Downloads of 15 Miliion within 36 hours of banning of Chinese app- ShareChat says

After the government ban, 59 Chinese apps in India including the Tiktok app the Indian social media apps are gearing up.

ShareChat has recorded the downloads of 15 million within 36 hours of banning of Chinese apps in India. Hence ShareChat has become the largest Indian social media platform with 60 million monthly active monthly users.

Berges Malu, director of public policy at ShareChat states that while the platform is well poised to make the most of the opportunity that has opened up, the growth in terms of new users will be a gradual affair. He says, “It’s not an instant process – anyone that uses an app like TikTok is likely already using other social media platforms too, such as ShareChat itself. Hence, the overall growth of users will likely reflect over the coming weeks, once the network-level bans are imposed on these apps.”

ShareChat on Wednesday said it has clocked 15 million downloads within 36 hours of the announcement banning Chinese apps in India. The social media app was downloaded at a rate of 5 lakh per hour while the new users flooded the platform with over 1 lakh posts supportive of the government’s decision.

ShareChat is an Indian company founded by three IIT Kanpur graduates in 2015. It has prioritised communication in local languages, which includes posts, hashtags, creative banners, and posters. With the ban now effective in India, India’s internet population is moving to other options, which, at hand, are the Indian counterparts. ShareChat, an alternative to social media and content-creation platforms, has said the content on its platform is shared on WhatsApp over 1 billion times a month and that its users spend over 25 minutes daily on the app. It has over 160 million users now and 60 million monthly active users.

“We are excited to see the way people are exploring ShareChat for the endless possibilities it offers to the people and making it the preferred Indian social media platform,” said Farid Ahsan, COO, and Co-founder of ShareChat. “We are thankful for their continuous support and yet again, enabling us to emerge as the leader in the Indian social media landscape. We are confident that this sets up the foundation of another success for ShareChat.”

ShareChat’s Malu states that the ban is going to be more effective in the long run. “Bans like these create a void in the market, where there is a demand for a service. In such a space, there is already an existing user base, which in turn leads to investors getting attracted. This can certainly boost the Indian startup ecosystem in this space, and is something that may see stronger growth of homegrown services than before,” he adds.

ShareChat is a rival of the Chinese app TikTok which is banned in India now. Along with ShareChat, there are other apps like Chingari, Roposo and Mitron are also flourishing as the Indian public is more aware of the benefits of using the homegrown apps.

Biswatma Nayak, the co-founder of Chingari, stated in a report that subscriber count has spiked by 400 percent within the past few days in light of the anti-China sentiment. Sumit Ghosh, co-founder and head of product and growth at Chingari, has claimed that the app received 1 lakh downloads within 1 first hour.

Mayank Bhangadia, the founder of Roposo, also says “I am seeing the highest surge in user traffic that Roposo has seen to date. All things considered, I expect to see up to 10 million new users join Roposo today itself.”

Upon the road of my life🖤

Upon the road of my life ✨

by Stephen Crane😇

Upon the road of my life,Passed me many fair creatures,Clothed all in white, and radiant.To one, finally, I made speech:”Who art thou?”But she, like the others,Kept cowled her face,And answered in haste, anxiously,”I am good deed, forsooth;You have often seen me.””Not uncowled,” I made reply.And with rash and strong hand,Though she resisted,I drew away the veilAnd gazed at the features of vanity.She, shamefaced, went on;And after I had mused a time,I said of myself,”Fool!”

Corona virus- a danger to the society. By Debalina Mukherjee.


