1)Which is the longest river in the world ?
Ans:- Nile
2)Which country is called the playground of Europe ?
Ans:-Switzerland
3)What is the capital of Indonesia? Ans:- Jakarta
4)What is the currency of China ?
Ans:- Yuan
5)Which country in the world does not have a rectangular flag? Ans:- Nepal
6)What is the currency of Russia? Ans:- Ruble
7)Which is the largest volcano on Earth?Ans:- Hawaii's Mauna Loa
8)In our Solar system, which planets have rings around them? Ans:- Four of the large outer planets in our solar system have rings around them.
Jupiter - 3 rings
Saturn - has thousands of rings Uranus - 11 rings Neptune - 6 rings
9)What is a Meteor? Ans:- There are pieces of rock orbiting space called Meteoroids. Sometime these meteoroids hit the Earth. When they are falling through the Earth's atmosphere, they burn up.These are called Meteors or Shooting Stars
10)What is the capitol of Canada? Ans:- Ottawa
11)Is Canada bigger than USA?Ans:- Yes Canada is bigger than USA
12)What is the name of the river that falls over Niagara Falls?Ans:- The Niagara River flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It serves as the border between Ontario in Canada and New York State in the USA. The river is about 56 kilometers (35 miles) long and includes Niagara falls along its way
13)Which country has the world’s largest Rainforest?
Ans:-Brazil is the largest country in the continent of South America and has the largest rainforest in the world.
14)Which river runs through this rainforest?
Ans:-Amazon River
15)Which country is the world’s largest gold producer?Ans:-South Africa
16)What is Arachnophobia?
Ans:-The word Arachnophobia comes from the Greek words, ARACHNE, meaning SPIDER, and PHOBOS, meaning FEAR.Some people have an irrational, persistent fear of spiders. It is very difficult for them to overcome this fear.
Tracking
Monday, January 25, 2010
General Knowledge Quiz- Question and Answers
The place known as the Garden of England is - Kent
The tallest tower in the world is the - C.N.Tower,Toronto, Canada
The country famous for its fish catch is - Japan
The old name of Taiwan was - Farmosa
Montreal is situated on the bank of river - Ottawa
The city of Bonn is situated in - Germany
The literal meaning of Renaissance is - Revival
Julius Caesar was killed by - Brutus
The title of Desert Fox was given to - Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
The largest airport in the world is the - King Khalid Int.Airport, Saudi Arabia
The city in Russia which faced an earthquake in the year 1998 was - Armenia
The largest bay in the world is - Hudson Bay,Canada
The largest church in the world is - Bascilica of St.Peter,Vatican City,Rome
The largest peninsula in the world is - Arabia
The largest gulf in the world is - Gulf of Mexico
The tallest statue in the world is the - Motherland,Volgagra d Russia
The largest railway tunnel in the world is the - Oshimzu Tunnel,Japan
The world's loneliest island is the - Tristan da cunda
The word `Quiz'was coined by - Jim Daly Irishman
The original meaning of `Quiz'was - Trick
The busiest shopping centre of London is - Oxford Street
The residence of the Queen in London is - Buckingham Palace
Adolf Hitler was born in - Austria
The country whose National Anthem has only music but no words is - Bahrain
The largest cinema in the world is the - Fox theatre,Detroit, USA
The country where there are no Cinema theatres is - Saudi arabia
The world's tallest office building is the - Sears Tower,Chicago
In the year 1811,Paraguay became independent from - Spain
The cross word puzzle was invented by - Arthur Wynney
The city which was the capital of the ancient Persian Empire was - Persepolis
WHO stands for - World Health Organisation
WHO is located at - Geneva
FAO stands for - Food and Agriculture Organisation
FAO is located at - Rome and London
UNIDO stands for - United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
UNIDO is located at - Vienna
WMO stands for - World Meteorological Organisation
WMO is located at - Geneva
International Civil Aviation Organisation is located at - Montreal
The Angel Falls is located in - Venezuela
The Victoria Falls is located in - Rhodesia
Ice Cream was discovered by - Gerald Tisyum
The number regarded as lucky number in Italy is - Thirteen
Napoleon suffered from alurophobia which means - Fear of cats
The aeroplanes was used in war for the first time by - Italians(14 Oct.1911)
Slavery in America was abolished by - Abraham Lincoln
