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Abdul Ghaffar Khan: He was popularly known as 'Frontier Gandhi'.
Refer Red Shirts and also under Civil Disobedience Movement.
Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan: lived during the reign of Akbar. He
translated Babar's Memoirs from Turki to Persian.
Abdur Razzaq: was a Persian traveller who visited Vijayanagar during
the reign of Deva Raya II (1425-46).
Abdussamad: He was honoured with the award of "zari-qalam" by
Akbar.
Abhinav Bharat Society: It was a secret terrorist organisation formed
by V.D. Savarkar.
Abhiras: were an immigrant non-Aryan tribe of ancient India. They
were Central Asian nomads of Scythian stock.
Acharya Narendra Dev: was a prominent leader of the Congress So-
cialist Party.
Agha Khan: He ia known to have led the deputation of Muslim leaders
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INDIAN HISTORY
to the Viceroy, Lord Minto II, in 1906, seeking separate electorates for
Muslims in any representative system which might be introduced.
Ahmad Shah Abdali: The invasion of Ahmed Shah Abdali in the third
battle of Panipat in 1761, gave a death blow to the political fortunes
of Marhattas.
Ahmadnagar: is associated with Nizam Shahi.
Ahmedabad city: on the left bank of the Sabarmati river, was built by
Ahmad Shah.
Aihole : in Karnataka contains chief sites of Chalukyan architecture.
Aihole inscription gives information regarding Pulakesin-II.
Ajanta Paintings: depict scenes from the Jataka stories which form
the main theme of these paintings.
Ajivika : Ajivika sect was founded by Gosala Maskriputra who flour-
ished during the Mauryan period and had lived with Mahavira for six
years and subsequently left him and became the leader of the Ajivika
sect.
Akbar: He was not influenced by earlier rulers so far as religious tol-
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erance was concerned.
Akbarnama: It was written by Abul Fazl, the celebrated Mughal court
poet and councillor of Akbar.
Akot: is a town, about 42 km from Akola, from where a stone idol of
Lord Adinath, the first Jain Teerthankar, was found in 1993.
Ala-ud-din Khilji: He introduced price control covering almost the en-
tire market. Grain was rationed and the price fixed.
Khalsah (crown land) increased considerably under Ala-ud-din Khilji.
According to historian V.A. Smith, "Ala-ud-din Khilji introduced eco-
nomic policy to check Mongol invaders".
'Iqta' , a land-grant system, was introduced by him.
He challenged the authority of 'Khalifa'.
Copper coins were started by him. Jaziya tax was collected from non-
Muslims during his reign.
He sent Malik Kafur to Deccan for conquest.
Alberuni: He was a celebrated Muslim historian who visited India in
company with the armies of Mahmud of Ghazni. He was also a San-
skrit scholar. He wrote 'Tahqiq-i-Hind'
Alexander: invaded India in 326 B.C.
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Alfonso-de-Albuquerque: was the real founder of the Portuguese Em-
pire in India. He was the first governor of Portuguese possessions in
the East. He conquered Goa in 1510 and made it his capital. He died
in 1515.
Aligarh Muslim University: was founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
Allahabad Pillar inscription: provides us useful information about
Samudragupta.
Amarasimha: was one of the nine gems in the court of the legendary
Vikramaditya. His work Amarkosha occupies a dominant position in
Sanskrit lexicography.
Amir Khusrau: (1255-1325) wrote prose and poetic works in Persian,
Hindi, and Arabic. Surnamed as the "Parrot of India", he was a con-
temporary of Sultan Balban.
Amri Culture: flourished in Baluchistan.
Amritsar city: was founded by Guru Ram Dass in 1577. The place for
Amritsar was given to Guru Ram Dass by the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
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Angkor Vat: a ruined city in Kampuchia (Cambodia) where beautiful
specimens of ancient Indian art
and culture are found. Here Indian expertise has been used in ar-
chaeological restoration of the monuments.
Anglo-Mysore War, Third: was fought between the English under
Cornwallis and Tipu Sultan in 1790-92. Tipu Sultan had to submit and
was compelled to sign the Treaty of Seringapattam.
Anushilan Samiti: was formed by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh.
Apabhramsa: This t erm was used in medieval Sanskrit texts to de-
note early forms of some of the modern Indian languages.
Apastamba: is named after a native of Andhra, whose rules are ob-
served mainly in Andhra state; his sutras are based on a Black Yajur-
veda of South India.
Arjun Dev, Guru: He was the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. He was put to
death by the Mughal emperor Jehangir. He is associated with Adi
Granth.
Arsha: "rishi-like" marriage current only among priestly families. A
cow or a bull is given as a token bride-price.
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Arthasastra: by Kautilya or Chanakya is a compendium of almost all
the ancient works on artha (economics). The text was discovered only
in 1905. It is divided into fifteen books treating of a variety of political
topics.
As per Arthasastra, permanent peace is not possible.
Arya Samaj: was founded by Dayanand Saraswati. It opposed idola-
try; encouraged conversion to Hinduism and condemned casteism.
Aryabhatta: (476-520 A.D.) after whom India's first scientific satellite
has been named, was a great Indian astronomer and mathematician.
He was a contemporary of Chandra Gupta-II.
He was the first Indian scholar who treated Mathematics as a distinct
subject and pointed out the importance of "Zero". He is also credited
with the invention of Algebra.
Aryans: Aryans originally came from Central Asia. Cattle-rearing was
their main occupation. For them, cow was the measure of value and
an object of veneration.
Aryans and Non-Aryans: We acquire the knowledge of the battle be-
tween the Aryans and the non-Aryans from Vedas
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Asanga: was a Buddhist philosopher. He was the originator of Bud-
dhist Yogachara idealism.
Ashoka, the Great: (264-228 B.C.) Indian Emperor, grandson of
Chandragupta. He denounced war, embraced and preached Bud-
dhism after the bloody battle of Kalinga.
The mighty empire of the Mauryans began to decline after the death
of Ashoka.
Ashokan inscriptions: were first deciphered in 1837 by James Prin-
sep, a civil servant in the employ of the East India Company in Ben-
gal. These Ashokan Inscriptions were engraved in Brahmi script in
Prakrit language.
In Rock Edict-I, Ashoka forbids the slaughter and sacrifice of animals.
In Rock Edict-II, the Pandyas, the Keralaputras and the Satyaputras
are mentioned as Ashoka's neighbouring powers.
In his inscriptions at Maski and Gujarra, Ashoka has been metioned
by name.
In Junagarh inscription, Ashoka and Chandragupta Maurya have
been mentioned together.
Ashta Pradhan: A council of ministers which helped Shivaji in dis-
charge of State Affairs.
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Ashtadhyaya:was written by Panini.
Ashtapradhan: was the Council of Ministers during the reign of Shiv-
aji.
Ashvaghosha: was the spiritual adviser of Kanishka (the Kushan em-
peror) who took a leading part in the Fourth Buddhist Council at Sri-
nagar which was presided by Vasumitra.
He was a renowned Mahayana Sanskrit scholar and author of Saripu-
tra-prakarana.
He was the greatest literary figure of Kanishka's court.
Asiatic Society: Of Calcutta, was founded in 1784 by Sir William
Jones to enquire into history, antiquities, arts, science and literature
of Asia.
Asura: named after the Asuras, is marriage by sale of the bride. The
Asura marriage was condemned by Manu and the law books as im-
moral.
Atharva Veda: deals with charms and spells to ward off evils and dis-
ease.
Atharvaveda: Principles and poractice of medical science can be
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traced back to Atharvaveda.
Attlee, Clement : was the Prime Minister of England at the time of
grant of independence to India in 1947.
Aurangzeb : was the third son of Shah Jahan, who ruled as Mughal
Emperor (1658-1707). He levied higher trade duties on Hindu traders
in 1679. He re-imposed Jaziya. He is known for his ruinous Deccan
policy. He made a serious mistake in conquering the Muslim king-
doms of Bijapur and Golkonda in the Deccan. Had he befriended
them, these states could have served as a check upon the Marathas.
Ayas: This term in Rid Veda means iron.
Babar: was founder of the Mughal Empire in India.
Babar's Memoirs: Babar wrote his memoirs in Turkish language.
Babar and Jehangir: were the Mughal Emperors who wrote their au-
tobiographies.
Back to the Vedas: was the watchword of Dayanand Saraswati.
Bactrian Greeks: were the first to invade and rule the north-western
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India.
Bahadur Shah 'Zafar': was the last Mughal Emperor who took part in
the First War of Indian Independence (so-called Indian Mutiny) in
1857. He was exiled by the British as a State prisoner to Burma
where he died in 1862&endash;the Mughal Emperor whose tomb is
outside India.
Bahmani kingdom: was founded by Hasan Gangoo entitled Zafar
Khan.
Bakht Khan: During the revolt of 1857, he was the Chief Commander
of troops in Delhi.
Balaji Vishwanath: was the first Peshwa appointed on Nov 16, 1713.
Balban, Ghiyas-ud-din: He belonged to the famous band of Turkish
slaves of Iltumish, known as "The Forty". The period of Balban as a
king was 1265-86. He established pure Turkish State. He introduced
in his court Turkish style and etiquette. In order to raise the prestige
and power of the king, he introduced the methods and customs of
Sajada and Paibos.
Balban introduced the famous Persian festival of Nauroj in India.
The "College of Forty" formed during the reign of Iltumish, was broken
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by Balban.
Banabhatta: was the most celebrated of the learned men and court
poet of Harshavardhana. He was the author of Harshacharita and
Kadambri.
Bana gave the major source of inoformation about Harsha.
Banda Bahadur: The original name of Banda Bahadur, a Rajput of
Dogra tribe, was Lachhman Das.
Bardoli Satyagraha: Bardoli in Gujarat is famous for non-payment of
taxes campaign by land owners, led successfully by Sardar Patel in
1928.
Patel's efficient leadership in this campaign earned him the title of
Sardar.
Barhaiya Tal agitation in Monghyr: Its aim was to demand restoration
of bakasht lands.
Barhara Tribes: The Barhara tribes mentioned in the Mahabharata
who had settled in the north-western regions of India, are associated
with&endash;(1) Ambashthas (a mixed Mongolian Aryan race); (2)
Gandharas (Afghans); (3) Pavas (Parthians); (4) Sakas (Scythians;
(5) Yavanas (Greeks).
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Battle of Buxar: In this battle in 1764, the British forces under Hector
Munro defeated the Muslim army under three Mohammedan leaders,
Mir Kasim, Nawab Shuja-ud-daulah and the Emperor Shah Alam-II.
Battle of Kanwah: was fought in 1527 in which Babar defeated Rana
Sanga of Mewar. This battle resulted in the defeat of powerful Rajput
confederacy.
Battle of Panipat, First: In this battle fought in 1526, Babar defeated
Ibrahim Lodhi and laid the foundation of Mughal rule in India.
Babar won this battle mainly because of his military skill (superior
strategy and generalship) and the use of artillery for the first time in
India.
Battle of Panipat, Second: It took place in 1556 in which Bairam Khan
(Akbar's General) defeated Hemu (the Hindu General and right-hand
man of Mohd Adil Shah). It ended the Afghan rule and Mughal rule
began instead.
Battle of Plassey: In this battle in 1757, the English under Lord Clive
defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah (supported by the French forces). It brought
Muslim rule in Bengal to an end and laid foundations of the British
rule in India.
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Battle of San Thomas: This battle during the Carnatic Wars (1746-
61) definitely proved for the first time the superiority of European arms
and discipline over the traditional Indian methods of warfare.
Baudhayana : It represents a South Indian school of the Black Yajur-
veda.
Bengal partition, First: The first partition of Bengal was done in 1905
during the Viceroyalty of Lord Curzon. It was revoked in 1911.
Bengal Regulation Act of 1793: Its significance lies in the fact that it
accommodated the personal laws of Hindus and Muslims.
Bentinck, Lord William: is associated with Prohibition of Sati.
Berar: is associated with Imad Shahi
Besant, Annie: She was the first woman President of the Indian Na-
tional Congress in 1917. She had founded the Home Rule League in
1915. She is described as theosophist, educationist and Indian na-
tionalist. (Sarojini Naidu was the second woman President of the In-
dian National Congress in 1925).
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Bhadrabahu: was a Jain teacher during the reign of Chandragupta
Maurya. He was author of 'A life of Mahavira'.
Bhagavata Cult: Gupta kings contributed most to this cult. Bhaga-
vatism or Vaishnavism over-shadowed Mahayana Buddhism and
preached the doctrine of incarnation, or avtara.
Bharata Natyam&endash;Classic Poses : The classic poses of
Bharata Natyam, an ancient form of dance, originated in the South
India around Thanjavur, are sculptured on the walls of the temple at
Chidambaram.
Bharatavarsha: was a part of Jambudweepa, according to the ancient
geographical concept.
Bhaskara or Bhaskaracharya: Born in 1114 A.D., was almost the last
great Hindu mathematician and astronomer until modern times. He
wrote Sidhanta-siromani in 1150.
Bhaskaravarman: was the king of Kamarupa (Upper Assam). He was
a contemporary of king Sasanka of Gauda and was his arch- enemy.
Bhaskaravarman was the eastern ally of king Harsha.
Bhoja king: He was a great patron of literature and art. He belonged
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to the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty.
Bhoodan Movement: was started by Acharya Vinoba Bhave.
Bijapur: is associated with Adil Shahi.
Bilhana: He was Sanskrit historian and poet born in Kashmir, He left
Kashmir about 1065 A.D. and became the court poet at Kalyana
where he wrote an epic, Vikramankadeva-charita to celebrate the
reign of Vikramaditya VI, the Chalukya king of Kalyana.
Bindusara: was the Mauryan Ruler who was also known by the name
'Amitraghata'. He succeeded Chandragupta Maurya.
Black Hole Tragedy: occurred during the reign of Siraj-ud-Dowla.
Black-Hole tragedy: occurred during the period of Siraj-ud-Dowlah,
Nawab of Bengal.
Blue Water Policy: The "Blue Water" policy is attributed to Don Fran-
cisco de Almeida, the first Viceroy of the Portuguese possessions in
India. His "Blue Water" policy was to be powerful at the sea instead
of building fortresses on Indian land.
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Boghaz Koi inscriptions: is important in Indian history because in-
scriptions of the fourteenth century B.C. discovered here mention the
names of Vedic gods and goddesses.
Bombay: was taken by the English East India Company from Charles
II. It was acquired by England from Portugal.
Bose, Subhash Chandra : better known as Netaji of Azad Hind Fauj
(Indian National Army&endash;INA), was a powerful nationalist
leader and was also once elected President of the Indian National
Congress. He gained much prominence for organising INA during
world war II.
In his speech, while inaugurating the Azad Hind Fauj in Singapore, he
gave a stirring call to his soldiers &endash; "Give me blood and I shall
give you freeedom".
Rightly called the Beacon of light of Asia, he was the first to address
Mahatma Gandhi as Father of the Nation.
In a message to Gandhiji, in a broadcast from Azad Hind Radio, Ran-
goon, on July 8, 1944, he said&endash; "Father of our Nation! In this
holy war of India's liberation, we ask you for your blessings and good
wishes".
Mahatma Gandhi described him as Patriot of Patriots
The ashes of Subhash Chandra Bose are kept in Renkoji temple in
Tokyo.
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Brahmacharya&endash;Grihastashrama&endash;Vanaprastha&en-
dash;Sanyas: Such divisions of life-span was a post-Vedic develop-
ment.
Brahmagupta: (598-660) of Ujjain, was a great mathematician of his
time.
Brahman: is the central theme in the Upanishads.
Brahmanas: Though belonging to the Vedas, they are considered
apart from the Vedas, as they express notions that have a character
and quality of their own. The Brahmanas stress the importance of
prayer, sacrifice, rituals etc and emphasise the observance of caste
and the asramas.
This led to an elaborate formulary and to the domination of the Brah-
min priesthood.
800 B.C.-600 B.C. is designated as the period of Brahamanas.
The "fish-legend" first appears in the Brahmanas.
Brahmi: Majority of Ashoka's script were written in Brahmi script.
Brahmo Samaj: was founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
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Brahui: is a language of Baluchistan. Linguistically, it is Dravidian.
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad: In this Upanishad, we get the first
glimpse of the "doctrine of transmigration".
Brihadisvara temple: in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) is the finest and most
elaborate temple of Chola architecture. It was built during the reign of
Rajaraja Chola.
British Indian Society:was the first political organisation established in
India in 1838.
Buddha: (623-543 B.C.) He was the son of Suddhodana, a Kshatriya
king and a member of the Gautama clan of the Sakya. Hence, he is
often called Sakyamuni. Buddha's own name was Siddhartha. He
was born in 567 B.C. at Lumbini village in the Nepalese Terai.
He renounced the world at the age of 29 and became a great reli-
gious teacher. His preachings were mainly in regard to purity of
thought and conduct. He denounced Brahminism.
He is said to have meditated at Bodhgaya where he attained full en-
lightenment on Vaishakha Purnima day at the age of 35.
His famous first sermon , the Dharma-chakra-Pravartana or Setting
in Motion the Wheel of Law, was delivered by him in the Deer Park
at Sarnath near Banaras (Varanasi).
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Buddha died in 483 B.C. under a sal tree at Kusinagara (modern
Kasia) in the Gorakhpur district of U.P.
At the time of his death at the age of 80, Buddha's last words to his
favourite disciple Ananda, were: "Look not for the refuge to any one
besides yourself."
Relics of Buddha are preserved in a stupa.
Buddha is the last historical incarnation of Vishnu.
Buddhism:Buddhism was founded by a Kshatriya prince Sidharatha
born in 567 B.C. at Lumbini village in the Nepalese Terai.
Buddha laid stress on the Four Noble Truths and pursuit of the Noble
eight-fold path for which he preached ten commandments for elimi-
nation of human misery.
The crux of early Buddhism was renunciation of desire.
Buddhism became a global religion due to efforts of king Ashoka. To
preach Buddhist doctrines, Ashoka sent his son Mahendra and his
daughter Sanghamitta to Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Mahayana and Hinayana are the two divisons of Buddhism. Ma-
hayanism came into existence in the time of Kanishka.
The Buddhism which ignored the Divine (worship of gods and god-
desses) was known in later times as the Hinayana or Lesser Vehicle
of salvation, while the modified religion which recognised the value of
prayer and acknowledged Buddha as the incarnation of an eternal
heavenly Buddha was called the Mahayana, or the Greater Vehicle
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Buddha was strongly opposed to religious rituals, ceremonial wor-
ship, sacrificial system, and the idea of caste system.
Buddha preached in the language of the people and did not harp on
the caste system. Buddhidm became very popular in India during
Buddha's life time.
Buddhism and Jainism: The common features of both were: (1) Indif-
ference to the authorities of the Vedas; (2) Denial of efficacy of rituals;
and (3) Non-injury to animal life.
Buddhist Councils: The first Buddhist Council was held at Rajagriha
shortly after Buddha's death. A second Council was held at Vaisali in
which the disciples of Buddha divided into two sections viz., Sthavir-
vadins and Mahasanghikas; a third at Pataliputra (during the reign of
Ashoka), 236 years after his death, and a fourth Council was held at
Srinagar (Kashmir) under the patronage of Kanishka, the Kushan
king. It was presided by Vasumitra.
Harshavardhana summoned two Buddhist Assemblies in the year
643 A.D.&endash;one at Kanauj (the fifth one) and the other at
Prayag, the sixth one.
Buddhist literature: was written in Pali language.
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Buland Darwaza: in Fatehpur-Sikri near Agra, was built to commem-
orate Akbar's conquest of Gujarat.
Cabinet Mission: On February 14, 1946, a Cabinet Mission was pro-
posed to be sent to India by Britain's new Labour Party Prime Minis-
ter, Mr Atlee. The Mission consisted of Lord Pathick Lawrence, Sir
Stafford Cripps, and Mr A.V. Alexander which soon came to India and
met the Indian leaders to negotiate handing over power. Its recom-
mendations were:
(a) There should be a Union of India comprising British India and the
Indian States;
(b) The federal centre should have control over defence, foreign af-
fairs and communications;
(c) The Provinces should form three groups&endash;(1) Group of the
Hindu majority provinces&endash;Bombay, Central Provnces, U.P.,
Madras, Bihar, Orissa, Delhi, Ajmer-Marwar and Coorg; (2) Group of
the Muslim Majority Provinces&endash;Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan
and Sind; (3) Group of Bengal and Assam.
(d) A Constituent Assembly should be set up for the Union;
(e) Any Province could withdraw from any Group after the first general
election.
The Mission also recommended that an interim Government should
be formed by the major political parties.
The Commission rejected demand of the Muslim League for division
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of India i.e., creation of Pakistan.
Canning, Lord: was the last Governor-General of (British) India. He
also became the first Viceroy of India.
(C. Rajagopalachari was the first and the last Indian Governor-Gen-
eral of Free India; The first British Governor-General of Free India
was Lord Mountbatten).
Catching the butterflies and setting them free: was the prominent fea-
ture of the foreign policy of Samudragupta.
Chalcolithic Age: means the stone-copper phase. The end of the Ne-
olithic period saw the use of metals. The metal to be used first was
copper. Technologically, chalcolithic stage applied to the pre-Harap-
pans. The Indus Valley Civilization belonged to the Chalcolithic Age.
Chanakya: or Kautilya, was also known as Vishnugupta. He was a
great politician who helped Chandragupta Maurya in securing political
power. He was a practical statesman of high ability. He wrote
Arthashastra . He was a Brahmin.
According to Arthashastra, divorce to a wife deserted by her husband
is allowed.
Chand Bardai: was court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan. He composed
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the epic Prithviraj Raso&endash;the story of the prowess and ro-
mance of Prithviraj Chauhan.
Chand Bibi: who ceded Berar to Akbar's forces, was the ruler of
Ahmednagar.
Chandernagore: was a French possession before its merger with
India.
Chandragupta Maurya: was the famous ruler of ancient India, known
for establishing an elaborate system of municipal administration.
His empire extended in the North-West up to Hindukush.
During his reign, the Greek ambassador Megasthenes visited his
court.
According to Buddhist source, Chandragupta Maurya was a Sudra.
Towards the end of his life, he is said to have converted to Jainism,
abdicated in favour of his son and became an ascetic.
Chandu Shah: On his persuasion, Guru Arjan Dev was executed by
Jahangir in 1605.
Charaka: (About 80-180 A.D.) was the court physician to Kanishka,
the Kushan king. His work on Ayurvedic medical science remains in-
valuable in the study of Hindu medicine.
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Sasruta, the great book on medicine, was written by him.
Charter Act of 1833: Under this Act, the title of Governor General of
India was substituted for that of Governor General of Bengal.
Charvaka: is known as the greatest of the materialistic philosophers
of ancient India. The Charvakas advocated a life of sensible enjoy-
ment and declared: 'While you live, live well, even if you have to bor-
row; for once cremated there is no return'.
Chashma Shahi: in Srinagar (Kashmir), was built by Shah Jahan.
Chauri Chaura violence: Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the Satyagraha
Movement in 1922 on account of Chauri Chaura violence.
Chauth: was a contribution exacted by a military leader , which was
justified by the exigencies of the situation. It was a tribute realised
from hostile or conquered territories, the imposition of which
amounted to one-fourth of the government revenue. In practice it was
nothing but a military contribution levied by Shivaji.
ChengezKhan: belonged to Mongol tribe. He is known as one of the
"Scourages of God". He invaded India in 1221 A.D. during the rule of
Iltumish.
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Chhotanagpur Revolt: was a minor tribal revolt which took place in
1858-59.
Chittagon Armoury Raid: Surya Sen was responsible for it.
Chittor: is associated with Rana Pratap.
Chola dynasty: was an ancient Tamil kingdom along the banks of the
river Cauvery. They were the first to use navy.
Chola kingdom: was the ancient Tamil kingdom which flourished on
the lower east coast of India along the banks of the river Kaveri (now
Cauvery). The Chola power reached its zenith under Rajaraja-I. The
masterpiece of Chola architecture is the great Siva temple at their
capital at Thanjavur (Tanjore).
Village autonomy was a unique feature of their administrative sys-
tem.
Chola reign was best known for Local Self-Governent.
Civil Disobedience Movement: To work towards the achievement of
the goal for independence, Gandhi drew up a civil disobedience plan
by breaking the salt laws. On March 12, 1930, at the age of 61, Gand-
hiji set out on foot on a march from Sabarmati Ashram to a small vil-
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lage Dandi on the seashore of Gujarat. About 79 Ashramites followed
him. The triumphant march, known as Dandi March reached Dandi
after covering a distance of 241 miles in 24 days. All along the route,
thousands of people greeted him and took vow to shake the roots of
British Empire through a non-violent movement.
On reaching the seashore on April 5, Gandhiji broke the salt Law by
picking up salt from the seashore. The whole country was electrified
at the news. Swiftly the law-breaking movement swept across the
country. Another round of boycott of foreign goods and picketing of
liquor shops was witnessed on a massive scale. Even women partic-
ipated the movement in large numbers.
Soon thereafter followed extremely repressive measures such as
mass arrests, lathi-charges, police firing, gagging of the Indian press.
About one lakh people were arrested and sent to jails. Jawahar Lal
Nehru was also arrested. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was held at Pe-
shawar. Gandhiji was arrested and imprisoned in Yervada Central
Jail, Pune (Poona).
Coinage in ancient India : nishka and satamana in the Vedic texts are
taken to be names of coins, but they seem to be only prestige objects.
Coins made of metal first appeared in the age of Gautama Buddha..
The earliest are made largely of silver though a few copper coins also
appear.
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They are called punch-marked because pieces of these metals were
punched with certain marks such as tree, fish, bull, elephant, hill etc.
Coins in Gupta period: The Guptas had issued the largest number of
coins made up of silver.
College of forty: formed during the reign of Iltumish , was broken by
Balban.
Columbus: discovered America in 1492.
Copper coins: were issued by Mohammad Tughlak.
Cornwallis, Lord: was British Governor-General of India (1786-93;
2nd term 1805). He established the Thanas (police stations) and put
the Police Department under a District Magistrate. He is known as
the founder of Indian Civil Service.
Cow ( in Vedic economy): In the early Vedic economy. cow was the
important form of wealth.
Cripps Mission: visited India on March 22, 1942 during the reign of
Lord Linlithgo.
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Curzon, Lord: is associated with Partition of Bengal.
Dadu: was the saint from Gujarat who preached non-sectarianism in
medieval times. He founded the "Brahma-Sampardaaya" (the sect of
Brahma).
Dalhousie, Lord: is associated with Doctrine of Lapse. He induced
English Companies to undertake construction of Railways and
Telegraphs.
Dandi March: Dandi is a small village on the sea-shore of Gujarat. It
is associated with Mahatma Gandhi's long march on foot from Sabar-
mati Ashram to Dandi. The march started on March 12, 1930 and
reached Dandi on April 5. There, he broke the salt laws by picking up
salt from the sea. This triggered non-violent civil disobedience move-
ment on a massive scale in the country. Dandi March had no parallel
in the history of mankind.
Gandhiji was accompanied among others by Jawahar Lal Nehru and
Sarojini Naidu.
Dandin: was Sanskrit prose writer and poet. He is author of Dasa-
kumar-charita and Kavyadarsa.
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Dara: was one of the sons of Shah Jahan who translated the Upan-
ishads and had great respect for Vedas.
Darius: was the Iranian ruler who penetrated into north-west India
and annexed Punjab in 516 B.C.
Dasavatara temple: This Saivite temple is at Deogarh, near Jhansi
(U.P.), built in 1510 A.D.
Dass, C.R.: was Indian politician and leader of the Swaraj Paarty in
Bengal.
Dastak: was the permit which protected the East India Company
(after 1757) from inspection and payment of customs. It was freely
used for every kind of transaction.
Dasyus: As mentioned in the Vedic literature, Dasyus were the orig-
inal inhabitants of India before the coming of Aryans.
Delhi: was made the capital of British rule in India in 1911 during the
Viceroylty of Lord Hardinge. The capital was transferred from Calcutta
to Delhi.
Delhi Sultans born of Hindu mothers: were Firoz Tughlaq, Sikander
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Lodi, Nasiruddin Khusrau, and Ghyasuddin Tughlaq.
Devagiri: was the capital of Yadavas in northern Deccan. It was at-
tacked by Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1296. The Yadav king was defeated and
had to enter into a treaty by paying a vast amount of gold.
Devaraya-II: was the king of Vijayanagar, who appointed Muslims in
his army, granted land to them, built a mosque and kept a copy of
the Koran before his throne, so that the Muslims could pay respect to
it.
Dhama (of Ashoka): was a superb document of essential humanness.
This Mauryan concept was a plea for the recognition of the dignity of
man, and for a humanistic spirit in the activities of society.
Dhammapada: was the first major work to say that salvation by
means of devotion is open to humans regardless of birth, gender or
station in life.
Dhanvantri: was a great physician during the reign of Chandragupta
Vikramaditya. He is considered to be the father of Ayurveda.
Dharmachakra: In the Gandhara art, it is the preaching mudra asso-
ciated with the Buddha's First Sermon at Sarnath.
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Dharmapala: was son of Gopala of the famous Pala dynasty . He was
one of the greatest kings that ever ruled Bengal. His accession to the
throne took place about 780 A.D. In the course of his long reign of at
least 32 years, he raised Bengal to the position of the premier state
in Northern India and did much to restore the greatness of the old im-
perial city of Pataliputra.
He was involved in a contest with the Pratiharas and the Rashtraku-
tas.
Dhillika (Delhi): The city of Dhillika (Delhi), meaning by that term the
old town near the Kutb Minar, was founded in 736 A.D. It was held by
Rajas of the Tomara Rajput clans who erected numerous temples,
which were destroyed by the Muslims. It gained importance during
the time of Ananga Pala Tomara. In the 12th century, the city was in-
cluded in the dominions of Prithviraj Chauhan.
Diadotus: was founder of the Bactrian-Greeks dynasty whose territo-
rial sway extended over Persia and north-west India.
Dili Chalo: was the call given by Subhash Chandra Bose to the sol-
diers of Azad Hind Fauj..
Dilwara temples: are world famous 11th and 12th century marble tem-
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ples in Rajasthan. These are being reconstructed and restored to
their original splendour.
Dilwara temples are in Mt Abu (Rajasthan).
Din-i-Ilahi: Akbar founded this religion in 1582 which means Divine
faith.
Diwan-i-Arz: is associated with Military department.
Diwan-i-Bandagani : is associated with Department of slaves.
Diwani-i-Kohi: is associated with Agricultural department.
Diwan-i-Wazarat: is associated with Finance department.
Do or die: Gandhiji exhorted the people to join the "Quit India" Move-
ment of August 1942 and laid stress upon a number of things, one of
which was: Do or Die (Either free India or die in the attempt).
Doctrine of Lapse: Lord Dalhousie (1848-56) laid it as a principle that
on the death of a ruling prince without direct descendants, the British
Government should refuse to sanction the adoption of an heir and
declare the dominions of the deceased as "lapsed to the sovereign
power by total failure of heirs natural". This is known as Doctrine of
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Lapse.
Jhansi, Nagpur and Satara were among the Indian States that were
annexed by invoking the Doctrine of Lapse.
Doda Tribes: They are found in India in Garo hills (Meghalaya).
Drain Theory: This term was propounded (advocated) by Dadabhai
Naoroji exposing the exploitive nature of the British rule in India re-
sulting in the poverty of the Indians. It stated that the resources of
the country were being utilised in the interest of Britain.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, however, did not believe in the drain theory.
Dupleix: was the first European to initiate the policy of taking part in
the quarrels of Indian princes with a view to acquiring territories.
Durgesh Nandini: was a famous historical novel written by Bankim
Chander Chatterjee during the latter half of the nineteenth century.
Dwarasamudra: was the capital of Hoysalas.
Dyarchy: Under the Government of India Act, 1919, the system of
Dyarchy (double government) was introduced under which provincial
governments were given more powers. Some subjects, such as fi-
nance and law and order were called 'reserved' subjects and re-
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mained under the direct control of the Governor; others such as ed-
ucation, public health, and local self-government, were called 'trans-
ferred' subjects and were to be controlled by ministers responsible to
the legislatures.
East India Company: The (English) East India Company was estab-
lished in 1600 to trade with India . In 1615, the Company built its first
factory at Surat with the permission of Jehangir, secured through Sir
Thomas Roe, the ambassador to James I.
The (English) East India Company was brought under the supervision
of the British Parliament through Pitt's India Act , 1784.
East India Company, End of: The most important sequel to the great
revolt of 1857 was the end of the East India Company's rule in India.
On Nov 1, 1858, Queen Victoria issued a proclamation announcing
that the Government of India had been taken over directly by the
Crown. The proclamation replaced the Court of Directors by a Sec-
retary of State. The Governor-General who was henceforth to be a
representative of the Crown was redesignated as the Viceroy.
Eka Movement of Avadh : stood for non-payment of rent to the gov-
erment.
Elephanta Caves: Elephanta is an island off Mumbai coast famous for
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rock-cut cave temples. 28 new caves have been discovered here re-
cently.
Ellora: is famous for rock-cut temple of Kailasa built by the Rash-
trakutas. (Also see 'Kailasa temple').
Elphinstone: was the British General who defeated Peshwa Baji Rao-
II.
Fa-hien: was a Chinese pilgrim who visited India during the reign of
Chandragupta Vikramaditya in 405 A.D.
Father of the Nation: Subhash Chandra Bose was the first to address
Mahatma Gandhi as "Father of the Nation" in his speech at Rangoon
(Yangon).
Fatuhat-i-Firozshahi: was written by Firuz Shah.
Feroze Tughlak: He charged only those taxes which had the sanction
of Islamic laws except Irrigation tax. 'Hauz Khas' was built by him.
Firdausi: was a Persian poet who wrote Shahnama.
Firoz Tughlak: was the first ruler to organise Haj pilgrimage at the ex-
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pense of the State.
First Congress session: was held at Bombay in 1885 (28th Decem-
ber) under the presidendship of W.C. Bonnerji.
First Congress split: took place in 1907 at Surat.
First cotton mill in India: had been started in Bombay in 1850.
First Governor-General of India: was appointed in 1774.
First jute mill in India: was started in 1855 by George Acland, a Scott.
First metal used by man: Copper.
First Muslim invaders of India: Arabs were the first Muslim invaders
of India.
First Muslim woman to rule Delhi: The first and the only Muslim
woman ever to rule from the throne of Delhi was Razia Begum (or
Razia Sultan).
First Newspaper in India: was the Bengal Gazette started by James
A. Hickey, which appeared in 1780 and was suppressed by Warren
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Hastings two years later.
First newspaper in India: Bombay Samachar , the first newspaper
started in Bombay, was a venture of the Parsees.
First Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha: Kamlapati Tripathy.
First railway line in India : The first 21 miles of railway line was laid in
the year 1853.
First to establish trade with India: Portuguese were the first Western-
ers to establish trade links with India (after the Arab monopoly of In-
dian trade).
First to issue gold coins in India: Mauryas.
First to set up dept. of agriculture: Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq was the
first to set up a department of agriculture in India.
First woman President of the Indian National Congress: Annie Besant
(in 1917).
Forward Bloc: was a political party organised by Subhash Chandra
Bose after he left the Congress.
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Francisco-de-Almeida: was the first Governor of the Portuguese pos-
sessions in India.
Frazer Commission: It is connected with Police Administration.
Freedom Movement&endash;Events in sequence: Morley-Minto Re-
forms (1909); Khilafat Movement (1919); Non-cooperation Movement
(1920); Boycott of Simon Commission (1927); Lahore Congress
(1929); Dandi March and Civil Disobedience Movement (1930); Quit
India Movement (1942); Naval Mutiny (1946); Indian Independence
Act (1947).
Gahadavalas (Gaharwars) of Kanauj: They succeeded Pratihara dy-
nasty of Kanauj which came to an end after Mahmud Ghazni's inva-
sion in 1018 A.D. The Gahadavalas, who were of indigenous origin,
were succeeded by Chandels.
Gandhara Art: Greeco-Roman influence in Indian art is found here.
The Gandhara sculptures invariably used green schist as the
medium.
The Gandhara Art was greatly influenced by Greeks. The theme of
the Gandhara art is Indian but its style Greek. The Gandhara School
of Art was also known as Indo-Greek Art. It flourished during the time
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of the Kushans.
Gandharva: is the 'marriage of desiring woman with a desiring man'.
This is the romantic type of a union, springing from affection and love,
and may be accomplished without any nuptial rites.
