Akshaya Tritiya 2025

 Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akti or Akha Teej, is an annual Jain and Hindu spring festival. It falls on the third tithi of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month of Vaisakha.

This day is auspicious for those who buy rice, deposit money in a bank account, buy any kind of new things or vessels - visiting temples, donating foods or special offers for poor people, or helping poor children for their education fees, all are good signs for Akshaya Tritiya.

Overview-King Shreyans offering sugarcane juice to Lord Rishabhanatha Akshaya Tritiya is regionally observed as an auspicious day by Hindus and Jains in India; it signifies the "third day of unending prosperity". Akshaya Tritiya is considered auspicious by Hindus and Jains in many regions of India and Nepal for new ventures, marriages, charity, and in investments such as gold or other property. It is also a day of remembrance for the loved ones who have died. Rituals are often performed to honor departed souls on this day. The day is regionally significant for women, married or unmarried, who pray for the well-being of the men in their lives or the one they may in future get engaged to. After prayers, they distribute germinating gram, fresh fruits, and Indian sweets. If Akshaya Tritiya falls on a Monday, the festival is believed to be more auspicious. Fasting, charity, and helping others on this day is another festive practice.

Meaning-In Sanskrit, the word akṣaya means "never decreasing" in the sense of "prosperity, hope, joy, success", while tr̥tīyā means "third phase of the moon". It is so named since it falls on the third lunar day of the spring month of Vaisakha in the Hindu calendar, when it is observed. The name refers to the belief that the benefits from performing devotion and piety on this day will not go away.

Jain tradition-In Jainism, Akshaya Tritiya is an important festival as it commemorates the first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha, ending his 400-day-long fast by consuming sugarcane juice poured into his cupped hands. Śvetāmbara Jains perform a similar fast that lasts 400 days. This practice is popularly known as Varshitapa. Rishabhanatha renounced worldly pleasures and turned into a monk. Thereafter, he fasted for 400 days or six months. He did not accept food from lay followers as every time he was given food, it was not 'free of faults' as it should be for a Jain monk to accept. The 42 faults that food given to a Jain monk may have are discussed at length in the ancient Śvetāmbara text Ācārāṅga Sūtra.

ABP News

ABP News is an Indian Hindi-language free-to-air television news channel owned by ABP Group. Initially launched as Star News in 1998, it was later acquired by the Bengali media group Anand Bazar Patrika (ABP). It won the Best Hindi News Channel award in the 21st edition of the Indian Television Academy Awards in 2022. The channel has been accused by protestors for being partial and supporting the ideology of the ruling government.

History-ABP News was launched as STAR News on 18 February 1998 by satellite television provider Star India in partnership with the NDTV media company, with the latter producing the channel's programming. Initially, a bilingual channel broadcasting in both English and Hindi, its programming turned Hindi-only since 2003, when Star's deal with NDTV expired.

In that same year, the Indian government introduced a guideline limiting foreign equity in the national news business to 26%. As Star India was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong–based company Satellite Television Asia Region Ltd. it entered into a joint venture with the Ananda Bazar Patrika group (ABP) to form a new company, Media Content and Communications Services Pvt. Ltd. which took control of Star News's operations. ABP held a 74% majority stake while Star India reduced its participation with the remaining 26%.

On 16 April 2012, ABP Group and Star India announced the end of the Star brand licensing agreement. In addition, the company sold its minority stake in MCCS to ABP Group, which in turn renamed the channel to ABP News. The change was also replicated on other regional news channels operated by MCCS such as Bengali-language Star Ananda and Marathi-language Star Majha, which were renamed as ABP Ananda and ABP Majha, respectively. A Punjabi-language channel, ABP Sanjha was granted licence approval in 2014 and launched in that year. A Gujarati-language channel, ABP Asmita, was launched on 1 January 2016.

Kapil Sharma Comedian

 Kapil Sharma is an Indian stand-up comedian, television host, actor, dubbing artist, producer and singer. Sharma is the host on the stand-up comedy and talk show The Great Indian Kapil Show and The Kapil Sharma Show and has received five Indian Television Academy Awards.

Sharma won the stand-up comedy reality show, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge season 3 in 2007. He has hosted and produced television comedy shows such as Comedy Nights with Kapil and Family Time with Kapil. He has won seasons of the comedy show Comedy Circus along with various partners and in 2011 participated in the singing reality show Star Ya Rockstar, where he finished as the second runner-up.

Sharma made his film debut with Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon (2015), a moderate success. He went onto appear in Firangi (2017), and Zwigato (2023). Sharma did Hindi dubbing for The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019). Kapil Sharma also does live stand-up comedy-stage shows.

Early and personal life-Sharma was born in a Punjabi family in the city of Amritsar in Punjab, India as Kapil Punjab. His father Jeetendra Kumar Punjab was a head constable in Punjab Police, while his mother Janak Rani is a homemaker. His father was diagnosed with cancer in 1997 and died in 2004 at AIIMS in Delhi. He studied at Shri Ram Ashram Senior Secondary School and Hindu College, in Amritsar. He is featured in the list of prominent alumni of Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar. Sharma has a brother named Ashok Kumar Sharma, who is a police constable and a sister named Pooja Pawan Devgan.

