Top 5 online courses every student must do.

Here is the list of 5 courses that every student must do in there life. The courses are from various platforms such coursera and edx.

  1. PROGRAMMING FOR EVERYBODY(GETTING STARTED WITH PYTHON)

This course is offered by University of Michigan. This course aims to teach everyone the basis of programming using python. Everyone can do this course, whether you are medical student , engineering student , working professional or a school student. The duration of the course is seven weeks and it is available on coursera and edx platforms.The best part of the course is the concept is well-explained by the instructor. Also, the assignments will also helps you to understand the concept well. You can enroll in the course for free. I recommend this course for anyone who wants to learn python from basics.

2. CS50 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE

This course is offered by Harvard university. It will teach student how to think algorithmically and how to solve problems efficiently. It is a 10 week course and includes the topics like web programming,data structures,security, software programming,artificial intelligence. Also, it will includes the programming languages like C,SQL,Python,HTML ,CSS,JavaScript. It is taught by David J Malan(professor of computer science ) at Harvard University, he is brilliant teacher and teaches very well. This course contains problem sets and one final project, all this will help you to understand the concepts. Check out this course at edx which is very popular. You can enroll for free.

3. THE SCIENCE OF WELL BEING

This course is offered by Yale University. It teaches you how to increase your happiness, how to build productive habits and misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of mind that lead to think the way we do. Itis a ten weeks course and this course is taught by Laurie Santos and she is the professor of psychology at Yale University. Check out this course at coursera. It is one of the popular course at coursera. You can enroll in the course for free.

4. HOW TO LEARN ONLINE: POWERFUL MENTAL TOOLS TO HELP YOU MASTER TOUGH SUBJECTS

This course is offered by University of California San Diego and McMaster University. It teaches you test preparation, learning to learn, it teaches learning techniques like pomodoro technique, meta learning etc. Everyone whether you or me will have a subject that we will feel as hard, which is difficult to master and you don’t know how to master it. In this course the instructors will share some techniques, tips and share the secret how to master tough subjects. The duration of the course is 4 weeks and it is taught by Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski. Check out this course at cousera. You can enroll this course for free in coursera.

5. SPEAK ENGLISH PROFESSIONALLY: IN PERSON, ONLINE AND ON THE PHONE

This course is offered by Georgia Institute Of Technology. This is a well structured course. It teaches you improve pronunciation and fluency of English, word stress, English vocabulary. The duration of this course is 5 weeks and the instructor of the course is Amalia B. Stephens. This course is those for who want improve there English pronunciation and fluency. Check out this course on coursera. You can enroll the course for free.

BEGINNING WITH PROGRAMMING

Programming is one of the most sought after skills in the professional market. It is an nothing more than an interesting way to solve problems. Programming presents you with unique solutions to real world problems and tends to help develop logical thinking. Many people think programming is memorizing statements and words to make a computer do your bidding but let me tell you otherwise. Programming is  using your knowledge to solve problems thrown at you in the most effective way.

Let me nudge you on the right path to starting programming.

What is your goal ?

Programming can be for different tasks like :-

  • solving problems based around management of data
  • solving problems related to math and statistics
  • creating a utility for a specific task
  • creating games
  • automating daily tasks
  • to develop a new skill

There are many more forms that programming could take but focussing on your end goal will help you achieve it quickly and efficiently. Let me elaborate the aforementioned paths.

Solving Problems based around management of data.

To start with these problems you’ll need some knowledge of data structures so I recommend doing a basic course to learn what data structures are. Not only data structures but you may require knowledge of some oop concepts. There is no specific language specifically made for this task but learning C would be the best path to strengthen oop concepts and data structures as C works very closely with the operating system.

Instead of just starting coding you should first pickup a notebook to practice these concepts logically. Building a strong base of algorithms instead of trying to memorize a set of instructions in a particular language is the most important step.

A simple project can then be made to bolster these concepts. Create a data structure like a linked list, heap or any semi-complex data structure in whatever language you choose. Creating a program even to store and retrieve names would be helpful enough to start your journey.

Solving Problems related to maths and statistics.

To start with these problems you’ll require a knowledge of statistical methods and formulas. In these kind of problems generally data can be manipulated and analysed for interpretation as per requirements. The most recommended language for such problems would be R. It is tailored to be able to work with large data sets and has many inbuilt functions to make working with such data easy.

As our teachers stopped us from using calculators when we were younger I would similarly ask you to first try making the functions yourselves before using the in-built functions as knowing how to solve something manually would help you work through issues when automating the tasks.

A simple project can be undertaken to interpret freely available datasets. These datasets when worked upon can give a plethora of information.

