April 2016 Igniting Minds

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Monthly Educational Magazine

# ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

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# HEALTHY TIPS FOR KIDS THIS SUMMER

RNI No: TELENG/2015/65077

“Inspired by a great soul Dr. APJ ABDUL KALAM”

# THE MUGHAL EMPIRE IN INDIA

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Hobbies

Editor Nagasri Nampally +91 8885053541

Co-Editor Annapurna Upadhyayula

CEO Vamshikrishna Parlapally +91 9160777888

Design Team Dharmendher.B +91 9700104157 Sarath Chandra Y V +91 9989636399

Advisors Priya Iyengar Dr Y. Naveen kumar

Greetings Readers!

Change is the only constant, said “Heraclitus”, a Greek philosopher.

Yes, we do believe that change is the only constant and nothing stays still. Our start happened a month ago, and we are slowly acclimatizing to the change that is for good, and to stay.

It has been humbling the way we have been appreciated by all of you. This is what fuelled a series of improvements and changes we have adopted this month. Without the critical acclaim and positivity of the comments that poured in, we wouldn't have advanced and are constantly on the go.

We have new stuff lined up for you this month, to end the year on a productive note. We as a team are more than delighted to let you all know that we are just a tap away, be it on your smart phones or a PC. Just click install "IGNITING MINDS" application on Android and tickle your IQ by soaking in the information available on our “facebook/ ignitingmindsmagazine” page on Facebook!

Hope we enrich your experience this time too and we promise to never let you down.Keep us posted about how this month’s edition affected you and help us grow.

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With hopes of long lasting experiences, Team - Igniting minds

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Health & Nutritions

Contents

The summer season is here, and with it comes the scorching heat....

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Life Skills

Attitude is Everything When I say attitude is everything.

Yes it is. It’s like a beautiful dazzling dress.....

Cover Story

Healthy Tips for Kids this Summer

Parenting

Decoding the ‘Stubborn child’ Most of you may have come across a child who is naughty and stubborn,....

08

Hobbies For years, graphic design and learning new software regarding was my hobby......

Handwriting

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The Zones for the Best HANDWRITING Talking to close friend also needs a comfort zone.

Neither a long distance nor minimum.......

4

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

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Mathematics Science

Why It's Important to Start Early

30

Why Is Water Important in a Human’s Daily Life?

Motivation Story

24

Exam Fever or a bad case of Nerves?

The human body is primarily water.

Infants are made up of 70 percent water,......

44

Country

Australia

This time of the year is pretty tiresome for some students. Mostly for those in tenth......

32

Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent.......

Career Awareness

38

Indian Navy officer Options & Educational Qualification

Pride of India Rabindranath 42 Tagore

Sports

48

Boxing Rules 50 Cool Inventions & Guinness world Records

Awards

28

National Film Awards The National Awards for films, which were started as an annual incentive by the Government of India.......

History

Current Affairs

52

Brain Gym

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34

Mughal India In 1526, Babur, a Turk from central Asia, occupied Agra in northern India.......

IGNITING MINDS|| |April 2016

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Sunday

Events Calendar (May)

02

*National Life Insurance Day

Tuesday

Monday

01

* International Labor Day

Wednesday

03

* World Press Freedom Day

Thursday

* National Weather Observers 04 DayInsurance Day

08

* Mother’s Day

09

* Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti

* Mother Ocean Day

10

11

* World Asthma Day

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Friday

05

* National Nurses Day

Saturday

06

07 6

* Free Comic Book Day

* National Technology Day

* Odometer Day

* Cannes Film Festival

* International Day for 22 Biological Diversity

*National Drawing Day

* World Turtle Day

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16

23

* World Telecommunication Day

24

18

* International Museum Day

25

19

* National May Ray Day

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* Indonesian National Resurgence Day

27

17

20

13

14

* The International Day of Families

* Train Day

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* Anti Terrorism Day

* National Escargot Day

* Towel Day

* Sally Ride Day

* National Cellophane Tape Day

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* N.T.R Jayanti

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* National Paperclip Day

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* Water a Flower Day

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* World No Tobacco Day

Birthday Calendar (May) * Sir Arthur Cotton (Engineer 1803 – 1889) * Swami Chinmayananda 08 (Spiritual leader )

01

* S. M. Krishna (Politician 1932)

02

*Satyajit Ray (Filmmaker 1921-1992)

*Gopal Krishna Gokhale (Politician 09 1866 - 1915)

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* Uma Bharti (Politician 1959)

* Sri Yukteswar Giri (1855 – 1936)

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03

04

* Tyagaraja (Composer 1767 – 1847)

* Ahmad Javad (Poet 1892 – 1937) 05

10

15

* Sukhdev Thapar (Freedom Fighter 1907 – 1931)

* Pierce Brosnan (Actor 1953)

* Alan Kay (Computer scientist 1940)

* Mrinalini Sarabhai (Dancer 1918 – 2016) 11

* Bertrand Russell (Philosopher 18 1872-1970)

* Jiddu Krishnamurti (Writer 1895 – 1986)

* Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (Politician 1913 - 1996)

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* Tony Blair (Prime Minister of the UK 06 1953)

* Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Spiritual leader 1956) 13

* Rabindranath Tagore 07 (Author 1861-1941)

* Mrinal Sen (Filmmaker 1923)

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19

* Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772 – 1833) 22

* John F. Kennedy (35th U.S. President 1917) 29

* Gayatri Devi (Princess 1919 – 2009) 23

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* Paresh Rawal (Actor 1950)

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* Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901)

31

* Ahilyabai Holkar (1725 – 1795)

25

* Rash Behari Bose (1886 – 1945)

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* Jack Kevorkian (Pathologist 1928 – 2011)

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* Ravi Shastri (Cricketer 1962)

* Iyothee Thass (Registered Medical Practitioner 1845 – 1914)

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* Mohanlal (Actor 1960)

* N. T. Rama Rao 28 (Politician & Actor )

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Cover Story

Hobbies F

or years, graphic design and learning new software regarding was my hobby. I spent hours and hours on the weekends learning new software that was fun to draw and illustrate . I used to often help my friends When I took my hobby and made it my full-time job, there was a hole of sorts in my life. While I still worked on a lot of jobs from friends and acquaintances on the weekends, it was now in the category of "doing work" instead of "just for fun." Even though I still consider it a pleasurable experience, and a great emotional release, it's no longer a hobby.

Though practicing my formal educated profession is a parallel, graphic design now has owned a pleasurable part in my life . I can still find myself in a state of flow when I'm working on such graphic design projects , but there's definitely something different about it now. And it wasn't until I started a new hobby— completely by accident!—that I realized how much I'd needed to partake in something simply for the sake of enjoyment.

It started when I came across few online classes and decided to take a course to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator, photoshop and indesign the programs I'd had on my computer for months but had never even opened. As soon as I started following these classes, I was instantly in love with the online format, seemingly geared exactly toward the things I wanted to learn. I'd never considered myself an artist/ illustrator but I'd always loved to draw (just ask those I used to work with who saw see me constantly doodling daily on my to-do lists!).

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After quite a few classes, illustrating has become own of my favorite things to do. It's my new-found hobby. Hobbies are often something we think of as something for people who have tons of free time, but there are many, many benefits to having a hobby. Even if you think you don't have the time, having a hobby is worth making time for because of the many emotional, mental, and physical benefits, many of which I've experienced first hand recently. Here are some of the reasons why having a hobby can be a wonderful thing:

My grandson Achu insisted I wear a sweater this morning. Hope he understands we live in India and this is April !

BENEFITS OF HAVING A HOBBY 1. Hobbies encourage taking a break.

Hobbies offer an opportunity to take a break—but a break with a purpose. If you're like me, you might like to feel productive while you're engaging in an activity and a hobby gives you that. You are doing something while still having fun. Hobbies are great ways to take a break from your busy life while still having a sense of purpose.

2. Hobbies promote eustress.

Eustress is that positive kind of stress, the kind that makes you feel excited about what you're doing and about life.

Hobbies, I've found, are one of the greatest ways to access that kind of stress. When you're doing something you love— something you don't have to do for any other reason other than the fact that you love it—you feel a rush of excitement and joy.

3. Hobbies offer a new challenge.

Hobbies break up routine sand challenge you in new ways, ways that are different from work, ways that are positive. The great thing about picking up a new hobby is that it provides an excellent outlet for challenging yourself without the negative stress that comes from a work-related challenge.

The new challenge can also open your mind to new ways of seeing the world.

4. Hobbies unite you with others.

Even if you engage in a solo activity, like illustrating, you're exposing yourself to a new world of people, people who find the same thing enjoyable that you do. Though I don't

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talk much about illustrating in the "real world," online I find myself connecting with all kinds of people who are passionate about what I too feel excited about.

5. Hobbies provide an outlet for stress.

Adding another activity to your to-do list might seem like a way to createmore stress, but I've found that engaging in a new hobby actually provides a great outlet for releasing stress. By focusing on a non-workrelated task, you're giving your mind something else to focus on. And when you really get in the flow, all of your worries and stresses seem to fade away.

6. Hobbies promote staying present.

If you really love what you're doing, you tend to get in the flow or zone and really, truly focus on the moment. When I'm working on an illustration, hours can magically fly by because I'm so intensely focused on what I'm doing. Instead of worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, I'm completely and undeniably in the present.

7. Hobbies have physical health benefits Research has found that engaging in enjoyable activities during down time were associated with lower blood pressure, total cortisol, waist circumference, and body mass index. Engaging in these activities also correlated to higher levels of positive psychosocial states and lower levels of depression and negative affect. Hobbies are good for your mind and your body.

Tips foYrour Child Find a Hobby

Helping

► Make a list of your child’s interests.

Discuss your child’s current interests and make a list. This will help you find ways to expand those interests through relevant hobbies.

► Introduce your child to new things on a regular basis.

Trying new things is the best way to get life experience and discover interests that your child never knew about. Get creative when you help your child try new things: go on field trips for different subjects, introduce books on diverse subjects, and try plenty of fun crafts, experiments, and other activities at home.

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► Test hobbies before committing.

Even if you identify a hobby that seems perfect for your child, start slowly. There’s no guarantee that a certain hobby will be a good fit for your child. Let him or her try it for a couple of weeks before you make a big commitment.

► Give your child the freedom to explore the hobby.

