History of Australia, Military History & Gold Rush

History of Australia began when Portuguese explorers first sighted the landmass in the 16th century. The interpretation of the history of Australia is currently a matter of contention, particularly regarding the British settlement and the early treatment of Indigenous Australians.

The consensus among scholars for the arrival of humans of Australia is placed at 40,000 to 50,000 years ago, but possibly as early as 70,000 years ago. The earliest human remains found to date are that of Mungo Man which have been dated at about 40,000 years old. At the time of first European contact, it has been estimated the absolute minimum pre-1788 population was 315,000, while recent archaeological finds suggest that a population of 750,000 could have been sustained The population was split into 250 individual nations, many of which were in alliance with one another, and within each nation there existed several clans, from as few as five or six to as many as 30 or 40. Each nation had its own language and a few had multiple, thus over 250 languages existed, around 200 of which are now extinct.

The mode of life and material cultures varied greatly from nation to nation. The greatest population density was to be found in the southern and eastern regions of the continent, the River Murray valley in particular. Indigenous Australians lived and utilised resources on the continent sustainably, agreeing to cease hunting and gathering at particular times to give populations and resources the chance to replenish. Indigenous Australians were amongst the oldest, most sustainable and most isolated cultures on Earth prior to European settlement beginning in 1788.

For centuries, Makassar had traded with Indigenous Australians on Australia's north coast, particularly the Yolngu of north-east Arnhem Land.

An early map of the known world, made in 1603 by Father Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit who spent a long time in China, noted in a block space where Australia lies: No one has ever been to this land in the south, hence we know nothing about it. In smaller characters he brushed the Chinese characters Fire Land and Land of Parrots suggesting the Chinese were aware of and had perhaps sighted Australia. The reference to parrots may mean that someone had in fact made a landing on the continent after all, or had heard about Australia via word of mouth. However, the reference to Fire Land may suggest the frequent volcanic activity of the Indonesian archipelago, and Land of Parrots may refer to the Parrot species throughout the islands to Australia's north.

British settlement and colonisation

The British Crown Colony of New South Wales started with the establishment of a settlement at Sydney Cove by Captain Arthur Phillip on 26 January 1788. This date later became Australia's national day, Australia Day. These land masses included the current islands of New Zealand, which was administered as part of New South Wales. Van Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania, was settled in 1803.

Other British settlements followed, at various points around the continent, most of them unsuccessful. In 1824, a penal colony was established near the mouth of the Brisbane River (the basis of the later colony of Queensland). In 1826, a British military camp was established in Western Australia at King George Sound, to discourage French colonisation. (The camp formed the basis of the later town of Albany.) In 1829, the Swan River Colony and its capital of Perth were founded on the west coast proper and also assumed control of King George Sound. Initially a free colony, Western Australia later accepted British convicts, because of an acute labour shortage.

The British Colonial Office in 1835 issued the Proclamation of Governor Bourke, implementing the legal doctrine of terra nullius upon which British settlement was based, reinforcing the notion that the land belonged to no one prior to the British Crown taking possession of it and quashing earlier treaties with Aboriginal peoples, such as that signed by John Batman. Its publication meant that from then, all people found occupying land without the authority of the government would be considered illegal trespassers.

Separate colonies were created from parts of New South Wales: South Australia in 1836, New Zealand in 1840, Victoria in 1851, and Queensland in 1859. The Northern Territory was founded in 1863 as part of South Australia. The transportation of convicts to Australia was phased out between 1840 and 1868.

Massive areas of land were cleared for agriculture and various other purposes, in addition to the obvious impacts this early clearing of land had on the ecology of particular regions, it severely affected indigenous Australians, by reducing the resources they relied on for food, shelter and other essentials. This progressively forced them into smaller areas and reduced their numbers as the majority died of newly-introduced diseases and lack of resources. Indigenous resistance against the settlers was widespread, and prolonged fighting between 1788 and the 1930s led to the deaths of at least 20,000 Indigenous people and between 2,000 and 2,500 Europeans. During the mid-late 19th century, many indigenous Australians in south eastern Australia were relocated, often forcibly, to reserves and missions. The nature of many of these institutions enabled disease to spread quickly and many were closed as their populations fell.

Colonial self-government and the discovery of gold

A Gold rush began in Australia in the early 1850s, and the Eureka Stockade rebellion in Ballarat in 1854 was an early expression of nationalist sentiment; the flag that was used to represent it has been seriously considered by some as an alternative to the Australian flag. The gold rushes brought many immigrants from Great Britain, Ireland, continental Europe, North America and China.

New South Wales in 1855 was the first colony to gain responsible government, managing most of its own affairs while remaining part of the British Empire. Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia followed in 1856; Queensland, from its foundation in 1859; and Western Australia, in 1890. The Colonial Office in London retained control of some matters, notably foreign affairs, defence and international shipping.

The gold led to a period of prosperity, but eventually the economic expansion came to an end, and the 1890s were a period of economic depression.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was formed from New South Wales in 1911 to provide a location for the proposed new federal capital of Canberra (Melbourne was the capital from 1901 to 1927). The FCT was renamed to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in 1938. The Northern Territory was transferred from the control of the South Australian government to the Commonwealth in 1911.

Federation and the World Wars

On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved after a decade of planning, consultation and voting, and the Commonwealth of Australia was born. In 1911, His Majesty King George V proclaimed Australia as a Dominion of the British Empire. Australia achieved Independent Sovereign Nation status for the first time in 1919 following the end of WW1. Australia became a foundation member state of the League of Nations on the 28th June 1919 at the time of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in the 'Hall of Mirrors' in the Palace of Versailles in France. The original manuscript and transcript are held in the Swiss Government Archives in Geneva. Australia's independence and sovereign nation status was officially recognised by all world nations when the Charter and Articles of the League of Nations legally became International Law in January 1920. British rule ceased at that point. No ruling British Monarch has held any valid legal power of authority since. Australia also became a foundation member state of the United Nations in 1945.

From 1 February 1927 until 12 June 1931, the Northern Territory was divided up as North Australia and Central Australia at latitude 20°S. New South Wales has had one further territory surrendered, namely Jervis Bay Territory comprising 6,677 hectares, in 1915. The external territories were added: Norfolk Island (1914); Ashmore Island, Cartier Islands (1931); the Australian Antarctic Territory transferred from Britain (1933); Heard Island, McDonald Islands, and Macquarie Island transferred to Australia from Britain (1947).

The Great Depression brought economic hardship to all of Australia. Australia, with its extreme dependence on exports, particularly primary products such as wool and wheat, is thought to have been one of the hardest-hit countries in the Western world, along with Canada and Germany. Unemployment reached a record high of 29% in 1932.

The shock of Britain's defeat in Asia in 1942 and the threat of Japanese invasion caused Australia to turn to the United States as a new ally and protector.

Post-war prosperity

Following World War II, the Australian government instigated a massive program of European immigration. After narrowly preventing a Japanese invasion and suffering attacks on Australian soil for the first time, it was seen that the country must "populate or perish". Immigration brought traditional migrants from the United Kingdom along with, for the first time, large numbers of southern and central Europeans. A booming Australian economy stood in sharp contrast to war-ravaged Europe, and newly-arrived migrants found employment in government assisted programs such as the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Two million immigrants arrived between 1948 and 1975. Robert Menzies' newly-founded Liberal Party of Australia dominated much of the immediate post war era, defeating the Australian Labor Party government of Ben Chifley in 1949. Menzies oversaw the post-war expansion and became the country's longest-serving leader. Manufacturing industry, previously playing a minor part in an economy dominated by primary production, greatly expanded. Since the 1970s and the abolition of the White Australia policy from Asia and other parts of the world, Australia's demography, culture and image of itself has been radically transformed. However, despite the abolition of the policy, instances of racism continue.

The ANZUS defence treaty was signed in 1951 with the United States and New Zealand, and Australia committed troops to the Korean War and the Malayan Emergency. Melbourne hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics and joint British-Australia nuclear tests and rocket launches began near Woomera, South Australia. The population reached 10 million in 1959.

Since 1951, Australia has been a formal military ally of the U.S. under the auspices of the ANZUS treaty. The final constitutional ties between Australia and Britain ended in 1986 with the passing of the Australia Act 1986, ending any British role in the Australian States, and ending judicial appeals to the UK Privy Council. Australia remains a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II the Queen of Australia; the 1999 referendum to establish a republic was marginally rejected. Australia's formal links to its British past are increasingly tenuous, although people-to-people and cultural connections between Australia and Britain remain significant. Since the election of the Whitlam Government in 1972, there has been an increasing focus on the nation's future as a part of the so-called "Asia-Pacific" region.

Territories transferred in this period were: Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The Coral Sea Islands Territory was established as a Territory of the Commonwealth under the Coral Sea Islands Act 1969. In 1989 when the Australian Capital Territory achieved self government, Jervis Bay became a separate territory administered by the Ministry of Territory.

Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the first human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands.

