SAM PITRODA

SAM PITRODA

Gist :

Sam Pitroda wanted IT to throw all that and create a new India. IT is not about software exports or internet access, but a whole new way of doing things. Back in 1980s, making a phone call was a difficult thing and telephone was the property of only the rich and elite sections of society. In today’s India we are connected to the world, a common man carries a cell phone of his own. If there is one man who build the foundation of this revolution in communication system, it is Sam Pitroda.

Pitroda did his Masters in Physics and Electronics from Baroda. He first used a telephone while he was studying Electrical Engineering at United States of America. He started a telephone exchange company called Wescom Switching in 1974. He thought to set up cheap rural exchanges in India.

In 1984 Pitroda was made Chief Scientific Advisor to start a new public-sector venture called Centre for the Development of Telematics (C-Dot) in India. He successfully created and launched the Rural Automatic Telephone Exchanges (RAX). As a result, about 40,000 exchanges totalling about 20 million telephone lines were installed in India. Tremendous changes have taken place in the fields of administration, business, education, information, media etc.

Sam Pitroda became the Chairman of National Technology Mission. He was the first Chairman of India’s Telecom Commission. He brought the telephone to some of the world’s most isolated regions. Pitroda tenacity helped create the concept and technology behind the network of ‘STD/PCO’ phone booths. The fibre optic mechanism worked out by Pitroda made high-speed connectivity possible in telecommunications.

Pitroda believed that it is possible to realise Mahatma Gahdhi’s dream of self-sufficient village community through IT applications by connecting every village in India with every other part of the country and the world. According to Pitroda, the Internet will be a key tool in shaping many of these changes in the country. Sam Pitroda is currently working on a ‘electronic wallet’, which would have all kinds of cards - credit card, debit card, health card, insurance card, even the driving license. This would pave the way for electronic payment systems, which would take over the existing systems of payments.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

1. Where and what kind of a family was Sam Pitroda born in ?

Sam Pitroda was born in Titlagarh, Orrissa on 4^th May 1942 in a large family of seven brothers and sisters.

2. What did Pitroda study in Baroda ?

Pitroda did Masters in Physics and Electronics from Baroda.

3. Where did he start his career in digital technology ?

Pitroda started his carrer on digital technology at GTE Inc., Chicago, USA

4. What did he do in 1974 ?

Sam Pitroda started a telephone exchange company called Wescom Switching in 1974.

5. When did Pitroda think of setting up cheap rural exchanges ?

Pitroda thought of setting up cheap rural exchanges when he first used a telephone and the fascination of first call.

6. In what capacity did he approach the bank in Jeddah ?

In 1984 Sam Pitroda visited Saudi American Bank (Citi Bank) in Jeddah and introduced himself as venture capitalist.

7. How did Rajiv Gandhi provide Pitroda the right opportunity ?

Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi made Pitroda his Chief Scientific Advisor and requested him to start a new public-sector venture called Centre for the Development of Telematics (C-Dot).

8. What were the Rural Automatic Exchanges equipped with ?

The Rural Automatic Exchanges (RAX) were equipped with SS7 Intelligent Networking Signalling Systems-the systems which are used to find out if a number is busy or availale and to check up the database of telephone numbers.

9. How according to Pitroda can IT impact the nation ?

According to Pitroda IT solutions can help to tackle problems in core areas of governance, commerce, finance, education, health, agriculture, environment, legal issues and employment.

10. What was his idea of an electronic wallet ?

An electronic wallet, which would have all kinds of cards - credit card, debit card, health card, insurance card, even the driving license. This would pave the way for electronic payment systems, which would take over the existing systems of payments.

Bits :

1. Sam Pitroda was born in Titlagarh, Orissa on 4^th May 1942
2. Pitroda did his Masters in Physics and Electronics from Baroda
3. Pitroda – “father of the Indian telcom revolution”
4. Pitroda first used a telephone at United States of America
5. Sam Pitroda studied Electrical Engineering in United States of America
6. Pitroda’s dream was setting up small, rural exchanges and connect in India
7. Pitroda started his career in digital switching technology at GTE Inc., Chicago USA
8. In 1974 Pitroda stated a telephone exchange company called Wescom Switching
9. Wescom Switching was sold to Rockwell for 10 million dollars
10. Sam Pitroda visited Saudi American Bank (Citi Bank) in Jeddah in 1984
11. Pitroda was made as Chief Scientific Advisor to Rajiv Gandhi
12. Rajiv requested Pitroda to start Centre for Development of Telematics (C-Dot)
13. C-Dot exported the telephonic equipment to Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Ethiopia, Ghana and Uganda
14. Pitroda crated and launched the Rural Automatic Telephone exchanges (RAX)
15. RAX were equipped with SS7 Intelligent Networking Signalling Systems
16. Sam Pitroda became the Chairman of National Technology Mission
17. Pitroda became the first Chairman of India’s Telecom Commission
18. Pitroda determined to create the network of STD/PCO phone booths
19. Centre for Development of Telematics (C-Dot) founded in 1984
20. According to Pitroda the Internet will be a key took in shaping many in the country
21. ICC stands for Internet Community Centres
22. World Tel was founded by Pitroda in 1995
23. Sam Pitroda received India’s National Citizen’s Award
24. In 1993 Pitroda awarded the IIT Alumni Medal
25. in 1995 Pitroda received the International Distinguished Leadership Award
26. Dataquest has presented Pitroda the IT Life Achievement Award for 2002
27. Sam Pitroda currently working on electronic wallet.