This means giving your child adequate space for the hobby and allowing him or her to dedicate time to it each week.

► Help your child learn and make progress.

Depending on the hobby, your child might not be able to take it further without your guidance. If he or she isn’t sure what to do next, work together to brainstorm ideas. If your child already knows what steps to take next, offer your support.

► Know when to let your child move on.

Some hobbies last into adulthood, while others won’t last long at all—even if your child enjoys them. Younger children often grow out of the hobbies they establish early on. When your child is ready to quit, don’t pressure him or her to continue. Just be ready to help him or her find something new.

My hobby is to forecast weather.

I help my friends decide to play indoors or out in the park!

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5mo0 st

popubliaer hob s

1. Reading 2. Watching TV 3. Family Time 4. Going to Movies 5. Fishing 6. Computer 7. Gardening 8.

Renting Movies 9. Walking 10. Exercise 11. Listening to Music 12. Entertaining 13. Hunting 14. Team Sports 15. Shopping 16. Traveling 17. Sleeping 18. Socializing 19. Sewing 20. Golf 21. Church Activities 22. Relaxing 23. Playing Music 24. Housework 25. Crafts 26. Watching Sports 27. Bicycling 28. Playing Cards 29. Hiking 30. Cooking

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

31. Eating Out 32. Dating Online 33. Swimming 34. Camping 35. Skiing 36. Working on Cars 37. Writing 38. Boating 39. Motorcycling 40. Animal Care 41. Bowling 42. Painting 43. Running 44. Dancing 45. Horseback Riding 46. Tennis 47. Theater 48. Billiards 49. Beach 50. Volunteer Work

I hope I knew the list at 25! would have made them my "TO DO BEFORE I BECOME A GRANDFATHER" list !

So there we have it! The 50 most popular hobbies. How many hobbies do you have? Unfortunately for all of us hobbies take time. The majority of Americans spend 50 hours at work slaving for a paycheck. That only leaves about 20 hours a week for a hobby or in most of our cases a list of hobbies. With only 20 hours its best to choose popular hobbies you can do in parallel. For instance you could pack up the family and take them camping.

At the campsite you could swim, fish, read ghost stories, go hunting for dinner (since you didn’t catch any fish), cook up your fresh squirrel, and take a quick hike before it gets to dark.

Around the campfire you could play some music and get some much needed sleep.

If I counted correctly you’d have done 20% of the 50 most popular hobbies all in one weekend! Of course there are many other hobbies which are considered to be a little bit more extreme, such as online gambling, bungee jumping, or sky diving. These often cause a major adrenaline rush which generally puts them in the extreme hobbies category. They are still popular choices, especially for vacations.

IGNITING MINDS|| |April 2016

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Life Skills

Attitude is Everything

W

hen I say attitude is everything. Yes it is. It’s like a beautiful dazzling dress. If you wear it well you will look beautiful and you will feel beautiful. A major part of your life concerns your attitudes toward yourself and others and how you feel as a result of those attitudes. Right attitude can contribute to leading a satisfying and successful life. Your mind and your body are a part of the same system. They influence each other. When you are happy, you look happy and you sound.

Try to jump in the air and clap your hands, or try to be happy as you slouch in a chair and let your head droop. Your attitude controls your mind, and your mind delivers the body language.

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Malini krishnan Inner Space

For instance, there is a person who has a very cynical approach or who is very aggressive person. You will observe that his body language (gestures/ expressions) is also very aggressive or rude.

In the same order, let’s say there is a person who is very polite and has a very assertive behavior. You will observe that this person’s body language, tone of his voice and words that he uses are also very assertive or polite.

Attitudes set the quality and mood of your thoughts, your tone and the words you speak. Most importantly, they govern your facial and body language. Attitudes are like trays on which we serve ourselves up to other people. Once your mind is set into a particular attitude, you have very little ongoing conscious control over the signals your body sends out. Your body has a mind of its own, and it will play out the patterns of behavior associated with whatever attitude you find yourself associated with.

No matter what you do or where you live, the quality of your attitude determines the quality of your relationships, not to mention just about everything else in your life.

I have been a regular customer of a leading cosmetic store (M.A.C) since a decade. And I get an invitation or news let about new product launched, where my name is always pronounced or spelled wrong. No matter how many times I correct it they are the same. No change.

So why do I still purchase there when there are many stores of this brand located in the city? Convenience? Good Products? Better rates? Obviously not.

I go there for Avanthi, she is one of the store keepers. So what does Avanthi do to keep me running on my toes as a customer? I believe she cares about me, and other customers feel the same way about her. You can tell by the way they talk to her. This charming lady brightens up the whole place. She makes you look beautiful, makes you choose the best product. How does Avanthi do it? She has a Positive Attitude. She is both cheery and interested, and everybody benefits: customers, her colleagues, her company, no doubt her family and, above all, herself. What she sends out with her attitude comes back to her a thousand fold and becomes a joyous, self-fulfilling reality. And it doesn’t cost a cent.

Let me tell you a story of “The Sultan and his Wise Men” Once upon a time, during the 16th Century, there was a person named Sultan. One day, he called up all his wise men together and assigned them a task saying, “I want you to take the whole Worlds knowledge and put it in one book and I will be smarter and knowledgeable person in the world”. Well the Wise men did.

As Sultan was an impatient man, he didn’t want to read the entire book, and so he set a new task before the wise men. And he said, “I want you to take the whole worlds knowledge and condense it into one chapter.” And they wise men did. The Sultan was not satisfied either.

The work was done on it again and again until it got down into a page then into a Paragraph and then a sentence. The King was still dissatisfied. And then the Sultan said “I want one word in compensating all worlds’ knowledge”. And the wise men did it.

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And the Sultan looked at the word and said “I’m satisfied”. Now what was the word? The word was Attitude.

Now how can a one word be the world’s whole knowledge? Let me explain attitude for you.

5 Principles of Happiness 1. If you like something enjoy it.

2. If u don’t like something avoid it 3. What if you can’t avoid it? Change it.

4. But what if you don’t like something, can’t avoid it or u can’t change it?

Now what?? Accept it.

How to accept it?

Now here comes attitude. You accept it by changing over your attitude towards it. The only thing you have control over.

5. What if you don’t accept it?

Then this is also the principal of Unhappiness. If you don’t accept it, you’re unhappy.

Changing Your Attitude to Change Your Life You have choice in the way you perceive whatever is going on. You have the power to choose whether you think the glass is half full or half empty. As I said attitude is everything. These tips will help you create a winning attitude.

1. Use the right words. Use statements like, “I have a positive attitude,” or “We’ll find a solution,” in daily conversation. The words you use on a daily basis have a major impact on your attitude and moods.

2. What company do you keep? Do your friends have negative attitude? Does it rub off on you? Many a times, the company we keep can affect our attitude. Associate with “positive” people in your classes and on campus. I would suggest you partner up in study groups and even look to either socialize or join resume building activities clubs.

3. When you know you need a Change. When you know you aren’t happy, admit it to yourself and take action to reverse it. This is a very difficult thing to do especially when you aren’t in the mood to admit things to yourself. It may be hard, but it is worth it. When you feel the negative vibes, realize it and change it.

4. Appreciate the Things You Have. Learn to appreciate everything you have in your life. Your family, friends, career, home, food, car, etc., is enough to create a positive attitude

because no matter how bad things get in life, we still must be thankful for everything we have. Put things into perspective, and enjoy good things in your life.

5. Think Twice before you Act Once. Look at problems logically. When you let emotion take over, you may do things that made sense at the time, but in the end were not the best choices. Before you act, think about what your action(s) will cause.

If a person does something wrong that negatively affects you, don’t attack.

Think about the best response. Only after you have done this twice should you take action.

6. React VS. Respond. These two words are the difference between a happy, enthusiastic, positive person and a sad, frustrated, negative person. When anything happens in life that affects you, both directly and indirectly, respond to the situation. This means you think about it, find a solution, and take the appropriate measure. When you react, you skip the reasoning stage and do what comes naturally in the moment. This only serves to cause more problems and frustration. Respond, do not react!

7. Don’t Join the Gossip. Don’t join on the negative conversations around you. If you see a conversation heading towards that road, excuse yourself politely and leave.

8. Start in the Right Direction. Wake up with a smile and with energy. You have a lot to accomplish and enjoy today. Life is short, and you are going to make the most of this day, and every day after that.

9. Focus on interesting ideas or concepts in every class you attend. Be prepared to “enjoy” your studies. Do not accept the work as drudgery or painful. Make it joyful by looking for a positive aspect.

10. Don’t listen to your mind’s negative thoughts. The nature of the human mind is to offer worries, anxieties and fears. However, how often do these actually come true? The mind can easily exaggerate problems making them appear more serious than they actually are. Our thoughts are also very powerful and will determine our perception of the world.

11. Remember bad events can lead to good things.

Often we wish things to occur in a certain way, when they don’t happen as we planned we feel miserable. However no matter what happens we should try to make the best of the situation we are currently in. For example if you are made redundant it may become an opportunity to try new things and a new direction in your career.

12. Remember the Benefits of Smiling. Even when are difficulties seemingly insurmountable there is no harm in smiling at our difficulties. When we smile it releases a chemical, serotonin, which makes us feel better. Also others will respond better to people who are smiling.

13. Life is always moving on. Bad times don’t last forever.

Say to yourself, “This too shall pass.”

Handwriting

The Zones for the Best

HANDWRITING

T

alking to a close friend also needs a comfort zone. Neither a long distance, nor minimum distance between two people creates discomfort for the discussion. Like objects, even Earth, ground and water has its own territory. Similarly, all the lower case letters have their own areas/zones.

The secret behind an impressive handwriting lies in maintaining proper heights and deaths of the lower case letters. Over 90% of the letters in our regular usage are from lower case only. However, let us be very conscious about using the upper, middle and lower zone letters. For instance,

Y.Mallikarjuna Rao

Director, National Handwriting Acadamy.

Those Horizontal lines are the printed lines of a single ruled not book.

To register the accurate heights and deaths of the Letters, it is highly suggested to practice on a single ruled sheet at least for three weeks continuously.

Using abnormal or extreme upper, middle and lower zones lead to very illegible presentation on the paper.

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Firstly practice all the middle zone letters in half the height of two printed lines on a single ruled paper. Then practice upper zone letters alone in almost full height (Without toweling the top printed line). Lastly, separate all the lower zone letters and then practice bringing to half of the below two printed lines.