Sharma with wife, Ginni Chatrath in 2018 Sharma married Ginni Chatrath in Jalandhar on 12 December 2018. They have two children – a daughter and a son.

Learning environment

 The term learning environment can refer to an educational approach, cultural context, or physical setting in which teaching and learning occur. The term is commonly used as a more definitive alternative to "classroom", but it typically refers to the context of educational philosophy or knowledge experienced by the student and may also encompass a variety of learning cultures—its presiding ethos and characteristics, how individuals interact, governing structures, and philosophy. In a societal sense, learning environment may refer to the culture of the population it serves and of their location. Learning environments are highly diverse in use, learning styles, organization, and educational institution. The culture and context of a place or organization includes such factors as a way of thinking, behaving, or working, also known as organizational culture. For a learning environment such as an educational institution, it also includes such factors as operational characteristics of the instructors, instructional group, or institution; the philosophy or knowledge experienced by the student and may also encompass a variety of learning cultures—its presiding ethos and characteristics, how individuals interact, governing structures, and philosophy in learning styles and pedagogies used; and the societal culture of where the learning is occurring. Although physical environments do not determine educational activities, there is evidence of a relationship between school settings and the activities that take place there.

History-The Japanese word for school, gakuen, means "learning garden" or "garden of learning". The word school derives from Greek originally meaning "leisure" and also "that in which leisure is employed", but later "a group to whom lectures were given, school". Kindergarten is a German word whose literal meaning is "garden for the children", however, the term was coined in the metaphorical sense of "place where children can grow in a natural way".

Direct instruction is perhaps civilization's oldest method of formal, structured education and continues to be a dominant form throughout the world. In its essence, it involves the transfer of information from one who possesses more knowledge to one who has less knowledge, either in general or in relation to a particular subject or idea. The Socratic method was developed over two millennia ago in response to direct instruction in the scholae of Ancient Greece. Its dialectic, questioning form continues to be an important form of learning in western schools of law. Hands-on learning, a form of active and experiential learning, predates language and the ability to convey knowledge by means other than demonstration, has been shown to be one of the more effective means of learning and over the past two decades has been given an increasingly important role in education.

Microsoft Power Platform

 Microsoft Power Platform is a collection of low-code development tools that allows users to build custom business applications, automate workflows, and analyze data. It also offers integration with GitHub, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Microsoft Teams, amongst other Microsoft and third-party applications.

Microsoft Power Platform enables users to streamline processes, gain insights from their data, and build custom solutions to meet their business needs. It is designed to be accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise, making it easier for organizations to create custom applications and automate workflows.

Microsoft developed the Power Fx low-code programming language for expressing logic across the Power Platform.

Products-The Power Platform family of products includes: Power BI, a business analytics tool for visualizing data through various charts, graphs, and dashboards. It competes with tools like Tableau, Spotfire or Qlikview. Power Apps for low code custom business applications. Power Automate for business process automation and optimization. Copilot Studio provides tools for customizing or building copilot, or AI-powered chatbot, experiences. Power Pages, graphical software for making low-code websites. Formerly part of Power Apps as "Power Apps Portals" until 2022.

Microsoft Dataverse-Not to be confused with Dataverse. Microsoft Dataverse, formerly known as Microsoft Common Data Service until November 2020, is a relational database engine offered by Microsoft as a cloud-based data management software as a service for storing business data. Dataverse is a data storage and management engine serving as a foundation for Microsoft’s Power Platform, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 apps. It decouples the data from the application, allowing an administrator to analyze from every possible angle and report on data previously existing in different locations. It is based on Common Data Model principles, enhanced with rich security features, business logic, and productivity tools. Data of any size and format could be easily imported, managed and exported out of Dataverse with streamlined processes. Dataverse is built on Microsoft Azure. It is mainly a tool for managing and storing data, and allows for creation and management of datasets through a single user interface.

Dataverse is marketed for use with other Microsoft products such as Power Apps and Microsoft Dynamics 365 applications, and has data connectors to other Microsoft products like Azure Event Hub, Azure Service Bus, Microsoft SQL and Azure Data Lake.

Justin Tucker

 Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American professional football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Often regarded as one of the greatest placekickers ever, Tucker holds the NFL record for longest field goal at 66 yards and career field goal percentage at 89.1%. He has also been named to seven Pro Bowls and five first-team All-Pros, and was a member of the Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII.

Early life-Tucker attended Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. At Westlake, he was a teammate of future NFL quarterback Nick Foles, tight end Kyle Adams, and linebacker Bryce Hager. Tucker played wide receiver, safety, and placekicker on the Westlake Chaparrals. He also played soccer from age three or four up until his sophomore year. Tucker played in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College career-Tucker attended the University of Texas at Austin and played on the Longhorns football team. In 2011, concluding a rivalry that saw Texas A&M University and the University of Texas square off 118 times over 117 years, he kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired. Texas, then ranked No. 25, won 27–25. Although Tucker finished his college football career with an 83.3% field-goal conversion percentage, which was the third-best in the program's history, Tucker was not invited to the East-West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl or the NFL Scouting Combine.

