ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY AGAINST NARCOTICS

Destruction of seized drugs is a continuous process. NCB, under directions of Ministry of Home Affairs, has initiated a special campaign for destruction of seized drug from 01.06.2022 in collaboration with other Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs). In the said campaign, more than 10,17,523 Kgs of drugs has been destroyed till date including 1,40,969 kgs of drugs destroyed on 17.07.2023.

   The Govt. of India has adopted two pronged strategy to achieve the vision of “Nasha Mukt Bharat”:-

  • Drugs supply reduction initiatives.
  • Drugs demand reduction initiatives.
  1. Some of the drugs supply reduction initiatives taken by the Government are as detailed below:-
  2. Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) – The Government has introduced the NCORD mechanism in 2016 to have effective coordination of actions among various Ministries, Departments, Central and States law enforcement agencies dealing with narcotics. The mechanism was restructured in 2019 into a 4 tier structure as detailed under:-
  • Apex Level Committee (headed by Union Home Secretary)
  • Executive Level Committee (headed by Special Secretary (IS), MHA).
  • State Level Committee (headed by Chief Secretary of the concerned State).
  • District Level Committee (Headed by District Magistrate)

The NCORD mechanism has been further strengthened by addition of new members at different levels to make it more effective and comprehensive.

  1. A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) was constituted vide MHA’s order dated 19 July, 2019 consisting of Central and State Agencies to monitor investigations in case of large seizure of drugs.
  2. A special Task Force on Dark net and Crypto currency has been constituted to monitor suspicious transactions related to drugs on Darknet.
  3. To prevent smuggling along border areas various border guarding forces like BSF, SSB and Assam Rifles have been empowered under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act, 1985 to make interdiction of drugs.
  4. To mitigate the problem of drug trafficking through maritime route, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has been empowered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for making interdiction of narcotic drugs at sea.
  5. Since illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and its abuse is a trans-national problem, Govt. of India has entered into bilateral agreements with 27 countries, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 16 countries and 02 Agreements on Security Cooperation for preventing illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.
  1. Some of the initiatives taken by the Government for Drugs demand reduction are as follow :-
  1. National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) is an umbrella scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E) under which financial assistance is provided to State Governments/ Union Territory (UT) Administrations for Preventive Education and Awareness Generation, Capacity Building, Skill development, vocational training and livelihood support to ex-drug addicts, Programmes for Drug Demand Reduction by States/UTs and Non-Governmental Organizations/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation Centers for Addicts (IRCAs), Community based Peer Led Interventions (CPLI) for early Drug Use Prevention among Adolescents, Outreach and Drop In Centers (ODIC) and Addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) in Government Hospitals.
  2. Launching of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) in 372 most vulnerable districts with a massive community outreach programme, involving more than 8000 youth volunteers.
  3. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is also running a National Toll Free Helpline 14446 to provide tele-counseling to drug users and refer them to the nearest de-addiction center.
  4. NCB has also launched awareness campaigns through various social media platforms by way of Audio Video messages of eminent personalities from the field of Politics, Bureaucracy, Sports, Films, Music etc. and also through Telecom Service Providers, FM Radios, Television Channels, etc.

Caste Issue: The highly deplorable incident at Vidyasagar University of West Bengal                     

–Shankar Chatterjee

Vidyasagar University, located in the Midnapore district of West Bengal named after the most illustrious son of Bengal as well as one of the doyens of the Indian Renaissance, Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. It was established that is, the classes started in 1986, The University is now in the news because of caste issues. The Deputy Registrar of Vidyasagar University has accused the Registrar of the University of caste discrimination against him. The Deputy Registrar filed a police complaint also, and he even approached the High Court. The Deputy Registrar complained of constant mental torture, starting from caste insults day after day by the Registrar. According to the Deputy Registrar, even he had to take sleeping pills for his sleep which is very unfortunate. This matter is in the court, so the court verdict will reflect the truth. My hunch is that Deputy Registrar (SC), who himself is a highly qualified person why, made the allegation (police complaint and filed a case in the High Court) against the Registrar. Probably, he was insulted by the Registrar. By reading different print media and observing electronic media about the news, I am very shocked and condemn such incidents. I feel a person cannot be abused in the name of caste or religion, or qualification or for any issue. ‘Humanity is the only Caste’. It is pertinent to mention that United Bengal once upon a time was great news as many stalwarts, whether in the field of literature, spirituality, sports, independence movement, etc, were born. Even many social activists and social reformers came from the United Bengal. But after the partition in 1947, West Bengal was created, and the State faced many problems, particularly lakhs of refugees came in the State. Anyway, I feel after the Communist rule, the deterioration of the State started because in the name of the labour movement for their so-called ‘rights’, many factories, business establishments, industries, etc., were closed down or became sick. As a result, at the cost of West Bengal, many other states of India developed, but ‘bhadralooks’ (meaning gentlemen) were silent. For them, as if nothing happened. Anyway, presently, Indians observed in the name of elections in West Bengal (Assembly and Panchayati elections) widespread violence, murder, arson, damage to properties, etc., took place. Even ballot boxes were found in the ponds. Unfortunately, West Bengal rulers ignored all these and diverted attention, blaming the Centre by citing examples from other states. Now the caste-related incident has upset me to a great extent as I never thought that in a culturally developed State like West Bengal, there will be discrimination in the name of caste. According to the Deputy Registrar, his senior, i.e., Registrar, used to give him non-academic activities such as supervising sweepers, etc.  We all know long ago, there were caste issues in United Bengal (domination of Brahminism), and to neutralize the issue, Brahmo Samaj was promoted by leading personalities such as Raja Rammohan Roy, Devendra Nath Tagore father of Rabindranath Tagore, and many others. Now in July 2023, discrimination in the name of caste that too in West Bengal is news.  I feel it should not happen in West Bengal when the people claim ‘they are Bhadralooks’ (Gentlemen). The political leaders of the state should not compare West Bengal with other states, whether ‘BIMARU’ or ‘non-BIMARU’.  

References

Blunt, E. (2010). The caste system of northern India. Gyan Publishing House.

Hoff, K. (2016). Caste system. World Bank policy research working paper, (7929).

Sharma SN, editor. New perspectives in sociology and allied fields. EduPedia Publications (P) Ltd; 2016 Jun 3.

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Indians witnessed the flow of blood in the Panchayat Election of West Bengal held in 2023

The recently held Panchayat election in West Bengal has not only pained me but is painful to the rational citizens of the country. The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhiji, felt that Panchayat should be a neutral body. In fact, he didn’t desire an election also. But for a simple local-level election, more than 50 people died, many were injured, and many houses and vehicles were damaged. The candidates were assaulted. Indians know the misuse of ballot boxes and ballot papers in the election. After all the awful incidents, a ruling party leader openly criticized the judiciary of the State because he probably felt that the ‘judiciary is not favouring the ruling party’. I request the intellectuals of the State, members of civil societies, NGOs, and other rational people of West Bengal, please look at recent assembly elections held in other States where violence virtually did not take place, no death took place, and, e.g., Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh are examples. I had the opportunity to visit across the State and interacted with many irrespective of castes, creeds, religions, educational qualifications, etc., and observed many were scared to talk about the present administration. Anyway, it has to be agreed that once upon a time State produced many stalwarts in different fields, but now the worst type of violence in elections, corruption by some ruling party leaders, loose talk by leaders, etc., have scaled down the image of the State. It is pertinent to mention that “Filmmaker-activist Aparna Sen has written an open letter to Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of the State, holding her and her government responsible for the violence in the panchayat polls that claimed 52 lives. Multiple sources have estimated the rural poll toll to be over 60”. Further, addressing Mamata Banerjee, Aparna Sen read: “You are the chief minister and home minister of West Bengal. Without overseeing the constitutional responsibility of the election commission, one can definitely say that the panchayat poll-cantered killings and anarchy were primarily the responsibility of the West Bengal government and you. You cannot deny this responsibility as the home minister of West Bengal” (The Telegraph online, Aparna Sen points finger at CM Mamata Banerjee over Bengal panchayat poll violence, July 21. 2023). My hunch is that if the madam of WB or anyone from her party gets the PM post, then Indians will awfully suffer as the present ruling party of the State cannot control a local-level election; then how India type of incredible country can be controlled? Because we all in school days read ‘Morning shows the day’.

Third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting

All G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors agreed to paragraphs 1, 4, and paragraphs 6 to 26 along with Annexes 1 and 2.

  1. We, the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of G20 countries, met on 17-18 July 2023, in Gandhinagar, India. Under the Indian Presidency’s theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, we pledge to prioritize the well-being of our people and the planet and reaffirm our commitment to enhancing international economic cooperation, strengthening global development for all and steering the global economy towards strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth (SSBIG).
  2. 1 2Since February 2022, we have also witnessed the war in Ukraine further adversely impact the global economy. There was a discussion on the issue. We reiterated our national positions as expressed in other fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, which, in Resolution No. ES- 11/1 dated 2 March 2022, as adopted by majority vote (141 votes for, 5 against, 35 abstentions, 12 absent), deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks. There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognising that the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy.
  3. It is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. This includes defending all the Purposes and Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and adhering to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and infrastructure in armed conflicts. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue are vital. Today’s era must not be of war.

1 China stated that the G20 FMCBG meeting is not the right forum to discuss geopolitical issues.

2 Russia dissociated itself from the status of this document as a common outcome because of references in paragraphs 2, 3 and 5.

  1. Global economic growth is below its long-run average and remains uneven. The uncertainty around the outlook remains high. With notable tightening in global financial conditions, which could worsen debt vulnerabilities, persistent inflation and geoeconomic tensions, the balance of risks remains tilted to the downside. We, therefore, reiterate the need for well-calibrated monetary, fiscal, financial, and structural policies to promote growth, reduce inequalities and maintain macroeconomic and financial stability. We will continue to enhance macro policy cooperation and support the progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We reaffirm that achieving SSBIG will require policymakers to stay agile and flexible in their policy response, as evidenced during the recent banking turbulence in a few advanced economies where expeditious action by relevant authorities helped to maintain financial stability and manage spillovers. We welcome the initial steps taken by the Financial Stability Board (FSB), Standard Setting Bodies (SSBs) and in certain jurisdictions to examine what lessons can be learned from this recent banking turbulence and encourage them to advance their ongoing work. We will use macroprudential policies, where required, to safeguard against downside risks. Central banks remain strongly committed to achieving price stability in line with their respective mandates. They will ensure that inflation expectations remain well anchored and will clearly communicate policy stances to help limit negative cross-country spillovers. Central bank independence is crucial to maintaining policy credibility. We will prioritise temporary and targeted fiscal measures to protect the poor and the most vulnerable, while maintaining medium-term fiscal sustainability. We will ensure the coherence of the overall monetary and fiscal stances. We recognise the importance of supply-side policies, especially policies that increase labour supply and enhance productivity to boost growth and alleviate price pressures. We reaffirm our April 2021 exchange rate commitments. We also reaffirm the importance of the rules-based, non-discriminatory, fair, open, inclusive, equitable, sustainable and transparent multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core in restoring growth and job creation and reiterate our commitment to fight protectionism and encourage concerted efforts for reform of the WTO.
  2. While global food and energy prices have fallen from their peak levels, the potential for high levels of volatility in food and energy markets remains, given the uncertainties in the global economy. In this context, we welcome the G20 Report on Macroeconomic Impacts of Food and Energy Insecurity and their Implications for the Global Economy, informed by policy experiences shared by members and supported by analysis from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group (WBG), International Energy Agency (IEA) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and take note of its voluntary and non-binding policy learnings. We look forward to an ambitious replenishment of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) resources at the end of the year by IFAD members, to support IFAD’s fight against food insecurity.
  3. We also take note of the discussions on assessing macroeconomic risks to SSBIG, including those stemming from climate change and various transition policies considering country-specific circumstances and different levels of development. The macroeconomic costs of the physical impacts of climate change are significant at an aggregate level and the cost of inaction substantially outweighs that of orderly and just climate transitions. We recognise the importance of international dialogue and cooperation, including in the areas of finance and technology, and timely policy action consistent with country- specific circumstances. It is also critical to assess and account for the short, medium and long-term macroeconomic impact of both the physical impact of climate change and transition policies, including on growth, inflation, and unemployment. We endorse the G20 Report on Macroeconomic Risks Stemming from Climate Change and Transition Pathways that presents an evidence-based assessment informed by policy experiences shared by members and technical inputs from the IMF, IEA, and the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). Building on analysis in this Report, we will consider further work on the macroeconomic implications, as appropriate, particularly as relevant for fiscal and monetary policies, drawing on the inputs from a diverse set of stakeholders.
  4. We remain committed to pursuing ambitious efforts to evolve and strengthen Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to address the global challenges of the 21st century with a continued focus on addressing the development needs of low- and middle-income countries.
  5. Following up on the mandate from our Leaders in Bali in November 2022 and based on the updates from MDBs in Spring 2023, a G20 Roadmap for Implementing the Recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of MDBs Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAFs) has been developed. We endorse this Roadmap and call for its ambitious implementation, within MDBs’ own governance frameworks while safeguarding their long-term financial sustainability, robust credit ratings and preferred creditor status. We also call for a regular review of the progress of implementation on a rolling basis including through engaging with MDBs, subject experts and shareholders. We commend the MDBs for their progress in implementing the CAF recommendations, especially with respect to adapting definitions of risk appetite and financial innovation. At the same time, we emphasise the need to give an additional push to CAF implementation. We appreciate the ongoing collaboration among MDBs on the timely release of Global Emerging Markets (GEMs) data and the launch of GEMs 2.0 as a stand-alone entity by early 2024. Going forward, we also encourage MDBs to collaborate in areas such as hybrid capital, callable capital, and guarantees. We appreciate the enhanced dialogue between the MDBs, Credit Rating Agencies and shareholders and encourage continued transparency in the exchange of information and rating methodologies. We take note that initial CAF measures, including those under implementation and consideration, could potentially yield additional lending headroom of approximately USD 200 billion over the next decade, as estimated in the G20 CAF Roadmap. While these are encouraging first steps, we will need continued and further impetus on CAF implementation.
  6. Furthermore, we reiterate our call for the MDBs to undertake comprehensive efforts to evolve their vision, incentive structures, operational approaches and financial capacities so that they are better equipped to maximize their impact in addressing a wide range of global challenges, while being consistent with their mandate and commitment to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recognising the urgent need to strengthen and evolve the MDB ecosystem for the 21st century, we appreciate the efforts of the G20 Independent Expert Group on Strengthening MDBs in preparing Volume 1 of the Report, and we will examine it in conjunction with Volume 2 expected in October 2023. We take note of Volume 1’s recommendations and the MDBs may choose to discuss these recommendations as relevant and appropriate, within their governance frameworks, in due course, with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of MDBs. We look forward to a High-Level Seminar, on the sidelines of the Fourth FMCBG meeting in October 2023 on strengthening the financial capacity of MDBs. We encourage MDBs to update the International Financial Architecture Working Group (IFA WG) on their evolution efforts to better address global challenges. We welcome the March 2023 Report on Evolution of the World Bank Group and call on the World Bank to advance the implementation of the agreed actions and continue to develop further proposals that can contribute to significant progress of the Bank’s evolution exercise by the IMF/WBG 2023 Annual Meetings in Marrakech. Recognising other multilateral efforts in this area, we take note of the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact. We also look forward to an ambitious IDA21 replenishment. We acknowledge the concluding report on the 2020 Shareholding Review of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and look forward to the 2025 Shareholding Review.
  7. We reiterate our commitment to a strong, quota-based, and adequately resourced IMF at the centre of the global financial safety net. We remain committed to revisiting the adequacy of quotas and will continue the process of IMF governance reform under the 16th General Review of Quotas (GRQ), including a new quota formula as a guide, and ensure the primary role of quotas in IMF resources, to be concluded by December 15, 2023. In this context, we support at least maintaining the IMF’s current resource envelope. We welcome the landmark achievement of the global ambition of USD 100 billion of voluntary contributions (in SDRs or equivalent) and USD 2.6 billion of grants in pledges for countries most in need and call for the swift delivery of pending pledges. We welcome the progress achieved under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) and Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) with pledges for the RST amounting to about USD 45.5 billion and for the PRGT to about USD 24.2 billion in loan resources and nearly USD 1.9 billion in subsidy resources, respectively, through the voluntary channelling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) or equivalent contributions. We call for further voluntary subsidy and loan pledges to the PRGT by the IMF/WBG 2023 Annual Meetings in Marrakech to meet the first stage PRGT fundraising needs. We look forward to the IMF delivering a preliminary analysis, by the 2023 IMF/WBG Annual Meetings, of the range of options to put the PRGT on a sustainable footing with a view to meeting the growing needs of low-income countries in the coming years. The G20 reiterates its continued support to Africa, including through the G20 Compact with Africa. We will continue to monitor progress on channelling SDRs or equivalent contributions from countries with strong external positions and look forward to the IMF Ex-Post Report on the use of SDRs in September. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of RST supported programs and look forward to interim review scheduled for April 2024. We look forward to further progress on the exploration of viable options for channelling SDRs through MDBs, while respecting relevant legal frameworks and the need to preserve the reserve asset character and status of SDRs. We look forward to the review of precautionary arrangements (FCL, PLL and SLL) and take note of the discussions held on the IMF surcharge policy.
  8. We welcome discussions on the potential macro-financial implications arising from the introduction and adoption of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), notably on cross-border payments as well as on the international monetary and financial system. We welcome the BIS Innovation Hub (BISIH) Report on Lessons Learnt on CBDCs and look forward to the IMF Report on Potential macro-financial implications of widespread adoption of CBDCs to advance the discussion on this issue. We also look forward to continued discussions on the implementation of international frameworks for the use of different tools in addressing capital flow volatility based on the policy updates by the IMF, the OECD, and the BIS while being mindful of their original purpose. We reiterate our commitment to promote sustainable capital flows. To this effect, we note the OECD’s Report on Towards Orderly Green Transition – Investment Requirements and Managing Risks to Capital Flows.
  9. We re-emphasise the importance of addressing debt vulnerabilities in low and middle-income countries in an effective, comprehensive and systematic manner. We continue to stand by all the commitments made in the Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the DSSI, including those in the second and final paragraphs, as agreed on November 13, 2020, and step up the implementation of the Common Framework in a predictable, timely, orderly and coordinated manner. To this end, we ask the G20 International Financial Architecture Working Group (IFA WG) to continue discussing policy-related issues linked to implementation of the Common Framework and make appropriate recommendations. We welcome the recent agreement between the Government of Zambia and official creditor committee on a debt treatment and look forward to a swift resolution. We welcome the formation of an official creditor committee for Ghana and look forward to an agreement on a debt treatment as soon as possible. We also call for a swift conclusion of the debt treatment for Ethiopia. Beyond the Common Framework, we welcome all efforts for timely resolution of the debt situation of Sri Lanka, including the formation of the official creditor committee, and we call for the resolution as soon as possible. Noting the work in developing the G20 Note on the Global Debt Landscape in a fair and comprehensive manner, we ask the G20 IFA WG to continue the development expeditiously. We encourage the efforts of the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) participants to strengthen communication and foster a common understanding among key stakeholders, both within and outside the Common Framework, for facilitating effective debt treatments.
  10. We welcome joint efforts by all stakeholders, including private creditors, to continue working towards enhancing debt transparency. We note the results of the voluntary stocktaking exercise of data sharing with International Financial Institutions. We welcome the efforts of private sector lenders who have already contributed data to the joint Institute of International Finance (IIF)/OECD Data Repository Portal and continue to encourage others to also contribute on a voluntary basis.
  11. We emphasise the need for enhanced mobilisation of finances and efficient use of existing resources in our efforts to make the cities of tomorrow inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. To this effect, we endorse the G20 Principles for Financing Cities of Tomorrow, which are voluntary and non-binding in nature and the G20/OECD Report on Financing Cities of Tomorrow, which provides a financing strategy as well as presents a compendium of innovative urban planning and financing models. We encourage stakeholders, including the Development Financial Institutions and the MDBs, to explore the potential of drawing upon these principles in their planning and financing of urban infrastructure wherever applicable and share experiences from early pilot cases. We note the progress in outlining the enablers of inclusive cities. We also note the customisable G20/ADB Framework on Capacity Building of Urban Administration to guide local governments in assessing and enhancing their overall institutional capacity for the effective delivery of public services. We note the ongoing pilot application of the voluntary and non-binding Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Indicators and look forward to further discussion on their application considering the country circumstances. We thank the Global Infrastructure Hub for supporting the G20’s multi-year infrastructure agenda since 2014. We note that the GIH Board and shareholders are currently engaged in exploring a way to best sustain the value created so far. We look forward to the outcome report of the 2023 Infrastructure Investors Dialogue focused on integrating the private sector perspective in designing policies for financing cities of tomorrow.
  12. We continue to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to strengthening the full and effective implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. We recall and reaffirm the commitment made by developed countries to the goal of mobilising jointly USD 100 billion climate finance per year by 2020, and annually through 2025, to address the needs of developing countries, in the context of meaningful mitigation action and transparency in implementation. Developed country- contributors expect this goal to be met for the first time in 2023. In this context, we also support continued deliberations on an ambitious new collective quantified goal of climate finance from a floor of USD 100 billion per year to support developing countries, that helps in fulfilling the objective of the UNFCCC and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
  13. We welcome the Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) recommendations on the mechanisms to support the timely and adequate mobilisation of resources for climate finance, while ensuring support for transition activities in line with country circumstances. We also recognise the significant role of public finance, as an important enabler of climate actions such as leveraging much-needed private finance through blended financial instruments, mechanisms and risk-sharing facilities, to address both adaptation and mitigation efforts in a balanced manner for reaching the ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), carbon neutrality and net-zero considering different national circumstances. We welcome the recommendations for scaling up blended finance and risk-sharing facilities, including the enhanced role of MDBs in mobilizing climate finance. We underscore the importance of maximizing the effect of concessional resources, such as those of the multilateral climate funds to support developing countries’ implementation of the Paris Agreement and look forward to an ambitious replenishment of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) this year. Recognizing the importance of supporting the commercialization of early-stage technologies that avoid, abate and remove greenhouse gas emissions and facilitate adaptation, we note the recommendations on financial solutions, policies, and incentives to encourage greater private flows for the rapid development, demonstration, and deployment of green and low-carbon technologies. We reiterate the importance of a policy mix consisting of fiscal, market and regulatory mechanisms including, as appropriate, the use of carbon pricing and non-pricing mechanisms and incentives, toward carbon neutrality and net zero. We look forward to the early finalisation of the Compendium comprising the discussions on Non-Pricing Policy Levers to Support Sustainable Investment.
  14. We reiterate our commitment to take action to scale up sustainable finance. In line with the G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap, we welcome the analytical framework for SDG-aligned finance, and voluntary recommendations for scaling-up adoption of social impact investment instruments and improving nature-related data and reporting, informed by the stocktaking analyses, considering country circumstances. We encourage all relevant stakeholders to consider these recommendations in their actions and support for the 2030 Agenda.
  15. We endorse the multi-year G20 Technical Assistance Action Plan (TAAP) and the voluntary recommendations made to overcome data-related barriers to climate investments. We encourage the implementation of TAAP by relevant jurisdictions and stakeholders in line with the national circumstances. We look forward to reporting on the progress made by members, international organisations, networks and initiatives in the implementation of the G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap, which is voluntary and flexible in nature, and call for further efforts to advance the Roadmap’s recommended actions that will scale up sustainable finance, including among others the implementation of the Transition Finance Framework. We look forward to the finalisation of the 2023 G20 Sustainable Finance Report, including a review of the implementation of the G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap. We welcome finalization of the sustainability and climate-related disclosure standards published by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in June 2023, which provide the mechanisms that address proportionality and promote interoperability. It is important that flexibility, to take into account country- specific circumstances, is preserved in the implementation of those standards. When put into practice as above, those standards will help to support globally comparable and reliable disclosures.
  16. We remain committed to strengthening the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) through enhanced collaboration between Finance and Health Ministries under the Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF). Under the JFHTF, we welcome the participation of invited key regional organisations in the Task Force meetings as they enhance the voice of low-income countries. We welcome the discussion on the Framework on Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks (FEVR) and the initial Report for Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks arising from pandemics, created through collaboration between World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank, IMF, and European Investment Bank (EIB). We call on the Task Force to continue refining this Framework over its multi-year work plan in order to regularly assess economic vulnerabilities and risks due to evolving pandemic threats, taking into account country-specific circumstances. We welcome the Report on Best Practices from Finance Health Institutional Arrangements during Covid-19 that will contribute towards joint finance-health sector readiness to support our response to future pandemics. We welcome the Report on Mapping Pandemic Response Financing Options and Gaps developed by the WHO and World Bank and look forward to further deliberations on how financing mechanisms could be optimized, better coordinated and, when necessary, suitably enhanced, to deploy the necessary financing quickly and efficiently, duly considering discussions in other global forums. The analysis provided by these three reports will offer important inputs for discussion in the Joint Finance-Health Ministerial Meeting in August on global response to the next pandemic threat. We welcome the conclusion of the call for proposals by the Pandemic Fund and look forward to the first round of funding in the coming months.
  17. We reaffirm our commitment to continue cooperation towards a globally fair, sustainable and modern international tax system appropriate to the needs of the 21st century. We welcome the delivery of a text of a Multilateral Convention (MLC) on Amount A, significant progress of work on Amount B and the completion of the work on the development of the Subject to Tax Rule (STTR) and its implementation framework as set out in the July 2023 Outcome Statement of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS (Inclusive Framework). We call on the Inclusive Framework to swiftly resolve the few pending issues relating to the MLC with a view to prepare the MLC for signature in the second half of 2023 and complete the work on Amount B by end of 2023. We welcome the steps taken by various countries to implement the Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) Rules as a common approach. We recognise the need for coordinated efforts towards capacity building to implement the two-pillar international tax package effectively and in particular, welcome a plan for additional support and technical assistance for developing countries. We welcome the launch of the pilot programme of the South Asia Academy in India for tax and financial crime investigation in collaboration with OECD. We note the 2023 update of the G20/OECD Roadmap on Developing Countries and International Taxation. We note the Update on the Implementation of the 2021 Strategy on Unleashing the Potential of Automatic Exchange of Information for Developing Countries by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (“Global Forum”). We call for the swift implementation of the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (“CARF”) and amendments to the CRS. We ask the Global Forum to identify an appropriate and coordinated timeline to commence exchanges by relevant jurisdictions, noting the aspiration of a significant number of these jurisdictions to start CARF exchanges by 2027, and to report to our future meetings on the progress of its work. We note the OECD Report on Enhancing International Tax Transparency on Real Estate and the Global Forum Report on Facilitating the Use of Tax-Treaty-Exchanged Information for Non-Tax Purposes. We note the discussions held at the G20 High-Level Tax Symposium on Combatting Tax Evasion, Corruption and Money Laundering.
  18. We continue to closely monitor the risks of the fast-paced developments in the crypto-asset ecosystem. We endorse the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB’s) high-level recommendations for the regulation, supervision and oversight of crypto-assets activities and markets and of global stablecoin arrangements. We ask the FSB and standard-setting bodies (SSBs) to promote the effective and timely implementation of these recommendations in a consistent manner globally to avoid regulatory arbitrage. We welcome the shared FSB and SSBs workplan for crypto assets. We look forward to receiving the IMF-FSB Synthesis Paper, including a Roadmap, before the Leaders’ Summit in September 2023, to support a coordinated and comprehensive policy and regulatory framework taking into account the full range of risks, and risks specific to the emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) and ongoing global implementation of FATF standards to address money laundering and terrorism financing risks. In this context, we note the Presidency Note as an important input for the Synthesis Paper. We also welcome the BIS Report on The Crypto Ecosystem: Key Elements and Risks.
  19. We continue to strongly support the work of the FSB and SSBs to address vulnerabilities and enhance the resilience of non-bank financial intermediation (NBFI) from a systemic perspective while monitoring evolving developments in NBFI. We welcome the FSB’s consultation report on revisions to the FSB 2017 recommendations on addressing liquidity mismatch in open-ended funds, and we support work to promote implementation of the FSB money market fund proposals, enhance margining practices, and address vulnerabilities from non-bank leverage. We welcome the FSB’s recommendations to achieve greater convergence in cyber incident reporting, updates to the Cyber Lexicon and Concept Note for a Format for Incident Reporting Exchange (FIRE). We look forward to the FSB’s work to identify the reporting needs and the prerequisites for and feasibility of the development of FIRE, and we ask the FSB to develop an action plan with appropriate timelines.
  20. We welcome the FSB’s consultation Report on Enhancing Third-party Risk Management and Oversight. We expect the toolkit to support efforts in enhancing the operational resilience of financial institutions, addressing the challenges arising from their growing reliance on critical third-party service providers including BigTechs and FinTechs, as well as reducing fragmentation in regulatory and supervisory approaches across jurisdictions and in different areas of the financial services sector. We reaffirm our commitment to the effective implementation of the prioritised actions for the next phase of the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments and welcome the initiatives undertaken by SSBs and international organisations in this direction. To that end, we look forward to the FSB’s progress report in October on the implementation of this roadmap. We look forward to the G20 TechSprint 2023, a joint initiative with the BIS Innovation Hub, which will promote innovative solutions aimed at improving cross-border payments. We welcome the annual progress Report on the FSB’s Roadmap for Addressing Financial Risks from Climate Change. We endorse the revised G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance with the aim to strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks for corporate governance that support sustainability and access to finance from capital markets, which in turn can contribute to the resilience of the broader economy.
  21. We welcome the progress made by the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) towards the completion of the deliverables under the G20 2020 Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP). We welcome the 2023 Update to Leaders on Progress towards the G20 Remittance Target and endorse the Regulatory Toolkit for Enhanced Digital Financial Inclusion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). We endorse the voluntary and non-binding G20 Policy Recommendations for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Productivity Gains through Digital Public Infrastructure. We take note of the significant role of digital public infrastructure in helping to advance financial inclusion in support of inclusive growth and sustainable development. We also encourage the continuous development and responsible use of technological innovations including innovative payment systems, to achieve financial inclusion of the last mile and progress towards reducing the cost of remittances in line with the G20 Leaders’ directions. We also support continuous efforts to strengthen digital financial literacy and consumer protection. We endorse the G20 2023 FIAP, which provides an action-oriented and forward-looking roadmap for rapidly accelerating the financial inclusion of individuals and MSMEs, particularly vulnerable and underserved groups in the G20 countries and beyond. We also endorse the 2023 Updated GPFI Terms of Reference.
  22. We recognise the importance of delivering on the strategic priorities of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and FATF Style Regional Bodies. We commit to supporting their increasing resource needs and encourage others to do the same, including for the next round of mutual evaluations. We remain committed to the timely and global implementation of the revised FATF Standards on the transparency of beneficial ownership of legal persons and legal arrangements to make it more difficult for criminals to hide and launder ill- gotten gains. We welcome the ongoing work of the FATF to enhance global efforts to recover criminal proceeds, in particular, the progress made by the FATF towards revising its standards on asset recovery and reinforcing global asset recovery networks. We reiterate the importance of countries developing and implementing effective regulatory and supervisory frameworks to mitigate risks associated with virtual assets in line with FATF Standards especially for terrorism financing, money laundering, and proliferation financing risks. In this regard, we support the FATF’s initiative to accelerate the global implementation of its standards, including the “travel rule”, and its work on risks of emerging technologies and innovations, including decentralised finance (DeFi) arrangements and peer-to-peer transactions. We look forward to the completion of FATF’s work on the use of crowdfunding for terrorism financing and on money laundering related to cyber-enabled fraud.
  23. With a vision reminiscent of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings, we, the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of G20 countries, envisage a future in which every nation thrives, prosperity is widely shared, and the well-being of humanity and the planet are harmoniously intertwined.

