India

©Ramakrishna Kongalla
 Geography Facts about India
• Location
• The Union of India is the seventh largest country in the world covering an area of 32,87,590 square
kilometers and it is an important country of south Asia.
• South Asia has a total area of about 4.488 million sq. km out of which India has the largest area (3.287
sq. km). It occupies 73.2 % of total area.
• It is 4 times largest than Pakistan which is second largest in South Asia. India is 12 times largest that UK
and 8 times largest than Japan.
• The mainland stretches from latitude 8o4' north to 37o6' north and from longitude 68o7' east to 97o25'
east of Greenwhich. The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the country is almost same in degrees i.e.
about 30 degrees.
• The southernmost point in Indian Territory, (in Great Nicobar Islands) is the Indira Point (6 o45’ ), while
Kanyakumari, also known as Cape Comorin, is the southernmost point of Indian mainland. The country
thus lies wholly in the northern and eastern hemispheres.
• The 82o30' E longitude is taken as Standard Time Meridian of India, as it passes through the middle of
India (from Naini, near Allahabad.) Hence Naini, Near Allahabad is the Standard Time of India.
• The country is of a vast size and measures about 3,214 kilometers from north to south and about 2,933
kilometers from west to east.
• Indian Standard Time:- GMT +05:30
• Telephone Country Code:- +91
• Coastline:- 7,516.6 km encompassing the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands, and the Andaman & Nicobar
Islands.

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Ocean
• India lies midway between the Far East and the Middle East. The trans-Indian Ocean routes connecting
the industrially developed countries of Europe in the west and the underdeveloped countries of east
Asia pass close by. India being centrally located in South Asia, she enjoys an advantageous-position for
doing trade with Australia and the countries of Africa, the Middle East and the Far East. Thus, India
dominates the Indian Ocean and commands an important strategic position. Her land frontier is 15,200
kilometers long. Her northern borderland, being mountainous, is very difficult to cross and it offers very
few transport facilities for trade with the arid, almost barren and very sparsely populated regions of
Central Asia. India has a coastline of 6,100 kilometers in the main land and she depends on the Indian
Ocean for bulk of her foreign trade. The total length of the coastline of the mainland, Lakshadweep
group of Islands and Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands is 7,519.5 km.
• India Facts
– Territorial Sea 12 nm (nautical miles)
– Contiguous Zone 24 nm
– Exclusive economic Zone 200 nm
– Continental Shelf 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
– Longest River Ganga
– Largest Lake Lake Chilka
– Highest Point Mt. K2 (8611 m)
– Highest Point of Himalaya Kanchan Junga (8,598 m)
– Lowest Point Kuttanad (-2.2 m)
– Northernmost Point Siachen Glacier near Karakoram
– Southernmost Point Indira Point, Great Nicobar, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
– Southernmost Point of India (Mainland) Cape Comorin (Kanya Kumari)
– Westernmost Point West of Ghuar Mota, Gujarat
– Easternmost Point Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh
– Highest Altitude Kanchenjunga, Sikkim Lowest Altitude Kuttanad (Kerala)

