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Top 10 Best Places to Visit in India...Look It

2012-01-29T03:25:00.000-08:00

India – People across the globe talk about this land of “Unity in Diversity” for many things like travel, food, people, and economy etc. India is a home for more than a billion people, an absolute blend of numerous cultures. From heaps of sacred places, serene temples to spirited festivals, magnificent beaches, frosty & snow laid mountains, lantern-lit villages to superlative cities. Love it or hate it, this incredible country has got everything to leave an impression on you and make your trip a memorable one. No matter where you visit, every place in India has got something unique to offer to its travelers. Since we keep on hopping from place to place, we have put to together some of the best places to visit in India. So grab some popcorn and read on

1. Kashmir- The Paradise on Earth

Beautiful Kashmir

After visiting Kashmir, people often struggle to describe it since adjectives like, beautiful and awesome don’t seem to do it any justice. For lack of a better superlative, Kashmir is generally described as Heaven or paradise on Earth. Kashmir is at the peak of the map of India and is surrounded by the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range. The valley’s beauty is enhanced by the truly spell bounding lakes, fresh water streams, delicious apple orchards, mighty ice capped mountains and lush meadows. Adding some spectacular views, Lush green surroundings, fresh non polluted mountain air and scenic landscapes makes Kashmir one of the best places to visit in India.

Also if you are an adventure junkie, Kashmir has its share of adrenaline pumping activities like Water Rafting, Trekking, Winter Sports, Wetlands, Wildlife, etc.

All in all, Kashmir has something for everyone. So be it Adventure fanatics, spirituality or just holiday revelers, Kashmir is sure to satisfy everyone. So don’t wait and visit this amazing tourist destination or at least put it on your bucket list

2. Ladakh- The Moon land

Barren but Beautiful Ladakh - Pic by deeptrivia

A close second to Kashmir, there probably is no other place in the world quite like this travel destination. Set high up in the Himalaya’s at 3,000 m (9,800 ft), Ladakh is a plateau in the Indus Valley between the Karakoram mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south. Its altitude ranges from 9000 to 25000 feet.

Ladakh is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and culture. It’s sometimes referred as “Moon land” & “Little Tibet” because of its natural barren beauty landscape and inhabitation by Tibetan people respectively. The main source of water is winter snowfall, this feeds the glaciers from which melt water, carried down by streams, irrigates the fields in summer.

The beautiful road from Ladakh to Tso Mori - Pic by t3rmin4t0r

What makes this tourist destination even more special is that it takes considerable effort to reach it. Sure there is a 45 minute flight but that’s probably as exciting as a trip to your typical shopping mall. To really experience the true essence of Ladakh, we recommend a road trip by car, bike, jeep or bus. Sure the tough mountain roads do take a lot out of you, but nothing quite beats the experience of getting to Ladakh.

Once in Ladakh, make sure you visit the Leh Palace, Tso Mori Lake, and Nubra Valley as well the number of monasteries dotting Ladakh. The sheer beauty of this place, combined with its amazing culture and the breathtaking journey to get there makes this number 2 on the best places to visit in India

3. Goa- God’s heaven on Earth

Another Sunset in Goa- Pic by Arun Katiyar

The common quote “Good things come in small packages” holds true for Goa since in terms of geographical area, Goa is the smallest state in India. However that doesn’t stop it from being the best places to visit in India attracting more than 2 million visitors annually. With its pretty beaches, awesome seafood, vivid nightlife, picturesque churches and water sports, it’s not hard to figure out why.

And the fun does’nt stop just there. Goa has oodles of activities you can indulge in depending on your choice and taste. If you are a bit on the laidback side, then you can just idle away time on popular beaches like Anjuna Beach and Baga Beach or visit some of the awesome churches. If you are looking for your dose of adrenaline, you can indulge in water sports like paragliding, windsurfing, jet skiing and lots more. If food and drink makes your day, try out some of the sumptuous seafood (our pick Goan fish curry!) and the famous Fenny (Goan Liquor) at your disposal.

In the end, Goa is the kind of place that although is located in India, seems like a different country altogether. With a curious mix of national and international cultures, golden sands, never ending parties and having some of the most awesome beaches in India, Goa keeps on throwing up more and more reasons why it’s worth visiting time and again. This makes it number 3 in our list of the best places to visit in India

4. Kerala- God’s own Country

The Calming Kerala Backwaters - Pic by albany_tim

Not including tourist places in south India would not make this list complete. And they don’t come any better than Kerala. Kerala offers a very unique travel experience; it is famous for its natural beauty, amazing white sand beaches, delicious sea food, ayurvedic health resorts, enchanting art forms, magical festivals, cultural monuments and backwaters.

Backwaters which are a chain of lagoons are an integral part of Kerala’s Tourism Scenario and provide a really relaxing experience. Linked by a myriad of manmade and natural canals, they criss cross half of the length of Kerala. The ever popular houseboats navigate this labyrinth giving you amazing views and a sense of calm which rejuvenates your mind and body. Must visit places along these backwaters include Kumarakom (bird sanctuary), Astamudi Lake (largest fresh water lake) and Kannur-Valiyaparambu (scenic beauty).

Kerala is one of the ten ‘Paradises found’ declared by the National Geographic Traveler, for its varied geography and devastating greenery. It is a land much applauded for the contemporary nature of its cultural ethos, and much appreciated for the soothing, revitalizing bliss that it is. It is a perfect destination for holidays, honeymoon, art, culture, tradition, health care, yoga, ayurveda and meditation. Kerala is “God’s own country” indeed and is our number 4 for the best places to visit in India.

5. Rajasthan- The Land of Royals

The mere mention of Rajasthan conjures up images and visions of the Maharajas, Rajputana, Brave and fearless Rajput warriors, Breathtaking Palaces and Forts along with royal hospitality and splendor. If there is one place that can transport you into a bygone era, it has to be Rajasthan.

Decked with monuments covered in history, Rajasthan is home to some of the most stunning places you can see. Be it Jaipur the capital, the famous lakes and palace of Udaipur, the barren but beautiful desserts of Bikaner, the blue hued Jaisalmer or the high hill station Mt Abu, Rajasthan’s bag of surprises are never-ending. Combined with ASI’s amazing preservation work, most of the monuments, forts and palaces of Rajasthan still seem like time capsules where time has stood still.

In case the sheer enormity of places to visit in Rajasthan scares you, just hop on to the Palace on Wheels. Designed with a sharp eye for luxury, the Palace on wheels is a one of a kind train which has superlative interiors, lavish meals, classy wines, and personalized services. Its old world charm combined with modern amenities and excellent comfort are sure to leave you impressed and feeling like a royal Maharaja yourself.

Rajasthan is a place that will give a window to old world charm and a black and white era you must have heard of but never experienced. It’s also a shopper’s delight with textiles in mirror work, embroidery & prints, semi-precious stones and handicrafts like wooden furniture, carpets and blue pottery. Music and culture aficionados will love the highly cultivated classical music and dance unique to Rajasthan. With so many wonderful places to visit in Rajasthan, things to do and the lovely old world charm, this is tourist destination that reminds us that the old days weren’t all that bad after all. This makes it our number 5 for the best places to visit in India

Somnath Temple Gujarat and Gujarat Tourism Khushboo Gujarat Ki

2011-07-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

It has withstood the six-repeated desecration by the Muslim invaders. The very existence of this temple is symbol of reconstructive spirit and cultural unity of our society.

The seventh existing temple is built in the Kailas Mahameru Prasad style. The Iron man of India Sardar Shri Vallabhbhai Patel is the pioneer of the existing temple.

The temple is consisting of Garbhgruh, Sabhamandap and Nrityamandap with a 150 feet high Shikhar.The Kalash at the top of the Shikhar weighs 10 tons and the Dhwajdand is 27 feet tall and 1 foot in circumference. The Abadhit Samudra Marg, Tirsthambh (Arrow) indicates the unobstructed sea route to the South Pole. The nearest land towards South Pole is about 9936 km. away. This is a wonderful indicator of the ancient Indian wisdom of geography and strategic location of the Jyotirling. The temple renovated by Maharani Ahalyabai is adjacent to the main temple complex.

Hari Har Tirthdham is here in Somnath. This is the holy place of Bhagvan Shri Krishna's Neejdham Prasthan Leela. The place where Bhagvan Shri Krishna was hit by an arrow of a poacher is known as Bhalka Tirtha. After being hit by the arrow, Bhagvan Shri Krishna arrived at the holy confluence of Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati and their Sangam with the ocean. He performed his divine Neejdham Prasthan Leela at the sacred and peaceful banks of river Hiran.

The Geetamandir is built here where the divine message of Shrimad Bhagavat Geeta is carved on eighteen marble pillars. Shri Lakshminarayan Mandir is close by. The Balramjiki Gufa is the place from where Bhagvan Shrikrishna's elder brother Balaramji took journey to his nijdham-patal.

Here is the Parshuram Tapobhumi, where Bhagvan Parshuramji carried out penance and he was relieved from the sin of Kshatriya killings. The Pandavas have said to have visited this place and taken holy bath in the Jalprabhas and built five Shiv temples.
Tourist Information:

Photography is prohibited inside the temple, and you must leave your camera at the hut outside.

Other Attractions Near the Somnath Temple:

Veraval Beach : Just about 5 km from the Somnath Temple is this amazing beach, which is great place to relax and refresh your body, mind and soul.

Not very from the Somnath temple is Bakhla Tirth, where Lord Krishna was said to have been struck by the stray arrow of a Bhil tribal. The Present Temple, Kailash Mahameru Prasada is built in the chalukya style of temple architecture and displays the inherent skill of Sompuras, Gujarat's master masons. There is a grey-sand beach outside the temple which is part of the temple's lonely seaside charm.

Ahalyeshwar Mahadev Temple built by Queen Ahalyabai, Gita Mandir, Laxmi Narayan temple, Baldev Gufa, Mahaprabhuji's Bethak, Triveni Sangam, Parshuram Kshetra, SUN Temple, Prachi and Shashibhushan temples are other places of religious significance in and around the Somnath Temple.

Getting There:

Air - The nearest airport from Somnath is Keshod 55 km away and linked to Mumbai. There are regular buses and taxis plying between Keshod and Somnath.

Rail - The nearest railhead is seven km away at Veraval, which is connected by train to Ahmedabad and some other cities in Gujarat.

Road - State transport corporation buses and private coaches run regular service to other cities in the region. Somnath is connected by a good road network to the other nearby places like Veraval 7 km, Mumbai 889 km, Ahmedabad 400 km, Bhavnagar 266 km, Junagarh 85 km, and Porbandar 122 km.
Accommodation

You might not find a major hotel chain near Somnath. For the pilgrims and tourists, there are guesthouses, rest houses and inns etc. Services are simple but reasonable for a comfortable stay. Accommodation options are also available in Veraval.

