parths account of india

7/29/2019 Parths Account of India

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India( i/n d i/), officially the Republic of India(Bharat Ganrajya)[c], is a country inSouth Asia.It is

the seventh-largestcountry by area, thesecond-ost !o!ulouscountry "ith over #.$ billion !eo!le,

and the ost !o!ulous deocracyin the "orld. %ounded by the Indian &ceanon the south,

theArabian Seaon the south-"est, and the %ay of %engalon the south-east, it shares land borders

"ith'aistanto the "est

[d]

*hina,+e!al, and %hutanto the north-east and%uraand %angladeshtothe east. In the Indian &cean, India is in the vicinity ofSri anaand thealdivesin addition,

IndiasAndaan and +icobar Islandsshare a aritie border "ith hailandand Indonesia.

0oe to the ancient Indus 1alley *ivilisationand a region of historic trade routes and vast e!ires,

the Indian subcontinent"as identified "ith its coercial and cultural "ealth for uch of its long

history.[#2]3our "orld religions40induis,%uddhis,5ainis,andSihis4originated here,

"hereas6oroastrianis,*hristianity, and Islaarrived in the #st illenniu *7and also hel!ed

sha!e the regions diverse culture.8radually anne9ed by and brought under the adinistration of

the %ritish 7ast India *o!anyfro the early #:th century and adinistered directly by the ;nited

? after a struggle for

inde!endencethat "as ared by non-violent resistanceled byahata 8andhi.

he Indian econoyis the "orlds tenth-largest bynoinal 8@'and third-largest by !urchasing

!o"er !arity(''').[#>]3ollo"ing aret-based econoic reforsin #==#, India becae one of

the fastest-gro"ing aor econoiesit is considered a ne"ly industrialised country. 0o"ever, it

continues to face the challenges of !overty,corru!tion, alnutrition,inadeBuate !ublic healthcare,

andterroris. A nuclear "ea!ons stateand aregional !o"er, it has the third-largest standing aryin

the "orld and rans eighth in ilitary e9!enditureaong nations. India is a federalconstitutional

re!ublicgoverned under a !arliaentary systeconsisting of $: states and ? union territories.India

is a !luralistic,ultilingual, andulti-ethnic society. It is also hoe to a diversity of "ildlifein a variety

of !rotected habitats.

Contents

[hide]

# 7tyology

$ 0istory

o $.# Ancient India

o $.$ edieval India

o $.2 7arly odern India

o $.> odern India

2 8eogra!hy

> %iodiversity

C 'olitics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldiveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldiveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilisationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199816.E2.80.9317-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199816.E2.80.9317-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics_of_Jainismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics_of_Jainismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics_of_Jainismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_rule_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_rule_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-violent_resistancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-violent_resistancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-WBD-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-WBD-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_liberalisation_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_real_GDP_growth_rate_(latest_year)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_real_GDP_growth_rate_(latest_year)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newly_industrialised_countryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malnutrition_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_(international_relations)#Power_as_statushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_troopshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_areas_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Etymologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Ancient_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Medieval_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Early_modern_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Modern_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Geographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Biodiversityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Politicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Keyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-15http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_areahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_populationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Oceanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-16http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldiveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_and_Nicobar_Islandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilisationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199816.E2.80.9317-17http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics_of_Jainismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_rule_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_independence_movementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-violent_resistancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-WBD-18http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_liberalisation_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_real_GDP_growth_rate_(latest_year)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newly_industrialised_countryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malnutrition_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_(international_relations)#Power_as_statushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_troopshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_areas_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Etymologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Ancient_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Medieval_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Early_modern_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Modern_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Geographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Biodiversityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Politicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:En-us-India.ogg


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o C.# 8overnent

o C.$ Subdivisions

D 3oreign relations and ilitary

? 7conoy

: @eogra!hics

= *ulture

o =.# Art and architecture

o =.$ iterature

o =.2 'erforing arts

o =.> otion !ictures

o =.C Society

o =.D *lothing

o =.? S!ort

#E See also

## +otes

#$ *itations

#2 Feferences

#> 79ternal lins

7tyology

Main article: Names of India

he nae Indiais derived fro Indus, "hich originates fro the&ld 'ersian"ord Hindu.he latter

ter stes fro the Sansrit"ord Sindhu, "hich "as the historical local a!!ellation for the Indus