Sam Pitroda - SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

Sam Pitroda
SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

HARGOBIND KHORANA

Hargobind Khorana

Gist :

Hargobind Khorana was born on January 9^th 1922 in a Hindu family in a little village called Raipur in Punjab in British India. His father was determined to educate his children. Hargobind studied at the Punjab University in Lahore and obtained a M.Sc. degree.

Khorana lived in India until 1945. Government India awarded Fellowship which had thrown an opportunity for him to go to England. He studied for a Ph.D. degree at the University of Liverpool. He stayed in Cambridge from 1950 till 1952. He began research on nucleic acids at the University of Cambridge. His interest in both proteins and nucleic acids got strengthened at that time.

Hargobind held fellowships and professorships in Switzerland at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the Universities of British Columbia and Wisconsin. In the 1960s Khorana corroborated that the way the four different types of nucleotides are arranged on the spiral “staircase” of the DNA molecule determines the chemical composition and function of a new cell.

Khorana shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1968 with Marshall W. Nierenberg and Robert W. Holley for research that helped to show how the genetic components of the cell nucleus control the synthesis of proteins. Nirenberg and Khorana cracked the genetic code and Holley sequenced and deduced the structure of the first RNA molecule. Khorana made a contribution to genetics in 1970. In 1976 Khorana lead the team that first synthesized a biologically active gene.

Dr. Khorana’s invention of oligonucleotides has become indispensable tools in biotechnology. Khorana is a person with an extraordinary sense of perseverance and uncommon vision.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

1. What kind of a job did Khorana’s father hold ?

Khorana’s father was a parwari, a village agricultural taxation clerk in the British Indian system of government.

2. What was his attitude to his children’s education ?

Although the family was poor, Khorana’s afther was determined to educate his children and they were actually the only literate family in their village inhabited by about 100 people.

3. How did the government of India help Hargobind in his studies ?

Government of India awarded a Fellowship and threw an opportunity to go to England.

4. Where and what did Hargobind study after he obtained a fellowship ?

Hargobind studied Ph.D. Degree at the University of Liverpool in England.

5. What was the role of Dr.Gordon M.Shrum of British Columbia in Khorana’s career ?

Dr.Godrdan M.Shrum of British Columbia offered Khorana a job. There was a great amount of freedom to do whatever the particular researcher liked to do.

6. Who are the other two significant people Khorana met in Vancouver ?

The other two significant people Khorana met in Vancouver were Dr. Jack Campbell and Dr.Gordon M. Tener.

7. What did Khorana achieve in the early 1960’s ?

In the 1960s Khorana corroborated that the way the four different types of nucleotides are arranged on the spiral “staircase” of the DNA molecule determines the chemical composition and function of a new cell.

8. Who did Khorana share the 1968 Nobel prize in Physiology/Medicine with and with what was their work concerned ?

Khorana shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1968 with Marshall W. Nierenberg and Robert W. Holley for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.

9. What were Khorana’s achievements during the 1970’s ?

Khorana made a contribution to genetics in 1970, when he and his research team were able to synthesize the first artificial copy of yeast gene.

10. What kind of a role did Khorana’s wife Esther Elizabeth Sibler play in his career ?

Khorana’s wife Esther Elizabeth Sibler greatly strengthened his sense of purpose. This is especially true in his life during the time when, after six years’ absence from the country of his birth, Khorana felt out of place everywhere and at home nowhere.

Bits :

1. Hargobind Khorana was borin on January 9^th,1922 in a little village called Raipur in Punjab in British India
2. Khorana’s father was a Patwari – a village agricultural taxation clerk
3. Hargogind Khorana studied at D.A.V High School in Multan (now in Pakistan)
4. Khorana studied at Punjab University in Lahore and obtained M.Sc. degree
5. Hargobind was influenced by Ratan Lal and Mr. Mahan Singh at School and University respectively.
6. Government of Indian Fellowship threw Khorana an opportunity to go to England
7. Khorana Studied Ph.D at the University of Liverpool
8. Khorana spent a year (1948-1949) at the Eidgenossische Technische Hoschschule in Zurich with Professor Vladimit Prelog
9. Khorana obtained a fellowship in England to work with Dr.G. W. Kenner and Professor A.R.Todd
10. At the University of Cambridge, Khorana began research on nucleic acids under Sir Alexander Todd
11. Hargobind was offered a job in 1952 by Dr. Gordon M. Shrum of British Columbia at Vancouver
12. Hargobind held fellowships and professorships in Switzerland at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Universities of British Columbia and Wisconsin
13. In 1960 Khorana joined the Institute for Enzyme Research at the University of Wisconsin
14. Khorana shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1968 with Marshall W.Nirenberg and Robert W. Holley
15. The research which brought the Nobel Prize was their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis.
16. Khorana’s role was to design the methods that led to the synthesis of well-defined acids, ultimately leading to the solution of the genetic code
17. Nirenberg and Khorana cracked the genetic code and Holley sequenced and deduced the structure of the first RNA molecule
18. Marshall Nirenberg 1927 was born in New York City.
19. Nirenberg passed out from the University of Florida with Bachelor of Science degree
20. Nirenberg acquired a Master’s degree in Zoology from University of Florida
21. Nirenberg completed his Ph.D at University of Michigan in 1957 on sugar transport in tumor cells
22. Khorana made his contribution to genetics in 1970, when he and his team were able to synthesize the first artificial copy of a yeast gene
23. Khorana joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institutes of Technology as Alfred P. Solan Professor of Biology and Chemistry in 1971
24. Khorana subsequently became a naturalized citizen of the United States
25. Hargobind Khorana married in 1952 to Esthre Elizabeth Sibler of Swiss origin
26. Julia Elizabeth (May 4^th 1953) Emily Anne (October 18^th 1954) and Dave Roy (July 26^th 1958) were the children of Khorana
27. Dr. Khorana was also the pioneering scientist to synthesize oligonucleotides, that is, strings of nucleotides
28. Dr. Khorana’s invention of oligonucleotides has become indispensable tools in biotechnology