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• Physical Boundaries :- The sub-continent is isolated in a remarkable way from the rest of
Asia, making it a geographical unit. For example, barring the plateau of Baluchistan the
two great ranges, namely, the Sulaiman and the Kirthar, cut it off from the west. Along the
North the great mountains wall formed by the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and the Himalayas,
cut it off the countries that lie beyond as the mountains are very high and difficult to cross.
Similarly, the Southward offshoots of the Eastern Himalayas separate it from Burma.
• The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the country is almost the same in degrees i.e.
about 30 degrees. But in kilometers, the north-south distance (about 3,200 km) is more
than that of the east-west.The Himalayas and other lofty mountains- Muztagh Ata, Aghil
Kunlun Mountains to the north of Kashmir and south eastern portion of Zaskar mountains
to east of Himachal Pradesh - from India's northern boundary, except in the Nepal region.
She is adjoined in the north by China, Nepal and Bhutan. A series of mountain ranges in
the east separate India from Burma. Also, in the east, lies Bangladesh bounded by Indian
States of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. In the north-west,
Afghanistan and Pakistan border on India. The Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait separate
India from Srilanka.
• Locational Advantage:- India is a unique country as it is easily accessible to other parts of
Asia, Africa, Europe and Americas. Its cultural influences have crossed its border from time
immemorial and reached far off lands. It acts as a bridge head between developed and
developing countries of the world and between the East and the West. India's strength lies
in its geography as much as in its culture. Since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869,
distance between India and Europe has been reduced by 7000 kms. India enjoys a
favourable ocean routes from East and South-East Asia and Australia to Africa and Europe
pass through Indian Ocean. India is connected with the Cape of Good Hope and the Suez
Canal. India can also reach Canada and the USA through the Strait of Malacca after
crossing the Pacific Ocean.

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 Climate of India
• The whole of India has a tropical monsoonal climate, since the greater part of the country lies within
the trophies, and the climate is influenced by the monsoons.
• The position of the mountain ranges and direction of the rain-bearing winds are the two main factors
that determine the climate of India
• Alternating seasons is the chief characteristic of India's Climate.
• Factors Affecting the Climate of India:
• Latitude: India lies between 8 0N and 37 0 N latitudes. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of
India, thus making the southern half of India in the Torrid Zone and the northern half in the
Temperature Zone.
• Himalaya Mountains: The Himalayas play an important role in lending a sub-tropical touch to the
climate of India. The lofty Himalaya Mountains form a barrier which effects the climate of India. It
prevents the cold winds of north Asia from blowing into India, thus protecting it from severely cold
winters. It also traps the Monsoon winds, forcing them to shed their moisture within the sub-continent.
• Altitude: Temperature decreases with height. Places in the mountains are cooler than places on the
plains.
• Distance from the sea: With a long coastline, large coastal areas have an equable climate. Areas in the
interior of India are far away from the moderating influence of the sea. Such areas have extremes of
climate.
• Geographical Limits:
– Western Disturbances: The low pressure systems that originate over the eastern Mediterranean region in winter
and move eastwards towards India passing over Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan are responsible for the winter
rain in northern India.
– Conditions in the Regions Surrounding India: Temperature and pressure conditions in East Africa, Iran, Central
Asia and Tibet determine the strength of the monsoons and the occasional dry spells. For example, high
temperatures in East Africa may draw the monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean into that region thus, causing a
dry spell.
– Conditions over the Ocean: The weather conditions over the Indian ocean and the China Sea may be responsible
for typhoons which often affect the east coast of India.
– Jet Streams: Air currents in the upper layers of the atmosphere known as jet steams could determine the arrival
of the monsoons and departure ofR'tist@Tourism,Pondicherry
the monsoons. The Scientists are studying the jet streams and how it may 5
University
affect the climate of India but much remains to be learned about this phenomena.
 Mughal Rulers

Babur 1483 - 1526 - 1530 (47)

Humayun 1508 - 1530 - 1540 - 1556 (48)

Akbar 1542 - 1556 - 1605 (63)

Jahangir 1569 - 1605 - 1627 (58)

Shah Jahan 1592 - 1627 - 1658 - 1666 (74)

Aurangzeb 1618 - 1658 - 1707 (89)

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 Indian History At a Glance
• B.C. • A.D.
• 2500-1500 • 78
Indus Valley Civilisation. Beginning of Saka Era.

540 120
Birth of Mahavir—Founder of Jainism. Accession of Kanishka.

563 320
Birth of Gautam Buddha—Founder of Buddhism. Beginning of Gupta Dynasty.

483 405
Buddha attains Nirvana. Chinese pilgrim Fa-hien visited India.

468 606-647
Mahavir attains Nirvana. Harsha Vardhan's regime.

327-325 629
Alexander's invasion of India. Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang visited India.

