s Ambassador to the United States from 1980 to 1984. Elected to the post of Vice-President in 1992, Narayanan became the President in 1997. He was also the first President to cast his vote in the 1998 General Elections. He passed away on November 9, 2005.
11. Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
One of the most distinguished scientists of India, Abdul Kalam is known as the Missile Man of India. He was born at Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu on October 15, 1931, and studied Aeronautical Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology.
Kalam developed India`s first Satellite Launch Vehicle. He also developed and enabled operationalisation of Agni and Prithvi missiles. It was largely because of his efforts that India became a nuclear weapons country. Befittingly, he has been bestowed with all the three civilian honours of the Nation. The 11th President is also credited with many firsts to his credit. He is the first President to be awarded the Bharat Ratna before he occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan, the first scientist to become the President and the first bachelor to be elected to the highest office of the land. He created history by flying the Sukhoi 30.
12. Smt. Pratibha Patil
The 12th and current president of india, she is the first indian women appointed at the top post of the indian constituency.

Swami Vivekananda Speech

Swami Vivekananda’s Speech in Chicago which is till date considered as the best speech given on the ococasion of worlds religions meet specially in indian national language.
Sisters and Brothers of America,
It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world;
I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.
My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration.
I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.
I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.
I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.
I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings : “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”
The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita :
“Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.”
Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair.
Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

True Facts

The Venezuelan brown bat can detect and dodge individual raindrops in mid-flight, arriving safely back at his cave completely dry.
When immersed in liquid, a dead sparrow will make a sound like a crying baby.
Centuries ago, purchasing real estate often required having one or more limbs amputated in order to prevent the purchaser from running away to avoid repayment of the loan. Hence an expensive purchase was said to cost “an arm and a leg.”
If you put a bee in a film canister for two hours, it will go blind and leave behind its weight in honey.
At the first World Cup championship in Uruguay, 1930, the soccer balls were actually monkey skulls wrapped in paper and leather.
Urine from male cape water buffaloes is so flammable that some tribes use it for lantern fuel.
we can get blood from a stone, but only if contains at least 17 percent bauxite.
Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.
Replying more than 100 times to the same piece of spam e-mail will overwhelm the sender’s system and interfere with their ability to send any more spam.
Scuba divers cannot pass gas at depths of 33 feet or below.
Manatees possess vocal chords which give them the ability to speak like humans, but don’t do so because they have no ears with which to hear the sound.
In the weightlessness of space a frozen pea will explode if it comes in contact with Pepsi.
Smearing a small amount of dog feces on an insect bite will relieve the itching and swelling.
The typewriter was invented by Hungarian immigrant Qwert Yuiop, who left his “signature” on the keyboard.
King Henry VIII slept with a gigantic axe.
Human saliva has a boiling point three times that of regular water.
Until 1978, Camel cigarettes contained minute particles of real camels.
You can actually sharpen the blades on a pencil sharpener by wrapping your pencils in aluminum foil before inserting them.
When Mahatma Gandhi died, an autopsy revealed five gold Krugerrands in his small intestine.
If you part your hair on the right side, you were born to be carnivorous. If you part it on the left, your physical and psychological make-up is of a vegetarian.
The world’s smartest pig, owned by a mathematics teacher in Madison, WI, memorized the multiplication tables up to 12.
The “nine lives” attributed to cats is probably due to their having nine primary whiskers.
Coca-Cola was the favored drink of Pharaoh Ramses. An inscription found in his tomb, when translated, was found to be almost identical to the recipe used today.
Approximately one-sixth of human life is spent on Wednesdays.

Human Body Quiz

In 24 hours, An average human heart beats 1,03,689 times.
In 24 hours, An average human Lungs respire 23,045 times.
In 24 hours, An average human Blood flows 16,80,000 miles.
An average human Nails grow 0.00007 inches in every 24 hours, .
An average human Hair grows 0.01715 inches in 24 hours, .
In 24 hours, An average human Take 2.9 pounds Water (including all liquids).
In 24 hours, An average human Take 3.25 pounds FOOD.
In 24 hours, An average human Breathe 438 cubic feet AIR.
In 24 hours, An average human Lose 85.60, BODY TEMPERATURE.
In 24 hours, An average human Produce 1.43 pints SWEAT.
In 24 hours, An average human Speak 4,800 WORDS.
In 24 hours, An average human During SLEEP move 25.4 times.
The fastest human beings runs only about 30 kilometres per hour (18 miles per hour).
About 10% of the world’s population is left-handed.
A person afflicted with hexadectylism has six fingers or six toes on one or both hands and feet
A human eye blinks over 10,000,000 times a year!
The vocabulary of the average person consists of 5,000 to 6,000 words.
The average person laughs about 15 times a day
Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!
Never hold your nose and cover your mouth when sneezing, as it can blow out your eyeballs.
People who ride on roller coasters have a higher chance of having a blood clot in the brain.
Sneezing stops heart beat for a second and then continues.
Shape of the backbone is important to have sufficient breathing.
Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue print is different.