29 . Khorana currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United states serving as MIT’s Alfred P. Solan Professor of Biology and Chemistry, Emeritus

Hargobind Khorana - SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

Hargobind Khorana
SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

TELPA

TELPA

Sir C.V. RAMAN - SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

Sir C.V. RAMAN
SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

SIR C.V. RAMAN

SIR C.V. RAMAN

Gist

C.V. Raman’s story begins in a village near Tiruchirapalli in southern India. He was born on 8 November 1888. Raman was a voracious reader and pored eagerly over all the books written by great scientists of his father’s collection. Three books determined the Raman’s chosen path, those were Edwin’s Arnold’s Light of Asia, which is the story of Gauthama Buddha, The Elements of Euclid, a treatise on classical geometry, and The Sensations of Tone, by German scientist Helmholtz, on the properties of sound waves.

Raman completed his school when he was just eleven years old. He joined in the BA course at the age of thirteen only. He was suggested by his teachers to prepare for the Indian Civil Services (ICS) examination. But he could not qualify the medical examination to travel to England. This was the only examination that Raman failed.

Raman joined the MA physics in Presidency College, Madras, During this time he became famous for his experiments with light waves. Raman wondered what would happen if the light shone straight, not from an angle on the screen. Raman not only studied this variant problem and published in a paper in the Philosophical Magazine, a British journal. He was the first student of Presidency College to publish a research paper.

Raman passed the MA examination in January 1907, coming first in the university. He has taken the Financial Civil Services (FCS) examination due to lack of facilities to pursue his research in India. Later Raman started his research at ‘Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science ‘ (IACS).

Raman was fascinated by waves and sound. He remembered the reading of Helmholtz’s book in his school days. He explained the working of the ektara. He took up a violin for study and developed a way of characterising the quality of the instrument. Raman’s studies on the violin published as book. Until 1920, acoustics continued to interest him he also studied the veena, tambura, mridangam, tabla and others.

Around 1917 Raman was offered the position of Palit Professor of Physics at the university. In 1921, the University of Calcutta conferred on him an honorary doctorate. He attended University Congress at Oxford, during the voyage back Raman watched the sea and did the experiments to capture the colour of the sea. Raman set his team members to work on his idea on light scattering. In 1927 of 28^th February the famous Raman effect was discovered, and the date now celebrated as National Science Day. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1930. Raman devoted his final years from 1946 to 1970 to the setting up of the Raman Research Institute in Bangalore.

C.V. died on 21 November 1970. By a special arrangement his mortal remains were consigned to flames in the institute campus itself, amidst the surroundings he loved without any religious ceremonies. Raman was a brilliant student, a very original thinker and a hardworking, disciplined person. Further, when he faced with a lack of infrastructure, he always improvised and built up. His determination, spirit and contributions will indeed remain special within the context of the practice of science in India.

Questions with Answers :

a. How were the great men who Raman read about as a child reflected in the work he did later in life ?

As a child Raman read, The Sensations of Tone by German scientist Helmholtz, on the properties of sound waves. Raman was fascinated by waves and sound, and seems to have carried in his mind the memory of reading Helmholtz’s book in his school days. Then he got the chance to study and experiment in the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS). He has chosen musical instruments to study like violin, veena, tambura, mridangam, tabla and others. Raman’s studies on the violin were extensive and were later published as a book entitled On the Mechanical Theory of Vibrations of Musical Instruments of the Violin Family with Experimental Results: Part I.

b. Why did Raman fail to impress his teachers when he joined Presidency College ?

Raman completed school when he was just eleven years old. He joined the BA course at Presidency College, when he was only thirteen years old. Being young for his class Raman failed to impress his teachers with his appearance. In the first English class that he had attended, Professor E.H. Eliot asked if he really belonged to the junior BA class.

c. What made Raman say of the Civil Surgeon of Madras, ‘I shall ever be grateful to this man’ ?