A wave of massacres and resistance followed the frontier of European settlement. In 1838, twenty-eight Indigenous people were killed at the Myall Creek massacre. The convict settlers responsible for the massacres were hanged. The Kalkadoon of Queensland resisted the settlers, and there was a massacre of over 200 people on their land at Battle Mountain in 1884. There was a massacre at Coniston in the Northern Territory in 1928. Poisoning of food and water had been recorded as early as the 1840s.

The removal of indigenous children, which the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission argue constituted attempted genocide, had a major impact on the Indigenous population. Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by Keith Windschuttle as being exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons. This debate is part of what is known within Australia as the History Wars.

Indigenous Australians were given the right to vote in Commonwealth elections in Australia in November 1962, and in Western Australian state elections in the same year. Aboriginals in Queensland were given the vote in state elections in 1965. There were never any racial qualifications to vote in the other four states. The 1967 federal referendum allowed the Commonwealth to make laws with respect to Aboriginal people, and for Aboriginal people to be included when the country does a count to determine electoral representation. The referendum passed with a 90.2% majority, the largest affirmative vote in the history of Australia's referendums.

On 13 February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologised to the Aborigines of the stolen generation.

Military

The military history of Australia spans the nation’s 220 year modern history, from the early Australian frontier wars between Aborigines and Europeans to the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although this history is short when compared to that of many other nations, Australia has been involved in numerous conflicts and wars. As a British colony, Australia participated in Britain's small wars of the 19th century, and again in the First World War and Second World War, as well as in the wars in Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam during the Cold War. In total, during the course of these conflicts nearly 103,000 Australians have died. In the Post Vietnam era Australian forces have been involved in numerous international peacekeeping mission, through the United Nations and other agencies, including in the Persian Gulf, Rwanda, Somalia, East Timor and the Solomon Islands, while more recently they have also fought as part of multi-lateral forces in the Iraq and Afghanistan. During these conflicts, Australian soldiers—known colloquially as Diggers—have often been noted, perhaps paradoxically, for both their fighting and their humanitarian qualities.

For most of the last century military service has been one of the single greatest shared experiences of white Australian males, and although now changing, this continues to influence society to this day. As such war and military service have been defining influences in Australian history, while a major part of the national identity has been built on an idealised conception of the Australian experience of war and soldiering. The myth of Anzac involves two enduring aspects of Australian strategic culture: bandwagoning with a powerful ally, and expeditionary warfare. A parallel trend, however, has been strategic complacency and for this reason Australia has often found itself unprepared for major military challenges. Indeed Australian defence policy was closely linked to Britain until the Japanese crisis of 1942, however since then the alliance with the United States has underwritten its security. These strategic behaviours are enduring themes and reflect the circumstances of a middle power geographically removed from the centres of world power. During threats to the core Australia has often found itself on the periphery and perhaps as a result, it has frequently become involved in foreign wars.

Previous Post: India's Independence Day

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

India's Independence Day 2009 (About Independence Day & History) & India's 2010 Independence Day.

India's Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation on that day in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in attendance. The main event takes place in New Delhi, where the Prime Minister hoists the National Flag at the Red Fort and delivers a nationally televised speech from its ramparts. In his speech, he highlights the achievements of his government during the past year, raises important issues and gives a call for further development. The Prime Minister also pays his tribute to leaders of the freedom struggle. A colourful pageant showcasing India’s cultural diversity, symbolic depictions of the country’s advances in science and technology, and a joint display of India’s military capabilities by the armed forces are an essential part of the Independence Day celebrations.

The Republic of India is a country that occupies a greater part of Indian subcontinent. It borders Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, the People's Republic of China, Nepal, and Bhutan in the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east. India's coastline stretches for over seven thousand kilometres. Its neighbours in the Indian Ocean are the island nations of the Maldives in the southwest, Sri Lanka in the south, and Indonesia in the southeast. India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of over one billion and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. It is a constitutional republic consisting of twenty eight states and seven union territories. The word India derives from the Old Persian cognate for the Sanskrit word Sindhu, the Indus river. The Constitution of India also recognizes Bhārat listen (help·info) as an official name with equal status.

A centre of important historic trade routes, India is the home to some of the most ancient civilisations. India is the birthplace to four major world religions: Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism. It also has the third largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia and Pakistan. Hinduism is the major religion followed in India . India was a former colony of the British Empire under the British Raj before gaining independence on 15 August 1947. The country has witnessed significant economic and military growth after the liberalization of the Indian economy. India is also well-known for upholding the concept of peace, as was demonstrated by its peaceful method of freedom struggle.

Prime Minister of India hoists the Indian flag on the ramparts of the this historical site, Red Fort, Delhi, On August 15th. 15th August is a national holiday in India. Government Offices are lit up. Flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programs take place in all the state capitals. In the cities around the country the national flag is hoisted by politicians in their respective constituencies. In various private organisations the flag hoisting is carried out by a senior official of that organisation. Schools and colleges around the country organise flag hoisting ceremonies and various cultural events within their premises, where younger children in costume do impersonations of their favourite characters of the Independence era. Families and friends get together for lunch or dinner, or for an outing. Housing colonies, cultural centres, clubs and societies hold entertainment programmes and competitions, usually based on the Independence Day theme. Most national and regional television channels screen old and new film classis with patriotic themes on Independence Day.

Republic of India History

The History of the Republic of India began on August 15, 1947 when India became an independent Dominion within the British Commonwealth. Concurrently the Muslim-majority northwest and east of British India was separated into the Dominion of Pakistan. Lord Louis Mountbatten, and later Chakravarti Rajagopalachari served in the office of the Governor General of India. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel became the Deputy Prime Minister of India and its Minister of Home Affairs.

Independent India's first years were marked with turbulent events a massive exchange of population with Pakistan, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and the integration of over 500 princely states to form a united nation.

An estimated 3.5 million Hindus and Sikhs living in West Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan, East Bengal and Sind migrated to India in fear of domination and suppression in Muslim Pakistan. Communal violence killed an estimated 1 million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, and gravely destabilized both Dominions along their Punjab and Bengal boundaries, and the cities of Calcutta, Delhi and Lahore. The violence was stopped by early September owing to the cooperative efforts of both Indian and Pakistani leaders, and especially due the efforts of Mohandas Gandhi, the leader of the Indian freedom struggle, who undertook a fast-unto-death in Calcutta and later in Delhi to calm people and emphasize peace despite the threat to his life. Both Governments constructed large relief camps for incoming and leaving refugees, and the Indian Army was mobilized to provide humanitarian assistance on a massive scale. The assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948 was carried out by Nathuram Vinayak Godse, who was affiliated with the Hindu nationalist movement, which held him responsible for partition and charged that Gandhi was appeasing Muslims. More than one million people flooded the streets of Delhi to follow the procession to cremation grounds and pay their last respects.

In 1949, India recorded close to 1 million Hindu refugees flooded into West Bengal and other states from East Pakistan, owing to communal violence, intimidation and repression from Muslim authorities. The plight of the refugees outraged Hindus and Indian nationalists, and the refugee population drained the resources of Indian states, who were unable to absorb them. While not ruling out war, Prime Minister Nehru and Sardar Patel invited Liaquat Ali Khan for talks in Delhi. Although many Indians termed this appeasement, Nehru signed a pact with Liaquat Ali Khan that pledged both nations to the protection of minorities and creation of minority commissions. Although opposed to the principle, Patel decided to back this Pact for the sake of peace, and played a critical role in garnering support from West Bengal and across India, and enforcing the provisions of the Pact. Khan and Nehru also signed a trade agreement, and committed to resolving bilateral disputes through peaceful means. Steadily, hundreds of thousands of Hindus returned to East Pakistan, but the thaw in relations did not last long, primarily owing to the Kashmir dispute.

British India consisted of 17 provinces and 562 princely states. The provinces were given to India or Pakistan, in some cases in particular — Punjab and Bengal — after being partitioned. The princes of the princely states, however, won the right to either remain independent or join either nation. Thus India's leaders faced the prospect of inheriting a nation fragmented between medieval-era kingdoms and provinces organized by colonial powers. Under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the new Government of India employed political negotiations backed with the option (and, on several occasions, the use) of military action to ensure the primacy of the Central government and of the Constitution then being drafted.

There were three States that proved more difficult to integrate than others:

1. Junagadh – a December 1947 plebiscite resulted in a 99% vote[citation needed] to merge with India, annulling the controversial accession to Pakistan, which was made despite the people of the state being overwhelmingly Hindu.
2. Hyderabad – Patel ordered the Indian army to depose the government of the Nizam after the failure of negotiations, which was done between September 13 – September 17, 1948. It was incorporated as a state of India the next year.
3. The area of Kashmir in the far north of the subcontinent quickly became a source of controversy that erupted into the First Indo-Pakistani War which lasted from 1947 to 1949. Eventually a United Nations-overseen ceasefire was agreed that left India in control of two thirds of the contested region.The Controversy arose because Jawaharlal Nehru had agreed to give a plebiscite to the State. But due to Pakistan's forced attempt to integrate Kashmir, it was helped and integrated by India, the plebiscite never being held. The Indian Constitution came into force in Kashmir on January 26, 1957 with special clauses for the state.

