SACHIN TENDULKAR

Sachin Tendulkar ( i/stn tndulkr/; born 24 April 1973) is a former Indian cricketer and captain,
widely regarded to be one of the greatest cricketers of all time and by many as the greatest batsman
of all time.[4][5][6][7] He took up cricket at the age of eleven, made his Testdebut on 15 November 1989
against Pakistan in Karachi at the age of sixteen, and went on to represent Mumbai domestically
and Indiainternationally for close to twenty-four years. He is the only player to have scored one
hundred international centuries, the first batsman to score a double century in a One Day
International, holds the record for most number of runs in both ODI and Test cricket, the only player to
complete more than 30,000 runs in international cricket.[8]
In 2002 just half way through his career, Wisden Cricketers' Almanackranked him the second greatest
Test batsman of all time, behind Don Bradman, and the second greatest ODI batsman of all time,
behind Viv Richards.[9] Later in his career, Tendulkar was a part of the Indian team that won the 2011
World Cup, his first win in six World Cup appearances for India.[10] He had previously been named
"Player of the Tournament" at the 2003 edition of the tournament, held in South Africa. In 2013, he
was the only Indian cricketer included in an all-time Test World XI named to mark the 150th
anniversary of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.[11][12][13]

SANIA NEHWAL
Saina Nehwal ( pronunciation (helpinfo); born 17 March 1990) is an Indianbadminton player who
is currently ranked No. 3 in the world by Badminton World Federation Women's Singles 2015.[4][5]
[6]

She is the first Indian to win a medal in Badminton at the Olympics. [7] She achieved this feat by

winning the Bronze medal at the London Olympics 2012 on 4 August 2012.[8] She is also the first
Indian after Prakash Padukone and the first Indian woman to become world number 1. [4] Besides
these, she is the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships and was also the first
Indian to win a Super Series tournament, by clinching the Indonesia Open on 21 June 2009. Saina is
supported by the Olympic Gold Quest.[9]
Saina was initially coached by S. M. Arif a Dronacharya Award winner, and then by Pullela
Gopichand till 2014 September. Saina is the reigning Indian national champion and is currently
coached by the former Indian badminton champion and national coach U. Vimal Kumar. Saina
Nehwal plays for Hyderabad Hotshots in the Indian Badminton League.[10]

TIGER
The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to 3.38 m
(11.1 ft) over curves and exceptionally weighing up to 388.7 kg (857 lb) in the wild. Its most
recognisable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside.

The species is classified in the genusPanthera with the lion, leopard, jaguar and snow leopard. Tigers
are apex predators, primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and bovids. They are territorial and
generally solitary but social animals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support
their prey requirements. This, coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more
densely populated places on Earth, has caused significant conflicts with humans.
Tigers once ranged widely across Asia, from Turkey in the west to the eastern coast of Russia. Over
the past 100 years, they have lost 93% of their historic range, and have been extirpated from
southwest and central Asia, from the islands of Java andBali, and from large areas
of Southeast and Eastern Asia. Today, they range from the Siberian taiga to open grasslands and
tropical mangrove swamps. The remaining six tiger subspecies have been classified
as endangered by IUCN. The global population in the wild is estimated to number between 3,062 and
3,948 individuals, down from around 100,000 at the start of the 20th century, with most remaining
populations occurring in small pockets isolated from each other, of which about 2,000 exist on
the Indian subcontinent.[4] Major reasons for population decline include habitat destruction, habitat
fragmentation and poaching. The extent of area occupied by tigers is estimated at less than
1,184,911 km2 (457,497 sq mi), a 41% decline from the area estimated in the mid-1990s.

GIRRAFE
The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal,
thetallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. Its species name refers to itscamel-like
shape and its leopard-like coloring. Its chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck
and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. It is classified under
the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. The nine subspecies are
distinguished by their coat patterns.
The giraffe's scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and
from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabitsavannas, grasslands, and
open woodlands. Their primary food source is acacialeaves, which they browse at heights most other
herbivores cannot reach. Giraffes are preyed on by lions; their calves are also targeted
by leopards, spotted hyenas, and wild dogs. Adult giraffes do not have strong social bonds, though
they do gather in loose aggregations if they happen to be moving in the same general direction.
Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", which are combat bouts where the neck is used
as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear the sole responsibility for
raising the young.