Creating a utility for a specific task

This would depend on the type of utility you want to create. In such a situation you’d want to research the utility you want to make and decide for yourself what language you want to use. You’d want to check for the pros and cons of the technology you would want to use. Every language excels at some specific task and we want to be able to use the advantage to the fullest.

A simple project can be undertaken to set as an end goal while starting to learn the language.

Creating Games

This is a vast field with an even bigger community. To be able to make games you need to know some basics like the geometric world space and logic to be able to craft a game. There are quite a few game engines but probably the most recommended game engine for beginners would be Unity. it uses C# as the backend language so picking up basics of the language would be a good place to start.

Unity boasts a node based system for materials and setting up the scene. Many tutorials are available online for free so they would be your biggest reference points. The online community is not just large but helpful too. A lot of new users post questions about all the aspects of the process so don’t be shy to look something up online.

A simple project to be undertaken to make a basic game to imbue the basics of the process into yourself. There are many tutorials that start off from basics and ultimately combine the concepts to create a complete game.

Automating daily tasks

The use of smart home technology is very prominent in todays world and more and more stuff is being connected to the internet for easier use. The use of IOT can help you automate your house. technology like Arduino uses C or C# as their programming languages while raspberry pi uses node.js and python prominently. These technologies can be used to solve actual real world problems.

Smart switches and devices can be programmed to start up on a predefined time or on a set action. Even software tasks like backups can be automated with some simple shell scripting. Now automation of tasks is a 2 pronged path. Physical tasks can be automated using IOT and software based tasks can be automated using some scripting.

A simple project can be undertaken to bolster these concepts. A simple software automation task would be starting a download manager or torrent client and prioritising the downloads on the basis of speed and importance.

To Develop a new skill

Now this is where the learner has the most control. You can choose whatever language you’d like to learn and not limit yourself to a certain technology you could learn whatever you want to.

Depending on the path you would want to take you could choose to learn a language used for application design, web design, work with databases, etc the possibilities are endless. You just have to commit to the learning process and learn the basics which you could implement in any further projects.

Conclusion

No programming language is particularly difficult or easy to learn. Programming languages are nothing but tools and to wield any kind of tools you need to be capable. When your basics are clear you can implement them in any languages you learn.

TEACHERS’ DAY

Every year on September 5, we celebrate this thanks giving day to the one’s who become our second parents, holding our hands since the time we enter our school to the time we achieve laurels and become something in our life, they are there to show us the path- The Teachers. Teacher is not just a word but a whole story in itself. Apart from the celebrations we have on this day it is very important for us to know why this day is celebrated as Teachers’ day, who was the person to mark this day for the teachers and much more things.

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE TEACHERS’ DAY?

This day is truly dedicated for the appreciation of the hard work our teachers put in to build up our personalities. Globally, Teachers’ day is celebrated on October 5 but in India we celebrate it on September 5 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli RadhaKrishnan. He was a renowned Scholar, recipient of Bharat Ratna, first Vice-President and second President of our Independent India.

He was born on September 5,1888. As an educationist, he was an advocate of edification and an envoy, academician and above all a great teacher. His vision for marking this day was that the future of a country lies in the hands of its children and teachers, as mentors, who carve the students into the future role models.

The first Teachers’ day was celebrated in India in 1962. This is the year when Sarvepalli RadhaKrishnan began serving as the Second President of India. To celebrate his esteemed position and appreciate his efforts as a teacher in their lives, his students suggested that his birthday should be celebrated as ‘RadhaKrishnan Day’.

It is rightly said that “Guru is truly the representative of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwarah. He creates, sustains knowledge and destroy the weeds of ignorance”. A teacher teaches us to lead a disciplined life. He/she takes us to the first step of understanding what and when do we need to be patient in our life. He/she teaches us that learning is the only way to light up the dark paths and be at place from where we can help the needy people around us. A teacher teaches us what selfless giving is and what serving to people with knowledge and can give you in return.

Teachers never demarcate children based on class or caste. For them, every child is equal. There is no distinction between good or bad students, but rather the feeble kids are brought to the surface of confidence. They always help their students to identify their innate potentials, develop their interests in different fields apart from just the books. Everyone around would be judging you for your strengths and weakness but a teacher, after your parents, is never going to judge you for your external appearances or weakness rather they would push you in front for you to come out with the best in you, for you to build up the confidence and face the real world with the same.

Salute to non-profit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations are a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit. A nonprofit is subject to the non-distribution constraint: any revenues that exceed expenses must be committed to the organization’s purpose, not taken by private parties. Nonprofit entities generally seek approval from governments to be tax-exempt, and some may also qualify to receive tax-deductible contributions. Nonprofit organizations are accountable to the donors, founders, volunteers, program recipients, and the public community. Public confidence is a factor in the amount of money that a nonprofit organization is able to raise. The more nonprofits focus on their mission, the more public confidence they will have. This will result in more money for the organization.

