Anand Kumar is a beacon of hope for the bright students coming from poor families, who cannot afford expensive coaching classes.

TIME magazine included his educational initiative in its ‘Best of Asia - 2010’ issue, while Newsweek included it in the list of the four most innovative schools in the world. This wonder-school is not located in Delhi or Kolkata, but in Patna the capital of Bihar, a state historically known for its patronage of education, but today, hardly the first choice of a scholar. Then, what’s so special about this school?

Legend has it that Lord Parasurama himself crowned the first ruler of Travancore, whose lineage can be traced to the banks of the Narmada River. According to the noted historian Anees Jung, the most ancient royal families of India are the Houses of Udaipur and Travancore and the history of the Travancore royal family can be traced back to 820 A.D.

The last ruler of the princely state of Travancore before India’s Independence was Sree Chitira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma (7.11.1912 to 19.7.1991). His grandmother was the daughter of Raja Ravi Varma, a great Indian painter famous for his depictions of scenes from Indian epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana. The rulers were all great patrons of music and arts.

As a child, the mind is curious, exploring the subtle functions of the world, questioning the working of objects and challenging theories that are handed down in textbooks. That is where genius begins. Noble Prize winner Albert Einstein had once said “I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

A Bendectine monastery in Bengaluru produces and markets cheese to fund its charitable work.

The cheese used in most five-star hotels in Bangalore comes from a humble monastery located on the outskirts of the city and it is possibly one of its best-kept culinary secrets. Father Michael may have a small cheese production unit, but the cheese that is produced at his factory is truly world-class in every way.

Vallombrosa Cheese is a firm run by priests who are members of the Vallombrosan Benedictine Congregation which is the part of the International Benedictine Confederation. They follow the rule of St. Benedict, Ora Et Labora – that is, prayer and work for the welfare of society, especially the poor and the marginalized.