Constitution

The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India, drafted by a committee headed by B. R. Ambedkar, on November 26, 1949. India became a federal, democratic republic after its Constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India.

1950s and 1960s

India held its first national elections under the Constitution in 1952, where a turnout of over 60% was recorded. The National Congress Party won an overwhelming majority, and Jawaharlal Nehru began a second term as Prime Minister. President Prasad was also elected to a second term by the electoral college of the first Parliament of India.

Nehru administration (1952–1964)

Prime Minister Nehru led the Congress to major election victories in 1957 and 1962. The Parliament passed extensive reforms that increased the legal rights of women in Hindu society, and further legislated against caste discrimination and untouchability. Nehru advocated a strong initiative to enroll India's children to complete primary education, and thousands of schools, colleges and institutions of advanced learning, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology were founded across the nation. Nehru advocated a socialist model for the economy of India — no taxation for Indian farmers, minimum wage and benefits for blue-collar workers, and the nationalization of heavy industries such as steel, aviation, shipping, electricity and mining. An extensive public works and industrialization campaign resulted in the construction of major dams, irrigation canals, roads, thermal and hydroelectric power stations.

Post-Nehru India

Jawaharlal Nehru died on May 27, 1964. Lal Bahadur Shastri succeeded him as Prime Minister. In 1965 in the Second Kashmir War India and Pakistan again went to war, but without any definitive outcome or alteration of the Kashmir boundary. The Tashkent Agreement was signed under the mediation of the Soviet government, but Shastri died on the night after the signing ceremony. A leadership election resulted in the elevation of Indira Gandhi, Nehru's daughter who had been serving as Minister for Information and Broadcasting, as the third Prime Minister. She defeated right-wing leader Morarji Desai. The Congress Party won a reduced majority in the 1967 elections owing to widespread disenchantment over rising prices of commodities, unemployment, economic stagnation and a food crisis. Indira Gandhi had started on a rocky note after agreeing to a devaluation of the Indian rupee, which created much hardship for Indian businesses and consumers, and the import of wheat from the U.S. fell through due to political disputes.

Morarji Desai entered Gandhi's government as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, and with senior Congress politicians attempted to constrain Gandhi's authority. But following the counsel of her political advisor P. N. Haksar, Gandhi resuscitated her popular appeal by a major shift towards socialist policies. She successfully ended the privy purse guarantee for former Indian royalty, and waged a major offensive against party hierarchy over the nationalization of India's banks. Although resisted by Desai and India's business community, the policy was popular with the masses. When Congress politicians attempted to oust Gandhi by suspending her Congress membership, Gandhi was empowered with a large exodus of MPs to her own Congress (R). The bastion of the freedom struggle, the Indian National Congress had split in 1969. Gandhi continued to govern with a slim majority.

1970s

In 1971, Indira Gandhi and her Congress (R) were returned to power with a massively increased majority. The nationalization of banks was carried out, and many other socialist economic and industrial policies enacted. India intervened in Bangladesh Liberation War a civil war taking place in Pakistan's Bengali half, after millions of refugees had fled the persecution of the Pakistani army. The clash resulted in the independence of East Pakistan, which became known as Bangladesh, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's elevation to immense popularity. Relations with the United States grew strained, and India signed a 20-year treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union - breaking explicitly for the first time from non-alignment. In 1974, India tested its first nuclear weapon in the desert of Rajasthan. Meanwhile, in the Indian protectorate of Sikkim, a referendum was held that resulted in a vote to formally join India and depose the Chogyal. On April 26, 1975, Sikkim formally became India's 21st state.

Indian Emergency

Economic and social problems, as well as allegations of corruption caused increasing political unrest across India, culminating in the Bihar Movement. In 1974, the Allahabad High Court found Indira Gandhi guilty of misusing government machinery for election purposes. Opposition parties conducted nationwide strikes and protests demanding her immediate resignation. Various political parties united under Jaya Prakash Narayan to resist what he termed Mrs. Gandhi's dictatorship. Leading strikes across India that paralyzed its economy and administration, Narayan even called for the Army to oust Mrs. Gandhi. In 1975, Mrs. Gandhi advised President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to declare a state of emergency under the Constitution, which allowed the Central government to assume sweeping powers to defend law and order in the nation. Explaining the breakdown of law and order and threat to national security as her primary reasons, Mrs. Gandhi suspended many civil liberties and postponed elections at national and state levels. Non-Congress governments in Indian states were dismissed, and opposition political leaders and activists imprisoned. Strikes and public protests were outlawed in all forms.

India's economy benefited from an end to paralyzing strikes and political disorder. Indira announced a 20-point programme which enhanced agricultural and industrial production, increasing national growth, productivity and job growth. But many organs of government and many Congress politicians were accused of corruption and authoritarian conduct. Police officers were accused of arresting and torturing innocent people. Indira's son and political advisor, Sanjay Gandhi was accused of committing gross excesses - Sanjay was blamed for the Health Ministry carrying out forced vasectomies of men and sterilization of women as a part of the initiative to control population growth, and for the demolition of slums in Delhi near the Turkmen Gate, which left thousands of people dead and many more displaced.

Into the 21st century

In April 1999, the BJP-led coalition government fell apart, leading to fresh elections in September. In May and June 1999, India discovered an elaborate campaign of terrorist infiltration that resulted in the Kargil War in Kashmir, derailing a promising peace process that had begun only three months earlier when Prime Minister Vajpayee visited Pakistan, inaugurating the Delhi-Lahore bus service. Indian forces killed infiltrators, who included Pakistani soldiers, and reclaimed important border posts in high-altitude warfare. In the same year, India's population exceeded 1 billion.

Soaring on popularity earned following the successful conclusion of the Kargil conflict, the National Democratic Alliance - a new coalition led by the BJP - gained a majority to form a government with Vajpayee as Prime Minister in October 1999. The NDA government's credibility was adversely affected by reports of intelligence failures that led to the Kargil incursions going undetected, as well as allegations that the Defence Minister George Fernandes took bribes over the purchase of coffins for soldiers who died in the battle. The Tehelka scandal exposed the BJP party chief taking unaccounted contributions in return for promised favours, and the CBI chargesheeted senior BJP leaders for inciting the demolition of the Babri mosque. In 2002, tensions increased over the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad threatened to defy the Government, vowing to perform a religious ceremony on the disputed site. 59 Hindu activists died returning from the site when a train carriage took fire a month later, in Godhra, Gujarat. This sparked off the 2002 Gujarat violence, leading to the deaths of thousands of Hindus and Muslims. The BJP-led state government, and its chief minister Narendra Modi were accused of not doing enough to stop Hindu mobs in attacking Muslims.

But throughout 2003, India's speedy economic progress, political stability and a rejuvenated peace initiative with Pakistan increased the Government's popularity. In January 2004 Vajpayee recommended early dissolution of the Lok Sabha and General elections. The Congress Party-led alliance won an upset victory in elections held in May 2004. Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister, after the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the widow of Rajiv Gandhi declined to take the office, in order to defuse the controversy about whether her Italian birth should be considered a disqualification for the Prime Minister's post. The Congress formed a coalition with socialist and regional parties, and enjoys the outside support of India's Communist parties. Manmohan Singh is the first Sikh to date to hold India's most powerful office. Singh has continued economic liberalization, although the need for support from Indian socialists and communists has forestalled further privatization. The 21st century saw India, improve relations, with many countries including the United States, the European Union, and the People's Republic of China. The Economy of India, has accelerated growing at 9% per year. India, is now being looked at as a potential superpower.

Terrorism, has increased in India too. Bomb Blasts in leading cities like, Mumbai, New Delhi, Jaipur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, etc. has been very common.

Previous Post's: Tourist Places in Anantapur

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

Anantapur tourism, Tourist places in Anantapur district (India).

Anantapur, the largest district in the state, spreads over 19,130-sq-kms. It is bounded on north by Kurnool, on the east by Cuddapah and Chittoor and on the south and west by the Karnataka State. The whole district is known for its silk trade in the modern industry. Lepakshi temple is the famous tourist attraction of this district. Anantapur is not only a largest district but also a historical area.

Anantapur offers some vivid glimpses of the prehistoric past. It is generally held that the place got its name from 'Anaatasagaram' , a big tank, which means "Endless Ocean". The villages of Anaantasagaram and Bukkarayasamudram were constructed by Chilkkavodeya, the minister of Bukka-I, a Vijayanagar ruler. Some authorities assert that Anaantasagaram was named after Bukka's queen, while some contend that it must have been known after Anantarasa Chikkavodeya himself, as Bukka had no queen by that name.

Anantapur is familiarly known as "Hande Anantapuram" . ' Hande ' means chief of the Vijayanagar period. Anantapur and a few other places were gifted by the Vijayanagar rulers to Hanumappa Naidu of the Hande family.

