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Cosmetic and Genetic Surgical Fixes
Let’s say you’re attracted to the most beautiful girl at your school or workplace. She has a cute, delicate nose and perfect teeth. In every way this sweet gal exceeds even the high standards of beauty, brains, and loving personality as that imaginary princess from your dreams. She has been magically transformed into a real, live woman and she is as attracted to you as you are her! You two start dating and eventually marry. Six. Nine, a full year, or five years later, she gives birth to a baby girl, your lovely little daughter, with an enormous hook nose, crooked alligator teeth, and an elbow growing out of her forehead. Trying to comfort you, a friend at work shows you a photo from a medical book he has at home. At first, you thought it was a picture of your new infant daughter, but then realized it was much older than that. It was a photo of your wife taken shortly after she was born. There was another photo of her taken when she was 18 years old and showing how corrective surgery was successful. The surgical procedures to correct her alligator teeth, hook nose, and forehead elbow made medical news worldwide. Now your baby girl will need to undergo the same expensive, painful, and time-consuming surgery and orthodontal work as her mother did two-and-a-half decades ago. Your wife had a secret past she never told you about and now it has come home to roost and feed on your innocent daughter’s sure to be painful and unhappy childhood as well as your bank account.
By Charles Belser5 years ago in FYI
Resource rich Punjab
Start writing... Ancient Punjab formed part of the vast Indo-Iranian region. In later years it saw the rise and fall of the Maurya, Bacterias, Greeks, Sakas, Kushans and Gupta's. Medieval Punjab saw supremacy of the Muslims. Ghaznavi was followed by the Ghoroa, the slaves, the Khilji So, the Tughlakabad, the Lodhis and the Mughals. Fifteenth and sixteenth centuries marked a period of watershed in the history of Punjab. Through teachings of Guru Nanak, Bhakti movement received a great impetus. Sikhism began as a sociology-religious movement, which was more interested in fighting evils in religion and society. It was Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, who transformed the Sikhs into the Khalsa. They rose to challenge tyranny and after centuries of servitude, established a humane Punjabi Raj based on secularism and patriotism. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in the works of a Persian writer, changed Punjab from Madam Kada to Bagh-Bahut (from the abode of sorrow to the garden of paradise). But soon after his death the entire edifice collapsed due to internal intrigues and British machinations. After two abortive Anglo-Sikh wars, Punjab was finally annexed to the British Empire in 1849.The fight against the British rule had begun long before Mahatma Gandhi's arrival on the scene. The revolt found expression through the movement of a revivalist or reformist character. First, it was the Namdhari sect, which believed in self-discipline and self-rule. Later, it was Lala Lajpat Rai who played a leading role in the Freedom Movement. Punjab was in the vanguard of India's freedom struggle on all fronts in India and abroad. Punjab's hardships did not end with Independence. It had to face the misery of Partition with large-scale bloodshed and migration. Besides their rehabilitation, there was the task of reorganization of the State.Eight princely states of East Punjab were grouped together to form a single State called PEPSU (Patiala and the East Punjab States Union) with Patiala as its capital. PEPSU state was merged with Punjab in 1956. Later in 1966, Haryana was carved out of Punjab and during the same year the erstwhile capital of Punjab was shifted from Shimla to Chandigarh.Situated in the north-western corner of the country, Punjab is bound on the west by Pakistan, on the north by Jammu and Kashmir, on the north-east by Himachal Pradesh and on the south by Haryana and Rajasthan. There are 13 Members of Parliament from Punjab and 117 Members of Legislature are elected to form the State Government.Agriculture.Punjab has accorded top priority to the development of Agriculture sector and has achieved about 3 per cent growth in the first for years of the 11th year Plan. sustenance of cereal production and productivity is not only important for the State but also for the food security of the nation. The State has been consistently contributing about 45 per cent of wheat and 25 per cent of or rice towards the central pool thereby ensuring the national food security. In the year 