Management

Nonprofits must balance salaries paid to staff with money paid to provide services to the nonprofit’s beneficiaries. Nonprofit organizations must manage their income (both grants and donations and income from services) and expenses so as to remain a fiscally viable entity. Setting effective missions is a key for the successful management of nonprofit organizations. There are three important conditions for an effective mission: opportunity, competence and commitment.

Structure

Nonprofits can have members, but many do not; the nonprofit may also be a trust or association of members. The organization may be controlled by its members who elect the board of directors, board of governors or board of trustees. A board-only organization typically has a self-selected board and a membership whose powers are limited to those delegated to it by the board. The National Association of Parliamentarians has generated concerns about the implications for the future of openness, accountability, and understanding of public concerns in nonprofit organizations.

Difference between nonprofit and not for profit

Nonprofit and not-for-profit are terms that do not mean the same thing. Both are organizations that don’t make a profit, but may receive an income to sustain their missions. Nonprofit organizations return any extra income to the organization they generate. Not for-profits use their excess money to pay their members who do work for them.

Nonprofits are either member-serving or community-serving. Member-serving nonprofit organizations create a benefit for the members of their organization. Community-serving nonprofits focus on providing services to the community either globally or locally. It is possible for a nonprofit to be both member serving and community serving.

Go Flawless With The Help of Skin Care

Maintaining a good skin tone is not easy these days. We face many skincare challenges such as poor diet, pollution, and lack of time to take care of oneself. All these have a cumulative effect on our health in general, and often our skin shows first the damages caused by the negative lifestyle. 

When our skin is not healthy, it immediately affects our looks, makes us look aged and dull. This, in turn, affects our self-esteem. A good skin care routine is only as good as the products you use. While good quality products can help your skin look better now as well as in the future, poor quality products can be ineffective and even cause harm.

Why is good skin care important?

Good skin care is important for the following reasons:

1. It helps your skin stay in good condition:

You’re shedding skin cells throughout the day, so it’s important to keep your skin glowing and in good condition. An effective routine can help prevent acne, treat wrinkles, and help keep your skin looking its best.

2. Your skin will look more youthful: 

As you age, your skin’s cells turn over more slowly, make it look duller and less radiant. Using a quality skin care line can help remove dead skin cells so your body will replace them with newer, more youthful cells.

3. Prevention is easier than correction: 

Preventing skin problems is easier and less costly than trying to fix them in the future. 

4. Your self-confidence will get a boost:

When your skin looks better, you’ll feel better about yourself and have more self-confidence.

What are some good skin care methods?

The following components can create a good, effective skin care routine:

1.Cleanser: 

Wash your face gently with a product designed for your face. If you have dry skin, you’ll want to choose a cleanser that doesn’t have alcohol, and if you have oily skin, look for an oil-free cleanser. Afterward, rinse with warm water.

2. Toner: 

Toner is used after washing your face, and it helps smooth and calm skin while restoring nutrients.

3. Moisturizer:

Moisturizers should be used every time you wash your face, even if you have oily skin. If you have this type of skin, choose an oil-free or gel product.

4. Sunscreen:

Even if your moisturizer has a sunscreen, it can still help to use a separate sunscreen every day, even if it’s cloudy. Choose one that provides broad-spectrum protection and has an SPF of at least 30.

5. Exfoliator:

Exfoliators are optional and can be used after a cleanser but before a moisturizer. They should only be used a maximum of once or twice a week.

6. Serum:

A serum can help address specific issues, such as redness.

What benefits do quality skin care products provide?

The following are some of the benefits of quality skin care products:

1.Quality ingredients:

 Similar to the benefits that healthy food provides for your body, quality skin-care ingredients can improve your skin.

2. Protection from environmental damage: 

such as pollution

3. Help fighting the effects of aging: 

such as wrinkles and sunspots

4. Results for the money:

Even if quality products cost more in some cases, they’re worth the money. If you use ineffective products, you’re wasting money.

5. Exceeding standards: 

Quality skin care products are more refined, with fewer bacteria and impurities.

Why should you avoid poor quality skin care products?

Poor quality skin care products are more likely to cause the following negative effects:

1.Ineffective results      

2. Infections

3. Allergic reactions such as rashes

4. Worsening problems by clogging pores, causing breakouts, etc.

Beauty brands that deserve to be on your radar, and eventually in your beauty cabinet are:

1

.Good vibes

2. Mamaearth 

3. Plum

4. VLCC

5. Biotique 

6. Lakmé 

7. Lotus Herbals

8. Garnier 

9. Himalaya Herbals

10. Pond’s 

ICC WORLD T20 2021

The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be held in the UAE and Oman due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in India. The BCCI will be the hosts of the event. The tournament will now be held in Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground. The tournament is planned to happen from October 17 to November 14, 2021.

