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Showing posts with label About India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label About India. Show all posts

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Indian States and Union Territories

India is a union of a number of states and union territories.  It is a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with Parliamentary System of Government.  The Indian Republic is governed in terms of the constitution, which was adopted on 26th November, 1949 and came into force on 26th January, 1950.   At present as on today, India has 28 States and 7 Union Territories.


The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was an important force in reorganizing the boundaries of various States of India along linguistic lines, and bringing an amendment in Indian Constitution where by 3 types of states, known as Parts A, B and C states were amended with single type of state.   

3 new states were formed in November, 2000 - Chattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh.  Uttaranchal was carved out from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand out of Bihar.  The Indian Constitution distributes the legislative powers between the Parliament and State legislatures.  The Indian Parliament comprises of two houses - lower house is known as Lok Sabha ( House of People ) and the upper house is called as Rajya Sabha ( Council of States ).  At State level, some legislatures are bicameral and are run along the lines of the two houses of national Parliament.

India blessed with natural beauty, population, religions, cultures, languages has 28 states and seven union territories.   Each state and union territory is unique in its own way.   Here is a list of all Indian States and Union Territories as on today listed along with capital cities.

States of India

  • Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad
  • Arunachal Pradesh - Itanagar
  • Assam - Dispur
  • Bihar - patna
  • Chattisgarh - Raipur
  • Goa - panaji
  • Gujarat - Gandhi Nagar
  • Haryana - Chandigarh
  • HImachal Pradesh - Shimla
  • Jammu & Kashmir - Sri Nagar (Summer),  Jammu (Winter)
  • Jharkhand - Ranchi
  • Karnataka - Bengaluru
  • Kerala - Trivandrum
  • Madhya Pradesh - Bhopal
  • Maharashtra - Mumbai
  • Manipur - Imphal
  • Meghalaya - Shillong
  • Mizoram - Aizawl
  • Nagaland - Kohima
  • Odisha - Bhubaneshwar
  • Punjab - Chandigarh
  • Rajasthan - Jaipur
  • Sikkim - Gangtok
  • Tamil Nadu - Chennai
  • Tripura - Agartala
  • Uttar Pradesh - Lucknow
  • Uttar Khand - Dehradun
  • West Bengal - Kolkata


Union Territories of India

  • Andaman & Nicobar islands - Port Blair
  • Chandigarh - Chandigarh
  • Dadar Nagar haveli - Silvassa
  • Daman and Diu - Daman
  • Delhi - Delhi
  • Lakshadweep - Kavaratti
  • Pondicherry - Pondicherry




Here is a  brief about some of the popular states and Union Territories of India.

Goa

Situated in the Malabar Coast of India Goa is the best beach resort in India. Populated with a mix of Christians and Hindu's Goa's culture is unique in its own kind. Known as the most happening states in India Goa is home to fun loving and easy going people. The major attraction in the state is its long stretches of pristine beaches. Some of the important beaches in Goa are; Colva, Vagator, Calangute, Harmal, Anjuna and Miramar and Baga.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Popular as the Emerald Isles the Andaman and Nicobar islands situated in the Bay of Bengal.  It is  one of the popular tourist's destinations in India. The union territory is home to numerous aboriginal tribes and two distinct native cultures the Negrito and the Andamans. Known to be a friendly and cheerful lot of people the population of Andaman and Nicobar islands enjoy festivities such as Panguni, Pongal, Shivratri, Uthiram, Janmastami etc. Some of the popular tourist spots in the union territory include National Memorial, Marine Museum, Naval Marine Museum, Smrithika Museum, Haddo Zoological Garden.

Andhra Pradesh

Located in the southern region of India, Andhra Pradesh happens to be the third largest state in the country. Reputed for its distinct culture and fine arts Andhra Pradesh is mostly dominated by Telugu speaking people. The important festivals celebrated in the state are Dasara, Deepavali, Sri Ramanavami, Vinayaka Sankranti and Chavithi. The places which are a definite must see in the state include Nehru Zoological Park, Hussain Sagar Lake, State Museum and Art gallery, Salarjung Museum, Ethurnagaram sanctuaries etc.

 Arunachal Pradesh

Ranked as the most charming state in India Arunachal Pradesh is characterized by lofty mountains and snow clad peaks. Home to numerous tribes and sub tribes the population of Arunachal Pradesh consists mostly of people of Asiatic origin. The one thing that is unique about the state is its belief in animism. Beautiful as it is the state is home to several popular tourist hubs like Sinyi Bomdila, Tawang and Gyaker.

Assam (Asom)

Situated in northeastern India Assam abounds in natural beauty. The population of Assam is said to be a mix of people of Tibetan, Aryan, and Burman origins. The population of Assam is made up of numerous tribes who believe in celebrating all the religious festivals with equal vigor. However the one festival that is most popular in Assam is Bihu. Assam over the years has also developed into an important tourist destination with attractions such as Gandhi Mandap, Kamakhya Temple, Umananda, Nabagraha (Temple of nine planets), State Zoo, State Museum etc.

Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Lying in close proximity to the west coast of India Dadra & Nagar Haveli is home to a mass of shy and simple Adivasis. Evolving as an important hub for tourist this union territory houses numerous tourist attractions like The Tribal Cultural Museum, Khanvel, The Vanganga Lake and Island Garden.

Bihar

Situated in Eastern India, Bihar boasts of a rich cultural heritage that dates back to ancient India. The people of Bihar are lively and co exists in peace and harmony. The locals are known as Bihari's and festivals celebrated in the state include Buddha Purnima, Saraswati Puja, Eid-ul-Fitr, Holi, Rath yatra, Maha Shivaratri and Mahavir Jayanti.

Apart from these the other states and union territories in India are Chhattisgarh , Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu ,Tripura , Uttarakhand , Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Uttaranchal is the latest introduction to the Indian states list and is foreseen as a booming industrial region in the next few decades.

States like Manipur, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland are known for their distinct culture which is very different from the rest of the country. The popular festivals celebrated in these regions include; Sekrenyi, Moatsu, Tuluni in Nagalanad, Ka Pomblang Nongkrem in Meghalaya, Chapchar Kut and Pawl Kut in Mizoram. Sikkim celebrates most of the Hindu and Buddhist festivals that are celebrated across the country and Ingol Chakouba and Yaoshang in Manipur.

Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana situated in the northern part of India are known for their natural beauty and serve as ideal tourist destinations in the country. Janmastami, Idul Fitr, Lohri and Diwali are the common festivals celebrated with much enthusiasm in these parts of the country.

The southern part of India comprising Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu is of prime importance from the tourism point of view as these places attract millions of tourists from different parts of the globe.

Other important Indian states that have still manage to preserve the cultural heritage of the country include; Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

First happenings in India - Nobel Prizes

Here is the list of first in Nobel prizes happened in India

First Noble Prize Winner Rabindranath Tagore for the Noble Prize in Literature, 1913.
He was also the first Asian to get the Prize.
First Noble Prize in Physics C.V. Raman in 1930
First Noble Prize in Medicine Har Gobind Khorana in 1968. (Indian Born US Citizen)
First Noble Peace Prize Mother Teresa in 1979. (Albanian nun, Indian Citizen)
First Noble Prize in Economics Amartya Sen in 1998

First in Governance in India

Here is the list of First in Governance in India

First President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad (1950-1962)
First Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru (1947-1964). The first term lasted till 1952 after which he was re-elected.
First Vice President of India Dr. S Radhakrishan
First Deputy Prime Minister of India Vallabhbhai Patel
First Prime Minister to be voted out of Office India Ghandi (1977) when the Indian National Congress lost to he Janta Party.
First Sikh Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
First Sikh President Giani Zail Singh
First Non-Congress Government by Janta Party with Morarji Desai as the Prime Minister (1977-1980)
First Prime Minster of India resigned without completing his full term Morarji Desai
First Prime Minister to lead a minority government for a full term(five years) P.V. Narasimha Rao, June 21, 1991 to May 16 1996
First Prime Minster from South India P.V. Narasimha Rao, June 21, 1991 to May 16 1996
First Governor-General Warren Hastings
First British Governor-General Lord William Bentick
First British Viceroy of India Lord Canning
First Governor General of Independent India Lord Mountbatten, 1947
First and Last Indian Governor-General of Indian Union C Rajagopalachari, 1948
First Chief Justice of India Justice Hiralal J Kania
First Indian to pass ICS Surendra Nath Banerjee
First Indian ICS Officer Satyendranath Tagore, 1863
First Speaker of Lok Sabha Shri G.V. Mavlankar
First Finance Minister of Independent India Shri R.K.Shanmukhan Chettys
Presentation of First Budget after India's Independence Shri R.K.Shanmukhan Chettys on Nov. 26, 1947
First President to die in Office Dr. Zakhir Hussain
First Prime Minister who did not face the Parliament Charan Singh
First Chief Justice of Supreme Court to become President of India Justice M Hidaytullah
First Education Minister Abul Kalam Azad
First Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
First Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen
First Minister to regin from Union Cabinet Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (1950)