2010-11, the State produced 162 lakh MT paddy, out of wheat, out of which 108 lac MT has been procured. Similarly, the State produced 152 lakh MT of wheat, out of which 108 lakh MT has been procured. Only 10 districts of the State are covered under National Food Security Mission for rice even though state is its leading producer.DUSTRYThe State has 83% of its total geographical area (50.36 lakh hectares) under cultivation. The cropping intensity is around 189.69% with over 97% of the cultivable area being under assured irrigation. The State produces 19.50% of the country's wheat, 11% rice, 10.26% cotton and contributes significantly to the Central Pool with about 50% wheat and 40% rice. The paddy and wheat productivity in the State is 4022 kg/ha and 4462 kg/ha against the national average of 2178 kg/ha and 2907 kg/ha respectively. Fertilizer consumption is at 223.46 kg/ha. The State's farm economy is highly mechanized.INDUSTRY.New Industrial Policy, 2009 of Punjab has been implemented, under which special package of concessions has been provided for Information Technology of Knowledge based industries, agro based industries and food processing industries. In order to promote the IT units, new scheme relating to reimbursement of stamp duty provision of capital subsidies etc. have been included in the Annual Plan 2011-12 with an outlay of Rs.19 crore.IRRIGATION.The total Geographical area of the State is 50.36 lakh hectares, out of which about 41.74 lakh hectares area is under cultivation. After partition of the country in 1947, Indus water treaty of 1960 between India and Pakistan restricted India's right to usage to only three eastern rivers Satluj, Beas and Ravi. The State has three dams namely Bhakra Dam with storage capacity of 5.60 MAF constructed on River Satluj, Pong Dam with storage capacity 1.90 MAF constructed on River Ravi. At present the area under irrigation is 40.77 lakh hectares, which is 97.68% of the area under cultivation. The canal surface water distribution System consists of 14500 km of Canals/ Distributaries covering six major systems in the state namely: Sirhind Canal system, Bhakra Main Line, Bist Doab Canal, Upper Bari Doab Canal, Sirhind feeder and Eastern canal. Contrary to common perception only 27% area is irrigated by canal surface water and 73% area is irrigated by tubewells in Punjab. This has resulted in depletion of ground water table. As many as 112 out of 141 blocks have been categorized as over exploited or "dark blocks". The canal water and electricity are being provided free of cost to the farmer in the State.Rural Development.In its earnest endevour towards rural transformation and rejuvenation in State, government has adopted a two pronged strategy, empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions through greater functional and financial autonomy and all round improvement of the rural habitats through the provision of basic amenities. Outlay for rural development has been increased by 148 per cent i.e. from Rs.209 crore in 2010-11 or Rs.516 crore for 2011-12.POWER.SThe present generation capacity of Punjab is 6900 MW including central share of 1940MW, where a peak unrestricted demand is about 10435 MW. Thus there is shortfall of 34 per cent of peak demand. The power demand is likely to go up to 11000 MW by the end of the 11th Five Year Plan.TRANSPORT.Roads: Public Works Department (Building and Roads) has been responsible for roads, bridges and buildings. The State has big network of 70528 km of roads comprising of 1749 km of national highways, 1462 km State highways, 2112 km major district roads, 4482 km of other district roads, 51059 km of rural link roads, 8130 km urban roads and 1534 km project roads.Aviation: The Department of Civil Aviation was set up in Punjab in the year 1962 with a view to make people of the State conversant with a aviation and flying.There are four Flying Clubs at Ludhiana, Patiala, Amritsar and Jalandhar. There is a domestic Airport at Chandigarh and Pathankot, an International Airport at Rajajasansi (Amritsar) and two aerodromes at Patiala and Ludhiana (Shahnewaj). Two Flying Clubs are coming up at Faridkot and Talwandi Sabo. To set up a green field International Airport near Macchiwara in Ludhiana at an estimated cost of Rs.17,500 crore on PPP mode, MoU has already been signed between Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd. (BAPL) and PSIDC.Fairs and Festivals.Besides festivals of Dussehra, Diwali, Holi, other important festivals/fairs/Melas are Maghi Mela at Mukatsar in January, Rural Sports at Kila Raipur in February, Basant at Patiala in February, Holla Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib in March, Baisakhi at Talwandi Saboo in April, Urs at Rauza Sharif at Sirhind in August, Chappar Mela at Chappar in September, Skeikh Farid Agam Purb at Faridkot in September, Ram Tirath at Village Ram Tirath in November, Shaheedi Jor Mela at Sirhind in December, Harballah Sangeet Sammelan Baba Sodal at Jalandhar in December. In addition to above Fairs and Festivals three heritage festivals at Amritsar, Patiala, Kapurthala are also celebrated every year and are very popular among the tourists.Tourism.Golden Temple, Amritsar.The State has a large number of places of tourist interest some of which include Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir, Jallianwala Bagh and the Wagah Border in Amritsar, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Khalsa Heritage Complex at Anandpur Sahib, Bhakra Dam, Qila Androoni, Moti Bagh Palace and Chattbir Zoo at Patiala, Wetland at Harike Pattan, Sanghol (district Fatehgarh Sahib) and Roopnagar archeological Musem at Roopnagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial at Village Khatkar Kalan, SBS Nagar for archeological importance, Mughal Complex at Aam Khas Bagh, Rauza Sharif of Sheikh Ahmed at Graves of Afghan Rulers at Sirhind and Sodal Temple at Jalandhar, commemorative of Maharishi Balmiki Heritage.Bhangra - Folk Dance, Punjab.The origins of traditional Bhangra are speculative. According to I.S. Dhillon, Bhangra is related to the Punjabi dance 'bagaa' which is a martial dance of Punjab.Being a seasonal dance, traditional Bhangra is practiced in the month leading up to the festival of Vaisakhi. During this month, the harvest, especially wheat crop, is reaped. Local fairs mark the festival of Vaisakhi. After days of harvesting and at Vaisakhi fairs, Bhangra is performed, as a dance of men alone.
By Zarinabanu Zarinabanu5 years ago in FYI
African American Heritage: The Great Black Heroes and Patriots
When we study the Black history of the United States, we typically just look back to the last 50 years to the time of the great civil liberties activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Freedom Riders. Nevertheless, African American heritage extends beyond the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. As early as the very first slave ships docked in the New World, the African American struggle also started. During the Revolutionary War, African American patriots side by side with their white comrades. The American Civil War saw the United States Colored Troops played a significant role in the success of the Union Army. During the Reconstruction Era, African American politicians fanned the flames of desire for equality and recognition.
By John Limbo5 years ago in FYI
Are Men More Vulnerable to Corona?
Since the early stages of the pandemic, it has been clear that men are more vulnerable to Covid-19: they have fallen ill more frequently than women, and their death rates too have been higher. But a new study has found that the societal backgrounds play a greater role in disease outcomes than gender does.
By Aryan Pandey5 years ago in FYI
Hitler: The Rise Of A Madman
Anti-Semitism in society, abusive father, service in World War 1, family tragedy. All of these can be short and long term reasons for Adolf Schicklgruber, a.k.a Adolf Hitler, to become to man he was. Once a man with great potential became a man of great hate and anger. He lived his life the way he saw fit, this eventually led to his brutal end by his own hands.
By M.P.S Tonks5 years ago in FYI
Are You Camera-Ready?
Imagine living in a society in which your next door neighbor, your Uber driver or random citizens reading your social media posts can affect what school you may attend, what career path you may choose or whether you can travel to visit far-off relatives and friends. In China, this is becoming the norm for the entire population.
By Juliette McCoy Riitters5 years ago in FYI
History of St George and the Dragon
Saint George’s Day is April 23, likely the day of his martyrdom. He is often depicted as a knight in armor. He is the patron saint of England, and his day has been celebrated there from the 9th century and more recently throughout the British Commonwealth… though he was not English and never visited England.
By Bill Petro5 years ago in FYI
Joseph Hansom and the Hansom Cab
Until a few years ago, the signs that welcomed visitors to the town of Hinckley in Leicestershire declared it to be the “Home of the Hansom Cab”. This might be thought to be a strange claim to make, given that Hansom cabs had not been seen on the streets of Hinckley or anywhere else for about a century, and most people would have very little idea what a Hansom cab was.
