how to find maximum of a column and other corresponding columns values in that table I have a table which has two columns data and date contained below value

+---------+--------------------+
| Column1 |      Column2       |
+---------+--------------------+
| A       | 17-AUG-05 00.01.06 |
| A       | 25-JUL-05 00.00.58 |
| A       | 25-JUL-05 00.01.14 |
| A       | 07-NOV-05 00.00.53 |
| A       | 07-NOV-05 00.01.10 |
| B       | 23-AUG-05 00.00.55 |
| B       | 15-NOV-04 01.55.28 |
| B       | 16-DEC-04 00.01.14 |
| B       | 10-OCT-04 00.01.13 |
| C       | 18-JUL-04 00.01.04 |
| D       | 17-SEP-04 04.09.49 |
| D       | 07-MAR-05 00.01.05 |
| D       | 11-OCT-04 00.01.32 |
| D       | 08-JAN-05 00.00.48 |
| D       | 16-NOV-04 00.01.19 |
| D       | 18-SEP-04 00.01.32 |
| D       | 20-JUL-04 02.24.03 |
| D       | 10-AUG-05 04.11.52 |
| E       | 10-AUG-05 04.11.59 |
| E       | 19-OCT-05 05.22.16 |
| F       | 19-OCT-05 05.22.30 |
| F       | 25-OCT-05 07.06.33 |
| F       | 25-OCT-05 07.06.39 |
| F       | 10-MAR-04 00.01.03 |
| F       | 27-OCT-03 00.00.58 |
| F       | 06-JUL-04 03.22.37 |
| F       | 28-OCT-03 01.12.13 |
| F       | 11-MAR-04 00.00.46 |
| F       | 29-OCT-03 01.59.53 |
| F       | 31-OCT-03 00.00.52 |
| F       | 07-JUL-04 00.01.11 |
| M       | 12-MAR-04 06.35.47 |
| M       | 05-SEP-05 00.00.51 |
| M       | 05-SEP-05 00.01.08 |
+---------+--------------------+


I want to find all the values for column data which has maximum value in date

e.g.

+---------+--------------------+
| Column1 |      Column2       |
+---------+--------------------+
| A       | 07-NOV-05 00.01.10 |
| B       | 16-DEC-04 00.01.14 |
| C       | 18-JUL-04 00.01.04 |
| D       | 10-AUG-05 04.11.52 |
| E       | 19-OCT-05 05.22.16 |
+---------+--------------------+
This is really basic SQL, anurag:

SELECT column1, MAX(column2)
FROM my_table
GROUP BY column1;


Suggest you read up on some more basics.