One of India’s greatest playback singers, Mohammed Rafi, was born on December 24, 1924, at Kotla Sultan Singh, a village in Punjab near present-day Amritsar. He was the fifth among the six sons of Hajji Ali Mohammad and Allahrakhi Bai. His father moved to Lahore in the 1920s. A family friend recognized Rafi’s singing talent and supported him. Mohammed Rafi started taking Hindustani Classical music from Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo who taught him the intricacies of Raag Shastra and Punjabi folk ragas Pahaadi, Bhairavi, Basant and Malhaar. He later trained under the tutelage of Ustad Abdul Wahad Khan of the Kirana Gharana and also received lessons from and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of the Patiala Gharana. He was also trained by Feeroze Nizami, a producer in the All India Radio Lahore. Rafi performed his first stage show at 13 years of age in Lahore. He started singing for the All India Radio in Lahore from the year 1941. Rafi made his Hindi film debut with the song “Aji Dil Ho Aaabu Mein…” in the film ‘Gaon Ki Gori’.

Eventually Rafi went to Bombay in 1944. After Partition Rafi decided to stay in India and brought his family to Bombay. Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru awarded Rafi a silver medal in 1948. Rafi worked with all the leading music directors of his time. He received 21 Filmfare Awards nominations for playback singing out of which he won 6 times. He also won a National Film Award in 1977. He also bagged the Bengali Film Journalists Awards thrice in 1957, 1965 and 1966. He was honoured with the Padma Shri award by the Government of India in 1967.

The last song he recorded was ‘Shaam Phir Kyun Udaas Hai Dost’ for music director duo Laxmikant Pyarelal for the film Aas Paas. Mohammed Rafi died of a massive heart attack on July 31, 1980 at 10:25 PM at his residence at Rafi Mansion, Bandra.

On 24 December, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the President so it is being observed as National Consumer Day in India. This Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation such as defective goods, unsatisfactory services and unfair trade practices. The Act applies to all goods and services unless specifically exempted, which covers the private, public and cooperative sectors. It also provides speedy and inexpensive adjudication.

The rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 flow from the rights enshrined in Articles 14 to 19 of the Constitution of India.  It envisages the promotion and protection of following rights for the consumers:

• Right to Safety
• Right to be informed
• Right to Choose
• Right to be heard

The Consumer Protection and Action Committee (CPAC) celebrates the day by distributing complaints forms, information brochures and other consumer rights literature freely to the public.

The World Consumer Rights Day is observed on March 15, annually.

Ragon mein daudte firne ke ham naheen qaayal
jab aankh hee se na tapka to fir lahoo kya hai..

-Mirza Ghalib

There are many good poets worthy of praise, but, it is said that Ghalib (27 December 1797 – 15 February 1869) has a distinctive style. The name Mirza Ghalib needs no introduction for anyone mildly interested in India’s cultural history. Born in Agra as Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, he migrated to Delhi where he lived for the rest of his life. ‘Ghalib’ was his pen-name. The substance of his poetry comprises of deep philosophical doubt, ruminations on the nature of love and life as a prison house of pain. In an obscure street in Ballimaran, after crossing the hustle and bustle of Chandni Chowk, lies its most celebrated memorial which gave rise to those wonderful anecdotes which still populate the cultural landscape.

He came of a family of distinguished Seljuqid Turks, and his ancestors occupied important positions in the armies of the Mughals and of the East India Company. He was born in Agra in 1797. His father Abdullah Beg Khan was killed in action when Ghalib was less than five years old. After his father’s death, he was taken care of by his uncle Nasr Ullah Beg Khan, but when Ghalib was nice he too died. Ghalib henceforth lived with the rich parents of his mother whose indulgence towards him resulted in his developing unfrugal habits and plunging into youthful excesses, which in later years were responsible for many of his troubles. Ghalib started composing poetry at the age of 11 and got married at a very young age of 13 only, in a noble family around the year 1810. It is said that Ghalib had seven children, but sadly none of them survived. This pain has found its way into his poetry. His spouse was a contrasting personality when compared to him. She was a god fearing and a very reserved person as compared to Ghalib, who was a carefree and unrestricted person. It is said that Ghalib had a weakness for drinking and gambling. These two vices were something that he was truly fond of in his lifetime. Ghalib never strived for earning a decent livelihood and led his life on the generosity of his friends or state sponsorship. Though no one gave him due importance then, fame came much later. On February 15th 1869, this great poet breathed his last.

