Great Newton quotes..

Great Ignorance quotes never to be forgotten ..

I am afraid of the economic path of destruction my country is forced to trace out of ignorance, inexperience, stubbornness and stupidity of some people at the helm.

This set of high class quotes on ignorance and the damage it can do, should sensitise us to the dangers lurking ahead for this country and how we could overcome it.

Let the person who can understand be saved .

george..

Naveen and Malu the dog ..

Naveen walking with Malu ..

We have heard of Hachiko, the dog which was so faithful to its master, Professor in Tokyo University that for eight years after the Professor's death, Hachiko used to wait for its master at the  Shibuya station, till its death in real life in 1935. Click here for the Hachiko's real life story and pics ...

A similar story is unfolding in Kerala. This is the story of Malu (Malikapurathu - how women who visit Sabarimala are called), the dog which accompanied Naveeen from Beypore in North Kerala to Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta. Naveen as a form of offering offered to walk all the 600 km from his house to the shrine of Ayyappa at Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta dist in Kerala.

Malu taking a quick nap ..

The 600 km journey which started on the 9 th of December when Malu started accompanying Naveen lasted till Dec 23, when after the darshan Naveen took his faithful friend in a KSRTC bus back to Beypore.

Malu used to either walk in front or behind its master. All during the 600 km walk, Naveen fed the dog only water and biscuits and Malu was too happy, it was also taking fast to be able to see Lord Ayyappan.. The only time during this period when Malu left Naveen's side was when Naveen was having darshan of the deity Ayyappa.

For 36 hours during the darshan time malu was separated from Naveeen and later they were united.

Now they are friends for life !

I am Malu, where's my master gone ?

There is something in this world which is beyond human comprehension. It is said that during the journey every day Naveen starts his walk at 3 AM and Malu would very regularly wake him up during that time.

Why did the dog get close to the person ?   Not for a day or 2 kms, but for 600 kms and almost 2 weeks ?

Is animal intelligence at a much higher level than human intelligence ?

george. (photo courtesy Indian Express and the Huffington Post)

P Kunhikrishnan, ISRO, honoured by JNTU, Anantapur.

 Jawaharlal Nehru,
India's first PM and freedom fighter
(Trinity College, Cambridge)
Philosopher, writer and global statesman

The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, (JNTU) campus Anantapur, Andhra (established in 1945) was all neatly and brightly decorated on 28 Dec 2016  on the occasion of their eighth convocation. On this occasion they were conferring an honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy (honoris causa) on my classmate from CET, Govt. College of Engineering Trivandrum (established in 1939), '86 batch, P. Kunhikrishnan. I was fortunate to be there on the occasion ..

Shri. P. Kunhikrishnan, Director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta, Andhra was the Chief Guest at the eighth convocation of JNTU  Ananthapur.

After escorting the Chief Guest in conventional robes during the customary convocation march, the Vice Chancellor gave permission to the Registrar to start the proceedings for the day. After reading the citation of the award of honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy to Shri. Kunhikrishnan, the Vice Chancellor conferred it honoris causa to Shri. Kunhikrishnan for his great service in promoting the development of space science and technology in the country.. The University Vice Chancellor also conferred degrees on the passing out PhD scholars and felicitated the toppers among the Post Graduate and graduate students with gold medals.

P. Kunhikrishnan

In the return speech by the Chief Guest, commonly referred to as the Convocation Address, Shri. Kunhikrishnan exhorted the student and teaching community to move beyond their confines of duty and work for the development of the country. He recalled initially itself the great contributions ISRO has been doing for the growth of space technology in the country and mentioned how India over the years has come a long way since 1962, to be the sixth nation in the world with totally indigenous capability to build and launch a large class of satellites to space.

He was gratefully remembering how working as the Mission Director for the PSLV C25 rocket  launch, India sent the Mars Orbiter Mission of ISRO, Mangalyaan, over a year long mission starting in 2013. After completing more than 600 million km through interplanetary space in the solar system orbiting the sun, after almost a ten month journey, Mangalyaan was very accurately ejected into the Martian orbit in the very first attempt and India was the first country ever in the world to achieve that feat.