At least four people were killed when a house collapsed in Ahmedabad due to heavy rain on Sunday

2010-08-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Heavy rain wrecked havoc in the city, leading to traffic snarls on the roads. The normal life thrown out of gear, as water entered the several houses.

Ahmedabad witnessed an average of 10 inches of rain on Saturday. According to the report, the roads have been flooded with 2-3 feet waterlogging.

Meanwhile, several areas are put on alert after release of 15000-cusec water from Vasna dam. State Met Department has predicted heavy rains in the next 24 hours.

The Ahmedabad Airport also inundated due to heavy rain and several flights have been cancelled.

Earlier rains have thrown life out of gear in many parts of the country. Here is a brief account

Delhi

Heavy rain lashed the national capital on July 31 causing sporadic traffic in various areas. The office goers faced problems as traffic snarls and waterlogging reported in Delhi after rains. Heavy rains continued to disturb Delhi on August 6 - flooding in low-lying areas, traffic snarls, uprooting of trees and harried commuters. The total recorded rain for this season till was 315.1 mm

Maharashtra

Continuous rains drench Konkan region of Maharashtra killing 11 people and resulted into massive flood in many region of Maharashtra . The flood has also cut link of about 13 villages from the district headquarters of Mumbai. As incessant rains continued to lash Mumbai and the suburbs, there were two minor incidents of house collapse, one in the city and the other at Kandivli. Heavy rains triggered a landslide in Ghatkopar area in suburban Mumbai on July 31. Half a dozen shanties were buried in the landslide which occurred around 6.20 pm at Milimd Nagar slums.

UP

Continuous rains in many parts of Uttar Pradesh resulted into massive flood in more than 100 villages in the state. More than a dozen villages and hundred of houses washed away. Three people died in rain-related incidents in Kaushambi in Uttar Pradesh.

Chandigarh

Heavy rains on July 31 lashed Chandigarh and its surrounding areas disrupting normal life. Heavy downpour caused flooding of roads leading to traffic jams at several areas in the city, while some low-lying areas were under deep water,

Haryana

The streams flowed above the danger mark in Haryana following heavy rains, which has led to floods in Haryana's Yamunanagar district as nearly 60 villages swamped and hundreds of acres of agricultural land submerged in floodwater.

Bihar

The heavy torrential rains left over 9,000 people homeless in Naxal-hit Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. A bridge on National Highway 43 in Bastar district was submerged after the rains began on August 6, cutting the road connectivity between Raipur and Narayanpur, Bastar, Bijapur and Dantewada.

Rajasthan

Heavy rains claimed two lives in two districts of western Rajasthan. About 15 people were reportedly stuck by a river in Bundi district. The heavy rain also claimed three lives in Ramgarh village in Jaisalmer and two in Aati village of Barmer district.

Orissa

About 300 children were trapped in a school building following flash flood in Navrangpur district of Orissa. Bhaskal River was also swollen, damaging a road link between Umerkote and Dabugam. Heavy rains also disrupt power supply in Umerkote and adjacent areas of the district.

if u need more information u can visit this web site
http://english.samaylive.com/nation/676470770.html

Asia Cup 2010 cricket tournament Schedule and fixture

2010-06-11T02:56:00.000-07:00

The Asian Cricket Council has announced the schedule of 2010 Asia Cup, which will be held in the month of June. As per the Asian Cricket Council, seven ODIs will be played between June 15 and 25 in Sri Lanka

THE ASIAN Cricket Council has announced the schedule of 2010 Asia Cup, which will be held in the month of June. As per the Asian Cricket Council, seven ODIs will be played between June 15 and 25 in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is defending champion of Asia cup. Sri Lanka won the last Asia Cup in 2009 by defeating India, when the tournament was help in Pakistan. Asia cup 2010 will be the 10th Asia Cup tournament.

The Asian Cricket Council and Nimbus Sport International have announced a partnership for Asia Cup cricket event from 2010 to 2014. The five-year deal will include three Asia Cup events which will be marketed globally by Nimbus Sport.

The Asia Cup will be held every alternate year in the years 2010, 2012 and 2014. Each event will feature the teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh playing each other in a league format.

Asia cup 2010 playing countries are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, UAE, Hong Kong and Bangaldesh. Hongkong and UAE are the only non test playing nations in the Asia Cup teams.

As per the rotation policy of Asia cup host nation, India is expected to host the Asia Cup 2010.

Asia Cup Cricket Schedule and Fixtures 2010 :

June 15 14:30 IST : Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Dambulla

June 1614:30 IST : Bangladesh v India at Dambulla

June 17: Reserve Day,

June 18 14:30 IST : Sri Lanka v Bangladesh at Dambulla

June 19 14:30 IST : India v Pakistan at Dambulla

June 20: Reserve Day

June 21 14:30 IST : Bangladesh v Pakistan at Dambulla

June 22 14:30 IST Sri Lanka v India at Dambulla

June 23: Reserve Day

June 24: Final

June 25: Reserve Day

History of Ahmedabad

2010-06-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in 1411 AD, Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, has grown into one of the most important modern cities of India. Straddling the Sabarmati river, this prosperous city of six million is a delight for archeologists, anthropologists, architects, histsorians, sociologists, traders, bargain hunters, and plain tourists.

An exciting combination of traditions and modernism, Ahmedabad captures all visitors with its diversity of places, religious and ethnic communities. It is interesting to see how Indian atmosphere mix with the colonial British influence, how Hinduism, the world's oldest existing religion develops in the globalising world.

Location

Ahmedabad, India is the largest city in the state of Gujarat (there are 28 states, Gujarat is the westernmost one). The city was the capital of the state by 1970 and is now the administrative center of Ahmedabad district. It is the seventh largest agglomeration in India, located at the banks of the river Sabarmati and is also called Amdavad.

Geography

Ahmedabad is Gujarat's largest city and the headquarters of Ahmedabad district . It is located on the banks of the River Sabarmati at an elevation of 55 metres (180 ft ). It has a dry climate. Its highest recorded temperature is 48°C and lowest is 5°C

Time To Visit

There are three major seasons - winter (November- March), summer (April-June) and monsoon (July-October). During the summer the weather is extremely hot (up to 43-47 degrees Celsius) and dry. During the monsoon the climate is humid with average rainfall of 93.2 cm. and often heavy torrential rains cause the river Sabarmati to flood. Considering the temperatures the best time to visit is during the winter (5-20 degrees Celsius).

Coordinates	23.03° N 72.58° E
State	Gujarat
District	Ahmedabad
Altitude	55 metres
Area	8,707 km²
Population ( 2006 )	3,769,846
Density	551/ km²
Codes • Postal • STD • Vehicle	380 0XX 079 GJ-1
Time Zone	IST (+5:30 GMT)

Culture

Ahmedabad enjoys a thriving cultural tradition, being the centre of Gujarati cultural activities and diverse traditions of different ethnic and religious communities. Popular celebrations and observances include Uttarayan — an annual kite-flying day on 14 January. The nine nights of Navratri are celebrated with people performing Garba — the folk dance of Gujarat — at venues across the city. The festival of lights — Deepavali is celebrated with the lighting of lamps in every house, the decorating the floors with the rangoli and the bursting of firecrackers. Other festivals such as Holi, Eid ul-Fitr and Christmas are celebrated with enthusiasm. The annual Rath Yatra procession on the Ashadh-sud-bij date of the Hindu calendar and the procession of Tajia during the Muslim holy month of Muharram are integral parts of the city's culture. The people of Ahmedabad enjoy rich culinary traditions. The most popular form of meal — a typical Gujarati thali (meal) — consists of rotli, dal, rice and Shaak (cooked vegetables, sometimes with curry), with accompaniments of pickles and roasted papads. Popular beverages include buttermilk and tea; sweet dishes include laddoos and mango. There are many restaurants, which serve a wide array of Indian and international cuisines. Most of the food outlets serve only vegetarian food, as a strong tradition of vegetarianism is maintained by the city's Jain and Hindu communities. The first all-vegetarian Pizza Hut in the world opened in Ahmedabad.

Festivals

There are a few festivals which are celebrated in special Gujrati style. i.e.

Kite Festivals The International Kite Festival is always held at Ahmedabad on January 14, to coincide with the festival of Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti. The people of Gujarat celebrate Uttarayan with a lot of enthusiasm and all business comes to a grinding halt for a couple of days. It is also a celebration to mark the end of winter.

Navratri - Navratri or the festival of nine nights is devoted to Goddess Shakti. The festival also has the famous folk dance of Gujarat "Garba". The festival continues for nine nights, everybody takes part into it with same emphasis. Garba is also played with Dandiyas in hand.

Rath Yatra - In the month of June / July a massive procession is taken out from the Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad. Amidst the chanting of the sacred and Vedic hymns the chariot is taken out carrying idols Krishna, Balram and Subhadra. It is very similar to Jagannath Puri's Rath Yatra. The procession starts in the morning from the Jagdish Mandir situated in the Jamalpur area of the city. The chariots of Krishna, Balram and Subhadra, adorned with garlands, are taken round the city amidst much pomp and show.

Population

Ahmedabad has a population of over 3,7 million people. A lot of migrant workers from other areas of Gujarat including Kutch and Saurashtra and from the other states of Rajasthan and Maharashtra. They also came from the Pakistani province of Sindh live in Ahmedabad. Most of the native citizens speak Gujarati but the languages spoken in commerce, education, politics and government are Hindi and English. There is also a sizeable population of Punjabis, Marathis, Tamils, Malayalis and Marwaris, who bring their languages and cultures to the city. Ahmedabad enjoys great religious diversity - most of the people in Ahmedabad are Hindu, Jain, Muslim or Christian. Parsis and a community of Bene Israel Jews living in Ahmedabad.

Districts

For administrative purposes Ahmedabad is divided into 5 zones and 43 wards. But in fact it is divided by the River Sabarmati into two regions - Western and Eastern part.

Eastern part - the old city, including the central part of Bhadra. This part of Ahmedabad reveals typical Indian traditions and infrastructure - there are numerous places to worship, the buildings are named pol (housing cluster which comprises many families linked by caste, religion or profession). Typical for the old city are also packed bazaars, the Main railway station and the General Post office are also situated there.

Westren part - also called the modern city, thriving industrial and business center. It developed during the colonial period, related to the construction of 2 bridges (that also became landmarks) that connect the Old and the Modern part of Ahmedabad- Ellis Bridge (constructed originally by British engineers) and Nehru Bridge (dedicated to Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister).

