Modern Day India (1757 to 1947)

India's modern history extends till its independence in 1947.

Year Event

1757 Battle of Plassey: The British defeat Siraj-ud-daulah

1760 Battle of Wandiwash: The British defeat the French

1764 Battle of Buxar: The British defeat Mir Kasim

1775 The First Anglo-Maratha war

1784 Second Mysore War : The British defeat Hyder Ali

1790 Third Mysore War between the British and Tipu

1799 Fourth Mysore War: The British defeat Tipu; Death of Tipu; Partition of Mysore

1805 The Second Anglo-Maratha war: The British defeat the Marathas at Assaye: Treaty of Amritsar

1814 The Anglo-Gurkha war

1817 The last Anglo-Maratha war: Marathas finally crushed by the British

1824 The First Burmese war

1839 First Afghan war

1845 First Anglo-Sikh war

1849 Second Anglo-Sikh war, British annex Punjab as Sikhs are defeated

1852 Second Anglo-Burmese war

1853 Railway opened from Bombay to Thane; Telegraph line from Calcutta to Agra

1857 First War of Indian Independence: The Sepoy Mutiny

1877 Delhi Durbar: The Queen of England proclaimed Empress of India

1905 The First Partition of Bengal

1906 Formation of Muslim League; Congress declaration regarding Swaraj

1912 The Imperial capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi

1919 Jalianwalla Bagh massacre; The Montague-Chelmsford Reforms offer limited autonomy

1922Civil Disobedience Movement; Chauri-Chaura violence leads to Gandhi suspending movement

1930 Civil Disobedience movement continues; Salt Satyagraha: Gandhiji's Dandi March

1942 Subhash Chandra Bose forms Indian National Army

1944 Gandhi-Jinnah Talks break down on Pakistan issue

1947 Announcement of Lord Mountbatten's plan for partition of India on June 3rd.

1974Partition of India and Independence (15th August). Jawaharlal Nehru becomes the first Prime Minister.

 

Former Ms India - Juhi Chawla

Indian Women and marriages

It is said that:"Heaven is when you have an American Salary, live in a British house, eat Chinese food and have an Indian Wife

Hell is when you have an American Wife; eat British Food; have a Chinese house and get an Indian Salary"

It is not contempt for the British and the Chinese, but this sounds more right:"Heaven is when you have an American Salary, an American house and eat Indian

food and have an Indian Wife"

Indian marriages are mostly arranged marriages. That might be one reason why divorce rate in India is amongst the lowest in the world. The other reason of course is that Indian women are extremely understanding. Making sacrifices and adjustments are their strongest traits. Apart from winning beauty contests, Indian women like twenty-one year old Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi excel in brains too. Viji won a rare honour in July 2000, by becoming the first Indian women Chess Grand Master (GM).

List of world's most beautiful womenSource: Femina, India

Ms Universe - Lara Dutta Year

Miss Universe Country

2000199919981997199619951994

Lara DuttaMpule KwelagobeWendy FitzwilliamBrook LeeAlicia MachadoChelsi SmithSushmita Sen

IndiaBotswanaTrinidadUSAVenezuelaUSAIndia

Reita Faria, a young medical student from Mumbai, created history in 1966 by becoming the first Indian to be crowned Miss World. However, it took almost twenty-six years for another Indian to win at an international beauty pageant.

Ms World - Aishwaria Rai Year

Miss World Country

2000199919981997199619951994

Priyanka ChopraYukta MookheyLinor AbargilDiana HaydenIrene SklivaJacqueline AquileraAishwarya Rai

IndiaIndiaIsraelIndiaGreeceVenezuelaIndia

 History of the beautiful women of India

Source: Femina, India 

2007 Miss India Universe - Puja Gupta Miss India World - Sarah-Jane Dias Miss India Earth - Pooja Chitgopekar  2006 Miss India Universe - Neha Kapur, later placed among the top 20 semi-finalists

at Miss Universe Miss India World - Natasha Suri, top 17 semi-finalists, second runner up (beach

beauty), second runner up (dress designer award), top 10 in (talent round) Miss India Earth - Amruta Patki, 1st runner-up Miss Earth 2006 held in Manila,

Philippines  2005 Miss India Universe - Amrita Miss India World - Sindhura Gadde, later placed among the top 15 semi-

finalists at Miss World

Miss India Earth - Niharika  2004 Miss India Universe - Tanushree Dutta, later placed among the Top 10 at Miss

Universe Miss India World - Sayali Bhagat Miss India Earth - Jyoti Brahmin, later placed among the Top 16 Semifinalists

at Miss Earth  2003 Miss India Universe - Nikita Anand Miss India World - Ami Vashi, later 3 runner up at Miss World 2003 Miss India Earth - Swetha Vijay  2002 Miss India Universe - Neha Dhupia, later ninth at Miss Universe. It started with

a dream for the tall and slender beauty with dark-brown eyes. Millions of moments later, Neha Dhupia, a true-blue Virgo, sported a smile infused with the fragrance of sweet success.

Miss India World - Shruti Sharma semifinalist in miss world 2002 Miss India Earth - Reshmi Ghosh  2001 Miss India Universe - Celina Jaitley, later fourth runner-up at Miss Universe.

The light-eyed lady with an hourglass figure, Celina Jaitley was definitely a crowd puller in the Femina Miss India contest. Little wonder, then, that she walked away with all the laurels and the precious title too.

Miss India World - Sara Corner Miss India Earth - Shamita Singha, later fifth place at Miss Earth (first

contestant from India ever to compete)  2000 Miss India Universe- Lara Dutta, later Miss Universe, 2000 (also Miss

Intercontinental 1997). When she wore the crown in the beautiful city of Cyprus, her triumph was best described as deserving. Lara Dutta describes her winning the Miss Universe title as being "a culmination of a dream" content.

Miss India World - Priyanka Chopra, later Miss World, 2000. The eighteen-year-old gal from Bareilly, Priyanka Chopra beat out 94 other lovely ladies to claim the Miss World 2000 title. And she sashayed away with $100,000 as prize money at the Millennium dome, London.

Miss India Asia-Pacific International- Diya Mirza, later Miss Asia-Pacific, 2000. Think delicacy, poise, elegance and brains. Think Diya Mirza, a heavenly beauty from Hyderabad, who won the prestigious Miss Asia-Pacific title at the beauty pageant held on December 2, 2000, in Manila.

Miss India International- Gayatri Joshi, later semifinalist at Miss International 2000

 1999 Miss India Universe - Gul Panag, later sixth place at Miss Universe. She has

tremendous faith in herself. After obtaining a doctorate in developmental

economics. She entered the media, inspired by her newsreader aunt, Komal G B Singh. She believes that the possibilities are endless.

