World's Top News

Fanny Blankers-Koen’s 100th Birthday

2018-04-25T23:54:00.003-07:00

On a rainy summer day in 1948, onlookers at London’s Wembley track saw an unexpected athlete make history. Dutch runner and 30-year-old mother of two Fanny Blankers-Koen outstrided her opponents in the women’s 200m by 0.7 seconds—the highest margin in Olympics 200m history and a record that still stands today.

Born near Baarn, the Netherlands, in 1918, Blankers-Koen had set a national record for the women’s 800m by age 17. At 18, she competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, placing fifth in the 4x100m and sixth in high jump.

After the 1940 and 1944 Olympics were canceled, many thought Blankers-Koen would never make another Olympics. When she declared her intentions to compete in the 1948 London Games, she received letters from many criticizing her for continuing to race despite being a mother and insisting she stay home.

But words couldn’t break Blankers-Koen’s stride. She captured four golds during the 1948 London Games, winning the 100m, 80m hurdles, 200m, and 4x100m relay to become the first woman to win four medals in a single Olympics. Her quick feet didn’t just set records. Blankers-Koen’s accomplishments flattened stereotypes of female athletes at the time, earning her the nickname “The Flying Housewife.”

Today, we celebrate what would’ve been her 100th birthday with a Doodle that imagines her racing down the track, smiling mid-stride.

Happy birthday, Fanny!

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/fanny-blankers-koens-100th-birthday

Anandi Gopal Joshi’s 153rd Birthday

2018-03-31T08:36:00.001-07:00

In 1886, a young doctor stepped off a ship from America, eager to take up the role of physician in charge of the female ward at Kolhapur’s Albert Edward Hospital. Not only was she India’s first female doctor, but she was only 19 years old at the time. Her name was Anandi Gopal Joshi, and her story is one of courage and perseverance.

Joshi was married at the age of nine, as was the custom in 19th century India. Her husband encouraged her to continue her education and her interest in medicine. At sixteen, battling ill-health but determined to succeed, Joshi set sail for America. She earned her medical degree from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (now known as Drexel University College of Medicine) and returned to India with dreams of opening a medical college for women.

Joshi’s young life was tragically cut short when she died of tuberculosis before her 22nd birthday. However, her legacy and the path she paved for generations of women continues today. Interestingly, even a crater on Venus is named after her!

Today’s Doodle is created by Bangalore-based artist Kashmira Sarode who imagines Joshi celebrating her degree.

Happy Birthday, Anandi Gopal Joshi!

Early concepts and drafts of the Doodle below

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/anandi-gopal-joshis-153rd-birthday

Hannah Glasse’s 310th Birthday

2018-03-27T23:02:00.003-07:00

If the thought of Yorkshire pudding and gooseberry fool makes your mouth water, you have Hannah Glasse to thank for making these two delectable dishes staples in English cuisine. Born on this day in 1708, Glasse was a pioneering English cook and author of the most popular cookbook of the 18th century. Published in 1747, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy was unique; it was one of the first cookbooks written in a simple and conversational style, which meant that any English speaker and reader – regardless of their class – could learn how to cook.

Glasse’s cookbook was popular not only because it was easy to read, but also because of its massive scope. It included a whopping 972 recipes, covering everything from puddings and soups, to what to serve at Lent, to preparing food for the sick.

Today’s Doodle features Glasse whipping up a batch of classic Yorkshire puddings. Her recipe for Yorkshire pudding, among many others, is one of the earliest known ever published.

Happy 310th birthday, Hannah Glasse!

Illustration by Matthew Cruickshank

Ref: https://www.google.com/doodles/hannah-glasses-310th-birthday

Farouque Shaikh’s 70th Birthday

2018-03-25T01:51:00.002-07:00

Born on this day in 1948, actor Farouque Shaikh grew up in Mumbai, in a simple, middle-class household. Though he studied law at college, he continued to dabble in theater on the side, and eventually decided to give acting a go.

Starting with Garam Hawa in 1973, Farouque Shaikh essayed agonizing heartbreak and light-hearted comedy with equal ease. If moviegoers fell in love with his shy smile in Chashme Buddoor, they marveled at his comedic timing in Kissi Se Na Kehna, and ached for his helplessness and loss in Bazaar.

Beyond the silver screen, Shaikh was integral to Indian theater, and his epistolary play,‘Tumhari Amrita’ with Shabana Azmi delighted audiences for over two decades. TV audiences also loved him, be it for his humility in Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, or for his comic wit in Chamatkar.

Today’s Doodle by Nimit Malavia is a tribute to Farouque Shaikh’s cinematic career in a style evocative of hand-painted movie posters of the 1970s, and especially Umrao Jaan. We see the wide-eyed romantic hero of the 1970’s mature into a comfortingly familiar TV presence of the 1990’s, bridging the gap between mainstream and arthouse cinema in India along the way.

Happy 70th Birthday, Farouque Shaikh!

Early drafts of the Doodle below:

Happy 70th Birthday, Farouque Shaikh!

