Can you share some information about yourself and Dr. K Sivan Chairman, ISRO your childhood? An exclusive interview with the editor, G Anand 05 Dr. K Sivan: I come from a very humble back ground. I him in plucking the mangoes, taking them to the local come from a village called Sarakkalvilai, near market, and selling them from a pushcart. We used to Nagarcoil, Kanyakumari District. My father was a undertake labour work like preparing the field, farmer, and he was involved in many activities. Since harvest, handling the pushcart in the local market, as it was a village, and farming was seasonal, people did it would help our father in reducing expenses in the not restrict themselves to one particular activity. My form of labour by so much. We were poor, and every father had a small piece of land. He used to grow bit of money that we could save was a boon. It was a mainly paddy in the land. He was also a mango typical village life. merchant. He had taken a mangrove on lease. The For my high school, I had to go to a different village, responsibility of maintaining the mangrove, and Vallankumaranvilai. I studied up to 11th standard at ensuring it was pest free was ours. We will have to the Government High School there. This was also a pluck the mangoes seasonally, and sell them at the Tamil medium school. Out of the 35 or 40 children that local market. We will have to pay a certain amount studied, only 6 of us passed, and I stood first. At this annually to the owner of the mangrove for stage, my father had to discontinue my brother's undertaking this. Profit or loss beyond this lease education, so that he can afford mine. I was planning amount was our responsibility. to go to college for PUC. My father got me admitted to We had a Tamil medium primary school in our village, a college that was nearby, so I could continue to help and children from nearby villages also used to come him with the farming activity, while I furthered my there for their studies. I studied up to 5th standard in education. I got very good marks in PUC (Pre- that school. Apart from schooling, right from our initial University College), and I was advised by many to go years, my brother and I used to be involved in the to engineering college, as a next step. agricultural activities of our father. We used to assist Sports – International

ATP Finals 2018

In the Singles Championship Alexander Zverev of Germany defeated Novak Djokovic of Serbia 6-4, 6-3. In the Doubles Championship Mike Bryan and Jack Sock of the United States of America defeated Pierre- Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut of France 5-7, 6- 1, (13-11).

Alexander-Zverev--ATP Final 2018 The 2018 ATP finals, also known as the 2018 Nitto ATP Finals, was a men's tennis tournament that took place at the O2 Arena in London, England, from 11 to 18 November 2018. It is the season-ending event for the highest-ranked singles players and doubles teams on the 2018 ATP World Tour. Mike Bryan and Jack Sock of the United States

06 England Tour of 2018

The England team are currently touring Sri First Test: England won by 211 runs. Lanka between October and November 2018 to play England: First Innings: 342, Ben Foakes 107 (202), three Tests, five One Day Internationals, and one Dilruwan Perera 5/57 (31 Overs) International. The tour includes England's Sri Lanka: First Innings: 203, Angelo Matthews 52 first Test matches in Sri Lanka since 2012. (122), Moeen Ali 4/66 (21 Overs) England won the 5-match England: Second Innings: 322/6 declared, Keaton series 3-1, and the only 1-0. Of Jennings 146 (280) not out, 2/59 (23 the three Tests, England has won the first two and the Overs) third one is yet to be played. Of these, the Tests were played in November. The scores for the first two Tests: Sri Lanka: Second Innings: 250, Angelo Matthews 53 (92), Moeen Ali 4/71 (20 Overs)

Second Test: England won by 57 runs. England: First Innings: 290, Sam Curran 64 (119), Dilruwan Perera 4/61 (24.4 Overs) Sri Lanka: First Innings: 336, Roshen Silva 85 (174), Jack Leach 3/70 (29 Overs) England: Second Innings: 346, Joe Root 124 (146), Akila Dananjaya 6/115 (25 Overs) Sri Lanka: Second Innings: 243, Angelo Matthews 88 (137), Jack Leach 5/83 (28 Overs) First Test: England won by 211 runs Sports – International