Animal General Knowledge Test

The Earth has over 12,00,000 species of animals, 3,00,000 species of plants & 1,00,000 other species.
All polar bears are left handed
A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime
The original name for the butterfly was ‘flutterby
A cheetah does not roar like a lion – it purrs like a cat (meow)
A jellyfish is 95 percent water!
No two zebras have stripes that are exactly alike. There are more than 50 different kinds of kangaroos.
A butterflie have 6 Legs & 2 Pair of Wings & has 12,000 eyes.
Human birth control pill works on gorillas.
German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog.
Owl is the only bird, which can rotate its head to 270 degrees.
The Swan has over 25,000 feathers in its body.
Elephant teeth can weigh as much as 9 pounds.
Crane sleeps standing on one leg.
Shark cannot see, they are very sensitive to sound.
A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of the tapetum lucidum , a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.
A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
Bears whose brown fur is tipped with lighter-colored hairs are called grizzly bears .
Ants don’t sleep.
A cheetah can run 76 kilometres per hour (46 miles per hour)
Kiwis are the only birds, which hunt by sense of smell.
Cassowary is one of the dangerous birds that can kill a man or animal by tearing off with its dagger like claw.
The largest frog in the world is called Goliath frog.

Solar System Quiz

Our solar system consists of one central star, the Sun
The Solar System have nine planets named Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
Our solar system consists of more than 60 moons
Our solar system consists of millions of rocky asteroids
Our solar system consists of billions of icy comets
The solar system is said to be over 5 billion years old.
Planets are different in sizes and colors. The four planets closer to the Sun are called ‘rocky’ planets.
Only two planets have (Earth and Mars) have moons
The asteroid belt is a zone between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen with the naked eye (Without telescope or binoculars)
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called ‘rocky’ or’ terrestial’ planets.
`Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are called the gaseous planets.
Jupiter and Saturn contain the largest percentages of hydrogen and helium, while Uranus and Neptune contain largest shares of ices, frozen water, ammonia, methane, and carbon monoxide.
The four gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, have rings.
Hubble is one of the worlds most powerful telescopes.
The Sun is too bright for the Hubble Space Telescope to observe.
The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.
The earth began billions of years ago as a huge ball of swirling dust and gases.
Earth is only known planet where life began on 600 million years ago.

Most Spoken Languages

1. Mandarin language – China
The highest number of speakers use Mandarin language the number of speakers are crossed 1 billion plus, it is the most widely spoken language on the planet which is based in the most populated country on the planet, China. Speaking Mandarin can be really tough, because each word can be pronounced in four ways (or “tones”), and a beginner will invariably have trouble distinguishing one tone from another.
To say “hello” in Mandarin, say “Ni hao” (Nee HaOW). The “Hao” is pronounced as one syllable, but the tone requires that you let your voice drop midway, and then raise it again at the end.
2. English
While English doesn’t have the most speakers, it is the official language of more countries than any other language. Its speakers hail from all around the world, including the U.S., Australia, England, Zimbabwe, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, South Africa, Canada.
3. Hindustani – Number of speakers: 497 million
Hindustani is the primary language of India’s crowded population, and it encompasses a huge number of dialects of which the most commonly spoken is Hindi. Many predict that the population of India will soon surpass that of China, the prominence of English in India prevents Hindustani from surpassing the most popular language in the world.
To say “hello” in Hindustani, say “Namaste”.
4. Spanish
Spanish is spoken in just about every South American and Central American country, Spain, Cuba, and the U.S. There is a particular interest in Spanish in the U.S., as many English words are borrowed from the language, including: tornado, bonanza, patio, quesadilla, enchilada, and taco grande supreme.
To say “hello” in Spanish, say “Hola”.
5. Russian
One of the six languages in the UN, Russian is spoken not only in the Mother Country, but also in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the U.S.
To say “hello” in Russian, say “Zdravstvuite” (ZDRAST-vet- yah).
6. Arabic
Arabic, one of the world’s oldest languages, is spoken in the Middle East, with speakers found in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. Because Arabic is the language of the Koran, millions of Moslems in other countries speak Arabic as well. So many people have a working knowledge of Arabic, in 1974 it was made the sixth official language of the United Nations.
To say “hello” in Arabic, say “Al salaam a’alaykum” .
7. Bengali – Number of speakers: 211 million
In Bangladesh, a country of 120+ million people, just about everybody speaks Bengali. And because Bangladesh is virtually surrounded by India, the number of Bengali speakers in the world is much higher than people would expect.
To say “hello” in Bengali, say “Ei Je” (eye-jay).
8. Portuguese
In the 12th Century, Portugal won its independence from Spain and expanded all over the world with the help of its famous explorers like Vasco da Gama and Prince Henry the Navigator. Because Portugal got in so early on the exploring game, the language established itself all over the world, especially in Brazil where it’s the national language, Macau, Angola, Venezuela, and Mozambique.
To say “hello” in Portuguese, say “Bom dia” (bohn dee-ah).
9. Malay – Indonesia
Malay Language is spoken in Malaysia and Indonesia. There are many dialects of Malay, the most popular of which is Indonesian. But they’re all pretty much based on the same root language, which is the ninth most-spoken in the world.
To say “hello” in Indonesian, say “Selamat pagi” (se-la-maht pa-gee).
10. French
French often called the most romantic language in the world, French is spoken in countries like Belgium, Canada, Rwanda, Cameroon, Haiti and France.
To say “hello” in French, say “Bonjour” (bone-joor).

