Abhishek Kumar

India Australia ODI Cricket series well poised

abhishek — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:42:53 +0000

It was a great comeback by Australian team in the 4th One day international cricket match against India after losing 2 matches in a row. The match was important for both the teams as a win would have secured top spot for India and would almost secure the series for India. But in the end it was Australia, which won the vital moments during the chase to level the series in Mohali. It was a roller-coaster type of match and whenever India appeared to be getting a hold on match, Australia fought back with a vengeance. It wasn’t the great bowling performance that did the trick, but it was disciplined enough to force mistakes under-pressure. Now as the 7 match ODI series is leveled at 2-2, there will a lot of excitement towards the end of the series. And it will also be a clash for gaining the top spot in ICC ODI Rankings as the winner of the series will be the number one team.

Earlier in the series, we have seen some good cricketing performance from both the sides. In the 1st ODI at Varodara, Ponting and Hussey came with good knocks and put a winning total on board. But Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar threatened to pull off a heist towards the end of the match and fell 4 runs short. The 2nd ODI was flawless victory for India, as Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed why he is the number one batsman in the world. His knock was superb and full of aggression towards the end. And the total of 354 proved too far from the Australian reach in front of good bowling performance by Indians. 3rd ODI at Delhi again proved to be great for India as they restricted Australia to a mere 229 on a slow pitch. Australia had their chances in the match when India was 3 down for 52, but the partnership between the Yuvraj and Dhoni stole the match for India. Now we have 3 matches on 5th, 8th and 11th of November and fight will be worth watching.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Interview Questions for an Entrepreneurship course

abhishek — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:23:19 +0000

As the Indian economy is gaining momentum again and there is stiff competition globally, India needs to look into a new direction which is called Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is something which has been there for many decades. It is more about Invention and Innovation rather than just sticking to the existing Business. From the time of Galileo, Newton, Edison, and Einstein, till the time of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, we have seen many entrepreneurs. Now the general perception today is that those who start some businesses are the only entrepreneurs. While the great management thinker Peter F Drucker says “Entrepreneurship is mainly driven by Innovation and creates value to the society and economy.” As there are many courses starting in India which focuses on entrepreneurship, here are some questions which can be useful when preparing for an interview for an entrepreneurship course:

1.) What do you understand by Entrepreneurship?
2.) What are the qualities of an Entrepreneur?
3.) Why do you want to join the entrepreneurship course and why not 2 year mba?
4.) What is relation between entrepreneurship and management?
5.) What will you do after the completion of the course if there is no placement offered?
6.) Do you have any business idea in mind?
7.) How much research have you done for your business idea?
8.) Is it necessary for an entrepreneur to have his/her own business?
9.) Does your business idea create any social impact?
10.) What values will your business idea create for the potential customer?
11.) What if your business idea fails?
12.) What are the main components which makes a business idea successful?
13.) Why do you want to leave your well secured job?
14.) What do you understand by the word profit?
15.) Have you ever taken any entrepreneurial activity in life?

These are just a few questions there can be many more questions on the same line. Basic idea is to get the real feel what the entrepreneurship is all about. And you should have vision for a longer term rather than just being happy for a shorter period.

A great speech on Entrepreneurship by Steve Jobs ::

Atul Jain, the author of this article is PGPCME 2009-10 student at MICA Ahmedabad. Recently his business plan has been shortlisted at MICA’s Annual Brand Management Festival.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Talat Mahmood : A Dream in Music

abhishek — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:18:56 +0000

Talat Mahmood is known as ‘velvet-voice’ singer, ‘unique transparent voice’ singer, ’silky voice’ singer,’ satin-voice singer,’ golden-voice singer,’ ‘king of ghazals’, ‘king of sad and soulful songs’ etc. He was born on February 24, 1924, in Lucknow, India, in a conservative, middle-class family with a musical background in the sense that his father and sisters were talented singers. However, he was essentially left with two options: either to keep a low profile and remain in the background, or to embark upon a movie career. He thought for a while and then decided to become a singer. It took Talat ten years to regain the confidence and respect from his near and dear ones, because by that time, the then Indian film industry had achieved considerable respect and recognition. Talat took music lessons for three years and then completed his music course at Morris college, Lucknow.

