STORY OF PORCUPINES

 Putting up with imperfections

It was the coldest winter ever. 

Many animals were catching their death of cold. 

The porcupines, realising the situation, decided to group together to keep themselves warm.

In this way, they protected themselves; but the sharp quills of each one wounded its closest companion. 

After a while, they decided to distance themselves from one another. 

But being alone and freezing, they soon realised that they would not weather weather the season. 

Now they had to make a choice: either accept the pain from the quills of their companions, or die out. 

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. 

They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions, receiving the heat that came from the others. 

In this way they were able to survive.

The above anecdote can serve as an eye-opener for us. 

We stand at the threshold of a new year. We don’t know what things, experiences and situations are going to unfold before us this year. 

Some may be pleasant and some may not. The fable of the porcupines tells us that the best relationship is not the one that brings together the perfect. 

But when we learn to tolerate the shortcomings of others, we get to benefit from their good qualities. 

This makes the relationship lasting. In this new year let us try to look at the positive side of everything. So the year would have many things to offer to us.

Wish you all a Happy and Successful New Year.

SOLAR ENERGY

 Solar Energy

The world is constantly developing and to fuel that development, we need energy. Currently, the primary types of energy we use are non-renewable, such as fossil fuels like coal. In addition to being nin-renewable, they are also detrimental to the environment as they release greenhouse gases that destroy the ozone layer. We need to find solutions to meet the needs of our continuously advancing society. One such energy that has emerged as a frontrunner in recent years is solar power. Solar power is power generated directly from sunlight. Solar power is used for heat energy or converted into electric energy.

History: Evidence from ancient civilisations that date back to the 7^th century shows that they used solar energy and glass to light fires. While this is a million miles from turning solar energy into electricity, it shows that we have long had a fascination for the sun and its power. Homes and bathhouses that were heated by solar energy were strategically placed so that the rays from the sun could heat the water or water tanks. In 1839, scientist Edmond Becquerel made significant strides in solar panel research and by 1883, the first solar cell was produced. By 1970, these inventions were used to power water heaters. By 1991, engineers began to develop silicon cells and these were soon commercialised for domestic and industrial use.

How is solar energy created?: Solar energy is converted into electricity with the help of solar panels. Each panel has a layer of silicon cells, a metal frame and a glass casing surrounded by a special film. The panels are grouped into arrays and placed on rooftops or in large outdoor spaces. The solar cells, also called photovoltaic cells, absorb sunlight during daylight hours. Each solar cell has a thin semiconductor wafer made from two silicon layers, where one layer is positively charged, the other is negatively charged and together they form an electric field. When light energy from the sun strikes a photovoltaic solar cell, it energises the cell and causes electrons to ‘come loose’ from atoms within the semiconductor wafer. Those loose electrons are set into motion by the electric field surrounding the wafer and this motion creates an electrical current. The electricity generated is called direct current or DC electricity, which is not the type that powers most homes. Fortunately, DC electricity can easily be changed into alternating current or AC electricity by an inverter.

In modern solar panels, inverters can be configured as one inverter for the entire system or as individual microinverters attached to every panel. Once the solar energy has been converted from DC to AC electricity, it runs through electrical panels and is distributed within a house or factory to power appliances and machines. Once into the system, it works the same way as the electrical power generated by an electric utility company. Since the system remains connected to the traditional power company, one can automatically draw additional electricity from the main frame to supplement shortages from the solar panels.

Applications: Solar energy has several applications. One of the most common applications is solar water heating. A solar water heating unit comprises a blackened flat plate metal collector with an associated metal tubing that faces the sun’s direction. The plate collector has a transparent glass cover above a thermal insulation layer beneath it. A pipe connects a metal tubing of the collector to an insulated tank that stores water. The collector absorbs solar radiation and transfers the heat to the water circulating through the tubing either by gravity or a pump. The next common application is solar heating of buildings, which is done by solar radiators or collectors. Solar distillation is also used in arid semi coastal areas, where potable water is scarce. The abundant sunlight in these areas is used to convert saline water into potable distilled water and then via solar pumping, the water is pumped for irrigation.

Advantages: Solar energy reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. In the long term, it is cheaper than paying for electricity. Solar panels do not require much maintenance. Jobs are created for people who install solar panels. It also provides the ability to live grid-free if power requirements are met.

