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Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Annapurna-I, in the footsteps of French mountaineer Maurice Herzog
Herzog has recorded his adventures in a very popular book titled "Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8,000-metre Peak" Shyam Saran Listen to This Article In the year 1950, the well-known French explorer and mountaineer Maurice Herzog came to Nepal with the aim of climbing Mount Everest. Instead, he ended up identifying a route to the 8,000-metre Annapurna-I, one of the northern spurs of the Annapurna massif. He scaled the peak but suffered severe frostbite in his hands and feet and remained severely handicapped for the rest of his life. Herzog has recorded his adventures in a very popular book titled 'Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8,000-metre Peak'. While the trail to the Annapurna North Base Camp was known, it was rarely used. It was
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Health
- New York Times
I've trained Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for years. Here are 5 things you can learn from him
Editor's note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic's desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Follow Peak here. Dwayne Washington was a teacher at St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School, where Gilgeous-Alexander attended, and also his club basketball coach. I met Shai during his eighth-grade summer. He came to our gym for a tryout. His mother brought him. He was tiny back then. Probably the smallest guy in the whole gym. Advertisement But from day one, he already had a routine. He was already working. Everyone else was trying to dunk or do crazy moves. He had a paper that he wrote drills on and over in the corner of the gym, just working on his routine. I thought: Man, he was raised right. Then practice started, and he looked you in the eye, locked in. It was quite impressive. Even still, I couldn't foresee anything like this: multi-time All Star, leading scorer in the NBA, MVP and the best player on a team in the NBA Finals. So here are five lessons anyone can learn from SGA's journey. When you get into sports, you may feel like you're inadequate based on the stages in your development. Maybe it's your physicality. Perhaps it's where you're from, your background. So you can create an alter ego to help you. I used to always say, 'When you watch Denzel Washington or Tom Cruise in movies, they are tough guys in the movies. But they are playing a role. So when you step on the court, that's like being in front of the camera. You're not yourself.' For Shai, that alter ego was Allen Iverson. That was his guy. Iverson was a real-life superhero because he was small, like Shai, but he was tough, confident, and played hard. He was everything that Shai aspired to be. When Shai was younger, he wasn't physically there. But I saw that he embodied that alter ego because he was still throwing his body around against big guys with the mindset of Iverson. It helped him. For some people, I suggest creating an alter ego, such as the Incredible Hulk or Batman. You can use them as examples to take your mind somewhere else, other than where you are at that moment. You can use them to eliminate the fear, uncertainty and doubt. Now, Shai is at a level where he is that guy, and people can use him as an alter ego. Advertisement Initially, as a basketball player, you have the motivation of getting to the NBA or becoming a starter. Sometimes you have a motivation to buy your mother a house or to prove people wrong. However, your motivation will change as you become more successful. You always have to reset and find new motivations. If you're able to do that, you'll never be complacent. That's a critical mindset for longevity. I've seen Shai do that every game. He always finds motivation. Oh, we can't win in a small city and you think I'm going to leave? No, I'm going to win here. Oh, you think I'm too small or think I can't shoot? I'm going to come back and up my percentages. You can always find those little doubts that people have about you and use them to your advantage. That keeps you on top. This is critical. Positive thinking must occur every single day. You have to be ultra-optimistic because the world is grim. Your situation might be gloomy. But positive thinking is the No. 1 factor you must have, more than anything else here. If you're not thinking positively, then you can't even find motivation. You don't even see the purpose of an alter ego. Therefore, you must always think positively. And you have to clean the slate every single day. You can't carry over anything negative with you. If you carry negative thoughts, it's like adding bricks to a backpack when you're about to go on a race against Usain Bolt. You want to release all the stress, forgive others, eliminate burdens, make amends and be transparent. That allows you not to hold and carry stress mentally. When Shai did not receive high-major college offers right away, he could have thought, 'Man, I'm done, I'm just going to go to Butler.' Xavier wouldn't even offer him. But he just stayed positive. Advertisement He said, 'Listen, my time will come. My time will come.' He wasn't thinking about the worst-case scenario. He was thinking: 'I believe in my work. I believe in my path.' Instead, he went to Kentucky, one of the top schools at the time, with many five-star recruits. With positive thinking and a strong work ethic, he ended up being the best player on the team, despite having all those five stars. That's the best example, right in our face. Shai is not the fastest, not the strongest, not the quickest. But he knows his work ethic is there, and he knows he has the mental capacity, thanks to his mom and dad and everyone around him. We all know kids who, as 8th graders, have muscles bulging out of their necks. They jump high, they run fast, they're tall. You could look at them and think: 'Man, they already beat me.' No. Everybody has a race. Shai has embodied this. He was someone that people said, 'Why is he even going to Kentucky? He isn't good enough. Why is he going in the lottery? He can't even do anything. Why are they trading Paul George for him? He's not even that good.' To take the metaphor a step further: If he were looking left and right while he was running his race, he probably would have run out of his lane and been disqualified. But