Indian History - Important events

History of India . An overview : The people of India have had a continuous civilization since 2500 B.C., when the inhabitants of the Indus River valley developed an urban culture based on commerce and sustained by agricultural trade. This civilization declined around 1500 B.C., probably due to ecological changes.

During the second millennium B.C., pastoral, Aryan-speaking tribes migrated from the northwest into the subcontinent. As they settled in the middle Ganges River valley, they adapted to antecedent cultures.

The political map of ancient and medieval India was made up of myriad kingdoms with fluctuating boundaries. In the 4th and 5th centuries A.D., northern India was unified under the Gupta Dynasty. During this period, known as India's Golden Age, Hindu culture and political administration reached new heights.

Islam spread across the Indian subcontinent over a period of 500 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established sultanates in Delhi. In the early 16th century, descendants of Genghis Khan swept across the Khyber Pass and established the Mughal (Mogul) Dynasty, which lasted for 200 years. From the 11th to the 15th centuries, southern India was dominated by Hindu Chola and Vijayanagar Dynasties. During this time, the two systems--the prevailing Hindu and Muslim--mingled, leaving lasting cultural influences on each other.

The first British outpost in South Asia was established in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast. Later in the century, the East India Company opened permanent trading stations at Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta, each under the protection of native rulers.
The British expanded their influence from these footholds until, by the 1850s, they controlled most of present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. In 1857, a rebellion in north India led by mutinous Indian soldiers caused the British Parliament to transfer all political power from the East India Company to the Crown. Great Britain began administering most of India directly while controlling the rest through treaties with local rulers.

In the late 1800s, the first steps were taken toward self-government in British India with the appointment of Indian councilors to advise the British viceroy and the establishment of provincial councils with Indian members; the British subsequently widened participation in legislative councils. Beginning in 1920, Indian leader Mohandas K. Gandhi transformed the Indian National Congress political party into a mass movement to campaign against British colonial rule. The party used both parliamentary and nonviolent resistance and non-cooperation to achieve independence.


On August 15, 1947, India became a dominion within the Commonwealth, with Jawaharlal Nehru as Prime Minister. Enmity between Hindus and Muslims led the British to partition British India, creating East and West Pakistan, where there were Muslim majorities. India became a republic within the Commonwealth after promulgating its constitution on January 26, 1950.

After independence, the Congress Party, the party of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, ruled India under the influence first of Nehru and then his daughter and grandson, with the exception of two brief periods in the 1970s and 1980s.

Prime Minister Nehru governed India until his death in 1964. He was succeeded by Lal Bahadur Shastri, who also died in office. In 1966, power passed to Nehru's daughter, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977. In 1975, beset with deepening political and economic problems, Mrs. Gandhi declared a state of emergency and suspended many civil liberties. Seeking a mandate at the polls for her policies, she called for elections in 1977, only to be defeated by Moraji Desai, who headed the Janata Party, an amalgam of five opposition parties.

In 1979, Desai's Government crumbled. Charan Singh formed an interim government, which was followed by Mrs. Gandhi's return to power in January 1980. On October 31, 1984, Mrs. Gandhi was assassinated, and her son, Rajiv, was chosen by the Congress (I)--for "Indira"--Party to take her place. His government was brought down in 1989 by allegations of corruption and was followed by V.P. Singh and then Chandra Shekhar.

In the 1989 elections, although Rajiv Gandhi and Congress won more seats in the 1989 elections than any other single party, he was unable to form a government with a clear majority. The Janata Dal, a union of opposition parties, was able to form a government with the help of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the right and the communists on the left. This loose coalition collapsed in November 1990, and the government was controlled for a short period by a breakaway Janata Dal group supported by Congress (I), with Chandra Shekhar as Prime Minister. That alliance also collapsed, resulting in national elections in June 1991.