Miss India World - Yukta Mookhey, later Miss World, 1999. Her serenity and calm shone throughout the pageant. The 5'11'' tall brunette from India took London's Olympia theatre by storm in 1999.

Miss India Asia Pacific - Shivangi Parikh. The stage was not new for Shivangi who had modelled for Hemant Trivedi & Achala Sachdev, starred in music videos and also won the Miss Mumbai pageant.

 1998 Miss India Universe - Lymaraina D'Souza, later seventh place at Miss Universe.

How does a 19-year-old collegian who's never worn make-up before and who claims to "eat like a horse" and be "pretty laid-back" get to be Femina Miss India-Universe 1998? Well, Lymaraina D'Souza was clear about her goals. She is pursuing her studies in Psychology in Hawaii.

Miss India World - Annie Thomas  1997 Miss India Universe - Nafisa Joseph, later tenth place at Miss Universe.

Winning the crown did not come as a big surprise to her. She portrayed great confidence at the Miss Universe pageant, and in reply to one of the questions, she said that, to bring a child into the world and not able to offer it peace was the biggest injustice done in the world.

Miss India World - Diana Hayden, later Miss World, 1997. This little princess from Hyderabad flew out of the country only to return after being crowned the world's most beautiful woman on November 22, 1997, in Seychelles. And moments after winning the crown, she told that the title meant the world to her.

 1996 Miss India Universe- Sandhya Chib, later seventh place at Miss Universe, 1996.

Years after winning the contest, Sandhya returned and took the stage by storm. Today, Sandhya is a successful model. Luck was not on her side at the Miss Universe pageant where she stood seventh. On her return, she got engaged.

Miss India World - Rani Jeyraj, later third runner-up at Miss World, 1996 Representative at Miss International - Fleur Dominique Xavier  1995 Miss India Universe - Manpreet Brar, later first runner-up at Miss Universe. An

MBA student, Manpreet won the Miss Universe Runner-up title. Today, she leads a busy life with ramp shows and shooting for channel [V] as a VJ. She also plans to be a TV producer some day.

Miss India World - Preeti Mankotia Representative at Miss International - Priya Gill  1994 Miss India Universe - Sushmita Sen, later Miss Universe, 1994. She stunned

the universe. And shone on Manila. Euphoria gripped India on May 21, 1994, when, for the first time ever, an Indian girl was crowned Miss Universe, at Manila, Philippines. That's Sushmita Sen, Miss Universe 1994.

Miss India World - Aishwarya Rai, later Miss World, 1994. She first caught the audiences' fancy in the Pepsi advertisement with Aamir Khan. Soon after, she

won the Femina Miss India title in 1994. She also won the Miss World title, and became the second Indian to be crowned Miss World in 28 years.

 1993 Miss India - Namrata Shirodkar, later sixth place at Miss Universe. Another

model-turned-actress, Namrata had support of her sister Shilpa, who's a celebrated actress in Bollywood. Presently, Namrata is doing films and has a lot of them lined up for release as well.

Miss India first runner-up - Karminder Kaur Miss India 2nd Runner-Up - Pooja Batra. Who can miss Anil Kapoor's stunning

city-bred girlfriend in the film Virasat or the `Head & Shoulders' advertisement that is flashed on television so often. Today, Pooja devotes her time in doing meaningful roles and good films.

 1992 Miss India - Madhu Sapre, later second runner-up at Miss Universe, 1992. This

leggy lass came within touching distance of the Miss Universe crown but was pipped by her own honesty. She still is the eternal ramp favourite. And now she's writing a book tentatively titled ‘Tuff Girls Don't Talk Englis’. The title says it all.

Miss India World - Shyla Lopez Miss India International - Kamal Sandhu

Other prominent Miss India’s

1980 - Sangeeta Bijlani

1984 - Juhi Chawla

1985 - Sonu Walia

1986 - Mehr Jessia

 

History of the world

This is chronology of events in the history of mankind. So when someone tells you the Greeks and Romans form the cradle of human civilization, you can tell them Egyptians and Indians were building cities thousands of years before the so-called Western civilization even set a stone.

4-5 MILLION B.C .- Humans (Hominids - in primitive ape-like stages) first  appear in AFRICA (EAST & SOUTH)

2.5 - 2 MILLION B.C. - Humans (Homo Habilis - humans with brain and dextrous fingers and Homo Erectus) appear in Africa

900,000 B.C. - Humans (Homo Sapiens) move towards WEST ASIA (MESOPOTAMIA - PERSIA -INDUS)

850,000 B.C. - Humans move towards LOWER EUROPE (ANATOLIA/ BALKANS).(ANATOLIA is mordern day Turkey)

450,000 B.C.  - Humans move towards CHINA (NORTH)

200,000 B.C. - Humans seen in MIDDLE EUROPE

120,000 B.C. - Humans start occupying JAVA

100,000 B.C. - EARLIEST KNOWN FORM OF HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS (AFRICA)

50,000 B.C. - Humans move towards AUSTRALIA

35,000 B.C. - Humans move towards UPPER EUROPE

30,000 B.C. - Humans set up in NORTH AMERICA

10,000 B.C - Humans migrate towards  SOUTH AMERICA (ICE AGE ENDS)

10000-4000 B.C. - Humans start AGRICULTURAL/ HUNTING/ METAL WORKS

6000 B.C. COPPER FOUND IN WEST ASIA

5000 B.C. COPPER FOUND IN BALKANS

4000-2000 B.C. BRONZE/ COPPER IS WIDELY USED IN THE OLD WORLD (ASIA)

2000-1000 B.C. IRON IS FOUND IN WEST ASIA/ INDIA/ CHINA

3500 B.C.-1100 B.C. (EGYPTIAN EMPIRE AT ITS PEAK) - WORLD's FIRST CITIES COMES UP ON THE BANKS OF RIVERS NILE, TIGRIS/ EUPHRATES- URBAN (CITIES UR- URUK -BABYLON)

3200 B.C. WORLD's FIRST URBAN CIVILIZATION COMES UP AROUND NILES IN EYGPT - URBAN (CITY- MEMPHIS, THEBES)

3000 B.C. - 1500 B.C. - WORLD's NEXT BIGEST URBAN CIVILIZATION COMES AROUND  - INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION- URBAN (CITIES - HARAPPA MOHENJO-DARO)

1800 B.C. - 1100 B.C. NORTHERN CHINA BEGINS URBANIZATION (CITIES - ZHENGZHOU SHANG KINGDOM)

2000-1100 B.C. GREEKS START THEIR URBANIZATION(I) KING MINOS OF THE ISLAND OF CRETE (AEGEAN EMPIRE) (2000-1700 B.C.)

