हमारे संस्था के सामाजिक उपक्रम

आपका योगदान महत्वपूर्ण है

आदरणीय सर/ मैडम

आप के योगदान के कारण हमारी वटवृक्ष इन्फोटेक फाउंडेशन,फॉर न्यू जनरेशन आष्टा. अच्छा काम कर रहा हैं। आपकी सहायता की कारण ही पिछली बार हम 139 स्कुल के बच्चीयों को स्कुल यूनिफार्म दे सके। इस बार हमने 200 पेज की नोट बुक और पेन्सिल देने का सोचा है। आप आपका योगदान खाते में पैसे डालके या नोट बुक भेजकर भी दे सकते है।

हमारा खाता नंबर है 

watavruksha Infotech Foundation, for new Generation Ashta.

Bank Name : IDBI Ashta.Tal: Walava 

Account number: 0481104000072292

IFSC : IBKL0000481

 MICR : 481259281

हमारा पता है

वटवृक्ष इन्फोटेक फाउंडेशन, फॉर न्यू जनरेशन आष्टा

स्वप्नवेल,साई नगर आष्टा

ता: वाळवा जि: सांगली 416301

Email:watavrukshafoundation@gmail.com

vist my blog

watavruksha.blogspot.com

Krushikanya.blogspot.com

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each who take turns batting and fielding. The batting team attempts to score runs by hitting a ball that is thrown by the pitcher with a bat swung by the batter, then running counter-clockwise around a series of four bases: first, second, third, and home plate. A run is scored when a player advances around the bases and returns to home plate. Players on the batting team take turns hitting against the pitcher of the fielding team, which tries to prevent runs by getting hitters out in any of several ways. A player on the batting team who reaches a base safely can later attempt to advance to subsequent bases during teammates' turns batting, such as on a hit or by other means. The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the fielding team records three outs. One turn batting for both teams, beginning with the visiting team, constitutes an inning. A game comprises nine innings, and the team with the greater number of runs at the end of the game wins. Baseball is the only major team sport in America with no game clock, although almost all games end in the ninth inning. Evolving from older bat-and-ball games, an early form of baseball was being played in England by the mid-18th century. This game was brought by immigrants to North America, where the modern version developed. By the late 19th century, baseball was widely recognized as the national sport of the United States. Baseball is now popular in North America and parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and East Asia. In the United States and Canada, professional Major League Baseball (MLB) teams are divided into the National League (NL) and American League (AL), each with three divisions: East, West, and Central. The major league champion is determined by playoffs that culminate in the World Series. The top level of play is similarly split in Japan between the Central and Pacific Leagues and in Cuba between the West League and East League.

कसम

💐💐💐

क़सम लेलो तुम्हारे बाद किसी का ख़ाब देखा हो
किसी को हमने चाहा हो किसी को हमने सोचा हो

किसी की आरज़ू की हो किसी की जुस्तजू की हो
किसी की राह देखी हो किसी का क़ुरब मांगा हो

किसी को साथ रखा हो किसी से आस रखी हो
कोई उम्मीद बाँधी हो कोई दिल में उतारा हो

कोई तुमसे भी प्यारा हो कोई दिल में बसाया हो
कोई रूठा हो तो हमने उसे रो-रो मनाया हो

दिसंबर की हसीं रात में किसी का हिजर झेला हो
किसी की याद का मौसम मेरे आँगन में खेला हो

किसी से बात करनी हो कभी ये होंट तरसे हो
किसी की बेवफ़ाई पर कभी ये नैन बरसे हो

कभी रातों को उठ उठकर तेरे दुख में ना रोऐ  हो
क़सम ले लो तुम्हारे बाद हम इक पल को सोए हो

क़सम ले लो कभी जुगनू कभी तारा कभी माहताब देखा हो
क़सम ले लो तुम्हारे बाद किसी का ख़ाब देखा हो................. 😔