Raman was suggested to prepare for the Indian Civil Services (ICS) examination by his teachers. Raman had to undergo a medical examination to take the ICS test. But the Civil Surgeon of Madras declared him medically unfit to travel to England. This was the only exam Raman failed, and he would later remark in his characteristic style about the man who disqualified him because at that time, he simply put the attempt behind and went on to study physics.

d. Why was the day when Raman walked into the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science a historic moment ?

The day when Raman walked into the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science a historic moment because the building that became the laboratory where he and his team performed the legendary experiments on light.

e. Outline the subject of the first research Raman conducted in the IACS ?

The first research Raman has chosen was studying musical instruments. He explained the working of the ektara. He developed several idea that he called, ‘remarkable resonances’. He took up a violin for study and developed a way of characterizing the quality of the instrument. This was the first time a scientific understanding was established, and it is used even today.

f. What discovery did Raman make during his voyage across the Mediterranean and how did it prove to be important ?

Raman discovered that water molecules could scatter light like air molecules, during his voyage across the Mediterranean. It set him on the track to discovering the famous Raman effect. In 1922, he wrote a brilliant essay entitled ‘The Molecular Diffraction of Light,’ in which he speculated that light may exist in quanta, that is, as massless particles of energy.

Bits:

1. Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman shortly as C. V. Raman
2. C.V. Raman was born on 8 November 1888
3. Raman was the second child of R. Chandrasekhar Iyer and Parvathi Ammal
4. As a child, Raman was an avid (voracious) reader
5. Light of Asia is written by Edwin Arnold – the story of Gautama Buddha
6. The Elements of Euclid, treatise on classical geometry
7. The Sensations of Tone by German scientist Helmholtz on the properties of sound waves
8. Raman completed school when he was just eleven years old
9. Raman joined the BA course at Presidency College, Madras, when he was thirteen years old
10. ICS stands for Indian Civil Services
11. The only exam Raman failed was a medical examination to travel to England to take ICS test
12. Raman joined the MA physics class in Presidency College, Madras
13. Raman studied on light and published a paper in the Philosophical Magazine, a British Journal
14. Raman was in teens and the first student of Presidency College to publish a research paper
15. Raman passed the MA examination in January 1907 coming first in the university
16. Raman married Lokasundari, who belonged to Madurai
17. FCS stands for Financial Civil Services - a forerunner of the Indian Administrative and Audit Services (IAACS)
18. IACS stands for Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
19. Raman’s papers appeared in international journals such as Nature and the Philosophical Magazine, published in England
20. The Physical Review, published in the USA
21. Raman was fascinated by waves and sound
22. At IACS Raman has chosen to study musical instruments first
23. Raman has explained the working of the ektara
24. Raman studied the violin and later published a book entitled On the Mechanical Theory of Vibrations of Musical Instruments of the Violin Family with Experimental Results: Part I
25. To study on violin Raman assembled the parts from a cycle shop and other odds and ends found in the lab
26. Besides violin, Raman studied the veena, tambura, mridangam, tabla and others
27. Raman became interested in optics
28. Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee, appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University.
29. Around 1917 Raman was offered the position of Palit Professor at the university
30. Some of the well-known names among Raman’s brilliant students are K.R. Ramanathan, K.S.Krishnan and Suri Bhagavantam
31. Raman was conferred an honorary doctorate by the University of Calcutta in 1921
32. Raman attended the University Congress at Oxford
33. Lord Rayleigh, who had explained the blue colour of the sky
34. Lord Rayleigh, explained ‘The dark blue of deep sea has nothing to do with the colour of water but is simply the blue of the sky seen in reflection.’
35. Raman’s experiments on the colour of sea were explained and published to the journal Nature
36. Raman’s discovery started during the voyage across the Mediterranean Sea
37. Raman said that water molecules could scatter light just like air molecules, which set him to discover the famous Raman effect
38. In 1922 Raman wrote a brilliant essay entitled ‘The Molecular Diffraction of Light’
39. The Compton effect was discovered in 1923
40. Raman set his team members to work on his idea of light scattering
41. Raman’s students K.R. Ramanathan, first spotted the light scattering phenomenon in 1923
42. Many of Raman’s other students were able to reproduce this effect and ‘feeble fluorescence’
43. In 1927 it was said that the effect was not ‘a type of fluorescence’ but a ‘modified scattering’
44. On 28 February of 1927 the famous Raman effect was discovered
45. 28 February is now celebrated as National Science Day
46. Raman has received Nobel Prize for physics in 1930
47. Raman took up the directorship of Indian Institute of Science until he retired in 1948
48. Raman devoted his final years, from 1946 to 1970 to the setting up of the Raman Research Institute in Bangalore and the running the Indian Academy of Science
49. Raman edited the journals Current Science and the Proceedings of the Academy
50. C.V. Raman died on 21 November 1970

DIWALI GREETINGS

click on image

HEAVEN'S GATE

HEAVEN'S GATE

Gist

The author had been to Ladakhi capital of Leh. He has observed around snowfields, with ragged prayer flags and Indian soldiers shivering in their camps. They moved along Nubra Valley. They have seen Buddhist Diskit gompa or temple. The high, dry region Ladakh in northern India that borders Tibet and is called ‘the world’s last Shangri-La’ and also described as the “land of high passes”. Ladakh also borders Pakistan. In official terms, Ladakh takes in the Muslim region of Kargil, so almost half its population is Islamic.