According to cursive style we have 13 middle zone letters, 7 upper zone letters and 7 lower zone letters (Letter ‘f’ happens in both upper and lower zone categories)

Middle zone letters:

Upper zone letters: Lower zone letters:

After practicing the letters as per the suggested heights and deaths, start practicing the words in the following four categories.

1. Words with middle zone letters alone.

2. Words with middle and upper zone letters.

3. Words with middle and lower zone letters.

4. Words with middle, Upper and lower zone letters.

Because all the vocabulary of English Language consists of different kinds of words only. Practice and implement proper zones to own the most impressive handwriting.

IGNITING MINDS|| |April 2016

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Parenting

Sadia saeed raval Inner Space

I invite you here to-

Take a Peek into the Stubborn Child Let’s get to understand what really he is all about.

Decoding the

‘Stubborn child’

M

ost of you may have come across a child who is naughty and stubborn, who tends to be insistent on getting his way, so much that people have to give in to what he wants much of the time. Some of you may even live with one such child in your family. This article is an attempt to unravel what such a child thinks, feels and needs. There is a further article here that elaborates on how parents and caregivers can better understand and deal with these children.

Stubborn children get noticed in most places – at home for sure, also at school, at play, even in public places and restaurants at times, much to their parents’ despair. It is easy to notice them; however, is it as easy to understand them?

Stubbornness and difficult behavior have their own way of functioning. They exist in the child for a reason. Until this reason is understood, children cannot be helped completely to change these behaviors. What’s more, if these reasons are not understood and appreciated, well meaning parents and teachers can do more harm than good to the child.

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

To begin with, let me ask you – what do such children usually get known as? What are some words you would use to describe such a child’s nature?

Some common words I have seen are dominating, powerful, self-centered, a bully. Some others are short-temperedness because he gets upset and angry when things don’t go his way; Insensitivity, since he rarely worries about how his demands will affect the other person.

What do you feel this child thinks of himself?

In all probability, you’d feel that he thinks well of himself, since he is afraid of no one. He can get people much older than him to listen to him, including parents and teachers. He must be happy or even gleeful because he’s almost always having his way in most situations. He should feel confident and almost like a ‘star’!

This is our natural thought process right?

If you find yourself thinking in the manner described above, then this is the right article for you. Not because your perceptions or thought processes are incorrect, but because children who have behavior problems are often terribly misunderstood.

The descriptions and emotions mentioned above are not wrong – however; they are incomplete. Most of these perceptions arise because the child’s behavior is equated with him as a person – he behaves insensitively, therefore he is an insensitive person inside. This is where most of us go terribly wrong. We mistake the surface as the core, the covering as the inside. The insensitivity, dominance, happiness at getting one’s way and feeling of power are all there; however, they form but a mask, or a layer of the child’s mind.

Seeing this layer is not a problem; but stopping at this layer is. In some cases, stopping at this layer is a grave problem, since it results in bad consequences for the child and hence, for the parents.

The inner layers of the child’s feelings, thoughts and view about himself are hard to see because the stubbornness masks these inner feelings very well. However, they exist. And they are far more vulnerable than the demanding, dominating behavior suggests.

Low Self Esteem – A Hidden Root of Behavior Problems Most children who have behavioral problems think poorly of themselves. They feel they are inadequate, and cannot be loved as they are.

Why they feel like this is a different chapter by itself, and there exist different reasons for different children. Through experiences beginning from infancy, to later experiences at home and at school, they sub-consciously internalize that they are not ‘good enough’.

Imagine a child who feels inadequate within. If as adults it is difficult to cope with this feeling, imagine just how difficult it would be for a child.

What do you think such a child would do? Naturally, he wants to feel better; he doesn’t want to feel weak and insignificant. So, he tries to compensate. He makes conscious attempts to exert more authority, be more in command and see to it that he ‘wins’.” If I am good enough, I need to ‘win’. If I don’t win, it returns me to a feeling of weakness and vulnerability” is the unspoken, unexpressed rule in their minds.

This is why children with behavior problems get terribly upset when they hear ‘no ‘ – for them, ‘no’ doesn’t mean that they are rejected a thing. For them, ‘no’ means that they are rejected as people.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t say no to a child, or that saying no is unhealthy. Saying no is often necessary. But, this definitely means that such children need to be understood with a lot of compassion and care.

Their behavior makes them seem ruthless and mean. But beneath this meanness, there exists a whole lot of vulnerability. And understanding this vulnerability is perhaps the first step to heal the meanness.

IGNITING MINDS|| |April 2016

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Health & Nutritions

Mukta Agrawal Senior Nutriyionist “INLIFE Healthcare”

S

ummer season is here, and the temperatures are soaring, with high humidity levels, leaving you exhausted and de-energized. But for kids, it’s time for holidays, which means that they will get a well-deserved break from the stren¬uous monotony of classroom activities.

As temperatures and humidity go up, so does the risk of heat-related illness. Kids no wonder are most excited to spend more time outdoors, ignoring their health and safety. Therefore, parents need to be careful to ensure their kid’s safety from this unbeatable heat.

So, here are some simple tips to help your child stay hydrated and for parents to ensure a healthy summer vacations for their little ones while they enjoy outdoors.

Provide your kid with a water bottle: It is very important for everyone to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water during summer. More so, for kids, as they might sweat out playing in the heat. It flushes out all the toxins from the body and also provides fluidity for the flow of blood.

Fresh juices and lemon water: Parents

should provide fresh juices, coconut water, buttermilk or lemon juice as refreshments to their kids as they replenish the fluids that are lost in sweat.

Light color clothing: Make your child wear light color clothing as light colors absorb heat better during summers and allow sweat to evaporate.

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Sunscreen cover: Always apply a good

sunscreen, with a high SPF factor, (depending upon the skin type) whenever your child is about to go out in the sun to play. The sunscreen may be helpful in protecting your kid from the harmful rays of sun. You can also make them wear hats and shades to protect from direct sunlight.

No junk food, please!: Avoid making your

child eat a lot of spicy junkies like pizza, pasta and burgers—instead go for fresh fruits like watermelons, muskmelons, chikku and kiwi, as they have antioxidant properties and water content which helps in preventing dehydration.

Insect repellants: Applying insect repellants are a must for

your child before they go out to play to protect them from insect bites and bugs that can cause various infections. You can also ensure to make them wear full-sleeved cotton fabric clothes so that they are protected from insect bites and also the heat.

Keep kids out of mid-day sun:

Try to keep your kids out of direct sunlight especially during peak hours from 12-4 and instead engage them in indoor activities during that time of the day.

Evenings are best for recreational activities, especially for kids playing outdoor games.

IGNITING MINDS|| |April 2016

23

Motivation Story

Exam T Fever

his time of the year is pretty tiresome for some students. Mostly for those in tenth standard, plus one and plus two. They will find that they are expected to do well in all tasks they take up. The pressure is well, quite suffocating. Pallavi Menon, studied in Greenwood High International School and she is a talented soul. She plays the piano and has learnt the art of immersing herself in dance forms. She is also one of the state toppers of the ICSE boards 2015, actually the first south Indian to make the Topper’s list.

or a bad case of

Nerves?

24

This is for those in tenth, let’s take a walk down the memory lane of someone who’s already been there and done that.

Before we begin, let’s take a moment to congratulate her and her parents, Mr. Sunil Menon and Mrs.Rajani for being there for her and supporting her all along because parents play an important role in our lives. So, for those who are nervous for their future, let us sort out our worries in this interview held to question Ms.Pallavi.

IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Q: Many students in tenth find it extremely frustrating when faced with the amounts of projects assigned to them and the studying that they are required to do on a day to day basis. How do you think the students can finish their projects in a less tiring way?

A: Creating a time table helps a lot. If one follows it, it will be easier for one to go about doing the projects without a hurry since everything had already been planned out. The projects are equally important as they carry marks Q: What are your favorite things to do? Was it easy to balance your interests along with academics?

A: I like to dance, play the piano and I also play badminton. Having a hobby can help calm you down.

It’s not that easy to maintain a perfect balance between your hobbies and academics but it would not be wise to completely let go of all recreational activities because whenever you get a bit of free time, you can spend it by enjoying yourself. When you do something you like, you automatically feel calm and at peace with yourself and it’s a common fact that what you study stays with you for a longer time if you do it with a calm mind.

Q: Many students are told that if they study what has been taught in school as soon as they go home, they will find it easier to study for the exams. But most of them don’t find the motivation to study. What do you think can motivate one to

study? Do you think the process would be made easier if they set short term goals for themselves?

A: Studying with a group of your classmates, who have the same academic interest as you, makes it easier. As for motivation, keep reminding yourself about the sweet success you will experience when you get good marks in that subject. Convince yourself that you love the subject because there is no way a person can study a subject if he or she keeps expressing their hatred towards that subject. It would be easier for them if they reward themselves after completing a lesson. So, they could maybe go talk to their friends or do a bit of something they like. Short term goals do help a lot because it’s not easy to know for sure about the events that may take place in the long term.

Q: Many people tell me that tenth is one of the best times one faces when in school. Is this true?

Sometimes, I find it hard to believe that I will find joy in all the hectic events in tenth. How much have you enjoyed your last year in high school?

A: Of course you do feel stressed but when you look back in tenth, you will feel as if it was the best year of schooling. You would have had lots of fun and you will cherish the memories of the year forever because it is the last year where all your friends are together in a school environment. I for myself, have enjoyed tenth immensely, it’s the last chance you get to connect to more people.

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Q: Honestly, most students in tenth are extremely scared for their future. What are your plans for the future? (Though most people would have asked you this question).

A: I don’t know actually! It’s okay if you are not that sure of what you want to do after tenth but do your best in whatever you take up. At the moment, I’m studying science and math for eleventh, I do love math a lot!

Q: Most of us tenth graders feel like time has passed too soon. But when faced with difficult or boring task, it’s as if one minute is one hour. What do you think about time and its fickle mind?

A: It is quite confusing when you look at it but be happy and cool. It does seem like time slows down when you are faced with a boring task but it often helps if you keep telling yourself that you like it.

Time might seem to fly by now but when you look back on the memories, it feels like you had a good, well spent time with your friends, like a long, sweet memory.