शेतीची माहिती

शेतकऱ्याकरिता महत्त्वाची माहिती

**असा मिळणार अधिग्रहित जमिनीचा पाचपट मोबदला **

जमीन अधिग्रहण क्षेत्रात वकिली करणारे श्री प्रदीप क्षीरसागर , उच्च न्यायालय, नागपुर (९८२२९३३३२८) यानि नविन अधिग्रहण कायद्यानुसार जमिन मालकाला पुढील प्रमाणे नुकसान भरपाई मिळेल असे सांगितले
जर ग्रामीण भागातील एखाद्या जमीनी चा बाजार भाव उदारणार्थ १००००० असेल तर शासनाने गुणक २ जाहिर केल्या मुले १०००००×२=२००००० +तेवढेच म्हणजे १००% सांत्वना राशी म्हणजे २०००००+२०००००=४००००० 
या सोबत २५% अतिरिक्त राशी म्हणजे ४०००००+१०००००=५००००० आणि आणखी जमिनीचा ताबा घेतल्याच्या दिवसापासून पैसे शेतकऱ्याना मिळे पर्यन्त १२% व्याजाची रक्कम असे असेल, ढोबळपणाने बाजार भावाच्या ५ पट नुकसान भरपाई मिळेल, शेतकरी /जमिन मालक यानि अधिग्रहण अधिकाऱ्या समोर बाजार भाव जास्त असल्याचे सिद्ध करुन लाभ मिळवता येइल, जास्तीत जास्त शेतकरी बान्धवा पर्यन्त पोहचवा, योग्य नुकसान भरपाई पासून वंचित राहणार नाही.
१३/८/२०१४ ला महारास्ट्र शासनाने १.१० चे गुणक लावले होते त्या मुले १ लाख बाजारभाव असल्यास १.१० गुणक नुसार केवळ ११००००(एक लाख दहा हजार) आणि तेवढेच सांत्वना राशी म्हणजे एकून २२०००० एवढेच नुकसान भरपाई मिळत होती म्हणजे पाच लाख(५०००००) ऐवजी दोन लाख विस हजार (२२००००) नुकसान (१८००००) एक लाख ऐशी हजार, पण सदर १.१० गुणका मुळे चारपट मोबदला मिळत नसल्या चे कारणाने उच्च न्यायाल्याने रद्द केल्याने शासनाला नविन २ हे गुणक जाहिर करावे लागले 
परन्तु १३/८/२०१४ ते २०/५/२०१५ या कालावधीत बरेच निवाडे पारित करताना १.१० हे गुणक लावुन नुकसान भरपाई रक्कम ठरविली होती असे शेतकरी सुद्धा २ चा गुणक लावून येणाऱ्या रकमेच्या व् आधी मिळालेल्या रकमेतील फरक रक्कम मिळण्यास पात्र असतील

माहिती महत्वाची आहे काही अधिकारी ही माहिती शेतकऱ्या कडून लपवतात.त्यामुळे फसवणूक होते

Indian Culture

Indian Culture: Traditions and Customs of India.

India’s culture is among the world's oldest; civilization in India began about 4,500 years ago. Many sources describe it as "Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara" — the first and the supreme culture in the world, according to the All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) organization.

Western societies did not always see the culture of India very favorably, according to Christina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London. Early anthropologists once considered culture as an evolutionary process, and ”every aspect of human development was seen as driven by evolution,” she told Live Science. “In this view, societies outside of Europe or North America, or societies that did not follow the European or Western way of life, were considered primitive and culturally inferior.  Essentially this included all the colonized countries and people, such as African countries, India, and the Far East.".

However, Indians made significant advances in architecture (Taj Mahal), mathematics (the invention of zero) and medicine (Ayurveda). Today, India is a very diverse country, with more than 1.2 billion people, according to the CIA World Factbook, making it the second most populous nation after China. Different regions have their own distinct cultures. Language, religion, food and the arts are just some of the various aspects of Indian culture. Here is a brief overview of the culture of India.

Language

India has 28 states and seven territories, according to the World Health Organization. There is no official language in India, according to a Gujarat High Court ruling in 2010. Many people living in India also write in Devanagari script. In fact, it is a misconception that the majority of people in India speak Hindi. Though many people speak Hindi in India, 59 percent of India residents speak something other than Hindi, according to The Times of India. Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil and Urdu are some other languages spoken in the country.

India is identified as the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, the third and fourth largest religions. About 84 percent of the population identifies as Hindu, according to the “Handbook of Research on Development and Religion” Edited by Matthew Clarke (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013). There are many variations of Hinduism, and four predominant sects — Shaiva, Vaishnava

About 13 percent of Indians are Muslim, making it one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. Christians and Sikhs make up a small percentage of the population, and there are even fewer Buddhists and Jains, according to the “Handbook.”

