India
The Republic of India, located in South Asia and comprising most of the Indian subcontinent is the second most populous country in the world and is the world's largest democracy, with over one billion people speaking about eight hundred distinct languages. The Indian economy is the fourth-largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity. India borders Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan, with Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia being the neighbouring island nations in the Indian Ocean. Indology refers to the study of India and its people.
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| National motto: Satyameva Jayaté (Sanskrit: Truth Alone Triumphs) (Mundaka Upanishad) |
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| Official language | Hindi, English (+ other official languages) | ||||
| Capital | New Delhi | ||||
| Largest City | Mumbai | ||||
| President | Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam | ||||
| Prime Minister | Dr. Manmohan Singh | ||||
| Area - Total |
Ranked 7th 9.5% |
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| Population - Total |
Ranked 2nd 1,049,700,118 |
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| GDP - Total |
Ranked 4th (among countries) Ranked 5th (among economies) 2.66 trillion $ |
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| Independence | August 15, 1947 | ||||
| Republic | January 26, 1950 | ||||
| Currency Currency Code (ISO 4217) |
Indian Rupee (₨) INR |
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| Time zone | UTC +5.30 | ||||
| National anthem | Jana Gana Mana | ||||
| National song | Vandé Mataram | ||||
| Internet TLD | .IN | ||||
| Calling Code | 91 | ||||
| National game | Hockey | ||||
| National animal | Bengal Tiger | ||||
| National bird | Peacock | ||||
| National flower | Lotus | ||||
Origin of names
The official name India is derived from Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the river Indus and is the most internationally recognizable of the country. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognises Bharat as the other official name of equal status. Bharat comes from the name of an ancient Hindu king and means seeker of knowledge. Hindustan, meaning land of the Hindus (Hindu from Sindhu/ Indus) is the third major name used from the Mughal times onwards. It is unevenly used across the country today due to differing views of its appropriateness as a national signifier.
For a detailed discussion see: Origin of India's name
History
Main article: History of India. See also Timeline of Indian history
India is a country with a rich and colourful history in which though many disruptive events have shaped the civilisation, there has been a thread of continuity which has been maintained across history. The writing of India's history has been shaped tremendously by colonial scholarship and its periodisation into neat compartments is under scrutiny today with lots of scholarship expended on it. Never-the-less, for the sake of convenience, this is still the widely followed way of understanding Indian history.
Prehistoric and Early India
The first signs of paleolithic inhabitants are the rock artwork at Bhimbetakain central India dated about 40,000 years.
The first known permanent settlements appeared 9,000 years ago. This indigenous culture developed into the Indus Valley civilization which was at its height from around 2600 BC to 1900 BC and was one of the earliest known civilisations. At around 1500 BC Aryan tribes from Central Asia started invading/ migrating to India from the northwestern passes of the Himalayas. The interaction between the Indus culture and the Aryan Vedic culture resulted in a composite culture that gave birth to Hinduism. This view, first propounded by German historian Max Müller in the 19th century, has been modfied since but largely accepted. Recent theories of Indian history discount the Aryan invasion and subsequent synthesis and hold that civilisation in India has been shaped by indigenous people with an unbroken continuity.(See Aryan invasion theory).
Early India
India during the first millenium was composed of highly developed independent kingdoms and some of them acquired an imperial stature. Arts, mathematics, engineering, astrology and philosophy all flourished under the patronage of kings. Trade flourished with Central, East, West Asia and Africa. It was also during this period that the religions of Jainism and Buddhism were conceived. In 326 BC, Alexander the Great appropriated northwest India. The Mauryas, Guptas and Ashoka were some of the monarchs of early India.
(Full Article: Early India)
Medieval India
By the 8th century, Islamic invasions into the Indian subcontinent, first by the Arabs (9th c.) and then by the Turkic invaders (12th c.), resulted in the formation of the Delhi Sultanate in 1206. Various Islamic provinces too were established. In 1526, Babur, a Central Asian chieftain started his incursions into India and established the Mughal dynasty (1506-1857) in an already weak political climate. It was during this era that the Taj Mahal was erected by Shah Jahan in 1650. Islamic influence was considerably lesser in the South where various Hindu kingdoms such as the Vijayanagara dynasty continued to hold sway. Some North Indian kingdoms such as the Rajputs and the Marathas maintained their independence under constant warfare.