Soon he moved to Calcutta in 1945, at the age of 22, and began his career in broadcasting from ‘All-India radio’,Calcutta, where he achieved popularity as a singer, and his songs were regularly broadcast from the radio station. Anil Biswas, gave Talat his first major break-through in Bombay, at the end of 1948, for film ‘Arzoo’:’ Aye dil mujhe aesi jagah lay chal’.

Apart from being a legend in the music world, Talat was an extremely friendly and a highly refined gentleman. His typical smile was his hallmark. He was at peace with himself all his life. Since he was born and bred in Lucknow, therefore, he was immaculate in urdu literature and poetry. His pronunciation was flawless. He spoke softly and he was a very softhearted person. He had too much respect for other singers and music directors. Those who met him once never forgot his hospitality and kind nature. His immediate family was comprised of a wife, a son, and a daughter, and they always enjoyed mutual trust and understanding. He never engaged in backbiting, nor spoke loudly; these things were not in his habit.

From day one, Talat knew his limitations. He was acquainted with the fact that his extra-soft voice was not conducive for loud songs, which required a high-pitched voice. Thus, Talat’s songs, geeth and ghazals have a selected audience. His fans are proud of the fact that Talat, with his unique voice had ruled the Indian music for twenty years. Primarily due to his high moral character and superb family background, he always kept away from scandals and rumors.

In the endless list of super hits, there is one song, which is not only filled with utter pathos, but it conspicuously combines complain and pain. Who could have done justice to that tragic score other then Talat: ‘Dekh lee teri khudai, bus mera dil bhar gaya’.

Talat played the lead role in a few movies, including:

Dil-e- nadan : 1953
Waris
Aik gaaon ki kahani
Lalarukh: (Talat, Shyama: popular song:’Tujhko parda rukh-e-roshan say hatana hoga’: Music: Khayyam, Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi)
Uran khatola
Sonay ki chirya
Babul
Malik

These are some of the Talat’s memorable songs ::

‘Bay-reham Aasmaan, meri manzil: Film: Bahana, Composer: Madan Mohan
‘Ham say Aaya na gaya’:Film: Dekh kabira roya, Composer: Madan Mohan
‘Dau dinki mohabbat mein’: Film: Chotay babu, Composer: Madan Mohan
‘Jab chhayekabhi sawan ki ghata: Film: Reshmi roomal, Composer: Babul
‘Ashkon mein jo paya hai’: Film: Chandi ki deewar, Composer:N.Dutta.
‘Ghazal kay saaz uthao, bariudaas hai raat’
‘Jahan mein koye naheen apna’.
‘Nigahon ko chura kar reh’
‘Gham-e- zindagi ka ya rub’.
‘Dil ki duniya basa gaya’
‘Phir mujhay deedaitar yaad Aaya’
‘Ishq mujh ko na sahi’
‘Dil-e-nadan tujhay’
‘Mera pyar mujhay lauta dau’
‘Tum ko neend ayegi, tum tau’
‘Ro,ro beeta, jeewan sara’
‘Kiya itna bhi adhi kaar naheen’

Talat’s velvet-voice was literally immortalized under the baton of Burman Dada (Sajan Dev Burman). Take, for instance, this inimitable ghazal: ‘Jaltay hain jis kay liye’: Film: ‘Sujata’, film director:Bimal Roy, Lyric: Majrooh Sultan Puri, music: S.D.Burman. Some other great songs with S D Burman.

‘Bharam teri wafaon ka, bata detay tau kiya hota’:Film:’ Armaan’, music: S.D.Burman
‘Jaayein tau jaayein kahan’:Film: Taxi driver, music: S.D.Burman, picturised on Dev Anand.
‘Teray saath chal rahayhain: Film: ‘Ungaray’, music: S.D.Burman

Madan Mohan was convinced about the enormous potentials of Talat from the beginning, and Talat’s silky voice gave new dimensions to the Indian music. Talat-Madan team created one masterpiece after another, like:

‘Mein pagal, mera munwa pagal’:Film: ‘Aashiana, music: Madan Mohan
‘Teri chamakti Aankhon kay Aagay’: Film: ‘Chotay babu’ music: Madan Mohan

Music lovers will never forget that evergreen Talat-Rafi duet, highlighting the harsh reality of life:’Gham ki andheri raat mein’: Film:’Sushila’, Composer: C.Arjun. lyrics: Jan Nisar Akhtar. Similarly, tens of hundreds of movie -goers have found solace in the following lyrics, which brings a ray of hope for the heart-broken people:’Jab gham ka andhera ghir Aaye, sumjho kay sawera dooor nahi’

Talat teamed up with Anil Biswas and produced numerous hits like:’Seenay mein sulagtay hain armaan’: Film: ‘Tarana’: Talat- Lata, music: Anil Biswas. ‘Tera khayal dil say mitaya naheen abhi’: Film: Doraha, music: Anil Biswas.

