'much more dangerous than we think'

The first western journalist in the world to be allowed extensive access to Isis territories in Syria and Iraq has returned from the region with a warning: the group is "much stronger and much more dangerous" than anyone in the west realises.

Jurgen Todenhofer, 74, is a renowned German journalist and publicist who travelled through Turkey to Mosul, the largest city occupied by Isis, after months of negotiations with the group's leaders.

"Of course, I've seen the terrible, brutal video and it was one of my main concerns during the negotiations as to how I can avoid (the same fate)," he said.

Once within Isis territory, Todenhofer said his strongest impression was "that Isis is much stronger than we think here". He said it now has "dimensions larger than the UK", and is supported by "an almost ecstatic enthusiasm that I have never encountered in any other warzone".

"Each day, hundreds of willing fighters arrive from all over the world," he told tz. "For me it is incomprehensible."

Isis's fighters themselves sleep, he said, in barracks formed from "the shells of bombed-out houses". They number around 5,000 in Mosul, and are spread so widely that were the US to bomb them all "they would have to reduce the whole of Mosul to ruins", he said.

Todenhofer says that this ultimately means Isis cannot be beaten by Western intervention or air strikes - despite US claims last week that they have proven effective. "With every bomb that is dropped and hits a civilian, the number of terrorists increases," he said.

Most concerning of all, he said, was Isis fighters' belief that "all religions who agree with democracy have to die".

He said the view that kept being repeated was that Isis want to "conquer the world" and all who do not believe in the group's interpretation of the Quran will be killed. The only other religions to be spared, Todenhofer said, were the "people of the book" — Jews and Christians.

In his view, Isis will soon come to the west to negotiate a level of co-existence. "The only ones who could stop this now are the moderate Iraqi Sunnis," he said, adding: "If you want to defeat an opponent, you must know him."

AKSHAY CHAUDHARY(A2305412301)

Social Communication : Semester VI

Dear Students

We start with the Semester VI and the subject we are going to learn is titled as: Social Communication.

We shall be learning Social Communication Essentials, Workplace Interpersonal Skills, Visual Code/Etiquette in the first three modules.
The fourth module is PROSE with Four Essays/Stories to be read and discussed at the end of these three modules.

·   Secret of Socrates -  Dale Carnegie ·   My Financial Career-Stephen Leacock

·  The Luncheon - W. Somerset Maugham ·   The National Flag - Jawahar Lal Nehru

We shall be starting our sessions with the same 'Willingness to Learn' and will move ahead to accomplish a good understanding of the syllabus.

This is not just a syllabus to be covered, Social Communication is a skill to be mastered.

I look forward to a Learning Journey with you All!

Parveen

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Public speaking, started by the Egyptians and revolutionized by the Greeks and the Romans, has become one of the most vital issues of today especially in our nation. The problem is, everyone has it but no one wants to improve it. Deep inside we all want to be confident enough to speak in front of a fine capacity crowd.

We just don’t realise the fact that we all speakers, some are bold enough to show it while some hide behind the audience. In order to improve our public speaking we all must first admit that we are all humans, it is in our nature to make mistakes and there is no limit for improvement.

There are some key points that should be kept in mind for effective public speaking.
The most important part of a speech is the audience, one who controls the audience can control the whole show. Keeping eye-contact with the crowd keeps them attracted towards you and the audience tends to pay more attention if the speaker constantly keeps an eye on them. If the speaker doesn’t do so then it would be more of a narration by that person rather than a speech.
Vocabulary and matter of the speech also play an important role in a speech, but what matters more is the non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication includes movement of hands, gestures and facial expressions. These non-verbal forms of communication can express the mood of the speech and also the feelings related to the matter. People can easily understand statements made by the speaker when expressed with hand symbols and facial expressions.
It is also a sign of a good speaker to constantly vary the pitch of his/her voice during the speech to emphasise on certain segments. This shows the dedication of the speaker towards the matter and also highlights large amount of confidence in the speech.

These are some of the key tips that can make your simple speech into something the audience will love.

You don’t need to be a son of a speaker or a ruler to be a good speaker, everyone is a great speaker deep inside, and all you need to do is to take that first step you never took.

By:-

MOHD. FAISAL                                                                                                                     
A2305412287