Gandhi, Mahatma: (1869-1948) was the greatest Indian after Bud-
dha; India achieved independence mainly through his efforts. He en-
tered politics with Champaran campaign to redress grievances of
cultivators oppressed by indigo planters of Bihar. (Those who joined
him during the Champaran struggle included Rajendra Prasad and
Anugraha Narayan Sinha).
He worked for peasants of Kheda in Gujarat who were finding difficul-
ties in paying the rents owing to failure of crops.
In 1917-18, Gandhiji launched the struggle in Ahmedabad which in-
volved industrial workers.
He gave a call for Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act on April 6, 1919
and took command of the nationalist movement for the first time.
Mahatma Gandhi is associated with many movements during the
struggle for independence viz., Non-cooperation movement (1920);
Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March) and Civil Disobedience movement
(1930); Quit India movement (1942)&endash;for which Gandhiji
raised the slogan: "Do or Die" (Either free India or die in the attempt).
In a sense, Gopal Krishan Gokhale was his political guru. He took in-
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spiration from Ralph Emerson who said "That government is best
which governs the least".
His private secretary was Mahadev Desai
Mahatma Gandhi had suggested winding up of Indian National Con-
gress after India attained independence..
Gandhiji was assassinated on January 30, 1948 while attending a
prayer meeting.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact: was signed on March 5, 1931. In terms of the
Pact, the civil disobedience movement was withdrawn and Gandhiji
agreed to attend the second Round-Table Conference (7th Septem-
ber to 1st December, 1931).
Ganesh Festival: It was popularised by B. G. Tilak during India's free-
dom struggle.
Gangesh: was the founder of the school of Navya-Nyaya.
Gautamiputra Satakarni: was the great king of Satavahana dynasty.
Gayatri mantra: is contained in Rig Veda.
Ghadar Party: was formed by Lala Hardayal.
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Ghatotkachh: in Mahabharat was the son of Bhim.
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq: For the first time Bengal became a part of his
empire.
Goa:was a portuguese possession in India (colonised first by them).
It was liberated by the Indian forces in 1961.
Gobind Singh, Guru: was founder of the Khalsa and the military broth-
erhood among the Sikhs. He was the last of the Sikh Gurus. The birth
place of Guru Gobind Singh is Patna.
Golconda: is associated with Qutab Shahi.
Gold coins: Mauryas were the first to issue gold coins in India.
Gotra: The upper caste Hindu family still aspires to be a unit tracing
his antecedents through a direct line to a common ancestor, and liv-
ing today in the small units of the joint family system.
Government of India Act of 1935 : According to this Act, India had
been divided into 11 procinces.
Government of India Act, 1935: A prominent feature of this Act was
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the 'Separatist' system of representation by various religious commu-
nities and other groups.
It introduced Provincial Autonomy.
grama: was a term used in the Vedic society. A group of related fam-
ilies living homogeneously in a given locality was known as a kula or
'flock', and was ruled over by Kulapati who exercised wide powers. A
group of kulas formed a grama (also called a vis or settlement)
presided over by a gramani or vispati.
Great Bath: It has been found as an important remain of excavations
conducted at Mohenjo-daro.
Grihya-sutras and Dharma-sutras: While grihya-sutras have domestic
importance, the dharma-sutras cover the wider relations of man and
his fellows, and man and the state. They treat of the rules of caste,
and of man in his social, economic and religious relationships. Prima-
rily, they are rules of practical life, including the civil and religious laws
that regulate Hindu society.
Grivraja: was the capital of Maghda kingdom.
Gulbadan Begam: She was Babur's daughter. She wrote Humayun-
nama, a historical account during the Mughal period in which she
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refers incidently to the low prices prevailing in Hindustan; for exam-
ple, at Amarkot, the birth-place of Akbar, the price of four goats was
one rupee.
Gunadhya: author of Brihatkatha, 'Great Story', a famous collection
of tales, written in Paisachi dialect and regarded as one of the major
classics of Indian literature.
Gupta Age: The Gupta Age in Indian history (reckoned from 320 A.D.)
was the classical period of Sanskrit literature and the personalities
who lived during this period were: Kalidasa, Bhartrihari, Dandin, and
Bhavabhuti.
Gupta craftsmen: distinguished themselves by their work in iron and
bronze.
Guptas: Land grants to Brahmanas on a large scale was given by
the ruling dynasty known as Guptas.
Guru Granth Sahib: was compiled by Guru Arjan Dev.
Gyatri Mantra: is contained in RigVeda.
Gypsies: The original home of Gypsies was India.
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Haldighati, Battle of: (1576) Akbar's forces headed by Raja Man
Singh and Asaf Khan-II defeated Rana Pratap.
Hanumankonda inscription: mentions the name of poet Kalidasa.
Harappan Culture: Harappan people worshipped Mother Goddess.
The standard Harappa seal was a square, usually made of steatite.
The crop which does not appear to have been known to the Harap-
pan culture is Ragi.
Horse was probably unknown to the people of Harappan culture. (But
it was widely used by the Vedic people).
Hari Hara and Bukka: were founders of the Vijayanagar Empire.
Harshacharita: was written by Banabhatta.
Harshavardhana: (606-648 A.D.) of the Vardhana dynasty was the
first of the great rulers following the Hun invasions. He was a great
warrior. During his reign, the high officers of the State were not paid
in cash but they were assigned 'jagirs' in return of their services.
He moved his capital from Thanesar to Kanauj.
The famous Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang visited India (630-44) dur-
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ing his reign.
Banabhatta was the court poet of Harsha and was the source of in-
formation about him. He wrote Harshacharita and Kadambri. Accord-
ing to Banabhatta, Harsha was a Hindu-Saiva.
Harsha himslf was a poet and dramatist. The three Sanskrit dramas
attributed to him are: Ratnavali, Priyadarsika, and Nagananda.
He was defeated by Pulakesin-II of the Chalukya dynasty.
The last Buddhist empire in India was that of Harshavardhana.
Information regarding time of Harsha is contained in the books of
Kalhana.
Hasan Gangoo: entitled Zafar Khan was founder of the Bahmani
kingdom in Deccan.
Hathi-Gumpha : The Hathi-Gumpha cave inscriptions in Kalinga are
famous for detailing military achievements of Kharavela.
Hazur Daftar: was the name for the Peshwa's Secretariat (or Central
Government) at Poona.
Heliodorous Pillar: was set up during the reign of Kanishka-I, near
Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, in honour of Vishnu.
Hemadri: who lived during the thirteenth century (Medieval India),
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was a legal authority on caste and ritual. He was keeper of the royal
records of the Yadava rulers of Devagiri. He wrote a voluminous legal
digest entitled Chaturvarga-chintamani.
Hieun-Tsang: was the Chinese pilgrim who visited India (630-44)
durng the reign of Harshavardhana.
Hijira (or Hijiri Era): is reckoned from 622 A.D.
Hindu: The word 'Hindu' as reference to the people of Hind (India)
was first used by the Greeks.
Home Rule League: was formed in 1915 by Mrs Annie Besant. Lok-
manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak joined the movement in 1916.
In the Lucknow session of the Congress in 1916, the Home Rule Lea-
guers were able to demonstrate their political strength.
Home Rule Society : popularly called India House, was established
in London in 1905 by Shyamji Krishna Varma to promote the cause
of Indian independence.
India House was a centre for study, propaganda, training and political
action. A monthly journal&endash;The Indian Sociologist, was also
issued, and fellowships were also awarded.
The centre attracted many young men residing at different universi-
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ties in England&endash;two of whom namely, Har Dayal and Vinayak
Damodar Savarkar, were prominent. Another youth member of the
centre was Madan Lal Dhingra.
Hoysalas: Vishnuvardhana established a kingdom for Hoysala dy-
nasty with capital at Doarasamudra (Halebid) near Mysore during the
12th century. It was once the most powerful dynasty in the Deccan.
Their short-lived dominion was shattered in 1310 by the attack of
Malik Kafur and Khawja Haji, the generals of Alaudin Khilji, who rav-
aged the kingdom and sacked the capital.
Humayun: was defeated in the battle of Chausa because his brothers
did not help him.
Hydaspes, Battle of: Alexander defeated Porus in 326 B.C. at the bat-
tle of Hydespes.
Hyderabad State: ceased to exist on November 1, 1956.
I.N.A.: The I.N.A. (Indian National Army) was organised by Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose at Singapore.
Ibadat Khana: is a building at Fatehpur Sikri where Akbar held discus-
sions on religious matters.
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Ibn-Batuta: was a great scholar and traveller from South Africa who
came to India in 1333 A.D. during the reign of Mohammd Tughlaq
and wrote about him. He described Mohammad Tughlak as the 'won-
der of the age'. He wrote that during the transfer of capital, Mohd-
bin-Tughlak dragged even blind and crippled to Daulatabad. He spent
8 years in India on his way to China.
Idol worship in India: can be traced to the period of Pre-Aryan.
Ilbert Bill controversy: happened during the Viceroyalty of Lord Rip-
pon.
Iltumish: was the first Muslim ruler who made Delhi as his capital in
place of Lahore. He introduced, for the first time, a sound administra-
tive system in Delhi Sultanate
Imperial Capital: The British shifted the imperial capital from Calcutta
to Delhi in 1911.
Independence of India League: was founded by the radical wing of
the Congress Party in opposition to the Home Rule Movement.
India State Peoples Conference: was formed in 1927.
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Indian Association: was founded in 1878 by Surindra Nath Banerjea,
joined by his friends Anand Mohan Bose (a barrister), Sibunath Sastri
(a Brahmo leader), and Krishna Mohan Banerji.
Indian Councils Act, 1861: By this Act, the 'portfolio' system was in-
troduced whereby members were placed in charge of specific depart-
ments instead of sitting as a board of consultants to discuss each
question on its merits.
Indian Independence League: was organised by Rash Behari Bose,
an old revolutionary, at a conference held at Bangkok in June 1942.
Indian Mutiny (Revolution) 1857 : or the first War of Indian Independ-
ence started from Meerut on May 16, 1857. Its main cause was sup-
ply of greased cartriges to Indian soldiers which contained fat of cows
and pigs.
The Sikhs supported the British in this revolt.
Indian National Congress: was founded on 28th December, 1885 by
A.O. Hume. Its first session was held at Bombay under Presidentship
of W.C. Bonnerji.
A resolution asking for complete independence of India was passed
in the Congress session held at Lahore in 1929 under the Presi-
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dentship of Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Indian National Trade Union Congress: was founded in 1947. It drew
inspiration from Gandhian philosophy and sought to secure redress
of grievances by means of negotiation and conciliation without
stopagges of work.
Indian Naval Mutiny: It took place in 1946 against the British.
Indian Railways and Postal Services: were started during the period
of Lord Dalhousie.
Indica, The: written by Megasthenese, is the historical source of the
period of Chandragupta Maurya. It gives a detailed account of the
municipal administration of the Mauryas.
The division of society into seven classes is mentioned in this book.
Indigo disturbances in Bengal: took place in 1859 and 1860 immedi-
ately after the revolt of 1857 between European indigo planters and
the Bengal peasants. The prevailing system often compelled the Ben-
gal peasant to grow indigo against both his will and his interests.
Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts: has been set up in New Delhi
as a resource centre and data base for cultural activities.
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Individual Civil Disobedience or Individual Satyagraha: The Congress
Working Committee decided to start individual civil disobedience on
Oct 11, 1940. Vinoba Bhave was the first Satyagrahi who was ar-
rested on Oct 21, followed soon by many more including Nehru and
Patel.
Indra: is said to be the most celebrated deity of the Rig-veda.
During Rigvedic period Indra was known as God of Thunder.
He belongs to the early Iranian period of the Aryan migration, and his
name has been deciphered as 'In-da-ra' in a fourteenth century B.C.
inscription at Boghaz Koi in Asia Minor.
Indus Valley Civilization: According to carbon-dating process, the
Indus Valley Civilization appears to have flourished between 2500
and 1700 B.C. This period is known as pre-historic period. It belongs
to the Chalcolithic Age.
The remains of the Indus Valley Civilization were first discovered at
Harappa (1921) and Mohenjodaro (1922).
The Indus Valley Civilization was primarily urban.
The Indus Valley people established commercial contacts with the
Sumerians.
Iron was not known to the people of the Indus Valley Civilization.
The ornaments of the poor people of Indus Valley Civilization were
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made of copper, shells and bones.
.The Indus script has not been deciphered so far.
The system of governing of Indus Valley Civilization was probably
Kingship.
Indus Valley Civilization Script: The script of Indus Valley Civilization
is not yet deciphered.
Iqbalnama-i-Jahangiri: official history of the reign of Jehangir.
Iqta: It was the land-grant system adopted by Ala-ud-din Khilji to grant
his officers as reward for services rendered.
Qutabuddin Aibak was assigned the first iqta in India by Mohd of
Ghor.
Iron: This metal was discovered during the Mauryan period which,
according to D.D. Kausambi and R.S. Sharma, provided techonolog-
ical base for material advancement.
Iron, first used in India: Iron was first used in India around 1500 B.C.
Jagat Seths: were the most important among the bankers of Bengal
in the eighteenth century before overthrow of Mir Qasim by the Eng-
lish.
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Jahangir: He allowed the English to begin their trade at Surat through
a farman granted to Sir Thomas Roe.
Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan: was the slogan given by Lal Bahadur Shastri
during Indo-Pak war of 1965.
Jainism: was founded by Mahavir. He was born in Vaishali. According
to Jainism "strict moral conduct and virtuous life is the way to "salva-
tion". Tri-ratna or the Three jewels in Jainism are (1) right intentions,
(2) right knowledge and (3) right conduct&endash;an absolutely stain-
less life.
Jainism had the patronage of Kharavela, the ruler of Kalinga who
reigned during the 1st Century B.C.
Jaipal: Raja of Bhatinda, was defeated for the first time by Mahmud
of Ghazni.
Jaipur: called the 'Pink City' is capital of Rajasthan. It was founded by
Sawai Jai Singh.
Jajmani System in rural India: The reasons for the break of Jajmani
system in rural India are (1) monetization of economy and commer-
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cialisation of agriculture, and (2) increase of caste consciousness
among the artisans and the peasants.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre: It occurred at Amritsar on April 13, 1919
during the Viceroyalty of Lord Chelmsford.
Rabindranath Tagore renounced the Knighthood as a protest against
this tragedy.
jana: A number of grama formed the jana or tribe whose leader was
janapati.
Jatakas: These stories were written in Pali language.
Jatin Das: was a well-known Indian revolutionary who died in jail while
on hunger strike.
Jazia: was abolished by Akbar.
Jehangir: Painting reached its climax during the reign of Jehangir.
Jija Bai: was the name of Shivaji's mother.
Jimutavahana: was a famous jurist of medieval India (fifteenth cen-
tury). His work Dayabhaga is a commentary on the srutis, specially
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on Manu. It was once part of a great compilation called the Dharma-
Ratna. This commentary represents the source of the Gauriya school
of Bengal and Assam.
Jina: In Jainism, the supreme souls whose lives should be followed
as example to the best are referred to as Jina.
Jital: was a copper coin of the Sultanate period of India.
Johar: Johar culture was developed by the Rajputs.
John Morley: the radical thinker, whom the Labour Party in Britain
considered a suitable spokesman of their opinions, was appointed
the Secretary of State for India in 1906.
Justin: His accounts are useful for reconstructing the history of Chan-
dragupta Maurya.
Kabir: was disciple of Ramananda. His teaching include Ram and
Rahim.
Kailasa Temple at Ellora: The rock-cut Kailasa temple at Ellora is a
splendid achievement of art, and considering the technical skill and
labour involved, is unequalled in the history of the world. It is a mar-
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vellous specimen of the Dravidian style. It was constructed during the
reign of Krishna-I, in the latter half of the eighth century A.D.
The caves and rock-cut temples at Ellora are&endash;Hindu, Bud-
dhist and Jain.
Kaiser-i-Hind: Queen Victoria was crowned with Kaiser-i-Hind in the
Delhi Durbar during the Viceroyalty of Lord Lytton.
Kalachuri era: counted from A.D. 248, it was mostly current in Central
India. Their capital was Tripuri near Jabalpur. Kalchuris were the feu-
datries of the Pratiharas but soon acquired independence.
Kalhana: was poet historian of Kashmir. He lived in the 11th century
A.D. He wrote Rajatarangini, his masterpiece, considered as the only
Sanskrit work which can lay any claim to being regarded as history.
The material for the history of Kashmir is to be found in Kalhana's
Rajatarangini.
Kali Era: is reckoned from 3102 B.C.
Kalibangan: in Rajasthan where recent excavations brought to light
the varied achievements of Indus Valley Civilisation&endash;town
planning and use of burnt bricks.
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Kalidas: was a great Sanskrit poet who flourished in the court of
Chandragupta Vikramaditya. He wrote Shakuntla.
Kalinga : was captured in 261 B.C.
Kalinga Rock-edict: This inscription proves Chandragupta's sway
over western India.
Kalpa: The whole body of scriptures dealing with the religious cere-
monial and practice of Hinduism (Ritual Canon) is referred to by the
term Kalpa, 'usage'. It is regarded as one of the Vedangas or auxiliary
Vedic studies.
Kalpasutra Paintings: were well-known during the period from the thi-
teenth to sixteenth centuries in Western India.
Kanchipuram (Conjeevaram): (in Tamil Nadu) was capital of the
Pallavas. Called the 'golden city', it was once a great Buddhist strong-
hold, reportedly visited by Buddha himself. It was the site of several
Ashokan stupas, now vanished.
Kandariya Mahadeo temple: is in Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh).
Kanishka: was the third and the greatest king of K ushan dynasty
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(120 A.D. to 162 A.D.). He was a great conqueror, became a patron
of Buddhism and was the only ruler of India who had his territory even
in Central Asia beyond the Pamirs. He was a great patron of art and
learning. Charaka and Nagarjuna were active during his reign.
Saka Era started during his reign
There was not a single revolt during his reign..
The headless statue of Kanishka, an important relic of his period, was
found in Mathura.
Karnataka war: was fought between Haider Ali and Marathas.
Karshapana: was the most commonly used coin in the Chola king-
dom.
Kashmir: Before coming of the Muslims, Kashmir was known to be a
centre of Shaivism.
Khajuraho Temples: were built by Chandellas.
Khajurao temples: are located in Madhya Pradesh. These were built
by kings of Chalukya dynasty.
Kharavela: was king of Kalinga. His best-known epigraphic inscrip-
tions are at Hathi-Gumpha cave in Kalinga.
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Kharoshthi: Formerly called Indo-Bactrian, was one of the many alien
scripts used in India in early centuries. It was written from right to left.
It was derived from a form of writing brought by merchants from the
Mediterranean. It was manifestly Semitic in origin.
Khilafat Movement: was a mass movement of the Muslims launched
in 1920 by the two brothers&endash;Muhammad Ali and Shaukat
Ali&endash; against Britain for dismemberment of Turkish empire
after world war I, offending the religious and historical sentiments of
the Muslims.
The first Khilafat conference was held at Delhi on Nov 23, 1919. At
Calcutta on Feb 20, 1920, the conference under Abdul Kalam Azad's
chairmanship fixed a Khilafat Day and adopted a resolution in favour
of the non-cooperation movement
The Congress, in its special session held at Calcutta on Sept 8, 1920,
gave its approval to the non-cooperation movement.
The Khilafat Committee of 1920 held at Allahabad asked Gandhiji to
lead the non-cooperation movement.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, however, opposed Mahatma Gandhi's asso-
ciation with the Khilafat Movement.
Khiraj: was the land tax imposed by Mohd-bin-Qasim after the Arab
occupation of Sind.
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Khonds: were primitive tribes living in Orissa.
Khusrau, Amir: famous Indian literary man and poet in the court of
Alauddin Khilji. He wrote in Persian as well as in Hindi. He died in
1325, and is sometimes reckoned as a writer of Urdu.
He is said to have witnessed the reigns of eight Delhi Sultans.
Kila-i-Kuhna mosque: is a lofty mosque inside Purana Qila in Delhi
constructed by Sher Shah which is considered to be a good example
of the Indo-Islamic architecture.
Komagata Maru: was the name of a Japanese steemship carrying
about three hundred Indians, mostly Sikhs, to enter British Columbia
in Western Canada.
Konark Temple: dedicated to Surya or Sun-god, was built between
1250-1278 A.D. in the area around the mouth of the river Mahanadi.
Kosa: or the treasury was one of the constituent elements of the state
in ancient India, and was fed by the 'stream of taxation'.
Krishna I: was Rashtrakuta king (c.A.D. 760) who got constructed the
famous Rock-cut Shiva temple at Ellora&endash;one of the most
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marvellous works of human labour..
Krishnadevaraya:was the most famous Raja of Vijayanagar kingdom,
the last great Hindu ruler of Southern India (1509-29). He belonged
to the Tulva dynasty.
Kula: In ancient India, a group of related families or a community liv-
ing homogenously in a given locality was known as Kula.
Kushanas: The original home of the Kushanas was in Chinese Turk-
istan. Kushans came from Bactria. They extended their conquests
over Kashmir and north-west India and ruled these territories for more
than 100 years.
Kusinara (or Kusinagara): is the place where Gautam Buddha died.
Lahore: The capital of the Kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was La-
hore.
Lambadies: are concentrated in Karnataka.
Land Revenue: was the principal source of State income during the
period of Mughal India.
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lapis lazuli: It is a semi-precious blue gem stone valued for its deep
blue colour.
The source of lapis lazuli for the people of Harappan culture was
Afghanistan.
Blue colour used in the paintings of Ajanta was obtained from im-
ported lapis lazuli.
Local self-government: was introduced in India by Lord Rippon.
Lodhi dynasty: was founded by Bahlol Lodhi in 1451.
Lodhi Sultans: were Afghans.
Lokahitawadi: was the first reformer in Maharashtra to challenge the
old authorities and the old traditions.
Lomasa Rishi Cave : is one of the small rock-cut caves in Barabar
hills near Gaya. It was dug during Mauryan period. It has a ribbed
horseshoe arch in in close imitation of a wooden model, very much
like the entrance to the Toda hut. The cave lies unfinished or probably
discontinued due to a flaw in the rock.
Lord Canning : was the Governor-General of India when the 1857 re-
volt broke out.
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Lord Macaulay: who had joined the British Council as law member in
1834, is associated with the introduction of English education in India
Lothal: in Gujarat where excavations have brought to light the period
of Indus Valley times&endash;town planning, use of burnt bricks, in-
terlinked drainage system.
(This site of the Indus Valley Civilization situated on the sea-plain of
formerSaurashtra, 720 km south-east of Mohenjodaro, is located in
India).
The excavation made here represent the Harappan culture.
The discovery of a dockyard here measuring 710 feet by 125 feet
(found blocked) proves Indian maritime trade with Mesopotamia and
other countries.
It is the best example of maritime activity during the Harappan pe-
riod.
Lucknow Pact (1916): The war between Turkey and Britain aroused
anti-British feelings among Muslims and paved the way for co-oper-
ation with the Congress.
Both Congress and the Muslim League , in their session at Lucknow
in 1916, concluded the famous agreement known as the Lucknow
Pact which included the recognition of separate electorates.
In the Lucknow session of the Congress, the Home Rule Leagures
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were able to demonstrate their political strength.
Macaulay's Minutes: The foundation of modern educational system in
India was laid by 'Macaulay's Minutes' of 1835.
Madurai: was the capital of the kingdom of Pandyas.
Maganlal Gandhi: On his suggestion, Mahatma Gandhi adopted the
word "Satyagraha" for his struggle in South Africa.
Maghadan Empire: The rise of the Magadhan Empire can be traced
back to the Sunga dynasty (185-73B.C.) Pushyamitra Sunga was
founder of this dynasty. Their dominions included Magadha and cer-
tain neighbouring provinces, extending southwards as far as the Nar-
bada..
Mahabharat: was originally known as Jayahita.
Mahadev Govind Ranade: was a great social and religious reformer
who worked unceasingly for the eradication of child marriage and pur-
dah system. To spread his message on a national scale, he inaugu-
rated Indian National Social Conference.
Mahanavami: was the most famous State festival of the Vijayanagar
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empire.
Mahatarfa and Jakat: In the administrative system of Marathas, cus-
tom duties known as Mahatarfa and Jakat were imposed.
Mahavira: was founder of Jainism. He was the twenty-forth and the
last of Jain Tirthankaras. He was born at Vaisali, the capital of Videha
(modern Bihar). He was a Kashtriya.
Mahavira attained "Kaivalya" at the age of 42.
Mahavira did not believe in the worship of idols.
He died aged 72 at Pavapuri in the Patna district.
Mahavira was far more strict than Buddha in the doctrine of "Non-in-
jury to living creatures".
Mahayana: This Buddhist sect formally came into existence during
the reign of Kanishka. Refer Buddhism.
Mahayana:was a form of Buddhism which emerged during the reign
of Kanishka.
Mahayana and Hinayana: Refer Buddhism.
Mahendravarman-I: (600-630) was Pallava king known for his archi-
tectural skill. He introduced the method pf scooping out entire temples
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from the solid rock, as at Mamapuram.
Mahmud Ghazni: He started his raids of India from the north-west
during 1000-1026 A.D. He attacked India many times, his interest
being to plunder India's wealth.
Maitreya: is supposed to be the fifth Buddha who is yet to come.
Malik Kafur: He was Allauddin Khilji's military general who led two
campaigns in south India between 1309 and 1311. In 1310, he at-
tacked Hoysala kingdom and sacked their capital Dorasamudra (or
Halebid). He was appointed as Malik Naib or Vice-Regent of the em-
pire by Alauddin.
Mansabdari System: was initiated by Akbar in 1577 (in the nineteenth
year of his reign) for the purpose of expanding his army as well as or-
ganising the nobility to maintain his hold over his rule. Under this sys-
tem, every officer of the State was assigned a rank (mansab). It was
an official appointment of rank and profit. The mansab was bound to
supply a number of troops for the military service of the State. The
mansabdars formed the official nobility of the country.
The Mansabdari System was thus the "army, the peerage, and the
civil administration, rolled into one".
The military system of the Delhi Sultanate was influenced, to some
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extent, by the Mongol system. .
Manu Smriti: deals with law. (Manu was a Hindu law giver). According
to Manu Smriti, a woman after marriage, was required to be under
control of her husband.
Maski Rock edict: This minor Rock-edict is the only edict in which
Ashoka refers to himself as the king of Magadha.
Material Culture Theory: deals with iron and agricultural implements.
Mathura School of Art: suggests Buddhism as religion.
Mauryas: were the rulers of Magadha.
Mayamata: was a Saiva sect in ancient India.
Meenakshi Temple: is located in Madurai.
Megasthenes: (306-290 B.C.) was Greek Ambassador at the court
of Chandragupta Maurya. He visited India and studied at the Nalanda
University. In the account of Megasthenes we come across in detail
mention of the municipal administration of the Mauryas. Also refer In-
dica.
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Mehrauli "Iron Pillar" (in Delhi): belonged to the reign of Chan-
dragupta-I.
Mehrauli pillar inscription: belongs to the period of the Guptas.
Mesolithic Age: belongs to the period roughly from 9,000 B.C. to
4.000 B.C. It is called the Stone Age.
Metcalfe, Sir Charles: is known as the 'Liberator of the Press'. He
was British Governor-General of India (1835-36).
Mimamsa: is one of the six orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy,
founded by Jaimini (c. 200 B.C.). Mimamsa holds that knowledge
alone cannot give salvation. Without right action , or dharma, knowl-
edge is fruitless and true happiness unattainable.
Miniature Painting: reached its climax during the reign of Jahangir.
Mir Jaffar: He deserted Siraj-ud-Dowlah and joined the English under
Lord Clive when the Battle of Plassey (1757) was raging with utmost
fury.
Mir Jaffer granted an extra allowance called Double Bhatta to the
English troops.
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Mira Bai: was contemporary of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Mitakshara: It is a book on Hindu Law of inheritance written by Vij-
nanesvara who wrote at the Court of Chalukya king Vikramaditya-VI
(1075-1127).
Mohammad- bin-Qasim: was the first Muslim invader of India. The
Arab conquest of Sind took place in 712 A.D. under his leadership.
Mohd Shah: was the last Mughal emperor to sit on the Peacock
throne.
Mohd-bin-Tughlak: was a Turk. Copper coins were started by him.
Mohenjodaro: is known for discovery of remains of Indus Valley Civ-
ilization here in 1922 by R.D. Banerjee.
Mohenjadaro is in the Larkana district of Sind (now in Pakistan). An
image of dancing girl was also found here.
(Sir John Marshall, Director General of Archaeology, declared in 1924
that a new civilization had been discovered in the Indus Valley by
R.D. Banerjee in 1922).
Mongols: attacked India during the reign of Iltumish.
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Monogamy : The practice of Monogamy (the custom or condition of
marriage to one wife or husband at a time) was in existence during
the Rig Vedic period.
Moplah Rebellion: broke out in Malabar in August 1921.
Moplah Rebellion: took place in Malabar in 1921.
Morley-Minto Reforms: were aimed at expansion of the legislature.
Moti Masjid: Shah Jehan built Moti Masjid at Agra Fort and Aurangzeb
built another Moti Masjid at Red Fort, Delhi.
Mountbatten Plan : India was partitioned by the Mountbatten Plan of
3rd June, 1947.
Mountbatten, Lord: was Governor-General of India when the country
became independent on the 15th August, 1947. He was the last
British Viceroy in India (March 1947-August 1947) and the first and
the last Englishman to be the Governor General of Free India.
Mughal dynasty: was finally extinguished with Bahadur Shah-II.
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Mughal Empire, Cause of downfall: The fundamental cause for the
downfall of the Mughal empire was the religious policy of Aurangzeb
according to Dr Satish Chandra.
Mughal India: The principal source of State income in Mughal India
was land revenue.
Mughal paintings: reached its zenith under Jahangir.
Mughal paintings, Portuguese influence on: In Mughal paintings, one
notices the adoption of the principle of foreshortening whereby near
and distant people and things could be placed in perspective. This is
due to the influence of the Portuguese.
Muin-ud-Din Chisti: Sufi saint who is associated with Ajmer. His dar-
gah is also at Ajmer. He maintained that devotional music was one
way of coming closer to God.
Muqti: Ala-ud-din had divided his Sultanate into provinces, each
under a governor generally termed muqti who was responsible for
the administration.
Museums in India: National Museum, New Delhi, the Indian Museum,
Calcutta, the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, and the Allahabad Mu-
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seum, Allahabad.
Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, named after Salar Jung-III, Mir
yousuf Ali Khan, has a very rare and important collection of about
40,000 art objects. It is known the world over as the largest single
collection of art objects from different countries.
Indian Museum in Calcutta undertakes acquisition of objects of art
and archaeology and carries out educational and cultural activities.
The Allahabad Museum has got a rich collection of early scruptures,
terracota seals and modern painting.
Muslim League: was founded in 1906 in Dacca (Dhaka) by a resolu-
tion proposed by Nawab Salimullah.
The Muslim League adopted the resolution for creation of Pakistan in
1940.
Mysore War, Second: came to an end by the treaty of Mangalore.
Nadir Shah: invaded India in 1739.
Nagananda: or 'Serpent's Bliss' a Sanskrit play attributed to king Har-
sha Vardhana concerns the conversion of a Buddhist priest, of
Garuda the serpent-eating bird, to the principles of ahimsa or non-in-
jury.
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Nagarjuna: was the philosopher scientist and a great figure of the
court of Kanishka whom Hieun-Tsang called "one of the four lights of
the world" and who also enunciated the theory of Relativity in his
great work called Madhyamika Sutra. He is rightly called the Indian
Einstein.
Naidu, Sarojini: She was a gifted Indian poetess of English language,
commonly known as the Nightingale of India. She was the second
woman President of the Indian National Congress in 1925 and the
first woman Governor of an Indian State (Governor of U.P.) after in-
dependence.
(The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was
Annie Besant in 1917).
Nalanda University: In ancient India, this University was a great cen-
tre for the study of Mahayana Buddhism.
Namdev: hailed from the State of Maharashtra.
Nanak, Guru: started the religion Sikhism. He is patronised even by
Muslims.
Nanda dynasty: was ruling in India at the time of Alexander's inva-
sion.
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The last king of the Nanda dynasty was Dhana Nanda.
Naoroji, Dadabhai: popularly known as the "Grand Old Man" of India
was a great nationalist. He was also President of the Indian National
Congress. He was earlier elected to the British Parliament.
He propounded the theory of "Economic Drain" of India during the
British Rule.
(He estimated Indian national income and criticized the constant drain
of wealth from India to England.)
Narasimhavarman-I: (630-660) son of Mehendravarman-I , was the
greatest of the Pallava kings. He defeated and slew the redoubtable
Chalukya, Pulakesin-II in 640 A.D.He was patron of the Sasnkrit poet
Dandin. Hieun-Tsang, the Chinese traveller, visited the kingdom dur-
ing his reign and was impressed by the splendour of Kanchipuram
(capital of Pallavas).
Nasik inscription: The achievements of Gautamilputra Satakarni are
detailed in Nasik inscription. Also refer Pulumayi, Sri.
Nastaliq: was a Persian script used in medieval India.
Nataraja bronze image: is a fine example of Chola art, considered to
be the world's greatest iconographical creations made by sthapatis
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(architects) of south India.
National Conference: The first session of the National Conference
was held in 1883 at Calcutta.
National Movement in India: The international events which influ-
enced national movement in India before the advent of Mahatma
Gandhi were: (1) Italian-Abyssinian War, 1898; (2) Boxer Movement
in China; (3) Revolutionary Movement in Ireland; and (4) Victory of
Japan in the Russo-Japanese War.
NAUROJ festival in India: Balban introduced the famous Persian fes-
tival of Nauroj in India.
Navasahasanka-charit: was written by Padmagupta.
Navya-Nyaya: The founder of school of Navya-Nyaya was Gangesh.
Nehru, Jawahar Lal: (1889-1964) was one of the world's greatest
statesmen who emerged as the first Prime Minister of India when the
country became independent in 1947.
In the interim government formed in 1946, he was the Vice-President
of the Executive Council.
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He is considered to be the maker of modern India.
Neolithic Age: belongs to the period between 4,000 B.C. and 1,000
B.C. The people of this age used tools and implements of polished
stone. The cutting tools were used to various uses by the people of
this Age.
Nevali Cori Valley: is in Turkey. The recent excavations here have re-
vealed remarkable influence of advanced Vedic culture with traces
of agrarian settlements. The site is dated back to 7000 B.C.
nisha: The term nisha which meant an ornament in the Vedic period
was used in later times to denote a coin (a metal piece of definite
weight).
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah: is known for his introduction of a new calen-
dar, a new system of coinage and new scales of weights and meas-
ures.
Non-cooperation Movement: was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in
1920 against the British for attainment of Swaraj. The movement re-
ceived support from large number of Muslims also.
Already, there was widespread unrest among industrial workers&en-
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dash;Bombay Mill strike affected more than one lakh twenty-five thou-
sand workers at the beginning of 1919 and there were about 200
strikes during the first six months of 1920.
Mahatma Gandhi surrendered the title of "Rt. Honourable" given to
him by the British Government.
The Movement led to the Congress becoming a mass movement for
the first time and removed fear of theBritish 'might' from the minds of
the people.
Non-cooperation Movement was, however, withdrawn because of vi-
olence at Chauri-Chaura.
Non-cooperation Movement Resolution was passed in the Calcutta
session of the Indian National Congress in September 1920.
Nur Jahan:originally known as Mihr-ul-nisa, whom Jahangir married
in May 1611, was formerly wife of Sher Afghan.
Padmavat: is the famous poem describing the story of queen Pad-
mini, written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi.
Paisacha: called after the savage Pisacha tribe, in the Hindu tradition,
was form of marriage by rape, where the girl was carried off by force,
or under false pretext against her will.
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Palaeolithic Age: is called the old stone age&endash;the period be-
tween 2,000 B.C. and 10,000 B.C. It is also called the Ice Age.
Pali: Buddha preached in Pali language.
Panch Mahal: was built by Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri. It is noted for its
various types of pillars.
Panchala: In ancient times, Panchala was called maha-janapada.
Early social organisation was tribal, and in course of time the territory
in which a group of related tribes settled came to be known as jana-
pada, which term was later used to connote a nation. Mahajanapada
meant larger aggregates of such tribal nations.
Panchsheel: The Sino-Indian agreement of 1954 known as
'Panchsheel' enshrined peaceful co-existence, mutual respect for ter-
ritorial integrity, and mutual non-interference in each other's internal
affairs.
But the principle of "mutual help in times of need" was not enshrined
in the agreement .
Pandyas: was a kingdom in the south India in the 9th century. Their
capital was Madurai. During the Sangam period, the Tamil poets and
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scholars were patronised by the Pandyas.
