OCTOBER 2020 TEACHER REFERENCE PRESENTATION CLASS 5 & 6 OCTOBER 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS CLASS 5 & 6

Pick of the Month Gap Profiles Global Updates

❖ Indian Air Force ❖ Manasi Joshi ❖ Remembering Pranab Mukherjee ❖ Fastest Human Discover Did you Know Calculator ❖ Cheraw Dance ❖ Baby Jumping Snippets Festival ❖ Joe Ruby no more

Around the World Born This Month ❖ S.S Kalpana Chawla ❖ Gappenings Indian Air Force Pick of the Month

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air wing of the Armed Forces of India. Also known as ‘Bharatiya Vayu Sena’, the IAF is among the largest air forces in the world.

Its motto is ‘Touch the Sky with Glory. The headquarters of the Indian Air Force is located in New Delhi. The Chief of Air Staff, an Air Chief Marshal, commands the Indian Air Force. Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria is the current Chief of the Air Staff.

IAF Flag

The IAF flag is blue in colour, containing the Indian National Flag in the first quadrant and a roundel, consisting of the colours of the Indian National Flag. A roundel is a circular logo on the Indian Air Force planes and flag. Indian Air Force Pick of the Month

Brief History of IAF

The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October, 1932, during the British rule in India. King George VI conferred the prefix ‘Royal’, in 1945. Thereafter, the IAF was referred to as the Royal Indian Air Force. However, when India became Republic in 1950, the prefix ‘Royal’ was removed.

IAF’s Role

The IAF, which is one of the most powerful armed forces in the world, has gone through extreme modernisation and expansion over the decades. The IAF has fought numerous wars shielding India against its neighbouring countries and safeguarding the country and its people from all threats, along with the support of the other branches of the armed forces, the Indian Army and the Indian Navy. The IAF’s key role is to keep the Indian aerospace resistant to attacks and manage aerial warfare during conflict.

IAF role during natural disasters

The Indian Air Force plays a pivotal role during natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, etc. Their duties include evacuation by airlifting, search and rescue operations and airdropping relief supplies such as food and medicines. Indian Air Force Pick of the Month

IAF’s Fleet

The IAF aircraft fleet consists of combat aircraft, transport carriers and choppers. Some of the current fighter aircraft are Rafale, Sukhoi 30MKI, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, LCA Tejas, MiG-21, and MiG-27, to name a few.

IAF’s Aerobatic teams

The ‘Surya Kiran’ (meaning ‘Sun Rays’) is an aerobatics demonstration team of the IAF, that is known for its dazzling and thrilling air formations. The ‘Sarang’ meaning ‘peacock’, is the helicopter display team of the IAF. Indian Air Force Pick of the Month

Did You Know: Indian Air Force ❖ Indian Air Force Day is observed on 8 October, annually. It is celebrated at various airbases across India and showcases air display by various aircrafts during the Air Force Day Parade. ❖ Its motto, ‘Nabham Sparsham Deeptam’ has been taken from You could start this topic by asking the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the discourse given students to name the branches of the by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Indian Armed Forces and then divert during the Great War of Mahabharata. the topic to the Indian Air Force that ❖ The IAF’s ‘Operation Rahat’, was a rescue operation mission to was formed on 8 October 1932. evacuate civilians affected by the 2013 North India floods. It is Highlight on some points about the believed to be the biggest civilian rescue operation in the world IAF such as its role, the current chief, carried out by any air force using helicopters. the fighter aircrafts and so on. ❖ Apart from conflicts, the IAF has been an active participant in United Nations Peacekeeping missions. ❖ The IAF has a base in Tajikistan named Farkhor Air Base. This is IAF’s first air base outside India. Indian Air Force Pick of the Month

❖ The ‘Marshal of the Indian Air Force’ is the highest achievable rank in the IAF and is conferred as an honorary recognition. ❖ The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Air Force.

What is the ‘Garud Commando Force’ of the Indian Air Force?

It is saidThe that ‘ Garudthe nameCommando 'Amazon' Force’, was givenalso by knownSpanish as explorer‘Garud’, isnamed a special Francisco forces unitOrellana, of the who Indianwas the Air firstForce. European Founded to in sail 2004, down it has the the Amazon longest trainingRiver. In course 1542, amongwhile on all histhe expedition, other Indian he special and his men ran into a tribe of enormous fierce women forces. The Garud personnels are trained warriors in the area. He compared them to the airfields from enemy and terrorist attacks, carry out Amazons, the warrior women from Greek hostagemythology rescue operations, and named providing it after aid them. during natural calamities and special military operations. The unit derives its name from ‘Garuda’, a divine bird-like creature from Hindu Mythology. Manasi Joshi Gap Profiles

Manasi Joshi is an Indian para-badminton player, who has brought laurels to the country. She has challenged all odds to pursue her dream. Today, her life is inspiring to many physically challenged athletes.

