INDIA
A RISING STAR IN THE NEW
MILLENNIUM
Compiled by:
Dr. Surendra K. Kaushik
Professor of Finance, Pace University,NY
Founder, Mrs. Helena Kaushik Women’s
College, Malsisar, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan,
India
Research Assistance by Jagadeesh Ambati
INDIA
Contents
• India-Introduction
• Geography
• People
• Government
• Economy
• Religions
• Politics
• Culture
• Great Leaders
• Women
• Conflict with Pakistan over J&K
• Indians in America
• Useful Links And Sights of India
INDIA
INTRODUCTION
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, goes back at
least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500
B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants created classical Indian
culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in 12th
were followed by European traders beginning in the late 15th century. By
the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually
all Indian lands. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under
Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru led to independence in 1947.
The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the
smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries
in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of
Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute
with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental
degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic strife, all this despite
impressive gains in economic investment and output.
Geography
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area: Total: 3,287,590 sq km
Land: 2,973,190 sq km
Water: 314,400 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries:Total: 14,103 km
Border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline: 7,000 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 NM
Continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
the Ganges, deserts in west,Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Natural resources:
Coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica,
bauxite, titanium ore, chromite,natural gas, diamonds, petroleum,
limestone, arable land
Land use:Arable land: 56%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 4%
Forests and woodland: 23%
Other: 16% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:535,100 sq km (1995/96 EST.)
Natural hazards:droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms common;
earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
Deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution
from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw
sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not
potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is
overstraining natural resources
Environment -international agreements:
Party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty,Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
People
Population:1,029,991,145 (July 2001 EST.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.12% (male 175,630,537; female 165,540,672)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 331,790,850; female 308,902,864)
65 years and over: 4.68% (male 24,439,022; female 23,687,200) (2001
EST.)
Population growth rate: 1.55% (2001 EST.)
Birth rate: 24.28 births/1,000 population (2001 EST.)
Death rate:8.74 deaths/1,000 population (2001 EST.)
Net migration rate:-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 EST.)
Sex ratio:At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 EST.)
Infant mortality rate:63.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 EST.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Total population: 62.86 years
Male: 62.22 years
Female: 63.53 years (2001 EST.)
Total fertility rate:3.04 children born/woman (2001 EST.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (1999 EST.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3.7 million (1999 EST.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:310,000 (1999 EST.)
Nationality: Noun: Indian(s)
Adjective: Indian
Ethnic groups:
India-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Religions:
Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups
including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)
Languages:
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for
national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national
language and primary tongue of 30% of the people,Bengali (official),
Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu (official),
Gujarati (official),Malayalam (official), Kannada (official), Oriya
(official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official), Kashmiri
(official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official), Hindustani (a popular
variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India)
note: 24 languages each spoken by a million or more persons; numerous
other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible
Literacy:Definition: Age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 52%
Male: 65.5%
Female: 37.7% (1995 est.)
Government Country name:Conventional long form: Republic of India
Conventional short form: India
Government type:Federal Republic
Capital:New Delhi
Administrative divisions: 28 states and 7 union territories
Independence:15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday:Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution:26 January 1950
Legal system:Based on English common law; limited judicial review of
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Chief of state: President Kicheril Raman Narayanan (since 25 July
1997); Vice President Krishnan Kant (since 21 August 1997)
Head of government: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee (since 19
March 1998)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
Legislative branch:Bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the
Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than
250 members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the
remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial
assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or
Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed
by the president; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: People's Assembly - last held 5 September through 3 October
1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
Election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - BJP
alliance 40.8%, Congress Alliance 33.8%, other 25.4%; seats by party -
BJP alliance 304, Congress alliance 134, other 107
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in
office until they reach the age of 65)
Flag description:
Three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a
blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the
flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
Economy
Economy :
Overview
India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern
agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a
multitude of support services. More than a third of the population is
too poor to be able to afford an adequate diet. India's international
payments position remained strong in 2000 with adequate foreign
exchange reserves, moderately depreciating nominal exchange rates,
and booming exports of software services. Growth in manufacturing
output slowed, and electricity shortages continue in many regions.
GDP:Purchasing power parity - $2.2 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:Purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:Agriculture: 25%
Industry: 24%
Services: 51% (2000)
Population below poverty line:35% (1994 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Lowest 10%: 3.5%
Highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5.4% (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture 67%, services 18%, industry
15% (1995 EST.)
Budget: Revenues: $44.3 billion
Expenditures: $73.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY00/01 EST.)
Industries:Textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
equipment, cement, mining, petroleum,machinery, software
Industrial production growth rate:7.5% (2000 EST.)