(II) MYCENAEN EMPIRE (PALACE OF KNOSSOS BECOMES THEIR MOST FAMOUS SYMBOL)

1650-1200 B.C. HITTITE EMPIRE (Turkey)

2000 B.C.- 1000 B.C. -  LEVANT EMPIRE (Present day Israel) INCLUDES CITIES LIKE JERUSALEM, AMMAN, DAMASCUS, GAZA). IT EXPANDS TO INCLUDE MESOPOTAMIA (KIngdom of Mittanni and Kingdom of Hittite) AND  EGYPT

- KINGDOM OF MITANNI (MESOPOTAMIA)- KINGDOM OF HITTIE (ANATOLIA) - (BOGASKOY CITY)

1000-300 B.C. - POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CENTER OF INDIA SHIFTS FROM INDUS VALLEY TO THE MORE FERTILE GANGES PLAINS. BUDDHISM, JAINISM AND THE MYSTICAL VEDISM DEVELOPED IN THIS ERA. THE UPANISHADS (LAST PART OF VEDAS) URGED ESCAPED FROM PHYSICAL WORLD. RAMAYAN (AROUND 300 B.C.) AND MAHABHARATA STARTED AROUND 400 B.C.

1000-600 B.C. ASSYRIAN EMPIRE (MESAPOTAMIA & LEVANT) (CITY NIMRUD). (MESOPOTAMIA is mordern day Middle-East)

900-300 B.C. GREEK EMPIRE (GREECE, AEGEAN, WEST ANATOLIA, ITALY)(CITY-ATHENS)

300-100 B.C. HELLENISTIC WORLD (GREECE, WEST ANATOLIA, MESA)(KING ALEXANDER)

563 B.C. BIRTH OF BUDHA - BUDHISM BEGINS TO SPREAD

600 B.C.-640 A.D. PERSIAN EMPIRE - EGYPT, MESA, ASSYRIA, INDUS(PERSIAN EMPIRE ALSO CALLED ACHAEMENID EMPIRE)

1000 B.C.-50 A.D CELTIC EMPIRE IN EUROPE (BEYOND CACAUCUS MT.'S)

300 B.C. - 500 A.D. ROMAN EMPIRE (ITALY, SPAIN, FRANCE, GREECE, N.AFTRICA, ANATOLIA, LEVANT, EGYPT)

600-200 B.C. MAURYAN EMPIRE (KING ASOKA) CITY-PATALIPUTRA

300 - 400 A.D.   -GUPTA DYNASTY UNITES INDIA AROUND 320 AD. ART, ARCHITECTURE AND  LITERATURE ARE INDIA'S FINEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF THIS EAR.   MATHEMATICAL INNVOATIONS IN INDIA INCLUDE THE ZERO AND USE OF DECIMAL NUMBERS

600-1000 A.D. ISLAM POWER SPREADS (622 AD MOHAMED/ MUSLIM ERA STARTS)

700-1100 A.D. VIKINGS RULE (N.W. EUROPE- SCANDINAVIAN, BRITISH, FRANCE, GERMANY, RUSSIA)

100-1600 A.D. OTTOMON TURKS RULE ANATOLIA, LEGANT, EGYPT, S-E EUROPE

1500-1600 A.D. SAFAVID RULE IN PERSIA

1200-1600 A.D. MOGHULS RULE IN INDIA

400 B.C.-1600 A.D. HAN-TANG-SONG-MING DYNASTIES IN THE ORIENT

1600-1900 A.D. MANCHU-CHING DYNASTY

1500-2000 A.D. EUROPEAN DOMINATION

2000 AD onwards - INDIAN DOMINATION??????

History of India

Ancient history of India can be divided into a period from 7000 BC to 1000 AD, then Medieval India (1000 AD to 1756 AD) and modern day (1757 to 1947 AD).

Ancient India (BC to 1000 AD)

Age Event

7000-3750 BC Vedic Age

3000-2000 BC Harappa (Indus and Saraswati) Civilization

2200-1900 BC Decline of Indus and Saraswati Civilization

2000-1500 BC Period of Complete chaos and migration

1000 BC Aryans expand into the Ganga valley from the Indus valley

900 BC Mahabharata War

800 BC Aryans expand into Bengal (Epic Age of Mahabharata and Ramayana)

550 BC Composition of the Upanishads

544 BC Buddha's Nirvana

327 BC Alexander's Invasion

324 BC Chandragupta Maurya defeats Seleacus Nicator

322 BC Rise of the Mauryas; Chandragupta establishes first Indian Empire

272 BC Ashoka begins reign

180 BC Fall of the Mauryas; Rise of the Sungas

145 BC Chola king Erata conquers Ceylon

30 BC Rise of the Satvahana Dynasty in the Deccan

40 AD Sakas in power in Indus Valley and Western India

320 AD Chandragupta I establishes the Gupta dynasty

340 AD Samudragupta conquers the North and most of the Deccan

360 AD Samudragupta conquers the North and most of the Deccan

380 AD Chandragupta II comes to power; Golden Age of Gupta Literary Renaissance

405 AD Fa-hein begins his travels through the Gupta Empire

415 AD Accession of Kumara Gupta I

467 AD Skanda Gupta assumes power

476 AD Birth of astronomer Aryabhatta

606 AD Accession of Harshavardhan Gupta

711 AD Invasion of Sind by Muhammad Bin Qasim

892 AD Rise of the Eastern Chalukyas

985 AD The Chola Dynasty: Accession of Rajaraja, the Great

1001 AD Defeat of Jaipal by Sultan Mahumd

Medieval India (1000 AD to 1756 AD)