 

Annex I: Issues for further work

This Annex lists the deliverables from various G20 Finance Track workstreams following the July FMCBG meeting.

Framework Working Group

  • G20 IMF Report on Strong, Sustainable, Balanced and Inclusive Growth, October 2023, in the context of increasing vulnerabilities associated with macroeconomic instabilities and financial globalisation.

International Financial Architecture Working Group

· Volume 2 of the Report of G20 Expert Group on Strengthening MDBs

  • Regular review of the progress of implementation of CAF recommendations on a rolling basis including through engaging with MDBs, subject experts and shareholders

· Updates from IMF on the progress of the 16th General Review of Quotas

  • Update from the IMF on the ex-post assessment of 2021 SDR allocation
  • Continued exploration of opportunities for a “User manual” for the Common

Framework presenting the experience of the first cases.

  • G20 IFA WG to continue developing expeditiously the G20 Note on the Global Debt Landscape in a fair and comprehensive manner.
  • IFA WG to continue discussing policy-related issues linked to implementation of the Common Framework and make appropriate recommendations
  • Technical workshops to be held under the ambit of GSDR, such as the one on Comparability of Treatment (CoT).
  • Improvements to sovereign debt restructuring by continuing the discussion on some specific debt instruments, including potential best practices for LICs on collateralised financing practices, exploring ways to increase private sector involvement, in particular regarding the restructuring of syndicated loans, collective action clauses, assessing the benefits and complications of state- contingent debt instruments (SCDI), and climate-resilient debt clauses in international sovereign bonds and in official bilateral lending.
  • IMF Report on the potential macro-financial implication of widespread adoption of CBDCs, in September 2023.

Infrastructure

  • Continuation of the InfraTracker 2.0 to track planned infrastructure investments across G20 member economies using publicly available sources and transition it to an online tool.
  • Compilation of the scope and taxonomies related to infrastructure across G-20 economies and International Organisations.

Sustainable Finance Working Group

  • Monitoring and reporting of progress on G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap on the SFWG online dashboard.
  • Finalisation of the 2023 G20 Sustainable Finance Report.
  • Compendium of case studies for financing SDGs.

International Taxation

  • A Handbook by the OECD on Pillar Two to facilitate implementation through a common approach, especially to assist capacity-constrained jurisdictions and present the Handbook by October 2023.

Financial Sector Issues

  • A joint synthesis paper by the IMF and the FSB integrating the macroeconomic and regulatory perspectives of crypto assets to be submitted in September 2023.
  • An interim report by the BIS Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) on Fast Payment Systems (FPS) interlinking governance, risk management and oversight considerations; and the final report on ISO 20022 harmonisation requirements for cross-border payments in October 2023.
  • FSB to provide a report on the financial stability implications of leverage in NBFI in September 2023.
  • FSB to provide an overall progress report on enhancing the resilience of NBFI in September 2023.
  • FSB to provide its Annual Report on Promoting Global Financial Stability in October 2023.
  • FSB to report in October 2023 its progress on the implementation of the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-Border Payments.
  • FSB, in coordination with the ISSB and IOSCO, to prepare a report on the progress of jurisdictions and firms on climate-related financial disclosures by October 2023.

Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion

  • GPFI will continue work to complete the Second Update of National Remittance Plans and present a case-study on the impact of digital remittances in reducing the cost of remittances.
  • GPFI will report on progress in implementing the G20 GPFI High-Level Principles on Digital Financial Inclusion.
  • GPFI to work on SME best practices and innovative instruments to overcome common constraints in SME financing based on GPFI SME living database.

 

Annex 2: Reports and Documents received

  1. G20 Report on Macroeconomic Impacts of Food and Energy Insecurity and their implications for the global economy
  2. G20 Report on Macroeconomic risks stemming from climate change and transition pathways
  3. G20 Roadmap for implementing the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of MDBs Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAFs)
  4. Volume 1 of the G20 Expert Group on Strengthening MDBs
  5. BIS Innovation Hub (BISIH) Report on “Lessons learnt on CBDCs”
  6. OECD’s report on “Towards Orderly Green Transition – Investment Requirements and Managing Risks to Capital Flows
  7. G20 note on the total global ambition of USD 100bn of voluntary contributions for countries most in need
  8. G20 Principles for Financing Cities of Tomorrow: inclusive, resilient and sustainable
  9. G20/OECD Report on Financing Cities of Tomorrow
  10. G20/ADB Framework on Capacity Building of Urban Administration
  11. G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group Deliverables
  12. Framework on Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks (FEVR) and the initial Report for economic vulnerabilities and risks arising from pandemics
  13. Report on Best Practices from Finance Health Institutional Arrangements during Covid-19
  14. Report on Mapping Pandemic Response Financing Options and Gaps developed by the WHO and World Bank
  15. G20/OECD Roadmap on Developing Countries and International Taxation Update 2023
  16. OECD Report on ‘Enhancing International Tax Transparency on Real Estate’
  17. Global Forum Report on ‘Facilitating the Use of Tax-Treaty-Exchanged Information for Non-Tax Purposes’
  18. Global Forum Update on the implementation of the 2021 Strategy on Unleashing the Potential of Automatic Exchange of Information for Developing Countries
  19. FSB Chair’s Letters to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, April and July 2023.
  20. FSB’s global regulatory framework for crypto-asset activities: Umbrella public note to accompany final framework
  21. FSB’s high-level recommendations for the regulation, supervision, and oversight of crypto-asset activities and markets
  22. FSB’s high-level recommendations for the regulation, supervision, and oversight of global stablecoin arrangements
  23. BIS Report on “The crypto ecosystem: key elements and risks”.
  24. FSB Consultation report on addressing liquidity mismatch in open-ended funds-Revisions to the FSB 2017 policy recommendations
  25. FSB Report on Enhancing Third-Party Risk Management and Oversight: A toolkit for financial institutions and financial authorities
  26. FSB Roadmap for Addressing Financial Risks from Climate Change: 2023 Progress Report
  27. FSB Recommendations to Achieve Greater Convergence in Cyber Incident Reporting: Final Report
  28. FSB Concept Note on Format for Incident Reporting Exchange (FIRE) – A possible way forward
  29. Revised G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
  30. G20 Policy Recommendations for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Productivity Gains through Digital Public Infrastructure
  31. 2023 Update to Leaders on Progress towards the G20 Remittance Target
  32. Regulatory Toolkit for Enhanced Digital Financial Inclusion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
  33. G20 2023 FIAP
  34. 2023 Updated GPFI Terms of Reference.
  35. 2023 GPFI Progress Report to G20 Leaders
  36. G20 Financial Inclusion Action Plan Progress Report 2021-23
  37. FATF Report- Countering Ransomware Financing Report (March 2023)
  38. Targeted Update on the Implementation of the FATF Standards for Virtual Assets (June 2023)
  39. FATF Report on Guidance on Beneficial Ownership Transparency for Legal Persons (March 2023)

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3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting 17-18 July 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat

The Third G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the Indian Presidency was held during 17-18 July 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The meeting was jointly chaired by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Shri Shaktikanta Das.

Over 500 delegates, including Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from G20 member countries, Invitee Countries, and Heads of various International Organisations (IOs) participated in the meeting. The FMCBG meeting was preceded by the Third G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) meeting during 14-15 July 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Under the Indian Presidency’s theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, G20 Ministers and Governors pledged to prioritise the well-being of the people and the planet and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing international economic cooperation, strengthening global development for all and steering the global economy towards strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth (SSBIG).

The meeting was organised in five thematic sessions covering Global Economy and Global Health, Sustainable Finance and Infrastructure, International Financial Architecture, International Taxation, and Financial Sector & Financial Inclusion.

The Union Finance Minister, in her welcome remarks, reiterated the collective responsibility of G20 to steer the global economy towards strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth. The meeting discussed the key deliverables of the Finance Track under the Indian G20 Presidency for 2023. The Indian Presidency received wide support on all the agenda items.

Members discussed the global economic outlook and risks, including macroeconomic implications of food and energy insecurity as well as climate change. Members endorsed the ‘G20 Report on Macroeconomic Risks Stemming from Climate Change and Transition Pathways’.

Under the priority of strengthening Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to address global challenges of the 21st century, members recognised the urgent need to strengthen and evolve the MDB ecosystem. Members appreciated the efforts of the G20 Independent Expert Group on Strengthening MDBs constituted by the Indian Presidency earlier this year.  The Expert Group has prepared Volume 1 of the Report, and Volume 2 is expected in October 2023. Noting Volume 1’s recommendations, members shared that the MDBs may choose to discuss these recommendations to enhance their effectiveness. A High-Level Seminar will be held on the sidelines of the Fourth FMCBG meeting in October 2023 on strengthening the financial capacity of MDBs. G20 members also endorsed a ‘Roadmap for Implementation of Recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of MDBs’ Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAF)’. This Roadmap will help unlock more lending resources in MDBs.

Managing global debt vulnerabilities is a significant priority area for 2023, reflecting the Indian Presidency’s endeavor to voice the concerns of the Global South. G20 Members have actively deliberated on how to strengthen multilateral coordination to effectively address the deteriorating debt situation and facilitate coordinated debt treatment for debt-distressed countries. G20 Members welcomed the progress achieved on various ongoing debt treatment cases under the Common Framework and beyond, and called for swift and timely resolution of these cases. They also emphasised the importance of addressing debt vulnerabilities in low and middle-income countries in an effective, comprehensive and systematic manner. The G20 encouraged the efforts of the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) towards strengthening communication among key stakeholders to facilitate effective debt treatment. The GSDR is chaired by India, IMF and the World Bank.

The Indian Presidency has brought the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) agenda into the G20 discussions. Members acknowledged the transformative role of DPI in rapidly advancing financial inclusion and productivity gains. The Ministers and Governors lauded India’s pioneering efforts in leveraging DPIs to accelerate financial inclusion to the last mile. While noting that harnessing DPIs can help countries to leapfrog their development trajectories, the members unanimously endorsed the ‘G20 Policy Recommendations for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Productivity Gains through Digital Public Infrastructure’. developed under the Indian Presidency. These policy recommendations will be instrumental in guiding the G20 and non-G20 countries to leverage DPI for fast pacing their development processes and achieve strong and inclusive growth. The G20 FMCBGs endorsed the new G20 2023 Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP) for the three years 2024-26, the FIAP provides an action-oriented and forward-looking roadmap for rapidly advancing financial inclusion of individuals and MSMEs in G20 and beyond by focusing on action areas which inter alia focus on promoting technological, innovations and digital infrastructure including DPI. Also, India has been appointed as one of the Co-Chairs of the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) and in its capacity of Co-Chair, India will lead the implementation of the new FIAP for the next three years starting from 2024.

The Indian Presidency has prioritised the need to consider macrofinancial implications of crypto assets along with financial stability concerns. The Presidency has also focused on bringing the specific concerns of the Global South onto the crypto assets’ agenda. As a result, the IMF had, in February, presented a paper on the macrofinancial implications to the 2nd G20 FMCBG. The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has also included sections on EMDE concerns in its forthcoming reports and deliberations. In continuation of this process, in the July meeting, the G20 members welcomed the high-level recommendations of the FSB on crypto-asset activities and global stablecoin arrangements.

While the work of preparation of the IMF-FSB Synthesis paper is underway, the Indian Presidency has submitted a “Presidency Note” to the G20 membership laying down important inputs for a Roadmap on crypto assets. The Roadmap, to be contained in the Synthesis Paper will support a coordinated and comprehensive policy and regulatory framework taking into account the full range of risks, and risks specific to the emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) and ongoing global implementation of FATF standards to address money laundering and terrorism financing risks. The G20 now looks forward to receiving the IMF-FSB Synthesis Paper, along with the Roadmap, before the Leaders’ Summit in September 2023.

To further enrich the ongoing policy work around crypto assets, a Round Table discussion titled “Policy Dialogues on Crypto Assets” was organized on the sidelines of the 3rd G20 FMCBG meeting at Gandhinagar. The aim of the round table session was to discuss and deliberate on some of the key questions pertaining to the crypto assets, in an open and candid manner. The session saw active participation from the G20 Finance Ministers, Governors, and the Heads of IMF, FSB, and FATF – institutions that are instrumental in the on-going work on crypto asset ecosystem. The views generated in the round table discussion will provide important inputs to the Synthesis paper.

The Indian G20 Presidency has also brought climate finance discussions to the forefront. Members welcomed the recommendations on the mechanisms to support timely and adequate mobilisation of resources for climate finance, prepared by the Sustainable Finance Working Group. With the commitment to scale up sustainable finance, members also welcomed the Analytical Framework for SDG-aligned finance.

Members also discussed taking forward global efforts in pandemic prevention, preparedness and response through enhanced collaboration between Finance and Health Ministries. Members welcomed the discussion on the Framework on Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks (FEVR) arising from pandemics, while taking into account country-specific circumstances.

On the infrastructure agenda, members showed strong support for work under the Indian Presidency’s priority of ‘Financing the Cities of Tomorrow’. The Principles designed by the Indian Presidency will enable cities to develop customised policies that encourage alternative financing sources and enable greater public-private collaboration to bridge the infrastructure financing gap in our cities.

A G20 Infrastructure Investors’ Dialogue on ‘Leveraging Funding and Financing Mechanisms and Approaches for the Cities of Tomorrow’ was also held on 16 July, 2023. Panel discussions focused on mechanisms for de-risking projects, better urban planning, innovations in blended finance, harnessing technological innovations, capacity building and augmenting support from governments & MDBs in developing climate-resilient and sustainable city infrastructure. Learnings from practical experiences of countries enriched the discourse immensely.

On the tax agenda, members appreciated the significant progress made with respect to the two-pillar international tax package and called for the finalization of the pending work as per the agreed timelines. Members welcomed a plan for additional support and technical assistance for developing countries and discussed the need to ensure that G20 efforts to enhance tax transparency translate into effective outcomes.

Members noted with great interest, the discussions held at the G20 High-Level Tax Symposium on Combatting Tax Evasion, Corruption and Money Laundering organised by the Indian Presidency on 16 July, 2023 on the sidelines of the FMCBG meeting. Panelists included Heads of FATF and OECD, the European Commissioner for Economy and the Finance Minister of Indonesia. This Symposium initiates a debate on the effective multilateral response required to counter tax evasion, corruption and money laundering. The panelists acknowledged that financial crimes are complex, operate across international borders and deprive governments both in developed and developing countries of much needed resources. They stressed the need for greater cooperation, both domestically and internationally. The panel discussion also delved into strategies that can be developed for a coordinated response for fighting tax crimes and other financial crimes.

Union Finance Minister also engaged in various bilateral discussions with her counterparts on the sidelines of the FMCBG meeting.

The delegates were hosted for ‘Ratri Bhoj Par Samvad’ (Conversation over Dinner), preceded by cultural programs curated by the Government of Gujarat, showcasing Gujarat’s place in civilisational history and its contribution to India’s trade and entrepreneurship.

Excursion events are also planned for the delegates on 19 July 2023. The delegates will be provided opportunities to experience Gujarat through visits to Adalaj Step wells, Sabarmati Ashram, Sabarmati River Front, Patan and Modhera.

The Third G20 FMCBG meeting concluded with a G20 Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary comprising 26 paragraphs and 2 Annexures. The Outcome Document and Chair Summary reflects the deliberations held during the meeting and conveys the wide support that the Indian G20 Presidency received for various deliverables envisaged for 2023.   

The discussions held during the Third G20 FMCBG meeting will inform the Leaders for the G20 Summit to be held in India in September, 2023. The G20 FMCBGs will meet next in October 2023 in Marrakesh on the sidelines of IMF/WBG Annual Meetings.

Reminiscing Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings, the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of G20 countries shared their vision for a future, in which every nation thrives, prosperity is widely shared, and the well-being of humanity and the planet are harmoniously intertwined.

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Track2Training: An Educational Portal for Essays on Various Topics

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National Doctors’ Day, July 1: Birthday of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy

 Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, popularly known as Dr. B. C. Roy was a renowned physician who later joined politics and became the second Chief Minister of West Bengal in 1948. For his contribution in various fields including the country’s medical development, Bidhan Chandra Roy was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961 also as a recognition of his enormous medical service rendered to all echelons of the society, National Doctors' Day is celebrated on July 1 (his birthday) across India. Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy according to me was not a great physician but the best Chef Minster of West Bengal to date.

Dr. Roy was born on July 1, 1882, in Patna and died on the same date (July 1) in 1962 in Calcutta/Kolkata after treating some patients in the morning hours without any suffering. This simply indicates he was endowed with a pure soul. It has to be admitted that medical doctors play a significant role in our lives because my father was MBBS and observed his relentless service for others’ suffering periods.
Dr. B.C. Roy led the Civil Disobedience Movement in Bengal. He was elected as Mayor of Calcutta Corporation. Roy did his Intermediate in Arts (I.A.) from Presidency College, Calcutta, and B.A. from Patna College with honours in mathematics. Prior to that, he passed the Matric (now known as High School) examination from Patna Collegiate School in 1897. Bidhan Chandra after completing his college education applied for admission to the Bengal Engineering College and the Calcutta Medical College albeit he was selected for both institutions but preferred to go in the medical line. Anyway, while Dr. B.C. Roy was the Chief Minister of West Bengal lots of industrial development took place in the state. I personally feel he is the best Chief Minster among the CMs of West Bengal as during communist rule strikes, lockouts, etc., were regular features. Also, the former Communist’s Chief Minister’s son is now a great business personality and settled abroad. Further, the massacre in Marichjhanpi, which took place under Communist rule in West Bengal between January 26 and May 16, 1979, was simply inhuman activity. And in the present times, scams, corruption, election violence, etc., in West Bengal reached the zenith.
Anyway, Dr. Roy took the initiative to establish the Indian Medical Association in 1928 and the Medical Council of India. He also played a crucial role in establishing the Indian Institute of Mental Health, the Infectious Disease Hospital, and even Calcutta’s first-ever postgraduate medical college.
Further, because of his initiative, some leading medical institutions in then Calcutta/now Kolkata were set up such as the Jadavpur T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, Kamala Nehru Hospital, Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital etc. As Chief Minister of West Bengal, he laid the foundation of five eminent cities, namely, Durgapur, Kalyani, Bidhannagar, Ashoknagar, and Habra in West Bengal. His broadness of mind may be observed when he gifted his house to the people of West Bengal in 1961. He had also constituted a trust for his properties at Patna to carry out social service, with eminent nationalist Ganga Sharan Singh.
On the occasion of his birthday my respectful salute to this great soul.

Prof Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

Ambubachi mela at Kamakhya temple, Guwahati, Assam in 2023: A Few Facts

Located atop the Nilachal hills in Guwahati Maa Kamakhya temple is famous for the Hindus. The pristine beauty of Guwahati city and its vicinity and other places including the mighty Brahmaputra can be seen from the hills. Anyone can visit the Nilachal hills to observe the beauty of Guwahati city. Anyway, the temple is an auspicious place for the Hindus as out of 51 Shakti Peethas this is one. I feel, almost all readers know about the mythological facts of 51 Shakti Peethas. In the Maa Kamakhya temple, Ambubachi mela is held every year in June and devotees not only from India but also from many countries visit during this time. It is the celebration of the yearly menstruation of Maa Kamakhya as it is believed that the private part (yoni/ genital part) of Maa was fallen there. During Ambubachi time, the doors of the temple are closed and no one can visit the inside of the temple. In this year, 2023, as per the tithi i.e. timings, the doors were closed at 2.30 AM on June 22-23 (Thursday midnight and wee hours of Friday) and entries of the temple will reopen on Monday morning (June 26, 2023). The place where the private part was fallen during the menstruation period is covered with a huge red cloth which is known as ‘Rakta Bastra’. And the devotees after completion of Ambubachi, collect a little piece of ‘Rakta Bastra’ which is considered very sacred for the Hindus. Some keep in the puja room in a small container, some keep their body in a small metallic container which is known as ‘Maduli’ etc. Anyway, devotees, irrespective of age, gender, or caste, can attend the mela, for seeking blessings from Maa Kamakhya. It is pertinent to mention that in 2019 around 25 lakh devotees visited the mela the largest in history.
I had the opportunity to visit Ambubachi mela on a few occasions at night time and observed hundreds of saints and sadhus from different parts of India including Nepal and other places attended. All were involved in spiritual activities.

Cruise Tourism and Global Tourism Plastics Initiative

The Ministry of Tourism is organising the fourth G20 Tourism Working Group meeting and Tourism Ministerial Meeting from 19th to 22 June 2023 in Goa. Briefing media in New Delhi today, Secretary Tourism, Smt  V. Vidyavathi said that under India’s G20 Tourism Track, the Tourism Working Group is working on five inter-connected priority areas, which are Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, Tourism MSMEs, and Destination Management. Giving more details, the Secretary said that there are two key deliverables of the Tourism Working Group, which are GOA Roadmap for Tourism as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development goals and G20 Tourism Ministers’ Declaration both of which will be finalised shortly. During the meeting, G20 member countries, invited countries, and international organizations will welcome and endorse both the documents.

She also added that the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting and Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Goa aims to strengthen economic growth, preserve cultural heritage, and promote tourism and sustainable development of the region.

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, welcomes the participation of Tourism Ministers, Heads of Delegations and delegates from G20 member countries, invited countries, and international organizations to collectively work towards advancing the tourism sector and achieving the UN sustainable development goals 2030.