The place subsequently came under the Qutub Shahis, Mughals, and the Nawabs of Cuddapah, although the Hande chiefs continued to rule as their subordinates. It was occupied by the Palergar of Bellary during the time of Ramappa but was eventually won back by his son, Siddappa. Morari Rao Ghorpade attacked Anantapur in 1757. Though the army resisted for some time, Siddappa ultimately bought off the enemy for Rs.50,000.

It then came into the possession of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Tipu hanged all the male members of the Siddappa family except Siddappa who escaped from his confinement at Srirangapatnam. After Tipu's death, it was once again taken back by Siddappa. Siddappa submitted himself to Nizam because of the treaty of 1799, who took the total control of the area. He was later pensioned off when British occupied the territory.

Anantapur City is well connected to most major cities in India by the National Highways 7 and 205. Anantapur also has direct train connection to Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Pune, Vishakapatnam, etc. Puttaparthi which is 80 km south of Anantapur is the nearest airport with scheduled air services while Bangalore, 215 km away has an international airport and is well connected to rest of India.

Rayadurgam

Sri Dasabhujaganapati temple is located in Atmakur Street, at the base of the steps leading to the top of Rayadurgam hill. The unique feature of the 10-15' tall idol of Lord Ganapati, carved from a broad single rock, is that the trunk is bent to the right. The temple also goes by the name of /Sidhi Vinayaka's temple. Apart from the ten shoulders of the eiephant God, a woman is seated on His left thigh. Amongst the sixteen forms of Vighneswara the form of Mahaganapati is one. People believe that this idol was carved at the time of construction of the fort. The shrines of Dasabhuja Ganapati and Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy lie side by side in the same precinct and hence the name Dasabhuja Ganapati - Sri Lakshminarasimha Swamy temple. The dark idol, exuding peace, was worshipped as a holy deity by the then rulers - so goes the story.

Googoodu

This village, part of Narpala Mandalam, is 29 Km. Away from Anantapuram, and ensconced in Munchukota hill range, is a symbol of communal harmony. The temples of Kullayaswami and Anjaneya Swami, which rub shoulders as it were, are hailed as symbols of human eminence, riligious brotherhood and communal unity, because Kullayiswami is worshipped with equal fervor by Hindus along with Muslims. Like wise, muslims worship Sri Anjaneyaswami with traditional custom. During the ten-day 'Brahmotsavam' in Googoodu. The entire area reverberates with 'Namaz' of Muslims on one side and chanting of vedic hymn on the other :egend has it that this village was the 'ashram' of the tribal Guha. who belonged to the Ramayana period. It is also believed that Lord Rama and His consort Sita, alsong with Lakshmana, enjoyed the hospitality extended to them in Guha's ashram, that eventually the place acquired the name of Googoodu and that Lord Anjaneya majifested Himself here. A small village. Chandrayunipetam, lies close-by. two brothers, Ramachari and Lakshmanachari, carved a 'pir' (panja, sacred to Muslims) out of different metals, with a view to perpetuating their memory and as a sort of memento of lifetime. But the 'pir' spelt trouble for the brothers and being convinced that it was the cause for all their setbacks, they consigned it to a well with stairs. After passage of time, when a shepherd by name Kondanna descended into the well, it would appear that the 'pir' spoke to him and informed him that if it was installed in Googoodu willage and worshipped, as a presiding daity, it would fulfill the wishes and desires of people of all castes and creeds. The villagers obeyed the disctum and took it out in procession during 'Muharram' and Brahmotsavam' days. Eventually the 'pir' came to be known as 'kullayaiswami' and all rituals were observed by the believers. For 'Muharram' and 'Brahmotsavam' festivals. the RTC runs special buses to Googoodu; not only from important towns in the districts, but also from towns in Kurnool and Cuddapah district, to facilitate ' Darshan' of 'Kullayiswami'.

Bukkapatnam

This headquarters of the mandal derived the name of Bukkapattanam from the village water tank by name Bukkaraya Samudram. The tank has attained fame as the largest one in entire Rayalaseema. it was built by chikka wadiyar who was minister to Bukkarayulu. The latter ruled Vijayanagar empire and its chief source of water is the Chitravati river. As part of Satyasai Water Project, the first bore was laid in Bukkapatnam tank. Many may not know that Bhagawan Sri satyasai Baba studied eighth class from 1941-42 in this village. In memory of Chikka Wadiyar, a temple had been built on a mound in the tank.

Kasapuram

The temple of Nettikanti Anjaneya Swamy, which came into being in Kasapuram village, 5 Km. away from Guntakal, is famous amongst the holy places in Rayalaseems, and has five-century old history behind it. it is said to have been built by Vyasarayalu in 15th Century A.D. Developmental programmes and amenties for devotees are being taken up in a big way, with the donations received from devotees.

Hemavati

The village Hemavati, 33 Km. away from the town of Madakasira flourished as a capital of an empire in 720 A.D. Jain devotees from all over India converge annually on teh Jain temple located in hemavati.

There is a temple complex with an extend of 14 acres in this village. The temple of Lord Sidheswara enjoys a prestigious place because the idol of Lord Siva is not in the form of a 'linga' but it is real physical form. This attracts a large number of devotees not because of that rare feature but also because of its unusual height of 5 feet, not found anywhere eise in India. Another arresting aspect is that the rays of the setting sun touch the face of Lord Siva's idol. In the 'Ghatika Sthanam' (training center) located in the temple precinct, students used to get trained and manifest their erudition in Kanchi Peetham and other places, so reveal the rock inscriptions found in the complex. The 5ft. high and 7ft. long idol of nandeeswara facing Nalandeswara temple exudes sculptural splendor. It is learnt that a few idols belonging to Hemavati Village, were shifted to Madras Museum and Belur temple in Karnataka. Thousands of idols excavated here and displayed in the museum set up by Central Archeological Departement, catch the eye of the visitors.

Penukonda

Penukonda means a big hill. It is located 70-kms from Anantapur on the Kurnool-Bangalore road. The town is most picturesquely situated at the foot of a fortified hill and connected with it at both the ends runs a semi circular line of fortifications. This town has become famous, as Penukonda fort is situated here, which is one of the major tourist attractions of Andhra Pradesh. Penukonda was the second capital to the Vijayanagar kings and was called as "Ghanagiri" or "Ghanadri". The numerous inscriptions at the place states that king-Bukka I of Vijayanagar entrusted the province of Penukonda to his son Vira Virupanna Udaiyar in whose time the Penukonda Fort was built. The name of the Penukonda fort is mentioned as Ghangari in inscriptions. The structure of the fort shows the splendid sculptural beauty and skilled workmanship of ancient times. According to the history, the Penukonda fort was the capital of Vijayanagara Empire for a short period and it is most inaccessible to the enemies. An inscription at Kallodi in Mysore reveals that Bukkaraya had a channel dug in order to bring water from the Penneru to this town, which would appear to be originally the summer resort of Vijayanagar Kings of the second dynasty, which is called "Gagana Mahal".

The Gagan Mahal witnesses the majesty and aristocracy of Royal times and it was built in 1575 AD. Gagan Mahal has a basement in Hindu style but a ground floor of intricate Islamic details with later additions. Continuing the Vijayanagar traditions, the palace is similar to several structures at Hampi, with Islamic style arches, vaults and plaster decoration combined with temple like elements.

Another important sight is "Babayya Darga" which is the symbol of communal harmony between Hindu and Muslims. It is traditionally believed that there were 365 temples at the place, one perhaps meant for worship each day of the year. Of these temples Lord Yoga 'Narasimhaswamy', Lord 'Kashi Vishwanatha' and Lord 'Yogarama' temples are important ones. Most of these seem to have destroyed. The numerous ruins and fragments of carved stones, which lie scattered both on the hill and the plain recall the past glory of the place.

One can find a huge idol of Lord Hanuman, which is about 11 feet high, at the 'Yerramanchi' gate, the main entrance of the fort. The most important mosque is the 'Sher Khan Mosque', which has on the pavement of its courtyard a Telugu inscription of 'Sadashiva', dated 1564. There is another mosque in the fort at the entrance to which is a large porch in Hindu style.

Konakondla

It is an ancient Jain pilgrimage centre, located 6 Km. Sounth of Guntakal railway station. The Jambu Dweepachakram - a relic of Jain culture and a jewel in the crown of Anantapuram district - is carved on a large rock here, but it remained undiscovered for a long time. Sri R.V. Chakravarti, who worked as a headmaster here in 1966, recognised the wheel (chakram) as Jambu Dweepachakram for the first time and gave it international publicity. There is a reference to it in the book 'Jain Cosmology penned by Kolitti Kailat, who works in New Soobonne Univesity. Konakondla village lies enveloped by glorious Nature amidst Cumbum Narasimhaswamy konds. Rasa Siddula gutta and Karibasappa Gutta. The figure of Konda Kundachartya, poised on a lotus. is sculpted on a rock behind Tirthankaralayam, lying atop Rasasidhula gutta. Nearly one can find the Jambu dweepa chakram, sculpted in a curcular form, on another rock. The life of Konda Kundacharya forms an important phase in the history of Jain religion of the south. Konakonda is identified by the people as Kondakunda Konda Kundacharya was also known as Yelacharya. historieans had confirmed that "Tirukkural", considered as sacred scripture as Vedas by the Tamilians, was written by Konda Kundacharya. it is also believed that the tradition of initiating the kids into education with writing and chanting "Oum Namah Sivaya, Sidham Namah" was conveived by that Acharya alone. They say that he lived for 85 years and passed asay in 44 A.D. It would appear that the "Bharat Varsheeya Digambara Kshetra Committe" of Mumbai has resolved to transform Konakondla into a tourist centre of intenational importance.