Age Event

1026 Mahmud Ghazni sacks Somnath Temple

1191 Prithviraj Chauhan routs Muhammad Ghori: the first battle of Tarain

1192 Ghori defeats Prithviraj Chauhan: the second battle of Tarain

1206 Qutbuddin establishes the Slave Dynasty

1221 Mongol invasion under Genghis Khan

1232 Foundation of the Qutub Minar

1288 Marco Polo visits India

1290 Jalaludin Firuz Khalji establishes the Khalji dynasty

1320 Ghiyasuddin Tughluk founds the Tughluk dynasty

1325 Accession of Muhammad-bin-Tughluk

1336 Foundation of Vijayanagar (Deccan)

1398 Timur invades India

1424 Rise of the Bahmani dynasty (Deccan)

1451 The Lodi dynasty established in Delhi

1489 Adil Shah dynasty at Bijapur

1490 Nizam Shahi dynasty at Ahmednagar

1498 First voyage of Vasco da gama

1510 Portuguese capture Goa

1518 Kutub Shahi dynasty at Golconda

1526 Establishment of the Mughul Dynasty; First Battle of Panipat: Babur defeats Lodis

1526-1530 Reign of Babur

1530 Humayun succeeds Babur

1538 Death of Guru Nanak

1539 Sher Shah Suri defeats Humayan and becomes Emperor of Delhi

1555 Humayun recovers the throne of Delhi

1556 Death of Humayun; Accession of Akbar

1564 Akbar abolishes poll tax on Hindus

1565 Battle of Talikota: Muslim rulers in Deccan defeats Vijaynagar Empire

1568 Fall of Chittor

1571 Foundation of Fatehpur Sikri by Akbar

1572 Akbar annexes Gujarat

1573 Surat surrenders to Akbar

1575 Battle of Tukaroi

1576 Battle of Haldighat: Akbar defeats Rana Pratap; Subjugation of Bengal

1577 Akbar troops invade Khandesh

1580 Accession of Ibrahim Adil Shah II in Bengal; Rebellion in Bihar and Bengal

1581 Akbar's march against Muhammad Hakim and reconciliation with him

1582 Divine Faith promulagated

1586 Annexation of Kashmir

1591 Mughul conquest of Sind

1592 Annexation of Orissa

1595 Siege of Ahmednagar; Annexation of Baluchistan

1597 Akbar completes his conquests

1600 Charter to the English East India Company

1602 Formation of the United East India Company of Netherlands

1605 Death of Akbar and Accession of Jahangir

1606 Rebellion of Khusrav; Execution of the Fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan

1607 Sher Afghan first, husband of Nur Jahan,

killed

1608 Malik Ambar takes Ahmednagar

1609 The Dutch open a factory at Pulicat

1612 The English establish a factory at Masulipatnam

1615 Mughul Governor of Bengal defeats the Afghans; Mughuls annex Kuch ajo

1616 Submission of Mewar to the Mughuls; Arrival of Sir Thomas Roe in India

1620 The Dutch establish a factory at Surat

1621 Capture of Kangra Fort; Malik Ambar revolts in the Deccan

1622 Shah Abbas of Persia beseiges and takes Qandahar

1623 Shah Jahan revolts against Jahangir

1624 Suppression of Shah Jahan's rebellion

1626 Rebellion of Mahabat Khan

1627 Death of Jahangir; Accession of Shah Jahan

1628 Shah Jahan proclaimed Emperor

1631 Death of Shah Jahan's wife Mumtaz Mahal; The construction of Taj Mahal

1632 Mughul invasion of Bijapur

1633 End of Ahmednagar Dynasty

1636 Aurangzeb appointed Viceroy of Deccan

1639 Foundation of Fort St. George at Madras by the English

1646 Shivaji captures Torna

1656 The Mughuls attack Hyderabad and Golkunda; Annexation of Javli by Shivaji

1657 Invasion of Bijapur by Aurangzeb; Aurangzeb captures Bidar and Kalyani

1658 Coronation of Aurangzeb

1659 Battles of Khajwah and Deorai

1661 Cession of Bombay to the English; Mughul capture of Cooch Bihar

1664 Shivaji sacks Surat and assumes royal title

1666 Death of Shah Jahan; Shivaji's visit to Agra and escape

1674 Shivaji assumes the title of Chhatrapati

1678 Marwar occupied by the Mughuls

1680 Death of Shivaji; Rebellion of Prince Akbar

1686 English war with the Mughuls; Fall of Bijapur

1689 Execution of Sambhaji

1690 Peace between the Mughuls and the English

1691 Aurangzeb at the zenith of his power

1698 The new English company trading to the East

Indies

1699 First Maratha raid on Malwa

1700 Death of Rajaram and regency of his widow Tara Bai

1702 Amalgamation of English and the London East India Companies

1707 Death of Aurangzeb; Battle of Jajau

1714 Husain Ali appointed Viceroy of the Deccan, signs treaty with the Marathas

1720 Accession of Baji Rao Peshwa at Poona

1739 Nadir Shah conquers Delhi; The Marathas capture Salsette and Bassein

1740 Accession of Balaji Rao Peshwa; The Marathas invade Arcot

1742 Marathas invade Bengal

1748 First Anglo-French war in India

1750 War of the Deccan and Carnatic Succession; Death of Nasir Jang

1751 Treaty of Alivadi with the Marathas

1756 Siraj-ud-daulah captures Calcutta

Vedas and Upanishads

The oldest literature of Indian thought is the Veda, a collection of religious and philisophical poems and hymns composed over several generations beginning as early as 3000 BC. The Veda was composed in Sanskrit, the intellectual language of both ancient and classical Indian civilizations. Four collections were made, so it is said that there are four Vedas. The four as a group came to be viewed as sacred in Hinduism.

Some Vedic hymns and poems address philosophic themes, such as the henotheism that is key to much Hindu theology. Henotheism is the idea that one God takes many

different forms, and that although individuals may worship several different gods and goddesses, they really revere but one Supreme Being.

There are four Vedas:

The Rig-VedaIts traditional date goes back to 3000 BC, something which the German scholar Max Mueller accepted. As a body of writing, the Rig-Veda (the wisdom of verses) is nothing short of remarkable. It contains 1028 hymns (10,589 verses which are divided into ten mandalas or book-sections) dedicated to thirty-three different gods. The most often addressed gods were nature gods like Indra (rain god; king of heavens), Agni (fire god), Rudra (storm god; the 'howler'), Soma (the draught of immortality, an alcoholic brew).

The Sama-VedaThe Sama-Veda or the wisdom of chants is basically a collection of samans or chants, derived from the eighth and ninth books of the Rig-Veda. These were meant for the priests who officiated at the rituals of the soma ceremonies. There are painstaking instructions in Sama-Veda about how particular hymns must be sung; to put great emphasis upon sounds of the words of the mantras and the effect they could have on the environment and the person who pronounced them.

The Yajur-VedaThe Yajur-Veda or the wisdom of sacrifices lays down various sacred invocations (yajurs) which were chanted by a particular sect of priests called adhvaryu. They performed the sacrificial rites. The Veda also outlines various chants which should be sung to pray and pay respects to the various instruments which are involved in the sacrifice.

The Atharva-VedaThe Atharva-Veda (the wisdom of the Atharvans) is called so because the families of the atharvan sect of the Brahmins have traditionally been credited with the composition of the Vedas. It is a compilation of hymns but lacks the awesome grandeur which makes the Rig-Veda such a breathtaking spiritual experience.

Upanishads

The term Upanishad ('upa' near; 'ni' down; 'sad' to sit) means sitting down near; this implies the students sitting down near their Guru to learn the big secret. In the splendid isolation of their forest abodes, the philosophers who composed the Upanishads contemplated upon the various mysteries of life and its creation – whether common, or metaphysical. The answers were however not open to all, but only for select students. The reason for this was simple: not everyone can handle knowledge.

The composition of the Upanishads marks a significant and stride forward in the direction of knowing the mystery of earth's creation and one comes tantalizingly close to the answers. Through episodes, commentaries, stories, traditions and dialogue, the Upanishads unfold the fascinating tale of creation, life, the essence of life and of that beyond to the seeker of truth.