Disadvantages: The initial cost of installing solar panels is quite high. Also the panels require a lot of space and on cloudy days, the same amount of energy will not be produced.

WHAT IS ALGORITHM?

 What is Algorithm?

An algorithm is a set of rules or instructions used in calculations and problem-solving operations.

Algorithm dates back to 300 BC when their inscriptions were found on Babylonian clay tablets.

They were originally marking schemes which the common people used to keep track of their cattle and stocks of grain.

The name algorithm comes from the name of Persian Mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, who wrote a book on Hindu-Arabic numerals. The Arabic work was translated into Latin as Algoritmi de numero Indorum and later into English, Concerning the Hindu art of Reckoning.

Algorithms became a significant part of mathematics, laying the foundation for the algebra of logic, variables in calculations, greatest common divisor, approximation of Pi, prime numbers etc.

The modern algorithm is a sequence of steps laid down to fulfill a particular task.

British mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing, worked out how a machine could follow algorithmic instructions and solve complex mathematical problems.

Thus began the computer age.

Now algorithms are used in all major applications in information technology, navigation (GPS), shopping, internet searches etc.

The first person to use the term ‘algorithm’ was Adelard de Bath, a 12^th century English philosopher who translated Khwarizmi’s works.

A VALUE DRIVEN LEADER

Ratan Tata

“The greatest pleasure I’ve had is trying to do something which everybody says ‘could not have been done”

~ Ratan Tata

When you and I ask a question, ‘why?’ he would ask ‘why not?’ That’s exactly how he proved himself by manufacturing the world’s smallest and cheapest car, The Tata Nano, for the Indian market in 2009. He is none other than Ratan Tata, a prominent Indian industrialist and one of the most successful business tycoons in the world who singlehandedly took the Tata Group to global heights.

On 28 December 1937, Ratan Tata was born into Tata family, one of the wealthiest families in Bombay(Mumbai), India. His parents Naval and Sonoo divorced when he was ten years old, and he was raised by his grandmother. Ratan did his schooling at Campion School, Cathedral and John Cannon School in Mumbai, and also studied at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla. For further studies, he went to New York’s Cornell University in 1962, and later earned a management degree from Harvard University.

On returning from America, Ratan started working as an apprentice at Tata Steel Division, labouring alongside blue-collar workers, shovelling stones and working with the furnaces. In 1971, he was named Director-in-Charge of the National Radio and Electronics Company Limited (NELCO) which was in desperate need of resuscitation, and he successfully turned it around.

Ratan took over the leadership of Tata Group in 1990, ushering in a slew of reforms to modernise the group’s business operations in order to compete successfully in the new era. He had to face a lot of opposition from other top Tata executives but he boldly face them without succumbing to them.

“Take the stones people throw at you. And use them to build a monument,” said Tata.

Under Tata’s supervision, Tata Consultancy Services became more established, and the group acquired multiple overseas brands to expand its reach. He merged all the Tata enterprises, purchased numerous companies, notably Tetley and Jaguar-Land Rover, and listed Tata Motors on the New York Stock Exchange, bringing the company international recognition. He created new benchmarks for the company’s success and the revenue grew over 40 times while its profits grew over 50 times. Today there are 95 brands operating under the Tata umbrella, some of which are world-renowned.

Ratan Tata has been an excellent leader, with sharp decisiveness, fairness, enthusiasm and integrity. He is a man of ideologies, ethics and values. He is involved in numerous philanthropic activities providing quality life and education in rural India. He donates 65% of his money to charitable causes. His love for animals, especially adopting stray dogs, is much appreciated. 

A recipient of both the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan, even at the age of 84, Ratan Tata continues to inspire many young people to become entrepreneurs. A lot can be learned from his foresightedness which welcomes new ventures, potential technologies and a value-driven life which puts a human face before commercial gains.

MEET THE SCIENTIST

 

Louis Pasteur

Occupation: Chemist and microbiologist

Born: December 27, 1822 in Dole, France

Died: September 28, 1895 in Marnes-la-Coquette, France

Best known for: The discovery of vaccinations, pasteurization, and proving that germs cause disease.

