INDIA YEAR BOOK 2011

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APGENCO Trainee Assistant Engineer- Electrical Solved Paper

Written Exam will be of Duration 2 hours Consists 100 Marks (70 Questions based on Core & 30 Questions on Aptitude).

Booklet-C 

(EXAM HELD ON: 22-01-2012)

 1. Transfer Function of a System in  1/(s+1)(s+2) the impulse response of the System is
A) e^-2t  – e^-t    B) e^-2t  + e^-t      C) e^-t  + e^-2t       D) e^-t  – e^-2t
2. In a thermal power plant,ash is Collected in
A) Mills     B) hoppers    C) Bunkers    D) Boiler
3. The average life of neutrons after they decay is
A) 1 sec     B) 10 sec    C) 100 sec   D) 1000 sec
4. The Operating time of instantaneous relay is
A) 0.001 sec  B) 0.01 sec   C) 0.1 sec   D) 1 sec
6. Stringing chart is useful for
A) the design of tower   B) the design of insulator String   C) finding the Sag in the Conductor  D) finding the distance between the towers
7. The Self GMD method is used to evaluate
A) inductance   B) capacitance  C) inductance and capacitance   D) resistance
8. The velocity of travelling Wave through a cable of relative permitivity 36 is
A)  3 x 10⁸ m/sec   A)  2 x 10⁸ m/sec   A)  0.5 x 10⁸ m/sec   A)  10⁸ m/sec
9. The Coefficient of reflection for current wave is
A) 1  B) 2  C) -1  D) 0
10. A relay has a rating of 5A, 2.2 sec IDMT and relay setting of 125% TMS =0.6. It is connected to a supply circuit through a C.T. 400/5 ratio. The Fault Current is 4000 A. The operating current of the relay is
A) 6.25 A      B) 5A   C) 8A    D) 2.2 A
12. A single Phase transformer has resistance and reactance of 0.2 pu  and 0.6 pu respectively. Its pu voltage regulation at 0.8 pf lagging would be
A)  0.52   B) 0.42  C) 0.62  D) 0.36
14. A Differential amplifier has a differential gain of 20,000, CMRR : 80 dB. The common mode gain is given by
A) 1   B) 1/2    C) 2  D) 250
15. An amplifier has input power of 2 microwatts. The Power gain of the amplifier is 60 dB. The Output power will be
A) 2 milliwatts  B) 6 microwatts  C) 2 Watts   D) 120 microwatts
16. The voltage gains of the amplifier with and without feedback are 20 and 100 respectively. The percentage of negative feedback would be
A) 40%   B) 80%   C) 4%  D) 8%
17. For OPAMP in differential configuration, open loop gain is 100000, and differential input voltage is 2 μ V. Power supply for OPAMP is ± 12 V. Then Output voltage will be
A) + 12 V    B) -12 V   C)  0 V  D) 2 μ V
18. A 3-stage ripple counter has Flipflop with propagation delay of 25 nsec and pulse width of strobe input 10 nsec. Then the maximum operating frequency at which counter operates reliably is
A) 16.67 MHz     B) 17.6 MHz    C) 12.67 MHz    D) 11.76 MHz
19. The percent resolution of an 8-bit D/A converter is
A)  0.392   B) 1/256   C) 1/255    D)  (A) and (B) both
20. The Diode used in a clipping circuit has R_f = 25Ω  and R_r = 1 MΩ. The External resistor R is
A) 50 KΩ   B) 5KΩ    C) 1/25 MΩ   D) 25 MΩ
21. Which circuit is used as amplitude comparator?
A) Bistable  B) Monostable  C) Astable   D) Schmitt Trigger
23. An example of a bounded signal is