Fiver.[#C]he ancient 8reesreferred to the Indians as Indoi(GHJK), "hich translates as Lthe !eo!le of

the IndusL.[#D]he geogra!hical ter Bharat(!ronounced[ b a r ] t ( listen)), "hich is recognised by

the *onstitution of Indiaas an official nae for the country, is used by any Indian languagesin its

variations.[#?]he e!onyof Bharatis %harata, a theological figure that 0indu scri!tures describe as a
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Subdivisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Foreign_relations_and_militaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Economyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Demographicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Art_and_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Performing_artshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Motion_pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Clothinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Sporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Noteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Citationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Persian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Persian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOxford_English_Dictionary-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKuiper201086-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKuiper201086-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Hindi_and_Urduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Hindi_and_Urduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Hindi_and_Urduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Hindi_and_Urduhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Hi-Bharat.ogghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Hi-Bharat.ogghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Hi-Bharat.ogghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_Republic_of_India_in_its_official_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Law_and_Justice_2008-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Law_and_Justice_2008-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Law_and_Justice_2008-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eponymhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharata_(emperor)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Subdivisionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Foreign_relations_and_militaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Economyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Demographicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Art_and_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Performing_artshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Motion_pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Clothinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Sporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Noteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Citationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#External_linkshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Persian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOxford_English_Dictionary-19http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKuiper201086-20http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Hindi_and_Urduhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Hi-Bharat.ogghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_Republic_of_India_in_its_official_languageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Law_and_Justice_2008-21http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eponymhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharata_(emperor)


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legendary e!eror of ancient India. Hindustan([ n s a n] d t ( listen)) "as originally a 'ersian"ord

that eant Land of the 0indusL !rior to #=>?, it referred to a region that enco!assed northern India

and 'aistan. It is occasionally used to solely denote India in its entirety. [#:][#=]

0istory

Main articles: History of Indiaand History of the Republic of India

Ancient India

Anatoically odern huansare thought to have arrived in South Asia ?2-CC,EEE years bac,[$E]though the earliest authenticated huan reains date to only about 2E,EEE years ago. [$#]+early

conte!oraneous esolithicroc art sites have been found in any !arts of the Indian subcontinent,

including at the %hibeta roc sheltersin adhya 'radesh.[$$]Around ?EEE %*7, the first

no"n +eolithicsettleents a!!eared on the subcontinent inehrgarhand other sites in "estern

'aistan.[$2]hese gradually develo!ed into the Indus 1alley *ivilisation,[$>]the first urban culture in

South Asia[$C]it flourished during $CEEM#=EE %*7 in 'aistan and "estern India. [$D]*entred around

cities such as oheno-daro,0ara!!a, @holavira,and


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its e9e!lar, ahavira.[>E]In an age of increasing urban "ealth, both religions held u! renunciationas

an ideal,[>#]and both established long-lasting onasteries.[2>]'olitically, by the 2rd century %*7, the

ingdo of agadhahad anne9ed or reduced other states to eerge as the auryan 7!ire.[2>]he

e!ire "as once thought to have controlled ost of the subcontinent e9ce!ting the far south, but its

core regions are no" thought to have been se!arated by large autonoous areas. [>$][>2]he auryan

ings are no"n as uch for their e!ire-building and deterined anageent of !ublic life as

forAshoas renunciation of ilitaris and far-flung advocacy of the %uddhist dhamma.[>>][>C]

he Sanga literatureof theail languagereveals that, bet"een $EE %*7 and $EE *7, the

southern !eninsula "as being ruled by the *heras,the*holas, and the'andyas,dynasties that

traded e9tensively "ith theFoan 7!ireand "ith Oestand South-7ast Asia.[>D][>?]In +orth India,

0induis asserted !atriarchal control "ithin the faily, leading to increased subordination of "oen.[>:][2>]%y the >th and Cth centuries, the 8u!ta 7!irehad created in the greater 8anges 'lain a

co!le9 syste of adinistration and ta9ation that becae a odel for later Indian ingdos. [>=]

[CE];nder the 8u!tas, a rene"ed 0induis based on devotion rather than the anageent of ritual

began to assert itself.[C#]he rene"al "as reflected in a flo"ering of scul!tureandarchitecture, "hich

found !atrons aong an urban elite.[CE] *lassical Sansrit literatureflo"ered as "ell, and Indian

science,astronoy,edicine, and atheaticsade significant advances.[CE]

Medieval India

he graniteto"erof%rihadees"arar e!leinhanavur"as co!leted in #E#E *7 byFaa Faa *hola I.

he Indian early edieval age, DEE *7 to #$EE *7, is defined by regional ingdos and cultural

diversity.[C$]Ohen 0arshaof ]

In the Dth and ?th centuries, the first devotional hyns"ere created in the ail language.[CC]hey

"ere iitated all over India and led to both the resurgence of 0induis and the develo!ent of

all odern languages of the subcontinent.[CC]Indian royalty,bigand sall,and the te!les they