On May 27, 1991, while campaigning in Tamil Nadu on behalf of Congress (I), Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, apparently by Tamil extremists from Sri Lanka. In the elections, Congress (I) won 213 parliamentary seats and put together a coalition, returning to power under the leadership of P.V. Narasimha Rao. This Congress-led government, which served a full 5-year term, initiated a gradual process of economic liberalization and reform, which has opened the Indian economy to global trade and investment. India's domestic politics also took new shape, as traditional alignments by caste, creed, and ethnicity gave way to a plethora of small, regionally based political parties.

History of the Internet

The History of the Internet has precursors that date back to the 19th century, especially the telegraph system, more than a century before the digital Internet became widely used in the second half of the 1990s. The concept of data communication - transmitting data between two different places, connected via some kind of electromagnetic medium, such as radio or an electrical wire - actually predates the introduction of the first computers. Such communication systems were typically limited to point to point communication between two end devices. Telegraph systems and telex machines can be considered early precursors of this kind of communication. The earlier computers used the technology available at the time to allow communication between the central processing unit and remote terminals. As the technology evolved new systems were devised to allow communication over longer distances (for terminals) or with higher speed (for interconnection of local devices) that were necessary for the mainframe computer model. Using these technologies it was possible to exchange data (such as files) between remote computers. However, the point to point communication model was limited, as it did not allow for direct communication between any two arbitrary systems; a physical link was necessary. The technology was also deemed as inherently unsafe for strategic and military use, because there were no alternative paths for the communication in case of an enemy attack.

As a response, several research programs started to explore and articulate principles of communications between physically separate systems, leading to the development of the packet switching model of digital networking. These research efforts included those of the laboratories of Vinton G. Cerf at Stanford University, Donald Davies (NPL), Paul Baran (RAND Corporation), and Leonard Kleinrock at MIT and at UCLA. The research led to the development of several packet-switched networking solutions in the late 1960s and 1970s, including ARPANET, Telenet, and the X.25 protocols. Additionally, public access and hobbyist networking systems grew in popularity, including unix-to-unix copy (UUCP) and FidoNet. They were however still disjointed separate networks, served only by limited gateways between networks. This led to the application of packet switching to develop a protocol for internetworking, where multiple different networks could be joined together into a super-framework of networks. By defining a simple common network system, the Internet Protocol Suite, the concept of the network could be separated from its physical implementation. This spread of internetworking began to form into the idea of a global network that would be called the Internet, based on standardized protocols officially implemented in 1982. Adoption and interconnection occurred quickly across the advanced telecommunication networks of the western world, and then began to penetrate into the rest of the world as it became the de-facto international standard for the global network. However, the disparity of growth between advanced nations and the third-world countries led to a digital divide that is still a concern today.

Following commercialization and introduction of privately run Internet service providers in the 1980s, and the Internet's expansion for popular use in the 1990s, the Internet has had a drastic impact on culture and commerce. This includes the rise of near instant communication by electronic mail (e-mail), text based discussion forums, and the World Wide Web. Investor speculation in new markets provided by these innovations would also lead to the inflation and subsequent collapse of the Dot-com bubble. But despite this, the Internet continues to grow, driven by commerce, greater amounts of online information and knowledge and social networking known as Web 2.0.

History of Valentines Day

Every year, the fourteenth day of the month of February has millions across the world presenting their loved ones with candy, flowers, chocolates and other lovely gifts. In many countries, restaurants and eateries are seen to be filled with couples who are eager to celebrate their relationship and the joy of their togetherness through delicious cuisines. There hardly seems to be a young man or woman who is not keen to make the most of the day.


The reason behind all of this is a kindly cleric named Valentine who died more than a thousand years ago.

It is not exactly known why the 14th of February is known as Valentine's Day or if the noble Valentine really had any relation to this day. The history of Valentine's Day is impossible to be obtained from any archive and the veil of centuries gone by has made the origin behind this day more difficult to trace. It is only some legends that are our source for the history of Valentine's Day.