This period also saw European traders arriving in India to establish commodity trading.
(Full Article: Medieval India). See also Islamic Empires in India; Mughal Era
Colonial India
In 1498, the Portuguese set foot in Goa. Rivalry between reigning European powers saw the entry of the British and French among others. The fractured debilitate kingdoms of India were quickly usurped by the Europeans and indirectly assumed control by subjugating rulers. By early 19th century the British had assumed direct and indirect control over most of India. In 1857, an insurrection in the army sepoys ensued in the popular Revolt of 1857. This mobilised resistance, though short-lasting, was caused due to the widespread resentment due to British discriminatory policies. As a result of this, India formally became a Crown colony. From then on there were many independence movements. In 1914, the Indian independence movement was bolstered with the return of M K Gandhi, a pacifist. As a colony of Britain, India fought on the side of the British in both World Wars.
Full Article: British India; See also European colonies in India; Indian Mutiny; Indian National Congress; British Raj; British East India Company; India during World War 2
Independence
On August 8, 1942, Gandhi lead the Quit India Movement, a move for early independence. However, due to World War 2, it was agreed that a free India was to be created after the war. Variances amongst the Hindus and Muslims, lead to the creation of two dominion nations - India and Pakistan on August 15, 1947.
See: Partition of India.
Free India
India began its tryst with destiny with Jawaharlal Nehru taking oath as India's first Prime Minister. On 26 January, 1950. India became a Republic. Nehru's tenure saw two wars with Pakistan over Kashmir and one against China. His socialist tenets resulted in India leaning to the ideology for several decades. Though Nehru refused to actively align with either of the superpowers, India did have to close ties with the Soviet Union. India was also one of the founding members of the Non-aligned Movement. In 1971, India went to war with Pakistan again, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh.
See Sino-Indian War, Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Modern day India
In 1975, PM Indira Gandhi declared an Emergency suspending civil rights of citizens. Many protesters were arrested or detained without a trial. Emergency was revoked in 1977. In the 1980s India began to upgrade its military. In October 1984, Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards, who were affiliated with a Sikhist separatist group. This lead to large scale anti Sikh riots in Delhi. By the early 1990's India started to open its markets and gradually moved away from socialism. On December 6,1992, the Babri Masjid was demolished, resulting in nationwide Hindu-Muslim riots. India exploded 5 nuclear bombs in 1998. In 1999, India mobilised its military in Kargil, Kashmir to repel Islamic insurgents squatting there.
Full article: Modern day India
Politics
Main article: Politics of India
The Republic of India is a sovereign democratic republic. It is a Union of states with a federal structure. The head of state is a ceremonial President. The president and vice-president are elected indirectly through an electoral college have 5 year staggered terms.
The head of government who wields the actual Executive power is the Prime Minister. He is assisted by the Council of Ministers (The cabinet) whom he appoints. All ministers are sworn in by the president. The prime minister is designated by legislators of the political party or coalition commanding a parliamentary majority. The president then appoints subordinate ministers on the advice of the prime minister.
India's bicameral parliament consists of the upper house called 'The Council of States' (Rajya Sabha) and the lower house called 'The House of the People' (Lok Sabha). The Rajya Sabha consists of incumbents elected through an electoral college whereas the Lok Sabha consists of directly elected representatives.
Also see Indian Administrative Service; List of political parties in India; Indian election process; Election Commission of India; List of government ministers
Geography and climate
Geography
Main article: Geography of India
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Occupying most of the Indian subcontinent, India's entire north and northeast states are made up of the Himalayan Range. The rest of northern, central and eastern India consists of the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. Towards western India, bordering southeast Pakistan lies the Thar Desert. The southern Indian peninsula, is almost entirely composed of the Deccan plateau. The plateau is flanked by two hilly coastal ranges, the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.