322 712
Chandragupta Maurya's accession to the throne of Mohammad-bin-Qasim's invasion of Sindh.
Magadha.
1001
305 Mahmud Gazhni's first attack on India.
Defeat of Seleucus at the hands of Chandragupta
Maurya. 1025
Mahmud Gazhni destroyed Somnath Temple.
273-232
Ashoka's regime 1191
First Battle of Tarain.
261
Conquest of Kalinga. 1192
Second Battle of Tarain.
58
Beginning of Vikram Era. R'tist@Tourism,Pondicherry University 7
• 1206 • 1600
Foundation of first Muslim Dynasty in India by Establishment of East India Company.
Qutub-ud-din Aibak.
1605
1221 Death of Akbar.
First Mongol invasion of India by Changez Khan
1612
1236 First English factory at Surat.
Accession of Razia Sultan to the throne of
Delhi. 1627
Birth of Shivaji—Founder of Maratha Power.
1398
Taimur Lang invaded India. 1648
Taj Mahal completed at Agra.
1469
Birth of Guru Nanak—Founder of Sikhism. 1666
Shivaji's visit to the Mughal Court at Agra, his
1498 imprisonment and dramatic escape.
Discovery of sea-route of India by
Vasco-de-Gama, Portuguese 1680
sailor. Death of Shivaji.
1526
First Battle of Panipat, Ibrahim Lodi defeated
by Babar, foundation of Mughal rule in India.
1556
Second Battle of Panipat, Hemu defeated by
Akbar and latter's
accession to the throne.
1576
Battle of Haldighati, Rana Pratap was defeated
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by Akbar
• 1707 • 1833
Death of Aurangzeb. Macaulay recommended English as the
medium of instruction in India.
1739
Nadir Shah of Persia invaded India. 1839
Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
1757
Battle of Plassey. 1853
First railway line opened in India from Bombay
1761 to Thana.
Third Battle of Panipat.
1857
1764 First Battle of Indian Independence.
Battle of Buxar.
1858
1773 End of East India Company's rule;
Regulating Act. administration of India transferred to the
British Crown.
1774
Birth of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. 1861
Indian Councils Act; Rabindranath Tagore born.
1784
Pitt's India Bill. 1863
Birth of Swami Vivekanand.
1793
Permanent settlement of Bengal, Bihar and 1869
Orissa. Birth of Mahatma Gandhi.
1885
Indian National Congress founded by A.O.
Hume.
R'tist@Tourism,Pondicherry1889
University 9
Birth of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
• 1905 • 1930
First Partition of Bengal. Mahatma Gandhi takes up Dandi March; First Round
Table Conference in London.
1906
All India Muslim League founded. 1931
Gandhi-Irwin Pact; Second Round Table Conference.
1909
Morely-Minto Reforms Bills passed. 1932
Communal Award announced; Gandhiji declares fast
1911 unto death
Partition of Bengal revoked; India's Capital transferred against the award.
from Calcutta to Delhi.
1935
1919 Government of India Act passed.
Government of India Act Passed; Jallianwala Bagh
massacre at Amritsar. 1937
Provincial Autonomy.
1920
Bal Gangadhar Tilak died; Non-Co-operation 1941
Movement started Death of Rabindranath Tagore; escape of Subhash
by Mahatma Gandhi-Khilafat Movement started by Ali Chandra
Brothers. Bose from India.
1922 1942
Chauri Chaura outrage in U.P. Quit India Movement.
1927 1943
Visit of Simon Commission. Bengal famine; Indian National Army formed at
Singapore by Subhash Chandra Bose.
1928
Death of Lala Lajpat Rai. 1945
Trial of I.N.A. at Red Fort; Shimla Conference.
1929
Under the Presidentship of Pt. Nehru at Lahore 1946
session of Congress, a resolution for complete Visit of Cabinet Mission to India; Formation of Interim
independence passed. Government at the Centre.
1947
India attains independence; Partition of India &
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 Indian Fairs and Festivals
January February
– Maker Sankranti – Mahashivratri
– Lohri – Goa Carnival
– Pongal – Desert Festival
– Thai Pusam – Nagaur Fair
– Flot Festivals – International Yoga Week
– National Kite Festival – Elephant Festival
– Kerela Village Fair – Deccan Festival
– Bikaner Festival – Taj Mahotsav
– Pattadakal Dance Festival – Surajkund Crafts Mela
– Id-ud-Fitr – Chapchar Kut
– Vasant Panchami – Islands Tourism Festivals