The modern St. Valentine's Day celebrations are said to have been derived from both ancient Christian and Roman tradition. As per one legend, the holiday has originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia, a fertility celebration that used to observed annually on February 15. But the rise of Christianity in Europe saw many pagan holidays being renamed for and dedicated to the early Christian martyrs. Lupercalia was no exception. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius turned Lupercalia into a Christian feast day and set its observance a day earlier, on February 14. He proclaimed February 14 to be the feast day in honor of Saint Valentine, a Roman martyr who lived in the 3rd century. It is this St. Valentine whom the modern Valentine's Day honors.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by the name of Valentine. While one was a priest in Rome, another was a bishop in Terni. Nothing is known about the third St. Valentine except that he met his end in Africa. Surprisingly, all three of them were said to have been martyred on 14th February.

It is clear that Pope Gelasius intended to honor the first of these three aforementioned men. Most scholars believe that this St. Valentine was a priest who lived around 270 AD in Rome and attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II who ruled during this time.

The story of St. Valentine has two different versions - the Protestant and the Catholic one. Both versions agree upon Saint Valentine being a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men and was executed by the latter. During the lifetime of Valentine, the golden era of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Education declined, taxation increased and trade witnessed a very bad time. The Roman empire faced crisis from all sides, from the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asia. The empire had grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Naturally, more and more capable men were required to to be recruited as soldiers and officers to protect the nation from takeover. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. He believed that marriage made the men weak. So he issued an edict forbidding marriage to assure quality soldiers.

The ban on marriage was a great shock for the Romans. But they dared not voice their protest against the mighty emperor. The kindly bishop Valentine also realized the injustice of the decree. He saw the trauma of young lovers who gave up all hopes of being united in marriage. He planned to counter the monarch's orders in secrecy. Whenever lovers thought of marrying, they went to Valentine who met them afterwards in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. And thus he secretly performed many marriages for young lovers. But such things cannot remain hidden for long. It was only a matter of time before Claudius came to know of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested.

While awaiting his sentence in prison, Valentine was approached by his jailor, Asterius. It was said that Valentine had some saintly abilities and one of them granted him the power to heal people. Asterius had a blind daughter and knowing of the miraculous powers of Valentine he requested the latter to restore the sight of his blind daughter. The Catholic legend has it that Valentine did this through the vehicle of his strong faith, a phenomenon refuted by the Protestant version which agrees otherwise with the Catholic one. Whatever the fact, it appears that Valentine in some way did succeed to help Asterius' blind daughter.

When Claudius II met Valentine, he was said to have been impressed by the dignity and conviction of the latter. However, Valentine refused to agree with the emperor regarding the ban on marriage. It is also said that the emperor tried to convert Valentine to the Roman gods but was unsuccesful in his efforts. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. This angered Claudius II who gave the order of execution of Valentine.

Meanwhile, a deep friendship had been formed between Valentine and Asterius' daughter. It caused great grief to the young girl to hear of his friend's imminent death. It is said that just before his execution, Valentine asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after. As per another legend, Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his jailer during his imprisonment. However, this legend is not given much importance by historians. The most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not centered on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. Valentine is believed to have been executed on February 14, 270 AD.

Thus 14th February became a day for all lovers and Valentine became its Patron Saint. It began to be annually observed by young Romans who offered handwritten greetings of affection, known as Valentines, on this day to the women they admired. With the coming of Christianity, the day came to be known as St. Valentine's Day.

But it was only during the 14th century that St. Valentine's Day became definitively associated with love. UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of "Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine", credits Chaucer as the one who first linked St. Valentine's Day with romance. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14. Hence, Chaucer used the image of birds as the symbol of lovers in poems dedicated to the day. In Chaucer's "The Parliament of Fowls," the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine's Day are related:

"For this was on St. Valentine's Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate."