Q: I see a lot of children going for tuition classes for different subjects. Do you think they actually help or is it possible to excel without them?

A: I never went to extra tuition classes, so I believe that they are not that necessary. When you do well without extra help like this, it makes you feel better.

It boosts your self-confidence and in this period of time, where you constantly doubt your capabilities, self-confidence is good.

Q: I like to believe that every student is not equally interested in all subjects and often neglect some of them. What’s an easy way to process facts concerning these subjects?

you were expected to do many great things?

A: I used to be quite concerned about others opinions but I learnt that you should never let others bring you down. Not only will you feel bad but they will feel good because they put you down. You do feel pressurized when classmates do this teacher take a step back and let you do your stuff. Sometimes, your friends can get you into a negative state of mind so make sure you are in good company because some friends can influence you for the worse than help you be better and achieve better. I did feel a lot of pressure at first. My parents don’t usually put me under so much pressure but I put pressure on myself because I was scared of what the future would hold but calmness is absolutely necessary if you want to do well.

Q: What, in your opinion, is the best way to be happy and look happy instead of feeling like a human on the verge of collapsing into a hundred year sleep?

A: The best way to be happy and keep calm is by doing interesting things or hobbies in a little free time.

Involving yourself in some activities keeps you alert and alive. It also acts as a stress reliever.

Q: What were the challenges you faced when you were going through tenth? What did you learn during this time?

A: The peak of stress was when we had to submit all the projects and to submit so many on times on time; I learnt time management quite well which is extremely necessary because in tenth, it is extremely important that you submit everything on time.

The time nearing the boards was pretty stressful

A: For boring classes, one remedy is to go to YouTube and check out videos regarding that subject.

Usually videos on YouTube help you remember the facts better than just staring at the text. It also presents facts to you in a more interactive way which makes you feel at ease with a certain topic.

Q: I often feel extremely pressurized by my peers and am often in a negative state of mind. Many students complain that they have not done well due to the pressure put on them. How did you feel when you realized that you were in tenth and that

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

too. There was so much to study and the pre-boards were actually quite tough. One way to look at it in a less tiring angle is by thinking that it’s just another exam which you need to write like maybe your ninth annual exam or tests.

A: Tenth is the start of most competitive spirits rising. As I said before, one of the most effective ways to keep calm in this period is to do what you love in your free time and think of tenth boards as another exam you are going to write.

Q: I’ve often heard a person saying that eleventh is actually easier than tenth but it’s quite confusing because shouldn’t there be more portions in eleventh than tenth?

Q: Any tips you would like to tell your juniors?

A: In terms of academics, there are more portions to cover but the pressure is less and in tenth, it peaks at the boards. So never let yourself sag in interests.

Maintaining consistency in studying because after tenth everything is important. Tenth is the start of all seriousness and make sure you get off on a good start and maintain that good start.

Q: Personally, I think of tenth as the start of a marathon. A marathon that is extremely competitive. How do you think one can keep calm during these times?

A: The first thing I would like to say is keep calm.

Don’t worry too much about small things and blow them out of perspective. If you feel very unstable, talk to somebody about this, it often helps you get a grip on reality.

Be attentive towards your studies, though it’s not a deciding factor on how your life will be, it will make you good enough to apply for good colleges.

Don’t take in too much pressure or put too much pressure on yourself.

ALL THE BEST! Well, Pallavi Menon, one of the state toppers of ICSE boards 2015, has spoken friends. Keep calm and well....keep calm!

Here are some more tips one can use: - When in doubt, always try to explain the content or facts of that subject to someone. This helps you get a better grip on the subject.

- Mind mapping is an effective way of processing information.

-Studying well is important but also try to have a few new experiences; chances are you’ll learn lots of new and interesting things you otherwise, wouldn’t have learnt.

Learning is a never-ending process. Making the best of it is what counts. At all opportunities, share your knowledge and learning as much as you can. It will give you joy like no other.

Exclusive Interview by Sahiti Vennelakanti

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27

Awards

National Film

Awards

T

he National Awards for films, which were started as an annual incentive by the Government of India , for the making of artistic, competent and meaningful films have come a long way, to cover the entire national spectrum of Indian Cinema, to judge merit by the highest possible yardstick and to become the most coveted and prestigious awards in the country.

From 1954, when the very first awards for the films of 1953 were given, down to the current year when the top awards for the films of 2011 were recently given, there lies the 59 years old story of an awards scheme, which is surely the most unique of its kind.

The awards are given in three sections – Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema.

In no other country, has the State encouragement to good cinema been such a vast and monetarily rewarding form year after year. In turn, this has influenced and encouraged the making of creative, serious, cinematic and significant films over the years.

28

Every year, the best works as well as individual achievements stand out on the highest national level, for all to see. This itself provides a tremendous spur and initiative for better film making, by creating a desire to win recognition and also the substantial cash prizes going with it.

Another commendable aspect of the National Awards is to encourage good films in all languages, which is a marathon task, considering that India makes films in some twenty languages and dialects.

Similarly, awards for documentaries, whether short or full length, are given in different categories.

If we take a quick look-back at the decades which have rolled by, we find that the Awards, which were initially called “State Awards”, had started off in a small way, with two President’s Gold Medals, two certificates of merit and silver medals for a dozen regional films. For the first six years, it was the practice to give the regional best award to the national best film itself. Later, a medal or certificate of merit was given to two or three films in each language.

IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Separate awards for artists and technicians were instituted in 1968 for the films of 1967, Nargis Dutt and Uttam Kumar being the first actress and actor to get them. For some time, these were called Urvashi and Bharat Awards but the names of the Awards were later changed.

In their aim and purpose, the National Awards have undergone several changes since their inception.

In the early years, except for a rare case like Pather Panchali, the content seemed to be given more weightage than the form. But over time, with film-makers exploring different facets of the medium and enlightened cineastes being appointed on the Jury, this has changed enormously and now the form cum technique is considered as important as the content and thematic ideas.

And thus, as the National Awards step into their 60th year for the films of 2012, we can hope that the scheme shaping into its full maturity will encourage and bring to light all attempts at better film making, from whatever source they come and in whichever language they may be.

National Awards aim at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance contributing to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country in cinematic form and thereby also promoting integration and unity of the nation.

The National Awards along with cinema’s highest honor, Dadasaheb Phalke award, are presented by the President of India in a solemn function in

the presence of the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Chairpersons of the three juries, representatives of Film Federation of India and Confederation of All India Cine Employees and senior official. Since the Awards for 2007, two live playback singing performances are also held during the ceremony.

In their 60th year now, the National Film Awards continue to underline cinematic excellence. The awards have over the years brought the best talent present in India Cinema to national limelight. In it’s over a half a century long history, the National Film Awards have nurtured numerous talents who are now national icons and also known internationally.

List of winners 2016 : Best Film: Baahubali - The Beginning Best Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali for ‘Bajirao Mastani’

Best Actor: Amitabh Bachchan for ‘Piku’ Best Actress: Kangana Ranaut for ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’

Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Bajrangi Bhaijaan Best Supporting Actor: Samuthirakani for Visaaranai

Best Supporting Actress: Tanvi Azmi, Bajirao Mastani

Best Hindi Film: Dum Laga Ke Haisha Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film Of A Director: Neeraj Ghaywan, Masaan Best Film on Environment Conservation/ Preservation: Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal Best Children’s Film: Duronto Best Choreography: Remo D’Souza, DeewaniMastani song in BajiraoMastani

Best Female Playback Singer: Monali Thakur, MohMohKeDhage

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29

Science

Why Is Water

Important in a Daily Life?

H

uman body is primarily made up of water. Infants are made up of 70 percent water, while in adult males it is 60 percent and in females it is 55 percent. Water provides the medium to make your blood move food through your digestive tract and removes waste from every cell in your body. Drink a minimum of 64 oz. of water daily to replace what is lost through metabolism. Your specific water needs should take into account your physical activity level and the geographic region in which you live.

Hydration Water hydrates the body by serving as a lubricant to moisten joints, and also protects your eyes, brain and spinal cord. Your digestive system uses water for vital fluids such as blood, saliva and digestive fluids to aid in the transportation of nutrients and removal of waste products. Water helps move your food through your intestines, which is important in preventing constipation.

Electrolytes Water provides the medium for electrolytes to circulate throughout your body. Electrolytes are the minerals sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium.

These electrolytes provide transportation of glucose and amino acids in and out of cells. Each electrolyte is balanced by another of equal but opposite charge to manage the flow of nutrients to cells and waste from cells.

Temperature Regulation Water has a chemical property that makes it able to absorb and release heat to maintain the temperature of the environment it is in. Your body temperature must be maintained within a very narrow range, and water removes excessive heat from the body through evaporation of sweat.

You can lose up to a pint of water through sweat.

Water in Foods Water is in celery, lettuce and other vegetables. Meats such as chicken, beef and fish can contain up to one-half to two-thirds of water. Milk and juices also contain water. The water in all these foods counts towards your daily fluid intake.

How Much Water Does the Human Body Need Daily?

Acid-Base Balance Water helps regulate pH balance in your body. Water is neutral -- neither acidic, or low pH, nor basic, or high pH. The concentration of hydrogen in

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the body creates an acidic or basic level in your blood and organs.

Water allows free hydrogen ions to move in and out of blood, cells and water to maintain the pH of your body, which is around 7.4.

Water is essential for human survivÂŹal. An adult body is made up

IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

of about 60 percent water, and a newborn is made up of 74 percent of water. Water removes waste from cells, brings nutrients to cells, regulates body temperature and helps you digest food. When you don’t consume enough water, it leads to serious complications.

Your hydration needs depend on exercise, diet, age, body fat, altitude, pregnancy, medications and the weather.

Why Do We Need to Drink Water?

Almost 60 percent of the human body is made up of water, which is little wonder when you find out why this fluid is so vital to your body's function. Each day, the body must replace 2.4 liters of water, mostly through drinking water and consuming foods with high water content.

What Are the Symptoms That May Occur From Not Drinking Enough Water?

Your body consists of more than 70 percent water. Water helps the brain and kidneys to function properly -- it also helps with digestion, supports muscle function, boosts your metabolism and your immune system. In addition to not drinking enough water, water can be lost through sweat, vomiting, diarrhea and using the restroom. Many problems may occur when you don't drink enough water, including heatstroke, seizures and possibly death.