The author’s first day in Leh, he has observed the faces that spoke Lhasa, Herat even Samarkand. He has observed a scramble of dusty, mud-coloured buildings a few blocks along, an abandoned palace and temples. According to author street lighting did not arrive in Leh until the third year of Clinton administration. Internet cafes on every corner were also existed. The author also witnessed the great events of Ladakhi calendar, the Tse-Chu festival at Hemis. 90 percent of the audience members were foreigners at Tse-Chu and it was told that the party for the tourists only. Indeed, many of Ladakhi’s festivals, traditaionally held in the winter when they don’t have to work in the fields.

One of the first Europeans to settle in Leh, Helena Norberg-Hodge, arrived in 1975 and set up an ecology center. The lampposts of Leh saying “Say No to Polythene”. Ladakh is a way to retrieve something lost, sustaining within us that, which once experienced, comes to seem as contemporary, as invigorating, as tomorrow.

Questions with Answers :

A. What animals and trees did the writer find in the Nubra Valley ?

Marmots, wild asses or kiang, humped Bactrian camels. Apricot trees and willows.

B. How did the writer’s observations match descriptions he had read of the way people live in Ladakh ?

The author came to know ladakh as the high, dry region in northern India that borders Tibet and is often called ‘the world’s last Shangri-La’. He has seen one of the planet’s great centers of Himalayan Buddhism. He has seen the people as they might have several centuries ago, in whitewashed houses amid fields of barely and wheat irrigated by glacial snowmelt. He had heard that Ladakh the “land of high passes”, as it name means, was the one place where this pastoral existence was still preserved.

C. What did the writer discover to his surprise on reaching Ladakh, which he had imagined to have had no contact with other parts of the world ?

The writer realised that Ladakh borders Pakistan. Ladakh takes in the Muslim region of Kargil, so almost half of its population is Islamic. And most of all the place associated with blue-skied purity has for centuries been one of the most cosmopolitan trading posts in the Himalayas, through which traders transported silk, indigo, gold and opium to Kashmir, Kashgar, Yarkand and all other great caravan stops of the Silk Road.

D. What do you think the writer means when he says, ‘I saw faces that spoke of Lhasa, Herat, even Samarkand’ ?

The writer saw the people from China, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan in Leh.

E. How do travelers to the ‘otherworldly and highly magical’ Ladakh affect the people who belong there ?

Ladakh is the latest secret treasure to dramatize all the paradoxes of civilization and its discontents. Its temples that mock gravity, its , its khaki-colored stretches of emptiness with small white Buddhist stupas above them, even the tree-lined walks out of Leh were more beautiful than anything. Such wonders have brought a new restlessness to the people of Ladakh, who now fill Leh’s narrow streets with construction cranes and revving Suzukis, and their future lies in packaging or even abandoning of their past.

F. What does the writer tell us to show that while young people in Ladakh’s town prefer western ways of entertainment, people in rural areas continue to enjoy their old, local forms of music and sports ?

The writer witnessed the great Tse-Chu festival. He found the girls selling necklaces and statues of Buddha, mystical scrolls and even CDs, such goods could be aimed only at the tourist market. Indeed, many of Ladakh’s festivals, traditionally held in the winter when Ladahkhis don’t have to work in the fields, have now been moved to the summer so they can grab a foreign audience. As a result, inevitably, Ladakh is something of a test case of what good as well as bad can be brought by travelers, who in Ladakh seem mostly committed to protecting the apparently self sustaining traditional world they’ve discovered here.

Bits :

1. Ladakh is the capital of Leh

2. Marmots, wild asses, or kiang Bactrian camels, apricot trees and willows appeared toward the Nubra Valley.

3. Ladakh was the high, dry region in northern India that borders Tibet

4. Ladakh was often called the world’s last Shangri-La

5. Ladakh was one of the planet’s great centers of Himalayna Buddhism

6. Journey in Ladakh’ written by Andrew Harvey

7. Ladakh is described as the “land of high passes”

8. Ladakh borders Pakistan

9. Ladakh takes in the Muslim region of Kargil

10. Half of Ladakh’s population is Islamic

11. In Leh people speaking Lhasa, Herat, Samarkand

12. The son of the last king of Ladakh, Choegyal Jigmed Wangchuk Namgyal

13. The writer witnessed Tse-Chu festival at Hemis

14. Ladakhi’s festivals traditionally held in the winter

15. One of the first Europeans to settle in Leh was Helena Norberg-Hodge, arrived in1975

16. Helena Norberg-Hodge setup an ecology center in 1975

17. The lampposts of Leh saying “Say No to Polythene”

18. Plastic bags are prohibited in Leh

19. The author’s account of Ladakh is based on his visit to the place

20. Preparing traditional Ladakhi food is not easy because the ingredients are expensive

HEAVEN'S GATE - SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

HEAVEN'S GATE

SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS

AECS-RECORD BLANK PAGE

MCA - ELCS NOTES - TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING

Technical Report Writing

1. Understand the type of technical report you are writing.
Technical reports come in all shapes and sizes, but they all share the same goal of communicating information clearly. Deciding what type of document you need to write is an important first step as it influences your approach.
Reporting Research Findings