Electricity - production:454.561 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source:
Fossil fuel: 79.41%
Hydra: 17.77%
Nuclear: 2.52%
Other: 0.3% (1999)
Electricity -consumption: 424.032 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports:200 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports:1.49 billion kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products:Rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane,
potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
Exports:$43.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: Textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering
goods, chemicals, leather manufactures
Exports - partners:US 22%, UK 6%, Germany 5%, Japan 5%, Hong
Kong 5%, UAE 4% (1999)
Imports:$60.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities:
Crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 9%, Benelux 8%, UK 6%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%
(1999)
Debt - external:$99.6 billion (2000)
Economic aid -recipient:$2.9 billion (FY98/99)
Currency:Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code:INR
Exchange rates:Indian rupees per US dollar - 46.540 (January 2001),
44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259 (1998),36.313 (1997), 35.433
(1996)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Political Parties In India
Bharatiya Janata Party (commonly known as BJP): currently heads
the ruling coalition of parties.
Indian National Congress (commonly known as Congress): currently
the main opposition.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) - commonly known as CPM:
strong in West Bengal and Kerala states.
Samajwadi Party
Shiv Sena (strong in Maharashtra state; has presence in some other
parts of India including the state of Delhi)
All-India Anna DMK (commonly known as AIADMK; strong in
Tamil Nadu state)
Akali Dal (strong in Punjab state)
BJP:
Bharatiya Janata Party is today the most prominent member of the
family of organisations known as the "Sangh Parivar".And RSS has
always been dubbed "communal", "reactionary”and what not by its
detractors. Sanghs of swayamsevaks have of course always shaken off
that criticism like so much water off a duck's back. They have never had
any doubt that the organisation is wedded to national unity, national
integrity, national identity and national strength through individual
character and national character. And today this organisation is poised for
a gresat leap forward. Even its long- time detractors think and say that
now bjp is "unstoppable".What is the story of this national epic?
Congress:
The oldest Indian political party, the Indian National Congress was
formed in 1885 and was the most powerful force behind the
country's struggle for independence. It also held power for most
years after independence. The party has also been instrumental in
the making or fall of non-Congress governments at the center when
it was out of power. However, the party has undergone many splits
and its fetish for the Gandhi family has today put it in a tight spot.
CPI(M):
The CPI(M) was formed at the Seventh Congress of the Communist
Party of India held in Calcutta from October 31 to November 7, 1964.
The CPI(M) was born in the struggle against revisionism and
sectarianism in the communist movement at the international and
national level, in order to defend the scientific and revolutionary tenets of
Marxism-Leninism and its appropriate application in the concrete Indian
conditions. The CPI(M) combines the fine heritage of the anti-imperialist
struggle and the revolutionary legacy of the undivided Communist Party
which was founded in 1920. Over the years, the Party has emerged as the
foremost Left force in the country.
Culture
• Music
• Festivals
• Art
• Architecture
• Dance
Music
• Music has always occupied a central place in the imagination
of Indians. The range of musical phenomenon in India, and
indeed the rest of South Asia, extends from simple melodies,
commonly encountered among hill tribes, to what is one of the
most well- developed "systems" of classical music in the world.
Indian music can be described as having been inaugurated with
the chanting of Vedic hymns, though it is more than probable
that the Indus Valley Civilization was not without its musical
culture, of which almost nothing is known. There are
references to various string and wind instruments, as well as
several kinds of drums and cymbals, in the Vedas. Sometime
between the 2nd century BC and the 5th century AD, the
Natyasastra, on Treatise on the Dramatic Arts, was composed
by Bharata. This work has ever since exercised an incalculable
influence on the development of Indian music, dance, and the
performing arts in general.
Festivals:
The festivals of importance are Diwali, Dussera, Raksha Bandhan etc.
Diwali:
Diwali signifies many different things to people across the country. In
north India, Diwali celebrates Rama's homecoming, that is his return
to Ayodhya after the defeat of Ravana and his coronation as king; in
Gujarat, the festival honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; and in
Bengal, it is associated with the goddess Kali. Everywhere, it signifies
the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear new clothes
on the day of the festival; similarly, it heralds the approach of winter
and the beginning of the sowing season. It is colloquially known as
the "festival of lights", for the common practice is to light small oil
lamps (called diyas) and place them around the home, in courtyards,
verandahs, and gardens, as well as on roof-tops and outer walls.
Dussera:
This festival lasts ten days, and most communities celebrate it with great
fanfare. During the festival, the Ramleela, or the story of Rama, is
enacted by professional dance companies and amateur troupes. On the
last day of the festival, young men and small boys, dressed as Rama, his
brother Lakshman, Ravana, and other players in the drama, proceed
through the streets of the community as part of a float that is sometimes
quite elaborate. Rama and Ravana engage in battle; Ravana is defeated.