He also spoke of how the work of his predecessors over the past many years has helped ISRO become a pioneer among global space powers. The experience and excellence of his predecessors has seen ISRO take its glorious journey starting in 1974 with satellite Aryabhatta, to the latest and modern NAVIC satellites to assist navigation. All these satellites were launched from the two launch pads of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikotta.

Citation of the award of honorary doctorate being read out

He recalled how he finds great pleasure in interacting with youngsters and giving them responsibilities and challenges to see them flourish and prosper in life. He stressed on the need to inculcate and nourish the spirit of teamwork among the student community. He spoke highly on how team work among the ISRO fraternity and the supporting and collaborating industries across the country over the past many years made the various ISRO missions a roaring success.

The Vice Chancellor awarding the hon. degree of  
Doctor of Philosophy to P. Kunhikrishnan (2nd from R) ..

He also mentioned of the need to inculcate the values of hard work and perseverance among the student community and exhorted them through interesting quotes never to get discouraged with failures in life. Failures were indeed, the stepping stones to success.

The convocation was very well attended by the student and faculty community of the University, the highlight no doubt, was the convocation speech delivered by Shri Kunhikrishnan.

The function came to a close with the national anthem.  Analysing the Convocation Address, one very striking observation was the efforts in acknowledging the earlier stellar work done by all the predecessors in indigenising space technology in the country.

Kunhikrishnan delivering the convocation address..

Be it starting with Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership and vision in inviting Vikram Sarabhai to set up the Indian Space Programme (INCOSPAR) from the ruins of a church in Thumba, near Trivandrum in 1962 or Dr Abdul Kalam's commitment to launch the first sounding rockets, the predecessors to the present day high capacity rockets which can take payloads of upto 2.4 Tonnes to geostationary orbits in space, progress has been gradual, firm and exemplary ! 

We are reminded of a great quote attributed to Sir Issac Newton, one of the greatest modern day scientists.

If I have seen further than  others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants - Sir Issac Newton

This acknowledgement of earlier contributions by Scientists and Technologists is a part of ISRO's culture and continues to be the guiding light for its present day leaders to take it to great and soaring heights in the coming years.

Indians will forever be indebted to the ISRO fraternity for bringing competitiveness by focusing on fusing innovative concepts of low costs and high reliability of operations, and giving outstanding leadership to the world in the high-tech space technology area.

May ISRO continue to grow and explore the deeper confines of space for the development and benefit of mankind and in the process give extraordinary, impeccable and outstanding leadership to the world.

Kunhikrishnan is also an accomplished flutist. Click here for his performance at the 50 th lauch celebrations at Srikarikotta ..

george..

The 50 most positive one-liners ... ..

50 most positive one liners...

A great post I got...

Worthy of reading again & again... And saving it up for reading on a daily basis...

1. Have a firm handshake.

2. Look people in the eye.

3. Sing in the shower.

4. Own a great stereo system.

5. If in a fight, hit first, and hit hard.

6. Keep secrets.

7. Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.

8. Always accept an outstretched hand.

9. Be brave. Even if you are not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.

10. Whistle.

11. Avoid sarcastic remarks.

12. Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 per cent of all your happiness or misery.

13. Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.

14. Lend only those books you never care to see again.

15. Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have.

16. When playing games with children, let them win.

17. Give people a second chance, always.

18. Be romantic.

19. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

20. Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.

21. Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for our convenience, not the caller's.

22. Be a good loser for your 

loved ones.

23. Be a good winner of

Hearts.

24. Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.

25. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.

26. Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.

27. Keep it simple.

28. Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.

29. Don't burn bridges. You will be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.

30. Live your life so that your epitaph could read: "No Regrets!".

31. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you will regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.

32. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.

33. Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.

34. Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.

35. Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.

36. Begin each day with some of your favourite music.

37. Once in a while, take the scenic route.

38. Forgive quickly. Life is short.

39. Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.

40. Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 AM.

41. Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.

42. Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.

43. Make someone's day by encouraging them.

44. Become someone's hero.

45. Marry only for love.

46. Count your blessings.

47. Compliment the meal when you are a guest in someone's home.

48. Wave at the children on a school bus.

49. Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.

50. Don't expect life to be fair...

(From the Internet ..)

Season's greetings - wish you all a wonderful 2017 well ahead of time!💕

Sensible advice to married couples by Michelle Obama.

A post by Michelle Obama, unconfirmed.   Every couple should read....