These documents describe the work done to gather information in the laboratory or field. They can be simple recording or data or more thorough and include: the problem or issue examined, the method or equipment used, the data collected and the implications.
Simple Technical Information Report

This document explains a technical subject. It has no aim other than to make sure readers understand the topic clearly. For example, a technical report on a investing in the futures market would probably explain how the market evolved, how it works, the specialist terms used and so on. A simple technical report for information does not put forward a view on the merits of investing in the market or have recommendations.
Technical Specifications

Specifications typically consist of descriptions of the features, materials, uses and workings of new product. Good specifications concentrate on graphics, data and illustrations rather than written descriptions. Think of a patent application as a good example.
Technical Evaluation Reports

Evaluation reports, sometimes called feasibility reports, present technical information in a practical and logical way to decide whether something is possible. For example, a technical evaluation report into setting up an intranet site for a corporation would examine if this was possible, set out the steps needed and point out any problems. It does not recommend if the corporation should set up its own intranet site.
Technical Recommendation Reports

These reports lead to specific recommendations. It builds on the evaluation report and comes to specific recommendations to help the decision-maker adopt the best solution. Of course, some reports often have both the evaluation and recommendation reports rolled into one
Technical Manuals and Instructions

Here the emphasis is on using appliances, equipment or programs. The task here is to write step-by-step procedures anyone can understand and follow.
2. Write down your specific aim
Ask yourself ‘why am I writing’ and ‘what am I trying to achieve?’ If you don’t know, the chances of writing good technical specifications are remote. If you define your aim, you can then evaluate all information, arguments and recommendations against that aim. For example, you might be writing a report on Firewall Software, but your aim is different if you need to write a one-page summary or a 100-page technical specification.
If you have more than one aim, sort them into priority order.
3. Plan the sections and subsections you need.
With technical writing you must present your information so readers can:
* use the report for the purpose for which it was requested;
* extract the main points without necessarily reading the whole;
* easily find the information that interests them;
* and quickly absorb the crucial information they need to know.
If you don’t organize your document well, readers may miss important information. It is up to you to present your information in a readable and well-organized way. You should offer informative summaries, clear instructions and a logical arrangement to let your readers pick and choose the parts they want to read.
4. Avoid starting with Background, Introduction or Methodology.
These headings encourage you to warm up to the writing task and waste the most valuable part of the document—the first page. Instead, use the opening page to present the essential information. For example: Once you have written down your sections and subsections, review them. Drop ones that are not essential. Then work out the best order to let readers pick out the information they need.
5. Write in plain English.
Good writing, whether technical or general, presents relevant information in a clear style. Technical writing has such a poor reputation—ask users what they think of computer manuals—because writers fail to use the clear, plain English style.
Plain English is a simple style that anyone can understand. You have to control sentence length, use active verbs, cut down on unnecessary jargon, make your writing specific and tight. This is not the way we learn to write at college or in the workplace. The culture of academic writing and business and scientific writing is the dull, long-winded, passive style. Take the following example; then compare the draft in plain English.
6. Keep your average sentence between 10 to 20 words.
Long sentences make any document hard to read. In technical documents keep your average sentence between 10 to 20. You may go down as low as 10 or 11 words if you're writing instructions with many short, sharp sentences telling the user what to do. However, if you get below 10 words, you're probably overdoing the technique of short sentences.
7. Keep technical terms to a minimum.
Although a specialist technical vocabulary is necessary, don’t let this be an excuse to use the technical word unthinkingly.
8. Use examples and illustrations.
When you write up your technical information, remember to use examples, illustrations and analogies to explain difficult information or new ideas.
A simple example or illustration can go a long way to making technical writing understandable.
9. Use diagrams, flowcharts and graphs.
The cliché a picture is worth a thousand words is true. A good diagram, flowchart or graph can present information quickly that would take ten sentences to explain.

MCA ELCS NOTES - LETTER WRITING

Letter Writing

Introduction
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
* To understand what makes an effective letter
* To gain an overview of the types of letters and the steps involved in the letter writing process
In any business organisation, a letter is a powerful medium of communication. Any letter can be said to serve two functions: that of a messenger and that of an ambassador. Just as a messenger carries a message, a letter is essentially a means of conveying information and just as an ambassador acts as a representative of one country in another country, a business letter that is sent to a particular company represents the company that sent it. A well-written letter creates a good impression of the company and the sender while a poorly written letter creates an unfavourable impression.