Talat always felt at ease with the music maestro, Naushad. The two had tremendous understanding and respect for each other. The first song which Talat recorded for Naushad was: ‘Mera jiwan saathi bichar gaya’: Film: Babul, picturised on Dilip Kumar. ‘Husn waalon ko na dil dau’: Film : Babul, picturised on Dilip Kumar.

Likewise, composer Ghulam Mohammed did full justice to the silky-voice Talat to record tragic numbers like:’Zindagi denaywalay’: Film: ‘Dil-e-nadan’: 1953. Super performer Talat brought laurels for composer Roshan with scores like:

‘Kisi soorat lagi dil ki’: Film: ‘Naubahar’, music: Roshan.
‘Mein dil hoon ik armaan bhara’: Film: ‘Unhoni’, music: Roshan, picturised on Raj Kapoor.
‘Dil-e- bay qaraar so ja’: Film: Raagran, music: Roshan.

Shankar-Jaikishan produced marvelous compositions for the golden-voice Talat, which resulted in magnificent numbers like:

‘Hain sub say mudhur wo geeth jinhein’: Film:’Patita’, music: Shankar-Jaikishan
‘Hum dard kay maaron ka’: Film:’Daagh’:music: Shankar-Jaikishan, picturised on Dilip Kumar.

Further, composer Salil Chowdhury availed Talat’s satin voice for hit numbers like:

‘Aansoo samajh kay kyon mujhay: Film: ‘Chhya, music:Salil Chowdhury.
‘Dil diwana, dil mastana’: Film: ‘Aawaaz’: music: Salil Chowdhury.

Furthermore, Talat’s soulful songs brought fame and glory for many other musicians, for instance:

‘Teri zulfon say pyar kaun karay’: Film: ‘Joru ka bhai’, music: Jaider.
‘Pyar per bus tau naheen’: Film: ‘Sonay ki chirya’, music: O.P.Nayyar.
”Sub kuchh luta kay hosh mein aye’: Film: Aik Saal, music:Ravi.
‘Teiray dar pay Aaya hoon’: Film: Laila mujnu, music:Sardar Malik
‘Mohabbat main aye say zamanay’: Film: ‘Sagaai’, music: C.Ramchandar
‘Raaz seenay mein mohabbat ka’: Film: ‘Hum hain rahi pyar kay’, music:Khayyam.

Moreover, melancholy strains like:’Aye gham-e-dil kiya karun’: Talat-Asha Bhonsle, is yet another example of Talat’s artistry. Although Talat was the king of tragic songs, however, he gave excellent performance for relatively faster scores like:

‘Raat nay kya, kya, khwab dikhaye’
‘Itna na mujh say tu pyar barha:Talat-Lata.
Aankhon mein masti sharab ki.
Andhay jahan kay andhay rastay.
Neela amber jhoomay, dharti ko choomay

Talat had been battling with parkinson’s for a long time, which had virtually stopped him from singing. Slowly but surely, his health grew from bad to worse, so much so that people could not understand a word he spoke. Besides, he could not properly sit, stand or walk. He went into profound depression and was bed-ridden.

Amidst immense misery and acute affliction, Talat greeted all his visitors with his peculiar smile, though his adorers knew what Talat felt in the innermost recesses of his shattered heart. Talat did spend long, lonely evenings, looking at the four walls of his room and the door, as if to say: ‘Sham-e-gham ki qasam, Aaj ghamgeen hain hum’:Film: ‘Footpath’: 1953,music:khayyam, picturised on Dilip Kumar. And also: ‘Sunnay walay meri Aawaz tau suni, dil bhi toota hai mera, uski bhi jhankar suni’.