Early drafts of the Doodle below:

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/farouque-shaikhs-70th-birthday

Ustad Bismillah Khan’s 102nd Birthday

2018-03-20T22:35:00.002-07:00

Today we celebrate the birthday of Ustad Bismillah Khan, shehnai maestro and one of India’s most beloved musicians.
Born in Bhirung Raut Ki Gali, Bihar to a family of court musicians, it is said that his grandfather exclaimed “Bismillah!” upon seeing his grandson, and the name stuck. In subsequent years, as his mastery over the shenai grew, the public added the honorific, Ustad (master) to his name.
Both India’s declaration of independence from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 1947 and the creation of the Indian republic three years later in 1950 were heralded by Ustad Bismillah Khan’s shehnai. To this day, Republic Day celebrations are broadcast to the opening notes of his music.
Though he started playing in public at the age of 14, Ustad ji’s performance at the All India Music Conference at Kolkata in 1937 became a defining moment in his career. Three decades later, when he performed at the Edinburgh Music Festival, the shehnai acquired a global audience, and in the minds of millions, became synonymous with its player.
Ustad ji was famously devoted to his art and often referred to his shehnai as his begum (wife). He is one of the few musicians to receive the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor in addition to all four Padma awards. Despite the fame, Ustad Bismillah Khan remained a simple man, living his whole life in Varanasi and dreaming of a world unified by music.

“Even if the world ends, the music will still survive… music has no caste.”
Today’s Doodle by Chennai-based illustrator Vijay Krish, celebrates the shehnai maestro against the backdrop of a geometric style pattern with his instrument aloft, sending a festive tune out into the world.

An early sketch of the Doodle:

Ref: https://www.google.com/doodles/ustad-bismillah-khans-102nd-birthday

Doodle Snow Games - Day 8 - Lunar New Year

2018-02-21T21:18:00.003-08:00

Welcome to Day 8 of the Doodle Snow Games and a very happy Lunar New Year to many around the world! On this brrr-eezy day in PyeongChang, we're joined by athletes from all over the world hoping to prove themselves best in class (or species).
Let’s follow Magpie to the slopes for a fluttering glimpse of today’s action…

The new moon peeks out over the Doodle Snow Games as our athletes take a much needed break to hot-dog and monkey around, shedding their game-faces to enjoy the sights from the ski lift. After all the action, it’s a pleasant pick-me-up for our doggone tired competitors.
Dog, who’s been pawsitively crushing it over the course of the games (some might say it’s as if it’s the year of the Dog!), scouts the fireworks. Talk about a treat to start your year off right.

It’s a chilly one tonight. Good thing everyone on the lift has coats.
Stop by every day for the next few weeks to keep up with all the action from the Doodle Snow Games!

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/doodle-snow-games-day-8-lunar-new-year

George Boole’s 200th Birthday

2015-11-02T00:08:00.001-08:00

Here’s an easy, yes-or-no question:

Is the universe complex?

YES, of course, you could say; it would be crazy to think otherwise! But on the other hand, British mathematician George Boole taught us that NO, things can be seen as relatively simple; any values can be pared down to yes or no, true or false, or 0 or 1 (which, here at Google, is our personal favorite).

In 1849, Boole was appointed as the first Professor of Mathematics at University College Cork, where he pioneered developments in logic and mathematics. His beautiful binary “Boolean” system was detailed in An Investigation of the Laws of Thought in 1854, which inevitably enabled revolutionary thinking in not just logic and math, but also engineering and computer science.

As one of the most important scientists to have ever worked in Ireland, Boole effectively laid the foundations of the entire Information Age while working from UCC. So it’s fair to say that without George Boole, there’d be no Google! So, as a tribute to Boole’s contributions, artist Leon Hong created today’s doodle, which cycles through all the ANDs, ORs, NOTs, and even XORs of the Boolean states for two discrete variables.

A very happy 11001000th birthday to genius George Boole!

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/george-booles-200th-birthday

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s 67th Birthday

2015-10-12T23:15:00.002-07:00

Imagine an entire genre of music, rooted in antiquity, that lies hidden to most of the world. Its traditions stretch back 700 years, yet few know it exists. Its beautiful melodies dip and soar. But no one is around to listen.

Such was the state of Qawwali in a not-so-distant past. Then came Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who opened the world’s ears to the rich, hypnotic sounds of the Sufis. Born to a musical family, Khan brought Qawwali from modest origins to international attention. He collaborated with, and influenced, countless musicians. And his endurance was astounding; some performances could last as long as ten hours!

Thanks to his legendary voice, Khan helped bring “world music” to the world. To celebrate his 67th birthday, let’s just listen.

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/nusrat-fateh-ali-khans-67th-birthday

Evidence of water found on Mars

2015-09-28T21:35:00.002-07:00

Today’s news stirred us like a long, cool drink in the blistering heat. Science has gestured at the presence of water on Mars before, but evidence of liquid water--briny, creeping flows that appear in a crater during Martian summers--has tremendous implications in the search for life beyond our planet. We felt compelled to honor such an exciting discovery with a Doodle, and staring at satellite images of Mars for inspiration made Doodler Nate Swinehart really, really thirsty.