Kartikeya Sharma

A2325312025

A2325312025
5MAE5X,Y

The Himalayas need a separate ministry

The recent news about Prime Minister Narendra Modi actively considering a new ministry to develop
the Indian Himalayan Region is most welcome. In all these years since independence, the centre’s
irreverence towards the Himalayas has been wholly unwarranted and shocking. To many of us who
have been hammering away at this thought of a separate Ministry, it is the best news coming from
this newly formed government.
The Himalayas, that stretch from the Pir Panjal Range in Kashmir to the eastern part of Arunachal
Pradesh — the junction of India, Myanmar and China — are certainly nature’s endowment to India.
The 2,500 kilometres of Indian Himalayas house some of the most dense and rare biodiversity
reserves on earth. Unfortunately, the people who live in these vast mountains are often forgotten. But
they have started to voice their concerns and the centre needs to take notice.
Several institutions and NGOs such as the Indian Mountain Initiative (IMI) have repeatedly pointed
out that the Planning Commission does not even take the specificities of mountainous terrains into
consideration when drafting  their five-year plans. It was only when the 12th five-year plan was
finalised, that a working group on mountains was constituted, due to pressure exerted by members of
parliament.
The Indian Himalayas stands tall. These are our water towers. They feed the myriad of rivers that
provide water security to millions of people downstream. Yet, today we have enough evidence to
believe that these water towers are running out of ice as glaciers continue to recede. In Tibet, satellite
mapping shows that just like Antarctica and the Arctic, even permafrost is melting. As a result, less
water will flow through our rivers.
We need comprehensive climate change legislation to monitor and arrest the depletion of our
glaciers — perhaps an immediate task for the proposed ministry. Such a ministry could also be tasked
with managing contentious centre-state issues. For example, should Himalayan states be
compensated for preserving their biodiversity reserves?
The Himalayas also bear great geopolitical importance. The region shares international borders from
west to east with Pakistan, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, raising security and
trade related concerns. With the right approach, there are several opportunities to be explored as far
as trade is concerned — especially if we begin to work on our Look East Policy seriously.
My state of Sikkim showcases a great example of what’s possible: the Nathu-la pass was opened to
trade after 44 years in 2006 thanks to a landmark agreement between former Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee and his Chinese counterpart in 2004. If this border trade can be upgraded to full
trade, Sikkim’s economy will receive a huge boost.
Tourism has always been the most important economic activity in the Himalayas. Scores of tourists
from the plains ascend to the cooler climes of our mountain cities. One look at Mussoorie and you willsee what serious challenges lie before our mountain cities. We simply cannot sustainably develop our mountain cities with the current one-size-fits-all set of urbanisation policies. Transportation and waste management are burgeoning problems that need solutions now.
Strong action needed from the centre But they won’t be found without the right policy actions from the centre. Take roads for example. No modern technology has found its way into road construction in the mountains. This is due to sheer apathy. Why can’t the Indian Institutes of Technology carry out specialised research on building infrastructure in mountainous terrains? Dams and hydropower are contentious issues, and must be resolved sensitively at the earliest.
Mountain railways have been around since the British Raj. They managed to take the railways to
Darjeeling, Shimla and Coonoor hills. And yet, the technology stands where it was in 1947. The
Chinese on the other hand have taken succeeded in linking Beijing to Lhasa by rail. It has been 40
years since Sikkim joined the Indian Union and it is still not connected to the rest of India by rail. We
have some serious catching up to do.
The people of the Himalayas have so far never spoken other than when they are under stress.
Landslides and huge disasters triggered by rainfall or by earthquakes happen every now and then,
and sadly they are perhaps the only time the Himalayas feature in mainstream discussions. The 2011
earthquake in Sikkim and the Uttarakhand floods last year are prime examples in recent memory.
The challenge for the proposed ministry is to ensure that all of these issues are resolved by taking all
Himalayan states into confidence. With a decisive Modi at the helm, it now looks possible.
P.D. Rai is a Member of Parliament in India, representing the Himalayan state of Sikkim.
 By:-
 Anuj  pratap singh- A2305412295
                                                                                                                                                               Ayush Awasthi-A2305412273
                                                                                                                                                                Ankit Antil- A2305412296
                                                                                                                                                                  Jagjot Singh-A2305412282
                                                                                                                                                                    Gaurav Goyal- A2305412293

QUALITIES OF A LEADER

Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task", although there are alternative definitions of leadership. For example, some understand a leader simply as somebody whom people follow, or as somebody who guides or directs others, while others define leadership as "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal"

Leadership can be perceived as a particularly emotion-laden process, with emotions entwined with the social influence process.  In an organization, the leader's mood has some effects on his/her group.

A leadership style is a leader's style of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. It is the result of the philosophy, personality, and experience of the leader. Different situations call for different leadership styles. In an emergency when there is little time to converge on an agreement and where a designated authority has significantly more experience or expertise than the rest of the team, an autocratic leadership style may be most effective; however, in a highly motivated and aligned team with a homogeneous level of expertise, a more democratic or laissez-faire style may be more effective. The style adopted should be the one that most effectively achieves the objectives of the group while balancing the interests of its individual members.

The mood of individual group members. Group members with leaders in a positive mood experience more positive mood than do group members with leaders in a negative mood.The affective tone of the group. Group affective tone represents the consistent or homogeneous affective reactions within a group. Group affective tone is an aggregate of the moods of the individual members of the group and refers to mood at the group level of analysis.