Facts About Hinduism

Hinduism is an ancient religion of India and the oldest religion in the world.
Hindus regard the Vedas which was composed around 1500 B.C. as central to the hindu tradition.
Hinduism is like an ocean of the combined knowledge of various rishis, sages, and saints. It was they who gave the religion the depth and complexity for which it is known today
Hinduism is a way of life, there is no fixed name for Hinduism; some call it Sanatana Dharma, some call it Bhagawat Dharma, etc. There was no name “Hindu” in old scriptures but later invaders of India named people here as Hindu because they used to live on the banks of the river Sindhu.
Hinduism is broken into four key denominations, which are Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, as well as Smartism.
The Vedas Meaning “knowledge” in Sanskrit, the Vedas are the oldest and most authoritative texts of Hinduism. Composed around 1500 B.C.E., they are among the world’s oldest surviving.
Vedas consist of four parts. The Rig Veda contains verses of praise to the gods; the Yajur Veda discusses the requirements of ritual offerings; the Sama Veda, verses and chants for ritual offerings, and Atharva Veda, magical verses.
The Upanishads Among the principal texts of the Hindu tradition, the Upanishads are metaphysical treatises that are concerned with the origin and destiny of humanity and the universe.
The hinduism calls for the belief in one Supreme Being, who stands for both the creator, as well as a reality.
Karma, which stands for the cause and effect of an individuals choices and destiny is another main belief of hinduism. The thoughts, actions and words of an individual can affect their karma.
Ongoing cycles of Creation, Preservation and Dissolution within the universe is a main belief of hinduism.
Hindus believe that the soul can be reincarnated, undergoing a cycle of rebirth. Hindus believe that a soul is able to undergo numerous lifetimes within a physical body. All of the past lives that you have led, contribute to the person you are today.
The Bhagavad-Gita A section of the immense epic known as the Mahabharata, believed to be about 2000 years old, it is set on the field of the climactic battle of the Mahabharata.
The Puranas The name purana means “ancient,” and these eighteen texts are a compendium of legends and histories dating from the fourth century B.C.E. to 1000 C.E. They address the creation of the universe, its destruction and renovation, the genealogy of gods and patriarchs, and the reigns of ancient rulers.
The science of Ayurveda, and the science of Yoga, was inspired and developed by the great masters and seers of ancient India. The origin of Ayurveda and Yoga are common to play a highly complimentary role in spiritual evolution and the maintenance of physical well-being and vitality.
There are three paths according to hindu believes, karmamarga – path of works and action, jnanamarga – path of knowledge or philosophy, bhaktimarga – path of devotion to God
Hindu believes There are four stages of life brahmacharga – school years – grow and learn, grhastha – marriage, family and career, vanaprastha – turn attention to spiritual things, sanrgasu – abandon world to seek spiritual things
The seven sacred cities of hindus are Ayodhya, Mathura, Gaya (Bodhgaya), Kasi (Varanasi, Benares), Kanci, Avantika (Ujjain), Dvaraka
The ten commitments in hindu dharma is Ahimsa – do no harm, Satya – do not lie, Asteya – do not steal, Brahmacharya – do not overindulge, Aparigraha – do not be greedy, Saucha – be clean, Santosha – be content, Tapas – be self-disciplined, Svadhyaya – study, Ishvara Pranidhana – surrender to God