AKHAND-JYOTI

Ayurveda is a system of medicine. It evolved in India several thousands of years ago, i.e., Atharva Veda mentions several diseases and their treatment. In around 7 th century AD, the ayurvedic treatment system was formally organised and several classical books of this system were written. Today, the ayurvedic treatment is practiced by many countrymen. Since, the ayurvedic medicines required for common medical disorders such as cold, cough, stomach pain, etc., can be prepared from household edibles like turmeric, honey, clove, etc., this system is extremely popular in India. However, the ayurvedic treatment can cure the most complex diseases such as hepatitis through various herbs. Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev also popularises the ayurvedic treatment by prescribing several easily available or homemade ayurvedic medicines. The importance of ayurvedic treatment had been emphasised even by allopaths such as late Sir Charles Pardey Lukis (1857 – 22 October 1917), the inaugural editor of the In

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) specialises in the activities related to the renewable energy (RE) in India. In early 1980s, ours was the first country in the whole world to establish a specialised ministry of non-conventional or RE energy resources. The main components of RE in India are wind energy, solar energy, small hydro, industrial co-generation, biomass and waste to energy. In 1990s, Indian wind energy sector was launched with a humble start. However, today it has significantly increased in its overall impact with regards to installed capacity, market size, infrastructure and number of investors. As a result, the domestic policy support for wind power has resulted in India having the fifth largest installed wind power capacity in the world at present. Wind continues to be the mainstay of grid-connected renewable power in India. India is located in such a way that the entire country receives solar radiation throughout the year. This is extremely e

The globally famous National Geographic launched a special edition of Explorer magazines for the Indian schoolchildren. With this project, India has become one of the first countries in the world where the magazine has been launched. The magazine will provide educational resources and new learning solutions to both, teachers and students. US Ambassador to India Kathleen Stephens launched the magazine during the inauguration of National Geographic Learning's Explorer Education Program at the American Centre in New Delhi. Vice President of India Hamid Ansari and Publisher of National Geographic Learning, Francis Downey were present on this occasion. The program includes accessing content through an interactive application, content on its website, large posters, projectable magazine content, monthly magazines and a teacher's guide. There will be four reading levels and seven issues will be published in a calendar year for each level. About 20 to 199 copies of the Explor

One of the NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers, Opportunity, reached the Red Planet on 24 January 2004. The Opportunity rover was built for a three-month mission on Mars, but continues to return valuable scientific data even after 10 years. NASA's Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover search for and characterize a variety of rocks and soils that hold clues to past water activity. Jlly doughnut rock discovered by NASA Mars rover was revealed on 21 January 2014 on the tenth anniversary of the Mars rover’s landing on the planet. The researchers named the rock as Pinnacle Island, which is high in composition of three elements sulfur, magnesium and manganese. Researchers said that the rock was the one of the oddest things on Mars that space experts had ever come across on Mars. The rock is examined and it can be seen as a whitish colour on the outer surface while bearing reddish colour toward its center and looks like sweet desert.

Opportunity, i.e., NASA’s Mars rover, has discovered that Mars had life friendly fresh water in the past. This news was confirmed by the scientists at NASA. The discovery has reinforced the similar discoveries made by Curiosity on the other side of the planet Mars. Opportunity, i.e., Mars rover, had been observing and analyzing water-bearing rocks at the rim of an ancient impact crater called Endeavour. Instead of the chemical fingerprints of acidic, salty water found at previous sites, Opportunity discovered telltale clays called smectites that form in Ph-neutral water. The discovery adds to an emerging picture of a planet Mars on which the first billion years or so warmer were warmer than it is today, with pools of fresh water on its surface. Slowly, water activity declined and what did exist became acidic, scientific findings reveal, and then, beginning about 3 billion years ago, Mars dried up. By studying rocks at various levels, scientists expect to not only have a better

A team of NASA scientists, that also includes a scientist of Indian-origin, has developed Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite. The satellite can predict the severity of droughts worldwide and help farmers to produce the maximum yield. Launched in November 2014, the mission will collect the local data of agricultural and water managers that are needed worldwide. SMAP uses two microwave instruments to monitor the top 2 inches of soil on Earth’s surface. Together, the instruments create soil moisture estimates with a resolution of about 6 miles (9 kilometers), mapping the entire globe every two or three days. The SMAP will enable science and applications users to understand processes that link the terrestrial water, energy and carbon cycles, estimate global water and energy fluxes at the land surface, quantify net carbon flux in boreal landscapes, enhance weather and climate forecast skill, and develop improved flood prediction and drought monitoring capability. SMAP c

In pre-colonial times, goods manufactured in India were not only exported to every nook and corner of the world, but also loved and much appreciated for their durability, quality, and excellence of workmanship. However, with the end of the colonial rule, the manufacturing industry of India faced heightened challenge form imported goods, since by that time, Indian consumers found the imported goods cheaper compared to goods manufactured by Indian workers. Consequently, Indian manufacturers faced unemployment, and the country’s ‘Balance of Trade’ was permanently disoriented. With time, the much cheaper Chinese goods made inroads and further caused destruction of Indian manufacturers. Thus, there emerged an ill-famous practice, i.e., ‘Made in India’ stickers were pasted on the imported goods, which were sold to Indian consumers. Successive governments did less than expected to revitalize the goods manufacturing in the country. However, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has shown cou