 

Biography:
Early Life
Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France on December 27, 1822. His family was poor and during his early education he was an average student who enjoyed art and singing. However, when Louis was exposed to science as a teenager, he knew he had found his calling.

College and Career

In 1838, Louis went to college to become a science teacher. He earned degrees in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. He then became a chemistry professor at the University of Strasbourg.
While at the University he fell in love with the daughter of the university's rector, Marie Laurent. He and Marie married in 1849. They had five children, however, three died young from typhoid fever. It was the deaths of his children that drove Louis to investigate infectious diseases in order to find a cure.

Scientific Discoveries

Bacteria and Germ Theory

During Pasteur's time, people believed that microbes such as bacteria appeared due to "spontaneous generation." They thought that the bacteria just appeared out of nowhere. Pasteur ran experiments to see if this was true. Through his experiments he proved that germs (i.e. bacteria) were living things that came from other living things. They didn't just spontaneously appear. This was a major discovery in the study of biology and earned Pasteur the nickname the "Father of Germ Theory."
Pasteurization
Pasteur used his knowledge of germs to investigate how beverages such as wine and milk were spoiled by microbes such as bacteria and molds. He found that heating up the liquids would kill most of the microbes and allow the beverages to last longer and be safer to drink. This process became known as pasteurization and is still done on many foods such as milk, vinegar, wines, cheese, and juices.
Silk Worms
As Pasteur learned more and more about bacteria, he began to think they may be the cause of disease in humans. When the French silk market was threatened by a disease to silkworms, Pasteur decided to investigate. He discovered that this disease was caused by microbes. By eliminating the microbes from the silkworm farms, he was able to end the disease and save the French silk business.
Vaccinations
Pasteur continued to investigate with diseases. He found that he could make a weak form of a disease that would cause people to become immune to the stronger form of the disease. He called this weak form a "vaccine." He first discovered this by working with cattle on the disease anthrax. The first vaccine he gave to a human was the rabies vaccine. He administered it to a nine year old boy name Joseph Meister in 1885.

Legacy
Today Louis Pasteur is known as one of the most important scientists in history. His discoveries led to an understanding of microbes and diseases that has helped to save millions and millions of lives.
Pasteur is most remembered by the Pasteur Institute which he established in 1887. Today the Pasteur Institute is one of the world leaders in battling infectious diseases.
Louis Pasteur died in 1895 from a stroke. He was buried in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France.

Interesting Facts about Louis Pasteur

Early on in his career Pasteur studied crystals and discovered why some crystals bend light while others do not.

He was a deeply religious Christian throughout his life.

Pasteur's ideas on micro-organisms causing disease eventually led to the boiling of surgical instruments helping to prevent infections and causing many people to survive surgery.

He once said that "In the field of observation, chance favours the prepared mind."

 

THE OPEN HAND

 The Open Hand

A man once requested the Zen teacher Mokusen Hiki to cure his wife of her stinginess.

Mokusen went to the man’s house and when the man’s wife came before him, he showed her his fist.

“Suppose my hands were always like this, what would you call it?” he asked.

“Deformed,” said the woman.

Mokusen then opened his hand flat.

“And suppose it was always like this?”

“Deformed,” said the woman.

“If you understand this much, you are a good wife,” said Mokusen and left.

The woman realized that the master had been trying to tell her that it was necessary to be both generous and thrifty.

She thus changed her ways.

THOUGHTS & QUOTES

 

Excellence can be attained if you:

Care more than others think is wise,

Risk more than others think is safe,

Dream more than others think is practical,

Expect more than others think is possible.

~Anonymous

                                                 

Everybody is a genius.

But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

~Albert Einstein

 

Each new day is a new beginning:

To learn about ourselves, to care more about others,

To laugh more than we did, to accomplish more than we thought we could, and be more than we were before.

~Anonymous

 

Words are like keys; if you choose them right, they can open any heart and shut any mouth.

~Anonymous

 

The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope; you will fill yourself with hope. 

~Barack Obama

 

“Your task is to build a better world,” God said.

I asked, “How? This world is such a large, vast place, so complicated now, and I am so small and useless, there’s nothing I can do.”

And God in all His wisdom said: “Just build a better you.”

