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New IPL Schedule 2009 from Max

2009-04-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Day	Date	Time	Match
Sat	18th Apr 2009	2 PM	Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings
Sat	18th Apr 2009	7 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Sun	19th Apr 2009	2 PM	Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab
Sun	19th Apr 2009	7 PM	Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Mon	20th Apr 2009	7 PM	Chennai Super Kings Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Tue	21st Apr 2009	3 PM	Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Tue	21st Apr 2009	7:30 PM	Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians
Wed	22nd Apr 2009	7 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Deccan Chargers
Thu	23rd Apr 2009	3 PM	Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Darevils
Thu	23rd Apr 2009	7:30 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals
Fri	24th Apr 2009	7 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab
Sat	25th Apr 2009	3 PM	Mumbai Indians vs Decan Chargers
Sat	25th Apr 2009	7:30 PM	Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Sun	26th Apr 2009	3 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Daredevils
Sun	26th Apr 2009	7:30 PM	Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals
Mon	27th Apr 2009	3 PM	Deccan Chargers vs Chennai Super Kings
Mon	27th Apr 2009	7:30 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians
Tue	28th Apr 2009	7 PM	Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals
Wed	29th Apr 2009	3 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Wed	29th Apr 2009	7:30 PM	Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians
Thu	30th Apr 2009	3 PM	Deccan Chargers vs Delhi Daredevils
Thu	30th Apr 2009	7:30 PM	Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings
Fri	1st May 2009	3 PM	Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Fri	1st May 2009	7:30 PM	Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Sat	2nd May 2009	3 PM	Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals
Sat	2nd May 2009	7:30 PM	Delhi Daredevils vs Chennai Super Kings
Sun	3rd May 2009	3 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab
Sun	3rd May 2009	7:30 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians
Mon	4th May 2009	7 PM	Chennai Super Kings vs Deccan Chargers
Tue	5th May 2009	3 PM	Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab
Tue	5th May 2009	7:30 PM	Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Wed	6th May 2009	7 PM	Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians
Thu	7th May 2009	3 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals
Thu	7th May 2009	7:30 PM	Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings
Fri	8th May 2009	7 PM	Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians
Sat	9th May 2009	3 PM	Deccan Chargers vs Kings XI Punjab
Sat	9th May 2009	7:30 PM	Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals
Sun	10th May 2009	3 PM	Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Sun	10th May 2009	7:30 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils
Mon	11th May 2009	7 PM	Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers
Tue	12th May 2009	3 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Tue	12th May 2009	7:30 PM	Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab
Wed	13th May 2009	7 PM	Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers
Thu	14th May 2009	3 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings
Thu	14th May 2009	7:30 PM	Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals
Fri	15th May 2009	7 PM	Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils
Sat	16th May 2009	3 PM	Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians
Sat	16th May 2009	7:30 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers
Sun	17th May 2009	3 PM	Kings XI Punjab vs Deccan Chargers
Sun	17th May 2009	7:30 PM	Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils
Mon	18th May 2009	7 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings
Tue	19th May 2009	7 PM	Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Wed	20th May 2009	3 PM	Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Wed	20th May 2009	7:30 PM	Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab
Thu	21st May 2009	3 PM	Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils
Thu	21st May 2009	7:30 PM	Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
Fri	22nd May 2009	7 PM	Semi Final 1
Sat	23rd May 2009	7 PM	Semi Final 2
Sun	24th May 2009	7 PM	Finals

Chak De: India beat Malaysia 3-1,in Azlan Shah Cup

2009-04-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

India pulled off a brilliant 3-1 victory over hosts Malaysia to clinch the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament here in Ipoh. It was India’s fourth Azlan Shah victory. The earlier wins had come in 1985, 91 and 95.

Arjun Halappa won the man-of-the match award and rightfully so. Arjun was brilliant on the right flank and created almost six to seven moves.
Sandeep Singh won the top scorer award with seven goals in the tournament.

For India the scorers were Arjun Halappa, Prabhjot Singh and Shivender Singh. For Malaysia the goal came through Azlan Misron.

After an indifferent tournament with some dreary draws and tough wins, India for the first time played without a cluttered mind. They were creative in the midfield and a special word of praise for Gurbaz Singh who initially tore apart the Malaysian defence with his breathtaking moves on the right flank. It was later that Ignace, Sardara and Arjun dominated the Indian midfield.

Dilip Tirkey playing his 406th match was his old self. Rarely did he lose a ball or missed a tackle and in the second half, he snatched a ball away from Malaysia’s Kelvinder Singh and on the line dribbled past three Malaysian forwards to clear it. It would be a win that Dilip would remember forever.

Malaysia seemed to have learnt their lessons well from the 0-3 defeat to India in the league phase. They attacked from the word go, using both the flanks and a sturdy midfield propped it up well. India was rattled in the initial minutes as the defence found itself stretched. After the first five minutes, India settled down, killed the pace of the game and started their own build-up.

It was a Tushar Khandekar move that set up the opening goal. Tushar picked up the ball in the midfield and sent Arjun Hallappa through. Arjun’s pass found an overlapping Prabhjot who cut past two defenders and gave the ball back to Arjun on the left flank. Arjun’s tap towards the goal went in off Malaysian defender Baljit Singh’s stick for India to lead 1-0.

Malaysia refused to be drawn into their own defensive shell. They came out and took the game to the Indians attacking with zest and fervour. The reward came in the 11th minute when a goalmouth melee saw Azlan Misron crack the ball into the Indian goal as the packed Azlan Shah stadium came alive with the beating of drums.

Malaysia earned their first penalty corner a minute later and Sandeep Singh was struck on the wrist by the flick. Sandeep was off the pitch for five minutes as he needed an ice pack and came back with his wrist bandaged.
The counter-attacking continued from both the sides. Gurbaz was the fulcrum for India as he made stunning moves from the right flank, overlapping constantly and giving the Malaysian defence a torrid time.

With Ignace moving to the central midfield, India started to mount dangerous moves. In the 20th minute, Ignace gave a through to Gurbaz on the right whose shot cut through the Malaysian defence and found Prabhjot whose tap entered goal. India led 2-1.

The scoreline could have easily been up another goal in the 29th minute when after a Malaysian defence lapse, Prabhjot had the ball and ample space to take a hard shot but the ball sped past the post.

The Indian attacks continued as Ignace, Gurbaz and Sardara Singh turned on the power in the midfield. India earned their first penalty corner in the 31st minute but Sandeep’s flick went wide off the mark. With two minutes left for the break, Tushar’s cracking shot from the right flank was missed by both Shivender and Prabhjot.
At the break, India led 2-1.

Malaysia had a super opportunity in the 39th minute when Sandeep Singh made an error while passing and gave it away to Azlan Misron with only the goalkeeper Baljit Singh behind him. Baljit charged out and made a brilliant save diving to the right to swat the ball away.

Two minutes later India attacked on the right flank as Arjun Hallappa raced down and his reverse shot was taken on the pads by the Malaysian goalkeeper. But Shivender picked up the rebound and in a flash shot in for India to lead 3-1.

Any other opponent would have probably caved in under the sheer pressure of the Indian midfield but Malaysia showed enormous courage and counter-attacking power to keep the Indian defence constantly back-pedaling.

Another attack into the Indian half gave Malaysia their second penalty corner but Baljit Singh saved by diving to his right and deflecting the ball away.

Malaysia had a chance to cut the scores down when Pakistan umpire Zulfiqar Haidar gave a penalty corner even when it was clear that the ball had been cleanly stopped by Prabodh Tirkey on the stick. But Baljit again saved the Malaysian flick by taking the ball on the glove and deflecting it.

The Indian team did a lap of honour and carried Dilip Tirkey off the field, dedicating this Azlan Shah victory to the veteran defender who was playing his 406th match.

India held the ball in the remaining minutes rotating the pass around the midfield and creating moves on the flanks as time ran out on the Malaysians.

India beat Pakistan 2-1 in Azlan Shah hockey tournament

2009-04-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Apr 11, Ipoh (Malaysia), Skipper Sandeep Singh scored two goals as India pipped arch-rivals Pakistan 2-1 in a do-or-die round robin match to enter the final of the five-nation Azlan Shah hockey tournament here today.
Sandeep, leading goal scorer for his side in the tournament, continued his rich form and struck twice in the 28th and 60th minutes to seal the victory for the Indians in the crucial tie at the Azlan Shah Stadium.

For Pakistan, Mohamed Saqlain reduced the margin in the 50th minute.

With this win, India sealed their place in tomorrow's final with eight points in their kitty and will take on hosts Malaysia in the summit clash.

Malaysia drew 1-1 with New Zealand in the last round robin match.

Sandeep led from the front in the crucial encounter against the traditional rivals, sounding the board on either side of the break and then ensuring that India does not succumb to their perennial habit of conceding late goals.

After 28 minutes of mid-field scramble by both the sides, India finally took the lead through Sandeep from a penalty stroke to go into the breather with a 1-0 lead.

Guinness World Record: Eating the world's hottest chilli in two minutes

2009-04-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

A new benchmark has been set for eating the world's hottest chilli in two minutes. An Indian mother has broken the Guinness World Record after eating 51 Ghost Chillis, the world's hottest chilli in two minutes.

