Rifleman Sanjay Kumar : An Essay

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar

Unit : 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles

In 1999, Pakistani army occupied a large area in Kashmir in the winter, so an operation was launched in the summer to get this area vacated. This operation is known as Kargil war.

This is important to know that defeating a well-fortified enemy is a very difficult job, and in this war, the Pakistani soldiers had occupied strong bunkers on the hilltops, and defeating them there was a massive challenge. This challenge was even more difficult in view of the fact that the enemy was located at a height while the Indians had to move from below, so they could be easily seen by the enemy. However, the Indian Army, with help of the Indian Air Force, started to attack and occupy one peak after another.

Point 4875 is the name of one of the hilltops on which the Pakistani army had built strong fortifications. It was difficult for the Indians to attack these bunkers because all the routes leading to them were in the open and the enemy could easily see the approaching Indians.

At this, Sanjay Kumar took up the challenge and led a team to attack this point. Despite coming under direct enemy attack, he advanced with his small team inch by inch. Sanjay Kumar himself leapt from a distance and crossed the main hurdle killing three Pakistani soldiers. In this task, he himself too was wounded, but the goal was not yet achieved.

From a nearby bunker, the Pakistani soldiers were firing at Indians and it was necessary to silence them too. Despite being wounded, Sanjay Kumar jumped from this bunker to the next and attacked the Pakistani defenders there. The Pakistanis were so terrified that they fled from there leaving behind their machinegun. Sanjay Kumar took it up and fired at the fleeing enemies.

Enthused by his courage, the other Indians joined him and silenced the remaining Pakistanis in the area, taking control of the hilltop fully.

For his unique courage, dutifulness, loyalty and decision-making ability, Sanjay Kumar was conferred with the Param Vir Chakra.

Fg Offr Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon : An Essay

Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon

Arm : Indian Air Force

The air force plays the most important role in any modern war, so was the case in the 1971 India-Pakistan War. It defends the country from the enemy air attacks and also launches attacks well within the enemy territory. The Indian Air Force accomplished its objectives well and made victory possible in this war.

On 14 December, 1971, six Pakistani Sabre jets approached the Srinagar airfield to attack. At this time, Sekhon and Ghumman were on ORP duty, that is, they had to take on any intruding aircraft. They had the Gnats to defend the airfield, while the Sabre jets were far more powerful. But these two warriors were not scared of either the larger number of enemy aircraft, or the more powerful enemy. They scrambled their Gnats on the runway when the Sabre jets were on their heads, raining down bombs.

Sekhon and Ghumman took off facing these odds, and immediately started to chase the Pakistani aircraft. There was fog and visibility was poor, but they dared the enemy. Sekhon first shot down one Sabre jet and then chased the second one and hit it too. But the remaining Pakistani aircraft came behind him and shot at him. His aircraft sustained a hit. Sekhon spoke to Ghumman on radio and said, "It seems my aircraft is hit. Continue with the fight."

After this, his aircraft started to fall off the sky and was soon engulfed in fire. He died in the line of his duty. His effort disallowed the Pakistani intruders from causing any significant damage to the Indian installations. For his daring feat, technological skill and courage, Sekhon was conferred with the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

Lt Col A.B. Tarapore : An Essay

Lieutenant Colonel A.B. Tarapore

Unit : 17 Horse

17 Horse is the name of the unit, but it does not have horses for fighting; when it was established long back, it had horses, which were by the year 1965 replaced with tanks, but its name continued as before. Tanks are armoured vehicles which play a major role in a battle. In the 1965 India-Pak War, this unit came to face the Pakistani tanks at Chavinda.

On 16 September, 1965, Tarapore was ordered to deploy his tanks at Chavinda. Taking part in a battle nearby, he was already wounded, but he continued to fight. He led a massive attack on the Pakistani tanks and destroyed 60 of them. In this effort, only 7 Indian tanks were destroyed. In this battle which lasted for 6 days, Tarapore laid down his life leading his unit from the front. For his exemplary courage and leadership qualities, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

Subedar Joginder Singh : An Essay

Subedar Joginder Singh

Unit : 1 Sikh

An army cannot fight well in the absence of supplies, that is, it needs clothing, guns, ammunition and food. If an army is not provided adequate supplies, its defeat is almost certain. Somewhat of this situation was faced by the Indians in 1962 India-China war. At this time, Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister of India, who believed that China would never attack India, so he did not prepare his army well, and its consequences were disastrous.

Despite lacking supplies, the Indians proved their bravery par excellence. They established highest standards of bravery in the battlefield while facing a much stronger, well-supplied and well-reinforced enemy.

On 9 September, 1962, 7 Infantry Brigade was ordered to occupy Namka Chu which the Chinese had occupied and fortified it well. The attacking Indians lacked training, arms, ammunition, equipment, clothing, and even food. In Chinese retaliation, this brigade had to suffer a huge loss, and lost about half of its men.

However, the Indians fought well with whatever they had. A part of this brigade was 1 Sikh, which was armed with .303 rifles in which bullets had to be loaded one by one, while the enemy possessed automatic guns. At one post, Subedar Joginder Singh led his platoon to take on the strong Chinese army, but soon he was out of ammunition. At this, displaying extraordinary courage, his soldiers attached bayonets on their rifles and jumped out of their bunkers to launch a direct physical attack with their battle call "Jo bole so Nihal, Sat Sri Akal". The enemy was bewildered to see these turbaned soldiers attacking in the open. How long could they sustain their attack on the powerful army? Despite lacking ammunition, they caused huge damage to the enemy, before most of them laid down their lives while the remaining were badly injured.