The first round of the tournament, comprising the eight qualifying teams, will now be split between Oman and UAE. Four of these teams will then progress to the Super 12s round where they’ll join the eight automatic qualifiers who are in top 8 positions in World T20 rankings. The 8 teams that are playing in round 1 to get into the Super 12 are the former champions SriLanka, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Namibia. 4 teams out of the 8 will be qualified for the World T20 Super 12. 2 teams will join the Pool A and two will join Pool B teams.

First Round

Group A:
SriLanka, Ireland, Papua New Guinea and Oman are in Group A. The team that comes first will enter Pool A of Super 12. Similarly, the team that comes second will enter the Pool B of Super 12.

Group B:
Bangladesh, Netherlands, Scotland and Namibia are in Group B. The team that comes first will enter Pool B of Super 12. Similarly, the team that comes second will enter the Pool A of Super 12.

Second Round

Pool A
Pool A already has 4 teams qualified. They are Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and Pakistan.

Pool B
Pool B already has 4 teams qualified. They are England, India, South Africa and Afghanistan.

After the league stages of the World T20, Qualifiers will be played for Finals. India performs well in every season of the World T20. But the last time India won the trophy was 2007. After that, India qualified for the playoffs almost everytime. But India did’t have the luck of winning trophy. After 2007, Dhoni and Kohli led the team in T20s. Every time India would fail in a single knock out game and would return with empty hands. This time we don’t expect the same. Prior to T20 World Cup, IPL is going to be conducted in UAE. That would be a good preparation not only for Indian players but all around the world. This time, the team does not believe in one or two players to score runs and make the team win. Every slot in the line up has heavy competition. There are 2-3 players fighting for each position. That is a healthy headache for the selection committee as well as the captain. Whoever tried in the respective spot during India’s ordinary tours played well. This time, we hope India would win the cup under Kohli’s captaincy. Happy to share my thoughts. Thank you everyone who supports. Stay safe!

More about GST ( Part 2)

STRUCTURE AND CLASSIFICATION OF GST

India is a federal country where both Central government and State government has the power to excise their duty and have been assigned the power to levy taxes through appropriate legislation. Both the level of government has distinct powers to perform as described in the constitution and to follow up with these, they need revenue for this. So, the ministry of finance has decided the Dual GST approach where both the government can levy taxes.

CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS AND SERVICES TAX

Dual Goods and services tax system is been adopted in India to maintain relationship between the Central Government and the State government.

                                         GST

GST ON INTRA STATE/                    GST ON INTER STATE

UT SUPPLY                                          SUPPLY

Central GST    State GST                   Integrated GST

(CGST 50%)     (SGST 50%)                        (IGST 100%)

!)DUAL GST for supply of goods and services within the state

It would be a dual GST with the Central and state government both simultaneously levying tax on the same basis. The GST which would be levied by Central Government on inter state supply of goods and services would be Central GST (CGST)

And GST applied by state government on the intra state supply of goods and services would be called State GST (SGST).

There would be dual GST system State GST and Central GST on intra state supply of goods and services.

SGST will also be applied to Union Territory having legislation. Which are Delhi and Pondicherry.

Both CGST and SGST will be collected from the supply of goods and services within the state.

  1. CGST/SGST: For supplies within the state or union territory Central GST or State GST will be deposited  into the accounts of respective governments government.
  2. IGST: For supply of goods and services from one state  or union territory to another to another state that is inter state supply of goods and/or services.

Explanation with examples: –

Levy of Centre goods and services tax (CGST) or State goods and services tax.

Example: Suppose there is a men name Ravi who own a business of manufacturing Television in Madhya Pradesh where he needs to supply his manufactured goods within the state to another destination which is Katni also in Madhya Pradesh then he is only levied to pay CGST and SGST the amount he is paying like Centre goods and services tax (CGST) the amount will go into the account of Centre government and the amount of State goods and services tax (SGST) will go into the account of state government. Tax amount would be paid by the state receiving the amount

Hi! I am Ravi

Levy of Integrated Goods and services tax(ITGST) or Union territory goods and services tax.

Example: Suppose the same person named Ravi is owing a business in the state Madhya Pradesh of manufacturing Television where he wants to supply his product to another destination which is in another state suppose Maharashtra then he needs to pay Integrated Goods and services tax alone would be collected by Centre Government. The rate of IGST would be double of CGST.