Gooty

The ancient Gooty fort has acquired historical prominence. It lies on the Anantapuram-Hyderabad highway, at a distance of 50Km. from Anantapuram. It is believed that it was built by Maratha Chieftain Murari Rao. Its existance spans the period from emperor Asoka to the British rule. The 303 metre high fort was built from the material of the mounds surrounding it on three sides. Its walls are 5 metres high and 2.5 metres wide and it had been built in the shape of a conch in an area with an extent of 25 acres. Its impregnability has been ensured with strong stone walls and circular ramparts. To reach the top part of the fort, one has to pass through fifteen main doors. Horse stables, elephant sheds and gymnasiums and palaces adorn that part of the fort. Water facilities are also provided here and there. From the rock incscription of emperor Asoka at Yeragudi, 10 Km away from Gooty, it can be inferred that the fort was built before 3rd Centure A.D. Some believe that the fort and acquired the name of Gooty from the cluster (Gutti) of mounds which lay around. A choultry built by Munro is also nearby. Recently the Central government allocated funds for repairs and renovation of the fort.

Kalyanadurgam

This lies 56 Km. west of Anantapuram. This historical fort's name Kalyanadurgam had been derived from Kalyanappa Naidu who built a fort in the 18th Century and ruled the area for sometime. Kothi konda, Voora Konda, Akkamma konda and Pakkiruswami konda encircle the fort. The very ancient temple of Seetharamappa, lying inside the fort, had been built during the regime of Vijayanagara rulers. Near by is Puttusila Pattabhirama timeple. Quite close to it is Bhavani Sankara temple. Temples worth - seeing outside the fort are of Sri Subrahmanyeswara Devalayam, Choudeswari, Akkamma, Lord Siva, Sri Kanyaka Parameswari and Shirdi Saibaba.

Lepakshi

This is the headquarters of Lepakshi revenue mandal, 14 Km. away from Hindupuram and has gained fame as one of the famous fourist centres of Andra Pradesh. Veerabhadra temple and the huge rock idol of Nandi (the celestial bull) near by are quite renowned. The architectural and sculptural skills reflected by the temples are equally famous. Veerabhadra temple built by the Vijayanagara rulers is a sculptural treasure indeed. the colours of the temple walls have not faded even after 400 years. the idol of Nandi, carved from a single rock is 20 ft. high and 30 ft. long and is considered to be the largest in India. The picture of Lord Veerabhadra, reckoned the largest in the world pictures of event relating to Rajarshis and Brahmarshis (sages) are painted on the walls of the temple. Some of them date back to the 16th entury. The holy scripture "Skanda Purana" carries a story that Lepakshi 'Kshetra' wipes out one's sins and that it is one of the 108 Siva Kshetram that removes the layer of ignorance convering our eyes and besotows on us the 'gnana drishti' (sight of wisdom). Because 'Jatayuvu' (the great eagle) mentioned in "Ramayanam' breathed his last here and became 'laya pakshi' (the bird that became extinct) the place became 'Laya Pakshi', and later came to be known as lepakshi. That is the popular belief. The apex of the temple looks as if it is dangling in the air. A piece of cloth can be drawn from one end to the other at its base.

Kadiri

The construction of the temple of Narasimha Swamy is known to have been commenced during the regime of Paschima Chalukyas and completed in the time of Vijayanagar rulers. The sculptural beauty of the ornamented hall (ranga mantapam), the marriage hall and the canopies add to the decorative appeal of the temple.

Anantapuram (Anantapur)

In the haart of the town of Anantapuram is located Padvasri Kalluri Subbarao Archaelogical museum. Several exhibits of the museum hold the mirror to the transition and progress of human civilisation and culture from 2000 BC to the present day. Stone weapons, axes and battle-axes belonging to the ancient stone age, instruments and tools belonging to bygone eras, coins belonging to various royal families and idols are the exhibits of this museum which draw crowds. Pint0sized idols of the Teerthankaras who belonged to the 11th and 12th centuries are also objects of interest. Aretistic wooden sculpture of the 16th and 17th centuries and several weapons belonging to the 18th and 19th centuries adore the museum that is worth-seeing.

Katarupalli

This is the place where yogi Vemana was buried. His tomb at this village, very near to Kadiri, is worth-Visiting as Vemana was not only a yogi (ascetic) but also a popular poet, and his is qwuite a familiar name in Andhra Pradesh.

Gooty Bayalu

This village lies 24 Km. off Kadiri. The branches of the Timmamma Marri Maanu (banyan tree) here spread over an area of six-and-a-half acres. One housewife by name Timmamma Committed 'Sutee' ior concremation at the place where the banyan tree grew and hence the name of Timmamma Marrimanu for the village. It gained a place in the Guinnes Book of Records as the biggest one is Asia. Hence tourists from far and near make it a point to have a look at it.

Alooru Kona

This village is at a distance of 5 Km. from Tadipatri Twon. It is said that Yerramraju, the chief representative of King Bukkaraya, Built Ranganathaswami temple, in 1334 A.D., Atop a hill. One can find a small water falls in an area in the valley, where water is ever-present. The vlley with its natural beauty attracts toursts. Apart from that, thousands of tourists and devotees visit it throughout the year. "Brahmotsavam" of Lord Ranganathaswami is celebrated on Chaitra Sudha Paurnami Day.

Penna Ahobilam

This holy place, Where the famous Sri Lakshmminarasimha Swamy temple is situated is 36Km. From Anantapuram.What are claimed to be footprints of the lord,measuring 5*3ft. are carved on a rock. One finds here more of the jain tradition.

Tadipatri

The sculptural treasure that is the temple of chintarayala Swamy in Tadipatri is really a feast for the eyes. Buggarama lingeswara Swamy temple abuts the bank of the penna river, Where the idol(lingam) is claimed to be self-existent (Swayambhu Lingam).The speciality of the temple is that water streams out,like a spring,from beneath the idol in the sanctum sanctorum. People believe the ruler Proudha Devarayalu undertookthe construction of thease temples.

Puttaparti

This is the abode of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and it lies on the bank of the river Chitravati, at a distance of 90Km. from anantapuram and 20Km. from penugonda. He is comsidered the incarnation of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba and thousands of devotees and tourists from the four corners of the world visit Puttaparti just to have his 'darshan'. Places of importance here are Prashanti Nilayam, Purnachandra auditorium, Planetarium, Superspeciality hospital,museum and Satya Sai Deemed University. The Deemed University was established 17 years ago, to disseminate knowledge to many and with the commendable onjective of providing education to one and all, transcending the barriers of caste,religion and region. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher leaning,which is a part of it,seeks to mould every child as the darling of the goddess of learning and has many successes behind it. The education imparted in this institute covers a wide range from the kindergarten stage to the postgraduate stage,including medicine. The Satya Sai colleges established in prasanti Nilayam,and Whitefield and Anantapuram are seats of idealistic learning. This Deemed University Was accepted as a regular member of Association of indian Unicersities in 1986. Boys are admitted into the colleges at prashanti Nilayam and Whitefield while girls join the college at anantapuram,to pursure higher studies .this admission is done on the basis of talent and merit of the student,irrespective of his/her religion,caste and region and their parents income and also, with a view to inculcating the concept of national integration in them. Games and yoga, practised in those institutes tend to improve the health of the seekers of knowledge.they need not pay fees at any stage and social service is a part of their curriculum. Students who join these colleges complete their educational courses in 5 years,and acquire B.A, B.COM, B.SC, M.COM, degrees. many do Ph.d. course too and all facilities of reseach are made available to them. Sri Satya Sai Centre for Computer Science was established in Prashanti Nilayam in 1985. The complex of various other schools and colleges is called Vidyagiri.

In order to quenchthe thirst of the villages in the district, Bhagawan Satya Sai Baba conceived a scheme for supply of drinking water at a cost of crores of rupees. Under this, schemes have been established for 22 community protected water supply plans and 278 independent protected water supply plans. These plans cover 34 mandals in the district and are extended to villages which have flouride-free water. 3 lankhs of residents of 301 villages are the beneficiaries of his laudable plan. The panchayats of the respective villages are entrusted with its implementation. For implementation of these shcemes, pipelines measuring hundres of kilometres have been laid. The Board of Satya Sai Water Supply Plan, established by the State Governemnt, is vested with authority to oversee everything.

Pamidi

Pamidi, the mandal headqwuarters in Anantapuram Division has acquired distinction as second Mumbai in production of readymade garments. 50% of the local population rely for their livelihood on the trade of readymade garment.