HARDCORE TRUTH ABOUT MARRIAGE!!

Harvard graduate Michelle

1. There is nothing that threatens the security of a wife than the thought of another woman competing for the attention and affection of her husband. Nothing is more painful. Nothing is more disrespecting. Nothing is more insulting. Nothing is more belittling and degrading.

2. Marriage flourishes when the couple works together as a team; when both husband and wife decide that winning together is more important than keeping score.

Good marriages don't just happen. They are a product of hard work.

3. Your children are watching you and forming lasting opinions on love, commitment, and marriage based on what they see in you. Give them hope. Make them look forward to marriage.

4. Husbands: The reason why other women look attractive is because someone is taking good care of them. Grass is always green where it is watered. Instead of drooling over the green grass on the other side of the fence, work on yours and water it regularly. Any man can admire a beautiful woman, but it takes a true gentleman to make his woman admirable and beautiful.

5. When a husband puts his wife first above everyone and everything except God, it gives his wife the sense of security and honor that every wife hungers for.

6. A successful marriage doesn't require a big house, a prefect spouse, a million dollars or an expensive car. You can have all the above and still have a miserable marriage. A successful marriage requires honesty, undying commitment and selfless love at the center of it all.

7. Pray for your spouse every day; in the morning, in the afternoon and at evening. Don't wait until there is a problem. Don't wait until there is an affair. Don't wait until something bad happens. Don't wait until your spouse is tempted. Shield your spouse with prayer and cover your marriage with the fence of prayer.

8. The people you surround yourself with have a lot of influence on your marriage. Friends can build or break your marriage; choose them wisely.

9. One spouse cannot build a marriage alone when the other spouse is committed to destroying it. Marriage works when both husband and wife work together as a team to build their marriage.

10. Don't take your spouse for granted. Don't take advantage of your spouse's meekness and goodness. Don't mistake your spouse's loyalty for desperation. Don't misuse or abuse your spouse's trust. You may end up regretting after losing someone that meant so much to you.

11. Beware of marital advice from single people. Regardless of how sincere their advice may sound, most of it is theoretical and not derived from real life experiences. If you really need Godly advice, seek it from God-fearing, impartial and prayerful mature couples whose resolve has been tested by time and shaped by trials.

12. Dear couple, Don't underestimate the power of the tongue on your marriage. The tongue has the power to crush your marriage or build it up. Don't let the Devil use your tongue to kill your spouse's image, self-confidence and aspirations. use your tongue to build up your marriage and bless and praise your spouse.

Why is US coming to India for launching its own micro-satellites ?

Launching satellites is a prestige issue for any country. ISRO launched a couple of satellites for Singapore last year, a flamboyant small economy with no democracy and a weak technology power and will be forever indebted to India for handholding it to space.

When during the latter half of January 2017, India launches 104 satellites into space aboard its versatile Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) little would the world be knowing that 96 of these satellites are being launched for the second space power in the world, the 240 year old nascent country, the new kid in town, the United States of America.

US companies, would be the last to go elsewhere for launching satellites if they find US satellite launch costs are lower than any of the competitors. But why is it that over the years US has lost the competitive egde ?

Even though US was a space power initially, second only to USSR, its loosening grip over competitiveness in science and technology in relation to higher costs of launch and operation in the space technology area is very much evident in the fact that US launches are more costly than that of India. For reasons best known to itself, NASA and US would never be ready and willing to accept their great cost disadvantage till they are forced to call off their Space program like the earlier over bloated Apollo and Space Shuttle missions.. US exploring Mars is very innovative and the world is looking to US to start permanent stations on Mars in the near future ..

While the US govt may insist on national pride and vehicles of NASA to carry satellites / payload to space, the more cost-conscious and low-cost oriented private companies in the data processing domain, out to venture to space to efficiently control their communication and remote sensing capabilities are turning their back to NASA and accepting ISRO as a reliable partner in their strides to space.  The private player Elon Musk's Space Exploration Corp (Space-X) is also an expensive competitor to ISRO now .. But SpaceX has been laden with problem after problem at launch as in September '16, their launch which was a great failure.

NASA which has totally failed in controlling its costs, has lost its competitiveness and is dependent on private companies to hold aloft the US advantage and to keep costs low. It is just a matter of time before US, who have even faked the Apollo Lunar landings in 1969, finds its cheap games and gimmicks played on the people of the world exposed ..