Airport

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is just 15 km north-east from the city-centre. The airport consists of the International and the Domestic Terminals. They both use the same airside facilities but are separated on the landside, with a 5-minute distance between them. http://www.ahmedabadairport.com/

Transport

The efficient ways of traveling around Ahmedabad:

Rickshaw: yellow and green three-wheeled taxicabs known as the Autorickshaws or Rickshaws. Most of the drivers are able to understand Hindi and maybe some basic words of English. They are quite helpful and are not known to cheat tourists. Taxis are less common so you will need to book them in advance. They are also available at the airport or railway station.
Buses: There are several bus stands in the city which will take you to various parts of the city. The major station in Ahmedabad is Idgah Station. Gujarat State Transport Corporation maintains and runs buses in Ahmedabad and [rivate buses/coaches can also be hired. For using these buses you should either know some words in Gujarati or ask local people to help you. Since buses are commonly used, they usually remain overcrowded. Take care of your luggage while travelling.
The Ahmedabad railway station holds as a junction with railway lines emerging towards Mumbai, Delhi, Saurashtra and Kutch.

University Links

Gujarat University, the oldest and biggest university of the state: http://www.gujaratuniversity.org.in/web/index.asp
Nirma University, institute of management: http://www.nim.ac.in/www/index.asp

Introduction to Gujarat

2010-06-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

Gujarat

Gifts bring to you a complete panorama of the State, it's major cities and a whole lot more. You can access anything ranging from tourist maps to travel-worthy places in Gujarat to it's history.

The State- It's People and it's Social Structure

Gujarat is situated on the Western Coast of India and has a 100 Kms. long Arabian sea-coastline with a total area of around 1,96,000
Sq. Kms. Gujarat ranks 10th in population and 9th in area among the states of India. According to the provisional results of 1991 census, the population of Gujarat is 4.12 crores, forming 4.88% of the country's population and is predominantly rural (65.6% rural and 34.4% urban). The state ranks fourth in urbanization amongst the states of the Union.

Significant Eras in the History of Gujarat

1) 2500 BC. Harappans appeared from Northern India to settle down, and established over a
hundred towns and cities.
2) 100 to 500 BC. Yadavas, Krishna's clan, held power over much of Gujarat, with their capital
at Dwarka.
3 200 BC. Political history began with the powerful Mauryan empire, established by
Chandragupta with its capital at Junagadh, and reached its peak under Ashoka.
4) 100 AD. Satraps, members of the Saka tribes, gained control over Saurashtra.
388 AD. Guptas, and then Maitrakas, established their their capital at Valabhi.
1100 AD. Saurashtra came under sway of the Solanki (Chauhan) dynasty.
1299 AD. Khalji conquested and the Muslim rule was established.
1307 AD. Muzaffar Shah's declaration of independence from Delhi marked the foundation of
the Sultanate of Gujarat.
1500 AD. Moghul emperor Akbar conquested.
1531 AD. The Portuguese, already settled in Goa, captured Daman and Diu.
1613 AD. The British East India Company set up original Indian headquarters in Surat.
1818 AD. British sovereignty was established.
1960 AD. Bombay state was split and Gujarat state was created.
Today. Gujarat's textile industry is still the largest in India, with the trading of the
business-minded community helping to mantain its wealth.

	The City of Ahmedabad
	Ahmedabad - A brief history Inside & Outside Ahmedabad Map of Ahmedabad	Emergency Numbers Utility Numbers Organizations

Ahmedabad is named after Sultan Ahmed Shah who was looking for his new capital, saw a hare attacking a dog on the bank of river Sabarmati near the ruins of old Hindu Town Karnavati. He thought it was the climate of the place which produced such hares and hence he started construction at the same place in 1411 A.D.

Today Ahmedabad is a city of great importance. It is the erstwhile capital of Gujarat and the Textile Capital of India. Situated at a very close distance to Gandhinagar, the city is also close to the political hub of the state. The Gujaratis, a breed of intelligent, business-oriented, and social people make the largest chunk of population of the city. Other than that the populace also contains of people from all over India, hence forming a multilingual, and multiracial society.

Ahmedabad celebrates traditional festivals like Navratri and Uttarayan,the kite flying festival with gaiety and fanfare. Within the walled city of Ahmedabad, there are several places of archaeological interest. The crowded bazaars of the old city as well as the new are alive and throbbing with the flow of business dealings, for which the 'amdavadis' are famed India wide.

Kankaria Lake & Zoo

A circular lake almost a mile in circumference is a popular recreation center and is surrounded by parks. A 'Bal Vatika', children's garden, an aquarium, a boat club, a natural history museum and a zoo, have also emerged around it making it a favorite of children and adults alike

These famous structures were constructed by Sidi Bashir's mosque. The amazing feature of these and other Ahmedabad minarets is that when one minaret is shaken, the other vibrates too.

Shaking Minarets

Jumma Masjid

Built in 1423 by Ahmed Shah, this mosque combines the best of the Hindu and Muslim architecture. It stands on 260 pillars which support 15 domes

Teen Darwaja

This triple-arched gateway acted as the main entrance to the Bhadra fort. These are huge and look very grand.

The foundation of this old fort was laid in 1411 A.D. Bhadra Fort which once housed royal palaces and beautiful gardens today acts as a place for Independence and Republic Day celebrations and for public demonstrations against the civic governments. It includes the temple of Goddess Bhadrakali.

Bhadra Fort

Sidi Saiyed Mosque

This structure was reputedly built by Ahmed Shah's slave Sidi Saiyed. It is celebrated the world over for its exquisite stone window tracery - a superb and peerless example of delicate carving that transforms stone filigree.

Built in 1440, this three domed structure stands on twelve pillars each. Its interior is richly ornamented with carvings and finely perforated stone screens.
This site was built by the Rani, in memory of her son, who was executed by his father

Rani Spiri's Mosque

Akshardham

This massive temple, built in dedication to the Swaminarayan sect, is found on a massive piece of land outside Ahmedabad towards Gandhinagar.
Along with the temple is also included a amusement park for recreation purposes, hence making Akshardham a favourite picnic spot for adults and children alike

These wells are amongst the best examples of ancient Indian architecture. These step wells are exquisitely carved, and run several storeys deep. One of the striking features of this ancient architectural marvel was that, in summers, it kept the place cool, and stored water at the same time.

Adalaj Step Wells

Calico Museum

This museum which is today widely regarded as one of the finest textiles museums in the world, started in Calico Textile Mill. The museum consists of two different sections, one which is called the haveli The museum which was inaugurated by Pandit Nehru in 1948, is now managed by the Sarabhai foundation.

This temple, built in 1850 outside Delhi Gate, is the best known of Ahmedabad's many ornate Jain Temples. Built of pure white marble and decorated with carvings this temple is dedicated to Dharamnath, the 15th Jina or Jain apostle.

Hatheesingh Jain Temples

Gandhi Ashram

The cottage from where Gandhi fought for Indian Independence is now a small museum displaying his few possessions. Also everyday a sound & light show can be seen here which portrays the role of the FATHER OF THE NATION in the Independence struggle.if u need more information plz visit this link http://www.gujaratgifts.com/gujinfo/inside1.htm

Ashok Sharma

Indian Tourism Introduction

2010-05-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

"So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked." --Mark Twain, from Following the Equator

It is impossible not to be astonished by India. Nowhere on Earth does humanity present itself in such a dizzying, creative burst of cultures and religions, races and tongues. Every aspect of the country presents itself on a massive, exaggerated scale, worthy in comparison only to the superlative mountains that overshadow it. Perhaps the only thing more difficult than to be indifferent to India would be to describe or understand India completely.

Location, Geography, & Climate

Set apart from the rest of Asia by the supreme continental wall of the Himalayas, the Indian subcontinent touches three large bodies of water and is immediately recognizable on any world map. It is the huge, terrestrial beak between Africa and Indonesia. This thick, roughly triangular peninsula defines the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Arabian sea to the west, and the India Ocean to the south.

India's puzzleboard of 26 states holds virtually every kind of landscape imaginable. An abundance of mountain ranges and national parks provide ample opportunity for eco-tourism and trekking, and its sheer size promises something for everyone. From its northernmost point on the Chinese border, India extends a good 2000 miles (3200 km) to its southern tip, where the island nation of Sri Lanka seems to be squeezed out of India like a great tear, the synapse forming the Gulf of Mannar. India's northern border is dominated mostly by Nepal and the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain chain. Following the sweeping mountains to the northeast, its borders narrow to a small channel that passes between Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, then spreads out again to meet Burma in area called the "eastern triangle." Apart from the Arabian sea, its western border is defined exclusively by Pakistan.

India can be organized along the compass points. North India, shaped like a throat and two lungs, is the country's largest region. It begins with the panhandle of Jammu and Kashmir, a dynamic area with terrain varying from arid mountains in the far north to the lake country and forests near Sringar and Jammu. Falling south along the Indus river valley, the North becomes flatter and more hospitable, widening into the fertile plains of Punjab to the west and the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh and the Ganges river valley to the East. Cramped between these two states is the capital city, Delhi. The southwestern extremity of the North is the large state of Rajastan, whose principal features are the Thar Desert and the stunning "pink city" of Jaipur. To the southeast is southern Uttar Pradesh and Agra, home of the famous Taj Mahal.

West India contains the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and part of the massive, central state of Madhya Pradesh. The west coast extends from the Gujarat peninsula down to Goa, and it is lined with some of India's best beaches. The land along the coast is typically lush, with rainforests reaching southward from Bombay all the way to into Goa. A long mountain chain, the Western Ghats, separates the verdant coast from the Vindya mountains and the dry Deccan plateau further inland.

Home of the sacred Ganges river and the majority of Himalayan foothills, East India begins with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, which comprise the westernmost part of the region. East India also contains an area known as the eastern triangle, which is entirely distinct. This is the last gulp of land that extends beyond Bangladesh, culminating in the Naga Hills along the Burmese border.

India reaches its peninsular tip with South India, which begins with the Deccan in the north and ends with Cape Comorin, where Hindus believe that bathing in the waters of the three oceans will wash away their sins. The states in South India are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, a favorite leisure destination. The southeast coast, mirroring the west, also rests snugly beneath a mountain range---the Eastern Ghats.

Because of India's size, its climate depends not only on the time of year, but also the location. In general, temperatures tend to be cooler in the north, especially between September and March. The south is coolest between November to January. In June, winds and warm surface currents begin to move northwards and westwards, heading out of the Indian Ocean and into the Arabian Gulf. This creates a phenomenon known as the south-west monsoon, and it brings heavy rains to the west coast. Between October and December, a similar climatic pattern called the north-east monsoon appears in the Bay of Bengal, bringing rains to the east coast. In addition to the two monsoons, there are two other seasons, spring and autumn.

Though the word "monsoon" often brings to mind images of torrential floods and landslides, the monsoon seasons are not bad times to come to India. Though it rains nearly every day, the downpour tends to come and go quickly, leaving behind a clean, glistening landscape.

Culture & People

With nearly 1 billion citizens, India is the second most populous nation in the world. It is impossible to speak of any one Indian culture, although there are deep cultural continuities that tie its people together. English is the major language of trade and politics, but there are fourteen official languages in all. There are twenty-four languages that are spoken by a million people or more, and countless other dialects. India has seven major religions and many minor ones, six main ethnic groups, and countless holidays.