Food

When the Moghul Empire invaded during the sixteenth century, they left a significant mark on the Indian cuisine, according to Texas A&M University. Indian cuisine is also influenced by many other countries. It is known for its large assortment of dishes and its liberal use of herbs and spices. Cooking styles vary from region to region.

Wheat, Basmati rice and pulses with chana (Bengal gram) are important staples of the Indian diet. The food is rich with curries and spices, including ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried hot peppers, and cinnamon, among others. Chutneys — thick condiments and spreads made from assorted fruits and vegetables such as tamarind and tomatoes and mint, cilantro and other herbs — are used generously in Indian cooking.

Many Hindus are vegetarians, but lamb and chicken are common in main dishes for non-vegetarians. The Guardian reports that between 20 percent and 40 percent of India's population is vegetarian.

Much of Indian food is eaten with fingers or bread used as utensils. There is a wide array of breads served with meals, including naan, a leavened, oven-baked flatbread, and bhatoora, a fried, fluffy flatbread common in North India and eaten with chickpea curry.

The Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1653.
The Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1653.

The most well-known example of Indian architecture is the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to honor his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It combines elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles. India also has many ancient temples.

India is well known for its film industry, which is often referred to as Bollywood. The country's movie history began in 1896 when the Lumière brothers demonstrated the art of cinema in Mumbai, according to the Golden Globes. Today, the films are known for their elaborate singing and dancing.

Indian dance, music and theater traditions span back more than 2,000 years, according to Nilima Bhadbhade, author of “Contract Law in India” (Kluwer Law International, 2010). The major classical dance traditions — Bharata Natyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali — draw on themes from mythology and literature and have rigid presentation rules.

Indian clothing is closely identified with the colorful silk saris worn by many of the country’s women. The traditional clothing for men is the dhoti, an unstitched piece of cloth that is tied around the waist and legs. Men also wear a kurta, a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length. For special occasions, men wear a sherwani, which is a long coat that is buttoned up to the collar and down to the knees. The Nehru jacket is a shorter version of a sherwani.
Customs and celebrations

The country celebrates Republic Day (Jan. 26), Independence Day (Aug. 15) and Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday (Oct. 2). Diwali is the largest and most important holiday to India, according to National Geographic. It is a five-day festival known as the festival of lights because of the lights lit during the celebration to symbolize the inner light that protects them from spiritual darkness. Holi, the festival of colors, also called the festival of love, is popular in the spring.