There is no exact date for the composition of the Upanishads. They continued to be composed over a long period, the core being over 7th -5th centuries BC. The

Upanishads were originally called Vedanta, which literally means the conclusion to the Vedas.

In the Upanishads, views about Brahman (the Absolute, or God) and atman (one's true self) were proposed.

There are 18 principal Upanishads viz:

Brhad-aranyaka UpanishadThe Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad is widely accepted to be the most important of all Upanishads. It has three khandas or parts. The madhu khanda contemplates on the relationship between the individual and the Universal self. The muni khanda or yajnavalkya is a debate which goes on to give the philosophical backing to the earlier teaching. The khila khanda tackles various rituals of worship and meditation.

Chandogya UpanishadThis Upanishad is a part of the Sama-Veda (see The Vedas). The name comes from the singer of the songs (samans) who is called Chandoga. The initial chapters of the Upanishad, discuss the ritual of sacrifice. The others debate the origin and profundity of the concept of Om, among other things.

Aitareya UpanishadThis one forms part of the Rig-Veda. The purpose is to make the reader understand the deeper meaning of sacrifice and to take him away from the outer trappings of the actual act.

Taittriya UpanishadA part of the Yajur-Veda, this Upanishad is divided into three sections or vallis. The siksa valli deals with the phonetics of the chants, while the others, brahmananda valli and bhrgu valli deal with self-realization.

Isa UpanishadAlso called the Isavasya Upanishad, this book deals with the union of God, the world, being and becoming. The stress is on the Absolute in relation with the world (paramesvara). The gist of the teachings is that a person's worldly and otherworldly goals need not necessarily be opposed to each other.

Kena UpanishadThe name of this Upanishad comes from the first word kena, or by whom. It has two sections of prose and two of poetry. The verses deal with the supreme spirit or the absolute principle (brahmaana) and the prose talks of ishvara (god). The moral of the story is that the knowledge of ishvara reveals the way to self-realization.

Katha UpanishadAlso called the Kathakopanishad, this Upanishad uses a story (katha) involving a young Brahmin boy called Nachiketa to reveal the truths of this world and the other beyond the veil.

Prashna UpanishadPrashna literally means question, and this book is part of the Athrava-Veda. It addresses questions pertaining to the ultimate cause, the power of Om, relation of the supreme to the constituents of the world.

Mundaka UpanishadThis book also belongs to the Atharva-Veda. The name is derived from 'mund' or to shave, meaning that anyone who understands the Upanishads is s(h)aved from ignorance. This book inscribes the importance of knowing the supreme brahmaana, only by which knowledge can one attain self-realization.

Mandukya UpanishadThe Mandukya is an exquisite treatise which expounds on the principle of Om and its metaphysical significance in various states of being, waking, dream and the dreamless sleep. The subtlest and most profound of the Upanishads, it is said that this alone will lead one to the path of enlightenment.

Svetasvatara UpanishadThe name of this Upanishad is after its teacher. It comments on the unity of the souls and the world in one all-encompassing reality. The concept of there being one god is also talked about here. It is dedicated to Rudra, the storm god.

Kausitaki Brahmana UpanishadThe Upanishad has come down to us in bits here and pieces there. The core of the text is dedicated to illustrating the fact that the path to release is through knowledge.

Maitri UpanishadThis is a comparatively later Upanishad as it has references to the Trinity of Hindu Gods (Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma) which is a later development, and plus references to the world being illusory in character reflects Buddhist influence.

Subala UpanishadBelonging to the Yajur-Veda, this Upanishad puts down a dialogue between the sage Subala and Brahma the creator of the Hindu Trinity of Gods. It discusses the universe and the absolute.

Jabala UpanishadBelonging to the Athrava-Veda this Upanishad addresses some questions pertaining to renunciation.

Paingala UpanishadThe Paingala is again a dialog, this between Yajnavalkya, the sage mentioned the Brhad-aranyaka's muni khanda and Paingala, a student of his. It discusses meditation and its effects.

Kaivalya UpanishadThis Upanishad delves into the state of kaivalya or being alone.

Vajrasucika UpanishadBelonging to the Sama-Veda the Vajrasucika reflects on the nature of the supreme being.

The core of the teachings of the Upanishads is summed up in three words: tat tvam as… you are that.

India's Law and Order

India's enduring legal institutions, which are deep-rooted in the principles of democracy and justice, ensure a transparent, predictable and secure environment for business and foreign investment. One might tend to think that India has rampant Crime and Corruption problems, but facts speak a little differently.

Corruption

Corruption in India might still be rampant and people (mostly those in government) and embarrassing stinks like the Volker scandal, continue to be on the take. But to everybody’s surprise, Corruption Perception Index, a survey released by Transparency International, an anti-corruption watchdog, said corruption has decreased marginally in India and it has ranked the country 88th among 159 nations. The survey is not just limited to the monetary value of petty corruption. It also includes public services and states.

Corrupt Countries of the World (19 October 2005)Source: Transparency International's Corruption Perception Ranking of 159 countries

Country Most Corrupt Countries rank

Score (out of 10)

BangladeshChadTurkmenistanHaitiMyanmarPakistanAfghanistanNepalIndiaChinaSri Lanka

158158157156155144117117887878

1.71.71.81.81.82.12.52.52.93.23.2

Country Least Corrupt Countries rank

Score (out of 10)

USAUKNetherlandsIcelandFinlandNew ZealandSingapore

171111----

7.68.68.69.759.759.759.75

Crime : At least 8 million people are being held in prisons and jails around the world, more than half of them in the United States, China and Russia.

Worldwide Prison Statistics (May 2001):

Sources: Worldwatch Institute, US Bureau of Justice & Britain's Home Office research

Highest Rates

Rates of imprisonment per 100,000 population

RussiaUSAUkraineS. AfricaUzbekistanCanadaChinaTurkeyFrance

6876824133212581151099590

Lowest Rates

Rates of imprisonment per 100,000 population

JapanBangladeshNepalIndiaIndonesia

3937292420

Note - Fortune magazine and US Department of Justice peg US incarceration rate at 481 per 100,000 residents

In absolute numbers too, USA, China and Russia each have atleast six times more prisoners than India.

Languages

The government of India recognizes 112 mother tongues that have 10,000 more speakers. India has a total of 1652 different languages and dialects, and most people understand no more than five! This was bound to hapen in a country where different races and stocks poured in for over five thousand years? They all came, mixed and stayed, making the land one big heterogenous existence.