Early Life

Manasi Joshi was born in 1989. Her father, a scientist with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai, originally hailed from Rajkot in Rajasthan. Growing up in Mumbai, Manasi was academically inclined. She was also good in extracurricular activities, including sports.

Among all the activities, badminton was her favourite. She was initially trained by her father, who was also a sportsman. She went on to represent her school, college and district in various badminton tournaments. She graduated in Electronics Engineering from K. J. Somaiya College in Mumbai and began a career as a software engineer. She continued playing badminton as a hobby and to keep fit, while working full-time. Manasi Joshi Gap Profiles The Tragic Event

Manasi's life took a tragic turn in 2011, when she met with an accident on her way to work. She lost one of her legs and had to take aid of an artificial leg (prosthetic leg). However, the tragedy did not deter her from confining herself to her home and with a lot of support from her family, she came back strong. After several months, she learnt to walk all over again with the help of crutches.

After her accident, Manasi was looking for something to do as part of her rehabilitation and turned to one of her childhood passions- badminton, to help her regain mobility. Little did she know that she would find her dream and calling through it.

As a Para-Badminton player

After the accident, she remained optimistic and continued to chase her dreams with more determination. In 2012, she participated in a corporate tournament and won the women’s singles by defeating able-bodied competitors. This gave her the confidence and opened up a whole new world of opportunities eventually gaining entry to the Indian Para- Badminton Team. This was the beginning of her journey as a para-badminton player. Manasi Joshi Gap Profiles As a professional player

While still continuing to work at a firm to support her financially, she began her para-badminton career in 2014, playing for India. Since then she has played various national and international matches winning several silver and bronze medals. In 2016, she quit her job to play full-time.

Becoming a world champion

In 2018, she moved to Hyderabad and enrolled into the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy to be trained under the legendary Indian coach Pullela Gopichand, a former international badminton champion. A separate team was formed there to improve the fitness of Manasi Joshi. In 2019, all her sacrifices paid off when she created history in Basel, Switzerland. She bagged the first-ever Para-Badminton World Championship gold for India. Currently, Manasi is training for the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic Games, in which para-badminton event will be making its debut. The event is scheduled to be held in 2021. Manasi Joshi Gap Profiles

Did You Know

❖ She never thought that her childhood passion for badminton would one day turn into a career option. You can ask the kids to name ❖ She credits her father for supporting and inspiring her in all some Indian badminton players her achievements. who have made the country ❖ She is a trained scuba diver. proud by winning international ❖ She is currently employed with Bharat Petroleum Corporation matches. They would come up Limited (BPCL). with names such as Saina Nehwal ❖ As a world champion, she is using her fame to highlight on and P. V. Sindhu. topics such as the plight of para-athletes and road safety, in You can later introduce them to India. Para-badminton player Manasi ❖ She also delivers motivational speeches and spreads Joshi and read out about her awareness about para-sports. inspiring journey so far. Remembering Global Update Pranab Mukherjee

Former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee died recently after being ill for a long period of time. He was aged 84.

Life in brief

Pranab Mukherjee was born in 1935, in a village in West Bengal. His father was a freedom fighter and active in politics. As a child, Pranab Mukherjee preferred outdoor games to being confined in a classroom. He spent his childhood in the village playing games, climbing trees, or running along with grazing herds of cows. In 1946, however, he was enrolled at a school which was around 2.5 km from his house. He had to walk barefoot, and during the monsoon swim across an overflowing river, to reach school. He completed his master’s in political science and history from the University of Calcutta. He also earned a degree in law from the same university. He eventually followed in his father’s footsteps and ventured into politics. Remembering Global Update Pranab Mukherjee

Political Career

He ventured into politics in 1969. He got his first ministerial post in the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s cabinet, in 1973. This marked the beginning of a long and illustrious political career. As a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, he served in various ministerial posts.