!atronised, dre" citiNens in great nubers to the ca!ital cities, "hich becae econoic hubs as "ell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009312.E2.80.93313-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009312.E2.80.93313-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekkhammahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekkhammahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009300-45http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009300-45http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009319-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009319-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199878.E2.80.9379-46http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund200470-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund200470-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009367-48http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund200463-49http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangam_literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chera_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chera_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199889.E2.80.9390-50http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009408.E2.80.93415-51http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009408.E2.80.93415-51http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199892.E2.80.9395-52http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009319-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009319-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gupta_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gupta_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund200489.E2.80.9391-53http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199898.E2.80.9399-55http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sculpture_in_the_Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sculpture_in_the_Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit_literature#Classical_Sanskrit_literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_the_Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_the_Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_astronomyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_astronomyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_astronomyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurvedahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_mathematicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopuramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopuramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopuramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadeeswarar_Templehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadeeswarar_Templehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanjavurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanjavurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Raja_Chola_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Raja_Chola_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Raja_Chola_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998132-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998132-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannaujhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukya_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukya_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pala_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998132-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998121.E2.80.93122-58http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998121.E2.80.93122-58http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaktihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998123-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998123-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998123-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998123-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharajahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharajahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009312.E2.80.93313-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nekkhammahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009300-45http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009319-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009319-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199878.E2.80.9379-46http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund200470-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009367-48http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund200463-49http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangam_literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chera_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyan_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199889.E2.80.9390-50http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009408.E2.80.93415-51http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199892.E2.80.9395-52http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009319-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gupta_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund200489.E2.80.9391-53http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein199898.E2.80.9399-55http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sculpture_in_the_Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit_literature#Classical_Sanskrit_literaturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_the_Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_the_Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_astronomyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurvedahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_mathematicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESingh2009545-54http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopuramhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadeeswarar_Templehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanjavurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_Raja_Chola_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998132-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannaujhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukya_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pala_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998119.E2.80.93120-57http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998132-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998121.E2.80.93122-58http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998121.E2.80.93122-58http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaktihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998123-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998123-59http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharajahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samanta


5/13

[CD]e!le to"ns of various siNes began to a!!ear every"here as India under"ent another

urbanisation. [CD]%y the :th and =th centuries, the effects "ere felt in South-7ast Asia, as South Indian

culture and !olitical systes "ere e9!orted to lands that becae !art of odern-

day yanar, hailand, aos,*abodia, 1ietna,alaysia,and 5ava.[C?]Indian erchants,

scholars, and soeties aries "ere involved in this transission South-7ast Asians too the

initiative as "ell, "ith any soourning in Indian seinaries and translating %uddhist and 0indu te9ts

into their languages.[C?]

After the #Eth century, usli *entral Asian noadic clans, using s"ift-horsecavalry and raising vast

aries united by ethnicity and religion, re!eatedly overran South Asias north-"estern !lains, leading

eventually to the establishent of the Islaic @elhi Sultanatein #$ED.[C:]he sultanate "as to control

uch of +orth India, and to ae any forays into South India. Although at first disru!tive for the

Indian elites, the sultanate largely left its vast non-usli subect !o!ulation to its o"n la"s and

custos.[C=][DE]%y re!eatedly re!ulsingongol raidersin the #2th century, the sultanate saved India

fro the devastation visited on Oest and *entral Asia, setting the scene for centuries of igration of

fleeing soldiers, learned en, ystics, traders, artists, and artisans fro that region into the

subcontinent, thereby creating a syncretic Indo-Islaic culture in the north. [D#][D$]he sultanates

raiding and "eaening of the regional ingdos of South India !aved the "ay for the

indigenous 1iayanagara 7!ire.[D2]7bracing a strongShaivitetradition and building u!on the

ilitary technology of the sultanate, the e!ire cae to control uch of !eninsular India, [D>]and "as

to influence South Indian society for long after"ards. [D2]

Early modern India

Scribes and artists in the ughal court, #C=EM#C=C

In the early #Dth century, northern India, being then under ainly usli rulers, [DC]fell again to the

su!erior obility and fire!o"er of a ne" generation of *entral Asian "arriors. [DD]he resulting ughal

7!iredid not sta! out the local societies it cae to rule, but rather balanced and !acified the

through ne" adinistrative !ractices[D?][D:]and diverse and inclusive ruling elites,[D=]leading to ore

systeatic, centralised, and unifor rule.[?E]7sche"ing tribal bonds and Islaic identity, es!ecially

underAbar,the ughals united their far-flung reals through loyalty, e9!ressed through a