Panini: was the greatest of the Sanskrit grammarians.
Paramaras: This dynasty was not involved among the 'tripartite strug-
gle' between Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas,
Parantaka-I: was the first important ruler of the Chola dynasty in 907
A.D. He ruled for almost half a century. He captured Madurai, capital
of Pandyas.
Parsis: first came into India at Diu. Their sacred book is Torah.
Pasupati: The Hindu deity with three heads and horns, surrounded by
animals, represented on a seal from Mohenjo-daro is referred to as
Pasupati. It is also referred to as 'a prototype of the historic Siva'.
The people of Indus Valley Civilization worshipped Pasupati.
Patel, Vallabhbhai: (1875-1950) was a great and vigorous Congress
leader and Deputy Prime Minister of India after independence in
1947&endash;well known as an iron man.
He was made Home Minister when Jawahar Lal Nehru formed the In-
terim Government in 1946.
He was not a member of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Con-
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stitution.
Soon after independence in August 1947, he played a vital role in the
integration of Princely States in India.
He is also known as the 'Bismarck of India'.
The Sarabandi (no-tax) campaign of 1922 was led by him.
Patriot of Patriots: Subhash Chandra Bose was described by Ma-
hatma Gandhi as "patriot of patriots".
Peacock Throne: originally belonged to Shah Jahan. It now adores
crown of the British Queen.
Permanent Settlement: was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 in
Bengal and Bihar on the suggestion of John Shore. It placed the In-
dian Revenue Systen on a scientific basis.
Under the system of Permanent Settlement during the British rule,
Zamindars collected and paid land revenue to the government.
Persian Prose and Poetry: reached a climax under the reign of Akbar.
Peshwas: under the Maratha Empire had their capital at Pune
(Poona). Refer Hazur Daftar.The first Peshwa ruler was Baji Rao.
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Physiocrats: At the time of the French Revolution in 1789, the Econ-
omists were known as 'Physiocrats'.
Pitt's India Act, 1784: Through this Act, the English East India Com-
pany was brought under the supervision of the British Parliament.
Pollution concept: emerged clearly in the age of Dharma Shastras.
Polyandry (women having several husbands): As Rig Veda points
out, polyandry was NOT common in the Vedic period.
Poona Pact: was signed in 1932 between various groups and parties
among the Hindus led by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B.R. Ambedkar on
behalf of the Harijans repudiating the Communal Award given by the
British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald which conceded separate
electorates on communal basis.
Mahatma Gandhi had staked his life to get the Award annulled and
went on a fast unto death.
Portrait-bearing coins : became popular under the Kushans.
Portuguese settlements in India: The circumstances favourable for
the Portuguese settlements in India in the beginning were: (1) they
took advantage of the jealousy among the small princes on the Mal-
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abar coast; (2) they found that there was no State worth the name
which could make sustained efforts to prevent their establishment;
and (3) their warships were more formidable than any ships they met
in Indian waters.
Prajapati: In the later Vedic pantheon, the supreme position was held
by a Prajapati.
Prajapatya: a vaguely defined form of marriage, whose chief feature
appears to be that its conditions were fixed and there was no dowry.
Prakrit: This language received royal patronage during the reign of
Satavahanas.
Pratihara (Parihar): This dynasty was founded in 725 A.D. by Nagab-
hata of the Gurjara sect.
Prayag Prasasti: written by Harisen, is the main source of the con-
quests of Samudragupta.
Prayaga: was the ancient name of modern Allahabad. Prayaga was
conquered by Ghori kings in 1194 A.D. Its name was changed to Al-
lahabad by the Mughals.
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Prithviraj Raso: written in Braj Bhasha by Chand Bardai is the story
of the prowess and romance of Prithviraj Chauhan.
Priyadarsi: is the name by which Ashoka is generally referred to in his
inscripions.
Priyadarsika: a Sanskrit drama by king Harsha Vardhana is a 'harem
tragedy'.
Provincial Autonomy: was introduced in India during the reign of Lord
Linlithgo.
Pulakesan-II: was the most famous king of the Chalukya dynasty who
ascended the throne in 611 A.D.
Aihole inscription gives information about him.
Pulumayi, Sri: His best-known epigraphic inscriptions are at Nashik.
Punch-marked Silver Coins: The earliest evidence of silver in India is
found in punch-marked silver coins found in Bihar.
Puranas: are 18 in number.
Purandaradasa: was the earliest and the most celebrated of the
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Kanarese classical singers. He was once the favourite of the Vi-
jayanagar court. He systematized Karnataka music in his masterly
compositions.
Pushyamitra : was the famous ruler and founder of the Sunga dy-
nasty (185-73 B.C.). The last Mauryan ruler was overthrown by him.
He thus became the first ruler of the Sunga dynasty which succeeded
the Mauryans.
The great Stupa at Sanchi and the railings which enclose it belong to
the Sunga period.
Quit India Movement: was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August
8, 1942 urging the British to transfer power to Indians and quit the
country. His slogan was 'Do or die'.
Qutab-ud-din Aibak: was founder of the Slave dynasty of India (1206-
90).
He was slave of Mu'iz-ud-din Muhammad Ghuri.
The famous Qutab Minar at Delhi was begun by him (and completed
by Iltumish).
Radcliffe, Sir Cyril: He was responsible for demarcating the boundary
between India and Pakistan in 1947.
Sir Radcliffe was appointed chairman of the two commissions set up
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by the British Government to effect partition of Punjab and Bengal
after announcement of the famous declaration by Lord Mountbatten
on June 3, 1947, laying "the method by which power will be trans-
ferred from British to Indian hands".
Rajaraja-I Chola: was a great king of the Chola dynasty in the south
of India.
During his reign, the Arabs established trade centres on the west
coast of India and had the support of the rulers of Kerala.
He was the first Indian ruler who conducted a naval campaign on im-
portant Arab trade centres to check their monopoly in trade with India.
Rajasekhara: (c. 920) is author of the play Karpura-manjari.
Rajasuya: This Vedic sacrifice was a royal consecration ceremony.
Rajatarangini: by Kalhana deals with the history of Kashmir. Also refer
Kalhana.
Rajendra Prasad: He was President of the Constituent Assembly of
India (1946-49) and the first President of the Indian Republic (1950-
62).
Rajendra-I: was the Chola king who fought against the Sailendra king
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of Srivijaya (in Sumatra) and defeated him.
Rajgarh: is the town where Shivaji crowned himself in 1614.
Rajsekhar: was the court-poet of Mahendrapal.
Rajukas: They were responsible for public welfare in Mauryan admin-
istration.
Rakshasa: according to Hindu tradition, was the heroic marriage,
where a woman carried off as a prize of war, was married without the
consent of her father, usually by the captor.
Raktika: was the basic weight (measure) in ancient India.
Ramakrishna Mission: was founded by Swami Vivekanand.
Ramanuja: was the celebrated Vaishnava philosopher and teacher,
who converted the Hoysala king and resided at Srirangam near
Trichinopoly during the reign of Ahirajendra Chola.
He is regarded as the leading opponent of the views of
Sankaracharya.
Ramayana: was written by the Hindu sage Valmiki.
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Rana Sanga: belonged to Rajput group.
Ranjit Singh, Maharaja: He united all the Sikhs and founded a king-
dom in the Punjab, with Lahore as its capital.
Rashtrakutas: During the early medieval period, they were a party to
the tripartite struggle for power with Pratiharas and Palas. In 753 A.D.,
they brought to an end the first Chaulakya dynasty.
Refer Dharmapala.
Rath Temple: was built by Narasimhavarman-II (Pallav).
Rathas at Mahabalipuram: are monolithic structures. These are five
in number.
Ratnakara: denoted the Arabiasn Sea in ancient Indian historical ge-
ography.
Ratnavali: or 'Pearl Necklace' is a Sanskrit drama attributed to king
Harsha Vardhana & endash;a story of the love of king Udyana of
Vatsa for his queen's attendant, who ultimately turns out to be Rat-
navali, princess of Ceylon.
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Ratnavali: was written by Harsha.
Ravi Dass: belonged to Shudra caste.
Razia: She was the only woman among the Muslim rulers who ever
sat on the throne of Delhi and finally became the victim of a conspir-
acy in 1240 and was assassinated near Kaithal.
Red Shirts: Khudai Khidmatgars of the North-West Frontier Province
in pre-partition days were popularly known as Red Shirts. Their leader
was Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan.
Redcliffe Line: demarcates boundaries between India and Pakistan.
Regulating Act, 1773: was the first legislative interference by the
British Parliament in the affairs of India.
Rig Veda: is the oldest and the most important of the four Vedas. It is
collection of old legends, chants and hymns, some of them of great
beauty. Gayatri mantra is contained in it.
Rig Veda period: The people of Rig Veda period believed in rituals
and sacrifices.
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Rippon, Lord: is associated with Local Self Government.
Rishabha: is supposed to be the mythical founder of Jainism
Rock-cut tenples at Mahabalipuram: were built by Pallavas.
Rowlatt Act (1919): Based on the recommendations of Justice
Rowlatt, chairman of the committee appointed for curbing seditious
movements in India, the Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919 giving un-
bridled powers to the government to arrest and imprison suspects
without trial and crush civil liberties. The Act caused a wave of anger
in sections of the people throughout the country.
The Rowlatt Act was popularly known as the Anarchical and Revolu-
tionary Crime Act.
In protest, Gandhiji gave a call for Satyagraha against the Act on April
18, 1919.
Roy, M. N.: He was leader of India' Communists until India's Inde-
pendence in 1947. He played a notable role in the world communist
movement. After India gained Independence, Roy abandoned com-
munism and became founder of radical humanism, a mixture of so-
cialist and liberal humanitarian ideas.
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Roy, Raja Ram Mohan : was a great Indian reformer. He prominently
fought for and got widow re-marriage legalised. He was instrumental
in eradicating social evils like Sati, Purdah and child marriage and
stood for women's education.
He was also the founder of Brahmo Samaj.
Royal Asiatic Society: was founded in India during the Governor-Gen-
eralship of Warren Hastings.
Rudradaman: His best-known epigraphic inscriptions are at Girnar.
Ryotwari System: was a method of direct settlement with the cultiva-
tor, which is associated with the name of Sir Thomas Munro.
The ryotwari system had the advantage of removing the zamindar
middleman between the government and the cultivator, who too often
acted as a screen behind which oppression could go on undetected.
It was introduced by the British in the Madras and Bombay Presiden-
cies.
Sabarmati Ashram: was established by Mahatma Gandhi on the
Sabarmati river near Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
Sabuktigin: was the first Turkish invader of India.
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Saddler Commission: relates to University Education.
Sadri-i-Sadur: was the head of the religious endowments and chari-
ties during the Mughal period.
Sailendra : king of Srivijaya in Sumatra who was defeated by Rajen-
dra-I, the Chola king.
Saka Era: is reckoned from 78 A.D.
Salt Satyagrah: See "Dandi March".
Samachar Darpan: was the first vernacular paper published during
the regime of Marques of Hastings during the British period.
Samaveda: This Veda is associated with music.
Samiti: General Assembly was called Samiti during the Vedic period.
Samkhya: is the earliest of the orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy,
founded by the sage Kapila. It was said to have influenced Gautama
Buddha. Both Samkhya and Buddhism are based on the notion of
suffering, the rejection of Vedic sacrifice, the renunciation of ascetic
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extravagance, indifference to theism, and belief in the constant 'be-
coming' of the world.
Samkhya: is the earliest school of Indian philosophy.
Samudragupta: His best-known epigraphic inscriptions are at Alla-
habad.
Sangam literature: was written in Tamil , mostly in the form of poetry.
Sangola, Treaty of: By this treaty, the power of the Peshwas in-
creased.
Saranjami system: was the important feature of the Maratha revenue
system. Regular soldiers were given salaries in cash, though some-
times, the chiefs received revenue grants (Saranjam).
Sardeshmukhi: was an additional levy of 10%, which Shivaji de-
manded on the basis of his claim as the hereditary Sardeshmukh
(chief headman) of Maharashtra.
Sarnath: is associated with Buddha's first sermon. Refer Buddhism.
Satara: After the fall of Raigarh to the Mughals, it was the next capital
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of the Maratha government
Satavahanas: were the earliest of the historical dynasties of Andhra.
The founder of the Satavahana dynasty was Simuka who ruled for 23
years from about 235 B.C. to 212 B.C.
They issued the coins of lead and potin. (potin is an old compound of
copper, zinc, lead, and tin.).
The reign of Satavahanas lasted approximately for 460 years.
Satyashodhak Samaj: Its main programme was upliftment of the
backward classes.
Seat of Central Government of India: was shifted from Calcutta to
Delhi in 1912.
Secretary of State for India: The office of the Secretary of State for
India was created by the Government of India Act, 1858.
Sedition Commission: It was related to the recommendation of
Rowlatt Act.
Seleucus (Seleukos Nikator): who assumed power after Alexander
as king of Western Asia, was defeated by Chandragupta Maurya, and
compelled to retire beyond the frontier.
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Servants of India Society: was founded in 1905 by Gopal Krishna
Gokhale.
Shah Alam II: was the Mughal emperor at the time of Ahmed Shah
Abdali's invasion of India.
Shah Nawaz Khan: was associated with the Azad Hind Fauj organ-
ised by Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore in 1943.
Shahjahan: His original name was Khurram.
Shahrukh: was Mughal silver coin.
Shaista Khan: was deputed by Aurangzeb to suppress Shivaji.
Shaivism:Refer Kashmir.
Shakas and Parthians: belonged to the Kashatriya caste according to
Manu.
Shambhaji :was successor of Shivaji.
Shankaracharya: Born in 788 A.D. was a zealous preacher of Hin-
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duism who uprooted Buddhism and Jainism from India. He was pro-
pounder of Advaita philosophy i.e., non-dualism or the doctrine of
monoism.
He established maths (monasteries) at Badrinath, Dwarka, Sringeri
and Puri.
Sharada script: The Kashmiri language was originally written in
Sharada script.
Sharda Act: deals with child marriage.
Shashagani: was a coin introduced by Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq hav-
ing two fractions of mixed copper and silver coinage&endash;half and
quarter jitals, described as adha (half) and bikh respectively.
Sher Afghan: was the first husband of Nur Jahan, originally known
as Mihr-ul-nisa whom Jahangir married in 1611.
Sher Shah Suri:He ruled during 1540-45. He introduced Afghan form
of administration. He built Grand Trunk Road from the river Indus to
Sonargaon in Bengal. The monument Purana Qila in Delhi was built
by him (Refer Kila-Kuhna Mosque ).
He is known for introduction of the system of horse-posts which facil-
itated quick exchange of news and supplied the Government with in-
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formation from different parts of the Empire.
Shivaji: Born in 1627, was a brave general, military genius and capa-
ble administrator. He formally crowned himself in 1614 at Rajgarh.
His council of ministers was called Ashta Pradhan.
Shuja-ud-daulah: (1754-75) was an implortant figure in the history of
northern India. He played a very important part in the Battle of Buxar
(1764).
Shyamji Krishna Varma: is known to have made the first organised at-
tempt to establish a centre for training, propaganda and political ac-
tion for India's deliverance from British oppression. He established
the Home Rule Society in 1905 and then opened a centre for study
and propaganda in London, called the India House. (See also under
Home Rule Society).
Sikandar Lodi: was the Delhi Sultanate ruler who moved the capital
from Delhi to a new town which later came to be known as Agra.
Sikandra: near Agra, is known for Akbar's tomb. It was commenced
by Akbar himself and completed by his son Jahangir in 14 years' time.
Sikh War, First: The British did not annex Punjab after winning the
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war because Lord Harding doubted his strength to occupy the Pun-
jab. He needed more troops.
Sikh War, Second: took place during the period of Lord Dalhousie.
Simla Pact: It was signed between India and Pakistan in 1972 after
India defeated Pakistan in the war started by Pakistan on Dec 3,
1971.
Simon Commission: was appointed by the British government in No-
vember, 1927, to enquire into the progress of responsible government
in India. It first visited India in 1928. It did not have Indian represen-
tation. It omitted any mention of dominion status and did not recom-
mend transfer of power to India.
Simuka: Refer Satavahanas.
Sindhu: is the river most mentioned in early Vedic literature.
Siri fort city: was built by Allauddin Khilji.
Sitadhyaksha: Superintendent of Agriculture was known as Sitad-
hyaksha
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Smriti: is the traditional knowledge and designates almost the entire
body of post-Vedic classical Sanskrit literature. It is often referred to
as sastra, a term applied to any religious or philosophical treatise.
Manu Smriti is the oldest Smriti.
Solankis: of the Rajput Clan rose to power in Malwa.
Somnath Temple: was robbed in 1025 A.D.
Somnath temple: is situated in Gujarat.
Stupa: During the reign of Ashoka, Stupa was a symbol of Parinir-
vana.
Stupa, highest in the world: is situated near Abhishek Pushkarni in
Vaishali district of Bihar.
Stupas at Sanchi: portray the art and sculpture of Buddhists.
Subsidiary Alliance: In order to safeguard and further the interests of
the British Empire, Lord Wellesly, Governor-General of India (1798-
1805), followed the policy of subsidiary alliances with regard to the In-
dian powers, which implied that the Indian powers "were to make no
wars and to carry on no negotiations with any other state without the
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knowledge and consent of the British Government. The greater prin-
cipalities were each to maintain a native force commanded by British
officers. The lesser principalities were to pay a tribute to the para-
mount power. In return the British Government was to protect them,
one and all , against foreign enemies of every sort". Later, the feeble
princes were bowed off the mansad into well-pensioned retirements.
The first Indian ruler of a state who joined the Subsidiary Alliance was
the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Sufi Movement: In India, Sufi Movement existed in the 10th century.
The Sufis propounded the idea of union with God through love.
Sulah-i-kul of Akbar: denotes Universal Toleration or 'Peace with all'.
Sultan Firoz Shah Memoirs: is known as Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi.
Sumerian civilization: evolved a proper system of writing.
Sumerian civilization: flourished on the banks of the rivers Eupherates
and Tigris.
Surat split: The first major split in the Congress occurred in 1907 at
Surat.
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Surendra Sahi: was the prince of Sambalpur (Orissa) who led a num-
ber of anti-British revolts in 1857. He was held prisoner in the Haz-
aribagh jail but was rescued by the rebellious sepoys who challenged
the authority of the British government. It was not till 1862 that Suren-
dra Shahi surrendered and was deported.
Surya Sen: was responsible for Chittagong Armoury Raid.
Surya-Sidhanta of Aryabhatta: It was translated into Arabic by al-
Biruni.
Sushruta Samhita: is associated with surgery.
Susrutha: is known for his work on medicine during the Gupta period.
Suvarna: is referred to as gold coin in the Gupta inscriptions.
Svetketu: According to the tradition the once universally prevalent
custom of indiscriminate sexual union was stopped by the sage
Svetketu, son of Uddalaka, who established the custom of the perma-
nent monadrous union. It is binding not only in this life but in the life
hereafter.
Manu declared that for a woman, marriage was 'for all time irrevoca-
ble, and indissolute. Divorce and remarriage were absolutely forbid-
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den.'
Swaraj Party: It was the first to moot in 1934 the idea of a Constituent
Assembly to frame a Constitution for India. C.R. Das was leader of
the Swaraj Party in Bengal.
Swarajist Party: The founders of the Swarajist Party were&endash;
Vithal Bhai Patel, Moti Lal Nehru and C.R. Das.
Swarajya is my Birthright and I Will Have It: Bal Gangadhar Tilak gave
this popular slogan when in 1915-16, the two Home Rule Leagues
(one started under the leadership of Mrs Annie Besant and the other
under the leadership of Bal Gangadhar Tilak) worked in cooperation
and carried out intense propaganda over the country in favour of the
demand for the grant of Home Rule or self-government to India.
Tabo Monastery: celebrated 1000 years of existence in 1996. It is
also known as Ajanta of the Himalayas.
Tagara: was an important trade centre of ancient India on the trade
route connecting Kalyana and Vengi.
Tahqiq-i-Hind: was written by Alberuni. Also refer Alberuni.
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Taimur: invaded India in 1398.
Taj Mahal: is marble mausoleum built at Agra at the river Yamuna by
Shah Jehan. Its architectural features resemble Humayun's Tomb at
Delhi.
Takshila (Taxila): is the ancient oldest Vihar in India. It was a great
centre of trade and commerce in the Gupta period.
Talikota, Battle of: As per the latest researches, the so-called battle
of Talikota, fought between the Deccan Muslim States and Vijayana-
gar, was actually fought between villages Rakkasi-Tangadi.
Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam: belong to the Dravidian linguistic fam-
ily.
Tamralipti: now Tamluk, is the ancient name of an important port on
the north-eastern coast of India during the Gupta period.
According to Jain sources, Tamralipti was the capital of the kingdom
of Venga and was long known as a port.
Tanka: was a silver coin of the Sultanate period of India.
Tansen: of Gwalior specialised in Ragas music.
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Tarain, Second Battle of: In this battle, Mohammad Ghori defeated
Prithviraj Chauhan.
Tarikh-i-Yamini: was written by Utbi.
Tarik-i-Firuzshahi: was written by Ziyaudin Berni.
Tashkent Pact: was signed between India and Pakistan on January
11, 1966.
Tattvabodhini Patrika: a journal of the Brahmo Samaj under the edi-
torship of Akshay Kumar Datta, was started by Debendranath Tagore.
Temple architecture&endash;Indian style: Nagara, Dravida, and
Vesara are the three main styles of Indian temple architecture.
Tharus: are tribal people of the Tarai region of the Himalayan foot-hills
located in southern Nepal and in Uttar Pradesh. They are largely In-
dian in culture.
Therigatha: was not a part of early Jaina literature.
Thirukkural: was written during the period of the later Pandyas.
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Tilak, Bal Gangadhar: known as 'Lokmanya' and 'Father of the Indian
Unrest' was a great political leader and profound religious scholar.
He founded Home Rule League in 1916 and was the first Indian to
demand freedom as his birthright. He was considered an extremist.
He was imprisoned for six years in 1908 and sent to Mandalay
(Burma).
Timur: He invaded India in 1398 A.D. during the reign of Nasiruddin
Mahmud Shah.
Tinkathia: This system related to indigo planting in Champaran
(Bihar). According to it, the Champaran tenant was bound by law to
plant three kathas out of every twenty (which make one acre) of his
land with indigo for his landlord.
Gandhij's Champaran struggle was against this system.
Tipu Sultan: Raja of Mysore. He had his capital in Seringapatnam.
He died fighting the British in the 4th Mysore War in 1799. This was
the real beginning of British territorial dominion in South India.
Todar Mal: was one of the Nau Rattans and Revenue Minister of
Akbar. He helped Akbar in introducing Land Revenue Administration.
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Tomaras: Refer Dhillika (Delhi).
Toramana: belonged to the ethnic horde of the Huns. The Huns under
Toramana pushed their conquest deep into the interior as far as East-
ern Malwa, but their imperial power was finally shattered in 533-34
A.D. by Yasodharman, an energetic and ambitious chief of Mandasor
in Western Malwa.
Trade Union Congress: Indian Trade Union Congress was created in
1920 by N.M. Joshi.
Transfer of India's capital : The transfer of India's capital from Calcutta
to Delhi took place during the regime of Lord Hardinge-II.
Treaty of Allahabad : was signed in 1765 during the reign of Shah
Alam-II.
Treaty of Purandhar: establishing a general peace agreement be-
tween the English and Marathas was signed in 1776.
Tripitakas: are sacred books of the Buddhist.
Triratna: or 'three jewels'is associated with Jainism.
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Tulsi Das: author of Ram Charit Manas,was the famous Hindi poet in
the Mughal period. He lived during the reign of Akbar. He did not be-
long to the 'Nirgula School'.
Turushkadanda: was a tax collected by the Gahadavalas during the
early medieval India.
Tuzik-i-Babri or Memoirs of Babar: was written in Turkish.
Tyabji, Badruddin: He was the first Muslim President of the Indian
National Congress. He was elected in 1887 at the Madras session.
Ulagh Khan: He was the general of Sultan Ghaiyas-ud-din. In 1323,
he defeated Prataparudra, the Kakatiya ruler of Warangal.
Ulemas: were Muslim clergy.
Ulgulan Rebellion: is associated with Santhals.
Upanishads: are works embodying the mystical doctrines of ancient
Hindu philosophy. The major Upanishads deal with some of the great
problems like the nature of God and the soul, of man and the world,
and the relation between them; the nature and purpose of existence;
the ultimate reality and the attainment of salvation by man.
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The fundamental doctrine of the Upanishads is the identity of the in-
dividual soul with the Universal soul.
The Upanishads are not the Vedic text.
Upanishads were translated into Persian on the instance of Dara
Shikoh.
Vagbhata: is regarded as unrivalled in his knowledge of the basic
principles of Ayurveda.
Vaiseshika: is one of the six orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy,
founded by the sage Kasyapa (or Kanada).
Vaishnava Sect: founded by Chaitanya (1485-1534), was popular in
Bengal and Orissa.
Vakatakas: belong to the period of Guptas. During the reign of the
emperor Chandragupta-II, the Vakataka kingdom was much under
the Gupta influence.
Vamsa: According to ancient Hindu society, those who are descended
fron one rishi in a direct line constitute a vamsa, or dynastic family.
Varahmihira: (505-587 A.D.) was a great Indian astronomer, mathe-
matician and philosopher. He was one of the nine gems of the court
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of king Vikramaditya. He was born near Ujjain.
Varun: is the important divinity of Rig Veda.
Vasco da Gama: was a Portuguese sailor who, in 1498, rounded the
Cape of Good Hope and succeeded in reaching the port of Calicut on
April 22, 1498. He thus discovered the sea route to India.
Vatapi (or Badami): now in the Bijapur district of Karnataka, where
Pulakesin I, founder of the Chalukya dynasty in the middle of the sixth
century, established himself as lord of Vatapi or Badami (capital of
Chalukyas).
It is well-known for Chalukyan sculpture found in the cave temples
here.
Vatsyayana: He wrote Kamasutra.
Veda: the word Veda means knowledge.
Vedangas: Refer Kalpa.
Vedic Age: The age of early Vedic period is 1500-1000 B.C. Agricul-
ture was the main occupation of Aryans in the Vedic period.
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Vengi: was the capital of Eastern Chalukyas.
Vernacular Press Act, 1878: Lord Lytton passed this Act in 1878
which sought to conrol the Vernacular Press. The measure was re-
garded as part of a policy to hamper the growth of a Nationalist India.
The Act was repealed by Lord Rippon and newspapers were again
owed equal freedom in dealing with the social and political questions.
Vidushaka: the constant companion and confidant of the hero in San-
skrit dramas, was nearly always a Brahmin.
Vijaynagar Kingdom: (1336-1565) was a Hindu kingdom in the Dec-
can founded during the reign of Mohammad Tughlaq by two Hindu
brothers Hari Har and Bukka Raya in order to check the tide of Mus-
lim conquests. Raja Krishna Dev was the most famous king of this
kingdom.
Land tax was the special feature of the financial system of Vijaynagar
kingdom.
Vijnanesvara: was a jurist. He wrote at the court of the Chalukya king
Vikramaditya-VI. He was author of Mitakshara, a commentary on
Hindu law
Vijnanesvara: Refer Mitakshara.
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Vikrama Era (or Vikrama Samvat): is recokned from 58 B.C.
Vimal Vaseeh and Loon Vaseeh: The marble carvings inside the
Vimal Vaseeh and Loon Vaseeh (Dilwara temples) called "a dream in
marble" were damaged by the soldiers of the Muslim invader Ala-ud-
din Khilji during his invasion of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Vinoba Bhave: was selected as the first Satyagrahi in Individual
Satyagrah Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi.
Vish: In the Vedic society, the term vish denoted a group of families.
Vishaya: was the most important of the smaller administrative units
of the Gupta empire.
Vishayapati: During the Gupta period of Indian history, village affairs
were managed by the village headman with the assistance of
Vishayapati.
Vivekanand, Swami: was founder of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Wahabi Movement: was started in India by Sayyid Ahmad of Bareilly
who was influenced by Wahabi ideas from Arabia. This became the
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militant 'Wahabi' movement of the early nineteenth century , with its
headquarters at Patna.
It could not, however, achieve the status of a national movement be-
cause (a) it was thoroughly communal, (b) it had no nationalist ideal,
and it denied membership to the non-Muslims.
Wandiawash, Battle of: In the battle of Wandiawash in 1760, the Eng-
lish defeated the French.
Warangal: was the capital of Kakatiyas. Refer also Ulagh Khan.
Warren Hastings: Governor General of India who knew both Persian
and Bengali. He was impeached by the British Parliament.
Weight (or measure): The basic weight in ancient India was Raktika.
Widows' re-marriage: Re-marriage of widows was legalised by the
Act III of 1872.
William Bentinck, Lord: Governor-General of India (1828-1835). He is
remembered for his reforms such as abolition of Sati, suppression of
Thuggee, Western education.
The decision to impart English education through the medium of Eng-
lish language was taken during his period.
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Wonder of the age: This description about Mohammad Tughlak is
given in the travel accounts of Ibn Batuta.
Wood's Despatch of 1854: resulted in the introduction of Postal sys-
tem in India.
Yadav dynasty (1190-1294): was brought to an end in 1294 with the
capture of Devagiri (modern Daulatabad) in the northern Deccan by
Alaud-din-Khilji.
Yakshagana: was the south Indian dance tradition that appeared for
the first time in the Vijayanagar period.
Yaska: is associated with etymology (study of the origin and history
of words). The treatise of Yaska (320 B. C.) is regarded as the stan-
dard work on Vedic etymology in which he explains meanings of
words and investigates their origin.
Yoga: It is one of the six orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy, be-
lieved to have been founded by the sage Yajnavalkya, and later cod-
ified by Patanjali in his Yoga-sutras. Yoga has been defined as a form
of mental and physical discipline.
There is evidence to show that some of the yoga disciplines were in
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existence at the time of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Young Bengal Movement: was started by Henry Vivian Louis Derozia.
Young India: was a magazine started by Gandhiji.
Yugas: According to ancient Indian cosmogonic ideas, the sequential
order of the cycle of four aeons (Yugas) is Krita, Treta, Dvapara and
Kali.
Zabti System: was introduced by Akbar for land revenue administra-
tion. In Zabti system, land was measured and assessment of land
revenue was based upon it..
Zawabits: were concerned with State laws. The Delhi Sultanate
framed their own regulations called Zawabits (secular decrees) for
ensuring that things forbidden by the shara were, as far as possible,
not flouted openly.
Zia-ud-din Barni: His historical works give the source material of
Tughlaq dynasty.
Zili Ilahi (shadow of God on earth): Allauddin Khilji declared himself
as 'Zili Illahi'.
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GEOGRAPHY
Acid precipitation (Acid Rainfall): is now regarded as a serious prob-
lem in some European and Asian countries, the main cause and
source of which is emissions of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides
from thermal power plants and burning of fossil fuels. These oxides
dissolve in atmospheric water vapour and fall back on earth as acid
rainfall.
Acid rainfall can cause destruction of crops and trees; destruction of
fish; and damage to buildings.
Ajanta Caves: near Aurangabad (Maharashtra) are famous for 29
wonderful Buddhist caves (excavated in the rock) richly ornamented
with sculpture and paintings. Dating from about 150 B.C. to AD 650,
it is the work of Vakatakas and early Chalukya kings.
Ajanta mountain range is spread over in Maharashtra only
Aleurone layer: is that part of the grain in cereals where much of the
protein lies.
Alluvial soil: is the richest and most fertile soil of India spread over
large areas in northern plains of India.
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Aluminium: is extracted from Bauxite.
Aphelion: is the position of the earth in its Orbit when it is at its great-
est distance from the sun.
Arabian Sea: It lies on the north-west side of India. Winter precipita-
tion in North-West India results from westerly depression.
Arakan Yoma: is the extension of the Himalayas located in Myanmar.
Aravalis: is the mountain range which stretches from Gujarat in the
West to Delhi in the North. These ranges are the oldest mountains in
India according to geographical history.
Aravalis ranges are examples of Block mountains. These ranges run
almost parallel to the direction of winds and that is why Rajasthan re-
mains dry during South-West monsoon season and there is lack of
vegetation.
Archipelago: is a cluster of islands in large expanse of water.
Asteroids: are the smallest planet-like rocky bodies about 1,000 kilo-
metres or less in diameter that orbit the Sun primarily between the or-
bits of Mars and Jupiter. Because of their small size and large
numbers relative to the nine major planets, asteroids are also called
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minor planets.
Atlantic: is the ocean between America and Europe.
Atmosphere-Earth's: The earth's atmosphere is made up of oxygen,
nitrogrn, carbon dioxide, argon, helium and some other rare gases.
The lower layer is called Troposphere. In the troposphere, the normal
lapse rate i.e., the decrease in temperature with height is of the order
of 1C for 155 metres.
The layer that reflects radio waves back to the earth is called Iono-
sphere.
Stratosphere is second layer of the earth's atmosphere beginning at
a height of about 16 km above the Equator and lying closely above
the troposphere. In the stratosphere, the temperature does not de-
crease with the altitude but remains uniform.
As we go up in the atmosphere, both temperature and pressure de-
crease.
High pressure in atmosphere denotes the state of the atmosphere
when the barometer reads about 760 mm or above.
Atmosphere, Sun's: The atmosphere of the Sun has 3 layers-Photo-
sphere, Chromosphere and Corona.
Aurora Borealis: is a light phenomenon (atmospheric electricity) seen
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at nights in Northern Hemisphere.
Bark: of the cinnamon plant is used as a spice.
Barley: Its cultivation requires cool climate. U.P. produces the largest
quantity of barley in India.
Basin: is the area drained by a river.
Bauxite: is an ore of aluminium. Bihar ranks first in its production.
Bering Strait: separates Asia from North America.
Bhabhar region: in south of the Shivaliks, is an example of Piedmont
situation i.e., belonging to or related to the foot of a mountain.
Bhorghat Pass: is in Maharashtra.
Black holes: are stars with very strong gravitational force.
Black soil: It is suitable for cultivation of cotton. Maharashtra is known
for black soil.
Blowouts in sandy deserts: are formed by deflation.
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Brackish water lake in India (largest): Sambhar (Rajasthan).
Brahamputra delta: is of arcuate type.
Canyon: A gorge, relatively narrow but of considerable size, bounded
by steep slopes and usually formed by river.
Cardamom: Karnataka is the largest producer of cardamom. India is
the largest exporter of cardamom in the world.
Cash crops: Sugarcane, cotton and jute are cash crops. Wheat does
not fall in this category.
Cauvery river: It flows from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu and falls in the
Bay of Bengal. This river thrice forks into two streams and reunites a
few kms farther on, thus forming the islands of Srirangapattanam,
Sivasamudram and Srirangam.
Chambal and Son rivers: These rivers of Peninsular India flow to-
wards the northern plain. Chambal river flows through U.P, M.P. and
Rajasthan.
Chilika Lake: is situated in Orissa. Chilika region is an inland drainage
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area. Chilika lake is endangered by prawn farming
Chulgiri hills of "Barwani": are located in the Madhya Pradesh.
Chumbi Valley: is in Sikkim.
Cinnamon: Its bark is used as a spice.
Cirque: is a bowl-shaped depression created as a result of glacial
erosion high on a mountain side.
Climate: is an important physical element because it indicates the at-
mospheric conditions of heat, moisture and air circulation.
Climate of India: is typically tropical monsoonal.
Climate, Tropical humid : forms a 5 wide belt around the earth
across the Equator.
Climograph: is a graphical representation of the differentiation be-
tween various types of climate. It reveals the type of climate at a
glance-a climograph showing wet bulb temperatures and relative hu-
midities which are high, for instance, depicts a constantly hot damp
climate.
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Clouds, Stratus : are clouds which are like a dark grey sheet extend-
ing from one side of horizon to the other and have a uniform base.
Coal: Coal is an example of sedimentary rock.
The four types of coal arranged in the increasing order of their carbon
content are Peat, Lignite, Bituminous, and Anthracite
Coastline of India, Length of : The length of India's coastline is 7516
km and its territory includes 1,256 islands. Tamil Nadu has the longest
coastline in India.
Col: a depression in a range of hills is called Col.
Comet: are bright celestial bodies with long luminous tails moving
round the Sun.
Comet's tail: is directed away from the sun because the radiation
emitted by the sun exerts a radial pressure on the comet throwing its
tail away from the sun.
Congo river: It is known for crossing the Equator twice.
Coniferous forest belt: It supplies most of the world's requirement of
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newsprint.
Continents: Asia is the largest continent areawise.