Subedar Joginder Singh too was badly injured in the fighting, he was taken prisoner by the Chinese, but he did not survive long. For his inspiring leadership and glorious bravery, he was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest bravery medal of India.

Major Somnath Sharma : An Essay

Major Somnath Sharma

Unit : 4 Kumaon

In 1947, soon after independence, Pakistan cast its greedy glances on Jammu and Kashmir, and sent its soldiers in the garb of tribals to occupy as much part of the state as possible. To beat back the Pakistanis, India sent its army from Delhi and Ambala. One of these forces included the D Company of 4 Kumaon Regiment, commanded by Major Somnath Sharma.

Just prior to airlift to Srinagar, Somnath was taking physical exercise in which he fractured his hand, so he was advised not to participate in the war; but he said, "How can I rest in Delhi when my men are going to war?" Despite his fractured hand, he became the first officer to land at Srinagar.

His D Company was deployed in Badgam to check the advance of the invaders. Somnath had only 90 soldiers under his command. At noon, he saw that just outside the village, several people gathered near a canal. Somanth thought that they were villagers, but they were in fact Pakistani soldiers who were dressed like local villagers.

These Pakistanis entered the village and launched an attack on the D Company from there. With this, Somnath ordered his soldiers to retaliate. He found that the enemy was in a great number and was armed with mortars, guns, rifles and other large guns. The invaders were attacking them fiercely, but the Indian soldiers had to be careful as the women and children in the village could be killed in their firing.

The D Company repulsed an attack from the invaders, who returned to attack in a larger number. Several of the Indian soldiers were getting hit and killed in the attack, but they were fighting bravely and inflicting a major loss on the enemy, piling up corpses of the enemy soldiers. Seeing the large number of enemies, Somnath called for reinforcement from the Brigade Headquarters.

Somnath established ground signals for the Indian Air Force to attack the enemy, while his soldiers were taking better of the enemy. With the increasing number of his soldiers laying down their lives, the number of Indian soldiers was dwindling rapidly, while the enemy was still strong. When he saw that his men were facing shortage of men to load the machineguns, he himself helped them do so despite his injured hand. About this time, a shell fell near him claiming his life.

In this battle, Major Somnath Sharma made the supreme sacrifice along with 21 more of his men, while another 26 were wounded. In this comparison, the enemy lost more than 300 men.

For displaying the rare courage, Major Somanth Sharma was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously. He became the first person to get this award.

Fish : An Essay

When we say the word 'fish', the first image that comes to the mind is that of a slanting, streamlined colourful creature sliding in water, flapping its fins up and down, and jumping out of water when we throw food to it. But thinking this way is a very limited way of looking at a fish.

 The word 'fish' can be sometimes a tricky grammatical term for students because the same word stands for the plural too, but you should know that when we refer to different kinds of fish, we can very well use the word 'fishes', but for the same kind, the plural to be used remains the same 'fish'. So, you know the exact meaning when we use 'fish' or 'fishes' in the plural sense. The funniest thing about the word 'fish' is that all animals that carry it in their names are not necessarily fish; for example, jellyfish, crayfish, cuttlefish and starfish are not fishes.

Fish plays such an important part in our life that it has intruded our everyday language. We have a number of idioms and phrases that hinge on the word 'fish'. When you say that a person is like 'a fish out of water', you mean that she feels awkward or uncomfortable because she is not in familiar surroundings. When you say that you 'have bigger fish to fry', you mean that you have more important things to do. 'An odd fish' is a person who is slightly strange or crazy; and 'a big fish' is an important person. And when somebody points out that 'there are plenty more fish in the sea', he means that there are many other people or things that are as good as the one somebody has failed to get.

Fishes mean different things to different people. To many people, fishes are best known sources of food; they form a large part of food in the entire world, especially in the areas close to the seashores and water bodies. This has made catching fish an important source of livelihood for a very large number of people. To some people, fish are a source of sport or game, as they go out hunting them. Angling fish has been described to be an ideal pastime by many people, and may be, nobody seems to be talking about animal rights when it comes to fish.

Fishes are inhabitants of water, this fact is known to all people, but all those that live in water are not necessarily fishes, though they all coexist in water bodies including rivers, lakes and seas.

A true fish is a red-blooded, vertebrate animal which lives throughout its life in water. Its body is typically covered with scales. It breathes by means of gills. It propels itself by the sinuous movement of its body, aided by fins, which are the balancing organs. Most fishes breathe dissolved oxygen in water that bathes their gills; but a few like the lung-fishes have developed lung-like structures, which enable them to take in oxygen from the atmospheric air. Some of the lung-fishes are Epiceratodus, Protopterus and Lepidosiren.

A vertebrate is an animal with a backbone; a series of bones that we too have. Other than humans (who are mammals) and fishes, the other animals to have backbones are amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

The largest fishes living today are sharks; they are found in abundance in the tropical and sub-tropical zones of the world. Indian seas are rich in sharks. Interestingly, whales look like a fish, but are not one, they are mammals in fact.