By John Welford5 years ago in FYI
How I Healed Myself of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia sucks! There really isn't a good description for it. Everything about this horrible disease sucks. Fibromyalgia is defined as a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in localized areas. That definition sucks! Anyone who suffers from this disease can tell you that fibromyalgia is so much more than that. It affects every muscle of your body from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Experts estimate that there are about 700 muscles in the human body. One expert, Paul Ingraham, a science writer in Vancouver, Canada, states that "there are about 100 muscles that might get discussed in a gym (and of course only 20% of those get 80% of the shop talk), ~200 more muscles that are more obscure, roughly 400 more muscles that are really danged obscure, several million hair-raising muscles, several billion smooth muscles cells blended together, and exactly 1 heart muscle. He estimates that there are approximately 50,100,000,701 muscles, accurate to within 99%.
By Jackie Murray5 years ago in FYI
Rainbow from the dark
First lets start off by pointing out something peculiar about rainbows. They occur in prisms, and on a rainy day under the right conditions, and in the spray of sprinkler, and they appear to move like fixtures suspended in the air moving with your perspective. Very strange indeed....
By Nicholas Powers5 years ago in FYI
Naval Indian History
India has a rich maritime heritage and the earliest reference to maritime activities is contained in the Rig Veda. Indian mythology has numerous episodes pertaining to the ocean, the sea and the rivers, with belief that mankind has benefitted from the wealth of seas and ocean. There is plenty of evidence derived from Indian literature, art, sculptures, painting and archeology to establish existence of Indian maritime traditions.A study of the country's maritime history reveals that the Indian sub-continent exercised supremacy over the Indian Ocean from very early times up to the 13th century. Indians took to the sea for trade and commerce rather than for political ends. Thus, the period up to about 16th century witnessed peaceful sea-borne commerce, cultural and traditional exchange between countries. The Indian Ocean has always been regarded as an area of great significance and India is central to this Ocean.THE EARLY DAYS (3000 – 2000 BC).The beginning of India's maritime history dates back to 3000 BC. During this time, the inhabitants of Indus Valley Civilisation had maritime trade link with Mesopotamia. The excavation at Mohe John-Daro and Harappa has revealed ample evidence that maritime activities flourished during this period.The discovery of a dry-dock at Lothal (about 400 km Southwest of Ahmedabad) gives an insight into the knowledge of tides, winds and other nautical factors that existed during that period. The dry-dock at Lothal dates back to 2400 BC and is regarded as the first such facility, anywhere in the world, equipped to berth and service ships.VEDIC AGE (2000 – 500 BC).Vedic literature has numerous references to boats, ships and sea voyages. The Rig Veda is the oldest evidence on record that refers to Varuna, the Lord of the Sea, and credits him with the knowledge of the ocean routes which were used by ships. The Rig Veda mentions merchants sailing ships across the oceans to foreign countries in quest of trade and wealth. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata have references to ships and sea travels. Even the Puranas have several stories of sea voyages.AGE OF THE NANDAS AND MAURYAS (500 – 200 BC).The age of the Nandas and Mauryas saw an extensive maritime trading activities that brought many nations closer to India. This resulted in spread of India's culture and religious beliefs to other countries. The maritime activities of Mauryas paved the way for Indian immigration to Indonesia and other surrounding islands. During this period, India witnessed an invasion by Alexander. The Greek and Roman literary records give sufficient evidence about maritime trade during days of Nanda and Maurya empires. Megasthe Estate, the Greek ethnographer and Macedonian ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya, has described the administration of armed forces in Pataliputra during that period, and described the presence of a special group that looked after different aspects of naval war-fighting. The navy of the Magadh kingdom, therefore, is considered to be the first ever recorded instance of a navy, anywhere in the world. It was during this period that Chandragupta's minister, Chanakya, wrote the Arthashastra, which has details of the department of waterways under a Navadhyaksha (Superintendent of the ships). It also has details of an admiralty division established as part of the 'war office', which