Originally a communications major, Tucker switched to recording technology and studied under Nikita Storojev at the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music where he learned to sing operatically in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Latin, and Russian. Tucker graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in music a semester early in order to train for the NFL draft.

Pet

 A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive/cute appearances, intelligence, and relatable personalities, but some pets may be taken in on an altruistic basis and accepted by the owner regardless of these characteristics.

Two of the most popular pets are dogs and cats. Other animals commonly kept include rabbits; ferrets; pigs; rodents such as gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, rats, mice, and guinea pigs; birds such as parrots, passerines, and fowls; reptiles such as turtles, lizards, snakes, and iguanas; aquatic pets such as fish, freshwater snails, and saltwater snails; amphibians such as frogs and salamanders; and arthropod pets such as tarantulas and hermit crabs. Smaller pets include rodents, while the equine and bovine group include the largest companion animals.

Pets provide their owners, or guardians, both physical and emotional benefits. Walking a dog can provide both the human and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction. Pets can give companionship to people who are living alone or elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people. There is a medically approved class of therapy animals that are brought to visit confined humans, such as children in hospitals or elders in nursing homes. Pet therapy utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, or emotional goals with patients.

People most commonly get pets for companionship, to protect a home or property, or because of the perceived beauty or attractiveness of the animals.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

 Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the capability of computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of research in computer science that develops and studies methods and software that enable machines to perceive their environment and use learning and intelligence to take actions that maximize their chances of achieving defined goals. Such machines may be called AIs.

High-profile applications of AI include advanced web search engines recommendation systems (used by YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix); virtual assistants (e.g., Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa); autonomous vehicles generative and creative tools (e.g., Chat GPT and AI art); and superhuman play and analysis in strategy games. However, many AI applications are not perceived as AI: "A lot of cutting edge AI has filtered into general applications, often without being called AI because once something becomes useful enough and common enough it's not labeled AI anymore."

Various subfields of AI research are centered around particular goals and the use of particular tools. The traditional goals of AI research include learning, reasoning, knowledge representation, planning, natural language processing, perception, and support for robotics. General intelligence the ability to complete any task performed by a human on an at least equal level is among the field's long-term goals. To reach these goals, AI researchers have adapted and integrated a wide range of techniques, including search and mathematical optimization, formal logic, artificial neural networks, and methods based on statistics, operations research, and economics. AI also draws upon psychology, linguistics, philosophy, neuroscience, and other fields.

Stock market

 A stock market, equity market, or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks, which represent ownership claims on businesses; these may include securities listed on a public stock exchange as well as stock that is only traded privately, such as shares of private companies that are sold to investors through equity crowdfunding platforms. Investments are usually made with an investment strategy in mind.

Size of the market-The total market capitalization of all publicly traded stocks worldwide rose from US$2.5 trillion in 1980 to US$111 trillion by the end of 2023.As of 2016, there are 60 stock exchanges in the world. Of these, there are 16 exchanges with a market capitalization of $1 trillion or more, and they account for 87% of global market capitalization. Apart from the Australian Securities Exchange, these 16 exchanges are all in North America, Europe, or Asia. By country, the largest stock markets as of January 2022 are in the United States of America, followed by Japan and United Kingdom.

Stock exchange-Main article: Stock exchange Interior hall of the Helsinki Stock Exchange in Helsinki, Finland, 1965 A stock exchange is an exchange. where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell shares, bonds, and other securities. Many large companies have their stocks listed on a stock exchange. This makes the stock more liquid and thus more attractive to many investors. The exchange may also act as a guarantor of settlement. These and other stocks may also be traded "over the counter" (OTC), that is, through a dealer. Some large companies will have their stock listed on more than one exchange in different countries, so as to attract international investors.

Stock exchanges may also cover other types of securities, such as fixed-interest securities or derivatives, which are more likely to be traded OTC.

Gold

 

Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal, a group 11 element, and one of the noble metals. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements, being the second-lowest in the reactivity series. It is solid under standard conditions.

Gold often occurs in free elemental, as nuggets or grains, in rocks, veins, and alluvial deposits. It occurs in a solid solution series with the native element silver, naturally alloyed with other metals like copper and palladium, and mineral inclusions such as within pyrite. Less commonly, it occurs in minerals as gold compounds, often with tellurium.

Gold is resistant to most acids, though it does dissolve in aqua regia (a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid), forming a soluble tetrachloroaurate anion. Gold is insoluble in nitric acid alone, which dissolves silver and base metals, a property long used to refine gold and confirm the presence of gold in metallic substances, giving rise to the term 'acid test'. Gold dissolves in alkaline solutions of cyanide, which are used in mining and electroplating. Gold also dissolves in mercury, forming amalgam alloys, and as the gold acts simply as a solute, this is not a chemical reaction.

A relatively rare element, gold is a precious metal that has been used for coinage, jewelry, and other works of art throughout recorded history. In the past, a gold standard was often implemented as a monetary policy. Gold coins ceased to be minted as a circulating currency in the 1930s, and the world gold standard was abandoned for a fiat currency system after the Nixon shock measures of 1971.