The Headquarters of textile manufacturing in England is - Manchester
The famous Island located at the mouth of the Hudson river is - Manhattan
The founder of plastic industry was - Leo Hendrik Bakeland
The country where military service is compulsory for women is - Israel
The country which has more than 10,000 golf courses is - USA
The famous painting `Mona Lisa'is displayed at - Louvre museum,Paris
The earlier name for tomato was - Love apple
The tallest tower in the world is the - C.N.Tower,Toronto, Canada
The country famous for its fish catch is - Japan
The old name of Taiwan was - Farmosa
Montreal is situated on the bank of river - Ottawa
The city of Bonn is situated in - Germany
The literal meaning of Renaissance is - Revival
Julius Caesar was killed by - Brutus
The title of Desert Fox was given to - Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
The largest airport in the world is the - King Khalid Int.Airport, Saudi Arabia
The city in Russia which faced an earthquake in the year 1998 was - Armenia
The largest bay in the world is - Hudson Bay,Canada
The largest church in the world is - Bascilica of St.Peter,Vatican City,Rome
The largest peninsula in the world is - Arabia
The largest gulf in the world is - Gulf of Mexico
The tallest statue in the world is the - Motherland,Volgagra d Russia
The largest railway tunnel in the world is the - Oshimzu Tunnel,Japan
The world's loneliest island is the - Tristan da cunda
The word `Quiz'was coined by - Jim Daly Irishman
The original meaning of `Quiz'was - Trick
The busiest shopping centre of London is - Oxford Street
The residence of the Queen in London is - Buckingham Palace
Adolf Hitler was born in - Austria
The country whose National Anthem has only music but no words is - Bahrain
The largest cinema in the world is the - Fox theatre,Detroit, USA
The country where there are no Cinema theatres is - Saudi arabia
The world's tallest office building is the - Sears Tower,Chicago
In the year 1811,Paraguay became independent from - Spain
The cross word puzzle was invented by - Arthur Wynney
The city which was the capital of the ancient Persian Empire was - Persepolis
WHO stands for - World Health Organisation
WHO is located at - Geneva
FAO stands for - Food and Agriculture Organisation
FAO is located at - Rome and London
UNIDO stands for - United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
UNIDO is located at - Vienna
WMO stands for - World Meteorological Organisation
WMO is located at - Geneva
International Civil Aviation Organisation is located at - Montreal
The Angel Falls is located in - Venezuela
The Victoria Falls is located in - Rhodesia
Ice Cream was discovered by - Gerald Tisyum
The number regarded as lucky number in Italy is - Thirteen
Napoleon suffered from alurophobia which means - Fear of cats
The aeroplanes was used in war for the first time by - Italians(14 Oct.1911)
Slavery in America was abolished by - Abraham Lincoln
The Headquarters of textile manufacturing in England is - Manchester
The famous Island located at the mouth of the Hudson river is - Manhattan
The founder of plastic industry was - Leo Hendrik Bakeland
The country where military service is compulsory for women is - Israel
The country which has more than 10,000 golf courses is - USA
The famous painting `Mona Lisa'is displayed at - Louvre museum,Paris
The earlier name for tomato was - Love apple
Amazing Facts
Tuesday is considered as the most productive day of the week.
In human body the right lung takes in more air than the left one.
The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.
Bill gates house was designed using Macintosh computer which is a brand of the microsoft’s rival company.
Almost all varieties of breakfast cereals are made from grass.
In the 1930’s America track star Jesse Owens used to race against horses and dogs to earn a living.
There is a great mushroom in Oregon that is 2,400 years old. It Covers 3.4 square miles of land and is still growing.
Jimmy Carter is the first USA president to have born in hospital.
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
Cleopatra married two of her brothers.
Human birth control pill works on gorillas.
It is illegal to own a red car in shanghai china.
Tru to spin an egg, Its strange that a hard-boiled egg will spin but an uncooked or soft-boiled egg will not.
Astronauts cannot burp in space.
People with blue eyes see better in dark.
The snowiest city in the USA is Blue Canyon, California.
Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua is the only fresh water lake in the world that has sharks.
Kite flying is a professional sport in Thailand.
The gasoline can not freeze no matter how cold the temperature falls.
Human stomach produces a new layer of mucus every two weeks otherwise it will digest itself.
Every person has a unique tongue print.
Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants.
A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it go mad instantly and sting itself to death.
By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can’t sink in quicksand.
Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.
The Polar Bear can can reach 25 miles / hr of speed.
Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.
Chocolate affects a dog’s heart and nervous system. A few ounces will kill a small sized dog.
Most lipsticks contain fish scales.
Courtesy : amazing facts website
In human body the right lung takes in more air than the left one.
The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.
Bill gates house was designed using Macintosh computer which is a brand of the microsoft’s rival company.
Almost all varieties of breakfast cereals are made from grass.
In the 1930’s America track star Jesse Owens used to race against horses and dogs to earn a living.
There is a great mushroom in Oregon that is 2,400 years old. It Covers 3.4 square miles of land and is still growing.
Jimmy Carter is the first USA president to have born in hospital.
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.
Cleopatra married two of her brothers.
Human birth control pill works on gorillas.
It is illegal to own a red car in shanghai china.
Tru to spin an egg, Its strange that a hard-boiled egg will spin but an uncooked or soft-boiled egg will not.
Astronauts cannot burp in space.
People with blue eyes see better in dark.
The snowiest city in the USA is Blue Canyon, California.
Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua is the only fresh water lake in the world that has sharks.
Kite flying is a professional sport in Thailand.
The gasoline can not freeze no matter how cold the temperature falls.
Human stomach produces a new layer of mucus every two weeks otherwise it will digest itself.
Every person has a unique tongue print.
Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants.
A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it go mad instantly and sting itself to death.
By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can’t sink in quicksand.
Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.
The Polar Bear can can reach 25 miles / hr of speed.
Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.
Chocolate affects a dog’s heart and nervous system. A few ounces will kill a small sized dog.
Most lipsticks contain fish scales.
Courtesy : amazing facts website
USA General Knowledge
On 4th July 1776 America declares itself as an independent country
The U.S President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865
According to a theory California State was nbamed by its Spanish settlers after a utopian society described in a popular 16th-century novel called Serged de Esplandian.
The State Georgia named after King George II of England, who charted the colony in 1732.
Louisiana state named after French King Louis XIV.
Washington Named after George Washington.
Wyoming derived from the Algonquin word for “large prairie place”
Rhode Island named by “Roode Eylandt” (Red Island) because of its red clay.
Teaxas word Derived from the Caddo Indian word for “friend,” or “ally.”
North and south Dakota taken from the Sioux word for “friend,” or “ally”.
Virginia and west virginia was Named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, the “virgin” queen, by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584.
Newyork was named after the Duke of York and Albany.
Minnesota was derived from the Sioux word for “sky tinted” or “muddy water”.
New Mexico is the Spanish name for the territory north of the Rio Grande.
Kansas word was taken from the Sioux word for “south wind people,” their name for anyone who lived south of Sioux territory.
Hawaii is an English adaptation of the native word Owyhee, which means “homeland”.
Indiana state was named by English-speaking settlers because the territory was full of Indians.
Kentucky was possibly derived from the Indian word kan-tuk-kee, meaning “dark and bloody ground.” Or kan-tuc-kec, “land of green reeds”, or ken-take, meaning “meadowland”.
Shakespeare invented the word ‘ assassination’ and ‘bump’
The U.S President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865
According to a theory California State was nbamed by its Spanish settlers after a utopian society described in a popular 16th-century novel called Serged de Esplandian.
The State Georgia named after King George II of England, who charted the colony in 1732.
Louisiana state named after French King Louis XIV.
Washington Named after George Washington.
Wyoming derived from the Algonquin word for “large prairie place”
Rhode Island named by “Roode Eylandt” (Red Island) because of its red clay.
Teaxas word Derived from the Caddo Indian word for “friend,” or “ally.”
North and south Dakota taken from the Sioux word for “friend,” or “ally”.
Virginia and west virginia was Named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, the “virgin” queen, by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584.