Though known by different Rama over Ravana, or the orces "good" over
the forces of "evil". Large effigies of the ten-headed Ravana, the king of
Lanka who abducted Rama's wife, Sita, and was subsequently
vanquished in battle, are burnt as the sun goes down; on either side of
him are the slightly smaller effigies of Meghnada, the son of Ravana, and
Kumbhakarna, the full brother of Ravana whose name has become a
household word in India for lethargy and laziness. (It is said that
Kumbhakarna slept for six months and would then stay awake for a full
day, no doubt to replenish himself.)
Raksha Bandhan:
The annual "festival" of Raksha Bandhan, which is meant to
commemorate the abiding ties between siblings of opposite sex, usually
takes place in late August, and is marked by a very simple ceremony in
which a woman ties a rakhi — which may be a colorful thread, a simple
bracelet, or a decorative string — around the waist of her brother(s). The
word "raksha" signifies protection, and "bandhan" is an association
signifying an enduring sort of bond; and so, when a woman ties a rakhi
around the waist of her brother, she signifies her loving attachment to
him. He, likewise, recognizes the special bonds between them, and by
extending his wrist forward, he in fact extends the hand of his protection
over her. The thread-tying ceremony is sometimes preceded by the
woman conducting aarti before her brother, so that the blessings of God
may be showered upon him, and this is to the accompaniment of her
enunciation or chanting of a mantra, which may be in Sanskrit or one of
the other Indian languages.
BAKRI-ID : It is one of the Muslim festivals, the celebration of which is
enjoined in Koran and it commemorates Abraham's sacrifice of his
beloved son in obedience to God's command. Abraham having implicit
faith in God decided to offer the sacrifice. Abraham blindfolded himself
and killed his son but when he removed the bandage from his eyes,
found his son standing before him with a slain ram at the altar.
Therefore, for Bakri-Id every Muslim family is required to sacrifice a
healthy animal and distribute two-thirds of the meat among the poor. A
full grown camel, cow, goat or sheep free from disease is considered the
best offering with a short prayer which is an absolute surrendering of the
soul and acknowledging the greatness of Allah.
ID-I-Milad :
The prophet was born on the twelfth day of the third month of the
Muslim year and his death anniversary also falls on the same date.
During the twelve days of sickness of the Prophet which ended in his
death, sermons are delivered in mosques by learned men. Also a
ceremony known as the "Sandal Rite" is performed over the symbolic
foot-prints of the Prophet in stone, kept in some households or mosques.
A replica of Burag, the horse on which the Prophet is believed to have
ascended to heaven is kept near the foot-prints and is anointed with
Sandal Paste. And the casket of foot-prints are decorated and illuminated.
The twelfth day, which is the URS proper is observed quietly and spent
in prayers and alms-giving.
SHAB-I-BARAT:
This feast is held either on the thirteenth or on the fourteenth day of the
eighth month of the Muslim year. It is a nocturnal observance as the
fortunes of all mortals for the coming year are to be registered in heaven
during the night. Fatiha, which means blessings are recited over the food
and the sweet dishes in the name of the Prophet, his daughter Fatima and
her husband Ali.
RAMZAN ID:
This is perhaps, the gayest of the Muslim festivals. It comes at the end of
the Muslim month of Ramzan during which every devout Muslim fasts
by day and eats only at night. It is celebrated on the day following the
appearance of the New Moon at the end of Ramzan and in the evening
anxious crowds are seen watching the fading light of the western sky for
a trace of the moon.
The Ramzan fast, observed during the whole month begins daily from
the time the first streak of daylight is observed on the horizon till
nightfall when the stars become clearly visible. During the day even
drinking water is prohibited but food is permitted to be eaten at night.
Muslims spent the day in reading the Koran.
The odd nights of the last ten days of Ramzan are known as Lailut-ul-
Kadar or "the nights of power", as the Koran is believed to have
descended from heaven on one of these nights. The actual date and time
of the event is known only to Allah and the Prophet who did not reveal it
to his followers. On this night, the whole of creation is believed to low
down mysteriously in praise of Allah.
Community prayer, generally held in an open space is the most important
part in Ramzan Id celebrations. Every Muslim is commanded by Koran
to offer Id prayer with his breathern in full faith. As the congregation
becomes too unwieldy to be accommodated in a mosque spacious
grounds are selected for Community Prayers. It is required that every
Muslim gives alms to the poor and dresses in clean clothes before
attending the public prayer.
The Fitr or alms must be a minimum of two kilos and a half of wheat or
any other grain, dates or grapes. Thus every member of a Muslim
household is under religious obligation to give this Fitr or alms before
proceeding to the ground where Id Prayer or Community Ibadat is
arranged.