By:-

 GAURAV BHARDWAJ (A2325012003)

 VARUN SINGLA (A2325012004)

 V.VINAY (A2325012002)

 MAITREY MEHTA (A2325312015)

Comprehension Skills

The term reading comprehension has several different definitions. While most

experts agree that reading comprehension is the meaning gained from what is

written on the page, they often disagree about the source of meaning. Currently

the three most common models are the bottom-up, top-down, and interactive

models of reading to improve comprehension. The bottom-up model

emphasizes the material being read and is often described as text driven.

Proponents of this model believe that the material being read is more important

to the process of reading than the person who reads the material. The top-down

model emphasizes the reader and is often described as concept driven.

Proponents of this model suggest that the reader is more important to the

process of reading than the material being read. This is because readers usually

have some prior knowledge, or schema, about the topic. Using prior knowledge,

the reader makes predictions about the meaning of the material. In other words,

the reader’s prior knowledge can be a powerful influence on his comprehension

The interactive model of reading was developed to describe the reading process

as both concept and text driven, a process in which the reader relates

information stored in his mind with new information in the text. Most experts

subscribe to the interactive model, believing that comprehension is a process of

constructing meaning by interacting with the text. Many of the suggestions

presented in the Recommendations section stress interactive strategies as the

most effective way to develop reading comprehension.

Several factors about the reader affect his comprehension of the reading

material. Other factors that affect a student’s comprehension are related to the

material he reads. Some factors that affect comprehension in terms of the reader

1. The knowledge the reader brings to the subject.  This means that what a

student knows about a particular subject is directly related to how much he

will understand about that subject when he reads. This is, of course, a

major tenet of the interactive model.

2. The reader’s interest in the subject.  A student will understand more of

what he reads if he is particularly interested in the subject. This interest is

often a reflection of the student’s prior knowledge of the subject.

3. The reader’s purpose for reading.  A student who has a purpose for reading

is more likely to understand more of what he reads than a student reading

the same material who has no purpose for reading. For example, if a

student wishes to learn how to operate a computer to play a particular

game, he will be more likely to understand more of what is read than a

student of equal ability who has no desire to operate the computer or to

play a particular game on that computer.

4. The reader’s ability to decode words rapidly.  If the student must stop to

puzzle over new words, he cannot be expected to comprehend well. When

many of the words are not easily decoded, the whole process of reading

becomes mind boggling. The student must give so much attention to the

decoding of new words that attending to comprehension to any degree is

difficult, if not impossible. Teachers often experience a similar problem

when they are reading a book out loud to a group of students. The demands

of oral reading, watching the students in the group, and showing the

pictures may cause the teacher to have little or no comprehension of the

Some factors that affect comprehension in terms of the material being read are:

1. The number of unfamiliar words.  Unfamiliar words are usually considered

to be those that are not on a particular word list according to a readability

formula. This means that the more words on a higher grade level, the more

difficult to comprehend the material is likely to be.

2. The length of the sentences.  Research has consistently shown that longer

and more complex sentences within a passage are more difficult for most

readers to comprehend than shorter, simpler sentences.

3. The syntax.  Syntax is the way words are put together. Some writers use

syntax in ways that make material more difficult to comprehend.

Studies on the nature of comprehension have shown that although teachers of

reading often refer to comprehension subskills, they cannot really prove that

these subskills exist. Reading researchers definitely know that comprehension

involves both a word or vocabulary factor and a group of skills that might be

referred to as “other comprehension skills.” Even though they cannot prove that

these other comprehension skills exist, many teachers find them useful for

teaching purposes. These skills include the ability to

1. Develop mental images

2. Recognize main ideas

3. Recognize important details

4. Recognize the author’s organization
By:-
1. Kunal Sharma              A2304512275

2. Akash Kumar Sahu        A2304512272

3. Dilsher Singh              A2304512294

READING TECHNIQUES

Whether you are a pupil or student preparing an assignment, a professional preparing a

summary report, or simply reading for pleasure, you will find it useful to develop a

number of reading techniques.  This article will focus on reading in preparation for

writing a report or assignment.

Deciding what to read can be difficult.

 You may have little choice if there are

 There may be a number of recognised proponents of a particular theory or

practice.  If so, then their publications can form a starting point.

 The bibliographies of these key texts can help to identify other useful texts on a

 Use library search facilities.  (Ask library staff for help with this if you are unsure.)

 Search the Internet.  Use a search engine (such

as Google, Yahoo, Altavista, Lycos, Ask, etc.).

 Wikipedia (an online encyclopaedia) can also be a useful starting point.  A search

of the Internet can often turn up useful synopses of main theories (as well as

being a useful way of bringing very recent ideas to light).  Such a search can help

you identify relevant text-books.  (Bear in mind that you need to form a

judgement about the reliability of anything you encounter on the worldwide web.)

 Read the blurbs on the covers and fly-leaves of books you think may be useful.

 Read the abstract of each book - if there is one.

Having chosen your books, it is not necessary to read each book in its entirety.  There is

no point reading an entire book if only a few of the chapters are relevant to your line of

 Check out the chapter headings - there may even be an abstract at the beginning

of each chapter.