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/evidence-of-water-found-on-mars

Bringing the Internet to more Indians – starting with 10 million rail passengers a day

2015-09-27T23:32:00.001-07:00

इस पोस्ट को हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए नीचे स्क्रॉल करें

When I was a student, I relished the day-long railway journey I would make from Chennai Central station (then known as Madras Central) to IIT Kharagpur. I vividly remember the frenetic energy at the various stations along the way and marveled at the incredible scale and scope of Indian Railways.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Googleplex today

I’m very proud to announce that it’s the train stations of India that are going to help get millions of people online. In the past year, 100 million people in India started using the Internet for the first time. This means there are now more Internet users in India than in every country in the world aside from China. But what's really astounding is the fact that there are still nearly one billion people in India who aren’t online.

We’d like to help get these next billion Indians online—so they can access the entire web, and all of its information and opportunity. And not just with any old connection—with fast broadband so they can experience the best of the web. That’s why, today, on the occasion of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to our U.S. headquarters, and in line with his Digital India initiative, we announced a new project to provide high-speed public Wi-Fi in 400 train stations across India.

Working with Indian Railways, which operates one of the world's largest railway networks, and RailTel, which provides Internet services as RailWire via its extensive fiber network along many of these railway lines, our Access & Energy team plans to bring the first stations online in the coming months. The network will expand quickly to cover 100 of the busiest stations in India before the end of 2016, with the remaining stations following in quick succession.

Even with just the first 100 stations online, this project will make Wi-Fi available for the more than 10 million people who pass through every day. This will rank it as the largest public Wi-Fi project in India, and among the largest in the world, by number of potential users. It will also be fast—many times faster than what most people in India have access to today, allowing travelers to stream a high definition video while they’re waiting, research their destination, or download some videos, a book or a new game for the journey ahead. Best of all, the service will be free to start, with the long-term goal of making it self-sustainable to allow for expansion to more stations and other places, with RailTel and more partners, in the future.

This map shows the first 100 stations that will have high-speed Wi-Fi by the end of 2016

We think this is an important part of making the Internet both accessible and useful for the more than 300 million Indians already online, and the nearly one billion more who are not.

But it’s not the only piece. To help more Indians get access to affordable, high-quality smartphones, which is the primary way most people there access the Internet, we launched Android One last year. To help address the challenges of limited bandwidth, we recently launched a feature that makes mobile webpages load faster and with less data, and we’ve made YouTube available offline with offline Maps coming soon.

To help make web content more useful for Indians, many of whom don’t speak English, we launched the Indian Language Internet Alliance last year to foster more local language content, and have built greater local language support into our products—including Hindi Voice Search, an improved Hindi keyboard and support for seven Indian languages with the latest versions of Android. And finally, to help all Indians reap the benefits of connectivity, we’ve been ramping up efforts to help women, who make up just a third of Internet users in India today, get the most from the web.

Just like I did years ago, thousands of young Indians walk through Chennai Central every day, eager to learn, to explore and to seek opportunity. It’s my hope that this Wi-Fi project will make all these things a little easier.

Posted by Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google

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ज्यादा से ज्यादा भारतियों को इंटरनेट से जोड़ने की एक पहल - 1 करोड़ रेल यात्रियों प्रतिदिन से शुरुआत

जब मैं एक छात्र था, मैं चेन्नई सेंट्रल स्टेशन (तब मद्रास सेंट्रल के रूप में जाना जाता था) से आईआईटी खड़गपुर की दिन की रेल यात्रा पसंद करता था । मुझे विभिन्न स्टेशनों पर उन्मत्त ऊर्जा की याद आज भी ताजा है और मैं भारतीय रेल के अविश्वसनीय स्तर और विस्तार पर अचम्भा करता था ।

आज गूगलप्लेक्स में प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी

मुझे यह घोषणा करते हुए बहुत गर्व हो रहा है कि ये भारत के रेलवे स्टेशन हैं जो करोड़ों लोगों को ऑनलाइन लाने में मदद करेंगे । पिछले साल, भारत में 10 करोड़ लोगों ने पहली बार इंटरनेट उपयोग शुरू किया है । इसका मतलब यह है कि भारत में अब चीन को छोड़ कर हर देश से अधिक इंटरनेट उपयोगकर्ता हैं । पर चौंकाने वाली बात ये है की भारत में अभी भी 100 करोड़ से ज़्यादा लोग ऑनलाइन नहीं हैं ।

हम इन 100 करोड़ भारतवासियों को ऑनलाइन लाने में मदद करना चाहते हैं - ताकि उन्हें पूरे वेब तक पहुँच मिल सके, और वहां मौजूद जानकारी और अवसर भी । और किसी पुराने कनेक्शन से नहीं - तेज़ ब्रॉडबैंड से ताकि वे वेब का सबसे अच्छा अनुभव कर सकें । इसलिए आज, भारत के प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी के हमारे U.S. मुख्यालय में उपस्थित होने के अवसर पर, और उनकी डिजिटल इंडिया पहल के अनुरूप, हमने भारत भर में 400 रेलवे स्टेशनों में सार्वजनिक उच्च गति वाई-फाई उपलब्ध कराने के लिए एक नई परियोजना की घोषणा की है ।

