India is a land of such resplendent beauty and diversity, seen nowhere else. It is the home of one of the oldest civilizations of the world. With a history dating back over 5000 years, India has made many notable contributions to the world in the fields of astronomy, mathematics, literature, science, and philosophy. Over the years, It has been subject to a number of invasions, from Alexander the Great to the British, which has contributed to her cultural diversity. Ancient India had trade links with Rome, Greece, China, Arabs and Phoenicians. India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Geographically , India lies in south Asia bordered by China on the north, Pakistan on the west and Bangladesh on the east. It also shares border with Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. The southern part of the country is a big peninsula - the largest in the world. India has a large coastline with Arabian sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. These seas are the source of huge marine wealth and is the source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of people.
After achieving Independence from the British in 1947, India has progressed in leaps and bounds, in all spheres. India is divided into 26 states and 6 union territories. It is the world’s seventh largest country. New Delhi is the country’s capital and one of its largest cities. It has achieved food self sufficiency, solving the acute food shortage it faced 50 years back. It established great centers of learning which has churned out brilliant scientists and outstanding technologists. They have spurred India on its technological march forward. India became the first country outside the big five to launch its own satellite. It conducted its first nuclear explosion for peaceful purposes in 1974. India also developed its first supercomputer PARAM, the most powerful supercomputer produced outside US and Japan. That it has achieved all this in the face of still uncontrolled population growth, poverty and the ugly specter of communalism, which raises its head now and then, speaks volumes about the determination of its people.
India is a tourist's delight. The most famous tourist attraction is Taj Mahal. Build in the 17th century in pure Marble, Taj Mahal is the tomb built by the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz. However, India does not end with the Taj. Due to its vast size and varying culture, India is a challenge to any tourist. It is an adventure which leaves everyone well satiated at the end of it. The snow clad mountain peaks of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, the forests of Madhya Pradesh, the deserts of Rajasthan, the beaches of Goa, the back waters of Kerala, the hustle and bustle of Bombay to the elegance of New Delhi are all bound to thrill any tourist. You are bound to be amazed by a nation that speaks about 15 languages and 800 dialects, by its richness and its poverty. You will be warmed by the smile on every face , the song on their lips. And as one finishes the tour of this glorious country, the sanguine people and the serene land, where time has often stood still , is sure to fill the memory for a long time.
Important Facts about India
India never invaded any country in the last 10000 years of history.
India invented the Number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
The world's first university was established in Takshasila in 700 B.C.
Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages. Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software.
Although modern image of India often show poverty and lack of development, India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in the early 17th century.
The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago. The word Navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'.
Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart [5th century] 365.258756484 days.
The value of 'pi' was first calculated by Budhayana and he explained the concept of Pythagorean theorem.
Algebra, Trigonometry and calculus came from India; Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11th century.
According to the Gemological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source for Diamonds to the world.
U.S.A based IEEE has proved that the pioneer of wireless communication was Prof. Jagdish Bose and not Marconi.
The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.
Chess was invented in India.
Sushruta is the father of surgery 2600 years ago performed surgeries. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India.
The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.
Ayurvedha is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.
India is the number one movie producer in the world. India averages more than 800 films a year compared to 500 in the United States
The peacock is the national bird of India.
Arabic numerals are not Arabic; they were invented in India
India has the world's largest democracy
With nearly 1 billion inhabitants, India ranks second only to China among the world's most populous countries. Its people are culturally diverse, and religion plays an important role in the life of the country.
India has more languages than any other country. Fifteen main languages and hundreds of other languages and dialects.
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