The Prinicpal languages of the World, 2004 World AlmanacSource: Ethnologue Volume I, SIL International, USA and Prof. Sidney Culbert,

University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA(All figures are 2000 estimates, in millions)

Language Native speakers

Total speakers

MandarinHindiEnglishSpanishArabicBengali

874366341322211207

1,075496514425256215

PortugueseRussianJapaneseGermanKoreanFrenchChinese, WuMalay-IndoChinese, YueTeluguMarathiVietnameseTamil

176167125100787777757169686866

19427512612878129771767169686866

Official Languages of India

Hindi and English are the co-official national languages of India. In addition, the Indian constitution recognizes 18 state languages, which are used in schools and in official transactions. These are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada (Kanarese), Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Meithei (Manipuri), Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Telugu, Tamil, and Urdu. The regional languages have been recognized as the official language of the States. In many cases, the state boundaries are drawn between linguistic lines.

Environment

World's Highest MountainsSource: National Geographic Society

Continent Place Height (ft)

N. AmericaS. AmericaAfricaPacificEuropeAntartica

McKinley, AlaskaAconcagua, ArgentinaKilimanjaro, TanzaniaJaya, New GuineaMt Blanc, France-ItalyVinson Massif

20,32022,83419,34016,50015,77116,864

Please don't laugh for long after you read the table below!!

Asia's Highest MountainsSource: National Geographic Society

Peak Place Height (ft)

EverestK2KanchenjungaLhotse IMakalu ILhotse IIDhaulagiriManaslu ICho OyuNanga ParbatAnnapurna IGasherbrumBroadGosainthanAnnapurna IIGyachungKangDisteghil SarHimalchuliNutpseMasherbrumNanda DeviRakaposhiKametNamcha BarwaGurla MandhatUlugh Muz Tagh

NepalIndiaIndiaNepalNepalNepalNepalNepalNepalIndiaNepalIndiaIndiaTibetNepalNepalIndiaNepalNepalIndiaIndiaIndiaIndiaTibetTibetXinjiang

29,02828,25028,20827,92327,82427,56026,81026,76026,75026,66026,50426,47026,40026,28726,04125,91025,86825,80125,72625,66025,64525,55025,44725,44525,35525,340

Note: Some peaks mentioned above fall in the Indian State of Jammu & Kashmir but are  illegally occupied by Pakistan

India's largest PeaksSource: National Geographic Society

(Not counting the ones mentioned above)

Peak Height (ft)

Skyang KangriJongsang PeakSia KangriTent PeakKabruBaltoro KangriManaNepal PeakBadrinathNunkunPyramidPauhunriTrisulKangtoTrisuliDunagiri

24,75024,47224,35024,16524,00223,99023,86023,50023,42023,41023,40023,38523,36023,26023,21023,184

The tallest peaks in the other continents of the world are not even taller than Thirty tallest mountains of India.

Highest Annual PrecipitationSource: US National Climatic Data Center

Years of record

Continent Highest Avg (Inches)

Place Elevation (feet)

3829303291422

AsiaOceaniaAfricaS.AmericaAustraliaN.AmericaEurope

467.4460405354340256183

Mawsynram, IndiaMt. Waialeale, HawaiDebundscha, CameroonQuibdo, ColumbiaBellenden, AustraliaHenderson Lake, B.C.Crkvica, Bosnia-Herz.

45975148301205102123337

Note: Llora, Columbia claims to get 523.6 inches of rainfall, according to their own measurement practices,procedures and period, but might not be recognized

worldwide

Principal World RiversSource: Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. Library

River Continent Outflow Length (mi)

NileCongoNiger

AfricaAfricaAfrica

Mediterranian SeaAtlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean

416029002590

ChangHuangOb-IrtyshLenaMekongYeniseyObBrahmaputraIndus

AsiaAsiaAsiaAsiaAsiaAsiaAsiaAsiaAsia

East China SeaYellow SeaGulf of ObLaptev SeaSouth China SeaKara SeaGulf of ObBay of BengalArabian Sea

396433953362273427002543226818001800

Murray-Darling Australia Indian Ocean 2543

Volga Europe Caspian Sea 2290

AmazonParanaPurusMadieraSao Francisco

S. AmericaS. AmericaS. AmericaS. AmericaS. America

Atlantic OceanRio de la PlataAmazon RiverAmazon RiverAtlantic Ocean

40002485210020131988

Mississipi-Red RockMobileMississipiMissouri-Red RockYukonRio Grande

N. AmericaN. AmericaN. AmericaN. AmericaN. AmericaN. America

Gulf of MexicoMississipi RiverGulf of MexicoMississipi RiverBering SeaGulf of Mexico

371025402340231519791900

Note - Only rivers longer than Brahmaputra are shown above

Other Indian Rivers

River Outflow Length (mi)

GangesGodavariYamunaKrishnaNarmada

Bay of BengalBay of BengalGanges RiverBay of BengalArabian Sea

1560900855800800

WaterfallsSource: National Geographic Society

The earth has thousands of waterfalls, some of considerable magnitude. Their relative importance is determined not only by height but also by volume of flow, steadiness of flow, crest width, whether the water drops sheerly or over a sloping surface, and where it descends in one leap or in a succession of leaps. A series of low falls flowing over a considerable distance is known as a cascade.

Name Location Continent Elevation (ft)

Tugela# S. Africa Africa 2014

Jog, Sharavathi R.* India Asia 830

Wollomombi Australia Asia 1,100

Tully Australia Asia 885

Wallaman, Stony Cr.# Australia Asia 1,137

Helena N. Zealand Asia 890

Sutherland, Arthur R.# N. Zealand Asia 1,904

Gavarnie* Austria Europe 1,385

Maralsfossen(N) Norway Europe 1,535

Maralsfossen(S)# Norway Europe 2,149

Skjeggedal, Nybuai R.#** Norway Europe 1,378

Skykje** Norway Europe 984

Vetti, Morka-Koldedola R Norway Europe 900

Giessbach(C) Switzerland Europe 984

Staubbach Switzerland Europe 984

Trummelbach# Switzerland Europe 1,312

Della# Canada N.America 1,443

Takakkhaw, Daly Glacier# Canada N.America 1,200

Ribbon** United States N.America 1,612

Silver Strand, Meadow Br.** United States N.America 1,170

Yosemite## United States N.America 2,425

Glass Brazil S.America 1,325

Catarata de Candelas, Cusiana R Colombia S.America 984

Great, Kamarang R Guyana S.America 1,600

Angel#* Venezuela S.America 3,212

Cuquenan Venezuela S.America 2,000

Note:Estimated mean annual flow, in cubic feet per second, of major waterfalls, are as follows: Niagara, 212,200; Paulo Afonso, 100,000; Urubupunga, 97,000; Iguazu, 61,000; Patosa-Maribondo, 53,000; Victoria, 35,4000; and Kaieteur, 23,400.Elevation= total drop in feet in one or more leaps. # = falls of more than one leap; * = falls that diminish greatly seasonally; ** = falls that reduce to a trickle or are dry for part of each year. If the river names are not shown, they are same as the falls. R = river; (C) = cascade type.