हमारी पहुंच और ऊर्जा टीम की, भारतीय रेलवेज, जो कि दुनिया के सबसे बड़े रेलवे नेटवर्कों में से एक चला रही है, और रेलटेल, जो व्यापक फाइबर नेटवर्क के माध्यम से रेलवायर जैसी इंटरनेट सेवाएं प्रदान करता है, के साथ काम करते हुए आने वाले महीनों में पहले स्टेशनों को ऑनलाइन लाने की योजना है। यह नेटवर्क 2016 के अंत से पहले भारत में सबसे व्यस्त स्टेशनों में से 100 को कवर करने के लिए तेजी से विस्तार करेगा, और शेष स्टेशन उसके बाद जल्द ही कवर होंगे ।

जब सिर्फ पहले 100 स्टेशन ऑनलाइन होंगे, तब भी इस परियोजना के माध्यम से हर दिन 1 करोड़ से अधिक लोगों के लिए वाई-फाई उपलब्ध होगा। यह भारत में सबसे बड़ी सार्वजनिक वाई-फाई परियोजना होगी, और संभावित उपयोगकर्ताओं की संख्या के हिसाब से दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी परियोजनाओं में गिनी जाएगी । यह वाई-फाई तेज़ भी होगा - भारत में अधिकतम लोग आज जो उपयोग करते हैं उसकी तुलना में कई गुना तेज़ । इस से यात्री जितनी देर इंतज़ार कर रहे हैं उतनी देर में एक उच्च परिभाषा वीडियो स्ट्रीम कर पाएंगे, अपने गंतव्य के बारे में कुछ अनुसंधान कर पाएंगे या कुछ वीडियो, एक पुस्तक या एक नया खेल डाउनलोड कर पाएंगे । सबसे अच्छी बात, यह सेवा शुरू में मुफ्त होगी, और भविष्य में इसे आत्मनिर्भर बनाने का दीर्घकालीन लक्ष्य है ताकि रेलटेल और अधिक भागीदारों के साथ अधिक स्टेशनों और अन्य स्थानों में इसका विस्तार किया जा सके ।

इस नक्शे में वो पहले 100 स्टेशन दर्शाये गए हैं जहाँ 2016 के अंत तक उच्च गति वाई-फाई होगा

हमें लगता है कि यह 30 करोड़ से अधिक भारतीय जो पहले से ही ऑनलाइन हैं और लगभग एक अरब से अधिक है जो नहीं हैं, उनके लिए इंटरनेट को सुलभ और उपयोगी बनाने का एक महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सा है ।

पर यह सिर्फ एक हिस्सा है । अधिक भारतीयों को सस्ती, उच्च गुणवत्ता वाले स्मार्टफोन्स प्राप्त करने के लिए, जो अधिकतम लोगों के लिए इंटरनेट का उपयोग प्राथमिक तरीका है, हमने पिछले साल एंड्राइड वन फ़ोन लांच किया था । सीमित बैंडविड्थ की चुनौतियों से निपटने में मदद करने के लिए, हम हाल ही में मोबाइल वेब पृष्ठों को तेजी से और कम डेटा के साथ लोड करने की सुविधा लाये हैं, यूट्यूब ऑफ़लाइन उपलब्ध बनाया है और ऑफलाइन मैप्स जल्द ही आने वाला है ।

भारतीयों, जिनमे से कई अंग्रेजी नहीं बोलते, के लिए वेब सामग्री और अधिक उपयोगी बनाने में मदद करने के लिए और अधिक स्थानीय भाषा की सामग्री को बढ़ावा देने के लिए हमने पिछले साल भारतीय भाषा इंटरनेट एलायंस की शुरूआत की है, और हमारे उत्पादों में अधिक से अधिक स्थानीय भाषा समर्थन का निर्माण किया है - हिंदी वॉयस खोज, उन्नत हिंदी कीबोर्ड और एंड्राइड के नवीनतम संस्करण में सात भारतीय भाषाओं के लिए समर्थन में सुधार । और अंत में, सभी भारतीयों को कनेक्टिविटी का लाभ लेने में मदद करने के लिए, हमने महिलाओं, जो कि आज भारत में इंटरनेट उपयोगकर्ताओं का सिर्फ एक तिहाई भाग हैं, की मदद करने में अपने प्रयास और तेज़ किये हैं ताकि वे वेब से अधिकतम लाभ उठा सकें ।

हज़ारों युवा भारतीय हर दिन चेन्नई सेंट्रल से निकलते हैं, जैसे मैं कई साल पहले निकलता था, सीखने और जानने के लिए उत्सुक, और अवसर की तलाश में । मेरी आशा है कि यह वाई-फाई परियोजना इन सब बातों को थोड़ा आसान कर देगी ।

सुन्दर पिचई, सीईओ, गूगल के द्वारा प्रकाशित

Ref: http://googleasiapacific.blogspot.in/2015/09/bringing-internet-to-more-indians.html

Ganesh Chaturthi - Google Doodle by Gate6

2015-09-24T03:20:00.001-07:00

M.F. Husain’s 100th Birthday

2015-09-17T00:39:00.002-07:00

Today's Doodle celebrates the 100th birthday of one of India's most renowned and multifaceted artists, M.F. Husain, who passed away June 9th, 2011, at the age of 95.