DAVID BECKHAM
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (/bkm/; born 2 May 1975)[4] is an English former
professional footballer. He played forManchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, Milan, LA
Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and the England national team for which he holds the appearance
record for an outfield player.[5] He was the first English player to win league titles in four countries,
England, Spain, the United States and France. He announced his retirement at the end of the 2012
13 season and, on 18 May 2013, played the final game of his 20-year career.[6]

Beckham's professional career began with Manchester United, where he made his first-team debut in
1992 aged 17.[7] With United, he won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and
the UEFA Champions League in 1999.[7] He then played four seasons with Real Madrid, [8] winning
the La Liga championship in his final season with the club.[9] In July 2007 Beckham signed a five-year
contract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy.[10]While a Galaxy player, he spent two loan spells
in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010. He was the first British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions
League games.[7]

BILL GATES
William Henry "Bill" Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an Americanbusiness
magnate, philanthropist, investor, computer programmer, andinventor.[3][4][5] Gates originally
established his reputation as the co-founder ofMicrosoft, the worlds largest PC software company,
with Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of chairman, CEO and chief
software architect, and was also the largest individual shareholder until May 2014. [6][a] He has also
authored and co-authored several books.
Today he is consistently ranked in the Forbes list of the world's wealthiest people [7] and was the
wealthiest overall from 1995 to 2014excluding a few brief periods post-2008. [8] Between 2009 and
2014 his wealth more than doubled from $40 billion to more than $82 billion. [9] Between 2013 and
2014 his wealth increased by $15 billion, or around $1.5 billion more than the entire GDP of Iceland in
2014.[10] Gates is currently the richest man in the world.[11]
Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution. Gates has
been criticized for his business tactics, which have been considered anti-competitive, an opinion
which has in some cases been upheld by numerous court rulings. [12][13] In the later stages of his
career, Gates has pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors, donating large amounts of money to
various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, established in 2000.

AR RAHMAN
Allah-Rakha Rahman (

pronunciation (helpinfo), born A. S. Dileep Kumaron 6 January 1967) is

an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, musician and philanthropist. [3] Rahman's
works are noted for integratingEastern classical music with electronic music, world music and
traditional orchestral arrangements. Among his awards are two Academy Awards, twoGrammy
Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, four National Film Awards, fifteen Filmfare Awards and
thirteen Filmfare Awards South. Rahman's body of work for film and stage has given him the

nickname of "the Mozart of Madras", and Tamil commentators and fans call him Isai Puyal (English:
the Musical Storm).[4]
In 2009, Time included Rahman on its list of the world's most influential people.[5] The UK-based
world-music magazine Songlines named him one of "Tomorrow's World Music Icons" in August 2011.
[6]

RD BURMAN
Rahul Dev Burman (Bengali pronunciation: [Rahul Deb Brmon]; 27 June 1939 4 January 1994)
was an Indian film score composer, who is considered one of the seminal music directors of
the Indian film industry.[1] NicknamedPancham da, he was the only son of the composer Sachin Dev
Burman.
From the 1960s to the 1990s, RD Burman composed musical scores for 331 movies. [2] He was mainly
active in the Hindi film industry as a composer, and also provided vocals for a few of compositions.
[3]

RD Burman did major work with Asha Bhosle (his wife) and Kishore Kumar, and scored many of

the songs that made these singers famous.[3] He also scored many songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
He served as an influence to the next generation of Indian music directors, [3] and his songs continue
to be popular in India even after his death. [4]

KATHAKALI
Kathakali is a stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters,
elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the
anchor playback music and complementary percussion. It originated in the country's present day
state of Kerala during the 17th century and has developed over the years with improved looks, refined
gestures and added themes besides more ornate singing and precise drumming. [1]
According to tradition there are 101 classical Kathakali stories, though less than a third of these are
commonly staged at present. Almost all of them were initially composed to last a whole night.
Nowadays, there is increasing popularity for concise, or oftener select, versions of stories so as the
performance lasts not more than three to four hours from evening. Thus, many stories find stage
presentation in parts rather than totality. And the selection is based on criteria like choreographical
beauty, thematic relevance/popularity or their melodramatic elements. Kathakali is a classical art
form, but it can be appreciated also by novicesall contributed by the elegant looks of its character,
their abstract movement and its synchronisation with the musical notes and rhythmic beats. And, in
any case, the folk elements too continue to exist. For better appreciation, perhaps, it is still good to
have an idea of the story being enacted.