Biggest deserts in the worldSource: National Geographic Society

Name Size (sq mi) Country

Arabian (E)ChihuahuanDasht-e KauirGibsonGobiGreat SandyGreat VictoriaKalahariKara KumKyzyl KumLibyanNamibNubianPatagoniaRub a-KhaliSaharaSonoranSyrianTaklimakanThar

70,000140,00030,000120,000500,000150,000150,000225,000120,000100,000450,00048,000100,000300,000250,0003,500,00070,000100,000140,000100,000

EgyptUS-Mex.IranAustraliaMongoliaAustraliaAustraliaAfricaTurkmenistanKazakhstanLibyaAfricaSudanArgentinaS ArabiaAfricaUS-MexSaudiaChinaIndia

Pollution:Over the past century, the Earth's average temperature has increased by approximately 1 F, and is expected to rise to upto 6 F in this century. The earth naturally absorbs incoming solar radiation and emits thermal radiation back into space. This is then trapped by green-house gases in the earths atmosphere. Water

vapor, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Ozone and natural greenhouse gases. Human made greenhouse gases include CFC (Chloro flouro carbons), HCFC (Hydro CFC), HFC (Hydro flouro carbons), PFC (perflouro carbons), SF6 (Sulphur Hexaflouride) and ofcourse Carbon-di-oxide and carbon mono oxide.

The top 6 producers of CO2 in the world are USA, China, Russia, Japan, India and Germany.

National Monuments (Architecture)

Indian architecture ranges from the Hindu (and Buddhist and Jain) civilizations starting from 2500 BC to the Muslim and Colonial architecture, and finally to the modern day Contemporary architecture.

Hindu Monuments:Hindu architecture concentrates immensely on the religious and spiritual. Hindus incorporated idols into their art. Hinduism is a religion based on worshipping thousands of deities, and for each one of them there exist thousands of temples. Getting into a detailed account of Hindu architecture would be an impossible task, for it dates back to 2500 BC and millions of temples, forts and palaces spread out across the length and breadth of India.

Highlights:

Way back in 300 BC, Chandragupta Maurya’s fort along the Ganges in Bihar stretched for an impossible nine miles long and a mile and a half wide. The architecture of the Maurya’s was embalmed in timber, for rock and stone were not as freely in use then. The Mauryan period was also responsible for perfecting the art of polishing, so much so that wood glistened like a mirror

From the 7th to 9th century AD, the Pallava kings in the Tamil area were building Kanchipuram, a cluster of over a hundered Hindu shrines mostly dedicated to Shiva.

In Thanjavur, the capital of the Cholas in the 10th century, the Thanjavur temple is made entirely of granite and is 207 feet high.

The temples in Khajuraho (950-1050AD), while dedicated to Gods, are splattered with images of a sexual nature.

The most amazing aspect of architecture in the 15th century would probably be the chariot "rock temples" in southern India, dedicated to the 2nd century BC Aryans.

The 16th century saw the revival of Hindu temple architecture, especially in the south. Apart from the main deity, there were images of a thousand gods, goddesses and mortal beings on the outside walls.

Muslim Monuments (architecture)It is a fact that Islamic rulers destroyed temples all over Hindustan and continued doing so till they ran out of time. The vigourous exercise might have had other reasons than just religious fervour. Perhaps the Muslims couldn’t stomach the structure of a Hindu temple. Or the abounding temples across the sub-continent were methodically dissected and their masonry used for further construction of Persian architecture. Nowhere else in the world can be found such dramatic results of Muslim builders; thousands of monuments, evolving from simplicity and geometric anarchy to splendid harmonies of stone, marble and brick.

Highlights:

In every city there will be a Jama Masjid where the faithful assemble for the Friday prayer or Jum’ah.

While the masjid was mainly known for its simplicity, a tomb or maqbara ranged from a simple affair (like Emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Aurangabad) to an awesome structure enveloped in a grandeour which has to be seen to be disbelieved (the glorious Taj Mahal in Agra).

Amongst the secular buildings stand the palaces and the forts, which were extremely elaborate and massive structures, of imposing height and splendid grandness, depending on the size of the empire under control. Built almost entirely of stone and marble, palaces could be as high as five storeys.

The final flickering example of Mughal architecture in India would perhaps be Safdarjung’s tomb (1753-74 AD) in Delhi. Built of red sandstone and marble panels, the effort was probably to make something similar to Humayun’s tomb, but by this time decay had already seeped into Mughal architecture.

Buddhist Monuments (architecture):The origin of Buddhist architecture goes back to Gandhara, the region from the Khyber Pass to the river Indus. Gandhara architecture took the form of Buddhist cult objects, Buddhas and ornaments for Buddhist monastries. Monastries were invariably made of stone, and most of the sculpture (like friezes) was used to decorate the lower levels of buildings. The most characteristic trait of Gandhara sculpture is the standing or seated Buddha in the few hundreds of temples which have survived out of thousands. The seated Buddha is always cross legged in the traditional Indian way.

Highlights:

Ashoka’s edicts, the most early Buddhist sculptors were mainly stone pillars with inscriptions. They were circular free standing pillars rising upto to great heights so that they could be seen from a distance, topped off with a stone lion.

The stupa at Sanchi, was originally built by Emperor Ashoka. In 150 BC, renovation work made the stupa 54 feet high and 120 feet in diameter. The timber railings were replaced by stone ones, standing 11 feet high with entrances at five cardinal point, forming a barricade.

Emperor Ashoka’s palace near Patna was a masterpiece. Made mostly of wood, it seems to have been destroyed by fire.

Rock art of the Buddhists included massive larger than life statues of Buddha's likeness made out of stone, brass and copper.

The shrine or the monastry, evolved from the site of an ancient stupa in the south and the monastry in the north surrounding a rectangular courtyard.

Stone formed the base of most temple building. The Buddhist temples in Ajanta and Ellora are the best examples.

Jain Monuments (Architecture)In the initial years wherever there would be Buddhist or Hindu temples, Jains would begin making their own, following the Buddhist rock-cut style. The system of carving out temples from rock faces was adopted. In later years when Jains discovered the concept of `mountains of immortality’, they proceeded build their own temples on a peaceful mountain or hill away from snoopy eyes.

Highlights:

While Hindus and Buddhists built temples, Jains built temple-cities on hills. From the architectural perspective, Jain temple-cities seem to be average compared to Hindu or Buddhist temples.

Jain temples had a certain militant aura around them to protect them from plunderers . Surrounded by embattled walls, the temples wards were guarded by massive bastions at its ends, with a fortified gateway as the main entrance. The reason being that Jain temples are the richest temples in the world, surpassing even Mughal buildings in terms of grandeur and material wealth. The Chamukh temple of Adinath, built 1618 AD, is a characteristic example of the four-door temple-city.