West Indies tour of India 2018

The West Indies cricket team toured India from September to November 2018 to play two Tests, five One Day Internationals, and three Twenty20 Internationals. Ahead of the Test series, there was a two-day practice match in Vadodara. India won the 2-match Test series 2-0; the 5-match One Day International series 3-1; and the 3-match Twenty20 International series 3-0. Of these, the fifth One Day International and the 3 Twenty20 Internationals were played in November India won the 2-match Test series 2- 2018. The scores: Second Twenty20 International: India won by 71 Fifth One Day International: India won by 9 . runs. West Indies: 104 all out in 31.5 overs, Jason Holder India: 195/2, Rohit Sharma 111 (61) not out, Fabian 25 (33), Ravindra Jadeja 4/34 (9.5 Overs) Allen 1/33 (4 Overs) India: 105/1 in 14.5 Overs, Rohit Sharma 63 (56) not West Indies: 124/9, Darren Bravo 23 (18), out, Oshane Thomas 1/33 (4 Overs) Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/12 (4 Overs) First Twenty20 International: India won by 5 Third Twenty20 International: India won by 6 wickets. wickets. 07 West Indies: 109/8, Fabian Allen 27 (20), Kuldeep West Indies: 181/3, Nicholas Pooran 53 (25) not out, Yadav 3/13 (4 Overs) Yuzvendra Chahal 2/28 (4 Overs) India: 110/5 in 17.5 Overs, Dinesh Karthik 31 (34) not India: 182/4, 92 (62), Keemo Paul out, Carlos Brathwaite 2/11 (4 Overs) 2/32 (3 Overs)

Brazilian Grand Prix 2018

The 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix, formerly known as the Formula 1 Grande Premio Heineken do Brasil 2018, was a Formula One motor race held on 11 November 2018 at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The race was the penultimate round of the 2018 Formula One World Championship and marked the forty- seventh running of the Brazilian Grand Prix, and the forty-sixth time that the race was run as a World Championship event since the inaugural season in 1950. Following Felipe Massa's retirement from Formula One at the end of the 2017 season, this running of the race also marks the first time since the Brazilian Grand Prix entered the Formula One World Championship calendar in 1973 that no Brazilian driver took part. Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes held the pole position, and won the race. Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer came second.

Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes Sports – International

DP World Championship 2018

The tournament also determines the Race to Dubai Bonus Pool, which goes to the top golfers on the Race to Dubai after the tournament. It was originally set at $1,00,00,000 but reduced to $75,00,000 paid to the top 15 players with the Race to Dubai winner getting $1.5 million. In 2012, the bonus pool was cut in half to $3.75 million and reduced to the top 10 golfers, with the winner getting $1.0 million. Sienna-Lakes-Olive-Point-at-the-Jumeirah-Golf-estates The 2013 DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah The DP World Tour Championship, Dubai is a golf Golf Estates delivered a US$44 million gross tournament on the European Tour and is the climax of economic benefit to Dubai, according to independent the European Tour Race to Dubai. It is contested on research commissioned by tournament organisers, the Earth course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in The European Tour, as stated in Vision magazine. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The title sponsor is DP World, a shipping company based in Dubai. The current champion is Danny Willet of England with Patrick Reed of United States of America and Matt The tournament was first held in 2009 when the Order Wallace of England being the runners-up. of Merit was replaced by the Race to Dubai. It is contested by the leading 60 players in the Race to 08 Dubai at the start of the tournament. It is the replacement for the Volvo Masters, which was a similar event for the leading 60 money winners on the Order of Merit. Originally the tournament was to have a record prize fund of $1,00,00,000, of which the winner's share would be $16,66,660. However, in September 2009, it was announced that there would be a 25% reduction in both the overall prize fund and the winners cheque. The prize fund was increased to $80,00,000 in 2012. Willett & Molinari DP world tour18 trophies

World Junior Badminton Championship 2018

Lakshya Sen (17), India's top junior shuttler, won bronze medal at the Li Ning BWF World Junior Badminton Championships 2018 held at Markham, Canada. In the singles semi-final match, he lost to top seed and world junior number one Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand by 22-20, 16-21, 13-21. This was Sen's first medal from this prestigious tournament in three attempts.