'ersianised culture, to an e!eror "ho had near-divine status. [D=]he ughal states econoic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998124-60http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998124-60http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998127.E2.80.93128-61http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998127.E2.80.93128-61http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courser_(horse)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Sultanatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTELudden200268-62http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200847-63http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf20066-64http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf20066-64http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTELudden200267-65http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200850.E2.80.9351-66http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayanagara_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200853-67http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200853-67http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200853-67http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaivismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaivismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200612-68http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200853-67http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTERobb200180-69http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998164-70http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot2008115-71http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTERobb200190.E2.80.9391-72http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200617-73http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200617-73http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot2008152-74http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot2008152-74http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200617-73http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200617-73http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998124-60http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998124-60http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998127.E2.80.93128-61http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998127.E2.80.93128-61http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courser_(horse)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Sultanatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTELudden200268-62http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200847-63http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf20066-64http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTELudden200267-65http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200850.E2.80.9351-66http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayanagara_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200853-67http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaivismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200612-68http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot200853-67http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTERobb200180-69http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998164-70http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot2008115-71http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTERobb200190.E2.80.9391-72http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200617-73http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAsherTalbot2008152-74http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200617-73


6/13


7/13

*o!any rule.[:?][::]Although the rebellion "as su!!ressed by #:C:, it led to the dissolution of the

7ast India *o!any and to the direct adinistration of Indiaby the %ritish governent. 'roclaiing a

unitary state and a gradual but liited %ritish-style !arliaentary syste, the ne" rulers also

!rotected !rinces and landed gentry as a feudal safeguard against future unrest. [:=][=E]In the decades

follo"ing, !ublic life gradually eerged all over India, leading eventually to the founding of the Indian

+ational *ongressin #::C.[=#][=$][=2][=>]

5a"aharlal +ehru(left) becae Indias first !rie inister in #=>?.ahata 8andhi(right) led the inde!endence

oveent.

he rush of technology and the coercialisation of agriculture in the second half of the #=th century

"as ared by econoic setbacs4any sall farers becae de!endent on the "his of far-

a"ay arets.[=C]here "as an increase in the nuber of large-scalefaines,[=D]and, des!ite the

riss of infrastructure develo!ent borne by Indian ta9!ayers, little industrial e!loyent "as

generated for Indians.[=?]here "ere also salutary effectsP coercial cro!!ing, es!ecially in the

ne"ly canalled 'unab, led to increased food !roduction for internal consu!tion. [=:]he rail"ay

net"or !rovided critical faine relief,[==]

notably reduced the cost of oving goods,[==]

and hel!ednascent Indian-o"ned industry.[=:]After Oorld Oar I, in "hichsoe one illion Indians served,[#EE]a

ne" !eriod began. It "as ared by %ritish refors but also re!ressive legislation, by ore strident

Indian calls for self-rule, and by the beginnings of a non-violent oveent of non-coo!eration, of

"hichohandas ?,#=DC,#=?#, and #===.

[##E]

he IndiaM'aistan nuclear rivalry cae to a head in #==:. [###]Indias sustained deocratic freedos are uniBue
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006100.E2.80.93103-91http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBrown199485.E2.80.9386-92http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBrown199485.E2.80.9386-92http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998239-93http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006103.E2.80.93108-94http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006103.E2.80.93108-94http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTERobb2001183-95http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTERobb2001183-95http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESarkar19831.E2.80.934-96http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTECopland2001ix.E2.80.93x-97http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006123-98http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998260-99http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998260-99http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBoseJalal2011117-100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998258-101http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006126-102http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006126-102http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200697-103http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200697-103http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006126-102http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006126-102http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006126-102http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army_during_World_War_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army_during_World_War_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army_during_World_War_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006163-104http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006163-104http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006167-105http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006167-105http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006195.E2.80.93197-106http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006203-107http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006231-108http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006231-108http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(real)_growth_ratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(real)_growth_ratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(real)_growth_ratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUnited_States_Department_of_Agriculture-110http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_violence_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_violence_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste-related_violence_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006266.E2.80.93270-111http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxalitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxalitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006253-112http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006253-112http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006253-112http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency_in_Jammu_and_Kashmirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency_in_Northeast_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency_in_Northeast_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006274-113http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006247.E2.80.93248-114http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006247.E2.80.93248-114http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1947http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1947http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1965http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1965http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1971http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kargil_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kargil_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006247.E2.80.93248-114http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006293.E2.80.93295-115http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006293.E2.80.93295-115http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006100.E2.80.93103-91http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBrown199485.E2.80.9386-92http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rajhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998239-93http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006103.E2.80.93108-94http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTERobb2001183-95http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESarkar19831.E2.80.934-96http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTECopland2001ix.E2.80.93x-97http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006123-98http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998260-99http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBoseJalal2011117-100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStein1998258-101http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006126-102http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200697-103http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf200697-103http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006126-102http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army_during_World_War_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006163-104http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006167-105http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006195.E2.80.93197-106http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_in_World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006203-107http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006231-108http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(real)_growth_ratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(real)_growth_ratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUnited_States_Department_of_Agriculture-110http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006265.E2.80.93266-109http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_violence_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste-related_violence_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006266.E2.80.93270-111http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxalitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxalitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006253-112http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency_in_Jammu_and_Kashmirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurgency_in_Northeast_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006274-113http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006247.E2.80.93248-114http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1947http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1965http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Pakistani_War_of_1971http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kargil_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006247.E2.80.93248-114http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006293.E2.80.93295-115