Blood is 92% Water

Bones 22% Water

Dehydration The first complication of not drinking enough water is dehydration.

Symptoms of dehydration may include thirst, sticky or dry mouth, tongue, lips and skin as well as a mild headache. Symptoms of severe dehydration may include lethargy, inability to use the restroom or producing dark-colored urine, dizziness, confusion and chest pain. In addition to not drinking enough water, dehydration may occur due to certain medical conditions such as diabetes.

Older adults and children under 6 years old may be at a higher risk of dehydration.

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Muscles 75% Water The Brain is 75% Water

How Fast Is Water Digested Water is necessary for human health, and makes up 60 percent of your body weight, according to MayoClinic.com. You obtain water from the food you eat as well as from water or other fluids that you drink. Water travels through your digestive system, like solid food, although it is absorbed rather than digested.

31

Mathematics

Vedic Mathematics

I

t’s unfair mom, she got 2 more cookies than me!”

You might have heard a 5 -year old

making this complaint to his/her mom long before the child learns about subtraction.

But after some time, when the situation appears in the form of a word problem, the child becomes clueless.

Children normally find subtraction a bit difficult to understand when compared to addition or multiplication.

If you consider some popular math learning programs, they all use different strategies to introduce the concept. Kumon method just uses the revision and repetition process. In Abacus, they use the bead -system to teach the concept. In Singapore math, they use the concept of number bond to teach subtraction, which I like better. They all are good methods and have their own significance, but it’s in Vedic mathematics that we see the real beauty of subtraction.

Here are a few tricks and tips to help the students master subtraction well.

Let’s solve a few problems to understand the concept better.

14 - 9?

Is it always mandatory to subtract 9 from 4 borrowing 1 from the ten’s place?

Not at all!

If you find 4 is not cooperating with you, approach 10. He will certainly help you!

10-9 = 1 Add this answer 1 to 4. Wow! We got it. 14 - 9 =5.

56 - 8?

Subtract 8 from 50. It is much easier. I do not encourage children to borrow. I am sure they will never give it back. That is indeed a bad habit. Subtracting 8 from 50, we have 42. Add the unit place 6 to 42. We have 48 as our answer.

There is another strategy we can use to make subtraction easier. Don’t look daggers at me if I ask you to change the question itself!

63 - 27?

This question literally scares me. I am going to change both the numbers. It would have been really cool if the second number is 30 or 40 or something like that.

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Saji Raghav The founder of VMAT www.vmat.in

I am adding 3 to both the numbers to get a new question.

66 - 30. It’s so easy to deal with these numbers, and I can solve it just mentally.

66-30 = 36.

92 - 35?

I am adding 5 to both the numbers, and I have 97 - 40 now.

97 - 40 = 57, Isn’t it easy?

Now we are moving to the most interesting part of this article. I am going to show you how to use a Vedic Sutra “All from 9, and the last from 10” to make subtraction a child’s play. When I say “All” I mean all the digits in a number except the unit place of that number. “The last,” then obviously it the unit place itself. We can use this method for subtracting any number from its base number. You may be wondering what a base number is. Just cool down! Base numbers are simply the powers of 10 (Eg:- 100, 1000, 10,000, etc.)

10000000000 - 9876543876?

A very small number!

In fact, you need not look at the base number at all. Just look at the subtrahend (the number that is to be subtracted) You can solve it either from right to left or from left to right. Let me do it from left to right.

10000000000 - 9

8 7

6

5

4

3

last from 10) to 0037 to get our work done.

10000 - 37 = 10000 - 0037 = 9963 (9 - 0 = 9, 9 - 0 = 9, 9 - 3 = 6, 10 - 3 = 7) Using Vedic method, you can do calculations with incredible speed and better accuracy. It not only gives you flexibility but helps you understand numbers inside out and make math learning exciting and thrilling. Vedic mathematics is extremely useful for younger ones to understand the numbers better. It helps the High school students to manage the time effectively. I need not tell you how useful it will be for competitive exams such as CAT, SAT, and other exams where math plays a key role. You can visit our website www.vmat.in for an extensive study of all Vedic math concepts.

8 7 6

(9-9) (9-8) (9-7) (9-6) (9-5) (9-4) (9-3) (9-8 ) (9-7) (10-6)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 2 4

10000000000 - 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 8 7 6 = 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 4 You may notice that each digit from the left has been subtracted from 9, the last digit was subtracted from 10. This formula can be applied easily whenever we need to subtract a number from its base number.

Here are few more examples.

1000 – 6 5 9 = 341 (Subtract 6 from 9 to get 3, subtract 5 from 9 to get 4, and then subtract the last digit 9 from 10. We have 341 as our answer) What will you do if you have a question like this?

10000 - 37 You notice that we have 4 zeros in the base number. The subtrahend hence must have 4 digits.

Here 37 is the subtrahend and it has only 2 digits. Don’t worry. Just add 2 zeros before 37 and make it a four -digit number. Now, we can apply the formula (All from 9, and the

IGNITING MINDS|| |April 2016

33

History

Mughal India

I

n 1526, Babur, a Turk from central Asia, occupied Agra in northern India. He expanded his influence throughout the region and founded the Mughal Empire. The Mughal Empire continued until, 1857.

The last emperor of India, Bahadur Shah, was forced into exile in Burma by Britain during the so-called “Sepoy Rebellion,” or First Indian War of Independence. He was deposed to make space for the official imposition of the British Raj in India.

It was an ignominious end to what was once a glorious dynasty, which ruled the Indian subcontinent for more than 300 years.

Founding of the Mughal Empire: The young prince Babur, descended from Timur on his father’s side and Genghis Khan on his mother’s, finished his conquest of northern India in 1526, defeating the Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Shah Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat.

Babur was a refugee from the fierce dynastic struggles in Central Asia; his uncles and other warlords had repeatedly denied him rule over the Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Fergana, his birth-right.

Babur was able to establish a base in Kabul, though, from which he turned south and conquered much of the Indian subcontinent.

Babur called his dynasty “Timurid,” but it is better known as the Mughal Dynasty - a Persian rendering of the word “Mongol.”

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IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Babur’s Reign: Babur was never able to conquer Rajputana, home of the warlike Rajputs. He ruled over the rest of northern India and the plain of the Ganges River, though.

Although he was a Muslim, Babur followed a rather loose interpretation of the Quran in some ways.

He drank heavily at his famously lavish feasts, and also enjoyed smoking hashish.

previously unquelled Hindu regions under Timurid control. He also gained control over Rajput through diplomacy and marriage alliances.

Akbar was an enthusiastic patron of literature, poetry, architecture, science and painting. Although he was a committed Muslim, Akbar encouraged religious tolerance, and sought wisdom from holy men of all faiths. He became known as “Akbar the Great.”

Babur’s flexible and tolerant religious views would be all the more evident in his grandson, Akbar the Great.

Shah Jahan and the Taj Mahal: Akbar’s son, Jahangir, ruled the Mughal Empire in peace and prosperity from 1605 until 1627. He was succeeded by his own son, Shah Jahan.

In 1530, Babur died at the age of just 47. His eldest son Humayan fought off an attempt to seat his aunt’s husband as emperor, and assumed the throne. Babur’s body was returned to Kabul, Afghanistan, nine years after his death, and buried in the Bagh-e Babur.

# Boundary of t of the Mughal empire # Boundary of t of the Provinces of the Mughal empire # Boundary of the Deccan Sultanates (Ahmadnagar, Golconda, Bijapur, Bidar)

Height of the Mughals: Humayan was not a very strong leader. In 1540, the Pashtun ruler Sher Shah Suri defeated the Timurids, deposing Humayan.

The second Timurid emperor only regained his throne with aid from Persia in 1555, a year before his death, but at that time he managed even to expand on Babur’s empire.

When Humayan died after a fall down the stairs, his 13-year-old son Akbar was crowned. Akbar defeated the remnants of the Pashtuns, and brought some

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The 36-year-old Shah Jahan inherited an incredible empire in 1627, but any joy he felt would be short lived. Just four years later, his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their fourteenth child. The emperor went into deep mourning and was not seen in public for a year.

As an expression of his love, Shah Jahan commissioned the building of a magnificent tomb for his dear wife. Designed by the Persian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, and constructed of white marble, the Taj Mahal is considered the crowning achievement of Mughal architecture.

Second Mughal emperor Humayan’s tomb

The Mughal Empire Weakens: Shah Jahan’s third son, Aurangzeb, seized the throne and had all of his brothers executed after a protracted succession struggle in 1658. At the time, Shah Jahan was still alive, but Aurangzeb had his sickly father confined to the Fort at Agra. Shah Jahan spent his declining years gazing out at the Taj, and died in 1666.

known as the Sepoy Rebellion or the Indian Mutiny. The British home government intervened to protect its own financial stake in the company, and put down the so-called rebellion.

The ruthless Aurangzeb proved to be the last of the “Great Mughals.”

Throughout his reign, he expanded the empire in all directions. He also enforced a much more orthodox brand of Islam, even banning music in the empire (which made many Hindu rites impossible to perform).

A three-year-long revolt by the Mughals’ long-time ally, the Pashtun, began in 1672. In the aftermath, the Mughals lost much of their authority in what is now Afghanistan, seriously weakening the empire.

Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was arrested, tried for treason, and exiled to Burma. It was the end of the Mughal Dynasty.

The British East India Company:

The Mughal Dynasty left a large and visible mark on India. Among the most striking examples of Mughal heritage are the many beautiful buildings that were constructed in the Mughal style - not just the Taj Mahal, but also the Red Fort in Delhi, the Fort of Agra, Humayan’s Tomb and a number of other lovely works. The melding of Persian and Indian styles created some of the world’s bestknown monuments.

Aurangzeb died in 1707, and the Mughal state began a long, slow process of crumbling from within and without. Increasing peasant revolts and sectarian violence threatened the stability of the throne, and various nobles and warlords sought to control the line of weak emperors.

All around the borders, powerful new kingdoms sprang up and began to chip away at Mughal land holdings.

The British East India Company (BEI) was founded in 1600, while Akbar was still on the throne. Initially it was only interested in trade, and had to content itself with working around the fringes of the Mughal Empire.

As the Mughals weakened, however, the BEI grew increasingly powerful.