BHARATNATYAM
Bharathanatyam (Tamil: f ) is a form of Indian classical dancethat originated in the
temples of Tamil Nadu.[1][2][3][4][5] It was described in the treatise Natya Shastra by Bharata around the
beginning of the common era. Bharata Natyam is known for its grace, purity, tenderness, expression
and sculpturesque poses. Lord Shiva is considered the God of this dance form. Today, it is one of the

most popular and widely performed dance styles and is practiced by male and female dancers all
over the world, although it is more commonly danced by women. [6]
Surviving texts of the golden age of Tamil literature and poetry known during the Sangam
period of ca. 3rd century BCE to c. 4th century CE, such as theTolkappiyam (), as well
as the later Silappadikaram(), testify to a variety of dance traditions which flourished in
these times. The latter work is of particular importance, since one of its main characters, the
courtesan Madhavi, is a highly accomplished dancer. TheSilappadikaram is a mine of information of
ancient Tamil culture and society, in which the arts of music and dance were highly developed and
played major roles.[8].

NARENDRA MODI
Narendra Damodardas Modi (Gujarati: [nrendr dmodrds modi] (

listen), born 17

September 1950) is the 15th and current Prime Minister of India, in office since 26 May 2014.[1]
[2]

Modi, a leader of theBharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to

2014 and is the Member of Parliament (MP) from Varanasi. He led the BJP in the 2014 general
election, which gave the party a majority in the Lok Sabha(the lower house of the Indian parliament)
a first for any party since 1984 and was credited for October 2014 BJP electoral victories in the
states ofHaryana and Maharashtra.[3]
The prime minister, a Hindu nationalist, is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)[4]
[5]

and is a controversial figure domestically and internationally; [6][7][8][9] his administration was criticised

for its failure to prevent the 2002 Gujarat riots.[9][10] Although Modi's economic policies (credited with
encouraging economic growth in Gujarat) have been praised, [11] his administration has also been
criticised for failing to significantly improve the human development in the state. [12]

SONIA GANDHI
Sonia Gandhi ( pronunciation (helpinfo); born Edvige Antonia Albina Mino,[4][5][6] 9 December
1946) is an Italian-born Indian politician, who has served as President of the Indian National
Congress party since 1998.[5] She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi who
belonged to theNehruGandhi family. After her husband's assassination in 1991, she was invited by
Congress leaders to take over the government but she refused and publicly stayed away from politics
amidst constant prodding from the party.[7]She finally agreed to join politics in 1997; in 1998, she was
elected President of the Congress party.[5]
She has served as the Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance in the Lok Sabha since
2004. In September 2010, on being re-elected for the fourth time, she became the longest serving
president in the 125-year history of the Congress party.[8] Her foreign birth has been a subject of much
debate and controversy.[9][10] Also controversial was her alleged friendship with Italian
businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, accused of being a middleman in the Bofors scandal.[11] Although

Sonia is the fifth foreign-born person to be leader of the Congress Party, she is the first since
independence in 1947.[12]

APJ ABDUL KALAM

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam ( i/bdl klm/; born 15 October 1931) is an Indian
scientist who served as the 11th President of Indiafrom 2002 to 2007.
Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied physics and aerospace
engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at
the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in the India's civilian space program and
military missile development efforts.[1] He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of Indiafor his
work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicletechnology.[2] He also played a pivotal
organizational, technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since
the original nuclear test by India in 1974.[3]
In 2002, Kalam was elected the President of India in 2002 with the support of the both the
ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Indian National Congress. After serving a term of 5
years, he returned to civilian life of education, writing, and public service. He has received several
prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor.

