Khushwant Singh died in Delhi on 20 March at the age of 99.

Kushwant Singh was well known for classics like "Train to Pakistan", "I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale" and "Delhi".

He also contributed a great deal in non-fictional works varying from politics, biographical and many other.

His autobiography, "Truth, Love and a Little Malice", was published by Penguin Books in 2002.

Singh was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 but returned it in 1984, in protest against the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the Indian Army.

In 2007, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan. 

Singh will be cremated in Lodhi Auditorium, Delhi at 4 pm on Thursday.

Source: http://ddinews.gov.in/Current%20Affairs/Pages/singdead.aspx

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GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™, the global authority on record breaking achievements, announces 112-year-old Salustiano Sanchez Blazquez from Grand Island, New York, as the new world’s Oldest living man.

The record is announced on the heels of the recent passing of Japanese 116-year-old Jiroemon Kimura, who was recognized as the Oldest man ever and died on June 12^th, 2013.

Currently,115-year-old female, Misao Okawa of Japan, is considered by Guinness World Records to be the world's Oldest living person overall.

Source: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2013/7/salustiano-sanchez-confirmed-as-oldest-living-man-50056/

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India's advanced meteorological satellite INSAT-3D was successfully launched by an European rocket from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana early today, giving a boost to weather forecasting and disaster warning services.

European space consortium Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket launched INSAT-3D and Alphasat satellites.

Alphasat is Europe's largest telecommunication satellite-ever manufactured and results from a large-scale public-private partnership between the European Space Agency and Inmarsat.

The workhorse vehicle lifted off exactly on schedule at 1.23 AM IST from the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone in French Guiana for a nearly 33-minute flight.

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The Sangam Age constitutes an important chapter in the history of South India. According to Tamil legends, there existed three Sangams (Academy of Tamil poets) in ancient Tamil Nadu popularly called Muchchangam.
- Head Sangam
- Middle Sangam 
- Last Sangam period.

The corpus of Sangam literature includes Tolkappiyam, Ettutogai, Pattuppattu, Pathinenkilkanakku, and the two epics – Silappathigaram and Manimegalai. The most important among them is Tirukkural authored by Thiruvalluvar. Silappathigaram written by Elango Adigal and Manimegalai by Sittalai Sattanar

During this period Tamilakam was ruled by the three Tamil dynasties of Chola, Pandya and Chera.
The Cheras ruled over parts of modern Kerala. Their capital was Vanji and their important seaports were Tondi and Musiri.
The Chola kingdom of the Sangam period extended from modern Tiruchi district to southern Andhra Pradesh. Their capital was first located at Uraiyur and then shifted to Puhar.
The Pandyas ruled over the present day southern Tamil Nadu. Their capital was Madurai.

Tolkappiyam refers to the five-fold division of lands- 
Kurinji – chief deity was Murugan – chief occupation, hunting and honey collection.
Palai – chief deity Korravai – chief occupation robbery.
Mullai – chief deity Mayon (Vishnu) – chief occupation, cattle-rearing and dealing with dairy products.
Marudam – chief deity Indira – chief occupation, agriculture.
Neydal – chief deity Varunan – chief occupation fishing and salt manufacturing.

The people were divided into five different clans ("kudis") based on their profession-
Mallars- the farmers.
Malavars- the hill people who gather hill products, and the traders.
Nagars- people in charge of border security, who guarded the city walls and distant fortresses.
Kadambars- people who thrive on forests.
Thiraiyars- the seafarers.

The primary deity of the Sangam period was Seyon or Murugan, who is hailed as Tamil God. Other gods worshipped during the Sangam period were Mayon (Vishnu), Vendan (Indiran), Varunan and Korravai. 

Agriculture was the chief occupation. Rice was the common crop. Ragi, sugarcane, cotton, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and a variety of fruits were the other crops. Jack fruit and pepper were famous in the Chera country. Paddy was the chief crop in the Chola and Pandya country.