A side event on ‘Making Cruise Tourism a Model for Sustainable & Responsible Travel’ will be  organized , focusing on strategies to promote cruise tourism. The event will see the participation of G20 member countries, invited countries, international organizations, and industry stakeholders. The event will witness deliberations on the challenges and opportunities in the growth of cruise tourism globally. A panel discussion featuring esteemed speakers from G20 Member countries and guest countries will shed light on country specific policies and initiatives on varied aspects of cruise tourism, its growth and need to make cruise tourism sustainable and responsible.

Smt  V. Vidyavathi said that, along the sidelines of the main event , a national level side event is also being organized which will focus on ‘Making India a Hub for Cruise Tourism’, to deliberate on various challenges and opportunities for developing Cruise Tourism in the country following the principles of sustainability.

The deliberation upon Multi Facets of Cruise Tourism (Coastal, Island, Regional and Yachting), perspectives from Coastal States, private and public stakeholders in inland waterways, perspectives from Riverine States will be the focus areas of discussion during the event. The event will see the participation of key States and Union Territories, Industry Stakeholders, national and international experts.

She also informed that “The Ministry of Tourism is also organizing a side event ‘Towards a circular economy of plastics in tourism – the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative’ in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

This  side event will focus on encouraging engagement of tourism stakeholders to address plastic pollution through circular approaches across the tourism value chain. The event will encompass high-level introductory remarks and a keynote presentation on the action framework proposed by the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI). These interventions will be followed by a panel discussion with tourism stakeholders and a signing ceremony to welcome the adherence of several organizations to the GTPI.

Further, a ‘Public Private Dialogue: Importance of Travel & Tourism to the G20 Economies’ is also being co-organized by the Ministry of Tourism in Goa on 21st June 2023 in association with World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The Dialogue is an opportunity for participants to share their priorities and concerns and identify opportunities for mutual support and greater public-private partnership. This discussion will align and provide a private sector perspective on the 5 priority areas set out for the G20 tourism track. The Dialogue will start by opening the conversation on the respective importance and relevance of these priorities to the private sector and potential areas of support and collaboration from the public sector.

The Secretary informed that good practices and case studies on sustainable tourism by participating countries will be shared on a Dashboard which is being created for the purpose.It will be a dynamic dashboard which will serve as a learning platform for various countries and these case studies will continue to be uploaded on it for coming next three years, she added. 

Secretary Tourism also remarked that to celebrate   the ‘International Day of Yoga’ on June 21, which coincides with the G20 4th Tourism Working Group Meeting and Tourism Ministerial Meeting, a special yoga session has been organized by the state government of Goa.

This session will offer an enchanting experience of yoga to all G20 Tourism Ministers and delegates, providing them with a moment of serenity and mindfulness amidst the busy proceedings of the meeting. It highlights the significance of incorporating wellness practices in the tourism sector and emphasizes the importance of holistic well-being.

On the occasion, Additional Secretary, Shri Rakesh Verma gave a presentation highlighting the important events and schedule of the meeting.

Various cultural programs will be organized to highlight and showcase the rich cultural heritage of Goa to the international G20 delegates. Some of the choreographed programs planned are: Lamp Dance, Kathak Dance, GoanMandoMusic  and Dance presentation, Dekhni Dance, Mussal Khel (Pastel Dance) and Gomant Rang. Delegates will also have the opportunity to experience the local attractions of Goa. Excursion visits have been planned to Lower  Aguada Fort and Jail Museum, and experiencing the UNESCO World Heritage Site:  Churches and Convents of Goa viz. the Basilica of  Bom Jesus, Church of St Francis of Assisi and Se  Cathedra land Archaeological Museum.

During the meeting, the delegates will also be visiting the Art and Craft Bazaar organized by the State Government showcasing local handicrafts, work of artisans, signifying the importance of community participation. DIY Activities at the Craft Bazaar have been planned to have hands on experience.

The Ministry of Tourism is promoting local products of Goa by handing below souvenirs to the delegates:

  • Embroidered Stole/Scarf (Made from Handmade Kunbi Fabric)
  • G.I. Cashew Feni Miniature
  • Terracotta Lotus shaped Incense Stick Holder
  • Upcycled Natural Scented Candle made using discarded bottle
  • Roasted Organic Goan Cashew Nuts
  • Recycled wood Tray with Azulejo Tiles inlay
  • Goan House Window

Click here for more details and schedule

Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Universal Accessibility in India is now available on India

Under the provision of section 40 of RPwD Act 2016, the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Commissioner formulate rules for persons with disabilities laying down the standards of accessibility for the physical environment, transportation, information and communication, including appropriate technologies and systems and other facilities and services provided to the public in urban and rural areas.

Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Universal Accessibility in India-2021 prepared by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has been amended in RPwD (Amendment) Rules, 2023 vide notification G.S. R. 413 (E) dated 05.06.2023.  

The detailed status of these guidelines/standards is as follows:

Standards/Guidelines notified in RPwD Rules under Rule 15
1.Accessibility for the ICT products and services (Part I and II)
2.Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standard for Universal Accessibility in India-2021
3.Standard for Bus Body Code for Transportation system,
Guidelines under Draft notification in RPwD Rules and inviting public and other stakeholder comments
4.Accessibility standards for Health Care by 02.07.2023
5.Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation by 10.06.2023
6.Accessibility standards and guidelines for the Culture sector (monuments/sites/museums/libraries by 10.06.2023
7.Accessible Sport complex and residential facilities for sports person with disabilities by 10.06.2023
Guidelines awaited for notification in Gazette of India by concerned Ministry/Department
8.Ministry of Home Affairs
9.Guidelines on accessibility of Indian Railways stations and facilities at stations for differently abled persons and passengers with reduced mobility
10.Accessibility Guidelines and Standards for Higher Education Institutions and Universities
11.Accessibility Guidelines for Bus Terminals and Bus Stops
12.Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation 
Guidelines at various stages in the concerned Departments
13.Ministry of Rural Development
14.Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways
15.Ministry of Tourism
16.Department of Financial Service
17.Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
18.Department of School Education and Literacy

All the information is regarding the harmonized guidelines is available in the website of DEPwD department disabilityaffairs.gov.in

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Preparedness to deal with Cyclone Biporjoy

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal held a meeting with senior officials of Central government as well as Gujarat government to review the preparedness to minimise loss from ensuing Cyclone Biporjoy. The cyclone, which has been described as “very severe cyclonic storm” is likely to cross Gujarat coast tomorrow.

Speaking on the occasion, the Shri Sonowal said, “We must be prepared for all kind of eventualities as this is one of the most critical natural disasters to affect India in the recent times. We are taking steps to minimise material losses and ensuring all steps to ensure safety of the people. Our people residing in the coastal areas are being evacuated to safety and measures have been taken to create rest shelters for affected people post the cyclone. All necessary steps have been taken to provide all kind of emergency care, medical care as well as nutritional care for the needy including women and children in these rest shelters. We have also reviewed our preparedness to ensure safety of large ships in the affected areas. We are constantly monitoring the process as the team on ground remain highly alert to take necessary steps for all kind of support to ensure public safety and minimise material losses.”

Among the officials, the meeting was attended by Kandla Port Authority, Director General of Shipping, Mercantile Marine Department, senior officials led by Chief Secretary of Gujarat State administration, Chairman of Deen Dayal Port Authority along with their disaster management team, Gujarat Maritime Department along with the disaster management teams set up by the Gujarat government.

It is to be noted that the Kandla Port authority has set up three control rooms, equipped with modern communications tools, at Gandhidham which are working round the clock since 11th June. A public awareness campaign is also going on and necessary advisories have been issued to all associations, authorities. Around 3,000 people, living in the Port area and other low lying areas around it, have already been evacuated and shifted to relief shelters. The rest shelters, with a capacity to accommodate 5000 to 6000 persons, have been set up at Gopalpuri colony. All necessary items like drinking water, food packets, medical support etc. are being organised and kept at this shelter. Doctors from the port hospital have been deputed to treat those who need care.

For ensuring minimum losses to material properties, inward movement of vessels as well as all anchored vessels have already sailed out of Gulf of Kachchh. Evacuation of the remaining vessels from the berths have also been completed. All moving cranes have been secured after evacuation of vessels at berth. High Masts Lighting Towers have been lowered down in alternate manner. Steel Floating Dry Dock has been secured and operations inside have been suspended. All Port Crafts and other crafts at Kandla and Vadinar harbour have been secured/kept in standby with short notice.

During the review meeting, the Union Minister was also appraised by DG Shipping and CEO of Gujarat Maritime Board that all necessary steps as per SOP have been taken to ensure that no loss of life or property occurs onboard any vessel in the area of impact. The team is closely monitoring the evolution of cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ at Signal Station, Kandla and Vadinar. Medical Teams and Ambulances are kept ready with high alert at Kandla to attend any emergency situation. Fire Brigade Division of DPA has been kept on high alert to avoid any causalities and extend necessary support to District Administration in rescue and relief work as may be required. Arrangement of power backup at different places as well as in the back up area of the Port had been made for use in case of power failure. The drainage system has been surveyed and cleared from any blockage for free flow of storm water.

Shri Sonowal also interacted & reviewed steps taken by the with the officials of Mercantile Marine Department at Kandla and Jamnagar to mitigate losses in the wake of Cyclone Biporjoy. Sonowal also enquired about the safety and security of the fishing harbours and ensured that all fishermen and those residing in the area of impact are evacuated to safety. The Minister requested all agencies to coordinate & communicate constantly for total protection of life and property till the cyclone passes over. Union Port, Shipping and Waterways Ministry continues to closely monitor the cyclone situation and is taking all necessary measures to be prepared for any kind of emergencies.

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Town planning in Medieval times

The Medieval period (roughly 5th to 15th century) represents a distinct phase in the evolution of urban planning, marked by organic growth, defensive needs, socio-political control, and religious dominance. Unlike the geometric precision of Greek and Roman planning, medieval towns developed in response to security concerns, feudal systems, and trade expansion, resulting in irregular yet highly functional urban forms.

Medieval planning varied across regions (Europe, India, Islamic world), but shared several common characteristics and principles.

1. Context of Medieval Town Development

https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/rC7N9l8zpIhAJ583oFfSP1BDGsl7d39xXjh7l0M_k6ggduRjfWFl8qJnf-prhu1kNGAwqQSfnTAhs00V9ebd7DKQnefQ3o2vSvhxmzoIrJmXBmV1tYxBg8aY88p-AMaPvpnKAi7qBmHS1LsgzxyoEOAO3UqVWiK4s-_zTdHXyyhlpYUzr-YOkVrG7NLKbvtv?purpose=fullsize
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Key Influencing Factors:

  • Feudal system (lords and vassals)
  • Frequent wars and invasions
  • Religious institutions (churches, mosques, temples)
  • Growth of trade and guilds

Planning Implication:

  • Emphasis on defense, compactness, and central authority

2. Settlement Pattern

2.1 Organic and Irregular Pattern

  • Towns developed gradually without formal planning
  • Streets were narrow, winding, and irregular
  • Layout adapted to topography and existing structures

2.2 Compact Form

  • High-density development within limited space
  • Efficient use of land due to defensive walls

Planning Principle:

  • Adaptation rather than pre-planning
  • Compactness for safety and efficiency

3. Defensive Planning (Fortified Cities)

https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/LyCU03neOY8kNCfYHAwWY2h6wm44ATSD8D2qe7XVNMjgx1Gr6rTcYNm1n5d-0LsVDmJTYkJEgP8Qplm7gneNI_r-_r6BOF4PldmgROpcrRG4Vjutd4vxen68d0bKE2EjfRMobMSHpGQbSAGSjBR5DV11UBNkJmCHPevIEv2d7_YIg-CMFI8eEkhztYh0UhWk?purpose=fullsize
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Key Features:

  • City walls with gates
  • Moats and watchtowers
  • Controlled entry and exit points
  • Strategic location (hilltops, riverbanks)

Planning Principle:

  • Security and protection as primary concern

👉 Defense strongly influenced the shape, size, and expansion of towns.

4. Urban Structure and Land Use

4.1 Central Core

  • Castle, fort, or religious structure at the center
  • Administrative and political activities

4.2 Market Area

  • Located near central square or main street
  • Hub of trade and commerce

4.3 Residential Areas

  • Densely packed houses
  • Often organized by occupation or social class

4.4 Peripheral Areas

  • Craftsmen, laborers, and lower-income groups

Planning Principle:

  • Functional clustering with social hierarchy

5. Street Pattern and Circulation

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Characteristics:

  • Narrow and winding streets
  • Lack of uniform width
  • Streets often converged at central points

Advantages:

  • Provided shade in hot climates
  • Difficult for enemies to navigate

Planning Principle:

  • Human-scale design
  • Climate adaptation and defense

6. Role of Religion in Planning

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Key Features:

  • Churches, temples, or mosques as focal points
  • Religious buildings often centrally located or elevated
  • Pilgrimage routes influenced town growth

Planning Principle:

  • Religious centrality and symbolic dominance

7. Housing and Built Form

Characteristics:

  • Closely packed houses
  • Multi-story buildings in dense towns
  • Use of local materials (stone, timber, mud)

Urban Issues:

  • Poor ventilation and sanitation
  • Fire hazards

Planning Principle:

  • Efficient land use but limited environmental consideration

8. Economic and Trade Influence

  • Growth of market towns and trade centers
  • Guilds influenced spatial organization
  • Development along trade routes

Planning Principle:

  • Economic activities shaping urban form

9. Public Spaces

Types:

  • Market squares
  • Courtyards
  • Religious plazas

Characteristics:

  • Multi-functional spaces
  • Centers of social and economic interaction

Planning Principle:

  • Community-oriented spaces

10. Water Supply and Sanitation

  • Wells, tanks, and rivers as water sources
  • Limited drainage systems
  • Poor sanitation in many towns

Planning Principle:

  • Basic infrastructure, often inadequate

👉 This led to health issues and later reforms in urban planning.

11. Types of Medieval Towns

11.1 Castle Towns

  • Developed around forts or castles

11.2 Religious Towns

  • Centered around temples, churches, or mosques

11.3 Market Towns

  • Developed due to trade and commerce

11.4 Port Towns

  • Located along coasts and rivers

12. Medieval Town Planning in India

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Examples:

  • Shahjahanabad
  • Jodhpur
  • Fatehpur Sikri

Features:

  • Fortified walls and gates
  • Chowks (squares) and bazaars
  • Hierarchical streets
  • Mixed land use

Planning Principle:

  • Integration of defense, commerce, and culture

13. Key Planning Principles of Medieval Towns

The major principles include:

  1. Defense-Oriented Planning
  2. Organic and Incremental Growth
  3. Compact and Dense Development
  4. Religious and Political Centrality
  5. Functional Clustering (markets, residences)
  6. Human-Scale Streets and Spaces
  7. Adaptation to Local Climate and Topography
  8. Economic Influence on Spatial Structure

14. Limitations of Medieval Planning

  • Lack of sanitation and infrastructure
  • Congestion and overcrowding
  • Fire hazards
  • Limited scope for expansion

These limitations later led to the emergence of Renaissance and modern planning approaches.

15. Relevance to Modern Planning

Despite limitations, medieval towns offer valuable lessons:

  • Compact urban form → Supports walkability and TOD
  • Mixed land use → Reduces travel demand
  • Human-scale design → Enhances livability
  • Climate-responsive streets → Sustainable urban design

Conclusion

Town planning in medieval times was shaped by the realities of defense, religion, feudal governance, and trade. Unlike earlier planned civilizations, medieval towns evolved organically, resulting in irregular yet functionally efficient urban forms. Their compact layout, mixed land use, and human-scale design made them vibrant centers of social and economic life.

While medieval towns faced challenges such as poor sanitation and congestion, their planning principles—especially compactness, adaptability, and community focus—remain highly relevant today. Modern planners can learn from these historical settlements to create cities that are walkable, resilient, and socially integrated.

“Suvidha, Suraksha, Samman” to women

Last 9 years the Union Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided “Suvidha, Suraksha, Samman” to women. Thoughtfully planned schemes like Ujjwala for Gas connections, Swachhta for female toilets and Jal Jeevan for tap water in households not only provided Ease of Living to women but also gave them a sense of self-confidence with self-esteem.

This was stated by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh at Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh while addressing a congregation of Modi scheme beneficiaries, majority of whom comprised women.

The Minister said there has been a paradigm shift in Public Service Delivery and the implementation of Government schemes in the last 9 years. “Be it DBT, or provision of basic facilities like electricity, water, toilets to poor people, all these have brought a revolution at the grassroots level,” he said.

Dr Jitendra  Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put Nari Shakti at the forefront of India’s development journey. Mission Shakti comprises two sub-schemes ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’ for the safety, security and empowerment of women. The impact of this approach has been evident in the outcomes, such as an improved sex ratio at birth which is now for the first time 1020 women per 1000 men, a rise in institutional deliveries, declining infant mortality, and a lower maternal mortality rate.

With a promise to remove drudgery from the daily life of Women, Dr Jitendra Singh said the increased usage of LPG cylinders under the Ujjwala Yojana has saved crores of women from chronic respiratory disorders through smoke-free kitchens. With the success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, crores of women are now able to access toilets in their homes without any fear of safety or violation of dignity. Walking long distances to fetch water for daily consumption is becoming a thing of the past as households across the country are getting tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Over 27 crore sanitary pads have been sold at One Rupee at Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

He said Women Empowerment is contingent upon the economic empowerment of women. Programmes such as MUDRA Yojana in which 68% of loans have been extended to more than 27 crore women, have enabled crores of women across the country to pursue micro-level entrepreneurship and become financially independent. 3.18 crore Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts have been created. To promote financial inclusion among women, Mahila Samman Savings Certificate was introduced as part of the Union Budget 2023-24, which is a small savings scheme exclusively for female investors.

Under PM Awas Yojana, women are being made owners of the family home thus becoming active participants in household decision-making. In the 9 years of the Modi government, women have grown from strength to strength. Their success can be seen in the significant increase in the numbers of female police personnel, laurels won by sportswomen for the country and enrolment of women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths.

The government has transformed Women from being targets of welfare to agents of empowerment. “Today it is no longer women development, but women-led development,” he said.

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Enlightening session  on RTI Act, of 2005 organized by Pro Bono Club

Under Department of Justice’s Nyaya Bandhu, the Pro Bono Club of NEHU, Shillong organised an enlightening session on the RTI Act, of 2005. It highlighted the significance of the Act, educating citizens about their right to access vital public information.

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Led by Dr. Ravi Kant Mishra, the esteemed guests Heimonglang Nongpluh & Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla stressed the importance of employing this right when necessary, empowering individuals, and  promoting awareness in rural Meghalaya. It shed light on the Act’s numerous benefits and  its role in ensuring public authorities’ accountability.

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Swachh Jal Se Suraksha Campaign Report Under Jal Jeevan Mission

The Union Minister For Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today released the report on progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission: Swachh Jal se Suraksha (SJSS) Campaign which was organised from 2nd October, 2022 to 31st March, 2023 to impress upon the States/ UTs to make concerted efforts towards taking up water quality monitoring and surveillance activities as ‘Supply of Safe Water’ has been one of the key considerations under JJM. Under the campaign, several activities had been taken up including Testing of PWS sources in all villages for chemical parameters and bacteriological parameters (post monsoon); Water quality testing at household level in villages; Water quality testing in Schools and Anganwadi Centres; Remedial action taken for contaminated samples; and Training of women for water quality testing using FTK/ H2S vials at village level.

As a result of concerted efforts made by States/ UTs for water quality monitoring and surveillance during campaign period and progress reported on WQMIS portal, the activity-wise overall progress is as under:

Water quality testing has been reported in 5.39 lakh (89.69 %) villages for chemical and in 4.47 lakh (74.46 %) villages for bacteriological contamination (post monsoon).

Drinking water samples were tested in 6.58 lakh (67.63 %) schools and 7.16 lakh (67.43 %) anganwadi centres.

21.80 lakh women have been trained from 4.59 lakh (76.41 %) villages for water quality testing using Field Testing Kits (FTKs).

Remedial action has been taken for 90.34% of contaminated sample reported.

Performance of states/UTs was also measured during the Campaign. The states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh emerged as the best performing states during the Campaign.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was announced by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 15 August, 2019 to make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality on regular & long-term basis to every rural household. Access to assured and safe drinking water is a basic life need. The Objective of the campaign was to ensure drinking water quality and create awareness among representatives of the Panchayati Raj institutions and rural communities about quality of drinking water in their respective villages, water quality issues, water borne diseases & health impacts and avoiding use of water from quality-affected sources.

The desired outcome of the campaign was wide participation at Village, district and State level for water quality testing, building confidence and create awareness among people about quality of water being supplied through piped water supply. States/ UTs PHE/ RWS Department, being ‘Nodal Department’ implemented Swachh Jal se Suraksha campaign in respective States/ UTs by actively involving all the stakeholders viz. Gram Panchayat and/ or its sub-committees/ local community to take up water quality monitoring and surveillance and awareness activities.

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NHPC and VUCL, Nepal sign MoU for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal

NHPC Limited (A Govt. of India Enterprise) and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in New Delhi today for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal. The MoU was signed in the presence of Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Nepal Shri Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

Shri R.K. Vishnoi, CMD, NHPC and Shri Surya Prasad Rijal, MD, VUCL, Nepal exchanging MOU documents for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal in  presence of Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and  Prime Minister of Nepal Shri Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at Hyderabad House, New Delhi.

NHPC Limited, a Schedule ‘A’ Enterprise of the Government of India with ‘MINI RATNA’ status, is a premier PSU in India for development of hydropower and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal is responsible to develop, build, own and operate large-scale hydropower projects in public-private partnership model in Nepal.

The MOU was exchanged by Sh. R.K. Vishnoi, Chairman & Managing Director, NHPC and Shri Surya Prasad Rijal, Managing Director, VUCL. Signing of this MOU is a landmark step towards India-Nepal Joint Vision on Power Sector Cooperation.

The project will use the flow from the Karnali River for power generation and the generated power will be fed into integrated power system of Nepal. The installed capacity of the project shall be 480 MW with average annual generation of about 2448 GWh. The key features of the project are a 109 metre high RCC dam and an underground power house where the 06 turbines of 79 MW each shall be housed. Additionally, to utilize minimum environmental release one Surface Power House of 6 MW capacity i.e. two machines of 3 MW each is also planned. This project is conceived as a Peaking Run-of-River (PRoR) type scheme.

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Saplings presented to the Guests on Golden Jubilee Wedding Anniversary: An Innovative Idea in a Gated Community in Hyderabad, India

The recent World Bank Group Report (Making Cities Green, Resilient, and Inclusive in a Changing Climate, 2023) reveals that climate change is exposing cities to increasingly frequent extreme weather events. From the 1970s to the period 2010–20, the frequency of extreme heat and dry events increased across cities globally, and the frequency of extreme wet events has increased since the 1990s. Global sea-level rise of about 0.125 millimeters per year is also increasing the risk of flooding for coastal cities. Also, it is evident from the Report that cities in high- and upper-middle-income countries are major contributors to climate change, whereas the contribution of cities in lower-income countries is modest. Globally, about 70 percent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the bulk of which are fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, emanate from cities. Cities in lower-income countries, however, accounted for only about 14 percent of all global urban CO2 emissions in 2015, and cities in low-income cities contributed less than 0.20 percent. The mitigation challenge for cities in lower-income countries is to develop without following the historic CO2 emissions trajectories of cities in higher-income countries. Anyway, to control CO2 emissions one of the alternatives is the plantation of saplings in the house or its vicinity if vacant land is available. And one innovative idea as observed by the author was the distribution of saplings to the guests as a gift on the occasion of a senior citizen’s Golden Jubilee Wedding anniversary and at the same time his grandson’s birthday who completed 12 years of age. The case is from Libdom Villa (Raj Reddy Valley), Bandlaguda Jagir, Hyderabad, a gated community which is spread over to an area of 17 acres of land having all facilities – indoor and outdoor games, gym, park, swimming pool, function hall, etc. Altogether 190 families ( a few might be unoccupied) live in this gated community consisting of different religions, castes, and languages (people of different States), representing a mini India in the true sense and residents celebrate all festivals amicably.
A resident of the villa (75 Years old), who stays with his wife, son (41 years, software engineer and owner of the villa) daughter-in-law also a software engineer) and grandson (12 years), had initiated a good idea that others can emulate in other gated communities or houses if they have little land.
K. Veerabrahmam (75 years old), a retired administrative officer from Government Arts and PG College, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh is a permanent resident of the villa staying along with other family members, as mentioned already. In the last part of May 2023, he celebrated his 50 years of wedding anniversary, golden jubilee. Also, his grandson who completed 12 years of age almost the same period organized a dinner party in the campus itself on 24 May 2023. Many dishes – both vegetarian and non-vegetarian – were served. As a part of the event, each guest was presented with a sapling. Around 55 saplings were brought from the local nursery and given to all guests in beautiful cotton bags. Such an innovative idea to regenerate nature can be emulated by others who live in gated communities etc. Instead of giving different types of gifts, giving saplings in the present context is the best gift.
Prof Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

What is IPL in Cricket? – Introduction to the Indian Premier League Tournament

It’s the biggest domestic cricket tournament in the world, but what is IPL exactly and how much do we know about it?

What does IPL Stand for?

In cricket, IPL stands for Indian Premier League, a T20 cricket tournament which was originally established in 2008. It is traditionally played from April through to June each year and, from 2022, the competition will be expanded to include a total of ten teams.

Indian Premier League – The Tournament

1. Tournament Structure

The Indian Premier League starts with a round robin tournament where each franchise will play each other twice – home and away. Sides will earn two points for a win while the teams will earn one point each if there is an abandoned game.

At the end of this sequence, the top four sides in the table will progress to the playoffs while the remaining franchises will be eliminated.

The playoffs start with the first qualifier where the top two sides in the table play each other and the winner goes straight through to the final.

Next up is the eliminator where the third and fourth placed sides face off. The winner goes through to the second qualifier while the loser is eliminated.

In the second qualifier, the winner of the eliminator takes on the loser of the first playoff match. The winner of that game progresses to the final.

It sounds a little complicated on paper but it’s actually easy to follow and it’s a fairer system than having straight semi finals.

IPL cricket tournament

2. When Does IPL Start?

The exact starting dates of the IPL will vary from year to year but it will generally begin in the first week of April. The 2022 IPL starts on March 26th. The group stages kick off the competition and these progress through the month and into May.

The knockouts take over and the final will generally be scheduled for late May or early June. These dates are subject to change but this is the framework within which the tournament has worked for many years.