After almost 35 successful fault-less launches of ISRO, India has a lot to teach and learn from US, China and Europe on how to still lower costs in space missions. It is not just the wage differential as US claims, it is also the innovative mindset of the scientific establishment in the country and the very superior intelligent workforce ..

China National Space Administration, hq in Beijing, estd 1993

The otherwise low-cost and low-technology destination of China is dumbstruck on how India has beaten them high and dry on costs in high tech space expeditions and in reaching the deep confines of space which China can never dream of in the near future ..

It would do an ocean of good for China if it realises that research, technology and high tech development cannot be dictated by individuals or any single political party, it is decided by the combined willpower and aspirations of a new generation of individuals and intelligent forward looking, peace loving, mutually respectful citizens ..

george..

Amazed by Google maps !!

Although most of us have been to all major cities in India and important two tier cities, the one city that has always given us jitters continues to be Bangalore.

Once a fear and aversion for city car travel creeps in after a couple of unsavory incidents on the road, people usually reduce social outings very much and greatly enjoy public transport, Ola or even autos to reach  destinations faster and efficiently with less of carbon footprint.

Even then at times, one needs to take private transport for emergencies, and one such action was a visit to the passport office on Lalbagh road in Bangalore, India.

Google Maps service to reducing our Carbon footprint is great !

The morning traffic is such unpredictable in Bangalore, suddenly you find traffic in droves comes from nowhere and sometimes, surprisingly the traffic is less.

It is here that Google maps uses technology mediation and intervention, the power of satellite communication, Internet and Big Data Analytics (high volume data / Information processing) to the greatest extent.

Google maps, using the US Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, is a great app that not only advises us the best route to take, it also tells the distance to the destination and the time to the nearest minute in which one can reach the destination.

Even though I believe in technology interventions, there are lots of  unpredictability or randomness in our daily lives given the ill-structured and poorly maintained public infrastructure in a developing country like India.

But for Google, taking the vast data inputs from other vehicle drivers like me in Bangalore (and likewise from around the world) and simultaneously processing it to give updates not only on the dimension of distance, but also on time, is indeed incredible. The advanced data analytics algorithms used by Google are far superior (I doubt whether there are competitors to Google in this maps application in public domain) and highly user friendly.

One of the most useful and most used Google apps

Over the past six years, Google maps app on the smartphone has become very useful and valuable not only to private drivers like me but to other taxi apps like Ola and Uber in Bangalore

I have personally seen many Ola drivers use Google maps for real-time guidance while covering less familiar routes or during peak rush hour traffic conditions in Bangalore. This helps them to take less congested routes and reduce traffic congestion, travel time and finally consume less fuel.

I have personally seen these greatly experienced drivers look for blue coloured "less congested" routes in real time from Google Maps app (an output  of powerful real-time data analytics taking inputs from other drivers using the same route), avoiding red coloured "busy" routes, saving them time, waste of fuel due to idling and slow traffic and finally better profits at the end of the day.

On my enquiry with some of these drivers, I was quite surprised to find how these Ola drivers, on an average make a profit of about Rs 2000/- to Rs 2500/- on a normal day, after taking into account the cost of fuel which varies from about Rs 700- to Rs 1000/- a day. For the public in Bangalore, taking an Ola or Uber is cheaper than maintaining own car as we do not have to bother about parking, defensive driving, accidents, traffic violations, fines etc..

Looking at the bigger picture, Google maps app, is helping not only the individual driver on the roads of the world im prove their livelihood using technology ingtervention, they are helping save time, avoid traffic congestion thereby preventing accidents and finally and more importantly, reduce carbon emissions and societal carbon footprint.

A big salute to Google for proactively interfering to promote sustainability concepts on planet earth !! If Google were to claim for Carbon credits for the Carbon they prevent from being released to the atmosphere from four wheelers across the world, it would come to millions of Carbon credits generated monthly just in India alone, forget the world. Google should do a study and publish this result to convince non-users to start implementing technology solutions to ensure sustainability on planet earth.

As of now Google maps can be downloaded and installed on the smartphone from Google store on the Internet. Some of the smartphones already come with Google maps preloaded. The downloading of maps in areas where Internet access is limited is another boon for Google maps users.