Religion is central to Indian culture, and its practice can be seen in virtually every aspect of life in the country. Hinduism is the dominant faith of India, serving about 80 percent of the population. Ten percent worship Islam, and 5 percent are Sikhs and Christians; the rest (a good 45 million) are Buddhists, Jains, Bahai, and more.

Ashok Sharma

MBA Colleges in India

2010-04-19T03:59:00.000-07:00

Master of Business Administration (MBA) is probably one of the most sought-after professional study programmes in India. As a result, a large number of MBA colleges have come up in various parts of India in the last 15 years.
India boasts of some of the best MBA Colleges in the world. Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) are among the best MBA Colleges in India. Most of the universities in India have their own MBA faculty offering various management programmes. In addition to these, several technical colleges also offer MBA programmes in different branches of management.
Pursuing MBA from some of the prestigious MBA colleges in India guarantees you a fat pay packet apart from great career advancement. Here is a list of some of the top and best MBA/management colleges in India.

Browse MBA Colleges By States

MBA Colleges in Andhra Pradesh	MBA Colleges in Delhi
MBA Colleges in Gujarat	MBA Colleges in Haryana
MBA Colleges in Jharkhand	MBA Colleges in Karnataka
MBA Colleges in Kerala	MBA Colleges in Madhya Pradesh
MBA Colleges in Maharashtra	MBA Colleges in Orissa
MBA Colleges in Punjab	MBA Colleges in Rajasthan
MBA Colleges in Tamil Nadu	MBA Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
MBA Colleges in Uttarakhand	MBA Colleges in West Bengal

Browse MBA Colleges By City

MBA Colleges in Agra	MBA Colleges in Allahabad
MBA Colleges in Amritsar	MBA Colleges in Bangalore
MBA Colleges in Bhopal	MBA Colleges in Chennai
MBA Colleges in Cuttack	MBA Colleges in Dehradun
MBA Colleges in Ernakulum	MBA Colleges in Ghaziabad
MBA Colleges in Hyderabad	MBA Colleges in Jaipur
MBA Colleges in Jalandhar	MBA Colleges in Kanpur
MBA Colleges in Lucknow	MBA Colleges in Ludhiana
MBA Colleges in Mandi Gobindgarh	MBA Colleges in Mathura
MBA Colleges in Meerut	MBA Colleges in Mohali
MBA Colleges in Mumbai	MBA Colleges in Nawanshahr
MBA Colleges in New Delhi	MBA Colleges in Noida
MBA Colleges in Pune	MBA Colleges in Ranchi
MBA Colleges in Thiruvananthapuram	MBA Colleges in Tumkur

What's GMAT?

2010-04-19T03:57:00.001-07:00

What's GMAT?

Graduate Management Admission Test. The GMAT is required for admission to business school. This computerized test is offered year-round, but only in the last 3 weeks of every calendar month. It tests students on verbal skills, quantitative skills (math) and analytical writing skills

About the GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test)

The GMAT is only available as a computer adaptive test (CAT) that adapts to your performance as you take the test. The test is no longer available as a paper and pencil exam.

The GMAT Test is a multiple-choice test that most business schools use for admission into their graduate programs.

The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) consists of three main parts, the Analytical Writing Assessment, Quantitative section, and Verbal section. google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad); Analytical Writing Assessment (30 + 30 mins = 1 hour)

The GMAT begins with the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). The AWA consists of two separate writing tasks. Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument. Test takers are allowed 30 minutes to complete each essay.

Quantitative Section (37 questions; 75 minutes)

The AWA is followed by an optional five-minute break, hich is followed by the Quantitative section of the GMAT. This section contains 37 multiple-choice questions of two question types Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. Test takers are allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section.

Verbal Section(41 questions; 75 minutes)

After a second optional five-minute break, the Verbal Section of the GMAT begins. This section contains 41 multiple-choice questions of three question types Reading Comprehension Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction. Test takers are allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section.

GMAT Scoring Pattern

The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) yields four scores Verbal (Scores range from 0 to 60) Quantitative (Scores range from 0 to 60) Total (Scores range from 200 to 800) and Analytical Writing Assessment (Scores range from 0 to 6 in half-point intervals). Each of these scores is reported on a fixed scale and will appear on the official GMAT score reports that you and your designated score recipients (schools) receive.

Scores below 9 and above 44 for the Verbal section or below 7 and above 50 for the Quantitative section are rare. Both scores are on a fixed scale and can be compared across any GMAT administration. And two-thirds of test takers score between 400 and 600

Top/Best MBA Colleges/B-Schools in India

2010-04-19T03:50:00.000-07:00

I hope this ready reckoner of B-school list (in no particular order) helps them in deciding which B-school (and course) to opt for.

IIM Bangalore

Website

Courses Offered at IIM Bangalore

PGP
PGPPM [PGP in Public Policy Management],
PGSEM [PG in Software Enterprise Management, 2.5 yrs part time course for working professionals],
EPGP [1 year Executive PGP course specifically, on the lines of ISB and IIM A’s PGP-X]
FPM [Fellow Programme in Management]
MDP [Management Development Programme]

IIM Ahmedabad

Website

Courses Offered @ IIM Ahmedabad

PGP
PGP-PPM [PGP in Public Policy Management]
PGP-X [1 year Executive PGP course]
PGP-ABM [PGP in Agro Business Management]
FPM [Fellow Programme in Management]
FDP [Faculty Development Programme]
MDP [Management Development Programme]

IIM Calcutta

Website

Courses Offered at IIM Calcutta

PGP
PGPEC-VLMP [PGP for Visionary Leaders in Manufacturing Sector]
PGPEX [ 1 year full time MBA Executive courses (min. 5 years of work ex)]
PGDM
FPM

IIM Lucknow

Website

Courses Offered at IIM Lucknow

PGP
PGP in Agribusiness Management
PGP in BUSINESS MANAGEMENT for working managers (WMP)
International Programme in Management for Executives (IPMX)

IIM Kozhikode

Website

Courses Offered at IIM Kozhikode

PGP
Interactive Distance Learning (offers management education programme in Finance, Strategic marketing, Finance, Operations Management and Software Project Mangement]

IIM Indore

Website

Courses Offered at IIM Indore

PGP
One year EPGP [Executive PGP course ]
Post Graduate Certified Programme in Management

ISB, Hyderabad

Website

Courses Offered at ISB, Hyderabad

1 year PGP
Business Research Fellowship Programme(BRFP)

MDI Gurgaon

Website

Courses Offered at MDI, Gurgaon

PGP
National Management Programme, NMP
Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management
Post Graduate Programme in Human Resource Management, PGP- HRM
Post Graduate Programme in Human Resource Management, PGP- HRM
Post Graduate programme in International Management
School of Energy Management

XLRI, Jamshedpur

Website

Courses Offered at XLRI, Jamshedpur

PGP in Business administration
PGP in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations (PMIR)
FMS (Faculty of Management Studies), University of Delhi

Website

Courses Offered at FMS, University of Delhi
PGP
Part time MBA
MBA MS (MANAGEMENT OF SERVICES) Full time
MBA HCA (HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION) Part time

Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies [JBIMS]

Website

Courses Offered at Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies [JBIMS]

Masters in Management Studies [MMS]
Executive MMS in HR Management [MHRDM]

SP Jain Institute of Management Research [SPJIMR]

Website

Courses Offered at SP Jain

PGPM (11mths, full time)
PGDSM MIT (2yrs, full time ) – Post Graduate Diploma in Systems Management (PGDSM) & Masters in Information Technology (MIT)
Family Managed Business
Executive Mgmt. Prog. (EMP)

Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (NMIMS)

Website

Courses Offered at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai

1 year full time programme
Part time MBA [3 years]
Part time MBA in Social Entrepreneurship
PG Diploma in HRM [PGDHR]

Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, IIT Mumbai (Bombay) [SJSOM]

Website

Courses Offered at Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, IIT Mumbai

Master of Management (M.Mgmt) programme [2 years, full time]

Admission via JMET.

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune (SIBM)

Website

Courses Offered at Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune (SIBM)

MBA [Dual Specialization], Seats: 180
1 year Progamme for following courses [40 seats per course]
- Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Management (PGDMM)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Finance (PGDF)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (PGDHR)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Operations Management (PGDOM)

Also see: Symbiosis Center for Management & Human Resources Development, Pune (SCMHRD)

XIMB [Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar]

Website

Courses Offered at XIMB [Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar]

PGP
Executive PGP
Part time MBA
PG in Rural Management [PGDM - RM]
Postgraduate Certificate Programme in Business Management (PGCBM)
One-year Postgraduate Programme in Management and Insurance (PGPMI)

IMT Ghaziabad

Website

Courses Offered at IMT Ghaziabad

Post-Graduate Diploma in Management
Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (Finance)
Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (Human Resource)
Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (International Business)
Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (Information Technology)

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi and Kolkata

Website

Courses Offered at Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi and Kolkata

MBA – International Business
MBA – Part time
EPGDIB

Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA)

Website

Courses Offered at Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA)

PGP
Executive PG Diploma Programme
PG Certificate Programme
PGPCME (PGP in in Communications Management and Entrepreneurship)

T.A. Pai Management Institute [TAPMI]

Website

Courses Offered at T.A. Pai Management Institute [TAPMI]

PGDM
eGPX [Executive, Full-time, Post-Graduate Management program, Maximum intake of 40]

Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Trichy (BIM)

Website

Course(s) offered at Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Trichy (BIM) – PGDM.

Also see: Bharathidasan Institute of Managemement, Bangalore

Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA)

Website

Courses Offered at Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA)

Full time PGDM
Part time PGDM [3 years]

Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA)

Website

Courses Offered at Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA)

Post-Graduate Diploma in Rural Management (PGDRM)
Fellow Programme in Rural Management (FPRM)

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

Website

PG Courses Offered at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

Master of Arts in Development Studies
Master of Arts in Disability Rehabilitation
Master of Arts / Science in Disaster Management
Master of Arts in Education (Elementary)
Master of Arts in Globalisation and Labour
Master of Health Administration
Master of Hospital Administration
Master of Arts in Human Resources Management and Labour Relations
Master of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies
Master of Arts in Public Health
Master of Social Entrepreneurship
Master of Arts in Social Work

Institute of Management Development Research, Pune (IMDR)

Website

Courses Offered at Institute of Management Development Research, Pune (IMDR)

PGDM
PGDIT
PGDHR

Part time Programmes:

MDBA
DMM
DHRM
DFM
DIT

Ashok Sharma

ICC World Twenty

2010-04-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

The ICC World Twenty20 2010 is a 20/20 cricket tournament scheduled to take place in West Indies in April-May 2010. It will be the third World Twenty20 cricket series. The ICC World Twenty20 2010 will be contested by 12 teams which have been 'seeded' and divided into four groups are A, B, C and D.