 Check out key words in the book's index to help decide which are the most

relevant chapters.

Scanning is the technique you use when looking up a word in a dictionary or telephone

directory.  Because you know the word(s) or phrases you are searching for, you can

move your eyes at speed down the page knowing that your brain will recognise the

searchwords.  By identifying keywords before you start reading, it is possible to scan

large quantities of text at speed.

Scanning is made easier if the keywords you identify are names, places, dates, etc. -

which are identified by capital letters or numbers.  Similarly useful; some texts may

utilise paragraph headings or even show key ideas in the margin.  Occasionally,

scanning may be made even easier if certain words are emboldened, italicised, or in a

different font size or style.

Scanning can be used to determine whether a particular piece of text will be useful in

your research.  Having scanned the document, you might go back and skim it.

Skimming is a useful technique for reading through lots of material in a limited amount

of time.  It is the technique to use when you merely want to identify the main ideas of a

text and is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading.  Skimming is

a preliminary reading technique to help you check whether an article or chapter is

relevant to your research.  It can also help you identify the most relevant paragraphs of

There are various skimming strategies.

 If they are present in the text, you may choose to read only the title, sub-titles

and sub-headings - or any marginal summaries that may be included.

 You may decide to read the first and last paragraphs of each chapter - as these

may provide introductions and summaries.

 You could read the first (and maybe also the last) sentence of each paragraph.

Whatever approach you use, bear in mind that the purpose of skimming is to get a

"rough idea" of what the text is about.  Having identified particularly relevant passages,

you can return to these later in order to more fully understand them.

SPEED READING

It may be worthwhile developing speed-reading skills.  There are various techniques.

Some of these depend on reducing the randomness of the eyes' focus - by

concentrating on just two or three focal points on each line of text.  Others depend on

reducing subvocalisation (the tendency to "say" the words - even if only "in your mind").

There is some debate about whether comprehension can be maintained at a suitably

high level as reading speed increases.  See links below for further information.

It is useful to make notes as you read.  It is not necessary - nor is it a good idea - to

copy out whole sections of what you are reading, but it is recommended that you

summarise in your own words each major argument or piece of information that you

encounter.  If something is summarised so succinctly by an author that you cannot

reduce it any further, consider using it as a quotation.

If it is your intention to write an academic assignment then you will need to make a note

of where you found out each piece of information (Author, book title, publisher, place

and date of publication - as required by Harvard referencing conventions - see link

below.)  It is useful to have this information on each section of your notes.  Keeping a

bibliography of the books you have consulted is also recommended - especially if you

need to go back to them to clarify an issue.
By:- Purushottam Kumar (A2305412291)

Cricket history most epic international match

Fifteen years ago, in the semi-final of the 1999 World Cup, South Africa and Australia contested what has widely come to be regarded as the definitive one-day international. A total of 426 runs in two innings, twenty wickets in the day and world-class performances across the board - a match that built to a pulsating finale in which South Africa threw away their place in the World Cup final with what also came to be regarded as the definitive one-day choke.

Today, however, South Africa can be called chokers no longer, after burying the ghosts of 1999 with victory in a match even more extraordinary and nail-shredding than its illustrious forebear. Never mind 426 runs in a day, Australia had just posted a world-record 434 for 4 in a single innings - the first 400-plus total in the history of the game - with Ricky Ponting leading the line with an innings of cultured slogging that realized 164 runs of the highest class from just 105 balls. And yet they still lost - by one wicket, with one ball to spare, and with the Wanderers stadium reverting to the sort of Bullring atmosphere on which it forged its intimidating reputation.

At the halfway mark of the day, South Africa had been reduced to a near laughing stock. Ponting had been the kingpin as he reprised his world cup winning innings on this very ground in 2003, but every one of Australia's batsmen had taken their pound of flesh as well. Adam Gilchrist lit the blue touch paper with an open-shouldered onslaught that realized 55 runs from 44 balls; Simon Katich provided a sheet-anchor with a difference as he creamed nine fours and a six in a 90-ball 79, and Mike Hussey - in theory Ponting's second fiddle in their 158-run stand for the third wicket - hurtled to a 51-ball 81. Australia's dominance seemed so complete that Andrew Symonds, the most notorious one-day wrecker in their ranks, was not even called upon until the scoreboard read a somewhat surreal 374 for 3.

Unsurprisingly, South Africa's bowlers took a universal pounding. Jacques Kallis disappeared for 70 runs in six overs and as the innings reached its crescendo, a flustered Roger Telemachus conceded 19 runs from four consecutive no-balls. The team had squandered a 2-0 series lead and were staring at a 3-2 defeat, and not for the first time this year, Graeme Smith's penchant for speaking his mind was looking like backfiring. With the Test series getting underway in four days' time, the need for a performance of pride had never been more urgent.