Additional reporting by Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor

MEIS नियम शिथिल

भारत सरकार ने MEIS अंतर्गत निर्यात लाभ घेण्यासाठी नियम शिथिल केले आहेत

भारत सरकारने मर्चंडाइज एक्सपोर्ट स्कीम (MEIS) अंतर्गत लाभ घेण्याकरिता मालाचे लँडिंग प्रमाणपत्र सादर करण्यापासून निर्यातदारांना मुक्त केले आहे.डिसेंबर 2014 पासून निगेटिव्ह झोन मध्ये असलेल्या निर्यातीला प्रोत्साहन देण्यासाठी देशात सोयीस्कर व्यवसाय करण्यासाठी विकसित करण्याच्या उद्देशाने ही हालचाल आहे.योजनेच्या अंतर्गत, सरकार उत्पादन आणि देश याप्रमाणे 2% 3%, आणि 5% चे शुल्क शिथिल करते.‘मर्चंडाइज एक्सपोर्ट फ्रॉम इंडिया योजना’ ही एप्रिल 2015 मध्ये विदेश व्यापार धोरण (Foreign Trade Policy), 2015-20 मध्ये सादर करण्यात आली होती.MEIS भारतामध्ये उत्पादीत आणि तयार केलेला मालाच्या निर्यातीला प्रोत्साहन देण्याच्या हेतूने आहे.‘मर्चंडाइज एक्सपोर्ट फ्रॉम इंडिया स्कीम’ (भारतीय वस्तु निर्यात योजना -MEIS)शुल्क कर्ज आलेख (Duty Credit Scrips) हे MEIS अंतर्गत बक्षिसे म्हणून मिळवले जातील.शुल्क कर्ज आलेख आणि आयात केलेला / देशामध्ये खरेदी केलेला माल मोफतपणे हस्तांतरणीय असेल.MEIS अंतर्गत 4000 पेक्षा अधिक वस्तु निर्यात लाभ सुविधा मिळविण्यासाठी पात्र असतील.प्रथमच, SEZ मधून निर्यातीला या प्रोत्साहन योजनेखाली आणले गेले आहे.या योजने अंतर्गत, गंतव्य (destination) देश हे गट- अ, गट-ब आणि गट-क मध्ये वर्गीकृत केलेले आहे. विविध ITC (HS) वर्गवार्या अंतर्गत प्रोत्साहन दर स्वतंत्रपणे देण्यात आले आहेत.शुल्क अर्ज आलेख (Duty Credit Scrips) हे खालीलप्रमाणेवापरले जाऊ शकते:परिशिष्ट 3A सूचीबद्ध असलेले वस्तु वगळता कच्चा माल किंवा मालाच्या आयात साठी सीमाशुल्क भरणे.DoR सूचना नुसार भांडवली वस्तूच्या समवेशासह कच्चा माल किंवा वस्तूच्या देशांतर्गत खरेदी वर अबकारी कर (excise duties) भरणे.DoR सूचना नुसार सेवा खरेदी वर सेवा कर भरणे.धोरणाच्या परिच्छेद 3.18 नुसार सीमा शुल्क आणि शुल्क भरणा करणे.भारतीय वस्तु निर्यात योजना (MEIS) ही विशेषत: उच्च निर्यात तीव्रता, रोजगार क्षमता असणारे आणि त्याद्वारे भारतीय निर्यात स्पर्धात्मकता वाढविण्यासाठी असलेले, जे भारतात उत्पादित केलेले, वस्तू / उत्पादनाच्या निर्यातीमध्ये समाविष्ट असलेला संबंधित खर्च आणि  पायाभूत सुविधेमधील कमतरता यामध्ये समतोल राखण्यासाठी आहे.MEIS अंतर्गत अधिकार:परिशिष्ट 3B मध्ये सूचीबद्ध असल्याप्रमाणे सूचित बाजारपेठेसाठी, ITC[HS] संकेत सह सूचित मालाची / उत्पादनाची निर्यात ही MEIS अंतर्गत लाभ मिळवून देते. परिशिष्ट 3B हे विविध सूचित उत्पादनांवर रिवॉर्ड चे दर (rate(s) of rewards) सूचीबद्ध करते.रिवॉर्ड च्या हिशोबाचा आधार हा मुक्त परकीय चलन मध्ये निर्यात च्या FOB मूल्य किंवा मुक्त परकीय चलन मध्ये शिपिंग बिल मध्ये नमूद असलेल्या निर्यात च्या FOB मूल्य, जे काही कमी असेल, ते निर्दिष्ट केले जाईल.

आज का दिन विशेष

आज ही के दिन यानि 4 अप्रैल को भारत सहित विश्व इतिहास की प्रमुख घटनाएं इस प्रकार है–
1460 – स्विट्जरर्लैंड में बेसल यूनिवर्सिटी की स्थापना।
1716 – रुस और प्रशिया की सेनाओं ने उत्तरी जर्मनी के विस्मार पर कब्जा किया।
1722 – जेकब रोजरविन ने पूर्वी आयरलैंड की खोज की।
1818 – अमेरिकी कांग्रेस ने राष्ट्रध्वज में लाल रंग की तेरह पट्टी और बीस स्टार शामिल करने को मंजूरी दी।
1850 – लॉस एंजिलिस को शहर के रूप में शामिल किया गया।
1889 – मशहूर हिन्दी कवि, लेखक, नाटककार और पत्रकार माखनलाल चतुर्वेदी का जन्म मध्य प्रदेश में हुआ।
1904 – प्रसिद्ध गायक कुंदन लाल सहगल का जन्म।
1905 – हिमाचल प्रदेश के कांगडा जिले में आये भूकंप से करीब बीस हजार लोगों की मौत।
1910 – दार्शनिक श्री अरविन्दो पांडिचेरी (अब पुड्डुचेरी) पहुंचे जहां उन्होंने योग और आध्यात्मिक केन्द्र खोला।
1916 – अमेरिकन सीनेट ने प्रथम विश्व युद्ध में हिस्सा लेने को मंजूरी दी।
1921 – हिंदी के लोकप्रिय साहित्यकार फणीश्र्वरनाथ रेणु का जन्म।
1941 – जर्मनी की सेना ने लीबिया के बेनगाजी शहर पर कब्जा किया।
1944 – ब्रिटिश सेना ने इथोपिया के आदिश अबाबा पर कब्जा किया।
1949 – उत्तरी अटलांटिक सैन्य संगठन की स्थापना हुई जो शीतयुद्ध के शुरूआती दौर का नतीजा थी।
– भारत की मशहूर बॉलीवुड अभिनेत्री परवीन बॉबी का जन्म गुजरात के जुनागढ़ में हुआ।
1960 – अफ्रीकी देश सेनेगल ने फ्रांस से स्वतंत्रता हासिल करने की घोषणा की।
1968 – अमेरिका के मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्ता मार्टिन लूथर किंग जूनियर की गोली मारकर हत्या। मार्टिन लूथर किंग को अमेरिका का गांधी भी कहते हैं।
1975 – बिल गेट्स ने माइक्रोसॉफ्ट की स्थापना की।
1979 – पाकिस्तान के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री ज़ुल्फिकार अली भुट्टो को फांसी की सजा दी गई।
1987 – प्रसिद्ध साहित्यकार सच्चिदानन्द हीरानन्द वात्स्यायन 'अज्ञेय' का निधन।
1994 – विश्व बैंक ने भारत को विश्व की पांचवीं सबसे बड़ी अर्थव्यवस्था वाला देश घोषित किया।
2002 – अफगानिस्तान में भूस्खलन के कारण 150 लोगों की मौत हो गई।
2004 – भारत-नेपाल की अंतराष्ट्रीय सीमा पर माओवादियों ने 18 भारतीय तेल टैंकरों में आग लगाईं।