Corona Virus disease is an infectious disease that is caused by a newly discovered virus called novel corona virus. It is an acute infectious respiratory disease. Most of the people who get infected develop mid symptoms withing 14 days and older people having underlying diseases like blood pressure, diabetes,chronic respiratory disease like asthma, cancer, cardio vascular problems become seriously ill. In many cases ventilation is required for severly affected people. Sadly there is no specific medication or vaccine to treat this disease. Symptoms may differ from person to person.
Common symptoms include fever, dry cough and tiredness. Less common symptoms include aches and pains,sore throat,diarrhoea,conjunctivitis,headache,loss of taste or smell,a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes. Serious symptoms include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath,chest pain or pressure,loss of speech or movement. The viris is transfered from the infected to someone theough droplets when the parient caughs, sneezes or talks.It t may also transfer if a normal person touches the surface having the virus. ‘Prevention is better than cure’ goes an old saying. So in order to protect oneself one hust wash hands with soap for atleast 20 seconds or use an alcohol based sanitizer frequently. Avoiding close contact and mass gatherings and wearing masks are best option now.Doctors are advicing not to touch mouth and nose unnecessarily.
Researchers and health experts are saying that novel corona virus has originated in pangolins and bats. The first infected was found in Wuhan, China. And after that it started spreading rapidly. Around 80%of people get cured with proper treatment and it is not as dangerous as cancer but it might kill people who are immunocompromised.Parients with mild symptoms can recover within two to three weeks but those who show severe symptoms may take more than six weeks to recover. On March 11 World Health Organization declared COVID 19 a pandamic. It has spread to more that 170 countries.It has affected the countries economically as well. The world economy has gone down and current the whole world is suffering loss in different spheres. Continuous research work is going on for discovering vaccines. Many developed countries are trying their best fo cope up with the situation.Globally 3,705,907 confirmed cases have been reported out of which 256,651 people have died. In India, the mortality rate is 3.42% approx. Till 31 st of March there were twelve countries who had no corona positive case. 7 countries from Africa and five countries from Asia.Corona virus has not spread in Europe, South America, and North America..African countries like South Sudan, Comoros, Malawi, Botswana, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Sao Tome and Principe had no positive cases. Among the Asian countries, no cases were found in North Korea, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Yemen. Among all the negatives the only hope is that Bharat BioTech’s COVAXIN gets ready for clinical trials.Bharat BioteBiotech has said that the vaccine is safe and can be used. Not only India but the whole world is having an eye on the vaccine.

Salute to the soldiers.

During this lockdown the more of the suffering is to the Indian army..both mentally and physically!! Serving at the border even in this crucial crisis.., The risk of their life at the border as well mingling with the people in this horrific circumstances as the cases are growing rapidly. Indian army has always lended help whenever and whereever needed whether it be natural disaster or manly disasters, they are suppose to help as its their duty as well as responsibility being a soldier. Serving to the nation and for the nation even after knowing that the next second they will be alive or not..! The risk of that is always on the peak as they don’t know when the uncertainties may arise and they would lose ending up their lives. I know, death is uncertain for everyone…we don’t know what may happen to us the immediate second but the difference is that they know, there life is at highest risk and any second the bullet may hit them! From surving in the hottest temperatures to the coldest and risking their life’s for those whom they don’t even know but as a responsible Indian soldier and citizen of the nation they risk their lives. In the other countries..their army and the soldiers are treated with the respect and are disciplined towards them, but here in India they didn’t get recognition for what they did.., they didn’t get any respect and despite of that they get disrespected as the shameless citizens starts pelting stones on them!! The so called stars of Bollywood are called the heroes but these heroic gestures aren’t even taken into consideration. Even the current situation shows how the nation addresses the reel hero and the real heroes. The reel heroes should be addressed as star or just actors as they didn’t risk their lives and except for few who donated and served nation others didn’t even get affected by what is happening out of their artificial world. Talking about Sushant Singh Rajput, to be honest he was genuinely a true gentleman and humble natured person..I am sorry to take this topic..I am not at all disrespecting Sushant singh rajput..instead even I am deeply saddened by his sudden demise and is in utter shock while I heard this news but at the very next evening we were reported with the death of 20 martyrs of indian army. We just mourned for a day and then finished..yes finished, no one talked about it lateron. And till today their is hype all over for Sushant Singh Rajput…(Even for him the justice has to be surved as the sources are coming it to be as the planned murder and not suicide and people are demanding for CBI justification and it has to be done!! Sorryfor including this topic as it has to be heard). With this don’t conclude that I am against people who are worried about SSR’s death but I am comparing so as to how the people are treated here. There will be security all over for actors but there is no place for a soldier while they are travelling in the trains and are made sit on the floors. This has been so far we didn’t recognised the true heroes..I request you to show some respect and help them whenever they need as our small help is nothing when compared to theirs. I hope we start reapecting those who truly deserved and stop faking respect to the undeserving stars.