And so Smith took it upon himself to deliver, responding to his team's indignity with a brutal innings laced with fury. He made light of the early loss of Boeta Dippenaar, whose anchorman approach would not have been suited to the chase at any rate, and instead found the perfect ally in his former opening partner, Herschelle Gibbs. On a pitch that might have been sent from the Gods, the pair launched South Africa's response with a scathing stand of 187 from 121 balls, to send the first frissons of anxiety through the Australian dressing-room. 

Smith made 90 from just 55 balls, and seemed set to trump Ponting's 71-ball century when he swatted the spinner, Michael Clarke, to Mike Hussey on the midwicket boundary. But Hussey's celebrations were manic and betrayed the creeping sense of foreboding that had taken hold of Australia's players. Just as South Africa had suffered for the absence of Shaun Pollock, so too was Glenn McGrath's constricting influence being missed. His understudies were simply not up to the task, with Mick Lewis earning an unwanted place in history as his ten overs were spanked for 113 runs - the most expensive analysis in any form of one-day international cricket.

Now it was Gibbs who took centre stage. The man who, memorably, dropped the World Cup at Headingley in that 1999 campaign has redeemed himself a hundred times over in the intervening years. But this was to be his crowning glory. With AB de Villiers providing a sparky sidekick, Gibbs carved great chunks out of the asking-rate, bringing up his century from 79 balls and rattling along so briskly that, by the 25-over mark, South Africa had 229 for 2 on the board, and needed a mere 206 to win. .

In both instances, the sheer impossibility of the task galvanised the batting and turned the fielders' legs to jelly, and with Gibbs on 130, Nathan Bracken at mid-off dropped a sitter off a Lewis full-toss, and could only contemplate his navel as the Bullring roared its approval.

It was undeniably the decisive moment of the match. Bracken finished with a creditable 5 for 67, but this faux pas was written all across his features at the post-match presentations. Cashing in superbly, Gibbs hurtled to his 150 from exactly 100 balls, bringing up the landmark with his fifth six of the innings and the 21st of a bedlamic contest. He had reached a glorious 175 from 111 when Lee held onto a scuffed drive at mid-off. The stadium stood in acclaim, but with 136 runs still required and their main source of momentum gone, South Africa had plenty still to do.

Kallis and Mark Boucher regrouped with a steady partnership of 28 in six overs, but when the big-hitting Justin Kemp went cheaply, it took a blistering intervention from Johan van der Wath to reignite the chase. He drilled Lewis over long-off for two sixes in an over then added a six and a four in Bracken's eighth, as the requirement dropped from a tricky 77 from 42 balls to a gettable 36 from 22. He perished as he had lived, holing out to extra cover, and Telemachus followed soon afterwards, but not before he had clubbed an invaluable 12 from six balls.

And so it all came down to the final over, just as it had done at Edgbaston all those years ago. Brett Lee had seven runs to defend, and South Africa had two wickets in hand. A blazed four from Andrew Hall seemed to have settled the issue, but in a moment reminiscent of Lance Klusener's famous aberration, he smeared the very next delivery into the hands of Clarke at mid-on. Two runs needed then, and the No. 11, Makhaya Ntini, on strike. Lee's best effort was deflected to third man to tie the scores, and it was left to Boucher - with visions of Edgbaston swirling through his head - to seal the deal with a lofted four over mid-on. The most breathtaking game in one-day history had come to a grandstand finish, and all that remained was for the participants to pinch themselves.

By:-

AKSHAY CHAUDHARY                         (A2305412301)

YASH AGARWAL                                    (A2325312023)

NIKHIL DALMIA                                    (A2325312022)

GIRI VARTHAN                                       (A2325312007)

PRATEEK KHANNA                                (A2325012001)

VARUN JAGGA                                       (A2315011006)

NARENDRA MODI FOR PM OF INDIA

Narendra modi  sworn in as India's prime minister, exactly 10 days after his party won the biggest mandate in the last 30 years.

Mr Modi, 63, was administered the oath of secrecy and office by President Pranab Mukherjee, an impressive function held in the forecourts of Rashtrapati Bhawan.He was elected the head of the BJP parliamentary party on May 20. As he entered Parliament House to attend the party meet on Tuesday, Mr Modi had knelt and touched his forehead to the ground in a freeze-frame moment that will undoubtedly become an iconic photo is years to come.

"It is proof of the strength of our constitution that a man from a poor family is standing here today," said Mr Modi, who sold tea on a railway platform as a child. "This government (will be) one which thinks of the poor, which listens to the poor, a government which lives for the people," he promised.

That boy who sold tea was, in many ways, the mascot of Mr Modi's powerful pitch for the post of PM.  The BJP announced in September last year that the Gujarat Chief Minister would be its candidate for prime minister. It did so despite stiff opposition from party heavyweight LK Advani. It was Mr Advani who proposed Mr Modi's name for Prime Minister. The party's 282 MPs endorsed this as did the BJP's allies in the National Democratic Alliance or NDA.On Wednesday he resigned as Gujarat Chief Minister, an assignment he has held since 2001, winning election after assembly election. After he registered a third successive and very convincing win in December 2012 it became clear that Narendra Modi's aspiration to step out of Gujarat could not be ignored.