Insurance Institute of India

The Insurance Institute of India is the sole national apex body for insurance underwriters in India, established in 1955 in Mumbai. The institute, formerly known as Federation of Insurance Institutes, was created for the purpose of promoting insurance education and training in India. The institute conducts examinations at various levels. It is the professional institute in India devoted solely to insurance education.

Certificates and diplomas are awarded by the institute to successful candidates. These are recognised by the government of India, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority and insurers in India and abroad. These qualifications are recognised by similar institutes in the UK, Canada and the United States, for the grant of exemption from some of their papers.

III is a chartered member of the Institute of Global Insurance Education. The presence of 91 associated Institutes spread all over the country and the affiliation of the Sri Lanka Insurance Institute, the Sri Lanka Insurance Academy and The R.I.C.B. Insurance Institute, Bhutan, testify to the prestige and professional repute of the institute.

The institute supports research projects involving insurance and risk management sponsored by public and private organisations.

Sinhagad Fort

Sinhagad is an ancient hill fortress located at around 28 km southwest of the city of Pune, India. Previously known as Kondhana, the fort had been the site of many battles, most notably the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670.

The fort is a popular weekend destination for the residents of Pune. A road directly leads up to the summit of the fort. Trekking enthusiasts can get access to the summit from the base of the fort. The trek involves a one-way walk of 2.7 km over which the walker gains about 600 m in elevation. Shared taxi services to the base as well as the summit are also available.

Pune Darwaja of Sinhagad fort- Sinhagad was strategically built to provide natural protection from the enemies due to its very steep slopes. There are two gates to enter the fort named Pune darwaja and Kalyan darwaja. Pune darwaja is towards north east while the Kalyan darwaja is towards the southeast.

Perched on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleswar range in the Sahyadri Mountains, the fort is situated on a hill about 760 metres  above ground and 1,317 metres above mean sea level. In clear weather, Rajgad, Purandar and Torna forts can be seen from the Sinhagad.

The fort houses a memorial to Tanaji Malusare as well as the tomb of Rajaram I. A military stables, a brewery and a temple of the goddess Kali along with a Hanuman statue to the right side of the temple. The original commemorative memorial of Tanaji Malusare has been unearthed by the restoration workers in Feb 2019. The stone structure was found buried under cement, concrete, and layers of oil paint and is believed to be around 350 years old.

The fort also houses a television tower set up in 1973 for broadcasting the Doordarshan TV to Pune.

Entertainment

 Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousands of years specifically for the purpose of keeping an audience's attention.

Although people's attention is held by different things because individuals have different preferences, most forms of entertainment are recognisable and familiar. Storytelling, music, drama, dance, and different kinds of performance exist in all cultures, were supported in royal courts, and developed into sophisticated forms over time, becoming available to all citizens. The process has been accelerated in modern times by an entertainment industry that records and sells entertainment products. Entertainment evolves and can be adapted to suit any scale, ranging from an individual who chooses private entertainment from a now enormous array of pre-recorded products, to a banquet adapted for two, to any size or type of party with appropriate music and dance, to performances intended for thousands, and even for a global audience.

The experience of being entertained has come to be strongly associated with amusement, so that one common understanding of the idea is fun and laughter, although many entertainments have a serious purpose. This may be the case in various forms of ceremony, celebration, religious festival, or satire, for example. Hence, there is the possibility that what appears to be entertainment may also be a means of achieving insight or intellectual growth.

Sankashti Chaturthi - 16th April 2025

 

Sankashti Chaturthi, also known as Sankatahara Chaturthi, is a sacred Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It is observed each month on the Chaturthi tithi of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, the next Sankashti Chaturthi will be on the 16th of April.

On this auspicious day, the sunrise is anticipated at 06:09 AM and sunset at 06:44 PM, while the moonrise is expected at 09:52 PM and moonset at 08:33 AM. The Chaturthi tithi commences at 01:17 PM on the 16th of April and extends till 03:23 PM on the following day.

On the sacred day of Sankashti Chaturthi, devotees worship Lord Ganesha, seeking his blessings to remove obstacles from their lives. They observe either a strict or partial fast, consuming only fruits and vegetables. The Sankashti Puja takes place in the evening after the moon is visible. Idols of Lord Ganesha are beautifully adorned with Durva grass and fresh flowers.

Devotees chant Vedic mantras and read the vrat katha specific to the month. A special naivedya, consisting of Lord Ganesha’s favorite offerings, is prepared for the occasion. Pujas dedicated to the Moon God, also known as Chandra Deva, are performed as part of the rituals. Reciting sacred hymns such as ‘Ganesha Ashtothra,’ ‘Sankashtnashana Stotra,’ and ‘Vakrathunda Mahakaya’ is considered highly auspicious.

Worshipping Lord Ganesha with sincere devotion on this day is believed to bring success and prosperity, fostering spiritual growth and fulfillment in all endeavors. May this Sankashti Chaturthi bring all the divine blessings into your life, guiding you toward wisdom, strength, and new beginnings.