Convectional Rainfall: is the rainfall which is caused by the process
of Convection in the atmosphere. An example of convection is the
upward movement of air which has been heated by contact with the
earth's surface; this air is said to rise in a convection current. Convec-
tional rainfall is common in the Equatorial region.
Cotopaxi: is the highest volcano in the world. It is situated in Ecuador
Andez.
Crater: is the funnel-shaped hollow at the top of a volcano.
Crique: is developed by glacial action.
Cumulonimbus: A heavy dark typical thunderstorm cloud of great ver-
tical depth, towering upwards in huge, voluminous masses.
Cyclones,Tropical : of the Bay of Bengal are usually called Depres-
sions.
Cyclones-Typhoons: Cyclones in the Philippines are called Typhoons.
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Cyclonic Rainfall: Such rains are associated with the passage of cy-
clones or Depression caused by a warm, moist air mass moving up-
wards over colder, heavier air.
Damodar river: rises in Chhotanagpur Plateau. It is known as Ben-
gal's Sorrow.
Dandakaranya rivers: The two rivers of Dandakaranya region are Ma-
hanadi and Godavari.
Dark Continent: Africa is known as "Dark Continent".
Date Line, International: International Date Line is an internationally
agreed line drawn parallel to the 180 meridian. It divides the Pacific
Ocean into two equal parts. A crossing of the International Date Line
entails repeating one day when travelling westwards.
Day on the Poles: The maximum length of a day on the poles is six
months.
Deciduous forests: occupy the largest percentage area in India.
Denudation: Disintegration and decomposition of rocks is known as
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denudation.
Desert soils in India: are poor in mineral nutrients and infertile be-
cause the dearth of rainfall and humus do not allow good soil forma-
tion.
Diamond Ring: is a phenomenon observed only along the peripheral
regions of the totality trail of a solar eclipse.
Diego Garcia Islands: are located in the Indian Ocean.
Doldrums Belt: is a zone of the tropics where the calm lasting for
some weeks prevails, broken at times by erratic squalls and baffling
winds. It is an area of low pressure. The wind system in the Equatorial
areas is known as doldrums.
Earth: The geometric form of the earth is approximately that of an
"oblate spheroid". Its circumference was calculated by Eratosthenes,
a Greek philosopher, to be nearly 40,000 km. The earth rotates from
west to east. It has the largest content of oxygen. Water occupies
70% of earth area. 7/10 of the earth area is covered with ocean water.
Pythagoras held the view as early as the 6th century B.C. that the
earth is a sphere. Aristotle in the 4th century B.C. supported it by such
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arguments from observation as the circular form of earth's shadow
seen in the moon during an eclipse.
Earth's core: is mainly composed of iron and nickel.
Lithospere is the innermost layer of the earth.
Earth's Gravitational Force: Minimum velocity required to escape is
11.2 km/s.
Earthquakes: are movements of the earth's crust. These may be
caused by volcanic eruptions, breaking of the strata under the strain
of the contraction caused by the cooling of the earth's crust, the sud-
den generation and expanding of steam or due to the actual sinking
of portion of the crust.
The main cause of occurrence of earthquakes is movement in earth
strata.
Ecology: is the study of the relation of animals and plants to their sur-
roundings.
Equator: It is an imaginary line encircling the earth at equal distance
from the Poles. It is the dividing line between the northern and south-
ern hemisphere. It is the zero latitude of our maps.
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Days and nights are always of equal length at places on the Equator.
Equator is the place nearest to the centre of the earth at sea level.
Equatorial region: experiences afternoon thunder-showers.
Equinox: The two periods in the year about March 21 Vernal or Spring
Equinox and about September 22 Autumnal Equinox when the sun is
vertical over the Equator and day-night are of equal duration. At this
position, the earth revolves at a faster rate around the sun.
Eratosthenes: Refer Earth.
Estuary: A broad channel where sea and river water mingle.
Expoliation: Process of disintegration of rocks without changing their
chemical composition.
Feldspar: a large group of rock-forming minerals consisting chiefly of
alumino-silicates of potassium and sodium. They are constituents of
granite and other primary rocks.
Florida Strait: connects Gulf of Mexico with Atlantic Ocean.
Fog: The dense mass of small water drops on smoke or dust particles
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in the lower layers of the atmosphere is Fog. It is caused when moist
air meets cold surface of the earth.
Folded Mountains in India: Himalayas is the youngest folded moun-
tain range in India.
Forests, Coniferous: are found in Siberian-type climate.
Giant Star: A comparatively cool reddish star almost 35 times the di-
ameter of the sun.
Gibralter Strait: divides Europe and Africa.
Glacial lake example in India: Dal Lake in Srinagar.
Gobi Desert: is located in Mongolia.
Gondwana continent: The Indian sub-continent was originally part of
a huge land mass called Gondwana continent.
Granite: belongs to the Metamorphic type of rock.
Great Circle: A circle on the earth's surface whose plane passes
through its centre, and bisects it into two hemispheres. Two opposing
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meridians together form a Great Circle. The shortest distance be-
tween any two points on the earth's surface is the arc of the Great Cir-
cle which passes through them.
0 latitude forms a Great Circle. (The latitude or longitude of 75W
should be combined with 75E to obtain the Great Circle).
Great Red Spots: are contained in the planet Jupiter.
Green Revolution: Dwarf variety of wheat was used for Green Revo-
lution.
Greenland: is the biggest island in the world.
Groundwater reserves: have been tapped in maximum in the North
India plains.
Gulf Stream: is a warm ocean current emerging from the Gulf of Mex-
ico.
Himalayan rivers: have continuous flow throughout the year because
these are both snow-fed and rain-fed.
Himalayas: The Himalayas are formed of parallel fold ranges of which
the oldest is the Great Himalayan Range. They are an example of
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fold mountains.
Hindukush: is the mountain range which forms the Western boundary
of the Indian sub-continent.
Hinterland: is land area served by a port.
Hong Kong: is called Pearl of the Orient. The British government gave
possession of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997. The new flag of
Hong Kong is red flag with a bauhinia flower embossed with Chinese
five stars.
Hormuz Strait: connects the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.
Horse Latitudes: Sub-tropical belts of high atmospheric pressure over
the oceans situated in both hemispheres. These are called Belts of
Calm between regions of the Trade Winds and Westerlies of higher
latitudes.
Humboldt Current: also called "Peru Current", is cold ocean current.
Hunter's Paradise: The Equatorial Region is known as hunter's par-
adise.
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Hurricanes: are cyclonic storms in the West Indies and the Gulf of
Mexico.
Ice-cap: Vast area covered with deep ice and snow for a long time is
known as Ice-cap.
International nautical mile: is equal to 1852 metres.
Isobars: are lines on a map joining places having same barometric
pressure.
Isohel: is a contour line showing equal amount of sunshine.
Isohyets: are imaginary lines on the map joining places having equal
rainfall.
Isotherms: are lines on a map which join the places having the same
mean temperature.
Isthmus: is a narrow strip of land which joins two large land areas,
otherwise separated by the sea.
Jhum:It is a slash and burn method of shifting cultivation (called jhum)
practised on rainfall-bed slopes of forest hills and dales in Arunachal
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Pradesh.
Jog Falls :in Karnataka (also called Gersoppa Falls) are the highest
waterfalls in India. They are situated on the Sharvati river.
Jupiter: The study of the planet Jupiter led Galileo to disprove the
geocentric concept of the solar system.
Kandla:is a sea port situated at the head of the Gulf of Kuchch in Gu-
jarat State. It was the first port to be developed after independence.
Khasi Tribes:They are inhabiting the Khasi and Jaintia hills in the
north-eastern hilly tracts in Meghalaya state of India. The Khasis have
their own distinctive language and culture.
Karakoram Range: is a part of Aksai Chin region. Karakoram High-
way connects Pakistan with China.
Karakoram-2 (K-2): is the highest mountain peak in India.
Kedarnath peak: is located in Garhwal district of U.P.
Kuroshio: is warm ocean current which flows near the coast of Japan
and her islands.
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Laterite soils: Laterite soils are formed by the weathering of laterite
rocks. These can be distinguished from other soils by their acidity.
Laterite soils are generally poor on the higher levels and cannot retain
moisture. In the plains, however, they consist of heavy loams and
clay and can retain moisture.
Laterite soils occur in Madhya Pradesh, Assam and along the eastern
and western Ghats.
Tea plantation require acidity which is there in the laterite soil. It is,
therefore, common in these areas.
Latitude: is the distance of any place north or south of the Equator.
The latitude of a place, on a night of clear sky, can be determined by
the angular distance of the Pole Star above the horizon.
Llanos: are temperate grasslands.
Loams (loamy soil): Admixture of sand, clay and silt is known as
loamy soil. Loams are formed where the soils have equal proportion
of sand, silt and clay.
Local winds and their areas: Khamsin-Egypt; Zonda-Argentina; Santa
Ana-California; Simoon-Iran.
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Longitude: of a place is its distance east or west of a fixed meridian.
The time interval between each longitude is 4 minutes. The distance
between consecutive longitudes at the Poles is 0 km.
Lucene: It supplements shortage of green fodder in summer season.
Lunar eclipse: The lunar eclipse occurs at full moon only when the
earth comes in between the sun and the moon which phenomenon
does not occur on every full moon.
Lunar month: is equal to 28 earth days.
Magma: is molten lava.
Marble: a coarse-grained, crystalline Metamorphic Rock derived from
limestones.
Mauna Kea: is the dormant volcano in north central Hawaii Island,
Hawaii, USA. It is the highest point in the State (13,796 ft-4,205 me-
tres above sea level). Its name means white mountain, so-called be-
cause it is often snow-capped.
Mauna Loa: in south central Hawaii island, Hawaii (U.S.) is an exam-
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ple of active volcano. It is one of the largest single mountain masses
in the world.
Mercator: This projection is used to show sea-routes in Great North
Atlantic ocean.
Meridians: are lines of longitude drawn on a map perpendicular to
the Equator.
Meteor: is a shooting star that flashes across the sky in the night.
Moisture: The presence of moisture in atmosphere can be ascer-
tained by observing water drops outside the surface of a steel glass
filled with cold water.
Monsoon in India: is related to differential heating and cooling of the
huge landmass of Asia and the Indian Ocean and the origin of cy-
clones in the Bay of Bengal.
Monsoon term: The term Monsoon was introduced by the Arabs.
Monsoon Winds: In the months of May and June each year, the mon-
soon winds approach the southern tip of India from south-westerly
direction.
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Monsoon, Retreating effect: Retreating Monsoon has more effect on
Tamil Nadu.
Monsoon, South-west: are caused due to high temperature and low
pressure over the Indian Sub-Continent during the summer season.
Moon's revolution around the earth: Moon takes 27days to complete
one revolution around the earth.
Moonlight: Time required for moonlight to reach earth is 1.3 seconds.
Light travels at 3 lakh km per second and moon's distance from earth
is 3,85,000 km.
Moraine: are the debris or fragments of rocks brought down with the
movement of glacier.
Mormugoa: is a natural harbour.
Mt Everest: is the highest mountain peak (of Himalayas) in the world.
It is in Nepal. The man who discovered Mount Everest as the highest
peak of the Himalayas was a British Surveyor-Sir George Everest.
Naga Hills: form the watershed between India and Myanmar.
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Narmada and Tapti: These rivers in south India flow into the Arabian
Sea. The river Narmada does not form a delta.
Nilgiris, The: is the name of the hills in Tamil Nadu where the Eastern
and Western Ghats of the Indian Peninsula meet.
Nor'-Wester: is a type of squall on the plains of northern India, usually
accompanied by violent thunderstorms and heavy rainfall and hail
showers; generally experienced during hot season (April to June).
Ocean of Storms: is the name given to a waterless area on the
Moon's surface.
Ocean surface currents: These currents follow clockwise circulatory
paths in the northern parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans due to
the impact of prevailing winds.
Orion, The: The group of stars in the southern hemisphere which
helped earlier navigators to find their directions in the 'high seas'.
Ox-bow lakes: are formed by rivers during their middle course.
Palana: In South Arcot district of Tamil Nadu is famous for lignite.
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Pampas: are wet and dry tropical forests.
Pangong Tso: is one of the world's highest and brackish lakes in
Jammu & Kashmir.
Peat: is the variety of coal in which the deposit contains recognizable
traces of the original plant material.
Peninsula: is a stretch of land almost surrounded by water.
Penumbra: is the partly shaded region, from which a small amount of
light is received, surrounding the Umbra in an Eclipse.
Perihelion: is the position of the earth, or another heavenly body, in
its Orbit when it is at its nearest point to the sun.
Planets: are spherical bodies which revolve round the sun in elliptical
paths known as orbits. There are nine Planets-Mercury (closest to
the sun and having the shortest day), Venus (the hottest, and known
as Morning Star), Earth, Mars, Jupiter (the largest), Saturn (with ring
system around it), Uranus, Neptune and Pluto (in the outermost orbit
of solar system).
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As seen from the earth,Venus passes through phases similar to earth.
Venus is never visible from the earth at mid-night.
The Planets on either side of the earth are Mars and Venus. Pluto
has the longest period of rotation (year is longest on Pluto). Uranus
is farthest from the sun. It has five satellites. Neptune is at the farthest
distance from the earth.
Of the nine Planets in the solar system, Venus and Mercury are with-
out any satellite.
Mars, known as the Red Planet, has the length of its day and the tilt
of its axis almost identical to those of the earth.
Polar regions, length of day and night at: It is six months long day in
the northern polar region and six months long night in the southern
polar region because the earth is inclined towards its orbital plane.
Prairie regions in Canada: Wheat is grown in abundance here.
Precipitation: is a term in meteorology which means that the deposits
of water in either liquid or solid form reach the earth from the atmos-
phere. It includes not only rainfall but also snow, sleet, and hail which
fall from the clouds, and dew and hoar frost.
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Pressure zones on earth: are created due to differential heating of
the earth's surface by the sun.
Prime Meridian: is Zero Longitude.
Proxima Centauri: is a star nearest to the earth.
Rainfall, Place having lowest rainfall in India: The place in India re-
ceiving the lowest rainfall is Leh.
Rainfall, Convectional: Refer Convectional Rainfall.
Rainfall, Orographic : Rainfall which is caused by mountains standing
in the path of moisture-laden air.
Rainy day: A rainy day, as defined by the Indian Meteorological de-
partment, is a day when the rainfall at a point received is above 2.5
mm in 24 hours.
Relative humidity: of a place is measured by the state of atmosphere
with respect to the water vapour it contains.
Richter Scale: is used for measuring intensity of an earthquake.
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Rivers and their Tributaries: Ganga (Damodar); Krishna (Panch-
ganga); Brahmaputra (Tista); Godavari (Indravati).
Roaring Forties : are westerly winds.
Rocks, Plutonic : Solidification of Magma (molten lava) within the
earth's crust leads to the formation of these rocks.
Rocks, Sedimentary : are rocks which have been deposited in layers.
Rocks, Weathering of : is a natural process of breaking up, decay
and disintegration of rocks.
Sahara desert: is situated in the continent of North Africa.
Sanctuary, Simlipal: is a Game Sanctuary in Orissa having tiger re-
serves.
Satpura ranges: form the water divide between the Narbada and the
Tapti rivers.
Savannas: are found between latitudes 5 and 20 North and South
of Equator. These are tropical grasslands bordering the equatorial
forests in each hemisphere. The Llanos and Pampas of South Amer-
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ica are chief examples of Savannas but extensive Savannas are in
Africa. Savanna grasslands are also found in Australia.
The three-tier growth of vegetation is found in these regions.
The natural vegetation of Savannas consists of tall grass.
Seine river: flows through Paris.
Selvas: are rainy tropical forests.
Semi-arid regions of India: The hallmark of watershed development
in the semi-arid regions of India is the undertaking of earthworks, soil
conservation measures and tree plantation, so as to conserve soil
moisture and recharge underground water.
Snow, maximum in the world: is found in Arctic region.
Solar Eclipse: is the partial or complete obscuration of the sun be-
cause of the passage of the moon in front of it i.e., when the moon
comes in between the sun and the earth.
A partial solar eclipse will be observed by a person at a point on the
earth where only the penumbra region of moon's shadow will move
past
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The solar eclipse achieves totality only in limited geographical regions
because the trajectories of the earth around the sun and the moon
around the earth are not perfect circles.
South Alps ranges : are found in Australia.
South America: This continent has the highest mean elevation in the
world.
South Pole: is located in the continent of Antarctica.
South-East Asia: This region of Asia is experiencing the highest an-
nual growth rate of population.
Spring Tide: The tide on its maximum height is known as Spring Tide.
Standard Time, India's: is based on 82.5 E longitude. It is exactly 5.5
hours advance of the Greenwich time. Allahabad is treated as the
place of reference for determining Indian Standard Time.
Steppes: are temperate grassland regions in Eurasia.
Subtropics: Seasonal contrasts are maximum in subtropics.
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Sun's position at Singapore: The position of the sun is annually twice
overhead at Singapore because of the parallelism of inclined axis of
the earth.
Sun's Temperature: The surface temperature of the sun is 6,000 de-
grees Centigrade.
Taiga Belt: lies between the Tibet-type climate and the Tundras.
Tapti river: This river flows through Maharashtra and Gujarat. It does
not make a delta.
Temperature-Minimum in a day: is recorded at 3 a.m.
Temperature-Diurnal range of : is the difference between the maxi-
mum and the minimum temperature of a day.
Terra Rossa: a reddish clay soil which typically develops in terrains
composed of limestone. It is found in limestone regions where the
Mediterranean climate prevails. It is red in colour owing to the accu-
mulation of iron oxides-left behind after solution of the limestone.
Tibetan Plateau: Its average height above sea level is 4 km.
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Tidal flat: This environment supports the growth of Mangrove swamp.
Tides in the ocean: are caused due to gravitational pull of the moon.
Tides have stored in them gravitational potential energy. The average
time interval between two successive high tides is 24 hours 52 min-
utes.
Tista: is the main river in Sikkim.
Topsoil: A great abundance of rich topsoil is likely to be found in an
old river valley.
Trade Winds: are winds that blow from the sub-tropical belts towards
equator.
Tropic of Cancer: In India, it passes through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Mad-
hya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. It passes
through Ranchi.
Uranium:The largest deposits of Uranium in India are found in Bihar.
Vale of Kashmir: The famous Vale of Kashmir refers to a longitudinal
valley in the Himalayas, occupying an anticline on the back of a nape-
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a valley which had been a lake till the Pleistocene.
Vindhyas: are the oldest mountains in India according to geographical
history. Vindhya Rock System is the most mineralised rock system in
India.
Volcanoes: are conical hills with funnel-shaped hollows from which
eruption of hot material takes place. The bottoms of the hollows lead
into the interior of the earth from which gases, lava or steam find their
way to the surface. The material that comes out of a volcano at the
time of eruption is liquid, solid and gaseous.
V-shaped Valley: The deep, steep and V-shaped valley is made by
the river in its second stage.
Zaskar Range: is a mountain range in Kashmir.
Zodiac signs: are 12 in number.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
A Nation in the Making: is autobiography of Sir Surendranath Baner-
jee.
A Matter of Time: is a book written by Shashi Deshpandey.
A Tale of Two Cities: Charles Dickens is author of this novel.
Abdul Kalam, Dr A.P.J.: is credited with advancement of missile tech-
nology in India. He was honoured with Bharat Ratna award on No-
vember 26, 1997.
Aberdeen: In Scotland is known for Britain's largest granite-exporting
industry. It is known as Granite City.
Adam Smith: is known as father of Economics.
Advanced Centre of Marine Biology Research: is located in Chennai
(Madras).
Advanced Technology Centre: was set up in 1984 at Indore to de-
velop technologies in the area of lasers and accelerators.
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Advertising Agency in India, Biggest: Hindustan Thompson Associ-
ates (HTA).
Agni: is India's first long-range missile. Refer under "Missiles devel-
oped by India".
Agro-based Industries: The Indian State with maximum agro-based
industries is Uttar Pradesh.
Ahmedabad city: This city on the left bank of the Sabarmati river was
founded by Malik Ahmed (Ahmed Shah-I), son of Nizam-ul-Malik
Bahri of the Nizam Shahi dynasty.
Aid-India Consortium: Japan is the highest donor of aid to India in
Aid-India Consortium.
AIDS: is infected by Virus.
Air Transport Industry: was nationalised in 1953.
Aircraft engines: are manufactured at Koraput (Orissa).
Aircraft instruments: are manufactured at Lucknow.
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Akash: Refer under "Missiles developed by India".
Alam Ara: was the first talkie movie made in India by A. Irani in 1931.
Alamatti Dam: is on the river Krishna.
Alang: situated on the Gulf of Khambata in Gujarat is well-known for
ship-breaking industry.
Alexander (ship): is the name of the ship in which Charles Darwin
toured for five years.
Alice in Wonderland: is a book written by Lewis Carrol.
Amarnath, Lala: is famous Indian cricketer. He became the first Indian
to score a century, and that also on his debut against visiting Douglas
Jardine's England team at Bombay Gymkhana in 1933-34.
Ambati, Balamyrali: is the youngest (17-year old) doctor of Indian ori-
gin in the world who received his medical degree from Mount Sinai,
New York.
Ambedkar, B.R.: was chairman of the drafting committee for the Con-
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stitution of India. He is known as the architect of the Indian Constitu-
tion.
He was elected to the Constituent Assembly from the then Bombay
Presidency.
Amphibians: are animals adapted to both aquatic and terrestrial life.
Amundsen, Ronald: is known for discovery of South Pole in 1912.
Anandmath: is a novel written by Bankim Chander Chatterjee. The
song Vande Mataram first appeared in Anandmath published in 1882.
It is known as the "Bible of Bengali literature".
Angora wool: is sheered from Anatolian goat.
Ankleshwar: is famous for petroleum. Ankleshwar Oil-field is situated
near Surat in Gujarat State.
Antyodaya: is a scheme to provide mid-day meals to school children.
Apni Beti Apna Dhan: is a scheme introduced by Haryana State for
welfare of the girl child.
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Apsara: is the first nuclear reactor of India.
Aquaculture: refers to fish-farming (or fish culture)
Aqualine: is the world's longest under-sea tunnel (15.1 km long)
bridge and tunnel express-way for motor vehicles across Tokyo Bay.
It links the Japanese cities of Kawasaki and Kisarazu, with a 9.5 km
undersea tunnel and 4.4 km bridge.
Arctic Research: has enabled researchers to detect and monitor
global environment phenomena such as depletion of atmospheric
ozone, global warming etc.
Arjun: is the name given to India's Main Battle Tank designed and
built indigenously.
Armistice: is an agreement to suspend hostilities in order to negotiate
for peace.
Arunachal Pradesh: was formed as the 24th State of India as per the
Constitution (55th Amendment) Act, 1987. This State is best suited for
growth of some of the rarest orchids.
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Arundhati Roy: She won the Booker Prize for her book God of Small
Things.
Aryabhatta: was India's first indigenously developed spacecraft
launched in 1975.
Asbestos: Canada leads in the world in producion of asbestos. In
India, Andhra Pradesh leads in production of asbestos.
ASEAN: Association of South East Asian Nations. It was formed in
1967.
Asian Games, First: The first Asian Games were held in New Delhi in
1951. From 1954 they were held every four years.
Asians in South Africa: Asians constitute about 3.3 per cent of the
total population of South Africa. Coloured population is 10.5%.
Asthamudi Lake: is located in Kerala State.
Atacama Desert: is situated in South America.
Athabasea lake: is situated in North America.
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Atomic Energy Commission : Atomic Energy Commission of India
was set up in 1948 to lay policies on use of atomic energy for peace-
ful application.
Attorney-General of India: is the first Law Officer of the Government.
Autobiographical Writings: is written by Lala Lajpat Rai.
Autobiography of an Unknown Indian: is written by Nirad C. Chaud-
hary.
Ayodhya: is situated on the river Gogra (called Sarayu in ancient
times).
Bachendri Pal: is the first Indian woman to scale Mount Everest.
Baden Powell: was the founder of Boy Scout and Civil Guides Move-
ment.
Baikal Lake: is in Siberian desert.
Bailadila: in Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh, is known for its wealth
of Manganese.
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Baku: is famous for the production of petroleum.
Bandit Queen: is the controversial film directed by Shekhar Kapoor.
Its producer is S.S. Bedi.
Bank Rate: implies the rate of interest at which the Reserve Bank of
India discounts the Bills of Exchange.
Banks Nationalisation: Nationalisation of 14 commercial banks in
India was effected in 1969.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin: was founder of the modern Olympic
Games.
Bastar: in Madhya Pradesh, is the largest district in India (area-wise).
Beloved: is a novel authored by Toni Morrison.
Bhabha, H.J.: is known as 'Father of the Indian Programme in Atomic
Energy'.
Bharat Bhawan: is the renowned multi-arts centre, located in Bhopal.
Bharat Immunologicals and Biological Corporation Ltd: is located at
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Bulandshahr (UP) and is entrusted with research and development of
new and improved vaccines.
Bharatpur: in Rajasthan is known for wildlife sanctuary which is in-
cluded in the world heritage list.
Bhatia, Sabeer: is 29-year-old Indian immigrant in Silicon Valley, Cal-
ifornia, USA, who parleyed an idea into Hotmail, a million-dollar cor-
poration offering free E-mail services anywhere in the world. On New
Year eve, Hotmail was acquired by Bill Gate's Microsoft for a sum of
$ 25 million (Rs 100 crore) making Bhatia one of the quickest million-
aires in the block. Bhatia had started the venture about 18 months
ago with just $ 2000.
Bihar: Indian State, it was separated from Bengal on April 1, 1912.
Bihu: is the popular dance form of Assam.
Bill Gates: is associated with computer software, microsoft windows.
Bird's tail: Its main function is to control direction during flying.
Bituminous: is the common variety of coal.
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Black Box: is a recorder placed in the pilot's cabin to record cockpit
conversation.
Blue revolution: relates to fish farming.
Bokaro: in Bihar, is known for steel plant.
Bombay High: Major off-shore oil-field of India. It is located 176 km
away from Mumbai.
Bombay Samachar: is the oldest daily newspaper of India. It is a Gu-
jarati daily published from Bombay (Mumbai).
Bongaigaon: is known for oil refinery.
Borge Ousland: is a Norwegian explorer. He became the first person
to walk across the Antarctic continent alone and unsupported.
Borlaug, Norman Ernest: American agricultural scientist and winner
of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was one of those who laid
the groundwork of the Green Revolution.
Bose, Nand Lal: famous Indian painter who was invited to draw
sketches on the theme of national integration in the first copy of the
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Constitution of India.
Boycott: is one of the forms of political protests derived from the name
of the person who used it as a political weapon for the first time.
The other forms of political protest are Gherao, Bandh, Hartal, Satya-
graha etc.
Braille, Louis: He invented the script for the blind.
Brihhat Samhita: is an encyclopaedic work by Varahamihira (505-
587) dealing with the study of omens from natural, especially celes-
tial, occurrences.
Varahamihira was Indian astronomer, mathematician and philoso-
pher, born near Ujjain.
Buckingham Canal: is in eastern Andhra Pradesh and north-eastern
Tamil Nadu. It was constructed between 1806 and 1882 along the
backwaters of Coromandel coast which extends from Cape Comorin
northward to the Krishna-Godavari deltas. It is also known as Kom-
mur Canal.
It is used as a route for transporting bulk commodities to Madras (now
Chennai). It is not used for irrigation.
Budapest: is situated on the bank of the river Danube.
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Buddha Jayanti: is observed on full-moon day.
Budgetary Deficit: In India, "budgetary deficit" is defined as 'excess of
revenue expenditure over revenue receipts of the government of
India'.
Bull in stock exchange market: A subscriber to the new issues ex-
pecting to sell his allotment of securities at a profit when trading in
them begins is called a Bull.
Bulls and Bears: refer to speculators going up and down respectively
in the stock market.
Bunting: is a term in the game of Baseball.
Buoy: stands for a man serving in any hotel for luggage transportation
or as a guide.
Bura: is the popular dance form of Andhra Pradesh.
CACP: Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices. Its objectives
are (1) to stabilize agricultural prices; (2) to ensure meaningful real in-
come levels to the farmers; and (3) to protect the interest of the con-
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sumers by providing essential agricultural commodities at reasonable
rates through public distribution system.
Calcium chloride: is present in the common toothpastes as an abra-
sive.
Calcutta Improvement Trust: was set up in the year 1921.
Canal irrigated land in India: Of the total irrigated land in India, 40%
is irrigated by canals.
Caribou: It is an animal also called reindeer.
Cashew, Largest producing State of India : Kerala leads in the pro-
duction of cashew kernels.
Cattle areas, Richest : Southern Victoria and Queensland are some
of the richest cattle areas in Australia.
Cattle Fare in Sonepur: is the biggest rural fair in India.
Central Cotton Research Institute: It is situated in Pune.
Central Fuel Research Institute: is located at Dhanbad.
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Central Leather Research Institute: is located in Chennai.
Centre for Electronic Development and Technology and Central Insti-
tute of Plastic Engineering and Technology: is set up at Imphal (Ma-
nipur).
Centre-State Finance relations: are looked after by Finance Commis-
sion.
Centre-State relations: have been specifically termed as 'municipal
relations' in respect of Centre's control of the State in the planning
process.
Chairman of Rajya Sabha: The Vice-President of India is Chairman
of the Rajya Sabha.
Chaitanyabhoomi: is the Central memorial for Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar
built at Rajgruha in Dadar, Mumbai.
Chakmas: are refugees from Bangladesh settled in India.
Chakra: was the first nuclear submarine acquired by the Indian Navy.
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Chameli Devi Award: is given to journalists.
Champions Trophy: is associated with hockey.
Chandernagore (Chandan Nagar): is the place on which the "French
City" plan, mooted by the French Government and approved by the
West Bengal Government, is coming up.
Chandernagore (Chandan Nagar) is located on the western bank of
the Ganga, some 40 km north of Calcutta. The "French City" plan is
to recapture and revive the lingering traces of French culture in the
former enclave.
Chants of India: It is Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar's album, produced
by former Beatle, George Harrison. This album pushes further at the
boundaries of East-West fusion, using chants based on ancient
Sansskrit prayers and mantras and combining Indian classical music
and Western instrumentation.
Charar-e-Sharief: is the Dargah of Sufi saint Sheikh Nooruddin Wali
in Kashmir, which was burnt by terrorists in March, 1995.
Charminar: is located in Hyderabad.
Chennai: is the new name for Madras city.
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Chernobyl: is a Russian city having a nuclear power plant where a
tank of radioactive waste exploded in April, 1993. This explosion is
known as 'Chernobyl Disaster'.
Chhotanagpur: It is a plateau area in south Bihar inhabited mainly by
the tribals. (In fact, it is a name given to the contiguous tribal areas in
Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh).
Chief Election Commissioner of India: is appointed by the President.
He is the final authority in matters to be decided by the Election Com-
mission.
Chief Justice of a High Court: When the Chief Justice of a High Court
acts in an administrative capacity, he is subject to special control ex-
ercised by the Chief Justice of India.
Child labour: is estimated to be 40 million in India.
Chipko Andolan: is a movement to save the trees.
Chris Patten: was the last British Governor of Hong Kong.
Christmas season in Australia: It is summer season in Australia during
Christmas.
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Chukha (or Chokha) hydropower project: is the 336 MW project in
Bhutan, completely built by India. It is the largest hydropower project
in Bhutan, constructed on the river Wang Chu.
Churchill: was Prime Minister of U.K. during second world war. He is
known to have said "I have nothing to offer except blood, sweat and
tears".
CIJWS: The Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, the only
one of its kind in Asia, has been set up at Vairangte (Mizoram). It im-
parts training and evaluates doctrines on low intensity conflict.
CIS: The 11 independent States of the former Soviet Union are known
as Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
City of Seven Hills: is in Rome.
CNN: refers to the US television network.
Cocoanut: Kerala is the leading producer of cocoanut in India. Co-
coanut tree normally yields 60-70 nuts in a year.
COFEPOSA: stands for Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Pre-
vention of Smuggling Act.
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Coffee: Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world.
Cogentrix : is a US-based Company setting up a project in Karnataka
related to power generation.
Common salt: is obtained from sea water by the process of evapora-
tion.
Commonwealth Day: is observed on May 24 every year.
Community Development Project: Each Community Development
Project covers a population of two lakh people. The most important
feature in the Community Development Programme is people's par-
ticipation.
Conditioned Reflex: is the term mainly discussed in Psychology.
Conquest of Happiness: The author of this book is Bertrand Russell.
Consolidated Fund of India: The money from the Consolidated Fund
of India can be regularised by law made by the Parliament, and until
provision in that behalf is so made, it shall be regulated by rules made
by the President.
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Constitution of India
- Article 360: empowers President to declare an emergency if there
is financial instability in the State.
- President of India: Minimum age of a candidate to be eligible for
election as President of India is 35 years.
- Schedules : Indian Constitution has 12 Schedules.
- Speaker's resignation: In case the Speaker intends to resign, his
letter of resignation should be addressed to the Deputy Speaker.
- 24th Amendment: It affirmed the power of the Parliament to amend
any part of the Constitution. After this amendment, the President is
bound to assent to a Constitution Amendment Bill even if it relates to
Fundamental Rights.
- 42ndAmendment: Education was transferred to the Concurrent List
by this Amendment.
- 74th Amendment: was made in the year 1992 to ensure direct elec-
tions to all seats in Nagarpalikas and Municipalities.
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- Adjournment Motion: The notice for moving the Motion for Adjourn-
ment of the business of the House is required to be given to the Pre-
siding Officer of the House.
- altering State boundaries; formation of new States: The provisions
relating to formation of new States and altering of boundaries etc are
contained in Articles 3-4 of the Constitution. By a simple majority and
by the ordinary legislative process, Parliament may form new States
or alter the boundaries etc of existing States.
Provided that no Bill for the purpose shall be introduced in either
House of Parliament except on the recommendation of the President.
Article 4 provides that any such law for making itself effective, may
amend the First and Fourth Schedules of the Constitution, without
going through the special formality of a law for the amendment of the
Constitution as prescribed by Article 368.
- Amendment of election procedure of President: Besides passage
of the bill in Parliament by the required majority, the legislatures of at
least half of the States must ratify it.
- Anglo-Indians: The President may, if he is of the opinion that the
Anglo-Indian community is not adequately represented in the Lok
Sabha, nominate not more than 2 members of that community to the
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House of the People (Lok Sabha).
- Anti-defection Law: is contained in the Tenth Schedule. Refer Anti-
defection Law.
- Appointment of Chief Ministers of States: The Indian Constitution
does not empower the President of India to appoint the Chief Minis-
ters of States.
- Article 15: prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion etc which
is a Fundamental Right classified under the Right to Equality.
- Article 17: Untouchability was abolished by the Government under
provision of Article 17.
- Article 19 (1) (a): Freedom of the press in India is implied in the
wider freedom of expression guaranteed by Article 19 (1) (a) of the
Constitution.
- Article 254: provides that in case of any conflict between Union laws
and State laws, the Union law shall prevail.
- Article 280: provides for the quinquennial appointment of Finance
Commission.
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- Article 32: Writs under Article 32 of Indian Constitution can be issued
by the Supreme Court.
- Article 343(1): declares HINDI as the official language of India.
- Article 352: deals with Emergency to be imposed due to external
aggression.
- Article 355: Under it, the Central Government is duty-bound to pro-
tect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance
and to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the Indian Constitution.
Thus it is the duty on the part of the Centre to keep itself informed
about the developments in any State..
- Article 356: relates to declaration of the President's rule in a State.
The President's Rule can be proclaimed if the President, on receipt
of a report from the Governor of the State, or otherwise, is satisfied
that a situation has arisen in which the Government of the State can-
not be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitu-
tion.
- Article 368: empowers the Parliament to amend the Constitution.
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- Article 370: confers special rights on Jammu & Kashmir State.
- Article 40: It lays that the State shall take steps to organise Village
Panchayats.
- Articles & Schedules: The original Constitution of India contained
395 Articles and 8 Schedules. Subsequently, additions were made
and after the repeal of several provisions, it still (in 1990) contained
407 Articles and 10 Schedules. There are now 12 Schedules.
- Attorney General: The chief legal advisor to Government of India is
Attorney General of India.
He has a right to participate in the business of Parliament though he
is not a member of the Lok Sabha.
- Basic structure: The basic structure theory of the Constitution of
India implies that certain features of the Constitution are so essential
to it that they cannot be abrogated.
- Bi-cameral; Economic Justice; Equality before law: It provides for a
Bi-cameral system. Economic justice has been incorporated in the
Directive Principles of State Policy.