Thank you!

The pride Month

Recently, people suddenly came up with the posts on social media, using the hashtags, pride, or pride month, and etc. But, many of us may be wondering with many questions stuck to our minds, why? What is it? Where? When? How?

Although, there is a huge mass of people vocal about such a topic as this, but many still feel bad, or to say embraced in thinking about every aspect of a human being’s physique, which is a great reason to worry. It is not what we expect from the generation of sciences and revolutions, they must be vocal for the issues that are prevailing in the current society, and are making people in their surroundings and even themselves, mentally distressed, which is even worse than any physical tensions.

What is the pride ?

Gay pride or LGBT pride is the promotion of self affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that blosters most LGBT rights movements.

It is not a recent phenomenon that we are experience through, but has a long history that commemorates a turning point in a country’s LGBT history, for example Moscow Pride in May for the anniversary of Russia’s 1993 decriminalization of homosexuality.

The common symbol of pride are the rainbow or pride flag, the lowercase Greek letter lambda, the pink triangle, and the black triangle.

The history of Pride Month –

LGBT Pride Month occurs in United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969.As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people had in the world.

It is because of the struggles of a Bisexual activist Brenda Howard, who is also known as The Mother of Pride,coordinated the first LGBT pride march, and she also originated the idea for a week-long series of events around Pride Day, which then become the genesis of the annual LGBT Pride celebrations that are now held around the world every June. Not only Brenda, the two Presidents of the United States have officially declared a pride month. And Barack Obama even said

I call upon all Americans to observe this month by fighting prejudice and discrimination in their own lives and everywhere it exists. –

Proclamation 8529 by U. S President Barack Obama, May 28,2010

Although,from both outside and inside the LGBT community,there is criticism and protest against pride events. The “Straight Pride” incidents have gained some media attention,especially when they involve government and public institutions.

Pride Month 2020 –

2020 has been a year that has seen several changes happening around all over the world. And celebrating Pride Month, is one such event that has brought a great revolution around the world, people are more attentive towards what one feel, or what a person has to say about their sexuality, neglecting the orthodoxy of the past.

As well as being a month long celebration, Pride Month is also an opportunity to peacefully protest and raise political awareness of current issue facing the community. Parades are the prominent feature of Pride Month, and there are many street parties, community events, public speaking, street festivals and educational sessions all of which are covered by mainstream media and attracting millions of participants. The digital concert which was conducted recently, by the world’s best musicians and activists, is a significant step towards promoting pride and accepting every human being generously and with great respect.

Since, we have jumped into a generation of broad spectrum, where each and every human being has the right to be the way they are. It is definitely a great time to start talking over such issues that hold people behind, and make them feel comfortable and respected in every manner.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org

Human Resource Management

Human Resource Management | What is HRM? – mc.ai

Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management (HRM or HR) is the vital way to deal with the successful administration of individuals in an organization or association to such an extent that they help their business increase an upper hand. It is intended to boost worker execution in administration of a business’ key objectives.need citation to check Human asset the executives is fundamentally worried about the administration of individuals inside associations, concentrating on arrangements and frameworks. HR divisions are answerable for supervising representative advantages plan, worker enlistment, preparing and improvement, execution evaluation, and prize administration, for example, overseeing pay and advantage frameworks. HR additionally worries about authoritative change and mechanical relations, or the offsetting of hierarchical practices with prerequisites emerging from aggregate dealing and legislative laws.