3. IPL Franchise Teams

From 2022 onwards, the IPL will consist of ten franchise teams. Those sides who played in 2021 will continue to be involved and they are:

  • Chennai Super Kings
  • Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Delhi Capitals
  • Punjab Kings
  • Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Mumbai Indians
  • Rajasthan Royals
  • Kolkata Knight Riders

In addition, two new franchises will be joining to make ten teams overall. They will be based in Lucknow and Ahmedabad but the names of the sides have yet to be confirmed as of November 2021.

what-is-ipl-in-cricket

4. Player Auction

The build up to every tournament involves a player auction. Those cricketers who want to be involved in the IPL will make themselves available for selection via the auction and the franchises will bid for their services.

The players involved will set a base price which is effectively a reserve figure. Any team wanting to sign the player must make that base price their minimum bid. 

At the end of the auction, squads are assembled ahead of the new season. Of course, there are options to bring in replacements for players who become injured or are forced to withdraw for any other reason.

Before that auction begins, the franchises submit a retained list. These are the existing players in the squad who will remain with the team for the new season. Other players will be released if they are no longer needed and they then have the option to go into the auction.

Find out more about how the IPL Auction works in 2023.

5. IPL Match Rules

The format of the IPL follows the rules of T20 cricket. Both teams are allocated a maximum of 20 overs each and the simple aim is to score more runs than the opposition. 

T20 is identical to ODI cricket in the sense that the side batting first sets a target. The fielding side then take their turn to bat and they must overtake that total within their allocated set of overs.

If the side batting second fail to overtake the target, the side batting first wins.

Bowling teams can use as many bowlers as they want but each bowler can deliver a maximum of four overs.

If the scores are tied at the end of the game, there will be a Super Over to decide the winner. One six-ball over will be sent down to each team and the batting sides have two wickets available. If the scores remain level, the Super Over process will be repeated until we have a winner.

A Glimpse about two prestigious schools in Guwahati, Assam, India: Past and Present Scenario

Guwahati earlier spelled as Gauhati is one of the popular cities of India located in the beautiful part of North-East India. The mighty perennial river the Brahmaputra has passed from the iconic City. In addition, the Nilachal Hill, the Basishtha Ashram, Umananda, etc. portray the pristine beauty of the place. The famous Maa Kamakhya temple located on the top of Nilachal Hill is not only a spiritual place but a scenic place to visit. Further, in the city and its vicinity many temples, churches, mosques, gurudwaras, and Jain temples are located which bear testimony to the historical importance of the city.
The prestigious Cotton College (established in 1901) presently Cotton University is one of the most famous educational institutions in the country. Also, two renowned schools along with some others have brought glory to the city. The two schools are – Bengali Boys’ Higher Secondary School and Bengali Girls’ High School. In the month of May 2022, both have been merged into one and rechristened as Bengali Higher Secondary School (BHSS, Co-education). Also, there were two separate primary schools on the campus Boys’ school and Girls’ school separately established many years ago. Anyway, Bengali Boys’ Higher Secondary School was established on April 28, 1936, and on the other hand, Bengali Girls’ High School was set up on March 2, 1954. Both are located in the prime location of Guwahati viz. Paltan Bazar.
It is pertinent to mention that both schools before the merger produced many great personalities and stalwarts in various fields – education. literacy, games, sports, music, and other curricular activities. Dr. Amalendu Guha, an eminent historian, and literature in India was a student at Bengali Boys’ Higher Secondary School. He was admitted in 1936 (first batch). In those days, many of his classmates, later on, were famous in their own fields. A few names may be mentioned here – Hena Ganguly, Gobinda Lal Roy, Kiranmay Lahiri, Nirmal Mukherjee, Gopal Sen, Dhurba Gupta, Pradeep Chandra Pal, Santi Ganguly, Sachindra Mohan Dey Sarkar, and others. In those, the school was under Calcutta University, and in 1948 when the school came under the umbrella of Gauhati University, the student who stood first in the entire Assam was Indrajeet Chatterjee. After that many brilliant students passed out from the school. Some of the names are – Gurudas Chatterjee, Sridhan Roy, Sujit Basu, Ashish Bose, and many others. Also, it is pertinent to mention that in those days the name of the school was Silver Jubilee. Anglo-Bengali High School, because King George V completed his tenure of 25 years reign in England and coincided with the same Silver Jubilee, was prefixed. And after independence, the name of the school was changed to Bengali Boys High School, and later on to Higher Secondary. Anyway, when the Anglo-Bengali school was established two great educationists namely Nalini Bhusan Das Gupta ( a great writer) and Pulin Bihari Ghosh were selected as headmaster and assistant headmaster respectively. Also, the teachers were highly qualified and erudite scholars. In March 1937, Kabindra Nath Das was selected as a headmaster who brilliantly served the school up to 1948. During his tenure Ashwin Chakraborty, Ramesh Chanda Dutta, Santosh Sen Gupta, and Shiba Prasad Ghosh were recruited as teachers who were brilliant teachers and cordial with the students as I had the opportunity to learn from many of them while I was a student of the school from primary to 1973. Kabindra Nath Das in addition to discharging his duty as the headmaster took the initiative to set up a cooperative society under the banner of “Silver Jubilee Anglo Bengali High School Thrift and Credit Society”. Also, he introduced the “Running Cup” in badminton (doubles), and as a cultural activity, drama, and recitation were introduced by him.
It is heartening to mention that many people contributed to the construction of the school buildings. It was estimated that Rs. 17,000.00 would be collected from different sources (1935) but the amount was much higher than the estimate. In this regard, the names of some people may be mentioned as received from different sources who contributed for the development of the school. They are Rai Bahadur Kalicharan Sen, Rai Bahadur Mahendra Mohan Lahiri, Rai Bahadur P.G. Mukherjee, Jogesh Chandra Sen, Upendra Nath Sen, Khan Sahib Eda Khan, and many others. During that period, some professors of Cotton College donated in 12 installments their one month’s salary, Also Jogesh Chandra Sen nephew of Rai Bahadur Kalicharan Sen till his death associated with the school and physically and monetarily helped the development of the school.
Regarding the construction issue of the school (1935-36), a few lines may be mentioned here. The construction of Silver Jubilee Anglo-Bengali High School was given to the contractor Khan Sahib Eda Khan who completed the school within a stipulated time as a sequel school building that could be inaugurated in 1936. It is pertinent to mention that the foundation stone was laid by then Governor Sir Michel Keen in 1935 and later on Mr. Small, Director of Public Instruction (DPI) inaugurated the school. In the first-year total students were 404 – 363 Bengali speaking, 26 Hindi speaking, seven Manipuri, three Nepali, four Punjabi, and one Tamil. Of the total 404 students, 20 were Muslim students also. Anyway, it is evident that not only Bengali-speaking students were admitted but students of other languages got admission to the school in those days.
Also, various sources reveal the fact that from the start of school, many students got first division and the percentage of passed was hovering around 75, which was a great achievement in those days as some other schools in the area could not excel like Anglo Bengali / Bengali High School. And from time-to-time students of Bengali Higher Secondary School did excellent results in the Board examination in different years. But after establishing English medium schools in Guwahati in recent times many guardians prefer to send their children to English medium for different reasons inter alia of which is job prospects so students’ strength came down. For instance, in the year 2016 in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC exam), the total number of students who appeared was 18, and of them, the first division got three, six were placed in the second division, and eight secured third division.
About the past history of Boys’ School, it may be mentioned that during the 1960s from class VIII (eighth), students were allotted science and arts streams which continued up to 1973, and a pass certificate was given under the umbrella of Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate and after that High School (10th Standard) and +2 i.e., Higher Secondary, two years started which till date is continuing (10 +2 system). On the other hand, Bengali Girls’ High School from its inception continued as a high school (up to 10th standard).
Results of Girls’ High School and Boys’ Higher Secondary School:
For the benefit of the readers, a few statistics about the Girls’ school are presented here. In 2019, only 10 girls’ students appeared in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination. No one got the first division but nine passed out in the second division and one was placed in the third division with a 100 percent pass. In 2020, like 2019, 10 students appeared – two first division, four-second division, and two third division with 80 percent pass. In 2021, because of COVID-19 based on the test results of the school, all the students passed as per the direction of the State Government. In 2022, only nine students appeared of which five got first division, three – second division, and one third division indicating 100 percent pass. It is pertinent to mention that some students got letter marks and star marks. But the other side of the coin is that 10 -10 students appeared and then nine students appeared mean low in absolute numbers and a matter of concern.
In the case of Boys’ school results are in two parts- one is High School Leaving Certificate Examination (HSLC) and the other one Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination (HSSLC). The High School results of Boys’ School for three years reveal that in 2020, 2021, and 2022, 100 percent of students passed (around 20 students each year appeared). The results of the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate examinations for the year 2020 reveal the fact 37 percent passed in the arts stream – two in the first division, three in the second division, and 18 in the third division. And in the science stream out of a total of nine students, three got first division, and six secured second division. In the year 2021, in the arts stream, 94 percent of students passed – first division three, second division 13, and third division 26. And in the science stream, only two students were there and both got first division. In the year 2022, in the arts stream percentage of pass was 63, first division one, second division seven, and third division nine. Against this backdrop, no students appeared in the science stream. It is evident from the data that number of students was scaling down year by year in both schools.
Present Situation:
It has already been mentioned that both Boys’ and Girls’ schools have been merged in May 2022 and the alumni of both schools have been trying to develop the infrastructure of the school by renovating dilapidated classrooms and already introduced a school bus to bring more students from far-flung areas by hiring a school bus on rent basis at the cost of Rs 55,000.00 per month. On April 10, 2023, the school bus service has been introduced. And also, 16 computers have been purchased for the students for skill development looking at the job market. And an attractive SMART kitchen has been constructed in the school for Mid-day Meal Scheme. Presently (as of May 12, 2023, around 100 alumni both males and females contributed towards the development of the school mainly for infrastructure, etc. Also, a few well-wishers of the school donated to the development of the school.
As of April 2023, there were 48 teachers in the school (presently one school as mentioned already) for 180 students from class 1 to class 12, which is not a good number because in 1936 when the school was established total number of students were 404 but instead of going up strength has come down in spite of merging two schools. Hope after the merger of both boys’ and girls’ schools in May 2022 the situation will greatly improve.

(During the course of writing this article many helped me by providing the necessary information and data. So, I offer my grateful thanks to all of them. Anyway, two names I wish to mention here – Dr. Saibal Sen Gupta (former Principal of Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati, and an alumnus of the Boys’ School) and Mrs. Nazrana Rahman Hazarika (Principal of the present Bengali Higher Secondary School).

Prof Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

Top Colleges to go for MBBS in Georgia

Georgia is increasingly becoming a popular educational destination for students from around the world. It offers a unique blend of high-quality education, affordable tuition fees, multiculturalism, and a welcoming environment. Here are some key points that describe Georgia as an educational destination:

Quality Education: Georgia has a well-developed educational system with a focus on providing quality education. The country has numerous universities and colleges that offer a wide range of programs in various fields, including medicine, engineering, business, humanities, and more. Many institutions follow international standards and have partnerships with universities from other countries.

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Affordable Tuition Fees: One of the major advantages of studying in Georgia is its affordability. Tuition fees in Georgian universities are significantly lower compared to many other countries, making it an attractive option for international students. This makes education accessible to a larger number of students seeking quality education at a reasonable cost. eWings Abroad Education Consultancy provide timely updates on the admission and other matters.

English-Taught Programs: Many universities in Georgia offer English-taught programs, especially in popular fields like medicine, engineering, and business. This allows international students to study in their preferred language without the need for extensive language proficiency in the local Georgian language.

Multicultural Environment: Georgia is known for its cultural diversity and warm hospitality. As an educational destination, it attracts students from different parts of the world, creating a multicultural environment that fosters intercultural exchange and understanding. This provides students with an opportunity to interact with peers from diverse backgrounds, learn about different cultures, and broaden their perspectives.

Safe and Welcoming Environment: Georgia is considered a safe country with a low crime rate. The local population is known for their friendliness and welcoming nature towards international students. The government and educational institutions also prioritize the safety and well-being of students, providing a secure environment for learning and personal growth.

Beautiful Natural Landscape: Georgia is blessed with stunning natural landscapes, including mountains, beaches, and historical sites. Students have the opportunity to explore the country’s rich cultural heritage, indulge in outdoor activities, and experience a vibrant social life outside of their academic commitments.

European Standard of Education: Georgia’s educational system follows the European standard of education, which ensures high academic quality and compliance with international standards. This enables students to pursue further studies or seek employment opportunities globally.

Overall, Georgia offers a favorable environment for international students seeking quality education, affordability, multiculturalism, and a safe learning experience. It is a country that combines academic excellence with cultural richness, making it an attractive destination for students worldwide.

MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) is an undergraduate degree in the medical field. Georgia is a popular destination for international students seeking to pursue MBBS due to its affordable tuition fees, quality education, and globally recognized degrees. Here are some options for MBBS in Georgia and some of the best colleges in the country:

  1. Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU): TSMU is one of the oldest and most prestigious medical universities in Georgia. It offers an English-taught MBBS program, which is highly regarded among international students.
  2. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU): TSU is another renowned institution that offers an English-language medical program. It has a long history and provides a comprehensive medical education.
  3. David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU): DTMU is a private medical university in Tbilisi, Georgia. It offers an English-taught MBBS program and is known for its modern facilities and high-quality education.
  4. European University: The European University in Tbilisi also offers an English-language MBBS program. It has a well-established reputation and provides a conducive learning environment for medical students.
  5. Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University: Located in the coastal city of Batumi, this university offers an English-taught medical program. It is a popular choice among international students for its affordable fees and good infrastructure.
  6. Akaki Tsereteli State University: Situated in the city of Kutaisi, this university offers an English-language medical program. It is recognized for its experienced faculty and modern teaching methods.

These are just a few examples of the many universities in Georgia that offer MBBS programs. It’s important to conduct thorough research, compare the curriculum, tuition fees, admission requirements, and other factors before making a decision. Additionally, check if the university is recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI) or the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) to ensure the degree is recognized globally.

Time Management for Business

Time management is one of the most important skills that a business professional must possess. In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business world, time is a precious commodity that must be used wisely. Effective time management is the key to success, both professionally and personally. Business professionals who are able to manage their time efficiently are more productive, less stressed, and ultimately more successful than those who struggle to manage their time effectively.

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The first step in effective time management is to set goals. Business professionals must have a clear understanding of their priorities and objectives in order to use their time efficiently. This requires a deep understanding of the business and what is required to achieve success. Once goals are set, it is important to break them down into smaller, manageable tasks. This allows business professionals to focus their time and energy on the most important tasks and avoid wasting time on less important ones.

Another important aspect of time management is to establish a routine. By setting a regular schedule, business professionals can ensure that they are using their time wisely and are able to accomplish their goals. This includes scheduling time for important tasks, such as meetings, project work, and other work-related activities. It also includes scheduling time for personal activities, such as exercise, family time, and relaxation. Explore the world of LeXman

One of the biggest challenges of time management is dealing with distractions. In today’s world, there are many distractions that can pull business professionals away from their work, such as social media, email, and phone calls. It is important to establish boundaries and limit the amount of time spent on these distractions. This can include turning off notifications during work hours, setting specific times for checking email and social media, and prioritizing important phone calls.

In addition to setting boundaries, it is important to delegate tasks when possible. Business professionals who try to do everything themselves will quickly become overwhelmed and may end up wasting time on tasks that could be completed by others. Delegating tasks allows business professionals to focus on their core responsibilities and ensures that all tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.

Finally, business professionals must be willing to adapt and adjust their time management strategies as needed. The business world is constantly changing, and what works today may not work tomorrow. By remaining flexible and open to new ideas, business professionals can continue to improve their time management skills and stay ahead of the competition.

In conclusion, effective time management is essential for success in the business world. Business professionals who are able to manage their time efficiently are more productive, less stressed, and ultimately more successful than those who struggle with time management. By setting goals, establishing routines, managing distractions, delegating tasks, and remaining flexible, business professionals can maximize their productivity and achieve their goals.

60th Foundation Day of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade

Daily writing prompt
If you didn’t need sleep, what would you do with all the extra time?
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By Shashikant Nishant Sharma

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) was established in 1963 by the Government of India with the objective of contributing to the country’s foreign trade management and increasing exports by developing human resources, providing research-based consultancy, and conducting research. The institute was initially set up in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and was located in Delhi’s Qutub Institutional Area.

The first Director of IIFT was R.K. Gupta, who played a crucial role in establishing the institute’s foundation. Under his leadership, IIFT evolved from a think tank to a recognized center of excellence in international trade and business. Over the years, IIFT has diversified its activities from conducting training programs for Indian Trade Service officers to offering various programs in international business management, trade research, and analysis.

In the initial years, IIFT functioned as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. In 1983, IIFT was declared a deemed university under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956. The institute was granted the status of a deemed university in recognition of its significant contributions to the field of foreign trade management and research.

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi celebrated its 60th Foundation Day, which also marked its Diamond Jubilee. During the occasion, Prof. Satinder Bhatia, the Vice-Chancellor of IIFT, paid tribute to the institute’s founding Director General, Late Shri HD Shourie, who laid the foundation of IIFT with the motto “Excellence is a way of life.” She regarded him as a father figure to IIFTians.

Prof. Bhatia emphasized the need to recognize those who have contributed to IIFT’s growth and its status among the top B-schools in India. She mentioned the academic and administrative improvements made at IIFT’s Delhi and Kolkata campuses and expressed confidence in the newly inaugurated Kakinada campus’s potential for excellence. Prof. Bhatia also mentioned IIFT’s collaborations and partnerships, which help the institute continue in the direction of its vision and mission, and make it an attractive destination for industries, students, and other stakeholders.

Since its establishment in 1963, IIFT has evolved from a think tank to a leading repository of knowledge in international trade, besides being India’s premier business school. It has achieved many milestones, including AACSB accreditation and consistent rankings among the top business schools. IIFT has also diversified its role and offers innovative programs to enhance the skills of business professionals. Moreover, IIFT’s growth rate in the first two decades of the new millennium has been phenomenal. In addition, the institute’s campus in GIFT City, Gujarat, will be operational from July 2023.

IIFT has come a long way since its inception and has established itself as one of the leading business schools in India, specializing in international trade and business. It has expanded its operations by establishing campuses in Kolkata and Kakinada, and plans to open a campus in Gujarat’s GIFT City in July 2023. IIFT has also received accreditation from various global accreditation bodies, including AACSB, which is a testament to its commitment to academic excellence.

Today, IIFT continues to provide research-based consultancy services, conduct training programs, and offer various academic programs in the field of international business management and research. Its alumni network includes prominent business leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, who have made significant contributions to the development of the country’s foreign trade and business sectors.

What are 10 Benefits of Executive Coaching

Coaching is a process of supporting individuals or teams in achieving their personal or professional goals. It involves a skilled coach who helps the client identify their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth and development, and then provides guidance and feedback to help them improve.

Executing coaching is important for several reasons. First, coaching can help individuals or teams overcome challenges and obstacles that may be hindering their progress. By providing feedback and guidance, a coach can help clients identify areas where they need to improve and develop strategies to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Second, coaching can help individuals or teams develop new skills and competencies that are necessary for success. A coach can help clients identify their strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan to build on their strengths while addressing areas of weakness.

Third, coaching can help individuals or teams stay focused and motivated. A coach can help clients set clear goals and develop a plan to achieve them, and then provide ongoing support and encouragement to help them stay on track. Enable-HR International is one of good institute to provide professional executive coaching.

Finally, coaching can help individuals or teams build self-awareness and confidence. By providing feedback and guidance, a coach can help clients see their strengths and potential, and develop the confidence to take on new challenges and pursue their goals.

In summary, executing coaching is important because it helps individuals and teams overcome obstacles, develop new skills, stay focused and motivated, and build self-awareness and confidence. By working with a skilled coach, clients can achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

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Executive coaching is a process of providing personalized and one-on-one support to executives and leaders to help them develop their skills, overcome challenges, and achieve their professional goals. The benefits of executive coaching are numerous, and here are 10 of them:

  1. Improved leadership skills: Executive coaching helps leaders improve their leadership skills, including communication, delegation, and decision-making, leading to better performance and results.
  2. Increased self-awareness: Through coaching, executives gain a deeper understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots, which enables them to develop strategies to improve their performance.
  3. Better decision-making: Coaching helps executives develop better decision-making skills by identifying biases, improving problem-solving abilities, and increasing strategic thinking.
  4. Improved communication: Coaching helps executives improve their communication skills, including listening, empathy, and assertiveness, leading to better collaboration and relationships.
  5. Enhanced emotional intelligence: Coaching helps executives develop emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills, leading to better relationships and leadership.
  6. Increased resilience: Coaching helps executives develop resilience, including the ability to cope with stress, adapt to change, and bounce back from setbacks, leading to better mental and emotional well-being.
  7. Improved work-life balance: Coaching helps executives develop a better work-life balance by identifying priorities, managing time, and setting boundaries, leading to better overall health and well-being.
  8. Increased creativity and innovation: Coaching helps executives develop creativity and innovation skills by encouraging them to think outside the box, explore new ideas, and take calculated risks.
  9. Increased accountability: Coaching helps executives become more accountable for their actions and outcomes, leading to better results and greater trust among their colleagues and stakeholders.
  10. Improved career satisfaction: Coaching helps executives align their career goals with their personal values, leading to greater job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Hamari Pahchan – Eradicate Malnutrition Mission

“We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist, one-third rich and two-thirds hungry.”

– Jimmy

Malnutrition in India is one of the main concerns. More than one third of the world’s malnourished children live in India. The major cause of malnutrition being the inequality in social status and the lack of the necessities that are required in order to raise children. The administrative bodies of our country have attempted with various schemes and grants to eradicate malnutrition within the booming population of India but this cause still requires more support in order to decrease the percentage of malnutrition, especially among children of the underprivileged class.

As a result of this rising issue, Hamari Pahchan took the initiative to work towards the eradication of malnutrition as nutrition is an important factor for the well-being and proper development of a child. Malnutrition not only causes health issues for children but it can affect an individual in the long run during adulthood such as stunted growth, eye problems, diabetes, anemia as well as heart diseases, etc as a result of vitamins and micronutrient deficiency in the human body.

The initiative of Hamari Pahchan helps and provide food to the malnourished children so that they are able to receive the necessary nutrition. The cause is important as children are the future of our country and it is important to ensure their overall well-being. It is crucial to provide them with proper nutrition and assistance.The goals of this initiative are: eradication of malnutrition, eradication of hunger and food security on a national level. By supporting the cause, Hamari Pahchan provides the children nutriotious meal which would make a great difference in their lives. Poor people are also provided with the monthly ration, cooked food, as well as sanitary products.

Hamari Pahchan runs regular ration distribution drives, nutriotious food distribution drives, and frequent surveys with dieticians. Till now, with the contribution of many donors, Hamari Pahchan could successfully conduct 5000+ food distribution drives. The NGO is continuing to work towards it’s goal aiming to reach more and more unprivileged people.

As responsible citizens, it’s important that everyone who is capable enough should come forward and provide support to such NGOs, or contribute one’s part at individual level as well. Supporting the needful always makes one feel good and fills one’s day with positivity.

“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”

-Mandy Hale

No one is great by Caste but by Deeds: Activities of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Babasaheb) — Track2Training

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar) popularly known as Babasaheb was a great personality, an erudite scholar, and a great asset of undivided India. He through his activities has proved that caste cannot be an indicator of greatness but through deeds, one can be great. Some years ago, when I visited his birthplace in a […]

No one is great by Caste but by Deeds: Activities of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Babasaheb) — Track2Training

No one is great by Caste but by Deeds: Activities of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Babasaheb)

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar) popularly known as Babasaheb was a great personality, an erudite scholar, and a great asset of undivided India. He through his activities has proved that caste cannot be an indicator of greatness but through deeds, one can be great. Some years ago, when I visited his birthplace in a seminar (as a resource person) at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, I was joyous and felt lucky to visit such a holy place. Born on April 14, 1891, Dr. Ambedkar has shown the path of Dalits on how to lead a decent life. Interestingly, his date of birth has coincided (sometimes one-day variation) with the new year celebration in Assam, West Bengal including Bangladesh, Punjab, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and many other places.
Hailing from a socially backward class, he has shown everyone, particularly to the lower echelons of society mainly Dalits how to survive with dignity. It may be mentioned that Dalit communities are found not only in India but also in Bangladesh, even among the Muslims of Bangladesh.
Anyway, in his childhood, he never felt the brunt of caste politics or ‘untouchability syndrome’ as he was born in Mhow, Indore present Madhya Pradesh in an army cantonment. In his words “……my father was employed in the Army. He held the rank of Subedar at that time. Since we lived in the cantonment, we had little to do with the world outside the military area. I had no experience of untouchability”. But after his father’s retirement situation totally changed. His father shifted to Satara and he felt the brunt of untouchability as even no barber was prepared to cut his hair as a sequel Dr. Ambedkar’s elder sister used to cut his hair. He had to face many social issues in those days because of caste as he belonged to the Mahar caste.
Being an eminent economist and endowed with foresight, Dr. Ambedkar contributed substantially to the formulation of the post-war economic development plan in general and water resources and electric-power development in particular. A significant contribution of Babasaheb was the establishment of two technical organizations known as the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). He was instrumental in establishing the Bhakra-Nangal dam.
He was also a visionary and understood the importance of agriculture and farming for the sustainable development of the farmers. He advocated for collective farming as well as an uninterrupted supply of water and electricity to the farmers. Further, Balasaheb is known as the ‘Chief Architect of the Constitution of India’ and called as ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’. Because of his initiative, the Constitution of India has directed, “no child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory, mine or engaged in any hazardous employment”.
With the end of December month, a year as per the English calendar is complete and New Year starts but with the death of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on December 6, 1956, a new era of our Constitution started. And we the Indians are lucky to have a sound constitution and that is why Indians did not face the brunt of army rule albeit Pakistanis have many times experienced the same although both got independence almost at the same time.
Dr. Ambedkar was in a favour of birth control and was of the opinion that with a huge population, India would face severe problems on many fronts. By quoting him, it may be mentioned that “the educated class has, by this time, fully realized the necessity of birth control”. I offer my Pronam to this great soul on the occasion of his birthday on April 14, 2023.

Poem on Train


Rain: Nature’s Blessing.

Shashikant N. Sharma (Urban Planner)

Write a poem on rain

Rain, oh rain, how sweet your sound, As you pour from the sky and hit the ground. A symphony of droplets, a melody so fine, As you wash away the dirt and make everything shine.