~Dorothy Jones

STORY

 

The Chess Game

  

A young man said to the Abbot of a monastery, “I’d actually like to be a monk, but I haven’t learned anything in life. All my father taught me was to play chess, which does not lead to enlightenment. Apart from that, I learned that all other games are a sin.”

“They may be a sin, but they can also be a diversion, and who knows, this monastery needs a little of both,” was the reply.

The Abbot asked for a chessboard, sent for a monk, and told him to play with the young man.

But before the game began, he added, “Although we need diversion, we cannot allow everyone to play chess the whole time. So we have the best players here; if our monk loses, he will leave the monastery and his place will be yours.”

The Abbot was serious.

The young man knew he was playing for his life, and broke into a cold shiver; the chessboard became the centre of his world.

The monk began well.

The young man attacked, but then saw the saintly look on the other man’s face.

At that moment, he began playing badly on purpose. After all, a monk is far more useful to the world, he felt.

Suddenly, the Abbot threw the chessboard to the floor.

“You have learned far more than was taught you,” he said.“You concentrated yourself enough to win and were capable of fighting for your desire. Then, you had compassion, and were willing to make a sacrifice in the name of a noble cause. Welcome to the monastery, because you know how to balance discipline with compassion.”

Charismatic Christmas

 

Christmas is a festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. The feast is also known as Xmas. The X comes from the ancient Greek language where X refers to Christ.

 

One of the most interesting aspects of Christmas, especially for children, is Santa Claus. Children want to catch Santa Claus bringing them presents. The character is based on St. Nicholas who loved children, and enjoyed giving gifts to them secretly.

The popular song “Jingle Bells” was written for Thanksgiving Day, not for Christmas. Originally this was published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh” by James Lord Pierpont in 1857.

“Silent Night” is the most sung and recorded Christmas song in history.

The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the “Flower of the Holy Night”.

 

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the tallest Christmas tree ever cut was 221 feet high. It was displayed in 1950 at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington.

In Germany, Poland and Ukraine, finding a spider, or a spider’s web, on a Christmas tree is believed to be an indication of good luck.

The first known instances of using Christmas trees were in the 16^th century Germany. They used fruits and nuts for decoration.

The biggest Christmas gift ever presented is the Statue of Liberty. This was gifted by France to the USA as a Christmas gift in 1886.

25 DECEMBER

 Good Governance Day / Sushasan Divas

Every year, in honour of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday, India observes "Good Governance Day".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi 2014 announced that "Good Governance Day" will be observed annually on December 25 in memory of the former PM.
The Indian government decided that every year December 25 would be a full day of work. The government has been commemorating Good Governance Day every year since 2014. The day is celebrated to make sure that the country's residents are treated fairly by the government and they receive the advantages of various government services. 

The purpose of Good Governance is to increase public access to various government programmes and services via good governance. It was established with the slogan "Good Governance through e-Governance".

SANE GURUJI

 He taught us humanism

Pandurang Sadashiv Sane was born on 24 Dec 1899 in Palgad village near Dapoli, Maharashtra. During his childhood his family's financial condition deteriorated and their house was confiscated by government authorities. He was sent to maternal uncle in Pune.

He returned and stayed in missionary school in Dapoli and was recognised as an intelligent student with good command over Marathi and Sanskrit.

He enrolled at Aundh Institution, which provided free education and food to poor students. He suffered many hardships but continued his education. An epidemic of bubonic plague led to students being sent home.

Back in Palgad, he overheard his parents expressing concern over his dedication to education. He traveled to Pune and enrolled as a student at Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya.

Living on limited meals, he continued to excel in academics. At New Poona College, he obtained BA and MA degrees in Marathi and Sanskrit literature.

He worked as a teacher in Pratap High School in Amalner town. He chose to teach in rural schools, foregoing a potentially larger salary he could have earned. He worked as a hostel warden.

He was a gifted orator, captivating audiences with his impassioned speeches on civil rights and justice. He inculcated moral values through magazine Vidyarthi, popular among students. His teaching profession continued for 6 years till he dedicated his life for the independence struggle.

He joined Gandhi in Dandi March in 1930 and was imprisoned by British in Dhule Jail for over 15 months for work in Civil Disobedience Movement. In 1932, Vinoba Bhave was in same jail and delivered a series of lectures on Bhagavad Gita each Sunday morning. Gita Pravachane was an outcome of the notes Sane made.