Maqbool Fida Husain, commonly known as M.F. Husain, has been called "The Picasso of India.” This was partly due to his modernist, slightly cubist paintings and to the sheer volume of work he produced. His middle name, Fida, can be translated as “obsessed” or “devoted,” which could also describe his approach to making art.

Husain’s first love was cinema and he originally set out to become a film director in Bombay. But in order to make a living, he got a job painting film billboards and making toys. Painting soon became his passion, and inspired by the changes in India in the late 1940s, he helped found The Progressive Artists Group of Bombay (PAG). He and his fellow artists attempted to address Indian themes, culture and people in a modern way and bring Indian art to an international audience. Husain became particularly known for his energetic painting of horses and serial depictions of classic narratives such as the Mahabharata.

Eventually the recognition and acclaim he received from his early paintings led him back to cinema. With funding from the government of India, he wrote and directed his first film,Through the Eyes of a Painter. The success of that first film led to film projects and a close relationship with cinema that he would maintain throughout the rest of his life. Still he continued to paint, make prints, take photos and find new themes and ideas to explore. He was ever restless, ever prolific and energized by the world around him.

As he said in a television interview in 2010, "What is this physical presence? In today's world with so much technology and communication you are everywhere and a creative person is not bound by any geography." This doodle celebrates Husain's unapologetic devotion to beauty, people, and the world.

Ref : https://www.google.com/doodles/mf-husains-100th-birthday

Google Doodle wishes India “Happy Teacher’s Day”

2015-09-05T03:22:00.000-07:00

Today’s Google Doodle celebrates Teachers Day in India. Doodler Olivia Huynh has captured the relationship between an eager student and the teacher through a series of math puzzles.

Referring to a quote by Confucius, Google adds, “A true teacher is one who, keeping the past alive, is also able to understand the present.”

It further adds, “Teachers are our mentors, friends, and catalysts. They’re the wild, eager sparks that can, with a word, set our passions ablaze. Not quite parents, they nevertheless raise us to be the very best versions of ourselves. And their impressions last lifetimes, as the lessons we’ve learned are passed down to others, like inheritances of wisdom. Today, let’s celebrate teachers, one of the noblest and most selfless of callings, all across India.”

Google also added an early sketch and animation of the Doodle. Seems like Google just used the earlier serif version of the older Google logo instead of the new Google logo it unveiled a few days ago.

The Doodle is targeted only at India.

Happy Teacher’s Day!

Ref : http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/google-doodle-wishes-india-happy-teachers-day-280425.html

Google’s look, evolved

2015-09-01T11:02:00.002-07:00

Google has changed a lot over the past 17 years—from the range of our products to the evolution of their look and feel. And today we’re changing things up once again:

So why are we doing this now? Once upon a time, Google was one destination that you reached from one device: a desktop PC. These days, people interact with Google products across many different platforms, apps and devices—sometimes all in a single day. You expect Google to help you whenever and wherever you need it, whether it’s on your mobile phone, TV, watch, the dashboard in your car, and yes, even a desktop!

Today we’re introducing a new logo and identity family that reflects this reality and shows you when the Google magic is working for you, even on the tiniest screens. As you’ll see, we’ve taken the Google logo and branding, which were originally built for a single desktop browser page, and updated them for a world of seamless computing across an endless number of devices and different kinds of inputs (such as tap, type and talk).

It doesn’t simply tell you that you’re using Google, but also shows you how Google is working for you. For example, new elements like a colorful Google mic help you identify and interact with Google whether you’re talking, tapping or typing. Meanwhile, we’re bidding adieu to the little blue “g” icon and replacing it with a four-color “G” that matches the logo.

This isn’t the first time we’ve changed our look and it probably won’t be the last, but we think today’s update is a great reflection of all the ways Google works for you across Search, Maps, Gmail, Chrome and many others. We think we’ve taken the best of Google (simple, uncluttered, colorful, friendly), and recast it not just for the Google of today, but for the Google of the future.

You’ll see the new design roll out across our products soon. Hope you enjoy it!
Ref : http://googleblog.blogspot.in/2015/09/google-update.html

Doodle 4 Google – India winner paints Assam’s Natural and Cultural Paradise as Google celebrates Children’s Day

2014-11-13T20:38:00.002-08:00

Google’s idea of celebrating Children’s Day has only made us a fan of theirs for they used a child’s creation as the doodle of the day. Doodle 4 Google winner Vaidehi Reddy’s idea of a depicting the colourful and aesthetically rich state of Assam in Google Doodle is commendable. Every year on the birth anniversary of our first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, we celebrate the Children’s Day in India on November 14. For the love and affection that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had for the children, he was fondly called as Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru) or Chaffinch (Uncle) by the kids. He saw them as the future of the nation and today on his 125th birth anniversary, Google ensured to honour him through the vision of his proposed future.

Google India held its sixth edition of Doodle 4 Google competitionn where the theme given was that of ‘A place in India I wish to visit’. Based on this theme, the students send in their drawings and the selected winner’s sketch would be created as the doodle of Children’s Day. Among the 12 shortlisted 12 finalists, Google India announced Vaidehi Reddy as the winner of this year’s Doodle design competition. She drew a painting about the ‘Natural and Cultural Paradise – Assam’ and this is what is reflected in today’s Google Doodle.

