| Great Indians You Don’t Know About Because You Were Never Told About Them On TV Posted: 28 Dec 2013 05:30 PM PST When asked about your favorite Indian personality, you'd refer to Sachin Tendulkar or Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh, or C.V Raman—but never to Narinder Singh Kapany or Janakidas Mehra or R. Umadevi. Wait a second, you must be wondering, "who on earth are these people?" Well, these people are few other great Indians, or rather we should say, the unsung heroes of India who have not left any leaves unturned to make India proud. It's time that we should be proud of them and salute their efforts. 6. Neerja Bhanot An average Indian girl from a middle class background, Neera is an inspiration to numerous people all over India (of course, those who know her!). She was one of the pilots on board the plane which was hijacked by intruders at Karachi. It was her intelligence, along with the crew's support, that had made the hijacking a failure. She also saved her American passengers from getting killed by the Arabic-speaking gunmen by hiding their passports. Although she was killed at the end of the hijacking, she nevertheless ensured the safety of all the passengers, before her death. 
5. R. Umadevi Whenever we think of sports and women, Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal are the only two names which we remember at one go. But, the Indian sporting arena doesn't start and end with them. R. Umadevi is another such person who can be well qualified as an unsung hero. She won the World Ladies Billiards Championship in 2012, after defeated the World no. 13. In spite of such a win, the 47-years old still lives a quiet life in Bangaluru. R. Umadevi is the third woman in India to win the title, and all this came under much financial hardship and struggle. 
4. Sudarshan Pattanaik An eminent personality from Orissa, he has won accolades all over the world for instilling life in sands! Yes, he's one of the foremost sand artists in the world! Haven't heard of him yet, right? Well, don't worry—the media isn't bonkers over him so he's bereft of all the glamour and accolades which he deserves nonetheless. The next time you're in Puri, try your hands at sand art with the help of Pattanaik himself. He has opened a sand art institute, called the Sudarshan Sand Art Institute, specifically for the tourists to know and learn about the art. 
3. Uttam Teron In a country where achieving 100% literacy is but a distant dream and where people can only brag about achieving a 100% literacy rate, Uttam Theron has almost made it possible, in his area. He's a father figure in Pamohi village and 10 other neighboring tribal villages near Guwahati where, in 2003, he started his Parijat Academy with the vision of achieving a 100% literacy rate in that area. Today, with 95% literacy rate in that area, he's almost at the finishing line of his nearly impossible dream. It is due to personalities like him that we get to know about the truth of the line "Impossible in Nothing". 
2. Janaki Das Mehra Brilliant Indian Sportsmen to most of us would mean Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni or Sania Mirza (for the feminists), but have we ever heard of some chap called Janaki Das Mehra? Janaki Das Mehra was a brilliant cyclist of world repute who broke as many as eight world records between the years 1934-42. He was also hailed quite a National hero when, at the Zurich Sports Meet, he promptly untied the British flag and hurled the Indian flag! Wonder if any of the contemporary sportspersons have this caliber! 
1. Narinder Singh Kapany It's been quite long that we've ditched those heavy glass spectacles and opted for the light-weight fiber optics. It's like a boon to the children, isn't it? But do you know who pioneered the fiber optics? No, he's not an American or Japanese or English—he's our very own Narinder Singh Kapany. In fact, he was the one to coin the term "fiber optics" way back in 1960. 
Although he has been literally ripped of all the accolades by the "racist" West, he's literally one of the emissaries of the modern high speed data transmission, internet, innovative and advanced surgeries, etc. The post Great Indians You Don’t Know About Because You Were Never Told About Them On TV appeared first on TopYaps.  |
| 5 Effective Ways To Cure Epilepsy Posted: 28 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST Epilepsy can be debilitating problem which can prove fatal if proper management steps are not taken. Epilepsy is typically diagnosed when the person has seizures without any medical conditions like low blood sugar, heart ailments or withdrawals of alcohol or drugs causing it. Epilepsy is a condition that affects nervous system, causing disturbances in the electrical activity in the brain. Epilepsy is inherited in some cases. It is diagnosed with the aid of electroencephalogram. There is no clear explanation as to what causes epilepsy, where as some seizures are caused by tumors, trauma to brain, cancer, drugs and alcoholism. There is no permanent cure for epilepsy, but it can be controlled or managed well through proper care. Here is the list of 5 effective ways through which you can keep the seizures under control. 5. Lesionnectomy Lesionectomy is a procedure through which a damaged or abnormal area of the brain is removed through surgery. The lesions can be tumors, abnormally functioning blood vessels, brain hematomas, scars left behind by injuries or infections. Lesions are responsible for seizures in nearly 20-30% of people suffering from epilepsy. 
