Sachin Tendulkar(April 24, 1973) is an Indian cricketer, widely considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He currently holds the records for the most cumulative runs in One-Day Internationals, and the most number of centuries scored in both One-day Internationals and Test cricket. He made his international debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of sixteen, becoming India's youngest Test player. Although primarily a top-order batsman, Tendulkar has often proved to be a useful and effective slow bowler. He received India's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in the year 1997-1998 and the civilian award Padma Shri in 1999. His cricketing and batting abilities are widely regarded as genius by many stalwarts of the game. For instance, Sir Donald Bradman, the Australian great said of Sachin, "He reminds me of myself". He is affectionately known as The Little Master by his adoring fans.
Sachin's Latest World Record
Sachin sets new Test runs record
Oct 17, 2008 Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has become the world record Test runs scorer, surpassing Brian Lara's previous best mark of 11,953. Tendulkar, 35, needed 15 runs to overtake West Indies legend Lara in the standings on the first day of the second Test against Australia in Mohali. And despite being forced to go to tea on 13 not out, the 'Little Master' came out after the interval to hit Australian debutant Peter Siddle's first ball of the session for three runs to spark wild celebrations in the ground. The crowd gave Tendulkar a standing ovation to celebrate his achievement, while a pre-prepared fireworks display was also set off outside. The entire Australian team also stood to applaud the batsman, who received warm handshakes from each member of the opposition lineup. Tendulkar already held the record for Test centuries with 39 in 152 Test matches for India and he is regarded as a living legend in many parts of his homeland - particularly in his native city, Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The batsman's achievement - and brilliance on the big occasion - was almost underlined with a 40th Test century, but it was not to be as he was dismissed on 88 after a catch at slip by Matthew Hayden off the bowling of Sidde. The innings takes Tendulkar's career total to 12,041 – making him the first batsman ever to surpass 12,000 Test runs.
Latest News
Sachin gives tips to Mumbai players
Dec 01, 2008The Mumbai Ranji Trophy team members, gearing up for a crucial Elite Division Group A tie against Hyderabad commencing on Tuesday at the Bandra-Kurla complex ground of the Mumbai Cricket Association, had an unexpected visitor in Sachin Tendulkar at their practice session on Monday. The champion batsman had come to the ground for his training stint at the state-of-the-art gymnasium in the complex and took the opportunity to interact with the Mumbai players. "I did not expect him to be here. Obviously, his presence is an inspiration to our players. He will have something to say to us later on (after the session)," said team captain Wasim Jaffer. Jaffer said in case the two-Test series against England is called off due to the prevailing circumstances, he would try and request both Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan to play Mumbai's last home fixture scheduled at the same venue. "If the Test series is not taking place I would speak to both Sachin and Zaheer to play the game against Punjab (later this month). In fact, it will be good for Indian cricket if all the players are available to play in Ranji Trophy. It will make it more interesting," he said.
Sachin Tendulkar : 2007 News
Sachin Tendulkar Memorabilia
Unframed and Unsigned print - 80cm x 40cm - 22 USD As a tribute to this outstanding feat, we are proud to release a magnificent, full colour print, titled "Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar 35". ". This collage style print contains the details of all of Sachin's 35 Test Centuries, various images taken during his career and also his Record Breaking innings. Unlimited in volume, this piece has been especially created to enable Sachin fans all around the World to be able to own a little piece of this historic achievement. Unsigned and unframed, this print is a very affordable piece of cricket memorabilia. "While every Cricketer dreams of being the best in his time, this boy dreamt a little more - of being the best there ever was. Even as a little boy playing in the park, he was introspective, quiet, critical of every century he scored, every shot he played. At 16, he debuted for India, and is today the only batsman ever to have been compared with Sir Donald Bradman universally, including by Bradman himself
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Indira Gandhi...Iron Lady Of India...
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (इंदिरा प्रियदर्शिनी गांधी )Indirā Priyadarśinī Gāndhī; Nehru; 19 November 1917 - 31 October 1984) was the Prime Minister of the Republic of India for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977 and for a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in 1984, a total of fifteen years. She was India's first and, to date, only female Prime Minister.