The Human Resources field started to come to fruition in eighteenth-century Europe. It was based on a straightforward thought by Robert Owen (1771-1858) and Charles Babbage (1791-1871) during the mechanical revolution. These men inferred that individuals were pivotal to the accomplishment of an association. They communicated the idea that the prosperity of representatives prompted flawless work; without sound specialists, the association would not survive. Modern HR practices, including tools like ATS software, build upon these foundational ideas by streamlining recruitment and enhancing employee well-being to ensure organizational success.

The general reason for (HR) is to guarantee that the association can make progress through individuals. HR experts deal with the human capital of an association and spotlight on executing arrangements and procedures. They can work in discovering, enrolling, preparing, and creating representatives, just as keeping up worker relations or advantages. Preparing and improvement experts guarantee that workers are prepared and have constant turn of events. Representative relations manages the worries of workers when arrangements are broken, for example, cases including badgering or separation. Overseeing worker benefits incorporates creating pay structures, parental leave projects, limits, and different advantages for representatives. On the opposite side of the field are HR generalists or colleagues.
HR is a result of the human relations development of the mid twentieth Century, when analysts started archiving methods of making business esteem through the key administration of the workforce.[citation needed] It was at first overwhelmed by value-based work, for example, finance and advantages organization, however because of globalization, organization solidification, mechanical advances, and further exploration, HR starting at 2015 spotlights on vital activities like mergers and acquisitions, ability the executives, progression arranging, modern and work relations, and decent variety and consideration. In the current worldwide workplace, most organizations center around bringing down worker turnover and on holding the ability and information held by their workforce.[citation needed] New recruiting involves a significant expense as well as expands the danger of another representative not having the option to enough supplant the situation of the past representative. HR offices endeavor to offer advantages that will interest laborers, consequently decreasing the danger of losing representative duty and mental possession

Precursor hypothetical turns of events

The Human Resources field started to come to fruition in eighteenth century Europe. It based on a straightforward thought by Robert Owen (1771-1858) and Charles Babbage (1791-1871) during the mechanical transformation. These men inferred that individuals were pivotal to the accomplishment of an association. They communicated the idea that the prosperity of representatives prompted flawless work; without sound specialists, the association would not survive.need citation to check

HR developed as a particular field in the mid twentieth century, affected by Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856–1915). Taylor investigated what he named “logical administration” (some of the time alluded to as “Taylorism”), endeavoring to improve monetary effectiveness in assembling employments. He in the long run concentrated on one of the chief contributions to the assembling procedure—work—starting inquiry[by whom?] into workforce profitability.

In the interim, in England, C S Myers, propelled by surprising issues among warriors which had frightened officers and government officials in the First World War of 1914-1918, helped to establish the National Institute of Industrial Psychology (NIIP) in 1921.[8] In doing as such, he set seeds for the human relations development. This development, on the two sides of the Atlantic, based on the examination of Elton Mayo (1880-1949) and others to record through the Hawthorne contemplates (1924–1932) and different investigations how upgrades, inconsequential to money related pay and working conditions, could yield increasingly beneficial workers.[9] Work by Abraham Maslow (1908–1970), Kurt Lewin (1890–1947), Max Weber (1864–1920), Frederick Herzberg (1923–2000), and David McClelland (1917–1998), framing the reason for concentrates in modern and authoritative brain science, hierarchical conduct and hierarchical hypothesis, was interpreted[by whom?] so as to encourage claims[when?] of authenticity for an applied order.