Sanjeevapuram

Kati Koteswara Kshetram, located near this village, a part of Battalapalli mandal, is quite famous because devotees believe that Kati Koteswarudu, the local deity, is a striking image of Lord Siva. Rock incriptions reveal that the temple of Koteswara was built nearly 400 years ago.

Peddavaduguru

Panchaloha vigtrahas (idols created from five metals) are being produced, for the last 30 years, in the headquarters of Peddavaduguru mandal in Anantapuram revenue division. The idols are made from the five metals of copper, brass, bronze, silver and gold and hence the name. Their weight ranges from one Kg.to 30 Kgs, and thye idols are very much in demand not only in our state but also in the states of Kaharashtra, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. in 1997 a silver idol of Vinayaka was made in Guntakal and therefore likely to find a place in the guinness Book of Records..

Dharmavaram

It is famous for silk sarees and has a great past. There is historical evidence to prove that it was ruled by Bijayanagar Vidya kings for nearly 500 years from 1075 Satavahana Saka. Dharmavaram tank is one of the large tanks in Anantapur district. Sri Kriyasakhti Wadiyar, who constructed the tank, built a village in memory of his late mother Dharmamba and named it Dharmavaram.

Thousands of families depend on the silk industry, for which Dharmavaram attained fame. there are more than a thousand shops in the town, which sell silk sarees. nearly 30 silk cooperative societies help those enganged in the trade. This silk-were is exported to Germany, France and other countries abroad. Only in Dharmavaram exists a Silk Exchange. Many freedom-fighters belong to this place.

One can reach Dharmavaram by rail or by bus and even by plane, for which transport exist all faciliteis. Because one can travel to Tirupati by Metre Gauge trains and to Mumbai. Delhi and Chennai by Broad Guage Trains, it has become an important railway junction. When the Dharmavaram-Pakala MG line is tranformed into BG line, 80 trains can easily be run to the North and the South, whereby Dharmavaram can be come a great railway junction. Efforts are on to lay a rail line to Puttaparti (This has now become a reality).

Previous Post's: SASTRA University

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

SASTRA University, Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy.

Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) is a university in the town of Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It offers a wide range of courses, undergraduate and postgraduate engineering courses being the primary ones.

It started in 1984 in the form of Shanmugha College of Engineering, since renamed as the Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy. It offers undergraduate and post graduate courses in Engineering, Science, Education, Management and Arts, including some Doctoral programmes.

The campus occupies a built up area of over 1.2 million square feet (1,15,000 m²), and houses a population of over 9,000 students.

The institute has 7 boys' hostels and 4 girls' hostels providing so so accommodation to over 5000 boys and 3000 girls. A new hostel has been constructed for accommodating more on the campus. Also,the wi-fi range is being increased to the whole campus. The wi-fi facility has been extended to cover 7-Cube wadio (wireless radio).The streaming of live matches is quite a relief to the sport fans.

The institute has a separate internet center and multimedia area and also has mini-departmental stores inside every hostel. There are also facilities for sports and body building. The academy possesses a HP RP8400 super computer for advanced computing facilities, and plans to establish a NANO park in its campus with an investment of 20 crores.

Admissions into this esteemed university is only through Merit and is very transparent. The counseling is usually done during the period of June-July months after the Plus-2 exams are over for all the students of various Boards.

Schools in SASTRA are:

* School of Computing
* School of Management
* School of Civil Engineering
* School of Humanities & Sciences
* School of Mechanical Engineering
* School of Chemical & Biotechnology
* School of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
* Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials (CeNTAB)
* Centre for Advanced Research in Indian System of Medicine (CARISM)
* Directorate of Distance Education - SASTRA

Additionally, it has have received approval from the Bar Council of India to teach Law.

The university has been recognized as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India. It was ranked 10th among all Private engineering colleges in INDIA, and 36th among all engineering colleges (private and public) in the country by OUTLOOK 2008. Although its always better not to go by rankings as there is always a chance of manipulation and influence.Its 'School Of Chemical and Biotechnology' was ranked 1st among all private institutions in the country, and 2nd (overall) in india.

In February-March 2007, the college hosted the first edition of its inter-college national-level Technical Festival Daksh and also the inter-college cultural Kuruksastra. In February-March 2008, they hosted the second edition of Daksh and Kuruksastra.

In February 2009 the third edition of the technical fest DAKSH took place. It had a great environment lasting 3 days although it lacked the enthusiasm and number of national, leave alone the international participants for its various events. After the failure of DAKSH very high hopes were pinned on KURUKSASTRA[the cultural event] but disappointment never stays behind, it caught up with us once again. Although the performance of some colleges were appreciable but it lacked the energy. The PRONITE was the the most appreciated event among the other events. It had a large number of fans gathered to view the performance of Benny Dayal and Naresh Iyer much to the relief of south folks.

The University has various clubs, stretching from environmental ones to technical ones. The club GLOSS is sponsored by Sun Microsystems, while the club "Icon" deals with soft skills. The "iClub", which has been recently introduced, provides seminars and interactive sessions on popular subjects.

Previous Post's: Ram Gopal Varma

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

Ram Gopal Varma, the unique film director

Ram Gopal Varma (born April 7, 1962) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer. Varma has directed, written and produced films across multiple genres psychological thrillers, underworld gang warfare, politician-criminal nexus, and musicals and in multiple languages Telugu and Hindi.

Shiva (1989) was his first film as director and Phoonk (2008) is his most recent one. He gained recognition in Hindi cinema, also known as "Bollywood", with Rangeela (1995). The next film he directed was Satya (1998), which won six Filmfare Awards, including the Critics Award for Best Film. Satya, together with his 2002 film Company (which he directed and which won seven Filmfare Awards) and 2005 film D (which he produced), form an "Indian Gangster Trilogy", comparable to the Godfather Trilogy or Infernal Affairs trilogy. Other successful films Varma directed include Kshana Kshanam (1991), Kaun (1999), Jungle (2000), Bhoot (2003), Sarkar (2005) and Sarkar Raj (2008).

Ram Gopal Varma Penmetsa was born in Hyderabad to Krishnam Raju Penmetsa and Suryamma. Varma was not a good student in school and use to skip classes regularly, something that strained his relationship with his family, particularly his father.

In an interview to Tehelka, Varma talked about that phase of his life, his relationship with his parents, and the reasons behind his decision to become a filmmaker-

“

"From my parents’ perspective, I looked like a useless bum. It was the truth. I had no objective. I was just fascinated by people, so I used to study their behaviour. I was most fascinated by the bullies in my classroom. They were like gangsters for me. They had the guts to push around people, do things I couldn’t perhaps did not even want to do myself. But I’d want a friend like that (laughs). I used to adulate them like heroes. That was my first touch with anti-socialism. Over a period of time, I developed a low-angle fascination for larger than life people. I was always a loner not because I was unhappy, but because I live away from myself, not just others. I like to study myself — the way I am talking, behaving. My constant obsession with studying myself and other people is perhaps the primary motivation for me to be a filmmaker."

”

“

"From my parents’ perspective, I looked like a useless bum. It was the truth. I had no objective. I was just fascinated by people, so I used to study their behaviour. I was most fascinated by the bullies in my classroom. They were like gangsters for me. They had the guts to push around people, do things I couldn’t perhaps did not even want to do myself. But I’d want a friend like that (laughs). I used to adulate them like heroes. That was my first touch with anti-socialism. Over a period of time, I developed a low-angle fascination for larger than life people. I was always a loner not because I was unhappy, but because I live away from myself, not just others. I like to study myself the way I am talking, behaving. My constant obsession with studying myself and other people is perhaps the primary motivation for me to be a filmmaker."

”

Varma is a civil engineer by profession and graduated from the V.R.Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada. Even during this period, Varma remained a film buff. He would skip classes often and go and watch films instead - 8-10 films a week. He would watch the same film repeatedly "just to watch certain scenes which interested him." According to him, that is how he learned film direction..

After graduation, Varma tried entering the film industry, but couldn't manage it. He then put his dreams on the backburner and decided to go to Nigeria to make some money. It was at this moment that he visited a video rental library in Hyderabad. He loved the idea and decided to start one of his own, all because of his craze for films.

Career in Telugu cinema

Varma started his film career in the Telugu film industry as assistant director for the films Raogaarillu and Collectorgari Abbai. His father was a sound recordist at Annapurna Studios, Hyderabad which is owned by Akkineni Nagarjuna. Varma managed to meet Nagarjuna on the sets of a film and narrated a scene to the actor which impressed him so much that Varma's dream of becoming a director came true. The result of their collaboration was a film on the criminalization of student politics - Shiva. The film was a blockbuster with Varma demonstrating his technical expertise and story-telling skills. The success of the film in Telugu led to a Hindi remake with similar success.

Varma's next film was Kshana Kshanam, another Telugu blockbuster which got him noticed by Bollywood critics. The film was also redubbed in Bollywood as Hairaan. Then came a lean patch with films such as Raatri / Raat and Antham / Drohi. WhileGaayam was a moderate success, Govinda Govinda was not so much. During this period, Varma also produced films such as Money and Money Money, and wrote the script for the Mani Rathnam film Thiruda Thiruda.