By the Middle Ages, Valentine became as popular as to become one of the most popular saints in England and France. Despite attempts by the Christian church to sanctify the holiday, the association of Valentine’s Day with romance and courtship continued through the Middle Ages. The holiday evolved over the centuries. By the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine's Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts began to be created on this day and handed over to the man or woman one loved. This tradition eventually spread to the American colonies. It was not until the 1840s that Valentine's Day greeting cards began to be commercially produced in the U.S. The first American Valentine's Day greeting cards were created by Esther A. Howlanda Mount Holyoke, a graduate and native of Worcester. Mass. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap". It was when Howland began Valentine's cards in a large scale that the tradition really caught on in the United States.

Today, Valentine's Day is one of the major holidays in the U.S. and has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are "valentine"s. The "valentines", as Valentine's Day cards are better known as, are often designed with hearts to symbolize love. The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest valentines was sent in 1415 AD by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife during his imprisonment in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.

There may be doubts regarding the actual identity of Valentine, but we know that he really existed because archaeologists have recently unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to a Saint Valentine.

World Trade Center History of the Manhattan Landmark Destroyed on September 11, 2001

The two identical 110-story towers of the World Trade Center opened in 1973 and went on to become New York City icons and key elements of Manhattan's famous skyline. Once home to almost 500 businesses and approximately 50,000 employees, the World Trade Center towers were tragically destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Origins of the the World Trade Center
In 1946, the New York State Legislature authorized the development of a "world trade mart" in downtown Manhattan, the branchild of real estate developer David Sholtz.

However, it wasn't until 1958 that Chase Manhattan Bank vice chair David Rockefeller announced plans to build a multi-million-square-foot complex on Lower Manhattan's east side. The original proposal was for only one 70-story building, not the final Twin Towers design. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey agreed to oversee the building project.

Protests and Changing Plans
Protests soon arose from residents and businesses in the Lower Manhattan neighborhoods slated for demolition to make way for the World Trade Center. These protests delayed construction for four years.

Final building plans were eventually approved and unveiled by principal architect Minoru Yamasaki in 1964. The new plans called for a World Trade Center consisting of 15 million square feet distributed among seven buildings. The standout design features were two towers that would each exceed the Empire State Building's height by 100 feet and become the world's tallest buildings.

Building the World Trade Center
Construction of the World Trade center began in 1966. The south tower was completed first in 1971. The Towers were built using a new drywall system reinforced by steel cores, making them the first skycrapers ever built without the use of masonry. The two towers -- at 1368 and 1362 feet and 110 stories each -- bested the Empire State Building to become the tallest buildings in the world.

The World Trade Center -- including the Twin Towers and four other buildings -- officially opened in 1973.

A New York City Landmark
In 1974, French high-wire artist Philippe Petit made headlines by walking across a cable strung between the tops of the two towers using no safety net. The world-famous restaurant, Windows on the World, opened on the top floors of the north tower in 1976. The restaurant was hailed by critics as one of the finest in the world and offered some of the most breathtaking views in New York City. In the South Tower, the public observation deck called "Top of the World" offered similar views for New Yorkers and visitors.

The World Trade Center also starred in many movies -- including memorable roles in Escape from New York, the 1976 remake of King Kong, and Superman.

Terror and Tragedy at the World Trade Center
In 1993, a group of terrorists left a van loaded with explosives in an underground parking garage of the north tower. The resulting explosion killed six and wounded more than a thousand, but caused no major damage to the World Trade Center.

Sadly, the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, caused much greater destruction. Terrorists flew two planes into the World Trade Center towers, causing massive explosions, the destruction of the towers, and the deaths of 2,749 people.

Today, the World Trade Center remains a New York City icon years after its destruction.

Further information on the World Trade Center:

Modern Marvels: World Trade Center (DVD) -- This is the original documentary that aired on the History Channel in 2001 before the attacks. It was initially called "Modern Marvels", but has since been renamed "In Memoriam". It's a fascinating, comprehensive look at the center's construction and inner workings. Because it was made before the attacks, it's one of the few documentaries that spends time focusing on the history rather than the tragedy.