In 1999, she was voted the greatest woman of the past 1000 years in a poll carried by BBC news, ahead of other notable women such as Queen Elizabeth I of England Marie Curie and Mother Teresa
Born in the politically influential Nehru dynasty , she grew up in an intensely political atmosphere. Despite the same last name, she was of no relation to the statesman Mohandas Gandhi .Her grandfather, Motilal Nehru ,was a prominent Indian nationalist leader. Her father, Jawaharlal Nehru was a pivotal figure in the Indian independence movement and the first Prime Minister of Independent India. Returning to India from Oxford in 1941, she became involved in the Indian Independence movement
In the 1950s, she served her father unofficially as a personal assistant during his tenure as the first Prime Minister of India After her father's death in 1964, she was appointed as a member of the Rajya Sabha by the President of India and became a member of Lal Bahadur Shastris cabinet as Minister of Information and Broadcasting.[2]
The then Congress Party President K. Kamaraj was instrumental in making Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister after the sudden demise of Shastri. Gandhi soon showed an ability to win elections and outmaneuver opponents through populism .She introduced more left-wing economic policies and promoted agricultural productivity. A decisive victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan was followed by a period of instability that led her to impose a state of emergency in 1975; she paid for the authoritarian excesses of the period with three years in opposition. Returned to office in 1980, she became increasingly involved in an escalating conflict with separatists in Punjab that eventually led to her assassination by her own bodyguards in 1984.
Early life
Growing up in India
Indira Nehru Gandhi, was born on 19 November 1917 to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his young wife Kamala Nehru She was their only child. The Nehru family can trace their ancestry to the Brahmins of Jammu and Kashmir Kashmirand Delhi Indira's grandfather Motilal Nehru was a wealthy barrister of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh .Nehru was one of the most prominent members of the Indian National Congress in pre-times and would go on to author the Nehru Report ,the people's choice for a future Indian system of government as opposed to the British system. Her father Nehru was a well-educated lawyer and was a popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement At the time of Indira's birth, Nehru entered the independence movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi .
Growing up in the sole care of her mother, who was sick and alienated from the Nehru household, Indira developed strong protective instincts and a loner personality. Her grandfather and father continually being enmeshed in national politics also made mixing with her peers difficult. She had conflicts with her father's sisters, including Vijayalakshmi Pandit and these continued into the political world.
Indira created the Vanara Sena movement for young girls and boys which played a small but notable role in the Indian Independence Movement conducting protests and flag marches, as well as helping Congress politicians circulate sensitive publications and banned materials. In an often-told story, she smuggled out from her father's police-watched house an important document in her schoolbag that outlined plans for a major revolutionary initiative in the early 1930s.
Studying in Europe
In 1936, her mother, Kamala Nehru, finally succumbed to tuberculosis after a long struggle. Indira was 18 at the time and thus never experienced a stable family life during her childhood. While studying at Somerville College University of Oxford , England, during the late 1930s, she became a member of the radical pro-independence London based India League
In early 1940, Indira spent time in a rest home in Switzerland to recover from chronic lung disease. As she had during her childhood, she maintained her long-distance relationship with her father in the form of long letters. They argued about politics In her years in continental Europe and the UK, she met a young Parsi man active in politics, Feroze Gandhi After returning to India, Feroze Gandhi grew close to the Nehru family, especially to Indira's mother Kamala Nehru and Indira herself. Feroze helped nurse the ailing Kamala too.
Marriage to Feroze Gandhi
When Indira and Feroze returned to India, they were in love and had decided to get married, despite doctors' advice.[6] Indira liked Feroze's openness, sense of humour and self-confidence. Nehru did not like the idea of his daughter marrying so early and sought Mahatma Gandhi's help to dissuade their love relationship. The lady in love was adamant. The inter-religion marriage was controversial and fed newspaper gossip. It was rumored that they had already been married when in London. When the couple returned to India, a Vedic style marriage was also arranged.
Feroze and Indira were both members of the Indian National Congress, and when they took part in the Quit India Movement in 1942, they were both arrested. After independence, Feroze went on to run for election and became a member of parliament from Uttar Pradesh. After the birth of their two sons, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi, the couple lead a separated life due to some conflict, until 1958. Shortly after his re-election, Feroze suffered a heart attack, which dramatically healed their broken marriage. But the love did not last for many years as Feroze died in September 1960.