1. An Effective Letter
As with all kinds of communication, letters are written to achieve specific objectives. A letter is effective when it achieves the writer’s objectives. However, for the writer’s objectives to be achieved, the reader must react positively to the letter. So, an effective letter can be said to be one where the reader reacts positively to the writer’s goals. As such, it is very important that you take into consideration the reader’s perspective when you write letters.
2. Types of Letters
Broadly speaking, there are two types of letters:
Those addressed to people outside one’s organisation.
Those addressed to people within one’s organisation, often referred to as memos.
Apart from a difference in audience, the other real difference between the two is in format. In terms of length, both can be long or short depending on the complexity of the situation and shared information between the writer and the reader. In terms of formality, both can be formal or informal depending on the context, the subject of the message and the writer-reader relationship. In the series of handouts on letter writing, the word ‘letter’ is used as a generic term to refer to all types of business correspondence that includes letters, memos, and even emails. It is only in the discussion of format that a distinction is made between these three types of correspondence.
3. The Letter Writing Process

The letter writing process will usually involve the following four stages:
Planning
This involves developing an accurate understanding of the situation/problem, identifying the objective of the letter, and analysing your reader(s).
Organising
This involves selecting relevant content and outlining the specific pieces of content in a way that would effectively achieve your writing objective, meet the needs of your reader(s) and address their concerns.
Drafting
This involves expanding the outline into full sentences and full paragraphs, making sure that attention is paid to style and tone and strategies to enhance the persuasive effect of your letter.
Revising
This involves assessing the overall effectiveness of your message by reviewing its content and structure, the appropriateness of its style and tone, and its conformity with standard business letter format. Necessary revisions are then made based on this objective assessment of your message.

MCA - ELCS - NOTES - WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Written communication
Written communication is a creative activity that requires a lot of imagination and efforts to arrive at the finished product. Writing is a mode of communicating a message for a purpose. Writing reveals one’s ability to think clearly and to use language effectively.
Written communication is transmitted by written words in the form of letters, memos, circulars, bulletins, reports, instruction cards, manuals, magazines, handbooks, etc.
Purpose of writing
The first task for writing effectively is to identify the purpose of the communication. There are mainly two purposes of communication in business situations.
1. To inform and 2. Persuade

Features of effective writing
Effective writing is achieved when it has certain features. Writing will be effective if it is organized as appropriate and is readable.
Clarity : A messenger works out some scheme, a scientist or an engineer does a job. As the ‘doer’ he/she is clear about what he/she has in his/her mind. But the moment he/she takes up a pen and starts writing to communicate his/her ideas, he/she overlooks that fact that the structure of his/her thoughts has to follow the structure of language, that is to say, the structure of sentences, paragraphs and the whole composition.
Clear writing is coherent and avoids muddy, incorrect, overly complex phrases and jargon.
Brevity : A major determinant of readability is conciseness. Avoid wordy phrases and long, complex words; opt instead for short, familiar words. You can also improve conciseness by eliminating redundancies.

Appropriate tone : One of the major characteristics of effective writing is appropriate tone.
Readers are egocentric. They like to read about themselves and to see references to themselves. Business writing shares with direct-mail advertising the technique of personalizing messages to audiences to obtain a desired response.
Words that stir up positive meanings in the reader’s mind usually are best for achieving the letter objectives. Negative words stir up resistance and hurt goodwill.
Writing in conversational language is not easy, for we tend to be stiff and formal. The results are letters that convey the impression of a cold and formal institution rather than being friendly.

MCA - ELCS - NOTES - INTERVIEWS

Formal and informal interviews

A brief list of interview types follow:
· Personal and informal interview
· Personal and formal interview
· Progressive interview
· Group interview
In definition, the types are explained below.

Personal and informal interview - These interviews can be held in a professional setting, on the worksite, at a restaurant or elsewhere. Personal in these definitions simply mean one-on-one with only one person. These are the most casual of interviews. One can expect to discuss job-related items, personal goals, discuss other personal issues and be more of a conversation than a one-way interview. This is the most relaxed interview type and will nearly always require a second meeting before any sort of firm decision is made by the hiring party. Bring your personable self and be prepared to chat more than you would expect from the formal interview.

Personal and formal interview - This one-on-one interview can be much different than the informal interview. This type is normally held in a closely monitored timeframe and this is the most common interview used when there are several candidates to be seen by the organization in a session. You may expect typical personal questions regarding your background and goals, but the interview will include standardized questions such as: What are your greatest weaknesses? Give me an example of your exercising decisiveness on the job without assistance from others? Dress for this interview is professional and/or can be whatever appropriate attire is needed to perform the job itself. You will be asked more questions and be giving more answers as the interviewer takes notes in most cases.

Progressive interview - In some cases, you can be expected to meet with two or more individuals in succession. This is a progressive interview. You may meet with someone from Human Resources, then with someone from the department, then with a manager.. etc.. Dress for a formal interview and bring several copies of your documents. You will want to present each participant with copies or at least offer to. Make it a point to remember the names of each person you meet with and refer to them as needed. You will indeed discuss points already covered in earlier conversations. Be prepared to refer to these conversations as needed. Make an attempt to relate to each person as an individual and not carry on the same exact conversation with each person. Try to appeal to each person as you meet them.

Group interview - Perhaps the most intimidating of all interview types, and sometimes referred to as a committee interview. Envision a board room, meeting room, break room or somewhere else that five or more people can meet at once. The point here is to have fun with the people while satisfying their individual curiosities about you. Relax and engage each person that addresses you directly. Remember that everyone is listening, so making eye contact with everyone is best even while you're really responding to someone in particular and focusing most of your attention on that person. Certain people may not say anything and in some cases the people will take turns asking you questions. In either case, pay attention to everyone and be courteous to all. The more relaxed you are the better.