Newyork was named after the Duke of York and Albany.
Minnesota was derived from the Sioux word for “sky tinted” or “muddy water”.
New Mexico is the Spanish name for the territory north of the Rio Grande.
Kansas word was taken from the Sioux word for “south wind people,” their name for anyone who lived south of Sioux territory.
Hawaii is an English adaptation of the native word Owyhee, which means “homeland”.
Indiana state was named by English-speaking settlers because the territory was full of Indians.
Kentucky was possibly derived from the Indian word kan-tuk-kee, meaning “dark and bloody ground.” Or kan-tuc-kec, “land of green reeds”, or ken-take, meaning “meadowland”.
Shakespeare invented the word ‘ assassination’ and ‘bump’
Indian Presidents
1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad
India’s first president after independence was dr. Rajendra Prasad born on december 3, 1884 in the Saran district of North Bihar. Prasad spent his childhood listening to tales from the Ramayana, and the epic had a profound influence on his life. He was a brilliant student, he studied in the Presidency College, Calcutta, and topped in Master of Arts and Master of Law at the Calcutta University.
He joined the Indian National Congress while practicing Law in Calcutta in 1911. Even though he made his mark as a lawyer, he was deeply influenced by Gandhi, and plunged himself into the freedom struggle. He twice became the president of the Congress in 1934 and 1939.
Prasad emerged as the only choice for presidency after the country became a Republic in 1950. When it came to relinquishing office in 1962, after being the First Citizen of India for 12 long years from January 26, 1950 to May 13, 1962, Dr. Prasad did not bat an eyelid, despite persuasions from all quarters. The nation befittingly awarded him with a Bharat Ratna. He was passed on February 28, 1963.
2. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
The Second President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan born on September 5, 1888 in a middle class Hindu family in Tirutani in the then Madras State. He best known as a philosopher, statesman, writer, educationist, humanist and administrator, despite being orthodox, his parents had a vision for their son and sent him to Christain missionary schools and colleges, such as Lutheran Mission School, Tirupati; Vellore College, Vellore; and Madras Christian College.
He took up Philosophy at the graduation level in Madras University and went on to master the subject. Throughout his glorious career, Radhakrishnan held numerous important academic, cultural and political posts, both in India and abroad, such as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Spaulding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics, Oxford University, Leader of the Indian Delegation to UNESCO, Ambassador-Extraord inary and Minister-Plenipoten tiary to the U.S.S.R., etc.
Dr. Radhakrishnan became the President after Dr. Rajendra Prasad, his presidency period starts from May 13, 1962 to May 13, 1967. His birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s Day throughout India he passed on April 17, 1975.
3. Dr. Zakir Hussain
Third President an educator, Dr. Zakir Hussain was born in Hyderabad on February 8, 1897. He studied at Islam High School, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, and later at the Anglo-Muhammadan Oriental College (now known as Aligarh Muslim University).
He founded the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. He held several posts as Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education, a member of the University Grants Commission and a member of the University Education Commission. Hussain served as the Vice-President from 1962 to 1967 and then went on to grace Rashtrapati Bhavan as the third President. The first President to die while in office on may 3, 1969, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1954 and the Bharat Ratna in 1963.
4. Varahagiri Venkata Giri
Fourth President Varahagiri Venkata Giri was a prolific writer and a good orator, he was born in Berhampur in the Ganjam district(then a part of the Madras Presidency) of Orissa on August 10, 1894.
A Telegu by birth, he went to the University of Dublin, Ireland, for higher studies. He soon got absorbed into the freedom struggle in Ireland. While taking active participation in the freedom movement, Giri joined the Indian National Congress and mobilised the trade unions in support of the freedom struggle. He was elected to the Parliament in 1952. Thereafter, Giri served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore from 1957 to 1967. He became the Vice-President in 1967. Giri had to officiate as President Dr. Zakir Hussain passed away while in office. He was finally elected the President in 1969. Giri received the Bharat Ratna in 1975.
5. Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
The Fifth President Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed man of many abilities, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was born on May 13, 1905 in the Hauz Qazi area of Old Delhi. He received his primary education from Bonda Government High School, Uttar Pradesh, and did his matriculation from the Delhi Government High School, then under the Punjab University. Later, he joined the Catherine College, Cambridge University, and was called to the Bar from Inner Temple of London. Ahmed joined the Indian National Congress in 1931 and took active part in the freedom struggle. He became part of the Central Cabinet after Independence and held important portfolios. He could not complete his term due to a fatal heart attack on February 11, 1977.
6. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
India’s sixth President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was born in the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh on May 18, 1913. After completing his primary education at Theosophical High School at Adyar in Madras, Reddy went to Government’s Arts College at Anantpur for higher studies. He plunged into the freedom movement in 1931, participating in various nationalist activities.
Reddy became the chief minister of the then newly-formed state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, and later from 1962 to 1964. He served in the cabinet of Prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. Twice elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker (1967 and 1977), Reddy became the President in 1977 after winning the elections hands down as an unopposed candidate.
7. Giani Zail Singh
Giani Zail Singh a man of the masses and the only Sikh President of India till date, Zail Singh was born on May 5, 1916 in an agricultural family in village Sandhwan in the then Faridkot State. Hailing from a humble background, Singh showed remarkable acumen in mastering Sikh history and its scriptures. He acquired the epithet of ‘Giani’ because of his scholarly abilities.
After leading the fight against feudalism and participating actively in the freedom movement in Punjab, Singh went on to become the chief minister of the state in 1972. Punjab enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity under his leadership. He became home minister in Indira Gandhi cabinet in 1980, he utilised his administrative skills to solve many problems that stared in the face of the nation. He was elected to the highest office of India in 1982.
8. Ramaswamy Venkataraman
Eighth President, Ramaswamy Venkataraman was born in village Rajamadam in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu on December 4, 1910. He did his Masters in Economics from Madras University and Law from Law College, Madras. As a practicing lawyer, he became involved with the Quit India Movement in 1942.
Venkataraman was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted India`s Constitution. After India became a Republic, he was elected to the Parliament in 1952. He was Governor, International Monetary Fund, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank. He was elected Vice-President of India in 1984 and became the President in 1987.
9. Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
The Ninth President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was born in Bhopal on August 19, 1918, Madhya Pradesh, and studied in St. John’s College, Agra; Allahabad University; Lucknow University; Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University; Lincoln’s Inn, London and Harvard Law School, USA.
He taught Law at Cambridge University in 1946-47. While in Britain, Sharma took active interest in India’s struggle for Independence, and later joined the Indian National Congress. After India became a Republic, Sharma took over as the Chief Minister of Bhopal in 1952 before the state of Madhya Pradesh was formed. He also occupied the posts of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. Sharma was elected the Vice-President in 1987 and eventually the country’s President in 1992. He is credited to have sworn in three prime ministers.
10. Kocheril Raman Narayanan
The tenth president Kocheril Raman Narayanan was a scholar and a writer, Narayanan was born in village Uzhavoor in Kottayam district of Kerala on October 27, 1920. He did his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English Literature from Travancore University, and later went on to study at the London School of Economics.
Narayanan joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1949 and served in Rangoon, Tokyo, London, Canberra and Hanoi. He was India’s Ambassador to Thailand, Turkey, China, and eventually became Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in 1976. He was India’s Ambassador to the United States from 1980 to 1984. Elected to the post of Vice-President in 1992, Narayanan became the President in 1997. He was also the first President to cast his vote in the 1998 General Elections. He passed away on November 9, 2005.
11. Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
One of the most distinguished scientists of India, Abdul Kalam is known as the Missile Man of India. He was born at Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu on October 15, 1931, and studied Aeronautical Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology.
Kalam developed India`s first Satellite Launch Vehicle. He also developed and enabled operationalisation of Agni and Prithvi missiles. It was largely because of his efforts that India became a nuclear weapons country. Befittingly, he has been bestowed with all the three civilian honours of the Nation. The 11th President is also credited with many firsts to his credit. He is the first President to be awarded the Bharat Ratna before he occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan, the first scientist to become the President and the first bachelor to be elected to the highest office of the land. He created history by flying the Sukhoi 30.
12. Smt. Pratibha Patil
The 12th and current president of india, she is the first indian women appointed at the top post of the indian constituency.