Group A - Pakistan (A1), Bangladesh (A2) and Australia
Group B - Sri Lanka (B1), New Zealand (B2) and Zimbabwe
Group C - South Africa (C1), India (C2) and Afghanistan
Group D - West Indies (D1), England (D2) and Ireland

Apr-2010
Fri 30 17:00 GMT, 13:00 local	1st Match, Group B - Sri Lanka v New Zealand Providence Stadium, Guyana

Fri 30 21:00 GMT, 17:00 local	2nd Match, Group D - West Indies v Ireland Providence Stadium, Guyana
May-2010
Sat 01 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	3rd Match, Group C - India v Afghanistan Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Sat 01 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	4th Match, Group A - Pakistan v Bangladesh Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Sun 02 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	5th Match, Group C - India v South Africa Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Sun 02 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	6th Match, Group A - Pakistan v Australia Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Mon 03 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	7th Match, Group B - Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka Providence Stadium, Guyana

Mon 03 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	8th Match, Group D - West Indies v England Providence Stadium, Guyana

Tue 04 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	9th Match, Group B - New Zealand v Zimbabwe Providence Stadium, Guyana

Tue 04 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	10th Match, Group D - England v Ireland Providence Stadium, Guyana

Wed 05 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	11th Match, Group A - Australia v Bangladesh Kensington Oval, Barbados

Wed 05 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	11th Match, Group C - South Africa v Afghanistan Kensington Oval, Barbados

Thu 06 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	13th Match - A1 v D2 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Thu 06 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	14th Match - C1 v B2 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Fri 07 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	15th Match - A2 v C2 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Fri 07 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	16th Match - B1 v D1 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Sat 08 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	17th Match - C1 v D2 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Sat 08 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	18th Match - A1 v B2 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Sun 09 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	19th Match - C2 v D1 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Sun 09 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	20th Match - B1 v A2 Kensington Oval, Barbados

Mon 10 13:30 GMT, 09:30 local	21st Match - B2 v D2 Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Mon 10 17:30 GMT, 13:30 local	22nd Match - A1 v C1 Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Tue 11 17:00 GMT, 13:00 local	23rd Match - B1 v C2 Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Tue 11 21:00 GMT, 17:00 local	24th Match - D1 v A2 Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Thu 13 15:30 GMT, 11:30 local	1st Semi-Final - TBC v TBC Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Fri 14 15:30 GMT, 11:30 local	2nd Semi-Final - TBC v TBC Beausejour Cricket Ground, St. Lucia

Sun 16 15:30 GMT, 11:30 local	The Final - TBC v TBC Kensington Oval, Barbados

HOW TO START PREPARATION MBA

2010-04-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

Planning is a very important part of any job/ task or for any goal that you want to achieve. Without a proper plan you will not be able to clear any goal, be it a small goal like reaching your office/college on time. Half the battle is won by proper planning and the remaining half by proper implementation of the plan

You need to have the following before you start preparing for the MBA entrance test, and the earlier you have all this the better it is:

A clear cut idea about what you want to do , how you want to do and why you want to do.
Timetable for your preparation. It is not possible to win the CAT race in a short span of time. 250 hours of preparation in 100 days is more helpful than 250 hours of preparation in 30 days. You gain confidence over a period of time, putting too many hours a day for a short span of time won't help much. There is a limit to the number of hours in a day you can really study effectively. Try to identify your weak points and try to improve on the same.
Information about the pattern of the previous test that you want to take and the syllabus of the test.
List of the books/ magazines / study material that you are going to refer and TV shows to watch.
Number of Mock test that you are going to take..
Back –up plan just in case you are not able to make it to the institute of your choice.
Need to discuss with at least 2 seniors to get proper guidance. Learn from the mistakes of others, discuss with other who had taken the exam that you want to take and discuss with them about the exam.
Identify your weakness and strength at the initial stages and monitor the same during the course of your preparation. You may need to take MOCK test to do so. The margin between success and failure ( Getting admission in one of the top 30 institute) is very thin. Just a question or two may make the difference, so try to identify those few questions that will make the difference
Whether you want to take coaching for the entrance test or not.
Keep your moral high and have confidence in yourself. Start reading more on diverse topics for your interview as you are not confident in this area. Interact with people in the industry, send your resume to different companies around you, you may get chance to appear for some real interviews. This will boost your confidence leve

Ashok Sharma

How much time should I spend on CAT preparation?

2010-04-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is the most common question asked by many cat takers esp. those who have just started their preparation and it is the most difficult question to give an answer. One can be give the guidance only if all the details of that person are known. To find a standard answer to this question one must consider few parameters. Go through the following few lines carefully if are unsure about how much time you should spend on your preparation, it might help you.

Before preparing for CAT you must know your competency level in all the three departments that IIMs assess through CAT. There are very few persons who have the same level of competency in Maths, DI/DS and English. Out of the three, there must be one or two section which you like most and you can easily score high in CAT. My advice to all who are about to start their CAT preparation -The first thing you need to do is to arrange last year paper and attempt it as if you are appearing the real CAT.

While taking the test, be sure you are true to your self. Take the test for 15 minutes less than the allocated time (2 hours or 2.30 hrs). As it’s your first test you should give equal time to all the sections, during the test if you feel you have done enough to get a good score in that section continue with that section till the allocated time.(you are giving this test to judge your competency level). After you have done with your test check the answers .Match your results with last year cutoffs section wise.

If you have cleared the cutoffs then its great if not then check by how much marks you missed it. If you missed it by 2-4 marks then with a little bit of preparation you can cross the cut off level. 2 months of preparation with weekly 25-35 hours for the basics, then another 2 months on FLTs and revisions of basics should be sufficient. You should always fix last 2 & 1/2 months for Mocks.

If your score is in between than 60% - 80% of the cutoff, then you need to do a lot of hard work. It’s not that easy to increase the score in a very sort time span. You need to make a long term plan. I would suggest 4 months to basics. First check out in which area you find yourself comfortable. (for ex in Number System, Geometry, arithmetic, algebra ,etc ) Select only one section and give a full month or so to it. Start it from the basic and do all the problems in that section. Give few sectional tests without any time constrain and try to achieve 100%. With number of questions reducing & level of difficulty increasing, the importance given to accuracy should increase. When you find most of the questions are familiar to you go to another section.

If you have scored less than 60%, I ‘ll suggest please forget about IIM and target 2nd tier institutes. Less than 60% means you were not serious in your school and no way one can go to that level to learn the basics. You follow the methods that I have described earlier for 60% - 80% category. But if you feel you have all the basics but you couldn’t score well because of not remembering the formulas or for few silly mistakes then you can hope for IIMs too. In summery If you cleared the cutoff or missed it by 10%-20% then - 2/3 months of preparations + times for mocks should be your total time If you score 60% -80 % of the cutoff marks then - 5/6 months of preparation (with weekly 25-35 hours) + times for mocks should be your total time If you score less than 60% , start preparing now. Give how much time you can spend for your preparation

Ashok Sharma

How to build a good Vocabulary ?

2010-04-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

Be sure you have the communication
skills needed for a successful MBA

The Ten Best Vocabulary Learning Tips

Step 1. Read, Read, Read! Most vocabulary words are learned from context. The more words you're exposed to, the better vocabulary you will have. While you read, pay close attention to words you don't know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you'll be exposed to many new words.

Step 2. Improve your context skills. Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. To improve your context skills pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) will give you many examples of how that word is used in context. Play our Daily Context Vocabulary Quiz.
Step 3. Practice, practice, practice. Learning a word won't help very much if you promptly forget it. Research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you have forgotten any of your new words. Also, do a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) to get many examples of how the word is actually used.
Step 4. Make up as many associations and connections as possible. Say the word aloud to activate your auditory memory. Relate the word to words you already know. For example, the word GARGANTUAN (very large) has a similar meaning to the words gigantic, huge, large, etc. You could make a sequence: small, medium, large, very large, GARGANTUAN. List as many things as you can that could be considered GARGANTUAN: Godzilla, the circus fat lady, the zit on your nose, etc. Create pictures of the word's meaning that involve strong emotions. Think "the GARGANTUAN creature was going to rip me apart and then eat me!"

Step 5. Use mnemonics (memory tricks). For example, consider the word EGREGIOUS (extremely bad). Think EGG REACH US - imagine we've made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG REACHes US. Such funny little word pictures will help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to make up. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently!

Step 6. Get in the habit of looking up words you don't know. If you have a dictionary program on your computer, keep it open and handy. America Online and other internet services have dictionaries and thesauruses on their tool bars. Find them and look up any word you are not absolutely sure of. Use a thesaurus when you write to find the word that fits best.

Step 7. Play with words. Play Scrabble, Boggle, and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are available for the computer, so you are not dependent on a partner to play. Also, try out the Franklin Electronic Dictionary that features built-in word games.

Step 8. Use vocabulary lists. For the serious vocabulary student, there are many books that focus on the words most commonly found in standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE. There are also many interesting word sites on the Internet, many of which will send you a word a day by email.

Step 9. Take vocabulary tests. Playing games, such as the ones on this site, that test your knowledge will help you learn new words and also let you know how much progress you're making. Offline sources for vocabulary tests include SAT prep books (we recommend "10 Real SATs" by ETS), and the Reader's Digest Wordpower section. For more, check out Amazon.com or your local bookseller.
Step 10.Get excited about words! Come to appreciate the sometimes- subtle differences between them. Do you know the difference between something that denotes something else and something that connotes something else? If not, go look it up. Learn to say what you really mean and discover the joys of being able to express yourself in writing. Your future can depend on how rich your vocabulary is. A good vocabulary will make a difference on the standardized tests, like the SAT and GRE, that could determine whether or where you go to college. It will also determine the quality of your communication. So be in it for the long pull. Let building your vocabulary be a lifelong proposition. Remember: "In the beginning was the word." Until you have a word for something, it does not exist for you. Name it, and you have made your reality richer.

CAT exam Strategy by IIM topper

2010-04-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

Aah.. Atlast, my marathon post has completed. Well, it is devided into several posts to fecilitate easy reading. Hope it helps all CAT aspirants out there.

CAT 2002 and aftermath.

During my engineering second year I have decided to take CAT. Basically I dont know why i wanted to go that way. but some reasons I could think of are,

1. a very decent pay 4-5 lpa
2. comfortable life for me and my family
3. the challenge the CAT poses
4. I am tired with my tryst with technical courses

So, I have started gaining information regarding management education in India. Soon, I figured out the need to crack CAT to have any chances of entering into a b-skool. After some more investigation found that, lots of reading and good maths/calculation skills are necessary for cracking CAT. I have decided to improve my verbal abilty, communication skills and business knowledge to considerable levels before i can attend any coaching classes.