The feat was accomplished in front of British chef Gordon Ramsay who could not manage to eat one. The woman, Anandita Dutta Tamuly, 26, said she felt terrible as she managed to eat 60 in a previous local event.

Anandita Dutta Tamuly completed her eye-watering feat in two minutes, to the astonishment of Gordon Ramsay, who was monitoring her record attempt.
Anandita Dutta Tamuly And for some inexplicable reason, 26-year-old Mrs Tamuly then went on to smear handfuls of seeds from the fiery bhut jolokia chillies into her eyes as the crowds gasped in horror.
Bhut Jolokia (capsicum frutescens), a chilli native to Assam, is recognised by the Guinness World Records as the world’s hottest chilli pepper.

The discovery by Paul Bosland, a Regents Professor in horticulture at New Mexico State University, was recognised by the Guinness World Records in a testimony saying Bhut Jolokia, belonging to the Capsicum Chinese family and native to Assam, was the hottest of all spices.

The ten rupee coin would soon become available in the market

2009-04-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

Much awaited India's first ever bimetallic Rupees 10 coin is now issued and available for sale on some auction websites, but the rate of this coin is very high in comparison to its denomination due to the uncertain number of issued coins. Some coin sellers claims that this coin is a limited edition. But official information is not yet available on number of mintage but some sources indicates that around 25 million coins of Rupee 10/- issued in this fiscal. A recent press release from Reserve Bank of India mentioned that there will be two themes of Rupees 10 coins

1. Unity in Diversity
2. Connectivity and Information technology

Details of New Issue

* Metal : Outer Ring - Aluminum and Bronze , Inner Ring : Nickel and Copper
* Denomination : Rupees 10 /-
* Weight : 7.71 gms
* Diameter(Outer) : 27 mm
* Theme : Unity in Diversity
* Year : 2006 as on Coin
* Obverse : Ashoka's Lion Capitol and Denomination(in Figures) in Center , Year 2006 below it.
Reverse : Cross and Denomination in Words

Coins can be issued up to the denomination of Rs.1000 as per the Coinage Act, 1906.

MS Dhoni: captain and wicketkeeper of Wisden's inaugural Test XI

2009-04-09T02:00:00.000-07:00

For the first time, Wisden has selected a Test XI, which recognises the best Test cricketers and endorses Test cricket as the highest, most skilled form of the game.

The criteria for selection were: the best 11 to play a Test match, no matter the opposition, guided by performances in 2008, and taking into consideration the amount of Test cricket they played in the year, the quality of their opponents and that indefinable blend of class and form.

The selectors were Ian Bishop, the fast bowler who played 43 Tests for West Indies; Ravi Shastri, who played 80 Tests for India, initially as a left-arm spinner and later as an opening batsman; and Ian Smith, who kept wicket for New Zealand in 63 Tests. Shastri and Smith also captained their countries briefly, while Bishop regularly led Trinidad & Tobago. All three now watch cricket around the world as television commentators.

Unlike other selection panels, this one is an open forum and we can see the reasoning. In the case of six players, the selectors were unanimous. In three cases, there was a 2-1 majority. In the other two, the three selectors each voted for a different player and the editor - as convener of the panel - had the casting vote.

Sadly, Pakistan did not play a Test match during the whole year, which ruled their players out of consideration.

The opening pair were unanimously agreed to be Virender Sehwag and Graeme Smith, the two leading Test run-scorers of 2008. Sehwag was also named Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for the year.

Forbes: The 100 Most Powerful Women #99 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

2009-04-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Chairman and managing director, Biocon

Trained in Australia as a brewer, she founded Biocon in 1978 to make industrial enzymes with a small Irish company, Biocon Biochemicals. Now a top-20 global biotech company, Biocon makes drugs, including insulin and anti-cancer treatments, and its chairman is the dean of India's rapidly growing biotech industry. Donates half of her dividends to fund hospitals and a health insurance program for poor villagers. Has won the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors.

Forbes: The 100 Most Powerful Women #59 Mayawati Kumari

2009-04-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Chief minister, Uttar Pradesh

In the running to be prime minister, from her perch as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state. In 1995, at 39, she was the youngest politician elected to the post and was also the first Dalit (India's lowest, "untouchable" caste) to head a state government. Commands a large following and goes simply by Mayawati. In 2007 she shrewdly built an alliance with Brahmins, and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which she heads, has started to increase its national presence. Some say she could trail-blaze again as India's first Dalit prime minister.

Forbes: The 100 Most Powerful Women #21 Sonia Gandhi

2009-04-08T04:08:00.000-07:00

President, Indian National Congress Party

Gandhi, the Italian-born leader of India's most powerful political party, the Indian National Congress Party, has by now assumed the role of elder stateswoman. Although she
remains firmly at the head of the country's ruling party, a rising star, known by the single name Mayawati, is challenging Gandhi's position as the country's most powerful woman. Mayawati has aligned herself with the nationalist Hindu BJP party and joined its members in vociferously opposing Gandhi's party's historic agreement with the U.S. on nuclear cooperation.

Jhulan Goswami: Women's Player of the Year 2007

2009-03-31T20:32:00.000-07:00

Indian captain Jhulan Goswami speaks during the ICC Women's World Cup 2009 welcome ceremony at Luna Park on March 5, 2009 in Sydney, Australia.

Jhulan Goswami is currently the Indian Women's cricket team captain.She born 25 November 1983,in Nadia, Bengal, India.

Jhulan Goswamiis an all round cricketer who plays for the Indian national women's team, Bengal Women, East Zone Women as well as the Asia Women XI women's cricket team. On February 01, 2009, she was appointed to lead the team for the upcoming world cup.

An integral part of the team, Jhulan is noted for both her batting and bowling (right arm medium) capabilities. She has a Test bowling average of less than 20. In the 2006-07 season she guided the Indian team to first test series win in England. She bowls at an unbelievable speed of 130-135 km/h, which is even on par with the male counterparts.
She won the ICC Women's Player of the Year 2007.
She bowls with a smooth, easy run up and has formed a strong new-ball partnership with Amita Sharma. Goswami's strength lies in the fact that she generates movement off the pitch when she lands the ball on the seam and is now the fastest female bowler in the world, bowling at 120kph. Such pace seemed unlikely when she used to play tennis ball cricket with the lads as a young teen. "They asked me to stop bowling at them and just go and bat. It was then that I made up my mind to bowl fast." That she did - and she's been helped by Dennis Lillee at the MRF pace academy in Chennai.

She also has the ability to get the ball to bounce an extra bit every now and then and this surprises the best of batsmen. She plays for Air India with Mithali Raj and was named vice-captain for India's tour of England in 2006, during which she helped India to the Test series win, including their first victory against England, making a fifty as nightwatchman in the first Test at Leicester and taking her career-best match figures of 10 for 78 - 5 for 33 and 5 for 45 - in the second Test at Taunton. Such feats made her the player of the series and also recognition at the Castrol Awards in Mumbai in September, where she received a Special Award. Further to that, she won the ICC Women's Player of Year in 2007 - a year no Indian male player bagged any individual award.

Goswami had a good outing at the Quadrangular tournament in Chennai in February-March 2007 taking 11 wickets at 20.99 from seven games. After that haul she needed only four more to become the fourth woman to reach 100 wickets in ODIs and she got to the landmark in May 2007 at the Asia Cup in 2008.

She is now the second highest Indian women's wicket-taker behind Neetu David. Goswami was part of the Asia squad for the Afro-Asia tournament in India in June 2007. In October 2008 Goswami replaced Mithali Raj as the Indian captain for the tour of Australia.

picture of tradition of India

2009-03-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Smile Pinki Won the Oscar award for Best Documentary (Short)

2009-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

Smile Pinki, the tale of a Uttar Pradesh girl and her fight against the social stigma of a cleft-lip, won the Oscar award for Best Documentary (Short).

Directed by Emmy-award winning Megan Mylan, the film was shot in Mirzapur and Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh.

Elated at the victory, Mylan thanked the eight-year-old girl, who could not smile due to her cleft-lip and was teased as othkatti (one with a cut lip) for letting her tell her story.

"Thank you Pinki. Thank you for letting me tell your incredible story," said Mylan while accepting the Oscar.

Pinki then underwent a simple surgery with the help of social workers that almost changed her life.

Mylan also thanked the NGO Smile Train, which funded the surgery and Pinki's Los Angeles trip to attend the Oscars.
Mylan also thanked Dr Subodh K Singh, who performed the surgery.

Smile Pinki edged past The Final Inch, which was also shot in India and documents the struggle of polio workers as they travel from village to village to administer polio drops under the polio eradication programme of India, to win the award.

First Indian Win Two Oscar awards: A R Rahman

2009-02-25T03:04:00.000-08:00

A.R. Rahman said:
"I just want to thank again the whole crew of Slumdog Millionaire, especially Danny Boyle for giving such a great opportunity. And the whole, all the people from Mumbai. The essence of the film which is about optimism and the power of hope in the lives, and all my life I had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I'm here.
God bless."

Composer AR Rahman has created history by scooping two Oscar awards for Best Original score and Best Original song for Slumdog Millionaire.he award for Best Song ‘Jai Ho’ was shared by Rahman and renowned lyricist Gulzar.

Ressul Pookutty also walked away with the golden trophy for Best Sound Mixing.