You bring life to the earth, and refresh the air, As you fill the rivers, lakes, and oceans with care. The plants rejoice as you quench their thirst, And the animals play in the puddles, unrehearsed.

You come in many forms, a drizzle or a downpour, A misty fog, or a thunderous roar. Your colors range from gray to blue, As you paint the sky with a beautiful hue.

Your aroma fills the air with a pleasant scent, As you awaken our senses, and bring calm and content. You soothe our souls, and heal our pain, As you wash away our worries, and clear our brain.

Rain, oh rain, how blessed you are, A gift from above, a shining star. You bring joy to the heart, and peace to the mind, As you remind us of the beauty, that we often find.

Anxiety and Stress – Two sides of the same coin

There’s a fine line between stress and anxiety. Both are emotional responses, but stress is typically caused by an external trigger. The trigger can be short-term, such as a work deadline or a fight with a loved one or long-term, such as being unable to work, discrimination, or chronic illness. People under stress experience mental and physical symptoms, such as irritability, anger, fatigue, muscle pain, digestive troubles, and difficulty sleeping.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is defined by persistent, excessive worries that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor. Anxiety leads to a nearly identical set of symptoms as stress: insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension, and irritability.

Both mild stress and mild anxiety respond well to similar coping mechanisms. Physical activity, a nutritious and varied diet, and good sleep hygiene are a good starting point.

If your stress or anxiety does not respond to these management techniques, or if you feel that either stress or anxiety are affecting your day-to-day functioning or mood, consider talking to a mental health professional who can help you understand what you are experiencing and provide you additional coping tools. For example, a psychologist can help determine whether you may have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders differ from short-term feelings of anxiety in their severity and in how long they last: The anxiety typically persists for months and negatively affects mood and functioning. Some anxiety disorders, such as agoraphobia (the fear of public or open spaces), may cause the person to avoid enjoyable activities or make it difficult to keep a job.

According to the latest data from the National Institute of Mental Health, 31% of Americans will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetimes.

One of the most common anxiety disorders is generalized anxiety disorder. To identify if someone has generalized anxiety disorder, a clinician will look for symptoms such as excessive, hard-to-control worry occurring most days over six months. The worry may jump from topic to topic. Generalized anxiety disorder is also accompanied by the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Another type of anxiety disorder is panic disorder, which is marked by sudden attacks of anxiety that may leave a person sweating, dizzy, and gasping for air. Anxiety may also manifest in the form of specific phobias (such as fear of flying) or as social anxiety, which is marked by a pervasive fear of social situations.

Anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of the two. One of the most widely used therapeutic approaches is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on changing maladaptive thought patterns related to the anxiety. Another potential treatment is exposure therapy, which involves confronting anxiety triggers in a safe, controlled way in order to break the cycle of fear around the trigger.

HOW TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY FROM COAL

Coal is burned to create steam, which is then used to generate electricity at coal-fired power stations. At extreme pressure, the steam generated enters a turbine, which turns a generator to provide power. In order to restart the process, the steam is then cooled, condensed back into water, and fed back into the boiler.

Why do we need coal to generate Electricity:

In the US, coal is largely utilized as a fuel to produce electricity. Bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, or lignite are all burnt in coal-fired power plants. Heat from the coal’s burning is utilized to turn water into high-pressure steam, which powers a turbine and generates electricity.

How a coal plant works for generation of Electricity:

Fundamentally, the process by which coal produces electricity today is the same as it was in Edison’s time and is comparable to that of other thermal power plants that use gas: the coal is burned, heating water to make steam, which spins a turbine to generate electricity. This was the primary method through which Britain generated most of its power in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Before the “rush for petrol” signalled its decline, coal generation reached its peak in the early 1990s, accounting for more than 60% of the mix.

How is the production of coal used for generating electricity:

In a combustion chamber, coal is burned to create heat, which then causes water to boil. Steam begins to emerge from the water, spinning the propellers. To generate energy, a generator is connected to the turbines.

Alone time – A boon for mental health!

People tend to be social creatures, and research has shown that social connections are vital for both emotional and physical well-being. However, alone time, which is sometimes called private time or solitary time and simply means spending time by yourself, is also good for you as it plays a positive role in mental health.

Being around other people comes with rewards, but it also creates stress. You might worry about what people think or alter your behavior to avoid rejection and to fit in with the rest of the group. While this may be the cost of being part of a social world, some of these challenges demonstrate why alone time can be so important.

Benefits of Alone Time
Having time for yourself gives you the chance to break free from social pressures and tap into your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Finding time to be alone can also have a number of key benefits. Some of these include:

-Improved personal exploration
-Increased creativity
-More social energy

Improved Personal Exploration
Becoming comfortable in your own company can give you the time and freedom to truly explore your own passions without interference. It can be a way to try new things, research topics that fascinate you, acquire knowledge, and even practice new methods of self-expression.

Giving yourself alone time means you can explore these things without the pressures and judgments that others may impose. Having time to yourself is critical for growth and personal development. Instead of worrying about the needs, interests, and opinions that others may have, alone time lets you focus on yourself.

Increased Creativity
Alone time is an opportunity to let your mind wander and strengthen your creativity. Without the need to care for or interact with other people, you can ignore outside influences and focus inward.

Research actually suggests that being alone can lead to changes in the brain that help fuel the creative process. One study found that people who tend to purposely withdraw in order to spend time alone also tend to be highly creative people.

In a 2020 study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers found that perceived social isolation (a.k.a. loneliness) led to increased activity in the neural circuits related to imagination. When left with a lack of social stimulation, the brain ramps up its creative networks to help fill the void.

More Social Energy
Living alone tends to be seen in a negative light. However, researchers have found that people who live alone may actually have richer social lives and more social energy than people who cohabitate with others.

In his book “Going Solo,” sociologist Eric Klineberg notes that one in seven U.S. adults lives alone. Klineberg found that not only were these adults not lonely, many actually had richer social lives.

Some of these reasons people might struggle with being alone include:

*Lack of experience being alone: Some people just might not be used to being by themselves because they are so accustomed to being around other people. The sudden absence of social stimulation can leave them feeling detached or disconnected.
*Distressing thoughts and feelings: In other cases, being alone and focusing inward can be difficult or even painful. People might find this introspection distressing or find themselves engaging in rumination and worry.
*Social stigma: Stigma about being alone can also play a role in shaping how people feel about solitude. For those who have been exposed to negative attitudes towards being alone or who see it as a form of antisocial behavior or social rejection, solitude can seem like a painful form of punishment.

Marketing professor and researcher Rebecca Ratner of the University of Maryland found that people often avoid doing things they enjoy if they have to do them alone. This is particularly true if it is an activity that can be observed by others, such as going to dinner or a movie solo.

Such findings suggest that a stigma about being alone influences whether people think they enjoy such activities. “When people do things alone, they enjoy themselves more than they expected,” Ratner explains. “People overestimate the benefits of being with someone else.”

While being alone sometimes gets mistaken for being lonely, it is clear that having time to yourself now and then is important for mental health and well-being. If the thought of spending time on your own makes you feel bored or uncomfortable, try starting with a small chunk of alone time that allows you to focus on a specific task.

As you get better at enjoying your own company, you may find that this alone time helps you feel renewed and inspired for when you do return to your social circle.

Family time – The most important of all

Do you ever wonder why family time is important?

Yes, time is so important – in fact, time is money, as we’re often reminded when we set out to seek our livelihood as parents.

But family time? Is this meaningful or serve any purpose? Isn’t it just a waste of time because you could probably earn a few grand more putting that time to work!

I know you do not actually think like that and I’ve exaggerated it a bit.

May be you do plan to spend time with your family but things do not always go as per the plans. But you do it all for the family – to earn and provide for the family.

You give money and things to your family. But what does your family need the most?

Your time.

For your kids, your time spent with them is life precious jewels that embed in their memories forever.

The concept of “family” has changed a great deal in recent times, and there are now various forms of families and different styles of parenting. However, one thing remains certain; whatever the term “family” may mean to you, it is of utmost importance in your child’s life.

The family where your child grows up has a big influence on how he or she deals with relationships, copes with situations, and learns about living life. It’s only possible if you proactively be a part of the family.

And for that to happen, you need to block out family time in your schedule.

Family time is also important because if children don’t get the required attention, they might do something that could get them in trouble.

Some stay-at-home parents or moms may think that they are somehow “better” than other parents or moms, who stay away from home for most of the time. This is a misconception.

We often think that it’s all about quantity when it comes to the time we spend with our kids, whereas it is the quality time that we need to give our family and children. Your kids care less about the hours you spend with them, than how you spend your time with them.

As your children get older and become teenagers, it becomes tougher to spend family time with them. It’s mainly because life keeps you busy and your children reach a stage where their friends are the main priority.

As a parent, you have to be willing to go down to their level and enter their world. Sometimes you have to be creative or let them decide what they want to do as a family. But never give up on spending family time with your teens, and they may appreciate it more than what they express.

According to studies, healthy families make family time for talking and listening, accepting differences, showing affection and encouragement, sharing chores and decision making, keeping in touch, and making time for each other.

Why family time is important??

1. To build a stronger bond with your family!

The main reason why family time is important is because you need to develop ties and bond with your family. Often kids decide to join gangs or groups because they welcome them in, to become a part of their family.

Your kids need a sense of belonging and security, as they need to feel they have someone they can turn and look up to, for anything. Spending family time together ensures that a deep, strong, family bond develops.

2. To make time to talk and listen!


Another good reason of spending time with family directly relates to the need to share, talk, and listen to each other as a family.

Parents often think that it would be tough to talk to their children, who think differently from grown-ups. However, parents tend to forget their own time, as how it was for them when they were young! The people you liked were mostly those who listened to what you had to say, similarly, you need to listen to what your children have to say. Listening doesn’t mean only hearing the words your child is saying, but also feeling what your child is trying to convey.

You need to listen without jumping in with answers, criticizing, or giving your own view points. You need to show that you are involved in the conversation, by stopping all other work you are doing, and just listen to them. Talk directly to your kids, especially teenagers, about alcohol and drugs, and set a good example yourself.

3. To teach your children important lessons of life!


If you do not teach children at home, they will learn it elsewhere. As a parent, would you want your children to learn life’s important lessons by undergoing pain, or going the wrong way?

Although children have to learn a few things on their own, it’s important to have family time for discussions, where you can put forth problems or situations in front of them, and then talk about them with your children, seek their opinion, and discuss on the matter. This would help them understand the situations of life in a better way.

4. To show affection, appreciation, and encouragement!


Family time is important so that everyone in the family has a way of showing affection to each other, maybe by giving hugs, holding hands, being thoughtful and kind. According to studies, teenagers who remember being praised, hugged, or kissed are likely to do better at school than those who don’t have this experience.

You need to take out that quality family time to ask what each family member has done in the day, and show interest in each other’s lives. People find it very easy to criticize than praise. So make an effort to think about the positive in each person and tell your child what goodness you have noticed, besides teaching them these values.

5. To instill family values in your children!


Instilling family values in children is of great significance nowadays, so that they are not misled by the number of divorces on the rise.

Children mostly imitate the behavior you show towards them. If you are an absent parent, they will be the same to their children in the future. Instead, they often portray worse behaviors than they see.

Thus, spending family time together will build a sense of worth and instill positive family values in your children.

6. To inculcate family rituals and traditions!


Daily rituals or the little things that you do daily and on special occasions, helps to build a sense of belonging, contentedness, and inner security within the family. Daily rituals like the way you greet each other, or say goodbye, what you do at mealtimes or bedtimes, can all be something to share within your family time.

Families benefit from coming together to celebrate occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or festivals like Christmas, etc., where they learn the traditions about what happens at these times.

7. To accept the differences in each person!


Family time is essential to appreciate, encourage, and value the differences in each family member, knowing that everyone is special in their own way. Allow each family member to be excited about their personal interests, and show respect and tolerance towards them.

Don’t pressurize your family members to be like you, or hide their feelings and differences. Instead, let them feel proud to be themselves.

8. To keep in touch with friends and relatives!


As we live in a society, we do need to spend time among our family as well as interact with friends and relatives. Knowing that there are people outside the family to turn to in a crisis can make a difference to your child’s happiness. It also increases the chances of them making good friends later in life.

9. To share the chores!


Family time is important to teach younger children, by giving them chance to do things for themselves, under your supervision. Use adult power wisely, and keep control through humor and encouragement, not with punishments or threats.

By spending time with family together, a very special relationship of trust and intimacy develops that helps build a healthy family. Especially when children have a real say in what happens and where everyone feels their views are heard.

10. To help and connect better with your children!


One of the most overlooked aspects of education today is parental involvement. Many parents don’t realize the importance of family time and how important it is to involve themselves in their children’s learning.

All parents and family members need to find time and make the effort. Research shows that when parents involve themselves in the family, their children:

-Get superior grades and test scores.
-Graduate from high school at higher rates.
-Are most likely to go on to higher education.
-Have more positive attitudes and behave better.

Show loyalty to your family, stick up for each other so that each person feels confident in the family’s support and pull together to form a united front to find solutions.
Children grow up and are gone before you realize it, so don’t waste the time you have now, and spend it with your family. Remember, that strong families are able to withstand setbacks and crisis with a positive attitude, shared values, and beliefs that help them cope with challenges.

A step towards healthy eyes!

As students we are very much dependent on technology. So our lives generally revolved around phone, laptop and screen due to which our eyes experience a lot of radiation exposure.

Don’t take your eyes for granted. Take these easy steps to keep your peepers healthy.

1.Eat Well
Good eye health starts with the food on your plate. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E might help ward off age-related vision problems like macular degeneration and cataracts. To get them, fill your plate with:

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards
Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish
Eggs, nuts, beans, and other nonmeat protein sources.

2. Quit Smoking
It makes you more likely to get cataracts, damage to your optic nerve, and macular degeneration, among many other medical problems. If you’ve tried to kick the habit before only to start again, keep at it. The more times you try to quit, the more likely you are to succeed. Ask your doctor for help.

3. Wear Sunglasses
The right pair of shades will help protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Too much UV exposure boosts your chances of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Choose a pair that blocks 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Wraparound lenses help protect your eyes from the side. Polarized lenses reduce glare while you drive, but don’t necessarily offer added protection.

4. Use Safety Eyewear
If you use hazardous or airborne materials on the job or at home, wear safety glasses or protective goggles.

Sports like ice hockey, racquetball, and lacrosse can also lead to eye injury. Wear eye protection. Helmets with protective face masks or sports goggles with polycarbonate lenses will shield your eyes.

5. Look Away From the Computer Screen
Staring at a computer or phone screen for too long can cause:

Eyestrain
Blurry vision
Trouble focusing at a distance
Dry eyes
Headaches
Neck, back, and shoulder pain

To protect your eyes:

Make sure your glasses or contacts prescription is up to date and good for looking at a computer screen.
If your eye strain won’t go away, talk to your doctor about computer glasses.
Move the screen so your eyes are level with the top of the monitor. That lets you look slightly down at the screen.
Try to avoid glare from windows and lights. Use an anti-glare screen if needed.
Choose a comfortable, supportive chair. Position it so that your feet are flat on the floor.
If your eyes are dry, blink more or try using artificial tears.
Rest your eyes every 20 minutes. Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Get up at least every 2 hours and take a 15-minute break.

Walking – The best and underrated form of exercise

You drag yourself from your desk to the gym, where you pop in some upbeat music and jack the treadmill up to 6 mph.

Admit it, while you’re pounding out those three miles, you’re silently judging (even if subconsciously) the person walking next to you.

But experts say we’re unfairly placing the form of exercise in the “pointless” category. It turns out, you may be missing out on an extremely effective physical activity, not to mention a mental boost, by writing off walking entirely.

“Walking can be as good as a workout, if not better, than running,” says Dr. Matt Tanneberg, CSCS, a sports Chiropractor and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in Phoenix, Arizona who works with elite athletes. “You hear of people ‘plateauing’ when they continue to do the same workout routine and stop seeing results. I see patients all the time that plateau from running, they will run the same distance, speed and time, day in and day out. You need to constantly be switching up your exercise routine in order to get the maximum benefit for your health.”

Yes, running is more physically demanding, which leads people to label it a “better” workout.

“While I would love to say that walking can be just as effective of a workout as running, I’m not going to lie to you. In fairness, the two really shouldn’t be compared against each other,” says John Ford, certified exercise physiologist, who runs JKF Fitness & Health in New York City. “Running, due to larger muscle recruitment, greater forces exerted and faster motion capability, will always have the proverbial leg up on walking.”

But while walking may not be a better workout, it may be a better exercise choice for some people.

“With that being said, walking is a really good form of exercise and can help you reach your fitness and weight-loss goals. As a lifelong track athlete, who has marveled at race walkers (check out the Olympic walkers on YouTube!), I don’t scoff at walking,” says Ford. “In fact, walking is the suggested workout over running for many people. For example, those with knee, ankle and back problems and also for people who are overweight to obese. Walking is a lower impact exercise and can be done for longer periods of time.”

And there is no shortage of scientific research to back up the effectiveness of adding walking to your fitness routine.

“There are many reasons to walk for exercise,” says Ann Green, M.S., past heptathlon world athlete, yoga teacher and fitness studio owner. “Walking improves fitness, cardiac health, alleviates depression and fatigue, improves mood, creates less stress on joints and reduces pain, can prevent weight gain, reduce risk for cancer and chronic disease, improve endurance, circulation, and posture, and the list goes on…”

When comparing the results of the most recent National Runners’ Health Study with the National Walkers’ Health Study, researchers found that the energy used for moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running resulted in similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease over the study’s six year period.

Which means when it comes to some pretty prominent markers of our health, walking at a moderate intensity can get the job done just as well as running, as long as you’re expending the same amount of energy. Great news for those of us that dread going on a jog.

While the physical benefits are notable, the mental boost that can be gleaned from adding a walk to your daily routine may be more immediate.

One Stanford University study found that walking increased creative output by an average of 60 percent. Researchers labelled this type of creativity “divergent thinking,” which they define as a thought process used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. According to the study, “walking opens up the free flow of ideas, and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing creativity and increasing physical activity.”

Which makes sense, since science shows that engaging in activities that allow our minds to wander promotes a mental state conducive to innovative ideas and “ah-ha!” moments.

But it’s not only your creativity that will benefit from the mental lift. The act of walking is also a proven mood booster. One study found that just 12 minutes of walking resulted in an increase in joviality, vigor, attentiveness and self-confidence versus the same time spent sitting. Walking in nature, specifically, was found to reduce ruminating over negative experiences, which increases activity in the brain associated with negative emotions and raises risk of depression.

Stress- A threat to Students

Most students experience significant amounts of stress. This can significantly affect their health, happiness, relationships, and grades. Learning stress management techniques can help these students avoid negative effects in these areas.

Why Stress Management Is Important for Students?
A study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that teens report stress levels similar to adults. This means teens are experiencing significant levels of chronic stress and feel their stress levels generally exceed their ability to cope effectively.

Stress can also affect health-related behaviors. Stressed students are more likely to have problems with disrupted sleep, poor diet, and lack of exercise. This is understandable given that nearly half of APA survey respondents reported completing three hours of homework per night in addition to their full day of school work and extracurriculars.

Common Causes of Student Stress:
Another study found that much of high school students’ stress originates from school and activities, and that this chronic stress can persist into college years and lead to academic disengagement and mental health problems.

High school students face the intense competitiveness of taking challenging courses, amassing impressive extracurriculars, studying and acing college placement tests, and deciding on important and life-changing plans for their future. At the same time, they have to navigate the social challenges inherent to the high school experience.

This stress continues if students decide to attend college. Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but research has found that increased daily stressors put college-aged young adults at a higher risk for stress than other age groups.3

Making new friends, handling a more challenging workload, feeling pressured to succeed, being without parental support, and navigating the stresses of more independent living are all added challenges that make this transition more difficult.4 Romantic relationships always add an extra layer of potential stress.

Students often recognize that they need to relieve stress. However, all the activities and responsibilities that fill a student’s schedule sometimes make it difficult to find the time to try new stress relievers to help dissipate that stress.

10 techniques to manage stress:

1) Get enough sleep

2) Use guided imagery

3) Exercise regularly

4) Take calming breathe

5) Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

6) Listen to music

7) Build your support network

8) Eat a healthy diet

9) Find ways to minimise stress

10) Try mindfulness

5 skin care tips that everyone should be aware of!

Don’t have time for intensive skin care? You can still pamper yourself by acing the basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay natural aging and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense tips.

1. Protect yourself from the sun


One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.

For the most complete sun protection:

Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or perspiring.
Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.

2. Don’t smoke


Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow and makes skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health.

Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.

In addition, smoking increases your risk of squamous cell skin cancer. If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

3. Treat your skin gently


Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:

Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.

4. Eat a healthy diet


A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn’t clear — but some research suggests that a diet rich in fish oil or fish oil supplements and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger looking skin. Drinking plenty of water helps keep your skin hydrated.

5. Manage stress


Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps to manage your stress. Get enough sleep, set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more dramatic than you expect.

R.W. Emerson’s Transcendentalism and Advaita Vedanta: A ComparativeStudy

B. S. S Bhagavan

Assistant Professor

Research Scholar, Department of English

Vikrama Simhapuri University, Kakutur, Nellore, A.P.

bhagavanbss@vsu.ac.in

Dr. R. Prabhakar

Associate Professor, Head, Department of English

Research Supervisor, Vikrama Simhapuri University,

Kakutur, Nellore, A.P.

prabhakarjoli@gmail.com

Abstract:

The objective of this paper is to analyse R.W Emersons Transcendentalism and non-dualistic Indian thought. This paperattempts to study the purpose of human life according to R.W Emerson and its affinity with Vedantic concept of JeevanMukti. The 19th century American Society witnessed new trends in art, culture, religion and philosophy. New England young intellectuals embraced new thoughts and ideas and attempted to redefine American Religious Culture, Philosophy and Literature. This religious philosophical and literary movement was known as Transcendentalism in the history ofAmerican literature. The Transcendentalists revolted against established traditions and tried to construct new philosophy. The young intellectuals advocated divinity of man, purity of human heart and individualism. The young intellectuals propagated their ideas through their literary works under the leadership of R.W Emerson. This paper upholds all parallelisms in American Transcendentalism and Advaita Vedanta.

Keywords: Swedenborgian, Transcendentalism, Advaita Vedanta, Idealism, phenomenal world, illusion, Maya vaada,YogaNidra, Soteriological.

Introduction:

The unitarian theology which emphasized on the significance of external evidence in the spiritual enlightenmentcould not win the hearts of 19th century American young intellectuals. Calvinism which advocated the doctrine of “original sin” could not satisfy the spiritual quest of new England intellectuals. A group of learned scholars under the leadership of R.W Emerson rebelled against orthodox Christianity and preached new religious philosophy. Thetranscendentalists introduced Spiritualism and redefined the orthodox theology with their new ideas.

R.W Emerson in his first work the Nature advocated oneness of man, nature and God. In his divinity schooladdress condemned historical Christianity and articulated the impersonality of God. In his essay “Over Soul” published in1841 Emerson propounded the divinity of man. According to him

the God (Over soul) contains all beings in him and all creatures leave in him. All individual souls are part and parcel ofthe over soul and all the souls are connected to one another. Thus, Emerson with his doctrine of Over soul advocated new spiritualism.

Emerson articulated the concept of “God within” and strongly advised whole humanity to realize the god within or true self and to experience oneness with the absolute. According to him history, traditions, religion and scriptures play no role in the individual spiritual evolution. Emerson strongly believed that every man has essential resources which to attain spiritual enlightenment. The transcendentalists strongly advocated self-reliance as the means of self-realization.

Transcendentalism says that man due to his ignorance misidentifies himself with ego and neglects in his true self. The individual can realize God within only through spiritual regeneration and obeying the intuition. Emerson explainedthe limitations of human intellect and suggested his contemporaries to depend upon intuition. The Transcendentalists rejected the authority of religious institutions and scriptures on individual the young intellectuals propounded newtheology based on the ideas which they imbibed from various religions and cultures. Oriental Mysticism, German Idealism, British Romanticism and Ancient Greek Philosophy shaped the philosophy of Transcendentalists.

R.W Emerson was born in the family of religious priests and was introduced to harsh realities of the world in his childhood after the death of his father. He pursued his graduation in Harvard university and completed religious studies in Harvard divinity school. The Harvard university introduced Indian thought to young Emerson. Emersons aunt Mary Moody encouraged Emerson to delve into Vedantic literature. He acknowledges the depth of Hindu religious thought and developed passion for Vedic literature. He confessed the greatness of Indian philosophy. “India teaches through its clouds of legends, has yet a simple and grant religion, like a queenly countenance seen through a rich veil. It teaches tospeakthe truth, love others as you, and to despise trifles. The East is grand, and makes &Europe a land of trifles”. (Journals. Vol. VII. Pp.120-30). Emerson realized the affinity between his thoughts and Vedanta philosophy and used few ideas to strengthen his philosophy. Frequent reference to Vedantic concepts and quoting lines from Vedic literature doesn’t mean that Vedanta philosophy shaped Emerson’s thought.

R.W Emerson in his first work nature articulated the basic tenants of his philosophy. He propounded his spiritualism in the last three chapters in his work. For him the nature is the best spiritual teacher and universal mind reflects in thenature. “Have mountains, and waves, andskies, not significance but what we consciously give them when we employthem as emblems of our thoughts? The world is emblematic” (Works.Vol.I.P.32) according to Emerson the god speaks through nature he suggests mankind to read the divine mind through literature. God reveals his mind through theelements of the nature. He says “as gravity, centripetence, repulsion, polarity, undulation, has a counterpart in the intellect” (Works. Vol. III. P.211). Emerson’s work nature defines the world as mere reflection of the absolute being.

Emerson refers every empirical object as an apocalypse of the mind. He believes that individual can understand the divine design by decoding the nature for him the oversoul (God) is the cause and the world is mere appearance it isneither real nor unreal. In this work he writes “It is the uniform

effect of culture on the human mind, not to shake our faith in the stability of particular phenomena as of heat, Water, azote; but to lead us to regard nature as phenomenon, not substance; to attribute necessary existence to spirit; to esteem nature as an accident and an effect” (works. Vol. P.49).