The World Trade Center: Rise And Fall Of An American Icon (DVD) -- Another fantastic History Channel documentary on the towers.

The World Trade Center Remembered (Paperback) -- A beautiful book filled with spectacular images of the pre-9/11 WTC. Photographs by Sonja Bullaty and Angelo Lomeo. Text by Paul Goldberger, architecture critic for the New Yorker.

Muslim fingerprints in Obama's history

I've misspoken before. I've misspoken before on national television. I've mixed up words, reversed orders, but I have never once misspoken concerning my faith and the God in whom I trust. Even in the most heated debate on Islam, never did I ever utter the words "my Muslim faith." Nor, even when talking about Buddhism, have I ever slipped up and referred to "my Buddhist faith." Ever. Why? Because my Christianity is so ingrained in me, so a part of who I am, that the thought of adhering to a false religion is so foreign, so blasphemous, that the words would never cross my lips.

Not the case for Mr. Obama. On ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, Obama said:

"Let's not play games, what I was suggesting – you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. And you're absolutely right that that has not come."

Watch it online.

Matthew 12:34 says: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Notice that Obama didn't correct himself. He was "corrected" by George Stephanopoulos who interrupted Obama, with the words: "Christian faith."
Let's just say he misspoke. Did Obama misspeak when he told the New York Times that blasphemy was one of the "prettiest sounds on earth at sunset"?

That's right. In a Feb. 27, 2007, interview with the New York Times' Nicholos Kristof, that's how Obama described the Muslim call to prayer. That prayer, which Obama recited with a "first-class [Arabic] accent," begins with this:
Allah is supreme!
Allah is supreme!
Allah is supreme! Allah is supreme!
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that Muhammad is his prophet ...

Really? No god but the false god Allah is the prettiest sound on earth? Really.

Speaking of slip-ups, here's the clip of Obama saying he's visited 57 states. He's such a "global citizen," perhaps the 57 member states of the "Organization of the Islamic Conference" was more second nature to him than our own 50 U.S. states.

While Obama's campaign site declares: "Senator Obama has never been a Muslim" and "was not raised as a Muslim," the records say differently.

As was documented by Jerome Corsi in his best-selling book, "The Obama Nation," in January 1968, Obama was registered as a Muslim at his primary school under the name Barry Soetoro. Even the Associated Press has released a photocopy of the document where Barack Obama is registered as an Indonesian citizen of the Muslim religion. (Listen to Dr. Corsi on yesterday's Faith2Action radio program at www.f2a.org discussing it).

Obama also claimed he never attended a mosque. Not so, according to eyewitnesses. As was reported in WorldNetDaily, childhood friends and even his school principal said they saw Obama attend the mosque with their own eyes. In response, the Obama campaign issued another statement: Instead of claiming Obama was never a Muslim, as they had previously posted, they then claimed he "has never been a practicing Muslim."

Even in Obama's autobiography, "Dreams From My Father," he called his school "a Muslim school" and admits he studied the Quran during his formative years from age 6 to age 10: "In the Muslim school, the teacher wrote to tell mother I made faces during Quranic studies."

He could have never made faces in Quranic studies if he wasn't studying the Quran.

So this weekend on national television, he referred to his "Muslim faith." Last year he said that praising Allah as the one true god was the prettiest sound on earth. He said he was never a mosque-attending Muslim, but eyewitnesses say otherwise. Despite what Obama and his campaign have claimed, by his own admission, he studied the Quran.

Add to the fact that on June 13, 2008, Obama's half brother, Malik Obama, who lives in Kenya, told the Jerusalem Post that "if elected his brother will be a good president for the Jewish people despite his Muslim background."

In that same article was a picture of Malik with his half brother Barack in traditional Somali elder dress with a turban on his head in 1985. Like many pictures of Obama in Muslim attire readily available on the Internet, he was not between the ages of 6 and 10 when the photos were taken.