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aong the "orlds ne" nations ho"ever, in s!ite of its recent econoic successes, freedo fro

"ant for its disadvantaged !o!ulation reains a goal yet to be achieved. [##$]

8eogra!hy

Main article: Geo!raphy of India

See also:Geolo!y of India

A to!ogra!hic a! of India

India co!rises the bul of the Indian subcontinent and lies ato! the inor Indian tectonic !late,

"hich in turn belongs to theIndo-Australian 'late.[##2]Indias defining geological !rocesses

coenced ?C illion years ago "hen the Indian subcontinent, then !art of the southern

su!ercontinent8ond"ana, began a north-east"ard driftacross the then-unfored Indian &cean that

lasted fifty illion years.[##2]

he subcontinents subseBuent collision "ith, andsubductionunder,the 7urasian 'latebore aloft the !lanets highest ountains, the 0ialayas. hey abut India in

the northand thenorth-east.[##2]In the forer seabed iediately south of the eerging 0ialayas,

!late oveent created a vasttroughthat has gradually filled "ith river-borne sedient [##>]it no"

fors theIndo-8angetic 'lain.[##C]o the "est lies the har @esert, "hich is cut off by theAravalli

Fange.[##D]

he original Indian !late survives as !eninsular India, "hich is the oldest and geologically ost stable

!art of India it e9tends as far north as the Sat!uraand 1indhyaranges in central India. hese !arallel

chains run fro the Arabian Sea coast in 8uarat in the "est to the coal-rich *hota +ag!ur 'lateauin

5harhand in the east.[##?]o the south, the reaining !eninsular landass, the @eccan 'lateau,is

flaned on the "est and east by coastal ranges no"n as the Oesternand 7astern 8hats[##:]

the!lateau contains the nations oldest roc forations, soe of the over one billion years old.

*onstituted in such fashion, India lies to the north of the eBuator bet"een DR >> and 2CR 2E north

latitude[e]and D:R ? and =?R $C east longitude.[##=]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006304-116http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Australian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Australian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Australian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAliAitchison2005-117http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondwanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondwanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAliAitchison2005-117http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAliAitchison2005-117http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAliAitchison2005-117http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trough_(geology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trough_(geology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg7-118http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Gangetic_Plainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Gangetic_Plainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Gangetic_Plainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPrakash_et_al.2000-119http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thar_Deserthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aravalli_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aravalli_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aravalli_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg11-120http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satpura_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindhya_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chota_Nagpur_Plateauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chota_Nagpur_Plateauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg8-121http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Plateauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Plateauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Ghatshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Ghatshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg9.E2.80.9310-122http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg9.E2.80.9310-122http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-123http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Information_and_Broadcasting20071-124http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMetcalfMetcalf2006304-116http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Australian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAliAitchison2005-117http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondwanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAliAitchison2005-117http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subductionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAliAitchison2005-117http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trough_(geology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg7-118http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Gangetic_Plainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPrakash_et_al.2000-119http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thar_Deserthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aravalli_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aravalli_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg11-120http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satpura_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindhya_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chota_Nagpur_Plateauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg8-121http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Plateauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Ghatshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Ghatshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDikshit_.26_Schwartzberg9.E2.80.9310-122http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-123http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Information_and_Broadcasting20071-124


9/13

he ,?EE i) in length of this distance, C,>$2 iloetres

(2,>EE i) belong to !eninsular India and $,E=> iloetres (#,2EE i) to the Andaan, +icobar, and

ashad"ee! island chains.[#$E]According to the Indian naval hydrogra!hic charts, the ainland

coastline consists of the follo"ingP >2 sandy beaches ## rocy shores, including cliffs and

>D udflatsor arshy shores.[#$E]

aor 0ialayan-origin rivers that substantially flo" through India include the 8angesand

the %raha!utra,both of "hich drain into the %ay of %engal.[#$#]I!ortant tributaries of the 8anges

include the Qaunaand the


10/13

the dry deciduous teaforest of central and southern India and thebabul-doinated thorn forestof

the central @eccan and "estern 8angetic !lain. [#2D];nder #$ of Indias landass bears thic ungle.[#2?]he edicinal nee, "idely used in rural Indian herbal reedies, is a ey Indian tree. he

lu9uriant!i!alfig tree, sho"n on the seals of oheno-daro, shaded 8autaa %uddha as he sought

enlightenent.