For idealists the matter is nothing and they give importance to ideas. Therefore, idealism advocates that the phenomenal world is the buy product of human mind and sensations. He says “Mind is the only reality, of which men and allother natures are better or worse reflectors” (Works. Vol. P. 33. “The Transcendentalist”). Like an idealist Emerson considers the oversoul as absolute truth and source of the creation. He accepted the idealism of Vyasa and admired the Vedanticphilosophy which defined the transient and immutable as eternal and temporal and visible as unreal. Vedanta treats allempirical objects as unreal. Emerson also emphasizes the same in his works “Things we now esteem fixed shall, one byone, detach themselves like ripe fruit from our experience, and fall, The landscape, the figures, Boston, London are facts as fugitive as any institution past, or any institution past, or any whiff of mist or smoke, and so is society andso is theworld. The soul looketh steadily, forwards, creating a world before her, leaving worlds behind her. She has no dates, nor rites, nor persons, nor specialties, nor men. The soul knows the only the soul; the web of events is tiling flowing robe inwhich she is clothed.”

Emerson in his work nature expounds the universal soul as all pervasive impersonal and attribute less absolute truth. This very idea echoes Vedantic concept of Nirguna Brahma. For Emerson and Vedanta, the world is mere appearance and universal being manifests itself with various names and forms in the world. Therefore, both Emerson and Vedanta suggest to overcome the delusive power of the world to realize the absolute truth. Thus, Emerson’s doctrine of illusion and Vedantic concept of Maya advocated similar ideas. According to the both there is only one reality and that exists in all beings. For Emerson and Vedanta nothing exists except the absolute every being emanates from the absolute and exists in it. Therefore, the subjective and objective distinction doesn’t prevail. Vedanta says Ekam Advitiyam Brahma similarly Emerson also articulated oneness of Man, Nature and God in “Nature”.

Emerson strongly criticized the assumptions of materialists and propagated spiritualism like an idealist for him the spirit is the cause and the world is the effect. He considers the matter as dead mind. These idealistic tendencies in himmade the scholars to believe the influence of Plato’s Idealism on Emersons Philosophy. Emerson in his works clearly mentioned the influence of eastern thought on Plato, he called Plato as half Orientalist. According to Emerson Plato succeeded in maintaining perfect balance between the orient and the oxidant. Emerson writes “The unity of Asia and the detail of Europe; Plato came to join… The excellences of Europe Asia are in his brain”(works, Vol. IV. P.40.Plato).Emerson’s reading of Plato inspired him to study Vedanta philosophy after 1845 Emerson extensively read Vedantic literature including Upanishads, Bhagavad Geeta and Bhagavad Purana. Isha Upanishad introduced the concept ofBrahma to Emerson which lend support in formulating his doctrine of oversoul. Bruhadaranyaka Upanishad introducedthe nature of the world, Bhagavad Geeta provided concepts like compensation (Karma), balancing mind (Stitapragna) and Bhagavata purana and Vishnu purana supplied the concept of maya to Emerson. Vedanta philosophy strengthenedEmerson’s idealism which he propounded in his first work Nature. Emerson clearly defined transcendentalism asIdealism when he says “What is popularly called Transcendentalism among us is idealism; Idealism as it appeared” (Works. Vol. 329-30, “The Transcendentalist”). Like Vedanta Emerson echoes many idealistic views in his work Nature he says ”Idealism saith: matter is a phenomenon, not a substance. Idealism acquaints us with the total disparity between the evidence of our own being and the evidence of the world’s being, the one is prefect, the other, incapable of myassurance, the mind is a part of the nature of things; world is a divine dream, from which we may presently awake to theglories and certainties of day” (Works. Vol, I, P. 62, “Nature”).

Unlike materialists the idealists define the world as phenomenal. idealism defines the absolute being as ultimate reality which is beyond all constrains and attributes. Vedanta and Emerson argue that individual cannot comprehend theinfinitude with finite mind. Taitreya Upanishad says that mind cannot comprehend the power by which it is able to think. Kena Upanishad similarly describes as there the eye goes not,speech goes not, nor the mind; we know not, we understandnot how one would teach it. Both Emerson and Vedanta articulate that the absolute being infinite and attribute less can be realized through experience, they further argue that no one can explain or disseminate knowledge of the absolute because the language can’t describe the nature of the absolute. Thus, both condemn the role of religious scriptures, institutions and rituals in realization of God. In self-reliance he says “And now at last the highest truth on this subject (self -reliance) remains unsaid; probably cannot be said; for all that we say is the far-off remembering of the intuition” (Works. Vol.11. –Pp. 68-69, “Self- Reliance). Emerson and Vedanta advocate that one can realize the absolute only through intuition. For them God dwells in every being and realizing God within is the purpose of human life. The one who depends upon external sources can’t realize the God within. For them the individual soul is identical with the universal soul. Upanishads propound the doctrine of Ahambrahmaasmi (I am the absolute), the doctrine of Tatvamasi (Thou art that), Aiyam Brahma (The self is Brahma) and Pragnanam Brahama (Brahma is consciousness), all these doctrines establish the fact that man is none other than the Absolute but he is not able to recognize his true self due to his ignorance. Theultimate purpose of life is to realize the true self and to relay upon the self, Emerson rightly called it Self-reliance.

Emerson and Vedanta affirm that every being emanates from the absolute. Emerson writes in his essay “…within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the Universal beauty, to which every part and parcel is equally related; the eternal ONE” (Works. Vol. 11. P. 269, “The Over-soul). Emerson through all his works advocates the doctrine ofinfinitude of a private man. Man being finite can’t comprehend God within due to his ignorance. Emerson and Vedantastrongly advocate oneness of man and God and argue that the individual can attain self-realization by defending upon Godwithin therefore Emerson’s self-reliance means God reliance. Both Emerson and Vedanta consider the nature as the best means to realize the absolute. Emerson writes “The Idealist says, God paints the world around your soul, the spiritualist saith,yea, but God is within you, the self of self Creates the world through you… (Journals. Vol. IV. 78.) Both Vedanta and Emerson attributed soteriological value to the phenomenal world. According to both men can realize the God byunveiling the illusive screen of name and form, like Vedanta Emerson through his Idealism preached spiritualism and divinity of man.

Conclusion:

R.W Emerson initially relayed upon Berkelian Idealism and Swedenborg’s philosophy. After reading Vedantic literaturein 1845 Emerson depended upon Advaita Vedanta to enrich his philosophy. Emerson like Vedantic preached spiritualism and divinity of man through his works till his last breath.

References:

  1. Alcott, Amos B. Ralph Waldo Emerson: Philosopher and Seer. Boston, 1882.
  2. Cabot, James Eliot. A Memoir of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Boston, 1887.
  3. Cary, Elizabeth Luther. Emerson, Poet and Thinker. Concord, Mass. 1903.
  4. Cooke, George Willis. Ralph Waldo Emerson: His Life, Writings, and Philosophy. Boston, 1881.
  5. Guernsey, Alfred H. Ralph Waldo Emerson: Philosopher ad Poet. New York, 1881.
  6. The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Centenary. ed. 12 Volumes. Boston and    New York. 1903-1994.
  7. The Letters of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ed. Ralph L. Rusk. 6 Vols. New York, 1939.
  8. The Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ed. Brooks Atkinson. The Modern Library, New York, 1968.
  9. Uncollected Lectures by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ed. Clarence Gohdes. New York, 1938.10.Young Emerson Speaks. Ed. A.C. Mc Giffert, Jr, Boston, 1938.

Insomnia- A sleeping disorder we need to know about

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep, or cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. You may still feel tired when you wake up. Insomnia can sap not only your energy level and mood but also your health, work performance and quality of life.

How much sleep is enough varies from person to person, but most adults need seven to eight hours a night.

At some point, many adults experience short-term (acute) insomnia, which lasts for days or weeks. It’s usually the result of stress or a traumatic event. But some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts for a month or more. Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be associated with other medical conditions or medications.

You don’t have to put up with sleepless nights. Simple changes in your daily habits can often help.

Symptoms
Insomnia symptoms may include:

Difficulty falling asleep at night
Waking up during the night
Waking up too early
Not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep
Daytime tiredness or sleepiness
Irritability, depression or anxiety
Difficulty paying attention, focusing on tasks or remembering
Increased errors or accidents
Ongoing worries about sleep

If insomnia makes it hard for you to function during the day, see your doctor to identify the cause of your sleep problem and how it can be treated. If your doctor thinks you could have a sleep disorder, you might be referred to a sleep center for special testing.

Causes
Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be associated with other conditions.

Chronic insomnia is usually a result of stress, life events or habits that disrupt sleep. Treating the underlying cause can resolve the insomnia, but sometimes it can last for years.

Common causes of chronic insomnia include:

1. Stress. Concerns about work, school, health, finances or family can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep. Stressful life events or trauma — such as the death or illness of a loved one, divorce, or a job loss — also may lead to insomnia.
2. Travel or work schedule. Your circadian rhythms act as an internal clock, guiding such things as your sleep-wake cycle, metabolism and body temperature. Disrupting your body’s circadian rhythms can lead to insomnia. Causes include jet lag from traveling across multiple time zones, working a late or early shift, or frequently changing shifts.
3. Poor sleep habits. Poor sleep habits include an irregular bedtime schedule, naps, stimulating activities before bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment, and using your bed for work, eating or watching TV. Computers, TVs, video games, smartphones or other screens just before bed can interfere with your sleep cycle.
4. Eating too much late in the evening. Having a light snack before bedtime is OK, but eating too much may cause you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down. Many people also experience heartburn, a backflow of acid and food from the stomach into the esophagus after eating, which may keep you awake.

Chronic insomnia may also be associated with medical conditions or the use of certain drugs. Treating the medical condition may help improve sleep, but the insomnia may persist after the medical condition improves.

Why your weight is not losing?

If you’re eating healthfully and working out but not losing weight, there may be a reason. When you try to lose weight, your body fights back, so tweaking your strategy could help.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you may be able to lose quite a lot of weight at first without much effort. However, weight loss may slow down or stop altogether after a while.

This article lists 20 common reasons why you’re not losing weight. It also contains actionable tips on how to break through the plateau and get things moving again.

1. Maybe you are losing without realizing it

2. You’re not keeping track of what you’re eating

3. You’re not eating enough protein

4. You’re eating too many calories

5. You’re not eating whole foods

6. You’re not lifting weights

7. You’re binge eating

8. You’re not doing cardio

9. You’re still drinking sugar

10. You’re not sleeping well

11. You’re not cutting back on carbohydrates

12. You’re eating too often

13. You’re not drinking water

14. You’re drinking too much alcohol

15. You’re not eating mindfully

16. You have a medical condition that is making things harder

17. You have a junk food addiction

18. You’ve been dieting for too long

19. Your expectations are unrealistic

20. You’re too focused on dieting

Weight loss is not always easy and numerous factors can bring it to a standstill.

At the most basic level, not reaching your weight loss goal can occur when calorie intake is equal to or higher than calorie use.

Try strategies such as mindful eating, keeping a food diary, eating more protein, and doing strength exercises.

In the end, changing your weight and your lifestyle requires patience, dedication, perseverance, and resilience.

What Is The Best Reel For Bass Jigging?

Whether you are an experienced professional or just starting out with bass jigging, having the right reel is essential. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know which one will best suit your needs. In this blog post, we will examine the different types of bass reels, the features to consider when selecting one, and the best reels for bass jigging. So, if you are searching for the best reel for bass jigging, make sure to read this blog post!

Photo by vitalina on Pexels.com

Types Of Bass Reels

There are many types of bass reels on the market, and it can be hard to know which one is right for you. Each reel has its own unique benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to choose the right one for your specific needs. Here are four of the most common types of bass reels and their respective features: spinning reel, baitcasting reel, trolling reel, and spincast reel.

Spinning Reel

A spinning reel is a great choice for anglers who want to catch large fish quickly. These reels use a system of gears to spin the drum quickly, which gives the angler more speed when casting. They also have larger line capacities than other types of reels, making them ideal for catching big fish on long lines.

Baitcasting Reel

 A baitcasting reel is perfect for anglers who want to catch small fish with light gear. These reels use a set of weights at the bottom of the rod to keep the bait off the ground while casting. They also have a wide range in line capacity – from very small lines that can handle only tiny baits up to heavy lines that can handle big baits.

Trolling Reel

A trolling reel is best suited for fisherman who want to catch largemouth or spotted bass in calm water near shoreline or in riverside areas where there are lots of obstructions between them and the water surface. Trolling reels use large amounts of line capacity – up to 500 yards – which allows fishermen to cover a lot of territory with their lure before having to replace their line.

Fly Fishing Reel

Fly fishing reels are designed specifically for fly fishing purposes and are not typically used with other types of lures or hooks. Instead, they employ a system called “cast control” where you hold down a button on top of the reel while casting (similar to how you would hold down your camera shutter button when taking pictures). This system allows you adjust your cast distances easily without having to stop and reset your gear every time you make a change in direction.

Casting And Spinning Reels For Jigging Bass

When it comes to jigging for bass, there are a few things to keep in mind. For one, you’ll want to decide whether you want to use a spinning or casting reel. Spinning reels tend to offer a bit more accuracy and smoother retrieves, while casting reels offer a bit more power and are better suited for fishing in saltwater. Additionally, you’ll need to consider the gear ratio – this is the number of gears that the reel has compared to the number of lines it can handle. The higher the gear ratio, the faster the reel will spin and hence give you more control when jigging.

When selecting a reel for jigging Bass, make sure to consider material and handle comfort as well as line capacity. Many spinning reels come with multiple bearing systems that make them very durable when used outdoors in saltwater conditions. However, be aware that casting reels can also be very durable if cared for properly – just make sure not to over-wrench or damage it when adjusting or tightening components.

Finally, pay attention to design features that provide smooth retrieves and accurate casts – these factors are crucial for getting consistent results when fishing with Jigs. It’s also important to balance your rod and reel together so that both components are working in harmony for optimal performance. Different types of jigs will affect your action differently when using either type of reel – so be sure to test out different jigs on each type of reel before making your purchase. With these tips in mind, you’re ready start landing some big Bass!

Reel Features To Consider

When you’re looking to buy a new jigging reel, there are a few features that you should be aware of. The first is the casting reel or spinning reel. This will determine how well the reel casts and retrieves your line. You’ll want a quality drag system so that your line doesn’t get caught on the reel’s teeth and damaged. You’ll also want to make sure that the gear ratio matches the jigging technique that you’re using so that your line isn’t pulled too tightly or too loosely.

Next, consider the type of braking system that you need. Some reels come with magnetic braking systems, while others use anti-reverse technology. Finally, think about how many line capacity options you need and what size line you’d like to use. There are also right/left hand retrieve options available on some reels, as well as ease of retrieval features for those who prefer this style over traditional hand retrieval.

Best Reels For Bass Jigging-Check Here!

If you’re looking to get into bass fishing, then you need to know about bass jigs. Bass jigs are a type of lure that is used to catch big fish in salt and freshwater environments. There are a variety of different types of reels available for bass jigging, each with its own unique features and capabilities. In this section, we will outline the different types of reels and discuss their respective advantages and disadvantages. We’ll also provide tips on how spool speed affects your bass jigging performance, as well as advice on factors to consider when selecting the right reel for your needs. Finally, we’ll give you some maintenance tips for your reel so that it will last long and perform at its best. So don’t wait any longer – check out our list of the best reels for bass jigging today!

In Short

In conclusion, selecting the right reel for your bass jigging needs is essential to get the most out of your fishing experience. Different types of reels have their own unique features, so it is important to consider factors such as line capacity, gear ratio, and drag system when making your decision. Additionally, make sure to select a reel that is comfortable and easy to use. With these tips in mind and our list of the best reels for bass jigging, you are ready to start catching some big fish! Check here our selection at Jigs Unlimited today!

Miscarriage – Causes and Symptoms

A miscarriage (also called a spontaneous abortion) is the unexpected ending of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks of gestation. Just because it’s called a “miscarriage” doesn’t mean you did something wrong in carrying the pregnancy. Most miscarriages are beyond your control and occur because the fetus stops growing.

Types of miscarriage

Your pregnancy care provider may diagnose you with the following types of miscarriage:

1. Missed miscarriage: You’ve lost the pregnancy but are unaware it’s happened. There are no symptoms of miscarriage, but an ultrasound confirms the fetus has no heartbeat.


2. Complete miscarriage: You’ve lost the pregnancy and your uterus is empty. You’ve experienced bleeding and passed fetal tissue. Your provider can confirm a complete miscarriage with an ultrasound.

3.Recurrent miscarriage: Three consecutive miscarriages. It affects about 1% of couples.

4. Threatened miscarriage: Your cervix stays closed, but you’re bleeding and experiencing pelvic cramping. The pregnancy typically continues with no further issues. Your pregnancy care provider may monitor you more closely for the rest of your pregnancy.

5. Inevitable miscarriage: You’re bleeding, cramping and your cervix has started to open (dilate). You may leak amniotic fluid. A complete miscarriage is likely.

How do I know if I’m having a miscarriage?

You may not be aware you’re having a miscarriage. In people who have symptoms of a miscarriage, the most common signs are:

1. Bleeding that progresses from light to heavy. You may also pass grayish tissue or blood clots.
2. Cramps and abdominal pain (usually worse than menstrual cramps).
3. Low back ache that may range from mild to severe.
4. A decrease in pregnancy symptoms.

What causes miscarriage?

Chromosomal abnormalities cause about 50% of all miscarriages in the first trimester (up to 13 weeks) of pregnancy. Chromosomes are tiny structures inside the cells of your body that carry your genes. Genes determine all of a person’s physical attributes, such as assigned sex, hair and eye color and blood type.

During fertilization, when the egg and sperm join, two sets of chromosomes come together. If an egg or sperm has more or fewer chromosomes than normal, the fetus will have an abnormal number. As a fertilized egg grows into a fetus, its cells divide and multiply several times. Abnormalities during this process also leads to miscarriage.

Most chromosomal problems occur by chance. It’s not completely known why this happens.

Several factors may cause miscarriage:

Infection.
Exposure to TORCH diseases.
Hormonal imbalances.
Improper implantation of fertilized egg in your uterine lining.
How old you are.
Uterine abnormalities.
Incompetent cervix (your cervix begins to open too early in pregnancy).
Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol or using recreational drugs.
Disorders of the immune system like lupus.
Severe kidney disease.
Congenital heart disease.
Diabetes that isn’t managed.
Thyroid disease.
Radiation.
Certain medicines, such as the acne drug isotretinoin.
Severe malnutrition.

There is no scientific proof that stress, exercise, sexual activity or prolonged use of birth control pills cause miscarriage. Whatever your situation is, it’s important to not blame yourself for having a miscarriage. Most miscarriages have nothing to do with something you did or didn’t do.

Importance of Yoga in a Student’s Life

The present-day lifestyle among students’ calls for the need for yoga and meditation, and these two should indeed be placed on an upper pedestal, in order to achieve the overall development of a student. As these two play an important role, they should be inculcated in the student curriculum. Meditation and yoga can contribute directly to improve mental focus and concentration among students. It involves long, deep, slow breathing, as well as the coordination of mental concentration. Yoga combines strength and flexibility exercises with relaxation and meditation. Studies have revealed that yoga has helped cure a wide range of mental and physical health problems, mainly among teens and children. If the present trend of lifestyle as mentioned above is again taken into consideration, it can be said that, in contrary to the olden times, Children these days, rarely involve themselves in sports and other similar aspects and are rather busy with smartphones, videogames and other static entertainment. Hence, Yoga and Meditation becomes a matter of Paramount importance in student life.

What is Yoga? Yoga in simple terms can be defined as a spiritual science of self-realization. The origin of Yoga dates back to over five thousand years in the Indian subcontinent. The Indian Sage ‘Patanjali’ defined Yoga as the process of Spiritual Development. In addition to this, he even came up with the different Postures, known as asanas and various Breathing Exercises, which are known as pranayama. He also defined the four limbs of meditative stages, as follows

Control of Sense – Pratyahara
Concentration – Dharana
Meditation – Dhyana
Enlightenment – Samadhi
If the present day situation is taken into account, it can be said that the concept of yoga has gained popularity in the western world due to the increasing awarness among peopel around the world and a need for balanced lifestyle. Another vital phenomenon to be taken into consideration is hatha yoga; hatha yoga has become quite popular among the westerns, it seeks to promote health and well-being through physical exercise. The regular practice of asanas and breathing exercises (pranayama) makes the body strong, supple and healthy.

Meditation can be defined as a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state, it basically means transforming the mind. Even the origin of meditation has a thing with India, as the sages here were profoundly known for their meditating skills. Various Hindu religions like Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism give significance to yoga and follow it as a part of their religious practice. It encourages developing concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being.

Yoga and meditation if practised regularly may yield very good results among the student community, which can be fighting depression, anxiety etc. which would prove to be beneficial to the students in a long run. Yoga improves physical as well as mental health of an individual while meditation provides peace of mind and control over the body.

1. Improved concentration– It leads to better grades, balanced blood pressure, decreased absenteeism and tardiness, improved interpersonal relations, and enhanced confidence level, sleep, relief from a headache, improved calmness and a sharper mind.
2. Weight management– There are lots of problems like obesity and uneasiness in breathing that are related to weight and very common among students. Such children are usually the targets of bullying. Practising yoga daily can help in weight management.
3. Flexibility– Yet another advantage of practising yoga regularly is the flexibility of the body. Stretching the muscles through yoga poses releases the lactic acid that builds up within your body preventing stiffness, pain, fatigue and tension that can really be painful at times. Stretching increases joint lubrication and stretches the soft tissues of your body. For students playing sports, yoga can decrease the risk of injury through increased range of motion and less fatigue.
4. Strength– Strength and endurance are very important, especially for young people who have to toggle between various activities all through the week. It increases muscle strength and endurance if practised regularly. It also tends to give a great deal of strength and calmness of mind.
5. Concentration and sharpness– Meditation and yoga have proved to be of great importance in increasing concentration and sharpness of the brain. Balanced blood pressure, arthritis and asthma can also be controlled through yoga.

The concept of sound of silence was originally put forth by Buddha, by the way of introduction of the concept of ‘divine eye theory’. It was stated by Buddha that it is always easier to hear the sound during the night time when the surrounding is calm. Once, the person identifies the sound, he is required to give his complete attention to the sound and should continuously listen to it by giving all his concentration to the sound and keep his awareness there and he should further keep going into the sound.

Beginner friendly Yoga for everyone!

It’s time to roll out your yoga mat and discover the combination of physical and mental exercises that for thousands of years have hooked yoga practitioners around the globe. The beauty of yoga is that you don’t have to be a yogi or yogini to reap the benefits. Whether you are young or old, overweight or fit, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. Don’t be intimidated by yoga terminology, fancy yoga studios and complicated poses. Yoga is for everyone.

The building blocks of yoga are poses. These are good ones to learn as you build a regular yoga practice.

These poses are a complete yoga workout. Move slowly through each pose, remembering to breathe as you move. Pause after any pose you find challenging, especially if you are short of breath, and start again when your breathing returns to normal. The idea is to hold each pose for a few, slow breaths before moving on to the next one.

1. Child’s Pose

This calming pose is a good default pause position. You can use child’s pose to rest and refocus before continuing to your next pose. It gently stretches your lower back, hips, thighs, knees and ankles and relaxes your spine, shoulders and neck.
Do it: When you want to get a nice gentle stretch through your neck spine and hips.
Skip it: If you have knee injuries or ankle problems. Avoid also if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant.
Modify: You can rest your head on a cushion or block. You can place a rolled towel under your ankles if they are uncomfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on relaxing the muscles of the spine and lower back as you breathe.

2. Downward Facing Dog

Downward-facing dog strengthens the arms, shoulders and back while stretching the hamstrings, calves and arches of your feet. It can also help relieve back pain.

Do it: To help relieve back pain.
Skip it: This pose is not recommended if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or other wrist problems, have high blood pressure or are in the late stages of pregnancy.
Modify: You can do the pose with your elbows on the ground, which takes the weight off your wrists. You can also use blocks under your hands, which may feel more comfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on distributing the weight evenly through your palms and lifting your hips up and back, away from your shoulders.

3. Plank Pose

A commonly seen exercise, plank helps build strength in the core, shoulders, arms and legs.

Do it: Plank pose is good if you are looking to tone your abs and build strength in your upper body.
Skip it: Avoid plank pose if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be hard on your wrists. You might also skip it or modify if you have low back pain.
Modify: You can modify it by placing your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: As you do a plank, imagine the back of your neck and spine lengthening.

4. Four- limbed Staff Pose

This push-up variation follows plank pose in a common yoga sequence known as the sun salutation. It is a good pose to learn if you want to eventually work on more advanced poses, such as arm balances or inversions.

Do it: Like plank, this pose strengthens arms and wrists and tones the abdomen.
Skip it: If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, a shoulder injury or are pregnant.
Modify: It’s a good idea for beginners to modify the pose by keeping your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: Press your palms evenly into the floor and lift your shoulders away from the floor as you hold this pose.

5. Cobra Pose

This back-bending pose can help strengthen the back muscles, increase spinal flexibility and stretches the chest, shoulders and abdomen.

Do it: This post is great for strengthening the back.
Skip it: If you have arthritis in your spine or neck, a low-back injury or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Modify: Just lift up a few inches, and don’t try to straighten your arms.
Be mindful: Try to keep your navel drawing up away from the floor as you hold this pose.

6. Tree Pose

Beyond helping improve your balance, it can also strengthen your core, ankles, calves, thighs and spine.

Do it: Great for working on your balance and posture.
Skip it: You many want to skip this pose if you have low blood pressure or any medical conditions that affect your balance.
Modify: Place one of your hands on a wall for support.
Be mindful: Focus on your breath in and out as you hold this pose.

7. Triangle Pose

Triangle, which is a part of many yoga sequences helps build strength in the legs and stretches the hips, spine, chest, shoulders, groins, hamstrings and calves. It can also help increase mobility in the hips and neck.

Do it: This pose is great for building strength and endurance.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a headache or low blood pressure.
Modify: If you have high blood pressure, turn your head to gaze downward in the final pose. If you have neck problems, don’t turn your head to look upward; look straight ahead and keep both sides of the neck long.
Be mindful: Keep lifting your raised arm toward the ceiling. It helps keep the pose buoyant.

8. Corpse Pose

Like life, yoga classes typically end with this pose. It allows for a moment of relaxation, but some people find it difficult to stay still in this pose. However, the more you try this pose, the easier it is to sink into a relaxing, meditative state.

Do it: Always!
Skip it: If you don’t want to have a moment’s peace.
Modify: Place a blanket under your head, if that feels more comfortable. You can also roll up a blanket and place that under your knees, if your lower back is sensitive or bothering you.
Be mindful: Feel the weight of your body sinking into your mat one part at a time.