Thus, we see that fishes are of so many types and are so universally found in seas, rivers and lakes that they have been divided into several types of groups. Though they all look alike so far as the shape of their body is concerned, but different features of their bodies and organs have caused their classification into different groups. It is estimated that there are about 25,000 species of fishes living today. They are second to insects in the largeness of population, and they outnumber all other vertebrates, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians put together.

Fishes have had a long history. They first emerged about 430 million years ago. During this vast stretch of time, they have become adapted to all conceivable aquatic environments. They are the most common forms in rivers, rivulets, lakes and estuaries. They roam the open seas and have descended into the dark depths of oceans. They have climbed the rapid torrents of the mountains and crept into the crevices of cave waters. The story of their evolution is fascinating.

Fishes are curious to look because of their smooth body with scales, without legs and feet. And one of the most conspicuous features in fishes is the absence of the external ear, but they very well have the internal ear which is fully developed. They can very well recognize the sound produced by their own kind and can register sound waves conducted through water more sharply than through the air; this fact has been demonstrated by biologists through experiments. Fishes can also smell; their olfactory organs are paired, simple cup-like organs, which have no connection with the mouth. Most fishes have a high sense of smell, which enables them to detect their prey from a distance. Experiments on blinded sharks have shown that they can locate food with the help of smell alone. Salmon is a kind of fish that has an uncanny sense of smell. Fishes practically have no tongue, but they do taste through the oral membrane.

Fishes have a highly developed sense of touch, which most of them feel through barbels.

Have you seen a fire-fly, also called glow-worm or jugnu? It is abundantly found in our country. What makes it fascinating is the light that it emits in the dark. Among sea-creatures too, there are some that emit light; this phenomenon is called bioluminescence. It is in fishes that this process has reached its perfection. The great majority of deep-sea fishes living at depths of 90-550 metres or more have evolved light-producing organs, called photophores, which are varied in kind, number and origin. Deep-sea sharks produce greenish light.

What can be the use of these lighting organs in fishes? It is a biochemical process. The most obvious use is to provide light in places of darkness as in the deep seas, where sunlight does not penetrate. They are also used as defensive organs to confuse the enemy, as in lantern fishes. A further use may be as recognition marks for individuals of the same species, like spots and stripes. They also act as lures for prey as in wide-mouth fishes.

Some fishes have venom too, so it is not advisable to take every fish as food. Generally, fishes do not use their stings as organs of offence; they use them only on provocation, when attacked or stepped upon. In most cases, their venom is not life-threatening and can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, itching and numbness, sometimes accompanied by fall in blood pressure and heart rate.

Earlier it was thought that there are no separate males and females among fishes, so a large number of myths and legends grew around them. Some people said that they reproduced by spontaneous generation, while others believed that the young ones arose from the mucus or slime of their parents. But the truth is that there are males and females among fishes, and they come together to lay eggs. A fish can lay a very large number of eggs; for example, a cod, salmon or plaice may lay anywhere from 250,000 to 500,000 eggs in a single spawning season. You can see fish eggs during the rainy season in the local pond if there is one in the vicinity.

Reading Skills : Strategies to Develop It

Strategies that can help students read more quickly and effectively include the following :

1. Previewing : A student should review the titles, section headings and photo captions to get a sense of the structure and content of a reading selection.

2. Predicting : He should use knowledge of the subject matter to make predictions about content and vocabulary and check comprehension; he should use knowledge of the text type and purpose to make predictions about what is being said in the text and use knowledge about the author to make predictions about his writing style, vocabulary and content.

3. Skimming and Scanning : A student can use a quick survey of the text to understand the main idea, identify text structure and what type of questions may be asked in it.

4. Guessing from Context : A student can use prior knowledge of the subject and the ideas in the text as clues to the meanings of unknown words, instead of stopping to look them up.

5. Paraphrasing : He should stop at the end of a section to check comprehension by restating the information and ideas in the text.

Vocabulary : How to Expand It

It is the word which impresses. The quality of words used in one’s speech or writing shows the quality of the user. Larger the vocabulary, more comfortable you are in expressing yourself. It is a moot point how many words one needs to learn. It is certainly not possible to master and learn by rote the entire dictionary, however the scholar a person is. As we move on from one class to another and one book to another, we tend to learn new words while forgetting those falling in nonuse. Words falling in nonuse no more remain in our active vocabulary. Of course, the best way to build one’s vocabulary remains to broaden one’s intellectual horizons. The more you read, listen and speak; the more words you know about. An interest and a delight in words and the ideas they convey will bring about attentive listening and wide and thorough reading. It can give impetus to frequent use of the dictionary, memorisation of selected vocabulary lists, and the study of the origin and development of words (etymology).

A person has three kinds of vocabularies at his command — speaking, writing and reading. Of them, the reading vocabulary contains the largest number of words. As we read extensively, all three vocabularies will expand, but at surprisingly different rates. The reading vocabulary increases the fastest. Only relatively few words will seep down into the speaking and writing vocabularies. We recognise any number of words when we see them in print, but they are neither on the tips of our tongues nor on the points of our pens for use when they can be most suitably used. At times we keep looking for words which are suitable for a particular occasion, but fail to recollect it. The problem of expanding vocabulary relates to speaking and writing. The recently learnt words can become our friends only when we bring them into use — constant use. The best way to master a word is to use it in sentences of your own, both in speaking and writing. Of course, be sure that the newly acquired word is being correctly used. You can be sure of a word’s correct usage with the help of a dictionary or seeing it being used by scholars and writers. All doubts and misconceptions about the words must be solved, so that you do not become a laughing stock of others. And a piece of advice — Do not rely on the example given by the dictionary for its usage alone, use it in a sentence of your own — and repeatedly.