BOOK REVIEW: The Silver Chair

Author: C.S. Lewis

The Silver Chair is the sixth book in The Chronicles of Narnia series and serves as the sequel of the film ‘ The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’. There had been speculations about this book being adapted into a film but as of now there is no confirmation regarding it. However, this book is included in The Chronicles Of Narnia TV series which is a British BBC produced television serial and aired form 1988 to 1990 and covered four books of the series.
It is a middle grade book just like the rest of the series. This book dives deeper into the land of Narnia and shows the sides of it which weren’t shown before. It is the first book to show openly Narnia as a much less friendly and darker place than the other books. Well it may be because as the series proceeded, it became rather more mature. The Pevensies, who serve as the main characters throughout the film trilogy and also in most of the books, are not in this book.


“You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you,” said Aslan.”

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65641.The_Silver_Chair

The story opens with a girl named Jill Pole who had been experiencing bullying. She is comforted by Eustace Scrubb. This is the same guy who was in the film The Voyage of Dawn Treader and was very annoying in the starting but eventually became good by the end. He tells her about Narnia and they both get there. There, both of them are given a task by Aslan, to find and rescue King Caspian’s son, who is the heir to the throne of Narnia.
The book consists of sixteen chapters. The story is very progressive. It gets interesting after every chapter. There is this aura of mystery surrounding the story which wasn’t very prominent in other books. The more you read, the more you get invested in unravelling the mystery of Prince Rilian. Chapter 11 and 12 in particular have a great plot twist which makes overall story very exciting.
There are a lot of referencing in this book as well. It also explores underworld, the part of Narnia which is not really emphasised in other books. This must be the reason that makes this book very different than rest and also gives it a relatively darker tone. Deceit, manipulation, captivity, bullying, delusions are some themes which make this story very different from others. The main antagonist is the Lady of the Green Kirtle, the Queen of the Underland. She is depicted as a very beautiful women who turns out to be very deadly by the end of the book. Looks can be deceiving huh!
The writing style of the author is simple, conversational and cunning. It is written very descriptively and makes the story lively. The narrative of the story gives a very nostalgic feeling as if the story is of a very distant past. Overall, it is a very good book. The storytelling, the characters, the plot, everything is amazing. It is a must read!!!

https://youtu.be/O6yxZ8WXVtw

BE THE YOU

Can’t you be yourself?

The question who am I starts from you to the people surrounds you. The main thing the people spot on you is just based upon their views on your works as critics writing reviews on someone work,either you may drop under the tag of GOOD or BAD based on their perspective.

But the thing to think yourself is keep other opinion and ask yourself who am I and get your answers by searching the you in your past. See how others sees you and the appearance doesn’t point you as good being also the knowledge even fails to spot the good and bad side because nowadays thiefs giving threats are highly educated and knowledgeable professionals.

You should know about yourself like the way you making your decision on serious circumstances. Also how you change according to the circumstances. How the situation influences you or pressures you to take a decision something that you don’t want to do. The answer is just BE THE YOU.

You’re compelled to be a good son to your father or good husband to your wife or good employer to your employee. The state of position in YOU changes accordingly based on the people opposite showing their forefinger to point you. Now a question raises am I being good to them or am I being good for myself. You should always do good things to others and inturn you could get some good in it.

BE THE YOU says you to change yourself for the sake of you and the people who gets affected by you when your decision spells wrong. People always pick their safest side to overcome problems, as always they just turn their works on others and getting smart to escape from it.

So try to get ready yourself to take charges of your side and say that’s mine even if it’s wrong or you did mistakes. Just accept it and take the experience to use it wisely. The more you do good things add more good points to the position you in you.

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.

FOOD INTOLERANCE

What is food intolerance?

Food intolerance is more common than food allergy. Food intolerance is a term used widely for varied physiological responses associated with a particular food . In simple words ,food intolerance means the individual elements of certain foods that cannot be properly processed and absorbed by our digestive system. Some person can tolerate a reasonable amount of the food but if they eat too much or too often they get symptoms of food intolerance because their food can not be tolerate unlimited amounts. Food intolerance comes on gradually not frequently . It is not life threatening.

Food intolerance is caused by part or complete absence of activity of the enzymes responsible for breaking down or absorbing the food elements . These deficiencies are usually innate. Sometimes food intolerance can be diet-related or can be due to illness.

Symptoms of food intolerance

Symptoms of food intolerance can range from mild to severe , and the amount of food necessary trigger a reaction varies from person to person . Symptoms of a food intolerance may include:-

  • Nausea
  • Stomach pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Flatulence
  • Gas
  • Cramps
  • Heartburn
  • Irritability
  • Nervousness

Management of Food Intolerance

Individuals can try minor changes of diet to exclude food causing adverse reactions. Sometimes it can be managed adequately in such a way without the need for professional assistance . If you are unable to know the food which causes problem you should seek expert medical help . Guidance can also be provided by your general practitioner to assist in diagnosis and management. For managing food intolerance , fructose intolerance therapy , lactose intolerance therapy and histamine intolerance therapy can be applied. The best way to avoid symptoms of a food intolerance is to avoid certain foods or eat them less often and in smaller amounts . People can also take supplements to aid digestion.

