An exalted award

THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 

One of the most highly regarded prizes in the world is given to honour the person who has done the most toward promoting peace in the world.

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of five prizes created by Swedish businessman and inventor Alfred Nobel (1833–1896). He left money for the awards in his will and specified how each should be bestowed. Awarded on a yearly basis, the Peace Prize consists of a diploma, a medal, and a monetary award that varies a bit over time. Not long ago, the amount was 10,000,000 Swedish kronor (more than $1,600,000). The prize is presented annually in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death.

First given in 1901, the Peace Prize, in Nobel’s own words, is awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peaceful congresses.” This may also include people or groups who have worked to resolve conflicts or create peace.

The recipient is chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which is appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. Initial nominations for the prize may be made by a large group of people considered qualified, such as former recipients, university professors, and special advisers to the committee. The committee reviews the nominees and chooses a winner. In some years, no award has been given.

Some famous people have received the Nobel Peace Prize over the years. They include President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 for his part in promoting the League of Nations after World War I; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1964 for his role in leading a peaceful civil rights movement; and Mother Teresa in 1979 for her charity work with underprivileged people in Calcutta, India. In more recent decades, the prize has gone to the United Nations and its secretary general, Kofi Annan, in 2001 for their work toward a more peaceful world; the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and former U.S. vice president Albert Gore in 2007 for their efforts to increase awareness of global warming; and the Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo in 2024 for its atomic bomb survivors’ efforts to share their testimony to help keep nuclear weapons from ever being used again. 

GOODBYE 2024

Welcome 2025

As the last day of December gently passes, we stand on the threshold of a new beginning. These moments feel like a pause—a chance to reflect on all that 2024 brought into our lives. The joys we celebrated, the challenges we endured, and the lessons we learned have all shaped us.

Let this last day of the year be the day to let go. Release the burdens of resentment, the weight of regret, and the pain of what didn’t go as planned. Free your heart from what no longer serves it, so you can step into 2025 lighter, stronger, and more at peace.

Welcome the new year with open arms, a hopeful spirit, and a heart full of gratitude. May 2025 bring you growth where you need it, healing where it’s overdue, and opportunities that align with your deepest dreams.

Remember, the year ahead is a gift waiting to unfold. You have the power to write a new chapter filled with kindness, courage, and endless possibilities. So as we bid farewell to 2024, let’s carry forward the love and wisdom it left behind while embracing the promise of brighter days ahead.

Life is too short to carry the weight of anger, resentment, or grudges. It’s too fragile to let stress steal our moments of peace or let pain block our path to joy. Forgiveness isn’t just an act—it’s a gift we give ourselves, a release that allows our hearts to breathe again.

Let 2025 be the year of rebuilding, reconnecting, and rediscovering what it means to live freely and fully. May we all find our strength, our purpose, and our peace in the days ahead.

Here’s to letting go, moving forward, and welcoming 2025 with hope and determination. May it be a year of peace, purpose, and joy for you.

HUMOROUS SHORT STORY

All for a loincloth

A hermit lived in a little hut on the bank of a river. His only possession was a loincloth.

Every day after his morning dip in the river he would hang his loincloth out to dry.

One afternoon he found that a rat had made a hole in the loincloth.

The next day the rat made another hole in it. The hermit went to the village and brought a cat. The rat fled. 

But now the hermit had to feed the cat and so whenever he went to the village to beg for food he would beg for milk too.

The people gave willingly but the hermit knew they could not really afford to give him milk every day. He decided to get a cow.

A rich man gave him one. Now the hermit did not have to beg for milk but he needed fodder for the cow. So he began to beg for fodder.

One day he thought, "Why not till the land around the hut? Then I won’t have to beg for fodder." So he began to till the land.

The yield was so great he had to hire labourers to help him. Then he thought, "I spend all my time supervising the labour. If I had a wife she could help me in this task." So he married. And had children. In course of time he became a wealthy landowner. 

One day a man asked him why he had given up his simple life to become a landowner and a householder.

He said, "It was the only way I could keep my  loincloth," said the former hermit sadly.

THE WARRIOR QUEEN OF KASHMIR

Didda 

Whenever a throne was up for grabs, there was always intense competition among the youngsters of royal families as one had to be better than others to be a king. To be a queen, one had to be really extraordinary because one faced even greater challenges than a king. One such extraordinary personality was Didda of Kashmir who ruled for over 50 years despite being lame. 