The critically acclaimed film has also won an award for the Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Film editing each.

Danny Boyle has been honoured with the Best Director award for Slumdog Millionaire.

The Final Inch: Oscar nominated documentary

2009-02-20T23:40:00.000-08:00

The final Inch which is based on a man’s fight against polio which eventually turns global.

"The nomination of the Oscar is like a day dream to me,” says, actor, Mohammed Gulzar Saifi.

Gulzar Saifi, a polio victim has joined the race for Oscars. The resident of a non-descript part of Meerut, he appeared as the lead protagonist in the Oscar nominated documentary The Final Inch.

And with the nomination, Gulzar Saifi's life has changed. People are streaming into his home with garlands and gifts to congratulate him. His family is ecstatic.

the hero of "the final inch"Mohammed Gulzar Saifi

“This is very good news for us," says Gulzar’s relative.

Directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky, The Final Inch is a 38-minute documentary about India's effort in eradicating polio globally.

The film has been nominated for Best Documentary (Short Film) Feature at the 2009 Academy Awards. But more importantly, it has brought attention to the life of a small town man, whose life has so far been a struggle....

Smile "Pinki" : Best of Luck PINKI

2009-02-20T22:21:00.000-08:00

Smile Pinki a 39 minute short film in Hindi and Bhojpuri, directed by Emmy-nominated producer Megan Mylan has also been nominated in the 'Best Short Documentary' category.

Set in Varanasi, Smile Pinki revolves around a six-year-old girl from Mirzapur named Pinki who cannot go to school because of her cleft lips.

A simple surgery can fix her cleft lips, but instead she has to face social ostracism, until she meets Pankaj, a social worker who ensures that Pinki gets a free surgery.

Another film in the running for the 'Best Short Documentary' Oscar is The Final Inch by Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant. Once again, set in India, this documentary deals with the protagonist Muhammed Gulzar's battle with polio.

The Final Inch highlights efforts to eradicate polio in India, through his story.

Let's hope these cinematic tributes to medical and social issues in India add to the country's Oscar laurel.

"Pictures of Indian beauty" of different places

2009-02-18T00:46:00.000-08:00

Ustad Zakir Hussain : The Grammy Award winner

2009-02-12T05:29:00.000-08:00

Ustad Zakir Hussain born March 9, 1951, is a famous Grammy Award winning Indian tabla player. He is widely considered as the world's best tabla player. He has also won national as well as international awards and recognitions for his contribution to the world of music.

The Indian presence was also felt at the Grammys with tabla maestro Zakir Hussain winning in the Contemporary World Music Album category for his collaborative album Global Drum Project.

Hussain worked with Mickey Hart of the rock band Grateful Dead, Nigerian percussionist Sikiru Adepoju and Puerto Rican jazz percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo for the album.

Global Drum Project is the second collaboration between Hart and Hussain after their compilation Planet Drum which was released in 1991 and went on to win the first-ever Grammy Award in the World Music category.

First Indian Musician to Win the BAFTA award:A R Rahman

2009-02-10T04:09:00.000-08:00

After becoming the first Indian to win the Golden Globe and getting a triple Oscar nomination in two categories for the same movie, Rahman, 43, is the first Indian musician to win the BAFTA
award.

Apart from Rahman, Resul Pookutty was the other Indian to win a BAFTA Award for Best Sound editing for Slumdog Millionaire.

Rahman's composition 'Jai Ho' for British director Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog Millionaire', earned him the Critics Choice Award for Best Composer in 2008 and the Golden Globe in the category of Best Original Score.

Rahman, born in Chennai on January 6, 1966, was nominated in the Best Original Score and Best Original Song categories for two of his compositions -- 'Jai Ho' and 'O Saya' at the Oscar.

Yuki Bhambri : top ranked junior tennis player in the world.

2009-02-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

The 16-year-old Yuki took a mere 57minutes to triumph thus becoming the first Indian to win the Australian Open junior title.
Yuki Bhambri outplayed Alexandros-Ferdinandos Georgoudas of Germany 6-3, 6-1 in the final of the Australian Open junior tennis championship in Melbourne on Saturday.

He joins Ramanathan Krishnan (Wimbledon, 1954), Ramesh Krishnan (French Open and Wimbledon, 1979) and Leander Paes (Wimbledon 1990, U.S. Open 1991) to win a junior Grand Slam singles title.

Mahesh Bhupathi hugged Sania Mirza :AUSTRALIA OPEN

2009-02-02T02:27:00.000-08:00

“It obviously wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was something that had to be done. My team helped me keep positive,” said Bhupathi, after he and Sania defeated Nathalie Dechy of France and Israel’s Andy Ram 6-3, 6-1 to win their first Slam together. While this was Bhupathi’s 11th, Sania got her first. “It’s always a dream to win a Grand Slam. It makes it more special because it’s with someone that I know for so long,” said Sania
“This was my first Grand Slam final, and nerves obviously come into the picture. But I think we stepped it up after the first few games, and then suddenly we were on a roll,” she added.

The 22-year-old was playing in her first Grand Slam after surgery, and this will be a comeback to remember. In Sunday’s final, her stinging volleys left the opposition flat-footed on a few points, and her efforts were praised by her doubles partner. “I was telling Sania after the match that I’ve played with her so many times before, but the volleys today were by far the best I’ve seen her play. She’s playing after a long time, but it doesn’t surprise me at all to see how fit she is.

“Our opponents have won a Slam before, so they obviously know what they’re doing, but we came out all guns blazing from the start. I’m looking forward to playing other Slams with Sania too,” said Bhupathi.

Golden Globe Winner : A.R.Rahman

2009-01-13T00:40:00.000-08:00

Allah Rakkha Rahman won a Golden Globe award on Sunday for best musical score with "Slumdog Millionaire", is one of India's most famous Bollywood composers and has sold nearly as many albums as Madonna
His scores for a host of Indian language movies have fused global influences from hip-hop and rap to Broadway musicals and Indian folk music in a way that critics believe could help Bollywood music become more global.
Rahman, 43, wrote the music for the rags-to-riches romance of a Mumbai slum boy. The film also bagged three more Golden Globe honours for best drama, best director and best screenwriter.
It is the first time an Indian has won a Golden Globe for composing in a country whose rich classical traditions have inspired oeuvres of global music. Yet, Indian film music is mostly popular only with lovers of Bollywood.
"This means so much for Indian music," said Gulzar, acclaimed filmmaker and Bollywood lyricist, who wrote one of the "Slumdog" songs.

Allah Rakkha Rahman : "Mozart of Madras"

2009-01-13T00:25:00.000-08:00

Allah Rakkha Rahman (born January 6, 1966 as A. S. Dileep Kumar in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India) is a Golden Globe and National Film Award winning film composer, record producer and musician. His work has garnered considerable acclaim and a large global fanbase since his career scoring film began in the early 1990s.
Working in several of India's various film industries, international cinema and theatre, by 2003, Rahman, in a career spanning over a decade, has sold more than 100 million records of his film scores and soundtracks worldwide,and sold over 200 million cassettes

making him one of the world's top 10 all-time top selling recording artists.
His first venture was malayalam movie "YODHA" which was before "ROJA".His Soundtrack, "Roja" turned out to be the world's 10th best soundtrack ever, as rated by Time Magazine, USA. He will compose two Mongolian songs one Japanese song for his upcoming Malayalam/Japanese Multi-Lingual movie Nairsan starring Jackie Chan & Mohanlal & also traditional songs. His acclaimed music compositions have led TIME Magazine to declare him the "Mozart of Madras" and several Tamil commentators have given him the title.

chandrayaan - objectives

2008-12-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

The stated scientific objectives of the mission are:
To design, develop, launch and orbit a spacecraft around the Moon using an Indian-made launch vehicle.
Conduct scientific experiments using instruments on-board the spacecraft which will yield the following results:
Preparation of a three-dimensional atlas (with high spatial and altitude resolution of 5-10 m) of both the near and far side of the moon.

Chemical and mineralogical mapping of the entire lunar surface at high spatial resolution, mapping particularly the chemical elements Magnesium, Aluminium, Silicon, Calcium, Iron, Titanium, Radon, Uranium, & Thorium.
The impact of a sub-satellite (Moon Impact Probe — MIP) on the surface on the Moon as a fore-runner to future soft-landing missions.
chandrayaan-1

Chandrayaan-1 ISRO - India's Moon Mission

CHANDRAYAAN-1

2008-12-28T09:43:00.000-08:00

Chandrayaan-1, is India's first mission to the moon launched by India's national space agency the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The unmanned lunar exploration mission includes a lunar orbiter and an impactor. India launched the spacecraft by a modified version of the PSLV C11 on 22 October 2008 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh about 80 km north of Chennai at 06:22 IST (00:52 UTC).The mission is a major boost to India's space program, as India joins Asian nations China and Japan in exploring the Moon. The vehicle was successfully inserted into lunar orbit on 8 November 2008.
On November 14, 2008, the Moon Impact Probe successfully separated from the moon-orbiting Chandrayaan at 20:06 and descended towards the lunar south pole in a controlled manner. The MIP impacted Shackleton Crater, of the lunar south pole, at 20:31 on 14 November 2008 releasing subsurface debris that could be analyzed for presence of water ice.
The estimated cost for the project is Rs. 386 crore (US$ 80 million).