he just kept looking forward and running his race. Even to this day, there's all this talk: 'Who is better than who? Is this guy better than him?' He doesn't care about that. He finds motivation in it, but he still runs his race. And, boom, here we are today. You can't worry about anyone on the left and right of you. Stay in your lane, go as fast as you can and give your personal best. Just run your race. Believing in the hype will crush you in any sport, in any walk of life. No matter what people tell you — how great you are or how bad you are — you can't worry about people's low or high expectations for you. Advertisement It's easy when people think you're not good enough. That's low-hanging motivation. But when people tell you you've arrived, that's hard. You cannot believe how good you are, because it doesn't matter. If you have your goals written down and they are high, it doesn't matter what anyone else says. Shai does not believe any of the hype. He downplays all of it. If you're consistent, you don't change the pace at which you're moving. You don't change because someone said something nice about you. It has to come from within. Shai will tell you: 'I'm consistent.' He values that. Consistency doesn't change with emotions. It's something that's always going to happen. And Shai has been consistent as long as I've known him. — As told to Jayson Jenks
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Brain boosters: 5 powerful exercises to enhance memory and creativity in students
In today's fast-paced and information-heavy world, students often face challenges with memory retention and creative thinking. The ability to recall information and think in an innovative manner is essential not only for academic success but also for personal development and problem-solving. Fortunately, the brain—like a muscle—can be trained and strengthened through specific mental exercises. Here are five highly effective brain exercises that can significantly enhance memory and creativity in students. Mind Mapping Mind mapping is a visual brainstorming technique that involves organising information around a central idea, with related concepts branching out in all directions. This method leverages both the logical and creative sides of the brain. How it enhances memory and creativity: Mind maps engage visual memory, helping students better recall information. They foster non-linear thinking, encouraging connections between ideas and enabling deeper understanding. Colour, images, and keywords used in mind maps make the learning process interactive and engaging. How to practice: Start by writing a central topic in the middle of a blank page. Use lines, colors, and drawings to connect related subtopics. For example, when studying a biology chapter, students can create a map with the main theme in the center and related terms, definitions, and processes radiating outward. Dual N-Back Game The Dual N-Back is a cognitive training task that involves remembering a sequence of visual and auditory stimuli that appeared "n" steps earlier in the series. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo It is a scientifically studied method to enhance working memory. How it helps The game strengthens short-term memory and the brain's ability to hold and manipulate information. It improves focus, attention control, and mental agility—all crucial for creative problem-solving. Regular use is linked to better performance on IQ and reasoning tests. How to practice: Students can download brain-training apps such as Brain Workshop, Lumosity, or Peak to play Dual N-Back games. A few minutes of practice a day can produce noticeable improvements over time. Daily Journaling and Creative Writing Journaling involves writing down thoughts, experiences, or reflections regularly, while creative writing includes crafting stories, poems, or essays. How it helps: Writing about personal experiences helps encode memories, making them easier to retrieve. Creative writing stimulates imagination, storytelling skills, and expressive language. Journaling boosts emotional intelligence, which can improve concentration and clarity of thought. How to practice: Students can maintain a daily journal where they jot down their thoughts, dreams, or daily experiences. Alternatively, they can use prompts like 'What if I had a time machine?' or 'Describe a world with no gravity' to spark creativity. Memory Palace Technique (Method of Loci) The Memory Palace technique involves visualising a familiar location (like a house) and placing pieces of information you want to remember in specific areas or "rooms." How it helps: It taps into spatial memory and visualisation, which are powerful memory aids. The mental imagery required enhances the brain's creative visualisation skills. It's especially useful for memorising lists, speeches, or historical timelines. How to practice: Imagine walking through your house and placing items (facts, concepts, formulas) in specific locations. When you need to recall them, mentally revisit each location. For example, the kitchen could hold biology terms, while the living room stores math formulas. Puzzle Solving and Brain Teasers Puzzles like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, logic riddles, and number games challenge the brain to think critically and solve problems. How it helps: Regular puzzle-solving improves pattern recognition, logical thinking, and strategic planning. They stimulate the brain's reward system, encouraging persistence and experimentation. Many puzzles require out-of-the-box thinking, a core component of creativity. How to practice: Students can spend 10–15 minutes daily working on a puzzle. Resources include puzzle books, mobile apps, and educational websites. Some effective options are Sudoku for logic, word search for language, and tangrams for spatial awareness. Improving memory and creativity is not limited to natural talent—it can be developed through consistent and targeted mental exercises. Techniques like mind mapping, the Dual N-Back game, journaling, the memory palace, and solving puzzles are not only enjoyable but also highly effective in boosting cognitive abilities. By incorporating these exercises into their daily routines, students can unlock their full intellectual potential, excel in their studies, and become more innovative thinkers. Ready to empower your child for the AI era? Join our program now! Hurry, only a few seats left.