First in India Happenings - Female

Following are first in India happenings - Females

first lady to become Miss World Rita Faria
The first woman judge in Supreme Court Mrs. Meera Sahib Fatima Bibi
The first woman Ambassador Miss C.B. Muthamma
The first woman Governor of a state in free India Mrs Sarojini Naidu
The first woman Speaker of a State Assembly Shanno Devi
The first woman Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi
The first woman Minister in a Government Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
The first woman to climb Mount Everest Bachhendri Pal
The first woman to climb Mount Everest twice Santosh Yadav
The first woman President of Indian National Congress Mrs Annie Besant
The first woman pilot in Indian Air Force Harita Kaur Dayal
The first woman Graduates Kadambini Ganguly and Chandramukhi Basu, 1883
The first woman Airline Pilot Durba Banerjee
The first woman Honours Graduate Kamini Roy, 1886
The first woman Olympic medal Winner Karnam Malleswari, 2000
The first woman Asian Games Gold Medal Winner Kamlijit Sandhu
The first woman Lawyer Cornelia Sorabjee
The first woman President of United Nations General Assembly Mrs Vijaya Laxmi Pandit
The first woman Chief Minister of an Indian State Mrs Sucheta Kripalani
The first woman Chairman of Union Public Service Commission Roze Millian Bethew
The first woman Director General of Police Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya
The first woman Judge Anna Chandy (She became judge in a district court in 1937)
The first woman Cheif Justice of High Court Mrs Leela Seth (Himachal Pradesh High Court)
The first woman Judge in Supreme Court of India Kumari Justice M. Fathima Beevi
The first woman Lieutenant General Puneeta Arora
The first woman Air Vice Marshal P. Bandopadhyaya
The first woman chairperson of Indian Airlines Sushma Chawla
The first woman IPS officer Mrs. Kiran Bedi
The first and last Muslim woman ruler of India Razia Sultan
The first woman to receive Ashoka Chakra Nirja Bhanot
The first woman to receive Jnanpith Award Ashapurna Devi
The first woman to cross English Channel Aarti Saha
The first woman to receive Nobel Prize Mother Teresa
The first woman to receive Bharat Ratna Mrs Indira Gandhi
The first woman to receive Jnanpith Award Ashpurna Devi

First in India Happenings - Male

Following are first in India happenings - Males

The first President of Indian Republic Dr. Rajendra Prasad
The first Prime Minister of free India Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru
The first Indian to win Nobel Prize Rabindranath Tagore
The first President of Indian National Congress W.C. Banerjee
The first Muslim President of Indian National Congress Badruddin Tayyabji
The first Muslim President of IndiaDr. Zakir Hussain
The first British Governor General of IndiaLord William Bentinck(1833-1835)
The first British Governor General of BengalLord Warren Hasting(1774-1885)
The first British Viceroy of India Lord Canning
The first Governor General of free India Lord Mountbatten
The first and the last Indian to be Governor General of free India C. Rajgopalachari
The first man who introduced printing press in India James Hicky
The first Indian to join the I.C.S Satyendra Nath Tagore
India’s first man in SpaceRakesh Sharma
The first Prime Minister of India who resigned without completing the full termMorarji Desai
The first Indian Commander-in-Chief of IndiaGeneral Cariappa
The first Chief of Army StaffGen. Maharaj Rajendra Singhji
The first Indian Member of the Viceroy’s executive councilS.P.Sinha
The first President of India who died while in officeDr. Zakhir Hussain
The first Muslim President of Indian RepublicDr. Zakhir Hussain
The first Prime Minister of India who did not face the Parliament Charan Singh
The first Field Marshal of IndiaS.H.F. Manekshaw
The first Indian to get Nobel Prize in PhysicsC.V.Raman
The first Indian to receive Bharat Ratna award Dr. Radhakrishnan
The first Indian to cross English Channel Mihir Sen
The first Person to receive Jnanpith award Sri Shankar Kurup
The firs Speaker of the Lok Sabha Ganesh Vasudeva Mavalankar
The first Vice-President of India Dr. Radhakrishnan
The first Education Minister Abdul Kalam Azad
The first Home minister of India Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
The first Indian Air Chief Marshal S. Mukherjee
The first Indian Naval Chief Vice Admiral R.D. Katari
The first Judge of International Court of Justice Dr. Nagendra Singh
The first person to reach Mt. Everest without oxygen Sherpa Anga Dorjee
The first person to get Param Vir Chakra Major Somnath Sharma
The first Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen
The first person to receive Magsaysay Award Acharya Vinoba Bhave
The first person of Indian origin to receive Nobel Prize in Medicine Hargovind Khurana
The first Chinese traveller to visit India Fahein
The first person to receive Stalin Prize Saifuddin Kitchlu
The first person to resign from the Central Cabinet Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
The first person to receive Nobel Prize in Economics Amartya Sen
The first Chief Justice of Supreme Court Justice Hirala J. Kania
The first Indian Pilot J.R.D. Tata (1929)


Friday, December 14, 2012

Some interesting and funny facts about India

We have already seen some facts about India.  Now let us read about some Amazing Facts about India.

Amazing Facts about India

Here are some of the interesting and funny facts about India.  

  • Do you know that  Plastic Bags were never used in India before the year 1985?
  • Do you know that it is llegal to take Indian currency out of India?
  • About 5 billion passengers are transported by Indian Railways every year
  • Indian Railways employes about 1.6 Million people and is the largest employer in the world.
  • The number of births that take place in India each year is more than the population of Australia
  • Indians go to movie about 3 billion times a year
  • India is the largest democracy in the world...
  • The shortest names of railway stations in India are Ib which is near Jharsuguda in Orissa and Od near Anand in Gujarat.
  • The longest name of a railway station in India is  Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta which lies on the Arakkonnam - Renigunta section near Chennai.
  •  Do you know that Kolkata is the only place in India where you can still traavel by Rickshaws pulled by humans?
  • India has largest postal network in the world with more than 1,50,000 post offices.
  • Do you know that more than 1000 elephants were used for construction of Taj Mahal?
  • India is the largest producer of Mangoes in the world. 
  • Do you know that India never invaded any country during the last 1,00,000 years.
  • Do you know that India was the only source of diamonds till 1896.