A) e^-4t    B) e^2t    C) t     D) e^t  sint
25. A Transfer function has a Second order denominator and constant gain in the numerator
A) the System has two zeros at the origin    B) the system has two finite zeros   C) the System has two zeros at infinity   D) the System has one zero at infinity
26. A system is linear if and only if it satisfies
A) principle of Superposition   B) principle of Homogeneity    C) both (A) and (B) above   D) neither (A) and (B) above
29. A 200 V dc shunt motor is running at 1000 rpm and drawing a current of 10 A. Its armature winding resistance is 2Ω. It is braked by plugging. The resistance to be connected in series with armature to restrict armature current to 10A, is
A) 32 Ω    B) 36 Ω    C)  38 Ω   D) 40 Ω
30. A transformer has maximum efficiency at 3/4 th of full load. The ratio of its iron loss (p_i) and full load copper loss (P_c), is
A) 4/3   B)  16/9   C) 9/16    D) 3/4
33. A single phase fully controlled rectifier has an average output voltage of 200 V when alpha=0 . Its output voltage when alpha = 30^o is approximately
A) 200 V     B) 160 V     C) 173 V    D) 183 V
34. A 200 V dc-dc converter is turned ON for 30 μ sec and turned off for 10 μ sec. The output voltage will be
A) 200 V    B) 150 V    C) 175 V   D) 120 V
35. In Single Pulse Modulation used in PWM Inverters, for eliminating third harmonic component in the output voltage , the pulse width should be
A) 60⁰   B) 90⁰   C) 110⁰   D) 120⁰
36. The Dynamic resistance of a p-n junction germanium diode at room temperature with current of 1 mA under forward biasing is
A) 100 Ω   B) 13 mΩ    C) 13 Ω   D) 26 Ω
37. Thermal runway is not possible in FET because as temperature of FET increases
A)  mobility increases  B) mobility Decreases  C) drain current decrease  D) transconductance increases
38. The initial value of   f(t), with transform  F(s) = s+1/ (s+2)(s+3)   is
A) 0    B) 1   C) ∞   D) 1/6
39. The two-port parameter h₂₁ is called
A) open-circuit output admittance    B) short-circuit input impedance   C) open-circuit reverse voltage gain  D) short-circuit forward current gain
41 . The impedance of a two-element series circuit is represented by (20-j10) Ω  at a certain frequency. If the frequency is doubled, the new value of impedance is
A) (20-j5) Ω    B) (40-j20) Ω  C)  (10-j10) Ω   D)  (20-j20) Ω
42. A unity feedback control system has forward-path transfer function  G(s) = K/s(s+2) . If the design specification is that the steady-state error due to a unit ramp input is 0.05,the value of K allowed is
A)  20  B) 40  C) 10  D) 80
43. The transfer function of a system has the form G(s) = 200 (s+2)/s(s²+10s+100) . At very high frequencies the Bode gain curve has a slope of
A)  -6 dB/octave   B) -12 dB/octave  C)  6 dB/octave  D) 12 dB/octave
44. A Unity feed-back system has open-loop transfer function GH (s) =  K/ s(s+4)(s+6) , It’s root locus plot intersects the jw axis at
A) ± j 2   B)  ± j 4   C) ± j 8  D) does not intersect the jw axis
45. Auto reclosing used in case of
A) Lightning arrester   B)  bulk oil C.B   C) air blast C.B   D) minimum oil C.B