'Kalabhra Interregnum' has been referred as the Dark Age in the history of Kerala. The Kalabhra Kings overthrowing and deracinating Chera, Chola and Pandya dynasties. The reign of Kalabhras of South India finally came to an end in the 8th Century AD.

Three political powers ruled the territories of Kerala during the Sangam Age. These were- 
The Ezhimala to the North Kerala-
The Chera in Central Kerala- 
The Ay in the South Kerala-

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The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) today announced that this year three individuals and two organizations from Afghanistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines will receive Asia’s premier prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award.  

The Awardees are:

Ernesto Domingo, from the Philippines.  
Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (Corruption Eradication Commission), from Indonesia. 
Lahpai Seng Raw, from Myanmar.  
Habiba Sarabi, from Afghanistan.  
Shakti Samuha (“Power Group”), from Nepal.  

Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest honor and is widely regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

Source: http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/community/announcement/page/1/view/18

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Born as the son of Velayudhan and Kunhichali at Mayyanad near Kollam in 1871, he stopped his schooling at the eighth standard. He started a school for low caste Hindus at Vellamanal, Mayyanad, Quilon and became its headmaster.

C.V. opened his journalistic career in Sujananadini, published from Paravoor, Quilon. His early writings were more on social affairs. Later, he became the sub-editor.

In 1911, C.V. launched Kerala Kaumudi as a weekly newspaper. He was the proprietor - editor, printer, publisher and even the proofreader!

An untiring activist of SNDP Yogam, he was elected its general secretary in 1928 and 1931. Valmiki Ramayanam, a prose rendering of the great epic, was his first work to come out in print, in 1901. It won him wide acclaim prompting him to write Vyasabharatam and Panchavadi. Meanwhile, Karthikodayam brought out his prowess as a poet.

He had been on the editorial board of Malayala Rajyam, Navajeevan, Navasakthi, Malayala Manorama, Bhashaposhini, Kathamalika, Vivekodayam and Yuktivadi. He had also been a lawyer and a member of Sree Moolam Prajasabha.

Pen names: 

C.V. has been hailed for his role behind the historic Temple Entry Proclamation (1936).

കവിത

• കാർത്തികോദയം
• ശ്രീ പത്മനാഭസന്നിധിയിൽ
• ഈഴവനിവേദനം
• നരലോകം
• ഒരു സന്ദേശം
• സ്വാമിചൈതന്യം
• സ്വാഗതഗാനം

നാടകം

• മാലതീകേശവം

ഗദ്യം

• ഒരു നൂറു കഥകൾ
• എന്റെ ശ്രീകോവിൽ
• ആശാൻ സ്മരണകൾ
• അറബിക്കഥകൾ
• ഷേക്സ്പിയർ കഥകൾ
• രാമദേവനും ജാനകിയും
• വെന്നീസ്സിലെ വ്യാപാരി
• വരലോല
• ഹേമലീല
• കൊടുങ്കാററ്
• വാല്മീകിരാമായണം
• സോമനാഥൻ
• വ്യാസഭാരതം
• രാധാറാണി
• രാമായണകഥ
• കാന്തിമതി
• ലുക്രീസിന്റെ ചാരിത്രഹാനി
• പത്നാദേവി (അപൂർണം)
• രാഗപരിണാമം
• ദുർഗാക്ഷേത്രം (അപൂർണം)പഞ്ചവടി
• നാഗകന്യക (അപൂർണം)
• ഉണ്ണിയാർച്ച
• തുമ്പോലാർച്ച
• മാലുത്തണ്ടാൻ
• ഒരു നൂററാസ്സിനു മുമ്പ്
• ലോകമതങ്ങൾ (തർജ്ജമ)