Talat breathed his last due to a heart attack, on Saturday morning, May 9, 1998 at his ‘Sunbeam’ house at Bandra, which is located in northwest Bombay. He was 74: ‘Teri rehmath chup rahi, mein rotay, rotay mar gaya’. Today, 11 years after his death, he is still very much here. His innumerable loyal fans who share enthusiasm and interest agree that Talat was one of the most decent artist, ever to grace the Indian film industry, with his charismatic personality.

He was a friend of friends. Apparently, his admirers will keep his name alive by listening to his songs again and again. ‘Daleel -e- qurb-e- qayamath tau wo na tha laykin, juda hua tau qayamath see dha gaya ik shaks’ This is, indeed, the greatest reward, appreciation and tribute that we can offer to the singer with the wistful magic, whom we all know as Talat Mahmood.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

How to book the cheapest flight tickets in india?

abhishek — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:57:55 +0000

Now a days people prefer to travel by air. Air travel is fast and comfortable. It helps use to reduce travel time. Arrival of many private companies in aviation industry has made air travel more affordable in India. Kingfisher Airlines, IndiGo, Air India and Jet Airways are the most popular brands in domestic air travel market. They connect almost all the major cities of India and also operate in foreign countries. Today I am going to tell you an easy way to book the cheapest flight ticket in India. Finding cheap flights or airfares to fly is not a difficult task. Just you have to compare the prices offered by different travel sites. Let us take an example. Suppose you have to book a ticket for a round trip from Bangalore to Patna.

Travel Plan :: 5/11/09 Departure from Bangalore and on 15/11/09 Departure from Patna.

For booking this ticket, we are going to visit three sites.

MakeMyTrip.com
Yatra.com
GoIndiGo.in
TravelGuru

Let’s first visit MakeMyTrip. You can click on the thumbnail to enlarge.

Now turn to Yatra.com

Now finally GoIndiGo.in

TravelGuru

So the prices offered by makemytrip, Yatra and IndiGo.in are INR 10,818, 10,728 and 10,618 respectively. No need to say, we should book our ticket through IndiGo. TravelGuru’s price is same as IndiGo as it directly redirects you to the IndiGo website.

What is the moral of the story?

First find the price of air tickets on third party sites like MakeMyTrip, Yatra etc and then book your ticket only through the official website of that airlines.

Official Web sites of major Indian air giants ::

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

3 Idiots Cast, Trailer and Movie Snaps

abhishek — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:01:51 +0000

This December Vidhu Vinod Chopra is coming up with 3 Idiots. Three Idiots has been directed by Rajkumar Hirani, with Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Boman Irani in lead roles. It is scheduled to be released on December 25, 2009. According to Bollywood Hungama survey, 3 Idiots is the most anticipated Bollywood films of the year 2009. The film is based on a famous novel, Five Point Someone written by Indian writer Chetan Bhagat. However, Chetan Bhagat has said that he was not involved in the scriptwriting of this movie. 3 Idiots is likely to be a big Christmas present to all Bollywood fans. I am also eagerly waiting for the release of the film.

3 Idiots Cast ::

Aamir Khan as Rancho
Kareena Kapoor as Pia
R. Madhavan as Farhan
Sharman Joshi
Boman Irani
Mona Singh
Javed Jaffery

3 Idiots Synopsis ::

Two friends (Madhavan and Sharman Joshi) embark on a quest for a lost buddy. On this journey, they encounter a long forgotten bet, a wedding they must crash and a funeral that goes impossibly out of control. As they make their way through the perilous landscape, another journey begins: their inner journey through memory lane and the story of their friend – the irrepressible free thinker Rancho (Aamir Khan), who in his unique way, touched and changed their lives. It’s a story of their hostel days that swings between Rancho’s romance with the spirited Pia (Kareena Kapoor), and his clash with an oppressive mentor, Viru Sahastrabudhhe (Boman Irani). And then one day, suddenly, Rancho vanishes….

Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he leave?

The friend who influenced and inspired them to think creatively and independently, even as the conformist world called them three idiots. Where is the original idiot now?

Finally in misty mountains of unparalleled beauty, the friends find the key to the secret.

Three Idiots is a comedy of ideas that is as provocative as funny, as wildly entertaining as insightful. A laugh-riot that talks about the most important of human pursuits: self-actualization.