Writings : Types

Writing or composition of a text can be oral or written. It can be guided or spontaneous. The written composition is of the following types :

1. Expository Writing : Exposition might be called explanatory writing, for it may explain a process or an idea. It may define terms or give reasons. Much of the writing that the students do fits this broad category, so does much business and technical writing. Often, expository writing is interwoven with the other forms. Argumentative writing frequently requires the definition of terms early in the process of building a case. A fictional narrative uses expository writing to bridge time and to allow the omission of tedious detail. Descriptive writing may include expository writing, or expository writing may include description. Most of the expository writings begin with the definition in a positive or negative manner. It is the core of academic writing.

2. Narrative Writing : This kind of writing presents an event or a sequence of events involving animate beings in a narrative manner. The animate beings can be humans, insects, animals or fairies and demons. The subject of writing can also be moving mechanical devices, as a UFO from other planet. Narrative writing can be fictional or non-fictional. Narratives are usually chronological, as may be found in oral histories, accident reports and case studies. However, the news-reporting kind of narratives may begin from altogether a different place. It may include dialogue.

3. Argumentative Writing : This type of writing or composition attempts to strengthen a view already held by the writer, to weaken or undermine such a view, or to persuade the reader to adopt another in an argumentative way. Its name, argumentative writing, is somewhat unfortunate, though well established, because it can be taken to mean that it involves a contentious type of discussion. Perhaps, persuasive writing would have been a better name, because the aim is to incline another’s will to one’s own view rather than to controvert it or break it. The writer who strives to persuade must also assume that the reader has not taken a firm position, and as a reasonable person, would be delighted to follow the writer’s lead. It is up to the writer to plan the way he wants to arrange his arguments. He can start from the strongest point or a neutral fact, keeping in with the subject of his writing. He should present the facts in a lucid manner and then arrive at deduction. The writer should also anticipate any counter-arguments that may be raised, and should tackle them too.

4. Descriptive Writing : This kind of writing is used to depict objects, living things and static elements in fantasies. It is the vehicle through which we become acquainted with the world, its animals and machines and other dreams and visions. The writer must collect relevant material about the subject he is going to write.

5. Transactional Writing : By transactional writing is meant in which texts are meant for transaction of thought, idea or need, as happens in business letters.

6. Reflective Writing : In reflective writing or text, a person brings out his thoughts and emotions to the fore. It shows his deep thinking which he undertakes in relation to a particular topic or event, and can display his innermost feelings. He can give a commentary on different aspects of a topic or problem.

Foreign Language : Speaking

When we learn a foreign language, we learn to speak it in the classroom and later extend the activity by using that language to communicate with other speakers who know it. Speaking in a foreign language serves a much more restricted function than speaking in the mother tongue. For example, we speak in a foreign language only while we are learning it and only when we interact with speakers of that language who cannot communicate in a language other than their own. The ability to speak a foreign language is advantageous in that it extends our domain of interaction to countries other than our own.

Sometimes, as in India, a foreign language comes to stay. Because of its constant contact with indigenous language, it acquires a local colour and its function expends so that it acquires the status of a second language. In India, English has acquired the status of an associate official language and besides being an international language serves as a ‘lingua franca’ at the national level. Thus it has an expanded function, and as a second language differs from foreign languages such as French, Italian, Russian, Spanish etc., which have a rather limited function in India.

Owing to the special status, English has assumed the role of official language to a large extent. A majority of Indians are keen to learn to speak it well. They are aware of the fact that English has social prestige, and can be used for a variety of purposes. The rapid growth of telecommunication the world over has necessitated the use of spoken language. In addition, scientists, doctors, lawyers, technologists, engineers and English teachers commonly speak English at the workplace with their class fellows in and outside the classroom. At interviews for jobs, the ability to interact with others in English gives them an advantage over those who cannot speak it well.

Questions : Types

Here are the important types of questions that he can use during the process of teaching and in normal course of life :

1. Introductory Questions : As is evident from the nomenclature, such questions are used at the introductory stage, that is, when a lesson is introduced to students. It serves the purpose of ascertaining learners’ previous knowledge as well as to put them on the path of thinking what may be coming next.

2. Developing Questions : This type of questions are used when the lesson is developed from one point or unit to another; the basic purpose of these questions is to make students adopt a logical approach towards the development of a lesson as well as stimulate their mental processes.

3. Thought-provoking Questions : These are such questions in which a teacher compels his students to think, imagine and apply logic to a given situation, thus making them active in the process of learning. Generally, such questions begin with ‘why’ and ‘how’. These questions are also used to keep learners focussed on the topic.

4. Problem Questions : Some topics need to be put before students as a problem in the beginning and then resolved through discussions. In it, a problem is put before students, and then an effort is made to find its solution; for example, a teacher can ask: “What if we want to express the future in the present tense?”

5. Comparison Questions : In this type of questions, a teacher asks students to compare between two objects, scenes, scenario, conditions or events and exhorts them to compare on the basis of their size, characteristics, features, problems, merits, demerits, effect and the like. Such questions can be used at any stage of teaching.

