Portal:India

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India Portal

Introduction

India (ISO: Bhārat), official name, the Republic of India, (ISO: Bhārat Gaṇarājya), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by 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 southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.

The Indian subcontinent was home to the Indus Valley Civilisation of the bronze age. In India's iron age, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism were composed, social stratification based on caste emerged, and Buddhism and Jainism arose. Political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta Empires; the peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced the cultures of Southeast Asia. In India's medieval era, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived, and Sikhism emerged, adding to a diverse culture. North India fell to the Delhi Sultanate; south India was united under the Vijayanagara Empire. In the early modern era, the expansive Mughal Empire was followed by East India Company rule. India's modern age was marked by British Crown rule and a nationalist movement which, under Mahatma Gandhi, was noted for nonviolence and led to India's independence in 1947.

National Anthem of India

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Selected articles

Eega (lit. The Fly) is a 2012 Indian fantasy action film written by K. V. Vijayendra Prasad and directed by his son, S. S. Rajamouli. Produced by Korrapati Ranganatha Sai's Varahi Chalana Chitram with an estimated budget of ₹260 to 400 million (US$3.99–6.14 million), it was filmed simultaneously as a bilingual in Telugu and Tamil languages, the latter titled Naan Ee (lit. I, Housefly). The film stars Sudeep, Nani and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. M. M. Keeravani composed the soundtrack and score. K. K. Senthil Kumar was director of photography and Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao edited the film. Janardhan Maharshi and Crazy Mohan wrote the dialogue for the Telugu and Tamil versions, respectively. The film's narrative is in the form of a bedtime story told by a father to his daughter. Its protagonist Nani, who is in love with his neighbour Bindu, is murdered by a wealthy businessman named Sudeep, who is attracted to Bindu and considers Nani a rival. Nani reincarnates as a housefly and tries to avenge his death and protect Bindu from an obsessive Sudeep.

The idea for the film originated in the 1990s from a conversation in which Prasad joked with Rajamouli about the idea of a fly seeking revenge against a human. Rajamouli reconsidered the idea after finishing Maryada Ramanna (2010), and Prasad developed it into a script. The film's production began on 7 December 2010 at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad. Principal photography began on 22 February 2011 and continued until late February 2012. Makuta VFX and Annapurna Studios oversaw Eega's visual effects and digital intermediate process, respectively.

The two versions of the film, alongside a Malayalam-dubbed version titled Eecha, were released on 6 July 2012 in approximately 1,100 screens globally. The performances of the principal cast, Rajamouli's direction, and visual effects received critical acclaim upon release. Eega was one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of the year, earning more than ₹1.25 billion (US$19.2 million). Its Hindi-dubbed version, Makkhi, which was released on 12 October 2012, had not achieved equivalent commercial success as of June 2015. Eega won two National Film Awards (Best Feature Film in Telugu and Best Special Effects), five South Filmfare Awards including Best Telugu Film, Best Telugu Director, Best Telugu Actress (Samantha) and Best Telugu Supporting Actor (Sudeep) and three South Indian International Movie Awards. It was screened at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, the Shanghai International Film Festival, and the Madrid International Film Festival. Read more...

Selected picture

The Toda people are a small pastoral tribe of less than 1,000 people who reside in the Nilgiri hills of Southern India. Shown here is a typical Toda hut, about 3 m (10 ft.) high, 5.5 m (18 ft.) long and 2.7 m (9 ft.) wide. They are built of bamboo fastened with rattan and thatched. The hut has only a tiny (about 0.9 x 0.9 m, 3 x 3 ft.) entrance at the front, which serves as protection from wild animals.

Photo credit: Pratheepps

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Selected lists

News

13 July 2019 – Monsoon of South Asia: Three days of heavy rain in Nepal trigger floods and landslides resulting in at least 67 deaths. India was also affected by heavy floods, resulting in the death of 34 people, while 29 others died in Bangladesh. (BBC)
10 July 2019 – 2019 Cricket World Cup: New Zealand defeats India in the first semi-final of the Cricket World Cup. (The Independent)
20 June 2019 –: At least 44 people are killed when a bus carrying at least 60 plunges into a gorge in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, a mountainous northern Indian state. (BBC)
19 June 2019 –: Millions of people in southeast India face water shortages due to drought and depleted groundwater. (CBC)
17 June 2019 – 2019 Bihar encephalitis outbreak: The death toll of Indian children who have died due to an acute encephalitis syndrome outbreak reaches 100. (BBC)
17 June 2019 –: Criminal charges are stayed against Jaspal Atwal, the central figure of controversy that surrounded Justin Trudeau's trip to India. He was charged in May 2018 with uttering threats against a Punjabi radio host. (CBC News)
15 June 2019 –: Seven people—four sanitation workers and three staff members—die after inhaling toxic fumes from a Darshsan Hotel sewer cleaning in the village of Fartikui in western India. The hotel owner is charged with the fatalities. (BBC)

Did you know...

... that a housewife, Bhogeswari Phukanani, played a part in the Quit India Movement and lost her life in doing so?
... that Captain Hume was present at the Battle of Alma, the Battle of Inkerman, and the Siege of Sebastopol during the Crimean War, before serving during the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
... that R. Hari Kumar took a staff course at the US Naval War College while serving in the Indian Navy?
... that Indian social worker Sharda Mehta organised a protest against indentured servitude in 1917?
... that Mahant Chandnath, a Member of the Indian Parliament, is also the head of the Nath sect of Hinduism?
... that although Indian cassava mosaic virus does indeed infect cassava crops in India, the actual origin of the virus is unknown?
... that Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration, has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were made posthumously?
... that the 2008 film Dostana inspired several fashion trends in India, with Priyanka Chopra's silver sari, worn in the song "Desi Girl", becoming very popular?
... that Tapeats Creek in the Grand Canyon National Park is named after the Southern Paiute Indian who claimed ownership of it?
... that in the annual Balotsav of India, children compete in many categories including elocution?
... that Firhad Hakim is the first Muslim to become the Mayor of Kolkata since Indian independence?
... that Karam Singh was the first living recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration?
... that Gujarati folk singer Diwaliben Bhil was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India?
... that Ameenpur Lake is both the first water body and the first urban environment in India to be declared a Biodiversity Heritage Site?