4. Vagus Nerve Stimulation VNS or Vagus Nerve Stimulation is an adjunctive treatment which involves a minor surgery to implant a stimulator under the skin in the upper chest. Vagus is a cranial nerve that carries both afferent and efferent fibers; the stimulation of which discharges electrical energy upward into a wide area of the brain. VNS can help people who do not respond well to medications alone or who are not good candidates for surgical treatment. The benefits of the treatment are doubled by VNS when taken along with other therapies, as it is as effective as anticonvulsant or anti-seizure drugs. The side effects of VNS like hoarseness, cough, tingling in the throat are mild and not persistent. 
3. Surgery When the seizures originate from the small part of the brain, that specific area can be removed through surgery to stop seizures. If seizures originate in area of the brain that is responsible for speech, language, vision, hearing or motor functions than surgery is not possible. In some cases multiple subpial transection surgery can be carried out for controlling seizures. Though surgery does not eliminate seizures completely, it helps in reducing medication to a great extent. As any side-effects or damage to the brain can be permanent, all aspects of the surgery should be discussed thoroughly with the surgeon before making the final decision. 
2. Ketogenic Diet A diet known as ketogenic diet, which is rich in fats but low in carbohydrates has proven to be effective in reducing seizures in people suffering from epilepsy. When there are fewer carbohydrates in diet, the body breaks down fats for energy. This increases the levels of ketone bodies in the blood which replaces glucose as an energy source. The state of higher levels of ketone is known as ketosis which reduces the occurrence, frequency and intensity of epileptic seizures. This is more effective treatment for children suffering from seizures. Malnourishment is one of the major concerns when undergoing Ketogenic diet for children; therefore, it should be carried out under proper medical supervision. Some children have been weaning themselves off the diet after some years, keeping seizures under control. 
1. Anti- Epileptic Medication Anti-epileptic medication can at least reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures if not making the person totally seizure free. The anti-epileptic medicines suppress the rapid and excessive firing of neurons that are responsible for seizures. Some medications are known to either prevent the expected development of epilepsy or stop or reverse the progression of epilepsy immensely. Doctors will decide about the dosage and duration of medication keeping in mind the type of seizures, age of the patient, general health conditions and other important factors that can prove harmful if ignored. Typically the medications are discontinued after certain period. Unfortunately, anti-seizure medication brings with them a lot of troublesome side-effects. 
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| 7 Weekend Hangout Places In Kolkata Youngsters Love Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST A traditional Calcuttan's notion of weekend get-a-way is quite different from others. Where as in other parts of the country, people would choose some night club or a café to shed out there week's hangover, a typical Calcuttan would rather be seated at the non-glittery Indian Coffee House over a cup of coffee and talk politics and film! Although, the case might not be true for youngsters, still it's not quite different too. Let's find out how! 7. Admiring the river from Prinsep Ghat No matter if we are young or old, we are never old enough to stop admiring the River Hoogly. Prinsep Ghat is a ghat built by the British and houses a Palladian porch constructed in the memory of James Prinsep in 1843. The monument, surrounded by greenery, along the River Hoogly is a perfect location for youngsters to sit and gossip for long hours. Do you know what the best thing about it is? You can enter this impeccably maintained park free of cost! 
6. Having Sundaes and French Fries at Scoop How can you spend a weekend just by admiring the river? Of course, you need something to munch on as well—and what better things to savor than cool sundaes and crispy French fries? Sccop is a little vegetarian restaurant by the Princep Ghat which specializes in French fries and sundaes; its pocket-friendly menu and great view of the Hoogly make this place a favorite weekend hotspot among the youngsters. 