Human Resource Management – XO Logistics

Birth and advancement of the control

When enough hypothetical proof existed to put forth a business defense for key workforce the board, changes in the business scene (à la Andrew Carnegie, John Rockefeller) and in open approach (à la Sidney and Beatrice Webb, Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal) had changed the business worker relationship, and the order got formalized as “mechanical and work relations”. In 1913 one of the most seasoned known proficient HR affiliations—the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)— began in England as the Welfare Workers’ Association; it changed its name 10 years after the fact to the Institute of Industrial Welfare Workers, and again the following decade to Institute of Labor Management before settling upon its ebb and flow name in 2000.Likewise in the United States, the world’s first organization of advanced education devoted to work environment considers—the School of Industrial and Labor Relations—framed at Cornell University in 1945. In 1948 what might later turn into the biggest expert HR affiliation—the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)— shaped as the American Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA).

In the Soviet Union, in the mean time, Stalin’s utilization of support practiced through the “HR Department” proportionate in the Bolshevik Party, its Orgburo, showed the adequacy and impact of human-asset strategies and practices,and Stalin himself recognized the significance of the human asset, for example, in his mass arrangement of it in the Gulag framework.

During the last 50% of the twentieth century, organization enrollment declined fundamentally, while workforce the executives kept on extending its impact inside organizations.[citation needed] In the US, the expression “modern and work relations” came into utilization to allude explicitly to issues concerning aggregate portrayal, and many[quantify] organizations started alluding to the proto-HR calling as “faculty administration”.

In the late twentieth century, propels in transportation and interchanges incredibly encouraged workforce versatility and joint effort. Organizations started seeing workers as resources. “HR the executives” consequently,[citation needed] turned into the predominant term for the capacity—the ASPA in any event, changing its name to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 1998.

“Human capital administration” HCM is once in a while used[by whom?] interchangeably with “HR”, albeit “human capital” regularly alludes to an increasingly thin perspective on HR; i.e., the information the people epitomize and can add to an association. In like manner, different terms in some cases used to depict the field incorporate “authoritative administration”, “labor the executives”, “ability the board”, “staff the executives”, and essentially “individuals the executives”

“Dynamics Of Population In India”

Look around everywhere you will encounter a large number of masses in the malls, in public meetings, football matches, transportation, tourist places, or nowadays enlocked under the lockdown, every day we are adding over 220000 people to this planet approximately 150 people every minute that equals over 80 million more people every year. The population is growing at a breathtaking pace globally in this scenario India’s population is a significant contributor estimate about 1.3 billion changes yearly with a rate of 0.99% where world population clocks for 7.8 billion and accounts for second-largest in the world.

Population Size: According to the 2011 census India has 1.24 billion population and accounts for 2nd most populated country it contributes 17 percent to the global population a significant percentage contribution and alarming. and this huge number of population covers about 2.4 percent world area. During the period from 1901 to 1951, the rate of growth of the population is 1.33 percent per Annum. But after the Britishers when they leave India population of Independent India grew at a rate of 2.2 percent from 1961 to 1981. but the growth rate of population in India over a Century caused by the Annual Birth Rate and Death Rate of Migration. Over the period India Had witness different trends of the growing population.

Phase 1 : Period from (1901 to 1921 )

During this period the growth rate was very slow, because of the poor health services and poor medical facilities and illiteracy were the factors that contributed to the slower growth rate of the population. Illiteracy and Poor medical Facilities caused a high birth rate and death rate. even from 1911 to 1921 the growth rate was negative due to an influenza epidemic.

Phase 2 : (1921 to 1951)

During this phase India witness a steady growth rate of population. Medical facilities, health facilities and sanitization improves which contributes to steady growth rate of population. Transportation, communication systems were improved which provide connectivity to the various facilities which provides steady growth rate to population.

Phase 3: (1951 to 1981 )

This period had significant surge in population growth rate, this phase is known as phase of ‘population explosion’. Annual growth rate accounts for 2.2 percent. Due to high medical care and various other facilities this phase witness rapid fall in mortality rate but high fertility rate.

Phase 4 : ( Post 1981 till present )

This phase also witness the high growth rate, mean age was increased this period witness high growth with definite signs of slowing down. According to 1st march 2001, stood at 1027015247 comprising of 531277078 males and 495738169 females. and religious census of 2001 accounts 81 % Hindus and 13.5 % Muslims.