The ideal of 'Equality before Law' is achieved by the implementation
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of the adult franchise in India.
- Bill to amend: A Bill to amend the Indian Constitution can be intro-
duced either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.
- Centre-State financial relations: States cannot levy income tax.
- Chairman of the Drafting Committee: The chairman of the Drafting
Committee of the Indian Constitution was Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
- Collective Responsibility: The Council of Ministers shall be collec-
tively responsible to the House of the People. The principle of collec-
tive responsibiliy is codified in Article 75(3) of the Constitution.
- Concurrent List: In the case of a conflict between the Centre and a
State in respect of a subject included in the Concurrent List in the
Constitution of India, the matter is resolved by the Supreme Court of
India.
- Constituent Assembly: was adopted on the 26th November, 1949.
It was authenticated by Dr Rajendra Prasad, President of the Con-
stituent Assembly, and it came into force on January 26, 1950.
- Council of Ministers: The Union Council of Ministers in India is ap-
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pointed by the President of India on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- Custodian of Fundamental Rights: is the Supreme Court of India.
- date of coming into force: The Constitution of India came into force
on January 26, 1950.
- Defence: The Supreme Command of the Defence Forces (Army,
Navy and Air Force) is vested in the President of India
- Democracy in India: Democracy in India rests on the fact that people
have the right to choose and change the government.
- Directive Principles of State Planning Policy: The Directive Princi-
ples of State Policy in the Constitution of India have been inspired by
the Constitution of Ireland. It contains ideals of a Welfare State.
"Equal pay for equal work for both men and women" has been laid in
the Constitution as one of the Directive Principles.
The Directive Principles are contained in Part IV of the Constitution.
In the Indian Constitution, opportunities for the development of scien-
tific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry and reform are found in
the Directive Principles of State Policy.
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- Dispute about the election of the President of India: If there is a dis-
pute about the election of the President of India, the same can be re-
ferred to the Supreme Court of India.
- Disqualification of M.P.: A member of either House of Parliament will
be disqualified from being a member if he has voluntarily given up
membership of the party on whose ticket he was elected.
- District Judge: According to the Constitution of India, the term 'Dis-
trict Judge' shall not include 'Tribunal Judge'.
- Education: Education is a State Subject included in the State List
only.
- Enforcement of Fundamental Rights: For the enforcement of Fun-
damental Rights, the court may issue a decree.
- Estimates Committee: It consists of 30 members elected every year
by the Lok Sabha from among its members. A Minister is not eligible.
No member of the Rajya Sabha is associated with it. Its members
are elected according to the system of proportional representation
for a period of one year only.
The Estimates Committee of Parliament examines the Statements of
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accounts of the government.
- Features borrowed from: Fundamental Rights (borrowed from
U.S.A.); Parliamentary system of government (from U.K.); Emer-
gency provisions (from German Reich); Directive Principles of State
Policy (from Ireland).
- Federal: Distribution of powers between the Centre and the States
determines that the Indian Constitution is federal. Federal system has
created a very strong Centre.
- First Amendment Act: The first Amendment Act to the Indian Con-
stitution was made in the year 1951.
- Formation of a new State: The Bill for the creation of a new State
can be introduced in the Parliament only after the consent of the
President. Only Parliament can establish a new State in India.
- Fundamental Duties: To develop scientific temper, humanism and
the spirit of enquiry and reform is one of the fundamental duties of an
Indian citizen in the Constitution.
Fundamental Duties were added in the Constitution of India by the
42nd Amendment.
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- Fundamental Rights: The Fundamental Rights guaranteed to the
Indian citizens are contained in Part III of the Constitution. Originally,
these were enshrined in Articles 12 to 35. Of these, Right to Property
under Article 31 has been eliminated by the 44th Amendment Act.
There are now six Fundamental Rights viz., (1) Right to equality, (2)
Right to particular freedoms, (3) Right against exploitation, (4) Right
to freedom of religion, (5) Cultural and educational rights, and (6)
Right to Constitutional remedies.
Protection of Fundamental Rights comes under the jurisdiction of
both the High Court and the Supreme Court.
- Governor's Power: The Governor of a State can issue Ordinance
when the State Lagislature is not in session and he is satisfied that
immediate action is needed.
- Govt. of India Act, 1935: It most influenced the Constitution of India.
- Inter-State Councils: The President is empowered to establish an
inter-State Council under Article 263 of the Constitution if at any time
it appears to him that the public interests would be served thereby.
Such a Council, consisting of 6 Union Cabinet Ministers and the Chief
Ministers of all the States was created in April 1990 as per recom-
mendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Inter-State relations.
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- Jammu & Kashmir: The State of Jammu & Kashmir has its own Con-
stitution (drafted by a separate Constituent Assembly and promul-
gated on the 26th January, 1957).
The State of Jammu & Kashmir thus acquired the distinction of having
a separate Constitution for the administration of the State, in place of
the provisions of Part VI of the Constitution of India, which govern the
other States of the Union.
- Land reform laws: Land Reform Laws are included in the Ninth
Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
- Languages in the Eighth Schedule: There are now 18 recognised
languages specified in the Eighth Schedule. Originally fourteen lan-
guages were specified. Sindhi was included as the fifteenth language
while Nepali, Manipuri and Konkani were included later.
- Lok Sabha: It consists of not more than 525 members elected di-
rectly from the States and 20 members to represent the Union Terri-
tories as Parliament by law provides.
The term of the Lok Sabha can be extended for one year at a time.
The Lok Sabha can be dissolved before the expiry of its normal term
of five years by the President.
- Lok Sabha seats: Seats allotted to different States for Lok Sabha are
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determined on the basis of the State's population.
- Lok Sabha Secretariat: comes under the direct supervision of the
Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- Lower House of State Legislature: Elected members of the Lower
House of the State Legislature have the right to vote in the elections
to both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
- Minimum age to become Member of the Lok Sabha: The minimum
age to become a member of the Lok Sabha is 25 years.
- Minister: A person can remain as minister in India without being a
member of Parliament for a period of six months.
A person appointed as a Minister has to become member of one of
the Houses of Parliament within six months, if he is not already one,
either by election or by nomination.
- Money Bill: A Money Bill is not introduced in the Rajya Sabha which
has no power over Money Bills. It can originate only in the Lok Sabha.
In financial matters, the Lok Sabha is more powerful than the Rajya
Sabha. After a Money Bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha, it is to
be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations. The Rajya
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Sabha cannot reject or amend a Money Bill by virtue of its own pow-
ers. It must, within a period of fourteen days from the date of receipt
of the Bill, return it to Lok Sabha, which may either accept or reject
all or any of the recommendations of the Rajya Sabha.
If the Rajya Sabha does not return the Bill within fourteen days, it
shall be deemed to have been passed by both Houses.
If any question arises whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not, the deci-
sion of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha shall be final and shall not be
open to question either in a Court of Law or in either House or even
by the President.
- National Emergency: The President can declare national emer-
gency arising due to : (1) war, (2) external aggression (Art. 352), (3)
internal disturbances, (4) failure of constitutional machinery in any
State, (5) threat to financial stability or credit of India.
As per the Constitution (44th Amendment) Act, 1978, any proclama-
tion of Emergency need henceforward be issued by the President
only after receiving the advice of the Cabinet as a whole in writing.
- Nature of the: The Indian Constitution is quasi-Federal in nature.
- Ninth Schedule: deals with provisions as to disqualification on
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ground of defection.
- Nominated members of Rajya Sabha: Nominated members of the
Rajya Sabha are 12. They are not associated with the Estimates
Committee.
- Oath of President of India: is conducted by the Chief Justice of India.
- Ordinances declined by the President to promulgate: The two ordi-
nances which the President of India declined to promulgate for rea-
sons of Constitutional propriety on the eve of the elections to the 11th
Lok Sabha related to (1) the curtailment of the election campaign pe-
riod and (2) the reservation of jobs for Dalit Christians.
- Parliament: The Parliament in India consists of President, Lok
Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Parliament has to meet at least twice
in a year. The minimum time-gap between two successive sessions
of the Parliament can be six months.
- Parliamentary system: The idea of Parliamentary system of democ-
racy was borrowed from England.
- Power to decide dispute between Centre & States: The power of
the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre
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and the States falls under its original jurisdiction.
- Powers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha: Except in the case of
Money Bills, the Constitution provides equality of status of the two
Houses.
- Powers of the Election Commission : are given in Article 324.
- Preamble: The Preamble of the Indian Constitution reflects the mind
and ideas of its framers. It describes India as a sovereign, socialist,
secular, democratic Republic.
- President: The President of India can preside in the proceedings of
either House of Parliament, without having a right to vote.
- President's resignation: If the President of India wants to resign from
office, he may do so by writing to the Vice-President.
- President's Rule: The President's Rule in a State cannot remain in
force for more than six months at a time, unless its life is extended
every six months but upto a maximum period of three years.
- President's Veto Power: The only instance of the exercise of the
President's veto power over a Bill passed by the Parliament, so far,
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has been in regard to the PEPSU Appropriation Bill (on 8.3.1954).
- Presidential election: The name of a candidate for the office of the
President of India may be proposed by any one member of the elec-
toral college. The electoral college shall consist of (a) the elected
members of both Houses of Parliament; and (b) the elected members
of the Legislative Assemblies of the States.
(Elected members of the Legislative Council, however, do not consti-
tute the electoral college for electing the President of India).
(The electoral college of the Legislative Assemblies of the States
does not form part of the forum for his impeachment).
The Chief Minister of a State in India is NOT eligible to vote in the
Presidential election if he is a member of the Upper House of the
State legislature.
The President of India can seek re-election to his post two times.
- Presidential Proclamation: A Presidential Proclamation can remain
in force for six months.
- Prime Minister: The Prime Minister of India has full discretion in the
choice of persons who are to serve as ministers in his cabinet.
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- Public Accounts Committee: is a Parliamentary Committee which
scrutinises the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
It submits its report to Parliament.
- Residuary Powers: The Indian Constitution gives residuary powers
to the Union Government.
- Right to Equality: is one of the Fundmental Rights that aims at the
abolition of social distinctions. It was described by Dr B.R. Ambedkar
as the "Heart and Soul of the Indian Constitution".
- Right to Property: has been ceased to be a Fundamental Right in
the Indian Constitution.
- Schedules: The Indian Constitution has now 12 Schedules. Refer
Articles and Schedules.
- Secretary General of Lok Sabha: The Secretary General of the Lok
Sabha, who is chief of the Secretariat, is appointed by the President
of India as per Article 98 of the Constitution.
- Seventh Schedule: It contains Union List, State List and Concurrent
List.
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- Single Citizenship: The Constitution of India provides for single cit-
izenship.
- Speaker: The Speaker of Indian Parliament is elected by members
of the Lok Sabha for a period of 5 years.
- Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly: No one elected to the
legislature for the first time can become Speaker of the Legislative As-
sembly. In case he is to resign, he has to submit his resignation to the
Deputy Speaker.
- State Governor: For appointment as Governor of an Indian State, a
person must be a citizen of India; must not be less than 35 years of
age, and must not be holding any office of profit.
The normal term of a Governor's office shall be five years, but it may
be terminated earlier. There is no age limit.
- State List: Indian Parliament can invade the State List if (1) a subject
in the State List assumes national importance, and (2) a proclamation
of emergency has been issued by the President of India.
- States on linguistic basis: The Indian States were reorganised on lin-
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guistic basis in 1956.
- Strength of Parliament: Maximum strength of Lok Sabha is 545 and
of Rajya Sabha it is 250.
- Summoning of two Houses of Parliament: The Constitution of India
has laid that the two Houses of Parliament must be summoned at
least twice a year.
- Suspension of Fundamental Rights: President of India has the right
to suspend Fundamental Rights of the Indian citizens during national
emergency.
- Union Council of Ministers: is collectively responsible to the Lok
Sabha.
- Union Laws vs State Laws: Article 254 describes that in case of any
conflict between Union laws and State laws, the Union laws shall pre-
vail.
- Union Minister: In India, a minister who is not a member of either
House of Parliament, will cease to be a minister after six months un-
less he gets himself re-elected, (or nominated as a member of the
Rajya Sabha) within this period.
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- Union Territories: The Union Territories in India are administered by
a Lt Governor.
- Vacancy in the office of the President of India: must be filled up
within six months.
- Vice President: The Vice-President of India is elected by an electoral
college consisting of the members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya
Sabha.
- Vice-Chairman of Rajya Sabha: One has to be a member of the
Rajya Sabha for election to the post of Vice-Chairman.
Copper-Largest producer in world: Chile is the largest copper pro-
ducing country in the world.
Copper mines in India: The richest copper mines are found in the
Chhotanagpur plateau-Singhbhum and Hazaribagh in Bihar. Rich
copper mines are also found in the Khetri mines in Rajasthan.
Copper was the first metal to be used. Copper mines were tapped
by both pre-Vedic and Vedic people.
Cotton fibre: is routed from seed.
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Cotton gin: was invented by Eli Whitney.
Cotton Textile Mills: Maharashtra State has the largest number of cot-
ton textile mills. Cotton textile industry employs the maximum number
of workers in India.
Cotton-Largest producing States in India: The areas of India which
produce largest amount of cotton are north-western and western
India. It is an important crop of Maharashtra.
Council of States, Chairman of the: The Chairman of the Council of
States is the Vice-President.
Courtyards of My Childhood-A Memoir: is a book written by Ramola
Chatterjee.
Creamy layer: This term is associated with reservation for Other
Backward Classes.
Credit rating: It is a formal evaluation of an individual's or company's
credit history and capability of repaying obligations.
Crickets: are insects that make a clicking sound.
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Crocodile: This reptile has four chambered heart.
Crops and their pests: Rice (Gundhi bug); Wheat (Aphid); Sugarcane
(Top shoot borer moth); Gram (Greasy cutworm).
Crops, Rotation of : is mainly beneficial for better yields. It is a prac-
tice of cultivating different crops repeatedly grown on the same land
in a specific order.
Cross-breeding: is to be done for achieving quick increase in milk
production.
Crossing the Threshold of Hope: The author of this book is Pope John
Paul II.
Crude oil: is the single largest import item of India today.
Cruise ship, Largest in the world: Carnival Destiny built by Fincantieri
of Italy.
Cryptography: is the study which deals with the secret writing.
Crystal oscillator: In an electric watch, the component corresponding
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to pendulum of a pendulum clock is a crystal ocscillator.
Cultured pearls: The production of cultured pearls is an important cot-
tage industry of Japan.
Currency notes of RBI : must be backed by not less than a specified
percentage of notes issued in the form of government securities.
Customs Duty: This tax is not shared by the Central Government with
the States.
Dabhol power plant: is in Maharashtra.
Dairy-farming, Commercial: Denmark practises commercial dairy-
farming.
Dance Styles in India: Important classical dance form is Bharat
Natyam which has derived its roots from Tamil Nadu but has devel-
oped in an all-India form. Kathakali is a dance form of Kerala and
Kathak is a classical dance form revitalised as a result of the fusion
of Mughal influence. Manipur has contributed a delicate, lyrical style
of dance, Manipuri, while Kuchipudi owes its origin to Andhra
Pradesh, and Odissi from Orissa was once used to be practised as
a temple dance. Mohiniattam is one of the classical dances of Kerala.
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Darjeeling: in West Bengal, is known for a toy-train line.
Dasa-kumar-charita: is a romance story in prose written by Dandin.
Day, Shortest in India: December 21 is the shortest day in India.
Dayanand Saraswati: He founded the Arya Samaj in 1874 in Bombay
but its initital success was in the Punjab, and Lahore soon became its
headquarters.
"Go back to Vedas" was propounded by him. He was responsible for
the revival of Hinduism in the 19th century.
Death rate, Lowest: The country where death rate is lowest in the
world is Japan.
Debenture: is a certificate issued by a Company promising the pay-
ment of a specified amount at a fixed rate of interest after a specified
period.
Decimal currency system: It was introduced in India in 1950.
Deficit Financing: is spending in excess of revenue.
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Deflation: is checked by deficit budgeting, reduction in taxation, and
increase in public expenditure.
Deflector: A deflector is a technique of adjusting for changes in price
level.
Delhi Capital Region: Delhi was made National Capital Region as per
the Constitution (69th Amendment) Act, 1991. This Act also made
provision for legislative assembly and a council of ministers for Delhi.
Deng Xiaoping: was President of China who died in 1997.
Denotified Tribes: In the Indian context, the term refers to tribes which
were earlier classified as criminal tribes.
Density of population, Largest in an Indian State: Indian State with
largest density of population is West Bengal.
Dermatology: is the study of skin and its diseases.
Desai, Morarji: former Prime Minister of India, was the only Indian
leader awarded the highest award of India and the highest award of
Pakistan for a civilian.
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Desdemona: is a character in the Shakespeare's play Othello.
Destination India: India's first State-hosted international investment
summit organised by Foreign Investment Promotion Board and
FICCI.
Detroit of India: Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh where a large number
of automobile industries have been set up is called the "Detroit of
India".
Devaluation of a currency: means reduction in the value of a currency
vis-a-vis major internationally traded currencies.
Dhanvantri: Ayurveda or the science of health and medicine is attrib-
uted to him.
Dhanwantri Award: is given in the field of medicine.
Diamond: Panna in Madhya Pradesh is known for diamond mines.
Diamond Export: India's earnings from diamond exports is quite high
because of the expertise available for cutting and polishing of im-
ported diamonds which are later exported.
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Dicky Dolma: She is the youngest woman climber of Mt Everest.
Diet: The Parliament of Japan is called Diet.
Digboi: in Assam is famous for oil fields.
Dinesh Goswami Committee: It recommended governmental funding
of parliamentary elections.
Discovery of India: is a book written by Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Divya Yatra: A scheme to bring popular television to the masses with
the help of video vans.
Dr Watson: is a fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Dronacharya Award: is given to the Best Sports Coach.
Dry-farming: In India, dry-farming is practiced in Rajasthan.
Dulhasti Hydro Electric Project: is in the Doda district of Jammu &
Kashmir State.
Duma: The Lower House of the Russian legislature is known as the
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Duma.
Dunkel Draft: relates to international trade.
Durgapur Steel Plant : was established in collaboration with Britain.
Dynamite: was invented by Alfred Nobel.
Dzongkha: is the official language of Bhutan.
E.T.A.: is a terrorist organisation in Spain.
East Coast Road: links Chennai and Cuddalore.
Eco Action: An experiment for building artificial reefs on the ocean
bed in Kerala and in the Andhra Pradesh coast.
Eco-Mark: is the labelling scheme introduced in India for any product
which is environment friendly from cradle to grave (entire life cycle).
Economic growth: is generally measured in terms of National Income.
Economic Liberalisation Policy: aims at helping exports by achieving
full convertibility of the Indian rupee. It is an important policy instru-
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ment for reduction in import duties on capital goods to help the local
entrepreneurs to improve technology to face the global markets.
Edwina and Nehru: is written by Catherine Clement.
Eighth Plan-highest outlay: Agriculture got the highest amount of Plan
outlay during the eighth five-year plan.
Election Dispute: The power to decide an election dispute rests with
High Courts with an appeal to Supreme Court.
Election of local bodies : is not conducted by the Election Commis-
sion.
Election Petition: The power to decide an election petition is vested
in the Election Commission.
Election Process in India: The recommendation for election is made
by the Government and the notification for election is issued by the
Election Commission. In an election, electioneering has to cease in
a constituency 24 hours before the poll.
Election Symbols: are allotted to various candidates for Parliamentary
elections after scrutiny of nomination papers by the Chief Election
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Commissioner.
Elephant's tusks: These are called enlarged cartilaginous bones.
Emblica: An important herb, found in the forests of Northern Kashmir,
Dehra Dun, and Himachal Pradesh, is widely used in cough, sore-
throat and bronchitis.
Employment Guarantee Scheme: This rural work programme was
first started in Maharashtra.
Erasmus: (1466-1536) was a Dutch writer. His Praise of Folly is still
read.
ESCAP: Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific. Its
head office is at Bangkok. Its functions are-to promote better social,
economic, educational and health conditions in Asia and Far East
countries.
Esperanto: is an artificial international language created to act as
world language.
Eurasian alliance: The former Soviet Republics viz., Belorussia,
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have joined Russia to form Eurasian al-
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liance.
Euro: is the name of New Single European Currency, launched on
January 1, 1999.
Every Street is paved with Gold: Name of the book written by Kim
Woo-Chung, founder of Daewoo.
Exchange value of rupee: is determined with reference to the US dol-
lar.
Excise Duty: is the largest source of revenue to the Government of
India.
Excise duty on liquor: is levied by State governments.
Exclusive Economic Zone, India's: covers an area of 24 lakh sq km
and the continental shelf extends upto 350 nautical miles from the
coast.
Exfoliation: This type of weathering is common both in the cold and
in the hot climate regions.
Exit Poll: is a term used to denote a post-election survey of voters re-
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garding the candidate in whose favour they had exercised their fran-
chise.
Extended Market: It promotes division of labour.
Facts About India
-Area: The area of India is 2.2% of the total world area but has 16%
of the entire human race.
-Coastline: The length of India's coastline is 7516 km.
-Forest area : The notified forest area in India is 752.3 lakh hectares.
-Growth of population: If India's population continues to grow at the
rate of 2% per annum. It will be double of its present size in the next
35 years.
-Jute and cotton industries: Jute and cotton industries were worst af-
fected because of the partition of India in 1947.
-Location: India extends between 8-4' and 37-6' north latitude.
-Maximum number of workers : Maximum number of workers are em-
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ployed in the Textile Industry in India.
-Population dependent on Agriculture: The percentage of India's pop-
ulation dependent upon agriculture (or rural population) is 74.3% as
per 1991 Census.
-State with lowest population density: Arunachal Pradesh is the most
sparsely populated State with a density of 10.
Fahrenheit conversion to Centigrade: To convert Fahrenheit into
Centigrade, the formula is: (F-32) divided by 1.8. The readings of a
Fahrenheit and a Centigrade temperature is the same at -40.
Farakka Barrage: Its main objectives are (1) to protect and save Cal-
cutta harbour from silting, and (2) to improve navigability of the
Hooghly.
Fatah Party: is the politcal party of Yasser Arafat, President of Pales-
tine.
Father of Economics: Adam Smith is called Father of Economics.
Father of Genetics: Gregory Mendel.
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Federal Supreme Court: is a feature common to both the Indian Fed-
eration and the American Federation to interpret the Constitution.
Fenugreek seeds: can benefit a patient of diabetes mellitus by nor-
malising his blood sugar level.
Ferozabad: This Indian city is famous for bangle industry.
Fertilizer plant: The first fertilizer plant in India was set up at Sindri
(Bihar).
Finance Commission: It recommends distribution of finances between
the Centre and the States. It is constituted every five years.
Financial capital of India: Mumbai is known as the financial capital of
India.
Financial capital of the world: Zurich, situated in Switzerland.
Finland: is known as The Land of Thousand Lakes.
Fire Extinguisher: Powder-type fire extinguisher is used for petroleum
fire.
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First flight training school: Asia's first international flight training centre
school is to be established at Kancharapara, near Calcutta.
First Atomic Power Station in India: is at Tarapur in Maharashtra.
First Atomic research reactor of India: APSARA is India's first 1 MW
Atomic Research reactor built indigenously in 1956.
First bird: is believed to have appeared on the surface of the earth
about 150 million years ago.
First cement factory: was set up in 1904 at Madras (Chennai).
First Chief Election Commissioner of India: Sukumar Sen.
First City to be placed under UN: Sarajevo.
First Cotton Mill in India: was set up in Calcutta in 1818. (It was es-
tablished at Fort Gloster near Calcutta).
First countrywide agricultural census in India: was taken in 1970-71.
First deaf and dumb person to cross the Strait of Gibralter: Taranath
Shenoy (of India).
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First Fast Breeder Reactor: India's first fast breeder reactor Kamini,
also called neutron reactor, has been built at Kalpakkam, near Chin-
nai.
Fast Breeding Reactor is a nuclear reactor to produce electricity
through fusion process.
First Field Marshal of India: S.H.F.J. Manekshaw. He was appointed
on January 2, 1973.
First General Elections in India: were held in 1951.
First heavy electrical equipment factory: The first public sector heavy
electrical equipment factory was set up in 1960 at Bhopal
First in production of Tea: India occupies first position in the world in
the production of tea. Assam is the largest producer of tea in India.
First in production of Electronic Equipment: Karnataka stands first in
production of electronic equipment.
First India-born woman selected for space voyage by NASA : Kalpna
Chawla. She was part of the Columbia space-shuttle mission of
NASA (USA) which blasted into space on November 20, 1997.
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First Indian Nobel Prize winner: Rabindra Nath Tagore was the first
Indian to win Nobel Prize. He won it for literature (Gitanjali) in 1913.
First Indian State to produce optical fibre: Madhya Pradesh is the first
State in India which has started production of optical fibre to cater to
the needs of telecommunications.
First Indian to airdrop at North Pole: Squadron leader Sanjay Tha-
par.
First Indian to be crowned 'Miss World': Rita Fareia.
First Indian to score a century in Test Cricket: Lala Amarnath became
the first Indian to score a century, and that also on his debut against
visiting Douglas Jardine's England team at Bombay Gymkhana in
1933-34.
First Indian to win Olympic medal in Lawn Tennis: Leander Paes.
First Indian woman solo flight pilot: Harita Kaur Deol.
First International Flight Training School of Asia: is established at
Kancharpura near Calcutta.
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First jute mill in India: The first power-driven jute mill was established
at Rishar near Calcutta in 1859.
First machine-made paper: was manufactured in 1870 near Calcutta.
First modern machine tool factory: The first large scale modern fac-
tory for production of machine tools in India was set up at Bangalore.
First newspaper in India: Bombay Samachar, the first newspaper
started in Bombay, was a venture of the Parsees.
First Nuclear submarine of India: The first nuclear submarine ac-
quired by the Indian Navy is named Chakra.
First Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha: Kamlapati Tripathy.
First person to walk across the Antarctic continent alone: Borge Ous-
land.
First Railway line in India: The first Indian railway line was opened in
1853 from Bombay to Thane under the Governor Generalship of Lord
Dalhousie.
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First Railway Line in the world: was laid in North-East England.
First robot developed by India: PROGMAN 150, developed by Centre
for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Bangalore.
First Secretary General of the UN: Trygve Lie.
First Speaker of the Lok Sabha: G.V. Mavalankar.
First sponge Iron Plant in India: is at Kothagudam in Andhra Pradesh.
First tribal Speaker of the Lok Sabha: Purno A. Sangma, also the first
Speaker from the North-East.
First Vice-President of India: Dr S. Radhakrishnan (1952-62).
First woman doctor in India: was Clara Swain of America who arrived
in India in 1875 and the second was the English woman Fanny Butler
who came in 1880.
First woman Prime Minister of a country in the world: Sirimavo Ban-
daranike was the first woman to become the Prime Minister of a coun-
try (PM of Sri Lanka) in the world.
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First woman to conquer Mt Everest: Junko Tabei.
First women police station: is in Guwahati.
Fiscal deficit: In the Union Budget, it means the sum of budgetary
deficit and net increase in internal and external borrowings.
Fiscal policy: is connected with Public revenue and expenditure.
Five-Year Plan, Eighth (1992-97): It recognised human development
as the core of developmental efforts and sought to give priority to the
employment generation.
The largest source of financing the public sector outlay of this Plan
came from government borrowings. A major shift in the Eighth Five-
Year Plan from its preceding ones is the significant reduction in public
sector outlays.
The Eighth Plan is different from the earlier ones. This critical differ-
ence lies in the fact that considerable emphasis is placed on infra-
structure growth.
The Eighth Plan aimed at a growth rate of 5.6%.
Five-Year Plan, Fifth: was terminated one year before the scheduled
period.
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Five-Year Plan, First: The first Five-Year Plan was launched in India
in 1951.
Five-Year Plan, Fourth: Fourth Plan period was 1969-74. Between
1966 and 1969, three Annual Plans were formulated.
The Fourth Plan did not succeed because of bad monsoons.
Five-Year Plans: The principal reason why national economic plan-
ning is still being pursued in spite of embarrassing market economy
since 1991 is that Five-Year Plans can continue to provide a long-
term perspective to the economy in market-friendly fashions.
The Five-Year Plans are finally approved by the National Develop-
ment Council.
Fleet Street: is the centre in London from where the British newspa-
pers are published.
Flowers, Greatest variety of: The greatest variety of flowers is found
in Sikkim.
Foreign aid to India: denotes inflow of resources from abroad in the
form of grants and loans.
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Foreign banks that entered India in 1996: Commercial Bank of Korea
and Hanil Bank (Korea), Sumitomo Bank (Japan) and People Bank
of Sri Lanka.
Foreign Trade: India's foreign trade is highest with OECD (Organisa-
tion of Economic Cooperation and Development) countries.
Forest Coverage in India: 22.88% of the total geographical area of
India is covered by forests. Madhya Pradesh has the maximum area
under forest.
Forest Policy: The National Forest Policy of 1988 includes (1) Af-
forestation and development of wastelands, (2) Reforestation and re-
plantation in existing forests, and (3) Encouraging the wood
substitutes and supplying other types of fuel.
Forests, Sal forests in India: are found in Satpuras.
Fourth Estate: This term refers to the Press.
Free Port: is a port which allows free entry to goods which are to be
exported.
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Freedom Behind Bars: is a book written by Kiran Bedi.
French Constitution: It is the President and not the Prime Minister
who presides over cabinet meetings in France.
Freud, Sigmund: founded the technique of psychoanalysis.
Frontier Gandhi: Abdul Ghaffar Khan was popularly known as 'Fron-
tier Gandhi'.
Frozen Continent: Antarctica.
Fruits and palm oil: are exported by India to arid and semi-arid coun-
tries in the Middle-East.
Fruits, Seedless : are formed by pathanogenesis.
Gandhi Sagar Dam: is on the river Chambal.
Ganga plain, slope in Bihar: The general slope of the Ganga plain in
Bihar is 35 cm per km.
Ganpati Festival: In 1893, Bal Gangadhar Tilak started using the tra-
ditional religious Ganpati Festval to propagate nationalist ideas
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through songs and speeches.
Garba: is a folk dance.
Garuda: is the name of the Airline of Indonesia.
Geet Sethi: is associated with Billiards.
Gems and Jewellery: give the maximum export earnings to India.
Geostationary Orbit : is at a height of 36,000 km.
Germany-major political parties: The Social Democratic Party and the
Christian Democratic Party are the two major political parties in Ger-
many.
Gersoppa Falls: Refer Jog Falls.
Ghatprabha: is associated with irrigation project.
Ghoomar (Ghumar): is the popular folk dance form of Rajasthan.
Ghotul: is a tribal youth dormitory found among Muria of Madhya
Pradesh. (Dormitory is a large sleeping room with many beds).
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Ghumar: Refer Ghoomar.
Ginger producing nation, Largest: Indonesia.
Gir Forests: is a Game Sanctuary in Gujarat. Here, Indian lions are
nurtured in natural surroundings.
Goa: was made the 25th State of the Indian Republic as per the Con-
stitution (56th Amendment) Act, 1987.
Consequently, Daman and Diu were separated from the former to
form a Union Territory.
Godan: is a novel written by Munshi Prem Chand.
Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur: It has a dome which is said to be one of the
largest in the world.
Golden Chariot Procession: is held at the famous hill shrine of Lord
Venkateswara at Tirumala (Tirupati).
Golden Hand-shake: is the term used in the context of voluntary re-
tirement schemes.
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Golden Temple Express: is the new name of the railway train earlier
called Frontier Mail.
Governor of a State in India: is controlled by the Centre and he is the
agent of the President.
Govind Sagar: is an artificial lake created by Bhakra Dam on the Sut-
lej river in Himachal Pradesh.
Grafting of a plant: involves the formation of a young plant with the
root of stalk and shoot of scion.
Granary of India: Punjab State is known as the 'granary of India'.
Grand Master: is a term in Chess.
Grand Slam: is a term in sports associated with Bridge as well as
Lawn Tennis.
Grants in aid: is provided to the States by the Centre for implementing
various development programmes and rehabilitation.
Great Indian Bustard: is found in Madhya Pradesh.
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Green India 2047: A project of the Tata Energy Research Institute
(TERI) for managing natural resources efficiently.
Green Revolution: was fathered by Norman Borlaug.
Grief and Hope: is a book written by Noa Ben Artzi-Plossof, grand-
daughter of slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin.
GRMSAT: are dedicated satellites, specially tailored to meet basic re-
quirements of rural areas and help in providing continuing education
for special groups.
Groundnut: is an important crop of Gujarat which is the largest
groundnut producing State of India.
Group of 77: is an organisation of developed countries.
Guemica: is a painting by Pablo Picasso.
Guinea pig : is a stocky tailless rodent used in experimental work.
Gulliver's Travel: is a book written by Jonathan Swift in which there
is description of the island of Lilliputs.
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Gun-metal: The ingredients, copper and tin, make gun-metal.
Gurudev: Rabindra Nath Tagore was called Gurudev by Mahatma
Gandhi.
Guttation: In some plants, water oozes through certain pores that re-
main permanently open. This phenomenon is called Guttation.
Gypsum: is largely found in India in Rajasthan.
Habeas-Corpus: It facilitates a person to appear in person in a court
for obtaining either speedy trial or release on bail.
Habib Tanvir: is well-known in the field of theatre.
Haematite: is the chief ore of iron.
Hale-Bopp comet: was the most distant comet ever discovered which
became visible to the naked eye in December, 1996.
Hamas: is the name of a militant organisation of Arabs responsible for
terrorist violence against Israel.
Handloom industry: is the most important small-scale industry in
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India.
Harare: in Zimbabwe is the new name of Salisbury. It was the venue
of G-15 summit in 1996.
Hashish: Under its influence, thought, feeling and perception get al-
tered.
Hawala : Such transaction relates to payment received in rupees
against overseas currencies and vice versa without going through
the official (legal) channels.
Hazratbal shrine: The white marbelled Hazratbal shrine on the west-
ern bank of Dal Lake in Srinagar is famous for the holy relic of
Prophet Mohammad brought and placed here at the end of the 17th
century.
The holy relic of the Prophet Mohammad was brought to India by
Syed Abdullah, one of the descendants of Hazrat Imam Hussain, who
had inherited it from his forefathers in 1634.
Herring Pond: Atlantic Ocean is called the "Herring Pond" .
High Courts in India: were first started at Bombay, Madras and Cal-
cutta.
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Higher than Hopes: is biography of Nelson Mandela.
Hijra ek Mard: written by Kishor Shanti Bai Kale, it is the true life story
of "Sweety", as he goes through a nightmare child abuse, flesh trade
and the HIV virus, till he becomes a police officer and is accepted by
society. The novel has bagged an award from the National Institute
for Research in Sex Education.
Himsagar Express: runs between Kanyakumari and Jammu.
Hind Swaraj: is a book written by M.K. Gandhi.
Hindu marriages, Form and explanation of: (1) Brahma marriage-
when a father gifts his daughter to a learned man of good character;
(2) Daiva marriage-when the father gifts his daughter to a priest; (3)
Gandharva marriage-Marriage based on mutual love of the boy and
the girl and need not be based on the acceptance of the match by the
relatives of the couple; (4) Arsha marriage-when a would-be son-in-
law makes the gift of a bull and cow to girl's father before receiving
her, as a gift.
Hindu View of Life: is a book written by Dr S. Radhakrishnan.
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Hinges, Martina: is the youngest woman tennis player to win three
major singles titles in one season. She earned her nick-name 'the
Can't Miss Swiss'defeating 17-year-old American Venus Williams with
a 6-0, 6-4 win to claim her third major title of the year in the US open
women's singles tennis championships on September 8, 1997.
Hirakud Project: is a multipurpose river-valley project in Orissa har-
nessing the Mahanadi river.
Hologram: Photographic record for reproducing a three-dimensional
image.
Homo-Sapiens or Homo Spines: Present-day human beings belong
to the species called Homo-Sapiens.
Hong Kong: The British government gave possession of Hong Kong
to China on July 1, 1997. The new flag of Hong Kong is red flag with
a bauhinia flower embossed with Chinese five stars. Hong Kong is
called Pearl of the Orient.
Horticulture: is the cultivation of fruit crops.
Human Rights Day: is observed on 10th December every year.
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Human Rights Year: The UN observed 1998 as the human rights year
with the theme "All Human Rights for All". It marked the fiftieth an-
niversary of the adoption of universal declaration of human rights on
December 10, 1948.
Hundroo (Hundrubagh) Water Falls: are formed on the Subarnarekha
river in northeastern India. The Subarnarekha (meaning "streak of
gold") rises in Ranchi district of Bihar State and enters the Bay of
Bengal after a 470-km course.