Subscribed to BW 3 year offer in late second year. then started reading reader’s digest, India today and other books. All the while also tried to do reasonably well in my acads.
Came december 2001 and I have decided to go for coaching. There is no choice available in vizag at that time. So, joined in TIME for cat 2002 coaching. Daily in the morning 6-8 used to attend those classes and used to feel proud for doing something extra. In the first 4 months nothing improved. just classes and some sectional tests. Never ever we were tested with actual papers. Then came the summer vacation. Convinced my parents and stayed back in vizag so that, i can attend classes as well as take some tests. But I have absolutely no plan or no idea of the amount of work to put in to crack CAT. Neither i am sure about what colleges i want to apply and what is it i am looking for in the whole ordeal. 2 months were a breeze At the end of 2nd month, I took my first ever real-mock cat and believe me, it was a shock for me. Whatever practise i have done so far seemed to be useless. and the results also turned out to be bad. At once i have realized the importance of doing mocks and practising cat-like questions.

Then the academic session started. not that i study for the exams, but we have to do 2 projects in final year, and the pressure is building up. Basically i like to do my work for myself. so, slowly i started takin my project seriously and by the time it was september, i had lost my position in mocks. ranks in AIMCATs camedown to 300+ and settled there. But I have always maintained them below 500. somehow i had a strong feeling that, i can crack cat if i maintain my ranks belwo 500. Apart from CAT, I have considered other options such as FMS, IIFT, XLRI, IRMA, NITIE and JMET. That is a cross section of colleges. But I was desperate to do mba right after graduation and applied to this many colleges.

Apart from the regular TIME Material, I have xerox’d some IMS papers and did them off and on.

Well, at last the d-day came.

as usual started of with verbal. But since my verbal is the weakest link of the chain, i spent considerable amount of time in that section and did almost 40 questions. By the time i am done with it, i was already 50 mins into the test.
quickly rushed to quant section. And if any one of you seen the CAT 2002 Quant paper, you know what i am talking here. that section was tough. But Quant is always my streangth. So, did it for full 40 mins and attempted some 27 questions there.
only 30 mins left. Started doing small DI sets. Again if you look at CAT 2002 DI paper, you know what are these small sets are. They have some 7-8 sets each with 3-5 questions. on any day, one can attempt 30+ there and get away with a score above 25 easily. But since i have managed to mis-manage my time, i could do only 19 in 30 mins. But, i thought that, i can score well there, because, in TIME AIMCATs 19-20 was always a very good attempt rate. Very less did i know that TIME AIMCATs DI/VA is very differant from original CAT DI/VA.

After the exam i felt that, i can get atleast 2-3 calls. All this illusions are result of my poor understanding of cat and lack of overall perspective. I have assumed that, i can get a score above 58 which is what TIME predicted as cutoff. Again this is due to my poor analysis of mocks/aimcats. I dunno what my accuracy is, what my strike rate is usually like….

The Results

They came one after another. First B then C. Later A I and K and atlast L. All of them had the same message for me. ‘Sorry….’
I was devastated. I could not do anything for 2-3 days. The thought that i am loser has consumed me like anything. Even in the mess I felt like i am shameless to eat food. It was my first ever major failure in life. And with no job in hand i was feeling like hell at that time.

By the time it was april last week, i had only one final admission and that is from IRMA. I was not very sure as to whether i should go there or not. I told my parents that I want to try CAT again in 2003 and for that i want to stay back in vizag. They told me that, it mite be difficult for them to support me after engineering. And when i told them about IRMA, they said, i can go for that rather. I started applying to companies for job franetically. But no one seemed to be interested in hiring a fresher. I have envisaged the options of working as a faculty in engg. college or something like that. All this because, somewhere in my heart i know that, IRMA is not the place from where i want to do PG.
At last, in May first week, i got an offer from the present employer through campus placement. Decent pay and no bond. I accepted it immediately and decided to go for cat 2003.

What went wrong with my approach in cracking cat 2002?

1. I never did the fundamental material/brms
2. My preparation for english is very much haphazard. All i did is reading news paper, writing unknown words in a book, doing some silly grammer excersizes. And I never did practise papers and i never paid heed to rc. to be frank i even dont know what my speed is like.
3. I never analysed my mock/aimcat papers. What ever little analysis i did was focussed in quant section. I never knew clearly what are my strengths/weaknesses. I paid little attention to my accuracy and strikerate. My single focus was rank in aimcat.
4. I dunno the differance between a sitter and an ordinary question. My approach had been start from 1 and do till 50.
5. my preparation was totally random. i never had a proper timetable. Even if i had one, it was cluttered with non-important non-urgent tasks. I thot reading books will help in cracking RC in CAT. But morethan reading books, i need to change the approach . My reading was poor. Thanks to my vernacular background.
6. My time management was poor and emotional. and by emotional i mean that, if i feel that i am not doing a section well, i used to sepnd some more time there to satisfy my ego. and this lead to an erratic and random score pattern. nothing was consistent in my mocks. not just marks, but the number of mistakes also vaired.
7. lack of overall perspective and competition.

CAT 2003

May – August, 2003

I took one week break to adjust myself to the new workplace. At abt may 19 or so, i took one Diagnostic CAT and my scores were reasonable. But i knew that i need a systematic approach to crack it. So, I have planned the next 3.5 months for every day.
My work schedule at that time was something like, 7-8 journey, 8-6 office, 6-7 journey. So, I have 3-4 hrs in the night to slog. May be even less on somedays.
I have categorized the entire syllabus for CAT into 4 broad areas.

LR
DI/DS
QA
VA

Then, I have identified the important topics in these areas. First three have abt 15-20 topics in each area. Last one was vast. So, i gave more preference and time to it.

For each topic in first three areas i have alloted one/two days and my aim is to complete that topic from either material or X class textbooks.
During the office hours i used to solve problems posted on cat-2003 Y! Groups/PG. It was really helpful and used to motivate me alot.

MOCK CATS

The first one was on 29-jun-2003. AIMCAT 401. At that time my preparation was only half done and i have so many topics to complete. But, the experience from last year helpmed alot. I have managed to get an AIR of 60, even though my netscore was just above half of my rank. But this thing happens with TIME First mockcats. After this mock, i made it a point to record my mock performances in an Excel sheet. The format was something like, Sl. Number, Date and Mock #, Vocabulary, RC, Quant, DI DS Logic, Comments. I have recorded almost all mock performances in this sheet. I used to write in about unknown words, shortcuts, question numbers, silly mistakes i made and mistakes in my strategy in that sheet. Before taking another mock, i used to go through that sheet. This helped me in consciously avoiding the mistakes i have commited in earlier mocks and fine tuning my strategy.

Some guidelines for taking mocks:

. Stick to time. If you are taking a 2 hour test, take it for 2 hrs only. Be merciless, especially if you are taking them in your room/home. Dont let anything disturb you in those 2 hrs.
. Use a watch and make it a habit

. Have a strategy in mind before you start the test. Take 2-3 mins to analyse the paper and say to yourself something like ‘VA is verbal heavy, there are 4 rcs, quant has some diagrams and sets of questions, DI is lengthy, some ds questions were there, LR is absent, let me start with va and then move to qa and at last di’. Once you know the order of sections, stick to timelimits with in the section. Never let your ego come into the picture in those 2 hrs. I used to feel like, ‘hmm.. VA was tough, let me spend few mins more here’ to avoid that, i have devised a new method. I used to give timelimits as 35 mins for each section. And at the last i used to visit the toughest/easisest section and make up for a good overall score.

. Most importantly realise that, you have to get most out of the test. dont be egoistic and solve a problem for 2-3 mins. If you get it in 1 min, its ok, beyond that, learn to leave problems. Try to read as many as possible and decide what to solve quickly. This knack for identifiying so called sitters comes from taking 30-40 mocks in a span of 3 months.

. After the paper, dont rush to key. Take a break, relax for sometime and start looking at the paper. Try to findout correct answers without key. Analyse your answers and see if there is any fast/better method to solve the problems/questions. Try to reason out, why you have not attempted that RC or DI Set and cross check whether that is really a tough one. Try to estimate your score before jumping to the key. This will help you in giving a better idea abt your accuracy. After the analysis is over, then verify the answers with key and if needed go through the detailed answers. For me, most of the times, my mistakes used to comeout in the analysis phase. Checking with key was something like validating my analysis.

. Always try to share your mock scores/analysis with others. This will give you a better overall picture and good understanding of your relative standing. Use PG/Y! groups for this purpose. For many ppl, these groups are for posting scores. But realise the fact that, they are not notice boards. Instead, try to analyse the paper and post that also. With that you are helping no one else but yourself.

. Always calculate accuracy/speed figures for individual sections and net. And try to maintain a stable figure of speed and acc. If there is an abrupt change in those figures, try to investigate and findout the reasons. Ideally 60% speed with 80% + accuracy will help you in getting good scores. But speed sometimes varies with easiness of the paper. Identifying the trends of speed/acc in aug/sept will help you to fine tune your strategy before the d-day. for me, i was a 75 speed 70 acc person earlier. after some hardwork, i was able to cut on my speed and improve my acc.

Some guidelines for Individual Sections:

QA

I cannot over-emphasize the need for identifying sitters in this section. Most of the times solving 15-20 questions out of a 50 question paper will give you a 90+ percentile ( sometimes, even 99+ ) For me, QA has always been a strength. So, i used to do 25+ questions in most mocks and needless to say used to get good percentiles too.
From what i have realised from my preparation,

. Everyone has some weak areas in quant. For me Probability/perm/combns was a weak area. I used to leave all questions in that.
. Most of the times, solving the questions from 1-50 will not work.
. It is always better to give a shot to sets of questions. Somethings like ‘A and B started from P and Q with 20 and 30 kmph speed at 10 pm on a day……’ and then some questions on that. if you know the concept you can crack all the questions in that.
. you must know 3 of the following topics to have an easy sail thru the section. Algebra/Number Theory/Mensuration/Geometry. See the last 3 years CAT papers and you will know what i am speaking.
. Before starting the first mock, try to complete as many fundametals as possible on QA topics. Use a notes to jot down the unknown formulea/shortcuts.
. While analysing the QA Section, try to findout the sitters/easy ones you have missed out during taking the mock. And try to reason out.

. have some thumb rules based on your strategy. For me, I always,

Quote:

- read and try to attempt 1-2 liners no matter what
- read and try to attempt questions on menuration/geometry ( you can recognise them easily, coz, they have either numbers or figures in them )
- read and try to attempt questions on logs/algebra ( same funda again )
- start from somewhere in the middle of the section. never go from 1-50. It is always page by page.
- read and try to attempt sets of questions ( especially those on if a+b = a*b^2 or on graphs or on functions )

. Most importantly never compare. Yes, If you QA is not your strength, dont even bother about toppers. Just try to clear the cutoffs and that is all. Dont crib about ppl attempting 35 questions. Instead try to beat them in your strong points.