3 Idiots Trailer ::

3 Idiots Movie Snaps ::

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Michael Jackson film This is it released worldwide

abhishek — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:41:53 +0000

The documentary film based on Michael Jackson’s life is released successfully today. Four months after Jackson’s death, red carpets rolled out for 18 simultaneous screenings on five continents for “This Is It”. The movie was earlier set for a release on October 30, 2009, but the film’s release date was rescheduled for October 28, 2009, with a limited two-week run. This Is It is an American concert film documenting Michael Jackson’s rehearsals of the concert series of his performances, both on stage and behind the scenes. The film shows MJ mentoring his team for the 50 shows. It also shows MJ creating, developing, and ultimately staging these high-tech performances. The footage is filmed at The Forum and the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, US.

The Hollywood screening involved events being held in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America before the movie released in 99 countries. Earlier, on August 10, 2009, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a deal between Sony Pictures and Michael Jackson’s estate, concert promoter AEG Live. This allowed Sony Pictures to edit the hundreds of hours of rehearsal footage of MJ’s performance needed to create the motion picture. Sony also paid $60 million for the film rights. The trailer of the movie “That is it” first premiered during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards on September 13, 2009. Early reviews of the movie Tuesday were positive. The USA Today newspaper said that while the film did not “restore Jackson to his past glory” it did “offer glimpses of his bygone greatness.”

This is it trailer ::

Check out the official This is it movie site.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Watch Bharat Ek Khoj online

abhishek — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:17:28 +0000

During early 90s Doordarshan came up with Bharat Ek Khoj TV serials which was based on the book Discovery of India written by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. It was 53 episode television series that beautifully described the 5000 year history of India. The series was directed by famous Indian producer and director, Shyam Benegal. Pandit Nehru’s role was portrayed by Roshan Seth, who had previously portrayed Nehru in Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi in 1982. With an amazing pictorial presentation of Roshan Seth and enchanting tough voice of Om Puri made this serial one of the classics of old Doordarshan. The Opening song of the series is actually a timeless hymn called Nasadiya Sukta from RigVeda, which talks about the origin of the universe. This serial is still regarded as the great source of knowledge about Indian history, philosophy and culture.

About Discovery of India ::

The Discovery of India was written by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during his imprisonment in 1942-1946 at Ahmednagar in the Ahmednagar Fort. In this book, Pandit Nehur provides a broad view of Indian history, philosophy and culture. It is regarded as masterpiece on the history of India.

Complete list of 53 episodes of Bharat Ek Khoj ::

1.Bharat Mata Ki Jai
2.The Beginnings
3.The Arrival of the Vedic People (the Rigveda)
4.Caste Formation
5.Mahabharata Part 1
6.Mahabharata Part 2
7.Ramayana Part 1
8.Ramayana Part 2
9.Republics and Kingdoms
10.Negation and Acceptance of Life
11.Chanakya and Chandragupta Part 1
12.Chanakya and Chandragupta Part 2
13.Ashoka Part 1
14.Ashoka Part 2
15.The Sangam Period: Silapaddirakam Part 1
16.The Sangam Period: Silapaddirakam Part 2
17.The Classical Age
18.Kalidas and Shakuntala Part 1
19.Kalidas and Shakuntala Part 2
20.Harshavardhana
21.Bhakti
22.The Chola Empire Part 1
23.The Chola Empire Part 2
24.The Delhi Sultanate and Prithviraj Raso Part 1
25.The Delhi Sultanate and Prithviraj Raso Part 2
26.The Delhi Sultanate and Padmavat
27.Synthesis
28.The Vijayanagar Empire
29.Feudalism
30.The Fall of the Vijayanagar Empire
31.Rana Sanga, Ibrahim Lodi and Babur
32.Akbar Part 1 (Din-e-Ilahi)
33.Akbar Part 2
34.Golden Hind
35.Aurangzeb Part 1
36.Aurangzeb Part 2
37.Shivaji Part 1
38.Shivaji Part 2
39.Company Bahadur
40.Tipu Sultan
41.The Bengal Renaissance and Raja Ram Mohan Roy
42.1857 Part 1
43.1857 Part 2
44.Indigo Revolt
45.Mahatma Phule
46.Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
47.Vivekananda
48.Extremists and Moderates
49.And Gandhi Came Part 1
50.And Gandhi Came Part 2
51.Separatism
52.Do or Die
53.Epilogue

Bharat Ek Khoj Starting Track.