As a President

Mukherjee took over as the country’s 13th President on 25 July 2012. As the head of the state, he launched many initiatives and programmes. At the end of the 5-year tenure as President, in 2017, he did not run for re- elections. He ended a spectacular political career spanning over 5 decades with the post of President of India. Laurels

He was bestowed with several prestigious honours including the Bharat Ratna, in 2019. In 2008, he was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award of India. He was also bestowed with several honours from foreign countries including Bangladesh's second highest award for his valuable contribution to the country's liberation war, in 1971. Remembering Global Update Pranab Mukherjee Did You Know ❖ During his years in politics, Pranab Mukherjee was affectionately called ‘Pranab Da’. ❖ As a child, he was lovingly called ‘Poltu’ by family and friends. ❖ He worked as a teacher, a journalist, and a lawyer before joining Use this story to educate the kids on some interesting facts politics. about late President of India, ❖ He was a powerful orator and an excellent negotiator. His sharp Pranab Mukherjee. memory, quick wit and persuasive skills were widely respected. ❖ During his term as a President, the Rashtrapati Bhavan opened to the public as a tourist destination. ❖ He had the habit of writing diaries. He started writing it from the time he entered politics till the last days of his life. ❖ Other than politics, he was interested in reading, gardening and listening to music. ❖ He became the first Indian President to teach school children inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan. ❖ Av avid reader, he has also authored several books. Fastest Human Global Update Calculator

India’s Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash won gold in the 2020 Mental Calculation World Championship at Mind Sports Olympiad 2020 earning the title ‘World’s Fastest Human Calculator’. He also made history as the first Indian to win a gold medal at such an event. His speed of calculation was so extraordinary that judges made him solve more calculations to confirm his accuracy. The event, which was held online this year saw, close to 30 competitors, under different age groups from 13 countries.

Bhanu Prakash has broken records that were previously held by acclaimed mathematicians such as America’s Scott Flansburg and India’s Shakuntala Devi.

The Mental Calculation World Championship, or Mind Sports Olympiad (MSO) is a prestigious international competition for games of mental skill and mind sports which is held in London every year. Fastest Human Global Update Calculator

The Number Prodigy

Born in 1999, Bhanu Prakash is originally from Hyderabad. A student of mathematics, he is currently studying at Delhi University’s St. Stephen College. He has been a mathematical wiz kid from early childhood. Over the years, he has acquired a superhuman ability in doing complex mathematical calculations at unimaginable speeds. At the age of 13, he started representing India at various international competitions and has many records and achievements to his credit. Bhanu’s Vision

Bhanu’s goal is to eradicate math phobia prevalent among the students. He hopes to start a mathematics initiative - Vision Math, that will reach out to millions of Indian children and instil love for the subject in them.

In 2018, he founded ‘Exploring Infinities’, an educational organisation that aims to make math fun, challenging, interesting and immersive, by tracking cognitive ability development through arithmetic games. He wants to inspire youngsters to harness their brain’s infinite potentials by using mathematics as a tool. Fastest Human Global Update Calculator Did You Know

❖ Bhanu’s interest in number calculation began at the age of 5, when a major accident injured his brain. As the doctors stressed on mental engagement as part of recovery post-surgery, he started doing mental Ask the kids to tell you what they calculation to keep his brain engaged. This proved to be a know about Shakuntala Devi, who life-changing experience for him. was nicknamed the ‘Human ❖ He currently holds four world records and 50 Limca Records for being Computer’. You can later inform them about a 21-year-old boy the 'fastest human calculator' in the world. from Hyderabad, who has broken ❖ As a motivational speaker, he is invited by various institutions across Shakuntala Devi’s record. the world to talk about developing human brain's efficiency using Read out some of his achievements mathematics as a tool. and talk about his vision in life. ❖ He is inspired by the great Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan and other ancient Indian mathematical geniuses. ❖ Besides his love for numbers, he also likes watching TV, reading books, travelling, storytelling and playing cricket. Joe Ruby no more Snippets

Renowned animator Joe Ruby, who co-created the iconic animated series ‘Scooby-Doo’, is no more. He died at the age of 87, in Los Angeles. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Joe Ruby began his television career at Walt Disney Productions.

Aired for the first time in 1969, the series 'Scooby-Doo' tells the story of a group of teenagers and their Great Dane dog, Scooby-Doo, travel around in a van trying to solve mysteries. S.S. Kalpana Chawla Snippets

The U.S. aerospace and defence major Northrop Grumman has named its latest cargo spaceship as ‘S.S. Kalpana Chawla’, after late astronaut Kalpana Chawla.

Kalpana Chawla was selected in honour of her prominent place in history as the first woman of Indian origin to go to space.

According to the company, it is their tradition to name its cargo spacecrafts after individuals who have made notable contributions to human spaceflight. Cheraw Dance Discover India

The Cheraw dance is one of the most popular folk dances of Mizoram, which is being practised for ages. The traditional dance, which is characterised by the use of bamboo staves (sticks), has become an integral part of almost every festival in Mizoram.