was responsible for navigation on the oceans, lakes and seas. Details of different types of boats maintained during the Mauryan rule and their purpose have also been included in the book.EMPEROR ASHOKA.During the rule of Ashoka the Great, the Mauryan Empire covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent, and trade relationships existed with Sri Lanka, Egypt, Syria and Macedonia. One of the endearing legacies of Ashoka remains the spread of Buddhism. There is evidence that Ashoka's son, Mahendra, and daughter, Sanghamitra, had sailed from Tamralipti in West Bengal to Ceylon carrying a sapling of the holy Banyan tree as a gift, for spread of Buddhism. Ashoka also sent envoys to various kingdoms in Southeast Asia using the sea route.SATAVAHANA DYNASTY (200 BC-220 AD).The Satavahanas (200 BC – 220 AD) ruled the Deccan region and their kingdom spread over parts of present day Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Saurashtra in Gujarat. They controlled the East coast of India, along the Bay of Bengal and had healthy trade with the Roman Empire. The Satavahanas were the first native Indian rulers to issue their own coins with inscription of ships. Evidence also exists of spread of culture, language and Hinduism to various parts of Southeast Asia through the sea route.GUPTA DYNASTY (320-500 AD) - THE GOLDEN AGE.The Gupta Empire stretched across northern, central and parts of southern India between 320 to 550 AD. This period has been called the ‘Golden Age of India’. Chandra Gupta I, Samudra Gupta and Chandra Gupta II were the most notable rulers of the Gupta dynasty. Fa-Hien, the Chinese monk, who came to India in 399 CE to study Buddhism at Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Varanasi, had given an eyewitness account of the Gupta Empire. With the expansion of overseas commerce, the Gupta period witnessed an era of general prosperity, economic progress, cultural extension, artistic attainment and architectural advancement. Fa-Hien on his way back to his homeland, in 413 CE, sailed from Tamralipti in Bengal and 14 days later reached Ceylon where he embarked for Java and passed through Nicobars and the Strait of Malacca to reach the Pacific. The oceanic navigation which was well advanced during the earlier centuries of the Christian era is borne out from Fa-Hien's writings. Another Chinese traveller Huein Tsang, who visited India between 633-645 AD had given eyewitness accounts of the vast overseas trade during the Gupta period. Remarkable progress in astronomy was also achieved during this period. Aryabhata and Varahamihira, known in history as great astronomers, belonged to this period. The celestial bodies began to be accurately mapped and the art of oceanic navigation by rough and ready computation of position from known stars was established. During this period, several ports in the east and west were opened which greatly revived maritime trade with European and African countries.THE SOUTHERN DYNASTIES.The Cholas, Cheras and Pandas were major powers of peninsular India. These rulers had established strong maritime trade links with the local rulers of Sumatra, Java, Malay Peninsula, Thailand and China. The knowledge of the monsoon winds was also developed during sea voyages. During the Chola dynasty (3rd-13thCentury) extensive sea trade existed and new harbours with quarters, warehouses and workshops where established. Ship repair yards, wharfs and light houses where build along the Indian coast to support the powerful navy which protected their merchant ships. Hinduism and Indian culture spread during the 5 to 12 centuries during the Sri Vijaya Empire which extended between India's eastern seaboard and the Far East. The Sri Vijayaa' cultural and trading expeditions took them to far-flung areas such as Sumatra, Burma, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Thailand and Indo-China. They attracted Indian, Arab and Chinese merchants to ports where excellent harbour facilities were available. As a result of ‘difference’ between the Cholas, the Tamil kings and the Sri Vijayaa, a series of sea battles were fought between their navies towards the end of the 10thCentury AD resulting in the weakening of these empires and opening the way for Arab supremacy in the region. In 1007 AD, the Cholas defeated the Sri Vijayaa and then ruled the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra and some neighbouring islands. The Pandya dynasty (6th – 16thCentury) were eminent sailors and sea traders, with links extending from the Roman empire and Egypt in the West to China in the East. They controlled pearl farming that took place along the India's southern coastline, producing some of the finest pearls of those times.The Cheras (12thCentury) had a flourishing trade with the Greeks and the Romans. They navigated through various rivers which opened into the Arabian Sea. They