Composition : The distribution within a group of people of specific individual attributes such as sex , age , Marital status, etc. is known as composition of Population.

On the basis of religion : All religions accounts for 100% estimated 121 crores in which Hindu accounts for 79.80 % about 96.62 crores, Muslims accounts for 14.23 % which is about 17.22 crores and others which accounts 6% about 7 crores.

Rural-Urban Composition : Rural and urban distribution accounts for 68.84 % and 31.16% respectively. Level of Urbanization increased from 27.81% in 2001 census to 31.16% in 2011 census. The proportion of rural population decreased from 72.19 % to 68.84 %.

Gender Wise : Sex composition accounts for fewer females in comparison to males. According to 2011 census sex ratio of India is 108.176, i.e., 108.176 males per 100 females in 2020.it means that India has 924 females per 1000 males. India accounts for 48.04 % female population compare to 51.96% male Population.

COnVERTING WASTE INTO PLASTIC TILES

Plastic consist of around 20% of the total municipal solid waste in our country, this is because of increased plastic  consumption these days. The plastic  solid waste  being non-biodegradable have posed serious issues. Also, the  by products generated due to combustion of coal produces fly ash, which poses a major threat to the land and air resources.

 Back in the year 2018, Shayna Ecounified India , a group of young entrepreneurs  had come together for the purpose of  waste management. They received much appreciation for their  innovative idea,  who made it possible to  convert space consuming garbage waste into something architecturally attractive ,by  producing cost-effective plastic tiles. They  came with a feasible solution of “Clean and Green” to deal with the stacking mountains of rubbish, by promoting Recycle and Reuse .Being the first ones to receive permission from CSIR-NPL , they’ve come up with a technology to recycle plastic waste. Plastic bags and plastic bottle  are some of the most common litter forms. Many companies have recently started even the recycling of plastic bags ,since earlier softer plastic material were not used. These plastic waste accounts for nearly 70% of the air pollution, and 50% of the water pollution.

The Process

The process is a six step long process. It starts with the NGOs and the rag pickers collecting  the  waste and moving it to the power plants. There the waste is cleaned and sorted according to various types and colours, followed by shredding into small parts. Special equipment is used to separate   the plastic resin by various types, used for melting and moulding to new shapes. The  waste  is then compressed , making the plastic pellet ready to be mixed with fillers. The mixture then becomes  ready into anti-microbial, durable   tiles. Such tiles are expensive and requires expensive equipment.

The best part about such tiles are that they ‘re  made up of fly ash, sand.  These tiles are anti-microbial , has a heat capacity of 140 degree Celsius, and a loading capacity of 20 tonnes. Such tiles  are available in different colours, and can be recycled every 5 years.

In Bangalore, an NGO had began production of plastic tiles named, “Re-named tiles” . These tiles are  fire resistant- and has a heat resistant capacity of up to  150  degree Celsius. It can carry loads up to 35 tonnes. It is  non-porous, durable  and  immune to any type of chemical, which makes it’s life longer. On a average, around 3-4 tonnes of plastic garbage is broken down to produce 10000 tiles per day. This garbage waste may include items  like milk bottles, disposable containers from restaurants , shampoo bottles, etc.  The plastic tiles are priced around Rs.70-90 per square feet. Even after all this initiatives ,still  people are unaware of the urgent need to prevent  our environment from deteriorating further .People  even now prefer expensive Italian tiles over these eco-friendly affordable plastic tiles available in various colours. So, as individuals it is our duty  towards  our Mother Earth to not just dump waste , but instead approach such organizations  and do our little bit towards saving the environment

Medicines can cure diseases but only doctors can cure patients.