In the days that followed he lunched with ambassadors of the European Union, which ended its decade-long boycott of the Gujarat Chief Minster saying, "We are now in a new phase." A year later came a visit to Gujarat by US ambassador to India, Nancy Powell, ending her country's boycott of diplomatic engagement with Mr Modi after the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat.

Critics have accused Mr Modi of not doing enough to stem communal violence in his state that year. Some even accused him of complicity, but that has never been proved in inquiries and an Ahmedabad court recently accepted a clean chit given to him by a special investigation team appointed by the Supreme Court.

With his political stock high, many rivals softened their stand on Mr Modi, often citing the court's verdict. Those who had walked away from the BJP and the national alliance it leads in the years after the Gujarat riots, walked back in the days leading up to the general election. In Bihar, Ram Vilas Paswan is again a BJP ally. In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu rejoined the NDA.

Their investment proved canny. The Modi-led NDA, now a juggernaut on 29 parties, steamrolled all opposition, reducing main rival Congress, which ruled for the last decade, to a mere 44 seats in the Lok Sabha. The NDA has won 336 seats - the BJP on its own has won 282, enough for a clear majority. Many have credited Mr Modi's well-crafted, high-energy campaign over nine months for the BJP's stunning victory. He also made some key decisions that paid rich dividend - like handing the charge of Uttar Prdaesh, a crucial state that sends 80 MPs to Parliament, to his close aide Amit Shah. Mr Shah delivered. The BJP and its allies have won 73 seats in the state. 

Officials in Mr Modi's government and local business leaders in Gujarat paint the picture of a man with a phenomenal memory, great attention to detail, unflagging energy and a flair for publicity. People who have met him say nothing escapes him. But they also describe him as a man with a vindictive streak, capable of holding grudges for years and intolerant of dissent.Narendra Modi was born to lower middle-class parents in northern Gujarat on September 17, 1950. He holds a Master's degree in political science.Mr Modi joined and rose through the ranks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the BJP, early in life.

A stocky, bespectacled man with a trimmed white beard, the Gujarat Chief Minister is known for his ascetic lifestyle and enthusiasm for yoga. He rises early and has for years read news on the Internet. He uses social media very effectively, tweeting extensively and has more than 3.6 million followers on Twitter.He married at a very young age, but the couple separated soon and have lived apart for over 40 years. Mr Modi publicly acknowledged his wife, Jashodaben, a retired school teacher, for the first time during this election when he wrote her name in the column for spouse.
By:-

Kartikey Sharma A2305412270

Vineet Lather A2305412271

Dhruv Nangia A2305412276

Prateek Kumar A2305412281

podcast - i have a dream by martin Luther king

https://soundcloud.com/rohit-chaudhary-4/podcast-5mae5-y

Submitted by- 1)Kartikey sharma A2325312025
2)Vidarshu Ray A2325312026
3)Rohit Chaudhary A2325312009
4)Rajat Patel A2325312020

podcast -i have a dream by martin luther king

https://soundcloud.com/dheerendra-jaiswal/podcast-by-sarvarish-rausariya-and-dheerendra-jaiswal-i-have-a-dream-by-martin-luther-king
Submitted by - Sarvarish Rausariya
                         Dheerendra Jaiswal

Top 10 Richest Actors In The World Updated 2014 (Zafiur Rahman)

Ø Jerry Seinfeld- American Comedian ( $ 820 Million ) Age - 60

Jerome Allen “Jerry” Seinfeld was born April 29, 1954. He is an American comedian, actor and writer. After updated news fromMagazine Foxnews to our list, now Jerry Seinfeld is the richest actor in the world who has fortune around $820 million rank over Shahrukh Khan from Bollywood.

Ø Shah rukh Khan – Bollywood Badshah ( $ 600 Million ) Age – 48

This actor is called as the Baadshah of Bollywood “The King of Bollywood”. He has a net worth that is about $600 million today. So he is not only a richest Bollywood actor and also a richest actor in the world (updated: now he is number 2). He plays in more than 75 Hindi films and other International films. Although he is believed to be the richest man in the world, he still concern about the humanity. He joins the UNESCO’s program to help other poor children from around the world.

Ø Tom Cruise Hollywood Actor ( $480 Million )

Age -  51

He is a very famous actor and multi-millionaire film producer. He involved in many films and movies, including Top Gun, Rain Man, Tropic Thunder, Few Good Men, and some other great movies. He also owns a real estate that is called as the Beverly Hills Mansion in California.

Ø Johny Deep Hollywood Actor ( $ 450 Million )

Age – 50

This actor is very famous for his film series, Pirates of the Caribbean. This film is one of the most successful movie franchises today. He has a production company that is called as Infinitum Nihil. This company produces a lot of popular movies these days.