It was not that he shied away from his duties in the mundane world. He fought valiantly for his rights to his ancestral pension. He traveled right up to Calcutta, met British officials at gubernatorial levels, argued his case vehemently, and after 14 years of hard pleading managed to win it too, with help from an intellectual of the caliber of Sir Sayyad Ahmad.

Ghalib is perhaps the most well known and often quoted Urdu poet. Though fondly, and indulgently, his name is associated with the themes of romanticizing beauty of womankind, atheism, drinking, and largely a life of profligacy, rather than any serious depths or school of thought. Unfortunately Ghalib was grossly misunderstood in the society, mainly because he did not believe in the activities and rituals merely for show of religiosity. He would not perform nimaaz mechanically at prescribed times, or go to the mosque just to mark his attendance there with the community. His God was an universal God. Like the One Allah in Sufism or One Brahma in Vedant.

yaa rab ! wo na samjhe hain na samjhenge meree baat
de aur dil unko, jo na de mujhko zubaan aur..
-Mirza Ghalib

Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa (1904 –1994) known more famously by his pen name Kuvempu, is considered to be the greatest Kannada Poet, Novelist, Author, Thinker and Critic of 20th century. The Kannada language is spoken mainly in Kuvempu’s home state of Karnataka, and he strongly advocated for it to be the main medium of education. He is the first among Kannada writers to be decorated with the prestigious Jnanpith Award. For his contributions to Kannada Literature, the Government of Karnataka decorated him with the honorific Rashtrakavi (National Poet) in 1958 and Karnataka Ratna (Gem of Karnataka) in 1992.

He was born in the Chikmanglur district of Karnataka on December 29, 1904. He had received early education in Shimoga and nearby districts and completed college education in Mysore. He had received early education in Shimoga and nearby districts and completed college education in Mysore. He started his academic career as teacher of Kannada language in Mysore and Bengaluru. He became professor, and then principal of the Maharaja’s College in Mysore. In 1956, he was appointed as Vice Chancellor of Mysore University. To promote research in Kannada, he founded the Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe (Institute of Kannada Studies) in the Mysore University. Today, it is known as Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies. Kuvempu took his last breath on November 1, 1994, at the age of 89.

His first literary works were in English but then he shifted to his mother tongue Kannada. A poetry collection called “Beginner’s Muse” was his first literary work in English. His epic narrative ‘Sri Ramayana Darshanam‘, a modern rendering of the Indian Hindu epic Ramayana, is regarded as the revival of the era of Mahakavya (Great Epic poetry) in contemporary form and charm. Sri Ramayana Darshanam led him to become a Sahitya Akademi and Jnanpith Award winner. His writings and his contribution to ‘Universal Humanism’ gives him a unique place in modern Indian literature. His other works include poem collections, novels, Plays, autobiography, stroires, essays and so on.

One of India’s greatest playback singers, Mohammed Rafi, was born on December 24, 1924, at Kotla Sultan Singh, a village in Punjab near present-day Amritsar. He was the fifth among the six sons of Hajji Ali Mohammad and Allahrakhi Bai. His father moved to Lahore in the 1920s. A family friend recognized Rafi’s singing talent and supported him. Mohammed Rafi started taking Hindustani Classical music from Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo who taught him the intricacies of Raag Shastra and Punjabi folk ragas Pahaadi, Bhairavi, Basant and Malhaar. He later trained under the tutelage of Ustad Abdul Wahad Khan of the Kirana Gharana and also received lessons from and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of the Patiala Gharana. He was also trained by Feeroze Nizami, a producer in the All India Radio Lahore. Rafi performed his first stage show at 13 years of age in Lahore. He started singing for the All India Radio in Lahore from the year 1941. Rafi made his Hindi film debut with the song “Aji Dil Ho Aaabu Mein…” in the film ‘Gaon Ki Gori’.

Eventually Rafi went to Bombay in 1944. After Partition Rafi decided to stay in India and brought his family to Bombay. Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru awarded Rafi a silver medal in 1948. Rafi worked with all the leading music directors of his time. He received 21 Filmfare Awards nominations for playback singing out of which he won 6 times. He also won a National Film Award in 1977. He also bagged the Bengali Film Journalists Awards thrice in 1957, 1965 and 1966. He was honoured with the Padma Shri award by the Government of India in 1967.