Hussain, M.F.: Famous Indian artist who started his career as painter
of cinema posters.
Hydel electricity: is the largest source of energy in India. Kerala gen-
erates electricity on Hydel only.
Hydo-electric Project in Andhra Pradesh: Nagarjunasagar Complex
and Srisailam hydro-electric project are the principal resources of
hydel generation in Andhra Pradesh.
Hydroponics: means cultivation of the plants without use of soil.
Hyetology: is the study of rainfall.
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IBM: This trade name is associated with computers.
Iceberg-its mass: An iceberg floating in sea will have one-tenth of its
mass above the surface of water.
IDBI: Industrial Development Bank of India is the apex organisation
for industrial finance in India.
Idduki Dam and Hydro-electric Project: has been constructed on the
river Periyar in Kerala.
Ikebana: is the Japanese art of flower arrangement.
Ilmenite: This mineral is found in beach sands near Quilon in Kerala
State.
IMF: International Monetary Fund was established in 1945 with head-
quarters in Washington. It offers facilities to member-nations to ex-
pand trade.
Import items in India, Largest: The largest items of import in India in
recent years are Capital goods and Petroleum products.
In Custody: is a book written by V.S. Naipal.
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India Divided: is a book written by Dr Rajendra Parsad.
India Wins Freedom: is a book written by Abul Kalam Azad.
India World: India's first daily electronic news and information service
on the Internet.
Indian Economy: is characterised as Developing Economy.
Indian Government, Type of: India has both a federal and unitary type
of government.
Indian Institute of Science: is located at New Delhi.
Indian Institute of Advanced Studies: is located at present in Shimla.
Indian Penal Code: It was framed in 1861.
Indian river flowing westward: Narmada is a major river flowing west-
ward in the Indian Peninsula.
Indian War of Independence: is a book written by V.D. Savarkar.
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Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre: was set up at Kalpakkam in
1971 near Chennai (Tamil Nadu). It relates to Research and Devel-
opment (R&D) in fast breeder development.
Indira Gandhi Canal project: is located in North-West Rajasthan.
Indira Gandhi National Open University: Its major objectives include
widening of access to higher education by providing opportunities to
larger segments of disadvantaged groups of population.
Indira Mahila Yojna : is a scheme for empowerment of women.
Indira Point: in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the southernmost tip
of India.
Indirect taxes: is the principal source of revenue to the Government
of India.
Industrial Development in India: is due to liberal industrial policy.
Infant mortality rate: is the most sensitive indicator of the health of a
community.
Inflation: means an increase in the amount of paper money which
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tends to raise general price level of commodities. It is a comparative
figure showing cost of living, production prices etc as compared with
a base year.
Debtors are likely to benefit by inflation.
Inflation in India: is measured by the Consumer Price Index for urban
and non-manual workers.
Inflation, Zero rate: A zero rate of inflation obtains necessarily in a
year where the annual rate of inflation is constant in every week of the
year.
Inquilab Zindabad: This slogan was given by Mohammad Iqbal.
INS Vikrant: The aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy which played a
very important role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. It was decommissioned
in 1996 and is now proposed to be converted into a museum.
INSAT: is a multipurpose operational satellite system for domestic
telecommunications, meteorological observations and data relay. The
system includes nation-wide direct satellite television broadcasting
and radio and television programme distribution.
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Inside the CBI: is the book written by former Director of the CBI,
Joginder Singh, which provides an inside view of India's premier in-
vestigating agency.
Integral Yoga: The concept of Integral Yoga was propounded by Sri
Aurobindo.
Integrated Mother and Child Development: is the new name of Inte-
grated Child Development Services (ICDS).
Integrated Rural Development Programme: was introduced in India in
1980-81.
International Atomic Energy Agency: is an autonomous international
organisation of the U.N. Its headquarters is at Vienna (Austria).
International Child Year: was adopted in 1988.
International Court of Justice: is the principal judicial organ of the
United Nations. It sits at The Hague (Netherlands). It was established
in 1946. It has 15 judges, any two of whom cannot be of the same na-
tionality. It considers legal disputes brought before it by member na-
tions.
International Labour Organisation: Its headquarters is at Geneva
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(Switzerland). Its objects are (1) to improve labour conditions, (2) to
raise standard of living and (3) to promote social and economic sta-
bility through the joint efforts of government management and labour.
It is not an organ of the UN.
International Literacy Day: is celebrated on September 8.
International Ozone Day: It is observed on September 16.
International Women's Day: is observed on March 8 every year.
International Year of Ocean: The year 1998 was observed as the In-
ternational Year of Ocean.
Internet: is the computer network which links information among dif-
ferent countries of the world through satellite.
INTERPOL: Its headquarters is in Paris.
Iron & Steel Industry: is the oldest large-scale industry in India.
Iron ore export: India has huge reserves of iron ore. The country is
one of the major exporters of iron ore.
Iron ore from the Bailadilla mines is exported through Paradeep port
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on the eastern coast of Orissa. (Refer Paradeep port).
Iron-a sports term: is associated with Golf.
Irrigated area, Indian State having largest: The Indian State with the
largest irrigated area is Uttar Pradesh.
ISBN: International Standard Book Numbering is an international sys-
tem by which a distinct identifying number is assigned to each book.
ISI: is Inter-Services Intelligence Wing of Pakistan.
Isochrones: The lines joining the places of equal labour and trans-
portation costs are known as isochrones.
Jain Commission: was associated with probing the conspiracy angle
of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.
Jaipur Foot: has been developed by Dr Pramod Karan Sethi for the
benefit of disabled persons.
James Bond: is a character in the novels written by Ian Fleming.
Jamnapari: is the highest milk porducing breed of goat in India.
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Jana-gana-mana: is India's National Anthem. It was composed by
Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 and it was first published in January,
1912 under the title Bharat Vidhata in the Tatva-Bodhini Patrika edited
by Tagore himself. It was adopted as the National Anthem of India on
the 24th January, 1950.
Janata Sangsad: The Parliament of Bangladesh is called so.
Jantar Mantar: is an obervatory in Delhi constructed in 1724 during
the days of Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber.
Java: Computer language launched by Sun Microsystems which has
become the standard on Internet.
Jayadeva: was the author of Gita Govinda.
Jeeves: is a fictional character created by P.G. Wodehouse.
Jefferson, Thomas: He was the author of American Declaration of In-
dependence.
Jharkhand: The concept of a separate Jharkhand State is veering
round tribal dominant area in 26 districts of four contiguous States,
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i.e., Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
Jhelum: is the main river in the Kashmir Valley.
Jhum: It is a slash and burn method of shifting cultivation (called
jhum) practised on rainfall-bed slopes of forest hills and dales in
Arunachal Pradesh.
Jivak-Chintamani: is a Book of Marriage.
JMM : Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is a political party in Bihar State.
Jog Falls : in Karnataka (also called Gersoppa Falls) are the highest
waterfalls in India. They are situated on the Sharvati river.
Judicial Review: signifies that the Supreme Court can review cases
decided by the High Courts.
Jurassic Park: is the famous film directed by Steven Spielberg.
Jute Agriculture: is largest in West Bengal. The factor responsible for
West Bengal being the largest producer of jute in India is that it ex-
periences high temperature and receives heavy rainfall.
Most of the jute mills are concentrated in and around the Hooghly
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Basin of West Bengal. It is also grown on large-scale in the delta of
the Damodar river.
Jyoti Basu: has the longest period of tenure as the Chief Minister of
an Indian State (Chief Minister of West Bengal).
Kabalega: is a National Park of Uganda.
Kachch coastal area: The most polluted coastal waters are those
along the Kachch area of Gujarat coast as per a study sponsored by
the Department of Ocean Development.
Kakrapar Atomic Power Station: is India's latest atomic power station
being built at Kakrapar in Gujarat State.
Kakrapara Dam: is on river Tapti.
Kala Nidhi: comprises a computerised national information system
and data bank on arts, humanities and cultural heritage.
Kalahari desert: is situated in south-western part of Africa.
Kalidasa: was the greatest of the Sanskrit dramatists, and the first
great name in Sanskrit literature after Asvaghosha. His chief works
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are Shakuntala, Malavikagnimitra, Vikramorvasi, Meghaduta, Ritu-
samhara, Raghuvamsa, Kumara-sambhava. He was the most bril-
liant of the 'nine gems' at the court of Vikramaditya of Ujjain.
Kalighata: was the Indian miniature art of painting which was not af-
fected by Mughal painting.
Kalinga Prize: is awarded for popularisation of science each year by
UNESCO and funded by former Orissa Chief Minister and industrialist
Biju Patnaik.
Kalpakkam: in Tamil Nadu is known for Nuclear Power Plant.
Also refer Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre.
Kalpna Chawla: is the first India-born woman to undertake a space
voyage.
Kamayani: was written by Jaishankar Prasad.
Kamini: is India's first neutron reactor, built at Kalpakkam, near Chin-
nai.
Kandla: is a sea port situated at the head of the Gulf of Kuchch in
Gujarat State. It was the first port to be developed after independ-
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ence. It has a free trade zone.
Kangra Valley: is in Himachal Pradesh.
Karko tao: is a volcano in Indonesia.
Kartik: It is bridge-layer tank-military bridging system capable of with-
standing tank load.
Kasparov, Gary: is associated with Chess.
Kathakali: is the dance style of Kerala.
Kelvin scale: The normal temperature of human body on the Kelvin
scale is 310.
Kepler, Johannes: (1571-1630) was German astronomer who discov-
ered three laws of planetary motion that bear his name.
Kharif Crops: Cotton, rice and maize are Kharif crops.
Khesari pulse: Its use for a long time leads to arthritis and paralyses
of legs as it contains amino-proprionitrite (N.Y.L. glittomyle).
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Khorana, Hargovind: is credited with the discovery of synthesis of
gene. He shared with two others the 1968 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library: was established in Patna in
1891. It has rich collection of Arabic and Persian manuscripts and
over 1,48,000 books.
Kiwi: a flightless (wingless) bird found in New Zealand; now very rare.
KLM: is the Airlines of Holland (Dutch Airlines).
Kolam: is the name given to the designs drawn by the women of Tamil
Nadu on their floors and thresholds using pastes and powders.
Konark Temple: in Orissa, was built by Raja Narsingh Deva I.
Konkan rail project : The 760-km long Konkan Railway Project is
India's first-ever pubic funded railway project. It has reduced travelling
time to the south, from the northern and western parts. The Konkan
railway line serves as a main transport line between Mumbai and
Mangalore, for passengers as well as goods.
The first train from Mumbai on Konkan railway line reached Goa on
January 26, 1998.
The total cost of the project, initially estimated at Rs 1,042 crore es-
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calated to Rs 3,370 crore.
Konkani: This language included in the Eighth Schedule of the Con-
stitution is widely spoken in Goa.
Koraput-Rayagada rail line: was one of the most daunting engineer-
ing tasks undertaken by the Indian Railways, across the wilderness
of the Eastern Ghats.
Korba: In Madhya Pradesh is famous for Aluminium Plant.
Koyali: is associated with Petro-chemicals.
Kubla Khan: is a poem by Coleridge.
Kuchipudi: is a dance style of Andhra Pradesh.
Kudremukh: In Chikmagalur district of Karnataka is famous for Iron
Ore Project. It also stands first in production of electronic equipment.
Kumar Gandharava: earned a distinction in classical music.
Kurein, Dr V.: is associated with Dairy farming.
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Lab-to-Land Programme: The main idea in introducing this pro-
gramme was to bring farm scientists and farmers into close contact.
Laissez-faire: The term refers to the principle of non-intervention of
government in economic affairs.
Lake, Deepest in the world: Baikal Lake (Siberia).
Lakshadweep : This Union Territory of India comprising a group of is-
lands in the Arabian Sea, about 320 km off the southwestern India
coast, is of coral origin.
Formerly called Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindive islands, the Por-
tuguese first visited the islands in May, 1498 and built a fort there.
Lakshya: is the name given to India's indigenously developed Pilot-
less Target Aircraft.
Lalit Kala Academy: is associated with painting, sculpture, architec-
ture and applied arts.
Land of the Rising Sun: Japan is called 'Land of the Rising Sun'.
Land of Thunder Dragon: Bhutan is called the "Land of Thunder
Dragon".
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Laos: is the only land-locked country in South-East Asia.
Largest oil producer: Saudi Arabia is the largest oil exporting country
in the world.
Last Supper: is a famous Renaissance painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
late blight : late blight is a disease of potato and tomato plants that is
caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestants. It created history in
Europe by causing the widespread famine during 1845 and resulting
in subsequent migration of people from Europe, especially from Ire-
land.
Law of Diminishing Returns: is applicable to agriculture, manufactur-
ing industries, and mining.
Le Contract Social: was written by Rousseau.
Legumes: The fertility of soil can be increased by growing legumes.
Leningrad: is a famous town in Russia situated on the bank of river
Neva.
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Lexicography: is the study of compiling a dictionary of meanings;
study of the history of meanings of words.
LIBOR: is the basic interest rate on interbank loans in London.
Life Divine: is a book written by Sri Aurobindo.
Lifeline Express: is the world's first Hospital on Rails operating in
India.
Limba Ram: is known for his outstanding performance in Archery.
Liquefied petroleum gas: consists mainly of methane, butane and
propane.
Lithuania: was the first Soviet Republic of the former Soviet Union
which declared itself independent.
Lok Jumbish: is a People's Movement for Education for all, taken up
in Rajasthan with assistance from Swedish International Develop-
ment Authority (SIDA).
Lok Sabha Secretariat: comes under the control of Ministry of Parlia-
mentary Affairs.
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Love and Longing in Bombay: is a book written by Vikram Chandra.
Lucknow: is situated on the river Gomti.
Luni: is the river which drains into the Runn of Kachch. Its river basin
in Western Rajasthan is aided by the German Development Bank.
Lunishree: High yielding rice variety which has been developed in
India.
Madagaskar: is the largest island in the Indian Ocean.
Madam Curie: is associated with the discovery of Radium.
Madhya Pradesh: This State came into being on Nov 1, 1956. It is
surrounded by 7 States-Rajasthan, U.P., Bihar, Orissa, Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. It occupies seventh position in
the sphere of industrialisation in India. It is second among the mineral
producing States in India such as coal, limestone, iron-ore, man-
ganese, dolomite, bauxite, copper ore, diamond, silica. It has great
wealth of wild life in protected National Parks of Kanha, Panna, Band-
havgarh and Satpuda.
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Madras City: Its new name is Chennai.
Madras State: Changed its name to Tamil Nadu in 1969.
Magellan, Ferdinand: He commanded the first expedition in 1519 to
sail round the world and discovered passage to the Pacific from the
Atlantic. He proved that the shape of the earth is round.
The Pacific Ocean was so named by him.
Magnesium: is a metal extracted from the sea water.
Magnetite: can be used for extraction of iron.
Mahabalipuram: in Tamil Nadu on the Eastern Ghats, is famous for
temples and monumental architecture.
The Mahabalipuram sea-shore temple was built during the reign of
Pallava dynasty
Mahanadi : is the east flowing river of the Indian Peninsula.
Mahila Samakhya: is a central scheme launched in April 1989 to mo-
bilise rural women for education through Mahila Sanghas in each of
the villages concerned.
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Mahila Samriddhi Yojna: is a scheme for promotion of saving among
rural women.
Maithon Dam: is constructed on the Damodar river.
Maize: is the most preferential poultry feed.
Malachite: is an ore of copper.
Malanjkhand Copper: Malanjkhand copper mines are located in Mad-
hya Pradesh.
Malavikagnimitra: one of the works of Kalidasa, deals with the story
of a Sunga ruler.
Malayalam: is the official language of Kerala State.
Maltos: is the sugar contained in honey.
Man's first landing on Moon: took place on July 21, 1969.
Manchester of India: Mumbai (Bombay) is known as the "Manchester
of India".
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Mandal Commission: Mandal Commission for the Backward Classes
was set up in 1978.
Mandarin (Chinese): is the largest spoken language in the world.
English is the second largest spoken language in the world.
Manganese: is found in Bailadila in Bastar district of Madhya
Pradesh. India leads the world in the export of Manganese.
Manganese nodules: Mineral deposits on the ocean-floor are charac-
terised by the occurrence of manganese nodules.
Manimekhlai: Odyssey of Tamil poetry.
Mansrover Lake: is in Tibet. Near it, the rivers having their source are
the Brahamputra, the Sutlej, and the Indus.
MANTRA: Madras Automated Networked Trading, the automated
trading system of the Madras Stock Exchange.
Marble: Limestone rocks are transformed into marble.
Marble Rocks: Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, situated on river Nar-
bada is known for Marble Rocks.
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Marble-Its chemical composition: The chemical composition of mar-
ble is mostly calcium carbonate.
Marginal Efficiency of capital: was explained by J.M. Keynes.
Marijuana: is opiate narcotic.
Market Economy: was strongly favoured by the following economists-
Adam Smith, Ricardo, and J.K. Galbraith.
Market mechanism: determines the price of a commodity in capital-
ism.
Marmagoa: is known for India'a largest floating dock constructed
here.
McDowell Cup: is associated with Football.
Mein Kampf: is autobiography of Adolf Hitler.
Meirno: is one of the breeds of sheep which has been imported to in-
crease wool production in India.
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Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus: is the book written by
John Gray.
Mendel, G.J.: is known as founder of Genetics.
Meri Ekyaven Kavitayen: is name of the book of poems written by
Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Methyl alcohol: is the offending substance in the liquor tragidies lead-
ing to blindness etc.
Mica: India leads in export of Mica in the world. India's largest mica
belt lies in the districts of Hazaribagh, Gaya and Monghyr in Bihar.
India leads the world in the production of mica.
Mica accounts for the maximum value in the total value of the mineral
production in India.
MIG airframes: are manufactured in India at Nashik (Maharashtra).
Militants
-JKLF: Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front is the oldest outfit as a pi-
oneer militant group in Kashmir. It, however, split on September 22,
1995.
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-KCF: Khalistan Commando Force is a terrorist outfit active in Pun-
jab.
-LTTE: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is a rebel organisation of
Tamileans settled in Sri Lanka. LTTE supremo is V. Prabhakaran.
Milk: is an example of emulsion.
Milk production-India's position in the world: In the field of milk pro-
duction in the world, India occupies the second position. USA ranks
first.
Minerals: The chief minerals and their regions of extraction are Coal-
Bihar, Bengal; Petroleum-Assam, Gujarat; Manganese-Madhya
Pradesh, Karnataka; Mica-Bihar, Andhra Pradesh.
Minerals-Richest producing State in India: Bihar is the richest mineral
porducing State in India.
Minorities Commission: is not a constitutional body. (The word 'mi-
nority' is not defined in the Constitution of India).
Missiles developed by India: Agni is a surface-to-surface missile. It
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has a range of 2,500 km. Prithvi is a short-range surface-to-surface
tactical battlefield missile system. It has a range of 250 km. Akash is
a medium-range surface-to-air missile system. It can target four to
five enemy aircraft and missiles at a time. Trishul is a short-range sur-
face-to-air missile. Nag is third-generation anti-tank missile.
Missionaries of Charity: is the religious order established by Mother
Teresa.
Mistress of the Eastern Seas: This epithet refers to Sri Lanka.
Mixed Economy: means co-existence of public and private sectors.
Mixed Economy Approach was adopted during the Industrial policy
statement of 1956.
Mizoram-Settlement pattern in: In Mizoram, the settlement pattern is
mostly of 'linear type' along the ridges which are cooler than the val-
leys.
MODVAT: It is the tax imposed on the final product.
Mohajars: are Muslim immigrants from India settled in Sind (Pak-
istan).
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Mohiniattam: is a dance form associated with the State of Kerala.
Molniya: It was the name of the launch vehicle for India's remote
sensing satellite IRS-IC.
Monazite: is found on the Travancore coast of Kerala.
Monetary Policy: Variable reserve rates and Open Market Operations
are instruments of Monetary Policy. It is regulated by Central Gov-
ernment.
Montesquieu: gave the theory of separation of power.
Mother India: is a book written by Katherine Mayo.
Mother Teresa: (born August 27, 1910; died September 5, 1997) was
the Albanian-born nun, baptised in 1929, who chose to make Calcutta
her home where she set up the Missionaries of Charity in 1949. She
had stepped out of the confines of a Convent 'to serve God among
the poorest of the poor'. She had stepped down as the head of the
order on March 13, 1997 after repeated health problems which paved
the way for election of Sister Nirmala as the new head of the organ-
isation.
Mother Teresa had to her credit a number of national and international
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awards. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her services to
the poor. India's highest decoration Bharat Ratna was conferred on
her in 1980. The other awards include the Ramon Magsaysay Award,
the Kennedy International Award, the Pope
John Peace Prize, the first Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana award,
Leo Tolstoy international award, and Dayawanti Modi award (for art,
culture and education).
Mother Teresa became a legend in her own life time.
Mount Abu: in Rajasthan is famous for Jain temples known as Dilwara
Temples.
Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh: Founder President of Bangladesh, he was
active participant in the Quit India Movement (1942).
Mummies: In ancient Egypt, people used to preserve their dead
called "Mummies".
Municipal Elections: are not conducted by the Election Commission.
Murshidabad: is known for copper smelting.
Museums in India: National Museum, New Delhi, the Indian Museum,
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Calcutta, the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, and the Allahabad Mu-
seum, Allahabad.
Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, named after Salar Jung-III, Mir
Yousuf Ali Khan, has a very rare and important collection of about
40,000 art objects. It is known the world over as the largest single
collection of art objects from different countries.
Indian Museum in Calcutta undertakes acquisition of objects of art
and archaeology and carries out educational and cultural activities.
The Allahabad Museum has got a rich collection of early sculptures,
terracotta seals and modern painting.
Muslim Law and the Constitution: is a book written by A.M. Bhat-
acharjee.
My Experiments with Truth: is autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi.
My Frozen Turbulence in Kashmir: is a book written by Jagmohan,
former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.
My Presidential Years: is the book written by R. Venkataraman, for-
mer President of India (1987-92).
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Myanmar: is the new name of Burma. Myanmar is not a member of
SAARC.
Mycology: is the study of fungus and fungi diseases.
NABARD: It stands for National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Devel-
opment. This organisation looks after the credit needs of agriculture
and rural development.
NAFED: is connected with Agricultural marketing.
NAFTA: This abbreviation stands for North America Free Trade
Agreement.
Mexico, USA and Canada are members of NAFTA.
Nag: Refer under "Missiles developed by India".
Nagaland: previously Naga Hills Tuensang Area was renamed as Na-
galand in 1961 after given the status of a State and was formally in-
augurated in 1963.
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam: is on river Krishna.
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Nakhoda mosque: is in the district of Calcutta.
Narasimhan Committee: was set up in 1991 to suggest reforms in
the financial sector.
Nashik: is situated on the river Godavari.
Nation's Voice, The: is a book written by C. Rajagopalachari, the first
Indian Governor-General of Free India (1948-50).
National Animal of India: The magnificent Tiger Panthera is the na-
tional animal of India. It is a rich coloured well-stripped animal with a
short coat.
National Anthem of India: The song Jana-gana-mana, composed by
Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted as the National Anthem of India
on the 24th January, 1950.
No one can be compelled to sing the National Anthem since (1) it will
be violative of the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression; (2) it
will be violative of the Right to Freedom of Conscience and Practice
and Propagation of Religion; and (3) there is no legal provision oblig-
ing any one to sing the National Anthem.
National Archives of India: is located at New Delhi.
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National Bird: Peacock is the national bird of India. It is a colourful,
swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of feathers on its head, and
a long slender neck.
National Botanical Garden: is located in Lucknow.
National Calendar: is based on the Saka era with Chaitra as its first
month and a normal year of 365 days. It was adopted from March
22, 1957 along with Gregorian calendar.
The dates of National Calendar permanently correspond with the
Gregorian Calendar.
National Capital Region: In addition to the entire Union Territory of
Delhi, the national capital region covers parts of the States of
Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
National Commission for Backward Classes: The legislation for the
National Commission for Backward Classes was made in 1993.
National Commission for Women: was set up on the 31st January,
1992.
National Dairy Research Institute: is situated in Karnal.
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National Development Council: The Prime Minister is Chairman of
the National Development Council.
National Emblem of India: has been adopted from the lion capitol of
the Mauryas.
National Facilities for Animal Tissue & Cell Culture (NFATCC): It has
been established by the Department of Biotechnology at Pune.
National Flower: Lotus is the national flower of India.
National Gallery of Modern Art : is located in New Delhi.
National Human Rights Commission of India: It enjoys the powers of
a civil court and has its own nucleous of investigating staff and can
seek the assistance of Central and State investigative agencies. It
consists of eight members.
National Income of India: is the Net National Product at market price.
It is estimated by the Central Statistics Organization. The contribution
to the National Income of India is the highest from the agricultural
sector.
Export-Import is not a method for calculating national income.
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National Institute of Community Development: is located in Hyder-
abad.
National Institute of Fashion Technology: is located in New Delhi.
National Institute of Immunology (NII): has been set up in New Delhi
by the Department of Biotechnology.
National Institute of Nutrition: is situated in Hyderabad.
National Integration Council: is presided over by the Prime Minister.
National Minimum Needs: was used by the Planning Commission to
measure poverty.
National Open School: "Open School" in Delhi is the first of its kind
in the country. It was started by the CBSE, Delhi in 1979.
National Police Academy: is located at Abu Road.
National Science Day: February 28, every year, is celebrated as Na-
tional Science Day by India because on this day in 1928, C.V. Raman
discovered what was latter called the 'Raman Effect'.
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National Voluntary Blood Donation Day: is observed on October 1
every year.
Natonal Acedemy of Administration: at Mussoorie is named after Lal
Bahadur Shastri, former Prime Minister of India (1964-66).
Natti: is the popular dance form of Himachal Pradesh.
Nautanki: is a dance style popular in Uttar Pradesh.
Nautical miles: Distance in navigation is measured in nautical miles.
Naval Air Station, India's largest: The Naval Air Station named INS
Rajali at Arakkonam near Chennai is India's largest Naval Air Station.
Navodaya Vidyalaya: established in 1985-86, the scheme is to pro-
vide good quality modern education to talented children from the rural
areas.
Navy bases: The Indian Navy has two major naval bases at Bombay
(Mumbai) and Vishakhapatnam.
Nawab Saheb ki Haveli: This 227-year-old structure is situated in
Jaipur.
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Neel Lohit: is the pen name of Sunil Gangopadhyay.
Neela Chand: The author of this epic novel is Prof Shiv Prasad Singh.
Nehru Rozgar Yojna: has been designed to provide employment to
the urban employed and under-employed poor. The programme has
three schemes-(i) scheme for setting up micro-enterprises and pro-
viding training and infrastructure support for urban poor, (ii) scheme
for wage employment for creation of socially and economically useful
public assets in urban local bodies and (iii) scheme for employment
through housing and shelter upgradation for the urban poor.
Nepanagar: in Madhya Pradesh is known for government-owned
newsprint paper mill.
Net Domestic Product: means Gross Domestic Product minus depre-
ciation of assets.
Netaji satellite earth station (Intelsat STD): has been commissioned
at Hallisaharam near Calcutta. It has certain unique facilities like 'C'
and 'Ku' band-available only in a few stations around the world.
New Moore Island: is situated in the Bay of Bengal.
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Neyveli Thermal Power Plant: is fed by Tertiary coal.
Nhava Sheva port: is situated in Maharashtra State.
Niagra Falls: are situated in USA.
Nickel ore: is mined in Orissa.
Nigeria: was suspended from membership of the Commonwealth for
ignoring pleas of clemency and executed human rights activist Ken
Saro-Wiwa and 8 others.
Nilakuthi: in Imphal district of Manipur is known for Manipur Drug and
Pharmaceutical Project-a joint venture between Government of Ma-
nipur and Central Government.
Nishant: is the name given to high-priority Battlefield Surveillance Ve-
hicle inducted into the Indian Army.
Nitrification: is the process of conversion by action of bacteria, of ni-
trogen compounds from animal and plant waste and decay, into ni-
trates in the soil.
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No Smoking Day: is observed every year on April 7.
Nobel Prizes: Dr Alfred Nobel (1833-86), a Swedish scientist-the in-
ventor of dynamite, left huge fortune to a Trust for the establishment
of five prizes to be awarded annually without any distinction of na-
tionality, for achievements in (1) Medicine, (2) Peace, (3) Literature,
(4) Physics and (5) Chemistry.
A sixth Nobel Prize in Economic Science had been introduced from
the year 1969 for the first time.
So far four persons have been awarded Nobel Prize twice-(1) Madam
Curie for Physics (1903), for Chemistry (1911). (2) Linus Pauling for
Chemistry (1954), for Peace (1962). (3) Frederick Sanger for Chem-
istry in 1958 and in 1980. (4) John Bardeen for Physics in 1956 and
in 1972.
No-confidence Motion in Germany: In Germany, a no-confidence mo-
tion to bring down the government, passed by the legislature, is valid
only when the legislature is able to find simultaneously a majority to
elect a successor government.
Nongkrem dance festival: is part of the autumn fanfare in Meghalaya.
NSCN (I-M): stands for National Socialist Council of Nagaland (an in-
surgent group of Nagaland).
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Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: It was first signed on July 1, 1968
by the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and 59
other States under which the three major signatories agreed not to
assist States not possessing nuclear explosives in obtaining or pro-
ducing them.
Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty: It was signed in Moscow on August 5, 1963,
by the United States, the former USSR and the United Kingdom as
the original parties. The treaty banned nuclear-weapons tests in the
atmosphere, in outer space, and underwater but permitted under-
ground testing.
Numaligarh: India's fourth Refinery has been set up at this place in
upper Assam.
Numismatics: is the study of coins.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: was a famous Quawwali singer of Pakistan.
Obra Project: is a thermal power project.
Ocean Development Activities: cover territorial sea extending upto
12 nautical miles. India has also been allocated a mine site of
1,50,000 sq km in Central Indian Ocean.
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Ocean Regime: Main objective of development of ocean regime is to
provide morphology and structures of sea floor and underlying geo-
logical features.
Ocean Resources: India's domain for development of ocean re-
sources and protection of marine environment extends from the
coastal lands and islands to the wide Indian Ocean.
Octroi Duty: is a source of revenue of a Municipal Committee or Cor-
poration.
Oil Refineries: The main Oil Refineries in India are situated near sea-
ports because India needs much crude oil which is mostly imported.
Old Testament: is religious book of the Christians. Its earliest text is
in Hebrew.
Oldest Theatre in India: Gaiety Theatre, Shimla.
Olive trees and Cork-oak: grow in the regions having the Mediter-
ranean type of climate.
Olympic Games motto: is "Faster-Higher-Stronger".
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Olympic Games, 2004: Athens (Greece), the originator of the Olympic
movement and the city to host the first Olympic Games of the modern
era in 1896, has been selected to host the 2004 summer Olympic
Games.
Olympic Games-twice held : The Olympic Games were held twice in
Paris (1900 and 1924) and London (1908 and 1948).
Onam festival: is celebrated in Kerala.
One-rupee note: It bears signatures of Finance Secretary, Ministry of
Finance.
Operation Bajrang: Action of the Indian troops against ULFA activists
in Assam.
Operation Blackboard: aims at providing Primary Education in educa-
tionally backward areas. It also aims at providing non-formal adult
education. Under this scheme, the States were advised to give high
priority to SCs and STs.
Operation Flood: relates to dairy development industry. V. Kurien is
actively involved in it.
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Operation Rhino: is related to army action against ULFA in Assam.
Operation Sunshine: refers to the live telecast by Doordarshan of the
total solar eclipse as seen in India.
Optical Fibre Cable, Longest: is between Singapore and Marseilles.
Ornithology: is the study of birds. (Salim Ali is associated with it).
Ottam Thullal: is a dance form of Kerala.
Padma: It is the name given to the main channel of the Ganga river
joining the Bay of Bengal.
Palk Bay: lies between Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal.
Panagudi: is in Tamil Nadu where India's 13th Oil Refinery has been
set up.
Panama Canal: connects Atlantic Ocean with Pacific Ocean.
Panchali-nataka: is Puppet play, one of the age-old entertainment.
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Panchatantra: by Vishnu Sharma is one of the most famous works of
the Sanskrit katha (story), so called because it is divided into five sec-
tions, each dealing with a different subject. In these fables, human
vices and foibles are exposed through characters of animals.
Panchatantra has been translated into forty foreign languages and
fifteen Indian languages.
Panchayati Raj: was introduced in 1959, generally as a three-tier
structure of local self-government at the village, block and district lev-
els. These institutions are in existence in almost all States and Union
Territories with variations in structural pattern. The first tier at village
level is commonly known as Gram Panchayat, second (at block level)
as Panchayat Samiti and the third (at district level) as Zila Parishad.
Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh were the first States to implement
the Panchayati Raj system. Panchayati Raj is a subject on the State
List.
The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992, imparted a constiu-
tional status to the Panchayati Raj System.
Panchet Dam: is on the river Damodar.
Paper Gold: The term is associated with Special Drawing Rights of
the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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Paper-making: The art of making paper had been discovered by the
Chinese in the 2nd century. It was known to the Arab world in the 5th
century, and travelled to Europe only during the 14th century.
Paradeep port: on the Orissa coast, is specially designed for export
of iron ore. Iron ore from the Bailadilla mines is exported through this
port.
Paralympics : are the Games for disabled.
PARAM: is India's first indigenously-built super computer.
Param Vir Chakra: is the highst military decoration in India.
Paris : is situated on the river Rhine.
Parliament of Switzerland: is known as Federal Assembly.
Parliamentary Expenditure: is controlled by Comptroller and Auditor
General of India
Parliamentary form of government: The most essential feature of the
parliamentary form of government is the independent judiciary.
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Pasteur, Louis: is called "Father the the Modern Medicine".
Pasupatinath temple: is in Nepal.
Pathfinder: The robot craft dubbed Pathfinder landed on the planet
Mars on July 4, 1997. It was launched on December 4, 1996 as part
of the Discovery project of NASA. The Pathfinder travelled for seven
months at 20,000 km an hour to reach the red planet in a circular
path.
Patwar Basin: It is the western-most limit of Shivalik Hills.
Pay Commission, Fifth: was headed by Justice Ratnavel Pandhian.
The commission submitted its recommendations on January 30,
1997.
Pearl: Its main constituents are calcium carbonate and magnesium
carbonate.
Pearl city: Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu is known as the 'pearl city' of India.
It has the centuries-old history of pearl fishery. It is one of the principal
ports of India, situated at the extreme southern point of Tamil Nadu.
Pearl of the Orient: Hong Kong is called as Pearl of the Orient.
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Pearls: are formed inside Oysters.
Peaty soil: Kerala has Peaty soil.
Per Capita income in India: The main causes of slow rate of growth
of per capita income in India is due to (1) high capital-output ratio,
and (2) high rate of growth of population.
Pernam tunnel: is in North Goa opening the historic 760 km-long
broad gauge line of the Konkan Railway. The tunnel is between Roha
and Mangalore.
Petroleum: was first detected in India at Digboi.
Petrology: is the study of rocks in the earth's crust.
Photolysis: is dissociation of water molecule in the chemical reaction
of photosynthesis.
Pichola Lake: is a well-known man-made lake in Udaipur (Rajasthan).
In the middle of the lake there is "Lake Palace" now converted into a
hotel.
Pierry Cardin: is famous in fashion designer.
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Pinaka: is India's own multi-barrel rocket system. It was recenly test-
fired from the test range at Chandipur in Orissa. It is reported in its ad-
vanced stage of development.
Pinaka is an area weapon system aimed at supplementing the exist-
ing artillery gun at a range beyond 30 kms. Its quick reaction time
and high rate of fire gives an edge to the Indian Army during low in-
tensity war-like conditions. Having the range of 39 kms, Pinaka can
fire 12 rockets within 44 seconds
Planning Commission of India: was set up in 1950. It is an advisory
body. The Prime Minister is its ex-officio Chairman. It makes plans
for the Union as well as the States. The Planning Economy in India
is based on the Mixed Economy System.
Planning-imperative and indicative: The basic difference between im-
perative and indicative planning is that in the case of imperative plan-
ning economic activities belong to public sector, while in the other
type they belong to the private sector.
Playground of Europe: Switzerland in known as the "Playground of
Europe".
Pneumatic tyres: were developed by Dunlop.
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Poisonous glands of snakes : are homologous to salivary glands of
vertebrates.
Pokhran: is in the Thar desert of Rajasthan where India successfully
exploded her first nuclear device on May 18, 1974. India again con-
ducted three nuclear underground tests at this site on May 11 and
two more on May 13, 1998.