Learn Advanced Excel for business

Advanced Excel Topics

Below, we will address some of the top 10 Excel skills needed to break into the data analytics industry — as well as effective ways to learn these skills. You can be a great way to hone your Excel skills; the data analytics boot camp covers intermediate Excel topics, which form the foundation for the following advanced Excel skills.

Excel Skill 1: Statistical Modeling

Excel provides a specialized toolkit enabling you to perform statistical modeling inside the popular spreadsheet program. These kinds of diverse applications are exactly why Excel skills remain important in the job market. The advanced Excel formulas involved in producing statistical models and performing advanced data analytics enable you to perform meaningful statistical analysis and produce useful models. 

Excel’s statistical modeling functions include tools to create histograms, generate random numbers, find correlations between data sets, measure for rank and percentile, perform regression, and assess sampling. Using Excel to perform statistical modeling can reduce human errors sometimes involved in statistical analysis. Cursos de Excel is a good training provider.

If you have only used Excel for basic budgeting or project management, you may be unaware of the statistical tools that can power up your Excel skills. While some of the advanced Excel tools for statistical modeling are built into the program’s basic functions, others are part of the add-on package for data analysis. Through Excel’s Data tab, you can add in the Analysis ToolPak to gain access to these important functions.

Excel Skill 2: Forecasting and Prediction

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If you have historical and time-based data, you can use advanced Excel functions to create forecasts and predictions of future performance. You can create this data at higher and lower confidence levels for different degrees of probability — this can be important for businesses aiming to predict stock trajectories, forecast the growth of their sales efforts, or understand changes in the economy.

Excel’s Data tab has a substantial amount of advanced tools available for users, and Columbia Engineering Data Analytics Boot Camp can help you understand and make use of these more advanced functions. For example, if you’re working with two corresponding data series, you can insert a Forecast Sheet under the Data tab to create line or column charts with the relevant forecast. You can set your own end date for the forecast and choose from a number of options to fine-tune your results, including filling in missing points and assessing for seasonality.

Excel Skill 3: Pivot Tables

Pivot tables are perhaps one of the best-known and more powerful advanced Excel skills, as they can automatically give you quick summaries of the data in a massive Excel spreadsheet by grouping matching data. For example, pivot tables can quickly graph sales data by product, financial performance by investment type, or weight of various items in inventory. These tables, launched from the Tables section of the Insert tab, can be used to count, sort, total, or average data taken from one large spreadsheet.

With pivot tables, you may eliminate the need for individual formulas in producing meaningful data analysis — one of the most important Excel skills for employers because of its versatility and efficiency. After you have mastered these advanced Excel functions, you can create a pivot table in less than a minute, whether you have only a few rows of data or thousands of rows of information. You can create the specific fields to be addressed in the table, remove duplicates, count entries and provide a range of assessments of your data. Excel even includes recommended Pivot Tables keyed to the types of data presented in your spreadsheet.

Excel Skill 4: VBA and Macros

Visual Basic for Applications in Office (VBA) is a powerful, simple programming language created by Microsoft to extend and automate the capabilities of Excel and other Office software. VBA can be used to automate any function that you can perform in Excel and enables you to save the resulting code as a macro to be used repeatedly, which can dramatically ramp up efficiency and output when you have repetitive tasks or need to clean data across a range of spreadsheets.

Creating and applying macros can result in cutting a task down from days to hours, allowing you and your employer to save time. VBA programming allows you to have total control over the macros you produce — not only to automate advanced Excel functions but to create unique dialog boxes and other options for your particular business case.

Excel Skill 5: Model Historic Stock Trends

Excel offers a stock data type created specifically to pull in present and historical stock performance data. By modeling variations of a stock and the instruments based on it, like derivatives, you can receive a representation of the stock’s valuation at present and over time. By using the stock data type, you can bring in existing prices as well as the company name, number of employees, and other key data that can be used to perform stock modeling.

The advanced Excel function STOCKHISTORY provides access to historical data that can be formatted dynamically. By using the stocks data type and pulling in the start and end date (as well as specified properties), Excel users can pull in data over time on a specific exchange, in a certain currency, and with other specifications. This information may produce graphical representations of a particular stock’s history — as well as forecasting and prediction models to assess potential future outcomes.

Advanced Excel Skills for Your Resume

  • Statistical Modeling
  • Forecasting and Prediction
  • Pivot Tables
  • VBA and Macros
  • Model Historic Stock Trends

Advanced Excel Formulas

There are a myriad of advanced Excel formulas — many of which enable you to quickly and effectively perform key tasks on the job. These advanced formulas often provide advanced automation or searching capabilities, which can save time and produce quick, efficient results. 

The following are a few such formulas that may be useful to you

Sum If

The SUMIF formula is used to add cells together when they share certain properties. For example, SUMIF can be used when those data cells have a certain number or word attached to them, indicating, for instance, a certain class or type of product. It can also be used to add information that is above or below a certain value — or that equates to a particular amount — highlighting outliers or grouping together certain kinds of information.

SUMIF is a useful formula to gather summary information about sales, enrollment, or other total figures for large data sets that encompass different types of information. The SUMIF formula takes in data including the range of cells to examine, the criteria to determine which cells should be added together, and the sum range to add together.

Conditional Formatting

In many industries, formatted Excel tables and spreadsheets are important to provide a visual representation of your data. After you’ve crunched the numbers, you need to present your information to others at your employer. In many cases, making the key data and takeaways stand out is critical to effective business communication and ensuring that your presentation is understood by listeners and readers.

Conditional formatting changes the color and appearance of a cell and its contents based on certain conditions about the type of information it contains. For example, in a financial or budgeting spreadsheet, you may want negative numbers to be highlighted in red. You may want to highlight any divergent information in yellow if they contain a certain word or error code.

By determining the type of information you want to highlight, Excel skills in conditional formatting can enable you to deliver your information visually as well as verbally. You can highlight top performers or areas that need improvement with just a few clicks and color changes.

If Error

Sometimes, you may encounter errors when performing advanced Excel functions. This may be for a number of reasons, including the absence of a certain type of data in particular rows, or it may indicate a problem that needs to be fixed. IFERROR is used to remove error codes and produce either a blank cell or a text you specify that indicates that the cell or area needs further review or attention.

However, Excel by default produces certain types of error codes that can stop calculations from running across a range of values while also presenting a disruptive, attention-grabbing appearance on the sheet for easy identification and correction.

Count If

The COUNTIF function in Excel is used to count cells that have certain properties. If you want to find out how many times a certain word or entry appears in a large spreadsheet, COUNTIF examines all of your data and produces a count of the criteria that you specify. This can be very important whenever you want to know the number of things that are labeled in a particular way. Whether you want to understand the distribution of your inventory, identify where your customers are located, or determine the number of employees in a particular department, COUNTIF enables you to get this information quickly by taking in the range of cells you wish to examine as well as the criteria you are using to search.

Index Match

The combination of the INDEX and MATCH functions in Excel provides a more advanced way to look up and assess information inside an Excel sheet or workbook. While functions like VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP allow you to search for information, they have limitations on where and how they search that can prevent you from easily obtaining the information you need. The MATCH function is nested inside the INDEX function and can be used to find a certain type of data, while INDEX is used to connect that information to the other data available in its row.

In other words, MATCH allows you to find the position of a value in a range, and then INDEX is used to return a specific value in relation to the original value. It is important for two-way lookups and case-sensitive lookups, and you can even use it to find the closest match from the data you have.

Wildfire and Its Effects on the Ecosystem

Geophysical phenomena refer to the processes that occur in the Earth’s lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. These processes play a critical role in shaping the planet’s features and support the diverse range of flora and fauna. However, human activities have significantly impacted the natural balance of these processes, leading to several changes in critical geographical features such as waterbodies and icecaps, and flora and fauna.

Wildfires are one of the most devastating geophysical phenomena that have a significant impact on the earth’s environment. Wildfires are uncontrolled fires that occur in wildland areas such as forests, grasslands, and shrublands. They are caused by a combination of factors such as heat, drought, wind, and lightning, and human activities such as arson and negligence. These fires can cause significant changes in geographical features, including waterbodies and icecaps, flora and fauna, and the overall ecosystem. In this essay, we will discuss the important geophysical phenomena of wildfires, their geographical features and location, changes in critical geographical features, and the effects of such changes.

Geographical Features and Location of Wildfires

Wildfires occur all over the world, but some regions are more prone to wildfires due to their geographical features. These regions are mostly dry and have abundant vegetation, making them susceptible to wildfires. Some of the regions that are prone to wildfires include the Mediterranean region, California, Australia, and South Africa. These regions are characterized by high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds, which are perfect conditions for wildfires to spread rapidly. One of the most critical features affected by wildfires is the vegetation cover. Wildfires can lead to the complete destruction of forests and grasslands, which can take decades to recover fully. In addition to the direct loss of vegetation cover, wildfires can also lead to changes in the vegetation structure and composition. For example, after a wildfire, the type of plants that grow back may be different from the ones that were present before the fire. This change in the vegetation can have significant impacts on the wildlife that depends on these plants for food and shelter.

Water-Bodies and Ice-Caps

Wildfires can have significant impacts on waterbodies and icecaps. In areas where wildfires are prevalent, waterbodies such as rivers and lakes can become contaminated with ash and debris, which can lead to a decrease in water quality. The increase in sedimentation can cause damage to aquatic habitats and result in the death of aquatic organisms.

Wildfires can also cause changes in icecaps. As the temperature rises due to wildfires, the icecaps can melt, leading to rising sea levels. This can cause flooding in coastal areas, leading to the loss of human lives and property. The melting of icecaps can also have long-term effects on the climate, such as altering ocean currents and changing weather patterns.

Flora and Fauna

Wildfires can have devastating effects on flora and fauna. The destruction of forests and other vegetation can lead to the loss of habitats for wildlife, which can result in the extinction of certain species. The smoke and heat from wildfires can also cause respiratory problems for animals, leading to their death.

Changes in Ecosystem

Wildfires can cause significant changes in the ecosystem. The loss of vegetation can lead to soil erosion and the loss of nutrients, making it difficult for new vegetation to grow. This can lead to a decline in the overall productivity of the ecosystem. The loss of vegetation can also increase the risk of landslides and floods.

Effects of Changes in Geographical Features

Changes in geographical features can have significant impacts on human populations. The loss of waterbodies can lead to a decrease in water availability, which can affect human health and agriculture. The loss of icecaps can lead to rising sea levels, which can cause flooding and displacement of populations. The loss of flora and fauna can lead to a decrease in biodiversity, which can affect the overall health of the ecosystem.

Wildfires are a significant geophysical event that can have a big effect on the environment of the earth. Wildfires can alter the flora and fauna, the ecosystem as a whole, and physical features like waterbodies and icecaps. Such changes can have disastrous impacts on human populations, having an impact on their livelihoods, agriculture, and health. As a result, it’s critical to take action to both prevent wildfires and successfully control them when they do occur.

Women Development and Poverty Issues in India

India, the second-most populous nation in the world, has long struggled with poverty and developmental challenges, particularly among women. The nation continues to suffer with gender inequality, lack of access to healthcare and education, and a lack of job prospects despite recent strong economic progress.

Women poverty in India

Women in India face multiple challenges that contribute to their poverty. One of the biggest challenges is the gender pay gap, which means women are paid less than men for the same job. This pay gap is prevalent across all sectors, including agriculture and informal labor, where women work predominantly. Women’s employment opportunities are also limited, as they are often restricted to low-paying, informal jobs that offer no benefits or job security. Furthermore, women are more likely to work in the informal sector, which is not regulated by labor laws, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

In addition to economic challenges, women in India also face social challenges that contribute to their poverty. These challenges include limited access to education, healthcare, and social services. Women’s education is often de-prioritized in Indian society, and many girls drop out of school due to poverty, early marriage, or cultural expectations. Lack of education limits women’s opportunities for higher-paying jobs and perpetuates their poverty. Another factor contributing to women’s poverty in India is limited access to healthcare. Women in India face a range of health issues, including maternal mortality, malnutrition, and limited access to reproductive health services. These health issues have significant economic and social consequences, including reduced productivity and increased poverty. Addressing women’s health needs is essential for their overall well-being and for the economic development of the country.

Developmental issues faced by women in India

Developmental issues in India refer to the economic, social, and political changes necessary for the country’s growth and progress. Women in India face unique developmental issues that stem from their social and economic marginalization. One such issue is gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and harassment. These forms of violence limit women’s ability to participate in the workforce, access education and healthcare, and contribute to their poverty.

Another developmental issue faced by women in India is limited access to credit and financial resources. Women’s economic empowerment is essential for their development, and access to credit is critical for starting businesses and improving livelihoods. However, women in India face significant barriers to accessing credit due to cultural and institutional biases that favor men.

Finally, women in India face political marginalization, with limited representation in government and decision-making positions. Political representation is crucial for women’s development, as it enables them to advocate for policies that promote gender equality, address women’s issues, and improve their livelihoods.

Efforts to address women poverty and developmental issues in India

Several efforts have been made in recent years to address women poverty and developmental issues in India. The government has launched several initiatives, such as the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save Daughter, Educate Daughter) scheme, which aims to promote gender equality by addressing female foeticide and improving access to education for girls. The government has also launched the Mahila E-Haat platform, an online marketplace that provides women entrepreneurs with a platform to sell their products and services.

NGOs and civil society organizations have also played a significant role in addressing women poverty and developmental issues in India. For example, organizations such as Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) have been working to improve women’s economic empowerment by providing them with training and support to start their businesses. Other organizations, such as the Centre for Social Research, have been working to address gender-based violence by conducting research, advocacy, and providing support services to survivors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, social, economic, and political marginalisation continue to cause substantial poverty and developmental problems for women in India. Women’s possibilities for economic and social development are constrained by the difficulties associated with limited access to healthcare, finance, and education, as well as with gender-based violence.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Social media :

Social media refers to methods of communication where individuals produce, share, and/or exchange knowledge and concepts in online groups and networks. The primary accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube are managed by the Office of Communications and Marketing.

Social media marketing:

Social media apps are used as a marketing tool in social media marketing (SMM), a type of online advertising. These social media platforms give businesses the chance to interact with their customers in order to develop a strong brand, boost sales, and enhance website traffic.

Types of Social media marketing:

1.Advertising

2.Influencer marketing

3.Social media management

4.Paid media

1.Advertising:

Social media advertising is a form of digital marketing that involves sending sponsored advertisements to your target audience through social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Ads on social media are a quick and efficient approach to reach your target audience and expand your marketing initiatives.

2.Influencer Marketing:

One who has the power to influence others is an influencer. Influencer marketing is a type of social media promotion where brands pay individuals to spread the word about their goods or services to their followers. Influencer marketing first appeared in the form of celebrity endorsements.

3.Social media Management:

While social media marketing focuses more on developing and implementing a strategy to generate leads for your business through your presence on social platforms, social media management focuses more on using social media accounts.

4.Paid media:

External marketing initiatives involving a sponsored placement are referred to as paid media. Branded content, display ads, and PPC advertising are examples of paid media. For internet firms, paid media is a crucial part of revenue growth and brand visibility.

Importance of Social media marketing:

Brands have the chance to develop trust with potential customers, partners, and talent/employees by engaging on social media. This is especially true if other people are spreading the word about your company’s name, products, or services.

Benefits of Social media marketing:

1.Promote customer services

2.Impacting conversion and sales rates.

3.Draw the audience in.

4.Develop your leadership skills.

5.Investigate the opposition.

6.Boost SERP visibility.

Issues Faced by Women in India

India is the second-most populous country in the world, with a population of approximately 1.3 billion people. Women constitute nearly half of this population, and yet they face various challenges and issues in their everyday lives. Gender inequality is prevalent in India, and it affects women in various ways. One of the most significant issues that women face is gender-based violence. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, there were over 3 lakh cases of crimes against women in India in 2019. This includes rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, and harassment. Women who report such crimes often face stigma and discrimination, making it difficult for them to access justice.

Access to healthcare is another critical issue for women in India. Although the government has made significant efforts to improve healthcare services, many women still lack access to basic healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas. Women also face significant challenges in accessing reproductive and maternal healthcare services, which can result in poor health outcomes. Maternal mortality rates are high, with India accounting for almost one-quarter of all maternal deaths worldwide. This is due to inadequate access to healthcare, poor nutrition, and lack of education on maternal health. They also face high rates of malnutrition and anemia, which have long-term health consequences for both them and their children.

Another issue that women in India face is limited access to education and employment opportunities. According to the World Bank, only 66% of women in India are literate, compared to 82% of men. Women also face significant barriers to employment, with only 24% of women in India participating in the labor force, compared to 82% of men. This is due to various factors, including societal expectations, lack of education and skills, and discrimination in the workplace.

Political representation is another area where women in India are underrepresented. While women make up nearly half of the population, they hold only 14.4% of seats in the Indian parliament. This limits their ability to influence policy decisions and advocate for their rights. Although women have the right to vote and stand for election, they are underrepresented in political decision-making positions. Women’s political participation is essential to ensure that their interests and concerns are adequately represented.

Despite these challenges, there have been efforts to address these issues and improve the lives of women in India. The Indian government has implemented various policies and programmes aimed at empowering women and promoting gender equality. For example, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) programme aims to address gender-based violence and improve access to education for girls. The Mahila E-Haat programme aims to promote women’s entrepreneurship and enable them to access markets and sell their products online.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups have also played a significant role in promoting women’s rights in India. For example, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) has been working for the empowerment of women in the informal sector for over 40 years. SEWA provides women with education and training, access to credit and markets, and support for their rights as workers.

Finally, economic empowerment is crucial for women’s well-being in India. Women in India often face barriers to employment, including discrimination and lack of access to education and training. Women who do work are often employed in low-paying jobs with poor working conditions. Promoting women’s economic empowerment can help to reduce poverty and improve the overall economic development of the country.

In conclusion, women in India experience a variety of difficulties and problems, such as gender-based violence, restricted access to chances for education and work, and underrepresentation in politics. Yet, there have been initiatives in India to deal with these problems and advance gender equality. In order to empower women and advance their rights, the government and non-governmental organizations have created a number of policies and programmes. To ensure that women in India can live healthy, successful lives, more work still has to be done, and ongoing initiatives are required.

Women in Indian Society

The role of women and women’s organizations in India has been evolving over time, from the early days of the women’s suffrage movement to the present day. Women have played a crucial role in shaping Indian society, and their contributions have been instrumental in bringing about social and political change. Historically, women in India have been relegated to the domestic sphere, with limited access to education, employment, and political power. However, in recent decades, women’s organizations and activists have been working to challenge gender-based discrimination and promote women’s rights. The role of women in India has undergone significant changes in recent years, with the growth of women’s organizations and the emergence of women leaders in various fields. Women have played a crucial role in shaping the country’s history, culture, and society. They have been at the forefront of various social and political movements, fighting for their rights and challenging patriarchal norms.

Women’s organizations in India have played a pivotal role in promoting gender equality and advocating for women’s rights. These organizations have been instrumental in raising awareness about issues affecting women and girls, providing support and services to victims of gender-based violence, and advocating for policy and legislative changes to improve women’s lives.

One of the most significant women’s organizations in India is the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW). Founded in 1954, NFIW has been at the forefront of various social and political movements, fighting for women’s rights and gender equality. The organization has been actively involved in the struggle for women’s right to education, employment, and political representation. It has also been instrumental in raising awareness about violence against women and promoting women’s health and reproductive rights.

Another important women’s organization in India is the All-India Women’s Conference (AIWC). Established in 1927, AIWC has been a pioneer in the women’s movement in India. The organization has been active in promoting women’s education, health, and economic empowerment. It has also been involved in the struggle for women’s political representation and advocating for legislative changes to protect women’s rights.

In addition to these national-level organizations, there are several grassroots-level women’s organizations in India that have been working tirelessly to improve the lives of women in their communities. These organizations have been instrumental in providing support and services to women and girls who are victims of gender-based violence, promoting women’s education and economic empowerment, and advocating for policy changes to improve women’s lives.

Women leaders in India have also played a crucial role in shaping the country’s political landscape. Several women have held top positions in government, including Indira Gandhi, who served as the country’s Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984. In recent years, several women have been elected to key positions in government, including Sushma Swaraj, who served as the country’s Minister of External Affairs from 2014 to 2019, and Nirmala Sitharaman, who became the first woman to serve as the country’s Minister of Finance in 2019.

Women have also made significant contributions to the country’s cultural and artistic landscape. Indian cinema has produced several women actors, directors, and producers who have made a name for themselves both in India and abroad. Women writers, artists, and musicians have also made significant contributions to the country’s cultural heritage.

However, despite these positive developments, women in India continue to face significant challenges. Gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual harassment, and rape, remains a pervasive problem in the country. Women’s access to education, health care, and economic opportunities is often limited by societal norms and gender stereotypes. Women’s political representation also remains low, with women holding only around 22% of seats in the national parliament.

In conclusion, women and women’s organizations have played a crucial role in shaping the history, culture, and society of India. Women’s organizations have been instrumental in promoting gender equality and advocating for women’s rights, while women leaders have made significant contributions to the country’s political, cultural, and artistic landscape. However, despite these positive developments, women in India continue to face significant challenges, and there is still a long way to go to achieve true gender equality.

Flood

Natural occurrences in the crust, oceans, and atmosphere, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and storms, are referred to as geophysical phenomena. Waterbodies, icecaps, flora, and wildlife, as well as other geographical characteristics, can all undergo significant changes as a result of these events.

One of the most common geophysical phenomena that affect geographical features is flooding. Floods occur when an area receives more rainfall than it can handle, causing rivers and other waterbodies to overflow their banks. Floods can cause significant damage to the surrounding environment, including eroding riverbanks, damaging infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and destroying homes and crops.

One of the most notable examples of the effects of flooding on geographical features is the 1993 Mississippi River floods in the United States. The floods caused over $15 billion in damages, affected 12 states, and displaced over 50,000 people. The floods also caused significant changes to the river’s course, including the creation of new channels and the destruction of levees.

Another geophysical phenomenon that affects geographical features is changes in waterbodies, such as lakes and oceans. These changes can occur due to natural causes, such as shifts in tectonic plates, or human activities, such as damming rivers or extracting groundwater. Changes in waterbodies can have significant impacts on the surrounding environment, including changes in flora and fauna.

One example of the effects of changes in waterbodies on geographical features is the Aral Sea in Central Asia. The Aral Sea was once the world’s fourth-largest lake, but due to human activities, such as diverting water from the rivers that feed the lake for irrigation, it has shrunk by over 90%. The shrinking of the Aral Sea has had significant impacts on the surrounding environment, including the disappearance of fish species, changes in the local climate, and the emergence of new desert landscapes.

Another geophysical phenomenon that affects geographical features is changes in icecaps, such as those found in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Changes in icecaps can occur due to natural causes, such as changes in temperature or precipitation, or human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. Changes in icecaps can have significant impacts on the surrounding environment, including changes in sea level, changes in ocean currents, and changes in flora and fauna.

One example of the effects of changes in icecaps on geographical features is the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. The Greenland ice sheet is the second-largest ice sheet in the world, covering over 1.7 million square kilometers. However, due to rising temperatures caused by climate change, the ice sheet is melting at an accelerating rate. This melting is causing sea levels to rise, which could have significant impacts on coastal areas worldwide, including flooding and the loss of habitat for flora and fauna.

Geophysical phenomena can also have significant impacts on flora and fauna. Changes in the environment, such as flooding, changes in waterbodies, and changes in icecaps, can cause significant disruptions to ecosystems, including changes in species distributions, changes in food webs, and changes in migration patterns.

One example of the effects of geophysical phenomena on flora and fauna is the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The tsunami caused significant damage to coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangrove forests, and sea-grass beds. These ecosystems are critical habitats for a wide range of species, including fish, turtles, and other marine life. The loss of these habitats could have significant impacts on the survival of these species.

The Earth’s geographical characteristics, such as water bodies and ice caps, as well as the flora and fauna that depend on them, can all be significantly impacted by geophysical occurrences. While some changes can be brought on by nature, others might be accelerated by human activity like deforestation and fossil fuel burning. To better prepare for and lessen their consequences on the world and its inhabitants, it is crucial to comprehend these occurrences and their effects.

Cyclone, A Geophysical Phenomena

Natural occurrences on Earth called geophysical phenomena are linked to the planet’s physical processes and characteristics. Cyclones, changes in geographical characteristics, and changes in flora and fauna are some of the most significant geophysical events.

Strong, spinning storm systems known as cyclones are characterized by low-pressure centers, strong winds, and copious amounts of rain. They frequently occur in the tropics and subtropics and form over warm ocean waters. These storms have the potential to seriously harm infrastructure and endanger both human and animal lives in the affected areas. Typhoons in the western Pacific and hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean are two different names for the same cyclone, which is categorized based on its wind speed.

Geographical features are the physical aspects of the Earth’s surface, such as mountains, valleys, rivers, and coastlines. Changes in geographical features can occur naturally or as a result of human activities. Natural changes can be caused by geological processes such as erosion, volcanic activity, and tectonic movements, while human activities can cause changes such as deforestation, mining, and urbanization.

Waterbodies, such as oceans, rivers, and lakes, are an essential part of the Earth’s geography. Changes in waterbodies can occur due to natural processes such as climate change, melting of ice caps, and erosion, or as a result of human activities such as damming, pollution, and overfishing. Changes in waterbodies can have significant impacts on the environment, including changes in water quality, loss of biodiversity, and impacts on human populations that rely on water resources for their livelihoods.

Icecaps, including glaciers and polar ice caps, are also important geographical features that are vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures are causing significant melting of icecaps, leading to rising sea levels, changes in ocean currents, and impacts on marine ecosystems. The loss of icecaps also has significant implications for human populations, particularly those in low-lying coastal areas that are at risk of flooding and other climate-related impacts.

Flora and fauna are the plant and animal life that inhabit different ecosystems around the world. Changes in the environment can have significant impacts on flora and fauna, including changes in habitat availability, food sources, and temperature regimes. Climate change is one of the most significant drivers of changes in flora and fauna, with rising temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns leading to shifts in species ranges and impacts on biodiversity. Human activities such as deforestation, pollution, and hunting also have significant impacts on flora and fauna. Strong winds can uproot trees and damage other vegetation, while heavy rainfall can cause flooding and landslides, altering soil conditions and destroying habitats. Wildlife populations may be displaced or killed by the storm, and food sources may be disrupted. In some cases, cyclones can also cause pollution by releasing hazardous materials from damaged infrastructure or flooding.