In 1999, she was voted the greatest woman of the past 1000 years in a poll carried by BBC news, ahead of other notable women such as Queen Elizabeth I of England Marie Curie and Mother Teresa
Born in the politically influential Nehru dynasty , she grew up in an intensely political atmosphere. Despite the same last name, she was of no relation to the statesman Mohandas Gandhi .Her grandfather, Motilal Nehru ,was a prominent Indian nationalist leader. Her father, Jawaharlal Nehru was a pivotal figure in the Indian independence movement and the first Prime Minister of Independent India. Returning to India from Oxford in 1941, she became involved in the Indian Independence movement
In the 1950s, she served her father unofficially as a personal assistant during his tenure as the first Prime Minister of India After her father's death in 1964, she was appointed as a member of the Rajya Sabha by the President of India and became a member of Lal Bahadur Shastris cabinet as Minister of Information and Broadcasting.[2]
The then Congress Party President K. Kamaraj was instrumental in making Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister after the sudden demise of Shastri. Gandhi soon showed an ability to win elections and outmaneuver opponents through populism .She introduced more left-wing economic policies and promoted agricultural productivity. A decisive victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan was followed by a period of instability that led her to impose a state of emergency in 1975; she paid for the authoritarian excesses of the period with three years in opposition. Returned to office in 1980, she became increasingly involved in an escalating conflict with separatists in Punjab that eventually led to her assassination by her own bodyguards in 1984.
Early life
Growing up in India
Indira Nehru Gandhi, was born on 19 November 1917 to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his young wife Kamala Nehru She was their only child. The Nehru family can trace their ancestry to the Brahmins of Jammu and Kashmir Kashmirand Delhi Indira's grandfather Motilal Nehru was a wealthy barrister of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh .Nehru was one of the most prominent members of the Indian National Congress in pre-times and would go on to author the Nehru Report ,the people's choice for a future Indian system of government as opposed to the British system. Her father Nehru was a well-educated lawyer and was a popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement At the time of Indira's birth, Nehru entered the independence movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi .
Growing up in the sole care of her mother, who was sick and alienated from the Nehru household, Indira developed strong protective instincts and a loner personality. Her grandfather and father continually being enmeshed in national politics also made mixing with her peers difficult. She had conflicts with her father's sisters, including Vijayalakshmi Pandit and these continued into the political world.
Indira created the Vanara Sena movement for young girls and boys which played a small but notable role in the Indian Independence Movement conducting protests and flag marches, as well as helping Congress politicians circulate sensitive publications and banned materials. In an often-told story, she smuggled out from her father's police-watched house an important document in her schoolbag that outlined plans for a major revolutionary initiative in the early 1930s.
Studying in Europe
In 1936, her mother, Kamala Nehru, finally succumbed to tuberculosis after a long struggle. Indira was 18 at the time and thus never experienced a stable family life during her childhood. While studying at Somerville College University of Oxford , England, during the late 1930s, she became a member of the radical pro-independence London based India League
In early 1940, Indira spent time in a rest home in Switzerland to recover from chronic lung disease. As she had during her childhood, she maintained her long-distance relationship with her father in the form of long letters. They argued about politics In her years in continental Europe and the UK, she met a young Parsi man active in politics, Feroze Gandhi After returning to India, Feroze Gandhi grew close to the Nehru family, especially to Indira's mother Kamala Nehru and Indira herself. Feroze helped nurse the ailing Kamala too.
Marriage to Feroze Gandhi
When Indira and Feroze returned to India, they were in love and had decided to get married, despite doctors' advice.[6] Indira liked Feroze's openness, sense of humour and self-confidence. Nehru did not like the idea of his daughter marrying so early and sought Mahatma Gandhi's help to dissuade their love relationship. The lady in love was adamant. The inter-religion marriage was controversial and fed newspaper gossip. It was rumored that they had already been married when in London. When the couple returned to India, a Vedic style marriage was also arranged.
Feroze and Indira were both members of the Indian National Congress, and when they took part in the Quit India Movement in 1942, they were both arrested. After independence, Feroze went on to run for election and became a member of parliament from Uttar Pradesh. After the birth of their two sons, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi, the couple lead a separated life due to some conflict, until 1958. Shortly after his re-election, Feroze suffered a heart attack, which dramatically healed their broken marriage. But the love did not last for many years as Feroze died in September 1960.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
"INDIAN MIND".....Story
An Indian man walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loanofficer.
He tells the loan officer that he is going to India on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.
