Aruna Asaf Ali ( 1909-1996)

If we want to know the name of ` Grand Old Lady of India and Independence Movement' and the ` Heroine' of 1942 ` Quit India Movement', it is Aruna Asaf Ali. She was selfless, sensitive and emotional, charming in her manners and radical in her views. She was a staunch socialist who believed in setting up an equitable economic order. She symbolized the composite culture of India.
In the beginning Aruna was not interested in Indian politics. Since her husband was active in politics, she was drawn into the national movement, met congress leaders like Gandhiji, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and attended political meetings. In her political life she was influenced by Jaya Prakash Marayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and leaders of the Congress Socialist Party.

Asaf Ali, who took active part in Satya graha was arrested and it was her first major political involvement. She addressed public meetings and led processions. She was prosecuted in Delhi for living a vagrant and was sentenced to one year's imprisonment. There was public agitation for her release and after some days she was released. In 1932 Movement, she was arrested again and put in Delhi jail and later transferred to Ambala jail. After her releases he dropped out of the national movement for ten years.
In 1940 Gandhiji launched ` Civil Disobedience Movement'. Mahatma Gandhi himself selected the ` Satya grahis' and she was one of them. Aruna participated in his Movement and went to jail. She courted arrest in 1941 when Gandhiji started individual Satyagraha against British war effort. She went to Bombay to attend 45th Session of the Congress along with her husband in 1942 and was present at the passing of the ` Quit India' resolution on 8th August. Next day all prominent Congress leaders were arrested.
The All India Congress Committee had made a plan to perform the flag hoisting ceremony by Maulana Azad at Growali Tank Maidan. Now there was hesitation in the minds of volunteers. Aruna came forward and presided over the flag hoisting ceremony and unfurled the flag. After this, huge assembly was tear gassed, lathi charged and fired upon. Now she became fulltime activist in the ` Quit India Movement'. Her feelings of non-violence was changed to the spirit of retaliation. She went underground. She became the editor of Inquilab, the monthly Magazine of the Congress, along with Ram Manohar Lohia. Government announced a Rs 5000 award for her capture. But she remained free for over 3 years.
There are a number of heroic stories connected with underground life, confirming her sufferings and her sacrifice. As a result, she fell ill and Gandhiji advised her to surrender but she ignored his advice. She surrendered herself only when the warrants against her were cancelled on 26th January, 1946. The years of struggle made her a stronger person and she did not hesitate to differ from the leaders like Gandhiji, Pandit Nehru and Maulana Azad, but she had all the respect for them.
Aruna was against the idea of an Interim government. She was not happy when Asaf Ali became the Minister of Communications in September 1946. A year later, she did not accompany her husband, when he was appointed India's Ambassador to Washington.
In 1948, she differed with Congress politics and joined Socialist party. After two years she formed the left socialist group and took interest in Trade union movement. In the year 1953, Asaf Ali died. In 1955 the group merged with communist party of India and she became Vice president of All India Trade Union Congress. In 1958 she left the Communist Party and remained unattached to any political party.
On the Moment of Pt. Nehru's death in 1964, she came back to congress but did not play any active part in politics. She was associated with the ` Lin' and ` The Patriot', two left news papers published from New Delhi. She could not adjust with political realities and lived a retired life, before her death on 29th July, 1996; She was honoured with the highest civilian award ` The Bharat Ratna', posthumously in 1997.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975)

From time immemorial in India , the teacher has been accorded the highest importance. India has been blessed with eminent teachers in various fields of knowledge and their teachings have extended to the whole world.
Swami Vivekananda in vVedanta, Rabindra Nath Tagore in Literature, Srinivasa  Ramanujan in Mathematics, Dr. C.V. Raman in Physics, Acharya P.C. Ray in Chemistry, Dr. Jagdish Chandra Bose in Botany and so on. In that tradition, Dr. R. Radhakrishnan stands out as a teacher par excellence in philosophy. He became the first Indian scholar to teach at Oxford University. Prominent Universities in Europe and America ( including Harvard) vied with one another to invite him to deliver lectures.
When India became independent in 1947, philosopher Radhakrishnan revealed extraordinary talent as a statesman. He enchanced the country's international prestige, first as Ambassador to the Soviet Union ( 1949-1952), then as India's first Vice-President (1952-1962) and being elected President in 1962. Having risen from utter poverty to become the president of India he said. 'I have not had any advantage of birth or wealth'. True.
Radhakrishnan was born in Tirutani on September 5, 1888, the second son of a poor Brahamin couple - Sarvepalli Veera Swamiand Sitamma. Sarvepalli is a  village in Andhra Pradesh from where Radhakrishnan's ancestors migrated to Tamil Nadu. Veeraswami was employed on a meager salary in a Zamindari. It was extremely difficult to bring up his large family of five sons and one daughter.
With the help of scholarship Radhakrishnan pursued his education. He had his early, schooling  at Tirutani, and higher studies at the Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati. He joined Voorhee's college in Vellore and at 17, he switched over to the Madras Christian College. For his thesis for his M.A. degree, he choose, `The Ethics of the Vedanta'.