Ambiance and polemics
Ambience:
The ambience in which the interview takes place can have a great deal of influence on the results. A setting with the minimum distractions is generally the best. Frequent interruptions mar the flow of conservation and prevent both the interviewer and the respondent from being alert to each other’s verbal and non-verbal cues. The seating arrangements also have an impact on the interview.
Any interview is much more than a question and answer session. For the candidate, it is actually the challenge of marketing oneself. The candidate makes the first impression on presentation of oneself. It is axiomatic that attire oft proclaims a man and a woman as well. Being well dressed for the interview gives the message that one is keen on creating the right impression. There is one more reason why a candidate should dress well for the interview. That is on account of the level of confidence it generates for the candidate. It is important to be self-confident. Feed your self-confidence.

Polemics:
Polemics in interview refer to the practice or skill of arguing strongly for or against. However during the interview it is important that one takes care one’s mannerisms and behaviour patterns. The conduct of some candidates is not positive during an interview. The interviewee must behave formally and try to impress the interviewers with good manners and a positive behaviour pattern.
Being polite, pleasant and courteous is the key to a successful job interview. The candidate should be flexible in approach, attitude and style. It is important to be very tactful and should avoid arguing with the interviewers. The interviewee must maintain eye contact to respond in a lively manner.

Performance appraisal
Performance appraisal is a universal phenomenon in which the organization is making judgment about one is working with and about oneself. It serves as a basic element of effective work performance. Performance appraisal is essential for the effective management and evaluation of staff. It aims to improve the organizational performance as well as individual development.
Annual performance appraisals evaluate the role of the employee in the organizational development and also monitoring the standard, expectations, objectives, efficiency in handling task and responsibilities in a period of time. Appraisal also helps to analyze the individual training needs of the employee and planning of future job allocation. It also help to adopt appropriate strategy based on organizational training needs. Performance appraisal analyzes employee’s performance and which utilize to review the grades and modify the annual pay. It generally reviews each individual performance against the objectives and standard of the organization. Performance management creating a work environment and it is enabling the employees to perform best of their abilities. Through performance management companies are hiring efficient people.

MCA - ELCS - NOTES - PARTICIPATION IN MEETINGS

MCA - ELCS - NOTES

Participation in meetings
When you attend a meeting you should:

Attend only if needed. Some use meetings as a weapon in their office politics arsenal. They attended to be seen and heard whether they need to be there or not. If you’re not going to contribute to the discussion or if the outcomes do not affect you, don’t attend. Too many non-essential participants can extend the length of the meeting.
Get There On time. I refuse to start a meeting late for the sake of the person who wanders in five-minutes past start time; mostly to prove they are too busy and important to get to a meeting on time. It is discourteous to the chair and to those who make the effort to be on time.
Be prepared with your contribution. If you’ve given up attending meetings where your contribution is not needed, it stands to reason all the meetings you attend require participation. Prepare whatever information you anticipate needing. Go overboard. Bring twice as much data as you think you’ll need. Just don’t spew the whole works. If you have information to hand out, get it to participants a day or two before the meeting.
Pay attention. There will always be those at a meeting so focused on their opinion that they are not really listening to what the others are saying. Listen actively to the discussion. You don’t want to merely parrot or repeat another participant’s contribution.
Get involved in the discussion. Review the agenda and clarify your thoughts prior to the meeting. Make some notes. Being prepared will make it more likely that you will have some energy behind your points of view and, therefore, be more likely to express them.
Be courteous. You’re not likely to agree with everything said at a meeting. Never interrupt anyone – even if you disagree strongly. Note what has been said and return to it later with the chair’s permission. The point of most meetings is to reach agreements. If the participants are combative, the meetings will drag on. Look for ways to build consensus.
If you are attending a meeting, ensure that you respect the time of other attendees by being well prepared, attentive, concise and respectful..

Chairing sessions

The following brief information for chairing sessions at meetings are provided to ensure a smooth running conference. An attentive, well-prepared Session Chair can help ensure that the speakers give high quality, trouble-free talks and that the audience appreciates the entire session.
In the unlikely event that one of your speakers cancels at the very last minute, you might have available a short talk of your own to help maintain the continuity of the session. Perhaps a talk you’ve previously delivered at another venue, or one you would like to “take out for a spin” to gauge audience reactions, or a short movie clip showing something about your company or installation……this can prove very helpful to the program. At issue here is maintaining the published schedule. When a speaker drops out after the schedule is published, and attendees have made plans as to which talks to attend, a disruption caused by an empty slot can snowball across different tracks and disappoint people who really wanted to see your second speaker. So, rearranging the order of presenters should not be done lightly without consideration for the effect on attendees
Recognize that you are the leader of the session. You are the one everyone will turn to if there are problems among your speakers or within your audience. Thank you for agreeing to assume high responsibility. Much of the success of the conference will rest on the efficient and consistent execution of our technical presentation sessions. As important as running the session well is the critical ear. If you pick up on something that causes a stir or is particularly controversial, jot it down and make a point of informing someone from the Program Committee, the Board of Directors, or the Chairs as appropriate. Feedback is an essential aspect.