DI

i have only one line to say

PRACTISE

VA

Well, by now you have recognized the poor english in my posts. So, I am not good enough on commenting this. I never have been a topper in this area. But ppl say that ‘Read alot, it helps’

August – November, 2003

During this period, I have taken atleast 50 mock tests. And i feel that, from august last week you can start taking tests and try to culminate by nov 3rd week. But this period is again dependant on your present stage. My opinion on differant mock tests,

TIME AIMCATs – definetly the best as far as qa/di/ds/lr are concerned. This year va/rc have been better. But nowhere near what cat va/rc are like.
IMS SimCATs/ACT/MCT/FCT – very good va/rc papers. DI and QA were calculation heavy and sometimes kilometers away from what CAT tests. overall, decent papers.
CL MockCATs/FLTs – decent english,qa and di. sometimes, brilliant DI. and no doubt one of the cheapest packages available in the market. I got some 30 tests for 2000.

apart from the the above three i subscribed for Ascent Mocks, 10 of them for some 900. they were decent. But Qa is not that good.

I made it a point that, i take as many mocks as possible from august. In the beginning i used to take 2 mocks a week. In early sept i made it 3 mocks a week and stick to it till the end. Now, there is something called ‘Burnout’ If you feel that, you are going too fast and reach a peak before nov 21, then, take a full one week break and start again. moreover, dont take too many mocks in a week. at the most 4 mocks for a week should suffice. But again, this is highly personal and you can decide based on your performances.
during the last 30 days, i have tried to analyse my old mocks once again. During this period i made optimum use of the excel sheet i have compiled based on my mock scores. Plus, during the last few days, i realised that, my accuracy is goind down. So, I tried to record all my errors in a notebook. And this helped me alot in cutting down on my mistakes.

December, 2003 – February, 2004

Most of the december and first few weeks of jan, i spent time on other exams and work. tried to do some RC preps and was successful in improving it a bit. After my fms exam on 18.01.2004, i tried to focus on CAT. There is nothing special in this period. It was all the same. Mocks and analysis. There is little i can do apart from that.

D-Day

Aah, atlast the day came. I was excited about my results in other exams ( IIFT, JMET, FMS ).
As usual started the paper with verbal and could do 36 in 35 mins.
Then moved to QA and tried to maximise my gains there. Spend 40 mins and read most of the questions and attempted 32 there.
Then moved to DI. Contrary to what ppl think, this section was tough. Could do only 25 in this section.
so, over all 93 attempts. feeling the butterflies in the stumoch came out, but my result turned out to be better.

As they say, the rest is history

Ashok Sharma

Sachin Tendulkar

2010-03-31T04:09:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest players to have ever played the game, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has been the greatest icon of world cricket for almost two decades now. Ever since his debut way back in 1989, he displayed exemplary skills when at the crease and was immediately hailed as the next genius. Sachin did not disappoint anyone and cruised his way into the record books with each knock. The mid-90s saw him peak and every opposition feared the ‘Little Master’. His batting is based on simple principles and he does not possess any trademark stroke, although the straight drive comes close. Tendulkar's triumph has been his ability to adapt to situations, surfaces, oppositions and emerging victorious. He can score all around the wicket, off both front foot and back, and has made runs in all parts of the world. Don Bradman confessed that Tendulkar reminded him of himself and this perhaps speaks volumes of the latter's greatness.With infinite records to his name, Sachin is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. Each time he comes to bat, he carries the expectation of millions of people with him and comes good more often than not, which only reinforces the enormity of this genius. His opening partnerships with Sourav Ganguly marked one of the most successful phases of Indian cricket. Tendulkar is one of the very few Indian players to never be dropped from the team and his consistency in Tests and ODIs is remarkable.He has suffered a few injuries but over the years India has developed firebrand cricketers like Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh who have borne the burden of Tendulkar’s former responsibility. But Tendulkar never takes things for granted and each passing year, he outdoes himself but creating another record. He already holds the record for most runs in Tests and ODIs and most centuries in both forms of the game. He deliberately omits himself from Twenty20 Internationals and that may have been his biggest regret as a young Indian team won the inaugural World Twenty20. As age catches up with him, he picks and chooses series he wishes to participate in. His ultimate goal is to sign off with a World Cup victory, which millions of Indians are hoping will come in his home-town India, in 2011.

Ashok Sharma

Self Improvement and Self Growth

2010-03-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, the terms self improvement, self growth and self help have become popular. We find many books about these subjects and many websites too. It seems that people are turning inside to find the solution to their problems. They seek knowledge, techniques, workshops, lectures and teachers who can show them the way. People begin to understand that self improvement and self growth improve the quality of life.

The subconscious mind is one of the major keys to self improvement and self growth. By changing the contents of the subconscious mind you change your habits, behavior and attitudes. This is brought about through visualization, affirmations, meditation and by analyzing behavior and habits.

The process of inner change requires inner work. It is not enough to read, you have to practice what you read, and this needs time and effort. There is no such thing as instant self improvement. Any inner change takes time, and there must be motivation, desire, ambition, perseverance and dedication. Outer and inner resistance and opposition must be taken into account too. Upon starting any self improvement program, most people usually encounter inner resistance that come from their old habits and their subconscious mind, and also resistance and opposition from the people around them.

The desire to change, build new habits and improve must be strong enough to resist any laziness, desire to give up and the ridicule or opposition from family, friends or colleagues.

Let me tell you something about myself. I have been drawn to self improvement techniques from an early age, and have regarded them as a source for inner strength, happiness and a way to a better life. One of the most useful techniques that I have discovered was a simple, but very effective technique. It consisted of watching how people behaved and acted in various situations, and then looking inside myself, to find out if I behaved in the same way under the same conditions.

When I saw people with certain traits of character, or a certain kind of behavior that I did not like, I examined myself to see whether I possessed them too. If I did, I visualized and rehearsed in my mind a different sort of behavior. In my mind's eye I saw myself with the opposite traits of character. I visualized myself in situations, where I manifested the new behavior.

When I encountered traits of character or behavior, which I liked, I used to think about their advantages and benefits and their importance in my life. Here too, I used visualization and affirmations and endeavored to act in this way in daily life.

In this way I have learned and benefited a lot from the behavior and actions of the people around me, at work, at home, in the street and everywhere else, from people in real life, and from watching people on the screen. It was never for the purpose of judging them or taking advantage of them, but for learning how to act, react and behave in a better way. This process had another benefit. It increased the knowledge about how the mind and thoughts influence the behavior and actions of people.

How can you too take advantage of this technique for self improvement and growth?

1. Look around you and watch how people behave in various circumstances. Watch the people you meet at home, work, at the supermarket, on the bus, train and on the street. Watch and learn also from people interviewed on TV, and also from movies.

2. Watch how people talk, walk and react, and how they are consequently treated by others.

3. Pay attention to the way people use their voice and how they react to others' voices. Watch how you feel and act when people shout or speak softly. Watch what happens when people get angry, restless and upset and what happens if they are calm and relaxed.

4. If you do not like what you see, analyze what and why you do not like it, and then analyze your own behavior to find out whether you behave in the same way. Be honest and impartial in your analysis.

5. If you discover that you manifest some of these undesirable traits of character and behavior, affirm to yourself often, that every time you manifest these traits or behavior, you are going to be conscious and aware of them, and do your best to avoid them.

6. Play in your mind a mental scene of how you would like to behave. Repeat it several times a day, every day.

7. When you detect a sort of behavior or character traits you like and desire to possess, try to act in a similar way. Here too, visualize several times each day a scene, where you act and behave in that different way.

8. You can also decide to change some habit and behavior patterns and develop new ones, because you believe they are necessary and beneficial, even without seeing them in others first.

9. Think and visualize over and over again in your mind how you would like to act and behave. Constantly remind yourself of the changes you desire to make, and strive to act according to them. Each time that you find yourself acting according to your old habit, remember your decision to change and improve, and act accordingly.

10. Do not be disappointed or frustrated if you do not attain fast results. It does not matter how many times you fail or forget to behave as you desired. Persevere with your efforts and never give up, and you will begin to see how you and your life change

Want To Live A Beautiful Life? Start by Creating the Perfect Environment

2010-03-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

It's been known for ages that the types of people we surround ourselves with have a lot to do with how we're going to think, feel, and grow as individuals. As important as people are, and I'll talk more about this soon, there are other factors that greatly contribute to the quality of your life.

Here I will guide you through a few of the things that I do to help me see my life in a beautiful light.

Sunlight. Being in constant sunlight does much for your body, mind and soul. Contrary to common believe, sunlight can actually help to prevent certain types of cancer. The vitamin D that it will generate in your body will strengthen your bones. The chemical reactions that will happen inside of you will actually make you happier. That's why there is a huge benefit to 'early to bed, early to rise'. You're spending more of your waking moments in sunlight.

Flowers . They say 'flower power for a reason', and this is the reason.

Increase energy with red roses: Because red has the slowest vibratory rate and longest wavelength, it stimulates adrenal glands, boosting energy.

Enhance alertness with sunflowers: Yellow light waves stimulate the brain, making one alert, clearheaded and decisive. And because people generally associate yellow with the sun’s rays and daylight, helps people feel more optimistic.

Relax with bells of Ireland: Green affects the nervous system, allowing people to breathe slowly and deeply, slowing the production of stress hormones and helping the heart relax.

Boost confidence with irises: The color indigo stimulates the brain’s pineal gland, which is the regulator of sleep patterns. Indigo also helps to free the mind of worries, fears and inhibitions.

Get a good night’s sleep with delphinium: Blue triggers the production of melatonin, a brain chemical that helps with relaxation and sleep. Blue also stimulates the thyroid gland to release thyroxin, a hormone that regulates metabolic rate.

Prevent allergies with orange daisies: Orange strengthens the immune system and the lungs, which can ward off spring allergies. Orange also has a strong beneficial effect on the digestive system and can stimulate the sexual organs.

Relieve stress with lilacs: Violet has a cooling effect, alleviating "hot" conditions like heat rash and sunburn, and suppressing hunger and balancing metabolism. It also stimulates the pituitary gland, the part of the brain that releases tension-fighting beta-endorphins.

Healthy Food. This is absolutely vital because the stuff we put in isn't just fuel, it isn't just pleasurable morsels of food, it's actually the building blocks from which our body is constructed. Would you want your body built from the ground up using potato chips, cup cakes , and chocolate shakes, or with lean cuts of protein, with fresh nutrient dense vegetables?

Friends to Play. You've heard laughter is the best medicine? Well friends are the best source of that. There is a good time and place to be introverted, particularly when you're trying to focus and get things done. On the other hand, being extroverted, making lots of friends and socializing with amazing people is one of the best ways to live, love, and grow.