The bank officer tells him that the bank will need some form ofsecurity for the loan, so the Indian man hands over the keys to a newFerrariparked on the street in front of the bank. He produces the title and everything checks out. The loan officer agrees to accept the car ascollateral for the loan.The bank's president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at theIndian for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral against a $5,000 loan.An employee of the bank then drives the Ferrari into the bank'sunderground garage and parks it there.Two weeks later, the Indian returns, repays the $5,000 and theinterest, which comes to $15.41.The loan officer says, "Sir, we are very happyto have had your business, and this transaction has worked out verynicely,but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked youout and found that you are a multi millionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow "$5,000"The Indian replies: "Where else in New York City can I park my car fortwo weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return'"Ah, the mind of the Indian...
This is why India is shiningAmazing isnt it?
He tells the loan officer that he is going to India on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.
The bank officer tells him that the bank will need some form ofsecurity for the loan, so the Indian man hands over the keys to a newFerrariparked on the street in front of the bank. He produces the title and everything checks out. The loan officer agrees to accept the car ascollateral for the loan.The bank's president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at theIndian for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral against a $5,000 loan.An employee of the bank then drives the Ferrari into the bank'sunderground garage and parks it there.Two weeks later, the Indian returns, repays the $5,000 and theinterest, which comes to $15.41.The loan officer says, "Sir, we are very happyto have had your business, and this transaction has worked out verynicely,but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked youout and found that you are a multi millionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow "$5,000"The Indian replies: "Where else in New York City can I park my car fortwo weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return'"Ah, the mind of the Indian...
This is why India is shiningAmazing isnt it?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
IGNITED MINDS: THE POWER OF THE NATION
........Small aim is crime
(Address and interaction with the Students Of Delhi Public School, Dimapur .....Dr.A.P.J.Kalam)
Save or better someone life
While talking about good deeds, I am reminded of the advice given to Mahatma Gandhiji by his mother. She says,
"Son, in your entire life time, if you can save or better someone's life, your birth as a human being and your life is a success. You have the blessing of the Almighty God".
This advice has made a deep impact in the mind of Gandhiji, which made him to work for the humanity throughout his life.
Together we will Win
Friends, I would like to share with you an inspirational experience, which I came across. At a Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 mtr race. At the starting signal, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, others except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them. One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better" Then all nine linked their arms together and walked together and finally reached the destination. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. I would say that, you do not have to slow down. Rather by helping difficult areas, the feed back will make you go faster. If you pass this on, we may be able to change our hearts as well as someone else's. "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle".
Indomitable Spirit
I was reading a book called “Everyday Greatness”. I would like to share one event which is essential component of our development today. Today, what we need is a leadership with compassion. Let me narrate one experience which happened in Mexico.
A riot was raging in La Mesa Prison in Mexico. Twenty five hundred prisoners were packed into a compound, which had been built for only six hundred. They angrily hurled broken bottles at the police who fired back with machine guns. Then came a startling sight. A tiny five feet two inches, sixty three year old woman, calmly got into the crowd, with outstretched hands, in a simple gesture of peace. Ignoring the shower of bullets, she stood quietly and asked every one to stop. Incredibly every one did. No one else in the world, but sister Antonia could have done this. Why did the people listen to her? All because of her decades of service to the prisoners by her choice. She sacrificed all her life for the sake of prisoners lived in the midst of murderers, thieves and drug lords all of whom she called her sons. She attended their needs round the clock, procured antibiotics, distributed eyeglasses, washed bodies for the burial and counseled the suicidal. This selfless act of love and compassion generated the respect among the prisoners to control themselves and urged them to do what she wanted them to do. What a great message for humanity? We have seen a leader with compassion is there for even prisoners, but we need leaders with compassion for the voiceless people of millions in the world.
Conclusion:
Now I would like to administer an oath for the youth since the planet Earth is facing many conflicts both natural and man-made. As a youth, all of you have a responsibility to work for universal harmony by ironing out all the causes of conflicts. Are you ready to repeat with me?
(Address and interaction with the Students Of Delhi Public School, Dimapur .....Dr.A.P.J.Kalam)
Save or better someone life
While talking about good deeds, I am reminded of the advice given to Mahatma Gandhiji by his mother. She says,
"Son, in your entire life time, if you can save or better someone's life, your birth as a human being and your life is a success. You have the blessing of the Almighty God".