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March April
– Holi – Good Friday
– Ganaur – Easter
– Jamshed-e-Navroz – Baisakhi
– Ramnavami – Gudi Padva or Ugadi
– Id-ul-Zuha – Pooram
– Mahavir Jayanti – Muharram
– Khajuraho Dance Festival – Buddha Purnima
– Elephant Festival – Mewar
– Hoysla Mahotsava
– Ellora Festival

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May • September
– Urs Festival – Tarnetar Mela
June • October
– Ganga Dussehra – Navratri
– Hemis Festival – Durga Puja.
July – Dussehra
– Rathyatra – Marwar Festival
– Guru Purnima • November
August – Sharad Purnima
– Janmashtami – Diwali
– Onam – Guru Purab
– Nag Panchami – Ka Pomblang Nongrem
– Rakshabandhan – Sonepur Fair
– Ganesh Chaturthi – Pushkar Fair
– Hampi Festival
• December
– Christma
– Konark Dance Festival

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 Economy of India
• Indian Economy is Twelfth largest in the world
and fourth largest by purchasing power parity. In the
21st century, India is an emerging economic power
having vast human and natural resources.
• Economic Growth: Economic growth has been defined
as "an increase in real terms of the output of goods and
services that is sustained over a long period of time,
measured in terms of value added". Economic growth
is a dynamic concept and refers to continuous increase
in output.
• Factors in Economic Growth: The four factors
contributing to growth are
• human resources (labour supply, education, discipline,
motivation)
• national resources (land, minerals, fuels, environmental
quality)
• capital formation (machines, factories, roads)
• technology (science, engineering, management,
entrepreneurship)
• Millennium Development Goals to be Achieved by
2015
• Achieve universal primary education
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global patnership for development
• Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary
education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of
education by 2015
• Halve the proportion of the people suffering from
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Hunger
• Gross National Happiness (GNH) : The concept of
gross national happiness has been introduced by king
of Bhutan, Jigme Singya Wang Chuck, a tiny kingdom
on the northern borders of India. The GNH aims to
ensure that prosperity is shared across protecting the
environment and maintaining a responsive the word
happiness, more like what the signers of the
Declaration of Independence had in mind when they
included the "pursuit of happiness" as an inalienable
right equal to liberty and life itself. The index is
designed to challenge the well-established indices of
countries development. HDI and GDP which are seen
as not taking sustainability into account.
• India is the 90th happiest country in the world, behind
Bhutan(13), China(31), Sri Lanka(13) and
Bangladesh(41). It is ahead of Pakistan(112) and
Russia(172).
Seven of the top 10 happiest countries are from
western democracies, while countries in Asia, known
for their strong cultural values, family ties and
collective identities surprisingly scored low-China(31),
Japan(95) and Thailand(32)
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17 Indian Railway Zones

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History of India

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Biggest, Highest and Largest in India

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First in India

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Important Dates Indian History

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Important Battles Indian History

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Sports Cup Trophies

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Number of Players in Sports

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Important National Highways

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Important Rivers of India

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Indian Towns On Rivers

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Great Works of Famous Persons

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Crematorium of Famous Persons

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News Papers and Journals Founder in India

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Famous Places associated with Eminent Persons

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Nick Name of Indian Places

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Famous Nicknames of Eminent Persons

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 Thank You…
©Ramakrishna Kongalla

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