One of the most noble and respected profession on this Earth is of being a ‘Doctor’.A doctor is the only person who are given the stature next to God.A doctor dedicates his life to the service of the patients they provides relives to the service of man-kind.He cures the patients from disease and illness so that they could live a better and healthier life.In addition they are equipped with comprehensive knowledge and devices that enables them to diagnose and treat their patient with correct procedures.On 1st July every year in order to pay tribute to the doctors all around the World “International Doctors Day” is celebrated.A doctors life is very hard often they have to visit the patient at off hours foregoing his rest, sleep and even food.Even in this pandemic situation of “Castorphic Corona Outbreak” the doctors are working day and night so that they could stop the prevent of epidemic.Every now and then dangerous disease grab the humanity it’s the Doctor who finds the cure.It is because of Doctor a damaged organ can be transplanted in today’s medically advanced World.A doctor always treats his patient with smile and cheer they motivate and encourage sick person they act as a ray of hope in patients life.A Doctor pledges his life in alleviating the suffering of the patients.

PRAGUE

Location

Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, the 13th largest city in the European Union and the historical capital of Bohemia. Situated on the Vltava River, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 2.7 million. The city has a temperate oceanic climate, with relatively warm summers and chilly winters.

History

Prague is a political, cultural and economic centre of central Europe complete with a rich history. Founded during the Romanesque and flourishing by the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque eras, Prague was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the main residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably of Charles IV. It was an important city to the Habsburg Monarchy and its Austro-Hungarian Empire. The city played major roles in the Bohemian and Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War and in 20th-century history as the capital of Czechoslovakia between the World Wars and the post-war Communist era.

Prague is home to a number of well-known cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe. Main attractions include Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square with the Prague astronomical clock, the Jewish Quarter, Petrin hill and Vysehrad. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

The city has more than ten major museums, along with numerous theatres, galleries, cinemas and other historical exhibits. An extensive modern public transportation system connects the city. It is home to a wide range of public and private schools, including Charles University in Prague, the oldest university in Central Europe.

How to go

By air: It is quite easy to travel to Prague by flight, thanks to the international airport in the city. The Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague is one of the busiest airports among the ones in the newer European Union countries. A hub for Czech Airlines, the airport is well-connected to many cities around the globe, especially other European countries, like Athens, Dublin, Moscow, Paris, Rome, London, Brussels, etc. Some of the main carriers flying these routes are Lufthansa, Czech Airlines, Emirates, Easy Jet, China Eastern Airlines etc. Travellers from the East will find it difficult to find direct flights to this exotic city. But a lot of connecting flights are easily available from many eastern countries.

By bus: Prague is easily accessible by bus from many other neighbouring European cities. Buses from international cities stop at Prague Central Florenc Bus Station. There are buses connecting various cities with Prague like London, Paris, Brussels, Vienna, Zurich, Budapest etc. The main service providers on these routes are Flixbus, Eurolines, RegioJet, Blueline-bus, National Express (London) etc. Prague is also well-connected with many national cities like Brno, Ostrava, Plzen, Liberec etc. Public transportation is the most frequently used means to reach this beautiful city.

By train: There are a number of trains connecting Prague with other cities in the European Union. Cities like London, Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt etc. have regular train services to Prague. With assured comfortable commute and less travel time, a lot of European tourists tend to opt for a rail journey to reach Prague. Most of these trains are run by the German railway company Deutsche Bahn.

Tourist places

Prague Castle: Located in Prague’s Hradcany neighborhood, Prague Castle once the home of Bohemia’s kings, is today the official residence of the Czech Republic’s President and one of the city’s most visited tourist attractions. Originally built as a walled fortress around AD 870, the castle has changed dramatically over the years and contains examples of most of the leading architectural styles of the last millennium. Within the castle walls are a number of Prague’s most popular tourist sites, including St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica, the Powder Tower, the Old Royal Palace, and the Golden Lane.