After the distribution of alms the congregation proceeds to the house of
the Kazi who is a Muslim religious official or some other learned and
pious man who is detailed to lead the Ibadat and then the Kazi is
conducted to the place of worship.
After the Ibadat or prayer is over, a sermon is delivered for an hour or so.
The preacher then offers extempore supplementary prayers which are
known as `Munajat' to the Almighty Allah for the welfare of the Muslim
faith, remission of sins for all Muslims, for the safety of pilgrims and
travellers, for the recovery of the sick, for timely rain, preservation from
misfortune and freedom from indebtedness. He then comes down from
the pulpit, kneels on a prayer carpet to do "NAMAZ" supplication on
behalf of the people. The congregation at the end of each prayer , rises up
and ejaculates "Faith"- Din.
After the ritual prayers, the assembled people conduct the Kazi back to
his house and the people who had accompanied him to house take leave
of him.
People spend the rest of the day in feasting, visiting friends and relatives
and going to the fairs which are held in open spaces for the sale of toys
and trinkets. Children also enjoy themselves to their hearts content in
these fairs.
Muslims firmly believe that those who neither give alms freely nor take
part in the Community prayers nor observe Ramzan Id as prescribed by
religion, remain suspended after death between heaven and earth.
Ramzan Id is an occasion for a general expression of goodwill and
friendship.
Even those who are dead are not excluded from the benefit of this Id. So
it is a prevalent custom in certain parts of India for the living
wife of a Muslim to offer new clothes and finery to a former dead wife in
a small ceremony which is known by the name -"SAUKAN MAURA" -
which literally means first wife's crown. Greeting cards printed with "Id
Mubarak" which is also the greetings for this Id festival are sent to
friends and relatives also when friends meet they greet each other saying
"Id Mubarak".
Indian Art
Architecture
One of the most enduring achievements of Indian civilization is
undoubtedly its architecture, which extends to a great deal more than the
Taj Mahal or the temple complexes of Khajuraho and Vijayanagara.
Though the Indus Valley sites of Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Lothal
provide substantial evidence of extensive town planning, the beginnings
of Indian architecture are more properly to be dated to the advent of
Buddhism in India, in the reign of Ashoka (c. 270-232), and the
construction of Buddhist monasteries and stupas. Buddhist architecture
was predominant for several centuries, and there are few remains of
Hindu temples from even late antiquity. Among the many highlights of
Buddhist art and architecture are the Great Stupa at Sanchi and the rock-
cut caves at Ajanta.
Many other architectures of importance are:
Ajanta, Buddhist Architecture, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram,
South Indian Architecture, Khajuraho, Orissan Architecture, Mughal
Architecture, Fatehpur Sikri, Taj Mahal, Fort Architecture, Stepwells
Dance
There are many types of dance in India, from those which are deeply
religious in content to those which are danced on more trivial happy
occasions. Classical dances of India are usually always spiritual in
content, although this is often true also of Folk dances.
The classical dances are Kathakali and Mohini Attam from Kerala.
Bharata Natyam from Tamil Nadu.Kuchipudi from Andhra Pradesh
Odissi from Orissa ,Kathak from Uttar Pradesh, Manipuri from Manipur
Folk Dances:Dumhal of Kashmir ,Bihu of Assam ,Brita or Vrita of West
Bengal ,Dalkhai of Orissa,Hikat of Himachal Pradesh
Heroes of India
Gandhiji’s life was dedicated to the ideals of
Truth, Non-violence and Love. 'The Bhagavad Gita is
my mother,' he once said;and the name of Sri Rama
was his shield. He was the architect of India's freedom
and one of the greatest men of this century.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (29th Couplet)
Described by British as "The Father of Indian Unrest "
Tilak was born on 23.07.1856. His slogan, "Swaraj (Self
Rule) is my birthright", inspired millions of Indians. His
book "Geetarahasya"a classic treatise on Geeta in
Marathi was written by him, in prison at Mandalay.Great
journalist- editor, an authority on Vedas, Sanskrit
Scholar, mathematician and a natural leader of India.
Died 01.08.1920 "Swaraj is our birthright,"
thundered Tilak, the Lion of India.He founded schools
and published newspapers, all for his motherland.
countrymen.
Bhagat Singh : He is the symbol of the heroism of the
youth of India. A revolutionary He threw a bomb when
the Legislature was in session to warn the British
Government. He was put to death but lives in the hearts
of his countrymen.
Ramaprasad Bismil:A brave revolutionary who gave up his
life smilingly for the sake of the Motherland. He was
persecuted by an enraged foreign government, hunted by
the police and betrayed by follow workers. And yet he lit
the fire of revolution to burn down the slavery.He was
the brave leader of the Kakori Rail Dacoity episode. His
poetry is also a lamp lighted at the altar of the Mother
land.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of
Independent India and architect of India's foreign policy,
grew from a anglicized child into a dedicated nationalist
par excellence.