Let's pretend all of this is just part of some smear campaign. Forget everything that I've said and take a look of who's backing this guy.

According to Islamic expert Brigitte Gabriel, author of "Because They Hate, A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America" and her new book, "They Must be Stopped: Why We Must Defeat Radical Islam and How We Can Do It," there are some very interesting campaign supporters of Barack Obama. Beyond the support of unrepentant terrorist William Ayers, Obama has backing from some other notorious groups, from "al-Qaida to Hamas, to Hezbollah," to "Islamic Jihad" to the "Muslim Brotherhood," to "all the terrorists organizations" who "are coming out in force for Obama for president," stated Gabriel on the Sept. 3, 2008, Faith2Action radio program (on the "Archives" section of www.f2a.org).

On the same program, she spoke of the Muslim Brotherhood project for North America, in 1982, whose plans were to get Muslims actively involved in politics.

Gabriel claims that the Islamic websites and terrorist organizations are calling Obama the "first Muslim president of the United States."

As far as they are concerned, said Gabriel, these groups claim "Obama can say anything he wants to get elected – he is a Muslim." They claim that if he had renounced his Muslim affiliation declared early in life, he would have changed his Muslim name.

What is interesting is the Islamic world has not renounced Obama for becoming a Christian – a capital offense under Shariah law.

What is perhaps more interesting is that Sen. Barack Hussein Obama has never renounced his Muslim ties. He was too busy pretending they didn't exist until the documents and eyewitness accounts surfaced recently.

Let's not play games. By way of review, on national television Obama "misspoke" about "his Muslim faith." Last year he said the words "there is no god but Allah" were "one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset." Then he said that he's been to "all 57 states" (57 states coincidently belong to the "Organization of the Islamic Conference"). According to eyewitnesses, he was a mosque-going, Quran-learning, Muslim (according to official documents released by the AP). His friends say so. His principal said so. His own brother said so. He wears the Muslim turban and Somali elder dress for photo-ops, apparently for fun. While he hasn't renounced any of this, not one Islamic extremist has called for his death as an apostate from Islam.

Obama is right about one thing. Sen. John McCain isn't talking about Obama's Muslim faith. But the rest of the country is beginning to.

Asus Announces New GT 440 Graphics Card

Asus is adding NVIDIA’s latest GPU, the GT440, to its lineup. The new ASUS GT440 is factory overclocked by Asus to run at 822MHz. The Asus GT440 utilizes Super Alloy Power technology to help lower operating temperatures, extend product lifespan, and improve overall performance. The GT440 also uses Asus' Dust-proof Fan design and supports HDMI 1.4a.

Fremont, CA (February 1, 2011) - ASUS, the world’s number #1 motherboard manufacturer and leading innovator in graphics cards, is proud to introduce NVIDIA’s latest GPU, the GT440 Graphical Processing Unit (GPU). An instant upgrade over today’s integrated graphics options, the new ASUS GT440 graphics card is ideal for powering today’s media centric PC. The ASUS GT440 offers improved visual quality, reduced processor utilization and hardware accelerated performance for a wide range of online video content, applications and Blu-ray titles.

In addition the ASUS GT440 provides significantly improved gaming experience compared to the latest integrated graphics solutions allowing for an increase in image quality, frame rates and resolution to provide a more immersive gaming experience. Rounding out its full range of functionality is support for NVIDIA PhysX® technology and for NVIDIA 3D Vision™ offering the next level of immersion on the PC with the latest Blu-ray or online HD content.