The remote sensing lunar satellite had a mass of 1,380 kilograms (3,042 lb) at launch and 675 kilograms (1,488 lb) in lunar orbit and carries high resolution remote sensing equipment for visible, near infrared, and soft and hard X-ray frequencies. Over a two-year period, it is intended to survey the lunar surface to produce a complete map of its chemical characteristics and 3-dimensional topography. The polar regions are of special interest, as they might contain ice. The lunar mission carries five ISRO payloads and six payloads from other international space agencies including NASA, ESA, and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which were carried free of cost.

Balram Halwai - the White Tiger

2008-12-27T00:34:00.000-08:00

Balram Halwai is the White Tiger of the book's title - a title he earns by virtue of being deemed the smartest boy in his village, a community deep in the "Darkness" of rural India. Balram is the son of a rickshaw-puller; his family is too poor for him to be able to finish school, and instead he has to work in a teashop, breaking coals and wiping tables. However, Balram gets his break when a rich man hires him as a chauffeur, and takes him to live in Delhi. The city is a revelation. As he drives his master to shopping malls and call centres, Balram becomes increasingly aware of immense wealth and opportunity all around him, while knowing that he will never be able to gain access to that world. As Balram broods over his situation, he realizes that there is only one way he can become part of this glamorous new India.

The novel takes the form of a series of letters written late at night by Balram to Wen Jiabao, the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. In the letters, Balram describes his rise from lowly origins to his current position as an entrepreneur in Bangalore, as well as his views on India's caste system and its political corruption.

Aravind Adiga:The Man Booker Prize

2008-12-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

Aravind Adiga was born in Madras in 1974 and was raised partly in Australia. He studied at Columbia and Oxford Universities. A former correspondent in India for TIME magazine, his articles have also appeared in publications like The Financial Times, The Independent, and The Sunday Times. He lives in Mumbai.

In Booker’s 40th year, Adiga — the second youngest winner after Ben Okri, who won in 1991 aged 32 — bested fellow Indian Amitav Ghosh, Australian Steve Toltz, Irishman Sebastian Barry and Britons Linda Grant and Philip Hensher.

Bhuvan the Earth

2008-12-24T02:06:00.000-08:00

Bhuvan, India's response to Google Earth, will be launched in March 2009 and will provide high resolution imagery data of the order of 5 metre which would be of great relevance for real-time exercises, including disaster management and military operations.

"The Google Earth is providing high resolution data in the order of less than a metre. But the data is 2-3 years old. It cannot be of much use for any real-time exercise. But Bhuvan will provide the relevant data for any real-time exercise," S K Pathan, Head, Geo Informatics Data Division, ISRO, said.

Bhuvan, to be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will be a better alternative to Google Earth in terms of quality of data, he said.

"Bhuvan, which means earth, will get the images from the satellites and provide high resolution imagery data of the order of five metre. This can be of use for real-time exercises like disaster management and military operations," he said.

For real-time exercises, the latest data is a guiding force, he said. It can show the topography, altitude, depth and other features of any specific location.

"This information will be required when you are undertaking a massive exercise like flood management or post-cyclone disaster mitigation," he said.

The data could be of use to manage public services, internal security, town planning and infrastructure development activities.

Powerful People

2008-12-22T03:41:00.000-08:00

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan have been ranked among the 50 most powerful people in the world by the prestigious US-based magazine Newsweek magazine in a list topped by President- elect Barack Obama.

At 17th position Sonia Gandhi has been termed the ‘Queen of Indian democracy’ and Shahrukh Khan at 41st place is called the ‘King of Bollywood’

Although India's political scene is riven by factions, Congress remains the strongest national force, and the Italian-born widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi rules it unchallenged. In the world's largest democracy, she's queen.

Who is the world's biggest movie star? Brad? Will? Nah. His name is Shahrukh Khan, and he's the king of Bollywood. It's not just that his romantic flicks make gazillions—it's where those gazillions come from. Khan is huge in the Muslim world, even in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the mullahs ban his films. (The movies thrive on the black market.) Their main appeal is certainly the song-and-dance numbers, but Khan (a Muslim married to a Hindu) makes devoutly secular films where love trounces bigotry. Sonia Gandhi gives Khan's DVDs to visitors, especially Muslim ones. Here's hoping tolerance will leap from reel life to real life.

Population of India

2008-12-19T03:42:00.000-08:00

December 20, 2008 the population of India is 1,142,070,000 which is 16.93% of the world.
India's population rose by 21.34 % between 1991 - 2001. The sex ratio (i.e., number of females per thousand males) of population was 933, rising from 927 as at the 1991 Census. Total literacy rate in India was returned as 65.38%.

Persons 1,027,015,247
Males 531,277,078
Females 495,738,169

Muslims in INDIA

2008-12-18T02:38:00.000-08:00

The Muslims entered Sind, India, in 711 C.E., the same year they entered Spain. Their entry in India was prompted by an attempt to free the civilian Muslim hostages whose ship was taken by sea pirates in the territory of Raja Dahir, King of Sind. After diplomatic attempts failed, Hajjaj bin Yusuf, the Umayyad governor in Baghdad, dispatched a 17-year-old commander by the name Muhammad bin Qasim with a small army. Muhammad bin Qasim defeated Raja Dahir at what is now Hyderabad in Pakistan. In pursuing the remnant of Dahir's army and his supporters (Indian kings), Muhammad bin Qasim fought at Nirun, Rawar, Bahrore, Brahmanabad, Aror, Dipalpur and Multan. By 713 C.E., he established his control in Sind and parts of Punjab up to the borders of Kashmir. A major part of what is now Pakistan came under Muslim control in 713 C.E. and remained so throughout the centuries until some years after the fall of the Mughal Empire in 1857.

Muhammad bin treatment of the Indian population was so just that when he was called back to Baghdad the civilians were greatly disheartened and gave him farewell in tears. There was a Muslim community in Malabar, southwest India as early as 618 C.E. as a result of King Chakrawati Farmas accepting Islam at the hands of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Muslim presence as rulers in India dates from 711 C.E. Since then, different Muslim rulers (Turks of Central Asia, Afghans, and the descendants of the Mongol - the Mughals) entered India, primarily fought their fellow Muslim rulers, and established their rule under various dynastic names. By the eleventh century, the Muslims had established their capital at Delhi, which remained the principal seat of power until the last ruler of Mughal Dynasty, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was deposed in 1857 by the British. A few British visitors were given permission by Akbar to stay in Eastern India more than two centuries before. The British abused that privilege, and within a few decades the British began to collaborate with Rajas and Nawabs in military expeditions against the Mughals and Muslim rulers of the east, southeast and south India. After two centuries of fighting, the British succeeded in abolishing the Mughal rule in 1857.

Muslims were a minority when they ruled major parts of India for nearly a thousand years. They were well liked generally as rulers for their justice, social and cultural values, respect for freedom to practice religion as prescribed by the religion of various communities, freedom of speech, legal system in accordance with the dictates and established norms of each religious community, public works and for establishing educational institutions. In their days as rulers, the Muslims constituted about twenty percent of India's population. Today, Indian Muslims constitute about fifteen percent of India's population, about 150 million, and they are the second largest Muslim community in the world.

The region now part of Pakistan and many other parts of India were predominantly Muslim. After the British takeover in 1857, many of these areas remained under loose control of Muslims. When the British decided to withdraw from India without a clear direction for the future of Muslims (former rulers), a political solution was reached for some of the Muslim majority areas. This resulted in the division of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947.

Among the famous Muslims scientists, historians and travelers who visited and lived, though briefly, in India were Al-Biruni, Al-Masu'di, and Ibn Battuta. Their writings illuminate us with the Indian society and culture. Al-Biruni stayed in India for twenty years. Ibn Battuta, an Andalusian who was born in Morocco, served as a Magistrate of Delhi (1334-1341) during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Tughluk. It is conceivable that Ibn BattutaÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s description of Muslim India inspired Ferdinand and Isabella who had taken over the last Muslim kingdom of Granada, Spain in 1492. That same year Columbus received the permission in the Alhambra palace (of Granada) and made his famous voyage bound for India in search of gold and spice but he landed in the Americas.

The Taj

2008-12-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

The Taj Mahal in Agra India is considered one of the best examples of Mughal architecture in India. The history of the Taj Mahal is one of the great love stories of the world.

The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan ruled from 1628 to 1658 and was married to Arjumand Bano Begum in 1612 A.D. He called his wife Mumtaz Mahal or Crown of the Palace, because she was so precious to him. Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan had 14 children and the queen accompanied Shah Jahan everywhere, even on military campaigns. It was on one of these campaigns, in Burhanpur in central India, that Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631, shortly after giving birth to her 14th child. Her dying wish to Shah Jahan was that he should "build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before." The history of the Taj Mahal begins with Mumtaz Mahal's tragic end.