India’s first president after independence was dr. Rajendra Prasad born on december 3, 1884 in the Saran district of North Bihar. Prasad spent his childhood listening to tales from the Ramayana, and the epic had a profound influence on his life. He was a brilliant student, he studied in the Presidency College, Calcutta, and topped in Master of Arts and Master of Law at the Calcutta University.
He joined the Indian National Congress while practicing Law in Calcutta in 1911. Even though he made his mark as a lawyer, he was deeply influenced by Gandhi, and plunged himself into the freedom struggle. He twice became the president of the Congress in 1934 and 1939.
Prasad emerged as the only choice for presidency after the country became a Republic in 1950. When it came to relinquishing office in 1962, after being the First Citizen of India for 12 long years from January 26, 1950 to May 13, 1962, Dr. Prasad did not bat an eyelid, despite persuasions from all quarters. The nation befittingly awarded him with a Bharat Ratna. He was passed on February 28, 1963.
2. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
The Second President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan born on September 5, 1888 in a middle class Hindu family in Tirutani in the then Madras State. He best known as a philosopher, statesman, writer, educationist, humanist and administrator, despite being orthodox, his parents had a vision for their son and sent him to Christain missionary schools and colleges, such as Lutheran Mission School, Tirupati; Vellore College, Vellore; and Madras Christian College.
He took up Philosophy at the graduation level in Madras University and went on to master the subject. Throughout his glorious career, Radhakrishnan held numerous important academic, cultural and political posts, both in India and abroad, such as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Spaulding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics, Oxford University, Leader of the Indian Delegation to UNESCO, Ambassador-Extraord inary and Minister-Plenipoten tiary to the U.S.S.R., etc.
Dr. Radhakrishnan became the President after Dr. Rajendra Prasad, his presidency period starts from May 13, 1962 to May 13, 1967. His birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s Day throughout India he passed on April 17, 1975.
3. Dr. Zakir Hussain
Third President an educator, Dr. Zakir Hussain was born in Hyderabad on February 8, 1897. He studied at Islam High School, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, and later at the Anglo-Muhammadan Oriental College (now known as Aligarh Muslim University).
He founded the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. He held several posts as Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education, a member of the University Grants Commission and a member of the University Education Commission. Hussain served as the Vice-President from 1962 to 1967 and then went on to grace Rashtrapati Bhavan as the third President. The first President to die while in office on may 3, 1969, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1954 and the Bharat Ratna in 1963.
4. Varahagiri Venkata Giri
Fourth President Varahagiri Venkata Giri was a prolific writer and a good orator, he was born in Berhampur in the Ganjam district(then a part of the Madras Presidency) of Orissa on August 10, 1894.
A Telegu by birth, he went to the University of Dublin, Ireland, for higher studies. He soon got absorbed into the freedom struggle in Ireland. While taking active participation in the freedom movement, Giri joined the Indian National Congress and mobilised the trade unions in support of the freedom struggle. He was elected to the Parliament in 1952. Thereafter, Giri served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore from 1957 to 1967. He became the Vice-President in 1967. Giri had to officiate as President Dr. Zakir Hussain passed away while in office. He was finally elected the President in 1969. Giri received the Bharat Ratna in 1975.
5. Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
The Fifth President Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed man of many abilities, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was born on May 13, 1905 in the Hauz Qazi area of Old Delhi. He received his primary education from Bonda Government High School, Uttar Pradesh, and did his matriculation from the Delhi Government High School, then under the Punjab University. Later, he joined the Catherine College, Cambridge University, and was called to the Bar from Inner Temple of London. Ahmed joined the Indian National Congress in 1931 and took active part in the freedom struggle. He became part of the Central Cabinet after Independence and held important portfolios. He could not complete his term due to a fatal heart attack on February 11, 1977.
6. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
India’s sixth President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was born in the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh on May 18, 1913. After completing his primary education at Theosophical High School at Adyar in Madras, Reddy went to Government’s Arts College at Anantpur for higher studies. He plunged into the freedom movement in 1931, participating in various nationalist activities.