Pollution in rivers: is measured by the percentage of dissolved
amount of Nitrogen.
Pondicherry: is the Union Territory of India which has a legislature.
Population: India is the home of 16% of world's population. It, how-
ever, accounts for 2.42% of the total world area. In 1991 Census, Na-
galand registered the highest growth rate of 56.86% while Kerala the
lowest 13.98%. As per 1991 Census, Kerala has a higher number of
females than males (1036 females for 1000 males). U.P. continues to
be the largest State, population-wise 16.44% people of the country
living there, followed by Bihar and Maharashtra. Bombay (Mumbai)
continues to be the most populous city of India, followed by Calcutta,
Delhi and Madras (Chennai).
Population control and family planning: is included in the Concurrent
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List in the Indian Constitution.
Population Density: in a specified unit of area is decided by the aver-
age number of inhabitants.
Population in India-age-groupwise: The highest percentage of popu-
lation in India according to the 1991 census is to be found in the age
group of 35 to 55 years.
Population of Indian States : As per the 1991 Census, the first fifteen
States in the descending order of the size of their total population are
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Orissa, Kerala, Assam, Punjab, and Haryana.
Population, Indian State having largest: Uttar Pradesh has the largest
population. It also leads in wheat production.
Population-Decade of highest growth rate in India: The 1961-71 Cen-
sus decade recorded the highest growth rate of population in India-
24.80%. It was 21.51% in 1951-61; 24.66% in 1971-81; 23.85% in
1981-91.
Portfolio management: means an effort to maximize yield with safety
of financial investments.
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Postal Zone: is indicated by the first two digits from left of the Pin-
code.
Potato, Eyes of: are used for vegetative propagation.
Poverty line: is an indicator of low food intake.
Prahar: is the name given to the missile boat constructed for the In-
dian Navy which was successfully launched in September, 1995.
President of India: is elected by elected Members of Parliament and
State Assemblies.
President of India, impeachment of: The President may be removed
from office by impeachment, only when the resolution for impeach-
ment is passed by 2/3 majority of the total membership of the Parlia-
ment.
President of India-Oath of office: The oath of office of the President
is conducted by the Chief Justice of India.
Pressler Amendment: relates to stoppage of US aid to countries pro-
ducing nuclear bombs.
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Primary colours: Red, green and blue are known as primary colours.
These are colours which cannot be produced by mixing with other
colours.
Pruning: is associated with the cultivation of tea.
Public Interest Litigation: This concept originated in the United King-
dom.
Public Sector: is most dominant in India in commercial banking.
Pulitzer Prizes: are awarded to Americans for excellence in journal-
ism.
Pushkar: is the name of a lake situated in Ajmer.
Quill feathers: They are on the wing and tail of birds and are helpful
during their flight.
Radio-carbon dating: This method is used to find the age of fossils.
Rag Kalpadram: is written by Radha Krishna.
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Raga Mala: autobiography of Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar. It is edited
by former Beatle George Harrison.
Raghuvamsa: was written by Kalidas.
Rail Coach Factory: is located in Kapurthala.
Rail route, Longest: The longest passenger rail route in India links
Kanyakumari and Jammu Tawi.
Railway Staff College: is located at Vadodara.
Railways, Foreign: European Transcontinental railway-Paris to
Moscow; Trans-Andean railway-Buenos Aires to Valparaiso; Trans-
Siberian railway-Leningrad to Vladivostok; Orient Express-Paris to
Istanbul.
Raja Chelliah Committee: was set up to study taxation reforms.
Rajagopalachari, C.: He was the first Governor-General of free India.
Rajput School of Painting: was developed independently during the
Mughal period.
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Rajya Sabha: It is a permanent body, i.e., it is not subject to dissolu-
tion. One-third of its members retire every second year.
The Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya
Sabha.
Ram Nandan Prasad Committee: It dealt with the identification of
those who constitute the 'creamy layer' among the OBCs.
Ramganga: is associated with multipurpose project.
Ranikhet disease: Maximum setback to poultry industry during the
last five years has been due to this disease.
Ranthambhur: is a National Park/Game Sanctuary in Rajasthan.
Raphael: (1483-1520) is associated with painting.
Rare earths (Or Lignite and Monazite) : are found on the beaches of
Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Monazite is an ore of thorium.
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh: has been set up to meet the credit needs of
the poor women.
Rath Yatra at Puri: is a major festival celebrated in honour of Hindu
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deity Jagannath.
Red Cross Movement: was launched by J.H. Dunant.
Red haematite: is an ore of iron.
Red Sindhi: is the highest milk yielding breed of cow introduced for
development in India.
Red soil area: Southern Peninsula is the important red soil area in
India. Mysore has red soil.
Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951: specifies the model code of
conduct for political parties and candidates to be followed during elec-
tions.
Reserve Bank of India: was established on April 1, 1935. It was na-
tionalised on January 1, 1949. Its main objectives are: regulating
issue of bank notes, keeping foreign exchange reserves, operation of
currency and credit system, and developing financial structure.
Formation of the monetary policy is not the function of the Reserve
Bank of India.
Residue Powers: In addition to the powers given in the Union List
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and Concurrent List, the Union Government has the Residuary pow-
ers.
Retting Process: The crop associated with retting process is jute.
Revenue Receipts: "Revenue Receipts" of the Government of India
do not include "Rent and Property".
Reverberatory Furnace: The processes of Roasting, Calcination and
Smelting are carried out in this furnace.
Rhizopus: is a saprophyte.
Rial: is the currency of Iran
Rice: is the most widely used cereal in India. It is sown on the largest
acreage in India.
Rice cultivation: The ideal climatic conditions for the cultivation of rice
are rainfall above 100 cm and temperature 25C.
Rice weevil: is an insect NOT useful to man.
Rice-highest yield: The highest yield of rice per hectare in India is in
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West Bengal.
Right to property in India: is a legal right (not a fundamental right).
Rolling Plan: The type of planning introduced in 1978 and experi-
mented between 1978 and 1980 is known as Rolling Plan.
Rourkela Steel Plant: was built in collaboration with West Germany.
Rubber: The largest producer of rubber in the world is Malaysia.
In India, Kerala State is the largest producer of rubber.
Rupee convertibility: aims at (a) increasing the export, (b) reducing
bureaucratic control and (c) decreasing incentive for Hawala market.
It also implies freely permitting the conversion of rupee to other major
currencies and vice versa.
Rupert Murdoch: is the owner of the STAR TV.
Rural incomes: In India, rural incomes are generally lower than the
urban incomes because (1) a large number of farmers are illiterate
and know little about scientific agriculture; (2) prices of primary prod-
ucts are lower than those of manufactured products, and (3) invest-
ment in agriculture has been low when compared to investment in
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industry.
Rutherford, Lord: (1871-1937) is noted for his work on structure of
atom and radio-activity. He is a Nobel Prize winner.
Sabarigiri: is associated with hydro-electric project.
Saddle peak: is the highest peak of Andaman and Nicobar islands, lo-
cated in Great Nicobar.
SAF: Standby Arrangement Facility. This type of borrowing from the
IMF (International Monetary Fund) has the softest servicing condi-
tions.
Saffron: The largest saffron producing State of India is Jammu &
Kashmir.
Sahyadri: is the traditional name of Western Ghats.
Salinity, Highest: is found in the Great Salt Lake in USA.
Salt production: Gujarat State produces the largest amount of salt in
India.
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Samaveda: The theory of classical music is discussed in it.
Sambhar lake: in Rajasthan has the highest water salinity. It produces
8.7% of the overall production of salt in India.
Sanctuary, Ghana Bird: is located in Rajasthan.
Sanctuary, Bandipur: is a Game Sanctuary in Karnataka having tiger
reserves.
Sanctuary, Chandraprabha: is located in Uttar Pradesh.
Sanctuary, Jaldapara: is located in West Bengal.
Sanctuary, Kaber Bird : in Bihar, is Asia's biggest Wetland Bird Sanc-
tuary. Kaber Lake in Begusarai (Bihar) had been declared as a Na-
tional Bird Sanctuary on June 20, 1989.
Sanctuary, Kaziranga: in Assam, is famous for great Indian one-horn
rhinoceros.
Sanctuary, Madumalai : is a Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.
Sanctuary, Manas Wild-life : is located in Assam.
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Sanctuary, Melghat: is a Game Sanctuary in Maharashtra having tiger
reserves.
Sandalwood: Indian State known for its sandalwood, is Karnataka.
Santos: is known as the 'Coffee Port' of the world.
Sarabhai, V.: is credited with research and development in space sci-
ence.
Sardar Sarovar Project: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
are concerned with this project. Sardar Sarovar Dam is associated
with the Narmada Project.
SardarVallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy: is located in Hy-
derabad.
Sare Jahan Se Achha: The song-Sare Jahan Se Achha Hindustan
Hamara was written by Mohd Iqbal.
Sarkaria Commission: was appointed to examine Centre-State rela-
tions.
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Satanic Verses, The: is a book written by Salman Rushdie.
Satellite construction centre: is at Peenya, near Bangalore.
Satyameya Jayate: These words in the Hindi Devnagri script in the
State Emblem, are taken from Mundaka Upanishad.
Saving: is a function of investment.
Saw-scaled viper: is the only snake that builds a nest.
Scenes from a Writer's Life: is the autobiography of English writer
Ruskin Bond. It describes his first 21 years, including going to Eng-
land, his struggle to find a publisher and his yearning to come back
to India.
Scheduled Castes: Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of Sched-
uled Castes.
Scheduled Tribes: One-fifth part of the total population of scheduled
tribes of India lives in Madhya Pradesh.
Sea Water, Salinity of : The average salinity of sea water is 3.5%.
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SEBI: Security Exchange Board of India was established in 1988. It
has been assigned regulatory powers by the Government of India in
order to prevent recurrence of scams in the Capital Market.
Secular and Socialist: These words were inserted in the Preamble to
the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Amendment.
Secular State: A secular State prefers to leave religion as a matter of
individual conscience.
Security Paper Mill: is in Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh.
Seeds, Protein-rich : Gram, Pea, and Soyabean group of seeds are
richer in protein than Rice and Maize.
Shadow Cabinet: A team of men in opposition to take over the differ-
ent portfolios in case the party is able to wrest power, is known as
Shadow Cabinet.
Shahtoosh: is the finest, warmest and lightest wool in the world. It is
produced in Uzbekistan.
Shakti Sthal: is the name given to the Samadhi of Indira Gandhi.
Shanti Nagar: is the name of lepers' colony built near Asansol by the
Missionaries of Charity under Mother Teresa's guidance.
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Sharda Act: is related to child marriage.
Ship route, shortest: If a ship desires to travel the shortest route, it
must follow longitude connecting the two joints between which travel
is to be undertaken.
Shiv Kumar Sharma: is associated with Santoor.
Shivaji Festival: was started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1895 to stim-
ulate nationalism among young Maharashtrians.
Sidhanta-siromani: is written by Bhaskaracharya.
Sikkim: This Indian State has been called by the World Wildlife Fund
as one of the ecological wonders of the world due to its pristine
forests, sparkling icy peaks and rare flora and fauna.
Sikkim touches the borders of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and West Bengal.
Silappadigaram: The Jewelled Anklet (a love story of Kovalan-Mad-
hvi).
Silverfish: It is a wingless insect.
Sindri: is famous for fertilizer factory.
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Smallest country of the world : Vatican is the smallest country in the
world (in terms of area).
Snake: is a limbless reptile.
Social costs: This term refers to the costs of providing housing,
health, sanitation and education.
Socialism: Socialism adopted by the erstwhile USSR was different
from that being followed in China because ideologically socialism has
different shades.
Sodium Benzoid: This substance is used for the preservation of
grains.
Soil conservation: is the process where sterile soil is converted into
fertile soil.
Soil depletion: A soil is depleted of nitrogen because of repeated
growing of a cereal like wheat. In order to enrich the soil again, one
should grow alfalfa or maize.
Soma: It is the name of a drink that was consumed during religious
ceremonies in the Vedic period.
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Soyabean: The USA is the world's principal producer of Soyabean
followed by Brazil and China.
Sriperumbudur: a temple town in south India, is the birth place of Ra-
manuja
Srisailam hydroelectric project: is on the river Krishna.
Stagflation: is inflation with recession.
Stainless steel: is an alloy of iron and chromium.
Stamp Duty: This tax is levied by the Union and collected and appro-
priated by the States.
States Reorganisation Act: came into force in 1956.
Steel plant, Shore-based: The first shore-based steel plant in India is
in Vishakhapatnam.
Sterilized milk: usually spoils upon long exposure to air because air
supplies necessary oxygen to spoilage organisms present in milk.
Stromboli: is a volcano in Sicily.
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Study of Religion: Theology.
Suez Canal: is the largest ship canal in the world. It joins Red Sea
and the Mediterranean Sea. The plan of the Suez Canal was con-
ceived by Ferdinand de Lesseps
Sugar bowl of the world: Cuba is known as "sugar bowl" of the world.
Sugar producing countries: The largest and the second largest sugar
producing countries in the world are India and Brazil, respectively.
India accounts for nearly 25 per cent of world production.
Uttar Pradesh is the largest sugarcane producing State of India.
Sugarcane, highest producer in world: Cuba is the highest producer
of sugarcane in the world.
Sulabh International: is a body related to lavatory reforms. It is the
largest sustainable voluntary movement in India with about 50,000
social workers. It has been granted "Special consultative status" by
the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Sunderbans: is a good example of Mangrove forests.
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces in India: is the President
of India.
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Supreme Court of India: Though permanent seat of the Supreme
Court of India is at New Delhi, it can also meet at any other place
which is decided by the Chief Justice of India, in consultation with the
President.
Supreme Court of India-Advisory jurisdiction: It is binding on the
Supreme Court to give its opinion on any matter referred to it by the
President but the opinion so given under advisory jurisdiction is not
binding on the government.
Surabhi: was a medicine prepared by Dhanvantri, according to an-
cient Indian legends.
Surat: is situated on the river Tapti.
Surcose content in sugarcane: decreases if high rainfall occurs during
the period of growth of the plant.
Susurta: (350 A.D.) is associated with the city of Banaras (Varanasi).
He is the author of a work on Ayurvedic medicines. It is rather a trea-
tise on surgery (hernia, cataract, plastic surgery). There is also a
small section on the interpretation of dreams for diagnosis.
Swaminathan, Dr M.S. : is associated with Green Revolution in India.
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Swaran Singh Committee: considered the question of the suitability
of the Presidential form of government in India.
Tagore, Rabindra Nath: was called Gurudev by Mahatma Gandhi.
Tahir Mahmood: is a distinguished educationist. He is Chairman of
the reconstituted National Commission for Minorities.
Taj Mahal: in Agra is built on the bank of the river Jamuna. Fusion of
Indian and Iranian architecture can be seen in this monument.
Take-off Stage in economy: means beginning of steady growth.
Taliban: is a rebel group in Afghanistan.
Tallest building: is the Petronas Twin Towers at Kuala Lumpur.
Tanjore (Thanjavur): was the capital of Cholas, an ancient Tamil king-
dom which flourished on the lower east coast of India along the banks
of river Kaveri (Cauvery). A great Siva temple at this place is the mas-
terpiece of Chola architecture.
A lot of detail regarding the village administration under the Cholas is
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provided by the inscriptions at Thanjavur.
Tape worm: has no digestive system because it is a saprophyte.
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research: is situated in Mumbai.
Tata Iron and Steel Industry: at Jamshedpur, is India's oldest Iron and
Steel industry.
Tax revenue, Largest source of: The largest sources of tax revenue
to the Central Government of India are Union Excise Duty and Cus-
toms Duty.
Tea: India is the largest producer as well as consumer of tea in the
world. Tea plantation was commercially started in India by Lord
Bentinck.
Minimum amount of rainfall required for growing tea is 60'' per annum.
Teachers' Day: is observed in India on September 5 every year.
Teak: is the product of monsoon forests.
Tehri Dam: It is located in Uttar Pradesh over the river Bhaghirthi, a
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tributary of Ganga.
Telegu : is the language of Andhra Pradesh. It is spoken by the sec-
ond largest number in India (after Hindi).
Telegu Ganga Project: in Tamil Nadu envisages optimal use of sur-
plus water of the Krishna river. It is a joint venture of Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Tendu leaves: are mainly produced in Madhya Pradesh.
Textile industry: This industry in India employs highest number of per-
sons.
The Arctic Home of Aryans : This book was written by Bal Gangadhar
Tilak.
The Degeneration of India: is a book written by T.N. Seshan, former
Chief Election Commissioner of India.
The Heart of India: is a book written by Mark Tully.
The Indian Struggle: is written by Subhash Chandra Bose.
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The Indian Unrest: is the book written by Lokmanya Tilak.
The Last Supper: is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
The Man who knew Infinity: This book written by Robert Kanigel, pub-
lished in 1991, is the biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
The Moor's Last Sigh: is a book written by Salman Rushdie.
The Old Curiosity Shop: is the book written by Charles Dickens.
The Price of a Dream: is the book written by David Barnstien.
The Road Ahead: is the name of a book written by Bill Gates.
The Thirst for Freedom: is a three-volume epic novel written by C.S.
Chalappa. It traces the freedom struggle under the leadership of Ma-
hatma Gandhi and has Tamil Nadu and Madurai at the backdrop.
The Wealth of Nations: written by Adam Smith.
Thein Dam: is on river Ravi.
Theology: is the study of religion.
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Through the Magic Window: is written by Sevati Ninan. It depicts the
history of television from 1959 to the present day.
Thumba: near Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala State, is
known for India's rocket-launching station.
Tiblisi: is the capital of Georgia.
Tidal energy: In the production of tidal energy, maximum potential ex-
ists in Bhavnagar.
Tin: Rewa in Madhya Pradesh is the only place where tin is found in
India. It is found in the Basic igneous rocks.
Tiananmen Square: is in China.
Tirukural: is known as the Bible of Tamil.
Tobacco: Andhra Pradesh leads in the production of tobacco in India.
Tolkappiyam: deals with grammar.
Tomato fruits, Seedless: It is possible to produce seedless tomato
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fruits by spraying hormones on flowers.
Torah: is the sacred book of the Parsis.
Trade Tax: is the tax which does not directly increase the price of a
commodity to buyers.
Trains: Navjeevan Express-Ahmedabad-Madras, Prayagraj Express-
Delhi-Allahabad, Neelanchal Express-Puri-New Delhi, Chetak Ex-
press-Delhi-Udaipur, Gitanjali Express-Howrah-Bombay.
Transport aircraft: are manufactured at Kanpur.
Treaty to ban Landmines: was signed at Ottawa in Canada.
TRIBES
-Oraon: are aboriginal people of the Chhota Nagpur region in the
State of Bihar. They call themselves Kurukh and speak a Dravidian
language.
-Bedouins : of Arabia are entirely nomadic. They are virile and
couragous, but prone to acts of plundering trading caravans to ac-
quire food and other necessities in times of scarcity.
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-Bhil: is a tribe mainly settled in Madhya Pradesh.
-Bushmen : They live in the Kalahari desert. They are probably the
descendants of the earliest inhabitants of Africa. They rank among
the most uncivilized and backward peoples in the world. Their food
consists almost entirely of meat, often raw or decomposed, and in
times of scarcity they will eat insects, snakes etc.
-Khasi : They are inhabiting the Khasi and Jaintia hills in the north-
eastern hilly tracts in Meghalaya State of India. The Khasis have their
own distinctive language and culture.
-Kikuyu : are a race of Bantu negroes who live to the north of Mount
Kenya. These people combine agriculture with pastoralism.
-Kirghiz: of Central Asia are an example of people adapted to a grass-
land environment. The Kirghiz are pastoral nomads who move from
pasture to pasture with the flocks and herds of horses, camels, oxen,
sheep and goats. Meat forms only a small portion of their food. The
Kirghiz are fearless horsemen, and even their children are expert rid-
ers
-Kukis: is the name of tribal community of Manipur which is engaged
in war against the Nagas.
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-Lambadies: are concentrated in Karnataka.
-Maoris: are the original inhabitants of New Zealand.
-Masai : of the East African plateau are the example of pastoral peo-
ples. They are a tall, strong, warlike race, partly negroid in type.
They treat their cattle with great respect and affection and do not kill
them for food or for sale as meat.
-Munda : are mostly located in Madhya Pradesh.
-Negritos: are the ancient tribes of Andamans.
-Tharu: is a tribe of North-West Terai region of India.
-Todas: They are aboriginal tribe of Nilgiris. The highest number of
tribal population of Todas is in Tamil Nadu.
Trishul: Refer under "Missiles developed by India".
Triticate: is a "man-made" cereal NOT found in nature.
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Trust Love and a Little Malice: is the autobiography of Khushwant
Singh.
Tubewell irrigation: The development of tubewell irrigation in India
has been most spectacular in Bundelkhand.
Tupac Amaru: Revolutionary movement in Peru (Latin America). This
guerrilla organisation took over 400 persons as hostages in Dec '96
at the residence of Japanese envoy in Lima (Peru).
Tuticorin: in Tamil Nadu is known as 'pearl city' of India. It has cen-
turies old history of pearl fishery.
TV transmission, Basic colours in: The three basic colours used in
colour TV transmission are-blue, green and red.
Uber Cup: is associated with Badminton.
Udaigiri Caves: are located in Orissa.
UN Charter: was signed on June 26, 1945, and came into force on
October 24, 1945. UN Day is observed on October 24.
UN Emblem: Olive Branch is the emblem of the U.N.
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UN headquarters: is located in New York.
UN Permanent Members of the Security Council: The five permanent
members of the U.N. Security Council are-China, France, Russia,
United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
UN Secretary General: is appointed by the General Assembly upon
the recommendations of the Security Council. The present Secretary
General of the UN is Kofi Annan (of Ghana).
UN Security Council: has five permanent members and 10 non-per-
manent members.
UN-Veto power in Security Council: The Security Council consists of
five permanent members (United Kingdom, Russia, United States,
France, and China) and 10 non-permanent ones. Nine votes are suf-
fcient to carry a Security Council decision, but any permanent mem-
ber may exercise a veto over any substantive proposal.
Un-British India: is the book written by Dadabhai Naoroji.
Uncle Tom's Cabin: The author of this book is H.B. Stowe.
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UNESCO: Its headquarters is at Paris. It completed 50 years on No-
vember 4, 1996.
Unhappy India: is the book written by Lala Lajpat Rai.
UNICEF: stands for United Nations International Children's Emer-
gency Fund. Its Headquarters is located in New York. It was awarded
the Nobel Peace prize for 1965.
Union List: The Central Government's exclusive powers are enumer-
ated in the Union List.
Unit Trust of India: is the largest mutual fund organisation in India.
United Kingdom: consists of England and Northern Ireland, Scotland
and Wales.
United Nations 50th anniversary: was celebrated on October 24,
1995.
Universal Adult Franchise: means all the adults of a country have the
right to vote irrespective of caste, creed, religion, sex or place of birth
(except aliens and lunatics).
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University Grants Commision: UGC was established in 1956 to take
measures for promotion and coordination of university education and
determination of teaching standards.
Unto This Last: The author of this book is Ruskin.
UPSC: does not have any statutory function to act as a watchdog on
the functioning of the State Public Service Commissions.
Uranium: The largest deposits of Uranium in India are found in Bihar.
Urbanised State in India, Most: Maharashtra is the most urbanised
State of India.
Wall Street: in New York (U.S.A.) is associated with Banking and Fi-
nance.
War and Peace: is a book written by Leo Tolstoy.
War of Indian Independence: V.D. Savarkar wrote this book.
Welfare State: The concept of Welfare State is included in the Con-
stitution of India in the Directive Principles of State Policy.
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Wheatstone bridge: is used to measure resistances.
When Memory Dies: is a book written by A. Sivanandan.
Whip: This term describes a situation where members of a political
party are to be present compulsorily for voting.
White Coal: Uranium is called White Coal.
White Paper: An official statement of government policy on some mat-
ter of current economic or social interest, generally as a basis of leg-
islation, or in justification of some drastic steps taken to control a
serious development for the country's safety as a whole.
Wilmut, Dr Ian: is credited with the successful production of the first
'cloned sheep'.
WOMEC: World Mining Environment Congress, held in New Delhi in
December, 1995.
Women leaders: Women leaders of Canada, Turkey, Argentina, and
Myanmar are Kim Campbell, Tarsu Ciller, Eva Peron, and Aung San
Suu Kyi respectively.
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Wood pulp: The world's leading exporters of wood pulp are Sweden,
Canada, Finland and Norway.
World Aids Day: is observed on December 1 every year.
World Bank: also called International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD) is headquartered in Washington. Its purpose is
to lend money to re-build war-torn areas and to develop under-de-
veloped areas.
World Book Day: is observed on April 23.
World Environment Day: is observed on June 5.
World Heritage Day: is observed on April 18.
World Intellectual Property Rights Organisation: became a spe-
cialised agency of the UN in December 1974 with its headquarters at
Geneva.
World Literacy Day: is observed on September 8.
World Meteorological Day: is observed on March 23.
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World No-Tobacco Day: is observed on May 31.
World Population Day: is observed on July 11.
World Post Day: is observed on October 9.
World Tourism Day: is observed on September 27.
World Trade Organisation (WTO): The aims behind the setting up of
WTO are (1) promotion of free trade and resource flows across coun-
tries, and (2) protection of intellectual property rights. Likely benefits
to India: (1) It will help boost exports of agricultural commodities from
India, and (2) India's share in the world trade is likely to tripple by the
year 2000 A.D.
World's highest Conference Hall: has been constructed by Indian
Army Jawans, working in sub-zero temperatures, at an altitude of
14,500 feet, at Nathu-la Pass on the India-China border at Sikkim.
World's lagest Computer Network: Internet.
World's longest snake reticulated python: is found in Nagaland.
World's longest undersea tunnel: Aqualine (15.1 km long) in Japan.
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World's oldest sports daily: Gazetta dello Sport, the pink paged news-
paper of Italy, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1996.
World's youngest long distance swimmer: Chavi Madan, 12, who cre-
ated a world record by swimming 17.5 km from Sippighat to Port Blair
in 5 hours 55 minutes.
Zakar Hussain, Ustad: is a renowned Tabla player.
Zend Avesta: is the holy book of the Zoroastrians.
Zero Hour (in military): In military terminology, it means expected time
of attack.
Zinc: The first batch of zinc to be distilled by man occurred in Zawar
(Rajasthan) around 50 B.C. as mentioned in "Rasvatnakar".
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SCIENCE
Acceleration due to gravity: If the mass of an object were doubled, its
acceleration due to gravity would be unchanged.
Acceleration of a body: A body executing simple harmonic motion
while passing through its mean position will have minimum acceler-
ation.
Acceleration, constant: A particle in uniform circular motion has con-
stant acceleration.
Acetyl salicylic acid: is used as pain reliever.
Acetylene: is the gas used in welding.
Acquarium: A balanced aquarium should contain water, animals, and
green plants.
Agronomy: means science of soil and plants.
AIDS: is a disease transmitted by sexual intercourse, by blood trans-
fusion, and sharing of needles by drug users.
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Air bubble: When an air bubble at the bottom of a lake rises to the top,
it will increase in size.
Alcohol: This solvent is used for dry-cleaning of clothes.
(The organism bacteria is required for preparation of alcohol).
Alkaloids: is the group of chemical compounds to which quinine, nico-
tine, morphine etc belong.
Allotropy: The existence of a chemical element which has more than
one form differing in physical properties but giving rise to identical
chemical compounds.
Alpha particle: carries two positive charges. Its mass is very nearly
equal to that of an atom of helium.
Amalgams: are alloys which contain mercury as one of the contents.
Amino acids: Excess of amino acids are broken to form urea in liver.
The number of Amino acids known so far is 22.
Ammonia: is the gas which can be more easily liquefied. High pres-
sure, low temperature and high concentration of reactants is the most
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favourable condition for the reaction of nitrogen with hydrogen to form
ammonia.
Ammonium Chloride: This salt shows acidic character when dis-
solved in water. (The compound of nitrogen used in the manufacture
of dry cells is the paste of ammonium chloride).
Ampere: is the unit of electric current.
Amphibia: refers to the animals which can live on both land and water.
Anaemia: is caused due to shortage of red blood cells (deficiency of
haemoglobin in the blood).
Anaerobics: are bacteria which can complete their life cycle without
oxygen.
Anemometer: is an instrument for measuring the force and velocity of
wind.
Angiosperms, double fertilization in: results in one haploid cell and
one triploid cell.
Angstrom: Unit of distance-Interatomic distance in a solid.
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Anion exchange resins: are used as antacids in the treatment of ul-
cers.
ant-acids: a substance which neutralizes or counteracts acidity.
Antenna: converts radio waves into electrical signals.
Antigen: substance that stimulates formation of antibodies. It destroys
harmful bacteria..
Archimedes' Principle: states that a body, when immersed in a liquid,
experiences an upward thrust equal to the weight of the liquid dis-
placed by it.
Ascetic acid: is present in 'vinegar'.
Ascorbic acid: Its deficiency gives rise to a disease characterised by
oedema, subcutaneous haemorrhages, anaemia, and pathological
changes in the teeth and gums.
Aspirin: its chemical name is acetylsalicylic acid.
Astigmatism: is a defect of the eye. It can be corrected by the use of
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cylindrical lenses.
Atom: Atom was first split or disintegrated by Rutherford, a New
Zealander by birth, at the Cambridge University in Britain. Nucleus
of an atom has protons and neutrons.
Atom Bomb: is based on the principle of nuclear fission.
Auxin: is plant hormone that induces cell division. The bending of
stems toward light is due to uneven growth of cells caused by auxins.
Avogadro's Law: is obeyed by gases.
B.C.G. Vaccine: is administered to prevent Tuberculosis.
Bacteria: is a microscopic organism playing a vital role in Nitrogen
Cycle. It can be seen by Compound microscope. White blood cor-
puscles protect Bacteria.
Bacteria causing botulism: is micro-organism that sometimes makes
canned food harmful.
Bacteriophage: is a virus that attacks bacteria and destroys their host.
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Balanced Diet: The food that supplies the essential nutrients in quan-
tity that meets our nutritional needs.
Barometer: is used for measuring atmospheric pressure of any place.
Battery: converts chemical energy into electrical energy.
Battery charger: converts electrical energy into chemical energy.
Bauxite: is an important ore of Aluminium. Australia is the largest pro-
ducer of bauxite in the world.
BCG Vaccine: is used for prevention of tuberculosis in children. (It is
also given to persons suffering from Tuberculosis).
Benzaldehyde: is an active component of oil of clove.
Benzene hexachloride: is an insecticide.
Beri-Beri: is a disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin B. It is marked
by muscular attrophy and neuralgic pains.
Bile: A bitter, alkaline, greenish-yellow fluid secreted by liver and
stored in gall-bladder which helps in digestion.
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Binary Codes: as used in computer science are codes made up of
two numbers viz., 0 and 1.
Binomial nomenclature: is the method of naming plants and animals
introduced by Linnaeus (Carl Linne; 1707-78). Every plant or animal
has two Latin names: a generic name designating its genus, and a
specific name indicating the species; e.g., Felis tigris, the tiger.
Biodiversity: destruction of natural habitats and vegetation and shift-
ing cultivation strongly threatens biodiversity.
Biofertilizers: is programme for integrated, inter-disciplinary technol-
ogy development and demonstration of biofertilizers blue green algae
(BGA), Azolla and rhizobium.
Biofilms: are accumulations of micro-organisms at surfaces such as
those of a rock, a tooth or an oil droplet.
Biogas: is a non-conventional source of energy. Animal wastes, crop
residues, aquatic plants, night soil, and forest residues can be used
as potential substraits for the generation of biogas.
Bio-geochemical cycles: cycling of elements between living and non-
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living components of the biosphere.
Biomass liquefaction: is direct transfer of solid organic waste to liquid
fuel.
Bionics: is the science of application of the knowledge of the living
world characteristics to the world of machines.
Biosphere: the ecosystems taken together in a geographical area
form a bigger unit called biosphere. Biosphere Reserve Project is
aimed at protecting environment.
Biotechnology-Demonstration projects and technology transfer: It en-
sures mechanisms for application of this important field for socio-eco-
nomic development through demonstration projects and technology
transfer.
Biotechnology-DNA fingerprinting : DNA fingerprinting in which India
is second in the world is another achievement in modern biology.
Biotechnology-flowering of bamboo : Recent achievement is preco-
cious flowering of bamboo through tissue culture, first time in the
world.
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Biotechnology-Food production from algae: Food production from
algae and industrial alcohol production through improved yeast
strains by genetic manipulation are also areas of biotechnology.
Biotechnology-Micropropagation: Micropropagation of tissue cultured
economic trees and crops e.g., teak, sugarcane, eucalyptus, car-
damom, turmeric etc.
Biotechnology-Modernising commercial industries: Modernising the
commercial industries to produce products for use in biological re-
search is one of the approach which comes under the category of
biotechnology.
Biotechnology-Programmes of biofertilizers etc: Programmes of
biofertilizers, biological pest control, aquaculture projects and embryo
transfer technology have produced an impact in rural areas.
Bird flu: The "Bird flu" virus-H5N1-recently claimed four lives in Hong
Kong, which led to a move to slaughter nearly 1.2 million chickens
there.
Black Hole: is a space of intense gravitational force caused by col-
lapse of a star.
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Bleeding: is caused by the deficiency of Vitamin K
Blood: Most important function of the blood is to transport oxygen.
Blood Circulation : was discovered by William Harvey.
Blood corpuscles: The proportion of red blood corpuscles and white
blood corpuscles in human body is 5001.
Blood Groups-AB & O: There are four blood groups-A, B, A & B (AB),
and O. A person with 'AB' blood group is sometimes called a 'univer-
sal recipient' because of the lack of antibodies in his blood.
Group O blood can be given to any of the other groups and it is known
as the 'universal donor'.
Blood in the human body: A normal person has 4 to 7 litres of blood
in his body. The average human male has about 11 pints (6.2 litres)
of blood in his body.
Blood pressure: is the pressure of blood in arteries.
Blood, Impure: is received in the heart in the Right Auricle.
Blue-green algae: is a prokaryote. The growth of rice plant is better
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when it is cultivated along with blue-green algae which increases the
soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Also refer Biofertilizers.
Body fat: Fat present below the skin surface in our body acts as a
barrier against loss of heat from the body.
Bone tissue, hardness of: The hardness of the bone tissue is due to
the phosphates and carbonates of calcium and potassium.
Bone, longest in human body: The longest bone in the body of human
being is Femur.
Bone, smallest in human body: The smallest bone in the human body
is in ear.
Bones and teeth: in human beings are made of calcium phosphate.
Boyle's Law: states that the volume of certain gas is inversely propor-
tional to the pressure at a constant temperature.
BPL vaccine: is given to persons suffering from Rabies.
Breathing-an essential process of life: Breathing is an essential
process of life because it brings to the blood the oxygen needed by
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the cells for cellular respiration. It thus promotes combination with
oxygen in the lungs and also rids the body of carbon dioxide. It also
aids in the transport of carbon dioxide from the tissues.
Bromine: exists in gas form under normal temperature.
C-14: is the radioactive substance used in 'dating' geological objects.
Caffeine: is the important ingredient present in coffee.
Calcination: Strong heating; conversion of metals into their oxides by
heating in air.
Calcium Phosphates: are responsible for the composition of bones.
Calories: is a unit for measuring food energy.
Cancer: is caused because of uncontrolled multiplication of cells.
Capacitor: is a device for storing electric charge.
Capillaries: As blood passes through lungs, gases are exchanged
through blood vessels called capillaries.
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Capillary action: In an oil lamp, oil rises up in the wick due to this ac-
tion.
Capillary tube: The height to which a liquid will rise in a capillary tube
is inversely proportional to the radius of the tube.
Carbon: an element which is present in all common fuels. It burns to
give an oxide which is gaseous under ordinary conditions.
Carbon atoms: are arranged in a tetrahedral configuration in dia-
mond.
Carbon dioxide: Trees and plants release carbon dioxide at night and
so it is not advisable to sleep under a tree at night. It is a greenhouse
gas.
Carbon monoxide: is an air pollutant present in the environment.
This gas is released by automobiles.
Carbon-14: is used for dating archaeological specimens in wood,
bones and shells.
Catalyst : A substance that alters the rate at which a chemical reac-
tion occurs, but is itself unchanged at the end of the reaction.
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Cataract: When the lens in the eye becomes opaque, the disease is
called Cataract.
Cathode rays: have no charge.
Cellulose: is the substance that can be synthesized by plants and not
by animals.