Bhartiya Mahila Bank

Bharatiya Mahila Bank
Bharatiya Mahila Bank
Bhartiya Mahila Bank (logo).jpg
Type
State ownership
Industry Banking, Financial services
Founded 2013
Headquarters New Delhi, India
Key people
S.M. Swathi(executive director)
Products core banking, credit card, consumer banking, corporate banking, finance and insurance, investment banking, mortgage loans, private banking, private equity, wealth management
Owner Government of India
Slogan Empowering Women, Empowering India.
Website www.bmb.co.in

Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) is an Indian financial services banking company based in New Delhi, India. Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the system on 19 November 2013 on the occasion of the 96th birth anniversary of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.[1] Although initially reported as a bank exclusively for women, the bank allows deposits to flow from everyone, but lending will be predominantly for women. India is the third country in the world to have a bank especially for women, after Pakistan and Tanzania.[2]

Banking For Women

In India, only 26% of women have an account with a formal financial institution, compared with 46% of men. That means an account in either a bank, a credit union, a co-operative, post office or a microfinance institution, according to a study by the World Bank.[3] Also, for women, per capita credit is 80 per cent lower than males.[4]

Furthermore, the results of a study using a global dataset covering 350 Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in 70 countries indicates that more women clients is associated with lower portfolio-at-risk, lower write-offs, and lower credit-loss provisions, ceteris paribus.[5] provision
Objective

The bank will also place emphasis on funding for skills developments to help in economic activity. Moreover, the products will be designed in a manner to give a slight concession on loan rates to women.[6]

The bank shall also aim to inspire people with entrepreneurial skills and, in conjunction with NGOs, plans to locally mobilise women to train them in vocations like toy-making or driving tractors or mobile repairs, according to Usha Ananthasubramanian (CMD).[7]

One of the other objectives of the bank is to promote asset ownership amongst women customers.[8] Studies have shown that asset ownership amongst women reduces their risk of suffering from domestic violence.[9]
Capital

The Bank's initial capital consists of Rs 1,000 crores. The government plans to have 25 branches of the said bank by the end of March 2014 and 500 branches by 4th year of operation (2017).

US-based FIS Global, in partnership with Wipro is leading the race for a Rs 1,000-crore contract to provide IT systems at the country’s first women-focussed bank, it is reliably learnt. [10]
Branches

The Bank currently has 85 branches and is planning to open more than 700 branches within 2 years. Currently Bharatiya Mahila Bank's branches are located at the following places- Mumbai-Nariman Point, Central Mumbai-Ghatkopar, Thane, Pune, Patna, Noida, Chandigarh, Bhubaneshwar, Panchkula, Kochi, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, New Delhi-Nehru Palace, New Delhi-Model Town, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Patna, Ranchi, Raipur, Kolkata, Guwahati, Shimla, Shillong, Gangtok, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Bengaluru, Mangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Alwar, Dholpur, Komargiri, Kakinada, Goa-Panji, Agartala, Agra, Haridwar, Kanpur, Lucknow, Dehradun, Doddapalya, Kutiyatu, and Lalithadripura.
Key management

