Author: Anil Malik

Friends, have you heard about ADR related to the Indian election process? It is “ Association for Democratic Reforms” working on electoral reforms for over 25 years. The objective of ADR is to improve governance and strengthen democracy through continuous work in Electoral and Political Reforms. They focus on: Corruption and Criminalisation in the Political Process. Empowerment of the electorate through greater dissemination of information relating to the candidates and the parties for a better and informed choice. Need for greater accountability of Indian Political parties. Need for inner-party democracy and transparency in party-functioning. ADR engages with partner organization across the country, collectively called the National Election Watch (NEW)- a nation wide campaign comprising of citizen led organizations working towards strengthening democracy. They have conducted election watches for all Assembly & Parliamentary elections since 2002. Election Watch is the flagship programme of ADR. As part of this, background details of…

Many people in the world lived long. Friends, have you given a thought to why people live long? Some might say healthy and happy live long, or as they say in our country, those who have long AYUSH in their destiny. All these may be true. But if you go by research, another factor is at play in our longevity. And it’s having friends. It seems decades of research found that people with friends outlived those who have the fewest by 22%. Wow, that’s saying a lot. It seems so simple. Make friends, live long. Make more friends, live longer. So, what does this indicate? Let us explore a bit deeper: One study concluded that your health risk of having fewer friends was equivalent to you smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Well, hold on before you start sending Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn requests. It is not just in the quantity….

Friends, as we age, maintaining a balanced intake of Vitamins and Minerals becomes crucial for our health. Many people rely on supplements to ensure that they get the necessary nutrients. However, did you know that certain vitamins and minerals, when taken together, can interfere with each other’s absorption? It’s essential to understand how to take supplements correctly to maximise their benefits and avoid negative effects. I this blog, I am writing about the supplement combinations that should be avoided and provide some practical tips for getting the most out of vitamins and minerals. 1 Calcium and Iron A problematic pair, Calcium and Iron are both vital for humans and especially for elderly people, but they should not be taken together. Calcium inhibits the absorption of iron in the body, meaning that if you consume them at the same time, your body will absorb less iron. This is particularly important for…

In today’s weekend blog, I am writing the concluding part on  the top 60 Greatest Indian Cricketers. Now here are  five top ranked Indian cricketers: On No. 5 is Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Jharkhand ( 2004-19) Wicketkeeper, Batter He arrived to the scene with the 148 vs Pakistan and 183 not out vs Sri Lanka with that iconic hair. However, it was his exploits as captain between 2007 to 2013 ( and later with Chennai Super Kings in IPL) that took him  from great to legendary status. And don’t forget behind the stumps, he was best in business with lighting fast stumpings. Matches played 535, Runs 17,092, Player of Match (POM) Awards 22, Player of Series (POS) Award 6. He was member of T20 WC winning team (2007) and ODI (WC 2011). Notable achievements- Player of 2011 ODI WC final, Captain of India as India lifted T20 WC (2007), and ODI…

Friends, you must have heard a term called  PROBIOTICS and wondered what they are. Probiotics are live microorganisms promoted with claims that they provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut microbiota. They are considered generally safe to consume, but they might have side effects. There is some evidence that probiotics are beneficial for some conditions such as helping to ease some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. One of the best examples of probiotics is the product Yoghurt, and as per records, scientists discovered some living bacteria in this product which they called Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Live probiotic cultures are part of fermented dairy products, other fermented foods, and probiotic-fortified foods. Lactic acid bacterias(LAB), which are food fermenting bacteria, have ability to prevent food spoilage and can improve the nutritive value of foods they inhabit. Acid fermentation (as well as salting), remains one of the most practical…

Today’s big news concerns the Congress party after the results of elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) were declared yesterday. The Congress party was in a very upbeat mood after the results of many Exit Polls that came out a few days back. The Exit Polls showed Congress winning an absolute majority in Haryana, showing them way ahead of the BJP, and in J&K, Congress, in alliance with the National Conference (NC), formed the government in J&K. But the actual results proved wrong all the pollsters of Exit Polls, and it was BJP who won the Haryana State with majority of its own by winning 48 seats in the house of 90, with Congress winning only 37 seats. In J&K also their performance was  not very encouraging as they just won 6 of the 32 seats they contested, where as their alliance partner NC won 42 of the…

As technology evolves/advances, many of us find ourselves with old electronic gadgets lying in the house, like mobile phones, laptops, or even TV sets that we no longer use. For elderly people, this can be especially common since upgrading to newer devices is not always a top priority. Are you aware you can easily turn these old electronics into cash or save money on new purchases through exchange offers? Here are some tips to help you make the most of your unused/old electronics gadgets in India. Why sell the old electronics gadgets? Selling old electronics is not only a great way to de clutter your home but also an opportunity to earn some extra cash or save money on your next purchase. With several easy-to-use platforms available, the process has become simple and convenient. Plus, by selling or exchanging your old devices, you are contributing to the environment by reducing…

A few days back, I read an article in the newspaper about the “KUDUMBASHREE” scheme for women in Kerala, which has been running for the last 25 years. What is Kudumbashree? Kudumbashree is the poverty eradication and women empowerment programme launched in 1998 by the Kerala state government. It is implemented by the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM) of the Kerala  government. It was renamed Kudumbashree Mission in 1999 and began to function under the local self-government department. Who are eligible for this scheme: If a family satisfies 7 out of 9 criteria and one additional criterion( which is different for rural and urban areas) Selection criteria_ 1 Landless/less than 10 cent land in rural and 5 cent land in urban area. 2 Homeless/lives in dilapidated house. 3 No drinking water facility within 150 meters. 4 No Hygenic toilets. 5 Family without an  employed adult ( has job less than 10…

In this weekend’s blog, I am continuing my blog on the Top 60 Greatest Indian cricketers. In the last four weekend blogs, I have mentioned the cricketers ranked No. 11 to No. 60. Friends, you must still be wondering how the cricketers are ranked in this list of 60 greatest. Now what criteria went into picking this list-  First India’s major victories and in which players contributed to those triumphs. This includes famous Test wins, T20, ODI World Cup Wins, Champions Trophy etc. World Cup Wins: 1983 ODI WC, 2007 T20 WC, 2011 ODI WC, 2024 T20 WC. Other ICC Wins- 2002 Champions trophy, 2013 Champions trophy. Runners Up- 2003 ODI WC, 2014 T20 WC, 2017 Champions Trophy, 2023 ODI WC. Major Test Series Victories- India Tour of England 1971, India Tour of England 1986, Australia Tour of India 2001, Border Gavaskar Trophy 2018-19, Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21. Statistics For…

India is such a vast country that most of us are unaware of some unique and interesting facts. Here are some UNKNOWN FACTS  about our country: 1 India is home to a floating national park called Keibul Lamjao National Park, located in Manipur. It is the only floating park globally famous for its unique ecosystem and endangered Sangai deer. 2 The world’s highest cricket ground is located in Chail, Himachal Pradesh, it is situated at 2444 meters (8018 feet) altitude above sea level. 3 India is one of the few countries in the world that has a floating post office. It is located in Dal Lake Srinagar, and it also serves as tourist attraction. 4 The India national Kabbadi team has won, all the Kabbadi World Cup tournament (Standard Style), held till now ( as of 2022). 5 Mawsynram, a village in the Indian state of Meghalaya, receives the highest…