5. Traditional Boat-rides on Hoogly You need to visualize this in your mind in order to get the essence of it—just think of the romantic number Chingari koi bhadke and you'll get everything straightened. Boat-rides are always fun, especially for youngsters, and if that boat-ride is on the river itself, then the fun doubles up! Riding on the Hoogly, under the colossal Vidyasagar Setu, is an experience worth exploring! 
4. Strolling around College Street An all time favorite destinations of Calcuttans, irrespective of their age, is College Street. If you love books, if you're interested in archaic buildings and monuments, this is surely the place to be. From old classics and rare books to the new and trashy TV Series-like novels, you'll get any books you want—if you're lucky enough, you can even get hold of 1st edition of classics! Besides, the old monuments and quaint buildings, which are over 300 years old, will surely hold you quite spellbound! It's a paradise for photographers! 
3. A walk around Kolkata's cultural hub Nandan, Academy of Fine Arts, Rabindra Sadan, Sisir Manch and Gaganendra Pradarshanalaya, present within a single boundary, are often referred to as the Cultural Hub of the City of Joy. From art and semi-popular films to great plays to brilliant and captive exhibitions, this place is surely going to tickle the senses of any lover of art and culture. The place is within walking distance from Kolkata's city centre, Esplanade, and overlooks the beautiful parks of Kolkata (which resembles those of London!). A few paces away is St. Paul's Cathedral—a place worth visiting! 
2. Shopping at New Market What's a youngster's weekend without shopping? No matter how many lavish malls are erected in Kolkata, any Calcuttan's first love will be New Market. Built in 1903, Sir Stuart Hogg Market or New Market is famous for its street shopping! From a needle and exercise book to fresh strawberries and canned blue-berries to Levi's jeans and all sorts of meat, you get everything you want in the good ol' New Market. The best things about the place: lots of gastronomic addresses and bargain stalls! 
1. Spending a quiet evening at South Park Street Cemetery Yes! We Calcuttans love to while away at creepy cemeteries too, and our favorite cemetery is the South Park Street Cemetery located at one of the main hubs of the city, Park Street. Opened in 1767, and "closed" in 1790, this cemetery has been declared as a heritage site, and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It's a delight to the photographers as well as to those interested in archaic monuments. On a different note, it's one of the creepiest places in Kolkata! 
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| Career As A Chef In India: 5 Things You Can Expect Posted: 28 Dec 2013 04:30 AM PST The overwhelming growth of the hospitality industry all over the world has tremendously increased the demand for specialized chefs both in India and abroad. A Chef's profession today is looked upon as one of the most sought after jobs owing to the high opportunities of making good bucks. Becoming a seasoned chef, one can not only serve some of the best and mouth-watering delicacies, but also earn a great fortune if you enter some of the most sorted and high-profile restaurants and hotels. Great food and spices form the integral part of Indian culture therefore India is one of the best places that offers a prodigious scope for the chef's to flourish in their profession. After all being a chef is one profession, where you can win many heats instantly by means of excellent cooking and extravagant presentation. So what more can you expect from your career as a Chef in India? Read along to know more! 5. You'll definitely Find more Men than Women in Commercial Kitchens throughout India With the exponential growth of the culinary industry, the demand for good chefs is also on a continuous rise. Cooking today is no more limited to the walls of your home kitchens, but is in-fact adorning diverse arenas. Moreover, cooking is no more symbolized strictly as a women's preservative, as the list of some of the seasoned and most renowned chef's all over the globe include men too. The hospitality industry is on a boom and so is the demand for great chefs. The employment rate for chefs has doubled compared in the last decade. Irrespective of the size of any outlet, each one favors to employ professional chefs to enhance the quality of their food being served. 
4. Chefs Are Needed Everywhere, On The Road And In The Air The sky is the limit for the good Indian Chefs today. There is actually no dearth for well trained & good chefs all over the globe. These are immense opportunities waiting for the Indian chefs in majority of the seasoned and well established air catering units, food processing industries, railways, restaurants, confectionaries, residential institutions, cruise liner, corporate catering, hotels and many more places. The best part about the chef's profession is that they never get to encounter the economic variation, as no matter what situation be, people will never stop craving for good & quality food. Gathering your experience of over several years, you can even come up with your very own food journals or cook book. You even have the option to open up your very own restaurant. 