Ø Tom Hanks - American Actor ( $ 490 Million )

Age – 57

Tom Hanks is a famous screenwriter, actor, producer and director. His career is very interesting for most of his fans. Tom Hanks received a lot of awards for his role in Angels and Demons. He is also famous for other films, including Apollo 13, Da Vinci Code, Catch Me If You Can, Cast Away, You’ve Got Mail, and some other movies.

Ø Keanu Reeves – Canadian Actor ( $ 350 Million )

Age -  49

He has a net worth that is about $350 million. He is well-known for his role in the Matrix. This film was very popular at that time. Keanu Reeves made his wealth from the Matrix Trilogy. There are many people who love watching this movie until today.

Ø Sylvester Stallone – Hollywood Actor ( $ 275 Million ) Age – 67

Sylvester Stallone is popular because of his films, Rambo and Rocky. He has a net worth that is about $275 million. He also works as film producer in some films, including the Expendables franchise. He has a mansion in the Beverly Hills, California.

Ø Leonardo Di Caprio – Hollywood Actor ( $ 215 Million ) Age – 39

Leonardo DiCaprio is very famous among many people today. He has a net worth about $215 million. He has a Carbon beach house that is located in Malibu California. This actor became very popular for his amazing film, Titanic. This film was very popular in the world.

Ø Will Smith – Hollywood Actor( $ 215 Million )

Age – 45

He is another rich actor in the world. Will Smith is a great Hollywood actor with a lot of skills. He has a net worth that is about $215 million. He became very popular because of his films, including The Independence Day, I Robot, Bad Boys, Men in Black. He receives 3 Grammy Awards for his films.

Ø Salman Khan – Bollywood Actor ( $ 200 Million )

Age – 48

Salman Khan is one of the leading Bollywood stars. It is not surprising to see this actor in this top richest actor in the world. His net worth is about $200 million. Salman Khan becomes the most influential people in Bollywood. There are a lot of people who love his films.

Zafiur Rahman

A2325312001

B.tech + M.tech MAE

  

                      SAMOSA VS PIZZA

Hey guys, let’s have some samosa delivered and watch the movie or a game. No one has ever said that. Why? Because samosa are a very impractical junk food. They’re big, greasy and absolutely require a table. Eating a samosa with chutney on the couch during a movie night, would be a disaster. Pizza, on the other hand, has a built-in plate, can be ordered literally in number of ways and feed literally large number of people. No one wants to share a samosa, in fact that’s not really feasible unless you want to pass your samosa into your friend’s hands and watch as he or she takes a big, messy bite. A pizza, however, is meant to be shared that’s why they slice it. And instead of simply hearing, ‘Do you want fries or cold drink with that? Pizza’s are entirely customizable. Pick your toppings, stuff the crust, dip your slice in ranch dressing if you want to, there is a huge variety from which you are allowed to decide. Plus, everyone likes pizza. Veggie pizzas, however, are sometimes more delicious than the meat laden counterparts. And if you’re craving a late night snack, a samosa never got your back. Just call up Domino’s or pizza hut for some awesome pizza, if you try calling Gopal’s, Bikaner, haldiram’s or any other sweet shop that make’s samosa, you’re just going to get a no answer that we don’t deliver samosa and your stomach will be left grumbling. Also on the other hand samosa has too many calories in a serving of 753g approx. 2318 calories 242.56g of carbs, 134.50g of fat and 35.17g of protein. The main reason of so many calories is that it is basically filled with potatoes and peas and is fried. On the other hand pizza has less calories as compared to samosa, 1932 calories, 227.475g carbs, 88.05g of fat and 92.475g of protein in 750g of it.

Reference for calories:- http://www.twofoods.com/compare/query/UGl6emE=/c2Ftb3Nh

Published by:- Vidharshu Ray 

                        A2325312026

                        B.Tech +M.Tech( MAE )

Podcast: How Far Is The River

https://soundcloud.com/divy-chanchawat/how-far-is-the-river-by-ruskin-bond
Submitted By:-
1. Divy Chanchawat
2. S. Giri Varthan
3. Bharat Phullera

DEATH BY SMARTPHONES

The earliest smartphones in the market revolutionised the world. They were suddenly everywhere. One could click a selfie, check out one’s nearest restaurant, chat with a friend on an online messenger, research news and at the same time listen to oner favourite music. With the time and everything that it shortened, it also shortened something else…our life.

Death has always found a different medium to reach humans, but with such surge in cases of death by smartphones seems like it has found its new favourite. Earlier people died of cholera, plague, diarrhoea, and cow pox to name a few but as is published in the official website of centres for disease control and prevention, In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010. An additional, 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2011, compared to 416,000 people injured in 2010.

 

The risk factors associated with distracted driving

§  Some activities—such as texting—take the driver’s attention away from driving more frequently and for longer periods than other distractions.

§  Onenger, inexperienced drivers under the age of 20 may be at increased risk; they have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.