Didda was born to the Lohara Dynasty, which ruled the area around modern-day Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir. She suffered from a birth disability that caused her to limp and this led to her facing ridicule from the elders and other children in the palace.  Her only support was a maid called Valaga who helped her move around. Didda was an exceptionally gifted and determined child. She used to participate in races despite her disability. She was very intelligent and a good orator. Despite her good qualities, nobody wanted to marry a lame girl. Finally, she was married to Kshemagupta, the king of Kashmir. 

After her marriage, Didda realised that Kshemagupta neglected the affairs of the state and administration was in disarray. She started to get involved in the matters of the court. In this, she faced stiff resistance from the courtiers including the prime minister, whose daughter was Kshemagupta's first wife. Despite the resistance, Didda gained so much power that the coins issued at the time were in her and Kshemagupta's joint name. 

After Kshemagupta's sudden death, the courtiers put pressure on Didda to commit sati along with the other queens. She had to make preparations for this but at the last moment, she avoided death by having a trusted minister make petitions to save her for the sake of her minor son. She also got her son Abhimanyu, crowned as king. Didda governed the state as a regent. When a series of revolts broke out in the kingdom, Didda put them down with great ruthlessness. Though Didda personally led her troops with great bravery, the uprisings never completely died out because most of the state officials could not accept being ruled by a woman, that too a lame one. 

After Abhimanyu came of age, he was encouraged by the courtiers and his newly married wife to rise against Didda. Eventually, he forced Didda out of the palace and she renounced the world. Abhimanyu died shortly afterwards, and the kingdom one again descended into chaos. Didda came back to take up the command of the state and became a regent for her grandson Bhimagupta. She worked hard to put the administration of the state back on track. When three of her grandsons including Bhimagupta died in quick succession, some started accusing Didda of practising witchcraft and causing these deaths. 

Didda was old by now and her biggest concern was finding her successor. She devised a novel method to choose the person who would be required to perform the difficult task of ruling Kashmir after her. She assembled all the princes she was considering and put a heap of fruits in their arms as they could. Naturally, this caused a competition among the princes to gather the most fruits. In this confusion, Didda's brother's son Sangramraja gathered the most fruits without getting into fights like the other princes. When Didda asked him how he managed it, he explained that he caused the other princes to fight among themselves and while they were busy, he simply picked up most of the fruits. A pleased Didda promptly appointed him her successor and ensured a peaceful transition after her. 

Kashmir's history before and after Didda is a tale of endless treachery, deceit and ruthlessness. Kings were crowned and deposed in quick succession. The populace also suffered greatly under corrupt officials. Didda's reign of more than 50 years stands out as a period of stability amidst several anarchy. She was a sound administrator and a courageous general who led her troops from the front. Above all, she was a survivor who never gave up even when the odds seemed totally against her.

INDIAN MATHEMATICIAN

D. R. Kaprekar

Indian mathematician D. R. Kaprekar is best remembered for his discovery of the Kaprekar constant in 1976. The constant is the number 6174.

Take any four-digit number in which not all digits are alike. Arrange the digits in descending order and then reverse them to make a new number. Subtract the new number from the first number. If this process is repeated with the difference, eventually in about eight steps, the constant 6174 is arrived at.

Example: 4527

7542 - 2457 = 5085

8550 - 0558 = 7992

9972 - 2799 = 7173

7731 - 1377 = 6354

6543 - 3456 = 3087

8730 - 0378 = 8352

8532 - 2358 = 6174

7641 - 1467 = 6174

STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Dreams 

The human brain is a very complex organ that remains active even when we are asleep, and creates vivid experiences that we call 'dreams'. 

What are dreams? In simple words, dreams are a natural phenomenon that occurs during our sleep, primarily because of the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage. 

The mysterious occurances of dreams are studied from scientific and psychological perspectives, and it is believed that dreams occur because of various neurological, psychological and environmental factors. 

In 'The Interpretation of Dreams', a book published by Sigmund Freud in 1899, Freud introduces the theory of unconscious to dream Interpretation. According to the father of psychoanalysis, dreams are formed because of two mental processes. The first process involves unconscious forces that construct a wish and are expressed by a dream. The second process is a form of censorship that forcibly distorts the expression of wish. 

Freud viewed all dreams as forms of 'wish fulfilment', and he stated in his work, 'The Interpretation of Dreams', that "My presumption that dreams can be interpreted at once puts me in opposition to the ruling theory and in fact to every theory of dreams..."