46. A transmission line has 1 P.U impedance on a base of 11 KV,100 MVA. on a base of 55KV, it will have a P.U impedance of
A) 1 P.U     B)  0.2 P.U       C) 0.02 P.U      D) 0.1 P.U
47. A 50 Hz, 4 pole turboalternator rated at 20 MVA, 13.2 KV has an inertia constant H = 4 KW sec/KVA. The K.E Stored in the rotor at Synchronous speed is
A) 80 KJ       B) 80 MJ        C) 40 MJ       D) 20 MJ
48. The inertia constants of two groups of machines which do not swing together are M₁  and  M₂. The equivalent inertia constant is
A)  M₁ + M₂     B)  M₁ – M₂  if M₁ > M₂   C) √M₁M₂     D)   M₁ M₂ / (M₁ + M₂)
50. A 36-slot, 4-pole, dc machine has a simplex lap winding with two conductors per slot. The back pitch and front pitch adopted could be respectively
A) 15,13       B) 19,17      C) 21,19   D) 23,21
53. Two Synchronous generators G₁, G₂ are operating in parallel and are equally sharing KVAR (lag) component of load. To shift part of KVAR from G2  to G1, while keeping terminal voltage fixed, the following action must be done
A)   Raise If₁  and lower  If₂   B)  Lower If₁  and raise  If₂    C)  Lower If₁  or raise  If₂    D)  Raise If₁  or lower  If₂
APTITUDE SECTION 30 Questions :
71.   H1(x) = 1-x ,0
= 1,  x ≥ 1
= 0, otherwise
H2(x) = -H1(x) for all x
H3(x) = H2(-x) for all x
H4(x) = -H3(x) for all x
How many of the following products are necessarily zero for every value of   “x”?
H1(x) * H3(x) ; H3(x) * H2(x) ; H1(x) * H2(x)
A) 0  B) 1   C) 2  D)  3
73. The length of the bridge, which a train 130 m long and traveling at 45 km/hr can cross in 30 sec is
A)  200 m     B)  225 m   C)   245  m    D)  250 m
74. If  “PAPER”  is 11.20, “PENCIL” is 9.83,  what will be the PEN ?
A)  12.80   B)  11.60  C) 1.66  D) 13.8
75. What is the sum of all numbers less than 100 that can be written as the sum of 9 consecutive positive integers?
A)  612   B) 630  C)  702  D) 504
78. X introduces Y saying: “He is the husband of the grand daughter of the father of myfather”. How is Y related to X ?
A)  brother    B)  uncle   C)  co-brother   D) brother-in-law
79. Ravi is 7 ranks ahead of Sumit in a class of 39. If Sumit’s rank is 17th from the last. What is Ravi’s rank from the start ?
A)  11    B)  15   C) 13    D)   9
80. In a certain code, ‘bi nie pie’ means “some good jokes”;; ‘nie bat lik’ means “some real stories”;; ‘pie lik tol’ means “many good stories”. Which word in the code means ‘jokes’ ?
A)  nie    B)  pie   C)  lik   D)  bi
81. There are five bus stops. A,B,C,D,E at equal intervals. C is not the middle stop and A,E are not terminal stops. C comes twice as many stops before D in upward jpurney as B comes after A. D is the first stop in downward journey. The correct sequence of stops in the downward journey is
A)   ABDCE     B)   CDAEB     C)  DACEB     D)  DEBAC
82. Five persons namely Yasin,Arafat,Rasheed,Ali and Rehman are to be seated in five out of the six seats numbered 1 to 6. The following table provides information about the serial numbers of the seats on which each of the mentioned friends can possibly sit.