ചരിത്രം

• കെ. സി. കേശവപിള്ളയുടെ ജീവചരിത്രം
• ഇന്ത്യാ ചരിത്ര സംഗ്രഹം

ആത്മകഥ 

• ഞാൻ 

തൂലികാ നാമങ്ങൾ: ഭാഷാഭിമാനി, സിംഹളൻ, പി.കെ. തിയ്യൻ

Source: http://www.cvkunhuraman.com

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Govindan Paramaswaran Pillai was born in Pallippuram, Thiruvananthapuram, India, in an aristocratic Nair family. He was born on February 2,1864. GP Pillai’s writings were not just against British rulers; he even wrote articles against the autocratic rule of Diwan of Travancore.

G.P. Pillai completed his BA from the University of Madras and later was admitted to The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, popularly known as Middle Temple, in London. Barrister GP Pillai played a major role in the formation of "Malayali Memorial" in 1891. He is also credited for establishing the “Madras Standard” – the first English language newspaper in South India.

 “Indian National Congress Men” and “Represent India” are the two major words of Barrister GP Pillai.

Barrister G.P. Pillai is the only Keralite mentioned in the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi. 

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World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. It was inspired by the public interest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1999 approximately the date on which the world's population reached five billion people.

World Population Day 2013, Focus is on Adolescent Pregnancy. About 16 million girls under age 18 give birth each year. Another 3.2 million undergo unsafe abortions. On this World Population Day  raise awareness of the issue of adolescent pregnancy in the hopes of delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

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Moulavi was born in 1873 in Vakkom, Chirayinkil Taluk, Thiruvanthapuram in Travancore.

Maulavi started the Swadeshabhimani newspaper on January 19, 1905, declaring that `the paper will not hesitate to expose injustices to the people in any form`, but on 26 September 1910, the newspaper and press were sealed and confiscated by the British Police.

Maulavi was considered one of greatest reformers in the Kerala Muslim community, and is sometimes referred to as the "Father of muslim renaissance".

The journal ‘Muslim’(1906) was mainly meant for religious reforms of the community and restore the the purity and essence of Islam shorn of all the accretions of superstitious and meaningless rituals and other evil practices. 

‘Al Islam’(1918) in Arabi-Malayalam was begun with the purpose to take his ideas of reform to illiterates in general particularly Muslim women who were steeped in ignorance. It had its intended effect. 

Another Malayalam monthly ‘Deepika’(1931) was begun almost at the evening of his life. The publication had a wide range of interests like education, history, science, literature, philosophy etc. It was his life's ambition to produce a translation of the Quran in Malayalam with his own commentary, but he died on 31 October 1932 before the work was completed.

Thanks & Source: http://www.vmft.org/vakkom-muhammad-abdul-khader-moulavi-1873-1932/ & Wikipedia

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Poonthanam (1547-1640AD) was a famous devotee of Guruvayurappan, who lived in Keezhattoor in Malappuram district. He was a famous devotee of Lord Krishna (Guruvayurappan). He is remembered for his masterpiece, Jnanappana which means 'the song of wisdom' in Malayalam. Poonthanam was the family name, his personal name is not known.
He married at 20, but for a long time, they had no children. He began to propitiate the Lord of Guruvayur by reciting the ‘Santhana Gopalam ’ and a son was born. He called for a celebration and everybody known was invited, but the child died an hour before the Annaprasanam ceremony. Grief stricken, Poonthanam sought refuge at Guruvayur and started praying with the puranic story of Kumaraharanam.

He was a contemporary of Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri(1559–1645), another famous poet associated with Guruvayur. He was a mathematical linguist (vyakarana). His most important scholarly work, Prakriya-sarvawom(പ്രക്രിയ സർവ്വവം), sets forth an axiomatic system elaborating on the classical system of Panini. However, he is most famous for his masterpiece, Narayaneeyam, a devotional composition in praise of Guruvayoorappan (Sri Krishna) that is still sung at the temple of Guruvayoor.

Thanks & Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poonthanam

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