The Last Days of the Mughal Empire: In 1757, the BEI defeated the Nawab of Bengal and French company interests at the Battle of Palashi (Plassey). After this victory, the BEI took political control of much of the subcontinent, marking the start of the British Raj in India. The later Mughal rulers held on to their throne, but they were simply puppets of the British.

In 1857, half of the Indian Army rose up against the BEI in what is

The Mughal Legacy in India:

This combination of influences can also be seen in the arts, cuisine, gardens and even in the Urdu language. Through the Mughals, Indo-Persian culture reached an apogee of refinement and beauty.

Amer Fort from Jaipur, Rajasthan state

List of Mughal Emperors: ■ Babur (1526-1530) ■ Humayun (1530-1540, 1555-1556) ■ Akbar (1556-1605) ■ Jahangir (1605-1627) ■ Shah Jahan (1627-1658) ■ Aurangzeb (1658-1707) ■ Bahadur Shah (1707-1712) ■ Jahandar Shah (1712-1713) ■ Furrukhsiyar (1713-1719) ■ Rafi ul-Darjat (1719-1719) ■ Rafi ud-Daulat (1719-1719)

Jahangiri Mahal, Agra fort

■ Nikusiyar (1719-1743) ■ Mohammed Ibrahim (1720-1744) ■ Mohammed Shah (1719-1720, 1720-1748) ■ Ahmad Shah Bahadur (1748-1754) ■ Alamgir II (1754-1759) ■ Shah Jahan III (1759-1759) ■ Shah Alam II (1759-1806) ■ Akbar Shah II (1806-1837) ■ Bahadur Shah II (1837-1857)

Taj Mahal Main Gateway

Agra Fort

Agra’s Red Fort

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37

Career Awareness

Indian Navy officer

Options & Educational Qualification

I

t is mandatory that all degrees and educational qualifications must be recognized by the competent authority in the field. The mark sheets of the candidates must be original or attested by appropriate authorities. No compromise/ relaxation will be made on this issue. All candidates desirous of joining the Indian Navy must be physically/ mentally fit as per laid down standards. Proficiency in sports, swimming and extra-curricular activities is desirable.

Women are granted Short Service Commission (SSC) in Naval Architecture, Law, Logistics, ATC, Aviation (Observer) and Education Branches of Indian Navy. The government has also given approval for Permanent Commission (PC) in Education, Law and Naval Architect branch on completion of SSC tenure depending upon merit and vacancy. No special status is conferred on women candidates.

Career choice for the officers in the Indian Navy and their Eligibility are given below: Executive Type of Entry

Commission

Gender

Age

National Defence Academy (NDA)

Permanent Commission (PC)Through UPSC

Male

16.519

10+2 or equivalent with Physics & Maths

(10+2)

Permanent Commission (PC)Through UPSC

Male

16.519

10+2 or equivalent with Physics & Maths

Male

19-22

B.Sc (Physics & Maths) / B.E.(Any Discipline)

Male

19-24

B.Sc (Physics & Maths) or BE with Naval Wing Senior Div NCC ‘C’ Certificate

Graduate Special Entry Scheme- (GSES) NCC Special Entry

Permanent Commission

Direct Entry Naval Armament Inspection Cadre- PC (NAIC)

Permanent Commission

Male

19.525

M.Sc. Physics / M.Sc. Electronics/ B.Tech Mechanical/ B.Tech Electrical/ B.E Mechanical/ B.E Electrical/ B.E Electronics/ B.Tech Electronics

Direct Entry Law Cadre - PC (Law)

Permanent Commission

Male

22-27

A degree in Law qualifying for enrolment as an Advocate under the Advocates Act 1961 with minimum 55% marks

19.525

A First Class Degree in B Com/ BA (Economics)/ MBA/ BBA/ BBM/ MCA/ BCA/ BSC(IT)/ BTech/ BE(any discipline including civil Engineering)/ B Architecture/ ICWA/ Chartetered Accountancy/ A graduate degree with Post graduate/ Degree in Materials Management with minimum 60% aggregate marks from a recognized university.

Permanent Commission (PC) Logistics Cadre

38

Permanent Commission Through UPSC

Educational Qualification

Permanent Commission

Male

IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

SSC Executive General Service

Short Service Commission

Male

19.525

BSc./MSc with Physics & Maths with Min 55 % marks. BE/ BTech in any discipline with min 55 % marks. B.Sc(Physics &Maths) holding NCC Naval Wing ?C? Certifictae. Graduate/ Post Graduate in Op Research/ Quantitation Methods with min 75% marks. Graduate/ Post Graduate in Maths with STAT or Probability with min 75% marks.

Short Service Commission Hydrography-(SSC Hydro)

Short Service Commission

Male

19.525

B.Sc (Physics & Maths); M.Sc (Physics & Maths); B.E. (Any Discipline); B.Tech (Any Discipline); B.Sc Maths; B.Sc Physics; Graduate (Operational Research/ Analysis); Graduate (Quantitation Methods); Post Graduate (Operational Research); Post Graduate (Quantitation Methods); Graduate (Maths) with Probability or Statistics; Post Graduate (Maths) with Probability or Statistics

Short Service Commission ATC(SSC -ATC)

Short Service Commission

Male & Female

19.525

Ist Class Science Graduate with Physics / Maths/ Electronics or MSc with Physics/ Maths/ Electronics with min 55% marks.

SSC Law Cadre

Short Service Commission

Male & Female

22-27

A Degree in Law qualifying for enrolment as an Advocate under the Advocates Act 1961 with min 55% marks

SSC Logistics Cadre

Short Service Commission

Male & Female

19.525

B.A (Economics)/ M.A (Economics)/ B.Com/ M.Com/ MBA (Any Discipline)/ BBA/ BBM/ MCA/ BCA/ B.Sc/ M.Sc/ B.Tech (Any Discipline)/ B.E.(Any discipline)/ B Arch/ ICWA/ Chartered Accountancy/ Graduate with Post Graduation in Material Management

SSC Pilot

Short Service Commission

Male

19-23

Graduate in any discipline with minimum 60% marks from a recognized University/ Institution with Maths & Physics at 10+2 level.

SSC Observer

Short Service Commission

Male & Female

19-23

Graduate in any discipline with minimum 55 % marks from a recognized University/ Institution with Maths & Physics at 10+2 level.

SSC Naval Armament Inspection cadre

Short Service Commission

Male

19.525

M.Sc Electronics/ Physics; B.E/ B.Tech Mechanical/ Electrical/ Electronics

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Engineering Type of Entry

Commission

Gender

Age

Educational Qualification

Cadet Entry (NDA)

Permanent Commission

Male

16.519

10+2 or equivalent with Physics & Maths

10+2 (B.Tech) Cadet Entry

Permanent Commission

Male

16.519

10+2 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry & Maths ( minimum 70% marks in aggregate of PCM, minimum 50% marks in English either in 10th or 12th class

19-24

Final Year students of Mechanical, Marine, Aeronautical/ Aerospace, Automotive, Industrial & Production, Metallurgy, Mechatronics, Control Engg with minimum 60% upto VI th Semester.

Male

19-25

B.E Marine Engineering/ B.Tech Marine Engineering/ B.E Mechanical/ B.Tech Mechanical/ B.E Aeronautical Engineering/ B.Tech Aeronautical Engineering/ B.E Aerospace Engineering/ B.Tech Aerospace Engineering/ B.E Automotive Engineering/ B.Tech Automotive Engineering/ B.E Control & Production Engineering/ B.Tech Control & Production Engineering/ B.E Industrial & Production Engineering/ B.Tech Industrial & Production Engineering/ B.E Metallurgical Engineering/ B.Tech Metallurgical Engineering/ B.E Mechatronics Engineering/ B.Tech Mechatronics Engineering

University Entry Scheme (SSC)

Short Service Commission

Male

Short Service Commission (GS)

Short Service Commission

Short Service Commission (Submarine)

Short Service Commission

Male

19.525

Commission

Gender

Age

Educational Qualification

19-24

Final year students of B.E Electronics/ B.Tech Electronics/ B.E Power Engineering/ B.Tech Power Engineering/ B.E Electrical/ B.Tech Electrical/ B.E Instrumentation & Control/ B.Tech Instrumentation & Control/ B.E Computer Science/ B.Tech Computer Science/ B.E IT/ B.Tech IT/ B.E Electronics & Instrumentation/ B.Tech Electronics & Instrumentation/ B.E Telecommunication/ B.Tech Telecommunication/ B.E Instrumentation/ B.Tech Instrumentation/ B.E Electronics & Communication/ B.Tech Electronics & Communication/ B.E Control System/ B.Tech Control System/ B.E Power Electronics/ B.Tech Power Electronics/ B.E Avionics/ B.Tech Avionics

BE / BTech in Mechanical Engineering with minimum 60% marks.

Electrical Type of Entry

University Entry Scheme (SSC)

40

Short Service Commission

Male

IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

Cadet Entry (NDA)

Permanent Commission

10+2 (B.Tech) Cadet Entry

Permanent Commission

Male Male

16.519

10+2 or equivalent with Physics & Maths

16.519

10+2 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry & Maths ( minimum 70% marks in aggregate of PCM, minimum 50% marks in English either in 10th or 12th class

Short Service Commission (GS)

Short Service Commission

Male

19.525

B.E Electronics/ B.Tech Electronics/ B.E Power Engineering/ B.Tech Power Engineering/ B.E Electrical/ B.Tech Electrical/ B.E Instrumentation & Control/ B.Tech Instrumentation & Control/ B.E Computer Science/ B.Tech Computer Science/ B.E IT/ B.Tech IT/ B.E Electronics & Instrumentation/ B.Tech Electronics & Instrumentation/ B.E Telecommunication/ B.Tech Telecommunication/ B.E Instrumentation/ B.Tech Instrumentation/ B.E Electronics & Communication/ B.Tech Electronics & Communication/ B.E Control System/ B.Tech Control System/ B.E Power Electronics/ B.Tech Power Electronics/ B.E Avionics/ B.Tech Avionics

Short Service Commission (Submarine)

Short Service Commission

Male

19.525

BE / BTech in Electrical/ Electronics/ Instrumentation & Control Engg/ Telecommunication Engg with 60% marks.

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41

Pride of India

Rabindranath Tagore 42

IGNITING MINDS | |April 2016

R

abindranath Tagore was a Bengali poet, novelist and painter best known for being the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.