Cerebral hamorrhage: is caused by the expression of a recessive
gene present on sex chromosome.
Charcoal: Wood heated in an enclosed container will produce char-
coal.
Chlorine: is a chemical that is widely used for purifying drinking water.
It is the gas which does not form the part of atmosphere.
Chlorofluro carbons: is the main culprit in the thinning of Ozone layer
in the earth's stratosphere.
Chlorophyll: a green plant pigment, which absorbs energy from sun-
light. Leaves appear green because they contain chlorohyll.
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Chloroplast: pertains to photosynthesis.
Chloroquin: is given to persons suffering from Malaria.
Cholera and Typhoid: are water-borne diseases. These are likely to
spread in the entire community if a leaky septic tank contaminates
the water supply.
Cholera bacillus: was discovered by Robert Koch.
Chromium: This element is alloyed with iron to produce steel which
can resist high temperatures and also have hardness and abrasion
resistance.
Chromosome: A chromosome is called 'holokinetic' when its cen-
tromere is terminally located. The sex-chromosomes in male and fe-
male are, xx in female and xy in male.
There are 46 chromosomes in a body cell of human being.
Citric Acid: makes lemon sour.
Citrus fruits: are considered a rich source of Vitamin C.
Clarke, Arthur C.: The concept of Geostationary orbit was suggested
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by him.
Cloned sheep: Refer Wilmut, Dr Ian.
Clover: is a plant which has flowers that are usually pollinated by
bees.
Cobalt: is a metal which is attracted by a magnet.
Cockroach: respirates through its organ 'spiracles'.
Cold Fusion: is a term related to nuclear science.
Colour blindness: is a genetically linked disease.
Combustion: takes place in the presence of oxygen.
Compass: is a device for ascertaining direction by seamen. The nee-
dle of a compass deflects when kept near a charged body in motion.
Concave mirror: A dentist uses a concave mirror to examine a small
cavity. It can also be used to focus sunlight.
Convection: Transference of heat through a liquid or gas by the actual
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movement of the fluid.
Convex mirror: is used in vehicles for rear viewing.
Cooking gas: is a mixture of Methane and Ethylene.
Copernicus, Nicholaus: is famous for proposing that the planets move
around the Sun and not around the earth (Solar System).
Copper Vapour Lasers: They can produce short and long wavelength
radiations, and can be focused on very small areas.
Corpus luteum: is a mass of cells found in ovary.
Counter: is a device for detection and measurement of high energy
atomic radiation.
Cranium: is the part of the skull that encloses the brain.
Crop Biotechnology: is development of single gene based gene(s)
transfer system for crops.
Crude oil distillation: When crude oil is distilled, the products obtained
in the sequence (lowest boiling point first and highest boiling point
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last) will be petrol, kerosene, furnace oil, naptha.
Cryogenics: The science dealing with the production, control and ap-
plication of very low temperatures.
Cyanide: acts as a poison by directly affecting the brain. Acute poi-
soning from hydrogen cyanide or the cyanides is manifested by dizzi-
ness, nausea, staggering, and loss of consciousness. Death may
occur rapidly after swallowing as little as 300 milligrams of the salts
or inhaling as little as 100 milligrams of hydrogen cyanide.
Cyclotron: is accelerator of charged particles.
Cytology: is the science dealing with cells.
Dalton's Atomic Theory: states that the smallest particle which can
exist independently is atom.
Decibel: measures relative intensity of sound (or noise level).
Decomposition: of organic matters is due to Fungi and Bacteria.
Dehydration: is caused in human body due to loss of water. Sodium
chloride is lost during dehydration.
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Dengue fever: is caused by Culex mosquito (virus).
Deuterium Oxide: is the chemical name of Heavy Water.
Diabetes: is caused due to the malfunctioning of Pancreas.
Diabetes mellitus: affects human system following a disorder in me-
tabolism- failure in varying degrees of the pancreas to produce insulin
and inability of the body to make use of sugar, the glucose which is
the end-product of carbohydrate digestion.
It is associated with high sugar level and lower insulin level in blood.
Dialysis: is used when a patient has serious trouble with Kidney.
Diamond: is an electrolyte. It is the hardest substance available on
earth.
Diffraction and Dispersion: The formation of brilliant colours in a thin
soap film is a consequence of the phenomena of diffraction and dis-
persion.
Diffusion: When an open bottle of scent is kept in a corner of the
room, its odour is felt in all the corners. This is due to the phenomena
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of diffusion.
Dioptre: is a unit of measurement in refraction. A lens of one dioptre
has a focal length of 1 metre. Power of sun-glass is 0 Dioptre.
Dispersal of seeds: takes place through man, birds and cattle.
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid): is a polymer molecule in the form of a
double-strand helix containing many thousands of sub-units. It con-
tains the genetic information coded in sequences of sub-units called
bases.
The DNA extracted from the cell of an embryo at an early stage of de-
velopment, can be transferred to individual eggs which in turn can be
implanted into the uterus of a surrogate mother to give birth to an
identical offspring.
The correct model of DNA structure is that proposed by Watson and
Crick.
Dobson unit: is a measure for the physical thickness of the Ozone
layer.
Dry Cell: In the ordinary dry cell, the electrolyte is Ammonium chlo-
ride.
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Dry Ice: is solid carbon dioxide; at room temperature it gives carbon
dioxide gas.
Ductless glands: secrete hormones.
Dynamo: converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. It was
invented by Faraday.
Earth lock: Losing earth lock by a satellite means that the satellite
which is turned to the earth facing the footprint, turns its face away
making it useless.
ECG: It gives information of the Auricles and Ventricles.
Ecosystem: In an ecosystem, light received from the sun is the
source of energy.
Einstein: is known for his theory of relativity. He established the equiv-
alence of mass and energy.
Electroencephalograph: is an instrument used for recording and inter-
preting the electric activity of the brain.
Electromagnetic radiation: Gamma rays, X-rays, and Microwaves
come under the category of electromagnetic radiation.
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Electroscope: is used to detect the presence of charge on a given
body.
Element, most abundant: The element most abundant on the earth
crust is oxygen.
Embryo, heart of human: The heart of human embryo starts beating
in the third week of its development.
Emulsification: is used to describe the action of bile on fats.
Endocrine glands: secrete hormones in the human body.
Enriched uranium: is U-235.
Entomology: means the scientific study of insects.
Enzyme ptyalin: is produced by salivary glands.
Enzymes: proteins are enzymes. These are made of substances that
are in the nature of proteins and act as promoter in metabolism.
Escape Velocity: is a minimum velocity required to cross a particular
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gravitational field.
Estrogen: is secreted by ovary.
Ethane: is a colourless, odourless gas used chiefly in organic syn-
thesis.
Ethanol: is used as an anti-freeze for the automobile engines.
Ethyl alcohol: This compound is used as a sedative. It is formed by
fermentation.
Ethylene gas: is used for ripening of fruits.
Eye diseases: are caused by the deficiency of Vitamin A.
Fat: is stored in the human body in adipose tissue.
Feldspar: is a large group of rock-forming minerals consisting chiefly
of alumino-silicates of potassium and sodium. They are constituents
of granite and other primary rocks.
Fermentation: The reaction which converts sugar solution into alcohol
is an example of fermentation.
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Fermi: Unit of distance-size of the nucleus.
Fertilizer-Uses of: It supplies nutrients to the plants. It also adjusts
the soil pH and increases the crop yield.
Flower and insects: A flower that attracts a few kinds of insects reg-
ularly, has an evolutionary advantage because little pollen would be
lost on other plant species.
Fluorine: is the most reactive among the hologens.
FORTRAN: is a term associated with computer science.
Fountain pen: was invented by Waterman.
Fractional distillation: is the possible method of separation of two liq-
uids if they have appreciable difference in boiling point.
Freon: is chlorofluro hydrocarbon-a refrigerant used in refrigeration.
Frequency: When the frequency distribution is normal, mean, mode
and median are identical.
Frequency remains constant when a ray of light from a sodium
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vapour lamp is passed through a glass pane.
Fuse wire in electric circuit: It is used to prevent too high an electric
current from passing through the circuit. It has low melting point.
Galileo: (1564-1642) was Italian scientist. He is known for invention
of telescope. His study of the planet Jupiter led to disprove the geo-
centric concept of the solar system.
Gall bladder: A person whose gall bladder is removed may, at first,
have difficulty in fat emulsification.
Galvanised iron sheets: are protected from rusting due to the pres-
ence of a layer of zinc.
Gamma rays: are high energy rays emitted by radioactive elements.
They have more penetrating capacity.
Gas most soluble in liquid: requires low temperature and high pres-
sure.
Gasification: is transfer of solid fuel to gaseous energy carrier.
Gasohol: It is a mixture of alcohol and petrol and is used as fuel for
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automobiles.
Genetic Engineering: is associated with medical treatment. It is the
technology involved in altering the genetic constitution of an organ-
ism. Genetic engineering has been used for the large-scale produc-
tion of antibiotics, enzymes, and hormones (e.g., insulin).
A major contribution to Genetic Engineering was done by Nirenberg
and Hargobind Khorana.
Germanium: Refer Jhama (Burnt coal).
Gerontology: is study of the science of old age, its phenomena and
disease.
Giant Meter Wave Radio Telescope: is located near Pune.
Glaucoma: leads to progressive loss of vision.
Gliding Joint: is the type of joint by which head is joined with Vertebral
Column.
Gobar gas: It mainly contains methane.
Goitre: is caused by deficiency of iodine.
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Gold purification: To purify gold, it should be treated with concentrated
nitric acid.
Granite rock: is formed by the cooling of molten rock.
Graphite: is the only non-metal which is a good conductor of electric-
ity.
Greenhouse effect: is due to carbon dioxide.
Gynoecium: is the part of the flower associated with insect pollination.
Haemoglobin: is the red pigment present in the blood of man and
other vertebrate animals. It contains iron and protein and plays an
important part in taking up oxygen from the air in the lungs and carries
it to various parts of the body where oxygen is required. Haemoglobin
may remain alive in the blood for whole life.
Haemophilia: A disease in which the blood loses the property to clot
outside the body after an injury. It is a hereditary disease carried by
females and expressed by males.
Hardness of Water: is due to the soluble salts of calcium and magne-
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sium.
Hormones: These are internal secretions of the ductless glands which
are passed directly into the blood inside vessels within the gland it-
self.
Heart: It never takes rest.
Hearts, larger sized: Athletes normally have larger sized hearts be-
cause greater blood pressure developed during workout requiring
thicker heart walls.
Heavy water: contains deuterium in place of hydrogen. It is used as
a moderator in some nuclear reactors.
Heisenberg: is known for Uncertainty Principle.
Helium: is the gas filled in balloons.
Hepatitis: Liver is mainly damaged by this disease.
Hetro-zygous: Refer Homo-zygous.
Homoeopathy: was introduced by Hahnemann.
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Homo-zygous: having identical genes or alleles in the same locus on
both chromosomes of a pair (one of maternal and the other of pater-
nal origin. (oppositely hetro-zygous).
Honey bees: get their food from flowers.
Hook's Law: is related to elasticity.
Hookworm: enters the human body through skin.
Human beings: belong to the class mammalia under phylum chor-
data.
Humidity: For good health, the relative humidity of a room should be
about 50%.
Huygens: propounded the wave theory of light.
Hybridization: Breeding by the mating of genetically different lines to
obtain desirable traits is called hybridization. This also refers to crop
improvement technique based on the concept of cellular totipotency
in plants.
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Hydrogen: is an Element. A colourless, odourless, tasteless gas that
forms diatomic molecules. It is the lightest substance known, is flam-
mable, and combines with oxygen to form water. It is absent in air.
Hydrogenated fat: is recommended as a source of fat for a heart pa-
tient.
Hydrogenation: By this process, cooking oil can be converted into
vegetable ghee.
Hydrometer: is an instrument used for measuring the specific gravity
of liquids. In order that a hydrometer may float vertically in water, its
centre of gravity should be lowered. The concentration of acid in bat-
teries is measured by hydrometer.
Hydrophobia: This disease is caused by the bite of a mad dog.
Hydrophyte: is an aquatic animal.
Hygrometer: is an instrument used for measuring relative humidity of
the atmosphere.
Hypermetropia: Long sight. A defect of vision in which one is unable
to see near objects distinctly. It can be corrected by the use of convex
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spectacle lenses.
IC Chips used in computers: are made of silicon.
Incisors: are teeth used by a man for biting.
Influenza: is caused by virus.
Insulin: is a pancreatic hormone, made in the islet cells of Langer-
hans, secreted into the blood and having a profound influence on car-
bohydrate metabolism by simulating the transport of glucose into
cells. It is used in the treatment of Diabetes. It regulates blood glu-
cose level. It is automatically released into the blood stream of a nor-
mal healthy individual following increase in concentration of blood
sugar.
Internal Reflection, Total: can take place when light travels from dia-
mond to glass.
Iodine: Its deficiency in diet may produce Myxoedema, a symptom of
hypothyroidism as it reduces the secretion of thyrotropic hormones.
Ionic salts: Water is a good solvent of ionic salts because it has a
high dipole moment.
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Ionizing Radiations: These radiations in the atmosphere induce chro-
mosomal aberrations resulting in genetic defects which may lead to
Cancer.
Iris: regulates and controls the entry of light into the human eye.
Isotopes of an element: These are different because of change in
protons and neutrons.
Itching: is eased by scratching because it stimulates certain nerves
which direct the brain to increase the production of antihistaminic
chemicals.
Jaundice: It is a disease of the Liver.
Jhama (Burnt coal): contains recoverable amount of a metal/element
used in transistors. This element is known as Germanium.
Jonas Salk: is known for preparing the first effective vaccine against
Polio.
Jumping Genes: This theory was propounded by Barbara McClin-
tock.
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Kala Azar: This disease is widespread in West Bengal.
Kepler's Law: According to this law a line drawn from the sun to a
planet, moving around it, sweeps over a fixed area in a given interval
of time.
Kidney: is responsible for the water balance in the human body.
Lactic acid: Milk taste sour when kept in the open for sometime due
to the formatiion of lactic acid.
Lactobacillus: is Bacterium which is responsible to turn milk into curd.
Laser beams: are coherent, monochromatic and undirectional in na-
ture.
Laughing gas: is Nitrous Oxide.
Laws of floating bodies: Archimedes was associated with this physical
phenomenon/law.
Laws of planetary motion: This discovery is associated with Kepler.
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Lead: This metal pollutes the air of a city having automobiles.
Lead peroxide and lead: serve as electrodes in chargeable batteries
commonly used in devices such as torchlights, electric shavers etc.
Leprosy: is treated by sulphones.
Light from Sun: Light from the sun takes approximately 8 minutes'
time to reach the earth.
Light Year: is the unit of measuring astronomical distance.
Light, Velocity of: The approximate velociy of light per second is
3x108 metres.
The speed of light will be minimum while passing through glass.
Limestone caves: were formed because the ground water contained
dissolved carbon dioxide.
Liquefied petroleum gas : is a mixture of Butane, Heptane and
Petane.
Liquid temperature: When the temperature of a liquid increases, the
surface tension of the liquid decreases.
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Liver: This organ, an endocrine gland in the human body, is the
largest in size.
Liver cirrhosis: Prolonged consumption of pigeon pea (arhar or tur
dal) adulterated with kesari dal (Lathyrus sativus) leads to liver cirrho-
sis.
Living organisms: require at least 27 elements of which 15 are met-
als. Among these required in major quantities include potassium,
sodium, magnesium and calcium.
Longitudinal waves: by definition, move and produce compression
and rarefactions.
LPG: Liquefied Petroleum Gas. It contains mostly butane.
Lyosomes: are known as the suicide bags of cells.
Mach Number: is the term used to measure the speed of Sound.
Malnutrition: Undernutrition and imbalanced nutritiion would lead to
malnutrition.
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Malphighian tubules: Excretory organs of insects.
Manganese dioxide: is the catalyst used in the preparation of oxygen
from potassium chlorate.
Marble : Its chemical name is calcium carbonate.
Measles: is not caused by Bacteria.
Meningitis: is a disease which affects the brain.
Mercury: Quicksilver, hydrargyruma liquid, silvery-white metal, used
in thermometers, barometers, manometers etc. It shines and is easily
observable. Mercury liquid is the best conductor of heat.
Meteor: Refer Shooting star.
Methane: It is an odourless, flammable gas that forms an explosive
mixture. It is one of the constituents of 'Gobar gas'.
Mhom: It is a unit of conductance.
Microne: Unit of distance-Wavelength of infrared laser.
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Micronutrients: Copper, iron and zinc are 'Micronutrient' elements
which are needed in very small quantities but play major roles in
structural organisation of the plants.
Milk: Besides proteins and carbohydrates, other elements of nutri-
tional value found in milk include calcium and potassium.
Mineral Uptake: Its physiological process relates to Plasma mem-
brane Cell organelles.
Mirage: is an example of total internal reflection. It is observed on a
road on hot summer days as a consequence of Refraction of light.
Mitochondria: minute rod-shaped bodies that occur in the cytoplasm
of most cells. It contains enzymes which are essential for many bio-
chemical processes.
Respiration is the physiological process of Mitochondria Cell or-
ganelles.
Molecular weight: of heay water is 20.
Momentum: is a Vector quantity.
Monosodium glutamate: A flavouring agent used in food was the sub-
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ject of controversy over its use in cooking of food.
Mouse: A mouse is classified as a mammal.
Mushrooms: reproduce by means of spores.
Mutation: in Biology, a change which occurs suddenly and which will
be inherited later is known as mutation.
Mycorrhiza: is the term applied to indicate the association of fungus
and the roots.
Myopia: Shortsightedness-a disease connected with eyes. The light
rays come to focus in front of, instead of on the retina.
Natural Selection, Theory of: was advocated by Charles Darwin.
Neurology: is the science of Nervous System.
Neutron: was discovered by Chadwick.
Newton: expounded the "Universal law of gravitation"-"to every action
there is equal and opposite reaction".
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Nichrome: is suitable for electrical heater, because of high resistance.
Nicotine: is a colourless intensely poisonous oily liquid alkaloid that
occurs in tobacco leaves.
Niel Bohr: was famous for his work in Physics.
Night blindness: It could be caused by the deficiency of Vitamin A.
Children suffering from night blindness should be provided with car-
rots as nutritional supplement.
Vitamin A is also necessary for proper vision.
Nitrogen: This gas is used in an electric bulb.
Nitrogen dioxide: This toxic gas in the environment lowers the resis-
tane to pneumonia in the human beings.
Nitrogen wastes: are removed from our body through urine.
Nitrolime: is mixture of calcium dicarbide and nitrogen.
Nitrous oxide: is used as anaesthetic.
Nuclear chain reaction: In a nuclear chain reaction, a U-235 nucleus
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is bombarded with a slow moving neutron.
Nucleic acids: are carriers of genetic information.
Nutritive food value: Nutritive value of food stuff is increased by en-
richment.
Nyctalopia: is caused by deficiency of Vitamin A.
Nylon: The scientist W.H. Carothers is known for making Nylon.
Ohm: is the unit of resistance.
Opaque object: The colour of opaque object is due to the colour it re-
flects.
Oparin and Haldane: They proposed the theory that 'life could have
arisen from non-living organic molecules'.
Optical fibre: is the most effective carrier of information. It works on
the principle of total internal reflection.
Organic Food: contains Vitamins, Fats and Proteins.
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Ornithology: Study of birds.
Ortho hydrogen: When the spins of the two nuclei are parallel in the
hydrogen molecule, it is known as ortho hydrogen.
Oxidation: is a chemical change.
Oxygen: is most abundant of all the elements in the earth's crust in-
cluding the seas and the atmosphere.
Oxygen in atmosphere: The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere re-
mains relatively constant because oxygen is given off by plants. The
percentage of oxygen in the air is about 20%.
Ozone layer: It refers to the layer in the upper atmosphere 15 to 30
km above the earth's surface. It protects us from Ultra-violet radia-
tions.
Ozone, a molecule made up of three atoms of oxygen, comprises a
layer of the atmosphere that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation.
The main culprit in the thinning of Ozone layer in the earth's strato-
sphere is Chlorofluro carbons.
Pace-maker: It is also known as S.A. node.
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Pager: A Pager is a FM radio receiver electronic device. Communi-
cations has taken a new turn in India with All India Radio (AIR)
launching country's first Radio Data Servicing (RDS) Pagers in 17
selected cities. Paging service has also been started by several pri-
vate operators in a number of major cities in India.
Pancreas: act both as endocrine and exocrine gland. Refer Diabetes
mellitus.
Pancreatic juice: contains the enzymes Amylase, Lipase and Trypsin.
Parahormone: A person suffering from tetany is treated by the ad-
ministration of Parahormone.
Parathyroid: is endocrine gland which can function independent of
the pituitary gland.
Parsec: is a unit of Inter-gallactic distance.
Parthenocarpy: Formation of fruit without fertilisation.
Pasteurization: is the process where milk is first heated for a long pe-
riod to about 62C and then suddenly cooled for a specified period.
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Patella: is the anatomical name of the knee bone.
Pauling, Linus: American bio-chemist who was awarded Nobel Prize
in 1954 for his contribution to the electrochemical theory of valency.
He disproved the theory of spontaneous generation and performed
the experiment to show 'Life begets life'.
Pavlov: is known for discovery of Reflex action.
Pellagra: is causd by deficiency of Niacin.
Penicillin: was discovered by Alexander Fleming. It is generally given
to cure sore throat.
Pepsin enzyme: converts proteins to amino acids.
Pericardium: is a double-walled sack in which heart is enclosed.
Periscope: is used to see outside objects above the water surface
from inside a submarine. For deflection of light, it uses total internal
reflection.
Permutit method: is the process of softening of water using sodium
zeolite.
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pH Value: Ground water obtained from alkali soils will have a high pH
value. The ideal level of pH value in fertile soil for growing common
crops is 6.5 to 7.5.
Phenylketonuria: is an example of an inborn error of metabolism. This
"error" refers to atrophy of endocrine glands.
Phosphorus: is used for glowing match-stick
Photoelectric Cell, Theory of: is associated with A. Becquerel.
Photo-electric law: The scientist Albert Einstein is famous for this law.
Photons: When excited hydrogen atoms return to the ground state,
they emit photons.
Photosynthesis: is the process by which green plants manufacture
their carbohydrates from atmospheric carbon dioxide and water in
the presence of sunlight. Thus for photosynthesis, plants require car-
bon dioxide, water and sunlight.
Photo-voltaic cell: Direct conversion of solar energy by the use of
photo-voltaic cell results in the production of electrical energy.
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Piezo-electric Effect: The working of the quartz crystal in the watch is
based on the Piezo-electric Effect.
Piezoelectric transducers: can detect accoustic emission wave forms.
Pin worm: Oxyuris is a 'Pin worm'.
Pitchblende: Radium is obtained from this source.
Pituitary gland: It receives message from hypothalamus and commu-
nicates with other endocrine glands.
Placenta: is not a constituent of blood. It is a vascular structure de-
veloped about the third month of pregnancy and attached to the inner
wall of the uterus.
Planck: is known for Quantum Theory.
Plant cells Vs Animal cells: Plant cells contain chloroplast while ani-
mal cells do not.
Plant nutrients: Plants receive their nutrients mainly from soil.
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Plants and Animals, Growth of: The biological processes of growth,
development and differentiation enable the plants and animals to
enter the functional state of life because various biological and envi-
ronmental factors regulate the state of life.
Plasmolysis: Root hairs absorb water from the soil on account of plas-
molysis.
Plastic: is not a natural polymer.
Plastic surgery: Of the four landmarks in medical history viz., (1)
Organ transplant, (2) Plastic surgery, (3) Bypass surgery, and (4) Test
tube baby, plastic surgery was the first to take place.
Platinum: is a metal generally mixed with gold.
Polio Vaccine: was first prepared by Jonas Salk.
Pollutants likely to be inhaled by a traffic constable: Carbon monox-
ide, sulphur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen.
Pollution: consists of emission of toxic gases like carbon dioxide, and
others; release of toxic particles of lead sulphur, and other com-
pounds; dust and smoke haze; rise in temperatures to abnormal lev-
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els, etc.
The agricultural practices for the pollution of our water resources are:
use of chemical fertilizers and excessive use of chemical pesticides.
Forests and oceans counteract these effects by absorbing carbon
dioxide and emitting oxygen and water vapour (evaporation).
Polyamide: This polymer is widely used for making bullet-proof ma-
terial.
Potato: is a modified form of stem.
Pressure Cooker: Food is cooked faster in a pressure cooker be-
cause due to high pressure, the boiling point of water is raised.
Primary pigments: Red, yellow, and blue are known as primary pig-
ments.
Propane: A flammable gas which is used as a fuel in the form of bottle
gas.
Protease: is an enzyme which helps the digestion of proteins.
Proteins: are polymers of Amino Acid.
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Protein Synthesis: is the process for treating pathogenic bacteria with
different chemicals to see which of them would stop the activity of
their ribosomes.
Protista: Group of unicellar animals and plants.
Psychrometer: is an instrument for measurement of the humidity of
the atmosphere.
Ptyalin: is the enzyme contained in the saliva secreted by the salivary
glands. It works in an acidic medium.
Pyrolysis: is chemical decomposition by the action of heat. It takes
place in the absence of oxygen.
Quantosome: Unit of photosynthesis in green plants.
Quasars: are star-like objects at the edge of the universe.
Quantitative analysis of DNA: This technique is used to establish the
paternity of a child.
Rabies: A disease that affects the nervous system. Caused by animal
bite.
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Radiant Energy: Termed as gross primary productivity which is stored
by photosynthetic activity in the form of organic substances.
Radiations: The correct sequence of the descending order of the fol-
lowing energies of radiations is (1) Ultraviolet rays; (2) Visible light; (3)
Infrared rays; (4) Radio waves.
If we place hand under an electric lamp, it will receive heat by the
process of radiation.
Radioactivity of uranium : was discovered by Henry Baquerel.
Raman Effect: is found in all transparent media. When monochro-
matic light passes through a transparent medium, some of the light
is scattered. The spectrum of this scattered light contains, apart from
light of original wavelength, weaker lines differing from this by con-
stant amounts. Such lines are called Raman lines.
C.V. Raman, an eminent Indian scientist was awarded Nobel Prize for
his discovery of 'Raman Effect' (February 28, 1928).
February 28 is celebrated every year as National Science Day.
Rauwolfia serpentina: is useful in the control of blood pressure.
Red blood cells: are made in the bone marrow.
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Red blood corpuscles: survive for 127 days.
Red light: Light of red colour has the longest wave-length. Red light
is used for danger signals because it is scattered least.
Red rot and Ergot diseases: are associated with the production of
sugarcane and bajra.
Refraction: When a ray of light travels obliquely from one medium to
another, it is bent or refracted at the surface separating the two media
and is known as refraction. A stick partly immersed in water appears
bent because of refraction.
Refrigerator: converts electrical energy into mechanical energy and
transfers heat from a high temperature to a low temperature.
Refrigerator cooling is produced by the evaporation of all volatile liq-
uid.
Relative humidity: is measured by Hygrograph.
Respiration: An adult person respires about 16 times per minute.
Retina: Image formed on the retina of human eye is smaller than ob-
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ject but real and inverted.
Ribosomes: in a cell play a significant role in protein synthesis.
Rickets: is a disease of bones caused by the deficiency of Vitamin D.
Robert Hooke: was the first person to see a cell under microscope.
Ronald Ross: He discovered that mosquito served as a carrier of
malaria.
Rusting of iron: involves oxidation.
Safety Matches: The constituents used in making of safety matches
are-potassium chlorate, antimony sulphide, and glue.
Safety razor : was invented by Gillette.
Saliva in man: is alkaline.
Salk Vaccine: is used against polio.
Sandstone rocks: Sandstone rock is likely to yield the most abundant
supply of ground water.
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Saprophytes: are the organisms that dervie their nutrition from dead
plants and animals.
Scientific Method: Developing and testing a hypothesis best de-
scribes the scientific method.
Scintillation counter: can be used to confirm whether drinking water
contains a gamma emitting isotope or not.
Scotch tape: was invented by Richard Drew
Secretin: is the hormone which stimulates the pancreas to produce
pancreatic juice.
Seismograph: Instrument used for reading the intensity and origin of
earthquake shocks.
Seismology: is the science dealing with the study of earthquakes.
Semi-conductor: is an electric conductor whose resistance decreases
with rising temperature and impurities.
Serology: is the study of the interaction of antigens and antibodies.
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Serum: is blood minus all cells and fibrin.
Shale: A sedimentary rock which is made from stratified mud is called
shale.
Ship floating on water: When a ship floats on water, the weight of
water displaced equals that of the ship.
Shooting star: A "shooting star" that flashes across the night sky is re-
ally a meteor.
Shortsightedness: can be corrected by concave lens.
Silicon and Oxygen: are the two most common elements included in
the earth's crust.
Silicon dioxide: Quartz crystals normally used in quartz clocks etc is
chemically silicon dioxide. Silicon is the element used in the manufac-
ture of semiconductor.
Silver: is the best conductor of electricity.
Silver Bromide: is used in the making of photographic film. It is also
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the essential component of photochromic glass. It is a pale yellow in-
soluble salt (used in photography).
Sky appears blue: because short waves are scatttered more than the
long waves by the atmosphere.
Smog: It is a common pollutant in places having excessive amount of
sulphur dioxide in air.
Soap: is prepared by boiling caustic soda with fats.
Soap bubble, Pressure inside a : is more than atmospheric pressure.
Sodium: is not an essential micronutrient for plants.
Sodium benzoate: is a chemical used as a food preservative.
Sodium chloride: Conduction of current in an aqueous solution of
sodium chloride is by sodium and chloride ions.
Sodium thiosulphate: is the chemical used as a 'fixer' in photography.
Soil aeration: Ploughing (drainage) is done to improve soil aeration.
Solar energies, fixaton of: The maximum fixation of solar energies is
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done by Green Plants.
Solar energy: can be conveniently used to (1) supply hot water to res-
idential buildings, (2) supply water for minor irrigation projects, (3)
provide street lighting, and (4) electrify a cluster of villages and small
towns.
Solar Radiation: electromagnetic energy, including X-rays, ultraviolet
and infrared radiation, and radio emissions, as well as visible light,
emanating from the Sun.
Solder alloy: melts at the lowest temperature.
Sound (velocity in vacuum): The velocity of sound in vacuum is less
than in air. Sound cannot travel in vacuum.
Sound waves: Sound waves can be longitudinal or transverse and
cannot be polarized. They travel fastest in brass. Sound wave re-
quires a medium for transmission.
Sound, Speed of: The speed of sound increases with rise in temper-
ature.
Species in Plants: Among fungi, plants, insects and bacteria, biolo-
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gists have so far known, found and identified the largest number of
species in plants.
Spherical balloon's electrical field: When a spherical balloon carries
a uniform distribution of electric charge over its surface, its electrical
field is maximum at a point just on the surface.
Spirometer: is used to measure the vital capacity of the lungs.
Stainless steel: is an alloy of iron and chromium.
Steel ball floats on mercury: because mercury is also a metal in liquid
form.
Streptomycin: is antimicrobial drug suitable for treatment of both tu-
berculosis and leprosy.
Strontium: The brilliant red colour in the crackers are due to the com-
pounds of strontium.
Succus emericus: is one of the digestive juices that lacks enzymes
but aids digestion.
Sulphur: is an amino acid the element of which is found in addition to
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carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen.
Sulphur dioxide: is the sulphur compound used as a bleaching agent
in textile industry.
Sun's energy: is produced by nuclear fusion.
Super Conductor: is characterised by zero permeability.
Superconductivity: is a phenomenon in which the resistance of a sub-
stance becomes zero at very low temperatures.
Surface tension: The spherical shape of a rainfall drop is due to sur-
face tension.
Tartaric acid: is used for preparation of bread.
Telescope: invented by Galileo is used for viewing magnified images
of distant objects.
Testis (gonad): In the testis, the types of cell division encountered are
both mitosis and meiosis.
Test-tube baby: In this case, fertilization takes place outside the
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mother's body.
Tetany: is condition of muscular hyperexcitability found in parathyroid
deficiency..
Tetra ethyl lead: is added to petrol to avoid 'knocking' of the engine
of a car. This compound is known as an anti-knocking agent.
Theory of "natural rights": was propounded by Locke.
Theory of natural selection: was propounded by Darwin.
Thermos flask: It keeps a liquid hot because heat losses by conduc-
tion and radiation are largely prevented.
Thermostat: is a device used to maintain a constant temperature of
a waterbath, an oven, a refrigerator, an airconditioner etc.
Thorium: is a dark grey radioactive metal. Compounds occur in mon-
azite and thorite. It is used in alloys and as nuclear fuel in some
breeder reactors.
Thorium, as radioactive pollutant, has recently drawn public attention
due to its occurrence in the building material.
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Thrombosis: is clotting of blood in blood vessels.
Thymus: is the gland in human body the disappearance of which
causes ageing.
Thyroid gland: A deficiency in the secretion of hormone from the thy-
roid gland leads to defective carbohydrate metabolism.
Thyroxine: is a hormone which contains iodine.
Tibia and Fibula: are the bones in leg.
Time Division Multiplexing: It is the technique used to transmit audio
signals in television broadcasts.
Trachoma: is a disease of eyes.
Transformer: is useful for stepping up or stepping down voltages.
Tripple antigen: is administered to children for providing immunity
against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough.
Tritium: is composed of one proton, one electron and two neutrons.
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Tuberculosis: is a bacterial disease. BCG vaccine is used for immu-
nization of tuberculosis. According to the World Health Organisation,
this disease causes the death of the largest number of people today.
TV colour vision: Red, green and blue set of colour combinations is
added in colour vision in TV.
U-238: is the most common isotope of naturally occurring uranium.
Uncertainty Principle: This is associated with Heisenberg.
Unit of force: Newton is the unit of force.
Urea: is excreted through kidneys.
Urochrome: The yellow colour of urine is due to its presence.
Variable energy Cyclotron: is located at Cuttack.
Vegetative propagation: gives rise to genetically uniform propagation
called the clone.
Vein: A vein is a vessel that carries blood towards the heart.
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Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre: is established at Thumba-for the rea-
son that it is situated on the Geomagnetic Equator.
Vinegar: is acid in nature due to the presence of acetic acid.
Virus: The following three characteristics of virus best denote its
unique nature (1) it can attack bacteria; (2) it can be crystalised; (3)
it can invade human body.
Vitamin A: is found abundantly in carrot. It is useful for vision. Its de-
ficiency leads to night-blindness
Vitamin B Complex: is taken along with antibiotics to protect the in-
testinal flora of E. coli bacteria.
Vitamin C: is also known as Ascorbic Acid. Its deficiency leads to
bleeding of gums and loosening of teeth.
It is not soluble in fat but is water soluble. Its source is 'citrus fruit'. It
is not found in milk.
Vitamin D: Sunlight is a major source that provides Vitamin D in our
body.
Vitamin K: Deficiency of Vitamin K causes excess bleeding. It helps
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in eliminating prolonged bleeding in operations and in billiary tract of
jaundice patients.
Vitamins: are necessary for human beings for metabolic growth and
development.
Voluntary muscles of human body: are present in the wall of blood
vessels.
Vulcanisation: is a process for hardening of rubber by heating it with
sulphur.
Washing Machine: converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.
Washing soda: In the preparation of washing soda, besides Sodium
and Oxygen, Hydrogen and Carbon are also used.
Water density: The density of pure water will be maximum at 4C.
When water freezes, its density decreases.
Water, its Physico-chemical characteristics: The physico-chemical
characteristics of water in water sources undergo changes due to ef-
fluents.
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Water-good solvent for salts: Water is a good solvent for many salts
because the dielectric constant of water is high.
Watts: The rate at which a force does work may be measured in
watts.
Weight of a body: The weight of a body at the centre of the earth will
be zero.
Welding, gases used in: The gases used in different types of welding
would include oxygen, hydrogen, acetylene and nitrogen.
Wrought iron: is the purest form of iron.
Xerophthalmia: is the nutritional deficiency condition that needs to be
given top priority for remedial action in India.
X-ray technicians: are most likely to run the risk of a permanent
change in their cell's DNA.
X-rays: X-Rays are electromagnetic radiations of the same type as
light, but of much shorter wavelength which were discovered by Ront-
gen, a German physicist, in 1895.
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Xylem: Water and minerals are translocated in plants through xylem.
Yawning: is due to accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body.
Yeast: is the micro-organism responsible for the process resulting in
the production of ethanol and carbon dioxide from starch or sugar.
Zip fastner: was invented by W.L. Judson.
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