Agriculture

Genetically modified crops are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified with genetic engineering techniques. In most cases, the main aim is to introduce a new trait that does not occur naturally in the species. Biotechnology firms can contribute to future food security by improving the nutrition and viability of urban agriculture. Furthermore, the protection of intellectual property rights encourages private sector investment in agrobiotechnology.

Examples in food crops include resistance to certain pests, diseases, stressful environmental conditions, resistance to chemical treatments, reduction of spoilage, or improving the nutrient profile of the crop. Examples in non-food crops include production of pharmaceutical agents, biofuels, and other industrially useful goods, as well as for bioremediation.

Farmers have widely adopted GM technology. Between 1996 and 2011, the total surface area of land cultivated with GM crops had increased by a factor of 94, from 17,000 to 1,600,000 square kilometers. 10% of the world's crop lands were planted with GM crops in 2010. As of 2011, 11 different transgenic crops were grown commercially on 395 million acres in 29 countries such as the US, Brazil, Argentina, India, Canada, China, Paraguay, Pakistan, South Africa, Uruguay, Bolivia, Australia, Philippines, Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Mexico and Spain.

Genetically modified foods are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA with the methods of genetic engineering. These techniques have allowed for the introduction of new crop traits as well as a far greater control over a food's genetic structure than previously afforded by methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding. Commercial sale of genetically modified foods began in 1994, when Celgene first marketed its Flavor Saver delayed ripening tomato. To date most genetic modification of foods have primarily focused on cash crops in high demand by farmers such as soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. These have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides and better nutrient profiles. GM livestock have also been experimentally developed; in November 2013 none were available on the market, but in 2015 the FDA approved the first GM salmon for commercial production and consumption.

Ambedkar Jayanti

 Ambedkar Jayanti is observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of B. R. Ambedkar, Indian politician and social reformer. It marks Ambedkar's birthday who was born on 14 April 1891. His birthday is also referred to as Equality Day by some in India. The Citizens paid tributes to Ambedkar on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary, at Parliament House, in New Delhi on April 14, 2016.

 Ambedkar Jayanti processions are carried out by his followers at Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai and Daksha Bhoomi in Nagpur. It is a customary for senior national figures, such as the President, Prime Minister and leaders of major political parties, to pay homage at the statue of Ambedkar at the Parliament of India in New Delhi. It is celebrated throughout the world especially by Dalits, Adivasi, labour workers, women and also those who embraced Buddhism after his example. In India, large numbers of people visit local statues commemorating Ambedkar in procession with lot of fanfare. In 2020, the first online Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated in the world.

Ambedkar Jayanti is a public holiday in more than 25 states and union territories of India, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal etc. B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956)Babasaheb Ambedkar's first birthday was publicly celebrated on 14 April 1928 in Pune, by Janardan Sadashiv Rajapaksa, who was an Ambedkar and social activist. He started the tradition of Babasaheb's birth anniversary of Ambedkar Jayanti. Ambedkar passed his matriculation in 1907. Then, he pursued BA honours in economics and political science from Elphinstone college. He enrolled in Columbia University, New York for the Masters of Arts and got his PhD in economics in 1927. In 1916, he took the admission for the Bar Course at Gray's Inn along with this he also did another doctoral thesis in economics from the London School of Economics. Ambedkar was master in 64 subjects and was proficient in 11 languages.

Definition

 The term "education" originates from the Latin words educate, meaning "to bring up," and educate
, meaning "to bring forth." The definition of education has been explored by theorists from various fields. Many agree that education is a purposeful activity aimed at achieving goals like the transmission of knowledge, skills, and character traits. However, extensive debate surrounds its precise nature beyond these general features. One approach views education as a process occurring during events such as schooling, teaching, and learning. Another perspective perceives education not as a process but as the mental states and dispositions of educated individuals resulting from this process. Furthermore, the term may also refer to the academic field that studies the methods, processes, and social institutions involved in teaching and learning. Having a clear understanding of the term is crucial when attempting to identify educational phenomena, measure educational success, and improve educational practices.

Some theorists provide precise definitions by identifying specific features exclusive to all forms of education. Education theorist R. S. Peters, for instance, outlines three essential features of education, including imparting knowledge and understanding to the student, ensuring the process is beneficial, and conducting it in a morally appropriate manner. While such precise definitions often characterize the most typical forms of education effectively, they face criticism because less common types of education may occasionally fall outside their parameters. Dealing with counterexamples not covered by precise definitions can be challenging, which is why some theorists prefer offering less exact definitions based on family resemblance instead. This approach suggests that all forms of education are similar to each other but need not share a set of essential features common to all. Some education theorists, such as Keira Sewell and Stephen Newman, argue that the term "education" is context-dependent.

Evaluative or thick conceptions of education assert that it is inherent in the nature of education to lead to some form of improvement. They contrast with thin conceptions, which offer a value-neutral explanation. Some theorists provide a descriptive conception of education by observing how the term is commonly used in ordinary language. Prescriptive conceptions, on the other hand, define what constitutes good education or how education should be practiced. Many thick and prescriptive conceptions view education as an endeavor that strives to achieve specific objectives, which may encompass acquiring knowledge, learning to think rationally, and cultivating character traits such as kindness and honesty.