used monsoon winds to sail their ships directly from the Indian ports of Ty District (present day Periyapatta Un, near Kochi) and (present day , also near Kochi), to ports in Arabia.The Vijaynagar (1336–1646 AD) empire established strong links with various parts of Southeast Asia, spread India's culture and traditions. This influence is visible even today in Southeast Asia, as names of many places and people are of Indian origin. These kingdoms also helped spread both Hinduism and Buddhism, cultures and architectures in this region.VIJAYNAGAR EMPIRE.Between the 13th and the 15th centuries, while most of northern India was dominated by the Delhi sultanate, most parts of southern India were controlled by the Vijaynagar Empire.ARRIVAL OF THE ARABS.By the 8thCentury AD, Arabs began to come to India by sea in great numbers as traders. Over the time, many parts of the modern day West Asia became nodal points for business between Europe, Southeast Asia and India. Soon the Arabs began controlling the trade routes, and acted as middlemen between the West and the East. The period from 900 to 1300 AD is considered the Early Age of maritime commerce in Southeast Asia.MARITIME INDIA AND THE EUROPEANS.The Mughal dynasty ruled over most of the northern India from 1526-1707 AD. Having found sufficient revenue from land resources, they did not pay much attention to the affairs of the sea. This enabled the Arabs to establish a monopoly over trade in the Indian Ocean. Hearing about the rich land called 'Hindustan' in the East, many European countries felt the need to find a direct sea route for trade. The Portuguese took the lead and were the first Europeans to arrive on Indian shores.ARRIVAL OF THE PORTUGUESE.The 16thCentury is considered as an important landmark. Prior to this century, the calm and peaceful waters of the Indian Ocean were characterised by a brisk and prosperous commercial trade in which most of the coastal and seafaring communities from East Africa To Malaysia and Indonesian Islands participated actively. Vasco da Gama (1460 – 1524) was a Portuguese explorer who discovered an oceanic route from Portugal to India. Sailing from Portugal, he rounded the Cape of Good Hope in Africa to arrive at Calicut in Kerala in May 1498. His arrival began a new chapter in India's maritime history. The calm and peaceful scene of trade was disturbed with the arrival of the Portuguese merchantmen, who set a strategy for control of the entire Indian Ocean.They set up factories at Calicut, Cochin, Goa, Surat and at other west coast ports. They also took control of all important Ports namely Hormuz, Socotra, Aden and Malacca to effectively seize the Indian Ocean trade flow, thereby displaying the Arab monopoly over trade in the Indian Ocean Region.The Zamori See, with their capital at Calicut, a major trading port had flourishing trade over land and through seas. On Vasco da Gama’s arrival at Calicut, the ruler granted permission to the Portuguese for trade. This was not liked by the large settlements of Arab traders who were already trading with the Zamori See. When asked by the king to pay the usual customs tariff, Vasco da Gama refused to pay it and sailed back from Calicut to return to Europe. Thereafter, the Portuguese became friendly with the kings of Kochi and Can Amore and launched multiple assaults on the ports. The Zamori See resisted the Portuguese for over a century. During this period of resistance, Kundali Marammata, the Naval commanders of that time, proved their tactical acumen and valour on many occasions. Kundali Marammat was the title given to the naval chief of the king. There were four major Kunjal Is who played their part in the Zamorin’s naval wars with the Portuguese between 1502 and 1600. Of the four Marammata, Kundali Marammat II is the most famous. The Kundali Marammata are credited with organising the first naval defence of the Indian coast. The word Kundali is derived from “Kunj – Ali”, which in Malayalam means ‘Dear Ali’. Even though the Kundali Marammata lacked the fire power and hardware of the large Portuguese vessels, they prevented the Portuguese from establishing a foothold on the Malabar Coast for more than 90 years.In 1509, Alfonso de Albuquerque was appointed Portuguese Governor in Kochi. Having failed to defeat the , Albuquerque seized Goa and its surrounding areas by defeating the Sultan of Bijapur (present day Karnataka) in 1510. Thereafter, Goa became the headquarters of Portuguese India and the seat of the Portuguese Viceroy.THE DUTCH.The Dutch East India Company, established in 1592 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, sailed their first merchant fleet that reached India in 1595. The first Dutch base in the Indian Ocean Region was established at Batavia (present day Jakarta, Indonesia). They did not challenge the Portugese and were given permission to set up a trading