Product highlights
ASUS factory overclocks the GT440 to 822MHz providing better than reference performance out of the box.
The ASUS GT440 includes Super Alloy Power technology, featuring a special alloy formula used in power delivery components such as capacitors, chokes and MOSFETs. It instantly lowers average operating temperatures up to 35°C*, extends product lifespan 2.5 times* and improves overall performance up to 15%*. This gives users access to greater overclocking potential, as the GT440 can withstand higher operating temperatures than its reference counterparts.
Taking advantage of the improved power delivery system offered by the Super Alloy Power design, ASUS’ exclusive and award winning overvolting technology Voltage Tweak is capable of adjusting and increasing core voltage to improve overclocking scaling that provides superior frame rates in today’s latest games.
ASUS continues to lead the industry in protective design measures on graphics cards. The GT440 features protective designs such as our Dust-proof Fan design ensuring up to 25%* longer fan lifespan than generic offerings due to its double-sealed design, which repels dust and other debris to improve cooling and longevity. ASUS GPU Guard doubles the printed circuit board strength through a special reinforced bonding process, helping to protect the card against fracturing and cracking. This can occur due to the rapid temperature changes within today’s PCs. ASUS also implements the class leading Fuse Protection that is a current protection mechanism offering protection against over-current which can damage the GPU, reduce or degrade performance and induce dangerous temperature levels.
The GT440 offers full support for HDMI 1.4a, a unified standard for delivering high quality audio and video along with full support and compliance for 3D content. The GT440 offers full hardware acceleration to ensure smooth playback of Blu-ray 3D or other 1080P high-definition content. High-definition 24-bit multi-channel audio up to 192KHz along with lossless DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD audio bit-streaming ensures an immersive sound experience.

Mat Rove Meri Ma - Kissa Veer Hakikat Rai

Haqiqat Rai was born at Sialkot in 1724 to Mata Durga Devi and Bhag Mal ji. Haqiqat Rai was very sharp in studies as well as in his bravery. In those days of Muslim rule Hindus used to read Urdu and Persian from Muslim maulvis. Haqiqat Rai used to go to local school and was the only Hindu in a class while his other classmates were Muslims. He used to pass with top rank and so was dear to everyone. One day, some of his Muslim classmates who were jealous of his studies ridiculed Hindu goddess Devi Ma. Haqiqat Rai first remained silent but after repeated abuses the brave boy dared his classmates and tried to stop them but as he was alone he was overpowered. They did not stop using abusive languages for Hindu Goddess and he responded finally by ridiculing Fatima, daughter of Prophet Muhammad.
The Muslim boys complained to the maulvis about Haqiqat Rai blaspheming the prophet and Islam, which enraged the maulvis. Maulvis first punished Haqiqat Rai and then had him arrested by the local police.
Haqiqat Rai was arrested and sent to Amir Beg, the administrator of Sialkot. Those were the days of Muslim rule, Hindus were frequently targeted by Muslims and they were having inferior status in society. There was no one to listen to this young Hindu boy. Amir who was known for his cruelty immediately ordered killing of innocent Hindu boy. He did not even spare time to hear the pleas of Haqiqat Rai. Haqiqat Rai's parents started weeping and asked for sparing his life. Amir said Haqiqat Rai had committed a sin and he can be pardoned only if he accepts Islam as punishment for blasphemy. Haqiqat Rai refused conversion to Islam. Haqiqat Rai's parents tried to change his mind. They said, if he accepts Islam, his life will be saved. The Brave boy Haqiqat accepted death but not Islam. He was then sent to Zakaria Khan, the Governor of Lahore. But Haqiqat Rai did not agree to convert even under further torture. His 10 year old wife Laxmi Devi also arrived and pleaded for his life but no one under the Muslim rule listened to Hindus. Haqiqat Rai was executed by the orders of the Governor on 20 January, 1735 at the tender age of 12.
The day of his execution used to be marked by a 'mela' (fair) on Vasant Panchami day in Lahore, around his 'samadhi' (Baway di marrhi), before India's partition. It appears his 'samadhi' was wrecked during riots in Lahore.
The young boy died for his religion. Today he is an idol for us all what we can do is to observe but not give up Vedic dharma whole heartedly and propagate it throughout the world.