 | India is the largest democracy in the world. |
| | One out of every 6 humans is an Indian. |
| | India is the 7th largest country in the world. |
| | The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara temple at Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The shikhara is made from a single ' 80-tonne ' piece of granite. Also, this magnificient temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola. |
| | India has never invaded any country in her entire history. |
| | Ancient Indians invented ZERO and today's place value based number system. (This was spread to the rest of the world by Arab merchants who came to India for trade. Hence, it is called Hindu-Arabic Numerals) |
| | The game of snakes & ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat.' The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. Later through time, the game underwent several modifications but the meaning is the same i.e good deeds take us to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births. |
| | The world's first known University was established in Takshashila, India in 700BC. Here more than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. |
| | World's oldest democratic kingdom was established in Kalinga in North India as long back as 300 bc. |
| | Hinduism is the oldest known religion in the world and has no known founders. |
| | Sanskrit - one of the ancient Indian languages is the best suited language to develop Computer Software (According to the Forbes Magazine), as its syntax is best suited for it to be developed into a programming language. |
| | The art of navigation was born in the river Sindhu 5000 years ago. The very word "Navigation" is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. |
| | Kalaripayat is the world's oldest form of martial arts and is practices in Kerala state of India. It was transmitted to China by a sage named Boddhidharma in the 5th century. The Chinese called him Po-ti-tama. He taught this art in a temple. This temple is today known as the Shaolin temple. Thus Judo, Karate, Kung Fu and other similar marshal arts which are today identified with the far-east actually originated from India. |
| | According to the Gemological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world. |
| | USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdeesh Bose from India and not Marconi as was thought earlier. |
| | World's earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra, India. |
| | Chess was invented in India. |
| | Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. |
| | When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established world's greatest civilizations like Sindhu (Indus) Valley Civilization and Saraswati Valley Civilization. |
| | India is the home for the largest number of pet animals in the world. |
| | Nail polish was first used in ancient Bengal of India by men to attract girls. |
| | Lips stick was first used in ancient Indus valley of India by girls. |
| | The entire continent of America (which includes USA - the so called superpower of the day) was discovered and made known to the rest of the world when the European powers were desperately trying to discover a sea route to India (after the land route of Constantinople vital for European trade was blocked by Ottoman Turks) and one such voyager Columbus ended up at the American continent mistakenly identifying it to be India (later followed by Amerigo Vespucci, whom America was named after)!!! To summarize, America was discovered because of India. Even today many natives of these places are called Indians, even though they have nothing to do with India!! |
| | The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after levelling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level. |
| | Indian Railways is the largest employer in the world employing over 1.6 million employees!! |
| | India has the most post offices in the world! |
| | Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind |
| | India ranks first in the production of milk and butter, mango, tea, raw sugar, jute, coconut, cashew and also in the cutting, processing and manufacturing of gems and jewellery |
| | The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, which was long before the European mathematicians. |
| | The number of companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, at more than 6,000, is second only to NYSE |
| | The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982. |
| | Four out of 10 Silicon Valley startups are run by Indians. |
| | India consumes a fifth of the world's gold output. |
| | Indian Railways is the largest railway network in the world under single management. |
| | Indian Paramilitary Force is the largest paramilitary force in the world. |
| | Indian Army is the third-largest army in the world. |
| | Indian Air Force is the fourth-largest air force in the world. |
| | Indian Navy is the fifth largest in the world. |
| | Siachin Post held by the Indian armed forces (located in the Karakoram mountain range on the largest glacier outside the polar regions which is 78 km long) is the world's highest battlefield and also the most deadliest. Located at an altitude of 6,300 meters (20,700 feet) above sea level and with temperature from -30C to -60C, the world's deadliest battle field is guarded by Indian armed forces. |
| | India is the largest producer and consumer of tea in the world, accounting for more than 30% of global production and 25% of consumption. |
| | India is the world's premier center for diamond cutting and polishing. Nine out of every 10 diamond stones sold in the world pass through India today. |
| | India's Hero Honda is the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, with 2002 production of 1.7 million units. |
| | Other than US and Japan, India is the only country to have built a super computer indigenously. |
| | It is the second-largest cement-producing country in the world, producing more than 110m tonnes. |
| | Of the Fortune 500 companies, 220 outsource their software-related work to India. |
| | There are 8,500 Indian restaurants in the UK, 15% of the country's total dining-out establishments. |
| | India is ranked the sixth country in the world in terms of satellite launches. |
| | There are over 70,000 bank branches in India - among the highest in the world. |
| | With 800 movies per year, India's film industry overshadows Hollywood. |
| | Six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years. No other country has won more than twice. |
| | The Kumbh Mela festival, held every 12 years in the city of Allahabad, attracts 25 million people (more than the population of 185 of the 227 countries in the world). |
| | The Indian city of Varanasi, also known as Benares, is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today. |
MADE IN INDIA