Varma then moved to Bollywood and started his own production company, Varma Corporation Limited (which later became the Factory), to produce and direct Hindi films, while continuing to direct (Anaganaga Oka Roju, Deyyam and Prema Katha) and produce (Gulabi and W/O V.Varaprasad) the occasional Telugu film.

Career in Hindi cinema

While Varma's first successful Hindi film was the remake of Shiva, the film that really put the spotlights on him was the blockbuster Rangeela. With great acting from the lead trio of Aamir Khan, Jackie Shroff and Urmila Matondkar, a fantastic soundtrack by composer A. R. Rahman (this being his first original score for a Hindi film), and with Varma at the helm, it was no surprise that this romantic musical drama was a runaway success. The film won Filmfare Awards for Rahman and Shroff. The film, according to Varma, was dedicated to Bollywood actress Sridevi. His next film Daud (1997), however, was a failure and sank without a trace.

In 1998, Varma was an executive producer for Dil Se, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta. The film won the NETPAC Award for Special Mention at the Berlin Film Festival, as well as two National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards.

In 1998 came his masterpiece, the critically acclaimed Satya, a film based on the Mumbai underworld. A script written by Anurag Kashyap and Saurabh Shukla, music by Vishal Bharadwaj and Sandeep Chowta, acclaimed performances by Manoj Bajpai and Urmila Matondkar, and Varma's directorial and technical brilliance, contributed to a film that was a landmark. The film won six Filmfare Awards, including the Critics Award for Best Film.

In 2002 came his greatest commercial as well as critical success, Company, again set against the backdrop of the Mumbai underworld, in which he cut out song-and-dance sequences commonplace in Bollywood films at the time. It was based on the real-life underworld organization, the D-Company. The film won seven Filmfare Awards and earned him a Filmfare Best Director Award nomination.

A prequel to Company was made in 2005, entitled D, produced by Varma and directed by Vishram Sawant. Varma's three films Satya, Company and D are together considered an "Indian Gangster Trilogy", comparable to the Godfather Trilogy or Infernal Affairs trilogy.

Satya and Company in particular were cited by British director Danny Boyle as influences on his Academy Award winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), for their "slick, often mesmerizing portrayals of the Mumbai underworld", their display of "brutality and urban violence", and their gritty realism.

Experimental films

During the years between his "Indian Gangster Trilogy", from Satya in 1998 to D in 2005, Varma experimented with several different film genres in the intervening years. In 1999, he directed Kaun, a suspense thriller set entirely in one house and featuring only three actors, and Mast, a subversion of the Bollywood masala musical film genre. In 2000, he directed Jungle, a film set entirely in a jungle, for which he was nominated for the Star Screen Award for Best Director.

Following the success of Company in 2002, Varma's next film as director was Bhoot (2003), a psychological horror film, which was a major success. It starred Ajay Devgan and Urmila Matondkar, who earned a number of awards for her performance. Varma himself was nominated for the Filmfare Best Director Award for the film.

Following the success of Bhoot, Varma was a producer for two other experimental films: Sriram Raghavan's Ek Hasina Thi (2003), a psychological thriller, and Shimit Amin's Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), a film about an inspector in the Mumbai Encounter Squad famous for having killed 56 people in police encounters. In 2005, Varma was nominated for the Zee Cine Award for Best Producer of the Year.

Varma, along with the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deshmukh's son Ritesh Deshmukh visited the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel soon after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. This invited a lot of criticism that the Taj was no more a place for VIP visits. The protestors suspected that Varma wanted to make a film on this, as he has created several real-life based thriller movies. Despite these claims Varma has alleged that he was not at the hotel just after the attacks. He stated that this rumour may have come from the fact that he was in a meeting with Deshmukh's son, Ritiesh, just before the attacks.

Previous Post's: Cisco Systems

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO, SEHK: 4333) is a multinational corporation with more than 66,000 employees and annual revenue of US$39 billion as of 2008. Headquartered in San Jose, California, it designs and sells networking and communications technology services.

Cisco's stock was added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average on June 8, 2009. It replaced General Motors which had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner, a married couple who worked as computer staff at Stanford University, later joined by Richard Troiano, founded Cisco Systems in 1984. Lerner moved on to direct computer services at Schlumberger, moving full time to Cisco in 1987. The name "Cisco" was derived from the city name, San Francisco, which is why the company's engineers insisted on using the lower case 'cisco' in the early days. For Cisco's first product, Bosack adapted multiple-protocol router software originally written some years before by William Yeager, another Stanford employee who later joined Sun Microsystems.

While Cisco was not the first company to develop and sell a router, it was one of the first to sell commercially successful routers supporting multiple network protocols. As the Internet Protocol (IP) became widely adopted, the importance of multi-protocol routing declined. Today, Cisco's largest routers are primarily used to deliver IP packets and MPLS frames.

In 1990, the company was listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Lerner was fired; as a result Bosack quit after receiving $200 million. Most of those profits were given to charities and the two later divorced.

Cisco acquired a variety of companies to bring in products and talent into the company. Several acquisitions, such as Stratacom, were the biggest deals in the industry when they occurred. During the Internet boom in 1999, the company acquired Cerent Corp., a start-up company located in Petaluma, California, for about US$7 billion. It was the most expensive acquisition made by Cisco to date, and only the acquisition of Scientific-Atlanta has been larger. Although not every acquisition is successful, Cisco has succeeded more frequently than its competitors in integrating and growing the revenue of its acquisitions. Several acquired companies have grown into $1Bn+ business units for Cisco, including LAN switching, Enterprise VOIP, and home networking.

In late March 2000, at the height of the dot-com boom, Cisco was the most valuable company in the world, with a market capitalization of more than US$500 billion. In July 2009, with a market cap of about US$108.03 billion, it is still one of the most valuable companies. CSCO was voted stock of the decade on NASDAQ. The company's 7500 Series router was voted 3rd in the product of the decade 1990-2000 behind the Mosaic web browser and the Novell LAN manager.

Cisco has made inroads into many network equipment markets outside routing, including Ethernet switching, remote access, branch office routers, ATM networking, security, IP telephony, and others. In 2003, Cisco acquired Linksys, a popular manufacturer of computer networking hardware and positioned it as a leading brand for the home and end user networking market (SOHO).

The company's first two CEOs are John Morgridge and John Chambers (active). The Corporate Headquarters is on East Tasman Drive in San Jose, California, between Zanker Road and Cisco Way.

The company was a 2002-03 recipient of the Ron Brown Award.

Cisco's vision is "Changing the Way We Work, Live, Play and Learn." Cisco's current tagline is "Welcome to the human network."

Cisco became a major provider of Voice over IP to enterprises, and is now moving into the home user market through its acquisitions of Scientific Atlanta and Linksys. Scientific Atlanta provides VoIP equipment to cable service providers such as Time Warner, Cablevision, Rogers Communications, UPC, and others; Linksys has partnered with companies such as Skype and Yahoo to integrate consumer VoIP services with wireless and cordless phones.

Cisco Career Certifications

Cisco Career Certifications are IT professional certifications for Cisco products. The tests are administered by Pearson VUE. There are five levels of certification: Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert, and Specialist.

The CCNA validates the ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot enterprise level router and switched networks. This includes design implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN. New CCNA training includes basic mitigation of security threats, introduction to wireless networking and Voice.

Expert-level certifications

The expert-level certification is the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE). It is the highest level of professional certification that Cisco provides. There are five active CCIE tracks, as shown below. As of June 26, 2009 there are 20,003 people with active CCIE certifications in the world..

Cisco began its CCIE program in 1993 originally with a two day lab, later changing it to the one day format used today. Fewer than 3% of Cisco certified individuals attain CCIE certification, and on average will spend thousands of dollars and 18 months studying before passing. Many candidates build mock-labs at home using old Cisco equipment, selling it again to other candidates after passing. Alternatively candidates may rent "rack time" online and practice lab scenarios on Cisco equipment hosted on the Internet for that purpose.

Cisco refers to the CCIE as the "most respected IT certification", and from 2002 to 2005 it was voted as such in CertCities magazine. It has also been voted the most technically advanced IT certification by CertMag, and is generally reported as the highest salaried certification in IT salary surveys.

The CCIE is comprised of a written exam and a "lab" exam (each in the specific area of the chosen track). The written exam is required to take the lab exam, and has a cost of $350 USD per attempt. Upon passing the written exam, the candidate has eighteen months to take the lab exam. If the first attempt is unsuccessful the candidate has three years from the date the written exam was passed to successfully complete the lab. If a candidate does not pass the CCIE lab in that time, they must pass the CCIE written exam again before making additional attempts at the CCIE lab exam. As many attempts can be made to pass the lab exam for up to three years after passing the written, so long as the first attempt is within 18 months. There is a minimum waiting time between attempts of one month.