The last song he recorded was ‘Shaam Phir Kyun Udaas Hai Dost’ for music director duo Laxmikant Pyarelal for the film Aas Paas. Mohammed Rafi died of a massive heart attack on July 31, 1980 at 10:25 PM at his residence at Rafi Mansion, Bandra.

On 24 December, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the President so it is being observed as National Consumer Day in India. This Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation such as defective goods, unsatisfactory services and unfair trade practices. The Act applies to all goods and services unless specifically exempted, which covers the private, public and cooperative sectors. It also provides speedy and inexpensive adjudication.

The rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 flow from the rights enshrined in Articles 14 to 19 of the Constitution of India.  It envisages the promotion and protection of following rights for the consumers:

• Right to Safety
• Right to be informed
• Right to Choose
• Right to be heard

The Consumer Protection and Action Committee (CPAC) celebrates the day by distributing complaints forms, information brochures and other consumer rights literature freely to the public.

The World Consumer Rights Day is observed on March 15, annually.

Ragon mein daudte firne ke ham naheen qaayal
jab aankh hee se na tapka to fir lahoo kya hai..

-Mirza Ghalib

There are many good poets worthy of praise, but, it is said that Ghalib (27 December 1797 – 15 February 1869) has a distinctive style. The name Mirza Ghalib needs no introduction for anyone mildly interested in India’s cultural history. Born in Agra as Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, he migrated to Delhi where he lived for the rest of his life. ‘Ghalib’ was his pen-name. The substance of his poetry comprises of deep philosophical doubt, ruminations on the nature of love and life as a prison house of pain. In an obscure street in Ballimaran, after crossing the hustle and bustle of Chandni Chowk, lies its most celebrated memorial which gave rise to those wonderful anecdotes which still populate the cultural landscape.

He came of a family of distinguished Seljuqid Turks, and his ancestors occupied important positions in the armies of the Mughals and of the East India Company. He was born in Agra in 1797. His father Abdullah Beg Khan was killed in action when Ghalib was less than five years old. After his father’s death, he was taken care of by his uncle Nasr Ullah Beg Khan, but when Ghalib was nice he too died. Ghalib henceforth lived with the rich parents of his mother whose indulgence towards him resulted in his developing unfrugal habits and plunging into youthful excesses, which in later years were responsible for many of his troubles. Ghalib started composing poetry at the age of 11 and got married at a very young age of 13 only, in a noble family around the year 1810. It is said that Ghalib had seven children, but sadly none of them survived. This pain has found its way into his poetry. His spouse was a contrasting personality when compared to him. She was a god fearing and a very reserved person as compared to Ghalib, who was a carefree and unrestricted person. It is said that Ghalib had a weakness for drinking and gambling. These two vices were something that he was truly fond of in his lifetime. Ghalib never strived for earning a decent livelihood and led his life on the generosity of his friends or state sponsorship. Though no one gave him due importance then, fame came much later. On February 15th 1869, this great poet breathed his last.

It was not that he shied away from his duties in the mundane world. He fought valiantly for his rights to his ancestral pension. He traveled right up to Calcutta, met British officials at gubernatorial levels, argued his case vehemently, and after 14 years of hard pleading managed to win it too, with help from an intellectual of the caliber of Sir Sayyad Ahmad.

Ghalib is perhaps the most well known and often quoted Urdu poet. Though fondly, and indulgently, his name is associated with the themes of romanticizing beauty of womankind, atheism, drinking, and largely a life of profligacy, rather than any serious depths or school of thought. Unfortunately Ghalib was grossly misunderstood in the society, mainly because he did not believe in the activities and rituals merely for show of religiosity. He would not perform nimaaz mechanically at prescribed times, or go to the mosque just to mark his attendance there with the community. His God was an universal God. Like the One Allah in Sufism or One Brahma in Vedant.

yaa rab ! wo na samjhe hain na samjhenge meree baat
de aur dil unko, jo na de mujhko zubaan aur..
-Mirza Ghalib

Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa (1904 –1994) known more famously by his pen name Kuvempu, is considered to be the greatest Kannada Poet, Novelist, Author, Thinker and Critic of 20th century. The Kannada language is spoken mainly in Kuvempu’s home state of Karnataka, and he strongly advocated for it to be the main medium of education. He is the first among Kannada writers to be decorated with the prestigious Jnanpith Award. For his contributions to Kannada Literature, the Government of Karnataka decorated him with the honorific Rashtrakavi (National Poet) in 1958 and Karnataka Ratna (Gem of Karnataka) in 1992.