Hanuman Jayanti

 Hanuman Jayanti also called Hanuman Janmotsav is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of the Hindu deity, and one of the protagonists of the Ramayana and its many versions, Hanuman. The celebration of Hanuman Jayanti varies by time and tradition in each state of India. In most northern states of India, the festival is observed on the full-moon day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (Chaitra Purnima). In Telugu states Anjaneya Jayanthi celebrate on every Bahula Dashami in Vaishakha month according to Telugu calendar. In Karnataka, Hanuman Jayanti is observed on Shukla Paksha
, during the Margashirsha month or in Vaishakha, while in a few states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated during the month of Dhanu. Hanuman Jayanti is observed on Pana Sankranti in the eastern state of Odisha, which coincides with the Odia New Year.

Hanuman is regarded to be an ardent devotee of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, widely known for his unflinching devotion. He is revered as a symbol of strength.

Anjani with Child Hanuman - Bronze, Pallava Period, Mathura government museum, India Hanuman is a vanar, born to Kesari and Anjana. Hanuman is also known as the celestial son of Vayu, the wind-god. His mother, Anjana, was an apsara who was born on earth due to a curse. She was redeemed from this curse upon giving birth to a son.

In Maharashtra, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra. A special feature of Hanuman Jayanti is that according to some religious almanacs the birthday of Hanuman falls on the fourteenth day in the dark fortnight of the month of Ashvin, while according to others it falls on the full moon day in the bright fortnight of Chaitra. On this day in a Hanuman temple, spiritual discourses begin at dawn since Hanuman is believed to have been born during sunrise. During the time frame of birth, the spiritual discourse are halted and the offering of food is distributed to everyone. Spiritual discourses are organised in most of the Hindu temples of the region on this day.

Cooking

 Cooking, also known as cookery or professionally as the culinary arts, is the art, science and craft of using heat to make food more palatable, digestible, nutritious, or safe. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire, to using electric stoves, to baking in various types of ovens, to boiling and blanching in water, reflecting local conditions, techniques and traditions. Cooking is an aspect of all human societies and a cultural universal.

Types of cooking also depend on the skill levels and training of the cooks. Cooking is done both by people in their own dwellings and by professional cooks and chefs in restaurants and other food establishments.

Preparing food with heat or fire is an activity unique to humans. Archeological evidence of cooking fires from at least 300,000 years ago exists, but some estimate that humans started cooking up to 2 million years ago.

The expansion of agriculture, commerce, trade, and transportation between civilizations in different regions offered cooks many new ingredients. New inventions and technologies, such as the invention of pottery for holding and boiling of water, expanded cooking techniques. Some modern cooks apply advanced scientific techniques to food preparation to further enhance the flavor of the dish served.

Travel

 

Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical locations. Travel can be done by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel can also include relatively short stays between successive movements, as in the case of tourism.

The origin of the word "travel" is most likely lost to history. The term "travel" may originate from the Old French word travail, which means 'work'. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first known use of the word travel was in the 14th century. It also states that the word comes from Middle English travailing, travel (which means to torment, labor, strive, journey) and earlier from Old French traveler (which means to work strenuously, toil).

In English, people still occasionally use the words travail, which means struggle. According to Simon Winchester in his book The Best Travelers' Tales, the words travel and travail both share an even more ancient root: a Roman instrument of torture called the travel. This link may reflect the extreme difficulty of travel in ancient times. Travel in modern times may or may not be much easier, depending upon the destination. Travel to Mount Everest, the Amazon rainforest, extreme tourism, and adventure travel are more difficult forms of travel. Travel can also be more difficult depending on the method of travel, such as by bus, cruise ship, or even by bullock cart.

Food

 Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells to provide energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth. Different species of animals have different feeding behaviours that satisfy the needs of their metabolisms and have evolved to fill a specific ecological niche within specific geographical contexts.

Omnivorous humans are highly adaptable and have adapted to obtaining food in many different ecosystems. Humans generally use cooking to prepare food for consumption. The majority of the food energy required is supplied by the industrial food industry, which produces food through intensive agriculture and distributes it through complex food processing and food distribution systems. This system of conventional agriculture relies heavily on fossil fuels, which means that the food and agricultural systems are one of the major contributors to climate change, accounting for as much as 37% of total greenhouse gas emissions.

The food system has a significant impact on a wide range of other social and political issues, including sustainability, biological diversity, economics, population growth, water supply, and food security. Food safety and security are monitored by international agencies, like the International Association for Food Protection, the World Resources Institute, the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Food Information Council.

cell

cell, in biology, the basic membrane-bound unit that contains the fundamental molecules of life and of which all living things are composed. A single cell is often a complete organism in itself, such as a bacterium or yeast. Other cells acquire specialized functions as they mature. These cells cooperate with other specialized cells and become the building blocks of large multicellular organisms, such as humans and other animals. Although cells are much larger than atoms, they are still very small. The smallest known cells are a group of tiny bacteria called mycoplasmas; some of these single-celled organisms are spheres as small as 0.2 μm in diameter, with a total mass of 10−14 gram—equal to that of 8,000,000,000 hydrogen atoms. Cells of humans typically have a mass 400,000 times larger than the mass of a single mycoplasma bacterium, but even human cells are only about 20 μm across. It would require a sheet of about 10,000 human cells to cover the head of a pin, and each human organism is composed of more than 30,000,000,000,000 cells.