The Cheraw dance is a combination of beautiful rhythm, skill and synchronisation. It comprises of male dancers, who sit on the ground facing each other, holding pairs of bamboo stave each. The bamboo poles, held horizontally, are supported by two other bamboos that are placed on the ground, for support.

When the male performers clap the bamboos rhythmically, young girls with utmost skill and concentration, dance gracefully by stepping alternatively in and out of the bamboos. They form complex patterns with their steps. The tapping of the bamboo poles provides the rhythm for the dance. Cheraw Dance Discover India

Origin

Little is known about the origin of Cheraw. It is believed that the forefathers of Mizo people had brought this dance form when they migrated from far-east Asian region to the current Mizoram region.

It is said that during the ancient time, the dance was performed to ensure a safe passage for the soul of a mother who died at childbirth. Cheraw Dance Discover India Did You Know ❖ The dance is popularly known as the ‘bamboo dance’, as bamboos are used in the performance. ❖ It is very vibrant, with dancers wearing traditional dresses and headgear. ❖ Originally a funeral dance, it is now performed at all festive occasions in Mizoram. ❖ It is performed with great precision and skill as dancers must move quickly to avoid getting their foot caught in between the fast-moving poles. ❖ Traditionally, gongs and drums accompany the dance. However, nowadays modern music has also been incorporated. ❖ The dance movements are inspired by nature such as the swaying of trees or flight of birds, etc. ❖ The dance gained international recognition when it was showcased in London for the first time on the International Dance Day, in 2019. ❖ A Guinness World Record for ‘Largest Bamboo Dance’ was set by Cheraw dancers of Mizoram, in 2010. This record was later broken in 2018, by bamboo dancers from China. Cheraw Dance Discover India

What is the Tinikling dance?

The Tinikling dance is a popular bamboo dance from the Philippines. NamedIt is said after that the the Tikling namebirds 'Amazon' that are was native given to by Spanishthe region, explorer the dance named imitates Francisco the movementOrellana, who of wasthese the birds first as European they walk to between sail down grass the stems, Amazon runRiver. over In tree1542, branches, while on or his dodge expedition, bamboo he traps and his men ran into a tribe of enormous fierce set by rice farmers. Dancers gracefully move their women warriors in the area. He compared them tolegs the between Amazons, large the bamboo warrior poles, women similar from to Greek the Cherawmythology dance of Mizoram,and named except it after with them. a few variations. Similar bamboo dances are also performed by the tribes of several Southeast Asian countries like China, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc. Ahmedabad Around the World

Ahmedabad, the largest city of , is located on the banks of River . The city was ruled by the Mughals, the Marathas and the British, in the past. During the freedom struggle of India, the city was home to many prominent Indian freedom fighters including Sardar and Mahatma Gandhi. The city consists of well-preserved heritage buildings, beautiful gardens, forts, lakes, museums, tombs, mosques, temples, literary institutions, etc.

Major Attractions

The Kite Museum in the city is first of its kind in India. It has a collection of some of the world’s rarest kites, made from a variety of materials including polythene, nylon, cotton, and paper. Around the World Ahmedabad

The Shaking Minarets, popularly known as the Jhulta Minar, are a pair of minarets in the Sidi Bashir Mosque. An amazing and surprising fact about the place is that when one minaret shakes, the other starts vibrating. Interestingly, the path connecting the two minarets remain free from any vibration. This phenomenon has baffled architects across the world and has remained a mystery to this day.

The was Mahatma Gandhi’s home till 1930 and the main centre of activity during the Indian freedom struggle. It houses the Gandhi Sangrahalaya Museum, where articles belonging to Mahatma Gandhi are displayed. Ahmedabad Around the World

The Calico Museum of Textiles exhibits an excellent collection of antique and modern Indian and international textiles. Ahmedabad Around the World

Did You Know

❖ The city is named after its founder, Sultan Ahmad Shah. ❖ The city established itself as the home of a booming textile industry, earning the nickname ‘The Manchester of India’. ❖ Some major festivals celebrated here are the International Kite Festival and Navratri. ❖ The city’s ‘Auto World Vintage Car Museum’ houses close to 100 vintage cars, along with other luxury cars from around the world. Ahmedabad Around the World

Did You Know

❖ The city is home to one of the most renowned business schools in the world- the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). ❖ The city is home to the world’s largest cricket stadium in terms of seating capacity- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium (also known as Motera Stadium).