The Google Doodle of Children’s Day reminds you everything beautiful about the northeast state. It highlights the famous wildlife, the tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros. The inclusion of woman performing the regional bihu dance, the bamboo trees, tea bags denoting the luscious green farms of tea; everything is so colourful and bright!

Ref : http://www.india.com/whatever/doodle-4-google-india-winner-paints-assams-natural-and-cultural-paradise-as-google-celebrates-childrens-day-193782/

Mangalyaan's 1 Month Anniversary of Mars Orbit Entry Doodled by Google

2014-10-24T01:48:00.002-07:00

Google is celebrating the one-month anniversary of India's first spacecraft in Mars orbit, the Mangalyaan, with a doodle on Friday. Isro's Mars Orbiter Mission is named Mangalyaan, derived from the Sanskrit words for 'Mars' and 'craft or vehicle', and entered Mars orbit on September 24.
The Mangalyaan was hailed as an achievement for India, with several firsts for it. With the Mars Orbiter Mission Mangalyaan, India became the first nation to reach Mars orbit in its first attempt, and also the first Asian country to reach Mars at all.
(Also see: Isro's Mangalyaan Enters Mars Orbit; India Creates History)
Isro's Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission was hailed for its low-cost nature, with a budget of a mere $74 million propelling it on its 680 million kilometre journey to Mars orbit. With the successful insertion of Mangalyaan, Isro became the fourth space agency to achieve the feat, joining United States' Nasa, Russia's RFSA, and Europe's ESA.
Celebrations of the successful orbital insertion of Mangalyaan began at the command centre at Bangalore after delayed communication signals confirmed the spacecraft had entered Martian orbit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present at the event to congratulate scientists for the Mangalyaan mission.
(Also see: Isro Becomes the Toast of a Nation as Indians Congratulate Scientists on Mangalyaan)
Speaking of India's achievement with the successful Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission, Modi at the command centre address said, "India has successfully reached Mars. Congratulations to all. History has been created today. We have dared to reach out into the unknown and have achieved the near impossible."
Friday's doodle dedicated to the 1 month anniversary of Mangalyaan entering Mars orbit features the orbiter taking the place of the second 'O' in Google, with the curve of Mars' surface and a starscape behind. The doodle is visible only in India.

Ref : http://gadgets.ndtv.com/others/news/mangalyaans-1-month-anniversary-of-mars-orbit-entry-doodled-by-google-611232

Google Doodle Remembers 'Malgudi Days' Creator R K Narayan on His 108th Birthday

2014-10-09T21:42:00.001-07:00

Friday's Google doodle on R K Narayan's 108th Birthday.

R K Narayan, each time you hear the name of this Indian novelist, the mind takes a trip down the memory lane to the fictitious south Indian village of Malgudi. Marking this celebrated novelist's 108th birthday, Google Doodle offers to revive the short stories of Malgudi Days and divulge into the life of its creator.

The Google homepage of 10th October, 2014, Friday, has made space to highlight the contribution of R K Narayan with a sketch of the novelist apparently indulged in his collection of Malgudi Days stories. A single click takes you to a Google search of R.K Narayan with top links offering information about the author and his works.

Considered among the leading figures of early Indian Literature in English, R.K Narayan, was born in 1906 in Madras, and received his education from the Maharaja's College in Mysore.

Among the twelve novels that he penned down in his lifetime, two of them, Swami and His Friends and its successor The Bachelor of Arts, was set in the fictional village of Malgudi. He also wrote a five collection of short stories, among other great works such as travel books and essays.

In 1986, short stories from his writings were included in the popular television series titled 'Malgudi Days'. The series was later revived by film-maker Kavitha Lankesh and aired on Doordarshan in 2006.

Ref : http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/google-doodle-remembers-malgudi-days-creator-r-k-narayan-on-his-108th-birthday-604533

Thor Heyerdahl's 100th Birthday Marked by a Google Doodle

2014-10-05T23:47:00.001-07:00

Google on Monday is celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of Thor Heyerdahl with an animated doodle. The Norwegian 'ethnographer and adventurer' Thor Heyerdahl was most famous for his 8,000km 'Kon-Tiki' voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

Born on October 6 1914, the subject of Monday's Google doodle Thor Heyerdahl as an ethnographer was trained in biology, botany, zoology and geography at the University of Oslo. Ethnography, is the systematic study of people and cultures where the researcher observes a society from the point of view of the subject of the study.

Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki expedition is the best known of his distinguished career, with the ethnographer showing just why the appellation 'adventurer' was appropriate for him. Sailing 8,000km in a handmade raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands, Thor Heyerdahl aimed to demonstrate that ancient cultures could have made contact with each other across vast geographical distances with long sea voyages.

The Kon-Tiki expedition was later used as basis for the diffusionist model of cultural development, also known as 'trans-cultural diffusion', where language, ideas, religions, and technologies spread from one culture to another. Monday's Google doodle on Thor Heyerdahl features tribal motifs, and also depicts 2 of the adventurer's most famous expeditions - with the raft on the left probably meant to represent the one used on the Kon-Tiki expedition, whilst on the right is a 'moai', an ancient monumental statue of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) that appears to be in the process of excavation.