Mint
16-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Peak XV Partners nets over ₹1,200 crore after exiting stake in Porter, clocking 11-fold return
Mumbai: Peak XV Partners netted over ₹1,200 crore after exiting its investment in logistics company Porter's latest funding round, a person familiar with the matter said. The profit was an over 11-fold return on investments of ₹116 crore across multiple rounds over the past decade. 'The company has grown tremendously since our Series A investment in 2015 to now become worth over a billion dollars. After a decade-long partnership with the team, we have exited our investment and express our heartfelt gratitude to the founding team, Uttam Digga, Pranav Goel, and Vikas Choudhary, for being wonderful partners," a spokesperson for Peak XV said, without disclosing the exit value. Porter declined to comment on the stake sale. The Bengaluru-based company joins a growing list of unlisted firms including Rebel Foods, Healthkart, Finova, K12 Techno and Cloudnine Hospitals where Peak has sold partial or full stakes. The venture capital firm has also sold stakes in companies that were headed for public listing or has pared stakes in already listed firms such as Ixigo, Awfis, Go Digit General Insurance, Blackbuck, Zomato, Mamaearth, Truecaller, Indigo Paints, Five Star Business Finance and MobiKwik. Peak has generated about $3.6 billion in cash exits over the past five years and over 30 portfolio companies have gone public. In 2024 alone, it recorded exits to the tune of $1.5 billion, exceeding the amount it invested in the timeframe, the person added. Also Read | Wellington Management may lead Porter's $100 million round in logistics push Porter's round, which was led by Kedaara Capital and Wellington Management and valued the company at $1.2 billion, had a mix of primary and secondary stake sales, with others such as Kae Capital also exiting. Porter said last week it plans to use the funds raised to expand operations, build teams, and develop technology and operational excellence while continuing to set up a greener logistics network aligned with India's decarbonisation efforts. Peak plans Meanwhile, Peak is in early talks to raise up to $1.4 billion by the end of the current financial year for its first India-SEA (Southeast Asia) fund since the split with parent Sequoia Capital. The VC firm expects at least two dozen companies to tap the public market in the next 12-18 months, according to the person. Also Read | Mint Explainer: Can Uber shake up the market Porter dominates? The investment firm expects to back more funds launched by former company executives. Investing in funds is a tried and tested way for new VC and private equity firms to enter a new market. When global investors first started investing in India, they made several investments in Indian fund managers to understand the market before they started making direct investments. Partners at Peak have been investing since 2006 and had access to the US market when they were part of Sequoia Capital. However, this access ended in June 2023, when Sequoia split into three globally. The India and Southeast Asia team became Peak XV Partners. In the past year, the venture capital firm has invested in a handful of seed and early-stage US funds, varying in size from $1 million to $10 million. For the past two years, Peak XV has been building its US presence to regain the access it had as part of Sequoia. One key reason is to help its portfolio companies that are based in the US or have links to the US market. Also Read | Choppy markets take toll on pre-IPO deal talks It has a portfolio of more than 400 companies across financial services, software and artificial intelligence (AI), and consumer internet, and across stages—seed, venture and growth. Almost 150 companies have ties to the US market—either for market access or founded by Indian origin people incorporated in the US.
Reuters
15-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
China's Shenghe Resources to buy Australia's Peak Rare Earths for about $97 million
May 15 (Reuters) - Peak Rare Earths ( opens new tab said on Thursday that Chinese rare earths producer Shenghe Resources ( opens new tab will acquire the Australian firm for A$150.5 million ($96.62 million), in addition to the full amount raised under Peak's proposed A$7.5 million entitlement offer. Under the deal, the Chinese miner's unit Ganzhou Chenguang Rare Earths New Material will buy Peak for a minimum of A$0.359 per share in cash, if the entitlement offer is raised in full. The offer price represents a 199% premium to Peak's last closing price, which sent the shares up 150% to A$0.3 in early trading. Shenghe Singapore already owns about 19.8% of the Australia-listed rare earths firm and has the rights to buy, opens new tab all of the rare earths concentrate from Peak's Ngualla Project in Tanzania. "We are also mindful of the importance to Tanzania of developing the Ngualla Project and believe that Shenghe is well positioned to partner with the Government of Tanzania to successfully develop this world-class project," Peak Chairman Russell Scrimshaw said in a statement. The deal is subject to a shareholder vote and approval from regulatory bodies in China, Tanzania, and Australia. ($1 = 1.5576 Australian dollars)