India is home to several major rivers such as the Ganga (Ganges), the Brahmaputra, the Yamuna, the Godavari and the Krishna.
States and territories
Main articles: States and Territories of India, Population by State
India is divided into 28 states, 6 Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi:
India has made no territorial claim in Antarctica but had a permanent scientific base there - Dakshin Gangotri.
Climate
The Indian climate varies from a tropical climate in the south to a more temperate climate in the north. India gets its rains through the monsoons. There are three distinct seasons in India: Summer, Winter and the Monsoons.
Main article: Climate of India
Economy
Main article: Economy of India
India was traditionally a rural economy which subsequently participated in the industrial revolution through colonial rule. After Independence, India tended towards a more socialist policy and large scale infrastructure and industry development was done through public sectors. However, from the early 1990s onwards, the Indian economy has opened up through liberalisation and is on the road to privatisation through disinvestment policies.
India's economy today encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services, including software. In fact, India's software exports alone are around $10 billion(2003). India's international payments position remained strong in 2001 with adequate foreign exchange reserves, and moderately depreciating nominal exchange rates. In 2003, India joined a select club of nations having foreign exchange reserves exceeding $100 billion. As measured by GDP in US Dollars, India's 2002 output of $597 billion ranked it 12th in the world. As measured by GDP on Purchasing Power Parity basis, India's 2002 figure of $2.66 trillion makes it the fourth largest in the world. India has large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language; India is a major exporter of software services and software workers.
Mumbai, headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India, remains the financial capital and nerve centre of the country's economy. The financial system has important strengths in securities, insurance, banking and pensions. Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Pune are important centres of the IT industry.
See also: List of software companies, List of Indian companies
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of India
India is the second-most populous country in the world, with only China having a larger population. Language, religion, and caste are major determinants of social and political organisation within the highly diverse Indian population today. Its biggest metropolitan agglomerations are Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Chennai (formerly Madras).
See also: (List of cities in India)
Languages
India's national language is Hindi written in the Devanagari script. English, classified as an "Associate Official Language", is widely in use by the government, particularly among the higher echelons. It enjoys 'quasi-official' status. 18 other official languages are recognised by the Constitution. The number of estimated living languages in India has been estimated to be as high as 400.
See also List of Indian languages, Indian family name.
Religion
Main article: Religion in India
Although 83% of the people are Hindus, India is home to a large population of Muslims (13%) giving it the world's third largest Muslim population after Indonesia and Pakistan. Other smaller religious minorities include Christians (3%), Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Jews, Parsis, Ahmadi and Bahá'í.
Society
Indian society is pluralistic, drawing from different religious, societal and cultural practices and sustains a harmonious balance, sometimes delicate, among these various forces.
Various religious faiths are woven integrally into the country's fabric. It is not uncommon to find great spiritual and religious personalities across history who easily ford communal gaps and draw the reverence of people across religious boundaries. With the Government's concerted efforts there has been a considerable amount of succcess in eliminating age-old systems and practices. Some beliefs like astrology cut across all religious barriers, the most popular system being that of Vedic astrology.
Modernisation is sometimes equated to Westernisation leading to minor conflicts. However there is also a rediscovery of the benefits of the sustainable social and environmental practices of traditional Indian society in the context of changing social conditions and resources.
Indians play an active role in the democratic process of the country.
Culture
Main article: Culture of India; See also: List of World Heritage sites in India
India has a rich and unique cultural heritage that embodies the polar concepts of continuity and change. It has preserved its core principles in an uncompromising way across history, yet its dynamic nature is is manifested in its willingness to respect and imbibe foreign traditions and practices.
Music
Main article: Indian music
India is a country with an extremely rich music culture. Two main forms of classical music are the Carnatic and Hindustani. In addition to this are the rich and varicoloured folk music present in all states. Popular music these days are Filmi music from films.