facility at Publication in 1608 which led to the formation of Dutch Coromandel. Subsequently, Dutch Surat and Dutch Bengal were established in 1616 and 1627 respectively. The Dutch conquered the forts on the Malabar Coast (present day Kerala) around 1661 and established Dutch Malabar to protect Ceylon from Portuguese invasion. Apart from textiles, the Dutch traded precious stones, indigo, silk, opium, cinnamon and pepper.THE BRITISH.The East India Company was founded in England on 31 December 1600. A ship of the company, Hector, under the command of Captain William Hawkins arrived at Surat. Captain William Hawkins brought with him a letter for Emperor Jahangir, seeking permission to trade with the Mughal dominions. The emperor granted permission for trade and also promised other trading facilities. At that time, the Portuguese were the dominant European power in India, so they did not appreciate the British arriving in India and affecting their trade.THE FRENCH.The French arrived in the Indian Ocean Region in 1740 and established a strong base in Mauritius. Eventually, they also arrived at Surat and Pondicherry where they set up their trading posts. In later years, French establishments came up in Karaikal, Yangon, Mahe and Chander Nagore (present day Chandannagar in Bengal). During the 18th century, the French were the primary challengers to the British supremacy in the Indian Ocean. Between 1744 and 1766, the British and French repeatedly attacked each other to conquer forts and towns along the east coast of South India and Bengal. After a few initial French successes, the British decisively defeated the French in the Battle of Wandiwash in Tamil Nadu (1760).The British knew the importance of the seas. In addition to taking over provinces over land, they also established a naval force which protected their sea trade and also kept adversaries at bay. Thus, a strong naval force also aided the British in ruling over India.MARITIME PROWESS OF THE MARATHAS.The Marathas gave the strongest resistance to the British from gaining control along the Indian coasts. The Marathas, who were under constant attacks from the Mughals, initially had no navy. Shivaji was the first to realise the importance of a strong navy. Fighting the Siddik (who had their base at Murud Janjira) and observing the Portuguese naval power along the Konkan coast, Shivaji realised the importance of having an efficient system of ports and strong navy. Shivaji believed in forts and built many coastal forts such as at Vijay Durg, Sindhudurg and many others along the Konkan coast. He ensured sound defence of the forts by constructing them on hillocks overlooking the coast.The Maratha navy soon became stronger and established strongholds in the forts at Kolaba, Sindhudurg, Vijay Durg and Ratnagiri. For more than 40 years, the Marathas held both the Portuguese and the British at bay single-handedly. Under Shivaji, the Maratha navy developed into a ferocious force with more than 500 ships. But after the death of Shivaji in 1680, the Maratha navy became weak.THE LEGEND OF Kanojia ANGRE.Kanhoji Angre took over as the Sarkhej (Admiral) of the Maratha fleet in 1699. Kanojia initially remained focused on building his fleet from just ten ships to about 50 Galbraith and 10 ghuraba. These increments made his fleet a sizeable naval force. He recaptured all the forts that had been lost by the Maratha navy to the Siddik. After decisively defeating the Siddik, he turned his attention to the Portuguese.Kanhoji began to attack and capture Portuguese merchant ships that refused to purchase his passports. The Portuguese retaliated but were outnumbered and defeated by the Marathas. Eventually, the Portuguese signed a peace treaty with the Marathas. Having settled the Portuguese front in his favour, Kanojia shifted his attention to the British. The British port in Mumbai was very close to Kolaba fort. The British regarded him as a threat and wooed all his enemies to their side. The British Governor Charles Boone and the legendary Sarkhej Kanojia fought many battles over a decade and both suffered heavy losses. Finally in 1724, the Sarkhej Kanojia wrote to the British Governor William Phipps proposing peace. While there was no formal agreement of any kind, both refrained from indulging in any activity that threatened to break the truce. Kanojia thus remained undefeated at sea. A few years after Kanojia Angie's death, the British finally captured the Maratha stronghold, Fort Cherish (Vijay Durg) in 1756, and thus began the decline of the Marathas.MARITIME INDIA UNDER THE BRITISH RAJ.The East India Company came under the British Crown on 01 May 1830 and acquired combatant status. The service was then named the Indian Navy. It was renamed as Her Majesty's Indian Navy in 1858. In 1863, it was reorganised into two branches; one at Bombay and the other at Calcutta, as the Bombay