Bharatiya Mahila Bank is wholly owned by Government of India.Initially the bank have a board of directors consisting of eight women. Mrs. Usha Ananthasubramanian is the chairman and managing director of the Bank and SM Swathi is executive director of Bank.The board consists of a business graduate sarpanch from Rajasthan, Chhavi Rajawat, Dalit entrepreneur Kalpana Saroj, who turned around a tubes business, retired public banker Nupur Mitra, academic Pakiza Samad, private equity professional Renuka Ramnath, Godrej Group executive Director Tanya Dubash and a government nominee.Details can be seen on bank's website www.bmb.co.in

One of the key objective of the Bank is focus on the banking needs of women and promote economic empowerment through women's growth and developments.
Criticism

The bank has been criticised as adopting a segregationist approach to gender equality. Uma Shashikant of The Hindu writes:

    Women-only banks are another instance of wanting to treat women ‘differently’. We guise this in many forms, some in garbs of reverence, some as protection, but they are all forms of discrimination that promote gender-based stereotyping. Women-only organisations stem from this eagerness to patronise women in the name of preferential treatment.[11]

References

    ^ "Prime Minister of India Inaugurated the system". Thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ "Bharatiya Mahila Bank: All you need to know about first all-women bank". Firstpost. 2013-03-07. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ "BBC News - India PM Singh opens bank for women". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ Our Bureau. "Now open, the first bank for women | Business Line". Thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ Roy Mersland, Bert D'Espallier, Isabelle Guérin (18 November 2010). "Women and Repayment in Microfinance". SSRN. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ FP Staff (2013-03-07). "Bharatiya Mahila Bank: All you need to know about first all-women bank". Firstpost. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ "Women’s Bank will inspire people with entrepreneurial skills, says CMD". Livemint. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ "Govt to seek Cabinet approval for Rs 1,000 cr Bhartiya Mahila Bank". Entrepreneurindia.com. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ "Property Ownership & Inheritance Rights of Women for Social Protection– The South Asia Experience: Synthesis report of three studies" (PDF). ICRW. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ Adith Charlie (2013-09-18). "Wipro-US firm team leads race for Rs 1,000-cr Mahila Bank deal | Business Line". Thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 2013-11-20.
    ^ Uma Shashikant (2013-08-25). "Must banks too go pink?". The Hindu. Retrieved 2013-11-20.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A
Chemical structure of retinol, one of the major forms of vitamin A

Vitamin A is a group of unsaturated nutritional organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably beta-carotene).[1] Vitamin A has multiple functions: it is important for growth and development, for the maintenance of the immune system and good vision.[2] Vitamin A is needed by the retina of the eye in the form of retinal, which combines with protein opsin to form rhodopsin, the light-absorbing molecule[3] necessary for both low-light (scotopic vision) and color vision.[4] Vitamin A also functions in a very different role as retinoic acid (an irreversibly oxidized form of retinol), which is an important hormone-like growth factor for epithelial and other cells.[2][5]

In foods of animal origin, the major form of vitamin A is an ester, primarily retinyl palmitate, which is converted to retinol (chemically an alcohol) in the small intestine. The retinol form functions as a storage form of the vitamin, and can be converted to and from its visually active aldehyde form, retinal.

All forms of vitamin A have a beta-ionone ring to which an isoprenoid chain is attached, called a retinyl group. Both structural features are essential for vitamin activity.[6] The orange pigment of carrots (beta-carotene) can be represented as two connected retinyl groups, which are used in the body to contribute to vitamin A levels. Alpha-carotene and gamma-carotene also have a single retinyl group, which give them some vitamin activity. None of the other carotenes have vitamin activity. The carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin possesses an ionone group and has vitamin activity in humans.

