Indian National Congress (INC)

Indian National Congress (commonly known as the Congress) is the largest and the oldest democratic political party of India. It was founded by Allan Octavian Hume in 1885.

The first session of Indian National Congress was held at Mumbai from 28 to 31 Dec, 1885. It was presided by Womesh Chandra Banerjee.

Badruddin Tyabji was the first Muslim to become the President of Indian National Congress. And, George Yule, a Scottish businessman, was the first non-Indian President of Indian National Congress.

In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Congress won 205 seats and emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha. Since, it didn't gain majority i.e. 273 seats out of total 545 seats in Lok Sabha, it made the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) with supporting coalition partners and  formed government at centre headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh. Present Congress president Smt. Sonia Gandhi is the Chairperson of the the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

National Mathematics Day

As a tribute to mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan,the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared his birthday, that is 22nd December, as 'National Mathematics Day'.

Prime Minister also declared year 2012 as a whole as the 'National Mathematical Year', as a part of celebrations for the 125th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.

Srinivasa Ramanujan(22 Dec 1887 - 26 Apr 1920), the great mathematician of India, was born at Erode in Tamil Nadu. The Number '1729' is named after him & is called Ramanujan–Hardy number. His home state Tamil Nadu celebrates his birthday as 'State IT Day'.

The Election Commission of India

The commission is headquartered at New Delhi and is headed by a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners. They are appointed by the President of India.

Present Commissioners are :
Chief Election Commissioner - S.Y.Qureshi
Election Commissioners  - V.S.Sampath and H.S.Brahma

Kisan Diwas (Farmers Day)

India observes 23rd December, the Birthday of Chaudhary Charan Singh, as Kisan Diwas (Farmers Day) every year.

Chaudhary Charan Singh(23 Dec 1902 - 29 May 1987) was the fifth Prime Minister of the India. He served country as Prime Minister from 28 July 1979 until 14 January 1980.

Chaudhary Charan Singh holds the record of being the only Prime Minister of India who did not face the Parliamentary floor for a single day after assuming the office.

Vivek Express

Vivek Express, which was flagged off on 19 Nov 2011, is the longest running train in India. It  covers a distance of 4,286 Km. from Dibrugarh (Assam) to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) in 82:30 hours (almost 4 days).

Himsagar Express, which runs between Jammu Tawi (Jammu & Kashmir) and Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) and covers a distance of 3,715 Km., was previously the longest running train in India.

Shiva Keshavan wins Luge Asia Cup 2011

Indian Luge athlete Shiva Keshavan created history by winning Luge Asia Cup 2011, with a new Asian speed record at 134.3 kmph, at Nagano in Japan on 18 Dec 2011.

'Luge', a Winter Olympic sport since 1964, involves a high-speed sled ride through a semi-circular ice track.

This is first-ever gold medal for India in an international winter sports event.

Here is more details about Luge.

Govt Amends Eligibility Criteria For Bharat Ratna Award

In view of lot of public opinion voiced in favour of awarding the Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar, the Govt. has modified the eligibility norms for this highest civilian award of India.

Previously, the award was given only to persons excelling in fields of art, literature, science and public services.

However, as per new rules, notified on 16 Nov 2011, now the Bharat Ratna could be awarded for the performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour. Hence, now sportspersons are also eligilble for this award.

The Bharat Ratna (literally meaning Jewel of India or Gem of India) award was established in 1954. Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex is eligible for this award.

The Prime Minister himself makes recommendations to the President for Bharat Ratna. A maximum of three awards can be given in a particular year. The recipient of the award gets a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman and Sarvapali Radhakrishnan were first three indians to receive this prestigious award in 1954. 

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela are two non-Indian recipient of this award. The award has also been conferred to Mother Teresa, a naturalised Indian citizen.

Smt. Indira Gandhi was the first woman to be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. 

Lal Bahadur Shastri was the first person to be given Bharat Ratna posthumously.

Hindustani classical singer Pt. Bhimsen Joshi was the last recipient of the award in 2008.

Out of total 41 people who have been conferred Bharat Ratna, Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, Pt. Ravi Shankar, Amartya Sen, Lata Mangeshkar and Nelson Mandela are only five living recipients of this award . 