This advice has made a deep impact in the mind of Gandhiji, which made him to work for the humanity throughout his life.
Together we will Win
Friends, I would like to share with you an inspirational experience, which I came across. At a Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 mtr race. At the starting signal, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, others except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them. One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better" Then all nine linked their arms together and walked together and finally reached the destination. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. I would say that, you do not have to slow down. Rather by helping difficult areas, the feed back will make you go faster. If you pass this on, we may be able to change our hearts as well as someone else's. "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle".
Indomitable Spirit
I was reading a book called “Everyday Greatness”. I would like to share one event which is essential component of our development today. Today, what we need is a leadership with compassion. Let me narrate one experience which happened in Mexico.
A riot was raging in La Mesa Prison in Mexico. Twenty five hundred prisoners were packed into a compound, which had been built for only six hundred. They angrily hurled broken bottles at the police who fired back with machine guns. Then came a startling sight. A tiny five feet two inches, sixty three year old woman, calmly got into the crowd, with outstretched hands, in a simple gesture of peace. Ignoring the shower of bullets, she stood quietly and asked every one to stop. Incredibly every one did. No one else in the world, but sister Antonia could have done this. Why did the people listen to her? All because of her decades of service to the prisoners by her choice. She sacrificed all her life for the sake of prisoners lived in the midst of murderers, thieves and drug lords all of whom she called her sons. She attended their needs round the clock, procured antibiotics, distributed eyeglasses, washed bodies for the burial and counseled the suicidal. This selfless act of love and compassion generated the respect among the prisoners to control themselves and urged them to do what she wanted them to do. What a great message for humanity? We have seen a leader with compassion is there for even prisoners, but we need leaders with compassion for the voiceless people of millions in the world.
Conclusion:
Now I would like to administer an oath for the youth since the planet Earth is facing many conflicts both natural and man-made. As a youth, all of you have a responsibility to work for universal harmony by ironing out all the causes of conflicts. Are you ready to repeat with me?
It does not matter who you are ....Knowledge makes you great
......Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam......
(This is a Speech at 16th National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC), Dimapur, Nagaland...)
I would like to assert that “No youth today need to fear about the future”. How? The ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, under the earth and above the earth. If you have an aim in life, continuously acquire the knowledge, work hard with confidence to win and have the confidence to defeat problems and succeed with righteous heart, you will definitely succeed in all your missions. It does not matter who you are.
Today, I would like to talk about the life of three great scientific minds that have made a difference to the society. You will see what type of challenges they had to face during their childhood, what type of life they were blessed with, their struggle and how they achieved their goal and the inspiring story behind their lives. Hence, I will be discussing on the topic “It does not matter who you are”.
Birth of Creativity in a difficult situation
Mario Capecchi had a difficult and challenging childhood when his mother was imprisoned during to World War II. He began four years of wandering when he was four and a half years old. He sometimes lived in the streets, sometimes joining gangs of other homeless children, sometimes living in orphanages and most of the time hungry. He spent the last year in the city of Reggio Emelia, hospitalized for malnutrition that would never be cured, since he, like the other children, was given only one cup of coffee and a small crust of bread every day. He wanted desperately to escape. Scores of beds lined the rooms and corridors of the hospital, one bed touching the next. No sheets, no blankets. That was where his mother found him on his ninth birthday after a year of searching. Within weeks, the Capecchi and his mother sailed to America to join his uncle and aunt. The day after he arrived, his uncle and aunt sent him to the third grade, although he'd never before been to school. Nor did he speak English. Capecchi became very active in sports, playing on four varsity teams: football, baseball, soccer and wrestling, where he was team captain. Capecchi says that sports are important from a psychological point of view which enables you to learn about human psychology, things that you later transfer to relationships: perseverance, pushing yourself beyond certain limits. The sense of social responsibility permeating the atmosphere at school also influenced him. First Capecchi started with political science, but after one political science class, he found there wasn't anything to bite on. He switched to science and math, graduating in 1961 with a double major in Physics and Chemistry. Physics lacked the excitement in his time that Capecchi sensed in a new science being developed: molecular biology. He knew he would switch to molecular biology in graduate school, on the advice of James D Watson. Watson taught him that he should not be bothered about small things, since such pursuits are likely to produce only small answers.