His religious pride as Hindu was aroused by Vivekananda's appeal to India's youth to cultivate self respect. This was further intensified by a sense of nationalism after reading V.D. Savarkar's book ` The First War of Independence'.
Much as he desired, Radhakrishnan could not afford further studies at Oxford University. He had to start earning to supplement the meagre resources of his family.
After passing M.A., he started his teaching career as an Assistant lecturer at the Madras Presidency College in 1909. It was the lowest grade and fought for elevating it at par provincial and All India Education Services Staff. It spurred him to master the classics of Indian thought- the Upanishads, Bhagavada Gita. Brahansutras, Commentaries of Sankara, the texts of Buddhism and Jain Philosophies, to better his promotion prospects. he also specialised in Western Philosophy. He liked English Literature too. he studied Marxism and Existentialism.
Steadily, a slim, bespectacled figure with a big head, broad forehead, aquline nose, wearing a long, pale-yellow coat, a white turban and spotless white flowing dhoti, became familiar in the academic world. he distinguished himself for his arresting oratory.
Radhakrishnan was always in  need of money to manage the large joint family. he sold all his gold medals. He started giving tutions to supplement his salary. he contributed thought provoking articles to several journals of international repute. His lectures on psychology were published in a book form " The Essentials of Psychology". He also wrote " The Philosophy of Rabindra Nath Tagore". In 1920, another book `The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy', appeared.
Dr. Radhakrishnan became one of the most eloquent interpreters of the Indian demand fore freedom from British imperialistic colonial rule. In 1948, he was appointed Chairman of the University Education Commission. he said " Education is initiation into the life of spirit, a training of human soul on the pursuit of truth and practice of virtue. In short, it is a second birth". In 1949, he was chosen India's first envoy to the Soviet Union. On April 5, 1952, when Dr. Radhakrishnan was to leave Soviet Union to be elected the first Vice-President of India, the Iron Man Joseph Stalin sent a message for a meeting. Dr. Radhakrishnan recorded later, "Stalin's face looked somewhat bloated. I patted him on the check and on the back. I passed my hand over his head". Stalin commented, "You are the first person to treat me as a human being, and not as a monster". Stalin died six month later.
It was 1915, when Dr. Radhakrishnan met Gandhiji in Madras for the first time and thereafter two met several times, and discussed politics and personalities. he was equally cordial in relations with top Congress leaders like Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Boseetc, all, long before Indian Independence.
After two terms as Vice- President, he was elected President in 1962. In 1954 he was conferred free India's highest honour `Bharat Ratna'. After laying down the office of President in 1967, Dr. Radhakrishnan went to Madras in May 1967. he passed away on April 13, 1975, Mourned by millions in India and many more who adored his wisdom, in Europe, and America, Asia and Africa. His Birthday celebrated as ` Teachers day' on September 5.

ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE JI

Gwalior is a historical and beautiful city in Madhya Pradesh. In the past Maharajas ruled in this state. Pandit Krishna Bihari Vajpayee was a Lecture in the Gorakh Vidyalay a in Gwalior. He was a great scholar of Hindi and Sanskrit. His wife's name was Krishna Devi. They had four sons - Avadh Bihari, Sada Bihari, Prem Bihari and Atal Bihari and three daughters Vimila, Kamla and Urmila. The family lived in an ordinary house.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924. Ancestors of Atal Bihari did ` Vajapeeya' sacrifice at village Bateswara - a mythological place, at a 20 km distance from Agra. From that day ` Vajpayee' became the family name.