Names	Yasir	Arafat	Rasheed	Ali	Rehman
Seat No.	1	2 or 3	2,3 or 4	4 or 5	5 or 6

If one of the seats numbered 2 or 4 is unocuupied. then the number of different ways five mentioned persons can be seated is
A) 1   B)  2   C) 3  D)  4
83.   If (ABCD)_a = D*a^0 + C*a^1 + B*a^2 + A*a^3
(8448)₉/(2112)₉=(y)₃  then  y is
A) 011  B ) 101   C) 110   D) 111
84. Two straight lines can divide a circular disk into a maximum of 4 parts. Likewise, into How many maximum parts can four straight lines divide a circular disk?
A) 11   B) 21    C) 31    D)  41
85. When the numerator of a fraction is increased by 7 and denominator is increased by 13, the resulting number is equivalent to the obrained when numerator decreased by 2 and denominator decreased by 11. The sum of the numerator and denominator is 24. Find the fraction
A)  1/23    B)  7/17   C)  11/13     D)  5/19
86. A test contains 50 questions. Each correct answer fetches 1 mark and wrong answer gets 1/2 mark is deducted. A candidate who wrote the test attempted all the questions and scored 41 marks. Find the number of questions he answered correctly?
A)  46      B) 42     C) 44     D) 48
87. ABC is a three digit number. The sum of its digits is 9. If each of BA and BC are two digit numbers such that BA=BC-3. How many values C can take ?
A)  16    B) 6   C) 26   D) 36
88. The sum of three digit number and numbers formed by reversing its digits is 989. The sum of its digits is 13. Find the middle digit
A)  9    B)  6  C) 4  D) 2
89. An observer 1.6 m tall is 20√3 away from a tower .The angle of elevation from his eye to the top of the tower is 30⁰. The height of the tower is
A) 21.6 m   B) 23.2 m   C) 24.72 m  D) 21.4 m
90. Identify the odd one
A)  heart  B)  liver   C)  nose   D)  kidneys
91.  18, 10, 6, 4, 3,  ?
A)  8   B)   4   C)  3.5   D)  2.5
92. Which makes the best comparison ?
TOMATO : MTOOTA  : : 123412 : ?
A)  312214   B) 123456  C)  321124  D) 213314
93.  My brother is standing 40m South-West of my sister.I am standing 40m South-East of my brither. I am in which direction of my sister?
A)  South  B) West   C)  East   D)  North-East
94. Find the next letters in series : BCZ, DEY, FGK,HIW,_________
A)   JKL    B)   JKV   C)  JKU    D)  JKT
95. Find related word  ;  Conscience : wrong :: Police : _________
A)  thief   B) law   C)  discipline   D) crime
96. A shopkeeper sells one transistor for Rs.840 at a gain of 20% and another for Rs.960 at a loss of 4%. His total loss or gain percent is
A) 5  15/17 %  loss   B)  5  15/17 % gain   C)  6  2/3 % gain    D) 6 2/3 % loss
97. A boatman goes 2Km against the current of the stream in 1 hour and goes 1Km along the current in 10min. How long will it take to go 5Km in stationary water ?
A)  40 Minutes    B)  1 hour   C)  1 hr 15 min   D)  1 hr 30 min
98. In how many ways can the letters of the word  LEADER  can be arranged ?
A)  72  B)   144  C)  360   D)  720
99. One pipe can fill a tank three times as fast as another pipe. If together, the two pipes can fill the tank in 36 minutes, then the slower pipe alone will be able to fill the tank in
A)  81 min    B)  144 min    C) 108 min  D) 192 min
100. If  log 27  = 1.431 , then the value of    log 9 is
A)  0.934      B) 0.954      C) 0.945     D) 0.958

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EAMCET 2012 Schedule

EAMCET a common entrance test will be conducted every year by JNTU for entry into the following proffessional courses B.E/B.Tech,    B.V.Sc and AH/B.Sc (Ag)/B.Sc (Hort)/B.F.Sc/B.Tech (FS&T)/ B.Sc (CA&BM) courses,MBBS/BDS/BAMS/BHMS/BNYS courses,B. Pharm I B.Tech. (Bio-Technology) and Pharm-D (Doctor of Pharmacy) courses. As every year,the government of Andhra Pradesh i.e,APSHE ANDHRA PRADESH STATE COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION has geared up to release EAMCET 2012 Notification by 10-Feb-2012 with the below given schedule
Commencement of Notification :: 10-February-2012
Date of EAMCET Exam :: 12-May-2012
EAMCET Exam Timings ::

• EAMCET for Engineering ::10.a.m to 1.00 p.m
• EAMCET for Agriculture & Medicine :: 2.30 p.m to 5.30 p.m

Starting Date for Online Applications :: 12-February-2012
Closing Date for Online Applications :: 30-March-2012
Downloading of Hal Tickets :: From 26-April-2012 to 12-May-2012
Dates of Application submission with Fine ::

• Last Date with Rs 500/- Fine :: 09-April-2012
• Last Date with Rs 1000/- Fine :: 19-April-2012
• Last Date with Rs 5000/- Fine :: 28-April-2012
• Last Date with Rs 500/- Fine :: 09-May-2012

TTD PARICHARIKA EXAM SYLLABUS

CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH RECRUITMENT

ACHARYA N.G.RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY RECRUITMENT

VETERINARY ASSISTANT SURGEON RECRUITMENT

CANARA BANK PROBATIONARY OFFICERS RECRUITMENT

JUNIOR ASSISTANTS RECRUITMENT 2012 IN APEPDCL

Applications are invited online from all eligible candidates for the recruitment of following post on regular basis in APEPDCL Engineering  Service.
Name of the post :: JUNIOR ASSISTANT
No. of Vacancies :: 58
Important Dates ::