Monophobia-Reality of 2021

People were hurt financially as well as mentally by the prolonged lockdown. The truth is that financial losses can be recovered over time, but the mental disease that our generation is experiencing is not.

Covid-19 claimed the lives of around 3,923,238 people worldwide. Every day’s news digest about medical supply shortages and increasing covid instances broke people’s hearts. Such dire conditions were not restricted to those in hospitals; those in their safe havens of their homes were also not safe as they confronted a terrifying invisible monster spreading its arms and doing harm to their mental health.

Monophobia is the state where an individual fears to be alone. Even in a usually comforting place like home, can cause severe anxiety for people with this condition. People with monophobia need another person or other people around in order to feel safe. A person with this condition usually faces extreme anxiety.

With the outbreak of the pandemic, practically all offline work moved online, and people needed time to acclimatise to this new reality. Even after settling in, many struggled to overcome feelings of loneliness and worry that were gradually taking over their minds as a result of a lack of social contacts and physical meetings. It is now universally accepted that physical meetings had a higher level of significance and will always be more valued than any texts, calls or video conferencing.

Because of this lack of interaction, the majority of people now fear being alone. We now understand the value of being surrounded by people, such as family and friends. It’s depressing to learn that many people have committed suicide as a result of loneliness and anxiety issues.

Monophobia is a side effect of the post-lockdown situation. Following the Lockdown, harsh realisations emerged that life is unpredictable and far too valuable to be taken for granted.

So, what is the current need? It is self-evident that we must widen the doors of our hearts and accept others. Acceptance is crucial; it may aid your family member or friend in recovering and reliving their experiences. Inquire of your relatives, acquaintances, or even a new acquaintance “Are you all right? And if you ever need to share something, I’m here to help.”

Make yourself a better companion by being a little kind to the individuals you interact with. Stop passing judgement on people during such trying times; you never know what they are going through. Also take good care of your own self in order to help others. As more the merrier. healthier the better.

KALPANA CHAWLA(1962-2003)

🛰The first women of Indian origin in Space🛰

⭐Kalpana chawla(March 17,1962-February 1,2003)was born in karnan,India 🇮🇳.

⭐She was the first Indian American astronaut and first Indian women in space.

⭐She first flew on space shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator.

EDUCATION

👨‍🚀Chawla completed her earlier schooling at Tagore Baal niketan school,karnal

👨‍🚀After getting a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, India, she moved to the United States in 1982 and obtained a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1984.

NASA CAREER

Chawla joined the NASA astronaut corps in March 1995 and was selected for her first flight in 1996. She spoke the following words while traveling in the weightlessness of space,”Your are just your intelligence “. She had traveled 10.67 million km,as many as 252 times around the Earth.

KALPANA CHAWLA HUSBAND

Kalpana Chawla got married in 1983 to Jean-Pierre Harrison. And the 20 years, till the unfortunate Space Shuttle Columbia crash that killed her in 2003, are the most cherished memories for her husband. That part of their life is still very private and her husband likes to keep it that way.

DEATH

Chawla died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster which occurred on February 1,2003,when the Space Shuttle disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, with the loss of all seven crew members, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107.

AWARDS

POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED :

🚀Congressional Space Medal of Honor

🚀NASA Space Flight Medal

🚀NASA Distinguished Service Medal

MEMORIALS

⭐On 18 November 2012,in Karnal city, Haryana, India,Chawla’s birthplace and first home town,the foundation stone of the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical college was laid by the Haryana Government in her memory

⭐The Kalpana Chawla ISU Scholarship fund was founded by alumni of the international Space University (ISU) in 2010 to support Indian student participation in international space education programs.

⭐The Kalpana Chawla Memorial Scholarship program was instituted by the Indian Students Association (ISA) at the University of Texas at EI paso (UTEP) in 2005 for meritorious graduate students

⭐The Kalpana Chawla Outstanding Recent Alumni Award at the University of Colorado,given since 1983,was renamed for Kalpana Chawla Asteroid 51826 Kalpana Chawla, one of seven named after the Columbia’s crew.

⭐The Kalpana Chawla Award was instituted by the government of Karnataka in 204 for young women scientists.