Buy Bharat Ek Khoj Videos.

I strongly recommend this TV series to anyone interested in Indian History and Philosphy

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Nokia launching N900 Linux phone

abhishek — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:07:14 +0000

Top mobile phone maker Nokia will be launching N900 phone in a few days. N900 will come with Maemo OS and will be a mobile computer. N900 was initially scheduled for launch in October but due to some technical issues, Nokia will start selling N900 in November, as the company awaits feedback from developers. The N900, seen as key for Nokia’s future in the high-end market, and it is the company’s first phone running on Linux software. This mobile computer has many unique features compared to other available phones in market. At the heart of this mobile computer is its powerful 600 MHz processor and up to 1GB of application memory. ARM Cortex – A8 superscalar microprocessor core running at 600 MHz and Up to 1 GB of application memory (256 MB RAM, 768 MB virtual memory), which will pretty unusual for a mobile phone. And it will retail for around 500 euros ($750), excluding subsidies and taxes.

Other features which will give the user firsthand experience are:

32GB internal storage, Expandable to up to 48 GB with an external microSD card
3.5G and WLAN connectivity, Quadband GSM with GPRS and EDGE
Data transfers over a cellular network 10/2Mbps and Data transfers over Wi-Fi 54Mbps
Flash 9.4 support
Full-screen browsing
5-megapixel digital camera with Carl Zeiss optical lens and Dual LED flash
Touch-sensitive screen with 3.5″ WVGA display and 800 × 480 resolution
Tactile and onscreen QWERTY keyboards

Watch out the video to know more about Nokia N900

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Complete List of Mahatma Gandhi books

abhishek — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:08:53 +0000

Besides being the greatest leader of 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi was a good writer and author of several books. He was editor of a newspaper called Harijan in Gujarati, Hindi and English, Indian Opinion while in South Africa and, Young India, in English, and Navajivan, a Gujarati monthly, on his return to India. In addition, he wrote many letters almost every day to individuals and newspapers. Gandhi also wrote his autobiography, An Autobiography of My Experiments with Truth, Satyagraha in South Africa about his struggle there, Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, a political pamphlet, and a paraphrase in Gujarati of John Ruskin’s Unto This Last. He also wrote extensively on vegetarianism, diet and health, rural reforms, Gita, religion, social reforms, etc. Gandhi usually wrote in Gujarati, though he also revised the Hindi and English translations of his books. Gandhi’s complete works were published by the government of India under the name “The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi” in the 1960s.

These are the books written by Mahatma Gandhi ::

An Autobiography – The Story Of My Experiments With Truth
Hind Swaraj Or Indian Home Rule
Key To Health

These are Compilations of Mahatma Gandhi’s Writings

A Gandhi Anthology – Part I
A Gandhi Anthology – Part II
All Men Are Brothers
Constructive Programme – Its Meaning And Place
Epigrams From Gandhi
Ethical Religion
From Yeravda Mandir (Ashram Observances)
Mohan Mala (A Gandhian Rosary)
My Views on Education
Selected Letters
Selections From Gandhi
The Gita According To Gandhi
The Mind Of Mahatma Gandhi
The Moral Basis Of Vegetarianism
The Teaching Of The Gita
The Words Of Gandhi
Towards New Education
Trusteeship
Character & Nation Building
Discourses On Gita
Gandhiji Expects
India Of My Dream
Industrial And Agrarian Life And Relations
Key To Health
My God
My Religion
Truth is God
Nature Cure
Panchayat Raj
Pathway To God
Prayer
Ramanama
Satyagraha In South Africa
Self Restraint Vs. Self Indulgence
The Essence of Hinduism
The Law And The Lawyers
The Message Of Gita
The Way To Communal Harmony
Truth Is God
Village Industries
Village Swaraj

“I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and non-violence are as old as the hills” Gandhi.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

13 interesting General Awareness Questions

abhishek — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:22:35 +0000

Knowledge is one of the important qualities of Human being. People always try different ways to increase their knowledge base. Many people prefer to read books in various subjects, newspapers, magazines to improve their knowledge of different fields and subject matters. In my opinion, general knowledge quizzes are one of the fastest ways for increasing your general knowledge because it is cover most of the branches of study like science, arts, maths, history etc. While solving GK quizzes you never get bored. There are many general knowledge quizzes sites which are completely and easy to use. Today I have come up with 13 interesting General Awareness Questions. So here comes the questions.