The CCIE Lab is currently $1,400 USD per attempt and are offered only at ten Cisco lab exam locations worldwide. The locations are Bangalore; Beijing; Brussels; Dubai; Hong Kong; Research Triangle Park, NC; San Jose, CA; São Paulo; Sydney; and Tokyo. Some CCIE tracks do not have lab exams available at all locations. For example, the Storage Networking lab is available only at the Research Triangle Park, NC and Brussels locations. In addition, according to a survey by Cisco the average cost to prepare for CCIE certification is $9,050 as of April 2006, spent mostly on practice equipment and self study material. This is partially offset by the increased salary the certification commands, which a March 2007 Network World article estimates at 10% - 15% over similarly experienced engineers who do not have a CCIE.

The lab is an eight hour hands-on exam designed to demonstrate that the candidate not only knows the theory, but is also able to practice it. Many prospective CCIEs need multiple attempts to pass the lab exam.

There are no formal prerequisites for the CCIE exam, but Cisco recommends one has at least 3–5 years experience in networking before attempting to become a CCIE. CCIE was the first Cisco Certified qualification, and as such there were no other certifications that could be taken prior. The development of the associate and professional certifications was due to recognition of the fact that a CCIE is overkill for many networking personnel, and also for the vast majority of businesses who employ such people, and that certifications needed to be offered at lower levels. Despite the development of the lower certifications, Cisco has chosen not to make them formal requirements for the CCIE certification.

It is possible to hold multiple CCIE certifications. This is done by passing both the written and the lab exam in a particular track. As of September 9, 2008, there are 1,729 individuals who hold multiple CCIE certifications. Of those, 274 hold three or more CCIE certifications.

Previous Post's: Raksha Bandhan

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi, Punjabi, Assamese) is a Hindu festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. It is celebrated on the full moon of the month of Shraavana (Shravan Poornima).

The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread by the sister on the wrist of her brother. The elder brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her while an elder sister returns offers to her younger brother. The brother and sister traditionally feed each other sweets. It is not necessary that the rakhi can be given only to a brother by birth; any male can be "adopted" as a brother by tying a rakhi on the person, that is "blood brothers and sisters", whether they are cousins or a good friend. Indian history is replete with women asking for protection, through rakhi, from men who were neither their brothers, nor Hindus themselves. In 16th century, Rani Karnavati of Chittor sent a rakhi to the Mughal Emperor Humayun when she was threatened by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. Humayun abandoned an ongoing military campaign to ride to her rescue.

The rakhi may also be tied on other special occasions to show solidarity and kinship (not necessarily only among brothers and sisters), as was done during the Indian independence movement.

The origin of the festival is mostly attributed to one of the following mythological incidents:

1. Indra's fight with Vritra - Indra, the king of devtas (gods), had lost his kingdom to the asura (demon) Vritra. At the behest of his Guru Brihaspati, Indra's wife Shachi tied a thread around her husband's wrist to ensure his victory in the upcoming duel.

2. Draupadi and Krishna during the Rajsuya yagya - After Shishupal's death, Krishna was left with a bleeding finger. Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, had torn a strip of silk off her sari and tied it around Krishna's wrist to stop the flow of blood. Touched by her concern, Krishna had declared himself bound to her by her love. He further promised to repay the debt many fold. Many years later when Draupudi was about to be shamed by being disrobed in front of the whole court by her evil brother-in-law Duryodhana, she called on Krishna to help her, and he did by divinely elongating her sari so it could not be removed.

Other significant myths, revolving this sacred festivial, have been passed down for generations in families across India.

While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated all over the country, different parts of the country mark the day in different ways. These celebrations happen to fall on the same day, and may not have anything to do with Raksha Bandhan itself or Rakhi.

Perhaps the single most important way of celebrating Raksha Bandhan is by tying the rakhi. A sister ties a rakhi to the wrist of her brother. The tying of a rakhi signifies her asking of her brother for his protection and love for the sister and repay her with a small gift. The brother in turn, accepts the rakhi, confirms his love and affection for his sister. It is a family event where all members of family, dressed in finery, gather and celebrate. The tying of rakhi is followed by a family feast.

On this day the sisters also tie a 'loomba' to the bangle of their brother's wife. A loomba is a loop of string with a charm or some other item attached to the loop of string. This charm or item then dangles from the bangle. The sisters then receive money from their sister's in law.

Rakhi is celebrated as Rakhi Purnima in North India as well as in parts of Northwest India. The word "Purnima" means a full moon night.it is also called as rakshabhandan.

In southern & Central parts of India including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Orissa, this day (i.e. Shravan Poornima day), is when the Brahmin community performs the rituals of Avani Avittam. This has nothing to do with Raksha Bandhan, except that both fall on the Shravan Poornima day.

Previous Post's: Photon (science category)

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

Photon

In physics, a photon is an elementary particle, the quantum of the electromagnetic field and the basic "unit" of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It is also the force carrier for the electromagnetic force. The effects of this force are easily observable at both the microscopic and macroscopic level, because the photon has no rest mass; this allows for interactions at long distances. Like all elementary particles, photons are governed by quantum mechanics and will exhibit wave-particle duality – they exhibit properties of both waves and particles. For example, a single photon may be refracted by a lens or exhibit wave interference, but also act as a particle giving a definite result when its location is measured.

The modern concept of the photon was developed gradually by Albert Einstein to explain experimental observations that did not fit the classical wave model of light. In particular, the photon model accounted for the frequency dependence of light's energy, and explained the ability of matter and radiation to be in thermal equilibrium. It also accounted for anomalous observations, including the properties of black body radiation, that other physicists, most notably Max Planck, had sought to explain using semiclassical models, in which light is still described by Maxwell's equations, but the material objects that emit and absorb light are quantized. Although these semiclassical models contributed to the development of quantum mechanics, further experiments proved Einstein's hypothesis that light itself is quantized; the quanta of light are photons.

In the modern Standard Model of particle physics, photons are described as a necessary consequence of physical laws having a certain symmetry at every point in spacetime. The intrinsic properties of photons, such as charge, mass and spin, are determined by the properties of this gauge symmetry.

The photon concept has led to momentous advances in experimental and theoretical physics, such as lasers, Bose–Einstein condensation, quantum field theory, and the probabilistic interpretation of quantum mechanics. It has been applied to photochemistry, high-resolution microscopy, and measurements of molecular distances. Recently, photons have been studied as elements of quantum computers and for sophisticated applications in optical communication such as quantum cryptography.

Nomenclature

In 1900, Max Planck was working on black-body radiation and suggested that the energy in electromagnetic waves could only be released in "packets" of energy, he called these quanta (singular quantum). Later, in 1905 Albert Einstein went further by suggesting that EM waves could only exist in these discrete wave-packets. He called such a wave-packet the light quantum (German: das Lichtquant). The name photon derives from the Greek word for light, φως (transliterated phôs), and was coined in 1926 by the physical chemist Gilbert Lewis, who published a speculative theory in which photons were "uncreatable and indestructible". Although Lewis' theory was never accepted—being contradicted by many experiments—his new name, photon, was adopted immediately by most physicists. Isaac Asimov credits Arthur Compton with defining quanta of energy as photons in 1927.

In physics, a photon is usually denoted by the symbol γ (the Greek letter gamma). This symbol for the photon probably derives from gamma rays, which were discovered and named in 1900 by Paul Villard and shown to be a form of electromagnetic radiation in 1914 by Ernest Rutherford and Edward Andrade. In chemistry and optical engineering, photons are usually symbolized by hν, the energy of a photon, where h is Planck's constant and the Greek letter ν (nu) is the photon's frequency. Much less commonly, the photon can be symbolized by hf, where its frequency is denoted by f.

Previous Post's : Friendship Day

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...

Friendship Day, About Friendship Day ?

International Friendship Day celebrations take place on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in US in 1935. In 1935 American Govt had killed a person on 1st Saturday of Aug. The next day his friend committed suicide in his memory. Since then American Govt declared 1st Sunday of Aug as friendship day. Gradually the festival gained popularity and today Friendship Day is celebrated in large number of countries including india. On this day people spend time with their friends and express love for them. Exchange of Friendship Day Gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.

The United States Congress, in 1935, proclaimed the first Sunday of August as National Friendship Day. Since then, celebration of National Friendship Day became an annual event. The noble idea of honoring the beautiful relationship of friendship caught on with the people and soon Friendship Day became a hugely popular festival.

Following the popularity and success of Friendship Day in US, several other countries adopted the tradition of dedicating a day to friends. Today, Friendship Day is enthusiastically celebrated by several countries across the world. In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship.

Many friends wish each other with exchange of gifts and cards on this day. "Friendship bands" are very popular in India. With the advent of social networking sites, friendship day is also being celebrated online. The commercialization of the Friendship Day celebrations has led to some dismissing it as a "marketing gimmick".

Happy Friendship Day to Everyone in the World, those who have friends !!!
All the Best !!!

Previous Post's: Windows OS 7

Home - About us - Register - Downloads - Download Toolbar - Contact us

Read more...