• Rabindranath Tagore was born into a
distinguished Bengali family in
Calcutta, West Bengal on 1861.In 1901
he founded the famous Shantiniketan
near Calcutta. This was designed to
provide a traditional ashram and
Western education. He began with 5
pupils and 5 teachers (three of whom
were Christian). His ideals were
simplicity of living and the cultivation
of beauty.
• Lala Lajpat Rai :A great national leader
who came to be called the 'Lion of
Punjab.' Worked tire- lessly to improve
education, to promote unity among
Hindus and to reform society.
Madan Mohana Malaviya :The founder of Benares
Hindu University. His boyhood was spent in utter
poverty. By his scholarship, pure life and selflessness he
won such respect that he collected more than thirteen
million rupees for the University. He was the tireless
exponent of the greatness of India and her culture.
Raja Rammohan Roy has come to be called the ‘Maker of
Modern India’. Without giving up what was good and
noble in the past, he laid the foundations for a great future.
He put an end to the horrible custom of burning the living
wife with the dead husband. He was a great scholar and an
independent thinker. He advocated the study of English,
Science, Western Medicine and Technology. He spent his
money on a college to promote these studies.
Dr.M.VISVESVARAYA :One of the makers of modern
India. 'MV' was a genius. Perfectly honest and devoted to
his work, he set new standards of efficiency. This is the
story of a poor boy that became the Grand Old Man of
India.
Dr.C.V. Raman: The genius who won the Nobel Prize for
Physics, with simple equipment barely worth RS. 300. He
was the first Asian scientist to win the Nobel Prize. He was
a man of boundless curiosity and a lively sense of humor.
His spirit of inquiry and devotion to science laid the
foundations for scientific research in India. And he won
honor as a scientist and affection as a teacher and a man.
Jhansi Lakshmi Bhai: The great heroine of the First war of
India Freedom. She lived for only twenty-two years. She
became a widow in her eighteenth year. Jhansi, of which she
was the queen, was in the grip of the cunning, cruel British.
She was the embodiment of patriotism, self-respect and
heroism. She was the queen of a small state, but the empress
of a limitless empire of glory.
Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) was the only child of
Kamla and Jawaharlal Nehru. Mrs.. Indira Gandhi was
the Prime Minister of India from1966-77 and 1980-
84. Mrs.. Gandhi acquired a formidable international
reputation as a "statesman", and there is no doubt that
she was extraordinarily skilled in politics. She was
prone, like many other politicians, to thrive on
slogans, and one -- Garibi Hatao, "Remove Poverty" -
- became the rallying cry for one of her election
campaigns.
Women in India
India has always been a relentless champion of the cause of women at all
international and national fora. The policy makers realise that real
development cannot take roots if it bypasses women, who represent the
very kernel around which social change must take shape. The past few
years have seen unprecedented changes in the political, diplomatic,
economic and ideological spheres, but certain quiet but perhaps more far
reaching developments have also taken roots. From growth to growth
with equity, from routine delivery of services to people's participation,
from economic development to human development and from services
endowment to empowerment, the paradigms of development have
certainly come a long way.The development of women in India - who
according to the 1991 census represent 48.1 per cent of the country's
population - has occupied the centre-stage in our development planning
since independence. However, it was in 1980s that women were
recognised as a separate target group and given their rightful place in
developmental planning by including a separate chapter viz.,
'Women and Development' in the Sixth Plan Document (1980-85). This
marked the final breakaway from a welfare approach to women's
problems in the earlier years. Since then, all efforts of the government
have been directed towards bringing women into the mainstream of the
national development process by raising their overall status -social,
economic, political and legal - at par with that of men.
Conflict with Pakistan over Kashmir
The first test for the Indian armed forces came shortly after independence
with the first Indo-Pakistani conflict (1947-48). The military was called
upon to defend the borders of the state of Jammu and Kashmir when
tribals--principally Pathans--attacked from the northwest reaches of
Kashmir on October 22, 1947. India's 161st Infantry Brigade was
deployed and thwarted the advance of the tribal forces. In early
November 1947, the 161st counterattacked and successfully broke
through the enemy defenses. Despite early successes, the Indian army
suffered a setback in December because of logistical problems. The
problems enabled the forces of Azad Kashmir (Free Kashmir, as the part
of Kashmir under Pakistani control is called) to take the initiative
and force the Indian troops to retreat from the border areas. In the spring
of 1948, the Indian side mounted another offensive to retake some of the
ground that it had lost. No doubt fearing that the war might move into
Pakistan proper, regular units of the Pakistani army became more
actively involved.