1. What is the full form of YAHOO?
2. What is the full form of ADIDAS?
3. Expansion of Star as in Star TV Network?
4. What is full form of “ICICI?”
5. The 1984-85 season. 2nd ODI between India and Pakistan at Sialkot – INDIA 210/3 with Vengsarkar 94*. Match abandoned. Why?
6. Who is the only man to have written the National Anthems for two different countries?
7. From what four word expression does the word ‘goodbye’ derive?
8. How was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu better known?
9. Name the only other country to have got independence on Aug 15th?
10. Why was James Bond Associated with the Number 007?
11. Who faced the first ball in the first ever One day match?
12. Which cricketer played for South Africa before it was banned from international cricket and later represented Zimbabwe ?
13. Which is the only country that is surrounded from all sides by only one country (other than Vatican )?

Answers ::

1. Yet Another Hierarchy of Officious Oracle
2. All Day I Dream About Sports
3. Satellite Television Asian Region
4. Industrial credit and Investments Corporation of India
5. That match was abandoned after people heard The news of Indira Gandhi being killed
6. Rabindranath Tagore who wrote national anthem for two different Countries one is our National anthem and another one is for Bangladesh (Amar Sonar Bangla)
7. Goodbye comes from the expression: ‘god be with you’.
8. Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu is none other Mother Teresa
9. South Korea
10. Because 007 is the ISD code for Russia
11. Geoffrey Boycott
12. John Traicos
13. Lesotho is surrounded from all sides by South Africa.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Unto This Last :: A Guide to Social Economy

abhishek — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:37:03 +0000

Today I got the chance to read “Unto This Last: A Paraphrase” by Mahatma Gandhi. Unto this last is a wonderful guide to Social Economy. If you want to enlighten yourself with the ideas and thoughts that changed the life of Gandhi then you must read this book. Unto This Last was originally written by John Ruskin. It was first published in December 1860 in the monthly journal Cornhill Magazine in four articles. In the beginning these articles were badly criticized. Even the publisher was forced to stop the publication after four months. In these four essays, John Ruskin has critically analyzed the shortfalls of Capitalist Economy and discussed the advantages of Socialist Economy. Unto This Last had a very significant impact on Mahatma Gandhi’s thinking and philosophy.

He read this book in 1904. After reading the book, he decided immediately not only to change his thinking, philosophy and principles according to Ruskin’s teaching. Later, Gandhi translated Unto This Last into Gujarati in 1908 under the title of Sarvodaya (”well being of all”).

Summary of Unto This Last (According to Gandhi)

The good of the individual is contained in the good of all.
A lawyer’s work has the same value as the barber’s, as all have the same right of earning their livelihood from their work.
A life of labor, i.e. the life of the tiller of the soil and the handicraftsman is the life worth living.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Happy Diwali to all abhisays readers

abhishek — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:59:17 +0000

Today whole world is celebrating the festival of lights, Diwali. On this auspicious day, people light diyas, candles and lights to signify victory of good over the evil within an individual. Diya is actually a cotton string wicks inserted in small clay pots filled with oil. To celebrate Diwali, people wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks. In India, business communities start their financial year on Diwali and new account books are opened on this day. The basic reason behind Diwali is to celebrate the homecoming of Rama after a 14-year exile in the forest and his victory over Ravana.

According to the Hindu Epic Ramayan, the people of Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) welcomed Rama by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (d?pa), thus its name: Dipawali or Diwali. In South India, it marks the victory of Krishna over Narakasura. In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of nirvana by Mahavira in 527 BC. Sikh community also celebrate Diwali. The celebrate the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji, the sixth Guru of Sikhism, who was imprisoned along with 52 other Hindu kings at Fort Gwalior by Emperor Jahangir.

Lakshmi Ganesh Puja is the integral part of Diwali celebrations in India. Hindus observe the elaborate Lakshmi Ganesh Pooja with devotion and sincerity. It is believed that by worshipping Goddess Laxmi on the auspicious Diwali night one is blessed with riches and prosperity.

This year, President Obama is also celebrating Diwali. He is the first US President to celebrate Diwali in the White House. Barack Obama has wished everyone a “Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak”.