Atal had his primary education at the Gorakh Vidyalaya of Gwalior and high school education in the Victoria College, Gwalior. Along with texts books he had interest in reading spiritual, mythological books and great epics. Even as a student, Atal was a good orator. He had inherited the dignity of a god orator, substance and art and eloquency of speech. Poetic language alliteration, rhyming words are the essence of his speech. Atal Bihari joined M.A in political science at D.A.V. college, Kanpur. Since he passed the B.A with first class, he got a scholarship from Government of Gwalior. Along with M.A. he decided to study L.L.B. also which he passed successfully. Atal Bihari's father Krishan Biahri Vajpayee, after retirement, joined be Law course along with his son.
In 1942 Gandhiji gave the call ' Quit India'. The movement spread all over the country. Atal Bihari was also influenced by Gandhiji's call. One day when he was marching in a procession with his friends, shouting slogans against the Bristish, Police arrested him along with his friends. Atal Bihari was kept in the prison at agra for seven days. Thus, he got first experience of jail.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee had embarked upon a journalist career. In 1946, he took over as the editor of a monthly paper, ' Rashtra Dharma'. Later on, when Pandit Din Dayal Upadhyaya started a weekly ' Panchjanya', Vajpayee became its editor. Thereafter he took over as editor of 'Chetana', published from Kashi. He was the editor of daily ' Vin Arjun' published from Dehli.
Vajpayee became the Prime Minister of India three times. Earlier, he was the Prime Minister from May 16 to June 1, 1996, second time from March 19, 1998 to October 13, 1999 and thord time from October 13, 1999 to may 22, 2004, when he was elected leader of the national Democratic Alliance (N.D.A.).
He has been founder member of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, President, Bharatiya jana sangh (1968-73), leader of the Jana Sangh Parliamentary party (1955-1977) and a founder member of Janta party (1977-1980). He was the President of BJP (1980-86). Earlier he was India's External Affair Minister in the Morarji Desai Government from march 24, 1977 to July 28, 1979.
Vajpayee has participated in various social and culturak activities. His published works include ' meri Sansdadiya yatra' (in four volumes), `Meri Ikkayavan kavitayen', `Four Decades in Parliament' ( speeches in three volumes), 1957-95, `Lok Sabha Mein Ataliji', `kaidi Kaviraj Ki Kundalian' ( a collection of poems written in jail during emergency 1975-77) and ` Amar Aag hai' ( a collection of poems) 1994.
he has served on a number of important Committees of parliament. he was conferred ` Padama Vibhushan' in 1992 in recognition of his services to the nation. He was also conferred the ` Lokamanaya Tilak Puruskar' in 1994.
Over the decades, he has emerged as a leader, who commands respect for his liberal world view and commitment to democratic ideals. He believes in a forward looking, forward moving. India, a strong and prosperous nation, confident of its rightful place within the community of nations. He stands for an India anchored in 5000 years of civilized history, ever modernizing ever renewing, and ever emergizing itself to meet the challenges of the next 1000 years.
In 1994, he was named India's `Best Parliamentarian'. The citation read. 'True to his name, Atalji is an eminent national leader, an erudite politician, a selfless social worker, forceful orator, poet and litterateur, journalist and indeed a multifaceted personality ....... Atalji articulates the aspirations of the masses....... his works ever echo total commitment to nationalism.'

Aryabhata

The first Indian space satellite was named Aryabhata to honour this great mathematician and astronomer. He was also known as Asmak after the community to which his ancestors belonged. His treatise, Aryabhatiya, is the earliest existing work on mathematics and scientifically accurate planetary astronomy. This led to the formation of a new school of thought named after him.
He was born in Kerala in 476 A.D. Typical of the times, he lived in, little was recorded of his personal life to the extent that the date of his death is not known. It is known, however, that he settled at the celebrated University of Nalanda, near Patna in Bihar, also known as Kasumpur or Patliputra. Here he wrote his masterpiece using the great observatory Khagole, at the age of 23. King Buddha Gupta made him head of the university in recognition of his merit. The date of his treatise Aryabhatiya is of special significance because the position of the planets, at that time, obtained by his astronomical constants, did not need any further correction.
Of his disciples, Latadeva and Nissanku deserve special mention. Latadeva introduced two methods of calculating the day, one from midnight at Sri Lanka, and the other from sunset in Yavanpura. He also authored two treatises Romaka Sidhanta and Paulis Sidhanta, and was hailed as an Acharya or Professor.

Aryabhata's great contributions, the first in the world of mathematics, covered geometry, mensuration, algebra and trigonometry, square root, cube root, progressions and calculations rerated to the celestial sphere. In his old age, he wrote a valuable text book entitled Aryabhata Siddhanta, only parts of which are currently available. This treatise earned him immortal fame.He developed the method of writing in words, numbers upto twelve figures in easily learnt poems.
He stated that the earth was round and rotated on its axis, resulting in day and night. Like Ptolemy of Greece, he believed that the earth was at the centre of the universe but gave a more accurate concept of epicycles. He proposed a new method of determining the true positions of the planets. Aryabhatiya covered the entirecountry and numerous commentaries were written on it right upto the nineteenth century. His works have studied like the scriptures and used in constructing the Indian calendar. Thus Aryabhata attained an immortal and unique position in the galaxy of great Indian mathematicians and astronomers.
His other contributions include discovery of the causes of solar and lunar eclipses. He was the first and fore most mathematical genius in the world, a forerunner of Newton and others, who were to be born more than thousand years later.
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