As the conflict escalated, the Indian leadership was quick to recognize
that the war could not be brought to a close unless Pakistani support for
the Azad Kashmir forces could be stopped. Accordingly, on the
advice of Governor General Earl Louis Mountbatten (Britain's last
viceroy in India in 1947 and governor general of India, 1947-48), the
Indian government sought United Nations (UN) mediation of the conflict
on December 31, 1947. There was some opposition to this move within
the cabinet by those who did not agree with referring the Kashmir
dispute to the UN. The UN mediation process brought the war to a close
on January 1, 1949. In all, 1,500 soldiers died on each side during the
war.
The second Indo-Pakistani conflict (1965) was also fought over Kashmir
and started without a formal declaration of war. It is widely accepted that
the war began with the infiltration of Pakistani-controlled guerrillas into
Indian Kashmir on about August 5, 1965. Skirmishes with Indian forces
started as early as August 6 or 7.
The first major engagement between the regular armed
forces of the two sides took place on August 14. The next day, Indian
forces scored a major victory after a prolonged artillery
barrage and captured three important mountain positions in the northern
sector. Later in the month, the Pakistanis counterattacked,
moving concentrations near Tithwal, Uri, and Punch. Their move, in
turn, provoked a powerful Indian thrust into Azad Kashmir.
Other Indian forces captured a number of strategic mountain positions
and eventually took the key Haji Pir Pass, eight kilometers
inside Pakistani territory.
The Indian gains led to a major Pakistani counterattack on September 1
in the southern sector, in Punjab, where Indian forces
were caught unprepared and suffered heavy losses. The sheer strength of
the Pakistani thrust, which was spearheaded by seventy
tanks and two infantry brigades, led Indian commanders to call in air
support. Pakistan retaliated on September 2 with its own air
strikes in both Kashmir and Punjab.
The war was at the point of stalemate when the UN Security Council
unanimously passed a resolution on September 20 that called for a cease-
fire. New Delhi accepted the cease-fire resolution on September 21 and
Islamabad on September 22, and the war ended on September 23. The
Indian side lost 3,000 while the Pakistani side suffered
3,800 battlefield deaths. The Soviet-brokered Tashkent Declaration was
signed on January 10, 1966. It required that both sides withdraw by
February 26, 1966, to positions held prior to August 5, 1965, and observe
the cease-fire line agreed to on June 30, 1965.
The origins of the third Indo-Pakistani conflict (1971) were different
from the previous conflicts. The Pakistani failure to accommodate
demands for autonomy in East Pakistan in 1970 led to secessionist
demands in 1971 (see The Rise of Indira Gandhi, ch. 1). In March 1971,
Pakistan's armed forces launched a fierce campaign to suppress the
resistance movement.
But they encountered unexpected mass defections among East Pakistani
soldiers and police. The Pakistani forces regrouped and reasserted their
authority over most of East Pakistan by May.
As a result of these military actions, thousands of East Pakistanis died at
the hands of the Pakistani army. Resistance fighters and nearly 10 million
refugees fled to sanctuary in West Bengal, the adjacent Indian state. By
midsummer, the Indian leadership, in the absence of a political solution
to the East Pakistan crisis, had fashioned a strategy designed to assist the
establishment of the independent nation of Bangladesh. As part of this
strategy, in August 1971, India signed a twenty-year Treaty of Peace,
Friendship, and Cooperation with the Soviet Union. One of the treaty's
clauses implied that each nation was expected to come to
the assistance of the other in the event of a threat to national security
such as that occurring in the 1965 war with Pakistan.
Simultaneously, India organized, trained, and provided sanctuary to the
Mukti Bahini (meaning Liberation Force in Bengali), the
East Pakistani armed resistance fighters.
Unable to deter India's activities in the eastern sector, on December 3,
1971, Pakistan launched an air attack in the western sector
on a number of Indian airfields, including Ambala in Haryana, Amritsar
in Punjab, and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. The attacks did not
succeed in inflicting substantial damage. The Indian air force retaliated
the next day and quickly achieved air superiority. On the ground, the
strategy in the eastern sector marked a significant departure from
previous Indian battle plans and tactics, which had emphasized set-piece
battles and slow advances. The strategy adopted was a swift, three-
pronged assault of nine infantry divisions with attached armored units
and close air support that rapidly converged on Dhaka, the capital of East
Pakistan. Lieutenant General Sagat Singh, who commanded the eighth,
twenty-third, and fifty-seventh divisions, led the Indian
thrust into East Pakistan. As these forces attacked Pakistani formations,
the Indian air force rapidly destroyed the small air contingent in East
Pakistan and put the Dhaka airfield out of commission. In the meantime,
the Indian navy effectively blockaded East Pakistan. Dhaka fell to
combined Indian and Mukti Bahini forces on December 16, bringing a
quick end to the war.