Reddy became the chief minister of the then newly-formed state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, and later from 1962 to 1964. He served in the cabinet of Prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. Twice elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker (1967 and 1977), Reddy became the President in 1977 after winning the elections hands down as an unopposed candidate.
7. Giani Zail Singh
Giani Zail Singh a man of the masses and the only Sikh President of India till date, Zail Singh was born on May 5, 1916 in an agricultural family in village Sandhwan in the then Faridkot State. Hailing from a humble background, Singh showed remarkable acumen in mastering Sikh history and its scriptures. He acquired the epithet of ‘Giani’ because of his scholarly abilities.
After leading the fight against feudalism and participating actively in the freedom movement in Punjab, Singh went on to become the chief minister of the state in 1972. Punjab enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity under his leadership. He became home minister in Indira Gandhi cabinet in 1980, he utilised his administrative skills to solve many problems that stared in the face of the nation. He was elected to the highest office of India in 1982.
8. Ramaswamy Venkataraman
Eighth President, Ramaswamy Venkataraman was born in village Rajamadam in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu on December 4, 1910. He did his Masters in Economics from Madras University and Law from Law College, Madras. As a practicing lawyer, he became involved with the Quit India Movement in 1942.
Venkataraman was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted India`s Constitution. After India became a Republic, he was elected to the Parliament in 1952. He was Governor, International Monetary Fund, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank. He was elected Vice-President of India in 1984 and became the President in 1987.
9. Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
The Ninth President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was born in Bhopal on August 19, 1918, Madhya Pradesh, and studied in St. John’s College, Agra; Allahabad University; Lucknow University; Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University; Lincoln’s Inn, London and Harvard Law School, USA.
He taught Law at Cambridge University in 1946-47. While in Britain, Sharma took active interest in India’s struggle for Independence, and later joined the Indian National Congress. After India became a Republic, Sharma took over as the Chief Minister of Bhopal in 1952 before the state of Madhya Pradesh was formed. He also occupied the posts of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. Sharma was elected the Vice-President in 1987 and eventually the country’s President in 1992. He is credited to have sworn in three prime ministers.
10. Kocheril Raman Narayanan
The tenth president Kocheril Raman Narayanan was a scholar and a writer, Narayanan was born in village Uzhavoor in Kottayam district of Kerala on October 27, 1920. He did his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English Literature from Travancore University, and later went on to study at the London School of Economics.
Narayanan joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1949 and served in Rangoon, Tokyo, London, Canberra and Hanoi. He was India’s Ambassador to Thailand, Turkey, China, and eventually became Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in 1976. He was India’s Ambassador to the United States from 1980 to 1984. Elected to the post of Vice-President in 1992, Narayanan became the President in 1997. He was also the first President to cast his vote in the 1998 General Elections. He passed away on November 9, 2005.
11. Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
One of the most distinguished scientists of India, Abdul Kalam is known as the Missile Man of India. He was born at Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu on October 15, 1931, and studied Aeronautical Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology.
Kalam developed India`s first Satellite Launch Vehicle. He also developed and enabled operationalisation of Agni and Prithvi missiles. It was largely because of his efforts that India became a nuclear weapons country. Befittingly, he has been bestowed with all the three civilian honours of the Nation. The 11th President is also credited with many firsts to his credit. He is the first President to be awarded the Bharat Ratna before he occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan, the first scientist to become the President and the first bachelor to be elected to the highest office of the land. He created history by flying the Sukhoi 30.
12. Smt. Pratibha Patil
The 12th and current president of india, she is the first indian women appointed at the top post of the indian constituency.
Swami Vivekananda Speech
Swami Vivekananda’s Speech in Chicago which is till date considered as the best speech given on the ococasion of worlds religions meet specially in indian national language.
Sisters and Brothers of America,
It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world;
I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.
My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration.
I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.
I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.
I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.
I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings : “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”
The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita :
“Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.”
Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair.
Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.
Sisters and Brothers of America,
It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world;
I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.
My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration.
I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.
I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.
I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.
I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings : “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”
The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita :
“Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.”
Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair.
Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.
True Facts
The Venezuelan brown bat can detect and dodge individual raindrops in mid-flight, arriving safely back at his cave completely dry.
When immersed in liquid, a dead sparrow will make a sound like a crying baby.