• Starting date for Payment of Fee and Application submission :  31.01.2012
•  Last date for payment of Fee at AP Online : 28.02.2012
•  Last date for submission of Application : 29.02.2012

Date of examination:   The date of  written examination may be viewed at a later date in the APEPDCL website.
Age Limit :: not below 18 years and not above 36 years
Educational Qualification ::

• B.A or B.Com., or B.Sc Graduate from any recognized university
• Must have passed certificate course in Computer Application/Office Automation

Application Fee ::

• Rs.150/- for SC/ST/PWD/Ex-service men
• Rs.350/- for GEN

How to Apply :: After payment of above mentioned  Fee, the Candidate has to logon to the website http://www.apeasternpower.com/ to apply or can directly  click on below APPLY ONLINE link
DOWNLOAD APEPDCL JUNIOR ASSISTANT (JA) ADVERTISEMENT 2012
APPLY ONLINE FOR JUNIOR ASSISTANTS IN APEPDCL

APEPDCL Sub-Engineer Recruitment 2012

Applications are invited online from all eligible candidates for the recruitment of following post on regular basis in APEPDCL Engineering  Service.
Name of the post :: Sub-Engineer (Electrical)
No. of Vacancies :: 20
Important Dates ::

• Starting date for Payment of Fee and Application submission :  31.01.2012
•  Last date for payment of Fee at AP Online : 28.02.2012
•  Last date for submission of Application : 29.02.2012

Age Limit :: not below 18 years and not above 36 years
Educational Qualification :: Diploma in Electrical Engineering (or) Graduation in Electrical Engineering in addition to Diploma in Electrical Engineer or any other equivalent qualification
Application Fee ::

• Rs.150/- for SC/ST/PWD/Ex-service men
• Rs.350/- for GEN

How to Apply :: After payment of above mentioned  Fee, the Candidate has to logon to the website http://www.apeasternpower.com/ to apply or can directly  click on below APPLY ONLINE link
APPLY ONLINE FOR APEPDCL SUB-ENGINEER/ELECTRICAL
APEPDCL SUB-ENGINEER/ELECTRICAL ADVERTISEMENT 2012

APEPDCL 937 Junior Linemen Recruitment 2012

APEPDCL,invites Applications from all eligible male candidates for filling up of the vacancies of Junior Lineman on regular basis with following specifications ::
Name of the post :: JLM (Junior Linemen)
No. of vacancies :: 937
District-Wise Vacancies ::

• Srikakulam – 81
• Vizianagaram-127
• Visakhapatnam -135
• Rajahmundry-284
• Eluru-310

Age Limit(as on 22.12.2011) :: Between 18 years to 35 years
Educational Qualification ::

• SSC with   ITI qualification in Electrical Trade/Wireman trade
• Intermediate vocational course in Electrical Domestic Appliances and Rewinding (EDAR) and Electrical Wiring & Contracting (EWC)

Selection Process ::

• a) Meter Reading
• b) Cycling
• c) Pole climbing

How to Apply ::
All Interested candidates can down load the application forms from the APEPDCL website  (www.apeasternpower.com) or below mentioned link from 23.01.2012 to  22.02.2012.  & after filling the form candidates should submit their application form to the concerned Circle Superintending Engineer as given in the below notification (download from below link)  on or before 22.02.2012 
APEPDCL JLM ADVERTISEMENT 2012 & APPLICATION FORM DOWNLOAD

APPSC EXAM DATES

National Institute of Animal Biotechnology Recruitment

 

National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) 
Visiting Scholars House, Lake View Guest House, University of Hyderabad Campus, Prof. C.R. Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad - 46 (A.P), India

NIAB invites applications from suitably qualified, dynamic, result oriented and dedicated candidates for filling up the following technical and administrative positions. :

1. Technical Officers : 04 Posts
2. Senior Manager : 01 post
3. Manager/ Stores / Estate : 01 post
4. Manager-Office (Accounts) : 01 post
5. Service & Maintenance Engineer : 01 post
6. PA to Director : 01 post

Application Fee :  DD for an amount of Rs. 100/- drawn in favour of National Institute of Animal Biotechnology. No gee for SC/ST/Women candidates.