·       Texting while driving is linked with drinking and driving or riding with someone who has been drinking among high school students in the United States, according to a CDC study that analyzed self-report data from the 2011 national Oneth Risk Behavior Survey. Students who reported engaging in risky driving behaviors said that they did so at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey.5 Key findings from the study revealed that:

§  Nearly half of all U.S. high school students aged 16 years or older text or email while driving.

§  Students who text while driving are nearly twice as likely to ride with a driver who has been drinking and five times as likely to drink and drive than students who don’t text while driving.

§  Students who frequently text while driving are more likely to ride with a drinking driver or drink and drive than students who text while driving less frequently.

 

Death due to brain cancers and malignant tumours

According to research findings from Brazil, the facts speak for themselves. The study established a direct link between cancer deaths in Belo Horizonte, Brazil's third largest city, with the smartphones network.

Over 80 percent of those who succumbed to certain types of cancer resided approximately a third of a mile away from one of the hundreds of smartphones antennae that populate the city.
These cancers, primarily found in the prostate, breasts, lungs, kidneys, liver, are the ones associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs).
This is a real concern for smartphones users and even non- smartphones users. Those who shun mobile phone technology still suffer the consequences of smartphones tower radiation.
Smartphones tower studies which examined the relationship between radiation exposure and cancer rates were conducted in the city of San Francisco in addition to cities in Austria, Germany, and Israel, dating as far back as the 1970s. All the studies shared similar findings: living within a certain proximity to a smartphones tower increased the risk of cancer anywhere from two to 121 times depending on what type of cancer was detected.
AdilzaCondessaDode, PhD, one of the engineering researchers as well as the coordinator of the Brazilian study, addresses those who are concerned about smartphones tower radiation and explains the Brazil study does not stand alone. Dode elaborates, "these levels (EMFs), are already high and dangerous to human health. The closer onelive to an antenna, the greater the contact with the electromagnetic field."

Other associated diseases with smartphones and mobile phone technology

• Genetic mutations
• Memory disruptions
• Hindered learning
• ADD
• Insomnia
• Brain disorders
• Hormonal imbalances
• Infertility
• Dementia 

• Heart complications

Smart phones are not to blame

The discussion took a sharp about turn when Bharat phullera and Rohit Chaudhary defended smartphones. According to them smartphones are the new way of life, very much like electricity is. Smartphones have made it possible for us to stay safe and connected with our people. They come in handy when one is lost as they can be easily traced. Also they have following advantages :

·         One can carry a mobile phone with one so one don't miss important calls

·         If oneare lost, one can call for directions.

·         If oneare in an accident, one can call the police or ambulance - and if the phone has a camera, one can take pictures of the accident.

·         One can listen to music, text, play games when one is bored.

·         Most smartphones have a calculator and a phone book.

·         One can use a mobile phone to call one’s customers or boss if oneare running late to a meeting.

·         One can surf Internet & Connect with the whole world by Mobile.

·         One can chat & video conference.

·         Keep in touch with friends and family

·         Good for emergencies

·         Employees can keep in touch at all times.

·         Customers can contact staff 24x7

·         Phones have internet connection

·         More work available

·         They have cameras

·         One can check one’s emails

·         Can be used worldwide

·         It can fit in one’s pocket.

·         one can connect even from other country to another by using roaming service

Teaching and tutorials

What used to just be a guy teaching math on YouTube became a huge collection of over 3000 educational videos on math, physics, chemistry, finance, and a lot more, with millions of people learning from it. Khan Academy utilizes lots of game mechanics such as “skill-growth trees” to unlock new classes and learn new skills. Many have said that they couldn’t imagine themselves ever enjoying or being good at math, but now their world has changed, thanks to some great teaching skills by Khan, and a little bit of Gamification. 

Saving on energy resources

Energy is a serious issue in the world. It powers a nation’s efficiency to produce and transport, but also leads to war in some cases. OPower works to solve these problems by utilizing smartphone applications to encourage people to use less energy. OPower works with utility companies to provide households with data on how much energy they are consuming, how they match up with neighbours, and if they are close to any new milestones.

Reportedly, people are consuming on average 2% less energy, which in 2012 led to over 1 Terawatt of energy savings in the world. This equates to $120,000,000 in utility bill savings, and decreased pollutions equivalent of keeping 100,000 cars off the road.

In the end I would say that Smartphones have undoubtedly shaped human lives for better and sometimes worse but definitely more advanced. There have been associated risks of using them and as was concluded from the discussion user discretion is very much required. Smartphones may be the talk of the town but the user definitely has to be smart enough to be using them.

Smart, cautious and limited use extracts from any innovation its most beneficial juices which serve the purpose of its invention. Therefore Smartphones or any other device for that matter, which has been developed for advancement of human race, should serve its purpose of benefitting mankind.

And as for the health risks associated with smartphones; they can be overcome by smart, cautious and limited use.

By:- Sourav Singh Parihar (A2325312017)