Action in the western sector was divided into four segments, from the
cease-fire line in Jammu and Kashmir to the marshes of the
Rann of Kutch in northwestern Gujarat. On the evening of December 3,
the Pakistani army launched ground operations in Kashmir and Punjab. It
also started an armored operation in Rajasthan. In Kashmir, the
operations were concentrated on two key points, Punch and Chhamb.
The Chhamb area witnessed a particularly intense battle where the
Pakistanis forced the Indians to withdraw from their positions. In other
parts of Kashmir, the Indians made some small gains along the cease-fire
line. The major Indian counteroffensive came in the Sialkot-Shakargarh
area south and west of Chhamb. There, two Pakistani tank regiments,
equipped with United States-made Patton tanks, confronted the Indian
First Armored Corps, which had British Centurion tanks. In what proved
to be the largest tank battle of the war, both sides suffered considerable
casualties.
Though the Indian conduct of the land war on the western front was
somewhat timid, the role of the Indian air force was both
extensive and daring. During the fourteen-day war, the air force's
Western Command conducted some 4,000 sorties. There was
little retaliation by Pakistan's air force, partly because of the paucity of
non-Bengali technical personnel. Additionally, this lack of
retaliation reflected the deliberate decision of the Pakistan Air Force
headquarters to conserve its forces because of heavy losses
incurred in the early days of the war.
The Kargil Conflict With Pakistan
Pakistan Military aim for carrying out the intrusions was
based on following considerations:-
(a) Exploit large gaps which exist in the defences in the
sector both on Indian and Pak side of the Line of Control
(LOC). The terrain is extremely rugged with very few
tracks leading from the main roads towards the LOC.
During winters the area gets very heavy snow fall making
movements almost impossible.
(b) Zoji La Pass normally opens by end May / beginning
June, thus moving of reinforcements by surface means
from Srinagar is not possible till then. Pak calculated that
even if the intrusions were discovered in early May, as it
was, Indian Army reaction would be slow and limited,
thereby allowing him to consolidate the intrusions more
effectively.
In the event, however, Zoji La was opened for troops
induction in early May itself.
(c) The intrusions, if effective, would enable Pak troops to
secure number of dominating heights from where the
Road Srinagar-Leh could be interdicted at number of
places, which was the plan.The intrusion would also draw
in and tie down own reserves.Give Pak control over
substantial piece of ground across LOC and enable her to
negotiate from a position of strength.
(d) Alter the status of LOC
Use of Militants: Some numbers of militants from
Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Ansar and afghan War
veterans were also grouped with each battalion to give it
a facade of "jihad". After the intrusion 800 or more
militants have been brought to Skardu Area for further
reinforcements.
Artillery Support: Pak artillery numbering 20 batteries
were to provide fire support to the intruding groups from
Pak side of LOC. This ensured that each intrusion had the
support of three to four batteries. Observation post
officers from Pak Army were also grouped along with line
and radio communication.
Execution of Plan
The plan having been finalized was put into action
towards the end of April. The main groups were broken
into a number of smaller sub groups of 30 to 40 each for
carrying out multiple intrusions along the ridge lines and
occupy dominating heights. The intrusions were in four
main sub sector as under:-
(a) Batalik - 250 Numbers approximately
(b) Kaksar - 100 Numbers approximately
(c) Dras - 250 Numbers approximately
(d) Mushko Nullah - 200-300 Numbers approximately
Logistics: Logistic support was carried out by soldiers
from within each battalion and militants. The route for
supply is along ridge lines and Nullahs.
Reserves: After the plan had been implemented, Pak
moved approximately a brigade worth of troops into
FCNA to re-create reserves.
Obfuscation Attempts
There has been a systematic and consistent effort by the
Pak Government to obfuscate the issue. As directed by
the Pak COAS, the Foreign Minister of Pak Sartaj Aziz
spoke in different languages without any substance. The
shifting stand of Pak since then has been on following
lines:-
(a) LOC is delineated but not demarcated. This is the
most brazen attempt towards obfuscation. The line while
not marked on the ground is clearly identified by both the
Armies and has remained so for last 27 years.
(b) Pak Army has been in occupation of these heights for
a long time.
(c) The intrusion of the LOC is not by Pak Army but by
militants over which Pak has on control.
(d) Pak Army is fighting in Dras and Kargil Sectors.
These statements are consistent in their contradictions.
Bodies of Pak soldiers with identification papers bring out
the lie vividly.
The LOC is also marked on Pak maps as it is on Indian
ones. A captured map of Pak Army recovered in Dras
sector clearly shows the alignment of LOC.
Indian Resolve
As events unfolded, the Zoji La Pass opened early and
Indian reaction was far swifter than Pak expected.