After earning his doctorate in biophysics in 1967, he spent on the Biochemistry faculty at the Harvard School of Medicine, and then his objective was to do gene targeting. The experiments started in 1980, despite NIH's refusal to fund the work. By 1984, Capecchi had clear success. Three years later, he applied the technology to mice. In 1989, he developed the first mice with targeted mutations. The technology created by Doctor Capecchi allows researchers to create specific gene mutations anywhere they choose in the genetic code of a mouse which was considered not worthy of pursuit by National Institute of Health. It may seem like science fiction, but by manipulating gene sequences in this way, researchers are able to mimic human disease conditions on animal subjects. What the research of Mario Capecchi means for human health is nothing short of amazing, his work with mice could lead to cures for Alzheimer’s disease or even Cancer. The innovations in genetics that Mario Capecchi achieved won him the Nobel Prize. What the message? The message here is:
“When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you”
Now let me talk about Srinivasa Ramanujan, a genius well ahead of time.
A genius well ahead of time: Failure did not deter him
Ramanujan, born and raised in Erode, Tamil Nadu, first encountered formal mathematics at the age of ten. He demonstrated a natural ability at mathematics, and was given books on advanced trigonometry by S. L. Loney. He mastered this book by age thirteen, and even discovered theorems of his own. He demonstrated unusual mathematical skills at school, winning many awards. By the age of seventeen, Ramanujan was conducting his own mathematical research on Bernoulli numbers and the Euler–Mascheroni constant. He received a scholarship to study at Government College in Kumbakonam. He failed his non-mathematical coursework, and lost his scholarship. Srinivasa Ramanujan lived only for 33 years and did not have formal higher education or means of living. Yet, his inexhaustible spirit and love for his subject made him contribute to the treasure houses of mathematical research – some of which are still under serious study and engaging all-available world mathematicians’ efforts to establish formal proofs. Ramanujan was a unique Indian genius who could melt the heart of the most hardened and outstanding Cambridge mathematician Prof G H Hardy. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that it was Prof. Hardy who discovered Ramanujan for the world. Professor Hardy rated various geniuses on a scale of 100. While most of the mathematicians got a rating of around 30 with rare exceptions reaching to 60, Ramanujan got a rating of 100. There cannot be any better tribute to either Ramanujan or to Indian heritage. His works cover vast areas including Prime Numbers, Hyper geometric Series, Modular Functions, Elliptic Functions, Mock Theta Functions, even magic squares, apart from serious side works on geometry of ellipses, squaring the circle etc. One of the tributes to Ramanujan says that, ‘every Integer is a personal friend of Ramanujan’. He was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society (F R S) in 1918.
Ramanujan used to say “An equation means nothing to me unless it expresses a thought of God”. For him the understanding of numbers was a process of spiritual revelation and connection. In his investigations into pure mathematics, he drew extraordinary conclusions that mystified his colleagues, but were usually proven, eventually, to be right. He opened a universe of theory that still today is reaping applications. The landscape of the infinite was to Ramanujan a reality of both mathematics and spirit. His love for numbers led Ramanujan to number theory. Despite being affected by chronic health problems, he was breathing Mathematics throughout his short life and his genius was recognized internationally. So friends you saw, how great creative minds, gave problem to the problems to succeed through the instrument of knowledge.
(This is a Speech at 16th National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC), Dimapur, Nagaland...)
I would like to assert that “No youth today need to fear about the future”. How? The ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, under the earth and above the earth. If you have an aim in life, continuously acquire the knowledge, work hard with confidence to win and have the confidence to defeat problems and succeed with righteous heart, you will definitely succeed in all your missions. It does not matter who you are.
Today, I would like to talk about the life of three great scientific minds that have made a difference to the society. You will see what type of challenges they had to face during their childhood, what type of life they were blessed with, their struggle and how they achieved their goal and the inspiring story behind their lives. Hence, I will be discussing on the topic “It does not matter who you are”.