⭐The girls hostel at Punjab Engineering College is named after Chawla. In addition, an award of INR twenty-five thousand, a mental, and a certificate is instituted for the best student in the Aeronautical Engineering department. NASA has dedicated a super computer to Chawla

⭐The Government of Haryana established the Kalpana Chawla planetarium in Jyotisar,Kuruksgetra. The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur,named the Kalpana Chawla Space

⭐One February 5, 2003, India’s Prime Minister announced that the meterorological series of satellite, METSAT,was to be renamed as “KALPANA “. The first satellite of the series, “METSAT-1”,launched by the Indian on September 12, 2002,will be now known as “KALPANA-1” . “KALPANA-2” was expected to be launched by 2007

Geopolitics

Introduction

Geopolitics combines the the words Geo, referring Earth and Politics, is the study of the effects of Earth’s geography on politics and international relations. It can also be termed as the study of how political power is reinforced or undermined by geographical arrangements(boundaries, coalitions, spatial networks, natural resources etc.) At international relations level, geopolitics is a way of studying foreign policies, to understand, explain and predict the international political behaviours of the countries and their governments through various geographical variables. These variables include climate, topography, area studies, demographics and natural resources of the regions being evaluated.

Contents

Study of Geopolitics primarily focuses on political power linked to geographic space. Particularly, land territory and territorial waters in relation with diplomatic history. A branch of geopolitics, critical geopolitics, interprets different classical geopolitical theories by showing their political functions for the world’s great powers. There are even some works that follow the geopolitics of renewable energy. Finally, geopolitics clarifies the range of strategic choices, providing a guide for achieving strategic efficiency. While it places particular stress on geographic space as a critically important strategic factor and source of power, it recognizes that geography is only a part of the totality of global phenomena. There are many geopolitical case studies like the Kashmir conflict, Arctic Ocean disputes, China’s disputes in south China sea, US’s foreign policies, annexation of Crimea by Russia, ongoing conflicts in the Middle-East etc.

Future

In today’s world geopolitical studies are becoming more and more important in relations to international relations and diplomacy studies.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/geopolitics

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geopolitics

The Great Prithviraj Chauhan

Prithviraja III, famous as Prithviraj Chauhan, was one of the greatest Rajput rulers. He controlled many parts of the present-day Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Known for his valor, Prithviraj Chauhan is often praised as a brave Indian king, who stood up against the invasion of Muslim rulers. He is widely known as a warrior king and is credited for resisting the Muslim invaders with all his might. His defeat at the ‘Second battle of Tarain’ (1192) is considered as a key moment in the history of India as it opened the gates for Muslim invaders to rule the northern parts of India. Prithviraj is considered to be the greatest warrior of India, and also one of the greatest in the world. He succeeded to the throne of Ajmer at the age of thirteen, in 1179,when his father died in a battle. His grandfather Angam, ruler of Delhi, declared him heir to the throne of Delhi after hearing about his courage and bravery. He once killed a lion on his own without any weapon. He was known as the warrior king. Chauhan was the last independent Hindu king, before Hemu, to sit upon the throne of Delhi. He succeeded to the throne in 1169 CE at the age of 20, and ruled from the twin capitals of Ajmer and Delhi.

Early Life

According to ‘Prithviraja Vijaya,’ Prithviraj Chauhan had mastered as many as six languages. Another eulogistic poem, Prithviraj Raso, claims that Prithviraj was well-versed in many subjects, including mathematics, medicine, history, military, philosophy, painting, and theology. Both Prithviraj Raso and Prithviraja Vijaya state that Prithviraj was well-versed in archery as well. Other medieval biographies also suggest that Prithviraj Chauhan was educated well and was an intelligent boy right from his childhood. They also state that as a kid, Prithviraj displayed keen interest in warfare and was hence able to quickly learn some of the most difficult military skills quite early.

 Early Reign

Prithviraj ascended the throne when he was just 11 years old after the death of his father, Someshvara, in 1177 CE. At the time of his coronation, the young ruler had inherited a kingdom that extended from Sthanvishvara in the north to Mewar in the south. Since Prithviraj was still a minor when he ascended the throne, his mother, Karpuradevi, was made his regent. Karpuradevi, who was assisted by a regency council, managed the administration of the kingdom during Prithviraj’s early years as the king. During Prithviraj’s early reign, the young king was assisted by a couple of ministers, who find mention in ‘Prithviraja Vijaya.’ The poem states that Chief Minister Kadambavasa was an able administrator, who was devoted to the king. It also states that Kadambavasa played an important role in many of Prithviraj’s victories during the early years of his reign. Another important minister who served in the court of Prithviraj during this time was Bhuvanaikamalla, a paternal uncle of Karpuradevi. Prithviraja Vijaya describes Bhuvanaikamalla as a valiant general.

Conflicts with Hindu Rulers

Nagarjuna – Nagarjuna was Prithviraj’s cousin and had revolted against the coronation of Prithviraj Chauhan. In an attempt to seek revenge and to flaunt his authority over the kingdom, Nagarjuna had captured the fort of Gudapura. Prithviraj proved his military prowess by besieging Gudapura. It was among the earliest military achievements of Prithviraj.