3. Specializing in More Than One World Cuisine Is Always A Plus The efficiency of any chef can be instantly recognized by the presentation and quality of food they present to their customers. A chef not only needs to be versatile in his cooking, but should also be familiar with the cuisines of various other nationalities. Typically, French, Italian, Continental and Chinese are the favorites in major cities across the world. Therefore it is important for every prospective chef to select their area of specialization according to their interest in confectionary, cold kitchen or hot kitchen. 
2. There's plenty Of Scope to Earn Big Money as Chef A beginner chef undergoing kitchen training can expect to earn somewhere in between ten thousand to fifteen thousand per month. As you begin to move up the ranks, your pay scale also increases to a monthly handsome salary of forty thousand to fifty thousand. Some of the most renowned and star restaurants and hotels offer generous pay packages to their chefs, example an administrative chef in a 4 or 5-star hotel earns somewhere between 1lakh to 2lakh rupees per month. While leading players of the hospitality industry pay their chefs as much as 50lakhs per month. 
1. No Doubt it's one of the most challenging Professions to Pursue While the brighter side of becoming a chef includes enhancing & displaying your creative skills, thinking out of the box, hefty remuneration and you get to experience your own share of glamour & glitz. The dark side on the other hand includes your long schedule of undecided working hours, requirement of infinite stamina, constantly challenging work environment and you have no space to commit mistakes. These pros and cons however imply to all the chefs throughout the world. 
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| Buck Overpowering Brain: So By All Means This Is How A Delhi Guy Shows Up Posted: 28 Dec 2013 03:45 AM PST You know the self-proclaimed Dudes of Delhi have a unique sense of clothing that can smack even aliens into oblivion. I’m not yelling “wow, that’s so awesome” or “that’s a horrible horse dung” but would like to put an opinion that for a smart and conscious tomorrow, all photographic evidences of this current fashion trend should be burned with immediate effect. Catch on here:  You got the wrong guy. I’m the Dude, man. The post Buck Overpowering Brain: So By All Means This Is How A Delhi Guy Shows Up appeared first on TopYaps.  |
| Indian National Congress Is No Longer A Democratic Party: 7 Arguments Posted: 28 Dec 2013 02:10 AM PST One of the major political parties of India, Indian National Congress (or INA), is also one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. Founded in 1885 by A.O. Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji and others, it played a major role in the Indian Independence Movement, and gradually became India's dominant political party. This dominance continues even now, with the Sonia Gandhi-led party ruling the Government for the past 10 years. However, between 1885 and 2013, a lot has changed. Rahul Gandhi has promised a "new" Congress party, which we "will be proud of and that has your voice embedded inside" as an alternative to the existing Congress party, which we all knew as essentially a democratic party. Let's look at how it has demoted itself to this level 7. The "election" of Pranab Mukherjee as the President of India Against the wish of a billion people, Pranab Mukherjee was elected as the President of India. Pranab Mukherjee had been a part of the Congress party since the reign of Indira Gandhi, and had been an active member ever since. He was even considered as one of the most loyal members of the party. This move was, indeed, considered by many as a political decision made not by the Legislative Assemblies, but by Sonia herself. 
6. A congress of people at large or the dictatorship of two persons? One of the most astonishing aspects of this party is that though the party claims to be a "democratic" one, the top two positions of the party are held by Sonia and her son Rahul Gandhi. This signifies that all the core decisions are taken by these two personalities—and any of our dear "elected" members have no courage to question them. You were talking about democracy, eh? 
5. Majorly a Gandhi-Party, not a democratic Congress Party After Indira Gandhi was assassinated, the power shifted to Rajiv Gandhi. After his assassination in 1991, the power again was transferred to his wife, Sonia Gandhi, an Italian by birth. Finally now, party followers are looking up to Rahul Gandhi, Sonia and Rajiv's son, who promised us a party with our "voice embedded", if re-elected. 