Birth of Creativity in a difficult situation
Mario Capecchi had a difficult and challenging childhood when his mother was imprisoned during to World War II. He began four years of wandering when he was four and a half years old. He sometimes lived in the streets, sometimes joining gangs of other homeless children, sometimes living in orphanages and most of the time hungry. He spent the last year in the city of Reggio Emelia, hospitalized for malnutrition that would never be cured, since he, like the other children, was given only one cup of coffee and a small crust of bread every day. He wanted desperately to escape. Scores of beds lined the rooms and corridors of the hospital, one bed touching the next. No sheets, no blankets. That was where his mother found him on his ninth birthday after a year of searching. Within weeks, the Capecchi and his mother sailed to America to join his uncle and aunt. The day after he arrived, his uncle and aunt sent him to the third grade, although he'd never before been to school. Nor did he speak English. Capecchi became very active in sports, playing on four varsity teams: football, baseball, soccer and wrestling, where he was team captain. Capecchi says that sports are important from a psychological point of view which enables you to learn about human psychology, things that you later transfer to relationships: perseverance, pushing yourself beyond certain limits. The sense of social responsibility permeating the atmosphere at school also influenced him. First Capecchi started with political science, but after one political science class, he found there wasn't anything to bite on. He switched to science and math, graduating in 1961 with a double major in Physics and Chemistry. Physics lacked the excitement in his time that Capecchi sensed in a new science being developed: molecular biology. He knew he would switch to molecular biology in graduate school, on the advice of James D Watson. Watson taught him that he should not be bothered about small things, since such pursuits are likely to produce only small answers.
After earning his doctorate in biophysics in 1967, he spent on the Biochemistry faculty at the Harvard School of Medicine, and then his objective was to do gene targeting. The experiments started in 1980, despite NIH's refusal to fund the work. By 1984, Capecchi had clear success. Three years later, he applied the technology to mice. In 1989, he developed the first mice with targeted mutations. The technology created by Doctor Capecchi allows researchers to create specific gene mutations anywhere they choose in the genetic code of a mouse which was considered not worthy of pursuit by National Institute of Health. It may seem like science fiction, but by manipulating gene sequences in this way, researchers are able to mimic human disease conditions on animal subjects. What the research of Mario Capecchi means for human health is nothing short of amazing, his work with mice could lead to cures for Alzheimer’s disease or even Cancer. The innovations in genetics that Mario Capecchi achieved won him the Nobel Prize. What the message? The message here is:
“When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you”
Now let me talk about Srinivasa Ramanujan, a genius well ahead of time.
A genius well ahead of time: Failure did not deter him
Ramanujan, born and raised in Erode, Tamil Nadu, first encountered formal mathematics at the age of ten. He demonstrated a natural ability at mathematics, and was given books on advanced trigonometry by S. L. Loney. He mastered this book by age thirteen, and even discovered theorems of his own. He demonstrated unusual mathematical skills at school, winning many awards. By the age of seventeen, Ramanujan was conducting his own mathematical research on Bernoulli numbers and the Euler–Mascheroni constant. He received a scholarship to study at Government College in Kumbakonam. He failed his non-mathematical coursework, and lost his scholarship. Srinivasa Ramanujan lived only for 33 years and did not have formal higher education or means of living. Yet, his inexhaustible spirit and love for his subject made him contribute to the treasure houses of mathematical research – some of which are still under serious study and engaging all-available world mathematicians’ efforts to establish formal proofs. Ramanujan was a unique Indian genius who could melt the heart of the most hardened and outstanding Cambridge mathematician Prof G H Hardy. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that it was Prof. Hardy who discovered Ramanujan for the world. Professor Hardy rated various geniuses on a scale of 100. While most of the mathematicians got a rating of around 30 with rare exceptions reaching to 60, Ramanujan got a rating of 100. There cannot be any better tribute to either Ramanujan or to Indian heritage. His works cover vast areas including Prime Numbers, Hyper geometric Series, Modular Functions, Elliptic Functions, Mock Theta Functions, even magic squares, apart from serious side works on geometry of ellipses, squaring the circle etc. One of the tributes to Ramanujan says that, ‘every Integer is a personal friend of Ramanujan’. He was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society (F R S) in 1918.
Ramanujan used to say “An equation means nothing to me unless it expresses a thought of God”. For him the understanding of numbers was a process of spiritual revelation and connection. In his investigations into pure mathematics, he drew extraordinary conclusions that mystified his colleagues, but were usually proven, eventually, to be right. He opened a universe of theory that still today is reaping applications. The landscape of the infinite was to Ramanujan a reality of both mathematics and spirit. His love for numbers led Ramanujan to number theory. Despite being affected by chronic health problems, he was breathing Mathematics throughout his short life and his genius was recognized internationally. So friends you saw, how great creative minds, gave problem to the problems to succeed through the instrument of knowledge.
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