THE NP CHRONICLE : 15TH AUGUST

The NP Chronicle 

15th August

Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghosh; 15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was an Indian philosopher, yogi and nationalist, who is noted for his participation in the movement for India's independence from British rule, he advocated for complete autonomy through his writings and political activity. Following his imprisonment and acquittal, he withdrew to Pondicherry to devote himself to spiritual practice, eventually formulating the path of Integral Yoga. His extensive literary output includes the treatises The Life Divine and The Synthesis of Yoga and the epic poem Savitri.

"The existence of poverty is the proof of an unjust and ill-organised society, and our public charities are but the first tardy awakening in the conscience of a robber."

-- Sri Aurobindo

"But few are those who tread the sunlit path;

Only the pure in soul can walk in light."

-- Sri. Aurobindo, Savitri

"My love is not a hunger of the heart, My love is not a craving of the flesh; It came to me from God, to God returns."

-- Sri Aurobindo, The Divine Plan

Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was Emperor of the French from 18 May 1804 until his first abdication in 1814, with a brief restoration during the Hundred Days in 1815. He rose to prominence as a general during the French Revolution and led a series of military campaigns across Europe and the Middle East during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. As a statesman, he implemented numerous legal and administrative reforms in France and Europe.

Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature. He is known for his Waverley novels (1814–1831), which were, for nearly a century, among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe. He is also known for his narrative poems Marmion (1808) and The Lady of the Lake (1810). He greatly influenced European and American literature.

Jennifer Shrader Maroney (née Lawrence; born August 15, 1990) is an American actress and producer. She has starred in both action film franchises and independent dramas, and her films have grossed over $6 billion worldwide. Lawrence was the world's highest-paid actress in 2015 and 2016 and Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA  Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educational series The Voyage of the Mimi (1984–1988). He later appeared in the independent comedy Dazed and Confused (1993) and several Kevin Smith comedies, including Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), and Dogma (1999).

Today is:

▪︎ Independence Day in India 

▪︎ National Liberation Day of Korea 

▪︎ Feast of the Assumption 

▪︎ Birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, Napoleon Bonaparte, Sir Walter Scott, Jennifer Lawrence, Ben Affleck

INDIA

India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the world's seventh-largest country by area and the largest by population. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is near Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Key Global Rankings

Economy and Infrastructure

▪︎ Nominal GDP: 5th/6th largest globally

▪︎ GDP (PPP): 3rd largest globally

▪︎ Foreign-Exchange Reserves: 4th globally

▪︎ Global Innovation Index: 38th globally

Demography and Society

▪︎ Population: 1st globally

▪︎ Land Area: 7th globally

▪︎ World Happiness Report: 116th out of 147 countries

▪︎ Global Peace Index: 127th out of 163 countries

Military and Power

▪︎ Military Strength: 4th globally (Global Firepower)

▪︎ Asia Power Index: 3rd position

▪︎ Arms Importer: Top global arms importer