Further Pak did not expect the reaction of Indian
Government and the Army to be as vigorous as has
manifested. We do not think Pak while starting on the
venture reckoned the level of Indian resolve in their
calculations.
Indians in America
For more information on Indians in USA please go to the web site
www.indianembassy.org and click on the link for Indian Americans.
A few highlights of Indians in US:
There are now more than 1.5 million peoples of
Indian origin in America. They reflect the multi-ethnic,
multi-religious and multi-lingual society of India.
Indian Americans are represented in many fields
including academics and entrepreneurs, doctors and
lawyers, engineers and financiers.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Indian
American median family income is $60,093 as
against the national median family income of $38,
885. The high income clearly reflects the advanced
educational levels achieved by the community.
More than 87% of Indians in America have completed
high school while at least 62% have some college
education. As much as 58% of Indian Americans over
the age of 25 hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
High levels of education have also enabled Indian
Americans to become a productive segment of the U. S.
population, with 72.3% participating in the work force.
Of these work force participants, 43.6% are employed
in managerial and professional specialties.
Technical, sales, and administrative support
occupations constitute another 33.2% of the work force.
The remaining 23.3% of the population works in other
areas, such as operators, fabricators, laborers and
precision production. More than 5,000 Indian Americans
today serve as faculty members in institutions of higher
education in the U. S.
About 300,000 Indian Americans work in technology
firms in California’s Silicon Valley. They account for
more than 15%[i] of high-tech startups in that region.
The median income of Indian Americans in that region
is estimated to be $125,000 (average $200,000)[ii] a
year. Two Indian Americans - Har Gobind Khorana of
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and late
Subrahmanyan Chandrashekhar of University of
Chicago - have been awarded the Nobel Prize, in
medicine and physics respectively.
In deed, the NASA's premier X-ray observatory was
named the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the
late Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Known to the world
as Chandra, he was widely regarded as one of the
foremost astrophysicists of the twentieth century. The
observatory was launched into space in July 1999.
Dr. Kalpana Chawla added a new chapter to the history
of the Indian American community. In 1997, She became
the first Indian or Indian American to fly in the US space
shuttle. She was part of the Space Shuttle Columbia
Flight STS-87.
The estimated annual buying power of Indian Americans
in the United States is around $ 20 billion.
Indian Americans are increasingly beginning to take a
more direct role in political activities. They have
traditionally exercised the most political influence through
their campaign contributions, and are actively involved in
fundraising efforts for political candidates on the federal,
state and local levels.
As a result of these activities, together with the growing
commercial interest in investment in India, the India
caucus in the House of Representatives now numbers
118.
[i] Anna Lee Saxenian
Professor of Regional Development
Department of City and Regional Planning
University of California, Berkeley
Based on her report - " Silicon Valley's New Immigrant
Entrepreneurs"
[ii] Rafiq Dossani
Consulting Professor, Asia/Pacific Research Center
Stanford University, CA
Specifically based on his presentation at the Center for Strategic
& International Studies in Washington, DC during February 2000.
A few links to various information about India
www.airindia.com (Air India home page)
www.air.kode.net (All India Radio - Home Page)
www.nic.in (Govt of India links)
www.hindustantimes.com (Newpaper link)
www.mapsofindia.com (maps of India0
www.in.yahoo.com (Yahoo! India)
www.indianembassy.org/ (Indian Embassy in D.C)
www.indiayellowpages.com/ (India Yellow Pages)
http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html (Country Study by library of
congress)
Portal Sites For India: www.1india.com
www.indiaworld.com
www.indiaserver.com
www.indolink.com
www.mahesh.com
www.indiaifo.com
www.rediff.com
www.sify.com
www.aia.com
http://www.itihaas.com (History of India:)
http://www.indiaparenting.com/stories/greatindians/index.shtml (links to
great people of india.)
NGO:
AID - Association for India's Development: www.aidindia.org
ASHA An action group for basic education in India.:www.ashanet.org
CRY - Child Relief and You www.cry.org:
SAMUHA Working with people to improve the www.samuha.org
quality of life.
India Network Foundation www.indnet.org
South Asian Journalists Association www.saja.org
Maharishi Programmes in India www.maharishi-india.org
Army in Kashmir: http://www.armyinkashmir.org/
Bibliographic Sources: http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/india/in_bibl.html
A Few Sights Of India
Taj Mahal
Corbett National Park
Founded in 1935 by the British, Corbett National Park is
the oldest national park in India. One of two tiger
reserves in Uttar Pradesh, this breathtaking park rests
along the Ramganga river and clutches the Himalayan
foothills.Though it is most famous for the tigers it
harbors, it is also an excellent place to see elephant and
is home to an enormous variety of bird species.
Dances of Kashmir
Classical Dances
The Himalayas
Art
Sculptures