Vitamin A can be found in two principal forms in foods:

    Retinol, the form of vitamin A absorbed when eating animal food sources, is a yellow, fat-soluble substance. Since the pure alcohol form is unstable, the vitamin is found in tissues in a form of retinyl ester. It is also commercially produced and administered as esters such as retinyl acetate or palmitate.[7]
    The carotenes alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, gamma-carotene; and the xanthophyll beta-cryptoxanthin (all of which contain beta-ionone rings), but no other carotenoids, function as provitamin A in herbivores and omnivore animals, which possess the enzyme beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase which cleaves beta-carotene in the intestinal mucosa and converts it to retinol.[8] In general, carnivores are poor converters of ionone-containing carotenoids, and pure carnivores such as cats and ferrets lack beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase and cannot convert any carotenoids to retinal (resulting in none of the carotenoids being forms of vitamin A for these species).

carrots

Vitamin A is found naturally in many foods:

    cod liver oil (30000 μg 3333%)
    liver (turkey) (8058 μg 895%)
    liver (beef, pork, fish) (6500 μg 722%)
    liver (chicken) (3296 μg 366%)
    capsicum, red (2081 μg 231%)
    sweet potato (961 μg 107%)
    carrot (835 μg 93%)
    broccoli leaf (800 μg 89%)
    butter (684 μg 76%)
    kale (681 μg 76%)
    collard greens (frozen then boiled) (575 μg 64%)
    dandelion greens (508 μg 56%)
    spinach (469 μg 52%)
    pumpkin (426 μg 43%)
    collard greens (333 μg 37%)
    cheddar cheese (265 μg 29%)
    cantaloupe melon (169 μg 19%)
    egg (140 μg 16%)
    apricot (96 μg 11%)
    papaya (55 μg 6%)
    tomatoes (42 μg 5%)
    mango (38 μg 4%)
    pea (38 μg 4%)
    broccoli florets (31 μg 3%)
    milk (28 μg 3%)
    bell pepper, green (18 μg 2%)
    spirulina (3 μg 0.3%)

Note: Data taken from USDA database.[18] Bracketed values are retinol activity equivalences (RAEs) and percentage of the adult male RDA, per 100 grams of the foodstuff (average).

Conversion of carotene to retinol varies from person to person and bioavailability of carotene in food varies.[19][20]
Metabolic functionsEdit

Vitamin A plays a role in a variety of functions throughout the body, such as:

    Vision
    Gene transcription
    Immune function
    Embryonic development and reproduction
    Bone metabolism
    Hematopoiesis
    Skin and cellular health
    Antioxidant activity

Vision

The role of vitamin A in the visual cycle is specifically related to the retinal form. Within the eye, 11-cis-retinal is bound to the protein "opsin" to form rhodopsin in rods[3] and iodopsin (cones) at conserved lysine residues. As light enters the eye, the 11-cis-retinal is isomerized to the all-"trans" form. The all-"trans" retinal dissociates from the opsin in a series of steps called photo-bleaching. This isomerization induces a nervous signal along the optic nerve to the visual center of the brain. After separating from opsin, the all-"trans"-retinal is recycled and converted back to the 11-"cis"-retinal form by a series of enzymatic reactions. In addition, some of the all-"trans" retinal may be converted to all-"trans" retinol form and then transported with an interphotoreceptor retinol-binding protein (IRBP) to the pigment epithelial cells. Further esterification into all-"trans" retinyl esters allow for storage of all-trans-retinol within the pigment epithelial cells to be reused when needed.[21] The final stage is conversion of 11-cis-retinal will rebind to opsin to reform rhodopsin (visual purple) in the retina. Rhodopsin is needed to see in low light (contrast) as well as for night vision. Kühne showed that rhodopsin in the retina is only regenerated when the retina is attached to retinal pigmented epithelium,[3] which provides retinal. It is for this reason that a deficiency in vitamin A will inhibit the reformation of rhodopsin and lead to one of the first symptoms, night blindness.[22]
Gene transcriptionEdit
Main article: Gene transcription