Rabindranath Tagore is regarded as one of the greatest writers in modern Indian literature. Bengali poet, novelist and educator, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Tagore was awarded the knighthood in 1915, but he surrendered it in 1919 as a protest against the Massacre of Amritsar, where British troops killed some 400 Indian demonstrators protesting colonial laws.

Tagore was born in Calcutta in a wealthy and prominent Brahmin family. His father was Maharishi Debendranath Tagore, a religious reformer and scholar; his mother Sarada Devi, died when he was very young. Tagore’s grandfather had established a huge financial empire for himself, and financed public projects, such as Calcutta Medical College. The Tagores were pioneers of the Bengal Renaissance and tried to combine traditional Indian culture with western ideas.

Famous as: Poet and Author Born on: 07 May 1861, Kolkata Died on: 07 August 1941,Kolkata Wife: Mrinalini Devi (1883–1902) Father: Debendranath Tagore Mother: Sarada Devi Children: Dwijendranath, Satyendranath, Jyotirindranath, Swarnakumari, Education: University of Calcutta, University College London, St. Xavier’s Collegiate School Awards: 1913 - Nobel Prize in Literature

The youngest child in the family, Tagore started to compose poems at the age of eight. He received his early education first from tutors and then at a variety of schools. Among them were Bengal Academy where he studied Bengali history and culture, and University College, London, where he studied law but left after a year without completing his studies.

His first book, a collection of poems, appeared when he was 17; it was published by Tagore’s friend who wanted to surprise him. In 1901 Tagore founded a school outside Calcutta, Visva-Bharati, which was dedicated to emerging Western and Indian philosophy and education. It had become a university in 1921. He produced poems, novels, stories, and history of India, textbooks, and treatises on pedagogy.

Tagore’s reputation as a writer was established in the United States and in England after the publication of Gitanjali: Song Offerings, in which Tagore tried to find inner calm and explored the themes of divine and human love. The poems were translated into English by Tagore himself. His cosmic visions owed much to the lyric tradition of Vaishnava Hinduism and its concepts about the relationship between man and God. Much of Tagore’s ideology comes from the teaching of the Upahishads and from his own beliefs that God can be found through personal purity and service to others. He stressed the need for new world order based on transnational values and ideas, the “unity consciousness.”

Between the years 1916 and 1934 he travelled widely, attempting to spread the ideal of uniting East and West. Only hours before he died on August 7, in 1941, Tagore dictated his last poem.

“Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds, and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live. “

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Country

AUSTRALIA Official Name: Commonwealth of Australia

Form of Government: Federal parliamentary democracy; Commonwealth realm Prime minister: Malcolm Turnbull Capital: Canberra Population: 22,507,617 Official Language: English Money: Australian dollar Area: 2,969,906 square miles (7,692,024 square kilometers) Major Mountain Ranges: Great Dividing Range, Macdonnell Ranges Major Rivers: Murray-Darling, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan Prime Minister: Malcolm Turnbull

Geography Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. It is one of the largest countries on Earth. Although it is rich in natural resources and has a lot of fertile land, more than one-third of Australia is desert.

Most Australian cities and farms are located in the southwest and southeast, where the climate is more comfortable. There are dense rain forests in the northeast. The famous outback (remote rural areas) contains the country’s largest deserts, where there are scorching temperatures, little water, and almost no vegetation.

Running around the eastern and southeastern edge of Australia is the Great Dividing Range. This 2,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) stretch of mountain sends water down into Australia’s most important rivers and the Great Artesian Basin, the largest groundwater

Government & Economy As a commonwealth of the United Kingdom, Australia’s head of state is the British monarch. Many Australians think the country should end its ties to Britain and become a republic. In a vote in 1999, Australians decided against separating from the UK, but the vote was close, and the debate continues.

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Australia is an important exporter of agricultural goods like wool, wheat, beef, fruit, and wine. The country is also rich in minerals and metals and is the world’s fourth largest producer of gold.

History Aboriginal people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago.

They may have traveled from Asia across land bridges that were exposed when sea levels were lower. The hardy Aborigines have learned to live in the harsh conditions of the outback.

Dutch explorers first landed in Australia in 1606, and the British began to settle there in 1788.

Many settlers were criminals sent to live in Australia as punishment. For a short time, the newcomers lived peacefully with the Aboriginal people. But soon, fighting broke out over who owned the land.

In 1851, gold was discovered in Australia. A rush to find riches brought thousands of new immigrants, and by 1859, six separate colonies existed. In 1901, these colonies joined to form a British commonwealth.

People & Culture Australia is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse nations.

Nearly a quarter of the people who live in Australia were born in other countries. They come from the United Kingdom and other European countries, but also from China, Vietnam, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Australia’s warm, sunny climate and abundance of open spaces gives the population a love of the outdoors. The people are also passionate about sports, including swimming, surfing, sailing, tennis, soccer, cricket, rugby, and their own invention, Australian rules football.

Nature Australia’s ecosystem is an unusual one because of its remote location.

As a result, there are many animal species that occur here and nowhere else in the world, such as the platypus,kangaroo, echidna, and koala. Australia has 516 national parks to protect its unique plants and animals.

One of Australia’s most amazing sites rises like an enormous whale’s back from a flat red-soil desert called the Red Center. This site is called Uluru, and it is a sacred natural formation at the heart of the country.

Rising 1,100 feet (335 meters) tall, it is the largest rock in the world!

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Best Places to Visit in Australia Melbourne The capital of the state of Victoria, Melbourne is Australia’s second most populated city.

Located near the southeastern tip of Australia on the large natural bay of Port Phillip, Melbourne is considered the nation’s cultural capital as well as an important port. A wellplanned city known for its shopping, fine restaurants and sports venues, Melbourne is the ideal destination for travelers who appreciate the good life.

Great Ocean Road The Great Ocean Road, which is located in Victoria, is considered to be one of the most beautiful drives in Australia. This 243 km (151 mile) drive starts in Torquay, which is located about 100 km (60 miles) from Melbourne, and ends in Allansford. As it travels along Victoria’s beautiful southwest coastline, the Great Ocean Road passes by some of the most stunning scenery in Australia, including The Twelve Apostles, which are pretty limestone stack formations that rise out of the ocean near Port Campbell National Park. There are also a number of places along the Great Ocean Road where you can spot some of Australia’s famous wildlife, including kangaroos, fur seals and emus.

Facts about Australia ■ Chilling out with a coffee is an easy must-do in Perth – after all it has more cafes per capita than any other city in the world!

■ The most famous Australian inventions include the ultrasound, Vegemite, the tank, football, the refrigerator AND the pre-paid postage.

■ It may be sunnier Down Under than in the UK but the Australian Alps get more snow than Switzerland!

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Kakadu National Park Located in Australia’s Northern Territory, about three hours north of Darwin, Kakadu is the country’s largest national park. There is a lot to see in Kakadu National Park, including a large concentration of Aboriginal rock art; some of which are estimated to be up to 20,000 years old. This park is also home to many different species of wildlife, including wallabies, dingoes and crocodiles. In addition, Kakadu National Park, which is home to one-third of Australia’s bird species, is a birdwatcher’s dream.

Sydney Opera House Regarded as a 20th century architectural masterpiece, the Sydney Opera House was designed and built by architect, Jorn Utzon, to reflect the image of a huge sailing ship. It houses multiple venues that together host more than 1,500 performances each year.

Surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Sydney Harbour and the Royal Botanic Gardens, the famous Opera House in Sydney is one of Australia’s most famous landmarks.

Hobart Hobart is the capital city of the Australian island of Tasmania, as well as Australia’s second oldest city after Sydney. With a population of about 250,000 Hobart is small and intimate compared to larger mainland Australian cities, reflecting the small size of the state. There are many fine examples of Georgian and Victorian architecture in Hobart, such as Salamanca Place, which has a terrace of warehouses dating back to the whaling days of the 1830s.

■ Bob Hawke set a world record in 1954 for downing 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds. 29 years later he became the Prime Minister of Australia.

■ Australians love other nationalities - almost a quarter of their residents were born abroad!

■ Did you know that the Great Barrier Reef has a mailbox? If you’re willing to take a ferry out there, you can send a postcard to your family and get the exclusive stamp!

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Brisbane

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Sports

Boxing Rules I

n essence boxing may well be the world’s oldest sport. At its most basic it is fighting and since there has been man, there has been conflict. It is certainly at least as old as 688 BC when it was included in the ancient Olympic Games, although more regulated, codified versions of boxing date to about the 1500s. Having said that, carvings dating to the 3rd millennium BC show people fist-fighting in front of audiences so it is safe to say the art of pugilism is an ancient one indeed.

‘‘

Brutally enough the object of boxing could be stated as to concuss your fellow human being; a less barbaric sounding aphorism, to hit and not be hit, may be a preferred way to look at it, depending on your standpoint.

More modern rules have included Broughton’s rules from 1743, the London Prize Ring rules (1838) and the more well-known Marquess of Queensbury Rules which date to 1867. At its best boxing is graceful, elegant and explosive and a magnificent example of the human body’s abilities and few spectacles can match the sight of two top heavyweights going toe to toe.

Players & Equipment The exact specification of certain equipment varies according to the sanctioning body but the ring (ironically, of course, usually square) is generally around 16-25 feet (4.9-7.6m) along each side. The posts at the corner are 5ft above the level of the ring and the ring itself is usually about three or four feet off the ground on a raised platform.

Boxers wear gloves and although there has been a long history of bear-knuckle boxing, hand protection dates to Ancient Greece. Modern gloves are usually 12oz, 14oz or 16oz and are designed to protect the hand and the opponent, although there are arguments that they actually increase brain injuries by facilitating a boxer receiving more damaging blows.

Boxers are divided according to their weight with the different governing bodies having different weights and names for the groupings. Fighters only fight opponents of similar weights as physical size is so crucial to the contest.

Scoring At professional level the bouts are scored by three ringside judges using a subjective method based on which boxer they felt won each individual round. If the match is undecided by knockout, retirement or disqualification then the judges’ scorecards are used. If all three judges agree the decision is unanimous, whilst if two think one fighter won it is a split decision. If two judges mark the fight level, or one does and the other two are divided, the fight is classed as a draw.