From 1930-47, he was arrested on 8 occasions and imprisoned in various jails for a total duration of over 6 years. He observed fast on 7 occasions. In Trichnapalli Jail, he learned Tamil and Bengali. He translated ancient Tamil moral work of the Kural into Marathi.

He recognised importance of learning Indian languages, for national integration and started Antar Bharati movement.

He helped spread of Indian National Congress in rural Maharashtra, particularly in Khandesh. He was active in organisation of Faizpur Session. He participated in Election Campaign of Bombay Provincial Elections of 1936.

In 1942 Quit India Movement, he was imprisoned for 15 months and became closely associated with socialists like Madhu Limaye.

In late 1930s, he organised textile labour and peasants in East Khandesh District. During this period he associated with communists like S. M. Dange. However Communist position to support Second World War made him dissociate himself. After independence he joined Socialist party and was close to Limaye, N G Gore and S M Joshi.

He took up the cause of Gandhi's promise to Ambedkar during Poona Pact that he will spend the rest of his life campaigning for removal of untouchability. He travelled across Maharashtra for 4 months in 1947.

The culmination of this tour was his fast at Pandharpur to open Vitthal Temple for Dalits. The fast lasted 11 days from 1 May to 11 May 1947 and doors of the temple were ultimately opened for all.

Post independence, he became increasingly disillusioned over possibilities of eliminating inequality from Indian society. Assassination of Gandhi deeply affected him and he fasted for 21 days. He committed suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping pills

He wrote 135 books and 73 books have been published. Almost all these books can be considered literature for children. His most well-known work in Marathi literature Shyamachi Aaee has been translated in almost all Indian languages, Japanese and English.

Others include Bharatiya Saṃskṛti and Patri- a collection of various songs and poems. Teen Muley is a story of 3 children and is regarded as a classic in Marathi. He started weekly journal Sadhana on 15 August 1948 and it has been regularly published since.

He died on 11 Jun 1950.

 

MOHAMMED RAFI

 

The amazingly versatile singer, Mohammed Rafi was born on 24 December 1924.

He was born in Kotla Sultan Singh village, Punjab. His nickname was Pheeko began singing by imitating chants of a fakir who roamed the streets. His father moved to Lahore in 1935, where he ran a men's barbershop.

He learnt classical music from Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo and Firoze Nizami. His first public performance came at age of 13.

In 1941, he made debut as playback singer in duet 'Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee' with Zeenat Begum in Punjabi film Gul Baloch under music director Shyam Sunder. In that same year, he was invited by All India Radio Lahore station to sing. He made Hindi film debut in Gaon Ki Gori in 1945.

He was known for his ability to mould voice to persona and style of the actor lip-syncing the song on screen. He recorded over 7,000 songs in a career, in Hindi, Punjabi, Konkani, Assamese, Bhojpuri, Odia, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Kannada, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Magahi, Maithili and more. He also sang in English, Farsi, Arabic, Sinhala, Mauritian Creole and Dutch.

He was of a gentle calm demeanour and a humble, selfless, God-fearing and family loving gentleman. He was noted to never send anyone back empty-handed and generously helped many. He made an early exit at 55 years.

His recognitions include four Filmfare Awards, a National Film Award, Padma Shri and the list goes on.

Books on him include Sujata Dev's Mohammed Rafi – Golden Voice of the Silver Screen and Mohammed Rafi Voice of a Nation, a book authorised by his son Shahid.

Award winning documentary Dastaan-E-Rafi directed by Rajni Acharya and Vinay Patel featured over 60 interviews of various Bollywood personas.

He died on 31 Jul 1980.

23 DECEMBER

 National Farmer’s Day / Kisan Divas

 The National Farmers Day in India is also known as Kisan Divas in Hindi. Kisan Divas is celebrated every year on 23 December on the birthday of 5th Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh, also a farmer's leader, who introduced many policies to improve the lives of the Indian farmers. It is celebrated by organising various programs, debates, seminars, quiz competitions, discussions, workshops, exhibitions, essays writing competitions and functions.

Chaudhary Charan Singh is credited with inventing and implementing the well-known Zamindari Abolition Act. He united all peasants against landlords and moneylenders. He was a very efficient writer and expressed his feelings about farmers and their problems and solutions.