How to Apply :  Application in prescribed format should be sent to Officer-on-Special Duty (OSD), National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Visiting Scholars House, Lake View Guest House, University of Hyderabad Campus, Prof. C.R. Rao Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad-500046, so as to reach on or before 13/02/2012.

Please view http://www.niab.org.in/images/Download/advertisement.doc for details, application format is available at http://www.niab.org.in/images/Download/applicationformniab.doc and apply online at http://59.99.245.134/Default.aspx

2011 Year in Review - Top News Makers of the Year

1. Anna Hazare

The face behind the Lokpal movement, Kisan Baburao better known as Anna Hazare is considered by many netas and babus as their biggest nemesis and a hindrance to their aspirations. His crusade against corruption has grabbed headlines all over and inspired the common Indian to demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill that would hold politicians accountable for their actions.
Even though his growing popularity surprised many, Anna Hazare has been a social activist for over two decades, relentlessly working towards social and political reforms in the country.
Born in 1937, Anna Hazare joined the army in 1963 and it was during one of his visits to his village of Ralegaon Siddhi that forced him to retire from the army and to dedicate his life to rooting out problems that the villagers were facing.
His biography says Anna Hazare accidently came across a book by Swami Vivekananda and as he began to read it he realised that the ultimate motive of human life should be service to humanity and thus he decided to devote his life to public service.
Always seen in white, Anna Hazare lives in a single room within the village temple compound.
This Gandhian hails the Lokpal movement as India’s second freedom struggle. Leading a frugal life with integrity and honesty, overnight he has become a role model for India’s middle class.
Anna has resorted to many hunger strikes to make his demands heard, a fact that doesn’t augur well with his critics as they have labelled him a blackmailer and an armchair fascist.
2. Mamata Banerjee


The 34-year-old regime of the Left front finally crumbled to a feisty Mamata Banerjee, making her the first woman chief minister of West Bengal when her party won the assembly elections this year.
Mamata clad in a white sari and rubber slippers managed to do what many in Bengal thought was undoable till a few years back. Her angry denunciations of the Left administration made her an instant hit with the struggling Bengali. She systematically mounted protests against forced land acquisitions in the state by the then Left-ruled government.
During her short stint as the union railway minister she showered Bengal with railway projects which in turn gave Bengalis a glimpse of what she can do for their state if given a chance.
In 2011, Mamata gifted new trains and several new projects to six districts in north Bengal and didn’t let it go unnoticed by adding, “Railways have invested more funds in the six districts than the State has done for development of north Bengal”. A smart move any time of the year.
‘Didi’, or elder sister as she is fondly called, strategised her campaign against the Communists in a manner that depicts the political scenario of India today. She stands against all that is wrong in Bengal- from wrongful land acquisitions, bad infrastructure to corruption and stagnation in the state’s economy- she has gone to the aam junta with these issues and promised to make things right.
Moreover, what has appealed to the voters this time is Mamata’s humble background and her will to succeed and to put Bengal on the world map, just like it was back in the 19^th century.
3. Jayalalithaa


During the election campaign, she foretold that the AIADMK with her allies would win over 185 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly and how correct she was. After two consecutive defeats in the Tamil Nadu elections, Jayalalithaa made a spectacular comeback winning 199 of the state’s 234 assembly seats.
The last two defeats had taught Jayalalithaa a few bitter lessons and this time she made sure not to repeat the same mistakes. For this to happen, she had to depart from her usual mode of functioning and come down from her ivory tower and reach out to the people with her agenda.
Often described as the ‘Margaret Thatcher of Tamil Nadu’ by her followers, Jayalalithaa did the unthinkable and surprised political pundits by forging alliances with smaller parties – a move that proved to be a masterstroke.
As soon as the poll results were out, Jayalalithaa said, “Our priority is to rebuild. Over the past five years, Tamil Nadu has been totally ruined. Time and again this has happened. It is not an easy task to rebuild an entire state.”
What she did was to refer to the 2G spectrum scam repeatedly and hold rallies reminding the masses of how corrupt the DMK is and how the state’s economy is ruined by DMK.
Even though the pre-poll alliance played a major role in shaping the party’s victory, AIADMK cadres says that the win is an indication of people’s trust in Jayalalithaa and her vision of a corruption-free state.
4. Mahendra Singh Dhoni