6. Comprehension Questions : Such questions are asked to determine if students have understood the basic idea behind the chapter or teaching. The questions falling under the ‘What do you understand by…?’ fall under this type.

7. Recapitulatory Questions : A teacher uses these questions to determine if students are able to summarise what they have learnt in a bid to organize their knowledge properly and in proper sequence. It also judges if they have understood the concepts correctly. Thus, these questions are much like comprehension questions, with the only difference that comprehension questions can be asked at any stage of teaching while recapitulatory questions are asked at the end of a lesson, unit or teaching point.

Creativity : Nature

Creativity is not hereditary, but acquired. Creativity can be said to be new associations of new relations based on the prior experiences. The following few points clarify the form of creativity :

   1.  All persons have various kinds and various levels of creativity. Creativity is not limited to only a select few persons. It is an old view that creativity is found in only a few persons and that this god-gift is given to few persons. Now this view is not considered appropriate. It is often without doubt that creativity is the general quality of all persons.

   2.  Creativity is a complex process which cannot be bound by time, place and person. It can originate at any time. Creative thinking can be found in all persons—children, elderly, men and women.

   3.  There are found various qualities in creativity. Its chiefly accepted qualities are—continuity, softness, extensiveness, originality, sensitivity toward problems, humour, free style of thinking and decision-making toward various new experiences etc.

   4.  The abilities included in intellect are different from the abilities found in creative thinking. Creativity is based on divergent thinking, while in intellect, similar or uniform thinking is chiefly used. It is not necessary for all intelligent persons to be creative too.

   5.  Creativity does not arouse all of a sudden, though creative thoughts appear like lightning. The rise of creativity is as orderly as that of the sunrise.

   6.  Creativity originates from the beginning of life, and its development depends on social environment to a large extent.

   7.  It has been often seen that the persons with creative thinking are not able to tell much about its process, its original thoughts and inventions.

   8.  How far heredity affects creativity, is a moot point. Generally, it is said on the basis of researches that creativity can be developed. Creativity also changes due to the environmental conditions.

   9.  The development of creative thinking abilities goes at a different pace from the development of other qualities. Its rate of development is not uniform. It is known on the basis of research that its development is often hindered at the age of 5, 9, 13, and 17 years. According to the opinion of some people, the rate of creative thinking stops at the age of 30 years. There is no universally accepted view. It seems to be difficult at what age the creativity is at its peak.

10.  Creativity can be measured. It is not possible to measure all kinds of creative thinking by the same test. So, many kinds of tests are conducted to measure it.

11.   Development of creativity is related to various aspects of life. It is not necessary for a specific person or subject to exist. Any creative person can be a music lover, carpenter, teacher or farmer. Various human activities are the reflections of creative thinking.

Bhagat Singh - A Short Essay

Bhagat Singh  was born on 28 September, 1909 at Lyallpur (now in Pakistan) of Kishan Singh and Vidyavati. He received his primary education at his village and later joined the National College, Lahore for further studies. While in college, he came into contact with revolutionary elements and joined the revolutionary movement in 1924.

Young blood flew in his veins. You might know that child marriages were in vogue those days, but Bhagat Singh knew his own destiny, so he declined to marry so that he could wholeheartedly dedicate his life for the cause of the nation.

Bhagat Singh was one of those rare courageous people who sacrificed everything they had for the sake of Motherland with broad smile on the lips and great spirits in the mind. His life was full of action. He founded the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army in association with other revolutionary leaders and led revolutionary activities in the vast stretches of the Punjab, Delhi and United Province (now Uttar Pradesh). He also started the militant Navjawan Bharat Sabha in the Punjab. He planned and executed agitation against the Simon Commission. He attempted to free his revolutionary comrades, Jogesh Chatterji and S.N. Sanyal who were imprisoned in the Kanpur Jail in connection with the famous Kakori conspiracy case.

Bhagat Singh was angered at the death of Lala Lajpat Rai during an agitation against the British in November, 1928. He planned and executed the killing of J.P. Saunders, Assistant Superintendent of Police, on 17 December the same year. His revolutionary activities went on unabated and the police could never come near him. He haunted the British officers out of their sleep.

When he and his comrades planned to throw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi, he came forward. His comrades did not want him to do this job as he had an important role to play as the leader. But he stood his ground and said that the throwing of the bomb did not mean to harm anyone, rather it was meant to awaken the British government from its slumber.

On 08 April, 1929, Bhagat Singh and two of his comrades, Sukhdev and Rajguru entered the Assembly and threw the bomb in the well where it would not hurt anyone. They shouted slogans and threw leaflets to acquaint the leaders and bureaucrats about their feelings and demands, and thus doing, they gave themselves up.

Bhagat Singh and his comrades were arrested and ordered for transportation to life; however, a special tribunal enhanced the sentence to death by hanging in connection with another case. They utilised the opportunity of the trial to put forward their views. And when it came to march to the gallows, the three smilingly offered themselves on the altar of the Motherland singing patriotic songs.

It would be incorrect to term Bhagat Singh only a revolutionary. He was a well-read man. He had excellent views on socialism, social justice and secularism. He dreamed of a progressive and peaceful India. He had once said that the violence they were indulging in would have no place in independent India. We shall ever remain grateful to this son of the soil.

Rabindranath Tagore - A Short Essay

Rabindranath Tagore belonged to a very respectable family of Bengal. He was born on 7 May, 1861 at Jorsanko in Kolkata. His father’s name was Debendranath Tagore. He received elementary education at two schools in Kolkata after which he sailed for England in 1871 for higher education. He joined the University College of London.

