India

Images of India

Republic of India Some Facts 7th largest country in the world by area (3,287,590 km 2 ) 2nd largest by population (1.1 billion people) capital: New Delhi biggest city: Mumbai (former Bombay) border to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), China, Nepal and Pakistan Languages: English (most important for national, political and commercial communication), Hindi as the national language (30%) and 14 other official languages Religions: Hindu: 81.3%, Muslim: 12%, Christian: 2.3%, Sikh: 1.9% and others: 2.5%

History of India (the beginning ) BCIndus Valley Civilization 1500 BCAryan tribes invade and merge with the Dravidian inhabitants 712 BCIslam arrives on subcontinent (several Islamic invasion between 1000 and 1500) 12th centuryTurkish invasions 15th centuryEuropean traders arrive 1526Babur of Timur establishes the Mughal Empire by 1600Mughal Dynasty rules most of the Indian sub- continent

History of India ( ) 31 Dec. 1600British East India Company founded by Elizabeth I. 1526British set up first trading post in Surat. Trade in cotton, silk, indigo, saltpetre, tea and opium. Monopoly over trade in East Indies, EIC had own military 1757Victory in the Battle of Plassey established EIC as a military and commercial power. 1857Indian Mutiny is defeated by the British, Mughal Empire is defeated; all political power is transferred from the East India Company to the British Crown

The British Raj ( ) The Raj: British control of the political affairs of the whole of India After the Indian Rebellion the governance of India was organized in: imperial government in London, central government in Calcutta ( represented by the viceroy) and the provincial governments 1876Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India Both the direct administration of India by the British crown and the technological change brought by the industrial revolution, had the effect of closely intertwining the economies of India and Great Britain. Railways, roads, canals, and bridges were rapidly built in India and telegraph links equally rapidly established in order that raw materials, such as cotton, from India's hinterland could be transported more efficiently to ports. Likewise, finished goods from England were transported back just as efficiently, for sale in the Indian markets.

1885Indian National Congress founded to unite all Indians and strengthen bonds with Britain 1920Satyagraha (Ghandi‘s Non-Cooperation Movement) founded Campaigns against British rule 1929Indian Congress calls for independence 1930(12 March - 6 April) Ghandi’s Salt March 1942Quit India Movement initiated by Ghandi 1947(15 August) Indian Independence

Republic of India 15 Aug. 1947Independence Day and Partition of India and Pakistan Jawaharlal Nehru becomes first Prime Minister of India, Mohammed Ali Jinnah becomes first Governor-General 1947Due to sectarian violence over 1 million people were killed when 6 million Muslims moved to Pakistan and 5 million Hindus moved to India. Ghandi opposed partition but had to cooperate to achieve Indian independence. 30 Jan. 1948Ghandi is assassinated by Hindu fundamentalist 1950India becomes republic based on British model 1956War between India and Pakistan

1966 Indira Ghandi: first woman to become PM nd Indo-Pakistani war leads to 2 nd partition: East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh 1974India builds the atomic bomb The Emergency due to political unrest (highly controversial) 1984assassination of Indira Ghandi by Sikh bodyguard Since independence, India has suffered from religious violence, caste-related violence and insurgencies in various parts, but has been able to control them through tolerance and constitutional reforms. Terrorism in India is also a major security problem, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, North-east India and recently in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai, 2001 Indian Parliament attack being the most prominent one. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.

The Indian Caste System The Caste System is a rigid class structure based on Hinduism which is found in India. It is believed that if one leads a good life, following good karma and dharma, then they will be rewarded by being reincarnated as a person belonging to the next highest level in the Caste System. However, if one is wicked during their life, they will be demoted, and possibly even removed from the Caste System altogether. Outcasts, or Untouchables, are members of Hindu society thought to have been removed from the Caste System, with no hope of returning to it, due to their misdeeds in previous lives. Work that is deemed unclean for all other Hindus is reserved for these Outcasts.