 

22nd December

 National Mathematics Day

December 22^nd is National Mathematics Day, the birth anniversary of India’s famous Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.

Ramanujan’s genius has been considered by mathematicians since the 18^th and 19^th centuries to be on par with Euler and Jacobi.

His work in number theory is considered special.

Since 2012, India’s National Day has been marked every year on December 22 with numerous educational programmes organised in schools and universities across the country.

In 2017, the significance of the day increased with the inauguration of the Ramanujan Math Udyan at Kuppam in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

Ramanujan was born in 1887 in Erode, Tamil Nadu.

At the age of 12, despite no formal education, he mastered trigonometry and developed several theorems for himself.

Living in extreme poverty, Ramanujan did independent research in Mathematics.

In 1912, Ramaswamy Iyer, the founder of the Indian Mathematical Society, helped him get a clerkship in the Madras Port Trust.

His breakthrough came in 1913 when Ramanujan’s theorems were impressed by Cambridge-based GH Hardy and invited him to London. He died in 1920 at the age of 32.

However his achievements in the field of Mathematics are still regarded worldwide.

In 2012, former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh announced that December 22, Ramanujan’s birthday would be celebrated as National Mathematics Day across the country.

The mathematical genius

 Srinivasa Ramanujan

22 Dec 1887 ~ 26 Apr 1920

He was born in Erode, Madras Presidency. By age 11, he exhausted mathematical knowledge of two college students who were lodgers at his home. By age 13, he mastered book written by S. L. Loney on advanced trigonometry and discovered sophisticated theorems on his own.

At 16, he studied A Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure & Applied Mathematics, G. S. Carr's collection of 5,000 theorems. The book is acknowledged as a key element in awakening his genius.

He developed and investigated Bernoulli numbers & calculated Euler–Mascheroni constant up to 15 decimal places. He received a scholarship to study but lost it as he neglected other subjects

After marrying in 1909 he began a search for employment & met Ramachandra Rao who supported his research for a time, but Ramanujan, unwilling to exist on charity, obtained a clerical post with Madras Port Trust

In 1911 he published papers in Journal of Indian Mathematical Society. In 1913 he began a correspondence with British mathematician Godfrey H. Hardy that led to a grant from Trinity College, Cambridge

Overcoming religious objections, he traveled to England in 1914, where Hardy tutored him & collaborated with him in research.

He worked out Riemann series, elliptic integrals, hypergeometric series, functional equations of zeta function and his theory of divergent series, in which he found a value for the sum of such series using a technique that came to be called Ramanujan summation

He made advances in partition of numbers (the number of ways that a positive integer can be expressed as the sum of positive integers). His papers were published in English & European journals and in 1918 he was elected to Royal Society of London. In 1917 he had contracted tuberculosis & returned to India in 1919

He died leaving behind 3 notebooks and a sheaf of pages containing many unpublished results that mathematicians continued to verify long after his death.

21 DECEMBER

 National Crossword Puzzle Day, U.S.

The first crossword puzzle was created by Arthur Wynne and published on December 21, 1913 in the New York World Newspaper. Wynne’s puzzle was diamond shaped and contained no internal black squares.

However, it was so popular with readers that within a decade crossword puzzles were featured in almost all American newspapers. Crossword lovers get the newspaper for the sole purpose of doing the crossword. So on December 21 let’s celebrate National Crossword Puzzle Day the best way we know how … find one you like and start filling in those squares!

 

20 DECEMBER

 

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN SOLIDARITY DAY

Every year on December 20th, International Human Solidarity Day seeks to celebrate the world’s unity in diversity. It’s also a day to raise awareness about the importance of solidarity.
Solidarity is defined as an awareness of shared interests and objectives that create a psychological sense of unity. Solidarity also refers to the ties in a society that bind people together as one.

According to the United Nations Millennium Declaration, solidarity is among the fundamental values that are essential to international relations. The Declaration also states that global challenges must be managed so that costs and burdens are distributed fairly. This is in accordance with the basic principles of equity and social justice. Additionally, those who suffer the least should help those who suffer the most.

The UN is convinced that solidarity creates a spirit of sharing, which is essential for eradicating poverty.

