St. Mary's Academic Institute was founded in 1841 by the Sisters of Providence as a convent school for women.

The National Botanical Research Institute came into being as the 13th among a chain of National Laboratories established during April, 1953 under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research by the Govt. of India for advanced research in fields of specialisation which have a direct bearing on socio-economic, industrial and scientific advancement of the nation. Christened initially as National Botanic Gardens, the nucleus around which the institution took shape under its founder- Director Late Prof. K. N. Kaul, was a large herbarium of Indian flora and a centu- old botanical garden spread over 35 ha of land on the banks of River Gomti in the heart of Lucknow city. It’s a matter of great pleasure and profound satisfaction to me that a Golden Jubilee volume entitled, “Pteridology in the New Millennium” is being published and released during the Golden Jubilee year of NBRI in the honour of Professor B. K. Nayar who laid the foundation of the Pteridology Laboratory of the NBRI, which is now a well equipped laboratory for the study of Indian pteridophytes. Professor Nayar is a holistic Botanist as evident through his contributions and publications in almost all the areas of study of Pteridophyta. The contribution of Professor Nayar towards the development of modern Pteridology and the role of NBRI in it is indeed great and very important. His publications will be valuable for the younger generation of scientists in the field as well as for the more mature research workers and teachers.

The magazine "Granta" is renowned for its expansive coverage of important issues, the diversity of its writers, and the breadth of talent it displays. This latest collection features a selection of fiction, reportage, memoir, and more, centering around the central theme of "India", in honor of the continent's 50 years of independence. Includes work from Salman Rushdie, Patrick French, Mark Tully, and others.

This tribute examines the life of this outstanding personality and monarch, with emphasis on her Canadian experiences.

An updated edition of Ben Pimlott’s classic biography of the Queen: ‘There is no better biography of Elizabeth II.’ PETER HENNESSY, Independent on Sunday