any Indian s!ecies descend fro ta9aoriginating in 8ond"ana, fro "hich the Indian

!latese!arated ore than #EC illion yearsbefore !resent.[#2:] 'eninsular

IndiassubseBuent oveentto"ards and collision "ith the aurasianlandass set off a ass

e9change of s!ecies. 7!ochal volcanisand cliatic changes $E illion years ago forced a ass

e9tinction.[#2=]aals then entered India fro Asia through t"o Noogeogra!hical!asses flaning

the rising 0ialaya.[#2D]hus, "hile >C.: of re!tiles and CC.: of a!hibians are endeic, only

#$.D of aals and >.C of birds are. [#2>]Aong the are the +ilgiri leaf oneyand %eddoes

toadof the Oestern 8hats. India contains #?$ I;*+-designatedthreatened s!ecies, or $.= of

endangered fors.[#>E]hese include theAsiatic lion, the%engal tiger, and the Indian "hite-ru!ed

vulture, "hich, by ingesting the carrion ofdiclofenac-laced cattle, nearly "ent e9tinct.

he !ervasive and ecologically devastating huan encroachent of recent decades has critically

endangered Indian "ildlife. In res!onse the syste of national !arsand!rotected areas, first

established in #=2C, "as substantially e9!anded. In #=?$, India enacted the Oildlife 'rotection

Act[#>#]and 'roect igerto safeguard crucial "ilderness the 3orest *onservation Act "as enacted in

#=:E and aendents added in #=::.[#>$]India hosts ore than five hundred "ildlife

sanctuariesandthirteen bios!here reserves,[#>2]four of "hich are !art of theOorld +et"or of

%ios!here Feservest"enty-five "etlandsare registered under the Fasar *onvention.[#>>]

'olitics

Main article: #olitics of India

A !arliaentary oint session being held in theSansad %havan.

India is the "orlds ost !o!ulous deocracy.[#>C]A!arliaentary re!ublic"ith a ulti-!arty syste,[#>D]it has si9recognisednational !arties, including theIndian +ational *ongressand the%haratiya

5anata 'arty(%5'), and ore than >Eregional !arties.[#>?]he *ongress is considered centre-left or

LliberalL in Indian !olitical culture,and the %5' centre-right or LconservativeL. 3or ost of the !eriod

bet"een #=CE4"hen India first becae a re!ublic4and the late #=:Es, the *ongress held a aority

in the !arliaent. Since then, ho"ever, it has increasingly shared the !olitical stage "ith the %5',[#>:]

as "ell as "ith !o"erful regional !arties "hich have often forced the creation of ulti-!arty coalitionsat the centre.[#>=]

In the Fe!ublic of Indias first three general elections, in #=C#, #=C?, and #=D$, the5a"aharlal +ehru-

led *ongress "on easy victories. &n +ehrus death in #=D>, al %ahadur Shastribriefly becae

!rie inister he "as succeeded, after his o"n une9!ected death in #=DD, by Indira 8andhi, "ho

"ent on to lead the *ongress to election victories in #=D? and #=?#. 3ollo"ing !ublic discontent "ith

the state of eergencyshe declared in #=?C, the *ongress "as voted out of !o"er in #=?? the then-

ne" 5anata 'arty,"hich had o!!osed the eergency, "as voted in. Its governent lasted ust over

three years. 1oted bac into !o"er in #=:E, the *ongress sa" a change in leadershi! in #=:>, "hen

Indira 8andhi "as assassinated she "as succeeded by her son Faiv 8andhi,"ho "on an easy