Tagore’s family life was not very happy. He was married in 1888 but his wife died in 1902. His father passed away in 1907. These fateful events in his life made him religious and emotional.

Tagore was a fine writer. He was the editor of several magazines. The Gitanjali is one of his best books, for which the Nobel Prize was awarded to him. His poems combine tender humanity with a deep religious touch. The Balka and Purabi are his great works. One of his greatest poetical dramas is the Chitrangada. He also wrote some beautiful short stories, one of the most famous ones for children is the Kabulliwallah.

Tagore was a great lover of India. He raised his voice against the British. He fought the war for freedom through his writings. He was a great educationist also. He founded the Vishwabharati in 1901. It has become a famous university of the world. He wanted to make India a home of culture and education.

Rabindranath was a saint and seer. He was born to rule the hearts of men and lead them from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge. His message has a universal appeal. He has taught us to love nature in most intimate moods to be in communion which has enriched the literature that he has given us. He brought nature and man close together. He preferred the modern ideas of freedom in education and contact with nature. He radiated his message to strive for freedom of speech and expression.

Tagore not only loved India with devotion, but also was proud of her physical beauties. He said about his motherland, “My country has given me life and strength. I shall be born in India again. With all her poverty, misery and wretchedness, I love India best.” He believed that mere patriotism was not enough. We should place our love for mankind above all local attachments. He taught us to find the beauty of human relationship here and now, in the daily life of common people. Nationalism must lead to internationalism. Man must love man wherever he is. It is with this ideal which he preached tirelessly.

Tagore loved children profoundly. He used to lose himself in joy when he taught little children. He was indeed a Gurudev, a great teacher on this earth.

This great son of India died on 7 August, 1941. He was a writer, educationist, social reformer and patriot— all combined in one. 

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam - A Short Essay

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, popularly known as the “Missile Man of India” was a scientist and the 11th President of India. He was the epitome of modesty, kindness and is a soft-spoken person. He believed in high thinking and simple living.

Dr. Kalam was born on 15 October, 1931 at Rameswaram, a small town in Tamil Nadu. He completed his school education from Rameswaram Elementary School and went on to study B.Sc. Physics from Saint Joseph College, Tiruchirappali, graduating in 1954. He got his Masters Degree in aerospace engineering from Madras Institute of Technology in 1960. He has been conferred with several honorary doctorates yet his formal education stopped at the master's degree.

In 1960, Dr. Kalam joined the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as the chief scientist. He was the Project Director of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) and helped in developing the PSLV with which India became capable of launching its Remote Sensing satellites. He played a pivotal role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974. Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India recognised the worth of Kalam’s brilliant mind and named him the Chief Executive for Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). He played a major role in developing intermediate ballistic missiles (IBMs) including Agni and Prithvi, the tactical surface to surface missiles. He was the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister and the Secretary, Defence Research and Development Organisation from 1992 to 1997.

On 25 July, 2002, he was elected the 11th president of India. He is the first scientist and first bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was popularly known as people’s president and was voted “India’s Best President”. For his excellence and brilliance, Dr. Kalam was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and Bharat Ratna in 1997.

Dr. Kalam was a man of vision. He had a dream to make India a developed country by 2020. In his book, India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium, he examined the strengths and weaknesses of India as a nation. He discussed many aspects on how to make India an economic superpower by 2020.

On 27 July, 2015, Dr. Kalam died of cardiac arrest at Shillong doing what he loved best : teaching. He devoted his time to visit several schools and undertake social work. He was very popular among children and believed that they are the future of the country. His popular words to children are : "You have to dream before your dreams can come true."

Amitabh Bachchan - Short Essay

Amitabh Bachchan is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema. He rose to such stardom that the French director, Francois Truffaut called him a ‘One Man Industry’. His rise in Indian cinema, with his trademark deep baritone voice and intense eyes, this tall (6 feet 2 inches) person rightly became the "Angry Young Man" in the 1970s and changed the face of Indian cinema forever.

Amitabh Bachchan was born in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh to Harivansh Rai Bachchan, a renowned Hindi poet, and Teji Bachchan. He was married to Jaya Bhaduri and they have two children – Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Nanda. 

Amitabh made his film debut in 1969 as a voice narrator in Bhuvan Shome and soon got his first role in Saat Hindustani and won the National film award for the Best Newcomer. He then went on to win the first Filmfare Best Supporting Actor award for his role as a doctor in Anand. He went on progressing gradually, but the real period of his stardom began with Zanjeer in which he played the role of a police inspector. This movie established him as the ‘Angry Young Man’. With the huge success of this film, he never turned back. He became a household name with his numerous movies. He has such a large number of successful films behind him that it would be quite prejudiced to mention only a few of them, yet this space is not sufficient to discuss them all. His Abhiman, Deewaar, Sholay, Chupke Chupke, Amar Akbar Anthony, Kabhie Kabhie, Mr. Natwarlal, Don and so many others are only a few to name. During this course, he also won several film awards in different categories.

Amitabh suffered a near fatal accident while filming Coolie when during an action scene he struck a table’s corner and lost a significant amount of blood. He remained critically ill for several months. People prayed for him. Their wishes bore fruit when they could see their beloved star once again start to work. This film was released in 1983 after all and became a huge hit particularly due to Bachchan’s accident.