Notably, Google's Thor Heyerdahl doodle on Monday is visible only in some parts of the world, including Russia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, most of Europe, the United Kingdom, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Northern Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Argentina. Also on this day in 2012, Google celebrated Francisco Gabilondo Soler's 105th birth anniversary, with a doodle exclusively for Mexico.

Ref : http://gadgets.ndtv.com/others/news/thor-heyerdahls-100th-birthday-marked-by-a-google-doodle-602431

Happy Teachers' Day: This Google Doodle Knows Your Favorite Teachers

2014-09-04T21:15:00.002-07:00

"Humour me," she used to say. "Why don't you share the anecdotes with the rest of us?" she would mock me. Once I shamelessly cracked the best in line joke, and she burst into laughter. "I am glad you're learning satire by practice," she said. She was one of the best I learnt from. On the occasion of Teacher's Day, Friday's Google doodle is here to remind us of our favourite ones.

Teachers have always been complex personalities. Inside the wraps of uncanny discipline, power-packed knowledge and 'eye of the eagle', so to speak, even the toughest of them had a warm heart. Google's homepage today explores and celebrates the different personalities of teachers we all loved - more or less.

The letters stand for different areas of expertise.

The 'G'-we all had one like her-is the 'silent watcher', her spectacles adding more power to her excessively sharp vision. Even the slightest mischief was duly noted. We did her assignments on time.

The first 'O' is the mathematics genius - formulas and calculations is her thing. But remember, an Indian was behind the invention of the number 'zero'. And, some of us even managed to proceed beyond the 'zeros'.

The next 'O' is dedicated to the one who grabs the most attention in a classroom; the language teacher, who lives and breathes poetry. Who delivers dialogues with a subtle passion - as though "all the world's a stage". But even so, Shakespeare doesn't make her forget Wren and Martin.

The letter 'g' is the sports teacher. Masculine male or petite female, they are about fitness regime. And more than playing the game, they taught us how to be a sport.

The letter 'I' depicts the one teacher who takes us to the chemistry lab, knowing that something might explode. The chemical reactions are always fascinating and the acids always out of reach. She was the one who taught us how chemicals should be handled with care. In other words - about caution and precaution.

The 'e' that completes the Friday's Google Doodle is dedicated to the harmonious one, our first guide to the world of sounds and scales, and the discovery that musical notes make for the most scintillating language in the world. A music teacher has been and will always be the eternal favourite.

Here's the Google doodle, reminding us of the teachers we dearly love and undoubtedly respect.

Do not forget, if you are able to read this, you know who to thank. Happy Teacher's Day!

Ref : http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/happy-teachers-day-this-google-doodle-knows-your-favorite-teachers-587015

Kishore Kumar's 85th Birth Anniversary Celebrated With Google Doodle

2014-08-04T00:13:00.001-07:00

Google has paid tribute to the late Kishore Kumar on his 85th birth anniversary, with a doodle. Kumar was one of the greatest artistes to have performed in Indian cinema. He was a great actor, music composer, singer, director, film producer, script writer and a lyricist. Google highlights his versatility through four icons placed in the four corners of the rectangular doodle.

These four icons represent acting, direction, script writing and singing. The doodle simply reads "Google" with the letter L replaced by a sketch of Kishore Kumar's face. The doodle looks like a hand-painted film poster common in Bollywood until the 1980s.

Kishore Kumar was born on August 4, 1929 as Abhas Kumar Ganguly in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh. His elder brother Ashok became a Bollywood actor when Kishore was a child. Ashok would later help Kishore join the industry. Kishore Kumar started his career as a chorus singer and made his first film appearance in the film Shikari in 1946. Two years later, he sang his first film song and he went on to become an iconic Bollywood personality.

Some of Kishore Kumar's most famous songs are Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke from the film Nau Do Gyarah, Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si, Paanch Rupaiya Baara Aana and Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Gaata Rahe Mera Dil from Guide and Yeh Dil Na Hota Bechara from Jewel Thief. Kishore Kumar's career expanded into film production and direction in the 1970s and 1980s with films such as Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi and Zindagi. Kumar died on October 13, 1987 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Notably, Monday's Google doodle for Kishore Kumar is restricted to visitors from India and Bangladesh.

Ref : http://gadgets.ndtv.com/others/news/kishore-kumars-85th-birth-anniversary-celebrated-with-google-doodle-570349

Nelson Mandela's 96th Birthday

2014-07-17T21:29:00.001-07:00

Google Doodler Katy Wu tells us a little bit about the creative process behind making the Nelson Mandela doodle.

Getting to celebrate someone as monumental and influential as Nelson Mandela must have been exciting, but also kind of intimidating. Can you tell me a little about your experience working on this project?

A few months ago I was looking to work on a bigger project and the time was right, so I got assigned to work on the Mandela doodle. At first I thought I would have to make a very serious, somber sort of doodle and I wasn’t sure what to do.

But after learning more about Mandela as a person I started to understand that he was a man with a lot of character, and not always just a serious figure. That started to give me more ideas about how to approach this doodle.

Right. I remember you telling the doodle team in earlier pitch sessions about

some of his dance moves. What other kind of research did you do?