❖ The is a circular, man-made lake with an island garden in the centre. It has become a popular recreational spot, surrounded by parks, an aquarium, a boat club, a natural historical museum and a zoo. ❖ The walled city of old Ahmedabad is surrounded by many fort gates or entrances. Ahmedabad Around the World

What is unique about the New Lucky Restaurant in Ahmedabad? The New Lucky Restaurant in AhmedabadIt is said that is uniquethe name as it'Amazon' is built around was given graves. by SpanishThe restaurant explorer started named off Francisco as a small Orellana, tea stall whonear was the first European to sail down the Amazon a tree in a cemetery, over 50 years ago. As the River. In 1542, while on his expedition, he and businesshis men flourished, ran into athe tribe owner of enormous decided not fierce to removewomen thewarriors graves in and the insteadarea. He made compared sitting them arrangementsto the Amazons, by thescattering warrior tables women around from them. Greek Locals mythologybelieve the andgraves named to be it the after remains them. of some 16th century holy saints. Each morning, the graves are cleaned and adorned with fresh flowers as a mark of respect. Baby Jumping Did You Know Festival

The Baby Jumping Festival is an unusual festival that takes place every year in the small town of Castrillo de Murcia, in Spain. This festival is a part of the region’s religious feast of Corpus Christi, which lasts for a week. The celebration culminates with the Baby Jumping Festival. Its significance

During the festival, men in traditional costumes leap over new-born babies to cleanse them of their original sin and protect them from diseases and misfortune. Baby Jumping Did You Know Festival The Festivities During the festival, babies born during the previous year are laid on mattresses in the street. Each mattress holds up to three or four babies in a row, with their parents on the side to watch over them. The exciting part of the festival begins when a bell starts ringing announcing the arrival of the costumed men. While the spectators watch with excitement and fear, the costumed men jump over more than 100 babies lying on mattresses. Baby Jumping Did You Know Festival

Dancers in traditional costumes dance along either side of the street, while young girls sprinkle rose petals along the route and on the babies after they are jumped over. The procession also includes the local priest who blesses the babies. The celebration ends when parents pick up their babies and follow the parade that reaches the town church atop a hill.

For centuries, the town has chosen to protect its young ones from evil spirits with this unusual ritual. The ritual is believed to put the babies on a path to a good life, and also purify the entire town in the process. Baby Jumping Did You Know Festival Interesting Facts

❖ The festival is known as ‘El Colacho’ in Spanish. It means ‘The Devil’s Jump’. ❖ The men who leap over the babies wear red and yellow-coloured masks and are known to represent the devil. ❖ The ‘devils’ carry whips, made of a horse´s or cow´s tail, and castanets to drive off evil spirits. A castanet is a wooden instrument that produces sound when struck together. ❖ The ‘devils’ also run through the streets chasing the older children who make fun of them. ❖ The bizarre festival dates back to the early 1600s and its origin is unclear. ❖ In the history of the festival, there have been no reports of injuries to the babies. Baby Jumping Did You Know Festival

It is saidWhy that theare namewhite 'Amazon'-coloured was fabrics given hung by Spanish exploreralong the named walls, Francisco during Orellana,the Baby who was the firstJumping European Festival to sail in down Spain? the Amazon River. In 1542, while on his expedition, he and his During Spain’s ‘Baby Jumping Festival’, men ran into a tribe of enormous fierce women residentswarriors hang in the white area. blankets, He compared tablecloths, them or to white the fabricAmazons, from their the balconies warrior aswomen a symbol from of Greekpurity, to chase awaymythology the evil and spirits. named it after them. Born This Month

03 Oct (1951) Kathryn D. Sullivan American astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan is an American oceanographer and astronaut, who became the first American woman to walk in space, back in 1984. In June 2020, she became the first woman to dive to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the Earth's oceans.

11 Oct (1946) Dr. Vijay Pandurang Bhatkar Indian computer scientist Dr. Vijay Pandurang Bhatkar is a computer scientist, who is considered the ‘father of the Indian Supercomputer’. His initiative in supercomputing led to the development of India’s first indigenous supercomputer ‘Param’. Born This Month

24 Oct (1915) Bob Kane American comic book writer Bob Kane was an American comic book writer, animator and artist who co-created the DC Comics character, Batman.

30 Oct (1909) Homi Jehangir Bhabha Indian physicist

Homi Jehangir Bhabha was an Indian nuclear physicist. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is named in his honour. Gappenings

•In 2006, Pondicherry, a Union Oct 01 Territory of India, was renamed Puducherry.

In 2010, ‘Instagram’, the photo- sharing application was founded. Oct 06

In 1984, oceanographer and astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first Oct 11 U.S. woman to walk in space.