Amitabh is the only actor to achieve at least one hit every year for 15 consecutive years, from 1972 (Bombay to Goa) to 1986 (Aakhree Raasta).  He took a break from acting in 1984 and joined politics. He contested elections from Allahabad for the Lok Sabha and won it by one of the highest margins in history. However, he was not satisfied with politics and bid it goodbye never to come back to it. He returned to films with Shahenshah, but his star power started to lose its value. He also set up the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd. (A.B.C.L.) in 1996. However, this venture failed miserably leaving him under a lot of debt and legal crisis. He again attempted to revive his acting career with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, but his big break came with his appearance on television with Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000. Ever since, he is one of the most beloved film personality. He has given some very popular films after it, such as Baghban, Paa and Black.

Apart from film awards, he has also won a number of prestigious awards, including the Superstar of the Millennium in 2000, Padma Shri in 1984 and Padma Bhushan in 2001. He was also given the Legion of Honour by the French Government. He was also given the honour of carrying the Olympic Torch in 2012 during its last leg of its relay.

Amitabh's charisma is not fading even today. He remains the brightest star of Indian cinema and television. His popularity is still higher than any of his co-actors. Even the most popular stars seem to look like mere lamps before his sun-like personality. All this is due to his untiring hard work and positive set of mind. We wish him a long life.

Writing Skills

Writing Skills

Writing skills are an important part of communication.  Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a far larger audience than through face-to-face or telephonic conversations.

You might be called upon to write a report, plan or strategy at work; write a grant application or press release within a volunteering role; or you may fancy communicating your ideas online via a blog.  And, of course, a well written CV or résumé with no spelling or grammatical mistakes is essential if you want a new job.

Today, when anyone can be their own publisher, we see more and more examples of poor writing skills both in print and on the web.  Poor writing skills create poor first impressions and many readers will have an immediate negative reaction if they spot a spelling or grammatical mistake. As just one example, a spelling mistake on a commercial web page may cause potential customers to doubt the credibility of the website and the organisation.

Important Writing Skills

1.      Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation : Grammar, spelling and punctuation are key to good writing habits. The reader can form an idea about the author from what is before him, and these are the features that are most prominent in a piece of writing. When you commit these errors, the reader does not take you seriously. From these features, you can identify a serious and reliable person from the one who is not. In today's internet age, you can identify a 'phishing mail' from these features. While it presents a bad picture of the writer, the reader too has to invest more time in decoding the message if there are such errors. Therefore, make sure to read and re-read all your writings before you finalise and send them.

2.      Language and Composition Style : You should set your style of writing keeping the target reader in mind. If you are writing for your friend, you can very well use an informal language, but when you write formally, such as to a teacher, principal, government officer, company or business installation, you should adopt a sobre writing style.

3.      Identify the Main Theme : While writing, you must be aware the purpose of your writing, so that you can adopt your writing material according to your theme or purpose.

4.      Create an Outline : When you sit to write, create an outline of what you are going to write. For this, you may note the important points, the line of arguments, reasoning and interpretation, your demands and so on. You should keep all these before you when you start to write, so that you can write comprehensively and for the purpose you are writing for.

5.      Introduction of Empathy : While writing, you should try to get the reader's empathy towards what you are writing. Therefore, it is necessary that what you write interests your reader. Your writing style should ensure that what you write continues to draw his attention to the last, so that your purpose can be realized.

6.      Reader-friendly Composition : If you write a long piece of writing, such as a report or book, divide it into suitable units, lessons, headings, group headings and sub-headings, so that your material can be put in order and the reader can deduce the facts according to the sub-topic. Here are some points that will help you :

·         Avoid excessively long sentences.

·         Do not use a difficult word where a simple one will do.

·         Use punctuation correctly to aid the sense of your writing.

·         Use paragraphs to break your text into logically self-contained units.

7.      Using Questions : Using questions in the middle of your text alerts the reader, so you can use this style often. You must ensure that the questions used in the text pertain to the topic being described at that particular point of time. It should be relevant to the text and should encourage the reader to think about it.

8.      Keep Writing : The best way to develop good writing skills is to keep practising how to write. Because 'practice makes a man perfect'. The more you write, the more perfect you are.

9.      Imitate Writers You Appreciate : If you are widely read, you will have some people who are your favourite writers. In the beginning, you should try to imitate their style. If you have more than one writer as your favourite, it would be quite better, as you would be able to assimilate the two styles, and this will help your own unique style to emerge.

10.  Proofread and Edit Your Writing : Before submitting/sending your manuscript/letter/article etc., you must proofread and edit your piece of writing so that there are no errors left. Errors pertaining to material, arguments, facts and conclusion should not be allowed to go forward. You can also seek others' help in these tasks.

Critical Writing

One of the skills that regular writing will help you to develop is your ability to write critically, that is, to write in a way that is characterised by :

·         a clear and confident refusal to accept the conclusions of other writers without evaluating the arguments and evidence that they provide.

·         a balanced presentation of reasons why the conclusions of other writers may be accepted or may need to be treated with caution.

·         a clear presentation of your own evidence and argument, leading to your conclusion.

·         a recognition of the limitations in your own evidence, argument, and conclusion.

·         It is important that you can demonstrate a critical writing style in your thesis.