Centuries ago, purchasing real estate often required having one or more limbs amputated in order to prevent the purchaser from running away to avoid repayment of the loan. Hence an expensive purchase was said to cost “an arm and a leg.”
If you put a bee in a film canister for two hours, it will go blind and leave behind its weight in honey.
At the first World Cup championship in Uruguay, 1930, the soccer balls were actually monkey skulls wrapped in paper and leather.
Urine from male cape water buffaloes is so flammable that some tribes use it for lantern fuel.
we can get blood from a stone, but only if contains at least 17 percent bauxite.
Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.
Replying more than 100 times to the same piece of spam e-mail will overwhelm the sender’s system and interfere with their ability to send any more spam.
Scuba divers cannot pass gas at depths of 33 feet or below.
Manatees possess vocal chords which give them the ability to speak like humans, but don’t do so because they have no ears with which to hear the sound.
In the weightlessness of space a frozen pea will explode if it comes in contact with Pepsi.
Smearing a small amount of dog feces on an insect bite will relieve the itching and swelling.
The typewriter was invented by Hungarian immigrant Qwert Yuiop, who left his “signature” on the keyboard.
King Henry VIII slept with a gigantic axe.
Human saliva has a boiling point three times that of regular water.
Until 1978, Camel cigarettes contained minute particles of real camels.
You can actually sharpen the blades on a pencil sharpener by wrapping your pencils in aluminum foil before inserting them.
When Mahatma Gandhi died, an autopsy revealed five gold Krugerrands in his small intestine.
If you part your hair on the right side, you were born to be carnivorous. If you part it on the left, your physical and psychological make-up is of a vegetarian.
The world’s smartest pig, owned by a mathematics teacher in Madison, WI, memorized the multiplication tables up to 12.
The “nine lives” attributed to cats is probably due to their having nine primary whiskers.
Coca-Cola was the favored drink of Pharaoh Ramses. An inscription found in his tomb, when translated, was found to be almost identical to the recipe used today.
Approximately one-sixth of human life is spent on Wednesdays.
When immersed in liquid, a dead sparrow will make a sound like a crying baby.
Centuries ago, purchasing real estate often required having one or more limbs amputated in order to prevent the purchaser from running away to avoid repayment of the loan. Hence an expensive purchase was said to cost “an arm and a leg.”
If you put a bee in a film canister for two hours, it will go blind and leave behind its weight in honey.
At the first World Cup championship in Uruguay, 1930, the soccer balls were actually monkey skulls wrapped in paper and leather.
Urine from male cape water buffaloes is so flammable that some tribes use it for lantern fuel.
we can get blood from a stone, but only if contains at least 17 percent bauxite.
Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.
Replying more than 100 times to the same piece of spam e-mail will overwhelm the sender’s system and interfere with their ability to send any more spam.
Scuba divers cannot pass gas at depths of 33 feet or below.
Manatees possess vocal chords which give them the ability to speak like humans, but don’t do so because they have no ears with which to hear the sound.
In the weightlessness of space a frozen pea will explode if it comes in contact with Pepsi.
Smearing a small amount of dog feces on an insect bite will relieve the itching and swelling.
The typewriter was invented by Hungarian immigrant Qwert Yuiop, who left his “signature” on the keyboard.
King Henry VIII slept with a gigantic axe.
Human saliva has a boiling point three times that of regular water.
Until 1978, Camel cigarettes contained minute particles of real camels.
You can actually sharpen the blades on a pencil sharpener by wrapping your pencils in aluminum foil before inserting them.
When Mahatma Gandhi died, an autopsy revealed five gold Krugerrands in his small intestine.
If you part your hair on the right side, you were born to be carnivorous. If you part it on the left, your physical and psychological make-up is of a vegetarian.
The world’s smartest pig, owned by a mathematics teacher in Madison, WI, memorized the multiplication tables up to 12.
The “nine lives” attributed to cats is probably due to their having nine primary whiskers.
Coca-Cola was the favored drink of Pharaoh Ramses. An inscription found in his tomb, when translated, was found to be almost identical to the recipe used today.
Approximately one-sixth of human life is spent on Wednesdays.
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