The largest castle complex in the world, this vast fortress requires considerable time to tour, but it’s time well spent (particularly rewarding are the excellent views over the Vltava River with the old town and its many beautiful spires in the background). Highlights include the Old Royal Palace’s main hall, the Vladislav Hall, so large it could be used for jousting tournaments, and staircases wide enough to allow mounted knights to use them. Be sure to also spend time in the Royal Garden, dating back to 1534 and home to a number of superb old buildings, including the Ball Game Pavilion, the Royal Summer House with its Singing Fountain, and the Lion’s Court.

The best way to fully explore the castle is on a Prague Castle Walking Tour. One of the top things to do at night in Prague is to find a good spot from which to enjoy the castle illuminations that light this magnificent structure in a range of hues. In fact, basing yourself in a hotel in the vicinity of Prague Castle is a good idea, so you can experience the city highlights by day and night.

Charles Bridge: One of the most recognizable old bridges in Europe, magnificent Charles Bridge boasts 32 unique points of interest along its 621-meter span. Built in 1357, the bridge has long been the subject of a great deal of superstition, including the builders having laid the initial bridge stone on the 9th of July at exactly 5:31am, a precise set of numbers (135797531) believed to give the structure additional strength. For added good measure, it was constructed in perfect alignment with the tomb of St. Vitus and the setting sun on the equinox.

The bridge is particularly famous for its many fine old statues. Among the most important are those of Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and John of Nepomuk, the country’s most revered saint, unveiled in 1683 (a more recent superstition involves rubbing the plaque at the base of the statue for the granting of a wish). Other highlights include spectacular views over the River Vltava and the structure’s superb Gothic gates. Viewing Charles Bridge at night is also highly recommended.

Wenceslas Square: A highlight of Prague’s New Town district—an area that grew out of the city’s need to expand as it prospered—is the wonderful Wenceslas Square, home to the National Museum and numerous other architectural treasures. Named after the patron saint of Bohemia, whose statue can be seen here, Wenceslas Square was created in the 14th century during the reign of Charles IV as a horse market and has since become one of the city’s most important public spaces, still used for demonstrations and celebrations alike.

A visit today is a fun experience and undoubtedly one of the top free things to do in Prague, and will introduce visitors to some of the city’s best dining and restaurant experiences, as well as great shopping. If you are visiting Prague in December, it’s also the site of the city’s largest Christmas Market.

National Museum: Fresh from a seven-year-long renovation, the National Museum in Prague is spread across a number of locations and houses numerous important collections representing a variety of fields, with literally millions of items covering mineralogy, zoology, anthropology, and archaeology, as well as the arts and music. The entomology collection alone numbers more than five million specimens. The oldest museum in the Czech Republic, it was established in the early 1800s before moving to its current location in 1891.

A particularly enjoyable highlight is the archaeology exhibit with its extensive collection of 1st-and 2nd-century Roman artifacts, along with numerous Bronze and Early Iron age finds. Another museum to include on your must-visit list is the excellent National Technical Museum, which documents the many technological advances the country has contributed to, including displays of machinery and equipment built here over the years, from automobiles to aircraft.

National Gallery: Spread across some of the city’s most important architectural landmarks, the National Gallery in Prague is home to some of Europe’s most important art collections. The bulk of the collection is housed in the Veletrzni Palace a relatively modern structure built in 1925 that holds the 19th- to 21st-century works. While there’s a strong emphasis on Czech artists, foreign artists such as Monet and Picasso are included, as are other art forms such as photography, fashion, applied arts, and sculpture.

Other notable works are held in the Kinsky Palace, home to Asian art, art from the ancient world, and the gallery’s Baroque collections, and at the Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia, where you’ll find European art from the Middle Ages.

Finally, the splendid 17th-century Sternberg Palace houses some of the gallery’s most famous pieces, focusing on European art from the Classical era to the end of the Baroque period and including important ancient Greek and Roman pieces; 14th- to 16th-century Italian masterpieces; and 16th- to 18th-century works by artists such as El Greco, Goya, Rubens, van Dyck, Rembrandt, and van Goyen.