Unlike other greats, Dhoni doesn’t have the technical efficiency or elegance or panache that makes cricket folklore but somehow he transcends all boundaries and makes himself a hero to the common man. He seldom makes batting look good but his helicopter shot makes even the connoisseur of the game make an exception and applaud.
Despite all his inadequacies, Dhoni ended India’s 28-year-long wait for a World Cup win and led the team to world’s No. 1 Test status. What makes Dhoni click seems to defy logic but what makes him a hero to millions makes more sense – he hails from a small-town with modest means and unlike other success stories, Dhoni has shown that anyone can make it big with hard work. He gives the small town enthusiasts the belief and confidence to dream big.
This year Time magazine named Dhoni in its list of 100 most influential people in the world. Time’s description of Dhoni was penned by Chetan Bhagat, saying:
“As astonishing as Dhoni’s talent is his background. Indian success stories are usually associated with pedigree, connections and power. Dhoni, from a small-town family of modest means, had none of these, but he’s shown India that you can make it with only one thing: excellence. Dhoni doesn’t just lead a cricket team; he’s also India’s captain of hope. And he didn’t just win India the World Cup; he also taught India how to win.”
So much has been said and written about his captaincy, but his biggest accolade came from teammate Sachin Tendulkar when he said that Dhoni is the best captain he played under.
5. B S Yeddyurappa


From being BJP’s first chief minister in south India to becoming Karnataka’s first chief minister to be jailed for corruption, Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yeddyurappa’s journey has been topsy turvy. A staunch Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh man, Yeddyurappa once worked as clerk in a rice mill.
Yeddyurappa shot to fame after he took up the cause of landless farmers and bonded labourers in the state and was detained during the emergency period in 1975. A powerful public speaker, Yeddyurappa is largely credited with pulling up the sagging fortunes of BJP in Karnataka.
When Yeddyurappa became chief minister in 2008, BJP hailed the day as opening the doors of south India for the party to rule. It was not a smooth journey for either Yeddyurappa or BJP as there were three rebellions and various scandals.
In January this year, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj shook BJP and Yeddyurappa by granting permission to two Bangalore advocates to launch criminal proceedings against him for illegally freeing government land in and around Bangalore for monetary gains.
The two advocates, Sirajin Basha and N.K. Balaraj filed five cases. Yeddyurappa was jailed in two of the five cases. Besides Yeddyurappa, his two sons, B.Y. Raghavendra and B.Y. Vijayendra, and son-in-law R. Sohan Kumar are also accused in all the five cases.
6. Lal Kishanchand Advani


Critics say this is veteran BJP leader Lal Kishanchand Advani’s final, desperate gambit to achieve his long-standing ambition to occupy the office of prime minister – his anti-corruption yatra. Supporters say the yatra, which will shortly enter such critical areas as Gujarat, Maharashtra and the south, is an attempt to throw light on rampant corruption and to politicize it is to trivialize the issue.
But is L.K. Advani’s anti-corruption yatra really mobilising people against the United Progressive Alliance or is it just the last hurrah of a veteran campaigner out to prove that he can still be a political game changer?
Calling for a ‘brighter India’ free of corruption, BJP leader L.K. Advani rolled out his sixth road campaign, the Jan Chetna Yatra, that will took him through 100 districts in 38 days. Hopefully this will be enough to push the BJP closer towards power in the next general election.
The man whose Rath first drove a party with just two seats in Parliament straight onto the national stage, clearly believes the yatra is still a journey to political advantage.
Advani’s yatra might have helped the party in crystallising the mood against the UPA in the wake of the 2G spectrum scam, the Commonwealth Games scandal and the cash-for-votes controversy and the government’s failure to contain price rise.
Advani, in his speeches during the yatra was unsparing in his attack on the UPA, describing it as the most corrupt government since independence and Manmohan Singh as the ‘weakest prime minister’. He also accused the UPA of ‘disarray and internal dissension’, ‘policy paralysis’ and spoke of the need for electoral and judicial reforms.
The yatra might have evoked a good response but the ‘litmus test’ will be Uttar Pradesh which will go to the polls next year.
7. Kiran Bedi