CV RAMAN
Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, FRS[2] ( 7 November 1888 21 November 1970) was
an Indian physicist, born in the former Madras Province, whose ground breaking work in the field
of light scattering earned him the 1930Nobel Prize for Physics. He discovered that, when light
traverses a transparent material, some of the deflected light changes in wavelength. This
phenomenon is now called Raman scattering and is the result of the Raman effect.[3] In 1954, he was
honoured with the highest civilian award in India, the Bharat Ratna.[4][5]
Raman was born to a Iyer family in Thiruvanaikaval, Trichinopoly, present-day Tiruchirapalli, Madras
Presidency, in British India to Parvati Amma. He was self-educated in the field of science. [citation needed]
Family[edit]
Raman's maternal grandfather, Saptarshi Sastri, was a Sanskrit scholar who was learned in navya
nyaya (modern logic). Raman's father initially taught in a school in Thiruvanaikaval, became a lecturer
of mathematics and physics in Mrs. A.V. Narasimha Rao College, Vishakapatnam (then
Vizagapatnam) in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, and later joined Presidency College in Madras
(now Chennai).[6]

AMITABH BACHHAN
Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan (IPA: [mtab bttn]; born 11 October 1942) is an Indian film
actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s for movies like Deewar and Zanjeer, and was

dubbed India's first "angry young man" for his on-screen roles in Bollywood, and has since appeared
in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades. [3][4] Bachchan is widely
regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema.[5][6][7] So
total was his dominance of the movie scene in the 1970s and 1980s that the French director Franois
Truffaut called him a "one-man industry." [8][9]
Bachchan has won many major awards in his career, including three National Film Awards as Best
Actor, a number of awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies and fourteen Filmfare
Awards. He is the most-nominated performer in any major acting category at Filmfare, with 39
nominations overall. In addition to acting, Bachchan has worked as aplayback singer, film producer
and television presenter. He also had a stint in politics in the 1980s.
The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1984, thePadma Bhushan in 2001
and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015 for his contributions to the arts. The Government of
France honoured him with its highest civilian honour Knight of the Legion of Honour in 2007 for his
exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond. [10]

AAMIR KHAN
Aamir Khan (pronounced [amr xan]; born Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan on 14 March 1965)
is an Indian film actor, director, producer and television presenter. Through his successful career
in Hindi films, Khan has established himself as one of the most popular and influential actors of Indian
cinema.[2][3] He is the recipient of numerous awards, including four National Film Awards and
seven Filmfare Awards. He was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 2003
and the Padma Bhushan in 2010.
Khan first appeared on screen as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's filmYaadon Ki
Baaraat (1973). His first feature film role came with the experimental film Holi (1984), and he began a
full-time acting career with a leading role in the highly successful tragic romance Qayamat Se
Qayamat Tak (1988). His performance in the film and in the thriller Raakh (1989) earned him
a Special Jury Award at the National Film Award ceremony. He established himself as a leading actor
of Hindi cinema in the 1990s by appearing in several commercially successful films, including the
romantic drama Dil (1990), the romance Raja Hindustani (1996), for which he won his first Filmfare
Award for Best Actor, and the drama Sarfarosh (1999).[4][5] He was also noted for playing against type
in the critically acclaimed Canadian-Indian film Earth (1998).

CACTUS PLANT

A cactus (plural: cacti, cactuses, or cactus)[3] is a member of the plant familyCactaceae within the
order Caryophyllales. The word "cactus" derives, through Latin, from the Ancient
Greek , kaktos, a name originally used byTheophrastus for a spiny plant whose identity is not
certain.[4] Cacti occur in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Most cacti live in habitats subject to at
least some drought. Many live in extremely dry environments, even being found in the Atacama
Desert, one of the driest places on earth. Cacti show many adaptations to conserve water. Almost all
cacti are succulents. Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this
vital process takes place. Cactus stems store water. Most species of cacti have lost true leaves,
retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves. As well as defending against herbivores,
spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade. In
the absence of leaves, enlarged stems carry out photosynthesis. Cacti are native to the Americas,
ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the northexcept for Rhipsalis
baccifera, which also grows in Africa and Sri Lanka.

ROSE PLANT
A rose (/roz/) is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the familyRosaceae. There are over
100 species and thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs,
climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers vary in size and
shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most
species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and
northwestAfrica. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and often are
fragrant. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach seven
meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the
wide range of garden roses.[1]
The name rose comes from French, itself from Latin rosa, which was perhaps borrowed from Oscan,
from Greek rhdon (Aeolic wrdon), itself borrowed from Old Persian wrd- (wurdi),
related to Avestan vara, Sogdian ward,Parthian wr.[2][3]