This article discusses the cell both as an individual unit and as a contributing part of a larger organism. As an individual unit, the cell is capable of metabolizing its own nutrients, synthesizing many types of molecules, providing its own energy, and replicating itself in order to produce succeeding generations. It can be viewed as an enclosed vessel, within which innumerable chemical reactions take place simultaneously. These reactions are under very precise control so that they contribute to the life and procreation of the cell. In a multicellular organism, cells become specialized to perform different functions through the process of cell differentiation. In order to do this, each cell keeps in constant communication with its neighbors. As it receives nutrients from and expels wastes into its surroundings, it adheres to and cooperates with other cells. Cooperative assemblies of similar cells form tissues, and a cooperation between tissues in turn forms organs, which carry out the functions necessary to sustain the life of an organism.

Role of institutions

 Organized institutions play a pivotal role in multiple facets of education. Entities such as schools, universities, teacher training institutions, and ministries of education comprise the education sector. They interact not only with one another but also with various stakeholders, including parents, local communities, religious groups, non-governmental organizations, healthcare professionals, law enforcement agencies, media platforms, and political leaders. Numerous individuals are directly engaged in the education sector, such as students, teachers, school principals, as well as school nurses and curriculum developers.

Various aspects of formal education are regulated by the policies of governmental institutions. These policies determine at what age children need to attend school and at what times classes are held, as well as issues pertaining to the school environment, such as infrastructure. Regulations also cover the exact qualifications and requirements that teachers need to fulfill. An important aspect of education policy concerns the curriculum used for teaching at schools, colleges, and universities. A curriculum is a plan of instruction or a program of learning that guides students to achieve their educational goals. The topics are usually selected based on their importance and depend on the type of school. The goals of public school curricula are usually to offer a comprehensive and well-rounded education, while vocational training focuses more on specific practical skills within a field. The curricula also cover various aspects besides the topic to be discussed, such as the teaching method, the objectives to be reached, and the standards for assessing progress. By determining the curricula, governmental institutions have a strong impact on what knowledge and skills are transmitted to the students. Examples of governmental institutions include the Ministry of Education in India, the Department of Basic Education in South Africa, and the Secretariat of Public Education in Mexico.

Future of hotel industry in India

The Indian hotel industry is on the verge of exponential growth, with projections indicating a 7-9% revenue increase in FY2025. This surge is driven by the surging demand for domestic leisure travel, along with a rise in events like weddings and business travel. ICRA anticipates occupancy rates will reach their highest in a decade, fuelled by growing interest in tier-II cities and spiritual tourism destinations. Premium hotel occupancy rates are predicted to hover at 70-72% in FY24 and FY25, with average room rates expected to reach between US$ 94.06 and US$ 96.47 (Rs. 7,800-8,000) in FY25. While certain segments may surpass pre-COVID achievements, the industry is on track to match its 2008 peak by FY25, underpinned by developments in infrastructure, improved air connectivity and the proliferation of large-scale MICE events, complemented by the opening of new convention centres.

The industry is likely to experience a significant increase in domestic tourism due to the large population. Moreover, increasing global interest for leisure and business trips to India promises to further catalyse industry growth over the long term. The expansion of the Indian hospitality industry is supported by escalating travel and tourism activities, marked by a noticeable increase in both domestic and international tourists visiting for business and leisure, thus creating new opportunities in tourism and hospitality.

Amid these developments, the Indian hotel market is identifying substantial growth prospects, aiming to broaden its footprint in key urban areas and offer quality services across renowned brands. This expansion is driven by robust corporate performance, enhanced air travel connectivity across the country and a growing preference for domestic leisure travel. Indian hotel chains are increasingly investing in digital technology and platforms to improve the customer journey from pre-booking to post-booking experiences.

Air pollution

 Air pollution is the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the environment. Air pollution can be chemical, physical or biological. There are many different types of air pollutants, such as gases, particulates, lead and biological molecules. Air pollution can cause diseases, allergies, and even death; it can also cause harm to animals and crops and damage the natural environment climate change, ozone depletion or habitat degradation or built environment. Air pollution can occur naturally or be caused by human activities.

Air pollution causes around 7 or 8 million deaths each year. It is a significant risk factor for a number of pollution-related diseases, including heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and lung cancer. It is the fourth-largest risk factor overall for human health as 99% of people are exposed to harmful levels of air pollution. Outdoor particulate pollution is the largest cause of death, followed by indoor air pollution and ozone.

The World Bank has estimated that welfare losses  and productivity losses caused by air pollution cost the world economy over $8 trillion per year. Air quality is closely related to the Earth's climate and ecosystems globally. Many of the contributors of local air pollution are also sources of greenhouse emission.