He was born in the Chikmanglur district of Karnataka on December 29, 1904. He had received early education in Shimoga and nearby districts and completed college education in Mysore. He had received early education in Shimoga and nearby districts and completed college education in Mysore. He started his academic career as teacher of Kannada language in Mysore and Bengaluru. He became professor, and then principal of the Maharaja’s College in Mysore. In 1956, he was appointed as Vice Chancellor of Mysore University. To promote research in Kannada, he founded the Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe (Institute of Kannada Studies) in the Mysore University. Today, it is known as Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies. Kuvempu took his last breath on November 1, 1994, at the age of 89.

His first literary works were in English but then he shifted to his mother tongue Kannada. A poetry collection called “Beginner’s Muse” was his first literary work in English. His epic narrative ‘Sri Ramayana Darshanam‘, a modern rendering of the Indian Hindu epic Ramayana, is regarded as the revival of the era of Mahakavya (Great Epic poetry) in contemporary form and charm. Sri Ramayana Darshanam led him to become a Sahitya Akademi and Jnanpith Award winner. His writings and his contribution to ‘Universal Humanism’ gives him a unique place in modern Indian literature. His other works include poem collections, novels, Plays, autobiography, stroires, essays and so on.

One of India’s greatest playback singers, Mohammed Rafi, was born on December 24, 1924, at Kotla Sultan Singh, a village in Punjab near present-day Amritsar. He was the fifth among the six sons of Hajji Ali Mohammad and Allahrakhi Bai. His father moved to Lahore in the 1920s. A family friend recognized Rafi’s singing talent and supported him. Mohammed Rafi started taking Hindustani Classical music from Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo who taught him the intricacies of Raag Shastra and Punjabi folk ragas Pahaadi, Bhairavi, Basant and Malhaar. He later trained under the tutelage of Ustad Abdul Wahad Khan of the Kirana Gharana and also received lessons from and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of the Patiala Gharana. He was also trained by Feeroze Nizami, a producer in the All India Radio Lahore. Rafi performed his first stage show at 13 years of age in Lahore. He started singing for the All India Radio in Lahore from the year 1941. Rafi made his Hindi film debut with the song “Aji Dil Ho Aaabu Mein…” in the film ‘Gaon Ki Gori’.

Eventually Rafi went to Bombay in 1944. After Partition Rafi decided to stay in India and brought his family to Bombay. Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru awarded Rafi a silver medal in 1948. Rafi worked with all the leading music directors of his time. He received 21 Filmfare Awards nominations for playback singing out of which he won 6 times. He also won a National Film Award in 1977. He also bagged the Bengali Film Journalists Awards thrice in 1957, 1965 and 1966. He was honoured with the Padma Shri award by the Government of India in 1967.

The last song he recorded was ‘Shaam Phir Kyun Udaas Hai Dost’ for music director duo Laxmikant Pyarelal for the film Aas Paas. Mohammed Rafi died of a massive heart attack on July 31, 1980 at 10:25 PM at his residence at Rafi Mansion, Bandra.

On 24 December, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the President so it is being observed as National Consumer Day in India. This Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation such as defective goods, unsatisfactory services and unfair trade practices. The Act applies to all goods and services unless specifically exempted, which covers the private, public and cooperative sectors. It also provides speedy and inexpensive adjudication.

The rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 flow from the rights enshrined in Articles 14 to 19 of the Constitution of India.  It envisages the promotion and protection of following rights for the consumers:

• Right to Safety
• Right to be informed
• Right to Choose
• Right to be heard

The Consumer Protection and Action Committee (CPAC) celebrates the day by distributing complaints forms, information brochures and other consumer rights literature freely to the public.

The World Consumer Rights Day is observed on March 15, annually.

Ragon mein daudte firne ke ham naheen qaayal
jab aankh hee se na tapka to fir lahoo kya hai..