Person to Love. Having a person to love, such as a significant other, or a family member can all the motivation you need to create ambitious goals and have big dreams for yourself and your loved ones. Having intimate relationships in your life makes everything seem better than it really is. After all, our perception is our whole reality, so we might as well fill it with beautiful things, people, and thoughts.

Room to Grow. We all need room to grow, physically, mentally, and spiritually. If we confine ourselves to a static definition, instead of a possibility, then we are greatly limiting ourselves. That is to say-by staying open minded, we put unlimited options before us. For example, by saying we are only good at math, we are limiting ourselves from excelling in other areas. By saying we are smart, and able to learn new skills quickly, we are able to take on and accomplish anything.

Exercise. Exercise makes you feel good in so many ways. You feel good because you're working towards a goal, doing something good for your body, and being proactive in your future. Since your brain is part of your body, your strengthening your physical brain, as well as building fortitude by keeping at it when it gets tough.

Integrity. An environment of integrity is one that you create for yourself when you become your word. Be genuine. Give power to your words! This means saying who you are and being that person with yourself and with others. We are not perfect, but by having integrity, we can recognize times in which we are not being our word and objectively evaluate our actions. This can be so empowering because it dismisses denial in favor of understanding.

Respect Those Around You. One way of creating a great atmosphere around you is by co-creating an atmosphere of respect with the people around you. By respecting the people around you, you will generate a cascade of respect from one person to another. This is going to come back to your 10 fold as you go about your life.

10 Respect to each other

Ashok Sharma

Tendulkar was the lone candidate for ODI double-ton: Gilchrist

2010-03-11T07:09:00.000-08:00

Only Sachin Tendulkar could have cracked a double-century in ODIs, according to former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist, who feels the stupendous achievement is a testimony to the iconic Indian batsman's longevity in international career.

"If there's one man who's going to do it, it was he (Tendulkar). It is a wonderful testament to his longevity. The greatest sign of a champion is longevity and Tendulkar is beyond anyone else in this regard," Gilchrist said on Thursday.

"Probably in 10 years' time he'll get 300," added the wicketkeeper-batsman, who will lead defending champions Deccan Chargers in the third edition of the Indian Premier League commencing on Friday.

Looking ahead to Chargers defending their title that they won in South Africa last year, Gilchrist was of the opinion that the tournament was a good preparation for all countries on the run-up to the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies later this year.

"It would be a great preparation for the World T20 in terms of skills and match fitness," he said.

The Chargers open their title defence against former India captain Sourav Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on first day of the tournament.

"Knight Riders had a controversial approach last year (when their coach John Buchanan tried out multiple-captaincy theory that failed), but I think they would be more settled this time. I expect them play aggressively," Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist was of the opinion that Pakistan players, who were ignored at the auction by all the franchises, could be on their radar next year.

"They could come in next year when most of the players would be auctioned again," he said.

Looking behind, the left-hand opening batsman said when it started IPL was an unknown commodity, which has grown in stature to become a serious business.

"It was an unknown concept to everyone. It was one of the enduring moments when (Knight Riders') Brendon McCullum played that knock (against Royal Challengers Bangalore). It is now a big business," he said.

Gilchrist also felt it was difficult to predict what can be a good score in T20 and that 200 is normally considered so, but it will depend on the conditions.

"The scores will depend on the conditions. It could be normally 200-plus, but low scores could also make for exciting matches," he said.

He once again reiterated the players' demand for a clear window for the event and advised IPL authorities and the ICC to come to an understanding.

"This is the premier club tournament in the world and it will help the brand to grow," the Australian said.

Gilchrist also said it was disappointing for the fans of Hyderabad not to witness any IPL matches this season but added his team members knew the feeling of playing away from home from last year's example when the tournament had to be shifted to South Africa due to security reasons.

He was full of praise for the DY Patil Stadium which is hosting the tournament opener as well as the final.

"We've played there once and it was our first win in the IPL. So the guys really enjoyed getting back to the stadium yesterday, having a look around. It looks in magnificent condition. No doubt, it's world-class. That's going to be exciting," Gilchrist said.

Welcoming cricket's inclusion in the Olympic fold, Gilchrist said that T20 was the ideal format for the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.

"It's wonderful, a fantastic story for cricket. It just shows the value which T20 holds for cricket as a model. I have said before that if we want to push for the Olympic acceptance the ICC should have that as a primary agenda," he said.

He drew a parallel with the game of field hockey gaining ground in China through the Olympics that Beijing hosted in 2008.

"The way to do that (popularise cricket) is through T20 cricket. And the way that countries can best quicken up their development is in this form. We have seen it in hockey. Afghanistan is a great story based on that T20 format," Gilchrist pointed out

Ashok Sharma

Save Our Tigers

2010-03-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

Already we have lost many specie of animals in last century. The animals are killed for commercial use,and for their skins.

In India in year1937 India had about 7000 tigers and now we have only 1411 tigers (estimated). Our national animal is extincting from our own country.Is there any one to save them. Can our next generation will be able to see tigers as we didn’t see many animals because no body was their to save them.
Can’t we take any precautionary measures against it. I know government has taken many measures to protect it but still it if not enough to protect them.

We have launched a campaign against protecting tigers in India and world . ( www.saveourtigers.com ) According to the estimates of biologist our tigers will soon extinct in year 2015.

We can do many things to save them please support us. In India many tigers reserves are there but still their extincting, we can provide more security to protect them, breeding of tigers all over the world , saving as many tigers as possible as from their illness by hiring vet.doctors, protecting their natural habitat as forest, etc. In some cases even government is responsible for the extinct of tigers in security purpose of tigers. Not only tigers are in endangered level of extinction but as well as lions of Africa and India, Blue whales in pacific ocean and sharks. Surely these fishes are killed to make cosmetic products from their skin and liver only for these thing they are killed. If one rich person dies all even after death he is there in news , television, etc. But if a animal dies we tell “we don’t care of animals they are the trouble on earth” is it good to say that. Even this generation does not have emotions against animals. If a animal kill’s a man you kill the animal back for protecting the man. eg : in Australia’s beach in 1980’s they killed many sharks when we asked why cause they started coming on the beach and tried to kill human . so they killed they sharks. so even if a human enters the region of animals and kills them illegally what we do? Nothing sit at home on a relaxing sofa holding a tea in hand and in other hand news paper and read and later forget it…. but if a animal kill’s a human when they go to office or any official they spread this animal is very bad it killed a human.

Think before telling anything.. How much important is each and every animal in ecosystem.human have brain to think but that poor, helpless animals what else they can do than dieing or escaping for this human world. we say animals come into the villages or cities.why do they come? Actually they don’t come we go in theirs area.

Ashok Sharma

How to develop yourself

2010-03-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

As long as you are still alive, you are capable of changing and growing. You can do anything you want to do, be anything you want to be. Listen to some positive thoughts on how to continue your self development and then apply them in your own life.

* Accept personal responsibility for your own growth; no one can do it for you. What you do today will determine your readiness for tomorrow.
* Take time every day to do something for yourself.
* Take classes to stay current in your field of expertise. The world is changing rapidly and you must learn to manage change to avoid obsolescence. The way Will Rogers put this was that "Even if you are on the right track, if you just sit there you will get run over."
* Listen to cassette tapes on personal and professional growth topics.
* Never look back to the past-you only can control your actions in this instant, so what should you be doing right now?
* Learn from "other people's experience" rather then having to try everything for yourself. It shortens the time needed to learn.
* Dealing with a problem helps you learn patience and strengthens your management skills; it is good mental exercise.
* Analyze, in a non-judgmental way, mistakes in which you were involved. It will help you to prevent these in the future.
* Reward yourself when you catch yourself working on the most important priorities.
* Never say something can't or won't be done. Keep looking for ways to do it.
* After attending a seminar, report to your boss or other people in your organization, what the most important things are that you learned from the program.
* For all learning experiences, whether it is reading, seeing, thinking or attending, apply the R squared, A squared formula: Recognize, Relate, Assimilate, and Apply. These actions will help you grow in the direction of your goals.
* Eliminate one time waster a week from your life.
* Read a minimum of one chapter of a book a day.
* Read a minimum of one book a month.
* Be hungry for what life has to offer and go for it.
* Decide what you really desire to do-then do it.
*
When you have the option of reading a book or listening to the cassette tape version of the program, listen to the tape. It will be more to the point and can be done while you are driving, jogging/walking, or getting other routine things done.
*
Develop a "master mind" group of four or five people with whom you can openly discuss ideas in a nonjudgmental way.
*
Develop yourself as a resource for others by networking. Find out who does what, when, and for whom. You may find excellent contacts for your future needs and for the needs of others you meet.
*
Work for balance in your life goals: family, financial, professional, social, spiritual, recreational.
*
Always keep your goals in mind as you start a new activity.
*
If you do a lot of work with the calculator, run the machine with the hand you don't use for writing.
*
Do not be afraid of failing at something. You can learn and change as a result of it.
*
The most difficult projects are opportunities for your biggest successes just as the most difficult people could become your strongest allies.
*
Put up pictures of your dreams and goals where you will see them frequently. They will remind you and aid you in focusing and visualizing your goal.
*
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Learn from those people who get more done than you do. Perhaps you can find a way to improve what you are doing.
*
Find a nonjudgmental mentor who will help you by providing feedback, suggestions, challenges and support.
*
Identify some "models" and observe their style and actions. Do not copy them but learn from their experiences.
*
Learn from the errors you see others make as well as from their successes.
*
Fill your mind with positive ideas, thoughts and inspirations and you will have no room left for the negative.
*
Trade jobs with someone so you gain additional experience.
*
Ask for and accept lateral moves in the organization so you learn more about the entire operation.
*
Do more than your "self doubts" say you can.
*
Have confidence that you can get through and learn from anything and everything you experience.
*
Reward yourself with a treat when you have completed a learning objective.
*
Keep a daily journal, recording your thoughts, ideas, feelings and personal growth progress.
*
Ask questions, listen, then ask more questions. You will learn as well as help others learn.
*
Ask yourself, "How can I manipulate my fate?"
*
Do things with someone you respect. They will be supportive of you and you will learn from interacting with them.
*
Seek new information on projects for which you have responsibility. Look for new "ah ha" ideas all the time.
*
Challenge yourself to learn something new every day.
*
Remain flexible and constantly adaptable.
*
Be open to others and sincerely interested in them. You can learn from everyone you meet.
*
Mentally rehearse a new skill. Your subconscious does not know the difference between actual practice and mental rehearsal.
*
Keep a record of what you accomplished the previous day(s)/week. If you did not accomplish as much as you wanted, it gives you extra incentive to do better in the next time period.
*
Make notes of the questions you want answered. Then as the answers come to you, jot them down next to the question.
*
Work on overcoming personal, nonproductive habits; for example: overeating, smoking, gossip.
*
Keep an "Idea File" ring binder or notebook in which you record all new ideas. At least once a week in a standing appointment with yourself, review your ideas.

Ashok Sharma

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