Shah Jahan fulfilled her wish, creating the most beautiful mausoleum the world had ever seen. Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb. He spent the last years of his life under house arrest in the Agra Fort. He used to spend his time looking across the Yamuna River at the beautiful tomb he had built for his beloved empress, waiting for the day they could be united again. After Shah Jahan's death in 1666 A.D., he too was laid to rest beside his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. Their real tombs are in a basement of the Taj Mahal. The two ornately decorated tombs on the ground floor, sheltered by the dome of the Taj Mahal are part of the stylistic design of this beautiful monument in Agra India. The history of the Taj Mahal is the history of the steadfast love of a Mughal Emperor for his Queen.

It took 22 years for the Taj Mahal to be completed. A huge labor force of 20,000 workers led by Muhammed Hanif, Shah Jahan,agra Indiathe head of the masons and the Persian architect Ustad Isa or Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, were employed in its construction. Finished in 1648, the Taj Mahal cost the Mughal exchequer 32 million rupees. The Taj Mahal has been described by the poet Sir Edwin Arnold, as"Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor's love wrought in living stones."

The aesthetic beauty of this beautiful mausoleum is enhanced by the romantic story that inspired its construction. Tourists come from around the world come to Agra, to feel the aura of eternal love that surrounds the Taj Mahal. The history of the Taj Mahal is a love story that transcends time and continues to be retold each day to the tourists who visit the Taj Mahal in Agra India.

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Brief economic history

2008-12-05T20:51:00.000-08:00

Indus valley civilization, which flourished between 2800 BC and 1800 BC, had an advanced and flourishing economic system. The Indus valley people practiced agriculture, domesticated animals, made tools and weapons from copper, bronze and tin and even traded with some Middle East countries.
Agriculture was the main economic activity of the people in the Vedic age but with the second urbanization a number of urban centers grew in North India. This gave a major fillip to trade and commerce. The ancient Indians had trade contacts with far off lands like the Middle East, the Roman Empire and the South East Asia. Many Indian trading colonies were settled in other countries.
Most of the Indian population resided in villages and the economy of the villages was self-sustaining. Agriculture was the predominant occupation of the populace and satisfied a village's food necessities. It also provided raw materials for industries like textile, food processing and crafts. Besides farmers, other classes of people were barbers, carpenters, doctors, goldsmiths, weavers, etc. In towns and urban centers trade took place through coins but in villages barter was the main system of economic activities.
The system of castes and sub-castes ensured division of labor and functioned much like guilds, providing training to apprentices. The caste system restricted people from changing ones occupation and aspiring for an upper caste's lifestyle. Traditionally, there was joint family system and the members of a family pooled their resources to invest in business ventures.
Products like the muslin of Dhaka, calicos of Bengal, shawls of Kashmir, textiles and handicrafts, agricultural products like pepper, cinnamon, opium and indigo were exported to Europe, Middle East and South East Asia in return for gold and silver.
With the coming of Europeans in the 16th century trade and commerce was completely transformed. The Europeans concentrated mainly on spices, handicrafts, cotton clothes, indigo etc. Of all the European powers the British proved most strong and drove their competitors out of India. Slowly and gradually the British acquired political supremacy and hold over India and subverted the Indian economy according to their own needs. With the establishment of British rule in India the drain of wealth from India began. There was poor industrial infrastructure when the British left India.
After independence, India opted for planned economic development. The key concern was to develop thrust and heavy industries. With this there began rapid industrialization. Here, it is important to note that our economic policies were socially oriented and controlled by the state. India began to follow a mixed economy pattern. But in the late eighties and in the beginning of the 1990s, the Indian policy makers realized that state controlled economy was not able to produce desired results in almost 45 years. It was decided to pursue economic policy based on liberalization, privatization and globalization. In this era of liberalization, privatization and globalization, India has witnessed rapid growth in some sectors of economy, even though better results were expected when India began to follow the new economic policy.

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India,a Union of States

2008-12-03T03:53:00.000-08:00

India, a Union of States , is a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with a Parliamentary System of government. The Republic is governed in terms of the constitution, which was adopted by Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
India comprises of 28 states and seven union territories. The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a primary force in reorganizing the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines, and bringing an amendment in the Indian Constitution whereby the three types of states, known as Parts A, B, and C states, were amended with a single type of state. Though several changes have occurred in the state boundaries since 1947, the Act is still considered as an undisputed player in providing the present shapes and contours of the Indian states. In November 2000, India gained three new states – Chattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh , Uttaranchal out of Uttar Pradesh , and Jharkhand out of Bihar
The Constitution distributes legislative powers between the Parliament and state legislatures. The Parliament is bicameral – the lower house is known as the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the upper house is known as the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). At state level some legislatures are bicameral and are run along the lines of the two houses of the national Parliament.

1. Andaman & Nicobar
2. Andhra Pradesh
3. Arunachal Pradesh
4. Assam
5. Bihar
6. Chandigarh
7. Chhattisgarh
8. Dadra & Nagar Haveli
9. Lakshadweep
10. Madhya Pradesh
11. Maharashtra
12. Manipur
13. Meghalaya
14. Mizoram
15. Nagaland
16. Orissa
17. Daman & Diu
18. Delhi
19. Goa
20. Gujarat
21. Haryana
22. Himachal Pradesh
23. Jammu & Kashmir
24. Jharkhand
25. Karnataka
26. Kerala
27. Pondicherry
28. Punjab
29. Rajasthan
30. Sikkim
31. Tamil Nadu
32. Tripura
33. Uttar Pradesh
34. Uttaranchal
35. West Bengal

INDIA

2008-11-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: भारत गणराज्य Bhārat Gaṇarājya), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 7,517 kilometers (4,671 mi). It borders Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Bangladesh and Burma to the east. India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia in the Indian Ocean.
Home to the Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four major world religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated there, while Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam arrived in the first millennium CE and shaped the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by the British East India Company from the early eighteenth century and colonised by the United Kingdom from the mid-nineteenth century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by widespread nonviolent resistance.
India is a republic consisting of 28 states and 7 union territories with a parliamentary system of democracy. It has the world's twelfth largest economy at market exchange rates and the fourth largest in purchasing power. Economic reforms have transformed it into the second fastest growing large economy;however, it still suffers from high levels of poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition. A pluralistic, multilingual, and multiethnic society, India is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.

THE INDUS VALLEY

2008-11-18T23:33:00.000-08:00

The first Indian civilisation arose in the Indus valley about 2,600 BC. It actually straddled modern India and Pakistan. By 6,500 BC the people of the area had begun farming. By 5,500 BC they had invented pottery. By about 2,600 BC a prosperous farming society had grown up. The farmers used bronze tools. They grew wheat, barley and peas. They also raised cattle, goats and sheep. Water buffalo were used to pull carts. The people spun cotton and they traded with other cultures such as modern day Iraq. Some of the people of the Indus Valley began to live in towns. The two largest were at Mohenjo-daro and Harrapa.
Mohenjo-daro probably had a population of 35-50,000. By the standards of the ancient world it was very large. It consisted of two parts. One part was a citadel. It contained a public bath and assembly halls. It also held a granary where grain was stored. The lower part of the town had streets laid out in a grid pattern. The houses were 2 or even 3 stories and were made of brick as stone was uncommon in the area. Bricks were of a standard size and the Indus Valley civilisation had standard weights and measures. The streets had networks of drains.
Life in Mohenjo-daro was obviously highly civilised and ordered although most of the people of the Indus Valley civilisation were farmers outside the towns. The Indus Valley civilisation had a form of writing but unfortunately it has not been deciphered so nothing is known of their political system or their religion. However many engraved seals and terracotta figurines have been found. The Indus Valley civilisation was at its peak in the years 2,300-1,700 BC. Then after 1,700 BC it declined.
The reasons for this are not clear. Perhaps there was a climatic changed and the area grew cooler and drier. It has also been suggested that rivers changed course. In those days less rainfall or a changed in the course of a river would have had severe consequences for farming and of course, like all early civilisations the Indus Valley depended on farming. Civilisation was only possible if the farmers made a surplus. They could exchange their surplus with craftsmen for manufactured goods. They could also exchange some for goods from far away. However if the farmers no longer made a surplus they could no longer support the craftsmen who lived in the towns. The populations of the towns would drift away to the countryside. Trade and commerce would decline.
As society grew less prosperous people would return to a simpler way of life and the invention of writing would disappear. The Indus Valley civilisation vanished and it was forgotten. It was not rediscovered until the 1920s.

THE ARYANS

2008-11-17T23:46:00.000-08:00

After the collapse of the Indus Valley civilisation a new wave of people entered India. The Aryans came from central Asia and they probably entered India through Afghanistan after 1500 BC. There were probably waves of invasions over a period of time rather than just one. The Aryans were a semi-nomadic race of pastoralists.At first they wandered about with their herds of cattle rather than live in one place. They had 2-wheeled chariots which allowed them to subdue the native people. By 1,000 BC they had learned to use iron. However in time the Aryans settled down and became farmers.Slowly a more ordered and settled society evolved. Tribes became kingdoms. The Aryans became the priests, rulers and warriors, free peasants and merchants. The subdued people became the slaves, labourers and artisans. In time this stratified society crystallised into the caste system.The Hindu religion also evolved at this time. The sacred literature called The Vedas was created. (At first they were orally transmitted. Later they were written down.)In time the Aryans learned to farm rice rather than crops like barley. By 600 BC rice cultivation was flourishing in India. With a more settled and ordered society trade and commerce flourished. In time people began to live in towns again and writing was re-invented. By 600 BC a highly civilised society had emerged in India.Although Buddha was born in India about 483 BC the religion he founded failed to take root in the country. At approximately the same time the Persians captured the extreme North-west of India. Alexander the Great destroyed the Persian Empire and penetrated the far North-west of India.However after his death in 317 BC the Greeks withdrew. The Persians and Greeks had little affect on Indian civilisation. The various Indian kingdoms had begun to conquer one another and after 322 BC the first great empire arose.