-Mirza Ghalib

There are many good poets worthy of praise, but, it is said that Ghalib (27 December 1797 – 15 February 1869) has a distinctive style. The name Mirza Ghalib needs no introduction for anyone mildly interested in India’s cultural history. Born in Agra as Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, he migrated to Delhi where he lived for the rest of his life. ‘Ghalib’ was his pen-name. The substance of his poetry comprises of deep philosophical doubt, ruminations on the nature of love and life as a prison house of pain. In an obscure street in Ballimaran, after crossing the hustle and bustle of Chandni Chowk, lies its most celebrated memorial which gave rise to those wonderful anecdotes which still populate the cultural landscape.

He came of a family of distinguished Seljuqid Turks, and his ancestors occupied important positions in the armies of the Mughals and of the East India Company. He was born in Agra in 1797. His father Abdullah Beg Khan was killed in action when Ghalib was less than five years old. After his father’s death, he was taken care of by his uncle Nasr Ullah Beg Khan, but when Ghalib was nice he too died. Ghalib henceforth lived with the rich parents of his mother whose indulgence towards him resulted in his developing unfrugal habits and plunging into youthful excesses, which in later years were responsible for many of his troubles. Ghalib started composing poetry at the age of 11 and got married at a very young age of 13 only, in a noble family around the year 1810. It is said that Ghalib had seven children, but sadly none of them survived. This pain has found its way into his poetry. His spouse was a contrasting personality when compared to him. She was a god fearing and a very reserved person as compared to Ghalib, who was a carefree and unrestricted person. It is said that Ghalib had a weakness for drinking and gambling. These two vices were something that he was truly fond of in his lifetime. Ghalib never strived for earning a decent livelihood and led his life on the generosity of his friends or state sponsorship. Though no one gave him due importance then, fame came much later. On February 15th 1869, this great poet breathed his last.

It was not that he shied away from his duties in the mundane world. He fought valiantly for his rights to his ancestral pension. He traveled right up to Calcutta, met British officials at gubernatorial levels, argued his case vehemently, and after 14 years of hard pleading managed to win it too, with help from an intellectual of the caliber of Sir Sayyad Ahmad.

Ghalib is perhaps the most well known and often quoted Urdu poet. Though fondly, and indulgently, his name is associated with the themes of romanticizing beauty of womankind, atheism, drinking, and largely a life of profligacy, rather than any serious depths or school of thought. Unfortunately Ghalib was grossly misunderstood in the society, mainly because he did not believe in the activities and rituals merely for show of religiosity. He would not perform nimaaz mechanically at prescribed times, or go to the mosque just to mark his attendance there with the community. His God was an universal God. Like the One Allah in Sufism or One Brahma in Vedant.

yaa rab ! wo na samjhe hain na samjhenge meree baat
de aur dil unko, jo na de mujhko zubaan aur..
-Mirza Ghalib

Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa (1904 –1994) known more famously by his pen name Kuvempu, is considered to be the greatest Kannada Poet, Novelist, Author, Thinker and Critic of 20th century. The Kannada language is spoken mainly in Kuvempu’s home state of Karnataka, and he strongly advocated for it to be the main medium of education. He is the first among Kannada writers to be decorated with the prestigious Jnanpith Award. For his contributions to Kannada Literature, the Government of Karnataka decorated him with the honorific Rashtrakavi (National Poet) in 1958 and Karnataka Ratna (Gem of Karnataka) in 1992.

He was born in the Chikmanglur district of Karnataka on December 29, 1904. He had received early education in Shimoga and nearby districts and completed college education in Mysore. He had received early education in Shimoga and nearby districts and completed college education in Mysore. He started his academic career as teacher of Kannada language in Mysore and Bengaluru. He became professor, and then principal of the Maharaja’s College in Mysore. In 1956, he was appointed as Vice Chancellor of Mysore University. To promote research in Kannada, he founded the Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe (Institute of Kannada Studies) in the Mysore University. Today, it is known as Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies. Kuvempu took his last breath on November 1, 1994, at the age of 89.

His first literary works were in English but then he shifted to his mother tongue Kannada. A poetry collection called “Beginner’s Muse” was his first literary work in English. His epic narrative ‘Sri Ramayana Darshanam‘, a modern rendering of the Indian Hindu epic Ramayana, is regarded as the revival of the era of Mahakavya (Great Epic poetry) in contemporary form and charm. Sri Ramayana Darshanam led him to become a Sahitya Akademi and Jnanpith Award winner. His writings and his contribution to ‘Universal Humanism’ gives him a unique place in modern Indian literature. His other works include poem collections, novels, Plays, autobiography, stroires, essays and so on.