Many different technologies and strategies are available for reducing air pollution. National air quality laws have often been highly effective, notably the 1956 Clean Air Act in Britain and the US Clean Air Act, introduced in 1963. Some of these efforts have been successful at the international level, such as the Montreal Protocol, which reduced the release of harmful ozone-depleting chemicals, while others, such as international action on climate change, have been less successful.

Autonomous vehicles

 Machine learning and AI are foundational elements of autonomous vehicle systems. Vehicles are trained on complex data  with machine learning, which helps to improve the algorithms they operate under. AI enables vehicles’ systems to make decisions without needing specific instructions for each potential situation.

In order to make autonomous vehicles safe and effective, artificial simulations are created to test their capabilities. To create such simulations, black-box testing is used, in contrast to white-box validation. White-box testing, in which the internal structure of the system being tested is known to the tester, can prove the absence of failure. Black-box methods are much more complicated and involve taking a more adversarial approach. In such methods, the internal design of the system is unknown to the tester, who instead targets the external design and structure. These methods attempt to find weaknesses in the system to ensure that it meets high safety standards.

As of 2024, fully autonomous vehicles are not available for consumer purchase. Certain obstacles have proved challenging to overcome. For example, maps of almost four million miles of public roads in the United States would be needed for an autonomous vehicle to operate effectively, which presents a daunting task for manufacturers. Additionally, the most popular cars with a “self-driving” feature, those of Tesla, have raised safety concerns, as such vehicles have even headed toward oncoming traffic and metal posts. AI has not progressed to the point where cars can engage in complex interactions with other drivers or with cyclists or pedestrians. Such “common sense” is necessary to prevent accidents and create a safe environment.

In October 2015 Google’s self-driving car, Waymo completed its first fully driverless trip with one passenger. The technology had been tested on one billion miles within simulations, and two million miles on real roads. Waymo, which boasts a fleet of fully electric-powered vehicles, operates in San Francisco and Phoenix, where users can call for a ride, much as with Uber or Lyft. The steering wheel, gas pedal, and brake pedal operate without human guidance, differentiating the technology from Tesla’s autonomous driving feature. Though the technology’s valuation peaked at $175 billion in November 2019, it had sunk to just $30 billion by 2020. Waymo is being investigated by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after more than 20 different reports of traffic violations. In certain cases, the vehicles drove on the wrong side of the road and in one instance, hit a cyclist.

Electronic Systems

 

Electronic Systems have both Inputs and Outputs with the output or outputs being produced by processing the inputs. Also, the input signal may cause the process to change or may itself cause the operation of the system to change. Therefore the input to a system is the “cause” of the change, while the resulting action that occurs on the systems output due to this cause being present is called the “effect”, with the effect being a consequence of the cause. 

In other words, an electronic system can be classed as “causal” in nature as there is a direct relationship between its input and its output. Electronic systems analysis and process control theory are generally based upon this Cause and Effect analysis.

So for example in an audio system, a microphone causes sound waves to be converted into electrical signals for the amplifier to amplify, and a loudspeaker produces sound waves as an effect of being driven by the amplifiers electrical signals.

But an electronic system need not be a simple or single operation. It can also be an interconnection of several sub-systems all working together within the same overall system.

Our audio system could for example, involve the connection of a CD player, or a DVD player, an MP3 player, or a radio receiver all being multiple inputs to the same amplifier which in turn drives one or more sets of stereo or home theatre type surround loudspeakers.

But an electronic system can not just be a collection of inputs and outputs, it must “do something”, even if it is just to monitor a switch or to turn “ON” a light. We know that sensors are input devices that detect or turn real world measurements into electronic signals which can then be processed. These electrical signals can be in the form of either voltages or currents within a circuit. The opposite or output device is called an actuator, that converts the processed signal into some operation or action, usually in the form of mechanical movement.

Economics

          The economy functions within and is dependent upon goods and services provided by natural ecosystems. The role of the environment is recognized in both classical economics and neoclassical economics theories, yet the environment was a lower priority in economic policies from 1950 to 1980 due to emphasis from policy makers on economic growth. With the prevalence of environmental problems, many economists embraced the notion that, "If environmental sustainability must coexist for economic sustainability, then the overall system must  identification of an equilibrium between the environment and the economy." As such, economic policy makers began to incorporate the functions of the natural environment or natural capital  particularly as a sink for wastes and for the provision of raw materials and amenities.

         Debate continues among economists as to how to account for natural capital, specifically whether resources can be replaced through knowledge and technology, or whether the environment is a closed system that cannot be replenished and is finite. Economic models influence environmental resource management, in that management policies reflect beliefs about natural capital scarcity. For someone who believes natural capital is infinite and easily substituted, environmental management is irrelevant to the economy. For example, economic paradigms based on neoclassical models of closed economic systems are primarily concerned with resource scarcity and thus prescribe legalizing the environment as an economic externality for an environmental resource management strategy. This approach has often been termed 'Command-and-control'. Colby has identified trends in the development of economic paradigms, among them, a shift towards more ecological economics since the 1990s.