It is, however, more common for a fight, especially at the heavier weights, to be stopped before the 12 rounds are up. A boxer is knocked out if they are floored and cannot get up within 10 seconds, whilst the referee may

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disqualify a fighter for certain foul play. The other method of winning is by a technical knockout or TKO. If a boxer is unwilling to continue, or is deemed unable to do so by either the referee or his corner team or medical staff then it is a TKO. This can also be awarded if a fighter is knocked down a defined number of times in a round (usually three).

Winning The Game The winner is either as scored by the judges if the fight goes the distance or is decided by knockout, technical knockout or disqualification, as detailed above.

In amateur bouts different methods are used, for example the referee may simply decide or ringside judges use electronic scoring to count the number of blows landed.

Rules of Boxing ■ In professional boxing, bouts take place over 12 three minute rounds with one minute rest between rounds.

■ The only method of attack is punching with a clenched fist and you may not strike below the belt, in the kidneys or the back of your opponents head or neck.

■ You cannot use the ropes for leverage.

■ You cannot hit an opponent when they are down.

■ A boxer hit with a low blow can take five minutes to recover.

■ If an unintentional foul (such as a clash of heads) ends the fight before four rounds are completed this is a “no contest”, from the fifth onwards the decision goes to the judge’s cards and is either a technical decision for either fighter or a technical draw.

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l o o CInventions s n o i t n e Inv

India’s very first 360° 3D Camera

W

ith more people taking up photography as a career, the challenge of finding new technologies that help one capture the world in creative ways is the need of the hour.

Filling that gap is Kshitij Marwah’s Tesseract Imaging, which has developed India’s first indigenous 360-degree 3D camera, called Methane.

With the ability to generate authentic virtual reality (VR) content for devices like the Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard, the camera allows one to experience a location. “What we took a bet on was that megapixel rate (for cameras) was not the way to go,” Kshitij explains. “At the same time the evolution of 3D, virtual reality, the development of Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard was becoming really big. And we realized that there was no real camera to capture content for it — most of it was virtual renders.”

In development since October last year, the camera is completely researched, designed and manufactured in India — except for the processor which is sourced from ARM, and a customized lens from Sony.

However, Kshitij, who heads MIT’s Media Lab and used to organize design workshops in India, says one of the main reasons for building the camera — and for starting Tesseract itself — was to help promote technology manufacturing in India.

Heading to Harvard Medical School and MIT Computer Science Labs in 2009 after graduating in Computer Science from IIT Delhi, Kshitij says his desire to help India with technology manufacturing locally grew after his year-and-a-half of researching and developing low-cost healthcare and big data tech. “What I realized there is that we look up to the MITs, Harvards and Stanfords of the world, but all of those can be started in India,” he says, “We just need to actually do it.” He later moved to India to put his beliefs into practice.

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s s e n n s i d u r o Gorld Rec

w

Wajid Khan - As Tough-as-Nails Artist

W

ajid Khan was a doer from a very young age and was keen to create and accept challenges that were thrown at him.

As a kid, one of his first creations was a little ship that could actually float on water. At the age of 14, he became the inventor of the world’s smallest electric iron which later got a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records. Wajid is 34 years-old today and has grown to become an artist and is known the world over for his (iron) nail art paintings and holds a patent for it too.

But life hasn’t been easy for Khan. He was born in a small village called Songiri, in Mandsaur district in humble surroundings. Studies were never his strength and also brought home low school grades.

He studied in school till Class V but never let it dampen his artistic nature and kept on making items and articles from whatever he could manage to find lying around. Wajid’s mother was aware of her son’s talent and was confident of his skills.

His life-changing moment came when his mother gave him Rs 1300 and challenged him to believe in his hobby and leave home to find his destiny. As a 16 year-old, it was quite a struggle for Wajid to manage survival on his own with only his skills for support. Wajid’s first stint at work was at the NIF Institute, Ahmedabad. He was fascinated with thermocol for a while but eventually moved on to making portraits using iron nails.

Wajid began working on an iron nail portrait of Mahatma Gandhi in 2002 and finally after using 1.25 nails, completed it after three years of tireless efforts. This portrait was valued at Rs 50 lakhs but Wajid could not bear to sell it off. His first portrait was sold at Rs 20 lakhs in 2010.

He is also a pioneer in bullet art portraits.

His name has featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, Limca Book of World Records, India Book of World Records and the Asia Book of World Records too. The 2022 FIFA World Cup is to be held in Qatar and Khan has been commissioned to create a unique sculpture for it. A Class V school drop-out himself, Wajid Khan has addressed the students of IIM Indore and is preparing for a lecture at Oxford University, London.

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Current Affairs Telangana Road Transport Authority’s Mobile App M-Wallet launched

The app will help the user to download digital copies of documents like driving licence and registration certificate and they could be produced before the police and RTA authorities when demanded.

Asia’s biggest telescope ARIES launched at Devasthal in Uttarakhand

Faustin Archange Touadera took oath as Central African Republic’s President

ISRO to launch 22 satellites in single Mission

Tauadera became the first elected President of the country in three years. Muslim rebel alliance Seleka overthrew the government in 2013.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV C34 will carry India’s remote sensing satellite Cartosat 2C along with 21 other satellites to be injected into the orbit.

Union Government launched Innovative Entrepreneurship & Skill Development Programme of MANAS

The innovative Scheme proposes to use leading celebrities who belong to Minority communities in various skill sets as the driving force behind the skill development projects in their respective fields.

UNICEF launched animated film series ‘Unfairy Tales’ on refugee and migrant children

It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel from Brussels, Belgium and is located at Devasthal near Nainital in Uttarakhand.

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The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on 29 March 2016 launched animate film series ‘Unfairy Tales’.

The series seeks to help frame positive perceptions towards the tens of millions of children and young people on the move globally.

As per an estimate, at least 65 million children and young people globally are on the move to escape conflict, poverty and extreme weather and find a stable life and a place to call home.

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Gujarat government decided to set up first organic farming university of India

The university will exclusively focus on organic farming and research. Gujarat is most suited for organic farming as a significant portion of agricultural land in the state is rainfed.

President Pranab Mukherjee conferred Padma awards 2016 on 56 awardees

President Pranab Mukherjee on 28 March 2016 conferred Padma Awards 2016 on 56 eminent personalities at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

The President presented five Padma Vibhushan, eight Padma Bhushan and 43 Padma Shri awards at the function.

ISRO established GIRI Radar System at Tirupati

International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations observed The day was created by the United Nations in recognition of the important work and values of human rights crusader Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assasinated on 24 March 1980.

The Gadanki Ionospheric Radar Interferometer or GIRI Radar System is a 30 MHz radar system that will be engaged in meteor and space weather research in a comprehensive way.

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated broadband connectivity to NE States via Bangladesh

Under the project, the BSNL will set up an international gateway for broadband connectivity at Agartala.

Justice H L Dattu appointed as member of International Coordinating Committee Bureau

The Longitudinal Ageing Study is the largest survey of its kind.

It will survey more than 60000 elderly over 25 years plan. The survey will provide scientifically validated data on various issues of the elderly.

NHRC, India will now be representing Asia-Pacific Region along with Mongolia, Qatar and Australia.

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Telangana, French aviation companies signed MoU to set up training centre in Hyderabad

The training centre that will come up at the Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad will train around 1000 students a year in aviation and aerospace sectors.

Hinduja Brothers topped Britain’s Asian Rich List 2016

Steel tycoon Lakshmi Niwas Mittal was ranked second in the list, which was released by the Indian high commissioner to the UK Navtej Sarna.

5th National Photography Awards presented The Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting Arun Jailey on 21 March 2016 presented 5th National Photography Awards in New Delhi.

The annual awards are meant to honour and recognize those creative professionals who defined moments in history through their creative pictorial mastery.

M Sukumaran chosen for CV Kunhiraman Literary Prize

The themes of all of his writings deal with the plight of the dispossessed and advocate an armed struggle for the liberation of the oppressed.

Supreme Court modified Guidelines on Regulating Government Advertisements

AP Government signed MoU with Cisco to launch AP Fiber Net The AP Fiber Net project is aimed at providing broadband connectivity at affordable rates to all households and institutions in the State.

India’s first education focused accelerator programme Edugild started at MIT, Pune Edugild offers a 16-week intensive mentorship and product realization program to any EdTech start-up in the world.

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As per the modified guidelines, pictures of Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, Governors and State Ministers can now appear in government advertisements.

Germany’s Nico Rosberg won 2016 Australian Grand Prix

Australia’s Shane Watson announced retirement from international cricket

Watson retired from test cricket in September 2015 and since then he didn’t play any One Day Internationals also.

HS Prannoy won 2016 Swiss Open men’s singles title Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, winner of 2015 Australian Grand Prix, secured the second place in the race.

Gurmeet Singh became first Indian to win Gold Medal in Asian 20 Kilometer Race Walk The 2016 Swiss Open men’s singles title is Prannoy’s second title at a Grand Prix Gold tournament, after he won the 2014 Indonesian Masters.

SSP Chawrasia won Hero Indian Open title of Golf

His feat was the first time in 34 years that an Indian won a gold in either an Asian Championships or Asian Games in this event He won the title with 71 points in the final round to defeat the defending champion Anirban Lahiri with 69 who stood second.

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Brain Gym 1. Friends ! can you tell what is common in all these six persons?

2. Spokes

3. Scrabble

CLUE 1. Throw or toss with a quick motion.

2. Try to get or reach.

3. A secret look.

4. The most extreme possible amount or value.

5. The discharge of a fluid from some container.

6. Horny projecting mouth of a bird.

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57

March Brain Gym Answers 1. All are his Country’s first President.

2.

3. 1.VETO, 2.VOTE, 3.VEST, 4.TOE, 5.VET, 6.SET, 7.TOE and 8.SO. 4. Pattern Number 5.

5. 1.Missing cloud. 2.Smaller ball. 3.Different face expression of the girl. 4. One of her socks is missing. 5.Lessteeth of boys in yellow shit. 6.Belt of the boy in middle is black. 7.Difference in his eyes.

8.Lawn is less grassy.

5. Find Eight Differences in Both the Pictures.

4. Looking at the change of patterns, tell, what comes in Blank - Change to ‘Guess the next pattern...’

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Rabindranath Tagore Quotes # I slept and dreamt that life was joy.

I awoke and saw that life was service.

I acted and behold, service was joy. # Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark. # Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. # The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. # Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come. # A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it.

What does your creative eye see in this?

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