THE MAURYAN EMPIRE

2008-11-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

In 322 BC Chandragupta Maurya became king of the powerful and highly centralised state of Magadha in the North of India. Aided by his able advisor Kautilya Chandragupta created an empire. After Alexander the Great died his empire had split up. Seleucos took the eastern part. He attempted to reclaim the Indian provinces one ruled by Alexander.
However his army was stopped by Chandragupta in 305 BC. Seleucos was then forced to cede most of Afghanistan to Chandragupta, who also conquered parts of central India.
This new empire was rich and trade thrived. Its capital was one of the largest cities in the ancient world. In 296 Chandragupta abdicated in favour of his son Bindusara who pushed the frontier of the empire further south.
The greatest Mauryan ruler was Ashoka or Asoka (269-232 BC). He conquered Kalinga (modern day Orissa). Afterwards he declared he was appalled by the suffering caused by war and decided against any further conquest.
Asoka also converted to Buddhism. He decreed that the Buddhist principles of right conduct should be engraved in stone pillars or on rocks throughout his kingdom to teach the people how to live. Asoka set about pacifying and consolidating his empire. However despite his conversion to Buddhism Mauryan rule was authoritarian and punishments for wrongdoers were severe.
After his death the Mauryan empire declined, as all empires do. It suffered an economic decline and political instability as different brothers strived to become king. A general assassinated the last Mauryan ruler in 185 BC. The general then took over running the empire and founded the Shunga dynasty. However in 73 BC the last Shunga ruler was, in turn, assassinated. They were replaced by the Kanva dynasty which ruled from 73-28BC.
The influence of the Mauryans penetrated into Southern India. In the time of the Mauryans the farmers there became more advanced. By the first century BC organised kingdoms had grown up and trade and commerce were flourishing there.

THE INDO-GREEKS

2008-11-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

After Alexander the Great's death his empire was split between his generals. The various successor states fought each other until a strong state emerged in Bactria (roughly modern Afghanistan). The Greek rulers of Bactria attempted to control Northwest India.
About 185 BC King Demetrius invaded India. About 160 BC one of his successors, King Menander conquered most of northern India. However after the death of Menander this empire broke up into separate states and Indian civilisation developed without European influence.

THE KUSHAN

2008-11-15T22:37:00.000-08:00

India now faced a new invader. Nomads from Central Asia conquered Bactria in about 120 BC. They then settled down and gave up their nomadic lifestyle. They were split into 5 tribes. One of the tribes, the Kushanas conquered the others. They then turned their attention to Northern India. Gradually they conquered more and more territory. Successive kings carved out a bigger and bigger empire in Northern India.
The Kushan Empire reached its peak under King Kanishka (about 78 AD to 114 AD. During his reign Northern India was prosperous and did much trade with the Roman Empire. Kanishka was also a patron of the arts, which flourished. However after his death the empire declined and broke up. By the early 3rd century AD India was once again split into small states.

THE GUPTA EMPIRE

2008-11-14T22:40:00.000-08:00

A new empire was founded early in the 4th century AD by Ghandragupta. After his death in 335 AD his son Samudragupta (335-375) conquered the whole of Northern India and much of Central India. India once again became prosperous and stable and much trade was done with China. Mathematics, astronomy and medicine flourished. Literature also blossomed. This was the age of the great poet Kaidasa.
However Gupta rule was less strict then Mauryan rule. Punishments were less harsh and provinces of the empire were given some autonomy. The Gupta Empire reached a peak under Chandragupta II 375-415 AD. However it then went into decline. The Gupta Empire broke up in the early 6th century.

THE HUNS-HARSHAVARDANA

2008-11-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

THE HUNS

In the mid 5th century AD, the Huns, a fierce and warlike people from Central Asia invaded Northwest India. However about 460 AD they were repulsed by Skandagupta (454-467). Nevertheless the Huns returned at the end of the 5th century. This time they conquered most of North-western India.
However their rule lasted no more than about 30 years. About 528 AD the Indians, led by a ruler called Yashodharman defeated them in battle and drove them out.

HARSHAVARDANA

The next great ruler in Indian history was king Harshavardhana (606-647). He created an empire to rival the Guptas. Harsha began as ruler of the kingdom of Thanesar, north of India. He then carved out an empire in Northern India. However in 630, when he attempted to conquer Southern India he was severely defeated by a king called Pulakesin (610-643). (By this time the South of India was definitely equal to the North).
Despite this setback Harsha remained a powerful ruler. During his reign his biography was written. It was called the Harschacharita. Nevertheless Harsha's kingdom really depended on his personality to hold it together. After his death it quickly broke up.
India once again became a land of several kingdoms, which were frequently at war with each other. The three most important dynasties were the Rajputs, the Pallavas and the Chalukyas. However in the 9th century a new empire arose in Southern India - the Cholas.

THE CHOLAS- THE TURKS

2008-11-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

THE CHOLAS

In the late 10th century the Chola king Rajaraja I began to expand his kingdom. He conquered his neighbours and took Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The next king, Rajenda I took more territory including the Ganges and the Andaman Islands. The Chola was a prosperous empire with many merchants organised into guilds to protect their interests. Trade with Southeast Asia thrived. So did trade with the Arabs.
The empire of the Cholas, although powerful, was less centralised than older empires such as the Gupta. Rulers, once conquered were often reinstated as vassals called samantas and they were allowed a certain amount of autonomy. In some ways this political system resembles European feudalism. Of course there was always a risk that a samanta would rebel!

THE TURKS

In the 10th century Turks from central Asia conquered Afghanistan. Under their ruler Mahmud 971-1030 they conquered Punjab. He led raids deep into India and plundered temples. The Turks returned in 1191, this time as conquerors not raiders. They were led by Sultan Muhammad. He was defeated in 1191 at the battle of Tarain but he returned the following year. This time he prevailed. The Turks were able to conquer large parts of Northern India and they created a powerful state - the Delhi Sultanate

THE DEHLI SULTANATE-THE VIJAYANGAR

2008-11-12T22:55:00.000-08:00

THE DEHLI SULTANATE

Under the Sultans Qutubuddin 1206-1211 and Iltumish 1211-1236 the Sultanate flourished. However Iltumish was succeeded by his daughter Raziyyat. She reigned for only 3 years before she was deposed and later murdered. The Sultanate reached a peak under Alauddin 1296-1316. In 1298 he conquered Gurjarat. In 1309 he invaded Southern India. He looted southern cities and forced rulers there to submit to him and become vassals.

Meanwhile a new threat came from the North - the Mongols. In 1296-97 they raided Northwest India. The Mongols returned in 1299. This time they penetrated as far as Delhi then, like a swarm of locusts they disappeared. The Mongols returned in 1306 but this time they were repulsed.

Muhammad Tughluq 1324-1351 extended the Sultanate still further. He decided he wanted a new, more central capital and he moved it to Daulatabad. However he was later forced to move his capital back to Delhi. The Sultanate of Delhi declined rapidly in the late 14th century.

The final blow came in 1498 when Timurlane, a descendent of Genghis Khan sacked Delhi and massacred many of the inhabitants. In the early 15th century independent Sultanates appeared and the Delhi Sultanate became one of several. Under Sultans Bhalul 1451-1489 and Sikander Lohdi 1489-1517 Delhi revived to a certain extent but it never regained its former importance. Meanwhile another empire arose in the South - the Vijayangar.

THE VIJAYANGAR

The Vijayangar Empire was founded by 2 brothers, Harihara and Bukka. According to legend they were officers of Muhammad Tughluq. They were sent to crush a rebellion in the South. Instead they broke away and founded their own kingdom. Harihara was crowned king in 1346. His brother Bukka I ruled after him, 1357-1377. The Vijayanagar Empire is named after its capital city (Its name means city of victory). The rulers of Vijayanager gradually conquered more and more territory and the empire reached a peak early in the 16th century. However in 1564 Vijayngar was utterly defeated in battle. By then a new empire had arisen - the Mughals.

THE RISE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

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THE RISE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

This great empire was founded by Babur 1483-1530, a descendant of Genghis Khan. From 1504 he was ruler of part of what is now Afghanistan. From the Turks he had learned to use cannons and muskets. Guns enabled him to win great victories over the Indians who were still using traditional methods of warfare. He had also learned new cavalry tactics from the Turks. Instead of charging straight at the enemy Babur's cavalry rode round their flanks and attacked from the rear.

Babur first raided India in 1517. In 1525 he invaded. In 1526 Babur crushed the army of Ibrahim Lhodi at the battle of Panipat. Babur made a barricade of carts. Behind them he positioned his cannons and musketeers. The enemy attacked but they faced withering cannon and musket fire. Babur's cavalry then rode around the enemy army and attacked from the rear. The Indians were routed.