In Ranakpur and Mount Abu in Rajasthan are found the most spectacular of all Jain temples. The Ranakpur temple is built in white marble and the main chamber is supported by finely carved columns, totalling 1,444 in all.

Colonial ArchitectureThe British followed various architectural styles – Gothic, Imperial, Christian, English Rennaissance and Victorian being the essentials.

Highlights:

Mumbai's Gateway of India (through which the last British troops left) was built to give Bombay a truly Imperial (Gothic) ambience.

The Victoria Terminus in Mumbai followed the Victorian Gothic style, is the finest example of Gothic architecture in India. Its architecture was marble, decorated tiles, stained glass, metal, concrete and bricks in a fusion which never happened again. High above the huge stairway inside a massive dome looms up as statement of Imperial progress in all its glory. The entrance is flanked by symbolic sentinels of the Raj, a tiger and a lion.

Some of the true Gothic monuments include Varanasi's Queen’s College; Allahabad's University, Calcutta's High Court; All Saints Church in Nagpur.

Calcutta's Howrah Bridge leading to Howrah Station whose red brick facade is surrounded by 8 square towers in Oriental and Roman style.

Calcutta's Victoria Memorial dedicated to Queen Victoria, is probably the most imposing of all British structures in India.

Delhi was planned systematically, combining 20th century architecture with that of two centuries before. The tour de forte is Rajpath, approached by a 3.2 km long road flanked by the imposing buildings of the two Secretariats. The Rashtrapati Bhawan, built of brown stone, is truly a befitting home for the President. Connaught Place, Eastern and Western Courts, Flagstaff House and the thousands of public buildings, post offices, officer’s bungalows

and public buildings and St. Martin's Garrison church marked an end to this era.

Contemporary Architecture

Over centuries, architecture had evolved from mud to wood, from stone to rock, from brick to marble and eventually, to concrete.

Highlights:

In 1950, Le Corbusier, was hired by the Punjab government to design the new city of Chandigarh, which was a symbol of creativity and modern architecture.

A feature now becoming common to almost all major cities in India was tall multi storeyed buildings.

The Asiad Village was built as a colossal complex with more than 800 residential units, landscaped courts, streets, restaurants and shops, all catering to sportspersons who assembled here for the Asian Games.

The Oberoi hotel in Bhubaneshwar is a classic example of the intermingling of the concept of a Hindu temple and a Buddhist monastry.

Going by tradition and after tracing Indian architecture through 2000 years, modern Indian edifices seem a little jaded, if not forced. Gone are the subtle details; those little carvings; those colossal domes and the intricate patterns on walls and pillars. Indian architecture has come a long, long way from Mohenjodaro and Harappan era.

Population

Population growth in India was 1.5% in 2006, compared to 1.72% in 1997. India does not appear in the top ten most densely populated countries of the world.

Current Population for All Countries: 2007Source: United Nations, World Population prospects and U.S. Dept. of Commerce

(in thousands)

Rank Country 2007

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

ChinaIndiaUSAIndonesiaBrazilPakistanBangladeshRussiaNigeria

1,321,8521,129,866301,139234,693190,010164,741150,448141,377135,031

10. Japan 127,433

Indian population statistics (2007 est.)Source: Indian Census bureau/ CIA

Birth rate: 22.69 births/1,000 population (Ranked 86th in the world)Death rate: 6.58 deaths/1,000 populationTotal fertility rate: 2.81 children born/woman (Ranked 86th in the world)

Age structure:0-14 years: 31.8%15-64 years: 63.1%65 years and over: 5.1%

Median age of population:total: 24.8 years male: 24.5 years female: 25.2 years

Overall life expectancy at birth was about 68.59 years in 2007 compared to 64 years in the 2002, compared with 60 years in mid-1990's and 32 years in 1941.

The infant mortality rate declined from 151 to an estimated 88 per 1000 live births between 1965 and 1995. Infant mortality rate was 34.61 deaths per 1000 live births, in 2007. India is ranked 74th in the world for IMR.

According to a world bank report, 80% of India's six-year old's are enrolled in school, as of 2002. Literacy rate in India has improved from 52.21% in 1991 to 65.38% in 2001.

Poverty (2006)For a change, there’s good news on poverty in India. The percentage of Indians below the poverty line has dropped to 21.8%, as reported by National Sample Survey of the Planning Commission of India. That’s down from 26.1% for the fiscal year ending in March 2000, but that still means there are 238.5 million people living below the poverty line across India — 170.3 million in rural areas and 68.2 million in urban areas. The study measured poverty for the fiscal year ending in March 2005. It used a measurement called the mixed recall period, under which a consumer recalls spending in five categories, like durable goods, institutional medical expenses, clothing and education from a 365-day period.

Population of the World's Largest CitiesSources: United Nations, Dept. for Economic and Social Information and Policy

Analysis

Rank City, CountryPop.(thousands)2000

Pop.(thousands)1995

1.2.

Tokyo, JapanMexico City, Mexico

26,44418,131

26,95916,562

3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.

Mumbai (Bombay), IndiaSao Paulo, BrazilNew York City, U.S.Lagos, NigeriaLos Angeles, U.S.Calcutta, IndiaShanghai, ChinaBuenos Aires, ArgentinaDhaka, BangladeshKarachi, PakistanDelhi, IndiaJakarta, IndonesiaOsaka, Japan

18,06617,75516,64013,42713,14012,91812,88712,56012,31711,79411,69511,01811,013

15,13816,53316,32110,28712,41011,92313,58411,802--9,948-10,609

Notes:The figures given here are United Nations estimates and projections,as revised in 1996, for "urban agglomerations"----that is, contiguous dnsely populated urban areas, not demarcated by administrative boundaries. These figures may not corresond to figures for cities in other  parts of The World Almanac(1) Denotes percentage of the total population of the country in which the city is located. (2) Denotes percentage of the total urban population of the country in which the city is located.(-) Denotes numbers unknown for the year 1995

World Population AD 1-2007Source: World Almanac

Year Population (billions)

116501850193019751999200120032007

0.20.512466.26.3056.6

Population break-up in the USA, 1990 censusSource: US Bureau of Census

Results for 2000 census not yet declared

All persons Number

WhiteBlackHispanicsAmerican IndianChineseFilipinoJapaneseAsian IndianKorean

199,686,07029,986,06022,3540591,959,2341,645,4721,406,770847,562815,447798,849

VietnameseHawaiianSamoanGuamanianOther AsianOther races

614,547211,01462,96449,345821,6929,804,847

Indians are the highest income earners in the US.

The World's Refugees (in India), 2000Source: The World Refugee survery, 2001

Origin Total Numbers

Tibet, Sri Lanka, Burma, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan other

290,000