Not a stranger to controversy herself, India’s most famous IPS officer, Kiran Bedi, courted notoriety this year with her vociferous support of Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal movement, even resorting to gimmickry and over-the-top antics to get her point across.
India’s most decorated public services officer, a Magsaysay awardee, Bedi was quick to heap criticism on the UPA government’s inaction towards Anna’s requests of an ombudsman bill to counter corruption. Alas, after being the most outspoken in Anna’s team, she had to swallow a bitter pill when it came to light that she’d herself inflated several travel bills, a move she was quick to defend. She subsequently paid back the overcharged amount.
Bedi’s was a classic case of people-and-glass-houses.
8. Osama bin Laden


Nearly 10 years after the traumatic Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon, the world’s most wanted terrorist leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan.
The man who wanted to recreate a seventh-century Muslim empire was gunned down by US special forces in a helicopter-borne assault on a closely guarded compound in Abbottabad.
President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden was killed in a firefight saying, “Good evening. Tonight I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who is responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.”
Osama was found hiding in plain sight, in a well guarded compound in Abbottabad, just about an hour and a half outside of the Pakistan capital Islamabad, which cast a doubt on the Pakistan political-military hierarchy.
9. Sushil Kumar


This 27-year-old from Motihari in Bihar, went from oblivion to fame and wealth in a matter of 13 questions on the fifth season of the quiz show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’.
Sushil Kumar, a computer operator who works on contract with a government department for a monthly salary of Rs 6,000, won the biggest prize of all – Rs 5 crore, after successfully locking 13 questions posed by the Big B.
With two lifelines left, Amitabh Bachchan started reading out the final question. Sushil had to answer which foreign colonial power exited from India after selling off the Nicobar island to the British in 1868.
Sushil answered Denmark and the Big B exulted – ‘Paanch crore!’
“Our house has almost broken down and we have a lot of loans that have to be repaid,” Sushil said. “If it hadn’t been for this money, I would have gotten old before I sorted out my life.”
“I’ve been getting a lot of suggestions about what to do with the money, but right now I can only think about my dream of getting through the civil services exam,” he said.
“What a sensational day in the studios of KBC! A young man from the interiors of Bihar, earning a meagre salary of just Rs 6,000 per month, coming from the most humblest of backgrounds, reaches the hot seat and cracks the ultimate prize – Rs 5 crore! An incredible feat!” Amitabh Bachchan blogged.
10. Irom Sharmila Chanu


Even though she doesn’t strictly fulfil the newsmaker category, this iron-willed lady of Manipur has waged a long and lonely battle against an apathetic government the only way she can. Thanks to Anna Hazare’s fast, Irom received some media attention this year, starved that she was of it for the last 11 years.
Irom Sharmila Chanu has been fasting for 11 years to seek the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA from her state, Manipur.  She has the grit to try and persuade the government to repeal a law that empowers the security forces to arrest without a warrant, and shoot anyone at sight.
Dubbed as the Iron Lady of Manipur, Irom began her fast in 2000 after she witnessed the killing of 10 people by Assam Rifles jawans at a bus stop. For the past 10 years, she has not eaten a single morsel, resulting in her being force-fed by a tube through her nose.
Irom hopes one day the Indian government will recognise her and her fight against human rights violations in the north east. She has also urged Anna Hazare to visit Manipur and see what is happening there.
Although she has won international awards, Irom’s cause has never managed to strike a chord with the otherwise vocal middle class. Very few know or care about what is happening in Manipur, and how people in the state are being constantly bullied by the armed forces.
Irom’s heroic protest and her voice for a better homeland are still being ignored. Next time you attend a candlelight vigil, say a silent prayer and light a candle for this extraordinary woman.