Lakshya-Sen-India Sports – International

South Africa Tour of Australia 2018

First One Day International: South Africa won by 6 wickets. Australia: 152 all out in 38.1 Overs, Nathan Coulter- Nile 34 (31), Andile Phehlukwayo 3/33 (6 Overs) South Africa: 153/4 in 29.2 Overs, Quinton de Kock 47 (40), Marcus Stoinis 3/16 (4.2 Overs) Second One Day International: Australia won by 7 runs. Australia: 231 all out in 48.3 Overs, Alex Carey 47 (72), Kagiso Rabada 4/54 (9.3 Overs) South Africa: 224/9, David Miller 51 (71), Marcus Stoinis 3/35 (10 Overs) The South Africa cricket team toured Australia in Third One Day International: South Africa won by 40 October and November 2018 to play three One Day runs. Internationals and one Twenty20 International match. South Africa: 320/5, David Miller 139 (108), Mitchell Ahead of the One Day International series, a 50-Over Starc 2/57 (10 Overs) practice match took place at the Manuka Oval in Australia: 280/9, Shaun Marsh 106 (102), Kagiso Canberra. Ahead of the Twenty20 International Rabada 3/40 (10 Overs) match, a 20-Over practice match took place in Only Twenty20 International: South Africa won by 09 Brisbane. In April 2018, it was confirmed that the 21 runs, this match was reduced to 10 Overs per side Carrara Stadium will host its first ever international due to rain. cricket match. South Africa: 108/6 in 10 Overs, Faf du Plessis 27 South Africa won the 3-match One Day International (15), Andrew Tye 2/18 (2 Overs) series 2-1, and the 1-match Twenty20 International 1- Australia: 87/7 in 10 Overs, Glenn Maxwell 38 (23), 0. The scores: Chris Morris 2/12 (2 Overs)

Fed Cup 2018

The 2018 Fed Cup is the 56th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in women's tennis. The 2018 Fed Cup was expected to feature some structural changes, including a 16-team World Group and the introduction of a Final Four event at a neutral, pre-determined location. However, the ITF announced shortly before their annual meeting that they were tabling a vote of the changes for at least one year. In one of the biggest shocks in the tournament history, Russia was demoted to the Zonal Groups for the first time in two decades, after consecutive losses to Slovakia and Latvia. Czech Republic The final took place on 10-11 November and was won by the Czech Republic. 10 Wetland geographical area of the country. The main Landscape picture of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. wetland types are swamp, bog, marsh, fen, India is a country of diversity. The huge diversity of mangrove forest, carr, floodplains, vernal pool, geography and ecology make India one of the sink, and many others. These wetland ecosystems major biodiverse countries of the world. In this support diverse and unique habitats. Keoladeo series of article by Nature & Wildlife photographer National Park (Bharatpur bird sanctuary) is a Dhritiman Mukherjee, we are going to explore the famous bird sanctuary in Bharatpur that is home to wetland ecology. over 350 different species of birds.

Wetlands in India account for 4.7% of the total

11 Migratory ducks over the Bharatpur Sanctuary

Bharatpur bird sanctuary is home to many species of migratory ducks like pelicans, greylag goose, shelducks, pintail, grebes, stilt, and many more.

12 13 S w a m p D e e r ( R u c e r v u s duvaucelii)

Also called the Barasingha, it is a deer species distributed across Indian Subcontinent. Around half of the world's Barasingha are found in Dudua National P ark. The Barasingha is a large deer, but smaller than the Sambar deer and has 12 antlers. The population is steadily decreasing and is threatened by poaching for antlers and meat.

14 15 Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)

Darters or snake birds are mainly tropical water birds. They have long and slender neck with a straight, pointed bill and, like the cormorant; hunt for fish while the body is submerged in water. They spear fish underwater, bringing it above the surface, tossing and juggling it before swallowing the fish head first. The population is steadily decreasing and is classified as near-threatened by the I U C N . A p p r o x i m a t e l y, t h e population is around 22,000 matured individuals worldwide.

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