 

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN SOLIDARITY DAY HISTORY

On December 20, 2002, the UN General Assembly established the World Solidarity Fund. The Fund was set up in February 2003 as a trust fund of the United Nations Development Programme. Its objective is to eradicate poverty. It’s also to be used to promote human and social development in developing countries, especially among the poorest segments of their populations.

On December 22, 2005, the UN General Assembly identified solidarity as a universal value. This solidarity should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. In that regard, the UN proclaimed December 20th of each year International Human Solidarity Day. The date commemorates the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund.

 

19th December, Goa Liberation Day

A golden phase in the freedom struggle

Goa liberation struggle:

19^th December, Goa Liberation Day. On this day, the Portuguese left Goa. Indian army was successful. The small but important state of Goa was liberated. Tricolour hoisted over Goa. The destruction of Goan people, which started from the time the Portuguese set foot on the land of Goa in 1510, ended on December 19, 1961, after almost four and a half hundred (450) years.

Goa is the smallest state in case of area and the fourth smallest state in terms of population. Goa is famous all over the world for its beautiful beaches and folk culture. Goa was a Portuguese colony.

Portuguese entered Goa in 1510:

Goa has always attracted everyone since it is bestowed with natural beauty. The Portuguese were similarly attracted. They entered Goa in 1510 with the intention of establishing a trading colony. 

At that time Adil Shah of Bijapur ruled Goa. After overthrowing the power of Adil Shah, the Portuguese established their power in Goa. India was ruled by British and Goa, Daman and Diu by the Portuguese. On 15^th August 1947, the British lost power in India. But the liberation of Goa was delayed. When the rest of the people of the country were breathing the air of freedom, Goans were still facing the atrocities.

First spark of Goa Liberation struggle:

Although countless activists were working underground to free Goa from the yoke of Portuguese, the first spark was ignited by Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya.

Dr. Lohiya was invited by his friend Juliao Menezes to rest for a few days; when he got to see the restrictions imposed by the Portuguese on the Goans.

 He was disturbed to see the exploitation of the Goans and violation of basic rights of Goans by the Portuguese government. He raised his voice against the Portuguese by holding a public meeting at Madgaon on 18 June 1946. This meeting got an unprecedented response. On this occasion, the citizens felt that there is someone who listens to the clamour of Goan people. This was the first spark of the Goa Liberation struggle.

Participation of those who took the path of armed revolution:

During this period, a new generation emerged from Goan soil. In this, many youths like Prabhakar Sinari, Mohan Ranade, Bala Mapari, Vishwanath Lawande came forward. Youth from villages along with these freedom fighters took the path of armed revolution. Armed forces like Azad Gomantak Dal were formed, many youths participated in it. This team was led by Prabhakar Sinari. This armed force successfully carried out many small and big attacks against the Portuguese. Maharashtra also gave valuable support in this struggle. Moreover, people of different views had gathered in this. Many activists from different ideologists united with the consensus that Goa should get independence and conducted themselves in their own way.

Dr. Cunha, the father of the nationalist movement in Goa:

Many freedom fighters participated in this struggle through Satyagraha, among them were Dr. T.B. Cunha, Purushottam Kakodkar, Dr. Juliao Menezes and others. Dr. T.B. Cunha is considered as the father of nationalist movement in Goa. He was sentenced to jail for eight years in Portugal. He was released from there in 1953. After that he started two newspapers named Azad Goa and Swatantra Goa. But unfortunately he died before seeing Goa Liberated.

The Liberation war of 1961 was a very important stage:

The freedom fighters continued their fight without waiting for the orders of the Indian Government. Finally on 18 December 1961, the Indian Government ordered the army to take action through “Operation Vijay”. The Indian army and the freedom fighters were successful in confounding the Portuguese government. The Portuguese army opened heavy fire on freedom fighters at Patradevi, many of them lost their lives.

Finally on 19 December 1961 at ten o’clock in the night, Portuguese Governor Vasal da Silva signed the surrender document and handed it over to the Indian Army chief. Goa was finally freed from 450 years of Portuguese slavery.

After the war of 1961, Portuguese rule in India came to an end. The region of Goa, Daman and Diu was completely freed. The 1961 war or Operation Vijay thus was the last and most important phase of the process of Liberation of Goa. This operation was a decisive part of the Goa Liberation movement.