Marine and the Bengal Marine. The protection of Indian waters were then taken over by the Royal Navy.The Royal Indian Marine (RIM) was constituted in 1892. During World War I, RIM was assigned tasks such as marine survey, maintenance of lighthouses and transportation of troops. Soon after the end of the World War I in 1918, the strength of the Royal Indian Marine was reduced by the British government in India. On 02 October 1934, this Service was renamed Royal Indian Navy (RIN), with its headquarters at Bombay.When World War II began in 1939, the strength of the RIN on 01 October 1939 was 114 officers and 1,732 sailors with only 16 officers manning the Naval Headquarters which was located inside the Naval Dockyard at Bombay. Since New Delhi was the focal point of command and control during the war, a Naval Liaison officer was positioned at New Delhi in October 1939 to reduce the time taken in processing important papers. But, since this also proved unsatisfactory, the Naval Headquarters was transferred from Bombay to New Delhi in March 1941.During the initial phase of World War II, Royal Indian Navy maintained a sea going squadron of six escort vessels to co-operate with the Royal Navy and undertook the responsibility of local naval defence. Merchant ships were armed and new types of vessels added to the fleet for protection of the Indian ports and the sea routes leading to them. The Eastern Fleet of the Royal Navy was there in the background, but the local naval defence was the responsibility of the RIN. The RIN undertook combat duties and rendered commendable service in the Middle East and the Bay of Bengal. Its vessels operated in the European waters also, both in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Perhaps the most important and earliest combat assignment was in the Red Sea and the Indian ships took an active share in the capture of Massages from the Italians and fighting the Italian Navy on the coast off Somaliland. They operate with success in the Persian Gulf, where their duties related largely to patrolling the coast and escorting the supply ships. In the period after the entry of Japan into the war, Burmese waters became the primary field of activity of the RIN. It took part in patrolling, and cooperated effectively in combined operations, magnificently displaying bravery and skill.MARITIME INDIA POST INDEPENDENCE.With the partition of India, post-independence, the Royal Indian Navy was divided into the Royal Indian Navy and the Royal Pakistan Navy. On 22 April 1958, Vice Admiral R D Katari, become the first Indian Naval Officer to take over as the Chief of the Naval Staff of Indian Navy. Two-thirds of the Royal Indian Navy's asset remained with India and balance went to Pakistan Navy. On 15 August 1947, Rear Admiral JTS Hall, RIN, was appointed as India's first Flag Officer Commanding Royal Indian Navy.With India becoming a Republic on 26 January 1950, the prefix 'Royal' was dropped and it was rechristened as the Indian Navy. On 26 January 1950, the Crown of the Royal Indian Navy's Crest was replaced by Ashoka Lion Motif for Indian Navy's Emblem. The invocation to Lord Varuna (The Sea God) in the Vedas was adopted by Indian Navy for its emblem, with the Motto: “Sam no Varuna Happy”, meaning: “Be auspicious unto us Oh Varuna”. The inscription of “Satyamev Jayate” below the State Emblem was included in the Indian Navy's Crest.In Great Britain, the monarch used to present ‘Colours’ to the Navy, Army and Air Force as well as to the Commanders-in-Chief of the forces. This ‘King's Colour’ was paraded ashore on every special ceremonial occasion. In 1924, King George presented his colours to the British Navy. In 1935, the ‘King's Colours’ was presented to the Royal Indian Navy. India became a Republic on 26 January 1950. One day earlier, on 25 January, all 33 of the King’s Colours which had been presented to the Royal Indian Navy, Royal Indian Army and Royal Indian Air Force and their respective Commands were ‘laid up’ at the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun.Colours were presented to Indian Navy, by the then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad on 27 May 1951. On 21 October 1944, Navy Day was celebrated for the first time. This met with considerable success and aroused enthusiasm. Seeing its success, similar functions were organised every year on a larger scale and later in the season when the weather was cooler. Since 1972, Navy Day is being celebrated on 04 December to commemorate the very successful naval actions in the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the missile attack on Karachi harbour during the India-Pakistan war of 1971 and to pay homage to all the martyrs of the war. During this time the Indian Naval Ships, aircraft and establishments are open to visitors and school children.
By Zarinabanu Zarinabanu5 years ago in FYI