Bhadanakas – After suppressing his cousin Nagarjuna’s revolt, Prithviraj turned towards the neighboring kingdom of the Bhadanakas. Since Bhadanakas often posed the threat of capturing the area around present-day Delhi, which belonged to Chahamana dynasty, Prithviraj decided to annihilate the nearby kingdom.

Chandelas of Jejakabhukti – According to certain inscriptions in Madanpur, Prithviraj defeated Paramardi, a powerful Chandela king, in 1182 CE. Prithviraj’s victory against the Chandelas increased the number of his enemies and also forced the Chandelas to join forces with the Gahadavalas.

Chaulukyas of Gujarat – Though the conflict between Prithviraj’s kingdom and the Chaulukyas of Gujarat finds mention in history, many references made in Prithviraj Raso seem to be unreliable, given the exaggerated nature of the poem. However, a few reliable sources do mention about a peace treaty between Bhima II of the Chaulukyas and Prithviraj Chauhan, which implies that the two kingdoms were at war.

Gahadavalas of Kannauj – According to a popular legend from Prithviraja Vijaya, Ain-i-Akbari, and Surjana-Charita, Prithviraj Chauhan came in conflict with another powerful king, Jayachandra, who ruled the Gahadavala kingdom. The legend has it that Prithviraj eloped with Jayachandra’s daughter Samyogita (Samyukta) in a rather dramatic manner. Since the incident is mentioned in three reliable sources, historians R. B. Singh and Dasharatha Sharma say that there might be some truth in the story, though it is largely viewed as a mere legend.

Battles of Tarain

A massive territory to the west of the Chahamana dynasty was ruled by Muhammad of Ghor, who wanted to expand his empire towards the east. In order to do so, Muhammad of Ghor had to defeat Prithviraj Chauhan and hence, he waged a war against the Chahamanas. Though many legends claim that Prithviraj and Muhammad of Ghor fought many battles, historians confirm that at least two battles were fought between the two. Since they were fought near the town of Tarain, they later came to be known as ‘Battles of Tarain.’

Death

After capturing Prithviraj Chauhan, Muhammad of Ghor reinstated him as a Ghurid vassal. This theory is supported by the fact that coins issued by Prithviraj after the battle of Tarain had his own name on one side and Muhammad’s name on the other. According to several sources, Prithviraj was later killed by Muhammad of Ghor for treason. However, the exact nature of the treason differs from one source to another.

How to maintain healthy relationship with yourself

If you’re searching for that one person that will change your life, take a look in the mirror. The relationship with self defines our inner world, and the way we process information and respond to events in life. Being a great friend to yourself unlocks long-term happiness. Finding a way to stay centered can be invaluable. One way that is beneficial in establishing balance is developing a positive relationship with oneself. Your relationship with yourself is arguably the most important relationship in life. 

What does a healthy relationship with yourself look like?

 A healthy self-relationship is the ability to value yourself as a person, and embrace your strengths and weaknesses.

Here are five ideas on cultivating a good relationship with yourself :

  1. Regularly make time for yourself.

It is very crucial to interact with yourself. Sit quietly for 10 minutes in the morning with your first cup of coffee. But if your mornings are too hectic then try meditation in the evening or even better you could write a  journal. 

  1. Check in with yourself

It’s easy to find yourself wondering, “I don’t know who I am anymore”, if you don’t check in every now and then. 

Question yourself everyday, “How am I feeling? What am I struggling with? What am I interested in? What are my goals?” Come up with a list of questions like these that you can routinely quiz yourself with, so you get a sense of where you’ve been, where you are now and where you are going. 

Self-awareness is key to improvement.

  1. Accept yourself

Part of having a relationship with yourself is understanding who you are and accepting the good and the bad. It is extremely important that you learn to forgive yourself and avoid being overly critical. Acknowledge your strengths and give yourself a pat on the back when you are successful.

  1. Be your own friend

It’s important to evaluate  the relationship you have with yourself. Ask yourself, what can I do to make my day-to-day life easier? It could be something as small as reflecting on a mistake you have recently made and taking the time to sort through it. What could you have done differently? How can you keep that from happening again? 

It is extremely vital to reason with yourself, it gives you perspective and clarity about your life choices.

  1. Enjoy your company

You need to show yourself that you can be happy and have fun without relying on others to experience it with you. Not that you need to shut people out, but you can keep yourself occupied in healthy ways to discover things and laugh with yourself.

You will be your only constant throughout your life. People will come and go. Some relations will last a long time, some won’t. In this life of hustle, one thing that should never take for granted is yourself. Always remember to be kind to yourself.