victory in the general elections later that year. he *ongress "as voted out again in #=:= "hena+ational 3rontcoalition, led by the ne"ly fored 5anata @alin alliance "ith the eft 3ront, "on the
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_niloticahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_niloticahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deserts_and_xeric_shrublandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deserts_and_xeric_shrublandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTETritsch2001-141http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFisher1995434-142http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_fighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_fighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohenjo-darohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_Presenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_Presenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrameOwen2002142-143http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrameOwen2002142-143http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrameOwen2002142-143http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Trapshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKaranth2006-144http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoogeographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTETritsch2001-141http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPuri-139http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgiri_Langurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufo_beddomiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufo_beddomiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufo_beddomiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Conservation_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_endangered_species_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_endangered_species_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMace19944-145http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_Lionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_White-rumped_Vulturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_White-rumped_Vulturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diclofenachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_parks_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_parks_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_areas_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_areas_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Act_of_1972http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Act_of_1972http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Act_of_1972http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Act_of_1972http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Environments_and_Forests_1972-146http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Environments_and_Forests_1972-146http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDepartment_of_Environment_and_Forests1988-147http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_sanctuaries_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_sanctuaries_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_reserves_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_reserves_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Environment_and_Forests-148http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Environment_and_Forests-148http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Environment_and_Forests-148http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Network_of_Biosphere_Reserveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Network_of_Biosphere_Reserveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Network_of_Biosphere_Reserveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ramsar_Sites_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ramsar_Sites_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsar_Conventionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsar_Conventionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESecretariat_of_the_Convention_on_Wetlands-149http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_India#Buildinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_India#Buildinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_India#Buildinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUnited_Nations_Population_Division-150http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUnited_Nations_Population_Division-150http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUnited_Nations_Population_Division-150http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-party_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBurnellCalvert1999125-151http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Commission_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Commission_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Commission_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recognised_political_parties_in_India#Nationalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recognised_political_parties_in_India#Statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recognised_political_parties_in_India#Statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEElection_Commission_of_India-152http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESarkar200784-153http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChander2004117-154http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lal_Bahadur_Shastrihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emergency_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Front_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Front_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janata_Dalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Front_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_niloticahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deserts_and_xeric_shrublandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTETritsch2001-141http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFisher1995434-142http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_fighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohenjo-darohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_Presenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrameOwen2002142-143http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Platehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Trapshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKaranth2006-144http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoogeographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTETritsch2001-141http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPuri-139http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgiri_Langurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufo_beddomiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufo_beddomiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Conservation_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_endangered_species_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMace19944-145http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_Lionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_White-rumped_Vulturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_White-rumped_Vulturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diclofenachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_parks_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_areas_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Act_of_1972http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_Protection_Act_of_1972http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Environments_and_Forests_1972-146http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Tigerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDepartment_of_Environment_and_Forests1988-147http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_sanctuaries_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_sanctuaries_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_reserves_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMinistry_of_Environment_and_Forests-148http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Network_of_Biosphere_Reserveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Network_of_Biosphere_Reserveshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ramsar_Sites_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsar_Conventionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESecretariat_of_the_Convention_on_Wetlands-149http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_India#Buildinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUnited_Nations_Population_Division-150http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-party_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBurnellCalvert1999125-151http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Commission_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recognised_political_parties_in_India#Nationalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatiya_Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recognised_political_parties_in_India#Statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEElection_Commission_of_India-152http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESarkar200784-153http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChander2004117-154http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lal_Bahadur_Shastrihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emergency_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Front_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janata_Dalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Front_(India)


11/13

elections that governent too !roved relatively short-livedP it lasted ust under t"o years. [#CE]7lections

"ere held again in #==# no !arty "on an absolute aority. %ut the *ongress, as the largest single

!arty, "as able to for ainority governentled by'. 1. +arasiha Fao.[#C#]

A t"o-year !eriod of !olitical turoil follo"ed the general election of #==D. Several short-lived

alliances shared !o"er at the centre. he %5' fored a governent briefly in #==D it "as follo"ed byt"o co!aratively long-lasting ;nited 3rontcoalitions, "hich de!ended on e9ternal su!!ort. In #==:,

the %5' "as able to for a successful coalition, the+ational @eocratic Alliance(+@A). ed byAtal

%ihari 1a!ayee,the +@A becae the first non-*ongress, coalition governentto co!lete a five-

year ter.[#C$]In the$EE> Indian general elections, again no !arty "on an absolute aority, but the

*ongress eerged as the largest single !arty, foring another successful coalitionP the ;nited

'rogressive Alliance(;'A). It had the su!!ort of left-leaning !arties and 's "ho o!!osed the %5'.

he ;'A returned to !o"er in the$EE= general election"ith increased nubers, and it no longer

reBuired e9ternal su!!ort fro Indias counist !arties.[#C2]hat year,anohan Singhbecae the

first !rie inister since5a"aharlal +ehruin #=C?and#=D$to be re-elected to a consecutive five-

year ter.[#C>]

Government

Main article: Go$ernment of India

See also:%lections in India

he Fashtra!ati %havanis the official residence of the !resident of India.

India is a federation"ith a !arliaentary systegoverned under the *onstitution of India, "hich

serves as the countrys su!ree legal docuent. It is aconstitutional re!ublicand re!resentative

deocracy, in "hich Laority ruleis te!ered byinority rights!rotected byla"L.3ederalis in

Indiadefines the !o"er distribution bet"een the federal governent and the states.he governent

abides by constitutional checs and balances. he *onstitution of India, "hich cae into effect on $D

