How is Amateur (Ham) Radio different from the common radio communication?

Amateur Radio, also known as ‘Ham Radio’, does not refer to a special kind of radio but to a special set of rules which apply to certain frequencies as defined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and regulated in India by the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing, Ministry of Communications, Government of India.
The laid down rules allow these frequencies to be used only for research, education and personal purposes. The word ‘Amateur’ implies the use of radio communications for non-commercial purposes. Amateur Radio operation does not use the ground based infrastructure and has limited power requirements which can be easily met by batteries and generators and thus, works successfully in emergencies.