I read about Nelson Mandela online and in books to get a better idea of

who he was as a person. I also received a lot of help from our local doodle manager in South Africa when it came to fact checking smaller lesser known details about South African culture, history, and people.

What inspired the creative direction?

Something that stood out to me about Nelson Mandela was his eloquent way with words. I thought his words gave a great insight into the kind of man he was, so I wanted to focus the creative direction of the doodle on his quotes against a backdrop of the history of South Africa.

You definitely put typography to good use in order to give Mandela’s words a new dimension. How challenging was that?

While working on the Doodle I spent a lot of time looking at examples of

typography online and in design and typography books. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out which typefaces can best abstractly convey the sort of feeling or atmosphere I wanted in each illustration.

The font, artwork, and story had to work together on this project. Most of the quotes are hand drawn except for the first 2 slides. By studying how other fonts are designed I began to draw my own so that I could better integrate the font with my own artwork.

Any hopes for how our users will respond to this doodle?

I hope it inspires people to learn from Nelson Mandela and his way of life, to be kind, to understand, and to respect other people and our differences.

Ref : http://www.google.com/doodles/nelson-mandelas-96th-birthday

FIFA World Cup 2014: Google celebrates with doodle

2014-06-12T23:38:00.003-07:00

Zee Media Bureau/ Irengbam Jenny

New Delhi: Google celebrates the start of world's biggest sporting extravaganza with a doodle on its homepage, as Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014 kicks off today.

Users will see a football bounce in the green and yellow of the host nation Brazil's official flag on the screen when they visit the homepage.

The letters in the word Google jump up and down sprouting tiny stick and legs symbolising the fans that makes the sports exhilarating.

A cartoon version of Rio de Janeiro unfolds in the background.

The doodle has an interactive play button, which when clicked shows an animated depiction of football and of the host nation that Brazil is about -- sun, sand, palm trees and party.

A statue of Christ the Redeemer watching the carnival scene impassively is also shown.

Known for its creative and interactive creation, the Internet giant added its newest creation on the FIFA World Cup 2014.

FIFA World Cup returns to the football crazy nation Brazil after 64 years. The last time the nation hosted the show was in 1950. The month long tournament will be held in 12 different cities of the nation.

Ref : http://zeenews.india.com/news/net-news/fifa-world-cup-2014-google-celebrates-with-doodle_939024.html

Wild thing! Google Doodle celebrates nature author Rachel Louise Carson's birthday

2014-05-26T23:38:00.001-07:00

Google goes blue for Rachel Louise Carson[PH]

The blue illustration shows Carson surrounded by a variety of sea creatures and birds, highlighting her love for nature.

Clicking on the image allows you to discover her life and legacy.
Born in Pennsylvania in 1907, she was originally an aquatic biologist before she became a full-time nature writer in the 1950s.
Her most notable books include The Edge of the Sea, Silent Spring and The Sea Around Us, the latter of which won her a U.S National Book Award.
Carson's achievements in marine biology and ecology have led to her work being credited with advancing the global environmental movement, a term which deals with addressing environmental issues.
Her research in Silent Spring also led to a nationwide ban of pesticide DDT, a chemical which she thought to be environmentally negative.
She died of a heart attack in 1964, aged 56 in Maryland.

Ref : http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/478415/Google-Doodle-celebrates-the-107th-birthday-of-nature-author-Rachel-Louise-Carson

Mary Anning: Google doodle celebrates 215th birthday of British palaeontologist

2014-05-20T21:24:00.001-07:00

Anning became famous for her work collecting fossils from the Jurassic beds near her home in Lyme Regis Dorset

Google has celebrated the 215th anniversary of the birth of British palaeontologist Mary Anning with a special doodle.
Anning is best known for her work collecting fossils from the Jurassic period near her home in Lyme Regis Dorset.
Today's colourful Google Doodle shows her uncovering a dinosaur's fossilised remains.
Anning is recognised for contributing to fundamental changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life.
Among her many discoveries was the first ever correctly identification skeleton of an ichthyosaur.
Despite being recognised globally for her work in the field, she was not - as a woman - eligible to join the Geological Society of London.
In 2010 Anning was included by the Royal Society iin a list of the ten British women who have most influenced the history of science.
Born in Lyme Regis on 21st May 1799. Her father, a cabinetmaker, died when she was just 11.
Anning died of cancer, aged 47, on 9th March 1847.

Ref : http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/mary-anning-google-doodle-celebrates-3579449

Election results 2014 Google doodle goes live on counting day

2014-05-15T22:11:00.001-07:00

The big day is finally here when we will know who India’s next Prime Minister will be. To commemorate this day, Google has put up an ‘Election Results 2014’ doodle on its homepage.

The doodle is quite simple in its design and the letter “L” in Google’s logo has been turned into a finger with voting ink. When you hover the mouse over the doodle the words “Election Results 2014” pop up and when you click on it, the search page shows all results related to the counting day.

Being a Friday, chances are you will be stuck in office and won’t be able to sit in front of the television the whole day. To keep yourself updated, you can check YouTube or download Airtel’s Pocket TV app on your smartphone. Alternatively, you can alsocheck out these apps for up-to-date results.

Ref : http://www.bgr.in/news/election-results-2014-google-doodle-goes-live-on-counting-day/