Other Indian rulers now united against Babur but they were crushed at the battle of Khanau in 1527. Babur placed his cannons and guns behind ramparts. The Indians attacked on horseback again and again but were mowed down. Babur then became ruler of Northern India.

He was succeeded by his son Humayan 1508-1556. However in the 1530s an Afghan ruler named Sher Shah attacked the empire. By 1540 Sher Shah prevailed and made himself ruler of much of Northern India. Humayan went into exile and wandered from place to place. Then in 1542 his son Akbar was born. Humayan then moved to Persia. Sher Shah died in battle in 1545 and his empire split up. Humayan was then able, with Persian help to re-conquer the Mughal empire.He invaded India in 1554 and by 1556 was in control of the North. Unfortunately he died after falling down some stairs.

However his son Akbar 1556-1605 was, perhaps, the greatest Mughal ruler. He took Gujarat in 1574, Bengal in 1576, Kashmir in 1586, Orissa in 1592 and Baluchistan in 1595. Akbar also reorganised the government and he created an efficient civil service. Akbar was a Muslim but he was tolerant in matters of religion. He abolished a tax previous rulers levied on non-Muslims. He also gave Hindus high office.

Akbar admired Persian culture and promoted it in India. Persian language literature flourished in India during his reign (although Hindi literature flowered too). Persian and Hindu styles of painting merged to form a new style of Mughal painting.

Akbar was succeeded by his son Selim, who called himself Jahangir. Under him Mughal influence in the South of India increased and the empire flourished. His wife was named Mehrunissa (later she was called Nur Jahan or light of the world). She was Persian and because of her Persian culture became even more influential in the Mughal realms. During the reign of Jahangir the arts continued to flourish. An elaborate and intricate school of painting existed. It was also a great age for architecture. When Jahangir died in 1627 his wife was forced into retirement but she occupied herself by building a magnificent mausoleum for her father in Agra.

THE MUGHAL EMPIRE AT ITS PEAK

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The Mughal Empire reached its zenith in the 17th century its only weakness being powers struggles among the ruling family and occasional rebellions. Shah Jahan became ruler in 1627. Under him the empire prospered. He is famous for building the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. It was erected as a memorial to his queen Mumatz Mahal 1594-1630. Shah Jehan was devastated when she died. After her death he began building the Taj Mahal. It took an 'army' of 20, craftsmen and labourers 22 years to build. It was begun in 1631 and completed in 1653.

Aurngzeb (1658-1707) greatly expanded the empire. He conquered almost all of southern India by 1687. Under him the empire became so vast it was difficult for one man to rule. However he undid the religious toleration of his predecessors. In 1664 he banned the repair of Hindu temples and in 1669 he banned his subjects from building new ones. Also, in 1679 he reintroduced a poll tax on Hindus called the jizira. Aurangzeb also taxed his subjects heavily. The result was a series of rebellions.

Aurangzeb's greatest enemy was Shivaji, leader of the Marathas in southern India. Shivaji led a form of guerrilla warfare. His bases were in mountains but mounted on horses his men could raid caravans then fell back to the mountains.

In 664 his men raided the port of Surat. Aurangzeb sent an army to intimidate Shivaji then invited him to the capital, Delhi and tried to come to terms with him by offering him a post in the empire. However the two men fell out and Shivaji escaped from Delhi by hiding in a basket. He then returned to raiding. Shivaji was succeeded by his son Sambhaji. He was captured by the Mughals and executed in 1689 but the guerrilla war went on.

THE DECLINE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE

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Aurangzeb was succeeded by his son Bahadur Shah 1707-1712. By his time cracks were appearing in the empire. Oppressive taxation caused more and more rebellions. After 1712 powerful nobles in the empire began to break away and form virtually independent states.

Meanwhile the old enemy, the Marathas attacked the Mughal Empire led by a man named Baji Rao. The Mughals were forced to cede territory to them. Then in 1739 disaster struck when the Persians launched an attack on the Mughal Empire. They sacked Delhi. The empire continued but its power was rapidly fading. Delhi was sacked again in 1761, this time by an Afghan kingdom.

EUROPEAN IMPERIALISM IN INDIA

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The decline of the Mughal Empire caused a vacuum into which the Europeans moved. The first Europeans to reach India by sea were the Portuguese who arrived in 1498 and began importing spices from India. They formed a base at Goa in 1510. However in the 17th century the Portuguese declined and the English and Dutch took their place.

The English East India Company was formed in 1600 to trade with India. In 1639 the English established a trading base in India. Itgrew into Madras. In 1662 the English king married a Portuguese princess and he was given Bombay. In 1668 it was sold to the East India Company. In 1690 the English established a base in Bengal, which grew into Calcutta. In the late 17th century the Dutch also declined and the French replaced them. In 1673 the French established a base at Pondicherry.

In the 18th century French and English became bitter rivals and they both began to interfere in Indian politics.

The Seven Years war between Britain and France began in 1756. With the outbreak of war the Nawab (ruler) of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula captured the British base at Calcutta. Notoriously he forced captives into a small cell and most of them suffocated overnight. This became known as the Black Hole of Calcutta. The East India Company sent a force led by Robert Clive (1725-1774) to recapture Calcutta. They soon did so.

However Clive was not satisfied and he decided to take the whole of Bengal. Clive won a great victory at Plassey in June 1757. (The battle was won largely because one of the commanders of the Bengali army, Mir Jafar, changed sides and refused to join the battle. Clive then overthrew the ruler of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula and replaced him with Mir Jafar. However Mir Jafar was only a puppet.

In 1765 the company began to rule Bengal directly. Clive's victory at Plassey ensured that India would eventually become a British colony not a French one. However the Company did not take over India straight away. It was a gradual process, which took several decades. The East India Company eliminated French influence in India and began to subdue other Indian states.

British imperialism was bitterly resisted by the state of Mysore under the two rulers Haidar Ali 1761-1782 and Tipu Sultan 1782-1799. The army of Mysore was formidable fighting force. A series of wars were fought in the years 1767-1769, 1780-1784, 1790-1792 and 1799. The resistance of Mysore finally ended in 1799 and Mysore was forced to hand over half its territory.

The British then took over more territory in India. Indian states were forced to accept British 'protection'. One state, Hyderabad made a treaty with the British in 1798 and retained some independence but other states were forced to accept British rule.

In 1803 war broke out between the British and the Marathas. The British were led by Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington). Wellesley was Governor General 1798-1805 and he was an unashamed imperialist. In 1803 the chiefs of the Marathas were disunited and the British were able to make some gains. They took Agra and Delhi. (At that time Delhi was still ruled by the last Mughal. When the British took the city the Mughal Empire was finally extinguished).

However in 1804 the British suffered some defeats and they made peace. Another war broke out in 1817. This time the Maratha chiefs were all defeated and they were forced to accept British rule. By 1819 the East India Company was in control of most of India except the North West.

Assam was annexed in stages between 1826 and 1838. There were revolts in parts of India between 1819 and 1839 but most of it was at peace. The British now began to impose their culture on India. In 1829 the custom of suttee or sati, which involved a widow throwing herself onto her husbands funeral pyre was abolished. In 1835 English was made the official language of Government and education.

Outside British control was a powerful Sikh kingdom. However the leader of the Sikhs, Ranjit Singh, died in 1839 and fighting began over the succession. In 1845-46 the British fought a war against the Sikhs. After bitter fighting they captures Lahore. The Sikhs were forced to surrender Kashmir and parts of the Punjab. However a second war was fought in 1848-49. The fighting was bitter but in March 1849 the East India Company took control of all of Punjab.

THE INDIAN MUTINY

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The East India Company had long employed Indians as soldiers. There were supposed to be not more than 4 Indian soldiers to every British one. However the British had withdrawn troops to serve in conflicts elsewhere. By 1857 there were only 40,000 British troops in India and 311,000 Indians. The mutiny began on 10 May 1857. The spark that lit the fire was the fact that soldiers were issued with a new rifle - the Enfield. It was said that the cartridge was greased with fat from a cow (sacred to Hindus) or pigs (unclean to Muslims).

The mutiny began at Meerut or Mirat 60 miles from Delhi.The soldiers massacred the British and the uprising spread rapidly. The rebels took Delhi and proclaimed the restoration of the old Mughal Empire. The rebellion spread across Central and Northern India but the south did not rise. Soldiers in Madras and Bombay stayed loyal to the British. Eventually the British were able to re-establish control.

Rebels besieged the British in Cawnpore and Lucknow. The British in Cawnpore surrendered on 27 June 1857. They were then massacred. However the British quickly sent reinforcements to India. Sir Henry Havelock led a force to relieve Lucknow. He defeated the rebel leader Hana Sahib at Cawnpore on 16 July 1857. Havelock reached Lucknow on 25 September 1857. However he then found himself besieged by the rebels. A relief force was sent under Sir Colin Campbell (1792-1863). He reached Lucknow on 16 November and the garrison escaped. Campbell decisively defeated a rebel force outside Cawnpore on 6 December.