5anuary #=CE,[#CC]

states in its !reablethat India isasovereign, socialist,secular, deocratic re!ublic.[#CD]Indias for of governent, traditionally

described as LBuasi-federalL "ith a strong centre and "ea states, [#C?]has gro"n increasingly federal

since the late #==Es as a result of !olitical, econoic, and social changes. [#C:][#C=]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBhambhri1992118.2C_143-155http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBhambhri1992118.2C_143-155http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._V._Narasimha_Raohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._V._Narasimha_Raohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThe_Hindu_2008-156http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Front_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democratic_Alliance_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democratic_Alliance_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atal_Bihari_Vajpayeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atal_Bihari_Vajpayeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atal_Bihari_Vajpayeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunleavyDiwakarDunleavy2007-157http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2004http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2004http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Progressive_Alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Progressive_Alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2009http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2009http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund2004384-158http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manmohan_Singhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manmohan_Singhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manmohan_Singhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1957http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1962http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1962http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBusiness_Standard2009-159http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashtrapati_Bhavanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashtrapati_Bhavanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representative_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representative_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority_rulehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority_rulehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_rightshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_rightshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalism#Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalism#Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalism#Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPylee2003a4-160http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPylee2003a4-160http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPylee2003a4-160http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamble_to_the_Constitution_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereigntyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereigntyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDutt1998421-161http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWheare198028-162http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEcheverri-Gent200219.E2.80.9320-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESinha200425-164http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBhambhri1992118.2C_143-155http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._V._Narasimha_Raohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThe_Hindu_2008-156http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Front_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democratic_Alliance_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atal_Bihari_Vajpayeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atal_Bihari_Vajpayeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_governmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunleavyDiwakarDunleavy2007-157http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2004http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Progressive_Alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Progressive_Alliancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_2009http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKulkeRothermund2004384-158http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manmohan_Singhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1957http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_general_election,_1962http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBusiness_Standard2009-159http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashtrapati_Bhavanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representative_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representative_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority_rulehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_rightshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalism#Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalism#Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_powershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPylee2003a4-160http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamble_to_the_Constitution_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereigntyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDutt1998421-161http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWheare198028-162http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEcheverri-Gent200219.E2.80.9320-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#cite_note-FOOTNOTESinha200425-164


12/13

he federal governent co!rises threebranchesP

79ecutivePhe 'resident of Indiais the head of state[#D#]and is elected indirectly by a

national electoral college[#D$]for a five-year ter.[#D2]he 'rie inister of Indiais the head of

governentand e9ercises oste9ecutive !o"er.[#D>]A!!ointed by the !resident,[#DC]the !rie

inister is by convention su!!orted by the!artyor !olitical alliance holding the aority of seats

in the lo"er house of !arliaent.[#D>]he e9ecutive branch of the Indian governent consists of

the !resident, the vice-!resident, and the *ouncil of inisters4the cabinetbeing its e9ecutive

coittee4headed by the !rie inister. Any inister holding a !ortfolio ust be a eber of

one of the houses of !arliaent. [#D#]In the Indian !arliaentary syste, the e9ecutive is

subordinate to the legislature the !rie inister and his council are directly res!onsible to thelo"er house of the !arliaent.[#DD]

egislativePhe legislature of India is the bicaeral!arliaent. It o!erates under

aOestinster-style!arliaentary syste and co!rises the u!!er house called the Faya

Sabha(L*ouncil of StatesL) and the lo"er called theo Sabha(L0ouse of the 'eo!leL).[#D?]he

Faya Sabha is a !eranent body that has $>C ebers "ho serve in staggered si9-year ters.[#D:]ost are elected indirectly by the state and territoriallegislatures in nubers !ro!ortional to

their states share of the national !o!ulation. [#DC]All but t"o of the o Sabhas C>C ebers are

directly elected by !o!ular vote they re!resent individual constituenciesvia five-year ters.[#D=]he reaining t"o ebers are noinated by the !resident fro aong the Anglo-

Indiancounity, in case the !resident decides that they are not adeBuately re!resented.[#?E]

5udicialPIndia has a unitary three-tier inde!endent udiciary[#?#]that co!rises the Su!ree

*ourt, headed by the*hief 5ustice of India,$>0igh *ourts,and a large nuber of trial courts.[#?#]he Su!ree *ourt hasoriginal urisdictionover cases involving fundaental rightsand over

dis!utes bet"een states and the centre it hasa!!ellate urisdictionover the 0igh *ourts.[#?$]It has

the !o"er both to declare the la" and to strie do"n union or state la"s "hich contravene the

constitution.[#?2]he Su!ree *ourt is also the ultiate inter!reter of the constitution. [#?>]

Subdivisions

National symbols[#]

3lag ricolour

7ble Sarnath ion *a!ital

Anthe &ana Gana Mana

Song 'ande Mataram*alendar Saa

8ae +ot declared[#DE]

3lo"er otus

3ruit ango

ree %anyan

%ird Indian 'eafo"l

and anial Foyal %engal iger

ABuatic anial Fiver @ol!hin

Fiver 8anga(8anges)
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parths account of india

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