See also: Indian classical music, Indian musicians and their music
Literature
Full article: Indian literature
In Indian literature, oral and written forms prevail. Hindu literary traditions dominate a large part of Indian culture. Apart from the Vedas which are a sacred form of knowledge, there are other works such as the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharatha. Among other traditions Urdu poetry is a fine example of linguistic and cultural synthesis. Tamil Sangam poetry constitutes a wealth of history and literature. India has also been very active in the modern literary realm, whether in Indian languages or English. India's only Nobel laureate in Literature was the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore.
See also: Indian Writing in English
Dance
Many dance forms exist in India - Bharata Natyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Kathakali, etc., mostly they have a narrative form, telling stories. Other forms such as street theatre and puppetry are also found.
See also: Indian classical dance and Indian folk music and dance
Festivals
As the country is a melting pot of all religions, festivals of all religions are celebrated by one and all. Popular Hindu festivals include Diwali, Holi and Dussera.
Full article: Indian festivals
Dress
Traditional dress in India is typically extremely colorful and various styles of silk inundate the textiles industry. Popular women's wear is the sari which is also the national costume. The Salwar Kameez is another very popular garment worn by most women. Ethnic Indian wear for men is composed of the Dhoti and Kurta.
Full article: Indian Dress
Cuisine
Rice is the staple diet in India. Rice along with wheat, form the basic food which is eaten all over the country. Food in India is peppered with spices, with gastronomic delights varying from region to region. Also ubiquitous in the country are a variety of regional and pan-Indian sweets both syrupy and dry.
Full article: Indian cuisine
Film
Full article: Cinema of India
India produces the world's highest number of films annually. The most recognisable face is that of Bollywood, based in Mumbai, which produces mainly commercial Hindi films. Cinema in other language bases is particularly strong, with movies regularly produced in well-established Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu industries. Possibly the most famous director in Indian cinema was Satyajit Ray, who, aside from being internationally acknowledged as one of the world's four greatest directors, is the only Indian to have won an Academy Award.
Sports
Full Article: Sports in India
India's national sport is Field Hockey, although most would assert that it is in fact Cricket that has become the unofficial national game. Football also is a very popular sport played nationwide. Some traditional indigenous games are Kabaddi and Gilli-danda. Chess, Carrom, Polo and Badminton, are some sports that have originated from India.
See also Indian architecture, List of holidays in India
Trivia
- Traffic is on the left side (and cars have Right Hand Drive).
- English used in India is modelled on British English.
- Date format: dd/mm/yyyy
- Number format: 107= 1 crore. 105= 1 lakh. 1,00,00,000 = 1 crore. Is recursive eg. 10,00,000 crores = 10 lakh crores.
- Postal Code (PIN): 6 digits.
- Official Measurements: Metric
- Voltage 220V; 50 Hz
- Financial Year starts on April 1.
Miscellaneous topics
Main article: miscellaneous India topics
Related topics
Main article: List of India-related topics
External links
Official
- GOI Directory - Directory of governmental websites
- Prime Minister's Office
- President of India
- Indian Parliament
- Ministry of Defence - Official MOD site
- Indiaimage - National Informatics Center - Basic Portal to Govt. of India Websites
- Census of India - Office of the Census Commissioner
- Indian Postal Service
- Supreme Court of India
- Ministry of External Affairs - Discover India. Definitive site for information and links.
- Central Board of Excise and Customs, India - A direct, no-nonsense site.
- Election Commission of India - India's political watchdog.
- Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) - Indian Export Organisation
- Department of Electronics
- Tourism of India - Ministry of Tourism
- Department of Education, Govt. of India
Other
- Air India
- Maitri and Dakshin Gangotri - Indian stations in the continent of Antarctica
- CIA - The World Factbook -- India - CIA's Factbook on India
- Country Profile: India - BBC's's Country Profile on India
- Indian States - Table of Indian states and codes with useful stffs. From Statoids
- STD Codes - Citywise STD codes
- Images of India
- India visa requirements
- Travel information at countryguide.com
- Historical Maps of India
- Indian Literature
- Indian Literature
News Sources
India is also the letter I in the NATO phonetic alphabet