He believed that dreams are the window to a person’s subconscious mind and they can reveal the individual’s unconscious desires, thoughts and motivations. 

Freud had his perspectives and ideas on the occurrence of dreams, but apart from these perspectives, there are various other theories on why people dream, and some of these ideas behind the occurrence of dreams are:

● Memory consolidation: Dreams help to consolidate memories, especially during REM sleep. The brain's activity while dreaming is similar to processing the memories whilst you are awake. 

● Increase in dopamine and acetylcholine levels: During REM sleep, the levels of dopamine and acetylcholine Increases, which leads to hallucinations. 

● Emotional processing: It is believed that dreams help you process and manage your emotions. That is why at times when you are stressed or anxious, you tend to have vivid dreams, and sometimes even nightmares. 

● Sorting through thoughts are feelings: This is another theory behind why dreams occur. It is often believed that dreams help you sort through your complicated thoughts and feelings. 

● Blocking of stimuli: Dreams can help the brain block the stimuli that can interfere with your memory and learning. 

How long does a dream last?

The longevity of dreams can vary. They can last for a few seconds or even for about 20-30 minutes. Sometimes people tend to remember their dreams when they are awakened during the REM phase. Some studies also reveal that an average person has about three to five dreams per night, and some may have even seven. But these dreams are often forgotten. 

BALANCED MINDSET

Maturity 

Maturity is a mindset, not an age. While society often associates maturity with getting older, the truth is that maturity has more to do with how you think, react, and handle life’s challenges than with the number of years you’ve lived. Maturity is about the choices you make, the way you approach situations, and the level of responsibility you take for your actions. It’s a mindset that can be developed at any age, and it’s what truly defines your character.

One of the key elements of a mature mindset is the ability to see beyond yourself. Mature people understand that the world doesn’t revolve around them, and they consider the perspectives and needs of others when making decisions. This doesn’t mean they always put others first to the detriment of their own well-being, but they have the wisdom to balance their needs with those of others. They recognise that actions have consequences, not just for themselves but for those around them, and they act with this awareness in mind.

Maturity also involves emotional regulation. Life is full of situations that can trigger strong emotions, whether it’s frustration, anger, sadness, or joy. Mature people do not let these emotions dictate their actions. Instead, they have the ability to manage their feelings, staying calm and composed even in difficult situations. This emotional stability allows them to make decisions based on logic and reason rather than being driven by impulsive reactions.

Another important aspect of maturity is the willingness to take responsibility for one’s actions. Mature people do not shy away from accountability. They understand that every choice they make has a consequence, and they are willing to own those consequences, whether positive or negative. This sense of responsibility extends to their relationships, work, and personal goals. They don’t blame others for their mistakes or failures but instead look within to understand how they can improve and grow.

Maturity also means being able to learn from experiences. Life is a series of lessons, and mature people approach each experience as an opportunity for growth. Whether a situation goes well or poorly, they reflect on what happened and think about how they can apply those lessons in the future. This mindset prevents them from repeating the same mistakes over and over because they are continually evolving and becoming better versions of themselves.

Patience is another hallmark of a mature mindset. Mature people understand that not everything happens on their timeline. They are able to wait for the right moment, knowing that some things take time to develop. This patience extends to how they interact with others as well. They don’t rush to judgment or react hastily but take the time to consider all aspects of a situation before making decisions.

Maturity is also reflected in how someone handles conflict. Mature people don't avoid conflict but approach it with a problem-solving attitude. They don’t engage in petty arguments or seek to “win” at all costs. Instead, they focus on finding resolutions that are fair and constructive. They communicate openly and honestly, seeking to understand the other person’s point of view while also expressing their own.

In essence, maturity is about growth. It’s about recognising that life is a journey of learning, and that every experience, good or bad, is an opportunity to become wiser, stronger, and more compassionate.  Mature people don't ’t cling to rigid ideas or behaviours; they are flexible and open to change because they understand that growth requires adaptation.

Maturity isn’t something that automatically comes with age. Some young people exhibit remarkable maturity, while some older individuals may still struggle with impulsiveness and self-centredness. The difference lies in mindset. Choosing to be mature means choosing to live with responsibility, empathy, and a commitment to personal growth. It’s a way of thinking and living that allows you to navigate life’s challenges with grace and wisdom, making choices that reflect not just who you are, but who you aspire to become.