“This coming Saturday, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, here in America and around the world, will celebrate this holiday by lighting diyas, or lamps, which symbolise the victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance, And while this is a time of rejoicing, it’s also a time for reflection, when we remember those who are less fortunate and renew our commitment to reach out to those in need” said Obama at a ceremony in the East Room.

May this Diwali

be as bright as ever.
bring joy, health and wealth to you.
brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives.
bring in you the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you have ever Wished for.
bring you the utmost in peace and prosperity.
triumph over darkness.
peace transcend the earth and the spirit of light illuminate the world.

Wish you a very happy Diwali.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

US budget deficit at record $1.41 trillion

abhishek — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:15:00 +0000

Problems look like never ending for Obama government. The US government completed its 2009 fiscal year (Oct’08-Sep’09) with a record breaking 1.417 trillion dollars budget deficit. The gevernment is trying to pour resources to contain a serious financial crisis that plunged the nation into the great economic recession. The budget deficit is 962 billion dollars which is higher than the privious year deficit and equals 10 percent of US gross domestic product (GDP), the highest since 1945. Receipts for the fiscal year that ended in September totaled 2.105 trillion dollars while outlays were 3.522 trillion dollars as per the US treasury records. The main reasons for this huge jump in the budget shortfall are sited as declining revenues and a massive ramping up of spending in a fiscal stimulus to recover the world’s largest economy from a prolonged recession.

Despite being on the backfoot from the huge deficit, US govt officials are pointing that the deficit is 162 billion dollars lower than the 1.580 trillion dollars forecasted by the administration of President Barack Obama. Officials also saying that the financial year 2009 deficit was largely the product of the spending and tax policies inherited from the previous administration, exacerbated by a severe recession and financial crisis that were underway as the current administration took office and criticized Bush government for bad policies. Now looking forward it is getting difficult for Obama’s goverment to contain the deficit for nexr fiscal year. However looking at the past records, the president is looking committed to work with Congress to bring them down to a sustainable level.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

Barack Obama wins 2009 Noble Peace prize

abhishek — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:31:00 +0000

The year 2009 looks like a year of raining achievements for Barack Obama. After getting the democrats nomination for US Presidency, by beating Hillary Clinton in a close combat, he became the first Afro American US president. He got the attention just after joining the office, for his Tax Policies and Bailout packages for the Investment banks, in the face of global recession. Then he came up with the healthcare policy for common man and received a lot of praise worldwide. And now in the biggest milestone of his life, getting the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” as declared by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. It also cites his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation. The award was announced on October 9, 2009.

The stunning choice of the Nobel committee made Obama the third sitting US president, sworn in eight and half months back in January, 2009, to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The result also shocked Nobel observers because Obama took office less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline. And many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president. But the committee had got its own point of view regarded Obama as the rare person who has captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future. Committee also attached special importance to Obama’s vision of, and work for, a world without nuclear weapons.

In US presidents, apart from Obama Theodore Roosevelt won the award in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson won in 1919. Former President Jimmy Carter won the award in 2002, while former Vice President Al Gore shared the 2007 prize with the UN panel on climate change. The Nobel committee received a record 205 nominations for this year’s Nobel peace prize.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?

How to watch Twenty20 Champions League Cricket Online?

abhishek — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:09:48 +0000

Yesterday, the inaugural ceremony of the Champions League Twenty20 cricket took place at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium of Bangalore. All the Captains of the participating teams gave prints of their hands in clay, exchanged flags of their clubs and took the “MCC-Spirit of Cricket” oath. Then a grand laser show happened. After the laser show, Shaolin monks from China performed moves of Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Chi Kung martial arts along with Kalaripayattu artists. British singer-model Jamelia and Reggae singer Shaggy also added excitement to the ceremony with their wonderful performances. The opening ceremony ended with big fireworks display that completely lit the Bangalore sky.

In the opening match of Twenty20 Champions League Cricket 2009, The Cape Cobras have beaten the Bangalore Royal Challengers in a last over thriller. However, Ross Taylor tried his best to save his team. He scored quick 53 but his Challengers side lost the match. Now let’s come to the point, How to watch Twenty20 Champions League Cricket Online and free on internet.

These are some of the websites where you can watch Champions League Cricket Online?

For other websites please see these articles.

==> If you liked this post, then why not buy me a beer so I can cool off?