Nancy Powell Is New US Ambassador To India

US President Barack Obama has nominated Nancy Powell as US ambassador to India. In past, she has served as ambassador to Ghana, Uganda, Pakistan & Nepal.

Nancy Powell takes place of Timothy Roemer, a political appointee who resigned in June 2011. Hence, the post of US ambassador to India was lying vacant for last six months.

The US Senate must confirm Powell's appointment as an US ambassador to India.

India To Get Russian Nuclear Submarine By Year-end

India is all set to receive much awaited Akula-II class nuclear-powered submarine K-152 'Nerpa' from Russia. It is being leased for 10 years which will cost India about $900 million. 

'The Nerpa' was constructed at Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard. It has the capacity to remain underwater for months together and lurk in the deep seas waiting for its prey. It is armed with torpedoes and 300-km Klub-S cruise missiles.

The Indian submariners crew, which is being trained in Russia to acquire necessary skills to operate nuclear submarines, will take charge of it by the year-end and set sail for India. It will reach Indian shores by the end of January 2012. 

The Nerpa is likely to be rechristened as 'INS Chakra' and will be formally inducted into the Indian Navy before March 2012. 

This is the second time when Indian navy will be having a nuclear submarine, after a period of two decades. Incidentally, the first nuclear submarine which India had leased from Russia(then Soviet Union), from 1988 to 1991, was also named 'INS Chakra'.

India is building its own nuclear submarine, the over 6,000-tonne, named 'INS Arihant' which will become operational next year.

The 'New Earth' Keplar-22b Discovered

Kepler Space Telescope has discoverd a new planet similiar to our earth, recently. It has been named as 'Keplar-22b' after the name of the telescope.

Kepler Space Telescope, named in honor of the German astronomer Johannes Kepler, is a space based observatory which was launched two years ago. It is a part of 'Keplar Mission', a NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration) project to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. It spots a planet when it comes between its cameras and the parent star, a phenomenon called a transit.

Kepler-22b planet is 600 light years away from the Earth and is about 2.4 times the size of the Earth. However, it's mass is not known yet. It has an average temperature of around 22 degrees Celsius and has got the right atmosphere to potentially support life.

Kepler-22b orbits its star in 290 days, at a distance 15% closer than the Earth is from the Sun. It lies in the centre of the habitable zone around its star, where potentially life supporting conditions exist. It is also the first habitable zone planet orbiting a Sun-like star.

The so called habitable zone is an area around the Star where temperatures are just right for life to exist. A planet orbiting beyond the outer edge of habitable zone will be too distant and will be too cold to sustain liquid water on its surface and any water present will freeze. And, a planet orbiting closer to its star than the inner edge of the habitable zone will be too close and will be too hot and any water present will boil away or be lost into space entirely.

Human Rights Day

10th December is celebrated as 'Human Rights Day' across the world, since 1948.

Every fifth year United Nations(UN) awards 'United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights'. Last time it was given in 2008, Next is due in 2013.

Social activist Baba Amte(1914-2008), founder of 'Anandvan' Ashram for rehabilitation of leprosy patients, is only Indian to get this UN prize, in 1988.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar) was born on 14 April 1891 at cantonment town MHOW (short for Military Headquarters Of War) in Madhya Pradesh.

To promote education and socio-economic improvement, as well as the welfare of outcastes or the depressed classes, Dr. Ambedkar founded 'Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha'.

Dr. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Indian Constitution. He was the first Law Minister of India.

On 14 October 1956 at Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur, he converted to Buddhism along with his 3.80 lakh supporters.

Dr. Ambedkar (popularly also known as 'Babasaheb') died in sleep on 6 December 1956 at Delhi & was creamated at Chaitya Bhoomi, Mumbai.

Armed Forces Flag Day

India observes 7th December as the Armed Forces Flag Day since 1949.

The day is observed to serve 3 basic purposes
(1)Rehabilitation of battle casualties
(2)Welfare of serving personnel & their families
(3)Resettlement & welfare of ex-servicemen & their families.

On this day, small flags & car flags in red, deep blue & light blue colours representing three Services are distributed in return for donations.