When navigational apps based on the more accurate Indian remote navigation satellites (IRNSS) are released in the near future, the ecosystem is bound to get more livelier and competitive in India .. It is also a great opportunity for innovative applications in the logistics and transportation sector in the country to help boost the efficiency, effectivenness and profitability of this sector.

Explore the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt with Google maps ..

A good explanation of all Google maps facilities from wikipedia ..

A Hindu article on how you can make the most of Google Maps ..

Reading and experiencing the pace and ways in which technology is interfering in logistics and transportation sector in the world through apps like Google maps, innovative growth could be expected in the way humans reach, gather and collate travel, transportation related information in the coming years ..

George ..

Nehru's supreme sense of patriotism ..

Cambridge educated Nehru, the philosopher, the statesman, the adminstrator, has been a much misunderstood personality in Indian history. Maybe it is the freedom to people to raise their opinion without properly analysing and studying the personality and getting away with their opinions, may have contribited to this in a big way. This writing tries to briefly understand Nehru's overtly conscious push to develop indigenous industries in India.

I have a very sincere request to everyone trying to vilify Nehru, please click on this link to understand more of Nehru and to know more about the 9 years of life which he has spent in prison.

I would also request his vocal critics to read anyone of Nehru's 3 classics before vilifying him. Nehru's three classics, Glimpses of World History, an Autobiography and the best of it all, Discovery of India are gems .. The Discovery of India, the best, was written over a period of 5 months in 1945 while Nehru was undergoing his last of the 9 terms and the longest, a 3 year prison term at Ahmednagar Fort prison in Maharashtra from 1943-46.

Seriously contemplating future course of action

Nehru's unrelenting and forced indigenization push after becoming India's first Prime Minister is finally bearing fruits after almost sixty years .. Critics always have other points to point out as to why poverty and poor health standards of the population has not been tackled completely. It is a very valid point in this vast country of ours.

As different from other contemporary national leaders in other countries, Nehru's push was on science, technology and big industry, different from what Gandhiji envisaged for the country. It will be very difficult for others to match to his sense of patriotism and nationalism, while it's all the more easy to vilify him, out of ignorance and petty mindedness ..

Nehru's over-patriotic indigenization push post independence (which got groomed by his imprisonment for over 9 years in jails across India fighting British tyranny) was what gave us our public sector, Navaratnas, prestigious space and nuclear energy programme (which has pushed India to the forefront of science and technology in the world) and the successful white and green revolution.

Dr Homi Bhabha, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. Verghese Kurien and Dr. MS Swaminthathan were Indian stalwarts who were requested by Nehru to help in this indigenisation push. Nehru also pushed the country to produce the best world-class engineers at the IITs and world class managers at the IIMs. The nation can never forget the great vision and foresight he had for his country and where India should be in the twenty first century. True to his vision, India has never belied the expectation of Nehru, India is now on GDP at PPP, the third biggest economy in the world, just behind China at #1 and United States at #2.

Nehru and Gandhi in a lighter vein ..

With our earlier economist PM, the
cordial, unperturbed and deeply knowledgeable Dr. Manmohan Singh taking India from being the #10 global economic power to the #3 position in ten years upto 2014, there is a lot of pressure on the present incumbent party, to perform exceptionally well, or else be kicked out.

The heavy pressure on the present  political leadership is evident in the hastily presented, ill-planned and badly executed, though well intentioned Demonetization drive led by the PM Modi in the country. 

The coming days will be very crucial in deciding whether the high standards of patriotism and nationalism in the country demonstrated by the earlier generation of political leadership will ever be matched in action by the present leaders of the country.

Indians by nature being innately innovative and yearning for peace, will in fact find original and creative methods to overcome the present inconveniences and work together to give leadership and peacefully dominate the world yet again. 

Nehru's peaceful overtures to the Chinese in the beginning of the 60s, though rebuffed initially, is now being paid back by India's economic might and strong democratic credentials with superior technological development which has taken it aeons ahead, especially in space technology..

The present Indian political leadership will also come to know that it is not by flexing muscles, telling lies to the people, show of strength or display of military might but by establishing peace, communal amity and by scientific, technological development that the country with its 1.25 billion people can be taken forward.

You can buy Discovery of India from Amazon India from here.. 

George..