Vitamin A, in the retinoic acid form, plays an important role in gene transcription. Once retinol has been taken up by a cell, it can be oxidized to retinal (retinaldehyde) by retinol dehydrogenases and then retinaldehyde can be oxidized to retinoic acid by retinaldehyde dehydrogenases.[23] The conversion of retinaldehyde to retinoic acid is an irreversible step, meaning that the production of retinoic acid is tightly regulated, due to its activity as a ligand for nuclear receptors.[21] The physiological form of retinoic acid (all-trans-retinoic acid) regulates gene transcription by binding to nuclear receptors known as retinoic acid receptors (RARs) which are bound to DNA as heterodimers with retinoid "X" receptors (RXRs). RAR and RXR must dimerize before they can bind to the DNA. RAR will form a heterodimer with RXR (RAR-RXR), but it does not readily form a homodimer (RAR-RAR). RXR, on the other hand, may form a homodimer (RXR-RXR) and will form heterodimers with many other nuclear receptors as well, including the thyroid hormone receptor (RXR-TR), the Vitamin D3 receptor (RXR-VDR), the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (RXR-PPAR) and the liver "X" receptor (RXR-LXR).[24] The RAR-RXR heterodimer recognizes retinoic acid response elements (RAREs) on the DNA whereas the RXR-RXR homodimer recognizes retinoid "X" response elements (RXREs) on the DNA; although several RAREs near target genes have been shown to control physiological processes,[23] this has not been demonstrated for RXREs. The heterodimers of RXR with nuclear receptors other than RAR (i.e. TR, VDR, PPAR, LXR) bind to various distinct response elements on the DNA to control processes not regulated by vitamin A.[21] Upon binding of retinoic acid to the RAR component of the RAR-RXR heterodimer, the receptors undergo a conformational change that causes co-repressors to dissociate from the receptors. Coactivators can then bind to the receptor complex, which may help to loosen the chromatin structure from the histones or may interact with the transcriptional machinery.[24] This response can upregulate (or downregulate) the expression of target genes, including Hox genes as well as the genes that encode for the receptors themselves (i.e. RAR-beta in mammals).

Sources of Vitamin C

                                       Sources of Vitamin C

Food
                 Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of vitamin C (see Table 2) [12]. Citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, and potatoes are major contributors of vitamin C to the American diet [8]. Other good food sources include red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and cantaloupe (see Table 2) [8,12]. Although vitamin C is not naturally present in grains, it is added to some fortified breakfast cereals. The vitamin C content of food may be reduced by prolonged storage and by cooking because ascorbic acid is water soluble and is destroyed by heat [6,8]. Steaming or microwaving may lessen cooking losses. Fortunately, many of the best food sources of vitamin C, such as fruits and vegetables, are usually consumed raw. Consuming five varied servings of fruits and vegetables a day can provide more than 200 mg of vitamin C.

Table 2: Selected Food Sources of Vitamin C [12]
Food	Milligrams (mg) per serving	Percent (%) DV*
Red pepper, sweet, raw, ½ cup	95	158
Orange juice, ¾ cup	93	155
Orange, 1 medium	70	117
Grapefruit juice, ¾ cup	70	117
Kiwifruit, 1 medium	64	107
Green pepper, sweet, raw, ½ cup	60	100
Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup	51	85
Strawberries, fresh, sliced, ½ cup	49	82
Brussels sprouts, cooked, ½ cup	48	80
Grapefruit, ½ medium	39	65
Broccoli, raw, ½ cup	39	65
Tomato juice, ¾ cup	33	55
Cantaloupe, ½ cup	29	48
Cabbage, cooked, ½ cup	28	47
Cauliflower, raw, ½ cup	26	43
Potato, baked, 1 medium	17	28
Tomato, raw, 1 medium	17	28
Spinach, cooked, ½ cup	9	15
Green peas, frozen, cooked, ½ cup	8	13

*DV = Daily Value. DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of products within the context of a total diet. The DV for vitamin C is 60 mg for adults and children aged 4 and older. The FDA requires all food labels to list the percent DV for vitamin C. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Nutrient Database Web site lists the nutrient content of many foods and provides a comprehensive list of foods containing vitamin C arranged by nutrient content and by food name.

Dietary supplements
                       Supplements typically contain vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, which has equivalent bioavailability to that of naturally occurring ascorbic acid in foods, such as orange juice and broccoli [13-15]. Other forms of vitamin C supplements include sodium ascorbate; calcium ascorbate; other mineral ascorbates; ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids; and combination products, such as Ester-C®, which contains calcium ascorbate, dehydroascorbate, calcium threonate, xylonate and lyxonate [16].

A few studies in humans have examined whether bioavailability differs among the various forms of vitamin C. In one study, Ester-C® and ascorbic acid produced the same vitamin C plasma concentrations, but Ester-C® produced significantly higher vitamin C concentrations in leukocytes 24 hours after ingestion [17]. Another study found no differences in plasma vitamin C levels or urinary excretion of vitamin C among three different vitamin C sources: ascorbic acid, Ester-C®, and ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids [16]. These findings, coupled with the relatively low cost of ascorbic acid, led the authors to conclude that simple ascorbic acid is the preferred source of supplemental vitamin C [16].