Source….unknown….input from a friend of mine
Natarajan
Indian students planning to pursue PhD from the University of South Florida will be eligible for a new scholarship from the next academic year. The university has announced a postgraduate annual scholarship worth about Rs. 1 crore in the name of former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam.

It will be effective from the academic year 2016-17. The recipients will obtain a fee waiver for four years, which will be a total of $84,500.

University of South Florida’s Vice Provost, and System Associate Vice President for Global Academic Programs, Roger Brindley, wrote a letter to Ponraj Vellaichamy, the Scientific Advisor to APJ Abdul Kalam.
“Like all of India – and the world – we heard of his passing away with great sorrow. I want to commend you and his family for the wonderful work you are doing to perpetuate his legacy,” he wrote.
Mr. Ponraj said that there could not be a more fitting tribute to Dr. Kalam by a foreign university. It proves that Dr. Kalam had gone beyond boundaries to provide knowledge to people across the world.
University of South Florida is an American metropolitan public research university situated in Tampa, Florida, United States.
Source….Tanaya Singh….www.the better india .com
Natarajan
Former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin is pretty clear with about his thoughts on travel to Mars.
AMERICAN astronaut Buzz Aldrin is best remembered for being the second man to set foot onto the surface of the moon during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission.
However, there is much more to the famed astronaut than meets the eye.
Here are 10 facts about 85-year-old that might surprise you.
1. BORN TO WALK ON THE MOON
Buzz’s parents were Edwin Eugene Aldrin Sr and Marion Aldrin.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary here until you discover the mother of the man selected for the Apollo 11 mission was actually born Marion Moon.
So that means Buzz’s career choice was either destiny or a very big coincidence.
2. HIS OWN FIRST ON THE MOON
He may not have been the first man to set foot on the moon, but Buzz Aldrin does hold the dubious honour of being the first man to urinate there.
While making his way down the lander’s ladder, nature came calling and Buzz was forced to perform a lunar leak into a special bag in his space suit.
3. EXPENSE CLAIM
For many, being able to set foot on the moon would be a prestigious honour, but for Buzz it wasn’t enough.
Once returning to Earth, he submitted an expense claim for the Apollo 11 mission, which asked to be reimbursed $AU46.33.
The claim was very accurate in its depiction of “points of travel” with Buzz detailing his travels from Houston to Cape Kennedy to the moon to the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii and then back to Houston.
As the documents show “government meals and quarters” were provided throughout the July 1969 mission, Buzz did not place a claim for those.
However, he did claim for the use of a car for travel between airports on his way to the launch at Cape Kennedy.
The claim was paid by NASA.
4. COOL AS A CUCUMBER
After exploring the surface of the moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their way back into the lander so they could start their return journey to Earth.
However, once inside, Buzz discovered a broken circuit breaker lying on the floor of the module.
Following a brief search, it was discovered the circuit breaker was from the ascent engine — a vital component required to lift the lander off the moon.
After phoning mission control for advice, the astronauts were to told they would have to wait overnight for a solution.
So with the possibility of an indefinite stay on the moon surface looming, Buzz did something strange.
He spread out on the floor of the landing module and went to sleep, obviously completely unfazed by the hiccup.
5. MOVE OVER MACGYVER
The following morning, Buzz was told getting the breaker pushed back in was the only solution to getting the lander back into space.
With the component being electrical and his fingers being too large to do the job, Buzz began searching for a tool to use.
The solution came in the form a felt-tipped pen he had in the shoulder pocket of his space suit.
After successfully pushing the circuit breaker in with his pen, the lander was ready for takeoff.
Even more impressive was the fact Buzz still has the very same pen sitting in his home.
6. CUSTOMS DECLARATION
If you think being on the first mission to the moon excludes you from filing those pesky customs declarations, you are sadly mistaken.
Upon returning to Earth, all of the astronauts on board Apollo completed and signed customs forms declaring they were brining “Moon rock and Moon Dust” back.
7. BECOMING BUZZ
Buzz Aldrin was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr on January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey.
However, his family wasn’t all that keen on the name and ended up nicknaming him Buzz.
The nickname evolved from his younger sister who struggle to pronounce “brother” and would often say “buzzer”.
He legally changed his name in 1988.
8. FLYING HIGH
Long before he was an intergalactic traveller, Buzz had an interest in flying.
This saw him being a test pilot for US Navy and also serving a stint as a fighter pilot.
While on combat missions in Korea, Buzz earned the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for destroying two MIG’s and damaging another.
9. THOSE BLACK MARKS
There is iconic picture of Buzz Aldrin standing on the moon, but closer inspection shows there are two mysterious black marks on the front of his spacesuit.
These are the result of Buzz’s failed attempt to reboard the lander on the surface of the moon.
When trying to jump up to the lander, Buzz didn’t provide enough force and collected his shins on the button rung of a ladder.
Buzz Aldrin has a completely white suit, except for the marks on his shins.Source:News Corp Australia
10. ALL YOU NEED IS A PUNCH IN THE FACE
There are many conspiracy theories floating around questioning the legitimacy of the moon landing.
It is fine to speculate, just don’t approach Buzz Aldrin with your suspicions because if you call him a fraud, he might just punch you in the face.
Source….www.news.com.au
Natarajan