Meanwhile the British recaptured Delhi in September. The British recaptured Lucknow in March 1858. Sir Hugh Rose took the rebel stronghold of Jahnsi on 3 April. He decisively defeated a rebel leader, Tantia Topi, on 19 June 1858 at the battle of Gwalior. This blow broke the back of the rebellion. The British then 'mopped up' the remaining rebels. By the end of 1858 the rebellion was over. However the East India Company lost control of India. On 1 September 1858 control was transferred to the British

INDIA IN THE LATE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURIES

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After the lesson of the Indian Mutiny the British became a little more respectful of Indian culture. However the desire for independence did not die. On the contrary it slowly grew. The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885. The Muslim League was founded in 1906.

In 1861 legislative bodies was formed for India. However the members were not elected. They were appointed by the governor-general or by provincial governors. Most of their members were British. Furthermore after the mutiny the ratio of British soldiers to Indians was increased. In 1877 Queen Victoria was made Empress of India.

In the late 19th century the British created a network of railways in India. By 1900 there were 25,000 miles of railway in India. The first train made in India was built in Bombay in 1865. The British also built new roads across India. Improved communications meant the different parts of India were bought closer together and Indians began to feel a greater sense of national identity. In the late 19th century many newspapers were founded and they helped to mobilise public opinion.

In 1905 the British divided Bengal. They did this to make it easier to rule. This move provoked unrest in Bengal. People demonstrated and boycotted British goods.

In the late 19th century India was an agricultural society. Jute, raw cotton and tea and coffee were exported to Britain. In return textiles and other manufactured goods were imported from there. The Indian textile industry could not compete with cheap, mass produced British goods. However in the early 20th century Indian industries began to develop. It was still an overwhelmingly agricultural country but it was just beginning to change.

At the same time Britain was in decline. In the mid-19th century Britain was the most powerful country in the world but by the end of the century other powers such as Germany and the USA had caught up. Britain was weakened by the first world and continued to decline in the 1920's and 1930's. As Britain declined Indian nationalist feeling grew stronger.

Indian public opinion was embittered by the Amristar massacre, which took place on 13 April 1919. A crowd of thousands gathered in a square named Jallianwalla Bagh to protest against recent legislation. General Reginald Dyer decided on a show of force. Dyer told his men to open fire. They did so, killing 379 people and wounding about 1200 more.

At this point a remarkable individual rose to be the leader of the struggle for independence. This was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948). Gandhi was a lawyer. For a time he lived in South Africa and became the leader of the Indians in that country. In 1915 he returned to India and soon emerged as the leader of the nationalists. In 1920 he launched a campaign of non-co-operation with the British. This included boycotting British textiles and their schools. Against Gandhi's wishes some people turned to violence. Gandhi was arrested in 1922 and remained in prison for 2 years.

Not everyone agreed with Gandhi's desire for peaceful campaigning. Nevertheless his skill as a politician and his personal charisma ensured that he became the leader of the independence movement. In 1930 he began a campaign to end the governments monopoly of salt production. He led a march to the sea to collect salt. The British arrested Gandhi and tens of thousands of others. However in 1931 they were forced to back down. They released Gandhi and most (not all) of the other prisoners. They also allowed people to make salt for their own personal use. In 1932 the army began to recruit Indian officers.

In 1931 the capital of India was moved from Calcutta to New Delhi.

Gandhi continued campaigning. He was arrested again in 1932 and in 1933 but both times was soon released. By 1935 the British realised that Indian independence was inevitable, sooner or later. In that year they granted a new constitution. When it came in effect, in 1937, Indians were allowed to elect provincial assemblies. (Although the British retained control of central government).

In 1939 the Viceroy of India declared war on Germany, without consulting the Indians, much to their chagrin.

INDIAN INDEPENDENCE

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By 1940 the Muslims demanded their own separate state made up of those provinces where Muslims were the majority.

In 1942 the National Congress demanded that the British quit India. The British responded by imprisoning their leaders, including Gandhi, who was released in 1944.

In 1946 the Viceroy appointed an interim cabinet with Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister. However the divide between Muslims and Hindus had become unbridgeable. The leader of the Muslims, M A Jinnah declared a 'day of action' on 16 August 1946. In Calcutta the 'day of action' led to violence between Muslims and Hindus. About 5,000 people were killed in what became known as 'The Great Killing'.

Mountbatten was then made viceroy. He quickly realised the Muslims must be granted their own state (modern Pakistan and Bangladesh). India and Pakistan became independent on A4 August 1947. Mountbatten agreed to stay in India as Governor-general for an interim period.

Unfortunately some provinces had mixed populations of Muslims and Hindus and violence broke out between them. Many Hindus fled to India and Muslims fled to Pakistan but about half a million people died in the violence.

The violence threatened to overwhelm New Delhi but Gandhi managed to prevent it by fasting and threatening to fast to death unless the violence stopped. It did but some extreme Hindus became angry with Gandhi. One of them murdered Gandhi on 30 January 1948.

In December 1946 a Constituent Assembly met to draw up a constitution for India. The new constitution came into force in January 1950. India became a secular state. Prime minister Nehru made the economy a 'mixed economy' of some state owned industry and some private enterprise. Industry was strictly regulated. Unfortunately this restricted free enterprise.

Nevertheless in the 1950s a series of 5 year plans were devised. The first increase irrigation and boosted agriculture. The second and third plans boosted industry. On the other hand India's population grew rapidly. Poverty and illiteracy remained common

INDIA IN THE LATE 20th CENTURY

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In the 1960s India fought two wars. In 1962 there was a conflict with China. There were clashes along the border between India and Tibet in the late 1950s. The on 20 October 1962 Chinese troops attacked along the North-eastern border of India. They quickly captured key mountain passes and redrew the border. On 21 November the Chinese declared a ceasefire.

India also fought a war with Pakistan in 1965. The two countries always disagreed over the border. On 1 September 1965 Pakistani troops attempted to capture Kashmir. However the Indians won a tank battle and drove them back. On 27 September both sides agreed to a ceasefire.

Nehru died in 1964 and Indira Gandhi became prime minister in 1966. At first she proved to be a popular politician.

In 1971 India fought another war with Pakistan. At that time Pakistan was divided into two parts, West and East Pakistan (modern Bangladesh). Then in March 1971 East Pakistan broke away and declared its independence. West Pakistan refused to accept the move and sent troops to force the East to submit. Refugees flooded into India.

Then on 3 December 1971 the Pakistani air force attacked air bases in North West India. Pakistani ground forces attacked but were unable to make much headway. Meanwhile on 4 December Indian troops entered East Pakistan. The Pakistani forces in the East, under General Niazi surrendered on 16 December. Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on 17 December 1971. Bangladesh then became independent.

In 1974 India exploded an atomic bomb.

However in 1973 oil prices rose sharply triggering rapid inflation in India. That harmed agriculture by making fertiliser much more expensive. Indian industry also entered a recession. Growing discontent in India led to strikes such as a railway strike in 1974.

Then a High Court declared that Mrs Gandhi's election in 1971 was invalid because of election malpractice. However Mrs Gandhi persuaded the president to declare a state of emergency on 17 June 1975. Civil liberties were suspended and Mrs Gandhi's opponents were arrested. Her son Sanjay led a mass sterilisation campaign in Northern India to combat the population explosion. The emergency was lifted in January 1977. During it inflation was curbed and industry revived.

Elections were due to be held in 1976 but they were delayed until March 1977. However Mrs Gandhi lost anyway. The Janata party held power from 1977 to 1980 when Mrs Gandhi returned.

In the early 1980s India, like the rest of the world, entered a recession. Worse was to come. Sikhs in Punjab were demanding independence. A man named Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (1947-1984) and his supporters took over the Golden Temple in Amristar. Then in May 1984 the Indian army surrounded the temple. They attacked the fundamentalists in the temple but in the process they destroyed the holiest place in the Sikh religion. Two of Mrs Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards killed her in revenge.

She was succeeded by her son Rajiv. He started to deregulate industry and the Indian economy began to grow rapidly. However Rajiv was assassinated in 1991.

In the 1990s the Indian economy was deregulated further and today it is booming. Of course, India still has many problems and poverty is widespread but there is every reason to be optimistic and to believe that India will become another 'tiger economy'.

Today the population of India is 1,065 million.

Culture

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The culture of India has been shaped by the long history of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs, traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors as well as by preserving its ancient heritages, which were formed during the Indus Valley Civilization and evolved further during the Vedic age, rise and decline of Buddhism, Golden age, Muslim conquests and European colonization. India's great diversity of cultural practices, languages, customs, and traditions are examples of this unique co-mingling over the past five millennia. India is also the birth place of several religious systems such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. The various religions and traditions of India that were created by these amalgamations have influenced other parts of the world too. Religious beliefs especially Hinduism has influenced Indian culture for a long time in the Indian subcontinent. The culture of India is one of the oldest and unique. In India, there is amazing cultural diversity throughout the country. The South, North, and Northeast have their own distinct cultures and almost every state has carved out its own cultural niche. There is hardly any culture in the world that is as varied and unique as India. India is a vast country, having variety of geographical features and climatic conditions. India is home to some of the most ancient civilizations, including four major world religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. A combination of these factors has resulted into an exclusive culture- Indian culture. Indian culture is a composite mixture of varying styles and influences. In the matter of cuisine, for instance, the North and the South are totally different. Festivals in India are characterized by color, gaiety, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals. In the realm of music, there are varieties of folk, popular, pop, and classical music. The classical tradition of music in India includes the Carnatic and the Hindustani music.