Essence of Writing Material

Your writing material is very important because it is this which is going to determine the fate of your writing. You can plan your writing material into the following categories :

1.      Introduction : Introduce your topic at the outset so that the reader knows what is coming for him.

2.      Relevant Information : After the initial brief introduction, let the reader know about the relevant information, such as context, reference, need, significance and such other points/factors/aspects.

3.      Uses : Acquaint the reader with the use or likely use of the topic or theme.

4.      Merits and Demerits : Discuss the merits and demerits of the topic in an objective manner.

5.      Conclusion : Your writing should end with the conclusion which should be based on the facts you have presented before.  Never base your conclusion on any facts that you have not discussed or mentioned in your writing.

Essence of Writing Skills

All writing skills can be summarised under the following headings, which this writer likes to describe as ABCLR :

1.      Accuracy : Be accurate whatever you write. If you are writing facts, you should be sure about the truthfulness and reliability of them. If you include inaccurate facts and arguments, they are sure to bring a bad impression about you.

2.      Brevity : Use as much length of your writing as is needed. At times the word-limit is given, you should adhere to such limits. 'Brevity is the soul of wit', said Shakespeare. But keep in mind not to 'sacrifice clarity for the sake of brevity'. You should prefer to write long if it is the demand of clarity.

3.      Clarity : Clarity is the soul of writing. If you are not able to communicate your points clearly, there is no point in writing it. Therefore, be clear. For this purpose, you should use the words and sentences you are comfortable with. You should try to use exact words; and if there are available two or more words for the same sense, you should opt for the easier one. Simple writing is better than complicated writing. When a person can understand your writing without making much effort, he will love to continue to read it to the last, and it will realize your purpose.

4.      Logic : When you are about to introduce a fact or argument or statement in your writing, ask yourself if it is needed in the text. If you think, you should include it, else simply discard it. If you include the points which are not directly related with your subject, they will only make your writing burdensome, and the reader will lose interest in it.

5.      Reasoning : Beginning from the introduction, the final stage of your writing is conclusion. It should be based on the inference that you draw from the facts and arguments that you have presented in the main body. You should ensure that your conclusion is in keeping with the facts you have mentioned earlier, and is not preconceived, biased or prejudiced in any way.

Role of Critical Reading and Critical Thinking in Enhancing Writing Skills

From the discussion in this and the previous chapters, it becomes amply clear that reading and thinking are very crucial aspects of writing. If you are not able to read well, if you are not able to think well, you are sure not to be able to write your text well. Therefore, as discussed in the preceding chapters too, reading critically and thinking critically are very vital for learning writing skills. If you find a writer better than others, the first thing you should look how he has included facts and how he has argued about the relevant points, and this will make widely clear that critical reading and critical thinking are very important in enhancing writing skills, and you must practise these skills well.

RAGGING - Short Essay

Ragging means ‘laughing at’ or ‘playing trick’ on somebody. Sometimes, it may mean teasing somebody. In this sense, ragging is not very objectionable. However, ragging has become a threat to new students in some prestigious academic institutes. In the name of ragging, junior students are often subjected to physical and mental torture. Sometimes, students fall ill seriously and leave the institutions and give up their studies altogether. The Supreme Court has taken serious steps to curb this menace and has issued instructions to state governments to control ragging. Ragging causes serious illnesses and mental imbalance among the affected students. Every year, we hear of many deaths caused due to ragging.

The raggers often contend that ragging helps a fresher to shake of his inertia and shyness and be smart. However, such tactful excuses cannot minimise the seriousness of the problem. Ragging should be banned in the interest of a healthy academic atmosphere.

Word Meanings : objectionable : unpleasant : DeefØeÙe; torture : severe pain : DelÙeefOekeâ oo& Ùee hejsMeeveer; curb : to limit : meerefcele keâjvee; inertia : lack of energy : Tpee&nervelee~

STUDENT’S DUTY TO TEACHER - Short Essay

A student has several duties to perform. He has his duty to his parents, to his class-fellows and his neighbours. A student has his duty to his teachers also who are no less important than those already mentioned. A student has a different set of duties to a teacher. A teacher is a sort of father figure to him. A student gets a new life when he gets education from a teacher. One’s father brings one to the world while a teacher teaches one how to adjust oneself in the world. Thus, a teacher plays a crucial role in a student's life. He builds up his character and moulds him into an able man in the society. A student should always obey and respect his teacher. He should attend the class regularly, listen to a teacher’s lectures, take down notes and do homework. He can ask his teacher for clarification and explanation of any questions beyond his grasp. A student’s perfection in all aspects of learning will definitely produce a teacher's satisfaction. A student must make an atmosphere in the classroom where a teacher can impart education to students without any kind of distraction and disturbance. A student should never indulge in gossip and while away the time. He should remain focussed on his studies. Academic matters apart, a student should cooperate with teachers in conducting co-curricular and cultural activities such as debate, drama, music and the like. A student should always try to emulate his teacher who sets a very high standard of academic and ethical excellence.

A student doing and performing all his duties to his teachers can alone emerge as a great person who will definitely prosper in life.

Word Meanings : crucial : vital : DeeJeMÙekeâ; grasp : understanding : mecePe; distraction : lack of attraction : efJekeâ<e&Ce; gossip : idle talk : ieheMehe; while away : to waste : yeskeâej keâjvee; emulate : to copy : vekeâue keâjvee; ethical : moral : Deveweflekeâ~