The effects of these changes can be widespread and long-lasting. For example, changes in the Arctic icecap have led to the loss of habitat for polar bears and other species, as well as changes in the migration patterns of marine mammals and fish. The melting of glaciers and ice caps in the Himalayas has led to increased flooding and landslides, threatening the lives and livelihoods of people in the region.

In order to mitigate the impacts of geophysical phenomena and changes in critical geographical features, it is important to develop strategies that address both the immediate and long-term effects. This can include measures such as building infrastructure that can withstand cyclones and flooding, creating protected areas for wildlife, and promoting sustainable water management practices. Additionally, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and taking steps to mitigate climate change can help to slow the rate of change in critical geographical features and reduce the impacts on ecosystems and human societies. Changes in geographical features can also have significant impacts on human populations and ecosystems. For example, changes in waterbodies can lead to changes in water availability, which can impact agricultural production, energy production, and human health. Changes in icecaps can lead to rising sea levels, which can impact coastal communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Changes in flora and fauna can lead to loss of biodiversity, impacts on ecosystem services, and impacts on human populations that rely on these resources for their livelihoods.

The Earth’s ecology and human populations are significantly impacted by geophysical events like cyclones, changes in topographical characteristics, and changes in flora and fauna. Understanding these occurrences and their effects is essential for creating efficient mitigation and adaptation plans, especially in light of the ongoing effects of climate change and other global concerns.

Volcano

Natural occurrences in the Earth’s physical systems, such as its atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, are referred to as geophysical phenomena. These events, along with changes in geographical features, flora and fauna, and human societies, can have a profound impact on the environment. Volcanic activity, changes in waterbodies and icecaps, and changes in geographical features are some of the most significant geophysical phenomena.

Volcanic Activity

Volcanic activity is one of the most critical geophysical phenomena that can have a significant impact on the environment. Volcanoes are openings in the Earth’s surface that allow magma, ash, and gas to escape from the Earth’s interior. When this magma reaches the surface, it can form a volcanic eruption, which can have a range of effects on the environment.

Volcanic eruptions can release massive amounts of ash and gases into the atmosphere. These gases, such as sulfur dioxide, can react with water vapor to form acid rain, which can have significant impacts on flora, fauna, and human societies. Ash and other volcanic particles can also block out sunlight and cause temporary cooling of the Earth’s surface. Additionally, volcanic eruptions can cause landslides and mudflows, which can be devastating to human settlements and infrastructure.

Geographical Features and Their Location

Geographical features refer to the physical characteristics of the Earth’s surface, such as mountains, valleys, rivers, and lakes. Changes in geographical features can occur due to a range of geophysical phenomena, including tectonic plate movements, volcanic activity, erosion, and climate change.

Tectonic plate movements can cause significant changes in the Earth’s surface, including the formation of mountains, valleys, and ocean basins. Volcanic activity can also create new landforms, such as volcanic islands and lava flows. Erosion, caused by wind and water, can slowly wear away landforms over time, creating new features such as canyons and waterfalls. Climate change can also impact geographical features, such as melting ice caps and rising sea levels.

Changes in Waterbodies and Icecaps

Waterbodies, including oceans, lakes, and rivers, can be impacted by a range of geophysical phenomena, including tectonic plate movements, volcanic activity, and climate change. These changes can have significant impacts on the environment, including changes in temperature, salinity, and nutrient levels.

Melting icecaps can also have significant impacts on the environment, including rising sea levels and changes in ocean currents. As ice melts, it can release freshwater into the ocean, which can change the salinity levels and impact the circulation of ocean currents. Additionally, melting ice can expose new land, which can impact flora and fauna in the area.

Effects on Flora and Fauna:

Geophysical phenomena can have significant impacts on flora and fauna. For example, volcanic eruptions can release ash and gases into the atmosphere, which can impact the growth and health of plants. Additionally, volcanic activity can cause landslides and mudflows, which can destroy habitats and kill animals.

Changes in waterbodies and icecaps can also have significant impacts on flora and fauna. Rising sea levels, for example, can cause coastal erosion and flooding, which can destroy habitats and force animals to relocate. Changes in ocean currents can also impact the distribution of nutrients and plankton, which can impact the entire food chain.

The most significant natural processes that take place on Earth include geophysical phenomena like volcanic activity, changes in geographical features, and changes in flora and fauna. While these occurrences have the potential to significantly impact the physical and biological systems of the planet, they can also shed important light on the intricate relationships that define our environment. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully track and research these events in order to comprehend their impacts and create plans to lessen their negative effects on both the environment and human life.

Foods that enhances the process of weight loss

Eating nutrient-rich foods, such as lean protein and legumes, can support your overall health and help you maintain a moderate body weight.


Eating nutrient-rich foods, such as lean protein and legumes, can support your overall health and help you maintain a moderate body weight.

Healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. While weight loss is not a magic bullet for health, and not everyone needs to pursue weight loss, it might be something you want to work toward to feel your healthiest.

Coupled with regular movement, your diet can affect your health outcomes.

1. Whole eggs

Eggs are incredibly nutrient-dense. Interestingly, almost all its nutrients are found in the yolks — like choline and vitamin D — though egg whites deliver 4–6 grams of protein each. Because they’re high in protein and fat, they help you feel full. That’s key, because responding to your body’s internal fullness and hunger cues can help you reach or maintain a healthy weight. In other words, getting in the habit of eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full can help your weight loss goals.

2. Leafy greens

Leafy greens include kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, and a few others. They have several properties that make them perfect for reaching or maintaining a healthy weight. For example, they pack fiber and nutrients that keep you satiated and hydrated.

3. Salmon

Fatty fish like salmon are incredibly nutritious and very satisfying.
Salmon is loaded with high quality protein, healthy fats, and various important nutrients. That combination keeps you satiated and can help you reach a healthier weight.

4. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
Like other vegetables, they’re high in fiber and tend to be incredibly filling.
What’s more, these types of veggies contain decent amounts of protein. They’re not nearly as high in protein as animal foods or legumes, but still high for vegetables.

5. Chicken breast and some lean meats

Meat remains a controversial food group for many people.

Beyond issues of sustainability and ethics, we’re still not sure whether and how red meat raises the risk of heart disease or diabetes.

Research on meat consumption and health outcomes has yielded low evidence of causation.

6. Potatoes and other root vegetables

White potatoes seem to have fallen out of favor possibly, at least in part, due to the rise of lower carb diets.

For what it’s worth, potatoes and other root vegetables have several properties that make them wonderful foods for weight loss and optimal health. They contain an incredibly diverse range of nutrients a little bit of almost everything you need.

7. Beans and legumes

Beans and other legumes can be beneficial for weight loss. These include lentils, black beans, kidney beans, and some others.

Those foods tend to be high in protein and fiber, which are two nutrients that promote satiety. They also tend to contain some resistant starch

Yoga for proper hair growth

Yoga has a plethora of holistic health benefits. This ancient fitness form, which is also a way of life, has been known to not just safeguard inner and mental health but also give cures to skin and hair issues. If you’re someone who is tired of the short bob and desires for your tresses to be longer, there are several yoga asanas that can actually help out with hair growth. In fact, yoga for hair growth and better health has been getting some popularity around the world due to the wonderful results it seems to achieve. Here are some yoga asanas that not just promote hair growth, but will also help in reducing hair fall and improving their health.

1.Kapalabhati

Kapalhbhati is derived from two Sanskrit words: Kapala, which means “skull,” and Bhati, which means “light.” It’s a mind-body activity that rejuvenates, cleanses and invigorates. This breathing exercise helps cleanse the toxins from the kapal, meaning the entire head or face region, thus promoting better oxygen supply and reducing free radicals, enabling hair growth. Moreover, it helps reduce stress and anxiety, which are also contributing factors to hair fall.

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana, better known as the downward facing pose, is among the 12 poses we practice during the Surya Namaskar. It is a transitional resting pose, which increases the blood flow. Due to this, there is a boost in the oxygen reaching the scalp and promotes hair growth. This asana has a range of other physical benefits as well. For example, it helps calm the mind, rejuvenate and energise the body.

3.Sarvangasana

Sarvangasana or the shoulder stand is a full body exercise, which works on different muscle groups. It helps improve your balance as well as posture. But besides that, this asana enhances the blood circulation in your head. Daily practice of the pose has a long-lasting effect on your head and is especially beneficial for dry and thin hair.

4. Balasana

Before you get any ideas, Balasana literally means child’s pose and does not refer to the hair. However, it combats the two biggest factors that cause hair fall: stress and digestive issues. Balasana is commonly recommended to provide relief from any stomach-related issues and it is known to help with anxiety as well. Daily practice of this pose can have a positive impact on both your digestive and mental health, thus cutting down the risk of hair loss considerably.

5. Sirsasana

Also known as the headstand, Sirsasana improves blood circulation in the scalp which helps in reducing hair loss, thinning of hair and balding. This asana helps in new hair growth and prevents greying of hair. It helps the dormant hair follicles to reach their maximum growth capacity and thus improve hair growth.

6. Vajrasana

Vajrasana or the thunderbolt pose is simple yet quite powerful. It deals directly with stomach-related issues, which you may or may believe, have a large part to play as far as hair loss goes. As per studies, poor gut flora can cause thinning of hair and eventually, lead to hair loss. Vajrasana helps relieve and cure a lot of these issues and it also helps digest your food better. This is beneficial to hair growth as nutrients are absorbed by the body better when your digestion is in top form. Of course, maintaining a healthy diet is a must for long, thick and healthy hair.

7. Uttanasana

Uttanasana AKA the camel pose is an effective yoga asana that takes some time to master. This yoga pose stretches as well as relaxes muscles and it also increases the oxygen levels and blood flow to the head. This, in turn, enables the hair follicles to be strong and your hair grows long. It not only improves the quality and texture of your hair but also makes it flawless and shinier.

8. Matsyasana

Popularly known as the fish pose, this is among the most effective and popular asanas for strong, long and healthy hair. It is quite easy to practice and can be done at home quickly without needing any equipment, like the other poses mentioned above. This yoga asana is known to relieve most hair problems with daily practice.

Remember, Yoga and pranayama help in stimulating blood circulation in the head and scalp, which thereby helps in rejuvenating dry and limp hair. This, in turn, controls hair loss and promotes hair growth. So, if you are experiencing hair loss or are seeing early signs of baldness, practicing yoga daily could help greatly.

How to Get Access Articles on Google Scholar

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Find an article at Google Scholar

If Walden doesn’t have an article you want, check Google Scholar. You may find a free copy online.

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Tsunami

Tsunamis are a type of natural disaster that occurs when there is a sudden displacement of water in the ocean. They are large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides. They can cause massive destruction to coastal regions, resulting in loss of life, infrastructure damage, and long-term environmental effects. Tsunamis affect both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, altering geographical features, water bodies, ice caps, flora, and fauna. In this essay, we will discuss the geographical features affected by tsunamis, including water bodies and ice caps, and their effects on flora and fauna.

Geographical Features

Water-Bodies:

Tsunamis can cause severe changes in water bodies like oceans, seas, and lakes. They can trigger large waves that can inundate low-lying coastal areas and cause significant flooding, damaging infrastructure, and affecting marine ecosystems. Tsunamis can also cause saltwater intrusion into freshwater systems, disrupting aquatic habitats and affecting the water quality of freshwater bodies. Furthermore, the deposition of sediments and debris caused by tsunamis can alter the physical and chemical characteristics of the water bodies.For instance, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused significant damage to coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds in several countries, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. These ecosystems play vital roles in coastal protection, fisheries, and carbon sequestration, and their damage can have long-term impacts on the ecosystem’s functionality. Similarly, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan caused significant changes to the coastline, including the formation of new bays and the erosion of existing beaches.

Ice-Caps:

Tsunamis can also affect ice caps, which are large masses of ice covering the polar regions. The waves generated by tsunamis can cause icebergs to break off from the ice caps, resulting in the release of freshwater into the oceans. This can affect ocean currents and weather patterns, causing fluctuations in temperature and precipitation. Moreover, the melting of ice caps caused by tsunamis can result in sea-level rise, which can inundate low-lying coastal areas and lead to coastal erosion. This can lead to the loss of land, displacement of communities, and loss of biodiversity.

Flora and Fauna:

Tsunamis can also have significant effects on flora and fauna in the affected areas. The force of the waves can cause significant damage to coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, coral reefs, and sea grass beds. These ecosystems provide critical habitats for a variety of species, and their destruction can have cascading effects throughout the food chain.In addition to physical damage to ecosystems, tsunamis can also have indirect effects on flora and fauna. For example, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused significant damage to aquaculture operations in the affected regions, which had a ripple effect on the local fishing industry. Similarly, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan caused a significant decline in sea turtle populations due to the destruction of critical nesting habitats.

Marine Ecosystems:

Tsunamis can cause significant damage to marine ecosystems, affecting the biodiversity and productivity of the oceans. The waves generated by tsunamis can cause the death of marine organisms, such as fish, coral, and plankton. Furthermore, the deposition of sediments and debris can smother and damage seagrass beds and coral reefs, leading to long-term habitat loss and decreased biodiversity.For example, the 2011 Tohoku tsunami in Japan caused significant damage to marine ecosystems, leading to the death of marine organisms and the destruction of coral reefs and seagrass beds. The impacts of the tsunami on marine ecosystems were felt for several years after the event, affecting the fisheries and tourism industries.

Terrestrial Ecosystems:

Tsunamis can also affect terrestrial ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, and grasslands. The waves generated by tsunamis can cause significant flooding, resulting in the loss of vegetation and soil erosion. Furthermore, the deposition of sediments and debris can alter the physical and chemical properties of the soil, affecting the nutrient availability and soil structure.For instance, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused significant damage to mangrove forests and other coastal vegetation. These ecosystems play vital roles in coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision for wildlife. The loss of these ecosystems can have significant impacts on the environment and human communities.

Effects of Changes

The changes caused by tsunamis can have significant impacts on the environment, human populations, and economies in the affected regions.

Environment:

The destruction of coastal ecosystems can have long-term effects on the environment. For example, the loss of coral reefs can lead to declines in fish populations, which can have cascading effects throughout the food chain. Similarly, the loss of mangroves can lead to increased coastal erosion and reduced protection from storm surges.

Human Populations:

Tsunamis can also have significant impacts on human populations. The loss of coastal infrastructure, including homes, businesses, and transportation networks, can disrupt local economies and displace communities. Additionally, the loss of critical habitats and resources can lead to food and water shortages, which can exacerbate existing poverty and inequality.

Economies:

Finally, tsunamis can have significant impacts on local and global economies. The destruction of infrastructure and disruption of supply chains can lead to significant economic losses. For example, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan caused widespread disruptions in global supply chains, particularly in the electronics industry.

To sum up, both flora and fauna, as well as physical features like water bodies and ice caps, can be significantly impacted by tsunamis. The environment, human populations, and economies in the impacted areas may be negatively impacted for a long time by these changes. In order to lessen the effects of tsunamis and other natural disasters, it is crucial to have efficient disaster preparedness and response systems in place.

Earthquake, A Natural Disaster

One of nature’s most catastrophic catastrophes, earthquakes have the power to significantly alter the planet’s physical features, including water bodies, ice caps, flora, and fauna. The abrupt release of energy in the Earth’s crust, which causes the ground to shake violently, is the source of earthquakes. Earthquakes can have a terrible effect, resulting in human casualties and property destruction. In this article, we’ll talk about how important geographic features, including water bodies and ice caps, have changed and how that has affected the local flora and fauna.

Geographical Features and Location Changes

Earthquakes can cause significant changes in the landscape and location of various geographical features. One of the most common effects of earthquakes is the creation of new landforms, such as mountains, valleys, and canyons. This is because earthquakes can cause the Earth’s crust to fold, break, and shift, which can create new landforms.

Earthquakes can also cause changes in water bodies, such as lakes and rivers. In some cases, earthquakes can cause these bodies of water to drain or dry up entirely. This can happen when an earthquake causes a shift in the Earth’s crust, which can block the flow of water or cause it to flow in a different direction. In addition, earthquakes can cause tsunamis, which are large waves that can cause significant damage to coastal regions and can also affect water bodies such as oceans, seas and bays.

Ice caps are also at risk due to earthquakes. These large masses of ice can be affected by seismic activity in various ways. Earthquakes can cause cracks in the ice, which can lead to melting and fragmentation. In addition, earthquakes can cause avalanches, which can be especially dangerous if they occur on or near glaciers.

Water Bodies

Earthquakes can cause significant changes in water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. The most common change is the formation of new water bodies or the expansion of existing ones. For example, earthquakes can cause landslides, which can dam rivers, creating new lakes or widening existing ones. On the other hand, earthquakes can also cause the collapse of riverbanks, leading to the diversion of rivers and the creation of new river channels. Another significant impact of earthquakes on water bodies is the generation of tsunamis. Tsunamis are large waves that are triggered by earthquakes occurring in the ocean floor. These waves can travel long distances and cause significant damage to coastal communities.

Flora and Fauna

Earthquakes can also have significant impacts on flora and fauna. These impacts can be both direct and indirect. The direct impact of earthquakes on flora and fauna is the destruction of their habitats. Earthquakes can cause landslides, which can bury vegetation, and collapse buildings, which can crush wildlife. In addition, earthquakes can cause soil liquefaction, which can suffocate plant roots and prevent them from obtaining nutrients and water. The indirect impact of earthquakes on flora and fauna is the disruption of ecosystems. Earthquakes can alter the availability of resources, such as water and food, leading to changes in the distribution and behavior of wildlife. For example, earthquakes can cause changes in the flow of rivers, leading to changes in the distribution of fish species.

Effects of Changes

The changes in geographical features caused by earthquakes can have significant short-term and long-term effects on the environment and human communities.

Short-term Effects:

The short-term effects of changes in geographical features include immediate impacts on human communities, such as loss of life and property damage. The destruction of habitats can also lead to the displacement of wildlife, which can have long-term impacts on ecosystems.

Long-term Effects:

The long-term effects of changes in geographical features include changes in the environment that can persist for years or even decades. For example, the creation of new water bodies can lead to changes in the hydrology of an area, altering the flow of rivers and affecting the availability of water for human communities and wildlife. The melting of ice caps due to earthquakes can also contribute to rising sea levels, leading to the displacement of coastal communities and the loss of biodiversity.

The ecology, infrastructure, and economy can all be severely harmed by earthquakes, which are a serious natural calamity. Further to having a substantial impact on flora and fauna, they can alter the terrain and the placement of many geographical features. It is crucial to take precautions to be ready for and lessen the consequences of earthquakes because their effects can be profound and lasting.

6 yoga poses that can give you bright and glowing skin

Yoga is meant to make you healthy and strong. Since time immemorial, yoga has proven to be beneficial for a lot of physical and mental ailments. It is supposed to work on your health inside out and give you glowing and radiant skin. However, doing yoga for skincare may be something you should consider.

1. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

This pose of yoga for skin care works effectively in giving you a glowing complexion. Practicing this pose regularly helps by putting intense pressure on the abdominal region, which in turn helps in detoxifying the body. This pose increases circulation in the face and pelvic region. It releases tension from the abdomen and strengthens it. Regular practice of this asana strengthens the reproductive organs. It also helps release indigestion and constipation. By maintaining a healthy gut, dhanurasana helps in giving you that glowing and healthy skin appearance.

2. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

This is a beautiful asana to stretch the spine, shoulders and hamstrings. It releases the stress in the lower back and also improves digestion, which otherwise may cause many skin conditions like pimples and acne. Not only is this pose beneficial for reducing stress, it also purifies the blood, improves skin complexion and reduces the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles. Paschimottasana is a perfect yoga for skin care.

3. Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This asana helps unwind the entire body. It strengthens the arms and shoulders, lengthens the spine, calves and hamstrings and energizes the entire body by bringing blood flow to your brain and face. This asana improves blood circulation in those areas giving you healthy flushed cheeks.

4. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Fish pose is one of the back-bending poses that can be easily performed even by a beginner. This is one of the best yoga poses to attain fresh and even toned skin as it improves blood circulation in the head region.

5. Plough Pose (Halasana)

This yoga pose is effective in improving the overall blood circulation of the body. It induces a sensation of calmness and puts you in a relaxed state of mind making it a perfect pose of yoga for skin care.

This pose is beneficial in inducing sleep or tackling insomnia considering the fact that poor sleep cycle is one of the major reasons behind bad skin conditions. All these positive effects of this asana reflect on your skin.

6. Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana)

This would be an intermediate level pose which has amazing benefits on your skin and glow. Mastering this pose is not too difficult, regular practice helps in improving blood circulation to the facial region, which helps in battling skin conditions like facial dullness, acne and wrinkles.

World’s Physical Geography

The study of the Earth’s surface and the forces that shape it is referred to as physical geography. This comprises the soil, vegetation, climate, water features, and landforms. We’ll talk about the key aspects of the physical geography of the world in this post.

Continents and Oceans:
The world is divided into seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. These continents are separated by five oceans: the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean on Earth, covering more than one-third of the planet’s surface area.

Mountains:
Mountains are large landforms that rise above the surrounding landscape. They are typically formed by tectonic activity, such as the collision of continental plates. The highest mountain on Earth is Mount Everest, which is located in the Himalayas on the border between Nepal and Tibet. The Himalayas are the tallest mountain range in the world and stretch across several countries, including India, China, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Plateaus:
Plateaus are elevated flatlands that rise above the surrounding terrain. They are typically formed by tectonic activity, such as the lifting of large sections of the Earth’s crust. The largest plateau on Earth is the Tibetan Plateau, which covers an area of approximately 2.5 million square kilometers and has an average elevation of over 4,500 meters.

Deserts:
Deserts are arid regions that receive very little rainfall. The largest desert on Earth is the Sahara Desert, which covers an area of approximately 9 million square kilometers and stretches across several countries in North Africa. Other notable deserts include the Arabian Desert, the Gobi Desert, and the Kalahari Desert.

Rivers:
Rivers are large bodies of water that flow from higher elevations to lower elevations. They are typically formed by precipitation and the melting of snow and ice. The longest river on Earth is the Nile River, which stretches over 6,650 kilometers and flows through several countries in Africa. Other notable rivers include the Amazon River, the Yangtze River, and the Mississippi River.

Lakes:
Lakes are large bodies of water that are surrounded by land. They can be formed by a variety of processes, including tectonic activity, glaciation, and erosion. The largest lake on Earth is the Caspian Sea, which is located between Europe and Asia and has an area of approximately 371,000 square kilometers. Other notable lakes include Lake Superior, Lake Victoria, and Lake Baikal.

Coastlines:
Coastlines are the areas where land and water meet. They can be characterized by a variety of features, including beaches, cliffs, and estuaries. The longest coastline on Earth is that of Canada, which stretches over 202,080 kilometers and includes several large bays and fjords. Other notable coastlines include those of Australia, Brazil, and the United States.

Climate:
Climate refers to the long-term patterns of temperature, humidity, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions in a given region. The world’s climate is influenced by a variety of factors, including latitude, elevation, and proximity to oceans and other large bodies of water. The equator, for example, is characterized by a tropical climate with high temperatures and abundant rainfall, while the polar regions are characterized by a frigid climate with low temperatures and little precipitation.

Tundra:
Tundra is a type of biome that is characterized by low temperatures, high winds, and little vegetation. It is found in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, as well as at high elevations in mountainous areas. The Arctic tundra is the largest tundra region in the world, covering approximately 5 million square miles (13 million square kilometers).


The world’s physical geography is incredibly diverse, encompassing everything from towering mountains and vast oceans to arid deserts and dense rainforests. By understanding these salient features of the world’s physical geography, we can gain a greater appreciation for the natural world around us and the processes that have shaped it over millions of years.

Secularism

The separation of religion and government is emphasized by the political and social concept known as secularism. It is a belief philosophy that advocates maintaining the separation of religion and state to avoid imposing particular religious views on the general populace. Although the idea of secularism has changed throughout time, its core idea has not changed: the state should not give preference to any one religion or any organization.

The origins of secularism can be traced back to the Enlightenment period in Europe. The Enlightenment thinkers believed in reason and rationality, and rejected the idea that religious dogma should be the basis for politics and governance. This idea of separating religion and state gained momentum during the French Revolution, which was marked by the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of a secular republic.

In modern times, secularism has become an important principle for many countries around the world. In countries with a secular political system, the government is neutral in matters of religion, and does not promote or endorse any religion. This means that citizens are free to practice their own religion, or to not practice any religion at all, without fear of persecution or discrimination.

The key tenets of secularism include the following:

Separation of religion and state: This means that the state should not be involved in religious affairs and that religion should not be used as a basis for making political decisions.

Freedom of religion and belief: This means that individuals should be free to practice any religion or belief system, or to have no religion at all, without fear of persecution or discrimination.

Equality before the law: This means that all individuals, regardless of their religion or belief system, should be treated equally under the law.

Neutrality of the state: This means that the state should remain neutral with regard to religion and belief and should not favor any particular religion or belief system.

Public sphere: This means that the public sphere, which includes institutions such as schools, government agencies, and the media, should be free from any particular religious influence.

The United States is a good example of a country that has a secular political system. The First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion, and the government is prohibited from establishing a state religion. This means that citizens are free to worship as they choose, without interference from the government.

Another example of a country with a secular political system is France. The French Revolution of 1789 marked the beginning of a secular republic, which was based on the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The French government is neutral in matters of religion, and religious symbols such as crucifixes, headscarves, and yarmulkes are not allowed in public schools or government buildings.

In India, secularism is enshrined in the Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion. However, the practice of secularism in India has been challenged in recent years by the rise of Hindu nationalism, which seeks to promote Hinduism as the dominant religion and marginalize other religious groups.

In Turkey, secularism is a founding principle of the state. The Turkish Republic was established in 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and was based on the principles of secularism and modernization. However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend towards Islamic conservatism in Turkey, which has led to tensions between secularists and religious conservatives.

The practice of secularism is not without its challenges. In some countries, the separation of religion and state is seen as a threat to traditional values and social cohesion. In other countries, religious groups may feel marginalized or discriminated against by a secular government. In some cases, secularism can be used as a cover for discrimination against religious groups, particularly minorities.

Another challenge to secularism is the rise of religious fundamentalism and extremism. Some religious groups seek to impose their beliefs on the population as a whole and may use violence or intimidation to achieve their goals. This can lead to tensions between religious groups and can undermine the stability of a secular society.

Secularism continues to be a crucial principle for many nations around the world despite these difficulties. A variety of religious practises and beliefs are permitted by the separation of church and state, which also supports individual liberty and human rights. It enables people to live their lives in accordance with their own views and ideals without worrying about discrimination or persecution.