4. Leader by Birth, and Not by Deeds India is indeed a magical land where a strong and powerful leader always gives birth to a clan of future leaders. Yes, here, even leaders are manufactured—whether or not you have the capability and the dedication doesn't matter at all. Take for example our very own Gandhi family. After Indira Gandhi, the "throne" was passed on to Rajiv Gandhi; a brief span after his death, the "throne" was passed on to Sonia, from whom it has been transferred to Rahul Gandhi. Sometimes we wonder, whether we live in the 21st century or in some medieval century, under some monarchal rule! 
3. Criminal Ministers, go to jail! This famous proclamation by Rahul Gandhi was heard a few months back and took the whole country by…err…surprise. Invariably, this decision was put into effect within a few days and many ministers and politicians, including Lalu Prasad Yadav, were jailed—only to be released just after the elections were over. 
2. First Family, First Opinion Yes, it does sound like some school teacher making his/her pupils stand in a queue according to their heights—"taller children at the back, shorter in the front". Okay, apology for the bad joke, but the position of our Government is, kind of, similar. The First Family of India, the Gandhi family's opinion are always regarded as the "it" decision—no one has the right to question it. It is for the same reason that the corrupt ministers continue to hold their seats even after millions of scams! Take for example the plight of Kalmadi, and all your doubts will be answered. 
1. Leaders owe to the First Family and not to the Public The Congress Leaders, the flag bearers of democracy, have their allegiance to the "First Family" only and not to the general public on whose votes they have bagged their powerful seats. Nation always comes after the first family, and not vice versa. After all, their colorful identities would be camouflaged only under the shadow of the first family. 
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| What If Military Service Is Made Compulsory In India? Posted: 28 Dec 2013 12:44 AM PST Why can't we fight for the country we live in, and serve it in times of warfare? Making military service mandatory is a great opportunity to promote a feeling of equality in the youth and old men alike. It is a time tested method to make boys into men and make them responsible. The army is facing a shortage of 14,000 officers and 3000 officers have applied for premature retirement. The army is not attracting the youth as their first choice of career. Here are some points that will make them re-think their whole attitude towards joining the forces. Some advantages of joining the forces are: 7. Physical conditioning Mandatory service in the armed forces for some time will make the youth stronger in the body and the mind. It will make them disciplined citizens with a direction in life. They will learn to lead a disciplined life of cleanliness, etiquettes, and mannerisms. 
6. Respectful Joining the forces will make the youth more respectful towards authority and teach them the basic manners they are lacking nowadays. They will also get to know about what is happening in the world and how world affairs affect us. They will learn to respect freedom and values of other nations. 
5. Short Service Commission It should be mandatory for all men and women with a cut off level of IQ and physical fitness. Short service commission for five years should be compulsory, so that all can imbibe the defense lifestyle and have a better understanding of their life expectations. After finishing the tenure they can decide whether to continue or change their career. 
4. Opportunity for higher education The defense forces offer many opportunities for higher education. Compulsory training should be introduced after graduation, for a minimum period of 6 months. After training, a candidate should be given the choice to join the forces or take up any social welfare projects. This will provide the forces with trained volunteers and they in turn will get priceless experience that can be added to their resume. The army has a time tested method of identifying talent and providing every opportunity in the world for it to blossom. The army also provides for boarding, food, other allowances for the officer and his family, besides a handsome salary, too. 
3. Healthy citizens All around us lifestyles of people are going from worse to worst, especially when we talk about health. With the military draft it will be compulsory for citizens to get into shape, eat well and have a good quality life. As a result, mentally sound citizens will be less inclined towards crime and they will also be able to defend themselves against it. People would be educated about living a good healthy life and in turn will make the nation prosper. 
2. Patriotism and Gen Next The younger generation will know their rights and feel a sense of ownership towards the nation. They will learn to fight for what is right and not take any injustice lying down. They have more respect and compassion for fellow citizens and become more mature as individuals. They learn the basic rules of grooming, punctuality and respecting authority. 
1. Bigger picture In a terrorist attack, citizens will be able to defend themselves and not be dependent on the armed forces to come and rescue them. They will be able to take charge and find a solution faster. They will be better voters and be able to take a sound decision in deciding their representative. As they will have better understanding of their countries problems, a country that comprises of healthy, trained citizens is less likely to be a soft target for any invading nation. 
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